Waffling between a 5 and a 4.5, but I'm gonna go with my gut and just give it the 5, because that was one spectacular ending (even if some of it was aWaffling between a 5 and a 4.5, but I'm gonna go with my gut and just give it the 5, because that was one spectacular ending (even if some of it was a little heavy handed on the foreshadowing)....more
A tautly written, quietly horrifying novel. It's one of the most powerful books I've read this year, and has a whole lot to say in very few words, andA tautly written, quietly horrifying novel. It's one of the most powerful books I've read this year, and has a whole lot to say in very few words, and says it well.
Although not told in explicit detail, there's no avoiding the horror that this book portrays, and it's a book that tackles a subject matter not discussed seriously enough. Easily one of the best books I've read this year, or in my life....more
I think this's a book that I lot of people won't like, or appreciate.
The characters are messy, mean, and not easy to like, and at times it seems like I think this's a book that I lot of people won't like, or appreciate.
The characters are messy, mean, and not easy to like, and at times it seems like they deny their feelings and refuse to develop for too long. There isn't a whole lot of big plot points, however that isn't where the strengths in this book lie.
No, the reason why I went from wanting to give this book 4 stars to 5 is because the ending ripped my freaking heart to shreds, and maybe it's because I've finally entered high school, and the thought of leaving behind my entire life for adulthood, of leaving behind the memories and the friends that I've been fortunate enough to make, destroys me. However, this book is real, and so are the emotions that it stirs up inside of me.
I also loved the writing, character dynamics, as well as the development of the characters. At times it does seem like the book is just sort of wandering around, unsure of where it's going, and it's very possible that is what happened over the course of the writing, however when it finally does get back on the path, there's no stopping this book.
A book written with this much heart and reality simply cannot get a lesser rating from me. Easily one of the most surprising reads I've experienced in a long, long time, seeing as how I thought I'd only mildly enjoy this one....more
Compulsively readable, extremely well written, an awesome antagonist (although not wholly original), and a main character who I could relate 4.5 stars
Compulsively readable, extremely well written, an awesome antagonist (although not wholly original), and a main character who I could relate to on many levels (superficial and personal) such as
-Same name -Same age (well, we will this Friday xD) -Same thoughts and feelings about school around same time in lives (although we made different choices)
Honestly, You is like the flip side of what would've happened to me had I not just recently accepted into the high school that I was. If I end up writing a longer review, I'll probably get more into this. The only flaws I'd attribute to this is some of the side characters were on the flat side, although I don't think that hurts the book too much, and I wouldn't say there's a solid plot going on here.
And for anybody wondering, the second person POV actually works surprisingly well, at least for me, since sharing the same name as the MC (or "You") made it easier to feel pulled in.
I can't easily recommend this one since your enjoyment of this book definitely boils down to if you like the main character. She's so polariz4.5 stars
I can't easily recommend this one since your enjoyment of this book definitely boils down to if you like the main character. She's so polarizing, and the narration is given such a distinct voice that it will either turn the reader off, or completely capture their full attention.
Overall though, I loved just about everything about this. The characters were compelling, the writing incredibly readable except for a few editing blips, the story extremely engaging, and I became easily emotionally invested in the turnout.
Took off half a star because for this particular book I wasn't a fan of the the transitioning between periods of time (not the 'Past' and 'Present' chapters, but the amount of time that would pass within those sections). To me it was a little lazy to just gloss over significant amounts of time in a paragraph, and was kind of jolting to actually read that weeks had flown by in a paragraph.
Still a great read (for my personal tastes) and look forward to the second book....more
I absolutely loved this book. Since for a book report I have due in several weeks, my school district demands that it be on a non-fiction boo4.5 stars
I absolutely loved this book. Since for a book report I have due in several weeks, my school district demands that it be on a non-fiction book, I chose a biography done for Robert Cormier, and it includes chapters that discuss some of his more well-known works (I Am the Cheese, We All Fall Down, Beyond the Chocolate War, etc.) I decided it best that I read as many as I can to avoid spoilers for the books that have premises that intrigue me.
While this doesn't quite reach the standards set before by Tenderness, which I highly recommend in case you were wondering, it's an extremely well-written story about defiance and our place in society. While the characters do come across as very distant, which I have found to be true in the two previous novels I've read by Cormier, it's his plots and characterization (not the same as personal connection IMO) that make his books, and the action in this is so perfectly timed, as well as the psychological agony brought onto our MC.
As you can tell, I'm very rough in my review writing since I haven't written one in so long, but a highly enjoyed book. So excited to read more of his works (which will be consuming me over the next several weeks)....more
I'll admit that this book is stronger than the first one in some regards, such as character development and plot, but a part of me just found more enjI'll admit that this book is stronger than the first one in some regards, such as character development and plot, but a part of me just found more enjoyment out of Sins & Needles. Still, I think this is an amazing book in and of itself, and I can't wait to see how the story concludes in the last book!
And also, a note on the love triangle: didn't bother me at all, and I think it was significantly better handled here than in a multitude of other books, but I'd beg to disagree that both interests are on equal footing. I think it's fairly obvious and not at all surprising that Ellie ends up picking (view spoiler)[Camden. (hide spoiler)]...more
“Sometimes people think they know you. They know a few facts about you, and they piecThis review and more can be found at
4.5 stars
“Sometimes people think they know you. They know a few facts about you, and they piece you together in a way that makes sense to them. And if you don’t know yourself very well, you might even believe that they are right. But the truth is, that isn’t you. That isn’t you at all.�
Leila Sales’s This Song Will Save Your Life is a sure-hit when it’s release comes in September. By the time I finally read my copy, everybody was buzzing about this, after praises of how realistic it was to people who had gone through situations like Elise. The synopsis itself doesn’t quite hint at how dark this book is at first. The mood is very bleak, depressing, and being in Elise’s head is a very saddening � yet connective � time for the reader. I might be pushing it by saying this, but I believe how well you connect to Elise at first may be a deciding factor in how well you enjoy this novel.
Sales has written a glowing cast of characters; from the enigmatic Char to socially clueless but smart and persistent Elise, as well as party-girl Pippa, and rocker Vicky. Every one of these characters is more than what you first see when they enter the novel, especially Char. The route that Sales begins writing his relationship with Elise may seem formulatic and cliche for the YA genre, but what she does at the end of this novel is completely brilliant, and also saddening by how realistic it is. Sometimes, the people who appear to have the most mystery, could possibly be just because we build up people in our mind to be more than what they truly are.
The writing is beautiful but not in a flashy way. It’s beautiful in a way for just containing a simple beauty to it about every day things. Even the big revelations like the one at the beginning of this review are written beautifully without needing a page-long tangent.
The incorporation of music into the plot will definitely resonate deeply to people whose lives are dedicated to it, as I know several of my real-life friends are. That isn’t to say that only music-lovers will connect. This is a book for music-lovers, people who are or have been bullied, rejected, don’t feel like they fit in, depressed, and all those trying times people have as teenagers and at any point in our lives.
So yes, when September 17th comes rolling around, I myself will definitely be making sure to pick up a copy of this beautifully written, complex, and real novel. And I think you should too....more
Fantastic story, and a twist at the end I probably should've seen coming but was still surprised by. Can't wait to read more from this author.Fantastic story, and a twist at the end I probably should've seen coming but was still surprised by. Can't wait to read more from this author....more
Spectacular and unforgettable. After seriously enjoying Teeth and now this being as good as it was, Moskowitz is quickly climbing my list of favorite Spectacular and unforgettable. After seriously enjoying Teeth and now this being as good as it was, Moskowitz is quickly climbing my list of favorite writers. ...more
This series was amazing, and this was a great conclusion, even if it isn't as strong as the first book, since I found Allyson's character and the storThis series was amazing, and this was a great conclusion, even if it isn't as strong as the first book, since I found Allyson's character and the story to be more gripping, while Willem's seem to drag on in the middle at times (which is strange, since this one is about 40 pages shorter).
Still, amazing writing and character development, and incredible themes. ...more
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