Mel's Reading Blog

The Declaration by Gemma Malley

Mel's Guide to Reading — Tue, 29 May 2012 22:54:30 +0000

Anna and Peter are considered Surpluses. Children who do not deserve to live, but since they have put a burdern on society they must serve it. It is a time where people take Longevity pills so they cannot age and they cannot have children as there would be no population control.

Anna is living in a Surplus house where she is trained to serve Legals, that Surplus are worthless, that her parents are crimminals for having her and that she has no right to live. In enter’s Peter, who has lived on the outside and knows her parents. He begins to teach her that she is loved and deserves to be loved. In a world where the older people feel that they are more important, that younger people are useless and the motto is “a life for a life” two teenagers begin to find out who they are and what place they have in this world.

At first I didn’t care for the book, but then I got into it. I’m looking forward to Book 2 that continues the story of Anna and Peter.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Mel's Guide to Reading — Tue, 29 May 2012 21:23:58 +0000

Thomas woke up to find himself in an elevator the only thing he is able to remember is his name. He soon learns that he is not the only one, but instead there is a large group. The kids welcome him into the Glade. The Glade is surrounded by doors that open during the day and close each night. If you are not in the Glade by the time they close there is no way in.

He finds out that every 30 days that a new boy is delievered the same way and that there are no girls. The unexepectedly the very next day a girl is delievered with a note that says there will be no more new people added.

Each member of the community has a role to play. After seeing the runners take off out in the maze surrounding the Glade, Thomas knows that is where he wants to be.

I really to say that I hate a book. I won’t say I hate this book, I will however say I will not read the rest of the triology. Confusing and frustrating in parts. I really couldn’t care what happened to Thomas and I hate that feeling. That said, you might like the book as I am just one opinion. Check out what others say on www.goodreads.com

Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien

Mel's Guide to Reading — Mon, 28 May 2012 19:45:23 +0000

Gaia Stone lived in a village outside the walls of the enclave. She has been training under her mother to be a midwife. She now has delivered her first child and has taken the child to the Enclave as required by law. The first three children delievered by a midwife each month must be taken to the Enclave.

Upon returning home Gaia finds that her mother and father have been arrested and charged with treason. She now must decide to either follow the Enclave or try to rescue her parents.

Slow in parts but overall a very good read.

By The Time You Read This I’ll be Dead by Julie Ann Peters

Mel's Guide to Reading — Sat, 19 May 2012 17:51:12 +0000

Daelyn wants to die. She wants to die NOW. She begins to research ways to commit sucide on the Internet after failed attempts. She finds a website that is supposed to be about informed suicide. It gives her DOD or Date of Determination. Basically do it or don’t do it. She is given a date in future. She doesn’t want to wait, but for some reason she decides to do what the site asks – for now.

During her time she decides to start preparing herself by distancing herself from the people who love her and getting rid of all her personal belongings. She meets a boy who is fighting to live. She doesn’t want to see life thorugh his eyes. Throughout the book we learn why she thinks suicide is the only way and watch as Santana tries quietly to get her to understand why life is worth fighting for.

This is a very tough book to read. At time’s the struggles seem real. It feels like it is written by a very young, confused, damaged teenager. As a mother it hurts to read this book. Even though you know it is a fiction book, you also know that teens struggle with many of the real issues in this book. WARNING: It gives descriptions on how to commit suicide, along with a rating scale. Positive note: There are references in the back for suicide and bully preventation.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Mel's Guide to Reading — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:06:55 +0000

In 1941, Lina is ripped from her home with only twenty minutes to gather some of belongings. She quickly grabs a writing tablet and pencil. She, along with her mother and brother are forced on a train bound for Siberia. There they are forced to work and live in intolerable conditions with illness and death surrounding them. Lina never gives up hope that her drawings will reach her father, who is being held in a prison.

It is war and Stalin is trying to stay in power by destroying those who he does not like. Many of the people in the work camp are teachers, librarians, or military wives. If they are influential people than they are a danger to the new reign.

Between Shades of Gray is a powerful book about war and the terrible things men do to each other. If you like theDiary of Anne Frank.

Down the Darkest Road by Tami Hoag

Mel's Guide to Reading — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:30:55 +0000

Lauren Lawton’s world crashed when her oldest daughter was abducted and was never found. She is the only one who is still focused on finding her daughter. She is fighting the battle alone while her youngest daughter, Leah, is just trying not to lose herself. Lauren moves herself and her daughter to Oak Hill, where she hopes they will be safe. It quickly becomes apparent that her they are being stalked by man who abducted and possible killed her daughter. Can they catch him, before he does more damage?

I’ve always been a Tami Hoag fan, but Down the Darkest Road, has to be my least favorite of all her books. I could not connect with the characters and I found that I really didn’t care what happened. I ended up skipping 1/3 of the book just to find out how it ended.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Mel's Guide to Reading — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:49:22 +0000

Insurgent is the second book in Veronica Roth’s Divergent series. Much like the first we follow Tris as she continues to try to save those she cares about. As war looms she tries to figure out what caused the unrest and how to stop it. As she begins to piece together what is really going on she also finds out what is real and not real. She finds out what she always thought was the truth, may not be and she learns what being divergent really means.

Insurgentcarries on where Divergent left off. Leaving you to wonder what will happen in book three expected to be released in 2013.

The Serpents Shadow by Rick Riordan

Mel's Guide to Reading — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:05:30 +0000

SADIE KANE HERE. If you’re listening to this, congratulations! You survived Doomsday.

Sadie and Carter Kane are on a mission to save the world from the serpent Apophis (the god of Chaos. As determined Aphosis is to destroy everything, the Kane’s are determined to destroy. The Kane’s, along with a odd assortment of Gods, magicians and mystical creatures race to stop Aphosis before he destroys everything. To stop them they even have to fight some magicians he has managed to turn against them.

Rick Riordan once again captivates his audience. It was difficult to pry the book out of my hand.

delirium by Lauren Oliver

Mel's Guide to Reading — Sun, 06 May 2012 03:15:02 +0000

“It has been sixty-four years since the president of the Consortium identified love as a disease, and forty-three since the scientists perfected a cure. . Lena has been told all her life that love was a disease and she has anticipated when she could be cured. It is almost time for her to be cured, but she is finding out the thing she has been certain about for most of her life is now frightening.

Prior to be cured, the candidates must go through an evalutioon. During Lena’s, cattle is let into the Lab and disrupts the entire proceedings. Lena’s world is turned upside, not just because her evaluation is ruined, but because she meets Alex. Alex has her thing that the disease may not be as bad the cure.

The first of a series, deliriumhas you rooting for Alex and Lena. The ending comes as a shock, but leaves you wanting to read the sequel.

Shattered by Melody Carlson

Mel's Guide to Reading — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:10:10 +0000

Cleo describes her mother as a Helicopter mom, a mockery who is always hovering around. Cleo wants to go to a concert in the city, but her overprotective other won’t let her. However, her mother will be attending a party and what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.

Unfortunately, Cleo’s world is about to shatter. The day after the concert there is a knock at the door and it’s the police. Her mother had been murdered in the city. When Cleo’s mom couldn’t reach her by phone she went in the city to get her. Cleo tries to take the “easy way” by doing drugs to escape her feelings of anger, grief, and guilt. It takes her loving aunt to help her out that loss isn’t easny, drugs do more damage than help and that our choices have consequences that we may not want to face.