tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59436691786397445302024-03-19T11:00:22.945+00:00Kiki's BlogKiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-45709419698050171842016-10-21T17:55:00.000+01:002016-10-21T17:55:04.130+01:00An Evaluation of My Summer Sixteen ft. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hi again everyone,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Happy Half Term!</b> I must say, I cannot believe that it has already been 6 weeks since the start of school and the end of summer :( Time flies when you're having fun...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now that I've finally settled into Year Eleven, I thought that it was time for me to reminisce the summer...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can truly say that I did not read enough this summer and for that I am disappointed in myself. I had planned on reading a great variety of books, ranging from non-fiction to hispanic classics. Not to mention, I thought that this summer would be the summer where I finally discovered a hidden passion, something other than reading and writing of course. I had decided to go about accomplishing this through tackling as many books as possible. However, that was not the case. I found myself occupied with other things this summer. I focused on spending the majority of my time with friends, cherishing every moment I spent with them. Although this was wonderful, I feel like I missed out on a lot of reading.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Looking back, I can confidently say that my previous summer was relatively calm as opposed to this one. As a result, I had managed to keep up with my reading. However, this summer, I craved a different kind of fun. Although it is shocking that I only read two novels, I must say that I experienced so much more than the world of fiction could have possibly offered. My goal was for me to find out something new and interesting about myself. Sure I thought that I would do this by reading and feeding my intellectual curiosity, but instead I was able to successfully accomplish this through my own experiences. I spent three weeks at Brown University's summer course, during which I was expected to take care of myself entirely. My family was a whole ocean away and I was as independent and alone as I had ever been. This meant that I was responsible for my own actions and for making my own decisions. Being surrounded by only teenagers for almost the entirety of July, I was exposed to ideas, concepts and things that I had never been exposed to before. I met people from all parts of the world, including Puerto Rico, Lebanon, India, and Guam. The friends I made came from differing backgrounds and cultures, spoke different languages and all had conflicting views on many matters. One of my favourite things about attending such camps is the fact that I am given the opportunity to meet people from all around the world, further enhancing my relationship with not only different people but with the world itself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Despite all this, I did read <b>The Great Gatsby</b>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Great Gatsby is a novel celebrated worldwide. Not only are there two films produced in its honour but it is a novel that has, and continues, to influence many. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For as long as I remember, I've been following the popular belief that, 'the book is always better than the movie', and so I've always encouraged myself to resist the urge to indulge in the film before reading the novel. However, The Great Gatsby was my one and only exception. As I class, we celebrated the end of Year Nine by watching the Great Gatsby, starring the much loved Leonardo DiCaprio. I remember returning home that day in awe at the brilliance of the production. Ever since then I was desperate to read the novel. I did not believe that the novel could possibly outshine the movie. And I can honestly say that indeed, it couldn't and it didn't.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For those who might be reading this and are a fan of F. Scott Fitzergerald's work, I am sorry to disappoint but I must announce that I will not be joining the fandom. I do not know whether the fact that I watched the movie before reading the novel influenced my opinion and reactions whilst reading, but I cannot say that I necessarily enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby. That said I still understand why this novel is so critically acclaimed and treasured; it is worth the read. However its genre is not one that I favour. The main reason as to why I did not enjoy the novel was due to it being very anti-climatic. There was never a time when I felt hooked or when I felt my heart racing as a result of suspense and tension. There was not enough drama, and therefore, to me, it was dull. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the other hand, I must praise Fitzgerald for the sophistication of his characters. Each character had something about them that made them unique and interesting. The character of Jay Gatsby, for example, was intriguing for he brought the novel an element of mystery and danger. His mysterious identity created a thrill for the unknown. Furthermore, his relationship with the narrator's cousin, Daisy Buchanan, is the core of the novel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The two protagonists are young lovers who are separated after Gatsby is sent to fight in the war. During his long absence, Daisy finds herself going back to her old habitats of keeping lovers. She longs for everything a woman of that time would desire: a husband, stability and a family, everything Gatsby couldn't offer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The novel finds the lovers reunited in a blur of extravaganza and magnificence; five years after the war, in an area of Long Island, New York, known as the West Egg. Events are unraveled in the perspective of Nick Carraway, who acts as both the narrator and as a participant in the events. Though their romance did not initially come at a cost, circumstances are different now: Daisy is married to a short-tempered and selfish man, whose own affair leads to a catastrophic ending.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Though the novel has a storyline, I found that some events were rather irrelevant and spontaneous. I feel as though the novel might have had hidden meanings and deeper concepts that I, as a younger reader, might not have fully grasped or picked up on. As the novel did not have a direct plot and lacked the certain excitement that I look for in a good read, I did not enjoy it to the extent that I had hoped I could have. I must say that it's a great pity that I did not find this novel favourable, for I had been strongly blown away by the movie. This is rather interesting because, unlike many other novels and their films, the movie of The Great Gatsby was indeed extremely true to the book. As a result, I do not understand how I did not find the same pleasure or feel the same kindling emotions whilst reading the novel as I did</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">watching it.</span><br />
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<b>Xo,</b><br />
<b>Kiki</b></div>
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Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-39701615399988515872016-10-21T17:51:00.000+01:002016-10-21T17:58:25.512+01:00The Sky Is Everywhere-Jandy Nelson-Passionate, Powerful and Packed with Emotion<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">... Here's a repost...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let me just make it very clear that Jandy Nelson is my favourite author. I just can't get enough of her books, even though she so tragically only has two: I'll Give You The Sun and The Sky Is Everywhere. Now if you follow my account on Instagram, which I'm sure you all do ;) (@teenagereadsxo) then you'll definitely have realised just how much I love I'll Give You The Sun due to all the posts! It's certainly the most featured book on the account. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Almost everyone I know is aware of my great interest for reading and so often ask me what my favourite book is, and I know I've probably said something very similar to this in one of my blog posts before but mentioned another book, but I'll Give You The Sun is hands down my favourite. Well at least it is for now anyway. So as soon as I put the book down, I went onto Goodreads (such a lifesaver!) in order to find another Jandy Nelson novel. To my utmost delight I discovered The Sky Is Everywhere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Like I'll Give You The Sun, The Sky Is Everywhere has a very earthly and romantic title which leaves the reader already floating in the clouds. On reading the first sentence of the novel, one knows that they are going to be swept off their feet as Nelson takes them on a journey through romance, sorrow, discoveries, adventures and the importance of family, especially the power of siblings. What makes the books so compelling is the way in which Nelson seems to embody the characters, very successfully and effectively expressing each action and emotion felt by them. When books have unique characters with unusual and interesting personalities, it is then when I am left immensely intrigued and the novel invades my thoughts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>"</b></i></span></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The sky is everywhere, it begins at your feet."</b></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The two books have similar themes. They both focus on the loss of a family member, the strong bond between siblings and how the best things come one's way when they are least expecting it. In The Sky Is The Everywhere, the protagonist Lennon Walker, has just lost her older sister and is on the slow and dark road to recovery. Her sister isn't the only one who has left a gaping whole in the family; their restless mother had abandoned the family years before and the girls never knew who their fathers were. Lennie won't talk about her emotions with her eccentric grandmother or her helplessly romantic uncle, Big. She has bottled her feelings away and seems to only relax and let loose in the company of the boy her sister has left behind. Lennie feels that by just being alive she is preserving her sister's soul. Yet as Lennie slowly starts to forget the sound of her sister's voice and as the image of her sister's face slowly blurs in her mind, she can't help but feel like she is truly slipping away from her. Toby, her sister's boyfriend is also grieving and every time Lennie looks at him she feels like he contains the missing pieces to her sister's soul, driving their relationship in a dangerous direction.</span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">"</span></i></b></span></span><b style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Grief is a house where no one can protect you</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">where the younger sister</span></i></b></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">will grow older than the older one</span></i></b></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">where the doors</span></i></b></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">no longer let you in</span></i></b></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">or out” </span></i></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After taking a break from school, Lennie finally returns in time for the last week of the year, completely conscious of the pity that fills the corridors every time she walks down one. She hasn't touched the clarinet since her sister's sudden death, too frightened of the sweet sound that comes out when she puts her mouth to the instrument. She knows that she is wasting her talent but by feeling any sort of happiness or joy Lennie believes that she is betraying her sister. Whenever Lennie feels happy, guilt conquers the feeling, leaving her limp with melancholy once more. However, every time Lennie lays eyes on the new boy in school, the darkness that settles around her seems to clear. Joe Fontaine is going to save her from the tenacious grip of misery, she is certain of it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>"Music: what life, what living itself sounds like.” </b></i></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">s the summer holidays begin Lennie has prepared herself for the lonely days that will follow. Yet when Joe appears on her doorstep one morning baring croissants and carrying his guitar, she knows that her summer will take on another path. Joe's knocks on the front door every morning begin to take on the role of an alarm and his presence brings light into the whole house. Slowly, the whole family seems to be falling in love with the boy. Lennie can feel it too. But her situation and desire for Toby's company confuses things, leaving guilt, remorse and regret to consume her. Her complicated relationship with Toby is a threat to her pure relationship with Joe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></b></i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">“There once was a girl who found herself dead.</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">She peered over the ledge of heaven</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">and saw that back on earth</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">her sister missed her too much,</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">was way too sad,</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">so she crossed some paths</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">that would not have crossed,</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">took some moments in her hand</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">shook them up</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">and spilled them like dice</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">over the living world.</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">It worked.</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">The boy with the guitar collided</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">with her sister.</span></b></i></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">"There you go, Len," she whispered. "The rest is up to you.” </span></b></i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The only time Lennie opens up her mind is when she has a pen in her hand. When a memory of a conversation or event she had shared with her sister itches at her brain, Lennie scribbles down the past on anything within her reach, be it a tree trunk, bench, wrapper or shoe. This way Lennie feels like she is slowly losing the heavy baggage that is weighing her down. </span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What made me like the book was the way Nelson opens the mind of the characters to the reader, making it all so realistic and even more sensational. However, I have to say that I'll Give You The Sun was a better read as I felt a stronger connection with the protagonists and the characters were much more strange and extraordinary. I could feel the electricity and passion between each character in that novel, whereas I could do so less in this one.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Xo,</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kik</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">i (ps. Sorry for the strange difference in font, I don't know why it's like this)</span><br />
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Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-42629448882815810772016-08-13T11:14:00.001+01:002016-10-21T17:57:30.287+01:00Chronicle of a Death Foretold- Gabriel García Marquez<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hi Everyone! </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It has truly been a while, I apologise. Due to my long absence some of you may feel neglected, unsure of what to read next following the lack of recommendations I have been providing you with, but not to worry, it is summer time! With summer comes beaches and sun beds, and with beaches and sun beds come long hours of reading and relaxation; I'll be able to provide you all with a new list of recommendations soon, just be sure to direct message me via Instagram or leave a comment :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My first summer read of 2016 is Gabriel Garcia Marquez's, Chronicle of A Death Foretold. I was told various times to read the works of this author by a very good friend of mine, but I hadn't until now... </span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">As most of you must be aware, I have now moved off YA novels as I am eager to become more familiar and expand the variety and the breadth of the kind of books I read, focusing more on sophisticated and renowned novels ie. classics. At first I found this change in genre a little difficult, as there is a great difference between the language and the entirety of YA novels and adult literature. The first book I had attempted to read was Orhan Pamuk's, <i>The Black Book.</i> I only realised the mistake I had made of starting off with such a book, when I found that I was losing interest in reading, for I truly disliked it; the language and style of writing was too much for me to bare. I figured that I had to start off with something less heavy, something that would be a smooth transition. Therefore, I read Elif Shafak's,<i> Honour</i> (scroll down for the review). After finding that the language and the overall concept of Shafak's book, though similar to that of a YA novels, was to the standard that pleased me, I sought help from my friend, hoping that she would be able to recommend similar novels to me. And so, like multiple times before, she insisted that I read Marquez's works, and this time I did. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It seems to me that Marquez is most known for his novel, <i>Life in the Time of Cholera</i>. Many were surprised to hear that the first novel I was reading by him was <i>Chronicle of a Death Foretold</i>. Why? I'll discover later. Though it may be that his other novel is better, I must say that I do not regret choosing to introduce myself to his works through this novel. I do not know how his other books are styled, but I found pleasure in reading this novel because of the unique way it was written. Although it is a fictional piece of literature, it reads almost like a diary, a memoir of a past event experienced by the author; the events are so profound that they feel like a past reality. Marquez focuses on journalistic techniques in this novel, showcasing his skill as a journalist rather than that of a novelist. It is written in first person, however, the narrator's identity is not known. As a result the novel creates mystery for we know a lot about the narrator; we are introduced to his family and friends, given a glimpse into his young adulthood but we do not know his name or anything else about him.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The novel takes place in a small town in Spain, in a different period of history. The reader is made aware of Santiago Nasar, the protagonist's death at the very start, and so the novel tells the story of the days before and the events that foreshadow and relate to his murder. The narrator, a member of the society, a good acquaintance to those involved in the crime and a friend of the deceased, tells the story as a person who played a role in the events. Consequently, there is an element of sympathy and strong emotions are displayed throughout. Although the novel mainly focuses on the events that lead up to the killing, it includes recounts and quotations from interviews the narrator held with those involved, twenty-seven years after the incident, giving an insight into what followed and how people were affected.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It is fundamentally based on the desire to unravel the secrets and the reasons behind his death. The novel is centred around the idea of honour as Santiago's execution is essentially an honour killing, committed by two brothers who seek to remove the possible stigma of their sister's scandalous actions. The one thing I continuously felt whilst reading the novel was frustration. Knowing what happens and what one could have done to stop the death drove me up the wall. What made the novel so frustrating and complicated was the fact that everyone but the victim knew that he was being hunted, yet he still was not able to be saved.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">As I mentioned before, the style of the novel is very interesting; the way in which information and facts are given create a Sherlock Holmes type of atmosphere. I found that the abundance of characters was both to the advantage and disadvantage of the novel. As the narrator was directly related to the town and the people, his inside scoop to the gossip and his relationships made it ever more authentic and added depth to the plot and the foundation of the novel. The fact that there were many people involved added to the complications, the severity, and outrageousness of the death, making the novel rise to its value. The vast network of relationships and interactions built a stronger sense of a genuine community and added to the excitement. On the other hand, as there were so many characters, there were many interferences and I often got confused with all the names and different life stories that were shared with me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I have to say that I am extremely glad that I finally followed my friend's advice and read the novel. Now that I have, and truly understand how great a novel Marquez can produce</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">, I am certain that I'll be reading many more of his books.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Have a wonderful rest of the summer!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Xo,</span></div>
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Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-66895848658850791982016-04-12T15:51:00.002+01:002016-10-21T17:57:13.633+01:00Honor-Elif Shafak-Terrific-Traditional-A True Treasure<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honor was an incredible read and I am not just saying this because the author is a family friend of ours but because Shafak truly is a gifted writer. It is no doubt one of my favourite 'non-YA' novels yet, with its great foundation of culture and religion! Partly why I enjoyed it the way I did is probably due to how I could relate to it. The novel is based on the lives of a big and traditional Kurdish-Turkish family, who have moved to London in the hopes of bigger and better opportunities.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As some of you may know, I too am originally Turkish but live in London, so the characters and I share some similarities. And so when reading Turkish words and phrases or when exposed to the familiar Turkish culture I felt a pang of joy. Yet, unlike my family, religion and honour hold great importance in the household of the fictional family, who also put many traditional values into place. For example, the mother Pembe, has by default taken on the role of solely cooking, cleaning and taking her of her three children. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hough the family have moved to a more westernised country, England, both parents' mindsets are still rather traditional and this reflects a lot onto the events. However, life for Pembe only becomes more burdensome and tiresome when her husband and children's father, Adem leaves them for another woman, somewhat dishonouring the family. Pembe has devoted her life to serving others and she receives nothing but oppression from her religion and culture in return. Amongst many of the emotions I felt while reading the novel, pity and empathy for Pembe were the most dominant. The dehumanisation of such a bright and humble soul was devastating.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The reader is aware of the incident and what it is at the start of the novel. The novel works its way through the events that caused Iskender, Pembe's first son, her 'Sultan', to end her life and so in a way, it is a gradual progress through the past, leading to the present. When Pembe starts having a chaste affair, it is not long until her family catch wind of her secret. Her two other children try to keep it hidden from Iskender, knowing that he would be ashamed and feel as though their mother has disgraced and dishonoured their family further. As Iskender is now the man of the house, he feels as though he has authority over his mother and would see it as his role to try to stop her. However, circumstances are different and not particularly safe because Iskender is a belligerent and aggressive youth, who naturally holds dominance over others and so his predicted actions threatening. </span></span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At first, the structure of the novel was a little confusing, but once I had a clear understanding of each family member and their role and had learnt their names, I learnt to value it. All I felt whilst reading was a desire for each chapter to end so that I could read the next chapter and discover more of each individual's secrets. Each chapter is either narrated or based on the key events that took place in the lives of varying characters until the incident. They also play a significant role in grasping the history and values of the family, as well as acting like puzzle pieces. The history in a chapter varies; some are based on the time when Pembe and her twin Jamila were children growing up in their native Kurdish town, and others are more recent recounts. The town acts almost like the root of everything and throughout the novel, I could not help but feel like the present was occasionally mirroring the past. </span></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another reason for why it was so enjoyable to read was because the more you read, the more connections you were able to lake between events and the more you could identify when the past was foreshadowing the future. In addition, the variety of characters also made the novel unique. Those who resembled the past, this includes the family's extended family, were more traditional and less modernised in their approach to things, the strong roots of honour beginning with them. It was immensely interesting to read and realise how very different rural life was and might still be now to life in cities. The novel gave me an insight into life in a native Kurdish village which otherwise I never would have been given. I also thought it was was shocking to see how far family values can be treasured and honoured years into the future. </span></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Usually, I would write a paragraph on the main character but unlike other novels, there wasn't a stronger or more important role in this one. Every word said and the movement of each and every character had a reason, meaning and consequence.</span></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All in all, I honestly wasn't expecting this novel to be anywhere as impressive as it is. I definitely want to recommend it to all my followers but as it does contain some adult themes, I cannot. Therefore, to my younger followers, wait a few years until you read it. It's going to be difficult, I'm not going to lie. Finally, to everyone, get ready to feel a wave of frustration when you reach the last few pages; be prepared for a twist...</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Xo,</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiki</span></span><br />
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<br />Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-14364177634427726932016-01-05T19:15:00.001+00:002016-10-21T17:54:40.617+01:00Blog's Almost One Year Anniversary!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hey everyone! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I know it has been a while since I last posted a review but I have a reason. Before the start of my Christmas holidays, my mom bought me novels by Orhan Pamuk, encouraging me to read them as a change from all the YA novels I usually read. I agreed to give them a go and so started The Black Book. It's now 5th of January and I still haven't managed to finish it...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's not that I didn't enjoy it or didn't find it interesting, it's just that I haven't read such literature before. To be honest, it's quite a heavy read and it takes me about 5 minutes to get through a page. Not to mention, it's quite a thick book, which in itself puts me off, but the font is also rather small. Let's put it this way, when I was in Year 5, I had just begun to realise that I really loved to read and so was eager to challenge myself and read an original Sherlock Holmes novel. The exact book was The Mysterious Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I had started the book with great enthusiasm. However, as the number of underlined words increased and as I slowly realised that I was spending more time reading the dictionary than the novel itself, my enthusiasm and interest decreased. That's to say, I carried on progressing through the novel and found that I actually thoroughly enjoyed it. A similar thing happened in Year 6 when I thought that I could easily read Jane Eyre. I couldn't and so gave up, only picking it up again last year in school. So these are all anecdotes which hopefully have given you a vivid idea of how I felt while reading The Black Book. I will definitely try to read it again, that I can promise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Obviously, I couldn't go to California for my holidays without a book in my backpack. As mentioned a couple of months ago on my @teenagereadsxo Instagram account, I have decided to take a break from the YA novels and read more advanced literature. This meant that instead of bringing another Morgan Matson or Patrick Ness book, I brought along Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird with me. So far so good. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I promise to write a review on To Kill A Mockingbird once I have finished it.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This is my mom's high school copy and so it's filled with notes and scribbles</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Xo,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Kik</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">i</span></div>
Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-14425201625317148912015-10-09T19:56:00.000+01:002016-10-21T17:46:10.007+01:00Amy and Roger's Epic Detour- Morgan Matson- Lighthearted, Lively, The Perfect Summer Read<div style="margin-bottom: 8px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the summer, I read six books, each with very different genres, yet all almost as good as each other. However, Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour has to be one of my favourite. With its lightheartedness and lively characters, it was the perfect summer read. The book, with its dominating genres of romance and adventure, was not only bright and happy but had its darker aspects which brought realism, and interested me further. Surprisingly, there was also a character called... KIKI, which made me like the book even more hehe :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>"There weren't enough tears to cry."</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amy Curry has been alone for months: spending most of the summer in her room, reluctantly welcoming potential house buyers and eating microwaved pizza off of the same plate. Every day. After the tragic accident, both her mother and brother have managed to escape, leaving her to grieve in solitude, with only her own thoughts of guilt and pain to keep her company. Her mother has moved across the country and has given Amy the responsibility of driving the car to their new house which offers a fresh start. However, since her father's death in the car accident, Amy hasn't been able to drive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But when Roger comes into the picture, Amy knows that things are about to change. With his good looks and charming personality comes the chance at actually having a good summer. Yet Amy doesn't believe that she deserves it as she's convinced that her father's blood is on her hands. Roger, the solution to her responsibility, but also a total stranger, whose presence doesn't seem all that appealing at first, is somewhat irresistible. And so their journey begins. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>"It's not about the destination. It's getting there that's the good part."</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unlike many other books I have read, Amy and Roger's relationship is a gradual process and Amy begins to feel her crush on him developing well into the novel. In contrast to other books, Amy doesn't immediately confide in Roger about the tragedy, as her strong sense of self-worth causes her to find herself first. So, as their journey advances so does Amy's course of coming into terms with the events that took place. What also made the book quite intriguing was all the truth and confessions that were shared between the two protagonists. By traveling to various places and exploring a handful of states, they meet a variety of characters on the way. Along with the scrapbook theme and the pages of pictures, receipts and brochures, these short introductions to different characters also brought realism into the book. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>"The best discoveries always happened to the people who weren't looking for them."</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While reading this book, my mother and I were continuously discussing where we should go on our Christmas holidays and thanks to it, I had the perfect idea: a road trip around California! It successfully sparked a desire for discovering new things and places in me. So those who are looking for a very satisfying future summer read, or those who just want to develop a yearning for an unpredictable journey, this is the perfect book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Xo,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kiki</span><br />
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Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-89705960097661048592015-08-25T12:39:00.001+01:002015-08-25T12:39:12.633+01:00Running Girl- Simon Mason- Thrilling and Tense with Terribly Tricky Characters<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reading Running Girl was like watching an episode of CSI!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> One must read to keep up with the investigation and not watch. Now, I am aware that some of you might be thinking, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">'Um no thanks. Hate crime.' </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but I can assure you that this book will come to most of your liking with its extremely quirky and peculiar characters, and wild goose chase of an investigation. When buying the book, I knew that it would be very different to the desired summer reads I wanted to occupy myself with throughout the summer, and that's exactly what it was, different. Last week, before I had started the book, I had found myself wanting a break from all the lovey dovey, perfect scenario, #relationshipgoals type books that I had read all summer, so I savoured Running Girl and finished it within 3 days. </span><br />
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Simon Mason has really created a masterpiece of a character with the protagonist, Garvie Smith. I've never read a book with a main character as eccentric and interesting as Garvie. Normally, I enjoy reading books with characters I find I can easily relate to, but that wasn't the case this time. Garvie's immensely curious and capricious character made the book funny and there were moments when I had to close the book in bewilderment at his actions. However, Garvie wasn't the only out of the ordinary character in the book, almost all the characters had unique and unusual aspects to them. In my opinion, it was the characters' strong influence on the book that made me enjoy it.</span><br />
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Garvie couldn't care less about school and his grades. His nights are spent out in the park with his dodgy friends, some of whom are robbers committing petty theft, and druggies. He really should be doing his homework and studying for his GCSEs. Garvie is unlike many teenage boys; instead of caring about the usual, sports and girls, everything to Garvie is a mathematical problem waiting for a solution. But life sucks at the moment, and Garvie is yearning for some excitement. Fortunately, he gets what he wants, possibly a bit too much...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Chloe Dow's, his ex girlfriend's, body is pulled out of the lake and DI Singh is immediately on the case. Chloe, blonde, beautiful but very mischievous, is a draw for male predators, both within school and out. Garvie, being Garvie, can't help but be excited and soon begins woking on the case himself. Treating Chloe's death like a game, he goes to great extents to solve the case and find her killer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Always one step ahead of DI Singh, Garvie and his somewhat rebellious ways cause him to always end up in hot water. His curiosity and knowledge are often confused for arrogance, making his relationship with Singh a little rocky, which is not good if you are willing to fall foul with the law. By using his photographic memory, conducting his own interviews and making use of his 'famous mental ability', Garvie is soon exposing the truth behind the secrets in his town. </span><br />
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Just when you think the case is solved, a new suspect or scenario comes into the picture. The book is filled with twist and turns and constantly kept me on my toes. Running Girl was definitely a good book, but the many suspects and the constant change in events often left me a little confused. I would definitely recommend this book to others but it wouldn't come to mind first. Yet, it was certainly worth the read! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Xo,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kiki</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-77188817381916149682015-05-03T16:59:00.002+01:002015-05-03T16:59:31.688+01:00Since You've Been Gone- Morgan Matson- Fun, Frantic and Filled with Happiness<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When beginning the book, I was convinced that it was another typical piece of modern day teenage literature, in which the author portrays the life of a teenager on summer vacation, where romance, adventure, friendship and drama are the main themes. (I always seem to think this way before starting a book :/) Yet, while reading on, I discovered that there was more to the book than there seemed to be. I bought this book knowing that it <i>would</i> be different from such books, as the protagonist's best friend is missing; the novel has a unique element to it as already there is a theme and atmosphere set in the beginning, mystery. I found that the book was a great eye opener and that I greatly benefitted from reading it. I, being a shy person who lacks self-confidence, learnt that the only way to make the most out of life is in fact live life to the fullest. Being shy and conservative only results in great opportunities coming to waste. Now, on finishing the book, I have learnt that I should stop being so reserved as there is so much I am missing, from not being myself to the greatest extent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>'I was still a little amazed that this was happening. That this, the thing that had seemed so impossible, so terrifying, so utterly beyond me, was happening. I was having fun. And that I was the one who made it happen.'</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since You've Been Gone revolves around the summer of a bashful and timid seventeen year old girl named Emily. Before meeting Sloane, her best friend and other half, Emily didn't go to parties, contribute to discussions nor even make eye contact with boys. Yet around Sloane, everything was different and brighter, Emily was different and bolder. The girls have planned their whole summer ahead but one day, Sloane disappears without a trace. Emily is left distraught, yet when Sloane's famous 'to-do list' shows up with thirteen almost impossible tasks for wallflower Emily to complete, a spark of hope ignites in her. What if completing the list could give an answer to where Sloane went and why? However, the list consists of some incredibly challenging tasks which do nothing but make Emily feel uncomfortable and push her self-confidence to the fullest, for example, go skinny-dipping, kiss a stranger and sleep under the stars. These thirteen tasks define Emily's summer and along the way, she makes new friends, finds love and begins to feel comfortable in her own skin. Her new friends help her accomplish the thirteen things. As more tasks are completed, Emily slowly progresses out of her shell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>'I <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">don't think you have to do something so big to be brave. And it's the little things that are harder</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> anyway.'</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The book is not only set during the current period of Emily's life but consists of flashbacks to memories of Sloane and events Emily relates to while attempting to finish the list. The book emphasises the power and importance of friendship and how just one person in your life can make a hell of a difference! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>'Real friends are the ones you can count on no matter what.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>And real</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i> friends never have to tell you that they're your friends.</i>'</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Xo,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kiki</span><br />
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Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-23421955144953302542015-04-07T14:08:00.001+01:002015-04-26T19:52:27.021+01:00The Mortal Instruments (The First Trilogy)- Cassandra Clare- Exciting, Enticing and Exhilarating<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have to say that I'm extremely shocked at myself for having actually read and loved this series. In my personal opinion, books that are based around vampires, werewolves, demons and, in this case, shadowhunters, are usually all the same. Yet that really isn't the case. After watching the movie (The Mortal Instruments) on the plane to Cape Town during my Christmas holidays, I longed to read the rest of the series, wanting to find out what happens to each character, and what else Clare's world of supernatural creatures had to offer. I liked this trilogy as it is kinda set in both the modern state of New York and in the ancient and sinister fictional world of Shadowhunters. I also thought that Clare manages to build and depict relationships between characters very vividly. The relationship between Clary and Jace, the two protagonists, is unlike any I've actually come across in a book. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Clary and Jace believe that they have a forbidden love. They meet for the first time in Book One and, I know that this is a cliche, are attracted and feel an instant connection. They soon find out that there is a reason for their deep feelings. They are brother and sister. The book is somewhat based on how they feel that their relationship is incestuous and how they try to stay away from each other and just be... siblings. Yet there is more to the situation than meets the eye. All I can say is that you will be left relieved by the ending of Book Three.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This review is gonna be a little different from the others. I'm not really going to dive into what the series is about, I'm going to share my thoughts and feelings about the whole first trilogy instead.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Clare creates interesting and strong characters and so the books contain a variety of personalities. The character who I thought was most powerful and defiant was Jace, who is a charmingly sarcastic and rebellious bad-boy with an extremely smart mouth. Not only does he bring humour into the series, but the way in which his charisma and over-confidence affects the other characters also adds to its brilliance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The books are, obviously, based on shadowhunters and their fight against Valentine, an ex member of the Clave, whose desire for power has made him wicked and cruel. He also so happens to be Clary and Jace's father, which adds to the complication of events and situations. With the fight against Valentine, comes the discoveries of unknown powers, talents, relationships and worlds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You might be thinking that this book is basically the copy of Twilight, with its supernatural creatures and all, but it really isn't. It isn't as melodramatic and dark as other books of the same genres. Exaggeration is not used as an effect and the fictional worlds aren't in any way over the top. This is because the characters are ordinary teenagers who somewhat manage to cancel out all the fictional stuff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I really enjoyed reading this series and I have decided to consider reading the subsequent second trilogy even though I wasn't planning on doing so at first. Each book was the perfect book to read when I wanted to be transported to another world, very different from my own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Xo,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kiki</span></div>
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Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-524096886868782582015-03-13T17:59:00.000+00:002015-04-26T21:40:12.073+01:00The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks- E.Lockhart- Strong, Witty, Feminist<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When reading E.Lockhart’s ‘We Were Liars’ I found the novel’s style of writing to be very unique and have a strong influence on the atmosphere of the novel, making it more dramatic and intense. I hoped that there were other books that were written in such a way. So I decided to read another E.Lockhart book and thus I began reading ‘The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks’. Before I go any further, I want to make it clear that I was left disappointed with the novel as I was expecting it to be just as intriguing as ‘We Were Liars’. I didn’t feel a deep connection with the characters, whereas I had with the protagonists in the other novel, and I didn’t find myself being drawn into another world. The book still had an interesting plot with some witty characters, but I personally didn’t enjoy reading it as much. However, I found the way in which the book expressed and supported feminism, with the main character being a strong and determined young woman, who desires to be loved and known for who she is, extremely powerful: <b><i>'She hoped, she hoped... That he would... Admire her cleverness, her ambition, her vision. That he would admit her as his equal, or even as his superior, and love her for what she was capable of'</i></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>'Secrets are more powerful when people know you've got them'</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Frankie Laudau-Banks goes to a prestigious and very disciplinary boarding school where all the students come from important families. Frankie enjoys school; she has good friends, is part of the debate team and Matthew Livingston roams the same corridors. This year, Frankie wants to be known and wants to stop being another normal tenth grader. She wants to stand out but doesn’t exactly know where, or how to start. To her advantage, Frankie has grown up into a beautiful and intelligent young woman over the summer and so, attracts Matthew Livingston’s eye. With the school year starting off successfully, Matthew and Frankie’s new friendship develops and they become more than friends. Frankie is soon running in the same circles and crowd as Matthew and is becoming friends with the older, most popular seniors. Their relationship is almost everything Frankie dreamed of, but she can’t help but feel that Matthew’s keeping something from her. Frankie, being a curious and brave girl, is unlike other girlfriends and will stop at nothing to find out what his secret is…</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>'Frankie wanted to be a force'</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One night, after following Matthew to the school’s abandoned theatre, Frankie discovers her boyfriend’s secret. She finds herself spying on an all male, secret meeting being held by a few of the most popular boys in school, including Matthew. After furtively attending a few more meetings, Frankie finds herself being drawn to the strong bond and brotherhood of the members, and immediately wants to be part of such a group. These members form the rebellious and mysterious group known as ’The Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds’ (’The Loyal Order’). ’The Loyal Order’ aren't law-abiding and their sole purpose is to rebel against the school’s rules in the most subtle of ways, their identities are unknown to the whole school. Frankie’s curiosity gets the better of her and she soon finds herself sneaking through the school’s underground tunnels, lying to her friends and creating a new identity for herself and scheming, just so she can unravel the history of ‘The Loyal Order’ and be part of something special. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>'And even though Frankie found the meetings to be disorganized and their Halloween ideas dumb, she wanted to be part of it'</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I mentioned before, I thought this book was worth reading and the character of Frankie was extremely different from other female characters in other books, as she learns what she wants from the world independently and is confident with who she is. Some aspects of the book were unusual, yet amusing. E.Lockhart does in fact write this novel with yet another unique style of writing, but I did not enjoy it as much as I did the one in ‘We Were Liars’. I do recommend this book but I think it would be a good read for children around the age of 12. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Xo,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kiki</span><br />
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Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-62696551988275447412015-02-27T19:32:00.001+00:002015-04-26T21:42:22.308+01:00All The Bright Places- Jennifer Niven- Intense, Intriguing and utterly Incredible<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'll be honest with you guys, the first time I came across this novel and read its blurb, I was convinced that it was nothing more than a sad and depressing love story, in which the two protagonists will most probably end up surviving through high school because of their love for each other. The book seemed nothing more than the average YA novel. Yet when I returned to the bookstore a few weeks later, I came across it again and after discovering that it was rated a 4.2 by Goodreads, I decided to give it a try. Now, after finishing it in 3 days, I can't believe I left the bookstore without the novel in my shopping bag the first time round! This book, with its deep and powerful characters and brilliant, yet realistic plot, was a wonderful portayal of a complicated and heart-wrenching relationship between two teenagers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">They meet on the ledge of the school's bell tower. Both want to die, but both still grasp onto life. It isn’t Finch’s first time on the ledge, but no one has noticed and even if they have, no one would care enough to stop him from going up there. He is lonely. </span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">'</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We are all alone, trapped in bodies and our own minds'</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Violet has never been up there before, yet after her sister’s death she has become a completely different person. She has cut her hair and dyed it black, she counts down the days to graduation and has isolated herself from things and those she loves the most. She is devastated. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">None of them can take it any longer. Yet when Finch finds Violet up there one afternoon, he saves her life and an incredible adventure of love, happiness and life begins. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>'I</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>pieces.' </b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Violet and Finch have completely different social statuses. Violet is popular and admired and is an obedient and sensible student, whereas Finch is the opposite. He is known as the ‘Freak’ of the school, is mocked by Violet’s friends and is a rebellious and ignorant student whose sarcasm and wit is nothing but trouble. Finch is immediately drawn to Violet, her smile captures his heart. After Finch announces that Violet will be his partner for their U.S Geography project, their intense and heart-warming journeys together commence. As they travel around Indianapolis, visiting some of the unknown but unique wonders of their town, Violet manages to come to terms with her sister's death, yet Finch's world continues to shrink. Soon they fall in love. Their adventures become excuses to spend time together. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>'You make me lovely, and it's so lovely to be lovely to the one I love...'</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One day Finch disappears. Violet's devastation and depression return again. No one knows where he is and so no one can save him. All Violet receives in order to know that he is still alive are cryptic texts, which <i>seem </i>to have no meaning. But eventually, they stop coming. Where is Finch and how could he leave Violet in such a dark place, all alone again?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just writing this review makes my heart drop. The perfection of this novel is surreal. It's everything I want and love in a book. I've kept the review quite short as all I can really express is that you're missing out on so much if you don't read this book. It's absolutely amazing and the fact that the narration flicks back and forth between Violet and Finch just adds to the intensity and brilliance of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">xo,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kiki</span></div>
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Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-36590746901771390052015-01-25T18:01:00.001+00:002015-04-26T21:44:13.442+01:00We Were Liars- E. Lockhart- Clever, Charismatic and totally Compelling<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I recently finished E.Lockhart's masterpiece, 'We Were Liars' and was blown away by everything the book had to offer: a unique style of writing, a constant linger of suspense and mystery, teen romance and a roller coaster of emotions. Once starting the book, I couldn't put it down, literally. Never have I read a book that caused me to cry with both happiness and grief at the same time.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I bought this book wanting a break from the more 'advanced' novels both my parents and teachers had suggested I read over the Christmas Holidays, thinking that it would be another simply written YA novel, but boy was I mistaken. I was instantly plunged into Lockhart's world of love, drama, friendship, mystery and mistakes. Intrigued by the quirkiness and the charm in its simplicity, I had no idea what was awaiting me.</span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">'We are liars. We are beautiful and privileged. We are cracked and broken.'</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cadence is no doubt a member of the Sinclair family with her perfect blonde hair, piercing blue eyes and tall, thin figure<i>. </i>Being a Sinclair is hard,<b> </b><i><b>'No one is a criminal. No one is an addict. No one is a failure.' </b></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cadence wants to be different, wants to be herself and live without the expectations and pressure of her family. Every summer, the whole family reunite on their private island. However, during 'summer fifteen' Cadence is left traumatised after a horrific accident that she has no memory of. All she remembers of that summer is waking up on the beach, dressed in nothing but her underwear, and her feelings for Gat, another member of the 'Liars'. She has burning questions that no one is willing to answer, </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'</span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Silence is a protective coating over pain.'</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cadence is determined to find some and after not hearing from 'The Liars' nor going to the island for two years, she returns to her family, to her grandfather, aunts and cousins, and to Gat. She is desperate to feel happy and be herself again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The book is mainly set between the time frames of 'summer fifteen' and 'summer seventeen', the summer when Cadence learns the devastating truth, and the dark years after her accident. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even though I could go on and on about how much I love this book, I won't, 'cause I need you all to read it having no idea what to expect. I promise it'll be worth it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Xo,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kiki</span></div>
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Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943669178639744530.post-37720001185679268972015-01-16T19:37:00.000+00:002015-01-16T21:01:45.859+00:00A Little Bit About Me<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hey! So I decided to make this blog because I love reading. I read a lot but never know what to do with the book once I've finished it. My friends always come to me asking for advice on what to read, so instead of giving them a looooong list that they'll probably forget, I thought of making a blog... So here I am</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I guess you should know a little bit about me before we begin our awesome journey together. My name is Kiki and one of my New Year's Resolutions this year is to be more productive and find a new hobby. Like the majority of teenagers, I spend most of my time attempting to take 'cool' pics for my Instagram hoping to wow my followers, updating my closest friends on every little detail of my life on Snapchat and worrying about whether my Tumblr blog is 'tumblr' enough. Yet somehow, although I'm always on my phone, I manage to read a lot. So I've decided to take my love for technology and books and combine them, creating a perfect (hopefully) hobby for me, and I hope, spark another, for many others too.</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is gonna be a great experience and I can't wait to share it with the world!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">xo,<br />Kiki</span><br />
<br />Kiki Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771171816492202247noreply@blogger.com3