Black Ice review

When I read it: 11th January - 18th January 2015

Rating: 4/5

As I finished the last words, ebbing away from the world that slowly grew and warped around me these past few days, my mind's thoughts of this novel evaporated and I am not only left empty handed as I stow away this handsome hardback, but also empty headed. 
Black Ice had a very different feel and form from Becca Fitzpatrick's previous series, Hush, Hush. It has matured, and honestly without a better way of saying it, this was Hush, Hush all grown up. You can hate all you want but you have to agree with that.

My first initial thought of the story, flipping through the first few pages obediently, my mind dwell on the words again and again "Not this stereotype of a female protagonist whom is weak, relies on others to survive and above all else finds herself the 'whole package' to use for her advantage." And of course, this story prevails to mould into that shape and prove me right. I was astonished nevertheless, to find in the end, Britt finds herself, she learns how to be 'independent'. But it's like feminism for first school. Yeah, she has finally learnt how to make her own peanut butter toast, and didn't really rely on men in her life to survive but I honestly find that because it was a different scenario and the survival side of her kicked in. 
Aside from all this (and the presumptions of disliking Britt only to find out at the end of the book I ended up detesting her...) I found the story reeled you in right from the beginning. While reading you feel like you're walking on dodgy stepping stones in a rough current stream. It kept you on the edge of your seat and I couldn't literally put the book down until I really slammed it down. 

Honestly, it makes you sweat as each twist and turn makes it way through the pages. You cringe as you can predict what will occur next. And finally, you let out a hefty breath when that 'scene' happens, that seemed to be kept in your throat since you picked up the book.

Yes I hate the protagonist, and the amateur attempt of making a strong female character that doesn't rely on men and love to make her happy- because despite saying she doesn't, she did really in the end, didn't she?
But the actual storyline was gripping, realistic and darn-right scary. Opening the book I felt like I'd been pushed down the rabbit hole and found all, blatantly, crazy shit down there. This book was mesmerizing, not the best in all it's entirely but sure as hell be something I'll look back and remember from back to front. 

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The Scorch Trials (Book 2, The Maze Runner series) review

When I read it: 25th September 2014 - 1st January 2015
Rating: 3/5

I'm really not sure how I felt with this novel. I mean, firstly, the book had a good start, I was curious from the end of The Maze Runner, it's predecessor, to the beginning of this novel. The attachment and continuation between the two was thorough and well-done, it continued like I never left.
The storyline overall was a bit stretched. I thought the whole series didn't really necessary need two more sequels (let alone a prequel, may I add, I was surprised when I found out one existed). I really loved the Maze Runner and with the popularity of the series, it gave me strength to continue on with the series and set forth into the adventures of The Scorch Trials. 
What can I say about this inquisitive tale? The outset certainly gripped me with a mighty force. There was a lot of potential, They're (the Gladers) finally out of the Maze and all was fine and well at the end of the tunnel aka previous book, but like any fellow curious-minded reader like myself, would dream, is "What's after the 'happily-ever-after?'" We all want to know if it stays like that. And boy, did that idea fester, we find out that actually they're in for a lot more trouble and adventure. That, REALLY, they're still inside.

I cannot pinpoint the part where the storyline fell apart, in my eyes, but I can say it must be around the part after they met the Rat-Man who said that they would have to go through another set of trials. While I was reading I felt it was good as a whole, but disagreed with the fact that it was a whole book of another set of trials, and the trials they went through at that was a bit of a stretch. Yes, I must admit I disagree with my original predicament now that I finished this book, I still felt like some scenes were in fact just plain boring. But trust me, through the dull monologues of Thomas' thoughts and the lengthy 'supposed' action scenes (okay, some were boring when I knew they were meant to be oh so more) I felt there were in fact some enjoyable scenes, some loved characters that I would miss to lose adjacent to the story and then there's the extravagant way James Dashner pulled off as a lead on for the final instalment. 
Oh, might I add, if you don't like the popular trend in YA novels at the moment with love triangles, I would read this book with a pinch of salt, i.e. a light read, a book on the side if you will. Because oh my, how the love story ruins it all.

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War Horse review

When I read it: 25th October - 15th December 2014

Rating: 5/5

It is now midnight and I have finished the book with a heavy heart and tears threatening to come pouring out alongside my emotions. 
I have watched the movie a few times prior to reading the actual novel but if I am being honest, I feel like there was some better moving moments in the movie than the book. 

What I do love about this book is a few things; one would be the perspective the narrative takes, an unusual one at that, the narrative of Joey the horse. It makes the whole story a lot more intense and we see the whole thing from a sort of unbiased view. 

It really takes a lot out of you as you try to keep your emotions in order and keep up with the story. 
As a fan of war shows, movies and books this has certainly quenched my thirst of one of my favourite genres. 

Although, a children's book, in my opinion, this is certainly a good read for any age!

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S. review

When I read it: 10th August - 23rd September 2014

Rating: 5/5

“What begins at the water shall end there, and what ends there shall once more begin.” 

I find it indescribably hard to start writing this review with no idea why it is that way.
I'm ashamed to say, that the reason the book first grabbed my attention was the images I found of it really appealed to me, especially the extra material provided as part of the story. That kind of child-like story feature I remember oh too well, now matured as a partner of such brilliance of literature.
When the story began, I was perplexed with the format the two stories were told. It had so seemed too much to take in, but as time went by reading, I got a grasp of it and I certainly could not put the book down. 
Jen and Eric are certainly two protagonists I can really relate to, which makes the novel all that more enticing. If you're similar a reader to me, you would start to get interested into their story a lot faster than the story of Ship of Theseus. Later, as the book unfolds you'll grow to love S. and Sola and their undeniable passion of love. Although, their romance is untraditionally sung, their love shows the reader that it's more than having your SO right there, physically, to love them. It's the idea of them, it's the way they talk to you between the lines and margins of a book, how you imagine it's them walking past you on the street, how you relate them to a song or a character. Certainly, their story is the best inspiration for anyone that is in love.
Soon after reading much of the book, you dwell on the fact that Ship of Theseus is not real, it's such a great piece of literature, full of motivational, philosophical quotes that it feels like there was an author out there with the pseudonym of 'V.M. Straka' and I still, after finishing the novel hours earlier believe it has to be based on something and their written materials, whether published or unpublished.

I honestly do not know why some people don't like this book, maybe it's the format, the way they don't like the 'margin characters' or the actual story of Ship of Theseus. As always, there is never a book without it's critics.
Even so, I would recommend this book, its extra glorious wonders and the world it creates and morphs around you. 
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Rites of Passage review

When I read it: 11th September - 17th September 2014

Rating: 5/5

Honestly?
I had made too many assumptions before attempting to read this book. I feared that it would be another love story, using a military themed mask to cover just another romance novel. I was wrong and oh, I am so glad I was. 
Sam McKenna joined a -previously- all boys military academy because of a dare her late brother assigned her with. If a military school wasn't hard enough, she was one of the first females to undergo it's exercises and the treatment of the other cadets. 
As a girl obsessed with war movies and all things related, I had a lot of expectations. 
Not only that but as my brother is currently a cadet, my mum was also a cadet when she was younger and me planning to apply for the army... Not only was I expecting the information described in the novel to be on-point but I wanted to see what I was getting myself into. 
Like I said before I was worrisome about the love story but there was a good balance of romance and the actual works of the academy going through the pages that I was not disappointed. As any girl would, I fell in love with Stamm, and as a sister, I wanted Jonathan to understand what his poor sister was going through. 
If you want to read more of a romance novel I would recommend Nicholas Sparks' books, they have only a thin trace about war and the military despite some of the books basing it around those themes.

I am hoping that other authors would come and look at this book and make something inspired from it, because it certainly is an emotional roller-coaster that I would love to go through again.

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Safe Haven review

When I read it: 30th June - 28th August 2014

Rating: 4/5

** spoiler alert ** Like the Nicholas Sparks book I read prior to this, 'Message in a bottle', it has also been a slow start. I think I can safely assume I will be a slow reader from the beginning and pick up the pace as the story unfolds for all of Sparks' books.

I have seen the movie before starting this book but my original plan was to do it the other way round, the reason this didn't occur was because I found the beginning simply boring and hard to get into. All the introductory chapters in books bore me and usually put me off entirely, but as I have previously seen the movie I knew there were excitable scenes to be revealed so I kept going, hopes high.

The story tells about a woman named Erin her alias Katie, because of the past she's running away from. She was in an abusive relationship and finally found the perfect moment to escape. Obviously she finds her safe haven, this including what she really never had before, friends, a loving family and a gentle partner. As expected, the drunk abusive husband of her past drops everything in his wretched life to go find her and he succeeds.

Once you really get to grips with the story and characters you start to feel warm to Katie and feel the abuse from her shoes. The literature is really something powerful to make even you as an outside being feel terrified of Kevin and his inability to see any sense.

What I got from Kevin, if anyone has read American Psycho, is the same personality type as Patrick Bateman. The way he repeats himself, the obsession with cleanliness, his obsession to beat and finally kill his once loved wife. We get to see an inside peak of his distorted mind and it's really something rare to do perfectly for a third-person POV which would naturally makes the reader feel objective but this story on the contrary still makes you feel like you're in the characters' heads.

If you're a Sparks fan, this is definitely one of his finest works.
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Murder On The Orient Express (Book 10, Hercule Poirot series) review

When I read it: 15th August - 18th August 2014
Rating: 5/5

Another book I have skimmed through before for studies but was not quite interested enough to actually 'read' it. This time round I read out of leisure and oh my, it was superb, I wish I appreciated it more few years back when I had to study it for an essay in A Level. The famous Agatha Christie lives up to her name and reputation, the novel was certainly an amazing mystery that I would not expect any other author to do any better. She keeps on reeling you in, when you just about tied up the knot of who you think did the murder, she throws you off course and gives you yet another handful of evidence to prove you wrong and that in fact, it was someone else. All in all, you don't pick up whom it is until right at the finish line, and let me say, that's the best way to write a murder mystery.
Naturally, I came to the assumption of whom did it just before the end as I have seen many remakes and parodies of the Orient Express that I couldn't really forget it. 
If you love mystery and a novel where it gives you a chance to ponder on the evidence and accusations, and who done. This is the no. 1 book for you!

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