Am I normal yet? - Holly Bourne

"All Evie wants is to be normal. And now that she's almost off her meds and at a new college where no one knows her as the-girl-who-went-nuts, there's only one thing left to tick off her list... But relationships can mess with anyone's head - something Evie's new friends Amber and Lottie know only too well. The trouble is, if Evie won't tell them her secrets, how can they stop her making a huge mistake?"

This book is arresting, thought-provoking and extremely affecting. At times fast, witty and compelling. At others heart-breaking and distressing. 

Evie, the main character suffers from severe OCD. I loved the insight Holly Bourne gave into the mind of someone who has OCD and how it affects her in all facets of her life. At times, it was uncomfortable to read certain passages, because of how hard hitting and raw it was. But I really enjoyed that! It was educational, stimulating and honest.

The characters all felt very real! The side characters were all well developed and were such amazing people in their own right. The family dynamics where unidealistic and showed how a parent would really react and deal with the problem. I loved the main protagonist. She went through such amazing growth!

Holly Bourne did an excellent job of creating a character who is dealing with OCD, whilst desperately trying to live a normal, teenage life. She also strongly explores the ideas of feminism, friendship and normality and celebrating differences and just accepting people as they are. Flaws and all.

There was no clichéd 'happy ending' or love making it all better in the end. It was about her accepting and finding herself first. 

It's such an important book for young girls to read and everyone can take something away from it. I would recommend this book to people 13+ year old. It was quite distressing and overwhelming in some points in the book and deals with very large problems and ideas.  

Faceless - Alyssa Sheinmel

"When Maisie is struck by lightning, her face is partially destroyed. She's lucky enough to get a face transplant, but how do you live your life when you can't even recognize yourself any more? She was a runner, a girlfriend, a good student ... a normal girl. Now, after a single freak accident, all that has changed. As Maisie discovers how much her looks did and didn't shape her relationship to the world, she has to redefine her own identity, and figure out what 'lucky' really means."

 

This book is quite interesting as it tackles a grown up and difficult problem in a more comprehensible and easily digestible format. Maisie, the main character, deals with her tragedy in a realistic and understandable manner making her relatable and real. She struggles like a normal person and doesn't become all heroic which I have seen happen in quite a few of these types of books.

The book is short but definitely worth a read. It will leave you wondering if looks are really that important or if it is your personality that is the real you. It reminds me of one of my favourite quotes "If the whole world was blind, how many people would you impress."

I would suggest to ages 11 to 12 years and upwards as they describe the injury quite graphically.      

   

 

 

The City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

"When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air."

I heard a lot about this book so I decided to pick up the first instalment in the series and see what all the fuss was about. I wasn't disappointed! This book is fast - paced, kickass and really fun to read. I am a great fan of "modern magic" and how fantasy gets mixed in with the everyday. Miss Clare does this very well. Her take on vampires, werewolves and fairies where very interesting especially for someone who loves folklore.

The humour and dynamic of the whole group was just great. The dry, sarcastic, cutting wit of Jace and the jokey, light-hearted, slightly despairing, nerdy tone of Simon's humour just take the book to a whole new level. 

However there were points where I just had to close the book and bang my head against it in frustration. The main character Clary makes rash decisions which, while sometimes achieving something positive, usually end in a difficult situation which she must be rescued from. The romance between Jace and Clary is slightly annoying at times.

I really did enjoy this book, over all, and will be reading the rest of the series. I would recommend this to people of 13+. Demons, vampires, werewolves, magic etc. are included in this book as well as mild making-out so if any of that makes you uncomfortable I would stay away from this book.

    

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Liani Taylor

"Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low."


This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read and I enjoyed it immensely! It is the first book in a trilogy and introduces you to a beautiful and strange world. Making it all extremely believable, especially to someone with a love of fantasy.

The descriptions of the city Prague, in which the blue haired main character Karou lives, are heartbreakingly beautiful, making you want to pack your bags and move. All the settings are beautifully described however Liani Taylor doesn't bog you down in to much description that you forget what is going on.

The characters are quirky and individual. Each personality is fleshed out and real. Karou exhibits a kickass, kind and artistic attitude which is refreshing, easily likable and relatable. Who is backed up by the feisty, wise cracking and loyal Zuzana who is once described as "a tiny fairy. A rabid one that bites."

The romance is small and well-handled, not getting mushy or overshadowing the plot but neither being completely superfluous.

I would suggest this to anyone who loves fantasy, mythology or is wishing to dip a toe into the genre. I would recommend for readers aged 13+ as it does deal with small adult issues and the reality of war even if only in a fantasy setting. For anyone who is worried about the "Devils" mentioned in the blurb above, don't worry there are no devils or demons in this book.

First Post

Hi! This is my first ever post and I am rather excited!
I have been persuaded to make this blog as my mother says I eat books at an inhuman rate and I should start writing reviews for them. So here I am. But before I launch off into the world of books I think I should introduce myself a little and tell you the aim of this blog.  

First of all I am a South African currently residing in North Norfolk. I attend Interhigh which is a virtual online school, which basically means I am home-schooled! I love animals, especially cats, and am trying very hard to be vegan. But occasionally a piece of cheese or sip of milk slips through, and chocolate is very hard to give up!!
I dislike loud noises, crowds and idiots. I like time alone, books and music.

The aim of this blog is quite simple, to keep a personal record of all the books I have read and help other young people to find interesting, unusual books and occasionally complain about the world.

I hope you all will enjoy this blog and find it informative, funny and helpful.
I will try to upload a review for every book I read but school and social calendars might intervene at points. (not that I have a huge social calendar.)