Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys Review

Hey! JM here, co-blogger! and this blogpost is about the book Between Shades of Gray by Ruta sepetys. A critically acclaimed Historical Fiction novel that wrecked the hearts of many readers.

The hardcover of this edition is what I bought

Sypnosis:
Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives.Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart

I will point out 3 commendable aspects that i gathered throughout the book!

1st would be the characters! all the characters was outstanding! they literally stayed in me even though some of them is not that fully featured (you know what i mean Death) I hated some, like Mr. Stalas because of his cocky attitude and his side comments and his ugh... I hate him! but generally I loved all of them especially the main characters: Lina, his brother Jonas, Lina and Jonas's Mother Elena, and Lina's "boyfriend" Andrius. Also the side characters that was with the main characters throughout the book and gave more depth to the story! also i learned to love that hideous Mr. Stalas because of his growth in the end of the story! thanks, Mrs. Ruta Sepetys for the growth of Mr. Stalas, if it weren't for him I would have hated him forever.

2nd would be the plot and the writing style! seriously, Ruta Sepetys, Hands down to the plot because it captivated me with it's story and the theme! 1954 historical plot is just so interesting, and giving it a fictional characters but with a true story factor then mixed it together puts a really good book! the writing style as well, is hands down! so elegant and fully established the point of view of the leading character. So sympathetic as well, because you may encounter deaths throughout the book and with the writing style, you'll burst out into tears, for sure!

3rd and last would be story line! yep I did not fuse story line along with the plot because the Story line itself deserved a spotlight! so the story line is just... heartbreaking at the same time enjoyable! i did feel pity for the characters because of what they've been through all throughout the book but I also happens to enjoy myself suffering HAHA anyways, the story line, getting back, is just good, okay? it's dark and painful and... so much crying but i did enjoy the flow of the story!

Adjudication

I loved and enjoyed the book so much that it is a contender to my summer reads spotlight! but honestly though, i encountered some minor flaws like the deaths, because i find some of the deaths unreasonable? i don't know, i just don't like some characters to die because hey, just as i've said, because of their depth, I couldn't accept the fact that they are.. dead *cries* Mrs. Ruta Sepetys did a nice job of letting some characters bond with you then perish them afterwards for her pleasure HAHA *cries again* only that minor flaw but nevertheless, I would recommend it to readers who likes to suffer (joke!!) or simply loves the Genre Historical Fiction, like me, read this Masterpiece.
4.7 out of 5 starsssssss

Hello readers, this is Maiko & I'm a co-blogger of this beautiful blog 

So recently, I just finished reading "I'll give you the sun" by Jandy Nelson. I will start off with saying that it was such a wonderful book and no words can express how beautifully entwined the chapters are with each other. So for those of you who have not read it, I highly recommend that you get your hands on that book & start going through it. 

I'll give you the sun was written and created by the exceptional Jandy Nelson. She has created a wonderful and inspiring world through this book and brought her characters into reality. The book is all about the two twins, Noah and Jude, and how each of their stories are essential to the other. While Noah is falling in love with the boy next door, Jude is catching the waves and diving the cliffs. But one day, everything changes. Noah and Jude start falling away from each other.  (I don't want to give in to much so I'll just let you go through the book) Basically, it's all about how they find their way back to each other and realize how important they are in each other's lives. 

At first, the book was quite hard to get into but as I moved chapter to chapter, I realized how the chapters were perfectly & beautifully strewn together. I really loved and enjoyed reading this book. I came to a lot of realizations after reading this; it was truly inspiring & heart-warming. So, I do believe that all of you will also enjoy and love this book.

I'm currently reading Scarlet, the sequel to Cinder, and it is such an AMAZING book as well.

If you have read "I'll give you the sun", I want to hear your thoughts about it on the comments below & what you are currently reading. Also, any recommendations on a good book to read next. 

Have a great night and happy summer to all of you! 

ARC Review: The Prey by Tom Isbell

Title: The Prey

Author: Tom Isbell

Publisher: HarperTeen

Date published: January, 2015

Source: HarperCollins International

            I received a copy of this book as an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) from Harpercollins International. I wish to review this book not because I’m compelled to do but I wanted to. All words in this review are solely my own.

             For the record, this post-apocalyptic dystopian novel made me feel a lot of feelings for a debut novel, from fear, to pain, to anger, to love. As I took a break from another book (my e-reader), I picked up this book and started reading. And I didn’t put it down until I was done with it. Like at 3 am in the morning.

            I loved how this book is kind of a mixture of the Hunger Games and The Maze Runner as it offered. You’ll get the combined thrill of reading those two books. Also reminded me of Pawn by Aimee Carter, Chaos Walking by Patrick Ness and Stolen by Melissa Dela Cruz, but this book is original, I promise.

And man, Tom knows how to name his characters. Hope, Book, Cat, Faith. Now that is what I call a genius. Also no book had ever made me want something so much from a book, and what I wanted here was a twin sister. I so wish I’d had a twin sister. “H and FT.” *Sob-fest* Thank you for splitting my soul into two Tom Isbell. Also I found here my new Annabeth and Percy. Hope and Book!

           

            I can’t further explain how good this book is, just trust me. Trust me that it’s worth the read and you won’t regret it. I bet you would even thank me for recommending it. A lot of dystopian books are out on the market now, but if you want a great read. Grab a copy of this book right now. Just remember what makes you different gets you in danger and at the same time makes you dangerous.

Rate: 5/5 Stars

ARC Review: A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas

Title: A Wicked Thing

Author: Rhiannon Thomas

Publisher: HarperTeen

Date published: February 15, 2015

Source: HarperCollins International

            I received a copy of this book as an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) from Harpercollins International. I wish to review this book not because I’m compelled to do but I wanted to. All words in this review are solely my own.

            I’ve always loved retellings, especially retellings of childhood fairytales, because who knows they might be the real possibility instead of a happy ever after, which seems pretty more realistic.

My favorite fairytale I think is Beauty and the Beast but I haven’t read any retellings of it. If you happen to know please recommend me that book. Sleeping Beauty was good too, I think. It’s just I don’t think Aurora did more than that be a bit of a rebel and strong-willed but I like my girls that way.

            This retelling by Shannon Thomas was pretty convincing. To be honest I think it’s more realistic than what Disney portrayed. If I was Aurora, I wouldn’t marry a man I just met; after all we’re not like Anna from Frozen. If you wake up after a decade and your family is dead and some Prince claims you, wouldn’t you as a person feel like you have to make yourself your own and move on first? That isn’t pretty realistic even in fiction.

            In this version, Aurora is forced to do what the people want her to do but then, instead of doing what she’s wanted to do, a strong-willed girl that she is, does exactly the opposite. It is what a real princess should do, fight for what she believes in. And then there is this boy here who Aurora seemed to like instead of the Prince who kissed her awake. He’s a rebel and a worker but he has that determination to have revenge for his family. But honestly though, I kind of like the Prince better for her. He’s humble, shy, sweet and very loyal to the Princess, but Aurora seems to think of it like it’s rather a weakness. I just wish that in the next book, hopefully they’ll be developed.

            Overall, it was a thrilling ride for a fantasy book, with all the plot twists and reality that overflows out of it. I finished it in one night, so if you are looking for a good retelling this should be it.

Rate: 4/5 Stars