Numbers by Rachel Ward
Page Count: 285
Synopsis: Since her mother’s death, fifteen-year-old Jem has kept a secret. When her eyes meet someone else’s, a number pops into her head - the date on which they will die. Knowing that nothing lasts forever, Jem avoids relationships, but when she meets a boy called Spider, and they plan a day out together, her life takes a new twist and turn. Waiting for the London Eye, she sees everyone in the queue has the same number - something terrible is going to happen.
Review: *sigh* I really wanted to enjoy this book with all my heart, every ounce of my body couldn't wait to read it and it didn't take long for myself to realise the short 285 pages would turn into a slow and devastating journey in which I repeatedly had to stop myself from ripping my hair out. But I need to emphasise that even though I have personally just described a torturous read for myself, it does not mean you shouldn't pick it up. The storyline itself wasn't unbearable, and I enjoyed that part of reading it, and it wasn't the writing that put me off either because that also had very little faults. It was the word "mate". Before reading this book I cringed whenever my boyfriend would be talking to his brother or gaming friends and would add the word "mate" to the end of a sentence, I would cringe but I would deal with it as it wasn't that often. I have no idea what it is about the word, well I do, it just sounds so incredibly ...common, for lack of a better word and I can't stand it. Don't start thinking that I'm a high-class Lady or pompous fool because I'm not I just can't stand when people sound overly common. Any how by the time I'd read ...30? pages of this book I was screaming and shouting any time the boyfriend would use it and him and his friends are now banned from saying it around me for fear of their lives. I simply can not stress enough how much the word "mate" was over used in this book, I can not stress enough how often I wanted to simply fling the book out a window and be done with it, but I stuck at it and bit my lip in frustration in hoping the book would be better, and actually my favourite part of the book was the last chapter where Jem had grown up and it was a rather pleasant part to read, to read her reflecting on her life and choices and her overuse of the word mate. I understand the word was used to help reflect the characters backgrounds of being brought up in the rougher areas of London, but I just couldn't stand it and for me it certainly was the tipping point of what made a book that would have gotten 3.5 or 4 stars based purely on the story line instead only end up with a 2. Its also the first in a trilogy and I will be thinking VERY hard about whether I will be picking up the following books.
Recommend: I guess its your choice for this one.
Review: *sigh* I really wanted to enjoy this book with all my heart, every ounce of my body couldn't wait to read it and it didn't take long for myself to realise the short 285 pages would turn into a slow and devastating journey in which I repeatedly had to stop myself from ripping my hair out. But I need to emphasise that even though I have personally just described a torturous read for myself, it does not mean you shouldn't pick it up. The storyline itself wasn't unbearable, and I enjoyed that part of reading it, and it wasn't the writing that put me off either because that also had very little faults. It was the word "mate". Before reading this book I cringed whenever my boyfriend would be talking to his brother or gaming friends and would add the word "mate" to the end of a sentence, I would cringe but I would deal with it as it wasn't that often. I have no idea what it is about the word, well I do, it just sounds so incredibly ...common, for lack of a better word and I can't stand it. Don't start thinking that I'm a high-class Lady or pompous fool because I'm not I just can't stand when people sound overly common. Any how by the time I'd read ...30? pages of this book I was screaming and shouting any time the boyfriend would use it and him and his friends are now banned from saying it around me for fear of their lives. I simply can not stress enough how much the word "mate" was over used in this book, I can not stress enough how often I wanted to simply fling the book out a window and be done with it, but I stuck at it and bit my lip in frustration in hoping the book would be better, and actually my favourite part of the book was the last chapter where Jem had grown up and it was a rather pleasant part to read, to read her reflecting on her life and choices
Recommend: I guess its your choice for this one.
Ouch! I hope your next read would be better
ReplyDeleteI've already read another, I just delayed this review because I didn't want to have to think about it for a while, and yes my next read was much better!
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