The Final Warning by James Patterson

Synopsis:

In this breathtaking new story from the astonishing imagination of James Patterson, a girl has to save herself from an army assembled just to capture her -- and maybe save the planet while she's at it.

Maximum Ride is a perfectly normal teenager who just happens to be able to fly, the result of an out-of-control government experiment.

Max and the other members of the Flock -- six kids who share her remarkable ability -- have been asked to aid a group of environmental scientists studying the causes of global warming. The expedition seems like a perfect combination of adventure, activism -- and escaping government forces who watch the Flock like a hawk.

But even in Antarctica, trapped in the harshest weather on our planet, Maximum Ride is an irresistible target in constant danger. For whoever controls her powers could also control the world. Maximum Ride is James Patterson's greatest character, a heroine who manages to be human and fearless at once.

Now, I must start by saying that this book was really odd to me. It seemed like a book that wasn’t part of the series, it just featured the same characters.

The storyline wasn’t entirely consistent with that has happened in the previous installments, and it just felt weird.

It seemed like this book was written just to talk about ‘global warming’ or climate change. I question whether Max’s mission of saving the world was always planned around this, or if it just took that turn when this book was written.

That said, being a young adult series, I don’t mind this book or series as a whole talking about such a big topic like that. It is a good way to educate young adults about global issues. Use characters that they have already connected with during earlier books, and they are more likely to keep reading and take in what the message is.

It wasn’t a bad book by any means. It was just weird to me and seemed out of place. I found myself spacing out a lot instead of being focused on the story. I guess this has just been one of the weakest in the series so far. I’m also not very sure what the title has to do with this book as nothing seemed very final.

3/5 stars

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Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Synopsis:

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.

I am so happy that this book captivated me from start to finish. I so badly wanted it to be better than Lola and the Boy Next door, and IT WAS! So, I was thrilled.

We are back in Paris for this novel like the first one. I think that may have been part of what made a big difference. The second book was just so unlike these two that it didn’t feel like the same series at all.

In this one, we meet Isla who has been in love with Josh for years. Once they begin talking, she becomes aware that he has feelings for her as well, and it goes from there.

These books seem so much more romantic and sweet since they take place in Paris, a city that is known for romance.

I enjoyed Isla and Josh more than Lola and Cricket which made it even easier to read this one too. They had great chemistry right from the beginning, and it was hard to not get completely lost in their story.

This was a great 3^rd book. I think it is only supposed to be a trilogy, but I find myself hoping for more books in this series.

5/5 stars

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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Synopsis:

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

I figured I had to pick this book up when I saw it because it is so well liked throughout the book community. I didn’t really know why, and I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t even know what it was about.

Normally, I shy away from books about the holocaust, because I was forced to read so many during school and I just needed a break. But . . . I bought this book without reading the synopsis, so I didn’t really have a choice. I am glad that I broke my rule for this book.

It was gripping. It was sweet. It was heartbreaking. It had a little bit of everything including a really unique POV.

All of the characters in The Book Thief are great. They are all central to the story and really make it work.

This book made me cry harder than any book has in a really, really long time.

This is just a beautiful book that I would label as a must-read.

5/5 Stars

Memorable Quotes: “When she came to write her story, she would wonder exactly when the books and the words started to mean not just something, but everything.”

“Even death has a heart.”

“He must have longed for it so much. He must have loved her so incredibly hard. So hard that he would never ask for her lips again and would go to his grave without them.”

“One was a book thief. The other stole the sky.”

“Humans, if nothing else, have the good sense to die.”

“She was still clutching the book. She was holding desperately on to the words who saved her life.”

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