If I Stay - Gayle Forman

So unfortunately for me, I saw the movie before the book. Never mind though, because both, book and film were perfect. Even though the book is more descriptive, I would say it would be hard to see the book come to life if I hadn't seen the film.

In this book we have a family of four. A Mom, Dad, a young boy called Teddy and a 17 year old girl called Mia. The four of them are involved in a accident, leaving only one. Mia.

Through the book we go on transitions from flashbacks/memories of Mia's life, and the out of body experience where Mia can see her visitors in the ICU without actually being awake.

The flashbacks are in proportion to those of the out of body experiences. All  of which link to eachother. One thing the out of body experiencing Mia knows is she controls the game. She has to chose whether to wake up an orphan or give up the fight.

Without ruining it for you all, it's an emotional roller coaster ride. A tale of love, loss, friendship and experience. I highly recommend this book to anyone, even if you hate reading I still recommend it.

Finally I just want to add a few Thankyou notes here.

Thank you  Chloë Grace Moretz who brought Mia's character to life, becoming the true vision of Mia.

Thank you to the cast and crew of the 'If I Stay' movie. Because without you all, I would have a whole heart and a damn lot more tears to cry else where. Thankyou for creating the perfect adaptation of the book.

And finaly.

To Gayle Forman, to whom I owe the biggest Thankyou too, because without you these books would cease to exist, and we as readers would never of gotten a chance to have another journey and another life.

Book Rate:
5/5

Looking For Alaska by John Green

Finishing my 3rd book of 2015 left me emotionally ruined leaving me no choice but to eat some chocolate.

Like most of John Greens books I have been unable to put it's power and meaning into words. Looking for Alaska is in no way different. I was left speechless and crying for ten minutes. I had written, deleted and re written this review several times to make sure I got it right finally settling with this.

In 262 pages Green was able to create a novel that allows teenagers to review their place in the world and deal with eachother better.

Miles Halter is a junior in a boarding school in Alabama. The teen from Florida is used to the sun, but not the heat of the Deep South. He's also not used to being one of the gang, but at Culver Creek this shy boy is accepted for what he is, after being wrapped in duct tape and thrown into a lake.

Like any school, there are cliques, the biggest two being the rich kids who live locally, who go home for the weekend and the kids who are there 24/7.

The latter group adopts Miles, and within that group his particular circle of friends is certainly a right bunch: there is The Colonel, his roommate, who is barely ever refered to by his real name. Takumi, the Japanese kid with the Southern accent; and Alaska Young, "the hottest girl in all of human history." Apart from a demanding school load, their main hobbies consist of smoking, drinking and the Culver Creek tradition of playing pranks on the other group all while avoiding the piercing gaze of The Eagle, the school's headmaster.

The experiences come fast for Miles, but the one thing constantly on his mind, Alaska. Flirty and distant, friendly and angry, unattainable (with a boyfriend in college) and available, and highly intelligent, her personality leads Miles and his friends into a labyrinth of emotions that, after a shattering tragedy, leave him wondering if there is any way out.

Looking for Alaska is funny, sad and inspiring. To all those who read this book, I hope you enjoy it.

Rating:
5 / 5

Hells Horizon by Darren Shan

Hell's Horizon is in fact the 2nd book of The City trilogy. Much like Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher, I haven't read the book that came before. I did however pick this book up from a store close to my sixth form while they were having a sale. This book could sell for £13 or in the range of £5-£8 but I was able to add it to my library for just 59p and what a buy it was.

Al Jeery is a loyal member of his personal guard but is relieved from his duties to investigate a murder. Al isn't a trained investigator but with time he gets the hang of it and just before he finds  the killer, another murder investigation makes its way to him on a even more personal level.

Along the way Al goes through hell and somehow made it through. I'd be reading the book all happy something I wished to happen was soon going to, only to find a shock in its place.

Darren Shan could easily of drowned us in swear words, but there was never any irrelevant use of bad language or an overkill.

For a book like this I can't go into extreme detail without ruining the whole book. However what I can say is, Al Jeery finds out secrets of the city and his past and I'm deffinetly going to try and get a hold of the first and third and final book.

I recommend no one under the age of 14 should read this book, anyone with a detective brain should read this and see if they can catch the kilĺer/s before Al does.

Christmas with Billy and Me - Giovanna Fletcher

When I first got this book I was a little disappointed with how thin it was but Giovanna deffinetly has a talent when it comes to writing. I can't decide whether it's a Talent or a Skill.

So I do have to admit I haven't read Billy and Me that came before this but I was unable to find it in the same shop I had bought this from.

The books starts off with a little back story of Stacey who now owns a little teashop after its initial owner, her best friend passed away. Further into the story Stacey and Billy recieve and email from a mystery man requesting if he can propose to the love of his life in the small teashop. Of course they say yes, but who's the mystery man and the blushing bride to be?  I'll leave that for you guys to find out.

What Fletcher has managed to do is avoid writing something cliché. She could have quite easily overloaded us with sappiness but she didn’t. She took a different road and made a damn fine short story.

The book sort of hinted at more tales of Sophie May and Billy. The open ending made me so happy. Come on Mrs Fletcher, make your fans happy and write about them again. Please.

I give this book a rating of
4.5 out of 5.

Mostly on the pure basis that I want more books about Sophie and Billy a great book to read if you're into this sort of things. Also a great book if you don't have alot of time but wish to read.

2014

Well its nearly Christmas and it's a huge religious celebration. I'm not religious so to speak or at all, but Christmas for me isn't all about the presents or the food (even though they're both nice additions.) To me it's a time to appreciate and embrace my family.

Not soon after Christmas we have new year. 2015 is nearly upon us and I hope you have all had a great 2014 and if you haven't I hope 2015 is better for you. 2014 bought me the end of secondary school and the beginning of sixth form. I finally got to see my childhood favourite band merge with my sisters childhood favourite band to form a super group (McBusted) and preform live. Glad to say I'll be returning to  see them again in 2015. I got to finnish the Hobbit trilogy with the best company I've ever had. Most of my positives this year have been small but they all add up right?

In 2015 I hope that not only I but you guys have a great year. There is a potential idea I have of changing this blog into a daily/weekly life blog with all normal posts. It's hard to find time to read and plan and schedule posts ontop of sixth form work so if I do a post a day of my life it's easier for you guys to keep track of what I'm reading and where I'm at.

Well that's probably all I've got for you guys  for 2014. It's actually slightly emotional to be saying goodbye to a year and saying goodbye to you guys for a while. I'll be back and I hope you guys will be to.

Have a great Christmas and a very happy New Year everyone. Love all of you guys and I appreciate all your support. See you again in 2015.

Dr Who: Engines Of War - George Mann

I was granted the amazing opportunity to read this book before its official release on  September the 9th of this year.

Consisting of 198 pages I was gripped from the very start. As a fellow Whovian I was excited to read it as soon as I was granted the rights to do so. In this book you follow The Doctor and his companion on a journey throughout the time of the tragic war between two of the most powerful existing beings of the time.

The sarcastic and spontaneous side of The Doctor is a side I've always loved of any person/character.
There wasn't anything i could possibly dislike in the story it was a great written piece and a great read.

When the book is published on the 9th of the coming month I recommend this book to sci-fi lovers and any other Whovian who happens to be reading my blog.

Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi

I have a curse
I have a gift

I am a monster
I'm more than human

My touch is lethal
My touch is power

I am their weapon
I will fight back

Juliette is special, she has a power that is lethal when she touches anything with a heartbeat. The reestablishment lock her up in a institute after she unintentionally kills a young boy. She has not touched anyone in 264 days when the book begins, but then she wakes up in her cell, but shes not alone. There is a boy she knows in the cell with her, she teaches him things she has learned in her time there so far.

The world outside of Juliette's cell is crumbling down, the birds don't fly and the clouds aren't the right colour, no one cares about her as long as she doesn't kill anyone they clearly have other things to think about. Juliette doesn't know it but diseases are destroying the population and food is hard to come by.

The people responsible for Juliette's confinement believe the only way to fix things was to throw Juliette in to the cell. But after the remaining survivors begin whispering about war do the reestablishment change their mind. They believe she is no long just a soul within a body but what they need right now. A weapon.

She goes through hell when she makes friends with her new cell mate but are suddenly split and he is found to be someone she didn't think he could ever be. But all is well when he shows her he is who she believes he is. The book ends where they find a sanctuary, where they truly belong but who was once her cell mate now her lover, he could be just like her.

Shatter me is a part of a trilogy and hopefully I can get my hands upon the other books. It is an interesting read and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading. I found it hard to put the book down.













Book Rate:
4.5/5