Girl Stolen

Author: April Henry

Date Published: December 1st, 2010

Pages: 213

Synopsis:

  Sixteen-year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of the car while her stepmom fills a prescription for antibiotics. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, the car is being stolen.

    Griffin hadn't meant to kidnap Cheyenne and once he finds out that not only does she have pneumonia, but that she's blind, he really doesn't know what to do. When his dad finds out that Cheyenne's father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes--now there's a reason to keep her. 

     How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare?

Genre: Mystery/Suspense

Review:

     One of the only reasons that I read this book was because I wanted a book to red on the plane ride to California for Easter vacation. I wanted to read it before I got Light on the 2nd of April, I ended up getting done with it five days before Light came out.  It was a good stand alone book, nothing special but it was good.  I liked how it was about a blind girl who was sick and basically completely vulnerable.
     Cheyenne was a strong character, strong enough for a blind girl. She wasn't blind her whole life; she became blind the same moment her mother died, which I find really depressing.  But at least she still had a dad and an actually nice stepmom, I have had my share experiences with evil stepmothers, trust me.
     Griffin was nice in an Aladdin  way, a diamond in the ruff. Growing up stealing cars, but feeling bad when he accidentally kidnaps a girl and then making sure she doesn't get hurt by his comrades.  I liked Griffin, I didn't like his dad.
     I didn't like how badly he treated Cheyenne and how he pretended that she couldn't hear him because she was blind. So insolent. But I have to cut this review short because I'm afraid I'm writing this rather late at night. Til' it be tomorrow...

Rating:★★★★

Happy Reading,

Alivia :)

The Kill Order (Maze Runner #0.5)

Author: James Dashner

Date Published: August 14th, 2012

Pages: 327

Synopsis:

     Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.

     Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.

     Mark and Trina are convinced there’s a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they’re determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you’re worth more dead than alive

Genre: Dystopian

Review:

     I was very excited to read this book, one because I love James Dashner, and two because I loved the Maze Runner series(other than the really fast ending to The Death Cure).  I had very high hopes for this books, and my expectations were almost all met. Almost.  This may sound geeky, but I wish James would have delved deeper into the sciencey part behind the cure. Maybe it's just me...

     I really liked how James Dashner made a story of what happened with (almost) all new characters. Like always, he won me over, although I always have felt that he makes things a little too obvious in his writing. Maybe I'm just really good at guessing what's going to happen.

    I thought that the plot and the characters were excellently thought out and articulated.  At first, I was kind of disappointing that the book wasn't all about Thomas and Teresa before they went into the maze, but then I fell in love with Mark and the gang.  I felt so close to them; it was just like Thomas and Teresa.  Mark and Trina were so adorable together! It was like they were made for each other!
      One thing I wish James Dashner would have included was more on Thomas. We already find out a lot about Teresa, but I was not satisfied with the measly end chapter about Thomas.  I guess that was left to our imagination.
     The ending of the book was very sad, yet I expected it the whole time.  I was sad to lose the characters that were lost but they would have just ended up getting the Flare too. The was they died was much more gallant.  
     Because I just love James Dashner, and I love the Maz Runner Trilogy, and the story, and the characters, and most of the end of this book. I will give it...

Rating: ★★★★

Happy Reading,

Alivia :)

Sever (The Chemical Garden #3)

Author: Lauren Destefano

Date Published: February 12th, 2013

Pages: 371

Synopsis:

With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered.

Genre: Dystopian Romance/ Science Fiction

Rewiew:

     First off, I was greatly disappointed with this book. I don't feel like it had the sense of closure that I think it needed.  I still love Lauren Destefano's writing but her  books aren't all that great. Personally, I think that she'd be a great stand-alone author, but that's besides the point.  

     One of the things that bothered me about this book was that Gabriel wasn't really a huge part of it.  He's pretty much my favorite character in the way he cares for Rhine even when she's sick and being, no offense, a little snobby.  Yep, I think Rhine is a tad bit (not a lot, not a lot at all) snobby.  Maybe whiny is a better word for it.  I mean seriously, first she complains about being eith Linden then she's sad that she can't find her brother. What did she think?  Her brother would be as she left him. No, now he's out and about bombing hospitals and research centers, no big deal.

     The thing that most bothered me was how fast she started believing Vaughn was telling the truth. After kidnapping her and killing Jenna, and everything else he did. I really thought he was evil. Then, out of nowhere, she decides that he's actually a person. He may be twisted and sick, but he's always been looking out for her. YUCK! That is the biggest stack of bologna I have ever heard.  Then as he continues to basically experiment on Rhine and Rowan she still puts her trust in him. *Sigh*

     One person I did like though was Vaughn's brother, Reed. He kind of reminded me of all my uncles combined. I have some weird uncles.  I guess in a way Reed was my favorite character, in a way. He just appealed to me like that.  He was like a big teddy bear, in a way, I guess.

     This whole next paragraph contains a HUGE SPOILER if you have not read the book please skip this paragraph, thank you.  

     Something that I thought was totally unnecessary was Linden dying.  I mean there was almost no point to it other than make Vaughn's life miserable, which I always enjoy.  But I just thought it was another way for Lauren Destefano to show us that author's can do whatever they want.  Sure, I know the symbolic meaning for it and everything but I really didn't like that he died.

      Spoiler Ends.

     This book, was really good aside from all of the things that were aforementioned  So, with that, I give it...

Rating: ★★★★

Happy Reading,

Alivia :)

Eve and Adam

Author: Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

Date Published: October 2nd, 2012

Pages: 291

Synopsis:

And girl created boy…

In the beginning, there was an apple—

And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker’s head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother’s research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal.

Just when Eve thinks she will die—not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy.

Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect... won’t he?

Genre: Science Fiction

My Review:

     Eve and Adam was written by my favorite author of all time.  So, naturally I thought this book was going to be just as good as the other books that he wrote. I don't know why, I just didn't like this one as much. Don't get me wrong, this is a GREAT book, it just surprised me that it didn't match up with his other books.  Michael Grant can be, at times, a very graphic writer. The series Gone can be an example of this; one of the most descriptive books there is out there.  I give my thanks to Michael Grant for graphically describing what coughing up a lung and gouging out one's eyes really means. I didn't find that in Eve and Adam.
     I thought that Eve and Solo's relationship was actually really cute. He liked her even though he was plotting to take down her Mom, I like that kind of sappy cliche kind of stuff.  It was amusing to see Eve try to get away from Solo, but he was relentless always coming back even when she didn't want him to. As Eve was creating her "perfect" boy Solo was standing in the background watching inventively to her every move.  And even as her boy came to life, she chose Solo over him. I thought that was adorable.
    I also really enjoyed the part about learning all these thing about genetics, I'm a geek that way.  Genetics have always interested me, see how things work you know.  Even though it is pretty much impossible for a human to make another human being from scratch, I liked the idea.  Overall, very well written other than the fact that it was lacking Michael Grant's usual graphic descriptions. Job well done.

Rating: ★★★★

Happy Reading,

Alivia :)

Reached (Matched #3)

Author: Ally Condie

Date Published: November 13th, 2012

Pages: 512

Synopsis:

After leaving Society to desperately seek The Rising, and each other, Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. Cassia is assigned undercover in Central city, Ky outside the borders, an airship pilot with Indie. Xander is a medic, with a secret. All too soon, everything shifts again.

Genre: Dystopian Romance

My Review:

     First off, this book was a mediocre ending to a mediocre series.  Really, I liked Matched but Crossed ruined it and Reached tried to revive the series and kind of failed. Kind of are the key words.  I mean the book was pretty cliche. A sickness starts, scientist frantically look for a cure, they find it, WHAM! Everyone's all better. Like really? People need to die.  I know some people did died, but were they the main characters? No. A book needs people to die, this may sound harsh, but I love a good book where my favorite character dies.  It's just so heart-wrenching that I immediately deem that book worthy of favorites list. Reached didn't even make it in anyway close to that list. I guess another main problem was that all the people who were needed were all immune to the cure.  I remember thinking, What is this a joke? They are both immune to the plague? Unreal. 

     So I guess I should go into why the book was good. Well, I thought the book was good because I really liked how Xander was excepting of Cassia's love for Ky.  That really showed me how much he loves her. When you love something you have to set it free. At the same time I kind of feel bad for Xander that he didn't get his dream girl that he's loved since he was little. Another example of this book's cliche-ness was how both Xander and Ky both loved Cassia since they first saw her. Then they wanted her when they grew up, one of them did, the other didn't. At least Xander ends up with a good person.

     This book displayed beautiful writing and wonderful poetry that I always fell in love with. With that I will leave this series on a good remark.

Rating: ★★★★

Happy Reading,
Alivia :)

Glass (Crank #1)

Author: Ellen Hopkins

Date Published: August 21st, 2007

Pages: 681

Synopsis:

Crank. Glass. Ice. Crystal. Whatever you call it, it's all the same: a monster. And once it's got hold of you, this monster will never let you go.

Kristina thinks she can control it. Now with a baby to care for, she's determined to be the one deciding when and how much, the one calling the shots. But the monster is too strong, and before she knows it, Kristina is back in its grips. She needs the monster to keep going, to face the pressures of day-to-day life. She needs it to feel alive.

Once again the monster takes over Kristina's life and she will do anything for it, including giving up the one person who gives her the unconditional love she craves -- her baby.

The sequel to Crank, this is the continuing story of Kristina and her descent back to hell. Told in verse, it's a harrowing and disturbing look at addiction and the damage that it inflicts.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

My Review:

     First off, this book as amazing sequel to Crank, like all of Ellen Hopkins' books they're about real life problems.  Mainly, it's just Crank with more characters, plot twists, and drugs.  That's right, Kristina discovers a different kind of meth, glass.  Mexican glass can be up to 90% real meth, also a lot more pricier.  Consequently, Kristina has to resort to stealing money from people at one point in the book.  

     I got really sad when she started using again, I really thought that she would be okay for a little longer. That it, until she met Trey.  At first I thought that it was just gonna be a fling, I even kind of liked him at first. Then he started her up on meth again I didn't like him as much. But when I saw how happy he made Kristina, I was tricked into liking him again.  I was even happy that she was keeping a relationship with him and not cheating. Not a lot at least.

      Brad was definitely not my favorite character.  He seemed real sweet at first until he wanted to cheat on his technical wife and have Kristina cheat on his own cousin.  I got really mad at him for doing that. They have a reason to be sad and lonely, but they did not need to do what they did.  Especially when Trey came home when they were together, that was despicable.

      Don't get me wrong, there was nothing wrong with this book.  In fact, it was amazing.  So real, so serious, not pretend. Cold, hard truth as to how imperfect the human race can really be.

Rating: ★★★★

Happy Reading,

Alivia :)

Matched (Matched #1)

Author: Ally Condie

Date Published: November 30th, 2010

Pages: 369

Synopsis: 

     Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

     The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Genre: Dystopian 

My Review:

     As you may have noticed, I read a lot of dystopian books.  I like the genre because it's cool to read about what other people think about the future. Although it's likely that none of it will actually happen...  It's still fun to dream.

     I really like the main character Cassia. I know this may sound fangirly but, she reminds me of me. Not who she is just what she stands for.  Her looks too, brown hair, green eyes.  She's one of my favorite characters, not just in the book, just as a character alone.  She like hiking like me, she also wants more than just what everyone else is having.  Conformity.  She's actually been through a lot.  First she finds out she's going to be married to, what looks like, two guys. But then later, she finds out what one of them is and that it could have never worked in the first place.

     If I really had to choose my next favorite character in this book it would be Ky.  His morals are so strong.  He knows exactly what he wants to do, but he does it in such a subtle way that no one notices. He's so smart. His relationship with Cassia I kind of rebuked at first, but then closer to the end of the book I wished that they could run away together and leave Xander behind.

     Xander is a whole different story. He's sweet, but not passionate.  I was actually trying to tell Cassia that she should just stay with Xander and not even bother with Ky. Oh, how I was so wrong.
     I really did like Matched, I'd recommend it to anyone who'd listen.

Rating: ★★★★

Happy Reading,
Alivia :)