Battle of the Books: The Epic Battle
In my school district we have this reading competition called battle of the books. I do not think this exists any where else, so boy am I glad that we have it. Essentially, you read around 10 books over a two-three month period and then you answer crazy detailed questions about the books. An example would be like, in which book do characters have to think about a clock? Then you pick which book out of the 10 this would happen. (The answer to this one is Eye of Minds). So yeah, its difficult. Well my team of lovely ladies are our school champions and we made it to semi finals at the district battle. (I know very impressive, especially considering we never finished reading all of the books!) I thought I would share some of the fun we had by sharing my reviews of the books we read. I did not finish all of the books because I was way too busy so a review of These Shallow Graves will hopefully come soon. Other books that I had already read that were part of the battle were Everything Everything, 1984, and the Red Queen, but I had not read them recently enough to give a good review. Happy Reading!1. Yes, the Book Title is Cheesily Mentioned in the Book Several Times
This book was one of my favorites that I read for battle of the books. Unfortunately, I was not very good at answering questions about it because so much happens over the course of the book. One thing this book severely lacked was humor (as I find with many thrillers or action packed books. They can't all be Sara J Mass or Cassandra Clare). Also, if you know how to code, this book will bug you because it makes it look like hacking is extremely easy, so be warned. Do not read this book if you want something to keep coming back to over a month, it won't be as good as just powering through and reading it all in one week.
Zero Day by Jan GangseiMy rating: ❤❤❤❤
Similar books: Diplomatic Immunity (I don't know why it just feels similar. If you want a little bit a mystery, an interesting main character, and a whole lot of romance try this)
The Fixer (Also about the government, warning, the beginning was so bland I could not keep reading)
Kidnapping, hacking into complex technology, the fate of the world at stake, and a fast paced look at the US government, what more could you want from a book? (Romance of course, but guess what, this book has that too!) Addie Webster was kidnapped eight years ago, leaving her family, her best friend, and her country mourning her loss. Now her father, Mark Webster is the President of the United States and is desperately trying o fight against cyber terrorists. After tragedy strikes, Addie is suddenly returned, seeming to be the same lost little girl she had been eight years previously. But nothing is the way it seems and when the secrets start pouring out, the fate of the entire country becomes placed in Addie's hands. When I saw the cover of this book, I immediately assumed it was some historical fiction war novel that I had no interest in reading. When I actually looked at the back cover and read the synopsis I almost jumped for joy. This book hits all my book wants with a thrilling plot, tons of secrets, a little romance (I wish there was a bit more), and a contemporary setting that still feels adventurous. I also happen to love books with a political theme to them because I love government (might be why I hope to be a judge some day). I had three issues with this book. First, the characterization of Addie was done in a way that was meant to keep you asking questions about her secrets, but it wasn't pulled off. The author either needed to be more ambiguous or give Addie a slightly more relatable and believable personality, because she feels very robotic and fake. Second, the point of view was constantly changing up and we would get information from an unnamed character or the main character, or some minor character. Now this when done right (cough cough Cassandra Clare) can be a really great way to tell a story, especially if it is a series and we get lots of time for characterization of our main character. This book is a standalone and this style resulted in a lot of confusion and missed opportunities for us to relate to Addie more. Finally, while the book had a lot of twists and turns, the areas that were meant to be big shockers were easily predictable, and that made them big disappointments. There were too many hints about what was coming and that made the book a lot less enjoyable. Overall, this book was super entertaining and a fast read. I gave it four stars because despite its faults, the author got their message across and created a very enjoyable read. I would recommend this if you are in a reading slump and need a fast paced standalone to get you back in the reading mood.
Read Full List
_________________________________________________________________________________
Amazing Book Series I Need to Finish Reading Part 2
There are a lot of book series I need to finish reading! You guys really seemed to enjoy my last post about it so I decided to make a part two! (and a part three, four, and five) For those of you who have been asking for my TBR lists for each month, this kind of serves as my TBR list. I hate to be boxed in to a set of books that I have to read with a time limit because it starts to feel like homework. This is why I only take a small amount of books for review at a time otherwise I never get to read books I pick and my blog stops feeling fun and starts stressing me out. For those of you who don't know, this blog is a way for me to share my feelings on books. It is entirely for fun. I don't have adds because I am not trying to make money. This is why I am not obsessed with follower count or having a large reach because as long as at least one person is reading this blog, then I am successful. Receiving books for review is just an amazing added bonus to this fantastic hobby. So because this is a hobby the most amount of deadlines I am going to put on myself is getting up reviews for authors who sent me their books in a reasonable amount of time and posting twice a week. (or every other day in the summer) This is especially important now that school has started for me. I have only had three days of school and I already have lots of homework so my blog is a way to totally decompress and do something I love. It is a good thing too, because my friends were getting really sick of hearing my very confusing book reviews on books they haven't read at 7:00 AM before school!(Though I miss this and I won't have a chance to do it again now that I am taking a zero hour class that starts at 6:45 AM!) Getting back to the matter at hand, I make these lists of books I have not finished instead of making a TBR list and it creates a better outcome for myself. If you really need a TBR list from me then I am going to say all books that look interesting to me in the world! Now time for some spoiler free reviews!1. Talk About a Kickass Pageant Girl!
I honestly have no idea why I haven't finished this series yet. I love Rachel Hawkins and I own the last book, but for some reason I can't bring myself to read it! I guess the only thing I can say is that you know this series is good because even though Rachel Hawkins is one of my favorite authors, (I freaking love Hex Hall) when I read this book and fell in love with it, I did not see that she was the author! So I don't just love this book because I will read anything the author writes, it is actually really really good!
Rebel Belle by Rachel HawkinsMy rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Readers will adore this entertaining mashup of ancient mythology and southern belles that is Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins. Harper Price has never let anyone or anything get in her way on her path to success, especially not her enemy and school reporter David Stark. So on when some crazy weird events go down during homecoming leaving her without her crown and with insane new powers, Harper stops at nothing to figure out what is going on. But when her research leads her to being the protector of David Stark, she is ready to accept failure for the first time. As she and David start to spend more time together, Harper can't deny the growing feelings between them. There is just one problem, David might be doomed to destroy the whole world. There some things in this world that are just so satisfying to read and Rachel Hawkins writing is one of them. I love the idea of setting magical events in the south and this book fulfills everything I had hoped Beautiful Creatures would be! The adorable characters in this book remind me a lot of the non-daemon and nephilim characters in Sweet Evil. The plot line is pretty easy to follow, but definitely keeps you interested and the magic is honestly really cool. The best part is definitely the humor. Rachel Hawkins always manages to create humor in some of the most dramatic situations without poking fun at the drama. The characters have some pretty predictable character development, but they are so cute that it doesn't really take away from the story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loved Rachel Hawkin's Hex Hall series and fans of romance, fantasy, and humor!
Read Full List
_________________________________________________________________________________
Books Everyone Else Likes, But Me
We all know how fun it is to rant about the books we don't like and it turns out it is equally as fun to write about them! Today I picked a bunch of books that are popular with everyone else, but definitely are not on my favorites list. I do have to explain that the main reason I don't like these books stems from the writing and not usually the plot. All of these books have really great ideas, but the way they were written does not work for me. Please do not start to hate me because I don't like your favorite book! I mean no offense to any of you! Books can be perfect for one person and terrible for another, so just because I did not like these books, it does not mean that you will hate them! I hope you enjoy!1. What Happens When You Mix The Hunger Games, The Fifth Wave, and The Darkest Minds With Bland Writing
I read this book after a bunch of my friends told me I would love it. It took me forever to read and I only finished it because I hoped the ending would be better. The characters were super extreme and the way they act is so not how fifteen year olds are. I love dystopian novels, but this just felt like overkill. The romance also felt super forced and this is coming from someone who loves romance in every single book. Marie Lu just does not work for me. If you want an alternative to this book, try The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. Both are fast paced dystopian novels with corrupt governments.
Legend by Marie LuMy rating: ❤❤
Leaving readers confused and underwhelmed, Legend by Marie Lu does not live up to the hype. June is from one of the wealthiest families in the Republic. She has been groomed since birth for the elite military that serves her ever at war country. Day, the Republic's most wanted criminal, hails from the slums. He just wants to fight for what he believes is good. When Day becomes the number one suspect in the murder of her brother, June sets out for revenge. As June starts to hunt Day, she sees that he may not be everything the government makes him out to be. As the secrets start to unravel, June and Day must work together to discover what is really going on in their country. I really did not enjoy this book. The characters were completely unrealistic and there was no way for me to relate to them. The story was interesting, but it was really confusing and hard to follow. The setting kind of felt like a bunch of different dystopian novels mixed together. This book did come out before a lot of the other dystopian novels, but by the time I read it, I was really sick of the same type of story. When I finally finished the book, I had no desire to continue with the series. Even though I kind of wanted to see how the story ended, the writing was so bland that it totally outweighed it. I would only recommend this book to people who have already read something by Marie Lu and loved it.
_________________________________________________________________________________
They Say the Sequel is Never as Good as the First
Since I just did the amazing series I need to finish post, I figured I might as well show some books where I either plan to never finish them or I wish I hadn't. The first (Or fist couple books) I highly recommend, but the rest of the series I do not. For this post I will be including a rating of the first book, an overall rating of the series (If I finished it), and a rating for the book where the series started to suck. I would never want you to waste your time reading bad books, so here is a way to prevent that! (Also I love to rant about books so this is a win win situation!)1. Small Town Magical Romance
Beautiful Creatures was a good book with a bad ending. Instead of giving the readers what the whole story had been building up too, the author decided to have absolutely nothing happen and push everything off until the next book. Sadly the next book was so confusing that I decided not to continue. I think I got maybe 3/4th of the way through Beautiful Darkness before I realized the series was just going to keep spinning and leave the reader in the dark. Because the book does not end well, I would not recommend reading it unless you want to take on the whole series. I really liked the initial story that the author created and I wish she had stuck with it because then I would have stuck with the series.
Beautiful Creatures by Kami GarciaMy rating: ❤❤❤❤
Series rating: I did not finish the series
Where the series went wrong: Beautiful Darkness ❤❤
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia is a whirlwind of plot twists, romance, and magic that is sure to keep readers entertained until the very last page. The small town of Gatlin holds very little for Ethan Wate. He can't wait to escape both the town and the dreams of a gorgeous girl he has never met. When Lena Duchannes moves into town an aura of secrets seem to surround her. Lena holds a power that has been passed down from her family for generations and must hide it from the town of Gatlin. Lena and Ethan find themselves drawn to each other and soon feelings start to grow, but can Lena give up her secret? First off, this book might be one of the most confusing books I have ever read. While I very much enjoyed reading it, I had to reread the ending several times to understand what was happening. The romance between Lena and Ethan is fantastic! I loved how the author made it a large part of the story, but still focused on the plot. The element of magic is very important in the book and it was very different from other books I have read. I also loved the setting and how being set in a small town in the south really enriches the story. Overall this book is really good, but the rest of the series not so much. I would recommend this book to fans of romance, magic, and fantasy.
Read Full List
_________________________________________________________________________________
Top Five Recent Romance Reads
Hello my lovely readers! In my personal experience as a romance novel addict, it can be hard to find a romance that fits the mood you are in. Contrary to popular belief, all romance novels are not the same. To help you all find the romance novel of your dreams I have complied a list of five of my recent romance reads for different moods and mindsets. Each book has my rating, spoiler free review and what kind of romance novel desire it will satisfy. Happy reading!
1. Supernatural, Hot and Heavy, Good Girl Meets Bad Boy
Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins is perfect to quench your needs for a supernatural love story with a hot bad boy book boyfriend. The benefit of this book is the hot and heavy feeling to it while still remaining less mature than one might think. If you also have very strong religious views then this book is perfect for you.
Sweet Evil by Wendy HigginsMy rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Readers will be held spellbound while reading the captivating novel about the devious and heroic offspring of angels that is Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins. Good southern girl Anna Whitt is thrown face first into the world of sinful angels, nephilim, and Kaidan Rowe the extremely attractive bad boy with a startling heritage while still trying to hold on to her personal morals. Higgins’s colorful and mysterious characters keep readers intrigued and screaming at their books to know more. Higgins provides a fast paced plot and a continuous flow of conflict while also providing insight as to what really determines a person’s destiny. Anna’s constant struggle between light and dark though amplified will resonate with young adults. Readers should recognize that there is some profanity in this novel. Most fantasy enjoying teens will love both the action and passionate romance that this dark coming of age story offers. This is highly recommended for both public and high school libraries.
Read Full List
_________________________________________________________________________________
Contemporary Romantic Comedies
Some times we all just need to sit back, relax, and grab a good romantic comedy. The problem is finding the right one to fit your mood. So whether you need to dig yourself out of a reading slump or you just need to laugh out loud, don't worry I got you covered.
1. Reading Slump Killer
Anna and the French Kiss can get you out of any reading rut. Its adorable story line is easy to get into and a great way to get over another book. If you aren't in a reading slump this book is also great if you love foreign romances and Stephanie Perkins completely understands how to create the balance between romance and comedy. Whether you are in a reading slump or just love romantic comedies this book is the perfect match for you!
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Anyone looking for the perfect romantic comedy will love the adorable and hilarious romance that is Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Anna is not happy about being shipped off to a boarding school in Paris. Not only does she not know any French she also doesn't know anyone at her new school and arriving senior year is not common. But it looks like her new school might also hold the perfect guy for her, perfect except for the fact that he already has a girlfriend. Will Anna be able to get the love of her life before the school year ends? Anna and the French Kiss is the kind of book you can always come back to and enjoy it as much as the first time you read it. I love Stephanie Perkins writing style because it is so lighthearted and it just adds to the romantic feel of the book. The characters in this story are the perfect balance between easy breezy romance novel and drama filled coming of age story. They each have little quirky traits that make them feel real and I especially loved Anna's love of films. Anna and the French Kiss is something I highly recommend for young adults looking for a good romantic comedy.
Read Full List
________________________________________________________________________
Read Full List
_________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Non-Fiction for the Non-Fiction Hater
Do people ever assume that just because you like to read and you read often then you must like all different kinds of books? This seems to happen to me a lot especially with non-fiction. I have never liked non-fiction which has caused me plenty of trouble with teachers who expect me to be just as eager to read a brief guide to American History as I am to read Ender's Game. While I do avoid non-fiction like the plague there have been times when I am forced to waltz into my school library's shabby, outdated non-fiction section and try not to grimace too much as I muscle my way though a book that takes me four times as long to read as a fiction novel. In these torturous moments I have stumbled upon some truly fantastic writing that even I am able to love. So if you are trying to survive the dreaded non-fiction unit in your English class here are my favorite non-fiction novels that will hopefully get the wheels in your brain moving.
1. Hilarious Memoir that Feels like YA
I am a YA addict. I know the first step to overcoming it is admitting it so hopefully that will help me make some progress. But what do we do when we only want to read YA but we have to read some non-fiction? We pick up Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek, because the book takes place when the author is in 8th grade so the book feels like a YA coming of age novel. Jammed packed with comedy and wonderful little tidbits of advice this book is perfect for when you want to look impressive but you really just want to pick up a humorous YA coming of age story.
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Readers will find themselves laughing so hard they need to run to the bathroom in the witty and honest memoir by Maya Van Wagenen that is Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek. Maya is an eighth grade outcast at her extremely poor middle school in southern Texas. With only one friend her family moving at the end of the year would go seemingly unnoticed until Maya finds Betty Cornell's guide to popularity from the 1950's. Written in diary format as Maya shares her attempt at popularity and her commentary as she tries everything from dieting to girdles readers are pulled through a whirlwind year of using age old tricks to break down modern stereotypes. As a self proclaimed nerd, this book really resonated with me in a lot of ways. The breaking down of social stereotypes in this book was wonderful and something I can relate too as someone who is very nerdy yet still has the confidence to walk up to a complete stranger and introduce myself to them. The humor in this book was fantastic and very honest and one of the main reasons I loved it so much. The fact that this novel took place when the author was in 8th grade made this book feel less like a memoir and more like a young adult novel and I think this really contributed to my ability to enjoy this book. Overall I would highly recommend this book for middle school and high school age readers because the struggles the author faces will resonate with them.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Fantastic Fantasy Novels
1. Traditional Fantasy in a New YA World
If you are like me, sometimes you really want to read a novel with the traditional mythology for fairies, and werewolves, and vampires, but with that great young adult feel to it. Luckily for us Cassandra Clare has mastered this with the Shadowhunter Chronicles. Lord of Shadows truly encompasses this feeling especially with fairies delving the reader into the politics of the Unseelie and Seelie courts. Added bonus for series lovers, the Shadowhunter chronicles has eleven books out so far not counting short story collections and the numerous other books still being written! So buckle up fantasy lovers and prepare for the most fantastical ride of your life!
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Cassandra Clare has outdone herself yet again! Full of daemons, magic, fairies, shadowhunters, and of course romance, readers are sent on an emotional roller coaster by Clare's fantastic writing. Taking place directly after the events of Lady Midnight, Julian and Emma must face their future as life at the LA institute changes dramatically. With a new addition to the household, a new relationship, and a group of centurions inviting themselves over, the Blackthorn family has a lot to deal with, and will take readers on an adventure that will keep them guessing until the last page. Clare's ability to juggle so many characters while still giving them each their own emotional journeys makes this book and all her writing a must read. Lovers of Clare's other books will be pleased to see the appearances of beloved characters from her other novels and will be intrigued by how they play into the foreshadowing for this book and the rest of the series. Lord of Shadows is perfect for all YA fans especially fantasy and romance fanatics! I highly recommend this book and all other books in the Shadowhunter Chronicles.
(Haven't read the other books in this series yet? No problem! Just check out my spoiler free reviews tab to find my review of Lady Midnight)
The Mortal Instruments By Cassandra Clare
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Readers will be whisked away into a new world of good vs evil in City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. Clary Fray has had a typical life for 15 years with an over protective mother and her best friend Simon living in the city of New York. One night at a club she witnesses a murder she can't explain, her mother goes missing and she is thrown into the world of Shadowhunters, the mysterious guardians of humans from daemons. With the help of a inscrutable and gorgeous shadowhunter named Jace and his friends, Clary starts the adventure of a lifetime that will uncover all kinds of things about her past. Cassandra Clare takes old mythology to a new level in this book creating a very interesting read. The characters in this book have such interesting levels and connections that keep readers intrigued and guessing for the whole novel. The plot of this novel and the foreshadowing into the past is so wonderfully confusing that it makes for such an amazing read. I would say that Cassandra Clare is my favorite author of all time and the Mortal Instruments series is so fantastic! I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone! If you find that City of Bones is a little slow, stick with it! The books get much, much, better as they progress. Happy reading.
Other Thoughts
I know, I know. Its slow and the characters feel kind of cliche. But its the first book, cut it some slack! Please just appreciate everything done right in this book and know that it gets so much better!
_________________________________________________________________________________
The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Readers will not be able to put down the enthralling tale of magic, daemons, love, and humanity, that is Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. Tessa Grey has never traveled outside of New York until in 1878 her brother Nathan summons her to London. But when Tessa is kidnapped and subjected to magic she didn't know was inside her, all she can think of is her brother and how to save him. So when she is saved by Shadowhunters who are willing to help her find her brother, she is thrown into the shadowworld and the lives of the mysterious and attractive Will Herondale and James Carastairs. Their search will take them all over London and into the Pandemonium Club full of dangerous Vampires. Will they be able to save Nathan before its too late? I love this book! I mean like its my second favorite book written by Cassandra Clare, the first being the last book in this series. The story line is so fascinating and the characters are amazing in every way. The character development is fantastic and the humor is out of this world. The action starts right from the start and there is no pesky,, boring world building and instead they just throw you in which worked very well. I would say that I love this series more than the Mortal Instruments series though I highly recommend them both. If you answer yes to liking fast paced fantasy, historical fiction, romance, or humor than Clockwork Angle and the whole Infernal Devices series is right for you!
Audiobook Recommendations
I don't know about you, but I love audiobooks! Here is a list of not only great books to read, but also great books to listen to! Happy Reading and Listening!-Becca
1. Beautiful LGBT Coming of Age Story
The audiobook edition of this book read by Lin-Manuel Miranda is extremely well done. Whenever I listen to this book I always feel inspired to just sit and draw and be creative. I would recommend listening to this book when you are not doing anything strenuous. Just sit and enjoy, don't do any chores or anything. Also, if you can try and listen to this outside, especially if it is beautiful outside, trust me it will make everything even better.
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Be prepared to feel every emotion on the spectrum, because Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sánez is the most beautiful coming of age novel I have ever read. Ari is miserable. Being a teenager is the worst and summer seems to go on forever, that is until he meets Dante at the pool and makes the friend of a lifetime. Join Ari and Dante as they grow up together and learn about life, friendship, love, and all the secrets in the universe. I can not pick a favorite thing about this book because every page is amazing! The emotional journey that Ari and Dante embark on in this book is fantastic. I find that in a lot of coming of age novels the plot will fall flat, but that is the opposite in this book. While there isn't much character development for minor characters, the character development of Ari and Dante is amazing. I also love how even though this takes place in the eighties, the characters are the real stars of the book, not the historical aspect. I would highly, highly recommend this book to everyone!
Read Full List
_________________________________________________________________________________
Middle Grade Must Reads
While I primarily read young adult novels and classics, I still have some middle grade novels that I love and I want to share these with all of you! While their target audience might be for pre-teens these books can be enjoyed by all ages! Happy Reading!-Becca
Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Ready yourselves for a laugh out loud comedy for readers of all ages, because Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan might just become your new favorite book! Jake is a bad kid, who by 13, has gotten himself kicked out of every public school in Rhode Island. His grandfather has had enough of him and with his parents in jail, it looks like he is on the fast track to Juvie. That is until the Applewhites invite him to stay at their Creative Academy, the place where all of the artsy and completely crazy Applewhites are schooled. Jake is set on staying bad and getting himself kicked out, but when he forms a bond with the only non-crazy Applewhite E.D., and learns of a passion for acting, will he give in to his good side? I read this book in fourth grade and fell in love with it. This is the kind of coming of age story that you can relate to at any level and is always perfect for a good laugh. While the characters might be a little extreme, their core ideas are reflected all around us. As this is a middle grade novel, the plot is easy to follow and the book is short, but luckily the author is able to pack a great story in there and as I recently found out there are two other books in the series! I would highly recommend this book for kids from 4th grade for a challenge to 7th grade as an easy reading slump killer or before bed read!
Read Full List
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
The Wizard of Oz is not what it seems in this twisted, fantastic, and darkly romantic retelling that is Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. Amy Gumm has no desire to save anyone, but when you get pulled into a tornado into the land of Oz, its kind of hard to say no. Oz is not what it seems as Glinda the Good Witch has to use an artificial smile, flying monkeys are being executed, the yellow brick road is practically gone, and Dorthy is drunk on her own power. Amy is recruited (Kind of against her will) to the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked where she is trained for a single purpose. Dorthy Must Die. I loved the dark humor of this book! Amy is such a great character and the minor characters have such well crafted personalities that really enrich her as a character even more. I think Dorthy might have been my favorite character because of her amazing transformation from the original book. I just love how horrible she is! The plot of this book is so jam packed with action even while being a pretty normal sized book. The best part is the characters as this twisted retelling is just so well done! There is a lot of sarcasm in this book and I think it worked really well to balance out the amount of action and character growth. I would recommend this book to lovers of retellings and sarcastic, slightly dark humor.
1. Wacky Characters, Coming of Age Story
I honest to god reread this book last month during finals week and I am 16! Its so great to just calm you down and take you away from your stress for awhile. This is the kind of book you read and then you just keep on rereading and it never gets old!
Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. TolanMy rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Ready yourselves for a laugh out loud comedy for readers of all ages, because Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan might just become your new favorite book! Jake is a bad kid, who by 13, has gotten himself kicked out of every public school in Rhode Island. His grandfather has had enough of him and with his parents in jail, it looks like he is on the fast track to Juvie. That is until the Applewhites invite him to stay at their Creative Academy, the place where all of the artsy and completely crazy Applewhites are schooled. Jake is set on staying bad and getting himself kicked out, but when he forms a bond with the only non-crazy Applewhite E.D., and learns of a passion for acting, will he give in to his good side? I read this book in fourth grade and fell in love with it. This is the kind of coming of age story that you can relate to at any level and is always perfect for a good laugh. While the characters might be a little extreme, their core ideas are reflected all around us. As this is a middle grade novel, the plot is easy to follow and the book is short, but luckily the author is able to pack a great story in there and as I recently found out there are two other books in the series! I would highly recommend this book for kids from 4th grade for a challenge to 7th grade as an easy reading slump killer or before bed read!
Read Full List
_________________________________________________________________________________
Amazing Series I Need to Finish
Sometimes life gets busy and other books arrive so even though I have read the first or second book in a series I just never get around to finishing it. I really need to because so many of these books are really really good! So, here are some books that are fantastic and I need to get around to finishing their series. I hope you enjoy and actually finish all the books unlike me! Happy Reading! -Becca1. Dark Retelling with Great Humor
Around a year and a half ago I listened to this book as an audiobook and just fell in love with it. The story really pulls you in and even though the book isn't ginormous, it kind of feels like the book goes on for a really long time and I love that! I can't remember if I finished the second book or not, I don't think I did, but I actually own all the books so I really need to finish them! I have a feeling my problem was that I tried to read the second one instead of listening to the audiobook, and I really loved the audiobook version and actually reading it wasn't as good for me. This book is definitely for a certain kind of person as I tried to get my sister to read it and she immediately disliked it, as did some of my other friends. Just make sure you realize that even though the book is called Dorthy Must Die, this is not an extremely violent book. I hate gore and I'm afraid of blood so don't worry about it being to gross or anything because it isn't. I would recommend listening to the audiobook version, but I have to say I love the cover so much that I wish I had it on my bookshelf so its up to you!Dorothy Must Die by Danielle PaigeMy rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
The Wizard of Oz is not what it seems in this twisted, fantastic, and darkly romantic retelling that is Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. Amy Gumm has no desire to save anyone, but when you get pulled into a tornado into the land of Oz, its kind of hard to say no. Oz is not what it seems as Glinda the Good Witch has to use an artificial smile, flying monkeys are being executed, the yellow brick road is practically gone, and Dorthy is drunk on her own power. Amy is recruited (Kind of against her will) to the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked where she is trained for a single purpose. Dorthy Must Die. I loved the dark humor of this book! Amy is such a great character and the minor characters have such well crafted personalities that really enrich her as a character even more. I think Dorthy might have been my favorite character because of her amazing transformation from the original book. I just love how horrible she is! The plot of this book is so jam packed with action even while being a pretty normal sized book. The best part is the characters as this twisted retelling is just so well done! There is a lot of sarcasm in this book and I think it worked really well to balance out the amount of action and character growth. I would recommend this book to lovers of retellings and sarcastic, slightly dark humor.
Read Full List
_________________________________________________________________________________
Books That Made Me Cry
Have you ever felt like you just need to get a good cry in, but you don't have anything to cry about? Well boy do I have a solution for you! Just pick up any of these books and you will be in for a marathon of crying. Besides the effect they have on your tear ducts, these books are extremely well written and are a guaranteed fantastic read. Just make sure you always have extra tissues on hand! In addition to my regular spoiler free review, I have also included a rating for how much this book will make you cry. This way, you can make sure you have enough ice cream to balance out the tears!
Paperweight by Meg Haston
My rating: ❤❤❤❤
How much will this book make me cry?:😭😭😭
Readers will be shocked by this emotional masterpiece guaranteed to make you bawl your eyes out in Paperweight by Meg Haston. 17 year old Stevie has lived a hard life, and she is ready for it too end. Stuck in an eating disorder treatment center, she has lost all control of her life, and is being forced back into the state she views as fat. Worst of all, they won't even give her satisfaction of being anorexic. No, instead they call her bulimic, reiterating her knowledge of just how weak she is. But it's okay, it only has to last for 27 days, just until the anniversary of her brother's death. Then she can repent for her role in losing her brother, by giving in to the sweet, sweet, release of death. This book was so well put together. The combination of flashbacks to Stevie's life and her meetings with her therapist caused me to just cry my way through the whole book. The characters in this book were so complex, and some how, the author managed to give them the development most characters get over the course of three books, in just one. The writing in this book is very real and relatable: especially for young women dealing with body image issues. I would highly recommend this book to all young adults as it deals with so many issues that hit very close to home. This book makes you want to smile through the tears and I beg you all to read it!
Read Full List
1. What We Should be Reading During Eating Disorder Awareness Week (Part the First)
This book earns three crying faces on the scale, as you should be prepared to use up a box of tissues. Stevie's emotional journey is a roller coaster that goes from the present; to a flashback (AKA time to cry), to an interaction with another patient at the treatment center, to a therapy session (AKA also time to cry). This book is so beautifully written that I have actually decided to use it for an interpretive reading in speech and debate. (Speech and debate nerds, don't you dare steal my idea! I will hunt you down and send you a strongly worded letter!) This book truly captures how an eating disorder can completely take over a person. I have a lot of friends who are currently struggling or have struggled with an eating disorder and reading this book actually helped me to understand what is going on just a little bit more. I very much encourage young girls to read this book and hopefully it will inspire you to extend your awareness about eating disorders, as well as show just how much each of our lives are worth.
Paperweight by Meg HastonMy rating: ❤❤❤❤
How much will this book make me cry?:😭😭😭
Readers will be shocked by this emotional masterpiece guaranteed to make you bawl your eyes out in Paperweight by Meg Haston. 17 year old Stevie has lived a hard life, and she is ready for it too end. Stuck in an eating disorder treatment center, she has lost all control of her life, and is being forced back into the state she views as fat. Worst of all, they won't even give her satisfaction of being anorexic. No, instead they call her bulimic, reiterating her knowledge of just how weak she is. But it's okay, it only has to last for 27 days, just until the anniversary of her brother's death. Then she can repent for her role in losing her brother, by giving in to the sweet, sweet, release of death. This book was so well put together. The combination of flashbacks to Stevie's life and her meetings with her therapist caused me to just cry my way through the whole book. The characters in this book were so complex, and some how, the author managed to give them the development most characters get over the course of three books, in just one. The writing in this book is very real and relatable: especially for young women dealing with body image issues. I would highly recommend this book to all young adults as it deals with so many issues that hit very close to home. This book makes you want to smile through the tears and I beg you all to read it!
Read Full List
No comments:
Post a Comment