Book Review: Life On The Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers

Life On The Refrigerator Door - Alice Kuipers

Synopsis:
Claire is a teenager, growing up with a single, hardworking mother, whose job in the natal ward of the hospital keeps her away from home at irregular hours.
As a way of keeping in touch, Claire and her mother leave notes for each other on the refrigerator door. Containing everything from mundane shopping lists, requests for money, and reminders about looking after their pet rabbit Peter, to important events that are approaching (such as school tests and invitations from friends), the notes are one of the only forms of communication that the duo have with one another.
It isn’t until Claire’s mother finds a lump in her breast that she and Claire make more of an effort to spend time with one another. But even then, daily life gets in the way, especially when Claire meets her first love, and begins to mature as a young adult.
As Mom’s sickness grows, the routines of their lives become formulated around trips to the doctor, relationship woes, and selfish ‘mother-daughter’ fights, but the notes on the refrigerator continue, even if their tone starts to become disheartening.
Even though Mom’s cancer is slowly making her physically weak, Claire and Mom’s love for one another only strengthens, and the two do their best to cope with Mom’s illness together.

What I gained from reading this book:
Rarely home at the same time, due to work, babysitting or school commitments, Claire and Mom are always rushing around, never having enough time to spend with one another. It isn’t until Mom is diagnosed with breast cancer that the duo realise that their time with one another is going to be dramatically cut short, and they begin to make more time for family. This is a very familiar scenario, and one that is common in most busy households- everyone is always rushing around and thinking of themselves and what they have to do during the day, rather than focusing on the time that they could be spending with loved ones. Most people take for granted the fact that when they get home at night, their family will be there and waiting for them.
In this novel, Claire learns the hard way that this is not always the case.
Even though the events in Life On The Refrigerator Door occur over one year, Claire and Mom’s time is still cut short- their busy schedules dictate their lives and they rarely have the chance to sit and talk to one another, until it’s almost too late. This novel serves as a reminder that we should always try to make time for our loved ones, and tell them that we love them, because who knows what could happen tomorrow?

Positives:
If people are looking for a quick but heartfelt read, this is it. Because each note has it’s own page in the book, and many of the notes are short, readers are able to quickly read their way through the novel. But even though it doesn’t take long to read, the storyline is just as sad and thought provoking as any you’d find in a longer novel.

Negatives:
One of the problems with this story being told in notes format is that the reader is not privy to the events that occur outside of the notes that Claire and her mother leave for each other. Although we, as the readers, are happy when the busy duo finally spends time together, it means that we don’t know what’s happening in their lives unless they mention what has happened in their subsequent notes. Of course, these comments won’t be in full detail just for our benefit, so an air of mystery surrounds the characters’ actions and personal thoughts (although this isn’t necessarily a bad thing).

Rating: 7 out of 10

Genre: Teenage Fiction

Recommended for: People who may need a reminder that spending time with family and loved ones is important. The things you take for granted can disappear when you least expect it.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Book Review: Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy # 3) by Richelle Mead

Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) - Richelle Mead

Synopsis:
Rose Hathaway is still trying to recover from the traumatic events that occurred only three weeks earlier- she witnessed the cold-blooded murder of one of her close friends at the hands of the Strigoi who captured them, and got her first molnija marks, as a sign of having slain several Strigoi.
However, all of these events have begun to build up for Rose, and focusing on normal everyday life is difficult. When the Guardian novices face their field experience orientation, and have to protect their selected Moroi student for six weeks, Rose is determined to do her very best. She is a strong-willed person who is dedicated to becoming a Guardian and she is not going to let a traumatic experience mar her commitment to the job.
Meanwhile, Rose’s best friend Lissa is getting off the meds and will be once again able to access her magic, and sexy Guardian instructor Dimitri is still working on campus, and getting Rose all hot and bothered.
But there are dark forces surrounding St Vladmir’s Academy, and Rose discovers that she is the only one who is able to see the ghostly shadows wandering the campus.
With danger looming and a large-scale Strigoi attack imminent, Rose finds herself having to choose between life and love, and the two people she cares most about…

What I gained from reading this book:
Spirituality and faith are covered a little bit in this novel, as well as the concept of fortune and how it can be shaped by one’s actions.
After Rose starts to see ‘ghosts’, she begins to question her sanity, but she also delves into the spiritual side of life to try and determine whether the ‘ghosts’ she sees are trying to give her a message, in order to find peace, or if they are out for revenge like she previously assumed.
This course of thought also makes her consider her own death and ‘rebirth’ at the hands of Lissa, and makes her wonder whether being shadow-kissed is the reason why only she can sense the dead and the messages that they are trying to communicate.
Rose, Lissa and Dimitri also visit a fortuneteller in this novel, whose predictions cast a shadow over the events in the story, and Rose encounters strange premonitions from an old feeder named Alice as she accompanies Christian to his meals.
These moments, interspersed with some church scenes, make this novel ‘deeper’ than the previous two, and show how Rose is maturing in her views towards faith, especially in times of ill fortune.

Positives:
It’s so romantic reading of Rose and Dimitri’s blossoming but ultimately forbidden love. These moments are especially highlighted during their quiet interludes together, which often occur between the action sequences in the novel.

Negatives:
I don’t know if it’s just the copies that I’ve been reading or if it’s more of a widespread problem but I’ve found quite a few spelling and grammar mistakes in this novel and the previous two books. Although this has nothing to do with the storyline, I find it quite irritating.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Genre: Teenage Fiction

Recommended for: People who enjoyed the action of the previous novel in the series, only this time it’s on a darker level.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Book Review: Lost Girls And Love Hotels by Catherine Hanrahan

Lost Girls And Love Hotels - Catherine Hanrahan

Synopsis:
Margaret’s life has never been easy. As a child, she was overweight, invisible to her father and never felt as though she could win her parents’ approval. Things didn’t improve when she reached her teenage years- although she lost her baby fat, she soon gained a reputation among the boys in her high school, using her body as a way of dealing with her insecurities. Throughout this growth period, Margaret’s older brother Frank slowly began to lose his mind, gripped by the invisible hands of a severe mental illness.
After a terrifying event forces her to leave the family home, Margaret moves to Japan, hoping to start over anew.
Working as a ‘native English speaker’ at the Air-Pro Stewardess Training Institute by day, Margaret’s nights are spent with her flatmate Ines- trawling the bars in search of alcohol, narcotics, and a new man to spend time with, at one of the many three-hour love hotels that exist in Tokyo.
While these actions temporarily help her to forget home, Margaret finds herself holding on to fragments of her past. She has two voicemail messages on her phone, which serve as constant reminders of what she has left behind, and which she can not bring herself to delete. Adding to her personal demons are the posters of a blonde-haired Western girl who has gone missing in Tokyo, and whose eyes seem to haunt Margaret everywhere she turns.
When Margaret embarks on an affair with a mysterious gangster (still hoping to forget everything from home), she learns that it is harder to leave the past behind than she had originally thought, and finds herself set on a path of infinite destruction and nihilism- one that she may not survive.

What I gained from reading this book:
In this novel, Margaret and her friends often lose themselves in their vices as a way of coping with their personal problems. Indulging in binge drinking, illicit substances and sexual encounters at love hotels with strange men, Margaret tries to forget about all of the negative things that have happened in her life- the betrayals, the teenage traumas, her family’s disintegration and her brother’s mental illness. She immerses herself in a hedonistic yet dangerous lifestyle and, through the changing of the narration from first person to ‘you’, the author is able to show Margaret’s detachment from the world.
This destructive behaviour is often a common denominator in people who have lived fractured lives and who are seeking to find an escape from all that they know. This novel serves as a reminder that these people often need help to find a new, healthier way of approaching their problems.

Positives:
Hanrahan’s debut novel is full of strong imagery that sets the scene for Margaret’s new life in Asia. She describes the backstreets of Japan (with their hidden love hotels and dingy little bars), and contrasts them with the neon-strewn city landscapes that most people are familiar with. Mixing the seedy with the chic, Hanrahan is able to portray the cultural yet modern city of Tokyo in a way that people can instantly picture in their minds.

Negatives:
Margaret’s downward spiral into melancholy and substance abuse may be slightly off-putting for some readers. This novel is not meant to be a light, fun read- it is slightly disturbing, and really makes you think about how our earlier experiences in life can shape our future prospects. So if you’re looking for light-hearted entertainment, this novel is probably not a good choice.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Genre: Family/ Relationships

Recommended for: People who are interested in reading about one girl’s efforts to lose herself in a foreign country.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Book Review: Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) by Richelle Mead

Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) - Richelle Mead

Synopsis:
It has been some time since Rose Hathaway found herself face-to-face with a Strigoi, and things are only just starting to get back to normal for her at St Vladmir’s Academy. Still attending daily training sessions with her handsome Guardian mentor Dimitri, Rose is determined to eliminate any weaknesses she may have against her biggest enemies, the Strigoi, with the intention of destroying them and protecting her best friend Lissa Dragomir.
However, when a large family of Moroi royals are found slain, along with their Guardians, all previous notions that the Guardians held of the Strigoi are challenged. It looks as though a whole group of Strigoi have worked together, a concept previously unheard of due to their violent natures, and it looks as though they have had outside help in carrying out their murderous ways.
With the Christmas holidays approaching, and as a way of keeping the families united during the break, the Academy decides to schedule a ski trip at an Idaho resort where all families are invited, hoping to keep the Moroi safe from any unforeseen dangers.
But while the Academy students and their families enjoy their trip, news breaks that another royal family has been attacked and killed.
Three students, frustrated about the lack of action being taken by the Guardians, decide to go and fight back against the Strigoi, and it’s up to Rose and Christian Ozera to put aside their mutual dislikes of one another and go to rescue them.
But the students are in more danger than they realise, and one of them won’t make it out alive…

What I gained from reading this book:
One of the themes in this novel is relationships, and how external forces can affect them. Rose’s friend Mason has a big crush on her, and wants to be more than friends, and for a while, Rose ignores it, preferring to focus her attention on her attraction to Dimitri. But when Dimitri starts seeing somebody else, Rose decides to give Mason a chance, and even though she likes him, she finds herself unable to give him her full attention. Rose’s relationship with her estranged mother Janine is also difficult. Her mother’s sudden return into her life, even if it’s just to accompany the family she protects, means that Rose is suddenly forced to look at why her mother is less maternal than others and yet so successful as a Guardian. She learns a lot about her mother, and through the process, about herself as a person.
Most people have relationships with others where, like Rose, they are ignored by those who should be close to them, or revered by those who they are not entirely interested in. Reading of Rose’s interactions with her mother, Dimitri and Mason help to make more sense of these relationships, and highlight any familiar interactions that readers may face with people in their own lives.

Positives:
There is a lot more action in this novel, whether Rose is learning how to stab a vampire in the heart with a silver stake, facing off with the evil Strigoi or even performing aerial skiing stunts to impress Mason. These actions give the story an exciting edge.

Negatives:
Rose and Lissa’s friendship, while still strong, is not as noticeable in this novel as it was in the previous one. Their friendship seems to take a backseat to the love life of Rose, and the Guardians’ clashes with the Strigoi.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Genre: Teenage Fiction

Recommended for: People who want to find out what happens to Rose and Lissa after the first Vampire Academy novel.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Book Review: Spiral Road by Adib Khan

Spiral Road - Adib Khan

Synopsis:
It has been thirty years since Masud Alam moved from his home country of Bangladesh to Australia, leaving behind his parents, sister and brother. Working as a librarian and living in Melbourne, Masud embraces the simple life that Richmond has to offer- going for runs on the oval, reading, playing chess and indulging in a (some may say dull) weekly routine that rarely changes.
One day Masud receives an email from his older brother Zia, requesting that he return to Bangladesh to visit their father- who is slowly fading away from Alzheimer’s.
Taking up the opportunity to visit and reconnect with his family, Masud travels back to his homeland, marvelling at the changes that have occurred since he left all those years ago, and ready to integrate himself into the family life once more.
On his return, he is drawn back into familial dramas- enduring matchmaking attempts by his mother, conversing with thieving servants, and trying to convince his wayward eighty-nine year old Uncle Musa (on Zia’s insistence) that he should not go ahead with his fourth marriage, to a seventeen-year-old girl.
While dealing with all of this, Masud also has to try and reconnect with his father, whose memory and motor skills are slowly deteriorating, and accept that he is no longer the strong and dominant man that he once was.
In an inspired attempt to understand his father’s often-incoherent ramblings, Masud begins to read his father’s old diaries, and finds himself uncovering old family secrets.
He also discovers just how hard his brother has worked to keep their once affluent family afloat, without allowing their family reputation to diminish.
But there are also sinister events unfolding during Masud’s visit that have a resounding impact on his life. A journalist who knows too much about Islamic extremist groups is found murdered, and an Australian spy makes it clear to Masud that he considers members of Masud’s family to be a threat to the Western world.
These events culminate in several very important questions for Masud: If he has to break family ties and betray a relative to save hundreds of people, will he do it? Will he remain loyal to the country he was born in and whose independence he fought for? Or will his loyalty lie with Australia, a country who adopted him and gave him a chance for a better life?

What I gained from reading this book:
This book focuses on the reasons why some young Muslims may get drawn into extremist groups. The author writes about the discontent that many young people felt after the September 11 attacks- many faced extreme prejudice from co-workers and peers, simply because they were Muslims. In the novel, several of the characters who worked in Western countries at the time of the attacks were taken into custody by police and government agencies and tortured for information that they didn’t even have, concerning the Middle East and Muslim terror cells. When they were finally freed, many took the first plane out of the country and travelled to escape the hurt and humiliation they felt in their adopted countries. With repressed anger and fear guiding them, the logical places to go were countries like Jordan and Afghanistan, where most people practice Islam, and they felt as though they could belong.
It was there that they enlisted in large, organised networks, hoping to gain vengeance on the countries that spurned them.
While we can’t be entirely sure that this scenario is an accurate portrayal of real life extremists, it does seem the most likely reason for such hateful actions against Western countries.
This novel shows that any kind of prejudice can often create long-term implications- for a greater number of people than those originally involved- and often with dire consequences.

Positives:
Despite the terrorist subplot, the author illustrates a typical Bangladeshi life, through Masud’s family and friends. Readers learn about family hierarchies, local customs and beliefs, and about the day-to-day lives of people whose lifestyle is very different to our own.

Negatives:
The plot moves a little slowly in some parts, but while some readers may find this irritating, it is well worth persevering. As you get further into the novel, the narration becomes much more engrossing, and you’ll begin to wonder exactly how Masud is going to get out of his predicaments.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Genre: Family/ Relationships

Recommended for: People who are looking for a book that will make them question issues of terrorism and prejudice.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Book Review: Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) - Richelle Mead

Synopsis:
It’s been two years since best friends Lissa Dragomir and Rose Hathaway ran away from St Vladimir’s Academy- a school for Moroi (mortal vampire) students learning how to control their magical abilities, and for Dhampir (half human, half vampire) novices intent on training to be guardians for the Moroi against the evil Strigoi (a band of immortal vampires who have lost their souls and kill for pleasure).
The two originally fled from the school because they feared that dark forces resided there, and Rose, worried about Lissa’s safety, thought that it would be safer in the outside world. But after a group of Guardians locate them in Portland and drag them back to the Academy in Montana, Rose and Lissa have no choice but to once again conform to Moroi and Dhampir standards.
Lissa, a Moroi princess, once again becomes the darling of the social elite, despite harbouring feelings for the mysterious outcast, Christian Ozera.
Rose, meanwhile, embarks on a seemingly never-ending training schedule with handsome guardian Dimitri, hoping to improve her Dhampir fighting abilities, and win Dimitri’s approval- and maybe his heart.
But then the strange occurrences that made the girls leave two years earlier begin again, putting Lissa in danger. The girls have to work out why it’s happening before evil invades the campus, and the Strigoi try to turn Lissa into one of their own.

What I gained from reading this book:
Lissa and Rose are best friends who share a unique bond that is unprecedented in their lifetime- Rose is able to connect with Lissa on a psychological level and not only experience her emotions, but jump into her mind on occasions. This bond is a vital part of their friendship, and allows Rose to protect Lissa in a way that other Dhampirs without the ability cannot even comprehend.
Although the girls come from different ‘races’ of vampires- Lissa is a Moroi, while Rose is a Dhampir- they are still closely connected. This is despite the fact that most Moroi vampires, while they respect the Dhampirs for putting their lives on the line for them, do not readily associate with them socially. However, these social barriers do not deter Lissa and Rose from staying the best of friends and close confidants.
This association enforces the notion that everyone has similarities, despite their different backgrounds, and shows that social barriers should not form the basis of how people interact with one another.

Positives:
The introduction of different ‘races’ of vampires, and their special abilities is an interesting concept that helps this book to differ from other vampire series’.
The characters are also easy to relate to, with their schoolyard experiences very similar to those that people would normally face (despite the whole supernatural aspect, of course).

Negatives:
Rose can seem like a bit of a hothead, and Lissa can sometimes appear to be a bit of a pushover, but the girls are ultimately likable characters. Their flaws make them seem more normal and identifiable to readers.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Genre: Teenage Fiction

Recommended for: People who enjoyed the Twilight saga and need another vampire fix.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

A Note From Cat

Hello everyone,

In the next few weeks I will be posting reviews of several series' of books that I have read over the last couple of months.

I have held onto the reviews because I wanted to publish them in their series groups, rather than individually.

However, some of the series are still continuing, such as the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. In this case, I will post the reviews that I have already done, in anticipation of the fifth book, Spirit Bound, which will be released in Australia in May 2010.

Remember, if there are any books that you would like me to review, feel free to leave a comment and I will do my best to fill your request.

Happy reading!!

Cat :)