After his release from a mental institution – the “bad place” – Pat Peoples, former history teacher, is left in the care of his mother and aloof father. Pat believes he was in the “bad place” for a handful of months rather than four years. Also, he has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And he believes it is his God-given mission to become physically fit and emotionally literate, to transform into the man Nikki, his estranged wife, would want. He is convinced God with ensure him a happy ending.
Pat makes a friend in Tiffany, the mentally unstable, widowed sister-in-law of his best friend, Ronnie. Each day Pat heads out for his ten-mile run and Tiffany silently trails him. The odd pair tries to navigate a timid friendship, but as Pat is unable to discern friend from foe and reality from deranged optimism, every day proves to be an adventure.
Pat Peoples had me from page one. He is a wide-eyed, innocent puppy dog that is only sure about two things: he never wants to go back to the “bad place” and he will do anything to get Nikki back. His extreme optimism fuels his actions and he is always looking for a silver lining. Matthew Quick’s simple and fast-paced writing style reflects Pat’s personality. Important factors of the story and plotline were never revealed too quickly; the novel leaves the reader questioning – what will happen next? – and always wanting more. Silver Linings Playbook was incredibly easy to read and was never boring.
This novel centers around Collingswood, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – which may be one of the reasons I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The majority of my family was from Philadelphia, and nearly all of them are fans of the Philadelphia Eagles football team. It was nice to read a book that took place in places that are just merely thirty minutes away from my home.
Okay, I admit it: the main reason I even picked up this novel was because of the great reviews (and many Grammys) the movie received. And when I first started reading, I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. Now I understand why the movie was so popular! Aside from the gripping plotline, I found the characters incredibly interesting. Silver Linings Playbook offers an honest look inside the lives of two mentally ill people, without romanticizing or over-exaggerating any of the details. I found Pat and Tiffany’s stories to be refreshing and overall heartwarming. I can’t wait to see the movie!

After an overdose of painkillers, Daniel Fletcher wakes up in a Los Angeles trauma center and is detained for psychiatric evaluation. Again. Except his name isn’t really Daniel Fletcher. Or Eric Bishop. Or Christopher Thorne. All of these names belong to one man – John Dolan Vincent – an intelligent and talented young forger who continually reinvents himself to escape the legal and mental health authorities, which saves him from a lifetime of imprisonment. While John creates another façade for his evaluator in the trauma center, he reveals his true past to the reader, which includes a misdiagnosed mental illness as a child, jail time, emergence as a mathematics prodigy, and his overall disconnection from life, though it all comes down to the only person who is in as much danger as him – the woman who knows his real name.
I originally started to read this novel because my Writing for TV & Film teacher recommended it. He knew of my love of Chuck Palahniuk and thought Craig Clevenger and Palahniuk’s writing styles were similar. (He was correct…but I’ll discuss that later.) Not only that, but on the front cover of the novel is a quote from Palahniuk: “I swear to God this is the best book I have read in easily five years. Easily. Maybe ten years.” Okay. This is actually a huge deal….because, well, Chuck Palahniuk is a big deal. Palahniuk is an extremely incredible writer and virtually isn’t one to go around and promote other novels. So, that was one of the factors as to why I started reading The Contortionist’s Handbook in the first place.
The plotline of this book was extremely fascinating. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of or read anything quite like this book. A forger who continually overdoses and then recreates himself with a new identity isn’t something one stumbles across often. Also, John is an exceptionally intelligent character. I think there’s something very captivating about a character that is much more intellectual than the average human/more intelligent than I will ever be. Most of the time I just couldn’t wrap my head around the things he was saying or what he was doing (which is not a bad thing!), which also reminded me of Palahniuk’s characters in Invisible Monsters and Fight Club. I just wanted him to keep talking, to keep describing his intricate lifestyle and dark past. With every new identity, John Dolan Vincent became more and more interesting.
Craig Clevenger’s writing style is, too keep it short, very beautiful. I don’t think I could even begin to describe it or adequately give it justice. Clevenger can describe something average and make it sound extraordinary. Once I started reading, I wanted more and more and more. At times it really was difficult to put the book down. (Okay, I started reading this book around two months ago and didn’t pick it up for about a month once I was halfway through…I was busy, I swear.) I usually don’t compare authors because most of them (that I’ve read, at least) are vastly different, but the similarities between Palahniuk and Clevenger is uncanny. Their outlandish, intricate plotlines and characters fueled by their unique writing styles are extremely similar, but I’m sure if they were compared side-by-side, there would be many definitive differences.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Contortionist’s Handbook. The combination of a gripping plotline, beautiful writing style, and fascinating characters really won me over. If you are a fan of any Chuck Palahniuk novel, or are simply interested in an out of the ordinary story, you will love this novel.

I have been waiting for about two and a half years – ever since I first read the book. I was actually quite nervous about how everything would turn out. The Perks of Being a Wallflower holds a special place in my heart, and I don’t think I could handle it being screwed up for the big screen.
Thankfully, I discovered that Stephen Chbosky, the author of Perks, wrote the screenplay and directed the entire film. So, if he was okay with his final product, I’m sure that I would be, too.
First of all, the entire cast for the movie was flawless. Logan Lerman is a flawless Charlie. I was worried that he wouldn’t do the role justice, to be honest. I think he did rather perfectly. He captured Charlie’s awkwardness, shyness, and innocence without over-killing it. Emma Watson and Ezra Miller were both the perfect match as actors for Sam and Patrick. I was also worried that Emma Watson wouldn’t do well, because this is more or less one of her more important roles since Harry Potter. At first, it was a little strange watching her on screen speaking with an American accent. But she did really well. I love how eccentric Sam and Patrick were in the film, though, for some reason I really didn’t picture them that way in the book. I was also very pleased with the people casted as Sam and Patrick’s friends. I really think they all did very well. Other members of the cast included Nina Dobrev, from the Vampire Diaries, as Charlie’s sister, Candace, Paul Rudd as Mr. Anderson, and Dylan McDermott, from American Horror Story, as Charlie’s dad (which I was very, very surprised about).
As for the plotline, almost all the important points were there and most of my favorite quotes were said, which I am very thankful for. The plot was strange, though. All of the events were there, but in somewhat of a different order. Some things that weren’t in the book were included in the movie, which just made Charlie, Sam, and Patrick just appear more realistic than described in the book. Also, Charlie was given a last name in the film, which wasn’t included whatsoever in the novel. Although I understand the purpose of giving him a last name, I just thought it was weird. And I can’t remember exactly what it was or how it would even be spelled. Also, Charlie’s school was given a name, unlike in the novel. The only plot points that were left out, which I thought were significant, were Candace’s pregnancy ordeal, and when Charlie had dinner at his teacher’s house. I think if they were included the film would have been too drawn out and long, though. There are a lot of extra scenes added at the end of the film when Charlie is at the hospital, and I really enjoyed it. Once again, Logan Lerman did fantastic during these scenes. Also, the flashbacks throughout the movie, connecting the present to Charlie’s memories of his Aunt Helen were flawless.
I’m pretty sure I cried on and off throughout the whole movie. I am so glad that Perks is finally a movie, and that it’s so much better than I expected it to be. The actors were perfect. The script was perfect. Overall, it was such an amazing film, and I can’t wait until I can see it again.

I really hope everyone enjoyed their summer vacation and has a good new year back at school!

In Beatrice’s world, when one turns sixteen, the ultimate choice is made. One choice decides your future, your friends, and your values. At sixteen you must choose your faction: Abnegation, the selfless; Amity, the peaceful; Candor, the honest; Dauntless, the brave; or Erudite, the intelligent. From that choice on, you leave your home, family, and past behind to create a new life within your faction.
Beatrice makes a choice that genuinely shocks everyone – even herself. She leaves her mother, father, and brother behind, departing from the world of Abnegation into the lives of the Dauntless. She shortens her name to Tris, and makes a few friends, a quite a number of enemies. After a while, Tris begins to notice that everything really isn’t what it seems, and the lies and corruption begin to show through the façade of perfection.
I am a sucker for dystopian societies. All dystopian books are so great and so different, that I could never pick a favorite, but Divergent is definitely up there. Divergent really just ruined my life in the best way possible, if that makes any sense). I really don’t want to give much away because it will ruin the reading experience but every chapter held something new and there were thousands of twists and turns that I would have never predicted. The whole plot is so original and unique and it still continues to amaze me. The whole time I was reading, I kept trying to decide what faction I would choose. (I have yet to actually make a choice – when I think about it too much I become extremely stressed and then give up.) I really love how this novel is not just about the choice that must be made. It’s mostly about the corruption of the factions separately and as a whole. I think Tris is an excellent main character. I love her mind and her way of thinking. She’s really strong and she always seems to try to do what she thinks is right. And when I say that Divergent ruined my life – I mean it. There were actually a few times I had to put the book down and just take a break. I became way too attached to the characters and the plot became too much for me to handle at some points. When I had reached the last few chapters, I actually avoided reading for a day because I needed time to prepare myself. Honestly. I need to order the sequel, Insurgent ………..now.

Watch the trailer here.

Lena has escaped. She’s in the Wilds. She is free. There is only one downside: Alex is dead.
We follow along Lena’s journey past the fence and into the Wilds through two perspectives: “Then”: Days after escaping and leaving Alex behind, Lena wakes up in a dark and dingy room. She was rescued by some Invalids that live out in the wilds, Raven, Tack, and multiple others. She builds a new life with them, learning their ways and learning a few things about herself too. She learns what it’s like to live outside of the comforts of the city, or the regulation she grew up with and grew accustomed to. She learns what it is like to be attacked by the government, their bombs ruining everything you own.
“Now” is her other new life, in which she lives like Alex did, pretending to be cured in the city. Lena spends her time trying to blend in, attending DFA (Deliria-Free America) meetings in hopes of getting information. At a DFA rally, Lena’s job is to keep an eye on Julian Fineman, whose father is the founder of the DFA. Julian is quite important himself, too. And after the rally is interrupted by the Scavengers (Invalids who are, more or less, just like Lena and Raven and all of the others, but they want destruction, not revolution) Lena finds herself a lot closer to Julian Fineman than she would have ever predicted.
I was beyond excited to start reading this book. Lauren Oliver is one of my favorite authors, and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen in the next installment of Lena’s story. Every page brought something new along with it, and every chapter was a new adventure. I loved the new character additions, especially Raven. There are moments when her motifs are questioned, but her tough and spunky personality makes up for it. I also enjoyed Julian a lot, and I think there is so much more to him than he revealed to Lena. And although I loved the two alternating chapters, “then” and “now,” there never really was a part where “then” and “now” connected. It was never told how Lena got from “then” to “now,” which I was hoping for.
Remember how Delirium ended with a super dramatic cliffhanger? Expect no different from Pandemonium. This cliffhanger left me yelling and desperately wanting the next book. According to Oliver, the third book in the trilogy, called Requiem, is already written and is set to be published some time in 2013. I’m sure it will be worth the wait.

I may be biased, because I did not finish reading this book, but honestly, this novel was not as great as I thought it was going to be. I had read so many good reviews and heard so many good things about this novel, so I guess I started it with high expectations. It is about a peculiar and unique nine-year-old-boy, named Oskar, who’s father had died in the tragedy in New York City on September 11th, 2001. Later, Oskar finds a key in his father’s closet that was encased in an envelope with the word “Black” on it. Oskar is convinced “Black” is a person, most likely a person’s last name, so he sets out on a journey around New York and contacts everyone with the last name Black to see if they have any clue what the key is for.
At first, I was intrigued by Oskar himself. He is a very smart and quirky nine-year-old boy, and the writing style of this story is very realistic; it seemed as if I was inside a nine-year-old’s head. The thoughts were quick, fast-paced, and out of this world. Oskar is brilliant and thought of a lot of things that really made me think. He is the main reason I kept on wanting to read. I couldn’t wait to see what he thought of or did next. The characters are definitely a strong point in this book, at first. But after a while,( for me, at least) all of the eccentric habits and stories and characters seem to fade away and the story becomes dull and boring. The plot didn’t pull its part. It was extremely drawn out and incredibly pointless. I understand that searching through every person with the last name Black would definitely be a long process, but I don’t think it was suitable for an entire plotline of a novel. I mean, the only reason I would have kept reading would be to find out what the key is for. But I really just can’t keep reading this book. I don’t know why, but it just lost its appeal. I have been carrying it around for weeks, hoping that I will find the motivation to pick it up and read it again, but I just can’t. I have heard that the movie is not like the book at all, so I’m not too sure if I’ll even bother watching it. I will honestly say that I probably will end up finishing it at some point in time, and I will definitely make sure that I write a new review when that time comes.