Endgame has begun....and is finally over!
Endgame follows 12 strangers as they fight to win a mysterious game and save their lines from extinction. First of all, I must say this book is extremely familiar to The Hunger Games, only not as good.12 players, each between the ages of 13-17....let's face it, it sounds oddly similar, sort of like a book series or blockbuster movies we all know and love. However, Frey made the fatal mistake of trying to balance between 12 different people with disastrous consequences. The characters were poorly developed and the one that had a little more depth was an American with a seemingly perfect life. Why not someone else?
The writing was also pretty sloppy, in my opinion. The fight scenes, as well as most of the plot, was redundant and tedious. I literally said out loud "I cannot wait to be done with this book". And that was not meant in a good way.
The book also falls under the juvenile fiction category, which I, SURPRISE SURPRISE, have a huge problem with. Ok, the writing reflects a juvenile fiction category, but the words do not. There are several f bombs thrown throughout with scenes of bloody, intense violence. If I were a mother and knew nothing of this book, I would be extremely upset if my kid was reading this kind of book without my knowledge.
On to the positives. I really like the interactive puzzles, but must they be so difficult? I mean really. I thought this was a young people novel? I just feel like there is too much information for people to actually sit there and pour hours and hours into. I know the prize is $500,000 but it seems like they do not want this money to be won. We all are not as intellectual as the poorly developed characters in this book.
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Positives; Unique interactive twist
Negatives: Poorly developed characters; redundant and somewhat confusing plot.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard Review
Allow me to tell you a true story. I began a journey just two short days ago. It was full of suspense, intrigue, and interesting characters. As I passed these things on my leisurely stroll, my pace began to quicken. The end, I kept repeating to myself, I must get to the end! The canopy on my path began to thin. I could feel my heart rate quicken as more light poured in through the thinning trees. This was it! I was almost there! Abruptly, my path stopped. The only thing in front of me was a steep cliff that dropped straight down to the crashing waves below. Was this it? Surely I could not have been on this journey only to reach that outcome.
As mentioned, the story above is based in reality. I picked up Sara Shepard's The Perfectionists with the die-hard Pretty Little Liars (TV show) fan girl squealing in my head. Overall, I was not disappointed with this latest novel from Shepard, but there were a few things I thought definitely could have been improved. If you like Pretty Little Liars, then this book is right up your alley, filled with the same character types, settings, and plenty of mystery. After realizing this, I paused for a moment of quiet (yeah, I am kidding myself) mediation. Are these the only characters Shepard knows how to write? Now, let me be fair. Without Sara Shepard, one of my favorite tv shows would not be in existence and I have done everything in my power to avoid picking up the novels the show was based on. I know there are some differences, but this is one of the few instances where I don't want to read the books. Maybe when the show has finished completely? But I digress. The characters in The Perfectionists were pretty similar to the Pretty Little Liars characters and the mystery was eerily familiar. On the show, viewers go SEASONS without getting questions answered. The writers wait until the last possible moment when they sense people are getting fed up to answer one tiny question and then the waiting begins anew. The Perfectionists was exactly the same! It had such a great story line and I did really enjoy it, even though it may have sounded different above, but I did not get an answer! Sure, there were a few minor details like love triangles and auditions that got wrapped in a neat little bow, but nothing about the bigger picture. There were several plot turning points and I thought that we should have at least gotten one thing resolved.
The way the book was written has set it up perfectly for a squeal, which I will most definitely be reading. It was also fast paced and had me constantly thinking of who had an ulterior motive, but I am not sure if character development was really up to scratch. In all fairness, this is the first book I have read by Shepard and I have already spotted another that I am eager to pick up, The Heiresses. I am willing to give this talented writer another go and hopefully, the characters will be somewhat different on the next go.
Genre:YA
Positives; Well written plot with plenty of suspense to keep you turning the pages.
Negatives: No resolution in the end and the book was entirely too reminiscent of Pretty Little Liars. Guess we will have to wait until June 2, 2015 to read the rest.
Rating:3.5 out of 5 stars
As mentioned, the story above is based in reality. I picked up Sara Shepard's The Perfectionists with the die-hard Pretty Little Liars (TV show) fan girl squealing in my head. Overall, I was not disappointed with this latest novel from Shepard, but there were a few things I thought definitely could have been improved. If you like Pretty Little Liars, then this book is right up your alley, filled with the same character types, settings, and plenty of mystery. After realizing this, I paused for a moment of quiet (yeah, I am kidding myself) mediation. Are these the only characters Shepard knows how to write? Now, let me be fair. Without Sara Shepard, one of my favorite tv shows would not be in existence and I have done everything in my power to avoid picking up the novels the show was based on. I know there are some differences, but this is one of the few instances where I don't want to read the books. Maybe when the show has finished completely? But I digress. The characters in The Perfectionists were pretty similar to the Pretty Little Liars characters and the mystery was eerily familiar. On the show, viewers go SEASONS without getting questions answered. The writers wait until the last possible moment when they sense people are getting fed up to answer one tiny question and then the waiting begins anew. The Perfectionists was exactly the same! It had such a great story line and I did really enjoy it, even though it may have sounded different above, but I did not get an answer! Sure, there were a few minor details like love triangles and auditions that got wrapped in a neat little bow, but nothing about the bigger picture. There were several plot turning points and I thought that we should have at least gotten one thing resolved.
The way the book was written has set it up perfectly for a squeal, which I will most definitely be reading. It was also fast paced and had me constantly thinking of who had an ulterior motive, but I am not sure if character development was really up to scratch. In all fairness, this is the first book I have read by Shepard and I have already spotted another that I am eager to pick up, The Heiresses. I am willing to give this talented writer another go and hopefully, the characters will be somewhat different on the next go.
Genre:YA
Positives; Well written plot with plenty of suspense to keep you turning the pages.
Negatives: No resolution in the end and the book was entirely too reminiscent of Pretty Little Liars. Guess we will have to wait until June 2, 2015 to read the rest.
Rating:3.5 out of 5 stars
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
This Month's Book Haul!
October Book Haul! I know it's kind of late....more like a mid to late October book haul??
Breeder by K.B. Hoyle Review
"Everything about Seventeen’s life is perfect, from her genetics, to her home in Sanctuary, to her status as a Breeder in the Unified World Order. But all that changes when she meets a rogue Enforcer named Pax, who infiltrates Sanctuary and targets her for extraction from the Controlled Repopulation Program. Pax seems to know a little too much about her, and he plants dangerous doubts in her mind that accuse Sanctuary of hiding a dark secret, and that cause Seventeen to question everything she’s ever known.
When Seventeen’s life is threatened, she has little choice but to run away from Sanctuary with Pax. But for Breeders, contact with men is forbidden by law, and even the simple act of taking Pax’s hand is treason.
Mired in confusion, Seventeen travels with Pax to the outside world and takes the name Pria, the identity of her childhood. But she is far from certain she’s made the right decision when they discover an entire community of people who should no longer exist.
Seventeen, now Pria, is thrust into a position as a key player in a dangerous bid to bring down the Unified World Order. Meanwhile, Pax’s attachment to her and her growing attraction to him contribute to the ever-growing mysteries in her life.
Pria’s journey from a sheltered, naïve Breeder to a rebel agent requires not only external transformation but self-discovery. As her world crumbles, Pria must decide who she is and what she really believes.
But the truth comes at a cost, and uncovering it will require a greater treason than she could ever have imagined."
-www.kbhoyle.com
Honestly, I have no idea why I chose to paste the description of K.B. Hoyle's new book, Breeder, above. As great of a description as it is, the book is definitely WAY better!!!! Before reading the book, I had no description to go by and I was amazed! Yes, the cover art is intriguing, but the occasional caution must be applied when going in blind. There are those typical fears of not knowing if you will like the book or if it will be something you try and read but, for some odd reason, just cannot get in to. You all know exactly what I am talking about.
Breeder was anything but a let down. The characters were extremely well written, making me able to empathize with Pria and Pax and the situation they find themselves in. I kept turning the pages because I just had to find out what happened to these people and, to my shock, finished the book in a day! Another thing I really appreciated about Hoyle's writing is her development of Pria. Pria starts the book as extremely naive and, as Breeder progresses, she starts to grow. She does not however, immediately become completely self-aware, as do characters in many other books. Hoyle is consistent! Pria's character becomes more aware of the ways of the world towards the end of the book, but there is still plenty she does not know. Here's to hoping K.B. Hoyle will finish Book Two, Criminal, quicker than George R. R. Martin finishes his because this girl is hooked!
Genre: Adult Dystopian
Positives: The book! Need I say more? If you are new to the dystopian genre, this is the perfect book to start with! The book is set in Denver and is an easy read with familiar terms with an obvious dystopian theme.
Negatives: That the second book is not out yet!
Rating: A well earned 5 out of 5 stars!
Sunday, October 19, 2014
House Rules by Jodi Picoult Review
Is it over? Just like that? I just finished Jodi Picoult's rather lengthy novel House Rules and I must say, I am somewhat disappointed. After picking up Endgame: The Calling last night in my mad, frantic rush to solve all the clues and discover the keys, I realized I had to finish House Rules first. First off, I must say I thought it was terrific, with the exception of the most important part...the end! More on that to come!
House Rules tells the story of an autistic boy, Jacob, and his mother and brother, Emma and Theo. Jacob has been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, which is a high functioning level of autism. This book primarily focused on the familial dynamics. As someone who is going through a less than ideal family situation, I found the way Picoult wrote each perspective remarkably realistic.
When Jacob's social skills tutor's body is discovered, Jacob must prepare for the trial of his life, if he can convince a jury he is not a cold-blooded killer, just different. So, I race through this book and greedily absorb the court chapters fully anticipating a verdict only to be left greatly disappointed! Picoult leaves us out on a limb! Which way do we climb? Do we choose the downward path and assume Jacob will go to jail or should we go up and hope all ended up for the best? I can easily see why she did this because the book is more a focus on relationship dynamics, but it did not make me happy. Typically, I am fine with writing my own ending, as an aspiring writer, but this time, not so much! Is it too much for a little closure? On a scale of five, I am giving this book a three based purely on the fact that I did not get the answer I so desperately craved!
House Rules tells the story of an autistic boy, Jacob, and his mother and brother, Emma and Theo. Jacob has been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, which is a high functioning level of autism. This book primarily focused on the familial dynamics. As someone who is going through a less than ideal family situation, I found the way Picoult wrote each perspective remarkably realistic.
When Jacob's social skills tutor's body is discovered, Jacob must prepare for the trial of his life, if he can convince a jury he is not a cold-blooded killer, just different. So, I race through this book and greedily absorb the court chapters fully anticipating a verdict only to be left greatly disappointed! Picoult leaves us out on a limb! Which way do we climb? Do we choose the downward path and assume Jacob will go to jail or should we go up and hope all ended up for the best? I can easily see why she did this because the book is more a focus on relationship dynamics, but it did not make me happy. Typically, I am fine with writing my own ending, as an aspiring writer, but this time, not so much! Is it too much for a little closure? On a scale of five, I am giving this book a three based purely on the fact that I did not get the answer I so desperately craved!
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