Booking Through Thursday 03/10/13

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week.

Which is better (or preferred) … stories with multiple character points of view? Or stories that stick to just one or two at most? And, why?

This was really intersting to think about, and as with most things, it falls somewhere in the middle for me.
Multiple character perspective can be really helpful, and bring a lot to the story- it makes the story more well rounded as you're not only seeing one person's point of view, you're getting more insight not only on more than one character's perspective, but you see MORE of what's happening outside of what only one person is seeing.
But I find multiple points of view can realy drag a story down.  'Too many cooks...' and all that.  For example in a recent read, Faithful by Kelly Elliot, this was supposed to be Heather and Josh's stpry, and yet we eneded up with about 6 perspective, that just wasn't necessary and actually detracted from Josh and Heather.  That's an example of when multiple perspective just didn't work out.
However there are times when it's fantastic.  For example Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes is a YA fantasy novel that's about different kingdoms, and different charcters ranging from peasants to princesses- and the differences in the kingdoms leading to possible war.  This was necessary!  But it didn't slow the story down, and everyone 'felt' very different. You were never confused as to whose POV you were curretly reading.
I LOVE to have alternating chapters in YA/NA contemporary novels.  Having both points of view is just fantastic- for example Echo and Noah in Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Michael Joseph (11 April 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0718178122
• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion is a story about love, life and lobsters...
  
  Meet Don Tillman.
  Don is getting married.
  He just doesn't know who to yet.
  But he has designed a very detailed questionnaire to help him find the perfect woman.
  One thing he already knows, though, is that it's not Rosie.
  Absolutely, completely, definitely not.
  
  Telling the story of Rosie and Don, Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project is an international phenomenon, sold in over thirty countries - and counting.
  
  Don Tillman is a socially challenged genetics professor who's decided the time has come to find a wife. His questionnaire is intended to weed out anyone who's unsuitable. The trouble is, Don has rather high standards and doesn't really do flexible so, despite lots of takers - he looks like Gregory Peck - he's not having much success in identifying The One.
  When Rosie Jarman comes to his office, Don assumes it's to apply for the Wife Project - and duly discounts her on the grounds she smokes, drinks, doesn't eat meat, and is incapable of punctuality. However, Rosie has no interest in becoming Mrs Tillman and is actually there to enlist Don's assistance in a professional capacity: to help her find her biological father.
  Sometimes, though, you don't find love: love finds you...
  
  Cover:  I love this simple, quirky and totally relevant cover.
  
  I loved this book.
  I'm a massive Big Bang Theory fan, and from page one I immediately thought Don was Sheldon Cooper's doppleganger.  This book was like reading an episode of The Big Bang Theory.
  Don is a genius, but socially awkward.  And dating is just disastrous.  So he devises a questionnaire to find the perfect wife.  Along the way meeting Rosie- who meets none of his requirements.  While helping her find her real father he discovers that despite the odds, he has fun with Rosie- which seemingly defies logic.
  I found the whole premise, characters, writing- hilarious.  It was just a light, fun read.  Don's perspective, and inadvertent humor were a pleasure to read.
  One of my favourites so far this year.
  5/5 stars.

Play With Me by Kristen Proby (With Me In Seattle #3)

Format: Kindle Edition

• File Size: 582 KB
• Print Length: 268 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1482792621
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• Will Montgomery is a successful professional football player and seemingly has it all. He’s not used to being told no, and certainly doesn’t take no for an answer. So when he turns his charms on his sister’s sexy rocker-chick friend Meg, he’s not only turned down, but met with open hostility, piquing his curiosity and libido. He’s determined to show her that he’s not the arrogant jock she thinks he is, and to get her into his bed.
  
  Megan McBride is not impressed with Will Montgomery, his fat contract, fancy car, or his arrogant public persona. She doesn’t have time for a relationship, and if she’s learned anything in life, it’s that loving means losing, so she guards her heart ferociously. But she can’t deny the overwhelming attraction to the sexy, tattooed athlete, and when Will starts breaking down her defenses and grabs hold of her heart, will she be able to admit her feelings for him, or will her troubled past cause her to lose the first man she’s ever truly loved?
• Cover: Another sweet romantic cover that's right up my alley.

This is probably my least favourite of the series so far.  I found it far too 'insta love', Meg goes from hating Will's guts, to dating him.

I still found it sweet and romantic, but I just liked the first two in the series a bit more, plus the little novella.

I still give it 3.5/5 stars.

Loving the series.

25 Bookish Things About Me TAG

Booking Through Thursday 26/9/13

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week.

Are “best” and “favorite” the same thing? If someone asked you “What’s the best book you ever read?” would the answer be the same as for “What’s your favorite?”

I think the two are pretty interchangeable.  
Of course 'best' has connotations of the actual quality of the book- we're talking about the standard of writing, plot, etc.
Whereas favourite implies a certain subjectivity.  Just the actual feeling of fondness you have toward that book.
There are a couple of books where the two combine for me- the one that instantly springs to mind is The Fault In Our Stars.  Where not only was the writing impeccable, but the feelings that book evoked carved its place on my bookish heart.
Whereas something like Vanity Fair for example, with its status as a classic piece of literature - while it's writing is suppose to be fantastic- I really didn't enjoy it at all.  So I wouldn't count it as 'best' for me, or anywhere near a favourite.

Run The Game by Jason Myers

• Paperback: 518 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (12 Jun 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1442414324
• ISBN-13: 978-1442414327

In this gritty novel from the author of Exit Here and Dead End, love is a high-priced and dangerous game: Play or be played.Alexander didn’t believe in love at first sight until he met Patti. She’s the kind of girl you hear about in songs: gorgeous, feisty, and dangerous. Being with Patti is better than any high, and he can’t live without her.

     But Alexander’s not the only one who wants to be with Patti. Burke ruthlessly takes what he wants and will kill to protect what is his. And he won’t let Patti go without a fight. If Patti and Alexander are going to be together, their love will come at a steep price. Because some promises are meant to be broken, and not all debts can be paid in cash….

Cover: Like the simplicity of the cover.

This is going to be a hard book for me to review.
I'm not going to say that I hated this book, but I feel maybe it wasn't for me.
After finishing it I was so depressed.  The plot, the characters- all kinda brought me down.
I felt that Alex's 'love' for Patti was SO irrational.  It came out of nowhere.  And the whole insta-love thing is a bit of a pet peeve.
I'm all for YA tackling darker, grittier themes, but I feel this was TOO much for YA and was definitely more towards adult.  The sexual descriptions were disturbing, even for me at 21.
A lot of the music references were lost on me.  I feel they were meant to add some depth but fell flat for me.
The excessive swearing was irritating, I'm not a prude and don't mind reading swearing, but it was constant and was pointless.
I also didn't appreciate the meta moments of referencing himself and his novels in it.  
Over all this book just wasn't for me.
1.5/5 stars.

Faithful by Kelly Elliot

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 1660 KB
• Print Length: 375 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0988707470
• Publisher: Kelly Elliott (18 Aug 2013)
• No matter how faithful love can be…it takes only one moment to change it all.
  
  After Heather Lambert’s parents died in a tragic car accident her senior year of high school, she refuses to let anyone into her heart for fear of being hurt again. Focusing only on school to follow her dreams of becoming an elementary school teacher, the last thing Heather intends to do is fall in love with Josh Hayes.
  
  Josh knows the moment he lays eyes on Heather that she is the one he’s been waiting for. During months of obstacles and denied feelings, he is rejected by her time and time again. 
  When he finally wins her love, Josh and Heather start planning their future together…until Heather receives one bit of news she never wanted to hear again. 
  
  There has been a car accident. 
  
  Josh wakes up with no memory of Heather, and his ex-girlfriend, Victoria, is his nurse. Heather must decide if she’ll risk being hurt again and fight for the one man she loves with all her heart. 
  
  Will Josh remember Heather when she needs him the most? Or will Victoria take advantage of this opportunity, pushing Heather away from Josh for good?
  
  Faithful is the third book in the Wanted series by Kelly Elliott.

Cover:  Another cute, romantic cover.  I really like these.

Hmm.  This is going to be tough.  

I didn't hate this book.

But I do have some issues with it.

This series is starting to feel very formulaic.

Girl likes guy.  Guy likes girl.  Personal drama.  Bitchy ex's trying to come between them.  Throw in some sex.

Nothing new really jumped out at me.

A big issue with this book was there were like six people's perspectives.  I felt it should have just been Josh and Heather's book.  It's made worse by the fact that everyone sounds the same.  They have no distinctive qualities.  Even the adult speak like teenagers so it becomes even harder to distinguish whose who.

Another issue I have is there our characters are in their early twenties, and yet they all want to breed like crazy.  They just want to keep having babies.  Seriously- all of them.  There must be something else they want right?  I just found it disturbing how much of the book was taken over by that.

However I did enjoy Josh and Heather's story, when it was actually their story.

Over all a tad disappointing.

3/5 stars.