(27) My Sister’s
Keeper by Jodi Picoult
In the first book I’ve read by Picoult, a young girl fights
for her legal rights to her own body and organs after years of being used to
keep her sister alive. Each chapter is told from one of the character’s points
of view, and to mark the change in perspective, the font changes for each
character. I’m not sure if that would come through on the kindle version—but it
was a bonus that added some extra personality to the novel. Because the story
comes at you from so many different angles, your emotions are constantly yanked
around; do you agree or disagree with her choice to seek legal backing to
withhold an organ that could save her sister? This novel is an extremely
engaging reading experience--until the last 10 pages. In my opinion and
imagination, I believe Picoult was lost about how to finish her novel, so she
gave Nicholas Sparks a ring and he suggested the ending. The way this novel is
finally wrapped up is so emotionally manipulative that I cannot recommend the book.
I will say, if you choose to read this, stop right after the court case has
ended and don’t go any further. (After talking to my sister, who has seen the
film version, I discovered that the film is ended in a different way; even the filmmakers
realized what an awful ending the book had.)
Content Rating: Language & Sexuality
Length: 432 Pages
Format Read: Library Book
Genre: Adult Fiction
(28) Darkly Dreaming
Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
This first novel in the Dexter book series follows the case
that is also featured in the first season of Showtime’s Dexter television
series. It was fun to read the original descriptions of characters that I now
feel I know so well after six seasons of the television show. Although there
were some plot differences between the series and the story, it was very fun to
revisit the ice truck killer case and get deeper inside the mind of Dexter. The
writing is simple and the story is short, but it was a great escape. I do feel
the television series does a better job telling a truly engaging story. Unlike
a two-hour film version of a book, television gives a story much more time to
develop and they did a great job enhancing this story through the medium.
Content Rating: Everything—it’s about a serial killer.
Length: 288 Pages
Format Read: Kindle Library Book
Genre: Adult Fiction
(29) The Death Cure
by James Dashner
Although I wasn’t a fan of the second book in this trilogy,
I had to finish the series to see what happened to the characters in a world
that was falling apart. The characters decide whether or not to get back their
memories, and finally leave the tests of the mazes and visit actual cities of
their world. This book was an improvement, but still struggled to match the
suspense and mystery that was so successful in the first novel. The ending was
extremely satisfying, I approved of the way it finally ended and for that it
was worth finishing the series. I wouldn’t say that these books are bad; it is
just that they have many long action scenes and although that may be exciting
to most readers, I don’t find those scenes personally engaging.
Content Rating: Young Adult
Length: 336 Pages
Format Read: Kindle Library Book
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
(30) Gathering Blue
by Lois Lowry
A young girl in a culture far different from our own faces
death due to her mother’s passing. This is book is labeled as a sequel to The Giver, but it does not follow the
original society or characters followed in the original book. I did enjoy the
characters, but the mystery of this civilization was too transparent (although
not to the characters). For a short book meant for older children, I felt that
more could have happened in the story. The middle of the book focuses on our
female protagonist’s quest to learn how to properly dye thread. Not exactly the
most compelling topic, especially since the original book of the series is
accessible for both boys and girls. I think a kid who got swept up in
imaginative world of The Giver would
be disappointed and unlikely to finish.
Content Rating: Older Children
Length: 244 Pages
Format Read: Kindle Library Book
Genre: Children’s Dystopia
(31) Harry Potter and
the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Yeah, I’ve never read the Harry Potter books. Not because I
hadn’t gotten around to it, I had avoiding reading them because the hype
annoyed me. I was just watching a SNL rerun with Daniel Radcliffe, and he made
a joke in the opening monologue to adults, saying something like, “You know
they were books for kids?” Anyway when the books were getting really popular, I
was in college and I wasn’t interested in kid’s books. After finishing the
wonderful Fablehaven series last
year, I began to question my choice to avoid the Harry Potter series and wonder
if I was really missing out on something amazing.
So what are my thoughts about the first book? I realize it
is a kid’s book. I don’t think that all its faults can be forgiven for that
fact. Is it okay to say, the story and writing aren’t that great, but that’s
okay, we’ll just give it to our children to read? I realize that they probably
get better, but I’m not concerned with the series as a whole, I’m reviewing
this one individual and beloved novel. I felt that the “main” story was too far
in the background, and instead the story was told through a series of B-stories.
It jumped around too much. I didn’t feel the world was too imaginative; how
hard is it to describe witches and wizards and funny stylish wands? I did enjoy
the beginning of the story when Harry was living with his awful aunt and uncle,
but as soon as the story shifted to his schooling, Zzzzzz.
Will I read anymore? I don’t know. Not anytime soon.
Content Rating: Kids
Length: 320 Pages
Format Read: Kindle Library Book
Genre: Children’s Fantasy
(32) The Night Circus
by Erin Morgenstern
I love the story—two real magicians raise two children to
eventually battle in an ultimate magic duel. Beautifully written, an original
premise, and fully immersive in the late 1800’s setting. The vivid descriptions
of the night circus itself are enough to make it well worth the read. But, the
story moves at a snail’s pace. Maybe slower than a snail’s pace. In a race, a
snail would destroy the pace of this story. I was okay with that because I was
fully invested in the circus, characters and the outcome of this duel. Yet, I
think many readers might find this too slowly developing.
Content Rating: Adult (there is one f-bomb 10 pages in, and
then it is oddly nearly devoid of all strong language. So if you are bothered
by language and are upset by that first instance—don’t worry it does not occur
throughout.)
Length: 400 Pages
Genre: Adult Fiction
(33) Matched by
Allie Condie
People love this book. Multiple people recommended it. I
don’t think those people had ever read The
Giver, because this rips off so many elements from that story it is
pathetic. What is more original here is that the characters are too stupid to
see what is really happening in their dystopian world. Grandpa is going to die
at midnight! But don’t eat his food! Why? Who knows! I’m just told it’s
forbidden! I read the final 30% in anger due to the awful, unoriginal and
boring writing. You see a flash of another boy’s picture for one brief moment,
and you instantly fall in love? Really? Please spend the book reminding us
3,000 times that you are inexplicably in love with the unattainable boy. I do
love the repetition. Not. Actually, if you go to the goodreads.com page for
this book, and scroll down--find Ghiradelli’s expletive and sarcasm filled
loathing of this book; it matches my feelings exactly.
Content Rating: Young Adult
Length: 400 Pages (of agony)
Format Read: Kindle Library Book
Genre: Young Adult Dystopia
(34) Interview with
the Vampire by Anne Rice
I wanted to read this because it seemed to be the
quintessential vampire book; I had seen portions of the film version and the
graphic scenes intrigued me. The entirety of the book is the vampire, Louis,
telling his life story to a boy (a reporter—he’s referred to as “the boy”). His
narration does successfully immerse the reader in the tales of his vampire
trials and tribulations. The initial beginning of the book (I’d say 20% or so)
is quite engaging; I was swept up in wanting to understand his adjustment to a
vampire life and how he deals with his murderous guilt. His companion vampire
is one-dimensionally evil, yet Louis maintains some of his human emotions
towards the value of life for most of the story. As more characters are
introduced, my interest continued to grow, as I wanted to know more about what
it would be like to be a child vampire. While much interest was created at the
front end of the story, the story stagnated for me as Louis and his
counterparts search Europe for other vampires. Unfortunately, I was left
disappointed and regretful that I had read it by the end; gave it a rating of
one star on goodreads.
Content Rating: Language, violence, sexuality
Length: 352 Pages
Format Read: Kindle Library Book
Genre: Adult Fiction
(35) Beyonders: Seeds
of Rebellion by Brandon Mull
From the author of the Fablehaven
series, this Beyonders novel is the second in the trilogy. Jason returns to
Lyrian to continue the battle to overthrow the evil emperor. For a book meant
for older children, I am impressed with the maturity of his writing. Mull
doesn’t shy away from using challenging vocabulary to enrich his story, and
that makes this fantasy story a delight for an adult reader. A lot of the book
ends up being a travelogue for the characters, which is not especially
interesting, but Mull’s settings and characters are inventive and interesting
enough to keep you reading. I did enjoy this sequel more than the first book.
Content Rating: Older Children or Young Adult
Length: 512 Pages
Format Read: Library Book
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
(36) Dearly Devoted
Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
The second book in the series explores another gruesome case
faced by serial killer and blood analyst for the Miami Police department,
Dexter Morgan. These books are fluffy macabre, and I’m looking forward to
reading more. This story was not used in the television series, so reading this
and the remaining books in the series is like entering a separate parallel
universe of these characters.
Content Rating: Everything, not for the faint of heart.
Length: 320 Pages
Format Read: Kindle Library Book
Genre: Adult Fiction
(37) Across the
Universe by Beth Revis
After having a minor mental breakdown after reading Matched, I swore I’d never read another
young adult book. And then, a few days later I found myself starting this
novel—a story marketed as a young adult romance. I am so happy I didn’t give up
completely on this genre! This was a satisfying dystopia. Unlike many of these
futuristic worlds, Revis actually is successful in fully explaining why the
people have changed their culture and traditions so drastically. By the end,
you understood whom to blame for these losses of freedoms, and something is dramatically
done to change things.
The opening scene is riveting. A young woman watches her
parents get frozen alive to begin their 300-year journey across space. And
then, it is her turn. Oddly though, she is woken from her frozen sleep much too
early to find a strange civilization living on this massive space ship.
This is dystopia in space. There is a really fun sci-fi
living on a space ship aspect to this story. It is claustrophobic. It is also
extremely edgy for a young adult book. The teenagers here don’t live in a world
where truly awful things don’t happen just because it might be too much for a
young adult reader to digest. I think this book respects young adults by
dealing with serious issues. I think this is better suited for a high school
student because it does have some fairly graphic scenes.
Content Rating: Older Young Adults for Sexuality (15 &
up)
Length: 416 Pages
Format Read: Kindle Library Book
Genre: Sci-Fi/Dystopia Fiction
