The Dark and Hollow Places, by Carrie Ryan

The third in Ryan's series about a post-apocalyptic world, it could easily be a stand-alone: Darker than the earlier installments, it is a sad and touching portrait about what humanity means in a world where there is no hope.

My rating: ***** 5 stars

Angel, by James Patterson

There was a lot of action. Max reunites with Fang but not on good terms. The plot is actually better than most Maximum Ride books. Angel ends up being the unexpected heroine.

My rating: **** 4 stars

Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer

This book was pretty good. The plot, character, and setting were well-developed.

My rating: ***** 5 stars

Portal 2

A great game with strategy, but it is still an FPS (first-person shooter). Within a few days of playing, you begin to understand the game, just where to put the portals. You will definitely enjoy this game after a quick 2 days of frustration!!

My rating: ***** 5 stars

Grendel by John Gardner

This book was engaging and some of the themes represented an accurate portrayal of the human tendency to judge a book by its cover.  At times it felt that the reader could relate to the protagonist as well as the antagonists.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

This book was very well written.  In the book, the main character named Edna was married and had kids, yet she was in love with another man.  In the society which she lived in, Edna was quite different from others around her.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The book was action packed and very interesting throughout.  It was about a kid was got sent away to a huge maze and how he tries to escape.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

I decided to read this book because I thought the movie was beautiful.  It made me cry many times and I could easily watch it multiple times over.  The unique aspect of the book is that it is narrated by Death, who constantly provides his snarky comments.  The young girl, Leisel, battle the unjust world of Nazi Germany and finds her own beauty in a world of war and turmoil.

Secret of Ka by Christopher Pike

Secret of Ka was about a girl who visits Turkey and finds a Genie Island.  It was a different take on Genies and presented them as malicious and tricky as they were originally portrayed in Arabian Myth.  It was a fascinating book and was pretty fast-paced.  However I felt that the ending fell flat.  Despite the dragged out ending, the story itself was interesting.

Endless Night by Agatha Christie

An absolute thriller.  A suspenseful, yet intriguing read, with an absolutely stunning plot twist at the end.  This is the story of a young man and woman, who fall in love both with each other and with an apparently "cursed" plot of land.  They may and settle in, and what happens next is a mystery unto itself.

Howl's Moving Castle by Dianne Wynne Jones

The plot of this book is amazing and the characters were very detailed.  My sister said I should read this one--I'm glad I did.  The characters were lovable and you could really understand the plot.

Sisters by Raina Telegmeir

If you've ever had a sister you know that it's a rough road, but you always travel it together.  Even if not, this is a great depiction of the struggles of 2 sisters.  On a summer road trip, trapped for WEEKS together in the car, Raina and Amara discover how much it really means to be sisters.

Tex by S.E. Hinton

This book pulled me in on the first page.  The main character, Tex, is a character that many can relate to, be it through his adventurous disposition or his struggle to make sense of his teenage years.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys realistic fiction or anyone looking to remember what time was like as a teen.