Walking Disaster

Walking Disaster
Written by Jamie McGuire

Love hard. Fight harder.

The Story
Walking Disaster is the sequel to the beautiful and wonderfully romantic Beautiful Disaster. Walking disaster is set in the same time frame as Beautiful Disaster, except the fact that it is told from Travis Maddox's point of view instead of Abby's. If you have read my Beautiful Disaster review or even read the book you will know what the story is already about, but here is a little reminder for those who have forgotten, or who haven't yet read the first book in the series.
After leaving her home town, Abby moves to university with her best friend America, in hope of starting a new life away from her drunken mother and gamble addicted father. But after meeting Travis Maddox, a tall handsome stranger with a hidden persona, she starts to find it hard to resist him, just as he finds it hard to do the same. With many bumps in the road and people getting in the way, are they able to make a steady relationship work, or will it all end in disaster?

General Overview
Bearing in mind the fact that Walking disaster is exactly the same story as Beautiful Disaster, there is no point in reviewing characterization and plot lines, because it will just be a copied review.

So instead I am going to go straight into my review of the book itself.

Story: 9/10
Re-readable: Yes
Recommendable: Yes

Walking Disaster is set in the same time frame as Beautiful Disaster, the only difference in the two books is the fact that they are told from each characters point of view. After reading the first of the two books, I was very surprised to see how the characters were portrayed and the way they acted according to their emotions for each other.
To my surprise I was more attached to Walking Disaster, due to the fact that you are reading it from a guys point of view, and after reading about the way he felt, it touches you.
I wasn't able to put the book down and have ended up re-reading the pair of books at least 4 times over. This really is the love story that every girl in their life wants. The things that Travis would say, the way he would act. He goes the distance. Especially when he puts his heart on the line and prints his feelings onto his skin.
This is a story for all the romantics out there, and I warn you now.... It shall leave you in tears. Whether you find them to be tears of sorrow... Or tears of Joy.

I hope you all enjoy it.

And after reading up online, I found that Jamie McGuire has written us the follow up to series. Beautiful Wedding.

This review is long overdue... After months of putting off reviews due to circumstances changes, I have finally posted the next review and I plan on continuing my reviews in the future. Thank you for all the views and support :D

The Farm

The Farm

Written by Emily Mckay

About The Author
Emily Mckay has an English degree from the Texas A&M University. After finishing college, she went onto teach literature to middle school students, teaching them how to appreciate it. After following the advice "Write what you love to read" she began to look back on the so many romance novels she had read in the past, and decided to give up teaching to write full time.

The Story
In "The Before", Lily and Mel were just an ordinary pair of twin sisters, with a little more to tackle in life than others. Mel was suffering from Autism, whilst Lily tried her hardest to take care of her. After a genetic "accident" outbreak causes humans to mutate into monsters known as Ticks, they drive away the citizens of America, all teenagers are sent to "Farms". These "Farms" are situated in every state of America holding young people, donating teenagers blood every week to feed the Ticks living on the outside of the Farm fences.
Carter is an old friend of Lily's. When he arrives on the farm, Lily is a little cautious about Carter and doesn't want to warm to him as much as he wishes. When Carter discovers Lily's plan to escape the farm with Mel in tow, he offers to help her whilst requesting assistance from his very strong, very fast vampire military officer, Sebastian. With the Farm Dean chasing them down every road, and monstrous Ticks in tow at every turn, it is fight for safety or die trying.
Will Lily and Mel make it out of the Farm alive and safely to the border of Canada? Or will they get tracked by the Ticks and eaten alive?

Characterisation
A fine group of characters are built into this story and made to mix perfectly:

• Lily - Lead female protagonist, twin sister of Mel, fighting for survival in the dystopian world, and suspected human Abducturae
• Mel - Lily's twin sister, suffering from Autism and always talking in nursery rhymes.
• Carter - Lily's old friend and high school crush in "The Before". He was sent to military school after stealing his fathers car.
• Joe - Another friend of Lily's from school, he also lives on the farm and sells survival equipment to fellow teens.
• Sebastian - A Military officer and intimidating vampire, leading Carter and fellow military staff to farms around the country searching for his Abducturae.

When Lily and Mel were sent to the Farm in order to escape the Ticks, their mother made Lily promise to keep Mel safe at all times. Mel has always suffered badly with autism, and when she was younger, she went through a phase of talking in nursery rhymes, which has recently resurfaced. Lily can't seem to understand why, but has a feeling it's because of the situation they have found themselves in.
Lily and Mel have both been on the Farm for the last 6 months, and are ready to fight their way to to Canada. Canada has since closed the border due to the infection and Lily has a feeling the Ticks wont follow them.
Carter is an old friend of Lily's from The Before. After attending high school for a while together Carter got himself into a lot of trouble after stealing his fathers very expensive car. He was caught by the police, charged and sent to military school. After meeting Sebastian, Carter finds out that there is a being on earth known as an "Abducturae", who is able to control the thoughts and feelings of the people around them, and also unintentionally manipulating other peoples emotions in accordance with the Abducturae's own. After hearing this from Sebastian, Carter has a feeling that Lily may be the one they are looking for, and so the search for Lily begins.

Plot Lines
Whilst reading The Farm, I noticed that the story was constantly going up and up. It never seemed to reach a point in which you needed to read a little while before an event began. From meeting Lily and Mel, the story goes into Lily beginning to put her escape plan into action, and then Carter is introduced into the story. After this an action escape is performed, however Lily and Mel fail, we them meet someone new. But after all this, the story is constantly on the go, never slowing down. Its a constant survival in the story, and so things cant slow down for a second.
The highest point in the storyline, the part that had me hooked to the page, was when Carter explains to Lily what an Abducturae is, and how he thinks she is connected to it. We start to learn about a lot of important and key points in the story. The points in the story which brings everything together as one huge story. Roberto, the Vampire leader in the States, is mentioned and explained into the story and how he links with the Abducturae theory.
Its a simple part of the story, but you are learning about everything together and realising the point to the story. You learn how Ticks become indestructible and how an Abducturae could change all of that.

OVERALL

Story: 8/10

Characterisation: 7/10

Re-readable: Yes 

Recommendable: Yes 

Overall I rate this book: 8/10

Over the past few years I have read a variety of different genres when it came to picking the perfect books to share with friends. Also over the years, when being given a book as a gift on a special occasion people never know what to get me in specific, and so they usually would look at a cover of a book and debate whether or not it would be something I would read. A few years ago all I would read were Fantasy and Vampire Fiction, typical teenage girl novels. And so people would buy me something to do with that. But after changing my taste and reading more widely I still allow myself to be attracted to a cover of a book to decide what I want to read. After seeing The Farm sitting on a shelf in a store, I was immediately attracted to it. I don't know what it was exactly, but once I had read the blurb I was hooked.
In no way does the book mention Vampires, or romance, or Fantasy or anything along those lines. But one I started I noticed that all three of those things were involved. Even though it wasn't your typical Vampire novel, whether you like sparkles or not, it wasn't a vampire romance.  It has a small love story, and a separate fantasy feel to it.

I would recommend this book to fans of Fantasy/Young Fiction readers.

The Fault In Our Stars

The Fault In Our Stars
Written by John Green

"I can't be a regular teenager... I'm a grenade waiting to go off."

About the Author
John Green grew up in Orlando, Florida, and after graduating Kenyon College in 2000, he went onto work with terminally ill children. His work with these youngsters inspired him to write The Fault In Our Stars.
He moved to Chicago where he worked as a Publishing Assistant whilst working on his novel Looking For Alaska. Green is also a online Vlogger and Educationalist.

The Story
The Fault In Our Stars is the story of Hazel Grace, 16 year old cancer patient from Indiana and her struggle against the monsters inside her body. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 Thyroid Cancer when she was only 13 years old. Hazels mother pushes her to attend group therapy meetings every week, and that is where she meets Augustus "Gus" Waters. Gus was a former basketball star who lost his right leg to osteosarcoma. Gus becomes infatuated with Hazel after her first words spoken to him. He persuades Hazel to spend some time with him and watch a movie at his house, she agrees. After swapping knowledge on films and books, Hazel tells Gus about her favourite book An Imperial Affliction. After becoming obsessed with it himself he goes out of his way to try and contact the author after Hazel had tried many times in the past.
When Gus is successful, Hazel asks for the email address he discovered and writes her own letter to the famous author, Peter Van Houten. The "Genies" (Fictional version of the Make a Wish Foundation) allow sick children to have one wish to do or see whatever they want. After Hazel had wasted hers a few years earlier on Disneyland, Gus offers to use his wish to fly her to Amsterdam to meet Peter Van Houten himself.

Characterisation
Character leads in the storyline include;

• Hazel Grace Lancaster - The stories lead protagonist and main character, she also acts as the narrator, as the story is told from her point of view.
• Augustus "Gus" Waters - Male lead character, young heartthrob and cancer survivor we follow in the story.
• Isaac - Gus's blind best friend and another fellow cancer survivor.
• Peter Van Houten - One time best seller of An Imperial Affliction, Hazels idol and all around freak show of a character.

Hazel was diagnosed with cancer when she was only 13 years old, just 3 months after her first period. She lives with both her mum and dad, as she is an only child. Which in the story worries her because she classes herself as a ticking time bomb. "A grenade waiting to go off." She worries that when she does finally pass on, her parents will be unable to carry on with life without her.

Gus is in remission after losing one of his legs to osteosarcoma. He is tall, slim and very good looking, and he knows it. Gus is first intrigued by Hazel because she resembles his late ex-girlfriend Caroline Mathers. Gus uses his "Genies Wish" to allow Hazel and himself to go and meet Peter Van Houten.
Isaac is Gus's best friend. At the start of our story he has only one eye after losing it to eye cancer, but he then goes completely blind further in due to the surgery he has to remove the cancer. Isaac is dating a young lady named Monica, but he is shortly dumped by her before he goes 100% blind because she "Didn't want to dump a blind guy" Isaac assumes.
Peter Van Houten comes into our story a little later than everyone else and also plays a major part in our connection between Hazel and Gus. After Gus offers to take Hazel to Amsterdam to meet her idol, they are disappointed to find that the man that they though was so great is actually a worthless drunk, and all around horrible guy. Hazel and Gus have been portrayed in a way in which you know that no matter what good or bad things may come along in their lives, they have found a place for each other and shall be there for each other every time.

Plot Lines
One of my favourite plot lines in the story is when Hazel and Gus are first on the plane, flying over the ocean on their way to Amsterdam when Gus asks Hazel to read him the poem that she was currently reading. But she tells him it isn't the sort of poem you can read out aloud. So he asks if she knows anything off the top of her head, and suddenly she starts to read out aloud a poem she had memorized. She memorizes the poem out aloud to Gus slowly, and when she finishes Gus turns to Hazel and tells her that he is in love with her. And Hazel replies in shock by just saying his name. This small scene in the book actually made a little voice in side of me say "AWW" with a very long "WWWWWWWWW" on the end of it.
From this event onwards, both Hazel and Gus start to grow closer. Hazel was shocked by his revelation as she told him that she didn't want to date him, as she was classing herself as a grenade waiting to go off, and didn't want the same thing to happen to him when he lost Caroline.
This was the scene in the book that made the whole book worth reading. Knowing that no matter what Hazel did, how much she fought to not be with Gus, fighting her feelings for him, he still wasn't going to give up on her. He was determined to be with her and he fought for her.

OVERALL

Story: 9/10

Characterisation: 9/10 (Purely for the detail of the characters and their connections to each other)

Re-readable: Yes

Recommendable: Yes

Overall I rate this book: 9/10

When reading a story that is touching to you, or heart warming, you get to a certain point where you literally do not want to have to put the book down again. You know in your heart that an author has done well with a novel when they are able to make you cry whilst reading. I got to a point in this book where I was crying so much, I couldn't control myself and had to put the book down and take a break before I could go back to it. The Fault In Our Stars is so BEAUTIFULLY written. It makes you wish you could write like that. John Green has honestly touched my heart with this book. It allows you to connect to the characters on another level, and if you have family member that has or had cancer, it really relates to you.

I look forward to reading more from John Green in the future, and I hope I am able to find another author that is able to make me feel the way that this book did.

A news story I found on the Internet allowed to me confirm that there will be a movie adaptation of this novel, to be released in 2014. I look forward to it already. I just hope it isn't going to be like My Sisters Keeper all over again. Blubbering and weeping like a baby at every turn point in the story.

I would recommend this book to fans of General Fiction

If you liked this, You will also like:

• My Sisters Keeper
• The Lovely Bones
• The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Sister Assasin

Sister Assasin
Written by Kierstan White

Trusting your instincts, could break your heart.

About the Author
Kiersten White is the NY Times Best selling author of Paranormalcy.
She lives with her husband and two children by the ocean, after moving from the mountains.

The Story
Seventeen year old Sofia has always worked to look after her older sister Annie. After Annie became blind, Sofia promises her parents to always take care of and watch over her sister. But then a tragic accident causes the girls parents to die, and they are made to go and live with their aunt. Until one day they are invited to attend a new school in which Annie is promised to have her eyesight restored.
The girls have been at the school for a few years when Sofia starts to release that the school is "wrong".
One day Sofia is sent out to perform an assassination on a young man she has never met and knows nothing about, but she changes her mind at the last minute and completely loses focus on her task at hand. Instead she saves the boys life.  The story then starts to revolve around how Sofia was trained to assassinate, to trick and fool others around her. But other students in the school are tested to see if they have psychic abilities. Which Annie does. She is able to see into the future, whereas Sofia does not have an ability. Sofia must fight to save her sister, while Annie blindly tries to do the same.

7 years ago our parents died.

5 years ago we came to this prison.

4 years ago I found out the truth.

3 years ago she killed for the first time.

An hour ago we fought back.

Characterisation

Our story revolves around our two main characters Sofia and her sister Annie.

To start off, I was really impressed in this story how one of the main characters has a certain characteristic that doesn't make them useless to the reader. Annie is blind, and has been from a very young age. But this didn't stop Kiersten White from allowing Annie to be fully apart of the story. Sofia has worked hard over the years to make sure that Annie is kept safe and that nothing comes in between them. Especially when they are moved to the new Keane institute, which passes for a school, when in fact it is a institute in which young girls are tested for psychic abilities.

James Keane, the son of the owner of the Keane institute, works hard in his everyday life to make sure that Sofia is kept alive. Each chapter in the story is based at a different moment over the last 7 years, which allows us to follow what happens to the characters and explain what is going on in the present tense.

James is your typical young gentleman. Slim, sexy and always being chased after by girls. Sofia has liked James for a long time, but after James takes a small interest in Sofia, things turn around on Sofia.

At the start of our story, Sofia is sent out to kill a young man who we come to find is names Adam. Adam is a nineteen year old boy who is also described as, slim, sexy and has eyes to die for. Adam is a minor character, but most of the storyline revolves around how Sofia and him eventually come to bumping into each other again.

Plot Lines

Each chapter in the story takes turns in the girls point of view. Chapter one is from Sofia's point of view, and chapter two shall be from Annie's. And so on and so forth. I liked how this was done also for the fact the chapters are set at different points in time. For example, a chapter may be from Annies point of view from 5 years ago, the next chapter may then be told by Sofia in the present, and then the next might be Sofia again, but from 4 years ago. It allows us to engage in what has happened to the girls in the past and link it to the present at the same time. Whilst still following the story line and learning about the goings on.

My favourite plot line within the story is Sofia's fight scene in the present tense. After saving Adams life, she is met by three very tall and very dark coated men. Sensing danger she goes into panic mode and pushes forward to kick ass. It takes your through her emotions at the time, the way she felt about the situation, everything she did in that moment, what moves she made and how it also affected Adam too.

OVERALL

Story:  7/10

Characterisation: 6/10

Re-readable: Maybe

Recommendable: Yes

Overall I rate this book: 7½/10

Only a few small things annoyed me with the way this book was written. And that was firstly, the way the ending turned out. It got to the end and suddenly you didn't know what to do with yourself. Sofia decides she wants to fight back against the Keane institute, but that is it. Sofia may as well have walked off into the sunset because we shall never know what actually happens at the end. Does she fight? Does she walk away?

Another small thing that seemed to irritate me after a while is the way Sofia used to talk. On occasion, she would repeat a single word 3 times, and it would be the most random word to actually repeat. Out of the ordinary, it had no reason to be repeated in the first place.

Apart from those two bad points, I was very impressed with the book as a whole. 

I was reading about how the Author like to write about love scenes, action and paranormal stuff. She managed to work in the action, and a minimal amount of love scenes, which was good because you don't want too much love to ruin action, and she made it the perfect teen action novel.

Beautiful Creatures

Original book Cover

Beautiful Creatures
Written by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Is falling in love the beginning... Or the end?

About the Author
Long time friends, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, have worked together over the past few years on the entire Caster Chronicles series (Known in the UK as the Beautiful Creatures series).

The Story
Ethan Wate is your typical small town boy from Gatlin, South Carolina. Gatlin is a small community, where everybody knows everything about everybody else. After Ethan's mother dies in a tragic accident, he is known as "Ethan Wate Whose Mamma Died Just Last Year". Upon meeting the new girl at school, known as Lena Duchannes, his world would be turned upside down.
Lena has moved from state to state with her family after her parents died when she was just a baby. However after moving to Gatlin to live with her Uncle Macon Ravenwood, she starts to get the reputation known as "Crazy Old Man Ravenwoods Niece". Lena has some dark secrets that she wishes to keep buried deep, but Ethan finds a way to creep into her life unexpectedly, and her secrets start to reveal themselves. Lena is found to be a "Caster", a mystical being of magic, which little is revealed about, however all Casters are born with a different talent.
On Lena's sixteenth birthday, she will be claimed either by the side of Light or Dark. If Lena is claimed to the Light, she will become one of the most powerful Casters in the world. However if Lena is claimed by Darkness, It will bring grave danger to all mortals and Casters alike.

Sixteen Moons, Sixteen Years,

Sixteen of Your Deepest Fears, 

Sixteen Times You Dreamed My Tears,

Falling, Falling Through The Years...

Characterisation
A large ensemble of characters are present in the story including:

• Ethan Waite - The stories main protagonist, the story is told from his point of view. 
• Lana Duchannes - Lead female role. Known as one of the most powerful Casters in existence
• Macon Ravenwood - Lana's uncle and guardian. Owner of Ravenwood manor, a sanctuary for Casters of Light.
• Amma - Ethan's Housekeeper, Spiritualist and Tarot reader.

Ethan is a typical 15 year old boy, living the high school life and trying to stay out of trouble as much as possible. But then he meets Lena, a young and beautiful 15 year old girl, who has moved around the country with her family. When Lena was only a few years younger she was home schooled with her cousin Ridley. Ridley is a tall, long-legged blonde with cat like eyes and the power of persuasion. When Ridley turned sixteen she was claimed by the Dark, and lost all contact with her family after being cast away. Ridley now spends her days trying to find ways to get back into the Ravenwood household.

Macon Ravenwood is the owner of Ravenwood Manor, the one place that all young Casters, who haven't yet been claimed, and light Casters who need sanctuary come to live. He is Lena's uncle and legal guardian, after she moved with her Aunt to Gatlin.

After Ethan's mother died, and his father started to lock himself away in his study, Ethan's old nanny Amma, begins to look after him and make sure he stays out of trouble. Amma has always been a believer in the supernatural, and likes to tell the future by reading tarot cards. When Ethan learns that Amma knows Macon Ravenwood, he begins to wonder what other secrets Amma has been keeping from him, and begins to try to uncover those secrets.

Plot Lines
The first chapter takes us straight into the story. Ethan wakes from a dream of him trying to save a girl from falling. He does not seem to know the girl however, and has never met her before, yet seems to know a lot about her. When he awakens, he finds a mysterious song on his iPod, a song that he knows for a fact he did not download. He remembers having dreams like this before, but isn't quite sure why.
After meeting Lena in the story, Ethan begins to think he recognises her, and can't quite put his finger on why. He hears the song once again when he is in class and begins to fall into a daydream. The same dream in which he is trying to save a girl from falling, only this time remembering that he leaves a mark on her wrist. After class, he tries to find out where the song was coming from and who was singing it. He rushes to find out who it was, and learns it was the new girl, Lena Duchannes. When Ethan finds her, he notices that she has a mark on her wrist, the same one that Ethan left the girl with in his dream.
This plot line allows up to get into the story and intrigues us into how Lena and Ethan have come to cross paths. How is Ethan able to leave marks on a real person, after only seeing them in a dream?

Another significant plot line in the story is when Ethan and Lena go to the Gatlin public library and try to find out some more information about the history of Gatlin. They try to find out anything they can about a certain mysterious lady from the past named Genevieve Duchannes who lived nearly 100 years ago.

 I felt this was a good plot line, because we are learning more about the point of the story and some more about the history of Casters and the origins Lena and the Duchannes. 

OVERALL

Story: 8/10

Characterisation: 8/10

Re-readable: Yes (At least read the rest of the series first)

Recommendable: Yes (Was given it by a friend, definitely worth reading) 

Overall I rate this book:  8/10

I first read this book back in 2010, after being recommended it by a friend. I loved it from the moment I picked it up, and it kept me hooked all the way to the end. After finding out that the book was being made into a film adaptation, I knew I just had to re-read it, to refresh my memory in anticipation for its upcoming theatrical release. Within the first few pages I knew exactly what was going on, and my memory flashed back to everything I had read 3 years ago.

Beautiful Creatures is a beautiful read in itself, and a wonder to have read more then just once. It is the start of a grand series known as the "Caster Chronicles". The book is followed by; Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos & Beautiful Redemption

Beautiful Creatures is due for release on February 13th 2013, starring Alice Englert as Lena, Alden Ehrenreich as Ethan, and Emma Thompson as Sarafine.

The Death & Life of Charlie St. Cloud

The Death & Life of Charlie St. Cloud
Written by Ben Sherwood

"Trust your heart, If the sea's catch fire (and live by love, though the stars walk backward)"

About the Author

Ben Sherwood worked as a producer and associate producer for ABC News from the year 1989 to 1993. Sherwood has worked on Non-fiction writing for many years, and has been published in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Parade Magazine and many other newspapers.

The Story
After a horrific car accident causes Sam St. Cloud to pass away, his older brother Charlie goes through everyday life with a heavy weight on his shoulders. When Charlie St. Cloud was only fifteen years old, he took his brother and his pet beagle, Oscar, to a Red Sox game. However on the return home, they crash into a lorry driver and fall over the side of a bridge, causing them both to pass on to the afterlife. Upon being found in the crushed car wreckage, Charlie is saved by the paramedics. Unfortunately However Sam is not. As Charlie grows up, he realises that thanks to his near death experience, he now has powers to see the deceased, and begins to work in the cemetery that Sam was buried in, and every evening at sundown, Charlie goes to see Sam and play catch with him. This goes on for a while, before Charlie is introduced to Tess Carroll, a young sailor on the verge or sailing around the world by herself. Tess soon comes to meet Charlie, and they hit it off straight away, until tragedy strikes and neither of them know how to handle the situation.

Characterisation
The novel has a small group of characters, the following three are our main characters in which our story revolves around:

• Charlie St.Cloud - Our main character, the story is centred around his experiences and told from his point of view
• Sam St. Cloud - Charlie's younger deceased brother
• Tess Carroll - The main female character and Charlie's love interest

Charlie is a bright and sweet 28 year old guy who wants nothing more than to just get on with his life as the days go by. He spends his days working at the Waterside Cemetery, burying the deceased residents of the town, whilst working alongside his good friend, Joe the Atheist. After a long day’s work digging up graves and filling them in again, Charlie might decide to cut the grass or trim some bushes, but never forgetting that every evening at exactly sundown, he must go to meet with his brother Sam in the Forest of Shadows at the edge of the cemetery and spend the first few hours of darkness playing catch. Charlie has kept up this same routine for the past thirteen years, never breaking the promise he made Sam when they were in the afterlife.
Being a twelve year old in the afterlife cannot be easy for Sam.
He loves being able to spend time with his brother in the evenings, but during the day he is nothing but a wondering spirit. We only ever encounter Sam in the story if he is being met by Charlie. Sam seems happy where he is, even though he may be lonely at times, but he always knows that Charlie will be along soon to meet him.
Tess is our young lead female in the story. She is a strong willed and strong hearted character and will stop at nothing to make sure that she can do what she wants to do, whether that be getting her
own way with her friend Tink, or sailing solo in an around the world race. Tess meets Charlie unexpectedly, and a bond is immediately created. Tess may have finally found the one she has been looking for.
Other characters mentioned throughout the story include, Tink, Tess's good friend who works on Tess' boat with her, Joe the Atheist, A friend of Charlie's who works in the cemetery, and Grace, Tess' mother.

All characters in the story seem to have things worked out for them. Tink has decided to work on boats, Tess wants to sail to world solo, and Sam just wants to spend the rest of his dead life experience making sure his brother lives a full life. Charlie however, doesn't quite seem to know what he wants to do. He was given a second chance at life when he was brought back from the dead, and he has not seemed to have found what it is he was meant to do in life.


Plot Lines
In this story I noticed a few plot lines that I liked, whilst there were others I didn't quite like as much. To start, I liked the idea of Charlie being able to visit his dead brother in the cemetery every evening at sundown. That made me happy because everyone wants to know that their loved ones are happy, or in a better place when they pass, but Charlie is actually able to see his brother and spend time with him. The bond between Charlie and Tess after Tess finds out she is a ghost is quite wonderful. You see romance bloom in many different forms in movies and TV shows, but I have not come across a ghost and human connection. A plot line that I did not quite enjoy however, was when Tess finally finds out she is a ghost. After being shown around by Sam on the workings of being a ghost, she goes back to see Charlie in his cottage, and there Charlie takes Tess up into his bedroom and the two engage in intercourse. My main question is how? It has been made clear in the story that Charlie is able to touch Tess and Sam in the afterlife, as they have not yet crossed over to the other side. They are technically caught in the "Middle Realm" which is between life and death. But yet it baffles me how the two are able to do what they do. It made the story predictable from here on out and it made the story quite difficult to read.

OVERALL

Story: 6/10
Characterisation: 7/10
Re-readable: No
Recommendable: Yes

Overall I rate this book: 7/10

In the past I have read many novels. Many different genres, whether they be supernatural, sci-fi, romance and many others. I have read a lot of romance novels, and I would say “The Death & Life of Charlie St. Cloud” fits the genre nicely. There is a deep connection between Charlie and Tess which at first I liked a lot. Their bond made me want to know how the situation they found themselves in was going to affect them, but then all of a sudden within a page turn, I was bored of it. At first I was shocked at the revelation that Tess was what she was, and Charlie was just walking around as if he did this sort of thing every day, but as the bond grew between Tess and Charlie, I came to find that it was getting predictable. The novel itself has thirty-seven chapters, but by the time I got around the chapter twenty-five everything became predictable. I knew how the story was going to go in the following pages and how the story would end. This made it hard to read and I found it hard to continue, as if pushing my way through forcefully.

Theatrical Poster (2010)

The novel was made into a film adaptation in 2010 starring teen heart-throb Zac Efron. Much of the film has been changed, as all film adaptations of books are, but the start of the movie has a completely different beginning. Charlie appears to be a different age, and has a different reason for driving.

I enjoyed the book to a point, but it did start to become predictable. I would however, recommend it to others as a one-time read.

I would recommend this book to fans of Romance.



Other books by Ben Sherwood:

1. The Man Who Ate the 747
2. The Survivors Club - The Secrets and Science That Could Save Your Life

Kensuke's Kingdom

Book Cover (1999) 

Kensuke's Kindom
Written by Michael Morpurgo

"I heard the wind above me in the sails..."
"You shouldn't be doing this... I was in the cold of the sea before I could even open my mouth to scream"

About the Author
Michael Morpurgo was born in Hertfordshire, England in 1943. He attended the London University, where he studied English and French. Morpurgo first started a career in teaching in a primary school in Kent. During this time he realised that what he wanted to do most in life, was write stories for children.

The Story
Kensuke's Kingdom is a story within a story. The young lead character Michael is telling us the tale of when he was once washed up on the shore of a desert island. After Michaels family decide to take off on an around the world trip on their new boat, the "Peggy Sue", Michael must say goodbye to all his friends and his beloved Gran. However just over halfway through their trip whilst Michael is on watch one night on the deck, when he notices that his best friend - his pet dog - Stella Artios, had fallen over board. When Michael tries to reach for Stella, he realises too late that he is not wearing his life jacket and falls into the water. Before he knows it, Stella has disappeared and so has the Peggy Sue with his parents on board. No land is to be seen for miles and Michael is left alone in the water. When he awakens on the hot sand of a desert island, he finds that he is alone and no chance of finding anybody.

Is he really alone on the island?

Or will he find someone who is able to get him home?

Will he ever get back home?

Characterisation
Our leading characters are as followed:

• Michael - An 11 year old male protagonist that tells the story of being stranded in our story.
• Kensuke - The man that our story revolves around. Kensuke and his wide open desert island home offer key aspects of the story
• Stella Artois - Michael's pet dog and best friend. 

Michael, our young lead character, is an 11 year old boy who has set sail with his family to travel the world. He has had to leave his friends and the rest of his family behind, abandon his football team and his old home for his new life on board The Peggy Sue. Michael's pet dog Stella has a very deep connection with Michael. This may sound silly to some, considering the fact that Stella is in fact a dog, but many dog owners will know that you can create that special connection with your loyal companion. In the story both Michael and Stella become stranded together on the desert island, and must fight for their survival. However, just reading about Michaels feelings towards the fact he has Stella, that he is not lost alone, but the fact he has a friend nearby, makes the reader wish they had that sort of connection.

Kensuke, our other lead character, enters the story a little later on in the book. He is first introduced when Michael lands on the island. Michael learns of Kensuke's existence after building a fire to gain passing ships attention, however he is not happy about Michaels actions as he doesn't wish to be found and rescued, or even discovered for that matter. The reader begins to wonder why that is, why would someone that appears to have been stranded for, who knows how long, want to stay any longer? This raises questions, which us as the reader are intrigued to find out. Between the first meeting of Michael and Kensuke, Kensuke shows hostility towards Michael. He doesn't want Michael to start a fire and begins to berate him. However we find that every morning when Michael awakens in a nearby cave he discovered, he always comes to find that Kensuke has left him some fresh water and food to eat. 

Plot Lines
In this story there is a definite start, middle and end. The beginning explains how Michael and his family first come to buying the boat and why they want to set sail. Saying goodbye to their friends and family, and just beginning their new life together.
The first major plot line in our story, I think, is when Michael first gets thrown over the side of the boat. Our author describes in detail how Michael is feeling stranded in the middle of the ocean, his fear and what might become of him. But when he is washed up on the shore, the real story begins. Michael must fight to survive on a desert island with only his dog by his side. We follow Michael as he searches the island and tried to find food and fresh water to drink. We learn of the howling from the trees, and how he fears something may be out there ready to eat him alive.
The next bog event is when the reader is introduced to Kensuke for the first time. The reader paints a picture of a frail old man, which intrigues us as the reader. Meeting Kensuke is the readers first introduction to "Kensuke's Kingdom". Michael refers to the island as "Kensuke's Kingdom" because he has yet to meet anybody else. Kensuke might just well be the only living soul on the island, and Michael realises he must trust and befriend him to stay alive.
The chapters in the book are quite long in some places, but they helped to add extra detail and flesh out certain parts of the story. Michael is able to describe everything, what he can see, hear, smell and sometimes taste in the air. But it all adds up to help us create a mental image of what Michael may is experiencing, whether he considers it a dream, or a nightmare.

OVERALL

Story: 8½/10

Characterisation: 8/10

Re-readable: Yes (Have read this at least 8 times over)

Recommendable: Yes (Convincing a friend to read it at the moment)

Overall I rate this book: 8/10

The first time I ever read Kensuke's Kingdom, I was roughly around 12 years of age and was still in primary school. I felt the book made a real connection with me, which made me want to read it again and again.
Michael Morpurgo is in fact a children's writer, and Kensuke's Kingdom is a children's book, however, the story is so well written and in depth that I would recommend the book to any person of any age. The story has really stuck in my mind over the years, I have read it nearly 10 times in total. "Kensuke's Kingdom" is one of my favourite books of all time, and I can honestly say I know I will read it again in the future will and probably pass it on to my kids.  Michael Morpurgo is also the writer of The War Horse which was released as a film adaptation starring Jeremy Irvine, which was released in 2011.

The story of Kensuke's Kingdom is short book to read, whether it be to yourself or to your children, because I guarantee they will love it as much as you do. I loved it at the age of 10, and it has been nearly 10 years since, and I still love every page of it. A classic in disguise. If you liked The War Horse, then I know you will love Kensuke's Kingdom. 

I would recommend this book to Young Fiction readers.





Other books by Michael Morpurgo:

1. The War Horse
2. The Sleeping Sword
3. Escape from Shangri-La
4. Twist of Gold

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

2010 Original Cover

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
Written by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

"I've left some clues for you. If you want them, turn the page.If you don't, put the book back on the shelf, please."

About the Author
Rachel Cohn was born in Silver Spring, Maryland. She attended Barnard College, and graduated with a B.A in Political Science. David Levithan was born in Short Hills New Jersey. At age 19 he was offered an internship at Scholastic Corporation. This is where he began writing The Baby-Sitters Club series.
Cohn and Levithan have written 3 novels together and both work as full time authors in the United States.

The Story
Our story begins with young Dash taking a stroll around his favourite book shop, The Strand, when he suddenly comes across a red Moleskine notebook. He opens it to find a note, he presumes from a girl due to the neatness of the handwriting, and a list of book names and numbers. Little does he know that by cracking the code in the notebook and passing it on, he finds himself caught in the middle of a goose chase, but nevertheless the romantic adventure of a life time. Dear, sweet and innocent Lily has no idea who has picked up her Moleskine, no clue of his name or what he looks like, just the hope that he is the right guy for her. But with the help of her well connected family, she is able to find ways to communicate with Dash through the notebook, without the pair ever crossing paths.

Is Dash the right guy for Lily? 

Or are they only destined to share dreams and desires, and not each other?

Will their personalities connect just like inside the notebook?

Or will they be a mismatch of outrageous proportions?

The Characters
The story has a wide range of characters. Main characters in our story are as follows:

• Lily - The female protagonist, and the reason the notebook began.
• Dash - Young, dashing male lead character, the one to find the notebook and start the journey.
• Langston - Lily's homosexual brother. The person who gives Lily the notebook idea in the first place.
• Boomer - Dash's best friend. Usually sent on an errand by Dash to drop off the notebook in mysterious places.

Keeping in mind that our main characters take quite a while to meet in person, the connection that is built through the notebook is amazing. Lily and Dash are able to get to know each other through the power of writing. By giving each other dares and challenges, they are allowing each other access to their worlds. The relationship between Dash and Lily is extraordinary, They were able to form a friendship, and eventually a romance with one another based on what they had read.

Minor characters related to Lily include; her cousin Mark, and Mrs Basil. E, her Great Aunt. 

Mark works at The Strand bookstore and was able to pass on the notebook back to Lily once Dash had figured out the code. Mrs Basil. E was Lily's great aunt who worked at Madam Thussauds NY, and also helped pass on the notebook between Dash to Lily.

Other characters mentioned in the novel include Lily's Grandpa, Sofia, Yohnny, Dov and Priya.
Sofia is Dash's ex-girlfriend from before her family moved to Spain. Priya is a young girl that Dash goes to school with, and is also good friends with Sofia. Yohhny and Dov are good friends of Dash's who help him with one of the notebook swaps, but they fail when Lily makes a run for it.

Plot Lines
I have read many romance novels in the past. Stories that capture your heart no mater what the circumstances, but I love when an author is able to create a new way that a couple can meet. I have read novels when couples will meet unexpectedly, some in high schools, some through pen-pal letters, others when the couple meet through paranormal or supernatural circumstances, but I love how original the meeting of our characters in this story is. The premise of someone leaving a notebook for me to find is quite intriguing. I could honestly say that it would make me want to find out who the person was. Many people are not spontaneous and will refuse to take on a challenge, or will not do something because of what the consequences may turn out to be. Dash, however, surprised me by actually wanting to get to know the girl who caught his attention.

Another aspect that I really liked about the story was the places and people that were visited and met, and how they became involved with the story surrounding the notebook.
In one way or another, each character will eventually be connected to the notebook. Langston and his boyfriend Benny were the idea behind the notebook, Lily placed it, Dash found it, Mark passed it on, Boomer gave it to Lily, and so on and so forth.
My favourite aspect of the book was the challenges introduced by the characters. My favourite challenge was Lily sending Dash to see Santa to receive a letter from her. Little did Dash know that Santa was actually Lily's Uncle Carmine. he was asked to rub Santa's belly if he really wanted to get Lily's letter and was consequently chased around Macy's for the unacceptable touching of Santa.

The novel has been written from both characters points of view. Our first chapter is based from Dash's point of view when he finds the notebook. And then the second chapter is based from Lily's point of view before she wrote in the notebook. Chapters alternate between characters, but also alternate between days of the week. The story starts on December 21st and ends on New Years day.

OVERALL

Story: 8/10

Characterisation: 9/10

Re-Readable: Yes

Recommend to a friend: Yes

Overall I rate this book: 8/10

I loved this book for a few main reasons.

1. The authors have found an original way to allow our characters to meet. The fact it had to be by chance adds a little suspense to the story. The tension that built up to the characters meeting makes you want to know how its going to happen.
2. The bond that is created between Dash and Lily, even though they only write to each other. They have never met before, have no idea of what the other looks like, yet they have got to know each other through the power of not really knowing each other. "Never judge a book by its cover" is something you always hear in movies or on a television show, but this book just goes to show that you don't need to be able to tell a difference between the way that someone looks, and what is really on the inside.

Release Poster (1998)

I have read that people are describing "Dash and Lily's Book of Dares" as the new "You've Got Mail", because it is based around new young locals of Manhattan. It has been said that the inevitable meeting between the two is similar to the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan love story, however i do not agree with this, as "Dash and Lily's Book of Dares" introduces two completely new parties and it does not follow the ideas of a regular romance. 

The basis of the story is about whether the connection between Lily and Dash will ever be a true connection, or whether it may just all fall through. The love story that could or, could not have a happy ending.

I recommend this book to fans of Young Teen Romance.

Other books by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

1. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
2. Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List

For Fans of:

• Rachel Cohn (GingerBread)
• David Levithan (Boy Meets Boy)
• Kate Lauren (Torment)

If you liked this, you'll also like:

• Becca Fitzpatrick - Hush Hush
• L.J Smith - Secret Vampire
• L.J Smith - Strange Fate