Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Pages: 272
Publisher: Walker
Published on: 28th of Febuary 2012

Meet Josephine Foster, or Zo Jo as she’s called in the biz. The best pint-sized photographer of them all, Jo doesn’t mind doing what it takes to get that perfect shot, until she’s sent on an undercover assignment to shoot Ned Hartnett—teen superstar and the only celebrity who’s ever been kind to her—at an exclusive rehabilitation retreat in Boston. The money will be enough to pay for Jo’s dream: real photography classes, and maybe even quitting her paparazzi gig for good. Everyone wants to know what Ned’s in for. But Jo certainly doesn’t know what she’s in for: falling in love with Ned was never supposed to be part of her assignment.

(Special thanks to  the author for providing me with this copy ^^) 

What I Have to Say

This book was amazing. I honesly didn't expect it to be as good as it was, which is why I should never let first impressions of a book sway my judgement xD

I've never really thought about the paparrazi as anything more than a bunch of people who bother celebrities and take their pictures. This really gives an insight into their point of view. Why they do it, how they think about it. I'm not saying that it's good, but there are some really good arguments made in this book. 

Jo was a really cool character too. I feel in love with her really quickly! She just had such an interesting voice and it was easy to  sympathise with her. She was also really funny! My sort of humour I think.^^

The best thing I think about it though was  how real it felt, which is especially impressive considering the plot. 


I really recommened this book!

 

Katana by Cole Gibson

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Pages: 375
Publisher: Flux
Published on: 8th of March 2012


 Rileigh Martin would love to believe that adrenaline had given her the uncanny courage and strength to fend off three muggers. But it doesn't explain her dreams of 15th-century Japan, the incredible fighting skills she suddenly possesses, or the strange voice giving her battle tips and danger warnings.

While worrying that she's going crazy (always a reputation ruiner), Rileigh gets a visit from Kim, a handsome martial arts instructor, who tells Rileigh she's harboring the spirit of a five-hundred-year-old samurai warrior.

Relentlessly attacked by ninjas, Rileigh has no choice but to master the katana—a deadly Japanese sword that's also the key to her past. As the spirit grows stronger and her feelings for Kim intensify, Rileigh is torn between continuing as the girl she's always been and embracing the warrior inside her.

 What I Have to Say

I was really surprised by this book! I was expecting it to be enjoyable, but I thought that, as I know quite a bit about Japan, I would be bugged by a lot of inaccuracies! But there are only a few and the story more than makes up for it (and it's pretty funny to imagine samurai warriors tripping over her kimono. Anyone who's tried to wear one will appreciate how hard it is to run in them, let along fight! :P).

Also, I was really impressed that they used the Japanese nunchyaku rather than the Korean nunchuck. But I won't bore you with random Japanese knowledge :P 

Rileigh was a really cool character. It was easy to imagine her as both the high school skater chick and the fierce samurai warrior.  


Anyway if you have any interest in the samurai or martial arts in general, I recommend this book. Really enjoyable story.

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Synopsis (from the Waterstones Website)

Pages: 288
Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd
Released on: 6th of June 2011

Here's the thing about me: I can see the future in flashes, like memories. But my past is a blank. I remember what I'll wear tomorrow, and an argument that won't happen until this afternoon. But I don't know what I ate for dinner last night. I get by with the help of notes, my mom and my best friend Jamie, and the system works ...Until now. Everything's falling apart. Jamie's going of the rails. My mom is lying to me. And I can't see the boy I adore in my future. But today, I love him. And I never want to forget how much.

What I Have to Say 

This book had such a cool idea behind it!  I knew just from reading the blurb that I was going to love it. Not being able to remember the past must be very disorientating. Plus knowing what's going to happen in the future always makes for an interesting story!

London's condition was shown in a very straightforward way. It's something that she's suffered with since she was 6 years old and she's found ways of dealing with it, by writing herself notes.

I loved the way that the mystery of it all was so essential to the plot. The memory problems left the character in much the same as the reader is when starting the book. She doesn't remember her past and we haven't been told about it yet. As she found out things, so do we! It works so well.

London is also a very good character. The way she explains things and talks about her condition seem very realistic. Also the way Patrick starts some of the chapters with the notes that London has left herself was nice to read.

I only wish that this book had been longer! It's a shame to have finished it really.

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

Synopsis (from the Waterstones Website)

Pages: 448
Published by: Abacus
Released on: 2nd of Febuary 2012

Yasuko lives a quiet life, working in a Tokyo bento shop, a good mother to her only child. But when her ex-husband appears at her door without warning one day, her comfortable world is shattered. When Detective Kusanagi of the Tokyo Police tries to piece together the events of that day, he finds himself confronted by the most puzzling, mysterious circumstances he has ever investigated. Nothing quite makes sense, and it will take a genius to understand the genius behind this particular crime...

What I Have to Say

 Probably the main attraction of this book was that it was by a Japanese author and  set in Japan. Still whether you like Japan or not, it's a really wonderful story. It's got a few aspects of the culture in there, which I found really cool, but not intrusive if your not interested in the culture.

The characters were really interesting.  Each of the point of view characters had a different outlook on life and very different voices. Ishigami was the most interesting, the reasons why will be obvious if you read the book. I also really liked Yasuko's voice. She had a very straightforward outlook on life.

There were so many mind games and false clues in this book, that it was pretty much impossible to work out how it was going to end. If anyone has read this or is going to, please let me know in the comments if you even had a suspicion, because it was a complete surprise to me and I'm usually pretty good at working these things out! :P

This book is really a must if you're interested in Japanese culture. And if you're not then I would recommend it to people who like Crime. Especially those looking for something that will really surprise you.

Fiktshun's Soul Screamers Reading Challenge: My Soul to Steal

 

 There will be spoilers in this post from My Soul to Take, My Soul to Save and My Soul to Keep. If you want to know more about the Soul Screamers books then check out my review of the first book in the series, My Soul to Take here! If you've already read My Soul to Take, then my review of My Soul to Steal is here! And my review for My Soul to Keep is here!

Synopsis (from the Waterstones Website) 

Pages: 304
Publisher: MIRA Ink
Published on: 21st of October 2011

Sometimes dreams do come true... and that's the last thing Kaylee needs working things out with Nash - her maybe boyfriend - is hard for Kaylee. She's already coping with being a teenage banshee. Worse, Nash's gorgeous ex-girlfriend just transferred to their school. Sabine's no ordinary girl. She's a mara, a real-life walking nightmare. Draining people's energy through their darkest dreams sustains Sabine...and makes her Kaylee's top suspect in a cluster of super-creepy deaths. To win back Nash, Kaylee's determined to unearth the truth. But Sabine knows the deathly secrets of Kaylee's subconscious - and she's not afraid to use them to get whatever and whoever she wants...

What I Have to Say

This book conjured up a few too many RL emotions for me, so I'll apologise in advance if this review isn't as good as usual. Still the plot was really good. I was great to see more of Tod. But the Nash/ Sabine/ Kaylee storyline was just too much for me right now.

I've decided that I really like Alec. I hope that we see more of him in the other books.

It's also really good to see Kaylee telling Emma a bit more about the Neverworld stuff. She really needed to know! 

That's all I can really say about this book. I'm sorry. Maybe in the future I'll reread it and put up a better review.