The Maze Runner

Its been awhile since my last post but a lot has been going on since October and I just finally decided to make a new review. So one of my best friends, whose name shall remain remain unknown, is my biggest resource when it comes to finding great books. And for Christmas this year she gave me a book (sadly i only got her a necklace, but it was a kick butt necklace). And i have long since finished that book and i decided to do a review on it.

The book is called The Maze Runner By: James Dashner. At the beginning of the book a boy finds himself (when i say boy i mean teenager) in a dark space and has the feeling of moving upward. All he knows about himself is that his name is Thomas. Nothing else. Nothing. Finally a light pierces the darkness and Thomas finds himself being pulled out of the darkened elevator by a bunch of boys(once again i mean teenagers).

Thomas doesn't know where he is, but after a few hours of vague explanations from the other boys Thomas finally figures out where he is. He is in the middle of a maze, a maze with walls that tower over everyones heads, walls covered in moss and ivy. He is in a maze that the other boys have been trying to solve for two years. Yeah sounds promising doesn't it?

Then he is told he isn't allowed to leave the safety of the Glade, a large open courtyard type thing where the other boys work, eat, and sleep. Basically he isn't allowed to go out into the maze. He is told that there are monsters outside the Glades walls, monsters he doesn't want to be caught by.

And just when Thomas thought his life couldn't get any worse, another new person shows up. A day after Thomas did, something that has never happened in two years. And not only is this uncommon, but the new person is a girl. The first girl to ever show up. And she has a note. a note that says "Everything is about to change". And it does. The maze starts acting weird, kids start to die, their whole world is turned upside down. And everyone seems to blame Thomas. Thomas and the girl who he feels a strange connection towards as if he had known her. As if they had known each other before showing up in the maze.

This whole thing sounds confusing, and it is for about 20 or so pages. You don't understand anything at first but it all comes together real quick. What i love about this book is the genus behind it. All these things that happen is something that you would never think of. I also find it creative that the author went and created his own cuss words, so the text isn't filthy. The book is hardly ever boring, and as i think about it i can't seem to find a time in it when i was bored while reading. Just the oddity oddity of the situation is enough to keep you avidly reading.

And the end is so amazing. Just when you think everything is fine you turn to the last page and read and your jaw just drops open and then only thing that is going through your head is Oh. My. God! And then thats all you can think of for a half an hour. The ending just twists everything. It makes you want more and even though it totally frustrates me beyond words i can't help but say that i totally love the ending.

i think most people would enjoy this book. The characters are funny, courageous, and just down right lovable. Even though i don't believe in favorites (wait that's a lie, i do believe in favorites i just don't like admitting to it) anyway, i just wanted to say that Newt was my favorite of all the characters.

The Maze Runner By: James Dashner

The Inheritance Cycle

For those of you who don't know what The Inheritance Cycle is it's the book series that includes Eragon, Eldest, and Brisingr.

The series takes place in a fantasy land known as Alagaesia (al-uh-GAY-zee-uh). In this land there are no cars, or electricity, it's like the medieval time period. . But here in Alagaesia lives elves, dwarfs, and dragons.The land is ruled by an evil king named Galbatorix. It was over a century ago that Galbatorix, a Dragon Rider, had killed all the dragons that lived in the land. Now they are but legends, along with elves and dwarfs.

Eragon, a young farm boy from Carvahall, is the main character of the story. While Eragon is out hunting one day for his uncle and cousin a blue stone suddenly appears with a huge bang! Thinking the stone might be worth something in the market, Eragon takes it back home with him.

Nobody is willing to buy the stone from Eragon, not willing to buy something that they believe is stolen. So Eragon just keeps the odd stone in his room. Then one night Eragon is awaken from his sleep by an odd sound. Thinking it was just a mouse he wrote it off as nothing until he saw the stone on his shelf moving. Eragon took the stone and laid it on the floor and then right before his eyes the stone broke and out crawled a baby dragon.

It was a sapphire blue, just like it's egg. Eragon kept it, knowing that by having this dragon would put his family in great danger, but unable to get rid of it because he felt connected to it. Eragon did not tell his uncle or cousin about the dragon, fearing that they would what to kill the poor thing.

So Eragon raised the dragon in the woods behind his house, watching it grow quickly. He soon found out the dragon was a girl and he named her Saphira. He and Saphira were connected at the mind, able to share thoughts and communicate without Eragon having to speak aloud. Saphira was very intelligent, not a mute animal, but as smart and as capable as a human, if not more. She soon learned to talk (though with her thoughts since she is a dragon and can't speak out loud) and her and Eragon could communicate with long distances between them.

Eragon knows what he is. He's a Dragon Rider, a human magically connected to a dragon. He was one of two Dragon Rider's alive. The other, Galbatorix, would surely kill him if he found out along with Saphira.

Then the unthinkable happens. The king finds out about then both some how, but Eragon doesn't know how, he's told no one. Roran, his cousin, has traveled away from Carvahall in hope of finding work. Eragon comes home one day and finds his house burned down and his uncle attacked. His uncle dies and Eragon decides to run away in order to protect his village and to avenge his uncles death. On his way out of Carvahall Eragon runs into Brom, the village storyteller. Brom knows about Saphira and says he can help Eragon. Eragon is doubtful, but both he and Saphira decided he couldn't hurt anything.

So they travel, looking for his uncle's killers while being hunted down by the king. During this time Eragon discovers the magic that runs through his body and how to control it. He learns more about Dragon Riders, and him and Saphira slowly grow stronger and stronger becoming a bigger threat. A threat that the king must stop.

It may not sound exciting, but that's only because I didn't want to revel the whole story. It really is amazing, full of twists and surprises and magic. The author, Christopher Paolini, is an amazing writer. He fills the book with wisdom and tells a story so intertwined and so thought out that you have trouble believing it isn't true, that the land of Alagaesia really doesn't exist. Christopher has managed to write a beautiful, magical, funny story that has captured the hearts of fans everywhere.

The next two books are amazing as well, continuing Eragon's amazing adventure with his dragon Saphira right by his side. I would ask everyone to read this book, you'll love it no matter what, I promise.

Eragon By: Christopher Paolini

Eldest By: Christopher Paolini

Brisingr By: Christopher Paolini

And a fourth book yet to be released

The Hunger Games Trilogy

Okay, my second book review will be on the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. This series consists of the first book The Hunger Games, its sequel Catching Fire, and, as of now, the third unnamed book, set to be released in fall of 2010.

The first book The Hunger Games is set in a post America country called Panem, where a plush city called the Capital rules over 12 districts. Each year, in order to remind the 12 districts of a failed rebellion against the Capital 74 years ago, the Capital holds the Hunger Games. Every kid in each of the 12 districts between the ages of 12 and 18 must enter their names into a drawing. A male and female is drawn from each district and those two become the districts tributes. Then the 24 tributes are put into an arena where they fight to the death the game is over when only one tribute remains. The whole thing is broadcasted on live TV so those in the Capital are entertained and those in the districts are reminded about what happens when you mess with the Capital.

The main character, 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, is the main supporter of her family. After her farther died in a mine accident Katniss had taken to hunting illegally with her friend Gale. She brought food to her table and learned valuable hunting skills that kept her, her younger sister, Prim, and her mother alive. Katniss dreads the Reaping Day, the day the tributes for District 12 are drawn, mainly because this is the first year Prim will be in the drawing. Female tributes go first, and the name drawn out is Primrose Everdeen, Katniss's sister. Unable to watch her sister walk to her death, Katniss volunteers to take Prim's place as tribute.

And so Katniss is now a Hunger Games tribute, which, in her terms means corpse. Her and her fellow District 12 tribute, Peeta Mellark, are sent to the Capital to train for a week before being put into the arena nether of them expect to come out of.

Things are hard enough on Katniss knowing that she will probably never see her family again when Peeta announces on live television that he is deeply in love with her. Their mentor, Haymitch, expects Katniss to play the role of love struck teenager so they can get more sponsors. So now Katniss and Peeta have to pretend to be madly in love in a game where only one of them can make it out alive. The problem is that Katniss is starting to have trouble understanding which of her feelings are pretend and which aren't.

The Hunger Games is a great book, full of surprises, action, love, fury, and friendship. I loved this book and is on my top 5 series list. Suzanne Collins has created a wonderful world between those covers. She writes so beautifully and so descriptively that you see everything that goes on, and I'll even admit that I cried at least one time during this book. It's an amazing book despite how unappealing it might sound to read about kids killing each other.

The second book in the series, Catching Fire, is just as good as the first. I'll try not to give away any big secrets but I'll tell you a little bit about it. The beginning I'll admit to being a little bit slower than the first book was, but it really is necessary. The middle has the biggest twist I have ever seen and if you can guess what it is, then good for you, because I never saw this coming. The book also has a cliff hanger that is both frustrating and amazing. The main character is still Katniss if you're worried about the book changing point of views. Other than what I have already told you, I will revel no more about Catching Fire other than that it is also an amazing book, beautifully written and very well thought out, full of suspense, action, love, desperation, and twists.

The Hunger Games Trilogy is a must read for teens and adults. Get it and devour it as fast as you can because in the Hunger Games you may not live to be around tomorrow.

The Hunger Games By: Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire By: Suzanne Collins

Gone Series

Okay, so I've decided to make my first review on one of the coolest series EVER!!!! So it is a series, but so far there is only two books out. The first is called Gone the second is Hunger by Michael Grant. The first book, Gone, starts out with all people over the age of 15 suddenly disappearing, poof, bam, one second there next second gone. Kids left on their own, no adults, no older siblings, no one.

Sam Temple and his friends are left to fend for themselves while chaos spreads and bullies rule. Things get even worse when kids from Coates Academy, a school for juvenile delinquents, try to take over. Kids are scared and unsure of what to do.

Things get even worse as kids start to develop powers, including Sam, and townies start to divide between freaks(those with powers) and normals. Animals mutate and become fearsome enemies. As all this happens kids start to realize that the kids from Coates, who seemed so promising when they came, are now becoming dictators and townies are getting hurt as bullies rage and beat on those who are 'breaking the law'.

And then to make everything worse kids who reach their 15th birthday poof and are gone, where , no one knows.

Everyone looks to Sam for help, and suddenly Sam goes from plain old surf boy to leader and hero. It's up to Sam to save the town and his friends, but with his 15th birthday quickly approaching can he help the ones he loves before he poofs?

I really do love this series, and the next book Hunger is just as good, if not better. You'll love this series, but I think it is meant for teens, but read it any way.

Gone By: Michael Grant

Hunger By:Michael Grant

Purpose of Blog

I, unlike many teenagers my age, love spending my time reading. For as long as I can remember I was reading. The first 'big book' that I read would be The Giving Tree when I was in first grade and I haven't stopped reading since. The older I become the larger the books grow and the more I enjoy them.

So, why do you love to read? most people ask, why do you do it? well, I find the answer is simple. When I read the book opens a window into a whole other world. When I'm worried or nervous about something I just grab a book and dive in. My worries no longer exist, my fears are no longer real, I leave my life and world behind. There is only me and the book, nothing else. A good book is my haven, something that is always there and true to you.

But no matter how many books I have read I still have the dilemma of trying to find a good book. We've all heard the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." but lets face even the best of us do. When we go into a library or a bookstore we don't read the back of every book, we scan the shelves. We look for titles that sound good or cover art that looks cool, and yet we can still look over the good books and still pick bummers.

So I've taken a step of action against this problem. I am going to review books and rate them on a scale of 1-5. I will recommend good books and help you steer clear of books that I have found disappointing. I also hope that my followers (that is if I ever get any) will help me when it comes to finding a good book.

Now a word of advice to any of you who hope to save some trouble by following my blog. You should know that I am a teenage girl (I will not reveal my age) and that it is possible that the books that I enjoy may not be the same as the ones that you enjoy. So when I say that I loved a certain book or hated a certain book it is possible that you may think differently. I will not reveal any great twists in a book or tell you how it ends, only tell you a little bit about the book and my rating. I may also include occasional advise concerning books or writing depending on what I feel like talking about. i will try to post as many reviews as I can and update my blog as often as possible.

I hope that my efforts will help you as much as possible.

-M

M's Book Reviews