Looking for Alaska - John Green

Before you read any further, please note that this review may contain spoilers.

Not my favourite John Green book (Currently that honour goes to Paper Towns)... but it still hit me right in the feels.

I didn't feel it was as polished as his other books, being the first, and his characters lacked the depth that his later books have, but as it was still well written.

SPOILERy bits and my own thoughts/experiences to follow.







Firstly, the bit I didn't like... the counting the layers thing. JUST PLAIN CREEPY. Do teenage boys really think like that? Sadly I already know the answer; it's not just teenage boys, I spent 12 years with a man who was just as creepy (but that's a story for a different time).

Secondly, the drinking, smoking and sex was really going to be a 'don't like' bit. I was going to complain and say this feels a bit unrealistic, then in reflection I realised, I drank and smoked more at 16 than I have at 34 (having quit smoking at 23 and lived with the alcoholism of the above mention creepy ex), as for the sex, well the same is, sadly, also true. So now it's floating somewhere between don't and do like...

The need to fit in is so strong when you're a teen, you're trying to make your mark on the world in whatever way you can, that there doesn't even need to be peer pressure for someone to join in with an activity they wouldn't have previously considered. The consequences be damned.

Things I liked... The chapter count down gave a sense of anticipation, what could we be counting down to, is it going to be the prank of the century? Are Miles and Alaska going to hook up? Then BAM! he hits you with that, right there in them feels.

I have been lucky, I have never lost anyone close to me through a car accident, but I know plenty of people who have, some numerous times. I have lost many people that I loved though, some after long suffering battles with cancer or other fatal disease, others through sudden causes; like heart attack, some through suicide. I had dealt with all 3 by the time I was 13.

I don't think it matters whether you have had time to prepare yourself for loss or if it's suddenly thrust upon you, you still question yourself. Is there anything you should have/shouldn't have done? was it something you did/didn't do? It makes you question your own mortality, maybe more so as a teen, when you do feel invincible, but definitely as an adult as well, when you realise that this person (in the case of this book for example) is the same age as you.

Overall, I think the book was fairly true to how I remember my teenage years, and how I've dealt with loss (looking for answers, wondering if it was my fault etc).

I was going to give this 3 stars, but upon writing this and looking at my written thoughts, I've moved it up to 4 stars.

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1202755/looking-for-alaska-john-green

The True History of the Kelly Gang - Peter Carey

Before you read any further, please note that this review may contain spoilers.

I seem to be having a very Ned Kelly year, starting off with my daughters First Fleet assignment, in which Red Kelly, Ned's father, was the first Irish convict to be transported to the new colony. That was followed up with the musical Ned, in the fitting setting of the old Bendigo Gaol, which has been converted into the new Ulumbarra Theatre.

 ~130 years since the man was hanged for his crimes, his legend still lives on. The original Aussie Battler, trying hard to survive the harsh Victorian countryside, when everything was against him, his heritage, his upbringing, even his name. I don't know what it is with us Aussies, but we love a good underdog story, someone sticking it to the man, when most would have long given up. Ned Kelly seems to be the epitome of this.

 Carey created a wonderful, well researched, flowing narrative. It was easy to imagine Kelly sitting down, writing out these letters, reliving his life in paper, in an open letter to his daughter. It was not hard to picture the beautiful yet dangerous countryside that the Kelly's and their various cronies roamed around, this is my home after all.

 I am in awe of the distances they traveled on horseback. These trips take hours in a car on a freeway, though we don't have the joy of following ridges and dry creek beds. As much as I romanticise about travelling on horseback around this beautiful state, I can't imagine the conditions they must have deal with spending days travelling from one hideout to another, let alone in the heat of our Summer, the chill of our winter, during a bushfire, or when there's torrential rain and flash flooding.

 I would recommend this to anyone who loves history, to every Victorian and to anyone who loves a good underdog story.

 5 stars.

Heart: A Romantic Short Story by Rose Fall

A quick, light read.  Enjoyable for the most part, even if it's not my usual genre.

As someone who has had her heart broken once too many, a pessimist when it comes to love and relationships, I found some of these stories were very relatable. The optimistic whim of a teenage girl exploring life, the distraught accusations of a woman who loved and lost, the rekindling of a flame, if even for one night only... All experiences I've had in my own way.

Some of the stories were told quite well, as though Fall was using her own experience for the basis of her story telling. Others just seemed rushed and incomplete... Like someone just spewed their thoughts onto paper and didn't take a second glance.

I loved the idea of the playlist for each story.  It was nice to hear the author's thoughts and feelings through a secondary medium. It added something to the story telling.

My favourite of the stories was the first, <i>European Boy</i>, it reminded me of a time when I too was carefree filled with innocent wonder at the world.  A time when I wanted the world to stand still so I could live in the moment, a time when I believed in love.

I enjoyed the excerpt of Fall's soon to be released novel, <i>How to Get Your Heart Broken</i>. For me this one seemed to have the most care and though put into it, I look forward to picking up a copy when it's released later this year.

Heart received a 3 star rating from me,

A copy of Heart: A Romantic Short Story can be found on Amazon with a release date of July 10.

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline

Before you read any further, please note that this review may contain spoilers.


I've seen numerous mixed reviews for Ready Player One, but I tried to keep myself mostly spoiler free, and I think I managed that.  Set in a none-to-distant, dystopian future where climate change and greed have ruined the planet, the only escape people have is to the virtual reality of OASIS.   Due to its popularity, the games own virtual currency has become a more profitable commodity that that of actual cash.

The value of which shot up when the games creator, James Halliday, died.  The multi billionaire had no family to leave his fortune to,  so instead he created an epic scavenger hunt across the OASIS universe, the player who solves the riddles and passes the challenges would win his fortune.

Halliday, as it turns out, was quite nostalgic.  A big fan of the 80s, the era in which he grew up in, Halliday left hints and clues in his memoir the Anorak Almanac, Anorak being the name of his Dungeons and Dragons character from his school years.

The puzzle left people stumped, for 5 years after Halliday's death not a single person was any closer to finding the first key mentioned in the riddle.  Billions of people had begun searching, but as time wore on, only those dedicated individuals, known as Gunters, kept up with the research and dedicated study of Halliday's life.

This is the story of Wade Watts, a likable, tech savvy, overweight teenager. Born to teenage parents at the height of the global crisis, Wade was forced to live with his Aunt, in a trailer at the top of a stack, after his parents had died, one shared with numerous other people.  The people were poor, and the living conditions even poorer.

Early on Wade discovered that he had to fend for himself, his Aunt pocketing the food stamps meant to cover Wade's meals. Because of this Wade created himself a hideout, a place where he spent most of his life, a place where he had privacy.  It was here he went to school inside the OASIS, rigging up a charging system for his Oasis gear, scavenging and repairing technology to pawn off in exchange for food. It also covered some sundry costs while Wade researched Halliday's riddle.

The story is filled with 80s references, from Atari to Dungeons and Dragons, music, movies, games and books. You name it, Cline referenced it, to the point that, at times, I felt it was too much. Yes I'm a geek, gamer, and a child of the 80s, I love looking back upon my childhood just as much as the next person, but sometimes the references were just overkill.

For this, the book lost half a star, giving it a 4.5 star rating out of 5.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves cheesy 80s references, or gaming, or general geekery (Players of Kingdom of Loathing, I'm looking at you).

Obernewtyn - Isobelle Carmody

Before you read any further, please note that this review may contain spoilers.


I have to admit, I've had the Obernewtyn Chronicals on my shelf for a few years now but just never got around to reading them, making them the perfect choice for the PopSugar challenge item "a book you own but have never read".  After reading the first in the series, Obernewtyn, I wish I'd read them sooner, though I'll hold off on the rest of the series until I catch up on my challenge reads.

Set in a post apocalyptic future, Obernewtyn is a first person narrative centered around teenage protagonist Elspeth Gordie, who was orphaned when the overseeing governing body, the Council burned her parents for sympathising with people the Council called as Misfits.

Elspeth and her brother Jes, were sent to various orphan homes, and moved regularly, to prevent them forming any kind of bonds with other people.  Elspeth hides a terrible secret, she too is a misfit, with the power to read minds, talk to animals and humans telepathically, influence the actions of others and small amounts of telekinesis, she and Jes live in fear of her being discovered, which creates a rift between them.

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, for the pair Elspeth is soon discovered, (though the blame is put on some water she fell in during an excursion early in the book, and not her inherent abilities) and sent off to the secretive, misfit treatment facility/farms, Obernewtyn.  Here Elspeth meets and befriends a couple of other misfits, and learns some horrible truths about the Obernewtyn farm.

Carmody began writing this series when she was 14, I think her youthfulness comes through in Elspeth, making the character much more believable, and far less pretentious than teen characters written by adults, (this could also be a cultural thing? many of the other young adult books I've read recently are by American authors, where as Carmody is Australian)

One of my favourite characters in this book is the cat, Maruman.  I'm a sucker for animals, and the neurotic Maruman, reminds me of my own fur baby.  There are many parallels between the fictional cat and my own, making it easy for me to imagine Elspeth's one true friend.

I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series, especially since the final book of the series, The Red Queen, is due out later this year.  If you're a lover of fantasy fiction, that has elements of science-fiction then this may be the book for you.

I gave Isobelle Carmdy's Obernewtyn 5 stars.

Diary of a Young Girl - Anne Frank

Before you read any further, please note that this review may contain spoilers.

I didn't know what to expect when I picked up this book.  It wasn't my usual choice of reading material, as you could tell just by looking at my bookshelf, but it was one I felt I needed to read.

We're taught at school of the horrors the Nazi's inflicted on the Jewish people, but the first hand account of the Frank family sheds some light on the lengths people went to just to survive, an the people who put their own lives on the line to protect them.

This incredible account has such eloquence, one I'd never expect from a child, let alone one living in close quarters, hiding, with 7 other people.  As an adult, I would never have handled the situation with the poise and maturity that Anne showed during the ordeal.

Anne's young age (13-15) is very easy to forget when you read her diary.  I was blown away with her writing abilities. She writes with maturity beyond her years, making even the mundane chores of their daily life seem more than they were.

It's sad to know that her father was the only survivor of the group, but he was gracious in allowing his daughters story to be told.  He gave his daughter her wish, though she has never been able to witness the impact her writing has had on the world, she fulfilled her dream.  Anne's own wishes aside, the historical significance of this journal alone is enough to give it a high rating.

I gave the chronicle of Anne's life in hiding  5 stars out of 5.


Further reading suggestion: Anne's diary ends when her family is discovered and they are sent to various camps, including Auschwitz-Birkenau.  To get an idea of what life was like inside the camp, and the death march that killed Peter, I suggest reading Night by Elie Wiesel, Wiesel's own account of his time during the Nazi occupation.

Alchemy: A Story of Perfect Murder by Chris James

Before you read any further, please note that this review may contain spoilers.

For full disclosure I received a copy of this novel through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

The ebook version, in epub or mobi (plus others) can be found at smashwords.com


Jacob Silver, son of a Jewish Apothecary and his wife, is a gifted artist and scientist.  On trial for the murders of 4 beautiful women, and the grave desecration of a fifth.  The story switches between Jacob's trial and the chain of events from his first encounter leading up to his arrest.

After his father dies, just weeks after a trip to see the Mona Lisa while it was in London, and his mother imprisoned, Jacob sets out to discover the secret to immortality, the recipe for which is contained in a tome, Alchemy, a book he received from a mysterious man on his 15th birthday, a man who claimed to be from the Institute.

Given a scholarship to a prestigious college, Jacob soon learns that his genius is detested by those upper class folks who feel their children are being 'shown up'.  Jacob is soon taking science lessons in an underground laboratory with the same man who delivered the book to him initially, a man he calls Professor.

Expelled from the school Jacob makes his way as a laborer, with some financial assistance from an Aunt, until he is placed in quarantine, with a child and a prostitute, after being exposed to the black plague.  During his time in quarantine, Jacob rekindles his passion for art and paints his beautiful companion Polly, as well as some images of his beloved Emily, a girl he first met during his viewing of the Mona Lisa, who also just happened to be the sister of his best friend at the college.

Once cleared of the disease, Polly and the child, Nell, depart Jacob's company, but not before he gives her one of the paintings for her to sell to have some cash.  Jacob takes some more of his paintings to a gallery and makes a quick fortune for his efforts, and the promise of delivering more when he can.

With his new found funds Jacob decides it's time to hire a housekeeper. As if by magic, the Institute sends on that very day.  Pretty soon, Jacob's love, Emily comes to live with them, in her consumption addled state, and not long after they are joined by the professor, so he and Jacob could continue their study of the book Alchemy, and more specifically decode the catalyst for the immortality potion which the creator, a Perenelle Flamel, wife of the acclaimed alchemist Nicolas Flamel.

This book is one I just couldn't put down.  As an artist, and a self proclaimed nerd, I could relate to Jacob quite well, the desire to create a masterpiece and the thirst for knowledge are part of my everyday life.  His naivety is quite endearing, even if it does border on ignorance at times.  He obviously had a tonne of charm, women were literally throwing themselves at him.  These women must have boosted his ego, never did he believe his potions could be harmful in the correct dosage (we never did find out whether Jacob's potions were the cause of his friend's cancer), nor did he doubt his abilities in art or science.

The professor was quite skilled in alchemy, but also in his manipulation of everyone involved in Jacob's demise.  His ability to disappear quickly and quietly when the need arises and the ability to remain hidden, even when in public, is quite a skill that must have taken a long time to refine.

Chris James' writing flows so well, even with the back and forth between the court room and the flashbacks leading up to that point, the story just begged you to keep reading.  His years working as a murder squad detective have been a positive influence on his writing, as far as this book goes.  James gives us just enough detail of the murders to make us aware of how gruesome they were, without becoming too dark and gory.

I gave this book 5/5

Alchemy: A Story of Perfect Murder can also be purchased in paperback and kindle format from Amazon

The Dreaded Reading Slump

For several weeks now, I have found myself staring blankly at the pages in front of me.  Whether it's books I loathed or books I love, the result is the same, read half a page and give up... or worse still, read four or five pages put it away, then reread those same ages multiple times because I can't remember what I read previously because nothing looks familiar.  Books that should take me mere days to finish, are taking me weeks.

I was so exited to get into some of the books, when I put together my challenge lists for the year, but here I am, not motivated to pick anything up for fear that I just wont get it finished, or worse, I wont do it justice.  These slumps can be anything from a few days to a few years.  It's so frustrating!

Due to my own slump, I thought I'd make a list of ways to help get over a reading slump... Things that have been suggested to me, ideas of my own and suggestions I've come across while googling how to get out of my slump...

1. Re-Reading an Old Favourite
This one has worked for me in the past. For many years I found myself not reading much at all, a few years ago, I decided enough was enough and I had to get back into my favourite time waster (not that reading is really a waste of time, but it is great for avoiding things like homework and housework).  Perusing my book cases, trying to find something that peaked my interest, what should I spy on my shelf, by my beloved childhood favourite Black Beauty by Anna Sewell.  If you don't want to re-read, try something you haven't read from your favourite Author instead.

2. Try a Collection of Short Stories
I find these are great for those times I just can't handle another 500+ page book, or for those times when you were so emotionally involved in a book you can't bear the thought of starting anything else AKA the book hangover.  Short stories are quick and often quite light reading, giving you little tastings of other worlds, without being emotionally draining.  Though I wont count the times I found myself wishing those stories were longer.

3.  Read with a Friend
One of my biggest motivators is to read books with friends and discussing them later... I often find myself reading and discussing books with my teenage daughter, when we find some that suit both our tastes.  But if, like me, your local friends aren't much into reading, there are many groups on Goodreads for t any genre you wish, that you can join and discuss weekly or monthly reads, many also have various challenges throughout the year.

4. Read Some Fan Fiction
My above mentioned teenager will often read fan fiction when she finds herself stuck in a slump.  Fan fiction can be a great way to find new twists on your favourites, or even introduce yourself to new stories.  There are so many talented hobby writers out there.

5. Try an Audio Book.
This is one that doesn't really work for me.  I find myself getting too distracted with other tasks, even dozing off, instead of listening to the story.  But so many others love it!  Audio books give you the opportunity to read on the go, they can be great in the car for long trips, while doing housework, or any other task that requires your hands to be full.  World War Z by Max Brooks was my audio book of choice during feeding times when my kids were babies. There is the added benefit of the soothing tones of spoken language, something I don't always find with music.

6. Try Something Different
Go out, buy/borrow a new genre/author/format of book.  Always read print? get yourself some e-books.  Always read novels? Try some comics or manga. Never read a thriller? get yourself some Dan Brown or Stieg Larsson.  Introducing new materials can reestablish the desire to read, whether it's a change of format or a change of genre, it's can make all the difference.
Most of the major e-reader retailers have free apps available for pc, phones and tablets, and have a range of free books on offer.  Sites like Project Gutenberg, Smashwords and Free Ebooks are just a few of the plethora of websites that also offer free ebooks in various formats.

7. Read a Young Adult or Children's Story
This may sound a little silly, but kids books are great for building enthusiasm, without the complicated plots or intricate language 'adult' books have.  Story lines are usually straight forward and easy to follow without being draining. YA and children's books are available in pretty much any genre you can think of.  I like it even more when it's my kids reading the books to me, family reading time is one of my favourite things.

8. Step Away From Reading
If all else fails, it's okay to take a break from reading.  As much as I hate to admit it, it can be good to step away from books for a while and allow my brain to rest.  Check out a movie, go view some art, meet with friends for a coffee, sometimes, just getting out and doing something different can help you break the slump cycle.

What things do you like to try when you find yourself in a slump?