Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Going into this book, I had a feeling I was going to love it. The plot drew me in straight away and after seeing so many rave reviews and 5 star ratings I was sure this book would become a new favourite of mine. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it anyway as near as I thought I would, which I'm really disappointed about. 

This book follows Ari, who ventures to the swimming pool one day and meets a boy name Dante. Dante teaches him how to swim and after that the two boys become pretty much inseparable. The book takes place over a few years, and follows Ari and Dante as they grow older and start to discover themselves. 

I think my biggest problem with this book was the characters, especially the main protagonist Ari. Ari is very tough, always getting into fights and is angry at everyone - his mother, for not talking about his imprisoned brother, his father - who still suffers from trauma due to serving in the Navy. He doesn't have many friends and is fine with that, he doesn't necessarily like other people. 

I don't know, I just didn't relate to Ari at all. I didn't find him particularly interesting either. Most of the time he came across as being rude or obnoxious, especially to his parents. Being inside his head was incredibly annoying. All he did was constantly complain about his life, friends, parents, brother, which becomes very tedious after the first 20 pages.

Another thing I didn't really like about this book was the writing. The writing style was very choppy and abrupt and I don't think it really allowed the characters to come to life. Also, the dialogue was very unrealistic, and at times weird. Some of the conversations between Ari and Dante genuinely made me roll my eyes, I just can't imagine two teenage boys ever speaking to each other the way they do. 

I will say that I loved the relationship between Ari and his parents and how it developed through the book. It was so lovely seeing Ari's father finally open up to him and seeing them bond. I also loved Ari's mother, she's such a strong and loving woman and just wanted to best for her family. 

Despite the problems I had with this book, I wouldn't say it was bad, it was just very different from what I expected. I think that if this book hadn't been so hyped up, I would've enjoyed it a lot more. 

3/5 stars.

You can buy this book with free international shipping here:

http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=booksoverlooks

Mockingjay Part 1 Movie Review!

will contain spoilers


*deep breath*
Okay, I have finally collected my thoughts to write a review.

Let me just say that I cried so much during this movie that when I left the cinema I genuinely looked like I had 2 black eyes.

So obviously Mockingjay Part 1 was absolutely amazing! Re-reading the book reminded me of how dark and gritty this installment actually is. I was super scared that they would make the movie too fluffy and cheery, but it stayed very faithful to the book and had a very eerie tone. I'm definitely glad that they decided to split this movie into 2 parts because the book was a little rushed, and this way we are able to see more detail of the events which happen which weren't necessarily fleshed out in the book.

One thing I loved about the movie is how we get more than one point of view of the rebellion. In the book we only see things from Katniss' perspective, so we don't really know what is going on outside of district 13. It was amazing seeing Katniss' impact on the rebels and how much they are influenced by everything she does. Some of my favourite scenes from the movie were the ones which took place in the different districts which were rebelling.  The scene in District 7 where the rebels drop the bombs on the peacekeepers was absolutely amazing and so brilliantly done, I love how they incorporated the 'if we burn you burn with us' quote into this scene. Another thing I loved in the movie was finding out what President Coin was up to
The conversation between Plutarch and Coin about sending Katniss to District 13 was a great scene to start with as it showed how these people are willing to do anything to keep Katniss on their side. They didn't send her to District 12 so she could mourn, they sent her there to get her riled up enough to want to become the Mockingjay.

J-Law's is an absolutely phenomenal actress. Her performance in this film was so beautiful and she really portrayed how broken and unstable Katniss is. Also, her singing voice is incredible! I can't believe she was embarrassed to sing in the film as she doesn't like her voice, her rendition of the Hanging Tree is so raw and emotional, it perfectly matched the tone of the film.  Also, I can't get the song out of my head! :P

I'm so glad they decided to include Effie in the Mockingjay films. she is a great character and Elizabeth Banks is perfect for the role. I loved her scenes and how she always managed to provide some comic relief.

I'm 100% convinced that Josh Hutcherson needs an Oscar. All of his scenes were heartbreaking and it was awful watching Peeta deteriorate every time he appeared onscreen :(. Also, the last scene!!! Holy crap, hijacked Peeta was absolutely terrifying. I had no idea how they were going to portray that scene in the movie, I thought maybe they maybe going to show it very quickly and then end the film. However, I'm so glad with the way it was done! I'm actually glad they didn't end it straight after Katniss was strangled and instead decided to show Coin making a speech and Peeta strapped to a bed. The last scene was absolutely horrifying and was much more effective than the strangling scene.


A few other little notes:
Finnick needed a much better and longer scene to explain how President Snow sold his body, not just as a montage which played while Peeta was being rescued.
I wish we got to see more of Johanna in this film because she is one of my favourite characters, but hopefully we see her more in Mockingjay Part 2.
Gale kind of annoyed me in this film but I believe the producers did this one purpose to set up for the end of Gale's and Katniss' relationship in Part 2.
I love how much Haymitch cares for Katniss and how he comforted he when she started having a panic attack.
President Snow is truly evil and Donald Sutherland is a perfect fit for the role. His facial expressions and voice are so creepy!


Overfall, this film was amazing and extremely well made. Catching Fire is still my favourite book/film of the three, but I think it is followed closely by Mockingjay Part 1, I highly recommend going to see this film if you haven't already! :)

Book Previews!

Hey everyone! Today I thought I would try something which I have been wanting to do for a long time, book previews! 

I will be giving you a sneak peak of a book, by telling you the first line(s). Hopefully some of these books will interest you and inspire you to pick them up/buy them!

All links for the books will be at the end of the post:) 

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

"Grace Somerfield was the first to die. 

The first in my fourth grade class, at least. I'm sure that by then, thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of kids had already up and gone the same way she had. People were slow to piece it all together - or at least, they had figured out the right way to keep us in the dark long after kids started dying."

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

"Welcome to the beautiful Sinclair family.

No one is a criminal. No one is an addict. No one is a failure. The Sinclairs are athletic, tall and handsome. We are old money Democrats. Our smiles are wide, our chins square and our tennis serves aggressive."

Unremembered by Jessica Brody

"The water is cold and ruthless, lapping against my cheek. 

Slapping me awake. Filling my mouth with the taste of salty solitude. 

I cough violently and open my eyes, taking in the world around me. Seeing it for the first time. It's not a world I recognise. I gaze upon miles and miles of dark blue ocean, peppered with large floating objects. Metal, like the one I'm lying on. 

And then there are the bodies."

Ten Things We Shouldn't Have Done by Sarah Mlynowski

"I bolted awake. A police siren. 

The police were outside my house. Ready to arrest me for underage partying, excessive flirting and an overcrowded hot tub. 

But wait. 

Brain turned on. No, not the cops. Just my phone - my dad's ringtone.

Which was even worse."

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

"There will be no awakening.

The sleeping woman will feel nothing the next morning, only a vague sense of unease and the unshakeable feeling that someone is watching her. Her anxiety will fade in less than a day and will soon be forgotten.

She will not awaken. Neither will her husband beside her. The shadow falling over them will not disturb their sleep. And what the shadow has come for - the baby within the sleeping woman - will feel nothing. It is over in less than a minute. The shadow withdraws. 

Now it is only the man, the woman, the baby inside her, and the intruder inside the baby, sleeping."

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

"Daddy said, "Let mom go first."

Mom wanted me to go first. I think it was because she was afraid that after they were contained and frozen, I'd walk away, return to life rather than consign myself to that cold, clear box. 

But Daddy insisted."

You can buy any of these books with free international shipping here:

http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=booksoverlooks

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

So... 2 years later and I finally decided to re-read this book in preparation for the movie coming out. (In less than a week, ahhh!)

Plot: After being rescued from the arena and transported to District 13, Katniss must decided whether she wants to step up and lead the rebellion against the Capitol. With her home destroyed, neighbours and friends killed and people she loves being held prisoner, she doesn't really have a choice. She hopes that becoming the Mockingjay will allow her to end President Snow's life, rescue Peeta's and put an end to The Hunger Games once and for all. 

I definitely liked it more than the first time around, but in my opinion it still wasn't as strong as the first 2 books in the series. Mockingjay is definitely the darkest in the Hunger Games series, which I appreciated a lot more reading it this time around. I appreciate how Suzanne Collins doesn't sugar coat anything for the reader, and shows us the harsh reality of life. People die, things change and you don't necessarily always get what you would like. I also love how this book wasn't centred around a love-triangle, and focused on much more important subjects such as family, friends, bravery and sacrifice. 

I also like Katniss' character a lot more in this book. Of course I liked her in The Hunger Games and Catching Fire but in this book she just seemed so real. The horrible things she has witnessed and has been through finally take their toll, and this book is filled with so much raw emotion and pain that it was very hard to read at times. 

Mockingjay is definitely fast-paced, but at times it did feel a little rushed. I wish Collins could have stretched the book out a little bit, and gave the reader time to digest information before moving straight on to another point in the story. Especially with character deaths, I barely had time to mourn the loss of a character before someone else was dying or getting parts of their body blown off. 

Despite being the weakest book in the series, Mockingjay was still a solid conclusion to the trilogy and it is a book that will stay with me a long time after reading. 

4.5/5 Stars 

You can buy this book with free international shipping here:

http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=booksoverlooks

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

*will contain spoilers for The Darkest Minds*

This series is quickly becoming one of my favourites! Alexandra Bracken has written another gripping and powerful book which is just as amazing as the first one (if not better).

Plot:

Taking place a few months after The Darkest Minds, Ruby is now working alongside the Children's League. She is a leader - going on missions, training other kids and interrogating enemies of the League. However, when Ruby is assigned a special mission she has to escape from the league and go on a journey of her own. She is looking for a flashdrive which contains information about the disease which killed nearly all of America's children, and who has this flashdrive? Yep, you guessed it, Liam Stewart.

After the brutal cliffhanger The Darkest Minds left on, I couldn't wait to dive into this book and find out what happens next. This book did take me a little while to get into, mainly because there was so many new characters introduced and I found myself missing a lot of the old characters from The Darkest Minds. However, I soon grew to love these characters as much as I loved Chubs, Liam and Zu.
First we have Jude, a young and naive boy who tries to see the good in everyone (even if those people are plotting to kill him). I loved Jude's character, he was very sweet and was always there for Ruby when she needed cheering up or a shoulder to cry on.
Next we have Vida, a blue-haired, eccentric, loud girl who isn't afraid to tell the truth and speak her mind. I really did not like Vida in the beginning but as the story went on I found myself loving her character more and more, and of course her one-liners were hilarious!
Of course we also have the return of Chubs and Liam. I loved seeing these characters again and seeing how much they had changed and grown since the events which happened in TDM. (I also ship Vida and Chubs a lot).
I was a little sad Zu didn't appear in Never Fade but hopefully she will be in the next book and I will finally have some closure on what happened after the novella, In Time.

Ruby is definitely one of my favourite female protagonists. Even after everything she witnessed and went through in The Darkest Minds and also Never Fade, she is still so strong and incredible  She has definitely changed from the weak, clueless girl she was at the start of TDM. She is now fierce, protective and determined. She would do anything for the people she cares about, even if it means putting herself in danger. I truly felt every ache and pain which Ruby went through, and I laughed and cried with her throughout this book.

Once again, Alexandra Bracken does not skim over the gory details. In this book we get to see how kids who aren't in camps or the Children's League are surviving and let me tell you, it isn't pretty. But it's realistic and believable, which makes it all the more horrifying.

Never Fade was an amazing addition to the series and I can't wait to read the third and final book soon.
If you haven't started this series yet, I highly recommend it!

5/5 stars!

You can buy this book with free international shipping here:

http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=booksoverlooks

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

This book was absolutely amazing, it was everything I could've wanted and more! I've had my eye on this book for a while after reading the sypnosis, which promised a very interesting concept and a unique idea. 

I definitely was not disappointed. The Darkest Minds was different from any YA dystopian book I've ever read. While other dystopias (Divergent, the Hunger Games) have certainly had their gruesome moments, the Darkest Minds creates such a dark and eerie world that it is actually believeable. I could totally imagine this kind of thing happening, which is a very rare thing to be able to say about a dystopian novel. 

Plot:

When Ruby wakes up on her tenth birthday, she has changed. So much so that her parents lock her up in the garage and ship her off to a 'rehabilitation camp'. It turns out that Ruby has survived a horrific disease called the IAAN which has been killing children as soon as they turn 10 years old. Not only as she managed to survive this disease, but now she possess special abilities along with many other children who have survived this disease. Not knowing what to do with these special children (or 'freaks' as they are called) the government decides the best thing to do is ship them off to camp where they are worked to their hardest and treated like prisoners. 

This book was very hard to put down! Just when I was finishing up one chapter, something else would happen and I would find myself flicking eagerly through the next pages to find out what was going on. Alexandra Bracken paced this book perfectly, leaving the reader wanting more and more and keeping them in constant suspense. Some moments could be very harsh, but that's what I liked most about the book. It didn't shy away from death, violence or sadistic moments. Especially the treatment of the children in the camps. 

My heart broke reading about how these kids were treated. Especially Ruby. From being carted off to a camp when she was 10 years old, being abandoned by her parents and losing one of the only friends she had left, Ruby really has been through it all. Even after going through such horrendous ordeals, she does not whine or complain once. I admire Ruby for her strength and courage and think she is a great role model for the YA audience.

I think my favourite part of the book was the relationships which developed between the characters. I loved loved loved the relationship between Ruby and Chubs! They were both very bead strong and determined to do what they could to protect the people they love, which ultimately brought them closer. 

Of course I loved Liam! He is such a refreshing love interest. Instead of being creepy, mysterious and cocky he is a sweet, kind, caring boy who has developed the role of a leader within his small group of friends. He makes mistakes, suffers the consequences and most of all he is realistic! Round of applause for Alexandra Bracken for creating a boy who is not a sexy vampire/alien/werewolf, just a normal guy.

Suzume was also a great character. She seems almost too innocent to be living in such a terrifying world. One scene between her and Ruby in particular really warmed my heart, it was so nice to see them bonding and finding a sense of happiness, even if it was only for a little while.

I would recommend this book if you like more darkest dystopians, a fast paced plot, loveable characters and a swoon-worthy love interested! 

5/5 Stars. 

You can buy this book with free international shipping here:

http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=booksoverlooks

An Introduction

Hey everyone, welcome to my blog! I've been thinking about starting a blog for a while now and I finally decided to do it, so here I am! I've created this blog to share my love of reading with you guys. I will be posting book reviews, pretty book pictures, wrap ups and discussions about books and bookish topics! But before all that I'd like to tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Jade and I'm 15 years old. I live in a small city called Sunderland in the United Kingdom and I am currently in my last year of school (yey)! I am a HUGE book lover. It all started when I was around 6 and discovered the Horrid Henry books. Soon enough I had read every single Horrid Henry book there was multiple times and I found myself wanting to try something new. I then moved onto reading Jacqueline Wilson books, A Series Of Unfortunate Events and then eventually... Twilight! Twilight introduced me into the world of Young Adult books and I fell in love. I will always be grateful to Stephenie Meyer for introducing me to the YA category. From there I went on to read The Hunger Games series (which I finished in one weekend!), The Fault In Our Stars, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower and, of course, The Host! A few years later and I am still strongly in love with the YA section, but I am also getting in to New Adult and Adult books. Apart from reading, I enjoy binge-watching TV shows, watching movies, listening to music and hanging out with my lovely bookworm friends! I'm so happy I decided to make a blog and I'm looking forward to all of the things to come in the future :). Thanks for reading! Love, Jade x