54/50: The Mockingbirds

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I had a hard time ranking this book. I liked it, had a hard time putting it down, but something was missing.
Alex is dealing with the aftermath of being date-raped. She's at a school where the authorities don't care and think the students are only good and don't do anything wrong. This was my first problem. Yes, I can go along with this, but it just made me mad that adults would be so incredibly stupid and naive.
Aside from this, Alex is starting to remember what happened that night. Her emotions are portrayed very well. When she felt sick to her stomach after remembering something, I felt the same. The description was not for the light at heart. I know this was a YA book, and it should be categorized that way, but certainly for the older end of YA. (Should we not have another genre? YA16+ perhaps?)
The Mockingbirds are a secret society that help students in need. I felt they were a force for good and was so happy they exsited. The fact that they based their society on To Kill a Mockingbird was awesome.

The way Whitney dealt with the date-rape issue was good. She didn't push the no-means-no message in your face, but it was clear and there throughout the story.

I knew how I wanted this book to end and wasn't disappointed. There are no twists and turns, just a straightforward plot, begining, middle, end. It was a great read, but I felt something was missing. I just can't quite figure out what it is yet.

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53/50: The Sky is Everywhere

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book. It was so refreshing and different. It made band geeks cool again!

Lennie is going through the stages of grief after her sister, Bailey, suddenly dies. She's not sure how to live without her and starts to push people away. She's torn between Toby, her sister's boyfriend, and Joe, the new French musician hot guy in school. Toby makes he acknowledge her grief and they deal with the pain together. Joe makes her feel alive and like a new person. Like she can survive without Bailey.

Lennie intrigued me. She wasn't used to living outside of someone's shadow and being 'the sister'. She'd been catapulted into the spotlight and not sure if that's where she wants to be. I loved reading about her mistakes and about the things she learned. She learned she can have her own dreams, she can be her own person. She learned she doesn't have to grieve the same way as everyone else. Gram painted, Big smoked pot, Toby tried to replace Bailey with Lennie. On the outside of all this is Joe. He never knew Bailey, only knows Lennie without her. He has this way of making Lennie feel like she is special.

I had this fear reading this book that something terrible would happen to Lennie, and yes something does, but on a much smaller scale than what I was thinking. I loved this book for it's happy ending. Everyone learning from each other and figuring it out. It was such a feel good book with so much raw emotion that it was hard to put down.

Jandy Nelson did a great job on her debut novel. I hope to see more from her in the future.

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52/50: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


After reading the first book in the series, I wasn't sure I was going to keep reading. I moved on to a bunch of other books from the library and kept having this nagging voice in my head. "What happens to Harry next?". I think my bookshelf was talking to me. I reached a point where there were no library books in my queue and this book was screaming at me.

I liked the story in this one better than the first. I'm assuming that book 1 was more of an introduction to the world of wizardry, so it was nice to have this book just dive right in. Again, I had seen the movie when it first came out and while most of the book was familiar, there were parts I couldn't remember. (The ending still surprised me so that was awesome. thanks memory!)
Harry seems to be growing up a little bit and I love that he's learning more about himself. I love learning about him as well. I'm completely loving all the amazing wizardry things they encounter like it's an every day thing. It's amazing! J.K. Rowling has a truly amazing imaginiation and I'm so glad my mind can dive into it.
There's not much else for me to say about this one. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for the next one!

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51/50: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book started out really slow for me. It took a long time to get going, leaving a lot of the story for the last quarter of the book, as well as all the action. We start out meeting David (John, #4) and his Cêpan Henri. They are living in Florida and have been hiding from the Mogadorians. Whenever something happens that could draw attention to John, they leave and move to another town.

The story starts with Henri and John moving to Paradise, Ohio. John starts to develop his legacies while living here. John starts a new school and I found it very typical. There's the nerdy kid, the pretty girl, and the jock boyfriend (in this case, ex-boyfriend). New kid in school grabs the attention of the pretty girl and the ex gets jealous, also finding a friend in the nerdy kid. After falling for the pretty girl, he starts to develop his first legacy. He trains with Henri to develop more.

I didn't feel like this book had a whole lot to offer. They come from another another planet, they have powers that are developing, there are bad guys coming to kill them. I found myself drawing parallels between the book and the TV series Smallville.

I did like the idea of the charm. The Lorien children have to be killed in order. One, Two and Three have already been killed, John is number four. It's an interesting theory and it made it interesting to know that he would be next. The action sequence in the last quarter of the book was pretty intense. I found myself ignoring everything around me just to finish the book and find out what happens next. I almost cried at one point as well, so the writer did a great job of getting you to connect and care about the characters.

All in all, it was an ok book. I wouldn't be rushing out to recommend it though.

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50/50: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It took me 4 days to read Hush, Hush. That should tell you a little something about the book right there. I was enthralled with it. Patch is such an interesting character. The vivid descriptions Nora gives about the way he looks at her gave me chills and definitely made me like him. He has this dark evil thing about him that you can’t help but be pulled into. Is he a good guy or a bad guy? Read to the book to find out. Either way I like him.

Nora is a good character but like most lead female characters she had her annoying bits. She did some pretty stupid things and got herself into a bit of trouble here and there. Nothing out of the ordinary for a 16 year old who thinks she’s a great reporter.

Let’s go back and discuss Patch, because after reading this book, he’s the only one that I want to read more about. (Yes I have a book crush, don’t judge me) This guy has everything going for him. He’s the ultimate bad boy, and let’s face it, most women fall for the bad boy, against their better judgment at least once. He hustles pool, cards, and has a knack for showing up at just the right time. He’s mysterious, and has that “you know you want me” confidence. Nora is scared of him, but drawn to him at the same time. I have to say, I’d be upset with her if she didn’t go for him.

As for the story, without giving too much away, I’m a fan of the immortal, good/evil storylines. I love angels and demons and all things supernatural, so this was right up my alley. Becca Fitzpatrick does a good job of making you second guess yourself. You think you have it figured out, but then something changes and you aren’t sure anymore.

I would definitely recommend this one for YA fans.

I can’t wait to Crescendo! I have it on hold at the library but I fear it will be a while before it comes in.

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49/50: Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book made me smile every day I read it.
Bethany is such a unique character to read about. As an angel sent down from Heaven she has no preconceptions of Earth and earthly things. Every sight, smell, sound and touch is completely unique to her and she experiences them all for the first time. As much as this is a YA novel and does have the silly teenage stuff in it, it also has that element that even an adult will sit and think about. Experiencing and appreciating the things around you for the first time isn't something we do. We take most everything for granted and don't typically really see what is there. Bethanys character made me stop and walk a little slower in the morning. Sit and enjoy my coffee rather than rushing off with it in hand. She made me stop and look around me and appreciate the wind that seems to be blowing around the city lately. I'm not sure if Adornetto intended for that to be an outcome for the reader but it was for me and it made me love this book.

On to the actual story.
Ivy, Gabriel and Bethany are sent from Heaven on a mission to save the small town of Venus Cove. There are things happening that are the work of dark forces. The three angels are sent to counteract this and bring peace back to the town. Bethany, being 17 becomes a student. Like most YA novels, she falls in love. I found this story a little like Romeo & Juliet because Ivy and Gabriel didn't want her to see Xavier. She continued to anyways. What was different was that Xavier is a very wholesome character. He comes from a Christian family that has a lot of love. I felt myself smile whenever he talked about his family, and whenever Bethany talked about them. One thing I find rare in YA novels is whole families. Caring families. So many books have broken homes, so it was nice to see a different story.

The evil force that comes into their lives was a little predictable, but I didn't see parts of the plot coming. I was thinking in a different direction than the book went so that was refreshing. I did enjoy the characters and the descriptions of them.

I can't wait for the second book in the series, Hades, to come out next year! I would certainly recommend this book to people. It was nice to see a book that wasn't about vampires or werewolves. Thank you Alexandra Adornetto for such a wonderful book!

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48/50: 10 Minute Guide to Project Management by Jeff Davidson

10 Minute Guide to Project Management by Jeff Davidson


My rating: 3 of 5 stars




I picked this book up to help me better understand project management. I eventually want to move into that sort of role in my career, so doing some reading is always helpful. I don't have a lot to say about this book since it's non-fiction and pretty dry. For my first read at project management, it provided a very high overview. I liked that it didn't go into a lot of detail. It kept things simple and to the point. I made a lot of notes and will certainly keep this book around for reference. I enjoyed that it provided examples where the tools they describe were used. It gives a hands-on approach that I could really relate to and also relate it back to what I'm currently doing.

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This is number 48 for the year! Almost reached my goal!

47/50: Packing for Mars by Mary Roach

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach


My rating: 2 of 5 stars




I believe I ruined all other Mary Roach books for myself by reading her book Bonk first. It was over the top funny and witty. Something I feel the rest of her books fail to provide to the same extent. Packing for Mars seemed like it would be incredibly interesting.

Researching space would be fun and interesting. This book didn't get that acrossed to me. I can't say that I laughed at all with this one. Not even a chuckle. However, I did learn some interesting tidbits, and I suppose that's the entire purpose of this book. It started off good but faded quickly. I found myself skimming through the second half of the books just so I could finish it.

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46/50: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hex Hall follows Sophie, a witch who keeps messing up her spells and constantly having to move around. After a number of mistakes, The Council sends her to Hecate Hall (Hex Hall). It's a school for gifted kids who have become a danger to themselves or the world and don't know how to live in the human world properly.

I really liked this book! Sophie was a great character. She was funny, snarky and I felt bad for her a lot. She was put into a school where she was at a huge disadvantage. Most of the kids were brought up with supernatural parents. Sophie wasn't and doesn't know a lot about her own kind. I liked the dynamics of the book because not only did it have the magical element, but it also had the side of how mean teenage girls and boys can be to each other. Sophie was not only battling to learn about her kind, but also to navigate the world of teenagers and trying to make friends.

I did gasp a little in this book at a few parts that I didn't see coming. I was impressed with the way Rachel Hawkins wrote and how she surprised the audience (or at least I was).  I can't wait to read the next book!!

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45/50: Gone by Lisa McMann

Gone by Lisa McMann
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

After reading Wake and Fade, this book wasn't good as the last book. This series started out great, but fell flat for me in the end. I'm not sure what else I would have wanted out of it, but I'm left feeling like the series ended with no climax. It just. ended.
While I appreciated learning more about Janie and her father, this book was really missing that paranormal factor. Don't be deceived, there was still some dream catching in the book, it just wasn't the same.
Gone went into the dilemma that Janie faces with her curse/gift. Should she stay with her loved ones, or should she isolate herself. The secrets she finds out from another dream catcher put things in perspective. She has two choices that are equally horrible.
Gone also went into more detail on Janie's mom which I liked. We also learned a little more about Miss Stubin, Henry, and Captain.
I will say however, that the book ended how I thought it should have. I saw the two choices Janie was faced with and hoped throughout this book she would choose one and not the other. McMann chose the same ending I would have.

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Gone counts towards towards my goal of reading books I own or have borrowed.
Check out my list on the Fall Book Challenge Page.
This book also counts towards my online challenge through The Nest for the Summer Book Challenge