'Fangirl'

Fangirl
By Rainbow Rowell
Published: Sept. 10, 2013
Read: January 2014
Format: Hardcover

Rating: A-

“In new situations, all the trickiest rules are the ones nobody bothers to explain to you. (And the ones you can't Google.)” 

Fangirl is about an 18-year-old girl named Cather (she goes by Cath) who has just started her freshman year at a university in Nebraska. She has an identical twin sister named Wren who wants to branch out and make new friends--including having a stranger for a roommate--and Cath just can't understand why. She has always preferred to be alone and sit at home writing her fanfiction, but then again she's never really needed friends because she's always had Wren. When she and her sister start to drift apart, Cath doesn't know how to handle it other than throwing herself into her writing.

Cath is an introvert and mildly socially awkward. Where her sister is bold and vibrant, Cath plays it safe and prefers solitude. She spends most of her first semester writing fanfiction for a book series that is similar to Harry Potter. She and Wren used to write together, but Wren grew out of it and Cath never did. She chooses to major in English and even gets into a fiction-writing class for upperclassmen. She learns some tough lessons in that course, where she meets a boy who uses her for her mind, and her teacher likens fanfiction to plagiarism. In the midst of a challenging year academically and socially, Cath constantly worries about her dad, who raised her and her sister alone after their mom walked out when they were 8. Her dad is bi-polar and it's the first time he's been alone since before they were born. Cath also must deal with the feelings she has when her mother suddenly reappears and she and Wren have opposite reactions.

Even though I was probably more like Wren than Cath my freshman year of college, I could still relate to feeling lonely and lost and like you're not worth loving. Once again, Rainbow Rowell did an excellent job creating believable characters. And though it wasn't necessarily the focal point of the story, I loved the romance too. In fact, I was sad when the book ended because I wanted more of Cath and Levi. It was really cool to see Cath open herself up to him and allow herself to be loved by someone else. I know this a standalone book and I think that's a good thing, but I would gladly read more about Cath, Wren, Levi and Reagan (Cath's surly but somehow likable roommate).

Fangirl was very enjoyable. It was a fun read, but also had depth and was a great coming-of-age tale about finding love, leaving home and your parents, coming to terms with past hurts in relationships, betrayal, making new friends and finding yourself. However, the one thing I could do without was the excerpts in between chapters. Before each chapter there was a small excerpt of either the fictional books Cath loves or one of her pieces of fanfiction. These weren't really enjoyable to me and I found them unnecessary. They didn't add to the story, but I still felt like I had to read them because I didn't want to miss anything. Turns out I easily could have skipped them. I understand Rowell was trying to show us Cath's world, but they were distracting and kept me from giving the book an A. Overall though, it was still a great book and I recommend it.

Throwback Thursday: 'Divergent' (Divergent #1)

Since I'm reviewing books I'm reading this year, I thought it'd be fun to do a series where I review books I've read in the past. So let me introduce you to Throwback Thursdays! It probably won't be every Thursday, but hopefully it'll be somewhat consistent.

This week I'll write about Divergent, by debut author Veronica Roth. The third and final book in the series was released in October, and I reread this before reading the last one. It has also been made into a movie, which releases at the end of next month.

Divergent (Divergent #1)
By Veronica Roth
Published: May 3, 2011
First Read: July 2012
Format: Hardcover

Rating: A

“Human beings as a whole cannot be good for long before the bad creeps back in and poisons us again.” 

Beatrice Prior lives in a futuristic Chicago, where society has been divided into five factions. Each faction has been built around a specific value, and its residents are expected to uphold that value above anything else. Beatrice lives in Abnegation, which values selflessness. There is also Amity (peace), Candor (truth), Dauntless (bravery) and Erudite (knowledge). When citizens are 16, they take a simulation that's supposed to tell them which faction to which they belong and then on Choosing Day they pledge their loyalty to that faction. Except for Tris (as she is later named), it isn't that simple. Her test results are inconclusive, meaning that she doesn't belong to any one faction, but could choose between several. This is called being Divergent, and though she doesn't know why yet, it's so dangerous she's told not to tell anyone of her unique status.

Tris embarks on an adventurous journey, which was exhilarating, exciting and breathtaking. She makes new friends, enemies, and even falls in love. Though it sounds similar to the Hunger Games series, Divergent is unique. The author's writing style is similar but it won't feel like the same story. I was hooked on this book from the beginning. It was long (almost 500 pages) but the fast pace made it seem much shorter. I was so entranced that I found myself reading it while I got ready for work and ate breakfast. It was just as captivating the second timer around as well, even though you know what's going to happen. I am a sucker for romances, so I did enjoy this portion of Divergent. But it was by no means the main point of the book, and I think even those who don't love romance will enjoy it.

Thanks to the Hunger Games series, the dystopian genre has been very hot in the last several years. Dystopian fans will love Divergent, as it is a unique addition to the genre. But even if you've never read a dystopian novel or don't think you'd enjoy fantasy, I implore you to try out this book. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

'The Moon and More'

The Moon and More
By Sarah Dessen
Published: June 4, 2013
Read: January 2014
Format: Kindle edition

Rating: B-

“When you've never gotten love from someone, you don't know what it might look like if it ever does appear. You look for it in everything: any bright light overhead could be a star.” 

Emaline lives in the small beach town of Colby, which is familiar to you if you've read Sarah Dessen's Along for the Ride. But in The Moon and More you read about Colby from the perspective of a local, so it feels a little different. It's the summer before Emaline goes to college and she lives a seemingly good life. But in true Sarah Dessen form, her life gets a little shaken up in the course of the novel. We follow her throughout the summer as she navigates her job, her family, her love life and what it means to leave at the end of the summer.

Emaline has two love interests throughout the book--Luke, her high school sweetheart, and Theo, an interesting visitor from New York--but it's not really a love triangle. The two boys couldn't be more different, and Emaline must decide who makes her happy, or if she even needs a man in her life to be happy. Like most main female characters in Dessen's books, Emaline also has a complicated family life. Her mom got pregnant when she was young and her father has been largely absent from her life. Her mom got married when she was little, and she considers her stepdad her dad. He has two daughters, who she calls her sisters. Her biological father unexpectedly comes into town at the beginning of the summer, bringing her 10-year-old half brother she barely knows. Throughout the summer she grows close to Benji, but must decipher her feelings for her father. 

I liked The Moon and More, but I'm convinced that I would have liked it better if I hadn't read Sarah Dessen before. Having read several of her past books, I've come to expect romance and a certain kind of ending. This book had romance, but not in the way her other books do. I don't want to spoil anything, but if you've read Sarah Dessen before, you may be disappointed. This was a fairly light book, perfect for a light summer read. I read this in the middle of winter of course, but it was still fun. Though there are some awkward and slightly intense moments--mostly with Emaline's family--not a whole lot happened. It is more about character development and what teenagers experience before going off to college than it is about action and exciting events.  

If you haven't read Sarah Dessen yet, this is a good place to start. And if you have, try to get rid of any preconceived notions before starting The Moon and More.

'Champion' (Legend #3)

Champion (Legend #3)
By Marie Lu
Published: Nov. 5, 2013
Read: January 2014
Format: Kindle edition

My Rating: A

“My heart's been torn wide open, just like I feared it would be, and I have no willpower to close it back up.”

Champion, the conclusion to the Legend series, begins about eight months after Prodigy ended, with June and Day living in separate cities, having had no contact since their goodbye in Prodigy. A war brewing between the Colonies and the Republic brings them back together. Once again, they each have integral roles in what's happening in the Republic. I read Legend and Prodigy last year so I thought they were fairly fresh in my memory. I wish I had reread them before reading Champion, but I was able to follow along all right.

This book follows the same format, switching perspective between Day and June. There are portions of the book where they are separated, so this is not only necessary, but appreciated. I read the first two books as hardcovers, where it is very clear who is narrating because of the color and font change. I read this on my Kindle and was worried I'd be confused, but I wasn't. Their character voices are so different that it's always clear who is narrating. I think that's really hard to do, and I applaud Marie Lu for mastering that.

I really liked Champion. After being disappointed by Allegiant, the last book in the Divergent trilogy, I was nervous about reading the last Legend book. I really enjoyed the first two and was scared that this book would not live up to my expectations. Thankfully, I had nothing to worry about.

I'm not sure why the Legend series is not as well-known and acclaimed as other series in the YA dystopian genre, but I think it deserves it. The characters are really well developed and hard not to like--even secondary characters, like Anden, Tess and Eden. The books are written very well and are definitely page-turners, with a great mix of action and adventure, romance, and self-reflection. Champion was a wonderful conclusion to to this series. Though it did have some sad parts that may make the more sensitive readers cry, it also had a great ending--one that shouldn't disappoint all you Day and June fans.

'The Longest Ride'

The Longest Ride
By Nicholas Sparks
Published: Sept. 17, 2013
Read: January 2014
Format: Hardcover

My Rating: B

“If we'd never met, I think I would have known my life wasn't complete. And I would have wandered the world in search of you, even if I didn't know who I was looking for.”

In this latest romance from Nicholas Sparks, we follow the journey of two couples. The story starts with Ira, a 91-year-old man trapped in a car after driving off the road in a snowstorm. He recounts his life with his beloved wife Ruth, who appears to him even though she died nine years. Then we go to Sophia and Luke, two young people who we watch fall in love through both of their viewpoints, told alternately.

This is a bit different for Nicholas Sparks, as most of his stories are told from one perspective. This book is told from three, and it's unclear as to how Ira and Ruth's story is even related to Sophia and Luke's until the end. Despite these differences though, this book is a classic Nicholas Sparks romance, with typical male and female characters and of course a North Carolina setting.

Fans of Sparks should like this tale, as it has two romance stories for the price of one. I quite enjoyed it, finishing it in just over a day. There were times when Ira's parts felt a little long and I was eager to get back to Sophia and Luke, but it was worth it to read his story, and I was glad I didn't skip over anything. Readers new to Sparks may find this a bit contrived or unrealistic, but I liked it.

'Paper Towns'

Paper Towns
By John Green
Published: Oct. 16, 2008
Read: January 2014
Format: Kindle edition

My Rating: B

“I'm starting to realize that people lack good mirrors. It's so hard for anyone to show us how we look, and so hard for us to show anyone how we feel.”

Q is a high school senior hopelessly in love with his neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman, who hasn't paid him any attention since they were 10. Until she shows up at his window one night and drags him on an epic adventure filled with pranking her friends and breaking into Sea World. Just when he's filled with hope that Margo might become more than just the popular girl who lives next door, she disappears. He and his friends (but mostly just him because he's kind of obsessive) set off to solve the clues she's left and find her before graduation.

The story took place in Orlando, which I enjoyed because I lived there for three years and I was able to picture exactly what was being described. It added a realness to me. I didn't particularly relate to any of the characters, but I liked them all the same. The answer to Margo's disappearance was definitely a surprise to me, and I didn't feel let down at the end. It was sort of anti-climactic in the sense that Margo herself was built up to be this epic character, and the ending wasn't very epic. But that made it more realistic, and it was kind of the point: People aren't always who we think they are. Sometimes we build them up to be so much more than they are, and then when we get to know them, it turns out they're just as ordinary as anyone else.

Despite the similarities to other John Green novels and what some critically call his "formula," I liked Paper Towns. It may not have been very realistic, but it's a YA fiction novel, so why should it be? I liked the ending and I enjoyed the book. It was a fun read and I'd recommend it.

How This Blog Came to Be

Ever since I was little, I have loved to read. Even before I could read, I savored every night when I would bring my pillow out to the couch and my dad would read to me. We used to go to the library almost every week and get stacks of books that reached over my head.

Once I started having to read for school, the novelty wore off a bit. I still enjoyed reading for fun, but as I got older I had less and less time. A few years ago, my love for reading was rekindled when I started working a full-time job and realized I had an hour to myself every day at lunchtime. I asked for a Kindle for Christmas and got to reading.

I've read more than 100 books over the last two years, and I plan on adding another 50 (or more) to that this year. But to challenge myself and spice things up a bit, I decided to set a goal to write a review for every book I read in 2014. I got this idea from my friend Joy, who made this her goal last year.

I thought I might be more motivated to keep this goal if I have a blog dedicated to the project. I also like the idea of having all of my reviews in one place, rather than having them scattered about the Interwebs (on Goodreads). So, I present to you, Pages and Thoughts, where I read pages of books and share with you my thoughts on them.

I'm excited for you all to join me in my book-reading adventures. I've already read several books this year and written reviews for all of them (yeah, I'm doing well on my goal so far!), so I'll be posting those over the next few days.