Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Title: A Monster Calls
Author: Patrick Ness, an original idea by Siobhan Dowd
Edition: Walker Book, 2012

Rating: ★★★★★

Review

First things first, this is a children's book, recommended to me by my Writing for Young People module tutor. I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did; that feeling comes with the territory of reading lists and the like. But I really think it's impossible to not like this book. 

It was so beautifully written, it was as though every single word had been perfectly and carefully chosen. If it hadn't been a library copy I would have been underlining almost all of it. The story was so touching and heartbreaking made even more so by Patrick Ness' writing, as well as the story behind the book and how it came to be. 

Review: Mosquitoland by David Arnold

Title: Mosquitoland
Author: David Arnold
Edition: Headline, 2015

Rating: ★★★★

Review

For the first few chapters I wasn't sure I was going to like this one. I persevered because I'd seen it all over the internet and I'm so glad I did. By the time I was halfway through, I was loving it. And here's why:

I loved the narration in Mosquitoland. Not only was the main plot (the generic, character-telling-a-story part) written in a unique voice, the letters were too, but the voice was slightly different. As an aspiring writer, it was incredible to read Mim's story and how she told it with such a strong, fun voice, then to read the letters, which were a different voice but still, without a doubt, Mim's. The balance between the letters and her journey was just right, the letters didn't interrupt for too long and weren't too frequent; they were frequent enough to not forget them or count them as a minor sub plot. Plus, I loved the way they tied up at the end. 

Review: My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

Title: My Heart and Other Black Holes
Author: Jasmine Warga
Edition: Hodder & Stoughton, 2015

Rating: ★★★★★

Review

I feel like I've been reading a lot of books lately that centre around mental illness. Not that it's a bad thing, I'm glad to read about these issues, learning a little bit more about them. The trouble I find with them is that there's rarely a happily ever after ending. I totally understand why, but as a firm believer in happy endings, I hate it when a book doesn't deliver, no matter what the story is. 

My Heart and Other Black Holes, however, gave the usually sad story of depression and suicide a, perhaps not happy but, hopeful ending. It brought a little bit of light to an otherwise dark sub-section of YA fiction. 

Review: Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa

Title: Fans of the Impossible Life
Author: Kate Scelsa
Edition: Macmillan Children's Book (UK), 2015

Rating:★★★

Review

I've got to be honest. This book did not grab me. I was not immediately sucked into the story. It did grow on me though. Enough to earn itself three stars.

I didn't feel like the first half lived up to the 'impossible' part of it's title. By that, I think I mean that there was nothing particularly sensational in the story. 

That's just the beginning though. As I read on I realised that this is a GOOD BOOK. I'm not the most educated on mental illnesses, I've never suffered and I don't know many people who have, so I'm not in a position to criticise or compliment Scelsa on her portrayal of it. Having said that, I thought she dealt with it really well. She was sensitive but honest about it. She didn't romanticise or glamourise it. 

Rapid Review: Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey

Title: Elizabeth is Missing
Author: Emma Healey
Edition: Penguin Books, 2015

Rating: ★★★

Review

This book is clever, I have to give it that. Healey has woven her stories together really well. The two mysteries inform each other and seeing it all from the point of view of an elderly woman with memory issues keeps the details hazy and the conclusion unclear. 

I did think that the ending was a bit underwhelming. I was expecting so much more from both stories than I got, especially after reading the reviews on the cover: 'haunting', 'unsettling', 'gripping'.

This book did make me slightly emotional thinking about all the people who suffer in the same way Maude does, and the likelihood of that happening to the people I love. 

More than that though, it made me realise that I really am I YA reader. I can appreciate that books for adults are good and I can see why people love this book, but if it's not YA my heart's just not in it. 

TBR: January

A new year, a new month, a new TBR.

This one starts with the end of my last list:

1. Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey
2. Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa
3. My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga
4. Mosquitoland by David Arnold
5. Something that is on my uni reading list.