Monster Poetry

to make monsters out of girls by amanda lovelace

Once again, this poetess has written something that speaks to my soul. She writes from the heart about the hurts she has endured and how she has overcome them. I just love her work.

And one of the things I love most about her work is that you don't have to have experienced the same things she did to understand the hurt and pain that she writes about, nor have you had to experience the same good things she did to feel all the good she writes about. All you need is some empathy to understand her words.

A Thriller by an Author I Enjoy

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

I had been waiting for about a year for this to finally come out in paperback. I was so excited to read this, and the very first chapter assured me that I would enjoy this book a great deal. Sadly, not all the chapters were as exciting as the first one. This purports itself to be a mystery or thriller novel, but that is not the main point. the point, I am sorry to say, is more a love story than anything else. It's not bad, but it's not the reason I wanted to read this.

In Osborne, Nebraska, several of Makani's classmates are being murdered one at a time. Makani thinks it could somehow be linked to her past. By the way, her past is not as scandalous as the build-up would have you believe. Also, we find out who the murderer is about halfway through the book, which doesn't do much for the suspense factor.

I don't know, this just wasn't what I was hoping for, and I am finding it difficult to be excited about it.

A Sequel as Unremarkable as the First Book

That Was Then, This Is Now by S.E. Hinton

I read this because someone told me this was better than The Outsiders. Someone who, like me, didn't understand what all the fuss about The Outsiders is all about. I wish I could agree that this was better, but it wasn't. It wasn't worse either, for what its worth.

This, apparently, happens after the events of The Outsiders, but the only character from that book that makes an appearance at all is Ponyboy. Seems that every girl Bryon dates ends up with Ponyboy.  Bryon is an only child, but his best friend, Mark, lives with him and his mother. They get into trouble from time to time, but have each other's backs on everything, until Bryon betrays Mark.

Most of this was blah, blah, blah to me. Most likely won't be reading anymore by this author because her work just doesn't resonate with me. I understand that these books were groundbreaking at the time of their publication, but YA lit has come a long way and there are better things, in my opinion, to read. That said, if you're one of those people who think that The Outsiders is the be all end all of YA lit, then you should read this.