Review: Carry On

★★★★☆

I'm glad that I had the time and motivation to end my journey with Simon now.

I started Carry On in November and thought it was going to take make just a couple of days before I finished it. In reality it took me over two months!

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Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen. Honestly, I don't even know how he got through his education to his last year. He can't do normal spells and then when something dangerous in going on, he just ''goes off''. In other words, explodes (and sets everything on fire). But there's something charming about Simon and his clumsiness. He doesn't think like an aristocrat or think he actually is the most valuable asset to the World of Mages.

Baz. I don't know what to say about him. He's awfully a handsome and a vampire. His mother was the headmistress before the Mage. He just is the opposite if Simon. When Simon doesn't know what to do, Baz knows. When Simon can't do something, Baz can. They're completing each other all the while they claim to hate and plot to destroy the other.

At the beginning I couldn't dive into the story, so to me it felt like it dragged a lot. Half way through the plot picked up pace and it started moving better. The last hundred pages were pure perfection. Things I thought would be real awkward in real life weren't on the paper and that just amazed me a lot.

But one thing is sure: the words that sum up the book perfectly are Carry On.

Review: Eleanor & Park

'''Because...' he said quietly, looking at his desk, 'because people want to remember what it's like to be young? And in love?'''

                       ★★★★★

Eleanor & Park gave me shivers from the very first page. The first page defines the mood to the book, and making me almost cry on the first page... Well, the only thing that was on my mind, was why? Why would the story lead up to that situation in the end? Could it still end differently or was it doomed to have a heart-breaking ending?

Eleanor is the new kid. She moved back to her mom and Step dad's place after her step dad had banished her a year earlier. Her step dad, Richie, is a total ass. The whole family is afraid of him and they have no freedom or money to do anything in their lives. Eleanor wears too old, too big and too noticeable clothes.
 Eleanor wants to be herself, not anyone else. Not even to share a resemblance with another person. And when she looks like someone else she gets really antsy and wants to run from the situation. I think that her anxiety and need to be her own person is because she hasn't ever been able to do anything to help herself, and not being able to make decisions of what you do in your life is horrible.
Another thing that at first look you couldn't believe of Eleanor. She is shy. Like, really, really shy. Although her clothes beg her to be noticed, inside she just wants to disappear. Many people who read Eleanor & Park might disagree with me, but to me Eleanor is shy.

Park is the kid whose mom is from Korea. He has a little brother and seemingly perfect, happy family life. Or at least to Eleanor his family is perfect. Park wears only black, reads comics, listens and mixes tapes. He tries to learn how to drive a stick-shift.
Park is not the popular guy, nor is he the hated guy. He's just the guy in between. Wanting to go unnoticed, living his own life. He has succeeded until some girl with red hair and freckles got in the school bus. Park tries to ignore Eleanor, but it's hard. Her looks just beg him to notice.
Park. How to describe Park? He tries to be nice to everyone, but he has a bad temper when somebody insults someone close to him.

Their journey together starts from the school bus, sharing comics and not talking at all. It ends also. The journey in between is full of growing, exploring and pain. They grew from the pain they found while they explored their pasts, presents and futures.

This book was not a happy book. So if you're looking for something light to read, then don't. This book contains so many emotions that sometimes I had to put it down and continue the next day. It's rough to read it, but in the end, you are glad you did.

Thank you again, Rainbow Rowell, for such an amazing book.

Review: Fangirl (and fangirling Fangirl)

First there were the shaking hands. Then the difficulty of breathing. Then denial. Then shock. Then the inability to write a review.

So here I am, forcing myself to think even a bit rationally, so I can get back to cleaning my room (which is Filthy).

Fangirl was...
Amazing, beautiful, purely genious, sweet, surprising, loving, emotional, fun, sad, honest.

Fangirl wasn't...
Boring, stupid, anything idiotic.

Fangirl could've been...
If it had been anything else than it was, I would have either not liked it or had died whilst reading it.

After turning the last page, my heartbeat was irregular, my breathing almost non-existent. I felt like I had died. I felt like the world had ended. I felt like this is it.

I can't describe Fangirl as well as it deserves to, but I will say that it is on the top 5 of my all-time favourites. No, I don't know in which order my all-time favourites are, but Fangirl definetly deserves a spot on it.

To Rainbow Rowell: You changed me. Your book made me understand myself better, you inspired me to write again. Thank you.

Writing not reading! (word vomit)

Recently I haven't read so much, but done some creative writing. I don't have a working title for it yet, so it's kind of hard to talk about it, but I'll just refer it as 'Dream Walker', which does absolutely nothing with the book. It's not about dream walking, but it's still related to dreams and walking. Okay, maybe I should change the working title from 'I haven't figured it out yet' to 'Dream Walker'.

Right now I'm just vomiting words to this post. I'm tired from all the commotion from today, and the writing, which I've done for about 1800 words. And right now, I don't have any powers left to use for sensible writing, or even writing with words that I'm meant to write. Yeah, if you haven't read my first post on this site, a quick info: English is not my mother tongue. Spelling mistakes, wrong words, weird sentence structures might be spotted on this site! :) But don't worry, I haven't met a day (yet) when I can't do anything in English, and if I ever do, I won't post anything on that day!

And I was thinking about posting my work here, if it ever develops to something readable. If not, then you won't see it.

Also I'm most recent currently reading is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, and I love that book! I'm not even halfway through and I'm quite sure it will be one of my all time favourites. And I'll be definitely will be reading it again in the future!

And also Fangirl has made me interest in fanfiction spark again! Maybe I'll write some of that too, and if it turns out to be even the slightest bit good, you'll be able to read it here. :)

Now good night, I'm over-tired and haven't done any of my home work... :P

Book shopping!

 I went for a nice browsing trip to a book store, not looking for anything particular, but still hoping to find something. And I did!
I've read Where she went by Gayle Forman last Fall, but never bought it so, why not now.
The next Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine I haven't read, but it's on my to-read list. And there was only one copy of it, and after me, none. :p Love the cover though.
And the last is Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. I have the Fangirl also, but I think both of them are going to have to wait for the 'right time'.

It's weird when sometimes you don't feel like reading some book, because it doesn't feel like the right time to read it. Like I've been putting an Abundance of Katherines and  Will Grayson, Will Grayson away for a quite some time. Every time I take some new book from my self to read, I look at them and think 'it's not the right time to read them'. But fortunately with other books, waiting for the right time has been the best thing. Like when I started the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentout. They had been about a year in my Goodreads recommendations, but every time I saw them I didn't feel like reading them, and when I did... Oh boy... I read the whole series, 5 books 2 novellas, in 5 days. And during the exam week!
So waiting for the right time to read some book might feel frustrating, but trust me, it's worth it.

And spending money makes me always hungry, so Grande Soy Chai Tea Latte and Ceasar Salad to go!
The only problem I have come across today is the 'No space in my bookshelf'.

I'm off to reorganize my window sill for more book space!