Asylum by Madeline Roux

Asylum

Author: Madeleine Roux

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Goodreads Blurb: Asylum is a thrilling and creepy photo-novel perfect for fans of the New York Times bestseller Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, New Hampshire College Prep is more than a summer program—it's a lifeline. An outcast at his high school, Dan is excited to finally make some friends in his last summer before college. But when he arrives at the program, Dan learns that his dorm for the summer used to be a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum—a last resort for the criminally insane.

As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, explore the hidden recesses of their creepy summer home, they soon discover it's no coincidence that the three of them ended up here. Because the asylum holds the key to a terrifying past. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring found photos of unsettling history and real abandoned asylums and filled with chilling mystery and page-turning suspense, Madeleine Roux's teen debut, Asylum, is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity

Published/ing: August 20th, 2013 Harper Teen

Rating: 3.5/5

Review: 

This was a really interesting book. If you have read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, then you already understand how this book is written.

If not, then be ready to stop reading at night.

Madeleine Roux takes her sci-fi zombie apocalypse writing to the haunted halls of Brookline Dormitory/Asylum.

The book's writing is a bit boring at some points, and less personable, but coupled with the ghoulish pictures, it creates a horror film in your mind.

Dan, the main character, is also less a character, more a detail of the plot. He doesn't have many specific interests and is more the one that opens doors and gets in trouble so that the plot can keep moving.

There were many points in the book that were a bit blurry as well. The plot was well thought out and was left open at the end so that the second book can come in, but some of the details weren't as clearly written.

The setting was interesting too; a college dormitory in a small town in Connecticut. It didn't really affect the plot, but it was an interesting choice of setting.

I don't think this book was great, like other horror books I've read or Madeleine's other books, but it was worth reading.

Future News:

The second and final book in this duology was published on August 26th. 

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Where She Went

Author: Gayle Forman

Genre: Contemporary, Angst, Music

Goodreads Blurb: It's been three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life.

And three years he's spent wondering why.

When their paths cross again in New York City, Adam and Mia are brought back together for one life-changing night.

Adam finally has the opportunity to ask Mia the questions that have been haunting him. But will a few hours in this magical city be enough to lay their past to rest, for good - or can you really have a second chance at first love?

Published/ing: April 5, 2011 Dutton Juvenile

Spoiler Alert: You want to have read the book. 
Rating: 4/5

Review:

This book was a lot different than its counterpart. While If I Stay was a tragedy, but still light-hearted, this book was pure angst from the side character in If I Stay, Adam.

We start out the same way we did in If I Stay, in the present. But throughout the book Adam flashes back to after the coma. Mia's adjustments and how she persevered and played cello despite the piggy backing that she could've taken. She eventually goes to Julliard and becomes a huge cellist.

Adam, on the other hand, blew up in fame with his band Shooting Star. They traveled and did tours and produced platinum albums and lived the rock star life.

This book did not show the over-glamorized rock star life though, and that was probably one of my favorite aspects of the book.

Adam went through some serious internal conflict, dealing with depression, addiction, and suicidal thoughts. He didn't know what to do and didn't really want anything to do with life anymore. He didn't want to remember Mia or talk about Mia.

That is, until the night he watches her in Carnegie Hall.

That, in my opinion, was the climax of the book. He finds her, she finds him. She takes him on a journey, they fight, and then they find each other all over again.

And that what makes this duology an amazing story. The fact that they are two separate characters, totally separate people dealing with loss and depression and tragedy, who find each other and help each other through it.

They aren't perfect or happy all the time. They don't break up to break up. They go through their own shit and further help each other through their opposing shit.

Now that I've fully voiced my feelings on that, I'd like to completely spin off that topic and talk about the setting, New York. The spot for great, fantasy adventures and for aliens to destroy the earth and for cheesy briefcase love stories.

What I really enjoyed about this novel was the fact that it looked at New York under the microscope. They ran through the streets and took cabs and stood on a ferry. She minimized the great picture of New York to apply to the feelings of the book. I believe it added to the theme that things can seem so far apart, but still be very close together.

In summary, this book was very cool. It was realistic, without being boring. It continued with the last plot line, while creating a new one. I would definitely not suggest forgetting about this book after you read If I Stay.

Future News:

If I Stay, the first book in the duology, has been recently turned into a major motion picture.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay

Author: Gayle Forman

Genre: Contemporary, Tragedy, Romance, Music

Goodreads Blurb: Just listen, Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel.

I open my eyes wide now.
I sit up as much as I can.
And I listen.

Stay, he says.

Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?

Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.

If I Stay is a heartachingly beautiful book about the power of love, the true meaning of family, and the choices we all make.

Published/ing: April 2, 2009 Dutton Juvenile

Rating: 5/5

Spoiler Alert: This review does have mild spoils in it. If you've seen the movie trailer, then there are no spoilers. 
Review:

Something rare has occurred. I picked up this book, because the movie trailer looked cool.

Usually I wouldn't do something like that. I'd read reviews, talk to my friends, and then maybe pick up the book.

But no. I took one look at the trailer, almost cried, and bought the ebook.

This book grabbed my attention from the beginning, with the fast moving plot, beautiful writing, and heartbreaking story.

Mia, the main character, is very relate able to young girls. She has a passion, is slightly scared of intimate situations, and has a best friend. I loved that throughout the book, you see this coming-of-age kind of theme going on.

Along with that, the flashbacks show her growth from a young girl, slightly scared of stepping out of her comfort zone and not exactly ready to travel far away from her boyfriend and parents.

After death, she realizes that she has to grow up fast and make a large decision, will she stay or will she go?

Besides the heartbreaking tragedy that is the main plot in this book, overall it is very light-hearted. In the flashbacks, we see happiness and family and friendship.

To use something to compare it to, The Fault in Our Stars was mostly heartbreaking because we knew it was coming and the concept of death was overlying, while in this book, death was instant.

The idea of the after life in this book was also very intriguing. I have read many books with many different perceptions of the after life, but I liked how this one was plain and simple. She had the choice. There was no "ghost-physics" or "alternate-dimensions," just a simple, 'she is here and she has to choose if she'll stay.'

In summary, it is an extremely heart warming and breaking book with music, love, and tragedy. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone for its plain and simple young adult theme and John Green like plot line. I am very excited to see if the movie lives up to my love for this book. 

Future News:

If I Stay was just recently turned into a major motion picture. 

Summer Reading Books are the Reason

Kids, adults, humanity, generally dislikes reading.

And that is incredibly depressing to people adore books.

I honest to god, as a newly high school student, hate most summer reading books. I had to read one about a woman who conformed to the sexist ideals of Troy and another that wasn't half bad, but the utter half was crap.

Each year, we read about the same things over and over again; racism and great quests. Now, let me say now, that I know racism is a prominent problem in today's society, but after reading about it year after year in school and only getting to know that one societal problem gets annoying.

When it comes to human rights and world problems, I tend to be the strongest protester in sexism, ageism, and mistreatment of the LGBTQA community.

It's kind of sad that schools A. Don't have kids learn more about prominent world problems B. interesting engaging books C. and the occasional fiction book.

I'm not saying that all schools are terrible at picking school books, but I wish reading was incorporated more in the American education system.

I want my younger sisters and my friends and my fellow teens to be more into reading. I want them to learn about the communist and Hitler-like ruling of Kim Jung Un in North Korea. I want them to be educated on the sexism in the American government and sixteenth century-like treatment of women in other countries. In my opinion, the generation that is currently ruling America is lacking education. Not education from the side that won or is more prominent, but the losers and minorities.

I hope that my generation is the one that steps up and says 'I know how to solve this problem,' or 'this is not fair or just.'

And if not mine, the one after that.

I hope to one day work towards worldly education one day, but for now I'll do it in simpler ways.

Ways so simple that even you could do it sitting at your computer.

Educate your friends, family, teachers, etc. on topics that you think could change. Voice your ideas ever if you think they are ridiculous or wouldn't work. Talk to people in authority about improving certain situations.

It's the small things that count.

~Monty

My Comic Con Series: Introduction

CHICAGO COMIC CON 2014

Hello readers,

      Now obviously if you haven't heard of Comic Con, specifically San Diego Comic Con International, then you either live under a rock or don't care about fictional universes. Either or, you probably wouldn't read my blog. 

      So assuming you know of the con ways, I can skip over explaining what a panel is and why John Barrowman is too gay to function. 

      Over the past few years, Wizard Con, what runs San Diego Con, has expanded its venues and grown in proportions. To see if that expansion has come to your area, you can look on their website. 

Wizard World

       I myself will be blogging from Chicago Comic Con, where I will be cosplaying, meeting actors, and attending panels. 

This series of posts will be dedicated to my planning, cosplays, and advice I have afterwards. I hope you find it interesting and informative!

To read about my con experience more in person follow my tumblr, myconexperience.

Till later, Monty