Title: Paper Towns Author: John Green Pages: 305 (paperback) Published: September 2009 by Speak (All links lead to the books' respective Goodreads pages)
Summary: Who is the real Margo? Quentin
Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous
Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and
climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an
ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends,
and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always
an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are
clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer
he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew... My Thoughts: This is the first John Green book that didn't have me in tears, but I stilled enjoyed it immensely. That's not to say it wasn't moving. I was greatly moved, don't get me wrong, it just made me think more about how the world functions and our place in it rather than loss or finding out something about yourself or others when there is a loss, which was a big part of The Fault in Our Stars and Looking For Alaska, in my opinion. In this novel, our protagonist Quentin is in love with Margo Roth Spiegelman (there is no other way to say her name other than saying it in it's entirety) from afar until she becomes a mystery. It's hard to give much more summary to the book than what is above without giving away any spoilers. But I think I can safely say that this book was more about Quentin discovering himself and what he wanted and not about unraveling the mystery that is Margo Roth Spiegelman. That was my favorite part of the book. When it comes down to brass tax, this book was not a love story. It was more of a coming of age story if anything. And oh my goodness it was hysterical and intelligent and everything I hope for when reading a John Green book. The only reason why I don't give it a full five out of five stars is because I feel like it could have been about 20 pages longer. It felt slightly rushed when it came to the resolution of the whole thing and I was left wanting more rather than feeling completely satisfied with my reading experience. With that aside, I recommend this book to anyone else who has enjoyed a book by John Green or has ever just wanted a smart and funny contemporary novel that makes them think in profound ways. I came to realize certain things about myself and others through this book that I might not have otherwise, and for that I am grateful. This is why I read books, so that I can have experiences such as these and get inside someone's head and understand them a little better without having to be them. (Oh no I'm getting mushy and emotional. The feels. thE FEELS!) I can definitely see myself rereading this book over and over again in the future. As with most great and amazing books, I found it extremely difficult to put this one down. And as with most John Green books, I loved it from beginning to end. My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Title: Obsidian Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout Series: The Lux Series (#1) Pages: 335 (paperback) Published: May 2012 by Entangled Teen
Summary:Starting over sucks. When
we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much
resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot
of boring... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height
and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth. Daemon
is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But
when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a
wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marks me. You
heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of
enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit
up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is
by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don't kill him first, that is.
My Thoughts:One of my favorite parts about this book was how much I could relate to it. No, I don't have a hot alien dude living next door to me with the ability to manipulate stuff and leave lit up traces on me (I wish). But it was nice and refreshing to see the protagonist be a book blogger like myself.
Katy wasn't your typical clumsy YA protagonist that enjoys reading every once in a while but hides behind her awkwardness until she needs to be dubbed "spunky" as a plot device. She was unapologetically nerdy about her book blog and everything related to it and was herself from the get go around everyone, no strings attached. She didn't brood too much or pine after anyone, either, which was a relief seeing as how overdone that has gotten in some parts of YA literature. Not only that but I like to think of myself as witty with the banter every once in a while, and that was in abundance throughout this novel. I mean this book was hilarious. First of all, I'm officially adding the phrases "sweet baby jesus," and "for the love of babies," to my vocabulary, fyi. Secondly, I was laughing and snorting out loud during many parts of this book, which let me assure you doesn't happen that often and it made me appreciate Jennifer L. Armentrout as a writer just that much more. Her humor felt effortless, which I loved, as did the connection between Daemon and Katy. *Sigh* and what can I say about Daemon. Let's just say he reminds of a similarly named vampire on a certain diary centered vampire show that is currently airing on TV. Arrogant, conceited, hot, likes a girl he probably shouldn't like in the first place, puts family before himself, hot, deeper than he lets on, witty, hot, and has wonderful hair that you could easily take a nap in. These similarities are not necessarily a bad thing. Actually I think these traits are what made me enjoy him as a character in the first place, along with a few other differentiating characteristics, too. The only thing I didn't like about this novel was how it seemed to jump ahead and skip too quickly through a scene. I almost got whiplash toward the ending considering how much happened was in just the last quarter of the book. Other than that, I was completely sucked into the storyline and couldn't put the book down. This book wasn't exactly high-brow by any means, but it was such a fun read. I mean Daemon's world alone was so appealing, as well. I haven't read many alien themed novels for fear of them being too hokey, but this one was very enjoyable and actually quite believable when it came down to it. I didn't once think anything along the lines of "This is ridiculous," or "Who would possibly believe any of this," while reading this book. This novel definitely exceeded my expectations as a sci-fi alien novel as well as a YA book and I cannot wait to read the next book of this series. My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Movie Title: The Maze Runner Book the Movie is Based on:The Maze Runner - by James Dashner Director: Wes Ball Starring: Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Will Poulter, Ki Hong Lee
Summary: Thomas is deposited in a community of boys after his memory is erased,
soon learning they're all trapped in a maze that will require him to
join forces with fellow "runners" for a shot at escape. (Both the summary and photo are from the movie's imdb page.)
My Thoughts: Let it be known that I'm a huge fan of James Dashner's The Maze Runner series. Ever since I read the first installment I've been hooked, so when I heard that there was going to be a Maze Runner movie I could have swooned from shear fangirling excitement.
And what a brilliant movie they made. James Dashner's world simply came to life in What was cut was understandable and nothing was lost in terms of plot (thank goodness) which is all a fan can ask for when it comes to book to movie adaptations and it was executed so well.
This movie was like taking an adrenaline shot to the heart from beginning to end, just like the book. I mean this movie was fast paced from the moment the lights dimmed taking the audience on a joyride of a storyline. I loved it. I was completely sucked in during the entirety of this movie. And the aesthetic was pretty much exactly how I imagined it in the books, too.
Speaking of which, let's talk about those grievers! Gooey, gross, and absolutely terrifying. They were so well done and better than I was expecting, if I'm honest. Heck, the entirety of this movie was better than what I was expecting. After a long string of terrible YA book to movie adaptations (I'm lookin' at you City of Bones and Vampire Academy), my expectations had dipped quite low for this particular adaptation. To successfully translate a complicated and adventure-dense book such as this one is a huge undertaking these days, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Not only that, but the ending was a great set up for there to be a sequel. And judging by the reaction in my theater, it will be a hotly anticipated sequel, too.
The acting was spot on, the casting was phenomenal, and the movie as a whole was an amazing adrenaline rush, to say the least. I'm so shucking happy with the way it turned out (see what I did there?) and I officially cannot wait until they make The Scorch Trials movie. My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Title: Shadow and Bone Author: Leigh Bardugo Series: The Grisha Series (#1) Pages: 358 Publication: June 2012
Summary:The Shadow Fold, a
swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on
human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.
Alina,
a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into
the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be
the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting
Ravka free?
The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and
terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfill her
destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her
dangerous attraction to him.
But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood
best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t
she ever quite forget him?
My Thoughts: Okay so this book is officially going on my list of favorite books I've read this year, it was amazing. There were so many things that made me love this book, too. A likeable villain, good pacing, twists, and an overall satisfying storyline. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE! Nothing felt formulaic. I love trying to solve puzzles and figuring out mysteries, so this twisty read helped in fueling that obsession of mine. Not only did I love that aspect of this novel, but I absolutely adored the world building. I want to be in this world that Leigh Bardugo has created so badly. It was so cool and unique and the richness in detail wasn't overdone, either. A lot of fantasy books can overdo it with the details by, for example, devoting an entire page to the minute details of a washrag, which can get quite dull.
And with an Imperial Russian flare throughout this novel, it is easily the most original and fantastical book I've read in a long time. You rarely see anything inspired by Imperial Russia in literature, especially in YA, and let me tell you, I'm so glad to see that change by reading this series, especially if it means I get to discover a colorful and richly detailed world through it's pages. Another aspect that I loved about this book was that yes there was a love story but it was definitely not the main focus. If you took that part of the story out, you would still have a well-paced, understandable, and adventure-filled plot line.
I felt like Bardugo was writing for an intelligent audience. This was not exactly a highbrow book, but it was like she felt secure enough in her own suggestions and her audience's comprehension skills as well as their own ability to read between the lines. I love it when an author doesn't speak down to you as a reader just because it's a book in the young adult genre.
This book was a breath of fresh air and such a fun, satisfying read. I absolutely flew through this book and didn't want to put it
down. I found myself getting antsy at work when I couldn't read just
because I wanted so badly to know what happened next. I was hooked to say the
least. I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel to this novel, Siege and Storm. My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Title: Isla and the Happily Ever After Author:Stephanie Perkins Series: Anna and the French Kiss (#3) Pages: 339 (hardcover) Published: August 2014 by Dutton (All links below lead to the respective books' goodreads pages) Summary:From the glittering
streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love
is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as
they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced
to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t
always forever.
Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined
with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket,
whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to
please fans old and new. My Thoughts: Oh boy, where to begin with this book. I'm such a huge fan of the other books in this series. They're a couple of my favorite contemporary young adult books so when I got this book, let's just say that I had high expectations that were sadly not all met. I didn't hate it but I certainly didn't love it either, however I had a lot to say about it. Warning: this is sort of a long post. Ye be warned. Let's start with the setting shall we? In the previous books of this series, the setting was a character in and of itself. With Anna and the French Kiss it was Paris and in Lola and the Boy Next Door it was San Francisco, but here in Isla and the Happily Ever Afterit could have taken place anywhere. The only time I felt in touch with the setting was when they were in Barcelona, which was only about a few chapters of the book. The setting to me felt about as distant as Isla did to her own self-awareness. Which brings me to my next point: the characters. I didn't have too many problems with the other characters, it was just Isla who drove me up the wall. I've never had this problem with any of Stephanie Perkins other works, but I just couldn't relate or even like Isla as a character. Oh goodness where to start with Isla. She was selfish and it was like she was trying to guilt trip Josh any time she caught a whiff of his past life before they started dating because of her deep rooted jealousy. She wanted to be a part of something that has already happened so badly that she was willing to be act out by being needy and high maintenance while at the same time sabotage her mostly physical relationship with Josh (Why did they even like each other again? No really remind me, I can't remember.) And when it came to her interactions with her family, it was as though they were just side-side-4th-party characters that didn't have much say in the matter of the story whatsoever. They're vague and stereotypical for the most part so why is it that I prefer these blurry images over Isla, our narrator of the story? I barely felt any attachment towards Isla, but I did enjoy Josh's and Kurt's characters a little more since they seemed a lot more reasonable and levelheaded as people. I didn't hate the book and I quite liked pretty much all the other characters, but I can honestly say that Isla might be my least favorite character. Do you see my problem? I mean for someone who doesn't like and shies away from attention Isla certainly is dramatic. She often goes into soap-opera-worthy hysterics especially when it comes to Josh, that seem sort of over the top for someone who's only been dating this guy for a couple months. And I think that's what bothers me the most about this book: the instant head-over-heels, I-would-die-for-you-in-an-instant love between Josh and Isla. Their love doesn't feel real. It feels staged and forced on Isla's side, like she's trying to fly thru their relationship just so she can get to the good parts even tho she says time and time again that when it comes to Josh, she wants the good with the bad yet acts out like a pouting child when she finds out details about his life that she doesn't like. But like I said, I didn't hate this book. It was the cute, melt-your-heart moments between Isla and Josh that really drove and ultimately saved this book. Like I mentioned earlier, the Barcelona scene was like something out of a loveable rom-com and so were most of the scenes near the beginning when Isla and Josh were just getting to know each other better. And let's not forget the scenes with Lola, Anna, and the gang. Omg O. M. G. When they came into the story I had to step away from the book because it was so darn cute and I missed them so much, I just couldn't even handle it. In general, this is hands down my least favorite book of this series, with Anna and the French Kiss in first place and Lola and the Boy Next Door in second. However, I'm not upset that I took the time to read it. I didn't feel like I wasted my time with it and honestly I couldn't put it down most of the time, which gives me hope for the next Stephanie Perkins novel, whatever it may have in store for us. My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Title: Clockwork Angel Author: Cassandra Clare Series: The Infernal Devices Series (#1) Pages: 479 (hardback) Published: September 2009 (All links below lead to the respective books' goodreads page) Summary:In a time when
Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of
darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome
to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the
New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.
The
year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural
underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her
only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem,
the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up
against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons,
warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable
clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and
only Tessa and her allies can stop them...
My Thoughts: I had heard from so many different book reviewers that this prequel series to The Mortal Instruments was even better than the original series, which I love, so of course I had to check it out. I love history and historical fiction as well as the world that Cassandra Clare built in The Mortal Instruments books I had read so far and expected to fall in love with this series, as well. First off, it took me forever to finish this book (about a year from start to finish). I started it when I was in a slump and subsequently had a hard time getting into it because of this slump. But I persevered! I was determined to finish this book before I started reading the fourth book of Clare's The Mortal Instruments series,City of Fallen Angels, which I so desperately wanted to read recently. It was a great book, don't get me wrong, but I just found that I couldn't get completely sucked in sometimes. I'm going to mostly chalk that up to the aforementioned slump and not the sometimes dragging and overly detailed scenes I would occasionally run into while reading this book.
I honestly enjoyed this book despite how long it took me to get through it. The characters, though a bit "Mary Sue" at times (specifically? I'm lookin' at you Tessa Gray), really ended up blooming in their own right and I can't wait to get to know them even more and see their personalities grow in the next installment of the series, Clockwork Prince.
This exciting novel was filled with twists and turns, love and gore, and some amazing thrill-inducing fight scenes. And I loved the steampunk aesthetic you got from the blending of the Shadowhunting world and Victorian London. This is only my second foray into steampunk, but I look forward to diving into this genre even more in the next novel of this series and thus continuing on this thrilling and beautifully written journey of Cassandra Clare's. My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Well guys, this readathon stuff is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I didn't read nearly as much as I wanted to and I didn't even stick to my to-be-read list like I wanted to.
But I wasn't discouraged! I made sure that I read a little every day, and if I didn't feel like reading I didn't force it. There's nothing like forcing yourself to read something you don't want to read to make you slip into a reading slump.
I was really proud of how much I did end up reading, though. I ended up completing four of the seven challenges from the BookTubeAThon and I read three books, in doing so. Not exactly what I would call impressive, but I'm proud of my reading accomplishments!
Will I be doing more readathons? I think so! I really loved the camaraderie and the community feel that surrounded the BookTubeAThon and it was definitely a lot more fun when I participated than when I hadn't last year, even if I don't make Youtube videos.
After having months of no reading at all a few months ago, I'm so glad I've gotten back into the swing of things enough to fully enjoy this readathon, and I'm even happier that I decided to participate in it this year. I hope join in on the BookTubeAThon next year and maybe even a few other readathons in between.
Title: Leviathan Author: Scott Westerfeld Series: Leviathan (#1) Published: October 2009 by Simon Pulse Pages: 434 (paperback)
Summary:It is the cusp of World
War I. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers,
steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British
Darwinists employ genetically fabricated animals as their weaponry.
Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.
Aleksandar
Ferdinand, a Clanker, and Deryn Sharp, a Darwinist, are on opposite
sides of the war. But their paths cross in the most unexpected way,
taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world
adventure….One that will change both their lives forever.
My Thoughts: My very first venture into steampunk and I wasn't too disappointed. I loved reading from our resident BA's point of view, Deryn, who's a girl disguised as a boy so she can be a soldier and an airman for the British royal navy. I also loved discovering the fabricated "beasties" who played as big a part in the war as any zeppelin, plane, or machine gun in this world. It was a little harder for me to read from Alek's point of view, however. The POV's switched every two chapters between Alek and Deryn, and I've got to admit, I often found myself trying to rush through Alek's chapters in order to get to Deryn's faster. This made it a little hard to get fully immersed into the story for me, in the beginning. But that's not to say it wasn't a good story, because when I got about 75% through the book, I was completely hooked. The Darwinists vs. the Clankers! Beasties vs. machines! I couldn't put it down, I had to see what happened next. It only took three-fourths of the book for me to fully enjoy both point of views, but I'm glad I read it. I love history and this time period as well as biological oddities, which this book has an abundance of, and I will definitely be continuing on reading this series. My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
It's time for another readathon! (Warning: this is kind of a long post. Prepare yourselves) If y'all don't know what a readathon is, it's akin to a reading marathon and they usually last about a week, and this year's BookTubeAThon readathon will be from July 14-July 20! I didn't get to participate in this readathon last year because of classes, but I'm free as a jaybird this week so I thought why not? I mean, most of my favorite booktubers are participating and even leading this event and it looks like a lot of fun.
This year's BookTubeAThon challenges include both youtube and reading challenges. I won't be doing the booktube/youtube challenges but I will be doing the reading challenges, even if some of them seem a little out of reach (7 books in a week?! I don't know about that one...).
Here's the video from the BookTubeAThon youtube channel (and one of my favorite booktubers, Ariel Bissett, here's the link to her personal youtube channel) about the readathon challenges from one of the hosts of the readathon.
Well if you couldn't tell, I'm pretty excited! So without further hesitation, here's what I'll be reading for the BookTubeAThon challenges! (All links below lead to each book's respective Goodreads summary page).
Challenge #1: Read something with pictures in it
For this challenge I chose to read Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan. I have had this book for years, but I've never had the urge to read it until this summer. It's a steam punk book and there are illustrations of the various machines, gadgets, and vehicles throughout it which makes it qualified for this part of the challenge! Never having read steam punk before, I thought that this book would be a wonderful way to start. I've only heard great things about it and I cannot wait to start it!
Challenge #2: Start and finish a series
This is one of the few challenges that I don't think I can feasibly complete. Idon't own any series that I haven't already started or want to reread AND complete within a week, so I'll probably just pass on this challenge.
Challenge #3: Read a book with red on the cover
This is one of the challenges that I decided to double up on. I plan on rereading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling, and when I finish it I'll watch the movie adaptation as well thus completing change number six. I've been meaning to reread this series and thought this would be the perfect opportunity.
And if I have extra time on my hands during this readathon, then I'll read the second book of Kimberly Derting's The Pledge trilogy, called The Essence, which is a social class based dystopian that also has a red cover. I loved the first book of the series, The Pledge, but I read it almost two years ago. However, this series is not overly complicated where you can't go too long between books, so I'm hoping I'll be able to jump into The Essence as easily as I did with The Pledge. And if you haven't read The Pledge but are interested in social classes, languages, dystopian societies, and matriarch led monarchies, then you've got to check it out, it was amazing. Challenge #4: Read a book someone else picked for you
I asked my sister to pick out a book for me off my shelf that she would recommend to me, and she chose Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld. And since this book has pictures in it I decided to double up and make this my "read something with pictures in it" book as well! I can't wait to get my grubby little hands on this one, and I'm pretty sure I'll be reading this book first for the readathon. My sister has raved and raved about this novel for years, so I'm finally caving and plan on reading it this week. Challenge #5: Read a book from the genre you've read least this year I had a surprisingly hard time picking something out for this challenge. At first I thought about having Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone be part of this challenge considering I haven't read much middle grades books, however I have read a bunch of paranormal books this year and I think that Harry Potter goes under that category. (Also, I'm pretty sure you can't triple up on challenges because where's the fun in that!)
Then I thought about making Leviathan triple up as well by having it be a part of this challenge, too, with it being a steam punk novel (I've honestly never read steam punk before). But I want to challenge myself by beefing up my TBR pile this week and get into the true spirit of the readathon, so I will be reading a mystery novel, and more specifically an Agatha Christie book. I'm not quite sure which one I want to read, though, but I think I'm leaning towards And Then There Were None, one of her more famous novels (which just so happens to also have read on it's cover SCORE!). Challenge #6: Read a book-to-movie adaptation (and watch the movie afterwards)
As mentioned above, I'll be reading J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for this challenge. With this month's opening of the new Diagon Alley at Universal Studios in Orlando, I've been inspired to revisit the world of Harry Potter, starting with this book. It's one of my favorite series of all time and I loved the books so I can't wait to dive right back into this world, wand at the ready!
But if I have enough time after Harry Potter, then I'll read Tim Tharp's The Spectacular Now. I watched the movie when it first came out without reading the book, and sort of regret not reading it first because I found the movie to be a little lacking. I rarely feel that way when it comes to book to movie adaptations, though, so we'll see how I feel about the movie after reading the novel. Challenge #7: Read 7 books or an average of 300 pages a day
Okay, this is another part of the readathon that I don't think I'll be able to complete. I don't have the attention span nor the time to read seven books in a week, but I think I can manage with the five books I've chosen above.
That is my BookTubeAThon TBR pile! I don't know if I'll be able to stick to this list but I'll post a wrap-up later to let give an update of what I ended up reading at the end of this month. And keep an eye out for book reviews on some of these books, too! If any of y'all decide to do BookTubeAThon, let me know what your TBR pile consists of in the comments! I'd love to see which books you choose for which challeges (TBR piles fascinate me)! Good luck and happy reading!
Title: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour Author: Morgan Matson Published: May 2010 Pages: 344 (hardback)
Summary:Amy Curry is not looking
forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country
and now it's Amy's responsibility to get their car from California to
Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car
accident, she isn't ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old
family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip - and has
plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar -
especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory -
but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.
My Thoughts: What a perfect summery contemporary read, am I right? Road trip? Check. A meet-cute situation? Check. Summery, sugary goodness? Check. Amazing characters that make your heart sing? Double check. I cannot praise these characters enough, though. This is not just your run of the mill road trip story where "the road reveals everyone's true nature." No, this is a very character and character development driven story (which is in my opinion, the best kind).
And I'm not just talking about the Amy and Roger. It was like every time Amy met someone new, she discovered grew a little bit more as a person and came out of the shell she'd created since her father's death. Each new face and new personality had something to add to the mix in a way that seemed so natural and not at all forced, it was so beautiful and wonderful to experience as a reader. Not only were the secondary characters great, but so were Amy and Roger. I mean, I was a little frustrated with Amy near the beginning and some of the flashbacks felt a little long to me, but she grew so much throughout the story.
And as Amy's character development took off during their "Epic Detour," so did Roger's, who was at the beginning of this quest just a love sick puppy still licking his wounds from a past relationship. I honestly thought he would end up being a Mary Sue, practically perfect in every way, kind of dude, and I was glad when he proved me wrong by (finally) being the one to coax Amy out of her shell. Also, can you tell I enjoyed this book?
Side note: immediate side effects include wistful giant smiles whilst reading and a sudden urge to plan a road trip. In the summer time. Across the US. In a Liberty. You have been warned. My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
As more and more sequels continue to come out, I'm becoming tragically aware of how behind I am in finishing most of the series I've started over a year ago. I don't know why, but for some reason I haven't been keeping up on series' for about a year. Honestly it's probably because of the awful reading slump I was in for 9 months and my terrible case of short-attention-span-itis.
But I'm no longer slumping! And I want to read and finish a crazy amount of series on my TBR list, however there is a catch: I can't remember what happened in the majority of the Book One's of these series. Not only that, but I remember really enjoying these Book One's, so I'm not to averse to rereading them.
That brings us to the reason behind this post! Since my memory is failing me apparently and I loved these Book One's (I have no idea what to call them so I'm just going to use this name because why not) so much upon first picking them, I thought I would go ahead and re-read them. Here's the list of Book One's (there has to be a better name than that) that I plan on rereading in the next few months! (All links lead to the books' respective Goodreads pages).
Cinder - by Marissa Meyer
I read this book when it first came out and absolutely loved it, so when I heard that it was the first of four books in a series I may or may not have fangirled a bit. Set in a future where people have colonized the moon and cyborgs live among us, this fairy tale re-telling is about a cyborg Cinderella. I'm a sucker for fairy tale re-tellings so it wasn't too long before this novel swept me off my feet. The sequel to this book, Scarlet, had not come out when I first read it, though, and when it did it became harder and harder for me to continue the series.
Now that it's only a year away until the fourth and final installment to the series comes out, I desperately need to catch up on this series. I remember key points and the twists that happened but practically none of the details in between. I've only heard good things about the second and third books in this series, however, and hope to reread this one to better prepare myself for the awesomeness that is Scarlet.
Legend - by Marie Lu
This kick-butt dystopian blew my mind upon first reading it, oh goodness. Even if I could recall everything that happened in it, I would still probably reread this beauty. Kind of a opposites attract sort of deal, June is from a well-off family and is a kid prodigy in the military training academy while Day is a "street rat" rebel out to stick it to the man in the Republic. Okay, so that may be oversimplifying the summary a bit (to check out the whole summary, just click on the link above), but that's pretty much how I try to sell this book when recommending it to my friends and family. I sped through this book so quickly, and I fully expect to do so again as well as with the rest of this book in this high-paced, beautifully built, and well-written trilogy.
Unearthly - by Cynthia Hand
I can't even remember when I read this book, but I just know that I loved it. This was the first book I read in the YA genre that was about angels, and let's just say that it left a positive impression. I think I would classify this book as paranormal, but sometimes it felt like a contemporary and like it wasn't in a set-in-stone genre, writing wise, which is probably why I loved it so much. This is another book that I would have reread even if I remembered every detail because I how much I enjoyed the reading experience, the world building, and the characters. Not only that, but this is one of the few series that I own the complete series of, which as a reader means reading-marathon-fun-times! It was a quick-paced, fun read, so I have no doubt that I will fly (haha get it?)through it once again.
A Great and Terrible Beauty - by Libba Bray
This was one of the first books I got into when I discovered YA in high school. It's been around for quite a bit, I must admit, which only makes me feel even more behind in my reading the rest of the series. It left a good enough impression that I remember enjoying the historical and paranormal elements immensely, but I cannot for the life of me remember the key plot points of this book. I know that it happens in Victorian England and has touches of India in there with a strong paranormal backbone, but I don't remember who is who or what led to what. I cannot wait to pick this one up again so I can continue with this series, though. The second and third books look so good, in both plot and covers (I mean dem covers *swoons*), and honestly I'm surprised that I didn't pick them up sooner.
Title: The Elite Author: Kiera Cass Series: The Selection (#2) Published: April 2013 by HarperTeen Pages: 323 (hardcover)
Summary:Thirty-five girls came
to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent
home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned
princess of Illea.
America still isn’t sure where her heart lies.
When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless
romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she
sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with
memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down
to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon
over—and time is running out for America to decide.
Just when
America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her
question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her
future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy
are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any
kind of happy ending.
My Thoughts: Well things are certainly heating up in Illea (in more ways than one) now that the Selection is narrowing down! Not only is the competition for Maxon's heart (swoon) getting more intense, but the rebels that threaten Illea and it's governing systems seem to be closing in at a rapid rate making this book a much more intense read than The Selection. And I loved that the rebels and the crumbling state of the country played a larger role in this book. The world that Kiera Cass has built in The Selection becomes much more three dimensional in this installment of the trilogy. Not only is the world becoming more fleshed out, though, but the characters gained depth, as well. There was a lot of character development, positive and negative for the most part, from Aspen, Maxon, the girls from the Elite, and America in this novel and y'all know how much I love good character development! That being said, I did once again feel a little frustrated with America's fickleness in this book again. I know she's a stubborn character, but at times it just seemed like she was blinded by the acts of others when it came to matters of the heart. No one in this book is perfect by a long shot, but it's like America is only seeing the faults of Maxon when she was trying to choose between him and Aspen, while Aspen was like the fallback. But it was the moments of clarity she had that gave me hope for her in the end. It took about half of the book for her to get there, but she got there eventually (I think. Hopefully this won't change in book three). I love to read dystopian books, but sometimes they grow depressing with all the tyrannical regimes and oppression of the people, and even though this dystopian had that piece of the puzzle it also had heart-melting romance that makes your inner gossip magazine reading, reality show watching girly girl squeal and flail with excitement. I really did enjoy this fast paced book and am looking forward to picking up the third installment in the series, The One, sometime soon because I need to know how America's story ends! My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I love me a good book signing, and I was lucky enough to get to go to Kiera Cass's book signing for the final book in The Selection series, The One (link leads to goodreads page)this past Wednesday on June 11, 2014, at the Barnes and Noble in Cary, North Carolina.
I don't know what I expected exactly, but she exceeded my expectations by being bubbly, witty, and a very relatable person and writer. I even found myself flubbing my words because I had just finished The Selection (link leads to my review of this book) in the wee hours of the morning that day and was slowly going into a book-withdrawal. But she was so nice. I mean like can-we-please-become-friends-immediately-you're-such-a-delight kind of nice.
And I think that was the general consensus on Cass when I was gauging the crowd around me at the event. Everyone from ages 60 to 6 were there to see her, and people had gone out of their way to make and wear dresses like those from The Selection series. I even saw a painting someone had made to look like the cover of The One with the likeness of the protagonist from the trilogy, America Singer, depicted on it the canvas.
As a fellow fan of the books, it was refreshing to see these people unabashedly love a series that has admittedly gotten some heat for being a little froo-froo or frustrating (get your stuff together America Singer I mean come on). But my love for the trilogy grows more and more as the plot grows exponentially more tangled even though it is a light and occasional frilly read.
After I left the event, I immediately dove into the second book of the series, The Elite, and so far I am pleasantly pleased with the fact that it was just as good of a read as The Selection was. (Hint hint: be on the look out for my review of The Elite on this blog because I'm thisclose to finishing it!)
I look forward to Kiera Cass writing more novels that are as addictive and fast paced as this series has proven to be. In fact, I may not be able to wait that long. I'll probably end up reading the novellas she has written as companions to The Selection series just to be in this world for a little while longer until she creates a new one for her readers to delve into.
Title: The Selection Author: Kiera Cass Series: The Selection Series (#1) Published: April 2012 by HarperTeen Pages: 336 (hardcover)
Summary:For thirty-five girls,
the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the
life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of
glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete
for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer,
being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret
love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a
fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that
is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America
meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans
she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed
of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
My Thoughts: It is no secret that I'm quite a fan of the reality show, The Bachelor, so when I heard about a story that was very similar to this show but set in a dystopian world, I had to read it. Initially, the protagonist, America Singer, got under my skin, though. She was so blindly in love with her boyfriend, Aspen, near the beginning, she was stubborn to a fault, and jumped to conclusions at the worst possible moments. This did not deter me from wanting to devour this book, however.
America proved to be a bit of a complicated mess sometimes, but so did her family and her family dynamic really interested me early on. Her mother reminded me of Lizzie Bennet's mom from Pride and Prejudice, as well as my own mother: a little nagging, obsessed with the futures of her children, but a truly caring and loving parent.
But it wasn't just the characters' that drew me in. The background and world of Illea was very believable in terms of how this land came to be and how the world has ended up in this time period. Once again, I wish we could have read more about it and how the other parts of the world and country lived in this day and age.
I was a little confused near the beginning about how the caste system worked, thinking it was similar to how The Hunger Games society was set up, when it was nothing like that at all. And I loved the feeling of unspoken understanding and loyalty that the lower castes felt toward one another while the more opulent castes were ignorant towards the lower castes' lifestyles, very much how today's society works. Now let's talk about this love triangle. They happen quite a bit in young adult literature, and many times it can be a little transparent and tired, but this one made me root for team Maxon all the way. I found it refreshing that there was no insta-love between America and Maxon and how they were attracted to each others personality and mind before physical attractions came into their relationship. This was not the case with America's and Aspen's relationship towards one another, though.
This made it very frustrating whenever America would still be hung up on Aspen when Maxon was trying so hard waiting patiently for America to grow to love him. But when she actually did show kindness and that her feelings for Maxon were growing more affectionate, let me tell you, it was so satisfying as a reader. I really enjoyed this perfect for summer, quick read, but I just wish that the book hadn't ended so open endedly. I know that there are two more books to this series, but come one give me a little something to work with! With an ending like that I will definitely be reading the next book of this trilogy, The Elite, next. I need to know who Prince Maxon chooses and, more importantly, who America chooses! My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Title: The Fault in Our Stars Book the Movie is based on:The Fault in Our Stars- by John Green Director: Josh Boone Starring: Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley
Summary:Hazel and Gus are two teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for
the conventional, and a love that sweeps them on a journey. Their
relationship is all the more miraculous given that Hazel's other
constant companion is an oxygen tank, Gus jokes about his prosthetic
leg, and they met and fell in love at a cancer support group. (photo and summary from the movie's imdb page.)
My Thoughts: Okay, so John Green's The Fault in our Stars is one of my favorite books so needless to say, I had high expectations going into this movie. As far as book to movie adaptations go, this one was pretty damn loyal to the book. I mean, there were parts missing from it that I wish were there, like the part near the end when Hazel and Isaac play a video game which really warmed my heart and made me laugh but I can see why it didn't make it into the movie. This missing piece along with a few others, however, in no way lessened my love for this film. Ansel Elgort as Augustus Waters, aka Gus, just broke my heart. He was amazing as the charming, oblivion-fearing teen who tries is hardest to woo Hazel. And Shailene Woodley as Hazel Lancaster took my broken heart, broken a couple more times, then in the end mended it and gave me hope again. I saw somewhere where someone had said this movie made them feel alive, and that's totally true. You appreciate what you have even more and not because it's a story about kids with cancer, but because it's a story about young love. Everything that made this movie so wonderful, from the aesthetics to the dialogue, came together so beautifully. I had loved this story before seeing the movie and I think I love it even more because I got to see it come alive. And my goodness did I cry during this film! I went through pretty much the whole spectrum of emotions during the movie, and it was amazing. Movies that do this usually end up being favorites of mine, and I have no doubt that The Fault in Our Stars will do just that. My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I'm a sucker for a good TBR list. Even though they breed false promises, I still like to have one for a little bit of an outline to what my month will look like and also I like to set goals, you know? And my goals for this month are: run more, attempt to watch the FIFA world cup, apply to more jobs (the job market is tough, yo), and read more. I know what you're thinking. "But Meredith, why even try to watch the world cup when we all know you'll just end up watching The Bachelorette?" Because I like variety dang it. And I know what else you're thinking. "But Meredith, we all know you don't read all the books on your list and end up reading something else anyways." To that I say you're probably right BUT like I said I love me a good list and TBR lists are at the top of my list of favorite lists. Here are the books I'm going to attempt reading at some point or other this month! Go soccer!
The Elite - by Keira Cass
One of my best friends has been talking about how cute, slightly frustrating, and awesome the series that this book belongs to is, and I've waited until the last installment of the series was published to finally give it a chance. Not only that, but the author is doing a signing next week at a bookstore near me. I'm always down for a good book signing, but I like to have read at least one book if not most of the books of a series that the author is doing the signing for. I'm currently reading the first book of this series, The Selection, and so far it's pretty goodand I'm looking forward to finishing the series this month (which I've never done before! Finish a book trilogy in a month?! I'm actually quite excited to change my reading related procrastinating habits and this is the month I will accomplish it. I can feel it in me bones...)
Where'd you go, Bernadette? - by Maria Semple
I've seen this book in every store since it's release two years ago and I've heard even more rave reviews about it since then. Not only that, but it's soon to be a movie and seems like a great summery read for June. It looks like a quick read, which is good because I rented this book from the library and I'm notorious for not finishing my library books or keeping them for like a month before returning them unread, but that's all about to change! Hopefully. To All the Boys I've Loved Before- by Jenny Han
Speaking of books with rave reviews, this one has only been out for a couple of months and I've heard nothing but good things. I've read a couple of Jenny Han's novels and loved her writing style. It has a fluidity and relatability that I admire and can devour easily as a reader. This book is the first of a duology, which is a rare thing these days apparently making me even more exciting to delve into it. It has such a cute summary and I love me a good romantic comedy, and this book seems to fall into that category.
Paper Towns - by John Green
With The Fault in Our Stars movie adaptation *girlish screams* coming out at the end of this week, I am slowly realizing that I need more John Green novels in my life. I've only read two of his more popular books, but have heard from a few sources that this one might take the cake. John Green is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors ever, which means I want to consume as many of his novels as I can get my hands on. I'm not all too sure what this particular book is about other than maps are involved, it's by John Green, and that it's stellar ratings on goodreads led me to go ahead and buy it even with the lack of information. But I'm fine with a lack of insight when I go into a book! Sometimes when I go into a book blind, it makes the reading experience that much more intriguing and special especially when that book is as popular and highly-lauded as this one. So to say I'm excited to delve into this novel is an understatement.
I'm so excited to start on my TBR list this month and would love to hear about what y'all plan on reading this month or for the summer! I would love to know what y'all plan on reading this month so go ahead and leave a comment about your reading goals! And happy reading!
(All links lead to the books' goodreads pages, respectively.)
Title: Demonglass Author: Rachel Hawkins Series: Hex Hall series (#2) Published: March 2011 by Disney Pages: 359
Summary:Sophie Mercer thought
she was a witch. That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a
reform school for delinquent Prodigium (a.k.a. witches, shape-shifters,
and faeries). But then she discovered the family secret, and the fact
that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent
on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.
Turns out,
Sophie's a demon, one of only two in the world-the other being her
father. What's worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone
she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London
for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will either destroy her
powers for good-or kill her.
But once Sophie arrives, she makes a
shocking discovery. Her new housemates? They're demons too. Meaning,
someone is raising demons in secret, with creepy plans to use their
powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting
Sophie down, and they're using Archer to do it. But it's not like she
has feelings for him anymore. Does she?
My Thoughts: This is one of the few cases where I would not want to be a witch in a book I was reading. It's just way too complicated of a way of life.
Sophie Mercer not only has to deal with boy drama but also with the fact that she's a demon and has some equal parts dangerous and crazy awesome powers, one of her love interests is part of a league of Prodigium hunters (don't you just hate it when that happens?), and that someone is raising demons again even though the handy dandy book o' spells in which this demon-raising spell is in has been sealed and guarded for decades. So yeah, excuse me for not wanting a one way ticket to Hex Hall or Thorne Abbey any time soon. With all of this drama, there was never a dull moment, which really helped with my current case of reading-slump-itis. It was either action upon action scene or so much witty dialogue that you're head would spin with glee. I loved the sarcasm of the characters and the cute back and forth in their conversations, but it wasn't excessive and didn't feel like it was trying to hard I thought. However, since it's been about a year since I read the first book in this series, Hex Hall, I had a hard time with remembering certain events or even characters. Like, for example, who the heck is Vix? She pops in and out of the book like a handy-dandy little plot device but I cannot for the life of me remember what purpose she served in Hex Hall other than "love interest" to Jenna in this book and the previous one.
Most of the events that happened in the past novel that affected the plot in this one were explained, especially if they were important, but I just wish that more of the side comments pertaining to Elodie for instance would have gone into more detail. This is mostly a personal preference since I don't own the first book and because I have a tendency to never read books in a series back to back, which is why I suggest that if you're going to read this series, do it all within a year of each other. I did really enjoy this book, though. Rachel Hawkins had me hooked from beginning to end and laughing at the wittiness of the writing and cringing when my favorite characters got in a jam. And THAT ENDING! That. Ending. That ending gets a resounding "OMG WTH" in my book. I hadn't planned on reading the next installment in this series, Spell Bound, for a while but I will definitely be moving it up on my TBR list. I mean what a cliff-hanger. I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment of this series, Spell Bound. The sooner the better. In other news, I have used the words "handy-dandy" one too many times in this review but it's just too much fun to say. Anyways, let me know your thoughts on Demonglass! I would love to know y'all's opinions on it and the rest of the books in the series in the comment section below. My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Title: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns) Author: Mindy Kaling Published: November 2011 Pages: 222 (hardcover)
Summary:Mindy Kaling has lived
many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid
chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck–impersonating
Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, finally, a comedy writer and
actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with
the sentence “Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear
I’ll shut up about it?”
Perhaps you want to know what Mindy
thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your
prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one
who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts
accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can
never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a
trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so,
you’ve come to the right book, mostly!
In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy
invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations
on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed
stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy
Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door—not so much literally anywhere in
the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or
Sri Lanka.
My Thoughts: Can I just go ahead and say that Mindy Kaling has officially make it onto my "People I wish I was best friends with" list? She writes with the confidence and flair that I can only wish I could have in my writing. Very intelligent and self-aware, not to mention hilarious, Kaling's book is a must-read for comedy lovers, The Office fans, and pretty much anyone who enjoys light-hearted, fun books. However this book does not quite hit the Bossypants a la Tina Fey level of riotously funny, I still think Kaling is one top notch comedy writer. She's so relatable it hurts, her stories are palatable, and although she's confident in her humor-prowess, it never reads as arrogant. So yeah, add humble to the list of awesomeness that is Mindy Kaling. Speaking of lists, I think I enjoyed that part of this book the most: her organization and her lists. Whether it be her favorite moments in comedy, alternate titles for her book, or best friend right and responsibilities, I found that this little tidbits all had an air of honesty and hilarity to them. Those along with the very specific topics (I love specificity), her opinions, and let's not forget the relevant photos, it made for a quick, fun, and easy read. I loved Kaling and her writing on The Office as well as The Mindy Project and I honestly cannot wait to see what other laugh-out-loud bits of hilarious genius or observational comedy that are spawned from her career and creativity as a great writer and actor. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely be recommending it to all my friends and family who want a summer read they can wholeheartedly laugh along with. My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
If you couldn't tell from the title of this post, I'm going to North Carolina's Outer Banks next week for our family vacation! While there is plenty to do there like kayaking and visiting historical Wright Brothers places, I will definitely be taking some time to myself to read on the beach. Which begs the question, what am I going to read? I've been pouring over my to-be-read list trying to pick out the best compilation of vacation books for myself, and since I've been reading a lot of fluffy books recently I thought I'd pick a wider variety to take with me to the coast. After all, variety is the spice of life! Here are the books that made the list:
(All links lead to the books' respective summary page on Goodreads).
Confessions of a Shopaholic - by Sophie Kinsella
I've just started reading this novel a few days ago. I'm not even 25% of the way through and I can already say it's positively a delight. As someone who has just graduated college and is dealing with the stress of money, loans, affording the basics, etc. etc. I feel like I can relate. Not only that, but the witty writing, humorous dialogue, and relatable awkward situations that Rebecca gets herself into are what make this book a must for my getaway. Not only that, but I loved the movie adaptation of this novel with Hugh Dancy (can you say swoon?) and Isla Fisher, and I'm quickly finding out that while the movie was great, the book has the potential to be even better and more delightful.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (and Other Concerns) - by Mindy Kaling
About three years ago I read Tina Fey's Bossypants and fell in love with humor memoirs. It's a small genre, but a very enjoyable one, I assure you.
My old roommate recommended this book to me after having borrowed Fey's
book from her, and at the time I was a little hesitant. I only knew
Mindy Kaling from The Office and nothing else. I thought she was pretty
funny then, but didn't know if a whole book written by her would be
worth it. Now this book is everywhere in the best possible way and I can
confirm that Kaling is in fact funny. Words cannot do her TV show
justice. So I will finally cave into the hilarity and give this book a go.
The Bell Jar - by Sylvia Plath I've been trying to beef up my list of classics I've read, and after having read Sylvia Plath's poems this past Fall, I had to get my hands on her Plath's only novel, The Bell Jar. A semi-autobiographical account of her life, this coming of age novel has touch millions of lives and is usually a required reading amongst high schoolers. I, however, was not so lucky to get to discover this novel at an early age, but I'm glad to have discovered it along with Plath's poetry. Side note: if you have not read Sylvia Plath's poetry, I highly recommend it. Her sharp, unashamed, brash words will leave your mouth watering for more. And I'm hoping for some of that kind of prose in this world famous novel.
Asylum - by Madeleine Roux
I have a strange fascination with mental illness and mental institutions. Is this a controversial and macabre subject? Yes. But I can't stop reading about it. And this is a novel that goes along those same lines of macabre yet fascinating. A bone-chilling photo-novel, much like the amazing Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, this book is about sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford who while spending a summer in an old asylum (hence the title) decides to go exploring with his classmates one night only to realize that he and his friends didn't end up at this asylum by coincidence. There isn't much else in the summary of this book, but honestly that just makes me even more excited to read it.
Burned - by Ellen Hopkins
Last year, I was hooked by a number of Ellen Hopkins'
other books of verse. I mean I was enraptured. Like so many others, I
can read a Hopkins book in less than two days and still be wanting more
of the drama that comes with them. And after looking at the reviews of
this book, it looks even better than the others! I'm so pumped to delve
deep into what looks to be another promising, dark, twisted read from
Hopkins. I'm not too sure what it's about, but I think that makes it
even more exciting to read. I love to be surprised at the twists and
turns of dramatic novels, especially Hopkins' works. Girl at Sea - by Maureen Johnson
Ah yes. Another perfect YA beachy read for me to devour. Not many people know this, but I get my life force, my essence if you will, from books like this one. It's got everything! A boy meets girl story, romance, beachy/oceanic fun times, and underwater treasure. Yes I just said underwater treasure, aka the best kind of treasure next to buried. What does this treasure do? Oh you know, it could unlock the secrets of civilization itself, no biggie. Written by Maureen Johnson, one of the baronesses of chick-lit and young adult literature, this novel hasn't made as much of a splash in the YA book review world as her other books, have but it looks just as promising for an entertaining read.
If you can't tell, I'm extremely pumped for my vacation and for my vacation reading. I can't wait to marathon read all of these wonderful books from my beach chair for a whole week. And if you're going on vacation soon with a pile of books like me or if you're just daycationing (real word? it is now!) and reading from the comfort of your own back yard, let me know what is on your vacation TBR list! Happy reading!
Title: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Author: Jesse Andrews Pages: 295 Publication: March 2012
Summary:Greg Gaines is the last
master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any
social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they
spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of
Coppola and Herzog cult classics.
Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel. Rachel
has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent
awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed.
When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to
make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and
becomes a turning point in each of their lives.
And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.
My Thoughts: Greg Gaines is a boy of many flaws. He's overly self-deprecating, not self-aware, can't take a compliment to save his life, and not to mention a tad selfish. And you know how whenever a character does something stupid and you get secondhand embarrassment from just reading about that stupid something? Yeah, that's very prevalent in this novel when it comes to Greg Gaines. That's not to say he doesn't eventually win you over, though, because that does happen. Eventually. For the first third of the book, I found myself either laughing at the witty writing or skipping over the massive info-dumps of background about Greg, Earl, and even sometimes Rachel (aka the dying girl). With these info-dumps came stories of how Greg did something stupid or was at a loss for a socially acceptable response to a question and sometimes it was funny, however other times it got a little annoying when these ridiculous responses would take pages to end and you're just cringing because of it. Other than that, I did think this was a funny book. It was witty and enjoyable from beginning to end. But don't go into this book thinking, "Hey! I'm going to read this because someone is going to fall in love with the dying girl! Right?" Wrong. It's not a romantic book at all. It's a book about friendships, figuring out what it's like to start thinking about others, making better life decisions. At least, I think that's what it's about. I say that because you can get all kinds of morals from this story and you can learn a lot from Greg's mistakes, like he eventually does himself. Also, if you like a fair amount of cussing, bad movie remakes, and 12 year old boy level kind of humor, then this book is made for you. It's your soul mate. Pick it up, give it a nice ceremony it's been dreaming of since it was just a picture book, and marry it. You are no doubt bound to love it. My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
So I says to myself earlier this year I says, "Meredith, quit buying so many books when you's on a readin' slump! How bout this, you're on a book-buyin' ban until you get outta ya slump and finish readin' some books for once." And for once I listened to my inner voice who is a grumpy New York City taxi driver apparently, and didn't buy books for a while. However, I have gotten out of my slump and have reaped the rewards by buying many, many awesome books and oh my goodness I cannot wait until to read all of these amazing finds!
And in my last book blurb (I have no idea what to call these things so blurb it is!) of this list, Fire with Fire, I also talk a little about my book signing experience with Jenny Han! I got there a little late, which is why I did not do a full post on the experience, but it was so much fun nonetheless and loved every minute of it. Well, I can barely contain myself so without further ado, let's get on to the haul! (all links lead to the books summary and their respective goodreads pages).
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Shopping at a used bookstore can be either hit or miss, but oh goodness did I get a hit this time. Not only did I find this raved about spaceship dystopian, but I found the first edition that isn't sold anymore and it comes with a map of the spaceship on the reverse side of the book sleeve. I know. I know. I can't believe it either. I mean I can't tell you how much this makes me so incredibly happy. Not only is the cover gorgeous (look at that beautiful nebular thing), but I have heard nothing, and I mean nothing, but good things about this book series. This book is about a girl has woken from cryo-sleep when in transit to another planet and has to find out why essentially. It's such an original idea that completely blows my rocketship socks off. I'm not very familiar with space dystopia, but I'm looking to change that with this awesome looking novel.
Rebel Angels and A Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
Also a part of my used bookstore buying experience, I was so glad when I stumbled upon these books. I had read the first book of this series, the Gemma Doyle trilogy, titled A Great and Terrible Beauty, back in high school and fell in love with the Victorian feeling that the setting offered and the paranormal occurrences the surround Gemma Doyle at Spence Academy. I can't wait to jump head first back into this beautifully written series. And let's get a round of applause for these beautiful book covers, too. Can you tell I'm a sucker for a good book cover? The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
I am one of the very few people who never had to read this classic growing up. I did, however, get to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn back in high school and found it highly entertaining. I am also a fan of Walt Disney World's Tom Sawyer island and now I'll finally understand the whimsy and adventure that Disney found in this book that drove him to build an entire island at my all time favorite theme park. Let's not forget that this is one of those heavily referenced cultural classics and at this point in my life I feel so behind because, like I said, I have yet to experience this darling read. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
This book has been out for a grand total of two days, and I have already heard so much hype about this novel. And right when I was getting into a contemporary genre kick, this book could not have been released at a better time. It's pretty much about a girl who has written all her past crushes love letters, but never sent them. The thing is, someone sends them and she has to deal with the consequences. The back also describes the letters she writes as a sort of exorcism of love. She writes them when she gets over a love or crush, which makes the situation even more upsetting and dramatic, especially for the audience. I'm so excited to read this book and I can already tell that it will probably end up as one of my favorites.
Fire with Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
I was enthralled by the first book of this trilogy, Burn for Burn, and immediately bought the next installment. Burn for Burn kind of blew my mind, so of course I recommended it to everyone who would listen and got my best friend hooked on it. She ended up reading both books in the span of three days, and I've been avoiding spoilers from her ever since. Which is why this book is either next or second on my to-be-read list because I need more of the revenge-iverse that is this wonderful series. Oh, and I got to meet the amazing Jenny Han this week at a book discussion/signing she did with Sarah Dessen! She was so nice and we nerded out over booktubers, her book series, and what it was like co-authoring a book series with your best friend (the answer: lots of notes on chapters and lots of trust). And I love the fact that it's authors that are as humble, kind, charming, and nice as Jenny Han or even Sarah Dessen that make me and everyone else so happy to read their books and excited for the future of young adult literature, too. Sappy, I know, but I'm honestly so proud of where the YA genre is going.
I hope y'all enjoyed my mid-April book haul, because that's a thing now, and I can't wait to talk about these books in later posts once I read them! Happy reading!
Title: Paper Towns
