book review (and structure for going forward)

Book Review

***Disclaimer: I have not done book reviews before- this is just to help me work through how to write better in my head... and of course because I love to read. I will try not to spoil any major plot twists.

For each book I will cover the following categories:

Story

What I loved

Not a fan of

As an aspiring author.... I will BOLD the things that I learned as I read about how to write more effectively.

Rating

The ratings will be based on 1-5 stars.

* Didn't finish the book... for a reason

** It was ok, nothing to rave about

*** Great book, enjoyed it, and would recommend it

**** Really loved the book, will definitely tell friends about it, learned a lot

***** A MUST READ, couldn't put it down, will be talking about this one for years to come

That being said.... here are some books I've read lately....

Story: This book is about Gemma Doyle, a 16 year old girl in the Victorian Era, who is sent to Spence Academy in London to learn her manners. She begins having visions and eventually figures out a way to get into "the realms," which is another world.

What I loved about this book: I loved the cleverness of the girls. It was so different for women back then, and if they wanted something, they had to be creative, and it a way, manipulate. I loved their wit. I also thought Libba Bray wrote beautifully.

Not a fan of: I was really into this book until a little over half way through, and then it started to get a little weird for me. It was more fantasy than I am used to and I found I didn't enjoy it as much. This was important for me because in my book, I am walking a line between fiction, mystery, thriller and fantasy. I realized that I didn't want to make the names of my characters, or the plot of the book too out there.

The other thing I didn't love was that I felt like there was such a big momentum to the middle of the book, and then I felt like the end was rushed. I want to be careful to not be so excited about finishing, that I lose my audience.

Rating: ***

One of my friends has read the second book in the series, and she said that one was much better. So I might reserve some judgement for when I read that one.

Story: Katness Everdeen is the heroine in this futuristic society where everyone has been destroyed except for a group of people that make up 12 districts. They are under the regime of the Capitol, who every year host the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are to be an example that there may be no more uprisings. There are two teenagers from 12-18 years old "chosen" from each district to participate in a fight-to-the-death. The last one standing wins.

What I loved: The way this story is written, it reads like a movie in your mind. I was captivated almost instantly. I don't know how this happened, but I didn't know it was part of a series, so when it ended, its a cliffhanger and I immediately went out and bought the second one, Catching Fire.

This was an excellent example for me of how to do a novel, somewhat fantasy, but not in a weird way. Suzanne Collins did a brilliant job of creating a whole world, where I really felt like I knew what certain areas, like The Seam, looked like. I didn't feel like this was too out there or crazy. You have to find a way to make the storyline believable- the destruction of life as we know it and that this is a futuristic setting, was how it is believable.

This book is crazy clever. I think Suzanne Collins is amazingly creative. I loved it!

Not a fan of: I actually can't think of anything that I wasn't a fan of. Although the premise is a horrific topic matter, I feel like Suzanne Collins did a wonderful job of describing everything.

Rating: ****

Story: (Book 2) Katness Everdeen's saga continues. I won't say more about this one cuz it will give away some of the first book!

What I loved: I think I loved all of the same things I did in the first book. I think the first one was a little more intense, but I still really enjoyed this one. The third book doesn't come out until August, so I will be looking forward to that since once again, there is a huge cliff hanger at the end. I think I love how creative the storyline is the most about this series. Very, very clever.

Not a fan of: Waiting til August to read the next one...

Rating: ****
Story: Julie Ashton is a writer that somewhat randomly ends up getting a letter from someone on the island of Guernsey, which is in the English Channel. The book is done in the early 1940's just after the German Occupation of the Island. The book is made up entirely of letters back and forth between different people. So at first it was a little hard to grasp what character was talking to whom, but I think it was a BRILLIANT way to do this story.

Julie ends up finding out about the "Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," which was the cover name of a group of people that got together on the island. They were not allowed to be out after curfew, and one night they got caught and Elizabeth made up the name of the society to save them on the spot. They pretended to have a literary group, and so then they had to act as if they were really having it.

What I loved: I loved the whole thing. This book was actually given to me by a dear friend months ago, and Im ashamed to admit, I had picked up other ones in the meantime, as the title threw me off. I was thinking it was going to be a bit dry, to be honest. It was anything but. Im not sure what exactly it was that I fell in love with so much- the story, the clever way it was written, the characters, learning about what the people on the island went through during the war, the charmingness (I know its not a word...) of the island people- I'm not sure, but I really really loved this book. I want to try to make my characters as believable as these. I guess it is a little slower than books that normally captivate me, but I fell in love with the whole town and want to pick up and go live on Guernsey myself.

This book made me so thankful for my freedom, and it also made me want to slow down, and LIVE life, instead of rushing to get all sorts of things done.

This book was so charming! Another thing that I really loved was about the author and her niece. Mary Ann Shaffer passed away in February 2008, and her niece, Annie Barrows helped to finish the manuscript when Mary Ann became ill, shortly after it was sold. Mary Ann had worked on this book for many years, as she had gone to England to research another book, went to Guernsey briefly on her trip, and was fascinated by the people there. I loved that the niece stepped in when Mary Ann got too sick.

Not a fan of: Really nothing. Loved the whole thing. Go get it.

Rating: *****

Im still in the middle of "On the Brink," and hoping to have that one done sometime soon. It's a very dense read, and so I go back and forth between it and others.

I have really been enjoying reading lately, especially to sharpen my writing. I am trying to really read as a writer- meaning, I want the reading to help me become a better writer.

Well this was my first "book review" ever! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!