I Read, Therefore I Blog

The Blurb On The Back:

Not everyone has to be the chosen one

The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death.

What if you were Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

And what if there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world and you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life? Even if your best friend might be the God of mountain lions …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Patrick Ness’s stand alone YA novel lifts an arch eyebrow at YA paranormal romance/urban fantasy and combines it with an ‘issues’ story that marries anorexia with OCD, first love and the importance of prom. It’s a lot of ground to cover and to be honest, I’m not sure that Ness – fine writer though he is – pulls it off. The book works best when it casts a snook at YA paranormal romance style books and I especially liked the short précis at the start of each chapter recounting what’s been going on with Indie kid Satchel and the current end of the world scenario, which Ness does well to pull together with Mikey’s storyline. In contrast, Mikey’s storyline seems very flat and much as he tries, Ness doesn’t really bring much depth or much that’s new to it. Sure, Mikey’s struggle against OCD is well depicted and is believable but I was left feeling ‘so what?’ Ditto his struggle to come to terms with his feelings for Henna and the strained relationship with his politically ambitious mother who wants to put her career first. I actually wanted to know more about his gay best friend Jared, who’s supernatural abilities with regard to cats and mountain lions and family history was really interesting. Ultimately, although this is a perfectly okay read it suffers when you compare it with Ness’s other incredible books because it simply doesn’t have that emotional punch you expect from his work (even though it’s good to see him do something different).

THE REST OF US JUST LIVE HERE will be released in the United Kingdom on 27th August 2015. Thanks to Walker Books for the ARC of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

One night, George Duncan – a decent man, a good man – is woken by a noise in his garden. Impossibly, a great white crane has tumbled to earth, shot through its wing by an arrow. Unexpectedly moved, George helps the bird, and from the moment he watches it fly off, his life is transformed.

The next day, a kind but enigmatic woman walks into George’s shop. Suddenly a new world opens up for him, especially when she starts to tell him the most extraordinary story …

Wise, romantic, magical and funny, The Crane Wife is a hymn to the creative imagination and a celebration of the disruptive and redemptive power of love.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Multi-award winning children’s and YA author Patrick Ness turns to adult literary fiction in this deft but slim tale that draws on Japanese folklore. It’s an interesting book that works better in some respects than others and while it kept me turning the pages, it’s not particularly deep or meaningful and the central romance (and the reason for its failure) never really came off the page for me. It’s worth a read, but I must say that to date, I prefer Ness’s children’s and YA work.

Thanks to Amazon Vine for the free copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

”War,” says the Mayor. “At last.”

Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others.

Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape.

As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they’re so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await?

But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

It’s only because THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO and THE ASK AND THE ANSWER are such amazing reads that MONSTERS OF MEN is a bit of a disappointment. It is a flawed book – sagging in some areas and with elements that don’t work – but the ideas and the scope keep you reading and it’s worth it to get the conclusion to Todd and Viola’s story.

The Blurb On The Back:

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in Prentisstown.

But Prentisstown isn’t like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts in a constant, overwhelming, never-ending Noise. There is no privacy. There are no secrets.

Or are there?

Just one month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd unexpectedly stumbles upon a spot of complete silence.

Which is impossible.

Prentisstown has been lying to him.

And now he’s going to have to run ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

A stunning YA science fiction novel set in a world where thoughts are not private and history has been rewritten follows a teenage boy whose certainties are challenged and a teenage girl whose existence is seen as a threat. It’s an incredible read and one I’d heartily recommend.