The Host - Stephenie Meyer

Ok, so I have to admit I went into this book with a bit of apprehension after reading the back summary. Aliens? Mind Reading? Stephenie, what have you written about? I am a fan of the Twilight series so I wanted to see if the author had what it takes to write another book, or if the Twilight books were it for her, her lucky break.
Well, let me first say that I did enjoy the book. It suprised me how even though the storyline is not something I would usually go for but it was written well. You did get into the storyline and enjoyed all the events that occured. You even did want to hurry up to find out what happened next.
But, on the negative side which I think Stephenie does have a problem with are her male characters. She tends to write them as how we wish they were, not how they are in reality. I know it's good for teenagers as they still dream about the white knight coming to rescue them, but for a woman in her late 20's, you tend to roll your eyes and say "yeah right, like that would happen". But I have to give the author credit for the female character, as she made her strong and fiery, which was a nice change from the clumsy weak character in Twilight.
So, should you read this? Yes, but only if your in the mood for something easy which will stimulate you but not to the point of leaving a lasting impression.

The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory

This was one of those books that take you by suprise of how good they are. I definately did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I found all the characters facinating and not one of them was irritating or predictable. The way the story was explained was excellent and I can see why they would make it into a movie. I haven't seen it yet but I think I won't ruin it as the book was so good.
The two sisters like opposites were great, and I could relate to each of them due to their different characteristics. You could see how each of them got caught up in their own life and based on the decisions they made what is actually important in life. I would have hated being born into a family like theirs.
Excellent book.
Lesson Learnt:
If you have to force something too much, it probably isn't meant to be. Follow your instincts.

Others

I have read many books these past months that haven’t received a mention on my review page. This is because they haven’t made enough impression on me to write up a full review. I tend to only write up reviews for books that have affected me in some way. Otherwise what is the point? I don’t like to criticize books that I didn’t like, as in most cases it’s not the books fault but mine. If I read a book today, that I didn’t’ like, I might read it again in a few years and love it. The book hasn’t changed at all, but it’s my growth that has made the difference. So the books that I’m about to list are definitely not bad books. On the contrary they are excellent books, but I just didn’t’ connect with them. Who knows, maybe you will...

• Tom Jones – Henry Fielding
Some hints of genius but so much fluff that the book should have gone on a much needed diet.

• Farenheit – Ray Bradbury
Readable but didn’t get the hype around this book.

• The heart is a lonely Hunter – Carson McCullers
If you’re in need of something depressing, this is your book.

• Middlesex – Jeffrey Eugenides
Groundbreaking definitely, but did not give the details you really wanted to know and by the end you felt really cheated.

• The Age of Innocence – Edith Wharton
Meh

• Stranger in a Strange Land – Robert A. Heinlein
Again some bits were good and I enjoyed them but there was just as much of the bits that bored me.

• The Giver – Lois Lowry
Short but storyline was good. To me it felt like it was missing some magic though.

• The Bridge of San Luis Rey – Thornton Wilder
When I read the back of the book I thought it would be great, but to me it didn’t deliver as good as it could have.

• The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
The main character had no motivation or goals and it rubbed off when you read this book. That’s why I have no motivation to write a review.

• How to be Good – Nick Hornby
Had some good bits in it and was interesting but to me it wasn’t great.

• A high Wind in Jamaica – Richard Hughes
Good book, but didn’t really get into it. Was looking forward to it being over.

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

I connected with this book on an intense scale. This is the book that started a phenomenon and now I know why. Being generation X you only know about the crappy movies and never realise the brilliance and magic of the book that started it all has. I'm so glad I read this book and realised it's greatness. The beauty of it is, that I went into this book with trepidation and such low expectations that each page just drew me in more and more and I was in such shock of it's magnificence. It's so deep and emotional it's really speaks to you. Where the movies just focused on the grotesqueness of the monster, the book deals with the emotions and feelings of the monster and it draws you in as it highlights these emotions that we as humans can relate to.
I loved Mary's writing style and have added more books of hers to my list. It had such a nice flow and in my opinion she is a really talented writer and storyteller.

I don’t want to give too much away because I really think that everyone should give it a go and read it, if you already haven't. Maybe you were living in oblivion like me and had no idea how great this book is. So hopefully I have convinced you to read it and hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised as I cherished every page of this book and will be adding it to my collection of favourites.

Water for Elephants - Sarah Gruen

As soon as I started this book I knew I was going to love it. And love it I did. I got hooked right from the beginning. All I wanted to do is read this book. Work, sleep, food and showers all just got in the way. Sarah just created a beautiful story with amazing characters. The characters were so real and lovable you would have thought you knew them your whole life. I haven’t read a book that I loved like this in a long time. And it’s hard to put my finger on what about it I loved. I guess it was just the Vibe. (If your from Australia you will understand my little joke there).
Maybe it was the animals or the circus, but the storyline was brilliant. Also the future flashes blended in well. It gave it a more realistic tone. Plus it built up the suspense as you wanted to know who he ended up marrying and wondering what in the end happened.
You know how you read a book and think, oh I would have done that bit differently, or i don’t like the ending. Basically there’s some flaw in it, either small or large that makes you think that you can’t give it five starts. Well for me this book is perfect. And to me it deserves five stars.

Mao’s Last Dancer – Li Cunxin

I knew before I started reading this book that I would love it. It took a lot of effort and persistance to try and avoid anything to do with the movie because my mum and sister saw it and loved it. But I stuck to my guns and did not watch it, because I knew that if the movie was good the book will be awesome. And it was.
Not only was it motivating but it was also heart-warming. I loved how this book portrayed his family and their connection to each other. I literally had tears in my eyes every time he got reunited with his mother. It really showed how with a bit of luck and a lot of hard work you can become something and change your fate. Guaranteed he needed luck to get selected to try out, but no one can deny his effort and persistence.
A great aspect of the book which made me enjoy it a little bit more was the little customs and stories from the village. The remedies that were described to cure diseases and illnesses were amusing.
Lesson Learnt:
Persistence is the key to success. Nothing great happens overnight and nothing with substance happens quickly.

A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

This book evoked emotions in me I didn't know I could feel towards a book. I have to admit it wasn't very enjoyable to read. It was miserable and depressing, so sometimes I had to put it down and walk away. I'm a positive person that still watches cartoons so I don't like reading depressing books because I get so involved but this book was somehow different. Yes everthing that could go wrong did, but there amongst all the badness, there were touches of humour and humility.
I loved all the characters and they seem real. Their stories were so sad and touching they changed the way I thought about people and the world. I know this sounds so deep and I know it doesn't seem like me, but this is what the book made me feel. After reading it I couldn't stop thinking about all the characters and going over the storyline in my head. It made you appreciate your own life and how easy we have it. During the course of reading the book I don't think I complained about anything. Not even having to go to work. I actually cherished my job.
And the sad thing is while you are reading the tragedies that we as a society can't even comprehend, I know deep down that somewhere in the world these things do happen. People do suffer like this, and it wasn't just the author exagerating for effect. However, it did also teach me that people are strong and can survive anything.
I had my doubts about the ending, but after analysing the book in my head for so long it was a great lesson. I don't want to give the ending away because I hope someone will read this book. If you do read it don't dismiss the ending, after thinking it over you will realise it's perfect.
Life-changing book!


So many lessons learnt from this book!
1. Some people can seem mean and even downright nasty but don't judge them. You don't know what they have been through in their life to make them like that.
2. Don't sell yourself short, people can survive anything.
3. Be happy and grateful for everything you have.

Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

It started a bit boring, but once you got to know all the characters I actually really enjoyed this book. It's quite a different storyline and the characters are not the average characters you read in most books which I really appreaciated.
It's a sarcastic and comical view of the behind the scenes of the war and given a what really happens perspective. The book is divided into chapters of all the characters and their story and input of the situation which is very clever. Even though at time the story was quite sad because many lives were being lost due to ego's and boredom, it was written in a comical way so you never really felt bad. The author made the war seem funny which is I imagine quite a talent.

I enjoyed it because it gave me a new perspective on the war and took it from another point of view. It was on the list of one of the all time greatest books and I do believe it deserves to be on there. The catch 22 is throughout the book and it is quite amusing to find out what it's about.

Recommended read.

The Book Thief - Marcus Zusak

This was an interesting one because the reviews for this book were through the roof. Everyone loved it. So let me just say that going into it I had very high expectations.
The begining was a bit strange as it took me a while to get my head around the concept of who the narrator was and who the book was about. After that it was a nice read. The storyline was good and the characters were excellent. I did enjoy this book however I can't say it was amazing. Maybe my expectations were a bit undeliverable. What I can see is that the storyline appeals to nearly everyone. Males, females, younger or older. There is a character in there for everyone to relate to. Very smart.

What I liked about the book is that even though the storyline was based during the worst time in the human race, the author showed how it could still be someones best time of their life. Very skillful to pull that off.

I did laugh in some sections and my heart did break in others. It was a rollercoster of emotions and the knowledge behind the stories was very interesting.

It's definately a book to read and enjoy.

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

It's hard to write a review if the book your writing about didn't stir up any emotions whatsoever. This is how I feel about The Great Gatsby.
Yes it was well written, and yes there was a good storyline but it was flat. The characters were ok, but the whole time I'm reading it I had to force myself to try and remember what I read last.
It did pick up at the end of the book, as there was a bit of action and drama, but it left you feeling a bit depressed. But not even in a real way, sort of a 'oh, ok, poor guy'.
Maybe the author's intention was to make you feel the way everyone felt about Gatsby. There's this huge hype about him and the book, but you don't really feel anything for him. Same as him in the book. Everyone talked about him and attended his weekly parties but in the end no-body felt enough for him to see him through to the end. That's my insight into this book anyway.

Lesson Learnt:
Don't waste your life chasing an illusion, or you will end up with nothing.

My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time.

At first I was a bit hesitant to read it as my friend who read it before me said it was very depressing and I wasn't sure if I was in the mood to read something sad. I just started to flip through the first pages and got hooked immediately. You definately didn't have to wait to get into it.

Even though the book was based on a very sad and tragic story, it was terrific.
The characters were outstanding, I loved the writing style used by the writer as you got everybody's perspective and really got to know them individualy.
The storyline isn't something I have really thought about before, and it really opened my eyes to the whole situation and gave me a new perspective. I love books that make you think about topics you haven't been subjected to before and open your eyes.
My favourite character was Anna and it was interesting reading about the relationship she had with her mother. I also sympathised with the mother and even though she was supposedly the bad guy, you could feel the horrifying situation she has had to deal with as a mother.

All in all 5/5.

Lesson Learnt:
I am becoming a donor.

Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I've heard some mixed reviews when it comes to this book and was curious to see what my take would be, and I ended up loving it. It's funny because now that I have to come up with some reasons why I loved it I don't really have a definite answer. There wasn't much action, it just described the lives of a few people and the love between them. I felt like I really understood what the author was trying to get across and some paragraphs really touched me and made me think about marriage in a new light.
The characters were strong and somewhat sombre but I didn't mind it. I actually think that the author did a good job depicting love and how it affects our lives. How it can be the only thing keeping you going, even if it's just an illusion.

I'm not sure if I liked the ending all that much but it wasn't bad. I just did not see the ending that the author chose. It felt somwhat deflated. It would've been better with a more pronounced ending.

Lesson Learnt:
(Direct Quote from book)
'It was against all scientific reason for two people who hardly knew each other with no ties at all between them, with different characters, different upbringings, and even different genders, to suddenly find themselves committed to living together to sleeping in the same bed, to sharing two destinies that perhaps were fated to go in opposite directions. The only possible bond that can keep them together is something as fickle and improbable as love'.

Gone with the wind - Margaret Mitchell

When I borrowed this book from the library I was feeling a bit overwhealmed because it had 1448 pages. It felt as heavy as a brick. So I knew that reading this book would take persistance. However I was pleasantly suprised as it wasn't much of an effort to read. It hooked me from the begining.

I did watch this movie with my parents when I was little and remembered the general plot but only now as an adult can I appreciate all the characters and the authors great depth and writing style. It was very informative in regards to the war and slavery and I enjoyed every aspect of the storyline.

The only negative point I can mention is to do with the ending.
"Spoiler Alert!"
The book did not end as happily ever after, which came as a physical blow and after I closed the book I just sat there stunned that I didn't get my feel good rush as I do from every other love story book. But after a few moments of thought I realised that we come to need the happy endings because we are so used to them. However it's not realistic and I now am starting to appreciate the courage and honesty in which the author wrote this book. I really would have loved to have a sequel written by Margaret Mitchell because you do still think and desperately want to know what happens next.

This book definately deserves to be rewarded as one of the best books of all time. Okay so it doesn't shock you and break any writing barriers, like The Naked Lunch, (which I couldn't even read), but it's got a great storyline, awesome characters and you will be sucked into this book and remeber it forever. When someone says the name Scarlett you will automatically think of this character and remeber how this book changed you. And that in my opinion is what a great book should be.

Lesson Learnt:
Don't complain and be upset at the world because you didn't get what you wanted out of life. The successful people get what their given change it to suit them and fight for what they want. There are two types of people - Fighters or Dreamers. Which one are you??