WRAP UP: September 2015

September is birthday month for me, but it's also the busiest in terms of university. ALL THE ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE IN SEPTEMBER! Which means very little time for reading, but I did manage to squeeze in two books whilst studying procrastinating ;)

Beautiful Disaster

by Jamie McGuire

I received this book as a birthday gift from my best friend, and so I wanted to love it, but it turned out to be a huge trainwreck of a book. There was nothing positive about this book, and it truly baffles me that so many readers love this book. It read like fanfiction, with abusive high school students who somehow ended up in university.

My Rating: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ // Full Review

Only Ever Yours

by Louise O'Neill
This was a very confronting and difficult read, but one that I'm glad I finished. Louise O'Neill quickly made herself one of my favourite authors with this book, because she offers such a sharp, clever and insightful feminist critique on beauty culture, eating disorders and mental illness. This is a book destined to become a modern classic.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ // Full Review


I'm also currently reading Chasing Paper Cranes by Courtney Peppernell, a book that I had hoped to finish this month, but I think I fell into a reading slump, so I've been reading this one very slowly. I'm enjoying it so far, but there are also elements of this book that I'm not a fan of... which I'll talk about more in my wrap up next month!

I hope you had a more productive reading month than me, and I'll see you tomorrow with my TBR for October :)

BOOK HAUL: September 2015

September is always the busiest month for me, and this year was no exception. I had to finish my teaching placements, host a joint party with my sister for our birthdays, celebrate my actual birthday a week later, and hand in a tear-stained package of assignments. It was a hectic month, and so I took some time out here and there to buy some books. You know, because retail therapy is an actual thing, and it's even better when you're buying books!

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins
Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins
Sweet Temptation by Wendy Higgins

I read the Sweet Trilogy over a year ago on my Kindle, and absolutely loved it, so when Sweet Temptation was released this month, I couldn't resist but to purchase the whole series in paperback. When it's a series I really enjoy, I don't mind having multiple copies :)

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
Landline by Rainbow Rowell
The Messenger by Markus Zusak

I purchased these books on my birthday, stopping off at the book shop on my way home from uni. I went into the store with the intention of picking up the newly-released Dumplin', but came away with an armful of extras!

Saga, Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
East of West, Volume 1 by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta
Hello, Goodby and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

And then finally a few extras that I couldn't resist purchasing. I'm really looking forward to continuing Saga, and I love that my collection of Jennifer E. Smith books are so bright and colourful!

Birthday Book Haul

All the Light we Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I also received a few books as gifts for my birthday, which was completely unexpected yet oh so wonderful :)

I hope this month was a productive month for you too, whether it was buying books or reading them or finding the time to finish your assignments!

BOOK REVIEW: Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill

Only Ever Yours

Author: Louise O'Neill
Published: 3 July 2014 by Quercus
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Links: Goodreads

Synopsis:

frieda and isabel have been best friends their whole lives.

Now, aged sixteen and in their final year at the School, they expect to be selected as companions - wives to wealthy and powerful men. The alternative – life as a concubine – is too horrible to contemplate.

But as the intensity of the final year takes hold, the pressure to remain perfect becomes almost unbearable. isabel starts to self-destruct, putting her beauty – her only asset – in peril.

And then, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride.

frieda must fight for her future - even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known...

Rating:

My Review:

In the space of one book, Louise O'Neill has gone from an unknown author to one of my favourites. Her books will now sit on my bookshelf in that special section that I reserve for authors whose words have truly affected me and changed my life. I rarely fangirl over anything these days, but O'Neill's Only Ever Yours is an undeniable force of nature, compelling a full-blown emotional response from anyone daring to read a book about a topic such as this one.

Only Ever Yours is set in a futuristic, dystopian-esque world where men rule the world and women are created for the sole purpose of pleasing these men. They are crafted – scientifically generated – to be absolutely perfect. They are then raised in the School as eves, where they are trained to one day enter the world primed and ready to please men. The eves are illiterate – only able to communicate verbally or visually – because academic traits are unappealing to men. The eves are emotionless, void of personality or feelings, because this is unappealing to men. The eves follow a strict regime to ensure they are at a target weight, because anything more or less is unappealing to men.

The ultimate goal is to become a companion – a wife to a man, and the bearer of his future sons (giving birth to daughters is strictly forbidden). If an eve is not selected for companionship (this society creates three times as many eves as sons born each year, so only one third will be selected as companions), she will become a concubine – a prostitute, living for the purpose of sexually pleasuring men beyond their companion. If an eve is unfit for either of these roles, she is destined to become a chastitiy – assisting in raising of eves, eternally sexually chaste, and with the role of chastising any deviant eve behaviour.

This book is not one that can be read lightly. Its subject matter is deeply confronting and extremely difficult to read at times, but it is a worthwhile read. It tackles issues such as eating disorders, body image, mental illness and suicide with a feminist poignancy that really hits home. There is nothing uplifting about this book, nothing to really make you happy. Rather, it is a book that sends a message, a warning about beauty culture and patriarchy and the future of our society if we become so obsessed with perfection that we lose our humanity. The focus of this book is on delivering this message – O'Neill doesn't care whether you like her characters or whether you approve of the world she has created – and it does so in such a beautiful, tragic way that will stay with you forever.

"All eves are created to be perfect, but there is always room for Improvement."

The characters in this book – the eves – are all vapid clones of one another. They might have different hair colours, different heights, different skin tones, but in the end they were all created to be identical in their service of pleasing men. It's impossible to like any of them, because (1) we never get to know them as individuals, and (2) they're all equally as annoying as the next one. But that's not to say that they're uninteresting. Quite the opposite. The creation of these characters, their role, the training they receive at the School is all so engrossing and fascinating that it's hard to not become invested in their story. They are pawns of men, their stories tragic and depressing, their fate unfathomable. Yet it is so easy to see ourselves in these girls, their emotions, their ways of thinking. And that's the whole point; this abhorrent dystopian world isn't so far removed from our own.

A lot of the negative reviews for Only Ever Yours stem from readers' dissatisfaction with the characters, their lack of development, and even their flatness – but I would argue that this is the whole point of the book! The eves are crafted in this world to be vapid clones of each other, no personality, nothing distinct about them. It serves as commentary on the world in which they are created, that men think this is the ideal role of women in society. I did not take a liking to any of the characters in this book, and I got confused by the amount of side characters because they were all so similar and blended together so easily. And that is the whole point! You will not like any of the characters that you come across, and you're not supposed to. These characters only serve the purpose of exposing us to this unfathomable world, and they serve their purpose wonderfully.

It is a confronting book to read, however, and if you're interested in reading a book set in a dystopian-esque world such as this one, I would recommend you pick up Uglies by Scott Westerfeld first. Uglies offers a similar critique of beauty culture, but in a significantly less confronting manner. It's one of my favourite series, and having read it first definitely helped to guide my expectations of Only Ever Yours and the way in which I approached this book.

I think this is such an important book to read. It is one that will definitely stay with me for many years to come, and I'm already looking forward to possibly re-reading it before the end of the year to go back and see what I missed my first time around. This is one that I'm sure will be classified as a modern classic one day, and one that I will forever appreciate for changing my outlook on many issues that we currently face as a society.

TOP TEN TUESDAY: Books You Should Read INSTEAD OF Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Feeling in the mood for a sexy, romantic, exciting new adult read? Please, whatever you do, do not pick up Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. I cannot think of a book worse than this one. If you want to actually enjoy the new adult genre, steer clear of McGuire.

You can read all about why I hated this book in my review. My thoughts are fairly brief, but I didn't like the idea of writing a massive review/rant when my energy could be better spent elsewhere... such as talking about books that are actually worth a read! (There are plenty of other amazing reviews on Goodreads that explore the horrors of this book in more detail, if you're interested.)

So this week, for Top Ten Tuesday's freebie post, I'm going to list ten books that you should read instead of Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. They might not necessarily be my favourite books, but they are leagues better than the stack of shit McGuire wrote.

10. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Hoover is one of McGuire's author buddies, so it's no surprise that their writing styles, flat characters and dull plot lines are pretty similar. Ugly Love is of the same calibre as Beautiful Disaster, but at least it actually reads well. The characters are problematic, but at least their crappy behaviour has a reason behind it and actually adds to the plot and drama.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ // Full Review

9. This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

This one is a young adult contemporary romance, but it's much more mature and realistic than Beautiful Disaster. There is gorgeous, soul-crushing angst in this book, sweet and well-developed characters, an interesting plot beyond the romance, and a satisfying ending. This book has a wonderful plot structure, and every little event feels important to the whole story. It's cute, it's fluffy, it's awkward, it's enjoyable!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ // Full Review

8. Songs of Submission by C.D. Reiss

This series of novellas is straight-up erotica, but at least the love story actually has substance and is interesting. Given that it is part of the erotica genre, it is inevitably problematic, but here's the difference: a strong female lead character who doesn't take the sexist, abusive shit of the male characters. The plot beyond the sex is just as engaging, and all round this is a really enjoyable series.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ // Full Review

7. A Pound of Flesh by Sophie Jackson

Though it is a little problematic, at least this fanfiction-turned-published-novel is interesting and exciting and sexy and actually worth reading! The premise is what hooked me on this book, being a prison tutor falling in love with one of the prisoners, and the book delivers on its promise of scandal, taboo and an agonisingly frustrating romance. This is one that will keep you hooked!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ // Full Review

6. Truly by Ruthie Knox

Aw, man, is this a wonderful romance book! I read this one so long ago, but I've re-read it a number of times since and still love it all the same! Though it is a little slow in places, it's pay-off is definitely worth the wait. The characters are rich and complex, their romance tangled with complications, and the book just leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling in your heart.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

5. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Um, if you haven't read this book, I don't know what you're doing with your life. Though this is young-adult, its romance is rich and enticing and addicting and wonderfully developed and beautifully told. Set in the romantic city of Paris, this book does not disappoint, with intriguing and complex characters, witty comedy, and girls who stick up for themselves despite the idiot boys they come across.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

4. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Again, young adult books, but with a romance fitting characters beyond their maturity. Its sequel can be classified as a new adult book, but obviously I'm not going to talk about that one because of spoilers. I love both of these books with all my heart, adore each of the characters, and have shed many a few buckets of tears over their love story. This is one to read with a box of tissues nearby.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ // Full Review

3. Night of Cake and Puppets by Laini Taylor

Yep, that's right, I'm including a 100-page novella in my list, because I think you can read it without reading the whole series, and still enjoy it more than Beautiful Disaster. Mik and Zuzana are probably two of my favourite characters from any book, ever, and their love story is one for the ages. In just 100 pages, Taylor is able to craft and deliver a beautiful story of angst, desire and sweet, tender romance without a hint of cheese.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ // Full Review

2. About Last Night by Ruthie Knox

Another one by Ruthie Knox, the queen of adult romance (hello cheesy and gorgeous cover!). About Last Night is one of my all-time favourite books, because it is able to tell a beautiful, passionate love story with umph. There are no weak elements to this story; everything is crafted with careful precision and tied up in one beautiful, sexy package. And who knew a guy named Neville could be so goddamn sexy!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ // Full Review

1. Caroline & West by Robin York

Forever in first place is this duology, written under Knox's new adult pen name. This is the realest, most accurate portrayal of "new adults" (late teens, early twenties) that I have read thus far. Their lives, their struggles, their thoughts and ambitions are all so close to home, and I loved it! The character development that goes on in this duology is phenomenal, and serves the basis for everything else in this book. Move aside, Travis Maddox. West Leavitt will forever hold the throne as the best fictional boyfriend in new adult.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ // Full Review

I really hope that this post has been able to draw your attention to books more worthy of your time and money than Beautiful Desire by Jamie McGuire. There are so many more, but these are just a few personal favourites close to my heart. If you've read any of the books I've listed, tell me how you liked them! Or if you have any other books more worthy of a read, please be sure to let me know!

And a quick sidenote: I'm not trying to insult readers who do enjoy Beautiful Disaster, because I know we all have different tastes and enjoy different stories. I just hope that if you do enjoy that book, you enjoy it critically. I hope that you can see how problematic the characters are, and are able to acknowledge it fully. And I just really, really hope no one out there is pining for a Travis Maddox of their own, because that would be my absolute worst nightmare.

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. I tend to participate only when the topic tickles my fancy and isn’t too difficult. Today was one of those occasions.

BOOK REVIEW: Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Beautiful Disaster

Author: Jamie McGuire
Series: Beautiful, #1
Published: 27 November 2012 by Atria Books
(first published 2011)
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Format: Hardback, Signed Edition
Source: Birthday Gift
Links: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand. 

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

Rating:

My Review:

This book was a disaster. There was nothing beautiful about it.

Here are a few of the key themes that run through this book:

• Sexism. Sexism everywhere. Man big and strong. Woman weak and subservient. Man incapable of cooking food for himself, must guilt-trip a woman to do the job for him.

• Misogyny. From characters of both genders. Goes hand-in-hand with the sexism, really.

• Abusive relationships. You cannot deny the fact that all of the relationships in this book are abusive. Travis is abusive towards Abby. America is abusive towards Abby. Travis's father and brothers are abusive of Abby. Abby is abusive of Parker. America and Abby are abusive towards Kara. There is no love in this book, only abuse thrown back and forth, normalised to the point of acceptance.

• Co-dependency. Travis Maddox, the campus hottie, is a dick towards any and every woman he comes across, until sweet little Marie Sue comes along and captivates him to the point where he can't even breathe unless she's in his line of vision. So that he can control her every move, of course.

• Slut shaming. Right from the beginning, we see endless pages of slut shaming. Pages of dialogue, pages of Abby's petty internal monologue. There was an intolerable amount of stereotyping going on in this book, and I struggle to understand how so many readers can accept this as part of any book. It serves no purpose other than to extend discrimination in the real world.

• Normalisation of drug use, alcoholic self-medication, physical violence and gambling. I cannot stand any of this in real life, and it's even more disgusting when characters' lives depend on these things for their survival, or for their appeal to readers. I don't know what's sadder.

I honestly went into this book with high expectations. I had heard only positive reviews, and I received a beautiful edition as a birthday gift from my best friend. So of course, I wanted to enjoy it, and that's why I read it so soon after receiving it, because I was overly confident that it would be amazing and addicting and just everything I love about contemporary romance novels. But as I read the book, it kept getting worse and worse with each chapter. Really, the stars just deduct themselves.

I would recommend you read literally any other book. Don't waste your time or money on this pile of shit.

BOOKISH BIRTHDAY: My Book Cake!

This weekend, I celebrated my 21st birthday alongside my sister's 18th. We were born three years apart (minus three weeks), and so we had a combined celebration with our family and friends. Though my birthday isn't for another week and a half, I wanted to start sharing with you some bookish-related things from my birthday so far. And I want to begin by showing you my amazing cake, perfectly decorated for any bookworm!

My auntie is the genius who crafted this masterpiece, and I am honestly in awe of her talent. When she asked me what theme I wanted for my cake, I never expected her to produce something so incredible. The cake is hexagonal in shape, two-tiered, decorated with book spines around the bottom tier, with a book owl reading a book on the top tier. It is honestly the cutest, most gorgeous cake design I have ever seen (and also really delicious)!

This cake is so gorgeous, and I just had to share it with you. Next week, I hope to share with you my birthday book haul, which I know is going to be fabulous!

TBR: September 2015

I don't know how much reading I'll be able to get through this month, but I don't antitipate that it will be very much at all. If I can get through at least two books, that will be a huge success for me. The books that I do hope to read this month are:

• Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill [Goodreads]
• Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout [Goodreads]

I plan to continue reading My Story by Julia Gillard as well, but I know that I won't be able to finish it any time soon.

By having a very unambitious TBR list for the month, I'm hoping that I will be able to call this month a success.