Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Synopsis
Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte's only novel, is one of the pinnacles of 19th-century English literature. It's the story of Heathcliff, an orphan who falls in love with a girl above his class, loses her, and devotes the rest of his life to wreaking revenge on her family.

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I think I prefer Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre to her sisters Gothic volume. Then again I've only read this novel once(except the first couple chapters, I had to reread those half a dozen times to get through the book!)when it took me several times over to distinguish my love for Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice. Many things jumped out at me but one thing that escaped my attention was the romance. There was power, intensity, and madness but I found it difficult in seeing true love, it was so contorted. Plenty of hate going around, that much was obvious.

Mr. Heathcliff was a dark, dark character. Maybe too dark for me. His conniving and scheming turned me away though I wanted to like him, but it was impossible. The first Catherine I really couldn't stand, her daughter though I wanted so much to have a happy ending. The characters I couldn't stand the most were Linton, he clearly had no backbone whatsoever, and Joseph, though of no fault of his own. Mainly because I didn't understand a single word of his printed accent. It was so unbearable that I had to skip over his ramblings, and I hate doing that.

Another aspect of this novel that annoyed me was how the story was told by Nelly to her new master. Seriously, I didn't see the point of it all, except to muddle things up more if possible. That being said I think this novel will appeal to me more once I read it a couple times. Who knows when that will happen though. :)

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

Synopsis
There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.
Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.
But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really love this series but I must say the first two books blew this one out of the water. I think this book was more focused on tying loose ends then telling Annah's story, which is what I was mostly looking for! Also there wasn't as much action/drama/loss than in the predecessors. However the story was excellent and I loved Annah... most of the time.

She is so closed off and is severely crippled in trust and love from the time Elias left her to join the recruiters. I never did like Elias much, and after reading this my opinion hasn't changed. I'm more a Cather fanatic myself <3 :) Though I wish he had found someone more "right" I guess for himself. Awfully convenient for Catcher to fall in love with the sister. :/

Like I said earlier there wasn't as much action as the last two novels. In the others the tension was constant, palpable almost. It was like a train wreck you can't not look at. Here though it was more subdued and a little monotonous even towards the end. Not that there wasn't any action, there was some, but that felt more subdued as well. There was none of Mary's tenacity or Gabry's selflessness. For Annah I didn't see a specific trait that kept popping up, that made her stand out. And while the ending was beautiful, I couldn't help but think 'This is it? This is what I waited for?' This seems like a very mixed review so I'll say this: An excellent story, but not the one I was hoping for.

Plague (Gone #4) by Michael Grant

Synopsis
This is a blood-pumping, white-knuckle sci-fi thriller of epic proportions. The FAYZ goes from bad to worse...The darkness has been foiled once again and the resurrected Drake has been contained. But the streets of Perdido Beach are far from safe, with a growing army of mutants fighting against the humans for power in the town. In a small room of a house near the edge of town, Little Pete lies ill on a bed. In his fevered dreams, he continues his battle with the hidden evil that seeks to use his power to bring about anarchy and destruction.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I am shocked. More outrageous insanity. BUT! And this is the only reason I gave it three instead of two stars, it actually goes somewhere in this book! There will definitely be a fifth installment which I'm sort of looking forward too, I use "looking forward to" very lightly because this series really doesn't do anything for me. Mainly I want to continue the series just to see how everything turns out with the new rules and socities set in place.

Also because O.M.G. it has happened! There will be a highly anticipated new character coming into the series although I feel I'm going to be a little disappointed already... Hm. Little teasing spoiler, someone is pregnant! As far as characterization, again I was amused by Astrid, although toward the end I came to despise her more than anything else. So frustrating when Sam's heart is on the line. (Face it, everyone loves Sam.) A character I really enjoyed this time around was Sanjit, who was introduced in Lies. He provides some much needed comic relief, eh, well most of the time.

The gaiaphage is particularly tricky in his demonic plotting this time. His newest plan involves beings repellent to most of the assorted powers...(Damn! another spoiler!) And oh yea! Caine. I haven't said anything about him in the Lies review since he never seemed that big a character or that integral to the plot, though he really was, but he's somehow managed to get into the spotlight, ruffian. It'll be interesting to see how he goes about the next book or so. He's finally gotten his ambition, but I'm wondering to what cost?

Lies (Gone #3)Lies by Michael Grant

Synopsis

It's been seven months since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

It happens in one night. A girl who died now walks among the living; Zil and the Human Crew set fire to Perdido Beach; and amid the flames and smoke, Sam sees the figure of the boy he fears the most: Drake. But Drake is dead. Sam and Caine defeated him along with the Darkness—or so they thought.

As Perdido Beach burns, battles rage: Astrid against the Town Council; the Human Crew versus the mutants; and Sam against Drake, who is back from the dead and ready to finish where he and Sam left off. And all the while deadly rumors are raging like the fire itself, spread by the prophetess Orsay and her companion, Nerezza. They say that death is a way to escape the FAYZ. Conditions are worse than ever and kids are desperate to get out. But are they desperate enough to believe that death will set them free?

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Well if this series can get any more ridiculous, I will be shocked. Seriously? Orsay is now a prophet and can see through the FAYZ wall. While that may be okay, (and preposterous as well), why is no one suspicious of her protector? Where did she come from? From the beginning I knew almost everything that was gonna happen in this book. Why? Well the title gave it all away. Same with the other books in this series. I guess it's supposed to be a small hint, only for me it rips the plot right open.

What I enjoyed most from this book is Astrid's downfall. She's so retarded in her genius-ness. On the other hand it was heartbreaking watching Sam. I genuinely like Sam, even though he's stupid and has no idea what he's doing. Still, I want him to find his happy ending. Not much else to say here, except the HC finally got what was coming to them.