Title: Song in the Dark
Author: Christine Howe
Publication: February 21, 2013 by Penguin Australia
Format, pages: Paperback, 216
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

Where do you end up when you have nowhere to go, and no one to turn to?

Paul isn’t thinking clearly. After destroying a series of relationships – with his friends, his flatmates, his mum – he finally hurts the one person he cares about most of all. And then he runs away.

An extraordinary and heartrending story of love, betrayal, addiction and hope.

Christine Howe’s debut novel Song in the Dark is a book of tough and mature themes definitely written for a mature young adult audience. It’s nice to know that some authors write to not squeeze into what’s popular within the age group such as young protagonists, cliched romances, and genre trends, but write matters that have meaning and levels of emotionality that you wouldn’t see elsewhere. Song in the Dark is one of those, but sadly for me, I didn’t quite connect with the book. I mean, it was good. But as it was written in third perspective it was hard to connect with our main character Paul as he hurts people he loves, family and friends, and runs away to recover at a rehab treatment centre for his marijuana addiction. I felt incredibly distant from him because of it; maybe it’s because I’m the polar opposite. If it were written in first there might’ve been a difference in the way I felt about this book. Despite it being short and a quick read I had skimmed about 30% of it and that’s really a shame.

Thanks to Penguin Australia via NetGalley for the egalley to review.

• • •

Title: Shadow Kiss, Vampire Academy #3
Author: Richelle Mead
Publication: November 13th, 2008 by Razorbill
Format, pages: Paperback, 348
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

It’s springtime at St. Vladimir’s Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn’t been feeling quite right. She’s having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all… might be seeing ghosts.

As Rose questions her sanity, new complications arise. Lissa has begun experimenting with her magic once more, their enemy Victor Dashkov might be set free, and Rose’s forbidden relationship with Dimitri is starting to heat up again. But when a deadly threat no one saw coming changes their entire world, Rose must put her own life on the line – and choose between the two people she loves most.

Richelle Mead has soooo many passionate fans the world over for her Vampire Academy series and I think I slowly am becoming one. I’ve taken my time – even if poorly – with this series and it’s a goal to finish the series this year. Shadow Kiss, the third instalment in the series, was packed with thrilling if not emotional moments, especially the ending between Lissa and Rose. It’s such a genuinely complex relationship between friends and one of the best I’ve read; there’s a lot of depth and history to their friendship that you don’t see anywhere else. It’s at that ending that it explodes and Rose and Lissa ricochet their own ways, and it’s funny how it’s both their faults. I look forward to reading the next three in this series following Rose and the path she takes to find Dimitri. This was a great instalment and the next books seem like they’re just going to cascade down on me.

• • •

Title: Pandemonium, Delirium #2
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publication: February 28th, 2012 by HarperCollins Children’s Books
Format, pages: Hardcover, 375
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Romance
My Rating:  

“So what was your name before?” I say, and she freezes, her back to me. “Before you came to the Wilds, I mean.”For a moment she stands there.

Then she turns around.

“You might as well get used to it now,” she says with quite intensity.

“Everything you were, the life you had, the people you knew… dust.”

She shakes her head and says, a little more firmly, “There is no before. There is only now, and what comes next.”

After falling in love, Lena and Alex flee their oppressive society where love is outlawed and everyone must receive the “cure” – an operation that makes them immune to the delirium of love – but Lena alone manages to find her way to a community of resistance fighters. Although she is bereft without the boy she loves, her struggles seem to be leading her toward a new love.

Today I have an interview with author Toni de Palma about her new young adult paranormal romance novel The Devil’s Triangle for a blog tour in which I was asked by the publicist Christine Attardo to participate in. It’s great to do things like this so that authors are able to be recognised if not published by, say, the big six. Crescent Moon Press seems to be doing all that it can to get Toni de Palma’s books out there and I feel content that I’ve been able to help.

For the rest of the blog tour schedule please visit here.

.

Who am I? Well, let’s start with who I am NOT. I am Not tall. I am Not a genius. And though a lot of people have assumed I was, I was never, ever a cheerleader in high school. Actually, I was a klutz, a nerd and kind of quiet when I was in high school. I am still a klutz, a much better listener than I am a talker (though my husband would probably disagree with that) and still a nerd (and very proud of that thank you!)

I grew up in Brooklyn, New York and when I was a kid I loved to wander the streets with my best friend John. We’d disappear for the whole day, returning conveniently when it was time for dinner. During the summer, I’d dance in the spray of the johnny pump (the fire hydrant). Some summers I’d spend in Ischia, the Italian island where my dad was from.

I have always loved to travel and wander. My most valued possession is my passport. I love to write stories that take me and my readers places and of course I love traveling places to do the research for my books (can you say write offs!). I write YA both contemporary and paranormal romance but I like to read everything and discover new and unusual books.

Every week there is a trend whether it be angels, mermaids, zombi-fied gnats etc… When I write, rather than ask myself what kind of creature do I want to focus on today, I start with a compelling character. This time around it was Cooper. The boy has problems and a crass mouth and I instantly fell in love with him, potty-mouth and all

When 17 year old Cooper dies in an attempt to burn down his school, he finds himself in the afterlife. Lucy, the Devil’s sister who has crossed party lines, decides to give Cooper another shot at heaven. The deal? Cooper returns to Earth and has to find a girl named Grace. The rest is up to him.

While Cooper figures out his mission, he’s thrown into the life he’s always wanted. Great parents, a spot on the Varsity football team and a real future are all within reach. But what he really wants is Grace, a feisty girl with an abusive boyfriend who can pound Cooper into pulp if he doesn’t watch out.

While Lucy plays demonic-puppeteer, clues to an unknown past between Cooper and Grace start to unravel. Cooper discovers that what’s keeping him and Grace apart is far more sinister than anything this bad boy could have ever imagined.

Find THE DEVIL’S TRIANGLE at:
Goodreads | Facebook

Follow Tony de Palma at:
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Title: Life in Outer Space
Author: Melissa Keil
Publication: February 1st, 2012 by Hardie Grant Egmont
Format, pages: Paperback, 316
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Comedy
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

Sam Kinnison is a geek, and he’s totally fine with that. He has his horror movies, his nerdy friends, World of Warcraft – and until Princess Leia turns up in his bedroom, he doesn’t have to worry about girls.

Then Sam meets Camilla. She’s beautiful, friendly and completely irrelevant to his life. Sam is determined to ignore her, except that Camilla has a life of her own – and she’s decided that he’s going to be part of it.

Sam believes that everything he needs to know he can learn from the movies … but now it looks like he’s been watching the wrong ones.

Melissa Keil’s debut novel Life in Outer Space has the heart and voice that many young adult contemporary romance novels lack. Hardie Grant Egmont’s Ampersand Project has surely delivered on what they set out to do, because a novel like Life in Outer Space deserves its space on the shelf for what it has brought to the Australian YA scene.

In Life in Outer Space, all Sam knows how to be is a geek – computer games like World of Warcraft and films, especially that of horror, is all he ever knows. That is until Camilla Carter, the new girl at Bowen Lakes Secondary College, enters his world, as if she has stepped outside some fictional universe. And when she does, a sequence of events unfold that forces Sam to step outside of his comfort zone and attempt to put things right – for himself, for his friends… and for Camilla Carter.

What I loved most about Life in Outer Space was the character of Sam and the world he responds to, his own geeky universe – he’s just extremely relatable. Keil’s prose brings Sam to life, making his voice believable, as well as making his heart go thump thump thump right out of the pages, forcing you to not let go of his breathing story. As he understands those around him you as the reader do too.

The impact Camilla and Sam’s friends have on him creates quite a few side quests for Sam to complete – like the many quests on World of Warcraft – with the main quest being connected to Camilla. It was a nice relationship to see develop, between someone who is not so confident, unsure and used to the things he knows and someone who is out there, willing to try new things, determined but holding back. Sam and Camilla influence one another to step out of their comfort zones and go for the big things in life, to step out of the shadows and into the light, to step out of the bedroom and into someone’s heart.

Life in Outer Space was one of my most anticipated books of 2013 and I’m happy that I was not let down by it. The story flowed naturally, coming together in the end well. This book was adorkable. And you’ll feel adorkable too, just as much as I was, even if you would not call yourself a dork, a nerd, or a geek. Sam will convert you. Have no fear. Come to the dark side, young padawan.

Thank you to Hardie Grant Egmont for the ARC to review.

Title: Shatter Me, The Juliette Chronicles #1
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publication: November, 2011 by Allen & Unwin
Format, pages: Paperback, 348
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Dystopia, Romance
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

“You can’t touch me,” I whisper.

I’m lying, is what I don’t tell him.

He can touch me, is what I’ll never tell him.

But things happen when people touch me.

Strange things.

Bad things.

No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.

But Juliette has plans of her own.

After a lifetime without freedom, she’s finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she’d lost forever.

Tahereh Mafi has entered the Young Adult scene with a defiantly striking and distinct prose in her debut novel Shatter Me, garnering mixed responses from readers, some overtly displeased while others embraced the change in style. I, for one, revelled in the beauty of the words and the stream-of-consciousness-like writing. Perhaps being different isn’t all that great in such a media when the literary norm has been set in concrete centuries ago, with little transformation and originality able to be done by new writers. Mafi’s prose is a perfect fit for Juliette’s character, however, because she’s someone who has been locked away for 264 days, away from civilisation and zero contact with others, so, therefore, the way in which she thinks, reacts and perceives to the world around her has altered, and this change is exhibited in the writing – only, really, if you want to see it that way. Additionally, Juliette’s love of words, of numbers, and of writing in her journal may also be a contributing factor, with Mafi creating a style that screams ‘Juliette’. Although it took a while to adapt to Mafi’s writing, I’ve developed a taste that I would love more of.

I’ve been locked up for 264 days.
I have nothing but a small notebook and a broken pen and the numbers in my head to keep me company. 1 window, 4 walls, 144 square feet of space, 26 letters in an alphabet. I haven’t spoken in 264 of isolation.
6,336 hours since I’ve touched another human being.

Juliette’s inner struggle to accept who she is, with an ability such as hers, is something that makes falling in love with her easy. Throughout Shatter Me she is manipulated, ordered and forced to use her power, tried to be shaped by Warner into a weapon against enemies of The Reestablishment, something that Juliette wants no part of. Her disastrous past combined with her naught self-acceptance and the destruction she knows she can cause becomes Juliette’s formidable force and resistance against those that want to use her. Slowly throughout Shatter Me she discovers more about herself and her ability through her journey from escaping Warner’s grip with Adam, a childhood friend and somebody she can touch, to Omega Point, the base for the resistance filled with people just like her. There was much to take interest in when it comes to Juliette.

I took a sincere liking to Adam. At first his deceiving to Juliette in the beginning under Warner’s orders made me weary of him, but as the novel progresses you hope Adam is the one that Juliette will be with in the end. The more the two of them are with each other the more we see them change, be truthful, be accepting of one another’s secrets, finally with someone that they can confide in things with. Shatter Me centralises on Adam and his predicament as an older sibling and guardian for his younger brother. There is also Warner, who was the main antagonist in this novel, and is pretty evident to become a love interest as such books usually go. I detested Warner for his conniving, manipulative, and dominant stance with the people around him. Of course, it comes with his position. For me, Warner was very one-sided in Shatter Me, only ever after one thing: Juliette, either that be for her power or to sate his possessiveness and obsession to be with Juliette romantically. He was a complete and utter psycho, someone who I would love to treat by bashing his loose head against the ground at Juliette’s feet.

Mafi’s thrilling plot from Juliette’s escape from isolation to Juliette’s discovery of others like her makes Shatter Me a pretty good beginning to the trilogy. However, I was holding out for more in this book than just a precursor and introductory to what can be expected from the second book. The conflict scenes were resolved all too easily, with a fake kiss being used for one of them as a tool for escape and defence, a tool for kindling vulnerability. The way the story unfolded worked though, with Omega Point being almost like a paradise; Juliette and Adam are on a journey to find this haven, even if it took a while to come to it.

Mafi has created a world where fans of X-Men and The Hunger Games can enjoy seeing two of their enjoyments, superpowers and dystopia, mash  together in a surprising and moving tale of self-discovery and self-acceptance.

What others said about this book:

Brodie @ Eleusinian Mysteries of Reading:

The best part about this book is Tahereh’s amazing ability with words. Her style is so unique and original, I’ve never read anything like it. Every single word is so carefully structured, full of passion and love and tenderness.

Lisa @ Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me:

This novel drove me insane and up the wall. It made me feel like jumping, screaming and crying in absolute joy! Shatter Me is most definitely one of the best books of 2011, if not ever.

Books in the series:

1. Shatter Me (November, 2011)
2. Unravel Me (February, 2013)
3. Untitled (February, 2014)

Here I am, finally posting words, thoughts, on three final instalments that I read in the last few months of 2012, even if I have little to say. Hence why these are mini-reviews. These books are Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick, the last book in the Hush Hush quartet, Reached by Ally Condie, the final in the Matched trilogy, and Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, the last in the Caster Chronicles. The final book in series are usually the hardest and most demanding to write, because you not only have to tie all those story arcs and loose ends together perfectly but you have to make it gripping and explosive and memorable, have something in it that the reader will want to return and reread the series. Some writers succeed and some fail; these books are always the most anticipated. And no doubt the most emotional.

• • •

Title: Finale, Hush Hush #4
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Publication: October 1st, 2012 by Simon & Schuster Australia
Format, pages: Paperback, 458
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal – Angels, Fantasy
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

Fates unfurl in the gripping conclusion to the “New York Times” bestselling Hush, Hush saga.

Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean they are fated to be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him. Now Nora and Patch must gather their strength to face one last, perilous trial. Old enemies return, new enemies are made, and a friend’s ultimate betrayal threatens the peace Patch and Nora so desperately want. The battle lines are drawn–but which sides are they on? And in the end, are there some obstacles even love can’t conquer?

Finale was a good conclusion to the Hush Hush series. It’s not the most memorable series of all the books I’ve read and certainly does not make me go cray cray over them, but there’s the plot twists that kept me coming back and the war between the Nephilim and Fallen Angels that kept me interested. Nora isn’t the brightest, and I guess that’s why in Finale she gives me something to remember: that I called this book ‘The Book of Lies and Doping” instead, because that’s all there ever was in Finale in regards to Nora. It certainly made the plot progress but I found it was such a forced plot device like Nora becoming amnesic at the beginning of Silence. It’s these things that are memorable; not much of anything else. I had an inkling and I called the culprit early, which was saddening as I was expecting a little more. But the last fifty pages was what I liked the most, where there was a battle and much action to be lost in until the final page of the book and the series.

• • •

I remember what Anna called the three of us.
The Pilot. The Poet. The Physic.
They are in all of us. I believe this. That every person might have a way to fly, a line of poetry to put down for others to see, a hand to heal.

Title: Reached, Matched #3
Author: Ally Condie
Publication: November 13th, 2012 by Penguin Australia
Format, pages: Paperback, 520
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction
My Rating:  

From Goodreads: 

After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

I have to say… I loved the prose in this book. So many amazing lines. Especially in those final pages.

I loved Matched because it was a more subtle and introspective dystopia than what people expect from such a genre – it had little action; it was a change from the usual. I didn’t find Crossed to be all that engrossing because I was expecting more from it, instead of traversing across The Carving. But Reached, oh my… Reached picked up that introspective feel again, and with the beautiful prose and characters there was so much more to love. So much more to think about. So much more to reach. Ally Condie ties the trilogy up perfectly, and if I reread Crossed I know I would enjoy it much more than I had the first time as I’d know why Crossed was Crossed – not a sequel, but rather the middle section of an overarching story. Cassia, Xander and Ky were perfect leading characters and it was sad to leave them behind as I turned the back cover of Reached and reflected on the meaning of this trilogy. Brilliant!

• • •

Maybe there isn’t a meaning to life. Maybe there’s only a meaning to living.

Title: Beautiful Redemption, The Caster Chronicles #4
Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Publication: October 26th, 2012 by Penguin Australia
Format, pages: Paperback, 451
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Supernatural, Romance
My Rating:  

From Goodreads: 

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan’s return, vowing to do whatever it takes — even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series.

I pushed myself in December to read Beautiful Chaos and Beautiful Redemption so that I know how it all ends and can have a fresh slate before watching the Beautiful Creatures film and experience this story again but through film and stunning visuals. Beautiful Redemption was a bittersweet ending to this series, but I felt like it needed a lot more – I was waiting for much more, considering everything Ethan goes through to return back to Lena and all the events that lead up to the end ever since the beginning. Sure, there was interesting twists here and there, but the pacing of the plot was all over the place – slow, then fast, slow, then fast. I just wanted to hurry it up and get to the actual conclusion that we have all waited for, the major conflict between Ethan and Angelus, but Angelus was such a sloppily-created villain that I knew he could do no real threat and as much damage as Seraphine had done previously. Obviously, it was probably because I knew Ethan had to win, but everything seemed a bit too easy and smooth sailing (e.g. the fight with Abraham where I was expecting a BATTLE OF HUNDREDS but got a standoff of five). Still, this book would look stunning on the big screen and I cannot wait for all four books to be adapted and for Gatlin County to become reality. Goodbye E&L.

• • •

That’s another three series completed. I wonder what’s next in 2013…

Title: Level 2, The Memory Chronicles #1
Author: Lenore Appelhans
Publication: January 2nd, 2013 by Allen & Unwin
Format:, pages: Paperback, 281
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Contemporary, Romance
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

Three levels. Two loves. One choice. Debut novelist, Lenore Appelhans has written a thrilling otherworldly young adult novel about a place that exists between our world (Level 1) and what comes after life (Level 2).

‘I pause to look around the hive – all the podlike chambers are lit up as the drones shoot up on memories … I’ve wanted to get out of here before, but now the tight quarters start to choke me. There has to be more to death than this.’

Felicia Ward is dead. Trapped in a stark white afterlife limbo, she spends endless days replaying memories, of her family, friends, boyfriend … and of the guy who broke her heart. The guy who has just broken into Level 2 to find her.

Felicia learns that a rebellion is brewing, and it seems she is the key. Suspended between heaven and earth, she must make a choice. Between two worlds, two lives and two loves.

Lenore Appelhans’s debut novel Level 2 is one not to be missed. The originality of the afterlife-limbo while waiting to enter Heaven is an aspect of Level 2 that will have paranormal-, and particularly angel-, obsessed readers reeling for more. This uniqueness stems from the slight science fiction/dystopia that Appelhans uses to characterise Level 2, the place between Earth (Level 1) and Heaven (Level 3). There are contemporary and romance elements that come from the reliving of memories, too, which find their way into Level 2 through Felica Ward, our protagonist. Level 2 is a book that will cater to many, and with the stunning cover design, it will have readers head over heels for this fresh young adult debut.

Of course, Level 2 is not all it seems. The marketing team behind Level 2 must have enjoyed twisting and shaping the book into something that it’s not. Firstly, there’s not really a love triangle as the synopsis suggests. If this was a ploy at getting the paranormal readership or just some trope-poking, then they did a good job at it – being mean is not my specialty… but they fell flat with that. Secondly, at first glance I believed Level 2 was a science fiction-dystopia novel and it seems as though it was pushed unbelievably far to reach the current market and the current, but slowly fading, trends. Upon reading, it was a disappointment to find that, even though there are elements of a sci-fi world with the pods that are able to retrieve memories and the Scanners, the mechanical guards of Level 2 you could say, it fell by the wayside and left me, an avid science fiction and fantasy reader, wanting more than what was promised. That’s what marketing is all about, isn’t it? Trying to cater to the majority. Level 2 is a hybrid, so all its elements taken from the variably different and opposing genres are balanced, but if you’re holding out for one over the other, you’ll find yourself disappointed in those elements you don’t care much for.

Although we get to see Felicia Ward’s time on Earth before Level 2 – where everything is dull and whitewashed and structured – through memories, I didn’t find myself all that invested in her story (except that I was jealous of all the places around the world she has been to). Appelhans, through the retrieval of memories, gives depth to Felicia’s character and allows the reader to observe her past – her troubling and traumatic experiences and her dear and fondest memories – that lead to her death and deposition in Level 2. This device was executed considerably well (maybe because it reminded me of Assassin’s Creed to some degree), but Felicia became annoying when all she wants to do is return to her boyfriend Neil, who, apparently, is still on Earth. Julian, somebody from her past who attempts to vie for her affections on Level 2 and who also is a member of the upcoming rebellion against the Morati, the angels, the law enforcers of Level 2, coaxes Felicia into joining them by promising that he’ll help her get back to Neil. Yes, this is young adult and a part-romance, but this was a device I found to have held no real merit except to give Felicia something to leave her pod for to make reality than just constantly replaying the memories with him. Is Felicia going to bring down the Morati or leave it all behind to just be with Neil, even after everything she learns about both? Young adult. Hah!

I hope in the sequel Level 3 that more focus is centred on the dystopia plot and rebellion against the Morati. That’s a personal taste, but I do also believe it’s what the series needs – it needs more world-building considering ‘Level 2′ was bland, but since it seems as though we will be journeying on to Heaven, Level 3, there may be just what I hope there is. A fault of the development on Level 2 may be attributed to some short cuts taken by Appelhans, such as the supposedly magical ability to just ‘think’ or ‘imagine’ what you want to see and you will see it. Appelhans has developed an engrossing new world, and although it needs more contextual and physical layers, I will certainly be back to experience the Levels again in Level 3. (Appelhans was a wonderful book blogger too before becoming a debut novelist, so of course I’m going to support this gem.)

A big thank you to Allen & Unwin for providing a copy to review.

What others have said about this book:

Danielle @ Alpha Reader:

Appelhan’s book is clever, that’s for sure. The memory-limbo stuff is in another Dystopian stratosphere entirely, and it’s the kind of thoughtful sci-fi plot that will have readers chewing over for days.

April @ Good Books & Good Wine:

I do hope you all check out and read Level 2. It’s very swoonworthy, breakneck paced, with an interesting concept of the afterlife… this is one hell of a debut so get off your butt and check it out like right this second.

Books in this series:

1. Level 2 (January 2013)
2. Level 3 (January 2014)

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins was one of those books that even though every single damned one of you raved about it, I had no obligation to immediately read it. Of course, that’s what occurs with most of the raved about contemporaries; they are – to be completely honest – rarely on my wishlist save for those written by those godly Aussies or those books I know I will adore. One thing that was against Anna and the French Kiss was that it is a contemporary romance. Yep. That word. Of course #2, YA is built upon young love – well, in most of what comes out these days…

Although being one of a rare kind of “boy” Aussie bloggers has its perks (I’d list them but I’d lose count of them all ), it also comes with a lot of guilt, and shame, and times when I feel like a downright outcast – yes, having not touched Anna and the French Kiss there were times I felt like I was missing out on something (and obviously that is like… uh… the last resort of emotion). But through peer pressure, threats, harassment and a ton of girl power – Oh, and Sarah’s money! – I’ve finally begun reading this book you all heart with a passion. Just don’t expect me to be swooning over your Etienne so soon; I’m real and been to Paris!

So I shall begin my random commentary for Anna and the French Kiss – obviously it’s going to be more sarcastic and humorous than what I would say if I was having a full blown love affair with the book and saying every damn positive thing in the English dictionary. I will be doing a post every five chapters. And so this post is for the first five chapters. Enjoy! (Please don’t. I mean it!)

__________

Chapter 1

I opened and read the first page and was surprised at how witty Stephanie Perkins’s writing was and how individualised Anna’s voice was.

The first paragraph has to be such a great opener for any novel. However I have to disagree that there are mimes – I saw none while I was in Paris (of course it’s an odd and bold statement to me), but then I forget Anna is only talking about what she thinks Paris has and what Paris is all about. Oh, one more thing! The food is good, not ’the food is supposed to be good…’

Anna’s dad… Nicholas Sparks, anyone? The ladies apparently “eat it up”.But I don’t think Nicholas Sparks wears cable-knit sweaters, has a bleachy smile and orangey tan, and is also a total dick.

Now, don’t get me wrong, Anna calls her dad uncultured… but she thought ‘oui’ was spelt ‘wee’. *cough* *laugh* Alright, I’m harsh!

Who sends their kid to boarding school? It’s so Hogwarts. Only mine doesn’t have cute boy wizards or magic candy or flying lessons. Sucks to be you Anna. But honestly, these have got to be the best lines in this book so far. However, she says ‘it’s so Hogwarts’ like she hates Hogwarts… I’d love to be at Hogwarts! Anna so doesn’t. (Yes I feel like I’m twisting the meaning so much.) Hahaha!

On page 6 I can already see that she cares a lot for her brother… or was it their pet(s) a few pages on?

Ummm… a woman belting out operatic across the street? Bit too farfetched.

Anna’s father is obviously a dick (see above) but he has something right: to watch out for pickpockets. Pickpockets… GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! No, I haven’t had anything stolen or pickpocketed, but sister and I had close encounter in Starbucks as had some others. You need no hear though.

At the end of chapter 1 I’ve come to the conclusion that Anna’s parents hate her. They’ve left her in Paris. CITY OF BUSYBUSY!

Chapter 2

If I had written this book I would have written aubergine instead of eggplant being in France, as later on she correctly says escargot for snails – here’s me being critical again. Shut up Braiden!

Anna’s crying. All I could do was laugh.

French fail! “A chocolate show?” No you ning nang nong… chocolat chaud! Oh yeah she’s a beginner. Still…

Stephanie Perkins has the description of the rooms utterly perfect. Sister and I stayed in someone’s two-room apartment just over Sacre Couer and the toilet was  not in the apartment but in a separate room across the tiny hallway. Just imagine when I stayed home one night and there was only one key… and you needed the key to open it both inside and out… yep. I resorted to the smallest shower I have ever been in But unlike the toilets in this book that are shared, our toilet was the apartment’s toilet and nobody elses.

 Alright moving on to when Anna bumps into Etienne… All I could think was, “I wish I had that type of hair.” That ‘artist’s hair’, that ‘musician’s hair’, that ‘I=pretend-I-don’t-care-but-I-really-do hair’ in which Anna describes his hair. Life is really unfair! *cry*

But wait, a paragraph to just further compliment his hair: Beautiful hair. iuyfiyf;iuv;iyb;iobiogoigougo *cry more*

Anna confused. I’ve got to get used to these wtf-ery moments.

Eh-t-yen says my name like this: Ah-na. Hahahahahahahaha!

Chapter 3

When she talks about the Latin Quarter…. OH THE MEMORIES! (Just so you know Paris wasn’t my favourite city but it sure is memorable and has great moments.)

I was on “vacation” and I didn’t buy an Eiffel Tower keyring. Another misconception. BUT I DID EAT SNAILS – ESCARGOTS – AND THEY WERE DELICIOUS. Also had them at a well-known not-so-cheap brasserie in St. Germain: Lipp. Worth it so much.

So yeah… normal stuff happens here. Boring getting to know you scenes/meet the other characters. I’m reading this for more of Paris not for major staring.

Etienne teaches Anna how to read off the menu… she must be extremely dumb – well, that’s how I see it! Damsel in distress sort of thing.

More staring. *rolls eyes*

Chapter 4

[Didn’t note down much in these next two chapters.]

…when Anna realises she’d be a lot happier if she were like Jon Snow – a bastard.

I laughed with these sentences because they were just… sooooo… intense… *rolls eyes again* - The grape brushes my lower lower lip as he slides it in. [One eyebrow raise.] It explodes in my mouth, and I’m so startled by the juice that I nearly spit it out. [Second eyebrow raises and gag reflex kicks in.] The flavor is intense, more like grape candy than actual fruit. [I’m sure...] To say I’ve tasted nothing like before it an understatement. [I’m sure, I’m sure it is...]

I see foreshadowing going on: I’m a bad kisser. I am, I must be. THEN HOW DO YOU GET THIS “FRENCH KISS” THAT’S IN THE TITLE? I guess I have to wait. Too bad for the moment she lurks through those memories of her past failure boyfriends

What my parents never considered is that I just wanted a choice. <333 YYYYEEEEESSSSS! Perfect line to end a chapter.

Chapter 5

I just added Like Water for Chocolate to my wishlist. When Anna says there’s sex, LOTS of sex in it… you can take that to mean: THIS IS PORN! And obviously she wants to tell Bridge about this book.

”So you’re the new Brandon,” Amanda says. Close to Braiden. I can live with that. Well not close close, just two letters out. Still similar in a way.

”Does it look like I care? Skunk girl?” Pepe le Pew? No wonder why Anna gets the french kiss (which I still don’t see and haven’t come across yet).

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Keep watch for Thought Commentary for chapters 6-10 of Anna and the French Kiss. Hopefully there’s Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame soon… I want to spam photos through the commentary