November Challenge Update

Hey there!

Here is what I have as of this Monday!

Angels and Demons
R
M
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Doctor Sleep
I Am Legend
L
L
Once Upon a Prince
Superman on the Couch
  
Boy in the Suitcase (The)
Under the Dome
Confessions of a Mask
K
S

C
O
Book of Lost Things (The)
R
A
S
  
Defending Jacob
Insurgent
N
Graveyard Book (The)
O
S

Ender’s Game
Light Between Oceans (The)
Exhale
Persepolis (The Complete)
Happiness Project (The)
Angel in a Fur Coat
Narrative of Fredrick Douglass
Two Towers (The)
Self-inflicted Wounds: Heartwarming Tales of Epic Humiliation

Funniest Cop Stories Ever
E
N
N
E
Chemist (The)
Fellowship of the Ring (The)
O
X-It

Gone Girl
O
R
Inhale
L
L
Along for the Ride
S

Hobbit (The)
E
Divergent
G
E
Handmaid’s Tale (The)
O
G
S

If I Stay
G
U
A
N
A
S

Just Breathe
And the Mountains Echoed
Child of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina de Jesus
K
Allegiant
L
S

K
Angel Sister
N
G
Among Schoolchildren
R
O
O
S

L
I Am Number Four
O
N
S

M
O
N
K
E
Y
S

N
About a Boy
R
Warriors Don’t Cry
H
A
L
S

O
C
Touched by Angels
O
Palestine
U
Speaker for the Dead

Perks of Being a Wallflower
E
A
C
O
C
K
S



Q
U
A
I
L
S

R
A
V
E
N
S

S
N
A
K
E
S

T
U
R
K
E
Y
S

U
R
C
H
I
N
S



V
U
L
T
U
R
E
S 

Where She Went
H
A
L
E
S

Xenocide
E
N
O
Princess Ever After
S 

Y
A
K
S 

Z
E
Bourne Identity
R
Aunt Jane’s Hero

S

I have only finished one animal. I have finished four letters. There are still a lot of letters to read.

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

Happy Thanksgiving

Hey there!

No question for today but I just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to all of my readers! I know I'll be using the break to do some extra reading!

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

I Am Number Four

Hello there!


Next up on the review line-up: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore.


Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.
Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. We have lived among you without you knowing.
But they know.
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.
I am Number Four.
I am next.

L
I Am Number Four
O
N

S

This was a very typical Sci-Fi plot with aliens from another world trying to live on Earth, There were some cool aspects of this story though. Each Garde member was given a number and they couldn't be killed out of order. Now, that's different and kind of cool. Also, the author is a character. Except everyone on the planet is dead except the 9 Garde and their protectors. Hmmm...okay. The creatures were really cool and most of them original or somewhat of a hybrid. The other thing about this book that was really interesting was the fact that there was an underlying global warming message. It was very simple writing and there were simple grammar mistake (which are my pet peeve!). I know I say this a lot but this book was predictable but it didn't take away from the story. There were still some elements of surprise. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

This Post Brought to You by the Letter B

Hello, hello, hello!

So I finished the letter "B". The books I reviewed were:

The Boy in the Suitcase
The Book of Lost Things
The Bourne Identity

I also wanted to show you this cute video of the letter "B".

I hope you enjoyed the video and the reviews!

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

The Bourne Identity

Hello!

Next, on my list was The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum.

He is running for his life. A man with an unknown past and an uncertain future. A man dragged from the sea -- and loved by the woman he had used as a shield, a woman who refuses to believe he is a killer. Until words from his past spill out. One of the words is Carlos, world's most dangerous assassin.

Z

E

Bourne Identity

R

Aunt Jane’s Hero

S

I have finished the "B"s.

Alright, I have to start off with that this was a really good book with a really good plot and concept behind it. I really liked that the reader was finding out who Bourne was as he was finding out. There were no other characters giving background information. It's hard to write in third person and not be objective but Ludlum did it. This book became somewhat of a clustermug (in the words of Big Jim from Under the Dome). Sometimes it would switch between scenes and Ludlum wouldn't explain who was there or where it was happening. The other confusing piece was names. They gave you a person's full name once and then they either used their last name or nickname. I had no idea who have the people were because they had five different names! It became a little overwhelming. I think I missed a lot of big plot twists because I didn't know who they were talking about. This book was fairly dense in general and to read it you need to be focused. I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars because it was overall very, very good.

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

P.S. I don't know if I'll continue with the series but I'll keep you posted on that.

Down's Syndrome

Hey there!

So Monday's review was on A Prince for Jenny by Peggy Webb. The protagonist, Jenny, has Down's Syndrome and I don't believe Webb handled the character correctly. My question this week is:

How does society view mental illness and disabilities? Are people viewing it as it is or are they sugar coating it?

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

A Prince for Jenny

Hello, hello, hello!

So naturally after I read Touched by Angels by Peggy Webb I read the sequel, A Prince for Jenny. If you missed my review of Touched by Angel, please click the link below:



Renowned artist, Jenny Love-Townsend, born special and forced to struggle for every achievement, can never take for granted that she will have what other women do - love, marriage, children.  But when big-hearted Daniel brings his children to sit for a portrait, she dreams that she might finally have a prince of her own. A single dad, Daniel has everything a man could desire - two healthy children, friends, power, wealth - everything except the love of a good woman. Jenny awakens in him a desire to protect and honor...and a forbidden passion so strong it cannot be denied. But in loving a special woman will he destroy her? Can their love survive the headlines, an ex-wife who would use Jenny to regain custody of Daniel's children, and the gossip of people who see Jenny's flaws without seeing her heart?

Since, I'm already done with the letter " I will move straight on to my review.

Much like the first book this is a very sweet book. Maybe a little too sweet.  This book is so similar to the first book it's like rereading it with different character names. No real difference in personalities...nothing! Another rushed ending as well....sigh. My HUGE problem with this book is that Jenny has a disability, specifically Down's Syndrome. The girl described in the book does not have Down's Syndrome. Webb obviously has not done her research, the only thing Jenny has is a limp and loves with her whole heart. There was so much the author could do with Jenny to make her a more believable character, but then I suppose it would "make it difficult" for this crazy handsome, rich man to fall in love with her. I believe Webb was also cushioning us from Down's Syndrome and what it really is. Honestly, if you read the first book, don't bother reading this one. Although it was a quick read, the differences were minimal from the first book. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars because it was somewhat cute.

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

Touched By Angels

Hello there!

Next book on my reading list was Touched by Angels by Peggy Webb.

Single mom Sarah Love is determined to make a fresh start in Alabama for herself and Jenny. Born special, Jenny struggles to do the things other four-year-olds take for granted. Sarah hadn't counted on Jenny escaping her vigilance and racing in front of Jake Townsend's motorcycle. And she certainly hadn't counted on falling for the sexy, complex daredevil who nearly wrecked his bike to save her child. Nor had Jake, who had lost his own child, expected to find himself drawn into the lives of a courageous mother and her stubborn, endearing daughter.  Could Sarah and Jenny be his second chance? Could he be the hero Sarah and Jenny believe him to be? 

O

C

Touched by Angels

O

Palestine

U

Speaker for the Dead

So this was a very sweet book....maybe a little too sweet. It was too perfect. It was definitely a quick read and very easy to read. There were no confusing flashbacks we found out with the character Sarah about Jake's past. Perfect way to tell about a characters past. I don't really have much to say about this book. It was a cute story, I liked the concept. It was definitely a "chick-lit" romantic book. I'm not a huge fan of the mushy gushy but this was a pretty good book. I think the character Jenny really makes the book and without her the book would be very, VERY lame. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars.

Keep reading!
Mackenzie