The loneliest girl in the universe by Lauren James

Genre: YA, Romance, Sci-Fi

Pages: 290

Published: September

Writing Style: First person perspective Romy Silvers

Warnings: Predator Mentality

Summary:

Can you fall in love with someone you’ve never met, never even spoken to – someone who is light years away?

Romy Silvers is the only surviving crew-member of a spaceship travelling to a new planet, on a mission to establish a second home for humanity amongst the stars. Alone in space, she is the loneliest girl in the universe until she hears about a new ship which has launched from Earth – with a single passenger on board. A boy called J.

Their only communication with each other is via email – and due to the distance between them, their messages take months to transmit across space. And yet Romy finds herself falling in love.

But what does Romy really know about J? And what do the mysterious messages which have started arriving from Earth really mean?

Sometimes, there’s something worse than being alone . . . 


Description above taken from Goodreads.com -> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32601841-the-loneliest-girl-in-the-universe

What made me pick up this book?

As much as I hate to admit this, I picked this book up because of the cover.



This was another fantastic library find, and there was no way I could move past this absolutely gorgeous cover.

Overall Enjoyment
I was completely trapped in this universe. I finished this book in a day - I couldn't even put it down at work. It was an easy-read with a lot of fan-fiction additions and email trails, but it in no way hindered the flow of the book. 

Characters

Romy Silvers
I felt so sorry for Romy, for so many reasons - but without giving spoilers let me explain a few. She was literally alone on a ship headed for "New Earth". She witnessed the death of her parents on board the ship. All she wanted was more episodes of her favourite show. Romy was an anxiety ridden, bad arse, fan-fiction writing young woman. I was completely and utterly enthral by this character. She taught herself at a young age physics so that she could fly the ship if anything went wrong, that is by far one of the most amazing things about her.



It is about time I came across a Young Adult novel where the female protagonist knows how to protect herself. 

Positives

Romy. Bad-arse, fan-fiction writing, anxiety induced young woman. Enough said.
The Plot Twist. I won't give anything away but... Oh. My. Fucking. Jebus!



Sex. Romy wasn't afraid of sex or masturbation. It was so good to read about a young adult that was prepared to explore the natural need for sex and exploration of one's body. 

Negatives
No Sequel. Granted, there is no need for a squeal, but i just didn't want it to end.

Did this book make me cry?

No. The sad moments were more "What the fuck" moments for me - in a good way.

Did this book make me laugh? 

It did at times.

Did this book frustrate me? Why? 

No. 

Did this book get Tedious? Why?

No.

Would I recommend this book? 

I think it is pretty clear that I would recommend this book. I almost recommended it to a child of a friend of mine, but it has a few moments that would not be suitable for her. I would probably keep the age for recommendation to at least 16. 

I would give this book
5 out of 5 stars for Writing

5 out of 5 for Creativity

5 out of 5 stars for Overall Enjoyment

***I do not intend to offend, anger or upset anyone over a book that I write a review about. This is just my opinion.***

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Genre: YA, Romance

Pages: 388

Published: April 2017

Writing Style: First person perspective of Bailey (aka Mink)

Warnings: Mentions Sex and masturbation

Summary:

Classic movie fan Bailey "Mink" Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online as Alex. Two coasts seperate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush.

Faced with doubts (what if he is a creep in real life - or worse?), Bailey doesn't tell Alex she's moved to his hometown. OR that she's landed a job at the local tourist-trap museum. Or that she's being heckled daily by the irritating hot museum security guard, Porter Roth - a.k.a her new arch-nemesis. But life is a lot messier than the movies, especially when bailey discovers that tricky fine line between hate, love and whatever it is she's starting to feel for Porter.

And as the summer months go by, Bailey must choose whether to cling to a dreamy online fantasy in Alex or take a risk on an imperfect reality with Porter. The choice is both simpler and more complicated than she realises, because Porter Roth is hiding a secret of his own: Porter is Alex...Approximately.

Description above taken from Goodreads.com -> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34927042-alex-approximately

What made me pick up this book?

I was browsing the shelves at the Library (as i always do) and this bright blue cover jumped out at me. The concept seemed pretty straight forward, and I do love my young adult love.

Overall Enjoyment
I actually really enjoyed this book. I thought teh writing was well executed, and the character development worked well. There was no Insta Love which was an absolute bonus. It was a really fun and simple read (even though it took me 1 week to finish) 

Characters

Bailey Rydell
AT first Bailey annoyed me, she was a self confessed evader. Someone who chooses to run away from problems instead of tackling them head on.



I guess I am just sick of reading about these young woman who don't take responsibility for their actions, and require these young men to come and save them. But thankfully this was not the direction that Jenn Bennett took this novel. Bailey actually turned into quite a badass character in the end.

Porter Roth

So Porter is a typical YA Romance hero - Tragic back story, bad boy facade, surprising nice guy. But I didn't find it to be cliche. I particularly liked the difference in conversation with Porter and Alex (even though they are the same person).

Positives

Bailey. Bailey became a completely different person by the end of the book.
Backstories. These were not overly pressed upon. They both suffered tragedies but it was not the only thing that defined these characters. In fact both back stories were discussed and opened when the time came.


Intimate Moments. These were so cute! Not only did they feel natural but there was no awkwardness even in the writing. 

Negatives
Porter aka Alex. I just found it so hard to believe that Bailey could not see any similarities between Alex and Porter. Jenn Bennett explained this as they never talked about their personal lives. BUT - one thing does not sit with me. Porter loved quizzes, so I fine it hard to believe that he never brought that into his online life. Among other reasons.



Bailey's Mum. I just got so annoyed on two counts. Bailey left her mum because the marriage to her step father was falling apart. THEN Bailey got annoyed that her mother never called her. Which I must admit annoyed me a little bit. 

Did this book make me cry?

No. There was a moment that maybe could have sparked tears, but I wasn't as invested.

Did this book make me laugh? 

Yes. Quite a lot actually.

Did this book frustrate me? Why? 

Yes. How did Bailey not realise Porter was Alex?! How did Alex not give any indication of who he was?! 

Did this book get Tedious? Why?

I think it was a bit too long and it started to feel like some events were shoved in for the sake of it. But it was fast paced. 

Would I recommend this book? 

 Absolutely. It is one of the better YA Romances I have read. 

I would give this book
4 out of 5 stars for Writing

3 out of 5 for Creativity

4 out of 5 stars for Overall Enjoyment

***I do not intend to offend, anger or upset anyone over a book that I write a review about. This is just my opinion.***

Under The Lights by Abbi Glines

Genre: YA, Romance

Pages: 320

Published: August 2016

Writing Style: Alternative points of first person view between Willa, Gunner and Brady. 

Warnings: Swearing

Summary:

Willa can't erase the bad decisions of her past that led her down the path she's now on. But she can fight for forgiveness from her family. And she can protect herself by refusing to let anyone else get close to her.

High school quarterback and town golden boy Brady used to be best friend with Willa - she even had a crush on him when they were kids. But that's all changed now: her life choices have made her a different person from the girl he used to know.

Gunner used to be friends with Will and Brady, too. He too is larger than life and a high school football star - not to mention that his family basically owns the town of Lawton. He loves his life, and doesn't care about anyone except himself. But Willa is the exception - and he understands the girl she's become in a way no one else can.

As secrets come to light and hearts are broken, these former childhood friends must face the truth about growing up and falling in love... even if it means losing each other forever.

Description above taken from Goodreads.com -> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26135139-under-the-lights

What made me pick up this book?

I just..... I don't....



Why did I torture myself? I keep telling myself it was because the first book - Until Friday Night - had so many plot holes that I wanted to see filled. But after reading Under The Lights I just can't figure out why I picked it up.

Overall Enjoyment
There was none. This book was just as bad as the first.... I think the betrayal that Brady caused me was the worst of it all. 

Characters

Willa
Willa is a weak character. Something happened and she ended up in juvenile prison. However, it was not her fault and she doesn't seem to understand this until Gunner (the hero *rolls eyes*) tells her it isn't. Then she is fine.... Of course she is fine, because a 17 year old boy told her nothing was her fault. Great trauma over.

Gunner

Gunner was just like West Ashby in the prequel. Controlling, over bearing, annoying and a complete dickhead, even to Willa. But Willa fell for him anyway like some fucking idiot. Gunner goes through some family tragedy, but thank the lord he is a 17 your old philosopher, otherwise he might go off the rail and then he couldn't "Save" Willa.

Brady
I am so devastated by Brady. He was the only good character in the first book, turns out this was only because we didn't get any insight into his head and what he thought. He was a complete and utter dick, and it was through his point of view that we were subjected to the worst line in the entire book:

"That kiss wasn't something I was going to forget. She was more than a childhood memory. She was worth knowing now. I wanted that."

Wow Brady, what a fucking Gentleman. Thank God your kissed Willa because otherwise she would not be worth knowing at all. And yes.. that is verbatim to the novel....

Positives

It wasn't even fast paced like the first. It was less pages and still took me 4 hours because I could not deal with it. 

Negatives
Slut-Shaming. Again, all the woman, except Willa and of course our prequel heroine, Maggie, were sluts who the boys only wanted to fuck. Fantastic story writing from a female writer. Absolutely would want my daughter reading this.... not. 

Did this book make me cry?

No. But to Abbi's credit there were no real sad scenes. 

Did this book make me laugh? 

Does at it count?

Did this book frustrate me? Why? 

Yes... I mean.. Just so much. I can't even understand how this book aimed at young women could be published. 

Did this book get Tedious? Why?

I guess not. It was just too long for me. I should have DNF'd but I read it as part of the 24hr read-a-thon. 

Would I recommend this book? 

Not only would I not recommend this book, I would also not recommend Abbi Glines as a writer. I have never felt s strongly about hating a writer as much as Abbi Glines. I understand it is hard to write a book, and there is a lot that goes into the overall process. However, I read books for two reasons, 1) as a way to process some of my trauma and relate with similar situations and 2) to pass on some fantastic reads and knowledge to others especially

 the younger generations. Abbi Glines writing does not fall under either of these. 

I would give this book

1 out of 5 stars for Writing

1 out of 5 for Creativity

1 out of 5 stars for Overall Enjoyment

***I do not intend to offend, anger or upset anyone over a book that I write a review about. This is just my opinion.***

Odd One Out by Monica McInerney

Genre: Contemporary

Pages: 152

Published: January 2006

Writing Style: Third Person

Warnings: None

Summary:

Sylvie has always been the odd one out in her family. Her mother is a celebrated artist, known for her bohemian lifestyle. Her father, long estranged from the family, is a respected poet and academic. Sylvie's two beautiful sisters and her big brother are also making their mark in the design world.

Sylvie hasn't an artistic bone in her body. On the verge of turning thirty, back living in the family home in Sydney and working for her mother and sisters, she feels stuck in major rut.

Then her brother Sebastian steps in with a rescue plan. He offers her a room in his Melbourne apartment for as long as she likes, on one condition. In an updated version of a treasure hunting game they played as children, she has to follow his instructions and go exploring the city.

Within days, she's doing things she's never done before, going to places she's never been and beginning to think of ideas for a new career. She is also getting to know a very lovely man. Life is looking up. Then Sebastian reveals one final challenge.

Description above taken from Goodreads.com -> 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/82445.Odd_One_Out

What made me pick up this book?

I think I picked up this book from the Lifeline Bookfair for a couple of dollars. I have had it for maybe 3 years, and wanted a short read during the 24hr read-a-thon that I did on 15th April 2018. At only 152 pages how could I go wrong??

Overall Enjoyment
I think overall this book was too short. It was neither my favourite all time read nor my least favourite. I felt that maybe it ran a bit short, however, Monica McInerney managed to wrap it up nicely without becoming too long winded. 

Characters

Sylvia
I saw a lot of myself in Sylvia, from the over controlling and disinterested mother, to the caring older sibling who takes time to help make her life better. The betrayal of Sylvia was very well constructed. She was portrayed as a heart broken and battered woman who had suffered from many years of mental abuse. Everything she did reflected the doubt she had on herself, and it wasn't until she moved in with her Great Aunt that she started to respect herself. It was actually a great character development arch.

Positives

Character Development. It was just a really refreshing way to create Sylvia in to a strong feminine character. By the time we reached the end it was relieving and that is great writing.
Short and Sweet. For once the shortness of the novel was beneficial in a positive way, the story didn't drag or add any unnecessary additions.
Mental Abuse. I think the betrayal of the mental abuse was well done. It is probably one of the most relate-ale and believable fiction pieces I have read. 

Negatives

Did this book make me cry?

No. But there was no story arch that warranted crying. 

Did this book make me laugh? 

Yes. I found Sylvia's character written comically in some points.

Did this book frustrate me? Why? 

Not really. It was too short, but that wasn't a deal breaker. 

Did this book get Tedious? Why?

It was not long enough to get tedious. 

Would I recommend this book? 

Yes absolutely. Not as my favourite, but it is a good quick read that may even awaken a slump. 

I would give this book

5 out of 5 stars for Writing

3 out of 5 for Creativity

3 out of 5 stars for Overall Enjoyment

***I do not intend to offend, anger or upset anyone over a book that I write a review about. This is just my opinion.***

Everything Left Unsaid by Jessica Davidson

**THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS - I honestly do not know how to write this review without spoilers***

Genre: YA, Romance

Pages: 301

Published: August 2012

Writing Style: Alternative points of first person view between Tai and Juliet

Warnings: Swearing, Terminal Cancer

Summary:

Tai and Juliet have been best friends forever - since they met at kindy and decided to get married in first grade.

They understand each other in a way that only best friends can. They love music, beach walks, energy drinks and, they slowly discovering each other.

As they dream of adventures beyond the HSC - a future free from homework, curfews and parents, a life together - their plans are suddenly and dramatically derailed.

For Tai is sick. And not everything you wish for can come true.

Description above taken from Goodreads.com -> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14622354-everything-left-unsaid?from_search=true

What made me pick up this book?

To be honest, I was looking for a quick and easy YA Romance. Based on the description I figured this was exactly what I was looking for.

Overall Enjoyment

.........





That is all.

Characters

Juliet
Juliet is just a normal girl, goes to school, fights with her mum, and cannot wait to get away with her best friend turn boyfriend. Having first person perspective, give the reader a heartbreaking story of watching someone they love die. It was so devastating from Juliet's point of view.

Tai

Oh, Tai. I just fell in love with Tai, and when he got sick I mimicked Tai's anger and annoyance at all the people in his life. He explains how they always cry and always tip toe around his cancer. They hate when he talks of dying, but Tai is just trying to come with terms to the fact that he is dying, and no one is helping him. 

Positives

Tai's Perspective. It was such a raw and honest view through Tim's eyes. He spoke of the moments when he was at his lowest, expressing that he could "feel" the tumor. We also get to experience the first person account of what it is like when everyone around you is avoiding the "Elephant in the Room". It was an absolutely fascinating and beautiful way to bring this story together. 

The Romance. It was so refreshing that the romance blossomed so early. There was no back and forth, no will they won't they. Juliet confessed her love and Tai immediately confessed his right back. This would be beneficial in so many YA books. 
The writing. I just feel in love with this writing style. Jessica Davidson has a gift. 
The Fight. At one stage Juliet kisses another guy, and Tai finds out. This was such a sad moment in the book because Tai realizes how much he has been pushing Juliet away, and Juliet suddenly realizes that Tai is going to die, without a doubt. I don't have the words to properly describe the emotions I felt during this interaction. 

Negatives

I don't have any. 

Did this book make me cry?

Oh. Did this book make me cry? Um... yes. I ugly cried from about 50 pages to the end. Then I continued to cry (and worry my fiance) for an additional half an hour.

Did this book make me laugh? 

Yes. There were very dark moments, but there were times when humor broke through.

Did this book frustrate me? Why? 

Sort of. I think Jessica Davidson wrote from her character perspectives so well, that whatever they felt strongly about, I too started to feel strongly about. 

Did this book get Tedious? Why?

No. 

Would I recommend this book? 

Absolutely. I cannot think of a single reason why I wouldn't. Except maybe if the person I was recommending to someone who doesn't like sad books. Even then, I would probably still recommend with a disclaimer. 

I would give this book

5 out of 5 stars for Writing

5 out of 5 for Creativity

5 out of 5 stars for Overall Enjoyment

***I do not intend to offend, anger or upset anyone over a book that I write a review about. This is just my opinion.***

You're the kind of girl I write songs about by Daniel Herborn

Genre: YA, Romance

Pages: 345

Published: May 2015

Writing Style: Alternating points of first person views between Tim and Mandy. 

Warnings: Swearing

Summary:

Tim's a young singer-songwriter with a guitar case full of songs and dreams of finding an audience to embrace his tunes.

Mandy's obsessed with music and compulsive dreamer. She's longing for something more fulfilling than daytime TV and cups of tea with best friend Alice, something like the excitement and passion of rock n' roll.

When their eyes meet at a gig, sparks fly across a crowded room and hope burns in their hearts. But in a city of millions and a scene overrun with wannabes, can they ever get it together? Will Mandy's nerves doom their romance before it even starts? And where does the darkness in Tim's songs come from?

Description above taken from Goodreads.com -> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23487678-you-re-the-kind-of-girl-i-write-songs-about?ac=1&from_search=true

What made me pick up this book?

Music is a huge part of my life, while at the library I came across this book actually put back in the wrong section - Absolutely lucky for me!! And.. it is set in Australia by and Australian Author, which is even a bigger bonus for me!

Overall Enjoyment
I think that I would have enjoyed this book better had I created a playlist of the suggested songs by Daniel Herborn, while reading this book. I absolutely loved this book, I loved the setting and the pace. Daniel Herborn had a way of expressing and explaining situations without too many words.

Characters

Mandy
Mandy has just finished college and is struggling to figure out exactly what she wants to do at university. She is described as a music loving, fashion hating, people hating hipster. And I loved her. I found her relate-able in the sense that everyone is fighting to be different, everyone wants to hold onto something that shows they are not the regular run of the mill, yet no one really knows what to do to make this happen. She also finds out some very confronting issues that Tim has gone though, and she doesn't know how to deal with it. This is such a refreshing aspect to read in YA. Usually the character hears of something tragic happening and suddenly has all the answers, but the truth is no one truly has the right way to deal with tragedy and Daniel Herborn reflects this in Mandy very well.

Tim

Tim is an upcoming artist that is still relying in cover songs and party bookings to get his voice out there. Tim ended up being a complex character with a lot of tragic backstory components. He fell in love with Mandy oddly quickly, which wasn't comforting, especially when he wrote a song about her after meeting for the first time. But I think Daniel Herborn manged to describe and rectify the way Tim feels. 

Positives

Character Development. One thing I particularity liked about this novel was the lack of full body descriptions of the characters. The physical descriptions of each Character is only mildly discussed and mostly we learn about the person behind the looks.
The Music. Oh. My. God! Daniel Herborn has some amazing song suggestions in this book. Which makes sense as both the main Characters and the secondary character are obsessed with music. Thankfully Daniel put a great list of songs that inspired this novel at the back.
The Depression Aspect. I always find it hard to find a book that explores depression as real and subtly as Daniel Herborn did.
The overall story. It just flowed nicely, and everything about this book made me want to keep reading!! However, by the look of Goodreads, this is an unpopular opinion. Oh Well. 

The Relationship. Just seemed natural, from the chance meeting, to the back and forth turmoil of trying to find each other again, to finally getting together. It just worked. 

Negatives

I really just don't have anything... 

Did this book make me cry?

No. But there were no overly sad themes to this book. 

Did this book make me laugh? 

Yes, Daniel Herborn is a witty writer, which makes sense since he is an Australian.

Did this book frustrate me? Why? 

No. I could not in anyway put this down. 

Did this book get Tedious? Why?

Not at all. At any point I thought it may get annoying, Daniel just change the direction and made it all fall together nicely. 

Would I recommend this book? 

I think by now you have probably figured out that I would 100% recommend this book. I actually loved this book so much, that I am hoping to find more written by Daniel Herborn. 

I would give this book

5 out of 5 stars for Writing

5 out of 5 for Creativity

5 out of 5 stars for Overall Enjoyment

***I do not intend to offend, anger or upset anyone over a book that I write a review about. This is just my opinion.***

Until Friday Night by Abbi Glines

Genre: Young Adult / Romance

Pages: 336

Published: August 2015

Warnings: Mentions sex, some abusive behavior and memories, crude language

Summary:
To everyone who knows him, West Ashby has always been that guy: the cocky, popular, way-too-handsome-for-his-own-good football god who led Lawton High to the state championships. But while West may be Big Man on Campus on the outside, on the inside he's battling the grief that comes with watching his father slowly die of cancer.

Two years ago, Maggie Carleton's life fell apart when her father murdered her mother. And after she told the police what happened, she stopped speaking and hasn't spoken since. Even the move to Lawton, Alabama, couldn't draw Maggie back out. So she stayed quiet, keeping her sorrow and her fractured heart hidden away.

As west's pain becomes too much to handle, he knows he needs to talk to someone about his father - so in the dark shadows of a post-game party, he opens up to the one girl who know won't tell anyone else.

West expected that talking about his dad would bring some relief, or a least a flood of emotions he couldn't control. But he never expected the quiet new girl to reply, to reveal a pain even deeper than his own - or for them to form a connection so strong that he couldn't ever let go...

Summary taken from Goodreads.com ->  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22522202-until-friday-night?from_search=true

What made me pick up this book?

This is another book that I picked up because i saw it mentions a few times on booktube - once again from Reading With Pugs (check her out!!). I didn't actually buy this one because I wasn't sure I would read it again, so I borrowed it from the Library. Classic YA Romance is a guilty pleasure of mine, so it seemed fitting to give this a try. This book is told chapter by chapter from alternating point of views between Maggie and West. 

Overall Enjoyment
Behold an accurate description of me during almost the entirety of this novel.

Characters

Maggie Carleton's
Maggie is a sweet character, but not a particularly strong female lead. She has seen some awful stuff and stops talking for two years. However, then she meets West and suddenly is not longer scared of talking........ What? I did not understand this sudden change because she met a boy she loved, especially after knowing him for only a week before she spoke, and also after he was a complete dick to her until this point. I don't love this extremely face paced style in order to make characters develop, but I know a lot of people prefer this style.

West Ashby 
West Ashby is an absolute cock. He is experiencing the death of his father, which makes him into this awful character which Abbi Glines convinces you is because he is a man and therefore has to hide his feelings. He is an absolute dick to Maggie, and when he figures that Maggie is the only person in the whole world that understands him, he uses her. He becomes possessive and only wants to talk to Maggie when he feels overwhelmed. It is exhausting. 

Brady Carleton

Brady is the only redeemable character in this book. He has a high protection for Maggie who is his cousin, and tells all his friends to leave her alone so she feels normal. All he wants to do is complete his senior year and move into a football career. He is openly protective of Maggie, but also expresses his annoyance with her for always being thrust upon him by his parents. He just fits into Maggie's world really well. 

Positives

Brady. He is such a great character and really made me want to continue the book.
Fast pace. The book moved quickly which made it easy to read and not necessarily worth finishing but also seemed to be no point in putting down because I smashed it out in a total of 4 hours.

Negatives

West Ashby. He was so annoying and just a pathetic character.
Describing the Characters. Everyone was absolutely, drop dead gorgeous, basically entirely perfect human beings. It was quite frustrating, especially from a female author, I found that she was extremely one directional with her female characters and the men basically called them walking sex dolls..... Ew. 

Slut Shaming. As mentioned above, every girl was basically talked about as a walking sex doll or a conquest, and West even had sex with these women to "Forget about Maggie" but then felt guilty, not because he was using women, but because he didn't want his precious Maggie to know he was like this!! Urgh!!!

Did this book make me cry?
Yes. I relate this to the fact that I was also listening to a band that I loved as a teenager. So I base this on a high level of nostalgia. But there was a sad moment, I did only cry for around 5 minutes. 

Did this book make me laugh? 

I think there may have been a few moments, but nothing especially remember-able. 

Did this book frustrate me? Why? 

Oh. My. God. Yes! I got frustrated in a few instances, mostly West being so weirdly possessive of Maggie, and then (even with her history) Maggie accepted this! It was so frustrating. Also for about 150 pages all each of them talked about was how much they loved the other but knew they were only friends, it was just too repetitive. Also at the end there was a heap of plot holes, which I have now realised is due to this being a four part series.. So that was annoying. 

Did this book get Tedious? Why?

Yes. As I said above, I read 150 pages of the exact same words recycled over and over again between both points of view. This did not in anyway progress the story line. 

Would I recommend this book? 

I guess I would, but I have my reservations and I would unlikely convince anyone it was worth reading. 

I would give this book

1 out of 5 stars for Writing

1 out of 5 for Creativity

1 out of 5 stars for Overall Enjoyment

***I do not intend to offend, anger or upset anyone over a book that I write a review about. This is just my opinion.***

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Genre: Science Fiction / Young Adult

Pages: 435

Published: November 2016

Warnings: Detailed descriptions of killing

Summary:

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity had conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life - and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Cirta and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe - a role that neither wants. These teens must master the "art" of taking a life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Description above taken from Goodreads.com -> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28954189-scythe

What made me pick up this book?

Scythe is not necessarily a novel I would normally choose. I am very easily influenced, I also watch a lot of Booktube. It has been mentioned a few times on the channels I watch - Especially Reading With Pugs (you should check her out!) - so naturally I picked it up. 

Overall Enjoyment
Scythe is an exceptional novel, I esspecially love the world building, and that EVERY QUESTION I HAD WAS ANSWERED!! SO rare.

Also.. there is a sequel



But.... I am still unable to get a copy in Australia.. Unless I pay unreasonable shipping....

Sigh... At least I have a stack of books on my TBR to get me through this time. 

Characters

Citra Terranova

The absolute best part of Citra is her ongoing conflict of being chosen to be a Scythe. As a apprentice Scythe her family gets 1 year immunity from being gleaned, ultimately this is the reason she accepts the Scythe training position. However, overall Citra is not keen in anyway to take a life. Citra and Rowen have two mentors during Scythe, and experience two completely different ways of being a Scythe. Citra, thankfully, is trained under two wise and sympathetic Scythes, this helps Cirta come to terms with her new lifestyle. I found Citra to be a self capable and well presented female lead, she struggled with the overpowering turmoil of being a Scythe, but presented as tough and almost non-nonchalant. 

Rowen

Rowen is a well written character that manages to go from a timid boy (or "Lettuce" as he calls himself), to a kick arse fighter with conflicting morals on his new direction in life. Unfortunately Rowen is taken on as an apprentice to Scythe Goddard, who has very wild and controversial killing styles. Rowan starts to align with Goddard and get sucked in to his style of killing, which concerns Rowen. This mentor change from Faraday to Goddard inflicts a moral dilemma within Rowen, that he quickly learns to hide with a fearsome facade.

Scythe Curie

I really loved Scythe Curie as a character and a mentor. He killing style is to find people who are looking like they have reached the end of existence, and she delivers a killing blow with a quick stab to the persons chest. Training Citra is a role she takes seriously but eventually accepts Citra as more of a friend than just an apprentice. 

Scythe Goddard

Scythe Goddard is a character you both love and hate. He is smooth and charismatic, but his ideals are sickening and frustrating. His ideal killing style is to do it all at once. Each Scythe must kill 286 people per year, so Scythe Goddard and he 3 cronies (which later includes Rowen) participate in mass killings. These adventures kill upwards of 300 people in one go, which they all participate in once a Quarter. 

Positives

Scythe is written in third person, which fr this particular book allows a much easier transition between characters. 

A Scythe is required to complete a diary, at the start of each chapter there is an exert from the diary of various Scythes in first person narrative, mostly Scythe Curie. This small exert from the diary builds up the world subtly, and gives the reader and inner perspective of the issues surrounding a Scythes daily requirements, both the good and bad. 

The Romance. Citra and Rowen develop feelings for each other - obviously, as this is a YA book - but the romance is not a huge focus of the book. It gets mentioned from time to time, but ultimately the world is build around being a Scythe, and the everyday obstacles of learning the "art" of killing. 

Negatives

The Thunderhead. Maybe because it is only the first book in the series that this bothers me, but I just goit very annoyed with the Thunderhead. The thunderhead is the all seeing, all knowing, all fixing "AI" of the book. It builds when there is demand, it cures when people get hurt, and it sees everything. But somehow Neal made it into a conscious being, but only very briefly, and it just seemed a bit out of place. I am hoping this gets explained or rectified in future. 

The Gleaning. It is a very confronting book as you think about a future with no death, and the overall existential turmoil of each character. 

Did this book make me cry?

No. 

Did this book make me laugh? 

Not really. I guess there were some fun parts, but mostly I was engrossed in the overall story. 

Did this book frustrate me? Why? 

Yes, but only because of the Thunderhead, otherwise No. 

Did this book get Tedious? Why?

No. 

Would I recommend this book? 

Absolutely. The writing style is fast paced and extremely interesting to follow. I have read similar story lines and have been completely underwhelmed by them, so this was an absolute stellar read. 

I would give this book

5 out of 5 stars for Writing

4 out of 5 for Creativity

5 out of 5 stars for Overall Enjoyment

***I do not intend to offend, anger or upset anyone over a book that I write a review about. This is just my opinion.***

Love Junkie by Rachel Resnek

Genre: Biography

Pages: 256

Published: November 2008

Warnings: This book is about a sex addict, there are very vivid and disturbing sexual scenes and Strong language. 

Summary:

Rachel Resnick hits her forties single, broke, depressed, childless a train wreck. After an ex-boyfriend breaks into her home and vandalizes it, Resnick takes the time to look back over her romantic and sexual history to ask the question: What is wrong with me? Her addiction to sex and love has cost her in damaging ways throughout the course of her life. At the root of her issues: a Dickensian childhood and a haunting experience she must finally confront.

Above summary taken from Goodreads.com - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3176433-love-junkie?from_search=true

Overall Enjoyment
......

This was... so much to take in in such a short time frame.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I think I need to read it again to fully appreciate the dramatic change Rachel made by the end.

What made me pick up this book?

I am a sucker for a good biography. I was staying at my sister’s some years ago in the spare room; this is where my sister keeps a large hoard of books, especially books that are not necessarily appropriate for her kids to gain interest in. While lying in bed I noticed that she had three copies of Love Junkie by Rachel Resnick. A book that must be owned more than once must be worth reading – right?

The Characters

The infamous Rachel Resnick

Rachel is a sex addict, something she admits very early in the book. This is from a life of childhood trauma and learning from her mother, an non-diagnosed sex addict. Rachel is a completely relate-able person; she speaks of desperation and heart ache that without having experienced it would be hard to understand.

Rachel’s story involves minor characters and a particularly abusive lead boyfriend, but I did not find any of them worth mentioning.  

Positives

Rachel’s writing style is unique in that when writing this book about her past she is fully aware of her downfall. He book is full of self-hatred and witty comments that pull together to create a very enjoyable, yet heart breaking read.

Negatives

I can see how someone who is not aware of relationships like Rachel’s would not enjoy this book. It is harsh and invasive, exploring erotic and abusive themes. This book is not for the faint hearted.

Did this book make me cry?

No.

Did this book make me laugh?

Yes, in some parts. Rachel Resnek is a very witty writer.

Did this book frustrate me? Why?

Yes. Because I wanted Rachel to understand she was better than the drop kicks she was dating. I have witnessed friends in these situations and it makes you want to scream.

Did this book get tedious? Why?

No. Love Junkie was fast paced and exiting. I was eager to finish, with the hope that Rachel get the help she needed.

Recommend?

Yes and No. This would be a hard book to recommend, on one side I want to share this book and it’s course themes and raw emotion to everyone. But on the other side I would be very cautious about recommending this book because it is intense, and I would not want to make anyone uncomfortable or offended. So – Read at your own discretion.

I would give this book

5 out of 5 stars for Writing

 I will not rate for Creativity on a Biography

5 out of 5 stars for Overall Enjoyment

***I do not intend to offend, anger or upset anyone over a book that I write a review about. This is just my opinion.***