Highlights of the Past Few Months

Hi everyone!

I haven't posted for a while, although I can assure you that I've been avidly reading. My mom jokes that we should rename the blog Two Canadian Readers; Only One Writer.

While I've been "away", I've read some great books. Here are some suggested young adult books that I've enjoyed, as well as some of the disappointments

The Good:
Divergent series by Veronica Roth
I had heard this was a good book and quite suspenseful and it was exactly that. It was captivating and action-packed. My only complaints, and I've heard these from others too, are that there is a lot of gun violence and it is very similar to the Hunger Games.

BZRK by Michael Grant
If you love the Gone series, you'll also highly enjoy this new series. It still has the same excitement and suspense as Gone but brings in a fresh new plot line and realistic and inventive characters. I've no complaints about this one and can't wait until the next book comes out.

Adam and Eve by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate
This book is very good, although I preferred BZRK. However, this is perfect for you if you want the same style as Michael Grant's other works but don't want to commit to a series.

Infernal Devices (first book is Clockwork Angel) by Cassandra Clare
I really enjoyed this series and can't wait until the last book comes out. I personally found this (prequel) series to be better than the original series (Mortal Instruments) as it had a more original plot line and the characters were more developed and not as shallow. Clare's writing has clearly progressed since she wrote the original series and she has brought new strengths to the prequel series. (I hope to write a more in-depth review later.)

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
I Am Number Four is captivating, action-packed and suspenseful.  It also has very likable characters and a creative plot line  My only difficulty was keeping track of the characters and their powers. Overall, a very good series.

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers
This book is quite original in the fact that it is the first book I've ever read that has Sassanian nuns! Clearly, the plot line is very inventive. It is also very interesting how the author manages to make this series historical, yet fantasy at the same time.

The Disappointments:
Matched by Ally Condie
I'm sure many people disagree with me on this one, but I still believe in what I'm about to say. This book was captivating, suspenseful, and yet there seemed something vaguely familiar about everything in this book. I realized later that this book was just a mix of popular dystopian novels, such as The Giver, The Hunger Games, and Divergent. Although it was well written, the ideas and plot line seemed unoriginal and cliche. There wasn't anything in this book that I felt that I hadn't already seen.

Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
I read the prequel series before I read this one, and I must be honest: this one was a let-down. It was a very good series, but frankly, Infernal Devices was written better by a long shot. The characters in the Mortal Instruments series seemed shallow in comparison. The first three books were worth reading, but at the fourth book, the series just went downhill.