Dark Places

Hello, hello, hello,

Today I welcome you to Dark Places.

Yeah, I'm just reviewing the book written by Gillian Flynn.

Libby Day was just seven years old when her evidence put her fifteen-year-old brother behind bars. Since then, she has been drifting. But when she is contacted by a group who are convinced of Ben's innocence, Libby starts to ask questions she never dared to before. Was the voice she heard her brother's? Ben was a misfit in their small town, but was he capable of murder? Are there secrets to uncover at the family farm or is Libby deluding herself because she wants her brother back? She begins to realise that everyone in her family had something to hide that day... especially Ben. Now, twenty-four years later, the truth is going to be even harder to find. Who did massacre the Day family?

This book was good. The writing was great and it totally carried the Flynn mark. Characters and plot were not as great. It was not a psychotic and thrilling as Gone Girl. If you've already read Gone Girl you might be a little eency teensy bit disappointed. I don't suggest reading this alone in the dark because it has a depressing factor that may take hold of you. This vile little book is still insane, specifically the ending (which is another unpredictable one). I love there is no romance at all in this book, there are rarely any books without romance. Flynn doesn't need that to get people into her books. She does it just with her fantastic writing. I don't want to know what's going on in Flynn's mind to create these but good for her. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

Demon Seed

Hey there!

This weeks review is on Demon Seed by Dean Koontz.

Susan Harris lived in self-imposed seclusion, in a mansion featuring numerous automated systems controlled by a state-of-the-art computer. Every comfort was provided, and in this often unsafe world of ours, her security was absolute. But now her security system has been breached, her sanctuary from the outside world violated by an insidious artificial intelligence, which has taken control of her house.In the privacy of her own home, and against her will, Susan will experience an inconceivable act of terror. She will become the object of the ultimate computer's consuming obsession: to learn everything there is to know about the flesh... 

So this was like a modern Frankenstein with more technology. It was pretty cool and a little frightening. This is definitely one of his darker books with a lot of physical domination that is sexually fueled. And it's all done through.... a computer. Now this was written in 1973 could Dean Koontz be onto something? This is all about a computer living, I have a feeling we're not so far behind Koontz's imagination now. The 1997 rewrite is not as good. He removes a lot of what makes the story frightening and on edge. The 1997 rewrite is cheesy and it is completely from the computer's viewpoint and closer to romance than thriller. The computer just says the same thing over and over, which could be because he's a computer and programmed a certain way but it's not because he breaks out of the lab he's in. It was definitely entertaining and a quick read. The end was definitely funny and probably the best part of the book and NOT BECAUSE IT ENDED. If you are going to pick up this book, pick up the 1973 version and not 1997's. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

The Duff

Hey there!

This week I'm reviewing The Duff  by Kody Keplinger.

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper may not be the prettiest girl in her high school, but she has a loyal group of friends, a biting wit, and a spot-on BS detector. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. But things aren't so great at home and Bianca, desperate for a distraction, ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone. 

This was like the one book that I saw the movie before reading the book because I didn't know it was a book. This book was charming and funny, but I really hated the concept. The Designated Ugly Fat Friend. That's awful! Although at the end it gets turned into a good message blah blah blah. This book was obviously written by a teenager. She is a talented one though. It was extremely cliche. I am a sucker for YA so even though it was a obvious ending I was still pleased. But what was the main character thinking! I mean come on! If I was her I would totally make different choices because the situation was just ridiculous. But it was still funny and I did get kind of sucked in. I gave it 3 out of 4 stars.

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

Paper Towns

Hey there!

Obviously I am on a John Green kick because my book review this week is for Paper Towns.

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows. After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues - and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer Q gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew. 

These characters are pretty much the same. In fact the stories are all very similar just in different settings. Although this book makes a great palette cleanser. It's less of an emotional roller coaster than his other books, which is nice for a change. This book addresses high school cliques but not in a normal way.  It's like a high school coming together. The beginning of the book was great, mysterious and suspenseful. The second part just kept repeating itself and somewhat anti-climatic. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Happy reading!
Mackenzie 

The Bell Jar

Hello there!

This week's review is of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

The Bell Jar chronicles the crack-up of Esther Greenwood: brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under -- maybe for the last time. Sylvia Plath masterfully draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that Esther's insanity becomes completely real and even rational, as probable and accessible an experience as going to the movies. Such deep penetration into the dark and harrowing corners of the psyche is an extraordinary accomplishment and has made The Bell Jar a haunting American classic.

I can see why this book is a classic. This book takes you into the downward of depression and leaves nothing out. As a victim of anxiety I could totally relate to some pieces of this story. Plath touches on subjects that not many authors (especially at that time) will touch and she does a fantastic. You can definitely feel a piece of Sylvia Plath's soul in this book. It was so raw and emotional. There are not enough words to describe how great this book is. I gave it a 5 out of 5 stars.

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Hey everybody!

This week I will be reviewing The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom.

Eddie is a wounded war veteran, an old man who has lived, in his mind, an uninspired life. His job is fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. On his 83rd birthday, a tragic accident kills him as he tries to save a little girl from a falling cart. He awakes in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a destination, but an answer. 

In heaven, five people explain your life to you. Some you knew, others may have been strangers. One by one, from childhood to soldier to old age, Eddie's five people revisit their connections to him on earth, illuminating the mysteries of his "meaningless" life, and revealing the haunting secret behind the eternal question: "Why was I here?"

This is a re-read. I read it about 6 years ago and barely remembered it until the last person then I remembered little pieces. This book is fantastic. It's a book that really makes you think how you impact people. How could you meeting this person kill them. This book is so simple and perfectly lovely. It reads so easily. This book touches on death and an after life and it is well done. It was definitely kind of preachy but it was such a good book. I gave it 5 out 5 stars.

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

Dead Until Dark

Hey everyone!

Today's review is for Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris which became the True Blood TV show.

Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability." She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome - and Sookie can't 'hear' a word he's thinking. He's exactly the kind of guy she's been waiting for all her life. But Bill has a disability of his own: He's a vampire. Worse than that, hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, with a reputation for trouble - of the murderous kind. And when one of Sookie's colleagues is killed, she begins to fear she'll be next.

This unfortunately doesn't fit into the alphabet challenge. But it does cross off "A book based on or turned into a TV show" in my 2015 challenge.

So I pick up this series thinking great it will be a good mystery book, oh and cool vampires. I did not expect it to have so much sex. Overall though it was a decent book. It's a fairly quick, easy, somewhat sleazy read. This story was set up so that most of it was introducing characters and then the end and the problem all just kind of happened at the same time. It was kind of set up poorly. Unfortunately, Sookie is the perfect looking protagonist, the only difference is that she has her own kind of power. These books were silly and ridiculous with not that great writing but they are now a guilty pleasure of mine. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars.

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

Believe Me

Hey everybody!

Next up is the book Believe Me by Nina Killham.

Thirteen-year-old Nic Delano has a lot of questions. Like why does he have a babysitter at his age-and where did she get such long legs? But mostly, what exactly is the meaning of life? His mother, Lucy, an astrophysicist and atheist, has always encouraged Nic to ask questions. But lately she doesn?t like the answers he?s getting. Nic has been hanging out with a group of devout Christians and is starting to embrace the Bible?and a very different view of the heavens. But when unexpected tragedy strikes, Nic and Lucy?s beliefs are truly to put to the test. And they need each other now more than ever. But will a mother and her son be able to find a common ground where faith meets understanding and love is, ultimately, what endures?

I definitely judged this book by its cover. Not going to lie. Also, the title caught my attention. So this was written in the point of view of a 14 year old boy but it's meant to be an adult novel. It had the simplicity of a teenager's writing and it was all over the place. Maybe that's why the book didn't go deeply into the topics it was supposed to. The characters never really developed, although at first they were interesting overall they were flat. It was very superficial. And the big tragedy? Happens at in the last 50 pages. Definitely not enough time to resolve the issue at hand. it just kind of ends...okay? I thought maybe there would be this big point that made the book worth reading. It's like the adult version of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. The concept was a good one and had a lot of potential but Killham didn't follow through. I gave it 2 out of 5 stars.

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

P.S. This was a book for my separate 2015 reading challenge, fulfilling the "A book based entirely on it's cover"

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Hey everyone!

Next up is The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Russell Brand, yes Russell Brand wrote a children's book...I think.

Well I don't think I would ever read this to a child. The whole time I was thinking, "What the heck am I reading?" I'm sure most of you know the story of the Pied Piper and this I guess is the same thing...just really weird. As an adult it was an amusing read. As I was reading I found it jumped around so much I thought I was missing pages because it didn't follow through and it was very unfocused. The seemingly main character, Sam, really shows up about five times and he really isn't necessary for the story. I don't even know why he was there. Brand really forced the morals but never explained them. After mentioning something of importance once he just left it. This is definitely something that would come out of Russel Brand's mouth. Maybe he should stick to writing about himself. I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

P.S. This book was read in order to fulfill the "A book you can finish in a day" category in my 2015 book challenge.

77 Shadow Street and The Moonlit Mind

Hey there!

In this post you get a two for one review. The main book is 77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz. The prequel to this is The Moonlit Mind .

77 Shadow Street

The Pendleton stands on the summit of Shadow Hill at the highest point of an old heartland city, a Gilded Age palace built in the late 1800s as a tycoon’s dream home. Almost from the beginning, its grandeur has been scarred by episodes of madness, suicide, mass murder, and whispers of things far worse. But since its rechristening in the 1970s as a luxury apartment building, the Pendleton has been at peace. For its fortunate residents—among them a successful songwriter and her young son, a disgraced ex-senator, a widowed attorney, and a driven money manager—the Pendleton’s magnificent quarters are a sanctuary, its dark past all but forgotten. But now inexplicable shadows caper across walls, security cameras relay impossible images, phantom voices mutter in strange tongues, not-quite-human figures lurk in the basement, elevators plunge into unknown depths. With each passing hour, a terrifying certainty grows: Whatever drove the Pendleton’s past occupants to their unspeakable fates is at work again. Soon, all those within its boundaries will be engulfed by a dark tide from which few have escaped.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I think because there was so much hype surrounding it and its own cool website I was really excited and wanted to love it. But then I dove into the world of the Pendleton and didn't feel that way. This is a book that deals with a lot of supernatural creatures and Koontz just failed at describing them. I couldn't imagine half of the stuff he was talking about because the descriptions were so jumbled. I also was unaware of the timeline. I think it took place in 24 hours? But all of that was unclear, how long did they have to live in that miserable situation. There were just too many stories. How the heck was I supposed to keep up with all those people? And some of them just seemed to be thrown in there and have no purpose in the story. This had a lot of traits of Koontz's other books. Overall, it just felt unfinished and in the end Koontz seemed to just want to end the book. This book felt like it could have had so much potential. I gave it 3 out of 4 stars.

The Moonlit Mind (I believe this is a Kindle exclusive)

Twelve-year-old Crispin has lived on the streets since he was nine—with only his wits and his daring to sustain him, and only his silent dog, Harley, to call his friend. He is always on the move, never lingering in any one place long enough to risk being discovered. Still, there are certain places he returns to. In the midst of the tumultuous city, they are havens of solitude: like the hushed environs of St. Mary Salome Cemetery, a place where Crispin can feel at peace—safe, at least for a while, from the fearsome memories that plague him . . . and seep into his darkest nightmares. But not only his dreams are haunted. The city he roams with Harley has secrets and mysteries, things unexplainable and maybe unimaginable. Crispin has seen ghosts in the dead of night, and sensed dimensions beyond reason in broad daylight. Hints of things disturbing and strange nibble at the edges of his existence, even as dangers wholly natural and earthbound cast their shadows across his path. Alone, drifting, and scavenging to survive is no life for a boy. But the life Crispin has left behind, and is still running scared from, is an unspeakable alternative . . . that may yet catch up with him.

I liked this a lot better than 77 Shadow Street. The two really have nothing to do with one another accept that they are across the street from each other. It was simple and the plot was kind of creepy and whimsical. There were real people and not made up creatures I couldn't picture. There was some great symbolism in it specifically the moon. The one issue I had was that Koontz sets up some great symbols for the reader to figure out and then he ruins it by spelling it out for the reader. At times he left nothing to the imagination of the reader. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It was drastically better than its later counterpart.

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure

Hello!

At the beginning of the week I reviewed The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Now naturally I have to review The Scorch Trials  and The Death Cure. I'll do as I have done before where I don't provide a summary and just give you a quick review.

The second installment in the series was definitely more action packed. This was probably my favorite book of the series. There is a lot more scenery in this book and the characters are better developed. Oh and the feels in this book! I had so many emotions I didn't know what to do with myself! There was a lot of sleeping and passing out on Thomas's part... a lot. Dashner again kept a lot from the reader for a good majority of the book and I found myself getting frustrated that I couldn't know, I gave this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

I lost faith. This book was like the typical third book in a series like this. It was good but it's been done. Also, so much was left without explanation. I guess that's what the prequel is for. I'm still so confused not a great way to end a series. This book was a lot of back and forth, who's good, who's bad, they're here, now they're back to point A. And why? I'm not sure. This book lost a lot. It could have been great and it kind of failed. There was a lot of action and twists and turns but the end just left me hanging. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars,

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

The Maze Runner

Hey everyone!

Next up on the list is The Maze Runner by James Dashner.

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

Remember. Survive. Run.

This book starts off a little slow. But then it sure does pick up and after that I couldn't put the series down. It was definitely a unique dystopian teen sci-fi book other than the whole concept of "Big Brother". Dashner really created his own world in this book. He creates slang words that the Gladers use which is sort of unique to this book. Only a few characters really had personality, the rest were completely lacking. It also doesn't help no one has their memories so personality is almost impossible. The reader goes into this book with absolutely no information but his name and it takes a REALLY long time before we find out anything. It also did seem like a big video game but don't all of these types of books. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

Disney After Dark

Hello!

Today's review is of Disney After Dark by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.

In this fantastical thriller, five young teens tapped as models for theme park "guides" find themselves pitted against Disney villains and witches that threaten both the future of Walt Disney World and the stability of the world outside its walls. Using a cutting-edge technology called DHI—which stands for both Disney Host Interactive and Daylight Hologram Imaging—Finn Whitman, an Orlando teen, and four other kids are transformed into hologram projections that guide guests through the park. The new technology turns out, however, to have unexpected effects that are both thrilling and scary. Soon Finn finds himself transported in his DHI form into the Magic Kingdom at night. Is it real? Is he dreaming? Finn's confusion only increases when he encounters Wayne, an elderly Imagineer who tells him that the park is in grave danger. Led by the scheming witch Maleficent, a mysterious group of characters called the Overtakers is plotting to destroy Disney's beloved realm, and maybe more.

This was an interesting little book. It had a great idea behind it that any kid who loves Disney would obsess over. It wasn't a book for adults though, it seemed exclusively for children. I will say it was fun to see characters and rides come to life and I would love to live in that world. It wasfun to read behind the scenes  of the parks and go on a scavenger hunt with the characters. There was also a lot of technology in this book and the technology doesn't seem to far away. I gave it 3 out of 4 stars.

From this avid Disney Fan to you,

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

P.S. That picture was from five years ago and I'm one of those tiny ant people.

James and the Giant Peach

Hello, hello, hello!

Here's an oldie but goodie, James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was a champion of the underdog and all things little—in this case, an orphaned boy oppressed by two nasty, self-centered aunts. How James escapes his miserable life with the horrible aunts and becomes a hero is a Dahlicious fantasy of the highest order. You will never forget resourceful little James and his new family of magically overgrown insects—a ladybug, a spider, a grasshopper, a glowworm, a silkworm, and the chronic complainer, a centipede with a hundred gorgeous shoes. Their adventures aboard a luscious peach as large as a house take them across the Atlantic Ocean, through waters infested with peach-eating sharks and skies inhabited by malevolent Cloudmen, to a ticker-tape parade in New York City.

I have not read this book since second grade. This book does one thing that most children's books don't: it still appeals to adults. A lot of books I loved as a child I got bored with reading as an adult but not this one. I just love all the characters and the imagination in this book is stupendous. And who wouldn't want to travel in a peach. Maybe minus the giant bugs but seriously.When I read this it brought be back memories of my childhood and it was fantastic. There are no bad words about this book it's just all around fantastic. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars,

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

Death of a Salesman

Hey there!

Next up is Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller.

The story revolves around the last days of Willy Loman, a failing salesman, who cannot understand how he failed to win success and happiness. Through a series of tragic soul-searching revelations of the life he has lived with his wife, his sons, and his business associates, we discover how his quest for the "American Dream" kept him blind to the people who truly loved him. 

Looks like I dropped the ball on another letter. I've finished the letter "D" as well. The finished letters are just piling up. Expect a "D" post on Friday.

This was another school read. I absolutely loved this book. For anyone who doesn't know, this book is a play. I don't think it could have worked as a prose piece. The stage directions really bring the story to life and it gives the reader more of the subtle messages Miller was trying to get across. Also, it made room for more symbolism by setting up the scene in advance. The characters were just so well developed and I loved the limited third person writing that goes along with play writing because you don't get that often. There were a few scenes that seemed misplaced and random but overall it was a nice read. I don't always enjoy doing school reading but this was one that I would say everyone should read at least once. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

The Best of Me

Hey there!

Now for a little variety. The next book up is  The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks. I have already finished "B" so this will be a review for fun.

In the spring of 1984, high school students Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole fell deeply, irrevocably in love. Though they were from opposite sides of the tracks, their love for one another seemed to defy the realities of life in the small town of Oriental, North Carolina. But as the summer of their senior year came to a close, unforeseen events would tear the young couple apart, setting them on radically divergent paths. Now, twenty-five years later, Amanda and Dawson are summoned back to Oriental for the funeral of Tuck Hostetler, the mentor who once gave shelter to their high school romance. Neither has lived the life they imagined . . . and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever changed their lives. As Amanda and Dawson carry out the instructions Tuck left behind for them, they realize that everything they thought they knew -- about Tuck, about themselves, and about the dreams they held dear -- was not as it seemed. Forced to confront painful memories, the two former lovers will discover undeniable truths about the choices they have made. And in the course of a single, searing weekend, they will ask of the living, and the dead: Can love truly rewrite the past?

This book is very similar to The Notebook but it falls very short of my Sparks standards. The past and present are so blurred I don't know where I am. It also felt that this book was just random narrators that might possibly cross paths at some point. This book didn't feel like a Nicholas Sparks book (I didn't even cry) and it seems like Sparks is running out of ideas and writing to writing. I did like the ending and it was a quick read. But to get to the end it was a rough road.

Keep reading!
Mackenzie

The Book Thief

Hello, hello, hello!

Next up is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and I can't wait to tell you all about it.

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery.

So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jewish fist-fighter in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.

I finished every "B" I had on my list so I'm sad to say that I can't fit this in somewhere but I'm glad I still get to review it for you.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this book. This book has a unique narrator who really knows how to tell a story. The descriptions were juicy and the book flowed so well. There was so much emotional attachment to this book and this book makes you feel every emotion possible. I loved this book, I hated it, I cried, I was angry, I threw the book (well wanted to). And when it was all over I felt like a piece of me was missing. This is one of those books that should be on everyone's must read list. Giving you this review doesn't do the book justice. If you haven't already just go pick it up and read it. Really. 

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

P.S. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
P.P.S. I'm truly jealous of those of you who get to read this for the first time.

Joyland

Hello there!

The next book is Joyland by Stephen King. As I'm trying to fit this in my puzzle of animal names it has occurred to me that I have filled all of the "J"s. That crosses another letter off my list so enjoy this "Just for Fun" review! (and expect some cute "J" video on Friday.)

College student Devin Jones took the summer job at Joyland hoping to forget the girl who broke his heart. But he wound up facing something far more terrible: the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and dark truths about life—and what comes after—that would change his world forever. 

Let me start by saying I applaud Stephen King, I have not read a recent "Pulp Fiction" book this well written. Right from the start there is that typical pulp fiction narration. I could just picture some kind of detective off to the side narrating the whole book. There were points where King lost the narration but he soon picked it back up. Although this had a supernatural element to it, it still did justice to the genre. There was a lot of going back and forth between past and present that was somewhat confusing but it was only in the beginning of the book where it got a little muddled. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because as I said before Stephen King nails the narration and this book would not have been as good without it.

Happy reading!
Mackenzie

The Giver Quartet

Hey there!

Over the summer I reviewed The Giver by Lois Lowry. After that I read the last three books in the series. As I did with the "Lorien Legacies", I'm going to lump them all together in one review. If you missed my review on The Giver you can find it at the link below:

The Giver Review

Gathering Blue

Unless you have read the fine print, you would never know this is in anyway related to The Giver. It was a really good book though. I love the fact that there is an imperfect protagonist and she is quite an amazing one at that. The protagonist has a super cute little sidekick too! The story seemed to take place in a time that was before this time. The village has very simple ways that seem less complex than those in The Giver. This book was a really good story. It was fantastical and dystopian, unlike The Giver which is just total dystopian-this-could-be-us-soon story. I gave this a 4 out of 5 stars.

Messenger

My favorite Matt is back. This book is clearly connected to Gathering Blue and connections form to The Giver. I can't stress enough how incredible the writing is in all of these books. This book was very supernatural. Not fantastical and not dystopian really. This book also seems to take place in the past with simplistic ways. The idea of this story was great. This book was a super quick read. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars.

Son

This book takes us back to the very beginning. All the way back to The Giver and the Ceremony of Twelves. And through Claire's life. In this story all things come together. The series ended so nicely, although I was sad to see it end. The adjectives and description in this book were so good! This book almost lived up to The Giver. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

I highly suggest this series. It's so good and one of my favorites.

Happy reading!

Mackenzie

Lorien Legacies

Hello, hello, hello

The last book I read was I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. I read the next three books in the series, The Power of Six, The Rise of Nine and, The Fall of Five. Instead of making three separate postings I'm going to clump them all together in one post and give you just a little bit of insight on each. If you have not read my review on I Am Number Four here is the link:



The Power of Six

In this book Lore starts switching between characters. That's great but he doesn't tell the reader they've switched characters. Hmm....I didn't know who was talking. There were a few continuity errors. These books seem really to be based on luck and I know I will repeat this in my other quick reviews. There wasn't too much action in this one. It was an overall okay read. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars.

The Rise of Nine

There was more character switching in this book but it was a lot more organized. It was almost every chapter that they switched. They explained the seven world wonders from a Lorien point of view which was super cool. Anything Earthly from a Lorien point of view is cool. There were LOTS of love triangles. There was quite a bit of action in this one. Again, the issue of continuity. I also gave this one 3 out of 5 stars.

The Fall of Five

THIS ONE! I would read this whole series just to read this one book. It was that good. This was the most twisted book so far. I could have done without the love stories that were in it. It seemed the love triangles were fixed. Like all the others it was all based on coincidence. It was kind of predictable but oh so good! There was much more action in this one to balance out the amount of waiting time they do. I gave this story 4 out of 5 stars.