Book Review 22. The Pigman

Book: The Pigman
Series: The Pigman (#1)
Author: Paul Zindel
Genre: Young-Adult Fiction
Pages: 166
Published: October 9th, 1968

Synopsis: When sophomores John and Lorraine played a practical joke a few months ago on a stranger named Angelo Pignati, they had no idea what they were starting. Virtually overnight, almost against their will, the two befriended the lonely old man; it wasn't long before they were more comfortable in his house than their own. But now Mr. Pignati is dead. And for John and Lorraine, the only way to find peace is to write down their friend's story - the story of the Pigman.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

“Be yourself! Be individualistic!' he called out after me. 'But for God's sake get your hair cut. You look like an oddball."

Book Review 21. Of Mice and Men

Book: Of Mice and Men
Author: John Steinbeck
Genre: Classic Fiction
Pages: 102
Published: 1937

Synopsis: Streetwise George and his big, childlike friend Lennie are drifters, searching for work in the fields and valleys of California. They have nothing except the clothes on their back, and a hope that one day they’ll find a place of their own and live the American dream. But dreams come at a price. Gentle giant Lennie doesn’t know his own strength, and when they find work at a ranch he gets into trouble with the boss’s daughter-in-law. Trouble so bad that even his protector George may not be able to save him…

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

“A guy needs somebody―to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick.”

Book Review 20. To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Book: To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before (#1)
Author: Jenny Han
Genre: Contemporary Young-Adult Romance
Pages: 355
Published: April 15th, 2014

Summary: Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her.
They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her, these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

“I don’t have to be so afraid of good-bye, because good-bye doesn't have to be forever.” 

Claire's October Book Haul

Hello! This month I went to the bookstore, which I rarely do, so I decided to do a haul. Then I realized even with my buys I didn't have so many books to flaunt, so this list will also include my library books, free Kindle downloads, and books for school.

Book Review 19. The Blood of Olympus

Book: The Blood of Olympus
Series: The Heroes of Olympus (#5)
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Middle-grade Fantasy
Pages: 502
Published: October 7th, 2014

Summary: Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them—and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake.
The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it "might" be able to stop a war between the two camps.
The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

“You can't choose your parentage. But you can choose your legacy.” 

Book Review 18. Prince of Wolves

Book: Prince of Wolves
Series: The Grey Wolves (#1)
Author: Quinn Loftis
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 230
Published: June 29th, 2011

Summary: Jacque Pierce was just an ordinary 17-year-old girl getting ready to start her senior year in high school in Coldspring, Texas. When a mysterious foreign exchange student from Romania moves in across the street, Jacque and her two best friends, Sally and Jen, don't realize the last two weeks of their summer are going to get a lot more interesting.
From the moment Jacque sets eyes on Fane she feels an instant connection, a pull like a moth to a flame. Little does she know that the flame she is drawn to is actually a Canis lupis, werewolf, and she just happens to be his mate; the other half of his soul.
The problem is Fane is not the only wolf in Coldspring, Texas.
Just as Fane and Jacque are getting to know each other, another wolf steps out to try and claim Jacque as his mate. Fane will now have to fight for the right to complete the mating bond, something that is his right by birth but is being denied him by a crazed Alpha. Will the love Fane has for Jacque be enough to give him the strength to defeat his enemy, will Jacque accept that she is Fane's mate and complete the bond between them?

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

“Don't mind her; she's missing that part in her brain that tells her to shut up.”

Book Review 17. Gone

Book: Gone
Series: Gone (#1)
Author: Michael Grant
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 559
Published: June 24th, 2008

Summary: The first in New York Times bestselling author Michael Grant's breathtaking dystopian, sci-fi saga, Gone is a page-turning thriller that invokes the classic The Lord of the Flies along with the horror of Stephen King.
In the blink of an eye, everyone disappears. Gone. Except for the young.
There are teens, but not one single adult. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.
Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day. It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

“But if all they did was kill time, time would end up killing them.” 

Book Review 16. We Were Liars

Book: We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Pages: 227
Published: May 13th, 2014

Summary: A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.
Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

“We are liars. We are beautiful and privileged. We are cracked and broken.” 

Top Ten Tuesday. Characters Who Would Sit At My Table

Hosted by the Broke and the Bookish

This week is 10 book characters who would of sat at my table.

Top Ten Tuesday. 10 Books I Want to Read but Don't Own Yet

Hosted by the Broke and the Bookish

There is an unlimited list of books that I would love to have, but unfortunately my opportunities (both financially and time-wise) to get them all are limited. I do pick and choose, but I need more! These are 10 books that I want to read ASAP, but I don't yet own.