As soon as I saw the preview for the movie "Everything, Everything" I knew that I needed to get my hands on this book ASAP. But, of course, every other person who saw the preview for the movie suddenly had to have the book too. So I waited and waited for a copy to become available at my city library....and huzzah! I finally got my hands on a copy and I devoured it in a few short hours.
Madeline Whittier is a normal teenage girl, except for the fact that she can't leave her house because she is allergic to almost everything in the world. Madeline has contact with two, occasionally three, people in the entire human species. Her mom, her nurse, and on rare occasions her architect tutor. Despite these setbacks, Madeline thrives, meets new characters, and goes on adventures in the books she reads. She yearns for the thrills that her favorite characters get, but she has accepted her lot in life and is content. Her universe is routine and safe and predictable... until she hears the beeping of a moving truck backing up next door. That's when a fourth person is introduced that sets her small world spinning. Madeline quickly learns that to have everything you have to be willing to risk everything.
Talk about a book with a plot twist! I almost got whiplash from how fast the plot changed and went in a different direction. From page one this book had me hooked and I literally did not put it down until I finished it a few hours later. The characters are quirky and adorable and they all have a depth to their emotions that is sometimes hard to convey as an author, but which was beautifully done here. The story is gripping and unpredictable. The text is engaging and the format of the book swaps between a normal book and the characters' Instant Messaging conversations as they would look on a computer, with some pictures or other random entries by Madeline thrown in. I personally didn't love how much the format rotated between all these things, I found it to be a little overwhelming at some points, but it did add some depth to Madeline's character and made it easier for the reader to understand her.
There are a few swearwords littered throughout the text - something to keep in mind if you are getting this book for a younger reader. I would say anyone young adult and up could/should read this book. 5 out of 5 stars by my rating. It's not very often that I find a book that will elicit so many emotions from me in such a short amount of time. I laughed, cried, wanted to scream, and had steam coming out of my ears all in one evening. I'm sure that you will enjoy this story as much as I did. So pick up your copy and then let me know what you think!
Shout out to my girl Kassidy for making me read these books. I had the misfortune of watching the TV Series and it disintegrated any desire I had to read Cassandra Clare's work. Kass told me to not judge a book by it's TV show (or movie for that matter) and I am eternally in her debt. She suggested I read the Infernal Devices Series before I read the Mortal Instruments series, so that is what I did.
The Infernal Devices Series, by Cassandra Clare, is a three book series set in the London's Downworld during the reign of Queen Victoria. The main character, Tessa Gray, has discovered that she is not human; but what she is, no one knows. She falls in with a group of Shadowhunters and learns that there is only one thing more dangerous than a demon - her own heart. She is torn between the calm and steady Jem Carstairs and the mysterious and un-readable Will Herondale. Each has is own unique attractiveness and both are hiding dark secrets. Tessa has to choose who has her heart while also overcoming one of the evilest and most powerful men of their time.
I don't know that I have ever read a series that left me feeling so satisfied at the end. These books filled all of my literary needs. There was action, fighting, betrayal, loyalty, fantasy, friendship, and (most important of all) romance. There were a few times I thought the story was ruined but after I continued reading, the issue would be resolved beautifully. I laughed, I cried, I bit my nails, and I couldn't stop until the last page had been turned. If you enjoy fantasy books where the unimaginable becomes imaginable, then you have to put this series on your to-read list. The main characters are deep and all have strong back-stories that come to light one at a time. The supporting characters add to the richness of the story and each of their unique personalities helps create a more complex and intricate setting. I would suggest these to high-school age kids and older. There are a few swearwords dotted throughout the text and there is a hint of a bedroom scene in the third book but it is not detailed. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. Check them out and let me know what you think!
Can we all just agree right now that "young adult" books are not actually for young adults, but instead are for mature adults who just happen to have young hearts? I always feel a little bit judged when I am skulking around in the YA section of my library. And the fact that my little sister and I read the same books...simply means that she has good taste. Now that we have that cleared up, let me tell you about "The Selection Series" by Kiera Cass.
In a dystopian America, everyone is split into numbered castes. The lower your number, the better your state of living is, with a royal family that leads them all. When the eldest child of the royal family is ready to wed, the country holds a Selection to help him find a suitor out of any of the ladies in any of the castes. For most girls, being picked to participate in the Selection would be a dream come true, but America Singer is content with her lot in life and doesn't want to move up in the caste system. However when she moves into the castle and meets Prince Maxon, she has to decide between her life of contentment, or a fairy tale that she never dreamed would be possible.
"The Selection Series" spans five books and is packed with twists and turns, big decisions and betrayals, and above all, love. It's like the Hunger Games, but replace the weapons and killing for words and backstabbing. 35 girls are selected to try to win the Prince and only one will win. During the selection process the country is under siege by two groups that want to be rid of the caste systems. Prince Maxon and America Singer's loyalties will be tested and each has to fight for what they want. The first 3 books are about the two main characters, the last two books contain the same characters as the first 3, but the focus is on the new princess and her selection process. So throughout the entire series the reader gets to go through two selection processes, one with a soft-hearted prince and 35 female suitors and one with a no-nonsense princess and 35 male suitors.
I will forever be grateful that I had the forethought to buy the entire series together, because I gobbled these books up. The reader is swept up into a world where a poor girl is thrown into a castle where she is expected to dress and act a certain way. Through it all she is able to hold on to herself and come out of the trials better than she was before. It really did remind me of the Hunger Games, only I think I enjoyed these more because there is way less violence and nearly everyone gets their happy ending. These books will hold your attention from the beginning to the end. The characters are charming and will resonate with the reader, the story is fast-paced while remaining clear, and the writing is clean. There are a few minor swear words dotted throughout the text, but nothing too serious and no hot and heavy scenes. I still wouldn't recommend this to anyone younger than high-school, but overall I think that readers of all ages will enjoy this series. For their genre, I give them a 5 out of 5 stars. Check it out and let me know what you think!
I read this book for my neighborhood book club, and I was so glad to have other people to discuss it with after I had finished. "The Rent Collector," by Camron Wright, is a mixture of facts and fiction and I wished I had never learned which parts are facts and which ones fiction. My knowledge dissolved some of the illusions that the author tries to build and it lessened the overall importance of this story, unfortunately.
"The Rent Collector" is the tale of a family living in Stung Meanchey, which is the largest municipal waste dump in all of Cambodia. They pick recyclables out of the mountains of trash each day for income. Once a month, they have to work extra hard to earn enough to not only buy their dinner, but also to pay the rent collector that will be coming around demanding the rent for the small shack that they live in. The main character, Sang Ly, is trying to support her husband, battle the rent collector, while also taking care of their sick child who, no matter how many doctors he sees, is not getting any better. Through an absolutely coincidental moment, Sang Ly discovers that the rent collector, Sopeap Sin, can read. Which is very rare among the people living in Stung Meanchey. Sang Ly convinces Sopeap Sin to teach her to read, and this experience slowly shapes and changes the rest of her life.
I initially found the story to be inspiring. There were some flaws in the writing that caught my eye, particularly the language the author gives his characters. I wondered how much research went into this work because there are parts of the story that seem distinctly American. Not that I know that much how about how people in Stung Meanchey actually speak and act, but it was things that I knew for certain someone in America would do or say. Then I found out that the author's son did a documentary on this exact story. My assumption is that he put the documentary in his own words, doing little to no extra research, and then added in one or two characters to make his story seem unique. Which leads me to assume that he is either lazy, and piggy-backed on his sons work, or he is a nice dad and did a little extra work simply to give his son's documentary some extra publicity. Either way, I was disappointed in this book and wish that the author would have just come up with his own story for the entire thing. I think that he is a talented writer, but this is definitely not his finest work.
I would still recommend this book as one worth reading, but I only give it a 3 out of 5 stars for my frustrations mentioned above. This tale that someone can be so kind under such horrible circumstances is truly inspirational, but if you are looking for something that will leave you feeling satisfied at the end, then this is not it. I would love to hear your thoughts on it, so check this one out and report back!
It is not very often that I fall so in love with a character that I find myself carrying her around with me. Libby Strout, also known as "America's Fattest Teen", just happens to be the type of character that spoke to my heart and left an imprint there. She is tenacious, lovable, resilient, and compassionate. After years of being homeschooled, Libby decides she is ready to take on the world again and try her hand at high school. She becomes victim to an awful game called "fat girl rodeo" which results in her and the perpetrator, Jack Masselin, landing in group counseling. The more time that they are forced to spend together, the more they realize that being together is far better than apart.
"Holding up the Universe", by Jennifer Niven, is an incredible story of two teenagers that each have some personal issues that they are trying to deal with while pretending to seem unaffected and normal on the outside. Libby is brave and quick-witted and stands against the cruelty of judgemental teenagers. Jack is putting on a front and no one, not even is own parents, knows that he is dealing with Prosopagnosia (he can't remember faces). They both struggle with their own challenges and eventually realize that those challenges seem to disappear when they are with each other. Their relationship is torturous and adorable and an example that what's inside is what truly matters.
Each of these characters is so unique; this is a teenage love story unlike any that have come before. The author paints a wonderful story with scenes that are so real they almost hurt. You will find yourself flinching in one moment and then laughing in the next. Brimming with wit, heartache, hope, and joy; I give "Holding up the Universe" 5 out of 5 stars. It is a brilliant story for young people to read and find the courage to appreciate themselves as they truly are. As spectacular as this story is, though, it is riddled with swear words and some inappropriate topics. Keep that in mind before giving this book to the intended reader. Check it out and let me know what you think!
I received a copy of this book from Blogging For Books for this review.
Love is in the air. Does anyone else love the atmosphere that Valentine's Day creates? I enjoy celebrating the whole month through romantic books and movies. "Lord Fenton's Folly", by Josi S. Kilpack, helped satisfy my craving for a cute love story. It is more than simply a cute love story though. This book is full of verbal sparring between the main characters and a secret that finally comes to light after twenty years of hiding.
Lord Fenton has made it his life's mission to embarrass his father, the Earl, in any manner possible. He has transformed himself into one of London's greatest dandies and he takes every opportunity to make the fool of himself in his father's name. This discord between father and son ultimately leads to the Earl deciding to disinherit Fenton as heir and pass it on to his younger son instead. When Fenton begs for redemption, he is given certain circumstances he must meet in order to return to his father's good graces. One such circumstance is his must marry an eligible young woman by the end of the year, just six months away.
Alice has been smitten by Lord Fenton ever since they were children, so when he asks for her hand in marriage she couldn't be happier. She is the giddy bride-to-be but quickly observes that Fenton doesn't seem to share her enthusiasm. When she discovers that their engagement is a forced one, she tries to protect herself in the only way
she can - by burying her feelings.
"Lord Fenton's Folly" is filled to the brim with wit and parrying insults. As you can imagine, Alice is not very happy when she discovers Fenton's true motives, which results in a couple that doesn't know how to do anything but argue. Alice is a strong character and doesn't back down from her new husband. She displays a handful of honorable characteristics and I love when women are written with a strong will and independence. Especially in a time when women were not supposed to be opinionated. Fenton on the other hand is an idiot and he makes so many wrong choices that you want to shake him and put him on the right path. You will fall in love with his character though through the small cracks of vulnerability that the author adds in. This book is a "proper romance" and does not include anything that would keep me from wholeheartedly recommending it. For its genre, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Check it out and let me know what you think!
