Sunday Stuff

So since my reading ban has been lifted -by me- I attacked my book mountain like a rabid dog. I finished Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver on Wednesday, I liked it better than the first book in the series, Delirium, but still the series simply isn't for me.

Next up was Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta on Tuesday. It was the only book she has written that I hadn't read yet. Just like the rest of her work it was awesome. You do notice that this was her first novel at some places but the narrator, Josephine Alibrandi, was one of the most relatable characters I've read in a while :)

On Friday, late in the night,  I finished the Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. The story was very unique and I was constantly wondering where the story would go. You were kept on the edge of your seat until the ending. Review is currently being written.

I started Shadow of the Night by Deborah Harkness yesterday  and I'm liking it a lot. Hoping to finish it tomorrow.

Video I loved

TV's best I love yous *swoon*. Good memories <3

Review of Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

3,5 stars 

Lena Haloway is content in her safe, government-managed society. She feels (mostly) relaxed about the future in which her husband and career will be decided, and looks forward to turning 18, when she’ll be cured of deliria, a.k.a. love. She tries not to think about her mother’s suicide (her last words to Lena were a forbidden “I love you”) or the supposed “Invalid” community made up of the uncured just beyond her Portland, Maine, border. There’s no real point—she believes her government knows how to best protect its people, and should do so at any cost. But 95 days before her cure, Lena meets Alex, a confident and mysterious young man who makes her heart flutter and her skin turn red-hot. As their romance blossoms, Lena begins to doubt the intentions of those in power, and fears that her world will turn gray should she submit to the procedure. In this powerful and beautifully written novel, Lauren Oliver, the bestselling author ofBefore I Fall, throws readers into a tightly controlled society where options don’t exist, and shows not only the lengths one will go for a chance at freedom, but also the true meaning of sacrifice. --Jessica Schein *blurb from Goodreads

Review

I liked it but I didn't LOVE it. My problems mostly came from the how it works as a dystopia. Paolo Bacigalupi (who wrote the YA dystopian: Ship Breaker) says it a lot better than I ever will.

"Dystopias should be insurgent. They should force readers to question who they are, what their society is like, and what they take for granted. A good dystopia will illuminate the horrors right before our eyes, and one can hope that if it does its job well, it will create empathy and humanity in world that is sorely lacking."

So while they've got the horror part locked down -never feeling too much- it doesn't deliver on critisism on society. Why is love dangerous? I mean sometimes it really sucks but it isn't a threat. Mysogony, misandrie, dicrimination, homophobia, racism are just one of the few problems that society faces today. Loving people to much and going crazy isn't one of them.

Regardless I mostly enjoyed this book because it felt like an ode to Love. And I love Love :P
I may be a sarcastic, cynical person but also a total sucker for romance and everything that goes along with it. A few of my favorite poems by Romantic poets were mentioned like "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day' by Shakespeare and 'How do I love thee, let me count the ways' by Elizabeth Barett Browning.

I liked Lena and her actions were understandable regarding her circumstances. Oliver writes feelings very well and I like the writing a lot. I would still recommend it. It works good as a teenage romance but a lot less as a critisism of today's society and without all it's machinations that make dystopias so great.

The sequel, Pandemonium , is up next week because it ended with a terrible cliffhanger (why must writers do this?).

Have you read Delirium and what did you think about it? Tell me in the comments!

Bonus: Poem 43 By Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints!---I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!---and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Simply Beautiful!

Monday Moaning

I hate Mondays!

The first day of school after the vacation is always terrible. Your mind still thinks it's vacation but your teachers tell you otherwise. Had my driver's license theory exam and failed... for the second time -.-
Felt like an idiot...

Now after a full day of homework, baby sitting and tutoring. Sitting on my ass and enjoying the new episode of Game of Thrones. If you aren't watching this yet... you should! ^^

Tyrion's awesomeness is unlimited.

Still reading book 1 of Game of Thrones which isn't going as fast I would want it to go.

Also started Delirium by Lauren Oliver that I'm loving already :)

Furthermore reading the Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. It has a strange gruesome attraction and I'm fascinated and repulsed at the same time.

Continuing Persuasion, didn't make a lot of progress, will make up for it this week.

More reviews are coming so stay posted!

What will you be reading this week? Tell me in the comments!




Credit tyrion gif: strange spanners: Explosion of Game of Thrones Awesome

Stacking the Shelves #1 part 1

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted over at Tynga's Reviews.

I want to do this meme every 2 weeks on Friday to show the new books I've bought.

Later I'd like to do this in a vlog but I'm still experienting with that, I do want you guys to actually understand what I'm saying. :P

My stack from these 2 weeks is a lot larger than usual because I got more salary than expected and went to Vienna where I robbed the bookstores (just kidding...). Basically my self containment flew out the window the moment I saw I could spend some more this month. To avoid creating a monster post I divided  it in two parts with another post coming tomorrow.

First one up is Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb a.k.a. Nora Roberts. The In Death series contains now over 34 books and I'm still not tired of the amazingness of the kick-ass couple that is tough cop Eve Dallas and billionaire genius Roarke. The secondary characters are also great and Robb has really made this futuristic world come alive for me. I do recommend to start with the first one in the series, Naked in Death, where Eve meets Roarke for the first time when he's suspect in a gruesome murder.

Good Omens, the baby made during a collaboration between Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett in the 1990's. Bought this on the airport. I already own the Dutch version but wanted it in English too. It's a very funny book but hard to get through in Dutch. Re-read this in one day and the English version reads so much better. The dry and absurd humor never fails to make me laugh out loud. I haven't read any of them separate but both American Gods and A touch of Magic are waiting on my bookshelves already. It may not be for everyone but if you like Douglas Adams for example, you should give it a try!

I found Pandemonium in the English Section of the bookshop in my town. Finding a YA book there is a miracle in itself and the fact that it didn't feature vampires made me buy it immediately just to send a sign to the bookstore -and God- that they should be buying these books. While I haven't read the first one (which I bought earlier this year) the reviews have been great and else I'm sure I can trade them with someone who will appreciate them. Also Lauren Oliver seems like a cool person :)

Gone Gone Gone by Hannah Moskowitz. This arrived in the mail today and I couldn't be happier. I was fan-girling over this book earlier and I've already started reading it. I don't think I will sleep tonight but who cares!

Second Part coming tomorrow. What did you buy in the last couple of weeks? Or have you read anything on my shelf? Tell me! :)