Book Report - Sharp Objects

Title: Sharp Objects
Authour: Gillian Flynn
Length: 535 pages
How long it took me to read: 2 days
Grade: B+

What it's about: WICKED above her hipbone, GIRL across her heart Words are like a road map to reporter Camille Preaker’s troubled past. Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, Camille’s first assignment from the second-rate daily paper where she works brings her reluctantly back to her hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls.

NASTY on her kneecap, BABYDOLL on her leg.

Since she left town eight years ago, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed again in her family’s Victorian mansion, Camille is haunted by the childhood tragedy she has spent her whole life trying to cut from her memory.

HARMFUL on her wrist, WHORE on her ankle.

As Camille works to uncover the truth about these violent crimes, she finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Clues keep leading to dead ends, forcing Camille to unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past to get at the story. Dogged by her own demons, Camille will have to confront what happened to her years before if she wants to survive this homecoming.

The ending is the most important part: At first, I thought the ending was predictable, but at the last minute there was a bit of a twist.

Last word: I'm glad that I was able to read this book quickly so that I didn't have to have this story in my head for a longer period of time.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - The Time Traveler's Wife

Title: The Time Traveler's Wife
Authour: Audrey Niffenegger
Length: 528 pages
How long it took me to read: 4 days
Grade: A

What it's about: A dazzling novel in the most untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare's passionate love affair endures across a sea of time and captures the two lovers in an impossibly romantic trap, and it is Audrey Niffenegger's cinematic storytelling that makes the novel's unconventional chronology so vibrantly triumphant.

The ending is the most important part: The ending is sad, and a little Notebookish, but still okay.

Last word: I wasn't intending to finish this book as quickly as I did, but I just couldn't stop reading! A well-written, lovely read.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - City of Lost Souls

Title: City of Lost Souls
Authour: Cassandra Clare
Length: 535 pages
How long it took me to read: 5 days
Grade: B+

What it's about: What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

The ending is the most important part: I can't wait to read City of Heavenly Fire!

Last word: I love that Clary is learning from her mistakes, and that Sebastian is one, sick mofo.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - City of Fallen Angels

Title: City of Glass
Authour: Cassandra Clare
Length: 424 pages
How long it took me to read: 5 days
Grade: B+

What it's about: The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

The ending is the most important part: The ending was fine.

Last word: I think that this should have been a new series that focused more on Simon and Maia, less on Clary, there are so many characters now. I still like the series, though

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - City of Glass

Title: City of Glass
Authour: Cassandra Clare
Length: 541 pages
How long it took me to read: 4 days
Grade: A+

What it's about: To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?

The ending is the most important part: Yes!! Finally!! The ending was so perfect.

Last word: I know that there are more books, but this seems to be the perfect ending to an awesome trilogy.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - City of Ashes

Title: City of Ashes
Authour: Cassandra Clare
Length: 453 pages
How long it took me to read: 5 days
Grade: B

What it's about: Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

The ending is the most important part: Nope. Nothing resolved. More information = good. Clary and Jace brother and sister = bad.

Last word: I have no idea where this story is going, but I'm along for the ride.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - If I Stay

Title: If I Stay
Authour: Gayle Forman
Length: 201 pages
How long it took me to read: 2 days
Grade: B+

What it's about: Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?

Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.

If I Stay is a heartachingly beautiful book about the power of love, the true meaning of family, and the choices we all make.

The ending is the most important part: The ending was perfect; it ended exactly how I wanted it to. There was crying.

Last word: What a lovely, heartbreaking story.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - Extras

Title: Extras
Authour: Scott Westerfield
Length: 417 pages
How long it took me to read: 3 days
Grade: B+

What it's about: It's a few years after rebel Tally Youngblood took down the uglies/pretties/specials regime. Without those strict roles and rules, the world is in a complete cultural renaissance. "Tech-heads" flaunt their latest gadgets, "kickers" spread gossip and trends, and "surge monkeys" are hooked on extreme plastic surgery. And it's all monitored on a bazillion different cameras. The world is like a gigantic game of "American Idol." Whoever is getting the most buzz gets the most votes. Popularity rules.

As if being fifteen doesn't suck enough, Aya Fuse's rank of 451,369 is so low, she's a total nobody. An extra. But Aya doesn't care; she just wants to lie low with her drone, Moggle. And maybe kick a good story for herself.

Then Aya meets a clique of girls who pull crazy tricks, yet are deeply secretive of it. Aya wants desperately to kick their story, to show everyone how intensely cool the Sly Girls are. But doing so would propel her out of extra-land and into the world of fame, celebrity...and extreme danger. A world she's not prepared for.

The ending is the most important part: I liked this ending much better than Specials. This story was complete and wrapped up nicely. I'm glad Scott Westerfeld wrote this one

Last word: The series have been redeemed somewhat. While this story can stand on its own, it's a much better ending to the Uglies series than Specials was.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - Specials

Title: Specials
Authour: Scott Westerfield
Length: 384 pages
How long it took me to read: 3 days
Grade: C

What it's about: "Special Circumstances": The words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back then Specials were a sinister rumor -- frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally's never been ordinary.

And now she's been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.

The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more.

Still, it's easy to tune that out -- until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same.

The ending is the most important part: This did not feel like the ending of the trilogy. It's like the story just stopped

Last word: I had so much hope for this series. Sadly, I really don't like Tally as a Special.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - The Fault in Our Stars

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Authour: John Green
Length: 318 pages
How long it took me to read: 2 days
Grade: A

What it's about: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

The ending is the most important part: The ending is sad, and the ending has hope. The ending is good.

Last word: I was afraid to read this book because I am the mother of a cancer survivor, and I was worried it would be emotional, but it is so well written, the characters so loveable and true, the dialogue so excellent, that I absolutely loved it.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - The Mortal Instruments City of Bones

Title: The Mortal Instruments City of Bones
Authour: Cassandra Clare
Length: 485 pages
How long it took me to read: 2 days
Grade: A

What it's about: When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air.

It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk.

Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

The ending is the most important part: The ending has a bit of a Star Wars twist (more in the spoilers) which I kind of saw coming, but in a good way.

Last word: I am so on board with reading every book in this series.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - Gossip Girl

Title: Gossip Girl
Authour: Cecily Von Ziegesar
Length: 201 pages
How long it took me to read: 1 day
Grade: B

What it's about: Welcome to New York City's Upper East Side, where my friends and I live, go to school, play, and sleep--sometimes with each other.

S is back from boarding school, and if we aren't careful, she's going to win over our teachers, wear that dress we couldn't fit into, steal our boyfriends' hearts, and basically ruin our lives in a major way. I'll be watching closely...

You know you love me,
gossip girl

The ending is the most important part: This is a series of fifteen books, so while this story ended, you know that there's more. That being said, the ending is still satisfying and doesn't leave you hanging - which is a good thing.

Last word: This was the perfect book for my Spring Break read by the pool. I would read the series if I had more time and less books on my TBR list. I'm just going to stick with watching the series on Netflix for now.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - Allegiant

Title: Allegiant
Authour: Veronica Roth
Length: 526 pages
How long it took me to read: 3 days
Grade: A

What it's about: The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

The ending is the most important part: The ending made complete sense to me - I liked it.

Last word: Now I want to re-read this series back to back with no breaks. Where's a cave I can hide in for a week?

Spoilers after the jump (Major, major spoilers)

Book Report - Pretties

Title: Pretties
Authour: Scott Westerfield
Length: 384 pages
How long it took me to read: 3 days
Grade: B

What it's about: Tally has finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted.

But beneath all the fun -- the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom -- is a nagging sense that something's wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally's ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what's wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold.

Now she has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life -- because the authorities don't intend to let anyone with this information survive.

The ending is the most important part: This series just keeps getting better.

Last word: I am definitely continuing with this series. I even got used to the terminology.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - The Maze Runner

Title: The Maze Runner
Authour: James Dashner
Length: 374 pages
How long it took me to read: 3 days
Grade: C+

What it's about: "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.

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.

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

The ending is the most important part: The ending was good, but this book was frustrating to read, so the ending was not satisfying.

Last word: This book is like The Lord of the Flies except with less violence, and a maze. It is very confusing, and the author does not give anything up. The reader is as confused as the characters. I didn't like this. I am unsure as to whether or not I will continue with the series.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - The Giver

Title: The Giver
Authour: Lois Lowry
Length: 179 pages
How long it took me to read: 3 days
Grade: C

What it's about: Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

The ending is the most important part: While the ending was satisfying, I am not invested enough in the characters to continue reading the series.

Last word: I was so meh on this book.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - Orange is the New Black

Title: Orange is the New Black
Authour: Piper Kerman
Length: 298 pages
How long it took me to read: 4 days
Grade: B

What it's about: With a career, a boyfriend, and a loving family, Piper Kerman barely resembles the reckless young woman who delivered a suitcase of drug money ten years before. But that past has caught up with her. Convicted and sentenced to fifteen months at the infamous federal correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut, the well-heeled Smith College alumna is now inmate #11187–424—one of the millions of people who disappear “down the rabbit hole” of the American penal system. From her first strip search to her final release, Kerman learns to navigate this strange world with its strictly enforced codes of behavior and arbitrary rules. She meets women from all walks of life, who surprise her with small tokens of generosity, hard words of wisdom, and simple acts of acceptance. Heartbreaking, hilarious, and at times enraging, Kerman’s story offers a rare look into the lives of women in prison—why it is we lock so many away and what happens to them when they’re there

The ending is the most important part: The ending was wonderful and made me smile so much.

Last word: I was so surprised at how positive this book was. I really enjoyed this.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - Vampire Academy

Title: Vampire Academy
Authour: Richelle Mead
Length: 332 pages
How long it took me to read: 4 days
Grade: C-

What it's about: St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

The ending is the most important part: Considering this is a series, this book can actually stand alone. There is no compulsion to read the next book in order to finish the story.

Last word: Not interesting, not compelling, not reading the rest of the series.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - Uglies

Title: Uglies
Authour: Scott Westerfeld
Length: 448 pages
How long it took me to read: 4 days
Grade: B

What it's about: Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license - for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all.

The ending is the most important part: The ending was predictable with just enough curiosity to read the next one.

Last word: I like the messages in the book, but I hate the terminology.

Spoilers after the jump

Book Report - The Secret Lives of Dresses

Title: The Secret Lives of Dresses
Authour: Erin McKean
Length: 290 pages
How long it took me to read: 4 days

What it's about: Dora is in love with a man who barely notices her, has a job she doesn’t care about, and dresses entirely for comfort, not style. All a far cry from her vivid, eccentric childhood, growing up with her beloved grandmother Mimi.

However, when disaster strikes, Dora knows she has no choice but to return to her childhood home and take over running Mimi’s vintage clothing shop. And there she makes a surprising discovery – Mimi’s been writing stories to accompany every dress she sells. Romantic, heartbreaking tales about each one’s secret life before it got to her shop...

Dora starts to matchmake these lonely frocks with new owners, but will the stories help her as well? Trading her boring high street clothes for vintage glamour is one thing. What she needs to know is whether she can trade her safe old life – and love – for something better too?

The ending is the most important part: The ending was lovely - but I want more!! I wanted this book to go on forever. Sequel, please!

Last word: I recommend this book to everyone. It is a wonderful story full of all things lovely and beautiful. I want to live in this book.

Spoilers after the jump