The Uglies Series

My one pet peeve with this series is that it's labeled as a trilogy, but, as you can see, it is obviously not a trilogy. But other than that, I really, really like this series. It's a young adult dystopian "trilogy," which I tend to stay away from because they're usually all similar and follow a very predictable pattern. This series, while it does follow a similar pattern to other dystopias, it's not boring.

The series is set in a future city built amidst the ruins of the "Rusty" civilization. It's actually really interesting because there is a running commentary on our society through the book, comparisons to their world and our world, and it makes our problems seem unnecessary, like racism and global warming.

At the age of sixteen, every person goes through an operation that makes them "pretty:" large eyes, perfect teeth, flawless skin, and a much better immune system. The pretties go off to live in New Pretty Town, where they drink and party all day and night long. Their lives are seemingly perfect. The theory is that if everyone is perfect and has everything they could ever want, there would be no need to fight. Of course, there's more to it than that, seeing as this is a dystopian series and nothing that seems perfect ever is perfect.

The main character is Tally Youngblood, a fifteen-year-old who has been waiting her entire life for the operation. Her best friend since childhood, Peris, recently became pretty and she can't wait to join him. Tally meets Shay, who seems oddly disenchanted with the idea of becoming pretty. Soon before her sixteenth birthday, Shay runs away, after trying and failing to convince Tally to come with her. She leaves Tally a cryptic note with directions to a place called the Smoke, where other runaways live in the wild, away from the city. Things escalate and Tally is forced by the city's version of secret police to run away, with a tracking device, to find the Shay and the Smoke. If she refuses, she won't be turned pretty.

Various other things happen and it's very dramatic. I highly suggest you read it. It's easy to get through with a great plot.

Leave a comment please.

The House of Night Series

When I first picked out Marked, I assumed it would be a pretty typical vampire book. I wanted something fluffy to read that wouldn't interfere with my already planned weekend of doing nothing. However, these books really surprised me. I'm fairly certain there are more than ten books, but I've only read the first ten.

I've always liked seeing how different authors interpret classic monsters. P.C. and Kristin Cast spin vampires in a very interesting way. Rather than bloodthirsty creatures of the night, vampires are a well-known (though not accepted) part of society. They are children of the night, worshiping Nyx, the goddess of the night, recognizing other gods as well in their own polytheist religion.

As the storyline develops through all of the novels, the characters show real depth. They are much more than they seem at first. While the language isn't spectacular, this whole series was surprisingly good. I intend to buy them eventually.

I'd rate them 5/5 for plot and character, 3.5/5 for language. Strongly suggest you read these.


Leave a comment, please.

Books Today

I am disappointed by the selection of books in bookstores today.

A couple things are definite: 1) Everything by John Green (and y'all know I do not appreciate John Green as an author), 2) The Hunger Games trilogy, 3) I'm not actually in a bookstore now so I can't tell you exactly, but pretty much any other super popular series — like Divergent.

Then the rest are just disappointing. My friend says that when she was at a book store a few months ago, she decided to not just window shop, but actually read the description of each book. She got to the second rack and couldn't go on because everything sounded exactly the same. And everything is pretty much a romance.

Now, I don't have any problems with romance, but the way romances are written today just sickens me. They'll be a strong female character that pretty much ruins her already screwed-up life for a guy — never anything but heterosexual females with 1st-world problems. Except in paranormal romances, where the girl is either in love with a vampire or is a vampire.

Even looking at the covers of the books sickens me. Every book — especially paranormal romances — has the same cover. I won't explain it — you can see for yourself. But it pretty much makes me want to figuratively die.

I understand that to a certain extent, most teenagers — excuse me, young adults — are looking for something like that, but that doesn't mean that authors can't be more creative. Some of the best series' that I've read don't include romance, or if they do, it isn't the main focus.

Please. Just please.

And leave me a comment.

The Hunger Games Trilogy

I wasn't planning on doing a formal review today, but I am now.

By the way, all the spoilers are below.

The Hunger Games is a good book. I like Katniss, I really like Cinna. He's my favorite character in the books. Peeta is nice, but could be a little less stalker-y. Rue's death was sad, but I didn't feel very sad about it, as the setting was the Hunger Games arena. I was ready for her death. All in all, I really did like this book. Recommend it.

Now we get to Catching Fire, where Katniss 1. Stars a fling with Gayle, and 2. Magically falls in love with Peeta, completely contrary to her feelings about Peeta and Gayle in the previous book. The romance is forced. I do like the characters introduced in the Quarter Quell, primarily Johanna and Finnick. Cinna's death was so sad, but since the Games started a literal minute after he was beaten and taken away, he wasn't appropriately mourned by Katniss or me. I could handle this book, it was good, but definitely the Hunger Games was better.

Mockingjay. Oh, dear Mockingjay. Go take all of your PTSD and war and so, so many names, dig yourself a hole, and crawl into it. I read it because I had to, as I needed to see the way the series would end. I like some of this book, but it was pretty unbearable at other times. Prim's death wasn't that sad for me, only because Katniss' mental state at the moment of Prim's death was very unstable. Katniss didn't even understand what had happened until much later. But Finnick's death was so sad. Probably the saddest in the whole series, because he had finally been reunited with Annie, and she was pregnant, and then he died.

As you already know, my favorite character is Cinna. My least favorite character is Gayle. Stupid, stupid Gayle. At first he's all in love with Katniss, and then he's killing Prim off with a bunch of other children. Then he abandons Katniss at the end to go work in District 2. But before he started being stupid, he had to create this whole love triangle. President Snow used the fact that he saw Katniss and Gayle kiss to manipulate her.

I do think you should read these books though. I do like them, even if my review seemed very critical. I tend to comment on the bad things and none of the good. Just assume that things I don't say I hate, I like.

Leave a comment.

It's January 1st

I just realized that I made a post on New Year's Day.

Happy New Year!

I feel like saying this is pointless, as no one actually reads this, but if you do happen upon this blog, comment and tell me a New Year's Resolution you've made.

Punctuation

This week is another simple rule. And that rule is punctuation. This rule simply states that sentences need to end with punctuation, unless you're trying to make a statement by not ending the

You get it.

Wrong: I had a sandwich for lunch
Correct: I had a sandwich for lunch.

On a different note, I've decided what to do post-wise. Tuesdays I'll do a book review, Thursdays I'll do a grammar tip, and Saturdays I'll do . . . something?

Leave a comment. Please.