Here's the link to the post: http://renesmeecarliemc.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/mockingjay-suzanne-collins-further-thoughts-w-spoilers/
WE HAVE MOVED TO A NEW LOCATION |
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This is sort of an after thought process for Mockingjay. I know that it's been a really long time since I've read it, but these thoughts still plague me, so I wanted to share them with people who felt the same way. Here's the link to the post: http://renesmeecarliemc.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/mockingjay-suzanne-collins-further-thoughts-w-spoilers/ xoxo,
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Reviewed by: Rosella
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Chick Lit. Rating: 5/5 Being America’s favorite heiress is a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it. Lexington Larrabee has never to work a day in her life. After all, she’s the heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Larrabee Media empire. And heiresses are not supposed to work. But then again, they’re not supposed to crash brand new Mercedes convertibles into convenience stores on Sunset Blvd either. Which is why, on Lexi’s eighteen birthday, her ever-absent, tycoon father decides to take a more proactive approach to her wayward life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast-food restaurant employee, it’s dealing with Luke, the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her. What I really loved about this book was that you could really connect to Lexi. In other stories, when the protagonist acts like a brat, it's extremely annoying. But with this book, I was so connected to Lexi that I was sad when she was, happy she was, mad when she was, and etc. Jessica Brody's writing was fabulous and provided a clear image of the story at all times, without being too descriptive (which I usually find annoying.) I was completely into this book,and Lexi's world, that I didn't even notice the time fly by. I finished this in one sitting because I couldn't bring myself to put it down. Even though I knew that Lexi deserved the punishment she received, I found myself also try to come up with ways for her to get out of it. I was so sucked into this book that I wasn't me anymore--I was Lexi. I shared her feelings, and felt that everything negative that happened to her was unfair--even though my subconscious knew that it was completely fair. You should definitely give this book a try if you need an escape from reality. Likes: Lexi, and everyone else. Dislikes: Didn't really have any. Reviewed by: Rosella
Genre: Dystopian Rating: 4.5/5 When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse enclosed by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them, open. Every night they are closed tight. And that every 30 days a new boy is delivered in the lift. Thomas was expected. Only the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets that are buried within his mind. Words cannot describe how much I love this book. From the moment I flipped to the first page, I was intrigued. This book sucked me in, and devoured my attention. I would have finished the book in one sitting, but it was four in the morning (I read this during the summer), and I was forced into bed by my parents. A few vloggers/booktubers that I watch recommended this book for fans of The Hunger Games. But before any assumptions are made, this book is only a bit similar to THG, and is completely its own story. This book has a way of sucking you in, so that you're not aware of your surroundings. page after page, I kept flipping. The characters were wonderful and I loved their interactions and banter. Thomas annoyed me a bit in the beginning, but I quickly got over it, and am now very fond of him. I was immediately focused on the Glade and was working possible solutions to the Maze, along with the characters. I grew to be very fond of the Gladers (the characters who live in the Glade), and admired them for their perseverance, and their system of order. If I were a Glader, I'd probably cry for a week before, doing anything of use. I think (well I hope) that I would eventually become a valuable person in the Glade, and would be useful. Anyway, the Gladers are definitely to be respected. P.S. The twist in the epilogue...I saw that coming. Haha, I feel so smart right now! Likes: The Gladers. Dislikes: SPOILER ALERT *WICKED* Reviewed by: Rosella Genre: Chick lit. Rating: 3/5 Skye Hamilton Is stepping up her game as Shira sheds Alpha Academy girls faster than skin from a will-pumiced foot. There's just one thing standing in her way: island bad boy Taz Brazille. Can Skye keep a dancer's poise, or will Taz throw her off the music once and for all? Allie A. Abbott Finally knows who she really is, and nothing is going to bring her down. Not even AJ, who just can't let go of the past. But she can Bring. It. On. Allie's come too far to be sent home without a fight. Charlie Deery After bouncing like a dashboard hula doll between Allie and Darwin, Charlie finally has her BFF and Brazille beau by her side. But as the competition on Alpha Island reaches its boiling point, will her drive to win make her lose what matters most? Eccentric billionaire Shira Brazille founded the super-exclusive Alpha Academy to nurture the next generation of exceptional dancers, writers, musicians, and inventors. It's a dream come true for one hundred lucky girls, but those not measuring up will be sent home at any time, for any reason. The one left standing will win worldwide fame. Who will it be? Before I start my review, I just want to say that I didn't read the third book (the one right before this one.) I thought I did, but apparently I didn't. (Yeah I don't even know...)
So obviously, I was a bit confused in the beginning. It wasn't hard to catch up though, so that was fine. I don't plan on reading the third book because it would feel like I was taking a step backwards. I found this book a bit boring, to be honest. I liked the beginning because it had a very promising start. There was a twist thrown at me, and although it was necessary so that the girls could have some character development, and for the final twist to make sense, it made the book less interesting. My love for Charlie grew in this book. I love her relationship with Darwin because it's genuine and selfless. They're just so cute together, and you can't help but adore Darwin. I also continued to like Skye, even though she annoyed me here and there. I was rooting for her and Taz to be together, from the very beginning. I love how things turned out for her. Although I respect her decision, I cannot believe she encouraged Triple to...[spoiler]. I actually didn't hate or dislike Allie in this book. Granted, I still prefer Charlie and Skye, but I no longer hate her. I'm sort of neutral with her. There are times when I like her, but then she'd say something stupid/annoying and I couldn't truly like her. I absolutely loathed AJ. I wanted her to throw herself off of a cliff, or plane from the second she spoke. The very big twist that Lisi gave us at the end was completely unexpected but it makes so much sense. I admit that an 'Alpha Academy' seemed very lame to me in the beginning but the final twist explained it all, and everything suddenly makes sense. Likes: Charlie, Skye, Darwin, Allie, the Scout Girls. Dislikes: AJ, and Skye's decison regarding her love life. Reviewed by: Aria
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance Rating: 5/5 In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, the shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before--and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. Now I definitely know why this book has been raved about - it was absolutely amazing! The action, adventure, and dystopian world was phenomenal and totally left me astounded. A truly amazing novel that incorporated so many genres and was a novel full of love, life, and survival. I had high expectations for this novel because of the hype surrounding it. From the start, I could not stop flipping the pages because there was something happening at every twist and turn. The story kept me interested throughout - and it was truly amazing! :) The bravery of Katniss to take her sister's place in the games was amazing. Her care and love for her sister was shown and her emotions and feelings toward everything around her was so deep and real. Suzanne Collins did an amazing job showing the feelings and emotions of all of the characters which made them real. All of the characters in the story had a purpose and choices had to be made. Choices had to be made in the novel and survival was key. The story was interesting throughout and never missed a beat. Suzanne Collins managed to make the entire book thrilling and packed with adventure with twists and turns in every chapter. The emotions also made you feel for the characters and really bond with them as if they were real people. Katniss's weakness, strength, love, and emotions all came together and felt so real and true. The ending was shocking and definitely a cliffhanger. I can't wait to read the sequel, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins! Likes: as great as the hype, Katniss, Peeta, Gale, care for each other, Katniss's strength, Katniss' love for Prim, emotions, feelings, characters feeling real and true, love for all the characters, alliances, Rue, the cliffhanger, Haymitch tutoring them, love triangle, Katniss and Peeta's relationship, the back story, good pacing, twists and turns Dislikes: Nothing. :) *Note: This book contains mature themes such as violence, gore, and mild language. Reviewed by: Aria
Genre: Mystery, Thriller Rating: 5/5 Tsubasa thinks that her pretty and popular twin sister, Arisa, has the perfect life. Everyone at school loves Arisa-unlike the hot-tempered Tsubasa, whose nickname is “The Demon Princess.” But when Arisa attempts suicide, Tsubasa learns that her seemingly perfect sister has been keeping some dark secrets. Now Tsubasa is going undercover at school - disguised as Arisa - insearch of the truth. But will Arisa’s secrets shatter Tsubasa’s life, too? THE ACTION HEATS UP! Having collected all of the King’s cell phones, Kudo now rules over his classmates with terror! In a terrible act of vengeance, he enacts his final dastardly plot by setting a house on fire. As the blaze threatens to destroy everything, Kudo’s classmates are all hunting for the identity of the King! Meanwhile, Arisa sleeps on in a coma.... This manga installment did not disappointing! After all of the searching and trying, the King is finally revealed in this installment - and that's not all. There's a super-shocking ending that will not disappoint! I absolutely loved this manga installment in the series because the author revealed something while still keeping the readers on their toes. It was truly an amazing novel and I was flipping the pages until the amazing cliffhanger. Natsumi Ando is truly amazing with the story-line because some secrets are revealed while others are still to be found. It's really amazing and there are so many shocking moments in this book that you don't want to miss. The pace of this novel was amazing. It's great that a novel can have you flipping the pages but still explain exactly what is going on in detail and suspense. It wasn't so slow or too fast, and that was really great. I like that this manga series can incorporate so many things into one novel - perseverance, bonds, relationships, mystery, suspense, and secrets. The emotions and feelings are really real and true for all of the characters in this novel. I can't wait to read the next manga novel to see what happens! Likes: Tsubasa, Arisa, Akira, Shizuka, Shizuka's braveness, Tsubasa's confidence, mix of genres, side characters, revealing information while withholding other information, ending, emotions, feelings, thoughts of Tsubasa were real, changes and growth, cliffhanger, pace, shocking moments Dislikes: Nothing. :) *Note: If you want to start the series, start with Arisa: Volume 1. Reviewed by: Rosella
Genre: Romance, Fantasy Rating: 3/5 As the daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington D.C. politician, Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. And though she dreads the paparazzi who track her every move, she herself is a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a career that allows her to travel to the most exotic parts of the world. But after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, eerie, shadowy images of a strange and beautiful young man begin to appear in Clea’s photos—a man she has never seen in her life. When Clea suddenly encounters this man in person she is stunned—and feels an immediate and powerful connection. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance and discover the centuries-old truth behind their intense bond. Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fate, together they race against time to unravel their past in order to save their future—and their lives. I wasn't sure if I'd like this book, and after reading it, I have very mixed feelings. I don't know how much of it Hilary Duff actually wrote, but the writing was fine. The characters on the other hand...not so much. If I don't like the characters in a story, I most likely won't like the story itself. I personally did not like Clea very much. In the beginning, I was fine with her--she was bland and a bit boring, but tolerable. But after she met Sage, she really started to annoy me. It wasn't even a week since she met him, but she lost her virginity to him in the passenger seat of her best friend, Rayna's van. I don't care if he was her soulmate or not, but she should have had some dignity. I don't think that Clea and Sage had any chemistry. I liked Sage's chemistry with Olivia, Catherine, Delia and etc. a lot better. But in my opinion, Sage himself was pretty boring and had no personality, himself. I didn't like Rayna too much either because she was ridiculous. She considered every new guy she hit it off with, her soulmate. She also gave Clea the horrible advice 'don't think just feel', which was right before Clea lost her virginity in a vehicle. The only character that I liked was Ben because he was normal. I don't like how Clea treated him in the end, because it wasn't Ben's fault that he cared a lot about her. Okay, I admit that what happened in the end was extremely ridiculous but he had no ill intentions and really cared about her. There are so many questions that need to be answered. Why is Clea reincarnated? I understand that she's Sage's 'soulmate' and blah, blah, blah, but why? And why is Ben also [spoiler] reincarnated? How does Sage appear in Clea's photos? The 'why' is answered, but what about the 'how'?! Despite how negative I sound, I did enjoy this book, for it's plot line. I will pick up the sequel, if only because I want my questions answered. Likes: Ben, plot, suspense Dislikes: Must you ask? Reviewed by: Rosella
Genre: Drama, Supernatural Rating: 2.5/5 Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird’s adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this “highly addictive series” (Romantic Times), in which Zoey’s mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn’t have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare position of having three boyfriends. Mix a little bloodlust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster. Just when it seems things couldn’t get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey’s horrid step-father in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely reflects the truth... I don't know why I keep reading more House of Night novels, but I do. In fact, I've already made plans to read the fourth one, even though this one seriously annoyed me. All of the characters (except Stevie Rae and surprisingly, Aphrodite) annoyed me. Zoey was incredibly childish, and naive. I hated how she was 3-timing. At least he rbond with Heath could be explained--it was a consequence for her stupid actions. Her 'love' for Professor Blake was incredibly annoying, stupid, and based solely on hormones. I feel really bad for Erik but he annoyed me in the beginning, as well. All of Zoey's friends annoyed me because they got mad at her for stupid reasons. They overreacted for everything. They should have considered the fact that Zoey probably had legitimate reasons for not telling them everything. With this series, I cannot connect with the characters at all. They all seem two dimensional because there is no character development. They're incredibly predictable. It was almost like a game for me; when the characters were put in a situation, I would guess the result, and I was either right, or almost right. Now, what does that tell you? I'm very frustrated with this series because the storyline is really interesting, but the characters make it fall flat. I can see the potential because it's right there, dangling in my face, but there's no use. Likes: Stevie Rae, Aphrodite (the only characters with any character development). Dislikes: Zoey, the rest of Zoey's friends, Neferet, etc. Reviewed by: Rosella
Genre: Dystopian, Sci-fi Rating: 4/5 Rules Are Different Outside The Society Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky--taken by the Society to his sure death--only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of a rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices every thing to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again. To be very honest, I don't think that Matched deserved the hype that it received. The actual writing was beautiful and poetic but I found the story to be incredibly boring--most of it was just Cassia and Ky bonding. It was really sweet, but nothing swoon worthy, so I wasn't very interested. It may also be, because I'm more of a Xander fan than a Ky one. With this book, I have the unpopular opinion--I found it more interesting than Matched. In Crossed there was the sense of danger from the Society, that lacked in Matched. This book captured my attention and kept it. Each time something shocking happened, I had my mouth wide-open for a few seconds before grinning ridiculously and squealing as everything was slowly put together like puzzle pieces. I had a few problems with the writing tough. In this book, we also get Ky's point of view, but you could never turn to tell his or Cassia's apart. It was easier in the beginning because they weren't in the same place and were with different people, but when they came together, I had to flip to the beginning of the chapter to remember whose point of view it was. I also did not believe the way Cassia caught up to Ky. It seemed very set-up. I also, di dnot like the ending very much. After everything Cassie and Ky went through...[spoiler]. Oh well, I see why Aly Condie wrote it that way; she was making more room for Xander. I wonder if the next book will include Xander's point of view, and if it will still have Ky's. Likes: Everyone. Dislikes: The way it ended. Reviewed by: Rosella
Genre: Realistic Fiction Rating: 4/5 Poets. Geniuses. Revolutionaries. The members of the legendary band Lemonade Mouth have been called all these things. But until now, nobody’s known the inside story of how this powerhouse band came to be–how five high school freshmmen outcasts found each other, found the music, and went on to change both rock and roll and high school as we know it. Wen, Stella, Charlie, Olivia, and Mo take us back to that fateful detention where a dentist’s jingle, a teacher’s coughing fit, and a beat-up ukulele gave birth to Rhode Island’s most influential band. Told in each of their five voices and compiled by Scene Queen, freshman Naomi Fishmeier, this anthology is Lemonade Mouth’s definitive history. I always tell people to read a book before they watch the movie adaptation. For Lemonade Mouth, I broke that rule, and I really wish I hadn't. For me, the transition between my understanding of the movie to the book was a tad bit difficult. In the book, the characters were a lot quirkier and not 'as' normal as they'd seemed in the movie. I quickly got over that though, because the quirks in the characters made them more relatable and entertaining. I was highly amusted by the mishaps that some of the characters got into. The movie had changed other factors as well. The instruments that the characters were different. In the book, Charlie played the bongos instead of an ordinary drum set, Wen played the trumpet instead of the keyboard, Mo played the violin instead of the bass guitar (in the movie she played both), and Stella played the ukulele instead of the electric guitar. I'm sure that if I read the book first, I would have been fascinated by the strange combination, but because I'd watched the movie first, I kept picturing the more common instruments instead. I find the book Charlie to be much more intriguing than the movie. His character had a lot more layers in the book. He and Stella were my favourite characters while I loved everyone equally in the movie. I think that Mark Hughes did a wonderful job making the voices of the main characters unique and distinguishable. Each character had their own voice; their own thinking process, and reactions. The extra point-of-views were more bland and meshed together, but they weren't important, so whatever. I really enjoyed this book. I'm a bit frustrated because I would have liked it a lot more if I hadn't watched the movie first, but oh well. Likes: Lemonade Mouth (the band), Mel Dislikes: Stella's family. |