Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Shaffer & Annie Barrows

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
Release Date: June 2009
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
Pages: 280

My Rating: 

From Goodreads: "It's 1946, and as Juliet Ashton sits at her desk in her Chelsea flat, she is stumped. A writer of witty newspaper columns during the war, she can't think of what to write next. Out of the blue, she receives a letter from one Dawsey Adams of Guernsey - by chance he's acquired a book Juliet once owned - and, emboldened by their mutual love of books, they begin a correspondence.

Dawsey is a member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and it's not long before the rest of the members write to Juliet - including the gawky Isola, who makes home-made potions, Eben, the fisherman who loves Shakespeare, and Will Thisbee, rag-and-bone man and chef of the famous potato peel pie. As letters fly back and forth, Juliet comes to know the extraordinary personalities of the Society and their lives under the German occupation of the island. Entranced by their stories, Juliet decides to visit the island to meet them properly - and unwittingly turns her life upside down."

See below the bump for the review! :D

Short Review: Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar

Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar

Released: June 29th 2009
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia
Source: Library

My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Raw Blue was an excellent read. I highly enjoyed it, even though it had me cringing at the Aussie slang in parts! Do we really sound like that?! Oh well this just added to the books awesomeness really. It is so refreshing to find a good Australian contemporary writer. It was such an emotional roller coaster. I could not put it down. Raw Blue is a book about finding yourself after terrible circumstances and trusting someone enough to let them into your life and love you. Kirsty Eagar is a literary genius and I can't wait to read more of her work. I have Night Beach waiting to be read and I'm excited!

Happy reading!
- Amy

Review: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

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Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
Release Date: August 1st 2011 (Australia) February 14th 2011 (America)
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Edition: Egalley
Goodreads | Book Depository


My Rating 4.5/5 Stars

From Goodreads: "Let me make it in time. Let me meet Shadow. The guy who paints in the dark. Paints birds trapped on brick walls and people lost in ghost forests. Paints guys with grass growing from their hearts and girls with buzzing lawn mowers."

It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about.

His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere.

Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.

But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes."

I requested this book on NetGalley and was super excited when I got an email saying that my request had been approved! Since I'm an Aussie and this is an Aussie book I was pretty excited!

Set in suburban Melbourne this book follows the story of Lucy and Shadow. 
Shadow is a graffiti artist who has sprayed pieces all over the town. His pieces are accompanied by poetry by his friend Poet. their true identities has been kept hidden to ensure they don't get caught by the cops. 

From the start we as the reader know their identities. Shadow is known as Ed and Poet is Leo. When we are first introduced to Ed he seems arrogant, but that could possibly be because he is re-meeting Lucy after dropping out of school not long after she broke his nose. Ed has always been able to express himself through art. Studying art in school he was expected to learn the history of certain artist. He finds himself being judged for not being book smart when he knows just as much about art as the next student, he has just learnt it in a less conventional way.

Leo's chapters were significantly different to Ed's and Lucy's. His were made up of poetry. From his poetry you can see how much he grows and changes as a character throughout the book. I have to say that I pretty much skimmed over these chapters though. I'm not big on poetry, and got so caught up in Ed and Lucy that I just wanted to know what happened with them next.

Lucy has seen and loved all of Shadow's pieces. She understands his work in a way that other people don't. She wants to meet the famous Shadow, believing that a boy who can create such works of art would be different to all the jerks out there. Lucy is a great character. She doesn't take any nonsense from anyone. She is smart, book smart and loves art. Spending most of her time in a glass blowing shop. She wants to meet Shadow, thinking that he will have the same appreciation for art as she does, and she isn't wrong.

Getting forced in to a spending a night together Lucy and Ed finds themselves in search of Shadow. What Lucy doesn't know is that Shadow is Ed and he is taking her on a wild goose chase! As the story goes on Ed realises that Lucy doesn't want to meet Shadow for the sake of meeting him, she thinks that he really does have a talent and that he could be worth all of her chasing. What he doesn't count on is Lucy and Ed hitting it off so well. Especially after the nose breaking incident. Lucy starts to think that she doesn't want Shadow, she likes Ed more than someone she may have no chance of meeting.

Lucy and Ed are both very likeable characters once you get to know them. I really felt that they grew as characters as the story went on and their relationship grew. This book was beautifully written, the descriptions of Shadow's graffiti pieces were very well done, I can picture them in my mind.

Graffiti Moon was an easy and fun Aussie read that covered some deeper problems of society. I look forward to checking out more work by Cath Crowley!

Have you read any Aussie YA that you can suggest for me?

Happy reading!
- Amy

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Release Date: January 1st 2011
Publisher:
Goodreads | Book Depository

My Rating 4.5/5

From Goodreads: "Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?"

I have to admit that when I bought this one I didn't know what it was about. I had read so many good things about it that when I saw it at my local K-Mart for a pretty good price, so I just bought it. I didn't even read the back!! Though I had heard many great things about it, they were just vague "OMG so amazing!" statements, rather than plot info.

Karou is our main character of this fantastic story. A seemingly human girl raised by a group Chimaera, who she considers her family. Brimstone, her father figure, has raised her to be part of both the human world and his world, Elsewhere. She is a complete mystery to her friends (and sometimes even to herself). She has mastered the act of telling the truth in a way people think she is lying. But really who would take her seriously if she said that there was such thing as Angels and other fantastical creatures? Instead she has become famous among her friends for drawing and creating stories with them. Stories that actually happen, but her friends don't need to know that. Karou is a bad ass! She can knows how to look out for herself and she has been trained in martial arts. There is no messing with this chick! Though she leads an action packed and interesting life, Karou doesn't feel whole. There is something missing and she doesn't know what.

In walks (or rather flies I suppose) Akiva. The Angel sent to close all doors to Elsewhere and her family. While on earth he is pulled to follow Karou. There is something about her that almost seems familiar. For as long as anyone can remember, the Chimaera and the Angels are enemies. So a romance between the two would be completely forbidden. Which Akiva knows first hand, having fallen in love with a Chimaera, only to see her executed and him be next. Now he lives to destroy the Chimaera. His life gets thrown full circle when he comes across Karou, the human girl who for some reason has eyes marked on her hands. Generally the marks that come with the resurrection of a Chimaera.

Laini Taylor did a great job with the plot. It was such a mystery! From the beginning we were introduced to things that Karou had no answer to. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book, especially when it was all revealed towards the end! I won't say anything else about the plot because I want you to have the joy of being surprised like I did!

This book left me speechless! I had to take a couple of days to write this review because I couldn't form words other than "wh-wh-WHAT?!" and "Must. Read. Next. One. ASAP." Laini Taylor did an amazing job with her writing. She gave nothing away too soon, which was great and kept me guessing the whole book. I can honestly say that I couldn't guess what was going to happen next, whether it be because I just had no idea, or because I was so engrossed in the book I couldn't think ahead. Either way, both of these are good things in my book! Not often that I come across an unpredictable story line.

Life seems so ordinary after reading a book like this! I highly recommend this one. Laini Taylor did an amazing job.

If you have read this, what did you think? I'd love to hear all your opinions!

Happy reading!

- Amy

Review: Hunger by Michael Grant

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Hunger by Michael Grant

Release Date: May 26th 2009

Publisher: Egmont UK Limited

Edition: UK Paperback, 600 pages

Goodreads | Book Depository

My Rating 4.5/5

From Goodreads: "It's been three months since everyone under the age of fifteen became trapped in the bubble known as the FAYZ. Things have only gotten worse. Food is running out, and each day more kids are developing supernatural abilities. Soon tension rises between those with powers and those without, and when an unspeakable tragedy occurs, chaos erupts. It's the normals against the mutants, and the battle promises to turn bloody.

But something more dangerous lurks. A sinister creature known as the Darkness has begun to call to the survivors in the FAYZ. It needs their powers to sustain its own. When the Darkness calls, someone will answer -- with deadly results."

*If you haven't read the first in the series this review may contain spoilers. For my review of Gone please see here*

I had seen the first in this series, Gone, in the bookstore so many times but never bought it! I really wish I had picked it up that first time! I just love this series! For a situation that is so unrealistic, Michael Grant makes it work and makes it seem plausible!
 Recap: All of the adults have disappeared and a sort of wall has appeared around their little town. No one can get out and no one can get in. The animals have all become mutations of their former selves. Talking coyotes, flying snakes and underwater bats. Strange right? Well it doesn't end there. The kids have started developing odd abilities like invisibility, super speed and laser hands.

Sam is still in charge of everyone (except Caine and his followers) he has taken on the role of the "Mayor." He didn't want to be in charge, but that is the way it turned out. Now he has to deal with sibling fights and other minor things he shouldn't have to.

It has become obvious that there is no end to these conditions in the near future. Sam realises this, he also realises that the food they have won't last much longer but he can't seem to get the other kids to help him.Big problem. The kids are already on rations. This is the main problem throughout this book: hunger. Fighting against Caine and the conditions of the FAYZ to survive is hard enough without going hungry. Now it has come time for new ways of food input to be put in place. There are fields with different vegetables that are surrounded by killer worms (that utterly freaked me out - bleurgh!) These are just some of the problems that the kids face.

I think Michael Grant did a great job of portraying how kids would react to starvation without adults. These kids have relied on their parents and other adults for food and shelter and protection all of their lives. Now they are starving and fighting for their lives constantly and in an altered environment.

Now on to the characters. This book featured more of the characters that were in the background of Gone. Brianna and Jack feature more than what they did, which I thought was great. I LOVE these two characters and I can't wait to see where the story takes them. Jack who used to be part of Caine's following but switched sides. Brianna who thought she was invincible until to her dismay was proven otherwise. Michael Grant touches on a love relationship between these two characters. I think they would make a good pair. However I am a little torn because one of the other girls, Dekka, is in love with Brianna and has been for a long time. It would be nice to see what would happen if that relationship could flourish but at the same time I really like Jack. I just don't know you guys! I guess I will have to wait and see what happens in the next book!

The writing flowed very well and I found I could sit down and read it for long periods of time. Each chapter more or less features one character at a time, at the end of almost all of the chapters you were left hanging to see what would happen to the character. I found that I wanted to keep reading so I could find out what happened to each character in their next feature chapter. So it was a cycle. "Oh no Brianna! Must keep reading to find out what happens to her." "What! Little Petey? Must keep reading." "Must keep reading must keep reading." You get the idea.

Overall a really great read! I recommend YA fanatics to check this series out if you haven't already. If you liked Hunger Games, I think it is comparable to that in terms of violence and survival but still very different at the same time.

Happy reading!
- Amy

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Release Date: September 29th 2011
Publisher: Penguin Books
Edition: UK paperback
Goodreads | Book Depository


My Rating 4.5/5


From Goodreads: "Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. 

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door."

Let me start by saying that I started and finished this book in one afternoon. This very rarely happens for me anymore, not necessarily because the book is bad, just because I get tired of reading for however any hours straight. But I found Lola and the Boy Next Door to be a fairly quick and a very good read!

I really did love this book, it was a lot of fun, but with some deeper issues as well. It starts out with Lola, a 17 year old girl who has had an interesting upbringing. Her birth mum is an alcoholic and a drug addict who gave her up for adoption. She doesn't know her birth father, but she has heard stories. She was adopted by a relative of her mother, and now she has two dads. Well technically I guess you would say three dads? Nathan and Andy are her adoptive parents who are very protective of her. Especially when it comes to her older boyfriend Max. Max is 22 and in a band. Her parents do not approve. She says she is in love with him, and he with her. But there is one person that she never really got over. His name is Cricket, her old neighbour. 

Things didn't end well with Cricket before him and his family moved. But there is always the possibility that they will move back in. Lola dreads the day. Every time there is a moving van she freaks out, until she confirms it's not them. Only this time, the moving van is theirs and Cricket is back. 

I love Cricket (though I don't really like the name), he is lovely, though Lola doesn't think so after the way he treated her 2 years ago. We later find out that it was all his sisters doing and both Cricket and Lola were hurt in the process. When he moves back, he sends Lola through a loop. They talk more and more and Cricket expresses feelings for her, but there is a problem - Max.

I really enjoyed this book, it's the first one I have read of Stephanie Perkins. I have Anna and the French Kiss on order from my local library. Though Anna and St Clair are in this book as friends of Lola's, you don't need to read Anna and the French Kiss first. Perkins has created a great story with believable characters that I just loved. If you haven't read this one yet, then I would say, you should get on that soon! 

Happy reading!

- Amy