Uglies

by Scott Westerfeld
published: Simon Pulse, 2005
pages: 425

Tally Youngblood wants to be pretty and when she turns sixteen she will get to do just that.  She'll have the operation and move to paradise, where everyone will be beautiful.  However, her new friend Shay has no interest in becoming pretty. She wants to run away and stay ugly forever.  But Shay doesn't want to do it alone though, she wants Tally to come with her.  Tally has to make a life altering decision, either way there will be major consequences.

This book didn't immediately captivate me like I hoped it would.  I liked the concept of the book and thought it was interesting but the plot didn't seem to take off until the book was well over half way through.  I knew I wanted to finish the book, but I was on the fence about whether or not I wanted to continue on the series.  It wasn't until the last 50 pages or so that I decided I wanted to know what was going to happen in the next couple of books.

This is the kind of book that I would have loved if I had read it in high school.  The characters are compelling and Tally deals with pressure from multiple sides, which most teenagers deal with at some point.  She is relatable and interesting; I found myself routing for her at every opportunity.  Shay on the other-hand is just as compelling, but more impulsive.  She doesn't always think about the consequences of her actions, but is fiercely loyal.

I do like the writing in this story.  Scott Westerfeld has a unique way of getting to the heart of the characters and their conflicts with vibrant dialogue and descriptions of the dystopian world in which they live.  I'll be interested in reading more of Westerfeld's work.

Stars: 3/5

Praise:

"With a beginning and ending that pack hefty punches, this introduction to a dystopic future promises an exciting series."
     --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Highly readable with a convincing plot that incorporates futuristic technologies and disturbing commentary on our current public policies.  Fortunately, the cliff-hanger ending promises a sequel."
     --School Library Journal, starred review

"This book, the first in a trilogy, asks engaging questions about the meaning of beauty, individuality, and betrayal.  Highly recommended for SF fans or anyone who likes a good, thoughtful adventure."
    --Kliatt, starred review

A Full House Reading Challenge 2015 Book!
A TBR Pile Challenge 2015 book.
An Alphabet Soup Challenge 2015 book. 

Ready Player One

by Ernest Cline
published: Broadway Books, 2011
pages: 372

When the creator of the worldwide virtual reality gaming system, OASIS, dies, he leaves his fortune hidden in an egg somewhere in his digital world.  People all over the world have been searching ever since.  Wade Wilson stumbles across the first clue that leads him closer to the ultimate prize.  However, time is not on his side; Wade must beat a slue of other competitors including some that are willing to kill.  There's only one way to survive: to win.

This book was a bit of a rollercoaster.  There's so much action packed into the story.  It had me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens next.  I loved all the plot twists and the big reveal; you never know who to trust when everything is online.

There was a bit of a lull in the story about halfway through.  We had some character development, but other than that not much seems to happen.  I found myself skimming the page every once in a while, waiting for the next moment of high action.

The vast amount of 70s and 80s references were incredibly entertaining.  I grew up on that kind of pop culture thanks to my dad, so I knew most of the references on the spot.  It was so much fun to geek out while reading this book.  I thoroughly enjoyed slipping in and out of OASIS with Wade.

OASIS is a virtual reality that I would love to visit.  The world is so intensely huge, there something for everyone.  Each planet is described with such vivid details that it feels like you are right there with all the avatars.  We only got a small peak into the virtual world.  There is some much left unexplored that it's incredibly enticing.  I  would love to explore it, I wouldn't be very good at the MMO (massive multiplayer online) parts of OASIS but it would definitely super cool to experience it.

Ernest Cline creates an amazing world with an intense adventure challenge to complete.  I definitely enjoyed reading this book.


Stars: 3.5/5

Praise:

"As one adventure leads expertly to the next, time simple evaporates."
      --Entertainment Weekly

"An action-packed, highly entertaining, nostalgic thrill ride through the past combined with the danger and excitement of a not-too-distant future."
      --New York Journal of Books

"An adrenaline shot of uncut geekdom... [featuring] the perfect lovable/unlikely hero."
      --Publishers Weekly

A Full House Reading Challenge 2015 book.
A 2015 TBR Pile Challenge book. 
An Alphabet Soup Challenge book.
A 2015 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge book. 

Sisters Red

by Jackson Pearce
published: Little Brown Books, 2012 (originally 2010)
pages: 352

The March sisters are bound together by love, fate, and the Fenris, werewolves of a very malevolent nature.  Scarlett has an obsession with ridding the world of these God-forsaken creatures, making it save for everyone, but especially her sister.  Rosie hunts because she has to, but her interest lies in discovering new things, living life to the fullest.  Neither are tested by their true passions until Scarlett's old hunting partner comes back to town and they all set out to take down the Fenris once and for all.

I haven't read a lot of urban fantasy but I thought this story had a strong anchor in how the fantasy elements met the real world.  I loved the supernatural villains, the Fenris.  They were creepy and slimy, great evil characters.  I loved how they preyed on girls in the book.  I thought that was very interesting and clever.

I had a couple issues with this book, but the one that bothered me the most was the fact that I saw the big plot twist from a mile away.  I called it like 50 or so pages in jokingly, but then I realized shortly after that the story was going in exactly that direction.  I don't pick up on clues like that very easily, so I was a bit disappointed that I figured it out so soon in the story.  It didn't stop me from finishing the book, but I wish there had been a little bit of the plot twist that I didn't know from guessing.

I also wasn't a huge fan of the romance in this book.  I thought it was played very well in the beginning.  Boy notices girl, girl notices boy.  They dance around the idea of them as a couple for a while.  But in the time frame that the book takes place it's only a couple of weeks and it surprised me how fiercely they loved each other.  It seemed slightly out of sync with the rest of the book.  Plus, I thought there was going to be this really awkward love triangle, so I was on the fence about the romance anyway.

I liked Scarlett and Rosie, two very different characters and yet they were very similar somethings.  The story was told from their points of view, so it was cool to see the same situation through their eyes.  They had very different opinions about how life should be lived and the responsibility they have to people around them.

This is the first Jackson Pearce book I've read, but it won't be the last.  I'm interested to see how she has adapted other fairytales in her other books.

Stars: 3/5

Praise:

"This well-written, high-action adventure grabs readers and never lets go...A satisfying read with a fantastic cover."
     --School Library Journal, starred review

"Unfolds with steadily increasing tension and unexpected twists to a shocking climax...may well appeal to Melissa Marr's readers and teens who like their fantasy on the gritty side."
     --Kirkus Review

"[Sisters Red is] a sweet and terrifying story I  couldn't put down.  I would like to apply for the role of March sister number three, please."
     --A. S. Kings, author of The Dust of 100 Dogs

A 2015 TBR Pile Challenge Book.

Code Name Verity

by Elizabeth Wein
published: Hyperion, 2013 (originally 2012)
pages: 339

 When a British spy plane crashes in Nazi occupied France, two women (and best friends) are left to fend for themselves.  Only one has a chance at survival; one has been captured by the Gestapo and has been given the choice: reveal her plan or face execution.  She's been given as much paper as necessary to write down her confession and any pertinent information about the British war front.  With each word she writes, she discovers more about herself and her best friend Maddie.  Will the information she gives be enough to save her from the enemy?

Holy crap this book through me for a loop.   It was so cleverly written and masterfully deceitful I couldn't always tell what was fact and what was fiction.   It is a beautiful tale of friendship, war, tragedy, and sacrifice.  The writing was simply amazing!

I loved that there were two strong well rounded female characters telling the story.  Not often do you get a WWII novel where the main characters are women fighting in the war.  Juliet and Maddie are very different but they complemented each other incredibly well and gave a compelling documentation of what was happening.  They felt incredibly real, like I had just met and become friends with them.  They quite literally jumped off the page.

Usually when there are multiple voices telling the story, they alternate in some fashion, but this book was segmented.  The first half, one girl and the second half, the other.  I'd never read a book organized like this before and I was pleased that it didn't throw me off like I thought it would.  I got used to one voice, but because of the nature of the book, it felt like we already knew the other voice before she became the main storyteller.

Elizabeth Wein has created a novel that rivals that of Markus Zusak's The Book Thief.  Both story of WWII and both compelling and completely engrossing.  Code Name Verity is an excellent read.  I cannot wait to pick up more of Wein's work.

Stars: 4/5 


Praise:

"A carefully researched, precisely written tour de force; unforgettable and wrenching."
     --Kirkus Reviews

"This book is written in a brilliant way.... Elizabeth Wein makes it always be believable and realistic as it is from the point of view of a young woman.... Everyone should read this incredible and heart wrenching story of two girls."
     --The Guardian (UK)

"Between this and her follow-up, Rose Under Fire, Wein is revealing herself to be a new master of young adult historical fiction....Filled with twists and turns, Code Name Verity is not for the faint of heart."
     --Rolling Stone

An Eclectic Reader Challenge 2015 Book. 
A Full House Reading Challenge 2015 Book.
The 2015 TBR Pile Challenge Book
An Alphabet Soup Challenge Book.

Matilda

by Roald Dahl
published: Puffin, 1998 (originally 1988)
pages: 240

It isn't Matilda's fault that she was born into a family that doesn't understand or care for her.  They don't notice that at five and a half years old she can do double digit multiplication and read classics like Moby Dick and Charles Dickens.  They barely notice that she is old enough to go to school.  At school, Matilda and her friends face the terrifying Trunchbull.  Miss Honey is one of the few to acknowledge Matilda's extraordinary gifts.  But what makes her special, also has the tendency to get her in trouble.

This book was incredibly enchanting.  I found myself immersed in Matilda's world, wanting to read the books she read and have class with Miss Honey.

Matilda is everything I wanted to be when I was younger, brilliant and nice with powers.  The only thing about her life that saddens me is that her parents were completely neglectful.  She may be extraordinary but her life is run of the mill.  I love that Matilda just takes things into her own hands when it seems the adults around her either can't or won't.  She is incredibly imaginative and clever for someone not yet six.

I grew up watching and loving the movie and I am delighted to say that this book has given me the same feelings that the movie did.  The only thing I wish is that the book gave more information.  I would have enjoyed learning a bit more about Miss Trunchbull and Miss Honey, and even Matilda's family as odd as that sounds.  There are many cringeworthy Trunchbull moments and great sweet Miss Honey moments.  This book is just so fun.

I've always loved Roald Dahl's imagination and Matilda now sits right up there with The BFG for me.  I'm glad I finally picked up this book and read it!

Stars: 4/5

Praise:

"Funny, witty, fresh...Dahl at his outrageous best!"
     --The Baltimore Sun

"A funny book  with a child's perspective on an adult world.... Children will be waiting in line to read it.
     --School Library Journal, starred review

"A tour de force that kids will undoubtedly love"
     --The New Yorker

"Roald Dahl has done it again.... Matilda will surely go straight to children's hearts.
     --The New York Times Book Review

A 2015 TBR Pile Challenge book.
An Eclectic Reader 2015 Challenge book.
An Alphabet Soup Challenge book.
A Full House Reading Challenge book. 

2015 Book Challenges

The Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge 2015, hosted by The Geeky Zoo Girl.

RULES:
This challenge will run from January 1st to December 31st 2015.  Create a blog post committing to your participation. You will be reading books of this list which is a compilation of books suggested by book bloggers in the community. Choose one of the levels and start reading!

Level:
Bronze - 3 books
Silver - 5 books
Gold - 10 books
Platinum - 25 books
Diamond - 50 books +

My Level: Silver
1. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
2. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
3. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
4. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
5. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
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The Eclectic Reader Challenge 2015 , hosted by Book'd Out.

RULES:
This challenge will run from January 1st to December 31st 2015.  Create a blog post committing to your participation.  You can choose your books as you go or create a list in advanced.  You have to read a book from each of the genres listed below.  You can read your chosen titles in any order, at any pace, just complete the challenge by December 31st 2015.  Each time you read and review a book as part of this challenge, make sure you identify it by adding either a direct statement or the challenge image badge to the post.

The Genres:

1. Retellings: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
2. A book set in a country starting with the letter S:
3. PI Crime:
4. A novel published before you were born: Matilda by Roald Dahl
5. Contemporary romance: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
6. Fiction for foodies: Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson
7. Microhistory:
8. Science Fiction set in space: The 100 by Kass Morgan
9. Sports:
10. Featuring diversity: Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks
11. Epistolary Fiction: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
12. Middle Grade/YA Adventure: Savvy by Ingrid Law

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The Newbery Reading Challenge 2015; hosted by Smiling Shelves.

RULES: This challenge runs from January 1st - December 31st, 2015.  Make a post stating your intention to join the challenge.  Books begun before January 1st do not count.  Rereads, audiobooks and ebooks are acceptable.  Choose a point level.  Reviews are encouraged, but not necessary. There will be a page to link up any reviews.

Each book you read is worth points.  You get:

• 3 points for a Newbery Medal Winner
• 2 points for a Newbery Honor Book
• 1 point for a Caldecott Medal Winner

In addition to that, you pick a level to aim for:

• L'Engle: 15-29 points
• Spinelli: 30-44 points
• Avi: 45-59 points
• Lowry: 60-74 points
• Konigsburg: 75+ points

My level choice is: L'Engle - 15-29 points

1. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg - 3 points
2. Savvy by Ingrid Law - 2 points
3. Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo - 3 points
4. Doll Bones by Holly Black - 2 points

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Full House Reading Challenge 2015; hosted by Book Date. 

RULES: This challenge runs from January 1st to December 31st, 2015.  Create a post committing to your participation.  Read and review books based on topics on the card below.  There will be a link every quarter for you to add your reviews as you go along.  The goal is to complete the full house card, with one free exchange if there is something on a square that you really dislike.

Published in 2014: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins 

You heard about the book online: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Author new to you: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
Library Book: My Faire Lady by Laura Wettersten
Published pre 2000: Matilda by Roald Dahl
Published 2000-2013: How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer
Novella: Fairest by Marissa Meyer
Author outside you own country: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
You love the cover: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
First in a series: Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein
Published 2015: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Book by and author you really like: Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo
Debut novel by author: The 100 by Kass Morgan
Outstanding hero or heroine: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Set in the Southern Hemisphere: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
A Keeper: The Young Elites by Marie Lu
Won or Borrowed: Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks
A Top Book of 2015 for you: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Set in the Northern Hemisphere: Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly
Setting that I now want to visit: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Type of Book I Rarely Read: Room by Emma Donoghue
2nd book or more in a series: Winter by Marissa Meyer
Award Winning: The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo (National Book Finalist)
Free Choice: Walking on Trampolines by Frances Whiting
Been on You TBR Forever: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

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The 2015 TBR Pile Challenge; hosted by The Roof Beam Reader.

RULES: Read 12 books from your "to be read" pile.  Each of these books must have been on your bookshelf for at least a full year.  They must be published before 1/1/2014, anything before that is fair game. Create a list of book with two alternatives just in case one or two of your original picks end up in the "can't get through" pile.  Books must be read and reviewed to count as completed.  The 15th of every month there will be a post where you can post your reviews.

1. Matilda by Roald Dahl (1988)
2. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (1962; my edition 1995) NO LONGER OWN 
3. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison (1999) NO LONGER OWN
4. Wuthering Heights by Charlotte Bronte (1847; my edition 2001)
5. War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (1898; my edition 2007)
6. Mr. Toppit by Charles Elton (2009)
7. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (2010)
8. Matched by Ally Condie (2010)
9. Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt (2011)
10. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2011)
11. Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans (2012)
12. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (2013)

Alternates:
1. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (2005)
2. Graceling by Kristin Cashore (2008)
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Alphabet Soup Challenge

There are some letters on my page of book reviews that don't have any books under them and I think it's high time for that to change.  I've decided that I will read a book for every letter of the alphabet this year because that would be fun. (excluding the "the"s in the book titles)   Here's where I will keep track of that adventure.  I'm not going to necessarily read the books in alphabetical order, but hopefully I will get to each book.

# - The 100 by Kass Morgan
A - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
B - Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein
C - Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
D - Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
E - Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
F - Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
G - The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
H - How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer
I - Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
J - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
K -
L - Little Bee by Chris Cleave
M - Matilda by Roald Dahl
N - Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
O - Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman
P - The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Q -
R - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
S - Savvy by Ingrid Law
T - Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly
U - Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
V -
W - War Horse by Michael Morpurgo 
X -
Y - The Young Elites by Marie Lu
Z - Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke

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The Book List Challenge 

I've been reading off a book list since 2007 and last year I read quite a few from the list.  This year I would like to continue to read more books off of it. There are over 450 books, so it shouldn't be a problem. It's the Teenreads Ultimate Reading List if you'd like to take a look.

My goal is 15 books off the list this year.

1. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
3. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
4. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
5. Savvy by Ingrid Law
6. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
7. Little Bee by Chris Cleave
8. The Young Elites by Marie Lu
9. Room by Emma Donoghue