Books

1. The Last Wish. - To be honest, not something I would consider reading, but it all started when i was on the bus with my bf just after he bought the book. He started reading it on the bus and i became curious and started reading. He stopped due to a tendency to get nauseas whilst reading on moving objects, and i continued. Granted, the first page made me go “hmmmm” but everything after that was really good. Good story line, very interesting characters and it’s very intriguing. So intriguing, that people have made it into a video game. No, it is not like WoW or Dota or even Starcraft. This is where evil isn’t always what you except it to be or look like, where good doesnt always equate to prettyness or beauty. Sometimes you just need to dig under the surface to determine whether something is good or evil. This book surprised me. I didn’t expect it to be what it was and I didn’t expect to like it as much or be so intrigued.
2. The Princess Diaries #1 - That was pretty good. Well, good at the time because i didn’t really want to read anything too deep or profound or thought provoking etc. I just wanted something fun and i like the writing style of Meg Cabot.
3. The 5 people you meet in Heaven. – That was more deep and more profound and though it actually has nothing much to do with religion, i guess, some of the ideas of life are really interesting and very touching too. I spent quite a while crying to be honest. Hahaha. Mmmm…a good read.
4. The Fourth Bear - So, i havent read the first book in the Jack Spratt series, but it doesnt really matter too much to be honest. I quite like the fourth bear. It’s got a really good ending and the writing, as per usual, is very good. The concept is quite good and i like this guy’s humour and he is also really quite creative. I find it to be quite original. Taking nursery rhymes that we all know and love (or perhaps despise) and turning it into an interesting story and plot. It also takes a lot of imagination to come up with what he comes up with and it’s just pretty awesome. Yup, i’m a big fan of this stuff. I cant wait for his new book “Shades of Grey” to come out in 2009 because i’m interested in what it’ll be like.
5. The Eyre Affair - Good book, i quite like it and it was a good book to first get into. I find it quite funny and really ingenious too. I like his style of writing and i love how he weaves all this literary stuff into the book and it actually makes sense. I like his play on words and his random little puns. Also, i made me want to read Jane Eyre, so that was good, because i like Jane Eyre. The ending is good and the writing style is quite easy to read and understand. Not too many long poofy words to stump you. Also, his imagination knows no bounds.
6. Lost in a Good Book - The second book was also pretty good. I was a bit sad about the somewhat short appearance of Landen, but still, i liked how the story left off from the previous book and i did enjoy Thursday’s book adventures. Mycrofts inventions are pretty awesome as well. Yes, i dont have much to say on here in case i ruin the book for someone. But it is an awesome read and like i said, it picks up really well from the last book.
7. The Well of Lost Plots – This was one of my favourite books in the series. It’s set in the bookworld and it’s pretty interesting. I like it because you get to see basically the “behind the scenes” view of how a book is made (in the story), plus, you have quite a few interesting story lines from the mindworm, to the generics and even murder and crime involved. It also does put a few interesting “clues” as to who some characters really are.
   
8. Something Rotten – This is probably another one of my favourites. I love how Hamlet is in the real world and there are so many quirky hamlet references that i have to love. Also, you finally get to see landen again, which is awesome, because i did tend to miss him in the second and third book. It’s a good book and it ties up quite a lot of story lines that have been occuring throughout the series up to this point. Also get to find out more about some of the characters which is also interesting.
9. First Among Sequels - This story is set 16 years later and I have to admit, i prefer the previous ones. Nevertheless, this book is still quite good. It seems to revolve around Friday and the other Thursdays (the fictional ones) a lot more. I would have prefered to have seen a lot more of the time spent between Thursday and Landon and their family and stuff during those 16 years, but that’s just a personal preference.
10. The Princess Diaries #2 - Yeah, i wanted something easy to read, so there it was. I bought it and it was alright. The books are NOTHING like the movie. Hahaha. It was interesting i guess. Just an easy read for me.
11. Guy Next Door - This was the next book that i read by Meg Cabot. The book is alright. Good read and a really interesting setout as everything is in emails. I’ve read it many many many times before and it’s a book that i read when i’m not into anything scary, actiony, thrillerish or too deep. It’s basically another romantic comedy book and i’ve read it too many times for me to write too much about it. Not too saucy so it’s probably M15+ (there are slight references to things so kids under 15 probably shouldnt read it).
12. Saving Francesca - Finished reading Saving Francesca. I’ve read it many times and it’s always a good book to read again and again. It’s pretty good i have to admit. I like it a lot. The characters are interesting, though somewhat teenagey. It’s a nice story and I like where it goes. You can relate to Francesca as she goes through teenage angst, but the teenage angst isn’t so superficial like “i want to find a boyfriend” or “i’m fat”, it’s more about finding out who you are and about having the strength to be who you are without having to worry about what other people think.
13. Harry Potter #1. – I re-read it. It was okay. Not my favourite HP book, but still alright.
14. Harry Potter # 7. - I like that one more because there is finally more action and a resolution. I think it ended quite nicely for the 7book series. I didn’t quite like how some characters died. A lot of characters died which was unfortunate.
15. Harry Potter #3. - This is my favourite out of all the HP books because it has nothing to do with voldemort in it and i like lupin and stuff. So this was good.
16. Cents and Sensibility. - This too is a good girly read. I quite like it. There are some interesting bits in it though, but still, the general story line is quite interesting. Good if you want to read something a bit long and something that is girly. Chicklit.
17. Chicken Soup for the Christian Teenage Soul. - I like reading this once in a while. There are short stories of people’s lives which are encouraging and really touching.
18. Finding Cassie Crazy. - I’ve read this book so many times, but it’s so easy to just pick up and read again. I like how the author writes. I like how she uses letters between people, notices on notice boards etc to convey the story. It’s unusual and a good read.
19. Looking for Alibrandi. - Another good book. It has been a long time since i’ve read this and i have to say, it’s a good book to read, but not too often. I like how Josie changes in the book and i like the story line behind it. It’s been a few years since i’ve read it, but i think i appreciate it more compared to when i was younger.
20. Follow the Blue – Good book to read. It is fairly easy to read. It’s a nice book for teenage girls to read. It goes through like basic teenage stuff. Friends, family, boy troubles. It ends in a nice way. Also like books that are set in australia, as long as they aren’t that boring and stuff.
21. Princess Diaries #3 - This is also a good book for teenage girls to read. I’m going through a girly teenageish stage when it comes to books. I liked how it progressed from the last book and i think it ended nicely. I personally would have been satisfied with how it ended if it was the end of the series, alas. There are 10 books in the series.
22. To Kill A Mockingbird - Yes, this is a classic book that you have to read. I really do enjoy reading this book. I like how it’s like 2 parts. The first bit about Boo Radley, then the second bit about Tom. Some parts are a bit saddening, but it does look at america in those times.
23. Bubbles in Trouble - Definately a chicklit book. A 30 something year old hairdresser/journalist who is also a bit of detective on the side. This book is pretty cool and it’s not too heavy or anything. Good mindless book to read. Just wish the protagonist wasnt so dumb, but hey, it’s still funny sometimes.
24. Bubbles Ablaze – 3rd book in the bubbles series. It’s actually a lot more interesting in a sense. A bit weird in some places. But overally, quite light to read. Also very chicklit as well. I like how bubbles can kick arse and be totally awesome looking at the same time. Though it’s a bit hmmm that she’s blonde and has a body like a barbie…but oh well. It’s just chicklit.
25. Seven Ancient Wonders – A great book. I remember reading it for the first time and i couldnt put it down. You grow to love most of the good guys (alas, some you dont get the chance to because they die too early in the book). But you have to love Lily. It’s a great book. It’s like watching an action movie in your head, but it’s actually on paper. It’s great.
26. Six Sacred Stones - This book is also great. I prefer the first one, but this one is more complex. You dont know what is going to happen next. You think you have it all figured out, but then bam! Something changes. It also ends in the most shocking cliffhanger ever. Luckily the 3rd book is coming out soon so i wont have to be in suspense for too long. I love how Zoe is one tough woman, how she can take on the guys at what they do. She really is a good role model for young girls out there. She’s got intelligence, awesome fitness level, great personality. She’s pretty cool.
27. Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants - Yeah, another teenagerish book. Easy read. it’s the first one and i quite like it. I’m getting tired so i wont write too much about it. It’s similar to the movie i think…
28. When I Wake and Find You Gone – good book. I’ve read it quite a few times. It’s generally about a girl who is in search for her father after finding out that her sister is actually her mother. The girl ends up going to ireland to come to terms with what her mother and father did when they were younger and she also comes to terms with finding love and realising that there is no black and white when it comes to doing what is right or wrong.
29. Millenium Madness - easy book to read that is from the Sabrina the Teenage Witch series. Yeah, simple language and stuff. Basically Sabrina has to build a new clock for the Other Realm before year Millenium hits because the old clock will stop and all magic will cease when the clock stops. So she basically has to do around 12 tasks in order to collect things to build a clock with.
30. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister – This is a pretty interesting book by the author who wrote Wicked. It’s written from the viewpoint of one of the ugly stepsisters. They aren’t as wicked as you expect, cinderella, although beautiful, is more complex than i realised. The step-mother though is pretty much what i expected…evil. Yeah, i liked this book. It’s different to what you hear in the fairytales.
31. Harry Potter #2 - yeah, i read harry potter 2. It was okay, but it isn’t my favourite harry potter book. I guess I’m not the biggest fan for the storyline whereby Dobby the Houseelf, tries to stop HP from getting into the school because the Chamber of Secrets has been opened. It’s a tad strange, what with all the petrifying and what not. Not the best HP.
32. Harry Potter #5 - HP5 is okay. Again, not my favourite one, but it’s better than HP2 in my opinion. There are some bits that i like (harry + cho, the twins getting up to mischief) but there are also some bits that i really dont like (the whole toad lady thing and the centaurs and the whole “department of mysteries”). Yeah, but at least it deals with some more stuff and unfortunately some people die in this book. Sorry being vague, just cant be bothered to write long detailed things about them.
33. Chocolat - i actually enjoy this book. I like the descriptive language and the many chocolates that are mentioned in this book. I like the bits about vianne, but not much about the priest. He annoys me. I like how the chocolate shop can bring together people, give people strength and a place to relax and let their guards down. It’s a nice story.
34. The Time Traveler’s Wife – i like the concept of this book. A man who timetravels to the past or future, but has no control over when or where he goes. It’s interesting that you see what it’s like from his point of view and from his wife’s point of view. It managed to keep me wanting to read more, but i was a bit saddened by the latter parts of the book and it’s not the type of book i would have read if i knew it would be sad and bittersweet. I think i was wanting a more happy book at that time.
35. The Nanny Diaries - i’m not sure what to say about this book. It’s a pretty simple read, but while i do like Nan and Grayer (the kid), i really dislike the parents and the other kid’s parents. I dislike the whole society that they live in where they think they have the right to treat you like dirt. I dislike the way they “nicely” put you down (the mum gets annoyed because Nan is apparantly monopolising the conversation when they are at someone else’s house). Basically, it’s just a bunch of rich kids grown up who shouldn’t have had kids in the first place because to them, the kids are just like other assests, objects, things to show off. I did like the relationship that Nan had with HH and i wish that they had explored more of it.
36. Blood of Elves - I can’t believe I forgot to write about this book. I read it a while ago and it was quite good. It sort of continues from The Last Wish (see #1) and it ties in with the daughter that the prince and princess have somewhere in The Last Wish. You see the girl getting powers and training to be a witcher. I cant quite remember all the details of it, but it’s the first book of the series and it’s good. But i think i prefer The Last Wish though.
    
37. The Jane Austen Book Club - I found this book okay. There are a lot of characters that the author focuses on. I guess I would have liked to know a bit more about their past and their present. We really only see that for a few characters. Nevertheless, it was a really interesting book. You can sort of see the characters resemble some of the Jane Austen characters. Eg. Jocelyn is most definately Emma (matchmaker). Actually, that’s the only one i could really tell. I havent read many Jane Austen books. I’ve read P+P, but not Emma. I think I would enjoy it more if i had read all the Jane Austen books there. Maybe i should try…
38. Tomorrow When the War Began - I’ve read this book a fair few times and it’s not too bad. It has a lot of action and stuff in it as well as romance which is nice. I’m not too sure if it is exactly believable, but still, a pretty good job anyway. It does deal with a number of things and i think it’s nice to know what they are feeling behind everything that they do and that you see the consequences of delayed shock, the repercussions of your actions etc. I’m not sure if i would like to read the other books of this series as i dont want to see other people in the story die and everything…but we’ll see.