fivezenses

To sum up the book: Liz is just 15 years old, doesn't even have her permit yet let alone unable to go to prom. But all that changes one day when she realizes that won't happen in her lifetime, well on earth at least. Liz learns that being dead is something different, but more so when you go to Elsewhere: a place is neither here nor there.

Okay this was like Benjamin Button but instead with humor, a 15 year old girl, and everyone is dead. This book had me thinking a lot about "what if.." this were real. How cool would it be to age backwards and then start all over again on earth as a baby. I could live life different just like Liz did and more.

What compelled me to read more was the fascination of Elsewhere in general. The idea of how Canine is a language and people can talk to dogs or how money doesn't exists but you can buy eternims which are tokens that can be used on observation decks through telescopes to see what's happening back on Earth. I won't say much more about what goes on in this place, but there is mentions of famous people, including a gardener named John Lennon.

Anyway, my only issue was how Liz handle things. I know she was dead. In shock and upset. But she was a little too over dramatic sometimes early on about how she felt. Then again she was depressed from dying at 15, I think I would be too if I died that young. But I do feel that there is not correct way to grieve in general, so to each their own in how they much feel towards death. Also she was mostly upset about how she never will get to love or learn to drive or even have sex or so many other things. I totally get how that kind of fear or sadness or both can harp on a teens ability in Elsewhere to heal or in real life.

I do have to say that I'm enticed by death or all things in regards to that subject with literature. It's such a mystery and at times it's not. So this new take on how we die and then go to a place as magnificante as Elsewhere is kind of enlightening. If this place were real, I would most certain hope for the ability to fluently speak the dog language, cause they also have pets end up in Elsewhere too! Be cool to see some of my old cats or even my old dogs, talk to them, even take care of them too.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was very different from most books I've read in the last 10 years and I'm hoping to find more as unique and entertaining as Gabrielle Zevin's has done with her novel.

The story itself is about a love that knows no boundaries that has time and space creating situations for the characters. Even though the outcome is laid out in the book, the journey itself is interesting to the end.

However, even with such a good concept for a novel, I couldn't feel a connection with the characters. It lacked those elements that makes up great characters, let alone for a young adult book. But in reality I felt it was less young adult actually and more science fiction in general for adults.

I did find some of the dialogue to fall a little flat through out the book. It could be that one or more of the characters were not pulled out into a much richer persona when being described or explaining their thoughts.

I think Cosby hit the nail on the head with the location for a sci-fi genre, that I do love. I can see the passion put into the details of that alone. I think that if there were to be a sequel, there needs to be something laid out about the characters that are magnetic to readers. I do find this sometimes happens in a first novel for writers when entering a young adult world, the character make-up is a hit or miss. Sometimes they come back out on top for the sequel. So maybe before it comes out I'll try to re-read the book and maybe attempt the second to see if I feel more of a relation to the characters, especially Sydney.

And the last thing i do have to point out, it's a pet peeve of books or just writing in general, but the type font is a big deal for myself. My eyes strain too much when the font is hard on my eyes. They literally hurt due to them constantly readjusting and focusing on it too much. I have this problem with reading too long and too much on my computer screen. This one of the reasons I pushed myself to get through this book because I knew if I didn't I would have never finished it and felt bad all because my eyes are "allergic" to type font lol

All in all, this novel wasn't something that I truly enjoyed. Sometimes this happens. Not every single book works for every single person. But I'm glad I've given it a try.

Okay so this novel isn't for everyone, especially for those that like a novel to stick to a normal routine of telling a story from beginning to end. This does that, but with a handful or your own that you can choose instead. The reason for that is there are 150 endings to choose from in the book!

Growing up I was into the Goosepbump books that let you choose your story. Not only was I totally into those covers (they were pretty awesome for Goosebump books!), but I loved changing the story into something more interesting. I was the kid that would mark my page if there were two choices and then go back to it if the one ended too quickly or was too insane for me.

I still did that with this novel. It has some grown-up themes to it, so maybe this wouldn't be a good book for those under the age of 15 (i.e. - sex, drugs, and a few other descriptive things that most YA books don't have!).

Anyway, the book starts off with you either choosing to go to college or off traveling. From there depending on which choice you make you can either go into an art program or science program or travel to europe and have your life changed. Along the way things get more complicated and life gets a little too real for the choices you make or just a little crazy, because let's face it, it's fiction, but still really interesting fiction.

I've gotten to read about 20 or more different endings so far, but all of which have been really interesting. I've died a handful, been shot, grown old and happy, grown old and sad, fall in love, been cheated on by men, been discovered, became famous, made my parents proud or shamed them, lived out my dreams, made miserable choices, and still trying to get to every ending!

No two endings are the same. And that's what I love the most. It makes you wonder, "what if I choose to fly to...?" or "should I have gone to that show with...?" or even "was that a really big mistake to...?"

This book I think is for those that get frustrated when books don't go the way they like it and wish they could have chosen something else or are the types always wondering "what if...?" about their own life in general.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, tells of a story about a young girl named Clary Fray who embarks on her summer in NYC, living in Brooklyn, and ends up with a life that is far from what she calls "normal". Along the way with her best friend Simon, her mother Jocyln, and an old family friend named Luke, they meet some interesting people. Some of these people include Jace, Isabelle, Alec, and Hodge. Things get complicated when Clary finds out about the world of the Shadowhunters and their ways of living. The end result is an epic journey into the unknown and the ability to not only trust herself, but that of others as she beings self rediscover of her past that makes her finally feel like she belongs in the sea of 1.8 billon people.

I'm not sure who has read the book, but I'll try to keep spoilers to a minimum.

My only issue with the story was how the characters Clary and Jace turned out in the end. It felt like a true greek tragedy to the point of how they found out a missing link between them: Valentine. That in itself kind of rubbed me wrong on a few levels, I mean if they were "cousins" then thats a different story and I would have been chill with... but they are not. Kind of takes it to a whole new ice factor level.

Anyway, the story itself was great! I loved how there was a whole back history to so many well known mythology of werewolves, faeries, vampires, warlocks, and more! It made you feel as though you had another piece to the puzzle of this story come alive.

I did enjoy the descriptions of the landscape, because of my own adventures in Manhattan over the years. I could picture the driving along the hudson river past the building on the west side, the imagery of the village with the cobble stone on the ground, the grand cathedrals standing tall in downtown, and the way it was when you get to the subways. Everything was perfectly described and I have to thank Cassandra for adding that amazing touch to the story!

I do however found it to be slow twice in the book, but that's because sometimes a first novel has that happen. The need to get out certain details and making the reader understand the world that which these characters come from too.

Lastly, I feel like there was something missing in regards to some more backstory about the characters. I can't put my finger on it, but something felt left out. I'm hoping it's in the sequel because it's the reason I couldn't give it 5 stars and the way things played out with Clary and Jace too is the other.

Overall this is a good book for those that have an obsession with YA paranormal mythology/folklore based in werewolves, vampires, faeries, etc...

One of the easiest guides I had a chance to own. Looking through it I realized that it's all mostly about remembering how to do fractions, material that can be easily learned first before learning medical math on dosages calculations.

The good news is I found a lot material to be broken down so that it's easier to understand what certain words mean, abbreviations, etc...

Then towards the end there is a test section, which is good for practicing what you already know and see if you remember anything.

I do enjoy the little cartoons floating around throughout the book making it a little more enjoyable and less boring for the eyes when having to read the material.

Overall a great little pocket guide for those going to enter into a nursing program, are taking a course in dosage calculations, or just need a refresher for the job.

One of the many reasons I really love this book is it's not just about comics, it's also about the history of the comic strip, the backstory about the way the characters talk, how a comic is produced for the newspaper, and a whole bunch of other really amazing things! Most of that wasn't a priority part of the book when I was a kid over 10 years ago, because you know, as a kid the last thing you want to read is the "how to" or "history" of something unless it's fun, then it's in one ear and out the other lol

But as I grew up, I started to read the information in the book. I was surprised at the vast knowledge that Watterson put into the book itself. He even points out some of his influence for writing the famous cartoons. He was mostly inspired by The Peanuts by Charles Schultz, Pogo by Walt Kelly, and Krazy Kat by George Herriman. Way before my time, but not my parents (they graduated high school in the '70s, so they know who the last two are haha).

Anyway, as you get past the first couple of pages, you start to see some really interesting and satirical comic strips of Calvin and Hobbes.



Also, not only does the book have mainly black & white based strips, but it also has some sunday color comic ones too!

I do believe this book is a great for those that: 1) love comics, 2) are a big fan of Calvin & Hobbes, 3) all of the above!

So this story is A-MAZ-ING! Before I dive into that let me do a short quick recap of the story....

It starts off with a young woman named Juliette who has been locked in a room for almost a full year. She gets one small window, a four walls, and one of those walls is her door with air holes. It's gray and dreary. No animals outside, no birds flying in the sky, and the grass doesn't really have that color anymore. The Reestablishment treats her and everyone else like property in this world. It's a really sad life to live in. But then Juliette's life gets thrown upside down, she experience things she hasn't in all her life, and she finally learns the truth about herself and the Reestablishment's true motivation for the world.

This story captivated me. It was like a beautifully choreographed dance on a broadway stage, watching that final number that has fireworks going off in the background while everyone is in dazzling sparkling outfits. You couldn't look away and had to watch it till the last note was sung. I was exhausted last night, couldn't sleep and finished the last few chapters of the book. I don't regret it one bit!

I'm in awe of her connection with the character Adam. I can't tell you too much, but they both have a profound effect on one another from the moment they met. He makes her come alive and she softens him to a human form of existence inside again.

The magic of how evil the Reestablishment is truly makes me think of how reckless power can be in any hands with the wrong ideas. It felt like a communist regin in charge of the people. Their way or the highway type of thinking. They shoot down people if they don't fall in like to their way of thinking. Kind of sick, don't you think? Makes me glad to live in the world that I do live in. But it was so intense to be reading it and live in Juliette's shoes for the story. I loved every moment of it!

Then the best parts were the moments that felt like poetry. Some of the most amazing words, lines, paragraphs I've ever read in all my years of living! Here is a short sample from the book:

❝ I only know now that the scientists are wrong. The world is flat. I know because I was tossed right off the edge and I've been trying to hold on for seventeen years. I've been trying to climb back up for seventeen years but it's nearly impossible to beat gravity when no one is willing to give you a hand. ❞

Mafi wrote Juliette in such a way, it made me wish I could write as beautifully as she does. Even if it's for a moment, because it was so woven perfectly with the story, the tone, mood, even the setting; the words she used made me feel alive more with each chapter. I'm so thankful for writers like her. They reinvigorate the sense of reading a book and make you ache for the next installment of the series.

Oh this book... I would recommend it to everyone, more so women because of the romance aspect dripping in through out the book. But it's beautifully done the romance, so no complaints there hehe.

Anyway, the book just literally came out yesterday, so if you've gotten a copy, you won't be sorry. If you have yet to receive on in the mail don't worry, it's worth the wait. And if you haven't bought one yet? Well depending on if your pockets are tight right now, but in the long run it's a great investment.

This is one of those books, if I could, I would throw down 10 hearts for the love of this book!

Where do I begin... I guess maybe saying that I ❤'d this book! Not many people would because not everyone is into the idea of "ghosts" (quoting in loose terms for the moment).

Now on to the book itself. Marley Gibson created a very interesting character named Kendall Moorehead, who grew up in south side Chicago. Home of deep dish pizza, the cubs, and the infamous windy city! But her dad gets a job and relocates the entire family to a small town an hour away from Atlanta called, Radisson. There you have a small main street, even a cafe oddly named 'Central Perk' (lol even the show is referenced in the book).

Through out the book, Kendall is tested by her old beliefs and the new ones she encounters. Her mother is a devout Episcopalian and a Registered Nurse, so you can guess how the news of her oldest daughter believing in ghosts goes over well. Anyway, she is also tested in waking life by the unseen and forces beyond her control. The one character that helps her learn how to deal with it all is a woman named Loreen who is a new-age type of person.

The one issue I did have was the dialogue. It was too much like how kids talk and think today, BUT I felt certain slang terms could of been used instead of point blank ones of like 'b***h' or 'sh*t' (using symbols to cover up the words a bit). I know it was written two years ago, but I would have loved to seen more slang terms that kids in chicago use in the inner city, especially the south side. That would have given Kendall a more authentic feel.

I do on the other side of this coin, love the phrases that she says. It all goes back to how Kendall's grandmother had all these sayings and now she uses them and also explains who and why or what they mean too (kind of makes you want to use them in places you normally say something similar to it).

Here are some interesting quotes from the book:

"It's so quiet you can hear the dead thinking."
"I am totally up shit's creek without a paddle."

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, more than I've enjoyed over time. I think it's because I live in an over 200 year old house and in an area in NY state where it's so old, even points to the river, the Hudson River, that George Washington use to ride in on (that famous painting of him in winter on that boat, yeah that's him on the same river i'm mentioning!). Not to mention the actual location that inspired the original tale of "Sleepy Hollow". All of that and it could make anyone think about "ghosts".

Anyway, I'd probably recommend this book to anyone that LOVES the show "Ghost Hunters", "Paranormal State", and "Ghost Adventures", because not only is about ghosts, but about the real aspects how ghost hunting is really done. There is an excerpt in the beginning of the book from Marley's fiance Patrick Burns (now by tomorrow officially her Husband!), who is a famous ghost hunting and such from TruTV's "Haunting Evidence". It goes on to explain a lot about it before you dive into the book about the world of ghost hunting and the book itself stays true to the technical aspects of it.

Also... I'm ready for the next book and to see what happens with Kendell and her Ghost Hunting team in Radisson, GA!

Matched is about a young girl named Cassia who is just 17 years old. Her world is set in a distant future, hundreds of years after the collapse of our own current world (a lot of natural destruction causes with man-made problems) where everything is based on statistics and probabilities with everyone in society. She has lived in the same place all her life and has lived next door to her best friend Xander since they were babies.

Cassia is super excited to be Matched, to have her partner for life picked out by what society believes is the best choice for her based on the data they have of her. But something goes wrong on the microcard she receives: it shows another face, a boy she knows; Ky. As time goes on, she starts to question the whole system and slowly begins to rebel. Her official notices this and things start to get complicated for her and her family. The question remains, what is Cassia willing to do for love?

I didn't fall in love with the book, but I did adore it to the point of thinking it's better than some books I've had to read. I think my issue was how the first few chapters started out. Once you get past the fifth chapter things start sailing a little more smooth. I do remember seeing this book on Amazon back in Early 2010 and thinking: "I love the synopses and I LOVE that book cover! I will have to own this book at some point..."

There is something compelling once I got to the very last 10 chapters of the story. Ally Condie did such an amazing job that I now want to read 'Crossed'. I do love how dedicated Cassia is and how she has that same passio as her father. It really felt good seeing such a connection of a father-daughter have. My favorite character of all was: the grandfather. He had such wit and spunk for being an 80 year old man! He was also very wise and caring too. You could see that in Cassia throughout the novel.

I would most certainly recommend this book to people who like a character that isn't afraid to take risks, even for love. Most likely a good read for those that need something different. I don't think anyone would like this if they compare it to other books of the same dystrophia genre, because there are things in it that I haven't seen in other books.

In conclusion, Matched was a great book. It left me wanting more once I got to those last few chapters and I want to know what happens to Cassia, Ky, Xander, and her entire family in the sequel.

The story starts off with meeting young Cassie Blake. She is just fifteen years old and on vacation in Cape Cod for the summer with her mother. She is described of having brunette hair, wavy, and petite too. Over time the read comes to find out that plans change and Cassie is forced to move with her mother to the town of New Salem, Massachusetts for both of them to live with her grandmother, who she has never met till they show up at her front door. The story continues with her meeting students, having a rocky start her first week of school, and learning something peculiar about a group of students; which either half the students are afraid of or worship the group they walk on. But for reasons Cassie has no clue about.

So no more spoiling the book, because it's awesome! For most people, they only know of this because of the show and watched the show instead. But I think for the most part, the show lacks a certain quality that the book has: magic! I'm not talking spells or doing cool things with incantations, but I'm talking that quality that book has that makes you enjoy every second you read the book.

There is something about the way that Cassie meets everyone and how she learns of the "secret". My favorite part was that is was set in Massachusetts. The show doesn't have that. My big complaint about the show. Reason for this is the witch trials happened in Salem Mass. and that reference/story is brought up in the book too. It's one of the huge elements that is played on the last half of the book as well.

I simply enjoyed how there was a part in the beginning when Cassie sees Diana for the first time. She is described as this tall girl, with hair so long and beautifully blonde, "that is woven with the sun and the moon". She is also described as being this unbelievably nice girl and how everyone LOVES her in school. All the girls can't get enough of her and every single guy she passes in the hall asks her out on a date.

Then you have the complete opposite to her: Faye. Faye is a this tall girl too. Dark black hair that is long and raven black. Red fire painted nails and the body of something 'exotic'. She is always wearing clothing that is too sexy for her and doesn't give a care in the world that she goes after the boys that are never single or just flat out a challenge.

Those two characters added such a dynamic, that it was intriguing to know what they were capable of doing to anyone or to each other in their "circle".

This book is a great read for those wanting something deeper than the show can offer, while also knowing maybe how it came about as a book. The one thing I can give away is that in the books that didn't happen on the show: Cassie's mother never died and her father wasn't a witch either. Something I didn't enjoy they doing for the show. Took away too much about the original story at hand.

Anyway, this is something to really check out if you have the time, especially if you haven't seen the show.

In the book The Hunger Games, is about a young girl named Katniss or Kat some people called her. She grew up in a world run by a place called The Capitol. In the country it is split up into 12 Districts and Kat lives in the last one, District 12. All she has ever known is life in District 12, till one day she volunteers herself for The Games. There on out, her life is on the line, the question is, will she survive or will she meet death before she comes back home?

I simple LOVED this book. It ends with a cliffhanger and that is why so many others end up reading the sequel, Catching Fire, of the book series.

I simple loved the dynamic Katniss has with the characters throughout the book. Her true colors and humanity shows when she is hanging around the character Rue and Peeta. What surprised me was the love-triangle. Susan Collins woven this story arc so perfectly and leaves you wondering who she will choose in the end.

What kept me reading the book was that some parts I could relate to Katniss in some ways, which I'e always found to be what a good writer has in making their books so popular (i.e. - J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyers).

I would recommend this book to both genders of reading. The women will love this book for the powerful image Katniss represents and the love triangles. For the men, it is the action and suspense that keeps you reading it till the end.

What truly struck me was thatStephen King himself loved this book! That right there is compelling enough to make anyone wonder, "why?" and set forth a reading journey.

in conclusion, the book overall was amazing. Susan Collins has written a world of fantasy that is beautifully stunning.

I have to say this is one of my more favorite novels of the Buffyverse. It's set in the time frame between season one and two, when all the characters are on summer vacation. Buffy is in L.A. with her dad throughout the story. Then it also switches back to Sunnydale and deals with the Scoobies side of their summer, including Angel too.

It's defiantly a book for those that want those gaps filled in that wasn't fully explained in the show about what really happened to everyone once the Master was killed and how everyone handled it thereafter.

A real treat for a true Buffy fan!

The story is about three women: Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny. Each told their side of the story and life they lived from 1962 all the way to sometimes in late 1964. It was set in a small town of Mississipi, located near Jackson. It was a repressive time and it showed in the book.

One of the things that I was hung up on the first few pages was the way some of the writing was written. It was written in a deep southern tone and some words were not even proper english. So at one point I even had to say some out loud. But it was worth it because it kept the nature of the book true in tone.

My favorite part is when everything pulls together for the three main characters. As it happens things get set in motion and unraveling, for the good and bad of their town. But without the book, nothing would have changed and that I liked. It pushed boundaries that needed to be shoved and looked at closer. Something that was true in that time period in the south with freedom marches, Martin Luther King Jr., and the culture that faced all people of that minority.

There are some people who would disagree, saying that the book isn't representing things in true form. But I feel the opposite. I connected to it in such a huge way. My grandmother had a maid, who was black for over 30 years. She may have lived in New Jersey, but the point is my mother grew up having a black maid around the house. I've even met the women when my grandmother had passed away. My grandmother loved her and grounds keeper (also of the same minority). They both got compensated in her will. I think that since it was in the north, it wasn't as bad. But it's still an example of how I believe this book stayed on course and kept true in nature to the situations back then.

I feel this book is great for anyone who grew up in that time and actually lived knowing of having help in the house that wasn't white. It'll ring very true to home. I also feel this book is a great way for the younger generation to maybe understand a little deeper at what our country went through during those times.

Overall, I loved this book to no end. It's officially one of my top 10 favorites and will always have a special place in my heart.

Everyone should read this book at least once.

"Clean" is about a story of a group of teens in rehab, with all sorts of different backgrounds in how they even got there in the first place. The newest kid is Olivia and out of all the kids she meets, she is the only one with a food problem from dieting too much.

Throughout the story, you get to have shifting perspectives from all five main characters. There is Kelly, the girl that would get drunk and snort coke. Eva who would get high off of pot and prescription pain killers. Jason who was always getting drunk to the point of blacking out. Christopher was a church going boy, that was homed schooled and started using coke, then meth from his neighbor. And then Olivia, upper class society girl who abused weight loss pills to the point of being anorexic. Then there is the therapist for group called Shirley. She sees through their bull and pushes them to be honest with themselves. The story spans over a period of three and half weeks.

My one favorite part was the kids learning about themselves and seeing on Family Day the dynamics of some of the kids with their parents; especially Jason's father who is an ex Marine and treats his mother like dirt.

But my most favorite part of all was the questionnaire history. Amy Reed broke down that into sections in the book, so that you wouldn't get it all in one sitting. It helped because as each question was answered by all five teens, you saw the progression in back story line up with the recovery of each one. You really got a taste of what it felt to be in their shoes, how they even ended up in the position they got them to rehabbed at 16 or 17.

I would recommend this book to any teen wanting to know what it was like to have gone too far in the world of abusing drugs and alcohol; to get an understanding of how hard it can be. But this is a good book I think for anyone who wants to go into drugs and alcohol consoling, because it can help them maybe understand what kind of problems they may come up against. But overall it's a great book to read.

My last thought for this review is that I wasn't sure what to expect out of this book. I knew there was going to be a theme of drug and alcohol use from teenagers, but to the extend that I was reading. it was very touching at some points and a lot of the characters were made more human by the end of the story.

Probably won't buy this book after what the author and her band of merry ladies decided to do to a fellow Goodreads member and go off trolling to rank all the 5 star reviews instead. Calling her a "bitch" isn't cool just because you didn't like her review. I do not condone nor respect people who attack, bully, or threaten people. I'll just get it from the library or PBS. It's a shame that they would judge a book by it's cover, when they are the ones who are from an industry of where books are made.

This one of the top 10 books I really want to not only own but READ before 2011 ends. I love to dance and have been for years. Maybe not ballet, but anything about dancing always peeks my interest.