The Selection by Kiera Cass

This is a long overdue book review. But despite the long period of escaping in doing this, I can still remember how I enjoyed this book.

 

Just like any other YA or teen novel, this book is easy to read and very entertaining. The plot is very interesting. It’s not really a modern day fairy tale. But it is a story with a fairy tale plot formula that is dedicated to an older audience. It can be a good bedtime story for teen and young adults.

 

What I like about this book is the chemistry that the main characters (America and Maxon) have for each other. I like how princely and regal Maxon’s character is. Unlike the fairy tales that we’re used to, where the prince just pops out from nowhere and rescue the princess, in this book, the prince actually interacts with the heroine.

 

The readers will also have a glimpse of what kind of prince he is based on his interaction with the other characters and based on his motivations and decisions. I don’t usually fall in love with fictional characters, but, I have to admit that Maxon’s character is really handsome and charming. I like reading his scenes not only with the heroine, but also with the other characters.

 

On the other hand, despite showing strength and uniqueness, I’m not amused with America’s character. She’s very indecisive. She doesn’t know what she likes and she just simply goes with the flow. She’s selfish. And I hate reading her. I don’t like this kind of heroine.

 

Aside from having a nasty heroine, there are still other interesting characters that I know readers will love – like America’s sister, May, or the other participants in the Selection like Marlee.

 

The number status in the story is also very interesting. Well, the whole Selection world is interesting. To be categorized in the society based on your ability and root of origin are serious socio-civic issues which give more meaning and essence to the story. This part of the story raises questions and encourages critical thinking and will make you want to keep reading.

 

The Story

In a society where social status is defined by numbers, America Singer was born a 5 since she belongs in a family of musicians. Her talent for music has allowed her to perform for events participated by people from higher numbers. Being a 5 is not as bad as being an 8, which is the lowest category in the hierarchy of Illéa.

 

As a young girl, America was chosen to join the Selection, an event where 35 eligible young ladies in Illéa will have to compete with each other and win the heart of the Prince. An opportunity to help her family, America joined the competition and was picked to be part of the 35 candidates.

 

Even though it is every young girl’s dream to be part of the Selection and be a princess, joining the competition is not that easy for America, for after joining, her boyfriend Aspen, who is an 8, broke up with her.

 

She was so heartbroken from what happened to them, that she vowed to give her best in the Selection so she can help her family instead. However, meeting Prince Maxon, has changed her life.

 

Now, instead of just staying in the competition for her family, she found a new purpose to stay and maybe win in the Selection.

 

Ratings:

3 out of 5. I actually enjoyed it. I was entertained.

 

Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn

The story plot is good. Having a notebook to communicate may sound a little strange but it is interesting, especially considering the popularity of electronic communications today.  

However, even though it is interesting, I still don’t find it appealing. Mainly because I’m not its intended audience. But if I had been 12 or 15, I would probably like it.

 

Lily

I don’t like her character. She’s whiny and demanding. She’s the least bit supportive when her parents decided to leave to Fiji and have their honeymoon. I know it may sound selfish for parents to leave their kids alone, but their son and daughter (Lily) are big enough to look after themselves. If the writers’ intention is to have a heroine like this, then they’ve succeeded.

Perhaps, having this kind of heroine is good. Because, I think her character is the complete opposite of the hero in the story.

 

Dash

I find Dash’s character a bit charming. Today, it’s very rare for a guy to be interested in books and yogurt. He is not a perfect character and he doesn’t try to be one. But the way his character developed is really good. Living with divorced parents, hating Christmas, being snarky – he was vividly and aptly described. He is also a bit romantic and he is passionate about what he likes, which is really a cute thing. Though, it was hard to read his POV (just saying).

 

The Story

It’s Christmas time, and Lily found herself feeling alone with her parents gone for their honeymoon and her brother too occupied with his boyfriend. To help her divert her attention and loneliness this holiday season, her brother gave her a red notebook and wrote a dare in it and left it in a library.

Dash accidentally found the red notebook and immediately got curious about it. Then, he followed all the notebook’s instructions and decided to also give a dare to whomever owns the notebook.

Lily didn’t expect the turn of events, and she gladly took the next challenge, until both of them were intertwined in the games of dares.

Even though they are strangers to each other, they find comfort in their words and they were able to express their thoughts and sentiments.

However, because of this, both had conjured the ideal image of one another. And so with an unexpected turn of events, they found out that no one among them is the ideal person they’ve been thinking about all this time.

This could have ended everything between them. However, both of them decided to start over again and continue what they have started and create the most happy ending to their story.

 

Ratings: 2 out of 2. It was ok only because of the plot story.

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

“Live today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Just today. Inhabit your moments. Don’t rent them out to tomorrow.”

This book has touched my heart in ways I never imagined. It is so sweet, wonderful and heartwarming. The story, feelings and thoughts of Stargirl echo in my own heart. Her character affects me so much.

Reading the first book, Stargirl, gave me so much love and heartbreak and left me hanging. So I thought by reading its sequel, the emptiness it left will somehow be filled. But it gave me something different. It gave me Stargirl’s side of the story! The book gave me Stargirl’s story! And I cannot ask for more. It is a good sequel!

If you enjoyed reading the first book, you will love this book more!

It is well written and the words are well-chosen. It will tug into your hearts, and you will be filled with so much inspiration.

I cannot say more commendations for this book. It has moved and inspired me so much.

The story

Stargirl is different. She is unique and wonderful. She see’s the world in good light. But when she fell in love with Leo, she lost herself.

After leaving her life in Mica, Arizona, Stargirl embarks into a new life by living in a new neighborhood and meeting new people in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Leaving her friends and her ex-boyfriend behind, makes her really lonely. Stargirl misses her life back home. But later on, she met new and interesting people.

She became friends with a five-year-old girl named Dootsie Pringle and Alvina, a tomboyish girl who is fond of kicking teenage boys’ asses. She also met Betty Lou, a divorced woman who has an agoraphobia, who never goes out of her house and Charlie, an old man who passes his days by his wife’s grave. And lastly, Perry Delophane, the thug that stirs the lonely heart of Stargirl. Everyone she met has created a big impact in her life that helped her realized her own thoughts and feelings. With the help of her new found friends she was slowly finding her lost self again.

As the winter is coming, she decided to make a solar calendar. She wakes up every morning at around 4am to mark the first sunbeam. When her neighbor heard what she is doing, they decided to help her. Every house in their neighborhood switches on their porch light to give light on the road for her. In the end, she invited everyone in the neighborhood to witness the start of the winter solstice. She was amazed to see a lot of people to witness the event.

“Do not follow me! Let’s just be fabulously where we are and who we are. You be you and I’ll be me, today and today and today, and let’s trust the future to tomorrow. Let the stars keep track of us. Let us ride our own orbits and trust that they will meet. May our reunion be not a finding but a sweet collision of destinies!”

Ratings: 5 out of 5

I really really liked it. I will read it again and recommend it to my other friends.

Here is Love, Stargirl book trailer by Random House Kids

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I was disappointed with this book. I thought it would be different from the other teenage books out there. After reading it, I realized that there is basically nothing special or new about it. It has that same old formula for teenage romance story wrap in a slice-of-life theme.

 

Here are some of the reasons why the book didn’t appeal to me:

1. Simple plot

I have read other teenage books. Since most teens can relate more on something that is real and close to their experiences, most of these books are slice-of-life.

Despite of the simplicity of slice-of-life themed books, there is still uniqueness in their stories. Sadly, I didn’t find it in this book. The plot is so simple that it became boring. There were no good conflicts or plots to watch out for. The story was a flat liner. There is nothing in the book that will actually move you. If there are any, I think the author fails to relate it in the right way.

2. The POVs

Telling the story in two POVs is no different. Many books have used this technique. However, the problem with this kind of technique is that it doesn’t stir critical thinking.

Everything in this book is spoon-fed. Readers lose the opportunity to think about the perspective of the other characters. I lose that feeling of unraveling the characters.

Further, the transition of POVs is so fast that sometimes it becomes confusing.

3. Unnecessary stretch of the story

There were some parts in the story that were stretched. There were dialogues that are too long and boring. The author should have just cut the chaste and go straight to what she wanted to say.

 

Despite my disappointments, there are still some good things about the book.

1. Theme

Aside from the teen romance, the book gives out very good messages about family, friendship, acceptance in the society and being confident about oneself.

2. Unique characters

The characters are not perfect. They are different. They are not the typical characters that teenagers would emulate, physically. But despite their imperfections that author was able to highlight their good qualities. Hands down to the author for creating such powerful and “good” different characters.

I believe that there are a lot of other teen books with a good plot that are worth reading. And I don’t think this one made the cut.

 

The story

Eleanor, is a red haired girl who came from a broken family. She lives with her step dad together with her mom and three siblings. For a girl, she seemed to wear the wrong clothes. Despite being different, Park fell in love with her.

Park is half-Korean, half-American. Having a different lineage the kids in their place seemed to regard him differently. They don’t bully him as compared to other kids maybe because he knows a little bit of martial art, or because he doesn’t give a damn about the kids around him.

Eleanor, never thought that she will fall in love with Park. Having a lot of issues with her family, she never thought that someone will come into her life and make her feel that everything is perfect.

It was the first taste of love that have changed both of their lives.

Ratings: 1 out of 5. I did not like it.