The Perks of Reading

The Perks of Being a Wallflower has been hailed as the "new Catcher and the Rye." People have been talking about this book since it's release in 1999 but I have always been hesitant to read it.

I have been passing this unique, plain cover in the book stores for a while and almost bought it a handful of times but something always stopped me.

I really love "The Catcher in the Rye" and was nervous about reading something that sounded so similar to such a timeless classic.

This book has been in the news recently, mainly because Summit is releasing a movie based on the best seller. It will be starring Harry Potter's Emma Watson, the Vampire Diaries Nina Dobrev, and the Percy Jackson Series' Logan Lerman in the main role of Charlie.

When I heard the cast for the movie I knew I needed to read the book so I could make the informed comparisons when it hits theaters later in the year.

The minute I started reading, I knew what people have been raving.  This book is a heart felt story of a boy, Charlie, who seems to be more than awkward and shy and could have a social disorder.

The format of the book is Charlie writing letters to an unknown person and telling the story of his life over the course of a year.

He deals with more than what a normal high school student would deal with, such as a close friend's suicide. But also he is consumed with normal problems, like getting drunk and high for the first time, falling in love with your best friend, and the death of his favorite aunt.

You get to see Charlie grow into himself and accept his life for what it is. From the first page, you see his shyness and socially awkward personality but by the last page, Charlie knows exactly who he is and has grown so much.

He makes friends, loses friends, forms a relationship with his sister and goes through all the trials and tribulations any teen does.

The writing is impeccable and Chbosky really lets you inside Charlie's mind and allows you to really get to know him. By the end, you'll feel like Charlie, and the rest of his gang are your friends.

It was a beautiful book with a few great quotes and scenarios that are so normal but through Charlie's eyes, are something so new and different. Who could forget a quote like "And in that moment, I swear, we were infinite."

"The Author Chick" posted a quick review on Barnesandnoble.com and this is what she had to say about it; "Everything about this book, I love. But it's still a vast understatement."

You definitely get the feeling of Salinger's "The Catcher and the Rye" but Holden and Charlie are very different characters. Truly the only similarity is the fact that they are both young men, who are changing, growing up, and learning to deal with the difficult times in life.

Aside from Harry Potter, this is a classic book for a generation; read it, love it. You won't regret it.

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My Future Books

1. Spellbound: The newest book in the Hex Hall Series by Rachel Hawkins will be released later in the month. The series centers around Sophie Mercer who is enrolled in Hecate Hall aka Hex Hall, a troublesome school for supernatural beings. Sophie is a witch...or as she later finds out, one of the only two demons in the world; the other being her father who she hasn't seen since she was born. Spellbound is the third in the series and picks up where the most recent book, "Demonglass," picks up. It's an addicting series and if you love witches, vampires, and all things supernatural, you will LOVE this series.

2. The Fame Game: Lauren Conrad made a name for herself as a reality star on MTV's "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills" but a few years ago she became a best selling author of a three book series "LA Candy," which centers around a story similar to Conrad's own life. Jane Roberts is a normal girl turned reality TV star and the drama that comes with her new found fame. The Fame Game is a spinoff of LA Candy and focuses on Robert's frenemy Madison Parker, her fame, and her new reality TV show. If it's as juicy as LA Candy and it's counterparts, "The Fame Game" will launch Lauren Conrad further into the booksophere.