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serendipity_viv's reviews
762 reviews
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
5.0
Alongside Die For Me by Amy Plum, this has got to be one of the most anticipated YA books of the year and quite frankly I can see why. This is most definitely a page turning, sleepless night kind of book that I personally struggled to put down. The best way to describe this book is as a mythical modern day Romeo and Juliet, where everything that can be done to keep the starcrossed lovers apart is tried and tested yet fails abysmally.
Helen comes across as a rather clumsy character to begin with, but you soon realise that it is because she isn't really like any other normal human being and has yet to discover her full potential. When the Delos family arrive in her hometown, something takes over Helen and on her first encounter with Lucas Delos, she tries to kill him. I kid you not! Every time their paths cross they are both desperate with murderous intentions. It is only when their hatred turns to desire that Helen discovers she is rather different from any other normal teenager. She is a Scion, just like Lucas and the rest of his family; she is a descendant from the Greek Gods and her family has been at war with the Delos family for centuries. Lucas helps Helen to learn how to use her extraordinary powers, whilst trying to ignore his strong feelings for her which would rip his family apart.
Josephine Angelini has created a real diamond of a book. Her story is mindblowingly original and I loved every word of it. I loved the use of Greek mythology within this book and I definitely feel that it could become one of my favourite genres.
As soon as the Delos family arrive in the book, I found myself being sucked into the story. The build up to their arrival had me intrigued and curious to meet them. I didn't like Helen to begin with, I don't know why I just found her annoying. However as soon as the sparks flew between her and Lucas, she seriously went up in my estimations. The heat of the romance between Lucas and Helen had me reaching for an electric fan to cool the room temperature down. Lucas, I loved from Helen's first attempt to kill him. He is everything you want in a lead male character; gorgeous, lustful yet gentlemanly as well as having a few cool super powers nicely thrown in. I loved the furious hostility between Helen and Lucas to begin with. Their utter hate for each other really brought the story alive and then the author goes and turns this hatred on its head, to create instant lusting. Helen and Lucas are surrounded by a cast of beautifully written characters, who I wanted to get to know individually. There are other romances blossoming amongst the Delos family and their new found Nantucket friends,which I can't wait to see blossom in the next book.
The plot line was fast and furious; the whole idea behind the book was breathtaking and when I came to the end I felt like I had just experienced my first bungee jump. Josephine Angelini writes like a professional boxer fights, and doesn't stop punching you with her plot twists and turns until the very end, where she pushes you off the cliff alongside her cliff hanger ending!
All I can say to Josephine Angelini is 'Welcome to the YA paranormal genre, may your journey through it be a long and prosperous one'.
Helen comes across as a rather clumsy character to begin with, but you soon realise that it is because she isn't really like any other normal human being and has yet to discover her full potential. When the Delos family arrive in her hometown, something takes over Helen and on her first encounter with Lucas Delos, she tries to kill him. I kid you not! Every time their paths cross they are both desperate with murderous intentions. It is only when their hatred turns to desire that Helen discovers she is rather different from any other normal teenager. She is a Scion, just like Lucas and the rest of his family; she is a descendant from the Greek Gods and her family has been at war with the Delos family for centuries. Lucas helps Helen to learn how to use her extraordinary powers, whilst trying to ignore his strong feelings for her which would rip his family apart.
Josephine Angelini has created a real diamond of a book. Her story is mindblowingly original and I loved every word of it. I loved the use of Greek mythology within this book and I definitely feel that it could become one of my favourite genres.
As soon as the Delos family arrive in the book, I found myself being sucked into the story. The build up to their arrival had me intrigued and curious to meet them. I didn't like Helen to begin with, I don't know why I just found her annoying. However as soon as the sparks flew between her and Lucas, she seriously went up in my estimations. The heat of the romance between Lucas and Helen had me reaching for an electric fan to cool the room temperature down. Lucas, I loved from Helen's first attempt to kill him. He is everything you want in a lead male character; gorgeous, lustful yet gentlemanly as well as having a few cool super powers nicely thrown in. I loved the furious hostility between Helen and Lucas to begin with. Their utter hate for each other really brought the story alive and then the author goes and turns this hatred on its head, to create instant lusting. Helen and Lucas are surrounded by a cast of beautifully written characters, who I wanted to get to know individually. There are other romances blossoming amongst the Delos family and their new found Nantucket friends,which I can't wait to see blossom in the next book.
The plot line was fast and furious; the whole idea behind the book was breathtaking and when I came to the end I felt like I had just experienced my first bungee jump. Josephine Angelini writes like a professional boxer fights, and doesn't stop punching you with her plot twists and turns until the very end, where she pushes you off the cliff alongside her cliff hanger ending!
All I can say to Josephine Angelini is 'Welcome to the YA paranormal genre, may your journey through it be a long and prosperous one'.
Die for Me by Amy Plum
5.0
f you hadn't realised already, this is the book I would have donated my kidneys for! I am serious! As soon as I saw the cover and read the blurb I knew I had to have this book! Did the book meet my expectations, I hear you ask? Oh yes! Most definitely!
Kate and her sister Georgia had the perfect life, until an accident leaves them as orphans. The girls pack up their lives and move from America to Paris to live with their grandparents and try to come to terms with their loss as well as trying to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Kate struggles to adapt to her new life until she meets Vincent, the dark, mysterious stranger, who sweeps her off her feet.
Kate is besotted by Vincent, until she discovers his secret. He isn't like any other normal human being. He is here for a purpose; a destiny he must fulfil which will put his life at risk every single day. Is Kate ready to invest all her love in someone, whom she could lose just as quickly as her parents.
From page one, I was lost and enthralled in this book, right up until the last scene. I could not put this book down!
Amy Plum is one of those authors who envelops all your senses,allowing you to easily slip into the book. Her use of descriptive language instantly brings the book alive. I became oblivious the world around me as I read, immersing myself in Parisian culture, I felt I could almost smell the aromas mentioned right off the pages. The setting of the book is just astounding and had me flicking through weekend break brochures desperate for a long romantic weekend in Paris.
From the moment, Kate and Vincent entered the story, I loved their characters completely. I loved watching their romance blossom as the book progressed. Kate takes on the role of a rather feisty lead female character and doesn't let too much scare her. Vincent is a gentleman at heart, but his desire for Kate is obvious from the beginning. I will admit to not liking Georgia at first, Kate's older sister in the book. I found her actions and behaviour to be childish to begin with, considering she was the older of the two; I wanted to give her a good shake and tell her to grow up and pay more attention to her sister. I also have to mention Jules, because I really took a shine to him. He might even be my secret crush.
Even though this is YA, I felt it dealt with death in an adult way. The grieving stages that Kate goes through and the loneliness she deals with after the death of her parents, is extremely well written, allowing us to feel Kate's pain of loss as intensely as she did.
This really is a unique and original storyline, breathing new life into the paranormal YA genre. Amy Plum's gorgeous group of revenants had me desperate for more. I now want a Tshirt with I Heart Revenants on it, as I think they have just become the coolest paranormal characters ever. I can't wait for the second book. I know this book is aimed at the teen market, but I do feel that a lot of older females are going to crave this series in the same way they did Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series.
This is an utterly beautiful book that will definitely become a book that I will want to reread in the future.
Kate and her sister Georgia had the perfect life, until an accident leaves them as orphans. The girls pack up their lives and move from America to Paris to live with their grandparents and try to come to terms with their loss as well as trying to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Kate struggles to adapt to her new life until she meets Vincent, the dark, mysterious stranger, who sweeps her off her feet.
Kate is besotted by Vincent, until she discovers his secret. He isn't like any other normal human being. He is here for a purpose; a destiny he must fulfil which will put his life at risk every single day. Is Kate ready to invest all her love in someone, whom she could lose just as quickly as her parents.
From page one, I was lost and enthralled in this book, right up until the last scene. I could not put this book down!
Amy Plum is one of those authors who envelops all your senses,allowing you to easily slip into the book. Her use of descriptive language instantly brings the book alive. I became oblivious the world around me as I read, immersing myself in Parisian culture, I felt I could almost smell the aromas mentioned right off the pages. The setting of the book is just astounding and had me flicking through weekend break brochures desperate for a long romantic weekend in Paris.
From the moment, Kate and Vincent entered the story, I loved their characters completely. I loved watching their romance blossom as the book progressed. Kate takes on the role of a rather feisty lead female character and doesn't let too much scare her. Vincent is a gentleman at heart, but his desire for Kate is obvious from the beginning. I will admit to not liking Georgia at first, Kate's older sister in the book. I found her actions and behaviour to be childish to begin with, considering she was the older of the two; I wanted to give her a good shake and tell her to grow up and pay more attention to her sister. I also have to mention Jules, because I really took a shine to him. He might even be my secret crush.
Even though this is YA, I felt it dealt with death in an adult way. The grieving stages that Kate goes through and the loneliness she deals with after the death of her parents, is extremely well written, allowing us to feel Kate's pain of loss as intensely as she did.
This really is a unique and original storyline, breathing new life into the paranormal YA genre. Amy Plum's gorgeous group of revenants had me desperate for more. I now want a Tshirt with I Heart Revenants on it, as I think they have just become the coolest paranormal characters ever. I can't wait for the second book. I know this book is aimed at the teen market, but I do feel that a lot of older females are going to crave this series in the same way they did Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series.
This is an utterly beautiful book that will definitely become a book that I will want to reread in the future.
The Wedding Wallah by Farahad Zama
4.0
Mr Ali, the Wedding Wallah, is still very popular at helping arranged marriages occur amongst educated clients and wealthy families. He is over the moon, when it appears he may have been able to make a match for his niece Pari, an impoverished pretty young widow and Dilawar, the handsome businessman from the city.
I will admit to being a little apprehensive about reading this third book in the series. I absolutely loved the first book 'The Marriage Bureau for Rich People, however, I really did not enjoy the second book 'The Many Conditions of Love' as much at all. Thankfully, this book renewed my interest in the day to day lives of Mr Ali and his friends and family.
In fact, this book seemed to be a lot more realistic and darker than the previous two books, as it dealt with two topics which I presume are quite politically hot at this moment in time in India. Firstly the book looks closely at the legalisation of homosexuality. This really shocked me, discovering how backward they were in their views of gays and lesbians. I had never considered that other countries may still consider this to be wrong and felt thankful to live in a society where this is no longer the case. Poor Dilawar is being pushed into a marriage to give him the respectability his mother craves for him and the family name. Dilawar, weakened by society's attitude of his sexuality, struggles to stand up for his rights. It was quite sad to read and I couldn't help but feel his pain at not being allowed to be himself.
The second topic dealt with in this book is the importance of the Naxalites, a loose term used to define some rather violent groups who cause destruction and kidnappings in the name of landless labourers. They have an almost Robin Hood mentality but with sheer brutality involved to get their rewards. I am presuming that they still exist in India, as I could not find any information to contradict this point. The actions they carry out within the book, bring home the harsh reality of the inequality occurring in India and once again allows you to feel thankful that you don't have to live in similar conditions.
This book also highlights the changes occurring India, which seem to be pushing it into the modern world. The young are restless to live like the youth from Westernized societies and mobile phones and social networking are competing with the more traditional ways of the country. You realise straight away that the older generations are reluctant to move forward with technology and change. I love the contrast of the young and the old. The ways of the old still coexisting with the modernness of the young.
The characters are just adorable. It was lovely to revisit these characters and see how their lives have progressed. I loved returning to Aruna and Ramanujam's relationship, to see it continue to blossom, allowing Aruna to stand on her own two feet. Mrs Ali, continues to entertain me with her crafty ways and causing mayhem with her nosy neighbours. I felt a little annoyed with Rehman though, as I wanted him to open his eyes and see what beauty lies before him.
The book ends on a little bit of a cliffhanger, as there are a couple of situations that have been left unresolved, so I look forward to reading more in the future.
My only niggle with this book was that certain events that occur at the end of the book were told rather than shown and I would have liked to see a more dramatic ending to a situation that occurs.
If you like The No1 Ladies Detective series, then you will enjoy this book too, as I feel it mirrors the simplicity of life in the same way the Alexander McCall Smith series does.
An enjoyable read, that educates you without you realising!
I will admit to being a little apprehensive about reading this third book in the series. I absolutely loved the first book 'The Marriage Bureau for Rich People, however, I really did not enjoy the second book 'The Many Conditions of Love' as much at all. Thankfully, this book renewed my interest in the day to day lives of Mr Ali and his friends and family.
In fact, this book seemed to be a lot more realistic and darker than the previous two books, as it dealt with two topics which I presume are quite politically hot at this moment in time in India. Firstly the book looks closely at the legalisation of homosexuality. This really shocked me, discovering how backward they were in their views of gays and lesbians. I had never considered that other countries may still consider this to be wrong and felt thankful to live in a society where this is no longer the case. Poor Dilawar is being pushed into a marriage to give him the respectability his mother craves for him and the family name. Dilawar, weakened by society's attitude of his sexuality, struggles to stand up for his rights. It was quite sad to read and I couldn't help but feel his pain at not being allowed to be himself.
The second topic dealt with in this book is the importance of the Naxalites, a loose term used to define some rather violent groups who cause destruction and kidnappings in the name of landless labourers. They have an almost Robin Hood mentality but with sheer brutality involved to get their rewards. I am presuming that they still exist in India, as I could not find any information to contradict this point. The actions they carry out within the book, bring home the harsh reality of the inequality occurring in India and once again allows you to feel thankful that you don't have to live in similar conditions.
This book also highlights the changes occurring India, which seem to be pushing it into the modern world. The young are restless to live like the youth from Westernized societies and mobile phones and social networking are competing with the more traditional ways of the country. You realise straight away that the older generations are reluctant to move forward with technology and change. I love the contrast of the young and the old. The ways of the old still coexisting with the modernness of the young.
The characters are just adorable. It was lovely to revisit these characters and see how their lives have progressed. I loved returning to Aruna and Ramanujam's relationship, to see it continue to blossom, allowing Aruna to stand on her own two feet. Mrs Ali, continues to entertain me with her crafty ways and causing mayhem with her nosy neighbours. I felt a little annoyed with Rehman though, as I wanted him to open his eyes and see what beauty lies before him.
The book ends on a little bit of a cliffhanger, as there are a couple of situations that have been left unresolved, so I look forward to reading more in the future.
My only niggle with this book was that certain events that occur at the end of the book were told rather than shown and I would have liked to see a more dramatic ending to a situation that occurs.
If you like The No1 Ladies Detective series, then you will enjoy this book too, as I feel it mirrors the simplicity of life in the same way the Alexander McCall Smith series does.
An enjoyable read, that educates you without you realising!
Run Rabbit Run by Barbara Mitchelhill
5.0
Lizzie's dad is a conscientious objector to killing people and refuses to fight in the Second World War. Often seen as cowards, Lizzie suffers the abuse from the children at school due to her father's refusal to fight. The police come looking to arrest Lizzie's father, so they all go on the run in the middle of the night, in a desperate attempt to stay together as a family. For a while, they manage to live happily in the idyllic Whiteway, until their past catches up with them and pushes them on the run again. Will they ever be able to find peace and live together as a family again?
This book is aimed at the 9 -12 age range and is one of those books that I would find myself recommending to school teachers. If I was still in the classroom, I would definitely use this book as a starting point for the World War II topic often carried out in Year 2. I think it is a wonderfully descriptive story of life as a child during the world, from the viewpoint of a family vehemently against the war.
The characters are beautifully written and the plot shows the sharp realities of war and how it affects families. Before reading it, I had never considered how families coped with the separation, and this book really brings home the difficulties and the heartbreaking emotions caused by children being evacuated. The way families are torn apart by war is such a strong theme throughout the book, that I felt it would be a fine example for the children of today to read, who never seem to realise how lucky they are. I think that today's school children would get so much from reading this book, allowing them to visualise what life was like for someone of their age, during hostile times.
I loved Lizzie as a character, I found her very grown up for age, dealing with a lot of difficult situations. I honestly could not see my own children, managing as well as Lizzie. I could understand her father's decision, but felt he struggled to consider what was best for his children.
This book is quite a short book, so it could easily be read to the class within a few days. If you know any teachers, studying World War II with their class, then I would highly recommend this book.
Barbara Mitchellhill has brought World War II to the children of today.
This book is aimed at the 9 -12 age range and is one of those books that I would find myself recommending to school teachers. If I was still in the classroom, I would definitely use this book as a starting point for the World War II topic often carried out in Year 2. I think it is a wonderfully descriptive story of life as a child during the world, from the viewpoint of a family vehemently against the war.
The characters are beautifully written and the plot shows the sharp realities of war and how it affects families. Before reading it, I had never considered how families coped with the separation, and this book really brings home the difficulties and the heartbreaking emotions caused by children being evacuated. The way families are torn apart by war is such a strong theme throughout the book, that I felt it would be a fine example for the children of today to read, who never seem to realise how lucky they are. I think that today's school children would get so much from reading this book, allowing them to visualise what life was like for someone of their age, during hostile times.
I loved Lizzie as a character, I found her very grown up for age, dealing with a lot of difficult situations. I honestly could not see my own children, managing as well as Lizzie. I could understand her father's decision, but felt he struggled to consider what was best for his children.
This book is quite a short book, so it could easily be read to the class within a few days. If you know any teachers, studying World War II with their class, then I would highly recommend this book.
Barbara Mitchellhill has brought World War II to the children of today.
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto, Laure Manceau
4.0
Every time I think about Halo, my thoughts instantly return to one mind blowing detail. The author is only 18 years old and had first book published at 16. Wow! Regardless of what anyone including myself think about the book, that is one hell of an achievement for someone so young. I only wish I had been as creative and accomplished as her at that age.
Halo brings us the story of three angels brought down to Earth, to bring goodness back into society. There is Gabriel the warrior, an archangel and one of the Holy Seven; Ivy the healer, a seraphim and one of the angels closest to the Lord and Bethany, a young angel who resides at the bottom of the angel ladder.
They all arrive on Earth with the intention of bringing peace and harmony, but somehow Bethany gets a little sidetracked on the way. Being the most human of the three angels she falls in love with a mortal and the other angels begin to worry that she might just not be able to complete the job she was sent down to Earth to do.
Many of you know that I am a sucker for an angel book and this one did not disappoint. I loved reading about how the angels tried to settle into normal every day human life, which was as foreign to them as living in an igloo would be to me.
I found within Alexandra's writing that she captured the essence of first love so accurately, I found myself stepping back in time to my own teenage years. The feelings were those intense, gut wrenching,hunger suppressing, cannot be apart for longer than an hour kind of feelings. Alexandra has managed to evoke emotions and memories in myself that had long been forgotten. ( That makes me sound old. Eeek!)
I did find Xavier, Bethany's mortal boyfriend, a little over protective, but then Bethany has to be the most innocent lead character I have ever come across, although that fits perfectly with her character as an angel on her first visit to Earth.
The book was a little longer than I would have preferred. I would have liked it to be compacted a little more with perhaps the bad boy Jake turning up a little earlier in the story. However I still really enjoyed the story as it progressed and didn't find myself desperate for the action to start. I am over the moon that nearly every loose strands of the story are wrapped up in the book, and although I know everything wasn't completely finalised, I felt contented to wait for the next book.
This story does have a lot of religious overtones which did not bother me at all. I have read a lot of non fiction angel books and felt that Alexandra had definitely carried out a lot of research on her subject matter.
I am just so impressed by Alexandra's writing talents that I cannot wait to watch her grow as a writer. I think Stephanie Meyer may have a little competition here! (Don't tell her though, lets keep it a secret!).
Halo brings us the story of three angels brought down to Earth, to bring goodness back into society. There is Gabriel the warrior, an archangel and one of the Holy Seven; Ivy the healer, a seraphim and one of the angels closest to the Lord and Bethany, a young angel who resides at the bottom of the angel ladder.
They all arrive on Earth with the intention of bringing peace and harmony, but somehow Bethany gets a little sidetracked on the way. Being the most human of the three angels she falls in love with a mortal and the other angels begin to worry that she might just not be able to complete the job she was sent down to Earth to do.
Many of you know that I am a sucker for an angel book and this one did not disappoint. I loved reading about how the angels tried to settle into normal every day human life, which was as foreign to them as living in an igloo would be to me.
I found within Alexandra's writing that she captured the essence of first love so accurately, I found myself stepping back in time to my own teenage years. The feelings were those intense, gut wrenching,hunger suppressing, cannot be apart for longer than an hour kind of feelings. Alexandra has managed to evoke emotions and memories in myself that had long been forgotten. ( That makes me sound old. Eeek!)
I did find Xavier, Bethany's mortal boyfriend, a little over protective, but then Bethany has to be the most innocent lead character I have ever come across, although that fits perfectly with her character as an angel on her first visit to Earth.
The book was a little longer than I would have preferred. I would have liked it to be compacted a little more with perhaps the bad boy Jake turning up a little earlier in the story. However I still really enjoyed the story as it progressed and didn't find myself desperate for the action to start. I am over the moon that nearly every loose strands of the story are wrapped up in the book, and although I know everything wasn't completely finalised, I felt contented to wait for the next book.
This story does have a lot of religious overtones which did not bother me at all. I have read a lot of non fiction angel books and felt that Alexandra had definitely carried out a lot of research on her subject matter.
I am just so impressed by Alexandra's writing talents that I cannot wait to watch her grow as a writer. I think Stephanie Meyer may have a little competition here! (Don't tell her though, lets keep it a secret!).
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher
5.0
It is five years after the bombing that killed his sister Rose and Jamie's family are still trying to repair the unrepairable damage the event caused. His parents have separated, leaving Jamie and his sister living with their Dad, who now suffers with a severe drinking problem and often needs his children to look after him.Their mum has deserted them and doesn't seem keen to keep in contact at all. Jamie struggles to come to terms with the devastation his family continues to suffer, over a person that he barely remembers.
This book is real. Real life,raw and gritty, not sugar coated to make it easier to digest. Real tragedy that could easily reflect the aftermath on a family after losing someone in a terrorist attack. This book will really stir up your emotions, leaving you crying your eyes out by the end. In fact, this book should have a warning label on it, advising it not be read in public, due to excessive waterworks.
This book is written through Jamie's eyes and straight away you realise he needs your undivided attention because no one else in his life is giving it too him. He is too young to remember much about his sister Rose, yet he stands by on a daily basis and watches how her death destroys his parents, to the point where his mother can no longer live with them and his father barely remembers he has other children, as he staggers daily from one drink to the next. As you read, you have this desperate need to call social services yourself to rectify the unhappy situation and bring happiness into his life. On top of all of that, not only does Jamie suffer at home, but also at school, where instantly he is labelled as different and picked on for being the new boy. He has no where to go to find peace.
As a mother, I struggled to feel anything but contempt for Jamie's mother, who completely abandoned her children to a drunk. I can understand that she reached a point where she could no longer live with her past, but to leave her children that way is just difficult to swallow.
Jasmine, his older sister is a very strong character; after losing her twin sister, she appears determined not to lose any other members of her family and steps into her mother's shoes to help Jamie survive.
The friendship between Sunya and Jamie has a Shakespearean quality to it as you envisage the forbidden budding romance of Romeo and Juliet. Jamie has a better understanding of the world than his father and he can clearly see that just because Sunya is a Muslim, it does not mean she is responsible for the death of his sister.
This book is eloquently written, pulling at your heart strings with every page as you watch from the sidelines; a grieving family, struggling to re identify their positions in the family structure and the world around them. Each family member coping in their own way with their loss. Jamie comes across just like every other ten year old I know, only with much more emotional baggage than most.
This is a book that should be read by adults as well as children. Just be prepared for your emotions to take a battering.
For a debut novel, this is exceptional, leaving me in no doubt that Annabel Pitcher is an author who will be around for a very long time.
This book is real. Real life,raw and gritty, not sugar coated to make it easier to digest. Real tragedy that could easily reflect the aftermath on a family after losing someone in a terrorist attack. This book will really stir up your emotions, leaving you crying your eyes out by the end. In fact, this book should have a warning label on it, advising it not be read in public, due to excessive waterworks.
This book is written through Jamie's eyes and straight away you realise he needs your undivided attention because no one else in his life is giving it too him. He is too young to remember much about his sister Rose, yet he stands by on a daily basis and watches how her death destroys his parents, to the point where his mother can no longer live with them and his father barely remembers he has other children, as he staggers daily from one drink to the next. As you read, you have this desperate need to call social services yourself to rectify the unhappy situation and bring happiness into his life. On top of all of that, not only does Jamie suffer at home, but also at school, where instantly he is labelled as different and picked on for being the new boy. He has no where to go to find peace.
As a mother, I struggled to feel anything but contempt for Jamie's mother, who completely abandoned her children to a drunk. I can understand that she reached a point where she could no longer live with her past, but to leave her children that way is just difficult to swallow.
Jasmine, his older sister is a very strong character; after losing her twin sister, she appears determined not to lose any other members of her family and steps into her mother's shoes to help Jamie survive.
The friendship between Sunya and Jamie has a Shakespearean quality to it as you envisage the forbidden budding romance of Romeo and Juliet. Jamie has a better understanding of the world than his father and he can clearly see that just because Sunya is a Muslim, it does not mean she is responsible for the death of his sister.
This book is eloquently written, pulling at your heart strings with every page as you watch from the sidelines; a grieving family, struggling to re identify their positions in the family structure and the world around them. Each family member coping in their own way with their loss. Jamie comes across just like every other ten year old I know, only with much more emotional baggage than most.
This is a book that should be read by adults as well as children. Just be prepared for your emotions to take a battering.
For a debut novel, this is exceptional, leaving me in no doubt that Annabel Pitcher is an author who will be around for a very long time.
Otoli by Bryony Allen
5.0
This book really took me by surprise, it was definitely not what I was expecting at all. The book deals very strongly with the issues surrounding bullying, but within this book they take on rather a sinister tone that appealed to my dark side.
Alice Turner is seen as a social outcast by everyone at school, which puts her in the harrowing position of being a target of the school bullies, known as the Populars. They make her life a living hell. On one of her journeys home, desperate to stay out of their way, she comes across a little cafe called OTOLI. She wanders in to find a safe place to go and a new friend to help her deal with the bullying.
As their friendship grows, things begin to change at school. The Populars begin to lose out on the Popularity stakes and life begins to get easier for Alice. However, as the Populars suffer, Alice begins to wonder whether her friendship with Jenny is causing more harm than good. Alice has a feeling that the fall of enemies may be due to Jenny.
Jenny's friendship begins to cause Alice a lot of problems when she is unable to meet her friend's demands. Alice learns that if she is ever to grow stronger and move on with her life, she must face the bullies head on. She must stop Jenny from bullying her.
This is really quite a sad tale, where two young girls suffer from the devastating effects of long term bullying. Jenny has suffered just like Alice, yet she doesn't deal with it in a mature way, more hell bent on revenge than moving on. However Alice, begins to realise that revenge really isn't the answer. She finds an amazing inner strength, to overcome the obstacles she faces.
Jenny is an extremely interesting, if somewhat sinister character, whose secret past is slowly revealed to show the reasons for her behaviour. She believes she is being helpful and doesn't realise she is causing more harm than good. There is also another character, Keiran within the book who suffers from bullying too, however he seems to be able to stand up to Jenny better than Alice does.
The title intrigued me and the word does have meaning once you work out what the letters stand for, however that really isn't my secret to reveal!
Even though the book, is quite short, I found it moved at quite a pace, leaving me enthralled until the final outcome.
This book really hits home with the effects of bullying, showing just how it can escalate out of control, unless someone takes a stand. I know that it is a prime concern with majority of schools these days, but I cannot help but wonder if enough is being done. Bullying seems to me to be more immediate these days with bullies being able to victimize those chosen through mobile phones, email and Internet sites such as Facebook. I hope this book can help someone bring about change.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the organisation 'Bullying UK' which is a good enough reason in itself to buy the book. Luckily the book is an extremely good read too, so well worth buying. I was considering a giveaway for this book, instead I decided that I wanted it to go into a secondary school where hopefully it will be of use, so I am passing it in onto the lovely Emma Book Angel at Bookangel's Booktopia for her to put in her library.
If you know someone who is being bullied, yet struggles to talk about it, then this might be a good book to introduce them too.
Alice Turner is seen as a social outcast by everyone at school, which puts her in the harrowing position of being a target of the school bullies, known as the Populars. They make her life a living hell. On one of her journeys home, desperate to stay out of their way, she comes across a little cafe called OTOLI. She wanders in to find a safe place to go and a new friend to help her deal with the bullying.
As their friendship grows, things begin to change at school. The Populars begin to lose out on the Popularity stakes and life begins to get easier for Alice. However, as the Populars suffer, Alice begins to wonder whether her friendship with Jenny is causing more harm than good. Alice has a feeling that the fall of enemies may be due to Jenny.
Jenny's friendship begins to cause Alice a lot of problems when she is unable to meet her friend's demands. Alice learns that if she is ever to grow stronger and move on with her life, she must face the bullies head on. She must stop Jenny from bullying her.
This is really quite a sad tale, where two young girls suffer from the devastating effects of long term bullying. Jenny has suffered just like Alice, yet she doesn't deal with it in a mature way, more hell bent on revenge than moving on. However Alice, begins to realise that revenge really isn't the answer. She finds an amazing inner strength, to overcome the obstacles she faces.
Jenny is an extremely interesting, if somewhat sinister character, whose secret past is slowly revealed to show the reasons for her behaviour. She believes she is being helpful and doesn't realise she is causing more harm than good. There is also another character, Keiran within the book who suffers from bullying too, however he seems to be able to stand up to Jenny better than Alice does.
The title intrigued me and the word does have meaning once you work out what the letters stand for, however that really isn't my secret to reveal!
Even though the book, is quite short, I found it moved at quite a pace, leaving me enthralled until the final outcome.
This book really hits home with the effects of bullying, showing just how it can escalate out of control, unless someone takes a stand. I know that it is a prime concern with majority of schools these days, but I cannot help but wonder if enough is being done. Bullying seems to me to be more immediate these days with bullies being able to victimize those chosen through mobile phones, email and Internet sites such as Facebook. I hope this book can help someone bring about change.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the organisation 'Bullying UK' which is a good enough reason in itself to buy the book. Luckily the book is an extremely good read too, so well worth buying. I was considering a giveaway for this book, instead I decided that I wanted it to go into a secondary school where hopefully it will be of use, so I am passing it in onto the lovely Emma Book Angel at Bookangel's Booktopia for her to put in her library.
If you know someone who is being bullied, yet struggles to talk about it, then this might be a good book to introduce them too.