Book Reviews!

Their whining voices echoed in my head long after the work day was over. After an arduous day at Fun in the Sun, I would come home to find myself trapped. All I could think about was work, what I was going to do the next day, more ideas, more field trips, more special guests!

To alleviate my never-ending thoughts of camp, I would read. I got lost in the books, forgetting about my life and letting the alternate universe of the story engulf me completely. I love reading!!!

Here are the books I read this summer, separated by author, along with a grade:



Suzanne Collins:
Hunger Games, A+

One of my favorite books EVER. A dystopia novel, the story is set in America in some distant future, a country known as Panem. Panem is separated into twelve impoverished districts and ruthlessly controlled by the Capitol. Once a year, the Capitol presents the Hunger Games, a punishment for a rebellion that happened a hundred years ago. Two children ages 12 to 17 are selected from each district, forced into an arena where they must fight to the death.
Katniss lives in District 12, a coal mining town, and has to hunt illegally to feed her family. She volunteers for the Hunger Games to take her younger sister's place. Read it!!! It sounds morbid, but you will love it. You won't be able to stop, I guarantee it.

Catching Fire, A+
The sequel is just as good as the first.

Mockingjay, A-
This book was well-plotted and interesting, like the first, but it got too dark for me. Too much violence in the end. Worth reading to see what happens, I guess. I think I may have nightmares about it.

Niel Gaimen:
Coraline A-
Coraline falls into a wonderfully imaginative alternate world, just real enough to be scary.

Anansi Boys A-
Fat Charlie was always embarrased by his father. In elementary school, his dad told him that President's Day means you dress up like your favorite president. Teehee. Fat Charlie grows up and is about to be married when his father dies and his long lost brother enters his life. The book is thick with mythological creatues, clues to unravel a mystery, and an awesome ending twist.

Garth Nix:
Sabriel A-
In this alternate universe, after you die you must pass through seven gates along a treacherous river. Only the Abhorsen can enter death and save people from passing through the final gate before their time. Sabriel must step into her father's shoes as the Abhorsen. The book is very dark themes, and made me think a lot about death and dying, a subject I usually don't think about too often.

Lyriel B+
Not as good as the first one. I liked Lyriel's character, though. She works in an awesome library.

Abhorsen B-
The worst of the three.


Tom Robbins
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, A-
A fun read, interesting writing thick with metaphors, but I'm not a huge fan of the ending. One of my mom's favorite authors. :)