One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones (Post 4)

First of all, I have a question; Can you have a such thing as a forshllusion? A foreshadow and an allusion put together. For in One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies, the entire story is written in the form of poems and emails, of which run in chronological order holding of what the character thinks, reacts to, says, and does. So we really get into the Ruby's mind when we do this. One of her poems/entries earlier in the novel refers to a reoccurring dream Ruby keeps havening though she doesn’t know what it means.

"I Had My Recurring Dream Last Night

The same dream I’ve been having
ever since I can remember.
It’s the one where i am about 2 years old
and I’m at the franklin park zoo,
holding hands with this real tall man. I’m not exactly sure who he is.
But I’m holding this man’s hands,
and it feels nice and warm and dry.

We're standing in front of the monkey cage,
watching all these funny red monkeys
eating bananas and swinging from branches
like tiny, furry acrobats,
and I’m feeling like i could
just stand here watching these monkeys,
holding this man’s nice hand, warm, dry hand.
Forever.

And at this point in the dream,

the smallest monkey always opens it's mouth

and lets out a howl,

a howl louder than any howl could possibly be

a howl that slices through me like a chain saw.

And all the other monkeys start howling too,

and they howl and howl and howl,

until I feel like I'll explode with the sound.

And I try to run away,

but my legs are paralyzed.

So I just stand there,

letting the howls rip through me.

And that's when the tall man reaches down,

scoops me up in his arms,

and whispers, "I'll keep you safe." 

He whisks me away from the ear splitting noise,

to a quiet place.

And that's when I always put one of my chubby

two-year-old hands on each of his cheeks

and press my forhead against his.

It feels nice and warm and dry.

Just like his hand.

And them I wake up." (Sones, 97) 

This a longer poem that doesn't exactly go into detail on anything except for the actions and sounds she experiences in her dream. How the howls of the monkeys are so loud they are ear splitting and they slice like a chain saw. How warm the man's hand is, how it is as warm and soft as his face. She goes into detail about this man, so I predicted that this man was her father, for his actions seemed fatherly to her. She also describes the monkeys as playful and acrobatic, but in the end they howl with such force its unbecoming. This poem is alluded to by other poems in the book and is a forshadow to events that happen later in the book. So in my opinion this poem is a forshllusion.

Such as further in the story when she goes to a dream interpretation class, and this reoccurring dream is the one she chooses to interpret for class using the style that she takes the place of an object in her dream and thinks of the emotions she would have happen, which is Gesalt Therapy. 

"I am the banana

and the monkey is eating me.

The monkey is devouring me,

bite by bite.

I am disappearing 

into the stomach of the monkey." (Sones, 99) 

During this dream therapy she realizes she is disappearing in own problems, and can't do a thing about it. Her life is turning upside down as she trys to fix it, but nothing helps. But yet again later the first poem is referenced. 

"That I'm one of those tiny acrobat monkeys,

from my recurring dreams.

And I'm howling just as loud. 

But even so, I can hear the mans voice,

the man with the nice, warm, dry hand,

saying, "I'll keep you safe." 

I can hear him,

but I can't see him..." (Sones, 215) 

Here in her dream she is a monkey that howls and howls when she sees her best friend and her boyfriend together in her dream. It sends dred through her because in truth are together and they never told her. Yet she still hears the man's voice in her head, haunting her, along with his warm hands. This is stirring the man again and the mystery of who he is. And we find out. 

"As suddenly as it began.

And that's when I notice

that Whip's hands

feel nice and warm and dry." (Sones, 248)

Here the mind blow connection is made, when Ruby realizes her father's, who is Whip, hand is just like the one from here dream. My prediction what right the man in Ruby's dream is her father. But how did this dream come to be, if they never met before... or did they? If so why didn't Ruby remember? 

"When I was a baby, my aunt Duffy arranged

a series of secret rendezvous for him and me.

And it turns out that one of those rendezvous 

took place when I was two years old.

In front of the monkey cage at Franklin Park Zoo!

Aunt Duffy figured it wouldn't do me any harm,

because I'd be too young to be able

to remember that I'd even met my father." (Sones, 252) 

Here we finally find out that Ruby did visit her father when she was young, but too young to remember all the details, so her memory faded into a reoccurring dream. And that she did go to this zoo to see the monkeys, and the monkeys actually howled and her father protected her. So that one forshllusion poem in the beginning told us about the past the present and the future, with a lost memory. That was a real twist and it was very excited. 

All of the listed rewards and applications for the novel

Rewards for One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies 

The Authors Wikipedia page  with biography, photo, and additional info. 

Sonya Sones Wikipedia Page

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (Post 1)

SI wanted to have a change of pace and read a more laid back book. One that causes you to think, like The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (Reveiw earlier blog posts). So my mother actually introduced me to this novel. At first I was skeptical, since it is different then what I usually read, but my love of reading drove me into reading it. So far I am pretty impressed with this novel, it causes me to think and it has some pretty good characterization of the Old Man which is the main character.

"They were strange shoulders, still powerful although very old, and the neck was still strong too and the creases did not show so much when the old man was asleep and his head fallen forward. His shirt had been patched so many times that it was like the sail and the patches were faded to many different shades my the sun. The old man's head was very old though and with his eyes closed there was no lift in his face." (Hemingway, 18-19) The physical description of this book really brings out our imagination of what he looks like. Although there is a picture of him on the cover our minds wander. The description to me makes the Old Man sound like my grandfather, old yet strong. Which seems odd in many ways yet the way he lives as a poor fisherman wakes him seem noble with the description of his anatomy, seeming to me like a wise old king, like the one in The Alchemist. When his faded cloths make him seem humble and easy living, only taking what he needs and never more.

"But after forty days without fish the boy's parents had told him that the old man was now definitely salao, which is the worst form of unlucky... It made the boy sad to see the old man come in each day with his skiff empty and he always went down to help him carry either the coiled lines or the gaff..." (Hemingway, 1) Others characters, like the boy, care about the Old Man for after the man's hard day fishing and coming back with nothing the boy help carry his stuff. Also other people later in the story help him be giving him food and lending him necessities. Other characters think he may be really unlucky and not care for him, for they believe it is his own fault, like the boy's parents. Yet the boy still cares and that shows true character in him, and the Old Man. "Where did you wash? the boy thought. The village water supply was two streets down the road. I must have water here for him, the boy thought, and soap and a good towel. Why am I so thoughtless? I must get him another shirt and a jacket for the winter and some sort of shoes and another blanket.' (Hemingway, 20) You see here the boy really does care for this man and wants to get him so many things and help in any and as much ways as he can. By getting him water to wash up, and new cloths for the winter for the Old Man to wear along with new shoes. As well as a new blanket, for the old man only owns one. 

"'I thanked him already,' the boy said. 'You don't need to thanks him.'
'I'll give him the belly meat of a big fish,' the old man said. 'Has he done this for us more than once?'
'I think so."
'I must give him something more than the belly meat then. He is very thoughtful for us.'" (Hemingway, 20) The boy went to the store to get some food for them to eat together for dinner. After the Old Man hears of this he feels bad for "taking" the stores food even when it was given to them. So he says he will pay him back the only way he can which is with the best meat of the fish, the belly. And since the store has done it more than once, he plans on giving him something better than the belly of a fish and he doesn't say what it is. The Old Man is grateful for the help.

A site that breaks down the novel into many life lessons it teaches.
Life Lessons for The Old Man and the Sea 

A article about the novel over all and book base all from the NY times.
NY times book look over 

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones (Post 3)

As I was reading two different poems within this book, I realized they were similar and in the very beginning and near the end of the novel. The author wants us to connect to and think back to the first poem when we read the second one. When in the first poem she seems ok at this point in time,make lost her mother and has to live with her father but, she still has her beat friend and her boyfriend. When in the second one she basically believes she has lost everything and is lower than low. Both these poems sum up Ruby's conflict that has happened over the course of the text.

"American Airlines Flight 161 

I'm not that depressed,

Considering that this 

gigantic silver bullet with wings

is blasting me away from my entire life,

Away from Lizzir Brody,

my best friend in the world,

away from Ray Johnson,

my first real boyfriend...

Depressed?

Who? Me?" (Sones, 1) 

"But I'm Not That Depressed

Considering that

my best friend since preschool

stole the love of my life

even though she knew

It would tear me to shreds...

Depressed?

Who? Me?

Yes.

Hideously.

Not to mention way pissed off.

Wouldn't you be? " (Sones, 224) 

With this set up also with the same lines used in the end it brings us to think of the conflict that Ruby went through earlier, and realize how it transferred to her current conflicts. Also in the first poem she asked "Depressed?/ Who? Me?" But she never answered the cliff hanger question, she let us decide if she was or not. While in the second poem she states it out loud, straight forward, so we get the message, "Depressed?/ Who? Me?/ Yes./ Hideously./ Not to mention way pissed off." Here she  states, yes I am depressed but I'm also mad, meaning she has multiple emotions tangling up in her. The end of the second poem ends with a question "Wouldn't you be?" Putting emphasis on the "you" is making the audience feel the sorrow and pull us into her shoes and feel her pain. While I was reading this I did feel her pain and sorrow and hate. I wanted to throw the book across the room and just collapse and cry, yet I didn't. I continued to read to find out what happened next. 

Review page for the book with reviews, about the author, back of the book, publisher comments and more.

Powell's Book review 

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones (Post 2)

So many allusions in one book, some just stated and other you need to know the background information. One of the such allusions reaches to so trying many people would know of. This allusion refers to the a certain, blonde haired, perfect smile, plastic skinned toy, Barbie. Barbie is what some people think of as perfection, being spoiled, and fabulous. While Ruby is walking to her school for the first she notes some people as Barbie and Ken, seeming perfect and idle. This connection makes sense because in L.A. people seem to be perfect in every single way, just as Barbie is.

"A Barbie-Doll-sprung-to-life

is jogging toward me

screaming hideous things into a cell phone.

And here comes ken on rollerblades,

The gold ring in his navel

sparkling with sunlight." (Sones, 129) 

Here ruby is explaining that these people she is seeing on the sidewalk on the way to school, in a description of perfection. The jogger girl that Ruby sees is to her "a real life Barbie", as I imagine this I always see the stereotypical blonde, pink tight shorts or yoga pants with matching tank and jacket. Along with designer running shoes and maybe some large hoop earrings. Her hair pulled back in a tight pony  tail, and over the top makeup. And since the "Barbie's" actions are yelling horrible things into her phone could tell us she is spoiled and bratty or just bitter. 

Also for an extra touch the author brings up Ken who is Barbie's boyfriend. In this context the author couldn't be refering to this rollerblader as the jogger's boyfriend, but as a person who is also as perfect looking as a doll. Here in my mind i see the nicely evenly tanned skin, naturally sorta wavy blondish brown hair. With a gold chain around his neck and stylish shorts and t-shirt, completing the outfit. Ruby brings up the appearance of a gold ring pierced in his nose, giving off the sense of a "cool guy" or a punk, depending on your thoughts. 

 The Google Books page for the novel with back of the book, reveiws, and related books.
Google Books page

 

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones (Post 1)

This book is quite different from any other book I've read recently. Its not cause of the plot or the characters. Bu its the style and perspective, this book is written in the form of poems in a chronological order format, like a diary with a mix of email formats and letters that she has seen or written. This novel shows a new way of writing and though its not the suspenseful chapter by chapter view it is fun and interesting to read a book in this format. Also it's a way to cheat to get more reading times, most times I say something like, "Let me finish my chapter!" Or, "Let me finish this page." But with this novel I can finish on whatever page I want to since there are no cut off chapters. Just if you want to sneak in more reading, also if you only have a few minutes here and there to read you could read a stanza of a poem or if you come to one, a shorter poem. It's not like reading a large page of text or a chapter and loosing your place. Though I would advise this as a "Girls Eyes Only Novel" just for a suggestion, for some content. Yet some of these poems really intrigue the reader and you can feel the main character's and what they are thinking.

"Peach Fuzz

When the flight attendant
leans in to ask me
if I'd like something to drink
and the sun splashes across her face.

I notice
all these tiny little
blond hairs on her cheeks,
and tears rush into my eyes.

My mother had them too.
I used to tease her about them.
Called it her peach fuzz.
It used to make her laugh.

If I could reach out
and stroke those little hairs
on the flight attendant's face
without totally freaking her out,

I'd close my eyes
and I'd do it right now.
I'd touch my mother's cheek
one more time." (Sones, 5)

After reading this book it reads to me like a diary, and I just got a journal as a present. I believe that we all tried to keep a dairy/journal at one point, but failed miserably. If you are still going to try, maybe the solution is to write in a poem form which may help. This novel seemed to show well with the set up, why won't it work for us?



The GoodReads page for the book with back of book, ratings, and reviews.
GoodReads for One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies 

Teen books sight that holds discussion questions, common topics, about the author, suggested books and more.
Cumberland Library page for One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies 

In the Forests of the Night by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (Post 2)

If books are drugs, I'm totally addicted to this one. In the Forests of the Night is very engaging in the main charter and switches between past and present so we have a feeling for what she has been through and was she is doing today. Since Risika is a vampire the span of her life since a few days before her death is untold of so far in the novel, covering her in mystery but she died in 1701, so we can assume she has been "undead" for a while. Risika is an interesting character that changes over the course of the text with her, thoughts, actions, and outlook. Even though one of the biggest changes is obvious, that she became a vampire, I wish to go more in depth on smaller changes she has had.

Earlier in the novel she was strong and cunning and didn’t even think about the actions of which she did. "The next day would be my last day in the world- my last day to speak with my papa, my sister, or my brother, and my last day to thank the sun for giving light to my days... And, like all humanity, never once would I thank the sun or the air for its existence. Light, air, and my brother's love- I took them all for granted, and someone took them all away." (Atwater-Rhodes, 26) After she took a black rose from a stranger which cut her and when her blood fell upon the flower, she made a pack with a dark force. Meaning the next day she would die and rise again undead. She just thought of all the things she never thought of and thanked before, most things we never think of such as; the air we breathe, the sun that gives us light, our families and their love. All this truly shows she does care about the world and her family and what pain she will experience when she rises again.

Earlier Risika's undead mother went about a whole speech about hunting and how she must do it to survive (Post 1), but yet she still refused to hunt, for she thought it was wrong. “Hunt. The word sent dread through me. It reminded me of wolves and cougars, animals who stalked their prey in the forest. Blood soaking into the ground. So much blood... Now I wanted that blood. I could see the scarlet death in my mind. Surely the blood is warm and sweet and- What was happening to me? These thoughts were not mine, were they?... I knew what Ather meant when she said hunt, but i would not kill to ease my own pain. I was not an animal." (Atwater-Rhodes, 57-58) Here even though Risika is in a great deal of pain she will not hunt other animals and people to get the blood and the nutrients she needs as a vampires, she fights against instincts she has, yet later she accepts the killing for her food is right and just because we do the same to animals which we eat. We raise them take care of them then kill and eat them. That is how she now views the hunt. "This human's blood was thick and hot, boiling with pure life and energy. It wet my parched mouth and brought down my fever, and I drank it like a healing ambrosia." (Atwater-Rhodes, 71) Not just a little while after she decided it was wrong to drink the blood of another and kill, she did just that, she enjoyed in and loved drinking it for it caused much of her pain the flee. She continues to hunt now after that first kill in her past, she doesn’t even consider them people anymore, she thinks of them as toys, of which can be disposed of whenever she wishes so.

Over the text, even though I am only half way through the novel, Risika has changed so much. It excites me to think she may change even more later in the story to rise to more power and heights in the vampire world, or risk herself for mankind when she thinks of the fight she had in the past. I will have to keep reading to find out!




The Amazon page for this novel with back of book, order for if you wish to buy it, book suggestions and more.
In the Forests of the Night Amazon page

A teen reveiw page for this book, with a short summary and some thoughts intertwined into the short reveiw.
Teen reveiw for  In the Forests of the Night

The title of this book matches up with a line in a famous peom, if you read the book the allusions will make sense.
The Tyger by William Blake

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Yet another title that overwhelm people, just cause it was written by a well known play wright in the 1500's but its like the same thing as reading a novel by a well known author of today. If you looked up some of the history of this time period and some of the different types of words they use, the story and lines used would make sense. I am enjoying this reading as well as I hope most people should enjoy reading. This story rings with truth and answers to our everyday life, and it enjoyable to read.

"O, she doth teach the torches burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear-
Beauty to reach for use, for earth too dear!
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows
As yonder lady o'er her fellow shows.
The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
Did my heart love till now? For swear it, sight!
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night." (Shakespeare, Act 1)
In these lines of Romeo's speech, we see how he reacts to seeing Juliet for the first time. He compares her to multiple things of beauty, and uses multiple literary devices to do so. Such as how she teaches the torches to burn bright, Romeo is saying that she is like a bright fire, radiating heat and beauty. She is said to be a rich jewel, something valuable, in an Ethiop's ear, which is a rich or royal African lady. He also says that she is too beautiful to be on earth for she must be a goddess in his eyes. He compares her to a beautiful pure white dove among black dingy crows. Saying that she shows more upon the crowd and catches more eyes than others. And even though he loved a lady before this, to the point of heart break, he suddenly decides that he has seen true love or true beauty till he saw Juliet.

This shows to us that Romeo is wishy-washy on who he loves. And it also shows he is very dramatic on stating his thought as how he goes over the top in describing a lady he has just seen, never talked to or met before. Shakespeare shows dramatic characters that add to the over all outlook of the story. He can be taken as over dramatic and funny or too dramatic and emotional. For the emotion is passed onto us in our readings, Shakespeare understands the human mind and heart and through his words he expresses to us the feelings of the characters. Making Romeo and Juliet a very engaging book as we move and feel with the characters over the plot of the story.



The GoodReads page for Romeo and Juliet with back of book, reviews and ratings.
GoodReads page for Romeo and Juliet 

An entire over view in simplified version of the entire tale
Tale over view for Romeo and Juliet  

The new movie trailer for Romeo and Juliet the movie 2013

In the Forests of the Night by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (Post 1)

Books have always been a way for authors to communicate their thoughts to us through words on a page. In this novel there is showing of family feuds and the natural process of the world, with this tied with the realm of the supernatural much can be understood and linked with ours and other novels. I find is surprising that such a book book was written by a 13 year old and was published when she was 15. She helps me with my inspiration with my own writing that it may reach the markets one day.

"Aubrey is the only vampire I know who prefers using a knife to using his mind, teeth, or hands. I touch the scar I bear on my left shoulder, the scar given to me only a few days after I died, created by the same blade that took my brothers life. The scar that I swore, on the day it was dealt, to avenge, along with my brothers death." (Atwater-Rhodes, 78-79) Aubrey is actually the main characters undead brother, so here we are dealing with. Family feud between siblings, which most of us who have siblings can understand. Though I believe our feuds are not other our siblings killing someone but other small things like TV channels or who gets the last cookie. Like in such showings sibling rivalry exists, such as in Supernatural season 2 episode "Simon Says". In which what happens is there are two siblings, a good and bad twin per say, of which are in a rivalry. The bad twin kills their birth mother, their doctor, as well as his brother's girlfriend. The good twin is mad that the bad twin is killing these people and they come into a confliction, each trying to convince the other to join their side. In the end the good brother can't stand his brother and kills him with a shot to the head. May be in my novel the main character will kill her brother cause of the anger within her.

Also mentioned within the novels page is the worlds natural order which is, "the stronger will rule over the weak". We see examples of this everyday, small corporations going out of business cause of bigger companies, bullies harassing weaker kids at school, every big weeds choking out small flowers in a garden. "'The world is evil, Risika. Wolves hunt the stragglers in a group of deer. Vultures devour the fallen. Hyenas destroy the weak. Humans kill that which they fear. Survive and be strong, or die, cornered by your prey, trembling because the night is dark.'" (Atwater-Rhodes, 75) Risika's, the main character's, undead mother is telling her daughter about the order of the hunt. If she doesn't rise above her prey, she will be killed by her prey, meaning the humans will hunt her down and kill her. Through this speech we can tell her mother is unforgiving, a brute, and harsh. With these characteristics she is strong and she looks down on Risika as a weakling, who she will prey on. Perhaps Risika will rise up in power against her mother and take her down.

I believe that later in my novel Risika will rise into power over her own family and others and take them down. She may even be the vampire over lord of Aubrey's land, after she kill him.



The GoodReads page for In the Forests of the Night with back of the book, reviews ans ratings.
GoodReads for In the Forests of the Night 

The wiki page for In the Forests of Night with info on book, author, and series.
Wiki page for In the Forests of Night

Relativity by Cristin Bishara (Post 5)

I have reached the end of the road... or should I say the last page of a book. It makes me cry a little... this novel, Relativity, is one of the first book I have been truly attached to. The ending was worth the wait, for the time being I feel like I am without purpose until i find another book close to as good as this one. This book was so good, that I believe that it should get a final post, on this blog. And a quick message to the author if she ever stumbles upon this. Please keep on writing, you have a talent that is amazing and spectacular... i want you to continue writing, for my sake and all the other big readers out here.

Well, since i got that off of my chest i think its about time that i get down to business, fair warning though if you are interested of reading this book or are going to read it don't read on, I don't want to spoil it for you. This novel has a unique theme that develops over the text of the story;

People should be grateful for what they own and who they are, even with the difficulties and problems, for the perfect world they want can't be achieved.

For Ruby wants to find the perfect world, where her mom never died, and her dad isn't a workaholic. She never wanted to move to Ennis, Ohio, or wanted dad to meet willow and marry her, making Kandy Ruby's step sister. And she wants her family to be happy again, with George as her to be boyfriend, and maybe Patrick tagging along as her brother. Though we all know perfect isn't "Real" per say. She goes and jumps dimensions in search of this perfect world she made in her head. And even through 10 dimensions, she couldn't find it. "I think of my alternate Ruby and her Oz collection. There's no place like home. "I just need to see if this world willl work for me," I say. "Please!" My skin is still slippery from the rainstorm in Universe Seven, and I easily wiggle out of Mom's grasp.
"There's no such things as perfect. Ruby."
"Wouldn't you want it? What I want?" My hands are tight fists, fingernails digging into my palms. "You would! Anyone would!"
"Let's go. Back to where you belong, and where I belong."
... "Maybe someone actually needs me here," I say. "Someone might be happy to see me. I'd be wanted."" (Bishara, 232) Here we can definitely see Ruby strives for her "perfect" world, instead of her own home. There she feels unwanted cause her father works too much and her mom or George isn't there to support her. But she can't get there, to the world she wants. For it doesn't exist.

Yet she adjusts to her own world and makes it better for herself by adjusting and finding new ways to get over the problems she faces. One of her main problems was her step-sister Kandy, she was abusive towards Ruby and Ruby feared her, but Ruby was able to adjust and in some ways so did Kandy. "Ever since I came back home through the tree, Kandy has been civil. Not friendly, but at least I don't feel like she's ready to disembowel me with scissors. Yesterday, after I'd showered and was heading to my room in my towel, I caught her staring at my bare, skeletal leg with a look of pity, or maybe disgust, or guilt." (Bishara, 268) Though Ruby isn't exactly grateful for Kandy, she is making her way there by getting used to her. Who knows maybe in the words that continue in our heads after the story ends, Kandy and Ruby do become good sisters. She also receives a post card from George who she is going to visit and here Dad starts to care for Ruby more. Though Ruby still misses her Mom which is not alive in her own dimension, Ruby has lived on with her Mom tucked into the back of her head.



Amazons page for Relativity if you are interested in buying a copy.
Amazon page for Relativity 

A book review and back cover, with other people who liked it and additional information.
Readers in Wonderland page for Relativity 

Altered by Jennifer Rush

Mind blown, that is how this book affected my mind, I was awe struck. As usual I was just roaming the shelves of a library looking for anything that caught my eye, and this book did. Altered is a novel about boys who were raised in a lab and the scientist's daughter finds them, and wants to help them in any way she can.

I may be only half way through the book yet, it am still on the edge of seat, trying not to fall off. This novel is so much like another series I love and would die for. Maximum Ride Series with the enhanced human being to the running in high suspense and action. With questions that the main character tries to answer in finding her true self, when with every road block then come over, the world seems darker. These boys and the daughter create their band together.

"For most of the last four years, I wasn't allowed in the lab. But that didn't stop me from sneaking down there.and while I no longer needed to wake at midnight to visit the boys, my internal clock was still fully tuned  the schedule." (Rush, 1) I'm not gonna spoil the book, you have to go read it yourself to find out what happens next. All I can say is that it keeps getting better and better. Cause who are the boys? Why are they in a lab? Why does she have to sneak in? I know the answers, do you?

The GoodReads page for Altered, holds back of the book and other people ratings and reviews.
GoodReads page for Altered 

The Amazons page for Altered.
Altered's Amazon page 

A review made for the author herself, on a book review website.
Letter/review to author 

Here is a Fan-Made book trailer, I believe it is pretty believable and real.