A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Title: A Monster Calls
Author: Patrick Ness
Series: Stand Alone
Source: Personal Copy
Format: Hardback
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. The monster in his backyard is different. It’s ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd— whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself— Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, and monsters both real and imagined.

There is nothing in the world that could prepare a person to face a life that has been shattered by circumstances. Let alone when that life belongs to a ten-year-old boy, Connor, whose father left to live with his new family in the States, leaving him behind with his beloved mother, who is fighting for something that may not end the way he wants it to be. There is too much that weigh on his small shoulders without having anyone there that he could really turn to. One day, The Monster that claims to be answering Connor’s call starts visiting him at the exact time, 12:07, everyday. Taking the form of a yew tree, he brings along with him three true yet unpredictable stories, which he presents to Connor one at a time. Once he is done, The Monster wants Connor to tell him a true story, one that Connor swears not to tell anyone, or else he will eat Connor alive. In the midst of this chaos in Connor’s life, is seeing this Monster the sign that Connor has actually reaches his breaking point? Or The Monster is really there for a grand purpose that Connor could only see once he is ready to see it?

A Monster Calls is truly an epic tale that is compact with concise, lyrical prose and full to the brink with mixes of emotions. Having just finished this book for the second time, I feel that I’ve just stepped off an extremely emotional roller coaster ride, witnessing a life that no ten-year-old really should have. The original idea of this book comes from the late Siobhan Dowd, the Carnegie Award winner, and the author, Patrick Ness, deserves a standing ovation for his remarkable job in turning this idea into a memorable and beautiful story that could moves anyone who reads it to tears. I strongly believe that the outstanding black and white illustrations by Jim Kay really help in accentuating the dark theme of the book and suit the sombre mood perfectly. Another one thing that truly satisfies me is when I finally figure out the significance of every metaphors and symbolisms that Ness used throughout the story. It is like everything is there for a reason and to really see the puzzle being put together, pieces by pieces, really gives me such an incredible feeling.

To be quite honest, I truly cannot list down anything that I did not like in A Monster Calls. This is not the book that you can tell whether it is good or it is bad by analysing its characters or its plots, but rather by reflecting its meaning and see how much it fits to real life. Reading A Monster Calls makes me think back about my life when I was ten, the age when I feel that future is like a sea that will give me access to everywhere without realising that there is something sinister down there that can snatch me at anytime and put my life to a sudden halt. Connor meets that sinister creature, so does many other children in this world and for some reason I really cannot stop thinking about that. Despite sounding like a middle grade novel by judging from its description and a hybrid of paranormal and fantasy genre by its cover, A Monster Calls is indeed a pure contemporary novel that speaks for people of all ages. I highly recommended this book to everyone despite its depressing and emotionally exhausting nature cause I assure you that every single tears that you shed will be totally worth it. Kudos to Patrick Ness for providing us with such a masterpiece.

Adios, Nirvana by Conrad Wesselhoeft

Title: Adios, Nirvana
Author: Conrad Wesselhoeft
Series: Stand alone book 
Source: NetGalley/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Format: Digital copy
Genre: Contemporary fiction

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Since the death of his brother, Jonathan’s been losing his grip on reality. Last year’s Best Young Poet and gifted guitarist is now Taft High School’s resident tortured artist, when he bothers to show up. He's on track to repeat eleventh grade, but his English teacher, his principal, and his crew of Thicks (who refuse to be seniors without him) won’t sit back and let him fail.

Losing someone you truly love is probably the most tragic event that could happen in a person’s life. It is even harder when the one who was taken away was the one you looked up to, shared your passions with and whom you confided in. This is what happened to Jonathan – this is the story of his life, his guilt, his grief following the death of his better half, his twin brother, Telemachus/Telly.

Jonathan is a young poet that everybody wants to be but a torture soul that no one wants to become. Since the death of Telemachus, he is no longer complete and he feels that no one can patch him back, to make him whole again. He crawls through life in a mindless stupor, dwells in self-pity and seems to only survive by consuming endless amount of taurine and caffeine tablets. Realising how self-destructive Jonathan has become, his best friends, which he called “his Thicks” and those others who know his true potential start devising a plan to wake Jonathan up from his prolong daze, to make him realise that his life is one that is worth living. What does it take for someone to begin moving on and embrace life? And can the course of life of the hopeless be changed by those who he loves and respects?

Adios, Nirvana is a book that portrays loss, grief, friendship and a value of life. The skeletal bone of the story is rather simple and of little meaning: a boy seeking for ways to handle his grief. However, the complexity of the messages hidden behind its intricate, raw, brilliant writing is what makes this book important and moving. Conrad Wesselhoeft is definitely not the kind of author who tailors his writing to make it more acceptable to everyone as he depicts reality of life as it is, no sugar coating and no polishing. I have no doubt that some people might feel rather uncomfortable with the way this book was written and some offensive language used along the way, but to me, this makes this book more real and believable.

One of the aspects in Adios, Nirvana that I thoroughly enjoy is the way the author slowly reveals the vital information, carefully creating the tension inside of the book. Ever since I start reading, I’ve wondered why Jonathan called his brother “Telemachus” but not by his real name. My question is answered towards the end of the book and it sort of emphasize the relationship between these two brothers, how one of them is one half of the whole and how truly decapitate Jonathan feels after his brother is gone. Other than that, Wesselhoeft also did an excellent job with the characters in this book. Jonathan is not entirely likeable from the beginning but the author lets readers embark this journey to see the changes in him and the real person that he suppresses beneath. The other characters too are very well-written and it can easily be seen how each and every one of them trying to help Jonathan moving on with his life.

Despite feeling that the ending is a little too rush; I am still overall satisfied with this book. A bittersweet story that talks about seizing the moment and understanding that despite every hurdle, life can still be the way we craft it to be. Adios, Nirvana is a book that I deeply love – the kind that leave imprints in my heart that won’t fade in many years to come.

Favourite Quote: To live is to swim toward the shimmer, to die is to never try

A memorable read that I highly recommended. With wonderful prose, excellent characters arc, brilliant hidden messages and honest voices, I have no doubt that this book can give readers something more than they first expected. A great contemporary debut that should not be missed.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Title: Looking for Alaska
Author: John Green
Series: Stand Alone 
Source: Personal Copy
Format: Paperback 
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis (from B&N):

Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words – and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the “Great Perhaps.” Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps. Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. A stunning debut, it marks John Green’s arrival as an important new voice in contemporary fiction.

Who can predict that some final words could give a huge impact in one person’s life? “I go to seek a Great Perhaps” were the last words said by François Rabelais. This single sentence appears to inspire a young man, Miles “Pudge” Halter, to move few steps forward, leaving behind his old life and enrol to a boarding school in searching for his own brand of “Great Perhaps”. At the Culver Creek, he finds some close friends: The Colonel, his roommate, Lara Buterskaya, a shy Romanian, Takumi, a crazy Japanese and last but not least, Alaska, the girl who he begins to love silently.

Written in two parts, the “Before” and the “After”, with one pivotal event, Looking for Alaska chronicles the journey made by Pudge and his friends as they face the ups, the downs and the inevitable in the rough route that they call “life”. What is this “Great Perhaps”? And will the event that occurs manage to make Pudge able to understand and to grasp the real meaning of the “Great Perhaps” better in the end?

Judging by his excellent writing and the way he swiftly tackles the intricate subject in this book, no one would believes that Looking for Alaska is actually the first work by John Green. Written in such realistic manner, Green makes it easier for readers to relate to the characters that he creates in his book and further understand such trials that they have to go through. This relatabilty, along with bunch of interesting, real characters and crisp storylines make this book an incredibly great read.

Miles, in my opinion, is one of the most ordinary protagonists out there. He seems clueless about almost everything on his first day at Culver Creek and it looks like his bunch of “colourful” friends are the ones that start shaping and introduce him to the real world. I wouldn’t say that all the things that they teach him are good things, but nonetheless, they help him to spread his wings and gets himself out of his own cocoon. Another character that I find very interesting is Alaska herself. She is really brilliant but also incredibly torn at the same time. These factors make her somewhat unpredictable and Mile’s description on Alaska in the book sure tells a lot: “So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane.”

For such a thin book, Looking for Alaska certainly is fat with messages that relate to valuable aspects in life. It is a book about love, friendship, loyalty, regrets, grief and route to maturity. Dashes of last words used by the author, peppers with some religion references help enhancing the storyline all together. This book indeed comes with some great messages but it all depends on the readers on how they want to perceive it. An incredible read that I would recommend to all.

Favourite Quote: It's not life or death, the labyrinth. Suffering. Doing wrong and having wrong things happen to you. That's the problem. Bolivar was talking about the pain, not about the living or dying. How do you get out of the labyrinth of suffering? - Alaska Young

This book totally takes me by surprise. It begins with something light, then gets to the climax with a BAM and ends with a philosophical ending. John Green did a brilliant job in capturing how it is like to be a young, insecure and friendless teen. I'd certainly recommended this book to those that enjoy books that make you think.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Series: Stand Alone
Source: Personal Copy
Format: Hardcover
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

I used to wonder what kind of tragedy that happens in one’s life that eventually leads to suicide. What sort of hardship that the person has to face till he/she thinks this life is not worth living anymore? In Thirteen Reasons Why, Hannah Baker tells us her story and in some ways, she did answer part of the questions that I have in mind. Who would have thought that some small, silly actions could cause a snowball effects that ruined a soul and be the ending of someone’s world? In this book, Hannah - in her very own way - explains to us “Why”.

Jay Asher successfully nailed readers’ attention with his frank and concise writing in Thirteen Reasons Why. Despite knowing how the book will end and having this uneasy feeling about the subject matter, I found myself continue to leaf through, trying to dive into Hannah’s world and truly understand how she feels about everything that had transpired. Hannah – to me – is not really a complicated character but the situations harden her. It is very easy for readers to recognise how different her “voice” sounds like as she slowly unravels one thing after another that finally leads to her decision to commit suicide.

Hannah begins as a cheery person, then turns sarcastic, angry and being downright distraught towards the end when she finally believes that no one is there to pull her out of the sinkhole she’s currently in. It is sad to see how “implicitly” she tried to reach out but nobody can really hear her. Can we really blame her for not crying out loud, directly tell people that she needs help? Or is it the others fault that they didn’t take time to really listen to her? These are amongst the many questions that linger in my head after I finished reading this book.

Asher is indeed an excellent writer as the simple words he used in Thirteen Reasons Why managed to instill such intricate, multi-layered emotions and let readers feel how is it like to be in Hannah’s shoes. Kudos Jay Asher!

Memorable Quote: You don’t know what goes on in anyone’s life but your own. And when you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re not messing with just that part. Unfortunately, you can’t be that precise and selective. When you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re messing with their entire life. Everything. . . affects everything

Such a compelling, poignant read that I'd recommend to those who love reading book with such a heavy theme. Thirteen Reasons Why is definitely the kind of book that will stay with you for a very, very long time. It's haunting, I kid you not!

Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Love You Hate You Miss You
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Series: Stand alone 
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Pages: 304 Pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Overall Rating:

Synopsis (from the book cover):

It's been seventy five days. Amy's sick of her parents suddenly taking an interest in her, and she's really sick of people asking her about Julia. Julia's gone, and Amy doesn't want to talk about it. No one knew Julia like she did. No one gets what life is without her. No one understands what it's like to know that it's all your fault.  Amy's shrink thinks she should keep a journal but instead, Amy starts writing letters to Julia. As she writes letter after letter, she begins to realize that the past holds its own secrets--and that the present deserves a chance.

First Paragraph: Dear Julia. Get this, I’m supposed to be starting a journal about “my journey.” Please. I can see it now: Dear Diary, As I’m set adrift on this crazy sea called “life,” I like to think of an inspirational poem I heard not long ago, one that made me weep because of its beauty. Today, I truly believe each day is a precious gift.... I don’t think so.

My Review: Seventy-five days have past since the day Amy saw Julia died, since the last day Amy knew how to live, since the first day Amy began punishing herself for the death of her best friend. Fresh out of Pinewood – a treatment centre – Amy feels like she has been stripped naked without the presence of Julia. But she has to live; as that is the only way she could penalize herself for what really happened that night. So she continues to plug along, trying to bare her parent’s sudden change of behaviour – from one who is indifferent to one who cares too much, struggle through a hard time at school and at the same time fighting the devils that raging inside her head. Is Amy strong enough to get through this trial and tribulation without worrying of losing her own self?

Love You Hate You Miss You is indeed a raw, heartbreaking and poignant read. Even though the basic theme of this book has already been explored before, Scott still managed to nail the readers with her concise and gripping writing that delves into the mind that has been severely affected by the loss of a dear friend. I admire the way the author excised the feeling of the main character, Amy, to the point that readers are able to feel her pain, her anguish and her guilt. This is the main thing that glued me to this book till its very last page.

I have to admit that at first, I was irritated by Amy’s behaviours. She seems indifferent to the love and the care that her parents show after she was released from the centre. She is also the kind who is very self-centred in which she wants everything to be about her and not about anybody else. However, after understanding her past, it is fathomable as to why she behaves this way. The development of Amy’s character is very interesting to read especially during the period where the psychologist trying to help her deals with her grief. Another character that sparks my interest in this book is Patrick, a mysterious guy with secrets of his own that seems to understand Amy’s situation more than anyone else could. Despite being a quick read, this book is definitely pack with secrets, pain and heartbreak that will touch readers’ feelings in so many ways.

Love You Hate You Miss You is more than just a story about grief. It explores the theme of forgiveness, acceptance and most important of all, the choices that ones make in ones’ life and its effect on the life of others. A powerful novel by Elizabeth Scott that will stay with me for a very long time.

Final Verdict: This delicate writing and story telling by Elizabeth Scott is a moving and gripping read that has an ability to touch the hearts of those who love reading about human's emotions and how ones thrive under unexpected circumstances. Highly recommended to everyone.

Memorable Quote: The thing is, that world doesn't exist. All growing up means is that your realize no one will come along to fix things. No one will come along to save you - Amy

Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult

Title: Salem Falls
Author: Jodi Picoult
Series: Stand alone book
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback
Pages: 514 Pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Overall Rating:

Synopsis (from the book cover):

A handsome stranger comes to the sleepy New England town of Salem Falls in hopes of burying his past: Once a teacher at a girl's prep school, Jack St. Bride was destroyed when a student's crush sparked a powder keg of accusation. Now, washing dishes for Addie Peabody at the Do-Or-Diner, he slips quietly into his new routine and Addie finds this unassuming man fitting easily inside her heart. But amid the rustic calm of Salem Falls, a quartet of teenage girls harbor dark secrets - and they maliciously target Jack with a shattering allegation. Not at the center if a modern-day witch hunt, Jack is forced once again to proclaim his innocence: to a town searching for answers, to a justice system where truth become a slippery concept written in shades of gray, and to the woman who has come to love him.

First Sentence: Several miles into his journey, Jack St. Bride decided to give up his former life.

My Review: Salem Falls is definitely my favourite book by Picoult thus far. She had – again – successfully incorporated a tinge of romance, a tinge of courtroom drama and a tinge of mystery into her writing, which in the end, made up a beautifully written story. As the other books by Jodi Picoult, this is another issue-oriented novel in which she tried to bring forward topics such as Megan’s Law abuse (A law that requires law enforcement to make information regarding registered sex offender available to public) and false accusations to readers’ eyes.

In Salem Falls, we were introduced to a character, Jack St. Bride, who spent eight months of his life behind the bars over crime he didn’t commit. When he arrived in the small town of Salem Falls, New Hampshire, all he intended to do was to run away from his past and start anew. Landed a job as a dishwasher at a local diner, romance soon started to bud between him and Addie Peabody, the diner’s owner. As the thing from Jack’s past was made public, the people of Salem Falls treated Jack with such hatred. Through this ordeal, the relationship between him and Addie continued to blossom and they learnt quite a lot of heartbreaking things about each other. However, when a girl from a Wiccan group that practiced Pagan ritual accused Jack of raping her, everything began to shatter. Jack relived his nightmare once again but this time, he swore to himself that he won’t plead guilty like he did before. Will he survive against this brutal allegation this time?

Diving into this book was like peeling an onion. Secrets were carefully revealed, layer by layer, as you go through page after page. The plot was well thought out and seriously engaging. Even though it was a little obvious how the trial might end, the whole processes and characters behaviours made me thoroughly involved with the story. The revelation about Wiccan and their ritual really caught my interest because I’ve never really heard of this thing. Besides that, there was also a shocking revelation towards the end of the book which made me read back few chapters and reanalyse certain characters motives This book was  totally unputdownable and the fact that I finished it in one day really tells a lot.

Final Verdict: A very fascinating and enjoyable read especially to those who love a complex story which was narrated from multiple perspectives. A juicy work by Picoult that would make you question, make you think and make you say "I knew it!" when you cross the end line of the book.  

Memorable Quote: She was doing this because she knew what it was like to hit rock bottom and to need someone to give you a leg up. She was doing this because she understood how a world jammed with phones and emails and faxes could still leave you feel utterly alone - Addie Peabody

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

Title: The Pact
Author: Jodi Picoult
Series: Stand alone book
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback
Pages: 512
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Overall Rating:

Synopsis (from the book cover):

Until the phone calls came at three o’clock on a November morning, the Golds and their neighbours, the Hartes, had been inseparable. It was no surprise to anyone when their teenage children, Chris and Emily, began showing signs that their relationship was moving beyond that of lifelong friends. But now seventeen-year-old Emily is dead---shot with a gun her beloved and devoted Chris pilfered from his father’s cabinet as part of an apparent suicide pact---leaving two devastated families stranded in the dark and dense predawn, desperate for answers about an unthinkable act and the children they never really know.

I have to admit that it is difficult to write review for this book without giving anything away. Without doubt, The Pact had gripped my attention from cover to cover but the fact that there are things that were stated with no clear explanations make me not thoroughly satisfied. After the tragedy that happened on that night in November, the life of the Golds and the Hartes were completely torn apart. The Golds was devastated with the fact that they have to live life without the presence of their beautiful, smart and artistic Emily; while it certainly wasn't easy for the Hartes to see their son was yanked away from the house on his birthday night, being put in prison for months and being tried for murder for the crime that he might not commit.

This leaves the readers with quite a few questions to ponder: How could someone like Emily decides to end her own life when she actually had everything that everyone would like to have? What really happened that night - Was it really a double suicide gone awry or was it actually a murder? If it was a murder, how could Chris has a heart to put a bullet inside of his lover's head when he claimed that he loves her more than life itself?

Picoult certainly has a way to persuade readers to choose side when the trial began, only to cause them to re-think - re-choose sides - and redo it all over again. She was a complete genius in the way she captures the atmosphere in the courtroom and in the prison, in the way she describes Chris's feelings towards Emily and the way she makes several twists in her story. I just wish that she tied the loose ends in The Pact more tightly and give me, Chris, the Golds and the Hartes the consolations that we all need. But perhaps, this is how the end was meant to be - as in real life, most emotional dilemmas are rarely solved neatly, plus there will always be questions that needed answers. There is no such thing as "perfect ending" as in the end, there is no one that actually wins.

All in all, I could say that The Pact is not really a bad read. However, I won't recommend this book to person who looks for a solid ending, nor to those who think that there are enough dramas in real lives till it is unnecessary to let the same elements creep into their leisure time as well.

Favourite Quote:
"Do you know what it's like to love someone so much, that you can't see yourself without picturing her? Or what it's like to touch someone, and feel like you've come home? Some people spend their whole lives looking for that one person... I was lucky enough to have her all along" - Chris Harte