Med Head by James Patterson

Originality- 18/20
Characters- 20/20
Remembrance- 9/10
Quote-ability- 8/10
Entertainment- 20/20
Ending- 10/10
Recommend to read- 9/10
TOTAL- 94/100
Grade- A

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.
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This book was absolutely phenomenal. I knew right away when I began reading it that I would love it. It gives you the opportunity to look at life at a different angle. Since this book is based on someone's real life every emotion you feel is that much deeper.

Cory was soooooooooo amazing. And yes, all of those o's are necessary. His struggle was so intense and heartbreaking. Throughout the entire book I wanted to hug him and be his best friend. Reading about such a strong and inspirational person pushes me to work hard and appreciate life.

Sometimes it was hard to relate to Cory but I found that refreshing. I wasn't supposed to be imagining that I was him, I was trying to get a feel of his life. There were points though where I could identify with some of the stress and anxiety.

I was very amazed that when I finished the book there were pictures in the back of Cory with his family and friends, his awards, and even some of his mother's notes that she made about Cory and all of his medications. When I saw all of this I was finally able to realize how real this really was.

Overall I would say that this is a truly inspiring read that will not disappoint. I would recommend this book to those who might take their lives for granted.

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

In My Mailbox

Nothing new this week but I am expecting some things!

-Amanda

Waiting on Wednesday

The book that I am waiting on this week is...

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Publication Date: April 06, 2010

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history's most fabulous high school musical.

Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan's collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them legions of faithful fans.

-Amanda

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

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

Lee Fiora is an intelligent, observant fourteen-year-old when her father drops her off in front of her dorm at the prestigious Ault School in Massachusetts. She leaves her animated, affectionate family in South Bend, Indiana, at least in part because of the boarding school’s glossy brochure, in which boys in sweaters chat in front of old brick buildings, girls in kilts hold lacrosse sticks on pristinely mown athletic fields, and everyone sings hymns in chapel.

As Lee soon learns, Ault is a cloistered world of jaded, attractive teenagers who spend summers on Nantucket and speak in their own clever shorthand. Both intimidated and fascinated by her classmates, Lee becomes a shrewd observer of–and, ultimately, a participant in–their rituals and mores. As a scholarship student, she constantly feels like an outsider and is both drawn to and repelled by other loners. By the time she’s a senior, Lee has created a hard-won place for herself at Ault. But when her behavior takes a self-destructive and highly public turn, her carefully crafted identity within the community is shattered.

Ultimately, Lee’s experiences–complicated relationships with teachers; intense friendships with other girls; an all-consuming preoccupation with a classmate who is less than a boyfriend and more than a crush; conflicts with her parents, from whom Lee feels increasingly distant, coalesce into a singular portrait of the painful and thrilling adolescenceuniversal to us all.
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I really have to start off by saying this is exactly the kind of book I love no matter what. Any book that takes place in a boarding school is absolutely fascinating for me. Maybe it's because I've always wanted to go to one and it just seems amazing. This will probably cause my opinion of the book to be a little biased.

I really loved Lee. She was relatable no matter what was going on. She was so funny and over analyzed everything. It was nice to read about someone who is a bit more crazy and anxious than I am. The rest of the characters were also great. You didn't get to know them very fell personally but you still got insight into their lives.

The whole book had a very autobiography feel to it. Since we went through Lee's entire four years at the school and even some after we get to know her pretty well. Just the way the story was told made it seem more personal.

Overall I would say that Prep was fantastic, funny, and real. I would recommend this book to most anybody who wants a look back or forward on their teen years.

-Amanda