1. "The Casual Vacancy" by J.K Rowling
Siiiiiiiigh. I was incredibly disappointed by this book. But, that might just be me expecting something that matched the excellence of "Harry Potter". I will tell you that this book did have some interesting political insights and family dynamics. However, there were only two interesting events that happened in the book, and one of them occurred right at the beginning.
So, in summary, if you like politically insightful books that can be tiresome to read, than this is the book for you!
Siiiiiiiigh. I was incredibly disappointed by this book. But, that might just be me expecting something that matched the excellence of "Harry Potter". I will tell you that this book did have some interesting political insights and family dynamics. However, there were only two interesting events that happened in the book, and one of them occurred right at the beginning.
So, in summary, if you like politically insightful books that can be tiresome to read, than this is the book for you!
2. "Fifty Shades of Grey" trilogy by E.L James
Where to begin, where to begin. This book has some very interesting aspects to it. I will admit that I have read them several times. Firstly, we are all somewhat drawn to the darker aspects of life (like the BDSM), so I believe that is why this book is so popular. It's no doubt very interesting to submerge ourselves in this new reality that most of us have never even considered. And, there is always something irresistible about trying to save that broken, bad boy character.
However. The main female character is incredibly weak and reads as being very unbelievable. I mean, honestly, if someone approached you like "hey,its nice to meet you, and by the way, I want to screw around and whip you with canes and stuff but you can't call me your boyfriend" I am pretty sure you would run in the other direction. Moreover, Anastasia said "oh my!" so many times that I literally threw my book across the room a couple times. And the sex. Jeez. I am not a prude, and I didn't even blink an eye while reading the first few sex scenes, but after that it was WAY too much. I really think that if you took out the sex scenes in them, all three books would be as thick as the first one is by itself. The only believable character is Kate, Ana's best friend (and even she slips off into lala land every once in awhile).
The literary aspect of this is awful. Yes, the story (outside of the sex) would be interesting in someone else's hands, maybe. But she uses the same words so many times that I wonder if she knows more than twenty adjectives.
So, if you want a book about sex and to feel like you are approaching a taboo without actually doing it for yourself, this is the book for you. If you want mindless entertainment that sometimes is alright and mostly is so mediocre that you can read it with half an eye on the page and half your brain paying attention, than this is the book for you. I would not let your teenagers around this.
Where to begin, where to begin. This book has some very interesting aspects to it. I will admit that I have read them several times. Firstly, we are all somewhat drawn to the darker aspects of life (like the BDSM), so I believe that is why this book is so popular. It's no doubt very interesting to submerge ourselves in this new reality that most of us have never even considered. And, there is always something irresistible about trying to save that broken, bad boy character.
However. The main female character is incredibly weak and reads as being very unbelievable. I mean, honestly, if someone approached you like "hey,its nice to meet you, and by the way, I want to screw around and whip you with canes and stuff but you can't call me your boyfriend" I am pretty sure you would run in the other direction. Moreover, Anastasia said "oh my!" so many times that I literally threw my book across the room a couple times. And the sex. Jeez. I am not a prude, and I didn't even blink an eye while reading the first few sex scenes, but after that it was WAY too much. I really think that if you took out the sex scenes in them, all three books would be as thick as the first one is by itself. The only believable character is Kate, Ana's best friend (and even she slips off into lala land every once in awhile).
The literary aspect of this is awful. Yes, the story (outside of the sex) would be interesting in someone else's hands, maybe. But she uses the same words so many times that I wonder if she knows more than twenty adjectives.
So, if you want a book about sex and to feel like you are approaching a taboo without actually doing it for yourself, this is the book for you. If you want mindless entertainment that sometimes is alright and mostly is so mediocre that you can read it with half an eye on the page and half your brain paying attention, than this is the book for you. I would not let your teenagers around this.
3. "Twilight" Saga by Stephanie Meyer.
This is even worse than Fifty Shades! Which is weird when you consider 50 shades started as fan fiction over these books. I will admit there is a VERY small purely female part of me that kind of swoons at the love story. But then my intelligence comes back and I see this book for what it is.
There are so many literary mistakes in this book I honestly think she must have had someone who had never in their life read a book edit it. And I don't think I will ever in my life be able to get over her saying "The pain was bewildering. That's just it, I was bewildered." Wow, what a startlingly insightful insight! Oh, and by the way, stop changing pancakes to cereal bowls!
In terms of the story, this is such a disgustingly misogynistic (women hating) story I am surprised more girls didn't throw it away. Bella just can't survive without her boyfriend who she falls in love with immediately after meeting him, and she follows all of his orders even when he tells her she can't go see her friends. Oh, and she is all flattered when he tells her that he has been sneaking into her room and watching her every night? Excuse me! Creep! Bella is the most flat character I have ever in my life come across. Actually, almost all of them are. The only character I find to be interesting in the entire saga is Charlie.
Here, I can summarize the plot of all four books really quick!
Bella Moves. Bella meets Edward. Oh my god so much love! Edward saves Bella. Vampire? no big deal. Edward over reacts. Edward Saves Bella. Edward leaves Bella. Bella becomes unable to function without a man in her life. Bella goes to get Edward. Edward saves Bella. Marriage. Pregnancy. Bella saves family (because, you know, women and family go hand in hand).
This is popular with young girls, and I think it teaches awful values and will make girls think they need a boyfriend to live.
This is even worse than Fifty Shades! Which is weird when you consider 50 shades started as fan fiction over these books. I will admit there is a VERY small purely female part of me that kind of swoons at the love story. But then my intelligence comes back and I see this book for what it is.
There are so many literary mistakes in this book I honestly think she must have had someone who had never in their life read a book edit it. And I don't think I will ever in my life be able to get over her saying "The pain was bewildering. That's just it, I was bewildered." Wow, what a startlingly insightful insight! Oh, and by the way, stop changing pancakes to cereal bowls!
In terms of the story, this is such a disgustingly misogynistic (women hating) story I am surprised more girls didn't throw it away. Bella just can't survive without her boyfriend who she falls in love with immediately after meeting him, and she follows all of his orders even when he tells her she can't go see her friends. Oh, and she is all flattered when he tells her that he has been sneaking into her room and watching her every night? Excuse me! Creep! Bella is the most flat character I have ever in my life come across. Actually, almost all of them are. The only character I find to be interesting in the entire saga is Charlie.
Here, I can summarize the plot of all four books really quick!
Bella Moves. Bella meets Edward. Oh my god so much love! Edward saves Bella. Vampire? no big deal. Edward over reacts. Edward Saves Bella. Edward leaves Bella. Bella becomes unable to function without a man in her life. Bella goes to get Edward. Edward saves Bella. Marriage. Pregnancy. Bella saves family (because, you know, women and family go hand in hand).
This is popular with young girls, and I think it teaches awful values and will make girls think they need a boyfriend to live.
4. "Crossfire" Series by Sylvia Day
This series is a better version of "Fifty Shades of Grey". The writing is better and more polished, the story is more real, and the characters are better. But still, you can tell she took the plot from "Fifty" and for that it is not original at all.
This series is a better version of "Fifty Shades of Grey". The writing is better and more polished, the story is more real, and the characters are better. But still, you can tell she took the plot from "Fifty" and for that it is not original at all.
5. "Dark Places" by Gillian Flynn
The reason I didn't think this book deserved a better rating was because the main character was incredibly easy to dislike, and the story had very few, if any, surprises. I knew how it was going to end the second I opened the book. The writing was pretty good though.
The reason I didn't think this book deserved a better rating was because the main character was incredibly easy to dislike, and the story had very few, if any, surprises. I knew how it was going to end the second I opened the book. The writing was pretty good though.
6. "Blue Monday" by Nicci French
Well. This book sounded really interesting, but it just fell short. The plot was something that might have been fun to watch on a Law and Order episode perhaps, but reading about it just wasn't as great as I anticipated. I won't deny the writing is pretty well done, and the characters are alright, the plot just did not do it for me.
Well. This book sounded really interesting, but it just fell short. The plot was something that might have been fun to watch on a Law and Order episode perhaps, but reading about it just wasn't as great as I anticipated. I won't deny the writing is pretty well done, and the characters are alright, the plot just did not do it for me.
7. "The Choice" by Nicholas Sparks
I do like romance novels, so it isn't that I am prejudice, but this book was really iffy for me. While the inner super-girly part of me was kind of happy with it, the rest of me was not. The main characters fell in love way too fast, even for a romance novel. The entire time I was reading it, it felt completely fake. The writing (mechanics wise) was good, and the characters would be very interesting if they had been real, and even the plot was alright, the book was not. I might suggest this book if you are a female and have a short plane ride to go on and just need something to pass the time.
I do like romance novels, so it isn't that I am prejudice, but this book was really iffy for me. While the inner super-girly part of me was kind of happy with it, the rest of me was not. The main characters fell in love way too fast, even for a romance novel. The entire time I was reading it, it felt completely fake. The writing (mechanics wise) was good, and the characters would be very interesting if they had been real, and even the plot was alright, the book was not. I might suggest this book if you are a female and have a short plane ride to go on and just need something to pass the time.
8. "Wife by Wednesday" by Catherine Bybee
I know this is part of a series or something, but I only read this one. This book was interesting when I read it, but I pretty much forgot about its existence the second I closed the book. Its all very shallow and very unreal. I was not impressed, but I didn't hate it either.
I know this is part of a series or something, but I only read this one. This book was interesting when I read it, but I pretty much forgot about its existence the second I closed the book. Its all very shallow and very unreal. I was not impressed, but I didn't hate it either.
9. "Identical", "Tricks", and "Fallout" by Ellen Hopkins.
Woah woah woah, I am not hating on Ellen Hopkins. Before the community of teenage readers (small as it is) gets on my back, I gave the rest of her books very good reviews. I felt that these three were lacking, especially in comparison to the rest of them. I felt that "Fallout: felt very forced, as if she had a three book deal when she wrote "Crank" and just needed to produce something. I felt Identical was just kind of stupid. I liked the idea, kind of, but I did not think it was executed well. "Tricks" was alright, but nothing special.
Woah woah woah, I am not hating on Ellen Hopkins. Before the community of teenage readers (small as it is) gets on my back, I gave the rest of her books very good reviews. I felt that these three were lacking, especially in comparison to the rest of them. I felt that "Fallout: felt very forced, as if she had a three book deal when she wrote "Crank" and just needed to produce something. I felt Identical was just kind of stupid. I liked the idea, kind of, but I did not think it was executed well. "Tricks" was alright, but nothing special.
10. Every Megan Hart novel
Ok, if you want shorter, slightly better "50 Shades of Grey", go here. I liked her story lines alright, but there was so much sex, and it seemed so forced, that I couldn't get around it. I mean, honestly, sex for the sake of sex in novels is not appealing.
Ok, if you want shorter, slightly better "50 Shades of Grey", go here. I liked her story lines alright, but there was so much sex, and it seemed so forced, that I couldn't get around it. I mean, honestly, sex for the sake of sex in novels is not appealing.
11. "The Beach House" by Georgia Bockoven
This book would have rated at least three stars if there hadn't been so many characters. This is the type of book that has almost every chapter from a different point of view. Now, in most of the cases, I didn't mind. And, of course, they did weave together in an interesting way. However, there were a couple that did not need to be there. I was interested in what the book made me think about death, love, and living, but I wasn't so moved that I feel like I will remember this novel forever. I think this was an alright novel, and I suppose I would recommend it, but it isn't anything spectacular.