Glass Sword - Victoria Aveyard

Began reading: 21.2.2016
Completed reading: 27.2.2016
Overall rating: 4.2 stars

If there's one thing Mare Barrow knows, it's that she's different.

Mare's blood is red, but her unique Silver  ability - the power to control lightning - has turned her into a weapon that the Silver court will do anything to control.

As Mare escapes the clutches of Maven, the prince - and friend - who betrayed her, she discovers something shocking: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters.

But Mare is treading a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat. Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her for ever?

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard is a young adult novel that encompasses fantasy, science fiction and romance to create an emotional, action-packed sequel to Red Queen. I was lucky when I found this book in my bookshop — I had stumbled across it on its release date, without knowing. I HAD TO HAVE IT! Overall, it lived up to my expectations, and I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure!

The book was well-written, with only a couple of spelling errors. The plot included metaphors and other literary techniques, which was great. Also, the structure was clearly defined, which made me happy. I didn’t expect anything less from Aveyard. Similarly, there were some awesome quotes throughout the novel that I feel I have to share. They include:

Smoke and fire are so familiar to me now that I barely smell it, even when ash begins to fall like snow. We leave our footprints in it. Perhaps they will be the last marks we make (p. 12).

I’m safer than I’ve been in days, surrounded by the people I love most, and yet I’ve never wanted to cry more. For them, I hold back. I curl inward and bleed alone, inside, where no one else can see (p. 43).

Again, I wince, and tears bite my eyes. I want to look back, but I have to walk away, to do what must be done, and forget what must be forgotten (p. 201).

Funny, now that I’m dying, my ghosts decide to leave.

I wish they would come back.

I wish I didn’t have to die alone (p. 237).

If I am a sword, I am a sword made of glass, and I feel myself beginning to shatter (p. 250).

‘No one is born a monster.’ But I wish some people were. It would make it easier to hate them, to kill them, to forget their dead faces (p. 348).

No heart can ever be truly understood. Not even your own (p. 427).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

Aveyard definitely knows how to include plot twists and emotion in her novels. I was left shocked after some particularly unexpected events in this book, and I loved it! It was reiterated numerous times that “anyone can betray anyone”, yet I did not see some of these betrayals coming. Similarly, the deaths of two characters were completely unpredictable, and one in particular left me reeling.

                           

I really loved the inclusion of secondary characters, particularly the recruited newbloods. I think that they added more interest and excitement to the plot, as they had their own reasons for joining the Scarlet Guard and possessed unique abilities. I really hope they return for the next book!

*WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* Following the death of a certain character, Mare’s behaviour began to transition, and she grew colder and increasingly ruthless. I think this transition made the book more realistic, as such behavioural transitions are common following a significant loss. It also brought out a new side to Mare that readers have not seen before, so it made the plot more interesting.

I just have to add that Aveyard included a thank-you to bloggers in her acknowledgements, and I’d like to thank her in return. It’s not very often that authors acknowledge bloggers, vloggers, etc, but I’m glad that she did. It shows that she is aware of her supporters and appreciates them, which is always nice to know.

                                             

My favourite character remains to be Mare, as she is compassionate, strong, confident, and a badass. She also has her flaws, which adds to her likeability. I liked Cal’s character, but his changing personality was beginning to bother me. I won’t forget that anyone can betray anyone, and I feel that I have to keep an eye on him, haha! As I mentioned previously, I enjoyed the other secondary characters and their abilities. I look forward to seeing how they fare against Maven in the next book.

I was hoping that Mare would finally strike Evangeline dead in this book, but I suppose that is something else that I can anticipate. I would have liked to have read a bit more of her, Elara and Maven, but I’m satisfied with their presence in the novel.

I’m so confused about who Mare should be with! Cal is so sweet and loyal, yet he has constant conflicts with Mare, so I’m beginning to doubt them as a couple. Kilorn is someone that I can see just being friends with Mare, so I don’t think they’d be ok together. As for Maven, I just don’t know. Is he truly evil, or will Mare save him? I JUST DON’T KNOW!

                       

I have a few favourite parts throughout the novel, including moments between Mare and Cal, recruiting newbloods, and the raid at Corros Prison. The moments between Mare and Cal were intense and dramatic, but I really like them together.

The recruitment of newbloods was pretty cool, as it introduced more characters with extraordinary abilities, and some included links to Maven via notes and murders. I found it intense and intriguing.

Finally, I enjoyed the raid at Corros Prison, as I was able to see the team of newbloods in action. Other reasons why I loved this part include: characters from the first book may a return, it spelled the end of a certain villain, and it was filled with emotion. One final reason that I liked this part is because Ara from the first book made a return, and helped Mare. It demonstrated forgiveness and bravery, which was great to see.

Recommendation time! If you like The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury, The Winner’s Curse series by Marie Rutkoski, Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, or Matched series by Ally Condie, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes the X-Men and Harry Potter series.

My review for Red Queen can be found by clicking on the title.

I will also be reviewing the rest of the Red Queen series when the books become available. Keep an eye out for that!

Happy reading!

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Dreamfever - Kit Alloway

Began reading: 15.2.2016
Completed reading: 18.2.2016
Overall rating: 4.1 stars

Feodor is dead. But he isn't gone.

Every night, Josh's dreams are full of his memories - his life, his inventions, and his descent into madness. With her best friend still in a coma, her boyfriend traumatised by his near-death experience, and her abilities as the True Dream Walker nowhere to be found, the temptation to use Feodor's ideas to her own advantage is almost irresistible.

As her grandfather schemes to take control of the dream-walker government, Josh and Will join forces with a deposed princess against him. But they'll need help from both their friends and their enemies to stop Peregrine this time, and ultimately Josh will have to choose between saving the world and saving her relationship with Will.

Dreamfever by Kit Alloway is a young adult novel that consists of genres including fantasy, romance and mystery. I LOVED THIS BOOK! It picked up where Dreamfire concluded, and I wasn’t disappointed!

As always, I expected this book to be well-written, and it delivered. There were a few spelling and grammatical errors, but I can overlook that. Everything was described in great detail, which assisted with picturing the situation. Also, there were some great quotes. Here is an example:

Now that she thought about it, she had no idea why they’d brought Mirren here in the first place. Will had said it was to show her how much Winsor needed her help, but Mirren hadn’t met Winsor before this happened. She couldn’t know that the small, shrunken body in the bed had once been vibrant and beautiful, that the mind that barely registered on an EKG had been clever and sharp-witted, that those eyes clouded by the veil of Death had been capable of seeing through everyone around her.

All Mirren saw was a sick child in a bed. She couldn’t know the friend Winsor had been to Josh or understand all that Winsor had lost (pp. 82-83).

I really, really loved this quote, as it demonstrated that despite what Winsor did to Josh and Ian, Josh still sees her as her best friend — someone who didn’t deserve to be harmed and placed in a nursing home. This quote was really sweet, and I just had to share it.

More quotes from the book can be found here.

Just like in Dreamfire, Alloway utilised humour to lighten the mood. As you may know, I’m a huge fan of humour and I’m glad it was present in this book. For example:

Unfortunately, the shot that had gone wild had hit the dreamer’s foot as he and Will tried to scramble past the Minotaur. ‘I’m hit! I’m hit!’ the little old man cried out. Then, rather comically, he added, ‘Good-bye, cruel world!’ (p. 16).

The next day, Mirren had announced that Davita had given her the go-ahead to admit her real identity to the household. She asked Josh to break the news because she felt that Josh had the highest status of the three people who knew her secret, but almost as soon as she began speaking, Mirren realised she should have asked Will instead.

‘So,’ Josh said without preamble, ‘Nan’s really the lost dream-walker princess. Her name’s Mirren Rousellario, and she’s going to try to beat the Lodestones at the Accordance Conclave.’ Josh stopped to think before adding, ‘Deal with it.’

Laurentius and Kerstel exchanged glances. Deloise’s jaw dropped, then her mouth slowly formed an O. Whim gave Mirren a sceptical look and squinted, as if trying to recognise her. His father, Alex, slid off the couch so he could fall to his knees.

‘No, no, please,’ Mirren said. ‘Not this again.’

‘The Avisharas have always been loyal to the monarchy,’ Alex proclaimed. ‘The safety and protection of our home is yours, my queen.’

‘Thank you,’ Mirren said, because she honestly didn’t know what else to say.

‘Get off the floor,’ Alex’s wife told him. ‘You look like an idiot’ (pp. 90-91).

In comparison to Dreamfire, there was diversity among the characters. Each personality was different, which made the plot more realistic and interesting. Also, the secondary characters made a bigger appearance in this book, which I am grateful for.

The romance in the book was realistic, as nothing was rushed and the couples had their difficulties. Whenever the couples argued, especially Josh and Will, I could imagine the anger and tension that arises from these disagreements. *WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* Similarly, Mirren and Haley’s romance took a while to develop, which assisted with making the plot more realistic.

The book was well-structured, as each section was easily outlined. I could identify where I was at in the plot, and what I could still expect to happen. Similarly, the plot was interesting. There was a lot of drama, and a few plot twists that I didn’t see coming. I liked the idea of bringing Feodor back, and how he plagued Josh’s nightmares. It made the plot juicier and intense.

                                                    

The only thing that I found to be irritating (aside from Will’s attitude) was the concept of science. Mentioning negative ion generators, copper cages and transmitters just left me confused. This is coming from someone who despises maths and the majority of science. The science left me confused and I couldn’t wait to get past it and back to the rest of the book.

My favourite character is still Josh, as she was responsible, loyal, badass and clever. She was more confident in this book, which was great. I loved that her character’s development made her more confident and influential. I also liked Mirren’s and Feodor’s characters. They made the plot more interesting, especially Feodor’s character. I loved reading about how his character changed as the book progressed.

Just like in Dreamfire, Will really bothered me. I understand that he was traumatised, but I thought that he was on the verge of psychotic towards the end. I worried about him, but really he’s becoming a nuisance. I hope his character gets some help in the next book.

                                                     

*WARNING: SPOILER* I felt so bad for Deloise and Haley. How could Whim betray Deloise like that? The epilogue, where Haley cried, made me want to cry. I just wanted to hug him. But I wonder what will happen between him and Ian, now that he’s in Death. Yet, I’m so glad that Winsor is ok. I’m still suspicious about Feodor, but I’m so glad that he was able to do this for Whim and the others.

My favourite parts of this book include the second prologue and the drama following Will and Whim’s night with the Veil dust. I really liked the second prologue, as it was intense. It was similar to Dreamfire’s epilogue, where Josh was seduced by Feodor. In this prologue, the kiss that they shared was so wrong, but so right. I don’t know why, but there’s just something about a hero or heroine falling for the villain.

                 

I liked the part where everyone gathered in the living room to talk. There was so much drama! Everyone was admitting secrets that were met with mixed emotions. It was so good!

Recommendation time! If you like the Spellcaster series and the Firebird series by Claudia Gray, and The Twixt series by Dawn Metcalf, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Inception, The Wizard of Oz, The Matrix, and the Harry Potter series.

My review for Dreamfire can be found by clicking on the title.

I will also be reviewing the rest of the Dreamfire series when the books become available. Keep an eye out for that!

Happy reading!

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Dreamfire - Kit Alloway

Began reading: 8.2.2016
Completed reading: 14.2.2016
Overall rating: 4 stars

Unlike most seventeen-year-olds, Joshlyn Weaver has a sacred duty, to enter the Dream universe we all share and defeat nightmares. To fail is to release those nightmares into the world, with all the emotional turmoil they cause.

But despite Josh's reputation as a dream-walking prodigy, she's haunted by her mistakes. A lapse in judgement and the death of someone she loved has left her doubting. Now she's been assigned an apprentice, a boy whose steady gaze appears to see right through her, and she's almost as afraid of getting close to someone again as she is of getting them killed.

Then strangers with impossible powers begin appearing in the Dream and it isn't just Will that Josh has to protect - it's the whole world.

Dreamfire by Kit Alloway is a young adult novel that consists of genres including fantasy, romance and mystery. I was anxious about reading this book, as I thought it might be suited to a younger audience. I was pleasantly surprised! I actually really enjoyed the plot and most of the characters.

The novel was well-written, despite a few spelling and grammatical errors. The dreams, characters and situations were described in detail. Alloway also utilised literary techniques, such as metaphors, to add depth to the writing. I noted some quotes from the book that were really good. These include:

‘…Better to wear too many coats than freeze to death in a bush’ (p. 24).

…One must not put a loaded rifle on the stage if no one is thinking of firing it… (p. 83).

Forgive me, Ian, for missing you so much I’ll settle for your ghost (p. 228).

Her need to move was closely tied to her desire to escape her own skin (p. 243).

‘I called Ian words I’d never spoken out loud before. He called me worse. We’d been together so long, we knew exactly how to hurt each other’ (p. 264).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

The structure of the book was clearly defined, which made it easier for me to follow. I could easily identify where the complication and resolution were, which helped with keeping the plot interesting. Also, character development was evident, especially in Joshlyn and Will. For example, Joshlyn began as a cautious girl, who didn’t want to form close relationships with anyone for fear that she would harm them. As the story progresses, Joshlyn learns that not everything is her fault, and she can’t go on trying to shut people out from her life. This development kept me turning the page, as I wanted to see how each character would respond to the change.

I really liked the secondary characters, as they were varied and interesting. In the beginning, I didn’t like Winsor — especially what she did to Joshlyn. However, when Joshlyn confronted her and they made up, I began to forgive her. *WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* When Winsor was placed in a coma and Joshlyn kept wanting to visit her, it almost brought me to tears. Aside from Winsor, the other characters were unique and differed from each other. I liked Deloise and Whim, and I thought it was adorable that they ended up together! This part was extremely adorable:

‘You are never allowed to scare me like that again,’ Deloise informed Josh. ‘I was nearly out of my mind.’

‘She was,’ Whim agreed. ‘I had to make out with her for half an hour to calm her down.’

‘Whim!’ Deloise cried, and she turned and smacked him with a kitchen towel. ‘That never happened,’ she told Josh, but she had flushed bright pink.

It totally happened, Whim mouthed to Josh.

If it did, Josh mouthed back, I’m going to kick your ass.

It never happened, Whim agreed (pp. 347-348).

   

The romance was so realistic. *WARNING: SPOILER* Josh and Will didn’t announce their feelings for each other until the end of the book. Although they kissed a few times throughout the book, the timing of their announcement was perfect. It made it realistic and complete, as I saw it coming and I was wondering when they would say how they felt.

This may be due to my horrible sense of humour, but I found some parts of the book funny. They may not have been intentional, but some parts amused me. For example, in a dream about a mob trying to get inside a house, Josh and Will tried to help the dreamer by convincing her that there was nothing to be afraid of, when this happened:

Josh tried to help and the woman chucked a glass sea lion at her.

It hit Josh in the face. ‘Ouch!’ (p. 76).

Another example was when Josh and Will were trying to help a gothic girl in a candy church. They were hiding in a candy coffin, from a witch who was upset about them eating the church’s candy, when the girl began to grope Will. It was just so random and funny.

As I said, it may not have been Alloway’s intention, but I found it humorous. I loved that there was some humour in the novel, as it made me chuckle and enjoy the book a bit more.

I found the concept of the Dream to be a bit confusing at times. Some dreams were described in great detail and were easy to imagine; however, there were some dreams that left me thinking, the hell did I just read?

                          

For example, I could imagine how a woman could be afraid of a mob and tries to close all the blinds so she can’t see the faces, or a woman who is afraid of her dad and ends up being shot by him; however, I couldn’t imagine different archways with different dreams in each. I don’t know, but some things just left me so confused.

*WARNING: SPOILER* Some parts of the plot were predictable, especially with Josh and Will’s disagreements and Josh being the True Dream Walker; however, there were a few plot twists that left me reeling. *WARNING: SPOILER* For example, Peregrine being evil, Gloves using Ian’s body, and Ian’s soul being confused with Haley’s body. I thought that Haley was a suspicious character, especially when he went through Josh’s scroll, but I was glad that this turned out to be false. Similarly, I was surprised that Josh’s scroll was false. These plot twists were interesting, and kept me hooked to the book.

My favourite character was Joshlyn, as she was responsible, loyal, badass and clever. She really cared about her friends and family, and it was disheartening when she was so hard on herself. As I mentioned previously, I liked the secondary characters too, as they added interest and depth to the plot.

Will bothered me for a while, especially when he disobeyed Joshlyn. I understand that she needed his help, and she could have been killed if it weren’t for Will, but every time he went against Josh’s wishes, I felt like I wanted to yell at him.

Again, I did want to slap Winsor a couple of times, especially after knowing that she seduced Ian and wouldn’t apologise for it. Her arrogant personality made me want to scream. But I’m glad that she and Josh made up. Speaking of slapping, I really despise Peregrine. I mean, HOW DARE HE?! He is so evil, so heartless and so rude. I really hope Josh gets her revenge in the next book!

I have a couple of favourite parts in the book, including Josh’s birthday, her battle with Feodor and the epilogue. Firstly, I would have loved to have witnessed Josh’s birthday, as it sounded so pretty and fun. Her battle with Feodor would have been intense and epic to see, which is why I enjoyed reading it. Finally, the epilogue was SO GOOD! It was a major plot twist, which will carry on in the next book, and I’m so looking forward to it. The epilogue was my favourite part out of these sections, as it was a mixture of danger and calm together. When I finished it, I think my face was like this:

                     

Recommendation time! If you like the Spellcaster series and the Firebird series by Claudia Gray, and The Twixt series by Dawn Metcalf, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Inception, The Wizard of Oz, The Matrix, and the Harry Potter series.

I will also be reviewing the second book of the Dreamfire series: Dreamfever. Keep an eye out for that!

Happy reading!

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Dumplin' - Julie Murphy

Began reading: 4.2.2016
Completed reading: 7.2.2016
Overall rating: 4.1 stars

Willowdean Dickson (Dumplin', to her mum) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Really, the criteria is simple. Do you have a body? Put a swimsuit on it.

But life as Willow knows it is about to change, and when this happens she suffers an unaccustomed, and unwelcome, attack of self-doubt. In an effort to take back her confidence, she enters into the local Miss Teen Blue Bonnet beauty pageant.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs and a wildly unforgettable heroine - Dumplin' is guaranteed to steal your heart. And send you out to buy that bikini!

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy is a contemporary realistic fiction novel, incorporating romance and humour suitable for young adults. I have been eyeing this book in the local Dymocks for a while, and I finally decided to purchase it. I was so glad that I did! I really, really liked this novel!

The novel was well-written, with great use of literary techniques to add depth to the situation. Similarly, there were some awesome, relatable and inspiring quotes throughout the book that I thought I would share, including:

It’s not that I don’t like new people. It’s just that, in general, I do not like new people (p. 30).

All my life I’ve had a body worth commenting on and if living in my skin has taught me anything it’s that if it’s not your body, it’s not yours to comment on. Fat. Skinny. Short. Tall. It doesn’t matter (p. 33).

My first kiss. It’s the fastest thing that lasts forever (p. 52).

‘…you don’t have to win a pageant to wear a crown’ (p. 67).

I don’t get why we call it a crush when it feels like a curse (p. 39).

This thing between us is a roller coaster. The breaks might be out and the tracks might be on fire, but I can’t make myself get off the ride (p. 74).

I think maybe it’s the things we don’t want to talk about that are the things people most want to hear (p. 182).

‘Just ‘cause something’s easy doesn’t make it right.’ He lets the [swing’s] chain go and I kick my feet out into the stars (p. 183).

…no matter who you are, there will always be someone prettier or smarter or thinner. Perfection is nothing more than a phantom shadow we’re all chasing (p. 242).

‘I think you gotta be who you want to be until you feel like you are whoever it is you’re trying to become’ (p. 239).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

I knew the book had a positive message in terms of self-acceptance, which is good. I think that self-acceptance is a growing challenge for people, especially young people, so a book that advocates positive body image is progressive and refreshing. I believe that having a ‘larger’ protagonist emphasises the need for positive body image. It was great to see that Willowdean accepted herself and labelled herself as ‘fat’ so early in the novel. Her confidence was infectious, and I loved it!

                                 

The uniqueness of the plot and characters was another positive in the book. The plot was set in Clover City, Texas, where not a lot of stories are set. Similarly, the beauty pageant and challenges with body image are unique. Each character had individual personalities, which made them memorable.

I found sections of the book to be emotional, especially since I found Willowdean to be so relatable. For example, the separation caused by Willowdean and Ellen’s argument was sad, but also relatable. Similarly, the grief that Willowdean experiences, following Lucy’s death is also tragic and relatable. Such emotional ploys encourage readers to gain a stronger connection with characters and the novel, and it definitely worked on me.

*WARNING: SPOILER* I really liked the hype and excitement of the beauty pageant. It felt that the pageant was the part that I was waiting for through the whole book, so I was excited when it finally began. I would have liked to have known who won the beauty pageant, but I suppose it’s good to leave some mystery.

On the downside, I found the love triangle to be dull. I felt that Mitch was an extra, and was only included in the book to add interest in the shape of a love triangle. Unfortunately, I found Mitch to be sweet but boring, while Bo was always present and egotistical. They both bothered me, and didn’t get me excited for the romance.

My favourite character was Willowdean, as she was the most relatable — confident, slightly sarcastic, hard-working and loyal. I found Millie and Amanda to be super adorable and sweet. I wasn’t expecting these two to play larger roles, but I’m glad they did. I think that they made the book more interesting, and they were incredibly brave.

                     

I compiled a small list of characters that I want to punch in the face. They include Willowdean’s mum, Ellen, Callie, Hannah (at times), and Patrick. I have to rant about Will’s mum. I found her to be ungrateful, rude and conceited. I understand that she and Will aren’t close, but seriously?

                      

My favourite parts of the novel include the beauty pageant and the ending when Will stood up for herself and owned Patrick. I liked the beauty pageant because I was able to gain an insight into pageant life and how Will handled the stressful situation.

Recommendation time! If you like Kissing In America by Margo Robb, A Little Something Different and Signs Point to Yes by Sandy Hall, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell, The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger, and Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot.

Happy reading!

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Signs Point to Yes - Sandy Hall

Began reading: 31.1.2016
Completed reading: 3.2.2016
Overall rating: 4 stars

If only Jane’s Magic 8 Ball could tell her how to get through the summer. With her “perfect” sister, Margo, home for her “perfect” internship, Jane is not going to be able to spend the summer writing fan fiction, as she had planned. And her emergency babysitting job requires Jane to spend the whole summer in awkward proximity to her new crush, Teo, a nerdy-hot lifeguard with problems of his own. With his best friend out of town, Teo finds himself without anyone to confide in… except Jane. Will Jane and Teo be able to salvage each other’s summer? Even the Magic 8 Ball doesn’t have an answer… but sings point to yes.

Signs Point to Yes by Sandy Hall is a contemporary realistic fiction novel, incorporating romance that is suitable for young adults. Following A Little Something Different, I was not looking forward to reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised! I could tell that Hall had improved her writing for this novel. Overall, I really enjoyed the book.

The book was well-written, with no grammatical or spelling errors. Also, literary techniques were used to described characters and situations, which was great. There were also some great quotes, such as:

‘Dude, chill out,’ he said.

‘I’m perfectly chill, thank you,’ Jane said said. Ravi’s response was a really good example of why she hated confrontation. The way the other person could so quickly take the upper hand, no matter how righteous you felt about the situation, made her so angry (pp. 56-57).

Jane peeked out the window and watched him walk home. He glanced up and caught her there, peering out at him, and he waved.

Normally she would have been embarrassed, but right now she was happy that he was the kind of guy who looked back one more time (p. 91).

Lying isn’t wrong if you’re doing it to help someone else… (p. 132).

Margo: ‘What are you going to do?’

Jane: ‘Wander around the grocery store and pretend I don’t know you while actually watching your interaction from every possible angle’ (p. 149).

Humour was used throughout the novel, which I loved. I’m a big fan of humour in novels and I was pleased to see that Hall included more than enough humour. For example:

Jane: ‘You sound like my grandmother.’

Teo: ‘She’s a lovely woman. How is she these days?’

Jane: ‘She died three years ago’ (p. 162).

Jane rolled her eyes. ‘The problem is that now he’s talking about not coming home. And I need your help,’ Jane said, addressing Margo.

‘I’ll do anything,’ Ravi said.

‘I don’t really need your help.’

‘I volunteer as tribute!’ he said, standing up (p. 213).

                                                    

As I mentioned in the review for A Little Something Different, I really enjoy humour in books, as it keeps me turning the page. I find that humour also helps with making the plot and characters more memorable, as I am more likely to remember a character’s joke than the plot.

I found the characters to be relatable, and I found myself identifying particular characteristics that I possess in each of the characters. For example, Jane was quirky, Teo was irrational, Margo was trustworthy and Ravi was fluent in sarcasm. I enjoy a book more when characters are relatable, as it is easier to connect and imagine a similar experience occurring to myself.

The structure of the book was clearly defined. While the structure in A Little Something Different was pretty much non-existent, I could easily identify the complication and resolution. Again, this makes the book more interesting, and improves the flow of the story. I’m really glad that Hall took the times to define the novel’s structure this time ‘round.

In regards to the plot, I found it somewhat predictable. I was able to predict what was going to happen fairly early in the novel. *WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* For example, when Jane came up with the idea to find Teo’s biological dad:

She knew exactly how she could help Teo — she would find his dad for him (p. 71).

I’m sorry, but when is an idea like this ever a good idea? It irritated me that I knew what was coming; however, there were a couple of plot twists that I obviously didn’t see coming. *WARNING: SPOILER* Learning that Teo’s dad was completely unexpected, as was Ravi’s fondness for Jane. Such plot twists were unexpected, but were beneficial to the plot. I enjoyed these twists because they were different, and creative. I thought that Teo meeting his uncle was a great idea, and was very creative.

My favourite character was Ravi, as I found him hilarious and relatable. He was sassy, sarcastic and extremely funny. Although he was a secondary character, I found that I wanted him to make a bigger appearance. I was excited when he decided to go on the road trip. In the beginning of the book, I thought he would be a pain throughout the entire novel, but I was happy to see that he had a softer side hidden away. I secretly hoped he and Margo would get together, but oh well…

                                                     

As I progressed through the book, I thought that Jane became increasingly annoying. I found her to be clingy, neurotic, nosey, and a little immature. It also bothered me when she admitted that she was a bit of a pushover:

It was obvious to Jane that part of it was Teo’s nature: He hated being alone. So, sure, maybe he was using her, but Jane didn’t mind (p. 145).

                      

Despite this, Jane was also relatable, as her lack of concern for college was something that I experienced at her age:

‘I’m not lazy,’ Jane frowned. ‘Well, I am lazy, but it’s not laziness that’s keeping me from wanting to go to college. Maybe a little, but not about the work — about the getting there. The applications and the SATs. It’s all really scary. It all seems like so much effort when I don’t even know if it’ll work out’ (p. 128-129).

I have a few favourite parts in the book, including Jane’s babysitting, Claudia’s party, Jane and Teo’s date and the road trip. Firstly, I enjoyed Jane’s babysitting because I was able to see how she interacted with Teo’s little sisters. I thought those three were absolutely adorable! I enjoyed the part about Claudia’s party because we got to see Teo’s drunken side and his hilarious fail at kissing Jane. Jane and Teo’s date to the cinema was creative because they watched a random film that turned out to be inappropriate for a first date, haha! After the movie, they went for Fro-Yo, which left me craving Fro-Yo. Finally, the road trip was hilarious, as Ravi tagged along and I was able to get a better idea of how he and Jane got along when Teo wasn’t around.

Recommendation time! If you like Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle, A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall, Unbecoming by Jenny Downer and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Mystic Pizza, The Sound of Music, and Bound + Babysitting, you will love this book.

Happy reading!

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A Little Something Different - Sandy Hall

Began reading: 29.1.2016

Completed reading: 31.1.2016

Overall raing: 3.6 stars

Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is a little aloof, Gabe is shy, and it looks like they are never going to work things out.

But something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at the local Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV series. The bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes Lea and Gabe were meant to be together.

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall is a contemporary realistic fiction novel, incorporating romance that is suitable for young adults. I had so much hope for this novel, as the main characters’ shyness is something I can relate to. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this novel as much as I had hoped.

Hall included some great literary techniques, including metaphors and similes; however, there were a lot of spelling and grammatical errors in the book. This was one of the few things that ruined the book for me. Among the errors, there were a couple of great quotes, including:

‘Sometimes it’s better to say something stupid than nothing at all’ (p. 66).

I did lose some of my wariness and fear as I matured, but I’ve never quite shaken my shyness. When I think about it, it’s like I would have never been able to grow out of it. It’s like the tree and the bicycle. I grew around it and it became part of me (p. 82).

I think that says a lot about a person, the way they treat animals. It tells you how they’ll treat you when you’re not saying a word. That they’ll talk to you even if you don’t say much in return (pp. 233-234).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

As mentioned on the book’s cover, the story is told with fourteen viewpoints. This was way too much for me to handle. Firstly, some of the voices sounded the same, which left me confused. Secondly, perspectives from a squirrel and a bench — completely random and unnecessary. I really couldn’t care less about what a squirrel and a bench thought of the characters. Replacing these perspectives with those of Lea and Gabe would have been far more beneficial, as we never knew what these two thought of each other except through verbal dialogue.

I found the plot to be dull and predictable, which also ruined it for me. Many sections were plain cringe-worthy, and some of the characters’ actions were childish. Nothing major happened, which leads to the topic of the plot’s structure: non-existent. It just plodded along, with a not-so-big reveal regarding Gabe’s hearing impairment towards the end. *WARNING: SPOILER* He was in a car accident! [Sarcastic voice] Wow, I didn’t see that one coming…

                  

There were also some unrealistic things that occurred. For example, people just knowing that Lea and Gabe were meant for each other.

The quick eye contact they shared was good, but the fact that they both picked up on my inadvertent Buffy the Vampire Slayer reference makes me feel like they must be kindred spirits” (p. 8).

That’s just like saying that two people with the same interest in Harry Potter or The Big Bang Theory are soul mates. Another example, the teacher’s hate for a student caused by interrupting her ‘matchmaking plans’:

I didn’t know I could hate the name Hillary quite this much. I am seething with almost as much rage as Victor experiences in this classroom on a daily basis […] This is not over between Hillary and me. She has poked the bear (p. 45).

I can understand if a teacher disliked a student due to bad behaviour, but this? Please. I’m no teacher but even I know that this is crap, to say the least.

                                       

Aside from a few good quotes, the only other positive I found was the humour. I let out a chuckle here and there, which I enjoyed. Here are some examples:

I glance back over by the bench and Gabe is sitting by himself and apparently talking to a squirrel.

I’m a little bit concerned (p. 150).

‘Are you spying on us?’ Lea asks.

‘Yeah, just like you spied on Gabe,’ I say with a chuckle.

She scratches her nose nonchalantly. ‘Wow. That was quite the burn’ (p. 211).

I always love a bit of humour in books, as always keeps me turning the page. This was the case with the humour in the book. I might have a horrible sense of humour, but I enjoyed it.

My favourite character was Victor. Although he was a secondary character, I found that I related to him the most. Victor was totally against romance and fluff, and was also sarcastic 99% of the time. It’s strange that I related to a secondary character more than a primary character, but I would have liked to have read more about his personality.

I also related to Azalea/Lea to a lesser extent, as she was quirky and shy. However, as I mentioned earlier, a few of the characters were childish and did some cringe-worthy things. Lea was one of them — getting her friend to spy on Gabe while listening their conversation on the phone, and also stalking him around the campus and library.

                                           

Similarly, I thought Gabe was just weird. He was overly awkward and said some very strange things. I understand why he has difficulties with hearing, but in a couple of instances, he just stared at people. How did they not find that unsettling? Also, how could one be so shy that they couldn’t respond to people’s questions?!

Unfortunately, I did not have a favourite part of the novel; however, I did enjoy Victor’s perspectives. He saw this romance from a different angle, and added some interest through the use of humour and sarcasm.

Recommendation time! If you like Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle, Signs Point to Yes by Sandy Hall, and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes She’s the Man, Say Anything…, 10 Things I Hate About You and The House Bunny, you will love this book.

Happy reading!

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