Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky Review

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky 

Reading level: Ages 12 and up

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; First Edition edition (May 23, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0547371489

ISBN-13: 978-0547371481

Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches

Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces

Summary

Maddie lives in a world where everyone is on the computer. Everyone's life is spent on the computer. If it's school, socializing, or playing sports it's all on the computer. Maddie's mom is the only one she knows that still writes long hand and Maddie doesn't understand the use of it or books, especially when her mother gives her a blank book where she is suppose to write all her thoughts down. When Maddie meets up with a boy she has been tutoring on the computer, she meets a whole group of people she didn't know existed. As Maddie is on probation for selling her father's information to people who believe digital school (DS) should be illegal her father has trust issues and sends people to follow her with Justin. 

My mind has been slightly blown from the future that can be just a decade or two away for us. Maddie is an easy character to relate with in my opinion. She is insecure and watching her discover the past-our present- is just amazing. I find myself at awe at what we have on a daily basis that might get lost in the future. While I went along with Maddie's point of view I got so absorbed at the world they live in. Trains are the basic ways to get around and cars can not be seen for weeks. Justin-a little older than Maddie- takes all of our present day luxuries we don't find necessary and thrust them at us like a bone to a dog. Coming up short, this novel can be read in a few hours if I really wanted to, but instead I cut myself off after a few hours a day to keep a steady pace.

All in all I would recommend someone this book. I tip my hat off to you and see you next Tuesday. 

Uglies by David Westerfield Review

Uglies by David Westerfield

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (February 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689865384
• ISBN-13: 978-0689865381
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces

Summary

Tally lives in this dystopian world were you are 'ugly', until you turn sixteen and become 'pretty'. The technology in this world is extremely advance. It takes place centuries after the current time. They look back at us like we were extremely dumb, but that just happens after a few centuries because humans learn from their mistakes. As Tally has lost her best friend when he turned pretty, she meets Shay. Shay has the same birthday as Tally,so Tally would expect that she would want to be turned pretty together. Not at all. Instead Shay is the exact opposite. She's claiming that there is a better place outside the little 'ugly' town they have grown up all there lives. A place where there are people that ran away from turning 'pretty'. Shay's the rebel that will not rest or care if she gets caught, because honestly they wouldn't do anything to her. Tally on the other hand has waited for years, like every other 'pretty' has. She doesn't see anything wrong with the government because it has been like that for years. You turn 'pretty' on your sixteenth birthday and you won't have to do anything the rest of your life, except have fun at parties every night and day.

I personally love the world Scott Westerfield builds through out the novel and I just feel like there are so many endless possibilities that he could add. At first glance I was very hesitant with reading this book. The idea of 'pretties' and 'uglies' caught me, bewildered. Though it was tough in the beginning, I grew with the book as I progressed through it. The suspense did not keep me up much and Tally's character was hard for me to mold my mind and thoughts around to go through this journey with her. My favorite part of this book was mostly the dystopian points of the advanced technologies like hoverboards. How they described change 'pretties' freaked me out and I think about the actions they take. For example the flawless skin, stretching bones, and putting plastic inside your nose and checks, instead of cartilage was the opposite of the pretty fluffy stuff in paranormal young adults.

Wrapped up all in one I did not enjoy this book as I would like. I guess I have learned my lesson of not believing the hype. I might review Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky next week. Until then, I tip my hat off to you.