This was a really cute book to just read on my own leisure time and I did learn more things about them, but I feel like they could have focused more oThis was a really cute book to just read on my own leisure time and I did learn more things about them, but I feel like they could have focused more on themselves and their personal life rather than all of them talk about their albums and touring and stuff, because most of their fans know that kind of stuff about them.
I also feel like they could have set the book up so that one of them talks about their X Factor years and then their first album, second album, etc. because it got a bit repetitive and they all have about the same feelings on the subject.
I particularly enjoyed Harry's section just because it felt so much like him. He's so positive, and I could hear every sentence in his voice.
I also like how Zayn talked about his personal life more than anyone else I think, and same with Liam. I learned a lot about Liam and gained some respect for him.
Overall, if you like One Direction this is a nice book with high quality pictures in it. (including baby pictures)...more
The good thing about this one is the addition of more POVs. That means less Grace and Sam fawning over each other the whole book.
But other than that, The good thing about this one is the addition of more POVs. That means less Grace and Sam fawning over each other the whole book.
But other than that, it's about the same thing except the roles are reversed. Now we get to see how Sam copes with Grace in the woods and him longing for her. Well, it was kind of sad but also kind of pathetic. Kind of exactly like Grace was without Sam.
Then, when the climax of the book finally hits, it's just so short lived. So the book was like 95% boring, slow, and sappy, then like 20 pages maybe of some sort of action.
Although I don't love Isabel and Cole and don't see them making my favorite couples in books list, they are a step up from Grace and Sam, so I'm hoping there's more of them in the last book....more
YEP, this one is still staying on my faves shelf, SORRY NOT SORRY. Even as a not-young adult anymore, this is so fun yet so intense.Post re-read 2024:
YEP, this one is still staying on my faves shelf, SORRY NOT SORRY. Even as a not-young adult anymore, this is so fun yet so intense. The writing does try hard to be something new and fresh, but I can look past that because it is such a beautifully intertwined story with flawed yet real characters. I think this is a super important book for YAs to be reading still because it covers so many topics that may be forefront in their lives: questioning orientation, divorce, jealously, charting your own course, etc. My only complaint is the ending was a little too hunky dory for a book that had so much grief and strife, but I digress.
ALSO side note that anyone who has read this book should listen to Vanilla Twilight or the Saltwater Room by Owl City both of them remind me of Noah and Brian at different parts of the book. Oh boy.
The characters in this book are some of the best I've read. Like ever. And I've read a lot of books and encountered even more characters. I loved Oscar probably the most. Okay, I admit, he did screw around with people's feelings a lot which I didn't dig, but he was so dreamy and cute, I could picture him exactly, and that's always how I picture my dream boyfriend.
Noah is a close second. Noah was so likable, I didn't hate him once. I know I should have because Jude and him both made their own mistakes, but he was so adorable and I just wanted to hug him constantly.
Boy, when I bought this I didn't even read the description, I liked how the title made me feel and it looked happy so I bought it. I was expecting a book about the summer and like beachy and stuff like that, but it's so much more than that. There is a beach, but damn, I didn't think it was going to be that complex. There is no description of this book that is going to prepare you for what you're getting into.
I was amazed in the way that Nelson could make all of the characters have something to do with one another, it just amazed me and shocked me because once it hit me that all of them connected somehow, I had to set the book down and be like, wait, what just happened?
The writing style is one of those things that you're either going to love or hate. I personally loved it. It was unique and it really added something to the book. I especially loved Noah's "self portrait" things; they really made you understand him better and feel more for him.
I was just expecting a fun cheesy read to take a break from science fiction, and I was taken to this amazing world with amazing characters and wow, I will have to re-read this sometime, because I feel like I'll catch more stuff the second time I read it. It's one of those books that there's never a dull moment. Don't skim. Read this from front to back....more
All I can give this book is that it has some beautifully written parts and I guess Stiefvater tried to give werewolves a bit of spin.
Other than that, All I can give this book is that it has some beautifully written parts and I guess Stiefvater tried to give werewolves a bit of spin.
Other than that, the characters annoyed me, some parts just made me cringe, and it was just kind of strange. Okay, a girl falls in love with a wolf. Emphasis on just wolf. She didn't know it was a werewolf until later on. So that's just kind of strange. This put a damper on how I felt I felt during all the romance scenes, which was like 90% of it.
And even though I did enjoy the beautiful poetic writing at some parts, there were times when I literally cringed or had to put the book down with the little songs that Sam wrong. Or there were parts where the description of something went on for so long that I just started skimming.
I remember I loved these books when I was like in 7th or 8th grade. I thought they were so good and Grace and Sam were like my goals but now I guess I've just grown out of this type of book. If you liked Twilight and were all for Jacob and were so disappointed by Bella's choice, then maybe you should pick this up and just change Sam's name to Jacob and Grace's to Bella because it's literally just a romance novel about a weird couple....more
I thought this was just going to be one of those books where the wife disappears and the husband always was the one that killed her. Well if that's whI thought this was just going to be one of those books where the wife disappears and the husband always was the one that killed her. Well if that's what you're expecting, you're wrong.
There were so many twists that my opinion of the characters and the whole book kept switching and I had to set the book down and think "Whoa. Did that really just happen?"
I actually disliked all of the characters. That's what I liked. I'm pretty sure that Flynn wanted you to hate the characters, especially Amy and Nick. That's the point of the book.
Wow, as I was reading I thought Amy was the mastermind behind her well working brain, but it's Flynn really. How did she think of this dynamic plot with crazy twists and good side characters and wow.
I have mixed feelings about the ending. I know, I know, it was a fine ending, and I don't know how else she would have ended the book, but it just bugged me. Something bad is obviously going to happen. And it just made me irritated that the whole book...I don't want to spoil anything. I'll put this as a spoiler. (view spoiler)[It just irritated me that the whole book Nick was being accused of killing his wife when Amy doesn't get anything, actually everyone loves her, when she is freaking crazy and no one picks up on the big holes in Amy's story about what happened when people find holes in Nick's story when that's what actually happened! (For the most part) I wanted Amy to get some type of punishment. Nick almost went to jail and got the death penalty and had to stress about that for months, so I think he's good. Amy gets her way and lives happily (wrong word) ever after with Nick when she doesn't deserve it at all (hide spoiler)]
I have so many feelings, I have to end it here....more
Francesca is forced to switch to a different school and she doesn't like it at all. She misses her old "friends" and doesn't think things will ever geFrancesca is forced to switch to a different school and she doesn't like it at all. She misses her old "friends" and doesn't think things will ever get better at school. Then things get even worse when her mom slips into a depressed stage and won't get out of bed. Francesca doesn't know who to turn to and doesn't know who to blame for the drop in her mother's mood.
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Things I liked:
1) Thomas
I just love him as a character. He's the type of guy I'd most likely fall for in this book. That's probably why I liked The Piper's Son a bit more than this one. Jimmy was cute too.
2) Friendships
I liked how all of the "outcasts" came together as a group of friends. Cute scenes with them.
Things I didn't like:
1) Too many characters
I know from reading The Piper's Son that Marchetta puts a lot of characters in her books. It's overwhelming and would improve her books a ton if she just calmed it down a little. (sorry)
2) Boring
This book just made me want to put it down. It was the same thing over and over again. Mopey Francesca and her friends and her hanging out.
3) Will
Um, Will didn't even like Francesca at all at the beginning and then BAM he kisses her and she's like oh I love him. Like what just happened? Didn't feel a connection with that relationship at all.
4) Repetitive
I know this kind of goes with the boring one, but I felt like I was reading the same scene at times. Just sitting on the bus or going for a walk in the park or talking to the principal. Over and over again. Ugh.
5) Friendships
I had a love-hate relationship with the friendships. I couldn't tell why some of them were even friends they were so mean to one another! And then I was like ok, Francesca and Siobhan are best friends, and then no, her and Justine are best friends. Like Francesca was just so off and on. I don't know how to describe it.
AND she was constantly talking about her Stella friends, when from the beginning it was obvious they weren't actually her friends. She was constantly saying "I should call up my Stella friends" or "my Stella friends didn't call" like please..
Overall...
I'm surprised that this book has as high as reviews as it does. I understand it might hit home for some people with depression being the overall main subject, but I just didn't get it....more
Penryn is just trying to keep her family alive until one day her sister, Paige, is swooped up out of her wheelchair by an angel. Penryn teams up with Penryn is just trying to keep her family alive until one day her sister, Paige, is swooped up out of her wheelchair by an angel. Penryn teams up with another angel named Raffe in hopes of him helping her find her sister. It doesn't help that her schizophrenic mother is out there, and everywhere they turn there seems to be new obstacles.
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1) The concept
Usually I absolutely despise books revolving around angels, but this one was different. I don't know what it was about this one that kept me reading and didn't frustrate me.
2) Action-packed
As most angel books are ruled 75% romance 25% this one is 75% action 25% romance. Maybe even less romance than that. I really appreciated that, and it really helped add to the semi-realistic nature of the story.
3) Main character
I loved Penryn, for a change. She handled things well without being annoying, and I loved her loyalty to Raffe. It may seem unrealistic until you realize how gorgeous he must be? Who wouldn't throw themselves into the line of fire for him?
4) Raffe
Raffe is the kind of guy I would immediately fall for. Like I don't even blame Penryn for being low key allover him. He was sarcastic and always there for you (haha)
Things I didn't like:
1) Ending
The ending had so much going on and it kind of just seemed like the whole book was pretty slow and them just heading to the aerie, and then everything happens. It just hit me pretty hard, and I had to read a couple pages a couple times to even understand what was going on.
I understand that Ee was trying to go for a twisty ending, but it was really just kind of weird and confusing. Maybe they will clear up the ending in the second one....more
I'm just going to go ahead and rate each story because I don't really know how to write a summary of each without giving stuff away since they're so sI'm just going to go ahead and rate each story because I don't really know how to write a summary of each without giving stuff away since they're so short!
1. Midnights: 5/5 Very cute, one of the only stories where the "couple" had a history, and Noel was so adorable and Mags reminded me of myself which I liked.
2. The Lady and the Fox: 2.5/5 This was a really weird story and I didn't feel much of a connection to the couple(s?) . Actually both made me uncomfortable.
3. Angels in the Snow: 3/5 It was kind of cute, but things went so fast that it just seemed kind of unrealistic to me.
4. Polaris Is Where You'll Find Me: 2/5 It was sad really, and the ending just made things sadder. Didn't make me feel jolly like it should have.
5. It's a Yueltide Miracle, Charlie Brown: 3.5/5 I've been seeing so many 5/5s for this story but I just thought that it was kind of weird how the girl liked the guy for his one character trait (trying not to give anything away) and the chemistry between them went from 0 to 100 real quick I felt like...
6. Your Temporary Santa: 3.5/5 I liked the couple a lot, you could really feel the devotion. I was a bit confused as to why Lana was such a brat though.
7. Krampuslauf: 1/5 Just..weird. I didn't feel anything with the characters other than a bit embarrassed.
8. What The Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth?: 4/5 I loved the characters and their connection and relationship development and the coming to understand one another.
9. Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus: 2.5/5 I thought the way that the characters helped one another become better people was nice, but didn't really like the plot all too much. Kind of bored me.
10. Welcome to Christmas, CA: 5/5 I loved Ben and the plot was very complex and interesting for such a short story.
11. Star of Bethlehem: 4/5 I found it kind of unrealistic with the whole airport thing, but it was unique and a happy story about finding yourself.
12. The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer: 1.5 Ugh, I didn't think I was going to finish this one. It was so not my style and I felt uneasy half of the time. One thing that especially irked me was when she was just narrating and said "can you guess which?" not in dialogue, just in a normal paragraph describing something. I didn't like it at all.
Overall, some of these stories really helped me to get more into the Christmas spirit, but a lot of them I just wondered why they even let them be published into this book....more
Brewster, called Bruiser at school, has a secret that he can't let anyone discover. This hidden part of his life prevents him from making as many frieBrewster, called Bruiser at school, has a secret that he can't let anyone discover. This hidden part of his life prevents him from making as many friends as he would like to. Instead, he puts up his walls and won't let anyone in, and for that reason, people think he's strange and make fun of him.
Then, he meets Brontë and they start dating. Soon, Brontë thinks that it would be good to help Brew make more friends. Big mistake.
Tennyson, Brontë's twin brother, plays lacrosse, which is actually a pretty rough sport that Tennyson usually leaves bearing a few bruises. Until Tennyson starts to notice his bruises fading quicker than they probably should be.
Something's up, and even though Brontë and Tennyson are beginning to realize what it is, will they be able to stop taking advantage of Brew's secret?
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Things I liked:
1) Brewster
How could you not like Brewster? He's a good brother, good boyfriend, good friend. Actually ended up crying a few times for him.
2) Switching POV's
I'm really glad they did this, especially with Brewster's little brother, Cody. It was vital that they include him so you get an insight of how Brew's uncle is. I also likes how Brew's parts were poetic. Although it was a little tough for me to read at times, I really liked how Shusterman incorporated that part of his character.
3) Characters symbolic
I kind of felt like every character was a little symbolic. I don't know how to describe it, but I really liked how each character felt differently about the situation and I could kind of place a word to them. (view spoiler)[Like for me, Tennyson was dependent, Bronteë was ignorant, etc. (hide spoiler)]
4) Unique
I've never read a book about this kind of thing before, and it's just amazing some of the ideas that pop into Shusterman's brain, but I love it. He just has such a intriguing way of looking at human nature.
Overall..
This book is one of those books that is going to stick with you and makes you think about life. The characters are all important, the plot is well executed, and the writing is, of course, well flowing and easy to lose yourself in....more
Ponyboy is a smart and creative fourteen year old boy who lives with his brothers Darry and Sodapop. He also has a group of friends including Steve, DPonyboy is a smart and creative fourteen year old boy who lives with his brothers Darry and Sodapop. He also has a group of friends including Steve, Dally, Two-Bit, and Johnny. They are known by other people as "greasers," and their arch-enemies are a group of more high class boys called Socs. The Socs are constantly jumping the greasers any chance they can get, while the greasers just want to be left alone. Ponyboy's life seems like a predictable repetition each day, until a series of events happen all in one night that change all of their lives' forever.
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Things I liked:
1) Characters
I love Sodapop, I wish I had a friend (or boyfriend...) like him in real life. I also liked Dally and Two-Bit. Steve I didn't care for as much, but I felt a connection to the whole Curtis family in general though.
2) Message behind book
I like how the whole point is, a person isn't considered something until the idea that they are under a certain name is revealed. Like no one would really think that Ponyboy is a greaser and gets in rumbles with the Socs unless they were told that. I just love that whole message, I don't think I've ever read a book with that as the message.
3) Author
I don't usually do this but I just read the interview/questionnaire thing in the back of the book and it really opened my eyes to how anyone can write any book whenever they want and it can get insanely successful. I also like how she based it off of real life experiences but didn't really use her friends in real life as the inspiration for the characters, she just made up her own.
4) Writing Style
I like how The Outsiders seems like one of those books that is going to bore you to death because it's one of those books that they force you to read in school, but it doesn't go on and on about things that don't matter. It describes the characters very thoroughly, but I feel that is necessary for you to properly appreciate the characters. I can read this book really quickly, and I would have read it faster if I had more time and I didn't have so much schoolwork.
5) Short and sweet
You see so much today how people stretch out books just to make them more pages, but this book doesn't need any more pages. It ended at the perfect time and if Hinton stretched it out, it might lose its appeal.
Things I didn't like:
1) Portrayal of Dally
As I mentioned above Dally was one of my more liked characters, and I just felt that the whole book Pony was like "I never really liked Dally.." meanwhile Dally was there for him so often and seemed like a genuine person that just got caught up in the wrong crowd. Just kinda disappointing because I get the feeling that people don't really finish the book feeling sad about what happens to Dally.
Overall...
This book is one of the better classics I've read, and it is one of those books that kind of sticks with you, and you feel the need to read every once in a few years or so. ...more
The insomniac narrator of this book is pulled under the wing of intriguing Tyler Durden. With the help of Tyler, Fight Club is created. Fight Club is The insomniac narrator of this book is pulled under the wing of intriguing Tyler Durden. With the help of Tyler, Fight Club is created. Fight Club is a place where men who are fed up or bored with their lives can come and have a form of release.
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Fight Club is riveting, to say the least.
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started this book. My friend recommended it to me and I knew the general idea of it, based on the name and what I've heard about the movie, but I didn't know it was going to be how it was.
It's such a deep novel. I saw it was around 200 pages and thought I could finish it fairly quickly. I was wrong. I had to reread things most of the time and set it down and think about things for awhile. It's a very symbolic novel and I guarantee if I read it again, I would find new things to place symbols to.
I thought the plot of this book was so out there and unique and I especially liked reading the Afterword from Palahniuk at the end. It was really interesting to read about his reason behind writing Fight Club and the reactions it received.
I figured out the plot twist pretty early on. I don't know if it was supposed to be easy, but I sort of had a hunch the whole book. But it wasn't that disappointing because it was still cool.
I really liked all of the characters. They were all really well formed throughout the book. I'm excited to watch the movie and see how it compares to the book....more
While this was originally my favorite in the whole series, I think that the first one is now my favorite. I felt like that one was the perfect length,While this was originally my favorite in the whole series, I think that the first one is now my favorite. I felt like that one was the perfect length, perfect introduction, and perfect ratio of problem/solution. THINGS CHANGE, okay? I still consider this series to be one of my favorites of all time but I'm definitely a more critical reader and reviewer than I was years ago, and I don't think there's a series out there that deserves five stars across the board.
I found a lot of...lazy writing, I guess. I don't know what else to call it. I don't think that Neal Shusterman is a lazy writer by any means, but there were parts that made me feel a little put off. There were so many problems throughout the whole book, and a few of them were fixed with a quick sentence or couple of sentences. Also, I thought that there needed to be more elaboration on the setting of Divan's unwind room. There is so much time spent focusing on character's inner monologues that really important things are kind of brushed under the rug.
I also found Una's character transformation slightly unrealistic, and I'm kind of still irked about it. (view spoiler)[I mean I understand that sometimes you love someone and just project hate cause that's how you DEAL but I don't feel like that's the deal here. (hide spoiler)]
Other than that though, I think that the ending was pretty perfect. I liked how it wasn't a Happily Ever After but also wasn't super depressing. After reading four books, you want to leave the series feeling like the journey was worth it, and I think that Neal Shusterman succeeded with this feat. I don't think I'll read this series again because let's face it, I'm getting older and I don't want to outgrow this series anymore. Plus, I've already read it like 4 times. I think I will eventually just grow tired of the story. Still wish I could go back and read the whole story for the first time again....more
Looking back, I remember this book being my least favorite in the series. While there are good advancements throughout the story for each character, iLooking back, I remember this book being my least favorite in the series. While there are good advancements throughout the story for each character, it feels very Starkey and Argent-oriented, and I would have definitely preferred to hear more about Connor, Risa, and Lev. It just felt like it could have been shoved into a different novel because the only really ground breaking part is the ending.
It feels like Neal Shusterman is always creating people who absolutely hate Connor. It started with Nelson, then Roland, then Starkey, then Argent. Not only do these people dislike him, but they also have to gain great power so that they can use that against him. It got to the point where you feel like Connor HAS to die with so many people coming for his throat and if he made it out alive, it would be beyond unrealistic. I just don't know why he has to have so many antagonists directed at one characters.
I did find Risa's character development a little disheartening, especially when it was obvious she was just trying to make Connor jealous of Cam's feelings for her. Connor literally has the world on his shoulders and doesn't need to be thinking about whether you're kissing Cam. However, I did really like Lev's progress in this story. I know it may seem like he's going off the rails, but I think that he was always a weird kid and now he's just working through it.
Anyway, I didn't by any means dislike this book. I love the whole series because of the characters and unique synopsis. I just don't think that any of the books are as strong as the first book because characters just keep being added to the point where characters names are lost on me and don't really have an impact on the reader. The plot itself definitely adds some things to the story and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat just like all of the other installations. Neal Shusterman knows how to write evil characters that make you worry for the good characters that you love....more
I remember when I read this the first time I liked it even more than the first one, but I think my opinions have changed a little bit. Although UnwindI remember when I read this the first time I liked it even more than the first one, but I think my opinions have changed a little bit. Although Unwind is still one of, if not my favorite book series of all time, I am trying to be more critical in my ratings, especially for the individual books in the series. Although Unwholly is fantastic, I feel that it didn't keep my interest as much as the first one, and there were some pacing issues.
There are characters added in this story that I didn't really feel the need for, specifically Miracolina. I would forget she was a character until her POV came around again. I feel like she was added just for a love interest for Lev, which I don't find necessary at all. Also, Starkey is an okay character, but I don't think that he has any redeeming qualities and is just completely evil, and I haaaate completely evil characters. I understand his reasoning behind favoring storks, but he goes about it in the worst ways possible and it's just dumbfounding.
Also, I think that Risa as a character changes a lot during this book, and I don't know if that's necessarily bad...I just think that her feelings towards Cam change like the weather and I know this continues into the third book too and I'm NOT ready. Connor is really doin' the most, and Risa lowkey makes things even harder on him, and it's frustrating because I love her so much as a character. Like, just listen to her:
“How many kids are in the Graveyard?" "A bunch." "Who sends your supplies?" "George Washington. Or is it Abraham Lincoln? I forget." "How often do you receive new arrivals?" "About as often as you beat your wife.”
I think that the pacing is a little bit off in this one compared to the first one because there were parts when I was extremely bored, and then at the end when the battle at the Graveyard happens, I thought that scene was super underdeveloped and rushed. I had a hard time keeping track of the action and who was where (it was also 1 in the morning, so that could have been part of it). However, I don't recall ever feeling bored by the first book, so I think that Shusterman might have overextended himself with the length of this one.
Although I don't like Risa with him, I do love the addition of Cam as a character. I guarantee no readers were expecting that, and he is definitely an interesting addition. I don't like how he immediately latched on to Risa and basically ruined her life, but I do think that he is a flawed character with redeeming characteristics. I know that he continues to annoy me into the next book, but he ends up being good with me by the finale.
Just because I'm taking down my rating doesn't mean I still don't love this series. I'm just trying to go through my favorites and make sure they actually deserve to be there. I feel like a lot of people love one book in a series and feel like they have to follow suit with the rest of the series, but that's not true. I will definitely be finishing this series because the finale is absolutely stunning....more
Funny, but the Bill of Life was supposed to protect the sanctity of life. Instead it just made it more cheap.
This has to be the third or fourth or
Funny, but the Bill of Life was supposed to protect the sanctity of life. Instead it just made it more cheap.
This has to be the third or fourth or fifth time I've reread this book, and I still haven't outgrown my love for it..don't think I ever will. I needed a comfort read during finals week, and I know this doesn't seem like the most comforting concept, but the characters and the story itself captivate me and make my heart happy. The review I wrote for this in 2014 was far from perfect, and this perfect book deserves more, so here goes nothing:
Unwind is a story that may seem far-fetched on the surface, but actually holds some validity. There is basically a second civil war over abortion, the two sides being those who are pro-life and those who are pro-choice. Eventually, they come to the decision that Unwinding would be a good solution to the problem. When a child reaches the age of thirteen to eighteen, their parents can decide to have their child dismantled and have their parts put to better use. For example, a runner who needs new knees, or a photographer who needs new eyes. Although this may seem a little bit...almost so unrealistic that it's comical, it's really not that far-fetched. This book was published in 2007, and abortion continues to be such a controversial issue that I wouldn't be surprised if there was some drastic measures taken. Probably not unwinding, but still.
From the get-go, this book is seamlessly flawless. It introduces us to our three main characters and their different situations which help us to understand unwinding. Connor Lassiter has found out he is being unwound, and he decides that he is going to run away with his girlfriend, until she tells him that she won't go with him. Risa lives in a state home where she practices piano, hoping her skills keep her alive, until one day she is told that she is to be unwound. Lev is a tithe, which means that his whole life he has been told that it is his destiny to be unwound. He is relatively excited for the procedure until Connor takes him as hostage and changes his perspective on the whole thing. We learn a lot about this whole world through the first chapters of each of these chapters. Genius.
I kind of adore the friendship between all three of these kids, and I know that I get really sad when there are less and less chapters for them as the series goes on. As more and more characters get added and the plot thickens, the characters get ripped apart for long periods of time, which is kind of sad, but also this series is a very dynamic story, and I understand the need for added characters and perspectives. Anyway, the slow burn of all of the relationships is amazing. They don't become BFFs immediately, and nobody falls in love immediately. This is hard to come by in YA.
Speaking of romance, I absolutely adore Connor and Risa. You'll probably see me talk more about this in all of the reviews for this series because they always got me feeling a certain type of way. Their love doesn't feel forced and they continue to steal my heart (and break my heart) throughout the entire series. I mean they raised a freaking baby together in the first book and had to work together to stay alive. Their love is pure, and they will forever be one of my top OTPs. As much as I love Connor and want him to be my boyfriend, Risa is perfect for him and I respect it.
It is such a fast paced story, and I couldn't put it down. I read it in three days, and this was also during my first finals week in college when I was studying a bunch and feeling super stressed. That just shows how addicting the story is. I know that I've read this book a good number of times, but I feel like I'm always learning something new each time. There's a reason this book is at the top of my favorites list. It has to be my second favorite series of all time, and I don't think that I'll ever outgrow that. Go read it if you haven't...more
It was hard enough for Cassie to survive the first four waves, now the 5th wave is really here and the ability to trust is put at an even lower bar thIt was hard enough for Cassie to survive the first four waves, now the 5th wave is really here and the ability to trust is put at an even lower bar than it was before. The Others have been planting bomb-type devices in the throats of children, and who couldn't trust a child?
The Infinite Sea picks up with Cassie, Sam, Ben, and the rest of the crew minus Evan in a hotel infested with rats. It switches points of view between Ringer, Ben, Cassie, and Evan, and tells you a little bit about the back-story of Poundcake.
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Things I liked:
1) Back-stories
I always love back-stories but I also hate them with a passion. I like them because they make you understand characters more and why they are the way they are but it also grows an attachment between you and that character. (you'll see what I mean when you read this)
2) New characters
I liked the new characters because they added conflict/plot to the story. (I especially liked Razor/Alex until...) *sigh*
3) Ringer
There was a lot of Ringer in this book, and I appreciated that. She's really growing on me once I heard her story and all that. I like her attachment to Teacup even though they have a love-hate relationship. She's also just a really strong character and page 278 broke my heart forever.
Things I didn't like:
1) Not Enough Evan
I love Evan if that isn't clear and I really wish there would have been more about him and what happens to him towards the second half of the book. I missed that adorable romantic.
2) Some parts confused me
I may just be dumb, but some parts I was like "wait, what?" which happened to me once or twice in the first book but in this one I think it happened more. It was mostly just because of the setting or the quickness at how something happened that threw me off I think.
Overall..
It was a good addition to the series and I'm so excited for the third (final?) book to come out. I need to know what happens to all of these characters because I kind of love them all. (except Vosch..) ...more
One of my favorite female protagonists! Nowadays all authors try to make the female character strong and brave, whA strong 4.5
Things I liked:
1) Cassie
One of my favorite female protagonists! Nowadays all authors try to make the female character strong and brave, which Cassie is. But the thing about Yancey's main character, she admits to being scared. (who wouldn't be?) But in books like Divergent, they make the girl out to be this fearless character which isn't all that realistic because I see how they're trying to make girls out to be braver than people think we are and all that, but everyone is scared of something.
2) Evan
Ughhhh, Evan makes me swoon. As weird as it is....I just love the way the author describes him, he sounds just like my dream guy, and he's such a sweetheart. Definitely one of my favorite male characters too.
3) Yancey's descriptive writing
I love Yancey's writing style. It's so descriptive to the point where you literally know exactly what is going on directly in the book and around the character, but not to the point where you're like ugh when will this boring descriptive writing end?
4) The way everything falls into place
Damn, it blows my mind just how much time it must have taken Yancey to decide how to make all the characters come together at the end..I just love that feeling when characters don't know, but also know, each other throughout the book and come together at the end of the book. It's so exciting to me.
5) Cliffhanger
I loved this cliffhanger. I usually hate them, but this one felt like it was needed for the book to end. It's not like everything is going to be happy and fine at the end, there are freaking aliens taking over the world.
Overall....
I can't even think of anything I don't like about this book...all of the characters are so well written and developed and they all are important to this adventure that Yancey is taking us on.
I'm about to start the second in the series, The Infinite Sea, and I'm nervous but also excited because this book is a flawless book and I just hope the second one is up to the standards I have for The 5th Wave....more
We Were Liars centers around a girl named Cadence Sinclair Eastman. Every summer, she goes to Beechwood Island with her mother to see her grandparentsWe Were Liars centers around a girl named Cadence Sinclair Eastman. Every summer, she goes to Beechwood Island with her mother to see her grandparents, aunts, and cousins. The ones she spends the most time with there are Johnny, Mirren, and Gat. Mirren and Johnny are her cousins, while Gat has no relation to the Sinclairs.
A sort of love begins to spawn between Cadence and Gat. In the summer of fifteen, something happens to Cadence that causes her to have head trauma and can't quite remember what happened that summer. No one is telling her anything, and Cadence wonders if she'll ever truly find out the truth of what happened to her, and why everyone on the island is acting so strangely.
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Things I liked:
1) Lockhart's writing style
I don't think I've ever read a book by her, and I found that I really like the way that she writes. (sometimes it annoyed me when she spaced the words like this making it seem like a poem or something?) but I guess it was for dramatic effect.
The thing that made up for that was the little side stories written in italics. I found them interesting and a nice recap on how Cadence was feeling.
2) Plot twists
These may have been the best plot twists that I've ever experienced. Just when you think you have everything figured out...you most likely don't.
3) The way everything kind of clicked together
The whole reason behind the plot twist made sense and if you think something seems weird as you're reading it, it is most likely cleared up at the end.
Things I didn't like:
1) The Characters
It's hard to be in love with a book when one or a few of the characters annoy you. Gat annoyed me. Cadence annoyed me. Mirren and Johnny didn't annoy me too much, but that makes sense since the book didn't focus around them.
Most of the grown ups annoyed me too simply because they acted like bigger children than the four Liars.
2) Unanswered questions
There were a few things that at the end I still felt could have been concluded/explained better.
3) Too many characters/locations
I groan every time I open a book and see a character chart or, in this case and, a map. I know that things are going to get complicated. Otherwise the author wouldn't feel the need to include either. There were times when I had to set the book down and literally strain my brain the think about who someone was or why they were significant. I just like a handful or characters, not an armful.
Overall..
I liked this book more than I expected I would. I felt that it was pretty unique and had a plot twist that made me set the book down while I rant to my friend before proceeding to reread the last chapter or so. It reminded me a bit of Jasper Jones (one of my favorites) because of the mystery and shortness, although I like Jasper Jones more due to the lack of romance and less characters to keep track of....more
This book is in between 4 and 5 stars for me..I'll decide when I reread it again in the future, but for now: 4.5
When Seth wakes up in a strange place This book is in between 4 and 5 stars for me..I'll decide when I reread it again in the future, but for now: 4.5
When Seth wakes up in a strange place with no signs of life, he's confused and scared out of his mind. Especially considering the fact that he remembers drowning. And dying. As he explores the world, he begins to think that it's hell. He's wound up in hell all by himself with no electricity. How fitting.
But in More Than This, everything you think, is most likely wrong.
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Things I Liked:
1) Philosophical
Damn, that book had so many underlying themes. Just a couple: nothing is certain. The eyes see what the eyes want to see.
I could probably list more if I thought about it, but it's 1 AM at the moment..
2) Characters
You feel a connection to all of the characters immediately. Except for the relatively evil ones...Tommy was one of my favorites. He reminded me of my little cousin so much but sweeter! Ness made him so real with the way he talked and the way that he had a connection to Regine and Seth.
3) Creepiness
There were times when I literally got goosebumps and had to turn more lights on...mainly because of The Driver and some of the little stories and suspenseful parts. I loved it though. Just the right amount of creepy.
4) Uniqueness
Once again, Ness brings forth another brilliant story line. I don't know how he does it. I can just tell though how strongly that Patrick believes in multi-worlds and reincarnation (maybe?)
Things I Didn't Like:
1) Ending
I just wish it would have continued! More than anything I wish it would have continued just because I loved Tommy so much and I don't want to think about..well you'll find out if you read it.
On the other hand, I think that it left room for thought and made you realize how uncertain everything is.
Overall...
This book changed the way I think of things a little bit I think. There were times when I was like "what?" and I still had a little bit of a "what?" mindset after I finished, but I think that's what Ness wanted! I really want to read it again..like right now, but I'll give it a year or so and come back and hopefully understand it 100%. All I know is I flew through it and I enjoyed reading it....more