Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall Book Review

The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall

Written by Katie Alender
Number of pages: 329

Average Rating: 3.94/5 stars
My Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Published August 25, 2015
Read in April 2016


Summary according to Goodreads

Delia's new house isn't just a house. Long ago, it was the Piven Institute for the Care and Correction of Troubled Females - an insane asylum nicknamed "Hysteria Hall." However, many of the inmates were not insane, just defiant and strong willed. Kind of like Delia herself.

But the house still wants to keep "troubled" girls locked away. So, in the most horrifying way, Delia gets trapped. And that's when she learns that the house is also haunted. 

Ghost girls wander the halls in their old-fashioned nightgowns. A handsome ghost boy named Theo roams the grounds. Delia finds that all the spirits are unsettled and full of dark secrets. The house, as well, harbours shocking truths within its walls - truths that only Delia can uncover, and that may set her free. But she'll need to act quickly, before the house's power overtakes everything she loves. 


My Thoughts

This novel is categorized as horror, but I considered it to be more of a thriller. Unfortunately I went into this story expecting to be scared, and came out of it very disappointed. The premise of being set in an abandoned insane asylum was very appealing and showed a lot of promise, but did not end up being as strong as it could have been. I was very happy with the basic plot, but not so much with the characters. 

As mentioned, this is set in an asylum which was very creepy, and at the beginning seemed like it would be a scary story. Things in the house moved, messages were left, sounds were heard, etc. The writing was done well in that I wanted to keep reading, however I did not find it to be descriptive enough. When Delia would walk through the building, I had a hard time envisioning how it was set up. It was a quick read but I understood the characters better than the setting. 

The characters were nothing special and did not see any significant development throughout the novel. I did appreciate our main character, Delia's attitude as it kept her on her feet and led her to discover some key things. The other ghost characters I found to be very dramatic, and seemed to act a lot like the "high school girl" type. If they were bitter about their death I would understand the emotion, however they were selfish and catty, which was not necessary. The backgrounds of each girl trapped in the asylum came together in the end, and revealed something about each past that made the character who they were in death. 

The ending of this novel was expected, and nothing that excited me. Unfortunately I enjoyed the buildup of this story a lot more than the climax or ending, as it was something that could have been done much better. 

Overall, I was not blown away by this novel even though my expectations were not very high. This was not the first book I have read by this author, and I am afraid it might be my last since I have not enjoyed any of them so far. It is a good story but don't expect much out of it except a quick read!

Illuminae Book Review

Illuminae Book Review

Written by: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Number of pages: 599

Average Rating: 4.31/5 stars 

My Rating: 4/5 stars 

Published: October 20, 2015

Read in March 2016

Summary according to Goodreads

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she'd have to do. This afternoon her plant was invaded. 

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that's little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra - who are barely even talking to each other - are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit. 

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results: the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what's really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again. 

My Thoughts

Reading this novel was one of the most unique experiences that I have had in a long time. This story is told through instant messages, government files, transcripts, and even the AI's system. It did take me a while to get into this plot, whether it be through the format or that I never read science fiction. This novel was a page-turner, both because of the ploy and because not every page had words from top to bottom. I never felt daunted by the size of the novel, and instead feared it would not be long enough to cover all of the questions I had remaining. 

Within the first few pages I was very hesitant about this novel, because of the whole "ex-boyfriend" turn in the plot. However this relationship did prove to be useful to the general plot, and I found myself connecting to these characters - even though they were sometimes foolish and full of teen angst. 

I was very impressed with the characters in this novel, through all of the collective development, and how each one had a very distinct voice. Reading through files and transcripts I never forgot whose perspective it was, even when reading the Artificial Intelligence until, it had it's own voice. 

As I mentioned, it does take a while to get into the plot, but it is worth it to continue on. Even now that I have finished reading, I do not fully understand what Illuminae is, and hope those questions will be answered in the sequel (which I cannot wait for!) I am slightly disappointed that the sequel will surround different characters, but know this will not be the last time we see Kady. 

Overall I was very impressed with this book, and know you will be too! I had thought I was getting over the young adult genre, but this novel brought me back into it. I am also now more interested in science fiction, where I had previously thought it would be boring and not my genre. How wrong I have been! I enjoyed this plot so much, and will be picking up more from this genre, and authors, in the early future. 

This Is Where It Ends Book Review

This Is Where It Ends

Written by: Marieke Nijkamp

Number of pages: 285

Average Rating: 3.65/5 stars

My Rating: 2/5 stars

Published: January 5, 2015

Read in March 2016

Summary according to Goodreads

10:00am. The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve. 10:02am. The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class. 10:03am. The auditorium doors won't open. 10:05am. Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival. 

My Thoughts

I really wanted to enjoy this novel, as I am usually a fan of psychological stories. I am a psychology major, and find issues such as school shootings, and the mental illnesses that affect the attacker, victims, and surrounding community. Teenager violence and mass shootings are far too common, and is something that society needs to figure out how to prevent. I have read many novels about this topic, both fiction and non-fiction, and at one point plotted my own novel. Unfortunately, this one did not meet my expectations. 

The writing of this novel was very scattered, and it took a while before I was able to understand the relationships between the characters. I can understand the fear that these students had, but I could not relate to them emotionally as I never felt connected to them - even at the end of the novel. 

The main character and shooter, Tyler, was not well developed or understood neither by the reader nor the characters. There was hardly any detail on his past, what led him to this moment, and why he chose that day to destroy lives. When writing a story with as difficult a topic as this, it is important for the author to devout a reason this happened, an opportunity where it could have been prevented, a silver lining in all of it - things this novel lacked. 

The only positive I can give to this novel is that it kept my attention, and made me want to keep reading. It is a short read in comparison, and was not thought-provoking, so it was a very quick read. I borrowed this as an ebook from my library, so reading it on my Kindle helped me to turn the pages very quickly. As well, I have to give some serious cover love to the novel, because the design and symbolism is fantastic. 

Overall, I did not find this novel to be at all insightful or sensitive to real life events, and instead focused too heavily on the character's personal relationships and life outside of what was happening in the auditorium. I would have preferred to see more of the lead-up to this event, with any flashbacks showing readers events relevant to what would happen in the future. 

Perfect Book Review

Perfect

Written by: Ellen Hopkins
Number of pages: 622

Average Rating: 4.35/5 stars
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Published: September 13, 2011
Read in March 2016


Summary according to Goodreads 

Everyone has something, someone, somewhere else that they'd rather be. For four high-school seniors, their goals of perfection are just as different as the paths they take to get there. For Cara, perfect means rejecting her parents ideals to take a chance on a new kind of love. Kendra covets the perfect face and body - no matter what surgeries and drugs she needs to get there. To score his perfect home run - on the field and off - Sean will sacrifice more than he can ever win back. And Andre realizes that to follow his heart and achieve his perfect performance, he'll be living a life his ancestors would never understand. 

Everyone wants to be perfect, but when perfection loses its meaning, how far will you go? What would you give up to be perfect?


My Thoughts

It is important to note that Perfect is a sequel/companion to Impulse, and I would recommend reading that novel before this. There are a lot of references to Cara's brother Conner, whose story is told in Impulse, and sets the tone for this story and their family.

Impulse was a fantastic read, and is one of my favourites both by Ellen Hopkins, and favourable overall. I had very high expectations for this companion, which were met but not exceeded. It was captivating right from the beginning, and I struggled to put it down. Thankfully I read this during my March Break from university, and was able to get completely absorbed in this story.

The four main characters in this novel were written so well, I could believe that I was reading real high school students. I connected to each one on an emotional level, and felt for their struggles and hoped they would all end up healed. However, the character that I identified with the most was Kendra and her need to be perfect and impress everyone. We both share self-esteem issues and body shaming, and it was her character that I wanted to see get the most help. Unfortunately my least favourite character was Jenna, Kendra's younger sister, as she was very selfish and manipulative, and overall a negative person. 

As with Ellen Hopkins other novels, this one is no exception to grabbing a hold of your emotions, and not letting go until the story is over. I found myself in tears reading this novel, both through joy and heartbreak. 

Overall, I am very happy I picked this novel up, and hope to own my own copy soon (I read this one from the library). This is not a story for young readers, as it deals with mature content - but is something I would recommend reading. Ellen Hopkins is an amazing storyteller, as she makes the plot and characters real. This will not be the last of her books that I read. 

The Marvels Book Review

The Marvels

Written by: Brian Selznick

Number of pages: 665

Average Rating: 3.88/5 stars

My Rating: 3/5 stars

Published: September 15, 2015

Read in March 2016

Summary according to Goodreads

Two seemingly unrelated stories - one in words, the other in pictures - come together. The illustrated story begins in 1766 with Billy Marvel, the lone survivor of a shipwreck, and charts the adventures of his family of actors over five generations. The prose story opens in 1990 and follows Joseph, who has run away from school to an estranged uncle's puzzling house in London, where he, along with the reader, must piece together many mysteries. 

My Thoughts

Unfortunately I did not enjoy this novel as much as his previous, nor did I find it to be as fast of a read. As per his other novels, the illustrations in this were breathtaking, and is something I have yet to see in any other middle-grade novel. I enjoyed the story of Billy Marvel much more than the latter one taking place in 1990, as the plot felt forced and never really picked up. The story of Billy was exciting and heartbreaking, and proves that a picture is worth a thousand words. 

I appreciate the way this book is written and the story behind it, but at the same time I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters. I found Joseph and his uncle Albert to be very boring, and only until the last 150 pages or so did it get slightly interesting. I didn't find there to be much character development in this story, which was quite disappointing. Joseph was an annoying character, that just left school and showed up to someone's house that he had never met before. His uncle Albert was strange (for good reasons later learned) and very boring. I had a hard time remembering that this story took place in the 1990s. And finally, Frankie, I could not stand due to sheer annoyance. This child knew no boundaries, and was very frustrating to read. 

Overall, I was very disappointed with this read. I have been very busy with school, and this was not a good start to getting back into reading. This might be the last middle-grade story I read for a while, just because I found it so bland and unsatisfying. I am very glad I read this out of the library, since it is nearly $40CAN to buy it in stores, and would recommend that to anyone questioning on whether or not they want to read it. 

Everything, Everything Book Review

Written by: Nicola Yoon
Number of pages: 320

Average Rating: 4.04/5 stars
My Rating: 3/5 stars

Published: September 1, 2015
Read in February 2016

Summary according to Goodreads 

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I'm allergic to the world. I don't leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla. 

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He's tall, lean and wearing all black - black t-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. 

Maybe we can't predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It's almost certainly going to be a disaster. 

My Thoughts

Considering how busy I had been while reading this, I am very surprised it only took me a few days to get through. I read it as an ebook on my iPad, borrowed from the library, and found it to be a very quick read. There are a few illustrations though out, and not every page had words from top to bottom - making it a very quick read. 

I really enjoyed the characters, and the relationship between Olly and Madeline. Throughout the story there was a lot of development, but nothing drastic. 

There is, of course, a plot twist near the end of the story, but unfortunately I saw it coming almost immediately. The writing style was nothing too intriguing or thought-provoking, and instead found the sentences to be short and not developed. It didn't follow a "train of thought" kind of style, and instead was clipped as if she (Madeline) was thinking in statements and not emotions. 

Overall, it was not a bad story, considering this was the first novel published by this author. Although the beginning was much better than the end, I enjoyed it as an overall story. 

Throne of Glass Book Review

Written by: Sarah J. Maas

Number of pages: 404

Average Rating: 4.2/5stars

My Rating: 4/5 stars

Published: August 7, 2012

Read in January 2016

Summary according to Goodreads

After serving out a year of hard labour in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. 

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Calaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead...quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined. 

My Thoughts

I am sure everyone is aware of how much hype surrounds this book series, and I cannot believe that I waited so long to read it for myself. I did enjoy this book, but not as much as I was hoping to. Whether it be all of the hype, or that this was one of the first "fantasy" books I've read, it took me quite some time to get fully involved in the story. 

The basic premise is a very interesting concept, made stronger by the strong characters including our main three. Celaena Sardothien is a very strong, and independent character who struggles with many internal conflicts. She is not one to rely on others nor open up to anyone about how she is feeling. Throughout the plot she learns to trust more than just her instincts, and develops her relationship with Dorian. The Crown Prince Dorian, is a heartwarming young man, who is determined to lead his country to a better further when he takes the throne. Until then he is doing his best to please his father, and keep everyone happy - even Celaena. Watching their relationship develop was refreshing but not original. My favourite character of the three was Chaol, as he was strong headed, amusing, and cared deeply about everyone in his life. The relationship between him and Celaena was strong, but between the three of them was rare. 

I enjoyed the idea of a competition such as the one hosted, and all of the interactions with the other competitors. Getting a closer look into the characters through the different perspectives was an aspect that brought more life into this story. 

Overall I was quite impressed with this story, and am looking forward to continuing this series - even though I don't usually do well with long series. I will probably pick up Crown of Midnight while I am home for March Break, so that I can read it with little distractions.