Paper Towns by John Green

Pages: 305 pages
Language: English
Review copy: Yes, Thank you Bloomsbury!

(read in April 2014) 

Quentin has always loved Margo Roth Spiegelman, for Margo (and her adventures) are the stuff of legend at their high school. So when she one day climbs through his window and summons him on an all-night road trip of revenge he cannot help but follow.

But the next day Margo doesn’t come to school and a week later she is still missing. Q soon learns that there are clues in her disappearance . . . and they are for him. But as he gets deeper into the mystery – culminating in another awesome road trip across America – he becomes less sure of who and what he is looking for.

My thoughts in Swedish:

En fin liten rolig historia med intressanta och söta karaktärer. Älskade början och tyckte att det var jättespännande att få veta vad som hänt Margo men någonstans i mitten började jag tappa intresset och började tycka att den var något seg, fortfarande söt med lite för långsam. 

Tyckte iallafall att det var väldigt skönt att läsa om något "äldre" YA karraktärer då de var runt 18 år istället för 16. Inte för att det märks så stor skillnad egentligen men nu passar mer deras handlingar än i alla böcker där huvudkaraktären är 15 med beter sig som 18-19. 

Så en bra bok men aningen besviken hade vänta mig mer av den store John Green. Speciellt då jag hört så mycket lovord av folk som gillat denna bättre än Fault in our stars. Tyckte inte heller slutet var tillräckligt intressant, hade börjat tröttna lite längs vägen och slutet kändes lite som ett antiklimax tyvärr.

Summary in English:

A nice read with interesting and cute characters, but a bit slow paced and unfortunately an anticlimax ending.

Random thoughts and questions:

For people who have already read the book.
Mark the text between the brackets to read spoilers.

- Q is really obsessed about Margo, he doesn't seem to care at all about anything else. Not even his nice friends that are going through major changes int their lives. I didn't really like him that much.

Other editions:

Stjärnmärkt av Jessica Spotswood

Original title: Star Cursed
Pages:362 pages
Language: Swedish
Series: -Yes, The Cahill Witch Chronicles #2
Review copy: Yes, thanks to Rabén & Sjögren!

(read in February 2014) 

Cate har gått med i systraskapet, en hemlig sammanslutning av häxor. Där axlar hon motvilligt den tunga bördan av att vara den utvalda, den häxa som en gammal profetia pekat ut som den som ska leda kampen mot brödraskapets tyranni och få till stånd en ny magisk tidsålder. Men även inom systraskapet härskar intrigerna. Lojaliteter och tidigare allianser prövas, svek och faror lurar bakom varje hörn och systrarnas mod, kärlek och vilja att beskydda de man älskar testas till max.

My thoughts in Swedish:

Riktigt kul att komma tillbaka till den här serien, gillade verkligen första boken hemskt mycket. Älskar serier och böcker där man på riktigt bryr sig om karaktärerna och det känner jag att jag gör med dessa, de känns så levande. Kom in i boken fort och tog inte lång tid alls att känna igen/komma ihåg alla karaktärer trots att det var något år sedan jag läste första boken, skönt!

Blir otroligt upprörd över hur sviniga Bröderna är. Tycker det är jobbigt som det är 2014 att vara tjej ibland, så fatta hur det var förr i tiden, verkligen hemskt. Riktigt irriterande att många av de tankar om kvinnor/tjejer som fanns då fortfarande finns kvar, hur trög kan samhället vara på att ändra sig egentligen!?

Trevligt var det iallafall att den här boken utspelar sig i London då jag bor där nu. =)

Var något långsammare än första boken och tror den hade lite längre kapitel, men känner inte att det gör så mycket, passar ganska bra att de går lite långsammare till. Riktigt bra bok var det i alla fall och ser hemskt mycket fram emot del tre.

Summary in English:

Not as good as the first book but still very good and OMG THE ENDING!!

Random thoughts and questions:

For people who have already read the book.
Mark the text between the brackets to read spoilers.

- Maura is such a bitch, I really hated her in this book.... but Tess is sooo cute <3 

- I was so sad what happened with [Zara, but I must confess that I was quite relieved because I was afraid that Tess was the one that would die]. 

- OMG THE ENDING [FUCKING BITCH MAURA, I HATE YOU! HOW CAN YOU DO THAT TO YOUR SISTER!!?? STUPID JEALOUS SELFISH BITCH....Yes I was really upset as you can see :P I was so angry when I read that that I could kill her. Cried even though I read this at my break at work. That is truly my nightmare!]

Other editions:

Undret by R.J. Palacio

Original title: Wonder
Pages: 335 pages
Language: Swedish
Review copy: Yes, from Brombergs Förlag.

(read in February 2014) 

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

My thoughts in Swedish:

Glömde att denna var ett rec-ex, självklart ska den recenseras även om den konstigt nog inte fick så många röster :P.

Detta var en riktigt söt och sorglig historia. Gillade skrivsättet, fyndigt och roligt, så blev inte för sorgligt trots tunga ämnet. Ja himlans fin var den så se till att läsa den!

Det enda jag blev aningen besviken på var att det inte alltid var från August perspektiv utan hela berättelsen berättas från många olika personers synvinklar. Gillade August tankar bäst och hade nog helst velat ha hela boken från hans sida. Inte för att de andra inte var bra eller intressanta (de gav ju förståelse för så mycket annat) men längtade hela tiden tillbaka till Augusts kapitel.

Angående översättningen som jag sett att en del har klagat på så har jag inte lika många klagomål, störde mig inte så mycket på den förutom när det kom till ordskämt etc (för då blir jag alltid så galet nyfiken på vad det ursprungliga skämtet var). Eller att de döpte rektorn till Rumpman, så kan man ju inte heta! Störde mig även på att de använde "Stjärnornas krig" istället för Star Wars... Vem säger så nu förtiden?! Så aningen sugen på att läsa om på originalspråk någon dag är jag väl ändå.

Summary in English:

A really cute and wonderful book. =)

Random thoughts and questions:

For people who have already read the book.
Mark the text between the brackets to read spoilers.

- I liked that they mentioned the cheese from Diary of a Wimpy kid (SWE: "Dagboken för alla mina fans") =).

- I got sooo sad and angry when I read about what [Jack said and when I understood that it was he who said it. Jack who was suppose to be his first best friend. They seemed to get along so nicely, joking, laughing and they seemed to have so much fun together... I was really mad when I read that :(. 

Good thing that it all worked out in the end =).]

- The ending was [nice, but a bit tooo perfect (SWE: "gulligulligt") for my taste].

Mini-Reviews x 2: Buffy, Shadow Kiss

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: No Future for You by Brian K. Vaughan, Joss Whedon et al.

English, 120 pages, Buffy: Season 8 #2. Read in November 2013

Mini-Review in English:

Story:

I loved the beginning of this album. It felt just like a Buffy episode on TV, but then some weird parts came that I wasn't too fond of. It's the same as with the TV-show, I loved the episodes that were more "normal" (with a nice Buffy-twist), but wasn't the biggest fan of the episodes with the more over the top crazy alien-like monsters in it.

So yeah, it was a good novel until they added all those weird stuff like the gargoyles etc., I also didn't like the way they jumped from one thing to the other in the last story, I was completely lost, didn't get that one at all. I hope the next album is better!

Illustrations/Drawings:

I like the drawings, not the most personal style, but for this series it works. I love it when the characters look like the actors in the show, not all of the artist is good at drawing them like that and OMG why did Faith's boobs have to be double the size from the TV-show!?

 

Shadow Kiss: TGN by Richelle Mead et al.

English, 160 pages, Vampire Academy: The Graphic Novel #3.
Read in January 2014

Mini-Review in English:

Story:

I'm not sure that I would be able to follow this story if I hadn't read the book first. The whole album is too short to fit the 443 pages from the book. Some parts aren't explained enough and takes part so quickly that even I who have read the book don't understand it all, but it was since I am a big fan of the series still a nice and fun read. I will definitely continue to read the rest of the series.

Illustrations/Drawings:

Like I said before, about the previous albums in this series, I am not the biggest fan of the drawings, they're clean and pretty and all, but a bit too impersonal for my taste. It still works though so I will stop complaining about it.

Saga by Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples

Pages: 160 pages
Language: English
Series: Volume 1 in Saga#
Review copy: No.
(read in January 2014) 

When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.

My thoughts in Swedish:

Gillade verkligen detta album, annorlunda och coolt. Gillar hur det är tecknat och gillar att det är så galet skruvat och att det finns så mycket chockerande konstiga varelser i detta universumet. 

Men stört mig något enormt på att de trots sina starka kvinnliga roller

och sin coola alternativa framtidsvärld så är könsrollerna på många sätt så gammalmodiga (inte alltid, men tillräckligt mycket att jag störde mig på det). Ska det vara så svårt att göra en alternativ framtidsvärld där män och kvinnor är jämlika!? För istället säger de tex fortfarande "whore" om mamman i berättelsen och hon säger i sin tur "you big girl" som en förolämpning åt sin man, suck. 

Annars en riktigt kul och annorlunda värld, vill ha mer! Mer album, mer sidor! The Stalk är för övrigt min favoritkaraktär i detta albumet. Riktigt grym, cool och stört läskig kick-ass kvinnokaraktär! Markera för stor spoiler: [Varför varför behövde hon dö :(!?]

Summary in English:

A really cool and unique graphic novel. I loved the illustrations and the story, but I got a bit annoyed with some of the sexist comments like "you big girl" as an insult etc., they could instead have made their cool futuristic universe more equal. Especially since they already have such cool and strong female characters...

Speaking of, The Stalk truly is a scary and a really cool character! But [why oh why did they have to kill her? One of the coolest female characters :( buuu!]

Mini-Reviews x 2: Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops Vol 1 & 2

Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell

English, 119 pages, Vol 1. Read in December 2013

Mini-Review in English:

Some quotes in this was just hilarious! People can be soo stupid sometimes. Good read. Especially fun too read since I now work in a bookshop =).

Quotes from the book:

“CUSTOMER: I read a book in the sixties. I don’t remember the author, or the title. But it was green, and it made me laugh. Do you know which one I mean?”

“CUSTOMER: Oh, look, these books are all signed. (Pause) I wonder who signed them ?”

“CUSTOMER: If I were to, say... meet the love of my life in this bookshop, what section do you think they would be standing in?”

"CUSTOMER: Do you bother to arrange your books at all, or are they just plonked places?
BOOKSELLER: They're in alphabetical order...
CUSTOMER: Oh."

The last quote actually happens all the time >.<.

More Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell

English, 121 pages, vol 2. Read in January 2014

Mini-Review in English:

Not as funny as the first book but still quite fun =).

Quote from the book:

“CUSTOMER: I’d like to buy this audiobook.
BOOKSELLER: Great.
CUSTOMER: Only, I don’t really like this narrator.
BOOKSELLER: Oh.
CUSTOMER: Do you have a selection of narrators to choose from? Ideally, I’d like Benedict Cumberbatch”

Mini-Reviews: Lilla Berlin, Sommarregler

Lilla Berlin: So last year by Ellen Ekman

Swedish, 157 pages. Read in February 2014

Mini-Review in Swedish:

Since this book only exists in Swedish this review will be in Swedish.

Helt klockrent! Skrattade högt till varannan sida =). Känns visserligen som allt detta redan har gjorts förut i liknande album men lika kul tycker jag det är ändå.

Gillar tecknarstilen, sådär fulsnygg. Älskar sen att albumet helt är i färg med bra tjocklek på pappret, riktigt fint gjort. Dock har de fått in en miss i albumet, stripen på sida 69 fanns även på några sidor innan, lite pinsamt.

Tack Kolik förlag för rec-exet!

Sommarregler (Summer Rules) by Shaun Tan

Swedish, 52 pages. Read in February 2014

Mini-Review in English:

Shaun Tan is one of my most loved illustrators. His paintings is just brilliant! And in this book I am once again truly impressed by his skills (I mean to be able to draw a cute rabbit to look that scary, very impressive. But this one was for some reason my least favourite of his works. I did not quite understand everything I guess. I think I will have to re-read it at some point.

Other than that a nice read that was a mixture of both darkness/creepiness and amazing pictures!

Thanks Kabusa Böcker for the review copy!

Mini-Reviews x 3: Let it Snow, Slated, Touch of Frost

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle

English, 368 pages. Read in December 2013

Mini-Review in English:

This novel contains three short companion novels and was a really cute and cozy Christmas read. Highly recommend it! I can't decide which one of the three I liked the best, they were all really good!

Random thoughts and questions:

- This cover is so much prettier irl. Very shiny and nice! And it has pictures of snowflakes inside.
- The first novel mentions Swedish/Sweden and tangentially. Lovely!
- I first thought that "Hash Browns" were short for Hash Brownies....Got a bit confused when they ate it with ketchup and scrambled eggs :P
- OMG one of the stories was a story about a teacup pig!! I loove pigs <3

Slated by Teri Terry

English, 448 pages, Slated #1. Read in December 2013

Mini-Review in English:

A good read, but I am getting more and more tired of all the stereotypical YA elements. It did not feel unique at all (like I hoped), but I still think that I'm going to read the sequel because the "mystery part" was interesting enough and the ending was very thrilling.

Random thoughts and questions:

- I didn't know that this one took place in London. What a great surprise!
- But why do all main characters in YA novels have to be a 16 year old girl that thinks that she is plain? Not very original...
- And why does it always have to contain at least one super gorgeous guy that has model looks? Why not a nice, funny and normal guy that's cute but not inhumanly beautiful?

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

English, 350 pages, Mythos Academy #1. Read in December 2013

Mini-Review in English:

This was unfortunately also not a very unique YA. It follows the standard patter with a girl who doesn't fit in that moves to a new school/environment and who thinks that she is plain and boring,  but then ends up flirting with one of the cutes guys in the school...

Other than that I quite liked it, a light and fun read, but not as funny as for example Hex Hall.

Random thoughts and questions:

For people who have already read the book. Mark the text between the brackets to read spoilers.

- I like that she likes comic books ^_^ and that she mentions Veronica Mars!

- Daphne reminds me a bit about Jenna from Hex Hall, [the fun best friend that loves pink. Only this time she is a computer geek and ] not a vampire.

Mini-Reviews x 2: Fear, The Shining Girls

Fear by Michael Grant

English, 549 pages, Gone #5. Read in November 2013.

Mini-Review in English:

This series is really growing on me. At first it was just ok, but now I loove it!

I could not stop reading, I took every opportunity I could to read it. This was one of the best in the series and now I just can't wait to read "Light", the last book in the series. So excited about the ending!

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

English, 389 pages. Read in November 2013

Mini-Review in English:

This was not at all what I expected. I thought it would just be a regular crime novel, but then there was this supernatural kind of stuff like time travel in it.

Which at first got me sooo confused because I could not understand how a person born in like 1910-1915 could murder people. I had to re-read several times before I understood. I should probably have read the summary/blurb more carefully...

I must start reading more "grown up" English literature because this was actually a bit hard for me to read. I'm so used to reading YA novels that I forgot that I'm not that good in English yet. But I want to be, so I need to read more non-YA books. Any tips?

Anyway, It was a good read but a bit weird and I didn't really like the ending. A bit inconclusive.

Have you read any of these books, what did you think?

Sandmannen av Lars Kepler

Pages: 517 pages
Language: Swedish
Series: Yes, Joona Linna #4
Review copy: Yes. Thanks to Månpocket!

(read in November 2013) 

En ung man hittas gående på en hög järnvägsbro en kall vinternatt i Stockholm. Han har legionärssjukan och är svårt nerkyld. På Södersjukhuset visar det sig att han är dödförklarad sedan sju år. Mannen var ett av seriemördaren Jurek Walters sista offer innan han greps av Joona Linna. Jurek Walter dömdes till rättspsykiatrisk vård och total isolering. Var har den unge mannen befunnit sig hela tiden? Hans oväntade vittnesmål gör att det gamla fallet måste tas upp igen. Det är bråttom. Någon måste ta sig in och vinna seriemördarens förtroende...

My thoughts in Swedish:

Ännu en bra roman av paret Kepler. Som vanligt spännande hela vägen men var denna gången lite lugnare tempo än i de tidigare böckerna.

Tog mig tid att läsa denna, ville inte att de skulle ta slut så jag behövde vänta ett år igen. Men slut tog det förstås igen och nu är jag väldigt nyfiken på fortsättningen. Riktigt spännande slut!

Summary in English:

Another great book by the Keplers, not my favourite in the series but still very thrilling. Can't wait for the next book! Best crime series I have read!

Random thoughts in Swedish:

För personer som redan har läst boken, markera texten mellan [] för att läsa spoilers.

- Yes listade ut rätt att [Jurek hade en tvilling. Inte en helt ovanlig twist men spännande ändå.]

- Men suck varför gick [Dina ut ur bilen!? Varför backade hon inte bara bilen =(]!? 

- Varför lät Jurek [Saga vara? Varför dödade han inte henne]? 

- Visst var [tvillingarnas öde hemskt men inte tillräckligt för seriemord]...

Mini-Reviews x 2: Blood Red Road, Pretty Girl Thirteen

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

English, 417 pages, Dust Lands Trilogy #1. Read in November 2013

Mini-Review in English:

A bit of a slow read. I don't really like reading books with long sequences of just walking/characters on the run/characters searching for someone. I find that quite boring. So not my cup of tea really. But the part where she becomes a warrior, that was very interesting =).

So yeah, I probably won't read the sequel...

Random thoughts and questions:

For people who have already read the book. Mark the text between the brackets to read spoilers.

- Why is always the main character so damn stubborn in books!? (especially YA books) Just put on your freaking necklace you stupid girl!

- And don't be so mean to your sister!

- I got really irritated that Saba [was so stupid when it comes to Jack. You thickheaded girl, can't you see that you're in love with him already!? Stop treating him like shit]!

- It also really annoys me when they make these stupid "rescue missions" where they're supposed to rescue ONE person but ends up killing more.

- I first thought when I read about the [king's death that there would be a twist in the end where Lugh was going to be the new king. That would have been interesting.]

Haha a very bitter post :P.

Pretty Girl Thirteen by Liz Coley

English, 344 pages. Read in November 2013

Mini-Review in English:

A good and thrilling book, I could not stop reading. But you can tell that it's YA because it doesn't get dark enough. The things that has happened to her is very dark but she just gets over it to easy I think..

Random thoughts and questions:

For people who have already read the book. Mark the text between the brackets to read spoilers.

- How can they give her a male doctor when she's never been on a exam before? Especially when she probably was raped and kidnapped by a man for three years!? AND when she thinks she's only 13...?

- Yes! I was right [she had several personalities! That's interesting. I was afraid that the whole thing was going to have some kind of super natural explanation, which would not have fit the story.]

- Shit, so [Bill had something to do with it!? What an ashole!! That disgusting bastard]!

- I also guessed correctly that [Sammy was her son. But shouldn't the doctor have noticed that she had once been pregnant]?

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

Pages: 320 pages
Language: English
Series: No
Review copy: Not really, free copy from work.
(read in October 2013) 

It's Spring Break of senior year. Anna, her boyfriend Tate, her best friend Elise, and a few other close friends are off to a debaucherous trip to Aruba that promises to be the time of their lives. But when Elise is found brutally murdered, Anna finds herself trapped in a country not her own, fighting against vile and contemptuous accusations. As Anna sets out to find her friend's killer; she discovers hard truths about her friendships, the slippery nature of truth, and the ache of young love. As she awaits the judge's decree, it becomes clear that everyone around her thinks she is not just guilty, but dangerous. When the truth comes out, it is more shocking than one could ever imagine...

My thoughts in English:

I don't really have that much to say about this book. It was a good and interesting read, quite thrilling and a bit different from the YA books that I normally read so I appreciated that.

It made me soo angry though, but in a good way, I felt like I really cared about Anna and what happened to her. 

Random thoughts and questions:

For people who have already read the book.
Mark the text between the brackets to read spoilers.

- It is so horrible that a person can be accused in that way just because you react differently. I mean, it can't be that uncommon for people to react like that when they're in shock right?

- So sad and horrible. She must feel so incredibly lonely.

- But yeah [I suspected the ending.....but I hoped that it wouldn't be that way... Oh ANNA you fooled me and made me care for you and feel so sorry for you, you sh*thead!]!

Other editions:

  I think I like the cover with the towel the best.