Top 100 Ya Books for 2009

Legend:
The ones listed in bold are ones I have read.
The books listed in italics are books on my TBR list.



Top 100 YA novels of 2010:
1. The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s (Sorceror’s) Stone – J.K. Rowling
3. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
4. Speak – Laurie Halse Anderson
5. Northern Lights (The Golden Compass)- Philip Pullman
6. The Truth About Forever – Sarah Dessen
7. The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
8. The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton
9. Twilight – Stephenie Meyer
10. This Lullaby – Sarah Dessen
11. Looking for Alaska – John Green
12. Just Listen – Sarah Dessen
13. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K. Rowling
14. Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
15. City of Bones – Cassandra Clare
16. On the (Jellicoe Road) – Melina Marchetta
17. The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
18. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – J.K. Rowling
19. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
20. Along for the Ride – Sarah Dessen
21. Shiver – Maggie Stiefvater
22. Vampire Academy – Richelle Mead
23. Graceling – Kristin Cashore
24. Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher
25. Sloppy Firsts – Megan McCafferty
26. The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
27. Alanna: The First Adventure – Tamora Pierce
28. Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card
29. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – J.K. Rowling
30. Uglies – Scott Westerfeld
31. A Great and Terrible Beauty – Libba Bray
32. Tomorrow, When the War Began – John Marsden
33. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks – E. Lockhart
34. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
35. The Westing Game – Ellen Raskin
36. Paper Towns – John Green
37. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – J.K. Rowling
38. Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins
39. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn – Betty Smith
40. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian – Sherman Alexie
41. Lock and Key – Sarah Dessen
42. The Amber Spyglass – Philip Pullman
43. Evernight – Claudia Gray
44. Sabriel – Garth Nix
45. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – J.K. Rowling
46. Beautiful Creatures – Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl
47. Forever – Judy Blume
48. I Capture the Castle – Dodie Smith
49. Ella Enchanted – Gail Carson Levine
50. The Princess Diaries – Meg Cabot
51. Stargirl – Jerry Spinelli
52. Howl’s Moving Castle – Diana Wynne Jones
53. The Dark is Rising – Susan Cooper
54. Hush, Hush – Becca Fitzpatrick
55. Saving Francesca – Melina Marchetta
56. Second Helpings – Megan McCafferty
57. Dreamland – Sarah Dessen
58. Eclipse – Stephenie Meyer
59. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist – Rachel Cohn, David Levithan
60. Fire – Kristin Cashore
61. The Chocolate War – Robert Cormier
62. Weetzie Bat – Francesca Lia Block
63. The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank
64. Looking for Alibrandi – Melina Marchetta
65. How I Live Now – Meg Rosoff
66. City of Glass – Cassandra Clare
67. Keeping the Moon – Sarah Dessen
68. Breaking Dawn – Stephenie Meyer
69. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging – Louise Rennison
70. If I Stay – Gayle Forman
71. The King of Attolia – Megan Whalen Turner
72. Wintergirls – Laurie Halse Anderson
73. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast – Robin McKinley
74. The Blue Sword – Robin McKinley
75. Feed – M.T. Anderson
76. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants – Ann Brashares
77. Go Ask Alice – Anonymous
78. Wicked Lovely – Melissa Marr
79. Lord of the Flies – William Golding
80. Someone Like You – Sarah Dessen
81. The Forest of Hands and Teeth – Carrie Ryan
82. Jacob Have I Loved – Katherine Paterson
83. The Knife of Never Letting Go – Patrick Ness
84. Poison Study – Maria V. Snyder
85. Shadow Kiss – Richelle Mead
86. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle – Avi
87. An Abundance of Katherines – John Green
88. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
89. A Ring of Endless Light – Madeleine L’Engle
90. Glass Houses – Rachel Caine
91. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party – M.T. Anderson
92. Walk Two Moons – Sharon Creech
93. Whale Talk – Chris Crutcher
94. Perfect Chemistry – Simone Elkeles
95. Going Too Far – Jennifer Echols
96. The Last Song – Nicholas Sparks
97. Before I Fall – Lauren Oliver
98. Hatchet – Gary Paulsen
99. The Pigman – Paul Zindel
100. The Hero and the Crown – Robin McKinley

I have read 23 out of 100. I guess that's... okay... I could do better!

Teaser Tuesday (1)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.
Here are the rules:
* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



' The mirror returned to Sloane's apartment. Trey was the one with Sloane.
After a minute, Kendra said, "What's next for you? Are you going back to school?"'

~
Beastly by Alex Flinn, p.g. 73

In My Mailbox (4)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea at Pop Culture Junkie. It explores what books readers have gotten in their mailboxes, bought, & borrowed from the library.
__________________________________

No books in my mailbox this week, folks! Sorry! But there should be some coming soon, because I need to get Mockingjay within my reach before I go into a panic attack. But, for now, it's Sierra with The Reading Chic, and I ask you, what did you get in your mailbox?

Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney

*This is a second book in a series. To avoid spoilers, please do not continue reading if you have not read the first book in the series entitled Diary of a Wimpy Kid.*

Secrets have a way of getting out, especially when a diary is involved.

Whatever you do, don’t ask Greg Heffley how he spent his summer vacation, because he definitely doesn’t want to talk about it.

As Greg enters the new school year, he’s eager to put the past three months behind him . . . and one event in particular.

Unfortunately for Greg, his older brother, Rodrick, knows all about the incident Greg wants to keep under wraps. But secrets have a way of getting out . . . especially when a diary is involved.

Released: February 1st, 2008
Published by: Amulet
Series: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, 2
Overall Rating: 3 out of 5
Page Amount:

Plot 3/10
Likable Characters 7/10
Problem Development 2/10
Solution Effectiveness 1/10
Writing Style 9/10
Character Development 4/10
Cover 5/10
Setting 5/10
Ending 2/10
Beginning 3/10
=
41%

I am incredibly disappointed with Kinney and the second novel in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules. This one I found was just, eh.

There was no real plot to this novel, which I also found with the first novel in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid novels, it was just like, oh… look at this! Then it starts going on about something totally different. Things like that really annoy me about a lot of novels.

The character likeability was… eh. I found a lot of characters in this novel rude, sarcastic (in a bad way), annoying, and down right mean to the bone. The first novel’s characters were much less these types of people, which I liked better.

There wasn’t a problem really in this novel, so I can’t judge the novel about it’s problem development, sorry!

Since there was no problem, I can’t judge on the solution effectiveness either, sorry again!

Considering how this novel wasn’t on my best terms, I did find it funny at some points of the novel so Kinney gets props for that.

Greg didn’t really develop in this novel. So character development is a hard one to judge upon. He was the same person through this whole novel.

I honestly have mixed feelings about this cover. How I don’t like it is how it has Greg and Rodrick, and Rodrick is pushing Greg. I mean, were is the goodness in that. How I like it is how it looks like a ripped piece of paper that was taped (you can see the tape and everything!) onto the cover. This cover ended up on a 50/50 for me.

The setting of this novel was sort of described, but not thoroughly enough to actually enjoy.

The ending was… eh. That is all I can say, really, other than it was an obvious ending to a book that has more books in a series or trilogy.

The beginning really didn’t catch me, either. I found that it didn’t pick up from were Diary of a Wimpy Kid ended, which is defiantly something I really like in a book that is a series.

Overall, I was not impress by Rodrick Rules. I would say, if you want to see what happen and what these books are all about, to pick up the first one, but I will not be continuing on with this series by choice, maybe if I have nothing to read and that is the only thing that I haven’t read, but I will defiantly not be picking these of the bookstore shelves by my own will.

New Template... Yeah, Again

Oh... my... gosh! I am offically in love! Don't you guys love my new template? I love it too!
What do you guys think? I love it!

Love you guys!

~

Sierra

Formspring help?

Hey guys,

I have a favor to ask you.

If you have the time, could you please ask me questions on Formspring? Formspring is a website were you can ask questions and get answers and follow people & the questions they answer! You don't even have to have a account!

If you could, please ask me questions! I love you guys!

~
Sierra
URL:
http://www.formspring.me/thereadingchic

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

I DID get books in my mailbox this week! I got two books, plus a bind-up! Here's what I got!

Two irresistible boys. One unforgettable summer.

Lori can't wait for her summer at the lake. She loves wake boarding and hanging with her friends—including the two hotties next door. With the Vader brothers, she's always been just one of the guys. Now that she's turning sixteen, she wants to be seen as one of the girls, especially in the eyes of Sean, the older brother. But that's not going to happen—not if the younger brother, Adam, can help it.

Lori plans to make Sean jealous by spending time with Adam. Adam has plans of his own for Lori. As the air heats up, so does this love triangle. Will Lori's romantic summer melt into one hot mess?

I don't know much about these novels, but I have heard from reviews from GoodReads that they are good, so since it is a bind-up and you can get two books for like, twelve bucks, I decided that I would give it a whirl and find out for myself if this book is good.

I am a beast. A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog, but a horrible new creature who walks upright – a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I’m talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It’s no deformity, no disease. And I’ll stay this way forever – ruined – unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and a perfect life. And then, I’ll tell you how I became perfectly beastly.

I heard from Jessica at Chapter Chicks that this book was worth a read, and the movie is coming out next March and I didn't want to get the movie cover, so I decided to pick it up. I can't wait to read it!

& last but not least...

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud tells the haunting story of a young man who narrowly survives a terrible car wreck that kills his little brother. Years later, the brothers’ bond remains so strong that it transcends the normal boundaries separating life and death. Charlie St. Cloud lives in a snug New England fishing village. By day he tends the lawns and monuments of the ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. Graced with an extraordinary gift after surviving the accident, he can still see, talk, and even play catch with Sam’s spirit. But townsfolk whisper that Charlie has never recovered from his loss.

Into his carefully ordered life comes Tess Carroll, a captivating, adventuresome woman training for a solo sailing trip around the globe. Fate steers her boat into a treacherous storm that blows her back to harbor, to a charged encounter with Charlie, and to a surprise more overwhelming than the violent sea itself. Charlie and Tess discover a beautiful and uncommon connection that leads to a race against time and a desperate choice between death and life, between the past and the future, between holding on and letting go.
I wasn't able to go to the movie at my local theatre, but I am glad I got the book. I wanted to read the book before I watched the movie, so when I wasn't able to get the the movie theatre I jumped at the chance to get the book. When I saw it for ten bucks I quickly picked it up and threw it into the cart. I am so excited to read this one!

So, that's all for me this week for In My Mailbox. What did you get in yours?

15 Followers & Template Change!

Breathe... breathe, Sierra... breathe!
I have FIFTEEN followers! That is more than I could have imagined when I have only been blogging for this long! I love you guys!

&
As you can see I changed the template of this blog. I was just bored with the old template I had. I don't know why. But I LOVE this one that I have now, and I hope you guys like it too!

One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt

Eliza is in a full-blown panic. Her notebook has been stolen—the one that lists everything she wants but is afraid to go after. And the absolute worst person in the world has it: her ex-boyfriend, Cooper.

Like it’s not enough Cooper was lying to Eliza for their entire relationship, now he and his friends are blackmailing her. They’re giving her just one night to complete the most humiliating tasks on her list or they’ll post her secrets online—including the ones that arne’t just about her.

Eliza’s sure of only one thing: she isn’t going down without a fight. Cooper may have what’s left of her dignity, but she’s not the only one with something to hide…

Released: July 6th, 2010
Published by: Simon Pulse
Series: -
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
Page Amount: 290

Plot 9/10
Likable Characters 10/10
Problem Development 9/10
Solution Effectiveness 10/10
Writing Style 10/10
Character Development 9/10
Cover 8/10
Setting 10/10
Ending 10/10
Beginning 9/10
=
94%

One Night that Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt is a perfect summer read. It is light, fun, with some twists and turns that you won't expect through this novel. Barnholdt but the perfect balance of romance, suspense, and chick lit.

Although the plot for this novel is very unique, before I started reading it, it sounded a little plain to me. Now that I have read it, I like the plot better, but that little voice inside my head saying that this book sounded plain kept me from giving it a ten out of ten.

Eliza was a very likable protagonist. I could relate to Eliza through out this whole book. I could relate to her by keeping her secrets to herself and not wanting anybody to find out; not even her best friends. Clarice was the loyal best friend, and she is the type of friend that I always want for my very bets friend in the whole world, loyal, but not too clingy. Marissa annoyed me, a lot. She wasn't a very loyal best friend, and through this book all she wanted to do was hang out with this random guy that she just met that night. Also, I have a cousin named Marissa, so I think that just made me not like Marissa even more, because Marissa is the type of person that I don't want my cousin to turn into.

The one thing about the problem development that I didn't like was that this book was only set in one night. I like novels that are more than a week long, but I guess this book's plot made it okay. Other than that, the problem, for one night anyways, was spread out and phased out good.

I LOVED what Eliza and her friends did to stop this gang from blackmailing her and making her do all of these things. I am not going to tell you what she did because that would be giving a major spoiler!

Barnholdt's writing style in One Night that Changes Everything was beautiful! I loved it, and her writing style was one of the main things that kept me turning the pages of this novel.

Eliza's character development was beautiful turning this novel. She grew up and matured because of what she had to go through to getting back her notebook. She was more an adult by the end of this novel than she was at the beginning. She was like a whiny twelve year old at the beginning, but by the end she was all grown up.

I honestly don't know what to say about the cover. I don't understand how it has anything to do with the actual novel itself.

How Eliza described her city, Boston, at night, I totally believed her. It sounds right for a big city like Boston to be like that, and overall it was just totally believable.

I LOVE the ending of this novel. I think I loved the ending because I loved Cooper so much.

The beginning went right into when her notebook was stolen, which I liked and I didn't like. I felt as if Barnholdt could have described more of Eliza's life before this happened, but I guess it was pretty good.

Having not read Barnholdt's other novel, Two-Way Street, I had no idea what to expect. But, now after I have read this novel, I am really impressed. I will be checking out Two-Way Street. I suggest that you guys read One Night that Changes Everything, because it is a nice, summer read about ex-boyfriends, gangs, and a tight-nit group of friends put to the test to help one of their members.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna.
Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful.
But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.
How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and all the dirty secrets they've kept. And guess what? I'm telling. - A

Released: October 1st, 2006
Published by: HarperTeen
Series: Pretty Little Liars, Book 1
Page Amount: 290

Plot 7/10
Likable Characters 8/10
Problem Development 9/10
Solution Effectiveness 8/10
Writing Style 6/10
Character Development 9/10
Cover 10/10
Setting 7/10
Ending 10/10
Beginning 7/10
=
81%

This is the one book that took me until the very last page of the novel to decide how I am going to grade it.

This plot is a plot that I have never read before. The whole idea of this mystery A person who is blackmailing these teenagers after their friend Alison disappeared. I think it is just so unique.

Most of these characters were likable. I found Hanna really annoying. I just found her habits really unnecessary and it just rubbed me the wrong way. She was just like ‘I am so perfect now. Oh no I am going to get fat!’ It kind of REALLY annoyed me.

Pretty Little Liar’s problem development phased itself well for a book in a series.

Since there are more books in the series, there is no real solution. But what did happen at the end of the book, I think, was excellent.

Shepard’s writing style annoyed me at times. This book is written in third person, which, honestly, is not my favourite writing style. It annoyed me a little during the book.

Most of the characters developed a little during this book. I think Emily developed the most in this novel.

I LOVE the cover for this novel. I love the whole idea of the Barbies and the whole “perfect girls” idea.

The setting in this novel was roughly described through this novel. I understood the neighbourhood that the girls lived in, but the thing about it was that Shepard didn’t describe the town as much as she did the neighbourhood.

For a book that is a series, the ending left me hanging and overall it was just a really fitting ending for this type of book.

There was something about the beginning that made the novel drag on a little bit and it felt like the beginning was just being dragged on. It just wasn’t pulling me in and it just felt like it was going on and on.

This book is a light, summer read that I am so glad that I finally picked up to read and I think everybody that loves chick-lit novels and suspense should defiantly go to you local book store and pick Sara Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars up! So, what are you waiting for?

Pretty Little Liars Update

I am so sorry guys that I have not had a chance to post the review up lately. My cousins have been up for the week and I have been spending time with them so I have had zero chances to write the review. The review is almost done and should be up soon!

Sorry Guys!


Sierra

In My Mailbox (2)

Sorry guys! I didn't get anything in my mailbox last week. I should be going up to my local Chapters soon, either this week or next week, so I should have more books to show you guys.

Thank you Guys!

Sierra

I'm BAAACK!

Yes, fellow bloggers. I am back from camping. And yes, I do have a review of Pretty Little Liars that I need to post. That should be up by noon tomorrow!

Gone Camping

Yes, my bloggy friends. I am going camping! From tomorrow to Thursday August 12th. I just thought I would update you on that... I hope you won't miss me too much! I may or may not have a review to post by that time, only time will tell for that.

Thanks guys!

Sierra

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave "the Great Perhaps" even more (Francois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then . . . After. Nothing is ever the same.


Released: December 28th, 2006
Published by: Puffin
Series: -
Page Amount: 221

Plot 10/10
Likable Characters 10/10
Problem Development 10/10
Solution Effectiveness 10/10
Writing Style 10/10
Character Development 10/10
Cover 10/10
Setting 10/10
Ending 10/10
Beginning 9/10
=
99%

This book was beautiful. This is a book you want to read after you have been reading a long marathon of fantasy or books about worlds that don’t exist because it really gets you thinking about your life and how things could go terribly wrong at any possible moment. It is a book that you read when you are braze enough to cry your eyes out and let yourself go into the main characters heart and totally forget what is happening in your own life and all you can think about for days after was this poor character.

The plot for this novel is unlike any novel I have read before. The whole moving away from home to go to a boarding school thing, I think anyways, is a little bit over used, but John Green pulls a whole new twist on to that whole concept.

Miles (or as his group of friends called him, Pudge) was a very likeable character for me. He is a lot like me in many ways, only has a close nit group of friends, prefers to think things out himself, and overall I really likes Pudge, he was a character with a personality that I would like to see more often in realistic fiction novels, because he is the type of character that you see in fantasy-type novels.

I loved how Green organized the novel, and the problem development, from “before” and “after.” I won’t get into too much detail about that, because that is spoiler mania. But what I can tell you is that the problem in this novel is more towards the end of the book, because with the problem that Miles is given, there is not much he can do about it other than what he does in the novel.

The solution of this novel was quite obvious, but I liked how Miles would handle it just like I would.

John Green’s writing style is one of the best writing styles I have seen in a long time. His use of detail is amazing, but it sounds like a real teenage boy instead of a man that has gone through major grammar and speech classes.

Mile’s character development in this novel was amazing. He grew up like I have never seen before, and he was more mature by the experience that we went through during this novel.

I knew that I wanted to read this book, but the whole reason that I bought it when I did was solely on the cover. There was one copy (the copy I own) of the cover I liked in my local Chapters. But then, there were other covers, of a girls face, and now I am guessing it was Alaska’s. I HATED the other cover, so I snatched up the copy of this book, and I am so glad I did. But, back on the cover. I LOVE this cover. I love how just simple it is, and it just has the smoking candle with the smoke rising off of the purple candle. I love how it is just so simple, but then there is a shiny gold award on it, and that just pulls the cover all together for me.

I loved how the setting was described in this book. I liked how Pudge would compare Alabama, the state that he moves to where he also attends the boarding school, to his hometown, which is Florida.

The ending of this book was tear-jerking, I will warn you right now. But I found the ending just beautiful.

There was something about the beginning of this book that I didn’t like, making me not able to fully give it a ten, but I really wish I could.

There is a review on the back of this book with a quote that I find totally true. “Girls will cry and boys will find love, lust, loss, and longing in Alaska’s vanilla-and-cigarettes scent.” With that, go read this book!

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is a Weekly Meme hosted by The Story Siren. This is were you can share what books you got that week.

I only got one book this week, but I'll still share it with you:

Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna.

Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful.

But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.

How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and all the dirty secrets they've kept. And guess what? I'm telling.


Hope you guys liked my In My Mailbox this week, what did you get in yours?

Looking for Alaska Update

Hello everybody, I am here with a Looking for Alaska update. I just want to say that I should have the book finished, and have a review written by tomorrow night. If I don't, don't be alarmed, I just might be busy tomorrow.

Thanks Everybody!

Lets Pretent This Never Happened by Jim Benton

Read the hilarious, candid (& sometimes mean) diaries of Jamie Kelly, who promises that everything in her diary is true...or at least as true as it needs to be. In this book, Jamie contends with Angeline, the school's prettiest, most popular girl (who Jamie thinks is a goon!) and the impending visit of her troll-like little cousin. Will Jamie survive? Will she go mad? Will she send her mom's nasty casserole to starving children in Wheretheheckistan? You'll just have to read the first instalment of Dear Dumb Diary to find out!
Released: May 1st, 2007
Published by: Scholastic
Series: Dear Dumb Diary, Book 1
Page Amount: 103

Plot 3/10
Likable Characters 7/10
Problem Development 1/10
Solution Effectiveness 1/10
Writing Style 10/10
Character Development 2/10
Cover 2/10
Setting 1/10
Ending 7/10
Beginning 9/10
=
43%

This book was defiantly a middle grade fiction book. It was young, a book that I would defiantly recommend for people in the grades 1-3, but defiantly not YA fiction readers.


The plot for this book is defiantly over used. Dear Dumb Diary, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, shall I go on? The book that is written in diary form, and meant to be funny, like, seriously? This plot is a plot that I have read before many times.


Jamie is a iffy character to judge for likable characters. Jamie I found, most of the time anyways, just rude and cold blooded. I don’t know why Jim Benton would make Jamie so, just, mean I guess.


Well, what can I say about problem development? Well, lets say this: THERE WAS NO PROBLEM.


Again, what can I say about the solution effectiveness. Well, because there was no problem, THERE WAS NO SOLUTION.


I have to say, Jim Benton’s writing style was funny and really enjoyable. I mean, REALLY enjoyable.

Well, character development… Jamie didn’t develop at all! I mean, she was the same person the whole way through the book. I didn’t find that very enjoyable.


The cover, I am going to say plain and simple, is childish, and horrible.


The setting was NEVER described through this book. That really irritated me, I mean REALLY irritated me.

The ending was boring, but it was a aspect of the book that was more enjoyable than most of the aspects in the other parts of this book.


The beginning of this book was definatly better than the majority of this book. I like how it was displayed, but it gave me high hopes that were not kept through the book.


I would say do not read this book. By the way, I am not trying to be mean to this author or anything, it is just that I really didn’t like this book, plain and simple.

New Template, Blog Name, and Book Review Coming Up!

As you can see, my blog has gone through a major make-over. First, my template. I am seriously IN LOVE with my template. I love the whole black, white and red theme that I have going on. I also love the backround that I picked out.

Now, blog name. I am also IN LOVE with my blog name. I have been using thereadingchic as a username for a lot of website, and I never thought to name my blog this until recently.

Also, I have a book review coming soon!

Have a awesome summer guys!

Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison

My name is Madison Avery, and I'm here to tell you that there's more out there than you can see, hear, or touch. Because I'm there. Seeing it. Touching it. Living it.


Madison's prom was killer—literally. For some reason she's been targeted by a dark reaper—yeah, that kind of reaper—intent on getting rid of her, body and soul. But before the reaper could finish the job, Madison was able to snag his strange, glowing amulet and get away.

Now she's stuck on Earth—dead but not gone. Somehow the amulet gives her the illusion of a body, allowing her to toe the line between life and death. She still doesn't know why the dark reaper is after her, but she's not about to just sit around and let fate take its course.

With a little ingenuity, some light-bending, and the help of a light reaper (one of the good guys! Maybe . . . ), her cute crush, and oh yeah, her guardian angel, Madison's ready to take control of her own destiny once and for all, before it takes control of her.

Well, if she believed in that stuff.

　

Released: May 22nd, 2009
Published by: HarperCollins
Series: Madison Avery, Book 1
Page Amount: 232

Plot 10/10
Likable Characters 9/10
Problem Development 9/10
Solution Effectiveness 8/10
Writing Style 7/10
Character Development 9/10
Cover 9/10
Setting 6/10
Ending 10/10
Beginning 7/10
=
84%

Harrison has crafted a truly amazing novel. I have never read anything like this before.


The plot for this novel is unlike anything that I have ever read before. The idea for this novel is so unique, the idea of being dead but not gone is a scenario that I have never read about before.


Harrison’s characters were very likable. Madison is a character that I can see some people not connecting to, but at one point in my life I did want to be like Madison. Funky hair, dyed hair tips, skull and cross bones earrings. The whole bit. So I really did connect with Madison Avery.


The problem development in this book flowed nicely through out the book. The problem was introduced right in the beginning, and then flowed at the right time through out the rest of the book.


I found that the solution was less effective than it could have been. I am not going to go into detail, because it will get into spoilers, and I do not want to give way some of the book, because I hate it when other people give spoilers to me.


Harrison’s writing style was not amazing. I found that at times I sometimes did not know what was happening, and I hate it when a writer does that. I find it seriously annoying, and I did find at times that Harrison’s writing style annoyed me to no end.


Madison’s character development through out this book was pretty good, but something about her development kept me from giving her a ten out of ten.


The cover of this book is beautiful. Even though it is simple, and it just has Madison on the cover, I do think that it is really beautiful. The only thing about it that kept me from giving it a ten is that Madison did not has purple tips in her hair.


The setting of this book was never really given a name. The only thing about it that was mentioned that it was a small town. So the setting was never really described as much as I think it could have been.


The ending of this book was very good. I think I enjoyed how Madison’s story ended, and I can not wait for Early to Death, Early to Rise.


The beginning of this book I was not a big fan of. I wasn’t being sucked into the book at all, although I was wondering what was happening, I wasn’t compelled to continue reading to see what happened, if that made sense.


This book was pretty good, defiantly one of the better ones that I have read recently, so I defiantly recommend it for all of you guys to read.