Best of the Bunch: January Wrap-Up

Best of the Bunch is a book blog hop hosted at Always Lost in Stories at the end of each month, where we can look back at all the books we read, and decide which one will be crowned the 'Best of the Bunch'!

This month I read...

1. Every Day by David Levithan | 6.1.14 |★★★| Buy

2. Dying to Know You by Aidan Chambers |14.1.14 |★★★| Buy

3. All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill | 16.1.14 |★★★★| Buy

4. The Originals by Cat Patrick | 20.1.14 |★★★| Buy

5. The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau | 22.1.14 |★★★| Buy

6. Rules of Summer by Joanna Philbin | 23.1.14 |★★★| Buy

7. Cress by Marissa Meyer | 30.1.14 |★★★★| Buy

*Books are listed with the date I finished reading them and my Goodreads ratings

So, I read 7 books this month, which I am really happy about, because during 2013, for some sad reason I began reading less and less...and although prior to that I used to average about 10 books a month, 7 is still reassuring as a sign that I'm getting back into the swing of things again! Obviously, with each new year, schoolwork is taking up more of my time, but at least I've begun finding time to read more frequently again this year!

And the 'Best of the Bunch' is...

All Our Yesterdays (All Our Yesterdays #1) by Cristin Terrill!

Em is locked in a bare, cold cell with no comforts. Finn is in the cell next door. The Doctor is keeping them there until they tell him what he wants to know. Trouble is, what he wants to know hasn't happened yet. 

Em and Finn have a shared past, but no future unless they can find a way out. The present is torture - being kept apart, overhearing each other's anguish as the Doctor relentlessly seeks answers. There's no way back from here, to what they used to be, the world they used to know. Then Em finds a note in her cell which changes everything. It's from her future self and contains some simple but very clear instructions. Em must travel back in time to avert a tragedy that's about to unfold. Worse, she has to pursue and kill the boy she loves to change the future.

Why?

I love stories involving time travel - they have so much potential to be awesome, although, equally, just as much potential to go awry. Needless to say, All Our Yesterdays was one of those that got it just right! In two words: addictive and exciting!

What books did you read this month? Which was your favourite? Let me know in the comments! :) xxx

Wishlist Wednesday: Eleanor & Park

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Pen to Paper

Title: Eleanor & Park

Author: Rainbow Rowell

First Published: Feb 2013

Pages: 325

Links: Goodreads | Buy the book 

Eleanor is the new girl in town, and with her chaotic family life, her mismatched clothes and unruly red hair, she couldn't stick out more if she tried.

Park is the boy at the back of the bus. Black T-shirts, headphones, head in a book - he thinks he's made himself invisible. But not to Eleanor... never to Eleanor.

Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations and an ever-growing stack of mix tapes, Eleanor and Park fall for each other. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you're young, and you feel as if you have nothing and everything to lose.

Why I'm Wishing for Eleanor & Park...

The US cover...see what I mean?!!
I just love it!

• I've heard so much sincere praise and admiration for this book - I really need to experience it for myself asap!
• One (or a few) review(s) I read somewhere recommended this to fans of John Green...Um, hello, I AM A MASSIVE FAN OF JOHN GREEN.
• It sounds like a quirky romantic read.
• I love the cover! (Although I love the US cover even more...it is probably one of my favourite covers EVER! It's really simplistic and minimalistic, but so perfect at the same time, and did you notice the way theie headphones entwine to make the ampersand?!!)

How I Live Now Review

Title: How I Live Now
Author: Meg Rosoff
This Edition: Paperback, published 2013 by Penguin
First Published: 2004
Pages: 211
Links: Goodreads | Buy the book | Buy the DVD


*I received a free copy of this book from Spinebreakers in exchange for an honest review*

“Every war has turning points and every person too.” 

 Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy. 

 As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it’s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy’s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.

My Thoughts...

So, How I Live Now is set in the future, in a fictional World War THREE, which I thought I would just clarify because I read the entire book believing it was about World War TWO and being extremely confuzzled when it was going on about the Enemy Occupation, because: ‘WHOAH, the enemy in WWII was the Germans, right?…and I’m pretty sure the Germans never got into England, right?… Suffice it to say, I was confuzzled. It is actually a sad testament to my stupidity that I did not realise this book could not possible be set in World War Two throughout reading it, and after reading it, until I watched the film and saw how all the houses and cars were modern, and then I decided to turn to trusty old Google, who kindly informed me that No, this is not set in World War Two, it is set in World War Three. Which is what I said at the beginning of this review which is alarmingly rapidly morphing into a ramble about my lack of historical knowledge. I shall change gears now.

SO. How I Live Now is a pretty short read. You pick it up and it feels light, easy. Only 211 pages, and the writing is quite big. So, as a book, it seems quite small, quite unassuming. Which means you are completely unaware of the fierce punch it packs. Oh yes. This little book takes you completely by surprise; at least, I was taken by surprise. I did not expect that 211 pages of prose (gloriously, compellingly written prose, I have to mention) would sweep me away with such conviction and make me feel as if I had been through a whole lifetime with Daisy, instead of just a few hours.

I don’t know how Meg Rosoff did it – make me feel so completely enveloped in the story, that is –  maybe it was something to do with the unique style in which the novel is written: the first person point of view of Daisy, all speech marks omitted, so it feels like you are right inside Daisy’s head, listening to her endless, rambling thoughts. Rosoff manages to keep Daisy sounding so real, so honest, that the relationship between reader and protagonist really feels quite intimate.

A lot of people have problems with Daisy as a character, branding her selfish, stroppy, unlikable etc. Whilst these remarks are true – Daisy can definitely come across as a very negative person – I think her flaws strengthen her as a character. She is a teenager who has problems that many teenagers probably have, and reacts in a way that many (although not necessarily most) might react. This is what makes her such a compelling protagonist, in my opinion: her believability. She just seems so real. She is just a teenage girl, thrown into a dreadful situation, who has to fight for survival.

Yet her struggle is not a heroic one; she is not a heroine. She is just a teenage girl, initially stroppy, selfish, abrasive, struggling and floundering to stay alive, just like any average, person thrown into such dire circumstances might. There is nothing particularly remarkable about Daisy or her story; what makes How I Live Now so readable is its intimately captivating tone and the gritty realness of Daisy’s story.

My Goodreads rating... ★★★★

In One Word...
Now, I realise this is not an adjective, and so perhaps doesn't really make sense, but the reason 'bubble' pops into my head as a word that describes this book is, firstly, because of the idyllic bubble-like world the children inhabit when the war first breaks out...they're left alone at home, without adult supervision, and for now the war doesn't seem to exist; instead, they revel in their freedom. It's a picturesque existence that takes on an almost dreamlike quality through Daisy's voice, yet there's that undercurrent of danger as we know that things can not remain this perfect for long. 

“I guess there was a war going on somewhere in the world that night but it wasn't one that could touch us.”

Mostly, though, it's because of Daisy's voice. Whilst reading How I Live Now, I felt like I was living in a bubble inside her head. Her narrative was so honest and personal, and I think what made it unique was the fact that it wasn't as if Daisy was trying to tell a story to someone else, but instead like she was simply reliving the story in her mind. Thus, things like her eating disorder were barely dwelt on, and only very subtly hinted at. It didn't matter if the reader got it or not - Daisy didn't feel the need to dwell on it, therefore she didn't. The result was a story that felt genuine and unpretentious.

Quotes I Liked...

“Things Happen and once they start happening you pretty much just have to hold on for dear life and see where they drop you when they stop.” 

“I noticed that once you realize someone's watching you it's pretty hard not to find yourself watching them back.”  

Happy New Year! The Book Parade is back :D

Well, hello there, everyone!!! I can't quite believe it's actually 2014 now - it still feels weird saying that, I have a feeling I'm still going to be writing '2013' whenever I have to write the date for a while to come! - but actually I'm really excited about the fact that it's a new year as it brings the opportunity for a fresh start, a fresh approach to life...a fresh blog design!! 

I spent ages trying to figure out a new blog design and I'm really proud of what I managed to achieve. It's simple, but I think it looks quite sleek, and although I might tweak it a little in the future, for now I'm happy with it! :D

I am so excited at the prospect of blogging properly again. I really am going to try hard with keeping The Book Parade up to date this year, and do my best not to get too stressed out about things. I shall make the most of 2014!

I know it says 'tomorrow' instead of 'today' but I just found this so inspiring and motivating that I had to include it!

I wish everyone the best of luck for a happy and successful 2014, and here's to writing the best 365 page book of our lives so far! :D