Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke | Book Review

Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke 

Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars 

Given Summary: The intrigue of The Raven Boys and the "supernatural or not" question of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer coalesce in this young adult mystery, where nothing is quite as it seems, no one is quite who you think, and everything can change on a dime. 

Every story needs a hero. 
Every story needs a villain. 
Every story needs a secret.  

Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Wink. Poppy. Midnight. Two girls. One boy. Three voices that burst onto the page in short, sharp, bewitching chapters, and spiral swiftly and inexorably toward something terrible or tricky or tremendous. 

What really happened? 
Someone knows. 
Someone is lying. 

For fans of Holly Black, We Were Liars, and The Virgin Suicides, this mysterious tale full of intrigue, dread, beauty, and a whiff of something strange will leave you utterly entranced.

Cover: The cover of this book shows a bunch of different things that made me think it would be supernatural, but it isn't.  It also says "A hero.  A villain.  A Liar.  Who's who?"  I guess Midnight is the hero, Poppy is the villain, and Wink is the liar, but I think that can also be up to interpretation.

My Review: I'm not going to lie, I was definitely expecting this book to be able witches and wizards or something supernatural and it wasn't.  It was just about kids with odd names.  Which is fine, I thought it was cool that they had the names they did, but even the cover was a little misleading.  This has nothing to do with my actual opinion of the book, and I know I shouldn't judge a book by its title or cover, but I did and I was completely off the mark.
I liked this book because it was a form of a mystery.  I often found myself saying to myself, 'What is going on' and trying to figure it out.  I was able to guess some of the ending, but not the entire thing.  This book was weird, but in a good way.  I don't even really know how to describe it.  It was a story of revenge, but also a story of helping someone who maybe didn't deserve the help.  I have a feeling this book is one that you just have to read to understand, and I would recommend it because it was a good story.  The only thing is that I wasn't really a fan of the ending.  Midnight just leaves and it's unclear whether he and Wink were still dating or if they broke up or what.  And even though Wink and Poppy messed with Midnight and lied to him, I didn't want him and Wink to break up, so I was confused by the ending.  

Has anyone else read this story and want to add something?  Do you agree that you just have to read it to understand or did you find it more simple than I did?

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The List by Siobhan Vivian | Book Review

The List by Siobhan Vivian

Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary:An intense look at the rules of high school attraction -- and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year before homecoming -- the list is posted all over school. Two girls are picked from each grade. One is named the prettiest, one the ugliest. The girls who aren't picked are quickly forgotten. The girls who are become the center of attention, and each reacts differently to the experience.

With THE LIST, Siobhan Vivian deftly takes you into the lives of eight very different girls struggling with issues of identity, self-esteem, and the judgments of their peers. Prettiest or ugliest, once you're on the list, you'll never be the same.

Cover: The cover shows a girl in front of the lockers holding the list.  It is unclear as to whether this is supposed to be one of the girls on the list in the story or just a random girl in the school.  Either way, it is clear to see from her face that she is effected by what names are on the list.  Maybe she's on it or maybe a friend, sister, or enemy is on it.

My Review: In High School, reputation is everything.  We care what others think of us above all else, even our own opinions.  It seems like we need validation from strangers to make sure that the opinions we have about ourselves are accurate.  This novel shows just how much words can effect how we view ourselves and others.  Ugly and Pretty are just words, but they hold so much more meaning than other words.  And everyone they're said to reacts differently.  This novel proves that.  Being called pretty may come with a need to please and a will to prove to everyone that, yes, you are pretty.  Being called ugly may force you to prove people wrong or make a stand.  Either way, the fight to prove a point always comes with casualties.  You may lose friends, respect, courage.  And once those things are gone it can be hard to get them back.  The List reminds us just how serious words can be and how harmful their effects may be.  It doesn't matter how old you are either, you are effected when things are said about you, especially when they're said anonymously.  I liked how this book gave the perspective of every girl on the list rather than following one of them.  However, when it was over I was still left with a lot of questions.  Does Bridget start eating or get the help she needs?  Does Lauren really leave the school?  Does Andrew apologize and try to get Danielle back?  I wish there was a short epilogue for each of the girls just to explain what happens after the dance.   

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