I spotted this tag on Sky's Book Corner and also on Jenny in Neverland and I couldn't resist joining in with the fun. I loved their answers and as a major Disney fan, I found the idea of matching Disney characters with books according to their treats and characters fantastic! 

One day, Rosie Potter wakes up with what might be the world's worst hangover, until she discovers that she's actually dead... But Rosie has no idea how to be a ghost. Is she supposed to haunt her killer? But who killed her? 

The Day We Disappeared by Lucy Robinson. 

Ivy Lane by Cathy Bramley.

This sweet story takes place in the allotment of Ivy Lane, where a lively and friendly community shares not only a place to grow their plants but also products, tips on how-to and friendship. With the lovely Tilly as the main character, we get to know all the members: from Charlie, the sexy fireman, the talkative Gemma and her persuasive mother, to the sweet old Alf, they all welcome her to their family. 

There are so many fantastic characters in this book and they all add their own spark to the story! 

4) Sleeping Beauty: A book that put you to sleep

One Thousand and One Nights
I remember that my mum got me this book in my teen years and said to me, this one is gonna take you a while to finish (it was huge). But I just couldn't get into the stories. Some I already knew and enjoyed but some where just too boring. It's one of the few books I have never finished and it's still sitting in my room at my parents'. Maybe one day I'll give it another try, now I'm older and wiser (ehem...).

It has been a while since a book had made such a strong impression on me. Girl at War is an extraordinary tale about war, loss and grief but also about love and hope and the need to find your place in the world. With two main story lines, Girl at War tells the story of Ana, a Croatian girl who survived a cruel and violent war but lost almost everything in it, even a part of herself. We follow a ten-year-old Ana in Zagreb, in the midst of the civil war, and a twenty-year-old Ana in New York, on her third year of university.

6) Beauty and the Beast: A beast of a book that you were intimidated by but found to be beautiful

I flew through the story in no time at all. It's such a well written story with so much heart in it, just like Belle!


7) Aladdin: A character that gets their wish granted, for better or for worse

With the imminent publication of I Knew You Were Trouble, the second book on the Jessie Jefferson Series, I have been thinking a lot about Jessie. She would be the perfect Aladdin, she wished with all her heart to know who her father was. Imagine her surprise when her father turned out to be a huge rock star! I cannot wait to see how her relationship with him develops in the second book. 

8) Mulan: A character who pretends to be someone or something they’re not

In this one not only one but two characters pretend to be someone they are not. Renée, the concierge, conforms to every stereotype of the concierge: fat, cantankerous, addicted to television. Yet, Renée is a cultured autodidact who adores art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture. 

Then there's Paloma, a twelve-year-old genius. She behaves as everyone expects her to behave: a mediocre pre-teen high on adolescent subculture, a good but not an outstanding student, an obedient if obstinate daughter.

Where's my letter? I'm still waiting for my letter...

Do I need to say anything else? 

10) Disney Descendants – your favourite villain or morally ambiguous character

Well, that was a lot of fun! If you want to do this tag yourself, feel free! I’d love to see more of these around, bring the magic of Disney to the blogosfera! 

Ten years later Ana is a college student in New York. She’s been hiding her past from her boyfriend, her friends, and most especially herself. Haunted by the events that forever changed her family, she returns alone to Croatia, where she must rediscover the place that was once her home and search for the ghosts of those she’s lost. 

With generosity, intelligence, and sheer storytelling talent, Sara Nović’s first novel confronts the enduring impact of war, and the enduring bonds of country and friendship.

*First of all I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

It has been a while since a book had made such a strong impression on me. Girl at War is an
extraordinary tale about war, loss and grief but also about love and hope and the need to find your place in the world. With two main story lines, Girl at War tells the story of Ana, a Croatian girl who survived a cruel and violent war but lost almost everything in it, even a part of herself. We follow a ten-year-old Ana in Zagreb, in the midst of the civil war, and a twenty-year-old Ana in New York, on her third year of university. 

It still shocks me that this war happened only twenty years ago. I vaguely remember the news about it as I was quite young still but I remember thinking that those countries had to be far far away. My little mind couldn't conceive that such atrocities were really happening so close and nobody was doing anything to prevent it. Reviving those acts of destruction through young Ana's eyes really got to me. She and her friends, unable to really understand the concept of war and ethnic cleansing and the dangers that it implies, turn the new war elements into a game. Playing with the piles of sacks or fighting over the bike that serves as a generator in the basement they hide during the air raids. But soon, Ana's innocence is cut short and she ends up in an occupied village where she is recruited by the local guerilla. The matter-of-factly and simple narrative make this tale even more raw and shocking. 

When we read about Ana in America, ten years later, we see another version of Ana. She tells everyone she's from New Jersey and keeps her memories and demons in a locked part of her brain, avoiding going there at all costs. But with no real place to call home and with no idea of who she really is she must face the difficult but necessary return to her old town. A real journey of self discovery, I was completely enthralled with the story. Trying and failing to image how she must have been feeling. 

I think that having the chance of reading such a tale is a privilege for us readers. Sara Novic takes us in a raw but truly memorable journey. Making us remember the atrocities of war and wonder why there are still so many conflicts in the world. Sara's voice needs to be heard, loud and clear, and after such an amazing debut, I can't wait for more by this young author. 

Rating: 

 Don't miss any stops of the blog tour for this fantastic title: