Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Book review #59

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Rating: Five stars

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans -- except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay -- no matter what the personal cost.

*I know this review is super late and you've read the same thing about a million times, so I'll try to make it short :)*

On the evening of August 24th, I rushed to Walmart to secure my copy of Mockingjay as soon as I could. I set aside the next couple of hours and became absorbed in the many adventures of Katniss and the gang.From then on I was put on a rocky roller coaster full of tears, frustrations, and finally relief. Mockingjay is most definitely a one sitting read so pick a comfortable spot and get ready to expect an action packed journey filled with love, loss, and conflicts along the way.

Although the action in Mockingjay was different than in the other two books, it was just as intense. Poor Katniss doesn’t get a break with nonstop action and battling. Although there isn’t another hunger games, Katniss is still not safe. The capital wants revenge.  Ultimately, you will become forced to choose whether you’re going to join the rebellion or fight with the capital.

You can also expect a lot of previous characters to make an appearance. Collin’s excels at further developing the characters allowing you to make empathize and connect with them. Over the course of the three books, I have had the pleasure of watching the characters grow and develop. I have become so attached to them - they have almost become family. For those of you who are on Team Gale, you are definitely in luck. Readers get a chance to see a lot more of Gale.  Devoted Team Peeta fans may need to reconsider whose side they are on.  As for Katniss, I can now officially call her one of my all time favorite heroines. Without out a doubt she is one daring, courageous character.

After reading the conclusion of the series, I quickly turned back a couple of chapters and relived the ending once again. Mockingjay will dominate your thoughts hours after turning through the last pages. The last couple of pages definitely have some wet spots where my tear drops landed. Mockingjay was a wonderful end to an amazing series. I can honestly say that The Hunger Games series is one of the best out there. If you haven't read them yet, then do yourself a favor and immediately get a copy of The Hunger Games in your possession.

-Most of this content was written for my school newspaper so I hope I didn't give away too many/any spoilers! :)

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Book review #52
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong  (Darkest Power's #1)
Rating: Five stars

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)
After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.

At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behavior. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…

Paranormal romances aren't usually my "thing", but after reading The Summoning I can proudly say I'm a paranormal type of girl. The Summoning really took me by surprise. I guess I could say I was blown away! Action-packed, horror, and suspense was splattered throughout the many pages.

Chloe strives to be normal and to have a regular life. Things are pretty much on the normal side aside from the occasional sounds and voices she hears. One day at school she has an encounter with a ghost causing a huge scene. Chloe was almost as shocked as everyone else. Her aunt decides to "save" Chloe by placing into a group home for kids with special circumstances. The Lyle House seems ordinary enough, but there is a lot more than meets the eye.

The setting combined with the unique characters really puts this novel on top. The Lyle House was really creepy, it even scared me! It sounds and looks so normal-with chores, homework, and strict scheduling. But it's not normal at all. The members all have to take pills to cure their supposed illness and they have to talk to these shrinks that convince them that they have a common illness. The teachers/directors were so secretive. I felt like it was all one big science experiment. And I haven't even started on the members of the group home!

Chloe was a fantastic main character. She started out regular, just like all of us. She even wanted to be a director, so she imagined she was in a movie scene whenever something crazy was happening. (This may distract some people from he main action, but I enjoyed it.) I like how she handled her whole situation, very gracefully in fact. I would have probably done some stuff way more drastic. It's hard to describe the other members of The Lyle House. They each have distinct characteristics and personalities, that really stick with you. Derrick stood out the most of the bunch. He was very mysterious, I really wanted to know his story. What I loved the most about him was that he wasn't the flawless handsome character seen in most paranormal romances, he had full blown acne.

The Summoning was a wonderful start to what looks like an amazing series. I was always kept on the edge and was almost thrown off at all the twists and turns that kept popping up. Even if paranormal novels isn't your usual type of genre, you should definitely give this one a try. I can't wait to see what happens next :)

Borderline by Allan Stratton

Book review #43
Borderline by Allan Stratton
Rating: Four stars (refer to the rating system on the right)

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Life's not easy for Sami Sabiri since his dad stuck him at a private school where he's the only Muslim kid. But it's about to get a lot worse.

When Sami catches his father in a lie, he gets suspicious. . . . He's not the only one. In a whirlwind, the FBI descends on his home, and Sami's family becomes the center of an international terrorist investigation. Now Sami must fight to keep his world from unraveling.

An explosive thriller ripped from today's headlines, borderline is the story of a funny, gutsy Muslim-American teen determined to save his father, his family, and his life.  

Whoa. What an intense read! Being a Muslim girl, I have to say that Borderline was the closest representation of Islam that I've read about. It wasn't perfect, but it was close to it.  It was nice having so much in common with the main character. I haven't read anything about this subject and I'm sure not many have you either.

Sami is forced to attend an all boy academy after having some trouble at his old school. Although he keeps his two buddies with him, everyone else makes fun of him. He sticks out like a sore thumb. Sami is really confused about his identity and who he is. He never had a really close relationship with his dad. Everything is going pretty normal, aside from his dad's sneaky behavior. After the blink of an eye he witnesses his dad being dragged out of the house for being accused of being a terrorist. Sami doesn't know what to believe. The family is flipped upside down.

Sami was such a strong character. I loved seeing things through his eyes. I was so proud of him, he was a great son and friend. I was very glad to see his transformation throughout the book. He went from being lost to being proud of who he was. I mean imagine having a father being watched and accused of being a terrible person by about the whole country. Along with everyone else, I even automatically assumed he was guilty. But there is always more parts to the story. It was crazy to watch how the family was treated. The mother lost her job and Sami was even asked if he wanted to drop out of the academy. Cameras were everywhere and everything was bugged within reach of their house.

There were a couple of complaints that I had. The beginning was kind of slow, but it definitely picked up during the second half when more of the action begin. Boy did I love the action parts, it was very intense. And I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing.

Those little complaints didn't take away from the story at all.  I thought that this was a very important book and it was quite enjoyable. It taught me not to judge anyone and that there is always more to a story. You usually don't get to see what really happens during these situations, but now you can. Mystery, thrill, a life lesson- it's all there. I would definitely recommend this one to anyone (:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Book review #28
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Rating: Five stars (refer to the rating system on the right)

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recollection of his parents, his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is black. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as they could remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, they’ve closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the maze after dark.

The Gladers were expecting Thomas’s arrival. But the next day, a girl springs up—the first girl ever to arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. The Gladers have always been convinced that if they can solve the maze that surrounds the Glade, they might be able to find their way home . . . wherever that may be. But it’s looking more and more as if the maze is unsolvable.

And something about the girl’s arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he just might have some answers—if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets locked within his own mind.

After reading millions of reviews comparing The Maze Runner to The Hunger Games series, I knew I just had to read it. Now that I have read it I"m not really sure how I'm feeling. Out of breath, heart racing, and definitely very emotional is just the beginning. To say this book is amazing is an understatement. Without a dull moment in the book, there were so many things thrown at you, twists here, turns there, you won't really know what to do.

At first, you are just as clueless as Thomas. You can't expect to receive all the answers to your questions.Although you do know the basic information: no one knows anything about who they really are and their past, they all live an "area" called The Glade, a new member arrives every month,  and absolutely nobody knows why they are there. Don't worry though eventually some of those burning questions racing through your mind are answered.

The descriptions of the book were pretty awesome. I don't think I've even read a book so detailed before. The Maze Runner was easily a movie playing inside my head. I felt like I was participant in the maze. By the end of the book, I easily knew my way around The Glade. I will have to warn you though, you will make lots of noises/gasps, as well has facial expressions. I had to watch my older sister Sophia read the book before me and based on her reactions, I knew I would fall in love with it.

Although you don't get to know lots of background information on each of the characters, I still loved them all. Thomas met a couple of boys, who became his family. In fact everyone who lived in The Glade made up one huge-dysfunctional at times- family. Everyone had their own role- the leaders, trainers, cook, and so on. Adding Tessa, a girl, to the mix was just icing on the cake. Not only was she a girl in the sea of boys, she was a very important part to the story.

While some people might not like the new words used in this book- I sure liked them. It was almost like another language was created. Words were used like shanks, baggers, shuck-face, keepers etc. I almost became fluent myself.

Thrilling, action-packed, and just plain brilliant is what The Maze Runner is made up of. It is impossible to put down, and will leave you at the edge of your seat at all times. The ending will definitely leave you thinking for awhile. As for the comparison to The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner was primarily made up of the action parts of The Hunger Games-aka the actual Hunger Games/time in the arena.  I do guarantee that The Hunger Games fans will love it. I'm more than pleased with this book and very anxious for the sequel to come out. What are you waiting for?