Flowers for Algernon By: FNX Azon No comments

(By Daniel Keyes)


Possibly now being the number one on my list of thought provoking books, Flowers for Algernon was really interesting. It tells the tale of Charlie Gordon, a retarded man who has the determination and motivation of an Olympic athlete. After showing his eagerness to learn and become smarter at the college center at which he learns, he was chosen to be part of a experimental intelligence raising operation. The story is told through the progress reports that Charlie writes for the experiment, though at first the text is erroneous, very small but clear changes in the way Charlie writes show his intelligence indeed because higher. The progress reports are also very realistic and make the character seem even more like a real person.

Algernon, the small white mouse that also received the same operation previously, shows promising results as his intelligence was clearly above the average intelligence of a normal mouse. But Charlie, who was once innocent, kind, and very considerate of others and his "friends" begins to realize how cruel the world and his "friends" were being to him. He begins to realize how he was actually being treated and he begins to turn his back upon the world. Though his intelligence was clearly raised, his mental and emotional state remained the same, leaving him still retarded in those aspects. He has trouble in keeping stable relationships with the people around him and also the women he loves, his former teacher, Alice Kinnian. The book shows how irregularity is disapproved by society regardless of what it is. When Charlie was retarded, his coworkers treated him terribly, however, when Charlie became incredibly intelligent, surpassing all of the people around him, he expected people to like him finally and to accept him but they hated him for not being retarded. His ignorance of the true meaning of his "friends" actions made them his friends and thus made him very happy. Though they were never truly his friends in the first place, when he realized how they treated him, he lost the friends that he once had. Interestingly * -(spoiler alert- I will continue this far below the rest of the review)- In the book, a character tells Charlie that it was wrong of him to receive the operation because God had created him the way he was, and he was trying to change it through "artificial intelligence" (not that kind of AI). Charlie responds that he was a "blind man given the opportunity to see light".

I won't spoil what happens later on, but I will state what was stated on the back of the book, Algernon's intelligence begins to deteriorate. The book is a true classic and is very well written!!






*when Charlie's intelligence finally deteriorates until he is back at his original state, they truly become his friend, defending him from others who act the way they did before Charlie's operation.
So does this mean that the operation and the deterioration created the friendship? Did the operation make them realize and appreciate Charlie, the real Charlie?

The Darkest Corners By: FNX Azon No comments

(By Kara Thomas)



A spooky book that I read during the nighttime, thus probably spooking me out more. With plot twists, sketchy characters, and a very unsettling setting, A compelling novel that takes on the story of a murderer and the girls who put him behind bars. The more you read, the more you are pulled into the story, where anyone can be the killer. Anyone.
The ending is more twisted than you can imagine, taking twists to another level. Although the book is a bit slow at first, the suspense keeps mounting as you read. The relationship between Tessa and Callie is very well represented, it's dynamic and you can see the subtle references and hints of how the incident changed them and their relationship. The book is overall pretty dark, but I liked it because it was so intense. The story was very intricate, with even the smallest details being connected to each other and to the characters, and also quite unpredictable, unlike some mysteries.This is a book that one would definitely not like if they weren't into this genre, but for me it was great.
I think I liked this book even more because there aren't a lot of YA psychological thrillers/mysteries (which is a genre I like very much). The book met my expectations (almost exceeding) because I guess I was a bit disappointed by the last thriller I had read. One of the more notable things was that there was no romantic element to the book, which I really liked because I don't really like romantic books or books that have a lot of romance. It tends to take away too much time from the crimes, and the thrilling plot.

The Night Circus By: FNX Azon No comments

(By Erin Morgenstern)

The Night Circus is the classic story of star-crossed lovers spun into something seemingly more intricate. With the story heavily involving fantastic elements and romance, it revolves mostly around the 'challenge', a duel going on between the two main characters. However, I was disappointed at the outcome and overall process of this ultimate battle to the death. The book was certainly different from what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.  I think this is a book that might be enjoyed and loved by one whilst also being hated by another. I, however, neither hated nor loved the book. I found it enjoyable as I read it, but it did not leave such a great impression on me when I finished it. The story was a bit slow and there were many unexplained elements of the story. Even the romantic elements of the novel do not seem genuine, it seems a bit forced. The tale seems a bit far-fetched even for a fantastical novel. There are many different unique characters that seasons the story, but they are scattered and honestly a bit too mysterious. The ending was bit predictable, but I suspected that the ending would be so because of the romantic side of the story. The idea was certainly intriguing, but I feel like the story could have been much better if the author was able to tie the story together a bit more well. Overall, the story is a charming one that grabbed my attention from the start, but I had high expectations that were not quite met, but otherwise, the story is one that is mesmerizing. 

With Malice By: FNX Azon No comments

(By Eileen Cook)




Throughout the story of With Malice, you are constantly badgered by the question of is Jill Charron, the main character, guilty or not? With Jill's memory gone temporarily due to amnesia from her head injury during an accident that involves her best friend, Simone's death. People begin to wonder if it was even accident at all, with the media attacking Jill constantly, Jill is suddenly reaching a point of breakdown, although she can't remember anything at all, she is most afraid that everyone else is right. Right that she did try to murder Simone on purpose, and even worse, over a guy. But as the story progresses and Jill starts to remember bits and pieces of what might have happened, you begin to question the question itself. Does is really matter if Jill was guilty or not? Everyone else expects her to be guilty and are just waiting for the decisive piece of evidence to condemn her and throw her in jail. The ending of this book surprised me the most, it was rather unexpected and a bit chilling to be quite honest. The book was cleverly written and was enjoyable to read.

The Clockwork Three By: FNX Azon No comments

(By Matthew J. Kirby)




      With each chapter being the point of view of one of three characters, this novel tells the tale of the intertwined lives of three children.Giuseppe, Frederick and Hannah are seemingly very different, but perhaps they are not after all. In a strange turn of events the children realized that they can help each other solve each other's problems as well as their own. This novel, considering that it is Matthew J. Kirby's first, is an impressive start. With a touch of fantastical, science, and historical elements, I think it is difficult to decided which genre this book belongs to, but I believe realistic fiction also fits well. This is indeed a book for a young audience, thus, I had bought this book quite a while ago, but I decided to read it again recently. The author tried to put a lot in to one book, and it was moderately successful. The book reminded me slightly of Charles Dickens in the sense of the setting/historical background. The Clockwork Three is a great book that recommend kids to read.

The Best Money Murder Can Buy By: FNX Azon No comments

(By Neil McGaughey)

     This mystery novel was one I picked up in my basement. Its cover gathering dust, I picked it up and decided to read this book which fashioned an intriguing title. The beginning of the story was well crafted and piqued my interest. It was the classic long lost identical twin brother separated at birth tale, However, when this twin brother, Derek Winslow, approaches the main character, Kyle Malachi, making this rather astounding claim, Kyle rather rudely orders Derek out of his house. After his fit of denial, Kyle realizes he hadn't acted very rationally and with his wife's help he calms down enough to realize that this claim may be true. But too late, his brother's dead on the floor of his hotel room bathroom. Being the mystery fan he is, Kyle decides to be his brother, after all they were identical, to find out the truth about his brother's murder,

    At this point, I think that the story reached its peak. I won't give away what happens next, but I can tell you that after this point, the mystery began to unravel at a pretty quick pace, all of the reasons, clues, big secrets, began to reveal themselves, and the story lost its interest. Despite the cool idea and pretty well written introduction, the rest of the story and the mystery itself wasn't that good. It was a little disappointing because I feel like that the story could have been much better especially with the intriguing idea that it took on. Nonetheless, credit must be given to the author for the idea and the very witty references to many classic mystery novels.

Sophomores and Other Oxymorons By: FNX Azon No comments

(By David Lubar)

     Continuing the story of Scott Hudson, who had previously barely managed to survive his freshman year of high school in Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, the companion novel to Sophomores and Other Oxymorons, his sophomore year arrives and throws him into a very different world. Not only does he fail in what he considered to be his best subject, his old friend is bothering him and is even threatening to ruin Scott's dad's dream. But with a strange (but maybe not that strange) turn of events, Scott's sophomore year spirals out of control. 
      In complete honesty, this book is a good laugh and a fun read, but that's honestly all. However, I did learn a lot of literary devices thanks to Scott's English teacher. There isn't much else to say, David Lubar crafted a fun and witty story that certainly was very enjoyable to read, though it lacks qualities to be one of the more meaningful novels I've read. 

Deadline By: FNX Azon No comments

(By Chris Crutcher)

    Deadline is the tale of the final year of the life of Ben Wolf, the main character, who learns that he has a disease that will most likely cause him to die. Given the foreknowledge of his death he determines that he will try to make his mark on the world before he dies his untimely and quite frankly, insignificant death. Keeping his disease a secret from everyone including his family, he begins to try to make something out of his last year. He strikes a romantic relationship with Dallas Suzuki, the girl he had liked for so long, he joins the football team despite all the skepticism people showed, he even began to read about Malcolm X and became friends with the town drunkard. 
     However, things are not as they seem, he isn't the only one who had difficulty with his life. Although the events that actually occur in the story seem foolish and fictional, which they are, the novel also comments on sensitive topics such as racism, American education/culture, and sexual harassment through the characters.
    The book is meaningful and also is very enjoyable to read. However, the book is not very sensitive when dealing with these issues, it is blunt and outright. This is something that I found to be a beneficial factor to the book, but some may not see it that way. I do advise the readers to read at their own discretion. Nonetheless, it was a great read!

Lincoln Rhyme Series By: FNX Azon No comments

(By Jeffrey Deaver)




  As I have made my comments on the Sherlock Holmes books previously, I felt that it was a good time to introduce the Lincoln Rhyme series, a modern forensic detective series. This book, similar to the Sherlock Holmes series, is about one character, in this case, Lincoln Rhyme who is the "genius" detective of the century. He was a former NYPD officer, but was now a consultant to the police. (Seems strangely familiar...) The reason for his departure from the official police department was due to an accident that rendered him a quadriplegic, which means he basically cannot use his body at all.      

    The first book of the series, The Bone Collector starts the relationship between Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs, both professionally and (for lack of a better word) "unprofessionally". The two crime solving partners have a very strong bond that helps them solve crimes as well as maintain a romantic relationship despite the troubles of being a quadriplegic. Jeffrey Deaver, the author, weaves intricate tales of deception, twists, and many, many surprises. The books are written well, they are quite fast paced and fills all the requirements of a great thriller. However, the book, in my opinion, has no other purpose but to "thrill".

    I do recommend the series, it is a very neat and cleverly written series that you can easily immerse yourself into. But, I feel that there is not much to the stories, for they are just that, shallow stories with exciting plots, your average book. Nonetheless, the books are very interesting, as they are like the Sherlock Holmes stories with a modern twist. Many new technologies and concepts are implemented in the story.

    Although it seems like I'm saying that the story is virtually meaningless, that is not at all what I am saying. It's a very bone chilling series to read, and I did learn a little about the laws and regulations of the NYPD, as well as how exactly not to commit murder. The books also inspired me to continue writing more detective stories. 

VMN~

The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes By: FNX Azon No comments

     (By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

    This books holds many interesting and intriguing characters as well as a very well written plot. Revolving around the character, Sherlock Holmes, hence the title, it is written from the point of view of Dr. John Watson, who records the memories he has shared with his friend and crime-solving partner. With uniquely keen senses of observation and deduction, Sherlock Holmes is an enviable character I took immediate liking to. Knowledgeable in many areas, Sherlock Holmes solves his cases in remarkable speeds. The cases themselves, which make up each story in the book, are very well thought out and suspenseful, some cases more than others.

      The overall story of the book is not very clear until near the end in which Sherlock interacts between the notorious Professor Moriarty. Ending with the supposed deaths of both of those geniuses. As I have both seen and read many adaptations of Sherlock Holmes before I had read the actual book, the book seemed almost nostalgic to those memories of Sherlock Holmes that I had before reading the book. The book was equally interesting if not more interesting than those adaptations, but I could still not help but draw connections to what I had read or seen previously.

      Truly deserving its title of a classic, The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (originally two separate books) is a wonderful read for those who enjoy a solid mystery. Not reading this is depriving yourself of a wonderful work that will forever have a lasting impression. Some of my favorite stories from the book were "The Five Orange Pips", "The Red-Headed League", and "The Musgrave Ritual". The book takes on a variety of different settings in Victorian Era London, and turns them into the playground of criminals and the renowned detective, Sherlock Holmes.