College and a new found relative.

College starts tomorrow. *shivers*
My time on the internet and just in general not doing or thinking much ends.
Am I scared?

HELL YEAH.

Tomorrow, at college, I am going to be in a new massive school, with lots of unknown judgemental people that I'll have to make friends with and call my teachers by their first name. And start the gruelling two years of A levels which, if I thought GCSE's were too hard, I am going to die with these.
Oh and the subjects I'm doing? You know, essay based ones. TOO MUCH WRITING ALREADY.

But the good thing is I get to go by train every single morning and afternoon which I love to do. So I might get some reading done if I'm not talking to anyone. And the building where the college is, is quite old so it's like going to a big old grand house for school every single day. That is pretty cool. Anyway, I'll let you know how I get on.


In other news, I found out today that I'm related to an Australian family of actors called the Edgertons. Joel and Nash Edgerton are the actors, and they're like my second/third cousin. How I found this out?

MY mother saw the name on the side of a bus and recognised it. Funny, huh?
And 'Joel' is in the remake of The Great Gatsby (which I am studying this year in English Literature) with Carey Mulligan, Isla Fisher and Leonardo Di Caprio. So this is one family member I am happy with being related to....

Love, Aubrey - Suzanne LaFleur

I'm writing this while listening to the music on Spotify - to be exact Blood Brothers at the moment. So I might suddenly exclaim what I'm listening to. Anyway, I found this book in my school library when I wandered into there when there was a German exam on and practically no-one was in my Maths class. And those that were, were playing some death game on the computer. Yeah. Nice.

Eleven year-old Aubrey has lost everything. Her family, friends and now, it seems like her future. She lives in her house with her pet fish, Sammy and SpaghettiOs, watching TV and eating cheese and crackers everyday. That's until, her grandmother turns up and whisks her to the house where she grew up in Vermount.
Aubrey learns that she's not completely alone and with the help of her Grandmother, her best friend and letters to the people she would like to tell what she is feeling to, she starts to take the first steps to having a life again. But then, she has to make a terrible decision - one that she has to choose between. Stay or go?


I've seen this book so many times in bookshops but I don't know, I think I thought it seemed too young for me with the main character being only 11. But it's not. This book is for any age, any interest and it really gets into your head a little. I mean, I found myself thinking about Aubrey after reading it the other day.
I found it really addictive. Once you got into it, you really wanted to know what happened in the end to this girl. My only critism. Well two really.
1) It took me a while to get into it. I think it was about page 70 that I realised that I was starting to get into the book. I think the beginning is dragged out a bit but then, I guess you need to know the beginning part to understand the book.
2) (It's Chicago now) I read a lot of reviews that it made people cry and even the front cover says 'She will make you cry'. But although, it IS about a 11 year old girl who has practically no family and how she gets on, I didn't find it so sad, that I would cry. I guess, I find it hard to cry for a book. If I Stay - Gayle Forman is the only book ever to make me cry physically. I'd have tears in my eyes but not cry. But I don't know...I didn't even have that in this book. I'm not saying I'm completely heartless. I did find it sad and a little depressing but it wasn't amazingly sad as reviews gave the illision of. I guess everyone sees books differently.

Anyway. That's my two critisms. I loved the way there were flashbacks in italics dotted around the book, it was effective as it was in first person and like you were looking in Aubrey's mind. It was very...personal. Which might be why it links into the crying issue. I loved Bridget, Gram and Aubrey. They were just...great. I want a Bridget. She's lovely and I wanted to hug her as much as Aubrey.
The character I hated. The Mother. Seriously, (I'm going to try and not reveal anything big so if it doesn't make sense then, that's probably why) you're her mother, would you really do that, even if you were depressed and down? And then trying to force her into something? Urgh. She just annoyed me when she turned up. But I guess that may be what Suzanna LaFleur was trying to do.
   Overall, this book should be read by everyone. It is a really lovely novel and nice to read for something completely different - it's just such a great novel and it does stay with you a while.

I give it a 4 out of 5

Author's Website: http://www.suzannelafleur.com/index.html

The Sky Is Everywhere - Jandy Nelson


 I have been waiting for this book since the beginning of August. For a reminder of wanting-ness, click here :) So. You can imagine my excitiment when I finally got my hands on this frankly amazing book. I must have looking so stupid on the bus clutching this book to me:
Me (drops book): Oh no. Come back! Don't leave me pleeeeease!
Enough said.

First Sentence: Gram is worried about me

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. (From Goodreads - kind of)
That's all I'm saying about the book. I was thinking about how to put it on here and I thought. You can't explain what happens without ruining some of the novel. And that is why the blurb on the back is a load of questions.

I absolutely loved this book. If there is only one book you should read this year, it should be this one. And I don't say that often. This book was meant to be a verse book but turned into a novel. Jandy Nelson is a published poet and it comes out in the book a lot. The book is so beautifully written, it made me want to read it even more. There are some 'moments', you may know what I mean...though unlike many people think it really doesn't bother me. I mean it will happen to me eventually won't it?
This may seem like such a short review for a book I seem to absolutely love (WHICH I DO!) but I'm seriously trying not to ruin it for anyone out there.
One piece of advice though: Read it. Trust me, you will not be disappointed. My favourite thing of the novel was that at most chapters there are Lennie's poems. It's just such a different and original book. The fact the actual book is different, the way it's written and the poems added in. Ah. LOVE IT.
Also. She's been compared to Sarah Dessen. Another AMAZING AUTHOR. Sorry. Just read it. You'll see what I mean. :)

Author's Website: http://www.jandynelson.com/
There's also a really good trailer. I love the song!  Click here :)

Outside Beauty - Cynthia Kadohata

This isn't quite the cover of my copy of the book but that picture is on it. I picked this up, thinking it was a romance novel of those that I absolutely love but it wasn't, surprisingly. I've really enjoyed reading this one. It's been a bit busy this week, I only have one week left of the holidays and then it's Back To School time...yay? And for me, my last year at secondary school or for any one American, high school but I leave at 16 and go onto college or a sixth form. Anyway. Back to le livre.

First Sentence: "Please?" My little sister said. "Pleeeeease? Let me push you in the shopping cart. I promise you won't fall."

Outside Beauty follows Shelby through about two years of her life in the 80's. She has the perfect, beautiful mother who she inspires to be like and  three close sisters, Marilyn, Lakey and Maddie. Four children from four different fathers (You can probably tell what I was thinking as I read that) After their mother is involved in a serious car accident, Shelby's life is changed as her and her sisters are separated to go and live with their fathers. But Maddie, the youngest, is so terrifed of her frankly idiot of a father who I wanted to punch throughout the whole novel, it's stupid, that she withdraws herself from her sisters and as Shelby realises, she knows she has  to do something drastic to save her sister and her family.

I don't know about this book. I feel like I had no emotion either for it or against it. Actually, thinking about it, I liked it. It was something different to read. It was beautifully written and had quite a good plot and well...interesting characters. However, some of them did get on my nerves. And I did feel a little for Shelby nearer the end. They were doing something dangerous but then, they kinda had to do it. At the beginning, I was sitting there thinking 'Oh my god. Get on with it.' and even Shelby was starting to get on my nerves.
Mr. Bronson, which is like their enemy, even though I hated him, he was written because Kadohata wanted you to hate him. He was such a tiresome, irritating character.
On the blurb, it said 'At times wickedly funny...' Erm, really? I don't think so. Like yeah, there was funny moments but I think I laughed out loud once. And that was only because it reminded me of something equally funny.
I would recommend this to anyone that's willing to sit down and just read it and doesn't get too bored easily AND can cope with irritating characters.

Author's Website: http://www.kira-kira.us/

If I Stay - Gayle Forman

I had never seen or heard about this book before. I just literally fancied reading it when I was in the library the other day. But now, I swear I keep seeing it everywhere! On people's book blogs, in Oxfam today, in Selfridges, in Waterstones. It's following me! It's so weird hah :)

First Sentence: Everyone thinks it was because of the snow. And in a way, I supposed that's true

This story is all about the choices we make, before and after. Seventeen year-old, Mia has (possible) the perfect family, an amazing best friend, Kim and a gorgeous supporting boyfriend, Adam. She would rather, unlike most teens, go out with her family on a drive or play her cello.  She has lots of choices about her life and even though decisions are tough, they are mostly about her music (she's a cello player), school life or love.
    But then, one snowy February morning, something tragic happens and all her choices are gone. Except two (in the book it says one, but I think it's more two): to stay or to die.

This book had me on the verge of tears. Which is hard for someone like me where it takes a lot to cry. Even though the book is only 210 pages, so relatively short, it is so powerful and makes you think. We follow Mia as basically her conscience, she's in a coma but her conscience can walk around, see people but people can't see them. It's through this that we read her, trying to decide and for practically the whole book, I really didn't know which she would choose. The tense, sad moments are broken up by mostly funny moments and for me, I found some of Kim's comments, hilarious. Through her decision making, she is reminded of her past and we find out what happened leading up to this moment. Even though the flashbacks aren't in chronological order, we can still understand them easily and get things from them. Adam. You just have to love him. He is from a completely different 'group' but he falls in love with Mia and makes an effort and supports her. I want a boyfriend like that, basically. I mean who wouldn't, girls?
This is a really deep, gripping, heart breaking but somehow uplifting that makes you appreciate your life at the moment.
Will you cry? Probably
Will you laugh out loud at Kim's comments? Yep.
Should you read it? Definitely. Just go out there and get this book.

Author's Website: www.gayleforman.com
There's also a really good If I Stay Book Trailer to watch!

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Book #2: Where She Went

What I Saw and How I Lied - Judy Blundell

I've seen this book loads of times in those books with books teenagers 'should' be reading and in Waterstones and that. But for some reason, even though it looked and sounded good, I never wanted to read it until, like normal, I saw it in my library and went for it. And I'm glad I did.

First Sentence: The match snapped, then sizzled, and I woke up fast.


It's the end of summer 1947, 3 years after the Second World War has ended. Evie's Stepfather is finally home and Evie is tired of being her mother's little girl at the age of 15. When they decide to go to Florida, a mysterious, handsome, ex-GI stranger turns up (Peter), having served with her step-father. Evie realizes she is falling in love with him who has a strange control over her parents. When a sudden tragedy (And it's a pretty big one), Evie has to choose between her family and the man she loves; she had to betray someone, just who?
     I was reading this over the weekend when I went to Hungary and even though I was sightseeing and eating, I just HAD to make time to read this. There are so many things that when you first read them, don't mean anything but at the end, it all makes sense. Me myself, had many weird looks from my parents when I said aloud 'Ohhh that makes sense now.' or 'That's clever.' It is written so well, that you just have to keep reading because you want to know more. And also, it's set in two of my favourite places: New York and Florida :)
It starts, kind of at the end and then goes back. The way it's written, is like Evie is telling you the story in person which I really liked. I also loved Evie as the heroine and I can see why she would fall in love with someone like Peter. It's also a lovely coming-of-age story and as said by Sunday Times, 'Memorable and compelling...a book to grown up with' That is so true.

I give it 3.5 out of 5

Author's Website: www.judyblundell.com/index.html

13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson

So...I was reading a bit more of Rosie Rushton but I don't know...I got bored with her and really wanted to read this one that I'd heard about. And I glad I did.

First Sentence: As a rule, Ginny Blackstone tried to go unnoticed - something that was more or less impossible with thirty pounds (she'd weighed it) of purple-and-green backpack hanging from her back. 

The story is about Ginny who receives mysteriously thirteen little blue envelopes from her free-spirited artist aunt...whose dead. In the first envelope there is money and instructions to go to England from her home in New York City. In the second one, there are directions to a specific London Flat. And because of the third one, she meets a playwright, Keith Dobson who go to Scotland that leads to a journey around Europe that have disastrous - and romantic- results. Everything will change for Ginny that summer just because of thirteen little blue envelopes....

I really liked this. Basically. There was a few boring bits and a few times where I didn't understand what was happening or like it felt like a bit was missing. Like she would be doing something and I'm thinking 'Hang on, when did this happen?'
It was also funny however and had really good characters like Richard, Ginny and Keith that you kind of have to love. It's nice how she goes around all the different countries to find something, feeling like a normal tourist when really she isn't. The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, but that's because there's a sequel which I'm looking forward to getting my hands on!
There are loads of surprises. You start with not knowing much and by the end, you know pretty much everything about Ginny's life. Read it. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

The sequel, The Last Little Blue Envelope, is due out in Spring 2011.
Author's Website: www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com/index1.html

Love, Lies and Lizzie - Rosie Rushton

Well...normal story. I was in the library, saw this and was like 'Ooooo Pride and Prejudice re-make!', whipped out my library card and rushed towards to the desk in a hurry, getting it and rushing into the sunset, happy. Well, yes, not quite but you get the picture...if anyone is reading this apart from myself.

First Sentence:  "So you dumped him? Just like that? In the middle of the school trip? ARE YOU CRAZY?"

The story follows 'Lizzie' Bennet and her family of Jane, Meredith (whose that in P&P?), Lydia, Katie (??) and Mr and Mrs Bennet who of course meet the Bingleys and Mr Pompous Darcy who is named James (But middle name is Fitzwilliam who anyone that cares) and if you know the story of Pride and Prejudice then, it is that but in a modern version with mobiles, boys, gap years and singing. Suddenly, Elizabeth is amazing at singing and wants to do Music therapy.

Well, when I first started reading it, I was thinking 'God, Jane Austen would be turning in her grave' and at the beginning, the word 'muttered' is repeated a number of times on the same page. Not the only word you could use, Rushton.
Anyway, I actually really enjoyed this book in the end. It was just a nice and modern way to get to grips with Austen and the fact that Rosie Rushton has written other successful novels like this of the other Austen novels, I am actually going to go looking for them. It's very witty and I found myself smiling many a time.
So....it is a truth universally acknowledged that you shouldn't judge a book by the first couple of pages and I shall read more of her books in the future...

Author's Website: www.rosierushton.com/

Drawing With Light - Julia Green

I've never read anything from Julia Green before let alone even heard of her. But at the end of a boring Easter holidays, I picked it up in my local library. It was the most interesting looking book there that I hadn't read before.


Drawing With Light follows Emily Woodman. Her life is completely changing. Her older sister, Kat, is just about to start uni; Dad and Cassy (her stepmum) have just bought an old house and now they and Emily have to live in a tiny caravan in the middle of a field which it's being done up; after a throwaway remark about Emily's real mother who left her, Kat and her dad when Emily was a baby. Meanwhile, she meets Seb, a beautiful boy with fine features, dark eyes and a love for running and she embarks on a special relationship with him. Can she keep the relationship going? Who was her mother? What was she like? Why did she go?

When I started the book, the first thing I thought was 'There is entirely too many exclamation marks.' I'm not kidding, until about half way through, there are so many exclamation marks. I counted about 6 in one conversation, mostly coming down Cassy. Apart from the beginning part, it is a good book. You can sort of predict the ending. And the ending does just sort of finish and seems like it was rushed a little. I loved Seb. I wish he was a real person. It is a funny, gripping summer read. A good 2nd book from Julia Green. Could be better but good. I'll be looking out for her stuff again.

I give it 3.5 out of 5
Author's Website: www.julia-green.co.uk/