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shidoburrito's reviews
1533 reviews
Noggin by John Corey Whaley
2.0
Oh Noggin, you were so close to being a great book, and then you ruined yourself. The last two chapters held so much hope, so much potential! Then you ruined it.
Travis wakes up after the successful body-swapping surgery and to him it's the next day, to everyone else it has been 5 years. They've all gone through their grieving, given up hope the surgery would happen within their lifetime, and moved on. Travis and the rest of the characters all seem to have a good grasp on what it means that he's back in their lives, except his girlfriend Cate. She has since moved on and is even engaged to be married when Travis comes back. You know what that means to me? She's found a man that she loves and they belong to each other. Apparently Travis can't get that through his thick noggin and that is the main plot to this story, and it SUUUUUUUUUUCKED. So many great parts to this story! His old friend Kyle whom he helps come out of the closet! His new friend Hatton who is always there for him and helps him survive high school all over again! His parents who go through so much to make sure Travis wakes up to a world that he recognizes! But what does the story focus on? The infuriating plot that he is determined to have Cate fall back in love with him and all will be well again. Dude, she's effin' engaged. She is so patient, so kind with him, and puts up with a lot of shit from Travis with his shenanigans to get her back again, it almost makes the character unrealistic. Time and again she makes it known that she still loves Travis and they will always be best buds, but she had to set aside her love for him or else become incredibly depressed. Yet Travis hounds her time and again in situations the author might think are amusing and crazy, but I found super annoying, and extremely uncomfortable. It went beyond the realm of teen angst into intolerable semi-stalking.
And like I mentioned at the beginning, this was a major character flaw Travis had, and it seemed he was actually starting to understand. There's a great moment where he visits his body donor's grave, and this is two chapters to the end, but then he goes and blows it. His character did not develop AT ALL within the months that this book takes place. He learns nothing. And that infuriated me TO NO END. So no more stars for you, Noggin. You had your chance, and you blew it.
Travis wakes up after the successful body-swapping surgery and to him it's the next day, to everyone else it has been 5 years. They've all gone through their grieving, given up hope the surgery would happen within their lifetime, and moved on. Travis and the rest of the characters all seem to have a good grasp on what it means that he's back in their lives, except his girlfriend Cate. She has since moved on and is even engaged to be married when Travis comes back. You know what that means to me? She's found a man that she loves and they belong to each other. Apparently Travis can't get that through his thick noggin and that is the main plot to this story, and it SUUUUUUUUUUCKED. So many great parts to this story! His old friend Kyle whom he helps come out of the closet! His new friend Hatton who is always there for him and helps him survive high school all over again! His parents who go through so much to make sure Travis wakes up to a world that he recognizes! But what does the story focus on? The infuriating plot that he is determined to have Cate fall back in love with him and all will be well again. Dude, she's effin' engaged. She is so patient, so kind with him, and puts up with a lot of shit from Travis with his shenanigans to get her back again, it almost makes the character unrealistic. Time and again she makes it known that she still loves Travis and they will always be best buds, but she had to set aside her love for him or else become incredibly depressed. Yet Travis hounds her time and again in situations the author might think are amusing and crazy, but I found super annoying, and extremely uncomfortable. It went beyond the realm of teen angst into intolerable semi-stalking.
And like I mentioned at the beginning, this was a major character flaw Travis had, and it seemed he was actually starting to understand. There's a great moment where he visits his body donor's grave, and this is two chapters to the end, but then he goes and blows it. His character did not develop AT ALL within the months that this book takes place. He learns nothing. And that infuriated me TO NO END. So no more stars for you, Noggin. You had your chance, and you blew it.
Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop
5.0
I think this was the best book so far in the series, and the entire series is AWESOME! Want to read a book that shows the extremes in humanity? Then you've got the Humans First and Last group which you are hoping get what's coming to them. Then there's the cassandra sangue, the sweetbloods, which are so abused and innocent they are child-like and the best of humanity. Plus, it seems the worst of humanity is stirring up trouble with the Ancients, which even the Others are wary of...
Attack on Titan: Before the Fall 1 by Ryo Suzukaze
3.0
Man, I was hoping this would explain where the Titans came from! Oh well.
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
5.0
"Hey Angie, what are you reading?"
"Oh, a book about a sexually confused teenager who is recording the history of the end of the world as a viral mold turns his townfolk into 6 foot-tall, man-eating mantises."
"..."
And you know what? It is a WONDERFUL book! Yes, it sounds like a B-movie plot, and it pretty much is, but the writing and the characters are top notch. I think I laughed out loud SO many times. It is definitely a book for older teens, but heck, if you're hooked by page 2 like I was, I don't care who reads it, as long as they get just as much enjoyment out of it as I did.
"Oh, a book about a sexually confused teenager who is recording the history of the end of the world as a viral mold turns his townfolk into 6 foot-tall, man-eating mantises."
"..."
And you know what? It is a WONDERFUL book! Yes, it sounds like a B-movie plot, and it pretty much is, but the writing and the characters are top notch. I think I laughed out loud SO many times. It is definitely a book for older teens, but heck, if you're hooked by page 2 like I was, I don't care who reads it, as long as they get just as much enjoyment out of it as I did.
The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith
4.0
This book had a wonderful plot, but the ending was kind of blah. Otherwise it would have gotten 5 stars!
This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki
5.0
A great book that really gets the feel for summer friendship and growing up as a girl. Sure you talk to your best friend about this new world you're starting to discover about boys, sex, and your own development, but also what you don't understand about this new world. Love and sex can be entirely different things and people are not always who they seem, no matter how much you love them.
Dark Days by Derek Landy
4.0
Oh man, things are getting really real here! The characters go through a lot of development in this book. Can't wait to read even more! Seriously, you cannot fail with this series!