Okie dokes, I'm going to put a list of recent reads & re-reads. These are all recent (after Christmas I bought most of these) so yeah. I'll probably be editing this post once it's done b/c I'm bound to forget one.
New Finds:
Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan: Okay so I liked this book BUT their was a lot of unnecessary boob talk. It was about how large her chest was and about boys imagining touching it, etc. It was just awkward. Otherwise the book was actually quite decent. The loner "freak" girl gets partnered up with the most popular boy in school -- they have a past which neither one has forgotton about -- and you get the idea. Oh, I forgot to mention Kristi (the main girl) can read minds.. so yeah, it's a great little twist to the book. I know whenever I was asked "if you could have any superpower what would it be?" and I would say "well to read minds or to fly, duh".... with this book you see the downside of being able to read the minds of those around you. Ex: Misinterpreting what someone's thinking. All in all it was a cool concept and I liked Kristi's character and putting myself in her world (so to speak). And I REALLY enjoyed that Kristi was a bitch. A downright bitch until she realized it was wrong. The character is just a screwed up kid and I know I can relate to that, ha. You also got a real sense of highschool again and I really enjoyed that the school wasn't a typical highschool but a more of a "free spirit, one with your surroundings" type of learning deal.
Ratings: 4 out of 5 -- the boob talk was totally over-the-top and didn't add to the plot.
The Pretty One by Cheryl Klam: This was probably one of my most favorite finds! Two sisters, one totally gorg & the other the ugly ducking, at the same school (an artsy one where you have to audition to get in(except for the techies)). Short Summary: The older sister (the pretty one) is best friends with her younger sister and gets her to go to the school dance. Younger sister goes into the bathroom and older sister and her friend go in and start shit-talking about the younger sis. Low and behold Megan (the younger sis) comes out of the stall and runs out of the school and gets hit by a car, thus destroying her face. Lucy (the older sis) feels uber guilty but Megan, with tons of surgeries, gets her face back but better - she's now just as gorgeous as Lucy. Lucy in turn becomes jealous of Megan and Megan is just trying to figure out where she fits in this "new" world of beautiful. Generally all this pretty "uppity uppity" stuff wouldn't be my type of read but this was just wonderful. The characters were SO well developed and you truly felt like you were experiencing the changes with the characters.
Ratings: 5 out of 5 -- I really did like this.
Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen: I'll start off by saying I love Sarah Dessen, always have & always will, and I was quite surprised by this book. Her books always have some sort of sadness to the backstory but this was for some reason a lot more real to me at least. The main character Ruby has an alcoholic for a mother and basically has raised herself and keeps things going for the both of them. Then her mother is nowhere to be found and the people who own Ruby's home find out she's been living alone with no running water or anything and they send her to go live with her older sister Cora and her husband Jamie. Ruby thought that Cora just up and left her & her mother but in turn it was that her mother lied to Ruby about Cora trying to get ahold of them, the same with their father. So their relationship is a bit rocky at first until Ruby realizes Cora never abandoned her the way she thought. Throw in a hot next door neighbor, a private school, some abuse, and a chance at a new life and you've got yourself a winner in my opinion. Like I said, I feel like every one of Dessen's books have a bit of "learning from past mistakes" or "letting go" etc etc and although this one had that as well, it felt a bit different. The sisters find out their mom is in rehab and they don't know what will happen next.. idk. I know that's a reoccuring theme in her stuff but it just felt so much more heavy this time. Maybe I find it more relatable then a summer love and it's possibilities but yeah.. I love all of her work regardless.
Ratings: 5 out of 5 -- I may be biased here with her material but she always pulls me in
Uglies, Pretties, Specials by Scott Westerfeld: This is actually a four book series but I'm in the middle of Specials right now. The fourth book is Extras which has been purchased already but not read yet and I'm sorta on the fence about it because it really isn't apart of the Tally's story but we shall see. Anywho, my bestest friend recommended this series a long time ago but I never got around to them -- dumb move on my part cause they're great! At first it was a bit of a slow read for me but I did get really into them. Tally Youngblood is the main character of the books and I liked reading the book from her perspective. The jist of the story is this: Our time is over because we were stupid and then this new age is here and you go through phases: littlies (I may have spelled that wrong), being an ugly, being pretty, middle pretty, and a crummy. On your 16th birthday you become a pretty -- which is when they re-shape you and make you gorgeous (this way everyone has equal opportunities) and life is basically a huge party until you become older or pick a career. I can't say too much on this because then it gives away too much info but trust me.. it's a great read. There's running away, bff drama, crushes, The Specials (who are kinda like the CIA/FBIto our times), trouble, tricks, etc. It's really great.
Ratings: 4 out of 5 -- just because I'm not done yet. I will re-evaluate this at a later date, ha.
Re-reads:
The Hunger Games & Catching Fire: Can I just say how excited I am for the third book? I re-read these often because they're so great. It's another story about our world/time is over and they new government created 13 sections and each section has their own jobs for the Capitol (where the President and rich people live). Every area is poor and there are only 12 sections left b/c 13 revolted and lost and they destroyed them all. The hunger games were created to remind the people of the remaining sections that you can never win against them and that you will be punished. For the hunger games each area (except the Capitol kids) has a drawing where one male and one female are picked to go into the games. There's 24 total kids sent and only one person can come back the winner. A lot of the families are poor and if you put your name in more than once you can earn (I forget the name of the stuff.. starts with a "t" - tessenerea or something like that, I'll look it up later). So yeah, a lot of the poor kids put themselves in a lot to earn this stuff for the families. Katniss (the main girl) has hers in loads but it's her sister Prim (who has her name in once) who gets picked. Katniss goes in for her and a boy who did a kind deed for her goes in as well, his name is Peeta. I'm NOT going to say anything more because it's just too good and you should go read it NOW!.
New Finds:
Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan: Okay so I liked this book BUT their was a lot of unnecessary boob talk. It was about how large her chest was and about boys imagining touching it, etc. It was just awkward. Otherwise the book was actually quite decent. The loner "freak" girl gets partnered up with the most popular boy in school -- they have a past which neither one has forgotton about -- and you get the idea. Oh, I forgot to mention Kristi (the main girl) can read minds.. so yeah, it's a great little twist to the book. I know whenever I was asked "if you could have any superpower what would it be?" and I would say "well to read minds or to fly, duh".... with this book you see the downside of being able to read the minds of those around you. Ex: Misinterpreting what someone's thinking. All in all it was a cool concept and I liked Kristi's character and putting myself in her world (so to speak). And I REALLY enjoyed that Kristi was a bitch. A downright bitch until she realized it was wrong. The character is just a screwed up kid and I know I can relate to that, ha. You also got a real sense of highschool again and I really enjoyed that the school wasn't a typical highschool but a more of a "free spirit, one with your surroundings" type of learning deal.
Ratings: 4 out of 5 -- the boob talk was totally over-the-top and didn't add to the plot.
The Pretty One by Cheryl Klam: This was probably one of my most favorite finds! Two sisters, one totally gorg & the other the ugly ducking, at the same school (an artsy one where you have to audition to get in(except for the techies)). Short Summary: The older sister (the pretty one) is best friends with her younger sister and gets her to go to the school dance. Younger sister goes into the bathroom and older sister and her friend go in and start shit-talking about the younger sis. Low and behold Megan (the younger sis) comes out of the stall and runs out of the school and gets hit by a car, thus destroying her face. Lucy (the older sis) feels uber guilty but Megan, with tons of surgeries, gets her face back but better - she's now just as gorgeous as Lucy. Lucy in turn becomes jealous of Megan and Megan is just trying to figure out where she fits in this "new" world of beautiful. Generally all this pretty "uppity uppity" stuff wouldn't be my type of read but this was just wonderful. The characters were SO well developed and you truly felt like you were experiencing the changes with the characters.
Ratings: 5 out of 5 -- I really did like this.
Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen: I'll start off by saying I love Sarah Dessen, always have & always will, and I was quite surprised by this book. Her books always have some sort of sadness to the backstory but this was for some reason a lot more real to me at least. The main character Ruby has an alcoholic for a mother and basically has raised herself and keeps things going for the both of them. Then her mother is nowhere to be found and the people who own Ruby's home find out she's been living alone with no running water or anything and they send her to go live with her older sister Cora and her husband Jamie. Ruby thought that Cora just up and left her & her mother but in turn it was that her mother lied to Ruby about Cora trying to get ahold of them, the same with their father. So their relationship is a bit rocky at first until Ruby realizes Cora never abandoned her the way she thought. Throw in a hot next door neighbor, a private school, some abuse, and a chance at a new life and you've got yourself a winner in my opinion. Like I said, I feel like every one of Dessen's books have a bit of "learning from past mistakes" or "letting go" etc etc and although this one had that as well, it felt a bit different. The sisters find out their mom is in rehab and they don't know what will happen next.. idk. I know that's a reoccuring theme in her stuff but it just felt so much more heavy this time. Maybe I find it more relatable then a summer love and it's possibilities but yeah.. I love all of her work regardless.
Ratings: 5 out of 5 -- I may be biased here with her material but she always pulls me in
Uglies, Pretties, Specials by Scott Westerfeld: This is actually a four book series but I'm in the middle of Specials right now. The fourth book is Extras which has been purchased already but not read yet and I'm sorta on the fence about it because it really isn't apart of the Tally's story but we shall see. Anywho, my bestest friend recommended this series a long time ago but I never got around to them -- dumb move on my part cause they're great! At first it was a bit of a slow read for me but I did get really into them. Tally Youngblood is the main character of the books and I liked reading the book from her perspective. The jist of the story is this: Our time is over because we were stupid and then this new age is here and you go through phases: littlies (I may have spelled that wrong), being an ugly, being pretty, middle pretty, and a crummy. On your 16th birthday you become a pretty -- which is when they re-shape you and make you gorgeous (this way everyone has equal opportunities) and life is basically a huge party until you become older or pick a career. I can't say too much on this because then it gives away too much info but trust me.. it's a great read. There's running away, bff drama, crushes, The Specials (who are kinda like the CIA/FBIto our times), trouble, tricks, etc. It's really great.
Ratings: 4 out of 5 -- just because I'm not done yet. I will re-evaluate this at a later date, ha.
Re-reads:
The Hunger Games & Catching Fire: Can I just say how excited I am for the third book? I re-read these often because they're so great. It's another story about our world/time is over and they new government created 13 sections and each section has their own jobs for the Capitol (where the President and rich people live). Every area is poor and there are only 12 sections left b/c 13 revolted and lost and they destroyed them all. The hunger games were created to remind the people of the remaining sections that you can never win against them and that you will be punished. For the hunger games each area (except the Capitol kids) has a drawing where one male and one female are picked to go into the games. There's 24 total kids sent and only one person can come back the winner. A lot of the families are poor and if you put your name in more than once you can earn (I forget the name of the stuff.. starts with a "t" - tessenerea or something like that, I'll look it up later). So yeah, a lot of the poor kids put themselves in a lot to earn this stuff for the families. Katniss (the main girl) has hers in loads but it's her sister Prim (who has her name in once) who gets picked. Katniss goes in for her and a boy who did a kind deed for her goes in as well, his name is Peeta. I'm NOT going to say anything more because it's just too good and you should go read it NOW!.
♥
No comments:
Post a Comment