Ashley's Favorite Books of 2014

Here are my favorite reads of the year!!


1. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare. I didn't even have to think about my #1 book of the year. There was no question that this was my favorite book I've read this year! Cassandra Clare's characters and writing always gets my blood boiling. This book kept me on the edge of my seat! There were so many twists and turns. I was so sad when it ended. I really love this series, and it's characters, and I was sad to see it come to an end.

2. City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare. This book was awesome! I was flying through the pages of this book, waiting to see when Jace would slip from Sebastian's clutches. This book was filled with twists and turns too! I can't read any of these books without holding my breath--The Mortal Instruments is just that good. Read it!

3. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. This book was excellent! There were a lot of things I didn't see coming (and it's hard to surprise me). The ending made me so depressed and itching for more!! It was a genius cliff-hanger. I couldn't believe what Ruby did. I was legit angry with a fictional character lol. I can't wait to read its sequel to find out what happens!

4. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I've heard about this book for a while before finally picking it up. I don't regret it--which it why I made it #4! I'm not big on aliens or sci-fi but I really enjoyed this book. It was just so much fun to read! :) Definitely pick it up!

5. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. This book was good, but it was probably my least favorite in the series. It kind of disappointed me because Mara wasn't the same (though it was understandable, considering the circumstances). It was good though; very gothic and gripping and intense!

6. Divergent by Veronica Roth. This was a great thriller with tough, fun characters! People have been saying that it's like The Hunger Games, but I don't see how. It's totally different, or it was in this first book at least. I will definitely be reading Insurgent before the movie comes out in March!

7. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han. This is one of my favorite authors! The writing was great and the story was very original. It was a fun read, filled with love and family. I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel!

8. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. The story was very good; very realistic, and very intense. I loved the game Sky and Dean played whenever they ate. It was fun and I want to play it! Sky's past is heartbreaking and a reality for a lot of women; my heart went out to her. It was scary how realistic it was. That's what made it so good.

9. First Love by James Patterson. This book was sweet and sad. Their love and friendship was beautiful. I only wish it could've lasted longer. Though this book seemed like a The Fault in Our Stars ripoff, it was still good! The adventures these two characters had before tragedy struck was fun and filled with butterflies.

What was your favorite book of the year? Comment below!

8 Books to Read This Summer (2014)

Here are 8 books to read this summer.

 1. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. This is one of my all-time favorite books. The series is amazing, gripping, and sweet, but also tragic. It has a smorgasbord of cutsey characters to fall in love with. And this book made me fall in love with Summer in a way I never have before.

 2. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han. Yes, another novel by Jenny Han. A really sweet, family-based novel that will keep you wondering until the very end.

 3. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. A sad, sweet, romantic novel about two teens that have cancer. It's funny, sad, and then funny again. This book has many emotional twists and turns; one minute you'll be laughing at something one of the character's say, and then, you'll want to cry. The movie is to be released June 6th, so read it before you see it!

 4. if i stay by Gayle Forman. I know, not exactly a summer read, but the movie is coming in August and you might want to read it before you see it. Again, sweet romance mixed with tragedy, but it's a gripping novel with an exhilarating ending. It was such a perfect book that I bought it and reread it about four times that week. It's a cute book about love and life, and most importantly, hope.

 5. First Love by James Patterson. Another sweet, but tragic, novel about two teens on the run from their problems.

 6. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins. It's a quick, easy read. It had me laughing throughout with it's quirky and silly prose. It's a very easy read (I read it in two hours). It censors the language for the most part, there is only a couple kisses through the book, and it's readable for any teen!

 7. Summer of my German Soldier by Bette Greene. is an old book, but it is worth doing a little searching for. It is an amazing story of hope and sacrifice for the greater good. This book is a heavy book, a book filled with emotion and tabulations, but it worth every tear shed.

 8. Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter. A humorous, quirky, fun read that is perfect for summer. It's about a girl who is sent away to a special summer camp to learn how to use her abilities and realize what she is. There are many funny parts throughout this book--one minute it can be some-what serious and then, the next, someone is making a joke or something happens that is just so random and funny.

First Love by James Patterson

Title: First Love

Author: James Patterson and Emily Raymond

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Date Published: January 13, 2014

Genre: YA fiction, romance, contemporary, realistic fiction

Pages: 288 (hardback)

Age Range: 12+ (a character is given the finger, but no language otherwise or sexual content)




Summary


Axi Moore is a "good girl": She studies hard, stays out of the spotlight, and doesn't tell anyone that what she really wants is to run away from it all. The only person she can tell is her best friend, Robinson--who she also happens to be madly in love with.

When Axi impulsively invites Robinson to come with her on an unplanned cross-country road trip, she breaks the rules for the first time in her life. But the adventure quickly turns from carefree to out-of-control...

Review

A wonderful tale of first love. Robinson and Axi's journey is a loving and caring adventure. Their relationship is sweet and full of teasing.

After running away from K-Falls and everything there, the two friends go on a long car-stealing adventure--falling for each other along the way. They're glued to the hip throughout the whole road trip; teasing, cracking jokes, camping and sleeping in the cars they steal, singing, and their friendship developing into something more.

And then everything comes crashing down around them, and their road trip ends early.

The writing is good and simple, getting you through the chapters quickly. The plot is good, there's a nice, unexpected twist about half-way through Robinson and Axi's trip. The chapters are short--which I also liked. The characters are good. Robinson is certainly a charmer, but also an extreme teaser. Axi is cautious and, well, a good girl (but who wouldn't be edgy about stealing a car?), but loosens up along the way.

It really is a wonderful story about first love and how it can affect your life.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Title: Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

Series: Maximum Ride series #1

Author: James Patterson

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Date Published: April 1, 2007

Pages: 464 (paperback)

Genre: YA fiction, suspense, action

Age Range: 10+



Summary

Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, Angel, and Maximum: six kids who are 98% human and 2% bird. They grew up in cages, living like rats, but now they're free. When the bloodthirsty Erasers -- half men, half wolves genetically engineered by sick and sinister scientists -- kidnap little Angel, the Flock embarks on a rescue mission full of nonstop action, adventure, and soul-seeking -- not to mention a little bit of saving the world on the side.

After the mutant Erasers abduct the youngest member of their group, the "birdkids," who are the result of genetic experimentation, take off in pursuit and find themselves struggling to understand their own origins and purpose. 

Review 

The Maximum Ride series is meant for all ages, but there are scientific remarks that reach out. The characters are lovable, the storyline is adventurous and keeps you reading! James Patterson's easy reading makes you read more than you realize.

Max and Fang are my favorite characters. Max for her attitude and snarky remarks. Fang for his cool, reserved demeanor and amazing fighting skills. Though the whole gang has amazing fighting skills, Fang and Max are the protectors and everything they do and say is interesting.
 

I love the way how the whole flock acts like a family, how much they love each other and how far they're willing to go for each other. Writing is simple, easy to read, the plot is good, the characters are great and funny.