Top Ten Tuesdays - Books with Theme Songs

Top Ten Tuesdays is a feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week’s theme is top ten books I’d give a theme song to – complete with theme song! 

1.  The Hunger Games – Swim by Jack’s Mannequin.  It’s a song about not giving up and fighting for your friends and family even when the odds seem hugely stacked against you.  I think it’s pretty fitting.

2.  Iron Queen – This is why we can’t have nice things by The Blackout.

It’s all about putting someone you love through a whole load of pain, and yet still wanting more even when it seems/is impossible. 

3.  Cinder by Marissa Meyer – I Am not a Robot by Marina and the Diamonds

It’s a song about vulnerability, which is reflected in the book.  Plus the title itself.

4.  Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk – Bodies by Drowning Pool

This one is probably fairly self-explanatory.

5.  Lola and the Boy next Door by Stephanie Perkins – Roll to Me by Del Amitri.

 It’s about being with the wrong guy, when there’s another guy who really does love you, I think it’s pretty fitting. 

6.  White Tiger by Kylie Chan – Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas.

Again, a bit of a silly one, but it’s self explanatory.  I don’t think I’ve ever red a book with so many martial arts scenes, but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

7.  The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson – Shoot me Again by Metallica

This one’s not so much for the entire book, but just for the Lord Ruler, because really.  Being decapitated is just a minor inconvenience for the guy. 

At this point I’m completely drawing a blank – what are everyone else’s top tens? 

Book Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Title: Graceling

Author: Kristen Cashore

Publisher/format: Gollancz, Paprback

How I got this:  Borrowed

Challenges: 2012 YA challenge

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Review:

This book is set in a world where some people are both with Graces, which are special skills that they excel in.  These Graces can be either ridiculously useful (for example, being able to cook almost anything into something edible) to incredible silly (e.g. being able to hold your breath for an inhumanly long time).  In some of the Seven Kingdoms, these Graces are what set people apart, and in others, they are an excuse for the Kings to use people.

The story focuses around Katsa, the King’s niece, whose Grace just happens to be killing.  She can kill people with anything – including her bare hands, and has therefore become somewhat of a slave to her uncle’s whims, doing his dirty work for him. 

However, she soon gets swept up in something much larger, and ends up leaving her Uncle’s court after having refused to hurt a man out of principle, and begins to discover that she may be more than just the monster she’s been pidgeon-holed as being. 

I’m going to start by saying that I really enjoyed this book.  The idea of the Graces was fairly original, and the characters were well-written and likeable.  This is generally one of those books that I’d recommend to anyone interested in the fantasy genre who didn’t want anything too heavy to get  bogged down with. 

Firstly, I really enjoyed Katsa, her internal conflicts were believable, and the progression from her being a general killing machine through to really caring about someone else (and by that I mean both Po and Bitterblue) was gradual and enjoyable.  I admit, when she decided she wasn’t just going to hurt/kill because she was told to anymore, I was pretty much cheering. 

Also, the gradual breakdown of her barriers when she’s around Po was nicely done.  I’m going to say here that there was a little bit of romance.  The Bookish Ex (who read this before me) wasn’t a fan, but I didn’t think it affected the story in any negative way.  I think this may just be a male opinion in contrast to a female opinion.  I actually thought it was pretty sweet. 

One thing that did please me was that whilst I could see at least two different love triangles forming, neither of them came to anything, and given my recent sensitivity to love triangles, that was definitely a positive! 

Overall, this was a really good read.  I went through it pretty quickly, and that was a good sign.  A nice, strong female protagonist combined with a subtle-yet-interesting love story (no triangles!) and an epic adventure.  Definitely ticked all my boxes! 

Overall rating:4.5/5

Writing: 5/5

Originality: 4/5

Characters: 4/5

My Enjoyment: 5/5

Musing on Love Triangles

So, lately, the YA genre seems to be overloaded with love triangles.  The other day, The Bookish Ex pointed this out to me, by saying that everything I seem to have read recently has some kind of love triangle, and from that, I realized he’s right. 

I mean, I sort of understand.  It’s a great way to get two love interests in there, and to create a little bit of additional drama as well as what’s going on with the main storyline, but lately it seems to be all of them.  Am I being oversensitive?  I don’t think so.  It seems that other bloggers are commenting on this more and more, and I think readers are actually getting tired of it. 

One of the main culprits, of course, is Twilight.  The Edward-Bella-Jacob love triangle was screamingly obvious for quite a while before it actually occurred.  At least in this one (yes folks, rare Twilight compliment coming up) there was actually some build up, so it kind of made sense.  However, now I think about it, this was actually more of a love quadrangle (is that a word?) because there was also that Mike guy involved. 

Before I descend into a full Twilight piece, I feel I should turn things and mention other books where this happened.  The Iron Fey series, for one.  Girl and boy have been best friends forever, then girl meets another guy, then guy-friend decides to tell her he’s always loved her.  Erm, why didn’t you open your mouth before?

Of course, it’s not just these books.  I could make a list. 

I think one of my main issues is that this has never happened to anyone I know. I know of very few love triangles that have actually played out in real life.

Then again, I don’t exactly know any vampires of fairies or anything else is real life.

I don’t know, am I being oversensitive?  What do you guys think? 

Book Review: Outlaw by Angus Donald

Title: Outlaw

Author: Angus Donald

Publisher/format: Paperback

How I got this:  Purchased

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

In the tradition of Bernard Cornwell and Ben Kane, Outlaw is a rousing historical novel that mixes legend with fact to bring to life the time, the lives and the struggles of late 12th century England.  As the Henry II struggles with his rebelious children and the conflict between the Saxon nobility and the Norman conquerors continues on as bloody as ever, there is a figure that has remained firmly fixed in the imagation of generations - Robin Hood, an outlaw and a renegade nobility determined to bring down the men who took his land, his family, and his position.     When he's caught stealing, young Alan Dale is forced to leave his family and go to live with a notorious band of outlaws in Sherwood Forest. Their leader is the infamous Robin Hood. A tough, bloodthirsty warrior, Robin is more feared than any man in the county. And he becomes a mentor for Alan; with his fellow outlaws, Robin teaches Alan how to fight - and how to win. But Robin is a ruthless man - and although he is Alan's protector, if Alan displeases him, he could also just as easily become his murderer...From bloody battles to riotous feast days to marauding packs of wolves, Outlaw is a gripping, action-packed historical thriller that delves deep into the fascinating legend of Robin Hood.

Review:

I don’t normally read historical novels, but I’m fascinated with the story of Robin Hood, and that’s what drew me to this one.  And yes, I will be picking up Scarlet sometime soon! 

Okay, so having had an extensive stay on my TBR list, I thought it was high time I made a start on it.  I’m going to admit, I was put off by the tag of historical – it’s nor my normal genre, and not something that really interests me.  Also, every other Robin Hood retelling I’ve ever read has been from either Robin, Marian/Marie-Ann or one of the merry men I’d actually heard of. 

This one isn’t.  The main narrator is Alan Dale, a young man who finds himself sworn to Robin’s band after narrowly avoiding a hanging on the offense of stealing.  In some ways, it was a nice departure – I had no preconceptions of Alan’s character, and what he should/shouldn’t be, which made the story more fresh. 

One of my few criticisms for this book was that I felt I knew Alan and his foes well, but you don’t see much of Robin himself, or any of the merry men.  I understand that this book has actually become a part of a series, and this might be something we see more of later, but that was one of the only problems.  Despite this, you do get a general feel for Robin’s character, such as his likeableness and his Pagan activities. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I don’t think I’d rush to get the next one and read it, and I wouldn’t recommend it to those who don’t already enjoy Historical novels, or already have a fair interest in Robin Hood.  A nice read for a change of pace, but a little heavy in places.   

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Writing: 5/5

Originality: 3/5

Characters: 3/5

My Enjoyment: 4/5

Book Review - The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Knight

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher/format: Kindle Edition

How I got this:  Purchased

Challenges: 2012 ebook challenge, LTAL – Male POV

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Review:

It’s taken me ages to get to reading the last book in this series – I pretty much didn’t want it to end!  I have absolutely loved this series start to finish, and this one just cemented it.  I’ve actually decided that every girl needs an Ash. 

I’m going to be honest, I was a bit dubious about how well the book being written from Ash’s point of view would go over with me.  Where he’s so brooding and quiet, I wondered if I’d like it, and I wondered if it’d really give that proper insight into Ash’s mindset.  Thankfully, I completely loved it, and it was brilliantly written.

Ash’s voice was significantly different to Meghan’s in the other books of the series, and it was kind of nice to have someone narrating who knew what to expect in the Nevernever.  Also, the backstory in this was fabulous – it was a great insight into exactly what made Ash as cold, heartless and emotionless as he was.  It also gives more background to the Ash/Puck friendship, which was a nice touch.  Basically, for Puck fans, there was still enough here to keep them happy – though I’m definitely an Ash person. 

In the essence of keeping my review spoiler-free I’m going to stop talking now, but I will say that this is definitely an epic end to an epic adventure, and a really nice love story – definitely usable in LTAL! 

Honestly, if anyone out there hasn’t read this series yet, it really does live up to the hype – completely worth it.

Overall rating: 5/5

Writing: 5/5

Originality: 5/5

Characters: 5/5

My enjoyment: 5/5

Book Review - Fury of Fire by Coreene Callahan

Title: Fury of Fire (Dragonfury, 1)

Author: Coreene Callahan

Publisher/format: Kindle Edition

How I got this:  Purchased

Challenges: 2012 ebook challenge

This is an Adult Book, and therefore an Adult review – read at your own risk!

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

A clandestine race of half-dragon, half-humans known as dragon-shifters lives among us. Bastian, leader of the Nightfury dragon clan, is sworn to protect humankind at all costs. For him, honor and duty always come first. When the clan dictates he take a human mate to sire a son, he falters, aware that for a human to birth a dragon-shifter she must die. Myst, the woman given into his care, is the most extraordinary he’s ever met, and though he can’t bear the thought of harming her he is bound by duty.

Myst loves her life in the human world, but Bastian has captured her heart in an instant of electric connection. But Bastian and his warriors are in the middle of a deadly battle with the Razorback dragon-shifters, intent on killing every Nightfury clan member—and the humans they protect—the fate of their world and ours hangs in the balance.

An extraordinary blend of action, fantasy, and steamy romance, Fury of Fire brings to life a dangerous new world intertwined with the survival of humanity, all while exploring the meaning of honor and the nature of true love.

Review:

Okay, so in honour of Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d read a nice paranormal romance novel.  Unfortunately, I could have picked a better book. 

Admittedly, I finished this book, and it wasn’t terrible, I just didn’t really enjoy it, and I had a few issues with it.  One of those was the writing style.  It just wasn’t for me.  It was one of those things where I can’t really explain why I wasn’t enjoying it, I just wasn’t. 

Another issue I had was the characters – I wasn’t particularly keen on any of them.  Eventually, I came to almost-like Bastian – he might be this big alpha male type (and okay, given the genre of the book, I should probably have expected that one) but he did genuinely seem to care about Myst come the end, and some of the things he did for her were almost sweet.  Even if he didn’t always tell her the full truth.  However, Myst herself, I found to be far too headstrong, and too whiny all at the same time.  It was pretty obvious she was going to get herself into trouble by leaving the lair – was it not obvious there’d be police looking for her? – and yet she went and did it anyway.  I just… yeah, I didn’t like her. The supporting cast, for me, were fairly unremarkable, though I understand that subsequent books in the series follow them in more detail. 

In this, Ivan was the leader of a renegade group of dragonkind.  Now, dragonkind, are half-human half-dragons who ‘feed’ from human energy.  Now, Ivan at one point states a desire to wipe out humans.  Now, if you need to feed from humans to survive, this idea seems a little half-baked, to say the least.  Later it does transpire that he actually wants to perform genetic experiments which would help overcome the shortcomings of dragonkind as a race (such as their inability to birth daughters, they only have sons – meaning they have to breed with human females… another potential flaw in wiping out humans?)  Okay, so an evil scientist bad guy that Bastian and his crew (the Nightfuries) are fighting to stop – I admit, it was fairly plausible, but didn’t feel particularly original. 

Now, I’m not saying this is a bad book – the sex scenes were generally pretty well done, and didn’t feel ridiculously cheesy, and it wasn’t a case where you had a “bare all” scenario – some things were left out, and I think this was for the best.  It didn’t feel sleazy or anything, which can happen with this kind of book.  Also, the attraction between Myst and Bastian was well written, and it was obvious when it moved from lust towards affection, which was good.  

I also liked the idea of the dragonkind, and the ways that they managed to hide themselves from human view were pretty clever.  It was also nice to see a paranormal race using human technology as well as their own, rather than being scared of it, because let's face it, to survive in the modern world, they'd probably at least need to have a working knowledge, and that isn't always portrayed in fantasy novels.

Also, the story moved along relatively quickly, meaning I didn’t end up getting bored at any point.  This book wasn’t terrible, it just wasn’t particularly for me.  Definitely could have been worse, but a couple of things bugged me overall.

Overall rating: 2.5/5

Writing: 2/5

Originality: 3/5

Characters: 2/5

My enjoyment:  3/5

Top Ten Tuesdays - Top Ten books than broke my heart a little

Hey everyone, welcome back to Top Ten Tuesdays, a feature hosted by the lovely people over at TheBroke and the Bookish. This week’s theme is books that broke my heart a little whilst reading. 

This also kicks off my impromptu romance week, in which I’ll be posting something nice and love related every day for the week. 

1.  Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah. 

I cried.  I cried a lot.  For those of you who have read it, most of the crying was in relation to the duck – but seriously, this did break me a bit.  Definitely one of the most powerful memoirs I’ve ever read.

2.  The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Without giving anything much away – the ending in this!  I admit, there were definitely tears.  This book totally got to me, the last bit was so heartfelt and so sad. 

3.  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This one was so ridiculously emotional throughout, and I don’t just mean this book, I mean the entire series.  However, the first and the third books were definitely the worst in terms of emotional, though I was kind of prepared for it at the end of the series, so this one surprised me more.

4.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

How could this not be on my list?  The ending was so sad, I found myself wiping away a fear tears.  Definitely a very emotional book throughout, but the ending broke me.

5.  Elantris by Brandon Sanderson.

This is going to seem like a really weird choice, because this book actually has a happy ending.  I think it’s more the way that the Elantrians were treated that got to me in this one, that, and the way that Raoden won’t give up, despite the seemingly impossible circumstance.

6.  The Magicians by Lev Grossman

I know a lot of people dislike Quentin, and I can fully understand why that would be.  That said, he’s not had a very good life, and one word:  Alice.  Can’t say any more without giving away spoilers, but yeah, Alice.

7. The Broken Kingdoms by N K Jemisin

Yeah, something about Shiny’s plight in this one really got to me.

8.  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling

Sirius Black.  That is all.

9.  Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J K Rowling

Bit of a cheat putting two Harry Potter books one after the other, but yeah, Dumbledore for this one.

And that’s all I have for this week – what did everyone else put in their top tens? 

PS, Harry Valentines Day.

Book Review: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

Title: The Final Empire (Mistborn Book One)

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Publisher/format: Gollancz, Paperback

How I got this:  Borrowed

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

Brandon Sanderson, fantasy's newest master tale spinner, author of the acclaimed debut Elantris, dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails? What kind of world results when the Dark Lord is in charge? The answer will be found in the Mistborn Trilogy, a saga of surprises and magical martial-arts action that begins in Mistborn.

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.

Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.
But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets, and gotten it. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.

Readers of Elantris thought they'd discovered someone special in Brandon Sanderson. Mistborn proves they were right.

Review:

Given how much fantasy I read, it’s pretty surprising I haven’t touched this series until now.  It’s one of those series I’ve wanted to read, and haven’t got round to, and now finally managed to borrow the first book off of The Bookish Ex, who assured me of how brilliant it is.  I’m inclined to agree.

I’m going to admit, the first hundred or so pages seem to jump around a lot.  They’re there to introduce the reader to the characters and to the world Sanderson has created, where a tyrannical ruler is in charge, and things like flowers don’t exist, because ash consistently falls.  There’s a very strict cast system, with The Lord Ruler himself at the top, then his Inquisitors/Obligators, The Noble families, and then the skaa at the bottom. 

In this world, magic is taken from metals.  Those with ‘allomantic’ powers can ingest various metals, and the eleven metals give off different powers.  A misting is an individual who can ‘burn’ one metal and use the power, and a full Mistborn can use all of the metals. 

Kelsier is one f these Mistborn, and has an elaborate plan to free the skaa from their own oppression beneath this Lord Ruler, and start a rebellion.  In the process, he recruits a crew of a criminals, all of whom are in on a very elaborate (and seemingly insane) plot.  Vin is one of these criminals.  She believes she is a common street skaa, however, she has been using her own allomantic powers for years without realizing what they truly are.  This is explained by the fact that skaa don’t have alomancy – it’s something that the Nobility have, and the only way for skaa to have it is if half-noble-half-skaa children are born. 

Basically, the story reads a bit like a coming of age for Vin, and a show of true heroics from Kelsier.  However, the supporting cast of characters are interesting, and well written, and whilst the aforementioned first hundred pages begins to drag, the story quickly picks up and continues moving at a swift pace.  I have to admit, I was quickly sucked into the world, and dinner has been made late on more than one occasion because I “just needed to finished this chapter”. 

I liked the fact that this story takes the fantasy stereotype of the Ruler always being benign and good and turns it on its head – this is what happens when the wrong person is put in charge.  Admittedly, everything else followed standard fantasy procedure, but to me, that doesn’t matter.  There were enough twists and individual things to make this it’s own story – not least the fact that in this magic is derived from metal burning, which is a concept I haven’t seen elsewhere. 

The plot is sufficiently convoluted and enjoyable, with twists and turns, and unlikely allegiances and survivals.  There’s enough romance for my inner romantic, but it doesn’t overbear the story, and it’s not one of those “love conquers all” kinds of books, which was nice. 

I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy read, and will definitely be reading the rest of the series soon.  The only reason this isn’t getting the full five stars is because of the slight drag in the lead up to the story actually starting.  However, it’s definitely worth pushing through that, because the story is just that good.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Writing: 5/5

Originality: 4/5

Characters: 5/5

My Enjoyment: 4/5

Real life attacks!

Hi everyone! 

Sorry I've been so slow and rubbish with posting this week - I got temporarily snowed under with some Uni work - that coupled with a very long fantasy book are not a good mixture for lots of posts!  However, I'm nearly through it now, and everything should be back to normal soon! 

Thanks!
Tara

Top Ten Tuesdays - books for the reluctant reader

Top Ten Tuesdays is a feature hosted by TheBroke and the Bookish.  This week’s topic is top ten books you’d hand to someone who says they don’t like reading. 

1.  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J K Rowling.

I don’t think I even need to explain this one.  It’s enchanted adults and children alike, and it’s one of those difficult stories not to end up loving. 

2.  The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot.

Okay, maybe not so much one for the guy who doesn’t like to read, and yeah, okay, it’s a bit young, but the diary format and Mia’s hilarious comments make it a fun, light read, and obviously, it’s not long and daunting.

3.  The Redemption of Althalus by David Eddings.

I know this one’s long, but it’s not part of a massive series like so many of Eddings’ books are, and therefore not such a scary prospect.  However, the characters are likeable, and who doesn’t enjoy an epic quest or two?

4.  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

I didn’t like the sound of this.  Kids killing kids?  Nah, not for me.  However, it turns out that this book (and the rest of the series) is so much more than that, and I’m pretty sure that after handing anyone this book, I’d end up handing them the other two fairly shortly.

5.  The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks.

It’s fast paced, it has epic quests, it’s interesting and I totally couldn’t put it down.

6.  Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

This book has a lot to offer its readers without being overbearingly heavy.  I was totally captivated with both the descriptions of Prague and with the Elsewhere.  Definitely can’t wait for the next one so I can see what happens! 

7.  Poison Study by Maria V Snyder.

Again, this one totally sucks you into the world almost immediately, and you find yourself needing to know what happens to the characters.  Totally loved this one.

8.  Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.

Again, this one’s not for the non-reading guy.  But St Clair is totally easy to crush on right along with Anna, and I definitely think I had a lot more fun with this book than I did with Lola, so I’d recommend this one first.

9.  Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.

Alright, I’ve said loads of times that I didn’t like this as much as I liked the real memoirs from Mineko Iwasaki, but at the same time, this one’s more well known, and even has a movie companion if they do end up getting bored of the book!

10.  The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

More fantasy, yes, yes I know.  But this one is really, really good.  Really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone!

Book Chat - Negative review debate!

Book Chat is a feature hosted by Misty atThe Book Rat. 

Oh, the negative review debate.  I think most people know about the animosity that blew up earlier this year between blogger/reviewers and authors regarding the writing and positing of negative reviews.  This was all over Goodreads, Twitter, Amazon… it was everywhere. 

Personally, I think that bloggers are reviewers.  We are consumers, at the end of the day, and we are allowed our opinions.  I admit, bloggers are not professional reviewers.  I have that written in a disclaimer on my blog itself.  I’m not paid for what I write, I do it because I like to, and because I enjoy being able to discuss what I’ve read, and what my opinions on it were. 

I admit, it’s not often I write a negative review.  That’s not deliberate, though.  It’s more because I’ve picked up books because I think I’ll enjoy them.  Yeah, I get disappointed by books sometimes, and I’ve written that into my reviews of those titles.  If I have a negative opinion, I actually think that’s as important as a positive one, and I’ll probably post it. 

Admittedly, when I do that, I try and be as ‘professional’ as possible.  It’s never attacking the author, it’s usually pulling apart the bits of the story or the characters that just didn’t work for me, or didn’t make sense to me.  I admit, I’ve struggled with writing those reviews, though.  It’s horrible, especially when you’ve spoken to the author, and they’re lovely, but you jut didn’t like it, or it was filled with spelling and grammar issues etc.  I admit, I get a lot of indie books for review, and with some of them, that’s the case.  It’s really only recently that I’ve managed to get out of my shell, as it were, and write those negative reviews. 

I think part of the reason I was once scared to write those reviews is because I didn’t want to upset people.  We’ve all heard that no publicity is bad publicity, and I admit, I’ve been known to pick up books that others haven’t enjoyed just to see what all the fuss is about.  However, that’s easily said, but authors do put their hearts and souls into their books, and I can see that when people don’t like it, it would be easy to take that personally.

Of course, that’s what all the recent fuss boils down to.  A blogger/reviewer (and yes, I think bloggers do count as reviewers) gave their opinion, and an author took it as personal attack, and spread the word across Twitter etc and it all blew out of proportion, and some very nasty things were said about said blogger.  As much as I don’t believe bloggers/reviewers should personally attack authors, I think it works the other way, too, and this was handled badly and in completely the wrong way by the person in question.

Admittedly, there are reviewers who post a lot more negative reviews than anything else.  I admit, I read negative reviews, and sometimes they are quite funny.  As I previously mentioned, sometimes I pick the books up because of the negative reviews.  At the end of the day, blog reviews are opinion, and no matter whether or not you agree with someone’s opinion, you can’t take it away from them, or criticize them for having it.  It’s kind of like criticizing someone for having fingernails – they’re naturally occurring, and you have them too, even if they don’t quite look the same on everyone.

I’m pretty much pro negative-review, though I think they should be done respectfully.  As I previously said, I don’t write a lot of them myself, but that’s generally because I seem to pick up books that I generally tend to enjoy, but if I didn’t like something, I’d say it. 

I do apologize for the really, really long post, but I’ve wanted to talk about this for ages, so thank you to Misty for bringing it up.  So what are other people’s opinions?

Book Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Title: Mockingjay (Hunger Games, 3)

Author: Suzanne Collins

Publisher/format: Scholastic, Paperback

How I got this:  Purchased

Challenges: 2012 YA Challenge

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But she's still not safe. A Revolution is unfolding, and everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans - everyone except Katniss.

And yet she must play the most vital part in the final battle. Katniss must become their Mockingjay - the symbol of rebellion - no matter what the personal cost.

Review:

Normally I don’t read books from a series one after the other.  However, the ending of Catching Fire was less of a cliffhanger and more of a torture device – I don’t think I’ve ever been so glad to have the next book sitting in my room ready for me to pick up. 

In this book, Katniss has survived two lots of Hunger Games, and a revolution has started – a revolution which she is at the centre of.   However, it seems like she herself has no weight when it comes to decision making, and yet everyone is still relying on her to play her role. 

I found it interesting with the parallels that could be drawn between the rebels and the Capitol during this book.  What with the fact that Katniss went from one situation where her emotions, and really her very being was being constantly manipulated, almost straight into another, I found myself somewhat wrongfooted with trusting the rebels, even if I personally didn’t like the Capitol’s way of working.  I think that was well written, and it really added a different dimension to the story. 

The way the love triangle between Katniss, Gale and Peeta was handled in this story was also good.  I think as a reader, you recognized in the last book that Katniss had more feelings for Peeta than she would readily admit, and the fact that she’s constantly more preoccupied with Peeta, even though he isn’t in the near vicinity, than she is with Gale who is spoke volumes.

Even when she’s trying to ignore Peeta, too, it’s obvious she sort of gravitates towards him, and I found it to be very sweet when she won’t kill him, leave him behind, and even starts trying to help him as much as possible to get back to his old self.

Without giving out spoilers, I kind of need to talk about the ending in this one.  I actually almost cheered with the scene in the President’s Mansion.  I think that was the best ending possible, especially given my own reservations about the workings of the rebel group.

I know there have been arguments saying there needs to be more to this series, but I actually think this is best ended where it did – especially with the epilogue in place.  It wrapped everything up neatly enough, but left some avenue for further thought from the reader. 

Overall, I completely adored this series, and thoroughly recommend it.  Though, I do recommend that you have all of them waiting for you, because they’re really very addictive!  For a series I kept ignoring and/or not caring about much until now, these were fantastic, though I think this was actually probably my least favourite of the three.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Writing: 5/5

Originality:  4/5

Characters: 5/5

My enjoyment:  4/5

Blog turn-on's and turn-off's

What makes you follow a blog?

It sounds like a simple question, but there are normally a lot of different reasons for why people choose to follow one blog over another.  Okay, so sometimes, we follow because it’s the criteria to join in with a challenge or a giveaway.  I admit to having done that.  Who doesn’t want a chance of winning some free books? I spend a lot of money buying books, as do many bloggers (or regular readers) and really, any chance to save on that would be fantastic. 

But do you ever read anything that’s posted on that blog again afterwards?  I admit, if it comes up on my blogger feed and looks interesting, chances are, I’ll read it.  For example, a review of a book I’ve been debating picking up, or am about to read, maybe even a book I’ve already read – I like opinions.  However, sometimes you do end up unfollowing a blog purely because nothing of interest ever comes up. 

Aside from those giveaways, though, why do we follow?  For me, the first thing is content.  If the blog consistently seems to be posting content that is generally interesting to me and relevant to the types of things I read, I’ll follow.  I admit, one of my favorite things that blogs post tends to be reviews.  After all, it gives me the chance to hear about books I might not have done otherwise, and pick out new things to read (well, just as soon as I’ve got through my mammoth TBR pile, that is).  I also like well thought out articles, and the occasional meme. 

Conversely, the things that put me off are an over-running of memes.  One or two a week is generally good, especially if it’s the same one or two a week.  I don’t want my feed being clogged up by the posting of hundreds of memes every day.  Similarly, too much promo.  Okay, I get it, book blogs are a good place for publishers to advertise their new books, authors to give interviews, and hey, I’ve read a lot of books (both indie and mass market) books that I might not have otherwise heard of were it not for book blogs.  That said, posting promo after promo after interview gets really, really dull for readers – or at least, I find it does. 

I won’t, however unfollow a blog purely because I don’t agree with the opinions posted.  There’s been a lot of argument and uproar about bloggers giving out opinions in their reviews recently.  Sometimes, it’s interesting to see why someone loved a book you hated – you can sometimes see something you missed, or find something that actually wasn’t all that terrible.  Likewise, someone who hated something you loved – I find it interesting. 

However, if the writing style isn’t enjoyable for me within the blog, I’ll struggle to read anything, so again, that’s a blog turn-off for me.

What about you guys? What turns you on and off of blogs?  Let me know in your own post, or in the comments! 

Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Title: Catching Fire (Hunger Games, 2)

Author: Suzanne Collins

Publisher/format: Scholastic, Paperback

How I got this:  Purchased

Challenges: 2012 YA Challenge

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are still alive. Katniss should be relieved, but now there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

As the nation watches Katniss and Peeta, the stakes are higher than ever. One false move and the consequences will be unimaginable.

Review:

Wow, just wow.  The story is every bit as gripping as The Hunger Games.  I seriously still can’t believe I’ve left it all that long to read this series, and I’ll literally be starting Mockingjay later today.  The series is seriously addictive, and I really do just need to know how it ends.  Those of you who know me know how unusual it is for me to read a series this quickly, and honestly, that should be taken as testament to how wrapped up in this story I am. 

This brought themes of love, conflict, betrayal, and somehow as a reader you find yourself washed along with Katniss’ emotions, and I genuinely found myself rooting for her and Peeta again. 

The writing was flawless, the storyline well done, and there were still twists I didn’t see coming.  I was completely an unsuspecting victim as much as Katniss herself. 

The cliffhanger was also possibly the best/worst one I’ve ever come across.  This is possibly the only good thing about my not having read these as they were released – I can start the next book right away!

I honestly wish I’d read this series before, and I’m aware this isn’t a proper review, but based on the other reviews I’ve seen around, I honestly don’t have all that much to add to the discussion.  All I can say is that I literally couldn’t put this book down. 

If you haven’t read this series, it’s definitely a time to get on it.  I didn’t think I’d enjoy it all that much, but I’m completely hooked.

Overall rating: 5/5

Writing: 5/5

Originality: 5/5

Characters: 5/5

My enjoyment: 5/5