Book Review #6: The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins

Pages: 384
In the future the USA is no longer call the USA, it's called Panem. There are no longer states, there are districts, 12 of them, the thirteenth destroyed. After a huge rebellion the officials decided to make an annual event to remind the rebels of what would happen if they were to rebel again. This event is called the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a "game" where each district will give two tributes from their district, one boy and one girl, to the Capitol to be put into an arena to fight to the death. Whoever is the last one standing wins and they get everlasting glory. But those other 23 tributes are dead and you have to live with that. Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12, she also lives in the worst part of District 12 called the Seam. On Reaping Day, (the day where the districts choose their tributes through a drawing) Katniss's sister Prim is called to go to be a tribute. Prim is the only person Katniss is sure she truly loves, so when Prim's name is called Katniss volunteers for her sister and she is thrown into the arena.

I couldn't put this book down. It was so good. I loved it! I borrowed this book from my English teacher and was drawn in. After the first chapter I felt completely out of my own world and in the world of Katniss Everdeen. I could see what Katniss saw and I felt what she felt.

I didn't want to put this book down. I didn't want to go to bed or pay attention in school while I read. I vanished into my book. And after finishing it I jumped right in the sequel, Catching Fire. I could connect with Katniss because of our sisters. I'm a dark haired, hard, mysterious person, and my sister is a blonde, soft, and sweet person. Just like Katniss and Prim.

In the arena it gets kind of gory and gross, so if you can't handle blood and such then I wouldn't recommend it to someone who gets queasy. However one of my friends who faints at just the sound of the word blood loved this book.

I rated this book a five out of five. Because it was written so very beautifully, Suzanne Collins is such a beautiful writer. The book was simply mesmerizing and a wonderful read. I sometimes will read my favorite parts in my spare times, just to feel the happiness I felt the first time I read it. I loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone who needs a book to read. It's such a wonderful book.

Book Review #5: Twilight By Stephanie Meyer

Pages: 498
A new state, a new school, a new life is what awaits the dull mope Bella Swan. Bella is a very grumpy child and a very big mope. She moves to the rainiest state in the whole US and meets Edward Cullen. Edward is mysterious and strange, his family keep to themselves, he's pale white, ice cold, and worst of all he sparkles. In other words Edward is a vampire, not a vampire who sucks blood out of whole towns but a vampire who is 93 years old who decides he loves a 17 year old. Lovely. Well Bella falls for him and they begin their stupid, useless, boring, adventure of crap.

I did NOT like this book. I think all of us go through a Twilight phase, me included, but when I came to my senses I realized that this was probably one of the worst books I've ever read in my life. Stephanie Meyer can NOT write to save her life. The reading level for her books is, for first graders. I HATED this book.

It was so cheesy and dumb. I was appalled at how stupid it was. I go back and read it sometimes and I am just blown away at how revoltingly stupid it is. I can't even believe it. I don't understand why it is socially acceptable for a 93 year old freak who looks like he's 17 be in love with an ACTUAL 17 year old. CREEPY!

The movie was just terrible. It's so cheesy Edward and Bella's love. I couldn't stand it. Sometimes I'll look away from my TV when I'm watching it just to get away from it. Kristen Stewart who plays Bella cannot act to save her life. In the movie all I could hear of her was HEAVY breathing. I drove me nuts. She has no personality, and I don't understand why Edward and Jacob think that she's the only game in town. It's ridiculous! In New Moon (the next book in the series) the movie she wouldn't stop blinking! If it isn't breathing it's uncontrollable blinking.

The whole "Team Edward" and "Team Jacob" thing drives me nuts. I hate hearing in the halls, "I'm Team Jacob because he's hot!" or, "You hate Edward, well I'm just going to have to hit you with a shovel". That drives me insane!

Now I will admit I have been to the New Moon premiere which was very fun but honestly I think I would only go see "Breaking Dawn" to see how they make it. I didn't like this book or series at all.

Stephanie Meyer you cannot write to save your life! I'm sorry but you don't know how to write I don't think that you will catch on.

I rated this book a negative one out of five. It was stupid and cheesy and totally not worth my time. If you are addicted to Twilight I urge you to get professional help immediately. This series is stupid and it just lowers you IQ. I recommend Harry Potter if you can't afford professional help.

Book Review #4: Keep Me in Your Heart By: Lurlene McDaniel

This book was split into three novels. Saving Jessica, Telling Christina Goodbye, and Letting Go of Lisa.

Saving Jessica: Pages: 208

18 year old Jessica finds out that her kidneys have failed. Which means a life hooked up to dialysis, only hope is a new kidney. Now you'd think that this would be a piece of cake to get one, but no, neither of her parents are eligible, her only hope is her boyfriend, Jeremy. The only problem is Jeremy's parents are very unwilling to sign the papers for Jeremy to go through the operation. 

I wasn't so sure of this book actually. This one was kind of cheesy. I thought, "What boyfriend would give a part of his body to a girlfriend who not only is a year and a half older, but one who might break up with him? No such boyfriend exists. A husband but no boyfriend." I really thought it was really lame and I also thought that the romance in it was kind of cheesy too. I thought it was way too over the top cheesy for me to enjoy it too much. I thought it was going to be sad but it really wasn't. But it was written really well, if Lurlene McDaniel kind of screwed up with this one in my opinion. But the other books in this book proved to me that she's a really good author.
Over all I rated this book a 3 out of 5. For the mere reason that the romance was way too cheesy for my taste. And really what boyfriend would do that?

Telling Christina Goodbye: Pages: 224

Trisha and Christina are the greatest friends in the world. They double date and they hold each other when one of them is sad because of something. They go shopping, see plays, go to basketball games, and they do everything an average teenage girl would do. Until one night Christina's boyfriend, Tucker, hits some black ice and his car rolls and flips. Trisha's whole world goes upside down, her best friend is dead. Her boyfriend is in a coma and the only person who must know some of the pain that she's going through, Christina's boyfriend Tucker, who is not only responsible for her friend's death but who she doesn't get along with at all because of the way he treated Christina before the accident.

I loved this book so much. It was exactly what I needed when I bought it. I don't normally buy books I haven't read because of the risk that I'll waste my money and not like the book, so when I bought this one I was in deep need of a sob fest, and boy did I find one. I couldn't put this one down, I read it day in and day out. I was going through some hard times when I bought it and it was just what I needed, a heart warming book.

It was written so beautifully that I was amazed. I was so thrilled that I had bought the right book. I couldn't believe how good it was. I was blown away. I realized that even though that things are gonna be REALLY hard for a while it WILL get better no matter what.

I whole heartily  rated this book a 5 out of 5. It made me feel for the characters, I couldn't put it down.

Letting Go of Lisa: Pages: 181

Nathan comes to a high school after years and years of homeschooling, and finds that high school is much more different then home. The biggest difference is Lisa, a wild girl who Nathan falls in love with. He's completely smitten. But he can't love Lisa, because she has a secret. A serious secret.

I liked this one a lot. I really felt for Nathan, and Lisa, Nathan's over protective mother made me think a lot about how sometimes parents have just got to let go and let their kids live and go after what they think is right. I thought that is pretty good, it was still written beautifully, and wonderfully.
I know this may sound a little weird but Nathan's and Lisa's first "date", is in a bookstore where they get coffee and talk, since I'm a book geek I completely drooled over that. I not a coffee drinker but sitting in a bookstore sipping a hot beverage with someone sounds so wonderful and nice. I couldn't believe how that small little thing seems so sweet and nice. I loved it, the author made it so real, and so sweet that I re-read it all that scene all the time.
I rated this one 5 out of 5. I loved this as well. It was beautifully written and so sweet and nice that I couldn't put it down.

I loved the way that Lurlene McDaniel wrote these books so I gave the books all together 5 out of 5. Saving Jessica was kind of cheesy but the other two were really awesome.

Book Review #3: Runaway Twin By Peg Kehret

Pages: 157
In and out of foster homes, Sunny has only one last hope of a family, her twin Sister Starr. Sunny and Starr were separated when their mother and grandmother got in a car accident and didn't make it. So Sunny runs away to find her dear sister. Narrowly avoiding serious damage by a tornado Sunny and her trusty dog Snickers travel across the USA to Washington to find her beloved sister. When she finds her though, it's not what she had expected. 

I say this in every book review but I loved this book. So easy to read, it was amazing. I couldn't believe that Sunny ran away. I couldn't put this book down, I ignored my surroundings when I was reading it. I was at a Flash Basketball game when I was reading it and the Flash fox (the mascot) got so angry that I wasn't watching the game that he sprayed me with Silly String! I kept reading though.

I've always liked Peg Kehret but now she's one of my favorite authors. It was the greatest. I love the way she writes, and the type of writing she does, because it shows children in life threatening situations which I think is daring and cool.

I rated this a five out of five. Definitely. It was really good. I became attached to the characters. I loved this book! 

Book Review #2: Miss Spitfire, Reaching Helen Keller By: Sarah Miller

Pages: 210
A dark childhood she's trying to forget, Annie Sullivan stands at a train station with the prospect of teaching a wild deaf and blind child a language. When she reaches the Keller residence she sees that this little beast has her whole family wrapped around her fingers. How will Annie teach this wild irrational child a language?

Sarah Miller had me in the first chapter. I have always been a Helen Keller junkie and I always thought that Annie Sullivan was a incredible women for reaching Helen. But I never comprehended how difficult it must have been to her. She had to reach a deaf and blind child. A child who couldn't see her or hear her. How could Ms. Sullivan reach know if she understood or if she was just mimicking. She couldn't talk to her, she couldn't sign to her, there was only one way to reach her but signing into her hands. But like it says above Helen had her whole family wrapped around her little fingers. If Annie tries any type of discipline on Helen she will have twelve different people packing her bags for her to send her back to Perkins School for the Blind. Annie must take Helen away from the house because Helen gets nothing but pampering. 

I LOVED this book. I wanted to reach into my book and shake Helen for giving her teacher such a hard time. I had always thought that it had to be kinda easy to reach Helen because every other book I read concerning her only went on about reaching her for about one or two chapters. But this is a 210 page book all about it. I couldn't believe how difficult it must have been. I personally would've given up and let Helen be a complete animal for the rest of her live. I couldn't believe that Ms. Sullivan kept going and going. I was so proud of her.

Sarah Miller can write! She wrote it so beautifully. I sailed through the book because it was way too good to put down for even five minutes. I loved it so much. Definitely in my top 20.

In closing I rated this book 5 out of 5. A good historical novel to read if you have nothing else to read. This book can be found at any library anywhere.

Book Review #1: A walk to Remember By Nicholas Sparks

Pages: 256

A moderately popular boy Landon Carter lives in a small town which has it's annual Christmas Play every single year. Landon is soon elected Student Body President. As President he must find a date to the homecoming dance. When nobody is left he goes to his last resort: The Pasteur's daughter, goodie two shoes, Jamie Sullivan. When Landon asks her to the dance she agrees on one condition: Landon must not fall in love with her.

I loved this book so much. I read it out of a desire to learn what the song, "Only Hope" meant. The first day that I read it I was slightly bored. But as soon as I got into it I couldn't put it down. I zoomed through it. I loved it. Normally I won't read romance novels or stuff like that but this is the greatest romance novel I have ever opened.

Nicholas Sparks knows how to write. I loved this book. I couldn't put it down after I got into it. I loved it so much. Many other reviewers have said, "A book you won't soon forget" and they couldn't have been more right. It left me thinking. When I picked up this book I was in need of a sob fest. I picked the right book for that.

Jamie Sullivan is the typical goody two shoes. She is constantly picking up critters who have been hit by cars or fallen out of trees, to the vet. She never has something bad to say about anyone. The whole town says, "What a good girl she is" and "Oh that Jamie Sullivan girl is such a sweetheart" I loved Jamie. She is a sweetheart and I really liked reading about her.

Landon Carter is the typical schoolboy back in the fifties. He makes fun of the Pasteur and his daughter. He does OK in school but he's not Harvard material. His father is a Congressman so he doesn't see much of him so his and fathers relationship isn't the greatest. When Jamie entered his life I noticed such a change in Landon I thought it was wonderful.

In closing I rated the book a 5 out of 5. I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I finished it about a week ago. I loved it and I would recommend this to anyone who loves a sob fest and who just needs something to read.