Radiance by Alyson Noel
Reviewed by Melanie
Riley Bloom is my favorite dead girl. She lives (so to speak) her afterlife in a sort of "alternative heaven" called the "Here & Now" where you can manifest anything your unbeating heart desires. In the Here & Now, everyone is assigned a role. Riley is assigned the role of "soul catcher." With the help of her mentor, Riley travels back to earth to try to convince earth-bound spirits to forget their past life and cross over.
It's a concept that's been done before (enter The Lovely Bones), but Radiance has its' own unique twist to it. If you've read Alyson Noel's Immortal's series then you'll recognize our heroine as Ever's little sister. But don't worry — you don't have to read four other books before this one. Radiance is story that stands all on its own. The setting is very interesting and conflicts are exciting, not to mention rich in imagery. Young Riley's life may have ended to soon, but her afterlife is just beginning.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Reviewed by Melanie
How do I even begin to describe the amazing, entertaining ludicrousness that is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? I'll start by saying Forty–Two. Also, respect your pet mice. Is this confusing book review already testing your tolerance? Well in that case, you probably shouldn't read this book.
But if you are intrigued, let me say, don't bring this book to school — you will laugh, you will gasp, and you will refuse to put it down, even when your biology teacher gives you death-glares.
Just to make sure you are intrigued, I'll attempt to explain this book. Shortly after Earth is demolished, Arthur and his alien friend Ford begin a journey though space. With the help of a few new friends and, of course, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Arthur learns that there's a lot more out there than just planet Earth; in fact, Earth is an insignificant dot in the universe written off as "mostly harmless" by other life forms.
If you're looking for something different, you can't get much more unique than this. Hitchhiker's Guide has everything from dead planets to depressed robots.
Posted by Arlo at January 30, 2013 03:07 PM