The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya

Originality- 19/20
Characters- 18/20
Remembrance- 8/10
Quote-ability- 7/10
Entertainment- 17/20
Ending- 8/10
Recommend to read- 7/10
TOTAL- 84/100
Grade- B

It's the end of the world as we know it- or is it?

Gorgeous, confident, and demanding, Haruhi Suzumiya is the leader of the SOS Brigade, a club comprised of her high school's most extraordinary students. So when Haruhi is bored, It's up to the SOS Brigade to do something about it. In this sequel to the clever and uniquely witty The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, the SOS Brigade goes along with Haruhi's scheme to make a movie for the school's upcoming cultural festival. But when filming begins, strange things start to happen, and Haruhi- who has no idea she's a goddess with the ability to destroy the world- starts show to her devastating powers.

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This book, just like the last one, completely weirded me out. There are just so many interesting elements, and is a bit complicated to keep up with. The book makes sense though when you take some time to think.

The characters are completely enthralling. It was always an exciting moment when Haruhi would say something that made you think she knew about their secrets, but it would always just be Haruhi acting like Haruhi. The other characters were still very fun as well. They are just so out there and weird. I loved it. Just knowing that if Haruhi doesn't get her way, or if she gets her way too much, the world could just go crazy.

I really love reading books that take place in Japan, because then you can get a feel about how life is like there. This book was different though. It concentrated more on the brigade's actions than about where they were. It was fun reading about how their school works though.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Japanese, fantasy, or paranormal

-Amanda

Book received free from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Novel "It's Kind of a Funny Story" Coming to the Silver Screen

Some of you may remember the book "It's Kind of a Funny Story" that came out back in 2006 about a depressed teenager checked into a psychiatric hospital. Well, in an unseen turn of events (for those of us not watching the progress of the book, of course) it has been bought and filmed by Focus Features, and it's set to come out on the 8th of October.

I, for one, am pleased with this turn of events. It's kind of hard to go wrong with book-to-film adaptations (though there are exceptions, I know), and it's just adds more for the Young Adult community.

The film premieres at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival on the 9th for anyone who's interested.

Want to check out the book? Already got it covered for you.

This has been Taylor, filling in for Amanda (her internet is down at the moment). If all goes well, you'll see her back shortly.

Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick

Originality- 15/20

Characters- 17/20

Remembrance- 7/10

Quote-ability- 7/10

Entertainment- 17/20

Ending- 8/10

Recommend to read- 7/10

TOTAL- 78/100

Grade- C

Amber Appleton lives in a bus. Ever since her mom's boyfriend kicked them out, Amber, her mom, and her totally loyal dog, Bobby Big Boy (aka Thrice B) have been camped out in the back of Hello Yellow (the school bus her mom drives). Still, Amber, the self-proclaimed princess of hope and girl of unyielding optimism, refuses to sweat the bad stuff. But when a fatal tragedy threatens Amber's optimism--and her way of life, can Amber continue to be the rock star of hope? With an oddball cast of characters, and a heartwarming, inspiring story, this novel unveils a beautifully beaten-up world of laughs, loyalty, and hard-earned hope.

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This book made me so happy. Not only was Amber a truly inspiring and upbeat person, she also cared tons about others. She wasn't stupid, she knew things weren't going great for her and her mom, but she made the best out of it.

The plot is pretty basic, nothing super original, but still I found myself absorbed in Amber's story. Just the way that she talks gives her so much life. The rest of the characters were great as well. For once it wasn't a whole bunch of gorgeous people, or geeky boys who are really gorgeous too. They were real. They had real issues that the whole book kind of circulates around.

It was hard at times to watch Amber's rise and fall throughout the book. She is such a great person, but horrible things keep happening to her, bringing her down. The end of the book was so great, I'm pretty sure that I teared up. It shows that people can really be good and help others, and Quick did a great job at demonstrating that without all the frills.

At times the book progress slowly, but I would recommend this book to anyone who needs help seeing hope in humanity.

-Amanda

Book received free from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Waiting on Wednesday

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

Plague by Michael Grant

After eight months after everyone over the age of fourteen disaapeared from the town of Perdidio Beach, California, the stakes are still rising. The kids in Perdido Beach are still starving. Yet despite the simmering unrest left behind by so many battles, power struggles, and angry divides, there is a momentary calm in Perdido Beach.

But enemies in the FAYZ don’t just fade away, and in the quiet, deadly things are stirring, mutating, and finding their way free. The Darkness has found its way into the mind of its Nemesis at last and is controlling it through a haze of delirium and confusion. A highly contagious, fatal illness spreads at an alarming rate as sinister, predatory insects terrorize Perdido Beach. And Sam, Astrid, Diana, and Caine are plagued by a growing doubt that they’ll escape—or even survive—life in the FAYZ. With so much turmoil surrounding them, what desperate choices will they make when it comes to saving themselves and those they love?

-Amanda