Back Again

Hello everyone, Just wanted to say I will be doing book reviews again! I will try to post 1-3 times a week on here and cant wait to get started again! 

Every You, Every Me By: David Levithan (Review #5)

BOOK: Every You, Every Me

AUTHOR: David Levithan

PUBLISHER: Knopf Books for Young Readers

DATE: September 2011

FORMAT: Hardcover

PAGES: 245

SOURCE: Library

(Goodreads synopsis)

In this high school-set psychological tale, a tormented teen named Evan starts to discover a series of unnerving photographs—some of which feature him. Someone is stalking him . . . messing with him . . . threatening him. Worse, ever since his best friend Ariel has been gone, he's been unable to sleep, spending night after night torturing himself for his role in her absence. And as crazy as it sounds, Evan's starting to believe it's Ariel that's behind all of this, punishing him. But the more Evan starts to unravel the mystery, the more his paranoia and insomnia amplify, and the more he starts to unravel himself. Creatively told with black-and-white photos interspersed between the text so the reader can see the photos that are so unnerving to Evan,Every You, Every Me is a one-of-a-kind departure from a one-of-a-kind author.

A bit disappointing for my first David Levithan book. I thought the concept was fascinating, but sense I haven't heard much about it, I decided to pick it up at the library. The beginning of the story was enjoyable but as I started to go deeper within the pages, it just got

really slow and really confusing. The characters started to act really strange and awkward and it suddenly felt like watching a Disney channel show. Also, the pace was horrific. Something really interesting would happen then, for a whole 50 pages after that, the book would be unreasonably lifeless. The setting was interesting as some parts. EXAMPLE- forest, railroad, exc. But really nothing special. I'm kind of glad that I didn't buy this book...

Waiting On Wednesday #2

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Prodigy (Legend book 2)
Marie Lu
Putnam Juvenile
January 29th 2013


 June and Day make their way to Las Vegas where they join the rebel Patriot group and become involved in an assassination plot against the Elector in hopes of saving the Republic.

Waiting on Wednesday #1

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Shadowlands
Kate Brian
Hyperion
January 8th 2013

Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived… and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection with her father and sister, Darcy, leaving their friends and family without so much as a goodbye. 

Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children, but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful, carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying on the beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. But just as they’re starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?

Read - A - Thon

Dewy's 24 Hour READ-A-THON is among us! This being my first year I am very excited, and can't wait to see what i'll end up reading!

Introductory Questionnaire: 

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

     

    I will be reading from Massachusetts located in the US.

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

    Definitely Gabrielle Zevin's, All These Things I've Done (Birthright #1)  

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

   

    Cheddar Cheese Pringles :)

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

     My name is Max, I am 12, and I read books.

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

     This is my first year!!! Wooo - Hooo I'm really looking forward to seeing what everyone is reading and how they compare to other bloggers.

So Far, I'm really enjoying the Read - A - Thon!! I realized it's a great way to get out of a reading slump (*guilty*)

9 A.M. - 1 P.M.

Books Read:

Slide By: Jill Hathaway

Currently Reading:

Every Day By: David Levithan

Favorite Character: 

Maddie From Slide. I really loved the way she developed throughout the story. I also loved her weaknesses and the things she realized as the story progressed.

Minutes: 

Approximately 3 hours

Pages:

210

Favorite Snack:

Cheddar cheese Pringals. =)

Current Mood:

Bibliophilic!!!

2 P.M. - 5 P.M.

So, i haven't done much reading. LIKE AT ALL. I put down Every Day By: David Levithan. I felt there was to much of a connection between Every Day and Slide so I really just got distracted and confused. I am now reading Please Ignore Vera Dietz By: A.S. King, Which I am very much enjoying. I'm roughly 50 pages through. 

6 P.M. - 10 P.M. 

Enjoying Please Ignore Vera Dietz only about 100 pages in, snacking A LOT. Also, I have been entering some mini contests including, Time Flies Challenge, The Six Word Story, and more. Have been checking out a few blogs including, Ticket To Anywhere, That READioactive book blog, Chasing Quills, Dead Book Darling, AND MANY MORE!! :D 

MID-EVENT SURVEY:

1) How are you doing? Sleepy? Are your eyes tired?

    

    Kind of disappointed, not reading much. But I'M KICKED WITH ARIZONA ICED TEA!

2) What have you finished reading?

    Slide By: Jill Hathaway. About Halfway Done with, Please Ignore Vera Dietz By: A.S. King

3) What is your favorite read so far?

     Probably Slide, But am much enjoying Please Ignore Vera Dietz (A bit depressing though)

4) What about your favorite snacks? 

     Enjoying my cheddar cheese Pringals....... But Fritos BBQ twists are starting to become obsessed with my mouth and stomach...

5) Have you found any new blogs from the read a thon?

     Yes! They are listed above, located in hours 6-10

11 P.M. - 2 A.M.

Still very much enjoying Please Ignore Vera Dietz but is getting a little to dull. I picked up An Abundance Of Katherines By: John Green to meet my humor criteria levels and keep me awake.  WARNING! I MIGHT CRASH SOON.

MORNING. (yes, I feel asleep. at about 2:30) 

WOW. Kind of disappointed. Only read about 1 2/3 of BOOKNESS. Had loads of fun though, definitely

participating in April. I HAVE A READING HANGOVER.

PAGES READ: roughly 330 D:

BOOKS: 1 2/3

TIME SPENT: only like 13 or 14.

CURRENT MOOD(S):

TIRED and ACHIEVED.

Monument 14 By: Emmy Laybourne (Review #4)

BOOK: Monument 14
AUTHOR: Emmy Laybourne
PUBLISHER: Feiwel and Friends
DATE: 2012
FORMAT: Hardcover
PAGES: 294
SOURCE: Bought

(Goodreads Synopsis)
Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong. 

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

I was surprised by how much I loved this!

     The plot was what originally made me pick up the book, and thank god I did. Unlike every other distopian, the world is falling apart in the story, whereas in others the world has already been destroyed. This made the book a thrill ride that made me stay up all night.

     Writing = SOFREAKINGGOOD. It came across for me that Laybourne wrote the story meaning it to be Dean's journal that he writes in throughout the book, this was something I haven't read much, so this captivated me even more. 

          I also really enjoyed the characters. They were introduced right when they made an entrance into the story, which made the story more enjoyable. Also, I loved reading about all of there personalities and back stories, some were hilarious and made me laugh out loud. I could really connect with them because they all had strengths and weaknesses, and in the end I really didn't want to leave them.

       The only thing I had a problem with was the relationships. IT WAS SO AWKWARD. Its like all love in this book is bipolar. Someone will make-out with another person, they they'll hook up with someone else. Like I had no idea what was going on when something romantic was happening.

       Overall I really loved this book and its not like a typical YA Dystopian, Highly Recommended

. 

Th1rteen R3asons Why By: Jay Asher (Review #3)

BOOK: Th1rteen R3asons Why
AUTHOR: Jay Asher
PUBLISHER: Razorbill
DATE: 2007
FORMAT: Paperback
PAGES: 288
SOURCE: Bought

(Goodreads Synopsis)
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate and crush - who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why. Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah's pain, and learns the truth about himself-a truth he never wanted to face.

     Such a powerful read! I really loved the plot but the writing could have been a bit better, it was confusing to read because it switched a lot from Hannah talking to Clay talking, and you forget who is who while reading. But, I got used to it about halfway through. 

      The best part of the story was definitely the characters. They all had there own personalities, which was interesting and fun. I could really connect and relate with them while reading. Also, when you forget about a previous character in the book, they pop up again in another chapter. In the end, it was so interesting to see how all the characters were connected.
                                                                          
         Another thing I really liked was the setting. There was really nothing great about it, and that's what I liked. No crazy back story, or unusual things that happen in it, just your  average american town.

     Mostly everything in this book was AMAZING.