Kyle
It was okay. I'd give it a 2.5/5 stars.
1) A cliche romance, which, didn't even make much sense as to why they loved each other
2) I predicted most of the ending very early on
3) How do you fall in love with somebody after you barely know them?
4) Pretty flat characters
5) I didn't mind Jamie, although at times she did seem flat and a little boring
6) Nicholas Spark's writing style really isn't anything special
7) I'll admit, the ending was nice and sweet, and I mean the last three pages
One of the better paranormal romances out there for sure. WOOHOO! FIFTY BOOKS DOWN!
1) Really interesting take on faeries, and an interesting mythology, and I love the whole idea of Avalon
2) Laurel and David got on my nerves sometimes, but in the end I didn't find them
3) Favorite characters had to be Chelsea and Tamani
4) Slow at some parts, but it really picks up at the end
5) Interesting, since I've never seen faeries and trolls in the same YA series until now, so this is definitely more refreshing than fallen angels, immortals, etc.
6) Aprilynne Pike's writing style is very flowing, and she really conveys emotions very well
Definitely cannot wait to see what Spells has in store!
It was amazing! I can't wait to read more of Laurie's books!
1) The emotions conveyed in this book is so powerful and wonderful, mostly because the conversations in volving Melinda are so limited
2) I loved Melinda, David, and Mr. Freeman
3) The character growth of Melinda was perfect, although it is a little bit sudden
4) Some parts of this book were just so funny, all because of Melinda's witty narrative voice!
5) The ending is a little open-ended. I think a sequel could actually be a good idea, or a short book explaining what happens after, like what happens to IT
6) Lauire Halse Anderson has a great writing style, which I hope will follow in her next books that I read by her
Pretty bad, but I'll read on with the series, mostly because I bought the sequel the same day I bought the first one, instead of just getting Fallen and Crescendo (Hush, Hush #2).
1) The only characters I actually liked were Penn (sniffles), Arianne, Gabby, and Cam
2) The scene with the fire and Luce/Todd was an okay scene
3) Love the idea that Lauren Kate has set up (two star-crossed lovers that are being torn apart endlessly)
4) Lauren Kate has a very nice, descriptive style of writing
5) Luce annoyed the heck out of me
6) Daniel was too perfect
7) One of the slowest, boring reads I've read
8) A boring, predictable love triangle
9) Luce could NEVER make up her mind
One of my new favorite books! This was epic!
1) The only thing that kind of bothered me was how I could pin characters on people from Michael Grant's Gone series
2) These zombies were freakin' badass!
3) Charlie Higson's writing style kind of has strange transition between third person perspective amongst characters, but it was still easy to read and flowed nicely
4) Some of my favorite charatcers were Arran, The Kid, Small Sam, Rhiannon, Maxie, Whitney, Blue, and David (sort of)
5) Wow - this cliffhanger was epic! A very bittersweet ending - the second to last chapter was happy, the last chapter depressing and a little frightening!
6) A nice take on a post-apocalyptic/apocalyptic London
3.5/5. It was a really good and intense novel. Although, sometimes the transition between memory and the present, and just between different scenes was unclear, and whenever Precious would write in her journal towards the end of the novel, I found myself lost. Also, the last 40 pages of this book really dragged on for me. It was still good, and I can't wait to read the companion novel, The Kid.
Uhhhh . . . .
Pros:
Kelley Armstrong has a very good writing style that I thought flowed pretty well. It wasn't overly descriptive, but it wasn't plain and simple. I liked Rae and Simon (really I kept reading just for them). Good ending, but I think that they shouldn't have kept the last chapter. The second to last chapter had the perfect cliffhanger. It was nice and original, because I haven't read a book about necromancers before.
Cons:
Chloe was a whiner. Derek was the typical misunderstood badass (although he actually kind of was). Tori was a psycotic bitch. The plot was really slow. The characters had very weird and quick acceptance that they belonged in the supernatural world, especially Rae. Chloe couldn't make up her mind ONE. TIME. First she was all, NOOOOOOO! I AM NOT SEEING GHOSTS, I'M JUST CRAZY! Then, NOOOOOOO! I CAN SEE GHOSTS! Next, EWWWWWWWW! I HATE DEREK. Following this, Hmmmm! Maybe he isn't THAT bad.
Overall, 2.5. I was leaning towards just a 3/5, but it wasn't good enough even for that. I'll still read on though, and I've already started The Awakening.
I personally liked this a lot more than The Devouring (even though I gave it a 4/5). I cannot wait to read FEARSCAPE! :D And for the record, this is the first book I've given a 5 star since the end of May (The Hunger Games being that book).
1) The plot was definitely a step up from The Devouring
2) Reggie's dad is the most . . . UGH!
3) The cliffhanger . . . must I say more?
4) I actually really liked the “new ally” even though I think I wasn't supposed to! XD
5) I loved all of the characters emotions, especially the complicated relatship between Reggie and her dad, plus Reggie and Eben
6) That scene at the end between Reggie and Eben just broke my heart!
7) Although it wasn't as scary as The Devouring (and The Devouring wasn't scary to me, just chilling) I did find that I enjoyed all of the childhood trauma a bit more, because everybody can relate to it much easier (the dark, heights, etc.)
8) I loved learning more of the secret war between humans and the Vours
9) I loved seeing more of the fearscapes!
Overall, this was a pretty good book! I'd been hesitant to read Simone Elkeles, but now I wish I'd read her sooner!
Pros:
1) Amazing plot
2) Simone Elkeles's writing style flows so well, I finished this in less than 24 hours
3) Maggie had wonderful character development
4) Caleb's story definitely made me want to keep reading
5) Leah's secret was definitely a nice twist
6) I liked how it wasn't all happily ever after, like a cliche romance novel
Cons:
1) Kendra was such a bitch/slut
2) Maggie was so weak and annoying in the beginning
3) I didn't find Maggie and Caleb's relationship very believeable
It was pretty good.
Pros:
1) Amazing plot
2) Some pretty epic battle scenes
3) A nice cliffhanger ending
4) Donovan (Carl) and Zee were epic
5) Okay writing style
6) Okay gore
Cons:
1) Alex was a little bit bi-polar all the time (one day he's depressed, the next he's very giddy)and it got annoying after it happened for about the fifth time
2) It was a lot more slow-paced than I'd anticipated
3) None of the villians (the kid ones) seemed realistic
4) Expected . . . more action
Overall, I'm going to give it: 3.5/5 stars. I'm totally goanna read on with the series though because of the ending.
After my 2025 re-read: Still holds up incredibly well. The prose is a little sparse, but it's obviously geared to be accessible to a younger demographic.
Katniss Everdeen will always be the most iconic protagonist of the YA dystopian craze of the late 2000s/early 2010s. The world feels believable and so well-crafted in the violence, hope, and desperation that we experience through Katniss' eyes.
There is so much that I picked up on at a younger age that only grows more horrifying reading at 25 vs. 10. Collins walks a tightrope between an engaging story for a teen audience that still is thought-provoking for an adult audience.
I'm sure we will have a series that will meet the quality put out in The Hunger Games original trilogy, but this still stands in a league with few others in its genre.
It was an amazing conclusion in my opinion. I think it was equal to Crank (and if you already know me off of Goodreads, I didn't enjoy Glass as much), so it is my FOURTH favorite book of all-time! It could've been better with two little changes:
1) Hunter, Summer, and Autmun not being so . . . HATEFUL towards Krisitina!
2) Having SOME more loose ends tied up (WAS Autumn pregnant? Did Bryce accept that?, etc.)
BUT, I understand why #1 was done, but like Leanne, I didn't like it.
Perfection. That's a word that describes Connor's struggle.
Control. Vanessa's out of control emotions.
Lost. Tony's journey that he's struggling to complete.
Suicide. The place all three of these teenagers end up at.
This book is amazing. It's beautiful. It's an excellent opener to a new series by Ellen Hopkins, the greatest author and poet that has ever lived. This story is about three “average” teenagers, who eventually end up ruining their lives because of their past, and end up going to pills, cutting, and to pull the trigger right at their chest. They all survive (and no, that was NOT a spoiler – you learn this in the first few pages) and are sent to Aspen Springs, a psych hospital so they don't end up trying to hurt themselves again. Okay, that's pretty much an overview of this epic novel! It isn't my FAVORITE Ellen Hopkins novel, but it's a close second. I won't say what my favorite is, since my review of it is coming up!
Now, I'll do my usual thing. First, product details, back summary, negatives, and a new thing: MIXED feelings (what I wasn't crazy about), and then positives, plus an update on this month, and news about the companion novel coming out THIS SEPTEMBER!
This book was published in 2007, the publishing company is McElderry Books, it is a young adult realistic fiction romance novel, it has 666 pages, it was written by Ellen Hopkins, and it is the first book in the Impulse series.
Here is the official summary made by the publisher:
Act on your impulse
,Swallow the bottle,
Cut a little deeper,
Put the gun to your chest
Connor is the perfect boy. He's handsome, has amazing grades, and is amazing at sports. His family seems like the poster family for the magazines. He and his sister are supposed to be perfect. His sister has achieved that status in the eyes of Connor's parents. However, when his parents' try to force him to live up to their impossible standards, Connor's only choice is to pull the trigger.
Vanessa grew up in a broken family. Her father is overseas, her Mother does anything to stop the hurt, and on top of it all Vanessa has to worry about watching after her little brother. When her Mother starts going crazy and talking to her “angel”, Vanessa's only confort is to put the blade to her wrist.
Tony grew up in the streets mainly. His Father abandoned him, while his Mother hooks up with anybody. They leave their son all alone to deal with the hardships of life. Tony was sexually abused by one of his Mother's boyfriends. Tony ended up killing the boyfriend. The only person that Tony could trust was Phillip, but when his friend died, Tony's only decision was to swallow the pills.
Three teens, three different stories, one death wish. Their lives will intersect at a psych hospital. Can they help each other deal with the pain of their previous lives? Most importantly, can they help themselves move beyond their personal demons? Or will the IMPULSE take control?
NEGATIVES:
NOTHING! YAY! Epic book = no failure!
MIXED FEELINGS:
Pacing. Yeah, I had a little bit of an issue with the pacing. It was a mixed of slow, and then a little fast-paced, and there wasn't a steady pace of it. In the last 15 pages of the book, the book just wrapped itself up, and it didn't feel like I had enough closure.
Unanswered questions. The ending left me with questions that I didn't like. It was what the future would hold for the characters. It ends pretty much when the climax began, and the fact that there won't be a direct sequel, just a companion novel, also really let me down. Overall, I can get over it though.
POSITIVES:
Characters. Yeah, overall, I liked the characters, some just not as much as others. I think my favorite was Tony, because of how well developed he was, and his entire background story that eventually led him to taking the pills and eventually OD-ing. I also like Phillip, whose past is intertwined with Tony (yeah, Tony's storyline is filled on the best characters!) Connor and Vanessa are pretty good, but Vanessa freaked me out. Whenever she talked about cutting herself, my wrists felt freaky.
Cover. Wow, this cover is sooooo awesome! Especially freaky. I think somehow it suits the story, and even the tagline I found on Ellen Hopkins web site: I Lost my Mind. Definitely one of the best covers I've ever seen!
Plot. Definitely a more original plot than other realistic fiction novels! I haven't ever read a book about suicide, or people's failed attempts at suicide and having to be sent to a psych hospital. Also, I've never read a book where the ending is so . . . sad, yet it has a happy, hopeful ending. Yeah, I know, kinda weird, but that was really the ending.
Character development. Oh my gosh, the development in this book is so amazing! Really, Tony had the most interesting development. He goes from being a sexually abused child to a gay kid, to a kid who falls in love with a girl – yeah, he has some serious psychological development. Connor developed, but he went right back to whom he was but by the end of the book, he was the same kid at like at the beginning. Vanessa . . . her development was really about letting herself be loved, and realize that cutting wasn't the answer.
The love triangle aspect. Yeah, there was a bit of a love triangle, but it was confusing. One moment, it seemed like Connor had won, and then Tony had won, and it was all over the place, and I liked that, because it made it more interesting to see how everything would happen. Of course, the last 15 pages had to wrap everything up though.
The ending/cliffhanger part. Yeah, the ending/cliffhanger (in some ways, literally a cliffhanger) was shocking. It was dramatic, pretty sad, yet happy, and hopeful, but you just get your eyes a little watered. I didn't cry, but I could feel tears. That's the thing about these books – Ellen Hopkins just makes them so realistic and true to life that you just have to feel emotional when finishing a book by her. I can't say too much about the ending/cliffhanger, because I REALLY want you to be shocked!
Writing. Um, I don't think I need to explain why I love the writing of these books anymore. But, if I was to describe it in a nutshell, I would say: emotional, poetic, and beautiful. Ellen Hopkins is a natural master storyteller.
Background Information about the characters. Ellen Hopkins has great back story about Connor, Vanessa, and Tony (although I felt that the most interesting and heartbreaking was Tony's – although Connor and Vanessa had some sad parts too.) The back story is extremely creative, and I'd just love to read more about their pasts!
Well, that's my review on Impulse by Ellen Hopkins! Amazing book, great characters, amazing writing, epic plot, epic cover, and I pretty much loved everything about it! 5/5 stars! OH, WARNING: DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE BELOW FIFTEEN YEARS OF AGE! Yes, ALL of Ellen Hopkins books are for MATURE audiences only. Then again, I'm 11 and I read them so . . . in other words, read at your own risk. Not my favorite Ellen Hopkins book, but a tie for second with Burned.
After 2025 reread: I totally understand where the disappointment typically comes from with this finale, but this will always stand as the strongest book overall in the series for me (I do feel the first is also on par with this, but it's hard to compare the scope of both).
Even after 15 years, this book is genuinely harrowing, with moments of beauty and horror that feel unexpected even after reading the first two books. It so powerfully captures the horror and devastation of war, grief, PTSD, the fragility of revolutions, while imbuing such a strong sense of hope and resilience and, above all, love.
The plot twists keep the story engaging and the additional characters in the cast all feel worthwhile, injecting us into a completely new setting in a final book. One of the strongest moments in the book that nearly moved me to tears despite being my third read was the reunion between Katniss and Buttercup in the final chapter. Even a moment as small as that is so packed with pain and guilt it was hard to stomach. Being in Katniss' mind during those final chapters was such a dark space to inhabit, but the repurposing of the Everdeen family plant book as a memorial for all those lost somehow stitched my heart back together before the simple but resonant epilogue.
Another highlight from my overall reread of the trilogy that I hadn't anticipated in the 10 years since I last reread the trilogy was how strong Katniss' father presence lingers in each book, particularly this final installment. It's so many of those small ways Katniss still finds him in her life that add so much humanity and texture to her character and remind us that she is still just a teenage girl who is thrust into situations she has no business being expected to participate in.
I do think the frenetic nature towards the end of the invasion of the Capitol can be overwhelming and at times difficult to follow, with deaths like Castor and even Finnick seeming to happen at random and quickly moved past, which I think is a valid criticism, but I do attribute that ultimately to the first person present POV of Katniss and how she is experiencing the chaos around her. While many have disparaged the pacing over the years compared to the first two installments, I reject this as I feel there is plenty happening throughout the story prior to the final battle, although the plot and setting are noticeably different, which can be jarring depending on your expectations previously set. Katniss' character arc is another common source of frustration, however, this book feels like a pretty natural progression after rereading all of the books back-to-back and tracking this arc from the first book to Mockingjay.
Amazing, amazing book. Will probably always be one of my favorites, no matter how many times it breaks my heart.
I read the first chapter of this one and haven't felt compelled to come back to it in over a week - I may end up coming back to this one, but if I don't then I'll probably just end up unadding it from my shelf. It wasn't bad, but I don't want to push myself into a reading slump trying to force myself to read anything that isn't grabbing my attention
Third time I've read it, and I still love it to pieces. Whether or not it's still my favorite book is a little up in the air right now since I've read so many books in the 2.5+ years since I originally read this, but it's still one of my favorites.
It was fun re-reading this book for the film of Part 2! Anybody seen the trailer? Looks soooooo different from the book, yet so epic! As always, my personal favorite of the series! Many people disagree with my somewhat dislike of Deathly Hallows, but here's my standing of the series:
Goblet of Fire (5/5 Stars)
Order of the Phoenix (5/5 Stars)
Half-Blood Prince (4.5/5 Stars) (TEAM SNAPE!)
Deathly Hallows (4-4.5/5 Stars)
Chamber of Secrets (4.5/5 Stars)
Prisoner of Azkaban (4/5 Stars)
Sorcerer's Stone (4/5 Stars)
Highly reccomend the series if you haven't already read it!
This is my second time reading this trilogy, and I believe I've come to love and appreciate aspects of this book even more the second time around, even if my 5 star ratings were there my first time.
This book picks up immediately where The Knife of Never Letting Go ended. Todd has carried a wounded Viola directly into the hands of the man they were running from - the newly appointed President Prentiss. Begging for him to save her, and that he'll do anything as long as he saves her, Todd is forced to begin working alongside Davy Prentiss in keeping the Spackle under the Mayor's control (I, like Todd & Viola, refuse to call that madman a president). Meanwhile, Viola awakes to a healer named Mistress Coyle, a former general of sorts during the Spackle War almost fifteen years back. When mysterious bombings begin in the city, could she be the woman behind them? What is The Ask? What is The Answer?
This is some of the finest examples of YA sci-fi you will ever come across, I assure you. There is plenty of action, suspense, even a budding romance, themes and messages, despair, cliffhanger after heartbreaking cliffhanger, and fast pacing to hold the reader's interest.
Now, The Ask & The Answer is narrated by both Todd and Viola in 1st person. Normally I bitch and complain about that to no end, however Patrick Ness does this style rather effectively, although not perfectly. The first time I had no trouble discerning who was who in the narration, although this time I had brief moments of when I was reading Todd or Viola. Still, it is far more effective than in most YA.
Todd and Viola are very young for YA protagonists. Todd is thirteen (fourteen in Earth years) and Viola is twelve. Some people have said that they make incredibly dumb choices, but what do you expect? The human brain stops developing at age 25. Viola is only half that age, and Todd is still 11 years away from that. They're decision making in a WAR of all things won't be perfect, and they're bound to make some seriously stupid choices.
However, they're realistic, with real frustrations and longings, moral obligations and questions, and they're friendship is very endearing and sweet.
One of the things I've come to appreciate upon re-reading is Mayor Prentiss as a villian. When I first read it, I compared him to somebody like President Snow from The Hunger Games trilogy, whom I found to be a more well-thought out, clever villian that I never knew if I could trust up until the end. I questioned why Todd could be so easily tricked by this crazy loon, but when I read it again, it makes sense. Prentiss is a very charismatic, deceptive individual, who knows how to give people exactly what they want, and even not give them what they want, yet still keep them happy (my example is Viola over Maddy's character and what Captain Hammer does).
The writing is spectacular, and Todd's misspellings and such very much still work for this book, without being a total distraction.
While there are some plot holes, such as why Todd is so “speshul” and how he is considered to be this morally perfect character no matter what he does, they pale in comparison to how spectacular this book is.
That ending truly did blow my mind, and when I read the last page I had chills. CHILLS, people! I had to restrain myself from running over to my bookshelf and starting the behemoth of Monsters of Men, the finest book in the trilogy.