Book in my Plastic Bag (5)

Post Poned

Sorry quick post. The Max week has been post poned for personal reasons, please check back next week. At that time I hope to have everything sorted out. Thank you

Review: MAX by James Patterson

On a note, I'm sorry that I didn't have this up yesterday to kick off the Maximum Ride week. But better late then never

(Blurb)

When Earth faced destruction, The Flock helped save it. But now, nowhere is safe. Millions of fish are dying off Hawaii's coast and someone–or something–is destroying hundreds of ships. The Flock has no choice but to go deep into the murky seas to uncover the truth. And to make matters worse, a deadly assassin is watching their every move. Can The Flock defend themselves from an approaching army and save the world from calamity? The battle for survival rages on.

(Review)

So this is the fifth book in the Maximum Ride series. Damn, doesn't seem like it's been that much. And I pray that this isn't the last. But although MAX was good and of course well written. But it was nothing like the other books. OKAY...That may be a stretch. Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel, are still getting themselves into deep sh--, er, um, crap. But in this book, it seems the Flock was too sheltered and controlled. Sure Max is still a smart-ass. But they are surrounded by adults and annoying flirting red-heads! *Ahem* Sorry Max rubbed off on me. Angel seems to be defying Max at every turn. GAH, Nudge is growing up and growing apart from the Flock. Iggy and Gazzy are, well Iggy and Gazzy, Nuff Said. And Fang. Fang. Fang. Fang. Fang is complicated, we all know this, but he is opening up to Max.

But I wanna complain. James keeps on bringing up the fact that people are destroying the Earth. Maybe we are, maybe we aren't. I don't really know, and this blog is not the place to talk about it. For real though, I don't really care about this stuff, well maybe I do. But I don't wanna read about it my book about bird kids. That just gets on my nerves. And the ending so very BLAH. Not much happens, and although there is action in this book. Not as much as the other and not enough to satisfy.

But worth the read if your a Max fan.

Book in my Plastic Bag (4)

Let me just start off by saying. I'm pissed. No, that is an understate. But lets keep this PG. Last night I decided to do a video for this post. The first one I angled the camera wrong and you couldn't see my head. GAH! So I made another one, and that one came out perfect. I got home today after an amazing weekend. Go to up-load the video. It. Won't. Let. Me! Double GAH! So I'm just gonna do this the old fashioned way. See picture for books

City of Ashe by Cassandra Clare

Wake by Lisa McMann

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Maximum Ride: Vol-1 by by James Patterson (Author), NaRae Lee (illustrator)

I had also gotten Go-Ask-Alice by Anonymous, I'm sorry I couldn't find it to get it in the picture.

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This week will be a themed week. It will be themed around the Maximum Ride series. I'm not sure how i'm going to be doing this, but I will be posting about the books everyday this week. So yeah, that should be fun.

Review: Thinking Straight by Robin Reardon

(Blurb)

If only Taylor Adams had kept on lying to his parents, none of this would have happened. He wouldn’t have been shipped off to Straight to God, an institution devoted to “deprogramming” troubled teenagers and ridding them of their vices—whether those vices are drugs, violence, or—in Taylor’s case—other boys.
At Straight to God, such thoughts—along with all other reminders of Taylor’s former “sinful” life—are forbidden. Every movement is monitored, privacy is impossible, and no one—from staff to residents—is quite who they first appear to be. There’s Charles, Taylor’s clean-cut roommate, desperate to leave his past behind…Nate Devlin, a handsome, inscrutable older boy who’s alternately arrogant and kind…gorgeous, secretive Sean, who returns to Straight to God each year to avoid doing prison time for drugs. Here, where piety can be a mask for cruelty and the greatest crimes go unpunished, Taylor will learn more than he ever dreamed about love, courage, rebellion, and betrayal—but the most surprising lessons will be the truths he uncovers about himself.


(Review)
Let's start by saying Thinking Straight was; witty, captivating and powerful. Taylor Adams is gay and in a relationship with gorgeous Will. And both are happy. At least until Taylor outs himself to before he wants to. You see his parents are over righteous religious zealots. And to them homosexuality is a sin. To stop him from committing anymore sin and damning his soul to hell, they send him to 'Straight to God.'

After leaving behind Will and his whole life, he meets the staff and residents of Straight to God. After meeting with the head of STG, (Straight to God) Mr. Strickland, he meets his roommate Charles. Charles is also somewhat of Taylors watcher, always tailing him and reminding him he's in Safezone.

Okay so what is SafeZone? Basically, you're not allowed to talk. Nope, nothing. You nod, or shake your head. And only under extreme emergencies do you write out what you're trying to communicate.

So we've met Charles, and just so you know he is another gay resident that seems to really want to change, he's almost desperate for it. But also Nate; a short boy that Taylor took to calling 'Shorty' in his head. Is in his third year at STG. And was originally sent there for Theft. Nate...There is a lot about him and I would love to dive more into him, but that would give to much away. And of course, Mrs. Harnett. Stern and at first she is hard to peg, but trust me you'll like her in the end. Tons of other character, not all I remember, but keep an eye on Leland, he's a great guy and the more you read the more you'll love him. And Reverend Bartle, I can't even get into that one.

So can STG help Taylor and others like him. In my opinion, the answer is no, and it has been no even before reading this book. But can it help others? People that steal or are on drugs? Sure, at least that is what Nate says. And he is right, stealing and doing drugs are wrong and even sinful. But being gay isn't. You chose to steal and get high, but you don't chose to be gay. So how is it sinful? Well in this book that's explained and it is driven into great detail. And the fact that we assume to much, or not enough. We assume. And half the time our assumption can be wrong.

This book was great, somethings to look out for. Taylor has flashbacks to his time with Will. And for the first time in my reading life, these flashbacks work and they are not confusing. Also, Taylor masturbates, quite a few times throughout the book. But hey, he's 16 and without his boyfriend. So, DUH. I wouldn't say any age for this book. But there is a lot of information and some very sour subject matter. So if you're looking for a read that is numbing and doesn't make you think. This isn't it and if you're like me, the thinking might give you a headache.

This book has made me look at religion in a new way, and while I'm reading the next book in my TBR pile. I plan on talking about this subject. Either in this blog or the soon to be blog. But no matter how you look at it, homosexuality and religion, when mixed can be very dark subjects. And guess what homosexuality is winning the argument. Whether you realize it or not.

Another Blog?

^_^ Yeah, that's my pleased face. I finished Thinking Straight by Robin Reardon. I loved it, but you will be seeing the review soon. Also I was thinking about making another blog. This other blog will be for the lighter side and mostly for only young adult literature. I figure since this was supposed to be a blog for reviewing the darkness. Maybe I should stop doing the young adult books and save them for the other blog. Just a thought.