My Book Reviews

Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I knew from reading the first few pages that I was going to love it. Yes I've heard of the title before, but I've never got around to reading it.

It was interesting to read about how Susie's 'heaven' was and what was in it. Without spoiling it, I have to say I was intrigued by the Ray-Ruth-Susie thing, and I'm still not exactly sure what happened. O.o

I can't seem to to put in words though the exact way that this book attracted me. There was this pull that reeled me in the minute I read the first chapter.

Give this a go if you haven't already.

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The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was something of King's that I hadn't ventured into before this: short stories.

I got this for Christmas, and naturally, was filled with glee as I'm a fan of King's, and basically getting any book will fill me with joy.

When I read the first story though, I felt... disconnected. I don't call myself a die-hard fan exactly, but I felt that the first story hadn't lived up to King's usual standards. It even felt a bit.. corny, for a Stephen King story. And I was disappointed.

Thankfully though, most of the others were ok. One of my favourites had been The Dune, where the ending made me silent-gasp. There are a number of good stories in here, but there are a few misses too, in my opinion.
Perhaps King's forte are full stories, not shorts. But then again, it might just be me.

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The Hospital: How I Survived the Secret Child Experiments at Aston Hall by Barbara O'Hare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is amazing.
Not only for how it's written, but the story in itself.

More than once, I had to remind myself that this was a true story. It's easy to forget, seeing as how similar stories are usually fictional.

It broke my heart to see how she was mistreated at home, but then when she went to Aston Hall, I was appalled by how the kids were treated; how their innocence were exploited and how they were so tightly controlled.

I had mixed emotions about the nurses there. They were described as strict and emotionless, yet sometimes they showed hints of humanity; as if they themselves had not known the extent of the experiments carried out.

What I didn't agree on, however, was the person she claimed had 'saved her life'. Quite honestly, I felt that this person would not have done it if it weren't for another wee character.

One can only imagine what it must be like for someone so young to go through such torture on a regular basis...

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Thinner by Richard Bachman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the first (and only, I hope) Stephen King book (although technically it's written under his pseudonym) that I felt that I didn't really enjoy. I think having taken a little over a month to finish a book that is only 340 pages long kinda speaks for itself. (Seeing as I finished It, in all its 1376 pages, in about a month and a half.)

The only thing I was taken by with this book was the fact that Billy was cursed to be thinner. And I actually wished someone would curse me thinner. The entire book was pretty predictable, I admit. It wasn't until the last chapter or so that I was actually intrigued by Billy's character change.

There was also a plot twist in the end, which I didn't see coming at all.
Or maybe I'm just unobservant.

I've got a few other Stephen King books to read, and I can only hope that his other books are not like this.

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The Kill Order by James Dashner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I could've finished this much faster, but I admit I took my own sweet time. =B

If anyone who hadn't bought this series as a set, let me just say this; if you're thinking of getting this book, know that it will not be about the Gladers.

The Kill Order is a prequel to the series, and it tells the tale of a group of people that experienced the Flare when it first arrived. In other words, this story was set years before Thomas and the Maze. Having said that, I feel that this book is 'optional' in the series, if you will. It's like a back story on how the Flare started and how WICKED was formed.

I don't think it would affect much of the trilogy in general even if you don't pick up this book.

That being said though, this is one intense book.

It's what I consider 'light reading', yes, but it's the kind where you can expect a cliffhanger at the end of almost every chapter. The scenes with the infected reminded me of the finale in The Girl with All the Gifts.

The final showdown for The Kill Order had me completely immersed, and I could feel the urgency; feel my heart pounding as I hastily scanned through the pages, eager to find out how this one ends.

There ARE little mentions of some of the Gladers (though I won't say who), but only in the prologue & epilogue.

If you want to find out how the pandemic started, then by all means get this book and fill in the plot holes. Otherwise, you can rest assured that you won't miss much.

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The Death Cure by James Dashner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is... something. I can say that in some ways, it doesn't involve another 'trial', as the first 2 books did. Though believe me when I say that it does not lack action and intensity.

There were incidents and scenes that I wasn't happy about; not in Dashner's writing, but with what happened with certain characters: characters that I had actually grown quite fond of. One such scene was when Thomas did not quite end up with the person I had been hoping for.

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Needful Things by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

See, the thing about King's novels is that they mess with your head. You get pulled into the story, so much so that you start questioning your surroundings. Needful Things is no different.

When I first found out that Needful Things was the name of a shop, I couldn't help thinking that it didn't sound.... well, grammatically correct. I privately thought that 'Needed Things' or 'Needy Things' would have fitted better.
(Alas, the grammar nazi has chosen to rear its ugly head again. Don't hurt me, Stephen.)

When I read the synopsis, it was attractive, but I don't think it did the story justice. Without revealing too much, the state of the occupants of Castle Rock disturbed me mentally. It was not the kind that scares you; it just made me feel really uncomfortable, in the best way possible-... if that even makes sense. I'll never look at arthritis the same way again, and I'll be weary of great deals for a while (FML).

As with It, the ending seems to be unlike the endings that other authors would normally choose. Maybe that's what sets King apart. He implies that sometimes, faith and belief in the simplest form goes a long way; not unlike the beliefs you would have as a child. Maybe what he's trying to say is that kids are very simple creatures. Imagination and belief runs their life, and they are able to accept most things and move on easily. Adults, on the other hand, can be too practical and overthink every little thing.
Or maybe that's just me.

But Needful Things illustrates the things us humans will do when we're desperate for something. The things we'd be willing to do.

I think that's what makes it even more disturbing - the fact that it hits so close to home: that we become different people when we're obsessed with something.

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  It by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stephen, Stephen.
What do I say?

The main reason I got this book had been because I was going on holiday for a while and didn't fancy going through the trouble of bringing so many books with me. So I brought It and one other book, just in case.

The first 2 or 3 chapters were, I admit, a bit boring. I had a bit of trouble remembering all the characters (I felt that too many characters were introduced within such a short amount of time that I had trouble remembering who was who; especially since King used a surname-basis to describe the initial characters). I was a bit intimidated with the size of the book as well and was apprehensive if I could finish it in time. (I didn't fancy lugging the heavy book back if I could help it, and to save space.)
But about halfway through, things started to get exciting.

I couldn't help connecting It to the Boggart in Harry Potter (hehe), but I wondered how it would fit into the 'real world'.

I expected the ending, both 27 years ago and recent, to be more descriptive in the action; I was doubtful when they confronted It the second time around without so much as a weapon of any sort. I wondered, realistically, what a bunch of kids could do (or rather, hope to do) to destroy something so powerful. The first time they faced It, I wondered if their 'ammo' was sufficient to do any proper damage to It.

And yet, I was satisfied. Satisfied with what happened, and satisfied with the outcome. I felt a bit sad to finish it, and what happens to the group in the end. It was just one of those books where you feel like you've actually lived with the characters, and what happened in the end.. I felt like it was such a waste.
But in a good way.

The way Stephen King does.

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The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First of all let me just say that I wasn't aware of how different the books and movies were until I read the book. Initially, I started with Scorch Trials, thinking that since I've seen the first movie I didn't want to waste time re-reading the first book. But about 3 chapters in, I realised the stark difference between the movie (I saw the first AND second movie before reading the books) and the book. I was confused with the book at first because I hadn't remembered such a scene in the movie.

So I went back to read the first book first.

Long story short, I think I much prefer the books. There were more 'actions', per se. A LOT of details had been left out in the movie that it could've been a completely different movie with similar characters.

At the beginning of the book, there isn't too much action. Made me wonder about what Rat Man said about the Trials being much harder than the Maze. But when the action started, it literally never stopped until the last page. And even that was left in a cliffhanger.

The part that got to me most had to be the last bit with Thomas & Teresa. I couldn't help but agree with Thomas, and sided him in his justifications (without giving too much away!) I liked how Dashner had me in a constant dilemma as to if we could trust this character or not. It was playing in my head, and I could relate to Thomas' emotion at that time.

Overall this was a much 'heavier' read than the first book, as I think this was because it had more happenings rather than when they were in the Maze, where their main concern had been the Grievers and solving the maze.

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The Shining by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I just finished the book and I'm in a daze. It felt like I had personally lived everything with every page I turned.

I must admit that I hated Jack though. I hated how he blamed everyone else but himself for his drinking problem. I hated how he always felt sorry for himself. Oh boo hoo, everyone's mean to Jack and they don't understand him. He has anger issues and most of the time releases it on Wendy.
Which also brings me to my next point: Wendy also annoys me sometimes. Jack has mistreated her for almost as long as their marriage, yet she still loves him and allows herself to be manipulated by him. Yet, she hates him at the same time. Like WTF.

In the beginning of the book, I admit that I initially couldn't see what all the hype about The Shining was. Sure it did have it's suspenseful moments, but nothing out of the ordinary or akin from other such thrillers.

AND THEN IT GOT INTERESTING.

King definitely has a knack for describing scenes in such detail that it actually plays with your head (I know it did mine). Jack's insanity and the fine line between reality and hallucination was gripping. The moment it engulfed him, I swear I was literally flying through the pages in anticipation. The scenes were described in such a way that I was completely absorbed in the book and my surroundings (in this case, my room,) seemed distant.

when the hedges attacked Dick, I was frantically searching my mind as to how the nightmare could possibly end. It seemed hopeless.
Even as I type this, my heart is still racing in my chest in the aftermath of the climax scene.

NOW I see what the hype is all about.

And I must say that I quite like how the last few chapters messed with my mind. It was something new for me in that sense, and it made the reading experience even more real.



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The Maze Runner by James Dashner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ok so this turned out to be a lighter read than I had expected. Also, holy crap but there were so many alterations to detail in the movie!
I've seen many movie adaptations, but I think this takes the cake for most improvised. Sure, the main content is the same: They're stuck in the maze, the Gladers all appeared without their memories, and the Grievers. I understand if the movie cuts some scenes out due to time constraint, but... scenes weren't even 'cut' in this case; rather, they were replaced with something else.

Anyway, more about the book. As I should.
I got the set box, and truth be told, judging from the movie (which I saw before deciding to buy the books), I had expected the book to be a bit thicker, or at least the words a bit smaller. In other words, I expected there to be more details in the book.

The story was very 'out there', in the sense that it sort of tells you the story. It doesn't leave much room for guessing what happens next. Or maybe it's because I know what happens already.
However, it was still interesting to read, I'll give you that. It's easy to read as the fonts are fairly big and no complicated words are used.

The story is also paced perfectly; nothing is unnecessarily dragged on longer than it needs be. Nothing else to say, really.


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