Will Grayson, Will Grayson byJohn Green and David Levithan- Review

I haven't read a book in one day for a long time, because the truth is, I haven't had time, or just haven't found the right book. But, along comes Will Grayson and I just stop everything (probably not the right thing to do when I have exams, but wow) and finish the book in a few sittings.

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.

-From Goodreads

Of course, any book by John Green AND David Levithan already has high expectations from me, and this book exceeded them. I don't even know quite what it was that I loved about it and which made me want to finish it so quickly. But I'll try to explain anyway...

I think that firstly, the characters are brilliant. I loved both Will Graysons for different reasons, and loved the sweetness of straight Will Grayson and the morbid humour of gay Will Grayson. Both were entertaining and I didn't prefer one from the other which is good otherwise the book may have been less enjoyable. Tiny is a main character, and he is hilarious. At first, I didn't like him very much, but towards the end he started to be shown as kind and that made me like him a lot more. 

Secondly, I really, really liked the writing. Like really, really, really. It's so easy to follow and I honestly don't understand how both Green and Levithan write like such convincing teenagers. And their teenagers are always the sort of people I would love to meet and be friends with. There are so many beautiful lines and hilarious quotes and it's all written in a way that really makes me believe that these characters are real and they breath and eat and talk and swear and smile for real, in the real world.

The book is written with one chapter being from one Will Grayson's point of view and one chapter from the other Will Grayson's point of view. I didn't find this confusing like I thought I would because 1. both Wills are very different and 2. one Will writes without capital letters. 

The actually story itself is lovely and features a lot to do with friendship and relationships and I didn't find it  to ever be boring, just full of sentences that made me want to read the next one. 

I recommend this book hugely to any fans of either of these writers, or YA contemporary lovers. 

Rating System

Buy the Book

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell- Review

Before I start reviewing this, I would just like to say that nothing I write will be able to communicate just how much I fell in love with this book. I was sent this by @ZMacIver, who is brilliant and has-evidently- an amazing taste in books. Thank you so much Zoe!!

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under. -From Goodreads

YA, Fiction

There is so much I would like to say about this book and so many lines that I could read and re-read because they are so beautiful, but there is one in particular that I loved and I'm not even sure why.

'Park had the sort of face you painted because you didn't want history to forget it.'

Eleanor is the weird new kid with bright red and curly hair and a life which she'd rather not lead or even talk about. Park is into his music and not standing out- something that Eleanor can't really help. They shouldn't get along but they do, and it isn't until they get to know eachother more and more that you realise that yes, they should get along.

Firstly, Rainbow Rowell is an awesome human being for a.) creating Eleanor b.) creating Park and c.) putting them in a book together. Eleanor reminded me of myself in her mannerisms (plus hair, but that doesn't really matter) with her being so shy and we both have the same habit of looking at our hands when nervous. She might not be real, but this made me feel better! I liked the way that when her and Park got closer, she wasn't suddenly comfortable around him- it took time, a long time- for her to gradually become more talkative and less introvert. This is how I imagine it's like in real life for people who are shy. This for me, was so important because in every book, and I mean every book, a day or two after the characters fall in love, they are no longer shy. That used to bother me until I found Eleanor and Park, and then I was just like PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!!!

Also, there's something behind each character- like a little back story, which I love. You hear lots of little stories about Park's parents and what Eleanor's mum used to be like. This makes the book strong, because although the story isn't about them, the smaller characters have their own lives and, therefore, stories too, just as the people in the background of our lives do too. For some reason, I loved Park's family and the way his mum speaks and their life in general. It was true to life and comforting, compared to Eleanor's which was also sadly true to life, but more unsettling.

Of course, there are some sad plot lines in this book, as Eleanor's family life is far from ideal and also isn't really welcomed with open arms into her new school. Her family are very poor too and all of these issues are dealt with in a way that you can imagine a teenager would want to deal with them. They aren't ignored, but aren't talked about more than they have to be- but when they are it was, for me, never uncomfortable to read, just very sad.

What I liked best about Eleanor and Park, however, is Eleanor and Park. Clever, thoughtful, funny, different. These characters are amazing in the most literal form of the word. If they were real people, I would want to spend all of my time with Eleanor and Park. The things they think about and talk about are interesting and unusual and their music taste is too. I liked how every detail about them was explained and how we got to see each character even better because of the split third person narrative. Thank you, Rainbow Rowell, for your story.

You can buy this book here.  

 

Rating System

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare- Review

This book was featured on my Stacking the Shelves post from December. Like I say in that, I got this and was so happy! Opening it on christmas day made me itch to read it- especially knowing that I had the rest of the series there too, incase I would be totally unable wait to read the second, then third and so on.

 

City of bones is all about Clary Fray who- until one day- was just another teenager. This changes when on one night out, she witnesses a murder of a cleverly disguised demon. The murder is committed by a group of teenagers who are, she thinks, so different from her. These teens are Shadowhunters, dedicated to killing terrible demons and sending them back to their own dimension. Clary find herself thrown into this weird world, and faces more questions and problems than expected.

 

Having recently been reading and obsessing over Contemporary and Dystopia books, I was slightly reluctant to start reading City of Bones because I was still wanting to read my most favourite genres. But... for some reason, I found myself with nothing to read and was drawn to picking this book up. And I'm glad I did. Written in third person, the story starts and is straight into action. There is not enough time at the start between action to get bored. It is fast paced and written in a way which is easy to follow and draws you in, which is obviously an important thing to do and which made me want to see what was going to happen next. As each new character is introduced, they are described and therefore easily imagined. For me, I liked the way that each character was different and I had a real idea of what they were like. This is sooooo important for me because unless the characters are strong, I find it hard to enjoy the book.

Around halfway through, I got into a bit of a reading stop. I was busy a lot and didn't have as much time to read as I usually would, which was really annoying. Also, personally, I thought that the beginning of the book was a lot stronger than the middle; but whether that was down to the fact I was reading in short bursts or not, I don't quite know. Also, as a fantasy book, I was less enthused to read this- but this did change when the action started back up! Despite this, I thought the overall storyline was awesome and wasn't short of twists and turns and this is always a good thing because now I want to read book 2!

 

Cassandra Clare writes this story in a way that- while still being fantasy- is very relatable. It would be easy to forget that theses characters were teenagers (because they aren't the teenagers we encounter ourselves) if it wasn't for her clever writing. She makes it obvious that Clary would be just an ordinary teenager and one from this generation, through the type of things Clary says and does and enjoys.

 

I think that although this is fantasy and I was all for Dystopia and Contemporary, this story was different and exciting. The drama in it was huge but it wasn't ever too much. If you enjoy Fantasy and haven't read this series then I would suggest you read it! Even if you're not such a fantasy fan, I think you might still enjoy this book because it isn't massively 'into another world' or unbelievable.

 

Buy the book here!

3/5- I liked it

Big Stacking the Shelves!

I hope that as I write this, on the 27th of December, you are all full with chocolate and cake and have had a great Christmas. I really enjoyed the last few days and had a great time. Also, I received quite  a lot of books as presents which is always a good thing!

This Stacking the Shelves is going to feature all of the books that I got for Christmas and a couple that I got just a day or two before.

Sorry for the bad quality pic by the way :(

(From the bottom)

1. Gothic Art by Nicola Henderson- I got this from my brother as we are both into art and some of the pictures in here are incredible so I can't wait to try and copy them! If you are into this sort of vampire, witches and dragon type of art then this is great for you! Buy it or look inside here.
2. Dear Me... Edited by Joseph Gallaiano- This was a present from a friend and it features letters that celebrities would write to their 16 year old self.
3. The next five books are The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. This was given to e by my uncle and I can't wait to read this series. I've heard lots of good things about it but let me know if you've read or reviewed these books! Buy them here.
4. The City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments- Book 1)- When I opened this, I was so happy because this is another book series which I haven't yet read- but want to. They look and sound briliant, and I have heard good things, so hopefully I wont be disappointed!
5. A Witch Alone by Ruth Warburton- These books keep popping up on my blog for some reason, but I got this the day before Christmas Eve when I was in Asda and had to buy it as I still haven't finished the trilogy! I'd read the first two books and didn't even realise the third was out, but now that I know I can't wait to read it and see how the story ends. Buy this here.
6. Divergent by Veronica Roth- Yes, I realise that pretty much the whole reading world has read this but finally I have a copy and can read it myself. I started reading just a few pages before the family came over on Christmas day and seem to love it already. You can buy it here.
7. Finally, Banished by Liz De Jager. When the post arrived Saturday morning I was not expecting this and it literally brightened up my day. This is the first proof copy I have received  and now that Christmas is over I cannot wait to get into this world which Liz De Jager has created. P.S. the cover is the most brilliant I have personally seen for a while!

Whole Divergent Trilogy- By Veronica Roth Review

I wanted to write a review for the Divergent stories as a whole, rather than separately, mainly because you're probably going to read all three and not just one book from the trilogy. Unless you are a superhuman who is immune to wondering what will happen next, but mainly immune to...feels. I reviewed Divergent on it's own because as it's the first book, you need to see if you're going to like that to start with! You can read that here. Finished reading that? Okay...

To sum up the trilogy, I'll have to start with how it begins, so this is the summary of Divergent from Goodreads:
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. 

The story develops throughout the next two books after Beatrice has made her choice. In Insurgent, Beatrice becomes even stronger than before, making decisions which will change not only her life, but so many others. There is drama and action through all three books, meaning that I was hooked and literally couldn't wait until I was on to the next book. Insurgent features a lot of twists and turns and when you add all of these things together, I think that an amazing Dystopia is born.

Veronica Roth has created a world in her stories that is described so brilliantly that I feel that if you gave me a piece of paper, I could draw a map of it. Her characters- while ever changing and introducing more- are so strong and so easy to imagine. I loved that Tris was an awesome character because unlike other female characters in books, she was strong in her own right. She had an angry side to her which gave her more character and made me like her a lot, which I sometimes don't with the whiney female characters that are way too common. But oh my gosh, can I just talk about Four for a second... FOUR! He was my favourite character for definite, not only because I fell in love with him, but also because he was broken but carried on. Th way he had gone through a lot but wasn't as hardened from it as he thought. Something about the little things he says and does made me adore this character.

And then, there was Allegiant. The book that is notorious for it's mixed reviews and split opinions. I was apprehensive to read this, fearing that I would hate it, but I guess that all I can say was that I was just a tiny bit... disappointed, I guess. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. I don't want to give it away but I just didn't think the ending was very strong. Although what happened was shocking, I just thought that an alternative ending would have pleased me a lot more. Maybe I was just too hopeful. But, obviously, there are people who loved Allegiant so, so much, so I think its just a personal view really. If you disagree, let me know why! I would like to have my opinion changed. :) This hasn't made me dislike the trilogy at all though, because I still think that the rest of the story and previous books were AMAZING!

Out of all of the books, Divergent was my favourite. It was such a great story line, and being the first book, it opened up a trilogy which I knew I was going to be addicted to. I met the characters for the first time, the characters that I grew to love. Overall, this has been one of my favourite trilogies, has given me my all time favourite character (Four <3) and has made me want to re-read it again.

Buy the books.        

So, I'm going to give it 5/5, despite THAT ENDING. I still loved it and would recommend it to every Dystopian fan. A must-read.

WWW Wednesday

This is a weekly meme which is hosted every week, and is hosted by MizB at Should be Reading. It asks you to share these three things:

1. What you're currently reading
2. What you recently finished reading
3. What you think you'll read next

I really like the idea of this meme and if you've done this too then link it in the comments so that I can see what you're reading too!

So, question 1: What are you currently reading?
I am reading A Witch Alone by Ruth Warburton. It's the third in the trilogy and I loved the first two books and I am enjoying this one too, so far. :)
Buy the book here.

Question 2: What have you recently finished reading?










I recently finished Insurgent by Veronica Roth which I thought was brilliant! I really recommend it if you enjoy YA dystopias. I can see why there's such a huge fanbase for this book.
Buy the book here.


And... Question 3: What do you think you'll read next?

I really want to read Allegiant by Veronica Roth, which is the final book after Insurgent. I'm sort of left not knowing what's going to happen next at the end of Insurgent, so I really want to find out! As soon as I get some money I am going to buy that book and see what I think, as there have been so many mixed reviews. Let me know if you've read it and what you thought!
Buy the book here.


  

Divergent by Veronica Roth- Review

This was in my stocking at Christmas which I was so pleased about! I literally wanted to start reading it straight away and after all the Christmas excitement, a couple of days later, I read this book in just a day and a bit. This was such an anticipated read for me and it was even on my Wanting to Read List which you can read here. And it didn't disappoint.

Divergent is set in a world where everyone has their own place in a faction. These factions are: Dauntless- for the brave, Abnegation- for the selfless, Amity- for those seeking peace, Candor- honesty and Erudite- knowledge. At 16, the residents of this dystopian Chicago have to decide which faction they will enter and therefore spend the rest of their lives devoted to. Beatrice has a tough decision because while she doesn't want to leave her family, she knows that Abnegation is not where she belongs. When she chooses her faction she is faced with an initiation that is tougher than she imagined she would be able to cope with. She also has a secret that she wants to keep, for her own safety.

The best thing about this book for me is the plot which is very strong and the whole story is so fast paced. There are no parts in it which I found boring and no parts in which I wanted to stop reading at. Action is on nearly every page. Also, I really liked the way that the book was written because it was easy to read but in a really great way with some lovely phrases and words that I want to use myself. I think that this book is everything a Dystopia should be- full of excitement and thrilling plots. This has definitely got to be one of my favourite books that I've read for a while.

For anyone who is prepared to fall in love with another book and who is prepared for the feels, this book will be perfect for you! The characters are likeable and- where appropriate- loathe-able. Also, I thought that the thing Veronica Roth did best was describe settings. With every new place the characters entered, I had the most clear image of it in my head and could imagine it being so real which I love to happen in stories.

I think that this book would be good for 13 ears and onwards because adults love Divergent too. Buy it here. P.S. if you enjoy it, but Insurgent (2nd in the trilogy) as soon as you can because you will want to carry on reading!

 5/5

Ambitions for 2014

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As we're only a couple of days away from being into 2014, I thought about what I would like to do in this new year. Lately, I haven't been able to blog as frequently as I would like because of my laptop being broken, but that is the first thing I would like to change in the new year.

So, here are the things I want to work hard on in 2014. :)

1. Posting more regularly- I'm going to try to write whenever I can find a laptop to borrow.
2. Also, I'd like to improve my site so that it's easier to access posts and navigate between them. I'm not very good at this but hopefully with some persistence...
3. READ MORE! I am going to aim to read 100 books this year and I'm going to write down each book I finish so I don't forget- at the end of the year- most of the books I have read like I have this year!
4. Go to at least one book event! I haven't been to any yet but I would love to and I think I would enjoy it so, so much. If you've been to any events let me know what it was like. :)
5. This is linked to number 4, but I would really love to meet some bloggers and to speak to more bloggers as everyone so far has been so nice!

Hopefully, I can complete these resolutions!

 

Have a very Happy New Year!!

Requiem by Lauren Oliver Review (Delirium Trilogy)

So, I finished the trilogy. And I miss it. I miss the adventure and the unpredictable story lines and the characters too.

In Requiem, the book is one chapter written from Lena's point of view and one from Hannah's, then one from Lena's, then one from Hannah's and so on. I liked this because it showed what was going on in different places and how the characters had changed and, in places, remained the same.
As with a lot of trilogies, I was worried that the final book would be an anti-climax or end somewhere that didn't seem right. But, with Requiem, I actually really liked the ending. I liked the message that it gave out and that small parts were left to be made up by the reader. It is the ultimate ending and throughout all three books there is a constant undertone of suspense- an always there question of what is to happen next. The last book didn't disappoint, containing a lot of action all the way through.

As always, Lauren Oliver's writing is brilliant and something that I think is really good for this book. It's not too easy to the point of being patronising as some YA books can be, but is also not too heavy or hard to read. Sort of like a perfect balance.

It's hard to write a review that doesn't give a lot away when writing about a book series, but I really wanted to review this because I enjoyed it so much. What I can say though, is that Lena, as a character, becomes even more likeable for me. She is no longer the weak girl that we met in Delirium, which is such a relief. The story continues from Pandemonium and stays with a strong plot, extending on from the last book but adding new things as well. It never gets boring and is likely to make you not want to put the book down.

I would recommend this book for ages 13 upwards and know that adults love the Delirium trilogy too. (My mum is reading it now.)

You can buy it on amazon here for £4.39 or from Waterstones here for £5.24.

Book series

*Sorry for the late post, my laptop was not being useful*

Reading a book series can be wonderful for so many reasons. Especially because when you've finished the first book, if you've enjoyed it, you won't suffer from post book depression but can just glide flawlessly into the next. It allows extra and extensive fangirling and there are always huge fandoms over trilogies or series. As the story develops the characters do too which makes you more attached to them.

Sometimes, however, the first in a series is amazing and you need to tell the world just how great it is... Until the next book comes along and is a disappointment. I think that that is the risk you take when deciding to read a set of books- whether the story will get better or just downhill. But, I'm a big fan of book series and find that I enjoy them more than not. They let me enjoy the characters for longer, have a longer look into their lives and the story that they carry with them. 

Here, I'm going to list a few book series that I have read and give a brief review of each one. They are in preference order! 

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins- Probably most of the people reading this will have read this trilogy. I loved each book, didn't find any disappointment and found the stories fast paced and never boring. Katniss lives in Panem, a place where each year 12 boys and 12 girls have to compete in the Hunger games where they have to survive. The winner is the last one alive. Just read it, honestly. There's not a lot I can say because I would go on for too long if I did. If you like books that are awesomely great and greatly awesome then read this.

(YA, would recommend for ages 12 up)

2. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling- Again, another extremely popular series. There are 6 books in total, all promising huge excitement and should come with a warning that once you start getting into the adventures, you will not put the book down. For me, the books get better as the series goes on. I don't really know how I can summarise a series of books that are so well known and adored. You've undoubtedly heard of the books anyway, if not read the books or seen the films yourselves. On every page is a sprinkle of magic and although I read this quite a while ago, I will definitely be a potterhead for a long, long time.

(YA- I would recommend age 12 and up again)

3. The Deliruim Trilogy by Lauren Oliver- I've literally only just finished reading this trilogy and I enjoyed it so much! I think that the story line and plot are incredible and are very original. I loved the way Lauren Oliver wrote the story and am eternally jealous of her writing skills and the imagery she creates! Delirium is set in an America where love is a disease and anyone who shows signs of having the 'disease' is killed or punished severely. It is full of twists and drama and makes me grateful for the way we are at the minute.

(YA- I would recommend this for ages 13 onwards)

4. A Witch In Winter Trilogy by Ruth Warburton- These books are not as well known as the previous three, but I enjoyed them a lot! The books feature a girl called Anna who doesn't believe in magic- let alone witches- until she moves to the small town of Winter where her powers reveal themselves. She meets a boy called Seth and in my opinion, he sounds pretty amazing, but there are things that could stop them from being together...
(YA, probably 13 up)

Friend Recommendations:
I asked on twitter which series people enjoy and was told The Hunger Games, which I have already featured, and the Deepwoods Series by Chris Riddell and Paul Stewart. These were given to me by @Charliebookworm. Also, I was told that the Percy Jackson series and A Series of Unfortunate Events are great book series. Percy Jackson for a younger and teen audience, and ASOUE for a younger age group. These were given to me by @VerbosityRevws of the awesome http://verbositybookreviews.wordpress.com/.

Wanting to Read...

This blog post is going to consist of a list of books that I really, really want to read. If I was to write down every book I want to read, ever, this would be a blog post that would be an infinity. There are constantly new stories that I like the sound of, and new authors whose every book I would like to add into my collection. Unfortunately, I can only read so fast and I don't have enough money to buy every book that I think I would enjoy, so this list will be of the ones that I desperately want to read. It will be helpful to me too because I need to keep a record so that hopefully one day the whole list needs to be re-written because I have read everything on it.

So, here is a list- which is as small as I could manage- of all of the books that I would like to read soon. I'm going to try and make it my personal mission to read them all but don't want to set a time limit because I don't want reading to become a chore. Once I've read one of the books on this list, I will put a line through it and if you've read any of the books I've listed, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! Because I want to know if they're as good as I'm expecting or better or even worse!

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth- (Yes, I know that EVERYONE has read this but I just never got round to it. Now that Allegiant has been released, it seems like a good time to read the series and the story sounds pretty great!)
2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell- because I've heard a lot about this book and it sounds like something I would enjoy.
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak- I want to read this because I have only heard good things about it, other than i being extremely sad. It relates to history, which I love also.
4. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz- I found this book myself when I was on Goodreads and immediately wanted to read it. I've read the first few pages on Amazon and it seems to be written in a way I would like.
5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - Again, a book I should have read by now. I really want to read it before I see the film, which I would like to do too, and I know a lot of people who have enjoyed the book so much.
6. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver- Because I've read the Delirium series and someone recommended I read this. They said it's very different but equally as good.

Hopefully someone reading this has read one/some of these books and can tell me a bit about what they thought!

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness- Review

Firstly, I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but for some reason, I LOVE this cover. I don't know what it is but there's just something about it. Anyway, the story is one that I really enjoyed too, which is what counts the most.

At the start of the book, I struggled to get into it. I think this was because I wasn't sure where the story was going, but once I was past a certain point, I was fine and started to enjoy it properly. The story was started by Siobhan Dowd, who very sadly had time as an enemy and asked Patrick Ness to complete the story for her. Personally, I think he did a great job.

The story's main character, Connor, is immediately likeable and although to begin with you don't know a lot about him, he becomes more interesting as a character because of this. During the story- and at the very beginning- Connor has a nightmare. It is a recurring nightmare which seems so real yet so unbelievable that he worries about it a lot. It talks to him, grabs him, it happens almost every night. It is just him and his mum at home and he doesn't tell anyone about the nightmare. The way that the book is written in the third person, I was originally annyoyed about. I thought 'the story would be even better if we saw everything through Connor's eyes.' But soon I realised that in third person, I get to make up Connor's character a bit more which I enjoyed quite a lot.

Soon, the book starts to get quite sad. This is because Connor's mum is ill and reading it is upsetting because it shows just how much illness affects the people around the ill person. Even without meaning to, or without being able to stop it. The monster in the nightmare doesn't leave and gets more physical- an all consuming worry that is a permanent resident in the brain of Connor O'Malley. Lots of things have to change for him. As a reader, I thought that this was the best part of the book; a bit into the story where you're not quite sure what's going to happen but are desperate to find out. That is, I find, usually the greatest part.

Overall, the story and ending of the book is one that you will remember. It might make you sad but the greatness of the story will outweigh the sadness. I don't want to say much more because I don't want to spoil what happens for you. Patrick Ness is a brilliant writer- that is all,
I'd recommend this book for people between the ages of 12- 16 but I know that my mum enjoyed this book too!
Let me know if you've read it!
You can buy it from Amazon here for £3.86 or from Waterstones here for £5.29.

Partick Ness has also written 'The knife of never letting go' which I started but never finished, for no particular reason. Tell me if you've read it and think I should read it again?

Room by Emma Donoghue- Review

To be honest, this is one of the best books I have read in a while. In fact, it has actually got to be one of my favourites! It is literally so unique compared to anything I have ever read and the way it is written and the story it tells is simply great. To start with, I was worried about what would happen in the story, whether it would be too sad or dark for me to ever enjoy but soon, I was a victim to the gripping plot and it was too late for me to escape the awesomeness.

One of the most starkly different things about this book is definitely the perspective from which it is written. Jack is 5 and you view the whole story as if you are looking through his tiny, innocent eyes, which is both insightful and really, really brilliant. Because of this, a lot of the story is inferred- the things that he doesn't know the words for or the way he is not always 100% correct about the situation means that Emma Donoghue is relying a lot on the reader to be intelligent and mildly detective-like. This means that the book is constantly interesting because there are clever hints and signs about what is actually going on. To give you the same effect the single sentence description of the book had on me, I will write it for you here.

'Jack is five. He lives in a single, locked room with his ma.'

As soon as I read this sentence, I knew this book was going to have such a fantastic plot and it definitely did. Emma Donoghue portrays Jack so incredibly well that you would think she was 5 years old. She writes from his point of view with expressions and little quirks that bring the character, literally, to life. After about halfway through, I wanted to know Jack and talk to him and read to him and teach him about the world. His ma is, to me, one of the best female characters I have read in a book. Hers is a story of survival and hope, and desperation, mixed with a driving passion to look after her son and a fierce side which makes her more believable. At the start of the story, we watch their daily routines in the small prison of a shed where they are locked away. They take part in 'phys ed' and play games made from the barest of objects and pure imagination. I don't want to tell you why they are where they are because for me, reading about it without hearing any spoilers made it better. All I will say is that this book will tear your heart in two but, at some point, you will realise that it is worth it.


As a reader, because Jack is such an endearing character, I felt so much for him and his ma. As things in their lives changed, I wished to be there for them but then had to remind myself that they aren't real. The bond that is created between him and his mother is immense. And, separate from being a really great book, I found it also very interesting. This is because it shows the way people adapt to their environments and how little kids see the world so simply and beautifully.
If you start reading this book and enjoy it beware, it gets better.
I don't want to add any more because I feel that if I do, I will spoil it. If you want to find out more, I found the book trailer which is cool (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfpTad-lt-U). So, before I praise this masterpiece any more, I would recommend this book for ages 14 onwards. I have said 14 because I feel that there are some things which are quite upsetting and maybe younger readers wouldn't want to read things like that.
You can buy the book (and I urge you to do so!) from amazon here for £4.99http://www.amazon.co.uk/Room-Emma-Donoghue/dp/0330519026/ref=la_B0054R8OCU_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383941358&sr=1-1
or from WHSmith, here for £6.47 http://www.whsmith.co.uk/search?keywordCategoryId=&keywords=room+emma+donoghue&results=60&page=1
Emma Donoghue has written many other books, including The Sealed Letter, and her website gives more details. If you want to see, there is a virtual tour of the Room here:http://www.roomthebook.com/inside/ which is so cool!

Thank you for reading!