The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones Movie

Movie Title: The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
Book the Movie is based on: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Director: Harald Zwart
Starring: Lilly Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Kevin Zegers, Jemima West, Robert Sheehan, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Godfrey Gao, etc.
Summary: When her mother disappears, Clary Fray learns that she descends from a line of warriors who protect our world from demons. She joins forces with others like her and heads into a dangerous alternate New York called Downworld.

My Thoughts: Initially, I wasn't super excited about this book being made into a movie. Out of all the books I've gotten the chance to read in the YA juggernaut that is The Mortal Instruments series, this was definitely not my favorite (with City of Glass being my absolute favorite). But then I, along with the rest of the "shadowhunter" community, saw the first movie trailer for this film and my interest automatically piqued. I was so excited! And I was quite pleased with the end result of this movie.

It wasn't perfect, but I found it to be very entertaining (Clary's mom and Isabelle are such a BA's). The casting was amazing, but the script could sometimes drift towards the cheesy and was kind of hit or miss (mostly hit though, don't worry). And the changes they made when adapting the book to a film medium made sense from a cinematic perspective. The parts they cut out weren't too noticeable to me as a fan, and didn't ruin the chance of a sequel to the movie franchise. Honestly, I think I might like the movie adaptation better than the actual book in this case. I know. It's sacrilege.

My biggest problem, though, lies in the monstrosity that is Valentine's hair. Rat tails? Really? There is no reason you need multiple rat tails protruding from your head, Valentine. They don't make you any more intimidating, and I'm pretty sure those aren't even in style in the Downworld.
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Movie Review

Title: Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Released: August 7, 2013 (USA)

Directed by: Thor Freudenthal

Starring: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Leven Rambin, Brandon T. Jackson, Douglas Smith, Stanley Tucci, Nathan Fillion, etc.

Summary of the Movie: In this retelling of Rick Riordans book, "The Sea of Monsters", Percy Jackson, accompanied by his friends Annabeth Chase, Clarisse La Rue and Tyson, his half brother, goes on a journey to the Sea of Monsters to retrieve the Golden Fleece and save Camp Half-Blood.

My Thoughts: Anyone who has read the Percy Jackson series and then saw the first installment of the movie franchise, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, knows how badly they did at adapting the first book into a film format. I'm not usually one to be snobbish when it comes to book to movie adaptations, but this one was a pretty off compared to the amazing series written by Rick Riordan.

First of all, Percy and his friends in the first few books are in their early teens, while in the first movie they had Percy be about 16 years old. That was probably one of their biggest mistakes if they had any intentions of this series going as far as the books go, time-wise. Not only that, but the way it translated just didn't sit well with the majority of the fans who had read Riordan's series before, including myself.

So when they announced there would be a second installment of this movie franchise, I was instantly interested. Did Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief do well enough in the box office to warrant a sequel? Apparently so. Not only that, but it seems to have been revamped. Many of the fans can just watch the trailer and tell that this movie would be a lot more true to the book than the last, therefore more people were anticipating it's release, including myself.

But upon leaving the theater, I was sorely disappointed. Even though many characters from the series that weren't in the first movie were put into this one, some of them were misrepresented entirely (such as Silena Beauregard or the sass-less Percy).

It was like they took a few plot points from Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters book, and threw out the rest. Nothing was considered when it came to staying true to the Greek mythology roots or the continuity, especially when it comes to the possibility of a third Percy Jackson movie. I actually came out of the theater feeling a little bit angry, to be honest. Being such a fan of Riordan's works and seeing one of his novels be botched this much was hard to watch. Not only that, but the movie lacked natural flow, and as a film I felt like it fell short of my standards of a good movie.

So no, I don't think I'll be buying this one when it hits the shelves on DVD, but I definitely won't let this movie put a sour taste in my mouth when it comes to Riordan's brilliant series.

My Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

The Death Cure

Title: The Death Cure
Author: James Dashner
Series: The Maze Runner series (#3)
Pages: 325 (paperback)
Published: October 2011
Summary: Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.

What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.  The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.
Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

My Thoughts: Wow, what an ending to The Maze Runner trilogy! So many twists and turns (in more ways than one). James Dashner once again weaves a wonderful adventure that is easy to read, easy to keep up with, yet will keep you on the edge of your seat for most of the book.

However, there were a few parts that did lull a little bit and seemed slightly unnecessary which is why I didn't give it a 5 out of 5 stars. The first two books in this trilogy were a little bit more fast paced, twisty, and less predictable, but this third installment tied up the series very nicely. I did have a few questions at the end but I assume they will probably be answered in the prequel to the series, The Kill Order. It gave me a sense of finality, even though there were quite a few emotionally distressing moments (the deaths! THE DEATHS! My poor heart broke because of all the deaths in this book).

Finishing this series only makes me even more excited for The Maze Runner the movie (premiering in the U.S.A on February 14, 2014). If you haven't read The Maze Runner yet, I highly highly recommend it! It was one of my favorite books I read last year, and it's a quick exciting read that I feel anyone can love. So definitely expect updates and a review about this highly anticipated movie adaptation. It looks like it's going to be a good one!
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars 

Books I Bought in July

(A late update, but nevertheless an update)

Adding on to my book collection and enabling my book-buying addiction, I've been to a few used bookstores and Barnes & Noble a few times this month. I am proud of myself, however, because I didn't buy as many books as I did last month and I think that's progress, right? Anyways, enough about this growing addiction to feeding my bookshelves, here's my book haul from the month of July:

Grave Mercy - by Robin LaFevers
I've seen a number of great reviews on this book, and my best friend even recommended it to me, and I trust her judgment, book-wise. And on top of that, it looks really interesting! A total BA female master assassin who's the daughter of death?! How awesome is that? Downside, though: it's really long and it'll probably take me a while to get to it let alone to get through it.

Agatha Christie short stories
I found this one at the used bookstore and ended up buying it because I don't have any collections of short stories so I thought, "why not start with the queen of mystery?" I'm starting my university classes in a couple of weeks, one of which is creative writing where we write and read a lot of short stories, so you could say I was inspired by that.

The 5th Wave - Rick Yancey
This is one of those books that defines a year. Last year I feel like it was The Fault in our Stars, and after seeing only positive, raving reviews about this sci-fi adventure, I'm certain that this will be one of the best books of 2013. If you click on the title above it'll link you to the goodreads page for this novel where you can read the summary (it was a bit long to put in this post). It seems slightly vague, but only in the best of ways. I hate it when a book summary tells the reader exactly what happens. It makes it too predictable, and I love to be kept guessing while reading. It's exciting!

Pretties - by Scott Westerfeld
No I haven't yet read the first book of this series, Uglies, but once again I was recommended to read this series and I've seen many-a-blogger enjoy this book so I bought it. Also, it was on sale and I had a coupon. How could I resist!?

Hallowed - by Cynthia Hand
This book is the second of a trilogy about fallen angels and angels in general, and if you read my book haul post from earlier last month you'll know how much I loved the first of this series, Unearthly. It was lighthearted yet kept your attention the whole time, which is perfect for me when I'm at university during the semester and busy with college-y stuff (is that a real term? my brain is fried from summer classes I apologize). On another note, this series has some of the most beautiful covers. I usually don't like covers with girls in dresses on them because they've been a little overdone, but these are so gorgeous that I can't get enough of them.

Maybe I won't buy as many books this month seeing as how I'm starting back up with my college classes and on top of that I'll be doubling my time with my internship which means less time to buy books or read. But I always seem to find time between classes, so don't expect an official hiatus. It'll be more like a-post-every-other-week kind of hiatus as opposed to where I (attempt to) put up a post every week. Whatever the schedule, I wish you happy reading!

July Wrap-Up and YALLFest News

Well to say that I didn't get much done in the month of July is kind of putting it lightly. But I have an excuse! I had two finals for my summer classes within a couple of weeks of each other and in the end, I only ended up finishing one book (The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen) and starting one other book (The Death Cure by James Dashner) this month. And on top of my summer classes ending, I had to help plan my family vacation to Disney World (which will be this weekend!) and finish my paperwork for my internship and yeah July just was not a good reading month for me. I may or may not have found myself in another reading slump, which will hopefully be broken by my 12 hour drive to and from Florida this coming week.

However I do have some good news! I'm planning on going to YALLFest, which is Charleston, South Carolina's, young adult book festival. It'll be held on November 9, 2013, and it's a one day shindig in one of my favorite cities and admission is absolutely free. There are going to be 50 young adult authors there (among the list are Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia of Beautiful Creatures fame and Stephanie Perkins, author of Anna and the French Kiss) along with a keynote speaker, who will be Veronica Roth this year. Yes. THE Veronica Roth! As in the author of the Divergent series (the last book of the trilogy, Allegiant, is set to release October 22 of this year). Her book signing is going to be a huge even in and of itself especially with the first book of the series, Divergent, getting it's own movie next year. On top of that, this is one of my favorite series at the moment, so I will definitely be bringing my own copies for her to sign at the event and yes I am fangirling over the thought of just meeting her (but only a little).

A more complete and detailed description of when, where, and who will be attending YALLFest can be found here if you're interested in learning more about the event.

I've never been to a convention or book festival of any kind before, so this should be a wonderful and exciting new experience for me and I absolutely cannot wait!

The Moon and More Book Review/Sarah Dessen Book Signing

Title: The Moon and More
Author: Sarah Dessen
Pages: 435 (hardcover)
Publication: June 2013
Summary: Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby. Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby? Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

Sarah Dessen's devoted fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment. It could only happen in the summer.

The Signing: This is the second book signing I've gone to for Sarah Dessen (which took place a couple weeks ago), and it was even better than the last. I was near the front of the signing line, I won a bit of swag (a necklace with a key on it), and everyone was no where near as pushy as they were at the last signing, therefore making it an all around better experience, not to mention my sister and I got to talk to her more than last time.  She was funny, nice, down to earth, and very relatable, and she seemed genuinely happy to be there doing this signing for her fans and readers.

She gave us some inside perspective as to her writing process, where the fictional town of Colby, which is the setting of this book and appears in many of her other novels, is based (Emerald Isle, NC), and revealed that she's working on her twelfth novel right now. I was having an awful day the day of the signing, and when I walked into that bookstore and felt the energy of my fellow fans around me, I instantly felt better. I loved it. Everyone was so nice and excited, and there was even free cake (I'm all about the free food), so in other words, yes I definitely plan on attending more of her book signings and I'll probably always treasure her books. I started reading them in high school and they're now as much a part of my learning and growing up experience as The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book series.

My Review: Okay so this wasn't my all-time favorite Dessen novel (that would be Along for the Ride), but it definitely wasn't my least favorite. I felt like it dragged in some areas, yet didn't fully explain what was happening in others. Like for example Clyde's back story or more of Theo's back story.  But I never felt like I didn't know who Emaline was as a person or where her development was headed. My favorite part about this book, however, was that it was less about a love triangle and more about Emaline figuring out what she wanted out of life and how change can come in all kinds of packages whether they be good or bad.

It took me forever to read this one (because of summer class finals and life in general) but I found this novel to be very much a beach read. In other words this book included a lot of what I like to call "fluff;" it didn't make you think too much and was very light (no dystopian gore or murder victims) while also packing a pretty deep moral to the story. What did I derive this moral to be? For the most part, I felt like this story conveyed how a girl when moving on in life doesn't need to stray too far from the familiar in order to experience personal growth. If you stray away from who you are and what you know completely, then you lose yourself completely.
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 

Booktube-A-Thon

Although I'm not really a contributor to the booktube community, I do watch a lot of booktube related videos.  It's my way of seeing how much people love or hate a book and what they loved/hated about that book. If you're looking for alternatives to book blogging and reading reviews, I suggest looking into following a booktuber or two.

With all of that said, this week (from July 15th to July 21st), there will be a read-a-thon called Booktube-A-Thon held just for those who vlog about books or book reviews. Made by a couple of my favorite booktubers, Raeleen and Ariel, this read-a-thon made especially for booktubers (but anyone can participate). A read-a-thon is pretty much a reading marathon where you try to read as much as you can in the allotted amount of time. And this read-a-thon consists of seven challenges, just to spice things up. The challenge list is as follows:

1. Read an average of 300 pages a day
2. Read a book with over 500 pages
3. Reread one book
4. Finish a series/trilogy
5. Read a book that's been on your shelf forever (that you haven't read yet)
6. Listen to an audiobook
7. Read a classic

Here's the link to one of the Booktube-A-Thon announcement videos by Raeleen (a similar video can be found here on Ariel's youtube channel) if you want a better idea of this event.

You don't have to complete all of the challenges because, like I said, it's just for fun. You can even knock out two birds with one stone by reading, for instance, Emma by Jane Austen, which is over 500 pages long and is also considered a classic.

If you want to follow some other booktubers' progress while they try their hand at this read-a-thon challenge, then here's a list of some fellow avid readers/booktubers that I'm subscribed to who are participating along with their links:

Raeleen at PadfootandProngs07
Ariel at ArielBissett
Jesse at JessetheReader
Catriona at TheLittleBookOwl
Jacob at TheEighthPotter
Elizabeth at ElizzieBooks

Sadly, I will be jumping in late in the game due to a final exam in one of my summer classes being this week, but it will still be fun to try and accomplish at least a few of these challenges by July 21st (I've been busy studying for my final for the past couple of days which is why I'm almost a day late in making a post about it). But you know what they say, better late than never! And maybe with this class out of the way, I'll have more time to read and write reviews since I've been slacking so much lately.

I hope y'all will be joining in on the reading extravaganza with me this week and happy reading!

July Beach-Ready Book Haul

The time is drawing near for me when my family takes their big yearly vacation, and this year we're going to Florida for a week. Therefore, I must stock up on reading material for the 12 hour long drive and for possible pool-side reading, right? At least that's my excuse for buying even more books in the past month, even though I was kind of on a self-imposed book buying ban. Oops! But hey, at least I tried right? Anyway, here are the books I bought in the past month to read on vacation (click on the titles to see full summaries on Goodreads):


The Bling Ring: How a Gang of Fame-Obsessed Teens Ripped Off Hollywood and Shocked the World - by Nancy Jo Sales
I now consider my obsession with this story in general to be my current guilty pleasure. What I mean is, I can't get enough of it! I'm completely intrigued by how these fame-obsessed teenagers became the first ever successful burglary ring in Hollywood. And after seeing the Sofia Coppola movie, The Bling Ring, based on a Vanity Fair article by Sales, I had to buy the book and learn more about the story. I'm not one for non-fiction books usually, but I've already started this book and the amount of research and detail that went into Sales' account of the "Bling Ring" is mind boggling. Like I said, I can't seem to get enough of it! You can definitely expect a review on the movie and book sometime this month.

Unearthly - by Cynthia Hand
I read this novel about fallen angels (more or less) about a year ago after renting it from the library pretty much because it had a pretty cover. Yes, I admit to picking up books based on their covers (although this photo of it doesn't to the real thing justice). But I'm so glad I did because I ended up loving it. It become one of my favorite novels I read last year (among The Fault in Our Stars, The Book Thief, Divergent, The Maze Runner, and a few others). However, this is the only book of the series I've had the chance to read. I hope to pick up the next installment, Hallowed, soon, because I definitely consider this to be a great beach read.

Shadow and Bone - by Leigh Bardugo
I've heard mostly good things about this book in the book blogosphere, and I've been eyeing it for a while now. But recently they released it in paperback, thus making it more affordable for me, and I couldn't refuse (I'm somewhat of an impulse book buyer, can you tell?). Also, the only books I've read that were based in Russia, like this one, are Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky and they were all for school, thus boring the living daylights out of me. This novel is different because a.) it was written in this century, b.) it's a dystopian thriller, and c.) it's not a required reading for any of my classes next semester, so I'm bound to enjoy it a lot more than Crime and Punishment (here's hoping).

Emma - by Jane Austen
I wanted to pick up this Austen classic after watching one of my favorite movies, Clueless (based on this novel), and I already own all of her novels in one giant bind up. However, I didn't want to be toting a huge leatherbound bind up just to read one book from it to the beach. So I went to a used bookstore and found a slightly battered edition to call my own. I think this might be one of Austen's longest novels she'd written, so it will be very interesting to see how far I get and how long it takes me to finish it.


The Summer I Turned Pretty - by Jenny Han
I bought this book for my younger sister as part of her graduation gift earlier this month, but I've heard mixed reviews on it. Some say it's the perfect fluffy beach read, and others say it jumps around too much and it's boring. My sister leaned towards the more negative side saying she didn't like the flashbacks and that she probably wasn't going to read the rest of the trilogy. Seeing as how we now own it, though, I thought I'd at least give it a try. It can't hurt to give it go, you know? The premise seems tame enough, too. It doesn't seem to require a lot of comprehensive reading, it's set at the beach, involves a coming of age story as well a teen love triangle. What else could you want in a beachy read?

That pretty much does it on my recent beach book purchases. Hope y'all have a great summer and relaxing vacations, whether they're poolside, porchside, or beach side.
Happy Reading!

July TBR Pile

June wasn't a good reading month for me, in terms of how much reading I actually got done. With summer classes, I've been swamped with homework and assignments lately, but that will all be over at the end of July! However, I may be spending quite a bit of time studying for my finals, but after this month, I will hopefully have a lot more time to do some summer reading. So without further ado, here's my July to-be-read list! (Maybe I'll actually get to all of them this time haha!)

The Selection - by Keira Cass
I'm playing catch-up here! My younger sister graduated earlier in June and I gave her the sequel to this book, The Elite, as part of her graduation gift (along with a few other books). She loves the first book and couldn't wait to dive into the second, so I thought hey why not give it a go. Also, I don't think I've heard any bad reviews about this book in the book-vlogosphere, and that's always a good thing to look for in a novel.

A Jane Austen novel
Any one will do. I just want some regency-era romance in my life. I think I'm going to go for either Northanger Abbey, as stated in my previous TBR, or maybe Persuasion, since that one takes place at the beach at one point. I mean, perfect for a summer beach read TBR, am I right?

The Death Cure - by James Dashner
I have to confess to something... I have a problem finishing book series'. I KNOW! FOR SHAME! But that's one of my reading resolutions recently: to finish some of the book series I've already started. That includes the Maze Runner series (among many more. I think this might have something to do with some sort of deep-seeded commitment issues I have or something). That's not the only motivation I have for finishing this series though. The first book, The Maze Runner, is being made into a film (starring the crazy cute Dylan O'Brien and the beautiful Kaya Scodelario) and I'm extremely excited since this was one of my favorite books I read last year.

I've pretty much shortened my TBR list significantly from how many books were on the list last month mostly because I don't want to set too high of expectations for myself since I'll be having finals later this month (booooo) and my family and I don't have any vacation trips planned until August, so no beach reading either. It'll be more like I'm-bored-and-waiting-for-class-to-start reading or everyone-is-on-vacation-and-I'm-stuck-at-home reading. In other words, the amoung of reading I get done will be dependent on how much of a social life I end up having between studying and my increasingly frequent naps. On another note, summer classes take a lot out of you.

If I read three or more books this month, that will be an accomplishment. I'm that swamped. By the way, I apologize if I sound overly sassy. My levels of stress usually match my levels of sarcasm and I've been quite stressed lately, what with the swamping. Well, I hope y'all have better reading month than me (that's not saying much but you get what I mean). Happy Reading!

Hex Hall

Title: Hex Hall
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Series: Hex Hall trilogy (#1)
Pages: 323 (paperback)
Publication: March 2010
Summary: Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

My Thoughts: This young adult book was so easy to dive right into. It completely sucked me in and right off the bat I thought to myself, "why has it taken me so long to read this series?" (by the way, how cool is that cover?).

Rachel Hawkins effortlessly builds a supernatural world where her characters thrive. This novel is based at a boarding school for prodigium in the deep south, a world that our protagonist, Sophie, is pretty much new to. Being raised by a human and never having met her warlock father, Sophie is new to the whole mythology and the ways of the prodigium she accompanies at Hecate Hall (Hex Hall for short). I don't think this novel could have been written any other way. This was the best approach to creating and introducing a new world to the reader, and it felt so effortless. The dialogue felt real, the actions of the characters felt real, and yet it wasn't a hard read at all.

Very light, Hex Hall was the perfect book for me to get out of my reading slump that I was slowly sinking into. The dialogue felt real and loved jumping into the world that surrounded Hex Hall. No, it didn't address any hard-hitting issues, but that's what I liked about it. It was simple, but not simple-minded. Effortlessly written without talking down to you while staying entertaining with twists and turns in the plot line throughout the book. I honestly thought it was a perfect summer read for me, and I can't wait to pick up the sequel, Demonglass. I need to know what happens to next! It's addictive!

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 

Impulse

Title: Impulse
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Series: Impulse series (#1)
Pages: 666
Publication: January 2007
Summary: Sometimes you don't wake up. But if you happen to, you know things will never be the same.

Three lives, three different paths to the same destination: Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted the ultimate act -- suicide. Vanessa is beautiful and smart, but her secrets keep her answering the call of the blade. Tony, after suffering a painful childhood, can only find peace through pills. And Conner, outwardly, has the perfect life. But dig a little deeper and find a boy who is in constant battle with his parents, his life, himself.

In one instant each of these young people decided enough was enough. They grabbed the blade, the bottle, the gun -- and tried to end it all. Now they have a second chance, and just maybe, with each other's help, they can find their way to a better life -- but only if they're strong and can fight the demons that brought them here in the first place.

My Thoughts: First going into this book, I had such high expectations because I loved the style rawness with which Ellen Hopkins wrote Crank, but I was kind of let down by this book, sadly.  I expected an emotional, roller coaster of a repeat of Crank when I started this book, but the best parts didn't even come until the last 150 pages.

It dragged in the middle for the most part and didn't pick up until the wilderness challenge part. Also, it was quite cheesy in some parts. Especially when they would not shut up about how so-and-so made them "feel again" or how they "never knew love until they met la-di-da." If it came up only a few times, fine, whatever, that's cool. But it felt never ending. It was in these part, too, where the dialogue felt the most forced, too. However I really did like the ending. It made you feel. Think. Appreciate.  I just wished that was the case about the whole of this book.

Although this book wasn't an easy read for me, considering how dark the themes were, I do hope to read the next installment to this series, Perfect, soon. I want to see where life takes these characters and the changes they must face in order to live a more well-adjusted life. They've been through so much, and it'll be nice to see them make it out okay after all the trials and tribulations that life threw at them. It gives you hope.

On another note to my readers: This can very much be considered a trigger book. I only recommend this book to those who can handle themes such as depression, suicide, sex, drugs, cutting, and mental illness. It's not exactly a light, beachy read by any means and if you aren't comfortable with any of these themes, I don't suggest you read it (especially suicide and depression. It is very heavy and graphic in those areas.)
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The Program

Title: The Program
Author: Suzanne Young
Pages: 408 (hardcover)
Series: The Program (#1)
Publication: April 2013
Summary: In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

My Thoughts: First things first, despite the mini-rant that is about to follow, I did really enjoy this book. It's not an instant favorite of mine, though, but I did enjoy reading it and I appreciate the world that Young has built. However I do have a bone or two to pick. When I was reading Part I of this novel, I have to say, I thought Sloane and James were a bit too codependent. I understand that they were in love and all, but it was as if she couldn't function even semi-normally when she wasn't around him, which I'm assuming was a part of the disease. It got a little annoying at first and I found myself skimming the "he's my everything" parts, but once I got to Part II the story picked up in pace. This is when I was sucked in. You learn more about The Program and how it works from the inside out. Not only that, but this is when my favorite part comes into play: the character development. And god I love me some good character development.

My favorite part about this books would probably be how attached you become to Suzanne Young's characters not through the set up, but through Sloane's memories. I'm also a really big fan of dystopian books, but this one felt a little different. It wasn't like the government was trying to control everyone and keep the people under it's ever-watching thumb (does that even make any sense?). The people in the book were free to go where they wanted, eat what they wanted (I mean Coke and McDonalds still exists in this world), and they can even go on vacations. You don't feel that kind of freedom when it comes to other dystopian novels, and I like that change.

Another thing I noticed that sets this dystopian-esque book from the others is that most of the other dystopian societies you read about are ones that are long gone, yet in The Program you can tell that it's only the beginning of the end. It's a theme that you don't really get to see in many dystopians. Usually they might tell you how a society ended up this way, but you don't actually see it happen within the book.

The reason why this novel doesn't get five stars is mostly because of this theme of stubbornness being the female protagonist's fatal flaw.  Kind of like Clary, from Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series, Sloane is loyal and stubborn to the point of illogical recklessness. When you reach the ending, you understand why a little bit more, but it's a theme that's getting a little overused in YA literature. It's less prominent toward the end, but I started to grow tired of how Sloane would rebel for the sake of rebellion and act out for selfish reasons about halfway through reading this book. She doesn't really think of the consequences of her actions much until the end, but that's a problem with most teens so I guess it was quite accurate on that level.

All that aside, I did really enjoy this book. Young brings up a very thought provoking subject: if such an epidemic of suicidal teens were to happen, would it be best to get rid of the thoughts, painful memories, and darkness completely? Or is it best to let it happen, sacrificing the mental well-being of a few but in turn giving teens the freedom to feel a full range of emotion? In the end, it comes down to whether or not you can you really appreciate the highs of life without the lows. 
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

June 2013 To-Be-Read (TBR)

I got a lot more reading done last month than I thought I would be able to do, but June will probably be a different story.  Since I'm taking summer classes, I'll be having a lot more homework assignments due. In other words, I'm gonna keep my reading goals realistic here and probably only be able to read five books, tops, this month. But hey, it doesn't hurt to dream big, does it? Anyways, without further ado, here's what's on my TBR pile for the month of June:

Hex Hall - by Rachel Hawkins
I just rented this book from the library, and I have to say that I'm extremely excited to start this series. I don't know why it's taken me this long to get into it, but it looks like a very entertaining read. Vampires and witches and ghosts OH MY! But first I must wait til my younger sister finishes reading it. This is what I get for having a shared library with her... (by the way: it took every fiber in my being not to add a "bewitching" or "magical" pun in there. Every. Fiber.)

Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
I am determined to read an Austen book this month. I have Austen fever! If I finish this TBR list before the end of June, I may have to add an extra Jane Austen book to the list for me to read (Persuasion mayhaps?).

Just Listen and The Moon and More - by Sarah Dessen
Sarah Dessen is releasing her novel The Moon and More on June 4th, and I will definitely be purchasing it as soon as it comes out.  And I'm trying to read as many Dessen books as I can because she's doing a signing for her new book release at a local bookstore so I'm not clueless when she talks about her earlier novels (which I heard there will be a trivia session on them for book swag as well. Very exciting!). Side note: how gorgeous is this cover? It has all of my favorite YA book cover elements: lovely colors, a faceless girl, an excellent landscape, and movement. I love it!

Impulse - by Ellen Hopkins
Hopkins' poetic prose is calling my name saying, "read me, Meredith, READ ME!" How am I to resist?! I was pulled in when reading Crank last week and I'm so intrigued to see how more of her stories will play out in her unique style of writing.

The Selection - by Kiera Cass
I've heard so many good reviews about this book, and now that the second book to The Selection series is out, The Elite, I feel even more compelled to pick this one up. My sister read it, the self proclaimed "ice queen," and she loved it. If this novel can make her feel all gooey inside, then I'll be hook-line-and-sinker with this one. I'm easily swooned when it comes to books like The Selection. But it doesn't seem like some chick-lit book where the female protagonist is completely helpless and needs a man to come and save her. No, it seems kind of like the opposite of that tired and overused cliche. Which is another reason why this book looks so good!

Mid-Week Bookish Update

I have mentioned before that I consider book-buying a disease, and I've got the fever. But I've been better about going out and buying books on impulse. Instead I'm making my library card useful and renting a lot of my books recently. Not only that, but I went to my favorite used bookstore, sold a few books from last year's English classes and some others I didn't want anymore, and bought a few books at a great discount.

If you're low on funds but really want to go out and buy a book or just read something new, I highly recommend using your local library or used bookstore to satiate your reading thirst. Or even going to websites like Bookdepository.com (which has free worldwide shipping) or Amazon.com (where I like to get my books used a lot of the time) to get some great deals on books, especially if you're a broke college student like me and you end up spending most of your money on forms of nourishment and textbooks and what not.

Without further ado, here are the books currently in my possession and that I hope to read within the next month. Look for reviews on these in the coming month, too! (Clicking on the title will take you to the goodreads page and the summary for the book).

The Program - by Suzanne Young
I rented this young adult book from the library hoping to read it on my memorial day break (yay for four day weekends woo!) but didn't get a chance to start reading it until yesterday.  It's only just come out, and has a unique premise that I've never come across before. I just hope I can read it all and balance my oncoming onslaught of summer school homework before I have to return it to the library. I've heard very little about this book, what with it being so new, but so far it's really good and I'm quite enjoying it! Oh, and another thing: I've noticed that you get a lot of weird looks when reading a book with a bunch of black, orange, and yellow pills pictured on the back cover while waiting for class to start... Just sayin'.

Impulse - by Ellen Hopkins
I bought this one from the used bookstore, and after reading and being completely pulled in by Hopkins' infamous New York Times Bestseller, Crank, I wanted to see what other books she had to offer. I wasn't really mentally ready to read the sequel to Crank, which is Glass, with it being such a heavy topic (guess what! it involves more meth! A very light read, I'm sure). Don't get me wrong, I though Crank was an amazing, beautifully written book, but I thought I'd take a break and venture into a different subject matter such as mental health (much more cheery, I know. I'm a regular ol' ball of sunshine). And yeah, there is kind of a darker theme among my more recent reads, but I've just really been in the mood to read darker genre/themed books. You know how you'll get into a funk and want to eat Mexican food everyday or read a fluffy chick-lit book everyday, well I'm in a "darker book" themed funk right now. But hopefully that will change into a "classics" themed funk when I read the other book I got from the used bookstore, which is....


Tender is the Night - by F. Scott Fitzgerald
This is another book I found stashed away and on a dusty shelf of the used bookstore I went to this week. I, like so many others, went to see The Great Gatsby in theaters the other week, and I've been bitten by the 20's era bug. This novel is a semi-autobiographical account of Fitzgerald's life, which from what I've heard is very intriguing as well as sort of on the sad side. I also would love to read more classics this summer, and that brings me to my next used bookstore find:

Sleeping Murder - by Agatha Christie
For the longest time, I've been addicted to PBS's Masterpiece Mystery series. It features mostly BBC productions such as Sherlock, as well as my favorites, Agatha Christie's Poirot and Agatha Christie's Miss Marple. Agatha Christie is known as the queen of mystery, and has sold more mystery books than anyone else.  She's had loads of amazing crime thrillers published, this one being the last before her death, featuring Marple and Poirot, and sadly I have yet to read a single one. I know, it's blasphemous, especially since I claim to be a huge fan of hers when if fact I'm just a fan of the Masterpiece adaptations. Which is exactly why I bought one of her books, to see if I'll enjoy the books as much as I've loved the adaptations.

Northanger Abbey - by Jane Austen
One of my favorite movies is the 2005 adaptation of Austen's Pride and Prejudice (you know, the one with Keira Knightly), and sadly that is the only book by Austen that I've read. And thanks to my recent viewing of the movie The Jane Austen Book Club, I have Austen fever. The movie was amazing and heartfelt and now I just really want to dive into one of her books again. I loved P&P (as I so lovingly call it), and I'm probably the only one of my female bibliophilic friends who hasn't read all of Austen's works. It's weird, but I'm slightly ashamed by that fact. And I own the giant leatherbound Barnes & Noble book with all of Austen's novels in it, so it's not about whether I or not I have the books to start with. I just haven't been in the mood to read them, which is everything when it comes to choosing which book to read next.

I probably won't even end up sticking to this list verbatim for the next month, because as I just said, I've found that whatever mood you're in when you're in between books is usually the deciding factor as to which book you'll pick up next. So we'll see where the wind blows me this coming month.

I bid you all adieu and bon voyage on all of y'all's reading adventures! Hopefully you'll stick to your "To-Be-Read" pile a little better than I do. If you have any suggestions for what I should add to my TBR pile, let me know in the comments section below, and happy reading!

13 Reasons Why

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Pages: 288 (paperback)
Publication: June 2011
Summary: You can't stop the future. You can't rewind the past. The only way to learn the secret. . . is to press play.

Clay Jensen doesn't want anything to do with the tapes Hannah Baker made. Hannah is dead. Her secrets should be buried with her. 

Then Hannah's voice tells Clay that his name is on her tapes-- and that he is, in some way, responsible for her death.

All through the night, Clay keeps listening. He follows Hannah's recorded words throughout his small town. . .

. . .and what he discovers changes his life forever.

My Thoughts: You know that theory called the butterfly effect? How everything you do and everything that happens, even the beating of a butterflies wings, has an effect on the future. Every gesture, glance, moment of eye contact, or seemingly innocent action can be a build up to one of these "13 Reasons Why" Hannah Baker killed herself, it seems.

Let me just tell you right now that I really enjoyed this novel. It completely lived up to the hype it's been given and even drove me to tears at one point. Hearing Hannah's account on a set of cassette tapes of how she started down the road of depression and who influenced her to start down that path in the first place was haunting, but I loved it. It wasn't just one event or person she encountered that made her say "Hey you know what, why live?" It was an accumulation of those people and interactions and events as well as having to live with her own increasingly suicidal thoughts. I felt like this part of the story was accurate on a lot of levels, too, and I'm sure a lot of other people who have struggled with depression can relate to Hannah Baker's tale.

And you feel so bad for Clay, our narrator, because he's received these cassettes as one of the "reasons why." He seems like such a nice guy and even he has no idea why he's on this list at the beginning. My heart broke for him. And he has to listen to these stories about people he sees on a day to day basis, learn their dirty secrets, and now he can't look at them the same way ever again.

This isn't to say that Hannah wasn't a flawed human being. No, she certainly is, and she acknowledges that, which makes you like her even more (I can't stand a Mary Sue, can you?). Clay is also flawed, although it may not seem like it in the beginning. But this novel doesn't end as a sob story. It's intention is to make you think about your actions towards others and how you treat them, in my opinion. It built up hope in me which is why I loved it.
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Crank

Title: Crank
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Pages: 537

Series: Crank (#1)
Summary: In Crank, Ellen Hopkins chronicles the turbulent and often disturbing relationship between Kristina, a character based on her own daughter, and the "monster," the highly addictive drug crystal meth, or "crank." Kristina is introduced to the drug while visiting her largely absent and ne'er-do-well father. While under the influence of the monster, Kristina discovers her sexy alter-ego, Bree: "there is no perfect daughter, / no gifted high school junior, / no Kristina Georgia Snow. / There is only Bree." Bree will do all the things good girl Kristina won't, including attracting the attention of dangerous boys who can provide her with a steady flow of crank.

My Thoughts: Ellen Hopkins brilliantly paints a story about a how a seemingly put-together, perfectly normal teenage girl became a meth addict. Hopkins' pacing and tone were amazing through out the entirety of her novel and her words haunted me. What's even more chill-inducing is that this story is loosely based on Hopkins' own daughter and her fight with and addiction to the "monster."

This was quite a serious (yet very quick) read and completely written in prose. Meth addiction is a terrifyingly brutal thing, and Hopkins brings this theme to fruition with enough graphic details to make you hope for better in people and their choices as well as steal you clear of the stuff. I had heard a lot of different reviews about this book, but I was pleasantly surprised when I ended up enjoying this roller coaster of a ride that the author takes you on. Hopkins has completely pulled me in with her writing style and her words, so yeah I will definitely be reading the sequel to this novel, Glass.
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

Title: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
Authors: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Pages: 260 (hardcover)
Summary: “I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

My Thoughts: My favorite parts of this book were when Dash and Lily wrote in their book of dares, went and did the dares, or tried to figure out who they were writing to was. The scenes like where Dash would go to a party just to be told something by someone of little importance to the plot line (in my opinion) that maybe one of his other friends could've pointed out felt a little slow and boring to me. I loved the little clues Dash would leave Lily and vice versa. They challenged each other to go outside their comfort zones and to better themselves as people.

This novel is very much a wintery read, but honestly the wit and unique story line transcend the seasonality of this book. And Levithan and Cohn bring New York City to life through the adventures if Dash and Lily. I had high expectations for this book, and it fell slightly short, but I wasn't too upset about that. Also, although some of it wasn't very believable (catching babies midair, seeing everyone in your acquaintance by chance around one of the biggest cities in the world, a boy who uses the word "heretofore") and the main characters were slightly pretentious, the novel tries to inspire the reader to step outside their box and try something new, and succeeds in doing so.
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Chopsticks

Title: Chopsticks
Authors: Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral (illustrator)
Pages: 272
Format: Graphic Novel (sort of?)
Summary:  After her mother died, Glory retreated into herself and her music. Her single father raised her as a piano prodigy, with a rigid schedule and the goal of playing sold-out shows across the globe. Now, as a teenager, Glory has disappeared. As we flash back to the events leading up to her disappearance, we see a girl on the precipice of disaster. Brilliant and lonely, Glory is drawn to an artistic new boy, Frank, who moves in next door. The farther she falls, the deeper she spirals into madness. Before long, Glory is unable to play anything but the song "Chopsticks."

But nothing is what it seems, and Glory's reality is not reality at all. In this stunningly moving novel told in photographs, pictures, and words, it's up to the reader to decide what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along....

My Thoughts: I read this novel within a couple of hours (this is a feat because I'm actually quite a slow reader). This is a love story between Glory and Frank told through a series of photographs, news articles, IM, and letters, essentially. A very touching account of young love, Chopsticks as a whole is so beautiful even when words aren't enough. I found the most touching parts of this story to be when there weren't any written words on the page, just significant images of items or of Frank and Glory together. Very simplistic and an easy read, Chopsticks succeeds in conveying a deep, heartfelt coming of age love story in as few words as possible.
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Unfinished Book Series

Inspired by one of my favorite book bloggers', The Readables, blog post of the same title (which can be found HERE), I have a new found determination to finish book series that I started some time ago. Especially with so many book series ending this year (I'm looking at you Divergent series), I've gotten behind on my to-be-read list. However, this year it shall be done. I can do this. Reading challenge accepted!

Delirium series by Lauren Oliver
Why the wait?: busyness and then I kind of forgot about it on my shelf
All of the books of this trilogy have been released, and I own them all, but I always seem to want to read something else instead of these books. It's not like they're bad, I actually really liked Delirium, but after I read it I had final exams and papers that I needed to focus my energy on. 

Divergent series by Veronica Roth
Why the wait?: the final installment, Allegiant, doesn't come out until October.
I'm not behind on this series, but the third book to this series is probably one of my most anticipated book releases for this year. I loved Divergent, and really enjoyed the second book of the series Insurgent, as well. This trilogy has to be one of my favorites, by far.

The Caster Chronicles by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia
Why the wait?: I'm OCD and wanted to wait until I could buy the rest of the series in paperback to match the books I already owned.
It's sort of a vain excuse, I know. And I wanted to wait until I owned the entire series because The Caster Chronicles is one of those series where where you're done with one book, you feel the need to start the next. By the way, this is another one of my favorite series. I'm in love with the southern-Gothic feel of Stohl and Garcia's writing. It's absolutely spellbinding.

The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater
Why the wait?: I couldn't find the second book of the series anywhere until last year.
The first book, Shiver, was a great YA paranormal romance book, but it wasn't the kind of book that made me want to run to the bookstore and pick up the second one, Linger, immediately.  I completely forgot I even owned this series until the other day when I was cleaning my bookshelf and looking for books to sell. I vaguely remember what happened in the first book, and I've started the second already, but I don't know. I'm not sucked in yet like how I was when I first read Shiver.  I'm pushing through, though, so I can finally finish the series and depending on whether or not I love the rest of the books, I may end up selling those, too.

Maze Runner series by James Dashner
Why the wait?: Once again, I'm OCD and was waiting for the third book to come out in paperback
I just like for all of my books to match on the shelf, okay? I can't help it. It's more aesthetically pleasing that way.  And I'm still waiting for the prequel to the series, The Kill Order, to hit the shelves in paperback edition.

Matched series by Ally Condie
Why the wait?: When I finished the second novel of this series, Crossed, I fell into a sort of reading slump and I haven't picked up the last installment of the series, Reached, because of that.
This series is one of the few that I have signed by the author. I hadn't even finished reading the first book of the series, Matched, when I went to the signing, but I had heard great things about Condie's work.  So I picked up the series, started reading Matched, got my books signed, and then the reading slump hit when I was halfway through Crossed. It wasn't due to Condie's books, but more due to the fact that I had midterms around the same time.


Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
Why the wait?: I'd heard mixed reviews about this series, but my younger sister raves about it so I decided to pick it up.
I read the first book of this series, Vampire Academy, on an 8 hour drive to Florida last year. In the beginning I was ambivalent towards the plot line and the characters, but then the story picked up and I actually ended up really enjoying it. But I heard the second book, Frostbite, is hard to get through. However the series is supposed to get better as you go along, just as soon as you get past Frostbite. So I'll be looking forward to that when I attempt to finish the series this summer.

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Series: Anna and the French Kiss series
Pages: 338 (hardcover)
Summary: Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

My Thoughts: You know how most YA books are "innocent girl meets more experienced, unpredictable boy. they fall in love effortlessly. end of story"? Well Lola and the Boy Next Door is kind of the opposite. Switching gender roles from the usual girl-next-door who falls for the bad boy, Perkins has Lola, a bombshell in her own right, dating an older guy who's determined to become a rock star.

She's even settled in with her job at a movie theater where we get to see Anna and St. Clair from Perkins first book of this series, Anna and the French Kiss, once more (which was a total treat, I must say). Then Cricket comes along. And man, do I love Cricket. I really liked Lola's character and her character development, too, don't get me wrong. But I'm a girl who is easily swooned, and Cricket is definitely swoon-worthy.

Perkins has done it again, writing a male character that you can't help but fall in love with yourself, thinking, "Why isn't he real?!" Not only does she write great characters and great character development, she writes in a voice that is relatable, believable, and very realistic. You feel like you're in Lola's head during the entirety of the book. This was amazing most of the time, but sometimes you just wanted to leap into the book and shake Lola, and scream "What are you doing?! Open your eyes, child!"

Unlike Perkins first book of the series, Anna and the French Kiss, I didn't feel like the setting was such a pivotal part of the plot that it became a character in its own right. In this book, which takes place in San Francisco, you get the feel of San Fran, but it's exactly as you'd imagine it, but with fewer stereotypical archetypes. However, this didn't take away from the quality of the story by any means. I still fell in love with Perkins novel, just as I did with Anna and the French Kiss. And just like Anna's story, I think Lola's will make it's way to my list of favorites.
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Girl, Interrupted

Title: Girl, Interrupted
Author: Susanna Kaysen
Pages: 170
Summary: In 1967, after a session with a psychiatrist she'd never seen before, eighteen-year-old Susanna Kaysen was put in a taxi and sent to McLean Hospital. She spent most of the next two years on the ward for teenage girls in a psychiatric hospital as renowned for its famous clientele -- Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, James Taylor, and Ray Charles -- as for its progressive methods of treating those who could afford its sanctuary.

Kaysen's memoir encompasses horror and razor-edged perception while providing vivid portraits of her fellow patients and their keepers. It is a brilliant evocation of a "parallel universe" set within the kaleidoscopically shifting landscape of the late sixties. Girl, Interrupted is a clear-sighted, unflinching document that gives lasting and specific dimension to our definitions of sane and insane, mental illness and recovery.

My Thoughts: The movie adaptation of this book is one of my favorite movies of all time. It's raw, gritty, and realistic, and the book it's based on pretty much has the same tone throughout.  A memoir of Susanna Kaysen's stay at the infamous McLean Hospital, Girl, Interrupted is more like a series of essays on her point of view of what was happening in her ward at the time.  They aren't exactly in chronological order, but it isn't hard to follow along.

Kaysen's descriptions of the ward she lived in for almost two years and the people around her during that time aren't watered down or sugar coated, which I really appreciated. And when you first dive into this memoir, you start asking yourself, "Am I crazy?" Then you come to the realization that everyone has something "different" about them and how their brain works. To quote Kaysen: "Crazy isn't being broken or swallowing a dark secret. It's you or me amplified."
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Looking for Alaska

Title: Looking for Alaska
Author: John Green
Pages: 221
Summary:  Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. 
After. Nothing is ever the same.

My Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. John Green delivers once again in writing his Printz Award winning novel not just for adolescents, but for anyone who has ever lost someone suddenly or went seeking "The Great Perhaps." He created relatable characters that you either love or love to hate and you would follow their journeys to the end of their meaning-seeking lives. Especially Pudge and the Colonel. Pudge is our narrator who's obsessed with famous last words and who is new to the Culver Creek Boarding School of Alabama, and the Colonel is his roommate who sort of shows him the ropes from the beginning. They become sort of a team and with the help of some friends, adventure out to live life, prank, and maybe even partake in self-destructive activities.

Not only were Green's characters interesting and multifaceted, but you also felt for them. If an author can achieve that, then he's done his job.

Although this wasn't my favorite John Green novel (The Fault in our Stars takes that spot), I would definitely recommend everyone I know to read this.  It's witty, it's beautifully written, and it provokes you to feel and think about finding your own "Great Perhaps."
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Great Gatsby

Before I went to see the newly released The Great Gatsby movie this weekend, I was a little fuzzy on the details of what happened in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel of the same name set in the roaring 1920's. I had a general idea of the splendor that was Gatsby and that the story was told from Nick Carraway's perspective.  And as a fan of the director's, Baz Luhrmann, previous works, such as Moulin Rouge, and Romeo + Juliet, I fully expected his newest venture to be just as extravagant, if not more so.

Prepare yourself for a gush-fest, because boy did Baz Luhrmann deliver.  Every scene was like a work of art to be framed and admired. It was beautiful! I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I felt like Luhrmann's take on this timeless classic was fresh, modern, and extraordinary in more ways than one. This adaptation really brought across the theme that was so prevalent in Fitzgerald's novel: the jazz age in all it's shining glory. I haven't read The Great Gatsby or any of Fitzgerald's other works of literature in years, but I can feel a '20's lit binge coming on.

Also, can we talk about that soundtrack? A+ to Jay-Z for being an executive producer and being a part of the musical production on this movie. I don't buy a lot of movie soundtracks, but I suddenly feel the need to run to Target to snatch this one up. The soundtrack transformed the movie and gave it a life of it's own. Not only that, but the acting was superb. Leonardo DiCaprio's take on Gatsby was amazing and haunting at the same time, and everyone else was perfect for their roles and now I feel like I'm gushing. Honestly, it was that great, for me. I went to see it in 3D, and it was a cool experience, but it isn't necessary to enjoy the film.  The cinematography in and of itself took you on a journey and was perfect no matter what dimension you see it in.

Now the question is: will I be adding this movie to my film collection when it comes out on DVD? Yeah probably.

My Halfway Through May Book Haul

It's not even halfway through May, though, and I've already bought 7 books. Book buying is a disease, am I right? And I told myself I would read at least a few of the books I already own before I went out and bought any more. But alas, I am impulsive when it comes to buying books, which proves for interesting hauls. So without further ado, here's a list of the new additions to my book family:

It's Kind of a Funny Story - by Ned Vizzini
I watched the movie recently and thought: "Hey this movie is based on a book. I really liked this movie therefore I'll like the book," so I bought it.

Girl, Interrupted - by Susanna Kaysen
Bought it for the same reason that I bought Vizzini's novel. There's a theme here and that theme is that I'm fascinated by psychology and the human mind.

Behemoth - by Scott Westerfeld
I have yet to read the first novel of this series, Leviathan, but I've only heard good things about it. I thought why not complete the set. Very slowly.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - by Michelle Hodkin
Another novel which I've heard nothing but good reviews about in the book blogosphere. And the summary on the back is so mysterious and vague. Every time I look at it I grow curiouser and curiouser (by the way, how awesome is Alice in Wonderland) and I just want to know what exactly IS the unbecoming of Mara Dyer? Also, the cover was really soft and I couldn't stop stroking it. I know, I'm one of THOSE people who strokes books publicly.

13 Little Blue Envelopes - by Maureen Johnson
I just bought the first two books to Johnson's other series called The Shades of London series after she came through town for a signing of the most recent of that series, The Madness Underneath. I wasn't able to attend, but I got a signed copy from the bookstore and inside it was a ton of book swag. So many stickers, your head would spin. This sparked my interest, so I did some research and thought this book looked really interesting and cute and mushy, which I love, so I bought it.

Lock and Key - by Sarah Dessen
Because I felt the need to complete my Dessen collection and this was the final piece to the puzzle. Also, it was one of my favorite books I've read from her so far.

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald - by Therese Ann Fowler
Ever since I learned about the chaotic relationship the Fitzgeralds had, I've become fascinated by them.  This book will just further satiate my thirst for all things Fitzgerald-y.

The Iron King

Title: The Iron King 
Author: Julie Kagawa 
Pages: 368 (paperback) 
Series: The Iron Fey (#1) 
Summary: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined. Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home. When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

My Thoughts: The short version: Great beginning, mediocre middle, good ending. I do intend to read the rest of the series, though, and recommend this book to those who enjoy faeries, mythology, and other-worldly adventures. The long version: If I had given it a rating from about halfway through the book, I would have given it a 3 out of five, and that's being generous. The unexpected and exciting ending really saved this book for me.

From the first few chapters, I didn't get the feeling like Meghan had much a relationship with anyone at all except Robin/Puck. So when she tries to move heaven and earth to save her brother and return to the family who practically neglected her, it felt a little forced and made her annoyingly hardheaded and ignorant, if you will. Maybe it's because Cassandra Clare's City of Glass is still fresh in my mind with Clary's signature stubbornness, but I'm getting tired of the heroine of so many YA novels being reckless to the point of endangering everyone around her with hardly any permanent life threatening consequences, which would be expected with such behavior.  Everything rights itself or a prince in shining armor comes in at the last moment to save the damsel. Meghan, our main character, would do things that were so illogical that I often couldn't help but scoff at her. 

Another part of this novel that didn't really appeal to me was the sort of insta-romance bit. For me at least, it was predictable and when it finally did happen it was sudden and came from nowhere with a lack of courting from both parties aside from accidentally falling into each other and the occasional lingering eye contact.

But she did have her moments where you would see some character development and the effects of that. And the dialogue was witty and quite believable for a "faerie tale." As for the other characters, Grimalkin was a treat to read about. I loved his parts. His character was pleasantly reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland's Cheshire Cat. Ash and Puck were great, too. When I read the next book of this series, The Iron Daughter, I hope to see much more of them. It wasn't a bad book, it's just that I was expecting so much more from it. This is the first novel I've read that was centered around the world of the fey, so it was kind of an info-dump of mythology for me. But it wasn't too hard to keep up with, and I look forward to reading the rest of this series.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars   

My 2013 Summer/Beach Reads List

Yes, that's right. I'm a sucker for the stereotypical "set in the summer and by the water" novel. But every year I find it harder and harder to find novels that are worth lugging to the beach to read in my lounger. I've been preparing for this summer, though, since this summer will be my last real summer until I graduate in the fall. So here's my to-be-read list for this summer (many a-beach book and maybe even a couple paranormal/adventures included):

The Moon and More - by Sarah Dessen
This will Dessen's 11th book she's published, and just from the summary I know it's going to be the perfect beach read. It's about a girl named Emiline who has been with the same boy in the same sleepy beach town, Colby, for a long time until the summer before she goes to college. Then a New Yorker college-boy comes to Colby and offers her a new perspective of her role in the world, the same perspective that her slightly absentee father has been trying to get her to see. Should she cling to the roots she has in Colby, or set off for bigger, better horizons? Just from the summary, I know this book will be packed up with me on my beach trip later this summer.

Lola and the Boy Next Door - by Stephanie Perkins
This is the second book in Perkins' kind-of-a-series book series that includes Anna and the French Kiss, which I read about a week ago and absolutely LOVED! And since I've fallen hopelessly in love with Perkins' writing, I thought hey why not feed this romance with another one of her books.  This story follows budding designer Lola Nolan, and even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. No it's not set at the beach, but who cares when you have an amazing book at hand that you can't put down. You can bet this will be the book I'll be sneaking a read from between my classes I have at the beginning of this summer.

Keeping the Moon - by Sarah Dessen
One of Dessen's many YA coming-of-age novels, Keeping the Moon is about a girl named Colie who is sent to spend the summer with her eccentric aunt in the beach town of Colby. Colie doesn't have many friends, but then she gets a job at the Last Chance Diner and meets fellow waitresses and two best friends, Morgan and Isabel. Wacky yet wise, Morgan and Isabel help Colie see herself in a new way and realize the potential that has been there all along. Keeping the Moon doesn't look like a difficult read, which is exactly why I included it in this list. It seems light, yet I feel like it'll end in a lesson about friendships and relationships, which I honestly love about Dessen's writing. You always learn something from her books whether it be about yourself or the others around you.

The Infernal Devices Series - by Cassandra Clare
 I've only just finished reading City of Glass, part 3 of Clare's The Mortal Instruments Series, and while I love that series, I've heard this one is even better and more action packed. The Infernal Devices is a prequel series to The Mortal Instruments set in nineteenth century London. I didn't even need to know anything other than that and I was all in.  In between my sappy YA beachy reads, I sometimes like to read a more adventure-centered novel so this series will be my go to gets-your-heart-racing series this summer. And I know I'm a little late on this bandwagon, but I expect it will be a fun-filled ride.

The Truth About Forever - by Sarah Dessen
 Oh look another one by Sarah Dessen, but guys hear me out. Her writing really is that good AND most of her stories take place in a beach town so it's a win-win for this summer reading list. This one is about Macy, a teenage who isn't excited about this coming summer. Her boyfriend will be gone and she'll be working most of the time, so she expects it to be a long boring summer. But then exciting things start happening, like getting a fun new job at a catering business, beach house renovations, or meeting Wes. As Macy ventures out of her shell, she begins to wonder, Is it really better to be safe than sorry? I've heard from many a-Dessen fan that this is their favorite of her novels by far, which makes me even more excited to read it, the sooner the better.

Frostbite - Richelle Mead
I once again find myself playing catch-up in trying to read past the first book of a series. This time it's with Richelle Mead's Frostbite, the second of her Vampire Academy series. I loved the first installment, Vampire Academy, much to my surprise. My younger sister highly recommended I read it, so of course I expected it to be cheesy and predictable, but was pleasantly surprised about midway through the book when I started to grow fond for the story and it's characters.  I don't want to give away any spoilers for what happens in the first book, so I won't give a synopsis for this one.  However, I will say that this series in general is about these teen vampires who go to a vampire boarding school in the US and events happen, and it also comes in graphic novel form. Okay, I know that's not a very good summary, but give me a break I read it almost a year ago and my memory isn't that great. And yes, it does sound like a set up for a really bad melodrama, but if you give the series a shot like I did, I'm sure it won't disappoint.

(If you click on the titles above, it'll take you to the goodreads pages of each book if you want a better idea of what they're about).

Happy summer and happy reading!