Review: The Safest Lies

TITLE: The Safest Lies
AUTHOR: Megan Miranda
PUBLISHER: Crown Books for Young Readers
PUBLICATION DATE: 5/24/2016
FORMAT: Hardcover
PAGES: 368
SOURCE: Library
















MY RATING: 

SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS): Kelsey was raised to see danger everywhere. Her mother hasn't set foot outside their front door in seventeen years, since she escaped from her kidnappers with Kelsey growing inside her.

Kelsey knows she's supposed to keep a low profile for their own protection, but that plan is shattered when she drives off a cliff and is rescued by volunteer firefighter and classmate Ryan Baker.

A few days later, she arrives home to face her greatest fear: her mother is missing. She and her mother have drilled for all contingencies--except this one. Luckily, Ryan is as skilled at emergency rescues as Kelsey is at escape and evasion.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I absolutely adored this book and have been recommending it to everyone. The premise of a kidnapped woman who escaped and is now living with her teenage daughter grabbed my attention and made me want to read the book. Then, once I started reading I became even more hooked. The story line is fast paced and exciting with nonstop action. I flew through this book in just a couple of sitting and I loved every minute of it. This is definitely one to pick up if you're looking for a quick read to get you out of a reading slump.

CHARACTERS: I did enjoy this characters, but this book is definitely more plot driven than character driven. I like the main character, Kelsey. She was thrown into this world and taught to fear everything by her mother, and once she is on her own, we see her struggle with how to handle things.

COVER: The cover is fine. Nothing super fantastic, but it does portray the feeling and atmosphere of the book.

Review: Violent Ends

TITLE: Violent Ends
AUTHORS: Shaun David Hutchinson, Kendare Blake, Steve Brezenott, Delilah S. Dawson, Trish Doller, Margie Gelbwasser, E.M. Kokie, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Tom Leveen, Hannah Moskowitz, Elisa Nader, Beth Revis, Mindi Scott, Neal Schusterman, Brandon Schusterman, Courtney Summers, Blythe Woolston, Christine Johnson
PUBLISHER: Simon Pulse
PUBLICATION DATE: 9/1/2015
FORMAT: Hardcover
PAGES: 352
SOURCE: Library

INSIDE COVER BLURB: It took only twenty-two minutes for Kirby Matheson to exit his car, march onto school grounds, enter the gymnasium, and open fire, killing six and injuring five others.

But this isn't a story about the shooting itself. This isn't about recounting that one unforgettable day.

This is about Kirby and how one boy--who had friends, enjoyed reading, played saxophone in the band, and had never been in trouble before--became a monster capable of entering his school with a loaded gun and firing on his classmates.

Each chapter is told from a different viewpoint, giving insight into who Kirby was and who he'd become. Some are sweet, some are dark some are seemingly unrelated, about fights or first kisses or late-night parties. This is a book of perspectives--with one character and one event drawing them all together.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I was so interested in the idea behind this book. The subject matter is one that is really interest me, but the idea of 17 perspectives all written by different authors was really intriguing to me.

I could not stop reading this book. It was so gripping and intense. I loved all of the different perspectives and how they tied together so well to make one complete story. The whole story was so tragic and sad, but all so good and captivating.


I like how you didn't know which author wrote which perspective as you were reading it (unless you flipped to the back to find out). It made me enjoy the story more as a whole instead of going in to each chapter with a bias based on my like or dislike of any specific author.

The chapter written from the gun's perspective was really interesting. I've never read anything from the perspective of an inanimate object before, and I thought it was a unique spin.

I thought the book ended in a weird place. I'm not really sure there was a good moment to end this book though, so I don't know how it could have been done any different.


COVER: The cover is haunting. Something about an empty school is just spooky on it's own, but when you have a subject matter like this, it just makes it all the more chilling.

MY RATING:

Room Review (Audiobook)

Goodreads

TITLE: Room

AUTHOR: Emma Donoghue

READ BY: Michal Friedman, Ellen Archer, Robert Petkoff, Suzanne Toren

PUBLISHER: AudioGo

PUBLICATION DATE: 11/1/2010

LENGTH: 10 hours, 45 minutes

SOURCE: Library

MY RATING: 

SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS): To 5-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for 7 years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough--not for her or for him.

Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic 5-year-old Jack, Room is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: This book was just wow. I've wanted to read it for a while, but I recently started getting into audiobooks and saw that this was available at my library so I decided to give it a try. The thing about this book that makes it so haunting is the narrator playing Jack. He really sounds like a 5-year-old boy, which really helped get me into the feeling of the story. Throughout the whole story, Jack is so innocent. He doesn't understand that his life is not normal. It's so heartbreaking to see how he interprets things.

The story is so horrific, but at the same time feels like something that could actually happen - in other words, the writing is really believable.

The audiobook comes with an extra PDF file that is basically a bunch of drawings done by "Jack" of the room that they are held captive in. It really puts it into perspective just how tiny the room is.

**SPOILERS**

I love that we get to see Jack's interaction with the world after his escape. It's interesting to see how he handles everything for the first time. These things that we deal with on a daily basis but that he's never encountered before.

**END SPOILERS**

CHARACTERS: I love Jack's character. He's so believable and so innocent. I feel like he is just a typical kid. He got on my nerves a few times just like any other kid would, but then you think about everything that he is dealing with and it breaks your heart.

COVER: I like the cover. It's nice and plain and I like how they used what looks like paints to write out the title as if Jack had painted it.

Divergent Trilogy Review

TITLE: Divergent -Insurgent - Allegiant

AUTHOR: Veronica Roth

PUBLISHER: Katherine Tegen Books

PUBLICATION DATES: 2/28/2012 - 5/1//2012 - 10/22/2013

PAGES: 487 - 525 - 526

SUMMARY (From Divergent.wikia.com): The Divergent Trilogy is a series of three young-adult dystopian/science-fiction books by Veronica Roth and published by Katherine Tegen Books. It is set in the future of a dystopian Chicago. The society is composed of five factions, where members of each faction dedicate themselves to the cultivation of a particular virtue.

My Thoughts on Divergent: I absolutely fell in love with this book. I loved every minute of it. The last third of the book was so amazing and intense. I couldn't stop reading and I was biting my nails the whole time. I really enjoyed the progression of the romance between the two main characters (Tris and Four). So many books have "insta-love," but I feel like in this book, their relationship is natural and develops over time.

My Thoughts on Insurgent: This book picks up right where Divergent left off, which I really liked as I marathoned the whole series back to back. I really enjoyed this book too, but just a smidge less than the first one. My biggest gripe about this book is the interaction between Tris and Four. I feel like neither one trusted the other, and they were both asking the other to do things they were unwilling to do themselves. The plot of the book was excellent. It was extremely exciting and action packed.

My Thoughts on Allegiant: This was my least favorite of the trilogy. I was a little reluctant to start reading this one as I heard there was an event that happens and I know many people were extremely upset by that. After reading the third book, I now know what the event was, and I understand why people were upset, but I didn't really mind what happened at all and I feel like it makes sense with the story. I didn't like this book because I felt like it was very boring. There wasn't a lot of action in this book compared to the other books and I just feel like it was very bland, especially after having just read the first two books which were nothing but action.

OVERALL RATING FOR THIS TRILOGY:

I haven't seen the movie yet, and I probably won't be seeing it until it comes out on DVD and I can watch it at home, but I am excited to see it and compare it to the first book.

Let me know your thoughts on this series, I'd love to hear them!

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares Review

Goodreads

TITLE: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

AUTHOR: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

PUBLISHER: Alfred A. Knopf

PUBLICATION DATE: 10/26/2010

PAGES: 260

MY RATING: 

INSIDE COVER SUMMARY: I've left some clues for you. If you want them, turn the page. If you don't, put the book back on the shelf, please.

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors of Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

OVERALL IMPRESSION: When I started reading this book, I didn't know anything at all about the plot, I just knew that everyone who read it, loved it. And now I can see why. This was such a sweet story and I really enjoyed reading it. There was a lot of humor in this book (particularly the Santa scene, which I was actually laughing out loud picturing it). The ending of this book was super cute as well.

I do love that this is a standalone, as I'm tired of all the series that are out, but I'd love to see maybe a small novella about Dash and Lily's future together.

CHARACTERS: I loved both Dash and Lily. They were both such fun character to read about. I really liked the alternating perspectives too, it helped me get into each of their heads.

COVER: The cover is amazing. I love all of the covers, and the pretty snow and everything about it.

Fangirl Review

Goodreads

TITLE: Fangirl

AUTHOR: Rainbow Rowell

PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Griffin

PUBLICATION DATE: 9/10/2013

PAGES: 416

MY RATING:

BACK COVER SUMMARY: Cath doesn't think she's good at life--but she's really good at being a fan. She's been writing fanfiction since she was twelve, and she's gotten kind of famous in that world. But college is another "story." She's got a mean roommate (with a too-friendly boyfriend), her twin sister's ignoring her, her dad's a mess, her writing professor is pushing her too hard...She keeps having to rise to the occasion, but all she really wants to do is stay in her room and write. Is Cath ready to live her own life, write her own stories, and open her heart to someone? Or will she just go on living inside her fictional world?

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I really enjoyed reading this. I fell in love with the story, the characters, everything. I felt super warm and fuzzy and happy after finishing this book. This story connects with me and how my college days were. I was also the girl who just wanted to stay in her room and was afraid to venture outside of my comfort zone. I really enjoyed reading about Cath and the way she changed and learned to give new experiences a chance before shutting them out completely.

CHARACTERS: My favorite character is Levi. His character is just so awesome. He's always there for his friends with no questions asked and he's so nice to everyone.

COVER: I think the cover is cute and sums up the book pretty well. I like the simplicity of it.

**I received an ARC of this book from Amazon Vine for my honest review.

Dare You To Review

Goodreads

Amazon

TITLE: Date You To

AUTHOR: Katie McGarry

PUBLISHER: Harlequin Teen

PUBLICATION DATE: May 28, 2013

PAGES: 456

MY RATING:

INSIDE COVER SUMMARY: If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does...

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock--with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Ask out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams--and his life--for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all...

OVERALL IMPRESSION: This book was amazing. I loved every bit of it. I read the first book in the series and while back, so I didn't remember a whole lot about what happened in that book, but this is a completely different story. This book follows two other characters, and you could easily read this book without having read the first one. 

This book was so emotional and I love reading books that can make me feel something.

CHARACTERS: Beth and Ryan are both really great characters, but I really enjoyed reading about Beth's story. It is so heartbreaking, and I feel all of her joy and devastation as she struggles to find herself throughout the book.

COVER: The cover is great! I love that the image from the book jacket is printed under the cover directly on the book too. It looks like it should be a poster!

**I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine for my honest review.

Blind Spot Review

TITLE: Blind Spot

AUTHOR: Laura Ellen

PUBLISHER: Harcourt Children's Books

PUBLICATION DATE: 10/23/2012

PAGES: 336

MY RATING:

BACK COVER SUMMARY: Winter stops hiding Tricia Farni on Good Friday. When a truck plunges through the thinning ice of Alaska's Birch River, Tricia's body floats to the surface -- dead since the night she disappeared six months earlier. The night Roswell Hart fought with her. The night Roz can't remember.

Missing things is nothing new to sixteen-year-old Roz; she has macular degeneration, an eye disease that robs her central vision. She's constantly piecing together what she sees -- or thinks she sees -- but this time her memory needs piecing together. Yet how can Roz be sure of the truth if her own memory has betrayed her? Can she clear her name of a murder that she believes she didn't commit?

Debut author Laura Ellen draws on her own experiences with vision loss in an emotional and suspenseful page-turner that straddles the world of special needs and the minefield of high school.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: This was such a great book. I was sucked into the story line right from the beginning. Nothing seems to go right for Roz (the main character) and I felt for her and was rooting for her the whole way through.

CHARACTERS: Tricia was an interesting character. She had her ups and downs and I wasn't sure if I liked her or if I didn't like her. I loved to hate Mr. Dellian. I was appaled at the way he treated Roz and was fascinated to see the things he was able to get away with.

COVER: I love the cover! It's so so creepy and made me open the book to find out what it was all about.

*I received an advanced copy of this book from Amazon Vine for Review.