Book Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.

Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.

And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.

 Looking for a hilarious contemporary that is really realistic and honest without whitewashing emotions? Then this could be the book for you but I must warn this is the type of book you will either love or it will be completely forgettable. I certainly fell on the side of love. Following an unusual type of narration this book is written as if you are reading the book that Greg the main character is writing. He is telling the story of his life and meeting the dying girl also know as Rachel. Greg and his best friend Earl are filmmakers and they slowly kindle an awkward friendship with Rachel due to Greg’s mothers meddling. The only problem is Rachel has leukemia and is dying. Chaos ensues and every thing from dirty jokes to sobbing hugs follows in this hilarious novel.

I really struggled to pick my favourite character between the 3 mains Greg, Earl and Rachel each had such important moment that just made me want to bear hug them and tell them everything would be okay. This goes double for Earl; I think if I was held at gunpoint I’d have to pick him. It is just so hard to pick a favourite become all the characters are so well rounded and developed it really felt like they were real people that experienced all the emotions that anyone who has a friend with cancer would.  I could rave about character development and how much I love them all for ages but there are some things I loved more like the friendships.

The friendship between Earl and Greg was so perfect and really reminded me of my friendship between my best friend and myself. They were the perfect amount of mean and honest I just couldn’t help but laugh whenever they got up to their shenanigans. The awkward friendship between Greg and Rachel really made the book for me too, because that all there was just a friendship and not even a good friendship but for two practical strangers they really tried and I love them for it.

Now for the part of this book that may put people off is that it is about cancer but that isn’t entirely true. Cancer is merely a subplot to the over arching themes and at times I certainly forgot this was a ‘cancer book’ and just thought I was reading any funny contemporary. The main part that makes this book different from others that could be like it is that Greg doesn’t learn anything from Rachel’s death and if we are honest that does happen in life all the time.

All up I think everyone should give this book a go because it is so meaningful in a meaningless way and just gives me all the feels. Just read it!

Book Review: The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner’s Trilogy Book 1
Published by Bloomsbury Childrens publishing house
I received this courtesy of the publisher it does not change my opinion

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

For a slow to start novel The Winner’s Curse is sure worth a read. It was actually my favourite fantasy novel of last year.

The Winner’s Curse follows the general’s daughter Kestrel an intelligent 17 year old who does not want to make the choice that every Valorian must make at 20; to either marry or enlist in the army. Kestrel just wants to play the piano, which is not a suitable past time, as music is only for slaves. When utterly drawn to a young male slave during an auction Kestrel pays a huge sum for him and she comes away with Smith. With a slightly slow first half this book soon builds into beautiful political plotline and a wonderful romance between two perfect characters.

As I said above this was one of my favourite novels of the year for some many reasons that all just make this a perfect book. It has wonderful world building that never felt like anything was missing or had huge information dumping points. The world had quiet a roman feel that really detailed but not so much that everything felt cluttered. The relationship between the Valorian and the Herrani people was really well developed and explain as the story progressed.

The characters in this book also make it stand apart from the rest just like the world building they are so detailed and amazing that it just makes me smile like a manic to think about it. Kestrel is definitely one of the best female protagonist I’ve read about in a while with her strategist brain and strong will she makes some really hard choices that I’d certainly struggle with. While having such good qualities Kestrel is by no means prefect she is whiny and can some times be irritating but all of this I found made her a well rounded character. Smith or Arin as we find out he’s really called is just as perfectly flawed as Kestrel and that makes their slow burning romance oh so swoon worthy.

The ending of this book is a killer to say the least with out spoiling anything and you can bet your bottom dollar I would fight to the death for the next book in the series. All in all this is a great book to read and I would recommend it anyone.