China Miéville - Un Lun Dun

What an amazing story! Un Lun Dun is spectacularly imaginative and the UnLondon that China Miéville has created is endlessly fascinating. Certainly, there will be comparisons to Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere that also features an alternate London called London Below (Miéville acknowledged Neverwhere as a source of inspiration) but Un Lun Dun is uniquely charming in its own right. I loved the characters and the surprising turns that the story took. I kept expecting Book to discover that it was wrong about the prophecies all along and it was actually Deeba who was the Schwazzy, but I liked how Miéville stuck to celebrating the sidekick – you know, the funny one. The madcap universe of UnLondon (and other abcities) was absolutely delightful; my favourite inhabitants were the binjas and utterlings. Oh, and of course, Curdle, your very own pet milk carton. Un Lun Dun was an utterly engaging and entertaining read and I would be happy to revisit this weird and whimsical world with carnivorous giraffes and half-ghosts again and again. Now, can someone tell me how I can get my very own rebrella?

William Sleator - The Beasties

I picked this up at a library book sale, thinking I would be in for an old-school horror treat, especially after seeing the endorsement by R.L. Stine on the back cover; I was sadly mistaken. The book starts out okay but quickly develops into a strange mix of gory horror with an environmental agenda. I guess kudos to the author for trying something different and attempting to use this medium to convey a serious message about environmental issues and its impacts to his young audience, but in my opinion, it didn't work at all. I didn't particularly care for the characters either, so in the end, nothing much about the book really appealed to me, which is a true shame as I had been rather looking forward to this one. Oh well... moving on!

Michael Chabon - Summerland

I so wanted to get into this book and enjoy it but I just couldn't. The premise sounded great and right up my alley: magic worlds; supernatural creatures; underdog kid who saves the world. All great things, except for one thing. Baseball. It's not the first time that I've read a book that featured a sport that I'm not particularly into; The Art of Racing in the Rain holds that honour. However, while I could appreciate the racing aspects of that novel even though I couldn't care less about cars going round and round on a track, this was not the same for Summerland. For me, the baseball bits just bogged down the story and I just could not settle into it. After I tried for a few days, I decided to drop it when I reached page 110. I probably would have enjoyed it if I had made it to the end; I just didn't want to push myself anymore. Back to the library this goes!

Stephenie Meyer - Breaking Dawn

Well, after two very long days, I have completed the Twilight Saga. After reading the last installment till 3am this morning and then finishing the rest in about another hour and a half when I woke up, I am officially finished with the Twilight series. Not since the Harry Potter books have I ever been this engaged in a literary universe. Sure, I adore the Discworld books (Terry Pratchett remains a firm favourite of mine) but the pull is so much different with the Twilight books - I think I may possibly love them more than the Harry Potter series. I think it's to do with the complicated supernatural love triangle - all that teenage angst and melodrama! Some have complained that Breaking Dawn is too neat and tidy, that everyone gets their happy ending and it's just too convenient. Well, what's wrong with that? I could be biased as I am a sucker for happy endings, but it's not like Stephenie Meyer just gave the characters their happily-ever-after that easily. Everyone went through incredible hardship and to me, the progression of events felt like they made sense and not contrived at all. I also really enjoyed the chapters from Jacob's perspective, which helped to break up the book a bit and provided a bit of comic relief, even with the painful moments for him at the time. As a reader, I was so attached to these characters as Meyer brought them to life and made them intensely real, and it brought me comfort that everything worked out in the end. My only complaint is the ridiculous name for Bella and Edward's baby, Renesmee - thank goodness for the nickname, Nessie, which is just soooooo much better! It wouldn't surprise me if there's a new series for Jacob and Nessie in the future; it will be interesting to see how that turns out! In the meantime, although I know the project has been put on hold indefinitely, I hope Stephenie Meyer will continue to work on Midnight Sun and publish it sometime in the future. As painful as the leaks have been for her, I think having Edward's perspective on the events in Twilight will give fans that extra insight and dimension into the world of Twilight and it wouldn't be fair to punish the fans for something that they could not control. For now, I will have to make do with the current set of books and I look forward to the movie sequels. I've had such a thrilling ride in the Twilight universe and I remain a happy and besotted fan!

Stephenie Meyer - Eclipse

Okay, so this was an incredibly soppy read at times - it really is a teenage soap opera with supernatural elements - but I don't care. I absolutely LOVED it, possibly even more so than Twilight. I was so incredibly swept up in the story that I simply couldn't tear my eyes away, even with the ridiculously sappy lines for the romantic bits. What can I say, I'm a sucker for sappy romance! The Bella-Edward-Jacob love triangle goes into full swing in Eclipse and even though it's obvious there can't be a happy ending for all parties involved, there are still a few thoroughly enjoyable and hilarious moments. I enjoyed reading about the rivalry between Jacob and Edward, in particular the two major events when Bella punched Jacob (and broke her hand), and when they were camping and ended up sharing the same tent - I couldn't stop myself laughing. There are also the sad moments: when Edward and Jacob share a heart-to-heart; when Bella comes to the realisation that she does love both Edward and Jacob but it is impossible to reconcile her feelings for both. Corny as the words may have been, I was incredibly touched by the part where Bella was at Jake's side after getting hurt in the vampire fight and they both had to acknowledge that their future was not going to happen. I was so emotionally invested in the story that I was still heartbroken for Jacob (even though he's not real!) for the inevitable outcome; I may have even shed a few tears (gasp!). Stephenie Meyer does lay it on a bit thick with the 'no sex before marriage' message, which was mildly annoying but not enough to dampen my love for the book. Oh, I also needed to point out the one mistake that I found (which stood out because it irked me) when 'who's' was used instead of 'whose'. This was right towards the end when Bella and Edward were having a discussion about sex/wedding/the change and Edward wanted to know whose definition of right that Bella was adhering to. Again, another minor detail but I just needed to point it out. That said, Meyer's writing is just absolute magic and with Eclipse, I was drawn even deeper into the world where Bella Swan, Eward Cullen and Jacob Black exist, even with all the melodrama. Bring on Breaking Dawn!

Stephenie Meyer - New Moon

After finishing Twilight yesterday, I started reading New Moon straight away and didn't go to sleep till I finished it (much to my husband's annoyance). Just like its predecessor, New Moon was another enthralling read that I couldn't put down. The whole Bella-and-Edward thing did get a bit tedious at times with the Romeo and Juliet star-crossed lovers tragedy hammed up a little way too much, but having accepted the melodrama and teenage angst from the first book, it would be hypocritical to start complaining about it now. I really liked the character of Jacob Black, who became more than just Billy's kid in this book. As much as I welcomed Edward's return, it was a little sad to see the negative impact it had on Jacob's relationship with Bella as I thought he was such a revitalising breath of fresh air and I really enjoyed reading about their interactions. I'm not sure what Stephenie Meyer can do with the Bella-Edward-Jacob love triangle as it's pretty much doomed; vampire and werewolves as mortal enemies kinda make any friendship or relationship a lot harder! I'm now moving on to Eclipse, I'll be back with a report soon!

Stephenie Meyer - Twilight

I absolutely loved Twilight when I first read the book last year, so of course when the movie came out, I knew I was definitely going to watch it, even though I was a little apprehensive as the film adaptation could turn out to be crap. I checked out the movie last night with some of my friends and it was okay, although I don't think I liked it as much as the book (casting was definitely a major issue!). As I had read the book so long ago, I had forgotten some of the finer details, which in a way worked in my favour as I think I would be majorly disappointed in the movie otherwise. After last night's experience, I decided to re-read the book to go through the original story and refresh my memory. Twilight is just as fantastic the second time round and I ripped through this book quickly and finished it in a matter of a few hours. While I think the movie was a decent effort, the book is just so much better and I remembered how much I loved it after reading it again. I can see how this book can irritate some because Bella and Edward can get a bit melodramatic at times, but come on, she's a teenage girl in love with a vampire who's permanently 17 years old! I think the occasional whining and teenage angst should be a given. I still think this is brilliant YA fiction that I enjoyed thoroughly and I hope the newfound fans from the movie will discover the book that it's based on. I am now going to power through the rest of the series now so hopefully when the rest of the movies get released, the story won't be so fresh in my head and I can give myself a chance to enjoy the movies!

Trenton Lee Stewart - The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

With this post, I'm all caught up with the books that I've read over the past few months. I hope to be able to keep this book blog updated regularly from now on!

This book is the sequel to The Mysterious Benedict Society, where the brave and clever foursome set off on yet another adventure. This time, they have to rescue Mr. Benedict and Number Two as they have been abducted by Mr. Benedict's evil twin and the children need to figure out the clues to get to them before it's too late. In this book, there is more 'action' as the children are thrust into the thick of it and they have to depend on themselves to get to Mr. Benedict without any help from the adults, and trying to dodge the Ten Men at the same time. The same clever puzzles are here again, this time in the form of clues and riddles that the kids need to decipher in order to follow Mr. Benedict's trail. Once again, this is another brilliantly written book by Trenton Lee Stewart, charting the protagonists' growth and increasing maturity since the last book and really demonstrating to readers how these characters have grown and developed. My only complaint is that I felt the story ended quite awkwardly but this is only a very minor thing. Now all I have to do is wait for the next book in the series!

Neil Gaiman - The Graveyard Book

This is another magnificent book by the master storyteller, Neil Gaiman. This may be YA fiction but it is equally engaging for kids and adults alike. It certainly held me captive; but then again, all Neil Gaiman novels have. As usual, Gaiman has crafted an engaging set of characters, in particular Silas and Nobody Owens. I was completely drawn into Bod's world and I was hanging onto every word as I read about his adventures. If anything, this book was too short and there was so much more I wanted to know. For example, what is Silas's backstory? The novel hints at him being a vampire but this is never specified in the book, and there's no history on Silas or why he ends up at the graveyard. The Sleer also remains a bit of a mystery. I also don't think Gaiman provided a clear enough motive as to why the Jacks wanted Bod and his family dead. Gaiman also didn't explain why Bod seemed to be losing his 'graveyard' powers at the end - is it an age thing or is there some other reason? Certainly, I would love to read more about Silas and Nobody so hopefully Gaiman will bring them back in future books. In the meantime, this will be a treasured book and I look forward to reading it again and again.

J.K. Rowling - The Tales of Beedle the Bard

This book was much thinner and smaller than I expected and it was really quick to get through. There's not much to fault with this little book, J.K. Rowling's latest offering to her Harry Potter crazed fans (me included). The five short tales that Rowling has written up here are enjoyable, but made even more so through Dumbledore's notes, giving readers additional insight to the Harry Potter universe. I was also impressed by her own hand-drawn illustrations included in the book; I can imagine why the collector's edition, which is a replica of the handcrafted original, would be a prized treasure for those willing to spend the money! This is a neat little addition to the Harry Potter series and it's also nice to know that my purchase helped in a small way towards a charitable cause. For all Harry Potter fans, this is definitely a must-buy!

Debi Gliori - Pure Dead Magic

Even though I bought this book and its sequel ages ago, somehow I never got round to reading them. They were just sitting on my bookshelf looking pretty with their lovely velvety covers. Well, I finally picked up this book a couple of months ago to read it and it was a really fun story, which I think will really appeal to younger kids. The fantasy does get a little OTT at time, but I think that's part of the charm - what with the ravenous crocodile living in the moat; a strange combination of house pets including a yeti, a griffin, and a dragon; a new Mary Poppins-like magical nanny; frozen nana in the basement - they all come together to make one very humorous story involving the Strega-Borgia family. With a willing suspension of disbelief (rats and sisters can't really be e-mailed and lost through the modem, amongst numerous other things), I think most readers will come away from this with a smile on their faces.

Trenton Lee Stewart - The Mysterious Benedict Society

This book was an absolute delight to read! Even though it's a kids' book, as an adult, I enjoyed it thoroughly. The story was original and refreshing, and it's just so clever! Trenton Lee Stewart creates four protagonists who are all very smart and capable in their own way that will resonate strongly with today's kids. I also think it's great that there are all these puzzles weaved into the plot because they challenge readers and get them thinking to try to solve these puzzles themselves - I know they certainly got my brain working! I can imagine myself reading this as a 10-year-old and I know I would have been absolutely fascinated by the Mysterious Benedict Society and their adventures. It was still a joy to read it now, even though I'm no longer in the target age group! I am really pleased to have discovered this book and also so thrilled to find such great literature that is available for children these days. I hope Trenton Lee Stewart writes more adventures for this bunch - it would be a really great series!

Jenny Valentine - Finding Violet Park

Quirky little book, this one is. First impressions? It smacks a little of Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time from the quirky and unusual lead character to the side detective story when Lucas embarks on a quest to find Violet Park. Nevertheless, Finding Violet Park is a clever and original story in its own right, which really is not so much about finding Violet Park, but Lucas's own journey to break free from his abandonment issues and trauma after his father vanished without a trace and to accept his family as it is. Valentine weaves in an improbable connection between a dead lady whose ashes are stashed in a minicab office and Lucas's father, but somehow, the tale works, resulting in a funny and moving story with fabulous, well-observed characters. I purchased this book on a whim because of its interesting cover and I'm really glad I did so. This is an unusual but enjoyable read that I would highly recommend to readers of all ages.

John Connolly - The Book of Lost Things

John Connolly just seems to get better and better with each book of his that I pick up; he's definitely become one of my favourite authors. (Number one will always be Terry Pratchett though!) Even though this is only the third book that I've read by John Connolly, I reckon it's the best so far. I've always been a fan of fantasy and fairy tales, and while Connolly is not the first who has given his own twist on the traditional fairy tales that we know, he weaves them into a unique story of his own and gives them shape and context within his own tale. Especially after reading his own personal views about the book -- these are shared with readers at the end -- this really provides readers greater insight into his thoughts behind certain elements of the book and gives the book deeper meaning. I also enjoyed reading the original versions of the tales referenced in the book and about their origins. Again, this highlights the care behind the thought process of the author; Connolly is truly a master of his craft. This is a definite addition to my list of favourite books, and I will be purchasing my own copy (I had borrowed this from the library) for my personal library, which I am sure I will be reading again and again.

Markus Zusak - The Book Thief

Wow. I don't think I've read a book quite like this one before. While I didn't mind Death narrating the story, I did find the constant interruptions rather annoying at times. I felt they disrupted the flow of the story and although they did contain useful information, they were more irritating than anything else, especially so at the beginning at the book. Nevertheless, these were minor things and did not take away from the brilliance of this novel. While the writing may be simple and plain, it paints incredibly vivid images. I loved the characters and I felt that the emotions they experienced during such a tumultuous time -- joy; anger; pain; love; and suffering -- really came through in Zusak's tale. Although the ending brought me to tears, ultimately I believe this story is about hope and courage despite such horrific and tragic circumstances. I hope this message stays with all readers for a very long time.