134/200

The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I read this book based on a recommendation and I really enjoyed it. Emily decides to break up with her boyfriend when she finds out he is going to propose. Her friends wonder if he isn't right for her, or if she just isn't ready for a guy like him. Aside from her breakup, Emily realizes she truly hates her job, and has no real family. The story follows her through her journey to find herself and make things right.

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133/200

Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is the first graphic novel I have ever read. I really enjoy stories about the Holocaust, solely because they are so unbelievable. Where can you get more hope than stories about what people sacrifice and how they survive? On the other hand, stories about the Holocaust really make you doubt human decency. To say the very least. In Maus, a mouse is taking down his father's story about his ordeal as a Jew during the Holocaust. I need to read the rest to hear how his story ends.

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132/200

Columbine by Dave Cullen


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Columbine was always an event that interested me in a horrified way. I was in high school when the tragic shooting happened and as previous reviewers said, it made me wonder if that could happen to me. What makes 2 kids decide to get guns and turn them on their classmates? Like a lot of the rest of the world, I believed the rumors that it was because they were bullied. After reading Dave Cullen's book, I know that that is not the case. I found the descriptions of the event itself to be like a car wreck that you can't look away from. While reading, you wanted to believe it was just a story and not real events. I am glad to know the whole story. It felt better in that way to pay respects to the victims. Reading this book I was filled with anger, sadness, hope for those recovering, and helplessness over how it went this far.

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131/200

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wow wow wow. I had heard about this book for a while and finally decided to read it. The beginning started pretty slow and I just didn't know if I could get into it. Well, this is the first book that I thought could actually give me nightmares. Eva is writing letters to her husband, who she no longer sees. In these letters, she describes the birth, childhood and adolescence of their son, Kevin. From the day he was born, Kevin was not normal. He shuns love, does what he can to cause pain to his mother, and as the book progresses, shows how truly evil he is. We know at the beginning of the book that Kevin is in jail because of a Columbine-like rampage. By books end, I felt truly disturbed. Job well done.

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130/200

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I devoured this book. I sat down to read it before bed one night and wound up reading 150 pages in the first sitting. I just looked at some of the other reviews, and I am disgusted at the people who think that Lia's character is looking for attention and treats her parents ("who do everything to help her"? really?!) poorly. I also disagree with those who think this is playing too much off of stereotypes. I think it gives an accurate portrayal of a girl who doesn't remember a life where food was something normal and necessary. I like how Lia shows moments of weakness by wanting to eat, and I think it is realistic for Lia to prove her strength by getting thinner and tricking others into thinking she is ok.

Two parts of this book bothered me. I am sad for Lia's sister and how she had to find her. But really, I think it makes it all more real, saying that even though that was the one person in Lia's life she cared about unconditionally, she still couldn't worry too much about the repercussions of her actions.

The other part that really bothered me was Elijah stealing her money in the end. I mean, hasn't the girl suffered enough?

This is not an easy book to read. But I think it gives a good perspective on anorexia and disordered eating in general. And I am grateful for the ending.

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*129/200

Lost & Found by Jacqueline Sheehan


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I picked this book for my "choose a random book from the library" task. I liked how the book varied perspectives from the main character, Rocky, the dog, Lloyd/Cooper, the neighbor girl, Melissa, and the friend, Tess. Rocky's husband dies and her life is turned upside down. She decides to stop being a psychologist in order to go live on an island off of Maine and refind herself. I liked it.

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128/200

Sleepwalking In Daylight by Elizabeth Flock


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I loved Me and Emma, so I had high hopes for this book. I liked the premise: Sam is trapped in here life and wondering if this is all their is. She meets a stranger on a train who asks her if she ever wants to walk away from her life. Compelling right? Sounds so, but doesn't wind up being true. Why is Sam unhappy? Because her husband is an idiot. Just a complete jerk. And it doesn't really seem he was every all that great. And her adopted daughter Cammy? Also a complete mess. The novel is told in Sam's and Cammy's perspectives and I sort of wound up hating both of them. All they did was complain about their situations.

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127/200

Liar by Justine Larbalestier


My rating: 1 of 5 stars
I wasn't sure what to say about this book but Katie(babs) Garrabrant's review sums it up perfectly. I picked this book up at a book signing. I went for someone else, but I figured I would get Justine Larbalestier's latest work and check it out. She was nice in person, and the plot twists she described sounded fun. However, about 150 pages in the book I was absolutely flabbergasted at the "twist." Totally not the type of thing I like. And after that point it just went downhill. I am not saying it is a poorly written book, but I really just didn't like where it went.

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126/500

Evidence by Jonathan Kellerman


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I was a little shocked to see some bad reviews of this. To the person who said there was not enough Milo/Alex backstory, I was glad! I am sick of hearing the same story over and over. As usual with Kellerman, I occasionally had a hard time keeping everyone straight, but overall a solid Alex Delaware story.

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