I know that I’m a book blogger so to speak, but I decided to change things up a bit, and do a review of one of my favorite TV shows: The Lying Game. It is in its first season, and you can catch all of it on Hulu.com Disregard anything you’ve heard about this show and give it a chance. I promise that it’s worth it. It will keep you hooked and begging for Monday to come around again.
 The Lying Game (ABC Family)
Sutton Mercer? The one that has it all, right? Well just a few days ago, none of this was mine, and it was something I couldn’t even dream of. A few days ago, I had a horrible foster mom, and a foster brother that was either trying to force his way into my pants, or getting back at me for saying “no.” Now, I’m living in an enormous house, I’m driving my own convertible, my old room could fit in my current closet, and best of all, I have the family to die for. Throughout the past few days, I’ve received more love from these three people than I’ve gotten from anyone else in my entire life. I even have the boy of my dreams, but this vacation comes with a price tag.
Well, actually, it has to be returned.
You see, I traded places with my newly discovered twin sister Sutton, so that she could go search for our birth mother. She thinks that she might be in Los Angeles, so I’m here in Phoenix pretending to be her and living out my dream life. I know that when Sutton gets back, all of this is going to disappear, and they’ll probably hate me for lying to them…but I can’t help being so happy.
The only thing is, our birth mother is pretty hard to find. Sutton’s father and his friend, the district attorney, are hiding something in regards to her disappearance, and they’re refusing to disclose even the simplest of information about her. Sutton’s dad is lying to his wife and his daughters, but for what? What dirty little secret means so much to the two of them that they’re blackmailing, and stalking, and lying just to keep it away from everyone?
We’re going to find out, and somewhere along the line, I have to say “Goodbye” to everything that I ever wanted and loved in my life and start over somewhere new.
Thirteen Reasons Why Jay Asher
I remember that look of pure happiness in her eyes… the way she erupted in completely rare laughter that filled my heart to the brim. I was falling for Hannah Baker and now I can fall no further. After that day, I never saw that same spark of joy in her eyes, and I never again heard that beautiful laugh; at no point in time will I hear it again. Hannah is dead. Gone forever.
I know that I could have done something to stop her. I could have stepped up and told her how I really felt. I could have told her about how someone cared! All the signs were there, but most of us never saw them and the ones that did, ignored them. If only I knew that she felt so alone and so empty. She needed me, and I wasn’t there. If I could be granted one last wish, I would go back in time, and this time, I would recognize the signs of a girl that has jumped off of the edge of insanity. I would take the pills out of her hand and hold her, tell her that I love her, and that everything would be alright. That’s all she needed. I’ll never be able to give that to her…
I received a package today. Within this package are seven tapes with thirteen stories. I have listened to part of the first tape, and right now, I know that…
A- Hannah’s suicide was NOT rash or impulsive. It was well thought out.
B- I am among a group of thirteen people who contributed to her suicide somehow…
C- I have no clue what I could have done, and it’s already eating me alive.
D- someone is watching me to make sure that I carry out her last requests to listen to these tapes from beginning to end, and send them on to the next person.
I heard about this book when my favorite librarian was doing a presentation project for college. She had to present a first person book talk to her the rest of her class, but she decided to practice with some of the students at our school first. This is also the first time that I heard of first person book talks, which became my favorite way to encourage others to read. She thoroughly sold the book to me with a few paragraphs.
That being said, this review is entirely my own. I told the story from a different perspective and I was inspired to write about different things than she was, however, she did not over-sell the book, so to speak. This has become one of my favorite books of all time. Why? Well, it makes the reader think. It induces tears of sadness, joy, and rage. The entire time that I was reading this book, it was impossible for me to put down. I had to know what Hannah had to say on every tape. I cried alongside Clay while he was listening to the tapes screaming at Hannah for leaving and not telling him about her problems and her feelings. It’s an amazing story, and I recommend this to everyone regardless of your typically favorite genres of books.
 Back of the Book:
In one horrifying night, Andy's life changed forever...
Andy Jackson was driving the car that crashed one night after a game, killing Robert Washington, his best friend and the captain of the Hazelwood High Tigers. It was late, and they'd been drinking, and now, months later, Andy can't stop blaming himself. As he turns away from family, friends, and even his girlfriend, he finds he's losing the most precious thing of all -- his ability to face the future.
I’ve replayed the accident over and over again so many times that sometimes, it’s like I can feel the blistering fire that engulfed our car, and I can almost see Robert’s fists pounding against the window as he screamed for someone to save him. I would have given anything in the world to be able to do just that. Don’t get me wrong. I do believe that God had to punish one of us that night to teach us all a lesson, but why Rob? He wasn’t the one driving and he wasn’t the one that caused our tires to meet a giant wall, and yet it was him that flew through that dashboard, and him that we could not free. I should have died that night. Not Rob.
Robert is the one of our group that was headed somewhere! College scouts were everywhere at the football game that night just for him. His family cared about him, and not all of us can say that, especially Gerald. Man, Gerald has it real rough at home, and without Rob to talk to about all his problems, I don’t know what he’ll do.
My girlfriend has been getting kinda mad at me lately. I know that’s my fault too, because I just can’t be happy, even for her. I know I’m pushing her away, but I can’t stop; I don’t deserve to be happy! Not with Rob dead. At least I did one thing right. I finally mustered up enough courage to formally apologize to Rob’s parents, and they weren’t mad at me either! They should hate me! So should all of my friends and even my girlfriend! I do, and now that I’ve finally gotten that little bit of closure from his parents, I can finally set things right. Maybe I can’t bring Rob back, but I can do the next best thing.
Tears of a Tiger is an amazing book that kicks off an even more amazing series- The Hazelwood High Trilogy, which is about a group of teenagers and the struggles that they face daily, and how they manage to overcome them, or how they never will. These teenagers were all forced to become adults far before their time, and their stories are relatable to both other teenagers and adults. This series will invoke a wide range of emotions from the reader. The author does a great job to create enough suspense to keep you turning the pages nonstop to find out what is going to happen, and her details are so in depth that the sad, as well as the happy moments will definitely bring some tears to the table.
As a child, I didn't expect to know anybody for long. I was a foster child and I was tossed from one family to the next quite a bit. Until I met Mr. Fielding, I never considered anyone to be a part of my real family; he ended up being the closest thing I would ever have to a dad. He was also my friend. Mr. Fielding died a few weeks ago in the car accident that should have also killed me, however, there wasn't a single a scratch on me, and I felt no pain as the car going sixty miles per hour ran head on into a tree. The words that he whispered to me before he died, "you are invincible," made absolutely no sense to me at the time, but now they are permanently etched into my mind.
I'm not sure how it could have happened, but with the help of my friend Milo and my girlfriend Oh, I have discovered that I truly am invincible. Fire no longer burns my skin. Bullets no longer have the ability to penetrate my body. As if that isn't seemingly impossible enough, I can also transfer my invincibility to anyone in a time of need. All I need is a name and a fave, and with three words, I can both move my power as well as take it back.
My friends and I, we have tested the power. We have looked for weaknesses and found none. We have looked to see what we can and cannot do. With what seemed like zero limitations, we set out to save lives when we could.It went well for a while, until the time came that I had to start choosing who to save and who to let die, and my girlfriend began to change in a way that was far beyond anything Milo and I could comprehend. Now, I need answers, and I need them fast before Death catches up with us.
***
In the book, Thirteen Days to Midnight, author Patrick Carman hooks his readers right away with his uncanny ability to combine suspense, thrills, and a bit of romance. Go check it out! I completely believe that you too will be attached to the characters from the very first page.
BACK OF THE BOOK:You are indestructible. These are the words that transfer an astonishing power to Jacob Fielding... and it changes everything. After all, there's something addictive about testing the limits of fear, experiencing the thrill of walking through fire, or saving your friend from a beating in front of the whole school.
Then Ophelia James, the beautiful and daring new girl in town, suggests that they use the power to do good, to save others at risk of death. But with every heroic act, the power grows into the specter of a curse. How to decide who lives and who dies? And why does darkness seem to be chasing them? Jacob only has thirteen days to figure out how to harness this terrifying power... and the answer is chilling: What if he has to kill the one he loves to save her?
In the context of a dark, unconventional superhero story, Patrick Carman has envisioned a high concept tale of intrigue, romance, friendship and adventure that probes deep into what teens face as they enter young adult years: navigating increasingly complex choices with greater consequences, as well as the gray areas blurring the definitions of right and wrong.
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