The Perks of being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

This is a book that has always interested me, as has for others. It is always a book that is named, never written about or seems to be read - well for me anyway.
After a school friend reading it and then, hearing about Amy reading and enjoying it, it started to interest me more and more. It wasn't until I walked into my college library did I finally see this book in the flesh - in the Banned Book Week section that my library had created.
This book is in the Top 10 books in the world to be banned. And from reading it, I can see why with the casual references to drugs, sex, alcohol, suicide and wait for it - being gay. Although this may cause people to be clicking the return button already from this review, wait. I could name a few books that address these issues and are not as banned as this one book - it's merely because it is all contained in this one 200-page odd book that adults - sorry - run the other way in fright. However - maybe teenagers actually like it. So TAKE THAT (I so thought of the band then...)

Synopsis: Charlie is starting high school as a freshman - alone. His best and only friend has gone and he is thought weird, geeky and socially awkward by his peers. This is until he is befriended by some seniors who take him under their wing and introduce him to the life of a typical teenager: relationships, love, drugs, alcohol and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Review: This is quite an...unusual book. I don't quite know how to put this review really.
Charlie is an interesting character. We start by knowing nothing and end with knowing not everything. His narrative is told through one sided letters by Charlie to a person he reveals he heard people talking about at his high school and thought he looked like a nice guy who wouldn't mind him sending him letters. Annoyingly, we never find out who this guy is.
Charlie starts of by having a lot of short sentences, like basic Year 1 language. I did this, I did that etc. But by the end of the novel, I found he wrote more freely and I almost enjoyed his writing. This book is not one where you can admire the vivid descriptions or be amazed by the choice of words. It is like Chbosky is saying 'Here's the story with no added crap. Like it or not'. Very different approach, but I liked this way. There was no metaphors and stupid representations of things you have to think yourself. It was just simple a story that could happen to a teenager.

Now, after reading some reviews on Goodreads, this book is thrashed down with a stick a lot. I admit, this is like putting a teenager in a book and adding every possible thing that could happen to a them in these years at once, but seriously, you know who you are, that does happen. I know a few people who have experienced all these things. Just because it is in a book doesn't it mean everything is fictional.
   Charlie was a likeable character I guess, although I found his naivity a tad annoying after a while. He just let people do things! The other characters were also great especially Sam and Patrick, the two seniors that befriend Charlie. There is this interesting, different relationship with all of them and things happen that would never be looked at in other YA novels which I liked. The other characters added a unique spin to this novel, each very original and typical of any teenager. Charlie seemed much younger than he was, just 16, my age.

Any readers of the book will sympathise with Charlie, especially if you are around his age. I remember being socially awkward myself, not quite sure what was the right or wrong thing to say in reply, how to talk to guys in a more mature, less playful way and how to arrange events without insulting anyone.
This really is a novel that anyone going or have gone through teenage years will understand and relate to, as well and feeling bad for Charlie. His sister and brother are no help, so with only two people much older than you for help, I think I would be like Charlie in that situation.

This is just something about this book that made me not love it, but not hate it either. I liked the references to the various books, which have also been banned (ha! Like Chbosky knew!) and the characters developing relationships. These are the things that made me enjoy the book. I think the main thing that made me not like this was the fact we never know what is wrong with Charlie, or who this person the letters are being sent to. I mean, if I'm going to read your book, you need to tell me these things, and there's not going to be a sequel, so do it now!

This book is strictly a more advanced read. It is complicated and I can see why it is one of the most banned books for the content, so be warned, this isn't a real YA book although it deals with that age range. The book provides a unique portrayal of teenage life that although, may seem unrealistic, I can assure you it is quite well done. It was interesting reading about Charlie and how he was accepted. There are many things about this book that I didn't like, the ending, the writing, Charlie himself at points. This book which everyone has heard of is nothing like you expect and will surprise you I think too. Although a slightly disappointment, it was very original and does stand out and is for any fans of John Green.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5

This book is being made into a movie for release in 2012, written and directed by Stephen Chbosky himself starring Logan Lerman (Charlie), Emma Watson (Sam) and Ezra Miller (Patrick). See here for more details

Author's Website: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Stephen-Chbosky/1843916
Pages: 213
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Challenges: None

Some books that also contain the issues addressed in this book:
- Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher - suicide
- Diving In - Kate Cann - sex
- Pretty Things - Sara Manning - drugs, alcohol, sex

Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson

I read this book a couple of years ago; I was probably about 12/13. I had bought this book when it was on sale and I liked the sound of it. At the time, I didn't like it - I didn't understand most of the words in it and what was happening and felt rather disappointed. That is why I was apprehensive about reading it again and not liking it - again.
I think as a 12/13 year old -  I just didn't understand what was happening and that things like this do happen.
This is my review of it but also a bit of context to those that aren't in secondary school/high school now.

Synopsis: Melina has started high school on an all time low. Her best friends don't want to know her. Everyone hates her for something she did because she was scared over the summer. She has no-one, even she can't talk to her parents without a fight happening as they are on the verge of separation. Why?
Over the summer, Melina called the police at an illegal party where there was alcohol because she got raped by a Senior. A Senior that won't let her forget and it making her mute. This novel follows Melina over her first year of high school which can make or break you and how she overcomes and tries desparately to beat her silence.


Review: If you read this, not knowing at all what high school/secondary school is like, you will probably think Laurie Halse Anderson is exaggerating her descriptions just to get a good story. Although, she maybe in some parts, me, the sixteen year old and in my last year at secondary school after some 5 years there, think it's pretty accurate.

She is successfully made Melina sound and behave like someone her age (14) would. She is such a beautifully written character with an interesting voice. There are some laugh-out-loud moments in this book at the hilarious descriptions of her teachers e.g. her Spanish teacher's wild hand actions after stating she will not speak English in class for the entire year (which fails in about a lesson). And then, Melina's sarcasm which I must admit, sounds a lot like the kind I use. However, there are parts which you will find sad and really feel for Melina.

I just want to write a bit about how it relates, I think it's important. Over my 5 years at my secondary school/high school, I have had 5 friendship groups (about one per year) and had arguments with the majority of them, I have been 'popular' (that's a term I use loosely) for about a year in my first year there before I had an argument with them for being 'different'. I have been called 'anorexic' countless of times because of my height, high metabolism and how thin I am (which I hate sometimes). I've been called 'langy', 'too perfect', 'a bitch', 'ugly' and a 'neek' (too clever basically). So I kinda understand the whole name calling thing in the book. Although, some of those are very 'rude' words to call someone, at school, you can't take offence to them, otherwise you'd probably be called something else. Sure, at home, I could cry and be affected by it to my heart's content but at school, in public, just talking across the playground or talking to a guy would make people notice you. It doesn't happen so much now because we all know each other but I see Facebook statuses from the younger years and girls crying in corridors all because they are known as a slut or slag. To be honest, take it in your stride.
Like the other day, I was walking along calmly, stopped to talk to my friend and then a girl in the year below elbowed through and then turned to me and said 'Oh my god, get out the way you fat idiot' and then walked off. I laughed. Nice of her, don't you think? I would go on but I don't want you to get bored.

Anyway, the novel really does show a pretty accurate image of high school/secondary school. The characters are well written and all completely different and are the sterotypical types of cliques you see in a school. This is so worth a read, even if in some places it is banned (for some unknown reason) in some places. I think it's because it's such a head on view of rape and bullying instead of kind of scooting around the main details to make it okay for teenagers to read. I'm sorry but if you read about rape and sex in a negative way, that means you're going to do it? Sure...
Have a look for more of her stuff...this book is definitely worth all the hype you see about it.

I give it a 4 out of 5

Author's Website: http://madwomanintheforest.com/
Pages: 230
Publisher: Hodder
Challenges: None

Quick Update #3

You know the most scary thing about blogging? The Stats.

So. Let's be fair, my blog is the most well known in the blogosphere but I'm up there - kind of. Anyway, today, I was bored after doing some science homework so I looked at my Stats which I normally feel self conscious about doing. Oh my.

In Janurary 2011, last month, I had 1,246 views from 16 different countries. Seriously.
Okay, so most of them was probably me (even though I don't track my pageviews) or my friends that have blogs themselves. It's just...so surreal.


Moving on, my birthday is in....THREE DAYS. I don't know why I'm so excited but I am. I guess it's because of the whole BIG sixteen thing. I mean, sixteen? Wowsas. That seems so older and mature. Which I am SO not. I burst in to laughter whenever my science teacher calls the air sacs in our lungs 'moist'. Gladly, I'm not the only one.
So yes. Moral of story. I am kind of excited for Sunday. I have a whole weekend of celebration, it's crazy. But also, I'm not because I leave the age of ripe old fifteen behind and also, it's so busy at the moment.

I am also loving Matched at the moment. It's so much like The Declaration series, it's unreal. Hmmm...copying? Don't think so. The plot and the 'worlds' are different structures etc.

Anyways. Have a nice weekend! :)

Teen Idol - Meg Cabot

Now, before you judge me on this book but this...rather bright pink cover, hear me out.
Alrighty. Well as much as I liked Dreamland, it was, overall, depressing and I needed something upbeat to help. So I chose this book as I used to read it when I was younger and I loved it. I also love how now, I understand the sexual innuendos and references.
    Also...Who (that is a girl and in their teens/20's) hasn't read any Meg Cabot books?
Not me. I loved this one - and the Princess Diaries series (which I still have on DVD) until they got all to about sex and I felt uncomfortable reading them...


Everyone loves Jen Greenley. She is pretty, clever and incredible good at giving advice and listening to people's problems. However, this doesn't always get you far in the whole teenage high school experience. Until, she is asked to look after Lucas Smith aka, Hollywood's most famous teenage actor, Luke Striker, who is coming to Clayton to research a role in a new high school set movie. He has of course, never been to high school before. It's up to Jen to make sure his true identity is not known and to keep on top of everything else. Soon everyone will know about her new friend and she'll be caught up in the chaos.


Overall, this is a fun read. It's funny at some points and the plot is unusual to most books for this age. I loved Jen as a character. She was very down to earth, trying to sort everyone out for a happy high school and I a very overall likable character. Which is probably how she should be considering the storyline.
I have two critisms.
1) She says 'I mean' quite a lot at the beginning - if to add humour - I don't know. But it did get annoying until it stopped being so frequent.
2) If I saw this book in a bookshop without reading it, I would think it's for pre-teens/young teens about 12/13. Well, I don't think it is. The cover lets it down and although it's a nice cover, it's too...pink. Jen isn't one of those pink, girly girls anyway.

What I loved was that what you think is going to happen at the beginning doesn't at the end - one think that I like about books. Keeps you guessing. The people in Clayton also find Luke's identity out about halfway through which left me thinking 'Hang on, what's happening in the rest of the book then?' But it works. I don't know why but it does and to be honest, Luke isn't actually physically in the book much.
He also seems very...hm...nice in description. I can understand their love for him. Trina, Jen's best friend, is the one that made me laugh. She reminded me of (if you may know) Trina on Victorious? It's a show I sometimes watch on Nick (yes. I watch that channel - and Disney). It's a good show and the way she was...and the name...reminded me of her.
In conclusion, this book is for fun reading especially after a depressing, sad novel and does leave you smiling and upbeat - just like I wanted.
Actually. To be honest, Meg Cabot does that in general. Make you smile I mean :)

I give this 3.5 out of 5

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

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/

Quick Update.

Yes, I have changed the design of the blog :)
Well, I was supposed to be revising for a Science exam tomorrow but I woke up at 10am so I thought 'Oh I'll do that this afternoon' as I know it basically. So I decided to do a bit of updating blogging. It only took 30 minutes.
So what do you think? Good? Bad? Tell me below and I may surprise any commenters...

Also. On Thursday, I got my Mock Results back. Yes, any older followers will know my posts on how much I hate exams or how stressed I am like here and here. Oh and here and here...
You get the picture.
So...I did okay I think. Here is what I got (this isn't like me boasting - I actually think I could have done much better, it's just some people who have had to read those posts might like to know...)

English Language: A
English Literature: A
Maths: B
Science: A
RS: B
Statistics: B
History: A*
French: A* in Reading and Writing, B in Listening
Drama: A
Media: A

I actually cannot believe the History - I was on the borderline though.
I have a real Science tomorrow for Chemistry, so hopefully I do well because I didn't think I did very well on that one and got an A. Ah. Being a teenager...

Remember to comment on what you think of the new design!

I don't even know what to title this as.

WARNING: This is me and my 'I hate being being in Year 11' mood.

 At the moment, I am sitting at the dining room table (which is used more as a study) surrounded by paper and books about how much importance Mr Collins has in Pride and Prejudice....and shouting 'Oh my god, I cannot think properly' to my empty, lonely house.
Oh I love weekends, don't you?

I have no social life for...maybe 3/4 months. The first time in a while that I ACTUALLY WENT OUT was last Monday with some friends Christmas shopping. Yep. You heard it right, I still need to get Christmas gifts for four of my best friends. Blame mocks, not our laziness....

In other news, it is a month till MY BIRTHDAY. I will be 16 years old. Wow-as. And GCSE's, I was thinking about the other day. When you're in like Year 7,8 or 9, you don't actually realise the stress the Year 11's have. I mean, I remember thinking last year that 'Oh Year 11's going to be quite easy with the fact I've done most of the work in Year 10' WHAT?
I was so wrong. There is still so many exams and so much coursework left to do. And two of my teachers have either broken/twisted their feet...ahh.

So. I am so stressed at this minute. As much as I didn't mind Pride and Prejudice and I think Collins is probably the most well-written character by a long shot, I'm starting to hate it. This is what GCSE English does to you:

- You despise Of Mice and Men and the way Steinbeck has used so many ways to show things about the characters/places.
- I cannot watch War of the Worlds (with Tom Cruise) without analysising it and saying 'oh I love the way they've done this blah blah BLAH....'
- I hate Romeo and Juliet. I still have no idea what Shakespeare is rattling on about, although, I cannot watch the 1960's version of the movie without thinking the Romeo looks like Zac Efron, BIG time.
- I'm starting to hate Mr Collins and Pride and Prejudice in general. I have 6 more points to cover and I'm stuck and just cannot describe what is happening or what is important about it. To be honest, I think I've gone off on a rant about something I have no idea I did.
- I feel like I can Write to Persuade to anyone. Oh yeah! (oh god rebecca, you saddo)

That's kinda it. And I got it out my system. PHEW....
Oh and then, I get My Mock Results (haha MMR - anyone else find that funny?) on Thursday afternoon. Oh boy...

Please Read This. Thank You.

I am 15 years old, right? I am 16 in 2 months and am going to college next year. Even though in England, it's not compulsory. I still am because I want to get a good job that I want to do and good grades and qualifications.
Anyway, before you wonder why I'm stating this, you'll understand now.

Today, in my French lesson, our teacher came in without a friendly 'Bonjour' or 'Les Devoirs?'. No, one of the first things she said was 'Do you know anyone in this class that was in that walk out at break because of the university fees?'

Okay, I just want to say that, I would like to go to university if I feel it necessary. My English teacher says 'Keep in education as long as you can; it will help with your future job.'
Which is one reason why I would like to go, apart from the typical answer, like I said above.
I have no idea what I'd study but I'll jump that hurdle when I get there. If I get there.
I also know that you have to pay to go to university and I agree £9,000 tuition fees is a bit heavy, especially with the fact we're in a crisis with money etc.

But seriously, go out of school to stand outside one of the Liberal Democrats offices and protest, rather loudly, about them. And you're in Year 10. That's the year below me, so they're about 14/15 and have at least 3/4 years until they have to even think seriously about university.

I would join them. I have to admit, if I wasn't in school, revising for exams that I need to pass to go to university, I would have gone too. But it's the wrong way to do it...and in Year 10, still in secondary school where the prospect of even applying for a certain university isn't even thought of yet? No, I personally don't think they should have gone themselves.

One reason for writing this: I saw an article posted on Facebook about from one of the people involved in it. You're proud that you did that? That you made the school look bad; young people look terrible, as per usual; and got your name and voice in the papers and want all your friends and peers to know so you can gloat? Is that really what this is all about?
And, I'll tell you what. It was all the 'popular' Year 10's. Yep, Popular people still 'rule' the year groups. They think they can do these things because they have the 'power'. I'm not one of these people. I think those kind of people who care only about their status in school, hair, make-up, getting a boyfriend...it's pathetic and sad. Wait till you get into the real world and the frantic world of GCSE's...

And the worst part? The other reason why I'm writing this. I was waiting at the bus stop today after a revision class. It was snowy and all the older people coming home from shopping were underneath the bus shelter and I didn't want to stand in the snow I'd just been walking in. So I stood right at the end of shelter where there is a little bit of glass over you, and you're right by where the bus stops. And when a bus came (not my one), this woman shoved by and said loudly 'Right now, the bus has come, you can wait in the queue like the rest of us. You young people these days! You think you can do whatever you want.'
And actually, that hurt me a little because I would have let her and the rest who had been waiting for the bus first go in front of me; I was just standing there for convience.

Why should all young people have a bad image because of this and other things because of a small miniority making people think it's general amongst all young people? Why? And then, gloating about making this 'point'?

I don't understand the society we live in sometimes. I really don't.

L is for the way you look at me...



top: topshop,
necklace: antique shop in brighton

 It's been a pretty stressful week and yesterday, topped it all off completely. It was one of the worst days I've had in a long time, for a number of reasons.
    However, I went to Stagecoach afterwards and I was cheered up by all my friends there. At the moment we're doing Little Shop of Horrors. For those of you who don't know, it's about a failing flower shop who find a magical plant and put it in the window to get more customers, however, the plant feeds on humans and by the end of the play, everyone is dead and the plant takes over the world.
So funsies. It's erm....going....interestingly.

The picture above is what I'm wearing now. I brought the t-shirt in Topshop last week for £12 in the sale. Had been about £22. :)
The necklace, you can just about make out, is something I brought in an antique shop in Brighton a couple of months ago when I went there for my friend's birthday.

One thing that did brighten up my week was receiving this:

Jack Petchey Award

Sorry it's a bit smudged. I got caught with it when there were gale force winds and it chucking it down with rain. So that was fun and nice for me. :)

x

Just Listen - Sarah Dessen

First Sentence: I taped it back in April, before anything had happened, and promptly forgot about it. A few weeks ago, it had started running again and, suddenly, I was everywhere.

Just Listen is another book by the 'amazing' Sarah Dessen (SD). Annabel Greene is one of these girls that have it all - model looks, confidence, a social life (I'm sure we've all come across one). Or so it seems. After the night at a party where everything changes, Annabel can't bear to remember or tell about the night and the things that happened before like her sister's eating disorder and her grandmother's death. Until he meets Owen - a guy who always tells the truth, has Anger Managerment and who is also obsessed with music. Soon, a close bond forms. But can he help her forget her past and help her face her fears - telling the truth.

This isn't one of SD's best novels for me but still it is good and definately worth a read. Yes, it's quite girly in the sense that there's love and that sort of stuff but not as much as in some of her other novels. This is about music and telling the truth. I must admit a couple of times, I did feel a little bit guilty for some of the white lies I've told. Apart from that, it is well written including some descriptions of the type of people you see in every school (the bitchy popular girl, the girl who seems to have it all) which made me relate to it much more. Like all SD novels, you will 'Read her once and fall in love.'

I give her 5 out of 5
Author's Website: www.sarahdessen.com/