Books Read In 2015

January
1. Rumors by Erica Kiefer (3)
2. The Story of Awkward by R. K. Ryals (3)
3. The Selection by Kiera Cass (3.5)
4. The Elite by Kiera Cass (3.5)
5. The One by Kiera Cass (3.5)
6. The Guard by Kiera Cass (-)
7. The Prince by Kiera Cass (-)
8. The Queen by Kiera Cass (-)

February
9. Ever Day by David Levithan (5)
10. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (5)
11. (reread) Looking For Alaska by John Green (5)
12. (reread) Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J K Rowling (5)

March
13. Parallel by Claudia Lefeve (3)
14. Paradox by Claudia Lefeve (3)
15. Paradigm by Claudia Lefeve (3)
16. Hitched by Claudia Lefeve (3)
17. Hold Me Closer by David Levithan (5)
18. Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld (3.5)

April
19. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey (4)
20. Peeps by Scott Westerfeld (2.5)
21. Evermore by Alyson Noel (1.5)
22. Mind Games by Kiersten White (2.5)
23. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (4)
24. Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (4)
25. Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination by JK Rowling (5)

May

26. Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick (3.5)

27. The Last Days by Scott Westerfeld (4)

28. The Heir by Kiera Cass (3.5)
29. Atlantia by Ally Condie (3)

30. The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart (3)
31. Sister Slam and the Poetic Motormouth Road Trip by Linda Oatman High (2.5)
32. Stolen by Lucy Christopher (4)
33. Red Queen by Victoria Ayeyard (4)

34. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen (5)
35. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (4)
36. The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige (4)

June
39. Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher (4)
38. No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige (-)
39. Cinder by Marissa Meyer (4)
40. Glitches by Marissa Meyer (-)
41. 1984 by George Orwell (5)
42. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (4)
43. The Queen's Army by Marissa Meyer (-)
44. Lumberjanes Volume 1 by Noelle Stevenson (3.6)
45. The Hues Volume 1 by Alex Heberling (5)
46. Cress by Marissa Meyer (4)
47. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (5)
48. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (4.5)
49. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (5)

50. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (5)

July
51. You Deserve a Drink by Mamrie Hart (5)
52. Vicious by V.E. Schwab (4.3)
53. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall (4.5)

August
54. Pieces Of Me by Amber Kizer (3.2)
55. Becoming Chloe by Catherine Ryan Hyde (4)

56. The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi (4.5)
57. More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera (3)
58. Warm Up by V.E. Schwab

September
59. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (4.5)
60.  Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (4)
61. Interview with the Vampire: Claudia's Story by Anne Rice and Ashley Marie Witter (4.4)
62. The Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo (-)
63. The Witch of Duva by Leigh Bardugo (-)
64. Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (4)
65. The Tailor by Leigh Bardugo (-)
66. The Too-Clever Fox by Leigh Bardugo (-)
67.  Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (4)

68. Little Knife by Leigh Bardugo (-)
69. I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest
70. Queen Song by Victoria Aveyard (-)

October
71. Yes Please by Amy Poehler  (5)

72. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (5)
73. Binge by Tyler Oakley (5)
74. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews (4.5)
75. The Lost City of the Jedi by Paul and Hollace Davids (2)

76. So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld (4.5)
77. The Time Being by Antonia Honeywell (4)

November
78. Signs Point To Yes by Sandy Hall (4.5)

79. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (4.5)

80. Uglies: Cutters by Scott Westerfeld (4)

81. The Invention of Hugo Cabinet by Brian Selznick (5)
82. Stupid Perfect World by Scott Westerfeld (5)
83. The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury (4)
84. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell (4.5)
85. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (4)
86. The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness (3)
87. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (4.5)
88. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (5)
89. Never Stop Shutting Up by Mike Falzone (5)
90. We Were Liars by E. Lockhard (2.5)
91. Egghead:  Or, You Can't Survive on Ideas Alone by Bo Burnham (4)

December
92. The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra (4)

93. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (4)

94. My True Love Gave to Me by Various Authors (4)

95. Maleficent by Elizabeth Rudnick (4)

96. Trouble Is a Friend of Mine by Stephenie Tromly (4.5)

97. The Chimes by Charles Dickenson  (2.5)

98. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger  (4)

99. Star Wars: Smuggler's Run by Greg Rucka (4)

100. 21st Century Tank Girl by Alan. C Martin (4)

102. Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger (4)

103. Star Wars: Moving Target by Cecil Castellucci and Jason Fry (4)

104. Star Wars: The Perfect Weapon by Delilah S. Dawson (4.5)

105. Star Wars: The Crimson Corsair and the Lost Treasure of Count Dooku by Landry Q. Walker (4.5)

106. Star Wars: Before the Awakening by Greg Rucka (4)

107. Star Wars: All Creatures Great and Small by Landry Q. Walker (5)

108. Star Wars: The Weapon of a Jedi by Jason Fry (4)

109. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (4)

Total: 109

Book Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andews

 

Book:Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Author: Jesse Andrews

Genre: Young Adult, fiction, humor

Rating: 4.5/5

Format: Paperback

Where I got the book: B&N

Favorite Character: None.


I had been meaning to read this book for a while. I kept seeing it everywhere and would pick it up, then for some reason set it down. Finally I bought it and ended up reading it one day. I then watched the movie. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I think it was humorous and I enjoyed Greg as a narrator. I appreciated that it didn't focus on some grand romantic teenage journey and seemed more realistic than most books like this.

However, I did like the ending to the movie better than the ending to the book. The ending in the book just seemed haphazard and all over the place, where as the movie was able to get the same point across in a cleaner way.

Good, quick read. Managed to not cry in the book, but did cry during the movie.

Book Review: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

 

 

Book: Carry On

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Genre: YA fiction, paranormal, vampire, chosen one, magic, LGBT, romance

Rating: 5/5

Format: Hardcover

Where I got the book: I have been waiting for this book to come out since finishing Fangirl.

Favorite Character: Baz.


So since reading Fangirl, I have been waiting for this book to come out. I find it kind of fantastic that it is a fan-fiction of a fiction novel from a fiction novel. I'm also all about the chosen-one-wizard-school thing. And adorable gay fan-fiction romances. SO all-in-all, I was incredibly excited about this book.

All in all I was pleased with this book. I did find the way they cast spells to be a little silly, and of course how can you not laugh at the name Insidious Humdrum. There were a lot of aspects influenced from Harry Potter, but also other 'chosen one' style books. Even when I was reading Fangirl, I could tell that Simon Snow was influenced by Harry Potter. In several ways I liked that, as it bade me feel a stronger connection to Cath and the world she loved.

(Spoilers)
So the one thing that I'm a little bit unsure about is the ending. There is a part of me that is bothered by the fact that the reader is the only one what knows the full story of Simon. Agatha had the picture, but she doesn't know what it means. Simon still thinks it was only Baz's mom that visited him. I just feel like there were so many lose ends and I want the characters to know what's going on. I don't know why is frustrates me, but it also leaves me wishing there was more. I mean, I kind of wish that anyway but still. I thought the whole concept that Simon was the Humdrum was interesting, and that he was sucking the magic out of the world every time he went off.

Overall, fun and adorable story. I wouldn't say it was a masterpiece, but still pretty good. 

Book Review: Sister Slam and the Poetic Motormouth Road Trip by Linda Oatman High

Book: Sister Slam and the Poetic Motormouth Road Trip

Author: Linda Oatman High

Genre: YA fiction, prose

Rating: 2.5/5

Format: Paperback

Where I got the book: HPB Clearance section.

Favorite Character: Jake.


Not much to say about this one. The first books in prose that I've read in a long time. Not bad, basic Cinderella story.

Book Review: The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart

Book: The Boyfriend List

Author: E. Lockhart

Genre: YA fiction, romance

Rating: 3/5

Format: Hardcover

Where I got the book: It was recommended to me on Goodreads then I found it one day in the clearance section of HPB.

Favorite Character: I don't think there is one. Not enough Character Development


This was a short and funny book. Like Atlantia It wasn't really good or bad, it just was. It was a nice change of pace from all the other types of books I was reading, as the book is realistic and retells the story of her High School downward spiral. A lot of the characters made me angry in their misinterpretation of events, but that is pretty true to High School so it works. (Still annoyed me though.)

Book Review: Atlantia by Ally Condie

Book: Atlantia

Author: Ally Condie

Genre: YA fiction, dystopia, fantasy

Rating: 3/5

Format: Hardcover

Where I got the book: HPB Clearance section, but I knew Ally Condie from Matched and had been planning to read it eventually.

Favorite Character: Can the bats be my favorite?

So I knew about this book from reading Matched but I wasn't drawn to it enough to pick it up until I found it for cheap at HPB. Overall I think it was an okay book. I I think the story was pretty similar to most dystopian YA novels, but also was different enough to not bore me. I especially enjoyed that this is a stand alone book and not part of a series, which made this a lot more stress free. I did not find Rio to be as obnoxious/short-sighted/naive as most female leads of these types of books, though that may have come from there being less space to fill with temper tantrums than there is a in a series.

Overall it was a short and decent read. I wasn't sure about it in the beginning but It ended up being alright.

Book Review: The Heir by Kiera Cass (Selection #5)

Book: The Heir (Selection #5)

Author: Kiera Cass

Genre: YA fiction, dystopia, romance

Rating: 3.5/5

Format: Audio Book

Where I got the book: Audible

Favorite Character: Kyle, Eric, Henry, Hale.

So I wasn't sure about this book going in. I really enjoyed the other Selection book, but I wasn't sure how I felt about a time jump. I was more interested in what happened to America and Maxon after the end of The One. I ended up listening to this book on my phone and I actually ended up getting super into it. I'm going to continue this under a spoiler cut though, just in case.
(Spoilers)
I spent most of this book hating Eadlyn, and it wasn't really until the last chapter that I started to hate her less. What a spoiled, whiny brat she is. It's hard to imagine that she was really raised by America and Maxon. I thought it was pretty adorable that everyone from the first trilogy was still in the background of this book. I also liked that at the end of the book I still don't know who the main love triangle is. (Let's be honest here, there is always a triangle.) I'm pretty sure Kyle's got a point and from the beginning I thought something was going to happen with Eric. Those are pretty much the two I am rooting for, though Hale is super adorable. 

I realized around chapter thirty that this book was not going to be the end. And I will admit I spazzed a little because I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.

Book Review: The Last Days by Scott Westerfeld

Book: The Last Days

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Genre: YA fiction, sci-fi, paranormal, vampire

Rating: 4/5

Format: Paperback

Where I got the book: Ordered off of Amazon after finishing Peeps. Could not find this book in an actual store.

Favorite Character: Zahler.


Like many others I feel that this book is more of companion novel to Peeps rather than a sequel. I also thought this book was a lot better than the first one. The characters are a lot more interesting and I've always enjoyed stories where the reader knows more than the characters in the book. I still have some of the same feeling I did about the first book. I still thought the book was overall pretty juvenile and silly, but it was a step up.

(Spoilers)
I really enjoyed the idea of Luz, and that people were trying and succeeding at figuring out their own ways to get through the rough bits of becoming a peep. I liked almost all the characters, though I really enjoyed Zahler the most. With his crush on Pearl and his honest observations about the people around him, he definitely seemed the most likable. The whole concept of Minerva's singing bringing up the worms is...interesting. I wish there was some snippets of the language she was singing in. I liked the end, even though I also thought it was silly. In a world where everything is ruined, the band is touring and saving the world. The only thing that bothered me in the end, is what happened to all the people? Did they find a cure for peep-ism? If not, how did peeps/angels reproduce? Was everyone infected doomed to live a few hundred years then die out? There were a lot of infected people.

Book Review: Mind Games by Kiersten White

Book: Mind Games

Author: Kiersten White

Genre: YA fiction, sci-fi, paranormal

Rating: 2.5/5

Format: Hardcover

Where I got the book: HPB YA clearance section.

Favorite Character: I'm actually not sure. I don't think I felt a pull towards any of the characters. I'm curious about James though so we'll see.

This book took me a few slow days to get into. I wasn't really sure about it at first. But once I got into it I got though it pretty quick, and it wasn't bad. The flashback kind of bothered me, in the same way that I ended up reading Afterworlds the wrong way. However with this book the flash backs tied more into the story so it made it a little easier. I suppose I just don't like being jarred from the timeline.
(Spoilers)
I liked the idea of the powers that the girls had, though there wasn't a very good explanation of where they came from. Fia kind of reminded me of Katniss during her crazy phase. By far my favorite part of the book is the end, starting with Annie's vision of her own 'death' and then going into the events actually happening and Fia's side. It left me wanting to read more. The whole James and Keane thing was super confusing at first, and for a while I was still trying to make sure that Keane and Mr Keane were the same person since it was set up like a James vs Keane thing. And for most of the book I thought that James actually was Mr. Keane, playing into how no one ever saw him. Part of me is still skeptical..

I felt like this one got better as it went on, and it was a quick read. I ended up buying the second book after I finished it and will probably breeze though it once it arrives. Hoping it keeps the trend of getting better.

Book Review: Evermore by Alyson Noël

Book: Evermore

Author: Alyson Noël

Genre: YA fiction, fantasy, vampire

Rating: 1.5/5

Format: Paperback

Where I got the book: HPB YA clearance section.

Favorite Character: Damen Auguste


You know, I read a lot of not very good YA fiction. But this one I think has been the worst so far. I finally started reading this book because I have the first two, having picked them up for a dollar each. So I finally gave in and said 'why not?'. It literally took HALF the book to get to the plot. Ever is especially annoying, even in the world of whiny female YA leads. It took half the book of going nowhere to get to a rushed few chapters of actual action and plot. And even that plot is silly. There are SIX of these? I don't even think I can get through a second.

Ever resfuses to listen to any reason, Damen is essentially a god and (spoilers) suddenly Ever is too! Because for some reason you've been reincarnated over and over again and then some hot stalker who keeps following you let your entire family die and you suddenly have god powers. And you spend EVERY DAY bitching about your psychic powers but blow off the one person who continues to offer to help you control them because you don't like that your dead sisters ghost is hanging out with her.

Overall, I mostly got through this book because I was curious about Damen. and I was determined that at some point some actual plot would happen. Damen seemed to be the only character that was tolerable though even he had his moments. Don't even get me started on Haven.

Book Review: Peeps by Scott Westerfeld

Book: Peeps

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Genre: YA, fiction, fantasy

Rating: 2.5/5

Format: Paperback

Where I got the book: Grabbed it at HPB one day shortly after finishing Uglies. 

Favorite Character: Lace


So I absolutely love the Uglies series. and I thought Afterworlds was pretty good. So that set me up for a lot. I know this is one of his earlier books (Right?) but I thought it was kind of 'meh.'. To be fair, the sequel is in the mail on it's way to me right now (Not a single book store in town had it, including the used store. :( ) so there was still a part of me that enjoyed it. I guess it just seemed...kind of juvenile? At least compared to what else I've read by Westerfeld. And I know, it's a YA book. But even for a YA book...

I didn't really like the ending, I thought it could have been better if it turned the other way. I'm going to still read 'The Last Days' because I have a problem and I have to. But overall, disappointed in this one. 

Book Review: Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story by David Levithan

Book: Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story

Author: David Levithan

Genre: Musical, YA, LGBT, fiction

Rating: 5/5

Format: Hardcover

Where I got the book: Companion book to a book I love, "Will Grayson, will grayson" by David Levithan and John Green. 

Favorite Character: Not a big character development book, haha. But we'll go with Will, or lower case will from WGwg.


I read Will Grayson, will Grayson a long time ago but I really loved it. I didn't realize this was coming out until John Green talked about it in a video and I immediately ordered it off of Amazon. It was a super fast read and it was fun. I more in depth at Tiny's past with the end referencing to some of the events of WGwg. It made me want to go back and reread the book.

Overall a fun, light, short read by an author i have really enjoyed. It was interesting to read a musical as you end up singing to random notes in your head, haha.