Maze Runner

Title: Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Characters: Thomas, Teresa, Chuck, Alby, Newt
Setting: The Maze
Book Length: 374 Pages
Summary: Thomas gets trapped in a maze, with no memories except for his name. The next day, a girl comes to the maze with a creepy note. And then everything that normally happens in the maze gets flipped upside down. And the only way to survive is to get out.

I thought this book was well written. However, it's a typical story. Someone gets trapped somewhere with no memory and they have to get out. Very fast paced, a little scary at times, and a good conclusion. The story, though, was not compelling enough for me to continue reading the rest of the series. My friends all loved it, so I guess I'm just weird and realized I can go read something that hasn't been told a hundred times. Ok. Maybe it was a good book, it just didn't appeal to my taste.

3 out of 5 stars!
This book can stay at the book store.

Matched

Title: Matched

Author: Ally Condie

Characters: Cassia, Xander, Ky

Setting: Oria Province

Book Length: 366 Pages

Summary: In a society that chooses everything for you, options are limited. When Cassia is matched with her best friend, Xander, everything seems perfect in the world until she starts a new activity of hiking. There she really gets to know Ky, a boy who has always been in the background. They fall in love, but not for long. They are soon separated, and after that, there is only one thing to do, and that's to find each other again. 

I liked this book a lot. However, I do prefer Cassia and Xander over Cassia and Ky. Ends with a cliffhanger but fortunately there are 2 other books to complete the series!

4 out of 5 stars!

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The Fault in Our Stars

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green 

Characters: Hazel, Augustus

Setting: Indianapolis, Amsterdam

Book Length: 313 Pages 

Summary: Oh boy, I loved this book so much. This book was simply AMAZING! Hazel is just a girl with cancer, and I loved the simplicity that she isn't a leader or a rebel or a superhero. Being a regular girl makes her a lot easier to relate to. Hazel then falls in love with Augustus and this is their love story.

After reading this book, I realized that people with diseases or disorders or anything don't like to be singled out. They wanted to be treated normally. So this book definitely changed my outlook on life. This book is insanely quotable, and John Green is just as amazing as the books that he writes. But trust me you will cry, and it has the biggest cliffhanger ever, but John will still remain a good guy in your heart (Maybe.) 

Warning: Mild cursing and romance. Read at your own discretion.

6 out of 5 stars!

This book was so good it gets an extra star so you better go out and read it!

Gregor the Overlander

Title: Gregor the Overlander
Author: Suzanne Collins
Characters: Gregor, Boots, Luxa
Setting: Underland
Book Length: 308 Pages
Summary: Gregor follows his little sister, Boots, down an air duct in their apartment laundry room and into "The Underland". Boots, Luxa, Henry, fliers, crawlers, spinners, and Ripred follow Gregor, the warrior in the Underland prophecy, on a rescue mission to find Gregor's father. Full of plot twists and excitement, Suzanne Collins vision is as thrilling as her second series "The Hunger Games". Super great book, with an excellently wrapped up ending!

5 out of 5 stars!
Drop what you are doing and go read this book!

Divergent

Title: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth

Characters: Tris, Tobias

Setting: Futuristic Chicago 

Book Length: 487 Pages

Summary: Tris has to make a choice that will affect her whole life. She chooses one of the five factions and begins training to become an official member. After her final day of training and she becomes a member, an all-out war between the factions begins. Tris is forced between the choice of faction and blood. 

Of course there was a cliffhanger ending! But I loved the first book so much, I went out immediately and bought Insurgent and Allegiant (The conclusion to the trilogy). They are just as amazing! (Allegiant a little less amazing but still great!) These books are fast paced and interesting. But read the book before you see the movie. The movie will make more sense.

5 out of 5 stars!!

DROP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND GO READ THIS BOOK!!!!!

Reading Olympics Series Book 5

Title: Breadcrumbs

Author: Anne Ursu

Characters: Hazel, Jack

Setting: Woods outside of Hazel's neighborhood

Book Length: 312 Pages

Summary: Hazel and Jack were best friends until Jack was enchanted and decided to run away with the White Witch. This is the story of how she got him back, after first telling us how she lost him. 

Such a great book with a predictable, stupid ending. There was such a build-up, and you just get let down. Definitely not among my favorites, but a good book none the less.

 3 out of 5 stars!

This book can stay at the book store.

Reading Olympics Series Book 4

Title: Ruby Redfort Look Into My Eyes
Author: Lauren Child
Characters: Ruby, Clancy, Hitch
Setting: Ruby's Hometown
Book Length: 383 Pages
Summary: Ruby is a seventh-grade genius, and code cracking machine. Then a spy agency called "Spectrum" recruits her to save her hometown bank from getting robbed.

Ruby is smart, clever, and extremely independent. It's a nice story with a cliff hanger ending, but a plus is that there is a series following it! Mildly long with a boring beginning but once you're in, you are not doing anything but reading this book.

4 out of 5 stars!
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Reading Olympics Series Book 3

Title: Liar and Spy

Author: Rebecca Stead

Characters: Georges, Safer, Candy

Setting: Brooklyn, New York 

Book Length: 180 Pages

Summary: Georges moves to a new apartment and the first person he meets is a spy. Safer and his younger sister, Candy, take in Georges and make him a "spy" and together they try to take down the mysterious Mr. X. And another hard year of school is in the mix, too. 

ANOTHER cliffhanger but happy ending. Major plot twists towards the end and Rebecca Stead leaves you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out what exactly is going on in Georges' world. Very well written. 

 4 out of 5 stars!

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Reading Olympics Series Book 2

Title: The False Princess

Author: Ellis O' Neal

Characters: Sinda, Keirnan, Orianne, Mika

Setting: Vivaskari

Book Length: 336 Pages

Summary: Sinda goes on a journey to find the true princess after her own life gets flipped upside down. First, Sinda is told she was a false princess, then she was forced to live with an aunt she has never known. To top it all off, her magic, after long being suppressed by a spell, begins to blossom and take over her life. She returns to a city where a nice Sorceress takes her in as an apprentice. When she realizes the princess that replaced her is also false, her and her long time best friend, Keirnan, go on a journey to throne the rightful princess. 

A really good story, however at times older topics are discussed. All in all, an excellent read, with a cliffhanger but happy ending. 

4 out of 5 stars!

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Reading Olympics Series Book 1

Title: Woods Runner

Author: Gary Paulsen

Characters: Samuel, Annie, Sam's Parents

Setting:  Pennsylvania during the American Revolution

Book Length: 161 Pages 

Summary: Sam has to go on a rescue mission after his parents are kidnapped during the war. Along the way he is hurt but finds relief in people who help him along the way. During one stop where a particularly nice family feeds him, an attack occurs. He runs away in time, but not before he watches the people who were hiding him die. Their daughter is now an orphan but finds Samuel and he makes sure she stays safe. Annie then becomes his little sister after his parents are saved. 

Lots and lots of history, and really depressing at times but not terribly boring. It's actually a pretty good story, just not even close to my personal favorite list. A lot of story told in a tiny amount of pages. 

  3 out of 5 Stars!

You can let this one stay at the book store.