Book Review: THE GIVER

Author: Lois Lowry
Number of Pages: 179
Publisher: Ember
Release Date: April 26, 1993

Jonas lives in world in which everything is under control. No one has to make important life decisions because they are all made for them. No one has to decide who to marry, what career to pursue, whether or not they should tell their friend an uncomfortable truth- everything is decided for them. So when Jonas is chosen at the Ceremony of Twelve that he will be the new keeper of memories for the Community, he literally has no choice- or does he? In this dystopian future that isn't so far away, Jonas has to decide whether living cautiously or living fully is the right path to take.

It seemed as though everyone had read this book except for me, so I finally decided to pick it up and dive in head-first. This book isn't long at all, so it didn't take long to read. I have to say, for a short book it was very, very good. The Community that Jonas lives in really makes you question how we live today. Is not having to making any life-changing choices the better route for human civilization to take? Is it better to know pain or live entirely without any memory or knowledge of it at all? These are the types of questions you will be constantly asking in your head as you read this novel.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was the ending. It seemed very rushed to me. I won't go into detail about it (Spoilers!) but if you read the book you'll probably understand what I mean. When I flipped to the last page of the book I actually didn't believe that it had ended at first. I thought that there had to be more to it, but it really was the end. But other than that, I really enjoyed this book.

Overall, this was a very good book. I will be reading the rest of this series in the future, hopefully soon.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Always,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: UNWIND

Author: Neal Shusterman
Number of Pages: 335
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: November 6, 2007

"The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive."
                                                   - Goodreads.com

This book was recommended to me by a fellow book-lover, so I knew that it would be pretty good even before I started reading it. And I have to say that it was quite a good book, however it left me with some mixed feelings.

First, let's start with the positives. I really liked the dystopian future that Neal Shusterman set up in this novel. The idea of unwinding is so utterly unique that you can't help but be pulled in. The thing is, I can sort of see something like this happening in the far away, but maybe not-so-far-away future. I mean, if you live in the USA then you have probably seen all of the presidential campaigns adds on TV. One the of the important topics being considered and debated about is abortion, and when life actually begins. Unwind dives into those sorts of topics and issues and really gets to the core of them. This novel really makes you think about your morals and what you as a person believe in. However, it does it in a way that isn't preachy, which I liked.

Even though I really liked this book, it just didn't WOW me. Something was missing from it.... I just couldn't get fully into the story. The character development was there as well as the constant suspense and action, but I kept feeling like something was missing.

Overall, this was a really good book. I'll definitely be reading the sequel soon!

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Absolutely!

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: THE SECRET LIFE OF PRINCE CHARMING

Author: Deb Caletti
Number of Pages: 352
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: April 7, 2009

"Quinn is surrounded by women who have had their hearts broken. Between her mother, her aunt, and her grandmother, Quinn hears nothing but cautionary tales. She tries to be an optimist -- after all, she's the dependable one, the girl who never makes foolish choices. But when she is abruptly and unceremoniously dumped, Quinn starts to think maybe there really are no good men.
It doesn't help that she's gingerly handling a renewed relationship with her formerly absent father. He's a little bit of a lot of things: charming, selfish, eccentric, lazy...but he's her dad, and Quinn's just happy to have him around again. Until she realizes how horribly he's treated the many women in his life, how he's stolen more than just their hearts. Determined to, for once, take action in her life, Quinn joins forces with the half sister she's never met and the little sister she'll do anything to protect. Together, they set out to right her father's wrongs...and in doing so, begin to uncover what they're really looking for: the truth."
                                                                                              - Goodreads.com

I've read many books by Deb Caletti, and this one was pretty good. I like how all of the characters have a lot of depth to them, and how there's always more than one story going on while the main plot progresses. I think the idea of what Quinn's dad did is odd, but it is original and therefore really sparked my interest most of the way through. Some parts dragged on a bit and were less exciting than other parts, but overall it was quite good.

Another thing I really liked about this novel was how all of the female characters would give excerpts at random times about their past love experiences. It added a lot more "oomph" to the story, and towards the end you realized some connections between many of the women. Some of the stories of the older women were pretty funny, and actually had me laughing out loud. Deb Caletti's writing is so detailed and real that it makes you believe, if only for a moment, that Quinn's mother and grandmother and aunt are all real women, and that there experiences are ones that actually happened in the actual world. And then you look up from the book and remember that the stories are just words on a page, words that have the power to change the way you think. That's the way I look at it, anyways.

Overall, this book was great, but not as good as some of Deb Caletti's other books.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes!

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: SALT: A WORLD HISTORY

Author: Mark Kurlansky
Number of Pages: 484
Publisher: Penguin Books
Release Date: January 2002

In his book Salt: A World History, Mark Kurlansky tells the tale of the only rock humans eat as it goes through time. He recounts how salt fluctuates in value, means completely different things to different people and cultures, and how it ultimately changes history time and time again.

First of all, let me start out by saying how impressed I was that someone actually wrote an entire, substantially sized book about SALT. I mean, who has the time- or the motivation- to do that? Apparently Mark Kurlansky had both, because this was actually a pretty enjoyable book to read. I learned so much about salt from this novel (too much about salt? Maybe.) and it forced me to look at such a common, everyday item from a different perspective. Who knew that salt influenced history so drastically? It makes me wonder about the vast histories of other items that I use every day.

However, while I did enjoy this book, there are also some negative aspects to it. I mean, let's be frank: reading about a rock for upwards of four hundred pages can get sort of boring after a while. But I don't think that is necessarily the fault of Mark Kurlansky- I think that no matter who wrote about salt, the book would always be a bit boring. (Well.... except maybe if John Green wrote it. :))
Anyways, other than the fact that this book was boring in some parts and dragged on a bit, it was quite entertaining.

It is to my understanding that Mark Kurlansky has written other books pertaining to world history.... I'm still deciding if I want to read them or not, though. Overall, this was a great book!

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes, if they enjoyed reading non-fiction books or had some obsession or love of salt. Otherwise they probably wouldn't enjoy this book much.

Later,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

Author: Stephen Chbosky
Number of Pages: 213
Publisher: Pocket Books
Release Date: January 1, 1999

This is the story of Charlie, a fifteen-year-old freshman in high school who is lost without a friend- that is, until he meets Patrick and Sam (step-siblings, both seniors) and they take him in as one of their group. This is the story of Charlie, who is still grieving over the death of his beloved aunt, who seemed to understand him in a way that no one else did. This is the story of Charlie, who goes through so much that at times he just doesn't know what to say. But most importantly, this is the story of Charlie, who seems to be both a wallflower and the star of the show at the same time.

I have wanted to read this book for the longest time, but I just haven't gotten around to it. When I heard this book was going to be a movie I was like "Okay, I have to read it before I go see the movie," because of course I'm going to go see the movie- Emma Watson is in it! And for all of you who don't know who Emma Watson is, I have two words for you: HERMIONE GRANGER.

I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about this book. Mostly the reviews I've read or heard are from people who either love this book or hate it. I would say I'm somewhere in the middle. This book reminded me a lot of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, which is sort of funny because it mentions it in the story quite a bit. The main character, Charlie, is lonely and likes to think a lot and has a family that isn't very supportive. But I would say that The Perks of Being a Wallflower is more positive and hopeful in a way than The Catcher in the Rye, because Charlie eventually finds his niche and seems to have a sense of belonging, even if that feeling is small.

I have this thing for books that are set in the 90's, so this was quite enjoyable for me to read. I like how much more simple everything was a decade or so ago, when instead of texting people or looking them up on Facebook you would get their number and call them or actually talk to them face to face. I also liked this book because it was relatable, even to me, being the type of person who doesn't do drugs or hang out with those type of people or have a family who isn't supportive. I was still able to connect with it despite all these things, because I think that deep down inside we all feel like a wallflower sometimes. And that's something that makes this book so utterly relatable.

However, there were some things that I didn't like about the book. Parts of it felt exaggerated to me, like how Charlie would break down crying in public all the time over the littlest of things. I can't really imagine a fifteen year old boy doing that. Also, some parts were dragged on a lot, and were sort of slow. But other than that, this book was really good.

I can't wait to see the movie, because it will be interesting to see which parts they keep and which parts they leave out. This is one of those books that makes you think. It's also one of those books that lingers there in the back of your mind for days after you finish reading it. At least, that's what this book is for me.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Always,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: THE RESTAURANT AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSE

Author: Douglas Adams
Number of Pages: 256
Publisher: Del Ray
Release Date: April 26, 2005

"Facing annihilation at the hands of the warlike Vogons is a curious time to have a craving for tea. It could only happen to the cosmically displaced Arthur Dent and his curious comrades in arms as they hurtle across space powered by pure improbability and desperately in search of a place to eat.
Among Arthur's motley shipmates are Ford Prefect, a longtime friend and expert contributor to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Zaphod Beeblebrox, the three-armed, two-headed ex-president of the galaxy; Tricia McMillan, a fellow Earth refugee who's gone native (her name is Trillian now); and Marvin, the moody android who suffers nothing and no one very gladly. Their destination? The ultimate hot spot for an evening of apocalyptic entertainment and fine dining, where the food (literally) speaks for itself.
Will they make it? The answer: hard to say. But bear in mind that the Hitchhiker's Guide deleted the term "Future Perfect" from its pages, since it was discovered not to be!"
                                                                                                              - Goodreads.com

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, with is being a sequel and all. But I have to say that it was pretty good. The idea of a restaurant that is literally at the end of the universe is really cool- I mean, who comes up with ideas like that? That's one of the reasons why I like these books- Douglas Adams has really interesting and unique ideas that not only make you laugh, but also make you think a little.

This sequel was very funny and kept me turning the pages the entire way through. However, compared to the first one, I don't think it was as good. There was just something about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy that I really liked. Still, this was a really good book.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes, but they would have to read the first book first, obviously. Otherwise they would be TOTALLY lost.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: WHY WE BROKE UP

Author: Daniel Handler
Number of Pages: 354
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: December 27, 2011

Why We Broke Up is the story of Min Green and Ed Slaterton's relationship, as told in the form of a letter written by Min to Ed. She puts a box on Ed's doorstep containing souvenirs from their now over relationship, letting him know exactly why they broke up.

Maybe it's just because I don't really read a lot of books about break-ups, but I thought that this was a very cool concept. I mean, how many times have I wanted to write an angry letter to someone and then dump everything that we've ever shared on their doorstep? It's something that a lot of people can relate to. This book is also very neat because it has color pictures of the objects in the box. How many YA books these days have color pictures? Not many, that's for sure.

For all of it's coolness, however, the story was only average. It kept me interested and entertained (for the most part), but it didn't wow me. Nothing about it screamed, "Read me over and over again!" and it didn't stick in my mind once I was finished reading it. There wasn't really anything extraordinary about it.

Overall, this was a good book, but not one of my favorites.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Always,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: SEE YOU AT HARRY'S

Author: Jo Knowles
Number of Pages: 310
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release Date: May 8, 2012

Fern just wants to live an ordinary life. She doesn't want her father to paste the family picture on ads for their ice cream shop. She doesn't want kids at school to bully her ninth grade brother, Holden, for being gay. She doesn't want her mother to spend the rest of her life meditating in her office. Really, all she wants to is hang out with her best friend Random and to have her family act like a family again. But with one life-changing event, all hopes of this are shattered- or are they?

I really liked this book. It was simple, but in a heart-wrenching, oh-my-gosh-that's-so-incredibly-sad kind of way. I thought it was really cool how Fern and siblings were named after characters in books. (For example, Holden is from The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.) It's little details like that that really bring a book to life for me.

I've never experienced intense grief or loss like in this book, so I can't really be the judge as to whether or not the emotions in this book were realistic. However, they seemed like they were to me. Fern and her family all went through ups and downs, and while the ending of this novel ended on a happier note, it wasn't fairy-tale happy. It was more bittersweet. I think that's really the best way to describe this book.

See You at Harry's was an easy, quick read. It wasn't one of my favorites, but I did enjoy reading it. \

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Later,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: AMY AND ROGER'S EPIC DETOUR

Author: Morgan Matson
Number of Pages: 344
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Release Date: May 4, 2010

"Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself."
                                                                                                       - Goodreads.com

I love books that are about road trips. There's something about driving miles and miles that seems to bring about the most fun events, as well as great depth in characters. While I may not have loved this book, I certainly enjoyed it.

One thing I really liked about this book was the "scrapbook" additions to it. Every time Roger and Amy went to another state or experienced something big, there would be a page about it that looked like a scrapbook. It's sort of hard to explain. In my opinion, it added a lot more depth to the story. Also, I liked how this road trip wasn't just a random sequence of events strung together to make a book. Things seemed to happen for a reason and everything seemed relevant to the plot.

Roger was probably my favorite character in this book. He was just so down to earth and he cared so much about the people around him. He was also quirky and had an awesome sense of humor. Although there were some things about him that annoyed me (JUST GET OVER YOUR EX-GIRLFRIEND ALREADY!!!!!!) I still really enjoyed reading about him and watching him change over the course of the novel.

One thing I didn't like about this book was how predictable it was. Like most romance novels I've read, I could accurately predict who would end up with who pretty quickly. Other than that, this was a good read.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Always,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON

Author: Daniel Keyes
Number of Pages: 324
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Release Date: January 1, 1959
Flowers for Algernon is the story of a mentally disabled man named Charlie Gordon who undergoes an operation that is supposed to raise his IQ. This operation has never before been done on humans, and the most successful case in animals is a rat named Algernon. As Charlie changes from a man who can barely read and write to a man beyond the intelligence of those who created his operation in the first place, he watches Algernon change as well. When Algernon's condition goes from better to worse, Charlie can't help but wonder one thing: Will the same happen to him?
This novel has been on my to-read list for quite some time. It looked interesting enough based on summaries and reviews I had read, so I decided to give it a try. I was actually very surprised at how much I liked it. Flowers for Algernon is written entirely in the form of these Progress Reports that the professors make Charlie write to keep track of his feelings throughout the process both before and after the surgery. The way the author adjusts his writing style as Charlie's IQ changes really makes you believe that the person writing it is going through a life-changing event.

It's mind-blowing to think that this book was written in 1959, when technology wasn't nearly as advanced as it is today. I don't even think that this surgery could be accomplished now, never mind back then. To think that the author had the creativity to think this surgery through and to come up with a logical sequence of events as to what might happen is amazing. That's one thing I love about old science fiction.

There were definitely some parts that were slow and that I didn't care for, but overall this was a good book. Even if it isn't one of my favorites, it is still a thought-provoking novel that is worth reading!

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes, especially someone who is fond of science fiction.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: BITTERBLUE

Author: Kristin Cashore
Number of Pages: 563
Publisher: Dial
Release Date: May 1, 2012

Bitterblue is the queen of a kingdom that had previously been ruled by her cruel father, Leck, for thirty five years. Leck was a Graceling, and he had the ability to manipulate minds. He cast a shadow over the kingdom so that no one was out of his reach. He killed many innocent people and mentally scarred even more. Now it is up to Bitterblue to get this kingdom back to the way it was before Leck's horrid reign, before everyone was brainwashed into thinking that nothing was wrong. But even though Leck is gone, the impact of his reign still runs strong throughout the kingdom.

Bitterblue is the sequel to Graceling, and it is also the companion novel to Fire. Honestly, I think you can read these books in any order and still get the full affect of the story. They are interconnected, but they are separate stories, so it's almost like they are all companion novels to one another.

One thing I really like about Kristin Cashore's writing style is that everything is very detailed. The characters all have background stories and so many things are happening at once. However, a consequence of all of this detail is that sometimes the plot moves slowly, because you are just reading about Bitterblue's complex emotions for a few pages, or a new setting is being described. Also, it is easy while reading these books to get caught up in all of the detail and not see the bigger picture of what is actually happening as far as the plot goes.

All in all, this book was very good. The ending was satisfying and I love the cover- it's so pretty, and the keys play an important role in the book. I don't know if Kristin Cashore is going to continue with this series, but I hope she does! This is the type of fantasy that you can really get swept away in. Great read!

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys. (Due to the fact that some parts of it were rather slow and dragged on, and sometimes the details are distracting.)

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes. And even though this was the sequel to Graceling, I really think that you can read these books in any order.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: A SWIFTLY TILTING PLANET

Author: Madeleine L'Engle
Number of Pages: 304
Publisher: Square Fish
Release Date: January 1, 1978

When the President of the United States calls Mr. Murry on Thanksgiving night telling him that a nuclear war may begin in a matter of days, or even hours, the Murry household is filled with a sense of dread. Suddenly Mrs. O'Keefe starts saying an old rune, and tells Charles Wallace that he alone has the power to stop this entire war. Will the help of a unicorn and Mrs. O'Keefe's memories of the past be enough to save the country? And will they be able to achieve this in a single night?
This book was very different from the other books in this series (A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door). It was very historical, dealing with different societies and cultures in the past. It still had that element of science fiction (Charles Wallace was traveling back in time, after all) but it was different from the first two books.

However, it proved to be very interesting. It was very neat to see how all of the descendants of Mrs. O'Keefe connected through time. There were a lot of little details threaded through this novel that really made it an enjoyable book. The reader gets to experience different time periods, many new characters, and a Charles Wallace that is a bit older and a lot wiser. Although some parts of this book were slow and dragged on, it was still a very good read. It feels as though as the series progresses the novels grow less and less childish, which isn't a bad thing for a YA reader.
My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.
Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Always,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: A WIND IN THE DOOR

Author: Madeleine L'Engle
Number of Pages: 240
Publisher: Square Fish
Release Date: 1973

"It is November. When Meg comes home from school, Charles Wallace tells her he saw dragons in the twin’s vegetable garden. That night Meg, Calvin and C.W. go to the vegetable garden to meet the Teacher (Blajeny) who explains that what they are seeing isn’t a dragon at all, but a cherubim named Proginoskes. It turns out that C.W. is ill and that Blajeny and Proginoskes are there to make him well – by making him well, they will keep the balance of the universe in check and save it from the evil Echthros. 
Meg, Calvin and Mr. Jenkins (grade school principal) must travel inside C.W. to have this battle and save Charles’ life as well as the balance of the universe."
                                                        - Goodreads.com

Even though this is a sequel to A Wrinkle In Time, I was surprised at how little it actually connected with that book. Besides the characters, nothing of utmost importance is brought from the first book to the second, so you could definitely read this one without reading the one before it. That is why instead of doing on big post containing the entire series as a whole, I am going to do individual posts, because the books themselves are very independent of each other.

This book starts to get a bit more confusing then A Wrinkle In Time. They do include time travel, but a lot of it is focused on mitochondria and how they work, so it's good to know a little background on that sort of stuff. I already knew about them, so it was weird reading Madeleine L'Engle's description of them- it reminds you that this is not science, it is science fiction. I think that this book is definitely more "out there" than the first one, but it was still enjoyable.

I found Proginoskes to be a very likable character, as well as Blajeny. One again, Meg annoyed me A LOT. It seems that her ability to irritate me is directly proportional to her age. (The older she gets, the more she annoys me.) She is just so WHINY and dependent on others! And she WON'T STOP ASKING STUPID QUESTIONS!!!!! I like Charles Wallace much better, because he is much more mature than his older sister.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: A WRINKLE IN TIME

Author: Madeleine L'Engle
Number of Pages: 247
Publisher: Square Fish
Release Date: 1962

Meg Murry an average girl with an unusual brother named Charles Wallace. When Charles Wallace starts talking about three ladies who supposedly live in an old, abandoned house down the road that is said to be haunted, Meg is skeptical. The two siblings meet Calvin one day, and from there everything is turned upside down. Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs.Who, and Mrs. Which take Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin on a journey to find Mr. Murry, who stopped sending them letters a year ago when he was away doing scientific research. As they travel through both time and space in the span of a single night, one has to wonder: will they find Mr. Murry? And even more importantly: Will they make it home alive?

I remember reading this book when I was younger. I also remember being really confused while reading it. Back then I didn't really understand the science aspect of this book, so I couldn't really enjoy it much. I decided to pick it back up again and give it another shot, now that I'm many years older.

One of the things I really like about this book is that it is very unique. The Mrs. W's all have dynamic personalities, making reading about them extremely enjoyable. Charles Wallace adds some mystery to this novel, with his personality that is just quirky enough that it is difficult to predict his actions. All of the little details make this story the great novel that it is.

With all of those good things said, there are some things that I did not like about A Wrinkle in Time. First, Meg's personality really irritated me. She was SO impatient and asked questions about EVERYTHING. She always needed Calvin to make her feel safe- she wasn't very independent. And she could not focus or see the bigger picture. She was obsessed with finding her father, which is understandable given the situation, but the entire Earth is at stake at well. Could we try to be a teensy bit less selfish here?

Also, you have to keep in mind that this is a children's book. That's probably one of the reasons I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought it would. I'm used to reading YA, so this was a little strange. All in all, it was a good read.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes, but I would be sure to tell them that it is written for children, so it will be different from what they might normally read.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: OLD MAGIC

Author: Marianne Curley
Number of Pages: 369
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Release Date: December 22, 2009

Kate Warren isn't your average girl. She has what her grandmother, Jillian, calls the gift. This includes feeling people's emotions, getting inside their heads, and performing spells. Jillian, who raised Kate after Kate's mother abandoned them both, has even greater magical abilities. Having always been an outcast, Kate is surprised when a boy moves to town that shows signs of also having the gift. His name is Jarrod, and he refuses to acknowledge anything magical at all. But when Kate and Jillian start suspecting that Jarrod's entire family line is cursed, things start to get interesting. Will Jarrod open his mind up to the fact that he just might have magical powers? And most importantly, can Kate and Jarrod lift the curse off of his family before it is too late?

At first, I wasn't too sure about this book. Jarrod's obliviousness and his inability to open his mind up to new ideas quickly grew annoying. However, as the book progressed on I started to like it more and more. Especially the second part of it- it isn't often that that sort of thing happens in books, so it was really cool to read about. (You'll know what I mean if you read the book.) I really liked how Jarrod's personality changed and grew as different events occurred, and how his relationship with Kate developed rather realistically. They went through ups and downs, just like actual people do in real life.

Also, I liked the fact that this wasn't your usual fantasy novel, filled with fairies and such. Although I have nothing against that sort of fantasy, it is always nice to see a different perspective on this genre. Even though this book is about magic and does include spells and sorcerers and such, it isn't what you think. It is written in a way that makes it more realistic, more believable.

All in all, this was a great read. Jarrod irritated me quite a bit, and the first part of it was sort of slow and a little weird at times, but the rest of the book made up for it in my mind.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL

Author: Justina Chen Headley
Number of Pages: 373
Publisher: Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: February 1, 2009

"It's hard not to notice Terra Cooper.
She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky Goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disrupted, will Terra be able to find her true path?"
                                               - Goodreads.com

North of Beautiful is all about a girl with a port wine stain on her face. Since I didn't know much about this topic, I found this book very interesting to read. I found that I easily related to Terra (the main character), and I think a lot of people would be able to, because everyone has something about themselves that they don't like, right? I also found myself hating Terra's father, and I just wanted to scream at him: YOU ARE A TERRIBLE, NASTY PERSON!!!! However, I refrained from doing so, because there were people around. My favorite character was probably Jacob. You'll understand why when you read the book.

I loved Headley's writing throughout the entire novel. It's just so descriptive and she uses metaphors that truly make you think. I also loved how she incorporated the theme of mapmaking in many situations. It is a subject that isn't very common in YA fiction, but it was really neat to read about.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!

I did have a problem with Terra and her relationship with her original boyfriend, Erik. Even though Terra really liked Jacob, and even though Jacob seemed to really like Terra back, Terra did not break up with Erik. HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I wanted to scream at Terra, but maybe not as loudly as I would have screamed at her father. I just couldn't see the logic in loving Jacob when you knew you had a boyfriend back home. Oh, some girls just can't think straight.

OKAY, THE SPOILER IS DONE!

Anyways, I have to say this was a very good book. Even though there were some things about it that annoyed me, I enjoyed reading it.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: EVIL GENIUS

Author: Catherine Jinks
Number of Pages: 552
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Release Date: May 1, 2007

Cadel Piggott is not your average boy. He's got the IQ of a genius, and loves studying systems, computers, and anything technological. When Cadel starts doing destructive activities with his talents, he is sent to a therapist. This therapist tells Cadel that his father, Phineas Darkkon, is actually a brilliant, evil mastermind who plans to take over the world. His father sends him to the Axis Institute, a university that he himself created specifically for his son. As he earns his degree in Evil, will Cadel realize that what his father is doing may not be right, or will he be blind to both his conscience and his morals?

I don't usually read spy/mystery/techy books, but I have to say that this one was quite good. It was slow at the beginning (it took around one hundred pages to really get into it) but after that it was very interesting. There were tons of plot twists and little details that kept things going at a pretty fast pace. I liked how the characters changed a lot throughout the book- some for the better, but many for the worse. It's not every day that you read a book from the point of view of someone who "supports" evil, so it was neat to see how that really played out.Overall, this was a good read, and I look forward reading the sequel, Genius Squad.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: SO YESTERDAY

Author: Scott Westerfeld
Number of Pages: 256
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: September 13, 2004

When Hunter comes across Jen, attracted to her creative way of tying her shoes, he has know idea of the adventure that is about to unfold. Hunter is a Cool Hunter, or someone who walks the streets on the lookout for original and quirky ideas that may just become the new "cool" thing. Suddenly Hunter's boss goes missing, leaving behind her cell phone and launching a sequence of unusual and thrilling events that Hunter and Jen tackle full-on, if a bit hesitant at times.
I've read quite a few of Scott Westerfeld's novels, and I've loved them all. So Yesterday was no exception. This book was creative and had a subject matter unlike anything I've ever read before. The concept of Cool Hunters and Innovators is really interesting to read about because you can see how it relates to everyday life. (I would say that I am at the bottom of the pyramid, a consumer.) Hunter was a great narrator for the book, being both quirky but realistic and relatable, I think.
However, there was one thing that I didn't care for about this book, and that was the relationship between Jen and Hunter. I loved both Hunter and Jen as characters, but I think their relationship was very rushed. It does mention this in the book, but I think it could have been spaced out a bit more. Other than that, this book was great. Can't wait to read more of Scott Westerfeld's books!!!!!!
My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Definitely. This book is well worth reading!

Hugs,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: THE SCORPIO RACES

Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Number of Pages: 409
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Release Date: October 18, 2011

Every November on the island of Thisby the Scorpio Races are held. Tourists rush in from the mainland to witness the thrilling, fast-paced race that leaves more people wounded than unharmed. When Kate (Puck) Connolly discovers that her older brother Gabe is leaving for the mainland, she decides to join the races in order to prolong her brother's departure. Little does she know that things are about to get complicated, what with her new and strange relationship with the mysterious Sean Kendrick and Gabe running off. Will Puck be able to keep her brother from leaving Thisby? Or, better yet, will she survive the Scorpio Races?

Having read Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver Trilogy and loved it, I was eager to dive into this novel. However, after reading it I found that I was a little disappointed. I enjoyed it, but it just didn't stand out to me in the way that Shiver did. By far my favorite parts were the sections with Puck and Sean. Their relationship seemed fairly realistic to me, which I greatly appreciated. The ending was pretty good as well- everything was wrapped up nicely and over all I was satisfied with how it came to a close. I love this author's writing style because she is so descriptive and insightful when telling her stories.

I have so many good things to say about this book, yet something holds me back from giving it a perfect rating. It just didn't have that WOW factor to it, you know? When reading Shiver I didn't want to put it down, but with this book there were some parts that seemed to drag on a bit. Maybe I just had too high expectations going into it, but it wasn't as good as her other books.

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes. Even though it was not as good as Shiver, I would still recommend it. It's got a little of everything- romance, adventure, fantasy- so it appeals to a wide audience.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd

Book Review: LORD OF THE FLIES (2nd)

Author: William Golding
Number of Pages: 182
Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: 1954

"William Golding's compelling story about a group of very ordinary small boys marooned on a coral island has become a modern classic. At first it seems as though it is all going to be great fun; but the fun before long becomes furious and life on the island turns into a nightmare of panic and death. As ordinary standards of behaviour collapse, the whole world the boys know collapses with them—the world of cricket and homework and adventure stories—and another world is revealed beneath, primitive and terrible. Lord of the Flies remains as provocative today as when it was first published in 1954, igniting passionate debate with its startling, brutal portrait of human nature. Though critically acclaimed, it was largely ignored upon its initial publication. Yet soon it became a cult favorite among both students and literary critics who compared it to J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye in its influence on modern thought and literature. Labeled a parable, an allegory, a myth, a morality tale, a parody, a political treatise, even a vision of the apocalypse, Lord of the Flies has established itself as a true classic."
                                                                                                - Goodreads.com
This is my second time reading this classic. Last year I read it individually for a book project, and I ended up rating it 3 out of 5 smileys. This year I read it as mandatory reading with my English class. I found that through reading it again I understood it so much better than the first time around. I went back recently and read my review from the first time I read this book and I was happy to discover that the questions I had mentioned in my post I now can answer.

This novel has really grown on me. It's a book that you can read over and over again and each time you do so, you find a few more details that you missed all those times before. It's a little slow in some parts, though, and sometimes I wanted to scream at the characters and say: "YOU IDIOTS! WHY DID YOU DO THAT???" Lord of the Flies is rich in symbolism and lessons that I think everyone should learn. If you want a good read that makes you think, pick up this book!

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys. Now that I understand it better, I have enjoyed the book more.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd