Hazel and Gus are two teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them on a journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous given that Hazel’s other constant companion is an oxygen tank, Gus jokes about his prosthetic leg, and they met and fell in love at a cancer support group.
I’ve seen The Fault in Our Stars twice now, so I think I may be able to form my thoughts into coherent sentences. It was definitely worth seeing twice, just so I could watch it once and fully immerse myself in the life of Hazel and Augustus, and then watch it a second time and notice the finer details.
Where do I start? I should probably first mention that I completely adored the film and would highly recommend it. It’s incredibly accurate when compared to the book, and I love the choices made to portray not just the cancer side of the characters, but their age. Whilst Hazel and Augustus are two extremely mature characters, they are also still teenagers and I loved how precisely this aspect was portrayed.
Shailene Woodley is Hazel Grace Lancaster. I don’t think there could have been a better person for the role, and Woodley was just how I imagined Hazel in my head.
Ansel Elgort also managed to portray Augustus’ pretentiousness perfectly which added hilarity and also familiarity because Elgort’s Augustus was very similar to John Green’s and also the Augustus in my head.
The best performances by far were by Laura Dern and Sam Trammell who played Hazel’s parents. Dern in particular showed such raw emotion that I couldn’t help but tear up. The Fault in Our Stars, to me, felt like it was mostly about the relationships and Hazel’s with her parents was very important and central to the plot – in both the book and the film.
Now for the moment of truth: Did I cry? I did the first time (loads and loads!) but not the second time. I think the second time I was concentrating more on the little things that happened rather than the overall plot.
It’s strange seeing a book you love so much brought to life, but I’m happy to be able to say that The Fault in Our Stars lived up to all of my expectations. I couldn’t have wished for a better adaptation!
Whether you’ve read the book or not (although I definitely advise reading the book!), I think it’s impossible not to find something to love about The Fault in Our Stars and I’m pleased to see so many people talking about it!
Have you seen the film, or are you planning on doing so? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
What can I say about Solitaire that will convey my thoughts on just how perfect it is? I’ve been eagerly anticipating reading it for months now and so I started it as soon as I opened the parcel containing it.
Solitaire tells the story of Victoria Spring, whose hobbies include sleeping, blogging and drinking diet lemonade. Tori is a pessimist and prefers her own company to spending time with others. Things used to be different: she had friends and her brother, Charlie, was okay, but now things are different. When things start happening around the school, harmless pranks which then turn into something bigger, Tori is left wondering who’s behind it – who are Solitaire, and what are they trying to achieve? – and also trying to live with her own inner struggles.
Solitaire is a gorgeous and breath-taking debut novel, which, in my opinion, rivals the likes of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Seeing as though Catcher is one of my all time favourite novels, it’s no surprise that Solitaire is now also a part of that list.
Filled with fandom references and incredibly realistic to teenage life, Solitaire is a book that every teenager will relate to and a book many adults will also love because of its realism and ability to just understand life on so many levels.
One of the reasons I loved this novel so much was that I felt as if I was the person in Tori’s head. It scared me in a way because so many of my own feelings were reflected in the writing. Tori, the protagonist, gets me and that made it so special to read.
Tori is juxtaposed to Michael Holden, the male protagonist in Solitaire. Before you think it, Solitaire is by no means a love story. Solitaire is a life story, and by that I mean that Solitaire captures life perfectly – life isn’t a love story, is it? Life is so much more than meeting someone and madly falling in love with him or her. I loved that about Solitaire and it’s what sets it apart from your typical YA novel.
Written from the heart, I believe Solitaire will be one of the biggest debut novels of 2014. You certainly won’t want to miss out on reading it!
Book in a Tweet: If you’re a teenager, or have ever been a teenager, this book has been written just for you: You’re not alone.
If you liked …. you’ll love this!
John Green – love The Fault in Our Stars? Mad about Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns? Solitaire easily rivals it!
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – Full of fandom references that will put a big smile on your face, Solitaire deals with the same feelings as Fangirl but is possibly even better!
I’m a sucker for gorgeous books, I really am. There’s obviously not a problem with this; I do tend to judge books by their covers before I read them, but sometimes something overcomes me and I need to buy more and more copies of books. One is never enough!
If you’ve watched any of my YouTube videos, or seen pictures of my bookcase, you may have noticed some of the multiple copies on my shelves. A question I’m frequently asked is: ‘Why do you have three copies of The Fault in Our Stars?’ That is a very good question indeed. My answer? I have no idea! I just can’t help myself. My first copy was the one I originally read, and I then found another copy in a charity shop for a very good price. I just couldn’t resist! And my final copy was my Grandma’s, which she no longer needed after reading it. I have a best copy, one to lend out, and one I shall be doing something with, which I will tell you all about in a future post.
Recently I also picked up two more of John Green’s books, which I have already read and loved. In my defence, they have been re-jacketed and the new editions are so beautiful and hug-worthy.
The Paper Towns on the left is the older edition, the right the latest. The differences between the two are striking, but I love them both. The earlier version incorporates the idea of the ‘paper towns’ on the maps, whereas I like the paper elements of the latest cover. Both really capture a core part of the book.
The older version of Looking for Alaska is on the left, the latest on the right. I prefer the latest because of it’s simplicity but also because it stands out so well. It’s also very shiny. I do really like the older version, but there’s just something about it that stops me from loving it unconditionally.
A problem I had when I got my new bookcase was if I would be able to fit all of my Stonewylde series into one ‘pod.’ Luckily, they all fit perfectly! This is the series I have the most copies of: in total I have –
3 copies of Magus of Stonewylde
2 copies of Moondance of Stonewylde
2 copies of Solstice at Stonewylde
2 copies of Shadows at Stonewylde
2 copies of Shaman of Stonewylde
The books are my favourite series and have a very special place in my heart. The first three books were originally self-published so have different covers and the content is a little different. I borrowed the first three from the library originally and then bought them when they were published by Orion afterwards, and then I found the first self-published book by chance and was gifted the second and third. The fourth book was originally published in hardback and I also bought it when it came out in paperback, and I have a best of the fifth, and another copy just because it’s my favourite. I’ve met the author, Kit Berry, twice now and so quite a few of my copies are signed, and I must re-read them all soon!
Finally we have the victims to my obsession… Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell!
I originally read an e-ARC in spring 2013 and it immediately became one of my favourite books, and then ordered the US hardback in November because I just couldn’t say no to myself. The US hardback is amazing, and I think I slightly prefer it to the UK paperback, although the paperback contains graphics from Noelle Stevenson, or Gingerhaze, who is behind the cover, and an interview with Rainbow Rowell and bonus Simon Snow content. The paperback is decoration, whereas I know I’ll definitely be re-reading from the hardback, or my e-ARC where I have colour coded everything.
Do you collect multiple copies of books? Let me know your collection below! If you don’t, why not?
2013 must hereby be known as ‘The Year of Amazing Books.’ Seriously, in 2013 I read so many books that blew me away. I only started getting into YA in 2012 so I’ve been catching up on lots of the books I missed and there were so many releases of brilliant books too.
Below is a list of my top 10 books of 2013 and my reasons for them being my favourites. I haven’t included sequels or re-reads in my list.
My favourite book of the year by far is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.I just can’t get over the total gorgeousness of this book and no matter how much I rave about it, I still can’t convey my thoughts properly. It’s now my all time favourite book and Rainbow Rowell is one of my favourite authors. I have so much love for this book! The Isobel Journal by Isobel Harropis a book that took me by complete surprise. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did and I’m extremely jealous of Isobel Harrop’s artistry. This is a book that’s perfect if you’re in a bit of a reading slump or you want to try something a bit different. Then we have Every Day by David Levithan.I love books that make you question the world around you and give you something to think about and Every Daydid just that. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafireally blew me away. It’s another book I didn’t expect to like as much, but it’s one of my favourite dystopia novels now. I like how it’s written in a different style to typical novels and the sequel, Unravel Me, is even better. The final book is Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maaswhich may be one of my favourite fantasy novels. The world Sarah J. Maas has created is so creative and unique.
More Than This by Patrick Nessis another book that really makes you question the world around you. I didn’t know much about it beforehand but it ended up knocking me out with its awesomeness. Yes, 2013 was the year I finally read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowlingand I ended up loving it. I can definitely see what all the fuss is about. Then we have Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossiwhich is a very different dystopia novel. It’s set a long way into the future so the whole world was different and it’s the type of novel I can’t help but love. Paper Towns by John Greenreally sealed the deal in me loving John Green’s books so much. After loving The Fault in Our Stars in 2012, I couldn’t not love Paper Towns.Finally we have The Host by Stephenie Meyer.After liking but not loving the Twilight series, this book was a really big surprise. My friend was hassling me to read it for ages and when I finally did, I fell in love with it. SO good!
So those were my favourite books of the year! There were so many to choose from and I’ve still missed so many out.
Let me know your favourite books of the year! Have you read any of the books I mentioned? What did you think of them?
It’s December! I love the Christmas atmosphere of this month – we can finally open our advent calendars, put up our Christmas trees and spread the festive spirit! I’m feeling particularly cheery this year and have a few Christmas posts planned for this month, which I’m really looking forward to writing. A very exciting month ahead!
November was as exciting as I’m hoping December will be and I managed to get a lot read. Woo! I’ve been in a reading slump since the start of September so I’m glad that I’ve finally broken it and I’m getting back into the swing of finding time each day to read. I’m trying to set twenty minutes aside each day to read and this has really helped me feel a lot better and also get a lot more read.
The books I read in November were:
The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa, The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken, My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, The Key to the Golden Firebird by Maureen Johnson, The Isobel Journal by Isobel Harrop, Storm and Stone by Joss Stirling, When It Happens by Susane Colasanti, Severed Heads, Broken Hearts by Robyn Schneider.
Choosing a book of the month is going to be very hard, because all of them were so good!
I’m going to have to choose The Darkest Minds because I was totally hooked, and also The Isobel Journal because it’s a favourite of mine now. They’re both completely different, so it’s nice to see a variation in what I’m reading.
Things of note that happened in November:
– I did NaNoWriMo, and then stopped at 12,000 words! You may think that I failed and I know people have been asking me why I stopped and the reason I did stop was because I didn’t feel like I needed to go on. I wasn’t trying to reach 50,000 words this month, although that would have been amazing. Instead I wanted to get something written. So I don’t think I failed and I’m very proud of myself for writing so much in such a short space of time: I think I wrote it in around 5 days.
– I went ice skating! I went with a few of my friends to an ice rink close to me which has been put up for the holiday season and I had so much fun. I’ve always loved ice skating and actually didn’t fall over! I’m hoping to go a few more times in the coming weeks because I realised just how much I enjoy it. I loved watching Dancing on Ice when I was younger and am in awe of the people who can do all those moves and not fall over! I’m so clumsy!
– I went to laser quest, and I failed. It was my friend’s birthday and thirteen of us went. It was lots of fun, but I came 11th. I obviously didn’t channel my inner Katniss Everdeen enough. Maybe next time!
December Goals:
Books I’m Hoping To Read in December:
Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle – I’m planning to read this a few days before Christmas, and I am so excited. I’ve heard amazing things about it and it certainly looks promising. I can’t wait!
Memory by Christoph Marzi – This is a review book I have and I love the sound of it. I’m not sure if I’ve read anything similar to it before so I’m looking forward to reading something a bit different.
Della says: OMG! by Keris Stainton – Eeeep! I’m a huge fan of Keris’ books and this is the only one I haven’t read. It sounds fab!
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff – I’m super nervous about starting this because there’s so much hype, and there’s even more now that it has been translated onto the big screen. I’m really looking forward to it, though.
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold – I thought it was finally time I gave this a go. I’ve read the first chapter or two and I enjoyed it, so hopefully the rest will be just as good.
Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian – My friend recently read this so I thought I’d give it a go too and it sounds absolutely amazing. Can’t wait!
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – This has been likened to Ally Carter’s books, which I loved, so I feel super excited to start it. It sounds so kick ass! It’s also a review book, so expect a review sometime soon!
The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher – I was at the launch in October and really enjoyed the part that Lucy read out, so I can’t wait to read the whole book. Another review book!
This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales – One that I’ve heard amazing things about and I know I’ll completely adore it, because I don’t think I know of anyone who hasn’t. Yay! Another review book!
Legend by Marie Lu – This sounds awesome and I have a gorgeous hardback copy which just adds to the reading experience. I’ve heard amazing things about it and so I’m keeping my fingers crossed I enjoy it.
Allegiant by Veronica Roth – I decided that if I didn’t read it now I would just keep putting it off, so here we are! I have no idea what I’ll think of it, but lets hope I think positive things!
Other Goals:
– I’m hoping to get a lot of posts out this month because I’ve been neglecting the blog a lot lately. I have loads of ideas so I just need to get on and write the posts now!
– Enjoy myself! This is something I really need to focus on because I’ve been feeling like blogging is a huge pressure for ages now. I just want to relax and have fun.
How was your November? Have you set yourself any goals for December? Let me know!
Letterbox Love is a UK based feature where book bloggers showcase the books that they received that week, be they e-books, paperbacks, hardbacks or any other format. It is hosted by Lynsey from Narratively Speaking.
I’ve got such a big haul to share with you this week! I bought an awful lot, but I’m really pleased with everything I got.
BOOKS MENTIONED:
Freaks by Lisa M. Forester Storm and Stone by Joss Stirling Wither by Lauren DeStefano Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle Allegiant by Veronica Roth Shattered Dreams by Ellie James Hidden Among Us by Katy Moran The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell Legend by Marie Lu Jude the Obscure & Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
What did you get this week? Leave a link to your own book hauls!
Letterbox Love is a UK based feature where book bloggers showcase the books that they received that week, be they e-books, paperbacks, hardbacks or any other format. It is hosted by Lynsey from Narratively Speaking.
This is a manic, packed haul today from last week which was Bath Kids Lit Fest. I’ve tried to put piles into some order, so I hope it’s clear!
Signed:
Noughts and Crosses and Checkmate by Malorie Blackman – I still need to read Checkmate but I loved Noughts and Crosses. I read it when I was just starting to seriously get into YA and so it means quite a lot to me.
If you’ve read a few of my book hauls, then it’s no secret that I seem to get loads of books each week. Why? Because I am a major bo0k buying, borrowing and requesting addict. When it comes to books, I have absolutely no self-restraint whatsoever.
I’ve always had some collecting addiction. When I was younger, it was Sylvanian Families. I was a massive collector and my room was FULL of them. Then it’s slowly turned to books, especially over the last year or two. Particularly last year, I went through a stage where I read a book a day and so I was constantly buying. That was when I hadn’t heard of TBR piles though…
This is my main shelf. My favourites are in the middle, my UKYA books at the bottom and the top shelf contains all the other books that don’t fit on my middle shelf. I’m planning on swapping things around soon because it needs clearing a bit. I really love my shelves and didn’t put them up until May this year. But because I’m so short, I need to stand on my bed to reach the top shelves sometimes, which can sometimes get annoying. Originally I only had the middle shelf and my UKYA shelf, but I then needed to upgrade to another shelf so I could fit all my books on.
This is the main part of my TBR pile. It’s organised by genre, but some of them are just randomly on there. I’ve bought the majority of them, quite a lot this year, although some go back as far as last summer. It’s so daunting because I have no idea when I’m going to get around to reading them all but I also can’t bear to get rid of any of them. I also have sequels to the first books on there, when the first is still unread. I need to stop buying books!
This is the other section of my TBR pile- my UKYA TBR. I know that at least one of these stretches back to two or three years ago which is VERY scary! I need to organise this better somehow because I often overlook it for my other TBR section. Some of these books look so good and I want to read them so bad. I WILL read them soon!
I also have multiple copies of some books, and I often get asked why when I post book hauls and videos to my YouTube channel. Sometimes I’ll find my favourite books for cheap in charity shops and so I can’t resist buying them and I’ve been given books sometimes, too.
I have three copies of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green: one copy was my original, another was a copy that my grandma read and decided to give to me, and the other I found in a charity shop. One of them is a slightly different edition to the other two so I don’t feel that bad…
These are my copies of the Stonewylde series by Kit Berry which is probably my favourite series of all time. They were first self-published so I have a self-published version of the first copy and then two of the traditionally published copies. I sadly don’t have multiple copies of the second and third books but I’d love to get hold of the self-published editions from somewhere. I then have a paperback and hardback of the fourth book and two copies of the fifth. One of the copies of the fifth book hasn’t been read and is my baby. I won’t bend the spine and hardly ever touch it for fear that I’ll damage it in some way. Most of the copies are signed, apart from four because I’ve met the author twice now. I bought the other four after I’d met her.
I think it’s clear that I need to stop buying books and need to clear out some of my books to allow room for new ones. I am going to have to go on a book buying ban but it will probably pain me to do it.
I want to see your shelves now! How big is your TBR pile? Are you a book buying addict? Tweet me a picture using the #bookaddictsunite hashtag!
