Book Mug Challenge: March 5, 2014

Over at our Tumblr, we've been hosting a new challenge! Write the names of all of your unread books on slips of paper, put them in a mug or some other container, and draw a name to get your next read! Since I'll be finishing Phantom of the Opera soon, I thought I'd use this to decide what to read next.

And it looks like I'll be reading The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin! This book has been sitting on my shelf for ages, so I'm looking forward to finally reading it.

If you have a Tumblr, tag your challenge posts with #book mug challenge and we'll reblog it!

Review: The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriguez

 

Summary: When Gaby faked a pregnancy to challenge stereotypes, she also changed her life. A compelling memoir from an inspirational teenage activist.Growing up, Gaby Rodriguez was often told she would end up a teen mom. After all, her mother and her older sisters had gotten pregnant as teenagers; from an outsider’s perspective, it was practically a family tradition. Gaby had ambitions that didn’t include teen motherhood. But she wondered: how would she be treated if she “lived down” to others’ expectations? Would everyone ignore the years she put into being a good student and see her as just another pregnant teen statistic with no future? These questions sparked Gaby’s high school senior project: faking her own pregnancy to see how her family, friends, and community would react. What she learned changed her life forever—and made international headlines in the process.

In The Pregnancy Project, Gaby details how she was able to fake her own pregnancy—hiding the truth from even her siblings and boyfriend’s parents—and reveals all that she learned from the experience. But more than that, Gaby’s story is about fighting stereotypes, and how one girl found the strength to come out from the shadow of low expectations to forge a bright future for herself.

Kim's Review: Whoa. This is probably the most interesting book I've read in a while. I've always been interested in social justice, so I knew I was in for a treat when I started this, but it was so fascinating to read about Gaby's family history and her experiences as she went through her project. It really opens your eyes to how cruel some people can be for absolutely no reason. I loved the message of breaking away from stereotypes and not conforming to what kind of person other people believe you should be.

There's one missing star from this review because of the writing. It could have been a lot better, but most of the time I was too into the story to care too much about it.

If you're looking for a quick yet inspiring read, here's your book. Gaby's story really teaches a lot about stereotypes and opens your eyes to how human beings can treat each other and why.

Review: How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

Summary: Jill MacSweeney just wishes everything could go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she’s been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends—everyone who wants to support her. And when her mom decides to adopt a baby, it feels like she’s somehow trying to replace a lost family member with a new one.

Mandy Kalinowski understands what it’s like to grow up unwanted—to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, one thing she’s sure of is that she wants a better life for her baby. It’s harder to be sure of herself. Will she ever find someone to care for her, too?

As their worlds change around them, Jill and Mandy must learn to both let go and hold on, and that nothing is as easy—or as difficult—as it seems.

Kim's Review: I've been in a bit if of a reading rut for the last month or so; I'm sure any of you avid readers out there know the feeling. As hard as you try, you just can't get into anything. Luckily, this book broke that streak for me.

Zarr's writing is fantastic. It's realistic, emotional, and everything else you hope for in a novel. Not to mention the character development. At the beginning, I was a little annoyed by both narrators, but by the end I truly felt for them and was dying for their stories to end on a happy note. I cannot get over how powerful her storytelling is.

As I got closer to finishing this book, I was getting nervous about how it would end, but it was literally such a perfect ending and I'm so satisfied with it. God, this book is so amazing. Zarr writes with raw emotion and it definitely comes resonates with the reader. This book tugged at my heartstrings over and over again, but I loved every minute of it.

Review: The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

Summary: Meet Pat. Pat has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure a happy ending for him -- the return of his estranged wife Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent time in a mental health facility.) The problem is, Pat's now home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki; his beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing; he's being pursued by the deeply odd Tiffany; his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a form of therapy. Plus, he's being hunted by Kenny G!

In this enchanting novel, Matthew Quick takes us inside Pat's mind, showing us the world from his distorted yet endearing perspective. As the award-winning novelist Justin Cronin put it: "Tender, soulful, hilarious, and true, The Silver Linings Playbook is a wonderful debut."

Kim's Review: This book was brilliant. Having seen the movie first, I was surprised to find that they are equally amazing. I feel like with such a controversial topic as mental illness, it could have been easy to overdo Pat's character or make his personality over-the-top, but instead the author took a more subtle route and made it easy to understand him without clearly stating it.

I also enjoyed seeing Pat's obsession with football and the Eagles. I can't even put my finger on why, but I just loved that the author successfully made such a minor thing a big part of his life and his story.

I saw that somebody called this book an adult "Perks of Being a Wallflower," and that's probably the most accurate way to describe it. There are so many similarities between Charlie and Pat, and that's probably why I felt like I could get into and relate to this novel so quickly. My only complaint is that some of Tiffany's plot and story seemed a bit unrealistic, but hey, anything can happen!

I strongly recommend this to absolutely everyone, especially if you loved "Perks of Being a Wallflower." Sorry for the short review, I'm writing this during school and running out of time!

In My Mailbox: January 28, 2014

Sorry for not posting a review this week, but I have been inexcusably slow with my reading lately! Next week for sure. ;)

In the meantime, I'm super excited to show you guys the book I got this week for only five bucks!

Summary: First published in French as a serial in 1909, "The Phantom of the Opera" is a riveting story that revolves around the young, Swedish Christine Daaé. Her father, a famous musician, dies, and she is raised in the Paris Opera House with his dying promise of a protective angel of music to guide her. After a time at the opera house, she begins hearing a voice, who eventually teaches her how to sing beautifully. All goes well until Christine's childhood friend Raoul comes to visit his parents, who are patrons of the opera, and he sees Christine when she begins successfully singing on the stage. The voice, who is the deformed, murderous 'ghost' of the opera house named Erik, however, grows violent in his terrible jealousy, until Christine suddenly disappears. The phantom is in love, but it can only spell disaster. Leroux's work, with characters ranging from the spoiled prima donna Carlotta to the mysterious Persian from Erik's past, has been immortalized by memorable adaptations. Despite this, it remains a remarkable piece of Gothic horror literature in and of itself, deeper and darker than any version that follows.

I cannot WAIT to read this! I just saw the musical a couple of weeks ago and I'm obsessed with it - in fact, I'm listening to it as I type this! I'm excited to get to know the original characters, without the revisions Andrew Lloyd Weber made with the musical.

Which reminds me, I should probably pick Les Miserables back up sometime...who am I kidding, I'm only about 20 (out of 1500) pages in!

Any other musical fans out there?

Currently Reading: The Diary of Anne Frank

School has left me with 0 reading time, which unfortunately means no review from me today...however, I would like to share with you the book I'm currently reading, The Diary of Anne Frank!

Chances are, you've already read this book, either as required reading or just for fun. I, on the other hand, am just getting around to it after leaving it on my shelf for the longest time. I'm not too far into it yet, but it's surprisingly not boring, which is kind of what I expected. I wish I had more free time to read it, but I'm hoping to finish it soon!

Review: Unsouled by Neal Shusterman

Summary: The story that began with Unwind continues.

Connor and Lev are on the run after the destruction of the Graveyard, the last safe haven for AWOL Unwinds. But for the first time, they're not just running away from something. This time, they're running toward answers, in the form of a woman Proactive Citizenry has tried to erase from history itself. If they can find her, and learn why the shadowy figures behind unwinding are so afraid of her, they may discover the key to bringing down unwinding forever.

Cam, the rewound boy, is plotting to take down the organization that created him. Because he knows that if he can bring Proactive Citizenry to its knees, it will show Risa how he truly feels about her. And without Risa, Cam is having trouble remembering what it feels like to be human.

With the Juvenile Authority and vindictive parts pirates hunting them, the paths of Connor, Lev, Cam, and Risa will converge explosively and everyone will be changed.

Kim's Review: FINALLY I got to read this book! I have been dying to read it ever since I finished Unwholly, the second book in the Unwind dystology. With most book series, I've found that the plots and writing often lose their power after the first book or two, but Unwind is still going stronger than ever! There are so many things about this book that help make it the powerhouse it is. First off, the entire CONCEPT of unwinding and the society Shusterman has created is creepy as hell. Like, just thinking about it terrifies me. I can't imagine living in it. Shusterman is a skilled writer and makes everything sound believable, not only through his writing and explanations, but through this interesting, creative choice: he starts off each section of the book from a real news article from a valid source, such as the Huffington Post. These articles align with what's happening in the novel and helps show the reader how some of the things happening today are just uncommon or less extreme versions of what he describes in his story. It shows how our society today really is not that far off from the world of Connor and Risa.

Unsouled, as well as the entire dystology, switches point of views often and between many different characters, so you can see things through the eyes of both the "good guys" and the "bad guys." With all these POV changes, it seems like it would be easy to lose track of characters or feel like you don't really know some of them, but somehow Shusterman avoids this; there is little to no confusion.

There was a little love triangle in there somewhere, which I was mad at Shusterman for for a few minutes, but it was brief and wasn't the main plot, so I suppose I can forgive him. :) Another thing that kind of put me off was quite a few noticeable typos/grammar mistakes...I thought that since this series is pretty popular and with a good publisher, it would have been looked at more carefully. Oh well. These were only minor errors and didn't really detract from the overall quality of the novel.

One thing I love about this novel that was different from the other two was that we got more information on the history of unwinding. I loooved reading the flashbacks and how it connected to the ending. Perfect. And oh my god the ending is so...I literally do not have the words to describe it. The Unwind series is one of my favorites of all time, and I cannot recommend it enough. Read it.

Review: Where She Went by Gayle Foreman

Summary: It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

Kim's Review: Oh sweet Jesus, this book was perfect. It's been two years since I read If I Stay, so I had a hard time remembering most of it, but I still remembered how I felt while I was reading it, and I think this sequel is even better. While the first book is more full of drama and action, this sequel seems to focus more on the fallout. I really loved how the author jumped three years ahead for the second book instead of focusing on the typical drama that would follow after the ending of the first book, which would have felt boring and mundane. It's honestly just hard to explain why I loved this book so much more. It wasn't a sappy romance; it was realistic and honest, yet still had plenty of emotion. While I kind of doubt there would be a third book to this, I would LOVE to read one.

Happy New Year everyone!

Review: Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

Summary: Bobby Phillips is an average fifteen-year-old boy. Until the morning he wakes up and can't see himself in the mirror. Not blind, not dreaming. Bobby is just plain invisible...


There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to Bobby's new condition; even his dad the physicist can't figure it out. For Bobby that means no school, no friends, no life. He's a missing person. Then he meets Alicia. She's blind, and Bobby can't resist talking to her, trusting her. But people are starting to wonder where Bobby is. Bobby knows that his invisibility could have dangerous consequences for his family and that time is running out. He has to find out how to be seen again before it's too late.





Kim's Review: I wasn't sure about this book at first, but I grew to like it as I kept reading. The premise of someone just waking up invisible one day is really fascinating, and I like how Clements followed through with it. He didn't come up with some wacky explanation for it - it was scientific and fairly plausible. I enjoyed Bobby's relationship with Alicia, as well as the subplots with possible government interference.

While this book didn't have that "WOW" factor to earn five stars from me, it was still a good, fun read. Going into it I was afraid that the plot, explanations, etc. would be too far-fetched, but I was proved wrong.

Kim's 2013 Christmas Wishlist!

So many awesome books have been released lately, I wish I could buy them all! However, I should probably narrow it down...so these are the top five books I hope to see under the Christmas tree this year!

 1. Rumors (Luxe #2) by Anna Godbersen 

After bidding good-bye to New York's brightest star, Elizabeth Holland, rumors continue to fly about her untimely demise.

All eyes are on those closest to the dearly departed: her mischievous sister, Diana, now the family's only hope for redemption; New York's most notorious cad, Henry Schoon-maker, the flame Elizabeth never extinguished; the seductive Penelope Hayes, poised to claim all that her best friend left behind--including Henry; even Elizabeth's scheming former maid, Lina Broud, who discovers that while money matters and breeding counts, gossip is the new currency.

As old friends become rivals, Manhattan's most dazzling socialites find their futures threatened by whispers from the past. In this delicious sequel to "The Luxe," nothing is more dangerous than a scandal . . . or more precious than a secret.


2. Just One Day by Gayle Foreman

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.




3. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

From the award-winning author of Half of a Yellow Sun, a dazzling new novel: a story of love and race centered around a young man and woman from Nigeria who face difficult choices and challenges in the countries they come to call home.

As teenagers in a Lagos secondary school, Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love. Their Nigeria is under military dictatorship, and people are leaving the country if they can. Ifemelu—beautiful, self-assured—departs for America to study. She suffers defeats and triumphs, finds and loses relationships and friendships, all the while feeling the weight of something she never thought of back home: race. Obinze—the quiet, thoughtful son of a professor—had hoped to join her, but post-9/11 America will not let him in, and he plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London.

Years later, Obinze is a wealthy man in a newly democratic Nigeria, while Ifemelu has achieved success as a writer of an eye-opening blog about race in America. But when Ifemelu returns to Nigeria, and she and Obinze reignite their shared passion—for their homeland and for each other—they will face the toughest decisions of their lives.
Fearless, gripping, at once darkly funny and tender, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story set in today’s globalized world: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s most powerful and astonishing novel yet.


4. The Chaos (Numbers #2) by Rachel Ward

Adam sees “numbers” – when he looks in peoples’ eyes he can see their death-dates, just like his mum Jem used to. Adam has trouble dealing with his awful gift, and when he realises that everyone around him has the same series of numbers, he becomes deeply afraid of what might happen in 2025.

Desperate to find out what could be about to go wrong, Adam spends hours researching possibilities – war, nuclear accidents, killer viruses. He knows something big is coming, but what? And is there anything he can possibly do about it?



5. Every Day by David Levithan

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

Happy Holidays!!! What books are on your wishlist?

Review: Smoke by Ellen Hopkins

**Spoilers for Burned below!**

Summary: Pattyn Von Stratten’s father is dead, and Pattyn is on the run. After far too many years of abuse at the hands of her father, and after the tragic loss of her beloved Ethan and their unborn child, Pattyn is desperate for peace. Only her sister Jackie knows what happened that night, but she is stuck at home with their mother, who clings to normalcy by allowing the truth to be covered up by their domineering community leaders. Her father might be finally gone, but without Pattyn, Jackie is desperately isolated. Alone and in disguise, Pattyn starts a new life, but is it even possible to rebuild a life when everything you’ve known has burned to ash and lies seem far safer than the truth?

Kim's Review: I love Ellen Hopkins' books so much. I've read all of her YA novels and have yet to be disappointed. Smoke is the sequel to Burned, and it's been at least a year since I read the first book, so I was worried I would be lost. However, Hopkins does a great job at explaining what happened, so going back and skimming through the first book was unnecessary. I really loved the plot and reading about the aftermath of the incident between Pattyn and her father. The author also kept the story entertaining and intriguing, especially considering that this sequel was never planned.

The characterization and emotions in this book are amazing; I felt so bad for Pattyn and Jackie. I also thought Hopkins did a great job at depicting how the incident affected the two girls mentally, giving both of them PTSD. I can't imagine having to relive that moment and have it running through your mind every day.

Again, this book was a fantastic sequel. I will never, ever stop endlessly recommending all of Hopkins' novels to every reader I come across. Her characters and stories are heart-wrenching, but absolutely amazing to read.

Review: Numbers by Rachel Ward

Summary: Ever since she was child, Jem has kept a secret: Whenever she meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die. Burdened with such awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. The two plan a trip to the city. But while waiting to ride the Eye ferris wheel, Jem is terrified to see that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today's number. Today's date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem's world is about to explode!

Kim's Review: This book was NOT what I expected it to be. There was a lot more action and suspense than I anticipated (given I didn't read the summary before starting), but I really enjoyed it. The idea of someone being able to see a person's death date just by looking them in the eye is definitely intriguing, and I think the author took it in the right direction. It took a while to get used to all of the British slang, but overall I couldn't find any flaws in the writing.

I was teetering between a three and four star rating throughout most of this book, but that last chapter made it earn the fourth star. Talk about a creepy ending! I hope I get to pick up the sequel sometime soon because I think there's a lot to be explored. Consider my expectations raised!

Review: Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

Summary: It's time to meet your new roomie.

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.
Kim's Review: I really enjoyed this book! It was a nice, short, relatively light-hearted read. I really liked the plotlines and the different twists and turns. Lauren and EB's relationship and their struggles were realistic and well done in how they dealed with them. My only complaint is that, even though it was written by two authors, I found it very difficult to separate the two narrators in my mind because their voices are so similar. Even after finishing the book, I still have trouble recalling which girl had which boyfriend/best friend/etc. It would be a lot easier if their "voices" were more distinct.

However, I loved both of the girls' romantic relationships, and I thought how they dealt with moving away from each other was very realistic and awesome. Even though they love their respective boyfriends, neither of them are clingy or annoying and are able to think for themselves, and that's something I always love to see in novels!

All in all, I think this book is fantastic. I seriously loved reading the development of Lauren and EB's friendship, and it would be awesome to see a sequel with the two of them finding their way around university life. If only it were easier to differentiate between the narrators, I could easily give this five stars.


This book will be released on December 24, 2013. Keep an eye out for it! :)

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Review: The First Days by Rihannon Frater

Summary: Katie is driving to work one beautiful day when a dead man jumps into her car and tries to eat her.  That same morning, Jenni opens a bedroom door to find her husband devouring their toddler son. 

Fate puts Jenni and Katie—total strangers—together in a pickup, fleeing the suddenly zombie-filled streets of the Texas city in which they live. Before the sun has set, they have become more than just friends and allies—they are bonded as tightly as any two people who have been to war together. 

During their cross-Texas odyssey to find and rescue Jenni’s oldest son, Jenni discovers the joy of watching a zombie’s head explode when she shoots its brains out. Katie learns that she’s a terrific tactician—and a pretty good shot. 

A chance encounter puts them on the road to an isolated, fortified town, besieged by zombies, where fewer than one hundred people cling to the shreds of civilization. 

It looks like the end of the world. But Katie and Jenni and many others will do whatever they have to to stay alive. Run, fight, pick each other up when they stumble, fall in love…anything is possible at the end of the world.

Kim's Review: This was the first zombie apocalypse book I've ever read, and I went into it expecting gore and blood and action left and right. There was some of that in this book, and the fighting scenes were the best parts. However, I was pretty unsatisfied overall. One thing that grabbed my attention in the first few chapters was the fact that one of the main characters and narrators, Katie, was queer. This surprised me a little just because I felt it was an interesting angle to take. Throughout the novel though, it becomes more of a romance, and ends up seeming more like a novelization of a Lifetime movie than a zombie apocalypse novel. A lot of things frustrated me, mostly regarding how the author handles Katie's character and her relationships. Nearly half the book is about Katie talking to others about her sexuality and relationships. There's a lot of conversation about "turning her straight" or assuming she is in a relationship with Jenni, the other main character, who repeatedly mentions she is straight. Personally, I thought too much time was focused on Katie's sexuality and relationships. There are zombies out there who want to eat your brains, and every other conversation is about who Katie's attracted to? Seriously? I doubt Frater meant for it to come across as offensive, but it seems more like she's trying too hard to make a statement than anything else. This irritated me so much throughout the book, I can write a whole other book about it.

The writing was really simple; if not for the sex scenes and gore, it feels like it could be a book for a sixth grader. Therefore, I was not really sucked into the book, and at times picking it up felt like a chore. I hardly even cared for the characters. The dialogue also seemed fake; some of the things the characters said just felt awkward, like nobody would say it in real life. Considering this is supposed to be an adult book, not even YA, the writing and plot were underwhelming.

Unless my school's Zombie Book Club makes me, I'm not planning on reading the sequel. I can probably predict what would happen anyways, sparing myself the dull characters and boring love triangles.

Waiting On Wednesday: November 13

Waiting On Wednesday: Showcase books you can't wait to read!

The story that began with Unwind continues.

Connor and Lev are on the run after the destruction of the Graveyard, the last safe haven for AWOL Unwinds. But for the first time, they're not just running away from something. This time, they're running toward answers, in the form of a woman Proactive Citizenry has tried to erase from history itself. If they can find her, and learn why the shadowy figures behind unwinding are so afraid of her, they may discover the key to bringing down unwinding forever.

Cam, the rewound boy, is plotting to take down the organization that created him. Because he knows that if he can bring Proactive Citizenry to its knees, it will show Risa how he truly feels about her. And without Risa, Cam is having trouble remembering what it feels like to be human.

With the Juvenile Authority and vindictive parts pirates hunting them, the paths of Connor, Lev, Cam, and Risa will converge explosively and everyone will be changed.

I cannot wait to read this book, the third novel in the Unwind series. I'll forever hate myself for forgetting its release date and therefore missing my chance to buy it while I still had money. Somehow, I have to hold out and wait until Christmas. Until then, I'm going to be dying waiting to find out what happens! If you have yet to read the first two books, I highly recommend you get to it - you'll get so sucked in to the story, it won't take long to finish!

Currently Reading: The First Days by Rihannon Frater

Katie is driving to work one beautiful day when a dead man jumps into her car and tries to eat her.  That same morning, Jenni opens a bedroom door to find her husband devouring their toddler son.

Fate puts Jenni and Katie—total strangers—together in a pickup, fleeing the suddenly zombie-filled streets of the Texas city in which they live. Before the sun has set, they have become more than just friends and allies—they are bonded as tightly as any two people who have been to war together.

During their cross-Texas odyssey to find and rescue Jenni’s oldest son, Jenni discovers the joy of watching a zombie’s head explode when she shoots its brains out. Katie learns that she’s a terrific tactician—and a pretty good shot.

A chance encounter puts them on the road to an isolated, fortified town, besieged by zombies, where fewer than one hundred people cling to the shreds of civilization.

It looks like the end of the world. But Katie and Jenni and many others will do whatever they have to to stay alive. Run, fight, pick each other up when they stumble, fall in love…anything is possible at the end of the world.

I just started reading this book for my school's Zombie Book Club, and it's pretty good so far! This is the first zombie book I've read so I don't really have anything to compare it to, but it seems like the story is going to be good. I can't wait to see what happens!
  
Do you read zombie books? I'd love recommendations! :) 

Review: Allegiant by Veronica Roth

WARNING: Very mild spoilers below. Mostly stuff that's in the summary or pretty predictable from the start, but just to be safe, proceed with caution.

Summary: One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Kim's Review: This was such a perfect ending to the series. Painful, but perfect. The way everything is explained is so realistic - it seems like something that could actually happen in the future, and it is sort of scary to read about. Everything just clicks together, and it's weird to look back at the first book and be like "THIS was happening the whole time???" The whole idea of people "outside the fence," just miles away yet you never even knew they existed, is pretty creepy. It is fascinating to get to read about basically a whole new world and society and what was happening the whole time Tris was inside the fence.

It was a little hard to keep track of all of the new characters, but I still liked them and thought they were a great addition to the series. The only problem I had was that I couldn't really remember who some of the old faction members were, so I found it hard to feel for them because I didn't really "know" them. I suppose that's more my fault, though, for not rereading Insurgent some time in the last five months. Some of the more important supporting characters, like Caleb and Christina, really shined, and I enjoyed getting to see some insight into their characters and actions.

Lastly, I'm trying to keep this review spoiler-free, but THAT. ENDING. I don't think I'll ever be okay ever again. Damn you, Veronica Roth! (But also thank you for allowing me to get sucked into the insane world of Tris and Four - if Christina can forgive Tris, I suppose I can forgive you for the pain and suffering this book put me through. ;) )

So I met Veronica Roth today.

I went to an Allegiant Tour stop today, and got to meet Veronica and attend a Q&A. It was absolutely amazing, and she was so sweet! More under the cut because it has taken me this long to learn that Blogspot lets you do read mores and I want to take full advantage of it. ;)

Happy Allegiant Release Day!!!

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!! I'm so happy! I've been looking forward to reading this book for so long - after some technical difficulties last night, I (Kim) stayed up until midnight last night so I can start reading it on my Nook! I sure hope my teachers don't expect me to pay attention in class today because all I want to do is plow through this book and find out what happens!

Have you gotten your copy yet? What do you think so far? Feel free to talk in the comments below - but keep it spoiler free, please! :)

Joint Review: Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher

Summary: Secrets, romance, murder and lies: Zoe shares a terrible secret in a letter to a stranger on death row in this second novel from the author of the bestselling debut, My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece.

Fifteen-year-old Zoe has a secret—a dark and terrible secret that she can't confess to anyone she knows. But then one day she hears of a criminal, Stuart Harris, locked up on death row in Texas. Like Zoe, Stuart is no stranger to secrets. Or lies. Or murder.

Full of heartache yet humour, Zoe tells her story in the only way she can—in letters to the man in prison in America. Armed with a pen, Zoe takes a deep breath, eats a jam sandwich, and begins her tale of love and betrayal.

(We were both given an Advanced Reading Copy of this book in exchange for our honest opinions.)

Kim's Review: I loved this book! When I'd first read the summary I thought it might be one of those over-dramatic love triangles, but it wasn't at all. Pitcher kept it simple while capturing the reader's attention and entertaining them with the million questions imevitably left in their head after reading a chapter. I also liked how on the outside, Zoe's family is pretty typical - two arguing parents and their three kids whose problems they are too busy to care about at first - but on the inside, it's quite unique.
The only bad things I can say about this book is that at first it was difficult to tell whether a certain part of the story was happening in the past or present, but you get the hang of it after a while. The last letter at the very end of the book seemed sort of unnecessary as well. I think just leaving it to end with Zoe's last letter would have sufficed.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It had some really creative ideas, and Pitcher kept me interested the entire time. I would love to read more of her novels in the future!

Charlotte's Review: Ketchup Clouds was really interesting. I wasn't expecting much from the synopsis because it came across as a bit immature to me, but I really loved it. While most of it is cute and the protagonist is relatable, there are darker aspects of it. Zoe came across as pretty self-centered at first, but I didn't dislike her for it. She can't be expected to be perfect, she's human. Her two romances contrasted one another so much. It was mystifying to remember that this was the same girl in each relationship (but in a good kind of way.)

The end of the novel didn't leave me with very much closure. There were a few big things that I would change, but they didn't hurt the book overall. I loved all the relationship dynamics, especially within Zoe's family. Her sisters were very interesting and I'm glad they got a lot of focus. Her parents were a force to be reckoned with. Many misconceptions that I began the book with were completely proved false by the end of it. I liked how the book was written, with letters to Stuart and also in present and past. The entire book I went back and forth, wondering who would be the one in the coffin. The end was very unexpected.

P.S. The fact that someone dies isn't a spoiler, it's included in the synopsis and is spoken of in the first letter!