My Life in Song/ Book Titles

Aaand, once again, a survey thingy from The Perpetual Page-Turner. I should probably find some other book blogs to fangirl over... Hmmm. Whatever, at the moment she's doing all these Friday Fun things, and they're really cool, so here's another one.
She did this just in book titles, but I wanted to do a mix of song and book titles to make it a bit more interesting. Her questions were all about when you were sixteen. I'm fourteen, so that would be pretty hard for me, so I changed it to 13. (Blue is for song titles, green is for book titles).

You:

How would you describe your 13 year old self? Fortunate Fool

When you looked into the mirror what did you see? New Girl (When I was 13 I'd just started a new school and I was obsessed with fitting in and being like everyone else- it didn't work)

Your 13 year old outlook on life/ motto: High Hopes

How you think people would describe your personality: Same Old Same Old (I was just like every other girl, obsessed with clothes, boys and friends- yawwwn)

Describe an insecurity in high school: Walking Disaster (Basically just thinking I was terrible at everything. Still do that sometimes)

Describe your worst trait as a teen: Bigmouth Strikes Again

Describe the contents of your diary/ journal: My Family And Other Animals

Your biggest fear: Life is Elsewhere (I always worried that I was wasting my life, and I should be doing more important things)

You excelled at: (The Perks of) Being A Wallflower

You were always concerned about: Who You Are

You thought your life was: Beautiful Disaster (Unfair, just like every other teenager)

Love Life:

How would you sum up your high school love life? The Perfect Game (I'm sure it wasn't at the time, but looking back, it's so bad it's amusing)

Describe your most serious boyfriend from high school: Hopeless (I'm not kidding. We stayed friends for a while, until I couldn't put up with any more)

Describe your first real kiss: Forgotten (That makes me sound heartless. I'm not, it's just that we went through a massive Truth or Dare phase, and my first kiss is hidden somewhere in there)

Your philosophy on dating/ love: My Life (I LIVED for drama)

Describe your worst break up: You Against Me

Family:

Your relationship with your mum as a teen: Close To Me

Your relationship with your dad as a teen: Great Expectations (My dad was (and still is) under the mistaken impression that I am a genius who could rule the world if I wanted. He's awesome, though)

Your relationship with a sibling: The Giggler Treatment (Sometimes my dad would get so mad at us for laughing too much that he'd leave the table)

What you thought about your parents' rules/ parenting style: Love Love Love (Could probably be said for most parents. Overprotective though. I'm 14, not 4)

Friends:

Describe you and your best friend at 13: Sugar And Spice (She was the sweet one)

Your "social status": Between (There was a lot of pointless drama, but generally people liked me (I think))

Describe your group of friends: The Wee Free Men (Me and my best friend were not very tall)

School:

Your perception of high school upon entering: Everything Has Changed

Your relationship with academics: Just Listen (I hardly ever asked questions, but I was good at remembering stuff)

Your weekends were: The Moon And More

If your high school life was a movie it would be called: Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

A class you wish high school would have offered: The Theory of Everything

Your last year was: Look To Tomorrow (We spent the whole time getting ready for our next schools)

When high school ended it was:  Rock And Roll High School (There were about ten parties in three weeks. That's a lot for a group of 13 year olds)

The Future:

How you feel about the prospect of university: A Thousand Splendid Suns (I am looking forward to university SO MUCH. I want to go to university in Paris (if I get in))

How you think your life will be like at 27: Great Expectations (Again. I can say what I hope it'll be like, but I have no idea, obviously)

Your Life Now:

Describe your love life now: Hopeless (Which is not entirely my fault. The boys I know are worse than monkeys)

Describe the state of your friendship with your high school BFF: Fade Out (Don't talk anymore)

Your relationship with your parents now: Same Old Same Old (Again. We're still very close)

Your thoughts on your high school reunion: Maybe (I doubt I'll go, but you never know)

Biggest lesson you learned in high school: We'll Always Have Summer (I will always have the memories, even if I don't see the people)

One thing you wish you had learned: Why We Broke Up (Maybe if I'd realised how unlike we were, I wouldn't have worked so hard at our friendship for so long)

Advice you wish you could have given your younger self: Love Love Love

Something you could learn from your younger self:  The Hard Way (To struggle through and ignore the stress)

Wow. That is longer than I thought it would be. Hope you enjoyed it! 

   

  

Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Genre: Fantasy


Series: Yes


Published: Margaret K. McElderry Books, March 27th 2007


Other books by this author: City of Ashes/Glass/etc., The Infernal Devices




Blurb: Clary Fray is seeing things: vampires in Brooklyn and werewolves in Manhattan. Irresistibly drawn towards a group of sexy demon hunters, Clary encounters the dark side of New York City- and the dangers of forbidden love. Clary is pulled into the Shadowhunters' world with a vengeance when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

What I thought: This is amazing. My friends had been trying to persuade my to read The Mortal Instruments for ages, and I am SO GLAD I finally listened to them. I loved the Shadowhunters' world, and all the different Downworlders. Clary, Jace and Simon were my favorites out of the characters, and I loved the setting of New York City. I've always wanted to go there, it sounds amazing.
There were certain parts of the book that were a bit too much like Harry Potter- The Mortal Instruments/ the Deathly Hallows, Voldemort/ Valentine. Also, there was a certain, er, revelation near the end of the book that I didn't really like. I'm not going to say what it is. I pretty sure it isn't true, because that would be weird, and just generally unfair to readers. I absolutely have to read the next one now.
Definitely one you should read. Despite the subject matter, and the rather large amount of fighting, it still made me laugh. It's one of those books that just draw you in, and have you thinking about them constantly until you finish them, sometimes even after you've finished. I think it'll be a good film- I love Lily Collins, although I find her prettiness annoying. No one should be allowed to be that attractive, it's not fair on the rest of us. Of course, I'd make an exception for Johnny Depp.

Rate: 8/10

If you liked: Unearthly, Blue Bloods, Harry Potter, Morganvilles, Beautiful Creatures.

Review: The Host by Stephanie Meyer

Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy, romance, war

Series: Stephanie Meyer has confirmed there will be two sequels

Published: Little Brown and Company, May 6th 2008

Other books by this author: The Twilight Saga



Blurb: Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The Earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find it's former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind. As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

What I thought: I just could not get into this book. I always wanted to read it before watching the film, but then I was in a rush at the library when I was deciding what film to rent, and The Host was the first thing I saw. So, I watched the film first. This probably contributed to me not liking the book- I wasn't surprised by anything because I already knew the story, but because the book is so much more detailed it just felt drawn out and boring. The story is good, the idea is interesting and different, but I didn't even get a quarter of the way through the book. I know I probably shouldn't review a book I didn't finish, but I'm in a bad mood and I need to do something. I know. Not a good reason. Whatever.
I did skip to the end (I know, I'm terrible), and that was slightly more interesting. I didn't like the film very much, but it did make me want to read the book. The book was disappointing, and I didn't think it was written as well as The Twilight Saga. I definitely prefer Twilight to The Host, even with all the stereotypes and teenage hype that surround those books now. It's not often I give up on a book.

Rate: 4/10

A to Z Survey from The Perpetual Page- Turner

I take a lot of stuff from TPPT, if you hadn't realised that yet. I should really stop, I know. But I just went on there, and Jamie's got this awesome A to Z book survey thing that I really really wanted to do. Basically, it's 26 questions each starting with a letter from the alphabet, all book related in some way. Here it is:

Author you've read the most books from:

Rachel Caine. The Morganville series just keeps on going... Or maybe J K Rowling.

Best sequel ever: 

The Elite by Kiera Cass. Read it in one sitting, took four hours.

 Currently reading:

Just finished The Theory of Everything, have yet to start something new, but next I'll probably read One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, because I've been meaning to for ages.

Drink of choice while reading:

In winter, hot chocolate or tea. In summer, probably elderflower or lemonade.

 E-Reader or physical book?

Physical book, any day. I did go through a phase of using my kindle all the time, but I don't like giving Amazon money, so I always try not to use it now. It is useful for going on holiday though.

Fictional character you probably would have actually dated in high school:

This is hard because I'm only 14. So, you know, still in high school. Maybe Jack from Hollow Pike, Oliver from The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, or Q from Paper Towns.

Glad you gave this book a chance:

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand. I had this book for ages, but for some reason I never read it. When I finally got around to it, it was SO GOOD.

Hidden gem book:

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley or Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.

Important moment in your reading life:

Discovering John Green. I found The Fault in Our Stars completely by accident, and then I read all his other books. That's what got me into Vlogbrothers, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, etc.

Just finished:

The Theory of Everything by Kari Luna (how cool is her name?).

Kind of books you won't read:

I tend to read quite a lot of genres, although mostly young adult, romance, and classics, but I don't think I will ever read comic books or graphic novels. That's just not really my thing.

Longest book you've read:

Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell. I think that had around 1011 pages, and the type was really really tiny.

Major book hangover because of:

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. I wish I could read her other books, but I'm broke. Although, it is my birthday soon...

Number of bookcases you own:

I have one in my room, which is majorly overflowing, then there's a massive family bookshelf in the corridor which is overflowing even more. Also, my kindle has about 150 books on it (not really a bookcase, but I thought I should mention it).

One book you have read multiple times:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I think I've read it fully about five times, and then I keep jumping around to my favorite parts.

Preferred place to read:

When I'm at school, normally at my desk or in bed. At home, probably on the sofa or at the bottom of the garden, on the sea wall.

Quote that inspires you/ gives you all the feels from a book you've read:

Either "How can a bird that is born for joy sit in a cage and sing?" from My Name Is Mina by David Almond or "So this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be." from The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. 

Reading regret:

I went through a massive Twilight phase a couple of years ago, and I definitely regret that. The books are alright, I just hate the whole teen cult thing around them now.

Series you started and need to finish (all books are out in series):

The Unearthly series by Cynthia Hand. I loved the first one, but I have so much I need to read right now, and did I mention I'm broke?

Three of your all- time favorite books:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

Unapologetic fangirl for:

John Green or J K Rowling, because how could you not?

Very excited for this release more than all the others:

Maybe the next book in The Selection series by Kiera Cass, or whatever John Green writes next, even if it's only a shopping list. Does a film count if it's based on a book? If so, then the film of The Fault in Our Stars.

Worst bookish habit:

Starting to read other books in the middle of reading one book, and then not getting back to the first book for ages. I did that with Frankenstein, although it was amazing.

X marks the spot: start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:

Anne Frank- The Diary of a Young Girl.

Your latest book purchase:

The Theory of Everything by Kari Luna. This has come up a lot in this survey.

ZZZ- snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):

The Moon And More by Sarah Dessen. 

So, there's my A to Z book survey, a la Perpetual Page- Turner. I haven't done one of these before, but I really enjoyed it. If anyone else has done one, leave a link in the comments and I'll have a look. Also, any book recommendations?

Love, Freya       

                                          

Review: The Theory of Everything by Kari Luna

Genre: Sci-fi, romance

Series: No

Published: Philomel, July 11th 2013

Other books by this author: None



Blurb: Sophie Sophia is obsessed with music from the late eighties. She also has an eccentric physicist father who sometimes vanishes for days and sees things other people don't. But when he disappears for good, and Sophie's mum moves them from Brooklyn, New York to Havencrest, Illinois, things take a turn for the weird. Sophie starts seeing things, like marching pandas, just like her dad. Guided by Walt, her shaman panda, and her new (human) friend named Finny, Sophie is determined to find her father and figure out her visions, once and for all. So she travels back to where it began- New York City and NYU's physics department. As she discovers more about her dad's research on string theory and her father himself, Sophie opens her eyes to the world's infinite possibilities- and to love.

What I thought: I bought this book after reading a review of it on The Perpetual Page- Turner, and it did not disappoint. From the blurb and the review, it sounded quirky, different and funny- it's not every day you get to read about marching band pandas and alternate universes. It was all of those things, but there was also a more emotional, heart- wrenching side to it. As Sophie learns more about her dad, she starts to heal, and move on from the past. She learns to love again.
The characters in this book, especially Sophie and Finny, were incredibly real, and very believable. They had depth. I liked that Sophie was only 14, because from the blurb and review I assumed she would be 16 or 17, and it was nice to have a heroine my own age for once. I loved her clothes, her music, and the way she thinks. She seemed so responsible for her age, but at the same time you could tell that she was really hurting.
I want Finny to be my best friend, he was so awesome. Drew was cool too, although everything with him and Sophie seemed kind of too fast and unreal- they never really talked or got to know each other. His character was probably my least favorite, which is rare for me. I'm usually a sucker for romance, but this seemed quite superficial and flimsy.
I loved the music theme. It was something that added a bit of lightness and fun to the parts where you just want to give Sophie a massive hug and force feed her chocolates until everything's okay again. Her sense of style was so cool, and who wouldn't want a shaman panda? I'm not sure why pandas, but they are pretty awesome. Also, how cool is that cover? I would buy the book just because of that. I did actually buy a pair of Sophie- esque (is that how you spell it?) stripey tights the other day.
I think definitely, definitely, you need to read this book. Doesn't really matter what kind of thing you like, I've never read anything like this before. Has there been anything like this ever? Part science-y, part romance/ friendship, and part pure imagination.

If you liked: Artichoke Hearts, Rain, Forgotten, This Lullaby, The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants

Rating: 9/10

(Also, I found this really awesome poster on the internet, so here it is.)