My Ratings:
Vocabulary: *****
Ingredients: *****
Satisfaction: *****
Lexile Level: N/A (I would say it is around 700L-900L)
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Psychology
My Opinions: It was pretty confusing at the beginning but I was able to connect the dots towards the end. When the reader first starts reading, she is completely thrown into a unique and fascinating setting. The setting is a society where no one gets sick or dies. However, there is always a price to pay because every four years, the town infects one of the teenagers to commit a horrible crime.
The main character's sister, Piper, becomes a victim to the fourth year disease and is soon sent to the Reformatory for leading many students to their deaths by making them jump over a cliff. Skylar was there to witness everything and ever since then, she has not been able to forget the past. The whispers and voices taunt her into believing the only way to get Piper back was to stop the murderous cycles of Gardnersville.
It is a book where the author will not set the scene and details for you immediately. Quinn makes the reader finish the suspenseful book in order to make his/her connections between characters, their history, and the mystery behind this town. I enjoyed it. Every chapter title is the name of a song from the '80s which I thought was pretty creative. It is a really good pass time read but I would not recommend for any high level school project reading.
My Ratings:
Vocabulary: *****
Ingredients: *****
Satisfaction: *****
Lexile Level: N/A (I would say it is around 700L-800L)
Genre: Mystery
My Opinions: Easy to follow, creative, gets reader to act like the detective type of book. Mary Jane Clark writes each chapter from the perspective of a different character in the book, even the murderer's point of view! It all starts after Piper Donovan, aspiring actress and part-time baker, accepts an invitation to Elysium, a paradise spa and plastic surgery center, free of charge for making the wedding cake for Jillian Abernathy, daughter of the spa's owner. Piper felt as though this would be a perfect way to take a break and sort out her feelings for Jack, a handsome FBI agent. Upon arriving, Jillian's housekeeper is accidentally mutilated and later killed by a mysterious person whose original target was Jillian. This killer will do anything to stop Jillian. The question is, who is it?
By the end of the book, I thought I had an idea of who it was because Clark does a good job of dropping hints in each chapter which helped me process all the information and come up with a possible prime suspect. I couldn't keep the book down and it is an easy and fast read. Some content may not be appropriate for all ages. However, it has the right amount excitement and description needed to keep the reader happy and busy on boring, rainy days.
Copyright (C) Bookaroma 2014
My Ratings:
Vocabulary: *****
Ingredients: *****
Satisfaction: *****
Lexile Level: 910L
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure Fiction, Novel, Psychology
My Opinions: At first reading the book felt like reading another adventure book where the main character must find his treasure and face challenges. But after reading it again (because it was so good), it was more than a good pass time read. It is about a boy named Santiago who is trying to find his Personal Legend. He started out as a shepherd in order to travel the world. Throughout the journey, he experiences love, learns about alchemy, and meets a merchant who didn't want to reach his Personal Legend. It is a journey where Santiago learns more about himself and the art of alchemy. Great read for deep thinkers! Not boring at all and a great read for school projects.
Copyright (C) Bookaroma 2014
