Gone by Michael Grant

Gone by Michael Grant

 

Pages: 558

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: June 24, 2008

Rating: 3/5

Points: 18/18

In Perdido Beach, California, every person over the age of fourteen disappeared. One second there, the next--poof--gone.

With all the adults and teenagers gone, the bullies have taken over. Not only that, but some of the kids are developing powers, and the animals are mutating.

How long before all the food runs out? The medical supplies? How is one supposed to survive without the care of the adults?

I'm sure most kids have thought of living a life without adults, fantacising how perfect it would be without your mother nagging you to eat your greens and your teachers threatening you with homework.

I think Grant paints a pretty good picture of how things would really be like if there were no adults.

I quite enjoyed the world-building in this book. It's well developed, and to be quite honest, scary.

Unfortunatly, there are a couple things dragging this book down. The main issue being the many points-of-view. There was so much jumping between characters, they all blended together, resulting in a weak character development.

I also had a hard time believing these kids were fourteen and younger. I don't know why, I just didn't really buy it. They seemed quite mature for their age.

Now, I've never been to California (Hell, I've never left the east coast), so I don't know how people talk over there, but...

Do people really say "brah" anymore? Was that just a way to say "Hey, I'm a surfer...brah!", because that's how I took it.

Now, when it comes to character, it isn't all at a loss. I found myself quite liking our main villians: Cain, Diana, and Drake (I will admit to looking up their names on Wiki). They were, for lack of a better word, derranged. I loved it.

Especially Drake. I don't know why, but his inability to feel any type of human emotion (besides hatred) is just...rather sexy (Huh, so maybe I know why I refuse to believe they are fourteen). I can't wait to read more about him. ;)

The twist towards the middle of the book was unexpected, but I don't know how I feel about it. It's probably something that'll be developed more in the later books.

This was all-in-all an enjoyable read, when I had the will to pick it up. It wasn't the type of book I could just breeze through. I did have to take a few breaks.

Hamlet by Shakespeare

Hamlet by Shakespeare
Pages: 287

Hamlet is a very interesting book, slow at first but after the killings and plots start it picks up greatly. I would not recommend this book to just everybody because it is very hard to comprehend and understand what's going on at some points just because the language is different than we are used to speaking.

The main character Hamlet is after revenge for the murder of his father. He's kind of stupid if you ask me because he made everything harder than it really could have been and he didn't have to die in the end.
Claudius is Hamlet's Uncle/stepfather. Weird I know. He's also kind of annoying because he is to obvious with his plots.
Polonius is Claudius's best friend/advisor person. I just want to hit him because he talks way to much and he tries to act smart and make something that should have only been 5 words 50 words.
Laertes is Polonius's son. He's not there through most of the book, but he seems like a very loyal brother and son. But he likes ot have to much "fun"
Ophelia is Polonius's daughter and she is to gullible. She believes everything. And she cries to much.


The plot of the book is Hamlet's father was murdered and it's all about revenge and getting back at the people who hurt you. It takes a bunch of twists and turns and it's very ironic how the ending turns out. I won't spoil it for you though. :)

This book took me a while to read considering I read it in school with my english class and we had to keep stopping and explaining everything to some people. But if I had read it on my own it would have probably taken me about four days because of the contained material. I would have had to go on spark notes. xD
I would not recommend this book for everyone because it is a very hard read and not everybody can comprehend it.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Pages: 312


In Mary's world there are simple truths.


The Sisterhood always knows best.


The Guardians will protect and serve.


The Unconsecrated will never relent.


And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of hands and Teeth. But, Slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things that she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future - between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside and world surrounded by so much death?

This book was so incredible, kind of slow at first, but after three or four chapters it picked up gratuitously.  This is a definite must-read. I think zombies are taking over the love of paranormal writers hearts, because the last few books that I've read have had to do more with zombies rather than faeries and such. But this book wasn't your average zombie book which makes it even better,

The main character Mary is just your average teenage girl who dreams of bigger and better things past the fence. She dreams of the ocean because of the stories that her mother passed down to her. 

Travis is the guy that Mary falls in love with but he doesn't want to marry her because his brother loves her. In the end he dies saving Mary from the Unconsecrated.

Harry is Travis' brother who wants to marry Mary. He is kind of annoying actually. But he was a key character to the book. 

Cass is Mary's best friend and engaged to Travis. She's a whimp. Like no lie. I wanted to hit her a number of tines throughout the book.

Jed is Mary's brother. He's an ass. Excuse my French but he really is. He throws Mary out and then wants to bring her back and then freezes her out again after his wife gets infected. I didn't like him much.

The plot is that Mary lives in a town ruled by the Sisterhood, and the Guardians. The village is surrounded by a fence, with the forest on the outside. You don’t leave the closure of the fence no matter what, unless you are infected by the Unconsecrated. Where the two paths lead no one knows. The Sisterhood tell everybody that they are the last people on Earth, only Mary knows that’s not true. Mary’s mother raised her on stories of the ocean and Mary decides that she’s going to escape the fence and find her ocean. So after a breach in the fence that’s exactly what she does. She makes her escape into the forest. But the Forest of Hands and Teeth is not what she expected.

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who wants a good thinking book, because this book makes you think about what's important to you, what love is, and most of all would you risk everything for your dreams? It took me less than a day to read this just because I couldn't put it down. Happy Reading. :)

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

Pages: 326

Publisher: Haper Collins

Release Date: September 19, 2006

Rating: 3/5

Points: 8/8

All Aza wants is to be pretty. Abandoned by her parents as an infant, she was raised by the innkeepers of the Featherbed.
Aza has the prettiest voice in all the kingdom, but it doesn't keep people from being rude about her hideousness. It isn't until she is taken to the castle and meets the royal family that she realizes what true beauty is.
Fairest is a retelling of Snow White, but it isn't the most obvious about it. It really isn't until towards the end that the huge elements of the fairy tale are applied.
 I had a really hard time taking this book seriously. It is really hard to imagine a kingdom where everyone communicates by song. Whenever it was mentioned that someone "sang" their dialogue, especially one of the men, I couldn't help but put the book down and laugh. This was probably my biggest problem with the story.

When it came to the characters, I felt the only one I had a problem with was Prince Ijori. He was a royal jerk. He claimed to have loved Aza the second he laid eyes on her, but turned his back on her when she needed it the most.
Gladly, Aza's first instinct was to "hate" him, and just forget about him, but of course, she happily forgives him when he apologizes for being a pompous ass.
The villains in the story I felt were great. Telling who or why would be spoilers, but I will say that they fed off each other really well.
The ending of this story was sweet. The morals of the story really hit-home and was presented well.
Anyone looking for a quick, easy read should pick this up. The odd customs of the characters might be a bit off-putting, but it is quite enjoyable when you get past it.

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

 

Pages: 307

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Release Date: August 9, 2011

Rating: 2/5

Points: 13/13

The story we have all come to love is a lie. Juliet Capulet's death wasn't suicide, it was murder. Her soul mate, Romeo Montague plunged the knife into her heart.
Now, he is her mortal enemy. As she tries to bring soul mates together, Romeo is trying to separate them in the most permanent way possible--he is trying to convince one to sacrifice the other, as he once did, for immortality.
*THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN MAJOR SPOILERS*
My first major problem was Juliet. She is the most self-centered person I have EVER read about. Even more so than Natalie Harvgrove, and THAT is saying something!
As she is supposed to be bringing people together, she is fawning over Ben Luna, her supposed true love.
This is where the story starts to get to me. It is quite obvious that Ben is really a reincarnation of none other than Benvolio. This just makes the whole story just scream FANFICTION to me. I'm sorry, I love Benvolio (from the original play), but not with Juliet. Just...no.
Speaking of Ben, he irked me too. In this book, Ben is Mexican. Okay, fine, whatever. This is my problem:
Authors tend to shove the fact that a person in the story is Hispanic down your throat.
"Hey, what's up, chica?"
See, as a person who IS hispanic and grew up around people who speak Spanish, I would know that MOST hispanics don't throw random Spanish into their sentences.
The onces that do are just annoying...
Besides that, it is stated that Ben is an exact replica of past-Benvolio, who in which...isn't Mexican.
Maybe I'm looking too far into this. It is just fiction, after all.
Then there is their relationship. They knew each other for three days before falling in love? I mean, it took Romeo and Juliet .5 seconds...So, maybe she was just playing off that.
Funny part is, it took Benvolio (past) .1 seconds to fall in love with Juliet, DESPITE her sleeping with his cousin.
Shakespear, what have you done?
At first, I thought the plot was amazing, but the more I read the story, the cheesier I found it. I think it was my excitment to read something Romeo and Juliet related.
Romeo was, by far, the most interesting thing about this book. The "intermezzos" (Italian for "intermission") were fun to read. I loved how psycho Romeo was.
As I said, as much as this book irked me, there was something drawing me in, making me read it until the end. That and Romeo is what saved this book and gave it the two stars. (:
By the way, I apologize if I offended anyone talking about Ben being Hispanic. It was more the sterotypes that bothered me than his race. >_<

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

 

Pages: 361

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: October 26, 2011

Rating: 4/5

Points: 17/17

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Review:

There really isn't much to say about this book without spoiling it, so I'm going to skip the synopsis of it and just get on with the review.

I was a bit on the fence about it being in Ash's point of view, but I think Kagawa was pretty spot-on with her "man voice," even if he was a tad angsty


.I really felt for Ash in this book. The choices he had to make, the challanges he had to face, made me feel bad for him, in a way. I would hate to have to go through what he did to get what he wanted.
The return of a familiar, yet a bit unknown, character made the journey that much harder on him, making him question if it was Meghan he really wanted.
Puck, of course, was the ever-humorous character he was in the previous books. Although, he is a lot angrier in this book, perhaps a bit desprate

As this book was amazing, I kind of wish it wasn't written. I don't particularly like that he and Meghan got their happy ending. I wish it had ended with The Iron Queen

Of course, that is my opinion. I'm sure a lot of people will enjoy the happy ending. I just found it too convenient.

Darn Mrs. Kagawa for being talked into writing this book.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

 

Pages: 316

Publisher: Tor Teen

Release Date: August 30, 2011

Rating: 4/5

Points Earned: 12/12

Theseus Cassio isn't your normal teenage boy. He's a ghost hunter. After his father died while hunting a ghost, Cas vowed to avenge his father's death.
Cas gets a request to track down Anna Dressed In Blood, a tortured spirit who haunts her old house, killing whoever dares step forth into it.
Except, when Cas get's thrown into the house by butt-faced Mike, Anna spares him.
Despite the feelings Cas grows for Anna, he is determined to bring her down. Or, is he?
First and foremost, I must say that this would make a kick-ass movie if done right, no?
Some of the images this book gave me were downright frightening. That one particular scene when Anna peers out the window in her "evil" form has just stuck itself into my mind, and it's creeping me out.
Speaking of Anna, I felt so much for her. Her backstory just broke my heart into pieces. I was hoping her the best throughout the story.
Cas, as good as he was, bothered me a bit. His cocky attitude just got to me sometimes. He is the only one who can hunt ghosts. He is the only one who can wield the athame. Jesus, boy, who made you God?
At the same time, I loved his character, and as weird as it sounds, I loved his love for Anna. It was so deranged, but at the same time, cute.
This is probably one of my favorites this year. I can't wait for the next book to come out.
I was never a fan of ghost stories, but I think everyone should give this book a try. (:

Awakened by Kristin + P.C.Cast

Awakened by Kristin + P.C.Cast
Pages: 290
Points: 13/13

This book actually surprised me with the way it turned out. I was getting bored with the series and I wasn't sure if this book would turn out any good. It was actually quite good.

The characters are still the same so I don't feel the need to go over all of them. But the main ones you need to know are Zoey, Stevie Rae, Rephaim, Kalona, Stark, and Neferet. Zoey is the main girl who defeats everybody woo hoo. Stevie Rae is her trusty anoying hick sidekick. Rephaim is Stevie Rae's half bird lover (my favorite character <3) Kalona is one of the bad guys. Stark is Zoey's guardian thing. And Neferet is the worst of the bad guys.

The plot was basically about Neferet trying to get Zoey killed because Kalona didn't do it like he was supposed to in the Otehrworld. It was quite an interesting plot to be honest. I can't really explain it much without spoilers, so just know that it was really good.

I finished this book in less than 24 hours because I couldn't put it down. The authors definately brought back something good. I would recommend for you to start reading this series but be prepared to get bored, but once you start reading, read till you finish the series!

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Before I Fall
Pages: 470

Points 18/18


What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.
Instead, it turns out to be her last.
Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.


This book was quite spectacular actually. When Tye asked me to read it and I aked her what it was about I thought that it sounded dumb and that nobody could do that without getting cheesy or repetitive. But boy was I wrong.

The main character in this book is Samantha Kingston, and pardon my french but in the beginning of the book she kind of is a bitch. But by the end of the book she has a change of heart and actually does the right thing. Her friends are Elody, Ally and Lindsay. They're all pretty cool but they definately have their problems. They're the stuck up mean girls of high school. Samantha's boyfriend Rob was a jerk who didn't understand anything. It was kinda great. Kent was the wierd kid that liked Samantha, they had been friends forever. (He was my favorite character. <3)

The plot of this book was that Samantha died and kept waking up on the day she died, given seven chances to relive her last day and make everything right again. Again, I thought that nobody could pull off this plot but Lauren Oliver did it wonderfully.

This book took me less than a day to read due to the fact that it was just so amazing I couldn't put it down. I recommend this book greatly. It's a must read!!!

Fearscape by Simon Holt

Fearscape by Simon Holt

 

Pages: 320

Publisher: Little, Brown

Release Date: October 5, 2010

Rating: 4/5

Points Earned: 11/11

Review:

Where we left off in Soulstice, Reggie was finally able to break Quinn free of the Vour's hold on him. Unfortunately, Reggie also get's sent to Home, a mental institute run by Dr. Unger, and Vours.

Reggie is forced into people's fearscapes in order for Unger to conduct research.

All the while, Aaron, with the help of Quinn and ex-tracer Machen, plan on freeing Reggie before it's too late.

I had forgotten how much I loved this series. It must have been the boring, slightly unsettling cover that's put me off for so long.

My only real problem with this book was the ending. It was resolved, but at the same time, it wasn't. I felt that Holt could have wrapped things up a little better. This is, I believe, the last book in the series after all.

I loved the new fearscapes in this one. They still kept on with their creepy nature. The descriptions of the horrors were just incredible.

The twists in the story were unpredictible, and added great tention, and sometimes a bit of hope, into the story.

I really just wish there was more. The way it ended could be left open for at least another book, which I doubt will happen.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak
Pages: 198
Points: 8/8




Melinda Speaks: I wasted the last weeks of August watching bad cartoons. I didn't go to the mall, the lake, or the pool, or answer the phoe. I have netered high school with the wrong hair, the wrong clothes, the wrong attitude. And I don't have anyone to sit with.
I am Outcast.
The kids behind me laugh so loud I know they're laughing about me. I can't help myself. I turn around. It's Rachel, surrounded by a bunch of kids wearing clothes that most definately did not come from the EastSide mall. Rachel Bruin, my ex-best friend. She stares at something above my left ear. Words climb up my throat. This was the girl who suffered through brownies with me, who taught me how to swim, who understood about my parents, who didn't make fun of my bedroom. If there is anyone in the entire galaxy I am dying to tell what really happened, it's Rachel. My throat burns.
Her eyes meet mine for a second. "I hate you." she mouths silently.


This book was really touching. That's the only way I can describe it. I can't really explain much of the book or it could lead to spoilers and  hate spoiling books. But this book isn't that long, it's an easy read and a lot of teenagers can compare to it.

The characters mostly are the parents, Heather, Rachel, and Melinda. Melinda, the main character is super quiet and barely ever talks. But she had gone through a lot so it's understandable. The parents are never there and when they are they're (for lack of a better word) butts. Melinda has a terrible home life which is just one of the many things that adds to the horribleness of her life. Heather is just annoying. Enough said. Rachel is a go with the crowd type of girl. I don't know why Melinda wants to be her friend so bad honestly.

I'm not going to say much about the plot because it kind of unfolds as you go along. But the plot was excellent and there was one major twist in it that I wasn't expecting.

It only took about 2 days to read this book because it's so short and easy to read. It was an amazing book. For the win Laurie Anderson. Quite an exceptional book.

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

 

Pages: 365

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: November 14, 2011

Rating: 5/5

Points Earned: 0/13 (Test not taken)

Review:

Daphne is the youngest daughter of Lilith and Lucifer. She isn't quite like her sisters, the Lilim. Daphne is more human than them. She doesn't want to feed off of men's pain and sorrow; she's never even left Pandemonium. That is, until her brother, Obie, says he's leaving, that he fell in love with a human girl.

Daphne sets after him when her mother sees a vision of blood, thinking that the Angel of Death, Azrael, and he's minion, Dark Dreadful, have found him.

But first, she must seek out Obie's human friend, Truman Flynn, because he was the last person to see Obie when he left.

Truman is in no shape of helping anyone, being a cutter and alcoholic. The only thing he wants is to drop dead. When Daphne find him at a party, comatose in the bathroom, she has to beg her cousin Moloch to spare his life.

His time on Earth was up, but Daphne needs him to find her brother.

It took me a couple days to get fully into this book, but when I did, I was hooked. This book had be laughing, crying, and just going "Awwww!"

This book goes from first to third person, in a way that is wonderfully done. The chapters in first are from Daphne's point-pf-view, and the third person follows Truman.

Once again, I think I enjoyed reading about Truman than I did Daphne. Truman's development throughout the book was just outstanding. By the end, he did fully understand that he isn't just some screwed up bastard, and that he is capable of accomplishing things in life.

Daphne was, in my opinion, just adorable. Her ignorance of just the simpliest "human" things, well, adorable! Her development throughout the book, while not as strong as Truman's, is just as great.

The romance was refreshing. Yes, this is in the span of about three days, so technically, they fall in-love pretty quick, but it was gradual throughout the book. In the beginning, all Daphne wanted from Truman was information about her brother's whereabouts. By the end, she wanted to save them both.

Another character I loved was Obie's daughter, Raymie. She was cute in a creepy sort of way. From what I understood, she wasn't even a year old, but could speak full sentences, and knew all about medical terms and stuff (Obie was a doctor while on Earth). I just wanted to hug her.

The writing was dark and beautiful. It had a way of drawing you in and not letting go until the very end.

Speaking of the end, it was both heart-wrenching and beautiful. It gave you just enough to be satisfied (you know, after I was tearing up from the sad part ;-;).

This was probably one of the best "demon" books I've read. Yovanoff didn't water the demons down. She didn't make them pleasant. Not to mention she didn't screw with Lilith's story. Props to her.

This is certainly one of my favorite books of 2012 so far

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate

 

Pages: 235

Publisher: Razor Bill

Release: November 12, 2009

Rating: 1/5

Points Earned: 0/8 (Test not taken)

 

Review:

 

We all know how much I love Lauren Kate, right? I have pretty much no respect for her as an author, but I can't help but pick up all of her books. Perhaps I enjoy putting myself through literary torture.

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove is a modern retelling of Macbeth, and what an epic fail it is!

All Natalie wants for her senior year is to be crowned Palmetto Princess (prom queen, for all you normal people out there). He long-term boyfriend, Mike, is a lot less enthusiatic. At this rate, pretty-boy Justin Balmer is going to get crowned Prince. That is, until a prank the night of Rex's Mardi Gras party goes horribly wrong.

How on Earth is she going to get her crown, while at the same time covering up her tracks? And why is it she is still seeing Justin wherever she goes?

The first thing I have to say about this book: unrealistic. I mean, yes, this book does boarder on paranormal, but I mean on more of a high-school-level.

You know, like how you see on television. There is always that one girl who dreams of being crowned homecoming/prom queen. Times that by ten and you get Palmetto High.

Not everyone is set on being crowned, but they are all pretty into the whole thing. To the point where they have a day on just showing off their jessamines, rightly named Jessamine Day.

Now, I don't know about your schools, but at mine all the grade levels pretty much get along. I don't know any "Bambies" and none of my Junior friends are hippies. Maybe you do?

The way people talk in this book is just odd. Most people my age wouldn't use the word "polyamorous" (well, except my friend Alex) and little to none know what a "thespian" is (I'm just a freak like that), so using the phrase "polyamorous thespian" just doesn't work.

Then again, Kate is known to use big words in her books.

Another problem: grammar. I can let commas and stuff slide, but "more softly" is just not acceptable. Perhaps this is to prove that Nat is uneducated? But, then again, she used the phrase "polyamorous thespian," so I don't know.

Really, wouldn't it just be easier to say "whore?"

Normally I can tell from the beginning whether or not this book with be enjoyable. The first paragraph was pretty good, and then the style just went juvenile.

Once upon a time, we knew nothing--like ohmigod! I sooo want those shoes

The ending was no better...until the last paragraph. I think we have a pattern!

*SPOILERS*

We all know that in the play, Lady Macbeth kills herself. Well, not in this story! Instead of killing herself, Natalie planned to run away to New York. Her plans went wrong (again) when she got into an argument with Mike in their "secret spot." It resulted in him pushing her off the edge of a cliff to her ultimate death.

This was obviously supposed to take you off-guard, make you sad. I say that she deserved it.

*END SPOILERS*

Natalie was just an unlikeable character: selfish and manipulative. She didn't even really have any character development. I suppose there was a small hint of remose in the end, but not really.

All-in-all, this is a standard Lauren Kate book: a gorgeous cover with terrible content.

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Pages: 341
Publisher: Simon&Schuster
Release Date: February 21, 2012
Rating: 4/5
Points Earned: N/A

Review:

I can't believe it's almost been a year since I've read Wither. It feels like it was just yesterday I was all like "Ohemgeee, Nicki! Read this book nao!"

It also feels like just yesterday when I saw this cover and nearly puked, but that's besides the point.

When Wither left off, Rhine and Gabriel escaped from Vaughn's mansion. What they come upon next is even more trouble. Figures.

I'm not going to go into full detail, because so much went on in this tiny book.

I think my main problem in this book was Gabriel. I was gaga over him in the first book, mainly because he was just...there. Now, he has an actual personality. A cliche personality, that is. The caring, yet easily angered love interest. Ooh la la--bleh.

I mean, there were still some cute parts between them, but their relationship felt a bit forced.

Just like in the former, I love DeStefano's writing. So dark and morbid. So different from her Facebook and Twitter updates, that's for sure.

The ending was pretty much the standard cliffhanger, but it set up perfectly for the next book. I am really curious to see how the trilogy will end, because I find it hard to believe that it'll have a happy ending.

It better not, because this plot so doesn't set up for one!

Life As We Knew it by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Life As We Knew it by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Pages: 337



The only thing I can really say about this book is wow. I mean we all joke about the apocolypse and the world ending, and all that crazy stuff, but this book really was a "wow, this could actually happen to us" kind of deal. No zombies, no wars, nothing cool, just death. But isn't that what the apocolypse is?

The main character Miranda, was a pretty cool main character. She was really strong.  Stronger than I would ever be in her position. Her brother Jonny is younger than her and also pretty sweet, but he whines a little to much.  Her older brother Matt is a very strong kind-hearted man and I'm happy that he lived through everything. The mom was whiny and needed to calm down about things that really weren't as big as she made them out to be.

This was an amazing book, I really liked it.  I'm gonig to be honest, at first I didn't want to read it because I thought that I knew everything about the apocolypse, but even though none of us knows what's going to happen or even if it is going to happen this was a very big eye opener. I definately recommend this book.

It got a little slow at points, but for the most part it kept at a steady pace and was usually always pretty interesting. :)