Book Reviews – Page 27 – Zakiya N. Jamal

Book Review: Love, Rosie

Posted on September 25, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis from Amazon:

What happens when two people who are meant to be together just can’t seem to get it right.

Rosie and Alex are destined for each other, and everyone seems to know it but them. Best friends since childhood, the are separated as teenagers when Alex and his family relocate from Dublin to Boston. Like two ships always passing in the night, Rosie and Alex stay friends, and though years pass, the two remain firmly attached via emails and letters. Heartbroken, they learn to live without each other. But destiny is a funny thing, and in this novel o f several missed opportunities, Rosie and Alex learn that fate isn’t quite done with them yet.

I’ll admit I’m a hopeless romantic so I’m a sucker for a good love story and this one is great. I first heard about this book because it’s now a movie and of course I had to read the book before I saw the film (although of course the movie will disappoint me now).

The story follows Rosie and Alex, best friends since the age of seven, who go through multiple up and downs but always find there way back to each other. As friends of course. It was like watching a dance reading this book. They would come together and I would think finally they’re going to be together but then something/someone always got in the way.

The book is written entirely written in emails, letter, and instant messages sent not only between Alex and Rosie but also between their siblings, parents, other friends, and significant others. It expands over 40 years of time and it’s great watching Alex and Rosie grow up and grow together but also apart.

I really enjoyed this novel. It was really frustrating sometimes because I just wanted Alex and Rosie to be honest about feelings for each other but they act so stupid sometimes that I was annoyed. However it was also so funny to read all the things they would say to each other and all the things they wouldn’t.

Definitely a book to check out before you see the movie. Which stars Lily Collins so it’ll definitely be pretty good at least.

Favorite Line:

Then the laughing stopped and there was this silence. What the hell was it? It was like the world stopped turning in that instant. Like everyone around us had disappeared. Like everything at home was forgotten about. It was as if those few minutes on this world were created just for us and all we could do was look at each other. It was like he was seeing my face for the first time.

Stars: 4 out of 5. I loved this book a lot but I wanted more from the ending. I was satisfied with it but after everything that happened in the novel I expected something bigger than what I got.

Borrow or Buy: Buy!!! I loved this book. Definitely one you’ll want to read. And so many good quotes. It was hard to pick just one.

Other Reviews

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Diary of a Book Girl

Also if you’re not afraid of spoilers check out the trailer for the movie below.

Book Review: Rumble

Posted on September 23, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis from Amazon:

Does it get better? The New York Times bestselling author of Crank and Tricks explores the highly charged landscapes of bullying and forgiveness with brilliant sensitivity and emotional resonance.

Matthew Turner knows it doesn’t get better.

His younger brother Luke was bullied mercilessly after one of Matt’s friends outed Luke to the whole school, and when Luke called Matt—on the brink of suicide—Matt was too wrapped up in his new girlfriend to answer the phone. Now Luke is gone, and Matt’s family is falling apart.

No matter what his girlfriend Hayden says about forgiveness, there’s no way Matt’s letting those he blames off the hook—including himself. As Matt spirals further into bitterness, he risks losing Hayden, the love of his life. But when her father begins to pressure the school board into banning books because of their homosexual content, he begins to wonder if he and Hayden ever had anything in common.

With brilliant sensitivity and emotional resonance, bestselling author Ellen Hopkins’s Rumble explores bullying and suicide in a story that explores the worth of forgiveness and reconciliation.

I love Ellen Hopkins and have read almost all of her books (I’m just missing one). Therefore I was too ecstatic to see she had a new book coming out.

This novel centers around a guy named Matt who lives in a town filled with people who believe in a God he can’t get behind. Matt has a lot of issues with the idea of religion but the main one would have to be his younger brother, Luke’s, suicide due to bullying from his classmates.

After the loss of his brother Matt struggles to keep it together and holds onto his girlfriend, who does believe in God and (in my opinion) is really annoying, for dear life. He’s also dealing with his hot mess of a family which is falling apart in the wake of Luke’s death. Matt also has to face his own guilt and anger over his brother’s suicide and all in all this guy is going through the struggle right now.

As a Christian myself I felt myself at odds with Matt sometimes during the novel. What’s great about Hopkins writing, however, is I still found myself on Matt’s side. I was rooting for Matt. I wanted him to find the happiness he so desperately craved and more than that I related to him.

Hopkins wrote this novel in the same way she writes all her novels: poetry style. Though it’s a novel she writes it in poems which makes the novel a pretty quick read. I definitely enjoyed this book and recommend it. The character development of Matt is flawless and watching him grow and learn and realize what/who’s really right for him is fantastic.

If you think this novel is just going to be about religion you’re mistaken. Obviously it does play a big role in the novel but the book is also centered about family, love, redemption, forgiveness, and censorship.

I really liked this book and went back to reread parts of it because I thought it was so good. I know I’ll reread the whole thing at some point. If you’ve never read an Ellen Hopkins novel before this would be a good first try (although my favorite is still Identical).

Favorite Line:

There are young people who need books to speak for them. And there are others who need books to speak to them.

Stars: 5 out of 5. I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure I’d like Matt but there’s more to him than just his disbelief in God. Matt has a lot going on in his life and Hopkins made me really sympathize with him and understand where he’s coming from.

Borrow or Buy: Definitely buy. This is one you’ll want on your book shelf for sure.

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Book Review: Opposition

Posted on September 9, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis from Amazon:

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came. She can’t believe Daemon stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

I have been obsessed with the Lux series since the first book so it was bittersweet to see the series come to end but man did Ms. Armentrout end it with a bang. This book was so good I couldn’t put it down for a second. Amazing.

This book begins exactly where Origin left off, with the world falling to pieces. The other Lux have arrived and they’re ready to take over the Earth. They’ve got Dee drinking their “we are great and humans suck” Kool-Aid but thankfully Daemon and Dawson aren’t falling for it. However to stay on the aliens good side they have to play along while trying to figure out how to escape. Meanwhile, Katy, Bethany, Archer, and Luc were left to fend for themselves and try to figure out how they were going to handle the alien invasion.

Forced to make allies with former enemies, not knowing whom they can really trust, and the loss of even more lives makes the conclusion of this series BIG. There’s all out war on Earth and no one is safe and Daemon and Katy’s love is greatly tested.

Opposition had me on an emotional roller coaster. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, not knowing what was going to happen next. Armentrout kept surprising me with all the twists and turns of the novel. She even had me in tears at some points. For a moment there I wasn’t sure who would make it to the end of the book alive.

It was also great learning more about some of the lesser characters. For example we get more insight in Luc’s plans for himself and the people he cares about. We also learn more about Daedalus and (crazy) Nancy. Lastly, we see that not everything is so black and white when it comes to the Luxen and Arum and they’re actually more alike than Daemon cared to admit.

Also this novel is again told in Daemon and Katy’s point of view which I enjoyed because I love hearing Daemon’s thoughts. He’s hilarious but also really sweet. Too cute.

Overall, this was a great conclusion to an amazing series and I can’t wait to go back and read this whole series all over again. If you haven’t read the series yet I definitely recommend it. Such a good read.

Favorite Line:

Sometimes – and it happened at random moments – I was blown away by the fact that she was mine and I was hers. This was one of those times.

Stars: 5 out of 5. I loved this book from beginning to end. There were definitely some parts that ripped my heart out and I wished some events didn’t occur but overall I thought the book was great and I loved how it ended.

Borrow or Buy: BUY!! Absolutely buy this book. Actually buy the whole series while you’re at it. You’ll definitely want this on your bookshelf.

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Book Review: The One and Only

Posted on August 7, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis from Amazon:

Thirty-three-year-old Shea Rigsby has spent her entire life in Walker, Texas—a small college town that lives and dies by football, a passion she unabashedly shares. Raised alongside her best friend, Lucy, the daughter of Walker’s legendary head coach, Clive Carr, Shea was too devoted to her hometown team to leave. Instead she stayed in Walker for college, even taking a job in the university athletic department after graduation, where she has remained for more than a decade.

But when an unexpected tragedy strikes the tight-knit Walker community, Shea’s comfortable world is upended, and she begins to wonder if the life she’s chosen is really enough for her. As she finally gives up her safety net to set out on an unexpected path, Shea discovers unsettling truths about the people and things she has always trusted most—and is forced to confront her deepest desires, fears, and secrets.

Thoughtful, funny, and brilliantly observed, The One & Only is a luminous novel about finding your passion, following your heart, and, most of all, believing in something bigger than yourself . . . the one and only thing that truly makes life worth living.

I absolutely fell in love with this book. I’m pretty sure it took a week for me to finally move on from it. I just kept rereading my favorite parts over and over again because it was that good to me.

That being said I don’t think this book is for everyone just because it is a unconventional love story but in my opinion those are the best love stories.

The story centers around Shea Rigsby whose life is turned upside down when her best friend, Lucy’s, mother dies from cancer. Shea has lived her whole life in her same small town, Walker, Texas (except for the first few months of her life when she was in New York) loving the same college football team where she attended school and then stayed to work.

The death of Mrs. Carr makes Shea start to rethink her life. She’s start to rethink her career goals, her relationship with her boyfriend that doesn’t really seem to be going any where, and what she really wants from her life and for herself.

With the help of Coach Carr, her best friend, Lucy’s, father, Shea starts to make some changes in her life and begin to realize what it is she really wants.

This book was funny, heartbreaking, gives you butterflies, makes you question everything, and all in all amazing. I fell in love with this book and I will probably continue to reread it when I need to take my mind off something because it so easily pulls you right back in.

If you haven’t read the book yet stop here because now I’m going to get into some spoilers. Okay, here we go.

I truly liked Shea and Coach Carr’s relationship and I so knew that was going to happen but it still surprised me when it did. I totally get that it’s crazy and that’s her best friend’s father and it’s kind of weird but I just loved it anyway. That’s the thing about Emily Giffin, she’s make you support things you normally wouldn’t.

That being said I have to be honest and say I think a lot of the reason why Shea and Coach Carr’s relationship works is because she’s worshipped him her whole life. Everything he likes she likes but this is only because she’s been kind of in love with him her whole life. He drinks his coffee black, so does she. He likes glazed doughnuts, so does she. He’s the coach for Walker, she’s a die hard Walker fan. They drink the same kind of beer. The list goes on.

However, I do think that’s why Giffin had to include the whole thing with Coach Carr not reporting Ryan way back in the day because that shattered Shea’s idea that he was a perfect human being. With that I think it made their relationship more real because Shea had to see for herself that he isn’t perfect but the fact that she’s able to move past that and love him anyway made me really root for them.

Again, I still think it’s kind of weird but they were just too cute together for me to be totally against it. In fact I ended up being all for it. I know people disagree but I for one loved this book and now I want to go reread it. Again.

Also, I think it’s important to note that there is a central focus on football in the novel but I myself know near nothing about football and I still really liked the novel so don’t let that be a turn off for you.

Favorite Line:

He stared right into my eyes and said, “You know anyone who fits the bill?”

“I might,” I managed to whisper.

“Oh?” he said with as much charm as a man could possibly have without being too charming. “You might?”

“Maybe,” I said.

“Well let me know … Because short of that woman, the one I just described … I’d rather be alone … Just sitting here, alone, watching football.”

Stars: 5 out of 5. I haven’t been so caught up in a book like this for a long time. I loved it.

Borrow or Buy: Buy! Definitely something you’ll want on your book shelf.

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Book Review: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

Posted on July 28, 2014August 17, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis from Amazon:

Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck–impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, finally, a comedy writer and actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with the sentence “Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear I’ll shut up about it?”    Perhaps you want to know what Mindy thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so, you’ve come to the right book, mostly!   In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door—not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.

Like many other girls my age I am in love with Mindy Kaling. She is so down to earth, funny, and just real. She literally says all the thoughts I have on a regular basis but in a more coherent and hilarious way.

Because I was late on The Office train I didn’t really fall in love with Kaling until The Mindy Project where she plays an OB/GYN who loves rom-coms and has plenty of dating woes. In summary, she kind of plays herself.

Kaling is much more than an actor though. She’s most well known not for acting on The Office but for writing for the show. If you haven’t watched the show that’s a shame and you should get on Netflix and watch that right now. If you have watched the show then you know it’s freaking hilarious and Kaling is a bit of a comic genius. This isn’t to say she’s responsible for every episode written. That’s not the case. However she did play a big enough role for me to say she’s a comic genius.

Now to her book. I absolutely loved it. I got the audio book because truthfully I got the 30 day trial of Audible and I figured who’s voice is better to listen to on the Subway than Mindy Kaling’s. Answer: no one. Well maybe Tina Fey but I didn’t think about that until after I bought Kaling’s book.

Either way I didn’t regret using one of my free Audible credits on Kaling’s book because as I suspected she kept me laughing the whole time. From addressing listeners directly telling us that it shouldn’t really take us that long to finish the audiobook and if it takes us months we have a problem, to just being very open and honest about her life. I truly enjoyed this book.

What’s great about this autobiography is Kaling keeps it real in a way that’s not self-loathing or self-pitying but is more like, “These are the facts and they were actually pretty funny in hindsight.” For example, when telling us how an exchange student made fun of her for her weight she didn’t say it in “feel bad for me way” or a “this is why you must always ignore bullies” teaching way. Instead she says this guys sucks and he later got what was coming to him when he broke his leg and was no longer the soccer star he once was and dropped out of high school.

Basically, Kaling says everything you’ve probably thought but out loud. She’s rude, aggressive, and somewhat abrasive but all in fun. She gives it to you straight and doesn’t sugar coat things. She’s also pretty strange. For example, she tells readers exactly what she wants at her funeral and has her friend, Mike Schur (creator of Parks and Rec, amongst other awesome things), even write (and read) a eulogy for her.

Besides just generally talking about her life Kaling also gives some sound advice although she lets you know early one that she probably shouldn’t be trusted to give advice. Maybe the whole “the best revenge is acid in the face” thing isn’t so great but the not worrying about being popular in high school is definitely gold. She’s also all about being confident and loving you for you which is something I can definitely support.

If you haven’t read this book you should definitely get to it especially since she’s currently in the process of releasing a new one (thank God!). There are definitely benefits to the audio book as you get to hear Kaling, along with Schur, B.J. Novak, and Brenda Winters tell the story but there’s also drawbacks such as not seeing all the photos in the book. However, as Kaling herself states you can just run to a bookstore real quick and flip through the book to see the photos she discusses in the book. Either way definitely a must read and worth every cent (or Audible credit).

Favorite Line:

One friend with whom you have a lot in common is better than three with whom you struggle to find things to talk about.

Stars: 5 out of 5. Absolutely loved this book. Awesome!

Borrow or Buy: Buy, duh. You’ll definitely want to refer back to some of these quotes at some point in your life. Make sure you have the book close at hand when that happens.

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Book Review: Lies

Posted on July 13, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

*This book is part of my Dystopia Book Challenge*

Synopsis from Amazon:

It’s been seven months since all the adults disappeared. Gone. It happens in one night: a girl who died now walks among the living; Zil and the Human Crew set fire to Perdido Beach; and amid the flames and smoke, Sam sees the figure of the boy he fears the most: Drake. But Drake is dead—or so they thought.

Perdido Beach burns and battles rage: Astrid against the Town Council; the Human Crew versus the mutants; and Sam against Drake, who is back from the dead and ready to finish where he and Sam left off. They say that death is a way to escape the FAYZ, but are the kids of Perdido Beach desperate enough to believe that death will set them free?

Lies is book three in Michael Grant’s Gone series and it seems these books get progressively darker as we go forward. I enjoyed this book but I also have a few issues with it but let’s start with the good stuff.

I actually liked how dark this book was. Grant doesn’t hold back in the realism of a world with no adults and a lot of chaos. I especially liked that we got to see some character changes and development. Astrid, for one, breaks through her “Astrid the Genius” mold completely in this novel. As head of the council she has all these ideas on how to make Perdido Beach better but is forced to face the fact that some things are out of her control.

Sam, although he did disappoint me at some points, also went through some questions in his character. So far in the series Sam has always been the hero. Even in book two when (*spoiler alert if you haven’t read Hunger*) he kind of loses it and gets beat by Drake, at the end of the day he’s still kind of the hero. He figured out how to take out The Darkness and used his wit (with Duck’s help) to do so.

In Lies Sam really starts to crumble apart and so does Astrid and it really forces them to look at their relationship. One question I think they really need to consider is if the FAYZ ended would they remain together or are they just clinging to each other because the FAYZ sucks and they want to hold onto something good? Who knows? Either way their relationship was seriously tested in this novel.

Now here’s my issues with the book. There will be spoilers so beware. As much as I liked this book the truth of the matter is there were some things in the plot that just didn’t really make sense:

How did no one realize there was an island with a huge mansion and a yacht with a helicopter on it for seven months. Quinn and his fishing crew never saw it? Or in book one when Sam and co. hopped in a boat to the power plant, no one noticed it? Also how did the people on the island not see these people when they were out in the water? Maybe they did but it was never mentioned so I can’t be sure.
The whole half Brittney, half Drake monster makes no sense to me. Lana has the ability to heal and she did give Drake his whip arm but how did The Darkness combine Lana’s healing with Brittney’s immortality. Their bodies weren’t anywhere near each other when they died. Brittney was buried in the plaza and Drake was buried deep in the mine shaft with Caine’s tornado. How did they merge together? It just doesn’t make sense. Of course nothing in this novel is at all plausible but still that’s a big stretch.
The extent of Pete’s powers is getting out of hand. I understand that’s part of the mystery and it does add something to the series that makes it extra interesting but I’m beginning to think Pete can do anything. He can make things/people disappear. He can create things/people. He created the FAYZ. He was able to somehow show Astrid what was happening in some illusion. He can teleport himself and his sister. And he’s The Darkness’ biggest opponent. It feels like with each book Grant makes Pete more and more powerful and although it adds to the story it’s stretching. Everyone else’s powers are focused on one thing (Sam with his laser beam hands, Caine can move things with his mind, Brianna is fast, etc.). Pete has various different powers. Again maybe that’s Grant’s point and we’ll learn more about why Pete’s so different later but at points it feels like Grant is just adding to Pete’s powers to try and make sure the storyline makes sense.

Overall, I did enjoy the book a lot. A lot went down and it was crazy to see just how … well, crazy everything is getting in the FAYZ. Everyone in Perdido Beach is kind of losing it and truthfully I’m wondering how long they’ll all be able to survive like this. Definitely a good read and worth checking out.

Favorite Line:

Yeah, Sam, you’re still necessary. You’re like a god to us mere mortals. We can’t live without you. Later we’re going to build you a temple. Satisfied?

Stars: 4 out of 5. As much as I enjoyed this book I couldn’t ignore the fact that some things just didn’t make sense.

Borrow or Buy: Buy! This is the first book in the series that I bought and I don’t regret it. If I had more money I’d probably buy the whole series.

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Book Review: Hunger

Posted on July 6, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

*This book is part of my Dystopia Book Challenge*

Synopsis from Amazon:

It’s been three months since all the adults disappeared. Gone. Food ran out weeks ago and starvation is imminent. Meanwhile, the normal teens have grown resentful of the kids with powers. And when an unthinkable tragedy occurs, chaos descends upon the town. There is no longer right and wrong. Each kid is out for himself and even the good ones turn murderous. But a larger problem looms. The Darkness, a sinister creature that has lived buried deep in the hills, begins calling to some of the teens in the FAYZ. Calling to them, guiding them, manipulating them.

The Darkness has awakened. And it is hungry.

This is the second novel in Michael Grant’s Gone series and Hunger is just as good, if not better than the first novel.

As the FAYZ continues kids start to go hungry, The Darkness looms ever closer, and there is war between the freaks and the normals brewing. Sam is beginning to crack under the pressure of being in charge and everyone’s kind of losing it. The FAYZ quickly turns dangerous and it’s every boy or girl for themselves.

Gone set the framework for the series but Hunger shows the real consequences of a world where there’s no adults and kids with superpowers. It’s not all fun and games. Of course kids left to do what they want were not planning for the future and only ate junk food and candy rather than preserving the meats and veggies. Meanwhile everyone’s looking for someone to take charge making it easy for the wrong people to gain a following.

It’s a free for all in the FAYZ and lives are taken but what’s worse than what the kids can do to each other is what The Darkness wants to do to them all. I won’t spoil it but it’s crazy how manipulative this antagonist is and what’s worse is everyone’s so busy dealing with the immediate problems n Perdido Beach no one’s really thinking about the bigger danger.

I loved this book and thought it was a great continuation. Grant is very real about this world he’s created. He doesn’t sugar coat things which makes for a very dark novel. However he also provides us with some comic relief and of course the romance between Astrid and Sam is very cute.

This book was very dark and scary but definitely a good read.

Favorite Line:

Superpowers don’t always make you a superhero.

Stars: 5 out of 5. I’m obsessed with this series right now.

Borrow or Buy: Buy! This book gets really intense and crazy. You’ll definitely want to reread.

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Book Review: Gone

Posted on July 5, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

*This book is part of my Dystopia Book Challenge*

I heard of this series a while back and remember not really being all that interested. Everyone above the age of 15 disappears. What could happen with kids 14 and younger? Well, apparently a lot. I’m already on book three of this series.

Gone is the first in this crazy sci-fi/dystopia series by Michael Grant. As stated one day everyone ages 15 and up disappears. Just like that. Poof. Very similar to HBO’s new show, The Leftovers. Although I don’t how it works on that show but in this series things are very strange. For example kids develop (or already had) powers, there’s a “Darkness” lurking around, and there’s a barrier around the town preventing anyone from leaving. Also the phone lines don’t work so they can’t call anyone either. They’re essentially trapped.

The novel follows various characters as they deal with what becomes known as the FAYZ (Fallout Alley Youth Zone) but the main protagonist is Sam. “SchoolBus Sam” (as he’s known by many of his classmates because of his heroic actions on a bus after the driver had a heart attack) doesn’t really want any kind of power in the FAYZ and just wants everyone to leave him alone. Unfortunately for Sam he’s a natural born leader and everyone begins looking to him for guidance that truthfully as a 14 year old kid he can’t really give. Plus, Sam’s got his own stuff to worry about as he get’s closer to his 15th birthday also known as the poof point. Oh dear.

I really liked this novel, way more than I thought I would. I liked Sam as a character and felt for him. I also really liked Astrid, Sam’s crush, who’s a cute brainiac that is thrown by the FAYZ. I either loved or loved to hate almost every character in this book which was great. Also, I liked that the book was in third person because we got to see so many different things happen at once. This made things especially interesting when everyone’s stories all come together. It was as if while the characters attempted to figure out the mystery of the FAYZ so was I. It was frustrating and exhilarating.

This book has romance, drama, mystery, adventure, and plot twists to throw you for a serious loop. Definitely a good one to check out.

Favorite Line:

We didn’t make this world we’re just the poor fools who are living in it.

Stars: 5 out of 5. I really enjoyed this book and I’m hooked on this series.

Borrow or Buy: Buy! I’m already wishing I still had it in my possession because I’m only on book three and there’s things I need to remember happened in book one. And there’s a lot of books in this series so it’s sure to get confusing.

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Book Review: Divergent

Posted on June 25, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Finally after being on the waitlist at my library (twice!) I finally got and read Divergent and yes it’s as awesome as everyone says.

Not wanting to see the film before reading the book I had to get my hands on the book that is apparently a phenomenon. I resisted at first because it just seemed like another Hunger Games and as much I loved that trilogy I didn’t want to read the same thing all over again.

Although there are obvious correlations between the two dystopian novels Divergent was, well divergent. The main character Beatrice (who later goes by Tris) is born into the Abnegation faction of her dystopian world. There are five factions and Abnegation is the selfless one, which is as boring as it sounds. Tris can only look in her mirror on special occasions and has to wear plain clothes so she doesn’t bring attention to herself. And that’s only scratching the surface of what being in Abnegation means. Not that they’re all bad just that I personally wouldn’t pick that faction.

When Tris takes her aptitude test to help her choose her faction she is told that she is divergent meaning she doesn’t fit perfectly into one faction but instead could belong to three different ones.

In our day being divergent would be just fine but during Tris’ time it’s really dangerous (not that Tris has any idea why but she figures it out). Tris then chooses to join the Dauntless (fearless) faction where she’s put to the test, both physically and mentally.

Of course there’s a love interest. His (nick)name is Four and I personally love him and thanks to the movie I only pictured him in my mind as the handsome Theo James.

Besides trying to survive Dauntless initiation (if Tris fails she becomes factionless which is our equivalent of being broke and on the streets) there’s a revolution forming. The Erudite (smarty pants) faction is rising up against Tris’ old faction (and the faction of her parents). The Erudite want power and they’re willing to do anything to get, even brain wash people.

Overall I love Tris. She’s got a lot on her plate but she handles everything pretty well. Plus it’s really fun to watch her struggle with the idea of physical contact. Truly though it was great to see her come out of her shell and become such a strong girl that comes very close to being fearless. Also her relationship with Four is awesome.

The only negative thing I would say about the book is it is pretty dark. I wasn’t expecting so many people to *spoiler alert* die in the first book of the trilogy. I guess I was still in my Hunger Games mentality and wasn’t expecting a battle until at least the second book. I was highly mistaken.

Still, as tearjerking as this book was I loved it can’t wait until I get the next one. I think I’m number 80 on the waitlist. Oh, dear.

Favorite Line: “Then I realize what it is. It’s him. Something about him makes me feel like I am about to fall. Or turn to liquid. Or burst into flames.”

Stars: 5 out of 5. I loved it!

Borrow or Buy: Definitely buy. I’m already planning on buying it so I’ll have it in my collection always.

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Book Review: The Impossible Knife of Memory

Posted on June 9, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

I’ve been a fan of Laurie Halse Anderson since I read Speak years ago. She has this uncanny ability to write about serious topics in a way that isn’t preachy but still drives home a point. This book was no different.

Centered around Hayley and her father, Andy, a veteran suffering from PTSD I wasn’t sure if I would like this book at first. Truthfully, in the beginning I found Hayley to be annoying. She’s very pessimistic and just doesn’t seem to try in anything she does. It’s not until she meets Finn, a strange boy who sees the good in Hayley that I myself couldn’t that I begin to like her.

In the novel, Anderson makes the point of indicating that it’s not only Andy who’s suffering from his service in Iraq. Hayley’s suffering majorly as well. She’s constantly taking care of her father, making sure no one finds out how bad things are at home. Meanwhile, they’re both running from their past, trying to forget the memories that hurt them, thereby leaving them in a limbo mind state.

Although the novel is mostly told in Hayley’s point of view there are some chapters that are Andy’s point of view, mainly his dreams and memories of the war. Sometimes I didn’t care to read these part but I think overall they really added to the narrative.

I really fell in love with this book because of Finn and Hayley. Their relationship made this book for me. What was great about them wasn’t just their shared quirkiness. It was that to Hayley her life was so dysfunctional and Finn’s was so perfect that she couldn’t fathom that maybe it wasn’t. They both struggled with opening up to each other about their issues and what was great was seeing them grow together. They needed each other and I liked them much better together than apart.

These two weren’t the only one’s dealing with family issues, either. Gracie, Hayley’s best friend, also had her own home life issues with her parents getting a divorce. What Anderson did so well was indicate that teens go through so much that their friends don’t know about or can’t understand. All kids go through something, whether it be big or small, and it always has an impact on their lives. I think Anderson did a good job of showing that.

Additionally, as the novel went on I began to like Hayley even more. I started to root for her. I wanted her to start fighting for what she wanted, to stand up for herself, and to start thinking about her future.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. Hayley and Finn’s quips made me crack up and just the way Hayley viewed the world was both heartbreaking and at times very funny. Her idea that the world consists of “freaks and zombies” and nothing else was interesting. Also, her sass and blatant disrespect for authority figures was very entertaining. Her indifferent attitude was annoying at times but also very enjoyable at others. She’s the definition of a rebel without a cause and I loved it.

What is really great about this novel is Anderson presents Hayley as this girl who has lost so much and has to take on so much responsibility but at the end of the day is still just a kid. She still has child like qualities like throwing tantrums while she still has to do adult things like cleaning up after her drunk father messes.

Hayley was a very complex character and I loved getting to know her and seeing her become such an admirable character that I was very sad to part with her when the book ended. Definitely worth a second (and third) read.

Favorite Line:

‘I thought you said it wasn’t broken.’

‘Well.’ He braked to a stop as the green light in front of us turned yellow. ‘It might be a little broken.’

‘A little broken is still broken,’ I pointed out.

‘But fixable.’

Stars: 4 out of 5. I’ll admit when I first started this book I was a little disappointed. I just thought Hayley was a very unlikeable character. I’m glad I pushed through that because this is definitely a book that I can see myself reading again. Very good.

Borrow or Buy: Buy. As I said I’ll probably reread this one more times than I should.

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