English books: The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure

Welcome back!

It's been so long, but we're finally here. And I'm bringing you some really nice books to talk about... ;) 
"The Maze Runner Series" is at its peak. Written by James Dashner, the story covers Tomas'. He's an adolescent who suddenly appears in an elevator, which opens and leads him into a glade inhabited by other boy-teenagers. He only remembers his name, as do the others.
The Glade is surrounded by a massive Maze, explored by the Runners. Their main goal is to escape it and live past it.
But just after Thomas, the Gladers receive a strange delivery: a girl. And with her, things start to change in the Maze. It'll be time to really try and escape but, will they manage? And if they do, what is it that's awaiting for them out there? Family, friends? ...destruction and maniacs?
I totally recommend the books. They cover the very same area as other best-sellers (The Hunger Games Series, The Divergent Series...): Teenage Survival. But it's really fun to read about (perhaps it's because I'm one myself...)

The main series is composed by three books, which are followed by a prequel. The first one, entitled "The Kill Order", came out in 2012. Another one is to follow in 2016, "The Fever Code". I'll be talking about those some other time.

Here's the data:

Title: The Maze Runner
Printer: DelacortePress 
Author: James Dashner
Cover design: Philip Straub 
Collection design: Delacorte Press 
Parts of the book: 1 
Pages of the book: 375

  
Title: The Scorth Trials
Printer: Delacorte Press 
Author: James Dashner
Cover design: Philip Straub 
Collection design: Delacorte Press 
Parts of the book: 1 
Pages of the book: 368


Title: The Death Cure
Printer: Delacorte Press 
Author: James Dashner
Cover design: Philip Straub 
Collection design: Delacorte Press 
Parts of the book: 1 
Pages of the book: 336


Enjoy!

Miriam

English books: Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Freed

... You've read it right, no need to worry.

So, here's the thing. Before anyone starts grumbling about "how on Earth could she have read that...", "she's just lost all of my respect..." Wait up.

I'd heard so much about this book trilogy (but just like everybody else). Written by E.L. James, the bestseller just kept on appearing around the corner.
I actually kept on reflecting about it and I finally came to the conclusion that, if I where to actually try and be a critic -thought that's been running my mind lately- I should read the book, the one and only, that book which everyone thinks is heaven, that book which everyone thinks is hell.
So I found the three books on the Internet (got an e-book for Christmas) and... read them.
I'm not trying to get all top-reviewer. I know I don't know much about this kind of thing (almost nothing at all, to tell you the truth). But I do think a lot, so I'm just going to try and express myself.
Here's my opinion: they shouldn't be bestsellers. At all.
It's hard to actually get the whole excitement over it. It's different, okay. But in the end it's the same magic potion: bad but good guy, lonely girl.
Christian Grey depicts that lovable "bad guy", as he is as good as a lonely and broken kid at heart.
Anastasia Steele is quite another character, conflicting her dull personality with a radical one at some points.

Anyway, I'm not gonna say I found it a total boredom -I didn't-. It has it's traces of humor here and there and James manages to create a happy ending. Mr. Grey is mysterious, and that's all you have to ask a writer for to prompter someone into reading. But the story itself, the whole sadism-masochism thing... I didn't enjoy that, to tell you the truth. Not a bit.

I'm not gonna start a debate, whether it's right or wrong, acceptable or not.

As a brief summary... Christian Grey is a 27 year old rich business owner and a dominant. One day he comes across Anastasia Steele, 23 year old (to be an English-philology graduate soon) and they start having a sexual relationship, previously delimited by a contract.
They have their ups and downs, breaking up and later on tying the knot.
Everything ends up as if in a fairy tale: Christian healed, family, kids, mansion.


Title: Fifty Shades of Grey Printer: RANDOM HOUSE
Author: E.L. James
Cover design: Jennifer McGuire
Collection design: RANDOM HOUSE
Parts of the book: 1
Pages of the book: 514

Title: Fifty Shades Darker
Printer: RANDOM HOUSE
Author: E.L. James
Cover design: Jennifer McGuire
Collection design: RANDOM HOUSE
Parts of the book: 1
Pages of the book: 544

Title: Fifty Shades Freed
Printer: RANDOM HOUSE
Author: E.L. James
Cover design: Jennifer McGuire
Collection design: RANDOM HOUSE
Parts of the book: 1
Pages of the book: 592

 
I want to believe that people with this kind of "50 shades" can be healed, thanks to love and care (from other towards them and from themselves towards themselves). But I also believe that it isn't to be accomplished at any costs.



You want to read the books? Go ahead. In my opinion there's too much criticism and prejudices, so don't let that keep you from it.
Buy the books? That's up to you. Maybe you could spend your money in something which is more innovative and not that well-known.

Guess that's all!

Miriam