REVIEW: Notes to Self by Avery Sawyer

Title: Notes to Self

Author: Avery Sawyer

Published: 2011

This book was sent to me for review! Thank you!!

I was completly blown away by this book. The idea of traumatic brain injuries and the aftermath of them has always fascinated me, so this book was right up my alley. The first chapter of the book definitly got my attention. I wanted to know what happened to Robin and Emily. Once I started reading I wanted to find out more. I wanted to know how Robin's relationships with others would pan out. I wanted to know what was going to happen to Emily. It was interesting to see the challenges Robin had from her TBI. The things we take for granted, like knowing how to take a shower, were a struggle for her. It makes you very grateful for the brain youhave!

I would definitly reccomend this book to anyone who is looking for a romantic comedy/ chick lit/ medical drama all rolled into one.It is a quick read, and once you start, you will want to keep reading!

Happy Reading!

Bookaholic

REVIEW: A Deadly Game of Magic by Joan Lowery Nixon

Title: A Deadly Game of Magic
Author: Joan Lowery Nixon
Rating: B

From the back of the book
Seeking shelter from a fierce Texas storm, Lisa and three friends become trapped inside a house that seems abandoned. But is it? As the thunderstorm worsens, the phone goes dead. A lifelike plaster head suddenly appears. A disembodied hand taps the mantel. The friends are now unwitting players in an increasingly sinister games of an evil magician. The key to their survival lies in a mysterious room at the end of a hall, but they must act quickly to avoid the magician's grand finale: murder.

Review
I picked this up off my library shelf and was hooked as soon as I read the back of the book. It seemed like a suspenseful book that would hold my interest over the labor Day Weekend. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked the book. Lisa and her friends are stuck in a rainstorm when their car brakes down. They knock on the door of the closest house, where a strange man answers the door. After inviting them inside, the man and a women say they have to leave, but Lisa and her friends can stay in the house until a tow truck comes for their car. When they leave, Lisa and friends are left in a house full of mysterious magic equipment. Strange things begin to happen.

The book was a quick read, and held my attention through the entire book. The end was not what I was suspecting, and slightly left me hanging, which makes me wonder if the book is part of a series. If you are looking for a suspenseful book, full of magic and illusions, this book is for you!

Happy reading!
Bookaholic

REVIEW: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Title: The Scorch Trials
Author: James Dashner
Rating: A

Summery from Goodreads

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.

In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.

The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

Review

I absolutely LOVED The Scorch Trials. I recently finished The Maze Runner and instantly ordered this book when I was finished. I don't want to give to many secrets away if you haven't read The Maze Runner yet, but lets just say that I thought this was even better than The Maze Runner. This book held my attention the whole time I was reading it. Once I picked it up, I literally could not put it down. The Gladers are put through so many trials, even more intense than the maze. The twists and turns keep you guessing throughout the entire book. I also really love the characters that were introduced, Jorge and Brenda. They add an interesting dynamic to the whole group. They definitely add some surprises to the plot that you don't expect.

The third part of Dashner's series comes out in October and I hardly ever buy books, but this may be one that I have to buy! Everyone needs to read The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials. But, it probably would not be best to read them out of order because you will have trouble understanding some of the part in the book.

Happy Reading!

Bookaholic

Non-Fiction Fun!

I have a very wide range of book interests. I read pretty much anything about everything. I always seem to have 1 or 2 non-fiction books in my TBR pile at one time. By reading non-fiction I feel that I learn more about the world, and the people in it, and I gain so much knowledge. I wanted to do some mini reviews on some of the non-fiction books I have been reading!


A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard

Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped when she was 11 years old and was held by her kidnappers for 18 years in a secret backyard. During the course of the 18 years, Jaycee has 2 children with her kidnapper, Phillip Garrido. With great courage and strength, Jaycee survived her 18 year nightmare and came out alive!

Being kidnapped has always been one of my greatest fears, so I have always had an interest in stories of kidnapping survivors, like Elizabeth Smart. This book is written with such great detail by Jaycee herself. It blows my mind with what she had to go through during her 18 years of captivity and how she came out of it with the ability and strength to survive and to continue living her life. She is definitely someone I would consider a hero. This book does contain very vivid detail about her ordeal, so I would caution younger readers.


Brave Girl Eating by Harriet Brown

Brave Girl Eating chronicles Kitty, a 14 year old, during her treatment of anorexia. The book in written by Kitty's mother Harriet. Harriet describes the hardships of having a family member with an eating disorder. Harriet and her husband decide to take on Kitty's anorexia as a family. They want to conquer this beast, and get their family back to normal.

I have always been curious about eating disorders. I have read many memoirs of people with anorexia, but this is the first that I have read from the point of view of the mother. The Brown's take a unique approach to treating Kitty's anorexia, by using a family approach. Once I picked up the book, I could not put it down. I found myself hurting when the anorexia won, and sheering, when Kitty was able to beat the beast inside of her.

Poisoned by Jeff Benedict

Poisoned chronicles a major e. coli outbreak in 1993. E. coli is a deadly strain of food poisoning that killed several children from eating contaminated hamburgers from a fast food chain. Poisoned interviews the families, doctors, lawyers, and others that were involved in this story. The book discusses how the outbreak happened, and how it could have never happened.

I saw this book on the new book shelf at my local library and was instantly drawn in when I saw that the book involved children. I had never really heard of e.coli, so I learned a lot from this book. I learned the dangers of eating under cooked meat and the what can happen when people are not careful. The book discussed the different cases that were filled against the fast food chain, which I though were a little slow. Overall, the book was very informative and I enjoyed reading it!


Hopefully these encouraged you to do a little non-fiction reading. You never know what you will learn when you pick up a book!

Happy reading!
Bookaholic

In My Mailbox (3)

In my mailbox is a weekly meme started by The Story Siren. Bloggers post books that they have received, borrowed, bought, etc. This is IMM for this week!

Won!
I won these three ARC's from Mug of Moxie's ARC giveaway. These are my first ARC so I was very, very excited to receive them! Thank you Mug of Moxie!

• Into the Wild Nerd Yonder- Julie Halpern
• My Worst Best Friend- Dyan Sheldon
• The Secret of Lying- Todd Mitchell

Borrowed

• XVI- Julia Karr
• Another Faust- Daniel and Dina Nayeri
• Zeitoun- Dave Eggers
• Dispatches from the Edge- Anderson Cooper
• Hurry Down Sunshine-Michael Greenberg
• Unlocked-Ryan G. Van Cleave
• Brave Girl Eating- Harriet Brown
• Incarceron- Catherine Fisher

I definitely have a book problem. I still have 3 books left from my library trip and 7 or 8 on my TBR shelf. I went into the library only wanting to get 2 or 3 books and came out with 8! I have an addiction, and it is bad. At least admitting you have a problem is the first step!

Happy reading!
Bookaholic

REVIEW: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Title: Speak
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Rating: C

From the Back of the Book
Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her head. But even that's not safe. Because there is something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth.

Review
I was very excited about reading this book. I had read several great reviews and I always enjoy reading books that have a psychological background. Selective mutism, which is what I assumed Melinda had, always fascinates me. From the time I started reading, it was a very quick and easy read, but I must say that I was very disappointed. I did not understand the plot line at all. It jumped from her relationship with others at school, to her family issues, to friends and boys, and so on and so forth. I did not think that it really had a purpose, it seemed to me that it was more of Melinda writing in her diary over the course of a year. I knew that the main issue was supposed to be about something that happened at a party, but it did not seem to take priority in the plot of the book. Melinda also did speak in the book, just not very much, which I thought kind of ruined part of the reason why I wanted to read the book in the first place. It was just a very strange, confusing, slightly boring read for me.

I have read some other things that Anderson has written, and I have generally enjoyed all of them, this one however just did not do it for me. I know that others have read it and enjoyed it. Comment below if you have read it and had other ideas about the book. I would really love to hear!!

Thank you to the people that have commented on my other posts. It really makes me smile to see them!

Happy reading!
Bookaholic

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Title: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Rating: A-

Summary from Amazon
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

Review
This is actually the second time I have tried to read The Maze Runner. I checked it out from the library a few months ago because I had read some awesome reviews on it and I am a huge dystopian fan. This first time I tried to read it I only read the first 20 or so pages because I just could not get into the book. I ended up returning it without finishing the book. I decided to read it again because I knew that there were so many people that raved about the book and maybe I was just not giving it a chance. I knew that I was obviously missing something. This was definitely a lesson in second chances.

Well, let's just say I proved myself wrong. The Maze Runner is an awesome book! It is a perfect dystopian book and has many surprising twists and turns. I loved the interactions between the many different characters, especially Thomas and Teresa. Their relationship keeps you guessing throughout the entire book. Once I finished reading, I definitely wanted to find out what happens next! Dashner has solved that problem for me in writing the sequel The Scorch Trials which I have already requested from the library. This is a must read for any dystopian fans and for anyone who is looking for a book that will always keep you guessing.

Happy Reading!
Bookaholic

In My Mailbox(#2)

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren to show what books you have either won, revieced, bought or borrowed during the week! Anyone can participate!

This is a collection of what I have gotten over the last 2 weeks.

Borrowed from the library:

• Crossing Lines- Paul Volponi
• Speak- Laurie Halse Anderson
• The Body Finder- Kimberly Derting
• The Most Wanted- Jacquelyn Mitchard
• The Day Before- Lisa Schroeder
• Black and Blue- Anna Quindlen
• Runner- Carl Deuker
  

Bought

• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children- Ransom Riggs

I don't often buy books, so this is a rare thing

Won!!!

• DUFF- Kody Keplinger ( Thank you Book Muncher!)
• Chosen- Paula Bradley (Thank you Proud Book Nerd!)

Happy reading!
Bookaholic

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Title: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Penguin, 2011
Rating: A+

From the Back of the Book:
Amy has left the life she loves for a world 300 years away. Trapped in space and frozen in time, Amy is bound for a new planet. But fifty years before she's due to arrive, she is violently woken, the victim of an attempted murder. Now Amy's lost on board and nothing makes sense-she's never felt so alone. Yet someone is waiting for her. He wants to protect her-and more if she'll let him. But who can she trust amidst the secrets and lies? A killer is out there- and Amy has nowhere to hide...

Review
I was COMPLETELY blown away by this book. It took me about 30 pages to get into the book, but once I did I literally could not put the book down. The plot is what you would call dystopian. Amy and her family are among several hundreds of people that will be cryogeniclly frozen and will live on a new planet in 300 years. They will be carried on a large spaceship and will be unfrozen when they arrive. Amy is suddenly unfrozen 50 years earlier than expected as a suspected murder. Amy is thrown into a world that is completely different than what she is used to. The ship is run by Eldest and his successor Elder. Amy befriends Elder, which causes great anger in Eldest because she is very unlike everyone else on the ship. After Amy is unfrozen, several other people are unfrozen and some die. Amy fears that her parents, her only remaining link to Earth, will also be murdered

Even though I would consider this book to be dystopian, it covers so many genres- romance, fantasy, sci-fi, adventure. It is so different than anything I have ever read and will probably ever read. Revis creates this unbelievable world that lives on a ship that is flying for several centuries. Revis includes so many details in the book that it is easy to create imagery in your head while reading. I give this book an A+ because I recommend it to EVERYONE!! It is a longer book of 398 pages, but I was found wanting more once I finished. The sequel comes out in spring of 2012, and I will definitely be first in line to buy a copy!

Happy Reading!
Bookaholic

Zenith by Julie Bertagna

Title: Zenith

Author: Julie Bertagna

Publisher: Walker and Company, 2007

Rating: A-

Mara is on a boat hoping to find Greenland. She and Fox have led a revolt against the sky cities that look down on refugees. Her Treenster friends and other boat refugees are sailing to find a new land for them to live on. Fox has stayed behind to quietly lead others in New Mungo to revolt against those in control. While sailing, Mara has an unfortunate accident that threatens the safety of the refugees and may threaten the journey to Greenland.

This is the second book of Bertagna's trilogy. (Exodus being the first. Look below for my review of Exodus). I must say that I enjoyed this book more far than the first. It kept my interest for almost the entire time I was reading it.. I really enjoyed the different characters that Bertagna has created. Each character is unique and adds a lot to the plot. Mara is such a survivor and always faces such unbelievable circumstances which causes her to make quick decisions. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the third and final part of the trilogy! I rate this book an A- and suggest it for all dystopian fans. As a note, it is important to read Exodus before Zenith so that everything makes sense!

Happy reading!

Bookaholic

Exodus by Julie Bertagna

Title: Exodus

Author: Julie Bertagna

Publisher: Walker and Company, 2002

Rating: B-

Mara lives in a world that is slowly being destroyed. It is the year 2100 and all of the ice has melted, which leads all low lying land to be completely consumed by water. Mara's small island of Wing is being flooded as well. Mara knows that there are sky cities where people are safe from the ever increasing water. Mara knows that the only way to save her family and friends is to get to one of those sky cities. This will be one of the biggest challenges Mara has faced in her short life.

I love dystopian books, so this was right up my alley. Unfortunately, this was not as good as other dystopian books I have read. The plot developed slowly, which caused me to not enjoy reading it as much as other books. There were some fast moving parts, but others just dragged. I always like reading about how some people view the future world. This is the first time that I have read a dystopian book that has based its plot on the threat of global warming. Exodus is the first in a trilogy about Mara and her people. I give this book a B- because it picked up very slowly and did not always hold my attention. I do recommend this book to all dystopian lovers out there!

Happy reading!

Bookaholic

Stay by Deb Caletti

Title: Stay

Author:Deb Caletti

Publisher: Simon Pulse, 2011

Rate: A-

From the Back of the Book:

Clara's relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she;s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it's almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is-and what he's willing to do to make her stay. Now Clara has left the city-and Christian-behind. No one back home knows where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won't let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough...

Review

I read this book while on vacation and I finished it in less than 24 hours. The chapters alternate between the past, and Clara and Christian's relationship, and the present, when Clara has escaped Christian and her old life. Throughout the book, Clara has to face her fear of how controlling Christian was, and move past it. It was very interesting to see how quickly Christian gained control over Clara's life. I have always heard that guys that are controlling start out as "perfect" gentlemen, which is what happened to Christian. They then slowly start to take control over every aspect of your life. The only thing I wwould change about the book is that they would focus more on the past, not the future. I gave this book an A- because it is not necessarily a book I would read multiple times, but it was very good and I would recommend it to all young adult readers!

Happy reading!

Bookaholic

So many books, so little time

I just looked over my TBR list and I have over 100 books on my list and it just keeps growing. I organize my TBR list in a notebook. I search for the books on my local library's website and find out what libraries the book is found at. I then write down the name of the library by the book. If the book is not found or is not at one of my local libraries, I put a pink dot next to the title of the book. This way, when I go to the library I know what books I am looking for. I wish there was more time is the day to read bcause there are so many good books out there! My list just keeps growing, and growing, and growing.

How do you organize your TBR list? How many books are on your list? Comment below! I would love to hear from you!!

Happy reading!

Bookaholic

Puppy Love by Nancy Krulik

Title: Puppy Love
Author:Nancy Krulik
Publisher: Simon and Schuster, 2008
Rating: B

Summery from Amazon
Alana loves her dog-walking job, but it blows her mind to see how pampered these pooches are. Her newest clients actually feed their poodle steak and treat her to massages at a doggie spa! Alana can't make heads or tails of why anyone would do this -- or why she complains to hunky handyman Connor and not her boyfriend, Sammy. When Sammy starts keeping her on an awfully tight leash, Alana wonders whether Connor might be a better match for her. But Alana's puppy love comes to a screeching halt when she learns that Connor isn't who she thought he was. Is Alana barking up the wrong tree with him, too?
Puppy Love is part of The Romantic Comedy series from Simon Pulse. I really enjoy reading these books because they are easy reads, and are truly comedies-they always make me laugh. Each of the books have a different theme, which I also like. This book was a light, easy read, which is perfect for the lazy days of summer. The books are also realistic, which makes them very enjoyable to read. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a fun summer read!

Happy Reading!
Bookaholic

Confessions of a First Daughter by Cassidy Calloway

Title: Confessions of a First Daughter

Author:Cassidy Calloway

Publisher: Harper Teen, 2009

Rating: B

Morgan Abbott is the daughter of the president, who is also her mom. Part of being the daughter of the president is being followed constantly by the paparazzi and news reporters. All of her mistakes and awkward moments seem to be captured and read about all across the nation. Another part of being related to the president, is being followed by The Secret Service. Morgan is assigned a young, cute, bodyguard, who is very overprotective. When Morgan's mom must deal with a national catastrophe, Morgan is asked to "become" her mom so that she can still make appearances. If Morgan is not able to act as her mom, her mother's job, and Morgan's life, could be in jeopardy.

I have always had a fascination with learning about the children of presidents. I have always wondered what it would be like to live in the White House, and be known all across the United States. This book gives an inside look to a presidents child's life. Morgan makes it very obvious that it is not all fun and games. It is hard to be a teenager and be followed every single place you go, including in the bathroom. It is also hard to always look professional so that you do not give your parents any bad press. It sounds like a difficult life for a teenager

I give this book a B. It is a very fun and easy read and I finished it in a day. I recommend this book to all Americans who are wondering what Malia and Sasha Obama's life may be like.

Happy Reading!

Bookaholic

Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brandan Halpin

Title: Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance
Authors:Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin
Publisher: Bloomsbury Teens, 2011

Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers are stars on the hit TV show, Jenna & Jonah's How to Be a Rock Star. On the show, the two are dating, and out in the real world, they must pretend to date for the sake of the shows ratings. The only problem... Charlie and Fielding despise each other. Their entire lives are photographed and taped, which forces both of them to live a fake life. A paparazzi photographer starts a rumor that shakes up the show and the two's relationship with each other. This forces them both to reevaluate their lives, their relationship with each other, and their future.

Honestly, the book seemed like a mix between Hannah Montana and High School Musical. Stars fake lives mixed with stars who are made to be in love sake of viewers. Charlie and Fielding's attitudes and comments towards each other were quite entertaining. The plot was semi-predictable, and definitely followed the plot of a typical chick-lit book. I did enjoy seeing the inside scoop of how it feels to be famous and trying to become someone outside of your role.

I give Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance a B, because I enjoyed the story, but it was but was a pretty typical chick-lit book. I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a fun, romance, story. I am definitely going to check out more books from these authors!

Happy reading!
Bookaholic

Goldstrike by Matt Whyman

Title: Goldstrike

Author: Matt Whyman

Publisher: Simon and Schuster, 2009

Rating: A

Suspect: Carl Hobbes
Description: Eighteen-year-old male wanted by the CIA for threatening national security.

Details: Responsible for outbreak at Camp Twilight, which resulted in the deaths of several military personnel and terror suspects. The detainee escaped and has not been seen since. Suspect is a skilled hacker, capable of manipulating and taking control of national security systems.

Current Whereabouts: Unknown

Threat Level: High

As soon as I picked up this book, and read the inside cover, I was hooked! It took me less than 24 hours to read the book because I could not put it down! Carl Hobbes is an eighteen year old that is wanted by several countries for robbery and breaking into national security. He gets a job at a high-profile security firm hoping that his identity will be hidden because no one will suspect that he will work in a job with security. The chapters alternate between Hobbes and the people hired to track down Hobbes.

Part way through reading the book, I realized that it was the second book in the series. When this happens, I usually stop reading the book because I start to get lost because I miss major parts of the story. Thankfully, this was not the case with Goldstrike. I could follow what was happening and did not feel like I was left not understanding parts of the development of the plot. I have already requested Icecore, which is the prequal to Goldstrike, from my local library. I am very excited to read it!

loved the book from the first page, which is why I rate the book an A. If you are looking for a fun read that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Goldstrike is definitely one you will want to read!

Happy reading!

Bookaholic

In My Library Bag 7/29

Story Siren does a feature called In My Mailbox on her page which shows the books that arrive in various people's mailboxes. I did not actually buy any of these books, so I switched up the name because I got all of these books at the library! I plan on review each of these books in the very near future!

• The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi




• The Maze Runner by James Dashner




• Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin




• Exodus by Julkie Bertagna




• Zenith by Julie Bertagna




• Not Just the Levees Broke by Phyllis Montana-Leblanc




• Traitor by Andy McNab and Robert Rigby




• Confessions of a First Daughter by Cassidy Calloway




• Goldstrike by Matt Whyman




• The Carbon Diaraies 2017 by Saci Lloyd




• The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle




• Puppy Love by Nancy Krulik

I am very excited to read and review each of these books! Comment below if you have read any of these!

Happy reading!

Bookaholic

First Post!

Hello readers!
This is my very first post on my new blog! I am a reader with a serious addiction to books. Its a problem and I have had to learn to live with it =). I hope this is a place where I can share my love of reading with others and inspire people to love reading as much as I do. I read mostly young adult fiction but also enjoy adult fiction and occasionally non-fiction. I currently get most of my books from the library and can not go into a library with out getting at least 4 books. When I am not reading, I am dancing, which is my other passion, or swimming. I just graduated college with a degree in elementary education and early childhood development. To start my blog off, leave a comment saying where your favorite place to read is!

Happy Reading!

Bookaholic