The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

HERE IS A SMALL FACT - YOU ARE GOING TO DIE. 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier. Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall. SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION - THIS NOVEL IS NARRATED BY DEATH. It's a small story, about: a girl, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. ANOTHER THING YOU SHOULD KNOW - DEATH WILL VISIT THE BOOK THIEF THREE TIMES

My Thoughts:
 
I’ve just finished reading this book and let me start by saying that IT IS AMAZING!!! It has a lot of great elements and the story is so rich and beautiful that it’s impossible not to feel (at least) touched by it.

I’ll admit, I was feeling a little hesitant about this book. I really wanted to read it but I was afraid it was going to be a bit depressing because of its setting and the fact that it dealt with such heavy issues. However I quickly realized my fears were unfounded because of the way the book was written and also for its amazing group of characters and unique perspective. I was also afraid the pacing would be somewhat slow but that wasn’t the case either. It’s true, this isn’t the best book to power through because there is so much to take in but – again – the writing style is so beautiful and the story is so compelling that you just keep on reading with the same eagerness throughout the entire novel.

As for the characters, what can I say? What a stunning group of characters! First there is Liesel, a young German girl that loses her close family at the beginning of the book and is taken by Hans and Rosa Hubermann, her foster parents; she is determined, strong and works hard, all great qualities that made me like her. Then there was Rudy, her best friend. He had a great sense of justice, of what was right and wrong and was such an endearing boy that it was impossible not to fall in love with him. Max was also amazing; I really liked how strong minded he was and the fact that he understood just how powerful words could be. However, my favorite character was, by far, Hans Hubermann. He might have been a simple man but he understood that not everything was black and white and that he couldn’t just blindly follow Hitler’s ideas. He was altruistic and because of his simple gestures of kindness and humanity he really warmed my heart and that made me appreciate his character. He was Liasel's rock, the man she loved the most and the one who had taught her so much about life.

This book had another great feature which was its unique perspective. The fact that Death was the narrator of this story just added to the book and – I know this might sound strange – its presence was actually comforting. This was a great twist to the novel.

I loved this book! I was afraid my expectations wouldn’t be met, especially after hearing so many people gush about it, but fortunately that wasn’t the case. I loved Markus Zusak’s writing style and how he dealt with issues like humanity, the power of words and the need to stand up for what we believe is right, among others. The story was so engrossing that even when I wasn’t reading the book I was still thinking about it and about its characters.

A compelling story that is worth reading and that will most definitely become a literary classic. A must read that has become one of my favorite books of all time.


5 out of 5 stars

El Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Lucas Corso is a book detective, a middle-aged mercenary hired to hunt down rare editions for wealthy and unscrupulous clients. When a well-known bibliophile is found dead, leaving behind part of the original manuscript of Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers, Corso is brought in to authenticate the fragment. He is soon drawn into a swirling plot involving devil worship, occult practices, and swashbuckling derring-do among a cast of characters bearing a suspicious resemblance to those of Dumas's masterpiece. Aided by a mysterious beauty named for a Conan Doyle heroine, Corso travels from Madrid to Toledo to Paris on the killer's trail in this twisty intellectual romp through the book world.

My Thoughts

I usually like books that talk about books and El Club Dumas definitely fits that category.

 

I had never read anything by Arturo Pérez-Reverte but, fortunately, this book was a great one to start with his works. I really liked the premise and the mystery if seemed to offer; it just came across as one of those books that would really keep me hooked on it until the very end. However, at first, I had some concerns about this book because even though the story seemed quite interesting, I was afraid the narrative would be a bit dry or just not that appealing, but luckily that wasn’t the case and I was able to get into it really quickly. 

One of the best things about this book was how the author incorporated Alexandre Dumas’ work on the story, especially through the references and similarities between some of his characters with the ones from The Three Musketeers.

As for the characters, even though Corso was interesting and there was a lot of mystery about him, I didn’t feel particularly connected with any of them. They were interesting but not that relatable. However, I liked how passionate most of them were about rare books – especially about demonology and Alexandre Dumas’s work – and how they had dedicated their lives to them – a fascination that, to some of them, had become a true obsession.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I feel that I’ve learned something about old books but also about Alxandre Dumas’ life and work. Nonetheless, I feel that if I had already read The Three Musketeers I would’ve gotten a bit more from the story of El Club Dumas; I don’t think it would have been essential to read it in order to understand the story but it might have made a little difference, especially because some of the characters created by Pérez-Reverte seemed to have taken so much from the ones from The Three Musketeers. Fortunately I already have the book and I’ll probably pick it up soon, so I’ll be able to tell if it would have made a big difference or not.

An awesome book, with a lot of mystery, great dialogues and for fans of Alexandre Dumas’ work I think this book is a must read. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Great Britain circa 1985 has ChronoGuard time travellers. Thursday Next, Special Operative SO-4 Literary Detective is promoted to secret SO-5 because only she has seen and survived "differently moraled" killer Acheron Hades. He has kidnapped her Uncle Mycroft and his Prose Portal, killed guards to steal original manuscripts, and kills characters to get ransom money. Now he has taken Jane Eyre.

But hero Rochester is a childhood friend. Next's father is a rogue time agent who pops in fortuitously. And her future self tells her where to find the wanted criminal - Swindon, where her ex-fiance Landen still lives. They have not spoken since he disgraced her brother Anton, killed in Crimea, the Charge of the Light Brigade they both survived. This blend of mystery, action, satire and romance takes Next inside Jane Eyre for the solution.

My Thoughts

After seeing several people raving about Jasper Fforde and his books I started thinking that I should check out some of his work and see if it was worth all the hype. So, when I saw The Eyre Affair with an incredible price, I took it as the perfect opportunity to read something by this author.

The world created by Jasper Fforde is mesmerizing! I had never read anything like this before. I loved how his characters would get themselves lost  in literature and debates about books and how they could actually contact with the characters of the novels. Who, as an avid reader and book lover, wouldn't like to be a part of a book and meet his favorites characters? Stroll on the same streets and fields described on the story? I would love that so .... where to I sign in??

This book also had interesting characters but the one that definitely stood out was Thursday Next, not only for her peculiar name but also for being so smart and determined, for her sarcasm and for being so good at what she did. I also loved the fact that she had a dodo as a pet. As for the other characters, I also liked her father - lost in time, literally - and her brother Joffy, who was probably the funniest one in the book.

However, I have to admit, the beginning wasn't as engaging as I was hoping it to be. It wasn't that easy to get into the story, there were a lot of elements and subplots to keep up with and it all seemed to go a bit faster than it should. Also, the Jane Eyre part was concentrated on the last third of the book and even though it was my favorite part I thought (and hoped) there would be more to it.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I was quite impressed by Jasper Fforde's imagination and writing style. The world in this book is fantastic and the interaction between his characters and the ones from the great classics of literature is amazing. Even though, at times, I was somewhat overwhelmed by all the elements and subplots of the story, I really enjoyed it and loved the connection to Jane Eyre.

I'll be checking out the rest of the series and also Shades of Grey, which seems to be amazing as well. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

My Thoughts

 

This book has been on my wishlist for more than a year. I‘ve read many blog posts and watched several videos on YouTube raving this book and saying it was amazing and that it had a really sweet story. Needless to say I was intrigued and wanted to read it as soon as possible.

Before I start my review let me just say that I’m not the biggest fan of this type of novels, where teenagers’ hormones seem to dominate and cheesy things come out of their mouths at an incredible speed. Fortunately, Anna and the French Kiss didn’t fall into that category and really kept me hooked on it for two days straight.

First let’s talk about the setting. I really enjoyed the way Stephanie Perkins described the city and how she managed to give us a little bit of the magic and charm of Paris through her words. It was nice to revisit some of the places mentioned on the book and how it became a lot easier to picture the characters there.

As for the characters - I have to say - I think it is nearly impossible not to like them. They are rather lovable and relatable and even though Anna and St. Clair stand out – which is more than understandable since they are the main characters -, Meredith, Josh and Rashmi are key to make the story even more engrossing and to make it seem more realistic. Of course we tend to crush a little bit on St. Clair because he seems so charming and smart, but the rest of the gang also earned a special place in my heart because they were so lovable and united as friends.

I also liked how issues such as friendship, family, school and college life were addressed because it was easy to relate to the way the character’s felt about them and how they dealt with these matters.

I knew this book would be good but I didn’t expect to get this hooked on its story and characters. Stephanie Perkins' writing style really pleased me. Even though it is quite simple, it has this amazing ability to really pull us into the story, to make us want to hang out with the characters and hit the streets of Paris with them.

It is a light and fun read that is clearly meant to make us feel better and to put a smile on our faces. I thought it would be a lot cheesier than it actually was and I really enjoyed that because I think it is quite easy for these types of books to go down that road. I would definitely recommend this book; it’s sweet and spellbinding to the point that you won’t be able to put it down until you finish it. 

I give it 4,5 stars.

NOTE: I'll be posting a review for The Eyre Affair later this week.

Legend by Marie Lu

Synopsis

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war

with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. 

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. 

(from Goodreads)

My Thoughts

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I hadn't included it on my reading plans for this year but this was my book club's pick for the month of May so I had to read it.

I had already read the synopsis but it hadn't struck me as particularly appealing and the fact that it was set in a world where the military seemed to play such a big role just added to my general lack of interest on the book.

I still believe that the book's premise isn't fascinating but I liked the way it was developed and the fact that it was fast paced and action packed. The fact that there was a little bit of mystery was quite enjoyable but there was also a great focus on the military aspect of the plot and that didn't really work for me, especially because of the way the characters acted - they would follow orders without questioning them and they would often resort to violence because to them that seemed the best course of action to get (basically) everything they needed.

As for the characters, I think Day was my favorite. He hadn't been shaped like the other characters (that would blindly follow the Republic's ideology) and he kind of seemed like a Robin Hood of modern times. He was quite clever, cautious, fully dedicated and loyal to his family and to the people that mattered the most to him. Overall a well written character. 

I wasn't the biggest fan of June especially in the beginning; she was just  another soldier among others who would follow orders as soon as they were barked by her superior, she didn't bother to question the Republic's ideology and actions or even what happened to the people living in the slums. During the first part of the book she didn't seem as rebellious was we were led to believe by the first chapter but that changed on the second half of the story, where she developed in an interesting - yet somewhat predictable - way.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by the book. At first I was a bit skeptical and I didn't understand why people were raving it so much, but after finishing it I kind of see what they mean. I still believe this book isn't that riveting or different when compared with other YA dystopian novels, using some of the formulas that have become popular within this genre - two teenagers that weren't supposed to meet end up liking each other,  the opposition to the current ruler and political system, a society that doesn't question what is going on and, as usual, poor people from the slums as the victims of the government's oppression.

However, I'm not going to say that this book was entirely predictable - because it wasn't - or that it wasn't a quality reading - because it was! Marie Lu's writing style is quite engrossing and the fact that we had access to both Day and June's perspectives presented us with a fuller vision of what was going on and made the story a lot more interesting. Also, we are left with some information that is clearly relevant for the rest of the story but, at the same time, some intriguing questions remain, living us feeling a bit curious about the next books. Hope to read the read the rest of this trilogy by the end of this year. The second book - Prodigy - is already out and the final installment - Champion - will be out in November 5th 2013.

I give this book 3,5 stars.

Death Note - Volumes 4 - 6 by Tsugumi Ohba

Synopsis

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal...or his life?

My thoughts

(I've already reviewed the first three volumes of this series and you can check it out here)

These books were a great following to the ones I had already read and the characters are just as fascinating and intriguing as they were in the beginning. My jaw drops with every mental battle between Light and L; they are increadibly smart and the fact that they can keep each other on their toes really adds to the story and makes it a lot more engrossing. Misa's addition was a bit sudden and I'm still trying to understand what exaclty is her role in the story but I actually like her; there is certain mystery to her and although she seems to be a little silly, she's actually quite smart and loyal to Light.

As for the plot, it took some interesting and unexpected turns during these three volumes and I'm curious to see where they will lead. I also loved the fact that the moral question that I had already pointed out on my previous review ae still part of the story and that they have been taken to other levels.

So far I haven't read that many graphic novels/mangas but this series is amazing and if you haven't checked it out yet then do it because the story is great, different from anything that I've ever read and it's so addictive that you'll feel the urge to read it all as fast as possible.

I give 4 out of 5 stars to volumes 4 and 5 and 5 stars to volume 6.

 

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

Synopsis

Here are the confessions of a vampire. Hypnotic, shocking, and chillingly erotic, this is a novel of mesmerizing beauty and astonishing force—a story of danger and flight, of love and loss, of suspense and resolution, and of the extraordinary power of the senses. It is a novel only Anne Rice could write.

(from Goodreads)

My Thoughts

This book had been sitting on my bookshelf for a long time but I though it was time to finally pick it up and see a different take on vampire stories. I wanted to read something that wouldn't romanticize vampires or create ridiculous love triangles envolving humans and werewolves and, fortunately, this book gave me that. At least the vampires in this story slept in coffins and would only come out at night - at least it respected the image that I've always had about vampires.

When I started reading this book, I thought the whole concept seemed quite interesting, the characters showed some promise and I was actually enjoying it. As for the characters, I think that Louis and Claudia were more captivating than the others, although I believe that was because we got to follow their journey more closely. Louis' story was compelling; he counld'n fully embrace the fact that he was vampire, he felt conflicted about it. Killing people to satisfy his hunger seemed to repulse him in a certain way and he always came across as more human than it was expected from a vampire. However, Claudia was more magnetic and fascinating; even though she had the body of a small girl, we could definetly see that she had the mind and posture of grown woman - I would even say that she was somewhat sensual in the way she carried herself, which seems odd in a child. She was also quite curious and inteligent, always seeking the answers to all of her questions.

In spite of the fact that the book was well written and it had an interesting concept, I struggled to get through it. The narrative wasn't dynamic and it seemed to drag for a long time, there weren't a lot of dialogues between the characters and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something missing, something that could really grab my attention. I wanted to like this book but I don't and I'm starting to come to terms with the idea that vampires stories just aren't my cup of tea.

However, if you've seen the movie but haven't read the book and like vampire stories, I would recommend reading it.

I give it 2,5 stars.

Divergent & Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I've recently finished Insurgent by Veronica Roth and instead of reviewing just that book, I thought it would be more interesting to also talk about Divergent. I'll try not to spoil anything for those of you haven't picked up these books yet.

Synopsis

Divergent is a trilogy created by Veronica Roth and it's a young adult series that stars Beatrice - also known as Tris - Prior, a teenage girl who lives in dystopian Chicago. The city is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular trait - Candor (Honesty), Abegnation (Selflessness), Dauntless (Bravery), Amity (peace) and Erudite (Knowledge). Every year, there's a public ceremony where every sixteen year old has to make a serious decision - they have to choose to which faction they'll belong to for the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, this decision seems to be more than just about choosing a faction; it's about choosing between staying with her family or being who she really is.

She makes a surprising choice but also learns a secret about herself that could either save the ones she loves or destroy her ...

What Made me Start Reading this Trilogy

I read Divergent right after finishing the Hunger Games trilogy. I wanted to read more books that were set in dystopian worlds; I wanted to know what else was out there within the same genre and Divergent seemed like a logical choice and the fact that it got so many rave reviews definitely pushed me to buy it.

The idea that people lived in a city that was divided into different factions and that they would dedicate their entire lives developing a certain trait seemed quite interesting, not only from a world building perspective but also from the character's point of view. I wanted to know more about their lives, what were their traditions and how they carried themselves, how all the factions got along but also how they developed their virtues. I was also intrigued by their political system and what was expected from each faction as a contribution to society.

My Thoughts

Divergent: I didn't know what to expect from Divergent in terms of story and character development. I had read many reviews saying how great it was and how it was the perfect book to read after the Hunger Games but I hadn't read anything that would go into much detail about the story itself.

I liked the setting of the whole story and the factions but I wanted to know more about them; I was a little underwhelmed because there wasn't a lot of information about some of the factions but also because there seemed to be a lot of mystery about the world outside the fence (yes, Chicago is surrounded by a fence) but we were left without any clues regarding that matter.  Also, we were not provided with a much needed explanation about what had led to the division into factions and what was its purpose.

I really liked Tris' characters. We can see, from the beginning of the book, that she's quite special and that her personality doesn't fully convey her factions' beliefs; she belongs to Abegnation, where people are selfless and their main concern is to take care of other people's needs. She's determined, strong-minded and the fact that she questions a lot and is so perceptive made her seem quite smart and canny and I really liked that about her. This set her apart from the others because they seemed to be so shaped by their factions traits and the fact she wasn't - even though she was capable of selfless acts - made her a special character.

I also liked Four; he seemed rather mysterious at first but then we got to know a bit more about him and see how sweet and responsible he was, how much he cared for Tris and how coherent he was about his beliefs and ideals.

Divergent is a great read. Is fast paced and action packed, with well written characters that captivate us from the beginning. This was a great start for the Divergent trilogy and really left me wanting more! I gave Divergent 4,5 starts.

Insurgent (I'll try to give you my thoughts about this book without spoiling it for those of you who haven't read it yet): I was really looking forward to read this second installment of the Divergent trilogy and, I'll admit, my expectations were a bit high. The first book had left me with some questions and the way it ended seemed to promise a lot more story development. However and even though this novel had some interesting points, there were others that failed to meet my expectations and left me a little underwhelmed.

I liked the fact that this book was just as fast paced and action packed as the first one; it made the book a lot more engrossing and kept me wanting more. I also liked the fact that we got to know more about the other factions - how they were set out, their habits and beliefs and how they reacted to what was going on in Chicago. As for the characters, Four was, by far, my favorite in this book even though I feel that we didn't get to see that much of him - I was hoping for (just) a bit more.

However, there were some things that didn't please me as much. Tris was a little disappointing in this book. I get it, she had gone through a lot in the first book so she was expected to have a lot going on and to be a bit more self-absorbed and "depressed" but I think she went a little too far; sometimes she came across as somewhat selfish, childish and too inconsequent about her actions - I wasn't a big fan of the whole  "act first, think later" - and for that reason she ended up making some terrible decisions. I also didn't like the fact that there were still a lot of question left unanswered - what had led to the creation of factions and what was outside the fence. Yes, the end started to give some hints about it but I wanted to know more! Finally, I felt that the story didn't progress that much; in Divergent a lot happened and Insurgent seemed to just set the foundations for something big, that will only take place in the final book ...

Overall I enjoyed this book but I wasn't as impressed as I was with Divergent. Sometimes I would get a bit angry at Tris for acting a certain way but then, as the story progressed, I would let  go of those feelings and just enjoy the narrative and what was going on.  I'm really looking forward for the third and final book of this trilogy, which comes out this year, in October 22nd.

I give Insurgent 3 stars