Saving June Review

Author: Hannah Harrington
Release Date: November 22, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Most appropriate for ages: 14+
How I got it: Received for review through Netgalley 

When her older sister commits suicide and her divorcing parents decide to divide the ashes, Harper Scott takes her sister's urn to the one place June always wanted to go: California. On the road with her best friend, plus an intriguing guy with a mysterious connection to June, Harper discovers truths about her sister, herself and life.

I knew that I would love this book when there was a debate on the existence of modern day punk rock in the first eighty pages or so. I was soooo right. Saving June is a completely fantastic book. I devoured it in less than twenty four hours and I loved every single second of it.

...There may be a gush-fest ahead. You've been warned.

Harper Scott (the main character) is a lot like me, and also a lot not like me. We're both sarcastic, have trouble expressing and sometimes even feeling emotions, and like indie rock, but Harper is a lot stronger and tougher than me. She was such a wonderfully realistic character and I loved her.

Every character was realistic and great, actually. I was really impressed that Harper and Laney were so close and always had each other's backs. You don't see enough of that in YA these days. It's all, "Oh you stole my boyfriend," and crap like that but not in Saving June!< And I'm not even gonna try and write about Jake or I'd probably just fangirl for a few paragraphs. You're welcome. Basically, Saving June had everything I ever wanted in a book: a story of grief, a romance, lots and lots of music, a sexy guy, political activism, an amazing road trip, fantastic humor, lots of tears...everything, guys. I referred to it as my Soul Book because of it, and I stand by that.

I have several highlighted quotes on my e-reader of funny jokes, profound thoughts, or just things that resonated with me. As you can tell, I completely loved this book. So. Much. I need my own copy to go on my Favorites shelf because I already want to re-read it. It got to me in all the right ways, and I feel like I can't properly describe exactly how it did that...hence the crappy review you read.

Plot: Brilliant and unique.

Characters: Fantastic.

Writing: Amazing.

Ending: Per-fect-ion.

Kid Friendly? There was sex, drugs, drinking, and swearing.

Overall:

Please Ignore Vera Dietz Review

Author: A.S. King
Release Date: October 12, 2010
Pages: 336 (HC)
Publisher: Knopf
Most Appropriate For Ages: 14+
Where I Got It: Gifted

Vera's spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she's kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything.

So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to?

Edgy and gripping, Please Ignore Vera Dietz is an unforgettable novel: smart, funny, dramatic, and always surprising.

Everyone who's read this book has loved it, so I finally decided to give it a go.

And wow. I wasn't disappointed. Please Ignore Vera Dietz is unlike anything I've ever read in the best way possible and I don't know how my mere review could do it justice.

King's writing is powerful, gripping, funny, and real, as are her characters. I continuously wanted to smack them or hug them because they just felt so wonderfully real. I seriously could go on and on about how I felt bad for each of them and hated them at times but loved them all the times, but I shan't cause...well, I think you get the idea.

The story unfolds in such a different, grabbing way and I quickly found myself furiously flipping the pages, trying to find out what happened to Charlie and his and Vera's friendship. What I found was often incredibly raw and sad, but there were some parts of their past that were just so sweet and...and... Sigh. Obviously this book totally ripped my heart out and smashed on it and I just have a lot of feelings right now okay.

This novel found it's way into my heart and onto my personal favorites shelf, and now I'm eagerly awaiting my chance to get a hold of more of A.S. King's works.

Plot: Brilliant and unlike anything I've read before.

Characters: So unbelievably real and angering and...wow.

Writing: Amazing.

Kid Friendly? There's language, mentions of sex and pedophilia.

Should I read it? Absolutely.

Overall:

Between Review

Author: Jessica Warman
Release Date: August 2, 2011
Pages: 454 (ARC)
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Most Appropriate for Ages: 14+
Where I Got It: For review from publicist


Elizabeth Valchar --- pretty, popular and rich --- wakes up the morning after her 18th birthday on the yacht where she’d been celebrating with her closest friends. A persistent thumping noise has roused her. When she goes to investigate, she finds her own drowned body is hitting the side of the boat. Liz is dead. She has no memory of what happened to her, and can only observe in horror the fallout of her death.

She’s also soon joined by Alex Berg, a quiet boy from her high school who was killed by a hit-and-run driver. The two keep each other company, floating in and out of memories and trying to piece together the details of what happened to each of them. 

I love books about death. Call me morbid, but it's true. I love to hear author's takes on the afterlife and read tales of redemption even after death. And I've heard this book be compared to If I Stay and Before I Fall, both great books. While I don't think I enjoyed Between quite as much as I did those novels, it holds its own.

I kinda hate reading about a popular girl. Anyone who knows me will tell you that popular girls and I have completely different thought-processes and priorities. Usually when reading through their point of view, I just get disgusted and disconnected. The one book that's been able to pull off a spoiled girl's POV would be--sorry to keep bringing this book up--Before I Fall, but since I haven't been able to find another one I enjoyed. Well that is until Between came along. Warman has created a new kind of afterlife, and I was so glad that Liz left at least a bit of her brattyness at the door. I think having Alex there helped ground her a bit, and it definitely gave me a character to connect to while I was waiting around for Liz to humanize a tad more.

Aside from Liz and Alex though, I didn't connect to any of the characters. Partially because their personalities were so far-fetched, as were some of the plot-lines surrounding them. It reads more like a teen mystery than it did a contemporary book, if you get what I mean.

So, while not without its negatives, Between managed to keep me engaged and decently connected throughout the book. I'll be interested in other books by Warman.

Plot: Kinda predictable, but exciting and well-paced.

Characters: The side characters were kinda bland or unbelievable, but Liz and Alex were good.

Writing: There were some sentences that I had to reread because they were so good. I'll be reading another Warman novel.

Ending: Like I said, predictable.

Kid Friendly? There was drug use, teen drinking and driving, eating disorders, mentions of sex and using sexually explicit photos as blackmail, swearing, and violence.

Should I read it? If this sounds like your type of book, absolutely. 

Overall:

One of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies Review

Author: Sonya Sones
Release Date: October 25, 2005
Pages: 272 (PB)
Publisher: SimonPulse
Most Appropriate For Ages: 12+
Where I Got It: Bought

Fifteen-year-old Ruby Milliken leaves her best friend, her boyfriend, her aunt, and her mother's grave in Boston and reluctantly flies to Los Angeles to live with her father, a famous movie star who divorced her mother before Ruby was born.

One of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies was kind of a predictable, cliched novel that you won't really think about once you've finished it, but you enjoyed it well enough while reading it.

 Sadly I never connected to the story like I need to. I think maybe part of the problem was Ruby. While I sometimes liked her humor, she was blind to things I figured out quickly and occasionally annoying. And all of the side-characters were...well, pretty much non-existent.

OOTHBWTMD was told in verse, so it's a really fast read but--for me--that's about all it was. I know some have liked it a LOT more than me, so it's worth a try if it sounds like your style.

Plot: I feel like I've read it before...

Characters: Ruby irritated me.

Writing: Good. It had a different tone than some verse books I've read.

Ending: Saw it coming.

Kind Friendly? There was mild swearing, and mentions of sex.
Should I read it? You know what, yeah. Though it wasn't my cup of tea, I'm sure lots of others will enjoy it. (Mainly because they have.)

Overall:

The Vision Review

Author: Jen Nadol
Release Date: September 27, 2011
Pages: 220
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Most Appropriate For Ages: 12+
Where I Got It: Through tour site for review
Other Titles In Series: The Mark

Cassie Renfield knows the mark tells her when someone is going to die and that she can intervene and attempt to change fate. But she still doesn't understand the consequences, especially whether saving one life dooms another. With no family left to offer guidance, Cassie goes in search of others like her. But when she meets Demetria, a troubled girl who seems to have the power of the Fates, Cassie finds the truth isn't at all what she expected. And then there's her heady new romance with bad boy Zander. Dating him has much graver repercussions than she could ever have imagined, forcing Cassie to make choices that cut to the essence of who she is and what she believes.

Jen Nadol offers readers a romance with big stakes and an ethical dilemma with no easy answers in this riveting sequel to The Mark. Paranormal fans who love the psychological thrill of Lisa McMann's bestselling Wake trilogy will flock to these books.

In my opinion, The Vision was one of those sequels that was almost unnecessary. It just seemed to be The Mark all over again, with one--unsatisfying--answer. The pacing was a bit too slow and the plot is a bit too much like The Mark for me to enjoy The Vision a lot.

I hated to have to say all that, because I really liked The Mark...but it was way too true.

The Vision did have it's strong points, like Cassie. While sometimes she was a bit too floppy, I still think she's such a believable character. The side characters were rather flat, though.

Unfortunately The Vision was a big let down for me.Will I be reading the next book in the series? ...Well, I think I'd see what others thought of it before picking it up. I'm more excited to see what else Nadol can do at this point.

Plot: Read it before.

Characters: Cassie was ok, but the rest were blah.

Writing: Good.

Ending: Liked it.

Kind Friendly? There was mild swearing and making out.
Should I read it? If you really enjoyed The Mark, The Vision did answer some questions you had. But as it's own installment it didn't work for me. Hopefully you'll feel differently, though.

Overall:

Chasing Brooklyn Review

Author: Lisa Schroeder
Release Date: January 5, 2010
Pages: 412 (HC)
Publisher: SimonPulse
Most Appropriate For Ages: 12+
Where I Got It: Bought

Restless souls and empty hearts...

Brooklyn can't sleep. Her boyfriend, Lucca, died only a year ago, and now her friend Gabe has just died of an overdose. Every time she closes her eyes, Gabe's ghost is there waiting for her. She has no idea what he wants or why it isn't Lucca visiting her dreams.
Nico can't stop. He's always running, trying to escape the pain of losing his brother, Lucca. But when Lucca's ghost begins leaving messages, telling Nico to help Brooklyn, emotions come crashing to the surface.

As the nightmares escalate and the messages become relentless, Nico reaches out to Brooklyn. But neither of them can admit that they're being haunted. Until they learn to let each other in, not one soul will be able to rest.

That's it. I'm calling it: Lisa Schroeder is officially The Goddess of Verse. Don't get me wrong, Ellen Hopkins is a brilliant verse writer as well, but from what I've read of both authors I just enjoy Lisa's work a tad more. Each of her books have resonated with me in different ways, and Chasing Brooklyn--as I expected--was no different.

It's been one year after Lucca's death, and Brooklyn is still heavily grieving to the point where she's not really living. Enter Lucca's brother, Nico, who's not exactly doing so great either, despite what he tells himself. The two come together (due to some rather creepy paranormal circumstances) and help each other through their tough time. Brooklyn's and Nico's healing had such an organic and beautiful feel to it and I couldn't stop reading about it. It also helps that both characters are very likable.

I would've liked to know more about the side characters, and more about the main character's past (though part of the novel's message was leaving the past in the past, so I get that), but by no means did that want get in the way of me enjoying this amazing book. Geez Schroeder, how much more awesome can you get?!

Book Report:

Plot: Well-paced, and both dark and full of hope. (Which is a weird combo...)

Characters: Really well written!

Writing: Brilliant.

Ending: Perfect.

Kid friendly? Pretty. There's mild swearing and mentions of teen drinking.

Should I read it? Yes!

Overall:

Here Lies Bridget Review

Author: Paige Harbison
Release Date: January 18, 2011
Pages: 219 (e-galley)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Most Appropriate For Ages: 12+
Where I Got It: From netgalley to review
Challenge: Debut Author 2011

Bridget Duke is the uncontested ruler of her school. The meanest girl with the biggest secret insecurities. And when new girl Anna Judge arrives, things start to fall apart for Bridget: friends don't worship as attentively, teachers don't fall for her wide-eyed "who me?" look, expulsion looms ahead and the one boy she's always loved—Liam Ward—can barely even look at her anymore.

When a desperate Bridget drives too fast and crashes her car, she ends up in limbo, facing everyone she's wronged and walking a few uncomfortable miles in their shoes. Now she has only one chance to make a last impression. Though she might end up dead, she has one last shot at redemption and the chance to right the wrongs she's inflicted on the people who mean the most to her.

And Bridget's about to learn that, sometimes, saying you're sorry just isn't enough…. 

 Here Lies Bridget was a short book, and while it's plot had me intrigued enough, I never really connected to it's characters.

The first half of Here Lies Bridget is Mean Girls without the humor, and the second half is A Christmas Carol without the ghosts. It was interesting enough, but for some reason something about it was a bit off to me. I went into the book expecting more of a unique paranormal element than I got, and honestly I think that threw me off.

I never really connected to any of the characters. They were very stereotypical and occasionally a little bland and just unrealistic. I mean, what girl would stay friends with Bridget?

Oh, Bridget. Let us talk of Bridget for a moment.

Bridget was the girl we can't even "love to hate" because we simply refuse to put the word "love" in the same sentence as "Bridget". I just plain hated her. Sure, she's got issues and everything, but everyone does, Bridget. We're just not all byatches about it, K? Yeah, she grows in the end but man I just hated her too much to even care.

The final message that Here Lies Bridget tries to send is an important one and well-received, but it's not one that we haven't heard before. The characters kept me from connecting to this one, in the end. That being said, it was a very fast read, and I'll be on the lookout for more of Harbison's work in the future.

Plot: Kept my attention.

Characters: Eh.

Writing: Promising.

Ending: Very satisfying.

Kid friendly? Pretty. There's some mild swearing and teen drinking.

Overall:

Beautiful Dead: Jonas Review

Author: Eden Maguire

Release Date: March 1, 2010

Pages: 288

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Most Appropriate For Ages: 12+
Where I Got It: From Around The World Tours

Something strange is happening in Ellerton High. Phoenix is the fourth teenager to die within a year. His street fight stabbing follows the deaths of Jonas, Summer and Arizona in equally strange and sudden circumstances. Rumours of ghosts and strange happenings rip through the small community as it comes to terms with shock and loss. Darina, Phoenix's grief-stricken girlfriend, is on the verge. She can't escape her intense heartache, or the impossible apparitions of those that are meant to be dead. And all the while the sound of beating wings echo inside her head...And then one day Phoenix appears to Darina. Ecstatic to be reunited, he tells her about the Beautiful Dead. Souls in limbo, they have been chosen to return to the world to set right a wrong linked to their deaths and bring about justice. Beautiful, superhuman and powerful, they are marked by a 'death mark' -- a small tattoo of angel's wings. Phoenix tells her that the sound of invisible wings beating are the millions of souls in limbo, desperate to return to earth. Darina's mission is clear: she must help Jonas, Summer, Arizona, and impossibly, her beloved Phoenix, right the wrong linked to their deaths to set them free from limbo so that they can finally rest in peace. Will love conquer death? And if it does, can Darina set it free?
------------------------------------------------------
I'm happy to say that Beautiful Dead surpassed my low expectations.

The plot is simple but not too simple. Not to mention original, which is always appreciated by me, especially in a paranormal romance. It had just the right amount of mystery, romance and paranormal happenings to make it rather addicting.

My favorite character was actually the main character, Darina. She was spunky and strong-willed and just a lot of fun. I also really like Phoenix. I actually liked all of the characters. (Well, except the one who I was supposed to hate. I hated him.) Phoenix and Darina's romance was very believable, sweet, and just very well-done.

The writing wasn't poetic or anything close to it, but it was well done and added to the story just the right amount. Eden Maguire is a great new voice in YA.

The ending wrapped things up really nicely and I'll definitely be reading book 2, Arizona. All in all, a very entertaining read that I'd recommend.

Morphues Road: The Light Review

Author: D.J. Machale

Release Date: April 20, 2010 (Today!)

Pages: 344 (ARC)

Publisher: Aladdin

Most Appropriate For Ages: 10+
Where I Got It: From publisher

Marshall Seaver is being haunted.

It begins with mysterious sounds, a fleeting face outside a window--all things that can be explained away. That is, until he comes face-to-face with a character who only exists on the pages of a sketchbook--a character Marshall himself created.

Marshall is quickly convinced these strange incidents have something to do with his best friend, Cooper, who has gone missing. Together with Cooper's beautiful but aloof sister, Sydney, Marshall searches for the truth about his friend while ultimately uncovering a nightmare that is bigger and more frightening than he ever could have imagined.
--------------------------------------------------
The Light can be rather slow at times, but overall was decent.

I personally wasn't scared at all. I guess everything that happened to Marsh was too far-fetched for me to be afraid of. The plot did drag along at some points too. I thought that the book could've been shorter, and that maybe more questions could have been answered earlier in the book. However, the plot was interesting and left me guessing.

I kind of connected with the characters. I did like Marsh and could feel for him, as well as Sydney. But I never really loved them. I did want the two characters to develop feelings for each other, but there was hardly any romance in The Light.

The writing was OK. Marsh's narration was amusing, but other than that I found it to be lacking. For a bestselling author I felt like D.J. Machale could have been more descriptive. He's a good storyteller, though.

So I didn't love The Light, but I didn't dislike it either. It was enjoyable, and I think that fans of teen horror would agree.

And check out the awesome trailer for The Light:

If I Stay Review

Author: Gayle Forman

Release Date: April 9, 2009

Pages: 198 (Hardcover)

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Most Appropriate For Ages: 14+
Where I Got It: Borrowed from a super-awesome friend

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen year- old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck... A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands.
----------------------------------

I can't breathe. If I Stay has left me-quite literally-breathless.

Will I stay or will I go? That's the question Mia, the main character, has to face in If I Stay. I can't go too into it without giving anything away, but I can tell you that the circumstances, the consequences, the final choice, every part of it was heartbreaking, but made for an amazing story overall. There was not a dull moment. There were a lot of flashbacks, too, but each part revealed a new part of the story and each one was interesting.

The characters were so real. I feel like we've all become the best of friends in just a little under 200 pages and at any moment they'll come over and we can talk about music. Mia was tough, yet fragile. She had a great relationship with her family, which I loved. And you could tell why she loved them so much, they were great. And Adam was just...amazing. I loved him so much. I loved all of the characters so much.

The writing was gorgeous. You won't catch me saying that about a lot of things, but it's never been more true than when describing Gayle Forman's writing and storytelling. Every word was almost lyrical and each sentence is moving.

I also loved how much music there was in this novel. It talked about punk, classical, concerts, and the whole music scene. They were so into music and you could feel everyone's love for it. For a music freak like me that made me squeal on the inside with happiness.

The ending wasn't exactly what I'd expected, but I loved it so much. I cannot even begin to think about the choice that I would've made in Mia's position because it would be too painful to even think about. Overall, if you haven't read this yet, I highly suggest that you change that as soon as possible.


Be sure to check back tomorrow to read an interview with Gayle Forman! (And by the way, Gayle Forman has just announced that there will be a sequel to If I Stay! Let us rejoice in song! *Music starts to play, but I then realize that a song/dancing isn't in the budget* If you want more on that then you can go here.)

Before I Fall Review

Author: Lauren Oliver

Release Date: March 2, 2010

Pages: 380 (ARC)

Publisher: HarperTeen

Most Appropriate For Ages: 14+
Where I Got It: For review from Around The World Tours

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.
----------------------------------------------------------

This was a great debut from author Lauren Oliver.

Even though Sam lived through the one day of her life seven times, it never seemed to get repetitive. And there didn't seem to be a dull moment in the book. It really got me thinking about how everything we do also affects someone else, how everything's connected in one way or another.

The characterization in Before I Fall was beautiful. I hated Sam and her friends, I pitied Sam and her friends, and than I hated and pitied them at the same time. I don't think I've ever read a book where the main characters are "popular", so this was a new type of reading experience for me. The main character, Sam/Samantha, grows a lot throughout the book, which was amazing to watch. And Kent, a guy who "stalks" her, had me when the narration state that he wore a bowler hat. He was incredibly sweet, and he made my "Top Book Guys" list.

The writing flowed so nicely, and included every detail of the setting, the character, so vividly you feel like you are there standing next to the characters. Lauren Oliver is a beautiful writer.

The ending was so sad, in a way. Happy, kind of, in another way. This was a really good book that I flew through, and I'd definitely recommend everyone reading it. I cannot wait for Lauren Oliver's next book.

The Mark Review

Author: Jen Nadol

Release Date: January 19, 2010

Pages: 228 (ARC)

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

Most Appropriate For Ages: 14+

Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark—a glow around certain people reminiscent of candlelight. But the one time she mentioned it, it was dismissed as a trick of the light. Until the day she watches a man awash in the mark die. After searching her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.

Armed with a vague understanding of the light, Cassie begins to explore her “gift,” seeking those marked for death and probing the line between decision and destiny. Though she’s careful to hide her secret—even from her new philosophy-obsessed boyfriend—with each impending death comes the temptation to test fate. But so many questions remain. How does the mark work? Why is she the only one who sees it? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

This is one of those "I read it in one day!" type of books. (Even though I obviously didn't, but I would've loved to.)

The plot is simple. It doesn't have any action, but has lots of twists-and-turns about the mark and why Cassie sees it. It was a beautiful, thought-provoking book about choices, philosophy, and destiny. It's original, too, which gets The Mark bonus points in the book of Jessica.

I never felt like Cassie had a ton of personality. She seemed kind of 2-dimensional and I never fully connected with her, but I definitely did not dislike her. Lucas was a cool guy, but I wish the book had included more of Jack, Cassie's maybe-a-little-more-than-a-friend friend, because he seemed like a good character too. And another side character, Petra, was just too cool

The writing was great! I don't think I would've guessed that this was Jen Nadol's debut novel if I hadn't already known. She writes with such detail, and she's just a fantastic storyteller.

I loved the ending. It wrapped everything up perfectly. And, because of that, I'm doubtful that there will be a sequel, but am looking forward to whatever Jen Nadol puts out next. I can already tell that The Mark is a book that will leave me thinking about it for weeks, at least.

This is one of the 7 books that are being offered in my 200 Followers Shin-Dig! Go enter now, because since I've just reached my newest goal of 350 followers, there will now be 5 winners! (I'm thinking about what my next goal will be right now, but I'll let you know when I've decided what my next move will be.)

Oh, and don't forget to stop by tomorrow to check out my interview with the author of The Mark, Jen Nadol.

Death Note Vol. 1 Review

Release Date: October 10, 2005
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Age Group: 16+
Pages: 200 (Paperback)

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and bored out of his mind! But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, and notebook dropped by a rogue shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal... or his life?

------------------------------------------------------------

This book was...intriguing. It wasn't what I expected, really.

The plot immediately jumped out at me and said "READ ME OR DIE." Unfortunately I don't think I would've died without reading it. There wasn't anything wrong with the plot- like I said, it was intriguing, it just didn't hold my attention for as long as I would've liked it to. It a seemed to drag a little for me, but the ending was pretty cool.

Light was annoying. It wasn't necessarily the killing people with the Death Note thing, he just seemed very arrogant and obnoxious. Ryub was...OK, I guess. He never really showed any personality, and barely even talked until the end. He definitely was a needed character, but not a very active character.

The animation was good. No complaints there. And the storyline was pretty good. The dialogue...eh. It was OK, nothing great. Maybe I had problems with it because usually it was Light talking....

Overall, an interesting premise with a good plot and a bad main character. I'm on the fence about reading the rest of the series, but I may read at least the next one or two because I've heard nothing but praise about the series and am curious to see where it will go. I would recommend the first volume of Death Note to any manga fans looking for a new, edgy take on death.

Life As We Knew It Review

Release Date: October 1, 2006
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Age Group: 12+
Pages: 337 (Paperback)

Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.

Told in journal entries, this is the heart-pounding story of Miranda’s struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all--hope--in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world.




-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is, if nothing else, a thought provoking and kind of scary book. It was also very stressful. Sometimes, when we ate I would feel guilty, because Miranda had barely eaten lately.

This is certainly a new type of dystopic sci-fi. Because usually it's all fault for being overly conservative and some people find the subject of those books too preachy, but this book isn't like that. Because, in this case, there was nothing that we could do. Even the Amish would've been screwed. The plot was enough to keep me interested and enthralled throughout the book, even with the slow parts.

for the first half of the book or so, the main character, Miranda, is an unlikable character. She's too whiny and teenagery. But, there is so much character growth from her. So much that it's ridiculous. I love how she rose to the occasion when necessary and it really shows how everyone one can be a hero. So by the end I loved her, and her family.

This book is written in the form of a diary, so Susan Beth Pfeffer's writing doesn't get to overly shine, but it is pretty good. Not very descriptive, but not dumbed down either.

This book is a little slow at times, but quickly picks up and makes a fast read. It's companion book, Dead and Gone, which takes place in NYC (where there's a lot more going on than in Miranda's area) will definitely be something that I'll be picking up. Overall, I really enjoyed it and it will probably be something that sticks with me for a long time.