Bruiser

There are a number of thoughts I would like to share about this novel.

First, it was very good. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. The story was interesting, unusual, and quite addictive. I enjoyed the different points of view and the characters themselves were very likable.

However, there were a few things that I didn't like about this book.

It seemed soooo cheesy. For a book with such a unique subject, it seemed like things were almost too easily solved. It was too convenient, and I wish there had been some sort of twist to make things more complicated.

The ending: also cheesy. The book had great potential, but at the end it read more like a life lesson than the ending of a novel. I do realize that any great novel needs to have some sort of lesson built in, but this one just seemed way too blatant.

Based on these thoughts, I can't say that this book was one of my favorites. It was definitely a page turner, but the idea could have been carried out in a much more interesting and less preachy way. Overall, it was worth the read but I do advise to approach with caution.

In My Mailbox: 11/07/10

Information about In My Mailbox can be found here on The Story Siren's blog!

These past few weeks have been AMAZING as far as books go.

Here is what I have gotten:

[[For Review:]]

1. Emma and the Vampires by Wayne Josephson

I'm looking forward to reading this, it seems interesting. I'm also curious how I'll like it seeing as how I've never read the original Emma.








2. Jane Eyre: A Readable Classics Novel by Wayne Josephson

My idea for this is to read this book and Jane Eyre simultaneously. I'm not sure how that will work out, but it is a goal of mine. :)









[[Won:]]

3. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

There are no words to describe how excited I am to get started on this! However, I'm saving it for Christmas vacation, because I'll need some good books to read.

Odd: The Kindle edition of Nightshade is more expensive than the hardcover. Now THAT'S just strange.




4. Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

More vacation reading. And once again, I'm so excited to get started! I've heard such good things about this book!








[[From Library:]]

5. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

I'm reading this now because it's a book club book and the meeting is soon, so I wanted to get it done. I've wanted to read this since it came out a couple years ago, but my experiences with E. Lockhart's books have been varied. The Boyfriend List left no impression on me, Fly on the Wall was cute and quick but had no substance, and Dramarama was a good read, the best I've read by her, but it still didn't leave me dying for more. I'm hoping that this book will help me form a more solid opinion.



6. Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

Since I finished Unwind this summer (see my favorable review here) I've wanted to read more by Neal Shusterman. When I walked into the library and saw this book on display three thoughts ran through my head: 1) Oooh pretty cover. 2) Ooooh Neal Shusterman. 3) Oooh favorable comments by Laurie Halse Anderson. And I was sold. I hope it's as good as it looks :)





So there it is! Now if I would have spread this out over the past couple of weeks it wouldn't have made me nearly as excited as looking at it all in one post :) Now I must finish some homework and get to reading!

Jane

Unwind

Unwind is undoubtedly one of those books that makes the reader think. It makes you take a real-world issue and think about it on a deeper level. It also puts us in the future, to what could happen if things go a certain way.

Unwind is a book that not only makes us think, but it keeps us riveted. I believe that what makes it so compelling is not only because of the issues it revolves around, but because of another important factor: the characters.

Yes, I truly believe that the characters made this book. Unwind focuses on the lives of three teenagers: Connor, Risa, and Lev. These characters are as deep and complex as anyone I have ever met. They are unique and different, and constantly changing and evolving as their world changes and evolves. This is what happens to real people, and these three could easily be real people that I meet on a daily basis.

I feel this way not only about the three main characters, but also about all of the minor characters. Through the short span of 335 pages, I felt a deep connection with every character who surfaced in these pages. Everyone was complex, everyone had a story to tell. It was extraordinary, how I could be so interested in the stories and lives of everyone in this book.

Having said that, the story in itself was incredible. I was intrigued from the first page, and I couldn't stop reading until I reached the conclusion. Once you're in this world, you find that you need to know what happens next. There is adventure and action, and yes, even a bit of romance. This is a book that will appeal to a wide variety of readers, and I would recommend it to anyone.