EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU

 By: Celeste Ng

Plot: Story about a Chinese American family and how they deal with the death of their middle daughter/sister, and the events that lead up to her death. It's told from the third person and switches between all the members of her family.

My Thoughts: This book has one of the best opening lines ever. It immediately sets the scene and I was so drawn in from the beginning. I was really enjoying this book and then it got to the part where the mom basically abandons her family and I wasn't really enjoying it anymore. I knew I was going to finish the book but I didn't really read it for a week or more. I struggle so much reading about anything horrible happening to children! Once I finally got passed that part though I couldn't stop reading until I finished it.

My favorite part was once it got to Lydia and her point of view. It was so interesting to see what happened in the past and how that effected her whole life and even what was going on with her prior to her death. I hated both of her parents and the way they completely screwed up all their kids. Okay maybe they weren't completely screwed up. It was just frustrating how their parents were trying to fulfill all their own selfish dreams through their kids and the horrible pressure that put on them! Another horrible thing they did as parents was use Nath as a nickname for Nathan. I hated that. I was so happy (and confused) by the ending and that it ended on an up note. This is a good book club book because as soon as I finished reading it I wanted to talk to someone about it.

Favorite Quote: "Lydia is dead. But they don't know this yet."

Rating: 4/5 I loved her writing and how real the characters were.

VANISHING GIRLS

By: Lauren Oliver

Plot: This is a story about two sisters, Dara and Nicole (Nick). They were best friends growing up but are estranged after being in a car accident. Nick was driving the car but now has no memory of it. A little girl has gone missing in their town, thus the 'vanishing' girls. Also, I can't do this review without spoilers so be warned.

Review: I really enjoyed this book. I really like most of Lauren Oliver's books, minus Panic. That book was meh. I'm glad I didn't know that much about this book before starting it, or it probably would have seemed really predictable. I should have known something was up from the fact that We Were Liars author had a little blurb on the front of my book. And the twist in this book was basically the exact same as that one. I saw that one coming a mile away. Anywayyyys, point being I'm glad I didn't know there was a twist to look for.

I did not like Dara! She was just an insecure brat who needed attention. Who starts dating their sister's BEST FRIEND? She was just sick of being the third wheel and not the center of attention. I liked Nick and I liked Parker, even though he was a dummy coming between two sisters. You can't try and go from one sister to another, that's just awkward.  I didn't see Nick 'being' Dara coming at all. I wondered about her being dead. The signs were there though and a lot of stuff made more sense looking back on it. I kind of want to reread the book knowing how it ends now and see what I missed the first time around.

I want to fire whoever wrote the synopsis on the back of the book. If you give away a plot point that happens more than half-way through the book, you're giving too much away! Ugh. I liked all the parts with Nick working at FunLand. It made me think of summertime and that makes me happy. I'm glad there was a happy ending in the case of the missing girl, but also it seemed pretty unbelievable. I get being scared and wanting to hide from someone you think is bad. But wouldn't a child go immediately to their parents? What kid is going to be able to hide in plain sight all that time and no one notice? Whatever. Also, what was up with the rain boots in the middle of the floor? Explain that to me, please.

My Rating: 4/5 I was really engrossed in it. I generally really like Lauren Oliver's writing. 

REBECCA

By: Daphne DuMaurier

On the Back: "'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again...' With these words, the reader is ushered into an isolated gray stone mansion on the windswept cornish coast, as the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter recalls the chilling events that transpired when she began her new life as the young bride of a husband she barely knew. For in every corner of every room in the immense, foreboding house were phantoms of a time dead but not forgotten--a past devotedly perserved by the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers: a suite immaculate and untouched, clothing laid out and ready to be worn, but not by any of the great house's current occupants.  With an eerie presentiment of evil tightening her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter walks in the shadow of her mysterious predecessor, determined to uncover the darkest secrets and shattering truths about Maxim's first wife--the late and hauntingly beautiful Rebecca."

My Thoughts: I think my main problem with this book was the main character. She was awful! She acts like she's 16 instead of 21. Actually I've read books with 14 year olds more mature than she is. I mean who runs away when people come to their house? Or breaks something and then hides it?? In their own house! She just acts like a child. She is a huge pushover, so insecure, tries way too hard to please everyone, has no backbone... I don't know if the intent was to make the reader feel bad for her or what, but I just found her annoying.

[More ranting.] She cares way too much about what everyone thinks of her. She over analyzes everything! Maxim has a strange look in his eye and suddenly she's made up this whole ridiculous senario in her head about what he could possibly be thinking about. And it's usually bad. She just makes everything out to be so much worse than it actually is.

Never in a million years would I call this a romance! Their relationship was too weird! I honestly don't understand why they would ever love each other. I mean the thing that finally brought them together was just bizarre! I was not impressed. The only really saving grace of this novel is the plot. It is really well written and there definitely are some twists and turns in the plot with some suspense. The last hundred pages were my favorite. So the story was definitely good, but the immaturity of the main character (who doesn't even have a name btw) just ruined it for me.

Favorite Quotes: "I am glad it cannot happen twice, the fever of first love. For it is a fever, and a burden, too, whatever the poets may say."

"Happiness is not a possession to be prized, it is a quality of thought, a state of mind."

Overall Rating: 2/5