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.

Need by Carrie Jones

Title: Need
Author: Carrie Jones
Series: Need #1 
Source: Personal copy
Format: Paperback 
Genre: Speculative Fiction - Paranormal

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now. She couldn't be more wrong.

Sudden passing of a love one could do numbers of things to people’s minds. The untimely demise of her stepfather had left Zara deeply depressed, relatively numb and what freak her most is that, she begins to feel like everywhere she goes, someone is there – watching her every moves. Zara’s emotional status causes great concern to her mother, who eventually decides that she would be safer under the care of Grandma Betty in Maine.

But Zara thinks that she knows better and believes that there is nothing this dreary, awkward, cold town could do to help her. Little does she know that a grandma’s love, some eccentric, quirky friends and a hot boy could put some colours to her monotonous life. Things are all right until the stalker starts ruining everything again, convincing Zara that he is more than a product of her imagination. Who is this “stalker” really is? And what is his connection to Zara and her past?

Couple of comparison has been made between this book and Twilight and as I read the first few chapters, I can clearly see why. However, as Need starts picking up its tempo, it begins to separate itself from the other series and set up its very own niche. Truthfully, I am not entirely crazy about this book but the few surprises still make it a good read. One thing that is really unique about Need is Jones’ creativity in relating certain type of phobias with every single chapter in it. The style of writing is very simple, making Need one light, quick read. Another factor that makes me like Need is its characters, which are normal despite the whole circumstances they are all in. The qualities that each character have are clearly portrayed make it easy to distinguish their purposes and roles in the book.

However – to me – Need does come with couple of issues. Its straightforwardness and lack of complexities cause it to be somewhat predictable, which spoil the fun of reading a little bit. By looking at those creepy plotlines used by the author, this book does seem like it has a lot of potential but the overly simplistic discoveries and solutions at the end of the book is really not satisfying. Plus, the way Zara accepts who the stalker really is and how he relates to her are also implausible. I wish that there is a little more depth in this sense and the creepy elements are consistent right to the end, but alas, that didn’t happen.

All in all, despite some of the problems I have with the book, I know I’ll be reading the next chapter since I need to know how the series ends. I believe that those who love paranormal and want to find something to read other than those vampires’ ones will enjoy this book.

Favourite Quote: The secret of happiness is freedom, the secret of freedom is courage

Combination of some creepy and some romance elements make this book interesting enough to caught interest of paranormal readers. If you're looking for something quick and light, this book is certainly for you. Though for those who are looking for more substance, there are parts of this book that you may not like.

The Queen's Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner

Books in this series:
(1) The Thief
(2) The Queen of Attolia
(3) The King of Attolia
(4) A Conspiracy of Kings

Author: Megan Whalen Turner
Source: Borrowed
Format: Paperback except #4
Genre: Speculative Fiction - Fantasy

Enthralling. Captivating. Amazing. These are among the best words that I can use to summarise how I feel towards this fabulous series. The moment I start reading the first book, The Thief, I have a feeling that right then I’m holding something unique, I’m diving into something spectacular and I believe – without any doubt – that these books have the capability to sweep me away. After finishing all four books in a span of less than a week, my earlier prediction turns out to be true. I have unquestionably fallen deeply in love with this series. Written in a simplistic ways with a very comfortable pacing, The Queen's Thief is indeed a series that's full with surprises and I hope that I can deliver this review spoiler free while at the same time showing all of you what is it that I love about this series.

In The Thief, readers are being introduced to the most important character in the entire series – Eugenides or in short, “Gen”. He is young. He is hilarious. He is egocentric. And most crucial of all, he is the thief. He claims that he is genius enough to steal everything but apparently, he is also foolish enough that he brags about his most recent stealing activity at a bar, which leads to his imprisonment in a jail at Sounis. One day, the King’s Magus offers him freedom but in return he has to steal something for him. Here is where everything begins, where Gen and his companions – The Magus, his apprentices, Sophos and Ambiades, and a guard named Pol – start their adventure across three adjacent kingdoms, Sounis, Eddis and Attolia, to retrieve something no one else really believes exists. Narrated by the humorous Gen himself, readers get to see glimpses of his own thoughts and a delicious, detail account of his dazzling journey.

However, one thing that Gen – at all time – manage to keep to himself is the fact that he is actually more than what he lets everyone else sees. How clever this smelly, constantly starving character really is? Pieces by pieces of this intricate puzzle are being revealed rather slowly in the subsequent volumes in the series. It is surprising to me that The Queen of Attolia, The King of Attolia and A Conspiracy of Kings are no longer being narrated by Gen but from the eyes of two queens, a king and a mere guard. This drastic change is absolute necessary as the pace of the series moves up a notch and the plot thickens and becomes more complicated. Here we can see where Eugenides true power really lies and eventually finds out what other intricate things that this amazing character is able to steal.

While it is clear that I am terribly in love with the main character, Eugenides, the female figures in these books are also ones to be admired. Both queen of Eddis and Attolia portray two very strong-willed ladies with heads of their own. This is something that I think I rarely see in today’s books. The way they handle matters in hands are incredible and creepy at times too. Another aspect that really drew me into these books is the author’s way of establishing romance between Euginedes and his lady. You won’t find any “I love you’s” nor any scenes that clearly indicates that these two are in love. Though what is lack in words are made up through gestures, which ends up thoroughly melt and warm my heart. Little words do speak volume, these books really prove that.

Overall, this series is definitely my best read for this year. I know there are still months till the end of 2010, but these books have set the bar so high that I doubt any other books can beat it. While I cannot reveal what other things that Eugenides successfully steal in this series, I can tell you that in the span of few days, he had snuck into my senses and completely steal my heart.

Favourite Quote: You are treasure beyond any price - Eugenides

A hidden germ that should be praise, should be loved, and should be devoured.. This is definitely a series that gets into your heart and is there to stay. One word of advice is that try not to read any synopsis of the books in this series since they contain some major spoiler that could ruin some shocking surprises for you.

The Short 2nd Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

Title: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Series: Twilight Companion Novel
Source: Available for free online
Format: E-book
Genre: Speculative fiction - Paranormal

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire. All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is a short novella that chronicles the life of a newborn vampire named Bree Tanner. I believe that the fate that has befallen this minor character in Eclipse has already been known by everyone, though how everything begins is a total mystery – until now. Acting more like a gap-filler, this book explains what happen before the war between this army of young vampires and the Cullens, how they were recruited and what kind of lies that was fed by their leaders to make sure that they follow their commands.

While I liked reading the saga, I found that this book fell a bit flat for me. I know the main focus of this book is on Bree though I believe that Meyer could add more substance by elaborating on the other characters or her relationship with them as well. I truly need more for this book to totally grab my interest. All in all, this book is just OK for me but I’ve no doubt that those who really love the saga will find this book enjoyable as well.

Favourite Quote: I’d never been a fan of fire. This might have been because of some buried childhood memory, or maybe it was more recent. Becoming a vampire was enough fire to last me - Bree

I cannot really find anything spectacular in this book but it is still an easy and quick read that should be enjoyed by those who really love the Twilight series. Not a big fan? You won't be missing on anything by skipping this.

P.S. Have you read this book? If you have, let me know what 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!

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Title: Unwind
Author: Neal Shusterman
Series: Stand alone 
Source: Personal Copy
Format: Paperback
Genre: Science Fiction

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away.

What if you live in a period where your parents own the right to “terminate” your life? Period where someone else has a say on what is going to happen to you, your future more than your own self? Period where your life means absolutely nothing just because you’re incompetent, an excess or a tithe chosen at birth? These are the facts that bring three names – Conner, Risa and Lev – together. Their paths cross each others’ because they are “The Unwinds” and they have to fight really hard to remain alive, to remain whole as themselves and not just as “the remaining” of themselves as a part of somebody else. During this time, when humans themselves have become the monsters, how can all these youngsters fight for their own survival?

I rarely read a book that truly horrifies me but it seems like Unwind managed to do just that. Concisely and vividly written, Shusterman creates a world close to our own, completes with realistic, complicated and well-developed characters. It doesn’t take long for one to start feeling for these young kids, understand their suffering, thinking about how those they love and trust can betray them in such unthinkable way. This book definitely horrifies me in a very different aspect since it doesn’t really filled with any gory details about some of these chilling events stated in it. Though the parts that have been left unsaid by the author are the portions that frighten me most since they make my mind wanders, imagining the most daunting things that could possibly be happening to these kids. There is not many books that can give such effect to me and this signify how excellent this book really is.

Unwind is a book that touches numerous critical issues - from abortion to organ transplantation, legal issues to religion aspects – but Shusterman fiddles with these issues with such implicit manners till one might not notice how heavy this book really is until they take time to think deeply about it. Saying that this book is an “enjoyable” read would definitely be a lie but the messages and knowledge that was cramped into these 352 pages really make everything worthwhile. Written by an author with such a deviant imagination, Unwind is definitely a phenomenal, thought-provoking book that should not be missed.

Memorable Quote: I was never going to amount to much anyway... but now, statistically speaking, there's a better chance that some part of me will go on to greatness somewhere in the world. I'd rather be partly great than entirely useless - Samson (One of the Unwinds)

A book about humanity, about morale and about survival when your own life is at stake. Such an incredible, powerful read that will stay with you for a very long time. And definitely a book that will trigger a question in your head and keep you thinking for a long, long time. 

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Ashes
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: Mortal Instruments #2 
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardback
Pages: 453 Pages
Genre: Speculative Fiction - Fantasy/Paranormal
Overall Rating:

Synopsis (from Amazon):

The Shadowhunters are battling a world of demons that few people can see. Guided by the laws of the Clave, these hunters balance fighting with the other more mundane aspects of life—love, betrayal, and confusion. Jace, the fiercest teenage Shadowhunter, seems determined to make everyone around him angry, and is looked upon with suspicion because someone of his own blood is out to rule the world. Meanwhile, love triangles abound, vampires are reborn, and general teenage angst blossoms among a group of friends and siblings. Set in an alternative present-day Manhattan, the story comes complete with Britney Spears references and even, ironically, refers to the scientific CSI.

First Paragraph: "Are you still mad?" Alec, leaning against the wall of the elevator, glared across the small space at Jace. "I'm not mad". "Oh, yes you are". Jace gestured accusingly at his stepbrother, then yelped as pain shot up his arm.

My Review: The sacred Soul Sword, Maellartch, is now in the hands of Valentine. With one act of horrific sacrificial ceremony, Valentine will have a complete control over the whole demons in the world. Realising that this will push Valentine one step closer to his goal in “purifying” the world from the Downworlders, Jace and his friends are set on a quest to stop further disastrous events from happening. However, Clave – the ruling organisation of Shadowhunters – has their own doubt. The Inquisitor is being sent, Jace is being investigated, making things a lot harder than it already is. As the clock continues ticking, new plan needs to be devised in order to stop the agenda planned by Valentine, with or without the support from the Clave. Could they make this happen?

An excellent and exhilarating read; Clare has indeed successful on her own quest to captivate readers’ interest and evading the much dreaded sophomore slump with City of Ashes. The author skilfully starts the book by reintroducing readers to some major characters in the previous instalment while at the same time, spilling some beans and hints that spark readers’ curiosity on the things that are more to come. Her ingenious, fluid writing gives Clare some powers to manoeuvre readers’ moods: making them feels the chemistry and the tension between Clary and Jace, letting them experience the grim feeling of the prison at the Silent City and force them to live through the heart pounding action when team fights off Valentine’s armies. Those 453 pages will flow too fast before you even realising it!

Fantastic characters have always been the drive force for this book, as well as its predecessor. The development of certain characters, especially those who sit at the sideline in City of Bones is fantastic. Among the whole characters, the drastic change that happen to Simon is the one that will surprise readers most but this is indeed a great way to bring forth his character and at the same time making him looks more important in this book rather than the previous one. However, the predictability of the villain, Valentine, is rather puzzling since bad people are not supposed to be too predictable, but that seems to be one of Valentine’s traits. Hope that the trend won’t continue into the next book in the series. Very entertaining!

Final Verdict: As an excellent author, Cassandra Clare managed to retain the success of City of Bones into this book and more. Intense. Poweful. Intriguing. Full with complicated love triangle of some sort, endless humour and non-stop action. Definitely the kind of book that will keep any readers from sleeping at night until they reach its very last page. Highly, highly, highly recommended.

Memorable Quote: You know how the bonds of family are, my lady... They cling as tightly as vines. And sometimes, like vines, they cling tight enough to kill - Jace

Tithe by Holly Black

Title: Tithe
Author: Holly Black
Series: A Modern Faerie Tale #1
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Pages: 331 Pages
Genre: Speculative Fiction - Fantasy
Overall Rating:

Synopsis (from the book cover):

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces the sixteen-year-old back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms -- a struggle that could very well mean her death.

First Sentence: Kaye took another drag on her cigarette and dropped it into her mother’s beer bottle. She figured that would be a good test for how drunk Ellen was—see if she would swallow a butt whole.

My Review: Kaye is a strong-willed, foul-mouthed, school dropout who lives like a nomad with her musician mother, Ellen. At the age of 16, she has start smoking and drinking excessively but the oddest thing is – her mother doesn’t seem to care. When her mother’s boyfriend suddenly turns homicidal, Kaye and her mother return to her grandmother’s house in New Jersey. Here begins a chain of event, which starts off with her rescuing an injured black knight named Roiben that happens to be the knight of Unseelie Court, to meeting her solitary fey friends from her childhood. The fey tell Kaye the truth about herself and also the plot they are planning to let solitary fey be free for the next seven more years. What kind of truth that the fey tell Kaye about? And what kind of danger that comes with the plot they are planning?

Tithe, the first installment of A Modern Faery Tale series, chronicles the world of dark fey as well as the dark side of human’s world and behaviours. The setting of the faerie’s world that Black created in this book is very interesting and couple with her in depth explanation on faerie’s superstitious making some parts of this book delicious to read. However, despite of these couple of positive parts, I found that the weaknesses far exceed the strengths of this book since I cannot really name any other portions in it that  totally grabbed my interest and making it a memorable read.

In her attempt to create something unique, I find it quite hard to follow and enjoy Black’s writing in Tithe. Some passages seem to be disconnected from one another making it harder to understand what the author trying to convey. Other than that, I’m also not too fond of the characters as I feel like they are underdeveloped, impossible to relate to and even harder to have any kind of emotions toward them at any given moment. The foul language used in this book also annoys me since it is used excessively and repetitively. Besides that, the underage drinking, chain-smoking and some other obnoxious behaviours without any remorse feelings truly left me speechless and rather unsettling. Suffice to say that I did not entirely enjoying myself with this book. To me, it does not feel like it lives up to the hype – at all.

Final Verdict:  Not something I would recommend unless you’re up to something really dark and not the kind who squirm when reading foul languages.

If you've read this book, I'd really love to hear what you think of it and if you've reviewed it as well, don't forget to include the link to your review in your comment. 

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

Morganville Vampires Series by Rachel Caine

Books in this Series:
Glass Houses; The Dead Girls' Dance; Midnight Alley; Feast of Fools; Lord of Misrule; Carpe Corpus; Fade Out
Author: Rachel Caine
Source: Purchased
Genre: Speculative Fiction - Paranormal
Overall Rating:

My Review: 

Claire Danvers only dream is to pursue her studies at an Ivy League college but that is not something that her parents agree with. Since she is still very young, they think she should enroll to somewhere closer to home like at the Texas Prairie University in Morganville. However, they don’t know what they actually get Claire into. Morganville might seem like any other city in the world, but it holds its own dark secret that nobody knows until they settled in the city. Once they moved there, there is no way for anyone to escape the city. Even if they are allowed to, every memory they have regarding the city will be erased forever. Human might drive the politics in Morganville, but the real backbone of the city is actually powered by – Vampires.

After being bullied by several mean girls in TPU, Claire is left with no other choice other than finding new, safer place to live. Here she meets a trio – Michael, Shane and Eve – who occupies the Glasses house. They gladly accept her in and in no time, they become close-knitted friends that back each other up whenever problems arise. Claire only finds out the truth about Morganville during her stays at her new place where she learns that human and vampires live “symbiotically” with each other in which humans are required to donate blood monthly for you-know-what and in return, they’ll get protection from the vampires.

As the story moves on to the next chapters, readers are being introduced to more interesting characters like a biker guy whose seeking revenge for his family’s death, Myrnin, an ancient bloodsucker with some mental condition and Bishop, another ancient vampire, who believes that harmony is not vampires style of living. With huge cliffhanger at the end of every books, Caine leaves the readers sitting at the edge of their seats, craving for more action in the next book in the series.

The Morganville Vampires Series is such an electrifying read complete with enough suspense and mystery to keep readers constantly on the edge. Caine successfully created this multi-layered vampire town with history of its own causing this story to be somewhat original as compared to the other vampire stories out there. I especially love how she explains some of the intricate and crucial matters in small parts, letting the readers bombarding themselves with endless questions yet only to get the answers little by little. This surely thickens the suspenseful atmosphere and makes the plots even more exciting.

Another strength of this series comes in the dynamics between the four main characters. Even though it seems like most of the thing that happens revolve around Claire, the story does feel more alive when all four of them combine forces to fight the problems or solve the mysteries together. The addition of more colourful, interesting characters as the story goes on added more enjoyment to readers’ reading experience. I enjoyed having Myrnin, the loony vampire, in the book, as his presence seems to lighten up the stressful atmosphere.

I honestly picked up these books without expecting for anything though I’m glad to say that I am pleasantly surprise at how good it all turn out to be as the story gets to its ending. This stories created by Caine are truly enchanting. I cannot wait to read the subsequent chapter in this series!

Final Verdict: Highly enjoyable books that I highly recommended to those who love paranormal books. The series combine suspenseful moments, edgy mysteries, juicy romance and light, funny banters that keep readers wanting more. 

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: Mortal Instruments #1 
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardback
Pages: 485 Pages
Genre: Speculative Fiction - Fantasy
Overall Rating:

Synopsis (from the book cover):

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

First Sentence: "You've got to be kidding me," the bouncer said, folding his arms across his massive chest. He stared down at the boy in the red zip-up jacket and shook his shaved head. "You can't bring that hting in here."

My Review: Have you ever close a book at night, thinking of forcing yourself to sleep but ended up picking the book back and read until you reach the final page instead? That is indeed what happens to me when I read City of Bones about two weeks back. The book is pack with actions, engrossing storyline and pace that is fast yet comfortable. City of Bones takes you into a world where everything that you see may not be what it seems. It is a journey of discovery that will hook you up from the very beginning.

Clary Fray once thought that her life, her world was not so much different from many others. Her perspective changed abruptly on this one night when she saw a murder done by three young, “beautiful”, teenagers – Jace, Alec and Isabelle – a team of “Shadowhunter” who played parts in protecting the world against the interdimensional parasites they called demons. Things became more puzzling for her when she saw the victim’s body just vanished and that her best friend, Simon, didn’t seem able to see the whole thing that was happening. At that moment, she knew she was more than she thought she was.

Later, when she found out that her mother was suddenly missing and she was lucky enough to survive the demonic attack at their apartment because of Jace, there was no other choice for her other than getting involved in the world of Shadowhunter. She learnt more about herself then and discovered that the life she lived before was based on deceptions. The questions are: Why is she being kept in the dark without any knowledge of her true self? What is the truth that she discovered? And is her mother still alive?

The journey throughout this book was utterly enjoyable. The way the author constructed and described the world Clary lived in was full with clarity to the point that I can feel what was happening in the story. The style of writing is also amazing as a lot of descriptive passages were used along with some lyrical parts, which seriously feel like a bonus to me. Some of the dialogues in the book are also very entertaining especially the three point banters between Clary, Jace and Simon. Another thing that I love about City of Bones is its bunch of interesting characters. As the story moves on, I feel like I’ve been following the characters around, learning secrets that they try hard to keep from one another. The author indeed did a fantastic job in combining element of suspense, humour, drama and romance into this book. Simply put, this book is amazing.

Final Verdict: Brace yourself as you embark this journey and getting immerse in the world created by Clare, where you can find troll living in an apartment complex and vampires riding motorcycles that could fly.  And hold on tighter as you reach the OMG moment close to the end of the book ;) Highly addictive and highly enticing making this book a highly recommended read!

Memorable Quote: Later, when his father left him,, the boy cried over his pet, until eventually his father sent a servant to take the body of the bird away and bury it. The boy never cried again and he never forgot what he'd learned: that to love is to destroy, and that to be loved is to be the one destroyed - Story told by Jace to Clary

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

Title: Eyes Like Stars
Author: Lisa Mantchev
Series: Théâtre Illuminata, Act 1 
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardback
Pages: 352 Pages
Genre: Speculative Fiction - Fantasy
Overall Rating:

Synopsis (from the book cover):

All her world's a stage. Beatrice Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater. She is not an orphan, but she has no parents. She knows every part, but has no lines of her own. Until now. Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the characters of every place ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book—an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family—and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known. Lisa Mantchev has written a debut novel that is dramatic, romantic, and witty, with an irresistible and irreverent cast of characters who are sure to enchant the audience.

First Sentence: The fairies flew suspended on wires despite their tendency to get tangled together.

My Review: I felt like I was enchanted the moment I start reading Eyes Like Stars. It was unputdownable, extremely fun and full with stuffs that could make you roll on the floor, laughing out loud. It is very unique to see that most of the characters in this book are actually taken from several plays by Shakespeare, for example Ariel from The Tempest, the four fairies from A Midsummer’s Night Dream and Ophelia from Hamlet. I’ve to admit though that my knowledge on Shakespeare’s plays is rather shallow but it definitely exciting to see a new spin of these characters being put nicely in this excellent book.

In Eyes Like Stars, readers were introduced to Beatrice “Bertie” Shakespeare Smith, an orphan girl who lived in a theatre called Théâtre Illuminata. She befriended Nate, the pirate, and four mischievous fairies, who were super hilarious; to the point that I wish that I could get a few pair for my personal use *lol*. Bertie was a prankster herself and after few rows of shenanigans, she faced an expulsion from the theatre – the one place she could call home. The only way she could stay at the place was by proving to the Theatre Manager that she was able to make an invaluable contribution to the theatre. As she struggled to execute this “invaluable contribution” of hers, she learnt more about herself than she had ever known and everything was never the same again. What was really her planning to keep herself from being expelled from the theatre? And what exactly the thing about herself that she found out in the end?

I love, love, love every single bit of this book. It was magical and truly captivating. The storyline was excellent and the characters were very interesting. Beatrice and her four fairy friends seemed to be up to something at every single time. This made me wonder what could possibly be happening next and what kind of funny things that would be mumbled by those cute fairies mouth. How crazy was that? Despite its fast pace, I found myself trying to read as slow as I possibly can in order to allow me to chew and absorb every emotions and essences written in this book. This was indeed an excellent read which I highly recommended to people who love anything fantasy and to those who’s looking for a very fun read. Huge applause goes to the author, Lisa Mantchev, for this excellently written book. I can see myself re-reading this in near future!

Final Verdict: Hilarious and one of the most imaginative book that I've ever read. I think you'd missed a lot if you don't pick this one up! That surely tells a lot ;)

Funny Quote:
(Scene when Ariel threaten to free everyone from the theatre)
Bertie snatched Moth from midair. “How do you feel? Any more free than usual?”. He paused to reflect. “Yeah, but only because I’m not wear-ing underwear today.” Cobweb and Mustardseed backed away from him. “You’re going commando?”Moth nodded. “I forgot to give Mrs. Edith my hamper this week”. “Aw, man! I want to go commando, too!” Cobweb said as he reached for his trouser buttons.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Title: Inkheart
Author: Cornelia Funke
Series: Inkheart #1 
Source: Borrowed
Format: Paperback 
Genre: Speculative Fiction - Fantasy

Synopsis (from B&N):

One cruel night, Meggie's father, Mo, reads aloud from INKHEART, and an evil ruler named Capricorn escapes the boundaries of fiction, landing instead in their living room. Suddenly, Meggie's in the middle of the kind of adventure she thought only took place in fairy tales. Somehow she must master the magic that has conjured up this nightmare. Can she change the course of the story that has changed her life forever?

I like reading books that were beautifully written and without any doubt, Inkheart was one of them. The prose in this book was almost poetic and there were tonnes of beautiful quotes in it. While I enjoyed embarking this journey with its main characters, Mo and Maggie, there were some other things that prevented me from giving this book a higher rating.

Mortimer “Mo” Folchart was a bookbinder who had a huge interest in books. Despite of his affection towards books and reading, he never dared to read out loud to his daughter, Maggie, due to his unique ability to read the characters in and out of the book he was reading.  He hid this fact from Maggie because many years ago, he accidentally read his own wife, Theresa, into the book – Inkheart – while some other characters, including a villain named Capricorn and Dustfinger, the fire-eater, were brought to our world. He made up other stories about the disappearance of his wife to conceal the truth from Maggie and Theresa’s aunt, Elinor.

However, when Dustfinger suddenly appeared at his doorstep one night, bearing the news that Capricorn and his men were looking for him and Inkheart, he was forced to fly from his home to Elinor’s. Things got more complicated after that because Dustfinger betrayed Mo and told his whereabouts to Capricorn. Soon, Mo, Maggie and Elinor were captured and kept at Capricorn’s Village and here began their enthralling adventure in attempting to free themselves from the vicious villain while at the same time, discovering one surprises after another. What did Capricorn planning to do with Inkheart? And why did he need Mo help to accomplish his mission?

The idea behind Inkheart was interesting. I believe that the world and the characters in the book were beautifully invented by Funke and they kept me interested to read it till its very last page. However, I found it a little disappointing that the story‘s pace was extremely slow. It took about 100+ pages for something interesting to really happen and when it did happen, the excitement was quickly died down. Besides that, I also felt like the story moved in a loop where the same thing kept on happening over and over again.  I don’t know if this was due to the fact that the book was translated from another language or maybe because this book was originally aimed for young children. Nonetheless, the story was good and if you don’t mind reading something slow and descriptive, this could be something you’d enjoy.

Favourite Quote: Some books should be tasted Some devoured, But only a few Should be chewed and digested thoroughly

A fun, imaginative story with vivid and interesting characters. With its poetic, descriptive prose, this book was beautifully crafted to entertain the minds out there who love adventures with tinge of fantasy in it. Despite being a bit slow for my liking, I'll still read the subsequent chapter to see what happen next to the character I loved.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Title: The Host
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Series: Stand alone book
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Pages: 809 Pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Overall Rating:

Synopsis (from the book cover):

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy that takes over the minds of human hosts. Most of humanity has succumbed. When Melanie - one of the remaining humans - is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body probes her thoughts to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she is tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous search for the man they both love.

First Sentence:The Healer's name was Fords Deep Waters.

My Review: Intriguing. That is perhaps the most suitable word to describe how I feel about The Host. Despite being categorised under science fiction, I believe that there is more romance to it rather than the science part itself. But nonetheless, the book didn’t fail to catch my interest and hold me to it till the very last page. I’ve to say that I enjoyed this book far better than I did with the other books in Twilight series. Perhaps the fact that this book has more depth in it is the reason I like it even more.

In The Host, the reader was introduced to the world where human had became the hunted species. Alien invaded the Earth but instead of turning it into a state of chaos, this alien invasion brought peace to the world. The Soul – the alien entity – was implanted to everyone’s brain by alien doctors known as “The Healers”. The parasitic Soul is supposed to be able to control the host’s mind and claim the body as their own. However, things were very different with Soul named “Wanderer”. Her body was previously belonged to Melanie Stryder, one of the human rebels who successfully evade the Soul for quite awhile. Instead of fading away, Melanie continued to co-exist inside of Wanderer’s head. She yelled, she talked and eventually she shared memories of her younger brother, Jamie and her lover, Jared with Wanderer. Without realising it, Wanderer too started to care for these two men she hardly met.

So when Melanie strongly believed that the two of them still alive out there, they started a quest of finding their hiding place while at the same time trying to elude from being captured by “The Seekers”, Souls who search for human renegade. They eventually found Melanie’s family but instead of happy to see her, they were disgusted by the presence of Soul that had invaded Melanie’s brain. Jared, whom Melanie once loved, had also turned cold towards them. The only warmth welcome they received was from Uncle Jeb (Melanie’s eccentric, funny uncle), Jamie (Melanie’s brother) and Ian (The man who started to fall in love with “Wanda” the Wanderer). With all the odds that mounted against them, will Wanda and Melanie able to adapt themselves at their new “home”? Will this complex love quadrangle between Wanda, Ian, Melanie and Jared ever work? And last but not least, will Wanda ever get used to the feelings that normal humans have?

The Host truly got me hooked! I’ve to admit though that the first more or less 50 pages were slow but once I’d got used to the world with Souls, Healers and Seekers, everything started to get really smooth. I absolutely love the fact that most part of the book was narrated from Wanda’s point of view. I enjoyed Wanda’s character development and the way she struggled to be accepted seemed real. The intrapersonal banters between Wanda and Melanie were also interesting since it could be amusing and heartbreaking at times. Even though I initially hated Melanie’s character, my feelings did change once she got more matured towards the end of the book. Full with action, emotional struggle and fight for human survivals, this book is very entertaining and without doubt, will leave you awake till late at night. Well, at least it did that to me ;)

Final Verdict: Stephenie Meyer nailed it with this touching love and survival story. It portrayed hope during the most trial time, complete with complex yet real characters.Recommended to those who love light science fiction intertwined with interesting love story.

Memorable Quote: I, the soul called Wanderer, love you, human Ian. And that will never change, no matter what I might become - Wanderer "Wanda"

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Title: The Lightning Thief
Author: Rick Riordan
Series: Percy Jackson & The Olympians #1
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback
Pages: 375 Pages
Genre: Speculative Fiction - Fantasy
Overall Rating:

Synopsis (from the book cover):

PERCY JACKSON is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief...

He is dyslexic, he has ADHD and he recently gets kicked out of the Yancy Academy because no one believes that he is “manageable”. He is our unlikely hero – Percy Jackson. Following the events that lead to his expelled, Percy found out that he is not a mere mortal but a “demigod”, which is a term used to describe a half god, half human and for his own safety, he has no other choice other than to attend Camp Half-Blood. 

Here, he discovered the truth about his former Latin teacher, Mr. Gunner as well as his best friend during his year at Yancy, Grover. When he found out that he was the prime suspect in the crime of stealing Zeus’s master lightning bolt, he was immediately sent for a quest to retrieve back the missing bolt from whomever stealing it. Both Grover, his protector and Annabeth, daughter of Athena joined him in his quest searching for the bolt and preventing a war from breaking out on Mount Olympus.

As someone who loves Greek mythology, it is not so hard for me to fall in love with this book. The way it was combined with nowadays world was so simple yet amazing all the same. The thing that compelled me most is the way it was wrapped with fast paced action from cover to cover interjected with some great, tasty humours among the main characters. These, along with its fluid, smooth and easy writing makes this book unputdownable. I thoroughly enjoyed The Lightning Thief and would recommend this book for those looking for some light and quick reading.

Favourite Quote:
Ares has strength. That's all he has. Even strength has to bow to wisdom sometimes - Annabeth, Daughter of Athena