Fangirl

Hey guys! It's been a while. I have to admit, I've been in a reading slump lately and just couldn't find anything I wanted to read. The only two books I read over the summer were... for school.

Pathetic, right? I think it's because I've been reading way too many dystopian YA novels and I've found myself growing tired of them. So instead, I decided to check out a realistic-fiction author I've heard good things about, Rainbow Rowell. Her more well-known book, Eleanor and Park, wasn't available at the library, so I decided to settle on one of her other books, Fangirl.

And wow I enjoyed this book so much.

A brief synopsis from Amazon:

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.
Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...
But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.
Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.
Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?
Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?
And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Let's talk about the fanfiction. One unique thing about this book is that it includes several excerpts from the (fictional) Simon Snow series and Cath's own fanfiction story. To be honest, these excerpts were probably my favorite part of the entire book, because it's like a reading a spin-off from Harry Potter (which I LOVE) but it's different enough to make it its own. Fangirl is like two stories in one; Cath's college life and the fictional world she writes about.

Cath and her twin sister Wren were close growing up, especially after their mom left them when they were younger. But now that they are starting college, Wren wants some independence. The two are very different from each other; Wren is more outgoing and likes to go to parties and get drunk, and Cath is more introverted, preferring to lock herself up in her room and write fanfiction all day. Throughout their freshman year, they hardly talk to each other and when they do, it always turns into an argument. By the end of the book however, Wren reconciles with Cath and they are drawn back together through the world of Simon Snow, which I found really touching. Two twins, gone their separate ways, are brought back together because they are sisters and know each other best.

The romance in this book was so cute and sweet. Unlike a lot of YA books where a lot of the romance feels fake or forced, Cath and this guy (name undisclosed to prevent spoilers) start out as acquaintances and slowly develops into something beyond friendship. His and Cath's personalities were both really likable and I thought they were perfect for each other.

Overall I absolutely loved this book, and I look forward to reading more of Rainbow Rowell's books. It's a perfect blend of realistic-fiction, fantasy (Simon Snow), humor, romance, and character development. I recommend it to anyone looking for a light and cute read because I fell in love with the characters and I know you will too.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter. The fifth book of the Gallahger Girl series. This book was amazing.

Wait, rewind. Did you catch that last line? "This book was amazing." Oh, good, I was afraid that you might've missed that vital sentence. Because it's true. This book was way different from the others. It was a mystery, and naturally was full of suspense, shock, and disbelief. Oh, and moments where I was like, "WHY?? NO!!" *sobs in anger*. Which is good thing, trust me.

All that Cammie Morgan remember from her summer vacation was leaving to protect her friends and family from the Circle. That, and waking up to find that months had past, and that she couldn't remember a thing about what she did over her summer. When she comes back to school, she's ready for things to return to normal. But what she realizes is that things may never be normal again. She finds that she is a different person. Someone who knows how to do stuff she couldn't even imagine doing. Things that she does in an instant without it even registering her brain. She is now considered a danger even to her fellow classmates, in the one place she has ever felt safe.

They have to trace back, find out exactly what happened over the summer, and solve the mystery before time runs out. Because the Circle is hot on their trail.

Like I said, I was constantly in suspense, and loved the twists that left me in shock and disbelief. It's a must read. (And yes, my rating is correct. I did consider giving it an 11 out of 10, but I decided that was a bit too much.)

My Rating: 10.5 out of 10 stars

City of Heavenly Fire (NO SPOILERS)

Okay. Okay. It's finally time. *takes deep breath* I just finished reading City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare, and I... OMG WHY DID IT HAVE TO END??

Let me tell you something. I have read so many YA books over the past few years. But I have never gotten my hands on a book that caused me to stay up to 2 in the morning just to finish a 725 page book.

Until now.

After reading both The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series, I have to say that Cassandra Clare is one of my favorite authors. I love her writing style, and the way she's able to create such a vivid world, The Shadowhunter World, is amazing. Cassandra Clare is able to weave so many characters into one huge story, that has a hundred different things going on at the same time.

Now let me say something. When I first read City of Bones, I liked it, but I didn't think it was a masterpiece. When I read Clockwork Angel, I even thought about dropping the Infernal Devices series, because it wasn't my cup of tea. But I'm so glad I didn't drop it. Because every single book Cassandra Clare writes is 10 times better than the last one. And this book, all 725 pages of it, had me hooked the whole way through.

Sebastian is such a despicable character. He has demon blood in him after all. He's inhuman, and shows no empathy when he tortures and kills. And as much as I hate Sebastian, I can't help feeling sorry for him. This is what Cassandra Clare is able to do. She can create such a twisted and evil character such as Sebastian, and make him have a weakness that almost makes him seem like a lost little boy who might've lived a normal life if things were different.

Now City of Heavenly Fire is the end of the series, and it wraps up perfectly. I can't think of anything I'd change to make it better. Although it's a bittersweet ending; many things are still not resolved and to think of how many people died in the war against Sebastian... Even then, it's a happy ending because it's more like a new beginning or... ARGH I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN THIS.

Anyway, if you are a fan of Cassandra Clare's works, you won't be disappointed by this last book of the series, as I think it's even better than the last, which was Clockwork Princess. And you don't know how much I loved Jem, Tessa, and Will after that ended.

Rating: 10 out of 10

The Night Circus

Hello! I'm back again with a review on a book I recently finished; The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. This book was recommended to me by a friend, and after reading it, I have mixed feelings over it. First off, I'm just going say that this book isn't for everyone. It's lengthy, and definitely not for those seeking a story with a lot of action. But it is very descriptive and overall I enjoyed the slow-paced and mysterious aura that this book gives off.

This book is about a Le Cirque des Reves; a circus that travels the world, appearing and disappearing without notice. Unbeknownst to most, this circus is the venue of a competition between two talented illusionists. During their childhoods, their respective instructors have placed a bond on them that entitles their participation in a game against each other, a game that will last for many years, all the way into their adulthood. Due to the bonds placed upon them, their is no way to leave the game until a winner is declared, and neither of them were told clearly how the winner was supposed to be chosen. So without being told who their respective opponents were, they began to create incredible feats of magic for those visiting the circus to enjoy, taking turns to counter each other's moves. Once they first meet, they inadvertently begin to fall in love, learning too late that to end the game there must be only one left standing.

The book spans from 1873 to 1903, which is the duration of their entire competition, from the moment they are bound to it until the moment the game ends. I like how the book is set during this time period, because it adds to the mysterious setting and it fits the circus and magic theme very nicely. What really made this book worthwhile to read was the writing-style of the author; she really puts a lot of effort into describing the setting and characters in such detail, that it made this fictional world so much more magic. The description of the circus was so intriguing that I honestly wished it was real just so I could visit it and experience it myself.

I found the story about the two illusionists to be very heartwarming. The author had a pretty big cast of characters with different personalities that you get attached to, and I think it's very interesting that although the game is between the two illusionists, they didn't realize that there would be so many others that were involved as well. This enriched the story even further; the author made use of a great deal of description in order to make the reader grow really attached to the circus and the characters.

As much as I loved the writing-style of this book, this book had many flaws as well. As I mentioned, it's quite lengthy without much development at times, that it's easy to get bored, despite it's detail. Another thing that contributes to the slow-pace is the time period. Each chapter has a location and a date, and because it's not always in chronological order, it takes some time to realize that the events that are happening are often several months apart. It took me a while to realize that the book covered a period of 30 years, that although at the beginning the characters were young and reckless, they've progressed well into adulthood before the game has an end in sight. Also, because the chapters kept jumping from the past to the present, it's easy to get confused and make sense of everything that is happening.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book, as it was something a lot different than books I've already read. What sold this book to me was the writing-style, and although slow, the story line was also touching to read about. I feel as if I've been brought into a whole new world of magic since I read Harry Potter, and I think those with patience and time will enjoy this book as well.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Ready Player One

Hey guys! It's been a while since I've posted here. I was busy with school and was in a reading slump for a while. I tried to read some here and there, but none of them kept my attention for long. But Ready Player One by Ernest Cline I picked up at the library and I absolutely loved it. It wasn't like anything I've read before, and I found it very interesting and the world just sucked me in.

It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. 

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them. 

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig. 

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle. 

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life--and love--in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. 

A world at stake. 
A quest for the ultimate prize. 
Are you ready?

Tell me, does this synopsis not immediately intrigue you right on the spot? I've never read anything set in a virtual reality, so reading about this fictional future and the OASIS was soo interesting, and intrigued me from beginning to the end. Next, was the idea of the contest. Halliday, upon his death, set up a bunch of hidden puzzles inside this massive virtual world, with only a bunch of riddles to lead the way. And in order to solve these puzzles, a knowledge of '80s trivia was needed. Although I have pretty much no knowledge of the 1980s, I found the references to be really interesting.

At times there were large passages of just information, which might be skipped by some readers. But I never found the book to be boring at any point. It was just a chain of events and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout it all. The characters were so distinct and unique. A lack of character development can make me avoid many books, but this book just hit it spot on. The plot got more and more intense, and the ending was just full of excitement and I just can't express how much I loved this book.

I would give it a 100 out of 10. So now that you've heard my thoughts go and enjoy it for yourself! If you're not immediately immersed into the book after the first few chapters, than I admit that it's not for everyone. But I would definitely give it a try, and comment below on what you thought.

Off topic: I'll try to post more often, though no promises. It'll probably be once in a while from now on. Thanks for reading!