Flawed - Cecilia Ahern

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Genre: YA
Pages: 368 pages
Goodreads

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

I was beyond excited when I saw Flawed on Netgalley. Cecilia Ahern is a romantic contemporary fiction queen and I never fully regained my heart after P.S. I Love You. So when I saw that Cecilia Ahern is now writing YA, the only thing I could do is request the book. As soon as possible.

And here we get my eternal reviewing flaw: I didn't really read the synopsis. I was so excited by the author and the cover that I just wanted it. However, early on in the book I found out that the story just isn't really for me. At all. Flawed is a dystopian book, where people are branded with a letter F for any flawed characteristics they showcase. So, you can't lie, make unwise decisions,... Already, I wasn't really a fan of this world. I get that dystopia is one possible view of the world, but I just didn't think it was that realistic. Branding a letter on someone? In the future? And not just on anyone, but mostly on the most powerful people in the world, businessmen, rulers of countries,.... I don't think that's going to happen.

Added to that, I disliked the main character, Celestine, a lot. She's perfect when we meet her and once she becomes involved in an anti-flawed movement, she is perfect with a hint of Katniss. How can she fight people when she is flawless herself? How can she goes against everything she believes in, even when she finds out that everyone around her thinks the flawed system sucks? I figured she's be okay with it pretty quickly, especially with what happens to her, but apparently she needs the whole first book to wrap her flawed little brain around it.

The make her even more like Katniss, my ultimate pet-peeve was thrown in, a generic and useless love triangle. On the one hand, a flawless boyfriend, on the other a flawed stranger with mysterious eyes who just draws her in.
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
Celestine goes through some of the most traumatic life events anyone has ever gone through, yet she's thinking about those boys. I get that she's a teenager and that your love life is a priority at that age, but really? Boys over your own life? I doubt it - especially when one of them is so clearly a *bad word* that doesn't care about her at all.

While the writing itself is easy to read, Flawed was just too cliché for me. All the generic YA tropes are thrown in there and they just don't make any sense. The Hunger Games was an amazing hit and I understand authors being inspired by it, but it's been done - and done amazingly - so I want something new. Love triangles? Hero who doesn't want to be one? Typically good looking cast? Not for me anymore. 

Cress - Marissa Meyer

Rating: ★★★★★

Publication Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Genre: YA
Pages: 550 pages
Goodreads

My obsession with the Lunar Chronicles continues with the third book in the series and the one I was most excited to read based on the gorgeous cover. (my reviews of Cinder and Scarlet) And once again, Marissa Meyer didn't disappoint me at all.

Cress starts off right after we left the characters in Scarlet, with the major difference being, as expected, the introduction of Cress (Rapunzel) as a main character. While this isolated tech-savvy girl was introduced before, we now finally find out why she is locked away and how she is connected to Lunar. I can't go too much into her role without giving away the plots of Cinder and Scarlet, but trust me, it's good.

Once again, Marissa Meyer creates not only a new, well-rounded character, but is also able to incorporate all the characters we have seen before. By now the main casts consists of around 6 characters and throughout the book I was impressed with how well their point of views are alternated and how not one voice gets lost. Most importantly, all the characters are vastly different from each other and I think every single reader will find someone who they will enjoy.

Personally, Cress is one of my favourite characters. She's almost a combination of Disney's Rapunzel and Ariel. She's excited to explore the world, a little naive, often underestimated and yet delivers when she needs to. She's not as logical as Cinder is, nor as passionate as Scarlet, but she is able to learn everything about earth very quickly (a place she had never been before the book starts) and to use all her skills to her advantage. I can't wait to see how she develops in the next book and how she'll respond to the Lunar people who have kept her captive her whole life.

Overall, Cress is an amazing addition to the Lunar Chronicles series. Once again, a new kickass female character is introduced and I fell in love with her. This is by far my favourite book in the series, since I didn't need any time to get into the story - we're dropped right in the middle of the action where we left off with Scarlett and there's no time to think, only to enjoy the story and the amazing cast of characters.

Not If I See You First - Eric Lindstrom

RATING: ★★★★☆

Publication Date: December 31, 2015
Publisher: Harper Collin's UK
Genre: YA
Pages: 310 pages
Goodreads

Not If I See You First is one of the most talked about YA novels of this year. The main character, Parker, has a disability that doesn't define who she is - not because it's a small disability (she is blind )-  but because she refuses to let it define her. She is also struggling with the dead of her father, when suddenly her school merges with another high school and she is confronted with an ex-boyfriend that broke all her rules.

What is so great about this novel is Parker. Plain and simple. She's an amazing main character, who is constantly struggling between who she feels she is supposed to be and who people expect her to be. She obviously goes through some tough things and while she doesn't just brush them off (which would be ridiculously unrealistic), she's actively trying to minimise them so that she can continue living the way she is. Besides that, Parker is funny as hell. She's sarcastic, at times mean, and knows exactly how the deal with people who only see her as "the blind girl". She runs by herself, does all her schoolwork, and basically sees people better than others can.

But somehow, I found something missing in this book. It's hard to pinpoint, but for me it was all just a little bit too easy. We start off with Parker in a really difficult situation (blind, parentless, heartbroken, bitter,...) and all these issues are mostly resolved by the end of the book. While I would expect some serious therapy, friends and crying session seem to be all Parker needs. This is a great idea, and I love the group of female friends that are always there to support her and each other, I just expected a little bit more. In some ways, it seems too much like a Disney movie at times. This can be enjoyable - I really wanted everything to work out for Parker - but also a little bit predictable at times.

However, I still thoroughly enjoyed Not If I See You First. I know very little about not being able to see and this book really gave me insight about the little things people can struggle with and the demeaning attitude we can have towards them. Parker is stronger than most characters in the book and it doesn't make any sense when anyone babies her. The reader learns this in an enjoyable way and the book reads really quickly and easily. But like I said, it's just not perfect for me, so I'll have to give it four out of five stars.

Kindred Spirits - Rainbow Rowell

RATING: ★★★★★

Publication Date: February 25, 2016
Publisher: MacMillans Kids UK
Genre: YA
Pages: 96 pages

Today is World Book Day and in honour of this special day, several authors wrote novellas that are only £1! A full list of the participating books can be found here, and this is my review of one of these books: Rainbow Rowell's Kindred Spirits. As mentioned in my previous post, I received this novella from Macmillan press, but this in no way influences my review.

So unless you've never been on my blog, Twitter or Tumblr, you are probably aware of the profound love I have for Rainbow Rowell books. I love her YA books like Fangirl and Eleanor and Park, but also really enjoy her books for an adult audience, especially Attachments. Kindred Spirits is a YA book again and delivers everything you want out of a Rainbow book: it's funny, endearing, surprising and most important of all, it makes you feel all warm inside, even on rainy March day.

Elena is a Star Wars fan through and through and when the new movie is released, she can't way to join the queue early and surrender herself to the "line experience". However, when she gets there four days before the release, there are only two other people in line, Troy and Gabe, and the cold Omaha winter quickly ruins her joy. However, Elena is not one to give up and is determined to stay in the line until the midnight screening. The 60ish page novella chronicles her adventures in the line and why Star Wars is so important to all three characters in the line.

As I said, I loved this book. Elena is an amazing narrator who is determined and doesn't take any shit from anyone in the line (hello epic rant about guys always judging girls who like something nerdy). It's easy to get into Elena's head and to understand why she wants to stay in the line and I guarantee you'll be rooting for her to stay in the line after the first five pages. 

The story is short and I really enjoyed how it only focused on the three characters in the line. It means that there's enough depth to all of them to understand and enjoy them, while never feeling bored with one of them. Even though I am not a Star Wars fan at all, and didn't even see this last movie, I somehow got swept up in the excitement of Troy, Gabe and Elena and was almost tempted to watch the movie - something that only shows how amazing Rainbow Rowell's writing is.

Though the book might feel predictable half way through, it really isn't. Nothing happens as you think it will, but it's still familiar enough that you're comfortable and just enjoying the ride. Rainbow Rowell again creates a world where it's okay to believe that fairy tale endings do happen, to only want good things for characters and to embrace the fact that happy stories can be amazing too - something I usually never think.

Kindred Spirits is obviously a quick read, but also an amazing one and a great pick for World Book Day. If you're unfamiliar with YA, this is a great introduction to one of the best authors the genre has to offer and if you are a teenager constantly forced to read classics in school, this book shows you that literature has stories on offer that you can relate to and thoroughly enjoy.

Carry On - Rainbow Rowell : Updated with Paperback info at the end!

RATING: ★★★★★

Publication Date: October 6, 2015
Publisher: MacMillan Kids UK
Genre: YA
Pages: 528 pages
Goodreads

I love Rainbow Rowell. I love love love love her. She could write my grocery list and I would enjoy reading it. She could write my monthly bills and I wouldn't mind reading them. Whatever Rainbow writes, I'm a fan. However, I was worried about Carry On. Fangirl is one of my favourite books of all time, but I just wanted that into the Simon Snow parts (I might even have skipped some of them...) and I just wasn't that interested to see the story of Simon and Baz develop...

Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.

Review

Sometimes it pays off to not have high expectations of a book. I knew I'd read Carry On, simple because Rainbow Rowell wrote it. What I didn't know is that I would absolutely completely fall in love with the story of Simon Snow. 

As I've mentioned many times before, I'm not overly into the whole "chosen one" idea (aka Harry in Harry Potter) and I don't love fantasy as much as I love contemporary stories, which makes it even more remarkable that Rainbow completely sold me on this story. My favourite thing about this book is the amazing characterisation. Simon is the chosen one of this story and he's still an enjoyable character! This is the first chosen one that doesn't act like a brat. Or selfish. Or has a pity-party every chapter. Or IS ACTUALLY JUST A NICE PERSON. I loved Simon;  he was funny, clumsy and completely clueless about so many things, but not cocky about it. Together with his best friend Penelope, who is also funny, but completely in control and smart, there are so many laugh out loud moments in this book.

The other great thing is the love story in this book. If you've read Fangirl, you'll know that Simon and Baz are nemesis who will fall in love eventually. The way this is played out in the plot is great; it's never too fast nor too slow. You can slowly see their relationship transform through "realistic" things (realistic for a magical world obviously) and can see them get closer and closer together. At not one point does the love story take over the general plot, the quest Simon and Baz are on together, which was such a relief for me. I love seeing LGBT representation that shows that, just like with heterosexual relationships, characters can be in a relationship without it being their only story.

So, just as the last few books I've read, I loved this one. Even with all my issues with chosen ones and fantasy stories, this book was just amazing. In true Rainbow Rowell fashion, it's fluffy, easy to read and incredibly comforting. Exactly what I wanted out of this book.
 

Update: Carry On is now the most AMAZING Paperback book!

I want to thank Macmillian Children's publisher for sending me all of this! Carry On was published as a paperback a while ago and when I finally got back to my London place, all this amazing stuff was waiting for me. I can't wait to colour in this paperback version of Carry On! Did you already colour it in? What colours did you pick? Which should I pick? Such an important decision!!

Not only did I get the book, I got Kindred Spirits, Rainbow's World Book Day story as well, which I will review later this week! I can't wait to read a new Rainbow Rowell story again and to really delve back into her world. I also got some amazing postcards and the coolest balloons! 

Hunky Baz!

Messy hair Simon!

Matching Simon and Baz!!! They're now in my room and every time I see them I just get a smile on my face. And it makes me want to re-read Carry On so badly - after I colour the cover in!

When Everything Feels Like the Movies - Raziel Reid

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Publication Date: October 21, 2014
Publisher: Arsenal Pup Press
Genre: YA
Pages: 176 pages
Goodreads

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

When Everything Feels Like the Movies is the story of Jude and his life as a transgender teen in high school. It is based on the true story of Larry Fobes KIng and the homophobic act that changed his whole life. I won't discuss it too much here, because it gives away the plot of the book, but there's a great summary here if you're okay with spoilers.

Everything Feels Like the Movies is such an important book. Jude is gay and openly interested in female clothing and make-up. Combine this with high school and it means that a lot of other teens are close minded. In a YA publishing landscape where straight white girls are the norm, this book was a breath of fresh air. Homosexuality, drug use, abortions,... Literally everything is discussed and I think teens reading this book will feel more comfortable talking about those issues.

However the way all those issues are handled in this book made me feel very uncomfortable at times. While Raziel Reid addresses all the topics that are important for contemporary teens, he kind of brushes over them at times. Abortion is casually mentioned, Jude takes hardcore drugs like they're M&Ms and every single homophobic remark that is made seems to completely miss Jude's feelings. Everything is glamourized, which makes sense for Jude's obsession for seeing life as a Hollywood movie, but I just wish we saw Jude's feelings more. Is he ever hurt? How did he build up those walls? When Everything Feels Like the Movies is such an important novel and I wish I got more insight into the main character and his thoughts. It was superficial and rushed and I wish there were 100 pages added to make the whole book more intense.

Another thing that bugged me was the flatness of the side characters. Again in line with Jude's Hollywood vision, it's all about him and everyone else is caricature of themselves. Jude's mom is the heartless stripper, his best friend is the slut, his father is a runaway dad, his stepfather the abuse asshole,... While they all are those things, I wanted to see them more in depth too. How did they become these people? Has Jude known them as anything else? Here is so much potential to show human problems and it is just glanced over by the author.  

Overall, When Everything Feels Like the Movies is an important book that will definitely get people talking. If you want a book that reads like a Hollywood movie, then this is the one for you. I however was left with an empty and unsatisfied feeling about Jude and his world. I can't wait what Raziel Reid will write next, but I just hope it's more in depth than this novel.

Scarlet - Marissa Meyer

Rating: ★★★★☆

Publication Date: February 5, 2013
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Genre: YA
Pages: 452 pages
Goodreads

You might have missed it, but I LOVED Cinder and so it's no surprise to see a review of Scarlet on here so soon after. Marissa Meyer had me hooked and I couldn't wait to see what she was going to do with these characters!

Just like with Cinder, I struggled to get into this book. The beginning was once again slow, with too much time spend on one character and too much information that isn't interesting thrown in the mix. Setting up the mundane lives of characters can be important, but the, for example, great focus on Scarlet selling her vegetables just wasn't interesting and didn't draw me in. Maybe it's because I read this book right after finishing Cinder, but it was too slow and it took me a few days to get through the beginning.

However, just like with Cinder, once you persist through the beginning, there is a very enjoyable story. Scarlet is a great character, who is very different from Cinder and yet never compared to her. Both girls are allowed to show their strength and weakness in this story and it's very rare that this happens without it being a competition. This made the book enjoyable and made it easy to get invested in each character.

The plot was original and full of twists and turns I didn't see coming. The best addition to the cast was Thorne, who builds up a friendship with Cinder and is able to guide her through this book. Thorne is an attractive guy, Cinder is a beautiful girl, and yet there's never any romance. Other YA authors, take note - it is possible! Their friendship is funny and endearing and I really enjoyed reading about it.

This book was amazing once again. Not only did we meet a bunch of new and enjoyable characters, we also got to know Cinder better and see how her journey developed. Though it's not an easy thing to merge two different storylines together, Marissa Meyer does an amazing job in this book and creates something that will really transport you out of your own life.