Upcoming Book Reviews

Days have passed since a good book review has been tapped out by yours truly. Below you will find a list of books that I am currently reading, or about to step up to the plate to be read.

1) On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft– Stephan King

On writing

Written by a man who accumulated a networth of 400million through his written words, Stephen King promises to reveal his process as a writer. Read my review for this book here.

 

 

 

 

 

2) Among the Betrayed (Shadow Children Series Book #3)-Margaret Peterson Haddix

Among the Betrayed

“Nina Idi—a third child in society where families are allowed only two children—has been betrayed by a boy she loved, and aressed by the Population Police for exposing other alleged third children. Angry and confused, Nina knows only one thing for sure: she is innocent of the charges. But now she is faced with the most difficult choice of her life: get three other prisoners to admit they are shadow children and be spared herself, or refuse to cooperate and be killed The options are clear. The choice, Nina discovers, is not…

Haddix’s first novel in the series, Among the Hidden, delivers a powerful punch to readers. Click here to read my review of Among the Hidden. Haddix is a great storyteller, but her writing has declined since her first book in the series. Will Among the Betrayed rekindle our spark for the Shadow Children Series, or will this be a repeat of her weaker Among the Imposters novel? Time will only tell when we peel back the covers of this book!

3) Captive in the Dark (The Dark Duet Book 1)-CJ Roberts

Captive in the DarkAdult content is prevalent; this book is geared for adults, and some adults may be offended by it’s content. It is about a women who is held captive as a sex slave. This book will not be reviewed based on its disturbing content, instead it will be evaluated on whether or not it achieved its purpose– sexual slavery. This is a new genre and new topic I have dabbled in, I’ll see if series 2 is worthy of a reading.

Caleb is a man with a singular interest in revenge. Kidnapped as a young boy and sold into slavery by a power-hungry mobster, he has thought of nothing but vengeance. For twelve years he has immersed himself in the world of pleasure slaves searching for the one man he holds ultimately responsible. Finally, the architect of his suffering has emerged with a new identity, but not a new nature. If Caleb is to get close enough to strike, he must become the very thing he abhors and kidnap a beautiful girl to train her to be all that he once was.

4) World War Z-Max Brookes

world war z

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague year

This is the first horror book I have ever read. And yes, I am teaching this text to my middle school students. It is blowing them out of the water, engagement like never before have I seen with this book. I am very excited to review this book and share its horror with the world at war.

5)The Reason For God– Tim Keller

The Reason For God

Timothy Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, addresses the frequent doubts that skeptics and non-believers bring to religion. Using literature, philosophy, anthropology, pop culture, and intellectual reasoning, Keller explains how the belief in a Christian God is, in fact, a sound and rational one. To true believers he offers a solid platform on which to stand against the backlash toward religion spawned by the Age of Skepticism. And to skeptics, atheists, and agnostics he provides a challenging argument for pursuing the reason for God.

I enjoy reading books about God, because it helps rekindle my faith. My girlfriend recommended this book and I think it’ll do a great job balancing the horror I have proclaimed to review above.

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Book Review: Among the Hidden

Among the Hidden is the first book in the Shadow Children Series. It was written by Margaret Peterson Haddix. This book deserves a spot on everyone’s Kindle or book shelf, it is the first book I have ever read in one day.

Among the Hidden

 

In terms of readability, many should find it engaging right from the start. It is a slim novel, packing a Taekwondo kick to a head! What a wonderful book, and here’s why:

This was the first novel I had ever read that was about hiding; the author does a wonderful job engaging the reader’s senses, connecting us the dystopian world, and makes hiding seem like garlic fingers are running down a spine. Each chapter ends with an “o crap” moment, prompting the reader to continue.

The protagonists character is developed, and his hopelessness is somewhat frustrating. For me, the suspense was somewhat dialed back when the main character suffered internal conflicts about making certain decisions.  At certain points, his internal conflict lost its “spice, ” and seemed to stall the progression of the plot. Despite this setback, Among the Hidden is a literary nugget!

With my English educator hat on, this book is well flecked with literature that could be analyzed within a classroom. Loneliness, oppression, poverty, knowledge, and relationships are all themes that stem from this text. Many of these themes relate to a middle school students. Don’t get me wrong, this book deserves a place with an adult readership as well.

Haddix should be commended for her ability to write unexpected turns. It was difficult to predict what was coming next in this book, which is what grabbed my throat to keep me reading. I was lost in wonderment throughout the entire process of chewing on the literary nugget.

Here’s another fact: I will be using this book to teach my 7th grade English class!

9/10

+ Easy read, still thought provoking, possible to read it in a single day.

-Protoganist’s internal conflict is overbearing at times, which ultimately stalls the progression of the plot.

+Strong piece of literature that could be annualized in a middle school classroom.

+Chapters are not boring! Each one ends with a punch line that prompts further reading

+First book I have ever read in a single day, hats off to Haddix

+Unexpected plot turns that make this text a thrilling ride!

Care to read a review of the second book in the Shadow Children series? Read the Among the Imposters book review here.