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Thursday, July 31, 2014

What I'm Excited for in August!

Here are all the movies/books I can't wait for that are coming out in August!

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout
August 5th
 I seriously CANNOT wait for this one.  The last book left off at such a cliffhanger!

Into the Storm
August 8th
Rated PG-13
I actually saw the trailer for this while I was in the theater to see Tammy a few days ago and it looked really good.  It isn't related to a book or anything (to my knowledge) but I thought I'd include it anyway.

 The Giver Movie
August 15th
Rated PG-13
I read this book a while ago and absolutely loved it!  Can't wait to see the movie :)

If I Stay
August 22nd
Rated PG-13
I haven't actually read the book yet but I've heard it's really good so I'm planning on reading the book and then seeing the movie.  I've seen the trailers and it looks really good!

The Revenge of Seven by Pittacus Lore
August 26th
I've read all the preceding books and I can't wait for this one!

365 Days of Wonder by R.J. Palacio
August 26th
I aboslutely loved Wonder and I almost didn't believe it when I saw that R.J. Palacio was writing another book to go with it!


Deliverance by C.J. Redwine
August 26th
Amazon  Goodreads
The first two books in this series were so good and just so different!  I can't wait to read the final installment of this amazing trilogy!


Battle Angel by Scott Speer
August 28th
Amazon  Goodreads  Book Depository
Again, I loved the first two books in this series and it feels like I've been waiting forever for this book!



So that's my list!  What are you waiting for in August?

Book Review: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson


Goodreads Blurb:
"On a cold and snowy night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born, the third child of a wealthy English banker and his wife. Sadly, she dies before she can draw her first breath. On that same cold and snowy night, Ursula Todd is born, lets out a lusty wail, and embarks upon a life that will be, to say the least, unusual. For as she grows, she also dies, repeatedly, in any number of ways. Clearly history (and Kate Atkinson) have plans for her: In Ursula rests nothing less than the fate of civilization.

Wildly inventive, darkly comic, startlingly poignant — this is Kate Atkinson at her absolute best, playing with time and history, telling a story that is breathtaking for both its audacity and its endless satisfactions."

Review:
I read this book as part of a challenge in one of my GR groups because I needed to read a book that started with L.  Can I just say how glad I am that I picked this book?  Not because it was amazingly good, but because I never would have picked it up if not for that challenge.

It was a good book that brought up a lot of excellent questions about the paradox of the space-time continuum but it was quite confusing in the beginning.   I actually didn't get the concept until about page 150.  Don't get me wrong, it was an amazing story before that point but I just didn't get the overall picture/point until that page.  Once I hit that point, I was totally immersed for the rest of the book.  I especially loved the tie-up in the last 30ish pages.  It was a really nice ending without actually ending the book (read it and you'll get it).

Another thing about this book: there was absolutely no fluff.  This is literature (or at least my version of it) so YA lovers beware.  It's deep and complicated and not an easy read but if you have the patience, you'll love it.

This book introduced a very interesting concept however I think the author could have made more of an effort to make the plot clearer in the beginning to provide a better hook.  It was completely mind-bending.  Sometimes too much so.

The Final Verdict:
A very good book with an interesting concept if you can stick it out.  It does get a bit confusing and mind-bending at first (well... really all throughout...) but overall, a well written book.
3 stars!

Quotes:
“Ursula craved solitude but she hated loneliness, a conundrum that she couldn’t even begin to solve.”  


“I feel as if I’m waiting for something dreadful to happen, and then I realize it already has.”  

“He was born a politician.
No, Ursula thought, he was born a baby, like everyone else. And this is what he has chosen to become.” 

“It was a long time ago now. And it was yesterday.” 

“You must never believe everything they say about a person. Generally speaking, most of it will be lies, half-truths at best.”

“What if we had a chance to do it again and again, until we finally did get it right? Wouldn't that be wonderful?”

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Mockingjay Part 1, The Maze Runner, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Movie Trailers + Updates

I have exciting news!  Three new movie teaser trailers have been released people!!  They are...

Mockingjay Part 1, The Maze Runner, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies!

I can't wait to see all of these so it's been an exciting day :)  Thank you to my wonderful friend Ginny on GR for PMing me the links!  So without further ado, here they are.  I won't give you my opinion on them so you all can have your own opinions :)


I also have an update on my reviews to be posted list.  So far, I have reviews for Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, Shared Skies by Josephine O'Brien, Dare You To and Crash Into You by Kate McGarry, the whole Eragon series by Christopher Paolini, The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken, Pandora's Box by Kayla Jo, The Immortal Rules and the Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa, The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith, and When Angels Fail by Michael Benavidez.  I know, I know I'm so behind...  Don't worry though - I have most of them written :)  Here are all the covers:




Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Book Review: Killer Frost by Jennifer Estep


Goodreads Blurb:
"I’ve battled the Reapers of Chaos before–and survived. But this time I have a Bad, Bad Feeling it’s going to be a fight to the death … most likely mine.

Yeah, I’ve got my psychometry magic, my talking sword, Vic–and even the most dangerous Spartan on campus at my side, in Logan freaking Quinn, but I’m no match for Loki, the evil Norse god of chaos. I may be Nike’s Champion, but at heart, I’m still just Gwen Frost, that weird Gypsy girl everyone at school loves to gossip about.

Then someone I love is put in more danger than ever before, and something inside me snaps. This time, Loki and his Reapers are going down for good … or I am."
Review:
Overall, I was generally pleased by this book.  It had it's moments where it wasn't up to par but for the most part, it was an amazing end to the series.  I especially loved the ending - Jennifer Estep did a really amazing job tying up all the loose ends and keeping all the books in the series connected.  There was also excellent tension and buildup.

I'm actually glad this is the last book in the series.  Even though I'll miss all the characters, I was getting kind of annoyed with Gwen and her thoughts (it's just me...).  The same phrases would repeat over and over and OVER.  It just gets to you after a while.

I know I said I loved the ending... and I do... it just seemed rather abrupt to me.  Like it was the final awesome battle and then... peace for like a page or two and then it ends!  I would have liked a bit more falling action.

I can't decide how I feel about all the side romances and all that... Sometimes, they got really distracting and other times they were adorable!

I started out really liking the covers in the series but this one is definitely my least favorite.  It just seems thrown together like it wasn't even made to go with the story or it was an afterthought.

This was a decent book and a pretty good ending to an amazing series!

Quotes:
“Yeah, you're probably right,' I said, forcing myself to smile at him. Logan grinned back at me. 'Of course, I'm right. I'm always right.' I rolled my eyes, leaned over, and lightly punched him in the shoulder. 'And now you sound like Vic.' 'No, he doesn't,' Vic piped up from his spot in the chair I'd propped him up in. 'I am much more confident than the Spartan is.' He sniffed. 'And with good reason.”  


“Open sesame,' I joked. Silence. Apparently, the Reapers weren't in a joking mood.” 
“It's about time you guys got here,' Oliver quipped. 'Alexei and I were starting to think you'd gotten lost.' Daphne sniffed. 'Please. We weren't lost. We were shopping.' 'That doesn't make it any better,' Oliver retorted. In fact, I'd say that makes it worse.”  

“It's not my fault you left her all by herself,' Oliver teased. 'You know that's how Gwen gets into trouble.' 'I would stick my tongue out at you, but it's too cold,' I grumbled.” 
“Still, I couldn't help looking at Daphne in morbid satisfaction. 'What did I tell you? Our first double date? Officially ruined.” 

“You're mine," "Not his. Mine. Only mine. Always mine.”

Monday, July 21, 2014

Book Review: The Athena Effect by Derrolyn Anderson


Amazon (free for the time being on Kindle) Goodreads
This is the first book in the 4 part series named The Athena Effect.

Goodreads Blurb:
"Caledonia has been kept a secret her entire life, raised in isolation by two very troubled people. Despite her parents' disturbing fits, Cal is perfectly content to live as one with the nature that surrounds her, finding adventure inside the pages of her beloved books. When an awful tragedy tears her away from her remote cabin in the woods, nothing she’s ever read has prepared her for a world that she knows very little about.

Girls and motorcycles are what bad-boy Cal’s life is all about. Brought up in a raucous party house by his biker brother, he’s free to do as he pleases, going through the motions on his final days of high school. Aimless, Cal stopped thinking about his future a long time ago.

Attacked by a gang of thugs while running an errand for his brother, Cal is in serious trouble until a fierce girl appears out of nowhere to intervene. She chases off three grown men, sparing Cal a brutal beating before disappearing into the night like a spirit. He can’t stop thinking about his mysterious rescuer, and when she turns out to be the weird new girl at school who goes out of her way to avoid him, he can’t contain his curiosity. 

He’s never met anyone like her before, and the more he learns about the unusual girl with an unusual talent, the more he wants to know. Cal can’t help falling for Cal, but can he keep her from falling victim to a dangerous enemy from her parents' tragic past?"



Review:
Thank you so much to Derroly Anderson (the author) for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book.    It kept me engaged from the first page and it only took me 2 hours to read!  The idea of the larger problem presented in this book (around the halfway point) is similar to other ideas I've come across but the way the different characters interacted with it made it original.  That being said, I think the whole genetics thing could have been introduced sooner because the way it was going, I was expecting an Eleanor and Park kind of deal.

In the beginning, it's all about how Caledonia is dealing with her parent's death and the secrets they took with them just don't seem to matter much to her.  Then, when men come to her house and try to kidnap her, I think it could have been capitalized more.  That was the main problem I had with this book.  Everything just seemed to pass without consequence and was just brushed off by Calvin and Caledonia.  Like when Caledonia told Calvin about her powers.  That part wasn't really explained in detail.  Even when Caledonia told Calvin that her powers worked on people, it was as if it didn't matter at all.  I would have thought that Calvin would question if she ever used it on him but it didn't cause any waves at all.

I really loved how both Caledonia and Calvin's nicknames are Cal.  That was so adorable!  Their relationship was just adorable in general.  And it wasn't so much as insta-love but Calvin being intrigued by Caledonia.  I loved how that developed into love.

The one other thing I want to mention is the POV.  I am definitely NOT a POV expert so bear with me!  The POV in this book was the kind where you can see into a select few character's heads.  Mostly it switched between Caledonia and Calvin with no real indication.  However, I didn't really have a problem with that mostly because it switched where it logically would.  Read it and you'll know what I'm talking about!  That's just me though.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it truly was engaging however it seemed to glide right over important issues (beside's Caledonia and Calvin's relationship).  3.5 stars - I can't wait to read the rest of the series!



“Because with a really good book you get something new every time you read it. Because…Well…Because you're a different person each time.” 

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Book Review: The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead



Goodreads Blurb:
"Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives.

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure — and re-education — looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this smoldering fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe."



Review:
I am completely speechless.  The ending!!!!!!  At least Silver Shadows is coming out on the 29th... I don't know if I'd survive otherwise!

We finally get some from Adrian's POV!!  I just love that.  Adrian and Sydney together are just perfection people.  So things get a lot more complicated in this book when Zoe arrives.  Stupid little brainwashed Zoe.  Ugh I could just strangle her!  However, I'll be a good person and allow you all to decide for yourself how horrible she is.  She does some really bad stuff in this book (if you've read it, you know what I'm talking about!) that I won't forgive her for even if she's brainwashed by her father.

There are some big revelations in this book that I think I saw coming.  Again, I won't tell you more than that or I'd ruin the book for you!

I read this all in one shot, it was so addicting.  I simply adore this series and can't wait for Silver Shadows!  I'll give a more complete analysis of the characters either in my Silver Shadows review or The Ruby Circle review (the 6th book in the series) because honestly, I can't think about that much right now when I'm craving Silver Shadows!


Quotes:

“Relax, having kids is years away. But can you imagine? Your brains, my charm, our collective good looks... then add in the usual physical abilities dhampirs get. 
It's really not even fair to everyone else.” 


“I won’t lie. Walking into a room and seeing your girlfriend reading a baby-name book can kind of make your heart stop.
“I’m no expert,” I began, choosing my words carefully. “Well—actually, I am. And I’m pretty sure there are certain things we have to do before you need to be reading that.” 


“I didn’t care about anything except her and the way touching her drove me wild, even as her calm and steady presence soothed the storms that raged within me.” 


“Did you know that it's a lot harder to put organs back in the body than it is to get them out?”


“Escape plan number seventeen," I told her. "Run away and open a juice stand in Fresno."
"Why Fresno?"
"Sounds like the kind of place people drink a lot of juice.” 


“Did Belikov bend the rules of time and space to get here so fast? He can do that, right?” 


“It’s Adrian Ivashkov logic. Don’t try to understand it. Just roll with it.” 


“Centrum permanebit.”


 “The center will hold.” 
“How do you know?” 
“Because we are the center.”

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Divergent Movie Review

Original Release Date: March 21, 2014
DVD Release Date: August 5, 2014

I finally saw Divergent!!  Before I watched it, I talked to a bunch of people and read a bunch of reviews to see what complaints there were about the movie.  I have mostly the same complaints but overall, I still love the movie.  Here's a list of everything that they cut out or changed that I thought was relatively significant.  Highlight it to read it.

  • No Uriah.  I heard they are including Uriah in Insurgent though.  He does play a significant role in Divergent but I understand why they cut him out.  The movie was already pushing the limits of the number of characters and time.
  • Tris' and Four's relationship was very rushed.  It was nearly insta-love which I despise.  I think they could have done more with there relationship and still keep the time low.
  • There was no explanation of Tris' bird tattoo.  In the book, Veronica Roth explains the significance of it (one bird for each member of her family).  That didn't happen in the movie.
  • At the end Four wasn't alone in the room controlling the simulation.  In the movie, he was just sitting in a chair.  Still under a simulation but he wasn't controlling the other Dauntless.  Jeanine and her people were there which made Tris' rescue more daring.
  • Tris didn't graduate in first place.  Or at least they didn't mention it.
  • They changed the scene when Al and some other initiates try to push her over the edge of the pit.  In the book, they groped her as well as threatened her but in the movie, they just tried to push her off before Four came to the rescue.  This is where I think they could have expanded on Tris' and Four's relationship more because in the book, it's this incident that brings them closer especially when Tris tells Four that they groped her.
  • After Tris' final simulation test, she and Four don't have a discussion about it.  They don't talk about the whole Six and Four thing or Tris' fear of intimacy.  This also deepens their relationship in the book and I was disappointed that it wasn't in the movie.


Despite all that, I feel that they did a pretty good job in adapting the book to a movie.  I absolutely loved the casting choices and the scenery is exactly how I pictured it in my mind!

Have you seen Divergent?  Did you like it?

Friday, July 18, 2014

Book Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor



Goodreads Blurb:
"Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hairactually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?"



Review:
This book is seriously addicting.  Probably because the author is very reluctant to give us any solid information which keeps everything cloaked in shadow.  We don't actually understand what Karou is exactly until the very end and we don't even know what she does until page 30 or so.  Which was a problem for me and the reason this is 4 stars instead of 5.  It was like in the beginning, the author was writing a completely different book.  Almost like she couldn't decide what Karou was doing exactly.  So the beginning threw me a little and it took me a while to settle in.  Once that road bump passed though, everything was smooth sailing.

I loved the whole thing with the teeth.  It definitely added to the bizarre nature of this book.  The first book is really just an introduction to the real story.  Also, I absolutely loved Akiva's character.  He's had a rough life and the author doesn't try to disguise that or make excuses for him.  He is what he is.

The one other thing I really didn't like was the disconnect between part 1 and part 2.  A few months have passed all of a sudden when the author made the jump and I didn't like how she just left the storyline from 'before' hanging while Karou went about finding her nonhuman friends.  So I suppose it should be a 3.5 star book but somehow, I can't bring myself to give it that rating.  I have hope for the rest of the series and this was a great introduction book once the author figured out the world she was writing in.



Quotes:
“Once upon a time, an angel lay dying in the mist.
And a devil knelt over him and smiled.” 

“Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there's no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.” 

“Have you ever asked yourself, do monsters make war, or does war make monsters?” 

“It's not like there's a law against flying."
"Yes there is. The law of gravity.” 


“It is a condition of monsters that they do not perceive themselves as such. The dragon, you know, hunkered in the village devouring maidens, heard the townsfolk cry 'Monster!' and looked behind him.” 

“Your soul sings to mine. My soul is yours, and it always will be, in any world. No matter what happens. I need you to remember that I love you.” 


“How much does your life have to suck to want the Apocalypse?” 

“Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. 
It did not end well.” 

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Book Review: Hush, hush by Becca Fitzpatrick


Goodreads Blurb:
"A SACRED OATH
A FALLEN ANGEL
A FORBIDDEN LOVE


Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life."




It was good.  I've read so many other books that involve angels and Heaven and Hell and that whole shebang.  So I suppose it took me a while to separate them in my mind.  Also, because as you've probably noticed, I'm in a bit of a review slump.  None of the books on my currently reading shelf in GR I actually am reading.  I finished all of those weeks ago.  Oops?

So anyway...  I thought the writer did an excellent job of separating Hush, hush from the rest of the angel books.  It has the same general idea (they all have to because it's such a well known concept) but she put a different spin on it.

The only thing I didn't like was the whole explanation part.  You know when a character becomes aware of the whole new world living alongside their own world?  I was really confused when it got to that part and didn't pick up on much at all which made the ending of the book particularly confusing.

Otherwise, I loved Nora and Patch's relationship.  It was so... real.  There wasn't really any insta-love (if there was, it was offset by Nora's suspicion of Patch).  I really don't have anything else.  We'll have to see how the series plays out before I can decide if I really love it or not!



“You smell good, too,” said Patch
"It’s called a shower.” I was staring straight ahead. When he didn’t answer, I turned sideways. “Soap. Shampoo. Hot water.”
"Naked. I know the drill.” 

“Say 'provoking' again. Your mouth looks provocative when you do.” 

“Keep in mind that people change, but the past doesn't.” 

“I don't go out with strangers," I said.
"Good thing I do. I'll pick you up at five.” 

“Hang on, did you just call me Angel?" I asked.
"If I did?"
"I don't like it."
He grinned. "It stays, Angel.” 

“All this time I've hated myself for it. I thought I'd given it up for nothing. But if I hadn't fallen, I wouldn't have met you.” 

“Call me Patch. I mean it. Call me.” 

“If you can't feel, why did you kiss me?"Patch traced a finger along my collarbone, then headed south stopping at my heart. I felt it pounding through my skin. "Because I feel it here, in my heart," he said quietly.” 

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Book Review: Liquid Diet by William Tedford




Goodreads Blurb:
By day, Melissa French seems like an ordinary teenage girl, but when her infatuation with Troy Davidson turns into a dangerous obsession, she begins to stalk him through the night on the hunt to uncover his darkest secrets. Little does she know that the two of them are more alike than she ever could have imagined.

Melissa follows Troy into an abyss of pain and pleasure as she attempts to quench her thirst for blood while hiding her true nature from the rest of the day world. Soon, her dreams turn into a grotesque reality as she is caught in a web of ancient history, lies, and manipulation. As her thirst begins to take control, Melissa is faced with the challenge of her life and must fight for her survival—and the survival of the vampire race.



Thank you to Whitney Martin on behalf of the Zharmae Publishing Press for allowing me to read and review this book!

Liquid Diet almost reminds me of a horror story. Just the ideas that are presented are horrific in nature. I mean it does belong to the horror genre but you know what I mean! The thing I liked about it though was now it was presented in the book. It wasn't thrown in your face how horrible the situation is and how everything is terrible. It's just given to you as if it resembles normalcy. I've never really seen that done before, how characters can be so panicked about the situation and still accept things and not totally freak out.

Second thing - if you're touchy about reading books about lust or sex, I wouldn't recommend this. William Tedford's kind of vampire's are... definitely different than Stephanie Meyer's type of vampires. However if you're up for it, this is such an intense book and the pages just fly by. Mr. Tedford's vampire's are darker, more mysterious, and just more in tune with our animal side. They aren't human and he doesn't try and make them out to be.

Third thing - the ending. I loved the ending. I don't want to spoil anything but it ended with a sense of recurrence. Of cycles. If another book ended like this one but without that sense, I would have desperately begged the writer for a sequel. But for this book, it connects with it's ancient heritage and you understand what comes next without it having to be spelled out for you.

The one thing I disliked about Liquid Diet was the middle part when everything was escalating. Again, I'm trying not to spoil anything so I'm sorry if I'm being cryptic! It went from small problem to all of a sudden the whole town is gone. It just seemed a little sudden.

Along those same lines, I just loved the overall shape of the book. How it started by pinpointing one hitchhiker and widening the range gradually until at the end we learn of the whole society. It wasn't thrown at you, you were eased into it.

Liquid Diet was definitely a page-turner for me - 4 stars!

Friday, July 11, 2014

Book Review: The Book Thief by Mark Zusak


Goodreads Blurb:
It's just a small story really, about, among other things, a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery.

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist: books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids - as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.


Yes, I've finally read The Book Thief!  I cheated though... About halfway through the book, I watched the movie.  I almost didn't pick the book back up again because of the ending!  Don't worry though, it's a good ending - really :)  So with that confession aside, let's get to the book review.

This book is most definitely an onion book.  It took me like 2 months to read (which is a lifetime for me and books) to even try and decipher the most prevalent of meanings.  You can choose to dig deep or swim on the surface.  The level at which you read is entirely up to you.

I actually finished this book a while back but it took me a while to collect my thoughts to write a coherent review.

This was a captivating book, but at the same time, I found myself reluctant to pick it up.  I'm still not sure why.  Maybe because it felt like I was truly there.  That's happened before while I've been reading a book, but this one is special.  Every painful moment, I was wincing along with the characters.  In almost every other book I read, I know that the main character will survive and the person he/she loves and they'll be okay even though some of their friends may die or move on.  Not in this book.  This book felt so much like real life that it also picked up the uncertainties of real life.  You don't kno whow things will play out or end up.  It may be wrong of me, but that's why I docked half a star.  It's still going on my favorite list though - don't worry :)

The thing I love most about this book is that it's from Death's perspective.  I've never read a book like that before.  It added a whole new element to the story which pushed it to the next level.

While reading, I got to know the characters so well.  This certainly isn't a fast read, but it's a deep one.  I wish more books connected with me like this one did so well.  It may have taken a long time to read, but every second was worth it.

This is a totally ordinary story.  But it's also so extraordinary.  Read it and you'll know what I mean.

This isn't a shallow story about a girl who lives in Germany during WWII.  You can certainly read it that way but I prefer it as something more.  That something is going to be different for everyone which is what makes this book so amazing.  If you haven't read The Book Thief yet, I strongly encourage you to.

4.5 out of 5 stars!



“The only thing worse than a boy who hates you: a boy that loves you.” 

“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” “I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” 

“I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn't already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.” 

“Even death has a heart.” 

“A snowball in the face is surely the perfect beginning to a lasting friendship.” 

“Usually we walk around constantly believing ourselves. "I'm okay" we say. "I'm alright". But sometimes the truth arrives on you and you can't get it off. That's when you realize that sometimes it isn't even an answer--it's a question. Even now, I wonder how much of my life is convinced.” 

“A small but noteworthy note. I've seen so many young men over the years who think they're running at other young men. They are not. They are running at me.” 

“I am haunted by humans.” 
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