StormyWolf's Progress 19/50

12 min read

Deviation Actions

50-Book-Challenge's avatar
Published:
10.8K Views
1.
Hyperbole and a Half
I think everyone will find something to love about this book. It's bright, it's colorful, it's funny, it's honest, it's entertaining, it's insightful, it's relatable... I swear, I haven't laughed so hard at a book in a long, long time as I did with this one. But I also connected with Allie in her more serious stories. It truly feels like she bears her soul when she's writing, whether it be about the good times or the bad times. And maybe it's just me, but it feels really nice to read about a normal person who's a little weird and wacky, and then look at yourself and see that your own weirdness is pretty okay too.
Approximate Reading Time: 2 hours

2.
Maid of Secrets
Maid of Secrets provided me with a fun jaunt into Elizabethan England, but lacked the character depth I crave. I'd recommend it for fans of YA and historical fiction who don't mind some romance as well. It's free of language and sex, but does contain some violence and a good amount of kissing, so I'd say high school and up would enjoy this the most. With a fairly slow pace, a lot of details in regards to settings and clothing, and somewhat stereotypical characters, this definitely won't appeal to everyone. But if you've got a soft spot for historical England or spies or girls overcoming adversity, then you might want to give Maid of Secrets a try.
Approximate Reading Time: 8 hours

3.
The Testing
With this one, I'm sorry to say I found the heroine too perfect, the love interest too bland and the evil Dystopian government too illogical. Yet despite all of that, I still managed to enjoy this book. What can I say? I like underdog stories, I like plucky heroines, and I like stories with good pacing and tension. And if I'm really being honest, The Testing had all that in spades. I'm also still curious about how exactly this government functions, given the fatal flaws the leadership obviously possesses. We know there are rebels out there, so secrecy can't be the only thing they have going in their favor. So I'll definitely be picking up the next book or two in the series because, despite my better logic, I got hooked.
Approximate Reading Time: 5 hours

4.
Endless Knight
Endless Knight is the sequel to Poison Princess, a book I read just at the end of last year. For a book/series with such an intriguing premise as teens with Tarot-themed powers, the romantic interest(s) are so infuriating! Endless Knight frustrated me yet still gave me enough glimpses of greatness that I came out with a favorable experience. I absolutely hated the romance, but for anyone who enjoyed the previous book it's probably still going to please. Cannibalism, violence, and a sex scene put this squarely in the range of *mature* high-school-and-up. So if you've got a thing for possessive relationships, or can imagine it as a saucy YA retelling of Beauty and the Beast, then Endless Knight offers an intriguing continuation of the Tarot-themed story.
Approximate Reading Time: 5 hours

5.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
I found Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe to be an extremely touching story. I'd easily recommend it to anyone who likes coming-of-age stories, or is looking for a sweet and emotional LGBT YA romance. There are moments of violence, some drinking and drug use, and some kissing that has me recommending it for high-school and up, but I wouldn't be too anxious if a middle-schooler got their hands on it. I'm sure some people will reject this book solely on the fact that it features gay characters. But whether this book changes minds or simply serves as a sweet story about two boys growing up, I hope it continues to find its way into the hands of YA readers for some time to come.
Approximate Reading Time: 3.5 hours

6.
Blood Red Road
I found Blood Red Road to be an intriguing post-apocalyptic story but I thought it suffered from some unfortunate pacing and character development issues. I'd recommend it to those who enjoy tough YA heroines or post-apocalyptic questing novels, and don't mind some romance on the side. No language or sex to speak of, but there is cage-fighting and some battles waged, plus the writing style to contend with so I'd put this in the high school and up range. If you're in the mood for an unorthodox writing style but still want a story with some grit to it, then you might want to check this one out.
Approximate Reading Time: 5 hours

7.
Shadow and Bone
Shadow and Bone left me wanting. If you've got some time and are in the mood for a high fantasy YA rooted in a non-European setting, then I'd say give it a try. No language, but there is a make-out scene and some fantasy death, so I'd put this in the high school and up range. Perhaps not the most original piece of literature out there, but if you're eager for some plot twists you may want to check out this one for yourself.
Approximate Reading Time: 4.5 hours

8.
Let the Sky Fall
Let the Sky Fall gave me more than enough to get me hooked and wanting more. I'd happily recommend it to anyone looking for a YA paranormal romance featuring 'new' creatures, or looking for a romantic couple featuring a kick-ass heroine and a sweet, supportive hero. No language, but with the major romantic elements and some violent sequences, I'd put this mainly in the high school and up range. Sometimes same-old, same-old can be boring, but I think this book shows that just because some things are familiar, it doesn't mean that you can't find something new. So if you've finally gotten Adele's tune out of your head, why not give this book a try?
Approximate Reading Time: 5.5 hours

9.
The Forever Song
For me, The Forever Song was a strong and satisfying conclusion to its series. I'd highly recommend it for anyone already hooked in the Blood of Eden, or those who are interested in a gritty, post-apocalyptic YA romance with a lot of bloody vampire action. I can't recall any language this time around, but a sex scene and a lot of gory violence has me keeping my ranking of high school and older. With questions of morality, survival, stigma, and free will combined with chases, fights, and the occasional kiss, how could you not be racing to sink your teeth into this series? And once you've devoured the first two installments, you'll definitely want to check out the series' conclusion as soon as possible.
Approximate Reading Time: 8.5 hours

10.
How to Be a Person
This book definitely won't be for everyone. For one thing, you have to have a sense of humor. In addition to prolific swearing, the book contains a LONG, detailed chapter concerning sex—straight, gay, lesbian, bi and trans—by way of real written letters and responses a la "Dear Abby", and a chapter on politics (specifically describing Republicans and Feminists). However, there are also laundry tips, tested recipes, and true stories of working in restaurants. I guess I'd recommend it to anyone who is really, really stressed about going off to college who has a sense of humor and an open mind.
Approximate Reading Time: 4.5 hours

11.
Eleanor & Park
I found Eleanor & Park to be an endearing story. I'd definitely recommend it to fans of contemporary romance, or those who enjoy YA and are looking for an easy first step into the contemporary genre. With quite a bit of language, a couple sexual situations, and general coming-of-age material, I'd put this firmly in the high school and up range. Part feel-good romance, part coming-of-age story, and part insight into an unfortunate dark reality, Eleanor & Park should be on the list of anyone looking for a sweet, quirky, down-to-earth romance.
Approximate Reading Time: 4 hours

12.
Cinder
Cinder was a fun concept and introduction to what looks to be an intriguing series. I'd recommend it for anyone interested in Fairytales with a SciFi twist, Monster Mash-Ups, or those who enjoy YA Paranormal Romance. No language, sex or violence, but there are a couple plague-related deaths, and with the politics and general romance I'd suggest this for those in high school and older. So if you're feeling a little nostalgic but want something new, or are in the mood for something a little silly yet serious, you should definitely take a little time and give Cinder a read.
Approximate Reading Time: 5 hours

13.
Princess Ahira
My main motivation for reading this one was to satisfy a couple reading challenges for April. However, I was also excited to read it after the description brought back memories of one of my favorite childhood stories, Patricia C. Wrede's Dealing With Dragons. With nontraditional princesses, intelligent dragons, and a few fairytale throwbacks, I eagerly dove in... And soon wished I had just re-read Dealing With Dragons. The women in this book range from beautiful and stupid, to ugly and crazy, to beautiful and evil, with Ahira being the only sane/reasonable/good woman in all creation.
Approximate Reading Time: 4 hours

14.
Fangirl
If there was ever a book written especially for book bloggers/reviewers to connect with and adore, this may very well be it. I highly doubt we'd be doing what we're doing if we hadn't felt passionate about what we're reading, so having a main character as passionate about stories and writing as we are... well it's practically a no-brainer that the community would fall in love. That being said, it's also a charming romance, a realistic look at college, and a heartwarming tale about family. Part nostalgia trip, part genuine good story, I couldn't help but be enthralled by this book.
Approximate Reading Time: 6.5 hours

15.
Zombies Don't Surrender
I've been reading and reviewing this series for three years now, thoroughly enjoying Mr. Fischer's upbeat, campy, B-movie style and humor. But all good things come to an end, it seems, and so I delved into the final installment in Maddy's Living Dead Love Story. Honestly, I'm surprised that this was where Rusty decided to end it, and if the book didn't have "the final volume" printed on the back, I'd totally be expecting another book starring Maddy sometime next year. I just don't see how the series as a whole could have led to this point. I'm sure Zombies Don't Surrender is a must-read for fans of the series, for the sake of closure and all, but it definitely wasn't my favorite ending.
Approximate Reading Time: 5 hours

16.
Independent Study
This was a riveting and game-changing continuation to what appeared to be an average dystopian trilogy. Fans of the first book should find this one refreshingly different with its covert slant on the popular dystopian formula, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a YA take on 1984. Much less violence this time around, but a couple deaths and general conspiracy themes have me recommending it for high-school and up. Yet another example of a series proving me wrong, Independent Study shows that you can't judge a series by its first book.
Approximate Reading Time: 4 hours

17.
Werewolf Rising
Picked this up because I loved the author's more recent works and I couldn't pass up the chance to see her take on werewolves. Unfortunately it was a middle grade story that read like a bad Harry Potter knockoff. It also was clearly written to lead into more books but as it was discontinued, it's really hard to enjoy all the dangling plot lines and hints at greater things to come when you know there's nothing more coming. Perhaps a more enjoyable experience for younger readers (who don't know better), this one left me underwhelmed and disappointed.
Approximate Reading Time: 3 hours


18.
The Art of Wishing
This book was fun to read with a great main character and an interesting take on genies. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a new avenue of YA paranormal romance. There are references to Robin Williams' genie and some of the mythology concerning their "freedom" might trigger responses (my sister cried when I started recapping to her). So if you're looking for a series with a good sense of itself and some humor and magic to boot, then definitely give The Art of Wishing a try.
Approximate Reading Time: 4 hours


19.
The Fourth Wish
The conclusion to a great YA Paranormal Romance duet. I especially enjoyed the challenging of traditional tropes associated with the genre, especially where romance was concerned. There was also some intriguing discussion of gender vs sex and alpha/beta personalities involved. But ultimately, if you liked the previous book, you're definitely gonna want to pick up the sequel and conclusion.
Approximate Reading Time: 5 hours
© 2014 - 2024 50-Book-Challenge
Comments0
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In