Review- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

J.K. Rowling's screenwriting debut is captured in this exciting hardcover edition of the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them screenplay.

When Magizoologist Newt Scamander arrives in New York, he intends his stay to be just a brief stopover. However, when his magical case is misplaced and some of Newt's fantastic beasts escape, it spells trouble for everyone…

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, author of the beloved and internationally bestselling Harry Potter books. Featuring a cast of remarkable characters, this is epic, adventure-packed storytelling at its very best.

Whether an existing fan or new to the wizarding world, this is a perfect addition to any reader's bookshelf.

Release date: November 8th 2016

Published by: Arthur A. Levine Books

Page numbers: 293

REVIEW: 

Any book of the Harry Potter franchise always makes me happy. Always.

When I read J.K. Rowling's library collection, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander a long, long time ago, I was always curious to know more because it developed in me, a greater love for the incredible magical creatures. Then when a movie based on the book came out last year, I had the most magical time revisiting my home and the place that I belong in- the magical world. So when I saw that there was a Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay written by the Queen herself, I had to get a copy and read it. 

Reading the screenplay after months of watching the movie was one the coolest ideas I've ever had because not only did I read and get to experience the written world which Rowling does so bloody brilliantly, but I also got to revisit the movie, which I loved to bits. One of the biggest advantages of reading the screenplay is all the side action that is, albeit in brief, explained meticulously which sometimes doesn't portray so particularly well on screen because it's not explicit. Revisiting the movie and meeting the wonderful Newt again was just so amazing. 

Aside from Newt, however, I loved how close a look I got into the life of this dark but very poor and likeable child, Credence, who is one of the most important characters of the movie. It was also beautiful meeting curious and funny Jacob, sweet and sexy Queenie and lovely and strong Tina again. Not just that, but visiting the American wizarding world again was a fantastic experience. I could imagine everything so perfectly and it felt good to go back.

As always, with any magical world book by Queen Rowling, I find myself incapable of doing her writing and storytelling justice, so I will leave it up to you to buy a copy, read and devour the screenplay of which we have the privilege of reading.

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Review- Caramel Hearts by E.R. Murray

Caramel Hearts on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

Liv Bloom’s life is even more complicated than that of your average fourteen-year-old: her father walked out on the family when she was young, her mother is in a recovery centre for alcoholics, and her older sister is struggling to step into Mum’s shoes. The only person she can turn to is her best friend Sarah, who gets out of scrapes at school and is a constant source of advice and companionship. One day Liv discovers a book of recipes written in her mum’s handwriting, which sets her off on a journey towards self-discovery and reconciliation – but a theft, a love rivalry and a school bully are just some of the many obstacles on the way.

Structured around real cake recipes, Caramel Hearts is a coming-of-age novel about love, disappointment and hope, and discovering the true value of friends and family, no matter how dysfunctional they are. 

Release date: May 26th 2016

Published by: Alma Books Ltd.

Page numbers: 300 (paperback), 355 (Kindle)

REVIEW:

Caramel Hearts is the sad story of Olivia who goes through heaps of trauma at a very young age because of a father who left his family and an alcoholic mother. She lives with her sister, Hatty with whom she shares a very typical sister relationship where there are fights, rude comebacks and tension but who still are there for and love each other. Together, the two try as hard as possible to keep everything under control so that the social services don't take underage Olivia away. 

While there were many positives about this book, for me, Olivia got on my nerves more than once. From the very beginning, I found her to be silly. Her actions seemed to contradict her beliefs. Most of the time, she knew what she was doing was reckless and wrong- and while I do understand teenage angst and the need to have purpose- she still made a bunch of mistakes while knowing she was making them and that is so silly. She knew her sister was working hard and yet she kept snapping at her. She could see her mother trying hard and yet she never gave her an opportunity to improve. 

The positives in this one, like any young adult novel, was the importance give to family, friends and school. Olivia's family was not the perfect one, but then which family is perfect? Their problems and shortcomings were portrayed in a raw and real manner. Olivia goes through a roller coaster with her friendships but eventually, everything starts falling in place. Her school life was hard, and while she did mess up many, many times, the hardships always overpowered the silliness. 

The most incredible part of Caramel Hearts was the way in which food was effortlessly incorporated in the story. When author E.R. Murray describes Olivia's state of being while she bakes the delicious treats her parents noted down, it was so easy to believe because I feel the same sense of calm and ease when cooking. The way food was involved in bringing people together was very well done. I am slightly tempted to try a few of the recipes on my own. 

Overall, Caramel Hearts is a quick and great young adult novel that might seem silly at times but that is still very gratifying. 

P.S: I had won this book from a huge Instagram giveaway by Bloomsbury Publishing! 

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Review- You Against Me by Jenny Downham

You Against Me by Jenny Downham

 BOOK SUMMARY:

If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge, right?

If your brother's accused of a terrible crime but says he didn't do it, you defend him, don't you?

When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart.

When Ellie's brother is charged with the offence, her world begins to unravel.

When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide.

This is a brave and unflinching novel from the bestselling author of Before I Die. It's a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all it's a book about love.

Release date: December 2nd 2010

Published by: David Fickling

Page numbers: 413

REVIEW: 

I remember it was 2012 when I first came across You Against Me. When I saw the cover, I knew I had to read the book. I put off reading the ebook for a very, very long time. Recently, however, I came across a paperback copy of the book at a local book sale and bought it. I took it as a sign and finally picked it up from my shelf to read. And man, what a book! 

I'm actually glad I read the book in 2018, and not 2012 because I understood it better and I found so much depth in it in the really small stuff which I probably would've ignored back in the day. Author Jenny Downham has written a beautiful book and her writing is so very beautiful that even though the book is slow and very long, once it ended, I wanted more of her words because they were so beautiful. 

When Karyn files a rape case against Tom, both her and Tom's families are shattered. Family relations are my most favourite part about young adult books, and both families were amazingly portrayed. Tom comes from a very rich family who will do whatever it takes to defend him and his future. Karen's family is poor, troubled but a close knit family who tries their best to be there for her. 

Tom's sister Ellie and Karyn's brother Mikey meet once and sparks fly. Although both want to protect their siblings, they know what's right and what needs to be done to serve justice. I loved how their relationship blossomed throughout the book. These two had some of the hardest decisions to make and they did it with brains and poise. The character and relationship development was wonderful. 

I highly recommend You Against Me to fans of young adult and anyone really, because this is a deep, sad and beautiful book. And since it's set in England, you get to know so much about the country added knowlegde is always a plus. 

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Review- Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Turtles All the Way Down on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis. Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. In his long-awaited return,

Release date: October 10th 2017

Published by: Dutton Books for Young Readers

Page numbers: 304

REVIEW: 

Like most readers who have read and loved John Green's books in the past, I too was excited for Turtles All the Way Down. While it took me a really long time to get to it, when I finally did, I literally felt like I was at home with a John Green book in my hand. 

I have practically read every John Green book out there- The Fault in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, An Abundance of Katherines and Will Grayson, Will Grayson. When I finally got to Turtles All the Way Down, it was like any other John Green book where the teens talk like extremely mature adults, the protagonist is hard to like but the writing is incredible. 

Turtles All the Way Down is the story of Aza whose mental health is portrayed terrifically. While I found it extremely difficult to get used to and like Aza because of her- as her friend rightly puts it "narcissism", I did connect to her on a mental level. Aza meets up with her childhood friend Davis whose billionaire father has suddenly disappeared. There is a reward for the person who finds him. So Aza's friend Daisy takes up the task of doing some investigation.  

For a plot that sounds quite mysterious and interesting, it was neither mysterious nor interesting. Had the summary not mentioned anything about detectives and mysteries, I would've liked the book more because clearly it lacked a strong plot. While it barely took me a couple of days to finish the book, Turtles All the Way Down didn't really have me pumped up or excited to get back to it like some other books by the author have in the past. I hate saying this, but I was really disappointed. 

Although not his most incredible book, I would still recommend Turtles All the Way Down to fans of John Green for his brilliant writing, the on point portrayal of mental health, the superb character of Daisy and for the moment where you realise why it's called Turtles All the Way Down. I wasn't impressed by this one, but I'm glad I didn't miss it. 

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Review- Every You, Every Me by David Levithan

Every You, Every Me on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

In this high school-set psychological tale, a tormented teen named Evan starts to discover a series of unnerving photographs—some of which feature him. Someone is stalking him . . . messing with him . . . threatening him. Worse, ever since his best friend Ariel has been gone, he's been unable to sleep, spending night after night torturing himself for his role in her absence. And as crazy as it sounds, Evan's starting to believe it's Ariel that's behind all of this, punishing him. But the more Evan starts to unravel the mystery, the more his paranoia and insomnia amplify, and the more he starts to unravel himself. Creatively told with black-and-white photos interspersed between the text so the reader can see the photos that are so unnerving to Evan, Every You, Every Me is a one-of-a-kind departure from a one-of-a-kind author.

Release date: September 11th 2012

Published by: Ember

Page numbers: 243

REVIEW: 

Being a huge, huge, HUGE David Levithan fan, I was really looking forward to reading Every You, Every Me. But just the fact that this is a David Levithan book didn't excite me as much as the fact that this is a photographic novel. Now I have read books with photos, but a photographic novel was a new concept, and I was quite excited to see how it would turn out. I normally don't care much for pictures in books, because it's the words that matter to me, but I thought that with Every You, Every Me, my mind would be changed for the better. 

Now while I did like the idea of Every You, Every Me, for a David Levithan book- and I hate saying this with all my heart- it was rather mediocre and lacklustre. The writing and narrative were brilliant, as always because when David Levithan sits to write, I imagine the words just flow from his head and heart. So the writing was undoubtedly perfect, although the strikethroughs were very close to getting on my nerves, but I could easily oversee that. As expected, the writing was flawless and faultless. 

What really annoyed me this time with Every You, Every Me was the characters who were very typical David Levithan in their quaint and unique way, but they irritated me because no one was clear about what was going on, what they wanted, and what they were willing to do about it. So while we have the mysteriously disappeared Ariel whose presence wasn't felt in her absence, we have her friend and our main voice Evan, who was just confused. The only character who seemed likeable and at times practical to me was Jack, Ariel's ex-boyfriend because at least he seemed sure of what he didn't want. 

Overall, I was disappointed with Every You, Every Me. If you take a look at my copy of the book, which is practically covered in sticky notes, you might question my disappointment. But you have to understand, I fell in love with the words, not so much with the story. So for the pleasure of words, sentences, lines and reading just to feel the power and glory of words, I would recommend this book without the blink of an eye, but here's a warning: don't expect a moving David Levithan story.  

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Review- My Crunchy Life by Mia Kerick

My Crunchy Life on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

John Lennon fought for world peace, but sixteen-year-old hippie hopeful Kale Oswald’s only made it as far as tie-dying his T-shirts with organic grape juice. Now he’s ready to cement his new hippie identity by joining a local human rights organization, but he doesn’t fit in as well as he’d hoped.

After landing himself in the hospital by washing down a Ziploc bag of pills with a bottle of Gatorade, Julian Mendez came clean to his mother: he is a girl stuck in a boy’s body. Puberty blockers have stopped the maturing of the body he feels has betrayed him. They’re also supposed to give him time to be sure he wants to make a more permanent decision, but he’s already Julia in his heart. What he’s not sure he’s ready to face is the post-transition name-calling and bathroom wars awaiting him at school.

When Kale and Julian come face-to-face at the human rights organization, attraction, teenage awkwardness, and reluctant empathy collide. They are forced to examine who they are and who they want to become. But until Kale can come to terms with his confusion about his own sexuality and Julian can be honest with Kale, they cannot move forward in friendship, or anything more. 

Release date: June 26th 2018

Published by: Harmony Ink Press

Page numbers: 180

REVIEW: 

After reading It Could Happen and The Weekend Bucket List, I was really looking forward to reading author Mia Kerick's My Crunchy Life as I loved the author's previous works, and was looking forward to seeing what she had in store for readers this time. When I read the summary of My Crunchy Life, I knew it would be an interesting and pleasant read, and that's exactly how it turned out to be. 

Julian and Kale go to the same high school but never really meet until they bump into each other at a human rights organisation that helps create social awareness and lets people be. Julian is a biological male transitioning into female, while Kale is trying to figure out his chosen hippie lifestyle. When the two meet, some sparks fly all right, but there's so much they figure out about themselves and that was incredible to see. 

The most relatable and prizewinning part of young adult novels is the stress on family which played an important role in My Crunchy Life. Julian's mother works day and night to make sure her child's journey into the world is as easy and safe as it could be, while Kale's dad welcomes his nephew Hughie into his house and home with open arms. Neither of family is perfect, and that's what makes it super real and understandable. 

This is not a typical young adult high school drama novel, at least not completely. There is so much more to it than just friendship and romance. It's about the difficulties of life and how even the smallest incidents make someone lose all the confidence and faith that they have, but at the same time, it's about how even smallest positive and helpful voices help make it better. For a YA novel, it's very deep and raw yet fun and relaxing as its a short read sprinkled with humour. 

As always, author Mia Kerick's writing is meticulous. Her focus on her characters and what they are going through is what I love most about her books. Sometimes, I really don't care what a school or room or coffee shop looks like, I just want to know what's going on in the minds of the characters I eventually fall in love with as I read about them. Mia Kerick does just that, and she does it so well. 

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of YA LGBT reads. It is totally worth it. 

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by YA Bound and Mia Kerick in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

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Review- A Light Amongst Shadows by Kelley York and Rowan Altwood

A Light Amongst Shadows on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

James Spencer is hardly the typical “troubled youth” who ends up at Whisperwood School for Boys. Instead of hating the strict schedules and tight oversight by staff, James blossoms, quickly making friends and indulging in his love of writing, while contemplating the merits of sneaking love poems to the elusive and aloof William Esher.

The rumours about William’s sexuality and opium reliance are prime gossip material amongst the third years. Rumours that only further pique James' curiosity to uncover what William is really like beneath all that emotional armor. And, when the normally collected William stumbles in one night, shaken and ranting of ghosts... James is the only one who believes him.

James himself has heard the nails dragging down his bedroom door and the sobs echoing in the halls at night. He knows others have, too, even if no one will admit it. The staff refuses to entertain such ridiculous tales, and punishment awaits anyone who brings it up.

Their fervent denial and the disappearance of students only furthers James’s determination to find out what secrets Whisperwood is hiding... Especially if it means keeping William and himself from becoming the next victims. 

Release date: June 1st 2018

Published by: x-potion designs

Page numbers: 

REVIEW: 

In case you did not know, I am a huge, huge, huge fan of Kelley York. She is one of my favourite authors, who has given me some of my favourite reads like Hushed and Made of Stars. I missed her collaboration with her wife, Rowan Altwood the last time when they wrote Other Breakable Things, so when I heard about A Light Amongst Shadows, I was super excited to read it. I was also so glad to be finally reading something by Rowan Altwood, and it was truly worth the wait. 

A Light Amongst Shadows started out as a very magical book as it reminded me of Hogwarts with the grand description of the boys school, Whisperwood. Discovering the school with the protagonist James was incredible because with time, I formed a bond with him. Going to the dining hall from the dorms to the secret tunnels, the graveyard and the forest was an adventure and I literally felt as if I was there with James. 

James was a very typical Kelley York character who I loved. He had a dark past and he worked hard towards a bright future. His friendship with Oscar, his roommate, reminded me so much of previous friendships Kelley has written about. And his relationship with William was incredibly well done. For two boys to be so comfortable and confident with and about each other at a time when such stuff was out of the question, was magnificent to see. 

The story of A Light Amongst Shadows revolves around James and his extremely sharp mind which starts discovering really odd stuff at the school. He takes it in his hands to find out exactly what happened to his roommate when he disappears one day. I would have liked to know more about the whys behind the discovery that James makes at the end, but the how of it was sad but satisfactory. I also found the story to be slightly slow in terms of pace, but it was something I could pass as I didn't want the book to end anyway. 

Overall, A Light Amongst Shadows came as a pleasant surprise because it's very different from what I'm normally used to from Kelley York. There is no doubt that she does LGBTQ really well, but now I know that she does historical really well, as well. So when the two came together here, it was a win win situation. I would definitely recommend this one, but if you are a regular Kelley York reader like me, this isn't like the author's previous works, so just be prepared for that. 

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the Kelly York in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

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Review- The Weekend Bucket List by Mia Kerick

The Weekend Bucket List on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

High school seniors Cady LaBrie and Cooper Murphy have yet to set one toe out of line—they’ve never stayed out all night or snuck into a movie, never gotten drunk or gone skinny-dipping. But they have each other, forty-eight hours before graduation, and a Weekend Bucket List.

There’s a lot riding on this one weekend, especially since Cady and Cooper have yet to admit, much less resolve, their confounding feelings for one another—feelings that prove even more difficult to discern when genial high school dropout Eli Stanley joins their epic adventure. But as the trio ticks through their bucket list, the questions they face shift toward something new: Must friendship play second fiddle to romance? Or can it be the ultimate prize?

Release date: April 19th 2018

Published by: Duet Books, the YA imprint of Interlude Press

Page numbers: 266 

REVIEW: 

The Weekend Bucket List sounded like a fun read when I first heard about it. I was really looking forward to reading it, so when I finally started the book, I was excited for the journey. The book ended up being fun for sure, but there was so much more to it than just that. 

The Weekend Bucket List starts off as a very fun and frolic read with closest friends Cady and Cooper ticking off items of their bucket list the weekend before graduation just because the two nerds want to experience what most high schoolers go through. Completing tasks like skinny dipping, running naked on the beach, sneaking into a movie theatre, conquering a fear and having their first kiss are some of the items of their list which they accomplish in a fun fashion. During this time, they come across hot, mysterious and very humble Eli, who joins them on their journey. 

When the weekend of the bucket list is over, Cady and Cooper’s relationship takes a different turn and this is where The Weekend Bucket List goes from being a fun read to a rather intense and realistic read as our main protagonists start figuring out who they are and what they want from life. This is the part about YA novels that I love the most- the discovery of self. And author Mia Kerick did it brilliantly in her book. 

I absolutely adored my ride with Cady and Cooper. While I instantly loved Cooper and Eli, Cady was slightly difficult for me to relate to, especially in the second part of the book. I didn’t dislike her and I did understand her situation and everything she was going through, but I felt she could have made better decisions. Nonetheless, I loved getting to know more about her family which again is something that YA novels focus on and I adore. 

Overall, The Weekend Bucket List is a very engrossing read. Once your finish part one of the book, it sails very smoothly and you just want to know more. I found myself having a great time with Cady, Cooper and Eli. I don’t normally say this because I’m cool with it, but I would have loved an epilogue for this book as it would’ve given me some more time with the lovely characters whom I could relate to and who made me fall in friendship. 

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by YA Bound and author Mia Kerick in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

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Review- Say You'll Remember Me by Katie McGarry

Summary-

When Drix was convicted of a crime--one he didn't commit--he thought his life was over. But opportunity came with the new Second Chance Program, the governor's newest pet project to get delinquents off the streets, rehabilitated and back into society. Drix knows this is his chance to get his life back on track, even if it means being paraded in front of reporters for a while.

Elle knows she lives a life of privilege. As the governor's daughter, she can open doors with her name alone. But the expectations and pressure to be someone she isn't may be too much to handle. She wants to follow her own path, whatever that means.

When Drix and Elle meet, their connection is immediate, but so are their problems. Drix is not the type of boy Elle's parents have in mind for her, and Elle is not the kind of girl who can understand Drix's messy life.

But sometimes love can breach all barriers.

Fighting against a society that can't imagine them together, Drix and Elle must push themselves--Drix to confront the truth of the robbery, and Elle to assert her independence--and each other to finally get what they deserve.

Release date: January 30th, 2018

Published by: Harlequin Teen

Page numbers: 400

Review-

I have been a fan of Katie McGarry's writing since quite some time so when I got an opportunity to read her latest, Say You'll Remember Me, I jumped on it. Katie McGarry has the unique ability to write gritty young adult books which voice the emotions and struggles of young adults who are struggling to find their voice in the world. I really enjoyed this book.

Say You'll Remember Me is the story of Drix and Elle. Let's start with Elle. Elle is the governor's daughter. All her life  she has been in the spotlight helping her father with the campaign. Elle is always portrayed to be perfect in the media when in reality no one is. I liked Elle. I could easily relate to her as she wanted to please her parents. I liked Elle's quirks and how she wanted to learn coding.

Then we have Drix. Drix was committed for a crime he didn't do. With the Second Chance Program he has an opportunity to finally get his life together and make something of it. Drix knows he need to follow the rules and do as the governor says. What he doesn't expect is to share a connection with the governor's daughter. I liked Drix and I liked how protective he was of his family and friends. He was a guy who knew how harsh the world could be.

Drix and Elle may seem like total opposites on paper but they really understood each other. Some of their struggles with people and expectations were similar and they could turn to each other in difficult times. The situations these two were in were realistic and authentic and I loved seeing them go through things together.

I also love how Katie McGarry weaves together a group of young adults who rely on each other and share a strong bond. I a really hoping that we can get a book for every single person because they all deserve something good in their life. Katie McGarry ends Say You'll Remember Me on a very real note. And I appreciated that. If you like young adult you should definitely give Katie McGarry books a try.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

Review- Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor & Park on Goodreads

Read Sarika's review of Fangirl

 BOOK SUMMARY:

Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

Release date: February 26th 2013

Published by: St. Martin's Press

Page numbers: 328

REVIEW: 

2017 has been a Rainbow Rowell year for me. I read Fangirl and fell in love with it. It was honestly one of the most comforting books I've ever read and has easily made its way to my list of top five books read this year. Since I loved the book and had a copy of Eleanor & Park lying around, I thought I'd give it a go, as well.

Now compared to Fangirl, Eleanor & Park wasn't all that great. The book started out as being really adorable and very funny in some places, but as I moved ahead, and saw that the pace wasn't picking up fast enough- with descriptions going on and on- I found it to be slightly slow. It just felt like something was really lacking in the book.

When it comes to the characters, I really liked both Eleanor and Park. Being outsiders and different, they were both extremely relatable. I loved how their families were poles apart, and played an important role in the book, which is something I really appreciate about Young Adult novels. I did have some problems with Eleanor's family- not because it was bad, but because in spite of knowing they were bad, no one was doing anything about it.

Rainbow Rowell writes so well that even some tedious descriptions seemed magnificent because of the flow of words. Her YA characters are honestly so raw and relatable that it's hard not to like them. She is a superfine Young Adult writer of our time, and in spite of some problems I had with Eleanor & Park, I sure am looking forward to more books from her.

I'm not saying that Eleanor & Park was bad. It was the contrary, actually. It was a great book. Had I read it before Fangirl, I probably would have liked it more, but I didn't, so it faded slightly in comparison. Nonetheless, I would recommend this one to fans of YA as its a deep book, especially considering the fact that the story revolves around two sixteen year olds.

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Review- Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Summary-

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. 

In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.

Release date: October 10th, 2017

Published by: Penguin

Page numbers: 286

Review-

It is difficult for me to review a John Green book. I am not a crazy John Green fangirl but I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson. It still remains to be one of my all time favourite reads. Turtles All the Way Down is the story of Aza and her struggle with her mental illness and anxiety. So while I did find Turtles All the Way Down to be an interesting read it did not blow my mind away.

I want to start with the good. I love John Green's writing style. The only reason I want to read his books are for the way he strings together words into sentences to make perfect sense of what we feel sometimes. It does sound philosophical and I have a hard time imagining a sixteen year old would have these thoughts but it is beautiful. I could keep on gushing about his writing forever. Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about-

"Anybody can look at you. It's quite rare to find someone who sees the same world you see."

"And we're such language-based creatures that to some extent we cannot know what we cannot name. And so we assume it isn't real."

" I thought about him asking me if I'd ever been in love. It's a weird phrase in English, in love, like it's a sea you drown in or a town you live in. You don't get to be in anything else- in friendship or in anger or in hope. All you can be in is love. And I wanted to tell him that even though I'd never been in love, I knew what it was like to be in a feeling, to be not just surrounded by it but also permeated by it,"

"In the best conversations, you don't even remember what you talked about, only how it felt."

See what I mean? I think John Green does a good job of showing how mental illness and anxiety affects Aza. While we are in her head we can see how difficult it is for a person going through these things. How it feels impossible to overcome one's thoughts and it is a spiral which keeps tightening and tightening and tightening.

What fell flat for me in Turtles All the Way Down was the mystery plot of the billionaire Russell Pickett. At first I was intrigued but then I basically didn't care and lost my interest. There is also a sweet romance between Aza and Davis who is her childhood friend and the missing billionaire's son. Again while I thought it was cute I wasn't very invested. I did admire Aza's best friend Daisy though. Her character had spunk and she was a good friend to Aza.

So as you can probably make out from my review, I have some mixed feelings about Turtles All the Way Down. I would highly recommend it if you're a die hard John Green fan or if you enjoy his writing. If you're looking for more though, I'm not sure you'll find it.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the publishers in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

Review- Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Eleanor & Park. A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love. 

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving. Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind? 

Release date: September 10th 2013

Published by: St. Martin's Press

Page numbers: 481

REVIEW: 

Since the past few years, most of my Potterhead friends who read author Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl have raved about it so much saying that they could relate to it easily and that it is a must read for Harry Potter fans. When I finally decided to pick up and read the book, I didn't have many expectations because very popular Young Adult books and I haven't gotten along quite well in the past. But now, I feel so proud to say that all my friends have been right all along. But really, there's no surprises there! Fangirl was one of the most comforting, gratifying and loveable YA book I've read in a long, long time.

To begin with, this book is basically an in-depth description of what my own teenage years looked like when all I cared about and all that mattered in life was Harry Potter. There really wasn't much else that helped me get through those adorable yet gruesome years, other than the fact that there was a Potter book or a Potter movie or Potter something to look forward to. Now in Fangirl, there is no direct reference to Harry Potter as such, but hey Rainbow Rowell, we all get the subtle Drarry hints, which was so cool because I ship that so bad.

I feel like this review is going to more about Harry Potter than Fangirl, so let's talk about the latter. The fangirl in this book- Cath- was such a relatable character. Honestly, I have never felt more close to and loved any other YA female character so much. Cath basically breathes Simon Snow, and she writes fanfic about the same. I personally never wrote fanfic, but I've had my fair share of it that I still go back to. I honestly really liked Cath'a character because she didn't have everything sorted out; she just went with the flow and figured stuff out.

Other than Cath, however, we have her twin sister Wren, her roommate Reagan, her writing partner Nick, her friend Levi, her professor Piper and her dad, who all came together to make this book fun and deep at the same time. Every character was well developed and portrayed in a very raw and excellent manner that made their individual contribution very important for the story to go ahead and also for Cath to emerge as someone better than what she started out with. Even thought this book was super long, which usually is the biggest turn-off for me, I still loved it so much that every time I stopped, I wanted to know more and even when the book finally ended, I wish it hadn't because I wasn't reason to let go.

Overall, I will say what everyone else has already said. Read this book if you belong to a fandom- any fandom really- and by belong, I mean if you are truly and entirely dedicated to it. If your fandom of choice basically defined your entire young adult life, please, please read this book because it will help you realise that you are not alone. We're all in this together and we are magic. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Rainbow Rowell!

 

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