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: A Million Little Pieces by James Frey

Book: A Million Little Pieces

Author: James Frey

Genre: Memoir (debatable), fiction.

Rating: 4/5

Format: Paperback

Where I got the book: I don't remember where I got this book, but I remember I picked it up because I read about the controversy and was curious. Then I promptly forgot about it for a while.

Favorite Character: Leonard


I picked up this book again after forget about the whole ordeal surrounding it, until I was reminded by a friend. Overall I liked this book, the first half more than the second. The style of writing reminded me of a not-as-good Choke by Chuck Palahniuk which is a favorite of mine. I found some of it repetitive, though I think that was supposed to be for effect, and it wore on me at parts. I think the book declined in quality as it went on as well and by the end I just kind of wanted to finish it.

I guess that partially had to do with a spoiler I saw online that I was curious about (Though that turned out to not even really be in the book...just the 'where are they now' section). There was one scene that if it was a movie I would have looked away and make me almost get a little sick (Same thing happened in the same scene in Black Swan, if you wanted a hint) and I did find it funny when people asked what it was about my first answer was always 'Puking up a lot of blood and chunks of stomach'.

Overall it was a good read and I enjoyed it. I looked at it more as a piece of fiction while I was reading it instead of a true story. But good.

Book Review: Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Book: Afterworlds

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Genre: YA, fiction, fantasy

Rating: 3.5/5

Format: Hardcover

Where I got the book: I really loved his Uglies series and had the picked up the chapter preview from B&N one day. Then bought the book when I saw it after it came out.

Favorite Character: Darcy/Yama


So I kind of broke the rules of this book I feel. I started reading it like normal, alternating stories with each chapter, but it was so jarring and I had trouble getting into it. So I ended up reading all the Darcy chapters then going back and reading all the Afterworlds chapters. Once I started this I got super into it, especially Darcy's story, because I wasn't pulled away ever chapter. I had a little more trouble getting through the AW chapters, but I can't complain much since I read the book wrong.

Overall I enjoyed this book, despite the strange layout. I'm not sure if I would have read it so quickly if I read it in order, as it loses some of the pull. I don't think it was quite as good as Uglies, though that is a whole series and this is a single (double?) novel. I would suggest trying to read it as suggested and deciding which way works for you. <3 p="">