Dreamland - Sarah Dessen

Okay. Let's admit it. I am in love with Sarah Dessen's books.

They are just...SO good. Unfortunatly, leaving in the UK means I have to wait until a couple of months later until I can get my hands on her books to read after the initial publishing. And have to live with reading reviews about how much people loved her newest books - when I'm still checking on Waterstone's when on earth it will come out and can I pre-order it.
I have read all published book by Sarah Dessen, apart from the one that isn't been realised in the UK (and I think it's to do with the issues in it *stupid banned books place*) which is Dreamland. This one.
So, how did you get it? I hear you cry. Well, when I was in Florida in October, I was wandering around Florida Mall (which is HUGE) trying to find my mother when I see Borders. And wander in there. Even though I KNOW my mother is not going to be in there. And see this book. Reduced from I think it was $10 to $7. I had to buy it.
So I did and am now the proud and happy owner of Sarah Dessen's whole series of books....right now onto the review...

Catlin's life is falling apart around her. Her goody-two-shoes perfect sister has run away with a boy her parent's disapprove of, her mother buying porceliain creepy themed dolls that seem to turning up everywhere while her father watches sports and turns the dolls around to face the wall.
Until she meets Rogerson Biscoe, a mysterious boy with a bit of a history. From then on, she seems to be in a dreamland, trying to handle everything: not seeing her best friend, Rina; cheerleading which she hates; her parents so involved with her missing sister and then, Rogerson. It's then, she enters a world of cigerettes, constant drugs, lies and of course the fists, the punches and the bruises - all from the one she supposedly loves.


A lot of people have said 'Oh Sarah Dessen is boring - she always writes novels on the same thing, someone who has problems falls in love, they can't be together, oh now they can - HAPPY ENDING'. Which annoys me so much because a) yes, they are the same structure for every book but it's the way she writes them and the different problems her heroines face that make them so imagintive and different and b) have you read this one? Or That Summer? They are both so unlike the apparent 'boring structure'.

Dreamland is so different to anything I've ever read before. Sure, I've read a handful of books that have abusive issues in them but nothing quite like this one. Sarah Dessen seems to have caught what it is like to be a sixteen year-old and to have a boyfriend and that excitement you have at that age. She also, showed the sudden change in Catlin so well and when there was the first hit (I'm trying not to say who it is for those who want to read it - you might guess), it just comes so out of the blue that I was shocked as much as Catlin was. You feel what she feels, you sympathise with her so much.
Rina and Corianna (her friends) are both some of my favourite characters. Including Boo (neighbour) as well. What I love about Sarah Dessen is all her characters, minor or major, are so different and original from one another especially these three. Rina just made me laugh and I could so imagine her being a real person - especially at the end. Corianna and Boo - I just want them alive so I can be their friend too. They are both such lovely people, more Boo than Corianna. And great names too.
My only critism is that I just couldn't imagine Rogerson. You got snippets of description of him but you never got that kind of real real, imagery than the others. I don't know - it may be done for a reason or it's just me. The mother also annoyed me a couple of times. She was just so....organised and...pushy. I don't know - I just had an annoyance for her - it may be the dolls?

Overall, I enjoyed this book so much and I was caught from the first word. It's not one of Sarah Dessen's best ones of all time but it's enjoyable and written so well with some lovely characters.
It's also sad. WARNING: You need your tissues and you will feel slightly depressed afterwards.
So I'm going on to a funny, bright happy book from my childhood...

I give Dreamland a 4 out of 5

Author's Website: http://www.sarahdessen.com/

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

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

Currently, I am writing an essay as part of my English GCSE coursework (though it's been put on hold for the moment as it's the MOCKS). Anyway, it's made me get in the Pride and Prejudice mood now and I bought the novel and the film with Keira Knightley in...all for under £5 on Amazon. Oh I love them.
So yeah, I thought I'd read it.

So. For those who have been living in a cave in Antartica for the last 3 centuries, this is what it's about.
   The story evolves around the Bennet family, particularly Elizabeth and Jane, the two older sisters out of five. The fabulous Mr Bingley has moved into Netherfield, the big house just a few miles away, bringing his pompous, moody, although handsome, Mr Darcy.
When him and Elizabeth meet, she immediately judges him and vows never to dance or talk to him again. However, when Jane and Bingley meet, sparks fly and soon, their mother, Mrs Bennet whose aim in life is to see all five daughters married, expects a marriage on the cards.
Though as events unfold and Elizabeth finds out secrets and lies about these two men and the mysterious Mr Wickham and of course, the ridiculous Mr Collins...

I left it open as I could describe the whole novel but it must ruin it for those who have been living in an igloo for the last few centries. This was first written in the 1700's and named originially the very apt title, First Impressions.
The characters are written really well so that we have an opinion of all of them without it being too many. Mr Darcy. I have to say this. Why does all girls like him (including me)? Even though he is so moody, conceited and in truth, a teenager (not literally. He's like 25 in the novel). I think it's because he doesn't show his emotion because he's afraid to and also, he does all this lovely, nice stuff because of his love for Elizabeth. Okay I gave it away but really? Is it not that obvious from the front cover?
One of my favourites is Mr Collins, who I have to write about for the essay. He is just so...funny, but a complete pompous idiot at the same time and I can say...I'm so glad I'm not Charlotte!

My only problem really was that for me, I had to make sure I wasn't tired, otherwise I wouldn't be able to digest Jane Austen's writing. Which is completely different to novels today.
This book is a great classic story which still entertains us, centries later as Austen really understands what it is like to be in a family; in love and meeting and judging the people around us.

I would give it a 4 out of 5.

For more info about Jane Austen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austen

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/

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac - Gabrielle Zevin

I got recommended this book by a friend when I was at her house. She gave me the book, promising me that I'd love it. I've read 'Elsewhere', also by Gabrielle Zevin and even though I thought Elsewhere was good, it wasn't amazing. So, I guess, I was a bit negative when I started this book. But I finished it this morning....oh dear god...I LOVE IT. haha :)

First Sentence: Above all, mine is a love story.And like most love stories, this one involves chance, gravity, a dash of head trauma. It began with a coin toss. The coin came up tails; I was heads.

If the coin had hit heads, there would be no book. But it hit heads... Naomi Porter has woken up in hospital with no idea why she is there and what has happened over the last 5 years. She doesn't know that her parents are divorced, she has a sister, who are friends are and if she has a boyfriend or not. As she pieces together what has happened before she lost her memory, she finds out that some of her life is best forgotton.

To start off with, I was sitting there thinking 'Get on with it.' but to be honest, the opening paragraph is needed and immediatly captured my attention. (That really sounds like something my english teacher would say, sorry). Naomi falls in love with guys (trying not to let too much away) - and if it wasn't a book and real life, she would be classed many things. Though, if the book was real life, you probably wouldn't remember your boyfriend and happen to like the guy that found you at the bottom of some steps. You never know. My favourite characters were Will, her best friend who if, in my opinion, was a real person, I would beg him to be my best friend. And Alice who just comes out with some of the funniest things. Didn't like Ace, you'll find out who he is, he's a bit of a jerk. I found a movie of it release this year but it's a Japanese movie (with Emma Roberts as Alice?) and I don't think it's going to be release over here. Sad. Overall, I would read and recommend this novel to anyone reading this.

I give it 5 out of 5

Author's Website: www.memoirsofa.com/