The Hunt Series by Andrew Fukuda

Don't Sweat. Don't Laugh. Don't draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.

Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can't run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn't hurt him and he doesn't have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It's the only way to stay alive in a world of night--a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he's chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene's carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He's thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible--and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever--but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

I had such high hopes for this book series.  The praise it got from fans and other authors alike made me really want to enjoy this story.  And I don’t know what happened, but I just didn’t connect with this character at all.

Gene is a human living in a vampire world.  He is constantly hiding and living in shame of what he is.  Enter the hunt:  a select lucky few of the population are chosen to get to eat ‘real people’ (aka hepers) and all of it is televised to improve population morale.  Surprise!  Gene gets chosen and his charade is pretty much up.  How can one heper live under such scrutiny and not be exposed?  Honestly I don’t know.  This book portrays vampires as complete morons.  At home Gene can supposedly wash the heper scent off himself but at the hunt lodging he isn’t given so much as a toothbrush and after a few days he begins to smell, BAD.  But of course he convinces everyone around him that they are just psyching themselves out and they don’t actually smell anything.  AND EVERYONE BUYS IT.

So obviously he doesn’t get exposed until the hunt is right about to happen and he must flee.  But his escape plan backfires and he barely makes it out of the city with his life.  He meets some other hepers along the way and they go on crazy adventures until things run too smoothly.  Then:  plot twist!!  Suddenly our main characters have to do the right thing and completely ruin their chance of survival.  (Maybe that’s why humans are endangered in this universe – they run TOWARD the blood-sucking monsters)

Now I really wanted to like this book but there were two major problems that I just couldn’t overlook.

One:  Gene is really whiny and only has a one-track mind.  He can’t piece together anything and that makes reading from his point of view confusing and slow.  By the time he figures out what’s happening it’s literally about to happen.  For some people that creates a lot of suspense and action-filled cliffhangers, but for me it was just annoying.  Of course he could never think of a good plan, he would have to know something in advance, which apparently is too much to ask from our main character.

Two:  Nothing was ever explained about the vampires and how they live.  I only assume they have families and houses because neighborhoods are alluded to.  I know they have relationships because weird vampire ‘sex’ was explained in GREAT detail. (Because I really wanted to know about that…gross)  After reading three books about these people I still only know the basics:  they melt the sun, they drink blood and their favorite thing to eat is hepers.

I really wish those issues had been flushed out more, maybe I would have gotten a bit more out of the series.  Overall there was a good story in there, you just can’t pay attention to the details or you’ll lose the momentum of the story and then it’s all over.

3 stars

Under the Never Sky Series by Veronica Rossi

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

I thought this book was super cute.  I mean it was the classic boy-saves-girl-they-hate-each-other-then-they-don't story that we've all heard a thousand times.  Except this edition is in the future, so it's like a whole new concept again.

Aria's life in the dome was really cool to read about, I wish we could have stayed there longer, but because stories must move on one thing leads to another and she gets kicked out to die.  But guess what? She lives!! (otherwise this would have been a really short series)

Perry finds her and takes care of her, but they hate each other until they're attacked by cannibals...then they become besties! (whatever works right?)  They then set off into the sunset on various adventures that span 3 books and caused me A LOT of tears (especially at the end of book 2).

The Perry/Aria love connection was adorable and there was no cheesy love triangle.  But all that aside Roar was my favorite character.  He was spunky, full of life and stood up for what he believed in no matter what - even when everyone around him told him he was crazy.  I wish he would have been more of a major player, but I'm glad as a reader I got as much information about him as I did.  Normally side characters don't get as much attention as they deserve, but Roar defies the odds!!

The only thing I didn't like was Aria's unknown origins.  Her mom doesn't provide much of an explanation and her dad she simply refuses to acknowledge most of the time.  Then the book ends.

But other than my obsession to know everything in great detail (even side stories that don't really have any relevance) I can't think of anything that I really disliked about this series.  4 stars*

*I'll give 5 stars for an installment where we discuss Aria's family tree!!

The Darkest Minds (and Never Fade) by Alexandra Braken

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that's killed most of America's children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she's on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her-East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can't risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

This book's premise was pretty awesome:  kids born in the newest generation were developing super powers, but to make sure adults didn't lose control the kids were sent to concentration camps - locked away until they could find a cure or make the problem extinct.

I wished Ruby had stayed in the concentration camp longer so I could fully grasp her character and I just thought it was really interesting : )

But of course, as all action novel heroes must, Ruby escapes and is on the run from not only the government that will send her back to the camp but also another organization that wants to train the special kids to fight back.

Ruby is a great character to read about and I love the way she thinks.  Her voice is very strong throughout the whole book and even during the non-actiony bits I was still interested in how she interacted with her fellow escapees.

Unfortunately this cannot be said for the second installment in the series:  Never Fade.  Don't get me wrong it was still a good book, but for some reason I just couldn't get into it as much as the first.  Ruby's adventure was tired and up until the end I was passively reading about her escapades.  Once we finally hit the plot twist however, things got really good.  So I guess the sequel just falls into the filler category, as most sequels tend to do.

Overall I'm definitely going to read the last book once it comes out because I have to know how it ends - and that is hallmark of a good book!  4 stars

The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Well this book was a surprise.  Sometimes it makes the book better if you know nothing about it and you get sucked into the craziness of it all...well for me that was this book.  I picked it up one day on a whim and the next thing I knew I couldn't put it down!  I ran out and got the second book then when the last one came out I ran to the bookstore as soon as I could.

This story is kind of girly but if you can past the in-your-face love triangle there's some pretty good action in there too.  America is no slouch when it comes to fighting and she would never back down if challenged (this is proven time and again in each book).

To be honest a lot of the 'plot twists' I totally saw coming...from like 10 miles away, but that didn't take away from the overall excitement of the story.

Frankly the only thing I didn't like was America's name:  America Singer.  She's a singer (like that's her job) and she's from America.  Her parents were NOT creative.

But I really can't complain about anything else.  The pacing was timely, the love triangle struggle was real and the contest was actually really interesting.  You would think a contest that lasts a few months would not be able to fill 3 books, but it does and it doesn't really get boring.

5 stars!

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.

Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both of them legions of faithful fans.

I hated this book.  After reading the summary and many reviews I decided that this book was going to be the ONLY book I was going to bring to the airport for my weekend holiday.  That was a bad decision on my part because not only did I get bored with this book but I had no other alternatives so I had to push my way through it and it was painful.  There were a few times I just had to put the thing down and let off some steam, which because I was travelling alone meant me talking to myself, and that got quite a few stares from various airport staff.  This book literally made me crazy!!

This was the first John Green novel I ever read and now I understand his style of writing but at the time it was just monotonous detail and very little actually going on.  It didn't help that it was a collaboration book; I feel like both authors were too afraid to get all up in the other's business so they just went with whatever crossed their minds first and tried to make it work.

The story just wasn't there for me, the characters were too dull and it took a long time for just SOMETHING to happen which frustrated me to the point of really disliking this book.  I wasn't aware of the contemporary nature of this story so the fact that there was no genetic lab making twins in the secret of night was really disappointing.

(If it isn't obvious already...) 1 star

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, hallways hum “Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. Until they are not. Leo urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her - normal.

This book is strange to read as a college student.  I think I would have liked this book so much more if I had read it 6 or 7 years ago.  Even though the characters in the book are supposed to be in high school I feel like they still act like they're in middle school.  I don't know, I'm not 16 anymore.  What I do know is that I was the WRONG audience for this book.

That being said I didn't hate the book, but it was the classic high school clique scenario and the new girl is weird and not accepted, until she is, then she isn't again.  This book was hugely popular when I was younger so when I finally came across it recently I decided to finally pick it up and see what all the fuss was about.  To be honest I was disappointed; not with the book but more with myself because I missed the bandwagon.

Another issue I had with this book was Stargirl's downfall.  The first half of the book I spent dreading the second half.  Her rise to fame was interesting to read about and kept me entertained.  Her downfall was confusing - even though the author explained why it happened I still didn't get it.  The actions of her classmates didn't seem realistic to me.  But maybe I missed something.

After 'the incident' the book just didn't hold up for me.  The ending was NOT satisfying at all.  Problems were never resolved, it was just a bunch of what ifs and maybes.  I hate when books end like that. Fictional characters should always have an ending, it doesn't have to be pretty or popular but it should at least exist.

Overall I give this book 3 stars.  It is definitely for a younger audience.

Shadowland by Meg Cabot

Suze is a mediator -- a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living. But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations.

But the very first day at her new school, Suze realizes it's not that easy. There's a ghost with revenge on her mind ... and Suze happens to be in the way.

I love this book.  Plain and simple.  I cannot believe I missed this when it first came out (forever ago!!) because my teenage self would have read the entire series at least 10 times by now.  The main character is sassy but smart and just crazy enough to constantly be putting herself in danger and then narrowly escaping it.

Keep in mind this book is totally for chicks.  There's boy gossip and hot guys and dating mishaps (#firstworldproblems much?!?) so the actual storyline is not that intense, but it is a nice break from all the serious contemporaries I've been reading lately.  On top of everything each book is only about 300 pages so I've been averaging about one book a day - which is pretty good for this working girl!

All in all, this book series is very light and fun.  It's a really good travel read or beach book, there's not too much thinking involved, but there is just enough mystery to keep you invested.

5 stars!!

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

This book has been a must read for a while but I never had the mindset for it.  The whole concept seemed a bit morbid to me but also strangely interesting.  I finally just had to know why this girl killed herself.

Now I just want to say that this is not supposed to be some great insight into bullying or teen angst, just simply one girl and 13 problems that she just couldn't deal with anymore.

The format of this book was strange because the voice on the tapes kept being interrupted by Clay and his thoughts, actions and memories.  If it wasn't for the font change I don't think I would have been able to tell the difference.  But after you get into the groove of the book it gets easier to distinguish due to the nature of the information on the tapes.

I really did like the fact that this book doesn't mess around.  It gets right to the point.  In the first 30 pages Clay gets the tapes and begins to listen to them, eventually deciding to listen to them all in one night (exactly like I would have done).

As he moves through the tapes you get sucked up into Hannah's universe and I personally was waiting for the last straw.  The final act that made her commit suicide.  And when that finally happened it really hit home for me.  I was in shock for a while - even after the book ended.

I can't give this book 5 stars because of all the hype.  I haven't known anyone to dislike this book so I was expecting something AMAZING, but all I got was something great.  I was still satisfied with it though, so I can happily give it 4 stars.

We Were Liars by E Lockhart

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

Kind of the worst book summary ever.  Now I'm not one for contemporary books but this one got such great reviews that I had to bite the bullet and read it.

...and holy crap I'm glad I did.

I finished this book in two days (it would have taken less time but I just started back up at my summer job so my schedule's been a little hectic) but more to the point, I couldn't put it down.  The characters were interesting and even though I had almost no plot summary to go off of I didn't care.  After about 3o pages into the book I was hooked.

The only thing that struck me was the weird use of metaphors.  As a reader I was taking everything literally and I usually had to backtrack and figure out what was actually going on.

Other than that I have no critiques.  I loved this book and I won't say another word about it because the less you know the better.

5 stars!!!

*side note:  if you have any insight as to why they are called the Liars, please let me know.  I cannot figure it out for the life of me