Book Review | The Miseducation of Cameron Post by E. M. Danforth

Released: February 7th 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 470 pages
Genre: YA, Contemporary, LGBTQ

Set in rural Montana in the early 1990s, emily m. danforth’s The Miseducation of Cameron Postis a powerful and widely acclaimed YA coming-of-age novel in the tradition of the classic Annie on My Mind.   Cameron Post feels a mix of guilt and relief when her parents die in a car accident. Their deaths mean they will never learn the truth she eventually comes to—that she's gay. Orphaned, Cameron comes to live with her old-fashioned grandmother and ultraconservative aunt Ruth. There she falls in love with her best friend, a beautiful cowgirl. When she’s eventually outed, her aunt sends her to God’s Promise, a religious conversion camp that is supposed to “cure” her homosexuality. At the camp, Cameron comes face to face with the cost of denying her true identity.  

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a standalone YA contemporary novel that follows the main character Cameron through four years in her life as she figures out who she is and who to trust. I really wanted to like this book and had high expectations for it because I know Raeleen (padfootandprongs07) and lots of other people on BookTube really loved it and while I found this book to be really interesting I also thought it was a little bit too long and detailed. E. M. Danforth's writing style is however really beautiful! This book is set in Montana in 1989 and the descriptions of it set a really nice scene of the time and place the story is taking place in.

“...and there I was sending all the wrong signals to the right people in the wrong ways. Again, again, again.”

Book Review | The Martian by Andy Weir

Released: 11th February 2014

Publisher: Crown

Pages: 369 pages

Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—& a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

The Martian is one of the funniest books I have read which is quite surprising considering it's an insanely intense story about an astronaut stranded and struggling to stay alive on Mars. This book is written in diary entries from the main character, Mark Watney, as well as some parts which are written in third person about the people at NASA and the Hermes' crew members in space. I loved the whole premise of this book and it was really interesting to read all about all the ways that Watney managed to survive on a planet all by himself. His sarcastic remarks and random jokes were also a highlight of the book for me.

“They say once you grow crops somewhere, you have officially ‘colonised’ it. So technically, I colonised Mars.In your face, Neil Armstrong!” 

Book Review | One by Sarah Crossan

Released: 27th August 2015

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Pages: 448 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary

Grace and Tippi are twins – conjoined twins. 
And their lives are about to change.
No longer able to afford homeschooling, they must venture into the world – a world of stares, sneers and cruelty. Will they find more than that at school? Can they find real friends? And what about love?
But what neither Grace or Tippi realises is that a heart-wrenching decision lies ahead. A decision that could tear them apart. One that will change their lives even more than they ever imagined…
From Carnegie Medal shortlisted author Sarah Crossan, this moving and beautifully crafted novel about identity, sisterhood and love ultimately asks one question: what does it mean to want and have a soulmate?

To be perfectly honest I randomly picked this book up because of the super pretty cover while I was in the bookstore. After reading the blurb and the first few pages I was completely engrossed in the story and finished the whole thing in one sitting. Sarah Crossan has written One in free verse so it is technically quite a short book even with 400+ pages but it was an absolutely wonderful read from start to finish. I am nowhere near an expert in poetry/free verse or anything of the sort but really enjoyed this style of writing. The free verse helped to draw attention to certain dramatic moments and made the main character Grace's emotions that much more real and helped me to sympathize with her.

“I read all these books,

so many words,

but I don't own any.

I don't know what's happening

inside me.

I can't get it out.” 

Book Review | Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Series: Rebel Belle #1

Released: 8th April 2014 
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 345 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.
Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

After having this book recommended to me over and over by one of my friends I did have quite high expectations for it and I was not disappointed. Rebel Belle is one of the funniest YA books I have read in a long time. Although technically fantasy the book was written in a way that makes it read almost like a contemporary but with some mythology mixed in. Whilst being quite action-packed it had a whole lot of funny moments, a cute love story, and a wide cast of quirky characters that I really grew to care for. If you weren't aware Rachel Hawkins is also the author behind the Hex Hall series and the spin-off series School Spirits which were both quite popular three or four years ago.