Will Grayson, Will Grayson by: John Green and David Levithan

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

By: John Green & David Levithan

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 310

Published: April 5th, 2011

Publisher: Speak

Purchase: Amazon |  Book Depository

Goodreads Synopsis: One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two strangers cross paths. Two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, culminating in heroic turns-of-heart and the most epic musical ever to grace the high school stage.

My Review:

To be honest, I have had this book on my bookshelf for about a year and had just decided to take the plunge and read it, especially since it received a lot of good reviews on goodreads.  I guess the reason for me waiting so long to read this book is because the description did not really provide much detail as to what the book was actually about.  This resulted in pushing this book further down my TBR list. In the end, I feel like the short description is a good thing since this book is packed with a lot of awesomeness that you wouldn't have even imagined.

After completing the book, I felt that it was an ok read.  What I mean by this is that there was not a lot of "sit on the edge of your seat" action, but it was a good book to  take your mind off of the heavier genres (i.e. dystopian) for a bit.  I felt myself trying to figure out which author wrote which Will Grayson and it soon becomes clear, especially if you are familiar with John Green's writing.  Shockingly, I did not like one Will Grayson better than the other Will Grayson.  They both had annoying moments and then some really cute moments as well.

I loved how Will Grayson (the original Will Grayson) developed throughout the book.  He started off just trying to be under the radar and not getting too emotionally involved , to knowing that it is ok to show your feelings and show your appreciation to the ones that you really care about.  The other Will Grayson (the extremely depressed one) annoyed me at the very beginning because everything he felt or said was coming from a dark and angry place.  But that was ok because once I got a better feel for his character I began to understand that he is not a bad person at all, he just shows his emotions a little differently.

There was one section of the book that made me feel really bad for the depressed Will Grayson pertaining to his friend Maura.  I wont go into that, so I don't spoil the book but I just could not believe she would do something so low like that.  No one deserves to have gone through the things the depressed Will Grayson had to go through.  I did not feel bad for the loss of friendship that Maura experienced because I felt that she should have a dose of her own medicine, but at the same time it is good to forgive and move forward from certain situations and that is what the depressed Will Grayson learned by the end of this book.

Tiny was a character that kind of annoyed me but I'm sure we all have met someone like him.  I feel like he took his friend for granted at times and was definitely out there as far as relationships go but he became really likable at the end (I can only imagine what his character looks like in real life LOL). I do have to admit, the musical turned out better than I had imagined it sounded FANTASTIC, especially the character Phil Wrayson. I was LOL'ing the entire time, it was incredibly hilarious.

I do think this is a good book if you want an easy read that you can just enjoy the characters personality and to read in between books with a more complex atmosphere.

Cons: The cons that I have with this book is that I wish their was more dialogue between the two Will Grayson's because after all it is called Will Grayson, Will Grayson.  I just felt that they did not interact much through this entire book and that truly disappointed me.  The last thing that I did not like was the connection between Gideon and the depressed Will Grayson.  Don't get me wrong, I loved both of them together but they just didn't end up they way I had imagined especially since it seemed like they had such a connection with each other.  I just wished that something more could have developed.
Final Verdict: 3 Stars

Dark Inside by: Jeyn Roberts

Dark Inside by: Jeyn Roberts

Edition: ARC

Pages: 352

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published: September 4th, 2012 (First published May 24th, 2011)

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Synopsis: Since the beginning of mankind, civilizations have fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs...and now us. Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even more awful is happening: An ancient evil has been unleashed, and it's turning everyday people into hunters, killers, and crazies. This is the world Mason, Aries, Clementine, and Michael are living in--or rather, trying to survive. Each is fleeing unspeakable horror, from murderous chaos to brutal natural disasters, and each is traveling the same road in a world gone mad. Amid the throes of the apocalypse and clinging to love and meaning wherever it can be found, these four teens are on a journey into the heart of darkness--and to find each other and a place of safety.

My Review:

It took me a few pages to get fully into this story.  I think this was because nothing jaw dropping happened (within the first few pages), although there were a few weird events that happened.  As the story develops you can see the start of a very weird apocalypse springing into action.  This story was very different from others that I have read.  Mainly because this apocalypse turned people into "monsters" (not zombies), but people who went to crazy extremes to bring harm to others.  So many people were murdered in very brutal ways. I literally felt frightened for these characters.  I couldn't begin to imagine having to live a life were you are in constant fear of someone killing you for no apparent reason (dead bodies hanging from trees...).  Also the thought of having to sneak around and go unseen or else...  VERY VERY VERY frightening if you ask me.

Somethings I loved throughout this book was Aeries demeanor.  She was very strong and seemed to hold it together when it was most needed.  I also loved Daniel. Although, rather strange and secretive he brought a goodness to the story line.  I hope to find out more about him because there are a lot of unanswered questions I would like to know the answer to.  I also really liked Mason because he had it rough from the beginning and was willing to put himself in harms way in order to protect strangers.  And for that he is very brave.  Overall, I really did enjoy this book.  Once I got through the beginning my heart was beating so fast with every turn of the page.  I am so excited to see what happens next in the sequel Rage Within, and I am sure I will read that very soon.

CONS:  I only have a few cons.  The cons I found while reading this book is how the chapters were set up.  It goes back and forth between a few different characters who are experiencing different situations, so it is almost confusing to understand what each character is going through.  The more you read through it the easier it becomes.  The last con I have pertains to Daniel who just disappears and reappears at the most random moments.  He lies so much and I just can't understand why he won't tell the truth about himself, or what he does when he is away. He is so mysteries I was hoping to learn way more from him, but I guess I will have to wait and see what the sequel brings to the table.

Final Verdict: 4 Stars

Forbidden by: Tabitha Suzuma

Forbidden by: Tabitha Suzuma

Edition: Hardcover

Pages: 454

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Published: June 28th, 2011 (First published February 15th, 2007)

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives--and the way they understand each other so completely--has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.

My Review:

I am going to start off by saying that it took a lot of convincing within myself to want to pick this book up.  I have had this book setting on my bookshelf for over a year truly scared of what the story would entail.  After all this book is about incest, between a brother and a sister.

This book is by far one of the most thought provoking books I have read this year.  Even now that I sit back and think over the events that occurred in this book, I can't help but feel a sadness that seems to never go away. Honestly, I thought I would be grossed out but in fact it was just the opposite.  I found myself rooting for Lochan and Maya throughout the whole book.

Lochan....poor Lochan I feel so bad for him in more ways than I can begin to describe.  The burden of taking care of his family fallen on his shoulders, as well as Maya's to keep the social workers at bay.  He was so unhappy for a long time and then when he finally got to a better place everything came crashing down.  The events through out this book did not prepare me for the madness that took place at the end.  I was truly left heartbroken.  I don't know how Tabitha Suzuma was able to make this touchy subject so moving, but she executed it amazingly.

Final Verdict: 5 Stars ---> A Must Read!