Review - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Reviewer: Rebekah
Series: yes
Rating: 4.5/5









Just finished this a few hours ago.

Wow.

Where do I start?

I've been hearing about this fantastic book for a while now, so I bought the paperback very cheap at a used book store. It's been on my TBR list for a while.

Before I explain how freakin' awesome this book is, I will say that it was not perfect. It was hard to get into, and a little difficult to get used to the financial journalist and big-shot business lingo (it also was hard to transition from "sweet" YA novels....I just finished Lola and the Boy Next Door).

I've heard a few complaints from bloggers and reviewers on the web who did't like the writing style. It wasn't my favorite either, but I think it worked for this type of novel. In a way the no-nonsense, straightforwardness reflected the personality of Lisbeth (the tattooed anti-heroine). It's a crime novel, guys. If the writing was any more descriptive, I wouldn't have been able to get through the really disturbing parts. And there were quite a few. It wasn't an easy novel to read (but I couldn't stop reading).

Needless to say, this book is not for the faint of heart.

The plot. Oh, the plot. A twist here, red herring there, and then BAM.
DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING, HUH? At one point, I actually jumped out of my comfy little futon.

STIEG LARSSON, YOU TOTALLY FOOLED ME! and just about everyone else, by the looks of it.

Anyway, can't give anything away.

As for the leads Lisbeth Slander and Mikael Blomvkist: yes.

Mikael wasn't my favorite at first. He definitely has his flaws, but he's the perfect protagonist for this kind of novel. By the end, I loved him.

Lisbeth. Can't understand her but I loved reading about her. She has her own code. She is who she is. She's tiny, but she's mean. She's not all "there," but she's genius.

Am I going to read the second?

I've already got it in my backpack.

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Review: Deliruim by Lauren Oliver

Reviewer: Taylor
Title: Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
From: Bought
Series: YES
Rating:4/5


  
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.
 
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Ahhh! I FINALLY,  finally, finally read this. and truly enjoyed it. 


The book did start out a little slow for me. I feel like there were so many pages used just to set up the story. I understand we need a good set up to help us understand the story, but I just found myself not as motivated to read towards the beginning of this book.


However, that is really the only semi-bad thing I have to say about this book. The rest was so, so good. I can't imagine living in a society where love is considered a disease. At the beginning of each chapter, Lauren Oliver would have some sort of quotation or traditional saying that referred to the harmfulness of the deliria. I loved them! They made the society seem that much more real.

Characters- I give an A+. I loved how Lena wasn't a rule breaker at all in the beginning. Too often I think we begin the story with an already strongwilled, hard headed heroine. However, in this case, Lena was stubborn, but she was being stubborn about wanting and needing to follow the rules. She did not want to break the mold of society. And, I loved witnessing the realization and evolution that came with Lena's character. Also, Alex. I loved Alex. Why? because he was NOT a jerk in any way, he treated Lena right, and he was handsome and brave. Ahhh.


but that ending. OH, that ending. Just wait and see if you haven't read it. Basically, I NEED PANDEMONIUM NOW.


thanks so much for reading!


Taylor

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Review: Possesion by Elana Johnson

Possession by Elana Johnson
402 Pages
2.5/5 Stars
 
Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

Summary taken from goodreads

My Expectations: pretty darn high. I thought this was going to be an action packed dystopian that would leave me craving the next installment. 

In Actuality: It let me down, guys. It wasn't one of those books that was just torture to get through, not at all. But I just found myself SO confused most of the time. There would be some big, climatic moment and I would just be like, huh? I just don't feel like some of the characters were set up in a way that made it easy for me to see the connections made throughout the story.

Vi, our main character, was not a strong heroine. At least, in my humble opinion. She was too busy figuring out which boy she wanted to be with forever.. yes, this means yet ANOTHER love triangle. And, quite frankly, I didn't really like either of the boys. at all. 


My last complaint is that the writing was confusing. When there was an "action"scene I just could not set it up in my mind. The scenes were not written in a way where I could set them up in my mind.


ON THE OTHER HAND, I am not trying to bash this book. I did enjoy reading it (which seems kind of odd given the complaints I just made..), and it was a decent book. Just definitely not what I expected, and maybe not a book that catered to my reading style.

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Review: City of Ashes

Hey all! Taylor here!

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare


4 out of 5 stars!


In this sequel to City of Bones (S & S, 2007), the nonstop action continues. The Shadowhunters are battling a world of demons that few people can see. Guided by the laws of the Clave, these hunters balance fighting with the other more mundane aspects of life—love, betrayal, and confusion. Jace, the fiercest teenage Shadowhunter, seems determined to make everyone around him angry, and is looked upon with suspicion because his father, Valentine, is out to rule the world. Meanwhile, love triangles abound, vampires are reborn, and general teenage angst blossoms among a group of friends and siblings. Set in an alternative present-day Manhattan, the story comes complete with Britney Spears references and even, ironically, refers to the scientific CSI. Well written in both style and language, it compares favorably to others in this genre. The human characters are well developed and quite believable. The whole book is like watching a particularly good vampire/werewolf movie, and it leaves readers waiting for the next in the series. Watch this one fly off the shelves.


Synopsis found on Amazon by Jennifer-Lynn Draper, Children's Literature Consultant, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada 


Taylor's Review:
so, i just got finished listening to the second book in The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. um. WOW.

First of all, i think it was one of the best audio books i have ever listened to. I love audiobooks, but sometimes it is hard for them to hold my interest, especially if there is not much going on. However, with "City of Ashes," it was a TOTALLY different story. I would park my car and then just sit in it, listening some more.

This book, like the first, was packed with action. I found myself breathing hard along with the characters in the book. The tension between jace and clary is ridiculous. And jace was seriously getting on my nerves. I cannot stand arrogant boys. But in this book I got to see deeper into jace, his past, and why he is like he is.

I love Cassandra Clare's writing. Like a lot. It's so beautiful and makes me feel like i am right there with the characters.

All in all: i just can NOT wait to read (or listen to) City of Glass. City of Ashes left me feeling like i may have an idea of the next twist in the story.. ahh just typing about it makes me want to go read it right now!

thanks so much for reading!

Taylor

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Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Reviewer: Taylor

5 Stars




Miles "Pudge" Halter is abandoning his safe-okay, boring-life. Fascinated by the last words of famous people, Pudge leaves for boarding school to seek what a dying Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Pudge becomes encircled by friends whose lives are everything but safe and boring. Their nucleus is razor-sharp, sexy, and self-destructive Alaska, who has perfected the arts of pranking and evading school rules. Pudge falls impossibly in love. When tragedy strikes the close-knit group, it is only in coming face-to-face with death that Pudge discovers the value of living and loving unconditionally.


Summary from Goodreads . 


HOLY COW. This was my first encounter with John Green. I NEED MORE. 


Going into this book, I had really no idea what to expect. Except that every single review i have read just raves about this story. Miles, or as he quickly gets nicknamed, Pudge, decides to change it up and head to boarding school in birmingham, AL. He meets friends quickly, and some crazy adventures spiral on from there.  This book also deals with some really tough issues, but i don't want to give anything away. 


Things I loved about this book:


I loved the realness of the characters. I only got to spend time with them for about 225 pages, but i felt like i truly knew them. I never really had any kind of experiences that they had in high school, but then again, i was a total goodie two shoes. (is that how that phrase goes?) These kids were crazy! Their pranks were outrageous. I loved living through their experiences with them. However, the characters get very, very real after tragedy strikes. They became raw and vulnerable. I couldn't believe how connected i felt to them.


Male point of view! Yay! Don't get me wrong, i love a good female heroine, but it was really nice to actually read something from a guys point of view. It's interesting to get into a guy's mind and try to scratch the surface of figuring out how they think!


BOARDING SCHOOL! seriously. do i even need to explain? who doesn't love boarding school books?!


Things I didn't love:


uhh.. this is like not really relevant. because i freaking loved this book. I would say i could do without so much language, but the characters and the story just wouldn't be the same. honestly, i wouldn't change a thing. 


okay, so basically, John Green is the bomb and you should go read this book right now! please!?


happy reading!


Taylor

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