Category: Young Adult

The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer By: Michelle Hodkin

12/3/2013

The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer By: Michelle Hodkin
Synopsis: Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.

Alright.... Its review time! I bought this book at the beginning of July because I had heard quite a few good things about it. The next day I had to leave town for family matters and when I returned, I couldn't bring myself to read it. Finally a couple nights ago I convinced myself to try it and I'm very happy I did. This book was funny, romantic, and very creepy. Mara Dyer, the main protagonist kind of frustrated me and at times I was a little confused but I still really enjoyed it. 4/5 stars.

****** DO NOT READ ANY FARTHER IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIS BOOK******

Ok, I LOVED the way this book started and I continued to love it until I reached the 60% mark. The beginning was sooooo creepy and it made me really want to learn more about Mara and her history. The fact that she survived the collapse of that building and none of her friends did was really sad to think about. I could also relate to Mara because I have gone through a situation like she did with Rachel and Claire, going from having a friend to becoming the awkward third wheel.

When Mara and her family moved to Florida and school started I just knew that there was going to be a romantic boy who want to fix her, blah blah blah. And boy.... although it was so predictable I loved Noah and Mara together! Im a totally sucker for the whole cliche romance: bad-boy goes good-boy for the new girl in town. I loved how the two of them were always bickering and Noah's humour was hilarious. I also really liked Jamie. (why am I always ready books in which the characters have the same name as me??....*shudders*) I thought he was really nice so I was really upset when Mara started ignoring him and when he got expelled, I wish we got to know more about him as a person. He was just trying to be nice and give Mara advice about Noah based on past experiences. It frustrated me because after Jamie was expelled, Mara didn't try very hard to get in touch with him and it never said anything about what happened to him. Also it never explained much about Anna and if Mara's Spanish mark ever got changed.....

I thought Mara's ability to kill people was really cool and I loved how throughout the book you never knew if what she was seeing was real or just something she was imagining. It was so creepy.
The point in the book that confused me though was when Noah showed up at her window to tell her that her brother was kidnapped. I get how it all played out in the end with Noah's abilities but in the moment is was really abrupt. It just seemed weird. Also when they find the buildings in which her brother is being held captive in, Noah asks Mara which building they should check first and she just so happens to choose the one he was in and no one saw them. It just seemed to convenient.

After that it started to get better which I was happy about, until the courthouse scene. I get why Mara would want to kill the guy who kidnapped her brother etc. but I didn't get where the mom of the victim came from and how Mara's dad was shot. Maybe I missed something? Im not sure but I was really confused. The other thing that made me really mad was when she went to the police station to turn herself in. She didn't think about what it would do to Noah and I knew right away that she was going to get placed in a crazy house. I must admit though, I was kind of surprised when she saw Jude though. I wish it would have been Rachel or Claire instead just because I hated Jude so much but it was an interesting twist to the story.

After reading the first chapter of the 2nd book I'm very excited to find out what happens. There were some flaws and scenes in which I was confused but I still really enjoyed it.

Happy reading nerds and sound off in the comments with your opinion and perspective on this book.

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Fallen By: Lauren Kate

11/28/2013

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Fallen By: Lauren Kate
Synopsis: There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce – he goes out of his way to make that very clear. But she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Luce has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret...even if it kills her.

Alright.... Its review time! This review will be fairly short because I don't have much to say about it and there will NOT be any spoilers so don't worry if you haven't read it! Any-who, I was aimlessly wandering the isles at my local Target when I came upon some books that where on sale. Fallen was marked down to $2.99 and even through I had heard some mixed things about this book I thought I would give it a try so I bought it. Plus the cover is absolutely gorgeous! I finished this book last night and to be honest I didn't really enjoy it.

I felt like it had a solid start and an interesting story line but as the book progressed it made less and less sense. At the beginning I liked both of the main guys (Cam and Daniel) but after a while they both started to irritate me because Cam was too clingy and Daniel was always "hot and cold". Also the main character Luce was kinda dumb in my opinion and she wasn't a very consistent friend. She kept ditching all her friends and her family to chase after Daniel. That was really frustrating because she wasn't very loyal. Also one of the biggest turn offs for me was the ending. It explained NOTHING! I was left completely and utterly confused! For a supernatural YA fiction novel to be successful and enjoyable the reader has to at least know what was going on!

I don't really recommend this book. It was a fast read and had a few good romance scenes but nothing special in my opinion! Id give it 2.5 stars! Happy reading nerds and sound off in the comments with your opinion on this novel!

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The Mortal Instruments By: Cassandra Clare

11/27/2013

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The Mortal Instruments By: Cassandra Clare
Book #1: City Of Bones
Book #2: City Of Ashes
Book #3: City Of Glass
Book #4 City Of Fallen Angels
Book #5: City Of Lost Souls
Book #6: City Of Heavenly Fire (not yet released)
City Of Bones Synopsis: When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Alright.... Its review time! I started this series about 2 years ago and since then I have become a HUUUUGGGEEE fan of these books. And when I say I'm a HUUUUGGGEEE fan I mean absolutely crazy, jump up and down screaming, read them all 4 times obsessed! These books are my favourite series ever!! Cassandra clare is such an amazing author, her writing style is so descriptive, her characters are so complex, and her dialogue is laugh out loud hilarious! I can't wait wait for more from Cassie Clare, frankly I would read her grocery list! Her books are so easy to lose yourself in and the story is so unique. These books will stick with me forever! If you have not read these books you haven't lived... I don't know what else to say! They are a total must read!!!!!!!!

****** SPOILER ALERT DO NOT READ ANY FARTHER IF YOU HAVE NEVER READ ALL OF THESE BOOKS******

Cassandra Clare, in my opinion, is probably one of the best authors ever. Her world building is crazy good and her Shadowhunter world is like no other. The idea of a race of people who have magic tattoos and kill demons is really entertaining and there are so many possible stories that could be created and formed from that concept. Also Clare's characters are one of my favourite aspects of her writing. Her characters are so complex and unique. Each person has such a distinct personality and look that it would be impossible to confusing one with another. I feel as if I know and understand each character on a personal level! In addition, her dialogue is just hilarious, especially Jace!:) These books had me LOLing and ROFLing page after page and for days after I had completed them! But not only can Clare writing the funny, light hearted parts but she can write words that are so beautiful that you will be bawling for days. Some of her cliff hangers and romantic scenes.... I may never fully recover from.

Now.... let us talk about some characters.....

Jace Wayland/Morgenstern/Herondale/Lightwood is just the most beautiful guys ever! He is by far my favourite YA male character. His sarcasm and wit is crazy hilarious, even when he says the wrong things at the wrong times:) Also as the books progressed you discovered more and more about him. You discover the reason behind the cocky and arrogant attitude and why he pretends that nothing can bother him. Sometimes that broke my heart. Plus.... he is TOTALLY GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!...... *cough* Any-who.... from the moment Clary and Jace met you could feel the romantic tension between them and if was so obvious they were falling for each other. At the end of City Of Bones when Valentine tells Jace and Clary that they are brother and sister I knew he was lying. It made no sense, but Clary and Jace believed it. It wasn't until the end of City of Glass that they found out that they weren't bro and sis and they realized how much they loved each other. The one chapter at the end of CoG in which Jace professes his love to Clary had me in tears. To hear Jace completely open up to her and tell her how he felt broke my heart, it was the moment I had been waiting for for 3 books!

"There is no pretending,” Jace said with absolute clarity. “I love you, and I will love you until I die and if there’s a life after that, I’ll love you then.”

“I love you, Jace Wayland—Herondale—Lightwood—whatever you want to call yourself. I don’t care. I love you and I will always love you, and pretending it could be any other way is just a waste of time."

Also when Valentine stabs Jace through the heart with that sword.... I cried and cried! Thank god he survived. My life would have been over.

Wow... I could go ON and ON about Jace but let us move on to Clary.

Clary Fray/Fairchild is probably one the strongest and most powerful female YA heroines I have ever read about. You can see her change and become more confident and independant as the story progresses. She makes a huge transition from a timid 16 year old who likes to paint to a powerful young woman who knows how to put up a fight! I would love to steal Jace from her but she would totally kick my butt.... :( Haha! Her and Jace are just adorable together and their playful bickering is something that I will always find amusing! Simon and Clarys relationship is amazing and so sweet, I wish I had a best friend like Simon!

The last character I will talk about in-depth is Simon Lewis, Clary's best friend. In the first 2 books Simon bothered me only because he was getting in the way of Clace :) Once Simon got together with Izzy and Clace become a real thing I started to warm up to him a bit and now he is actually one of my favourite characters. After rereading TMI a couple times over, I gained more respect for Simon as a character and I realized what a vital role he plays in the story and how funny and amazing he really is. The whole nerd thing is really attractive!:) Im actually really envious of Isabelle... and just like Clary she would also beat me down if I went after Simon... *sniff*

These books are magnificent! The romance and relationships are so captivating and beautiful. FAVOURITE BOOKS EVER!!!!! I CAN NOT wait for the 6th and final instalment of this series, City Of Heavenly Fire. This novel is set to release May 27th 2014! :( Why haven't time machines been created yet????? :'(

Happy reading nerds and sound off in the comment section below with your opinion and perspective on these books!

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The Fault In Our Stars By:John Green

11/25/2013

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The Fault In Our Stars By: John Green
Synopsis: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Alright.... Its review time! I actually read this book at the end of July and since then have reread it multiple times. It one of my absolute favourite books so I believe it is necessary that I write a review. If you have not read this book I legitimately have no idea what you are doing with your life! The following contains SPOILERS so if you have no read TFioS yet go read it and then we can cry together!

****** SPOILERS DO NOT READ ANY FARTHER IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIS AMAZING SPECIMEN OF A NOVEL******

This book.... is one of those rare books that changes your perspective on life and death. John Green is a phenomenal author.
Hazel Grace is a 16 year old girl with terminal cancer who attends Cancer Kid Support Group. As depressing as her life was Hazel finds comfort in books and Americas Next Top Model. :) And then Augustus Waters comes into the picture. Hazel was drawn to Augustus' humour, wit and his perspective on life and so was I. Struggling with past cancer repercussions as well, Gus and Hazel begin to fall in love.

Augustus was a true gentlemen. When he read An Imperial Affliction and he began texting Hazel about it, I remember giggling and smiling constantly because I knew where the story was going. Watching them fall in love was the sweetest thing ever and when Gus offered to use his wish to take Hazel to visit Peter Van Houten in Holland I was so happy for them. Their visit with Mr. Van Houten wasn't exactly ideal but their journey and time together was beautiful. Definitely one of my favourite YA couples. Sadly, while their trip progressed you could pick up on little things Gus would say and do that hinted that he was in pain and uncomfortable. Thats when he told Hazel his cancer had come back.

Every time I read the line:

"I lit up like a Christmas tree, Hazel Grace"

I burst into tears. I imagined something like one of their deaths was going to happen but actually reading it caused me to lose it. I cried throughout the rest of the book.

Reading about Gus' slow death was heart breaking and something I highly doubt I will ever fully recover from. The part when Gus tries to go to the gas station to get cigarettes totally broke my heart. Throughout the book you become familiar with the confident and almost "untouchable" Augustus but at that particular part you begin to see his beliefs and will to live break and crumble.
The most amazing part of the entire book in my opinion was Gus' eulogy. Isaac's and Hazel's speech had me laughing and crying. This quote is probably my favourite from the entire book:

"My name is Hazel. Augustus Waters was the great sat-crossed love of my life. Ours was an epic love story, and I won't be able to get more than a sentence into it without disappearing into a puddle of tears. Gus knew. Gus knows. I will not tell you our love story, because-like all real love stories-it will die with us, as it should. I'd hoped that he'd be eulogizing me, because there's no one I'd rather have..." I started crying. "Okay, how not to cry. How am I-okay. Okay."

I took a few deep breaths and went back to the page. "I can't talk about our love story, so I will talk about math. I am not a mathematician, but I know this: There are infinite numbers between 0 and 1. There's .1 and .12 and .112 and infinite collection of others. Of course, there is a Bigger infinite set of numbers between 0 and 2, or between 0 and a million. Some infinities are bigger than other infinities. A writer we used to like taught us that. There are days, many of them, when I resent the size of my unbounded set. I want more numbers than I'm likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful."

Even writing this review caused a huge cloud of sadness to descend upon me so I am off to eat chocolate and watch some Dancing With The Stars!:)
If you have not read this book I HIGHLY recommend it!

Happy Reading nerds and sound off in the comments with your perceptive and opinion on this book!!!

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Forward>>

The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer By: Michelle Hodkin

Fallen By: Lauren Kate

The Mortal Instruments By: Cassandra Clare

The Fault In Our Stars By:John Green

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