A review of John Green's "An Abundance of Katherines"

A former child prodigy named Colin only dates girls named Katherine, and every time he does, they seem to spurn him. He has dated nineteen of them so far, and is starting to despair after the nineteenth of them rejected him after 6 months of being together. In his dejected self pity, he accompanies his best friend Hassan on a road trip across America, and ends up finding laughs, love, and math in the tiny hamlet of Gutshot, Tennessee. The author of this book, John Green, has made many books along these same lines (an erudite, but highly neurotic Woody Allenesque character with a gratingly snarky best friend obsesses over an equally intelligent/neurotic, but inaccessible girl, and learns valuable life lessons along the way), including Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, and this book, but I chose this one for its happier ending. It was less sad, and awkwardly hormonal than Looking for Alaska, was less existentially postmodern than Paper Towns, and was less disparate in tone than Will Grayson, Will Grayson. It was laugh out loud funny at points, and disenhearteningly sad at others. The main character was so annoying that I wanted to stop reading, but the less irritating side characters lessened my urge to play discus with the book. Over all, quite entertaining and emotionally resonant, even with its flaws, and is my favorite of Green's oeuvre.

Sea By Heidi R. Kling

Sea was a wonderful book that gave me a lot of insight of how it is to live in Indonesia. This book had a lot of romance, just my type of book.

Review on Goodreads:

Still haunted by nightmares of her mother's death, fifteen-year-old Sienna Jones reluctantly travels to Indonesia with her father's relief team to help tsunami orphans with their post traumatic stress disorder-something Sienna knows a lot about. Since her mother's plane went missing over the Indian Ocean three years before, Sienna doesn't do anything if it involves the ocean or planes, so this trip is a big step forward.

But the last thing she expects is to fall for Deni, a brooding Indonesian boy who lives at the orphanage, and just so happens to be HOT. When Deni hears a rumor that his father may be alive, Sienna doesn't think twice about running away with him to the epicenter of the disaster. Unfortunately, what they find there could break both their hearts.
A compelling summer romance, Sea marks the arrival of a stunning new voice in YA.

She does have an amazing way of writing and I enjoyed reading it a lot. I think it just might be one of my many favorite books. One of the interesting things that I learned is that people in Indonesia don't have toilet paper, so they eat with their right hand when they eat, it's disrespectful to point your toes at somebody,they aren't very sanitary since the country is in poverty, and I learned many more customs in this book. Heidi really did her research!

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society, #2) by Ally Carter

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society, #2) by Ally Carter

Hardcover, 298 pages

Published June 21st 2011 by Hyperion Book CH

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed.
Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.
Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules. – Goodreads

My Opinion: This was a quick read for me. I love Ally Carter and I especially love Katarina. She is one of my favorite characters to read about. I loved her even more in this one because of how she is. Hale is also a favorite of mine and I am very glad that Nick made another appearance in this novel. The Cleopatra Emerald sounds really cool. I wonder if its actually part of real history.The plot had me going. I was full of adrenaline just like Katarina and Hale and the rest of the team. I just could not put the book down. It was just powerful.

 

I really liked the mission. The twists were amazing. I really thought that Katarina and her team failed, but they rocked it. Ally Carter did an amazing job with the plot for this. She had me guessing the whole time about what the actually plan was and how they were going to do it. I really hope there is another book in the series but honestly the way the book ended I would be happy with the ending of the series.

 

Something that I really enjoyed was the beginning of the book. How is describes the job Katarina did in Moscow. It’s just amazing. I also really enjoyed the different perspectives we get from the other characters on how they perceive Katarina. It made her seem more real and tangible. Ever since the Gallagher Girls series, I have been a huge fan of Ally Carter and I haven’t been disappointed by her, if anything she exceeds my expectations every time. I can’t wait to see what else she is going to write.

 

Overall: 5 out of 5

Anne Of Green Gables

I started reading Anne of Green Gables because of High School Entrance Exam. I thought Anne of Green Gables was going to be a dreadfully boring book that talks in confusing Old English. I was wrong. Anne of Green Gables is a wonderful series that I now enjoy reading. Anne is highly amusing to read about. Anne is the stereotype redhead though. She has a temper to match with her hair, but she's also very imaginative and comes from a interesting background. She's a orphan ever since she was a baby when both of her parents die. She was raising by a neighbor with three sets of twins and two more children. Anne in return was forced to help raise and take care of these children. Mrs. Thomas can't take care of her anymore so she is sent to an aslyum, which is an orphanage in the old days. Anne finally accidentally lands in the loving hands of Marilla and Matthew. The Anne series is about Anne growing up, meeting kindred souls, and falling in love. This is a great book and so great that there are television shows about the series and movies.

My rating: ***** out of 5
Comments: Most enjoyable old book I've read yet.

Die For Me (Revenants, #1) by Amy Plum

Die For Me (Revenants, #1) by Amy Plum

Hardcover, 341 pages

Published May 10th 2011 by HarperTeen

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity. When Kate Mercier’s parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life–and memories–behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate’s guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he’s a revenant–an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.In this incandescent debut, newcomer Amy Plum has created a powerful paranormal mythology with immortal revenants. The Paris setting comes enchantingly alive as a relentless struggle between good and evil takes place in its streets. Rich with romance, atmosphere, and thrills, Die for Me will leave readers breathlessly awaiting its sequel. – Goodreads

My Opinion: this was an interesting read. I really liked the different ways that Vincent’s supernaturalness is described and it was just different. However something that bugged me a little was that it was a little similar to Twilight. For example the way the relationship started out, about how Kate became obsessive about Vincent reminded me of Bella and Edward. But other than that I think that the story was unique.

 

I really enjoyed the ending. It just worked really well I think. I can’t wait to see what the next one in the series is going to be like. I also really enjoyed the setting. I wonder if the locations in the book are there in Paris. Like the out door market that Vincent showed Kate.

Plus the cover is GORGEOUS! I really like the dress. I think its supposed to be like the one that she gets from Vincent.

 

Overall I think the story was cute and sweet and a great read.

 

Overall: 4 out of 5

The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen

The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen

Hardcover, 272 pages

Published June 1st 2011 by Point

What if the characters in a vampire novel left their world–and came into yours?
Amy is in love with someone who doesn’t exist: Alexander Banks, the dashing hero in a popular series of vampire novels. Then one night, Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander. In fact, he IS Alexander, who has escaped from the pages of the book and is in hot pursuit of a wicked vampire named Vigo. Together, Amy and Alexander set out to track Vigo and learn how and why Alexander crossed over. But when she and Alexander begin to fall for each other, Amy wonders if she even wants him to ever return to the realm of fiction. – Goodreads

My Opinion: this was definitely a unique read. There were lots of great things but i have to say that this is the first book where I have read that does the whole relationship with a character from a book. It was just interesting to keep reading to see what Vigo would do and how Alexander would react and if finally Amy and Alexander would go anywhere with their relationship.

My favorite character was Katie. Not just because she has my name, but also because she is tiny and can do A LOT of damage, physically. But we also share some similar qualities and she seems like a great friend to have in a time of crisis.

I also really enjoyed that I was on my toes the whole entire time wanting to know when Vigo’s next victim would come and who they would be especially when he started threatening Amy and her family and friends. It was interesting watching the development between all the characters. I really also enjoyed how the police reacted to the “vampire murders” and how they were willing to accept the impossible. I don’t think that would happen in real life. But I also really enjoyed that they were willing to work with Amy on how to defeat him.

The ending was interesting as well. I don’t want to spoil it but I really hope that there will a second or third book to this novel. But I haven’t heard anything about it. Plus the cover is really interesting.

Overall: 4.75 out of 5

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published May 24th 2011 by Atheneum

Agnes Wilkins is standing in front of an Egyptian mummy, about to make the first cut into the wrappings, about to unlock ancient (and not-so-ancient) history.Maybe you think this girl is wearing a pith helmet with antique dust swirling around her.Maybe you think she is a young Egyptologist who has arrived in Cairo on camelback. Maybe she would like to think that too. Agnes Wilkins dreams of adventures that reach beyond the garden walls, but reality for a seventeen-year-old debutante in 1815 London does not allow for camels—or dust, even. No, Agnes can only see a mummy when she is wearing a new silk gown and standing on the verdant lawns of Lord Showalter’s estate, with chaperones fussing about and strolling sitar players straining to create an exotic “atmosphere” for the first party of the season. An unwrapping.
This is the start of it all, Agnes’s debut season, the pretty girl parade that offers only ever-shrinking options: home, husband, and high society. It’s also the start of something else, because the mummy Agnes unwraps isn’t just a mummy. It’s a host for a secret that could unravel a new destiny—unleashing mystery, an international intrigue, and possibly a curse in the bargain.
Get wrapped up in the adventure . . . but keep your wits about you, dear Agnes. – Goodreads

My Opinion: This was a fun read. It was an interesting mystery and I liked the historical aspect. It was fun to see the mix of Egyptian history put in with the British/French war. It was fun to see how Napoleon was viewed by the British at that time period. I really liked the whole espionage aspect as well. It was interesting to see how Agnes and her partner would try to lose the person who is following them to see who the actual double agent is.

Agnes was also a really interesting character because of how restricted her life would have been had she actually wanted to follow the norms for women at the time. I love that she spoke so many languages and had all of these dreams and hopes to see the world. The setting was also pretty interesting because what she had to do for the time, all the sneaking around and the fun I think she was having with that.

Overall, I really hope that this will be a series because the ending was amazing and left an opening for a series in my opinion that could lead to a popular series.

Overall: 4.75 out of 5