Book Review #486 - Wickedpedia (Point Horror) by Chris van Etten

Cole and Greg love playing practical jokes through Wikipedia. They edit key articles and watch their classmates crash and burn giving oral reports on historical figures like Genghis Khan, the first female astronaut on Jupiter. So after the star soccer player steals Cole's girlfriend, the boys take their revenge by creating a Wikipedia page for him, an entry full of outlandish information including details about his bizarre death on the soccer field.

It's all in good fun, until the soccer player is killed in a freak accident . . . just as Cole and Greg predicted. The uneasy boys vow to leave Wikipedia alone but someone continues to edit articles about classmates dying in gruesome ways . . . and those entries start to come true as well.

To his horror, Cole soon discovers that someone has created a Wikipedia page for him, and included a date of death. He has one week to figure out who's behind the murders, or else he's set to meet a pretty grisly end.

My Rating: 3/5

I received this book for review from Scholastic Australia.

I found this to be a pretty slow read. This was not necessarily a negative thing - it just took me longer to read than I had expected.

This book reminded me heavily of the Goosebumps books from my childhood.

Throughout the book I kept thinking of how well this book would work as a Pretty Little Liars type drama so I wasn't surprised when I read the author biography and discovered the author is also a television writer.

The writing style was a little choppy. The main issue was the execution. There were just small details that needed more tying together.

Overall, I found this book to be unique, entertaining and thrilling. Horror is definitely a genre I need to read more of.

Book Review #243 - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he thought he was destined to live.

 

 

My Rating: 5/5

 

 

Although I had heard nothing but positive things about this book, I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.

 

 

This was a very enjoyable read. Once I started reading, I knew I wasn't going to be able to put it down. I ended up reading it in a few hours and in one sitting.

 

 

Junior was a very unique character. In fact, the whole book was full of unique characters. Rowdy reminded me of a character from a John Green novel.

 

 

Since I'm Australian, I don't know too much about Indian culture or life on a reservation and so I found that aspect really interesting.

 

 

Overall I thought this book blended humour with emotion. I can understand why some people think this should be banned but I also feel like everyone should get a chance to read this, because it is really good.

Book Review #168 - One Day by David Nicholls

'I can imagine you at forty,' she said, a hint of malice in her voice. 'I can picture it right now.' He smiled without opening his eyes. 'Go on then.' 15th July 1988. Emma and Dexter meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways. So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year that follows? Twenty years, two people, ONE DAY.

My Rating: 4/5

I wasn't sure about this book, and never intended to buy and read it until I found it for $2.

Before I even started reading, I knew it would be a book that I would either love or hate, and it would probably depend on how much the year changing every chapter would annoy me.

I didn't have any problem with the year jumping, but I did have a slight problem with the characters. I really wanted to like Dexter, but the way he came across at times just made it impossible. I liked Emma at first but as the novel went on she became annoying.

I read the last 55 or so pages in about the same time as I had read the previous 350 odd, because I didn't want to read it anymore after a certain plot twist and this book would have been 5 stars if it weren't for that plot twist.

TBR Tuesday #5

TBR Tuesday is hosted by The Book Rat where you show one book from your TBR pile.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay’s dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

TBR Tuesday #4

TBR Tuesday is hosted by The Book Rat where you show one book from your TBR pile.

Eragon (Inheritance #1) by Christopher Paolini

When Eragon finds a polished stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

I will probably read this soon as the author is visiting my city later this month.

TBR Tuesday #3

TBR Tuesday is hosted by The Book Rat where you show one book from your TBR pile.

The Dreamwalker's Child by Steve Voake

Fifteen-year-old Sam Palmer’s life is dull—until a bizarre bicycle accident leaves him in a coma. Sam awakens in Aurobon, a world eerily similar to his own, only to discover that his “accident” was part of an elaborate abduction by a ruler with a deadly agenda. Now Sam must team up with a fearless girl pilot to outwit the enemy. Otherwise, dark forces will invade his own world on insects the size of fighter jets. But that’s if the terrifying marsh dogs don’t kill him first.

I think this cover of the book is alot better:

TBR Tuesday #2

TBR Tuesday is hosted by The Book Rat where you show one book from your TBR pile.

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Synopsis from Goodreads:

 

An ancient prophecy divides two sisters--one good, one evil.

Who will prevail?

Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, they find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets. 

TBR Tuesday #1

TBR Tuesday is hosted by The Book Rat where you show one book from your TBR pile.

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Goodreads Synopsis:

Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.