Review ~ Everything, Everything by

Title: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Published: 2015

Summary:
My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. 

Thoughts: 
This book threw my world off and I am not sure if it was in a good way or not. I still am sitting back going did I like this book or not. It was good and if being honest I liked it up until they got back from Hawaii. Then it went weird and I'm not sure how I feel about it. No spoilers I promise but that was a different twist that some part of me knew was coming yet another part of me was like "no way are they going to do that!"
Before that all started I happened to enjoy the whole thought of this book. I liked the idea that the main character had a disease that was rare and then add to it she falls in love a teenage first love of all things and I'm all about that! Then it was going great secret meetings, first kisses, and true love. Then BAM all of the sudden she decides to rebel the perfect daughter rebels all for a boy. I'm still sold trust me this is getting good. Then the rebelling daughter goes to Hawaii okay I'm still sold she decides that she is going to risk her health in order to live. Yep still sold and I'm game. Then poof she gets sick but hey I'm still game. She gets home and then BAM twist and I'm like I'm out I don't care and I don't want to know. I ended up reading through skimming through the rest. 

Review ~ The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury

Title: The Illustrated Man
Author: Ray Bradbury
Pages: 281
Published: 2012

Summary:
The Illustrated Man, a seminal work in Ray Bradbury’s career, whose extraordinary power and imagination remain undimmed by time’s passage, is available from Simon & Schuster for the first time. A peerless American storyteller, Ray Bradbury brings wonders alive. In these eighteen startling visions of humankind’s destiny, unfolding across a canvas of decorated skin, living cities take their vengeance, technology awakens the most primal natural instincts, and dreams are carried aloft in junkyard rockets. Provocative and powerful, The Illustrated Man is a kaleidoscopic blending of magic, imagination, and truth—as exhilarating as interplanetary travel, as maddening as a walk in a million-year rain, and as comforting as simple, familiar rituals on the last night of the world.

Thoughts: 

This is an interesting concept and one that of my first Ray Bradbury books that I stumbled across (thank you Criminal Minds) the whole idea behind tattoos that come to life and tell the a story is fantastic. Then add to that story that this book has at least 12 different stories within a story and SOLD. Each of the stories within this book are unique and interesting. There was one about if the "blacks of the south" had all moved to Mars and now a white man came to visit them what would happen. There was one about the final thoughts of a space crew whose ship is broken apart and they are floating through space and what would be going through your mind. The story that takes place on Venus was amazing and how the rain drove them to madness. Needless to say the sheer number of stories that are wrapped within the one massive story is brilliant and each story made me think, made me want to put myself in that story. I loved each one and few were not as favorite as the others. I wanted to meet the tattoo man and then the ending WOW just pure genius I have to say I didn't see that coming and I love the idea behind the book. It has made me want to read everything that Ray Bradbury has put out. Then I realized this is the same author of Fahrenheit 451 and my mind was blown even further. I am now slowly making my way through his whole book list because this was a genius book and I am in amazement of this storytelling genius. 

2018 August update

Time for an August update

Books Read This Month: 

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan

Audio Books Listened To: 

0

Challenge Updates

Ebook Challenge - 12 books is the challenge currently at 6 

New To Me Author Challenge - 15 authors is the challenge currently at 9 
Alphabet Title Challenge - 26 titles is the challenge currently at 15

Bought This Month

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

1984 by George Orwell

I'll Be Gone In the Dark by Michelle McNamara

The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong

One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher (hardcover for collection)

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

More Than This by Patrick Ness

Kindle Books Bought

The New One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

The Glassblower by Petra Durst-Benning

Whisper Me This by Kerry Ann King

The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra by Vaseem Khan

Mini Habits, Smaller Habits, Bigger Results by Stephen Guise

And finally 

 

Book TV review ~ Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
By: Jay Asher
Published Date: 2017
Page: 320

Summary: You can't stop the future. You can't rewind the past. The only way to learn the secret . . . is to press play.

Clay Jensen returns home from school one day to find a mysterious box with his name on it, outside his front door. Inside he discovers a series of cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate and crush. Only, she committed suicide two weeks earlier. On the first tape, Hannah explains that there are 13 reasons why she did what she did - and Clay is one of them.

If he listens, Clay will find out how he made the list - what he hears will change his life forever

Thoughts of TV Show:
The show is very graphic, very long and very detailed. I feel like I was almost a voyeur and it was very hard at times to watch this show. I have to say in season 1 (and no I haven’t watched season 2) I had to fast forward parts because it was too hard to watch. The show made you uncomfortable to a point that I didn’t want to watch it with others. I think that as a show it had to take a licensure with the material it was given however, I also think that it took some things too far. I liked how the characters were of different races and ethnicities which is fantastic because I am sure in the book they were not. The show was also very different and put me off from reading the book for awhile due to how graphic the show is. The show made the suicide (no spoiler it is in the summary) a huge thing and graphic, bloody, and almost traumatizing.

Thoughts on the book:
The book however, did just the opposite. We didn’t see Clay struggle as much in the book as we did on the show because he had to do it all in one day. Also, he didn’t have to deal with NUMEROUS rapes like he had to in the show. He also didn’t have to deal with the suicide aspect being so graphic or the parents like he did in the show. In the book it was a done deal and he never had to see the repercussions of it until the tapes. I think the show made Clay a stronger fighter and a righter of wrongs while the book made him a person who just accepted his fate and moved on with the chain and got it over with. The book was good and not graphic I felt more comfortable reading the books and felt less of a creep while learning about Hannah and her decision of taking her life. I also felt more of a connection to her and less of a connection to those that led to the decision since the book did not focus on them as much as the show did. The book is good and if you have a younger teen this is the route I would take with them if you want to talk about the sensitive nature of the topics but not show them.

Book-Movie Review ~ THe Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Title: The Lightning Thief
By: Rick Riordan
Published Date: 2006
Page: 375

Summary: Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena - Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

Thoughts on the movie:
It’s been a while since I’ve seen the movie but what I do remember from it was I didn’t like it. I know this because I only watched it once, I watched it and have never watched it again even on TV. I know there was a lot of times during the movie I found myself rolling my eyes and wondering how in the world was this supposed to work? I was annoyed with the set up and it didn’t make sense. I just didn’t feel that this was worth it. The CGI wasn’t very good, and I was annoyed by the actors. Needless to say, I think I had the mindset I had to like Harry Potter or this series not both and if I had to pick I will always pick Harry Potter.

Thoughts on the book:
The book was amazing. I have to say I stayed full 100% engaged and even though I had watched the movie first and knew who what was and what God belonged to whom and so forth I was still pleasantly surprised by the book. I really enjoyed learning about Percy and watching him come through and grow in the book. He really came into his own and matured a lot as a boy who had a lot thrown on his plate. This was an excellent first book and I can see how and why people compare this to Harry Potter series. I am looking forward to the rest of the series simply due to how much he grew in one book. The secondary characters were worth the read as well and were not as annoying as I anticipated either.

Review ~ One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M McManus

Title: One Of Us Is Lying
By: Karen M McManus
Published Date: 2017
Page: 358

Summary: The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.
Pay close attention and you might solve this.
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app.
Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose?
Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them."

Thoughts on the book:
So wow I am not sure where to begin with this book because my goodness this one blew my freaking mind. I was completely shocked by this book. Here I thought it being a young adult novel would mean that while it was good that it would also mean that it would be an easy simple solution with no real plot twist or turns. That was completely wrong and while I won’t spoil this book for you when it says that it is the breakfast club meets the pretty little liars group they are not kidding you. I loved pretty little liars tv show and this was just as twisted and dark. I would have said it was more a gossip girl meets pretty little liars but hey whatever works. This was a fun read and I did enjoy every single moment. It was not a put down and read kind of book which I wish I had known before starting because I had to put it down to sleep. Yet the very next morning I pick it up immediately.  Run don’t walk and go forth pick this book up. The characters are interesting the story has twists and turns and I have to say there is actual growth of most if not all the characters except one.

TBR Review ~ Dark Life by Kat Falls

Title Dark Life

Author: Kat Falls
Pages: 304

Summary:
Dive deep into the vivid underwater world of Dark Life!

The oceans rose, swallowing the lowlands. Earthquakes shattered the continents, toppling entire regions into the rising water. Now, humans live packed into stack cities. The only ones with any space of their own are those who live on the ocean floor: the Dark Life.

Ty has spent his whole life living deep undersea. When outlaws attack his homestead, he finds himself in a fight to save the only home he has ever known. Joined by Gemma, a girl from Topside, Ty ventures into the frontier's rough underworld and discovers some dark secrets to Dark Life. Secrets that threaten to destroy everything.

Thoughts: 

This was a TBR for me it came out in 2011 and I am pretty sure I picked it up that same year. There is something appealing about underwear and living underwater. This book delivers on this and gives more then I could have hoped for. The underwater descriptions alone was worth this book I could almost see what Ty saw and experienced what it would be like to live underwater. It didn't paint it to be an easy life it almost had me convinced that maybe just maybe I wouldn't live underwater. But man the colors and the animals seemed worth it. The houses and how the functioned were amazing and that's not even getting into the storyline which also was pretty cool. I really enjoyed Ty and Gemma and learning there histories and how they learn each other and how to work together. I also really enjoyed the plot which was full of twists but not too many turns if you keep in mind the reading age level for this book grades 6-8 if you are wondering. I have to say that for the age level of the book even as an adult I really had fun with this book and enjoyed every minute of it. So much so I am extremely happy that when I bought this I also bought the second one in the series to continue with Ty and Gemma's storyline. 

Review ~ The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Title: The Alchemist

Author: Paulo Coelho
Pages: 100 (kindle)

Summary:
Combining magic, mysticism, wisdom and wonder into an inspiring tale of self-discovery, The Alchemist has become a modern classic, selling millions of copies around the world and transforming the lives of countless readers across generations.
Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches far different—and far more satisfying—than he ever imagined. Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, of recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, most importantly, to follow our dreams.

Thoughts:
Man this book took me awhile to get through which is saying something for a 100 page book. Usually I would be able to crank this out in an afternoon instead it took a few weeks. The reason is due to how deep this book is. I was actually forced to think through this book and then I had to apply what I was learning to my own life and then add to that I thought about it after putting the book down. So I ended up reading a part, thinking about it, then setting it down dwelling on it for awhile, then finally picking up the book again and repeating the cycle. I haven't had a book do that for me in a long while. I enjoyed learning about my personal dream/destiny/journey through Santiago the shepherd boy. This book really helped me to realize that listening to my heart and my head, being mindful and living in the moment will get me where I am suppose to be a step closer to my personal treasure then I could ever imagine. It talked about the difficulties that he faced along his journey and how he faced those and the further he went on his journey the more wisdom he gained which helped him to deal with those set back even better the next time another set back happened. I really enjoyed this book and I love when a book makes you think and forces you to apply it's teachings to your life without you really knowing that you are learning. That's what makes this book so special. While I was reading it the whole time I was going "Oh my that is deep, oh my I need that, oh remember that, oh gosh that will help me in life" I love books that do that and you are along for the ride.

Review ~ The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Title: The Outsiders

By: S.E. Hinton
Published Date: 1988
Page: 192

Summary: The Outsiders is about two weeks in the life of a 14-year-old boy. The novel tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider. According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.

Thoughts:
This book was suggested to me by a co-worker and I have to say I was completely shocked by it. At first, I was certain this was going to be a quick not shrug off read but, then I started reading and BOOM I just couldn’t stop. This book made me cry, laugh, and then cry again. I was blown away by this book and I was absolutely shocked by this book. Apparently, a lot of people read this in high school and I have to say it would have been an appropriate time to read it. This is for sure a book about finding yourself and being okay with who you are and where you come from. It is a story about coming into your own and learning how to either be okay where you come from or learn how to work yourself out of it. Ponyboy has a hard life and had one coming up in his part of town. The thing I like about this story is it shows no matter what part of town you come from everyone has it hard and man this shows that. I was very happy that this book was suggested to me and I read it in one setting. This book hits you and just keeps on hitting until the end. I really liked it and will suggest it to others!