Top 10 Influential books Tag

So this tag has been going on around Facebook, booktube and blogs for a while and a friend of mine recently tagged me on facebook to list my top 10 influential books.

The rule of the tag is to list 10 books which have influence you without saying much.

Now being the ramble person I am I though it will be fun to give a short description on how the book affected me and the way I read.

10. The Railway Children by E.Nesbit

My favorite children classic! I love reading about the siblings and their adventures near the railway train track.

I watched the Halmark movie years ago and love it, later learned that the movie was based on the book so obviously I had to read it.

Also... I like trains ;P lol

9. Mathilda by Roald Dahl

Surprisingly I read this in high school (and still hitting my head for not reading it sooner...) and this is my favorite 'Modern Children Literature' 

I love Roald Dahl writing! Very smart but also silly and fun.

Though I also enjoy his Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Series I love Mathilda more.

Mathilda will definitely be the best bookish best friend since she likes reading (like me!).

8. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

My parents used to send me for English Tuition where I would get assigned readings.

This was my favorite assigned reading and another great classic! I was probably Tenth when I read this and have since lost count how many times I've re-read this book.

 I enjoyed reading about Pip growing up, being trained to be a Gentlemen, his 'Play Dates' with Estella at Miss Havisham, his friendship with Joe.

Also the book talks strongly about friendship, materialism and redemption.

7.  Holes by Louis Sachar 

  Once again an assigned reading, this time for High School when I took an elective subject on Literature in English for SPM. The assigned reading in the 'regular' English classes were okay (except Phaethon of the Opera... was not a fan to the story) but THIS ONE is freaking thought provoking and really made me used my brains.

I read this in one sitting and was mind blow with the plot twist and the confusing time laps that makes sense at the end. In a way I view this book like a complicated puzzle and you know how happy and satisfied you feel when you complete the puzzle? That's what it feels like finishing this book!

I re-read this book dozens of times since I had to study it but even after High School I still read this as a random pick me up book though its not as fun as reading it the first time. In fact I bought another copy of Holes (of a different edition) to keep in my dorm's bookshelf here at uni.

I love reading about the friendship between Stanley and Zero. I also picked up the sequel, Small Steps which is just as good as Holes (so pick it up!).

If I could choose one book to forget about and re-experience reading if for the first time, this will be the book!

6. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

 

As in the entire series that has so far released... NEED WINTER LIKE YESTERDAY !!!

This series got me into loving YA sci-fi/dystopian which is something I was put off for a while due to the hype.

From the world building to character development and narration, Marissa Myer has a unique way of twisting favorite fairy tales to suite this futuristic world and made the story her own!

Also she's probably the only author that I've read who managed to balance out multiple POV of the characters without confusing the story.

Expect a lot of fast pace actions, awesome cast of characters, great friendship, adventure and romance with never a dull moment in the series! 

There are two more books in the series that has yet to be release that is Fairest (Jan 2015) and Winter (Nov 2015) as well as a lot of novellas that I am hoping that she will make a bind up since that seems to be the new money maker in the book world apart from series/trilogy.

5. The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider 

A coming of age story about what's next for 'Golden Boy' Ezra when he gets into an car accident and couldn't continue playing tennis due to his injuries. I found the author on youtube and love her personality and humor so when I found out she has a book out I had to read it!

There are some laugh out loud moments with its witty and hilarious dialogs and beautiful poetic quotes. Also you'll fangirl/boy with the book when you read the awesome Doctor Who and Harry Potter references ( 50 points to that!) and Laugh out loud at the hilarious puns!

The character development in Ezra is definitely what made the book as we watch him grow from his athletic downfall on being his own person, not following peer pressure, who are his real friends and the aftermath of a tragedy.

Also last few pages of the book are beautifully written (lost count how many times I re-read just those few pages). This is one of the books I wished I had when I was still in high school as I really think it will have help me then and now.
 

*read this if you are a John Green Fan!!!*

Full Review (Click Here)
 

4. Chords of Strength: A Memoir of Soul, Song and the Power of Perseverance by David Archuleta

 Okay I know what you're thinking...

1) Who the heck is David Ar-Chu-Leta?!?!

2) Why are you including a celeb memoir to your list 

3)... I can't think of a third reason... yet... lol

David Archuleta, runner up of Season 7 of American Idol came out with a memoir a few years back.

I've been a fan of David since I heard him on AI and have been supporting him, his music and projects for the past 6 years (gosh its been long!). Not only is he a great singer but he also have a great real yet humble personality.

His memoir is full of inspiration and empowerment. He talks from experience on chasing your dreams, have faith and overcoming hurdles that life gives you.

He also talks about the Behind the Scenes American Idol and recording his first album.

I mostly love reading this books because its very positive!

Think of 'The Other Side Of Down' ;P

3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I love both of Rainbow Rowell YA books however I related to Fangirl more (story of my life!!) than Eleanor and Park.

What's unique about her writing is how simple yet realistic her characters are and trough out the books I keep on thinking 'I could relate to this!'

In fact Cath is first year university me! Well kinda (i have no cute Levi to make me Starbucks)

Also Fangirl kinda sparked my mind and motivated me to try fiction and fan fiction writing (just for fun... don't think any of my works will ever see the light unless i ever finish and heavily revise the grammar and spelling! lol).

2. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

What is a book tag/recommendation without me talking about the Awesome John Green! anyone?! just me?! Okay... no pun intended

All of John Green's books (except Let It Snow as I have yet to read it... yet...) have influenced me in so many ways from how I think  to how I view YA contemporary genre. 

While this book didn't put me to tears (that honor goes to Looking for Alaska) it gave an overwhelming roller coaster of feels and impact

1. The Harry Potter Series by J.K.Rowling

Surprise?!?! :P

Long story short this is the first book series I was ever obsess with and what got me into reading.

Also the first fandom I was ever into (yes I used to stalk snitchseeker lol).The series will always have a special place in my heart as I grew with the series, the characters and story.

Also what's special about the series is that I actually started it in another language that was Bahasa Malaysia as my parents thought it will motivate me to improve myself in the language which kinda did... sorta... i am fluent in the language and have read all the Bahasa Malaysia translations xD

It also thought me to NEVER read a book series out of order as you will be very VERY lost and confuse. Did the mistake of skipping book four and reading book five. Boy was I very confuse with the missing chunk of the story and wondering who the heck was Cedric? what is this cup? why are Fred and George suddenly rich?! why does everyone hate Harry? etc etc etc...

Okay so that is my top 10 influential books! If you want to do this tag feel free to link it in the comments! 

Also shout out to Kak Mirah for tagging me in the tag! Better late than never :P

What's your most influential reads?? 

Book Review: Pandora Jones: Admission (Pandora Jones #1) by Barry Jonsberg

Goodreads Description:

Pandora Jones wakes in an infirmary - her body weak, her memory providing only flashes of horrific scenes of death. She soon discovers that her family has succumbed to a plague pandemic which almost wiped out humanity. Pan is one of the survivors who have been admitted to The School - a quarantined, heavily guarded survival-skills facility - to recover their strength, hone their skills and prepare for whatever comes next. Pandora's skill is intuition, but how useful will it be outside the secure walls of The School? And what if it leads her to question where the truth lies...

Plague. Pandemic. Intuition. Secrets. Truth. Courage. Action. Survival.

 

Title: Pandora Jones: Admission
Author: Barry Jonsberg
Genre: Sci-Fi, survival, paranormal, apocalyptic, YA, 
Format: Paperback
Pages:312 pages
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Source: Purchased from Big W

The moment I opened the book and saw 'It took slightly under eight hours for Melbourne to die.' I knew i had to read this!

Filled with suspense, mystery, action and a hint of paranormal, Pandora Jones: Admission was a great series starter! 

The book starts with Pandora waking up in an infirmary with bits and pieces of her past including the last day of her life. Confuse and curious, Pandora finds herself in 'The School' where surviving youths are sent after humanity including her family succumbed to a plague. There they are cut out from the outside world and are trained 'For the future of humanity' physically with combat and mentally with regular school classes. She is placed in a group where each student have a special ability like combat, sports, technology, etc. For Pandora she has a six-sense institution of locating lost objects and developed her ability trough the book. The longer she stays in 'The School' the more she question about the odd and off things about the place.

Pandora was a likeable character. She reminds me a bit of Tris from Divergent, an averaged girl throned into a boot camp and Thomas from the The Maze Runner who is curious, intelligent and compassionate.

Her 'love interest' and partner in crime Nate, an American teen who's ability is running is my favorite character! Brave, a natural leader and like Pandora is compassionate and curious about the motive of the school. Is it mean to say that I feel like he is a 'rejected' Maze Runner Character?!?! (joke lol). I pictured him as Newt from The Maze Runner as he is the peace keeper of the group and a bit of Minho with his great leadership attitude. 

I was not a fan of Pandora falling head over heals with Nate at first sight. Heck i was not a fan of her initial inner thoughts of Nate and to be honest i thought it was unnecessary. Other than that I love their friendship.

The side Characters include Wie-Lin, Sanjeet, Cara, Sam and Karl were great however i have mix feelings about the character Jen as she can be a freaking B!tch at times and have opposite views with Pandora which stir up some conflict between the two of them. However between her idea and action verse Pandora's ideas and actions I will have to go with Jen as it makes more sense locally. 

Apart from that, I enjoyed the diverse cast of characters where they come from all places like New Zealand to Hong Kong as well as a mix of races.

I had mixed feelings on the third POV writing style and felt it was flat. I also was not a fan of Pandora's inner thought. I felt like it will have been better from first POV so that we will know what is going in Pandora's head and not trough her inner thoughts.

I like the concept of the story. Though first one third of the story was a bit slow and very confusing (which should be a good thing as I was just as lost and confuse as Pandora was) along with alot of world building. After that he plot picks up and we get into the fast pace, nerve wrecking action sequence. There are some eye opening themes like morality vs survival along with trust issues on the authorities of the school and their motive for Pandora and her friends.

The ending of the book... whyyyyyy ?!?! nooooo?!?! whyyyyyy?!?! Dang you plot holes!!! Why!

It was a freaking provoking and ended with a cliff hanger with a good set up for the sequel!

Other than that I this as a great first book in the series! I love the concept of the story and have so many conspiracy theories running trough my head when I was done with the book!

I highly recommend if  you are a fan of  Divergent, The Hunger Games and especially The Maze Runner, as there are some elements from those series but the book has its own unique spin! Also for video game lovers out there check this out if you are a fan of the survival Apocalypse of  The Last of Us and its Prequel (of Ellie sent to the boarding school) and the Paranormal elements from Beyond Two Souls you need to check this out! 

Its great to see Aussie lit diverging from the Contemporary into the dystopian, paranormal genre.

I am currently reading the sequel Pandora Jones: Deception so expect a review on that soon!

 What was your last favorite Aussie Lit?

Incredible Adventure's of Cinnamon Girl by Mellisa Keil! I devoured that book xD

Book Review: Death of a Superhero by Anthony McCarten

Goodreads Description:

Inspired by real events, Death of a Superhero is a brilliantly original fusion of novel, comic book, and film script; a celebration of the transience of life and the eternal difficulty of love, and a hilarious riff on our 21st-century infatuation with movies and the superhero solution. Donald Delpe is a troubled teenager. Not only is he a "terrible teen" by default, as obsessed with sex, music, videogames, and drugs as the rest of his gang, but he is also suffering from a life-threatening form of leukemia, which makes him an even more difficult boy, both for his parents and his teachers. Escaping into his own comic-book realm of immortal superheroes, ruthless villains, and sex-crazed vamps, he repeatedly dashes his family's hopes by refusing to fight the battles facing him in the real world. As famous psychologist Dr. King is brought in to help, a glimmer of hope is rekindled. But will the doctor break the rules, betray the parents' trust, and risk everything to help Donald achieve his greatest wish? Or will Donald be the one to save the doctor? Shortlisted for the prestigious German Youth Book Award.

Title: Death of a Superhero
Author: Anthony McCarten
Genre: Contemporary, Adult, Young Adult, Coming Of Age, Mature YA
Format: Paperback
Pages: 247 pages
Source: Purchased from Ebay

When i first read the book and the synopsis I kinda find the title 'Death of a Superhero' interesting yet ironic as being an avid comic book fan it usually means the end of a comic book and the hero... not trying to foreshadow anything... *tears!!!*

I picked up 'Death of A Superhero' after I found out one The Maze Runner actor was in the movie adaption of this book and like any book to movie rules I must read the book before I watch the movie.

The edition I owe is set in the UK but the original version is set in New Zealand. The book follows Donald, a trouble 14-year-old who has Leukemia and has practically given up fighting. He draws comics to help ease the pain and anger of cancer and creates an alter ego called Miracle Man. Though a talented artist, the stuff he draws however is kinda disturbing which worries his parents hence one of the reasons why they send him to a psychiatrist Dr Adrian Kings.

Donald was Rebellious, angry and troublesome at first and but is also a very complex character. He was an okay character at start but by the end of the book I cared for his character along with the fact he has matured with the guidance of Adrian and also comes to his senses. He is obviously obsess with comic books and superheros and creates his own comic book adventure as kinda of a parallel to his life. I like reading his teenage struggles on him trying to fit in with his classmates though he tend to do some really stupid stuff like free running (aka le parkour which is a very bad idea with his condition) and selling pirated CDs. Also it was kinda cute reading him being shy and clueless on girls. I especially love reading his know-it-all and sarcastic attitude along with the fact he is quiet intelligent and have some really snappy dialogs along with a really good imagination. 

Dr Adrian King is my favorite character! Though a famous psychologist, sadly he is a lonely man with marriage problem and kinda have a boring life. Assigned to help Donald find strength and happiness along with the will to fight, he forms a unique bond with him and probably learn some things from Donald. They have quiet unique or odd (depend on how you look at it) doctor-client relationship where they bond over art, life and love even though their views is very two side of the same coin or youth vs experience. They also developed a deep friendship to a point that Donald open up about his fears and desires including his dying wish of him not wanting to die a virgin which Adrian going to some crazy extent of helping fulfill this wish.

I like the cast of side characters especially Donald's family. It was interesting watching them cope differently with Donald's illness. I found the character Shelly, Donald's crush one of those random pop in characters that I keep forgetting exist and I wish we got to know more about her as she is quiet a significant character.

The writing style of the book was unique but a bit confusing at first as it not only follows Donald's POV but Dr King and the side characters POV. Also I had to get used the way the book was written like a script book taking place in three acts. I love reading the comic book parts and kinda wish that there were some illustration in the book. The 'deleted scene and outtakes' was of my favorite part and cool way of an epilogue!

Speaking of epilogue, the way the book ended was freaking sad but satisfying. Adrian finally manage to gain the courage of separating from his wife and unhappy marriage while Donald finally found peace and happiness.

Its a great coming of age story with really good plot twists as well as some good themes in the book like youth vs old, the darker side of Cancer or illness and teenage angst.

A disclaimer i need to address, though I consider this a YA, it have some mature and graphic moments/content in some parts of the book.

Overall this book will make you both laugh and cry as well as grow with the characters. Its honest and realistic yet strange and provoking. Also its fun to imagine the parallel universe of superhero that Donald has created.

Read this book if you are a fan of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Side Effect May Very and of cause the lovely The Fault In Our Stars.

Also as mention if you are a Maze Runner fan, you might want to check out this book or the movie as Thomas Brodie Sangster ( Newt in TMR) plays Donald in the movie adaption! I have yet to watch the movie but am planning to after the exam but my friend has and she says its actually quiet good but like alot of book to movie alteration there were some changes.

If you were to find out a book to movie adaptation will you read the book first or watch the movie?

For me it depends. If I watch the movie and enjoyed it only to later find out its based of a book I'll probably pick up the book to compare with the movie.

But if i have yet to watch the movie and saw that its based off a book I'll pick it up as I want to form my own picture and opinion of the story and character in my head.

Book Review : Reboot (Reboot #1) by Amy Tintera

Goodreads Discription:

'5 years ago, I died. 178 minutes later, I woke up.'

In this post-apocalyptic thriller a deadly virus mutation sees teenagers raised from the dead and trained to be vicious soldiers until Wren, the deadliest Reboot, joins forces with Callum, the most innocent, to try to overthrow the organisation that has corrupted their world.

Title: Reboot (Reboot #1)
Author: Amy Tintera
Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Post Apocalypse, Romance
Format: Paperback (UK edition)

Pages: 384 pages
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Source: Purchased from Dymocks

I am a sucker for anything with the word 'Zombie Apocalypse'! This is a really cool and unique twist on the genre where instead of the undead coming back as flash eating monsters they come back as super bionic humans! The longer they are dead the stronger but less emotional they are rebooted.

I put off getting the series as I wanted to get the sleek looking US covers from the bookdepository but recently I won the sequel Rebel in a giveaway (which was the UK/Aus cover) so naturally I had to get the matching edition.

The pacing of the book is fast pace and full of awesome action pack moments. Reading it, the atmosphere reminds me of some great survival apocalypse themed video game that I've played like Left 4 Dead and The Last of Us.

The plot have a good balance of action where they were fast pace but not too fast that you can barely catch up as well as some great character and world building moments.

I instantly love Wern and Callum characters! Wern has been dead for 178 minutes which makes her one of the strongest, deadliest but emotionless reboots. Strong, sharp and straight forward, she's what I like to see in a main female character.

 Callum is the total opposite to Wern which is very different from a lot of books as if there is a strong female character there usually is a stronger male character. In this case because Callum has been dead for only 22 minutes, he is one of the weakest reboots, and is practically human with the fact he show's a lot of emotions. Unlike a lot of reboots he ask too many questions, he refuses to kill and fright and cause he has alot of emotions he smiles alot. Still he is sweet, funny and charming and is not afraid of Wren. He makes her feel less of a monster and more human.

I like their relationship! The pacing was surprising as usually in dystopian/apocalyptic the romance is insta-love. Instead the build up to the romance took a while so that was refreshing to read.

I whiz trough Reboot and picked up the sequel Rebel the moment I was done. The ending was sort of a cliff hanger which was a good not frustrating set up to the sequel.

Overall I love this book! It has everything I enjoy in a survival/apocalypse genre! Check this if you want a great survival action reads along with a unique twist to the Zombie Apocalypse world!

October Wrap Up, and Highlights!!

So this month I read a total of 12 books... yes I read a huge chunk of my tbr! Which was replenished pretty fast as I purchased 10 books in to total this month... my TBR is never going to end... lol

Also I took part in my first ever Read-A-Thon which is how I managed to read 5 of the books so if you want to check out a quick short review check out my RYBSAT Read-A-Thon wrap up (here)

Geek Girl (Geek Girl, #1) by Holly Smale 4/5 (Full Review)

13 Little Blue Envelopes (Little Blue Envelope, #1) by Maureen Johnson 4/5 

The Boyfriend App (App, #1) by Katie Sise 4/5

Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes 5/5 (Full Review)

The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner, #2) by James Dashner 5/5 (Full Review)

The Death Cure (Maze Runner, #3) by James Dashner* 4.5/5 (Full Review)

Death of a Superhero by Anthony McCarten 4.25/5 (Full Review)

So I finished 7 books was not for a Read-A-Thon and alot of them were surprisingly very fast reads!

Correction... Addictive reads!

I especially enjoyed The Scorch Trials and Anatomy of a Misfit.

I finished The Maze Runner Trilogy and I am hitting myself in the head for not reading this book sooner as its an epic fast pace series, filled with action, mystery, confusion and just pure awesome! However those books left me a bit brain fried as its nail biting intense so I might be taking a break from action/sci-fi books for a while...

Also Anatomy of A Misfit is my favorite contemporary book this month! Its a great laugh out loud, sassy but also heart breaking reads and one of my new all time favorite contemporary!

Another contemporary I love is Death of a Superhero and its another book that I want to laugh with and cry with! Its another "cancer book" and its a good mixture of TFIOS, Side Effect May Very and Me and Earl And The Dying Girl (*phew! why does all this books have a mouthful of a title?!). Interesting thing about this book is that it came out way before all those books were published (maybe even written) in 2005! I picked it up cause I want to watch the movie and book-to-movie rules... read the book first! 

I started a new series that is Geek Girl and its all I want in a cute, hilarious geeky book! I have recently gotten  the next two books in the series so I'm excited to continue this series!

Overall check out all the books mention as they were really great reads!


Also check out my wrap up vids!

1) 1989 by Taylor Swift

WOOHOO Taylor Swift '1989' Album is out and event though its been out for days I've been listening to all the songs non-stop as they are all amazing and hands down my new favorite Taylor Swift album since Speak Now! I'm loving her transitioning to being a pop singer and I actually think it suits her better!

My favorite songs include Blank Space, How You Get The Girl and Clean but all the songs on the album are amazing!!! 

Check out my review (and fangirling) of the album (here).

2) The Maze Runner

If its not obvious enough I am obsess with The Maze Runner Series since I read the first book and watch the movie! I was lucky to pick up the lovely box set in Kmart for $19 which is a freaking bargain and by destiny it was the very last one they had in the store!

I already ramble enough bout the books in my reviews so I'm just gonna stop here...

3) Celeb Crushes ?!?!

Hello new cuties :P !!! Dylan O'Brine, Ki Hong Lee and Thomas Sangster as my newest Celebrity Crushes!! :3

I love their acting in The Maze Runner movie and have finally checked out some of their other works like Dylan on Teen Wolf... yes I finally watch Teen Wolf and its actually very addictive!

Also a reason why I picked up Death of A Superhero is cause it was turned to a movie and Thomas Sangster stars in it!

Gah I can't wait for Scorch Trials Movie to come!!!

Lol okay I'm now done rambling bout Maze Runner! 

6) Sunny Birthday!

My best friend, dormy and 'annoying little brother' Sunny turned 20 this month! 

And yes there are some cake squash on his face :P sorry sunny boy xD but we were being daunting and smash dauntless cake in his face :P

5) Mama Visit!!!

Saving the best for last! My mum visited me earlier this month! So happy to spend time with her so its definitely a highlight for my month!

So yah that's my wrap up, highlights and favs for the month!