Amy & Roger's Epic Detour (Morgan Matson) Review

This book centers on Amelia or as she is called Amy and her coming to terms with her father's death. With her brother Charlie in rehab and her mother living out in Connecticut Amy is alone in California. When her mother asks Amy to drive her jeep across country to Connecticut Amy is terrified, enter Roger, the son of a family friend who is going to stay with his Dad in Pennsylvania for the summer who agrees to drive Amy to her Mum. Instead of taking the route mapped out by Amy's Mum the two decide to take a bit of a detour or as the title suggests an epic detour both with their own reasons for wanting to drive completely out of the way.

I started this book feeling very hopeful that I was going to love it but unfortunately it just didn't do it for me, I loved the first half but then it seemed to hit a wall and the storyline itself seemed to slow down, I was sick of reading about fast food diners I just wanted the relationship between Amy and Roger to progress and without spoiling too much their relationship only really progresses in the last 20 pages! If you're looking to read a cute romantic book then this is not the one for you because it is more a coming of age book, about Amy learning to be ok with her Dad's death. I did enjoy the book and there were moments when I actually cried along with Amy but it just was a bit of a let down and not what I was expecting. 

I loved the characters Roger and Amy they both seemed so chilled and laid back I would happily go on a week long road trip with either of them. First I'll discuss Amy, it was kind of sad that she blamed herself for her Dad's death and she would not reveal the circumstances of his death stating that she believed people would hate her if they knew. Now I was expecting some huge revelation and it turned out that it really WASN'T her fault and I felt kind of annoyed at her for being so silly and causing herself all this extra pain by blaming herself. Apart from that she was really likable and I felt everything she was feeling.
Roger was cool and the kind of guy I would fall in love with, he's fun, easy to talk to and understanding it just got kind of annoying how he was so hung up on his ex Hadley.

I enjoyed the writing style of this book it was easy to read and I enjoyed the journal enteries, the photos, the receipts that kind of thing it really felt like it was actual memorabilia from a road trip.

I gave this book 3 stars out of 5 and honestly I probably wouldn't read it again

The Fault In Our Stars (John Green) Review

I don't know where to begin in reviewing this book, I think it is so beautiful and well written that I can not write anything that will do it justice but I will try my best.

This book is about Hazel Grace Lancaster a girl who has terminal cancer and knows she is going to die, at Cancer Support Group she meets Augustus Waters and eventually they fall in love. I can't say a whole lot more without going into spoilers but this book was special to me. It made me grateful for the life I have and it made me appreciate being a healthy person. There are elements of death and illness in this book but it is not depressing I smiled as I watched the characters develop and live their lives although there was always a hint of sadness especially reading about Hazel because we know she is terminal. 
The characters in this book are people to be looked up to as they are coping with a horrible disease and are still able to find beauty in the world and in people.
I loved all the characters in this book all except Van Houten who just annoyed me to no end. I did not cry and I was surprised at that because most people I've spoken to about this book said they cried but there was too much goodness and beauty in this book that when I began to tear up I thought about all the great time and special moments and it warmed my heart.
I recommend this book whole heartedly and if you only ever read book be sure this is the one you pick up!

A Monster Calls (Patrick Ness) Review

I had heard nothing but good things about this book but I was unsure if it would be something I would be interested in. I was hesitant in buying it but when I come across it in my local Sainsburys for £2.45 I figured it was cheap enough so if I didn't like it I wouldn't be out of pocket.

So tonight I sat down to idly flick through the pages and after the first chapter I was well and truly hooked, I finished this book in one sitting taking a little under two hours. This book was amazing, it was everything I could ever want in a story. It is not a happy read that is for certain as we find out that Conor's Mum is dying with cancer and as if that wasn't bad enough, he rarely see's his Dad who now lives in America, he doesn't get on with his Grandma and he is being bullied, not really the recipe for a happy go lucky book.

Despite the fact this book can seem a bit grim it has a sort of dark fairy tale feel to it, when Conor meets the 'Monster' in the form of a Yew Tree his whole life begins to change. I liked the stories within the story told by the tree these were enjoyable and realistic with no happy endings. This book had a kind of magical feel to me and I was totally swept up in it's pages it is beautiful and even had me crying towards the end. 

I can not properly put into words how beautifully written it is and my review can not do it justice all I can say it has become one of my favourites and I will surely read it again and again. 

5 out of 5 stars :)

Unsticky (Sarra Manning) Review

High fashion, high art, high expectations – this is Pretty Woman for the twenty-first century Money makes the world go round – that’s what twenty-something Grace Reeves is learning. Stuck in a grind where everyone’s ahead apart from her, she’s partied out, disillusioned, and massively in debt. If she’s dumped by another rock-band wannabe, squashed by anyone else at her cut-throat fashion job, or chased by any more bailiffs, Grace suspects she’ll fall apart…

So when older, sexy and above all, wealthy art-dealer Vaughn appears, she’s intrigued against her will. Could she handle being a sugar daddy’s arm candy?
Soon Grace is thrown into a world of money and privilege, at Vaughn’s beck and call in return for thousands of pounds in luxurious gifts, priceless clothes – and cash. Where’s the line between acting the trophy girlfriend, and selling yourself for money?

And, more importantly: whatever happened to love?

I loved this book and I loved watching the relationship between Vaughn and Grace progress. Sometimes I found Vaughn to be pig headed and annoying though and it was frustrating to me that Grace never really addressed this she always seemed to just nod and go along with whatever he wanted. However, there are a lot more positives to be said for this book than negatives and I have read it many times, I don't doubt I will go on to read it a great many more times too :)

Nobody's Girl (Sarra Manning) Review

Bea thinks she's the most boring seventeen-year-old in the world. She's not pretty or popular or funny, unlike her mother who had Bea when she was 17. The only glamorous thing about Bea is the French father who left before she was born and lives in Paris. She yearns for la vie Parisienne every moment of her dull existence. So when Ruby Davies, the leader of her school's most elite clique picks Bea as her new best friend and asks her to go on holiday with them, she's wary but delighted. If nothing else it's two weeks away from her over-protective mother . But when the gang arrive in Spain, Bea is crushed to realise that Ruby and her posse have simply been using her. Bea wreaks vengeance on her so-called friends, and plans to decamp to Paris to find her father. But when she falls asleep on the train and wakes up in Bilbao, she meets a group of American students who are backpacking around Europe and bonds with them straight away, especially the gorgeous Toph, who helps heal Bea's hurting heart. And though Bea has a shock in store when they finally get to Paris, the 'City of Lovers ' really works it magic on Bea and Toph, who spend a week wandering the sun-dappled streets of Paris, talking, holding hands and falling in love. When it comes time to go home to confront her Mum about her mysterious father, the new version of Bea is determined that she 'll never go back to her old, boring way of life - she's no longer Nobody's Girl; she belongs to herself and to Toph...But with an ocean between them, will he wait for her?

This is one of my all time favourite reads, I love the character and I find I am jealous of her adventures in Paris. It is a great book that I could read again and again.

Nine Uses For An Ex-Boyfriend (Sarra Manning) Review

Hope Delafield hasn’t always had an easy life.

She has red hair and a temper to match, as her mother is constantly reminding her. She can’t wear heels, is terrified of heights and being a primary school teacher isn’t exactly the job she dreamed of doing, especially when her class are stuck on the two times table.

At least Hope has Jack, and Jack is the God of boyfriends. He’s sweet, kind, funny, has a killer smile, a cool job on a fashion magazine and he’s pretty (but in a manly way). Hope knew that Jack was The One ever since their first kiss after the Youth Club Disco and thirteen years later, they’re still totally in love. Totally. They’re even officially pre-engaged. And then Hope catches Jack kissing her best friend Susie…

Does true love forgive and forget? Or does it get mad… and get even?

I  was so excited to read this book and I wasn't disappointed I love Sarah Manning's writing style and I love how easy it is to identify with her characters they all seem so normal it is easy to fall in love with them and Hope is no exception.

I found this book took me on an emotional rollercoaster and I cried along with Hope at times. I felt angry at her best friend Susie and her boyfriend Jack for backstabbing her so badly but I also felt sad that her relationships with these two people had been ruined. I enjoyed watching Hope mature and become a strong independent woman a good read for all the ladies out there who love an empowering story of girl power :)

You Don't Have To Say You Love Me (Sarra Manning) Review

'Sweet, bookish Neve Slater always plays by the rules. And the number one rule is that good-natured fat girls like her don’t get guys like gorgeous, handsome William, heir to Neve's heart since university. But William’s been in LA for three years, and Neve’s been slimming down and re-inventing herself so that when he returns, he’ll fall head over heels in love with the new, improved her.

So she’s not that interested in other men. Until her sister Celia points out that if Neve wants William to think she's an experienced love-goddess and not the fumbling, awkward girl he left behind, then she’d better get some, well, experience.

What Neve needs is someone to show her the ropes, someone like Celia’s colleague Max. Wicked, shallow, sexy Max. And since he’s such a man-slut, and so not Neve’s type, she certainly won’t fall for him. Because William is the man for her… right?

Somewhere between losing weight and losing her inhibitions, Neve’s lost her heart – but to who?'

I  enjoyed this book but not as much as other books by Sarah Manning. I liked Neve I could identify with her as I too can be very self conscious and I know a girl's weight is a very touchy subject but she seemed so self involved, her whole life revolved around how she looks and her weight and I just couldn't get my head around that.

I also found it annoying how she would pine after William when she had a great guy like Max who was right under her nose wanting to be with her.

I did enjoy this book and I probably will give it a read again at some point. 

Let's Get Lost (Sarra Manning) Review

I used to read a lot as a child but as I got older I found I became more interested in boys and hanging out with my friends I had no time to read, unless it was an assignment for school.

This book and it's author made me fall back in love with reading and books! I remember totally being sucked in by this story and it's main character Isabel.

Isabel is feisty, rude and downright mean sometimes her friends are terrified of her, her teachers can’t get through to her…her family doesn’t understand her. And that’s just the way she likes it. At points while reading this I felt myself getting annoyed with Isabel's attitude I understood she was grieving the loss of her mother but I just couldn't stand how awful she was to people especially Smith, she kept pushing him away and it was frustrating.

When karma finally comes round and bites her on the ass I found myself feeling sad and scared for her, she had wronged so many people that she had no one but her former best friend to turn to even though she totally deserves what she gets. 

This book was a pleasure to read and I will continue to read it over and over for years to come.

The DUFF (Kody Keplinger) Review

At the beginning of this book we're introduced to Bianca and her two friends Casey & Jessica who are described as two gorgeous blondes. Bianca however is called the duff or Duffy by Wesley the 'hot guy from school' who is also a 'man whore' trying to get into her friends pants. Later we find out that Bianca is going through some family problems as is Wesley and the two, despite constantly bickering, find solace in each other. 

I really did enjoy this book the best part for me was the relationships between the characters, they were so real and you could easily identify with Bianca, she is a normal teenager who lives a normal teenage life and while her story isn't action packed a lot of girls could probably relate to her. 

I liked ALL the characters in this book, Kody just has a way of making all the people in this book seem realistic. The only thing that irritated me was the way Bianca would bottle everything up and push away her friends. Also I was a bit annoyed at how hard everyone was on Wesley he was constantly referred to as a man slut or man whore but there was no evidence of him being like that in the book. He didn't once sleep with anyone else, he didn't even kiss anyone bar Bianca. In fact I found him to be quite charming and attentive if slightly cocky and arrogant. I liked how each character was human and made mistakes it just made the book very real. 

I loved Kody's writing style as it was so easy to read and it just flowed naturally, the dialogue was spot on and realistic.

I gave this book 4 stars out of 5 but really I only rate it 3.5 stars because although it is a great book it's very similar to a lot of other books in the YA genre.

Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher) Review

Ok so basically the plot to this book revolves around Hannah Baker and Clay Jensen. Hannah had committed suicide 2 weeks before the book begins and Clay arrives home from school one day to find a box of audio tapes. These tapes were recorded by Hannah and explain there are 13 reasons why she killed herself, and Clay is one of them.

I really liked the way the author dealt with the sensitive subject of suicide, he handled it honestly and tastefully. The only negative comment I can make is that some of the 'reasons' given for Hannah killing herself did seem a little shallow and unrealistic.

It is hard to like the majority of characters in this book as we listen to Hannah's tapes as they all did a crappy thing that led to her decision for committing suicide. However, Clay one of the two main narratives is actually really likeable he is torn up about Hannah and shows genuine sorrow I personally believe he should never have been mentioned on the tapes or have had to go through listening to them but then he never would've understood Hannah and why she ultimately made the choice she did. 
As for Hannah she is likeable but at points you can become annoyed with her some of the things she says led to her death are shallow, I mean yes it's awful that a guy grabbed your butt, it's disrespectful and invasive but it happens to women all over the world who cope with it a hell of a lot better. Also yes the people on those tapes did some awful things, some worse than others but some didn't deserve to be blamed for her suicide that is something that will haunt them forever, and to be honest some of them weren't being purposely mean. 
I felt like Hannah was shifting the blame as really the only person responsible for her suicide was her. However, I wanted to reach out to her so badly, I wanted to save her and be a friend to her. 

I liked the style of writing I liked the audio tapes idea it was a quirky way of hearing the characters stories! I have this book 4 out of 5 stars because although I did enjoy it there were something's that just didn't sit right with me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYTMDI-xm-o&feature=plcp

Introducing Me

My name is Emma and I am 21 and I have ALWAYS had a passion for reading. Growing up my favorite authors were Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie which I'll be honest I am still a bit partial to now. I am a bit of a history geek so any book based on history or even historical fiction appeals greatly to me.

I live at home with my parents, my sister and my 2 rescue dogs Copper and Ollie and I love them all dearly. 

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http://www.youtube.com/user/EmmaHeartsBooks?feature=mhee

Feel free to add me maybe we can become friends and discover amazing new books together!

Emma

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