Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent is the second book in the Divergent trilogy written by Veronica Roth. If you haven’t read the first book, you might as well read this review first and pick up the said book for, surely, you wouldn’t understand this post. This would also seem to be a huge spoiler for the first book. So I suggest that you stop reading this now. But if you have already read Divergent, I can safely assume that you already know the story and that it ends with a cliff-hanger. 

This second installment is the continuation of Tris and Four’s journey to unravel the secrets of their personality and the society they are in. Now that a war is beginning to ensue due to the Erudite’s inhumane move to control the Dauntless using simulation, the factions are on the edge of being destroyed. The conflicts in beliefs and interest among the different factions have caused unimaginable terrors to everyone. Being Divergent and the only people not affected by Erudite’s mind control, Tris, Four and the others must decide who to side with in order to stop the oncoming war. Do they try to stand by the remaining loyal Dauntless and the factionless or ally with the person who they so very hated? But would it be easy to choose when one aims to destroy the peace in order to eliminate the factions for a new regime while the other option is to betray the one you love in order to know the truth behind the formation of the society you live in? And even more so, what would you do when the one you love with all your heart refuses to agree with your choice. 

After almost a year of waiting for this to come out, I must say I was generously pleased and satisfied with what I’ve read. Insurgent continued exactly where Divergent left off and the transition was very smooth. It is much more action-packed than the first book and also, much more tragic. But nevertheless, I never could put it down, much like with the first book. 

There are a lot of things I really like about Insurgent. First is that in this second book, readers would get a good glimpse of the other factions. With Divergent, we only got to know more about the Dauntless and Abnegation, and the evil side of Erudite. Here, we will get a better view of how Candor, Amity and, Erudite functions. Readers will get a chance to know about each faction’s quirks, traditions and belief. We will see both the positive and negative sides of each faction that would really make it hard for us to judge them as purely good and purely evil.

And in that comes the second reason why I enjoy the book. Yes, this ay very well be intended for young adults, but I think that the book’s message is for all. While reading the book, I got to know more about each of the characters, and it was so hard to decide whether I like them or not. They have good traits and then the bad one which makes me want to just kill them. And I guess the author captured reality very well in this case. She was able to reflect people as close as possible to what they really are. We aren’t blacks and white. No one is purely evil and purely good. We are a combination of both. Grays. It just depends on how we choose to act on these parts of us. Some may drift to the negative while some, choose to stick with the positive. 

The third reason why I like this book is that its political and societal issues are very thought-provoking. I mean, for all we know, this could be our future. We might be divided according to our beliefs and our personalities. The author made a world in which people choose how they want to be, how they will live their lives depending on character. The Dauntless are courageous, seeking thrill in action and adventure. The Candor values truth above all and despise any form of lying. The Abnegation are selfless people, putting the need of others first before their own. The Erudite are those who thrive to learn, forever seeking knowledge and making innovation. And then the Amity are those who wants nothing more but peace, and believes that unity is important above all else. Yes, at first I tried to categorize myself into one of these factions. But in this second book, the focus was on the Divergent and the factionless, people who aren’t sorted into any of these categories. I admire how the author wrote about them. These people represent those who can be more than just one of those factions. People cannot really be wired to just one personality. No. I mean, could we not also be brave while being selfless at the same time? Does seeking knowledge and information hinder us from being peaceful? We are complex creatures incapable of being caged into just one way of living. Our character isn’t just made up of one trait. We are much more diverse that the factions, which is supposed to put things in order, also became the reason for problems to arise.

And lastly, of course is the love story of Tris and Four. Insurgent showed how realistic Tobias and Tris’ relationship is despite its dystopian genre. In most books, couples re portrayed all lovey-dovey and perfect. Here, we would see the imperfection when certain circumstances force them to disagree with each other and argue. There were even some points in which I thought they would be over because of all the bickering. And I guess it’s nice because that’s how relationships are in real life. Couples have misunderstandings, they argue. And overcoming those trials is what make the bond stronger. And that is how love is portrayed in this book. Imperfect but real.

All in all, I very much loved it, I think more than I loved Divergent. I cannot put the book down because I wanted to know what will happen next, immediately. I stayed up very late because of this book. I always have this fear that sequels would somehow fail my expectations, but this one did not. There were predictable plot twists but some are actually shocking. I suggest you don’t get too attached to any of the characters for surely, you will regret it after the next few chapters. Also, be ready to laugh, cry and be giddy for this book has it all. Oh yeah, the sarcastic humor is another great factor in this book. I give it my full 5/5. And seriously, the ending is such a fucking cliff-hanger. What will I do? The next book isn’t due until 2013. Damn.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

First of all, you should know that I made the mistake of watching the movie first before reading the book. And of course, not having known the full book story, I loved the film completely (well of course, Logan Lerman being one of the reasons why). But then I have this friend who has been forcing me to read the series since last year. He told me that the movie is a complete thrash compared to the novels.

So now, a year later, here I am, totally hating myself for even liking the movie adaptation of this book. The movie plot was very different from the book. It’s like they just took the characters and wrote a whole new storyline. The adventures, the deaths, the problems, and a lot more were completely different. Even the age of the main characters was wrong. I mean, does Logan Lerman even look like a twelve-year-old? Okay, enough of the complaints and let’s move on to the review.

Percy Jackson is a twelve-year-old sixth grader who is diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. He is irritable, and he couldn’t control his impulsive behavior. The dyslexia made it hard for him to read and understand his lessons and this resulted to failing marks. And so, Percy might be kicked out from his boarding school, again. 

And then, one field trip to the museum revealed the truth about him when he was attacked by his math teacher, well actually, a monster disguised as his teacher. He is a demigod, a half-god, son of one of the gods of Olympus. Suddenly, it all became clear that his problems were actually his talents. The dyslexia was due to the fact that his brain is hardwired to understand ancient Greek writings. The ADHD are manifestations of his advanced reflexes, useful in battles. These would all seem to be a good thing if not for the mythical monsters and demons running after him, wanting him dead.

In turns out that he was the prime suspect for a crime done to the most powerful Olympian god, Zeus. But Percy has no clue as to why he was blamed for the theft of the master lightning bolt, Zeus’ most important weapon. Nevertheless, he must go on a quest to find the lightning bolt and prove his innocence before the gods wage war to each other, endangering the mortal world. Together with his friends, he must know who the real suspect was and stop the possible war, in just ten days.

Okay, so as I’ve said the book was very different from the movie. I don’t want to spoil the whole story for those who haven’t read the book yet, so I leave you to your own disappointment when you finally read this book. All I can say is that I don’t know how the movie producers are planning to make sequel since some important events in the book were removed and replaced in the movie.

As for my opinion on the book, I can say that I seriously enjoyed it. I am a big fan of fantasy novels and this one has one special trail that I loved: its reference to Greek mythology. I’ve already talked about how much I am attracted to mythologies in my past post, and so the all the allusions this book have to all those Greek gods and goddesses immediately got me hooked. The story was brimming with intense action sequences that got me more excited. Also, the plot twists would have been surprising, had I not watched the movie first. 

Well aside from all the magical stuff, I loved the way it portrayed family problems. Of course, in the book, the demigods have both mortal and god parents. This means that they only spent their life with only one of their parents. And I can empathize with how these characters felt, growing up without my dad. They all struggle with the abandonment they felt. Because of this, they felt the need to seek acceptance and approval from the Olympian gods and goddesses, who are their parents. They even put themselves in dangerous quests just to prove that they are worthy of their parents’ titles. 

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and I’m hoping to finish all the books in the series before school starts. But I just have one problem. No matter how hard I try, I can’t help but find Harry Potter similarities in the book. First is Percy’s appearance. He is a twelve-year-old boy with jet-black hair and sea green eyes. Sounds familiar, right? The only things missing are the glasses and the scar. Then their Trio was made up of Annabeth, daughter of Athena—very intelligent girl—and Grover, a satyr who seem to be very cowardly but otherwise, loyal and useful. They somehow remind me of Ron and Hermione. Oh well, maybe this is just my obsession with Harry Potter messing with my head. But seriously, ignoring those parallels, this book is good and very much adventure-filled. It can stand alone and the plot is different from Harry Potter. I give it an overall 4.5/5.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

This is actually a reread but then I wasn’t able to make a review of the book before so here it is now. 

Imagine this: For sixteen years, you have lived a perfectly normal completely average life with your mother, in a typical apartment. Your mom, too, is living a simple lifestyle being a very talented artist. You only have your mom since your father died before you were even born. You have a great and loyal guy best friend who always accompany you to any bar or club, even though he hates being in those places. This is your life, and you know who you are. But then one thing happened, and suddenly, you discover that half your life has been woven by strings of lies.

And this is basically the story of Clarissa Fray. All sixteen years of her life, she thought she was normal. But one night, in a club called Pandemonium, changed everything. The people she followed, who she thought were up to something dangerous, were something else. Something entirely different, and something only she was able to see.

Suddenly, all her beliefs came went crashing down on herself. Worlds she did not believe to exist were now facing her in flesh. All those fantasy worlds she thought were only present in books and TV was real. Shadowhunters, vampire, werewolves, faeries, and demons—they all exist. And what’s worse is that Clary has suddenly become a part of all these, right in the middle. Her mother was also dragged into trouble as she was abducted by the most feared person in the Shadowland. Of course, Clary must do something in order to get her mother back.

And in comes Jace Wayland, one of the Shadowhunters Clary met, the strongest and most skilful one. Jace is the one who helped Clary through it all. His reason is simple, the same people who are serving Valentine—the one who abducted Clary’s mother—are the ones responsible for his father’s death. For Jace, it was revenge. Finally, he can give justice to what has been done to his father.

And thus began their journey to fight for what is right and good. In the process, the two have grown closer and developed feelings for each other. But one revelation changed everything. One simple truth caused their lives to crumble down on themselves. How could they possible go on when they learned that something was entirely wrong?

Honestly, I did not pick this book the first time I saw it because of Stephanie Meyer’s recommendation plastered in the cover. My aversion of the Twilight series made me a little more judgmental of those kinds of books.  What changed my mind is my friend, who I trusted very much when it comes to book recommendations. He told me that this book is better than half of what Twilight ever imagines to achieve. And that’s when I bought my copy and started reading.

City of Bones is the first book in The Mortal Instrument series written by Cassandra Clare. It has pretty much the same elements found in other books of the fantasy genre. But that doesn’t mean that the book is not worth my time. City of Bones is the first book in The Mortal Instrument series written by Cassandra Clare. It has pretty much the same elements found in other books of the fantasy genre. But that doesn’t mean that the book is not worth my time.

The way the half-demons are presented is different in a way that they are seen as half good, that they can live among people and Shadowhunters freely. I like the fact that there was an Accord to keep peace between the species. I do believe that there is always a good side to people or, in this book’s case, half-demons. On the other hand, some Shadowhunters were portrayed as evildoers, the complete opposite of being half-angels, which are what they are. It just goes to show that there aren’t any perfect being in this world. It tells us that even the good ones have the tendency to fall prey on the temptation of evil.

I also love the wit and sarcasm present in each of the characters. It made the book different from others since the supposed damsel-in-distress developed into a strong and determined fighter. It’s not like Bella who constantly depends on others to protect and save her. No. Clary is way more than that. She seeks knowledge and tries to stand on her own strength. She is a tough girl, not letting her infatuation get in the way of things.

All in all, the book is a pretty good read. It’s the third time I read the book and I still enjoy the adventures and mysteries it gave. But of course, it’s different this time because I already know what will happen during the next three sequels. But nevertheless, it’s still a nice read. I give it a 3.75/5.

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

As children, more than a few of us must have been lucky enough to hear a fairytale or two from our parents, before drifting off to a peaceful slumber. And as we grow older, we read about some of these stories in countless books. In time, we realize that they are all just tales of magic intended to teach us certain lessons in life. Each of them made up and fabricated into fantastic narratives.

And this is what Jacob grew up with. Enticing tales and magical adventures of a boarding school that housed several unique children with superficial powers were what filled his young mind. These were recounted to him by his Grandpa Portman. All these tales were backed by a handful of vintage photographs his grandfather has kept. Being young and innocent, Jacob believed his old man’s word and regarded him as a hero, someone to look up to. 

But as Jacob grew up, he soon came to dismiss these stories as childish fairytales, and the photographs fake and manipulated. He felt betrayed and his perception of his grandfather changed from someone worth idolizing to someone brimming with lies. He came to see that his life was nothing but ordinary. That is until his grandfather met his untimely death from the hand of strange creatures. Creatures disturbingly familiar to Jacob. Then he realized that these are the exact same ones that were depicted in his grandfather’s stories. All those haunting monsters that creep into his every nightmare, alas, were true. 

And so Jacob set out to a journey to find the whole truth behind his grandfather’s life and the mystery behind these monsters. He wanted nothing more than to give his grandfather’s death justice. With only his Grandpa Portman’s last words, Jacob seeks out the said boarding school to learn how much more of the fairytales were true. 

By reading the summary of the book and looking at its cover, I concluded that it is a creepy tale. I mean, just staring at the black-and-white photo of a levitating girl in the cover gave me the creeps. It promises a horrific adventure, described as spine-tingling. Well, imagine my utter disappointment when I have come halfway through the book and yet, there were no hair-raising or gooseflesh-triggering that happened. Only the vintage photos scattered through each chapter made me flinch slightly. Even up to the very last pages, I was hoping for a bit of scare. Instead, I was slapped with a young adult book filled with courageous adventures and thrilling events. 

Getting past my disappointment, and casting away my expectations of a horror genre, I find the book good enough. It’s not exactly a one of a kind story since it has elements that are also found in numerous fiction books such as supernatural abilities, time travel and the battle between good and evil. But then it is unique in a way that the author was able to weave a story out of 10 different vintage snapshots with from various collectors. Each photograph fits the narration so well and they are a great help to the readers’ imagination. 

Also, I marvelled in the inclusion of Jacob’s family relationship like the fact that he shared more time with his grandfather that his dad did. Add in the fact that he was to become the manager of their family business in the future. These were crucial parts that helped Jacob grow into what he is. In also tapped on the ever present issue with teenagers: how the adults fail to listen to them. This was very evident during the time when Jacob confided to his parents what he saw the night his grandfather killed. Being realistic adults, his parents thought he had a problem and immediately seek psychiatric help. It just goes to show that sometimes, parents have to listen and hear out what their children have to say.

In the end, I felt that like reading a less complicated Harry Potter book due to its many parallels. Jacob found out that he was special and that he sought to save his friends from the monsters that tried to harm them. He also had to leave his ordinary life for a more dangerous yet extraordinary one. Although there were interesting twists and turns in the story, I felt that if not for the creative authentic photographs this book has to offer, it wouldn’t be such an appealing book. I was actually tempted to put it down and not finish reading but then I gave it a chance. I wanted to finish it so badly that I was a bit angered and surprised by the ending, which was a cliffhanger. Oh well, the book was not bad. Maybe the sequel would lift my interest with this book as I wanted to know more about what will happen to the characters. I would give it a 3.5/5.

Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini

In every high school, status and reputations are always present to segregate the whole student body into several clichés. And on top of that social food chain are the popular ones. There is an unwritten and unspoken law stating that popular students rule the school. No matter how much we-the occupants of the bottom of this social pyramid-despise this, it’s true.

Now Jeremy Heere is a fellow member of the bottom-dwellers. Being an average dork in Middle Borough High School, he is a constant victim of pranks, bullying and humiliation courtesy of the populars. Every single day, he trudges through the hallways of hell, bearing the brand of dork. His only reason in going to school is Christine, the stunningly beautiful girl in his math class that he longingly stares at every day. This is the one girl that Jeremy knew he can never have.

That is until he learns about the “Squip”. It a super-computer in form of a pill, easily ingested like a normal medicine. Now this innovative technology is guaranteed to help the geekiest, most unlikeable person to become the “coolest” guy. It acts alongside the human brain by instructing the person on what to do, what to say, what to wear and everything that is needed in order to reach the top of the social hierarchy.

And so, desperate as he is, Jeremy bought a pill in hopes of turning his life into a better one. But then again, in every story, there comes the realization. And for Jeremy, it is the discovery of the dark side to this solution. He soon understand that there are certain disastrous consequences in having a computer control your life. He then starts to question the reliability of the pill and how it changes even his personality.

This novel is a funny and entertaining story about discovering the truth about one’s self. And with that comes the acknowledgement of the differences in each one of us. What does it really matter if we’re not cool? Being a dork, a geek, a nerd, a wallflower, or whatever else doesn’t mean being a lesser person than the rest. The book teaches us that we should be proud of who we really are because pretending to become another person with a completely different personality is stupid. Acceptance starts from within us. If we learn to love ourselves despite our quirks and weirdness, then it would be easier to find people who can accept us without having to change every aspect of our being.   

In this particular novel, Vizzini depicted high school life in a very exact and honest way. He included the shallow problems that teenagers encounter like sex, drugs, and social anxiety. It is written in a very humorous way that readers would have a hard time putting it down until they reach the very end. It is also sprinkled with a bit of perversion and ounces of swear words. The book is nothing short of brilliant. Although there parts in which I question the anatomical aspects of the novel, which I think were completely wrong. But this is just from me, being a student who studies anatomy for years. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have bothered with those facts. All in all, it was a good book though I was left hanging by the ending. I definitely recommend it to teenagers who still think that the most important thing in their lives is to become popular. 

Across The Universe by Beth Revis

Imagine how every human being will survive when the Earth finally comes to its close. When everything crumbles down and the whole planet dies, what will happen to the human race?

In Beth Revis’ futuristic novel, Across The Universe, scientists and researchers alike have found a solution to this grave complication. They found a planet, Centauri-Earth, which is potentially capable of sustaining human life. It is located several light years away from the Earth, possibly inhabitable due to the fact that it has almost the same substantial elements as our home planet. So, to preserve the human race, a gigantic ship was built to carry thousands of people to the new planet: the Godspeed. These people are selected based on their skills, intellect and usefulness, which are essential in order for the people to survive in Centauri-Earth. But the journey itself is not a brief one. In fact, it was estimated to last for three centuries. It is planned that generations of people will have to carry on the task of leading the ship towards it’s destination. In order to survive the 300-year expedition, these selected “essential” were frozen and kept in cryo chambers until Godspeed lands on Centauri-Earth. They were meant to sleep through three centuries and would only be awaken when Godspeed reaches the new planet.

And in the picture comes Amy, one of the frozens. She isn’t actually essential but her parents are. This guaranteed her a place in one of those cryo chambers. Together with her parents, she was scientifically frozen in an ice coffin, set for a very long sleep. Imagine her surprise when she was violently awakened from her deep cold slumber as her glass chamber was unplugged, 50 years ahead of the expected time. Now, she was alone and a complete stranger to the world of Godspeed. 

Life in Godspeed is different from the Earth. Everything is in unison and things were so orderly. There were no disputes among citizens, everyone has their own place and purpose, the place was peaceful. They are all obedient to their leader and follows every rule. To Amy’s eyes, it wasn’t normal. It’s as if people were in some kind of daze, completely stripped of their own senses. Something is seriously wrong with this ship.

And then there’s Elder, the next leader of Godspeed. The person who will soon be responsible of every life aboard. He is the only person Amy feels she could trust. Elder was currently being trained by Eldest, the present leader of the ship. He is taught about everything that has to be known about preserving the unity and ensuring safety of the people in Godspeed. Surely, nothing could go wrong. Until one by one, the frozens are being unplugged and murdered.

Of all the dystopian, futuristic novels I’ve read, this one is very much surprising. I was lead to think that it was a romance novel because of it’s cover, but soon I realize how very wrong I was. This book is so much more than a love story between two teenagers from two different worlds. As the characters find out more about the mysterious murders, they also unveil the secrets and lies that surround the ship. They soon question the system and how things were implemented in Godspeed. Truths were uncovered and they soon understand how much they were fooled by their leaders. 

I think it was beautifully crafted because while reading, I can feel being in the same ship as the characters. Like many dystopian novels, this book shows us that too much progress and scientific development is not very good for people. No matter how advance our technologies get, it is still important to put humanity higher up the ladder. It also teaches us about the value of true leadership. What matter is how we give strength to the people who depend on us, not how much power or control we have over them. Greed and selfishness won’t get you far. And finally, it tells us how every people deserves the truth, no matter how unacceptable it may be.

All in all, it was good book and very riveting. It’s not a perfect book as I easily predicted about some of the events and secrets. And also, the ending was quite a hanger. But then I know that there is a sequel so it’s not entirely disappointing. Honestly, I was not expecting that it was such a captivating read. It’s part dysoptian, part sci-fi, and part romance. I just could not put it down. I’m sorry if this review is quite long, but I just can’t help my thoughts about this book form overflowing. I give it a 4.5/5.

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Every one of us must have had their first crush. You know, that one little kid who was the target of your lingering stares and stolen glances during kindergarten. The puppy love all of us were certain that was going to last for the rest of our lives.

Well, Julianna Baker’s first and ultimate crush was Bryce Loski. From the moment the Loskis moved to the house across the street, Juli was certain that Bryce was the one. Those perfect blue eyes and the gorgeous smile was enough to melt her heart and capture it forever. Surely, he feels the same way, maybe just too shy to admit it. So she does what she thought would be the best move: get close to him. 

On the other side of things, Bryce Loski is completely bothered by this pesky little girl named Julianna Baker. The moment she ran across the street to their house as they arrived, he knew that she is trouble. What is with this kid not taking the hints he’s giving that he doesn’t like her. She is utterly annoying and sticks on like glue. Bryce only wanted his life in this new neighborhood to be peaceful. And what did Juli Baker do? She messed it all up by following him around like magnet.

But what would happen if things take a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree turn and changes them both?

Flipped is a story about two young and innocent kids, coming to terms with their early encounter on puppy love, or so it seemed. It is written in two voices, one of Juli and the other of Bryce, telling the same story through each perspective. Two completely opposite but insightful view of the situation they both are in. Two very honest and simple observations of life through children’s eyes.

Bryce’s view was one with a childish humor and a little mischievous tone. His perception was about the simplest problems a boy his age might encounter, from cooties to snakes eating eggs. It would make you laugh at his childish ignorance and discernment of things. And as the story goes, the readers would travel with Bryce as he slowly learns and realizes truths about his life, family and Juli Baker. It’s a journey of how a boy grows up and finally see things differently.

On Juli’s side of the story, things are a bit deeper compared with Bryce. She thinks differently and have a way of looking at the world as a magnificent and beautiful creation. For a little girl, Juli is smart and very thoughful. While other kids are busy playing, she’s reading and contemplating about the things around her. She has a strong opinion about how the whole of a things is much more that the sum of its part. Truly, she doesn’t seem to think her age.

As I got to know more about Bryce and Juli, I learned that maybe they are how they are because of the family they grew up in. From the story, it was very obvious that the two families do not share anything in common at all. Bryce’s family was one who is too engrossed with keeping their reputation while Juli’s was one who values openness and communication between members, not minding what other people say. It may seem that Bryce’s familiy was detestable but as I ponder on it, most of the families I know are the same as his. Even in mine, I can honestly say that we don’t have a very tight bond like Juli’s. And I guess it’s a sad thing how most families look so perfect from the outside, but cold and unhappy on the inside.

As I leaf through the pages, I journey with these two kids as they understand more about the feelings they have. I saw how they change as they realize how other things are far more important that what they thought are. Plus, I also got a glimpse of how it’s better to see past what’s in the surface and go for what’s hidden deep below. That sometimes, there is beauty despite the thickest of mask covering the surface, if only one knows how to look. Juli begins to see that Bryce isn’t the perfect and amazing guys she always glorified. And then, Bryce saw Juli in a new light, that she wasn’t always the weird, pathetic obsessed girl he always thought.   

All in all, I think that this story was brilliantly made. Although it may be intended for younger readers, seeing as to how it was such an easy read, but I guess older readers may be able to pick up a lesson or two about life from this book. It’s a rollercoaster ride of romance, fun and life. It shows us that the phrase “two sides to every story” is true. It was a light, humorous yet very compelling read. 

“That’s the thing about pain.. it demands to be felt.”

Here it is. Another book review, millions of years after the previous one. Yes, I finally had the time to read John Green’s latest novel, The Fault in Our Stars. And I do want to brag a little bit about my copy being one of the first 150,000 copies published and signed by none other than the God of Nerds himself.

So to the story: This new book revolves around two cancer-trodden teenagers, Hazel and Augustus. Hazel Grace was in her postmiracle state after her Stage IV thyroid cancer was toned down. After numerous medical trials and several experiments have worked their magic, the tumors shrunk to the point where they don’t jeopardize her life that much. But still, Hazel is left with a pair of failing lungs. Needless to say, she is still lucky that her life was prolonged, though she would always have the oxygen tank as a lifetime companion. And then there comes Augustus Waters, the embodiment of cancer survivor perfection. He had osteosarcoma, cancer of the bones, which he had defeated and left him with a prosthetic leg as a battle scar. Other than that, he was cancer-free, luckier and healthier than Hazel would ever be. Or so it seemed. 

Of course, this novel is a love-story. Hazel and Augustus fell in love and the details of their star-crossed romance would be left for your own discovery. I will let you savor their funny and witty relationship as you read the book for yourself. But here’s something that is not so much lovey-dovey: Things went on a full-on 360 degree turn as Augustus’ cancer recurred and suddenly, his body was full of disease. This time, Hazel is the healthier one, the one who has to be strong for the two them. And so enters their most difficult battle as both of them try to reveal the truth about the life, universe and their disease.

Compared to his previous novels, John Green might have enjoyed a little too much writing something that would tear the hearts of his readers. The Fault in Our Stars is completely different from his other books in so many ways. First, I was so used to his geeky nerdy teenage guy protagonist that a witty, sarcastic teenage heroine, specifically named Hazel, surprised me. Second is that this book is a bit more serious when it comes to discussing life and the end of it. And last, it was an alien thing to me for a John Green book to be very tragic.

Yes, tragic, but not in a very bad way. Yes, Alaska may have died in his previous creation but in this book, the death of one character was just so heart-wrenchingly written. There were pages in the book in which I felt my heart dropped so hard. And just when I thought that I had recovered and my was heart back in its place, Green’s writing just shove it down even deeper making tides of hurt and pain flow down my eyes. Despites the ocean of tears, this book was very well written and the words were so beautifully stitched together to form pages and pages of amazingness. I just cannot put it down. And John Green still never forgot to throw in some of his trademark diagrams in the story. And though it seemed that the main character’s situation is depressing, they never fail to make you laugh out loud with all their witty and intellectual exchange of thoughts, which made me love the book even more. Seriously, I can hear Green’s speaking his endless trains of thought reflected in each of his characters. There are times when I have to read twice just so I can understand the metaphors and depth of meaning of the sentences.

All in all, this book made me rethink of my beliefs about life. The book showed me that no matter how grave our situation is, there are still people who understand us. They may not experience the same things but in a way, they would always have spare strength and love to offer. I guess I liked it so much because he depicted the pain and struggles of people in way that I can become optimistic and not despair in the fatalities life can offer. My advice to those who wants to read this book? Well, be prepared. You will laugh like hell, contemplate, and sure as hell cry. So be sure to have a box of Kleenex close, just in case.   

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson.

It’s been quite a while since I made a book review. Pardon me for my lack of time due to school work. And since it’s vacation, I finally had the chance to knock off some books from my to-read list. Here’s one good book I finished a while ago.

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What do you do when your sister, the closest relative you have, dies? How can you survive, when you believed in a promise that was shattered with her sudden death? A promise that led you to believe that she will never leave you like your mother did. How do you deal with the pain and the loss?

Lennine Walker is the typical younger sister. Unlike Bailey, the older one, Lennie is the companion pony, the one in the sidelines. She was the boring band geek clarinet player. She was never the center of attraction. That spot was solely for Bailey, the outgoing one, the actress, the sister who’s full of life. That is, until one unfortunate day when suddenly, it all ends for the older sister.

Now, although the two maybe opposites, they were quite close. Very close indeed, due to them being abandoned by their mother. Lennie and Bailey do not know much about their mother excpet for the fact that she is a wanderer. And so, as they were left to grow with only their Gram and Uncle Big, they don’t have anyone to turn to but each other. So how was Lennie supposed to go on with her life without her big sister, Bailey, who was always there for her, the one who knows what to do?

And in the picture comes Toby and Joe. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend. Like Lennie, he was enveloped with such grief due to Bailey’s death. Toby was the boy who understands Lennie’s sorrows and struggles. To Lennie, Toby is the only one who she can share her emotions with. But up to what extent? And then there is Joe, the new boy at school. This is the charming one, the boy with sunshine written all over his face. The guy every girl wants to be with, the talented musician. The guy responsible for Lennie’s heart to pound so hard it might burst. Joe was the one who can make Lennie forget about all the sadness in her heart with just one blissful kiss.

And so the story goes. Just like any other love triangles, Lennie was torn between Toby and Joe. She was certain that she is in love Joe. He sends her reeling the sky and beyond with every touch and kiss. His music connected with hers. The passionate guitarist and the soulful clarinetist. The perfect match. Through him, Lennie can bury all the memories of Bailey, even for a while. But then there was Toby, who needs her, the guy who craves her company. He is the one person who exactly knows how big an impact Bailey’s death was. They found memories of Bailey in each other. Lennie was drawn to him due to sympathy and loneliness. But there would always be that big guilt looming over her everytime that they are together. So really, who should she choose?

I also love the fact that the book was sprinkled with a dash of poetry in every other chapter. Each chapter ends with a handwritten poem by Lennie found in random places. In the book, Lennie is the silent type. She doesn’t easily share what she feels to others. Instead, she writes it down, anywhere, and just throw it away in random weird places. It may be on a takeaway cup, a tissue, a newspaper, anywhere. I think that it is her way of letting her emotions out.

The Sky Is Everywhere is not the typical sad book. Yes, it deals with grieving and loss, but not with the tear-jerking, too depressive manner. In fact, there are a lot of humorous exchange between the characters. To me, it was a very honest interpretation of coping. Nelson wrote in a way that readers could see and feel how the characters were so torn about lamenting and moving on with life. In this book, we can see different views on how people manage with grief. It was a good read since the main character isn’t the perfect saint. In her journey of sorrow, she makes mistakes and fails to see what is right. But then with every mistake comes the realization of how wrong she was. The book really shows how a teenage girl grows as she comes face to face with the fact that one of the closest person to her heart had gone away. The readers get to laugh, mourn, cry and fall in love just like the characters. It is written simply and is a very easy read. Overall, I would give it a 4/5.

Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Scarlett and Halley have been best friends for quite a long time. They’ve been with each other for so long, that they’re practically sisters. 

Scarlett is the more outgoing one. She is good in interacting with people, easily made friends in school and is actually considered popular. She is the stronger one of the two. She takes care of her single mother. She is the one who consoles Halley when things went bad. Halley, on the other hand is the shy type. She is not very sociable. Before she met Scarlett, she’s almost invisible in school. She is the good kid, close to both her parents and play by the rules. This may be because of her mother being a successful therapist. She is usually referred to as Scarlett’s bestfriend and she was fine with that. 

Everything was that way until Michael, Scarlett’s boyfriend, died in a motorcycle accident. Suddenly, it was Halley who needs to be there for Scarlett. Halley was now the shoulder to cry on, the strength Scarlett needed. And just when they are trying to move on, another problem surfaced. Scarlett is pregnant with Michael’s baby. 

With all that, Halley and Scarlett struggled through their life trying to live as normal as possible. They work so hard to make end meet and find comfort with each other. Scarlett decided to keep the baby and Halley promised to support her decision through it all. Things went good for both of them. 
And then Halley met Macon, Michael’s best friend, and started to fall for him. The two began dating and ended up together. Things were well but then Halley started to change. Macon influenced her to cut classes, go to some parties, smoke and drink. This didn’t go unnoticed by her mother, and the usual inseparable pair drifted apart. 

Will Halley be able to realize that her life is slowly crumbling as she became closer to Macon? Will Scarlett be able to reach through her, to pull her back to her senses before the worst comes? Will their friendship withstand all the problems they have to deal with? In this Sarah Dessen book, another gripping issue about teenagers is tackled. At what point is a girl ready to give up her precious virginity? Is it really an essential thing to do in order to maintain a relationship? Yes, this book is all about love, friendship, trust, virginity, family and responsibilities. At such young age, Halley and Scarlett will learn how much they need each other and how to value themselves above all else. Sometimes, we have to be hurt in order to realize our mistakes and gain something from the experience. 

It’s an overall 3.5/5 for me.