Looking for Alaska was a beautifully written novel that contains elements of friendship, loyalty, and love. It was interesting to see how the character of Pudge grows and learns from his new friend Alaska Young. However I become very sad for the characters when tragedy stuck leaving them all wondering why. I won’t spoil as to what happened but, I will say that for the second half of the novel it was intriguing as to how the characters recovered from their grief. It almost become like a mystery case that the characters were working on to discover more information about the tragedy. John Green does an excellent job of writing and this plot does not disappoint. Therefore, I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars.
When Miles (Pudge) Halter attends Culver Creek boarding school, he never intends to become friends with Alaska Young. Alaska is the beautiful, eccentric kind of girl Pudge has always dreamed of dating let alone being friends with. But Alaska isn’t just beautiful; she contains ideas and secrets ridden with the guilt of her past. However she finds it her responsibility to teach Pudge how to live a little with the help of Pudge’s roommate “the Colonel”. Now with Alaska, the Colonel, and other close friends, Pudge sets out to have the best junior year of high school under tragedy changes his outlook on life.
Looking for Alaska was a beautifully written novel that contains elements of friendship, loyalty, and love. It was interesting to see how the character of Pudge grows and learns from his new friend Alaska Young. However I become very sad for the characters when tragedy stuck leaving them all wondering why. I won’t spoil as to what happened but, I will say that for the second half of the novel it was intriguing as to how the characters recovered from their grief. It almost become like a mystery case that the characters were working on to discover more information about the tragedy. John Green does an excellent job of writing and this plot does not disappoint. Therefore, I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars.
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One night, on an unlikely Chicago street corner, two boys named Will Grayson meet. One Will Grayson lives a fairly decent life with a loving mother and father, hilarious friends, and a best friend bent on making the next Broadway musical. The other Will Grayson lives a depressing life with a divorced mother, one moody friend, and low self-esteem. So what will happen when these two seemingly different boys meet—love will blossom and an epic high school musical will be performed on the stage for the first time. Read John Green and David Levithan’s New York Times bestselling novel will grayson, will grayson today. Although I was initially not pleased with this novel, I will say that it was well written and humorous. It was interesting to see how the two authors switched off every other chapter and still created a flowing story. Usually I am not a big fan of duel perspective novels because if I come across a good point and then it perspective switches, I have to wait until the other perspective comes back and it is irritating. However other than the novel being written well, I did not enjoy this book. I felt that there was no plot or climax to this story. And instead I was reading about winey teenagers and their high school problems. However, the book did have a happy ending, but there was nothing that really lead up to that point. Because of that, I was surprised by the ending, yet it still gave no hint as to what the central plot was. I like John Green’s other books, but this was not one of his best. Therefore I give this story 2.5 out of 5 stars. After being dumped for the 19th time, Colin Singleton decides it is time to take a road trip and get away from all his relationship drama. And when it comes to relationships, Colin’s type of girl is named Katherine. Not Catherine, not Katharine, but K-A-T-H-E-R-I-N-E. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped for reasons he cannot understand. Therefore, this child prodigy and his Judge Judy loving best friend, Hassan, take to the road and travel from state to state in order to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictably (when once finished should be able to predict the outcome of any relationship). But then, Colin and Hassan find themselves in Gutshot, Tennessee. Will Colin be able to make his theorem work? Or will he end up falling in love with yet other girl? Find out in An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. As I’ve said before, after reading The Fault in Our Stars I decided it was time to read the other John Green books. An Abundance of Katherines was recommended to by my best friend who loves John Green; and I will say that I was not disappointed. John Green knows how to write for teenagers. This book was hilarious and contained characters with personalities that we can see in our own friends. I think this is what makes John Green an awesome writer, because he can write stories with characters and ideas that we teenagers can relate to in our own life. I don’t think I need to say more other than I thoroughly enjoyed this book and give it a 5 out of 5 stars. Quentin Jacobsen, or Q as his friends call him, is just like any other guy…lusting after a girl he can never have. And that girl is Margo Roth Spiegelman, whom Quentin has lived next door to his entire life. But one night when Margo climbs into Q’s life (via his bedroom window), Q has no other choice than to follow Margo Roth. This leads to the unlikely duo carpe diem-ing it up, as Margo leads Q on a night of revenge filled tasks that may or may not be legal. But when Q returns to school the next day, he is surprised to find that Margo is gone leaving nothing but her mystery behind. Now, in the last few weeks of senior year of high school, Q and his friends must uncover the clues that, hopefully, lead to the return of Margo Roth Spiegelman. Find out what happens when band nerds and popularity collide in this thrilling novel by John Green. After reading The Fault in Our Stars, I decided it was time to read the other John Green books. I know that there are people who are not fans of John Green and people who are; and I happen to be one of those people who like John Green. John Green has a way of writing that, I think, is relatable to most teenagers. He doesn’t write about unlikely things where the unpopular boy gets the girl and they live happily ever after. John Green writes about plots that has aspects that are relatable to us all. When I first starting reading Paper Towns, I was immediately intrigued because all of Quentin’s friends are band geeks. I myself am a band geek and found the friendships fitting between the characters as I do with my friends. And like Quentin, my friends are either in the band or not in the band but wish that they were in the band. Furthermore, I liked the underlying theme of friendship in the novel and, therefore, give Paper Towns 5 out of 5 stars. I would recommend this book to any fan of John Green and Maureen Johnson’s 13 Little Blue Envelopes. The conclusion to the best selling series is finally here!When Sebastian swears to bring destruction down on the Nephilim, it is up to Clary and her friends to defeat him. But the only weapon powerful enough to kill Sebastian is the Heavenly Fire which runs through Jace’s veins. And as Sebastian creates more Endarkened shadowhunters, families are tore apart and death and destruction is seen across the entire globe. Therefore, in order to preserve the race of shadowhunters, Clary, Jace, Simon, Isabelle, and Alec must travel to a distance demon dimension in order to kill Sebastian. Now in the thrilling conclusion to the Mortal Instruments series, love and destruction collide as Clary must battle against her brother in hopes of saving not just her loved ones but the entire world. The City of Heavenly Fire was much better than I expected. After the last two books, which I did not particularly enjoy, I was beginning to dread having to read this one. But Cassandra Clare surprised me and I am glad to have read the entire series. The book ended on a high note, with action and adventure till the very last chapter. I felt myself on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next and whether or not Clary and her friends could defeat Sebastian. The City of Heavenly Fire tied up most loose ends. After all the cliff hangers and anguish of who would be with whom, this book had the perfect conclusion to the well written series. As I’ve said before anyone who enjoyed the Twilight series, Harry Potter books, and perhaps the elements of The Hunger Games, would enjoy the Mortal Instruments story. Therefore, this final Mortal Instruments book deserves 4.5 out of 5 stars because the story was well written and held the reader’s attention; although I was still annoyed with the jumping around points of perspective. I will be sad to say good-bye to these characters, but excited for Clare’s new series coming out in the fall of 2015 which appears to be about the Blackthorn children. What would you do if the person you loved most was taken hostage by the person who was your greatest enemy? And what if your greatest enemy was your only brother? This is Clary’s problem at the beginning of book five in the Mortal Instruments series. The demon Lilith may have been destroyed but when the Clave arrives with help both Sebastian and Jace are gone. Sebastian is now on a mission to destroy the Clave by using Jace as a weapon. And when Clary discovers that Jace and Sebastian are bound, there is no way to kill Sebastian without killing Jace as well. With this dilemma few people—Alec, Isabelle, Clary, Magnus, and Simon—still believe that Jace can be saved. But these friends will have to work together without the assistance of Clary, as she has taken on a mission that could not only result in her death but also the loss of Jace’s soul. Can this team of friends find a weapon that can harm one boy but not the other in time? Or will Sebastian bring the Clave, and Jace, down with him? The City of Lost Souls was another disappointing book in the Mortal Instruments series. Like book four, the problem is introduced too early and resolved too late in the book. There is a good 300 pages where all the characters do is bounce ideas off one other and then argue whether or not they will work. The entire middle part of the book is a complete waste of time. I, as the reader, felt like the author was just trying to write another book but didn’t have an idea as to when the story was going to end. The characters seem to become static because there is nothing for them to do. There soul propose in this plot is to find a way to save Jace. And all they do to save him is argue about how to do it. Not only this, but Cassandra Clare writes in a style that is very agitating. One minute we are reading about Simon and Isabelle, the next page we skip to what Clary and Jace are doing. Because there are two different settings within the book at once, it becomes very annoying as the writer jumps from one idea to the next. I felt myself flipping through pages just to finish the rest of what was happening from the last group of characters I was reading about and then skipping back to where I had left off. I honestly hope that Cassandra Clare makes up her mind and concludes these novels with a tale as exciting as the first three books. Questions such as “Is Jace good or evil?” and “Will Sebastian ever be defeated?” have not been answered for the past two books. After Valentine’s death there really was no reason to continue the story. At the end of book three it could be inferred that Clary and Jace ended up together, Jocelyn and Luke were getting married, and that all the other characters were well and happy. Now Clare is drawing out the story and in that process she is upsetting readers. Hopefully book six has a better plot than book five and conclude this never ending, world wind story. Therefore I give this book 2.5 out of 5 stars. NOTE: Reminder that this is my opinion. If you thought that this book was better than I did you are entitled that opinion as I am to mine.
In the fourth Mortal Instruments book, Clary has decided to begin training in order to become a shadowhunter. With the Mortal War over, and Valentine gone, shadowhunters and downworlders are finally at peace. But most importantly, Clary can finally call Jace her boyfriend. However nothing comes without a price. Someone is murdering shadowhunters and all the downworlders (warlocks, faeries, vampires, and werewolves) are being blamed. Now Clary must work with her friends to uncover who is responsible. But when Jace begins having internal struggles, he pushes away from Clary; arising even more questions about their intense relationship. And Simon is not much help in this situation either because while he bares the Mark of Cain, everyone wants his power. So can Clary keep it together and find out who's after her friends? Or will a force even greater than Valentine threaten to bring down the newly restored peace? Find out in the City of Fallen Angels. The City of Fallen Angels was okay. Cassandra Clare is an excellent writer, but this story line was terrible. With Valentine dead there is no villain in the story; and the new villain is not revealed until the last 50 pages of the book. The story instead seemed to focus more on Clary and Jace's relationship problems than it did on an actual plot. There were so many things happening to the different characters at once that the central story line felt lost and irrelevant. The Mortal Instruments series could have been a fabulous trilogy; however Clare decided to keep the story going and it takes a whole book to get to the next phase of the story. So bear through an entire book of filler and hormonal teenagers before you find out what really happens next in the Mortal Instruments series. Therefore, the City of Fallen Angels receives 3 out of 5 stars. In the third installment of The Mortal Instruments series, Clary must travel to the City of Glass in order to save her mother's life. But when Valentine strikes again, forcing Jace to leave Clary behind in New York, Clary must then illegally travel to Alicante alone. But once she arrives, even more problems arise. Now, Clary must befriend new shadowhunters and work with Isabelle, Alec, and Jace to find the warlock who can save her mother. However when Valentine raises a demon army against the Clave, shadowhunters and downworlders must work together if they want to stop Valentine from running the government. But the peace between downworlders and shadowhunters has never been stable. Can Clary find a way to unite everyone together? Or will they be forced to live under Valentine's rule? Find out in The City of Glass. The City of Glass was another great read. I really enjoyed the next chapter in Clary's story. Cassandra Clare was able to keep the reader engaged with the introduction of new characters and plot twists. In fact, I was surprised to see how the story ended...if there hadn't been another book in the series I would have thought that this book was the ending. Mrs. Clare must have something big planned up her sleeve; and I can't wait to read what it is. This book was the perfect continuation of forbidden love, high action, and epic battles. I was impressed to see that as the struggle against Valentine continued that I did not become bored. Cassandra Clare is able to keep the story new and suspenseful even into the third book. I'll be interested to see where the story turns now; after everything that occurred in The City of Glass. Furthermore, The City of Glass deserves 5 out of 5 stars and I recommend this book to anyone looking for a epic summer read! Forced onto a family vacation with her business-obsessed father, eager step-mother, and love craved brother, Becca wants nothing more than to be left only. Instead she is dragged throughout Europe from one boring tour to the next. Then one day Becca runs into Nikolai, a guy who is as nice as he is handsome. But what Becca doesn't know, is that as she travels throughout Europe with Nikolai, is the fact that he is a runaway prince. Now as Becca falls in love with an heir to the throne and crowned prince of a European country, she must dodge the press and hide Nikolai from her prying eyed parents. But as Becca’s vacation comes to an end and Nikolai’s father discovers his location, will Becca and Nikolai be forced to say goodbye or find a way to keep their summer love alive? Royally Lost is the perfect pool or beach read. I discovered this book while searching the Barnes and Nobles store for a new book and was pleasantly surprised with quality of the story. It is a cute summer romance novel where the ending is predictable but the plot itself keeps the reader engaged throughout the story. I really don’t have anything bad to say about the book nor do I have anything super exciting to say. It’s your average summer romance novel that will appeal to girls looking for a book with a happy ending. I also recommend this book to anyone who has read Royally Crushed by Niki Burnham. Therefore, this book deserves 4 out of 5 stars. The game of Panic began as many other things have in the small town of Carp; a way to entertain the people over the summer. Panic is a game where only graduated high school seniors are given the opportunity to compete in a series of dangerous and thrilling tasks for a chance to win over $50,000. Some people brag of how they will win during the school year, but for Heather she never saw herself doing something so reckless. Because now Heather must compete against her best friend, Natalie, and team up with a quiet boy named Dodge in order to have a chance at winning all of that money. However it isn’t so easy when your mother is always drunk and doing drugs, your other best friend does not approve of the game, and you don’t know who to trust. For Heather, all the odds seem against her favor; but in the middle of the game when her life becomes crazy, Heather finds the motivation she needs for a chance to win $67,000. Lauren Oliver has out done herself in her new novel, Panic. After reading her book Delirium, I was unsure that I would enjoy her other novels more than I already had. But with this fresh concept and a new cast of characters, I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Panic is a thrilling novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. There are many relatable aspects, from friendships, to love interests, and the motivation to do something wrong in order to potential improve your own life. That’s what makes Heather such a likeable character. She has been through so much that the game Panic seems like a piece of cake for her. But as the story unfolds, the reader is given a taste as to how hard the game really is. The story itself is basically a competition of survival of the fittest. Anyone who liked the competition aspect of The Hunger Games will enjoy this new book from Lauren Oliver. Therefore, Panic deserves 5 out of 5 stars. |
AuthorHi! My name is Jackie K. and I'm a high school student who loves reading and reviewing books. I'm one of the biggest book worms you'll ever meet and I hope my book reviews encourage you to read as well! Book Titles
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