Not Fade Away - Laurence Shames and Peter Barton

This a story about living life, pain, love, faith, and ultimately death. Peter Barton was full of life, energy and passion when he discovers he has cancer. This is his account of his life and how he lived it to the fullest.

I liked the way this book was wrote both as a memoir and a biography, and how it was written by 2 different people. I think it captured the importance of not giving up and living life fully every day. I also like how we were allowed to live Peter's life through reading this book. I liked who he was as a person, businessman, husband and father. I think as readers of this book we are better able to understand cancer, pain, and loss. It was very fluid and easy to read, also pretty emotional as well.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes memoirs or life stories, even though they don't always have a happy ending. Even though the book did not blow me away, it is a great look into courage, love and understanding.

Tides - Betsy Cornwell - 2 stars

I need a quick easy read after struggling with a couple of books prior. So this one seemed to be what I needed with a completely different concept, that being Selkie Folklore. The plot was not like any book I had ever read before which was what drew me to it. But sadly the book was just ok for me and also a bit predictable as well.

In this book we have Noah and his adopted sister Lo, who go to visit there Grandmother in her island cottage since Noah has a marine biology internship there to keep him busy, meanwhile his sister Lo struggles with bulimia and trying to fit in. Noah finds himself trying to, what he thinks, save a local girl from drowning. This begins a whole new life for both Noah and his sister, something they never expected.

I thought the plot line was very different, and exciting, but I felt like it still lacked some depth which made it kind of boring. I would have loved to know more about the island, I had hoped the imagery would have been better than it was. I could not place myself there in the middle of things because I could not imagine the island. Due to the nature of the story I would have thought there would have been a lot more action the there was, so that was disappointing as well. There were parts of the story that I liked and it was a quick fun read.

The characters also lacked depth. Although I did like them for the most part, I would like to have known a bit more about them especially Noah and Lo. There is very little backstory on either of them. I found Mara to be a bit annoying, but I guess that is due to the type of character she is. She was not trusting and she easily jumps to conclusions. The bad guy I could not even class as a bad guy, therefore I could not hate him properly. LOL

I really don't recommend this book to anyone, if you see this review and decide to want to read then let me know what you think of it. Overall it has a good plot line that was pretty exciting to think about, it just needed to be executed better than it was. I feel like the 2 star rating is pretty generous for this book, but because I liked the plot and there were parts I did enjoy, I think it deserves that much.

The Likeness - Tana French - 2.5 stars

This is book 2 to the Dublin Murder Squad series. We are reading this series for our Book-a-thon in our group. I have to say I kind of lost my interest in the series after reading this book. I found it kind of dry and boring. I do not think I even want to continue this series.

In this installment we have Cassie who has been transferred out of the murder squad and she was quite happy with that. She gets called to a scene where the victim looks like her. Frank who is in charge of 'undercover' needs Cassie's help figuring out who this girl is and why she was murdered.

So for the plot, I loved it, it was the reason I picked this book up and bought it. But in my opinion, it was executed poorly. I thought for sure I would like it more than the first book In the Woods. Again, it started out very promising but I thought it ended up being a mess. It was too wordy, I felt like there were many unnecessary parts to this book. It could have easily been 100 pages shorter and maybe then it would have been more enjoyable. I still did not find closure from a mystery in the first book, and the end of this one was no where near what I hoped it would be. It ended too easily but I had it pegged pretty much from the start.

The characters, well I only really cared for Sam. He would definitely be my idea of a great detective IF he showed some authority. I felt like he let Frank and Cassie run the show and pushed him to the sidelines, and it seemed like this was ok with Sam. WHAT?! In my opinion he needs to grow a backbone. Cassie, who I liked in the first book, I really can't stand in this one. I think the Author took her in a wrong direction. She was more for herself and what she wants rather than trying to help solve a murder, she also lacked respect for her superiors, why in this book? I hated that aspect of her character in this one. Frank, well ugh, what can we say, he got big in undercover so he acted holier than thou! His attitude about being the boss and in control was way over the top. Geez and where is Rob? That is who I would have liked to see in this one!

So I am not going to recommend this book to anyone, I am just gonna say read at your risk, see if you like it. If you do great let me know why. I am giving this book a 2.5 star rating for the parts of the book I did like. I feel like that is a generous rating for a long dry read.

Rumble - Ellen Hopkins - 4.5 stars

I chose to read this book as a break between a more difficult read. I was pretty sure it would be very fluid, and also easy to read. This is Ellen Hopkin's newest release and I have to say I was, again, not disappointed in the content.

This is about a boy named Matthew Turner, who through life had never gained that sense of faith. Faith in god, or faith in people, or even faith in love. His brother's suicide was a product of bullying and Matthew wants to blame everyone and can forgive no one, including himself.

This story covers everything from homosexuality to bullying to faith that there is a God who is taking care of us. At first I was pretty frustrated in Matthew for his lack of faith and his ideals of there not even possibly being a God. As our Author says in her Author's note in the book, "I kept coming back to the thought that being a teen should be about asking big questions rather than cutting yourself off from them. Not 'there can't possibly be.' but rather, 'what if there is?' Or even, 'what if it's completely different than anyone assumes?'" To me that says a lot about the Author, her thought process and ideas. That is the reason I love Ellen Hopkins. She does have the ability to make us feel, make us think, and make us understand. She wrote this a way for readers to see Matthew grow, to see him feel, think and understand. She wrote about Christianity and what it has become, and what it should not be, a courtroom full of judges.

Bullies in society today need to read a book like this, or really any book about bullies so they can see how their words effect those they push around, taunt and hurt. If only they were to switch shoes with the people they degrade every day. I don't care how young or old these bullies are, they have definitely not been taught the value of life, understanding or love of a fellow human being. And those parents should also be held accountable for the heartache their children cause others. Others will say 'Well they made a choice to take their own life.' Yes but you, the bully, drove them there.

The characters are always the best part of Hopkin's stories. I like to see them grow and learn and become who they are meant to become. I think her characters are always so beautifully created. They are flawed and have so many issues. I have to say my favorite character in this story is Alexa. I love her love of life, her straightforwardness, her honesty, and her ability to see through the drivel and nonsense. She is probably in my list of top five favorite characters.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves Her books. I think everyone should experience at least one book by this author. I really don't think anyone would be disappointed. I am rating this one a 4.5 stars.

Stolen - Lucy Christopher - 2.5 stars

I read this book for a read-a-thon and I had heard a lot of good things about it, so I was looking forward to getting to it. I have to say I found the book just ok for me, nothing that blew me away and at times I even found it somewhat boring.

In this story we Have Gemma who is abducted from the Bangkok Airport and taken to the Australian Outback. Her Abductor, Ty, had been planning this for years. This is Gemma's account of her experience by way of a letter she had written to her abductor.

I thought the plot of the story was good, and I think that it was well planned, just maybe not executed as well as it could have been. At times I found the story engaging and very fluid, while other times it got rather dry and boring. I think for the most part it flowed well, it just needed a bit more excitement. I liked the way Gemma wrapped up the letter but I think the way the whole thing was resolved fell kind of flat. It was not what I expected at all.

As far as the characters go, I think they could have had a bit more depth to them. I did like the thought process that Gemma went through and that she did not instantly fall for her captor. I was afraid that it was going to be the case. The author kept her pretty leveled head I think. I was happy to see that in her eyes it was not all fun and games, this kept it real. I think the author created Ty well, that she still made us realize that there was issues with him and he was not the good guy. Although some of these reviews talking about how great he is kind of blows me away.

I don't know who I could recommend this book to. I am sure for some people it would be great if you like these kind of stories, and as I have already said I heard from many that they really liked it. I think it was worth the read, it was just nothing that wowed me. I am rating this 2.5 stars.

A Break With Charity - Ann Rinaldi - 2.5 stars

This is book 4 for the read-a-thon challenge I am a part of. I had read another book by Ann Rinaldi so I decided to give this one a try. I don't read many witch stories but this was a great choice for the challenge of reading a book outside of my comfort Zone.

This book covers the Salem Witch trials in the late 1600's that starts with a circle of girls who want to cause trouble for the town of Salem just for sport. One girls discovers the secrets of the circle but struggles to reveal such secrets due to threats made against her family to also be called out as witches.

I thought this book was fairly engaging for a historical fiction. I am not sure how much is true to the actual Salem witch trials, but is was interesting to say the least. I found it to be pretty fast paced, although parts of the story were not very believable to me and that was a somewhat annoying. The ending also was horrible in my opinion, not what I expected to happen, and wished for something very different than what it was. I found it be quite disappointing. I feel there was really no closure at all.

The characters, well I did not like any of them. Our lead Character Susanna was very annoying to me. She had some decisions to make that she chose not to. I found her to be weak minded and weak willed as well. Most of the characters appeared to be weak except for the trouble makers which was the circle of girls who started everything. I mean come on, they are just young girls and they are allowed to walk all over everyone and be feared because they told so many lies? I guess I was looking for a hero and I don't feel like I got that at all with this story.

Overall it was an interesting read, but not sure who to recommend it too because I feel like a lot of people would be disappointed in the story and the cast of characters. I am giving this book a 2.5 star rating. I just think it could have been so much more.

Private - Kate Brian - 3.5 stars

I read this book to fulfill a challenge for a read-a-thon I am participating in. I was not too sure about it since it is a 'boarding school' plotline, but I was pleasantly surprised with the story and loved it.

In this book you have Reed Brennan who finds her scholarship to Easton, a private school, as a means of running away from her normal everyday life, but what she finds here is far more than she bargained for. She struggles figuring out who she can trust and actually count on.

I actually ended up liking this plot line so much more than I thought I would. I have never read a book quite like this as I don't normally think of stories like this interesting, but I found it to be very engaging. It was also very fluid and easy to read. I think it gives a good glimpse into what private schools are all about.

The characters I have to ay that I really don't care for any of them, not even our main character Reed. I find her to be weak and strong both at the same time. I kept thinking she needs to grow a back bone and then I found myself cheering her on. I am not going to get into why I felt that as it would spoil the story. The other characters in the story are confusing because I don't know if they are trustworthy or not. I feel like they are kind of wishy washy if that makes sense. The love interest, Thomas, I feel the same way about and of course there was a bad case of 'instalove' involved, but I can overlook that as I don't see that as a main focus of the story.

I am very interested in continuing this story with the next installment because there was a confusing cliffhanger at the end. I recommend this to anyone who likes stories in a prep/private school setting. I am giving this a 3.5 star rating.

Smoke - Ellen Hopkins

I read this book as part of a read-a-thon. I knew I would be able to get through it quickly because of Hopkins style of writing in verse, but it is so much more than that. I knew I would read it fast because of the fluidity of her writing. So engaging, so emotional, and her books always speak volumes to me.

This book is the sequel to Burned. In this installment Pattyn is on the run and is searching for a guilt free life while her sister Jackie searches for acceptance and understanding. Both girls need help understanding what has happened in their lives and how to deal with that, and wondering if they will ever be able to love someone again.

Once again Hopkins brings us an unforgettable plot with unforgettable characters. She never fails to reach out to her readers through realistic, emotional stories that will touch everyone who reads them. This book is no different. I was completely consumed by this story because it touches on so many real life issues, abuse, rape, violence, and how teens and adults alike have to deal with the consequences of all of these issues. Her story telling brings to light the problems in society today and makes those of us who read them to think and to better understand the issues.

Favorite passage from Smoke, by Ellen Hopkins

This was so beautiful I had to post it. This comes from the book Smoke, by Ellen Hopkins. No author touches me like she does.

So why, when his lips brush up over my jaw,
soft and urgent as a hummingbird

wings, do I turn my face toward them,
open my mouth and meet their approach?

Gnawing need upwells inside me, releases
in this amazing kiss, melted butter hot

and rich. There are unspoken words here.
We kiss poems. Stories. We kiss books.

Volumes of things left unsaid, emotions
untapped. We kiss loneliness. Heartbreak.

Rejection, confusion, resentment, rage.
We kiss scribbling hope onto pages left

blank too long, and when they're filled,
we kiss joy. Elation. Longing. A spark

of desire fanning quickly toward flame...
And there we stop. Close the covers...    

The Five people you met in Heaven - Mitch Albom - 4 stars

I read this book as a challenge in a read-a-thon I am a part of. I have only read one other book by Mitch Albom. I like his poetic, heart warming writing style which is sure to give you the feels at some point while reading his stuff.

In this book we have Eddie. Eddie is a maintenance man at an amusement park. While making his rounds at work, Eddie dies and then meets 5 people in heaven, all of whom have a message for him.

I like the plot of this story. I find it engaging, heart warming and emotional. I think the author writes such different stories that are sure to give you the feels at some point in the story. I also like his imagery when talking about this amusement park, it almost takes you there.

The characters are sweet, and I enjoy them, but I don't think they are developed as well as they could be. There is a lot of backstory, but really only for Eddie. I also think this story is more plot driven then character driven, but still a pleasure to read.