Almost Perfect - Brian Katcher

WARNING: This was the most tragic book I have ever read. Okay I might be exgaerating, but it was pretty darn tragic. I felt every single emotion I have ever felt, in my whole life, while reading this book. Honestly. Think of an emotion and you will feel it when you read this. Mostly though, you just feel sadness. I know that doesn't make anyone want to read this, but it was a great book, and defiantly worth the read.

My sister told me about it, you can read her blog, here. She writes a much better review to.

This book was about a boy, Logan who is just starting to get over his ex who really did a number on him. Enter Sage, this wild, brass, carefree new girl. At first he is intereged, then he is interested and before he knows it, he is in love. Unfortantly Sage has a dark secrete, one that will prevent them from ever having the relationship they both want. When she tells him, it changes both of them forever.

This book was like being on a roller coaster, it was like sky diving. My heart felt for these two, Katcher did such an amazing job bringing these characters life. I will always remember this book, I recommend it to anyone with an open heart (and mind).

Jennifer Government - Max Barry

You ever read a book that you think, "wow this is going to be awesome it has such an orginal idea!", and then you read it and when you are done you think..."hmmm." Yeah this was that book.

That being said. I am not saying it was bad. It wasn't. I am just not saying it was a good as it could have been. There were parts that made me laugh, Max Barry has a very dark, sarcastic sense of humor and I like that. But over all the book just lagged.

This is a story about a world where, government doesn't control people. You have to 'hire' police. You have to pay for any kind of justice. Big corporations run the country. If you work for Walmart say, your name would be your first name and Walmart. Hello, I am John Walmart. Your kids go to school, they would be their name and who the school is run by, say Target. Then in parentheses mom and dad's name: Amy Target (Walmart  BestBuy). Also there are rewards card. US Alliance and Team Advantage. They give discounts, and such for major corporations. Problem is McDonald's is one and Burger King is another. Mac is one, Apple is another. You get the picture. It is a book about who owns the biggest market share, who wants money bad enough...to kill. One man does and he stops at nothing to get what he wants. Unfortunately, Jennifer Government will stop at nothing to stop him.

There are many players involved and many different agendas. This had a wonderful idea, the plot was good, delivery was so-so. I am glad I read it, having said that I won't be seeking out many of his other books. Sorry Mr. Barry.

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

This book was the third and final book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. I am not going to say much, because again, I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that this ended very nicely.

This book, I felt, was a little slower then the others. There was more going on, more key players, but it still felt slower. I am not sure if it was me, wanting this book to last longer, or if it was indeed the pace of the book. You would have to be the judge on that when you read them.

These are books I can see myself re-reading at some future point.  They have everything you need in a good book. Great characters that you LOVE (or hate), an insanely detailed yet easy to follow plot line. Amazing descriptions of a world that we hope to never encounter. Emotions that all people have felt at least once in their lives. I enjoyed them so much! I am looking forward to more books by Collins, she is a fabulous author.

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

The second book for the Hunger Games series. This one is faster, deadlier, sadder, and better then Hunger Games. I couldn't put it down, I couldn't stop thinking of it when I had to.

The story picks up a few months after the first one. I can't SAY anything because I don't want to give anything away. Just go read Hunger Games, then read this one.

I am starting Mockingjay which is the third book in the series.

PS I just got news that there may be a movie coming out based on the books! I am not sure how I feel about that yet!

Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

I am going to go ahead an admit something shallow here, I passed this book up many times because of the cover. I would see it almost every time I went to borders and NEVER consider it. One time I think I picked it up and looked at the back and that turned me off more. "In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them to all send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV"-Back cover of The Hunger games...

Okay this might sound super fun to some people, but to me I was disgusted. Fast forward a few months and I am reading through some 'end of the world' blogs and books suggestions and this one, damn it all, keep popping up! Everyone raving how awesome it was, and how they couldn't put it down. Then I saw what did me and had me reserving at the library, Stephen King, the master of horror himself, said and I quote him here "A violent, jarring, speed-rap of a novel that generates nearly constant suspense. I couldn't stop reading" - Stephen King Entertainment Weekly

Yeah okay so now I had to read it. That all being said, this is going down as one of my favorite books. I loved it, and can not wait to get my hands on the next two. I loved everything from friendship to enemies to the raw need of survival to the warmth and comfort of home. Every single thing about this book was amazing. The details were stunning, the emotions were compelling, the speed in which the book flowed was astounding. I could not put it down and even now am thinking of wanting to re-read it. (I know this is going to have to be added to my library!)

Read it, enjoy it, buy it and read it again. This book was amazing. It goes to prove to me again, that you can't judge a book by its cover.

Unwind - Neal Shusterman

Want to talk about a controversial topic? How about abortion for starters? No? Well that is where this book starts.

In this book they have outlawed abortion (yay to the pro-lifers), but they have decided a few things. First there is a new rule that, as long as you aren't caught, you are allowed to 'stork' your baby when its first born. This means you are allowed to drop off your baby on the doorstep of someone Else's house. Also they have come up with a nifty way of using all body parts. So when you die, not only can your organs be used, but skin, limbs, tissue, you get the idea. So that leaves us with the second part of our new anti-abortion law. At the age of (I think its thirteen), your parents can have you...unwound. Meaning you will be donated, or more specifically your body parts will be. They try to make this seem good, you'll go on living through many people blah blah. The great fight that was fought over abortion was many years before this, so everyone seems to forget that its PEOPLE that are being unwound. Same as people seem to forget that is PEOPLE who are dying in abortion clinics but that is another topic.

This story follow three unwinds. One is a trouble maker, one is a ward of the state and one is being unwound for religious reasons. Its heartbreaking, its scary, it makes you angry and sad and confused. It doesn't question your morals...well maybe it would if you were on the fence one way or the other. But the characters DO stay with you. You think about the story long after you are done reading it. That I believe is that mark of a good book.

Do I recommend it for everyone...no. You have to be okay with the topic. If you are really deep one way or the other then this book would probably just piss you off. Me, I am firm in my belief but, not enough to not enjoy other points of view (especially fictional), and not enough to be bothered by this book. It's your call.

Hunger and Lies -Gone Novels - Michael Grant

 

Hunger is the second book in the Gone Series. This book was just as hard to read (emotionally), as the first book. For different reasons. By now you have gotten use to the fact that there are no adults, although its still hard to envision children drinking, smoking, fighting, starving. Its so hard to read. This book still follows the main characters from the last book.  Also the new threat of starvation is present. Grant really writes in detail, what the children go through in various stages of starvation. Its horrid! To make matters worse finding food turns out to be a very dangerous thing to do. Of course there is always the threat of Caine and his group. They are hungry, they are mean and they are ready for another fight. 

Lies is the third book in the Gone Series. Its been seven months since the wall went up. Things are still holding on by a thread. More gangs have popped up. Its freaks (those with special gifts) against normals. The normals are being run by a little punk named Zil. He unfortunately has followers and they reek havoc on the FAYZ. If they weren't enough, seems like some people don't stay dead, and people you thought were gone for good are back for another round. 

As Sam says in the end of this book "we just take it one day at time...here in the FAYZ" so true. 

There is a fourth one coming out, in April its called Plague! I am super excited! I am not 100% sure how many there will be. I love this series, but really how much more can you write about? We shall see. I do believe that Plague has a very promising title though. I shall of course, keep you posted!

PS Yet again, if looking for these books at your local library or bookstore, the covers are mostly likely different. I have used these because the covers just irritate me. :)