The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness

Everyone in Prentisstown can hear everyone else's thoughts in the form of raucous, overwhelming Noise - there is no space for privacy, secrets, or silence. But one day, deep in the swamp, Todd Hewitt and his dog find an area of complete quiet, which is completely unheard of. Slowly, Todd beings to suspect that Prentisstown has a history different from the one Todd has been taught, and this history drives Todd and Manchee to flee for their lives. The only problem? It's hard to run when there's nowhere to go and everyone can hear you think.

The Knife of Never Letting Go, the first book in the Chaos Walking trilogy, was recommended to me a couple weeks ago by Michelle (a.k.a. Clover) of Fluttering Butterflies. If I liked the Hunger Games series, she said, I'd like the The Knife of Never Letting Go. I immediately put the book (which was, of course, checked out) on hold at my local library, and it came in a few days ago. Michelle, you were definitely very absolutely extremely correct. The Knife of Letting Go is the perfect book for anyone who likes the Hunger Games trilogy - and, for that matter, anyone else.

Like most people invested in the Hunger Games books, I cried while reading Mockingjay. However, I was suprised to find that I cried even more during The Knife of Never Letting Go. Does that make me a bad Hunger Games fan? Anyway, The Knife of Letting Go is absolutely amazing (though not because it made me cry - that does not, in my opinion, define a good book). Todd, who narrates the book, cannot read or write, and I thought at first that his dialect might detract from my experience. However, it became more natural and less noticeable over time, and I didn't really have any issue with all the "ain't"-ing. Todd and Manchee were both very likeable, and I thought Ness did an excellent job of portraying what dogs would say if they could talk. The plot was excellent - fast-paced, fairly complex, and utterly engaging. The Knife of Letting Go was, for me, one of those books where you completely and entirely forget what's going on around you and are wholly absorbed into the story. The book accurately portrays the costs of war while not being too overwhelmingly depressing, and leaves the reader wanting more. 

Now, I need to go finish my homework so I can get started on The Ask and the Answer!

The Adoration of Jenna Fox - Mary E. Pearson

Jenna Fox has just woken up from a year-long coma. She does not remember anything about her personal life - her parents (assuming that they are her parents, because she can't remember them) tell her what her name is, tell her that she was in a terrible accident, and they give her videos of her life to watch, but she doesn't remember being the little girl on the screen. Slowly, bits and pieces of Jenna's memory begin to come back. But along with those memories, Jenna has questions about what really happened to her, and no one wants to give her answers. 

I found the beginning of The Adoration of Jenna Fox somewhat confusing, but that was because Jenna is also very confused about what's going on and, for that matter, who she really is. And, aside from anything else, the book is very gripping. I read it in two hours straight, and had no desire to pause at any point during the book. The Adoration of Jenna Fox was almost like a suspense novel in that it had twist after turn throughout most of the book, but it didn't feel rushed or too fast-paced to me.

I was very pleasantly surprised with The Adoration of Jenna Fox - it was one of those books that I chose in the library because it had a pretty cover and looked halfway interesting, but I'm extremely glad I picked it up, and I look forward to reading more of Pearson's writing.