Monday, March 15, 2010

Ghostgirl: Lovesick by Tonya Hurley

Originality- 18/20
Characters- 15/20
Remembrance- 7/10
Quote-ability- 7/10
Entertainment- 16/20
Ending- 7/10
Recommend to read- 7/10
TOTAL- 77/100
Grade- C

This is the third book in the Ghostgirl series!

Before she can rest in peace, Charlotte Usher must return to the tragic site of her death: high school. Once there, her assignment is to help a designated teen solve a personal problem in time for the all-important prom. But no one explained what happens if you fall in love with your class project. Charlotte would die (again) for love but facing the all-too-familiar feeling of invisibility may be too much for her to swallow.
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I seem to be sensing a bit of a pattern with these books. I've seen series start off good and then deteriorate but Ghostgirl is a bit of a roller coaster. I rather enjoyed the first one but Ghostgirl: Homecoming fell very short of my expectations. Now with Lovesick some of my initial enjoyment has returned. It isn't up to where the series began but tons better than the previous book.

The main reason I keep returning to these books even if I don't love them is the plot. I just love the whole concept. No matter how annoying the characters get I can try to concentrate on the writing and the ideas inside instead.

I really hope that the next book will live up to my expectations. Now that I have hope for the books once again I don't think I could stand being disappointed.

It's always hard to pinpoint what it is exactly about these books that makes me annoyed. I think part of it is all the cliched "dead" jokes. At first I thought it was genuinely cute and funny. After a while though it got old. We get it, your dead. Another thing was that the majority of the characters are very unrelatable. Even the living breathing characters in the story seemed weird and off. Maybe Hurley was trying for a Tim Burton feel, but she missed.

Overall I would say that the plot is fantastic and I love what the stories are about. The whole life after death thing is really intriguing. The characters ARE improving so don't fret. I would recommend these books to anyone in the mood for a fun supernatural read.

-Amanda
Book received free from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Sunday, March 14, 2010

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a post where I tell you the books that I received this week either by buying them from the bookstore, going to the library or from my mailbox. In My Mailbox was created by Alea and turned into a meme by Kristi.

Me and Emma by Elizabeth Flock

In many ways, Carrie Parker is like any other eight-year-old—playing make-believe, dreading school, dreaming of faraway places.

But even her imagination can't shut out the realities of her impoverished North Carolina home or help her protect her younger sister, Emma.

As the big sister, Carrie is determined to do anything to keep Emma safe from a life of neglect and abuse at the hands of their drunken stepfather, Richard—abuse their momma can't seem to see, let alone stop.

But after the sisters' plan to run away from home unravels, their world takes a shocking turn—and one shattering moment ultimately reveals a truth that leaves everyone reeling.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

Burn by Suzanne Phillips

"Are our schools safe?"

It's hard to turn on the news without hearing this question, and the answer is typically "no." This novel explores what happens when bullying escalates to violence, and it challenges our definition of victimization.

With thought-provoking prose, Suzanne Phillips explores the psyche of Cameron, a bullied freshman who ultimately does the unthinkable: he kills another student. As she did with Chloe Doe, Suzanne has found a way to make this seemingly dark story ultimately redemptive. But she also dares readers to look at the behavior that provokes violence as having the potential to be as dangerous as the violence itself.

Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink

In this highly-anticipated sequel to Prophecy of the Sisters, sixteen year-old orphan Lia Milthorpe continues her quest to end an age-old prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. Having now accepted the responsibilities tied to her role as the Gate, Lia journeys to the uncharted isle of Altus to continue her search for the missing pages of the Book of Chaos--the pages that could tell her how to end the prophecy. Along the way, her courage, strength, and soul are tested in ways she never could have imagined. What's also tested is her loyalty to James.

Meanwhile, twin sister Alice continues to hone her spellcasting abilities, completely ignoring the rules that govern the Otherworlds. Alice will stop at nothing to reclaim Lia's role of Gate, and that's not the only thing she wants. There's also Lia's true love, James.

The outcome of this battle between sisters could have consequences of Biblical proportion. And in the end, only one sister will be left standing.

Med Head by James Patterson

This first-person account of Cory Friedman’s intense struggles with Tourette’s Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive disorder—as well as depression and anxiety—is available for teen readers. Rejected by peers, misunderstood by adults, and sometimes harmful to himself, Cory has endured living hell. Confounding every doctor’s analysis, he endures countless combinations of medications that only complicate the turmoil. Cory’s determination to reverse a downward spiral and instead survive and thrive against all odds is a profoundly inspiring must-read for many ages.

Reality Check by Jen Calonita

Sixteen-year-olds Charlie, Keiran, Brooke, and Hallie live on the quiet and quaint North Fork of Long Island. It may not be glamorous, but it is real—and that’s exactly why they get signed to star on their very own reality TV show.

But cameras and interfering producers surreptitiously scripting their lives start to affect their relationships. Brooke seems to want all the screen time. Keiran is written off the show—and consequently the group’s friendship—when she doesn’t rate well. When Charlie realizes what is going on, she figures out the perfect way to give the studio and her home audience a much-needed reality check.

-Amanda

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

Originality- 18/20
Characters- 19/20
Remembrance- 8/10
Quote-ability- 8/10
Entertainment- 17/20
Ending- 9/10
Recommend to read- 8/10
TOTAL- 87/100
Grade- B

Every expectant parent will tell you that they don't want a perfect baby, just a healthy one. Charlotte and Sean O'Keefe would have asked for a healthy baby, too, if they'd been given the choice. Instead, their lives are made up of sleepless nights, mounting bills, the pitying stares of "luckier" parents, and maybe worst of all, the what-ifs. What if their child had been born healthy? But it's all worth it because Willow is, well, funny as it seems, perfect. She's smart as a whip, on her way to being as pretty as her mother, kind, brave, and for a five-year-old an unexpectedly deep source of wisdom. Willow is Willow, in sickness and in health.

Everything changes, though, after a series of events forces Charlotte and her husband to confront the most serious what-ifs of all. What if Charlotte should have known earlier of Willow's illness? What if things could have been different? What if their beloved Willow had never been born? To do Willow justice, Charlotte must ask herself these questions and one more. What constitutes a valuable life?
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This was just about 0ne of the saddest books that I've ever read. Once you realize how fragile Willow's life is you expect every single little accident to end in her death. This has you on the edge of your seat and biting your nails.

Like all of Picoult's books that I've read each character has so much depth that I feel like I have known them forever. Even though Willow only had one chapter that she narrated personally I fely like she spoke to me throughout the entire novel. I always think that I won't care about the lawyer or the doctor at the beginning but I always get so wrapped up in their stories in the end as well.

Even the book wasn't chock full of mystery or action it kept me so interested. Every aspect of everyone's personal stories woven together was amazing. You never get bored of anyone.

Overall I have to say that Handle with Care was a heart wrenching story that got your mind working and your tears. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Jodi Picoult's books in the past or wants to read something with more character depth than your average novel.

-Amanda

Friday, March 12, 2010

So Sorry!

I hate when I have to write this type of post but I feel like I have to say something.

As you can see I haven't blogged for almost 2 weeks. Our house is getting it's bathroom redone so our water is currently off. We've been staying at a hotel and I still go to school. This makes my internet use and blogging time a little sketchy. I'm getting into a routine now though, thankfully.

I'm pretty much just posting this to say that I'm sorry for not posting as frequently as I feel I should and that I'll be posting regularly again starting tomorrow.

-Amanda