[Review] Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

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Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 23/10/2012

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Pages: 290

Source: Bought
Genre: YA (14+) - Contemporary, GLBT

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes
♪ Lilyjets - Perfect Picture ♪

My Rating: 

Startlingly honest and bold

My thoughts

I'll just come right out and say it. I loved this book hardcore. I devoured it, one of those nothing-else-exists-until-I-finish-this-book kinds of books. Of course, I expected nothing less of A.S. King. I kind of have a golden track record with her novels (see below).

(The Dust of 100 Dogs | Please Ignore Vera Dietz -- still haven't reviewed because there were too many things to say that I was overwhelmed and now I'd have to reread it so there. | Everybody Sees the Ants)

Ask the Passengers was insightful and felt wholly unique and fresh in this glorious way that only A.S. King seems able to achieve. The writing is raw and punchy; if you're no stranger to King's writing you'll know what I'm talking about. The main character, Astrid, reminded me of Daria from the MTV show Daria: smart, kickass, sarcastic, kind of an oddball but awesome in her own ways, and most importantly she takes it upon herself to not give a damn what other people think because they're all morons.

Top Ten Tuesday (7): Popular Authors I've Never Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. I didn't care much for this week's TTT topic, so I looked back at previous topics and thought this one was pretty interesting. :P So here they are...

Top Ten Popular Authors I've Never Read

• Jodi Picoult
• Cassandra Clare
• Holly Black 
• Melina Marchetta
• Shannon Hale
• Victoria Schwab
• Rainbow Rowell
• Sarah Beth Durst
• Jennifer Echols
• Neil Gaiman

I think I'm most ashamed to not have read Melina Marchetta, because she's an Australian YA author! A really popular Australian YA author. And I. Have. Not. Read. A. Single. Book. Of. Hers. I do have plans to tackle a few of these authors' works this year, such as Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst, On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta and The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman--all titles which I already own.

Review Bites (3): Through to You and more!

Image credit: ♥

I don't write reviews for every single book I read, at least not here on the blog, but that's just because I don't have enough to say for some of them. Review Bites is here to remedy that.

The books which I will be reviewing are mostly books I haven't received for review but have been sitting in my to-review pile (or books for review that I never got around to reviewing). I still feel like I have to talk about them. So while these reviews are much, much shorter than my regular ones, I feel satisfied in knowing that my own words have been said about them.

Reviewed in this post:

- Through to You by Emily Hainsworth [for review]
- Fated by Sarah Alderson [for review]
- Game On (#1, The Academy) by Monica Seles [for review]

[Review] Just One Year (#2) by Gayle Forman

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Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/01/2013

Publisher: Random House (Definitions)
Pages: 336

Source: Bought
Genre: YA (16+) - Contemporary

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes
♪ Ed Sheeran - One Night ♪

My Rating: 

A welcome follow-up

My thoughts

Note: this is going to be a short review as I didn't really have much to say.

Just One Year follows on from Just One Day and is written in the POV of Willem.

I liked the continuing themes of losing & finding oneself, adventure and discovery. Willem tended to be a bit of a pain at times, but it was never unbearable for me. His indecision and longing for something that he can't quite comprehend was both somehow realistic and frustrating. I like how many of the events that occurred in Just One Day make a reappearance in this sequel; it's nice to know how much that one day mattered to Willem, even if he's not 100% sure what it all means to him for a majority of the story.

[Review] Cinnamon Rain by Emma Cameron

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Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 12/02/2012

Publisher: Walker Books
Pages: 408

Source: Bought
Genre: YA (14+) - Contemporary

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes
♪ Sick Puppies - Asshole Father, What Are You Looking For, All the Same ♪

My Rating: 

Poignant

My thoughts

Released in US: 05/2013

I don't think I have many thoughts on this book; it was a quick read (as it's a verse novel), focusing on three teenagers who each deal with their own demons and overcome them. In the end, just as the tagline suggests, we find out whether friendship can still remain when so much has happened for each person. Naturally the subject matter is quite poignant and I felt that Cameron addressed it well and with sensitivity.