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ireviewbooksstuff · 8 years ago

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1. Genesis Alpha (Rune Michaels)

.Genesis Alpha was recommended to me by a friend in high school who said it 'messed her up' and she needed someone to understand the mental journey it took her on. With an introduction like that, how could I possibly pass it up? I read this book in one sitting. Once I picked it up it was impossible for me to put it down again. This book is combination adventure, action, science fiction, and mystery without ever really seeming to be any of those at any one time. It is an indescribable combination but definitely one that made the book super thrilling. I was at times literally on the edge of my seat reading it, even turning pages so fast that I got paper cuts. It's one of those books where you really want to know how it's all going to turn out, and the ending is so unbelievably, satisfyingly surprising. This book, while being an awesome book to read just for fun, is also capable of sparking some actual meaningful discussions. I won't spoil the topic, but this book is mindblowing and so were the thoughts I was able to share with my friend who recommended the book and then with my friend who I forces to read it.

2. Raven Boys [Book 1 of the Raven Cycle Series] (Maggie Stiefvater)

. I LOVE the entirety of the Raven Cycle series. These books technically fall into the young adult category, but the themes are meaningful and the plot is mature enough that it is a fine read for anyone who identifies with an adult level of reading as well. These books are not only fun to read with an interesting, fantasy- based story, they also incorporate elements of Welsh mythology, a genre that is not common explored but is definitely worth looking into. The book follows an unlikely group of friends and has just the right balance of hard fantasy- ranging from physic mediums to secret magical forests- and real problems that make the characters likeable and even relatable. These books are categorized as heavily science fiction, which fits but not in the sense of aliens or space travel. It is almost like two great stories in one- the story of a group of friends who the reader follows on the path of discovering how they all fi together as a group, and the story of adventure and danger that travels across all of the books.

3. Shatter Me [Book 1 of the Shatter Me trilogy] (Taheri Mafi)

. The Shatter Me books take place in a post- apocalyptic world, so if you are a fan of the Hunger Games or Divergent, you'll probably like these books. I was unsure about these books at first because in the beginning, the protagonist Juliette is one of the most unlikeable and weak female characters ever put to paper. However, if you persevere through some of her more ridiculous moments, Juliette undergoes what is singlehandedly the most incredible character arc of any book I have ever read. She is a true badass, and she does what is right for her, not necessarily what others think she should do or what you would expect her to do as the presumed 'hero' of the books. She easily, in the end, puts both Triss and Katniss to shame. These books are also a bit more fantasy than the Hunger Games or Divergent books, in that they do encompass some aspects of high fantasy such as certain special powers of some of the characters. I was skeptical about this, but it wasn't at all overbearing and didn't have much of a hold over the story as to be ridiculous. The different powers and their implications are also very symbolic and sparked some great conversations between myself and my friend who recommended the series to me in the first place, also promising me as I am promising you that even if she seems hopeless in the beginning Juliette is anything but.

4. Cinder [Book 1 of the Lunar Chronicles] (Marissa Meyer)

.The Lunar Chronicles are for the most part guilty pleasure reads in that there isn't all that much substance in them. While they do explore some heavy topics in different ways (such as talking about the differences in people and how they are treated by having the main character, Cinder, be a cyborg surrounded by human beings who discriminate against her) they are mostly just plot books. Sometimes I like a little bit of plot, and these books had me so totally hooked that my friend and I went to meet the author when the last book came out. They also include some aspects of fantasy but what is probably the best part about them is that each book is essentially based off of an old fairy tale (Cinder is Cinderella, Scarlet is Little Red Riding Hood, Cress is Rapunzel, and Winter is Snow White) It is interesting to see these characters set in a futuristic world that addresses more of how they would fit in today and on their flaws than on the 'perfect princess' archetype.

5. The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern)

.The Night Circus is one of those stand- alone books that really needs to be read to be understood. There is really no way to explain any of what goes on in this book. It is part adventure, part action, and minimal part romance that definitely makes for an interesting read. This book basically falls into every category of every genre, and is one that I feel can be enjoyed by anyone. At times, it is hard to follow, but rather than make it difficult it just makes the book more interesting to read because I know that all I wanted to do when I was reading it was to finish it and see how everything came together.

6. Joyland (Stephen King)

.While Stephen King generally focuses on more fictional scenarios for his books (such as vampires or killer clowns), Joyland is more of a traditional murder mystery with very, very little of any of that brought in in the form of a ghost who barely makes an appearance in the novel. This book is fast paced and exciting, something that I hate to say I donâ€™t usually think about King novels, which I feel are usually unnecessarily long and drawn out. Also contrary to other King novels I have read, this one actually has an ending straight out of a slasher film or murder mystery movie that is opposite the often anti- climactic endings to King's novels. If you are a fan of mystery novels, you definitely can't go wrong with this one.

7. Everything, Everything (Nicola Yoon)

.This book recently became a movie, which of course I went to see. I have never seen a movie that stays so true to the book before. It was so good and incorporated everything that I loved about the book. This is incentive enough to read the book, but before I even knew the movie was in progress I was in love with the book. The relationship between the characters is entirely emotional, which allows an insight into the characters and how they work. Each of the characters is a good model for thought reflection and the book touches on issues in a way that makes them easy to understand while also contributing to make the plot better. They act not as a detriment but as proof of something that can be worked around.

8. The Sisters (Claire Douglass)

.This book was a trip from start to finish. It follows an unstable young woman who finds herself living in a house with a two girls, one of whose brothers lives with them. The four young adults are left to their own devices, but soon discover that mysterious, sinister events that live the newest member of the household feeling targeted. This is a story of jealousy and taboo with a twist that left me with chills, not only because it was unexpected but because it was beyond unusual as compared to anything I'd ever read before. Definitely give it a go if you like mystery books or if you like stories where there is no extreme plot, only a story that seems realistic in a place that anyone could visualize themselves in, giving the book a creepy vibe with its sense of reality.

9. Station Eleven (Emily St. John Mandel)

.Station Eleven was recommended to me by my Lit teacher, and it was one of the only books that a teacher has ever told me to read and that I've enjoyed this thoroughly. Station Eleven takes place in two different worlds: pre- and post-apocalypse. The characters are shown separately from each other and are followed through their times in the before and after of the apocalypse. I like the presentation of a post- apocalyptic world in this novel. Rather than the typical zombie apocalypse or the Hunger Games- esque type of dystopian world, this apocalypse is a flu or cold that literally just wipes out the majority of the population and leaves only those who are immune. There are no lingering effects like in a zombie setting and a government does not form like in many of the dystopian novels I've read. Instead, we see the lives of these people as they were before, and then how they were once these people need to live in abandoned villages foraging for their own food and trying to stay out of the paths of other groups. It incorporates everything I love about the Walking Dead without the typical zombie nature of apocalypse books. It is an exploration into what the world could really be like when people are left to their own devices.

10. Inkheart (Cornelia Funke)

.Have you ever wanted to be drawn into the world of your favorite book? To be among your favorite characters- heroes and villains alike- and see the events first hand right in front of you? For Mo and Meggie of Inkheart, they would do anything to stop the crossing of worlds that turns their lives upside down. Mo binds books. He has always done it and he's very good at it. What he's also good at is making the books he reads aloud come aliveâ€¦ literally. When Mo reads free the characters of the book Inkheart, he and his daughter and his late wife's aunt resolve to set the world to rights and be rid of Capricorn and his men forever. This book incorporates action, fantasy, and adventure while also showing an appreciation by the author for books and the craft of writing.

11. Hamlet (William Shakespeare)

.Almost everyone knows the story of Hamlet, even if they don't know they do. A man and his father, the King, torn apart in tragedy by an Uncle who seeks the throne. Sound familiar? Disney's Lion King is based heavily off of the main points of Hamlet. The original, of course, is much more extreme in the depictions of vengeance, passion, and madness. Before reading Hamlet, I thought I didn't like Shakespeare. Then I realized I just wasn't reading the right books. Hamlet is truly interesting, as is the modern retelling Nutshell by Ian McEwan, which I would suggest reading after. Having a modern retelling of a book only makes me more excited to read the original and then to see how the characters I have grown attached to are incorporated into today's world.

12. The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins)

.When I think of this book, the first word that comes to mind is suspenseful. This is one of those books- and now one of those great movies- that depicts a character who has dug themselves into such a hole that they are no longer taken seriouslyâ€¦ even when they're telling the truth. No one believes Rachel, hardly even herself. Is she making everything up, or did she really witness a murder through the window of the train she takes every day? No one can be trusted and no one can trust. The characters are put into positions of peril that are incredibly fascinating and dangerous and nerve- wracking. This book to movie adaptation is also incredible, which was incentive enough for me to read the novel in the first place and I' glad I did.

13. Enchantment (Orson Scott Card)

.You know the story of Sleeping Beauty, but you donâ€™t know it like this. Card explores a classic fairytale through the lens of Russian mythology in a tale of adventure, magic, and romance that only increases my love for the Disney movie. The story is explores more as an adventure and less as a romance following a male protagonist who has a lot of help from independent females who are empowering and admirable. It is a great version of the story and has all of Card's usual excitement and interest.

14. Dexter (Jeff Lindsay)

.Dexter is one of my favorite TV shows. However, as funny as the characters are on screen, they barely hold a candle to the hilarity and depth of the characters in the books. Dexter's dark humor is constantly on display in the book, as his thoughts are a running commentary throughout everything that happens. It is rare that a 'hero' shows so many signs of villainy as Dexter does. It is not often- or ever- that I find myself sympathizing with and rooting for serial killers. The reason I like Dexter is because there are essentially three stories going on at once: Dexter helping his sister at the police department solve crimes, Dexter keeping his identity a secret with his relationship with Rita as a disguise, and Dexter following the 'rules' to figure out who his next victim will be. There is never too much focus on any one area of Dexter's life and it keeps the book fast paced and interesting.

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