The Reason by William Sirls

General Analysis

Book Title: The Reason

Author: William Sirls

Publish Date: September 4, 2012

Genre: Christian Fiction, Inspirational, Contemporary

Plot:  Lightening hits a cross outside of a church that cannot afford to fix it.  Alex, a young boy and member of this church, is diagnosed with leukemia.  Although bad things are happening all around them, the characters in this book are reminded again and again to "only believe" and God will do what He does best: take care of things.

Why I Read this Book: I had been wanted to read this book for about a year now and I was blessed to have received a copy as part of a giveaway (from the author) in a GoodReads group, Christian Fiction Devourers about a month ago.  I received two personalized signed copies, one for me and one for a friend.

In Depth Analysis

I really loved this book!  The overall theme of the book was to trust in God. This theme was expressed since the beginning pages of the book.  The book also reminded me that God wants to be an active part of our lives and wants to have constant communication with us.  He wants us to fall to Him when we are in need and to trust in Him even when it seems that He is not here.  I am encouraged to just believe and let God take care of everything.

The book was not only encouraging, but also a fast-paced, exciting read.  There was not a dull moment throughout the book.  I have to admit there where a few tears shed, but I was left with a reminder of how great God is.  I love how this book is telling a fictional story for entertainment, yet the story leads you to focus not on the characters but on God and His magnificence.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: I would recommend this book to ages 15 and up due to mature, real-life situations (alcohol, depression, ect.).  It is a clean book, but some situations in the book may be too emotionally tough for younger audiences to be able to handle.

Overall Rating: 5/5

A Woman's Heart for God: Drawing Closer to the Lover of Your Soul by Sheila Cragg

Book Title: A Woman's Heart for God: Drawing Closer to the Lover of Your Soul

Author: Sheila Cragg

Publish Date:  March 12, 2013

Genre: Christian Nonfiction Inspirational

I received this book from GoodReads First Reads giveaway.






In Depth Analysis

This book is absolutely amazing! It is a great book that has advice that I believe is applicable to any Christian, man and woman alike. It gives great ideas for getting to know the Lord better including making scripture index cards to bring with you throughout the day. It gives great advice about prayer and memorizing scripture. It also discusses how to release your life to the Lord and become closer to Him. I would recommend this to any Christian.  Sheila Cragg gives examples in her life where she has struggled to continue to yearn for learning more about God and she gives advice on how to overcome these road bumps in life.  I really loved this book, but do not want to tell everything that the author talks about.  She says it much more eloquently than I ever could.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  Any, although the writing style may be more enjoyable to adults

Overall Rating:  5/5

Future Reviews and Reads

I am so excited to announce that I have received my first book from Tyndale Publishing company to review as part of their Tyndale Blog Network.  It came in the mail this week.  It is Saving Casper by Jim Henderson.  Here is the synopsis from GoodReads:

The authors of the popular "Jim and Casper Go to Church" are back! An unlikely friendship began when former pastor Jim Henderson brought atheist Matt Casper with him to visit a series of churches and give his honest feedback on the services. Since then, Casper has spent a "lot" of time deeply engaging with Jim and other Christians. And the burning question on everyone's minds is whether Casper has been saved. In "Saving Casper," Jim and Casper engage in a new conversation about that question. Most Christians have friends like Casper--people who've heard the gospel but still say no--so what happens next? Jim and Casper reveal the surprising answers to questions like: What can an atheist teach us about how to share God with those who don't believe? What have well-meaning Christians said to Casper that has helped--or hurt--their cause? What, if anything, might bring Casper and other nonbelievers to faith . . . and why does Casper say he's closer to God now than ever before? "Saving Casper" is a groundbreaking, game-changing look at evangelism and the "conversion conversation."

I hope to begin reading it soon.  I am currently beginning to read Forgiveness by Matthew West that I received as part of a giveaway from Thomas Nelson Publishers.  I received three copies from them so I get to share this book with two wonderful people.

I am also currently reading The Reason by William Sirls.  It is amazing so far and I cannot wait to read the rest of this Christian Fiction novel about the miracles that arise after a wooden cross in front of a church is hit with lightening.  I received two copies of this as part of a contest in a group that I am a part of on Goodreads (Christian Fiction Devourers).  The author gave out plenty of copies for these contests.

Finally, I have a few books on my shelf that I have won from GoodReads First Reads giveaway that I hope to read soon.  They are The Why of Things by Elizabeth Hartley Winthrop, Do What Jesus Did by Robby Dawkins, and Hope Conquers All by Sona Mehring.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

General Analysis

Book Title: The Uglies

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Publish Date:  February 8, 2005

Genre: Young Adult Dystopia

  

Plot:   In a society that makes you get a surgery that makes you “pretty” when you turn sixteen, Tally Youngblood is really excited about her 16^th birthday.  Until you have this surgery, you are considered "Ugly".  It is a “perfect” plan that is intended to prevent people for judging others.  Just before she turns sixteen and after her friend Peris has had the surgery, Tally meets Shay, a girl that almost never lives by the rules of the government.  Will Shay convince Tally that it is not worth turning pretty and that it is better to run away in hopes of finding a secret society?

Overall Thoughts: This is the second time that I have read this book and I enjoyed it as much, if not more, than the first time that I read it.I really enjoyed the plot and the characters in this book.  I also really enjoy the writing style.

In Depth Analysis

To me, this book is a mix of YA contemporary and dystopia.  It is a classic dystopian in the sense that the story is set in a futuristic society that is supposedly better than societies of the past, but the society has flaws that the government is trying to hide.  It also has a very contemporary feel to it.  It has a substantial amount of romance and “girlyness” to it that just makes it feel very contemporary.  It is a great mix of both of these genres that would seem not to mix well with each other but go very well together in this book.

My favorite part of this series is the intricate plot that Westerfeld presents.  The plot is full of so many new concepts and plot twists that are relatable to the reader and this makes the story an exciting journey.  Everything in this book is unexpected.

My second favorite part about Uglies is how well developed each of the characters are.  The reader knows little about the characters when he or she begins the book, but the reader quickly falls in love with each of the characters.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  13+

Overall Rating: 5/5

Future Reviews and Reads

I am currently reading The Reason by William Sirls.  I received this in a giveaway as part of the GoodReads group, Christian Fiction Devourers.  It is a Christian Fiction novel.  I am thoroughly enjoying this book and hope to be finished with it before the end of the week.

I am also reading a devotional/inspirational type Christian book entitled A Woman’s Heart for God: Drawing Closer to the Lover of Your Soul by Sheila Cragg.  It is also very good and gives great tips on how to become closer to God.  I hope to be finished with this book by the end of the next week.

It's Not About Me by Max Lucado

Book Title: It's Not About Me

Author: Max Lucado

Publish Date: March 1, 2004

Genre: Christian Inspirational













My Thoughts

This book is seriously the best book that I have read in a long time.  The title says it all: It is not about us, it is about God.  This book really humbled me and made me realize what the true purpose of being a Christian is: to Honor God and show His glory.  It is not about us; it is all about Him.  Lucado provides biblical advice about change and shares about God's love.  He provides real life and fictional stories as examples to illustrate his points and always uses scripture to bring the point home.  This book really changed my way of thinking.  The writing style is perfect and the book cover is just gorgeous!  This is a must read for anyone aged 16 and up (it provides advice about some adult situations).

Overall Rating

I give this book a 5/5.  

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Everwild

Throughout writing this blog, I have realized something:  each book is very unique from another and that is what makes reading them so wonderful.  Because of this, I have decided that I am going to try out a new reviewing format.  Each books is unique, so I do not think the reviews should be so structured.  Let me know in the comments if you like this format or if I should continue with how I was writing reviews before.  Thanks for reading my blog!

General Analysis

Book Title: Everwild (second book of the Skinjacker Trilogy)

Author: Neal Shusterman

Publish Date: November 1, 2009

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy

Plot:  The Chocolate Ogre wants to help those that are stuck in Everlost reach their light.  Mary Hightower wants the population of Everlost to grow, not get smaller as the children in Everlost reach the light at the end of the tunnel.  Allie the Outcast continues to desire to travel to her home and find out what happened to her parents the day that she died.  Each meet exciting adventures along their way.  Will these three meet up again, or will they live in separate areas of Everlost?

Overall Thoughts: I absolutely LOVED this book.  Neal Shusterman never ceases to amaze me with the originality that he puts into each one of his books.  The story was full of plot twists.  In this book, we really get to know the characters that we have come to love from Everlost and learn to love them even more than we did before.

In Depth Analysis

Neal Shusterman is one of my favorite authors.  He really knows how to include action and suspense throughout his novels.  His characters are always changing (sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst).  In Everwild, Shusterman really develops the personalities that we began to love in Everlost.  We really get to know each character.  Although the book is written in third person, Shusterman allows the reader a glimpse into the thoughts of each character which really connects the reader to the book.  

Even though I felt like I knew each character in the book, the characters contuinually did things that I did not expect.  This novel is filled with a lot of plot twists that Shusterman introduced oh so well.  The action and suspense were really bumped up in this novel, and it ended up being a much better novel than Everlost.  If this novel was a recipe, I would say it included a hand full of of action, a pot full of suspense, and the perfect amount of romance.  Everwild ended in a cliff hanger and I cannot wait to read the next novel in this amazing trilogy, Everfound.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  I would recommend this book to ages 12+.  The novel is a little bit dark.

Overall Rating:  5/5

Future Reviews and Reads

Of course, I cannot wait to read Everfound, but I am not sure when I can get my hands on a copy of it.  I do not think that my library has a copy of this book.

As always,  you can check out which books I am currently reading on the right side of my blog.  Additionally, I am always up for suggestions of books to read.  Please leave them in the comments.

A Review on the Volume 1 of Two Manga Series: Death Note and Kingdom Hearts

As you may or may not know, I am a huge fan of manga and graphic novels.  My favorite part about them is being able to see what the author envisioned for each of the scenes as he or she was writing.  I also like that they tend to be quicker reads than novels.  In the last week, I have started reading two manga series: Death Note and Kingdom Hearts.  Here is my review on the first volume of each of these manga series.

Death Note

General Analysis

Book Title: Death Note, Volume 1: Boredom

Author: Tsugumi Ohba

 Illustrator:  Takeshi Obata

Publish Date:  October 10, 2005 (United States)

Genre:  Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy

Plot:  A teenage boy, Light Yagami, finds the Death Note that a Shinigami dropped on Earth. The holder of the Death Note has the ability to kill anyone on earth as long as he knows their name and knows how they look.  Light decides that he wants to use the Death Note to rid the world of criminals and to make a utopia where everyone is no longer harmed by these criminals, but Light does not realize what he has gotten himself into when he starts to use the Death Note.

Overall Thoughts: I really enjoy this series so far.  The plot is very intense and the characters are believable.  The story is filled with action and suspense.

In Depth Analysis

Characters:  The characters are really believable.  They have a depth to them that is rarely seen in manga.

Writing Style:  The writing style for this manga is amazing.  The plot is very well thought out and very intricate.  As soon as you feel you understand all the rules of the Death Note, another rule is sprung on you that changes the plot dramatically and keeps you on your toes.

Likes:  I love the plot and the development of both the plot and the characters.

Dislikes:  I do not like that this is such a dark read, but the plot is so enjoyable and so mind boggling that I continue to enjoy the story that is presented.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  Because of the dark nature in the manga series, I would recommend this to teenagers 16 and above.  There is not and cussing in this first volume, but the book is very violent.

Overall Rating: 5/5

Kingdom Hearts

General Analysis

Book Title: Kingdom Hearts, Volume 1

Author: Siro Amano

Publish Date: October 11, 2005 (United States)

Genre:  Young Adult Fantasy

Plot:  When a storm hits his island, fourteen-year-old Sora is swept into a mysterious land where he meets Court Wizard Donald and Captain Goofy, who are on a mission to find King Mickey and return him to his throne at Disney Castle.  (Taken from GoodReads because I could not think of a description due to the confusing nature of the plot).

Why I Read this Book:  I have played the video game and wanted to know more of the story behind the video game.

Overall Thoughts: The plot was very confusing and I did not understand what was going on most of the time.  I loved the idea of the story line, but how it was presented was lacking in quality.

In Depth Analysis

Characters:  Most of the characters we already know from Disney, but the author has put a good amount of originality to them while keeping the characters true to their nature.

Writing Style:  The writing style of this volume was were I thought the manga was lacking.  The beginning of this volume was very confusing and the story line was really hard to follow.  There were so many questions left unanswered.

Likes:  I love the idea of the plot in this series.  The way the author integrates the stories that we already know from Disney into a brand new story is very creative and original.  I love to speculate which story from Disney will integrate itself into the story line next.

Dislikes:  Writing style (see above)

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  There does seem to be a dark nature to this series; therefore, I would recommend this book to ages 12 and older.  The darkness of the manga does not seem to be too overwhelmingly scary.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Future Reviews and Reads

I am continuing to read The Language of God by Francis S. Collins and Jesus Freaks by dc Talk.  They continue to be quite good.

I am also reading Everwild by Neal Shusterman, which is the second book in the series entitled Skinjacker.  It is much better than the first book, Everlost, which I also enjoyed.

I am also reading Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaker's Journey which is very interesting.  I am learning os much about the filmmaking process.

City of Bones

General Analysis

Book Title: City of Bones

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publish Date:  March 27, 2007

Genre:  Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy

Plot:  Clary Fray stumbles upon a world that most humans do not see.  This world is full of Demons, Shadowhunters (who kill said demons), vampires, and much, much more.  The world that Clary thought she knew starts to tumble as she struggles to understand why demons would be interested in killing a mundane, those that normally do not see the shadow world, and why Clary is the only mundane known that is gifted with the Sight.

Overall Thoughts: I really began to love this book after the first 100 pages or so.  The action and intensity of the story is something that cannot be compared to most books.

In Depth Analysis

Characters:  The characters are very defined and full of depth.  The way that the characters relate to one another is described in wonderful detail and really makes the characters enjoyable.

Writing Style:  The writing style is amazing and very suspenseful.

Likes:  I loved almost everything about the story.  The way the story is told is incredible and leaves you wanting more.  The characters are lovable, even those that you love to hate.

Dislikes:  I did not like that there were a few sexual references, cussing, and references to drugs.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  I would recommend this to teenagers and older that are able to handle violence.

Overall Rating:  4/5

Everlost

General Analysis

Book Title: Everlost

Author: Neal Shusterman

Publish Date: October 1, 2006

Genre: Young Adult Dystopia, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy

Plot:  Nick and Allie are caught halfway between life and death.  They live in a place called Everlost which is filled with things that no longer exist.  They no longer need to breath or eat, yet the desires to do so still exist.  The longer that kids exist in Everlost, the more they begin to forget about how they were and who they were in the living world.

Overall Thoughts:  I thought this book was wonderful, but not as wonderful as other books by Neal Shusterman.  I recently just reread this book.  The first time that I read it was in high school and I loved it just as much as I did when I was in high school.  The only thing that I did not like was that the story was not as good as I expect from Shusterman.

In Depth Analysis

Characters: The characters are very in-depth with their own unique personalities.  Each has their own story which I was delighted to read.

Writing Style:  The writing style is wonderful as always.  Filled with suspense and action, Neal Shusterman never ceases to amaze me.

Likes:  I love the way that every character in Shusterman's books always have a story that makes them who they are.  It makes the story easier to relate to.  I also love the suspense and the action that is in all of his novels.  Shusterman always has unique ideas for each of his books and it makes reading each book of his an adventure.

Dislikes:  This book was fun to read, but seemed to have been written for a younger audience than most of his books.  I did not find it as enjoyable as his other books, but it was still a fun read.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  I would recommend this book to middle school and high school students.  The writing style is more for this younger audience.  The only thing that may not be appropriate for young audiences is the darkish subject matter of the book, death.  Neal Shusterman handles this subject in a light and enjoyable way and in a way that is appropriate for all ages.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Future Reviews and Reads

I just finished a book that was a Read and Review book on Goodreads called Genesisthat is part of the XII Saga by Jason Rowe and Brian Palmer.  It was not an enjoyable as I hoped.  My review for Goodreads is located here.  I may do a review for my blog on this book soon.

I am starting a book soon called The Why of Things that I got from a giveaway on Goodreads.  I am excited to be starting this contemporary novel by Elizabeth Hartley Winthrop.

I am also still reading The Language of God by Francis S. Collins and Jesus Freaks by dc Talk.  I am greatly enjoying both of these Christian Nonfiction books.

Divergent

General Analysis

Book Title: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth

Publish Date: February 12, 2012

Genre: Young Adult Dystopia, Science Fiction

Similar Author/Books:  This book is very similar to the Hunger Games series.  The writing style is similar to that of Suzanne Collins (see Writing Style below).  It is a dystopian novel that has factions that are meant to make the world a better place.  Each faction is meant to have a different type of person, each type seeking to reduce the risk of war.  That being said, the plot and writing style is still very original and unique.

Plot:  At the age of sixteen, every teenager must choose which of the five factions they wish to join.  Each faction values one virtue (honesty, selflessness, courage, peace, or intelligence).  Up until this point, each child has been raised in one of these factions.  To leave their faction is seen as betrayal.  Will Beatrice chose to stay with her family in Abnegation, known for their selflessness, or will she leave her faction and join another?

Overall Thoughts: This is one of the best books that I have read in a long time.  It is full of action and has a tinge of romance.  It has a wonderful writing style and an amazing plot.

In Depth Analysis

Characters: The characters are each unique and very complex.  Some characters you love to love and other characters you will love to hate.

Writing Style: I believe that the writing style is one of the best that I have read.  Each word is carefully placed to leave you with a little curiosity, but with enough knowledge as to not be confused to what is happening.  The action in this book keeps you reading long past the time that you decided that you wanted to go to bed.

Likes:  The plot, characters and suspense are carefully planned.  The romance leaves you delighted.

Dislikes:  In one section of the book, there was a reference to sex outside of marriage.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  Because of the violence and the mention of sex, I believe that this book is best for mature teenagers and adults (14-15+).

Overall Rating:  5/5

Future Reviews and Reads

I am currently reading two really good Christian Nonfiction books, The Language of God by Francis S. Collins and Jesus Freaks by dc Talk.  The Language of God is a wonderful book by a leading Human Genome Project scientist that seeks to show how someone can believe in a benevolent God that wants to be involved in our daily lives and also believe in science.  Jesus Freaks is a compilation of martyrs that have died for Jesus Christ.  So far, both books are getting a 5/5 from me.

I also intend to start another YA book soon.  I may start the second book in the Divergent series.  I can borrow the ebook version from my library for my Kindle.  I really enjoy that you can get not just hard copies of books from libraries but also get Kindle (or other ebook reader) versions also.

Every Day Deserves a Chance

General Analysis

Book Title: Every Day Deserves a Chance

Author: Max Lucado

Publish Date: May 1, 2007

Genre: Christian Nonfiction

Overall Thoughts: This was an amazing book, although most of the messages were very similar to those that are in Come Thirsty. This book shows that every day can be a good day. It also shows how you can have hope and happiness when the situations that you currently are in are not very good.

Come Thirsty

General Analysis

Book Title: Come Thirsty

Author: Max Lucado

Publish Date: October 6, 2006

Genre: Christian Nonfiction, Inspirational

Overall Thoughts: This book was very inspirational.  It teaches about trusting in God, not worrying, and receiving God's love.  It was very inspirational and helped me to be less stressed.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

General Analysis

Book Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty

Author: Jenny Han

Publish Date: May 5, 2009

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Similar Author/Books:  I think her writing style was very similar to Sarah Dessen's writing style.

Plot:  Much like the last Sarah Dessen novel that I began reading (That Summer), I thought that there was a severe lack of plot throughout the book, but nonetheless there was more of a plot than in That Summer.  Belly, the main female character, measures her life in her summer and the events that happen in the summers. She vacations at a beach house every summer with her mom, her mom's friend (Susannah), and Susannah's two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah.

Calico Joe

I read Calico Joe a few weeks ago (before I started this blog).  It is a good book and I think that it is worth writing a review about it.  I cannot remember all the details about the book (I have read so many since then), but it left a good impression on me.  It is definitely a book worth reading.

General Analysis

Book Title: Calico Joe

Author:John Grisham

Publish Date: April 10, 2012

Genre: Adult Fiction, Sports, Historical Fiction

Plot:  The story takes place both in the present and the past.  The summer of 1973 to be exact.  Joe Castle was the best baseball rookie to ever play and Paul Tracey, son of Warren Tracy, was a big fan.  Warren Tracey, also a major league baseball player, did not like his son idolizing any baseball player but him.  The events of the present were greatly influenced by what happened on the baseball field in the summer of 1973. What exactly happened that summer?  Read Calico Joe and find out!

The Gathering

General Analysis

Book Title:  The Gathering

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publish Date: April 12, 2011

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Similar Author/Books:  I think that the writing style is very similar to Neal Shusterman in the way that the author, Kelley Armstrong, leaves a lot of suspense to the main story line.  As the story progresses, you learn more about the main plot of the story and as soon as you think you have figured out the plot, Armstrong throws in a new bit of information that makes the story even more action packed and thought provoking.

Plot:  Maya, age sixteen, has grown up in a small town on Vancouver Island.  The town is a medical research community where even the residents do not know what exactly is being researched.  Maya takes care of injured animals that she finds in the forests around the medical town, but it seems when she is around they heal quite quickly.  Things seem strange even for this small town, when the number of cougars in the area seems to be increasing and they all seem to be attracted to Maya.

Anna and the French Kiss, That Summer, and XVI

I have started three books within the last week that I decided not to continue reading.  They were Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, That Summer  by Sarah Dessen, and XVI by Julia Karr.  Below are my reviews of the books and why I decided not to finish these books.

General Analysis of Anna and the French Kiss

Book Title: Anna and the French Kiss

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Publish Date: December 2, 2010

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Plot:  For Anna's senior year, her dad decides that Anna needs to attend a boarding school in France.

Why I Started to Read this Book: It seemed like an interesting young adult book.

Why I Stopped Reading this Book: The main character was very self-centered and annoying.  The writing style was not enjoyable.

General Analysis of That Summer

Book Title:  That Summer

Author: Sarah Dessen

Publish Date: April 6, 2006

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Plot:  After reading half the book, there did not seem to be much of a plot.  The main character's father got remarried after cheating on his wife with a coworker.  The main character, Haven, also had a sister who was getting married for the first time.

Why I Started to Read this Book:  It was on a book club reading list on GoodReads and I wanted to read a Sarah Dessen novel because I have heard that she is a good author. 

Why I Stopped Reading this Book:  There was not much of a plot after reading more than half of the book.

General Analysis of XVI

Book Title: XVI

Author: Julia Karr

Publish Date: January 6, 2011

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia, Romance

Plot:  At the age of 16, everyone gets a tattoo on their wrists (XVI).  At this age, you are considered legal.  The main character, Nina, does not want to become legal.  This is because at the age of 16, you are expected to have sex with any guy that asks you.

Why I Started to Read this Book: The book seemed interesting and I when I picked up the book, I did not know that the book revolved around sex.

Why I Stopped Reading this Book: First off, the writing style was not very developed.  The author kept repeating herself and kept using acronyms for things that the reader does not know the meaning for.  It gets very annoying not knowing what all the acronyms mean.  Secondly and most importantly, the book seemed to revolve around the idea that you were expected to have sex at the age of sixteen.  The main character stated several times within the first 4 chapters that this is the reason she did not want to become sixteen.  Her best friend did want to become 16 for this exact reason.

Future Reviews and Reads

I am continuing to read Everyday Deserves a Chance by Max Lucado and Come Thirsty by Max Lucado.  I am enjoying both of these books greatly.

I plan on starting The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong, Breathless by Jessica Warman, and The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey.  As always, I am open to suggestions on books that I should read.

Maze Runner

General Analysis

Book Title: Maze Runner

Author: James Dashner

Genre: Young Adult Dystopia

Similar Author/Books:  This book is very similar to the Hunger Games series because of the fact that is Young Adult Dystopia and also because it is a survival type book that is filled with mystery and suspense.

Plot:  A boy wakes up in a box.  He does not know where he is, where he came from, or even his age.  The only thing that he remembers is his name: Thomas.  Thomas is not the only boy in this new society that he is placed into that has a loss of memory.  Thomas is the new kid in the Glade, a society full of young boys, and is frustrated that no one is explaining who he is or how he got to the Glade.  All he knows is that the boys around him are unhappy that the moment Thomas comes to the Glade things begin to change.

Hello Book Readers

Who am I?

I am a 20 year old follower of Christ who loves to read.  I love to read Christian fiction and nonfiction, such as books by Ted Dekker and Max Lucado.  I also love to read young adult (YA) novels, such as Hunger Games and books by Neal Shusterman.  I decided that since I read a lot of books, others may want to read my reviews of books and decide if they are of interest to them.  Since I read YA books, my other purpose is to provide a way for parents to investigate whether books are age appropriate for their children without necessarily having to read books that they are not interested in.  I am not a mother, but I have the desire to be one in the future and I understand the concern that parents may have for their children reading books that may not be appropriate for their age.

Below is the format for my book reviews:

Book Title:

Author:

Genre:

Similar Author/Books:  Here I will discuss books with similar themes, plots, or characters and also authors with similar writing styles.

Plot:  Here I will list a brief summary of the book (without spoilers) and how enjoyable the plot was.

Characters: Here I will talk about the characters (whether they are dynamic, static, ect.) and how "likable" the characters are.

Writing Style:  Here I will briefly describe the good and bad about the writer's style of writing.

Likes:  Here I will list what I enjoyed most about the book.

Dislikes:  Here I will list how the book could have been better.

Recommended Reading Age: Here I will discuss what I believe would be the best age group to read the book and why I believe that.

Overall Rating: Here I will list what overall rating I would give the book.

I will also include a link to my review on Goodreads, a link to the book on Goodreads, and places where you can purchase the book.

Edit: I no longer use this format.