A Little of the Book Life

Do not pick up this book if you are looking for a story about the great state of Alaska. That, it is not. And, really, it's not even about the character Alaska. It's definitely a story that will make you think. What is this life? How do we manage to get through it? Is there a way out of the maze? And, something that really struck me, is being present in every moment... are you? Or are you thinking about what's to come, what needs to be done, or what you didn't do or should have done differently?

Miles, aka Pudge, leaves his home in Florida, tired of the life he has been living and in search of the "Great Perhaps". He heads to Culver Creek, his dad's alma mater, and it is there that his life begins to take on new meaning, new adventures. He meets his new roomie, Chip, in a rather revealing situation, who then introduces him to Alaska, the girl who will change his life forever. After the ritual hazing of the new student that was a bit more extreme for Pudge than for students of the past, his new friends vow to make the culprits pay.

And who are these new friends? There's Chip, aka The Colonel, Alaska, & Takumi. Instantly, these are the types of friends anyone would want, and John Green does an amazing job at not only making you realize that, but making it believable at the same time. Sure, they just met, but they are already willing to go to bat for this kid? Yup. And it works. The Colonel is someone who will always have your back and never turn his on you. Alaska is unpredictable, moody, and has a few screws loose, but she's loyal to those closest to her. They have their issues. They screw up. They fight. They make up. They love. Unconditionally. Who *doesn't* want that?

So. Much. Growth. Man, these people grow, change, and evolve in ways many adults in real life never get to do. Example: When we meet Miles, he's a nerdy introvert who spends his time at home, reading. Not that there's anything wrong with that... ;) He's always been smart, as one has to be to get into Culver Creek, but now he's out there, doing things he never in his life imagined he would do.

I can't say much more without getting into the After. We don't want to discuss the After. I was blissfully unaware of anything other than what the synopsis said when I delved into this book. Thankfully, my friends that had read it had never mentioned any of the plot points. I want to make sure I do the same. I feel the less you know going in, the better. For that reason, also, I had to leave out quite a few quotes I enjoyed. Again, blind is good. :)

I have never been disappointed with a Sarah Dessen book, and this one is no exception. :)

I loved watching McLean grow. She starts out not knowing who she is anymore. Which, given that her entire life is in upheaval after a very scandalous, and very public, divorce, makes perfect sense. She's trying to find herself again, which involves reinventing herself at each school she attends when she moves around with her dad.

But this place, with people who don't really give her a chance to create someone, she is forced to be herself, to remember where it is she comes from and what it is she stands for. Not only does she make friends, where she has been avoiding as much personal connection as possible, but she also brings people together who may never have found each other without her.

Sarah Dessen creates a world that I found myself wandering in, sometimes feeling lost with McLean, sometimes feeling loved with her, sometimes feeling broken right along with her. Sometimes you don't really know what you have until it's nearly too late. But, if you're still breathing, it's never too late.

Forewarning: There may be spoilers from the FIRST book in the series. But I can guarantee no spoilers for this book. :)

Color me semi-sad. The color... gray. And that's my reaction to this book. I'm sad because I wanted oh-so-much to like it more than I did. I hadn't heard much about it, and I liked the first one (albeit probably not as much as I had hoped as well). I guess I was hoping this one would leave me waiting and wanting for more. Alas, it did not. Like the time my car was stuck in the snow in my driveway and I kept hitting the gas trying to get out... I kept waiting for the story to propel forward.

We start with Rory after the Ripper incident, the one that nearly killed her. She's healing, physically and emotionally. (Now, I've never been knifed, so to speak, but I have had a cesarean, and they cut you open for that. It seemed to me that Rory was moving normally awfully quick for someone who was sliced open and left to bleed out. That was a minor distraction to me.) She's in therapy but she can't address the real issue. She can't tell anyone about her new sight nor can she talk about what really happened in the bathroom back at Wexford. All of that makes sense.

With her new role as a terminus, however, her being away from the Shades is not conducive to their work. She's the only person that can make the ghosts go away. So her therapist is manipulated into suggested Rory return to Wexford. There's a lot of filler about her return; she's failing most, or all, of her classes (not a shocker). She has an insignificant relationship with a boy. Insignificant in the fact that it does nothing, really, to move the plot along, except maybe help her realize just how not "normal" her life. But did she really need a boyfriend to tell her the fact that she can evaporate ghosts now makes her life not "normal"?

Overall the story didn't pick up for me until maybe the last quarter. That's when things really started happening for me. Most of it was fairly predictable (in the fact that I said, aloud, "Really? You didn't see that coming? C'mon!"). There was a bit of a shocker at the end that I was really impressed with.

I will read the next installment, but I won't be rushing to get my hands on it. I was left with a lukewarm feeling with this one, so who's to say how I'll feel about the next one when it comes around.

It's a darn good thing this is a great story. If it weren't for that, the language would have driven me away. I'm not against cursing by any means. In fact, I tend to use it more often than I should. So my theory with a book is this: If the profanity is enough to distract me, then it's probably a bit gratuitous. I would expect some, given the setting and all the punk rock references, but I did feel some of it was more for shock value than adding to the story.


Although it was a good story. At first it floundered a bit for me, as I tried to grasp onto the characters and get to know them a bit. They sort of just jumped into it. But I think the first person perspective works really well in this case. I was able to dive into their minds a bit, which helped develop them as people for me. I loved the fear of relationships; hell, even as adults we get that. But especially as teenagers, who isn't afraid of letting yourself go and let someone get to know you. The real you. Not the one you present everywhere.

It's funny. Really funny at times. It's insightful and thought provoking. The characters felt real to me, and I loved that. It's not about what is going on so much as it is about their growth. And sure, it may not take place over a year, or even a month; it's a one-night story. But it's a night of change, epiphanies, finding yourself, letting go, and having fun.

Quotes I Loved

"I've given him more mixed signals than a dyslexic Morse code operator."

♪ Norah ♪

"If I'm a horrid bitch from the planet Schizophrenia, it's because boys make me that way."

♪ Norah ♪

"Are you serious?"

♪ Norah ♪

"Not as a rule, but in this case yes."

♪ Nick ♪

"'I Wanna Hold Your Hand.' First single. Fucking brilliant. Perhaps the most fucking brilliant song ever written. Because they nailed it. That's what everyone wants. Not 24-7 hot wet sex. Not a marriage that lasts a hundred years. Not a Porsche or a blow job or a million-dollar crib. No. They want to hold your hand. They have such a feeling that they can't hide."

♪ Dev ♪

"It was about the feeling, you know? She caused it in me, but it wasn't about her. It was about my reaction, what I wanted to feel and then convinced myself that I felt, because I wanted it that bad. That illusion. It was love because I created it as love."

♪ Nick ♪

"[Tikkun Olam] Basically, it says that the world has been broken into pieces. All this chaos, all this discord. And our job - everyone's job - is to try to put thie pieces back to gether. To make things whole again."

♪ Norah ♪

"With what you were talking about before. The world being broken. Maybe it isn't that we're supposed to find the pieces and put them back together. Maybe we're the pieces. ... Maybe, what we're supposed to do is come together. That's how we stop breaking."

♪ Nick ♪

"If I don't shut down my brain soon, my imagination will take off so far about what could be with this guy, that nothing will ever be able to just be."

♪ Norah ♪


In the end, I did give it a higher rating than I might have due to the fact that I really enjoyed the story itself. Could some of the language been removed/replaced? Sure. Did I get past it? Yeah. Would I recommend this to a younger teen? Probably not, unless I knew them or their parents quite well.

I haven't seen the movie, which is strange since I remember wanting to watch it but then I found out it was a book. Now that I've read the book I'll watch the movie. And given that I know Kat Dennings plays Norah, I really think Rachel Cohn wrote that part with her mind. ;)

I *hate* how long this took for me to finish. Seriously. It wasn't the book's fault, but man. I really wanted to know how it all ended, yet I didn't want to know because I really didn't want it to end. Before I was even finished I wanted to go back to the beginning and read it all over. I wanted Alyssa to realize her dreams, wishes, but at the same time I was anxious because as dark, terrifying, and confusing as the world was, I didn't want to leave it yet.

I really liked that it wasn't just a retelling, but that it happens later, down the ancestral line. I think that made it more interesting for me. I don't know if it's because I've never read the original (own, never read. Sad... but true story) or if I would feel that way even if. We shall never know.

The writing. Oh, the writing. Descriptions galore. I loved how Wonderland seemed so beautifully dark. I'm not sure I have ever been so captivated by a place in a book. I definitely want more of that.

I also want more of AG Howard's chemistry. It was palpable, visceral. I sincerely went back and read parts just to feel it all over again. The characters were flawed, real. They had attachments for one another that were 100% believable. I'm not sure what will happen in the future, but as of now, I'm totally down for Jeb and Alyssa. The tension, the chemistry, the unconditional love... I can't wait to see what Howard does with it all.

But nothing is ever black and white. I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate that Howard has me questioning my utter dislike of a certain character. We shall see how the story progresses in Unhinged, but I'm hoping my dislike can continue. :) Speaking of continuing... in order to continue this one must end, right? Of course. And the ending to this one? Superbly done. It was plausible, believable, sad, heartwarming, and made me angry all at the same time.

I would recommend this book to lots of people, whether they are a fan of Carroll's Wonderland or not, and especially if they like dark fantasy.

I haven't read the first in this series, but I wouldn't mind going back and doing so now. Despite not having met any characters yet, I did not feel as if I needed book one to get connected. Lisa Ard does a nice job of reintroducing the characters to a 'new' reader. It didn't seem too heavy, either, that if you had read book one you would be annoyed by it.


That being said, I really enjoyed the characters. The relationship between them felt true to how relationships work in real life, so it was easy to believe. His sister is available and willing to help him, but also reflects the fickleness of sibling love at that age after she helps him. I loved that. I really liked the realistic portrayal of Patrick going through the voice change, too. He was embarassed and felt that his world was crashing down. At that age, any hiccup in life makes you feel that way. Even as adults that happens.


I also enjoyed the historical theme of well-known baseball players, who help Patrick realize that there are worse things in life than his changing voice. I think everyone, from kids to adults, need reminding of that. I didn't feel the story was bogged down at all by any historical facts, which is really good for the age range the book is aimed toward.


The one thing that distracted me from the book were the pictures. I realize that's a small thing and not a reflection on the story itself, but the pictures tended to take me out of the story a little every time. Another thing I struggled with at first is as an adult reading it, I noticed the message of following your dreams and not to sweat the little things in life very quickly and at first felt it was laid on a little thick. By the end I didn't feel that as much, and I imagine a kid reading it would barely notice it. That being said I could definitely see myself reading this with my son when he gets a bit older.

What I loved? The writing. Lauren Oliver has a way of sucking me and making me forget my own life. For that alone I will always be willing to read her stories. This particular one had been sitting on my shelf for nearly a year. It sounded sad. Doesn't it sound sad? And it is. But it's so much more than that.

In the beginning, there's a group of stuck up, b*tchy (yes, I really did just asterik that... lol) girls who are best friends. And they are not very nice people. They are mean to people just for the fact that they are different or just because. Honestly, I was almost done with the first day and I was thinking, Why do I care what happens to Sam? I mean, yeah, dying sucks, but I just don't like her. And then, came this:

"Is what I did really so much worse than what anybody else does? Is it really so much worse than what you do? Think about it."

I thought, Whoa. Wait a minute. Did she really just make me rethink it? Here I was judging her and her actions and not liking her... how did that make me much different from her? So I opened my mind a bit and read on. By the time I got near the end I was so anxious. Was Lauren Oliver going to rip my heart out? She had already broken it numerous times... but would she rip out completely and do a Mexican Hat Dance on it or help it get mended? (I won't say which happened...)

Needless to say Sam grows as a character. It wouldn't be a story if she was a complete and total b*tch the entire time. We have various characters throughout the story, some of which I didn't care for and some I cared for very much. Sam's boyfriend, Rob, is a grade-A tool. I mean, she can only be with him for the 'status' that comes with it, and that right there says so much about her state of mind. She doesn't care enough about herself to be with someone who would treat her like she should be and appreciate her for all she is, or all that she could be. Her best friend, Lindsey, isn't the nicest person either. The more I found out about her the less I liked her... until Lauren Oliver started peeling back the layers. Most of the characters in the forefront of the story had more than the superficial facade we first see at the beginning. I started to see them for more of who they really are or who they want to be than who they portrayed themselves as throughout.

As I said, I wasn't sure how my heart was going to feel when I was done, nor was I sure if I was going to need a full box or a half a box of Kleenex. So. Emotional. Heart-wrenching. Unnecessarily necessarily so. It's not action packed, it's not an on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller. It's character driven. It's about evolving and acceptance and friendship and love. And it should make you think... if I were to die tonight have I lived today as I would want to be remembered? Have I shown love, compassion, happiness, or kindness to others? I realize that's dripping with sappiness, so hopefully it doesn't pour out and make your screen sticky. But really. I can guarantee that I don't act the way I probably should every day. But the next day isn't always guaranteed. Not that we don't know that, but it helps to be reminded of that. I think.

Something seemed to be missing for me. A lack of caring for the characters, maybe? I was a little deterred by her finding the mark and not questioning it, of hearing the prophecy and simply accepting it. Oh hey, there's this prophecy about twin sisters and it's hard to understand. But hey, I must be a part of it. Why else would it be in our house? I don't know. It just seemed a little... forced, maybe. Personally if I had some weird tattoo like thing show up on my arm I am thinking I might freak out a little. What was her background on supernatural type things? There didn't appear to be any to me, so why was she so inclined to just believe and not be like "this type of stuff doesn't exist" or question it in some way. I think that's the part I struggled with the most. There were a few other things that seemed thrown in there, but didn't take me completely out of the story.

That aside, I enjoyed the writing itself, if the plot and character development was lacking. I'm not sure whether or not I'll read the next one when it comes. (I ordered thru the library) But I am curious to know how it ends, just not at all on the scale it should be to be waiting for the next one. Maybe I'll skim them. I just wasn't as entangled in the story as I'd like to be. There was too much going on for me to completely suspend belief and fall into it. :( I'm saddened by this because I like the idea a lot.

I didn't hate it by any means. I just don't seem to have the inclination to care enough to find out what happens next. Some parts of the story intrigued me more than others. It was definitely missing a wow factor for me. I do hope that in the second book Lia becomes a stronger person. For that matter, I'd like all the characters to be a bit more rounded and to care more about what happens to them.

This book is perfect for young kids just beginning to understand or realize all the varying emotions we have. The rhyming text keeps it engaging and the illustrations are so much fun. It's a great discussion book. My three year old and I read it three times last night and had a great time with it. We were able to use the situations in the book to bounce off of and talk about situations in his own life where he had been happy, disappointed, angry, jealous, excited, etc.

This is full of great information and it's not a hard read at all. I definitely took note of things I can apply in my life, both professionally and personally.

What brought it down in rating for me was the conversations between the two fictional characters created to present the information were forced to me. They didn't sound like people actually talking. Other than that, it was a good professional read.

I enjoyed reading Delilah's story. Her frustration flew off the page at me and I wanted to take her mom aside and yell at her for being so blind to it all. For not understanding the deeper issue, the reason for all the changes in Delilah's behavior and life. And when Delilah's Grandmother passes away, her mom sees it as an opportunity.

Delilah is whisked away to work on settling the estate after her grandmother passes away. A grandmother she hasn't seen in 8 years and has no clue why. She knows there was a fight but doesn't have a clue what it was about nor why it caused such a huge rift between her family.

I did feel, however, that some of it was too easy. if that makes any sense. She reunites with her childhood summer friend almost immediately, and just as immediately they have a palpable romantic connection. There wasn't much in the way of "hey I haven't seen you eight years" awkwardness, and there is so much that would have changed from the time she was 8 years old to now (16). It just sort of seemed thrown out there to me.

And her mom. Oh, her lovely mother, who is a work-a-holic and doesn't seem to understand that her daughter misses the carefree there-for-her-all-the-time mom she used to be. After the problems Delilah has had at home, Claire (her mom), all the sudden seems to want a clean slate, without really even talking about the issues, even the on-the-surface issues? That seemed strange to me, but maybe it fits with her work-work-nothing-but-work attitude. (Apparently I'm into dashes today. :) )

Aside from those two issues for me, the story was very well told. Despite some things feeling rushed, it all felt real. The easiness of some things didn't slow the flow for me. The end result, the connections made, rang true for me. I loved some of the twists and turns and the discoveries that Delilah makes about her family and past as the story unfolds. Not only was I reading about her anger but I could feel it, as if she were slamming in me in the face with it. I love that!

The self-discoveries Delilah makes on her journey aren't new, or fresh, to stories. They're not groundbreaking. But they are real. They are things that most, if not all, people learn at some point. The true meaning of friendship, the bond of family, the power of forgiveness, the importance of letting go.

For more, visit my blog, A Little of the Book Life

I went back and forth before settling on 5 stars. The ending felt a bit rushed for me, but the world she created, the fact that I forgot I was reading most of the time, bumped it up to a five star rating for me.

The characters were amazingly done. Realistically so. Not a single one was perfectly perfect and one died trying to be. I hated when she doubted Finny, but I felt it rang true to making the story plausible. Blind faith is one thing, but, especially when you are a teenager, when everyone is telling you something about someone you start feel that there must be some truth behind it. She rallied, though, and stuck to her own beliefs and feelings about him, which nearly made me cheer out loud for them. :)

I love the Gothic feel Brenna adds to her books. She brings the story alive through writing such amazing characters and having the ability to put you there. I think without the heat wave and dead bird epidemic the mood of the book would not have been nearly as bleak or haunting for me.

The ending went a bit faster paced than the rest of the book. But man, did you see that coming? I didn't. Despite being slightly disappointed with the resolution just being flung at me, I am keeping it at five stars. I just felt her writing, the world she created and the rabbit hole (ha!) I was able to go down that kept me forgetting I wasn't actually there made up for that one flaw. :)

Definitely a great book club book, for sure. I'm already looking forward to her next one, although I imagine I have quite a wait. :( At least they're worth the wait!

I have owned this book for quite some time. It was the first book I purchased when I received my Kindle as a present. I finally picked it up and read it. I am SO glad I did. I don't know what took me so long; it's not like I'm not a fan of Maureen Johnson. I have enjoyed everything I've read by her and her twitter feed amuses me regularly. Whatever the case, I'm just glad I finally read it. :)

It took a little bit to get into it. I think, as is usually the case, it was a lack of time I could devote in one sitting to be swept away by the story, the characters. About halfway through, though, I had trouble wanting to put it down when need be. (For some reason, my kids have the worst timing when they wake up... lol).

I felt like Rory was strong in the sense that she left America to attend a school in a country to which she's never been. The times others were trying to make her feel uncomfortable she killed them with kindness, and family stories. I thought this was very well done. I felt the story was a bit slow going in the beginning, building up to the 'action', but it was very well written so it didn't bother me too much. I love a good story, so I don't mind trudging if need be. Also, just like the people in the story, serial killers (especially those who have never been identified) intrigue me. So the concept had me at the start. I was very interested to see what she was going to do with it.

My plan is no spoilers. I can say, however, that the ending... I did not see coming. I saw some things (ha! pun not intended, actually) that I wasn't sure I was supposed to see 'yet', but that... I didn't guess, predict. Made total sense, but still. As soon as it happened, I was like "Oh... that makes perfect sense. It fits." Plus, I was starting to wonder where she would go with a follow up. Now I know. I'm very curious to see what happens with Rory and her friends in The Madness Underneath.

I'm not even sure I read the description, ever, before adding to my to read list. I love Maureen Johnson and John Green, so I added it without thinking. And I'm so glad I did, and that Malissa gifted it to me. :)

So. Much. Fun. Despite the heartache, the drama, the intense snowstorm, it was so much fun to read. The characters felt real. I loved how they came to life for me. Not only in one author's portion of the story, but throughout the entire book. It was seamlessly tied together. It was a light read, as far as books can go, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn't want to put it down.

"I can't really think of an easy way to say this. Um, in your opinion, what would be the ideal number of wheels for Carla to currently possess?... Because to be honest, I think the best possible number of wheels for Carla would be four. And right now there are three wheels physically connected to Carla herself, a nonideal number. Fortunately, the fourth is just a very slight distance away, but unfortunately I am not an expert in wheel attachment."

~John Green, Let It Snow

I add this quote because the sarcasm and wittiness of the character. :) Fits perfectly within the story and the character himself.

I do not know how I finished this book. Not because it wasn't good. Because it was that good.

Honestly, I only started this book because Malissa told me I had to. She did the same thing with The Hunger Games (and by that I mean she bought me a copy so I was forced to read it out of guilt... lol), and I had absolutely no regrets. She has yet to steer me wrong in any other recommendations. Yet. And we can keep saying yet as I have no regrets with reading this one either. It was a slow start, though. I lacked the time to devote to simply reading. But once I was able to dive into it properly, I wanted to devour it. So much so that I had to place something (hand, bookmark) below where I was reading so I wouldn't try to read ahead!

The story begins with a female character narrating and she has been captured and tortured. But her attitude, her snarkiness, her determination and strength, fight, was amazing. She was giving them information in exchange for prolonging her life (no spoilers yet, I promise). The writing, the character (who shall remain nameless to prevent any spoilage) development - superbly done. Beautiful, haunting, heartbreaking... It felt like she was talking to me rather than writing her story for someone else. Then the first part ends. And by ends I mean, just cut off mid-sentence. What the hell just happened? Really? Who does that? And makes it work!? Elizabeth Wein, apparently. ;)


Begin part two. We meet Kittyhawk, another female character (I'm really trying for no spoilers, so I'm stealing a codename... lol). Different from character number one in personality traits, but just as strong. I swear I could feel her panic, her desperateness. Which is just another kudo for Wein. There was one part, I'm nearly crying as I write this, where I almost screamed out loud. Thank goodness for quick reflexes since my kids were napping, but... wow.


How hard this must have been to write. The routes chosen, the strength of friendship, love. Heartbreakingly good... I would recommend this to anyone who breathes... has a soul. Except maybe my children; they're not quite ready for that. ;) Seriously... read it. If you regret it you are dead inside. Okay, maybe not. But I really don't think you'll regret it. If you do, my apologies for steering you down the wrong path of reading happiness.

A-MA-ZING

Initial reaction to reading the last page:

"Whoa." Seriously. I was upset... but not in a bad way. That was it? It's over? No more Blue, no more Gansey, no more Adam, Ronan, or Noah? For nearly an entire year?

I love when an author makes me feel that way. Like my best friends have left me (which happened to me earlier this year, but at least I still get to talk to her daily... granted, I could re-read The Raven Boys, but it won't be quite the same...).

~

Why did I love this? So many reasons, really.

I was sucked into this world, from the very first page. I wanted to be sitting on the stone wall with Blue and Neeve, trying to keep my own hands warm, watching the future dead walk the corpse road.

The characters felt real to me, I felt like I knew them. Moreover, I wanted to know them, to hang out with them. They were human - flawed and imperfect in all their glory. I want to continue knowing them. I felt deeply when things happened to them, good and bad. I was excited for Gansey, shaken for Adam, impressed with Ronan, sad for Noah. I want to say so much more about The Boys, but I am trying really hard to not have spoilers here. :)

I could envision nearly everything, every action, every setting, and it felt as if I was there with them, experiencing the search, the excitement. I could smell the gasoline emanating from The Pig, feel the shudder when it would die. I felt the fear, the intensity, during certain exchanges. There were laugh-out-loud lines (seriously, my dog thought I was nuts sitting in a room, alone, with the tv off, reading, and laughing... so much so she came over to see what was up... she even licked the book... maybe she wanted a taste of the laughter as well) and there were profound lines.

I was sad when it ended. The adventure was over (for now), and reality bites.