All the Books.

  "An intriguing and enchanting mix of The Hunger Games,   The Night Circus,  and the dark carnival from  Something Wicked This Way Comes " Garber has created an elaborate world with complex, mysterious people and I'm eager to see more of it as the series continues.  4 Stars Pros:  The idea of Caraval is intriguing, like Morgenstern's The Night Circus  meets Bradbury's dark carnival in Something Wicked This Way Comes , it was an adventure but a serious and deadly one.  Cons:  Points of the novel were pretty predictable but there were times where I was surprised, so it wasn't that bad. There were times at the end where it felt like "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" where it could have ended but it didn't.  Full Review:  Scarlett (Scar) and Donatella (Tella) are the daughters Governor Dragna, the ruler of Trisda, a small island of the Conquered Isles. Ever since their Mother disappeared without a trace and their Father turn...

  "An easy, quick read that tries to get the message across that even someone who seems like they have it "all together" is really struggling on the inside. Everyone gets overwhelmed from time to time and this novel shows the reader that it takes more strength and courage to ask and seek help than it is to just give in." 3 Stars Pros:  If you've ever spent any time in a psychiatric ward, it definitely caught the vast majority of characters.  Cons:  I had to keep reminding myself that the character was supposed to be a teenager and teenagers are inherently controlled by their hormones and don't think. This kid's "friends" were just...awful and I guess I'm lucky that I don't have jerks like that in my life.  Full Review:  Craig Gilner has worked for as long as he can remember to get into the best school in New York. And when he finally does, it all starts to go downhill. The workload is intense, he stops eating, stops sleeping, stops doin...

"A deep, gut wrenching, emotional roller coaster of a novel that take awhile to hits its stride but once it does, it never lets up. An interesting look at what life could actually be like in North Korea and it makes me grateful for the life that I have and all the freedoms that come with it." 5 Stars Pros:  Jun Do (John Doe) is an everyman, an easily relatable character who does as he's told, even when he knows they're wrong. He does it because he's seen that those who question, are punished. It was a frighteningly, eye opening, fantastic, thought provoking read.  Cons:  It took a little bit to get going but once it did, it was amazing and terrifying all at once.  Full Review:  Raised as an Orphan, all Jun Do knows is that his mother was a singer. He tries to take care of the other Orphans but they're all carted away eventually and he too grows out of the orphanage. He starts working in tunnels until he's approached by a military commander who takes him on...

  "When Christopher finds the neighbors dog, killed with a pair of gardening shears, he decides to do some "detecting" and solve the mystery. What he manages to do is dig up pieces of his own past that are both astounding and painful and shows how some people we love will lie to us to save us and themselves from pain." 2 Stars.  Pros:  It was an interesting take on a narrative, for sure, unique and the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading, just to see how everything turned out.  Cons:  I understand that Christopher is extremely logical and doesn't "get" social cues but...the narration, especially the dialogue of "I said, then Father said, then I said" quickly grated on my nerves.  Full Review:  Christopher is an extremely intelligent boy. His mind is almost machinelike in its ability to solve complex mathematical equations and figure out the logistics of almost every situation he finds himself in. But, when it comes to interacting w...

  "An honest and beautiful tribute to a man who led with his heart. He seemed to genuinely care about the people of America and instead of striving for greatness or accolades, he tried to do what he could to understand people and share in their lives. He was a decent, moral, compassionate man and now, more than ever, we could use people like him at the helm." 5 Stars Pros:  Beautifully written and designed, the articles flowed into each other and painted Bobby in a true, honest way. He was ruthless yes, but behind that ruthlessness was a man dedicated and driven to see things through.   Cons:  It would have been interesting to hear from his family more, since he had 11 children.  Full Review:  Often thought of as the runt of the litter, compared to Joe Jr, Jack and his other older siblings, Bobby was unremarkable. He managed to get through school but didn't have the same charisma that his brothers did. But when JFK became the President, he made Bobby h...

"What you think will be a comedy of errors turns out to be a dark, depressing novel that focuses in on the petty, cruel relationships between Judd and his siblings and his celebrity mother. I read it quickly simply to get it over with.." 1 Star.  Pros:  I liked how the ending was kind of open for interpretation but that was really about it.  Cons:  The characters were just crass and cruel to each other. I thought this was going to be a comedy but instead I just ended up feeling kind of depressed.  Full Review:  Judd has recently discovered that his wife is cheating on him with his boss. He's renting a basement apartment, has no job and is depressed and to make matters worse, he gets a call from his sister. His father has died and the man's last wish was that his family sit Shiva (Jewish tradition of mourning) for seven days. Judd and his siblings don't exactly see eye to eye. They all have different lives and clashing personalities, so the idea of spending ...

  "A seamless, honest and beautiful tribute to a truly inspiring person." 5 Stars Pros:  Stunning photography, poignant, honest articles, a true testament to John Fitzgerald Kennedy, a man who believed from his heart in equality, fairness and the golden rule, treat others as you would be treated.  Cons:  I honestly can't think of a single con for this Magazine. It was beautifully written and the articles flowed seamlessly. Full Review:  John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the second oldest in a large Irish Catholic Family. His father, Joe, was a hard, taciturn man who made everything, even childhood games, a competition. JFK learned early on that Kennedys didn't lose, Kennedys didn't cry. It was a difficult home to grow up in, when perfection and graceful poise was always expected and emotions were seen as weakness.  JFK was quick to prove himself a hero in WW2 when his ship was destroyed and he rescued his surviving crewmates and wrote an SOS on a coconut shell. B...