Review - LIES

Lies (Gone, #3) - Michael Grant
Genre: YA Sci Fi/Fantasy/Dystopian
# of pages: 447 (hb)
Publisher: Harper Teen

I had the same reaction to Lies that I had to Hunger: pretty good, definitely entertaining and a strong installment, but not as good as Gone, due primarily to the humongous cast of characters and rotating points of view.
Lies was easier to follow than Hunger plot-wise, I think. There doesn’t seem to be quite so many completely different things going on. Instead, it seemed like in the aftermath of the food crisis of the previous book, Lies focused more on the characters and how their relationships have changed in the months following the Poof - the event in which all adults suddenly disappeared. It’s been 7 months in the FAYZ, and old alliances start to weaken as new ones form. This book is aptly named, that’s for sure.

I really liked how Michael Grant put the main characters under the microscope in this book especially – it made them seem more developed and understandable. Sam and Astrid and Mary and Albert and all the others certainly aren’t perfect, by any means, and sometimes they can get downright ugly. Oh, there were a few times when Sam and Astrid (especially) made infuriating decisions, and there were a few times when I was just moved by Caine and Diana’s struggles, and Diana’s sacrifices to stay with him. All in all, the focus on characters was very well done.
But, like Hunger, several new characters were introduced in Lies. To be honest, I think this ship is pretty full. Every time I turn around there are several new characters introduced that I (the reader) have to keep up with, and at this point, it got a little daunting.

As always, though, the premise of the Gone series fascinated me from the beginning. There’s just something about a bunch of teenagers (and younger) trying to band together and create a society out of chaos – and all the struggles that entails - that is incredibly riveting. I am completely hooked on this series!

Hurry up and get here, April, so we can find out what happens next in Plague!

**win THE WITCHES KITCHEN**

When Toad wakes up, dangling over a bubbling witches' cauldron, she has no memory of her former life, not even her name. With some luck, she escapes and sets out on a journey to the oracle of the kitchen. Along the way, she makes friends with Natterjack, an imp who refuses his demon ancestry; Horsefly, a carnivorous fairy; and Pug and Sootfoot, residents of the Kitchen. But the Kitchen and the witch sisters it belongs to, is not a place one wants to end up lost. The Kitchen is pitch black and infinite, filled with furniture that constantly moves when unobserved, making navigation nearly impossible. Its residents are both animals from the outside, unwitting victims of the Witches, and creatures who were born or made in the Kitchen itself - many of whom would not mind eating the Toad and her friends. And let's not forget the Witches themselves, who seem to have a special interest in the Toad. With some courage and wisdom, the Toad just might find self-realization yet - and with it, the power to defeat the mighty Witches.

I just finished this book last night and am working on my review as we speak.
But I did want to go ahead and announce this giveaway so you guys will have time to enter!
I don't want to give too much away outside of the review, but yall -
this book was so awesome! I absolutely loved it!
Highly creative, exciting, with nonstop action and lovable characters. This will be the perfect Halloween lite read!

Entries:
Let's keep this simple, shall we?This is for followers only, so make sure you're a follower!
Leave a comment with your email address
+ 2 points for tweeting about this contest
Winner will be announced on Sunday, October 24. PS - I love stories with frog characters! Absolutely love them <3

Review - PASTWORLD

Pastworld - Ian Beck
Genre: YA Speculative Fiction
# of pages: 355 (hb)
Publisher: Bloomsbury
The premise of Pastworld is incredibly engrossing - it's like a historical version of Jurassic Park: the idea is that a park exists in modern day London that is a living recreation of Victorian England, packed with "official" pickpockets, beggars, and a psycho killer running around who's a throwback to Jack the Ripper.
Incredibly interesting premise.
However, the execution was a disappointment for me.This book was just bizarre on so many levels. The way Pastworld is set up is, in my opinion, not a very good way to tell a story. It alternates between a third person "report" and a first person diary-format narrative...incredibly random, and the chapter transitions were incredibly choppy and didn't follow any sort of pattern.
My biggest complaint, though, is in the novel's characterization, or complete lack thereof. Character actions were presented in a very wooden, flat way, and the book never really explained any sort of character motive or emotional depth, which was really disappointing. For example, early on in the story one of the main characters, Eve, decides to run away from home. No reason is given, nor any emotional insight. There's just a major detachment between action and any sort of depth. Also, two characters 'supposedly' fall in love, and yet they never once - never once - have even a private conversation together, nevertheless kiss. It was just weird. And the Jack the Ripper-esque killer just runs around mutilating people...for no real purpose.
The problem with presenting part of the story in the format of a 3rd person "report" is a lack of a connection between cause and effect...

This book did have some noteworthy positives, though. There is a great deal of historical detail in Pastworld, and a lot of really interesting facts relating to Victorian England, and the author did a good job of bringing that aspect of the story alive. But unfortunately, Pastworld is not a textbook, nor is it a travel brochure. It is a novel, so aspects of storytelling like plot and characterization need to be really strong. And they really weren't, which was too bad.

I really, really wanted to like this book. While there's nothing in it that would prevent me from recommending it to you, I can't exactly thing of any reason why I should recommend it, if that makes sense. It was a great idea that was very strangely and bizarrely put together.
Final Grade:

the SARAH DESSEN post

Quick thing about me:

I read YA/MG almost exclusively. However, I cannot remember the last time I read YA contemp fiction. It's not that there's anything wrong with it, I just usually read for escapism purposes, and realistic books don't really offer me much of an escape. That's why I usually stick to fantasy/dystopian, etc.
However... it is practically undisputed fact that Sarah Dessen is one of the most talented and prolific authors in Young Adult literature, and her books are monumentally popular. I read The Truth About Forever in high school, and while unfortunately I don't remember it at all, I remember liking it. I really, REALLY want to read one/some of her books again, so I need recommendations!

Here's what I had in mind:
I'm going to have this post up while I work on some of my reviews. What I would love is for you guys to leave a comment with your favorite Sarah books, and/or ones you'd recommend. If you could narrow it down to 1 or 2, that would be awesome.
If there's a book you didn't particularly like, I'd like to know that as well!

Thanks a bunch, folks! Look forward to seeing what you have to say :)

So long, September!

September was an eXceLLenT month (reading wise...school wise it sucked) because for the first time since June, I was able to read 6 books instead of just 4! Woo-hoo for improvements.

Here are some AWARDS!
Number of Books: 6 (I finished Maze Runner today, but I'm counting it in Sept!)
Favorite Read: Hands down, Nevermore by Kelly Creagh. HANDS DOWN.Least Favorite Read: Pastworld by Ian Beck
Most Original Idea or Storyworld: I love the chaotic confusion that goes along with living in some kind of post-apocalyptic maze in The Maze Runner, but as far as originality... I'm going to have to go with the Poe-induced dreamworld of Nevermore
Weirdest/Strangest Idea or Storyworld: the whole premise of Pastworld sounds really cool, but unfortunately, that book was a miasma of weirdness.
Best Narrator/MC: Isobel Lanley from Nevermore is the best narrator...as to main character, would Varen Nethers count? He's my favorite!Best Villain: Cain Soren from the Gone series (representing Hunger and Lies)
Best Love Interest: VAREN NETHERS! I just want him to come over and read "Ulalume" to me :)
Best Supporting Character or Sidekick: Little Chuck from The Maze Runner :)
Author I'd Love to Hang Out With: James Dashner - he seems like a fun dude with a good sense of humor

Final Grades:

Nevermore
Hunger
Low Red MoonPastworld - Review pending
Lies - Review pending
The Maze Runner - Review pending

I know, I stink with all the 'review pending' stuff.

In My Mailbox [21]

Yay for a great week!!

Received for Review
Beautiful Darkness (Caster Chronicles, #2)
^^ Thank you Little Brown!!

Bought
I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies, #1)
Everlasting

Swapped
The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey, #2)

I was feelin' sorry for myself because I had 3 tests this week, so I binge-bought 2 hardbacks, which I rarely ever do. I try really hard not to be hb's retail price, but what can I say...I have a problem.

And thank you so MUCH to Little Brown for sending me Beautiful Darkness! ((Now I just need to read BC))

Currently Reading -
*Still* on The Maze Runner, but will hopefully finish tonight or tomorrow. Question for those who read this book - did it take you a long time to read this? I don't know what my deal is. Dashner's writing style is pretty easy to read, but I'm doin' 40 pages a night instead of 100. Arrgghhh!

In other news...
I am about 70 followers away from ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!
Bazinga!

the awesomest review of TWILIGHT you will ever READ!!!

Yes, this is [probably] one the greatest reviews of Twilight you will ever read!

Why? Well, for one...I did not write it!
And if Twilight seems like a really random book to "review," it's a banned book, and this is Banned Books Week! Yay, relevance.
Again, lemme say that I did not write this, but it's pretty much WORD FOR WORD how I feel about the book!
So here's a review of TWILIGHT from someone who knows a thing or two about writing.
Guess who it is!!

Twilight, Stephenie Meyer. I'm a sucker for a good vampire story, so I wanted to see what all the buzz was about. The story was a page-turner: regular teenage girl falls in love with a guy who turns out to be a vampire. I thought the writing needed some editing. If the girl's heart skipped a beat one more time or the vampire smiled his "perfect crooked smile" I was going to fling the book across the room. But hey, I kept reading to see what would happen next. I'm sure the book will be popular. It would make a good movie.
- 2005 entry from his blog.

That's right, folks. This review was written by the one, the only:



















































RICK RIORDAN!
(Isn't that funny? You go, RR!)