Book Review: In the End by Demitria Lunetta

My Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Plot: The thrilling conclusion to In the After, the survival story of Amy and Baby, set in a near future where Earth has been overrun by vicious, predatory creatures. It’s been three months since Amy escaped New Hope, and she’s been surviving on her own, like she did in the After. Until one day, her former fellow Guardian’s voice rings out in her earpiece. And in a desperate tone, Kay utters the four words Amy had hoped she would never hear: Dr. Reynolds has Baby. Now it’s a race against time, for Baby is in imminent danger, her life threatened by the malevolent doctor who had helped start the end of the world. In order to save Baby, Amy must make her way to Fort Black, a prison-turned-survivor-colony, where she will need to find Ken, Kay’s brother. He alone holds the key to Baby’s survival. One small slip-up on this quest could spark a downward spiral that would not only cost Baby and Amy their lives, but threaten the very survival of the people in the After

My Thoughts: I was sort of let down by this book. I was looking forward to this for so long, and when I read it, the wow factor just wasn't there for me. The time in Fort Black seemed to d r a g o u t, but once Amy and Brenna escaped and the action really picked up, I flew threw the book. I loved Jacks and Amy's relationship. He just seemed right for her, and I think that if Demitria writes another book they would probably end up together. I was a little confused about how Baby just randomly knew who Amy was when, four chapters earlier, she had no idea who Amy was. Unless she was faking it. I just really hope they write another book because I HAVE ALL THE QUESTIONS.

Review: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

My Rating: ★★★½

Goodreads Plot: Where there's a will, there's a way—and Sam Westing has left quite a will!

One fateful day, sixteen people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will. To their surprise, the will turns out to be a contest, challenging the heirs to find out who among them is Westing's murderer. Forging ahead, through blizzards, burglaries, and bombings, the game is on. Only two people hold all the clues. One of them is the Westing heir. The other is you!

My Thoughts: (I rated this book 4 on Goodreads because they don't have half-stars and I didn't want to under-rate it) It took me a while to get into this book. The format was weird, and I was in sort of a funk when I started it. But I'm so glad that I finished it, because the twist at the end made it totally worth it. There were a lot of characters in this book, so it was hard to keep track at first, and I found myself getting confused a lot with who was who. It wasn't a great book, but it wasn't horrible either.

Review: A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin

My Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Plot: The summer Hattie turns 12, her predictable smalltown life is turned on end when her uncle Adam returns home for the first time in over ten years. Hattie has never met him, never known about him. He's been institutionalized; his condition involves schizophrenia and autism. Hattie, a shy girl who prefers the company of adults, takes immediately to her excitable uncle, even when the rest of the family -- her parents and grandparents -- have trouble dealing with his intense way of seeing the world. And Adam, too, sees that Hattie is special, that her quiet, shy ways are not a disability.

My Thoughts: This book was really sad! I wasn't really expecting to like it because it's a book for preteens, but it was actually very good. It was very funny, and very true-to-life. I would've liked to hear more about Hattie's friend from the circus (her name escapes me and I don't have the book any more). But overall it was really good, and one I'd probably recommend to my younger sisters for a light, easy read.

Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars (on goodreads I rated it a 4, because I can't choose 3.5 but 3 seems too low)

Plot: Charlie writes a series of letters throughout the course of his freshman year of high school, where he explores himself, friendships, relationships, and the strength of his family. This book touches on many issues that teenagers face, some of which get ignored or hushed up because they're controversial.

My Thoughts: I liked it. Then I hated it. Then I decided, "You know what? I'm not going to read this. Why should I read a book I don't like? Just because it's popular doesn't mean I have to like or read it." Then I went to work and opened my Kindle up to this book and decided to give it another go and finished it within a couple of hours. It was a good book, but it wasn't particularly great like I was expecting (thanks, Tumblr). I feel like I can relate to Charlie on so many levels, but at the same time, I don't understand how or why he works the way he does. I think that's kind of the point though. I wish I'd known about this book when I was younger. I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more.

Review Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson

My Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Plot: When the love of Katie's life, Matt, leaves her, he leaves behind a diary. This diary is written by his former wife, Suzanne, to their infant son, Nicholas. Suzanne tells the story of how she met Matt and about their relationship and having Nicholas. Katie is torn between hatred and love, worrying about this other family while hating what Matt has done to her.

My thoughts: The movie was better. I hate it when people say this. It makes my skin crawl. But I did not like this book. James Patterson needs to stick to writing suspenseful books.

Review: Son (The Giver Quartet #4) by Lois Lowry

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Plot: Claire is a Birthmother. Her purpose in life is to birth three newchildren, and when she is done with that, she will be placed somewhere random in the community. When her first birth goes terribly wrong, she is placed at the fish hatchery; but she feels incomplete without her son. She makes it her mission to reunite with her son, even when a string of events make this seem completely impossible. She will do anything it takes to get her son back, even if it means risking her life.

My Thoughts: This book as an individual unit is amazing. I love that it was split nicely into three parts. I love that it connects the other three books to make the series come full circle. And I love that it ends with a happy ending. At first when part two started, I thought I would lose interest, but I kept reading and I loved it so much. Minus .25 of a star because I have so many unanswered questions. If you haven't read the first three books in The Giver Quartet, do so, and then read this book. You will not regret it.

Review: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Plot: (Without giving anything away because this is a must-read) Biographer Margaret Lea is called upon by renown, mysterious author Vida Winter to write her biography. Margaret is thrust into the story of the March family, where she is captivated by the tale of twins and the lives they led in a town where no one quite understood them. All the while, Margaret is facing memories of her own, and together she and Vida Winter come to terms with who they are.

My Thoughts: Oh. my. gosh. This book. This book. Wow. Oh my gosh. From start to finish, this book is a page turner. I didn’t want it to end, and I really feel like I know the characters intimately. I feel completely satisfied with the ending, and I would recommend this book 10000%. There is not a single thing I can comment negatively on.

Review: Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Plot:Katie moves to Southport with a large bucket of secrets, determined to be left alone, but that changes when she meets Alex, the owner of the store where she shops, and his two children.

My thoughts: This was a good book. I flew through it. I couldn’t put it down. I constantly wanted to know more about Katie’s secrets, and the last hundred pages or so flew by. I’m not usually one for lovey-dovey books, but I think that this book is fantastic, and maybe even intense. The twist in the last chapter probably could have been wrapped up a little better, but it ended the story nicely

Review: Allegiant (Divergent Series #3) by Veronica Roth

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Spoiler-free plot: (Kind of hard but I will try) Tris and Tobias, and their friends, learn the truth of what it means to be Divergent or not Divergent. Stuff happens. People die. I really cannot talk about the plot without spoiling so I’m not going to.

My opinion: I. loved. it. I was waiting to hate it and throw it across the room and be pissed off at Veronica Roth for what she did, but it. makes. sense. It was sad. So incredibly sad. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t cry my eyes out, and then go stand under the shower numbly for a half hour after finishing the book. But it was good. The ending was rushed though. I feel like it just stopped. Which I guess kind of makes sense, but I was hoping for a little more closure, which is why I didn’t give it five stars like I had originally planned. Anyways, it’s a good book. Read the whole series and cry along with me.

Review: The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth

My ratings: Divergent: 4.5; Insurgent: 5; Allegiant: 4.5; Overall: 4.5

Spoiler-free plot: Beatrice learns that she is Divergent, and that Divergent is very dangerous. When a government official decides to do something about these Divergent citizens, things happen. Vague inserty stuff because I can’t actually really say anything that happens after this without giving anything away so yupp.

My opinion: Before reading this series, I wasn’t sure if I liked dystopian books, or mainstream literature. Apparently, I do. These books are incredible. Roth writes so well that you forget you’re reading a book. It feels so real, and maybe because it could happen some day. I was reading at the speed of light whenever I picked the book up to read, but I also put off finishing the series because it was so good and I was so attached and I didn’t want it to end. These books are phenomenal. Now we can only hope the movies don’t screw them up.