This last week has been busy for me, what with getting GCSE results, parties with friends, and, of course, reading. I've been quite a reading machine in the last few days, catching up on everything, especially Buddy Reads on Goodreads (my favourite website EVER!) and this weekend I hope to catch up on some Read-2-Review copies of books that I've been given and haven't gotten to yet. It's just been so busy! It's been busier than I thought my holiday at home would be, to be honest. I thought, ugh staying at home for all the summer holidays, what a chore, but it hasn't been too bad. I still need to write my essay for Sixth Form, so if anyone's good at essay writing, help please?
Sunday 25 August 2013
Wednesday 21 August 2013
I read too much.
So I have things to do in preparation for Sixth Form, which starts in less than 3 weeks, and I still have to write an essay. Ouch. But instead I choose to read first, essay later. I know I should write the essay...but it's boring and no. No thank you. I would rather wax my eyebrows.
I guess I should at least attempt to do something school-y though...
I guess I should at least attempt to do something school-y though...
Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Goodreads Summary
Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.
Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.
Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.
Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.
In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.
This novel is just fantastic. It will never fail to impress. It tells a story so moving and, well, words fail me to describe any more.
The writing is done in different POV's. And that can get a little confusing at times, but it doesn't affect the book at all.
There isn't much else to say, except GO READ THIS!
*This review is also available on Goodreads*
Book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4667024-the-help?from_search=true
Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.
Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.
Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.
Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.
In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.
This novel is just fantastic. It will never fail to impress. It tells a story so moving and, well, words fail me to describe any more.
The writing is done in different POV's. And that can get a little confusing at times, but it doesn't affect the book at all.
There isn't much else to say, except GO READ THIS!
*This review is also available on Goodreads*
Book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4667024-the-help?from_search=true
Tuesday 20 August 2013
Review: BoX by Lucas Heath
Goodreads Summary
How far would you go to save yourself? Would you compromise your religion, morals, or integrity to avoid death?
Twenty-seven people wake up to discover they are imprisoned in isolation cubes. They are forced to endure multiple trials in an experiment designed to test the limits of human nature.
In each cube is a pistol. During any test an individual can use the gun to end the torment and take their own life. In doing so, they believe the test would immediately end for everyone and potentially save the lives of others.
Would you lay down your life to save another? Would you pass the tests?
It's the ultimate trial for human nature and the will to stay alive.
Would you survive the experiment?This story is a novella, at around 100 pages, or 26000 words.
Right from the outset, this book is intriguing, fascinating, and, well, I loved it.
The large amount of characters in the beginning was difficult to keep up with, as there were 27 of them, but as that number became smaller, I felt more attached to the characters.
The concept is original, which is something hard to come by. The writing is compelling, but the change of POV every half a chapter is off-putting, but it is a good read.
*This review is also available on goodreads*
Book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18069250-box?from_search=true
Twenty-seven people wake up to discover they are imprisoned in isolation cubes. They are forced to endure multiple trials in an experiment designed to test the limits of human nature.
In each cube is a pistol. During any test an individual can use the gun to end the torment and take their own life. In doing so, they believe the test would immediately end for everyone and potentially save the lives of others.
Would you lay down your life to save another? Would you pass the tests?
It's the ultimate trial for human nature and the will to stay alive.
Would you survive the experiment?This story is a novella, at around 100 pages, or 26000 words.
Right from the outset, this book is intriguing, fascinating, and, well, I loved it.
The large amount of characters in the beginning was difficult to keep up with, as there were 27 of them, but as that number became smaller, I felt more attached to the characters.
The concept is original, which is something hard to come by. The writing is compelling, but the change of POV every half a chapter is off-putting, but it is a good read.
*This review is also available on goodreads*
Book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18069250-box?from_search=true
Friday 16 August 2013
Review: Seed Savers: Treasure (#1)
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This review is also on Goodreads*
Goodreads Synopsis
Clare, Dante, and Lily live in a future where gardening and owning seeds is against the law. Some, however, encourage the children to change the future, and instruct them in the old ways.
Can the children learn enough before being stopped by GRIM, the government agency controlling the nation's food?
And can children really change the future?
(Book 1 in the Seed Savers Series)
The writing is fab, the story's not too bad, but I didn't feel connected to the characters at all.
The first half of the novel is slow, and the second half doesn't get much faster. The element of dystopia is strong, as there is quite a bit of world building, to 'set the scene' I guess.
The main problem for me, was the religious text. I felt that, by the author including passages from the Christian Bible, religion was being forced down my throat, especially in the first half of the book.
Also, Clare and Dante do not act 12 and 7. Not at all. More like 16 and 13. And Lily? She just disappeared half way through the novel!
For me, unfortunately, this book lack pazazz. It lacked spark. I don't think I'll be continuing the series.
Book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13630113-seed-savers?from_search=true
Goodreads Synopsis
Clare, Dante, and Lily live in a future where gardening and owning seeds is against the law. Some, however, encourage the children to change the future, and instruct them in the old ways.
Can the children learn enough before being stopped by GRIM, the government agency controlling the nation's food?
And can children really change the future?
(Book 1 in the Seed Savers Series)
The writing is fab, the story's not too bad, but I didn't feel connected to the characters at all.
The first half of the novel is slow, and the second half doesn't get much faster. The element of dystopia is strong, as there is quite a bit of world building, to 'set the scene' I guess.
The main problem for me, was the religious text. I felt that, by the author including passages from the Christian Bible, religion was being forced down my throat, especially in the first half of the book.
Also, Clare and Dante do not act 12 and 7. Not at all. More like 16 and 13. And Lily? She just disappeared half way through the novel!
For me, unfortunately, this book lack pazazz. It lacked spark. I don't think I'll be continuing the series.
Book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13630113-seed-savers?from_search=true
Wednesday 14 August 2013
Review: Poisoned Waters by Ermisenda Alvarez
Goodreads Synopsis
Bloody mistakes, ugly scars, and beautiful lies. A tale of corruption.
Helen Gardener is murdered on a trans-Atlantic cruise. The Diamond Royale sails from Southampton to New York with her murderer aboard. Set in the 1950s, Poisoned Waters follows the stories of seven unfortunate characters and how they are affected by her death. Was it merely an accident? Mr Phillips, the owner of the ship, and sponsor of the cruise, rules with an iron fist, in search of something or someone.
Lies spiral out of control as the suspects try to survive the final days on board. Conflicted by their sense of morals, greed, and lust, they realise what kind of people they really are. Who will rise? Who will fall? Who was Helen's murderer?
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This review is also available on goodreads*
In the beginning, it was just an awkward bunch of people doing things entirely unrelated. As the novel progressed, they became less unrelated, and more tangled in a web of lust, conspiracy and deceit.
The different points of view were hard to keep up with in the first few chapters, but gradually became easier to read throughout.
The events right at the beginning had me hooked, and I had no idea who/what had really occurred. It was only in the last few chapters that everything came together and made sense.
In the main section of the novel, it all seemed to be the same. The detective going around, chasing a few folks, the usual. It seemed rather repetitive and revealed very little, except small facts and tidbits here and there. It turns out these things were very important.
The characters were well defined and different from each other, although a lot of the things going on were the same. It was great to see how the different characters interacted with each other through many different points of view.
The historical aspect wasn't that important, except for the treatment of those who weren't valued in society. This seemed to be one of the only notable differences between this and a mystery set in current time.
Overall, it was an easy, good read, and lovers of mystery should read it.
Book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18040482-poisoned-waters?from_search=true
Bloody mistakes, ugly scars, and beautiful lies. A tale of corruption.
Helen Gardener is murdered on a trans-Atlantic cruise. The Diamond Royale sails from Southampton to New York with her murderer aboard. Set in the 1950s, Poisoned Waters follows the stories of seven unfortunate characters and how they are affected by her death. Was it merely an accident? Mr Phillips, the owner of the ship, and sponsor of the cruise, rules with an iron fist, in search of something or someone.
Lies spiral out of control as the suspects try to survive the final days on board. Conflicted by their sense of morals, greed, and lust, they realise what kind of people they really are. Who will rise? Who will fall? Who was Helen's murderer?
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This review is also available on goodreads*
In the beginning, it was just an awkward bunch of people doing things entirely unrelated. As the novel progressed, they became less unrelated, and more tangled in a web of lust, conspiracy and deceit.
The different points of view were hard to keep up with in the first few chapters, but gradually became easier to read throughout.
The events right at the beginning had me hooked, and I had no idea who/what had really occurred. It was only in the last few chapters that everything came together and made sense.
In the main section of the novel, it all seemed to be the same. The detective going around, chasing a few folks, the usual. It seemed rather repetitive and revealed very little, except small facts and tidbits here and there. It turns out these things were very important.
The characters were well defined and different from each other, although a lot of the things going on were the same. It was great to see how the different characters interacted with each other through many different points of view.
The historical aspect wasn't that important, except for the treatment of those who weren't valued in society. This seemed to be one of the only notable differences between this and a mystery set in current time.
Overall, it was an easy, good read, and lovers of mystery should read it.
Book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18040482-poisoned-waters?from_search=true
Tuesday 13 August 2013
Review: A Killing Frost by John Marsden
#3 in the Tomorrow series. Life in the war zone enters its sixth month of heart-stopping tension in the latest installment of the internationally bestselling Tomorrow series.
In the third installment of the Tomorrow saga, the anything-to-survive existence of Ellie and her friends has sharpened their senses and emboldened their plans. They aren't merely on the defensive anymore; they're also striking back. Their strategy? Attack the enemy not just on land, but also on water. If they have any hope of sabotaging the formidable container ship at Cobbler's Bay, then stealth is a must, but so, too, is one very big explosion.
And if they fail, they may face a whole new kind of terror -- imprisonment.
I've been waiting to read this for a while, and I was anxious that it wouldn't be worth the wait. Well I was wrong. I'm glad I waited, because it took me about 24 hours to read.
We know from the blurb that Kevin returns. Fab. I like Kevin, but I also like Corrie, so I wonder when she'll return. He is a vital part of the team, but could also be seen as the reason behind the content of the rest of the book.
Ellie, the narrator, does a good job telling the story from her point of view, I'd like to see someone else take over for a bit, to gain insight from another point of view, but that's personal preference.
The pacing is perfect in the first half, full of adrenaline and action. The attack of Cobblers Bay is fueled by their drive to destroy.
The second half of the novel is more docile, but builds tension, making it just as good. And the ending is just ...well. You'll have to read it, won't you.
*This review is also listed on Goodreads*
Book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/71863.A_Killing_Frost?from_search=true
In the third installment of the Tomorrow saga, the anything-to-survive existence of Ellie and her friends has sharpened their senses and emboldened their plans. They aren't merely on the defensive anymore; they're also striking back. Their strategy? Attack the enemy not just on land, but also on water. If they have any hope of sabotaging the formidable container ship at Cobbler's Bay, then stealth is a must, but so, too, is one very big explosion.
And if they fail, they may face a whole new kind of terror -- imprisonment.
I've been waiting to read this for a while, and I was anxious that it wouldn't be worth the wait. Well I was wrong. I'm glad I waited, because it took me about 24 hours to read.
We know from the blurb that Kevin returns. Fab. I like Kevin, but I also like Corrie, so I wonder when she'll return. He is a vital part of the team, but could also be seen as the reason behind the content of the rest of the book.
Ellie, the narrator, does a good job telling the story from her point of view, I'd like to see someone else take over for a bit, to gain insight from another point of view, but that's personal preference.
The pacing is perfect in the first half, full of adrenaline and action. The attack of Cobblers Bay is fueled by their drive to destroy.
The second half of the novel is more docile, but builds tension, making it just as good. And the ending is just ...well. You'll have to read it, won't you.
*This review is also listed on Goodreads*
Book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/71863.A_Killing_Frost?from_search=true
Happy Days
Yay! I got myself on NetGalley earlier today, and already got a book, and got auto-approved for a publisher! This makes me ver ver happy. I'm thinking of going onto Edelweiss as well, but I think it might be too much at the moment.
I shall be going to bed a very happy bunny :)
I shall be going to bed a very happy bunny :)
Reviews
These will have reviews soon as I am currently reading them
A Killing Frost by John Marsden
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
World War Z by Max Brooks
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Poisoned Waters by Ermisenda Alverez
A Killing Frost by John Marsden
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
World War Z by Max Brooks
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Poisoned Waters by Ermisenda Alverez
Heyyy
Hello folks!
This is gonna be my book blog, within which I shall review books I've read.
Me: I'm Kathryn and I'm a UK teen who likes to read.
Find me on goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/18543875-kathryn
This is gonna be my book blog, within which I shall review books I've read.
Me: I'm Kathryn and I'm a UK teen who likes to read.
Find me on goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/18543875-kathryn
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