Book Review - Where She Went (If I Stay #2) by Gayle Forman

Title: Where She Went (If I Stay #2) 
Author: Gayle Forman
Year: 2011
Page: 264
Genre: Fiction - Young Adult

FTC Disclosure: Borrowed from the library

Summary (from goodreads.com):
It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.


Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future–and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

First Sentence:
Every morning I wake up and I tell myself this: It's just one day, one twenty-four-hour period to get yourself through.

My Thoughts:

Why this book?

• I really enjoyed the first book, If I Stayed, told from Mia's perspective. I cried my eyes out. I read it back in 2009 though and before I stayed to blog... I wish I had!

First thought:

• Disappointed.

Cover Art:

• Pretty. But not how I pictured Mia to be. Also, the photographer in me said, "don't shoot up people's nose! It's not flattering!"  But I loved the messy hair.

Title:

• Clever - summed up the story and matched the style of the first book title

Writing:

• Still easy to read. 

Plot:

• I felt like it dragged on... I understood that the author didn't want to explain everything until later so that all the secrets weren't revealed on the first page

Characters:

• I could identify with Mia in the first book, and really liked her, Adam and Mia's family. In this book, I didn't like either Mia or Adam. Mia - she reasoning just didn't quite make sense to me (again, maybe because I am not a teenager anymore... and I supposed I haven't gone through what she had). Adam - while his destructive behavior was explained, it didn't mean I had to like it. I thought he was better than that.

Ending:

• Okay I supposed. At least I didn't feel like throwing the book across the room after I was done.

Emotion:

• I think the reason I liked the first book so much was because I felt so emotional about it. I hardly felt anything when I read this one.

What I Learned:

• How to get 5 stars from me when reviewing a book? Make me emotional (cry, laugh, whatever)

PS:

• Lots of people still enjoyed this second book, so don't let my negative (or rather, "lukewarm or neutral") review stopped you from finding it out yourself. I'd definitely recommend reading the first book first.

Read this Author again?

• Depends... I'm getting picky about YA books now... 

Quote:

"She said it was because one day I was going to have to go through a metamorphosis like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly and that scared me, so butterflies scared me." 

Overall Rating:
3 Stars. Just okay for me.

All reviews and posts are copyrighted by Christa @ Mental Foodie. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.

Book Review - The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

Title: The Girl Who Chased the Moon 
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Year: 2010
Page: 269
Genre: Fiction - Magical Realsim

FTC Disclosure: Borrowed from the library

Summary (from goodreads.com):
In her latest enchanting novel, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen invites you to a quirky little Southern town with more magic than a full Carolina moon. Here two very different women discover how to find their place in the world…no matter how out of place they feel.

Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. For instance, why did Dulcie Shelby leave her hometown so suddenly? Why did she vow never to return? But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew—a reclusive, real-life gentle giant—she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life.

Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor bakes hope in the form of cakes.
Everyone in Mullaby adores Julia Winterson’s cakes. She offers them to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth and in the hope of bringing back the love she fears she’s lost forever. In Julia, Emily may have found a link to her mother’s past. But why is everyone trying to discourage Emily’s growing relationship with the handsome and mysterious son of Mullaby’s most prominent family? Emily came to Mullaby to get answers, but all she’s found so far are more questions.

Is there really a ghost dancing in her backyard? Can a cake really bring back a lost love? In this town of lovable misfits, maybe the right answer is the one that just feels…different.

First Sentence:
It took a moment for Emily to realize the car had come to a stop.

My Thoughts:

Why this book?

• After I read The Sugar Queen (read my review here), I just wanted to read everything else but the author! I was still waiting to see if Garden Spells (the first book) would end up being a book club read, so I thought I'd try this one instead.

First thought:

• Not as good as The Sugar Queen...

Cover Art:

• It is okay... it goes with the story but not very inspiring. I like this version better.

Title:

• Fitting. Made you wonder why she'd chase the moon?

Writing:

• Still an easy read.

Plot:

• While still a magical realism story, it seemed a bit more far fetched and didn't quite did it for me

• Made you wonder if the main story is about Emily, or Julia? I kept thinking there would be this big secret but felt a bit left down

Characters:

• I liked both Emily and Julia fine... but it seemed both didn't get much development

• I thought Emily's grandfather was a bit of a waste in the story - it seemed like he'd play a bigger role and I wish we got to learn more about him better

Ending:

• It's okay, if not a bit predictable

Emotion:

• I kept waiting to be wow-ed.

What I Learned:

• I think I like magical realism only if it's realistic... kinda ironic, I know... 

PS:

• While the "magic" was explained, I wish it would go into a bit more details... 

Read this Author again?

• Yes I'd still keep reading the author's books!

Quote:

Everyone had left him because they'd hadn't been quiet enough to hear him. (p224)

Overall Rating:
2.5 Stars. Could have been better.

All reviews and posts are copyrighted by Christa @ Mental Foodie. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.

May & Books

May has been a pretty bad reading month so far. Usually I read 8-10 books a month, and so far I'd only read 5 this month (one was read aloud with hubby), and had 3 DNF. Granted, we still have over a week left yet and who knows, maybe I could squeeze a couple more books in - that's probably when YA books come in handy :) But I have to remember, quality, not quantity... I think with YA I'll mostly stick to dystopian only since it seems to be the YA genre I like best. Since I pretty much had been reading every day (some day more pages than others), I guess about this time of the year that I may feel a little burn out and slow down a little.

Work is still keeping me busy... will prob be so for a while... it's a blessing really that we still have relatively stable jobs.

It hasn't been a week of good news though for people we know... my in-laws had to put their dog down due to cancer, I found out a relative has cancer, and another relative may have some damage to their house/car because of the tornado this weekend...The bit of good news this week was that we took our 2 cats (out of 3) to the vet for their first annual check up, and they both passed with flying colors. Made me feel better being a first time pet mum.

Hope everyone are having a better week, reading or otherwise! :)

PS:

This week I finished Addition by Toni Jordan, Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. Did not finish The Good Patient by Kristin Waterfield Duisberg.

Book Review - A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

Title: A Long Way Down 
Author: Nick Hornb
Year: 2006
Page: 352
Genre: Fiction

FTC Disclosure: Borrowed from the library

Summary (from goodreads.com):
New Year's Eve at Toppers' House, North London's most popular suicide spot. And four strangers are about to discover that doing away with yourself isn't quite the private act they'd each expected.

Perma-tanned Martin Sharp's a disgraced breakfast TV presenter who had it all - the kids, the wife, the pad, the great career - and wasted it away. Killing himself is Martin's logical and appropriate response to an unliveable life. "Maureen has to do it tonight, because of Matty being in the home. He was never able to do any of the normal things kids do - like walk or talk - and loving-mum Maureen can't cope any more. Dutiful Catholic that she is, she's ready to commit the "biggest sin of all"

Half-crazed with heartbreak, loneliness, adolescent angst, seven Bacardi Breezers and two Special Brews, Jess's ready to jump, to fly off the roof. Finally, there's JJ - tall, cool, American, looks like a rock-star, sometimes thinks he plays his guitar like one - who's weighted down with a heap of problems, and pizza.

Four strangers, who moments before were convinced that they were alone and going to end it all that way, share out the pizza and begin to talk ... Only to find that they have even less in common than first suspected." Nick Hornby's A Long Way Down is a novel that asks some of the big questions: about life and death, strangers and friendship, love and pain, and whether a group of losers, and pizza, can really see you through a long, dark night of the soul.

First Sentence:
Can I explain why I wanted to jump off the top of a tower block?

My Thoughts:

Why this book?

• April book club pick

First thought:

• Not my cup of tea... couldn't finish it

Cover Art:

• Guess it is relevant to the book and is a little quirky

Title:

• Since I couldn't finish the book, difficult for me to say whether it described the book

Writing:

• The writing was actually quite easy to read. It was the plot and characters that made me stopped reading...

Plot:

• To me, nothing much happened in 77 pages, and I got bored...

• Funny enough, one of the book club members said LOTS happened in the book lol. 

Characters:

• I didn't really care about the 4 main characters. I didn't care whether they lived or died (the book started off with all 4 of them wanting to jump off the building). 

• It was interesting to hear what the other book clubs members said about the 4 characters. Even though I couldn't participate much in the discussion, I liked to listen to learn what others thought of the book

Ending:

• I cheated and googled what happened. I probably would have ended the book a bit differently 

Emotion:

• Bored... 

What I Learned:

• That's right, I still don't like character-driven books!!! 

PS:

• Funny enough, I was the only one who couldn't finish the book. One person didn't really like it, everyone else quite liked it! (there were about 12-15 of us?) I found I have quite a different reading taste from most of them though so that might not have been surprising. Joining this book club is like doing one of the blog book challenges - trying to push my limit :) I am glad I joined though, as I otherwise wouldn't read some of the books.

Read this Author again?

• This was my first time reading this author. I had heard of him before but never really felt like I needed to read his book (or watch the movies based on his books). I am guessing I probably won't read him again... no in the near future anyway

Overall Rating:
0 Star. Did Not Finish.

All reviews and posts are copyrighted by Christa @ Mental Foodie. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.

Book Review - Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff

Title: Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II
Author: Mitchell Zuckoffx 
Year: 2011
Page: 400
Genre: Non-Fiction - History

FTC Disclosure: Free ARC from HarperCollins in x

Summary (from goodreads.com):
On May 13, 1945, twenty-four American servicemen and WACs boarded a transport plane for a sightseeing trip over Shangri-La, a beautiful and mysterious valley deep within the jungle-covered mountains of Dutch New Guinea. Unlike the peaceful Tibetan monks of James Hilton's bestselling novel Lost Horizon, this Shangri-La was home to spear-carrying tribesmen, warriors rumored to be cannibals. But the pleasure tour became an unforgettable battle for survival when the plane crashed. 


Miraculously, three passengers pulled through. Margaret Hastings, barefoot and burned, had no choice but to wear her dead best friend's shoes. John McCollom, grieving the death of his twin brother also aboard the plane, masked his grief with stoicism. Kenneth Decker, too, was severely burned and suffered a gaping head wound.

Emotionally devastated, badly injured, and vulnerable to the hidden dangers of the jungle, the trio faced certain death unless they left the crash site. Caught between man-eating headhunters and enemy Japanese, the wounded passengers endured a harrowing hike down the mountainside--a journey into the unknown that would lead them straight into a primitive tribe of superstitious natives who had never before seen a white man or woman.

Drawn from interviews, declassified U.S. Army documents, personal photos and mementos, a survivor's diary, a rescuer's journal, and original film footage, Lost in Shangri-La recounts this incredible true-life adventure for the first time. Mitchell Zuckoff reveals how the determined trio--dehydrated, sick, and in pain--traversed the dense jungle to find help; how a brave band of paratroopers risked their own lives to save the survivors; and how a cowboy colonel attempted a previously untested rescue mission to get them out.

By trekking into the New Guinea jungle, visiting remote villages, and rediscovering the crash site, Zuckoff also captures the contemporary natives; remembrances of the long-ago day when strange creatures fell from the sky. A riveting work of narrative nonfiction that vividly brings to life an odyssey at times terrifying, enlightening, and comic, Lost in Shangri-La is a thrill ride from beginning to end.

First Sentence:
On a rainy day in May 1945, a Western Union messenger made his rounds through the quiet village of Owego, in upstate New York.

My Thoughts:

Why this book?

• While history books aren't usually my genre, this one promised to read like a fast-paced adventure fiction. Besides, my husband would really enjoy this one since he loves reading about wars, so I thought this would be a good contender for our "read aloud" together (me reading it out loud to him as he prefers audio and I prefer prints)

First thought:

• I am just glad I wasn't on that plane...

Cover Art:

• I have an ARC so my cover was actually the second picture posted (the green one). I actually prefer this version over the one that got released (the more orange one) because of the jungle. I still think the cover could be a bit more attractive - maybe an actual picture of Shagnri-La / Baliem Valley and/or the natives?

Title:

• Fitting, interesting and concise

Writing:

• Easy to read, with a subtle sense of humor (when appropriate). 

Plot:

• The author had conducted extensive research for this book and it showed - not just the event, but the different characters mentioned in the book too. Because of that, sometimes it got side-tracked a bit (e.g. by providing the background of a non-key-but-not-too-minor characters). We read this book together over a couple of months due to our schedule, and sometimes I had to think back about what happened or whom that person was.

• The story was engaging though as we really wanted to find out what happened - did they beat the odds? If so, how? 

Characters:

• We really got a sense of whom the main characters were - especially since we got read some of their diary entries. 

• It was really interesting to read about the natives, and the perceptions and/or assumptions from both sides. I had always been fascinated by cultural differences so I really enjoyed reading this part. I am a little sadden about how they turned out as reported in the epilogue. 

• There were quite a lot of people mentioned in the book - some played a bigger part than others. I guessed the author just wanted to acknowledge them, and documented their role in the story. I was particularly glad he played special tributes to the paratroopers, especially the medics  - they deserved the kudos.

• It wasn't until we finished the book that I found a list of all characters at the end of the book! Would have been better if the list was placed in the beginning of the book so I knew it was there to start with! Typically I tried not to flip to the back of any books in case I read the ending by accident...

Ending:

• I was pleased the author included an epilogue.

Emotion:

• I couldn't imagine having to go through what the main 3 characters went through. There definitely were some touching moments, especially when it came to McCollom - he was so young and yet so mature

What I Learned:

• I didn't know about Dutch New Guinea and its involvement in WWII. Definitely learned quite a few new things in this book!

PS:

• The husband enjoyed this book as I predicted. I asked him how he'd rate out of 5 stars. He wouldn't give me an answer as he hates rating things (and I ask him to rate things a lot lol)

Read this Author again?

• Yes!

Quote:

Margaret described a lesson she carried with her from the valley. "Fear is something I don't think you experience unless you have a choice. If you have a choice, then you're liable to be afraid. But without a choice, what is there to be afraid of?You just go along doing what has to be done." (p316)

Overall Rating:
4 Stars.

All reviews and posts are copyrighted by Christa @ Mental Foodie. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.

3 Did Not Finish this month so far?!?! And Interesting Book Cover

This May alone, I already gave up on 3 books (The Lens and The Looker, So Much Pretty and The Good Patient). Almost 300 pages of wasted reading. Could've finished another book by now!

Saw this book, Bella Maura, on the library shelf the other day. What an intriguing design! I didn't end up borrowing the book because I want to finish what I have already borrowed first... Seen any interesting book covers lately?

Book Review - The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1) by Alan Bradley

Title: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1) 
Author: Alan Bradley  
Year: 2009
Page: 374
Genre: Fiction - Murder / Mystery / Thriller / Suspense

FTC Disclosure: Borrowed from the library

Summary (from goodreads.com):

It is the summer of 1950–and at the once-grand mansion of Buckshaw, young Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison, is intrigued by a series of inexplicable events: A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Then, hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath.

For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.”

First Sentence:
It was as black in the closet as old blood.

My Thoughts:

Why this book?

• I have read lots of good reviews about this book, but for some reasons it never really called out to me. However, Tea Time with Marce's review convinced me to give it a try! We may not always have the same taste in books (e.g. I really like the Hunger Games, and she doesn't) but I trust her honest reviews.

First thought:

• How adorable is Flavia!

Cover Art:

• It's okay, not something that'd attract me on the shelf. I found the international covers (see this link) and I think my favorite is the Russian cover, followed by the Germany one. My least favorite is the UK paperback version. How boring!!

Title:

• For some reasons this title reminded me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Maybe because they both had "pie" in the title?! This book has a slightly better title though - at least I can remember the full title (sometime).

Writing:

• It took a bit of getting used to the writing style. What happened in the first chapter confused me a little, but I am glad I read past it to finish the book!

Plot:

• The mystery plot was a little weak, compared to the other books in the same genre. I don't know if that's because the main protagonist is a child, so that the plot can't be too complicated?

• Parts of the story was a little slow...

Characters:

• That's where the book really shone - Flavia was definitely a memorable characters! It reminded me a bit of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series - I thought the plot was just okay (I read the first bookonly, watched all 3 movies), but Lisbeth, like Flavia, is not your run of the mill characters.

• Flavia also reminded me of myself a little - I liked science, I just wish I was good at it like Flavia was! And of course I liked the solving mystery part too, I remember enjoyed reading this genre even when I was a kid. Well, I think I treat my sisters a bit better than Flavia did with hers :)

• All the other minor characters had their own personalities too.

Ending:

• It was okay. I don't remember much but I remember not hating it.

Emotion:

• It was fun to read about a fun character!

What I Learned:

• I need a good balance of good characters and good plot! I think that's why I like Jeffery Deaver's Lincoln Rhythm's series so much - you get a sense of whom Lincoln is, and yet he has brilliant twists and turns. I like that he providers the more technical and scientific details of forensic science (some people find it boring, but I like to learn such stuff! I wanted to be a CSI, except I suck at chemistry and biology and well, biochemistry!) Another thing I like about this book is its chemistry reference - I like learning about such elements even though I don't remember any of it. I am a nerd who can't remember the nerdy details :)

PS:

• I am glad I read this even though I don't quite know what to expect of it!

Read this Author again?

• While I am not running out to borrow the rest of the series right away (due to its weaker plots), I think this is a series I'd turn to when I want a lighter read, or when I want something to get me out of reading funk - something familiar, something I'd enjoy (at least Flavia and her little quirks) while it's something I haven't read before and can be surprised. 

• Have you read the rest of the series? What do you think? Is it worth going out to read now, instead of later "when I feel like it?"

Quote: 

Once I had taught myself to make sense of the chemical equations... the universe was laid open before me. It was like having stumbled upon a recipe book that had once belonged to the witch in the wood. (p9-10)

Mediocrity, I discovered, was the great camouflage, the great protective coloring. (p180)

Silence is sometimes the most costly of commodities. (p219)

Overall Rating:
3.5 Stars.

All reviews and posts are copyrighted by Christa @ Mental Foodie. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.