Wednesday, February 17, 2016

How To Love


Written by Katie Cotugno.
I read this book in July of 2014. I had written a review and would like to share it here.

I really liked the way this story was put together. The main character really spoke to me considering I have had to go through some of the things she did, like the loss of a friend. Some of the writing was sloppy to the point that it actually bothered me.

(spoiler paragraph?)

Take this passage in particular:
"How's your dad?" "Okay, I think. Soledad says okay." I squat down so that we're at eye level, voice quiet so we don't wake up the baby. "Whatcha doing?"...(10 sentences later)...I shrug. "My dad's okay," I tell him. "For now, at least." Sawyer smiles. "Soledad on the phone?" I nod.

This bothers me because at the beginning of this passage she tells Sawyer her dad is okay because Soldad told her he was. Then the author reiterates it in almost exactly the same way.
There was no need for that.

Over all I would suggest this book because I feel like the story can hit home to a lot of people

There Will Be Lies



This book was written by Nick Lake.
I read this book in March of  2015.
Overall I probably wouldn't tell someone about this book. On the other hand, If someone came to me and asked if they should read it I would probably say yes, but to be prepared for something totally different.


My thoughts on this book can be summed up in two phrases: (1) WHAT!!!??? (2) Plot Twist!
The blurb on the book does not really explain what this book is about FYI, Although the title gives you a hint not to believe anything.

****SPOILER ALERT****
I loved the way this book was written. E.g.
"And... it seems that in girl books there's always some description of the girl so you know what she looks like. I mean, I have seen myself in mirrors, obviously. But okay, you tell me what you look like.
Not so easy, is it?
But, fine, to get it out of the way: I have brown hair. I have eyes. I have a nose, and a mouth. My mom says I'm beautiful, the most beautiful girl in the world, but she would say that, wouldn't she? I guess it's possible I'm pretty. I'm five-five. One hundred and fifteen pounds. Athletic, you could say.
Okay?
Moving on." (pg. 12, 13)
See what I mean? She doesn't bother to tell us that she is deaf until page 84, which I thought would have been helpful to know. It helps explain why her mom is so worried about her watching for cars and why the subtitles are always on the TV, etc.

This book has a dream world and a real world, and for the longest time I absolutely could not figure out what they had to do with each other. The main character is Shelby.
In the dream world there is a crying little girl that Shelby has to rescue. I figured out the little girl was Shelby as soon as we found out that Shelby was taken from a hospital when she was three (pg. 250), not when this happens:
"But PLOT TWIST:
The child was me." (pg. 425)

I knew there was something up with her "mom" when she suggested they ride in a car with a complete stranger. Finally the author reveals that Shelby's "mom" stole her from a hospital.
"This is my mind right now:



That's it. Just blank. Just white, like snow" (pg. 250, 251)
And that is exactly what happened to me. It was like a bomb went off in my head. I literally had to stop reading, a book has never done that to me before. I stopped for at least 10 minutes and had to think back through the whole book and think about all the subtle hints.


Possession Trilogy



These books were written by Elana Johnson.
I read these in May of 2015, I had written small reviews for each of them and would like to share them here.
I would definitely recommend this series to anyone and everyone, especially if you are a fan of distopia.

Possession

This book was a little difficult to get into, but about 1/4 of the way it captured me. The last half of this book is just a whirlwind. I loved it. It's probably one of my new favorite books.

Surrender

I loved this one as well. I had kind of guessed about Thane, and I was right. Although I'm not sure if I believe it. Lyle still confuses me though.

Abandon

This book gave me way too many feels. 
It had a little too many war tactics and whatnot for my liking, but it was needed. such an amazing book.

Shatter Me Trilogy



Books written by Tahereh Mafi
I read these in May of 2015, I had written small reviews for each of them and would like to share them here.
All in all. these were great books that I think everyone should read, and they should be made into movies.

Shatter Me

New spin on dystopia. It created new superhero's.

Unravel Me

I liked this book more than the first. 

*SPOILERS*

I kind of hate Adam in this book, while feeling bad for him at the same time. He is also kind of being stupid. but so is Juliette. I mean come on if he can control his power so that he won't get hurt he should be able to touch her. I do understand her concern though.

I hated Aaron Warner in the first book, but loved him in this one. I really want him and Juliette to end up together. 
The whole thing about Anderson, Adam, James, and Warner being related was crazy, I did not see that coming. 
I felt like some of the romantic parts drug on a little bit, but still loved it.
I love that it's like a superhero book but not in the typical way.


Ignite Me

I really enjoyed this book.
A must read, amazing finale to the series.
Kenji and James are my favorite characters.
I love who Juliette ends up with.

*SPOILERS???*

Adam is kind of a dick. I really hated him in this book, but it resolves well. 


Crewel World Trilogy




This trilogy was written by Gennifer Albin
I read these books in June of 2015 and had written small reviews for each of them and would like to share them here.
To start off I honestly wouldn't recommend these books to anyone, so unless you are dying to read them, I suggest moving on to something else.

Crewel

The concept of this world was a great idea, however it was not explained well enough for me to fully picture it in my head.

Altered

This book had a fantastic mystery going until it was finally solved.

*SPOILERS*

I HATED how the scientist was Albert Einstein. You can't mix a made up world with the real world it just throws everything for a loop in my brain, especially when this book takes place in the future. 
I liked how Adelice was the whorl, I honestly didn't see that coming until after they met Albert Einstein.


Unraveled

This was by far my favorite book in the trilogy.

*SPOILERS*

I hated how almost every character I cared about dies in the end. I understand killing off a few people but at the end of this book  there were at least 5, not to mention her "dad' Benn, and countless others through out the trilogy. I hated that she killed Erik and left Jost, it should have been the other way around. I understand keeping Jost because of Sabrina or whatever, but couldn't Erik and Adlice have raised her?
I was not a fan of Adelice in this book. I felt like she let Cormac walk all over her. Even in the end she only kind of kills him instead of taking him out altogether.  Then she ends up with Jost. Like "oh hes good enough. He is Erik's brother after all" I HATE that. If you're going to kill Erik leave Adelice with no lover, she doesn't have to end up with someone, she has Aimee.