The Orphan, The Soulcatcher, and The Black Blizzard Blog Tour Book Review

Hi Guys,
Today I'm doing a blog tour post for The Orphan The Soulcatcher and The Black Blizzard by Kimberlee Ann Bastian. I'll be giving my review on this novel, and I'll give it my rating based on my honest opinions. You can purchase this book on amazon, whether in paperback, or e-book edition for your kindle. This blog tour is hosted by Young Adult Novel Reader, and you can click HERE to get a list of blogs who are also partaking in this blog tour. I really enjoyed this book, even though I was wary at first. Here is the synopsis of this novel:

Most of his life, Charlie Reese has been surrounded by a loving family and all the comforts of home. But when a house fire claims them, he and his cousin, Jimmy are sent to an orphanage in the heart of ‘Depression Era’ Chicago. A year later, Charlie’s life is shaken by yet another tragedy and with it comes the mysterious introduction of a secretive runaway, named Bartholomew. As Charlie begins to discover more about his new companion, he unknowingly becomes a participant in a two-hundred year old secret. Come the morning of the Black Blizzard, Charlie finds he must make a choice - flee the destiny laden at his feet or take on his responsibility and follow a path full of supernatural wonders.

My first impression of this book was good, I read the synopsis on Young Adult Novel Reader's post, and it did not show a cover. As you guys know I can't help but judge a book by it's cover. If I would have seen the cover of this novel before signing up for a review, I probably wouldn't have signed up... not because I don't like the cover, it's just that it doesn't POP to me. However, I'm very glad I read the synopsis first, because this novel was very good. It was a little slow for me at first... and by at first, I mean the first chapter, because after that first chapter the author took you on a wild-ride that you couldn't get off of if you wanted to. One thing I disliked at the beginning of this book, was the immediate death of one of the characters, I didn't get a real connection with him, so when other characters would mourn his death later, I felt weird reading why they would sob, and not being able to feel what they did for the character. A few other things I didn't like about this book were:

• There were several grammatical/spelling errors throughout the book

• There was a repetitive use of descriptions (Ex. The Grocer was described as the portly man...so... The portly man walked towards the door, then the portly man did this or that). It just got a little annoying after a while. 

Those were the very few things that I disliked about this book. There is something that I didn't know whether to like or hate... It seemed that very little about the mythology was revealed until the end, and yet it was mentioned several times throughout the book, and I didn't understand what they were saying sometimes. It was definitely better to not think to hard at the beginning of this book about the mythology, It'll all come together in the end. Which was one thing I really liked about this book, because not all authors bring the story to a good ending for the first book, so that it's closed revealing all the things you had questions about, but it still left things to be revealed for the second book. Some other things I liked were:

• Great/Relatable Characters (Buck and Charlie specifically, my personal favorite was Buck.)
• There was a lot of mystery and suspense (There were two original scenes in this book that had me on the edge of my seat: the Pool (Billiards) scene, and also the Harmonica contest. I wasn't expecting to be so interested in these two scenes, but I was... and I Loved it!)
• The mythology of this book was amazingly original, and I loved learning more about it as the story progressed. 
• The author's story-telling skills were very good as well.
•   Left a perfect set-up for book 2

I also found myself highlighting two quotes on my kindle from this book. Those quotes were:

• "If anything, fear the man who does not keep his word, for he is the truest of tricksters and cannot be trusted."
• "Buck, sometimes it's not about being brave or having something to prove, but rather taking the risk because you have nothing to lose."

Alright, it's time for my rating. My rating for this book is (Drum-Roll) 4/5 STARS! The great things in this book outweighed the bad things. I look forward to The Breedling & The Trickster, which comes out later on this year. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an original, refreshing, and wonderful read. The things I didn't like about this book will not be a problem for you unless you are a member of the grammar police like I am, but even if you are you will enjoy this book, but a little less than everyone else.

 Don't forget to check out the author at these sites:
goodreads
facebook
twitter 

If you would like to purchase The Orphan The Soulcatcher and the Black Blizzard you can do so HERE.


 

Waiting on Wednesday (4)

Hi Guys,
I'm sorry I haven't posted a WoW in two weeks, but I've been kind of busy with summer projects, but I couldn't hold off on this post any longer. So this is my fourth WoW post, and Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This Wednesday I'm waiting on:

Light (Gone #6)

by Michael Grant

unknown number of pages

Katherine Tegen

Sometime in 2013

YA

There is currently no synopsis for Light, but I've read books 1-5 in the Gone series, so I believe I understand a little of what may happen. For those of you who have read the Gone series, and finished Fear, you know what Grant led up to while finishing Fear. I believe that this will be one of the most epic book finales in history, and I know that Michael Grant will choose wisely as to how it will end, so I'm not worried about it not meeting my expectations. 

This is the final book in the Gone series, and I'm very excited about it! I've followed this series since Gone was published, and I can't wait to see how everything ties together, and to find out who makes it out of the FAYZ alive, and what happens after the FAYZ. 

The cover of this novel is wonderful, I think it may just be my favorite cover of the series (with Fear as a close second).

This is going to be my favorite book of 2013, and I can't wait to find out how many pages it is, and I'm hoping for a long Harry Potter 7/Breaking Dawn sized book to end this series... but I'd be fine if it wasn't.

So if you haven't read the Gone series, please do, it's my favorite book series, and I'd love for you guys to read it, and fall in love with it as much as I have. 

Are you guys waiting for this book, leave a comment telling me what book your waiting for today. 

Stay posted on the blog, to see what I'll be waiting for next Wednesday... or the Wednesday after that... or even the Wednesday after that... let's just hope it's soon! 

YALL FEST 2012

Hi Guys,
Today's post is going to be about the YALL FEST which will be hosted in Charleston SC, November 9th and 10th. This will be the second year of YALL FEST, which is put together by the authors Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. On the website, the About tab wraps this even up better than I can, and it states:

"Who’s coming: 44 (and counting) of the country’s top YA authors, including 25 New York Times bestsellers.

What: Panels, presentations and signings on more than three stages on Upper King Street, as well as the infamous YA Smackdown!

When: Sat., Nov. 10, 2012, 10 am to 6 pm. 

Where: Blue Bicycle Books & The American Theatre, King Street, Charleston, SC 

Cost: FREE!"

So that pretty much sums it up, and you would be crazy not to want to come to this event... I mean "44 (and counting) of the country's top YA authors" all at one event. This is what Heaven is for the YA Book community. So come on out to support these authors, and also get a chance to have a conversation with them. I'm very excited for this, I've never been to a book event like this, and I was planning to go last year, but something came up, so I couldn't make it... but this year I'm determined to not only be at YALL FEST, but to make the best of my time there.

The authors that will be there are:

YALLFEST CONFIRMED AUTHOR LINE UP 2012
(Check back soon for links to author’s websites!)
Keynote: Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, “Literary Friendships” 
Kwame Alexander      -      http://bookinaday.org/
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, PhD      -      http://www.jenniferlynnbarnes.com/
Holly Black      -      http://www.blackholly.com/
Pseudonymous Bosch      -      http://thenameofthiswebsiteissecret.com/
Sarah Rees Brennan      -      http://sarahreesbrennan.com/
Heather Brewer      -      http://www.heatherbrewer.com/
Kiera Cass      -      http://www.kieracass.com/
Cinda Chima      -      http://www.cindachima.com/
Cassandra Clare      -      http://www.cassandraclare.com/
Andrea Cremer      -      http://www.andreacremer.com/
Katie Crouch      -      http://www.katiecrouch.com/new/books.shtml
Gitty Daneshvari      -      http://www.gittydaneshvari.com/
Melissa De La Cruz      -      http://www.melissa-delacruz.com/
Matt de la Peña      -      http://www.mattdelapena.com/
Kim Derting      -      http://www.kimberlyderting.com/
Simone Elkeles      -      http://www.simoneelkeles.net/oldsite/index.html
Elizabeth Eulberg      -      http://www.elizabetheulberg.com/
Gayle Forman      -      http://www.gayleforman.com/
Kami Garcia      -      http://beautifulcreaturesauthors.com/
Adam Gidwitz      -      http://www.adamgidwitz.com/
David McInnes Gill      -      http://davidmacinnisgill.com/
Adele Griffin      -      http://adelegriffin.com/
Deb Harkness      -      http://deborahharkness.com/
Jenny Han      -      http://www.dearjennyhan.com/
Siobhan Vivian      -      http://www.siobhanvivian.com/Hello/Home.html
Michelle Hodkin      -      http://www.michellehodkin.com/
Ellen Hopkins      -      http://ellenhopkins.com/YoungAdult/
Tonya Hurley      -      http://tonyahurley.com/
Michele Jaffe, PhD      -      http://www.michelejaffe.com/
Caitlin Kittredge      -      http://www.caitlinkittredge.com/
Alyson Noel      -      http://www.alysonnoel.com/
David Levithan      -      http://davidlevithan.com/
Stephanie Perkins      -      http://stephanieperkins.com/
Diana Peterfreund      -      http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/
Kathy Reichs      -      http://kathyreichs.com/
Brendan Reichs      -      http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3399125.Brendan_Reichs
Beth Revis      -      http://www.bethrevis.com/
Jessica Rothenberg      -      http://www.jessrothenberg.com/
Carrie Ryan      -      http://www.carrieryan.com/
Eliot Schrefer      -      http://www.eliotschrefer.com/
Natalie Standiford      -      http://www.nataliestandiford.com/
Trenton Lee Stewart      -      http://www.mysteriousbenedictsociety.com/
Margaret Stohl      -      http://beautifulcreaturesauthors.com/
Cate Tiernan      -      http://catetiernan.net/
Robin Wasserman      -      http://www.robinwasserman.com/
Marjorie Wentworth
John Corey Whaley      -      http://www.johncoreywhaley.com/
Kathryn Williams      -      http://kathrynswilliams.com/KW/Welcome.html


WOW, That is a very large list of authors, and I'm excited to see most of them. I'm not familiar with some of them, but I hope to be able to find out more about their novels, and hopefully have some new books on my TBR pile. 

So if this post hasn't convinced you to come out to YALL FEST, maybe the official website will. Click HERE to check it out, and I will hopefully see you there. 

The Dark Light Swag Giveaway

Hi Guys,
Happy Thursday, in order to celebrate this wonderful Thursday, and the start of my summer vacation, I'm hosting a swag giveaway. The swag I'm giving away is from Sara Walsh, the author of the 2012 debut novel The Dark Light (Which I did a WoW for a few weeks ago HERE). After receiving my own bookmark from Sara for The Dark Light, we exchanged e-mails, and she saw my WoW post. She then agreed to send some swag for a giveaway on my blog, and not long after I received two packages in the mail. Sara, if you're reading this... THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Here is the info for the giveaway:

• This is a giveaway for the US only, sorry international viewers...
•  YOU MUST BE A FOLLOWER OF THIS BLOG!!!
• There will be One Grand Prize Winner, and Two Other Winners.
• The Grand Prize Winner will win a bookmark, a bracelet, a sticker, and A SIGNED POSTER for THE DARK LIGHT!
• The Other Two Winners will win a bookmark, a bracelet, and a sticker of The Dark Light 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

That's it, that is all you have to do for a chance to win all of these wonderful things! Trust me, I was very tempted to steal the Grand Prize for myself, but I would rather see one of you guys win... (*Goes into the nearest corner and cries).

Well, stay posted on the blog... this giveaway will end in about TWO weeks... on June 22nd, 2012... which is also the day that I will post my blog tour review of The Orphan The Soulcatcher and the Black Blizzard by Kimberlee Ann Bastian... MY FIRST BLOG TOUR! I'm very excited, and I hope you guys are as well, this is a wonderful book so far, and I can't wait to finish it to see what happens.

I borrowed the picture at the top of this post from Sara Walsh's blog, because my camera is misplaced for the time being, so I know that poster isn't signed, but the one you guys are competing for is... so GOOD LUCK!

P.S. If you guys, for some reason, can't view the Rafflecopter thingy... I also put in in the side bar. 

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

Hi Guys,
This is my third Waiting on Wednesday (WoW) post. I know I didn't post a WoW last week, but I think it would be easier for me to just do a WoW every other week. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This Wednesday I'm waiting on:

Dualed (Dualed 1)

by Elsie Chapman

unknown # of Pages

Random House

February 26th, 2013

YA

Goodreads' Synopsis:

Would you live through the ultimate test of survival?
The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.
Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

When I saw the cover of this book, I thought: "Wow, another dystopian novel... which series will this be a copy of? The Hunger Games? Matched? Under the Never Sky?" I felt this way, that is, until I read the subtitle "You or your alt? Only one will survive." After reading this, I thought: "I love a good battle to the death, this book sounds amazing already... but wait... what is an Alt?" Then I read the synopsis, and I fell in love! This book sounds so original, and if there are other books like it out there, I haven't read them. A dystopian setting, a seemingly strong female lead, and a battle to the death... with YOURSELF... what more could you ask for? I'm really excited for this book, but I have to wait until February... OF NEXT YEAR! UGH! Why must I be forced to wait so long... well, I guess that's life, you have to wait for something good... and I'm sure that this book will be phenomenal. Dualed is going to be at the top of my "2013 Releases" list. Are you guys waiting for this book, leave a comment telling me what book your waiting for today. Stay posted on the blog, to see what I'll be waiting for next Wednesday... or the Wednesday after that. 

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

Hi Guys,
This is my second Waiting on Wednesday (WoW) post. I know I didn't post a WoW last week, but it was a very busy week for me... so we will pick up right where we left off. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This Wednesday I'm waiting on:

The Dark Light

By: Sara Walsh

496 pages

Simon Pulse

August 28th, 2012

YA

Goodreads' Synopsis:

Mysterious lights have flickered above Crownsville for as long as Mia can remember. And as far as she’s concerned, that’s about the only interesting thing to happen in her small town.
That is, until Sol arrives. Mia’s not one to fall for just any guy, but she can’t get intense Sol—or the brilliant tattoo on his back—out of her mind.
Then Mia’s brother goes missing, and Mia’s convinced that Sol knows more than he’s sharing. But getting closer to Sol means reevaluating everything she once believed to be true. Because Sol’s not who Mia thought he was—and neither is she.

I read the synopsis for this book a few weeks ago, and I fell in love, and when re-reading the synopsis as part of the YAmazing Race, I fell in love with it again. The cover for this book is pretty cool as well, the tattoo really catches your attention, the only problem I have with the cover is that it looks very provocative. I hope that the story itself isn't that provocative, because reading things like that kind of freak me out... like if someone looked over my shoulder they'd say "Ew, what are you  reading!?!". I was hoping to win this book along with others on the YAmazing Race, but I didn't win anything, except a bookmark of The Dark Light given away to all commentators on the author's blog. I've contacted Walsh by e-mail, to give info about receiving the bookmark, as well as about me being a book blogger, and having something cool happen with The Dark Light on Young Adult Books (ARC, giveaway, etc.). She hasn't replied, but I hope she does, because I'm anxiously awaiting this book today... and I will be until it is released in August. Are you guys waiting for this book, leave a comment telling me what book your waiting for today. Stay posted on the blog, to see what I'll be waiting for next Wednesday.

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

Hi Guys,
This is my first Waiting on Wednesday (WoW) post, and I'm very excited about it, I've wanted to do one for a while now, but I didn't know when to start. Well, that time is NOW! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This Wednesday I'm waiting on:

The Raven Boys

By: Maggie Stiefvater

416 pages

Scholastic Press

September 18th, 2012

The Raven Cycle #1

YA

Goodreads' Synopsis:

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”
It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

I have the Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Stiefvater, I was about half-way through Shiver when I put it down, making it a part of my debt-list. I didn't like Shiver that much, but I believe I will love this book. From the synopsis it sounds AMAZING! In addition to that, the cover is really cool, it looks like it would be more of a guy book, but I don't know. I like the "Gothic" feel to the cover and the synopsis, so I have a feeling I'll like the book as well. I'm anxiously waiting for this novel to be released... are you? Leave a comment about what you think of this book, or what novel you might want to see next week's WoW. Check out this blog next week to see the next novel I'm waiting for.

Under the Never Sky Book Review

Hi Guys,
Today I'm going to review Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi, this is the first book in the series. Veronica Rossi is a 2012 debut author, so if you are entered in a debut author challenge, this can be one for you to read. This is the first and only "debut author" book I've read this year, so... I'm going to have to cram the other 11 in pretty soon. I'm glad I finally finished this book, because it was amazing! Here is the synopsis from the front flap:

Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.
A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

My first impression of this book was: "WOW! This is going to be the next big thing!", and that was just from the cover alone. Once I read the synopsis I thought that I was going to LOVE the book (Air that can KILL you?!? AWESOME!). My first impression was definitely right, I saw several blog posts, and videos, that were dedicated to the review of Under the Never Sky. I pre-ordered it, and yet I only finished this book two weeks ago. The reason for this is that I lost interest about half-way through, and I had other books that were given to me that I wanted to read more at the time. After finishing The Long Walk by Stephen King, I thought I might as well try and finish it. I'm glad I did! I loved the rest of the book! It was amazing! Not that the beginning wasn't, but the last couple chapters of the book were the best. I don't know why I sat the book down to begin with... I think it might've been that I was tired of the chemistry between Aria and Perry, just because they would feel attracted to each other one minute, and hate each other the next. I believe I stopped reading this book the first time after they learn something very important about Aria in the safe Haven that they went to to learn about the Smarteye. When I learned who Aria really was, I thought the chemistry between the characters would blow up, and I would hate it until the end. When I picked it up again, I learned that that wasn't the case, and I enjoyed the book for it. I give this book 4/5 stars, because I stopped in the middle, and because I didn't really like the ending. I'm almost certain it was Perry at the end... but there is always that small contemplation going on inside my head saying it might be someone else. I loved all the characters, I think my favorite character was Roar. I ended up hating people towards the end, who I liked at the beginning, and I love how authors can make you do that. Another small problem I had with the book, was the name of the leading male... Perry... I HATE IT! I like the name Peregrine, and I wish he would be called that more often, because Perry just seems to casual for me, and it almost ruined my idea of the book. Plus, every time I hear the name, Perry, I think of Tyler Perry... and I don't want to think about that when I'm reading about a futuristic world in which I want to live. But other than those miniscule dislikes, I LOVED the book, and I can't wait until the second book in the series, Through the Ever Night, to release. Check this book out when you get the chance! It's a nice book, with great character chemistry, and AMAZING plot-twists!

April (2012) Book Haul

Hi Guys,
Today I received a package in the mail, which was a huge surprise to me. The only book I was expecting in the mail was Insurgent, which doesn't release until next week. So, like I said before, I was caught off guard. When I opened the package, I saw the pure white cover, with a hummingbird in a jar in the center of the book. I HAVE AN ARC OF SURRENDER BY ELANA JOHNSON! I was so excited when I saw it, and then I was wondering how I received it. In the middle of the book was a business card from Simon and Schuster, but there was not any info about why they sent it to me. I then went online, and I sent a message to the e-mail left on the business card. The woman e-mailed me back almost instantly. Apparently, I won a copy on her blog after leaving a comment on one of her posts. I'd forgotten all about it, and was not expecting to win... BUT I'M GLAD I DID! I haven't read Possession yet, but I believe this will motivate me to do so. I've wanted to read it since I saw the amazing cover, and now that I have an ARC of Surrender, I can finally read it. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book (remember it's a sequel, I don't know if it has spoilers, but this is your warning!) :

Forbidden love, intoxicating power, and the terror of control…
Raine has always been a good girl. She lives by the rules in Freedom. After all, they are her father’s rules: He’s the Director. It’s because of him that Raine is willing to use her talent—a power so dangerous, no one else is allowed to know about it. Not even her roommate, Vi.
All of that changes when Raine falls for Gunner. Raine’s got every reason in the world to stay away from Gunn, but she just can’t. Especially when she discovers his connection to Vi’s boyfriend, Zenn. Raine has never known anyone as heavily brainwashed as Vi. Raine’s father expects her to spy on Vi and report back to him. But Raine is beginning to wonder what Vi knows that her father is so anxious to keep hidden, and what might happen if she helps Vi remember it. She’s even starting to suspect Vi’s secrets might involve Freedom’s newest prisoner, the rebel Jag Barque...

I'm very excited for this, and I can't wait to buy Possession, and read both of them. The covers look amazing, and the synopsis' sound even better than the covers look. I hope the book meets my expectations I hope the book exceeds my expectations! 

A special thanks to Elana Johnson, and the group of people working with S&S! I look forward to reading these novels!

The Long Walk Book Review

Hi Guys,
This week I'm going to review The Long Walk by Richard Bachman, which is a pseudonym for Stephen King. This, as King has confessed, is the first novel he's written. I never really had an urge to read a Stephen King book, I don't know why I didn't want to, but none of them really seemed that interesting to me. I didn't know what all the "King Rage" was about. After reading this novel, I now know why he has so many fans, and I also plan on reading most of his other books. Here is the synopsis of this book:

Every year, on the first day of May, one hundred teenage boys meet for an event known throughout the country as "The Long Walk." Among this yea's chosen crop is sixteen-year-old Ray Garraty. He knows the rules: that warnings are issued if you fall under speed, stumble, sit down. That after three warnings...you get your ticket. And what happens then serves as a chilling reminder that thee can be only one winner in the Walk--the one that survives...

My first impression of this book, as you all know, was poor. I didn't want to read any famous Stephen King book, let alone a lesser known story of his. The only reason I picked it up is because a vlogger that I follow, Priscilla a.k.a. the founder of "The Readables", posted her March book haul video and this was one of her books for "Epic Month". A friend of her's told her that the synopsis of the Hunger Games reminded him of The Long Walk. This video was posted a couple weeks before The Hunger Games movie was released, and since I wasn't going to re-read the Hunger Games, I decided to read this until the movie was released. This is one of King's lesser known works, but it was phenomenal. I thought that the characters, the plot, and all other aspects of this book were amazing. Since the plot of this book was constant, the characters are what the book rested upon. I LOVED IT! I love reading about characters, and King made me change my opinion on certain characters several times. For instance, Barkovitch is a character that I changed my opinion of numerous times... Olson is another example. Ray was a pretty good main character, I liked him at first, but then towards the end my feelings started to change in a negative way. I know that the walk is a stressful experience, but he didn't have to change so drastically, in my perspective. My favorite character was McVries, who was a close friend of Ray's from the beginning of the Long Walk. There friendship grew stronger with every hour that passed... both of them saving the others life a time or two. As it grew stronger though, it also grew weirder, a few conversations came up that I was a little uncomfortable reading, but they were dismissed quickly in the book, normally by another conversation. The book had a lot of vulgar language and sexual references, but I mean... they are teenaged boys. I give this book 4/5 stars because of the constant vulgarity, but other than that it was an amazing read. I recommend it to anyone. As an extra bit of pretty cool info... while I was reading the Long Walk, I had my Ipod on shuffle, and when I finished the book, the song "Teenage Wasteland" by "The Who" was playing... and I thought it matched the mood very well. I would definitely re-read this novel. I loved the characters, I loved the plot, and I LOVED the plot twists at the end. I just wish I knew what the winner wished for...

Additional Announcement: The film rights for this movie have already been bought, but they have no intentions on starting soon. They would like to make it a low budget film, with lesser known actors.