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.