Book in Review: All Fall Down by Ally Carter

4 out of 5 stars

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Title: All Fall Down
Author: Ally Carter
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: February 5, 2015
Format: ARC

 Summary via Goodreads:
A new series of global proportions -- from master of intrigue, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Ally Carter. 

This exciting new series from NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Ally Carter focuses on Grace, who can best be described as a daredevil, an Army brat, and a rebel. She is also the only granddaughter of perhaps the most powerful ambassador in the world, and Grace has spent every summer of her childhood running across the roofs of Embassy Row.

Now, at age sixteen, she's come back to stay--in order to solve the mystery of her mother's death. In the process, she uncovers an international conspiracy of unsettling proportions, and must choose her friends and watch her foes carefully if she and the world are to be saved.

I've always seen books written by Ally Carter whenever I go to bookstores but I never really paid attention to them since I'm not sure if I would like them or not. Now, I know why people adore her works! 

All Fall Down can be compared to We Were Liars by E.Lockhart, wherein you won't really understand what's happening from the beginning until it's almost the end. Even so, you could still distinguish the difference of both. Ally Carter and E.Lockhart had different writing styles which is the main reason why we could see its difference.

I really liked the uniqueness of the plot, like have you ever read a book about embassy rows? I also liked how there were only few characters, but all of them felt very significant and 3-dimensional. My favorite character would probably be Noah. His character is very cute, and he's a football player, sooooo....

BOOK IN REVIEW: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

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Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer Smith
Publisher: Poppy/Little Brown
Publication date: January 2nd 2012
Hardcover: 236 pages
Rating: 2/5 stars

For such a nice and appealing title, this book turned out to be much of a disappointing read. I came across this book in the bestseller’s list of a book store, and the cover, the title, the back description all seemed nice to me, that I instantly downloaded the ebook when I got home. Boy, was I in for a great frustration.

My first problem with this book is that it’s just so freaking slow. For the first few chapters, NOTHING HAPPENS. Okay, I understand that first chapters have to have that introductory feel, where we get the gist of the character’s life and all, but the first parts bored me to death and it just didn’t work. I get it that your dad’s marrying another woman and you don’t want to go to the wedding but then you have to and then you missed your flight and now everyone thinks you did it on purpose – it just didn’t have to take 2 chapters to establish that. Even when Oliver comes into the picture, it was still so slow and we had to listen to them talk about mayo and pickles what with Oliver following her around and lugging her suitcase. Imagining the whole thing in my head and it really does look stupid. Their meeting was so anti-climactic I didn’t even feel this “love at first sight” thing which is basically the whole point of this story.

Waiting on Wednesday: Something Real by Heather Demetrios

2014 books

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Breaking the Spine.


Book: Something Real
Author: Heather Demetrios
Publication Date: February 4, 2014 
Synopsis (from Goodreads)

There’s nothing real about reality TV.

Seventeen-year-old Bonnie™ Baker has grown up on TV—she and her twelve siblings are the stars of one-time hit reality show Baker’s Dozen. Since the show’s cancellation and the scandal surrounding it, Bonnie™ has tried to live a normal life, under the radar and out of the spotlight. But it’s about to fall apart…because Baker’s Dozen is going back on the air. Bonnie™’s mom and the show’s producers won’t let her quit and soon the life she has so carefully built for herself, with real friends (and maybe even a real boyfriend), is in danger of being destroyed by the show. Bonnie™ needs to do something drastic if her life is ever going to be her own—even if it means being more exposed than ever before.

----

BOOK IN REVIEW: And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard

and we stay


Received an arc in exchange for an honest review

Title: And We Stay
Author: Jenny Hubbard
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication date: January 28, 2014
Hardbound: 240 pages
Rating: 4/5 stars

And We Stay is a wonderful masterpiece of prose and poetry. It's a book that mirrors the loss and tragedy of Emily's life through the main narrative and through Emily's own poetry. I've never come across a book that has tackled death and loss the way Hubbard did it in her book. Although I hate chapter in betweeners, in this novel I felt like Emily's poetry was complementary to the story and was essential to drive the plot further. At some point, I even felt like I wanted to read the poetry more than the actual narrative, as Emily became even more real through the poetry.

And We Stay was a quick read, despite the theme to be very tragic. A lot of issues such as abortion, suicide and depression were brought to light in the story, something that is very challenging to do in a decent way. I also found the characters to be very real and relatable - Emily, Paul, her friends, teachers, everyone. All the characters are believable, none of them being overly dramatic or angsty, and their actions properly justified. This is the kind of book that I felt like so many things were happening, but nothing was happening much at all. And We Stay didn't jam pack you with too much events but you could feel things happening for the characters, especially Emily as she comes to terms with her grief. Thus, there was a very calm and poetic atmosphere while reading the book - something that I appreciated immensely. There were no screaming and bawling dramatic intense scenes. It was very simple and silent, which I loved. I also love how they paralleled Emily to Emily Dickinson, I felt like it was very apt and a unique way to go with the story while at the same time having the readers learn more about Dickinson.

BOOK IN REVIEW: Pigments of My Imagination by Angela Kulig

angela kulig


Received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Pigments of My Imagination
Author: Angela Kulig
Publisher: Green Envy Press
Publication Date: September 23, 2013
Epub: 826 pages
Source: RC
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Pigments of My Imagination is about Lucia, an artist prodigy who is about to enter her new school at Bayside Academy. Yet even if others would be thrilled to be at one of the most prestigious and advanced art schools, Lucia is nothing but bothered, as she has always felt as if she knows people (déjàvu, she has always dismissed it), and it has become even worse when she arrives at her new school. Her mother would send her to psychologists and after each session, she would feel better, not knowing that her memories are being repressed. Yet, Lucia still has an empty feeling, as if she has to remember something but can't - until she meets Leo. And then we find out that Lucia and Leo are two lovers, part of the Soul Painters, a group of artists who have been reincarnated over and over again. And Lucia finds out that she has started a war several lifetimes ago, and it will never end until she does something about it. 

Pigments of my Imagination was definitely a fascinating read. I found Angela Kulig's writing so vivid and real. She was able to paint the setting quite so remarkably I could imagine the story play out in my head. The premise of POMI is very interesting and unique. For one, it's a reincarnation plot which has been done over and over again. But on the other hand, it uses art as the central key to the story. It is not just about fates, harpies and all sorts of magical creatures but it also talks about art and its beauty or curses. It's unlike any book I've ever read. At first I thought it to be a Mortal Instruments/Twilight crossover, but surprisingly it is actually very very different although some elements were similar. It didn't dwell much on the romance between Lucia or Leo, and the approach wasn't melodramatic with the story - though there were some melodramatic revelations. 

BOOK IN REVIEW: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

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Title: Attachments
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Publication Date: April 14, 2011
Hardcover: 336 pages
Rating: 4/5 stars

Upon reading the plot synopsis of this book, I didn't expect myself to actually like it, in the same way that I did not expect myself to like the main character, Lincoln, but I read it anyway because Eleanor & Park and Fangirl were both sooooo good. And there are obviously no regrets. 

Attachments is about Lincoln, your typical 28-year old no-life loser, who's still living with his mother, stuck in a job he doesn't even like, has zero social life unless you consider spending Saturday nights playing D&D with old friends, and who hasn't been with a girl since he broke up with his highschool girlfriend 8 years ago. I'm not a big fan of characters with the nice guy loser syndrome, but Lincoln sure is likable. 

The novel introduces us to Lincoln's new job: being the IT person in charge of monitoring the employee's email accounts for any inappropriate usage. It's his job to read the people's emails and sending them warnings if they say anything profane or inappropriate. It's creepy, but it has good pay, and for Lincoln, at least it's a job. The novel's narrative goes back and forth from Lincoln's 3rd person POV and Jennifer and Beth's email exchanges, a writing style which I really liked, as it kept my interest throughout the book. Reading it was simply a breeze - light, easy and enjoyable. 

BOOK IN REVIEW: The Skinwalker's Apprentice by Claribel Ortega

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Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


Title: The Skinwalker's Apprentice
Author: Claribel Ortega
Publication Date: February 24, 2014 (Available for pre-order January 20, 2014)
E-book: 120 pages
Source: ARC
Rating: 2/5 stars
The Skinwalker's Apprentice is about Margo Pennyfeather and Emerald Kipp, two witches separated by hundreds of years in time, but who share one inescapable fate. Margo Pennyfeather is a witch in the 1600s, struggling to survive in colonial America. Margo has always been an outcast, unkown and unloved by everyone except her family. She is given the chance of a lifetime; to apprentice for the Priestess, the most important witch of the magical world. However, Margo's apprenticeship is not what it seems, and the young witch ultimately faces a darkness that threatens to destroy everything she knows.   In contrast, Emerald Kipp is a normal teenager in New York City, 1980. The only remarkable thing about her is her bright blue hair and her magical ability. The book narrates her existential crisis as she gallivants around New York City. The Skinwalker's Apprentice is a prequel to The Empire Witch Series, the upcoming Emerald Kipp series.

BOOK IN REVIEW: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

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Title: Eleanor & Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: February 26, 2013
Hardcover: 336 pages
Rating: 4/5 stars
 “Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book."
 This particular statement by John Green pretty much sums up all my feelings about Eleanor & Park.

 In fact, I have zero words that could justify the masterpiece that is this book. It has taken me days to start writing this review, because this book has just left me... utterly speechless, and nothing I write will ever live up to the beauty and magnificence of this novel.

 Nevertheless, I shall blabber on.

It's 1986, and Eleanor has just returned to Ohama after being kicked out of her home by her douchebag stepfather. Her daily life is riddled with fear of him, while her mother powerlessly obeys her abusive husband and takes his side, out of sheer terror, perhaps. She is also poor, not being able to afford a toothbrush or batteries for her Walkman, and is forced to share a tiny room with her other siblings. 

 And then there's Park. He can be considered popular, but is separated from the others because of him being half-Korean. He has a healthy family life, with possibly the best set of parents and a little brother who loves him. Because of his inherently good nature, he is the only one nice enough to offer Eleanor a seat next to him on the bus. There is no love at first sight magic between them. In fact, there might even have been a little resentment. But overtime, without even talking, they start to bond over comic books and mixed tapes, eventually falling in love.


BOOK IN REVIEW: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

acceptance


Title: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Author: Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date: February 21st 2012
Hardcover: 359 pages
Rating: 5/5 stars

 It's funny how after I finished reading Tell the Wolves I'm Home (will review this next time) I told myself "I don't think I'll ever find a book that will measure up to this perfection", and then a month later stumble upon this impeccable, engrossing, coming-of-age tale of two friends as they go through self-discovery and their exploration of identity and sexuality. Guess I proved myself wrong. I don't even know what to say anymore, except that this story is simply divine, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since I finished it two days ago.

 I have cried over books for as long as I can remember, but never have I cried for more than half the time reading one. Let me just say that with other books, I had to stop reading, let out my feelings, then read again. But with Ari & Dante, I couldn't put the book down. I was probably an amusing sight (if you could've only seen me) - crying while reading from my iPad. I wonder what it would've been like if I was reading from an actual hardcopy book - it probably would have been drenched with my tears.

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