Hi, you guys! So first of all, let me introduce myself. I am Mauricio and I was invited to join this blog and I accepted the offer. I also have a blog in spanish that you can find here. So in this post, I'm going to tell you about the books I read during april and may sooner this year. I know it's almost July but better late than never. Without further, let's begin!
Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella
Synopsis:
An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey's daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother's gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she's never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.
Opinion:
Finding Audrey is about Audrey, a teenager with a diagnosed anxiety problem. During the book, we get to know the life of Audrey day by day as well as the relationship that exists between her, her brothers, her parents and her friends. Audrey's life is all peace until she meets Linus, the best friend of her brother Frank, who turns her life upside down.
When I heard that this book dealt with mental illnesses, my desire to read it increased significantly because I wanted to see how that situation was represented throughout the book. I have a friend with anxiety, and definitely this book reflected his behaviors and the situations with which he has to deal. Therefore, I can say that I felt that this book was accurate when dealing with such a delicate subject.
Sophie Kinsella was an unknown author to me, I had never read anything about her work, nor did her name seem familiar to me; reason why, I entered without expectations or predictions to the reading of this book. The writing style is simple and despite that, it never seems weak. This and other factors, influence that the book is read in one sitting.
The characters are fabulous, charismatic and they stay with a bit of your heart. Definitely memorable. In general, this book is an endless number of emotions, going from laughter to weeping.
The story seems a bit cliché but there is something that makes it widely enjoyable. It was a wonderful book that left a feeling of warmth in my heart.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Synopsis:
After a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson finds his seventh-grade school year unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson—a six-foot-three, mentally challenged homeless kid who follows Percy everywhere, making it hard for Percy to have any “normal” friends.
But things don’t stay quiet for long. Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: the magical borders which protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner by the Cyclops Polyphemus on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters, the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia—only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name…the Bermuda Triangle.
Now Percy and his friends—Grover, Annabeth, and Tyson—must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes by the end of the summer or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family—one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon’s son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.
Opinion:
Oh, Percy. The Percy Jackson series is a series with which I continue doubtful. The first book was not a jewel but it was not bad either. In this second installment, Percy and Annabeth have to prepare to go on a journey in search of their friend Grover, of course, without omitting the common problems awaiting them along the way. I saw a great advance between book one and book two. This installment even becomes more fluid, more fun and more interesting. I am already familiar with the writing of Rick Riordan, which I totally love, and in this delivery it was no exception. Percy, Annabeth and Grover are of my favorite characters of all time, I laughed out loud with this book. Anyway, there is not much that I can say, only that it was a good sequel and I'm looking forward to the next book!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Everything, everything by Nicola Yoon
Synopsis:
What if you couldn’t touch anything in the outside world? Never breathe in the fresh air, feel the sun warm your face . . . or kiss the boy next door? In Everything, Everything, Maddy is a girl who’s literally allergic to the outside world, and Olly is the boy who moves in next door . . . and becomes the greatest risk she’s ever taken. My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla. But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.
Opinion:
Everything, everything deals with Maddy, an 18 year old girl who suffers from an illness that does not allow her to go outside, until she meets Olly, her new neighbor who will put her life upside down. I know, I know, I admit I also thought it was too cliché, but no, it is not. I had been wanting this book for a long time, and when I found out that there was going to be a movie, I was even more eager. It is an addictive, dynamic book and is not monotonous at any time. The text is complemented by drawings, emails and instant messages that make the reading lighter and fun. The chapters are short and it's something that I loved because I usually get bored with very long chapters. The story and the characters are so beautiful. The whole relationship between Olly and Maddy is very cute and touching. You can even get to identify yourself with one of them. Carla's character is definitely my favorite, and the representation of the Mexican migrant was honest, without stereotypes and showing him as any human being, without always bringing a hat, eating tacos or having a mustache. In these times, representation is necessary. We live in a mega diverse society, and as Nicola herself says in an additional Q & A in my edition, what society needs is to identify with what they read. Everything, everything is a diverse book. If you want to read something light, funny and cute, Everything, everything is for you. I completely loved the book and I'm dying to watch the movie. This book is everything, everything.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
Opinion:
The hate u give is about Starr, an African-American teenager with a relatively simple life despite the environment in which she lives. Starr's life changes completely when he witnesses the death of his best childhood friend, Khalil, the responsible: a white policeman. Now, Starr must decide whether to raise her voice or to be quiet because of the fear that this causes.
This book was a bucket of cold water for me. The situations that occurred in the book seemed so real that it hurted too much every time I read a page. It had been a long time since I last read a book in which I was so submerged that I felt everything that happened to the characters. The hate u give deals wich such important issues as police brutality, racism, relationships, family, violence and vandalism nowadays. The hate u give is a book we should all read and analyze. I have no doubt why it has been so succesful.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So, that's it! Thanks for reading. Until next time!
Mauricio