Book Review: All The Bright Places by: Jennifer Niven

Title: All The Bright Places
Author: Jennifer Niven
Publisher: Knopf
Published on: January 6th 2015
Goodreads | Also posted on: Next Page Please!

The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Elle Fanning! Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him. Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death. When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink. This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.

My thoughts 

This book is all the rage. Like literally. I wouldn't have read it so soon from when I bought it if it weren't for all the raving this book got. Plus, Spotlight Book Club was reading it so I decided to join all the glorious fun! Do I regret reading this book? Not one bit. Well, it did take an unfortunate number of 4 days to complete...

I loved the characters in this book. Finch and Violet are two people who have not a lot in common yet they become such good friends to each other. I liked that. If Violet and Finch didn't become friends and just didn't know each other this book would obviously be a lot different than it is. I also liked how these two came together because of a school project. (Even if Violet acted like she wanted nothing to do with Finch.) That's very important to have in a book, a strong relationship. If one character doesn't like another character and they are the two main characters the book, in my opinion, that won't be very fun to read. If I read a book, I want it to be happy and I can enjoy it, not be frustrated.

One of the things that scared me when I went into this book was the ending. I had heard that people thought the ending was really sad and people cried. Throughout the book, I got ideas on why the ending was so sad but I didn't want to spoil myself with the ideas and I denied the facts. Yes, I thought correct on why the ending was sad. I cried, I really did.

One of the reasons why I think I liked this book so much was because I liked Finch so much. I liked his character and how open minded he was. He was also a person where everything he said made you question everything. He wasn't afraid of being weird or expressing how he felt. Reading from him was always so fun and great. Finch's personality is one of the reasons why this book can function the way it does and I continue to love reading from and about his personality daily.

I gave this book five stars because the story and plot of this book was so great, I loved the characters, and just over all loved this book.

Book Review: Invaded by Melissa Landers

Title: Invaded
Author: Melissa Landers
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Published on: February 3 2015
Goodreads | Also posted on Next Page Please!

The romantic sequel to Alienated takes long-distance relationships to a new level as Cara and Aelyx long for each other from opposite ends of the universe...until a threat to both their worlds reunites them. Cara always knew life on planet L’eihr would be an adjustment. With Aelyx, her L’eihr boyfriend, back on Earth, working to mend the broken alliance between their two planets, Cara is left to fend for herself at a new school, surrounded by hostile alien clones. Even the weird dorm pet hates her. Things look up when Cara is appointed as human representative to a panel preparing for a human colony on L’eihr. A society melding their two cultures is a place where Cara and Aelyx could one day make a life together. But with L’eihr leaders balking at granting even the most basic freedoms, Cara begins to wonder if she could ever be happy on this planet, even with Aelyx by her side. Meanwhile, on Earth, Aelyx, finds himself thrown into a full-scale PR campaign to improve human-L’eihr relations. Humans don’t know that their very survival depends on this alliance: only Aelyx’s people have the technology to fix the deadly contamination in the global water supply that human governments are hiding. Yet despite their upper hand, the leaders of his world suddenly seem desperate to get humans on their side, and hardly bat an eye at extremists’ multiple attempts on Aelyx’s life. The Way clearly needs humans’ help . . . but with what? And what will they ask for in return?

My thoughts: 

I read Alienated around the time it came out and loved it so much. I was so stoked that Melissa was going to have a free novella and also a second book. I read both and loved both. Why did I love Invaded? Read on and find out my child.

The book starts back up after the ending of Until Midnight and if you read Until Midnight, then you obviously understand what is going on. For people that haven't read Until Midnight but went straight from Alienated to Invaded you may get a little confused. That's okay because you will catch on.

One thing I really liked about the characters is this book was the Cara had gotten so much development from the beginning of Alienated to the end of Invaded. She is a lot more outspoken (not that she wasn't already) and curious. For example, when the "meteorite" dropped down Cara didn't run away from it. Instead she went to go examine it. Boom, right there. Character development.

Another thing I really liked was the action and plot that went down in this book. I thought the duo perspective was great. It was really awesome how we got read from Aelyx and not just Cara, because let's be honest, I would be pretty bored with this book if I was only reading about Cara. I want to know what is happening on earth too! The different things happening on earth and L'eihr weren't too confusing, they weren't too boring, and all the action didn't cause the book to be overwhealming. Each planet had a healthy amount of things going on and I liked that. Both Cara and Aelyx would have their problems and reading back and forth from one problem and to another problem. There was a perfect balance.

Book Review: The Impossible Knife of Memory

Title: The Impossible Knife of Memory

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

Publisher: Viking Books

Publishing on: January 7h 2014

Goodreads

For the past five years, Hayley Kincain and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own. Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.

My Thoughts 

  The beginning of the book did not grasp my attention, but when the introduced Finn, the book got very interesting. I have to say that Hailey's best friend is someone that I would definitely not want as a friend. Gracie shared all her problems with Hailey and comforted her, yet Gracie was oblivious to Hailey's problems. I liked the way that the author had included the Andy's PSTD memories in the book. Although, some parts were interesting, the book failed to grab my attention throughout the story. I thought that the ending was a bit bland and it could have had a bit more suspense/detail. The reason I bought the book was because I absolutely loved Speak,  but I was a bit disappointed with this book.    

                      

Would you read this book? Let me know in the comments below!