I liked Where She Went better than the first book. The author put a lot of emotion into the book and made sure to k**spoiler alert** Personal Response
I liked Where She Went better than the first book. The author put a lot of emotion into the book and made sure to keep the readers always wanting more. I appreciated that Gayle Forman wrote the sequel in Adam鈥檚 point of view. It gave the reader a sense of what he was going through even though he was not necessarily directly affected by the deaths of Mia鈥檚 family.
Plot Summary
After the accident and Mia鈥檚 recovery, she went off to Julliard. While she was there, she seemed to forget all about Adam. She stopped answering his calls, texts, and even emails. Adam never understood what happened, and all of the events seem to lead him towards a mental break down. He quit the band and moved back into his parent's house. A few months later, he came back to the band, but it never felt the same to him. Adam had fallen out of love with music. A day before he had to leave for tour, he ran into Mia. They ended up spending the entire night walking around New York. During that time, Mia explained herself and what happened. He and Mia figured things out and Adam decided to do what was best for him. He quit the band for good and took his own interests into consideration.
Characterization
At first, Adam was completely broken and helpless. I believe he was suffering from some sort of depression and anxiety. He didn鈥檛 find joy or meaning in anything anymore. He even began to hate music. During his walk with Mia, he began to realize what he needed to do. He needed to let go of the things dragging him down. When he finally came to terms with it, he did just that. After leaving the band and figuring out what happened with Mia, he felt more at ease and happier. He finally did things for himself.
Recommendation
I would suggest Where She Went to anyone who has read the first book. Teens would most likely enjoy this book a lot. Although, it is definitely a book meant more towards female readers. ...more
Personally, I did not like this book. I liked the information it gave me, but I did not like the way it was written. For me, it was Personal Response
Personally, I did not like this book. I liked the information it gave me, but I did not like the way it was written. For me, it was quite boring. Although, the author, Temple Grandin, is very intriguing. In my opinion, she took too long to explain a simple thing. That could also be because I normally do not read informational, non-fiction books. I did like her take on the emotions of animals and how they really work. I also appreciated her use of sources.
Plot Summary
First, she started it off with dogs. She explained the systems that a dog鈥檚 mentality usually goes through and why that is based on their history and the way they act. She also explained ways to be able to understand dogs. Next, she explained cats and how they are so hard to understand. She said that they are hard to understand because the communicate in a different way than what you would imagine. Once she concluded with that she talked about horses and then cows. She explained how cows are not truly domestic animals and how to handle them. She also shared information about pigs, poultry, wildlife, and zoo animals.
Characterization
The author, Temple Grandin鈥檚 views have changed over time. As she learned more and more, she discovered what her true opinion was. When she was young she did not know much about the behavior or emotions of animals. Once she was a professor she began to study these things. She realized that she can relate to many animals as she is autistic, and most animals have behaviors an autistic human would show. From this information, she took on a whole new way to treat animals.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to anyone taking a vet science class, as that is what I read it for. I would also suggest Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life For Animals to anyone that is interested in learning how animals work and function emotionally. It would also be a very good read for anyone interested in working with animals. ...more
If I Stay is a very interesting book. I liked how the author really expressed Mia鈥檚 feelings throughout the book. It is somewhat shorPersonal Response
If I Stay is a very interesting book. I liked how the author really expressed Mia鈥檚 feelings throughout the book. It is somewhat short, but a very fun read. Another thing I liked about the book was that it showed Mia having what I would call as an out of body experience.
Plot summary
The book starts out with her family planning on going for a drive to visit their friends. While driving, their family car got hit by a truck. Mia鈥檚 mother and father died on impact. She and her little brother were the only survivors at the time. Mia found her body t the crash and realized she was having some sort of out of body experience. Finally, the ambulance came and took Mia and her brother away. Mia was flown to a bigger hospital, leaving her brother behind. During her stay in the ICU, Mia witnessed how much her family and friends care for her. Towards the end, when her boyfriend, Adam, was talking to her, she made her final decision. Mia chose to stay.
Characterization
In the beginning, Mia was a normal girl, with a mostly normal family. She never really had very many hardships in her life. She was sweet an innocent. While in the ICU, she dealt with the pain of losing both her parents. Although this was hard, she was able to overcome it. She was determined to find a way back into her body so she could be there for her little brother. When she had discovered that her brother had died, she felt an extreme sense of loss. While before she had hope, it seemed all her hope had died along with her brother. Mia no longer wanted to live anymore, an hoped that her loved ones would accept this. In the end, when her boyfriend was talking to her, trying to get her to stay, is when all her emotions came running back. She didn鈥檛 feel hope, but she realized she needed to stay. From there, she was rejoined with her body and woke up.
Recommendation
I would recommend If I Stay to anyone who enjoys reading sad but suspenseful books. Anyone who likes books by John Green would probably enjoy this one. I would also suggest If I Stay to young teens. ...more
I really liked reading this book. It was kind of easy to guess what was going to happen, but it was quite an intere**spoiler alert** Personal Response
I really liked reading this book. It was kind of easy to guess what was going to happen, but it was quite an interesting storyline. I liked the way the author, Natasha Preston, had written the book. I also liked the characters in it.
Plot Summary
Scarlett can鈥檛 remember anything before the age of four. All she knows is that there was a fire and she lost all of her memories. Things change though, once she meets a boy named Noah. Noah was sent there to make Scarlett trust him, in order to take her back to Eternal Light, a cult. The cult leaders are Scarlett鈥檚 real parents, but she was taken from them by the people whom she thought were her parents because they were going to sacrifice her. Noah manages to bring her back to Eternal Light, where they begin the rituals so they can sacrifice Scarlett. Noah realizes this is bad and escapes with Scarlett.
Characterization
Scarlett started out as weak minded and innocent. She was smart and strong, even in the beginning, but she seemed to never really know any hardships other than losing her memory. Later on in the story, she gets tougher and learns she can鈥檛 trust everyone. Noah starts out as completely loyal, almost brainwashed by Eternal Light. He then realizes that what they taught was wrong. He gains morals and does what he has to to do what is right.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in suspenseful novels. I believe that most teenage girls would also like the book. Anyone who likes thrillers would enjoy reading this. ...more
This book took me a while to read. In my opinion, this was a fantastic book. It kept me on my toes, constantly guessing and wanting tPersonal Response
This book took me a while to read. In my opinion, this was a fantastic book. It kept me on my toes, constantly guessing and wanting to know more. I like the ending and how the author explained the full story. It was never really suspected.
Plot Summary
Callie and Tessa were only about eight years old when they witnessed a murder. Well, kind of witnessed a murder. Callie鈥檚 cousin was abducted while taking care of the girls and found dead a few hours later. The girls were questioned and Wyatt Stokes was blamed for the murder of Lori as well as other girls. Tessa鈥檚 sister ran away a few months after, and her father went to prison. Her mother abandoned her, so Tessa was sent to go live with her grandmother. Ten years later, her father is on his deathbed, so she has to go back. While there, Callie and her set out to find the person who really killed Lori and the real Ohio River Monster. Tessa discovers that her sister is actually a kidnapped baby that her mother took and lied about. They also find the real monster. Tessa gets kidnapped by her mother after, where she finds out the truth. Her mother killed Lori because she knew that both Tessa and her sister are stolen children.
Characterization
The main character, Tessa, is written really well. Throughout the book, she begins to become more independent. And even through all that she has been through, she is still strong and never gives up.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in like thriller type things. I would also probably suggest it to anyone my age. Although, anyone who likes reading really intense books would probably enjoy this one. ...more
I enjoyed this book. J.K. Rowling is an amazing author. I like that she added on to the Harry Potter series with this book, but by giPersonal Response
I enjoyed this book. J.K. Rowling is an amazing author. I like that she added on to the Harry Potter series with this book, but by giving his son adventures of his own. I liked that it was a screenplay and not an actual book.
Plot Summary
Harry Potter鈥檚 son, Albus, was sorted into Slytherin. He was bullied and ridiculed for being a Potter in Slytherin. He felt like a failure to his father. Albus wanted to prove himself, so he took a time-turner and ended up messing things up. He was brought back in time to the big fight between the good wizards and death eaters at Hogwarts. He figured out who Voldemort鈥檚 daughter was.
Characterization
Albus started out not liking himself. He felt like a failure and like he was not meant to be a Potter. He did not like being a Potter because people bullied him for being in Slytherin. Later in the book, he becomes more comfortable with who he is.
Recommendation
I would recommend this to anyone who has read the original Harry Potter series. Anyone middle school age would probably enjoy this book too. I would also suggest it to anyone who likes J.K. Rowling. ...more
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It's a fun, easy read. Yet, very sad and serious. The emotions that the cha**spoiler alert** Personal Response
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It's a fun, easy read. Yet, very sad and serious. The emotions that the character feels are very strong and almost overwhelming in a way. Some of the ways that the author wrote the poems express what is going on inside Pattyn's head with just looking at what kind of poem it is.
Plot Summary
Pattyn is a young Mormon girl with a horrible home life. Her father is an alcoholic who beats her mother. Pattyn gets a rebellious side to her, which ends up in her getting kicked out and being sent to live with her aunt for the summer. There, she discovers a new version of herself, a good version. She learns new things and she is finally genuinely happy for the first time in her life. But then the summer comes to an end. She is sent back home by her father's wishes. While home, horrible things happen which leads to Pattyn's father disowning her for good.
Characterization
Pattyn seems very confused with herself at first. She doesn't seem to know what she wants in life, or really care about her own well being. Later on in the book though, I think she begins to understand herself more. She begins to see her life as worth something. She begins to see a future for herself.
Recommendation
I would recommend Burnedto teenage girls mostly. Anyone who likes books that are written like a ton of poems would probably like this book too. Or anyone looking for an easy read, there's a lot of pages but the book is actually kind of short....more
I really enjoyed the book, even though it is really different from what I usually read. A lot of it kind of scared **spoiler alert** Personal Response
I really enjoyed the book, even though it is really different from what I usually read. A lot of it kind of scared me, but it was a good kind of scary I guess you could say. I liked how the author portrayed the characters as well as the setting. The way the book was written made me want to keep reading more and more. All in all, I would say that Alone is a really great book.
Plot Summary
Seda and her family are originally from Boston, but when her mom inhereits a creepy 'haunted' mansion, she ends up getting stuck there in the middle of no where. In the middle of a snow storm, a group of teenagers show up and end up having to stay at the mansion with Seda and her family. Little do they know what they're in for. Seda had an imaginary friend, Sawyer, who she talked to quite a bit when she was younger. Now, at sixteen, she still talks to Sawyer, and he talks to her. Seda's mom organizes a haunted scavenger hunt, which is supposed to be fun but ends up just being a total mess. People die and secrets unfold.
Characterization
I like the way the author wrote the character, Seda. She made Seda seem nice and friendly but also awkward, while she had her really dark side being Sawyer. The way I picture Seda is more like a sweet, innocent, yet mature teenage girl. She is probably a little awkward, but she makes sure to use her manners and treat others how they deserve to be treated. She also cares for others and puts them before herself. Sawyer on the other hand, is the complete opposite. He's angry and cruel. He only wants his way, and his way is usually bad.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to young readers, teens and young adults. Anyone who likes a good mystery/thriller would most likely enjoy it. I would not suggest reading it at night alone if you get easily scared....more
I really enjoy this book. I've read it over and over throughout the years of owning it, and it never gets old. Alth**spoiler alert** Personal Response
I really enjoy this book. I've read it over and over throughout the years of owning it, and it never gets old. Although, it's definitely for much younger readers. It is a pretty easy book to get through, and the message within is amazing. I like how even though she goes through really bad times, Sugar is always able to stay sweet.
Plot Summary
A young girl, Sugar, and her mom, Reba, have a pretty decent life. Even though they suffer through struggles here and there with money problems and Sugar's father, they were always able to remain optimistic. Until they lost their house. Everything went downhill from their. They went from sleeping in their car, to shelters, and the street. Finally, the stress became too much for Reba to take. She had a major panic attack on the street that landed her in the hospital. After that, Sugar had to stay at a foster home while her mother got better. Slowly but surely, life began to go back uphill for Sugar and Reba.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to 10-12 year old girls. I mean, I'm 15 and reading this, but I believe it was directed more towards the preteen area. It is a good choice for anyone though who needs a taste of good optimism in their lives....more
I quite enjoyed reading the book, Ghosts. It was a very easy read, only took me less than a day, but I liked how the characters were Personal Response
I quite enjoyed reading the book, Ghosts. It was a very easy read, only took me less than a day, but I liked how the characters were portrayed. Maya, a cute little girl, made me realize how the illness, Cystic Fibrosis affects the family of that person.
Plot Summary
It starts out as a family who is moving to a whole new town. The two sisters, Cat and Maya, feel very different about moving. Cat is upset that she has to leave her friends, while Maya is excited to meet new people. After they arrived, the two sister meet their neighbor. Carlos. Carlos teaches them about the ghosts of the town. Maya is very excited about meeting them on Day of the Dead, but Cat not so much. She worries a lot for Maya since Maya has Cystic Fibrosis. After a while though, I believe that the town grows on her and she begins to enjoy the town and the people in it, as well as the ghosts, a whole lot more.
Recommendation
I would recommend Ghosts to anyone who likes graphic novels. It鈥檚 a very fun and easy book to read if you鈥檙e bored. Although, I think that the book is directed more towards preteens, I would say anyone could read it....more
I truly loved this book. It held so much detail and the author made you really fall in love with the main character**spoiler alert** Personal Response
I truly loved this book. It held so much detail and the author made you really fall in love with the main character, Charlie. I could feel the emotion within the book.
Plot Summary
A young girl goes through a hard time in her life. She has major depression, but it really didn't appear until things started getting bad for her. She hung out with the wrong crowds in school. The ones who drink and do drugs. Then, her father died. Everything got worse after that. Her mother kicked her out. Her friend attempted suicide and was pretty close to succeeding. She ended up living on the streets. The girl, Charlie, tried killing herself, landing herself in a rehab center. After rehab she gets a bus down to Arizona where she meets many new people and learns to live on her own. During her time there, she gets hurt beyond measure and tries to kill herself again. Her friends and coworkers take her someplace for her to spend some time to relax and figure things out. After she gets back to Arizona, Charlie decides to change for the better.
Recommendation
I would recommend this to anyone, teens and older. Young adults. Anyone who finds intense books like this interesting....more
As I was reading this book I came across a lot of things that I wouldn't say made the book bad, just things that I**spoiler alert** Personal Response
As I was reading this book I came across a lot of things that I wouldn't say made the book bad, just things that I found a bit confusing. I didn't understand why she kept referring to her younger siblings as "the little kids." Personally, there are some things I would have probably changed, but Rainbow Rowell is a great author either way. I did enjoy how she told both sides of the story and it wasn't all just one sided. Although, she didn't necessarily leave much up to the imagination.
Plot Summary
The story begins with a girl named Eleanor who has a hard home life and horrible self-esteem. Then she met Park, a half Korean skinny kid who knows martial arts. At first, no one really liked Eleanor. She dressed weird, smelled weird, and looked weird. No one could find anything about her that was even remotely normal. But, the very first day, she sat next to Park. For awhile they didn't talk. They didn't even look at each other. And one day they started talking. Which led to more talking. And more talking. And to a happy ever after. Or...almost. Eleanor's step dad finds out about Park. He isn't exactly the nicest step father in the world, he once threw Eleanor out of their house for a year because she was making too much noise. As a result, she runs away to Park's house. From there Eleanor and Park flee to find safety at Eleanor's uncle's house, where their story comes to a slow end.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes kind of sad love stories. Also to anyone who has read any of Rainbow Rowell's other books. Young teen girl's would probably enjoy reading this more though....more
Reading this made me think a lot. Not only was it a heartwarming book full of friendships, but it was also a very real story. I feel Personal Response
Reading this made me think a lot. Not only was it a heartwarming book full of friendships, but it was also a very real story. I feel that because the author has had a past in places like Sixth North that he could make you feel as if you were actually there. The way he described Craig's feelings of depression and his road back to health was astounding.
Plot Summary
Craig started out as a good kid. He got amazing grades, worked hard, and did all his homework. Then he got into a really tough school. It was basically college for teenagers. He didn't have a good stress outlet and didn't know how to deal with it. Craig began to get poor grades, do drugs, and never finish his homework on time. The worst were his thoughts. As the thoughts progressed he began to not even be able to eat without throwing up. One night, he felt everything. He felt that it was his time. He was done. He had a plan. He was going to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge. As a final cry for help, he called the Suicide Hotline. They instructed him to check into the nearest hospital. He did just that, realizing that he had so much to live for. There, he went to Sixth North, an adult mental habilitation ward. During his short stay he met a lot of good people who made a huge impact on his life.
Recommendation
I would recommend this to teens and young adults. It is a great book to read. It helps you understand that even though things may seem like they just suck, there will always be something out there. For anyone needing this little bit of inspiration, this book is for them....more
Dogs of War is a great book. It made me realize just how unappreciative I am about my dogs. In each of the three st**spoiler alert** Personal Response
Dogs of War is a great book. It made me realize just how unappreciative I am about my dogs. In each of the three stories I learned that dogs, although we don鈥檛 speak the same language, understand us all the same. If they didn鈥檛, we wouldn't be able to train them for things like the army and dog sledding. There has to be a mutual bond between owner and dog. If there is no bond, the dog won鈥檛 do what you ask of it. I also liked how the authors showed the Vietnam veteran鈥檚 side of things during that time because of all of the protesting going on during that war.
Plot Summary
The first story begins with a young boy who ends up getting caught in the middle of a war, literally. His intentions were to help his adoptive father, a medic in the army, find wounded soldiers and bring them back to base. In his attempt, he gets lost and ends up in the trenches in between no man鈥檚 land and the Germans. He and his dog, Boots, make friends with the soldiers there and learn about how hard it is to be in the line of fire. The two end up spending Christmas together down in the trenches. After Christmas the war seems to begin again, and Donnie gets hurt. They bring Donnie and Boots back to base where he is reunited with his father. The second tale tells of a young soldier stationed in Greenland. His sergeant assigns him the task of watching after the sled dogs. He does his job diligently, and in a few weeks he goes on his first mission with the sergeant. There was a downed plane, and they had to go check if there were any survivors before they freeze to death. They arrive at the plane and gather up the pilot on the sled. The sergeant, pilot, and the boy begin to head back to camp when the pilot realizes that they left a super secret U.S. weapon that the Nazis could get ahold of. Cooper takes one of the sled dogs, Loki, and skis back to the plane. After he takes care of the weapon, he starts to head back, but he gets delayed. He is soon found by three Nazis but manages to take out one and tie up the other two before the sergeant finds him. The third and final story begins with a Vietnam veteran finally home from the war. He is suffering PTSD, and he decides to go and stay somewhere quiet for a bit. Lanford moves in next to a young boy, Henry and his dog Bouncer. Bouncer makes Lanford miss his war dog Sheba, so he spends more time with Henry and helps him train Bouncer. After a couple of weeks though, he decides he needs to go somewhere else and leaves Henry a note explaining that.
Recommendation
I would recommend Dogs of War to any teen who likes dogs and war stories. It gives you a different approach on how it was in the war. It also shows that dogs aren鈥檛 just some animals who sit around all day, they can help people and save lives....more
I really enjoyed reading Turtles All the Way Down. It took me much longer than expected. Overall, it was an extremely good book. I liPersonal Response
I really enjoyed reading Turtles All the Way Down. It took me much longer than expected. Overall, it was an extremely good book. I like a majority of John Green's books, but I think that this one tops them all. The way he wrote about Aza's thought spirals and how it feels inside her head was astounding. The extreme detail he goes to to explain the spirals is amazing all on it's own. It made me feel as if I was actually thinking the same thing she was thinking. It helped me understand people like Aza and their difficulty to try to function in their daily lives.
Plot Summary
Aza and her friend Daisy find out on the news about Davis Picket's fugitive father's disappearance. While watching, Aza realizes that Davis is her friend from 'Sad Camp,' or the camp kids go to after a family member dies. There happens to be a reward, a big reward, for whoever finds Davis Picket Sr., and Daisy, being Daisy, wanted that reward. Off they went to go digging into the Picket's business, when Davis stumbles upon them. From there, the three of them become friends. Davis and Aza begin to grow closer and closer, yet farther away at the same time. Aza has a mental illness. She has constant thought spirals that never leave her. During her struggle with her illness, she grows farther apart from Davis, but she does make sure to never give up on his brother, Noah. She never gives up on finding their dad.
Recommendation
I would recommend this to all teens and young adults. Or to anyone who loves John Green. Though, Turtles All the Way Down is a great book for all readers....more
I quite enjoyed reading Beastkeeper. It is a very short, yet fun to read book. I thought the characters were very w**spoiler alert** Personal Response
I quite enjoyed reading Beastkeeper. It is a very short, yet fun to read book. I thought the characters were very well written, and the authors description and plot had me constantly in wonder of what was going to happen next. Although, I would have to say, Sarah does seem a bit immature for her age in my opinion, I still thought she was a good fit for the plot.
Plot Summary
Sarah has always known her family wasn't quite normal, but never really took it into much consideration. That is, until her mother left. After her mother all but flew out of her life, her father began to act strange, with almost beastlike tendencies. He decided that Sarah should live with her grandparents. Although she wasn't at all delighted in the though of having to stay with grandparents she didn't know she had, she reluctantly agreed. During her stay with her grandmother, Sarah meets a talking white raven, a horrible beast of a man who was once her grandfather, and a young boy who was in charge of the forest. With talk of curses and witches, Sarah sets off into the forest for her friend, Alan, to help her break this curse, only to become a beast herself. As a beast, Sarah manages to keep as much humanity in her as she possibly can, in order to find a way to break the curse.
Recommendation
I would recommend Beastkeeper to anyone interested in books with somewhat modern magic. It is a very short and easy to read, so just about anyone could read it if they wanted to. I also would suggest this book to young teenage girls, as the main character, Sarah, is around that age....more
For me, Hush, Hush is the type of book that once you start reading, you never want to put down. It is a very intere**spoiler alert** Personal Response
For me, Hush, Hush is the type of book that once you start reading, you never want to put down. It is a very interesting and mysterious book. It had me constantly guessing and trying to figure out who was good and who was bad. One of my favorite things about the book has to be the characters. They are very well written and extremely thought out. Becca makes sure to only give just enough information about the character that makes them interesting without giving away too much.
Plot Summary
Nora is a pretty normal highschooler, until her dad dies. That's when things start to get weird. She constantly has the feeling that someone is following her, watching her, but just passes it off as her dad watching out for her. When her biology teacher decided to switch the seating chart a month before school ends, she's placed next to a mysterious boy, Patch. Creepy thing after creepy thing happens to Nora after she meets Patch. There is something off about him, but she can't figure out what it is.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mysterious books. Probably teenage girls. I would also suggest it to anyone who is interested in mythical things, since Hush, Hush deals with fallen angels among other things....more
Honestly, Blood Will Tell, is one of the best books that I have read so far this year. The intensity of it draws yo**spoiler alert** Personal Response
Honestly, Blood Will Tell, is one of the best books that I have read so far this year. The intensity of it draws you in until you can't put the book down! The way it started out, I was disinterested because it was kind of confusing and hard to follow. I felt like what was going on in the book had nothing to do with what I thought was going to happen. I was pleasantly surprised in the end when I figured out how everything fit together.
Plot Summary
A small girl goes missing one night, and the Search and Rescue team prepare to find her. They search until finally they see her hiding in the bushes. They call out to her, and the girl runs towards them. They try to stop her, but everything happens so fast. The young girl gets hit by a car, and the SAR team reacts immediately. Later that night, a woman is being murdered, only to be found the next morning. Once she is found, SAR is called to do an evidence search. There wasn't really anything significant that they found, other than a glove and some bloody footprints. Later, the cops accuse one of the young SAR members, Nick, of murdering her. They found his DNA under her nails. The problem is, Nick didn't do it, but the police don't believe him. Nick's friends Ruby and Alexis, help him figure out how his DNA got there, and who really killed the woman.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery. It may seem a little confusing at first, but it is a very thrilling and well written book. I would also recommend it to anyone who has read other books by April Henry....more
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