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Monday 31 October 2011

Elsewhere - my book review

Elsewhere is where 15-year-old Liz Hall ends up, after she has died. It is a place so like Earth, yet completely different from it. Here Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth. Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward?
This is the most poignant, amazing book that I have ever read this year. It was an emotional roller coaster, which made me feel depressed, elated, adrensalised and frustrated in all the right places. We follow Liz's life... or rather, her death, and how she copes, along with all the bumps and bruises that come along with her passing.

There were so many right things about this book. Although the style of narrative seemed a bit clumsy and tense at first, I got used to it by the time I reached the third or so chapter. I did personally think that this story would be told much better if it was in first-person perspective, but it doesn't really matter an awful much.

I liked the characters featured in this book, especially Alvy. Little did I think that he'd play a rather large part in Elsewhere. He made my heart fuzzy with warmth and every time he was mentioned, I smiled. Alvy was the only person who listened; he is the connection. I cannot say anything more than that.

The dogs in this book were particularly amusing. It is true once you think about it though, that humans do not truly know about canines and their feelings. If our dogs in real life were like the ones in Elsewhere, I would rather be friends with them than anyone or anything else in the world.

The end of this book was very sad, even though I knew it was coming. (view spoiler)

Finally, I see Elsewhere as a cross between The Lovely Bones and The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. Elsewhere deals with a tasteful balance of themes such as loss, death, waiting, love and reunion. 

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When I read this, I picture:
When I read this, I remember:
“There's the tree with the branches that everyone sees, and then there's the upside-down root tree, growing the opposite way. So Earth is the branches, growing in opposing but perfect symmetry. The branches don't think much about the roots, and maybe the roots don't think much about the branches, but all the time, they're connected by the trunk, you know?” 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“People, you'll find, aren't usually all good or bad. Sometimes they're just a little bit good and a whole lot bad. And sometimes they're mostly good with a dash of bad. And most of us, well, we fall in the middle somewhere.” 

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Saturday 29 October 2011

Just Listen - my book review

Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything" — at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store. This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong. Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help,maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends...
True Rating: 4.5

This was a captivating read which held me until the very last moment. It is one of the best realistic romance fictions I have ever read (normally I'm not a big fan of them at all).

Have you ever enviously watched that 'perfect' girl endlessly, studying her looks and wondering why, and how, she has it all? That perfect girl could very well be Annabel Greene.

But then something happens. And the fact that she is perfect can only be questioned.

Throughout the first half of the novel, I was hooked on finding out what happened to Annabel. Although the answer to this is not inconspicuous, I still highly savoured finding out the before, after and now. The way which what happened is revealed is very similar to Speak. The revelation catches you without warning, giving an effective and certainly bewildered reaction to the reader.

Now to Annabel herself. I found her slightly annoying, with her unrevealing and naive ways. But I totally appreciate the way Sarah Dessen has painted her. I can sometimes relate to Annabel, feeling overwhelmed and timid, unable to speak out on what you really want to say. I do not see this as a fault; instead, I see this as a small wrinkle which can be ironed out.

If you're into Sarah Dessen novels, or looking out for a book dealing with common teen issues, then I highly recommend that you pick up Just Listen. It was a compelling and surprisingly finger-licking good read.

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When I read this, I pictured:
When I read this, I remembered:
"Like a word on a page that you’ve printed and read a million times, that suddenly looks strange or wrong, foreign. And you feel scared for a second, like you’ve lost something, even if you’re not sure what it is."

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Thursday 27 October 2011

What Lauren Read Next (after Just Listen)


I need your help once again!!! I have almost finished reading Just Listen, and I have no idea what to pick next to read. (and I like making forms, hehehehe...)

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Tuesday 25 October 2011

Unlock Me

Did you know that aside from reading, I also love writing stories as well?
I have started to write a story/book. I have no idea where it'll be heading, but I need your help.
I will be forever grateful if you could visit this link and read my chapter. Comment on it, like it, share it... do whatever! But try to check it out! :)



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Sunday 23 October 2011

Shopping 4 Books


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Saturday 22 October 2011

Shiver - my book review

the cold.
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—
her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.
the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.
Well. Can I say this was one of the most boring books I've read this year? Perhaps I just need to work on my resilience and patience, but I seriously could not suffer for any longer. And I didn't even get halfway.

Shiver had my short-lived attention for the first several chapters, but my apathy turned into distaste once Sam turned into a human. It was the non-realistic romance which got me.

Here are just a few of the problems I came across within the first sixth of the book:
1. Who falls in love with a wolf?
2. Who depends on the eyes to tell who the person/creature is?
3. Is it really necessary to have that overused "parents-gone-AWOL" gig?
4. I have never heard of, nor thought of the possibility that anyone would invite someone they've known for half a day to sleep in their bed. Unless they're drunk or on drugs or something.
5. A kiss after a day of knowing someone. Not possible once again unless the individual is drunk or on drugs. Or has a mental disorder.

Since this was such a boring book, is it fair that I have written a boring review?





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Friday 21 October 2011

Your Opinion Wanted!


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Wednesday 19 October 2011

Poetry Slam!

Inspired by Carla from The Crooked Bookshelf, and finding about this whole craze via Jessie's Remarkable Reads, I have decided to create my own bookspine Poetry Slam! It's quite short (I am momentarily on a shortage of books), but alas, here it is:
A Great and Terrible Beauty was
Once upon a time
Forgotten, but not very long after transformed into

not one, but many Dangerous Games
beginning from an inexorable Delirium.


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