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Alpha Champion ( Wolf Protectors book 1)
8.0
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Lily Mason is tired of her father's machinations. Seven years ago he tore her away from the love of...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Divergent in Books
Dec 1, 2023
182 of 235
Book
Divergent ( Book 1)
By Veronica Roth
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One choice can transform you. Pass initiation. Do not fail!
Thrilling urban dystopian fiction debut from exciting young author. In sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior's world, society is divided into five factions -- Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) -- each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue, in the attempt to form a "perfect society." At the age of sixteen, teens must choose the faction to which they will devote their lives. On her Choosing Day, Beatrice renames herself Tris, rejects her family's group, and chooses another faction. After surviving a brutal initiation, Tris finds romance with a super-hot boy, but also discovers unrest and growing conflict in their seemingly "perfect society." To survive and save those they love, they must use their strengths to uncover the truths about their identities, their families, and the order of their society itself.
I absolutely loved this book I did not put it down! It was just so easy to read and I loved everything about it. I like the film but hated Triss but in the book she is much more likeable. Really enjoyed it! How has it taken me this long to read it I’ll never know!
Book
Divergent ( Book 1)
By Veronica Roth
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One choice can transform you. Pass initiation. Do not fail!
Thrilling urban dystopian fiction debut from exciting young author. In sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior's world, society is divided into five factions -- Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) -- each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue, in the attempt to form a "perfect society." At the age of sixteen, teens must choose the faction to which they will devote their lives. On her Choosing Day, Beatrice renames herself Tris, rejects her family's group, and chooses another faction. After surviving a brutal initiation, Tris finds romance with a super-hot boy, but also discovers unrest and growing conflict in their seemingly "perfect society." To survive and save those they love, they must use their strengths to uncover the truths about their identities, their families, and the order of their society itself.
I absolutely loved this book I did not put it down! It was just so easy to read and I loved everything about it. I like the film but hated Triss but in the book she is much more likeable. Really enjoyed it! How has it taken me this long to read it I’ll never know!
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Senior year (2022) in Movies
Jun 3, 2022
At the start of the movie, the main character steph is recording a video talking about her childhood, she was snubbed by the cool kids so decided she wanted to become popular. She achieved this, got a "hot" boyfriend and became a cheerleader. However, after a cheerleading accident steph ends up in a coma for 20 years. When she wakes up she has to learn all the ins and outs of the present day, such as smart phones, words you can't use anymore, the fact her boyfriend was now married and how much her body has aged.
She soon decides that she wants to finish her month she missed of her senior year, including cheerleading and becoming prom Queen.
I really enjoyed this movie despite it being over the top silly in places and unrealistic, I mean a 37 year old still fitting into her clothes from when she was 17 with very different body shapes is about as unrealistic as you can get!
The soundtrack is all kinds of nostalgic and took me back to my late teens as there was everything from Mandy Moore to a like for like redo of the drive me (crazy) video by britney spears. If you love the 90s/00s era of teen movies, you're sure to love this.
She soon decides that she wants to finish her month she missed of her senior year, including cheerleading and becoming prom Queen.
I really enjoyed this movie despite it being over the top silly in places and unrealistic, I mean a 37 year old still fitting into her clothes from when she was 17 with very different body shapes is about as unrealistic as you can get!
The soundtrack is all kinds of nostalgic and took me back to my late teens as there was everything from Mandy Moore to a like for like redo of the drive me (crazy) video by britney spears. If you love the 90s/00s era of teen movies, you're sure to love this.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated One of us is Lying in Books
Sep 6, 2018
The Pacings (2 more)
The Plot
The Characters
A Great Read!
I forgot how I came across One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus, but I'm really glad I did. This story pulled me in right from the start and never let go!
The pacing for One of Us Is Lying is fantastic. I was fully immersed in the story as soon as I read the first sentence. Never did the pacing falter. It was quick and enjoyable. This was one of those books where I wished real life could have left me alone so I could have finished it in one sitting.
I found the plot for One of Us Is Lying to be very interesting. I enjoyed how it kind of felt like The Breakfast Club movie, but it was much much more interesting. It was good to see a group of kids from different backgrounds coming together instead of blaming each other for once. Usually in young adult novels, there's so much bickering. That wasn't the case in One of Us Is Lying. There are a few plot twists. I did figure out who the murderer was very early in the book. I felt like it was kind of obvious. However, there was one major plot twist I didn't predict. I feel like this book does tie up all loose ends.
The world building was done very well. I thought the author, Karen M. McManus, did a great job in writing about a high school setting as well as a criminal setting. Everything felt very real. I felt like I was one of the teens being accused of murder. Everything felt personal to me which is definitely a good thing. I've never been interrogated by the police, but McManus made me feel like I was in the interrogation room each time was of the teens was questioned. I can't fault the world building one bit. It is solid.
I loved the characters in One of Us is Lying. I also loved how diverse a lot of the characters were. I think my favorite character, overall, was Cooper. Maybe it's because we're both southern, but I just loved him. He seemed so caring and sweet. I also enjoyed the other characters of Nate, Bronwyn, and Addy as well. It was nice to see the homecoming princess as not just a one dimensional person. All of the characters were thoroughly fleshed out. Character development was spot on.
Trigger warnings include death, drugs, some violence, and swearing.
All in all, One of Us Is Lying was such a fantastic read. I enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. It's got a great cast of characters, an interesting plot, and the world building is fantastic. I would definitely recommend One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus to everyone aged 14+.
The pacing for One of Us Is Lying is fantastic. I was fully immersed in the story as soon as I read the first sentence. Never did the pacing falter. It was quick and enjoyable. This was one of those books where I wished real life could have left me alone so I could have finished it in one sitting.
I found the plot for One of Us Is Lying to be very interesting. I enjoyed how it kind of felt like The Breakfast Club movie, but it was much much more interesting. It was good to see a group of kids from different backgrounds coming together instead of blaming each other for once. Usually in young adult novels, there's so much bickering. That wasn't the case in One of Us Is Lying. There are a few plot twists. I did figure out who the murderer was very early in the book. I felt like it was kind of obvious. However, there was one major plot twist I didn't predict. I feel like this book does tie up all loose ends.
The world building was done very well. I thought the author, Karen M. McManus, did a great job in writing about a high school setting as well as a criminal setting. Everything felt very real. I felt like I was one of the teens being accused of murder. Everything felt personal to me which is definitely a good thing. I've never been interrogated by the police, but McManus made me feel like I was in the interrogation room each time was of the teens was questioned. I can't fault the world building one bit. It is solid.
I loved the characters in One of Us is Lying. I also loved how diverse a lot of the characters were. I think my favorite character, overall, was Cooper. Maybe it's because we're both southern, but I just loved him. He seemed so caring and sweet. I also enjoyed the other characters of Nate, Bronwyn, and Addy as well. It was nice to see the homecoming princess as not just a one dimensional person. All of the characters were thoroughly fleshed out. Character development was spot on.
Trigger warnings include death, drugs, some violence, and swearing.
All in all, One of Us Is Lying was such a fantastic read. I enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. It's got a great cast of characters, an interesting plot, and the world building is fantastic. I would definitely recommend One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus to everyone aged 14+.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated If I Could Ask God One Question in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<b>This is a review of a soon to be published (April 2016) version of <i>If I Could Ask God Just One Question</i></b>
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Whether you have been brought up in a Christian family or have made the decision to turn to God yourself, religion can still be very confusing. Greg Johnson has worked with teenagers for fifteen years and has compiled “80 Answers to teen’s most-asked questions.” Johnson’s aim with <i>If I Could Ask God Just One Question</i> is to aid the reader’s progress towards their goal of understanding the bible.
Johnson maintains that all answers to questions that matter can be found in the bible. He tries to prove this by answering each question firstly with a bible verse or passage, before explaining it in an informal, more relatable manner.
Presumably, the questions discussed are what teens have directly asked the author, or questions he has heard throughout his career. Many of the questions are generalized, such as how to become a better Christian, fears about being mocked in school, worries about sin and not going to heaven, and so forth. On the other hand there are a few deeper questions, for example why do bad things happen? These are not simple yes/no questions that can be stated as fact. Many of the answers are up for their own interpretation depending on the reader’s own circumstances. This may make things more confusing, however something may hit home and open their eyes in recognition of the Christian faith.
Although written informally and appropriately for teenagers, it is still obvious that this is an adult talking to someone considerably younger than himself. Johnson includes his own personal experiences, however they are slightly outdated compared with the issues modern-day teens may face, e.g. social media.
Johnson tries to make the Bible a less intimidating book. He suggests a chapter order to follow for those new to the Christian faith. The layout of<i> If I Could Ask God Just One Question </i>lets readers dip in and out, reading the answers to questions that relate to them or that they have thought of at some point themselves. It is probably not wise to read from front to back in one sitting, but instead to take the questions one at a time, analyzing the answers and relating them to personal experience. Note pages have been included for the reader to jot down any thoughts they have whilst reading.
Ultimately this book helps teenagers to feel less alone and overwhelmed with their newfound faith. Despite this there is nothing to stop older Christians from benefitting from it too. Everyone needs a reminder once in a while, and a nudge back onto the right path in order to continue living a humble, Christian lifestyle.
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Whether you have been brought up in a Christian family or have made the decision to turn to God yourself, religion can still be very confusing. Greg Johnson has worked with teenagers for fifteen years and has compiled “80 Answers to teen’s most-asked questions.” Johnson’s aim with <i>If I Could Ask God Just One Question</i> is to aid the reader’s progress towards their goal of understanding the bible.
Johnson maintains that all answers to questions that matter can be found in the bible. He tries to prove this by answering each question firstly with a bible verse or passage, before explaining it in an informal, more relatable manner.
Presumably, the questions discussed are what teens have directly asked the author, or questions he has heard throughout his career. Many of the questions are generalized, such as how to become a better Christian, fears about being mocked in school, worries about sin and not going to heaven, and so forth. On the other hand there are a few deeper questions, for example why do bad things happen? These are not simple yes/no questions that can be stated as fact. Many of the answers are up for their own interpretation depending on the reader’s own circumstances. This may make things more confusing, however something may hit home and open their eyes in recognition of the Christian faith.
Although written informally and appropriately for teenagers, it is still obvious that this is an adult talking to someone considerably younger than himself. Johnson includes his own personal experiences, however they are slightly outdated compared with the issues modern-day teens may face, e.g. social media.
Johnson tries to make the Bible a less intimidating book. He suggests a chapter order to follow for those new to the Christian faith. The layout of<i> If I Could Ask God Just One Question </i>lets readers dip in and out, reading the answers to questions that relate to them or that they have thought of at some point themselves. It is probably not wise to read from front to back in one sitting, but instead to take the questions one at a time, analyzing the answers and relating them to personal experience. Note pages have been included for the reader to jot down any thoughts they have whilst reading.
Ultimately this book helps teenagers to feel less alone and overwhelmed with their newfound faith. Despite this there is nothing to stop older Christians from benefitting from it too. Everyone needs a reminder once in a while, and a nudge back onto the right path in order to continue living a humble, Christian lifestyle.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated American Panda in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<h2><em><strong>American Panda</strong></em><strong> is one of the books I needed my entire life.</strong></h2>
Gloria Chao's debut novel is about Mei, a Chinese-American teen who has no desire to be the doctor her parents want and a crush on a boy who wouldn't get a parental stamp of approval. Her older brother, Xing, is disowned by the family for falling in love with the wrong person, and a few meetups with him to reconnect makes her question the traditions she grew up with.
<h3><strong>I related to Mei so, so much.</strong></h3>
95% of the time growing up and now I feel like I'm alone in my experiences - <em><strong>American Panda</strong></em><strong> reminded me that I'm not alone. At all.</strong> There are other people like me who go through relatively similar experiences! 😭😭😭 (Honestly, I want to cry happy tears the entire time reading.)
And while my experiences aren't the same as Mei, it hit close to my heart with her struggles to choose between fulfilling her parents' dreams and what her heart wants. This is something I continue to struggle with, along with balancing two different cultures.
<h3><strong>Cute, adorable, hilarious.</strong></h3>
On top of relating to virtually every page, paragraph and line in the novel, there's a cute and adorable romance! I loved reading the moments between Darren and Mei.
But while <em>American Panda</em> is all three of those traits, it can also be really heavy and emotional later on as Mei is having an internal struggle with herself, and eventually external with her family members. <strong>If you are expecting a fluffy contemporary read when going into this novel, you will find yourself a little disappointed.</strong>
<h3><strong>But sometimes it wasn't funny.</strong></h3>
There were a few moments in the book where I felt the novel was not funny - most of that occurred near the end. While I understand the approach was meant to be comedic, I felt like it played into the Asian stereotypes a little too much. It also felt like Chao was trying too hard (and maybe that was intentional?) with some of those scenes. At the same time though, most of the stereotypes I feel were handled well by Chao. Again, I'm only one Chinese-American - my experiences compared to another will be different.
<h2><strong>Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed <em>American Panda</em> and how it deals with the struggles of Chinese-American teens growing up.</strong></h2>
While this specifically deals with one Chinese-American experience (and as noted by the author, Mei's experience is taken from many backgrounds and fictionalized), I think a lot of teens will relate to the book in other ways.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/american-panda-by-gloria-chao/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Gloria Chao's debut novel is about Mei, a Chinese-American teen who has no desire to be the doctor her parents want and a crush on a boy who wouldn't get a parental stamp of approval. Her older brother, Xing, is disowned by the family for falling in love with the wrong person, and a few meetups with him to reconnect makes her question the traditions she grew up with.
<h3><strong>I related to Mei so, so much.</strong></h3>
95% of the time growing up and now I feel like I'm alone in my experiences - <em><strong>American Panda</strong></em><strong> reminded me that I'm not alone. At all.</strong> There are other people like me who go through relatively similar experiences! 😭😭😭 (Honestly, I want to cry happy tears the entire time reading.)
And while my experiences aren't the same as Mei, it hit close to my heart with her struggles to choose between fulfilling her parents' dreams and what her heart wants. This is something I continue to struggle with, along with balancing two different cultures.
<h3><strong>Cute, adorable, hilarious.</strong></h3>
On top of relating to virtually every page, paragraph and line in the novel, there's a cute and adorable romance! I loved reading the moments between Darren and Mei.
But while <em>American Panda</em> is all three of those traits, it can also be really heavy and emotional later on as Mei is having an internal struggle with herself, and eventually external with her family members. <strong>If you are expecting a fluffy contemporary read when going into this novel, you will find yourself a little disappointed.</strong>
<h3><strong>But sometimes it wasn't funny.</strong></h3>
There were a few moments in the book where I felt the novel was not funny - most of that occurred near the end. While I understand the approach was meant to be comedic, I felt like it played into the Asian stereotypes a little too much. It also felt like Chao was trying too hard (and maybe that was intentional?) with some of those scenes. At the same time though, most of the stereotypes I feel were handled well by Chao. Again, I'm only one Chinese-American - my experiences compared to another will be different.
<h2><strong>Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed <em>American Panda</em> and how it deals with the struggles of Chinese-American teens growing up.</strong></h2>
While this specifically deals with one Chinese-American experience (and as noted by the author, Mei's experience is taken from many backgrounds and fictionalized), I think a lot of teens will relate to the book in other ways.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/american-panda-by-gloria-chao/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
The Sims™ FreePlay
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From the creators of The Sims™ series of best-selling simulation games comes a complete Sims...
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated A Deadly Education: Lesson One of the Scholomance in Books
Sep 22, 2021
Rough start for a new series but shows promise
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik was given eighth place in the Goodreads choice awards for fantasy last year and has been nominated again this year. Unfortunately this book will not be receiving my vote although at this time I have not yet decided which book I will be voting for. This is the first book in a new series and I do have high hopes that future editions to the series will be better as it shows a lot of promise.
The basic idea here is that magical children are teleported away to The Scholomace for education and safety from the mals ( evil creatures attracted to the easy target of young magic user) though not all make it into the school. The school itself is dangerous as well yet even with the horde of mals waiting at the graduation gates to feast on everyone trying to leave the school once a year and the few who make it into the rest of the building the survival rate os those inside the school is still better than if they were left in the general magical population.
While completing school work is important it only because the school will attack those who don't complete their work the samation of alliances is almost more important. This is problematic thoug for those who don't come from an enclave and who are not interested n making friends in the first place.
What I liked about this book was that it is relatively unique. The fact that the main character actually goes through a very clear mental and maturity growth is a plus as well. She really improves as she learns about herself and her classmates. Unfortunately that is pretty much everything good I can say about this book. I enjoyed reading the book when I first started it but around halfway through it became clear that a lot of the book is repetitive. The book ended up becoming slow with the group just fighting off mals and not making much progress on the storyline for a while.it actually got to the point that I was about ready to put the book down.it is also rather predictable.
The ideal target audience for this book is teens to some young adults. I believe the book is too much for most readers younger than teens but at the same time it lacks the detail and depth needed to really capture the attention of older readers. I can only rate this book a 2 out of 5 at best with the hope that it is just a slow start to a good series.
For more reviews on popular books and independent authors check out these locations
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews
https://smashbomb.com/nightreader
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/40248897-melissa-espenschied
To see about having your book reviewed a message on any of the above platforms or email me at bookreviewsatnight@gmail.com
Thank you, Melissa
The basic idea here is that magical children are teleported away to The Scholomace for education and safety from the mals ( evil creatures attracted to the easy target of young magic user) though not all make it into the school. The school itself is dangerous as well yet even with the horde of mals waiting at the graduation gates to feast on everyone trying to leave the school once a year and the few who make it into the rest of the building the survival rate os those inside the school is still better than if they were left in the general magical population.
While completing school work is important it only because the school will attack those who don't complete their work the samation of alliances is almost more important. This is problematic thoug for those who don't come from an enclave and who are not interested n making friends in the first place.
What I liked about this book was that it is relatively unique. The fact that the main character actually goes through a very clear mental and maturity growth is a plus as well. She really improves as she learns about herself and her classmates. Unfortunately that is pretty much everything good I can say about this book. I enjoyed reading the book when I first started it but around halfway through it became clear that a lot of the book is repetitive. The book ended up becoming slow with the group just fighting off mals and not making much progress on the storyline for a while.it actually got to the point that I was about ready to put the book down.it is also rather predictable.
The ideal target audience for this book is teens to some young adults. I believe the book is too much for most readers younger than teens but at the same time it lacks the detail and depth needed to really capture the attention of older readers. I can only rate this book a 2 out of 5 at best with the hope that it is just a slow start to a good series.
For more reviews on popular books and independent authors check out these locations
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews
https://smashbomb.com/nightreader
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/40248897-melissa-espenschied
To see about having your book reviewed a message on any of the above platforms or email me at bookreviewsatnight@gmail.com
Thank you, Melissa
Daniel Johnson (11 KP) rated Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in Books
Sep 5, 2017
Plot (2 more)
Characters
Magic
Simply Amazing
Harry Potter is a cultural icon, and reading the books will tell you exactly why.
While I do not believe this is the best Harry Potter book (Read the Goblet of Fire, it is perfect) this book is up there with the best. With a plot that is simple yet magical, it will no doubt be remembered alongside the adventures of Tolkien, with an epic story that is character driven and imaginative to the extreme.
The book takes an even greater appeal when considered alongside the rest of the series, and with the addition of the final book, rereading is crucial. Easter eggs and secrets are hidden deep within these pages and make it a joy to read again, theorise about and delve deep into.
J.K is famous for her world building, creating something of epic scale that feels real despite how crazy it sounds. While avoiding spoilers in this review, it is important that I emphasise the importance of this book with the addition of The Order of the Phoenix. an addition that creates a thrilling new plot line that develops characters masterfully. We see the golden trio grow more than ever before, and it is a joy to experience.
Read Harry Potter, you won't regret it, and you will be a part of the biggest book series since records began. The one that defines this generation of teens, and inspired some of the greatest creators since.
While I do not believe this is the best Harry Potter book (Read the Goblet of Fire, it is perfect) this book is up there with the best. With a plot that is simple yet magical, it will no doubt be remembered alongside the adventures of Tolkien, with an epic story that is character driven and imaginative to the extreme.
The book takes an even greater appeal when considered alongside the rest of the series, and with the addition of the final book, rereading is crucial. Easter eggs and secrets are hidden deep within these pages and make it a joy to read again, theorise about and delve deep into.
J.K is famous for her world building, creating something of epic scale that feels real despite how crazy it sounds. While avoiding spoilers in this review, it is important that I emphasise the importance of this book with the addition of The Order of the Phoenix. an addition that creates a thrilling new plot line that develops characters masterfully. We see the golden trio grow more than ever before, and it is a joy to experience.
Read Harry Potter, you won't regret it, and you will be a part of the biggest book series since records began. The one that defines this generation of teens, and inspired some of the greatest creators since.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Retreat House in Books
Mar 15, 2019
THERES SOMEONE IN THE WOODS.
Holly leads her church's youth group, but many in the congregation believe she's too young to supervise the kids. When she finds out that shes pregnant, the pressure is on, and her secret love affair will start to show.
But thats the least of her troubles.
She organizes an overnight fellowship retreat on Pine Cliff Island off the coast of Maine, and six teenagers show up for a night of good clean fun. When the power abruptly goes out, no one notices until one of the teenagers returns with a knife wound.
Most of the resident island snowbirds have flown south, phone service is nonexistent, and a madman stalks the night. Holly is the only one who stands between terrified teens and a lurking maniac.
The race to survive long enough to escape may depend solely on teamwork and knowing who to trust.
This was an enjoyable read even though it had a few inconsistencies about it. The plot is a good premise and the characters are good.
I feel the tension in the plot but not sure the christian element was right for this or maybe a bit of fine tuning would have made this a fantastic read. All in all it is a good story and will look for more from the author.
I received this free from AXP books and this is my honest voluntary review.
Holly leads her church's youth group, but many in the congregation believe she's too young to supervise the kids. When she finds out that shes pregnant, the pressure is on, and her secret love affair will start to show.
But thats the least of her troubles.
She organizes an overnight fellowship retreat on Pine Cliff Island off the coast of Maine, and six teenagers show up for a night of good clean fun. When the power abruptly goes out, no one notices until one of the teenagers returns with a knife wound.
Most of the resident island snowbirds have flown south, phone service is nonexistent, and a madman stalks the night. Holly is the only one who stands between terrified teens and a lurking maniac.
The race to survive long enough to escape may depend solely on teamwork and knowing who to trust.
This was an enjoyable read even though it had a few inconsistencies about it. The plot is a good premise and the characters are good.
I feel the tension in the plot but not sure the christian element was right for this or maybe a bit of fine tuning would have made this a fantastic read. All in all it is a good story and will look for more from the author.
I received this free from AXP books and this is my honest voluntary review.