Review: This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Ok so Elise, our leading lady from This Song Will Save Your Life starts off as that annoying precocious uncool girl in your class that you would have felt sorry for except that she wasn't very nice or humble so you actually didn't like her at all really. BUT THEN, before you know it, you're identifying with her, her thoughts and feelings, insecurities and inner pride. She has self-worth despite not liking herself, and I remember a time when I knew that even if no one else liked me, I liked me, I knew who I was when no one else did, and so does Elise. So yeah I REALLY liked her by the end too. Elise is different, yo'! (I'm so white it hurts sometimes)

But seriously, this is a really great book and I loved how Sales reveals how we believe people to be their projections but with the right lights, in the right pizza parlour, we can suddenly realise that for what it is: a hologram image that hides the fact we're all, in the end, human and vulnerable.

On a side note I am not a big fan of this cover. It's non-descript and unmotivating and does not make me want to pick the book up off the (virtual or otherwise) bookshelf. Make it personal for crying out loud. The story is personal, so why go generic on the cover. Also I'm not a huge fan of real images of people on covers. Like stock images ya know? Even if you can't make out features I just think it's a trapping of the contemporary YA scene. Ugh.

READ THIS BOOK, with pizza pockets. I've never had pizza pockets as they don't exist in Ireland but I imagine they would taste good with this book.

Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

FANGIRLING RIGHT NOW. (I couldn't help it)

I had been hearing a lot about Fangirl in the last couple of days on the interwebs and after some initial hesitation I purchased it from the good people of Amazon Kindle*.

Man, I am glad I did. Finally, finally, after so many disappointingly-ended contemporary YA novels, here is a book that is a) the right length, and b) deals with everything properly and resolves the romance without rushing through it and yeah, I AM CONTENT AND HAPPY.

As someone who dabbled in the world of online Harry Potter fanfiction for a few months age 14, I understood the world that Cath lives in. I also cringed a little because, even if some of the writing is awesome, it is still über nerd territory to write fanfic. Also, non-readers are weirded out by all the slash fiction but I think that's where the internet is at now and anyway, since Tumblr arrived on the scene even the mainstream has accepted it.

Levi is a quirky romantic lead and doesn't fit the regular physical description of the typical YA lead love interest, which was nicely refreshing.

ALSO, hello college!! And older teens!! God, why does no one write about college? Soooo many high school book settings, so few college ones. Let's hope this bucking of the trend continues with more authors! (I swear this is not just because I am beginning to forget what it was like to be 16 - which is a BABY btw. OMG how sad, I am old. Ugh.)

Anyway, READ IT, and with your favourite breakfast/protein bar. I like those Kellog's Elevenses, the baked ones. OMNOMNOM.


*I know Amazon is suppose to be the big bad wolf of the independent bookstore industry and while I do buy real books in real indie bookstores where possible, I live in the smallest room in my house and have zero to no space on my bookshelves and am forbidden from buying new physicals until I get rid of old ones (which I refuse to do so...). Also, I always seem to buy books and start books at like midnight and since Tesco is no longer 24 hours but the internet is... hello Amazon Kindle.