Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce | Retold Fairytales Series #1

The cover of the copy I read.

Once upon a time when they were children, sisters Scarlett and Rosie March's live changed forever when their grandmother is killed by the legendary Fenris. This changes the two sisters irrevocably and turns them both into werewolf hunters. 

One of the things that I absolutely loved about this book was Scarlett and her sense of responsibility. Being one of the few people to know about the Fenris she sees hunting wolves as her duty to mankind. I admired this a lot because although I know that this is in a fantastical setting, personal responsibly is something that I am a believer in and was thrilled to see portrayed in a young adult novel. Having said that, she does have her flaws and her fear of abandonment leads her to act in a less than noble way towards her sister and best friend. This does, however, show that she is human. It made for a more well-rounded, more relatable character and made me like her even more.   

It was also great to see a comment on the predatory nature of men in such a novel as well. I very much felt that the wolves were a metaphor for rapists who prey upon and destroy vulnerable, yet beautiful women in the pursuit of power. The Fenris are always male and their victims always young, attractive women and I feel that even if this was not a deliberate feminist comment being made by the author it does show that there is something within the female psyche that tells them they have something to fear in the dark. I especially like how the wolves' action are never justified, that they are never portrayed as sympathetic characters. We feel pity for the people that they used to be, but once they are changed, Pearce makes the distinction between good and evil very clear. The magic of transformation from human to wolf is never really explored in any way that gives answers, but I got the feeling that wasn't the 'point' of the story and I was somewhat satisfied with that.

The way in which the narrative was told is also something that I liked and loved that I got the perspective of both sisters. Rosie is very different from Scarlett and has a distinctly different voice which I felt Pearce did well. The thing that I admired most in this character was her love for her sister. The internal battle that we get to witness in Rosie between the love for her sister and the need for her to find herself even in a world with Fenris felt, despite the fantasy aspect, to be genuine. Rosie is only 16 and this book reminded me of the challenges of being who you are when you're that age. I was very happy with the compromise that was made at the end of the book. 

Now, there were some problems that I had with this book. The first thing and the most off-putting was the dialogue. I found it very uncomfortable to read. It felt as though Pearce was trying too hard to make it sound like something that you would read in a book and not enough like something that someone would really say. I thought that it would get less jarring as I read on, but it still proved to be a problem for me even at the end of the book. 

The new cover

One of the other problems that I had was the plot was the predictability of it. I guessed about three chapters in the big thing that would be revealed to the sisters later on in the novel. I felt as though Pearce was a little too obvious with the hints that she was including and I think that young adults will be smart enough to get it. The Fenris being on Silas' doorstep was the thing that told me the plot twist and the less than subtle comments about Silas being the sixth son just hit me in the face with it. I just felt as though they were not necessary as the uncle had been introduced quite naturally and that would have been enough to lay the foundations for the uncle-brother situation. 

Despite these issues I did still enjoy this book. I felt as though the fairytale was dealt with very well and I loved the way that it had been modernised. I would also like to comment on the cover change that has occurred recently and say that I really like the direction that they have gone in with them. I know there are 3 other books in this series and I look forward to picking up the next one. 

Rating: ★★★

Next in series: Sweetly

Should you decide not to read the book based on the film?

Today I went to see The Fault In Our Stars with my friends. This film was originally my suggestion as even though I hadn't read the book I had heard a lot about it. I knew that I wouldn't get around to reading the book before I saw the film and reasoning that the book is always better I decided that it wasn't such a problem. That is until I saw the film.

I know that it's about cancer and two teenagers falling in love and I fully expected to cry. However, I was never once moved to tears or even close. I left the cinema feeling completely devoid of emotion and not in the way that a film can leave you feeling numb because it has had such an impact on you. I just never believed in the scenario, I was never invested in the characters or the love story. 

Augustus Waters I found to be cocky and arrogant, yes, but from the outset it seemed to me that he was in fact just a scared little boy who was frightened to die. Well of course he was! That would have been fine if I didn't think that the film worked so hard to deny that. When Gus' cancer comes back with a vengeance and he loses his smart-Alec attitude I believed it. That was the moment that I was the most invested in the story, but it didn't last for very long. 

Hazel's eulogy to Gus, her original one, left me completely cold. From the first moment it seemed that Gus was determined that Hazel was going to be his girlfriend and I didn't like that. For me, it made everything that happened afterwards forced or shallow and not very organic. I can believe that they were best friends and so the grief is believable enough. I thought the eulogy that Hazel read out at the funeral was dishonest. The voice-over clearly states that she didn't believe a word and I think that's the problem with a lot of the gestures and statements made in the film: they were empty. 

The smoking 'metaphor' is also something that I just didn't get and thought was very pretentious. This coupled with all of the reasons above meant that I just didn't enjoy the film very much and was quite unmoved by it. However, that was just the film and I am sure that many fans of the book will be disappointed with the film as well. So I ask you, do I still keep this book on my mental TBR? 

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

This book tells the story of thirty-something-year-old Anna and almost seventeen-year-old T.J who after a freak accident are deserted on an uninhabited island. T.J is recovering from cancer and Anna is the person charged with tutoring him through the summer, but when they are forced together they become so much more than student and teacher. 

The premise for the story was promising and one of the most pleasing aspects of the book. The cover is stunning and really evocative of a desert island. It's interesting that the one thing that many people wish for in this story becomes Anna and T.J's nightmare. I really liked the way that the dangers of island life were represented. Throughout their time on the island the pair face thirst, malnutrition, sharks and even bats!

Not exactly a romantic setting, but they are exceptional circumstances and so draw the two characters closer to one another, developing a deep friendship and then eventually something more. The pace of this relationship is something that I felt was well done. All too often in romance novels characters become sexually involved very quickly. It took Anna and T.J two years to reach that that step, born out of genuine connection and not just insta-love. This was demonstrated further once the couple escaped from the island and settled back into life in the USA.

I particularly liked T.J and it was great to be able to get half the novel from his perspective. Perhaps it is because he is younger, but I found myself relating to him and his character more. The fast track growing up that he is forced to go through because of his cancer and then his experience on the island is portrayed well and sensitively. It is because of T.J's perspective that we really grasped the amount of time that has elapsed whilst they have been on the island as he is faced to accept that everyone else has moved on without him when he gets back. I love that he decides to reject what he is 'supposed' to do and instead follows his passion for construction and the outdoors.

On the other hand, Anna was a character that I found hard to connect with. I was never that invested in her story and found it even more difficult in the second half of the novel when she is back in Chicago. At the beginning of the book Anna is upset that her boyfriend doesn't want to get married and have children, the two things that she is desperate for. Towards the end of the book Anna is upset because she thinks her boyfriend is too young to get married and have children. At the very end of the novel Anna marries her boyfriend and has children. Anna's character changes very little of the course of the narrative and learns even less than that. I was frustrated by the constant talk about marriage and babies and found it to be far too in-your-face. Even after their rescue instead of being grateful for her rescue, her payout, her relationship with T.J and just generally being alive, Anna is consumed with thoughts of what she doesn't have. I found her character to be ungrateful, shallow and self-centred. Unfortunately, her perspective was half the book.

There were some great points to this novel and it does ask us to think about how we would react in a situation completely away from civilisation. Having said that the fact that the one half of this book was taken up by a character that caused nothing but frustration meant that I could never fully invest in it. It does, however, have a beautiful cover and is one that I spent a lot of time looking at.

Rating: ★★

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbowsky

What are the perks of being a wallflower? To be perfectly honest I'm not sure that there are any and I think that this is exactly the point that Chbosky's coming-of-age novel is trying to make. The story is about Charlie, a boy that is just starting high school. The narrative follows him through just one year at school and charts his journey through that trying time.

Charlie is a very sweet, naive and yet chillingly perceptive. His position as the 'wallflower' means that he is able to have great insights into the lives of his friends and family. However, the flip-side of this is that he spends so much time watching other people that he forgets to get involved. That is until he meets Patrick and Sam. These two are a lively step-brother and sister duo with an immense passion for Rocky Horror. 

I very much enjoyed the style that the books was written in. It is an epistolary novel which makes for a very intimate narrative as we are privy to all of Charlie's thoughts and feelings. One of the interesting things that I noticed was that Charlie never reveals who he is to the recipient of his letters. Why does Charlie want to remain anonymous? Surely the idea of a disclosure is that you tell all. Perhaps it is more effective to view Charlie's letters as a confession. In his letters he tells the reader everything he thinks that he shouldn't be thinking or feeling. He is very honest about his feelings for Mary Elizabeth and Sam and as a result we almost feel as though we are reading his diary.

This book concentrated quite heavily on forbidden relationships. Patrick and Brad, his sister and her boyfriend, Sam and Charlie, Mary-Elizabeth and Charlie, Aunt Helen and Charlie, Charlie and his English teacher Bill. This is significant because even though this is a YA novel it does not shy away from the harsh reality of abusive and inappropriate relationships. Charlie is surround by impropriety which adds to his sense of confusion and struggle to fit in. His relationship with Aunt Helen is harrowing in so many ways and the way in which it was revealed was absolute perfection.

In many ways this novel is very literary. The books that Charlie reads all have a big part to play in the narrative and his development as a character. Music is also very important to the book. Mix tapes are valuable currency in Charlie's world and much like the books he reads, music helps to shape who he becomes. Charlie's declaration that he feels 'infinite' is born out of hearing the perfect song at the perfect moment. That resonated quite strongly with me and suggests that there is something universal for Western teenagers in the experience of being a teenager.

This book was so much more than just another book about teenagers and really dug deep in an attempt to discover what that really means. At the end of the book I found myself wanting to be friends with Charlie so that I could see him grow and develop beyond the pages. I have since watched the film and loved it, though as always the book is better. Anyone who likes Sylvia Plath or Salinger will love this. I look forward to reading more from Stephen Chbowsky in the future and all that he has recommended.

Rating: ★★★★

I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

When Poppy loses her engagement ring and her phone all in the same day you could be mistaken for thinking that this is one of the worst days of her life. On the surface it is, but these events trigger changes in Poppy's life that will be irrevocable and ultimately for the best. Whilst waiting desperately for any news of her engagement ring in a hotel lobby Poppy spots a mobile phone in the bin. Needing to have something to be contacted on so that her fiancé doesn't find out she snatches it up and is soon confronted with the voice of the phone's owner, Sam. From here there are a series of hilarious incidents leading to Sam and Poppy becoming closer. Who knew that mobile phones could lead to true love? 

The romance in this book was exactly what I expected. It was cute and funny with only a little touch of smooshiness. Of course Sam and Poppy only really know each other for just over a week so there is an aspect of insta-love. This wasn't really an issue though as so much happens that it feels much longer than a week. That was perhaps the most 'unrealistic' part of the romance because the rest of it felt genuine and even plausible. Sam and Poppy's relationship grew throughout their texting and in the end I found myself rooting for them. 

Generally, I enjoyed the book on the whole, but there one or two things that I found frustrating. The biggest issue that I had with this book is the portrayal of Poppy's future mother-in-law,Wanda. From the very beginning of the novel we are aware that Poppy is intimidated by her in-laws intelligence and academic achievements. That I understand to be a character flaw in Poppy. She is insecure because she isn't being true to herself and doesn't fit in with the family. However, I  am disappointed that Wanda had to be represented as a straw feminist. Poppy on several occasions moans about Wanda asking her about feminism automatically portraying it in a negative light and not something that 'normal' women are interested in. There was also a subtle attach on Wanda's difference in priorities from Poppy's namely that she doesn't cook well and doesn't fuss over the cleanliness of her home. This in itself isn't terrible but when it is mirrored by Poppy's comments about how she always cooks when she's there and the in-laws aren't or her taking it upon her self to tidy around the family, the idea of Wanda's poor housekeeping becomes less of just a characteristic and more Kinsella's comment on the 'feminist' archetype. 

I do also feel a little frustration with the character of Poppy herself at times and in general the female protagonists in this genre of novel. I suppose it is a story of 'finding yourself', but really why are people so lost in the first place? It frustrates me immensely to see yet another Kinsella novel where a twenty-something woman is so lost that she pretends constantly to be something that she isn't. I am not sure that this ever really gets addressed in the novel, but then it is only supposed to be a light read. In life I am sure that many twenty-something women and in fact men and people of all over ages suffer from feeling lost and make poor choices as a result of it and so maybe it is that that I find grating and should cut Kinsella and other romantic comedy authors some slack. I know what I am getting when I pick these books up, but is this really the price I have to pay for the wit? Perhaps I should just be thankful that I am so aware that the characters are not being true to themselves and so there is less chance of this happening in my own life. Perhaps. 

Rating: ★★★

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

This book is one that I had heard so many good things about and had been all over BookTube. Initually, when I had heard the premise I wasn't too impressed because it sound like another teen romance, albeit a really good one. When I saw it on a Kobo newsletter for just £1.49 I couldn't resist and just had to know what all the buzz was about.

Eleanor and Park is the story of first love. It follows the two main characters Eleanor who is a 16 year old woman from an abusive, deprived household who as a result suffers from low self-esteem and is ridiculed by the people at her school and more importantly the people on her school bus. Park is a half-Caucasian, half-Korean boy who suffers with identity issues and also happens to be next to the only spare seat on the school bus. During their travels too and from school Eleanor and Park develop a friendship that quickly blossoms into love. Whilst Eleanor is falling in love the situation at home also escalates and it is this that she is forced to battle with all time learning about who she is. 

The first thing that I thought about this book is that it was American. For some reason the cover art had given me the impression that this was a British romance. I was quite refreshed to find that Eleanor wasn't the normal 'ugly-pretty' girl that is often portrayed in these novels and in fact seems quite normal. Her body shape is described in a way that I can relate to. Her outlandish outfits which are unbeknownst to her classmates necessitated by the the family's lack of money and not a fashion statement, make her all the more loveable as the juxtaposition of her outward appearance to what's going on inside of her helps to emphasis that Eleanor is still struggling to understand who she is. 

Park was also refreshing as he wasn't the stereotypical love interest. His half-Asian ethnicity helps to steer him away from the all-American prototype as does the fact that he is a nice boy. Park is neither a rockstar nor a 'player' but just a normal teenage boy with hangups of his own. I also really admired his choice to wear eye-liner just because he wanted to. These two are a real gender-bending pair and I loved it. 

The treatment of domestic violence in this novel was surprisingly well dealt with. It was believable and seemed genuine to the plot and not just a device to make Eleanor vulnerable. Eleanor's step-dad Richie was deplorable as of course he is supposed to be, but was used sparingly the results being that when we did see him in the novel he was all the more frightening. 

Overall the book was very very good and is the perfect tale of what it is like to fall in love for the first time. My only issue with the book is that the ending is very unsatisfactory. It can be argued that that leaves room for us to imagine what might have happened and I like thinking about some scenarios, but all in all I feel as though there are too many unanswered questions. I suppose this is exactly the desired effect as I felt quite strongly that the end of the book was not in fact the end of Eleanor and Park. 

Rating: ★★★★

When To Stop Reading Part I

When do you give up on a book? Do you ever put down a book you can't get into or do you just plough through until you're at the end? I have never been the kind to push myself to the end of a book if I just can't get into it for several reason. The first is that reading is supposed to be enjoyable and if it isn't then surely there can't be any point in doing it. Secondly, reading takes time and if you aren't concentrating then you're just reading for the sake of it. Why spend time killing hours when you could live them? Finally, reading is for you. No one can read a book for you or get the same out of it as you and so who are you trying to impress? Just like any form of art sometimes books, stories and characters just don't click with you and when that happens it's best just to accept it and move on. My stance remains that our TBR piles are towering over us most of the time and so lets move on to those instead of making ourselves miserable reading something that just isn't right.

In case you were wondering the book that prompted this post and just didn't work for me was Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson. I've been getting itchy feet recently and this seemed like the perfect antidote, but sadly it wasn't. The premise was promising, but the writing style was basic, the dialogue poor and the characters hollow. Amy's bereavement should of course have been deeply touching and I read in reviews that this book even qualified as a romance. I didn't feel invested in either Amy's loss because she just didn't seem to have any personality. As for the romance in the book, I barely felt a spark of personality from Roger either let alone them as a couple. I just generally did not enjoy this book and after 100 pages, approximately a third of the way through, I decided to read something else instead. I did take a few suggestions from the playlists though!

Twenty Times A Lady by Karyn Bosnak

I picked this novel off of my TBR pile because my friend had informed me that it was the book that the film What's your number? is based on. I had seen the film and loved it, but that had been some time ago and so it was the right moment for me to begin reading the novel. 

The protagonist, Delilah Darling was such an endearing character because I think that she represents something that I wish I could have more of in my own life. That thing is blind faith. Delilah Darling is the kind of woman that goes all out. She is fearless. Of course she also had absolutely no idea who she was or what she wanted, but somehow I managed to forgive this because she was quite frankly just hilarious! 

The story begins at a time when Delilah's life gets turned upside down. She loses her job, her beloved grandfather moves to the other side of the country, her younger sister is getting married and she has just read an article that says the national average of men that American women have slept with is ten and she's on... 19! After vowing off sex her self-control lapses yet again and after a drunken night with her ex-boss she bumps her number up to 20. Normally this would be exactly the kind of thing that I would throw across the room and dismiss as part of the slut-shaming culture. Luckily, having already seen the film I knew that in actual fact the novel's message is very different. With her life falling apart around her, Delilah decides to hire her neighbour to track down all of the men that she has slept with and goes on a road trip in order to see if she can find 'the one'. Instead through a series of hilarious encounters what Delilah discovers is who she is and what she wants and realises that trying to define yourself in terms of the 'average' is always futile.

I have only one criticism to make. At the end of the novel when she is enjoying her happily ever after, Delilah receives a phone call from one of the men on the list of people that she has slept with who informs her that they did not in fact sleep together. This of course means that Colin (the hunky Irish neighbour) is her number twenty. I know that this could be seen as a reinforcement of the idea that your 'number' is meaningless and I wish that I could have read it that way. However, for me it just feels as though that message is undermined a little by Delilah after all staying within the number boundaries. It suggests that she was in fact able to find love because she met the statistics, whether her own or published in a magazine (as in the film). 

Overall, this book is a romp with a surprisingly serious, important point to make and in true romcom fashion has a happy ending too. Delilah's journey, both geographical and personal, is exactly the kind that every twentysomething friend of mine has dreamed they could make, me included!

Rating: ★★★