Challenge #1: 12 DYSPOTIAN/POST-APOCALYPTIC BOOKS IN 12 MONTHS- Ever since I read "Ender's Game" I have been hooked!
Challenge #2: 100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2012!- Should be a good challenge since I have never really tracked how many book I read in a year.
My Book List (pending)
1. Chaos Walking-The New World by Patrick Ness
2. Chaos Walking- The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
3. Chaos Walking- The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness
4. Chaos Walking- Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness
5. Hunger Games Trilogy- Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6. Hunger Games Trilogy- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
7. Hunger Games Trilogy- Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
8. The Eleventh Plague- Jeff Hirsch
Reviews
Title: "The New World"
Author: Patrick Ness
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-New-World-FREE-short/book-XANXSbf1l0qxlUvCC3HTvQ/page1.html
How long it took me: About 30 minutes. Finished 1/01/2012, 23 pages
Liked: All the insight that comes in handy when you start to read the Chaos Walking Trilogy.
Disliked: The short length, but it definitely roped me into reading the rest of the series.
What empowered me: I like how intelligent the protagonist is. Even though she lives in a world of uncertainty, and faces the ultimate of challenges, she keeps using her head to make wise decisions.
Rate: 9/10
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-New-World-FREE-short/book-XANXSbf1l0qxlUvCC3HTvQ/page1.html
How long it took me: About 30 minutes. Finished 1/01/2012, 23 pages
Liked: All the insight that comes in handy when you start to read the Chaos Walking Trilogy.
Disliked: The short length, but it definitely roped me into reading the rest of the series.
What empowered me: I like how intelligent the protagonist is. Even though she lives in a world of uncertainty, and faces the ultimate of challenges, she keeps using her head to make wise decisions.
Rate: 9/10
This short story is the epilogue to the Chaos Walking Trilogy. It introduces one of two protagonists in the Trilogy, Viola Eade. Through her voice, readers learn what The New World is all about. Viola's story is one the sets the stage for what is to come. When everything goes wrong, all that is left is despair, and of course, hope. Viola is part of a crusade on their way to the New World, a place where things are supposed to be better, a place where things are supposed to be simpler. Everything goes wrong as Viola makes her grand entrance into The New World.
BOOK TWO
Title: "The Knife of Never Letting Go"
Author: Patrick Ness
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Knife-Never-Letting-Go/book-a9bX12WCLEixwoc8EDH8YQ/page1.html
How long it took me: Two days to read this book since it was so captivating! Finished 1/03/2012 496 pages
Liked: How the two protagonist's love ripens very slowly as they not only discover who they are as individuals, but also who they are as a team.
Disliked: The loss of one of my favorite characters from the very first page! (I won't say who since I don't want to spoil anything, but it nearly brought me to tears!)
Favorite quote: "We are the choices we make."
Rate: 5/5
This book grabs you by the hair and doesn't let go, even on the final page. Todd sees the world through rose colored glasses, that is, until he is a man. Noise fills the air like never before, and even the animals are talking about it. When Todd meets a girl for the first time, things take a turn for the wild side while they run from the world of confusion into the idea of a safe-haven (pun intended), but what is lurking at the end of their journey?
BOOK THREE
Title: "The Ask and the Answer"
Author: Patrick Ness
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Ask-and-the-Answer/book-93zQ9O-MnEihDnxJ_wnOtg/page1.html
How long it took me: Four days to read this book. Finished 1/07/2012, 519 pages.
Liked: How I literally wanted to scream at the book when Todd and Viola were making decisions. Yes, it was THAT captivating.
Disliked: That poor Todd and Viola hardly get a second to breathe from all the madness brought on from the very first book.
Favorite quote: "Battle not with monsters lest you become a monster and if you gaze into the abyss the abyss gazes into you." -Friedrich Nietzsche (featured at the start of the book)
Rate: 4.5/5
This book picks up right where "The Knife of Never Letting Go" leaves off. Now narrated by Todd and Viola, the characters further the richness of their identities. Horrible things happen, horrible people do horrible things, and worst of all, good people do horrible things. We see war at its finest, and worst, from two different sides, although both one in the same. Mistakes, misinformation, and mistrust are all on the platter for Todd and Viola. Who will win the battle of right and wrong? A lot this book can be related to what we see in wars today, a harsh reality no sooner faced then now.
BOOK FOUR
Title: "Monsters of Men"
Author: Patrick Ness
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Monsters-of-Men/book-YncN24tkdEmRl_GRwVmwiw/page1.html
How long it took me: Five days to read this book. Finished 1/12/2012, 603 pages.
Liked: Davy Prentiss. Never thought I would say that but I really liked his character due to his complexity.
Disliked: That poor Todd and Viola hardly get a second to breathe from all the madness brought on from the very first book.
Favorite quote: "Battle not with monsters lest you become a monster and if you gaze into the abyss the abyss gazes into you." -Friedrich Nietzsche (featured at the start of the book) "But the worst is the one who knows better and does nothing" -Patrick Ness
Rate: 5/5
The final book was so deep that it was nearly impossible to keep from drowning in it. War indeed makes monsters of men. The ending to this series is abrupt and painful, yet right in line with the rest of the series. Very well written and a must read for everyone. I consider this one the best book out of the four. For fear of spoilers, I will keep this one short and let you find out for yourself how amazing this series really is!
Over all of the "Chaos Walking" trilogy 4.9/5
BOOK FIVE
Title: "The Hunger Games"
Author: Suzanne Collins
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Hunger-Games-Trilogy/book-bzAVDy2qHkWftvRlM1SOEw/page1.html
How long it took me: About 3 days. Finished 1/15/2012, 374 pages
Liked: Everything! Literally.
Disliked: A little slow to get started...but man, once it got going there was no stopping it!
What empowered me: Katniss and her struggles and human emotions of conflict.
Rate: 10/10
This book was amazing. It is not usual that I enjoy a book cover to cover. The protagonist Katniss struggles with her journey away from home into a death trap. This is an edge of your seat kind of book that is really reflective of the state of our American society right now.
Title: "The Knife of Never Letting Go"
Author: Patrick Ness
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Knife-Never-Letting-Go/book-a9bX12WCLEixwoc8EDH8YQ/page1.html
How long it took me: Two days to read this book since it was so captivating! Finished 1/03/2012 496 pages
Liked: How the two protagonist's love ripens very slowly as they not only discover who they are as individuals, but also who they are as a team.
Disliked: The loss of one of my favorite characters from the very first page! (I won't say who since I don't want to spoil anything, but it nearly brought me to tears!)
Favorite quote: "We are the choices we make."
Rate: 5/5
This book grabs you by the hair and doesn't let go, even on the final page. Todd sees the world through rose colored glasses, that is, until he is a man. Noise fills the air like never before, and even the animals are talking about it. When Todd meets a girl for the first time, things take a turn for the wild side while they run from the world of confusion into the idea of a safe-haven (pun intended), but what is lurking at the end of their journey?
Title: "The Ask and the Answer"
Author: Patrick Ness
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Ask-and-the-Answer/book-93zQ9O-MnEihDnxJ_wnOtg/page1.html
How long it took me: Four days to read this book. Finished 1/07/2012, 519 pages.
Liked: How I literally wanted to scream at the book when Todd and Viola were making decisions. Yes, it was THAT captivating.
Disliked: That poor Todd and Viola hardly get a second to breathe from all the madness brought on from the very first book.
Favorite quote: "Battle not with monsters lest you become a monster and if you gaze into the abyss the abyss gazes into you." -Friedrich Nietzsche (featured at the start of the book)
Rate: 4.5/5
This book picks up right where "The Knife of Never Letting Go" leaves off. Now narrated by Todd and Viola, the characters further the richness of their identities. Horrible things happen, horrible people do horrible things, and worst of all, good people do horrible things. We see war at its finest, and worst, from two different sides, although both one in the same. Mistakes, misinformation, and mistrust are all on the platter for Todd and Viola. Who will win the battle of right and wrong? A lot this book can be related to what we see in wars today, a harsh reality no sooner faced then now.
BOOK FOUR
Title: "Monsters of Men" Author: Patrick Ness
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Monsters-of-Men/book-YncN24tkdEmRl_GRwVmwiw/page1.html
How long it took me: Five days to read this book. Finished 1/12/2012, 603 pages.
Liked: Davy Prentiss. Never thought I would say that but I really liked his character due to his complexity.
Disliked: That poor Todd and Viola hardly get a second to breathe from all the madness brought on from the very first book.
Favorite quote: "Battle not with monsters lest you become a monster and if you gaze into the abyss the abyss gazes into you." -Friedrich Nietzsche (featured at the start of the book) "But the worst is the one who knows better and does nothing" -Patrick Ness
Rate: 5/5
The final book was so deep that it was nearly impossible to keep from drowning in it. War indeed makes monsters of men. The ending to this series is abrupt and painful, yet right in line with the rest of the series. Very well written and a must read for everyone. I consider this one the best book out of the four. For fear of spoilers, I will keep this one short and let you find out for yourself how amazing this series really is!
Over all of the "Chaos Walking" trilogy 4.9/5
BOOK FIVE
Title: "The Hunger Games"
Author: Suzanne CollinsDownload at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Hunger-Games-Trilogy/book-bzAVDy2qHkWftvRlM1SOEw/page1.html
How long it took me: About 3 days. Finished 1/15/2012, 374 pages
Liked: Everything! Literally.
Disliked: A little slow to get started...but man, once it got going there was no stopping it!
What empowered me: Katniss and her struggles and human emotions of conflict.
Rate: 10/10
BOOK SIX
Title: "Catching Fire"
I really got into this book. I have to admit when I read how another Hunger Game would affect Katniss and Peeta, I nearly fell out of my chair. This is an edge of your seat kind of series that is really reflective of the state of our American society right now.
BOOK SEVEN
Title: "Mockingjay"
Author: Suzanne Collins
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Hunger-Games-Trilogy/book-bzAVDy2qHkWftvRlM1SOEw/page1.html
How long it took me: About 12 days ( I had a lot of other school work). Finished 2/05/2012, 390 pages
Liked: How depressive yet right on with my thinking process this book was. Nothing but the nitty-gritty truth.
Disliked: Not enough said about the death of a pivotal former tribute towards the end, and not enough about what happened to Katniss's rejected love interest. (trying to avoid spoilers here!)
What empowered me: That not all errs in humanity can be forgiven and forgotten. Some are permanent.
Rate: 9/10
I loved this book, and the whole series. The reflection upon our modern society is spot on. I also loved the final ending. Just conclusive enough without being annoyingly conclusive. The only reason why I didn't give the final book a 10/10 is because the prologue needed more. It was too short and sweet. I wanted to hear more about Katniss's "other" love interest.
Over all series rating: 9.8/10
I picked this book on a whim recommendation and am glad I did. This is such a page turner, and the twists that are thrown in can literally make your jaw drop. If I had to pick one word for this book, it is fierce. The next book comes out in May of 2012 and I honestly can't wait.
BOOK NINE
Title: "The Eleventh Plague"
Author: Jeff Hirsch
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Eleventh-Plague/book-JUpTfUBTrEOC7atBatghqg/page1.html
How long it took me: About 15 days. Finished 3/16/2012, 288 pages.
Liked: That they took points of interest we all know like Starbucks and Six Flags and incorporated them into the story.
Disliked: How slow the book was. I was also not too fond of how underdeveloped the love interest was. Characters did not have humanistic and emotions that I could relate to.
What empowered me: Not much actually....
Rate: 3/10
Not a fast paced page turner for sure, but not a waste of time either. The characters were underdeveloped and the story line was weak, the plot was good but there was not enough action. I read this because it was compared to The Hunger Games but I would have to disagree. When a book takes me two weeks to finish reading, you know it wasn't that great. Over all, I wouldn't go out of your way for this book, but if someone gave it to you, I would give it a read at least once before passing it on.
Author: Suzanne Collins
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Hunger-Games-Trilogy/book-bzAVDy2qHkWftvRlM1SOEw/page1.html
How long it took me: About 3 days. Finished 1/19/2012, 391 pages
Liked: How cleverly the author continued the action of the Games.
Disliked: The oh so inconclusive ending that forces you to immediately begin reading the third and final book.
What empowered me: The cleverness of Katniss (and really Suzanne).
Rate: 10/10
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Hunger-Games-Trilogy/book-bzAVDy2qHkWftvRlM1SOEw/page1.html
How long it took me: About 3 days. Finished 1/19/2012, 391 pages
Liked: How cleverly the author continued the action of the Games.
Disliked: The oh so inconclusive ending that forces you to immediately begin reading the third and final book.
What empowered me: The cleverness of Katniss (and really Suzanne).
Rate: 10/10
BOOK SEVEN
Title: "Mockingjay"
Author: Suzanne CollinsDownload at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Hunger-Games-Trilogy/book-bzAVDy2qHkWftvRlM1SOEw/page1.html
How long it took me: About 12 days ( I had a lot of other school work). Finished 2/05/2012, 390 pages
Liked: How depressive yet right on with my thinking process this book was. Nothing but the nitty-gritty truth.
Disliked: Not enough said about the death of a pivotal former tribute towards the end, and not enough about what happened to Katniss's rejected love interest. (trying to avoid spoilers here!)
What empowered me: That not all errs in humanity can be forgiven and forgotten. Some are permanent.
Rate: 9/10
I loved this book, and the whole series. The reflection upon our modern society is spot on. I also loved the final ending. Just conclusive enough without being annoyingly conclusive. The only reason why I didn't give the final book a 10/10 is because the prologue needed more. It was too short and sweet. I wanted to hear more about Katniss's "other" love interest.
Over all series rating: 9.8/10
BOOK EIGHT
Title: "Divergent"
Author: Veronica Roth
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Divergent/book-M3_lOs4GSUmIf8Z01J73Hw/page1.html
How long it took me: About 4 days. Finished 2/21/2012, 487 pages
Liked: How intelligent the whole plot was, such a page turner that this book engulfs your mind to where you really don't want to put it down.
Disliked: How the climax moved so quick...I wanted this book to be another 300/400 pages, but I guess that would have intimidated a lot of people, so I get it.
What empowered me: Being dauntless!
Rate: 8.5/10
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Divergent/book-M3_lOs4GSUmIf8Z01J73Hw/page1.html
How long it took me: About 4 days. Finished 2/21/2012, 487 pages
Liked: How intelligent the whole plot was, such a page turner that this book engulfs your mind to where you really don't want to put it down.
Disliked: How the climax moved so quick...I wanted this book to be another 300/400 pages, but I guess that would have intimidated a lot of people, so I get it.
What empowered me: Being dauntless!
Rate: 8.5/10
Title: "The Eleventh Plague"
Author: Jeff Hirsch
Download at: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Eleventh-Plague/book-JUpTfUBTrEOC7atBatghqg/page1.html
How long it took me: About 15 days. Finished 3/16/2012, 288 pages.
Liked: That they took points of interest we all know like Starbucks and Six Flags and incorporated them into the story.
Disliked: How slow the book was. I was also not too fond of how underdeveloped the love interest was. Characters did not have humanistic and emotions that I could relate to.
What empowered me: Not much actually....
Rate: 3/10
Not a fast paced page turner for sure, but not a waste of time either. The characters were underdeveloped and the story line was weak, the plot was good but there was not enough action. I read this because it was compared to The Hunger Games but I would have to disagree. When a book takes me two weeks to finish reading, you know it wasn't that great. Over all, I wouldn't go out of your way for this book, but if someone gave it to you, I would give it a read at least once before passing it on.
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