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TM
The Moonlight Dreamers
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I won a copy of this book over at Maximumpopbooks in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book all about friendship.It was a cute, fun and heart warming read and I enjoyed the twists and turns along the way.

Amber is sick and tired of being treated differently at school, she is not one to conform. All the girls at school are obsessed with beauty, fashion and boys! All she wants is to have a proper conversation with someone her own age about her interests and not to be judged on her views. Inspired by her favourite author Oscar Wilde she plans to start a group called the Moonlight Dreamers, where she can find like-minded people, others who have dreams,others that are different and can talk about anything in the group without being taunted. Four girls join the group but they couldn’t be more different.

Amber,Sky, Maali and Rose couldn’t be more different. Amber is being bullied at school, the main reason being that she has two dads, also she is not getting on with one of them and is leaving her quite stressed. She tries to de-stress with writing on her blog and starting the Moonlight Dreamers. Sky is still grieving for her mother, trying to become a poet and perform in front of others whilst her dad is canoodling with a celebrity. Maali is trying to get the courage to speak to boys so one day she will find her soul mate and Rose is sick and tired of being told what to do by her mother and feeling pressurised by her boyfriend. These girls were so different from one another,we had different religions, race and backgrounds. There was also so much creativity from poetry, writing, art and baking.The diversity in this book was amazing. As soon as I had read that Amber had two dads I knew that I was going to enjoy this book, I have never read anything where there have been same-sex parents and loved that Siobhan Curham added it into the book. There were parts in the book where I was so worried for some of the characters that I was reading as fast as possible to make sure they were alright.

    " Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”

The book is mostly about developing friendships, families and identity. I liked that this book had no romance in it and it wasn’t needed as there was so much going in on with the girls lives that you were focused on their individual issues. The book was fast paced with a short paragraph or two from each of their point of views. There were also different formats used such as texts, emails and notes from blogs which made the book read quicker.

This book was so honest and relatable,the problems that Teenagers go through at school such as not fitting in, bullying,boyfriends,sex etc etcera. Parents are being……well… Parents!,you know what it’s like when your young, your parents are insufferable, embarrassing and doing everything in their power to make your life hell. I think this book will be great for teenagers and very influential, I personally would have loved a secret society when I was at school.

The ending was really heart warming and wrapped up nicely. My favourite characters from the book are Rose and Maali, I would say this book is for younger YA readers from 13+

I rated this 4.25 out of 5 stars
  
The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars
John Green | 2012 | Children
10
8.2 (185 Ratings)
Book Rating
If you don’t want to read a long review, here’s my summary: Read. This. Book. It is perfect.

In my last review (of <a href="http://awowords.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/beautiful-creatures/">Beautiful Creatures</a>), I was a little harsh about the portrayal of love stories in teenage/young adult fiction. The backbone of this book is that slowly but surely, the two main characters, Hazel and Augustus, fall in love. It’s not some pre-determined, intense force that sweeps the characters off their feet. It’s slow and steady, with a few set-backs, much like Hazel’s breathing at times, if you like. As Hazel puts it, perfectly:

<blockquote>“I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.”</blockquote>

There’s nothing glamorous – life goes up and down, it’s sad and it’s funny, it’s not fair. It’s real.

In The Fault in Our Stars, John Green introduces us to two extremely philosophical teenagers that have been through a lot more than most people, with the knowledge that there is only more hardship to come. He humanises something I know I have never really thought about – the feelings, and more specifically, the sense of humour cancer sufferers/survivors have throughout it all. I talk about the humour later, but something that really got the message across was Hazel finally admitting her biggest fear to her parents. Hazel, the girl who decided to become a vegetarian so as to “minimise the number of deaths I’m responsible for.”

<blockquote>“‘I’m like. Like. I’m a grenade, Mom. I’m a grenade and at some point I’m going to blow up and I would like to minimise the casualties, okay?’”</blockquote>

It was the realness of the characters that got me so attached. For the last third of the story, I was unabashedly sobbing (luckily, alone. The first time I finished this, I was on a bus). To be blunt (and a little bit gross), the best way I can describe the end of this book is like this. When I was a child, I’d be crying my eyes out over something or other, and my mum would be comforting me. When the worst was over, she’d joke that I’d better not have got snot on her jumper, which would make me laugh through the tears. I’m trying not to put spoilers in here, but the next quote, for example, happens just after one of the most poignant parts of the book. It lightens the mood without altering the seriousness, and at the same time reminding us that they are, after all, only teenagers.

<blockquote>“He smiled. Gallows humour. ‘I’m on a roller coaster that only goes up,’ he said.

‘And it is my privilege and my responsibility to ride all the way up with you,’ I said.

‘Would it be absolutely ludicrous to try to make out?’

‘There is no try,’ I said. ‘There is only do.’”</blockquote>

John Green managed to blend humour and tragedy perfectly. If you’ve read the book already, he wrote a blog post answering questions about the book – I’d recommend a read. I don’t want to waffle, so I’ll leave it there, but I’d wholeheartedly recommend The Fault in Our Stars - it’s an instant favourite and already has a place in my heart. Don’t forget the tissues!

Oh, and about the film that’s apparently in the works – did anyone else picture Hazel as looking a little like Ellen Page in Juno? Maybe it’s a similar attitude to life, but I could only see her as this!

PS – Sorry for anglicising the quotes – habit!

This review is also on my <a href="http://awowords.wordpress.com">blog</a>; - if you liked it, please check it out!
  
DM
Dead Memories (D.I. Kim Stone, #10)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
She ruined their lives. Now they’re going to destroy hers.
‘Someone is recreating every traumatic point in your life. They are doing this to make you suffer, to make you hurt and the only possible end game can be death. Your death.’
On the fourth floor of Chaucer House, two teenagers are found chained to a radiator. The boy is dead but the girl is alive. For Detective Kim Stone every detail of the scene mirrors her own terrifying experience with her brother Mikey, when they lived in the same tower block thirty years ago.
When the bodies of a middle-aged couple are discovered in a burnt-out car, Kim can’t ignore the chilling similarity to the death of Erica and Keith – the only loving parents Kim had ever known.
Faced with a killer who is recreating traumatic events from her past, Kim must face the brutal truth that someone wants to hurt her in the worst way possible. Desperate to stay on the case, she is forced to work with profiler Alison Lowe who has been called in to observe and monitor Kim’s behavior.
Kim has spent years catching dangerous criminals and protecting the innocent. But with a killer firmly fixed on destroying Kim, can she solve this complex case and save her own life or will she become the final victim?

Dead Memories is the tenth book in the DI Kim Stone series, wow what a story!
This is another very cleverly written and fast-paced plot. Wonderful well developed characters and a wide range of suspects to choose from.
Lots of action and tons of suspense from start to finish. Riddled with twists and this story is not predictable at all.
Absolutely the best in series so far in my opinion. Thoroughly enjoyed and I highly recommend reading!!

Thanks so much to Netgalley, Bookouture, and Angela Marsons for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
  
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
2018 | Biography, Drama, Music
Missed the mark by some way
Given the length of the film, there was a real chance to tell the compelling story of one of the biggest rock bands in history.
However, so much of the band's story is missed out in favour of portraying Mercury as a troubled man. The opening 10 minutes of the film basically covers the band's formation, first gigs and name change and within 15 minutes they are pretty much world famous. For me, this would have been the most interesting aspect of their fame. Instead it all just happens in some very short, throwaway scenes where the editing is so abrupt as to make you queasy.
There then follows an over-indulgent, though enjoyable, section showing how the recording of Bohemian Rhapsody came about. Very little about where the inspiration came from, just how it was recorded. Again, this felt like a missed mark.
There were some amusing scenes - arguing over the artistic merit of songs like "I'm in love with my car" for example, and Mike Myers' character saying he couldn't see a group of teenagers listening to Bo-Rap in their car (Wayne's World reference).
The film then spirals into misery, with Freddie's coming out, isolation from friends and family, the band's split and his solo career (with none of the highs of that material, just that it was hard work and the band hated it). His eventual realisation that he'd been lead astray by a negative influence and came back was pretty badly handled.
The culmination of the film, the Band Aid scenes, was excellent and thoroughly enjoyable.
I think the film was trying to show Freddie as being a troubled genius. Instead I found it to show him as being an irritating gullible drama queen.
Malek's portrayal of Freddie was mostly fine, but not Oscar-worthy.
All in all, a boring over-dramatized telling of the worst parts of Mercury's life, and by no means a celebration of his career and talent.
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Modern Lovers in Books

Feb 13, 2018  
Modern Lovers
Modern Lovers
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Zoe, Andrew, and Elizabeth have been friends since their college days at Oberlin. Back then, they were part of a band with their fourth friend, Lydia. Now the first three are nearing fifty, living in the same New York suburban neighborhood. Zoe resides with her wife, Jane, and their daughter Ruby. Meanwhile, Andrew and Elizabeth, now married, have a teenage son, Harry. The friends have been together through thick and thin, but things are starting to get a bit more difficult as they face the trials of aging. Zoe isn't sure if her marriage is going to hold, while Elizabeth is struggling with issues of her own. And Andrew, well, is Andrew going through some sort of midlife crisis? The three friends must confront their past (and some well-kept secrets) as well as deal with their future, including their growing (and rapidly maturing) offspring.

I wasn't one of those who adored Straub's previous novel, [b:The Vacationers|18641982|The Vacationers|Emma Straub|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386629708s/18641982.jpg|26440459], though I liked it, but this one sounded interesting and worth a try. And, in its defense, it was. It receives bonus points immediately for having lesbian characters who are simply part of the fabric of the novel (what, lesbians simply living regular life? surely not!). Straub's characters are crisp and well-defined. They are also a bit "New Yorky" and fall into that bucket that I so often find of whiny, self-involved New Yorkers. Andrew, in particular, though I suppose that is perhaps the entire point of Andrew. Still, overall, I found the book witty and wise. The younger protagonists--Ruby and Harry--in particular, offer fresh and fun voices. They are teenagers, after all: they are allowed to be self-involved! This was a quick read; it's engaging, fun, and occasionally sweet, even if it causes you to roll your eyes from time to time. 3.5 stars overall.

I received a copy of this novel from Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available for publication everywhere on 5/31/2016.
  
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ClareR (5841 KP) rated The Witch Elm: A Novel in Books

Oct 16, 2019 (Updated Oct 16, 2019)  
The Witch Elm: A Novel
The Witch Elm: A Novel
Tana French | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
8
6.8 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
A psychological thriller that had me guessing along with the main character!
After a night out with his friends in Dublin, Toby Hennessy walks home alone and goes to bed. He’s woken up in the early hours by two men burgling his flat and when he confronts them, they attack him viciously and leave him for dead. He doesn’t die, and after a long period of time in hospital, he returns to his flat, clearly suffering from PTSD and a brain injury. Luckily for him (but not so lucky for his uncle) his uncle, Hugo, is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. So Toby and his girlfriend Melissa move in to help keep him company, and ultimately to care for him.

They’re a close family, who meet every Sunday for dinner, and Toby and his cousins Leon and Susanna spent every summer at their Uncles house, living pretty much unchecked - every teenagers dream.

This idyllic life is brought abruptly to an end when a skeleton is found inside the trunk of one of the Wych elms in the back garden. It’s complicated further by the fact that Toby’s head injury from the burglary means that his memories are ropey, to say the least.

I really liked this book: I liked the slow build up and learning about the family and the relationship between the cousins. As for the skeleton, well that mystery had me guessing right up to the end.

Incidentally, this is sold as ‘The Wych Elm’ in the UK - ‘Wych’ is an alternative spelling in old English of ‘witch’, and it also means pliant or supple. The words ‘wicker’ and ‘weak’ come from this word too (yes, I looked it up, and this will join all of the terribly interesting, yet relatively useless, information that accumulates in my head 🤷🏼‍♀️).

This is my first Tana French novel, and based on this book, it won’t be my last.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for my copy of this book.
  
The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill House
2018 | Horror
The Haunting Of Hill House has brought horror back.

In an era of horrors which use chewed up, over used clichés - ridiculous, poorly times jump scares, unrealistic gore and mundane character profiles, to name a few - this Netflix series was both nostalgic and fresh at the same time.

From the moment the series started, I was on the edge of my seat. It does such a good job of building tension and fear that it's impossible to take everything in, indeed, on second viewing I noticed things I had completely missed during my first viewing. This series doesn't rely on simple jump scares and musical scores to make the view scared - it's so much more polished and intricate than that. It isn't just a series of blood and gore, of murderers chasing pretty girls with a kitchen knife or teenagers playing with ouija boards. Yes, there are ghosts. Yes, it's based in a haunted house but there is so much more to it!

The depths this series goes to draws you in from minute one. The well fleshed out characters, the great acting, the clever dialogue all mingles together to create an atmosphere the viewer gets lost in and a family the viewer grows to love. The family which this series is centred around is relatable, charasmatic and mysterious all at the same time. The horror is sometimes simple, sometimes obvious but always believable.

It's not very often that a series can have you crying from fear and heartbreak at the same time. The Haunting of Hill House not only manages this but does it splendidly. It's beautiful, harrowing and haunting all at the same time.

This series should be welcomed by anybody who loves the horror genre. It echoes some of the classics and is capable of redefining modern horrors at the same time. It's so refreshing to see the genre stripped back and cleverly delivered. So much of the genre is so repetitive now that my expectations for this series were low. Needless to say, it smashes those expectations.
  
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
2019 | Action, Sci-Fi
The best Spider-Man so far?
Let's face it, Spider-Man has been through it over the years in his various incarnations, and Marvel had a tough job ahead of them to bring him into the Marvel universe. Whilst they managed this pretty well in Captain America and Homecoming, it's only in Far From Home that Spidey truly shines in his own right.

For starters, this is a very fun and entertaining film and makes for a refreshing antidote to the rather heavy and sad Endgame. It of course has references to the events of Endgame, but fortunately doesn't go too heavy on the weepy bits. I wouldn't have been able to cope if they had! Instead this has a lot of fun humour and a fairly adorable romantic plot with two very awkward teenagers, which is still entertaining even if we do all know how it'll turn out. Tom Holland is by far the best Spider-Man we've ever had and he suits this role perfectly. Finally a Spider-Man that looks and sounds like a teenager (even if Tom Holland technically isn't...)! Jake Gyllenhaal isnt someone you'd expect to see in a superhero film, but I actually think he was marvellous as Mysterio, especially towards the second half of the film- no spoilers! I'm also so glad that Happy is back, I know Jon Favreau has been off directing etc but I do wish Happy was around more in some of the Marvel films as he's great for the comedy and I loved him in this.

My only criticism is it felt like it dragged a little in parts. That's actually the only bad thing I have to say about it. Even the end credit scenes were a bit more exciting than some have been in the past, especially the mid credits which has a very welcome cameo.

This is by far the best Spider-Man film we've seen, and I can't wait to see what they do next.