Book Review: A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Title: A Great and Terrible Beauty

Author: Libba Bray

Series/Standalone: Gemma Doyle Series (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Fantasy

Pages: 403

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Year Published: 2003

Format: Audiobook (Paperback Own It)

"In this debut gothic novel mysterious visions, dark family secrets and a long-lost diary thrust Gemma and her classmates back into the horrors that followed her from India.

It's 1895, and after the suicide of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma's reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she's been followed by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence's most powerful girls- and their foray into the spiritual world- lead to?"

My Rating: 1.75/5

This book was very straightforward for me. It tried to have a few mysterious plots but as someone who is older than the target demographic. The characters were very limp and the main character made me incredibly upset. The overall magic was interesting, but it was too young for me which makes total sense. I won't be continuing the series. I will try another series by Libba Bray. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn

Title: To Sir Phillip, With Love

Author: Julia Quinn

Series/Standalone: Bridgerton Series (Book #5)

Genre: Romance, Historical, Adult

Pages: 372

Publisher: Avon

Year Published: 2003

Format: Audiobook

"Sir Phillip knew from his correspondence with his dead wife's distant cousin that Eloise Bridgerton was a spinster and so he'd proposed, figuring that she'd be homely and unassuming, and more than a little desperate for an offer of marriage. Except.... she wasn't. The beautiful woman on his doorstep was anything but quiet, and when she stopped talking long enough to close her mouth, all he wanted to do was kiss her....

Eloise Bridgerton couldn't marry a man she had never met! But then she started thinking- and wondering- and before she knew it, she was in a hired carriage in the middle of the night, on her way to meet the man she hoped might be her perfect match. Except... he wasn't. Her perfect husband wouldn't be so moody and ill-mannered. And he certainly should have mentioned that he had two young- and decidedly unruly- children, as much in need of a mother as Phillip is in need of a wife."

My Rating: 4.5/5

This is yet another book in the Bridgerton series and they just keep getting better for me. This has got to be one of my favourites. My only complaint is how mental health was dealt with in this book. I think it was likely accurate to the time period but as someone who has struggled with depression the way the author deals with it is not enjoyable. I would recommend if you can get past that fact, but if you or someone you love has had suicidal thoughts or has committed suicide I would NOT recommend. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Title: The Goose Girl

Author: Shannon Hale

Series/Standalone: The Books of Bayern (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fairy Tale

Pages: 432

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Year Published: 2003

Format: Audiobook

"Ani, Crown Princess of Kildenree, has spent her childhood learning the language of the birds. But though Ani can speak to animals, she is never quite comfortable speaking with people. So when Ani's silver-tongued lady-in-waiting leads a mutiny during her journey to marry a prince in a foreign land, Ani cannot persuade anyone to help her. She becomes a goose girl and must use her own special powers to fulfill her true destiny.

Shannon Hale's Books of Bayern have become beloved, perennial favorites, finding more and more readers every year since they were published over a decade ago. Now with fresh new covers, the fantastical, romantic, and gorgeously written series that first introduced Hale as a master storyteller is prime to be discovered by the whole new generation."

My Rating:1.5/5

This book just wasn't for me. I stuck through the book trying to figure out if it was something I could get behind. But this one wasn't it for me. It read more as a middle grade with young adult violence. But this wasn't it for me. Maybe it was the audiobook, maybe it was the way the story itself was told. But it just is kinda bland for me. If you like retellings and love traditional fairy tales mixed with fantasy this might be for you. It just wasn't for me.

Thanks for reading,,

Sidny

Book Review: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Title: The Time Traveler's Wife

Author: Audrey Niffenegger

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction

Pages: 522

Publisher: Vintage Canada

Year Published: 2003

Format: Audiobook and Physical Copy (Own it)

First Line: "Clare: It's hard being left behind."

"When Henry meets Clare, he is twenty-eight and she is twenty. Henry has never met Clare before; Clare has known Henry since she was six. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. Henry and Clare's attempts to live normal lives are threatened by a force they can neither prevent nor control, making their passionate love story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable. The Time Traveler's Wife is a story of fate, hope and believe, and more than that, it's about the power of love to endure beyond the bounds of time."

My Rating: 1.5/5

I really enjoyed this movie in my teenage years. I loved it. I thought that it really showed starcrossed lovers and it broke my little heart. Now as an adult, after reading the book I see a lot of problems with this storyline. Especially in the book. The use of sex was horrible for me, I didn't think that it showed any female enjoyment, it appeared at random, and it was awkward and stilted. Not what you want from a romance book. There was also a ton of problematic stereotypes that are glossed over. I understand that this was written in 2003, but it was hard to read through all the same. That being said, the movie is still one that I enjoyed and the reason this got the rating it did was for nostalgia purposes. Overall, would not recommend. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review:Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix by J.K Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K Rowling
Series/Standalone: Harry Potter (Book #5)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction
Pages: 766
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Year Published: 2003
Format: Paperback Copy (Own it)
First Line: "The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive."

"Harry is furious that he has been abandoned at the Dursleys' house for the summer, for he suspects that Voldemort is gathering an army, that he himself could be attacked and that his so-called friends are keeping him in the dark. Finally rescued by wizard bodyguards, he discovers that Dumbledore is regrouping the Order of the Phoenix- a secret society first formed years ago to fight Voldemort. But the Ministry of Magic is against the Order, lies are being spread by the wizards' tabloid, the Daily Prophet, and Harry fears that he may have to take on this epic battle against evil alone."

My Rating: 4.5/5

This is my first time rereading this 5th book in the series and if you've read my other thoughts on the rest of the series this might be surprising. I had attempted to read through the Harry Potter series many times when I was younger and found that after the 4th book I would get stuck and intimidated by the length of the 5th book. That being said, I did complete the whole series once in high school. So it's been a minute. And I have a lot of thoughts. Now when I first read this in high school I would have given it a four. You can tell that this is a point in the series where JK Rowling had deeper plans for the plotline and things start getting intense. Therefore there are some points of information being thrown at us that last for large chapters/ or paragraphs throughout. Now that I am older (and a have a bit more patience) I am able to better grasp the introductions made in this novel. The only reason it is not 5/5 is that at some points I did feel as though the story dragged. Overall excited to finish my reread of the series and see where it takes me.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Book Review: The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Title: The City of Ember
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Series/Standalone: Book of Ember (Book #1)
Genre: Middle Grade, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Pages: 270
Publisher: Yearling Books
Year Published: 2003
Format: Paperback Copy (Own It)
First Line: "When the city of Ember was just built and not yet inhabited, the chief builder and the assistant builder, both of them weary, sat down to speak of the future."

Citizen of Ember shall be assigned work at twelve years of age...
Lina Mayfleet desperately wants to be a messenger. Instead, she draws the dreaded job of Pipeworks labourer, which means she'll be working in damp tunnels deep underground.

Doon Harrow draws messenger- and asks Lina to trade! Doon wants to be underground. That's where the generator is, and Doon has ideas about how to fix it. For as long as anyone can remember, the great lights of Ember have kept the endless darkness at bay. But now the lights are beginning to flicker..."

My Rating: 3.25/5

This is a story that I had read in middle school and had thought about on and off throughout the years. After seeing a copy of this book and the second one in a used bookshop I thought that it was a good time to pick up the series and continue it. But before I could do that I needed to reread where it all started. I really enjoyed the stories interesting setting and the use of darkness throughout. I also appreciated the use of grief and loss throughout the story. I'm excited to continue this series and see where the author takes our characters.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Spoiler: The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

This is such a popular story from my middle school, and I appreciate it overall. I think that this is one of the first dystopian books I ever read, and it is an easy read that I would suggest for those in middle school, but it is enjoyable for older readers as well. I can't wait to see how the author takes our characters above ground. 

Characters:
Doon:I think that his need to become a hero is interesting and makes me wonder how he will cope in a new area where no one knows him. And where his finding the exit might be something negative rather than positive.

Lina: I wonder how running in the great outdoors will affect her. And how losing her grandmother so suddenly might have a backlash.

The Mayor: What a guy? I can understand how he did what he did when he believed that there was no hope.

Grandma: Hurts my heart.

Looper: I'd like to think that this wouldn't be a likely trait that people would develop but I wouldn't be surprised if many people took advantage of the system.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Review: Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom

Title: Death Note: Boredom
Author: Tsugumi Ohba
Illustrator: Takeshi Obata
Translator: Pookie Rolf
Series/Standalone: Death Note (Vol. 1)
Genre: Manga, Horror
Pages: 195
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Year Published: 2003
Format: Manga Paperback (Library Copy)

"Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects- and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal... or his life?"

My Rating: 4/5

I'd heard so many things about this anime as well as this manga and I have a funny feeling that I watched the first episode when I was like 12 and babysitting at night for the first time. As someone who is a scaredy cat, what a poor choice. I really loved the manga and hope to continue with the rest of the series soon (a good way to get  some relaxed reading between chapters of a classic).

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Book Review: The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket

Title: The Slippery Slope
Author: Lemony Snicket
Series/Standalone: A Series of Unfortunate Events (Book #10)
Genre: Fiction, Middle Grade, Fantasy
Pages: 337
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Year Published: 2003
Format: Hardback Copy (Library Book)
First Line: "A man of my acquaintance once wrote a poem called 'The Road Less Travelled,' describing a journey he took through the woods along a path most travellers never used."

"Dear Reader,

Like handshakes, house pets, or raw carrots, many things are preferable when not slippery. Unfortunately, in this miserable volume, I am afraid that Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire run into more than their fair share of slipperiness during their harrowing journey up- and down- a range of strange and distressing mountains.

In order to spare you any further repulsion, it would be best not to mention any of the unpleasant details of this story, particularly a secret message, a toboggan, a deceitful map, a swarm of snow gnats, a scheming villain, a troupe of organized youngsters, a covered casserole dish, and a surprising survivor of a terrible fire.

Unfortunately, I have dedicated my life to researching and recording the sad tale of the Baudelaire orphans. There is no reason for you to dedicate your-self to such things, and you might instead dedicate yourself to letting this slippery book slip from your hands into a nearby trash receptacle, or deep pit.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket."

My Rating: 3.5/5

I really enjoyed the last book that I'd read in this series and was really looking forward to getting into reading them again, but unfortunately, this one just didn't do it for me. I really thought that Lemony Snicket's writing style would continue to surprise me but it kind of went back to how I felt in the beginning of the series, that I had outgrown the story. I am going to continue the series, for the simple reason that I really need to hear about Beatrice and Lemony. I am far more interested in their lives at this point than the sad lives of the Baudelaire's. I know that this is going to catch a lot of flack from people who really enjoyed this series, but I'm hoping to get through the series and then collect my thoughts on the series as a whole.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Book Review: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Title: Inkheart
Author: Cornelia Funke
Series/Novel: Inkworld (Book #1)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 534
Publisher: The Chicken House
Year Published: 2003
First Line: "Rain fell that night, a fine, whispering rain."

"Twelve year old Meggie learns that her father, who repairs and binds books for a living can 'read' fictional characters to life when one of those characters abducts them and tries to force him into service.
Characters from books literally leap off the pages in this engrossing fantasy. Meggie has had her father to herself since her mother went away when she was young. Mo taught her to read when she was five, and the two share a mutual love of books. When she was three, he read aloud from a book called Inkheart and released characters into the real world. At the same time, Meggie's mother disappeared into the story. This 'story within a story' will delight not just fantasy fans, but all readers who like an exciting plot with larger-than-life characters."

My Rating: 4/5

So to start this off I have read this book before. I know, so does this count as a first opinion. No! In my defence, I read these books when I was 13, so about 8 years ago. I did really enjoy this novel. It was thrilling to get back into a story about a story. It's a fantastic idea that is well portrayed through writing. The characters are deep and easy to love. They are complex characters who show many different sides throughout the book, but all in all there aren't many character twists. Which both makes me happy but also disappoints me a little. For example, I could predict how a character would react to another character without a problem. Cornelia Funke does this without making the plot boring. 
I also enjoyed two separate settings, the one we hear about second hand in the story Inkheart, and the setting throughout the country side with out main characters throughout. 
I would definitely recommend this story for younger teenagers anywhere from 14 and up, as there is no sexual content, just a few joking lines that may go over some heads.
I'm hoping to pick up the second and third book later this month to finish the trilogy.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Book Review: PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

Title: P.S. I Love You

Author: Cecelia Ahern

Series/Novel: Novel

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance, Adult Fiction

Pages: 503

Publisher: Hachette Books

Year Published: 2003

First Line: “Holly held the blue cotton sweater to her face and the familiar smell immediately struck her, an overwhelming grief knotting her stomach and pulling at her heart.”

“Some people wait their whole lives to find their soul mates. But not Holly and Gerry.

They were childhood sweethearts- no one could imagine Holly and Gerry without each other.

Until the unthinkable happens. Gerry’s death devastates Holly. But as her 30th birthday looms Holly discovers that Gerry has left her a bundle of notes, gently guiding her into her new life without him, each signed ‘PS, I Love You’.

With some help from her friends, and her noisy and loving family, Holly finds herself laughing, crying, singing, dancing- and being braver than ever before.

Life is for the living, she realises- but it always helps if there’s an angel watching over you.”

My Rating: 4/5

So I'm a little behind on the times, that's not terribly new. But after an emotional week I decided it was time to get my emotion out with a book, and it proved to be helpful. PS. I Love You follows the emotional story of Holly who has recently lost her dear husband of 7 years and the love of her life for the past 15. This story follows how she copes through her loss with a hilarious group of characters, a crazy city and an even crazier family Holly begins to find her way through her new life.

I grew very fond of Holly. She's a wise woman who I'm assuming many of us can relate to. She's an honest, brave and friendly person who does more than many would given her circumstances.

Obviously she goes through her grief that one would naturally expect after loosing one that she truly cared about. This book is a reminder about what it is to truly love and loose. Is it sad? Of course it is. But it’s so much more than that, it incompases a love that can survive death. A true love.

THANK YOU CECELIA AHERN FOR A LOVE THAT OUTLASTS DEATH!

Thanks For Reading,

Love,

Sidny xoxo

Spoiler: P.S I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

This was an interesting book that I didn’t expect to hold me captive the whole 500+ pages but it did it’s job. I was entertained, made to feel so many emotions and encouraged through this book. This book entertained me through the side characters. The things that they came up with made me think of some people I’ve meet the past two years and how they react to certain things. Sharon is perfect and reminds me alot of my best friend. I felt the obvious emotions of sadness and empathy towards Holly, but I also felt her joy when she remembered Gerry, the way he laughed, smiled, lived just simply lived. Finally I believe that there is a form of love that can live after death. This book makes that quite obvious to the readers that Gerry and Holly’s love will continue.

Characters:

♥Holly: I’m happy that Gerry’s letters were able to affect her from the grave. Although I doubt she will ever fully move on, I know that she will be able to live a life worth living even though he is not physically with her. Gerry really knew how to get her to chase her dreams. By being able to find a job she enjoyed and reentering her friendships as her whole self she was able to find a new way of life. I hope that at some point she can find love, even if it’s not as full as Gerry’s.

♥Denise: Ok so she’s a little moody, but we all have that one friend we love just for that reason. She’s a laugh if nothing else and I fully approve of her getting married.

♥Sharon: She by far reminds me of my best friend, blunt but honest and loyal to the end. She’s compassionate and gives all she can to Holly. I was excited when we found out she was pregnant, but sad that she felt she couldn’t share it with Holly in a better time. But there really would have been no good time.

♥Gerry: Although we never met him, in the memories and through the letters some of us (cough) might have fallen in love with him.

♥Richard: Goes to show we never really know what’s going on in someone’s life unless we take the time to get to know them better. I hope that his new job will bring him joy rather than stress and that he finds life without that rude ex-wife of his.

♥Ciara: Perfect how wild she is. Sure for a laugh, even when she was sad about Matthew you can see that she would figure something out.

♥Daniel: Here is where it gets tricky. I wanted Holly and Daniel to fall in love even though it was too soon. I felt that they got along so well, but in reality sometimes people are just better off friends and this is a perfect case. Neither of them were over the other person they had been with.

♥Moments to Remembe♥r

♥Pg. 9

“Instead, Gerry and Holly travelled the world together. It made far more sense that way because when they weren’t together… well, Holly just felt as though she was missing a vital organ from her body.”

♥Pg. 254

“As much as Sharon tried to tan over the years she just ended up getting sunburned and then it would peel. She had finally given up trying to tan and accepted the fact that her skin was meant to be pale.”

♥Final Line: “In the meantime, she would just live.”

Thanks for reading,

Love,

Sidny xoxo