I never thought I'd read a book about a clone that I'd enjoy, never mind read it from the clone's point of view. In my opinion I don't agree with cloning and this book shows why. Sure it's amazing that you can create a whole person without having to give birth to it. But to use that person for spare parts? How do people not realize that's wrong? It makes sense that, in this book, clones have to have their brains somewhat destroyed. Its not fair for someone to figure out what is coming. This book deals with the huge issue of drugs too. What if we just let the drug dealers have their own land and let them do what they want if it doesn't affect us? Well then you get eejits, and murder. So many horrible things can happen if we aren't careful.
Characters:
Matt: This is a character who isn't afraid to say what he thinks. For most of the book he has trouble being himself as he is a clone and thought to be disgusting like a dog or a pig. Hardly anyone loves him and he doesn't understand why. I understand this as it can be related to racism. People are not judging you per say but what you are, who you are. I think in the end he realized that he didn't have to be El Patron, even though he was his clone, there were things he could choose to do or not to do.
Celia: Celia is Matt's main mother figure. She took care of him since he was a small child, I would say an infant and throughout the novel she puts his needs first. I was shocked in the end to realize that she didn't turn into an eejit or get killed but rather lived to see Matt return.
Tam Lin: I love this character because of the way he acts as Matt's conscious and helps him escape. Nice.
El Patron: I really thought that El Patron was only trying to get a clone so he could have a son again. I did realize before Matt was called into the hospital the last time that this wasn't true, that El Patron wanted to harvest Matt's organs. And when he didn't get to and he died, I figured no one would be harmed in the after life. But that just wasn't the case. He had to poison the wine, and cause more death in his wake.
Maria: She was a cute, bubbly girl who turned into a bright, talkative young woman. Hopefully she gets over that Matt is/was a clone.
Moments to Remember:
♥Pg. 62
"'This is my clone. He's the most important person in my life. If you thought it was any of you sorry, misbegotten swine, think again.' The old man chuckled softly."
♥Pg. 85
"Maria started bring Furball on her visits. He was a shrill, rat-sized dog that forgot his house training when he got excited. Tam Line often threatened to suck him- and the mess he deposited- up in the vacuum cleaner. 'He'd fit,' he growled over Maria's terrified protests. 'Trust me, he'd fit.'"
♥Pg. 94
"There was no point arguing with her. Maria took Furball everywhere. Tam Lin complained that it wasn't a dog, but a hairy tumor growing out of arm. He offered to take her to a doctor and have it removed."
♥Pg. 222
"'I love you,' Matt said.
'I love you, too,' said Maria. 'I know that's a sin, and I'll probably go to hell for it.'
'If I have a soul, I'll go with you,' promised Matt."
♥Pg. 275
"Matt realized he'd better walk carefully around people who took offense to mere words. What harm could words do? Tam Lin loved a good argument, the more spirited the better. He said it was like doing push-ups in your brain."
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Book Review: The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
Author: Nancy Farmer
Pages: 380
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Year Published: 2002
"Matteo Alacran was not born; he was harvested. His DNA came from El Patron, lord of a country called Opium- a strip of poppy fields lying between the United States and what was once called Mexico. Matt's first cell split and divided inside a petri dish. Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby. He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster- except for El Patron. El Patron loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself.
As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including El Patron's power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards. Escape is the only chance Matt has to survive. But escape from the Alacran Estate is no guarantee of freedom, because Matt is marked by his difference in ways he doesn't even suspect."
My Rating: 4/5
This novel is yet another based in the future, but not as far as to the end of the world. Rather it shows the reader what happens when things get completely out of hand. As readers, we explore the themes of drugs, violence, technology, morals and what ifs. This book was one of a kind, as far as I know. I have never read a book based about a clone, never mind written from a clone's view. Nancy Farmer has an amazing imagination and she is able to create details in this novel that I would have never imagined. The way that everything ties together in the end is impressive. There are no wasted details.
THANK YOU NANCY FARMER FOR A CLONE'S WHAT IF STORY!
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny ♥♪♫
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Book Review: Eve by Anna Carey
Author: Anna Carey
Series: Eve (Book #1)
Pages: 322
Publisher: HarperCollins Publisher
Year Published: 2011
"Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of the Earth's population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, but the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school's real purpose-- and the horrifying fate that awaits her.
Fleeing the only home she's ever known, Eve sets off on a long treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly winds her trust... and her heart. he promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life."
My Rating: 5/5
I love this book! Anna Carey has an incredible way with words that I related to the story without a problem. I lived in the world with Eve. I felt her happiness and her pain. When she hurt, I cried and when she was happy I laughed and smiled. The world that Anna Carey has created although frightening is far to possible. Since Eve is based in the future it makes all the events horror filled, more so then if it was based in present time. I didn't realize that this book was part of a series and now I'm going to search everywhere I can to find the next book, Once. This book was mind blowing and I can hardly wait to read the next one.
THANK YOU ANNA CAREY FOR ASKING, WHAT IF?
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny ♥♪♫
Spoiler: Eve by Anna Carey
Eve is another book that is written in the setting of the future and so far it's the best future based book I've read. This book deals with so many themes that I didn't expect it to touch on. The themes of education, government, love, greed, and the "what if" theory are just some of themes used in this piece of work. Eve attends school after the orphans are rounded up. This 'school' isn't really a school at all. In fact its a distraction so that the girls will later be taken to another building to be used as for breeding. But not breeding that they agree to at all. In fact when Eve sees the girls in this building they are in leather restraints and have scars across there stomachs where the babies have been cut out to make things worse, they don't even get to see them. The government in this book also plays a big role. During the plague, the government collapsed until a leader seemed to rise from the ashes. We hear a lot about "the King of the New America" to me he just seems like a dictator. A horrible, horrible dictator. Love is shown in this book not only between your common relationship but also between friends.
Characters:
Eve: Eve is the main character in this book and she was the best person to tell the story that Anna Carey had laid out. Eve in the beginning is hardly an adult and very naive. She doesn't question anything at the school as she's never led to but when Arden suggests the breeding, Eve is at least smart enough to check it out. I love that Eve begins to trust Caleb and that she falls for him even though she's been taught not to. I think that she did the right thing by following him and I hope that they reunite in the next book.
Arden: If it hadn't been for Arden, Eve would have never escaped. I don't think that she survived being found by the soldiers but if she does I hope to see her spunky personality in the next book. She added a little sass.
Caleb: I don't understand how he could guide Eve to Califia if he knew all along after they'd be separated. This must be true love. I was interested in the fact that the boys were forced to do labor and that they weren't taught to hate women, although some of them do anyways.
Leif: I thought this guy would turn out to be alright after I read about his brother Asher, that he had a reason to act the way he did and deep down he was a good guy. But when he tries to take advantage of Eve and then after gives her up for revenge it made me lose faith in humanity.
Marjorie & Otis: I was surprised to see older people working on the trail and the way they connect it to freeing the slaves was a great connection. I cried when they were shot and was extremely upset with Eve for being so stupid. They were fantastic characters.
Benny & Solas: These two boys helped me understand how horrible the labor camps really were, they couldn't spell and they just never had the chance to be children at all.
Moments to Remember:
♥Pg. 62
"'And what is it that I'm planning? Really, I'd love to hear.'
We were trotting down a highway now, the metal guardrails barely visible beneath the vines. Off in the distance was a half-crumbled bridge. 'You want to have intercourse with me,' I said matter-of-factly."
♥Pg. 119
"I'd met Caleb two days ago and he'd yet to do anything I could deem suspicious. He hadn't left me at the river. He'd brought Arden and me breakfast and lunch, towels and fresh rainwater to bathe in. He'd even swept the room for us when we were sleeping."
♥Pg. 138
"'I do this funny thing sometimes,' he said, shooting me a mischievous grin. 'I open a book, and I look at each page. It's called reading.'"
♥Pg. 243
"'Thank you, darling. I was in New York and there he was one night, sitting across from me, telling some ridiculous story about recycling.'
'It wasn't about recycling,' Otis chuckled to himself. 'But that's okay.'"
♥Pg. 270
"In School and out of School, I had believed that love was a liability-- something that could be wielded against you. I began to weep, finally knowing the truth: love was death's only adversary, the only thing powerful enough to combat its clawing, desperate grasps."
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo
Characters:
Eve: Eve is the main character in this book and she was the best person to tell the story that Anna Carey had laid out. Eve in the beginning is hardly an adult and very naive. She doesn't question anything at the school as she's never led to but when Arden suggests the breeding, Eve is at least smart enough to check it out. I love that Eve begins to trust Caleb and that she falls for him even though she's been taught not to. I think that she did the right thing by following him and I hope that they reunite in the next book.
Arden: If it hadn't been for Arden, Eve would have never escaped. I don't think that she survived being found by the soldiers but if she does I hope to see her spunky personality in the next book. She added a little sass.
Caleb: I don't understand how he could guide Eve to Califia if he knew all along after they'd be separated. This must be true love. I was interested in the fact that the boys were forced to do labor and that they weren't taught to hate women, although some of them do anyways.
Leif: I thought this guy would turn out to be alright after I read about his brother Asher, that he had a reason to act the way he did and deep down he was a good guy. But when he tries to take advantage of Eve and then after gives her up for revenge it made me lose faith in humanity.
Marjorie & Otis: I was surprised to see older people working on the trail and the way they connect it to freeing the slaves was a great connection. I cried when they were shot and was extremely upset with Eve for being so stupid. They were fantastic characters.
Benny & Solas: These two boys helped me understand how horrible the labor camps really were, they couldn't spell and they just never had the chance to be children at all.
Moments to Remember:
♥Pg. 62
"'And what is it that I'm planning? Really, I'd love to hear.'
We were trotting down a highway now, the metal guardrails barely visible beneath the vines. Off in the distance was a half-crumbled bridge. 'You want to have intercourse with me,' I said matter-of-factly."
♥Pg. 119
"I'd met Caleb two days ago and he'd yet to do anything I could deem suspicious. He hadn't left me at the river. He'd brought Arden and me breakfast and lunch, towels and fresh rainwater to bathe in. He'd even swept the room for us when we were sleeping."
♥Pg. 138
"'I do this funny thing sometimes,' he said, shooting me a mischievous grin. 'I open a book, and I look at each page. It's called reading.'"
♥Pg. 243
"'Thank you, darling. I was in New York and there he was one night, sitting across from me, telling some ridiculous story about recycling.'
'It wasn't about recycling,' Otis chuckled to himself. 'But that's okay.'"
♥Pg. 270
"In School and out of School, I had believed that love was a liability-- something that could be wielded against you. I began to weep, finally knowing the truth: love was death's only adversary, the only thing powerful enough to combat its clawing, desperate grasps."
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Book Review: The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch
Author: Jeff Hirsch
Pages: 278
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Year Published: 2011
"Sometimes the only way to survive is to keep moving. America is a vast, desolate landscape left ravaged after a brutal war. Two-thirds of the population are dead from a vicious strain of influenza. People called the sickness the eleventh plague."
"Fifteen-year-old Stephen Quinn was born after the war and only knows the life of a salvager. His family was among the few who survived and took to roaming the country in search of material of trade. But when Stephen's grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler's Landing, a community that seems to good to be true. There Stephen meets strong, defiant, mischievous Jenny, who refuses to accept things as they are. When they play a prank that goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts, and they find themselves in the midst of a battle that will change Settler's Landing- and their lives- forever."
My Rating: 4.5/5
I really loves the idea of this book. Ever since we have past 2012, I am able to read books like this without freaking out too much, just enough. I've been in the mood to read books based in the future the last while and as you can tell from the reading list on the side of this blog most of the books are set in the future. This book did not disappoint although at one point I did find the plot a little predictable. I quickly feel in love with the characters. The setting also caught my imagination because of Jeff Hirsch's vivid illustrations of our world after the Collapse. I would suggest this book to anyone who enjoys sci-fi and the what-if factor in a book.
THANK YOU JEFF HIRSCH FOR LETTING YOUR IMAGINATION RUN WILD!
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny ♥♪♫
Spoiler: The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch
This book is amazing! Jeff Hirsch opens up his imagination and lets us in. It helps the reader to realize what our world would become if we don't take care of what we have and/or change our ways. I couldn't help but picture the world after P11 with the description of rusted cars, crashed overgrown planes and collapsing buildings everywhere. I hated the idea that there were people from the military slaving and being completely evil, just because the government had collapsed. Thank goodness for Settler's Landing. If it wasn't for this area and many of it's population this book would have been depressing and pointless. As I mentioned in the book review above I did find parts of the plot predictable. Such as Jenny and Stephen ending up an item, and the way that their prank came back to bite them in the butt.
Characters:
Stephen: This character was a great point of view to tell the story. The fact that Stephen had been born after the Collapse and that he didn't really know much about the world prior gave a unique perspective into this world. Stephen although young has suffered immense loss and in this novel finds who he really is. I think this is thanks to Marcus, Violet, Jackson and Jenny in Settler's Landing. I do wish that we had gotten to know his father better before the incident. I was not surprised though when Stephen and Jenny went they're separate ways. Jenny longed for Stephen's past and vice versa. I think they both found they're calling.
Jenny: She is a wild child that's not expected in the area of Settler's Landing. She doesn't want to just be safe in this quaint little town, she wants freedom and she fights for it. Although I wasn't really happy that her and Stephen ended up together, I think that they would have been better just friends but there were a few sweet moments that can be found between them in the book. I was proud that she wasn't afraid to go her separate ways and chase her dreams.
Jackson: We get to learn a bit about Jackson and his school friends. I was surprised that he really didn't like Jenny, even though they had grown up together but after the explanation he gives Stephen it makes more sense.
Marcus: I love that he wants to protect his own but he takes it a little to far in almost letting the slavers go to the other town.
Violet: I love the strong women in this novel. She's a doctor and doesn't let anyone in the town intimidate her. She is her own person and doesn't just go with the flow. Her conscious is what guides her.
Grandpa: We never meet Stephen's grandfather but he does play a big part in the book. Stephen believes for at least the first half of the book that his grandpa is the reason they had survived so long and even if he had abused him it was for his own good. It's good that Stephen let go and realized he didn't have to follow his grandfather's footsteps.
The Henrys: These people are evil! I can't believe that another human would hire slaver's to take out the enemy, it's cowardly and wrong!
Tuttle: Tuttle really changes Stephen's point of view in life. He tells him that a day will come when they need people who are learned not just salvagers and I think he's the reason that Stephen stays in Settler's Landing at the end of the book.
Moments to Remember:
♥Pg. 76
" 'Thanks, everybody. Um. I just wanted to say it's great that we could all be here like this tonight. It's Thanksgiving today, uh, we think..."
♥Pg. 114
"'Okay, I get it. Crappy day for you. No question,' Derrick went on. 'And I know that most people would back off at this point and let you go and gather your thoughts or whatever, but I can't. My mom says it's 'cause I've got, like, this thing in my head that makes it so once I get on something I can't let it go, and I get kinda hyper about it. She said when she was a kid they'd have doped me to the gills on this stuff called Ritalin, but now-- ha!-- everyone has to just put up with me!' "
♥Pg. 123
"'Hit and run!' Derrick shouted. 'Just hit and run!'
'Tear the cover off it, Steve!' Jackson yelled.
'Don't suck,' Stan called from the bench."
♥Pg. 179
"I'd recognize that look that came over his face then. He got it a lot when looking at Mom. It was like he was seeing her as she was right then, bright and rosy in the fire's glow, but at the same time seeing her as she was on the day they met, and when they'd first kissed, and when they'd snuck away from Grandpa to be married, and then as he imagined she might be ten years down the line, then twenty, then thirty, and finally as the old woman he had no idea she would never have the chance to become."
♥Pg. 266
"'Any trouble?'
'Oh yeah,' she said. 'Always.'
'You didn't have to shoot anyone, did you?'"
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo
Characters:
Stephen: This character was a great point of view to tell the story. The fact that Stephen had been born after the Collapse and that he didn't really know much about the world prior gave a unique perspective into this world. Stephen although young has suffered immense loss and in this novel finds who he really is. I think this is thanks to Marcus, Violet, Jackson and Jenny in Settler's Landing. I do wish that we had gotten to know his father better before the incident. I was not surprised though when Stephen and Jenny went they're separate ways. Jenny longed for Stephen's past and vice versa. I think they both found they're calling.
Jenny: She is a wild child that's not expected in the area of Settler's Landing. She doesn't want to just be safe in this quaint little town, she wants freedom and she fights for it. Although I wasn't really happy that her and Stephen ended up together, I think that they would have been better just friends but there were a few sweet moments that can be found between them in the book. I was proud that she wasn't afraid to go her separate ways and chase her dreams.
Jackson: We get to learn a bit about Jackson and his school friends. I was surprised that he really didn't like Jenny, even though they had grown up together but after the explanation he gives Stephen it makes more sense.
Marcus: I love that he wants to protect his own but he takes it a little to far in almost letting the slavers go to the other town.
Violet: I love the strong women in this novel. She's a doctor and doesn't let anyone in the town intimidate her. She is her own person and doesn't just go with the flow. Her conscious is what guides her.
Grandpa: We never meet Stephen's grandfather but he does play a big part in the book. Stephen believes for at least the first half of the book that his grandpa is the reason they had survived so long and even if he had abused him it was for his own good. It's good that Stephen let go and realized he didn't have to follow his grandfather's footsteps.
The Henrys: These people are evil! I can't believe that another human would hire slaver's to take out the enemy, it's cowardly and wrong!
Tuttle: Tuttle really changes Stephen's point of view in life. He tells him that a day will come when they need people who are learned not just salvagers and I think he's the reason that Stephen stays in Settler's Landing at the end of the book.
Moments to Remember:
♥Pg. 76
" 'Thanks, everybody. Um. I just wanted to say it's great that we could all be here like this tonight. It's Thanksgiving today, uh, we think..."
♥Pg. 114
"'Okay, I get it. Crappy day for you. No question,' Derrick went on. 'And I know that most people would back off at this point and let you go and gather your thoughts or whatever, but I can't. My mom says it's 'cause I've got, like, this thing in my head that makes it so once I get on something I can't let it go, and I get kinda hyper about it. She said when she was a kid they'd have doped me to the gills on this stuff called Ritalin, but now-- ha!-- everyone has to just put up with me!' "
♥Pg. 123
"'Hit and run!' Derrick shouted. 'Just hit and run!'
'Tear the cover off it, Steve!' Jackson yelled.
'Don't suck,' Stan called from the bench."
♥Pg. 179
"I'd recognize that look that came over his face then. He got it a lot when looking at Mom. It was like he was seeing her as she was right then, bright and rosy in the fire's glow, but at the same time seeing her as she was on the day they met, and when they'd first kissed, and when they'd snuck away from Grandpa to be married, and then as he imagined she might be ten years down the line, then twenty, then thirty, and finally as the old woman he had no idea she would never have the chance to become."
♥Pg. 266
"'Any trouble?'
'Oh yeah,' she said. 'Always.'
'You didn't have to shoot anyone, did you?'"
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo
Friday, February 1, 2013
Book Review: In A Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth
Author: Loretta Ellsworth
Pages: 212
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Year Published: 2010
"Amelia lived because Eagan died. But Eagan isn't gone completely."
"When a small mistake costs Eagan her life, she leaves many things behind- including her heart, which now lives on in Amelia's body. From Eagan's vantage point in her own version of heaven, she relives vivid memories through her still-beating heart and is distressed by her troubled relationship with her mother. Unable to move on without resolving her past, Eagan is trapped...
Despite her mixed emotions of joy and guilt about her new chance at life, Amelia feels lucky to be alive. But when she begins to take on strange new characteristics, Amelia wonders if her heart donor is trying to tell her something. is it too late for Amelia to help the girl who saved her life?"
My Rating: 4/5
This book deals with a mature issues of disease and although it's hard to deal with I found that the author sugar coated things a little too much for my liking. I think that this book could have been longer and more complex. I liked the idea of the topic and how we get to see from two different point of views. I think that it might be the fact that I'm used to books giving me the harsh facts of reality, that I thought this book was based for a younger age perhaps. I didn't mind the book, it just wasn't all I hoped it would be. I think that this book did teach me though, how important it is that I mark on my licence that I want to donate my organs if I die. Just because I'm going to die at a certain time doesn't mean that someone who has been sick for a long time shouldn't have the chance to live. That aspect of the book is what made me rate it an eight.
THANK YOU LORETTA ELLSWORTH FOR HELPING ME UNDERSTAND WHAT I GIVE TO SOMEONE FOR FREE!
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny ♥♪♫
Spoiler: In A Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth
I'm going to give my opinion, as I usually do, and so if you don't agree you can comment below with your opinion. I didn't like this book nearly as much as I thought I would. I didn''t hate it but it just wasn't what I expected and wanted it to be. I thought we'd get to learn more Eagan. I understand that this book could have gone on forever if we did, but I think we only got to see bits and pieces and I wish they had been more detailed. All in all I wonder if maybe this book wasn't made for older young adults and was rather aimed at those who are just becoming teens. I did like seeing from both the donor side of the view and the receiving end. The best part of this book, was that it helped me understand that on my driver's licence I want to put that I am an organ donor. It showed me that even after I'm gone, I can still give someone the gift of life.
Characters:
Eagan: This book starts out with Eagan talking about how she dies. She does it in a light and humorous way which I liked, but getting into the book and reading more about her I didn't really like her. I understand that her mother pushed her to skate a bit to hard, but it's not like she hated it. She seemed to love it. I didn't like the way she snapped at her mother and while I can understand that she was upset about learning that she wasn't really an only child, I thought that she could have handled it better. In the end I thin that she was grateful for what she had and it was touching to see her forgive her mother in the way she did.
Amellia: I was shocked when Amellia turned from the girl we saw in the beginning to taking on parts of Eagan's personality, but it did her good in the end. I mean after all she got to change and learn more about herself. I was disappointed when she took on the back talking to her mom thing though. In the State's it must cost a fortune to undergo a transplant. I liked that she ended up with Ari and I suppose they'll live a long, happy life together.
Scott: I think that Scott was incredibly hurt by losing Eagan and I thought that maybe he would get together with Amellia , but since she's already taken he just goes on remembering Eagan through her. I think that he really holds himself responsible for Eagan's death and it's not right. He may not have been there but if he was he would hold the image of Eagan dying in his mind.
Ari: He's a sweet boy who knows how to take care of Amellia and when he drives her to meet Eagan's family it's the sweetest gesture I've ever known.
Miki: I think that Miki was Eagan's sister who died before she was born. It all adds up she doesn't have a name, and Eagan's grandma says she's there with her two girls. Click!
Moments to Remember:
♥Pg. 51
"'You're doing fine. Just keep it consistent.'
'I'll keep it consistent, all right.'
'And don't talk back.' Grandpa tried not to smile but I saw one brewing beneath his white mustache. he liked that I sassed him back, but he'd never admit it."
♥Pg. 141
"'It's your favorite movie,' she said as I opened it.
'Pretty Woman?' I pulled the DVD from the bag. 'Thanks.'
Aunt Sophia raised her eyebrows. 'Your favorite movie is a Cinderella hooker story?'"
♥Pg. 181
"'You're the only girl I could impress with a peanut butter sandwich.'
'It's not just a sandwich. It's the thought behind the sandwich.'"
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo
Characters:
Eagan: This book starts out with Eagan talking about how she dies. She does it in a light and humorous way which I liked, but getting into the book and reading more about her I didn't really like her. I understand that her mother pushed her to skate a bit to hard, but it's not like she hated it. She seemed to love it. I didn't like the way she snapped at her mother and while I can understand that she was upset about learning that she wasn't really an only child, I thought that she could have handled it better. In the end I thin that she was grateful for what she had and it was touching to see her forgive her mother in the way she did.
Amellia: I was shocked when Amellia turned from the girl we saw in the beginning to taking on parts of Eagan's personality, but it did her good in the end. I mean after all she got to change and learn more about herself. I was disappointed when she took on the back talking to her mom thing though. In the State's it must cost a fortune to undergo a transplant. I liked that she ended up with Ari and I suppose they'll live a long, happy life together.
Scott: I think that Scott was incredibly hurt by losing Eagan and I thought that maybe he would get together with Amellia , but since she's already taken he just goes on remembering Eagan through her. I think that he really holds himself responsible for Eagan's death and it's not right. He may not have been there but if he was he would hold the image of Eagan dying in his mind.
Ari: He's a sweet boy who knows how to take care of Amellia and when he drives her to meet Eagan's family it's the sweetest gesture I've ever known.
Miki: I think that Miki was Eagan's sister who died before she was born. It all adds up she doesn't have a name, and Eagan's grandma says she's there with her two girls. Click!
Moments to Remember:
♥Pg. 51
"'You're doing fine. Just keep it consistent.'
'I'll keep it consistent, all right.'
'And don't talk back.' Grandpa tried not to smile but I saw one brewing beneath his white mustache. he liked that I sassed him back, but he'd never admit it."
♥Pg. 141
"'It's your favorite movie,' she said as I opened it.
'Pretty Woman?' I pulled the DVD from the bag. 'Thanks.'
Aunt Sophia raised her eyebrows. 'Your favorite movie is a Cinderella hooker story?'"
♥Pg. 181
"'You're the only girl I could impress with a peanut butter sandwich.'
'It's not just a sandwich. It's the thought behind the sandwich.'"
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Book Review: You Against Me by Jenny Downham
Author: Jenny Downham
Pages: 413
Publisher: Doubleday Canada
Year Published: 2011
" If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge, right?
When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart.
If your brother's accused of a terrible crime but says he didn't do it, you defend him don't you?
When Ellie's brother is charged with offense, her world begins to unravel.
When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide."
My Rating: 5/5
I haven't read a book in a while that has been this thought provoking. I really loved the last book that I had read by Jenny Downham so when I saw this one I had to read and I couldn't be more happy that I did. This book made me think through what I would do for my family and how hard I would fight for them. I realized that when we wonder what people do what they do, they all have their reason. I loved the characters in this book and how all of them weren't portrayed as unusual people, they acted just like your everyday people. I would suggest this book to any in their teens. It is a honest page turner!
THANK YOU JENNY DOWNHAM FOR BEING HONEST AND UNIQUE!
Thank you for reading,
Love,
Sidny ♥♪♫
Spoiler: You Against Me by Jenny Downham
I haven't read a Jenny Downham book since the start of this blog, and I didn't think that she could have done a better job than Before I Die, but You Against Me blew me away. I don't know how Jenny comes up with such unique ideas. All I can think of is how she finds inspiration. I have never read a book before shown from both sides of a criminal and the victim, especially since it's from people close to those characters. In this book I found myself wondering if I was just a hopeless romantic or if everyone whose read this book wanted Ellie and Mikey to get together. Feel free to comment your opinion below :)
Characters:
Mikey: Mikey is kind of the troubled kid. He has a rough family and he doesn't seem to have had a lot of opportunities in life. I thought of him as the brother that I never had at the beginning. Trying his very best to take care of everyone and the situation they're put in. He's not perfect, but he's doing his best. I love that he has a goal to be a chef, it's sexy when men cook. In the end I'm happy that he and Ellie end up together, it's sweet and perfect.
Ellie: I really like Ellie. She is a real girl, she has problems dealing with what's happening to her family and she doesn't act like she's ok all the time. I'm happy that she tells the truth, because how would she deal with conscious after her brother got away from jail? I think she has to big of a heart to let Karyn suffer like that. It just wouldn't be fair. I was mad when she said that she deleted the pictures off of Tom's computer, but it makes sense that she didn't want them getting spread around.
Karyn: I wasn't sure if Karyn was lying at first, but then I realized that she wouldn't be holed up at home all the time if she was lying, she'd be out and about. I think she is a poor girl who made a few mistakes and ended up in a horrible situation. When Ellie tells the police what happened I couldn't help but cry for Karyn.
Tom: What I sick boy? I know that many guys take advantage of girls when they've had to much, but to then deny it and send threatening texts is not only cowardly but wrong. I was surprised that Jenny Downham made him such a normal character, he wasn't a serial killer, or a freak he was just your average boy next door. I think that he might have ended up confessing if it hadn't been for his father's encouraging him to fight. I hope he rots in jail!
Mikey's Mom: It's safe to say that Mikey's mom has a drink problem and not a small one. I was so mad when she said that she wished that Karyn had kept her problems to herself, but at the end she was doing as everyones' mom should and taking care of her.
Jacko: I was so mad when he was hitting on Karyn, but maybe a normal and healthy teenage relationship would be good for both of them.
Ellie's Mom: I couldn't believe how she just took orders from Ellie's dad. Just being the good little wife who made dinner, and cleaned. It's the twenty first century for Pete sakes!
Ellie's Dad: I really don't like this man. He makes Ellie feel like junk for telling the truth. He should be reassuring to both of his children instead of just sticking up for Tom, the no good rapist. He frustrates me!
Moments to Remember:
♥Pg. 116
"She recognized that male bravado from Tom, convincing yourself at the same time as you8 convinced everyone else. Her dad did it with maps."
♥Pg. 290
"Every girl knows if you get into a situation with a boy who has had sex already, then he will want to have sex with you. He will push at your boundaries. If you say no to a boy like this, he will try and get you to change your mind."
♥Pg. 337
"'When i thought Ellie set me up for a kicking and when I didn't see her for ages and thought she didn't care, I went nuts. I didn't want to get up, or go to work, or anything, and I'm sorry about that, mate, I can see how crap it was for you, but I was terrified I'd never see her again. I like her that much.'"
♥Pg. 379
"'She's got Holly a place in an after-school club.'
'I'm going to do football and street dancing,' Holly told him.
'At the same time?'"
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo
Characters:
Mikey: Mikey is kind of the troubled kid. He has a rough family and he doesn't seem to have had a lot of opportunities in life. I thought of him as the brother that I never had at the beginning. Trying his very best to take care of everyone and the situation they're put in. He's not perfect, but he's doing his best. I love that he has a goal to be a chef, it's sexy when men cook. In the end I'm happy that he and Ellie end up together, it's sweet and perfect.
Ellie: I really like Ellie. She is a real girl, she has problems dealing with what's happening to her family and she doesn't act like she's ok all the time. I'm happy that she tells the truth, because how would she deal with conscious after her brother got away from jail? I think she has to big of a heart to let Karyn suffer like that. It just wouldn't be fair. I was mad when she said that she deleted the pictures off of Tom's computer, but it makes sense that she didn't want them getting spread around.
Karyn: I wasn't sure if Karyn was lying at first, but then I realized that she wouldn't be holed up at home all the time if she was lying, she'd be out and about. I think she is a poor girl who made a few mistakes and ended up in a horrible situation. When Ellie tells the police what happened I couldn't help but cry for Karyn.
Tom: What I sick boy? I know that many guys take advantage of girls when they've had to much, but to then deny it and send threatening texts is not only cowardly but wrong. I was surprised that Jenny Downham made him such a normal character, he wasn't a serial killer, or a freak he was just your average boy next door. I think that he might have ended up confessing if it hadn't been for his father's encouraging him to fight. I hope he rots in jail!
Mikey's Mom: It's safe to say that Mikey's mom has a drink problem and not a small one. I was so mad when she said that she wished that Karyn had kept her problems to herself, but at the end she was doing as everyones' mom should and taking care of her.
Jacko: I was so mad when he was hitting on Karyn, but maybe a normal and healthy teenage relationship would be good for both of them.
Ellie's Mom: I couldn't believe how she just took orders from Ellie's dad. Just being the good little wife who made dinner, and cleaned. It's the twenty first century for Pete sakes!
Ellie's Dad: I really don't like this man. He makes Ellie feel like junk for telling the truth. He should be reassuring to both of his children instead of just sticking up for Tom, the no good rapist. He frustrates me!
Moments to Remember:
♥Pg. 116
"She recognized that male bravado from Tom, convincing yourself at the same time as you8 convinced everyone else. Her dad did it with maps."
♥Pg. 290
"Every girl knows if you get into a situation with a boy who has had sex already, then he will want to have sex with you. He will push at your boundaries. If you say no to a boy like this, he will try and get you to change your mind."
♥Pg. 337
"'When i thought Ellie set me up for a kicking and when I didn't see her for ages and thought she didn't care, I went nuts. I didn't want to get up, or go to work, or anything, and I'm sorry about that, mate, I can see how crap it was for you, but I was terrified I'd never see her again. I like her that much.'"
♥Pg. 379
"'She's got Holly a place in an after-school club.'
'I'm going to do football and street dancing,' Holly told him.
'At the same time?'"
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo
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