Follow Friday (4)

Feature and Follow is hosted by Paranjunkee & Alison Can Read every Friday. Complete Rules and Instructions are here: Feature and Follow

This week's question:

What blogger inspires you? It can be any kind, it doesn't have to be a book blog.

I love reading author's blogs the most. They're so entertaining. The stuff they post, whether about their book or just some random thing, are so interesting. It's really inspiring to see how these authors live and think and their personalities shows. It shows that they'er not just a name, but actually a person who persevered to write and to achieve their dreams.

Also, just bloggers in general are so inspiring, book blogs especially. I've only done mine for a number of weeks and I've already have to take a break. There's not enough time to do all the things I want in a day. And there are all these bloggers that have been doing it for a year or two or even three years (How? I can't even.)

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Review: Perfect Chemistry - Simone Elkeles

Title: Perfect Chemistry
Author: Simone Elkeles
Series: Perfect Chemistry
Publisher: Walker Books
Release Date: 23 December 2008
Date Read: August 2012
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

This review will contain spoilers.

I should've known, really. Actually, I did know. I just didn't listen to myself. I blame the lack of available books I've got. I haven't been to the library for so long and I've succumb to reading this. I'm going to go on a borrowing rampage now just to prevent this from happening again.

Enough ramblings. 

Just by reading two chapters I could already tell what would happen in Perfect Chemistry. It was extremely predictable. You know how you get those books that are so transparent and predictable but it doesn't even matter because you're just enjoying the book so much (think Cinder by Marissa Meyer)? Well, Perfect Chemistry wasn't one of those books.

Golden Girl Britanny is not who she seems. It's all an act. Under all that pretending, she hides a girl insecure and drowning with all the expectations her mother puts her with. Bad Boy Alex is part of a gang, the Latino Blood, but only to give protection to his family, so they won't get jumped and whatnot by gang members. The two are worlds apart but a fateful Chemistry class forces the two together when the teacher pulls out a seating arrangement, telling the two to sit next to each other for the rest of the year.

Of course, by now, the two are already attracted to each other even though Britanny has a boyfriend and they're acting like they hate each other's guts. To quote one of the characters, "Everyone knows it's all foreplay." But, if it's not enough, Alex accepts a bet that he can get Britanny to sleep with him before Thanksgiving. Using whatever he's got to win the bet, Alex slowly -- surprise, surprise --starts to fall in love with Britanny and -- again surprise, surprise-- Britanny feels the same way. They flirt. They can't be together because Alex is in a gang. They become a couple. Alex thinks Britanny is worth risking everything for but is too scared to leave the gang. They fool around. They sleep together. Britanny finds out about the bet. Britanny leaves him. Fast forward ten months, Alex is cleaned up, out of the gang, in college and proposes to Britanny that when they graduate, they'll get married. They get married. They have babies. Their son is in the exact same Chemistry class as them. The end.

I knew all of that would happen by the third chapter, apart from a few minor details. It was all so very predictable and the writing was just meh. Nothing really stood out from the book. It was one big meh.

I know so many people who just absolutely love this book. So many people. I can not fathom why. I feel like maybe we read completely different books, like maybe they're talking about a different Perfect Chemistry or someone pulled a prank on my copy and tapped a different cover to the book I just read. I don't know.

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Review: City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments (1)
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: 27 March 2007
Date Read: August 2012
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

This review contains an extensive amount of spoilers. Only those who have read the book are immune and to others, this intense dosage of spoilers can be fatal to the system. There is no cure. Beware.

Now, I'd heard a lot of this book, this series, the prequel trilogy, the author. Lots of people seemed to really like the book and I don't mind trying out new reads. I really hoped to like it, as well, since I'd heard that Cassandra Clare used to be very popular in the fan fiction world, going around with the name Cassandra Clair. She wrote the Draco Trilogy and people loved it. I haven't read it myself, being a late bloomer in the HP fandom, but because she had affiliations with the HP world, I really wanted to like her own series and give her support and whatnot.

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .
(from Goodreads)

Clary is one of the most pathetic heroines I've ever had the displeasure to meet. Clary is useless and stupid. She overhears Luke telling a couple of creepy looking men- who is probably working for the enemy- that he doesn't give a damn about Clary and her mother, that he's just going away to some country until this debacle with Valentine is over because it's not really his problem. Clary immediately believes his words, doesn't even think about the possibility that maybe, just maybe, Luke is lying. Maybe Luke is just protecting Clary and his mother and the flipping Cup. Maybe he's not actually going to go off into hiding, instead, he's looking for the Cup or Clary's abandoned mother himself, or gathering allies or whatever. Maybe Luke is lying to these creepy looking men are obviously the enemy, trying to keep whatever advantage he has. Did any of these thoughts enter Clary's mind? No. Why? Because she's thick. And Clary is so mean to her best friend, Simon who, of course, is in love with her and it's so obvious with everyone apart from Clary. I'll overlook the fact that Clary was so unrealistically blind, but even after she found out Simon's true feelings, she still treated him like crap. Clary just used Simon for things she wanted and the second she got it, she'd forget about him until she needed something from him again. Clary is so incapable doing anything badass. She doesn't even do anything. In a world where all sorts of demons are attacking you, you'd at least think that she'd be able to defend herself. But no. She only successfully killed a demon once, and the author did that to impress the Shadowhunters about her potential or whatever. After that, every time they encountered some evil being, Jace or Luke or Simon or whoever was always there to stand in front of her and fight while she does nothing. People keep telling Clary to stay at a place where she's safe because they know she won't be able to defend herself and she'll just end up being a burden. So what does Clary do? She goes straight to the trouble anyways. That wouldn't normally be a problem but Clary JUST STANDS THERE. SHE DOESN'T FIGHT. SHE COWERS IN A CORNER AND LOOKS SCARED, WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO ATTACK HER SO SHE CAN YELL FOR JACE TO SAVE HER.

And Jace. He was okay, I guess. Charming, handsome, 'funny', and he knows it. I put funny in quotations because he only made me chuckle once or twice. I'd expect a lot more witty comebacks from his kind of personality. I liked him until the end when he was being a dumbass in that whole episode with Valentine. Ugh.


The writing felt really off, as well. I was hoping that it was the first couple of chapters that I didn't favour, or that those chapters just sucked. But, no. It was the writing and it was not good.

Normally, I don't compare books to other books, but I couldn't help it with this one. As I was reading it, I kept thinking about how City of Bones felt to similar to Harry Potter. Valentine- the main antagonist- was suspected dead after a battle between the Shadowhunters and co, and Valentine and the Circle. Valentine wanted to stop the Accord from being passed, an agreement with the Downworlders that ensures peace and harmony between them and the Shadowhunters and humans. Valentine claimed that Downworlders weren't pure and inhuman. They do not deserve to walk this earth and the world has to be rid of this abomination. He's had this idea since he was in school, and he managed to convince fellow students of this belief. These students basically worshiped Valentine. Why wouldn't they? Valentine was smart, funny, charming, handsome, popular, highly skilled and he paid attention to them, to these unimportant little people. Soon enough, Valentine and his followers called themselves the Circle and continued pursuing this belief. It came time to battle to enforce the Accord and the Circle lost. Many were killed but the remaining few cooperated enough to give names and other information regarding the Circle.

Does that not sound like Voldemort and the Death Eaters? Doesn't it? I know J.K. Rowling wasn't the first to write about prejudism and group oppressors, but seriously. It sounds a lot like Harry Potter. It doesn't help the fact that Cassandra Clare wrote a fan fiction on HP and all these similarities just smell fishy to me. I said that I haven't read the fan fiction so I won't comment on it. I don't know what it's about. I'm just going to leave it here.

I don't know if I'm going to keep reading this. Probably not. I think I'll try the prequel trilogy, though. I heard it's way better that this one.


P.S.
Clary is such a stupid name. I hate having to say it. It feels so weird in my mouth- so slippery and unnatural. It reminds me of a fish.

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Musing Mondays (2)

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading.

This week's musing asks:
Do you snack while you read? If so, what is your favourite reading snack?

I prefer not to eat anything while reading. I've discovered that it hampers down emotions the novel would've otherwise gotten out of me. Eating distracts me from reading, I think. Usually because I have Nutella. Also, it's not really a good sign if I want to eat something when I'm reading. I'm probably not enjoying the book very much.

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Review: Legend - Marie Lu

Title: Legend

Author: Mrie Lu

Series: Legend (1)

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Release Date: 29 November 2011

Date Read: August 2012

Rating: ★★★★☆

I ended up putting off reading this one for quite a while because some forgotten reason. But I got through it and I really enjoyed this. It was so good. 

Legend is written in split narratives between June Iparis and Day Wing. June and Day live in completely different worlds; Day, the most notorious criminal of the Republic and June, a prodigy and a soldier of the Republic. June's brother is brutally murdered and her new mission is to capture the criminal. This mission brings her to Day's presence and, of course, romance blooms between the two.

The characters felt a little bit two dimensional, though. I mean, I really enjoyed reading their perspectives but June and Day were just so perfect. I don't recall any actual flaws in their character. Oh, but I guess there was something with June. She's the Republic's prodigy, exceptionally smart and physically incredible, and that's exactly who she was. She didn't even question the Republic's motives and just believed in her government that they were the good guys, even though proof otherwise was basically handed to her otherwise.

Speaking of the Republic, world building was poor. I haven't got a clue how our world turned into the dystopian that the characters lives in. 

Legend is a dystopian novel filled with action, adventure and intrigue. Apparently it was a retelling or inspired or something by Les Miserables. Now I don't actually know what Les Mis is about so I can't comment on that. But it did feel a lot like Romeo and Juliet.

But, yes, it was great.

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Follow Friday (3)

Feature and Follow is hosted by Paranjunkee & Alison Can Read every Friday. Complete Rules and Instructions are here: Feature and Follow

This week's question:

What would you do over if you were to start your blog again from scratch?

I don't know. I'm pretty pleased with the overall look, and whatnot, of my blog. Although I do wish I knew more html coding stuff so that I can do more personalized the posts. I still don't get how people do it. I'ts like learning a completely different language. Html is quite cool.

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Review: Hold Me Closer, Necromancer - Lish McBride

Title: Hold Me Closer, Necromancer
Author: Lish McBride
Series: Necromancer (1)
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Release Date: 10 October 2010
Date Read: August 2012
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I finally finished this. It took me so long to read it mostly because I was really busy with other goings-on in my life. I read about three pages then I had to stop. Then continue reading five pages then stop again. I think that affected my reading experience and how much I liked the story. That didn't really help my liking of the book since the paranormal genre is already a hit-and-miss for me.

Sam LaCroix is a college drop-out, making his living by flipping burgers at a fast food chain. An unfortunate accident forces the encounter between the scary, intimidating Douglas Montgomery, who immediately sees Sam for who he really is- a necromancer. With this discovery, Sam's world turns upside down as he struggles to understand himself and his new powers.

The book was meant to be humourous but I don't really remember laughing out loud. It's probably because of the start-and-stop way I read it. I heard that other people really enjoyed this, in spite of its imperfections. Some said that the humour made up for everything else. You'll probably enjoy reading this and find some parts even hilarious.

The story's perspective switches from a number of different characters. We are introduced first to Sam's first person narrative but then it switches to the other characters' perspective in third person, ie Douglas, etc. It certainly provided depth to each character's personality but it got a bit confusing. If she wanted to switch perspectives, then I think it would've been better if Sam's narrative was written in third person, as well. The amount of character's perspectives were hard enough to follow, but the switch from first to third person was overwhelming to understand. Plus, there were flashbacks in the point of view of different characters. It kind of slowed down the action, as well. It was just all confusing.

I was entertained enough by Sam and the side characters. They all had their own distinct personalities and they were all likable. It would've been better if they had been more developed, Douglas especially. 

I would've liked to see Sam's necromancy powers earlier in the novel. It would add to the story if we see other creatures and their lives as well ie fairies, spirits, etc.

Ultimately, I was just disappointed in Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Everyone had been going on about how awesome and amazing and funny it is. I suppose I ended up setting my expectations way too high and of course the real thing couldn't compare.

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