Review: The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Gathering
Series: Darkness Rising Trilogy
Author:Kelley Armstrong
Pages: 359 
Special Features: 1st Chapter of The Summoning
Goodreads Average Rating: 4.04

Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.
It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark.

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This book was a great and gripping read, though filled with a number of flaws.

Book Review: Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman

Title: Babe in Boyland
Series: N/A
Author: Jody Gehrman
Publisher: Dial
Publication Date: 17th February 2011 
Pages: 292
Special Features: N/A
Goodreads Average Rating: 3.85  

 When high school junior Natalie - or Dr. Aphrodite, as she calls herself when writing the relationship column for her school paper - is accused of knowing nothing about guys and giving girls bad relationship advice, she decides to investigate what guys really think and want. But the guys in her class won't give her straight or serious answers. The only solution? Disguising herself as a guy and spending a week at Underwood Academy, the private all-boy boarding school in town. There she learns a lot about guys and girls in ways she never expected - especially when she falls for her dreamy roommate, Emilio. How can she show him she likes him without blowing her cover?

This like all my other reviews will be rated and reviewed based not just on the enjoyable factor but also the originality and the author's writing and planning on the book.
It seemed like a nice, fun and humorous book,not to long and well the perfect quick read.... this was true, yet throughout the whole book there was something about it which seemed so familiar.

Then I remembered the storyline is basically one which appears in the film 'She's the Man'. I'm not one for complaining about the book because of a single similarity, but the single similarity in this book, was basically the whole thing, yet twisted slightly to fit in with the main character Natalie's needs. I really enjoyed the book, even with this reason, seeing as I am a big fan of stories like this.

The book as I said was very humours and had me in tears crying, and running into my sister's room sharing the new hilarious bit which I found near lines after the previous.
It really is an enjoyable read, but I also found myself not too keen on the characters, they also appeared to have no originality, but I attempted to ignore this factor so I was able to enjoy the book.

I will admit I am quite disappointed in my response to this book, I was really hoping I would like it.

I actually give this book...

Book Review: Looking For Alaska by John Green

Title: Looking For Alaska
Series:N/A
Author: John Green
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books  
Publication Date: 3rd June 2006 
Pages: 263 (changes per edition)
Special Features: N/A
ISBN: 9780007209255

Synopsis:

In the dark beside me, she smelled of sweat and sunshine and vanilla and on that thin-mooned night I could see little more than her silhouette, but even in the dark, I could see her eyes -- fierce emeralds. And not just beautiful, but hot too."  BEFORE. Miles Halter's whole life has been one big non-event until he starts at anything-but-boring Culver Creek Boarding School and meets Alaska Young. Gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, screwed up and utterly fascinating she pulls Miles into her world, launches him into a new life, and steals his heart. But when tragedy strikes, and Miles comes face-to-face with death he discovers the value of living and loving unconditionally.  AFTER: Nothing will ever be the same. 

John Green is quite a well known author in the Young Adult book industry and his books are quite popular. I was excited when I came across this book and instantly bought it, and it wasn't long until I became engorged in it. But currently I'm in the hardest part of my academic life and was stuck reading in between classes, even in classes.

For me Looking For Alaska was a book about self discovery, growing up and friendship.... all which speak directly to teens. It also deals with a large variety of concerning problems for teenagers one main one being grief of a lost friend and another peer pressure. All which make the book relatable for the reader's and had great affect over me.

I was quite surprised by the characters, I never thought I would come across so many different personalities in one book. There is a number of over the top and impressionable characters in the book one being Alaska, another being Chip, or otherwise known as Colonel these are balanced out by much quieter main character Miles/Pudge. Throughout the book we see a big change in all characters especially Miles, who arrived at Culver Creek School as quite a loner, and wasn't expecting any difference by coming here, but instead became a whole new person.

But there are downsides of the book for me. Towards the end of the book I became quite in-interested and I think part of this was due to my confusion of the book (which could just be due my lack of reading time and constant unwilling breaks). Another downside of this book is two slightly graphic scenes which should maybe not be placed in a YA book, I get the necessary need though, as it tackled an important issue of sexual relations. After searching the book I didn't come across any warnings warning off younger children/teens, which I would of highly recommended they do.

All in all the book was pretty good, and carried an assortment of important messages.
It's worth reading, even if I didn't like it as much as I had hoped, there's plenty of people who would completely disagree with me, and argue it is one of the best YA books. So check it out.

I give this book....

Book Review: Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Title: Dreamland

Author: Sarah Dessen
Release Date: May 2004?
Publisher: Speak
Price (US Dollars): RRP $8.99
Genre: YA
Series: None
No. Pages: 250

On Caitlin's 16th Birthday her sister ran away, to Newyork to be with her boyfriend. Her parents were devistated and obviously effected by the runaway of their oldest daughter.
When Caitlin joins the school cheerleading club, her mum finally feels like she has a reason to live again and see's caitlin as the daughter she had basically lost.
But Caitlin falls in love with Rogerson Biscoe and being with him makes Caitlin forget all of her worries, intil he becomes her biggest worry, after that first hit, she realises Rogerson is not as amazing as she first thought he was.
 
For some reason I am fasinated by books about abuse, which was why i bought this book. With it not being avaliable in England I had to wait for ages to get it, and during that wait I began to guess what it would be like. And what I had guessed was nothing like the book, this then caused the book to be a big disappointment to me.
 
This was the fourth Sarah Dessen book I have read, so I will honestly say I expected better, i'm not saying the book was bad because it wasn't nor am i saying that the writing quality was bad. But the length of the book, only 250 pages was not enough to fit the story into, in my personal opnion, especially seeing what the book was about. Abusive relationships, runaway sibling and a family slightly falling apart, the story could of been developed much more, seeing as these are important issues that effect many teenagers, and with Sarah Dessen being a very popular author for many teenage girls it would help get the effects out much easier.

I liked the character, yes i say this in every review but i mean it everytime. Caitlin feels as though she must live up to her sisters many achievemnets so far in life, but still be different.
Rogerson was/is abused by his father which shows why he abuses Caitlin, this is something that happens in many relationships when one of the people have been abused.
Caitlin's mother, is the typical soccer type mum, getting intrested in all the goings on at school and expecting her children to join on the clubs, to make her feel as though she does have a meaning to be on this world. She is very cliche, but the good kind.

I would still say this book was good, and would recommed it, if you can find it. A good short, summer read especially for all the girls out there, but maybe not the best Sarah Dessen book to start with.

I give this book a: