Ready Player One

Hey guys! It's been a while since I've posted here. I was busy with school and was in a reading slump for a while. I tried to read some here and there, but none of them kept my attention for long. But Ready Player One by Ernest Cline I picked up at the library and I absolutely loved it. It wasn't like anything I've read before, and I found it very interesting and the world just sucked me in.

It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. 

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them. 

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig. 

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle. 

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life--and love--in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. 

A world at stake. 
A quest for the ultimate prize. 
Are you ready?

Tell me, does this synopsis not immediately intrigue you right on the spot? I've never read anything set in a virtual reality, so reading about this fictional future and the OASIS was soo interesting, and intrigued me from beginning to the end. Next, was the idea of the contest. Halliday, upon his death, set up a bunch of hidden puzzles inside this massive virtual world, with only a bunch of riddles to lead the way. And in order to solve these puzzles, a knowledge of '80s trivia was needed. Although I have pretty much no knowledge of the 1980s, I found the references to be really interesting.

At times there were large passages of just information, which might be skipped by some readers. But I never found the book to be boring at any point. It was just a chain of events and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout it all. The characters were so distinct and unique. A lack of character development can make me avoid many books, but this book just hit it spot on. The plot got more and more intense, and the ending was just full of excitement and I just can't express how much I loved this book.

I would give it a 100 out of 10. So now that you've heard my thoughts go and enjoy it for yourself! If you're not immediately immersed into the book after the first few chapters, than I admit that it's not for everyone. But I would definitely give it a try, and comment below on what you thought.

Off topic: I'll try to post more often, though no promises. It'll probably be once in a while from now on. Thanks for reading!

Clockwork Princess

So true to my rant in my last post, I have finished reading the last book in the Infernal Devices; Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare.

I thought this book was amazing, and an immensely satisfying end to the series. Whatever words come out of my mouth (or keyboard) won't be enough to express how much I love this book. It just won't. So I'll sum up some more important points that I want to mention.

Since the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices are somewhat related, all the pieces seem to fall into place after this book. A lot is explained, and I like that.

Okay, that was two sentences. But I've been dying to talk about the best thing of all. And I'll try to make it more interesting than above.

The love triangle: I am not totally fond of love triangles in YA books, because I hate how you have to choose between one or the other. It causes jealousy and anger. But this book proves that love triangles can truly be a 3-way relationship, all tangled up in complicated ways. The two boys, Will and Jem, and the main character, Tessa, aren't connected by jealousy or anger at all. They all care for each other, yet cause pain to each other because they can't satisfy all three of them. I'll explain each relationship in more detail:

Will and Jem: These two are parabatai, and have been best friends for years. Although they both love the same girl, they aren't aware of each other's feelings until later on. And they would never want to cause pain to each other, because of such a strong bond that has kept them together. Will owes Jem for his understanding personalities, and for being his anchor and guide in his journey to cope with the life he has to bear. Jem understands this, and is always the one to step aside and comfort Will. They cannot afford to lose each other, or else they will permanently lose a part of themselves. This is the relationship that makes this kind of love triangle possible; one that doesn't stem from jealousy or enemies.

(The next might be spoiler, but not much.)

Will and Tessa: Will loves Tessa. Yet he knows he can't show it, or else risk hurting and losing Jem for a reason that he can't bear. He doesn't want the guilt that his own selfishness had caused the person he hung on to as a reason to keep living, pain, and an end to Jem's happiness. That is why he is willing to bear the pain and step aside to let his parabatai be happy, while sacrificing his own happiness.

Tessa to both: Tessa loves both of them equally, which is essential. There isn't a single choice that will leave her happy, because of the knowledge that choosing one means hurting the other. It's so complex, yet so amazing.

Ugh, I'm done ranting, this is all I can do. I give it 10 out of 10. :D

Clockwork Princess: A Rant

Okay, so this isn't a review, but a rant by me, about a book that I cannot wait to be published next month. It's the Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare and is the last book of the trilogy, the Infernal Devices. It is one of my favorites, and I cannot wait. Not only is it a rich and fascinating take on the world Clare has created, it will solve the most epic love triangle ever, for no other love triangle has gotten me as riled up as this one. Without giving spoilers, there are two very very very very likable boys, who are best friends, and have been ever since they were twelve. You can't possibly not like one or the other; you just may favor one over the other for different reasons. They both like the same girl, who has a connection with both, but is unable to make a certain decision on who she loves. The thing is, every single character in the story is likable. Even the bad guys are likable, because their personality is interesting and how they interact with others gives a great deal of conflict, which keeps the story going. The character's relationships are all intertwined with one another, so tangled the web is that it becomes complicated, and the reader becomes more involved with their backstories and their actions. This is what makes a great story; not only the plot, but the great immense complications of the characters' relationships. This has been one of my favorite series ever, and that concludes my endless rant. :D