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contemporary

Book Review

REVIEW: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This review is being written five minutes after finishing We Were Liars, so please excuse my thoughts which will probably be all over the place and incoherent. This book is absolutely crazy.

I should probably first of all mention that this book was a 3.5 star read for the majority of the book, but I can’t rate it anything but 5 stars after finishing because OMG. It blew me away!

Here are some reasons you should read We Were Liars:

  1. Family politics mean a really interesting read, and there is a lot of it in the Sinclair family.
  2. It’s VERY different to anything you’d usually read.
  3. The hype? It’s for good reason. This book is awesome!
  4. TWISTS, MAN. THOSE TWISTS MESSED WITH MY HEAD.

I don’t want to give anything away, because there’s a lot I could reveal. I feel as if any tiny thing I reveal could be classed as a spoiler of epic proportions so I should probably just say – READ WE WERE LIARS! It isn’t everyone’s type of book and I know not everyone has enjoyed it, but give it a chance and I think you’ll love it.

I think one of the most appealing things about We Were Liars is I don’t think there’s another book even remotely similar to it out there at the moment. You can pick it up knowing you won’t have read anything quite like it before.

If you like your mental state, read We Were Liars. Nobody is supposed to be sane!

Book Review

REVIEW: The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick

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I have very mixed feelings on this novel – parts I loved, other parts I thought were good but they just didn’t enthral me as much as I hoped. Nevertheless, The Good Luck of Right Now is a brilliant novel from the equally brilliant Matthew Quick, author of The Silver Linings Playbook.

Bartholomew Neil is middle-aged and has spent the past years looking after his sick mother. The novel starts after her death and we find Bartholomew writing letters to actor Richard Gere after finding a form letter from him in his mother’s underwear drawer.

Quick’s novels never fail to make me think – I can’t help but sit back in awe and think, ‘Wow!’ This book really is an emotional rollercoaster – I laughed, I smiled, I was sad alongside the characters: I felt like I really lived this story.

The main character, Bartholomew, had my complete affection throughout. He was grieving and so much was going on in his life; he was suddenly thrust into this big, uncomfortable world and that can be scary. I just wanted to give him a big hug!

The secondary characters, although not many of them, became very familiar and really helped the story along. I loved Max and ‘the Girlbrarian’ and Wendy too, and how they were with Bartholomew. There were such a variety of different characters – it was hard not to feel invested in the story.

I feel like there wasn’t so much a plot as a journey. From start to finish, we see Bartholomew travel, metaphorically, and his character develop. It was a very special journey to be a part of.

I did, however, find some parts quite predictable, which lowered the rating for me. Maybe that’s just me, and this shouldn’t deter you from reading it. I think because there is so little plot, this wasn’t such a big thing as it could have been, but the predictability did spoil the reading experience for me a bit.

I put down The Good Luck of Right Now feeling satisfied with the story and where it went, and all its different components. If you’re looking to read something a bit different, this is the book for you.

Book Review

REVIEW: The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel

The Break-Up Artist immediately attracted me when I heard about it because I don’t think I’ve read a novel with the same concept before, and I wasn’t disappointed. It was original, and lots of fun.

The Break-Up Artist, written in first person, is centred on the life of Becca, an American student who, anonymously, gets contracted to break up couples. Becca is a sceptic and knows the damage love can do: her own sister was jilted at the altar and now lives in a constant dejected state. When Becca is asked to break up the school’s power couple, Huxley and Steve, she knows it won’t be easy, but these things come at a price…

The novel started out good, but then it got even better. Siegel has crafted Becca’s voice so well and made it both realistic and believable. Let me tell you, it isn’t easy to write a teenage girl’s voice, but Siegel pulled it off flawlessly. Becca could be viewed as an unlikable character because of what she does, but instead I found myself sympathising with her and it was obvious to see why she was the way she was.

I really liked the contrast between Becca and her friend Val, who was desperate for a boyfriend. Their different emotions were really nice to see and how they treated one another because of them. I also really liked how all of the girls felt as if one of the most important things was to get a boyfriend because I know many people who feel the same way and I think it was good to address the fact that, actually, it’s not important at all.

The Break-Up Artist is a great example of a contemporary novel pulled off really well. It conjured up vivid images and it was easy to imagine yourself in Becca’s shoes.

Diane, Becca’s sister, also had a clear character arc that ran alongside the main plot. Siegel slowly fed us information about her past and it came together nicely at the end.

If you’re a fan of contemporary fiction, you should definitely read The Break-Up Artist. You’re in for a treat!

Book Review

REVIEW: Red by Alison Cherry

Red was absolutely brilliant, and I haven’t read a book that was so much fun in a long time.

Scarletville is a sanctuary where people with red hair flock to. Felicity St John has it all – a popular red-headed boyfriend, brilliant red-headed friends, and she’s set to follow in her mother’s footsteps and win the prestigious Miss Scarlet pageant. The only problem is, Felicity has a secret – she’s not actually redheaded. And in Scarletville, blondes need not apply.

Writing this review has brought back the total awesomeness of Red. I’m so, so glad I decided to read it because it was exactly what I needed.

The originality of Red was brilliant. Cherry has taken the ‘you’re ginger and so you’re stupid’ stereotype and flipped it on its head. I think it’s a genius idea!

The protagonist, Felicity, was so awesome. I really loved her and found her easy to get to know and so interesting. It must be so hard having to conceal such a big secret from the whole town, with people shunning you if they found out the truth. It was fascinating to see the depths Felicity was willing to go to make sure nobody found out.

I think one of the questions I was thinking to myself when reading Red was: What does popularity mean? In Scarletville, the colour of your hair determines where you are in the social hierarchy, but it’s not hard to look past this and see an underlying message. Most people will know what it’s like to not fit in and I think Red highlighted this in non-obvious ways, which I thought was a great change.

The plot ambled along, allowing the reader to become invested in the characters and storyline. I feel as if it was paced perfectly, with not a boring moment. I’m glad it’s a standalone because everything was tied up perfectly at the end and I was left satisfied. We’re in need of lots more brilliant standalones!

I really enjoyed Red and would highly recommend it. It contains everything I want in a good book.

Book Review

REVIEW: Amy & Matthew by Cammie McGovern

You know a novel is truly flawless when you feel as if it’s natural; the words flow into one and you are witnessing the events through the characters’ eyes without fault. That’s how I felt when reading Amy & Matthew.

One of the easiest ways to describe Amy & Matthew is to quote from the text itself: ‘there were many ways to be a freak. Amy had no choice, but other people did. If you worked hard and concentrated, you could hide your freakish thoughts.’ Amy has cerebral palsy, which limits her communication and movement. It’s her senior year and she decides she’s going to replace the aides who usually help her with students. Step in five peer helpers. Matthew has noticed Amy since they were young and so offers to help. The thing is, Matthew has his own problems to battle. For fans of Eleanor & Park and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Amy & Matthew will blow you away.

I think I fell in love with this novel from the first page. It was understanding and meaningful and it had me completely hooked. I can tell this book will touch a lot of people once released, just as it touched me. I was wary before I started reading it, I must admit. Books dealing with such subjects are becoming ever popular (and for good reason) but there is a certain atmosphere surrounding them that isn’t needed. As it’s only a recently emerging trend, it can always be worrying beforehand; you never really know what to expect. I didn’t need to be worried though, because I loved Amy & Matthew.

The thing I loved most about this book was it wasn’t your typical romance book. From the title you would expect it, but it’s really not. To call it a romance novel would be a dishonour because it’s so much more than that. It’s the blooming friendship between two people as they discover themselves at the same time and explore the changes of the world around them; it’s the differences between the two and how they bridge the gap. In two words: truly stunning.

I don’t want to talk too much about both Amy and Matthew because I think the brilliant thing about this book is discovering their personalities and hidden depths for yourself. I thought I knew who they both were but then things would happen and I had to reassess. It was such a refreshing way to read because you don’t often get that.

Simply, you should go out and buy Amy & Matthew straight away. It challenges preconceived notions and will blow you away.

Lucy Recommends...

Lucy Recommends… [1] Contemporary Fiction

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Hello everyone! I’m here to start a new feature today called Lucy Recommends. The aim of this feature is to recommend lots of great books to you without writing a whole review. I’ll be showcasing genres, authors and series, and hopefully you’ll pick up lots of books you haven’t heard of before.

Today, as my blog is called Queen of Contemporary, I thought I would recommend a few contemporary titles. I’m thinking I should probably start reviewing and discussing contemporary more on the blog.

The first book I’d like to recommend is Severed Heads, Broken Hearts by Robyn Schneider. Narrated by Ezra, I think it’s refreshing to read a contemporary book with a male protagonist. Schneider’s style is very similar to John Green, so if you’re a fan, you’ll love this. It tells the story of Ezra who has recently been injured in a car accident that has left his knee damaged. The book explores the feelings Ezra has towards his accident as he can no longer play tennis, his one passion before. I loved it!

Then we have The DUFF by Kody Keplinger. This is a more mature contemporary YA, but I loved it, nevertheless. One of the things I love about contemporary is how I can jump into it without thinking: I don’t have to get used to the rules of magic, or learn the ropes of a dystopian government. I can simply sit back and relax, and The DUFF was one of those books. I managed to finish it in a day and I know I’ll be re-reading it in the future.

Sarah Dessen is the true queen of contemporary, and The Moon and More was SO good. It’s a good book to read in the hot, summer months. Sarah Dessen’s books are set in fictional towns and I’m always amazed at how realistically created they are. Every detail seems to be perfect and I loved that about the book.

Next we have Just One Day by Gayle Forman which is a wonderful travel book. We get to see parts of England, France, the Netherlands and America. I’d love to live in France one day so I loved reading those parts in particular.

And finally, we have Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell! I’ve spoken so much about this book so I don’t think I really need to tell you how much I love it. If you’re  a lover of books or writing, you will completely fall for this one.

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What are your favourite contemporary books?

Uncategorized

Reading Phases and Trends

Ask me what I’ve been reading one week and it will be something completely different when you ask me the next. I’ve been noticing – from my book hauls, from my reviews, from my discussion posts – that I go through lots of different reading stages.

This time last year I couldn’t get enough of contemporary fiction and this inspired my blog name. I read book after book and wanted more and more. I tend to read more contemporary during the summer months and am edging away from it at the moment, not being able to think about the sun and characters lazing around on the beach when it’s pouring with rain and I’m wrapped up in my duvet.

Currently, I’m in the mood for classics. It’s a bit weird because I’ve never really felt like it before. I’m reading The Catcher in the Rye for school and have surprised myself by really enjoying it. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to read a classic a month, as it’s something I tried to do last year but failed. I have a few classics lined up so I’m keeping my fingers crossed it won’t just be something I do for five minutes and then forget about.

Sometimes I can’t help going through one of these phases. I can be influenced by the reviews I read or watch. Sometimes I’ll see a book pop up on Twitter or a blog countless times and believe it’s a sign so I have to buy the book. Most of the time they’re probably marketing campaigns… I’m influenced easily when it comes to books.

Other times I’ll read one book and then it puts me in a good mood, or I’ll read a book that I didn’t enjoy so I try to veer as far away from it as I can.

I’m not exactly sure where these trends come from. I can think long and hard about it, but I suppose I’ll have to have a conversation with my sub-conscious.

Do you go through reading phases or trends? Let me know below!

Book Review UKYA

REVIEW: Boys Don’t Knit by T.S. Easton

I don’t think you can go wrong with a book that makes you laugh. The thing is, though, Boys Don’t Knit didn’t just make me laugh. It made me ROAR with laughter, so much so that my shoulders shook. I haven’t read such a hilarious book in a long time.

After an unfortunate incident involving a lollipop lady and a bike, Ben Fletcher is on probation. This means that he has to choose a course to attend at the local college as part of his rehabilitation. So, believing the gorgeous teacher from school is taking the class, Ben starts knitting. Hilarity ensues as Ben tries to hide his new hobby from his family, his friends, and also has many other problems at him.

I think the thing I liked most about this book is that, although it may seem like it’s only for boys, anyone, of any age or gender, will enjoy it. The protagonist, Ben, is someone you can’t help but warm to, and he wasn’t your stereotypical teenager. There was a lot more depth to him and Easton has really captured that. As a teenager myself, I’m often frustrated by unrealistic portrayals of teenagers so Boys Don’t Knit was a very refreshing read.

There was so much packed into this novel. There wasn’t a moment throughout when I wasn’t completely hooked and I want to read more books like it now because I feel like there aren’t enough books like this that I’ve read.

Although I’m absolutely hopeless at knitting, I felt myself learning through Ben’s eyes and I still managed to connect to the story even though it was new territory to me. I think this is an incredible skill to achieve on the author’s part and I just know other people will enjoy it too.

The contrast between Ben and his friends really intrigued me. They were very different characters and, whilst they had fallings out, were still loyal to each other. Through each of them, we got a very good picture of teenage life, and I enjoyed that we got to see how everyone differs. I think it’s something that can be forgotten by quite a few people sometimes.

I cannot wait for the sequel to Boys Don’t Knit because I know it won’t disappoint. I’ll definitely be re-reading this if I’m feeling a bit down or want to read something that will have me chuckling because this book put a massive grin on my face.