Paper Towns by John Green - Book Review

Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Publisher: Bloomsbury
First Published: 2008

The thing about Margo Roth Spiegelman is that really all I could do was let her talk, and then when she stopped talking encourage her to go on, due to the facts that 1. I was incontestably in love with her, and 2. she was absolutely unprecedented in every way, and 3. she never really asked me any questions....

Quentin Jacobson has always loved Margo from afar. So when she climbs through his window to summon him on an all-night road trip of revenge he cannot help but follow. But the next morning, Q turns up at school and Margo doesn't. She's left clues to her disappearance, like a trail of breadcrumbs for Q to follow. And everything leads to one unavoidable question: who is the real Margo? 

This was my first experience of reading a John Green book, and I enjoyed it. Paper Towns is a contemporary young adult novel, with themes leaning towards love, friendship and individual identity. John Green uses the characters of Quentin and Margo to show two schools of thought: conformity and nonconformity. Quentin, despite having a small friendship group feels accepted by society and wants to go to college and lead an ordinary life. Margo, on the other hand, has lots of friends but feels isolated and believes the materialistic society to be fake.

The journey that Quentin has to take to try and find Margo involves him learning to think like her. He has to listen to her music and read obscure poetry to fully try and find out who Margo really is. The entire novel could be described as an emotional roller coaster which is both happy and sad.

The novel is mostly set in Orlando, Florida. School life does dominate this novel as it is Quentin's final few weeks of high school. Without giving too much away there is a lot of teenage themes in the novel, involving parties, rebellion and complicated relationships. I think the characters in this book are likable, even Margo. Margo may come across as a snobbish, rebellious hipster, but she is her own person and not a follower of the crowd. Moreover, Margo receives little love from her parents, who are never that concerned when Margo disappears for a long period of time.

The only drawback to this novel is that; it could have been longer. Moreover, it would have been nice to have had some chapters narrated by Margo herself, so the reader can get to know her character better. This book is aimed at teenagers and young adults but I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading YA fiction. I myself have read only some YA novels, but after reading Paper Towns I will definitely read more YA fiction this year.

Rating: 9/10

January wrap up and February TBR

In January I managed to read quite a lot. I have found a new author that I like in Brandon Sanderson and have read the first two books in the Mistborn Trilogy. The magic system in Mistborn is genius and I love the character development. I will certainly read more of Sanderson's other book series and finish off the Mistborn trilogy. 

Also, I finally have read the last book in the Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle, by C.S. Lewis. It ties up the series perfectly and I am a fan of the quality of C.S. Lewis's writing style. Moreover, it is interesting to read influential books in the development of the fantasy genre. Fantasy is my favourite book genre and I plan to read a lot more fantasy books this year. 

I have also read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, which was an unusual and interesting read. Though it felt like it ended too soon, so I really need to get my hands on Hallow City soon. I also re-read Jingo by Terry Pratchett, which is clever and funny. 

At the start of this month I have finished A Tale of Two Cites by Charles Dickens, which was an intense and enjoyable read. In February I plan read the rest of the Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke, I have read Inkheart. I also intend to read the last book in the Mistborn trilogy. There are other books I may read this month but I have not fully decided on those yet. 

I am currently re-reading The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, happy reading. 

Reading on a budget

In this post I intend to show you that it is possible to read lots of books and spend little money. Reading is my passion and can get expensive if you over buy but there are ways to get books cheaper.

1. Tip 1 - Buy second hand books. - Charity shops are good places to go to find cheap second hand paperbacks. Often you can find classic novels, like Animal Farm, for a fraction of the price of the same books new. Used books are often in good condition and you still get the same book. I own a old paperback version of the Hobbit, printed in the 1980s, it is the same book as the fancy movie cover addition and is a lot cheaper. Car boot sales are also good places to buy second hand books cheaply as well.
2. Tip 2 - Tackle your unread books. - Sometimes you are tempted to buy books on impulse, I have done this myself a few times. However, often there is a pile of unread books waiting for you at home. So f you are stuck on choosing a new books, check your own shelves first. 
3. Tip 3 - Borrow books from the library - I will admit, I should use the library more, as public libraries allow you to borrow books for free. The only downside is that there is no guarantee that the library will have the kind of books you like, though it is worth experimenting with new books.
4. Tip 4 - E-books - There are many classics available free of charge on the internet, which can be downloaded and put onto your e-reader. Moreover, they are cheaper than penguin classics with their fancy introductions, which are only there for English Literature students. When I choose to read a classic I prefer to simply read the book and then do research online if I wan other opinions of that specific book. Buying e-books can sometimes save you money as well, if you do not mind using an e-reader. Standard e-readers are generally reasonably priced, do not buy an iPad to be used primarily as an e-reader. Top range tablets are expensive and can be bad for your eyes if you stare at them too long, which is no good for readers who want to get lost in a book. E-ink e-readers are better for hardcore readers. 
5. Tip 5 - Re-read books - Like my favourite films, I cannot resist reading my favourite books again. Sometimes you can understand a book better on a second reading. Moreover, re-reading your favourite books is a good way to keep reading fun and to stay in the habit of reading regularly.

Follow some of these tips and reading books becomes a very cheap hobby. Happy reading. 

The Well of Ascension (Mistborn 2) - Brandon Sanderson - Book Review

Vin has killed the Lord Ruler and the Final Empire has fallen but Vin and Elend still have a city to protect from three armies. "Evil has been defeated but the war has just begun."

The plot for the second Mistborn novel is arguable more epic than the first. The full extent of Vin's power is revealed in this book. Moreover, Vin's character is explored more as she is both Elend's bodyguard and lover. I also enjoyed reading more about Elend and his doubts about his own identity. Elend feels like he is a disappointment compared to Kelsier the Survivor.

This book, as a sequel did not disappoint. Like the first book the battles involving Vin using Allomancy are described in an exciting way that makes you continue to read. The remaining members of Kelsier's crew feature a lot in this book, with more funny disagreements between Ham and Breeze. The writing is is good and easy to read and be warned this book can pull you out of this world and into the world of the Mistborn trilogy.

9.5/10

Reading Update and My Favourite Booktubers

Hi fellow readers, hope you are all good. 2015 has so far been a good reading year. I have read a good amount of books this month, so without further delay here is the list of the books that I have read this month.

1. The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson
2. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs
3. Jingo - Terry Pratchett - (Re-read) 
4. The Last Battle - C.S. Lewis
5. The Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson - (Currently Reading) 

All the books I have read so far have been fun reads which are pure escapism. I do intend to read so more classics this year as well as reading more fantasy books and some non-fiction. My bookshelves are getting rather full so I do plan to slow down with book buying and also to buy more e-books on my Kindle. 

The second part is a list of my favourite booktubers. Booktube is, for those who do not know, is a large community of book vloggers who talk about books by posting videos on YouTube. I discovered it around 4 to 5 years ago, back in its early day and now it is one of the largest growing YouTube communities.

1. Ariel Bisset - www.youtube.com/user/ArielBissett 
2. Lindsey Rey www.youtube.com/channel/UC1VyYW1dxsY6z9j-dCWLEwA 
3. Elizziebooks www.youtube.com/user/elizziebooks 
4. The Readables https://www.youtube.com/user/thereadables 
5. Kristina Horner https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKyiEG0MgCFvG_9xEqcJlJQ

There are many others I like but these are the ones I watch the most. I enjoy watching people talk about book, which help me discover new authors. Moreover, I like the fact there is a large community of book lovers aged around 16 to 30, who are passionate about reading books. 

Matilda - Roald Dahl - Book Review

Matilda - written by Roald Dahl
Published in 1988

Matilda is intelligent for her age, by the age of 4 she was reading books by Charles Dickens and other classics. Her parents ignore her amazing intellect and consider her to be a problem child. This short novel tells the story of Matilda's fun battle against her horrible parents and the headmistress Miss Trunchbull.

Roald Dahl's writing is fun and is perfect for children, but as an adult I enjoyed reading it. The chapter's where Matilda puts super glue on her fathers hat and the hair dye are funny and shows children the power of imagination. Miss Trunchbull makes a formidable villain who represents a time when schools still used harsh punishments to discipline children.

Roald Dahl was clearly a believer in encouraging children to love to learn rather than to bully them into it. Matilda's teacher Miss Honey represents a kinder teacher who straight away is amazed by Matilda's academic ability. The character of Matilda shows that there is nothing wrong with being a bookish child who loves to learn and make use of the brain t its maximum potential.

There are many lessons to be taken from Matilda, the main being that one must not underestimate the power of the mind.

Rating 9.9/10

The Final Empire (Mistborn 1) - Brandon Sanderson - Book Review

A thousand years ago evil came to the land and has ruled with an iron hand ever since. The sun shines fitfully under clouds of ash that float down endlessly from the constant eruption of volcanoes. A dark lord rules through the aristocratic families and ordinary folk are condemned to lives in servitude, sold as goods, labouring in the ash fields.

But now a troublemaker has arrived and there is rumour of revolt. A revolt that depends on criminal that no-one can trust and a young girl who must master Allomancy - the magic that lies in all metals.

This was the first time I read a Brandon Sanderson book, and it was amazing. Unlike a lot of fantasy I have read in the past, this book has a fast paced thrilling story. The magic system is logical and well thought out and the use of light and shade creates a world full of tension.

The main characters are Vin and Kelsier. Vin was a teenage girl living in a Skaa thieving gang. Kelsier was a man ready to cause trouble among the nobility. The skaa are basically peasants the working people who are subject to the wrath of the Lord Ruler. Vin ends up becoming a member of Kelsier's gang of thieves who happen to be allomancers, who are planning to do the hardest job yet, destroying the Final Empire.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about a strong willed heroine. Vin is a character who end up being torn between love and her duty to help Kelsier bring down the Final Empire.

The battle scenes  involving Vin and Kelsier using Allomancy are well described, it was as I was watching a fantasy action movie in my head.

A good quick and thrilling read. 9.4/10