Erikka > Recent Status Updates

I feel like I started reading a different book at ch 18. And this 2nd book isn't quite as good.

Now is the time when our evildoers outline their masterful plan for our protagonist. I'm sensing a plot twist in the near future...

Called it. I'm a genius! :)

So they're on a quest and come across information on the McGuffin Casket Company. Pretty clever naming, if you know what a McGuffin is in the film business. Nicely played, Gina. :)

I feel like I walked in in the middle of this story. Sometimes that's a fun way to start a book. This is not one of those times; it's actually a quite unpleasant feeling. I feel lost.

This book should be called "Surviving Furnace through dumb luck". There has to have been about 10 events so far that are "through random luck", "by chance", "in the nick of time", "when it seemed like hope was lost". Seriously, this kid has unbelievable luck (and several deus ex machinas).

Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey.

This book is f-ed up...like, big time. I like it! :)

I'm going to assume that, because this is an ARC and an e-book, there are some punctuation/ section dividers yet to be inserted. If not, there are some major scene changed and passages of time that are not separated at all. It's like the world's worst jump cut in a movie.

Why the HELL haven't I read this yet?! All those crazy awards this won? Totally earned.

The five steps of energy consumption...sure, the energy sources are fictional, but the concept is essentially true for us. Why use solar power when coal is cheaper? Why use natural fuels? Who cares that oil is finite and pollutes our air and water? We are worthless as a species...

Summary: wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey.

"It's tradition" "But why does that even need to be done?" "For tradition, my boy!" "But...in the name of what?" "In the name of tradition!" THIS is what it sounds like to me whenever people do things "for tradition." This absolutely cracked me up.

I like JT so far, but I wish excessive drunkenness wasn't presented as a mandatory part of the college experience. I only drank very occasionally and in moderation through school and managed to turn out just fine. It's sad that many (most) college kids feel that getting bombed every weekend is a requirement--I wish JT set a better example.

This book seems to be going on forever...I can't seem to stay focused on it. It's not that it's boring, it's just...meh.

"The clerk tapped his cane to the ground. 'Parents,' he said. 'The bane of every school's existence.'" Love that so so so much, because it's so true.

"The clerk tapped his cane to the ground. 'Parents,' he said. 'The bane of every school's existence.'" Love that so so so much, because it's so true.

I'm still ambivalent towards this book--it's not bad, but it's a bit too fantasy-esque for my tastes. I'll keep at it for a bit though. And his math teacher is called prof. Layton. I want him to say "This reminds me of a puzzle..."

Gonna give this one a test run-- very mixed reviews.

Once I engaged "teen boy mindset", this book became awesome. This will be on the top of my recommendation list for guy reads, right next to Higson's "The Enemy" series and Grant's "BZRK".

Oh, chapter 21...you single-handedly saved this book from the "sucks to much to finish" pile. Kenji's speech in this chapter is exactly what I scream at every Juliette-like protagonist in any teen book. If I had the time or patience to quote it in full here, I would-- but I will leave the joy to you. Hopefully it gets through her thick skull!

Kenji just summed up my opinion of Juliette in one sentence: "maybe if you manage to stop being a dumbass long enough not to die..." Thank you, Kenji.

They better get over this teen drama bullcrap really fast, or I'm done. I want some fighting, training, use of powers, anything but this relationship filler material.

I can't read this book without the theme song from the 1990's X-men cartoon in my head. Feel free to hum along if you know the tune.

Called it!

Oh. My. Gosh. *closes the book and takes a second to think about the ramifications of this plot point* wow. O.O

I think i know what's going to happen...Shusterman never writes anything without purpose. He is very anti-chekov's rifle....but holy cow, that's a big plot event. This may take some time to process. :)

I so badly want to transport myself back in time and attend this poker game. I'd probably contract instant lung cancer and cirrhosis, but what an amazing group of people in one room!

Dear god, this is some ridiculous middle-book syndrome. Mostly because Okoya pisses me off and the Shards are being total sheep with him. But I have to read it for Shattered Sky to make sense.

Wren 178 is badass! What a great MC so far!