Reviewed By: Amanda S.
By: Leslye Walton
Rating: Really Liked It
This book was extremely unique, and I have mixed feelings to the EXTREME when it comes to reviewing it. I loved reading it; the characters were so enthralling, and the diction the author uses is incredible. Ava is a child born with wings, and why? Nobody knows. The whole book is gripping and entertaining, and was simply a joy to read. It's very hard not to give away any of it, so you'll have to read it and judge it yourself. But, *SPOIL ALERT* If you are sensitive to rape or particularly violent scenes, the last few chapters are rough, and made me went to throw the book down and never touch it again. Hence, the mixed feelings. Anyway, it's an overall decent book, and it's worth the time to read.
I would recommend this to: Teens/Adults 15+
Reviewed By: Amanda S.
By: J.K. Rowling
Rating: It was amazing!
Any die-hard Harry Potter fan will surely recognize this book, a fascinating collection of imaginative wizarding fables that was mentioned in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows". Each tale has a unique moral and is followed by a commentary by Albus Dumbledore. I've read the book at least 10 times, as it's great for reading right before bed. It contains 5 stories, including "The Tale of the Three Brothers". It's fairly short, only around 110 pages long, but it is definitely worth checking out for Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, Slytherins, wizards, Squibs, and muggles alike.
I would recommend this to: Harry Potter fams
Reviewed By: Amanda S.
By: John Green
Rating: It was alright...
To be entirely honest, this book received a lot of hype and excitement that I just didn't really feel when I read the book. No, I am not heartless or evil; I sobbed my eyes out when it came to the tragedy at the end, but even though it was a nice love story, it didn't strike a lasting chord with me. It's basically a "Hold on to the ones you love, you never know when you're going to lose them" story, but between two kids with cancer. Let's be honest, it's fairly obvious something bad will happen. I don't mean to offend anyone, that is simply the fact. While it is a decent read and I encourage you to read it, it wasn't a personal favorite. It had it's good moments, and it's worth reading.
I would recommend this to: Teens
Reviewed By: Amanda S.
By: Suzanne Collins
Rating: Didn't Like It
These books had serious potential for being an amazing dystopian work literature. The concept is there, the plot is there, the action is there, and all three of these aspects were beautifully executed. Katniss Everdeen, the main character, lives in a world where children fight for life or suffer death in a brutal "game" designed to remind the citizens of the districts to keep in line with the government. It is a brilliant yet depressing subject. The one thing that these books lack is... Drum roll please... character development. The complete absence of any kind of personality or life in the characters makes these books fall flat. Ok, so, yeah, Katniss makes the ultimate sacrifice for her sister. But who wouldn't? Why do people chop this up to be the most amazing thing ever written in a book? The rest of the series is basically violence and her internal struggle of choosing a guy while being a figurehead for a revolution that was, newsflash, not started by her and bound to happen anyway. Her lack of personality and lack of ever having an independent thought besides committing suicide on national tv makes her really difficult for me to care about. Overall, the books were ok, but the characters remind me of Twilight: One dimensional and boring.
I would recommend this to: Teens, I guess
Reviewed By: Amanda S.
By: Kate DiCamillo
Rating: It was amazing!
Despereaux was a mouse who was not expected to live. All the others in the litter died, and Despereaux was born with his eyes open. Named "despair" by his mother, he was immediately an outcast. He'd rather read books than eat them and listen to music than behave like a normal rodent. Then the unspeakable happens: he falls in love with a human princess.
This is the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread. My grandmother used to read me this book all the time, until I got old enough to read it myself and fell in love with it all over again. It's a charming story with great narration and a few illustrations throughout. I enjoyed it as a child and I still enjoy it now, so I would suggest it to anyone who enjoys a good book.
I would recommend this to: Children, teens, and adults (maybe)
Reviewed By: Amanda S.
By: Brandon Mull
Rating: Really liked it
I loved this book! It’s about four friends that discover a candy shop that sells very unusual candies and confections: they can make you weightless, morph into other people, or even be invincible. But the sweet old lady that sells them may be more sour than they realize, and they must discover the secrets behind her mysterious missions before it’s too late. The characters were likable and realistic, and the book was a fun adventurous read.
I would recommend this to: Preeteens and Teens
Reviewed By: Amanda S.
By: A.F. Harrold
Rating: It was amazing!
This is an adorable story (although its kinda creepy too) about a girl named Amanda who has an imaginary friend, Rudger. But when she is hit by a car running away from the mysterious Mr. Bunting, her friend starts to Fade and is whisked away into a world completely made up of other Imaginaries, and has to try and find his way back to Amanda before it’s too late. The characters are very realistic (besides the imaginary ones, of course), and I especially enjoy Rudger’s personality. I love this book, I’d compare it to the book Coraline: short, and fun to read with a really good plot. There really are no downsides, it’s a fantastic book.
I would recommend this to: Anyone, even adults
Reviewed By: Amanda S.
By: Peggy Kearn
Rating: Hated it!
I hated this book. It was about a girl that was a little lost in life and ends up in a child prostitution ring. It was sick and twisted. I understand it goes on in real life, but... If people actually enjoy reading this stuff... I don’t even know what to think. It’s a terrible book, I read about three quarters of it then stopped.
I would recommend this to: Absolutely nobody
Reviewed By: Amanda S.
By: A.G. Howard
Rating: It was amazing!
This is a fantastic spin on Alice in Wonderland. The characters are deep and dynamic, and the plot is incredibly interesting. Alyssa Gardner, the main character, is a decedent of Alice Liddell, a mad woman who told Lewis Carroll her crazy and restless dreams and inspired him to write his famous children’s story. But Wonderland is no place for child’s play, and Alyssa finds herself stuck inside a hellishly nonsensical place where she must find her way out or die trying. I really enjoyed reading this book, the characters were very well developed, and the author has a certain way of writing that invokes emotion and makes you feel as if you are there, watching the events play out.
I would recommend this to: Anyone
Reviewed By: Amanda S.
By: Julia Mary Gibson
Rating: Really liked it
This is a nicely written story about a girl who finds a magical copper artifact in the woods behind her house. She discovers that it can grant wishes, and is delighted. But magic and people have their ways of twisting one’s words and being sinister. Perhaps the magical hand was not such a “magical” find. The book was interesting; while not a page turner, it was still gripping enough to hold my attention span long enough to read it. I would suggest it for a long car ride or people who are patient enough to read books with not a whole lot of action.
I would recommend this to: Anyone, mostly (see review)
