5 comments about Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4).

1. I'm astounded at the people making negative comments at the conclusion to this saga. I hadn't heard of the books til the movie hype. I saw the movie and began to read. The writer creates a wonderland of fantasy in the real world. The final book has amazing moments. Sacrifice? Bella preparing for Nessie and Jacob to escape as they believe they would die? Alice and Jas abandoning(?) them all in their greatest need. The clumsy and awkward beauty (Bella) surprising everyone by adapting to the power and grace of vamp life and so worried about her dad and mom? Her new family (and allies) banding together because it's the right thing to do? All of this is sacrifice. Comments about werewolves being really "shape shifters"? They already said their change was "different" and not "bitten"..no conflict.
   Favorite line? When the battle looks impossible to escape and Edward hugs Jacob (!) and says "good by my brother - my son"...Wow.
   
   Thank you Ms. Meyers for a wonderful literary romp. I'm aware that the audience has been (a large part) young people and I'm 66 and a man but I love your books, love your characters and love you for concluding the saga in this wonderful "Breaking Dawn".



2. I got the last three Twilight books bundled together. They arrived when they were supposed to and all of the books where in awesome condition.



3. I read the reviews before I read the final book and was worried that I would be dissappointed. I am happy to say that I was not. I love the book and didn't feel at all that it was rushed. In one review someone made a comment that Bella gets everything she wants. Isn't that how a fictional love story should end?? I mean really, we all know real life doesn't always have a happy ending, so why can't we at least have that in the books we read. I love all four books and was just sorry they had to end.



4. I never thought I would get this wrapped up in a series of books. I picked them up and haven't put them down. I could not have been happier than the way this book ended the saga. For Bella to become a vampire, still be able to include her new and old family, and have Jacob in her life without the complications is more than I could've hoped for. A little weird at first but I think it worked out nice. I knew that Bella and Edward were going to be together so I'm glad that Jacob got what he was looking for too. Now Bella and Jacob can have the relationship that they were meant to have. I got my happily ever after with this book. The only think I was disappointed about was that the story ended. I could read these books forever.
   
   I hope that Stephanie Meyer continues the books. She could write forever on these characters.



5. Those who purchase this book will only do so if they have already read Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse. So, they will understand that this book is the finale to the Twilight Saga.
   
   Most Twilight saga fans will be somewhat sad to hear that this is the last book in the series, or at least the book that ends the story. Maybe not the last book! (Fingers crossed!)
   
   The book in itself is truly amazing. Those who are already familiar with the first 3 book will not need much of a review because "you" probably do not care that this is the end! You must read it!
   
   It ends exactly the way that most Twilighters hope it will! (No spoilers, I promise!) But, everyone has such a different idea about Jacob and Edward! Regardless, it is a beautiful romantic story that truly finishes the wonderful story!
   
   I'm in love with this saga and couldn't say anymore to encourage you to purchase it!

5 comments about Twilight (Twilight, Book 1).

1. I like almost every book I read, but I got so sick trying to read this book I literally threw it across the room. it was the part where after like 2 weeks of knowing each other they're talking about home much they love each other and edward talks about how much he wants to eat her. Edward is a creep in every way, vampire or not. he watches her, listens to her sleep-talk, tells her he wants to suck her blood, stalks her, reads her friends minds, and brings her into the woods alone. The stupidest part, though, is that she believes he is a vampire and doesn't even consider he could be a bad person because he is gorgeous. Um, wake up Bella, love isn't about how hot the guy is. And letting him sleep over? Really? That is asking to become the next girl on the news for a victim of sexual harrasment. The book is so slow and the setting is just weird. A green place called forks. I tried to, but I really don't see why people love this book so much. The characters are too fake and so is the naseating dialogue. and whoever her editor is should go get another job because since all the books are already out once people finish thjem theyre just forgotten. there is nowhere else for twilight to go. i suggest you don't buy this book and save a tree iunstead.



2. Love this book. I read a lot and this series is now my favorite series!



3. I'm currently in the middle of reading Twilight having recieved this book and the second in the series as a Christmas gift. I don't read young adult fiction as I am 45+ but decided to give this a try as I have always found vampire-focused stories interesting. Who doesn't know about Dracula? I've been reading through a lot of the reviews which are a mix of both negative and positive. Granted this is not a Pulitzer Prize winner in scope or in quality, and critics should keep the target demographic in mind, but the story does manage to hold your attention...good entertainment value -- which is the purpose of fiction writing in general. If you're looking for writing that will make you think or that has some social relevance try A Thousand Splendid Suns, for example.



4. I tried to enjoy this book, I really did. When I didn't, I read the second book to see if the story would get a little more involved and in-depth. It doesn't. How much ridiculous teen angst can be packed into one story? "Oh, I love you but I can't be with you!" Oh, I think I may vomit.
   
   While Meyers adds some new ideas to vampire mythology, she isn't doing anything for the teenage brains this book is targeted at. A laundry list of an average teenage life is not going to captivate many readers, and the constant pull and tug of the protagonist's relationship with Edward (the weirdly obsessed vampire) is frankly annoying. If I was a friend of Bella Swan's I would have to slap her to her senses.



5. I could go on forever about this book! It all started when the author Stephanie Myer had a dream about a vampire who was in love with a simple girl, but they couldnt be together because he wanted to drink her blood. That one dream turned into this MASSIVE phenomenon which is now Twilight. If you havent seen the movie, GO SEE IT! You will not regret it. I've seen it more than once and loved it each time just as much as the last. Twilight is the first of the series of four books by Myer.
   
   Its a love story about a girl, Bella, who moves to a new school and ends up being intrigued by the mysterious and confusing Edward who turns out to be a 107 year old vampire. He and his family are good vampires, but Edward is drawn to Bellas scent and has to fight the urge he has kill her whilst at the same time, falling in love with her.
   
   Its an amazing love story.. i would say the best ive read so far. I read all four in less than two weeks- i couldnt put them down.
   
   Buy this book and read the first couple of chapters-- you'll see what the big deal is about! People everywhere are going crazy over Twilight, and if you havent read the book you are MISSING OUT!
   
   Girls will fall in love with Edwards character, and guys.. well, theres an action packed vampire baseball game and heaps of action towards the end that you will just love.
   
   Its fantastic!

5 comments about Percy Jackson and the Olympians Boxed Set, The (Percy Jackson & the Olympians).

1. I really LOVED this book. This is one of my favourite books.Greek myth lovers, children aged around 10, and just about everyone else should read it.



2. I bought this set for my 10 year old daughter for Christmas and she loves it!



3. I bought this set for my daughter, who's a fan of Greek mythology, and ended up enjoying them myself as well. Like the "Harry Potter" and "Narnia" series, these books appeal to readers of all ages. I also appreciated the prominent featuring of strong female characters.
   
   Some of the plot twists I did find a bit on the predictable side but I still thought the books were highly entertaining.



4. Three generations of my family love these books. They clever and action packed. If you don't already have an interest in Greek Mythology you might after reading these books. We can't wait for the next one to come out! My son (8) even wants to have this for his birthday party theme. They're as good as Harry Potter.



5. IM 14 read them smitten with them end of story. Mr. Riordan really did his research on the gods and its very well written. I think this box set should include the 4th one...

5 comments about Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, Book 3).

1. I have to say, I'm not a big fan of YA vampire novels, but I've really found a great story here with Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy Series. I like Rose's character and given that she's sixteen in the first novel, Vampire Academy, she's a strong heroine to build a series on. I'm still torn between reading a book where a sixteen year old girl's love interest is well into his 20's as it's not something I would approve of even when I was her age, but the coming of age story line, as well as watching her and the rest of the characters mature and find their places in Mead's Vampire world is hard not to enjoy. I would recommend this for readers over sixteen and to read the series in order. It makes more sense and limits guessing when reading the latest installment. Shadow Kiss is not only a really good book, but the ending leaves readers eagerly waiting for more.



2. I have been pleasantly surprised that so far I found each book in this series better than the previous one. We are definitely seeing Rose mature in this book and starting to learn how to exert at least some level of control on her impulsive manner. Lissa's character seems to vacillate between appearing to mature and realizing the good she can do in Moroi society and back to the child who always needs to be comforted and protected by others. We also get a hint of what Lissa's part in the Moroi royal court may be in the coming book.
   
   Adrian, the prince Rose met on the ski vacation, is at the Academy working with Lissa to try to teach her his spirit skills and to try and learn her healing skills. While Christian is afraid that Adrian is putting the moves on Lissa, Adrian definitely seems more interested in Rose and possibly in more than just a passing, I want to get in your pants way. The best part to me was to see some interaction between Rose and Dmitri that went beyond the "we are guardians and we can't be together" stuff. It was also interesting to see that there is a start of people questioning Rose about the belief that was instilled in her that the Moroi always come first and what Lissa wants to do must always trump what Rose wants.
   
   Stop here if you do not want any spoilers.
   
   First of all I have to say I cannot believe Dmitri is now a Strigoi. I am soooo bummed out about that and I'm hoping Mead has a twist in mind that has Dmitri either not a Strigoi or some how overcoming the evilness and need to kill that the other Strigoi have. I really hope it's not going to be one of those lessons that Rose is going to have to face that you can't hesitate to kill Strigoi even when it's someone you once knew because that can endanger the Moroi you are protecting. It just seems wrong to me to have an unhappy ending in a YA series.
   
   I'm also curious to see what will come of the secret club lead by Jesse and Ralf. I wonder if their part was to be what weakened the wards on the Academy or if in the next book they will take a bigger part in the coming confrontation between the Strigoi and Moroi and the Moroi's that want to learn to fight and those that do not.
   
   I know I already said so but I still can't get over the ending. I am on pins and needles waiting for the next book to come out later this year. I really hope book 4 is it. I need closure soon :)



3. After the tragedy of Frostbite, Rose and her friends are coping as best they can. Bearing her first molnija marks might be a bit of a status symbol but their earning was bittersweet. As her final months at St. Vladimir's begin winding down the guardians are facing their field experience testing. They'll be facing weeks of practice guarding their Moroi classmates from their instructors pretending to be Strigoi. Expecting to be paired with Lissa, Rose's field experience should be easy. But when she sees the ghostly image of Mason and freezes at her first attack everything goes downhill.
   
   For the first time in her life Rose is beginning to question the life of a Dhampir. Becoming Lissa's guardian means she will never choose what classes to attend or where she will live. The guardian standard "They come first." suddenly doesn't have such a great ring to it. Meanwhile, Lissa continues to practice her spirit magic with Adrian causing turmoil with Christian. When Adrian begins to see how Lissa's magic use is affecting Rose the mystery of St. Vladimir and shadow kissed Anna holds answers Rose isn't ready to face. She's always known she may one day have to give her life to protect Lissa but can she? When an unexpected threat breaks over the academy the students' lives are forever changed but none moreso than Rose who has to choose whether to protect her best friend or fulfill a promise to the man she loves.
   
   As with the first two books, I very much enjoyed being emersed in the world of St. Vlad's. In just three short books Rose has gone from mouthy runaway to seasoned guardian. It was great to see her beginning to question whether she really wants to live her life for Lissa. That aspect of the Dhampir/Moroi relationship has always bugged me. It was also enjoyable seeing Rose put into a position she didn't expect no matter how upset she got.
   
   I will say that I struggled with the pacing this time around. I also felt that the events of Frostbite seemed as if they were being overlooked almost as if they had happened a very long time ago instead of just a couple of weeks. I've always looked forward to Rose's interactions with Christian and Adrian but both characters seemed different this time around, not bad just... as if they weren't being written with their usual stronger personalities. The focus was definitely more on Dimitri and I know many readers of the series adore him but I've always found him boring. I had hoped that the extra focus would make me like him more and approve of his relationship with Rose but I was again unable to find a spark for him. Without spoiling anything I feel it is safe to say that the next book, Blood Promise, will be mostly Rose and Dimitri again.



4. This book, along with the others in the series, is just completely amazing. Higher than Twilight in my opinion. The stories have both romance yet action and for the last half of the book i was pasing around, dieing to know what happens. I couldnt turn the page fast enough!
   
   Im not going to write about what it is about, because im pretty sure there are enough out there, but i am saying you have to read it!
   
   My boyfriend called me alittle after i read it and all i could do was talk about it! I can not wait till August. Yes the ending maybe alittle sad.. but it just makes you more pumped up to see what the fourth is going to be like.



5. This book deserves MAD props. I mean, seriously. To read it was draining and at times so disheartening so to write it must've taken a great deal of strength. You have to dig deep, really connect with those sort of emotions or they WILL NOT come across. Believe me, I know. I will admit to skimming her and there, but only on the parts that had to do with her actually finding out about being Shadow Kissed. It was dull for me and I was so much more consumed with everything else that was happening that I just couldn't bring myself to invest in it, ya know. In the end, I'm glad I didn't but those reasons are spoilers that I refuse to post. At any rate, I loved this book. It's the only book, ever, to actually bring me to tears at the end. I've been hooked from the beginning and will remain devoted to this series. Well worth the time, readers, well worth the time.

5 comments about Frostbite (Vampire Academy, Book 2) (Bk. 2).

1. I just finished reading Frost Bite and immediately went out and bought No. 3. I really enjoyed the first book in the Vampire Academy series, and FrostBite is no doubt even better than the first! Though, again, I couldn't give it 5 whole stars because of the language I don't care for, but would give it 4.5 if I could.
   Things are a bit more intense with the Strigoi. Rose goes through quite a bit in this book with an unexpected visitor to St. Vladamirs, Dimitri and having to decide if she could ever move on and love another, losing someone she cares about, and having to put her training and knowledge to the test and finds that the results were not what she expected them to be. Lissa decides if it's time to take her and Christian's relationship up a notch, and also finds that she's not alone when it comes to her Spirit powers.
   There was alot to enjoy in this book and I can't wait to read book 3. I'm still rooting for Rose and Dimitri and am very curious to know if Lissa will be able to further her powers.
   A very entertaining read!



2. I loved this book. I thought the first one was great and was glad the second did not disappoint. I'm still hoping that Rose and Dmitri can find a way to be together. Christian is growing on me and we even see a softer side of Mia. I'm debating but I might actually be enjoying this series more so than the Twilight series. It might be because I don't have the irritant of Jacob Black's character. He just bothered me in the Twilight books. We start to see a little bit more of Dmitri's background and see him acting a little more human. I thought the addition of the royal, Adrian, was an interesting twist and am anxious to see where they take things.
   
   Stop here if you don't want any spoilers.
   
   
   I'm glad Rose and her mom sort of smoothed things out between the two of them and that Dmitri decided to stay at the academy even if he cannot be with Rose. It sucked that Mason was killed but I'm glad to see that Mia might actually see some happiness or at least not so much bitterness. It looks to me like Rose is somehow absorbing Lissa's dark side so it will be interesting to see what happens with that in the next book. I love this series so far and was torn when I heard there was a fourth book. I want to know what happens but I know I will also be bummed once I'm done with the series.



3. fighting love in this book can be found in many situations. rose is ifghting her love for dimitri by hanging around mason. dimitri fights his love for "roza" by hanging with tasha. after fighting strigoi and losing a friend they relize there is no fightibg true love.



4. I bought this book when it came out because I had read the first one in the series. I liked the first one but didnt really love it,so I said since I already did read the first,lets try Frost Bite. I was so sure it was going to be boring that I did not read it for months till part 3 came out. Well, let me say how I wasted month's, because the book was amazing and just full of surprise all the way through. Omg the end was so sad and touching it really made me cry( something I never do!)but their I was crying like a baby. By the time I finished this book I knew that I would be reading every book to come out in this series. The author is very talented and will not let us down. So for anyone in the position I was in, thinking should I continue with the series or not after the first....Yes do take the risk and you will not regret it. If I could give it more star's I really would.



5. I'm not a huge vampire-book person (I've never had a taste for Rice, and I though the Twilight novels were horrid), but Mead really is something special. More important to her style than the vampire fantasy is the mystery-and-suspense aspect. The fantasy is just a tool, but I can't imagine that a lover of fantasy wouldn't love this, too.
   
   The problem, though, is that Rose and Dimitri's relationship doesn't seem strong enough to survive a test, though it does. It takes away, I think, a lot from Mead's (otherwise masterful) character realism.
   
   Mead is still witty and her series is still fun.

5 comments about The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

1. This book was just a fun read. The author gives us a look into the struggles of a young man in a non-caucasian culture. If he continues where he is he'll never have hope for a better life than his parents...but if he leaves he risks being labeled a traitor to his heritage. Yet all this is conveyed with wit and humor. The main character recognizes the major difficulties in his life but doesn't feel sorry for himself, instead he draws cartoons as an outlet and finds the humor in every situation. The characters are believable and the story conveys the triumph of hope over experience.



2. This is a great coming of age book! You will fall in love with Arnold Spirit. He is tough and full of heart. There's a little something for everyone who picks up this book: friendship, romance (kinda), embracing differences, and dealing with death. Alexie's style of writing is insane! He is so good at what he does. You'll want to laugh and cry at the same time. Alexie gives the reader insight into the life of a Native American. I have been a Sherman Alexie fan ever since my English professor made me read some of his short stories in my Multicultural American Lit class! She also made us watch "Smoke Signals." By the way, it is an outstanding movie! If you are interested in Native American culture and you have a sense of humor - You have GOT to read or watch anything by Sherman Alexie. He's da man!
   
   P.S. My only complaint is the language. I don't know if the story would seem as realistic without it, but I don't like it because I don't cuss like a sailor. :-) I just wanted to warn parents who are hesitant about foul language. There aren't any f-bombs though.



3. This is my first Sherman Alexie book, and I have to say I was very impressed. He captured the tone, age, angst, life of his main character, Arnold "Junior" Spirit, perfectly. It was a very satisfying story. Junior's perceptions about life on the "rez" as well as life in the "white world" were dead-on descriptions of reality without being too politically motivated and "in your face." Some teenage humor, which, for an adult reading it, you sometimes have to remember that that's the way 14-year old boys ARE. I enjoyed this book alot. A friend keeps recommending Reservation Blues, so that will be my next Alexie read. Amazing author.



4. I wish it was possible to give a book six stars on Amazon. Or ten stars. Or a hundred stars. Not for just any book, mind you; only for those that pack such emotional wallop, humor, and writing into them that the usual scale just doesn't do them justice. The sort of book like the young adult novel The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie that just makes you immediately realize this book deserves way more than just five stars.
   
   Arnold (also known as Junior), lives on the Spokane Native American Reservation where drinking and dysfunction are imprinted on the genes of its inhabitants. Arnold's faced a lot in his life, including being born as a hydroencephalic to well-meaning but disappointing parents. But as Arnold looks around and sees how everyone, including his older sister, has given up, something is sparked within and he becomes determined to make something of his life. So with lots of courage, Arnold talks his parents into letting him attend Reardon High School, the "white" school outside the reservation that will give him the contacts and advantages the rez school cannot.
   
   From the moment Arnold steps into Reardon, his life changes, as he knew it would, and a lesser person would have been brought down immediately in the face of becoming an outcast on the reservation for having the nerve to think he could be "better". Life at Reardon is difficult, too; as the only Indian at the school, Arnold's got to somehow forge friendships from people very different than himself. But Arnold's not a quitter, even when he's forced to walk the distance to school because his father is either too drunk or too broke to take him; not even when his former schoolmates and their parents turn out en masse to boo and throw things when he plays basketball against the rez school. Arnold takes refuge in his skill as a cartoonist and his self-knowledge that somehow he will survive.
   
   The story is told with liberal humor and lots of tragedy, and Arnold is a typical self-deprecating teen. Alexie's writing is the kind I'd like to actually crawl inside, it's so good. An example is when Arnold's math teacher convinces him that he can better himself: "I was starting to understand. He was a math teacher. I had to add my hope to somebody else's hope. I had to multiply hope by hope." Later, while clinging to his mother following a devastating tragedy, Arnold says: "...she held on to me for hours. Held onto me like I was a baby. And she kept crying. So many tears. My clothes and hair were soaked with her tears. It was, like, my mother had given me a grief shower, you know? Like she'd baptized me with her pain."
   
   When you finish some books and close them, you may know you've enjoyed them by the way you're left feeling. Maybe you're smiling over a happy ending, or you're breathing hard because you've survived an action-filled climax. With The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, there will be so much more; Arnold is going to live with you in his heart-warming, hopeful manner forever.
   
   Six stars. One hundred stars. One very large star that supersedes all others. Whatever. This book is simply one of the best I've read. I cannot recommend it highly enough for people of all ages.



5. 
   An Indian boy named Junior grows up on an Indian Reservation in Spokane. He is born with defects that stand out in a way he's bullied in school. After a fight with his teacher, he moves to an all white school off the reservation. He leaves behind his only friend, Rowdy.
   
   
   At his new school, he ends up making new friends, but in the end, he'll connect with Rowdy again. This touching book is based on parts of the author's life, really making the book more meaningful. It's a great underdog type story.
   
   The problem I had was the author keeps repeating the same sentence in several paragraphs. If it wasn't for that, it would have been five stars. Even with that, it's a great book to read.

5 comments about Crepusculo (Twilight, Spanish Edition).

1. Definitivamente la saga twilight es una inmejorable.
   
   Cuando la terminas de leer la vida te cambia. Espero con ansias la segunda pelicula New Moon



2. One of the best books i ever read! It took me two days to finished it. A great story!



3. Espectacular!!!!!! Lo leí en 4 días porque no podía soltar el libro ni parar de leer la historia!!!!!



4. 
   if we can purchase this book in spanish on the US site, I better be able to eventually purchase it in Italian, French, Japanese, German.....



5. Despues de conversar con una amiga sobre el libro y el tema, me lo presto. Desde el momento en que empeze a leer senti un impulso extraño por saber más y más sobre lo que pasaba, no solo al personaje principal, "Bella", sino tambien por los acontecimientos a su alrededor.
   Lo interesante del libro es que Bella no es bruta y te puedes sentir identificada con la misma. Sigue una serie de acertijos y enigmas y, algunas veces, termina resolviendolos mejor que uno, el lector.
   Resumen: Isabella Swan o Bella, como ella misma prefiere llamarse, se muda a vivir a Forks, con su padre, despues que su madre se vuelve a casar. Desde el primer día de clases conoce a una familia muy peculiar, Los Cullen, trayendole uno de ellos en particular, Edward. El climax se centra en el misterio que los rodea y sus complicaciones cuando te entras de su sombrio secreto.

5 comments about The Giver.

1. I kept hearing good things about this book so I finally picked it up and read it over Christmas break. Being a kids/young adult book, it was a fairly fast read. Still, because of the depth created in the world of the book, I tried to slow down my reading and take it all in.
   
   The overall plot of the book felt fairly familiar after having read other 'futuristic' or 'alternate humanity' books. My most recent memory was to _City of Ember_ which I read earlier this year. In both books, there's an isolated Community with rather specific rules and regulations as well as a sort of lottery process that specifies a future career for children once they reach a certain age. Stepping beyond that plot device, the two books diverge greatly...with Ember dwelling largely on the mystery and adventure of escaping the city and Giver concentrating more on what is lost and missing in such a community (granted, Ember still contained the same theme and I thought a lot about if, but it wasn't as overt).
   
   The writing style was easy to follow and the story line was concise and interesting. Through the first many chapters, I grew close to the main character, Jonas, and enjoyed his perspective and his thought processes.
   
   Once he received his assignment as the next Receiver, many new revelations came to light. Up until he met the Giver I wasn't entirely sure of the direction the book would take. I still wasn't entirely sure where it would go, but the message and intent became more clear.
   
   It was interesting to me some of the things I didn't realize were missing in the book prior to meeting the Giver. Once Jonas meets and begins his training with the Giver, he becomes more "awake" to the state of the world and more aware of his surroundings. Naturally, his descriptions become more vivid. Looking back at earlier sections of the novel, I wasn't aware of some of the simple adjectives that were missing from the descriptions. I must have just chalked it up to the simple writing of a younger book...but now that I know better, I attribute it to the artful direction of a talented author using his writing style to propel his message.
   
   I really enjoyed this book and look forward to picking up more books by Lowry. My biggest complaint is with the ending of the book. Don't get me wrong...I don't mind "sad" or even "ambiguous" endings. In fact, my wife will tell you how much I love depressing stories. What I felt was lacking from this book was more sense of closure.
   
   I don't want to spoil the ending, but be warned that this paragraph may allude to elements, so skip it if you like. I didn't mind not knowing the exact nature of the lights Jonas saw at the end. I can be hopeful that they indicate a positive ending, but even if they are elements of a sad ending, that's alright.
   
   What was missing for me was closure as to the results of his final actions. What happened in the community? I realize that Lowry probably didn't want to spell things out exactly because he wants to leave a sort of "call to action" for the reader. Still, I wanted a few pages about what happened in the community...whether or not Jonas' theories were valid...even if the book ended before a resolution happened. I wanted to know whether or not Jonas' actions were valid and justified or whether they were ineffective and futile. I wanted to see some hope of change for the community rather than leaving it completely nebulous.
   
   OK, now that I've added sufficient ambiguity to all those who haven't read it, I hope you'll take my call to action and go read it yourself. It's a fairly short book with quick reading and a thoughtful message.
   
   ****
   4 stars



2. An okey book. Some part of the book was not good. It certainly was not enjoyable. I would not read this book again.



3. I first read this book in Jr. High and really liked it. And have not re-read it until now in my mid-forties. I still really liked it! But I have gone from being the 'RECEIVER OF MEMORY' to 'THE GIVER' and I think the book has tremendous meaning when reading it from that characters view. I would highly recommend this book to any one 13 years or 43 years old.



4. This is one of my all-time favorite books. I'm not exactly a low-level reader, but this book touches on topics in a way that many more complicated books don't. Some disturbing parts, an ending I hated as a kid, but a fantastic book that has stuck with me for 15 years.



5. If you enjoy anything that has to do with morality within humanity, you should read this book. It makes one think of what life may really be like in the future, and also what could happen in our lifetime. It was written for children, but I am an adult, and have many adult friends who also enjoyed this book for it's moral questioning.

5 comments about Graceling.

1. This book was really really good! You should read this and the Hunger Games, they are two of the best books I've read in a while!



2. I had gotten this book on Chrismas day, I started reading on the way to our ski vacation and once the lifts close not much is happening I had decided to start it and it wasn't very interesting until the 3rd or 4th chapters but once it too off and almost never slowed down.
   The characters seemed realistic, during Po and Katsa's training sessions it actually feels like they are telling you the story themselves. A couple of bits of romance keep it realistic between higher aged teens rather than little kids on an adventure it had added some reality to the whole thing.
   once I got started it was hard to put down, I had stayed up late into the night reading and got up early which I payed for the next day (a fair sacrafice)
   A must-read I'll definately will recommend to my friends and is currently my favorite book. :D



3. Summary: Graceling is about a teenage girl named Katsa. She lives in a world, where people are born with amazing gift. They can climb trees, have super strength, automatic knowledge of weather, and many other graces. Graces are born with two very different eye colors. Katsa is one them. She killed a cousin when she was 8, causing her to become a henchwomen for her uncle, King Randa of Middlun. She also runs The Council with the help of her friends, that tries to put justice and fairness into the 7 nations. She meets a stranger, named Po, who is also graced. He is the first one to challenge her and they embark on an amazing journey.
   
   
   My Review: I though it was a very well written. I like the characters, they were very in depth. I think it was an excellent first novel. The ending did surprise me, but it was still pretty amazing. I am looking forward to the prequel, Fire and Book 3.



4. As a new lover of The Hunger Games, I decided to try out Graceling because it is always heavily advertised with THG and I was looking for something new to read because I was going through just-finished-a-spectacular-life-changing-book-that-people-are-now-calling-out-but-I-don't-care-because-it-is-the-best-book-I've-ever-read-and-there-are-only-a-few-plots-in-the-world-so-deal-with-it-doomsayers syndrome. Graceling wasn't as good as THG, but it certainly was magnificent and beautiful in its own right, with plot turns that kept me going.
   Katsa is a Graceling, and is equipped with a Grace of killing. Although in some circumstances this could be an upside, Katsa had grown to loathe it, mostly because her uncle, King Randa, uses her as a punishing machine for the kingdom. On a special mission Katsa meets a mysterious man, who changes her life forever by making her face the truth of her Grace and how she has her own power over it.
   The beginning was really hard to get into, but once the plot got rolling at about page 70 it all turned out well. Katsa is a strong heroine, which I admire, and Po was a darling. It had a lot of action and adventure, and I loved Bitterbell. The only complaints I have is how it seemed very distant, the writing. I think it would be even better if it was 1st person. I also didn't think that King Leck had to be a raving maniac, but it didn't affect me too much. Overall though I was very pleased with the gorgeous prose and storyline. A good follow-up to the butt-kicking heroine spectrum. I just need more books like this...



5. Fast paced, engrossing, refreshing, unique. The concept of magic as a Grace is unusual, and creates a "thinker" of an action novel. Along the lines of Tamora Pierce or Mercedes Lackey in the scope of the action, with a Turtledove-like or Stirling-like ability to make you think of the consequences of the characters' talents long after you're done reading. Fantastic, I can't recommend it highly enough. YA fantasy at its best.

5 comments about Thirteen Reasons Why.

1. Hannah is dead at the tender age of 16. Tragically, she took her own life. But she's left something behind: a box of thirteen audio tapes that she hopes will explain the reasons she chose to kill herself.
   
   Thirteen Reasons Why is Jay Asher's debut novel that deals with some powerful subject matter: teen suicide. I was prepared for preachy. I was prepared for condescension. But I wasn't prepared for what I actually read, which turned out to be a brutally honest exploration of both the victim and those left behind (he invalidates neither) wondering why and how such a thing could have happened.
   
   Author Jay Asher has a rare, special touch with his readers. He actually understands that most mysterious and elusive of creatures: the teenager. Hannah's reasons for killing herself would appear, to most adults, inconsequential. But Asher understands that her reasons are very, very real to a teenager and he treats them with the seriousness they deserve. Likewise, he is able to convey the angst of her classmates who are left feeling confused, guilty and vulnerable while they try to make sense of the tragedy.
   
   And yet Asher is still able to subtly provide answers and lessons, including our moral responsibilities to our fellow human beings, the subtle signs of suicide and how we unknowingly exacerbate it.
   
   Perhaps the most powerful scene in the novel revolves around Hannah's last effort to reach out for help from her high school guidance counselor. Asher brilliantly depicts a counselor who wants so badly to help Hannah, but simply cannot because of his inability to see the problem through the eyes of a teenage girl.
   
   There is, as it turns out, no one person to blame for a tragedy like this. Anyone could have stopped it along the way, but tragically no one did.
   
   Very highly recommended for both teens and adults. If you have a teen in mind for this book, I would recommend that you (or better yet, their parents) read it first to ensure that the seriousness of the subject matter is, in your view, appropriate for them.



2. Please read Jeffrey Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides instead of this selection. It is far superior and a far more realistic look into how we really don't know what' going on in other people's lives.
   
   13 Reasons Why's formula gets old really quickly. I also didn't care about any of the characters by the end of the book, so I never really got to feel the full impact of the emotions that Asher tried to convey.
   
   Honestly, read The Virgin Suicides instead.



3. I finished reading this book in one morning. It has been a long time since I was so into a book that I couldn't put it down. This book explains the 13 reasons why this teenage girl committed suicide. It could be any teen's story. I agree with other reviews that it should be required reading in high schools. Any parent, grandparent, teen, teacher - basically ANYONE can learn a lot about the whys of suicide by reading this book. To realize the subtle things that can happen to a person that snowball into one major motivation for suicide is really disturbing. To realize how fragile a person can be. The story is told in a compelling, interesting, totally realistic way. Definitely worth the purchase price!



4. This was a really great book. It is about how Clay finds these tapes about a girl he loved. It was a good book but was really sad. If you are looking for a really happy, romance book; this book is not it. I was really depressed afterwards because I really connected with the characters. Hannah is easy to relate to and knowing that nothing can save her is really sad. And the story she tells you, will break your heart.



5. I picked this book up on a whim and read it in one day. It's been a while since I've been a teenager, but the descriptions of teen life and the way that teenagers hurt each other are spot on.
   
   This book is a must read for anyone who has teenagers, works with teenagers, is a teenager or wants to know what makes them tick.
   
   And it's a good reminder that the things we do in our lives have an affect on those around us.