Buddy Review: This Raging Light

Title: This Raging Light

Author: Estelle Laure

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: December 22, 2015

Source: eARC from Publisher for Review

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Can the best thing happen at the worst time?

Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has bills to pay and a little sister to look after. Now is not the time for level-headed seventeen-year-old Lucille to fall in love. But love—messy, inconvenient love—is what she's about to experience when she falls for Digby Jones, her best friend's brother. With blazing longing that builds to a fever pitch, Estelle Laure's soulful debut will keep readers hooked and hoping until the very last page.

Review: Dorothy Must Die

Title: Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die #1)

Author: Danielle Paige

Format: Hardcover

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: April 1, 2014

Source: Purchased from Amazon

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I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado - taking you with it - you have no choice but to go along, you know?
Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little bluebirds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still a yellow brick road - but even that's crumbling.
What happened? Dorothy.
They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.
My name is Amy Gumm - and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission.

Review: Fiddler on the Roof

Title: Fiddler on the Roof
Based on Sholem Aleichem's Stories
Book By: Joseph Stein
Music By: Jerry Bock
Lyrics By: Sheldon Harnick
Publication Date: September 16, 2014
Publisher: Crown

Released to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the Broadway premiere, the full text and lyrics from the original production of one of the most beloved musicals of the 20th century.

Fiddler on the Roof is well established as one of the great works of American musical theater. Adapted from the tales of Yiddish writer Sholom Alecheim and set in Tsarist Russia in 1905, it has proven an indelible tale of family, tradition, wit, and sorrow—all filtered through the ordeals of Tevye, a Jewish Everyman. Tevye, who lives in the fictional village Anatevka, is a hard-working milkman who clings to his faith and traditions, while dreaming of riches he'll never see. He believes he'll need a matchmaker to marry off his older daughters—but they soon force their more modern ideas about romance upon him. His celebrated journey to maintain his family and his faith amidst a rapidly changing world make for a timelessly profound read; the very definition of a classic.

This edition also preempts the next Broadway revival, scheduled for 2015.

Review: The Silver Linings Playbook

Title: The Silver Linings Playbook

Author: Matthew Quick

Format: Paperback (Movie Tie-In Edition)

Genre: General Fiction, Adult

Publication Date: October 16, 2012

Original Publication Date: September 2, 2008

Source: Purchased

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Meet Pat. Pat has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure a happy ending for him -- the return of his estranged wife Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent time in a mental health facility.) The problem is, Pat's now home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki; his beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing; he's being pursued by the deeply odd Tiffany; his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a form of therapy. Plus, he's being haunted by Kenny G!

In this enchanting novel, Matthew Quick takes us inside Pat's mind, showing us the world from his distorted yet endearing perspective. As the award-winning novelist Justin Cronin put it: "Tender, soulful, hilarious, and true, The Silver Linings Playbook is a wonderful debut."

ARC Review: Perfectly Good White Boy

Title: Perfectly Good White Boy

Author:  Carrie Mesrobian

Expected Publication Date: October 28, 2014

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books  

Source: eARC via NetGalley

Synopsis: 
After losing his virginity to an older girl who dumps him at the end of summer, Sean decides to join the Marines, but first he must get through his senior year of high school. 






My Review:
Meet Sean. He's just finished his junior year of high school and is ready for summer vacation and all that comes with it - parties, beer, bonfires, and girls. One night when he's at a party, he meets up with Hallie, a girl who was a year ahead of Sean in high school. The two of them head off to Hallie's tent in the woods and begin a summer romance.

Fast forward to the end of the summer. Sean and Hallie have finally had sex, and on the night before she leaves for college, she breaks up with him. He is pretty shocked by the breakup, as any kid in his or her first relationship would be.
 
The writing style is simple and easy to follow. It is a good book for a laid back read, but I could not bring myself to finish this book. I was not a fan of the plot. 

I should have known by the short synopsis that I wouldn't like this book. There wasn't much to what I read, so I stopped myself before I felt like reading this book would become a burden to me.

Some parts of this book were very awkward, even for me, an adult reader. I was not expecting some of what I read, like the details of Sean and Hallie having sex, to be included in a YA book. Because of this, I would recommend this book for an older teen audience because of some of the more mature scenes in the book. 

I do not feel like it is fair of me to give this book a rating because I did not finish reading it. It really wasn't even worth the time that I gave it.

I received a free PDF copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

ARC Review: Beau, Lee, the Bomb, & Me

Title: Beau, Lee, the Bomb, & Me

Author: Mary McKinley

Genre: Young Adult, LGBTQ, Contemporary

Publication Date: October 28th, 2014

Publisher: Kensington Books

Synopsis:
When Beau transferred to our school. I thought: "Good; fresh meat." Because I knew he would be tormented the entire time he was at Baboon High. Like I am. All day. . . every day.

Growing up is a trip. . .

In high school, there are few worse crimes than being smart or fat. Lucky me, I'm both. But when Beau Gales blows in to town, it takes about two minutes for the jackasses at our Seattle school to figure out he's gay, and that makes him an even bigger target. Have you ever heard the saying: 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'? There's something to that.

When the bullying gets violent and Beau decides to run away to San Francisco to ask his Uncle Frankie for advice, we all go. Beau, me, Leonie (designated class slut), and a scruffy rescue dog called The Bomb--a tribe of misfits crammed into my mom's minivan. Throw in a detour to the Twilight town of Forks, armed robbery, cool record shops, confessions, breakups and makeups, and you have the kind of journey that can change the way you look at the whole world--and yourself.

My Review:

When I first saw the synopsis of Beau, Lee, the Bomb, & Me, I was pleasantly surprised. I've often enjoyed reading books that deal with topics like bullying because it's something that I'm able to relate to, even now that I'm in my twenties. I really thought that the other advance readers were being harsh about this book, but they were right, and I was very wrong.

Unfortunately, the intriguing synopsis is the best thing about this book.

For the first few pages of the book, I was utterly confused. I could not get a picture of the narrator in my head. If I can't picture the storyteller, I can't get behind the book. I honestly thought that the narrator was a boy. Nope! I was wrong. The narrator is actually a female teenager named Rylee/Rusty. It takes a while for McKinley to even provide readers with the name of her narrator, so I was even more annoyed with this book by the time I found out her name.

I was also very bothered by the lack of organization in this book. First of all, there aren't any chapters or sections. It's like it's one long thought that just goes on like the Energizer Bunny. Trust me. You don't want it to go on. During my reading, I only came across one real break in the text while I was reading. It was so tiring just to find a place to stop for the night.

The writing is also terrible. Almost every sentence is poorly constructed, and it really does seem like McKinley tried too hard to be able to relate to teens with her use of shorthand and Internet speak. I started to keep track of how many times the word "till" was used in place of "until" but I quickly stopped keeping track. I know that it might seem insignificant, but it's really bothersome to read so many times in a row.

I was also bothered by the use of tense in the book. One minute, the book is being told in the past tense, and then then McKinley changes to the present tense. Just when you're getting used to the change in tense, she changes it again! I just can't read something like that! Any English teacher will tell you that when you're writing, especially a piece of fiction, it should remain in the same tense.


The characters aren't bad, but they aren't the most spectacular YA characters you'll come across in a book. Beau, Lee, the Bomb, & Me deals with a group of three teenage misfits that band together to face the bullies of their high school. All three of them have a slew of problems that they face. To be honest, it's overwhelming. I felt like all of their problems were just too much to deal with as a reader, and that the author just included every horrible thing that she could find into this story.

I really hope that this book has gone through the editing process a bit more since the ARC was sent to readers because it really needs to be refined. It has potential to be a really great book, but at this point, there are just way too many flaws for me to even consider it a mediocre novel. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Remedy

Title: The Remedy

Author: Susan Srikant

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Magical Realism

Publication Date: November 15, 2013

Publisher: Createspace

Source: Susan Srikant for Review

Joss Hall's little sister, Bibi, is dying, and it's all Joss's fault. Everyone agrees the situation is hopeless, but there is no way Joss is going to sit around and do nothing. She and her friends, Domino and Anton, decide to hike through the dark and dangerous forests of Burkett Mountain in search of a mythical creature with healing powers called a jarrlock, hoping to find a way to help Bibi before it's too late.
This entertaining adventure story takes readers on a quest filled with curious creatures and magical medicine.

ARC Review: I Remember Beirut

Title: I Remember Beirut

Author: Zeina Abirached

Translator: Edward Gauvin 

Expected Publication: October 1, 2014

Publisher: Graphic Universe  

Description: 
Zeina Abirached grew up in Beirut in the 1980s as fighting between Christians and Muslims divided the city streets. With striking black-and-white artwork, Abirached recalls the details of ordinary life inside a war zone. 

 

My Review:

When I was browsing titles on NetGalley, I was immediately drawn to this book. It seemed so interesting, and I knew that I would learn something from it. I also loved Persepolis, so I thought that if I Remember Beirut was in any way similar to it, I would enjoy it.

Zeina Abirached uses graphic images to tell the tale of her childhood. It was a dark time then. Christians and Muslims were at war. It was a civil war that divided the city. She, her parents, and her brother are just trying to live a normal life during the war, but there are a lot of complications that they face. The school bus won’t come down her street anymore, so she, her brother, and the neighbors have to be driven to school. They don’t have running water. Their lives are anything but ordinary.

The artwork is simple, but it is stunning. I found myself staring at some of the pages just to see more about it. I wanted to know all the emotions on their faces. I wanted to see what Beirut looked like from Abirached's point of view. It did not disappoint me.

 If you are a fan of Persepolis, please read this book. Like Persepolis, I Remember Beirut tells the story of a young woman growing up in a tumultuous time. Although it seems like it is aimed more towards children and teens, anyone will be able to pick up the simple book and learn from it.  

I really hope that this book becomes huge. I read Persepolis in a college class, and I can see this becoming a part of college curriculum as well. This is a book that not only entertains - it teaches us about history and the human spirit.

 

I received this a PDF copy of this graphic novel by Zeina Abirached from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

Review: Cress

Title: Cress

Series: The Lunar Chronicles

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: February 4, 2014

Source: Purchased 

In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever  had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

My Review

 

Oh my stars!

I have to start my review off by stating that the third book in The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer is, in my opinion, the best one yet! I can only hope (and I truly expect) that more amazing things are on the way in Fairest and Winter.

Once again, Meyer's stellar use of dramatic irony had me hooked. I did not want to put this book down! I couldn't wait to see what happened when the characters found out information that I already knew. It was almost addictive to keep reading just for their reactions.

The newest main character, Cress, is by far the most adorable naive character I've ever come across in a YA book. Her story is so captivating and entertaining. I wouldn't have cared if Meyer wrote over a thousand pages for this book. I would have read it just to learn more about Cress because she is just that cute and quirky.

I also love how Meyer perfectly entwines Cress' story with those of the other characters, like Cinder, Thorne, Scarlet, Wolf, and Kai. It was wonderful to see how she was connected to them and how she can work with them. I truly hope that we see Cress grow and mature a little more in the next book like we've seen Cinder grow since the beginning of the series.

Now... the ending! I'm so happy. I loved the ending. It was the perfect cliffhanger, and I've been waiting for Cinder to say those words since the end of Cinder. I'm so glad that she is finally confident enough to reveal her secrets, and I cannot wait to see how this unlikely group of heroes will use that to their advantage in Winter.

 

Review: Scarlet

Title: Scarlet

Series: The Lunar Chronicles

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publication Date: February 5, 2013

Format: Hardcover, First Edition

Source: Purchased from Amazon

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

My Review

So I've had a bit of time since finishing Scarlet to think about my review, but it doesn't really make writing it any easier. While I am truly enjoying the series, I felt like Scarlet lacked some of the key energy that Meyer had in Cinder. I never wanted to stop reading Cinder, but I had a harder time reading Scarlet. It's not that I didn't like this book; it's just that this one felt a little slower. It wasn't as intense as Cinder for me.

Picking up where Cinder left off, Scarlet continues the tale of Cinder. She escapes from prison and takes another prisoner with her, and together, they are outlaws on the run from the Commonwealth. We are also introduced to two new characters, Scarlet Benoit and Wolf, and their attraction to one another does drive a lot of their part of the story, but there is a little bit more than just romance with these two characters. They each have stories of their own, and figuring them out makes reading this one fun.

While I would say that this book is more romantic than Cinder, I also found it to have a bit more action. There are some battle scenes, and I think they were okay. They certainly could have been written better and with more enthusiasm. I lost interest in many of them, even though I know that the fighting and the rebellion is an important part of this series.

Remember that picture that Kai was shown in Cinder? It's an integral part of this novel, and I was kind of angry with myself for being so distracted and missing it right away. Because of it, Kai is forced to make a decision that could change the history of the world yet again. Like how awesome is it for Meyer to have these young characters making so many important decisions? I love it! But I couldn't help but find myself angry with the choice that Kai makes. I know he is making it for what he thinks are all the right reasons, but he is being naive. It bothered me because at the end of Cinder, I really thought that he would grow to be the great leader that he's supposed to be, but it looks like he still has some growing up to do, and I'm fine with that. I'm sure things will change, but the choice just didn't sit well with me when I read it. I think he could have done something else to calm things.

All in all, I didn't think the book was terrible, but I just wanted a little bit more out of it. There is another cliffhanger, so I grabbed Cress, and I hope to see some things become resolved.

Review: How to Love

Title: How to Love

Author: Katie Cotugno

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date:  October 1, 2013

Format: Hardcover, First Edition

Source: Purchased

Before:
Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he's never seemed to notice that Reena even exists until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated-and pregnant-Reena behind.

After:
Almost three years have passed, and there's a new love in Reena's life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena's gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she's finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn't want anything to do with him, though she'd be lying if she said Sawyer's being back wasn't stirring something in her. After everything that's happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

My Review

At just sixteen years old, Reena is ready to explore the world. She's ready to go to college after graduating high school earlier than most of the kids in her grade. She's ready to become a travel journalist. She's ready to actually leave home and travel the world. She's not ready to have a baby, but that's what's happening to her, and there is nothing she can do to change that.

Told from a before and after perspective, How to Love is the bittersweet tale of Reena, a very bright young girl who finds herself in a troubling situation after graduating high school a year early. She has to deal with the fact that her boyfriend has left town. She keeps remember the night when they first got together, which just so happened to be the night that her best friend and Sawyer's then girlfriend, Allie, died.

That night isn't the greatest of nights for Reena, and she has many regrets because of what she did that night. The night also wasn't the best night for Sawyer, but the two young people have to deal with what happened and grow as people.

I was really impressed with this book. It's a great story about falling in love, falling out of love, finding a new love, and finally falling in love with the one you're meant to be with. Reena learns how to deal with life and what's become of her when her old flame, Sawyer, comes back to town. If you are a fan of books about second chances, do yourself a favor and read this book right now.

The story of Reena, Hannah, and Sawyer is so real that it hurts. It will break your heart and put it back together again. You'll want to reread this as soon as you finish the book because the story is so emotionally satisfying.

Reena is a character that I liked from the minute I started reading. She's struggled since graduating high school, but she tries so hard to make her family proud, even if she knows they look down on her for getting pregnant out of wedlock. I couldn't help but feel badly for Reena because of the way that her parents treat her. It would be agonizing to live with all of the guilt that her parents make her feel.

Sawyer is a character that grew on me, and I mean he really grew on me because he starts out as an unlikeable character but matures and becomes someone that I would be proud to call a friend. Trust me on this... There were so many times that I wanted to jump into the pages and smack him for Reena and Hannah, but with everything that happened to him, all of his flaws make sense. He tries hard to earn the respect of the people he hurt, so I really ending up liking him. 

There is a lot of drama in this book, so if you are a fan of Lifetime movies or dramatic TV shows, I really think this is the kind of book for you. It's entertaining, but there are real-life situations in the book that could happen to anyone.

Review: Side Effects May Vary

Title: Side Effects May Vary

Author: Julie Murphy

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: March 18, 2014

Format: Hardcover, First Edition

Source: Purchased

What if you'd been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, who she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that's as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch-nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger). But just when Alice's scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she's said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she caused irreparable damage to the people around her—and to the one person who matters most?

Julie Murphy's Side Effects May Vary is a fearless and moving tour de force about love, life, and facing your own mortality.

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green

Publisher: Dutton Books

Publication Date: January 10, 2012

Format: Hardcover, Barnes & Noble Collector's Edition

Source: Purchased

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

My Review

Okay... I'm going to warn you that my review of this book is very critical. I did not enjoy this book, but I would appreciate that you respect my opinion. If you really loved this book and might get offended by a negative review, please feel free to stop reading. I won't mind. I didn't know if I actually wanted to publish my review of this book on my blog, but I have decided to publish it.

When I first decided that I wanted to read this book, it was because the synopsis was interesting. A lot of people were talking about it too. And not just the people on Goodreads. I literally heard about this book all the time. Then I started reading, and I realized that the kind of cancer that Hazel originally had is the kind I am most likely to get. It intrigued me enough to keep reading. I mean why not, right? I kept thinking that maybe I could learn something about it in case it were to happen to me.

Unfortunately, that was where my interest in the book stopped. The Fault in Our Stars was very predictable. I pretty much knew what was going to happen as soon as a new character was introduced. The only thing that really surprised me was the characterization of Caroline. Other than that, I really don't know. I couldn't stand it.

I really thought it would be this great book because I have heard and read many great things about it, but I just don't think it's that great. So many people told me to read it, and I wanted to smack them in the head with the book upon completing it. 

It was so easy to read that it was almost boring. Actually, I think it was boring, even the short chapters, which I feel are just included to speed along the plot. I read this book so slow because of how boring it is, and I am not a slow reader. That is one reason why it was not an enjoyable read for me.

Augustus and Hazel are two characters who angered me. They were overly annoying. I've met a lot of teens, and not one of them talks like that. I can't even imagine someone with cancer, especially a teenager with cancer, speaking so beautifully all of the time. Don't get me wrong... some of what they said was awesome, but it wasn't realistic.

Also, I was quite offended by how Green romanticized cancer. I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose, but that's how it comes off to me. I've actually seen and heard kids wish that they had cancer because of this book. I'm sorry, but we can't live in a world where people want cancer because cancer is not the kind of disease that one should wish on themselves.

I understand that the book is not supposed to be a cancer book. I guess it is a book about living with cancer. If you ask me, Green failed. I just felt like it was another book about a kid with cancer. It made me angry to see cancer presented this way because I've seen quite a few of my brother and sister's friends die of childhood cancer and this book was not a realistic depiction of the suffering I've seen.

I honestly just don't understand all of the hype about the book. It seems like it gets bigger and bigger by the day. It's not going away. While I'm sure people will say that it's an amazing book, it's definitely not the most amazing book on the planet. There are better realistic fiction books out there, and I'm only sorry that I didn't stop reading this book. I could have saved myself some time.

  

ARC Review: Mister Teacher Person

Title: Mister Teacher Person

Series: Squirrel Hill High

Author: J.M. Varner

Published by J.M. Varner

Publication Date: August 12, 2014

Source: eARC from Author

Stacy King, star reporter for television news station KPGH, has made it. Successful in high school. Successful in college. Her face is now seen by tens of thousands every day throughout Squirrel Hill and the entire Pittsburgh area. 

But her latest assignment, returning to Squirrel Hill High for a profile piece on English teacher Mr. Payne (who has himself recently disappeared from the halls of the high school) puts her back in touch with a past she thought she’d left behind. 

And on her journey to discover what happened to Mr. Payne, startling revelations about her own past at Squirrel Hill High are brought to light.

My Review

Mister Teacher Person is a great book for teenagers because it's entertaining and it teaches readers a very valuable lesson about Internet safety and etiquette. If you are a parent and you want your kids to learn just how their actions can cause harm to another person, you should have them read this book.

Mister Teacher Person is a Squirrel Hill High novel written by J.M Varner. I have not read the previous book in the set of novels, Digital Me, but that did not leave me confused about anything in this book. To my knowledge, a reader can read this book without having read Varner's first book in the series.

I really enjoyed this book because it's not your typical YA or Middle Grade novel because it's actually narrated by an adult but geared at kids. The storyline is interesting, and I'm sure that any curious kid would want to see how everything in the Mr. Payne story unravels. It is a good way to introduce kids to mystery books if they have not yet read one.

I also really liked the Stacy King story. She is a young reporter who goes back to her high school for a job as a reporter. I connected with her because I recently went back to my own high school for a work opportunity. I felt the same wave of nostalgia going back, so it was really nice to finally see a character who I could really understand. Yes, she had good memories at Squirrel Hill High, but she also had some bad ones, and going back helps her overcome the bad memories and she is able to rediscover herself. I recently felt the same way when I encountered some places in my high school where I had some bad memories, so I'm really glad that I was able to meet and get to know this particular character.

I don't want to spoil anything, but there is definitely plot in here that I'm sure all people will understand; what you post on the Internet is permanent, and it can really hurt a person. In this book, you'll see how the actions of just a few people were able to harm a really great person. I'm glad that people are finally starting to put this message in media and books because it is very important.  I hope that many teens will pick up this book and learn how to be a better person while online.

I would recommend this book for preteens and teens eleven and older.

Review: Cinder

Title: Cinder

Series: The Lunar Chronicles

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: January 3, 2012

Format: Hardcover, First Edition

Source: Purchased from Book Outlet

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

My Review

I saw this a while ago on Goodreads, and I always meant to buy it simply because of the Cinderella retelling. I love a good retelling, and I am a sucker for anything that has to do with Cinderella. I kept seeing it at Target for the longest time, but I never took it home because I was afraid that I wouldn't like it because of the robots and androids. I was so wrong. I should have just taken it home with me on the first day I saw it in a store, but days passed, and then years passed before I finally bought in on Book Outlet.

I was taken in by this book from the very first page. Meyer has a way with words that can just suck a reader into a story. This might be a cliche, but I really felt like I was seeing everything in front of me as it was unfolding.  

Cinder is an amazing retelling and an amazing story of its own. Obviously Cinder is the book's Cinderella. She was adopted when she was eleven by a man, and soon after, he dies, so she is stuck living with his wife and two daughters - the step family in the story. Then there is Prince Kai who is the Prince Charming of the tale. There are also some other important characters such as Dr. Eland and the Lunar queen, Queen Levana.

Oh, and if that's not enough, the Lunar princess is missing, and Prince Kai is searching for her so he can get out of an imminent marriage with Queen Levana.

I really liked the Princess Selene storyline in this book. Missing princess rumored to be alive? People are searching for her? She could bring hope to the country? It reminded me so much of what I learned about Anastasia when I was younger.

I'm truly glad that I finally read this book. It is amazing, and I'm sure that I'll be starting Scarlet tonight.

 

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why

Author: Jay Asher

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: October 18, 2007

Source: Purchased

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

My Review

I've been seeing this book everywhere for a while, but I never really looked into it because I had a lot on my plate. Finally after seeing about twenty paperback copies at Half Price Books and another ten or so paperbacks at Target, I decided to look for it. I went to the YA section at Half Price Books and found a copy without a dust jacket. Ready to leave, I found another used copy with a dust jacket, so I took it home.

So here it goes...

I was eager to start this book and was told by many that it was great. Apparently it should have been a book that I should have loved. I really did not like this book. I felt like a lot of the ideas were being pushed too hard on the readers, and because of this, I found myself confused. I am never a confused reader, but there was just way too much going on in this book for me to make sense of it all.

First of all, the book is supposed to be narrated by Clay. He's listening to Hannah's suicide tapes, so I knew their text would be prominent. I wanted to know Hannah's story. I found myself agitated by how disconnected it feels at times because a thought by Clay is thrown in before he actually hits the stop button.

I'm never one to say this about books, but I also think there are way too many characters in this book. It is so hard to remember who someone is when they make another appearance in a later chapter.  I also had a hard time connecting the reason behind their tape to another person's tape.

Now for the important part. I commend Asher for writing about suicide. I really think the first-hand account of Hannah's is something unique, and I like that he chose to reveal her reasons behind her suicide that way, but I think the way it was presented was just wrong. I felt like it was actually promoting bullying because Hannah bullies the people she addresses in her tapes. It could all spiral out of control for the other characters in the book.

This is an important subject. Too many teens are taking their own lives, and I love how in the back of the book, he offers every possible number and website for anyone who needs help. That being said, those are the reasons behind my rating being three stars. This is a subject that needs to be talked about.

I guess this book just wasn't for me. The whole time I was reading it, I was thinking that Asher should have just written a screenplay for a movie with this idea. I really think this book had the ideas and the potential to be great with the subject matter, but there were too many flaws in it for it to be a superb read for me.

Review: Love Letters to the Dead

Title: Love Letters to the Dead

Author: Ava Dellaira

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)

Publication Date: April 1, 2014

It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May did. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to people like Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more; though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher.

She writes about starting high school, navigating new friendships, falling in love for the first time, learning to live with her splintering family. And, finally, about the abuse she suffered while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May. And only when Laurel has begun to see her sister as the person she was; lovely and amazing and deeply flawed; can she begin to discover her own path.

My Review

Love Letters to the Dead is one of those books that you won't want to put down, but you want to read it like you're pouring honey in winter - slowly. I wanted to cherish every single moment that I had with Laurel because I knew it would end all too soon, and I didn't really want it to end. I wanted to learn as much as I could about Laurel and her friends and family. I wanted to understand everything that made her tick.

The characters in this stunning debut novel are fantastic. The plot is raw and real. I felt like what happened to Laurel could have happened to anyone I went to high school with because it's not too far removed from what happens to some teens. (I would know... My cousin died when she was thirteen, and seeing how her sister reacted was devastating.) I think the story of my cousins is part of the reason why I was so involved in this novel.

I would recommend this novel to any teenager or adult who is looking for something realistic to read. I'd also recommend it to anyone who has ever lost someone unexpectedly because there is real pain in that, and I was able to really feel Laurel's pain as she grieves for her sister. It's a remarkable book that everyone should read.

Love Letters to the Dead is beautifully written, and reminded me very much of one of my favorite books, The Perks of Being a Wallflower because it deals with growing up and dealing with some challenging situations. It's also an epistolary novel (just like Perks), and because of that, you feel an immediate connection to Laurel.

Read this book. You won't regret it.  

 

Book Review: Four

Title: Four: A Divergent Collection

 Series: Divergent (companion novellas)

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publication Date: July 8, 2014

Source: Purchased from Barnes & Noble

Two years before Beatrice Prior made her choice, the sixteen-year-old son of Abnegation’s faction leader did the same. Tobias’s transfer to Dauntless is a chance to begin again. Here, he will not be called the name his parents gave him. Here, he will not let fear turn him into a cowering child.

Newly christened “Four,” he discovers during initiation that he will succeed in Dauntless. Initiation is only the beginning, though; Four must claim his place in the Dauntless hierarchy. His decisions will affect future initiates as well as uncover secrets that could threaten his own future—and the future of the entire faction system.

Two years later, Four is poised to take action, but the course is still unclear. The first new initiate who jumps into the net might change all that. With her, the way to righting their world might become clear. With her, it might become possible to be Tobias once again.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth comes a companion volume to the worldwide bestselling DIVERGENT series, told from the per-spective of the immensely popular character Tobias. The four pieces included here—THE TRANSFER, THE INITIATE, THE SON, and THE TRAITOR—plus three additional exclusive scenes, give readers an electrifying glimpse into the history and heart of Tobias, and set the stage for the epic saga of the DIVERGENT trilogy.

My Review

“My name is Four,” I say. “Call me ‘Stiff’ again and you and I will have a problem.” 

As a Divergent fan, I was thrilled when I found out that the Four stories were going to be released in a physical format because I'm all for the printed word. (I'm not too big on reading e-books.) I had been wanting to read them for a while, but I didn't want to feel like I had to purchase them for multiple devices if that were the case.

When I started reading these novellas, I decided that I would read each story, reflect, and then rate them on Goodreads. I liked reading them like that, but there is just so much to Four's story.

If you've read Divergent, you know why Four is called Four, but in this story, you actually get to see the moment his new name is given to him. Something about that scene struck me. I really enjoyed it. He takes to his new name quickly. He takes to his new faction reluctantly, but pieces of him are truly dauntless. Readers can see that by the way that he reacts to certain situations. I'm sure he temper came from somewhere, but it really will help him fit it amongst his new peers.

Veronica Roth signing copies. I have one of them!

I enjoyed reading about Four's past through his point of view. I wouldn't say that it was eye-opening, but it really expands on his character in the world of Divergent. We follow Tobias to his Choosing Ceremony, and then he is running to the train tracks with the rest of the Dauntless members. Much of his story mirrors the story of Tris, but a lot is revealed about how Dauntless initiation changes in the course of just a few years, and then Four and Tris' stories overlap.

Once again, Roth's writing is beautiful and easy to read when everything is set up in such a complex world, and her story telling skills are on par. I'm really glad that I picked this up because it's really enjoyable and thrilling. It is a wonderful companion to the Divergent trilogy, and any fan would be ecstatic to have a copy of this on their shelves.

Oh, and get the one with the exclusive bonus scenes. That's the one I bought, and I really enjoyed the extra features. You won't regret it.

Four and a half out of five stars

The Opposites Book Tag

I was tagged by Gloria. You can see her post here.

Basically all you have to do is answer some questions about books on your shelves. It deals with opposites!

1. The First Book in Your Collection/The Last Book You Bought

There are so many books that I had from being a kid, and the first ones I remember are Screamy Mimi and Where the Sidewalk Ends.

The last book I bought was Say What You Will. I'm still waiting for it to get here.

2. A Cheap Book/An Expensive Book

I bought a hardcover of Cinder for $4.99 on Book Outlet. It's a good website, but I've noticed that it is very hit or miss.

I bought an autographed copy of Four: A Divergent Collection for $17.99. It's not nearly as expensive of the signed copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone that I want, but it's the first book I've paid full price for in a while.

3. A Book with a Male POV/A Book with a Female POV

I'm going with the ever popular If I Stay duo. If I Stay is told from Mia's perspective, but Adam narrates Where She Went.

4. A Book that You Read Quickly/A Book that You Read Slowly

I read Anna and the French Kiss rather quickly.

The Fault in Our Stars was a really slow and boring read for me.

5. A Pretty Cover/An Ugly Cover

I'm quite fond of the cover for My Name is Memory. It is shiny and the colors are great.

I can't think of a book cover that I dislike right now... I'm sure one will come to me later.

6. A National Book/An International Book

I'm not so sure I understand this, so I am going to go with Harry Potter. Even though I know that it's set in the UK, I realize that readers in the United States are the only ones with our covers. The covers are the same in the UK and the rest of the world. I like how there are different versions of the covers. I really like the original U.S. covers, but the redesign is nice too. I really like the redesign of the UK versions, but in most of them, Harry doesn't really look like he is growing up like he does in the story.

The redesign and original US covers

Original and redesigned worldwide covers

I don't know. I love all four versions, and I hope to get the new U.S. box set and both sets of the British versions. Road trip to Canada, anyone?

7. A Thin Book/A Thick Book

I won Ghost Songs through Goodreads, and was surprised by how thin it was. I still have to read it, but I'll be sure to let everyone know how I like it.

I own quite a few thick books, and the thickest one I own is my dictionary.

8. A Fiction Book/A Nonfiction Book

I own many fiction books, so it's hard for me to choose just one. I'm going with Wonder because the story is so realistic that it hurts. If you haven't read this wonderful book, you should. I highly recommend it to everyone.

My choice for nonfiction is very near and dear to my heart. Ever since I was a little girl, I've been fascinated with the RMS Titanic. Many of my Christmas presents were books about the doomed ocean liner. My edition is different, but I couldn't find a working image of the book on my shelves.

9. A Romantic Book/ An Action Book

I have a lot of romance books on my shelves because I've read a lot of Nicholas Sparks.

For my action book, I'm going with The Hunger Games because of the games.  Need I say more?

10. A Book that Made You Happy/ A Book that Made You Sad

I laughed so hard when I read Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. I know the title is a bit morbid, but this book is hilarious.

Now for a book that made me sad. If you've read this one, you know why.

So, I'm tagging anyone who reads this to post your answers. Leave a comment with a link to yours because I'd love to see what opposites you have on your shelves.