The Maze Runner

Finally got into The Maze Runner series. The first book is about a boy  whose memory has been completely wiped out. He can't remember his family or where he came from. All he knows is that his name is Thomas. Thomas is brought to a place called the Glade, a community surrounded by a giant maze where vicious creatures called Grievers roam. With him are 50 other teenage boys who also have no recollection of their previous lives. Every month a new boy is brought to the Glade through a lift. However, a few days after Thomas arrives a girl is sent up. With her she brings a message that turns the boys' world crashing down.

I actually liked this a lot more than the Hunger Games (don't get me wrong Katniss Everdeen is amazing!) The story didn't slow down at all and I was kept on edge throughout the entire book. A must read for fans of The Hunger Games trilogy!

Dr. Sleep

And finally the much awaited review of Dr. Sleep. This is the sequel to Stephen King's The Shining and is focused on the grown-up Dan Torrance. Dan discovers that there are others just like him. He meets Abra Stone, a girl with abilities much stronger than his. Unfortunately for Abra a tribe of RV travelers known as the True Knot know about her as well. They take steam from the children who have the shining. Their eyes are set on Abra and they won't stop until they have her.

Honestly I liked The Shining a lot better. Dr. Sleep was interesting and it was nice to see what became of Dan Torrance. But the story was lacking something and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. One thing I really loved about the story was the theme of redemption and the idea that we all have the power to change. 

Kidnapped

Hello fellow readers! With finals coming up this might be my last post for a while. I'll be back soon enough though.
The book I decided to post about is Kidnapped, if you haven't already guessed. It's about a sixteen year old boy named David Balfour who loses his father and his sent to live with his wicked uncle, Ebeneezer. His uncle puts him on a ship that is bound for slavery. On board, David witnesses the cruelty of the captain of the ship. However, when he meets rebel Alan Breck, David is given the chance to escape. Together he and Alan are chased across the Scottish moors.

I liked the book up until the end. It got a little slow at that point. I really loved the old Scottish language.

The Island at the end of the World

Aaaand we're back!
       Been a little busy between school work and job hunting but I'm back with a new book!

This is about a man and his three children living on an island after a great flood  wiped out their home and the rest of the world. The man and his children, Alice, Finn, and Daisy,  lead a peaceful life filled with music and farming. Things are going smoothly and everyone is happy, until a stranger appears on the island. His presence threatens to turn everything upside down. Told from both the father's point of view and his two oldest children, this story is captivating and terrifying all at once.
I thought the story was interesting, but there were a few things that didn't make a lot of sense to me. The creation of the island is one thing. Other than that the story is suspenseful and a definite winner.

The Book Thief

Hey everyone here's a new book for you to sink your teeth into!
 This is the story of  Liesel Meminger. Liesel is abandoned by her mother during 1939 when the Holocaust is beginning. She is adopted by Hans Hubermann, a painter and accordion player, and his foul-mouthed wife Rosa. At first Liesel is weary of them until Hans teaches her to read. With his help, Liesel develops a love for books that is so deep she is willing to steal them. The first book she steals is from a Nazi book burning. As the years go on she continues to steal books and reads them to her neighbors while they hide in bomb shelters. She also shares them with the Jewish man hiding in her families basement.

 This story is an inspiring tale of courage and love under trying circumstances and I especially love how the book is told through Death's point of view. I thought that was an interesting and creative way to tell a story. Liesel and her friend Rudy are a lovable and fiery pair of young pre-teens that the reader will enjoy.

Looking for Alaska

A friend loaned me this book and I've got to say reading it was a really good decision! Looking for Alaska is about a young man named Miles Halter who transfers from a public school to a private school in search of the Great Perhaps. What he finds instead is a wild young woman, whom he forms a close relationship with.
 I didn't care for the main character that much, but I loved his friends Alaska and the Colonel. The crazy pranks they pull will keep you laughing. Overall a really good read!

The Thing on the Doorstep and Other Weird Stories

Here's another good book that will get you ready for Halloween! This a collection of short stories written during the 1920s. Each story combines the supernatural with science fiction. While it could be hard to follow at times, most of the stories were interesting and very entertaining.