BOOK REVIEW: DIVERGENT BY VERONICA ROTH

Finally! I was able to finish Divergent by Veronica Roth after a week of “interrupted” reading. I had work. I was always I asleep. I just could not squeeze it in. I even had this strange thought that maybe it’s not actually as good as everyone says it is. But! But! But! I beg to defer! I think it’s one of the best dystopians out there.Haha.I simply could not find the time to read it. Anyhoo, the main characters of the story are Beatrice “Tris” Prior and “Four”.Hahahaha. Read the book so you’d know what “Four’s” real name is!

I honestly loved this book from page 1.I just had to work and train this newbie at work since I’ll be changing patients in a few days. And thus, the lack of time to actually read while on duty. haha.The concept of the story is just like any other dystopian novels where tyrant leaders are involved. But somehow, the author made it into something unique. The faction concept somehow confused me in the beginning.Seriously, I had to look up the meanings of each name. haha.But still, I liked that. It helped broaden my vocabulary.

I liked Beatrice “Tris” Prior as a character. She’s different and she knows it. And again, since I don’t want to spoil anyone I won’t mention the reason why she’s different. haha. Just read it.Somehow, deep inside of her she always knew that she was different from everyone from her faction which is Abnegation. And when the time came for her to decide whether to stay or leave I think she was at least able to choose the right faction for her. I am no longer biased when it comes to judging female characters. I seriously liked Tris. She’s not annoying. Not the typical damsel in distress. I actually liked the brute side of her. Not a weakling per se.  I liked the fact that she’s not your average girl-in-love or stupid-whiny-girl character. I seriously loved the tough chic there.

Then of course, there’s Mr. Hottie himself, Four. I am seriously, in love with Four right now.Haha.I love his I-am-so-tough-and-yet-I-am-sensitive persona. I just can’t help but love him. I seriously understand why Tris likes him. I seriously have no idea why I like men who can treat a woman with brute force and gentleness at the same time. I just don’t know. I think Four is one of those characters that I just can’t help but fall in love with.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Divergent as I got deeper into the story. The fact that there are no lame characters in the book makes it oh so awesomefor me. Plus, the fact that Tris can actually hit Four without being such a girly girl. haha. Love that part. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I’d give this a 5/5 star rating. And I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.

REVIEW: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE BY BETH REVIS

I recently finished reading Across The Universe by Beth Revis since I was on nocturnal duty as always. To be honest, I was a bit hesitant about it at first since it had mixed reviews but I’m glad that I read it. Anyhoo, the protagonists of the story are Elder and Amy.

The story starts of as Amy and her parents were being frozen so that they could  be shipped to another planet and reanimated after 300 years. Amy’s parents were essential for this project and she was just an excess baggage during their trip. Anyway, while Amy was in a frozen state she did manage to think and narrate the story. I have mixed feelings with regards to Amy. There were times when I wanted to smack her or something. I mean yeah, you woke up 50 years earlier but seriously girl you’re not alone and at the same time there were times when I just wanted to hug her. I think what happened to her; waking up without her parents is probably something I would not be able to handle. Anyhoo, I think Amy grew up as the story progressed. She wasn’t the type who’d just cry and be annoying. She did manage to become a strong heroine and that’s probably why I like her.

And of course, there’s Elder. To be honest, I never really got attached to Elder as much as I wanted to be. Usually, when I read novels I find myself drawn to the male characters but that didn’t happen in this case. It’s not that I don’t like him or anything I just cannot find myself drawn to this character. I do think his obliviousness to everything that’s going on is refreshing. I love his interactions with the people around him. As an individual character his appeal is somewhat lost to me but as a character with another character there’s just something about him and I can’t quite put my finger on it. I do love Elder but there’s just something about him that did not appeal to me as much as Adam from Shatter Me and Gale or Peeta from The Hunger Games did.

Overall, I think this is the type of novel who would definitely appeal to sci-fi and romance lovers even if there were only a few romantic scenes. The alternating POV’s is something that I liked about this book since we got to know Elder and Amy equally. There were parts that were just difficult to read but other than that I enjoyed the story. I wouldn’t mind reading A Million Suns though.

RATING: 4/5 stars

MOVIE REVIEW: THE HUNGER GAMES

I haven’t reviewed movies in a while since I’ve been reading more books and movies aren’t really at the top of my priorities right now but since this is The Hunger Games then I shall give this movie it’s due credit. And yes, it’s my day off today and yes, I am soooooo happy since I was able to watch The Hunger Games on its first day here in the Philippines. Yey! Anyway, I was really excited for this one since I loved the novels so much. The movie stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne.

Truth be told, I seriously loved the movie. And that is coming from a huge fan of the book. Yes, there were a lot of changes, some missing characters, some inconsistencies from the book, blah blah blah but people especially the fans of the novelsyou have to understand that there are simply some things that are better left interpreted by the books alone. There will always, always be differences whenever books are turned into movies. As long as the concept of the novel is still there I’m fine with it. Anyway, I loved the movie. I think the pacing was just right.

The actors gave justice to their roles especially Jennifer Lawrence. I think she’s a kick ass Katniss. I love the way she portrayed her role.I actually think that this is one of her best roles yet. Plus, the fact that she was just so gorgeous. I swear there were times when I just stopped paying attention to everything because I was just staring at her. And yes, she’s my latest girlcrush.  I just loved her performance. The reaping part gave me the chills when she said “I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute.” I just love the way she acted. In my opinion, Jennifer Lawrence nailed her role. She’s the perfect Katniss in every way. Screw the haters who didn’t want her because she’s blond. What are hair dyes for if you don’t use them, right?

Then there’s Josh Hutcherson of course. I think he’s an excellent Peeta as well. Again, screw the haters!haha.There were times when I wanted to barf because of his lines though.Some of them were too cheesy for my taste.But I still think he did an excellent job with his role. I loved the Katniss/ Peeta chemistry that went on inside the Cornucopia. I think he was able to match Jennifer’s intensity with his own and I can’t think of any other Peeta who might actually do a better job.

And of course, there’s Liam Hemsworth.Wait! Just let me get this out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Gale is just soooooooo drool worthy.Seriously, I loved his portrayal of Gale Hawthorne even if he did have a minor role in the film since he’s not actually a tribute. I think Liam did a great job since he was actually memorable for me even if he had only a few appearances in the entire film. I just love him.It made me stick to my resolve to root for Katniss and Gale. haha. I am actually more of a Gale/ Katniss fan since I just love tough guys like him.I think Peeta is just too gentle and I like my boys rough.haha.

The other actors did a great job as well. I think Haymitch is one of the characters who made me laugh while I watched. Seneca Crane somehow reminded me of Jake Gyllenhaal. Effie Trinket did look a little too old.Probably older than how I imagined but I do think that she did an excellent job.She’s one of the comic reliefs in the entire film. Donald Sutherland’s performance was impeccable as always. And Lenny Kravitz’ portrayal of Cinna made my spine tingle. I honestly think he did an excellent job.Never mind the haters.No one really knows what Cinna’s ethnicity is. He could either be black or white. The novel did only describe him as someone who is pale and of course there are pale blacks and whites alike so whatever. What matters is how he portrayed the role. And I actually liked his performance. His friendship with Katniss was simply touching.

All of the actors left an impression and I think that’s what made the movie enjoyable for me. The death scenes especially Rue’s death made me teary eyed for a while but of course I got over it. haha. Anyhoo, I think actor and actress wise the movie had an excellent cast.

Overall, I enjoyed watching the movie as much as I enjoyed reading the novel. Yes, there were lacking elements but what we have to understand is that if the director, producer, writers and everyone else involved with the movie translated everything from the book then we’d probably end up watching an 8 hour movie or maybe even longer. The lacking elements were essential, everything is, but that does not mean that deleting or changing some scenes, events or characters from the book will make a bad movie. As long as the story is not changed then I guess it’s safe to say that it’s still a nice movie. I think it’s actually quite close to everything that happened in the book. BTW, we as fans do not actually have the right to question anyone since Suzanne Collins did write the screenplay of the film. It’s the closest you can get to an author being involved in the movie versions of their book. Anyhoo, I won’t waste anymore of your time by typing too much. I’m giving this movie a 4.5/5 stars.

REVIEW: IF I STAY BY GAYLE FORMAN

I finished reading If I Stay by Gayle Forman yesterday. To be honest, I wasn’t really expecting to like it as much as I did. I’m not exactly a fan of contemporary novels.haha. I’m not even sure if it should be under that category.Anyhoo, the story is narrated by Mia Hall who is also the main protagonist.

The day started like any other day in the Hall’s household. The parents and children having breakfast while bickering with each other since school is cancelled and thus, Mrs. Hall decided to call in sick from work to spend more time with her family. Then of course they decided to visit a friend of theirs and that’s when everything changed.

Mia had an almost perfect life. Cool parents. A cute brother. A possible Julliard acceptance. A nice best friend, Kim. A hot rocker boyfriend, Adam. And of course, family and friends who love her unconditionally. Bottom line is Mia’s life was almost perfect until everything was taken from her by an accident. Anyhoo, I really liked Mia. She didn’t act like the typical whiny heroine from other contemporaryor whatever category novels.I enjoyed seeing things through Mia’s eyes. There were lots of times when I just wanted her to give up but then again I still wanted her to live because of everyone around her. I just love Mia. I love the way her character was written. She did not annoy me in any way.

Anyway, the story is not just about a girl’s struggle for survival. It’s about a lot of things. Unconditional love. Letting go. Moving on. Family. Friends. And of course, wanting to live. I love the way Ms. Forman incorporated all of these themes in one story. I enjoyed reading the novel and ended up finishing it in one day. The lines and the messages were all written wonderfully. I loved all of the characters. Her family, friends and even her boyfriend truly defined what unconditional love is. Bottom line is I enjoyed reading this book a lot and I can’t wait to get my hands on the second novel which is Where She Went. Recommending this to everyone.

RATING: 5/5 stars

REVIEW: PANDEMONIUM BY LAUREN OLIVER

I was able to do a couple of things on my very rare day off yesterday. First of all I had to catch up on a lot of sleeping and reading. I finished Pandemonium which is the second book from the Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver. And I have to say that I enjoyed this book as well. And yes, I’ve been reading a lot of dystopian novels this year. Anyway, the story is told in Lena’s POV which is told in two different chapters which is the Then and Now. Watch out for new characters as well.

The story takes off a few months after the events from the first book which is Delirium. Lena is now with the Invalids in the Wilds after Alex sacrificed his life for her survival. I appreciated Lena even more in this second novel. I think she grew up to be a very strong female character. A survivor or a fighter as one might say. I wanted to comfort her during the first parts of the novel since she was sullen and moody most of the time because of her loss. Anyway, I still love the fact that after everything that she’s been through she still managed to grow up and become a strong heroine.

There were new characters introduced in the novel as well. The other Invalids plus a new male character called Julian that would probably add a twist in the third novel which is Requiem. I actually like Julian. His innocence is somehow refreshing and I’m actually leaning towards him in a way. Oh, don’t get me wrong I absolutely adore Alex but I am currently in love with Julian after reading Pandemonium.

Anyway, to sum it all up I think the first half of the novel was little slow for my taste but as I got deeper into it I just found myself immersed in it completely. The subtle hints of romance between Julian and Lena was just so adorable and I can’t help but root for them up until the very end. I think the latter half of the novel made up for the slowness of the first few chapters of the book. I also liked the fact that even if this book is about love and all that stuff it wasn’t written in this typical cheesy kind of way. Ms. Oliver didn’t write a story about a maiden who is just smitten and in love. She wrote about a strong female who is a fighter and a lover as well. Anyway, I’m giving this a 4/5 star rating.

Oh yeah, the ending is just something to die for. What a cliffhanger! haha.

Oh BTW, since Lauren Oliver is coming to the Philippines I bought another copy of Delirium for her to sign.hehe.

 
The cover is just so gorgeous don’t you think?

REVIEW: BEWITCHING BY ALEX FLINN

I was finally able to finish Bewitching by Alex Flin yesterday before going to work. Yes, I have been that busy. 7 night shifts straight. I just want to read and sleep. Anyhoo, this is the story of Kendra, the witch form Beastly by the same author and the stepsisters Emma and Lisette. It tells us how much immortality sucks and the the story of a misunderstood person.

Truth be told, I didn’t exactly enjoy this during the first half of the novel. But I did like it as I neared the ending. I think Kendra’s just adorable. And I liked the fact that she’s not the typical evil witch bitch. I honestly enjoyed reading her story. There were teary eyed moments during the first half but still not enough to call this a melodramatic novel. I liked the fact that I was able to understand Kendra’s character even more.

Then there were two stepsisters involved.No, they are not her stepsisters. They’re just stepsisters.There’s Emma. The plain Jane. I liked the fact that Ms. Flinn made this into another modern re-telling of a fairytale,which is of course Cinderella, with a twist. Just read it since I don’t want to spoil anyone.

Then there’s of course the other stepsister, Lisette.Yes, she is the pretty one.I think the twist is their sisterhood is kinda cute in a way. I don’t want to say anything else other than I enjoyed flipping through the pages because of their dynamics and interactions.

Basically, I enjoyed reading this book but not as much as I enjoyed Alex Flinn’s A Kiss In Time. That is probably my most favorite Alex Flinn novel. But as I got deeper in the story I actually found myself immersed in it completely. I liked unpredictable ending BTW. The story was told in Emma’s POV with some inputs from Kendra. Either way, I’d recommend this book to fans of Beastly and other modern day fairytale re-telling.

RATING: 4/5 stars

REVIEW: FORBIDDEN BY SYRIE & RYAN JAMES

I finished reading Forbidden by mother and son tandem, Syrie and Ryan James. The novel is about Claire and Alec, who are both different in their own ways. I don’t want to mention why because I might spoil the story for future readers.

Claire and her mom are constantly on the move because her mom believes that she’s constantly in danger and she’s kinda’ paranoid about it. Although, her paranoia actually has a basis. haha. Anyway, the story is told in alternating POV’s, Claire’s and Alec’s.
I liked Claire a lot. She’s a girl who just wants to be normal but somehow she feels like she does not actually fit in anywhere even if she has two best friends. Claire did not annoy me at all BTW. I’ve been constantly reading YA novels without the annoying heroines and I like it. She’s not exactly a tough chic or anything but somehow the authors made it work. She’s definitely not annoying as hell and I like the fact that she does not make all her friends and Alec do all the work just like *coughs* some other female heroines that I’ll refuse to name. haha. I hate it when female characters become dead weight. Plus, her best friends are just adorbs. I like the fact that they support Claire with whatever it is that she’s going through.

And then there’s Alec. Alec who makes me swoon. Alec, the sexy soldier/ warrior whatever. I don’t exactly know what to call him without giving his identity away. haha. He’s sexy. Period. Anyway, I loved Alec from the get -go. Plus, the Scottish accent is just to die for. haha. I know, I didn’t exactly hear it but I can only imagine how sexy he sounds with that accent. I like Alec not just because he’s sexy or whatnot. I like the fact that he is constantly protecting Claire, her friends and her family while trying to hide what he really is and constantly breaking the rules that he has lived by for so long. I loved the part wherein he’s trying to act all mundane and everything. Can you believe it? A guy who does not eat junk food? I found that really funny.

I enjoyed reading this novel. I think the trying-to-act-normal-thing is cliche but somehow it worked in this novel. There was a possibility of a love triangle but I like the fact that Claire did not just run into the other guy’s (Neil) arms whenever she had the chance. I actually liked the writing style. The fact that it was written by two people without making it pretty obvious is just amazing. And the fact that they made the readers guess what these two were up until the middle of the novel made me want to read it even more. I’m not really sure if it’s gonna be a series or whatever but I think the authors gave it a nice closure with endless possibilities. They wrote it in a way that left it with enough loose ends to make it a series but still enough closure to make it a stand alone. Confusing? I know. Just read it so that you’ll understand what I mean. Anyway, I’d give this a 5/5 star rating.

REVIEW: FEVER BY LAUREN DESTEFANO

Recently finished the second book from The Chemical Garden Trilogy which is Fever by Lauren DeStefano. The story takes place right after Rhine and Gabriel’s escape from Linden’s mansion.

Some people hate this cover but I kinda like it. Don’t ask me why I like it though. I just do. Anyhoo, I’ve been reading a lot from this genre these past few weeks and I was very excited when this particular novel came out early in the Philippines. haha. But sadly, I was a little disappointed with this one. I honestly enjoyed reading the first novel which is why I had very high expectations with this one.

First of all, Rhine kinda’ annoyed me a little. Seriously, where is the spunk from the first novel? I missed the old Rhine who is wise and manipulative but compassionate all rolled into one. She turned into a damsel in distress in this novel and I seriously disliked it. I don’t know why but I just didn’t like her as much as I liked her in the first one. I like my girls tough and not too princess-y!

As for Gabriel, well I am still leaning towards Linden. I find Gabriel a little bland. He was sweet and all but somehow he lacked something. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I honestly like Linden more. And somehow, the first 3/4 of the book made me miss him.

And lastly, there’s Linden, who by the way only appeared in the last 3 or 4 chapters of the book. I’m still leaning towards Linden. haha. I want Rhine to end up with him instead of Gabriel. I have no idea why but I really prefer Linden over Gabriel. Gabriel is just too dry for me. I love Linden’s kindness and innocence because it somehow makes him a very refreshing character.

Overall, I liked this novel just not as much as I liked the first one which I ended up finishing in one sitting. haha. I mean, I get it they are on the run but how many times can a girl get into trouble in a few days? Seriously, I think they’re troubles were seriously exaggerated which ended up making the novel a little less believable. Anyway, I’d still give this a 3.5/5 star rating. And I would definitely read the last one when it comes out.