The 2011 Stephen King Challenge!

The 2011 Stephen King Challenge
Hosted by Book Chick City

I haven't read any of Stephen King's books (I know! Unbelievable!) but I have heard many great things about them so I think it's about time I read some!

Challenge Details

• Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011

• Rules - There are two levels: Read either SIX (6) or TWELVE (12) Stephen King novels in 2011 (6 is the minimum but you can read more than 12 if you wish!)

• You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

• You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.

For the rest of the details click here!

Go to the challenge page HERE

My goal is to read Six (6) Stephen King books!

Books I Have Chosen

- Full Dark, No Stars
- Misery
- Pet Sematary
- ...thinking
- ...thinking
- ...thinking

Blog Encounters (2)

Okay so I will have to admit that I am not a big fan of kids but of course it doesn't mean that I won't have my own some day. Whenever I do have children though I really hope to see them interested in books. Many great things can come with reading. It puts a smile on my face when I see little kids reading. It makes me believe that they are going to grow up and be really smart and go somewhere in life. I am not saying that people who don't read are dumb! but I have never met a smart person who doesn't read once in a while. JUST SAYING.

I read a post where it mentions that now a days in a book store in the kid's section you see a lot of toys, to the point where it seems like just a toy section with just a couple of books surrounding them, kids usually picking out toys instead of a book and parents not doing much about it. However, the other day when I was at the book store, I walk in to the kid's section trying to get ideas on what books would be great for a niece and I see a mother reading to her little girl. The little girl seemed so interested! That is something I want to see everyday.

The reason I am focusing on little kids when it comes to reading is because they are usually more eager to learn about new things. Trying to get a 25 year old (who has believed that books are evil his or her entire life) to read is really hard! Trust me. Maybe reading isn't for everyone, I understand, but there are so many people out there that think books are boring just because they had to forcefully read a book all through high school, I know this because that was me!

My parents never encouraged me to read. Never did I see them pick up a book. My big brother is the one that introduced me to a book and I am really glad he did.

I have decided that any kids in my family are going to start receiving books from me. I am going to try really hard to get them into reading, not force them though because it's obvious that will never work... I remember high school required reading... Eww, never worked for me either.

I just think parents should introduce their children to books. If they like it they like it and if they don't then they don't. Simple as that. Nothing bad can come from a kid enjoying to read.

Here is the post I mentioned, please check it out, it makes a lot of sense. (Swell Books: Missed Opportunities)

Review: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Title: The Notebook
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date Published: Oct. 1st 1996
Genre: Romance
My Rating:

A man with a faded, well-worn notebook open in his lap. A woman experiencing a morning ritual she doesn't understand. Until he begins to read to her. The Notebook is an achingly tender story about the enduring power of love, a story of miracles that will stay with you forever. 

Set amid the austere beauty of coastal North Carolina in 1946, The Notebook begins with the story of Noah Calhoun, a rural Southerner returned home from World War II. Noah, thirty-one, is restoring a plantation home to its former glory, and he is haunted by images of the beautiful girl he met fourteen years earlier, a girl he loved like no other. Unable to find her, yet unwilling to forget the summer they spent together, Noah is content to live with only memories...until she unexpectedly returns to his town to see him once again. 

Allie Nelson, twenty-nine, is now engaged to another man, but realizes that the original passion she felt for Noah has not dimmed with the passage of time. Still, the obstacles that once ended their previous relationship remain, and the gulf between their worlds is too vast to ignore. With her impending marriage only weeks away, Allie is forced to confront her hopes and dreams for the future, a future that only she can shape. 

Like a puzzle within a puzzle, the story of Noah and Allie is just the beginning. As it unfolds, their tale miraculously becomes something different, with much higher stakes. The result is a deeply moving portrait of love itself, the tender moments and the fundamental changes that affect us all. Shining with a beauty that is rarely found in current literature, The Notebook establishes Nicholas Sparks as a classic storyteller with a unique insight into the only emotion that really matters. 

"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough." 

And so begins one of the most poignant and compelling love stories you will ever read...The Notebook

As unrealistic as this book might seem, with the overflow of love just like you would read of in many fictional stories, it is based on a couple's true love story. Sparks wanted to write this book to show people that unconditional love does exist. Now if you don't believe that this is a true story then it will seem like another boy meets girl or girl meets boy, parents separate them kind of story.

Even though this story was written mostly in Noah's point of view, you get both main character's points of view which is not a usual thing to see. It is nice to know what Allie is feeling along with Noah. Both characters, Allie and Noah, are dying to have each other again and it makes you anxious and in my case, annoyed, reading the repetition of how much they love each other and nothing being done about it. At times the story seemed a little to slow for me, I don't need to know many of the things they talk about. This story has a massive amount of detail. As much as I love detail, this came to be a little too much for me.

Surprisingly the chapter I really enjoyed because I know that if I hadn't watched the movie then I would have been a lot more surprised was "An Unexpected Visitor". Getting closer to the end I did get a little teary eyed just like in all of Spark's books I've read.

This brings me to mentioning the movie because I can't help but compare them. For the first time ever I have to admit that the movie was way better. The movie seemed to take me to more places than the book did. If you watched the movie and read the book you can easily distinguish the differences. "The summer" which they spend together was only a memory in the book but the movie really brought it to life, it gave us a lot more detail on that summer. Overall I feel I connected a lot more with the movie than the book.

It is a lovely story and I can't say otherwise.

Blog Encounters

I saw this picture at CallMeCrazy 's Daily Dose Post and fell in love with it <3

Check out CallMeCrazy 's Daily Dose Post !!

Daily Dose is hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly

Review: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Title: The Lovely Bones
Author: Alice Sebold
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Date Published: July 2002
Genre: Fiction, Supernatural Thriller
My Rating:

When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public service announcements, she tells us; back in 1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed these things didn't happen. In the sweet, untroubled voice of a precocious teenage girl, Susie relates the awful events of her death and her own adjustment to the strange new place she finds herself. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets. With love, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie watches her family as they cope with their grief, her father embarks on a search for the killer, her sister undertakes a feat of amazing daring, her little brother builds a fort in her honor and begin the difficult process of healing. In the hands of a brilliant novelist, this story of seemingly unbearable tragedy is transformed into a suspenseful and touching story about family, memory, love, heaven, and living.

A 14-year-old girl, Susie Salmon is raped and murdered. You would think this book would be the mystery of how it happened or who it was, but it's not the way it's written. Susie Salmon is in "heaven" or like in throughout most of the story "In between", Earth and heaven, because she is not yet ready to go on. Susie is the narrator of the story which makes things interesting because you tag along with her while she observes her family, from above, trying to cope. Susie's father is obsessed with what happened, her mother is trying to forget about the occurrence in a total different way, Susie's sister is trying to go on with her life but she knows it's impossible, she needs to find out who the murderer is. Susie's little brother is having a hard time understanding the meaning of death.  Most of the story is about what her loved ones have to go through after she is murdered. It is a horrific story but yet it's hard to put down. You see everyone on Earth trying to figure out who the murderer is even though we, the readers, already know.

I don't want to leave out some other interesting characters...
Len Fenerman: The detective trying to solve Susie's case but ends up doing more than investigating the case.
Ray Singh: Susie's crush who is, believe it or not, also having a hard time coping.
Ruth Connors: One of my favorite characters in this story. Ruth is a girl that Susie went to school with, they were never friends but when Susie's spirit touches her while leaving Earth, Ruth becomes fascinated with Susie even though she barely knew her. Ray and Ruth become close friends having something so special in common, Susie.
I should mention Susie's best friend from Earth, Clarissa, and her best friend from heaven, Holly, but they don't make a great impact.

This book is great. I recommend it to everyone, it is indeed a must read. The story can be a bit disturbing at times but I like when authors don't hold anything back. Don't be fooled by the movie because it does not do it any justice.

Review: Flawless by Sara Shepard

Title: Flawless (Pretty Little Liars #2)
Author: Sara Shepard
Publisher: HarperTeen
Date Published: March 15th 2007
Genre: Young Adult
My Rating:

Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya . . . as much more than a friend. Hanna's obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. And their most horrible secret yet is so scandalous that the truth would ruin them forever.

And why shouldn't I tell? They deserve to lose it all. With every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I'll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I've got enough dirt to bury them alive.

I love the way Sara Shepard makes it seem like A is talking directly at you. I love the way it ended, not exactly the end of the story but literally the end once it goes through "About the author" then there is a "What is next..." and suddenly A is there telling you it isn't over and giving you hints of what is next to come, it is creepy in a way that I can't help but wanting more of A. At certain points I felt the story wasn't getting anywhere but then I was sucked into it all over again.

Spencer: She is the all A's, everything should be perfect girl and she seems to have a bit of trouble staying away from her sister's boyfriends. I don't dislike her for it though, I don't necessarily believe it's her fault and I have to admit I really dislike her sister.

Hanna: She does some "not so pretty" things to stay fabulous or should i say flawless. I understand why she does the things she does, both her parents have trouble communicating with their daughter. She also has an issue with her father who is getting married again. Hanna finally gets to see her father again after a couple of years but is having some trouble getting his full attention.

Aria: Her family is falling apart. Aria is now into another boy. In my opinion, Aria should stay away from her friend's ex-boyfriends (yes i said it) and should go back with her English teacher, that was my favorite part of the story and now its is gone... at least for now.

Emily: Sweet, innocent Emily can't stop thinking about her friend Maya, more like girls in general. Emily is also getting involved with who is believed to be dangerous and most likely Allison's murderer. I believe Emily should follow her heart and for her new guy "friend", she should give him a chance or maybe she should even... run?

I do feel sorry for Spencer, Hanna, Aria and Emily but i can't help myself from loving the chaos they are in. They are a complete train wreck and I'M LOVIN' IT!




Review: Pretty Little Liars (#1) by Sara Shepard

Review: Wake (Dream Catcher #1) by Lisa McMann

Title: Wake (Dream Catcher #1)

Author: Lisa McMann

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Date Published: March 4th 2008

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
My Rating: 

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people’s dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie’s seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can’t tell anybody about what she does they’d never believe her, or worse, they’d think she’s a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn’t want and can’t control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else’s twisted psyche. She is a participant…

I bought this book because the theme sounded really interesting, I mean can you imagine going into everyone else's dreams? I thought the idea of being able to do something like that would be exciting, then after reading the book I realized maybe it really isn't that great, it is bad enough having my own nightmares, no way I would want other's as well.

Okay yes I liked it BUT in a way I expected a lot more from this story. It's really hard to explain when i don't even know exactly what it is that I expected. It doesn't mean I was disappointed though! Maybe I just have to keep reading the rest of them and can make up for what I didn't mention in this really short "review".

I read this book not that long ago and the truth is that I can't remember that much about it besides the important events. I will post something else about it if anything else comes up in my head. For this I apologize!

P.S. read this book before I even started blogging, point being, I am trying to blog as I finish reading my books so I won't forget anything important that i should mention! :D

Review: The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

Title: The Last Song
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date Published: Sept. 1st 2009
Genre: Romance
My Rating:

Seventeen-year-old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer with him. Resentful and rebellious, Ronnie rejects her father's attempts to reach out to her and threatens to return to New York before the summer's end. But soon Ronnie meets Will, the last person she ever thought she'd be attracted to, and finds herself falling for him, opening herself to the greatest happiness--and pain--that she has ever known.


Ronnie is forced to spend the summer with her father far from where she belongs and while she is in North Carolina ignoring her father, she meets certain people, some good and of course some you wouldn't want to get involved with. Ronnie's father makes a great attempt to regain Ronnie's trust, still, she leaves the house as much as possible and leaves her father spending all his time with Ronnie's little brother who doesn't seem to have a problem with his father and actually enjoys the time spent together. It takes Ronnie some time to realize where it is that she really belongs. 
   About the romance part of the story i didn't care that much about, don't get me wrong I liked it but I was a lot more interested in Ronnie and her father's relationship. That is one of the reasons I really enjoy reading Nicholas Sparks, he not only focuses on the romance and the "I-know-exactly-what-is-going-to-happen-to-these-two" but focuses plenty on what would be the reality to most love stories
   
I fell in love with this book. The only other book I have read from Sparks is Dear John and watched some of the movies. Even though his books are a bit depressing I do look forward to reading the rest. This story is incredible and in my case something I was able to relate to. Yes, a very sad story but I really do recommend it.


One of my favorite books!





Dear John by Nicholas Sparks Review

Review: Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

Title: Dear John
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date Published: Aug. 5th 2007
Genre: Fiction, Romance 
My Rating: 

An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who has captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love—and face the hardest decision of his life.


John Tyree is the bad boy and Savannah Lynn Curtis is the good girl, you can predict pretty much everything that is going to happen in the book, or so you might think. Also a depressing story like most Nicholas Sparks books, or so I have heard since I haven't read all his books. In this story you are surprised by some of John's decisions and in my opinion I despised most of them. What is it so hard about staying with the girl you love? I understand his patriotic side and the need he has to protect his country but it makes me wonder if this story could ever be real. All i can say is that I wouldn't want to be neither one of these characters.


Despite my negative words, I liked this book. I decided to read this book knowing the movie was coming out, bought it two days before the movie and finished it on time. This book is a light, quick read. The movie was off a bit, especially the end...  disappointing. Good book. Read first, then movie!




The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks Review

Review: Pretty Little Liars (Pretty Little Liars #1) by Sara Shepard

Title: Pretty Little Liars (Pretty Little Liars #1)
Author: Sara Shepard
Publisher: HarperTeen
Date Published: Oct. 1st 2006
Genre: Young Adult
My Rating:

Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna.  Spencer covets her sister’s boyfriend. Aria’s fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily’s crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful. But they’ve all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished. How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and all the dirty secrets they’ve kept. And guess what? I’m telling.


I have to say that i really loved this book, the story and the way it's written is just great. When i first saw this book series at the book store they looked interesting but not enough to make me buy them, or so i thought. After a while I heard about the TV series coming out and I guess I just never paid attention of what the books were about all along because when i heard about it from the TV series preview it really caught my attention.
   
To know that one of your best friends is missing and maybe even dead then getting a message from them is just scary. Finding out she really is dead and getting another message from the same person talking about one of the secrets only your dead best friend knew is even more scary. This story really keeps you wondering and even when you think you know what is going on you really have no clue. And like many people, I don't like drama but the drama in this story is great! It is seriously entertaining. I can admit I  enjoyed this book in a guilty pleasure kind of way. These girls have real interesting secrets that you fall in love with... yes you learn to love their "dark" secrets! 
-"secrets" in the book summary on top ;)
   
If you have seen the series on TV but haven't read the books, I suggest you read the books because they are way better... of course..they always are. I really do like the TV show but the books show you how they are in no way innocent and obviously give you more detail. It is a quick read that i believe anyone can enjoy.






Review: Flawless (Pretty Little Liars #2) by Sara Shepard

Review: Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, #1) by Charlaine Harris

Title: Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, #1)

Author: Charlaine Harris

Publisher: Ace Books

Date Published: May 1st 2001
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
My Rating:

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 with a bad reputation. He hangs out with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of --big surprise-- murder. And when one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next...


Many might know about these books because of the TV series True Blood. I heard about the TV series from a friend and I loved it but i didn't know there were books on it until the end of the first season and even then I told myself I wasn't going to read them, but then there was a moment where I just couldn't help it and I just had to go and buy the first book Dead Until Dark.


I have to admit i really liked these books even if many say it's trash. I hate to say this but this story reminds me of The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer but in a more mature and a for "grown-ups" way because let me be the one to tell you, they are pretty graphic just like the TV series. 
  Sookie is the main character, and a very likable one who is believed to be a normal human but can somehow read minds. She is innocent and a sweetheart and doesn't have a sex life until vampire Bill shows up and she falls in love, but the story isn't just about their romance. My favorite part about this series is how the vampires have "come out" ... out of the coffin, in other words they have revealed themselves to the world after a synthetic blood has been invented, but now there is a lot of prejudice against vampires. Not only has the world found out about vampires but they have found out about how special their blood is, that a vampire's blood has certain power and can improve the consumer's sex life, this brings many humans to drain vampires and sell their blood. You meet many interesting characters throughout the story for example Eric, who is one of my personal favorites, though i don't want to mention much about him without ruining the rest of the books.


  I am on the fifth book and I pretty much stopped there, i needed a break from them because they do tend to get a little exhausting. I am not saying that they are boring because they really are full of adventure, but too much of Sookie's (main character)  obstacles to living a normal life can get tiring... hey maybe it's just me.

2011 Debut Author Challenge!

A challenge to read twelve or more books, YA or MG, from 2011 Debut Authors...

Pretty much fell in love with the challenge idea when I heard about it through Kate (CallMeCrazy YA Reviews) .

The Story Siren is hosting it for the third time and I must say i am really excited for it! Click here for more information about the challenge and a list of books you can choose from.

Since I am new to the blogging world I am really excited for this challenge, my first!

Thank you Lindsi and The Story Siren for the awesome buttons!

OKAY! Finally here are the books that I have chosen:

1. The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher 1/1/11
2. Unearthly (Unearthly #1) by Cynthia Hand 1/4/11
3. XVI by Julia Karr 1/6/11
4. The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney 1/8/11
5. Across the Universe by Beth Revis 1/11/11
6. Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer 2/15/11
7. I Am J by Chris Beam 3/1/11
8. The Liar Society (Liar Society #1) by Lisa and Laura Roecker 3/1/11
9. Wither (Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano 3/22/11
10. Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth 5/3/11
11. Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky 5/23/11
12. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab 8/2/11

Most excited about!!!

Wither (Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano 3/22/11
Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky 5/23/11
XVI by Julia Karr 1/6/11
The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney 1/8/11
Unearthly (Unearthly #1) by Cynthia Hand 1/4/11

Review: Love, Cajun Style by Diane Les Becquets

I know i should be reviewing new books coming out and things like that but i want to get books i have read before and liked a lot and that you guys might like over with so... here we go...


Title: Love, Cajun Style
Author: Diane Les Becquets
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Date Published: Aug. 25th 2005
Genre: Young Adult
My Rating:

  

For Lucy Beauregard, each day in her sleepy southern town looks a lot like the next – days of riding her bicycle and skinny dipping with her friends, delivering flowers to the wonderfully odd folks in her town, and listening to her mama dish out her Loo-zee-anna gospel of wisdom.
Falling in love isn’t something she has planned. In fact, there are a whole lot of things she hasn’t planned, like her two best friends getting their first tastes of love, or the attraction her very-married mama seems to have for another man, or the confusing flurry in her own heart stirred by a handsome and much older stranger. And then there’s the arrival of Dewey, a boy unlike anyone she’s ever known. In one sweltering summer, Lucy not only discovers herself but soars into love, Cajun style.
In this novel brimming with uproarious characters and deeply immersed in the romantic allure of the South, Diane Les Becquets serves up a humorous helping of love, growing up, the resilience of friendship, and – oh, yes – uses for hot sauce that are sure to make you blush!


  This story's setting is a little different from what you might be used to, in the sweltering town of Sweetbay, Louisiana. This book mentioned the usual important topics like love and friendship which you might think is really cliché but the author uses it in a different way. Lucy, the main character seems so innocent and you just find yourself feeling bad for all the troubles coming towards her, she is forced to grow up instantly. Lucy believes her mom is having an affair and at the same time she finds herself being "part" of an affair. When Lucy needs her two best friends the most, they also find themselves in their own little troubles. The story is fun but at the same time serious even though the title makes you believe it is all about romance, it isn't. The author adds many other components to the story, not just romance.
    I have to admit the ending was not as good, it made the story stretch and it felt never ending, but like i said it was only the ending.


   I got this book at a bargain price, Barnes & Noble was having this sale and I just couldn't help myself from buying a bunch of books and so I got this one along with other ones. I admit once I got it I had it on my shelve for the longest time until at some point I ran out of books to read and had no choice but to read it. I read it in a day and must say I was impressed and well... i realized you really can't judge a book by its cover. This story was different from what i was used to reading and i really enjoyed it. This book should be given a try because you might love it just like i did. This story is one of my favorites.

I Rate It: 4.5/5 ... because of the ending.

Review: Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez

Title: Rainbow Boys
Author: Alex Sanchez
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Publication Date: October 2001
Genre: Young Adult
My Rating: 

Jason Carrillo is a jock with a steady girlfriend, but he can't stop dreaming about sex...with other guys.

Kyle Meeks doesn't look gay, but he is. And he hopes he never has to tell anyone -- especially his parents.

Nelson Glassman is "out" to the entire world, but he can't tell the boy he loves that he wants to be more than just friends.

Three teenage boys, coming of age and out of the closet. In a revealing debut novel that percolates with passion and wit, Alex Sanchez follows these very different high-school seniors as their struggles with sexuality and intolerance draw them into a triangle of love, betrayal, and ultimately, friendship.

This was the first book i read. I was in middle school and I didn't know reading was going to become a passion but since my school started this thing called SSR (sustained silent reading) we were required to have a book to read for 15 min... or was it 30min... I can't recall but yea, my brother let me borrow his book, Rainbow Boys, turns out I got really into this story and I ended up reading the whole trilogy.

  I have to say I really liked the trilogy but the last two books weren't as good as this first. These books teach you a lot about sexuality and how most homosexuals struggle through high school and pretty much through life, they are bullied just because of who they are. I have to say I learned a lot from this story and it gave me a really good point of view. I understand the mixed reviews for this book and I see that not many people support the gay community but I myself support it.


"The message is simple folks – peace, love, unity and respect." - Nikki (yareads)

  
The story line is great. This character, Nelson, makes this book a little extra humorous. I was most interested in Jason's side of the story most likely because he was the most troubled with the coming out part. It is a fun book to read but i admit it can be sad for plenty of reasons, a good example would be the fact that Jason's father is an alcoholic. He is abusive and well... homophobic, here you can probably see one of the first conflicts of the story. There isn't much i can review about it since i did read this book a long time ago and can't remember much detail.

  It is a good book. The characters are really likable. It's not perfection but it's not bad either, but it sure was great enough to spark up my interest in books. 

Book #2 and #3

Review & Recommendation: Harry Potter Years 1-7 by JK Rowling

Title: Harry Potter Years 1-7

Author: JK Rowling

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Genre: Fantasy, Young-Adult Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
My Rating: 

Summary on back cover of book #1:

Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick. He's never worn a cloak of invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.

  But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.

I thought it would be a good idea to write about my favorite books as my first post. These books/series is everything to me. These are not the first books I read, I actually didn't read them in 4th grade like everyone else did, though i wish i had. I watched the movie and fell in love and then my best friend encouraged me to read them and so I did.

  I have to say these books are life changing, they mention an extraordinary world that captures your mind. Rowling did an amazing job, she has a really great imagination. You find yourself falling in love with the characters and can't help but obsess. These books take you in an adventure that you won't forget.

  Each book gets better and better. The way the story grows and develops throughout the 7 years at the wizarding school, Hogwarts, is unbelievable. I really think everyone should read them, it is perfect for all ages... well maybe at some point a little dark but hopefully all parents allow their children to read them because it is a great read. The only bad thing about this series is a really bad addiction to it.