All Quiet On The Western Front

The greatest war story of all time as it is called, really did not live to its standard with me. Yes, I am not usually a fan of these types of books but really there were times that I found it painful to read. I had to force myself to turn the page. As I neared the end, I was dying to finish it, trying to stop myself from screaming out in agony. That's just my opinion. I admit I probably am a little biased against this but still, I would at least like it a little bit even with the bias thrown in. Oh well, you can't love every book.

Quick Synopsis: This book is about Paul Bäumer, who is a German soldier in World War 1. It is about his life in the war and the friends that he has made. It is filled with graphic description and a few gruesome scenes--though I did not find them as gruesome as they were said to be. It makes Paul, after seeing all of the violence and evil, think why there is war if it can be this horrible?

My Review: Okay, as I have already stated, I did not like this book. First of all, it is a story about history. Historical Fiction. I think it should be a rule that historical fiction should be written in past-tense, not present tense. It is not happening at this moment. At the end I found like the author was trying too hard to fit everything into the second-to-last chapter. Oh well, still I am so biased so I have to give a little bit more credit than I would.

My rating:

*1/2

I Am The Messenger

Brief Summary: In the next critically-acclaimed novel by Markus Zusak, Ed Kennedy, an average underage cabdriver in Australia stops a bank robbery. The next thing that he knows is that he is getting strange cards in the mail, each one leading to a different place, each one with an important message for him to give. As he starts to become more than just an average person, he wonders who is actually behind the strange cards.

My Review: I liked this book. It wasn't as good as The Book Thief, but it was still very good. I liked it. There were a parts that were a little too much, and a few parts that were a little cheesy and predictable, but, really, I found this book fun and interesting. It was sad and funny and strange at the same time. Well done.

My Rating:

****

The Marbury Lens

Synopsis: Jack Whitmore gets abducted one night, and narrowly escapes before travelling for two weeks in England, but while he's there the traumatic events that he experienced start to make him go crazy. Strange things begin happening and when he starts going to a strange world called Marbury after a stranger gives him glasses, he knows he can't stop.

Brief Summary: I have mixed feelings about this book. I thought at first that it would be scary, because that's what it says, this is a scary story. No. It's not that. I admit, there were a few disgusting and disturbing scenes that stayed with me, but nothing really that made me paranoid like over scary things sometimes do. I liked the story and the concept and I found myself drawn to the book many times, but there were times where I just had to think, I need to stop reading this for a little bit. Anyway, I felt a strange attachment to the characters and felt so sorry for them at times and, at times, worried them. Certainly an adult book, I really liked it.

My Rating:

****1/2

Trapped

Brief Summary: This book is about Scotty Weems who, during a large snow storm, gets trapped in his school with six other people. At first it seems like something that will last one night, but the snow does not stop after that, nor the next day. The snow just keeps falling and, with the power, the heat, and the pipes not working, any moment could be your death.

My Review: I really did enjoy this book. At first, I thought that I wasn't because of the "teenager point-of-view" with bad grammar and fragments (a very bothersome thing I come across when reading) but once I started reading, I found it interesting and I kept getting more and more drawn into the book. I think that it was a good read.

My Rating:

****

This book is a candidate for the Jack K Fiction Award

Best Foot Forward

Review: Best Foot Forward, one of those corny novels about some girl dealing with normal, real life issues. Ya, that's basically what it is, but it so much better than that. I usually do not like these books but this time, I did. It's kind of surprising. I mean, I never really despise any of these kinds of books, but I dont usually like them as much as I liked this one.

Quick Summary: It is the story of Jenna Boller who works in a shoe store. Everything seems normal until there is almost a robbery at the store, then Tanner Cobb comes to work there. From that point on everything changes, and she learns that everyone deserves a second chance.

My Rating:

***

I Am Number Four

So I read the jacket cover of the book. I immediately think the cliché alien-human romance thing. Girl meets alien. Alien trying to be normal and doesn't tell her. She finds out. Big dramatic confrontation scene. Somehow learn to live in harmony. I was wrong. I am not usually in to that alien world thing. Maybe a different planet, but powers just go way over the top. This was so much different though. It contained action, romance, and fear. It was one amazing written book and I congratulate the author.

Brief summary: "Four" has lived his entire life on the run. He has moved around more times than he can count, and he has had many identities. His first and largest move, though, was from the planet Lorien, about a year of space travel away from Earth, and since then he has been chased by the Mogadorians, who are killing the nine children that came to Earth in a certain order. The first three were killed. He is number four.

My review: I loved it. It was amazing, as I have already stated. It contained all of the components of a great story and then some. It also just left enough information out so that you can be eager for the next book to come out. I applaud Pittacus Lore.

My rating:

*****
(Highest)

Scorpia

Quick Summary: Scorpia, the fifth book in the Alex Rider series, continues to follow the protagonist and his life as a teenage spy in England. This time, though, he's being recruited by the other side, Scorpia. In this breathtaking novel, Alex deals with deception, death, and his own past, which he is slowly able to piece together.

My Review: Overall, I thought that this was a very good book. I found it fun, exciting, and at many times, hard to put down. With many twists and surprises, you find yourself entwined in the life of Alex Rider so far down, that you can't get out unless you read the other books in the series. I am confident that I will work on reading the other books as soon as possible.

My Rating:

****