For readers around the globe. :)

Friday, September 27, 2013

Empty

 
What would the world be like without fossil fuels? In Empty, Suzanne Weyn introduces us to the small town of Sage Valley. We see first hand how crazy the world would be without oil. Oil is a non-renewable resource that we never really expected to run out of. Without oil, cars cannot get around, boats can't run, and the truckers can't come deliver food or any other necessities of life. It makes the reader feel as if it's the end of the world. Everything is rundown and a complete mess.. I haven't talked about the characters very much, because they aren't near as important. But, Gwen's brother, Luke, is selling black market oil. He stashes the oil cans in the house, causing it to catch fire. Due to their family problems, Gwen runs off to a mine shaft they played in as kids. She finds an extremely up-to-date eco-friendly house. However, during the oil shortage super-hurricane, OscPearl, hits Sage Valley and the other towns extremely hard. People and towns are fighting each other for food. Gwen decides they need to help. The angry civilians break into the house and eventually get arrested. The characters really didn't do anything for me. But the idea of running out of fossil fuels terrifies me. This really opened my eyes to how badly our environment needs us. 

Monday, September 23, 2013

Smoke

In Smoke, we pick back up with Pattyn on the run and Jackie is trying to forget that night. Pattyn makes friends with a Hispanic girl on the subway. They help each other get through the train ride, and eventually the girl and her family takes Pattyn under their wing. They help her get a job, and find love once again. Hopping back to Jackie's story, she is trying to cope with moving into a new house and dealing with her ex-boyfriend/rapist Caleb. Jackie thinks her mother is being inconsiderate having Caleb and his father at the house all the time. She confronts Caleb at school one day and threatens to tell everyone what he really did to her. After he pushes her down, Gavin comes to the rescue. We learn all about Gavin and his two mothers. He loves Jackie, and Jackie just might love him too. Pattyn on the other hand is trying to very hard to hold onto Ethan. But could she really love her new friend's brother, Angel? I could keep going, but it would literally ruin the story. 
If anyone would like to talk one-on-one with me about the book, I would be MORE than happy to! This book left me with my jaw hanging open at some parts and I would love to know if any of you felt the same way. :)

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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Burned

It's been a good couple of years since I first read Burned. So bear with me, I'm a little bit fuzzy on the exact details of the book. But here goes nothing! Burned is where we meet the Von Stratten family. Good ole Johnny Black is part of the family as well. They were raised to be a perfect little mormon family. Life couldn't be better having 7 girls running around the house. This story is told through Pattyn's and Jackie's eyes. Pattyn is the oldest and is slowly realizing how disturbing the LDS Community really is. She begins experimenting with alcohol and gets herself involved with boys. When her father finds out, he beats her and then sends her off to her Aunt J's ranch. Pattyn found true love with a boy named Ethan. While she's away, her mother is pregnant with her eighth child and cannot take a beating from her husband every day. The next oldest sister, Jackie, now becomes the center of attention.  Eventually, Pattyn becomes pregnant. Her father obviously would never approve of that. Suddenly, Ethan and Pattyn are in a car crash. This kills Ethan and causes Pattyn to lose the baby. Pattyn vows to avenge Ethan's death and plans to kill her father. Skipping back to Jackie's side of the story, she "fell in love" with a boy named Caleb. She just wanted to find love the same way Pattyn did. She didn't know that Caleb wouldn't stop when she said no. The end of the book is a complete surprise. Pattyn shows up as Jackie is getting a beating. Then, shots were fired...

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Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Divergent


Divergent, one choice can transform you. Let's meet the factions. We have Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Erudite, and Dauntless. Each of these factions rely on each other to live. The kids within each faction have to take an aptitude test when they turn 16. This test gives you two choices, the faction they're already in or a faction they can switch to. However, Beatrice Prior, got three. This makes her divergent. Being divergent is a good thing and a very, very, very bad thing. Her brother, Caleb, leaves Abnegation for Erudite. Beatrice also leaves Abnegation, but for Dauntless. She takes on the new identity of Tris. She is fearless. During the initiation, they go through different hardships and trainings. While there, she gets her first tattoo, and her very first kiss. She falls in love with Four, the one training them. Not to mention, all hell breaks loose when Erudite starts using transmitters to control most of the Dauntless. They open fire on innocents in Abnegation, and start a war of factions.

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