Book Review: Please Ignore Vera Dietz

“Is it okay to hate a dead kid? Even if you loved him once? Even if he was my best friend? Is it okay to hate him for being dead?” 

There are those sad books that made you cry once... and then there are those books that didn't make you cry but wouldn't get out of your head, wouldn't let sleep. Please Ignore Vera Dietz suits in the latter. After reading this, I just stared at the ceiling and started thinking about it. It bothered me so much! My mind couldn't let go  of Charlie... I felt like Vera for an hour.

Meet Vera Dietz. Pizza delivery 'technician'. Lover of vocab words. She has so many issues- her ex-stripper mother who left her and her father a few years ago, her ex-alcoholic dad and of course, the death of her bestfriend, Charlie Kahn. But the thing is, they weren't exactly 'bestfriends' when he died...

The book tells the story from four POVs. Mostly from Vera but also from Charlie (the dead bestfriend), Vera's dad and the Pagoda. It also goes from past to present. I like how King made us understand Charlie. It had a big contribution to really understand not only Vera but also Charlie.

I salute Vera Dietz. I mean, how can you still act normal when your mother left you, your father bugs you so much and your bestfriend has recently died? If this was a different book, the protagonist is probably in the mental hospital making friends with crazy people. But goodness, Vera Dietz is so different. Come to think of it- this book has the usual YA dilemmas: ex-alcoholic father, absentee mother, dead bestfriend, alcohol issues, wife-beating neighbor... but it's so different! Vera Dietz is so different from other characters from other books. Love her character.  

“I wish we could go back in time and climb trees together again. I love you, Vera. I always will.”

I almost cried several times. It must have hurt how Vera feels... Having your bestfriend died when you were not 'friends'. It must have hurt to ask questions about what really happened between the two of you at the back of your head... and never get answers. Ugh... Vera and Charlie's story is heartbreaking. Go read it.

“You'll never lose me, Vera. I'm the Great Hunter now.”

★★★★★

Xx, AC

Book Review: Why We Broke Up

Before I rant about how much I hated this book, I want to tell you first what I liked the most about it: the illustrations. All of it was beautiful.

That's where the good stuff ends for me, though. 

I finished this book even though I was so irritated with it! Though I wanted to stop after a hundred pages, I kept reading because I wanted to know the real reason why they broke up. But hey, it wasn't a good read at all. First of all, the references to fictional movies went on for pages and pages! It was unbearable. It was like the writer was trying to make the main character, Min, weird and cool at the same. That didn't work out for me. Instead, she sounded a bit pretentious. I cringed every time Min mentions another fictional movie. 

I didn't like the characters at all. Min sounded like a 10-year old blabbing about her first break-up. I hated that. She sounded so whinny and naive. I wanted to feel bad for her, believe me. But I just couldn't. I didn't feel any connection with anyone in the book at all.

Plus, all the letters she wrote to Ed was a bunch of worthless reasoning. The book is just all about how Min dissected the what-she-used-to-think-perfect memories and turned it into something awful. She sounded so bitter... and young. 

I loved Lemony Snicket more than Daniel Handler, by the way.

★★(2 stars. 1.5 for the illustrations, .5 for the book.) 

Xx, ACG

Book Review: Suicide Notes

"Seven little crazy kids chopping up sticks;
One burnt her daddy up and then there were six.
Six little crazy kids playing with a hive;
One tattooed himself to death and then there were five.
Five little crazy kids on a cellar door;
One went all schizo and then there were four.
Four little crazy kids going out to sea;
One wouldn’t say a word, and then there were three. 
Three little crazy kids walking to the zoo;
One jerked himself too much and then there were two.
Two little crazy kids sitting in the sun;
One took a bunch of pills and then there was one.
One little crazy kid left all alone;
He went and slit his wrists, and then there were none."

Jeff committed suicide on New Year’s Eve. When he woke up the next day, he was already in a psychiatric ward and enrolled in a 45-day program. Though he insists that he is not crazy, he still have to stay in the psych ward until he finished the program. He thinks what he did isn’t a big deal and wants everybody to just move on. But they won’t… and he is stuck in the psychiatric ward for 45 days with other ‘crazy’ patients.

When you pick up this book and read its title, you’ll probably think that the story is depressing. But don’t be fooled! This book actually made me laugh several times. Jeff’s sarcasm is hilarious, believe me. Though I found myself laughing, this book is pretty serious too. It tackled serious issues, like suicide, in a not confusing way.

I especially love the characters. Nobody was left out- everybody has their own stories. Nobody was underdeveloped. Just like what I said, I like Jeff’s wittiness. It made the everyone-expected-to-be-depressing-because-of-the-title book easier to understand. But of course, my love for complicated female characters will never be surpassed. Example: Alaska Young and Noelle. So yes, my favorite character is Sadie. At first, you’ll think she’s just another girl who will make the good guy go crazy too… but in Suicide Notes, it’s different. Turns out, she has a big part on how Jeff resolved his confusion about himself.

Also I love the way how characters have different struggles but they still have one thing similar to each other: at one point in their lives, a bomb inside them exploded. The connection of the patients despite their different struggles in life is awe-inspiring. At one point, they all felt like they don’t have someone to talk to.

 Maybe that’s why I found this book beautiful… because it made me realize that sometimes all we need is someone to talk to- someone who can listen and prevent us from letting the bomb inside us explode. 

★★★★★

AC

P.S. I'm making a playlist inspired by this book right now. I'll post it later. :) 

Book Review #5: Anna Dressed In Blood

*Note: Another post for Literary Exploration Challenge! 

Genre: Paranormal

"You make me want things I can't have."

This is probably the first book about ghosts that I read in one sitting. As we all know, bookstores are now flooded with story plots of a girl-who-meets-someone-not-human. When you see Anna Dressed In Blood in the bookstore, you’ll probably think… “Oh goodness, not again.” But I’m telling you, this one’s different. 

Cas inherited his father’s ‘power’ of killing ghosts. With fury because of his father’s death in the hands of an unknown ghost, he does the job perfectly. "Move, hunt, kill. Like lather, rinse, and repeat." Then he moves to a town where Anna Dressed in Blood resides. But then he finds out that Anna is different from the other ghosts he killed. She has killed every person who stepped inside her house… well, except for Cas. 

The story didn’t just revolve around Cas and Anna’s romance- actually, half of it was about Cas’ killing-the-dead profession. It’s not like other YA books that make you want to throw up because of too much ‘cheesiness’. This book is definitely NOT like one of those books. They didn’t have too many cheesy moments but I assure you that you will smile when the romance finally blooms. 

I am a lover of gore so I was ecstatic on the action scenes. This is one of the things I loved about it- how Blake described what happens when Cas kills. It made the read more exciting. 

And of course, there are some things didn’t like. I think most of the characters are not developed properly. I would love to read more about Thomas, Carmel and even Gideon! My favourite character is Anna. The victim-slash-killer that Blake made her got into me. Her past made me like her even more. I like that she has story of her own.

I enjoyed reading this book. This is the kind of book that will never stop haunting if you don’t finish it in one sitting. I swear, your curiosity will never let you stop reading.

If you're reading this at night, prepare your athame. ;)
★★★★

P.S. I am reading the second book right now! :)

Book Review #4: The Night Circus

Note: Hi people! Sorry for my lack of audio posts. I promise to post one later. :) Anyway, this is my first post for The Literary Exploration Challenge! 

Genre: Magical Realism

“The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.”

I remember myself two weeks ago in the bookstore- contemplating on whether I should or should not buy this book. I was having second thoughts because of the reviews but the child inside me is longing for a ‘magical’ read, so I gave in to the temptation… and I’m glad I did.

The way Morgenstern described the Le Cirque des Reves was magnificent. She can make you feel like you are watching Celia Bowen perform magic, clapping as Tsukiko, the tattooed Japanese contortionist, situates her entire body into a small glass box, feeling the warmth from the heat of fire from Marco’s bonfire and smelling the ‘cinnamon things’ as you confusingly decide which tent to enter first.

I love how Morgenstern wrote the chapters from past to future. The questions you are longing for from the last chapter you've read would be answered by the next one. The way all the puzzle pieces fall into the right places in the end was splendid.    

I wanted to give the book five stars. The inner giddy child in me wanted it to be perfect. But I have to admit that it’s not. There are flaws- there are only few chapters that were exciting but the rest were dull. I was expecting for a climax; something exciting to happen. I was expecting for a battle between Celia and Marco but it did not happen. I found the part of Murray twins and Bailey even more interesting.

There are flaws in this book but I have to admit that I still loved it. It brought back my dreams of witnessing magic when I was still a child. Reading this book had been magical.

Keep believing in magic, my fellow rêveurs!   

★★★★(4.5)

Book Review #3: Looking For Alaska

*PLEASE DON'T READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK YET. This review contains SPOILERS. 

“That’s why I’m going. So I don’t have to wait until I die to start seeking a Great Perhaps.”

Pudge transfers to Culver Creek Boarding School and meets the Colonel (aka Chip Martin), Alaska Young, Takumi Hikohito and Lara Buterskaya. At the first part of the book (Before), Pudge narrates their exciting adventures- drinking, smoking, cutting classes, executing pranks; the second part (After) is heartbreaking and serious. I couldn’t believe what happened. I felt what all of the remaining characters felt. I was still trying to understand the beautiful, self-destructive Alaska but then just like what the Colonel and Pudge said..”Poof. Gone.” It was astounding how John Green can make a reader feel what the characters feel in the book. As I was reading, I felt like I was one of them- like I was also crying and blaming myself for a friend's sudden loss.

I also like how the labyrinth of suffering didn't get left out on the “After” part. Most of the books nowadays mention ‘something’ on the first part of the book and left it out on the latter. What I also I enjoyed the most is Dr. Hyde’s class. I don’t believe in religion but even I found that part of the book interesting.

Looking for Alaska left a huge hole in my heart. As a teenager, relating to the characters was easy. I was so excited on the first part but then as I got nearer and nearer to the end, I started slowing down because I didn't want to let go. I salute John Green for his ability to make a connection between the characters in the book and the readers. It was astonishing how I can feel what the characters feel. This book will not make you feel like a reader- it will make you feel like you are Pudge, the Colonel, Alaska Young and Takumi’s friend.  

One sentence to finish this review: Looking for Alaska made me want to seek the Great Perhaps. 
★★★★★

Book Review #2: About A Boy

*Note: Hi guys! I am finally back!!! So, I finally decided to post book reviews! I think it's better than just recommendations. If I only do recommendations, I couldn't post the books I hate(though I really find it hard to hate books). So yes, hooray for my new-found friend called productiveness! Hahaha! And also, I will make them more reader-friendly. :)

"You had to live in your own bubble. You couldn't force your way into someone else's, because then it wouldn't be a bubble any more.” 

One of the things I liked the most about this book is the humor. It is funny not in a way that will make you laugh out loud but the kind of funny that makes you want to hug the book for making you smile. Nick Hornby wrote this book in a very honest yet entertaining way. Though there are a lot of things going on, you wouldn't find yourself lost.

The connection between Marcus and Will is heartbreaking. He was bullied and Will was the only person he could confide to. The way Marcus wanted to be with Will even though Fiona, his mother, already told him not to do so, broke my heart. I wanted to dive into their world and just hug Marcus. But of course, I couldn't do anything than keep reading and see how it will turn out.  

I hated that it ended. I enjoyed it too much that I couldn't let go of the characters. I loved everything about it- the way the main characters build up as the story goes, the odd connection of a 12-year old weird boy and 36-year old carefree man, the way it tackles big issues-suicide, depression,single parenting- in its own small ways. 

Heartwarming. Funny. Honest. 

★★★★★

Other reviews here. 

"There had been times when he knew, somewhere in him, that he would get used to it, whatever it was, because he had learnt that some hard things became softer after a very little while.” 

Book Review#1: Warm Bodies

I decided not to post book reviews because 1) I suck at doing reviews and 2) (read: laziness). BUT BUT BUT.... I can still do recommendations! I'm not that lazy! Haha. And yes, you are reading my first recommendation post. Hooray yay for that! Lol. As for the recommendation...

Title: Warm Bodies
Author: Isaac Marion

Since this is the last book that I've read(and liked of course), I decided it to be my first EVER recommendation.

Summary (from the book jacket): 

'R' is a zombie. He has no name, no memories, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He is a little different from his fellow Dead.

Amongst the ruins of an abandoned city, R meets a girl. Her name is Julie and she is the opposite of everything he knows - warm and bright and very much alive, she is a blast of colour in a dreary grey landscape. For reasons he can't understand, R chooses to save Julie instead of eating her, and a tense yet strangely tender relationship begins.

This has never happened before. It breaks the rules and defies logic, but R is no longer content with life in the grave. He wants to breathe again, he wants to live, and Julie wants to help him. But their grim, rotting world won't be changed without a fight...

If you are truly a reader of my blog, you'll know the story of how I ended up with this book. If you don't know how, read here.

 I read it because of a movie's trailer and well, plain curiosity. At first I thought it was going to bore me, considering the fact that I am not into cheesy and too-impossible-to-be-even-imagined books- not every time, but most of the time. I am completely shocked when I found myself not just reading the book to satisfy my thirst of curiosity but also because I had completely fallen in love with the way "R" sees the world the "zombie way".

It turns out, the book is not just about a random zombie falling in love with a girl then happy ending then the end. NO. Just no. R is not a typical zombie. He feels sorry for himself most of the time- hoping for the memories that the apocalypse took from him will come back someday. When he met Julie, a human, everything changes.

For a 240-page book, it was quite impressive how it entertained me. It's amazing how it made me sad and then laugh after.

It's a quick easy read.. won't even hurt to try. :) The story is not common-definitely no vampires and werewolves. I just love how Isaac Marion changed things about zombies... they can be cheesy after all!

*This turned out to be a review(not!) after all. What the... Anyway, READ IT! If you happen to find yourself crying your eyes out in a bookstore because you cannot find a copy, contact me. Cry no more... I have a copy!

You can find 'proper' reviews here.

Xx