Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Jennifer Harris now Jenna Vaughn and Cameron Quick used to be best friends as children. They were the outcasts. Jenna used to be bullied for her lisp and because he was chubby. She would cry a lot which inevitably gave the bullies more fuel to their fire calling her Cry Baby. She like Cameron had a tough home life. Well maybe not as much as Cameron... Jenna's mom is never home. She spent hours without her and when she really needed her she couldn't go to her. She has no father and no one else. She is alone.

Cameron has a similar situation in which he is also alone. His home life is tougher. You get a piece of it when Jenna slowly starts to tell you the story of her ninth birthday at his house with his father. And then soon afterwards he disappeared. Just. Like. That. But now he has suddenly reappeared. That boy who loved her. That boy who cared for her. That boy who made her feel safe. But now Jennifer is Jenna. She has a stepdad and she lives in a nice house, has friends, and even has a boyfriend. She's also skinny and will always watch her weight, what she wants to say (mainly that she's not always happy like her boyfriend wants her to be), and that she always smile even when she wants to cry. She is shocked when discovering that Cameron's back. He's supposed to be dead. And with him comes a whole set of feelings that she thought was left behind with her nine year old self. And now he wants to relive it.

This was a great book. When you finish it you start to contemplate life. But there is also this wanting more at the end. It had some "unfinished business" that needed to be addressed. First Jenna herself. She completely changed her name and at the end it was like she was okay with it. Maybe now that I think about it it did address it a little. It did say that maybe this was her now. But it was very vague. Also the food. She did start to eat more when Cameron came and let herself indulge in some things but it also was not really addressed. Those things could have added more to this otherwise great book. But I have to complain about the end before I continue. Well.. I have to be more specific now. The relationship at the end. It was so ridiculous how it ended. Can't say more without giving anything away.

So other than that it was quite good. There was the mystery of what happened on her birthday, her mother frustrating the hell out of me, and Cameron himself. Cameron was so weird. But I think he was always quiet like that. It was just weird seeing him in Jenna's world. The ring was odd too. It sent mix signals for the obvious reasons as well as it was kind of stalkerish creepy... Now Jenna and her boyfriend.... she spoke her mind once. Everything she said I was totally agreeing with her on. It was a pretty memorable moment that would make all women out there go "yeah!" So even though I've complained a bunch about the book know that all around it was really great.

Rating: 4 stars

Chime by Franny Billingsley

Briony Larkin is wicked. She must always remember what she did. She sent a wind to knock her twin, Rose, down and she lost her wits because of it. She sent a wave to hit her stepmother which broke her spine which would have killed her if the arsenic didn't kill her first. She didn't kill herself though. Her stepmother loved life. She always protected her. Protected her from what she was. Warned her never to go to the swamp because her and the swamp are dangerous. They cause fire, water, and wind to come up and hurt everything and everyone she loves.. well she can't really say loves because she doesn't love anyone. She hates herself so how could she love anyone? It all comes down to jealousy. Jealousy of her stepmother spending more time with Rose. And for what? She ended up killing her. It ended up killing a part of her.

Now comes in the knight in shining armor right? Well sort of. Eldric the man-boy comes in with his golden mane of hair and his bad boy attitude. He becomes a friend. He actually makes her smile. He is there for her. But she's a witch. Unable to even cry much less feel that way. But why is it that he makes her want to cry?

As I got into this book I couldn't help comparing it to Plain Kate which I reviewed before. The difference was originally while I was reading that it was Plain Katey but easier to swallow. But it's more than that. The language was a bit hard to get into in the beginning especially with the self deprivation she had against herself. But I got into the story easily after that because it was unlike Plain Kate. It was about a girl who hated herself. A girl who was in pain. I just loved the story after that. I loved the tales of Wolfgirl and Lionboy. When he actually saw her it was truly magical. When she let a part of her let loose it was just fantastic. I never really thought about this till I got to the end. And oh how I loved how it just twisted into a direction completely opposite of where it said it was going. I had an inkling towards the end about what would happen but still. It unfolded beautifully.

I don't know what else I can say. Something cliched like it cast a spell on me perhaps? I guess I should go into the swamp. That's the most terrifying swamp I've ever heard of. It can just eat you up! The creatures that only she could see well.. also the Chime Girl who was no girl at all but an old woman. She had one foot in the shadow? world. The spiritual world I guess you'd say better. I just couldn't fathom from first reading this book how fantastic it was going to be. It was just that. Fantastic. I praise Billingsley with all my might! This was truly fantastic!

Rating: 5 stars

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

                                 
This is a book I never wanted to read. That seems to be a pattern... It does start off slow for me when I read it last Summer at least. Most likely more for me because I was reluctant to read it. I mean. A book about a boy running in a maze... not that interesting. But of course it's more than that. It's kind of like The Lord of the Flies or so I'm told it is. There's a group of boys about 50 of them living in a maze with monsters all around they named The Grievers. They are part animal and part machine. Just looking at them will make a shiver go down your spine. These boys have been living two years in what they call The Glade. It's like a perfect square in the middle of the maze where they farm, raise crops, and it's basically there safe haven. There are doors around The Glade to go to the maze. They close when it gets dark. Here comes Thomas. He is experiencing what everyone has. Being boxed in and terrified before being introduced to his new home knowing only one thing about himself. His name. Thomas comes in and after a little while something starts feeling familiar. It's like he's been here before. He wants to become a Runner. It's like there's an imaginary string pulling him to want to be one. A Runner is a person who goes out into the maze trying to find an escape by mapping the whole area. They need to be quick, tough, a decision maker, smart, and of course they must be athletic. They are the best of the best and he wants in.

The next day after he arrives a girl arrives which has never happened before. Not only was she there a month early but she's a girl! The Glade is only filled with boys. She has paper in her hands saying something like it'll all end soon. Now everyone is looking at Thomas wondering what he knows but he can't say that this place feels familiar he'll sure to be in trouble after that. But what gets him is that the girl feels familiar too. He doesn't know what's going on. He just wants to escape. He just wants his memory back like everyone else. He didn't mean to trigger the end.

This book is pure awesomeness. I absolutely love Thomas. He was one of my favorite male main characters in 2011. You just fall in love... *clears throat* Well, he is awesome. Chuck on the other hand annoyed the crap out of me. I don't know how Thomas liked him. He was his only friend in the beginning so I'll let it slide. It might have also been because he resonated home or something... but whatever. He still annoyed me and creeped me out. I loved Newt as well. What with his bum leg it didn't matter. He was still tough and he cared about Thomas. I remember reading this the first time around. The twists that I never saw coming. My mouth hanging open all the time. There is sadness also which is expected. They are a bunch of kids fending for themselves. But let me tell YOU. This trilogy only gets better. I've just read The Scorch Trials being that way. I have yet to read The Death Cure and I can't wait. It'll be a glorious finale. Too bad though. I'll miss Thomas.
                             
                                        Rating: 5 Stars