Title: High School of the Dead vol. 1
Author: Daisuke Sato
Pages: 160
Publication: January 4, 2011
Publisher: Yen Press
Summary taken from goodreads:
A mysterious illness is spreading rapidly through the halls of Fujimi High School. In a matter of hours, the campus is transformed from a place of learning into a hive of nightmares, as the infected students collapse and are reborn as flesh-hungry zombies! Only a handful of students escape the initial outbreak - among them Takashi Komuro and his childhood friend, Rei. He manages to protect Rei from the initial onslaught, but how long can Takashi and the other students hope to survive when the whole school - maybe the whole town - is out for their blood?!
3 STARS - I LIKED IT
My Review:
A manga take on the beginnings of a zombie apocalypse focusing on high school students. While it's not the most original plot, Takashi Komuro, the main character, sort of reminds me of Conner from Unwind by Neal Shusterman, and the plot is sort of reminiscent of Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden. I absolutely love both of those books, so they're the main reason why I'm going to keep on reading this series.
However, Highschool of the Dead is obviously geared towards guys since...moreA manga take on the beginnings of a zombie apocalypse focusing on high school students. While it's not the most original plot, Takashi Komuro, the main character, sort of reminds me of Conner from Unwind by Neal Shusterman, and the plot is sort of reminiscent of Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden. I absolutely love both of those books, so they're the main reason why I'm going to keep on reading this series.
However, Highschool of the Dead is obviously geared towards guys since the majority of the girls have huge boobs and wear super short skirts. -__-
Title: Where She Went (If I Stay, #2)
Author: Gayle Forman
Pages: 264
Publication: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Summary taken from goodreads:
It's been three years since the devastating accident ... three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.
Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Julliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.
Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.
5 STARS - IT WAS AMAZING
My Review:
If I Stay was quite an emotional read. In Where She Went, Gayle Forman somehow manage to surpass If I Stay's level of emotion into something even more achingly beautiful that tugged on your heartstrings and made you hurt along with the characters, especially in the second half of the book.
I loved how the book was told from Adam's point of view because he was just as real and complex as Mia was. I had already loved him in If I Stay, but I totally fell IN love with him in Where She Went. He's the perfect boyfriend you could ever wish for.
I can't praise this book enough. You just need to read it. Period.
Title: The September Sisters
Author: Jillian Cantor
Pages: 361
Publication: March 1, 2009
Publisher: HarperTeen
Summary taken from goodreads:
Abigail Reed and her younger sister, Becky, are always at each other's throats. Their mother calls them the September Sisters, because their birthdays are only a day apart, and pretends that they're best friends. But really, they delight in making each other miserable. Then Becky disappears in the middle of the night, and a torn gold chain with a sapphire heart charm is the only clue to the mystery of her kidnapping. Abby struggles to cope with her own feelings of guilt and loss as she tries to keep her family together. When her world is at its bleakest, Abby meets a new neighbor, Tommy, who is dealing with his own loss, and the two of them discover that love can bloom, even when it's surrounded by thorns.
This exquisitely written first novel illustrates life as it truly is—filled with fear and danger, hope and love, comfort and uncertainty.
3 STARS - I LIKED IT ENOUGH
My Review:
The September Sisters is a slow story depicting Abby's family's eventual self-destruction as a result of their other daughter's disappearance. The book touches on many aspects of a young girl growing up such as guilt, love, hope, comfort, and the innocence of first love.
The mystery of what happened to Becky was compelling enough for me to finish the book although it was just barely; the slow pace of the story made me rush through the book just to get it over with to find out what happened to Becky.
I had hoped that the book would have at least a good climax, but it did not. It was just the same as the rest of the book: slow.
Recommended for people who don't mind books with slow pacing.
Title: Hetalia Axis Powers vol. 1
Author: Hidekaz Himaruya
Pages: 144
Publication: October 12, 2010
Publisher: TokyoPop
Summary taken from goodreads:
During World War I, gruff Germany finds Italy hiding in a wooden box of tomatoes. Germany takes Italy as prisoner, but instead of war-like interrogation, Italy becomes more of the nuisance and unwanted guest. World War I quickly comes to an end, but World War II is right on its heels! This time, Italy tries his best to become friends with Germany. They soon befriend Japan, and the three of them form the Axis Powers. Meanwhile, America, who loves heroism and hamburgers, tries to form a treaty, as Great Britain reminisces about when America was his loving child!
4 STARS - I REALLY LIKED IT
My Review:
I finally know why Hetalia has so many passionate fans! This manga was hilariously entertaining (especially in the beginning) and full of interesting facts that occurred during history.
I wished that I read this manga when I was taking my graduation test, lol. Even though most of the facts mentioned in the book wasn't on the test, it still would have been a great educational detraction. :)
My only complaint is that there were so many characters introduced at once and randomly thrown in throughout the manga that it was hard to keep track of who was who besides the main characters like Italy, Germany, Japan, and America because he was so egotistical, lol.
Title: The Miles Between
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Pages: 288
Publication: September 1, 2009
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Summary taken from goodreads:
Destiny Faraday makes a point of keeping her distance from her classmates at Hedgebrook Academy. Her number-one rule: Don’t get attached. But one day, unexpectedly finding a car at their disposal, Destiny and three of her classmates embark on an unauthorized road trip.
They’re searching for one fair day—a day where the good guy wins and everything adds up to something just and right. Their destination: Langdon, a town that Destiny’s unsuspecting companions hope will hold simply a day of fun. But, as Destiny says, “Things are not always what they seem.” Only she knows that Langdon holds far more than that—a deep secret she has never shared with anyone.
The Miles Between explores the wonder and magic of a very real world where chance, mystery, and secrets abound.
5 STARS - IT WAS AMAZING!
My Review:
The Miles Between is one of those rare gems that has a little bit of everything that you could ever want in a contemporary book. There's plenty of humor, enigmatic characters, fun facts, crazy antics, a lambnapping, and a touch of sadness that pulls at your heartstrings.
The book was brilliantly written and expertly told full of wisdom, humor, and coincidences.
