Books That I Recommend

Besides writing, I love love love to read! Yesterday, I was able to go to Barnes and Noble and use up my gift card and get a whole bunch of cool books!

I decided to make a list of some really good books/series that I would recommend to anyone out there looking for a good read. :)

The Lovely Bones

Made into a movie not that long ago, The Lovely Bones is one of the best and most memorable books I have ever read. It takes place in Pennsylvania during the year of 1973. The first two sentences in the story explains the plot very well: "My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973." Raped and murdered by her neighbor on her way home from school, Susie begins her story off rather sadly. However, though it starts off rather depressing, it ends hopeful and inspiring. The author does an excellent job of creating realistic and attachable characters. It's a very compassionate story, the way it's told in Susie's point of view, and how she looks back at the world she has left behind. Though she is a victim, she is incredibly independent and strong as she tries to influence the people back on earth to help them catch her killer. It was easy to get into and I couldn't wait to see the movie!  

My Sister's Keeper 
This was the first book I read by Jodi Picoult, and I loved every word of it! Like The Lovely Bones, this was made into a movie, but I haven't had a chance to see it yet. The story is about a girl named Anna, who was engineered to be a donor for her older sister, Kate. Kate has been fighting leukemia ever since she was very young, and the only reason Anna was created was to save Kate's life. Kate's condition was extremely rare, which is why her parents had decided to engineer Anna in the first place. Now at age thirteen, Anna has decided that she does not want to continue helping Kate. After her parents were going to donate one of her kidneys, she decides to sue them for the rights of her own body. Though the plot is not overly exciting, I couldn't put it down. The author does not fail to surprise you throughout the story, and in result, I found myself at the last page. This is one of those books that you think about long and hard, several days and months after you've read it. It was very good, heartbreaking, and it is guaranteed to take your breath away.    

if i stay 

Once I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down. Mia's life was perfect...until one devastating snowy day. One moment, she was in the backseat of the car with her family, the next she was looking into the dead faces of her parents...and more horrifyingly, the dying face of her own. The car accident was surreal, and the scene was grotesque. She follows her own body, back to the hospital where doctors and nurses are desperately trying to keep her alive. As the day continues on, Mia realizes that she needs to make a choice. Will she stay with the guy she loves, her friends, and her brother? Or will she leave her world, like her parents did? In one day, Mia looks back on her life, and makes the ultimate decision...to leave or to stay. 

Thr3e 

 A nonstop page turner, Thr3e starts off with one simple phone call: You have exactly three minutes to confess your sin to the world. Refuse, and the car you're driving will blow sky high. Then the phone goes dead. The main character, Kevin Parson, is suddenly thrown into a sick, twisted serial killer's game after he gets a single phone call. Though he is barely able to escape everything thrown at him, he still can't figure out what he has done to upset the killer. The suspense is incredible, and it carried me to the end of the book within a day. And the end will completely take you by surprise...I was breathless when I finished it. I also heard that there is a movie of this out, and I could find trailers on You tube, but besides that, I haven't seen it. Anyways, the book was really good! If you like thrillers and suspense and endings that will take you completely by surprise, you should read this. :)


Nineteen Minutes

In the small town of Sterling, New Hampshire, nothing ever happens - until March 6, 2007. That day, Peter Houghton, a bullied student, entered his high school and shot 29 people, 10 of which were killed. As the story continues, you learn about Peter's best friend as a child, Josie, who is one of the popular kids at their school, and whose boyfriend both abuses her and Peter. As the story laces it's way through, you get to read from Peter, Josie, both of their mom's, the detective on the case, and the attorney's points. It's a full experience, and the story is phenomenal. Jodi Picoult does a fantastic job of developing strong characters with different backgrounds and personalities. Though you feel bad for Peter because of all the things he suffered through, the author makes it very clear that blowing up your school is not the way to fix your problems. And, to make things better, the author includes a "double twist" at the end of the story. It was an excellent read. 


Vampire Academy

Ever since the Twilight phenomenon, I assumed that every vampire book published after it would somehow relate to it. (By the way, I would recommend Twilight to you, but you have all probably read it.)  A girl meets a mysterious, pale, and mysterious guy. He's hiding something. She is attracted to him. He's super fast and strong....blah, blah blah....you get the point.
I actually came across these books when I was looking through Barnes and Noble, and I read a little description and was surprised by the originality of it. I asked for the first book for Christmas, but my brother accidentally got me the third, which caused me to buy the first and second after that. When I got into the first book, I was shocked by how good it was. It is a completely different world than Twilight, and according to the author, it is based off of Romanian mythology. The world was incredible, the endings were unexpected, and the characters were amazing. I loved every minute of it and I would definitely recommend it to you!




(I'll add to this later, after I finish some books that I am reading.) :D