Jinx

Jinx by Meg Cabot is one of my most favorite books of all time. This book, written by the well known author of the Princess Diaries series, tells the story of 16 year old Jean Honeychurch.

Jean, or "Jinx" as everyone calls her, has been in the midst of misfortune all her life, ever since she was young things just seem to go wrong everywhere she goes. Even when she was born, lightning struck the hospital causing all the power to go off. So when she is practically stalked by an obsessive lover and is forced to move to New York to stay with her Aunt and Uncle, it is the least of her worries.

Her cousin Tory is messed up, doing drugs, staying out to all hours of the night and seems to think she is a witch, Jean as well. Might she be one?

This book is a nice and easy read. It is skillfully written (thanks to Cabot's experience) but is not to heavy like some books. The story has been carefully planned and is almost a mystery in the fact that you don't know exactly the full story till the very end.

Written in first person is always a nice way to go for teenage fiction. I find this because of the emotional rollercoasters that are experienced during these years. That is why the book is so nice, because you really get a sense of this girl's personality.

It is funny though how predictable Cabot's books are though (in the romance sense). It is always the same.

Unpopular girl likes hot blond jock. They get together. Jock turns out to be an idiot. They split up. Girl goes with unpopular but handsome brown haired guy that she didnt realize liked her. They live happily ever after.

Despite this, the books are still great entertainment. I love Jinx, so read it!

Are these my basoomas I see before me?

This is the tenth and final book in one of the most brillopads series i have ever read. It is part of the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison.

All of these books are written as if it is a diary, but unlike The Princess Diaries, it is not your typical 'Dear Diary, today i went to the shops blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda', it is much more 'in the moment'. It is really just the thoughts and experiences that are happening every few minutes for the main character, Georgia. If that makes sense.

The basic storyline, is, erm, there isn't much of a storyline. It is just Georgia Nicolson life and the mad things that happen in it. For instance, at one point of the 10th book her friend Rosie and Rosie's boyfriend, Sven, wear matching TIGHT catsuits when they go to a club. Instances like these happen very often in Georgia's life. But if there is one reason there is a book for these books (cause there has to be a reason otherwise 'what is the point?') is to show Georgia and her 'love' life. She and her boy chasing (and at times, boys chasing her) can have some pretty hilarious effects.

Georgia is one mad, mad girl. She talks in a way that most people with no madness in their soul would be like 'WTF?'. She says things like 'Marvy' and 'he is having a nervy b bordering on a stop to strop central'. This is why it is important to start at the begging of the series (unlike some people, who think they can skip right to the 6th book... grrrrr...) where it is more normal, so to get used to her way of speaking and not be all 'WTF?' when u open the book yourself. If you need any help deciphering the text, there is thankfully a glossary in the back of all the books.

As these books are set in England, lots of English slang is involved. For example, a 'fag' in England is in fact, not a homosexual, but a cigarette. So don't get upset if you read something saying 'Jacky lit up a fag', thinking she was setting fire to a gay person.

The books are a bit rudey dudey actually so if you are under 13 and not particularly mature, i do not suggest reading them. Also, if you are over 20 and you read them you may think they are a bit daft. The first book in the series is called Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging, so if you are think of reading it search for this title.

There is also a movie made of the first two books called Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, but be warned, if you watch the movie first and do not like it, it has quite a different feel to the books and vise versa.

Absolutely FAB-FABBITY-FAB read and i suggest it to everyone! Except guys off course ;)

A Great and Terrible Beauty

This book, A great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray, and the follow ups Rebel Angels and The Sweet Far Thing, is one of the best series I have read in a long time.

It is set in the years 1895-1896 and is filled with poofy skirts and tight corsets. It is a perfect picture of the time, from gossip filled tea parties to grand balls in enormous halls. This particular story is about a girl named Gemma Doyle.

Gemma Doyle has always been a bit unusual. She is not the type to sit and drink tea and gossip with the other girls in her home in Bombay, India. With her flaming red hair and "unsettling" bright green eyes, she has always been a bit unconventional. So of course, though wanting it very much, being shipped of to a London all-girls boarding school after her mother's sudden murder, complicates her life even more.

You see, Gemma is prone to visions. Sometimes useful, sometimes dangerous but no matter what that good-looking, mysterious, young, Indian man that is following her says, she cant get rid of them, they are part of her. These visions, and some outside help, help her discover the existence of the shadowy Order and her mother's connection with it. This leads her to discover the realms, a world between worlds where anything can exist and along with her friends Felicity, Ann and Pippa, she sets off too explore it, but it is not all than meets the eye.

This series is extremely well written and explores a lot more than you would expect than a book set in the 19th century. It talks about love, friendship, death, adolescence, sexism and of course, racism. When reading this book you start to think about everything in a whole new light. Why shouldnt women go to university? And though you may be thinking "But they can now! That was years ago!" this book shows it from the inside, from the mind of a woman in that time. How she thought about it, and how she dealt with it. She didnt think it was all that strange! That was how it was.

I also think that Libba Bray has found a way to connect the book with the reader. The way you can find yourself in each of the main characters. For instance, i am most like Gemma, I am a bit different and very wary, i like to look after my friends. But Felicity and me share the same love of standing out, we are both attention seekers. Then there is Ann. Ann is a very very shy and quiet character. You now may be thinking "hang on, how can u be like her if u r an attention seeker?" well, my answer for that is this, she loves acting and singing, just like me!

On another note, when reaching the end of each of the books, though being a series, it does not finish abruptly. Although the plot is unfinished, and the story not rapt up until the very last book, it is still satisfying. Libba has finished each of them in such a way that they can almost stand alone. This may also be because there is so much to think about when reading them that your head is full of thoughts and questions so that to pick up the next book would be overload!

Overall, an excellent read and i suggest it for anyone aged 13-30.

Velcome Children.....

Welcome to my new book review blog! My name is Gabaz and i am reasonably new to blogging. A friend of mine got me into it and i have had quite a lot of fun with my normal blog, The Schwartz is Strong with this One; keeperofagreatermagic.blogspot.com. But this blog, as you can obvs tell from the title, is just a book review blog. I decided to make this cause i love reading and i always have a large pile of books on my bedside table. I also have an awful lot to say on my books. So here is a place i can share it all with the world!