Reading moves you.

I have been thinking about how much I love reading recently and what impact it has on me. I'm not sure how, or why, my love of reading has stuck with me throughout my life; my family are not readers, my parents are busy and prefer to read a newspaper instead of a novel and my brother would rather be dissecting a car (or whatever he does, I don't know) than pick up a book. Once we began learning to read in primary school with the Roger Redhat books (anyone else remember those?), I remember my nanna spending a lot of time with me, listening and helping me to read. I think that is probably when I started to enjoy it, and although I was still learning, it took me away to another place. 

I think in the UK we are lucky to have a reading culture and for me, it's a shame that a lot of people no longer take advantage of that. We are encouraged to read at school and a lot of importance is placed upon the English literature curriculum. We were talking with a couple of Mexicans the other night and a friend asked me how many books I had read this year. I answered, worried I was putting in a poor show, but the other Mexican hadn't read any; not a single book. I have also been speaking to the teachers at my school, and they have commented on the lack of focus literature in the high school curriculum: not a single poem, play or novel. I was shocked and to be frank, saddened. 

So why I do think reading is so important? It can be really hard sometimes. Now, I appreciate the works of Shakespeare and Dickens, but that doesn't mean I would read it for fun. I remember slogging my way through the play, An Inspector Calls, looking for all the symbolism and themes and not particularly enjoying it that much at the time either. But now, looking back, I realise that these challenging reads have helped me form a greater understanding of the world; of history, of culture, of people. 

You can delve into the mindset of a specific time in history, you can find the supporters and critics of a way of life. The Great Gatsby, for example, is a criticism of the extravagant, decadent party lifestyles of 1920s America. It's so easy just to take things on first appearance without reflecting or challenging that point of view. A book can throw everything you thought you knew into disarray, making you a more well rounded, perceptive and pensive thinker. 

A good book stays with you throughout your life and although it's messages may no longer be relevant, they take you back to the moment when they were, in the same way that a song or smell transports you back in time. I can recall what point of my life I was at when I remember reading my favourite books for the first time, and also what I was inspired to read afterwards. I can remember passages of books that also made an impression on me in the same way that I remember my favourite scenes from films. A novel can be appreciated in a million different ways by different people. It's adaptable and personal, an escape or a reality check. 

When people ask me what I like to do in my spare time and I say read, I still get some really weird looks, like it's the strangest thing I could possibly do in my spare time. But I'm glad I devote my free time and effort to this hobby. I have learnt and continue to learn so much from reading; learning and speaking another language is greatly helped by having a firmer grasp on your native tongue. How can you expect to master another language when you haven't mastered your own? Reading feeds into every part of my life: my vocabulary, my other hobbies, relaxation, blog writing, to name but a few. What's more, I'm sure that I will continue to unwind and de-stress through picking up a book and I will also continue to share my love for reading. 

I think these quotes are much more concise in saying what I am trying to say!

“It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it." - Oscar Wilde

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." - Charles William Eliot 

"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture.  Just get people to stop reading" - Ray Bradbury 

Do you enjoy reading? 

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Disney Wordless Wednesday : W

Another Disney Wordless Wednesday and this week the theme is the letter W. For me, this is wishes. I never thought I'd ever actually make it to Walt Disney World and when I went in April, it really was a wish and dream come true.  I met princesses, dined in the castle, saw the amazing Wishes fireworks, ate dole whip, picked a pearl... I could go on forever.  I had the most magical time and personally, Disney is place for wish fulfillment and happiness, and the parks are a place where you make memories that will last a lifetime. 

°o°

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The Spectacular Now (2013) : a mini-review

Since starting my blog, I have realised that I get through a lot of books and films that I really want to talk about or share. I've decided that every Sunday I'm going to post a mini-review (I say mini because I don't class myself as a film or book expert at all!), instead of having the posts sit in drafts because I never get round to posting them! 

The Spectacular Now first appeared on my radar when it was featured on a list of books that were being adapted for the big screen; I diligently worked my way through the list and when I finished the book, I knew I just had to see the film. It took a while but I finally sat down and watched it last week.

The story centres around Sutter (Miles Teller), a high school student who is unknowingly dealing with his own issues when he meets a "nice" girl, charmingly portrayed by Shailene Woodley. Their meeting changes both lives. We see live-in-the-moment Sutter change his philosophy on life, from a party loving  high school student to a sad teenager, who is disappointed by his father that he doted upon. 

The interaction between Teller and Woodley is so natural and true that you forget it's actually a movie at times. Teller is charasmatic, charming, painfully sad and damaged, a likeable character whose flaws highlight the problems and issues of an insecure and hurt teenager. Woodley is the perfect, intelligent girl-next-door who is swept away in love with one of the popular boys. We see the damaging effect of Sutter stumbling drunk from one party to his job, simultaneously proving to be a bad influence on Aimee as well boosting her confidence. 

The Spectacular Now is a coming of age film, in a similar vein to The Perks Of Being A Wallflower. We follow our protagonists ignoring their problems, facing up to the them, and dealing (or not dealing) with the consequences of their realisations. On the surface, The Spectacular Now is an uplifting, pleasant film but when you delve deeper, you unravel a complex, heart warming but heart wrenching storyline that makes you question if stuff really does turn out alright in the end. The emotion and honesty is refreshing for a film aimed at teenagers; the themes of loneliness, insecurity, and simply growing up are not sugarcoated. Sometimes life is tough, we don't always find the answers we want and sometimes we make mistakes and unknowingly hurt or damage other people. 

If you like films with witty dialogue, a great cast, and storyline that deserves to be reflected upon after the movie has ended, give The Spectacular Now a go. The book is pretty awesome too! 

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What makes me happiest in spring, summer, autumn and winter.

One thing I love about living in the UK is the fact we have very distinguishable seasons. I feel like a lot of British people look forward to the time of year when winter releases its freezing grip on us and we enter into spring, or at Halloween and Bonfire Night when we wrap up warm, and enjoy autumnal treats with the leaves crunching under our feet. 

I know I shouldn't complain; Guadalajara has a wonderful climate, but sometimes the heat and sunshine can feel relentless. When we do occasionally get a rain shower or thunderstorm, it feels heavenly. I do miss the change of the seasons, so this got me thinking about what I love most during each time of year.

Spring

Spring is probably my favourite season: I love to see the trees blossoming and greenery returning  after what can sometimes feel like an eternal winter. I feel like Springtime can show off the best of the British countryside: pastel greens, blues, and pinks bathed in soft sunlight.

Summer

The great British summer!  I know we don't get months and months of glorious sunshine, but the British summer epitomises great things about our culture: strawberries, afternoon teas, ice creams on the seafront, Wimbledon (even if you don't like tennis), country fairs and fetes, ice-cold cider and whatever-the-weather barbecues.  Us Brits are resilient creatures and we like to make the most of the summer months, whether it be 25 or 15 degrees.  As soon as the thermometer reaches 20oC, whip out those shorts!

Autumn

Bonfire Night is probably my favourite British holiday. It's just so British.  The story behind it and the actual celebration is something I love to share with all my Mexican students. Like I said, I love wrapping up warm with boots, scarf, hat and gloves, going to my local firework display, buying a toffee apple (which each year, I seem to forget I hate) and soaking up the atmosphere. It's an evening that I spend with my family and I have some of my fondest childhood memories of November 5th.

Winter

For some people, winter can be a particularly harsh and unforgiving season and sometimes, during the short, freezing days of January, I tend to agree.  However, the run up to Christmas is one of my happiest times of the year. Forget the crazy shopping crowds in the big cities, the run up to Christmas  in the small Suffolk towns where I live can be magical.  Twinkling fairy lights, the smell of roasting chestnuts and pine trees, delicious hot chocolate that warms you through, and even the itchy tinsel. For me, it's a delight for all the senses.  

What makes you happy in each season?


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Disney dining with gallstones.

Eating with gallstones in Florida was one of my main concerns about the trip. I'm adhering to a strict, very low fat diet in order to prevent a a gallstone attack, as they can potentially last for hours and leave me feeling exhausted and ill for days after. My diet is easier to control and follow when I prepare meals myself but this wasn't really an option for me during this trip. Eating out always poses an extra problem because you can never be sure how much fat there is in a restaurant meal.

However, I was extremely pleased to find that not only does Disney World offer a wide selection of food, they are more than happy to help change dishes and accommodate your dietary needs. Firstly, in the parks themselves, you are able to snack on delicious, healthy snacks as well as the usual yummy Disney fare such as Mickey ice cream bars, popcorn, and churros. There are fruit stands scattered around the parks, and I particularly liked a fruit salad served in a pineapple shell in Animal Kingdom. The fruit salad was fresh, full of melon, pineapple, strawberries, and blueberries, all for the reasonable price of $8. My other favourite snack, which was on my Disney to-do list, was the pineapple dole whip. It certainly lived up to its reputation! A refreshing, zingy and unbelievable creamy pineapple soft serve that was fat free. To me, heaven in a pot! I've missed ice cream on super hot days and this was the perfect fruity replacement! In fact, I liked it so much, I'm going to look for clone recipes online. I'll let you know how that goes! 

I was also pleasantly surprised with the fast food side of Disney. I had done a little bit of research on what I could eat before hand, so I was prepared if I ran into severe hunger pangs in the parks! I had read that Peco Bills in Adventureland, Magic Kingdom, served a customisable veggie burger which was vegan (I often find it's easier to look for vegan food with my gallstones: lactose products tend to make the fat content higher). I was so happy I could eat a burger (even if it wasn't a meat one)! It's been so long since I've had 'naughty' food. The veggie burger appeared to be grilled, on a bread bun and served with corn on the cob, which left it to me to load up on salad and ketchup, and have a delicious fast food meal without worrying about the sky high fat content in dressing and cheese. 

Finally, we ate in sit down restaurants in Epcot and Downtown Disney and once again, I was surprised at the helpfulness and quality of food. In Epcot, I had lunch in the Marrakesh restaurant, which serves Moroccan cuisine. I ordered chicken shish with sweet cous cous and it was superb. The chicken had not been drowned in oil when cooked and there were no hidden gallstones nasties in the cous cous. Its also worth mentioning that I had the most delicious drink there too, pineapple juice and orange blossom syrup. Yum. 

In Downton Disney, my most memorable meal for service and food was in House of Blues. I loved this restaurant for it's ambiance too, live music while you wait for your table and everyone is so chilled and relaxed (the Disney effect perhaps?). Here, our waiter was very knowledgeable and offered to change dishes on the menu to accommodate my needs. I ordered a grilled chicken dish, that originally was with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The waiter suggested that I had a double order of veg instead of the mash and they were able to steam the vegetables instead of sauteing them in butter. Perfect! This meant I could relax and enjoy my meal instead of worrying what it would do to my gallbladder later in the evening. 

The threat of a gallbladder attack means that eating is not always a pleasurable experience for me now, I have to pull apart sandwiches to scrape off cheese and mayonnaise, I can't just grab a snack from the corner shop, I have to forgo naughty but tasty treats. To be able to visit Disney and have options and choices with what I eat: to be honest, I wasn't expecting to have that kind if choice. Disney prides itself on it's customer experience and I, for one, was more than happy with the service I received in all the food outlets. 

If you are visiting a Disney park and you do have a dietary requirement, I would recommend speaking to the representatives and I'm more than confident that they will be happy to help you out. Hopefully next time I visit a park, I will be gallbladderless and I will be able to eat all the less than healthy foods I missed out on this time! 

10 things I believe in...

1. Good things happen to good people...

... Or what goes around, comes around, karma, whatever you want to call it. Yep, sometimes crappy things do happen to good people and good things happen to crappy people but I think it's always better to be the best person you can be, because when the good things do happen, you can bask in it's wholesome glory, just remember to...

2. Be patient. 

Sometimes it takes time for life's plan to unfurl itself. Sit tight, be patient, and everything will work out how it's supposed to.

3. Sometimes you have to work hard to get what you want. 

Life is hard and you can feel a bit perplexed that you're fighting and trying but not actually getting anywhere. I've learnt to keep on fighting and working as hard as I can, because if for some reason it still doesn't work out, you know you have done everything you could and if your hard work does pay off, great!

4. It's okay if you feel a little bit lost sometimes. 

For me, it feels like life is moving at a million miles an hour and I don't know which way to look, let alone what to do for my next move. It's okay to feel like this; take a deep breath, take your time until you feel comfortable to take the next step. 

5. Treat people how you would like to be treated. 

This is pretty much my life motto. I try to be the kindest, most open person that I can be to everyone.i give people endless chances and although it can feel like I'm getting treated unfairly, I still give people the benefit of the doubt. I'd always rather be the bigger person in a situation and even if I can't stand someone, I will be civil.

6. Life is for living but... 

That doesn't mean you can treat people how you like and disregard feelings. YOLO (ugh) is all well and good but it isn't an excuse to act like an idiot or make stupid decisions. Life is for living but it's also short, don't waste it. 

7. Surround yourself with people that make you feel good. 

Friends are the family you can choose and a good, real friend will support you, make you feel good and bring out the best in you. When you are surrounded by people that make you feel good, you shine without even trying, 

8. Do what makes you happy. 

Don't let other people tell you something isn't "cool" or let them make you feel like an outsider because you like something different. Don't feel pressured into doing something. If you like reading on a Saturday night, do that! If you don't like to drink, embrace it! If you want to pursue a career as zookeeper, go for it! 

9. Don't compare yourself to other people. 

Comparing yourself is a sure fire way to make yourself feel crappy. Everyone has different strengths, weaknesses, things they love about themselves and things they like less, and when we stop comparing ourselves to one another we can focus on our own strengths. 

10. Love yourself before you expect anyone else to love you. 

I need to remind myself of this one! Does exactly what it says on the tin: how can we expect other people to love us, warts and all when we are constantly putting ourselves down? It's hard, but when we love ourselves wholly and completely, we can love others so much more. 

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Disney Wordless Wednesday: In the details

So here is my first Disney Wordless Wednesday, I've enjoyed reading lots of new Disney posts on blogs so I thought I'd get involved in the action too.

One of the things I love most about the Disney parks is the amazing theming.  The theming really allows you to get lost in the magic, whether you are in Animal Kingdom in WDW, California Adventure in Disneyland or Walt Disney Studios in Paris.  The attention to detail is incredible; each park has it's own personality so to speak, and often, they also have different lands within each park that blend seamlessly with one another.  Magical!


 

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Mexi-cooking: Horchata

I use the term "cooking" very loosely, because no actual cooking was required in making one of my favourite Mexican drinks! Horchata is an agua fresca (cool or fresh water), which is a very popular drink here to cool you down on the sweltering hot days. Agua fresca is water flavoured with whatever your heart so wishes: fruit, hibiscus flower, or like horchata for example, rice milk flavoured with vanilla and cinnamon. Delicious! I decided to try and make this drink because it's something that I will miss when I'm back in England and luckily found it was super easy to make. I followed this recipe, but adjusted it a little to suit my gallstones and lactose intolerant body!

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked white long grain rice
• 5 cups of water
• 1 cup of almond milk
• 1/2  tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 tablespoon of ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup of white sugar

Method

1. Put the rice and water into a blender and blend for approximately one minute, until the rice is in small pieces.  
2. Leave the rice and water to stand at room temperature for three hours.
3. Strain the rice water into a jug, discard the rice. 
4. Stir in the almond milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon and sugar.
5. Chill and enjoy!  

So easy!  A simple, delicious and refreshing drink for balmy summer days.  You can also add strawberries to give it a fruity twist or coconut milk instead of almond milk for a tropical treat.  One less thing for me to miss when I'm freezing back in England!

(Apologies for rubbishy photos... Mexican kitchen doesn't make for pretty backgrounds)

5 films I'm looking forward to

Summer is always a fun time for film releases; we are able to get swept away by the big blockbusters and often entertaining films. I'm looking forward to this period, it seems to me that the summer time is a great way to let your hair down after the intense Oscar and awards period. 

So here we have five of the films that I am most looking forward to seeing over the summer. 

1. X-Men: Days of Future Past (GB release date 22nd May) 

I have a confession to make.... I simply love Marvel movies and seeing the superheroes on the big screen.  I have religiously seen Thor 2, to Captain America, and the second Spider-Man reboot over the past few months and I am anxiously awaiting the next installment to the X-Men saga. I'm so excited to see Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, James McAvoy,  Michael Fassbender, Hugh Jackman and of course, my favourite, Jennifer Lawrence in the same film. It will be interesting to see how the film plays out the two different time periods in the X-Men universe, and since I really rated First Class, I have high hopes for this one. 

2. Maleficent (28th May)

There is a lot of hype surrounding Disney's summer offering. Angelina Jolie seems perfectly cast as Maleficent, the villain in Sleeping Beauty, the perfect balance of haunting beautiful and evil. Lana del Rey's cover of 'Once Upon A Dream' is the ideal accompaniment to this presumed stomper of a film. Let's hope the film itself lives up to the build up, and we don't have another aesthetically beautiful but poor substance movie like Oz. 

3. Belle (13th June)

The film 'Belle' has been receiving a lot of positive press recently, and is a British drama revolving round the illegimate mixed race daughter of a Royal Navy officer. The film deals with the horrors of slavery, which is deservedly so and perhaps very late, at the forefront of our consciouses. The film has been receiving film festival recognition and critics have been sounding praise for the leading actress, Gugu Mbatha-Raw. I'm looking forward to this historical drama. 

4. The Fault In Our Stars (19th June) 

I loved John Green's book on which this film was based, a tragically sad but beautiful love story. Every time a new trailer has been released for this movie, the internet has almost had a meltdown as we are all preparing ourselves, tissues in hand, for a hell of a tearjerker. Featuring one of Hollywood's current darlings and my favourite actresses, Shailene Woodley, TFIOS has been targeting the young adult audience but I'm sure it'll tug at the heart strings of audiences of all ages. 

5. Sex Tape (5th September)

It wouldn't be the summer without a gross out movie! Honestly, I just want to see this movie because Jason Segal is one of my favourite funny men. I'm expecting a slightly inappropriate, probably offensive, silly film, with Cameron Diaz playing her usual role and Segal simply enjoying himself in his typical comic setting. It probably won't win any awards but will provide us all with a good 90 minutes of entertainment and laughs. 

What are you looking forward to seeing?

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Life lately #2

So it seems that April was a month full of sweets and swimming pools! I've already blogged a few times about Disney, and to be honest, I'm still riding the high from such an amazing and happy week. Every now and again, such happy times and memories make me feel a bit blue (how is it already three weeks ago?!) but I had such a magical and special time that I know it will stay with me forever.  I love visiting the United States, something that seems to cause scorn from fellow foreigners in Mexico. The States offer a complete change of pace from Mexico and I relish that; a change is as good as rest, supposedly.

May is going to be a fairly quiet month for me in Mexico, I only have two months left here and at least 3 of those weeks at the end of my stay will be spent travelling or away from Guadalajara. My parents and my aunt are coming to spend two weeks in Puerto Vallarta in June so I will be staying in an all inclusive beach resort. I can barely contain my excitement! I cannot wait to see my family, and honestly, I'm counting down to the day they arrive and when I can spend two blissful weeks away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  With that to look forward to and having spent out a little bit in April, I'm having to cut back a bit.  To be honest though, it's not all bad because I get to indulge in my less expensive hobbies like reading and films!

I love that going to the cinema is so cheap (compared to England, anyway) here.  Tickets usually cost between $35-70, which is £1.75-3.50 and it is only £2.50 for a massive bucket of caramel popcorn... Truly my heaven!  I've been able to go to see a movie at least once a week and been able to keep up with new releases.  Dena and I have also compiled a list of 50 'must-see' films that we haven't already seen.  I consider myself a film fan but there are a lot of classics that I should have seen but haven't, so I am looking forward to working my way through the list.

This month I've also been thinking a lot about my plans post-Mexico.  I've got some big ideas about where I want my life to go but my plan (I'm scared to tell people about it in case I jinx it!) involves a lot of competitiveness and a long wait.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it all will work out but who knows what life will throw at us?  I've also got to get my gallbladder removed before I consider anything too major too.  One plan or goal that I'm less afraid to jinx is the Couch to 5K.  When I get home and get a good pair of trainers, I'm setting myself the challenge of doing this exercise plan.  I've never, ever ran before, I'm a bit of an exercise-phobe but I've decided that I really want to push myself and do something that I never thought I'd be able to do.  The C25K is designed to get people running 5 km in just nine weeks, running 3 days a week with a days rest in between.  I'm sure I'll blog about my progress but it seems like a realistic way to become more active and do something for me.  

Here's to a happy and fulfilling month for everyone! 

Live the full life of the mind, exhilarated by new ideas, intoxicated by the romance of the unusual. - Ernest Hemingway 

Los Cabos, Baja California Sur

When you hear "Los Cabos", the first thing that pops into your mind is drunk spring breakers doing tequila shots and partying until dawn, and it's true. There are nightclubs and bars aplenty offering cheap beer and shots. However, once you look past the neon bar signs and time share dealers, Los Cabos is a slice of heaven in Mexico. I was truly blown away by the Peninsula's natural beauty. In Los Cabos, you can find a holiday or a short break to suit all tastes and desires.

Firstly, we visited the Pacific coast, a string of pueblitos that sit in between hills and the beautiful Bajan beaches.  One of the must-see pueblos is Todos Santos: here you can find the Hotel California which is rumoured to have inspired the Eagles song of the same name, although I have read this is a Mexican tourist dupe.  It's a fairly typical Mexican-style hotel, and they house a little art collection and you are able to wander round and take photos.  Real or not, it's a worth a visit to the pueblito and it's pretty plaza.  Along the coast is a surfers paradise.  Los Cerritos beach is a famous spot where you can hit the waves, the beach itself is also lovely.  Golden sands bathed in sunlight, beautiful.
In the Pescadero area of the coast, you can try delicious Mexican coffee in Baja Beans, (coffee beans which are grown in the local area) and wander round the organic artisans market, where both natives and expats sell their goods opposite fields and fields of growing chillis. The area of Baja California Sur is still tourist-friendly but retains a little more genuine Mexican culture.  Often you will hear the American accent mingled in with Spanish but its laid back atmosphere makes for a welcoming destination.

If you fancy something a little more lively, head down to the famous Cabo San Lucas.  You can easily party the night away in famous clubs like El Squid Roe (mentioned in a ton of American teen TV shows when they head down to Cabo...) or dine in worldwide famous establishments like the Hard Rock Cafe.  The majority of the hotels that sit along the Medano beach are expensive resorts that offer a luxury stay in an amazing location and setting.  It's also possible to go whale spotting during the winter where they complete their migration in the Sea of Cortez. The iconic landmark of the area is the stunning Arco de Cabo San Lucas, on  the Sea of Cortez side of the arch you have the aptly named Playa del amor (Lover's beach), with it's tranquil, blue sea and white sand.  The arch or Land's End is where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean so just opposite to Lover's beach is la Playa de los divorciados (The divorcee's beach!), here the Pacific comes crashing onto the shore, two extreme demonstrations of nature's power and beauty.

One of our favourite spots to dine in was the rooftop restaurant of the Baja Brewing Co. in the Cabo Beach Villas Resort.  The restaurant overlooks the bay and across to Lovers beach and serves pub fare and other more 'elegant' dishes.  The Baja Brewing Co. is Los Cabo's only micro-brewery and serves a selection of around 12 different flavoured beers.  They vary in strength and body; from the Baja Blonde, a lighter, milder beer to the company's most aggressive beer El Peyote Pale Ale. Perfect if you want to take some down time from tequila and cocktails and enjoy a craft beer in a relaxing setting.

Los Cabos is a truly wonderful place.  It's probably one of my favourite parts of Mexico.  Even though it's a top tourist destination and full of expats, you can see stunning scenery and wildlife.  If you can step away from the intoxicating bright lights of the marina in Cabo San Lucas, it's worth venturing out at night to a remote beach and witnessing the most perfect star light sky.  You feel like you are almost alone on the planet, it's breathtaking.

Allegiant - a mini review.

With Divergent hitting the cinemas this month, the books on which the movie was based have been getting equal publicity. Allegiant is the final book of Veronica Roth's young adult trilogy and completes Tris and friends' fight against evil, scheming dictators.

I read Divergent and Insurgent last year and although Allegiant was released in November 2013, I only just got around to reading it. I really enjoy young adult series, I find them entertaining, easy reads, and often thought provoking. Dystopian futures have become flavour of the month amongst young adult literature and the Divergent series follows in the same thread. 

I'm assuming that you will only read Allegiant if you have read the other books in the series, because I don't feel that the book is strong enough to be a stand alone story. I read the other books under a year ago and I struggled to remember who characters were. Although I understand that series are meant to be familiar with the overall story, I like books that can be enjoyed alone even if you haven't read the entire series.

Allegiant is also the only book in the trilogy to be narrated from Four/Tobias' and Tris' point of view, giving us two perspectives of the unfolding events. For me, the only problem was that Roth's voice for these two characters sounded so similar that at times, I forgot whose chapter I was meant to be reading. Four and Tris are extremely different characters, I shouldn't have had to question whose mind I was in. 

Another gripe I have with this book is the constant angst! I realise that life is pretty crappy for all the characters in the Divergent series but it felt like I was reading constant whinging. Tris would complain about Four's behaviour and vice versa. At times, it felt like Tris was just trying to be a martyr about everything and not trying to understand other characters point of view. I never got that impression of her before: I liked her character, but now, not so much. 

I wasn't overly fond of the plot either; I think Roth was aiming for twists and turns, keeping the reader guessing who the baddie is but I just felt like we were on a wild goose chase; this person/entity is the baddie, oh wait no... This person is worse... Hold on, no! THIS person is also pretty nasty! Trust no one but Tris, she always knows what's best! I want more substance than that. The plot also gets lost in the science/genetics issues: worries that are valid in our ever advancing technological world, but for me, it just undermines everything else about the story: the factions, Choosing day, people's roles in the dystopian Chicagan society. 

The ending - the massive ending, which I will not discuss much to prevent spoilers - I wasn't a fan. I didn't feel satisfied. I guess Roth was trying to highlight that we don't live in a perfect world, sacrifice, love, life, family but it doesn't sit with me. 

I really, really wanted to like this book. I wanted Divergent to be a series that I could return to time and time again, but Allegiant has let it down. It wasn't a satisfying conclusion to a series that you could really root for, a world that you could get lost in, with some really likeable characters. To me, at times it felt rushed, and when I see that there are other mini stories written from this series (purely to make money, I would assume), it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.