The Maze Runner--James Dashner

Title: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Publisher: Delacorte Press, 2009
Pages: 384 p.
Source: library e-book
Compensation: None
Read: August 2015

James Dashner's The Maze Runner

Thomas wakes up in complete darkness with no memories of where he is or how he got there. He realizes he is in a box moving upwards for what seems like forever when finally the elevator stops and the top door opens. Blinded by the light, Thomas eventually focuses on a group of boys peering down at him. Frightened and confused, Thomas leaves the elevator and enters the Maze.

Actually he enters the Glade, the home of this group of lost boys, which opens up to the Maze, an ever-changing towering stone maze that holds the only hope of escape--if the boys can evade the monstrous Grievers and stay alive long enough to find it. Just when Thomas thinks things are strange enough, the box makes an early delivery and this one is a girl who sparks some memories in Thomas.

I read this book based on a recommendation from my 11 year old son (and so we could watch the movie together ((book better than movie))). He loved the book. I enjoyed it as well. There are plenty of scary and suspenseful moments and I think this is the strongest of all three. This book leaves you with so many questions but is a good choice for readers who love all things apocalypse.

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Landline--Rainbow Rowell

Title: Landline
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St. Martin's Press,  2014.
Pages: 310 p.
Source: Library e-book
Compensation: None
Read: August 2015

Rainbow Rowell's Landline

I accidentally read a grownup book. It was my own fault really--I assumed because the author had written YA and because the cover just looked so YA, that it would be YA. But it wasn't. I suppose maybe you could say it's that New Adult classification they are trying to push now.

Georgie McCool is a TV writer having a hard time balancing her job with her family. Her husband picks up most of the slack, but when she tells him she can't go visit his family for Christmas, Neal has had enough. He packs up the kids and visits his family without her. Wondering if she has finally ruined her life for good, Georgie goes home to her mother's house and discovers a mysterious way to communicate with Neal... but it's the Neal from her past. Georgie is given an opportunity to change things, but should she?

I love the idea of Landline. I definitely prefer Rowell's YA fiction and I didn't love Landline the way I loved Eleanor & Park, but Landline resonated with me in a way I wasn't expecting. I understand all of the criticisms I've read about it. But I couldn't stop reading this book. I finished it in one night, which is not a normal endeavor for me. Georgie wasn't the most sympathetic character and Neal wasn't the typical romantic hero and that may have been why I was so drawn to them. I wanted them to work out and I wanted to keep reading to see if they did.

Although there's nothing in here to prevent teens from reading it, it's not YA. It takes a grownup's experience to appreciate Georgie's struggles and to be able to truly sympathize with a marriage on the rocks.

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Alliance--Mark Frost

Title: Alliance
Author: Mark Frost
Publisher: Random House, 2014.
Pages: 352 p.
Source: Library e-book
Compensation: None
Read: August 2015

Mark Frost's Alliance

This second book in the Paladin Prophecy series picks up where the last left off. Will has exposed the school's secret society, the Knights of Charlemagne. He decides to stay at the Center for the summer working with his new mentor in developing his new magical talents. Will learns more about his father, his new friends, and the sinister history of the school. Just as thrilling as the first book, this one will leave you desperately wanting more.

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Paladin Prophecy--Mark Frost

Title: The Paladin Prophecy
Author: Mark Frost
Publisher: Random House, 2012
Pages: 560 p.
Source: Library e-book
Compensation: None
Read: August 2015

Mark Frost's The Paladin Prophecy

Will West is an average kid living in an average town. His parents have worked VERY hard to make sure he is just average and does not excel at anything, whether it be academics or athletics. When Will takes a national standardized exam and accidentally aces it, he begins to understand his parents odd demands. He is instantly courted by an exclusive prep school and is followed by strange men in black sedans. His parents begin acting strangely and he quickly learns his only chance at safety is to enroll in the mysterious prep school. While there he uncovers a lot more than he ever expected.

This is an entertaining read that fans of supernatural stories, as well as spy stories, will both respond to. It's fun to read and hard to put down.

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I'm an Amazon Associate now. If you click on the Amazon links and buy anything I might make a tiny bit of money.