5 More by Melanie

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
reviewed by Melanie

I would feel out of place criticizing a classic. Lucky for me, this book doesn't leave much to frown upon. To Kill a Mockingbird is about how a young girl's brother breaks his arm. No, seriously, this is what the entire book is about. But if you want a more profound description, I would say that To Kill a Mockingbird is about how a young girl growing up in the 1930's realizes the difference between what's right and what's accepted in society when her father defends a black man in court in a bigoted town. I love how this story is mainly shown through a flashback. You don't really understand how this story is about how a young girl's brother broke his arm until the end. Every setting, character, and event has an impressive background which made the story seem very real. The characters are especially remarkable and realistic. My only complaint is the pace of the book. It starts off very slow and then BAM--it all hits you nearing the end. Then again, this may be necessary build up for the profound events that follow. If you haven't already read this book in school, I would advise you to pick up a copy. After all, it is a classic.

Glass by Ellen Hopkins
reviewed by Melanie

If there is one thing that I have learned from this book is to never, ever do drugs. Ever. Glass is about Kristina, a young adult whose drug addiction turns her life upside-down. I thought Kristina had done just about everything to ruin her life in Crank. Then I find out about the sequel, Glass, and let me say, this book is even more intense.

DISCLAIMER: If you're expecting a sugar-coated novel, Glass is not for you. If you are not a mature reader, Glass is not for you. If the mere thought of reading 681 pages of depressing poems sounds downright awful, Glass is not for you.
Glass is one of those "it was interesting, but I wouldn't read it again," type of books. It was quite overwhelming at times. I also did not enjoy all the romance throughout this book. On the other hand, the characters were interesting and the plot always had a way of surprising me. I also learned some new street names. If you ever need any convincing to say away from drugs, read this book. I guarantee you will never touch the stuff once your done with Glass.

Crossing Lines by Paul Volponi
reviewed by Melanie

I shouldn't have liked this book. The characters were clequed and the plot was a bit weak. But...I couldn't help it! For some reason I read this book, was sad when I finished it, then read it again! Crossing Lines is about a popular football player, Adonis, who has to decide whether his social status is worth bullying his classmate, Alan, who goes against the norm by doing things that boys typically don't do--like joining the fashion club. As I have mentioned, the technical aspects of this book were not great. I mean, come on--the homophobic football team, the image-conscious popular kid, and the sweet underdog? It's like I had already met these characters before. Seriously, I felt like I was watching an episode of Glee or something. Yet I'm still recommending this book because it was very interesting. This is also one of those books that made me scream at the characters which is always adds something extra to the overall reading experience. Therefore, I advise you to pick up a copy of Crossing Lines--just don't be surprised when you feel a sense of deja vu.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
reviewed by Melanie

JUST READ IT, OKAY? I don't think I can write a review that serves this book justice. Words just cannot express how in amazing it is. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is about a Charlie, a teenage boy's, intense journey through 9th grade as he makes new friends, falls in love, and finds out about himself. This is definitely my new favorite book. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is very emotional, personal, and easy to relate to. I finished reading it a few weeks ago and I'm still marveling at how incredible it is. The only thing bad about this book is that when you read it in a public place, people tend to give you weird looks when you grunt, gasp, and cry at its pages. Oh gosh, the epilogue is just beautiful! The whole book is beautiful! I could barely contain myself while I was reading it! The characters are all realistic and very interesting. Every character is well designed and has their own background. The way this book is written is probably the most incredible aspect of the story. The way Charlie thinks and speaks is so emotionally powerful, there's no way he won't tug at your heartstrings. I advise everybody to lock themselves in their bedroom and not come out until you have read the entire book. Alright--that may be a bit drastic. Nevertheless, you need to read this book, like, now. It's being turned into a movie as well, but come on you guys, us readers know that you've gotta read the book!

Jay's Journal by Anonymous
reviewed by Melanie

You know how a horror movie is always ten times scarier when it's based on a true story? This book had me practically shaking with its disturbing, frighting, and true subject matter. Jay's Journal is the real (but edited) journal of a teenage boy who committed suicide after his life took a downwards spiral as he got involved with a dangerous cult. Jay's Journal is the companion diary to Go Ask Alice. I thought it couldn't get much more crazy than Go Ask Alice, which is a highly story disturbing itself, but wow, Jay's Journal blew my mind. I assumed that the book would be only about drugs (like Go Ask Alice is), but the dominant concept is actually witchcraft, which is extremely interesting to read about, especially since there are very few books about teens into that sort of thing. I advise you not to read this if you'd like to keep your sanity in check, because nothing causes paranoia quite like Jay's Journal entries.