Thursday, December 29, 2011

Out of My Mind by Sharon M Draper


5/5 stars

"Its like somebody gave me a puzzle, but I don't have the box with the picture on it. So I don't know what the final thing is supposed to look like. I'm not even sure if I have all the pieces."


This book, may be one of the most inspirational pieces of literature I have ever read.

10 year old Melody is a genius, every word she has ever heard she has memorized, every fact she has seen on the History Channel she knows, but everyone thinks Melody is "retarded" because Melody has cerebral palsy and has never spoken a single word in her life. The only emotion she has ever been able to show through her body is what she calls a "tornado", or when she gets excited/frustrated and flails her limbs in an uncontrollable motion and screeches. However, Melody's life takes a turn for the better when she learns information on a new product called the Medi-Talker, which she sees her idol Stephen Hawkings using on a History Channel special, which for the first time in her life, will allow Melody to talk and even tell her parents "I love you".
Soon everyone learns what Melody is capable of and soon becomes renown for her intelligence. Though some people may not believe it at first, like the school bullies Claire and Molly, or Mr.Dillings, Melodys skeptical History teacher, everyone soon learns that Melody is a star!

This book is a real tear-jerker. I cried more then once (5 times I think to be exact, simply because Melody's perseverance and story is so touching and heart warming. This book gives me a new perspective on life and makes me want to learn more about Cerebral Palsy and see if I, myself, could somehow help someone with it.

This is truly a beautiful piece of literature and I applaud Ms. Draper's amazing writing technique. Thank you for this amazing book!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh

This book, again like everything I have read in December, this is a re-try for me. I got this book YEAARRS ago and never really picked it up after I read the first chapter. So it was time for a re-try.

This book is about 14 year old Jack Purdue, who has no friends, and basically no life. His mother died mysteriously 8 years ago and his Dad still cries every night. One day while Jack is reading a book, he crosses the street and gets hit by a car. He wakes up[ in the hospital seeing a nurse and a patient having a weird conversation about a mysterious 9th floor that lurks in the depths of New York City.

Soon after his accident Jack's father sends him to New York City to see a special doctor. When he gets to the doctor, the doctor gives him an unusual inspection, and then sends him on his way.

While waiting for his train home jack decides it would be a good idea to hang around Grand Central Station near the whispering gallery. There he meets Euri, a pale girl his age who asks him is he wants to see a secret. Jack does and Euri takes him through a labyrinth of tunnels to get to track 61 in Grand Central Station, and soon they emerge in...the underworld! That is where the real adventure begins.

This book has a good concept but also has some weird aspects. Such as unnecessary references to Greek Mythology that the book could have done without. Also some characters were just plain weird and undeveloped like Clubber, the only thing we knew throughout the entire book was that he was a bad guy...and that's it. We never learn why...and its like we don't even want to know why. If your going to make a threat in the book through a character you have to give some real evil and give a reason to fear him.

Even though there were some bad things in this book, I did end up enjoying it. And after finishing it I will need to read the second, because the ending had a MAJOR cliff-hanger. Hopefully the next book will solve some unfinished plots in the book.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

The Maze Runner by James Dashner


The Maze Runner by James Dashner

This is a re-try for me. I originally got this book legit the second it came out, I don't know if anyone remembers but all over Facebook they were advertising this book as the new Hunger Games. Well lets just say my expectations were set to high and I ditched this book about 100 pages into it.

Now, two years later I decided to give it a second shot. While the beginning is pretty boring it is also necessary to the plot of the book.

However, once Teresa triggers "the end" the book really starts to get good and fast paced, also the characters become likable (instead of boring and annoying) and you really feel a connection to the story line.

This doesn't get 5 stars only because the beginning was boring, and it doesn't get 3 stars because the ending was amazing, i will definitely be picking up a copy of The Scorch Trials asap.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Castigate My Sins by Elicia Clegg


I got this book for review in the mail and it was my first physical copy of a for review book, so this book is very special to me. And its also really good.
I actually read this about 3 weeks ago when my town had a huge blackout and for some reason forgot to write a review once the internet went back on so sorry Elicia that this is kind of late D:.

So this book focuses around a group of teenagers all with their own "drama" I guess you could call it, but its more problems then drama. Every character is going through something dark and disturbing and the book focuses on how each one handles it.

I could basically state that this book is kind of like any Ellen Hopkins novel, in that it is about teenagers with family problems/any other problem teens my age deal with. But I could also say that it isn't similar to Hopkins in that it takes the next step in Taboo for YA literature, and I really enjoyed that.

The only negative thing I can say about this book is that some of the word choice is iffy, but other then that I really enjoyed this book and am very glad I got it in the mail. :)



Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Imaginary Girls Book Review


Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
Published in June 2011 by Dutton Juvenile
348 Pages

"Most people, in the end, really are in their own"-Nova Ren Suma, Imaginary Girls

Fourteen year old Chloe looks up to her sister, Ruby. Ruby is basically Chloe's mother. She houses her, feeds her, and loves her dearly. And in return, Chloe, as well as everyone in her little town, will do anything Ruby says. So one night, while at a party, when Ruby asks Chloe to swim across the town reservoir, it comes as no surprise that Chloe does it. However, Chloe would never have done so if she knew what was waiting for her in the middle of the dark and freezing water.
Chloe finds one of her classmates, London, in a boat in the middle of the reservoir, and London is bone-chillingly dead.
After that tragic night Chloe moves away to live in Pennsylvania with her Dad for the next two years. But Ruby won't allow that and after two years of being apart, goes to Pennsylvania to fetch Chloe and bring her back home, and because she is Ruby, Chloe does as she is told.
But, Chloe discovers something almost as bone-chilling as finding London dead two years ago. When shed gets back home she soon realizes that London is back, and more importantly London is alive.
Now Chloe must discover London's secret as to why she is alive and why her sister has something to do with it.
This book is an amazing read that leaves the reader hoping for air during the final breathtaking chapters.
My Thoughts
This story, was actually pretty awesome. Trying to figure out the mystery of Olive and why Ruby had such a control over all the people, was just.....amazing. This book was really good but I would only give it 3 out of 5 stars, only because it was a little long for the story line and the afterword from Chloe was a little unnecessary. But get it if you haven't already, its definitely a cool book and an awesome work of art to have on your bookshelf

Monday, September 19, 2011

Zombies vs Unicorns Book Review

Zombies vs Unicorns
by Holly Black and Justine Larabalestier
with stories from Kathleen Duey, Meg Cabot,Garth Nix,Margo Lanagan, Naomi Novik, Diana Peterfruend, Libba Bray, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson, Scott Westerfeld, and Carrie Ayan.
Published by McElderry Books in 2010
415 Pages

"Some of today's finest writers have chosen their side, creating dazzling stories about both creatures."

Zombies vs Unicorns isn't your every day YA read. This book consists of stories about the two creatures, written by some of our favorite modern, young adult authors. Such authors include Meg Cabot, know for her popular teen girl novels, Scott Westerfeld known for the amazing Uglies series, and much more.

Each chapter in this book is a different story about Zombies or Unicorns, alternating chapter by chapter throughout the book. However much can't be said about the premise, because it is all short stories and too much could be given away as spoilers.

My Thoughts
Zombies vs Unicorns was phenomenal. While in the bookstore the only reason why I had picked up the book was simply because of its ridiculous title and beautiful cover (so yeah i totally judged the book by its cover, o well :p). But after reading the premise on the back i realized how awesome this book could be, if done the right way. And let me tell you, the book was made beautifully.
All of the Stories somehow fit naturally together and they all are great stories in their own way. All the stories were different also and each had their own unique presence (so you weren't always reading about a Halloween party gone wrong when zombies attack, or about a mystical unicorn that helps save a princess).
At the end of the book you also have the fun choice of whether to be Team Zombie or Team Unicorn, and I don't want to influence anyone reading this to choose their side, but I am Team Zombie all the way!
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a scary/funny/magical/fantastic book to read. It earns a 5/5 in my book!



Friday, September 16, 2011

Elsewhere Book Review

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
Published in 2005, originally published by Farrar,Straus and Giroux
288 pages
Genre-YA and Fantasy

“No one actually needs another person or another person's love to survive. Love is when we have irrationally convinced ourselves that we do.”

Liz Hall had an overall average life before she died. She had normal friends, a normal family, a normal dog. Liz had a bright future and big dreams, but all that was crushed one day when she was hit by a car on her way to the mall.
That was the last thing Liz remembered before waking up on a mysterious cruise ship with all of her hair shaved off, all her clothes gone and instead was replaced by a white robe, and the only thing to occupy her time was to wonder why the boat had so many elderly people on it.
Liz soon realizes that she has died. Her car accident was a hit and run and she needs to leave behind the ones she loved so dearly.
Now Liz must struggle to cope with her new life in Elsewhere ( a mysterious land where people age backwards until they are infants again, and from there are sent back to Earth) and must realize that her life is not over, but a new one has just begun.
Liz soon becomes interested in a man named Owen Wells, who is the same age as her in Elsewhere, but is really much older then she thinks. Owen and Liz struggle as they try to discover themselves, but can love exist is the eerie world of Elswhere?

My Thoughts
Elsewhere was, and still to this day, if one of the most magical and amazing books I have ever read. Gabrielle Zevin is a true genius and creates a believable afterlife where love can exist and dreams can come true. It gives me hope to think that one day I will see all my loved ones again who had been deceased while I continued my life on Earth and the image she portrays in her characters is truly and utterly amazing.
Liz is also one of the most inspirational characters I have eve read about. Even though she is only fifteen she grows (or i guess anti-grows) into such and a beautiful and amazing person, even after she had lost everything.
This book is an amazing read and I would give it a 5/5 on any scale in my book. Go pick this up if you haven't already!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Hello

Hi, my name is Phil and I am pbookbuddy :D. pbookbuddy is pretty much your awesome average day YA and other genre book reviewer. My whole life revolves around books. If I'm not reading a book, then I'm either online looking for something new to read, or I am at my local bookstore picking up some new reads. My favorite genres woulod have to be YA (young adult), murder mysteries, fantasy and fiction. My goal in life is to one day be a best-selling published author and to work on sets for theater and movie productions. I really hope you guys enjoy my blog and I can't wait to get going with my reviews! Keep on Reading!~pbookbuddy