Book Review: Before I Die by Jenny Downham

Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Release Date: July 5th, 2007
Publisher: David Fickling
Rating: 3 out of 5
Recommended? Yeah... perhaps
Buy the Book: Amazon US

Tessa has just months to live. Fighting back against hospital visits, endless tests, drugs with excruciating side-effects, Tessa compiles a list. It’s her To Do Before I Die list. And number one is Sex. Released from the constraints of ‘normal’ life, Tessa tastes new experiences to make her feel alive while her failing body struggles to keep up. Tessa’s feelings, her relationships with her father and brother, her estranged mother, her best friend, and her new boyfriend, all are painfully crystallised in the precious weeks before Tessa’s time finally runs out. - Goodreads Page

Struggling... Struggling...

I was really looking forward to reading this book, having heard that it’s a huge tearjerker, but... I’m not sure I liked it. I love Jenny Downham’s writing (her other book, You Against Me, is fantastic) and yet I just didn’t enjoy this book for some reason.

Honestly, without meaning to sound like I don’t give a crap, I think it was the main character that put me off. I understand that what she was going through must have been terrible – my grandmother had cancer, I know – but I didn’t like the way she was handling it. I didn’t like her list, I didn’t like how she treated her parents (mainly her dad) and I didn’t like how she treated Adam. Again, I know that she was dying, but still. I can’t honestly say how I would react if I was in her situation, but I can’t imagine myself acting the way she did.

Other than Tessa, the story was interesting. I kept picturing the girl from My Sister’s Keeper (movie version) and seeing the links between the two. It did make me upset, just because no one deserves to suffer or to die like that, and I did cry when I read Tessa’s letter to her dad.

I do recommend this book, because so many other people have loved it, and it gives a great insight to what it’s like for someone living with cancer. And what it’s like to know that you’re not going to live much longer. But I can’t say that it was an overly enjoyable read for me.

In My Mailbox - (23)

IMM is hosted by The Story Siren

I had another great week! I need to think of some sort of restrictions on my mother buying me books, and getting books from the library. I have over 100 books on my TBR shelf - it's insane!

For Review:

Rockoholic by C J Skuse

Reckless by Cornelia Funke

Undead by Kirsty McKay

Ravenwood by Andrew Peters

Thank you Chicken House!

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Thank you Bloomsbury!

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

Thanks Hodder!

Library Books:

The Devouring by Simon Holt

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

A Beautiful Lie by Irfan Master

Bought: 

Beyond the Deepwoods by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

Leave your links below!

Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday

How many books do you read in a week? And in what format do you read them, or listen to them?

Over a normal week - meaning, when I'm not revising for exams - I usually read two to three books. As I have more hard copies of books to review, I tend to read those first and then I read the e-books that I need to review. I don't really listen to audio books, but I did get the whole Harry Potter series for my iPod - ready for my holiday!

What book-to-movie adaption have you most liked?  Which have you disliked?

I really liked Fight Club, and I thought My Sister's Keeper was a good movie too. Although I haven't read either of the books. Oh! And the movie adaptation of Cirque du Freak - The Vampire's Assistant. It was okay enough for me to like it. As for what I didn't like, well, there probably aren't that many as I don't tend to compare books and movies. I can't, otherwise I get frustrated! Although, I really REALLY dislike the Twilight movies. I can't stand the acting. My ex-boyfriend was obsessed with Twilight and New Moon, as so he used to make me watch them with him all the time. And then I watched Eclipse with my friend. I will not be paying to see Breaking Dawn.

Leave your links below! :)

Book Review: Poison Study by Maria V Snyder

Poison Study by Maria V Snyder
Release Date: September 21st, 2007 (UK)
Publisher: MIRA
Rating: 10 out of 10
Recommended? YES!!!!
Buy the Book: Amazon US

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear… - Goodreads Page

Oh. My. God. I’ve read Maria V Snyder’s other series, Inside Out, so I knew her writing and storytelling skills were great, but this was just incredible! Why has no one forced me to pick this up before? *glares* I loved it! So, as you can probably tell, this review is going to be full of gush. And swooning over Valek. Just a warning ;)

Our main protagonist Yelena is about to be executed for killing a General’s son, when she is taken to meet a man who offers her the choice to become the Commander’s poison tester. Yelena, not wanting to die quite yet, accepts, and from there we see her go through her training, tests and getting into lots of trouble.

The characters were, for me, the main draw of this book. There’s Yelena, who is a strong protagonist and looks out for herself really well. Then there’s Valek, the Commander, Janco, Ari, Rand, Brazell and more who are all incredibly well developed characters with more sides than a tetracontagon. I don’t know how Snyder does it, but she always makes me fall in love with (almost) every single character in her stories. Sheer brilliance, ‘tis.

Move over Dimitri Belikov, and create a space on that 1^st place podium you’re currently standing on, for *drum roll* Valek! Oh my goodness. *swoons* How is it possible to hate a character so much in the beginning, only to love him at the end? Okay, I’ll be honest, I saw what Snyder was doing, and I never hated Valek. Yeah, I may have been a bit weary of him and scared, but I could never hate him. He’s badass. He’s incredibly intelligent, he’s a badass fighter, he’s good looking, he’s the Commander’s second in command... I could do this all day. I love him.

Need I say more? I think you get the gist from all of this gushing. This book was fantastic, and has soared to the top spot of my list of favourites. I’ve read the second book as well, which is also brilliant. I highly recommend buying this RIGHT. NOW. and if you have  it sitting on your bookshelf waiting to be read, then what are you waiting for? Bring this to the top of your TBR piles, because this is TOP PRIORITY. *breathes* Yeah, read it ;)  

Book Review: Flawless by Lara Chapman

Flawless by Lara Chapman
Release Date: May 3, 2011 (UK)
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Recommended? Yes!
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon US

Sarah Burke is just about perfect. She's got killer blue eyes, gorgeous blond hair, and impeccable grades. There's just one tiny-all right, enormous-flaw: her nose. But even that's not so bad. Sarah's got the best best friend and big goals for print journalism fame. 

On the first day of senior year, Rock Conway walks into her journalism class and, well, rocks her world. Problem is, her best friend, Kristen, falls for him too. And when Rock and Kristen stand together, it's like Barbie and Ken come to life. So when Kristen begs Sarah to help her nab Rock, Sarah does the only thing a best friend can do-she agrees. For someone so smart, what was she thinking? 

This hip retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac is filled with hilariously misguided matchmaking, sweet romance, and a gentle reminder that we should all embrace our flaws. - Goodreads Page

I admit, at first this book does sound like a cheesy read. I thought so anyway. But after reading it – in just one evening, might I add – I am slightly shocked and rather blown away!

Flawless begins by introducing the reader to Sarah, the main protagonist in the novel, and her best friend Kristen. The fact that she has an enormous nose is made apparent very early on, as we see Sarah make her way to class while what seems like the rest of the school stare and whisper. And that’s when she meets Rock Conway. The story then takes off, with Sarah and Kristen lying in order to win Rock over. Kristen wants him for herself, but the problem is so does Sarah.

I loved Sarah so so much. I loved her insecurities, and I loved it when she was sticking up for herself. There’s a certain scene in the book involving one of her mum’s work colleagues which had be grinning from ear to ear.

I cannot believe that Flawless is Lara Chapman’s debut! She has such a strong voice, and that’s what made this novel stand out to me. It’s a touching read, with themes such as the importance of loyalty – to yourself first, and then to others – running throughout. I highly recommend this book. It may seem like a light read, but believe me when I tell you it will blow you away.