Review: Bird Box by Josh Malerman

“It’s better to face madness with a plan than to sit still and let it take you in pieces.”

Something is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse of it, and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.

Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remains, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now that the boy and girl are four, it’s time to go, but the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat–blindfolded–with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children’s trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. Something is following them all the while, but is it man, animal, or monster?

You won’t even believe how scary good Josh Malerman is at making you… well, er… scared! I devoured this book. Josh does an excellent job at keeping you wanting more. This book features chapters that alternate from the past to the present, and I am such a sucker for this style! Most of my favs feature it, and Malerman did not let me down. I mean honestly, I would read some while on my lunch break at work, and then have to come back to my office and put the blinds down on my office window. It freaked me out that much. I was a little nervous at first that the author would try so hard to write a well-worded story, that the premise as a whole would get lost, but he knocks it out of the park. When I wasn’t reading it, I would find myself looking forward to the time I would get to read and find out what happens next. I found that I enjoyed the variety of characters. You can glimpse the complexity of Malorie through her inner thoughts. And in turn, you bond with her as a character. I would LOVE IT if Josh wrote more books from different points of views set in this world. (Uh, Don anyone?!?) I really appreciate this read, because it reminds me of why I love reading thriller/horror novels! Now, on to the movie!

Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

“The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It’s the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.”

Jonas’s world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

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This is a type of book that really makes you sit down and think. I really enjoyed it! To be honest, I started to read it and wanted to get it done because the movie will be coming out soon, but it’s always been on my “reading bucket list.” It’s a super quick read and reminds me of a lot of other dystopians. I did not get the feeling that this was a book written awhile ago. Overall, I enjoyed the read, the characters, and the story. I would recommend this book to those who love dystopians.

Review: Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

“There were plenty of ways to hurt someone without using your fists.”

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.
The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.
There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don’t come back.
Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.
Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.
That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.

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This was a really good book. I found that I honestly wanted the main character to succeed. Ember could get annoying at points, but I have never been in the position she was in, in this novel so I don’t know how I would react. It had the perfect amount of background on the story, without that taking over the whole plot of the book. I can’t seem to tear myself away from the dystopian genre, and that’s ok because I was able to read this great book! I like the relationship Ember has with her mom, and how she doesn’t just stay a static character. She grows! I got some Delirium feelings, but I feel like the bad guys in this book are just straight up bad and don’t care who knows it. Overall, a great read, and I will be finishing the series as soon as I can.

Review: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

“What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful.”

Tally Youngblood wants nothing more than to turn pretty. That’s what kids do when they turn 16; get an operation to make them beautiful. While Tally is waiting for her 16th birthday she meets a new friend, Shay. Shay has questions about turning pretty and decides she doesn’t like the idea. One day Shay goes missing and the government decides that Tally must help them find Shay or never turn pretty.

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I really came into reading this book with doubts. Isn’t it just going to be about self-absorbed people? Boy, was I wrong! Westerfeld brings you into this world and does not let you go, even after reading it. I found myself thinking about the characters even when I weren’t reading, I connected really well with the characters, especially the ‘Smokies’. The only complaint I have is that I didn’t get enough time with David and the rest of his friends and family in The Smoke. I felt like Tally arrived and then her time at The Smoke was over. I would recommend this book to anyone. No content warnings.

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

“I love you. Remember. They cannot take it.”

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love — the deliria — blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love

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It took me a long time to get through this book, but not because it’s not good! It’s actually really great, I’m just currently having reader’s block (I think I just made that up haha). But anyway, this book is good! The characters are realistic, Lena has me cheering for her the whole time. I fell in love with Alex. The concept is explained so greatly, and portrayed so thoroughly that it scares me to think of this dystopian world actually coming to be. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and recommend it to everyone.