WHEW! I survived Monday. How about you? Make it through un-harmed? Mondays are my longest days at school, but it’s nice that the worst day is over early! But don’t worry, I had this great new picture of Molly (my brother and sister-in-law’s puppy) to get me through the day:
She says hello.
So, remember how I confessed this weekend that I’m addicted to froyo? Well… There’s another thing I’ve become re-addicted to:
READING!!!!
For the first three semesters of law school I rarely read a book just for fun! I always had so much reading to do for class that I just did not have the time! Weirdly, this semester I ended up taking 5 classes which require very little reading! Out of the 5, 2 classes require ZERO reading, 1 class requires some writing but no reading, 1 class meets only once a week, and then my last class requires normal reading. To translate to English: I have about 1/4th the amount of reading that I did the past three semesters, which ROCKS and means I have more time to devote to reading for fun!
A lot of people say they don’t have time read, but honestly, if you love it then you’ll make time! I read mostly on the weekends, on the bus to and from school, or for about 20-30 minutes before I go to bed. Plus, spring break helped me bust through several books. That’s what happens when you fly so much!
Recently, I’ve been getting into a serious dystopia trend. Honestly, I had no idea what a dystopia novel was until I read a post by Caitlin at Healthy Tipping Point about her favorite dystopia novels. Since then, I’ve read Brave New World, The Hunger Games Series, The Maze Runner Series, and Divergent by Veronica Roth. Although I didn’t enjoy Brave New World, I LOVED the Hunger Games series (as most people do) and all the other novels I’ve read so far. Today I thought I’d review the Maze Runner series!
(source)
I started reading Maze Runner because it seems to be recommended quite often if you’re a fan of the Hunger Games. I figured I might as well give it a shot! The series, by James Dashner, follows one boy, Thomas, through his very confusing journey. The story begins when he arrives in a “maze” as the new kid (they get a new kid each month) with absolutely no memory of his past. In the center of the maze live dozens of boys who’ve been there for 2 years and creating their own working society. Each morning the doors out to the surrounding maze open and some of the boys race through the maze trying to find an exit or a pattern to the madness. Every night the doors close because inside the maze are dangerous creatures, so you don’t want to get caught inside.
The day after Thomas arrives their whole system is shaken up by the arrival of a girl and many other events. The first book follows Thomas and the boys as they try desperately to find a way out of the maze. I really enjoyed the book because it was quite a mystery to solve. I never anticipated what was going to happen next, it was always a surprise! One difference from the Hunger Games, however, is that there is not the same emotional attachment to the characters. Dashner seems to focus more on the mystery and making it all come together, rather than the characters themselves.
The next two books follow the boys on their adventures and many other trials that they are put through, which turn out to be for an important societal purpose. The books are really gripping, I finished all three as quickly as I could get my hands on them and really enjoyed reading them. Although, as with the Hunger Games, the first was definitely my favorite!
If you’re a Hunger Games fan, or a distopia fan, I definitely recommend giving this series a try!
AND, while researching this blog post, I came across a NEW book in the series, which is the prequel to Maze Runner:
Unfortunately, it’s not available until August 14th! WHAT A TEASE! Oh well. I do love series books though, because the story never ends!
Are you a fan of distopias?
Do you love series?
I always have: Boxcar Children, Babysitter’s Club, Redwall, Harry Potter, Shopaholic, several other girly beach-read series…
Babysitters Club! 🙂 I had at least the first 100 (I think they’re still in my parents’ basement)!
Haha I had so many of those! My mom eventually made me donate them, she convinced me it was better to share my love of the books…
I loved the Hunger Games so I will definitely check out this series. Thanks for the recommendation.
I also really love Jodi Picoult books. I’ve read so many of hers and I am currently reading her newest one Lone Wolf. She tackles very complicated, complex issues facing our society today. You should check it out!
I’ve read every single Jodi Picoult book except her two newest ones! I love her!
I used to read Goosebumps as a kid! Remember those?!
I love the distopian society novels. I was an English major in college, and I couldn’t go a semester without a professor assigning one. I loved Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” and Don DeLillo’s “White Noise” and Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”. You should check them out!
Haha I NEVER read Goosebumps, the TV show scared me too much!
I love dystopias, do you remember The Giver (I read it in school), definitey one of the classics.
Even when my semesters are busy I try to find time to read. It honestly keeps me sane and helps me relax/sleep better at night!
I actually never read the Giver until this past summer! I didn’t read it in school so I decided to just get it from the library.
I was going to reccommend The Giver too; it’s one of my all time favorite books.
So glad you have some time to read this semester. I start to go crazy when I don’t have time to read. 🙂
Ah me too! and it’s a great way to wind down in the evening!
I LOVE DISTOPIA NOVELS! I loved the Hunger Games and I’ve been on the search for a new series. I think I’ll try Maze Runner! My favorite series will always be Harry Potter…I’m just not sure anything can live up to how epic it is. However, one of my favorite books/series (which are also in the distopia genre) is The Giver and it’s two predecessors, Gathering Blue and Messenger. Naturally, the first book is the best in my opinion but the other two are pretty good as well.
^I guess I should read previous comments. I see The Giver was already spoken about. Regardless, I still love it!
So true, Harry Potter will always hold a special place in my heart, I started reading it in 6th grade! That was 12 years ago!
I am in graduate school and my first couple of semesters I had a ridiculous amount of reading as well. This semester I kept waiting for it to come and finally this weekend I realized that it wasn’t coming and that I could actually pick up a non-academic book that didn’t have to do with the environment or politics. It was quite liberating.
I know what you mean, I didn’t even try this semester until I had to finish a book in a week for a bookclub, and then I was like: wait a minute, I just read a book in a week, I can read for fun now! haha
Hmmm I just finished The Scorch Trials, and I’m so frustrated! I feel like they answered less than half the questions from the first book. I picked up the Death Cure, but please tell me that you start getting some answers in that book because I just feel more confused after reading the second. I hope the third doesn’t leave you hanging just for the fourth.
As for books, I loved the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series and right now I’m reading Diane Chamberlain, and I really like her so far.
Are you on GoodReads?
The Death Cure definitely gives you some answers, although I have to say I don’t like the end. I kind of feel like he wrote it so that he could do another afterwards. It just felt a little incomplete… but not completely hanging. I am on goodreads but I haven’t updated it in ages, I need to! http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7407769-katie
Awwwww! I just want to steal Molly and cuddle her all day. What a cutie.
I’m not a huge fan of dystopian novels. I’m more into murder mysteries and mysteries in general. So, maybe I’d like The Maze Runner series? I do love series books, too. My favorites are the In Death books by J.D. Robb.
HAha trust me, I want to steal her too! The Maze Runner is definitely a mystery, it’s worth a try if you want to try something a little different. My mom LOVES murder mysteries, she’s been reading them non stop since I can remember!
You seriously didn’t enjoy Brave New World, but “LOVED” The Hunger Games? Brave New World is an incredible work of literature and has been named one of the best English-language novels of the twentieth century. It is well written, brilliantly allegorical, and includes deep philosophical themes. The Hunger Games is a trashy young adult novel.
Each to their own I guess, a good friend of mine was also upset I didn’t like it! Life’s too short not to read what you enjoy!
Wow! I really want to read these now. I’m adding them to my list of books to read!
Good! I hope you like them!
I really need to get on reading Divergent and The Maze Runner series!! They both look SO good! But work (and life) has been crazy nutso! I have 4 books on my nightstand……yikes. Hah. But I LOVE reading. I honestly have not had any extra time. Boo!
Haha yea I have several unread books in my apartment, but once I started Maze Runner I had to read the rest of the series first!
I love science fiction. Margaret Atwood writes it best, I think. I highly recommend Oryx and Crake, and then The Year Of The Flood if you’re looking for a good series (the third book is coming out, eventually!).
I use to love books in series but I tend to not read so much these days that I just go with an author I like instead, and read from their collection once in a while.
I’ve never read Margaret Atwood, someone else suggested her too! I’ll have to add her to my list!
I want to read the Maze Runner series, too!
let me know if you do and if you like it!
Yay for getting through Monday! 🙂
I havent had much time to read any books the past few weeks because I’ve been so busy with school. I’m almost on spring break and I hope to do some reading then! 🙂
I hope you do! I finished 3 books over spring break, although getting stuck in the airport certainly helped with that!
I’ve been reading more lately as well, when the kids are at the park and before going to sleep is my reading time. I’m currently trying to work my way through my Goodreads “to read” list, but I’m putting Hunger Games on that list, for sure!
Definitely read Hunger Games, trends happen for a reason: people love the book!
Ahh I read SO many boxcar children books growing up! LOVED those ones! ha I think I still have a few on the shelf!
I loved the Hunger Games as well, I’m still finishing up the last book!
I love series too! I get so involved! haha
Ahhh I miss the boxcar children! so good!
WHAT!??! I just finished the series and I had no idea about this prequel! I can’t believe we have to wait until August!
I loved the first one the most as well. The second two were pretty good, but I was mainly reading just because I had to find out what happened 🙂
I didn’t know until I searched the author’s name and it popped up!