Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K.Rowling
Rating:7/10

Harry's ongoing exploits, along with those of his contemporaries, teachers, and relatives, are as imaginative, entertaining, and mysterious as ever. For during Harry's third year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he must face his greatest challenge yet: a confrontation with Sirius Black, an escaped convict and madman who is rumored to be collaborating with Harry's archenemy, the Dark Wizard Lord Voldemort. 


Summary by Goodreads.com


An Interesting and worthy sequel to the Chamber of Secrets, the Prisoner of Azkaban makes for another whimsical and charming story. A pleasant, casual escape for older readers and a thrilling saga for younger teens. Definitely a book that can appeal to all ages. Personally however I found that with the movie interpretation of the series, the characters of the books in their younger ages seem naive and unco-ordinated in comparison making what would be normal events unnecessarily haphazard and erratic. Hermione in particular had been cast in an unfortunate temperamental role causing the reader to see her in a bad light that I felt wasn't all together deserved.


Good Points:

• Appeals to all ages, a nice yet interesting and colourful world.
• Page turning, yet comfortably paced.

Bad Points:

• More disarray with Hermione's character.
• Characters can be a little frustrating and slow.  

Buy/Borrow /Avoid:

Buy, a nice book for the collection, despite small misconceptions caused by movie. 

The Sign of four

The Sign of Four - Arthur Conan Doyle
Rating:6.5/10
Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson accompany a beautiful young woman to a sinister assignation, Mary Marston has received several large pearls – one a year for the last six years – and now a mystery letter telling her she is a wronged woman. Unbeknownst to them all, others stalk London’s fog-enshrouded streets: a one-legged ruffian with revenge on his mind – and his companion, who places no value on human life...


Summary by Goodreads.com


Second novel to the Sherlock Holmes series, I found that it continued with all the wit and skill of technique and precise story telling exhibited in the first novel. Although I enjoyed the novel, I found the ideas and concept of the plot unfortunately clichéd in these modern times. The suspense and mystery therefore could not quite live up to its prequel. Despite the lack of focus I gave the end of the novel I believe this story would still appeal to those who enjoy a mystery/detective novel.


Good Points:

• Written with skill and finesse.
• Not too taxing for a short read.

Bad Points:

• Not as entirely gripping as the first novel.
• Story substantially slowed towards second half.

Buy/Borrow/Avoid: 

Borrow

The Shining

The Shining - Stephen King

Rating:9/10

Danny is only five years old, but he is a 'shiner', aglow with psychic voltage. When his father becomes a caretaker of an old hotel, his visions grow out of control. Cut off by blizzards, the hotel seems to develop an evil force, and who are the mysterious guests in the supposedly empty hotel?

summery by Goodreads.com  

A brilliantly written and at times truly terrifying horror novel. With sufficient amounts of conventional gore and subtle literary techniques to make your spine crawl this completely absorbing novel is well worth it's slow introduction. The overlook hotel is brimming with secluded inescapable horror as it starts to take on a life of its own and the in-depth characters with their grim-reality backgrounds only serve to make the novel chillingly realistic. I would recommend this book to those who truly appreciate a profoundly deep horror novel with complex and intricate structure and content. 

Good Points:

• Completely absorbing, utterly terrifying.
• Written with amazing finesse, designed for full on gore and subtle nightmarish illusions.

Bad Points:

• Slow beginning.
• Aimed at generally older readers, not for the timorous. 

Buy/Borrow/Avoid:

• Buy, definitely a work of fiction worth adding to any collection. 

Just in Case

Just in Case - Meg Rosoff
Rating: 6/10
Justin Case is convinced fate has in for him.
And he's right.
After finding his younger brother teetering on the edge of his balcony, fifteen-year-old David Case realizes the fragility of life and senses impending doom. Without looking back, he changes his name to Justin and assumes a new identity, new clothing and new friends, and dares to fall in love with the seductive Agnes Day. With his imaginary dog Boy in tow, Justin struggles to fit into his new role and above all, to survive in a world where tragedy is around every corner. He's got to be prepared, just in case.


Summary by Goodreads.com


Another novel from Meg Rosoff I found all the familiar qualities of the previous novels a comforting simplicity. The book I found like its kin was a nice, easy read, something to relax and chill with, not too taxing or demanding which made the read enjoyable. With no expectations for this novel I could enjoy it as it was, another surprisingly unique piece of YA literature. With some real-life issues being addressed the book had a certain amount of depth, however I found the male lead completely jarring for his portrayal as a sex obsessed teenage boy with an almost constant foul mood.


Good Points:

• Easy read, not too demanding or intellectually challenging.
• Light hearted for the most part.

Bad Points:

• Author clearly has some deranged ideas on what a teenage boy thinks about all day :|
• Completely un-relatable characters.

Buy/Borrow/Avoid:

In general for most people, avoid, unless you're a fan of Meg Rosoff's style or enjoy YA literature. 

The Book of Loss

The Book of Loss - Julith Jedamus

Rating: 4.5/10

A renowned storyteller and lady-in-waiting to the Empress, the narrator is locked in a bitter rivalry with another woman for the love of a banished nobleman. Forced to observe the complex rules and social hierarchies of court life, she finds herself caught in a trap of her own making. Her machinations reach such a pitch that they threaten to undermine the rule of the Emperor himself.

Summary by Goodreads.com

I chose this book because I am a big fan of novels delineating asian and ancient japanese culture, however upon beginning this novel I was confronted with a vague and disarranged prologue, not the greatest start. The confusion is only cleared up after the first few chapters and only by the pretense that the prologue hadn't happened. Continuing on with the plot, of which the environment and description was praiseworthy, I found that the characters presented were unique in such a way that every flaw and malign thought were exposed, leaving a clear image of the protagonists personality. I found this refreshing, in contrast to the too often occurring mary-sue characters of more popular novels. Unsurprisingly the romance present in the book turned more tragic than winsome, the emotions of the characters were powerfully portrayed and the feeling of the protagonists continual loss, passion and jealousy were woven through the entire book. However, despite it's merits, the novel ends in an unsatisfactory and inconclusive manner, I found myself continually putting the book down for a few days even though I liked a large proportion of what I read, for that reason I can not give the book higher than a rating of 4.5/10.

Good Points:

• Beautifully descriptive
• Refreshing characters
• Exhibits emotion above expectation

Bad Points:

• Confusing start off-putting
• Inconclusive and vague ending.

Buy/Borrow/Avoid:

For most people I would not recommend the book, I found it tough to keep picking it up after putting it down so many times. Avoid.

Demon Thief

Demon Thief - Darren Shan

Rating: 7.5/10 
When Kernel Fleck's brother is stolen by demons, he must enter their universe in search of him. It is a place of magic, chaos and incredible danger. Kernel has three aims: learn to use magic, find his brother, stay alive. But a heartless demon awaits him, and death has been foretold…


Summary on Blurb


At first an ambiguous sequel to Lord Loss with no clear context available, I found the immediate story difficult to grasp. With further progress into the plot the characters themselves become fuller and seemingly less random and therefore easier to relate to. Despite the confusing start (due to my own expectations of a sequel possessing chronological uniformity) Demon Thief held it's own as almost an equally engaging novel. The Gore and horror that were presented within were equal to that of the contents of Lord Loss and therefore the opinions on that count are congruent. 


Good Points:

• Imaginative use of Demon alternate universe, engaging and new.
• Just the right amount of fear inducing events to not have me up all night hiding under my duvet. 

Bad Points:

• Chronological chaos causes confusion.
• Alienates older readers.

Buy/Borrow/Avoid:

Buy, the Demonata are an entertaining set of books and a complete collection is always pride worthy.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle
Rating: 0/10

A book based on the exploits of a very hungry caterpillar, eating his way through a variety of meals, we travel with him through a very emotional journey of self realization, the deeply moving metaphorical content of the novel mimics our own societies vices and forces the reader to consider the way in which we view materialism and the consequences of greed.


Personally I hated it.

Summary by Crimsonblaide

Alice in the Country of Hearts: Volume 1

Alice in the Country of Hearts - Quin Rose

Rating: 9/10

Quin Rose brings alice back to life in this unique Manga interpretation of Lewis Carolls Alice in Wonderland. Alice is kidnapped by a mysterious White rabbit, thrown into wonderland she participates in 'the game.' To get home she must interact with the inhabitants of the country of hearts, who are all irrevocably in love with her. The trigger happy and dangerous residents of this wonderland posses a curious disregard for value of life and not only does she have to survive her encounters she is told she cannot go home alone, its one of the rules of the game. 

summary by Crimsonblaide 

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K Rowling
Rating: 8.5/10

Chilling, malevolent voices whisper from the walls only to Harry, and it seems certain that his classmate Draco Malfoy is out to get him. The mysteriously gleaming, foot-high words on the wall proclaim, "The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware." Harry, Hermione, and Ron do everything that is wizardly possible to solve this 50-year-old, seemingly deadly mystery.


summary by Goodreads.com


Unquestionably an excellent sequel to the first of the Harry Potter series. The unique magical environment of Hogwarts and it's occupants make for a ceaselessly engaging novel. I found that unfortunately the main female lead had more than her fair share of bad luck this novel and Potter had a comparatively easier year, with most of all intellectual challenges pre-solved and most battles fought for him, this in my opinion detracted slightly from his character role as 'hero.' However, the tiny imperfections in character roles serve more to amuse than to reduce in any way and in total I found that I unreservedly enjoyed the book.

Good Points:

• Funny, imaginative, timeless.
• Almost universally appealing to all ages.

Bad Points:

• Slight over-victimising of Hermione.
• Harry doesn't actually do a lot for himself in this novel, most things are done for him by others. 

Buy/Borrow/Avoid:

Buy 

Blind Faith

Blind Faith - Ben Elton 
Rating: 7.5/10


Imagine a world where everyone knows everything about everybody. Where 'sharing' is valued above all, and privacy is considered a dangerous perversion. Trafford wouldn't call himself a rebel, but he's daring to be different, to stand out from the crowd. In his own small ways, he wants to push against the system. But in this world, uniformity is everything, and even tiny defiances won't go unnoticed. 


summary by Goodreads.com


A powerfully thought provoking novel that challenges a culture devoted to blind faith. I found this presentation of the future fairly disturbing, Ben Elton's Blind Faith is unlike anything I've read before in terms of crude and questionably risque content. I found personally that the violent and ugly nature of the book sought to challenge the reader to consider the controversy of a world dictated by religion and yet operated by science, the struggle between faith and reason. As well as the strong concepts behind the novel I found the book well written and captivating. I would recommend to those who enjoy reading about societal controversy and the battles between science and religion.  


Good Points: 

• well written, captivating
• thought evoking   

Bad Points:

• controversial, not universally tasteful. 

Buy/Borrow/Avoid:

Borrow

Catching Fire

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
Rating:9/10

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have become the poster boys for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol.


summary by Goodreads.com


Another great book from the Hunger Games series. The strong female protagonist Katniss is back. The story line picks up right from where it left of in the Hunger Games and delivers the same outstanding results, completely absorbing, once again another book to be wary of if you value sleep in any way. As an extension of the first book I personally loved Catching Fire, the only thing I found fault with was a lack of immediate action in the first third of the book , this was made up for in progressing the depth of the plot and many other ways anyway. I would recommend to any one with an interest in reading, (having read the first one first of course.) Definitely a must read.


Good Points:

• An excellent sequel - does not disappoint.
• Intense characters and plot

Bad Points:

• none - so go read the first one. :P 

(if you haven't already of course ...)

Buy/Borrow/Avoid:

Buy 

The Brides Farewell

The Brides Farewell - Meg Rosoff
Rating: 6.5/10
On the morning of her wedding, Pell Ridley creeps out of bed in the dark, kisses her sisters goodbye and flees — determined to escape a future that offers nothing but hard work and sorrow. She takes the only thing that truly belongs to her: Jack, a white horse, and small mute Bean who refuses to be left behind. 


Summary by Goodreads.com


Another story by Meg Rosoff, as simple and lacking in complexity as What I Was, with a hint of a sub-story that the aforementioned novel definitely wanted. The story itself was sweet and reminded me of a much lighter-hearted equivalent of Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Again for a romance novel it lacked a great deal of the romance that the blurb suggested. However, what little it contained was sweet and charming and the conclusion was by far better than What I Was.

Good Points:

• Easy ready, comfortable and just nice. 

Bad points:

• Doesn't quite live up to the claims of the blurb.
• Lacks sincere complexity.

Buy/Borrow/Avoid:

Borrow

What I Was

What I Was  - Meg Rosoff
Rating: 6/10

Toward the end of his life, H looks back on the relationship that has shaped and obsessed him for nearly a century. It began many years earlier at St. Oswald’s, a dismal boarding school on the coast of England, where the young H came face- to-face with an almost unbearably beautiful boy living by himself at the edge of the sea. 


Summary by Goodreads.com


Whilst I vaguely enjoyed the story, the characters, the plot I was disappointed to find them simple, linear and straightforward. The novel lacked for me the strong romantic aspect that the blurb suggested and the ending proved to be unfulfilling, merely a method for collecting loose ends in an unsatisfactory way. The whole novel led to a feeling of expectancy, constantly waiting for something that would barely appear, this detracted from an overall enjoyment of the book. However a unique portrayal and sense of writing saved the book from being utterly unreadable, the book was spot on for its target audience of young adults/ teens and I would not dissuade others from reading.

Good points: 

• Nice easy reading

Bad points:

• Lacks the strong romantic aspects of a romance novel
• Unfulfilling, misfit conclusion

Buy/Borrow/Avoid:

Borrow

Lord Loss

Lord Loss - Darren Shan

Rating: 8.5/10

Grubbs Grady has stiff red hair and is a little big for his age, he hates history and loves bacon, rats, and playing tricks on his squeamish older sister. When he opts out of a family trip, he never guesses that he is about to take a terrifying journey into darkness. Hungry demons and howling werewolves haunt his waking nightmares... and threaten his life.


With some awesomely gory imagery, this book brings to life characters of nightmarish qualities and imaginative concepts. I found that the book had just the right 'scare-factor,' if it were targeted at older audiences then the novel would have been beyond my comfort zone, not one to normally jump straight into horror stories, on the other hand due to being aimed at slightly younger readers than myself I found the book lacked a certain finesse and quality of writing that I have recently grown accustomed to. All in all an enjoyable story that definitely makes me want to read on in the series.
Good Points:

• Suitable for a range of readers from 10+
• Imaginative plot lines and characters 
• Great thriller/gore scenes 

Bad Points:

• Found myself wanting the book to have contained more blood and gore than it did. 
• Slightly alienates older readers.

Buy/Borrow/Avoid:

Buy - I got it super cheap from Waterstones - £1 

Hurry while offers last ;] 

Memoirs of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
Rating:8/10

Readers experience the entire life of a geisha, from her origins as an orphaned fishing-village girl in 1929 to her triumphant auction of her mizuage (virginity) for a record price as a teenager to her reminiscent old age as the distinguished mistress of the powerful patron of her dreams. Golden puts us right in the tearoom with the geisha; we are there as she gracefully fights for her life in a social situation where careers are made or destroyed by a witticism, a too-revealing (or not revealing enough) glimpse of flesh under the kimono, or a vicious rumor spread by a rival "as cruel as a spider."


summary by Goodreads.com


Having a personal interest in Japanese culture I found this book a fascinating insight into the world of the geisha, the author is clearly very familiar with the subject, providing as close to an accurate novel as fiction gets, this only serves to better bring Sayuri and Gion to life. The exotic characters are inspirational and the plot succeeds in keeping the interests of the reader completely. I would recommend to those who are interested in japanese culture and/or geisha.


Good Points:

• Intriguing exotic characters and environment 
• Insight into a "now vanished world" 

Bad Points:

• The romantic love story woven into the novel is unfulfilling 
• Not universally appealing

Buy/Borrow/Avoid:

Borrow - Its a good book in my opinion but not for everyone

The Painted Man

The Painted Man - Peter V. Brett

Rating:9/10

As darkness falls each night, the corelings rise–demons who well up from the ground like hellish steam, taking on fearsome form and substance. Sand demons. Wood demons. Wind demons. Flame demons. And gigantic rock demons, the deadliest of all. They possess supernatural strength and powers and burn with a consuming hatred of humanity. For hundreds of years the demons have terrorized the night, slowly culling the human herd that shelters behind magical wards–symbols of power whose origins are lost in myth and mystery, and whose protection is terrifyingly fragile.


summary from goodreads.com


At first I couldn't get into this book, it was a whole new genre and I certainly had my reservations, it started slowly with increasing amounts of gore. However, after pressing through a few chapters and growing accustomed to a more adult style of literature I found myself pretty much hooked, devouring the story in a mere two days. I admired the morals and strength of the characters through personal trials but above all the skill in which the tale was told. I would recommend to those who enjoy dark fantasy type novels and are not adversed to certain amounts of blood and gore.


Good Points:

• Engaging and page turning after initial chapters.
• Gritty, no sugar coated reassurances 
• Has a sequel! :P 

Bad Points:

• Slow to start.
• For older teens and adults, not suited for younger readers.
• Not universally appealing.

Buy/Borrow/avoid:

Buy/borrow

The 'to-review' list

Just a track list of books I intend to review in no particular order :P

1. Memoirs of a Geisha
2. The Painted Man
3. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo 
4. The Desert Spear
5. Guards Guards
6. Empress Orchid
7. Vampire Academy
8. The Book of Loss
9. Just In Case
10. Mockingjay 
11. The Chamber of Secrets
12. The Great Gatsby 
13. Stray
14. Slawter
15. Switch Bitch

Holes

Holes - Louis Sachar

Rating: 7/10

Stanley Yelnat's family has a history of bad luck, so he isn't too surprised when a miscarriage of justice sends him to a boys' juvenile detention center, Camp Green Lake. There is no lake - it has been dry for over a hundred years - and it's hardly a camp. As punishment, the boys must each dig a hole a day, five feet deep, five feet across, in the hard earth of the dried-up lake bed. The warden claims that this pointless labor builds character, but she is really using the boys to dig for loot buried by the Wild West outlaw Kissin' Kate Barlow. The story of Kissin' Kate, and of a curse put on Stanley's great-great-grandfather by a one-legged gypsy, weaves a narrative puzzle that tangles and untangles, until it becomes clear that the hand of fate has been at work in the lives of the characters - and their forebears - for generations.

Summary by Goodreads.com


Personally I liked this book a lot, it contains, for me one of the most touching and heart breaking love stories of all time. The plot however un-based around said story is also just as unique and interesting, it's a perfect story for tweens as I found that as a young adult it could have been a little more challenging. I decided to read it based from having seen the Disney movie it inspired. Loosely knowing the plot I wasn't expecting any sudden surprises or plot twists, although one can secretly hope, I found that the movie had stuck to the book entirely, nothing was omitted and hardly anything extra was added, the script was rigid. I found this slightly disappointing as it left me feeling as though I were simply reading the movie. I would recommend this still however to young teens, as it was originally targeted to.

Good points:

• Amazing love story.
• Perfect story for young teens.
• Interesting and unique content.

Bad points:

• Isn't particularly relatable or challenging for older readers.
• Follows the movie strictly, nothing new to be discovered if you have seen the movie first.

Buy/Borrow/Avoid:

Borrow (if you're young adult or older and still interested) :) 

Wicked

Wicked - Gregory Maguire


Rating: 6.5/10

Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first–class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle–class stability and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green–skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to be the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.


Summary by Goodreads.com


Originally I found the concept of a re-worked Oz intriguing, the idea of a backstory to the 'wicked witch of the west' was appealing and I enjoyed the story in that regard, however I found that the political and religious arguments raised detracted from the overall fantasy plot line that I had expected. The book itself was a little difficult to understand perhaps due to this leading to a loss of interest two thirds through. The impression the story gives from being the inspiration for the musical Wicked is misleading, expectations on the content of the novel were certainly not directly met,  however the appeal of the novel as a whole is understandable, having not had pre-expectations I might certainly have enjoyed the novel more despite the somewhat confusing political notions raised within. I would recommend to those who enjoy unwonted conspiracy theories and take interest in modern parliament. 

Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë


Rating: 8.5/10


As an orphan, Jane’s childhood is not an easy one, but her independence and strength of character sustain her through the miseries inflicted by cruel relatives and a brutal education system. However, her biggest challenge is yet to come. Taking a job as a governess in a house containing dangerous secrets and a passionate man she finds increasingly attractive, Jane is ultimate forced to call on all her resources in order to hold fast to her beliefs.


Summary by Goodreads.com


I have found Jane Eyre to be amongst my favourite classics, it  (unlike many others written in the era), was not at all difficult to read. The story, although long, held my interests without and is as the blurb tells it to be "one of the most perfectly structured novels of all time." A very fulfilling classical romance, I found the characters absorbing and competent, more so than perhaps current day protagonists (despite the restrictions on women in that era.) I would recommend this novel to those who are fond of either romance novels or a good classic.

My Sisters Keeper

My Sisters Keeper- Jodi Picoult 

Rating: 4.5/10

Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.

Summary by Goodreads.com

This book was not my favourite by any means for a variety of reasons, I gave it a rating of 4.5 merely because it deserves some literary credit, the concept of the novel is interesting and the style of writing is distinctive, however, I believe it was this that led to its downfall. The novel is written as a series of days, giving practically everyone in the Fitzgerald family (and more) their take on the day. This became frustrating and deviated away from the main plot line in so many places that the subplots devalued the original story. The most frustrating chapters of the entire story were that of Sara Fitzgerald, the emphatic mother of Anna, Kate, and Jesse. Completely blind sighted by Kate's condition, she barely notices the existence of her other children and drives me crazy with her self centered ideas and opinions that I almost loathed to see her name written on the page. I found myself dumbfounded at the many unproductive, and certainly unnecessary plot twists, reading the book to its finish merely because I had a peaked curiosity for perhaps one of the most minor details in the book, (the reason behind the presence of Alexander's dog.) 

Despite having quite a large fanbase, a film based on its plot and a few rare 'sweet moments'  I could not see myself recommending the book at all with a free conscience.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Colllins

Rating: 10/10

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. 

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.


summary from goodreads.com


In my opinion this book deserved the rating of 10+ everything about the book was remarkable, from the plot to the characters to the settings. Compulsively page turning, it was literally impossible to put down, one of those rare books where knowing what happens next takes priority over even eating or sleeping. The idea of a corrupt government using children to exhibit their complete power over the citizens is daunting in itself as you follow the main character Katniss as she finds herself part of this inhumane project of 'entertainment.' The concept of the novel is not only distinctive but the characters themselves. (Finally a competent female protagonist!) Katniss is the opposite of all those weak female clutz protagonists, finally giving abit of light to what a girl can really do. (Go girl power! XP) The book has universal appeal to both YA and Adult readers male and female, I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone :).

Looking For Alaska

Looking for Alaska - John Green

Rating:7/10

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. 

Summary from goodreads.com

Another amazing book from an Author I personally couldn't wait to trial. John Green's Looking for Alaska fulfilled all my highest expectations, written with a series of 'journal type' entries the books form was unique and easily a compulsive 'page turner'. I enjoyed the book through and through but found myself less enthusiastic two-thirds through when the book began to wind down to its conclusion too early in my opinion. I enjoyed the rare perspective of a male lead character and the fiery personality of Alaska, the varying contrasting emotions between characters serve to highlight and improve the portrayal of the relationships in the plot making the characters 3D and realistic. Another great book in the 'slice of life' / teen romance genre.

Good Reads 2011 Reading Challenge

Goodreads challenges to read 100 books through 2011

The books i have read thus far:

1.Looking for alaska 

2.Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes 

3.The murder of Roger Ackroyd

4.Ender's Game

5. Jane Eyre

6.Wicked

7.Holes

8.The Painted Man

9.Lord Loss

10.What I Was
11.The Brides Farewell
12.Catching Fire
13.Twilight
14.Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
15.Blind Faith
16.Demon Thief
17.The Book of Loss
18.Just in Case

Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes

Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson

Rating: 8/10


When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel.

summary from goodreads.com

Personally I loved this book, definitely full of adventure which inspired me to get going and do something adventurous myself. Having read a similar book to this one before I was at first doubting the originality of the plot, however after reading I found it to be unique in its own way. I loved the relatabley sheepish protagonist of the story, which made her adventures even more inspirational, finding myself wanting to go along, crappy weather and all. Overall a book I would definitely recommend to those who love the idea of traveling and 'slice of life' genres, not to forget the subtle undercurrent of teen romance.