Saturday 31 March 2012

Review: Geek Girl

Geek Girl

Author: Cindy C. Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: "Think I can turn that boy bad?"

17-year-old Jen turns her life upside down when, out of boredom, she makes a bet that she can turn school geek Trevor into someone like her. Instead, the goth girl finds herself sucked into his world of sci-fi movies, charity work, and even-ugh!-bowling. To truly belong with him-and with her new foster family-she must first come to terms with her violent past.


Review:


This is one of those cliché books you'd still love no matter how much you can predict how it would end. It's beautifully written, amazing composition, witty and lovable characters and the protagonist guy can swoon you no matter how geeky he is.

It actually made me feel light during Jen and Trevor's moments, made me feel loved during those scenes where Jen's foster parents would reach out to her and made me feel nauseous upon learning what happened to Jen before. It has a good balance between the positive and negative and does not only focus on Jen and Trevor's relationship with each other but as well as to other secondary characters.

The only thing I sort of disliked here is how some things weren't given much emphasis after Trevor knew about the bet. The build up of the relationship was actually nice and I was expecting for a total swoon moment for them to get together.

Criticisms aside, this book made me laugh and made sympathize the characters on how messed up their lives were, no matter how big or small their problem is.


Friday 30 March 2012

Review: Pandemonium

 Pandemonium (Delirium, #2)
Author: Lauren Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, 

pushing aside thoughts of Alex, 

pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, 

push, 

push, 

push, 

like Raven taught me to do.

The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame. 



Review:

[with mild spoilers]


I really liked the sort-of innocent Lena compared to the rebel one. I loved reading the one who knows that she believes in everything that contradicts to what the government says but not the vicious, warrior type of rebel. But I kind of understand where this attitude came from.

Looking back at what happened in Delirium, Lena went through a lot just to gain the freedom but even that wasn't handed to her sweetly. She lost something to gain it and it definitely affected her big time.

I love reading the flashback scenes compared to the present ones. It's like Lena was a completely different person in the present. What I like about it is how Oliver made it possible for us readers to feel what would they feel in the situation; almost, if not exact. I felt the struggle, not just Lena's but also other characters, in the flashbacks. And I felt serious irritation in the present scene.

I honestly hated Lena at some parts. I wouldn't go into much detail but I'm pretty sure that you'd feel the same way if you read it.

Julian on the other hand was considered a threat for me since the first time he was described in the book. I don't find him handsome at all. In fact, I find him childish. I know he doesn't know the truth about Deliria and he believes in everything his father says but even Lena didn't acted that way in the first book. He kind of lost the effect of his masculinity every time Lena helps him. I know Lena has more experience but he's the guy in the picture. It's like she needs to take care of him to keep him alive.

Oliver effectively made me feel hate towards the scenes and characters without the want to put down and abandon the book. No matter how much it pissed me, I still can't stop reading it towards the end.

And the ending.. oh my gosh. I can't even start to describe how nervous I felt towards it. I was punching my pillow for the whole scene and it left me with burning anticipation to read the third book.

Review: Delirium

 Delirium (Delirium, #1)   
Author: Lauren Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.


But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.






Review:

I always thought dystopian novels should not dwell more on romance because it should be focus on the hero/heroine's struggle to make the world a better place, but Lauren Oliver proved me wrong.

This book is actually a clash between dystopia and romance. It's cheesy at some parts; definitely has the right timing where to put scenes that would swoon you. And above all, it keeps you at the edge of your seat. It's packed with excitement that you couldn't even put it down.

The setting was not just some futuristic, hard-to-believe setting. It's actually like any other city where you can easily imagine it without trying hard to picture out each places.

I love the transition on Lena's character; not rushed and detailed. I like it every time the protagonist questions her beliefs and Oliver did a good job in putting those words together to make it believable and even question yourself.

I was swooned by Alex not just by his good looks but also by how he keeps his cool despite spending time where people impose the opposite of his belief. He's rational and patient in every aspect.

Of all characters, Lena's mother intrigued me the most. I want to know why she wasn't affected by the cure and everything behind her story.

There's actually truth underneath everything the government says about deliria; about how it makes you go crazy and irrational and all. And I can't help but agree to it. It wasn't just a story about how evil the antagonist are, it's actually a real situation. It's the first time I actually agree to the other side of the argument. They're not actually selfish like how other antagonist are in other dystopian novels. For them, they actually believe that the cure can help the people.

It also covers different kinds of relationships; family, friendship, loved one. And each one had their importance emphasized. Oliver showed example about how each relationship is affected with and without the presence of love.

The last scene drove me to nonstop tears, I was lucky I had the next book to read right away or else I'd go crazy. All in all, Lauren Oliver nailed it.

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Review: Catching Jordan

 Catching Jordan (Hundred Oaks, #1)   
Author: Miranda Kenneally
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: ONE OF THE BOYS


What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.



But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?



Review:

[with mild spoilers]


The moment Ty arrived at their school, I was like "Of course, they'd be together." Just like some cliche plots where a new kid comes and he/she will have a love-hate relationship with the protagonist and eventually, love will win. But this is anything but cliche. This is amazing.

The whole time I was reading this book, I was silently cheering for Henry even though I know it's a lost cost because of Ty. I had my mind set that Jordan and Ty will get together until the end but maybe experience some bumps along the way. What made me root for Henry till the end, I have no idea but I'm glad I did.

This actually made me want to have a best friend, a guy best friend and have the same friendship as Jordan and Henry. I love how he looks after her and knows what she likes and doesn't like. I love that he knows she can handle things on her own and let's her do her thing.

I love how it's not only centered about the teens' relationship and their lives outside school and everything else to make it seem complicated. I like the touch of sport here. Kenneally did an amazing job with this book given that I don't love football, yet I'm engrossed with this. I don't even understand any of that sport but she got my interest and won't let me put the book down.

Saturday 10 March 2012

Review: The Fault in Our Stars

 The Fault in Our Stars   
Author: John Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.



Review:
"You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world, old man, but you do have some say in who hurts you." - Gus


I was skeptical with this book because I never liked reading books about people with cancer but John Green wrote it amazingly, I don't think I'd be able to put it down the moment I opened it even though I'm done with it.

I had my mind set that I should be ready for Hazel's passing by the end of the book. I had this thought ever since I started reading it but there was one hell of a twist that made me want to scream "No!" in a very not-so-lady-like fashion.

This book tugged my heart since the fourth chapter and again, John Green didn't failed to make the readers feel a rush of emotions through his words. I felt like I was there, feeling what the character felt at that moment. John Green wrote about cancer in a way me, as a teen, would appreciate and not the formal ways others does; or like how others make it like the character is a really good person, like how Hazel describes it. He successfully made me feel everything with just the use of his simple words. The metaphors used in this book is astounding.

Every character will leave it's mark after you've known each one of them. Each has it's own characteristic that you'll love or probably hate but still define them among the others. Hazel, Gus and Isaac made want to own their burden. At the end of the book, I can't stop but question everything like it's not fictional story at all. It's just unfair.

After reading this book, I felt drained and spent after crying and taking in every detail and words I've read. It's heavy and it transformed me into a bawling machine but I'd read this book over and over again without regrets. After reading this book, I had my mind set that I would find my own Augustus Waters.