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    Showing posts with label blog. Show all posts
  1. Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

    A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

    It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

    Very rarely now, do I come across a story that manages to capture my utmost attention the whole way through. For me, a novel needs to have mystery, awe-inspiring prose and a sparkling kind of magic that enchants and entrances the whole way through. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar is one of those rare gems, sparkling amidst the blackened coals.

    This book has it all. It's mysterious, original, slightly twisted in its own intense way, thought provoking, flawless, fantastic, magical to name a few! With the startling imagery and creepy photos that seem so unreal that they have to be manipulated, mixed with the realistic prose and dialogue, makes for a very startling, very visual story. One which can redefine not just fantasy, but storytelling as a whole.

    I loved everything about this book. I loved how the author used poetry and letters and photographs to tell the story. I loved the characters, who in themselves were enigmas of the finest. I loved the scenes that he depicted that provided some very startling pictures in my head. Which seemed to unfurl before me by the pictures also provided. All which aided in telling the story.

    For those of you who don't know, Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children centres around our protagonist Jacob, a young boy who had a very close bond with his grandfather. As a young child, Jacob's grandfather used to regale him with stories of fantastical beasts, of peculiar children with spectacular abilities: children that could levitate, a scrawny boy that could lift boulders probably ten times his weight, a man with a mouth in the back of his head to name a few. Naturally, as he grew older, these tales became fairy stories, and were soon lost to his grandfather's mind. When tragedy strikes, and Jacob sees something unexplainable, something that he had heard of only in his grandfather's stories, his mind is thrown into jeopardy which ultimately ends up with him deciding to visit this island, Cairnhorn, where Miss Peregrine's Home is based. 

    This book had it all. It had creepy houses and it had children with superpowers, it had time travel and a woman who can turn into a falcon, because why the hell not? Each sentence was both moving and haunting, each sentence delivered a blow and touched somewhere inside of me. I really grew to know Jacob's character and his close relationship with his grandfather, I grew to understand his father's own relationship with his father and learnt some surprising discoveries that should have been obvious but they weren't. Because they were delivered in such a way that you were left wide eyed when things were finally revealed!

    I can't say I had a favourite character. I loved them all! They each had their own quirks and idiosyncrasies. Traits that made them unique, though I did have a bit of a soft spot for Bronwyn, the girl with gargantuan strength. For me, she was exactly what her power represented. Strength, and definitely some courage thrown in there.

    Much like Harry Potter, to which this had been compared, this story has some dark undertones but they are done so flawlessly, so subtly that you wonder if it was ever intentional. If you want a beautiful gem of a story, one that will inspire and awe you, then pick this up. It may just be the best thing you read this year!

    Posted by Miranda Smith at 14:51 | Labels: , , , , , , , | 2 comments | |

  2. Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor


    Publish date: February 18th 2014
    Published by: HarperCollins Australia
    Page numbers: 386

    Goodreads Summary: 

    Zoe and Olivia have always been best friends. And becoming professional ballerinas has always been their goal. But when they turn sixteen the unthinkable happens as Olivia is diagnosed with leukaemia. Falling in love, coping with school and falling out with each other - everything is thrown into a whole new light. A heartbreakingly bittersweet tragedy that reveals profound truths about loss, love and the friends who mean the world to you


    I bought this book almost as soon as I saw it on the shelves in Smith's. And honestly, I read it all in two days. But if I'm going to be brutally honest here, I didn't enjoy it as much as other books of this composition such as The Fault in Our Stars, or Before I Die by Jenny Downham. And even though these are all completely different books, and it would be unfair to compare them, I feel like it has to be said. 

    I did enjoy this book. Don't get me wrong. I liked the characters and the setting and the adorable relationship between Zoe and Olivia. They have the sort of relationship that I share with my best friend, and it managed to stimulate a fond, nostalgic smile. This book has to have the best friendship there ever was. Not many friends would make so many sacrifices or drop everything at the first hint of trouble for their best friend. They say "I love you" to each other every time they say goodbye, and just generally know how the other is feeling without having to ask.

    But for me. Things got a bit predictable. It was quite obvious who the love interest was to be. And what the fate of Zoe's friend would be. But it also dealt with raw emotions that seemed to overshadow its flaws. I think I cried before I was even halfway through the book. just by their adorable relationship, and perhaps because I knew what was going to happen. Their fate sealed before they had anything to do about it. I also think that there wasn't enough emphasis on the whole ballet side of things. I'd have liked to have heard some more on that. It's something that hasn't been done before in fiction.

    And though it was cute and the relationships were wonderful. It seemed to be lacking something. That single something that would make it spectacular. That one book that would keep you up at night thinking about it. 

    Maybe One Day is about Zoe, whose best friend gets diagnosed with Leukaemia, which (yes you guessed it), quickly becomes terminal. I'm not giving away spoilers here, that's just what it says on the blurb.We all have that one friend that we would do absolutely anything for. And if we lost them. It would kill us too. For me, the end came too quickly. So quickly, that I wasn't prepared and the buckets of tears that were brewing exploded out of me at insane force.

    In all, I was quite disappointed with this book. I expected a lot more. But I need to give credit where credit is due. It's well written, with real relationships and many layered characters. It was just missing the spark that would have made it a gem. 

    Amazon/Goodreads rating: 3 stars 

    Posted by Miranda Smith at 08:42 | Labels: , , , , , , , | 2 comments | |

  3. Review: Half Bad by Sally Green

    Saturday, 29 March 2014

    Half Bad by Sally Green



    This was actually a cover buy. That is, I fell in love with the beautiful cover. And yet,as I started to read the book, I fell in love with the beautiful writing.

    Half Bad follows the protagonist, Nathan. Who is a Half Code (Half White, Half Black Witch). His mother is a white witch, whereas his father Marcus is the most feared and most hunted black witch of all time. The story starts off in second person, and then moves onto first which is interesting in and of itself. In a world where black witches are persecuted and half bloods are held under stifling law by the Council, who no doubt wish for nothing more than to rid the world of black witches and half bloods.

    At the start of the story, Nathan lives with his gran, half brother Arran and two half sisters Jessica and Deborah, all of whom are white witches, and whom Nathan's father killed. Nathan is held under the councils thumb by the notices they send to his thumb and every year on his birthday, is sent to the council for interrogation and to attempt to designate his code. 

    Being a Half Code isn't easy. Nathan can't read or write, nor can he sleep inside at night. He's treated like scum. And yet, he can heal rapidly and can tell of someone's witch status (White, black, fain) just by their eyes. A rare ability, even in this world.

    I think the sole motive for this character is to get his three gifts and the blood of a relative, which will result in him receiving his main gift. As a character, it took me a while to care for or even identify with Nathan. He was quite a confusing character, didn't really seem that likeable, or strong in any way. But his character seemed to bloom as the book progressed and by the end of it, I really wanted him to be okay. And Gabriel, <spoiler>his friend who he met towards the end</spoiler>. 

    This is no Harry Potter. I shall warn you now. It is dark, it is violent. It is not a light read, and you will actually be shocked at the violence that it features. And yet, it seems so hopelessly realistic that you actually feel anger at the council, and the Hunters, who despite being White Witches, are probably just as evil as some black witches.

    For me, the recurring theme is that there is a thin line between good and evil. In fact, the author actually says in her acknowledgements that the following quote by Shakespeare's Hamlet is an inspiration for the whole story.

    "There is nothing neither good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

    Before being introduced to other character's, I was under no illusions that all black witches were evil. Perhaps by only being introduced to bad ones at that point. But then, as Nathan's mind slowly changed, and we were introduced to another black witch, one whom didn't seem evil. (He had killed, yes), but he seemed less bad than most white witches.

    Now. Onto the book itself. The writing, I found was clear, crisp and beautiful. The author found no need for big, confusing words and instead used impact to keep the reader going. I will admit, though. The book does start off slow and can get boring in places. But for its genre, I think it's a good way to introduce the setting, characters, feel before bouncing right into the action. Which is exciting, heart pounding and exhilarating. You really get a feel for the characters in these scenes, and I could almost imagine myself beside them. Smell the blood, taste the sweat in the air.

    Despite this being a cover buy, I fell completely in love with Half Bad, and will await anxiously, the sequel which is due out next Spring.

    Posted by Miranda Smith at 14:10 | Labels: , , , , , , | 0 comments | |

  4. I am an avid writer. If it appeals to me, I will be sucked into the pages for hours on end, perhaps only pausing to take a tea break. So to honour my bookishness, I have compiled a list of all the books that I want to get round to reading this year.

    #1 Half Bad by Sally Green


    Bought purely on impulse and an ardent desire to devour good literature, I snapped up this book the moment I saw it. I fell in love with its beautiful cover and a quick look at the summary on Goodreads only reaffirmed my desire to read this beautiful novel. I can't wait to read it! Review to be posted soon.


    In modern-day England, witches live alongside humans: White witches, who are good; Black witches, who are evil; and fifteen-year-old Nathan, who is both. Nathan’s father is the world’s most powerful and cruel Black witch, and his mother is dead. He is hunted from all sides. Trapped in a cage, beaten and handcuffed, Nathan must escape before his sixteenth birthday, at which point he will receive three gifts from his father and come into his own as a witch—or else he will die. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is tracked, when there is no one safe to trust—not even family, not even the girl he loves?

    In the tradition of Patrick Ness and Markus Zusak, Half Bad is a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive, a story that will grab hold of you and not let go until the very last page

    # 2 Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith 

    Another impulse buy, bought together with Half Bad. (Darn those deals!), the bright cover and good reviews spurred me to buy this highly original and strange plot. Working along the lines of Michael Grant, this novel is bound to be as addictive as it is weird.



    Sixteen-year-old Austin Szerba interweaves the story of his Polish legacy with the storyof how he and his best friend , Robby, brought about the end of humanity and the rise of an army of unstoppable, six-foot tall praying mantises in small-town Iowa.

    To make matters worse, Austin's hormones are totally oblivious; they don't care that the world is in utter chaos: Austin is in love with his girlfriend, Shann, but remains confused about his sexual orientation. He's stewing in a self-professed constant state of maximum horniness, directed at both Robby and Shann. Ultimately, it's up to Austin to save the world and propagate the species in this sci-fright journey of survival, sex, and the complex realities of the human condition.

                                             #3 The Mortal Instruments 

    Everyone in the entire Western world knows about these books. they are insanely popular, and from the quick glances I have peeked, and the sample I have downloaded onto my Kindle, I can understand why. I can't wait to sink my teeth into this novel.




    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?


    This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... 



    Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

    #4 Divergent by Veronica Roth

    Another hugely popular book by an insanely talented author. This book, which I think centers around a dystopian future, has actually just been made into a major motion picture. Something I am highly excited to read; along with its two sequels and the shorts that accompany it.


    In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.


    During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

    # 5 My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

    As I was leisurely strolling through Waterstones, idly noting down books that I wanted to read, I came across a book with a beautiful cover and a stellar plot. In a world dominated by angels, vampires, werewolves and demons, when I saw a book that centered around banshees, I was hooked and thirsty to read it. Here's to reading it in 2014.

    Something is wrong with Kaylee Cavanaugh...

    She can sense when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.


    Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest boy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about the dark forces behind Kaylee's power than she does.


    And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason and only Kaylee knows who'll be next, she realises that finding a boyfriend is the least of her worries!


    #6 Hush Hush Becca Fitzpatrick

    So I feel like I am posting a lot of fantasy/dystopian books in this list, but I couldn't NOT include it in this list. This book has been hyped up massively since its release in 2009. Besides, the plot intrigued me from the summary and I am keen to read more to see if it lives up to the hype that surrounds it.


    Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.


    But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.


    For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

    # 7 The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp 
    In a fiction world so dominated by the fantasy genre, it's always refreshing when something outside of it comes along. So this is why I want to read this book. That and the beautiful, original and slightly bittersweet sounding plot.



    SUTTER KEELY. HE’S the guy you want at your party. He’ll get everyone dancing. He’ ll get everyone in your parents’ pool. Okay, so he’s not exactly a shining academic star. He has no plans for college and will probably end up folding men’s shirts for a living. But there are plenty of ladies in town, and with the help of Dean Martin and Seagram’s V.O., life’s pretty fabuloso, actually.

    Until the morning he wakes up on a random front lawn, and he meets Aimee. Aimee’s clueless. Aimee is a social disaster. Aimee needs help, and it’s up to the Sutterman to show Aimee a splendiferous time and then let her go forth and prosper. But Aimee’s not like other girls, and before long he’s in way over his head. For the first time in his life, he has the power to make a difference in someone else’s life—or ruin it forever.

    # 8 How to Fall by Jane Casey 

    Being quite interested in the whole mystery genre of young adult, this book appealed greatly to me. Can't wait to read it! 

    The first unputdownable YA crime thriller from bestselling author Jane Casey


    Freya is found drowned - but was it suicide or murder? Her cousin, Jess Tennant, is determined to uncover the truth. But asking questions may prove deadly - anyone could be a suspect and everyone is hiding something...


    Can Jess unravel a mystery involving secret love, seething jealousy and a cliff-top in the pitch black of night?







    #9 Just Listen Sarah Dessen

    I know a lot of people who loved this novel, or just Sarah's work in general. So I decided to have a quick gander at it in Waterstones. The plot seemed quite interesting and appealed to my preferences, so that is why it sits on this list now.

    Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything" — at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.


    This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong.


    Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.





    #10 Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

    Another massive book franchise, with legions of faithful fans all over the world, who will gladly recommend this book. From the sneaky glances at the first chapters that I have taken in Waterstones, this book will be quite enjoyable.

    St. Vladimir’s Academy isn't just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...


    Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.




    So that's it. My (not so) extensive list of my must reads of 2014. This is not a complete list, moreso a shortened version of the hundreds books that I am desperate to get my hands on. Links for the books will be found below.

    Posted by Miranda Smith at 16:20 | Labels: , , , , , , , , , , | 0 comments | |