Book Review: April Raintree by Beatrice Culleton

April Raintree- Beatrice Culleton
Summary According to Goodreads: The story of two Metis sisters growing up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Removed from their family at an early age, the sisters are raised in separate foster homes.

My thoughts: I had to read this book for my English class. I expected this novel to be what a lot of required- reading books are like: Boring. Not the kind of boring like watching paint dry or not knowing how to spend a summer. I thought it would be the kind of boring that just makes you want to procrastinate reading this book for so long to look up a summary and the ending of this book online just to write the required essay. 

This book was not what I expected it to be. It was a heartfelt tale of two sisters; April and Cheryl, taken away from home at a very young age, and be mistreated in foster homes.


In the beginning, It was easy to tell what kind of "medicine" their parents and every other adult in the neighbourhood was taking. But you could still tell April was happy. Once the girls were taken from their parents, we were still able to know what April felt, The reader also knows how Cheryl feels through her letters sent to April during her stay at the Dions.

In the middle portion of the book, bad events start to happen. I won't spoil them for you, but just know that if you don't like when parents mistreat children, it will piss you off. It was so upsetting though, the events that happened to April when she was just a child.

In the end, the story seems a bit rushed. you don't really get the feel for how April felt after the sad event in her life.

I thought that the author did a wonderful job writing this story. The characters were so realistic and sometimes relatable. I do think that students should read this book. It covers many topics, the biggest one being discrimination. The discrimination in this novel was harsh and makes you realize that words and actions really do hurt.

For me, I do think this book lacked some things, But I still thought that it was deserving of my chosen rating.
My rating:

- Adelia

Book Review: The Art of Getting Stared At by Laura Langston

Summary According to Goodreads:
After a school video she produced goes viral, sixteen-year-old Sloane is given the biggest opportunity of her life – a chance for a film school scholarship. She has less than two weeks to produce a second video, something with depth, and she’s determined to do it. The trouble is she has to work with Isaac Alexander, an irresponsible charmer with whom she shares an uneasy history.

On the heels of this good news/bad news opportunity, Sloane finds a bald spot on her head. The pink patch, no bigger than a quarter, shouldn't be there. Neither should the bald spots that follow. Horror gives way to devastation when Sloane is diagnosed with alopecia areata. The autoimmune disease has no cause, no cure and no definitive outcome. The spots might grow over tomorrow or they might be there for life. She could become completely bald. No one knows.

Determined to produce her video and keep her condition secret, Sloane finds herself turning into the kind of person she has always mocked: someone obsessed with their looks. She’s also forced to confront a painful truth: she is as judgmental as anyone else…but she saves the harshest judgments for herself.


DISCLAIMER: I was sent this book for review. That does not influence my opinion.

Thoughts:

If I could give one piece of advice to every teenager in the world, it would be this;
"Don't judge anyone until you have talked with them." That's something everyone should follow. You don't know what others are going through, so don't judge them. 

I thought that this book was good. The kind of contemporary that I read the most is light and fluffy and usually takes place on the beach in the summer. This book was not light or fluffy. It also didn't take place in the summer. This book was deep. It really was. 

This book did take awhile for me to get into. That part I didn't like. As well as how I sorta predicted the ending. In the middle of the book, I could already tell what the ending was going to be. 

I thought that the main character Sloane was really well developed. I did like her a lot, though I couldn't relate to her much. She stayed strong when she knew she was losing her hair. She found every reason to be happy. 

This is the first Laura Langston book I have read, and I would definitely read another. I thought the book was really well written. I would recommend it to teens and adults alike.


-Adelia

Book Review: The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

      The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

  Summary according to Goodreads;
      Anyone who’s had something truly crappy happen to them will tell you: It’s all about Before and After. What I’m talking about here is the ka-pow, shake-you-to-your-core-and-turn-your-bones-to-plastic kind of crappy.

Sixteen-year-old Laurel’s world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel’s life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss—a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways.

      My Review:  The Beginning of After was truly a wonderful story. When her family died, It was truly heartbreaking. In the pages prior to the accident, you kinda get a feel for them. But even after the accident, you get to know them as if they were living and part of Laurel's everyday life.

      I suppose I should tell you exactly what this book is about. 

      

      Okay. So. This book is about  a sixteen year old girl, called Laurel. One night, she and her family go to a dinner at a neighbours house. After dinner, the group decides that they are going to go out for ice cream. But Laurel and David both decide they don't want to go. The remainder of the two families pile into a car to go to Freezy's. While Laurel is home studying, she hears a knock at the door. It is a police officer. He tells her that her family dies in a car accident. 

      The Beginning of After is just the story of Laurel returning back to her old life and trying to make the best of it. 

I did love Laurel as a character. But I did feel as if she didn't make the right decisions. For example, when she started falling for David. I just didn't feel as if the were right for each other.  I also thought that Laurel was a bit too predictable at times. Same with the plot. Sure, there were some times where there were some surprising moments, but I just felt that I could predict most of the story. 

      Towards the end of the book, I started feeling as if the story turned into Laurel's personal diary. Too much  "Today I did this, then I did this." It was sorta like she was listing the things she did, instead of the more important things she could have narrated. I also felt as if each paragraph covered a totally new subject.  

      I did think the book had some amazing points, and it was a beautiful message. 'You don't know what you have until it's gone." All in all, I did enjoy the book. I think everyone should read this as well.  

My Rating: 4 stars.

-Adelia

Book Review: Divergent. Written by: Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth.
#of pages: 487 (Hardcover)

Publisher: Kathrine Tegen Books

Summary according to Goodreads:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

MY THOUGHTS: 

The main character is Tris (Beatrice) Prior. I found her to be a very strong-willed character. She isn't afraid to fight for what she wants. I found that some things she did kinda annoyed me. (The split second decisions)... I really do like her as a character, and would hang out with her if she were real.

Another character I loved so much is Four. I found him to be a character that I would love to hangout around. He's strong, tough, manly, and fights for what he wants. I love how rebellious he is, and how many tattoo's he has. He is an all around amazing character, and am excited about how Allegiant 

continues, so that I can learn more about him. 

I thought the plot was amazing. Veronica Roth never leaves you bored. This book is the Ultimate Page turner. I honestly love how she makes the sad moments and the fast paced moments go so well together. 

Two things that I didn't like so much about this book are: Tris' split second decisions, and her brother, Caleb. I just found that most, (If not all of her split second decisions led her to trouble.) And in a lot of ways, I found Caleb to be annoying. 

All in all, I thought this book was AMAZING!! You should definitely read it, (If you haven't, get out from under your rock and go read it.) I thought it was an amazing start to a series, and will become a classic.

If you are looking for an amazing Sci-Fi adventure, (and page turner), pick this book up today.

MY RATING: 5/5 stars, this book was incredible!

-Adelia

Book Review: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games Written by Suzanne Collins
Page Count:374
Published September 14th, 2008
Goodreads Summary:
Winning will make you famous.
Losing means certain death.

In a dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place. Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed.

When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature. 

My thoughts:

The first time I tried to read this, I couldn't get into it. But after that, I couldn't put it down! It is a page turner that will keep you guessing. This book is so full of action, that you will rush out to purchase the second book.

Okay, so Katniss Everdeen is a born hunter. She hunts in the woods beyond district twelve to survive. She doesn't hunt alone, she hunts alone with Gale Hawthorne. On the Reaping Day, her sister, Primrose Everdeen, is singled out as the female tribute for the 74th Annual Hunger Games. Katniss volunteers as tribute for her sister, and is immediately sent to the Capitol. While at the Capitol, she trains and prepares for The Hunger Games. 

While in the arena, she fights for survival. She starves, Becomes dehydrated, and is injured in many ways. She becomes friends with a tribute from another district, Rue. Rue reminds her of her sister, and immediately befriends her. 

Katniss is a very smart character, and in some parts of the book, makes stupid decisions. Sometimes, I felt a little annoyed with her, but her decisions always work out in the end. All in all, I really do like Katniss as a character.

I love Peeta and Katniss' love story, it is really cute and sorta realistic. I also like how loyal Katniss is to her sister. She cares about her and doesn't want to see her get hurt.

If you are looking for an amazing sci-fi, dystopian adventure, pick this book up now.

-Adelia

Hello, Welcome to my Book Blog!

Hello, I just wanted to say welcome to my book blog. I enjoy talking about books, but feel awkward in front of a camera. I might start a Booktube channel in the future, but for now, It won't happen. I will be reviewing books right after I finish them. I will take requests on books to read. Thank you for viewing my blog.