Okay. So I hope no one hates me for this, but I finished The Perks of Being a Wallflower...and I hated it. There, I said it. This was probably one of Okay. So I hope no one hates me for this, but I finished The Perks of Being a Wallflower...and I hated it. There, I said it. This was probably one of the worst books I have ever read. I'm not going to lie, I wanted to read it for the hype and the movie coming out. But at this point, I will not even watch the movie.I ended up reading parts of the book aloud to my husband to see if it was just me. I wish I could have taken a picture of his face during some of the scenes-priceless.
Why did I have issues with the book?
*Well it starts that he is a 15 year old who is writing anonymous letters to some person he never met but just heard she was a good listener? How did he get her address? And he wrote to her for a little over a year, or close to it?
*He is pouring out his heart and soul to this anonymous person but he is too scared to use any real names, places, etc just in case she puts 2 and 2 together and discovers who he is?
*Charlie is 15 years old and he doesn't know what masturbation is and/or assumes someone who is older than him doesn't know what it is? Then explains to her what it is...And he tells her about masturbation and having masturbation breaks at work instead of coffee breaks just to be cute? What?! "I'm only trying to be cute here. I don't really mean it. I just wanted to make you smile. I meant the "wow" though." (The "wow" statement being more of a trick to being cute.) This seriously pissed me off. Not that he either didn't know about it or whatever. But he started talking about it to a female stranger. I almost stopped the book here.
*How naive/sheltered do you have to be to not know when someone is being raped? My disgust was so huge at this point that I almost stopped reading. He knew enough to later ask "He raped that girl didn't he?" He helped that asshole rape the girl in my opinion because he didn't try to stop it or get help. He just sat there and covered his ears!
*Charlie did not appear to be any 15 year old I've ever encountered. Just the amount of crying makes me curious about him-is there something a bit more serious going on than just needing a shrink? Why doesn't his family realize this?
So with all my dislike for the book, there is one thing that I did appreciate. Through the course of the book we see Charlie's mental decline. He is not doing so well and needs help-and by the end of the book he gets it. And I had to keep telling myself 'This is 1991/2 Ginny.' And I guess kudos for trying to include every single teen issue in one book. Drugs, sex, alcohol, teen pregnancy, rape, suicide, abortion, masturbation, molestation, homophobia, being gay, um what else..oh physical abuse. Yeah, I think that was all of them. Unfortunately it was not executed very well. In fact, seemed far fetched and almost forced.
Would I recommend this train wreck to anyone? No. I honestly have not disliked a book so much. I do not see any 'coming of age' or anything special about the book. Even the format was not special to me!
Ugh, on the bright side, at least I can say I've read the book now. That's the only perk of the book....more
Eight girls. One list. Pretty or ugly. For Danielle, Abby, Candace, Lauren, Sarah, Bridget, Jennifer, and Margo their lives will neveComplete review here
Eight girls. One list. Pretty or ugly. For Danielle, Abby, Candace, Lauren, Sarah, Bridget, Jennifer, and Margo their lives will never be the same. Who will rise above the list? And who will overcome it?
Originally, I thought reading a book from eight different POVs would not work, but it did. Granted, i did have to post-it note the list page so I could refer back to it! Each and every reaction was different; some expected, and some not so much. For most, the list is petty, frivolous, and a status symbol. But for others it has devastating effects: eating disorder, failing grades, broken relationships, and loss of friendships. Family relations are strained for some of the girls. But for one girl, she shines and grows as a result of the list. Is it for the better though?
I thought this was a great book. If not for list copycats sprouting up in school, I'd put this on my "Should be Read in School" shelf-but no. Reading it, I felt like I was back in high school dealing with the cliques, the popular crowd, the outcasts, etc.
The only character I truly felt connected to was Bridget. Of them all, the list had the most impact, and as a result, her story arc felt the most real. Then there is Candace. She who is pretty on the outside, but so so ugly on the inside. It may be mean, but I enjoyed her fall. And lastly, Jennifer and Margo. They used to be BFFs and now they aren't, and on opposite sides of the list. What was the real reason for their split?
There were a couple issues I had with the book overall. The biggest though was the clothing. Wool skirts? Cardigans? I had trouble buying into the wardrobe choices for these girls. The only one who actually made sense was Sarah: jeans, black tshirt.
The ending left me with my jaw dropped. I didn't expect it at all! But I thought it was utterly beautiful. One of my favorite book endings ever....more
"Princes are not supposed to be handsome! They're sniveling, stupid, repulsive creatures! This one...this...How unfair of him to be rFull review here
"Princes are not supposed to be handsome! They're sniveling, stupid, repulsive creatures! This one...this...How unfair of him to be royal and beautiful."
Celaena is stuck in the middle of the dreaded love triangle. As much as I hate them, I actually found this one to be okay. There was a subtlety in the way the Captain of the Guard, Chaol, and Celaena feel for each other. Neither one is overt, neither gives much thought to it. Then we have Prince Dorian who is obvious; in fact many people around him suspect his feelings. And it seems that our assassin feels the same...
As far as the love interests go, I have nothing invested in Chaol as a character. But Dorian? Try as I might I am falling for him. And he is NOT my book crush type AT ALL! Typically it would be Chaol. As you can see, I am very confused by this turn of events!
The supporting cast for the most part was enjoyable. I wish we could have more about Nehemia. Nehemia is a visiting Princess, she and Celaena become friends and end up helping each other more than they realize. For me, she was the most interesting character. I truly hope we have more with her later on...maybe even her own book!
Overall, I enjoyed the story. My attention and curiosity were piqued throughout the entirety. Not once did I pick up another novel to read in between. (Yes, I have a bad habit of doubling up on books.) I love the initial premise. But there was something about the premise that bothered me. The King is looking for his Champion. So he devises a series of tests to weed out those not worthy, to end with a duel. Okay, that's all well and good. But, why is he testing criminals? There are assassins, thieves, brutes, etc. Not one single "good" person in the mix. That irritated me for some reason. Who knows, maybe the King has some nefarious purpose coming up that would require a criminal.
My biggest issue with Throne of Glass came at the end of the book. I am still puzzled over it two days later.
"All the clothing Celaena planned to buy when she was free to venture into Rifthold and do some shopping for herself..."
I'm sorry, but what the hell?! First off, Celaena never acted like a woman who was into shopping, or clothes in general. And there is the issue with the use of the word "shopping." While this is a fantasy book, it also has a historical feel to it. And in that sense, would a castle resident really go out to shop? Would they even use the word? Wouldn't there be a tailor that came by to personalize the clothing? This one phrase completely broke the aura of the novel for me.
Anyway, with the exception of those two issues, I highly enjoyed this book! And I am so ready for the sequel! ...more
My first introduction to this book was at one of the itty bitty libraries in my town. I was there to get another book, but saw this one, and thought H
My first introduction to this book was at one of the itty bitty libraries in my town. I was there to get another book, but saw this one, and thought Hmmmm. Plus it was small. And I'm not going to lie, I was in the mood was a quick read. I read reviews when I got home. Some good, some not, some mixed.
Well, today was the day that I read it. And holy crap. Those 190 pages FLEW! At one point my jaw dropped, and once I picked it back up, I continued on my merry reading way. One thing that helped, Schreiber did not spend a lot of time giving us background on Gobi as an exchange student in Perry's home. It was short, sweet, and to the point. Because really, the story was about her being a badass "Lithuanian ninja!" (As Perry calls her.)
The story takes on the form of a college application essay. Each chapter is headed by an application question, which also falls in line with the chapter. One of my favorites "What single word best describes you, and why?" The first sentence on that chapter? '"Dick," my best friend Norrie, burst out. "You are being such a dick!"' So much awesomeness!
This was seriously a heart-pounding thrill ride of a book! Given some of the novels I've read in the past, I do not think this book was too gory or bloody. But still, maybe recommend this to some older readers :P So, if you like smart ass dialogue, ninjas, assassins, thrill rides, and whatever else you can think of, go out and grab a copy of Au Revoir Crazy European Chick!
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