So apparently the only post that is guaranteed around here is a book review post.
Although, I was worried when June rolled around and I had yet to pick up a book for pleasure. Thankfully, summertime is for reading and most of these were read during a four month time period. Without further ado...
Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, Four by Veronica Roth
I finally got to read the entire Divergent series and the best part is that I didn't have to wait for anything new to come out. I loved the trilogy (ending aside) and especially the relationship between Tris and Four. I thought it was really authentic and heartwrenching. The added short story collection of Four was excellent as well. Getting more backstory on a character seems to be somewhat of a trend in YA these days, and I love it! I highly recommend these books, especially if you like The Hunger Games trilogy (although those were better.)
Reached by Ally Condie
This is the third book of the Matched trilogy, which I have previously reviewed HERE. Unlike the first two, I was not very enthralled with this particular book. By the end, I was just waiting for it to be over. Part of my disdain I think was that I didn't like who the main character ended up with. That is always a dealbreaker for me! Try them for yourself and see what you think.
Austenland by Shannon Hale
After the intensity of Divergent, this was a great story to just sit back and relax with. It's about a woman who is obsessed with Mr. Darcy and goes to an amusement park/dinner theater dedicated to Jane Austen to get over her obsession. It's a super fun read-- good for the beach! Apparently there is also a movie, which I must watch.
Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin
This is what the movie was based on, but it's actually non-fiction. It follows three groups on their journey to the ICCA, which is essentially the a cappella equivalent of the NCAA tournament. The most fascinating thing about this book to me, is the fact that I have met some of the people in the book and didn't realize they were in it! I don't know if everyone would like this book without having all of the background that I do. It's a really simple read though, so it wouldn't hurt to try!
I Want my MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution by Rob Tannenbaum
If you haven't figured it out by now, I LOVE reading about pop culture! This book was completely awesome and exactly what I expected. I kind of wish they would do a part two on the more recent history of MTV, but I digress. It's an oral history of sorts, and as such, there are tons of contributors within each chapter. Sometimes that made it a little hard to follow, but it was so entertaining. It reminded me of Top of the Rock, which I enjoyed as well.
Did I Do That? The Best (and Worst) of the 90's by Amber Humphrey
Complete coffee table book, so easily consumable. Exactly what you would expect from the title. There were 2-4 pages per item, dedicated to everything from Captain Planet to Beanie Babies to boy bands. If you grew up in the 90's, you can't go wrong with this book!
And there you have it. Not quite as lengthy as some years, but I packed a lot into a short amount of time! I'm currently reading The Giver quartet and have already finished the titular book, but will wait and review those next year.
Hope you found something new to try... what did YOU read this year?
Showing posts with label matched trilogy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label matched trilogy. Show all posts
Friday, December 26, 2014
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Bookworm 2013
Nothing like a "snowcation" to get me to write a blog post!
My goal last year was to read about a book a month, but I still read 10, so that's close enough, right?! Especially considering most of these were read before school started.
Of the ten books, no less than four are being made into movies, and two into a TV show. Does that mean I'm trendy or something?
THE BIG SCREEN:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
This was the first book I read in the new year and although it was interesting, it was SO DEPRESSING. It's about teenage cancer patients, need I say more? I can't say much without giving away the ending, but it was definitely emotional and tugged at the heart strings. If you're ready for a roller coaster, give this one a try. With that said, I'll probably skip this one in the theater.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Like many others, I absolutely loved this book... until the ending. I'm a sucker for thrillers, and this was all that and then some. What made it even more suspenseful was having to wait to finish because I had to turn it back in without having read it all and be put back on the waiting list! Pure torture. It is going to make a fabulous movie I'm sure. However, the one thing that will make me wary of seeing it is the same thing that makes me hesitant to recommend it to some: the "f word" was literally on just about every page of this book. I found it very distracting at times, and highly unnecessary to the story. Hopefully they'll tone it down a bit for the movie!
Matched and Crossed by Ally Condie
Yes, I realize I read way too many dystopian trilogies. Which is funny, because in high school they made us read all kinds of dystopian fiction and I hated it! They just weren't as thoroughly intriguing as the ones now! Anyway, I have not finished this trilogy (these are the first two), but in these books, teenagers are "matched" with the person they are going to marry, and they have no choice in the matter. They are super fun reads, definitely page turners. I originally had this review in "the rest" section, but then saw they are making movies out of these too! Wow!
THE SMALL SCREEN:
Requiem and Annabel by Lauren Oliver
Requiem is the last book of the Delirium trilogy, which I have reviewed in previous Bookworms. After being rather disappointed by the second book, the third one was back to the standard of the beginning. It wrapped up the story very nicely and I will be interested to see how they make this into a television series! If you enjoy The Hunger Games and the like, this is another easy to read trilogy to hold your interest.
THE BEST:
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
This is quite possibly one of the best books I've read. I could not put it down! The premise is deceptively simple-- a future dystopia, where most of their lives are lived in a "virtual oasis." A world wide video game contest begins and they must survive in the game, if they want to survive in the real world. I know that sounds super nerdy, and maybe it is, but I can't begin to tell you how great this book is. In addition to lots of suspense, there are tons of random pop culture references, which are vital to the contest. It was a completely fun read and by far the best book I read last year!
THE WORST:
The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
I had such high hopes for this book. This is the author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, after all. And I tried to like it, I really did. But I just didn't. The characters were annoying and their actions frustrating. The first two thirds of the book was way too drawn out and could have been cut in half. It finally picked up near the end, but by then I didn't care anymore. Don't waste your time with this book!
THE REST:
The Aviary by Kathleen O' Dell
The cover alone should make you want to read this book. Seriously. I read this book in two days over Christmas break. It started out a little slow but picked up quickly. It has a cool gothic feel, as well as The Secret Garden elements. I don't want to say too much, as I am hosting a book club in a couple of weeks on this very book! Good, easy read though.
The Top of the Rock: Inside the Rise and Fall of Must See TV by Warren Littlefield
If you are a pop culture junkie like me, then you will probably thoroughly enjoy this book. Otherwise, you will most likely be bored to tears. I loved this behind the scenes look at the inner workings of NBC during its 'golden years.' You know, when they had shows like Seinfeld, Frasier and Friends, and were at the top of the ratings heap? There are contributions by many different producers, actors and writers, adding to the appeal. It's almost like an expanded version of Entertainment Weekly!
My goal last year was to read about a book a month, but I still read 10, so that's close enough, right?! Especially considering most of these were read before school started.
Of the ten books, no less than four are being made into movies, and two into a TV show. Does that mean I'm trendy or something?
THE BIG SCREEN:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
This was the first book I read in the new year and although it was interesting, it was SO DEPRESSING. It's about teenage cancer patients, need I say more? I can't say much without giving away the ending, but it was definitely emotional and tugged at the heart strings. If you're ready for a roller coaster, give this one a try. With that said, I'll probably skip this one in the theater.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Like many others, I absolutely loved this book... until the ending. I'm a sucker for thrillers, and this was all that and then some. What made it even more suspenseful was having to wait to finish because I had to turn it back in without having read it all and be put back on the waiting list! Pure torture. It is going to make a fabulous movie I'm sure. However, the one thing that will make me wary of seeing it is the same thing that makes me hesitant to recommend it to some: the "f word" was literally on just about every page of this book. I found it very distracting at times, and highly unnecessary to the story. Hopefully they'll tone it down a bit for the movie!
Matched and Crossed by Ally Condie
Yes, I realize I read way too many dystopian trilogies. Which is funny, because in high school they made us read all kinds of dystopian fiction and I hated it! They just weren't as thoroughly intriguing as the ones now! Anyway, I have not finished this trilogy (these are the first two), but in these books, teenagers are "matched" with the person they are going to marry, and they have no choice in the matter. They are super fun reads, definitely page turners. I originally had this review in "the rest" section, but then saw they are making movies out of these too! Wow!
THE SMALL SCREEN:
Requiem and Annabel by Lauren Oliver
Requiem is the last book of the Delirium trilogy, which I have reviewed in previous Bookworms. After being rather disappointed by the second book, the third one was back to the standard of the beginning. It wrapped up the story very nicely and I will be interested to see how they make this into a television series! If you enjoy The Hunger Games and the like, this is another easy to read trilogy to hold your interest.
THE BEST:
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
This is quite possibly one of the best books I've read. I could not put it down! The premise is deceptively simple-- a future dystopia, where most of their lives are lived in a "virtual oasis." A world wide video game contest begins and they must survive in the game, if they want to survive in the real world. I know that sounds super nerdy, and maybe it is, but I can't begin to tell you how great this book is. In addition to lots of suspense, there are tons of random pop culture references, which are vital to the contest. It was a completely fun read and by far the best book I read last year!
THE WORST:
The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
I had such high hopes for this book. This is the author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, after all. And I tried to like it, I really did. But I just didn't. The characters were annoying and their actions frustrating. The first two thirds of the book was way too drawn out and could have been cut in half. It finally picked up near the end, but by then I didn't care anymore. Don't waste your time with this book!
THE REST:
The Aviary by Kathleen O' Dell
The cover alone should make you want to read this book. Seriously. I read this book in two days over Christmas break. It started out a little slow but picked up quickly. It has a cool gothic feel, as well as The Secret Garden elements. I don't want to say too much, as I am hosting a book club in a couple of weeks on this very book! Good, easy read though.
The Top of the Rock: Inside the Rise and Fall of Must See TV by Warren Littlefield
If you are a pop culture junkie like me, then you will probably thoroughly enjoy this book. Otherwise, you will most likely be bored to tears. I loved this behind the scenes look at the inner workings of NBC during its 'golden years.' You know, when they had shows like Seinfeld, Frasier and Friends, and were at the top of the ratings heap? There are contributions by many different producers, actors and writers, adding to the appeal. It's almost like an expanded version of Entertainment Weekly!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)