This installment was a bit better than the first but still not quite a 5 for me. I feel like it makes it very difficult trying to figure out whose perspective we are in. It would give the book quite the lift if readers were not having to try and figure it out. I do really appreciate that the story being YA, is not too sheltered, otherwise I don't think the action and excitement levels would be quite so high.
I love the premise of this story the most. With the alien invasion and the post-apoc situation. Also this installment raises the bar a bit more, a little more action and adventure. I feel like this group of kids have to go through a lot more, the risks are elevated. The unthinkable now comes into play. I could never imagine having to endure this type of world. But after reading this book/series makes these events seem even more possible, and that can be scary.
I really enjoy most of the characters, even though some are quite young. It makes it a little less realistic having a 6 year old saving the world by turning into Rambo. A child who prefers a gun to a teddy bear. There are a couple older characters as well, which does help keep it balanced but not quite enough to keep the story rational. But then again it is a YA and is to be expected I guess.
Looking forward to the third and final installment with The Last Star. Overall, so far a great story. I would recommend this to anyone who likes Alien stories.
I have wanted to read this series for awhile. I have finally gotten started on it and I have to say I really enjoyed it a lot. I had decided to go ahead and read book 2, The Infinite Sea right after instead of what I had planned on reading. I did not want to forget anything. I found the story to be pretty.
First off, I really enjoy alien stories a lot, so I knew this would be a perfect fit for me, so I found the story to be very engaging and the writing flows very well, which could be why it was hyped up so much. The only thing that I really have to complain about is the fact that the chapters/sections do not title whose perspective we are reading. That was annoying to me, so it took reading a page before I realized who was narrating the story. I believe he fixed that, but not until the end, with book 3. It would be hugely helpful to know who is in charge of telling the story at the time.
I really enjoy the characters as well. Readers do get to see into the lives of the characters pretty well since they take turns telling their own stories. Cassie probably is my favorite character. I like how she stands up for herself and she does not give in easily and that makes a very strong character. I also really like Evan as well. He too is pretty strong but has secrets of his own that he would rather not share, but Cassie figures him out pretty quickly.
I feel comfortable recommending this book to anyone who like Alien stories. This one has a very different feel to it than most other alien stories. So it should be pretty enjoyable for all audiences.
I have a ton of Nicholas Sparks books and had never read any of them. So I made it a challenge for myself to read and finish one before the year was over. So I chose See Me. I have to say, I really was not surprised that I would like it, but it was even better than I first expected. I found the book to flow very well which made the story very engaging. I feel like I was drawn into the story from the very first page all the way to the last.
The plot of the story was initially why I chose this book. Guy character trying to keep himself on the straight and narrow, overcoming obstacles, find new ways to handle his 'anger issues'. I kept expecting something really bad to happen to cause our character Colin to fall off the deep end. It seems he got close a couple of times but managed to keep on the straight and narrow due to other characters in the book. I also thought this was a good look at anger and how detrimental it can be to those involved, even though it is fictional.
I really enjoyed the characters as well. I thought that they were developed very well. Normal everyday people living life as you and I would. I would say that Colin is my favorite character out of all of them. He is a very raw, hard ridden guy, he gives no one any B.S. because he doesn't really care how others view him, well that is until Maria comes along and changes that outlook. Even though they are very different people, with different outlooks, they actually mold each other, they learn trust and to count on one another.
I will definitely pick up another Nicholas Sparks book, actually really looking forward to it. I really enjoyed his writing a lot. He knows how to keep readers glued to the pages.
Wow, what can I say about this book? King has done it again? He outdid himself? YES! A lot of people think that King has lost his touch with his writing, but let me tell you something, this is an amazing read full of mystery, suspense, thriller, and supernatural. Be prepared for a great ride with this one, it is a very engaging and captivating story. Be aware though, that if you have not read The Bill Hodges trilogy, this one will have spoilers in it.
I knew that I would enjoy this one after reading the plot of the story. I could already hear all the questions forming in my head. Who? When? How? A few times I thought I actually pin pointed the story only to realize I had been wrong each and every time. King strings readers along very well with this one. The pacing of the story was incredible. Slow enough to learn everything you needed to know about our setting and it's residents, and fast enough to keep it exciting. I love when I can barely put a book down, and this book was like that.
Our characters were multi layered, very strong, very well developed. So many awesome characters that are so very different from each other. You watch them grow throughout the story and become actual people. Our supposed bad guy in the story, Terry, is a pretty strong character. As you read you think 'There is no way this guy is a killer. It has to be someone else', where at the same time you are telling yourself 'He could be just hiding it all very well and he could actually be the killer.' There is also Ralph, our detective, who really struggles with solving the case. He holds evidence that is very contradictory and causes all kinds of questions including questioning his morals and even himself. Then there is Marcy, the would be killers wife, who you think would be meek and mild, giving in to all the stress, crumbling under the pressure. True she does crumble now and again, but really, she takes no ones crap and she is not afraid to tell anyone her thoughts or what she thinks about the case. There are also plenty more notable and unique characters throughout the story.
Overall, one of my favorite reads of the year! I was sad the story was over when I turned the last page. It has been a little while since I have been this engaged in a mystery and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute spent. King fans are sure to love this one, mystery fans will get a great dose of whodunnit, in a supernatural sort of way!
Wow, all I can say is that this was a great read. So glad that I finally picked it up. Readers will enter a world that is both fascinating and spellbinding. I could not believe how engaging the story was for me since I really don't do well with fantasy most of the time, especially adult fantasy, but since I can usually do ok with YA Fantasy I thought I would give this one a shot, years after all that hype. I am so glad that I did.
The plot of the story is what first got my attention. It has that hunger game feel to it, yet so different from that. I could imagine the center ring where duels are performed, or the arena where they would test their abilities. I also love that our main character, the assassin, is a very strong female character. Also I love the setting of this story, the way the author writes it and describes it makes me believe that these places actually do exist, like I could leave tomorrow and go there for a visit. I also loved the supernatural feel to the story as well.
The characters, are probably the best part of the story, for me anyway. Celaena is such a great character. She has a very strong side, yet she knows when to be soft. She fights for those things she believes in. I wish that she could have played her part to her full potential throughout the story, but I understand why the author wrote it the way she did. I am sure in future books she will be able to be more of the badass that she is. If I were to choose between the Crown Prince, Dorian and the Captain of the Guard, Chaol, then I would definitely pick Chaol. I feel like he is more trustworthy, he saw the seriousness in things that were happening and choices being made. It seemed like a lot of stuff was a big joke to Dorian at times. He fought for a lot of things, but when it came to his father, well Father knows best I guess. Both are great characters, but really, when it comes to someone watching your back, that would Chaol for me.
I look forward to the rest of the series, and how these characters progress through the story. I would recommend this book/series to anyone who has a love for fantasy. Even if you are like me and struggle with it, then this would be a book for you to start with.
I was glad when I finally got ahold of this book, but it was just ok for me. I did end up watching the movie before I read the book and I would have to say watching the movie can pretty much give you the whole gist of the story. There was not much difference between the book and the show.
I thought the premise of this book was good, and even the execution was ok and while the book was somewhat engaging I can see how this would be better suited for the younger crowd. It was quirky, cute and definitely a feel good book. So if that is what readers are looking for this one fits the bill. I am not sure what I was expecting from this book, but I guess I was looking for a little more. Something more to happen with these letters and the characters involved. I feel like it came up short in that aspect.
Even though this book was cute and charming, I will probably not continue with the series. But I could highly recommend this book to someone probably in their early teens, or to readers who are looking for a quick read.
This a (purely fictional) look into the life of a school shooter, Kirby Matheson, a seemingly normal kid who had many friends, loved reading and even loved being in the school band. This story is about the accounts, leading up to the attack, from several different people, peers and teachers alike, who were involved with Kirby at some point. It seemed that many of the students and teachers had very different experiences with him.
I discovered that there seemed to be many sides to Kirby, some that would never lead you to believe that he could ever be killer, other parts you could definitely think 'Oh yea, he is definitely capable of these atrocities.' You just have to read the book and decide for yourself at what point did Kirby break. I was never really all that sure when or what caused the issue. I felt the story was simply incomplete. Sure you get to see what other people saw, or what they thought, but readers never really get to the nitty gritty of Kirby himself. So that was a little disappointing for me. I feel like Kirby's perspective throughout the book would have had a much better spin on the story.
It was pretty cool as to how this book was written though if I understand correctly. Several different authors wrote each of the different perspectives in the book. So that is kind of a neat aspect to the story, But I don't feel like it flowed very well because of that. It was almost like what was being written did not add up to Kirby's character if that makes any sense. He was a killer, but he did not at all act like one for the most part.
