Month: October 2021

Teen Reviewer Gwenyth I.

It’s Not Summer Without You (2010)
Author: Jenny Han
Total Pages: 320
Personal Rating: 2/5 

Review:
If there were one word to describe this book it would be FILLER. Usually, within a trilogy (or book series), there are 1 or 2 books where nothing really happens but you force read in order to not miss any details. This phenomenon is so common that it actually has a name: Second Book Syndrome, and I couldn’t describe It’s Not Summer Without You in better words. The book starts off with the death of Susannah (the Fisher boy’s beloved mother). After the death of Susannah, it seems as if all the characters in the book start to fall apart as the glue that holds them together is no longer there. Belly hasn’t spoken to Jeremiah or Conrad mainly due to the short-lived romantic relationship of Belly and Conrad. But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be.

So let me explain my low rating. First off, I could totally skip this book and move on to the third book while still being completely aware of what is going on. The plot of this book literally goes nowhere and it maintains the stereotypical teen-romance plotline. I had so much hope for this book because there was so much potential for Belly’s character development, but she still remained the ditsy girl that she is characterized to be, as she is still in love with both of the Fisher boys and maintains a temperamental attitude. For example, after the death of their mother, the Fisher boys are in a state of mourning without their mother and after Belly sees Conrad being comforted by another girl, she completely freaks out and begins to spew rude words at him. She tells Conrad that she hates him and word for word tells him to “go to hell”. Maybe you might see why I’m not a fan of this book. 

I would not recommend this book at all but since it is a part of a trilogy series, it’s like a known fact that you must read the book to be done with the series. I don’t know if Jenny Han was going for a book that is literally “hot air” because at this point the series is kind of turning into a joke.

Thanks for the honest review!

Teen video game review from Griffin H.

Bloodborne


Developed by FromSoftware, Bloodborne is a terrifying, magnificent, and back-breakingly difficult masterpiece of video games.

You awaken in a derelict Victorian-era Yharnam as a Hunter, after having received a horrifying blood transfusion. Venturing out into the accursed city, you find that something is very wrong with Yharnam and its occupants – every one of which has lost its mind or very nearly so as a result of the devastating titular bloodborne disease, transforming many into disturbing beasts. Virtually alone in a nightmare whose only goal is to hurt, the Hunter’s only refuge is the untroubled Hunter’s Dream. However, you are anything but defenseless – gifted with nigh supernatural agility, strength, and a lethal armory, you gracefully out-maneuver and devastate your opponents. As you progress through the increasingly unsettling world, your sanity depletes before your eyes as secrets unfold, and the reality of being trapped in a moonlit nightmare sets in.


Bloodborne, together with the Dark Souls trilogy, are the progenitors of an entire genre of games known as “Soulsborne”, defined by deliberate, risk-and-reward melee where every decision made could be lethal – for both you and the opponent. In my opinion, Bloodborne’s combat system reigns supreme – each skirmish is akin to a deadly dance between Hunter and game, where a single misstep could mean annihilation. In this way, Bloodborne suspends the Hunter in an exhilarating balance between predator and prey, a laudable quality largely unreplicated by another game since. While its revolutionary combat system is what attracts most, Bloodborne is also thematically flawless. Its near complete lack of dialogue is well made up for by its environment and atmosphere. Everything you see and hear under the ever-present moon, from the deranged moaning and screaming ringing throughout Yharnam from places unseen, to the serrated edges and dubious stains on the grotesque weapons you use to dispatch your even more grotesque opponents, tells the story. I could go on and on about what makes Bloodborne the greatest game of all time: Its imposing orchestral soundtrack, or periodic lack thereof. The immense feeling of achievement from deciding to take a chance and explore, and be rewarded with a stunning gift at the end of the dark backstreet. The characters – few and far between, but each one uniquely compelling. The outright embrace of Lovecraft’s cosmic, otherworldly tales. But what I find truly remarkable about Bloodborne is how it all comes together to force you to face your worst phobias, and come out on top. Whether it be droves of gigantic spiders, a forest filled to the brim with horrendous serpents, faceless phantoms, indescribable beings the size of fields, or simply being in the dark alone, you conquer your fears one by one – that to me is true satisfaction.

Thanks again, Griffin!

Teen reviewer Gwenyth I.

Regretting You (2019)
Author: Colleen Hoover
Total Pages: 366
Personal Rating: 4/5
Review:

I honestly do not think I could ever hate a Colleen Hoover novel… She finds a way to make each book wildly unique even though she writes within the same genre. Regretting You tells the story from two points of view, Morgan Grant, a woman who did not have enough parental supervision to become a successful individual, and Clara Grant, her teenage daughter who is Morgan’s polar opposite. Clara feels as if her mother is holding her back from a coming-of-age period, while Morgan is trying to protect Clara from the mistakes she made as a teenager, such as her own teen pregnancy. The only thing that holds these two individuals together is Chris Grant, Morgan’s husband of seventeen years. But after a tragic incident that results in the death of Chris and Morgan’s sister, Jenny, their family’s world is flipped upside down. In addition, Morgan feels tasked with taking care of Jenny’s newborn son, Elijah, which means facing his father-figure, Jonah, someone she has always had mixed feelings about. After acclimating to Jonah, both individuals realize things aren’t as they seem once they closely look into Jenny and Chris’s relationship.

Regretting You is so underrated within Colleen Hoover’s range of books and I’m quite surprised it isn’t talked about more. Hoover has truly mastered the art of dual perspectives without making the plotline confusing, which I really appreciate. She elevates her writing even more through the various plot twists and creates surprises that are lackluster in her most infamous book, It Ends With Us. Although I speak highly of this book, I wouldn’t place it in the must-read category because some parts were extensively detailed and unnecessary, just elongating the duration of the book. Being an avid reader of young-adult romance novels, I was able to predict some major plots of the book, but since Hoover’s writing style is so immersive, I wasn’t so bothered by it. Overall, I was once again surprised by the talent of Colleen Hoover and her ability to create a work of art that keeps you reading.

Awesome review!! Thanks!

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