Archive for Four Stars
THE HUNT by Andrew Fukuda Book Review
Series: The Hunt, #1
Publication Date: May 8th 2012 by St. Martin’s Griffin
Rating: 
– Exceeds Expectations | 
Book Summary: Warning! This summary is really spoilery! Geez, publisher. In a world where humans have been eaten to near extinction, seventeen-year-old Gene has only managed to survive by painstakingly concealing his true species. If the bloodthirsty creatures surrounding him knew what he really was–a human–he would be devoured swiftly and terribly. When Gene is chosen to participate in the government-sponsored hunt for the last remaining humans, it thrusts him into the fight of his life–and into the path of a human girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible. Now, he must learn the art of the hunt and elude his fellow hunters whose suspicions about his true human nature are growing. But most importantly, Gene and the girl he loves must find a way to forge a life together in a brutal world that’s bent on their destruction.
The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda Book Review Overview:
- World-building like you’ve never read before. Finally, a book about a human who realizes he’s vampire-prey
- Relatable hero; who doesn’t want a human to win?
- This is something that I don’t say lightly: If you’re a fan of The Hunger Games, chances are you’ll like THE HUNT by Andrew Fukuda, too.
In this backwards world, humans are going extinct. In THE HUNT by Andrew Fukuda, the main character must hide in plain sight by living among the vampires and pretending that he is one of them. But then he is chosen to participated in a government-sponsored hunt to track down the few remaining humans and eat them. Things just got a little more complicated…
As a reader who never quite fell into the whole vampire craze, I was so happy to hear that there was a finally a vampire book that appealed to me. In THE HUNT by Andrew Fukuda, vampires are the bad guys, not the love interests. The world-building is quite awesome because it steers away from the stereotypical vampire love that has saturated the young adult market. Humans have always been prey. But what makes THE HUNT so original and fresh is the fact that his characters know that a date with a vampire means he’ll be dead before dessert and not a happily ever after. But it makes me wonder: why have I never picked up a book like this before?
What’s funny is that I never noticed that the author never uses the main character’s name – or should I say, “designation” – until 2/3 of THE HUNT by Andrew Fukuda. I think it’s a bit unfair that I start using it now when I got so comfortable just reading from his perspective without ever knowing it. I also think it’s unfair that the summary gives it away. And speaking of the summary: Dude, the summary gives away like the biggest secret in the book. There are a ton of surprises along the way for the main character, and some of them you see coming way before the big reveal. While I usually don’t like predictability, I was hooked into THE HUNT by Andrew Fukuda because of the great execution. You can’t help but think: Hey, I might know what happens later on, but right now, I just want to cheer for the hero. Humans rule. Vampires suck.
It’s so easy to relate to the hero of THE HUNT by Andrew Fukuda because as a human, you cannot help but put yourself in the hero’s shoes. There is nothing that makes the hero particularly special; it’s the fact that blood runs in his veins that makes him a target. Against all odds, he’s survived on his own surrounded by vampires and it would really suck for him to just get eaten up.
And I guess I should explain why this would definitely appeal to The Hunger Games fans. The set up of the actual hunt is quite similar to The Hunger Games. Each of the participants of the hunt were selected through a random lottery. Upon their selection, they were sent to the research facility to train for the upcoming hunt. Beyond the set up of the hunt, there are few other similarities that would remind readers of The Hunger Games.
Furthermore, Fukuda set up a great pacing in THE HUNT. The last few chapters of the book were complete nail-biters. Andrew Fukuda really drew out the tension and built it up until the very end when the Hunt began. THE HUNT by Andrew Fukuda is an impressive first installment of a new series that I will definitely keep up with. And after the massive, jaw-dropping cliffhanger, let’s just say that I’m eagerly awaiting the next book.
Finally, I think this is the paranormal / vampire book that can appeal to boys. The romance is minimal at most and the gore is at its best. There’s no sparkly vampires in THE HUNT by Andrew Fukuda.
Other Book Reviews:
Diary of a Book Addict
WinterHaven Books
About the Author
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Find the Author
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Born in Manhattan and raised in Hong Kong, Andrew Fukuda is half-Chinese, half-Japanese. After earning a bachelor’s degree in history from Cornell University, Fukuda worked in Manhattan’s Chinatown with the immigrant teen community. That experience led to the writing of 
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Book Review, Four Stars - Action Packed, Audience: Young Adult, Author: Andrew Fukuda, Book: The Hunt, Genre: Action, Genre: Paranormal, Masterful World-Building, Must Buy, Publisher: St Martin's Griffin, Series: The Hunt | 
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WONDER by RJ Palacio Book Review
Publication Date: February 14th 2012 by Random House Children’s Books
Rating: – Exceeds Expectations | 
Book Summary: I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He’s about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you’ve ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, despite appearances?
R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.
Wonder by RJ Palacio Book Review Overview:
- Mostly told through Auggie’s perspective but also switches to the perspective of other characters
- Inspiring and touching story; Auggie is such a delightful character to read about
- Makes you think twice about how you act towards someone with a disability
There is always some hesitation in my part when picking up middle grade novels, because there’s always the chance where the novel is not as accessible to older readers. I didn’t have a problem with WONDER by R.J. Palacio in that aspect. I think that Palacio does a wonderful job of making her writing appeal to readers of all ages.
What surprised me the most about WONDER by R.J. Palacio is the impact it had on me in terms of my thinking of how I act towards someone with a disability or a handicap. Auggie is such an inspiring character to read about. His life is hard – there’s no doubt about that. And it made me sad to read about him. But Auggie is such a fighter and he tries so hard no matter how many obstacles get in his way. Auggie made me put my problems into perspective. My problems seemed so petty in comparison to the life that he lives. Furthermore, WONDER by RJ Palacio made me think about how I conduct myself in public. WONDER will make me think twice next time I see someone with a disability or a handicap.
At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the switching perspectives throughout the novel. For the most part, the novel is told from Auggie’s point of view, but randomly switches to other characters such as his friends. My dislike for the multiple perspectives was short-lived; I fell in love with Palacio’s writing style and I loved seeing Auggie from other people’s eyes. My love for him as a character grew even more.
The ending of WONDER by RJ Palacio gave me such a warm and fuzzy feeling. As a reader, I felt like I grew so much with Auggie on this emotional roller coaster. His character was developed so well throughout the book and I wanted to give him a massive congratulatory hug at the end.
WONDER by RJ Palacio is the kind of middle grade novel that should be read by all. It’s not just a “children’s” book.
Other Book Reviews:
Poetry to Prose
The Reading Date
About the Author
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Find the Author
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RJ Palacio lives in New York City with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. For many years, Palacio was an art director and book jacket designer, designing covers for countless well-known and not so well-known writers in every genre of fiction and nonfiction. She always wanted to write, though. So Palacio decided to just go for it. Wonder is her first novel. And no, she didn’t design the cover, but she sure does love it.
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Book Review, Four Stars - Audience: Middle Grade, Author: RJ Palacio, Book: Wonder, Borrow It, Genre: Contemporary, Heartwarmer, Makes You Think, Publisher: Random House | 1022 words
THUMPED by Megan McCafferty Book Review
Series: Bumped, #2
Publication Date: April 24th 2012 by Balzer + Bray
Rating: – Exceeds Expectations | 
Book Summary: It’s been thirty-five weeks since twin sisters Harmony and Melody went their separate ways. And now their story has become irresistible: twins separated at birth, each due to deliver twins…on the same day!
Married to Ram and living in Goodside, Harmony spends her time trying to fit back into the community she once believed in. But she can’t forget about Jondoe, the guy she fell for under the strangest of circumstances.
To her adoring fans, Melody has achieved everything: a major contract and a coupling with the hottest bump prospect around. But this image is costing her the one guy she really wants.
The girls’ every move is analyzed by millions of fans eagerly counting down to “Double Double Due Date.” They’re two of the most powerful teen girls on the planet, and they could do only one thing to make them even more famous:
Tell the truth.
Book Review Overview:
- Teen pregnancy is no laughing matter … but THUMPED will make you crack up
- There are two swoon-worthy guys in this book: Jondoe and Zen.
- Satisfying conclusion that is definitely worth your money
I can’t believe I had doubts coming into THUMPED by Megan McCafferty. I breezed through BUMPED by Megan McCafferty and I could not have enjoyed it enough. I couldn’t wait to read more about Harmony and Melody, but I couldn’t help but feel a bit of apprehension when I picked up the sequel. Would THUMPED by Megan McCafferty be as funny? Would it live up to my expectations? The answer is yes. THUMPED by Megan McCafferty is the perfect conclusion to Melody and Harmony’s story.
I think it is important to remember the author’s intention when reading THUMPED by Megan McCafferty. No, she is not trying to promote teen pregnancy. McCafferty is forcing readers to think about media and society and the way we portray teen pregnancies. We shouldn’t be glamorizing teen pregnancies. We shouldn’t be making these pregnancies as a form of entertainment on MTV. By poking fun of teen pregnancies in the most hilarious and absurd way ever, Megan McCafferty forces you to realize how serious the matter is. The world in BUMPED and THUMPED is based on reality.
It’s been a while since I read BUMPED so immediately, I had a problem differentiating between Harmony and Melody. They are completely different people, but because of the similarity of their musical names I have difficulty in remembering who’s who. I can finally tell the two apart, but it did take me a couple of chapters to get used to their names again.
I loved reading about Harmony and Melody and seeing them grow as characters from the first book to the end of THUMPED by Megan McCafferty. Harmony obviously changed a lot more than Melody because she previously had such a conservative lifestyle. I found it inspiring to read about how she finally manages to balance out her religion with her other beliefs. It’s not as if she traded religion for a whole new life with her sister, Melody. She found a way to live with both, and I honestly respect that.
Furthermore, I definitely got my romance fix in THUMPED by Megan McCafferty. Okay, Jondoe is seriously pushing tacky at times, but there are other moments where he just made my heart melt. His intentions are so pure – sometimes a little bit naive – that you just can’t help but fall for him a little. I know Harmony has a reason to distrust him, but I really couldn’t help but cheer her on to trust him again.
On the other hand, there’s Zen. Oh my gosh. Of the two guys, Zen has my heart. I seriously love the chemistry between Melody and Zen. Reading about the two of them was one of the biggest highlights of the book. I probably sped through the book so quickly just to read how the conflict between the two of them would be resolved. I wish that there were more chapters that focused on the two of them, and I did feel that Harmony and Jondoe overshadowed the others at times.
The ending of THUMPED by Megan McCafferty was satisfying, but at the same time, it was not tied up entirely. Readers can only guess what will happen to Harmony and Melody, and what impact the truth might have for the rest of the country and even the rest of the world. Harmony and Melody did not end teen pregnancy – that is something completely out of their hands. But they managed to make an impact in the way they can. The open ending leaves the characters in the book to act upon the sisters’ impact and create even more change.
I strongly urge you to pick this up if you read and loved BUMPED by Megan McCafferty. If you’re a fan of her Jessica Darling series, you should really read this series. They’re completely different and you really won’t find yourself comparing the two.
Other Book Reviews:
Birth of a New Witch
I Eat Words
About the Author
Megan edited a short story anthology called SIXTEEN: Stories About That Sweet and Bitter Birthday. She has contributed to several fiction and nonfiction anthologies including DEAR BULLY, MY LITTLE RED BOOK, DOES THIS BOOK MAKE ME LOOK FAT? and EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BEING A GIRL I LEARNED FROM JUDY BLUME. Her work has been translated into eleven languages, including German, Chinese and Hungarian. |
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Megan McCafferty is the author of BUMPED, a satirical dystopian YA novel published by the Balzer + Bray imprint of HarperCollins. She also wrote the bestselling Jessica Darling series: SLOPPY FIRSTS, SECOND HELPINGS, CHARMED THIRDS, FOURTH COMINGS and PERFECT FIFTHS.
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Book Review, Four Stars - Audience: Young Adult, Author: Megan McCafferty, Book: Thumped, Genre: Dystopia, Genre: Humor, Genre: Science Fiction, Hahaha Funny, Must Buy, Page-Turner, Publisher: Balzer + Bray, Romantic Read, Series: Bumped | 1468 words
- Keeps You Guessing
- Poetic Prose
- Tear-Jerker
