Mini Reviews (2)

Mini Reviews.

(2)

(as they say in Monty Python- "and now for something completely different.")

International Kissing Club- Ivy Adams.
Published by Bloomsbury.

Review-

So, we come to this, do we? I feel like I'm in a western face off battle with cowboys as I write this review, the four girls on the cover are all staring me down and it's getting a little awkward.

I did not like this book.

At all.

I think I can pinpoint it into three major faults, that I found in my reading period-

1. As far as I'm aware, this is very close to being another of The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants books. There are four girls. They are best friends. There is talk of travel to distant continents. They work out boy troubles. Alternating POV chapters. It was too close for my comfort.

2. What is it with the mean girls in these books? There is the obligatory girl who used to be best friend affections turned to a better group of people after two friends had eyes for the same boy.

3. Social networking- in the first chapter one of the girls, goes through a series of events that lead up to a pig licking her face, at a town parade. This scene then goes on twitter, facebook and youtube and the character becomes an overnight sensation. As I read this, I just couldn't see it taking a hold like that. I know crazy things become popular, but I think a video like that would have to be 60% thumbed down, because people wouldn't think it was funny, they'd probably just think it was unfortunate for the girl and not be bothered after that.

I know it's fiction, but I wasn't able to see the bigger picture and get past these little things that annoyed the heck out of me.

Rating- This is the worst possible time for an explosion.*

I just found this a whole lot too ridiculous to continue with. It is definitely not the worst book I've stopped reading before, but it wasn't worth continuing for me.

*If you're familiar with my rating system, this will make sense. Otherwise, check my sidebar and you'll find my system.

*I was not able to finish this book. Who knows if the overnight sensation thing is all a joke, or if they get back at the evil and vile and horrid Germaine.*

Chu's Day- Neil Gaiman.
Published by Bloomsbury.

Review-

So last year I read my first ever Neil Gaiman book. It was Coraline and it ended up being one of my top ten books for 2012, but also one of my top books for life. I was incredibly excited to see what would come from a picture book written by that incredible man. I didn't think that this was the best picture book I ever read, I thought it could have had a lot more substance, but I also think it's very sweet. It's simple. I started to wonder wether there was actually going to be anything to it, when the last few pages revealed that I should not have doubted Neil Gaiman. This book I would recommend, particularly for one of those first books. It is undoubtably not what I expected, but I found it amusing and that, actual amusement-in-a-good-way is what I like to see in a picture book.

Rating- Hmm...

So I didn't outright love this, I think it could have been a little more, but I definitely didn't hate it. A fun read that is really actually funny. 'Specially towards the end. *Bear, you got sass!*

Thank you Bloomsbury Australia for these review books.