Tuesday, December 21, 2010

The Dead & The Gone - Susan Beth Pfeffer

This is part of a series (The Last Survivors Series (formally the Moon Series). The first one is, Life As We Knew It and the third one is The World We Live In.
This one was my favorite (yes I read out of order. I read the first and third one then this one.) I enjoyed this one for many reason and I don't believe I will give anything away.
In the first one we follow the events through a girls diary. She, her little brother and big brother fight the aftermath an asteroid hitting the moon. In this book, however, the story takes place following a teenage boy in care of his two sisters. His parents and older brother are missing. It is up to him to make all the decisions in regard to their health and safety.
It was a sad, tragic and yet uplifting book. Yet again, the reason why I love these books, it is in these times that you see the very best in humanity. Yes we see the worst as well. But I like to focus on the best. Another coming of age book in a time when surviving the hardest thing to do.
She is an astounding writer, she really gets into your soul and the characters don't leave you for a long time.
A very solid A. I kind of hope there are more.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Rot & Ruin - Johathan Maberry


First of all, you can find the first part of this in, The New Dead - A Zombie Anthology By Chirstopher Golden.

I went nuts while I was reading this, knowing what was happening, but also being quite sure I never actually read this book!!

Second of all, don't let the title deter you from reading it...

That being said. I love it.

This is a coming of age book in the midst of a zombie filled world. The outbreak happened fourteen years ago, so the kids the story follows, were just babies or not yet born when it all happened. The have no memory of the world before, and the only life they know is the one that exists inside the fence. Outside the fence, the great big Rot And Ruin.

Out there, people make their own rules, and sometimes the worst thing you find aren't the zombies, but actual living breathing humans.

This is an amazing story of courage, love, trumph, failure, the darkest places of human evil and the most amazing depths of human compassion.

This isn't a zombie book. This is a life book. A coming of age. Finding out who you are and who you are meant to be. A+ I look forward to reading a lot more by Maberry.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Beating Heart - A. M Jenkins


This was a subtitled - a ghost story. It was also classified 'horror'. I didn't find it scary. Although, this is coming from a kid who grew up on Stephen King. So scaring me is hard. I did however, find this book...tragic. It really made you feel for the ghost in this story. And the writing was very well done. I liked the different writing styles depending on who was narrating.

I read this book in one day and enjoyed it. Again, another fluff read. Solid B though...for originality :)

Monday, December 13, 2010

Thirst - Christopher Pike

I have read only one other book by Mr. Pike, Falling, which I did enjoy.
This book will be part of series (be warned). I enjoyed it, it was to me, a fluff read. It lacked a lot in the way of creativity, storytelling, detail. Some things he would detail to the point of exhaustion and others you were left to wonder what he was talking about.

I do have the second book though, and plan on reading it, so there you go. Couldn't be that bad. I find a good book one you don't want to put down. Once the book is finished you feel like a little piece of you is gone. You miss your friends that you have come to know. I didn't feel any of that with this. So there you have it. I was entertained, but in the grand scheme of things, it will be forgotten.

I give it a C

Falling, incidentally I give a solid B
This is actually one of those books I wouldn't mind seen turned into a movie....

Books everyone should read....part one

So I created this blog recently and thus, don't have some of the great books I have read this year on here. Or from years past. So I made a little list of books that I highly recommend. :) Enjoy.

1. Any thing Jodi Picoult writes









2. The Jane Rizzoli & Maura Isle's Books by Tess Gerristsen










3. Harry Potter Series - J.K.Rowling -you know you want to










4. The Dome - Stephen King











5. The Passage - Justin Cronin











6. The Stand - Steven King











7. Anything by P.C. Cast ~ But especially here Divine Goddess Series








8. The Host - Stephine Myer











9. Lightening - Dean Koontz











10. The Shannara Series - Terry Brooks











11. Anything Dan Brown









12. Sister's Choice - Emilie Richards











13. Anything Sarah Dessen











That should keep you busy until I remember more :)

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

House Rules - Jodi Picoult

Once again Jodi Picoult reaches out and makes us question life.

I have read every one of her books, and each time I am left thinking about the books weeks and even months after. This one will be no different. I actually am venturing to say that this one, will be my favorite.

In this story, Jacob is the main character, he has Asperger's Syndrome. He also has a very intense fascination with forensic science. This gets him into a lot of trouble, when his aid is the one, who winds up being the victim.

The story tells from everyone's point of view. Its amazing to hear three people, part of the same household, feeling completely different things, about the same situation. Its astounding to know how far brothers will go to protect each other, even when they don't think they have anything in common.

I enjoyed this book at lot, I got mad, I cried, I laughed and it will stay with me, for a long time. Another amazing read by Jodi Picoult :) A++

Friday, December 3, 2010

Full Dark, No Stars

This book was dark, even for Stephen King. It is a short story collection (four stories), and each tells a tale of what a person will (and can do), it the most unbelievable situations. More like, what would we do if we met with that...other person...who lives inside us all. It was a great book! I love his writing, his stories pull you in and don't let go, even after the last page. I recommend and give it an A+...

Monday, November 29, 2010

Dust - Joan Frances Turner

This was wonderful. A book from the Zombies point of view!! Beautiful!! I have never felt bad for the zombies, but Turner gave them so...life that it was hard not to like them. Through the whole book you are just swept away by this one clans day to day life and when things get weird and THEY start getting sick, that is when the real fun begins.

I would give this a solid A.

Feed - Mira Grant

This book was funny and dark. A zombie book that didn't focus on the zombies, for once, but rather the people who were living with the outbreak 20 years after the infection.

I enjoyed it for what it was, I admired the new spin on zombies. It was tough reading at first, but toward the middle and end I couldn't put it down. I'd give it a solid B. Mainly because it was a little wordy at times, and a little confusing at times. Overall though, I enjoyed it!