13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher Review

So I read this tonight.. .because it has to be back at the library on Sunday. I have a huge list and Im trying to prioritize by when they disappear both arc copies (ereader) and the library books I have been picking up.. so its not a dont want to read because i want to read them all. Just a order im trying to get into.

This book follows a main character Clay as he listens to tapes from a now deceased Hannah, who commited suicide. The tapes tell of 13 reasons, each reason having a side of the audio tape to explain why the person on the tape is in someway responsible for her actions. He is to follow a map and listen to the tapes and then hand them off to the next person in the storyline.

Now I liked the story, it was well written, beautifully told and eerie in the since that I can see the mind workings of a teenage girl at the end of her ropes not knowing how to reach out and talk to people.

My only real problem with the book is, now to get slightly uncomfortably personal for me and for people that this is a touchy subject with. I have been on the recieving end twice of a ending of a life. My best friend in junior high killed himself and did it after a giant fight between us. I know that I was not the cause of it, but at 13 I didn't know how to process that information and had an extremely hard time with the fall out of his choice. I was broken for years. Then I met my high school sweetheart. We met the day he decided he was going to leave the state and commit suicide so as to not make any of his friends see it happen. He left the state and to my surprise showed up at the Denny's his group (my new friends) all hung out at once a week after we play fighted in the park. He later told me that he came back because he felt like he had to, that we were meant to be together. So we were... 6 years we lasted .. I had met him at 16.. I was almost 22 when we ended things. I hadn't been really ready for the whole end of dating, becoming a couple for life thing.. I really wanted to be but I wasn't and I sometimes wish I had been but looking back things between were fire and ice and I'm thankful for the time spent but am happy where I am now. But he decided to end his life 2 years to the day after our breakup. Even now with that anniversary coming up I still have a hard time convincing myself that it wasn't my fault. There was nothing I could have done to change things. So I know that life is hard enough without the weight of someone else placing the choices they make on you.

I can relate to the characters on both sides and understand the agony and hurt, the fear, the anger.. the wanting change but not knowing how to get there and feel connected to the book. It is definitely worth picking up if you can handle the subject and want a quick good read for a weekend night.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver Review

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Been reading this at night when I should be sleeping. It's really good. The story is of a girl who is in an accident and dies but you follow her as she replays the day 7 more times, each time changing things and doing things differently then she had. You get to watch as she changes her thoughts on things and the way the world works. Its truly an interesting take on the afterlife and what happens when you die.

>I really liked the way the author developed the main character, she was brought to life and as you turn the pages she changes and becomes a different person and you feel bad that she is not alive anymore because you want her to be around for the life she is creating for herself. I really felt for the character and the anguish, heartache, anger and joy she feels on her journey.

All the rest of the colorful cast is a range of your typical popular girl and boys to your freaks and geeks and everything in between. The characters all have a range of emotions and quirks to them. You get to see them evolve as well as the story changes around them.

I'd definitely say if you haven't put this in your to read pile you should. It's a good read.

As You Wish by Jackson Pearce Review

I am really digging Jackson Pearce. I am sad I didn't know about her sooner. Today I'm gonna tell you about As You Wish. Her Jinn inspired story of star crossed lovers and the choices we make.

Our main character is Viola who has broken up with her boyfriend and is feeling lost and wanting to fall in love again. Enter Jinn our genie sent to grant her 3 wishes. They spend some time together and of course like all good stories start to fall for each other.

The book takes turns each chapter changing point of view from Viola to the Jinn. I loved the relationship between the Jinn and Viola.. the budding romance, the way they both aren't sure of their feelings. It's fun like high school love all over again. That excited but nervous feeling when you haven't really been a part of the dating world.

My next favorite character is Viola's ex boyfriend/best friend Lawrence. He is well written, dealing with trying to be friends with an ex and trying to do things to make her happy because he cares about her and wants her to be happy. You can see his struggle and his torment. Pearce did a great job of making him not only believable but relateable.

The story is fun and enjoyable to read. It's definitely a quick read for a nice winter night. You can pick it up at your local bookstore, amazon or where ever you get your books.

Library to pick up books.. yay

I hit the library this evening to pick up some holds.. and I got a bunch of great stuff. :)

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Above by Leah Bobbet

Viruosity by Jessica Martinez

and Rot and Ruin by Johnathan Mayberry

Now I won't have reviews this week.. but as I read them they will be going up.. I also have 6 other library books.. and 13 books for review from publishers.. so soon soon lots of reviews.. and I'm a very book busy girl.

I am doing some photoshoots and cosplay stuff over the next 2 weeks.. so I will be reading possibly less unless I bring books for downtime.. but fear not I will be writing :)

Getting things under control

The last few months have been crazy for me.. well actually this entire year, but things are winding down and finally going to be at a good pace.

This week i'm getting my poor kindle under control so i can actually read things.

The beginning of next month I will finally for the first time have a bookshelf for my books instead of just stacks and stacks of them all over my house.. so that should get that into order and I'm going to start putting better time aside to read and write.. since I feel so overwhelmed right now.. i just want to get on track.

Willow by Julia Hoban Review

Now I picked this up because I have wanted to read it for a while. It's a book about a girl who feels her only way to have control is to cut and about a boy who stumbles upon her problem and tries to help. I can relate with this book a lot. I don't cut, but I used to do another form of self mutilation and went through lots of people trying to be helpful and anger and lost friendships.

Julia really captures the essence of being someone lost. I really enjoyed the way she writes, in the way she tells her story, allows her characters to grow and change and is constantly giving them depth. I am glad I picked up the book.

Willow's character is self absorbed with feeling sorry for herself for the horrible events in her life. I know how it feels to feel responsible and feel like no one around you gets it or understands. I really connected with her character because she was believable and she was heartbreaking and angry and everything a good main character should have.

Now Guy was a great character because she wrote him believable like someone who would truly care and want her to get better, and would try everything he could to help her. I loved that about him and the way he had anger and was more real because he went through emotions and had his own issues going on.

I give this book a good rating if you haven't read it, it is a quick read and worth picking up.

You can rent it from your local library or pick it up at amazon or your local bookstore.

Lucy in the Sky by Anonymous Review

I picked this up because its from the same publisher as Go Ask Alice, Jay's Journal and the rest in the series. It's true journals written by teenagers going through stuff in their life that is interesting to see what happens and what makes them feel the need to be where they are.

This one is about a girl who gets caught up in drugs, alcohol and the scene, slowly moving from light stuff to harder and harder things. You get to watch her devolve and lose control, sadly you get to see the way other addicts react to situations and the way a life can be lost over the need and desire to fit in somewhere.

It's very poignant. I'm not going to comment on the writing, because when the girl was writing this she had no idea she would someday be published. It's a good story though, sadly a true story. You don't want to see the people in your life caught up in this way.

If you have read the others, pick this one up its good, heartbreaking and reminds you we all have problems, friends with problems, people we love with problems and you can't always help them no matter how hard you want to.