Thursday, December 13, 2012

My Apologies

Sorry readers!

I've been really busy with school lately, and haven't been able to post any book reviews! So sorry! Hopefully I'll be able to get a few down over Christmas Break. Hang in there!

I hope you all have lovely holidays!

--Sadie

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Switching it up

Hey guys,

A word here.

What do you feel writing should be about? What sort of topic deserves an audience? Does writing need to engage the reader -- does that include making them think? Does the work need to say something?

What does writing mean to you?

To me I feel at times it needs to be raw and truthful, no matter the cost. Other times I feel it just needs to spout originality and creativity. Then again it needs to be both, adding some spontaneity.

What makes you want to read a book? Which books inspire you, wishing everyone would read them and share the same experience you absorbed through the pages of a book? What books make you want to read them over and over again? What stories have you fallen in love with?

If you've found a book like that, by all means, please share. If you've come across a work that makes you feel, by all means, please share. If you've encountered that with one of the books on this site, share even more!

I would love to hear from the audience of this blog. I want to know what readers think and feel. I want to hear your opinions, even if they seem to differ from mine.

I want you to live and have great experiences with literature and authors' writing.

--Sadie

Monday, October 15, 2012

Lord of the Flies by William Golding


"The most influential novel...since Salinger's Catcher in the Rye." 
-Time

"Lord of the Flies [is my selection for the Book That Changed My Life] because it is both a story with a message and because it is a great tale of adventure. My advice about reading is do a lot of it." 
-Stephen King, for the National Book Foundation, The Book That Changed My Life

At the dawn of the next world war, a plane crashes on an uncharted island, stranding a group of schoolboys. At first, with no adult supervision, their freedom is something to celebrate. This far from civilization they can do anything they want. Anything. 
But as order collapses, as strange howls echo in the night, as terror begins its reign, the hope of adventure seems as far removed from reality as the hope of being rescued... 

"This brilliant work is a frightening parody on man's return [in a few weeks] to that state of darkness from which it took him thousands of years to emerge. Fully to succeed, a fantasy must approach very close to reality. Lord of the Flies does. It must also be superbly written. It is." 
-The New York Times Book Review 

I think you're starting to get the idea of just what kind of book this is. Lord of the Flies is ethereal, eerie, and definitely can keep you up at night. It changes the way you think about the world and the nature of human beings. You question how you would act in that situation, what your behavior would be like. It scares you to think that you just might behave like these boys. Or would you? 

This book can be disturbing in places, but it also strikes really close to the true nature of humanity. It's scary just how real this work of fiction is. William Golding was a brilliant author, and everyone should read this novel introspectively. It has the power to change the views and behaviors of humanity. 

Right now in my AP Literature class, we just finished reading this book a few weeks ago. We now, as is usual in English classes, are writing an essay on it. I'll post my essay when it's finished, and maybe Kelsey will as well. There are so many different interesting topics you can discuss with this book. I could talk about the symbolism alone all day. 

I encourage everyone to read this book. It will change the way you think about your life. 

--Sadie 

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Missing by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen


A BYU-Idaho choir tour in British Columbia turns out to be anything but ordinary when soloist Stacie Cox spots a kidnapped child from Rexburg during a performance. Before Stacie can alert the authorities, the little girl disappears. Stacie vows to find and rescue her, a choice that forces her to deal with her guilt-ridden past and another little girl that haunts her dreams. When the handsome Matt Brennan helps Stacie in the search, she tries to resist the attraction she feels for him. Yet as he gains her friendship and trust, her resolve to never fall in love begins to crumble. And after a series of harrowing events, Stacie must decide if she is willing to sacrifice her life -- and a possible future with Matt -- to save a stranger.


Don't avoid this book just because it is by an LDS author. Yes, it does take some religious views on things, but so does any other religious novel.

The plot is intriguing, and the beginning definitely surprised me. I don't know what I would do if I were in Stacie Cox's place. It's an easy read, and definitely keeps you turning the pages.

It's probably geared more towards young adult, but don't let it exclude you from reading. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

--Sadie

Rating: 4/5 stars

Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham



Roxanne: glamorous, self-confident, with a secret lover -- a married man

Maggie: capable and high-achieving, until she finds the one thing she can't cope with -- motherhood

Candice: honest, decent, or so she believes -- until a ghost from her past turns up

At the first of every month, when the office has reached its pinnacle of hysteria, Maggie, Roxanne, and Candice meet at London's swankiest bar for an evening of cocktails and gossip. Here, they chat about what's new at The Londoner, the glossy fashion magazine where they all work, and everything else that's going on in their lives. Or almost everything. Beneath the girl talk and the laughter, each of the three has a secret. And when a chance encounter at the cocktail bar sets in motion an extraordinary chain of events, each one will find her biggest secret revealed.
In Cocktails for Three, Madeleine Wickham combines her trademark humor with remarkable insight to create an edgy, romantic tale of secrets, strangers, and a splash of scandal.


All right. While the book may sound a little "edgy", it really isn't. It's actually fairly mild, as far as writing goes. This book was a quick read, and was definitely entertaining. It was a fun book to start the summer off with.

I would recommend this book to women for sure, because we all know how much men dislike anything feminine (just kidding, guys). It has a great plot and kept me turning pages. The ending was satisfactory, and it provided me with a different take on a lifestyle so unlike my own.

But I want to know what you all think of it, so go out and give it a read!

--Sadie

Rating: 4/5 stars

House Rules by Jodi Picoult



When your son can't look you in the eye . . . does that mean he's guilty?

Jacob Hunt is a teen with Asperger's syndrome. He's hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, though he is brilliant in many ways. But he has a special focus on one subject--forensic analysis. A police scanner in his room clues him in to crime scenes, and he's always showing up and telling the cops what to do. And he's usually right.
But when Jacob's small hometown is rocked by a terrible murder, law enforcement comes to him. Jacob's behaviors are hallmark Asperger's, but they look a lot like guilt to the local police. Suddenly the Hunt family, who only want to fit in, are directly in the spotlight. For Jacob's mother, Emma, it's a brutal reminder of the intolerance and misunderstanding that always threaten her family. For his brother, Theo, it's another indication why nothing is normal because of Jacob.
And over this small family, the soul-searing question looms: Did Jacob commit murder?


OK guys, I really loved this book. It was definitely a page turner, one that you stay up until two in the morning reading (literally) because you don't want to put it down. Or maybe I'm the only one that does insane things like that.

The plot was brilliant, and I love all the rhetorical strategies and ironies strewn throughout its pages. Jodi Picoult really is a genius of an author. My goal in life is to read all her books someday. (Although if we're being realistic, most of them will be read this summer.)

Not only do you understand Asperger's better, but you gain an appreciation for the kind of things Jacob's family has to put up with. You don't judge them, you don't judge Jacob -- it's hard to imagine anyone really treating him like an outcast. I find it hard to believe that people are cruel enough to ignore him or anyone with Asperger's really -- it just doesn't seem realistic to me.

I definitely recommend this book to everyone. If you love mysteries, it's for you. If you love books that give you insight to something you may never have experienced before or is hard for neurotypical people to comprehend, it's for you. If you love crime dramas (which I definitely do), it's for you. And if you just love a good book, it's for you.

So go find a copy and start reading! Check your library, your friend's house, your grandmother's, your parents', a bookstore, or even a thrifty book exchange. And have fun reading!

--Sadie

Rating: 5/5 stars

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli


He’s a boy called Jew. Gypsy. Stopthief. Runt. Happy. Fast. Filthy son of Abraham.

He’s a boy who lives in the streets of Warsaw. He’s a boy who steals food for himself and the other orphans. He’s a boy who believes in bread, and mothers, and angels. He’s a boy who wants to be a Nazi some day, with tall shiny jackboots and a gleaming Eagle hat of his own. Until the day that suddenly makes him change his mind. And when the trains come to empty the Jews from the ghetto of the damned, he’s a boy who realizes it’s safest of all to be nobody.

Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli takes us to one of the most devastating settings imaginable—Nazi-occupied Warsaw of World War II—and tells a tale of heartbreak, hope, and survival through the bright eyes of a young orphan.


This was a completely different take on WWII than I'd ever read or heard before. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and to be honest I'm dying to know some things -- I also wonder which parts of the story are true, and which are woven around the imagination. I do feel the ending was a little rushed though, but overall it was a really good book.

I recommend this to anyone who is a Jerry Spinelli lover, or is looking for something to read about WWII. Or just go read it if you don't have anything better to read. You won't be sorry.

--Sadie

Rating: 4/5 stars

Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult



As Picture Perfect begins, it is daybreak in downtown L.A. A woman suffering from amnesia is taken in by an officer new to the L.A. police force, after he finds her wandering aimlessly near a graveyard. Days later, when her husband comes to claim her at the police station, no one is more stunned than Cassie Barrett to learn that not only is she a renowned anthropologist, but she is married to Hollywood's leading man, Alex Rivers.
As Alex helps Cassie become reaccustomed to her fairy-tale existence, fragments of memory return: the whirlwind romance on location in Africa, her major anthropological discovery, the trajectory of Alex's career. Yet as Cassie settles into her glamour-filled life, uneasiness nags at her. She senses there is something troubling and wild that would alter the picture of her perfect marriage. When she finds a positive pregnancy test in her bathroom, she is flooded with dark memories. Trying to piece together her past, she runs to the other person she trusts to keep her hidden-- Will Flying Horse, the policeman who had initially harbored her.
Out of loyalty he cannot fully understand, Will spirits Cassie away to stay with his parents on the reservation where he grew up-- and to which he never wanted to return-- for the duration of her pregancy. Safe in South Dakota, Cassie contemplates her future. She weighs the ominous pattern of her marriage against her compassion for her husband. Cassie knows of the fear and self-loathing Alex harbors-- and of his hard-won transformation to the skilled actor he has become.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Alex's life is falling apart. Nominated for Best Actor for his most recent film, he can no longer conceal from the press the fact that his wife is gone. Lies beget lies, and soon his career is rocked by scandal.
When Cassie agrees to return to Hollywood with her son, it is with a conditional promise from Alex. But it is a promise he cannot keep. In order to free them both, Cassie holds a press conference and tells the world the secret about Alex it never knew-- and never would have believed.
Moving from the sweltering African grasslands to the desolate plains of the reservation to the claustrophobic glitz of Hollywood, Jodi Picoult's story is one rich in detail, breadth, and emotion.

I definitely recommend this book, just because it's so interesting. You can't help but love Alex Rivers, yet hate him at the same time. You want nothing more but for their relationship to work out. It accurately portrays the complexities of human relationships. It's very thought-provoking, and makes me wonder about some things. It's definitely a psychological book.

Give it a read and let me know what you think!

--Sadie

Rating: 5/5 stars

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom



"When you learn how to die, you learn how to live."

Morrie Schwartz was the kind of man who always had something insightful and true to say about life. Even as he lay dying from muscular dystrophy.

Mitch Albom captures the story of his college professor's death so beautifully, and in a way that everyone can't help but connect with. Everyone has something to learn from this book, and from Morrie's life. The lessons he gives Mitch are incredibly valuable and something we all need to learn at some point.

Do you believe in reincarnation? I ask.
"Perhaps."
What would you come back as?
"If I had my choice, a gazelle."
A gazelle?
"Yes. So graceful. So fast."
A gazelle?
Morrie smiles at me. "You think that's strange?"
I study his shrunken frame, the loose clothes, the socks-wrapped feet that rest stiffly on foam rubber cushions, unable to move, like a prisoner in leg irons. I picture a gazelle racing across the desert.
No, I say. I don't think that's strange at all.

Even though I'm still young and in the prime of my life, I learned a lot from this spunky old man and his gifted writer of a student. I suggest that everyone read this book at least once in their lifetime, and let me know what you think of it.

What does it teach you?
What do you learn?
What things do you realize you need to value more? Less?

--Sadie

Rating: 5/5 stars

Friday, April 27, 2012

Quote

I love this quote! It definitely captures one of the awes and joys of reading.

“That's what I love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you to another book, and another bit there will lead you onto a third book. It's geometrically progressive - all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment.”
-The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Out of the Ordinary

This is a piece of writing I've been working on. This is just a small excerpt from the intro. I was wondering if you would all give me your feedback? Just give me your honest opinion of what you think of it. And if pressed, I may post more.

***

It was impossible to sleep with so much rain pouring down on the roof, and the thunder wasn't really helping either. But with each flash of lightning, Silas found it impossible to keep her eyes shut.
Letting out a disgruntled sigh, she forced herself to sit upright and pulled the sheets around her body. Her husband, Tyrell, was asleep in the bed next to her, sounding like an obnoxious bugler from summer camp with those monstrous snores. Usually Silas slept right through Tyrell's nightly charade but combined with the thunder storm it was just too much tonight. She envied the way he could sleep through anything, and wished she had the same gift.
Leaning her head back against the headboard, her eyes slid shut for a mere second -- but it was just long enough. A flash of lightning. Roaring thunder. And suddenly she was out in the rain, running through a field in her bare feet.
"Sienna, stop!" her mother called. "Come inside! I don't want you getting struck by lightning!"
Sienna giggled, running further as the rain poured down on her springy curls -- she was only four years old.
"But momma! I love the rain!" Another giggled escaping, she twirled around in the downpour, puddles unable to avoid her splashing step.
The woman she called her mother laughed lightly, a small smile slipping past her lips. She was enjoying the fun her daughter was having, momentarily forgetting any dangers.
She watched as Sienna threw her arms toward the sky, begging. More thunder. More rain. Lightning searching for a way to meet the ground, and finding a little girl in a wide open field just far away enough from her house that it was too lazy to travel that much further. Sienna gasped in shock as she was struck. The lightning barely shocked her, feeling a little weary from its search for a conducter. Oblivious to her mother's screams and the fact that she had come this close to harm, she clapped her hands and laughed up at the sky, wanting more. but she wouldn't get it, for her mother had swept her into her arms and was running toward the house screaming for her husband to call the doctor.
With another flash of lightning, the memory faded. Silas was shaking, her breathing off, her mind racing. What had just happened? That memory was hers, it was so real . . . but her name wasn't Sienna. That woman wasn't her mother. She had never been anywhere that it would rain or storm so crazily. And yet it all seemed so familiar. . .
"Tyrell." She shook her husband gently, her mind in a panic. What was happening? She didn't feel well at all, and felt like something was horribly wrong.
"Hm?" Tyrell grumbled, slowly coming to. "What is it?" he grumbled, not even bothering to open his eyes.
"I feel sick --" She slumped over onto the bed, unconscious.


--Sadie

Friday, March 2, 2012

Maggie by Charles Martin

***SPOILERS***
DON'T READ UNLESS YOU'VE READ 'THE DEAD DON'T DANCE'






This book is the sequel to The Dead Don't Dance by Charles Martin. 


"When Maggie opened her eyes that New Year's Day some seventeen months ago, I felt like I could see again. The fog lifted off my soul, and for the first time since our son had died and she had gone to sleep-some four months, sixteen days, eighteen hours, and nineteen minutes earlier-I took a breath deep enough to fill both my lungs."


Life began again for Dylan Styles when his beloved wife Maggie awoke from a coma. A coma brought on by the intense two-day labor that resulted in heartbreaking loss. In this poignant love story that is redolent with Southern atmosphere, Dylan and Maggie must come to terms with their past before they can embrace their future.

http://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Awakening-Series-Charles-Martin/dp/1595540555/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330722195&sr=1-1


This book was definitely as good as the first one. It had a very satisfactory ending, and stayed just as realistic (for the most part) as the first one. It didn't ruin the series or the first book in my opinion, and felt like the perfect second half of their story. I don't think it could have finished in a better way.

So read it and let me know what you think!

--Sadie 

Rating: 5/5 stars

The Dead Don't Dance by Charles Martin



A sleepy rural town in South Carolina. The end of summer and a baby about to be born. But in the midst of hope and celebration comes unexpected tragedy, and Dylan Styles must come to terms with how much he's lost. Will the music of his heart be stilled forever--or will he choose to dance with life once more, in spite of sorrow and heartbreak?

The Dead Don't Dance is a bittersweet yet triumphant love story--a tale of one man's spiritual journey through the darkness of despair and into the light of hope.

http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Dont-Dance-Awakening-Series/dp/B002MAQSN4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330721799&sr=8-1

I really enjoyed reading this book.  The cover and the title sounded a little strange at first glance, but the book is nothing like it might appear (or sound). This is one of those times where judging a book by its cover is no bueno.

I loved how real the characters were, how there wasn't anything inappropriate (except maybe some mild swearing), the plot-line, and over-all reality of the book. I finished it in one day, and went and checked out the second one the moment I got back to school. It kept me flipping its pages, wanting to know what would happen, how the problem would be solved and IF it would be.

I definitely recommend this book to both guys and girls -- the main character is a man (and so is the author), and it's not too cheesy -- I wouldn't characterize it as a "chick-flick."

So go out there and read it! And let me know what you think.

"For you, a thousand times over." - The Kite Runner

--Sadie

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Recommendation

Well, I have a stealer suggestion for all you fellow lovers of literature!

I'm assuming that because we all like to read, this entails that we all love buying books as well. And what could be better than finding quality books for a killer price?

Of course, this bargain store came as a recommendation from my fellow mute author, Kelsey (mute because she never posts on here -- not a literal mute). And some of you may have heard of this place before. See, I've been to said store many times, but never once thought of buying books there until Kelsey told me all the awesome books she found.

Stealer Book Store? D.I. (Deseret Industries)

They have tons of awesome books all in a fairly good condition or even practically new, and for really cheap! I haven't found one over five dollars. In fact, I think the most expensive was $4.00, and the cheapest was$0.75. I know. Such a great deal!

You can look up the location nearest you on the internet, and I hope you find some awesome books!

Happy Book Shopping!

--Sadie

Sunday, February 12, 2012

The Help by Kathryn Stockett






Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.


Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.
Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

http://www.kathrynstockett.com/stockett-synopsis.htm

Read this book. It really helped me imagine just how horrible it must have been to live in those times when African-Americans never got a break from racial oppression. I can't imagine having lived in those times -- it makes no sense to me why they should be treated as if they're animals just because their skin isn't white. There's a reason I didn't live back then.

This book really touched me -- yes, it made me cry. I also recommend that you watch the movie, because both the book and the movie are amazing. The movie made me cry as well.


The movie is at redbox and probably on Netflix too for all you movie lovers out there. So go read the book and then watch the movie! You're in for an incredible journey.

--Sadie

Rating: 5/5 stars

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Fail

Of course folks, why should you be surprised? As usual, I have failed to stick to my schedule. The Checklist Manifesto was not the first book I read in 2012, nor was it the second. But I'm going to read it -- I'm on Chapter 5 -- and you WILL see a post on here about it!

So do not lose heart! :)

--Sadie

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater


Okay, okay, Twilight haters out there, don't freak out. Twilight lovers: listen in! I have found a book to beat even the guile and wisdom of romantic fantasy author Stephenie Meyer.

My good friend Hayleigh recommended this book to me, and gave the forewarning of maybe seeming a little Twilight-ish (this coming from the girl who loves making fun of that series with me; no offense). All forewarning ahead of me, I read it anyway! And I'm really glad I did. I loved this book, and I definitely think you should read it. It gives a practical personality for both Sam and Grace and I couldn't help falling in love with the story. I couldn't put the first book down and I immediately went to Hayleigh for the second one right after I finished it! And now I am in search for the rest of the series.

Anywho, I definitely recommend it to any fantasy or romance lovers out there, or even anyone in search of a new book to read!

Synopsis:

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.
Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It’s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

http://maggiestiefvater.com/shiver/books/

First book in the series: Shiver
Followed by: Linger
              and Forever

Don't be thrown off by the fact that there are wolves and even possibly werewolves -- it's not one of those weird animals talking romance kind of books I promise. I was a little weird-ed out by the synopsis on the book and the mention of a girl possibly falling in love with a wolf, but it turned out much better than I expected.

So go read it! Let me know what you think.

Peace Like A River,

--Sadie

Rating: 4/5 stars

Monday, January 9, 2012

First Book Scheduled to Finish in 2012:

The first book I'm going to read in 2012 is The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande.


My reason for choosing this book to read first: Physiology.

Now, I was already planning on reading this book. But it became top priority on my list because I need to finish Professional Development for Physiology ASAP -- and this book counts for it. I've started Complications, another book of Gawande's, and I've really enjoyed it so far. So I think I'm going to thoroughly enjoy this one. So hopefully I'll get a post up here soon telling you all what I thought of it!

--Sadie

Kindle

Well, I have officially become hooked to my Kindle.

Now don't hold your breath or scorn me for joining the dark side -- I still love and always will  love an actual, tangible book that I can hold in my hand, smell, and write in -- basically enjoy the way any classic book should be enjoyed.

BUT, I do enjoy my Kindle. It's very handy for taking up hardly any space at all, but being able to hold thousands of words for you to devour anywhere, anytime. I love it! Other readers who have a thirst for a new story, new ideas, new friends, new words, and new authors would love it too! I can take my Kindle to school with me everyday, and it doesn't even take up that much space. It's thin, lightweight, and from all the books I have on there, I wouldn't be able to lug my backpack around with me all day every day with all that reading material. It would be simply disastrous.

So, I'm all for my Kindle. It's not a Kindle Fire, just your basic Kindle that they originally came out with. It's not too complicated and I really enjoy it! I can upload books at any Wi-Fi location, and be reading it a minute later. I don't have to wait a week for my book to come to the mail. Honestly, it's heavenly.

Don't go thinking I've suddenly become an advertisor and promoter for Amazon -- I haven't. But I really do like my Kindle and I'm telling you all I think it's worth a shot. So don't hate on the electronic technology, because it has its advantages.

I hope you are all having a wonderful 2012 so far, and I challenge you all to read as many books as possible before December 21 -- after all, the Mayans said the world is ending this year. ;)

--Sadie

Monday, January 2, 2012

All the Books I Read in 2011:

1. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
2. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
3. Voices in a Haunted Room by Philippa Carr
4. Miracle at St. Bruno's by Philippa Carr
5. Voice of the Heart by Barbara Taylor Bradford
6. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
7. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shafer and Annie Barrows
8. Hush, Hush Becca Fitzpatrick
9. The Pact by Jodi Picoult
10. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
11. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
12. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
13. The Golden Spiral by Lisa Mangum
14. Stolen by Lucy Christopher
15. Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
16. Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz
17. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
18. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
19. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
20. Hearts for Rent by Crystal James
21. Arousing Love by M.H. Strom (not really worth your time, it was really weird...)
22. Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
23. Envy by Anna Godberson
24. Splendor by Anna Godberson
25. Rumors by Anna Godberson
26. Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz
27. Keys to the Repository by Melissa de la Cruz
28. Sparks Fly by Lucy Kevin
29. Saga of a Middle-Aged Vampire (some free book on my mom's iPad, not really worth your time either)
30. Lovely
31. The Perfect Gift (another weird free book on my mom's iPad; again, not worth your time)
32. Kate & Ben (another weird free book. Don't bother)
33. A Chance in Time Ruth Ann Nordin
34. That Summer by Sarah Dessen
35. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
36. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
37. The Midnight Club by Christopher Pike
38. Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
39. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
40. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
41. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
42. The Princess by Lori Wick
43. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass
44. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
45. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
46. The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum
47. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
48. We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
49. The Whipping Boy
50. The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

Well, I only accomplished about half of my goal. :P Oh well, I'll try and do better this year!

--Sadie