Quick reviews

Hey everyone! Here are just some quick reviews of the books that I have been reading lately :]

House Rules by Jodi Picoult
A typical, twist-at-every-turn Picoult novel with a focus on special needs. One learns a lot about Asberger's Syndrome while reading this one, and not just from the load of facts and info that Picoult shares, but from eighteen-year-old Jacob Hunt's own commentary. Picoult's intense prose allows you to journey to the mind of person with Autism- and she does this beautifully. Yes, this one was a bit predictable and not my favorite of hers (The Pact, Second Glance, and Nineteen Minutes are my top three), but it was definitely worth reading.

The View From the Top by Hillary Frank
Frank creates a light, summer read by juxtaposing six teens stories' and intertwining them in a way that makes you want to read more. This book was deliciously layered and interconnected, with simple and delicate writing and an accurate portrayal of a group of friends' summer before college. The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books describes Frank's novel as, "A perceptive portrayal of a summer that feels like it holds all of life's important changes."

Wanted (Pretty Little Liars) by Sara Shepard
My mind is still spinning from the last installment in the never-ending, mysterious and glamorous Pretty Little Liars saga. I do not want to spill any of Shepard's secrets because I know that a lot of people are in the middle of reading this series- but from a fan who has been reading her books since the first one came out in 2006- WOW. I am still undecided if I am content with its dramatic ending, but it did twist and turn better than any other series finale that I have read. Although I am super confused now when I watch the show, because like I said, my head is STILL spinning- read this one. It is an explosion of surprise- thanks Shepard for creating such a dynamic series!


Hopefully more to come when I find the time to read! :]


Did you read these books? Did you like them? Leave a comment!

There is creative reading as well as creative writing

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Credit

Hey everyone!

So I know that I am super late in updating my blog. And honestly, I have not had much time to read as of late. Life has just been crazy lately. I am slowly realizing that I might not be cut out for constant blogging. Somehow, along the way, I have lost a bit of the fun that books used to bring me. Plus, I have been writing poetry more than reading lately. Not to mention, my free time has been slowly dwindling down to nothing, between two jobs, a social life, and my new internship at College Fashion (YAY). So even though I will not be updating this blog as much from now on, you can still keep track of me in the blog-o-sphere, so look out for my articles!

Read something fabulous for me :]

-Karissa

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren based on Alea´s idea at Pop Culture Junkie . In IMM, bloggers report what books they have bought, borrowed, swapped, etc. that week. I will be posting my own In My Mailbox bi-weekly, so enjoy and leave a comment!

In My Mailbox (2) by KVenne71790 on Polyvore.com

1. Atonement- Ian McEwan
2. Stolen- Lucy Christopher
3. The View From the Top- Hillary Frank
4. The River- Mary Jane Beaufrand
5. Three Rivers Rising- Jame Richards

Have you read these books or reviewed them on your blog? Let me know and leave a comment below! :]

Looking For Alaska by John Green

After reading John Green's Paper Towns, I definitely wanted to try his debut novel- Looking For Alaska. Typically, I am not interested in books filled with depravity and this one had it all- drinking, smoking, sex, and reckless pranks. However, what pulled me into this book was its intellectual and articulate ease, especially its deep philosophical basis. Miles Halter knows countless peoples' last words- what he doesn't know is how to have fun, make friends, and live life to the fullest at home. He leaves to go to Culver Creek, a boarding school, in order to find what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Miles finally learns how to experience life with help from his roommate Chip and his clever, beautiful, self-destructive friend, Alaska.

K.L. Going described Looking For Alaska:
"John Green has written a powerful novel-one that plunges headlong into the labyrinth of life, love, and the mysteries of being human. This is a book that will touch your life, so don't read it sitting down. Stand up, and take a step into the Great Perhaps."

This was the type of book that had me thinking about it days later. Although, I would not do even half of the crazy things that these characters experienced, their thirst for life made me think about how I could make my life a bit less predictable and unexpected.

"Sometimes you lose a battle. But mischief always wins the war."

Pretty Little Liars #7, Heartless

I just recently got my hands on the seventh installment of the Pretty Little Liars series, which I have previously discussed here on my blog. This new addition to this addicting series was just as full of suspense and drama as the first six books, as well as so many twists and turns that kept me reading this book constantly. I am not going to reveal much about the book here, just because I know that since the TV show came out, there are many readers just beginning to try out the series, and I would not want to spoil it for anyone. I will just say this- Sara Shepard creates four different story lines that meld together in this book, and that make readers question their own theories and ideas along the way. Although the ending was disappointing and did not reveal much, I am definitely looking forward to the eighth book of this series, which I heard is the last.

Just a bit from Amazon-

"Four gorgeous girls are telling very ugly stories.

First Emily, Aria, Hanna, and Spencer claimed they found a dead body in the woods behind Spencer's house, only to have it vanish without a trace. Then, when the same woods went up in flames, they swore they saw someone who's supposed to be dead rise from the ashes. And even after all that, the pretty little liars are still playing with fire. Call me heartless, but it's about time someone shut these liars up for good. After all, nobody likes a girl who cries wolf—least of all me. . . . "


Now, I need to briefly gush about the new Pretty Little Liars TV show. SO SO good! From the plot to the characters to the fashion, this new hit has me waiting desperately for Tuesday nights. Check it out!