Showing posts with label robin benway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label robin benway. Show all posts

Thursday, 2 June 2011

A-Z Authors - B

I found out about this through Phanee from funny wool and is hosted by Heather at Proud Book NerdI thought it looked quite fun so this month, I shall be doing a post every day (except Sundays) where I shall tell you about amazing authors that have surnames beginning with that letter. I hope you enjoy and tell me if you know any more with that letter and I'll add it to the post! Thanks.
NOTE: As I am doing my exams at the moment, I may miss days so shall combine letter together, I'll say if I do in the title - Thanks.
Here we go....

B
   Malorie Blackman used to write children books for much younger children until 1992 when she decided to write for young adults and published Thief! after 18 months of writing and editing her first young adult book. She is most famous for the Noughts and Crosses series which targets racism of whites instead of the more traditional racism towards blacks.
   I met Malorie Blackman last week actually and she is the loveliest person to talk to and made me and my friend laugh so much and was really interesting to talk to. She is one of the authors that I have grown up with and I loved her Noughts and Crosses series a lot, especially the first book. 
Other Books: Hacker, The Stuff of Nightmares, Boys Don't Cry

   I have only read Robin Benway once with Audrey, Wait! which I fell in love with and enjoyed a lot. It is one of the best books I have read this year so far. It is funny (sometimes 'Laugh Out Loud' funny) and just so enjoyable and entertaining! She is a must for any teenage reader with it being enjoyable yet really good writing.
Other Books: The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May and June.

I have read Shadow Web the total of about 3 or 4 times, I love it so much. I have no idea why but I just love her writing, the way its such an original idea and how enjoyable to read it is. I love the blend of modern and old in the story and also, the fact it's set rather near where I live (that does help...). I haven't ever read anything else by her (although I really should) as for some reason I think it will ruin Shadow Web for me...I don't know why. But anyway, this is one of the books I read annually.
Other Books: Hunted, Basilisk, The Story of Stone

Wednesday, 16 February 2011

Audrey, Wait! - Robin Benway

Okay. So I know that The Fool's Girl - Celia Rees was on my 'Currently Reading' (right) but well...to be honest, I got to page 30 and I wasn't thrilled. And I have been DYING TO READ THIS BOOK so I thought I'd move onto this...
On a sidenote: I love this cover. It's so nice and original. Anyway...

Synopsis:
Audrey is just an ordinary teenager trying to survive high school with some awesome friends and an incredibly boring and self-centred boyfriend which will soon become an ex. When she breaks up with him, she doesn't realise that her life will be blown to pieces after Evan, the now ex, shouts 'Audrey, Wait!' as she leaves him for a single life.
Until the next day when she hears her ex's new song with his band, The Do-Gooders which is about their break up. Soon, it goes into the charts and as the bands music talents are shown to the world, Audrey, herself, starts to get paparazzi following her around and not being able to leave the house without a picture being taken. Meanwhile, she has to juggle the creeping love for one of her friends, seeing her best friend Victoria, the bitchiness and a negative picture being put in the papers. It's a dream come true, right?


Review:
In a nutshell, this book is about what it's like to suddenly have your name in all the magazines and the press stalking your every move. This is about what it is truly like to be famous (we all dream of it at some point, right?) and what effect that has on yourself and the people you love.
Sometimes I read some books and I just fall in love with the writing and the characters and overall, the book. Some people would say 'Ah it's one of those crappy teen books' but to be honest, I love those.
   The idea is really original and I know there aren't many books out there like this one. This is a very different book.
One thing I loved about this is the writing. I love those kind of books where it's like you're talking to someone who happens to be writing a book at the same time and this one is just like it. Robin Benway is such a good writer in that aspect and I am actually looking forward to finding some other stuff by her.
Over the time I read this, I was ill and I spend the whole morning reading about 200 pages and I don't do that normally. Her writing was that interesting and eventful.

Now the characters. Audrey. I love her! She has such a great sense of humour and is very sarcastic. Although, that may get on some people's nerves, I loved it. And I'm finding that I'm getting sarcastic myself recently. And I am sarcastic already...oh dear.
 Anyway, Audrey is a great character, she's interesting and funny and well...comes out and does some of the most funniest things.
The characters in general are so well thought out and so individual. With the added fact, it's in First Person, you start to feel like you are Audrey and these are your friends - I liked that. I felt more special I must admit.
My favourites were probably Victoria, Audrey's best friend and James, her work collegue who she likes.

The romance with James and Audrey wasn't understated but wasn't over the top. He wasn't in it the whole way through and to be honest, you don't see him coming until it happens. He is such a lovely guy and to be honest, I am a tad jealous of Audrey. Other honourable mentions are: Jonah (Victoria's boyfriend) and Audrey's parents who are the coolest parents I will ever meet. Oh and Bendy, the cat.

Overall, this book has more pros than cons for me. On a negative note, I know a lot of reviews on this book mention the swearing within it and I admit, being a non-swearer, there was a lot of it. On like every page. But then, those who would down grade it because of that, welcome to the real world! Funny enough, teenagers swear a lot and that amount wasn't unrealistic at all. I mean it.
   Also, at about halfway, I was thinking 'This is a 3.5 out of 5 at the moment' but by the end, I loved it. It literally turned on me about 40% of the way through. There are points which are less exciting than others and the fights nearer the end are shocking. And a bit...ugly.

I loved this book. It was enjoyable and interesting and something totally different. There are mixed views out there on this one but this is mine. This book will make you laugh, smile, cry, wince and all the other emotions you can think in books. And the moral of the story? Don't go out with a musician. Full Stop.

I give it a 5 out of 5 - I enjoy this much more than I thought.

Author's Website: http://www.robinbenway.com/my_weblog/