Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

Hey guys, so there won’t be another review for a while because I’m reading the seventh Harry Potter book and I don’t like reviewing Harry Potter books because I can’t find anything wrong with them :P . So yeah. I’m still busy as fuck because of softball, I have a tournament every other week so it’s kind of hard. And finals are coming up. I don’t appreciate that because I know I’m not ready. I got 3/20 on my French test today and 65% on my science one. Yay I’m doing so well in my life.

 With the new Summer King and Queen, Leslie notices some changes in the way Aislinn has been behaving. But Leslie is closer to the faery world then she’ll ever know… until she decides to get a tattoo. A tattoo that will change her life forever. With the Dark Court losing it’s power thanks to the seasonal rulers, the Dark King – Irial – is looking for anyway to make sure that his fey are fed and safe… and Leslie is the perfect way to do that without starting war. She just wants there to be no more pain, no more worry, no more fear – and just to forget. Forget, forgive, and most importantly, survive.

 

I have to say, I didn’t have any trouble at all getting into this book. I don’t remember what I rated the first one, but there were parts of this book that actually made me like it better than Wicked Lovely. I really liked how more of the Dark Court was showed. I think that the way their court worked was a lot more interesting than it just revolving around the two seasonal ones.

The parts where Leslie had completed her ink exchange and was tied to Irial were kind of boring though. I mean, I think they were necessary to write but on my part it was kind of boring to read. All she did was black out and cling to Irial and black out again. And the parts where she couldn’t feel anything were just overwritten, I mean… I got it after the first couple times!!!

Overall though, I thought that this was an interesting book to read. I liked how the main character changed from the first one but it was still all in the same setting with the same people. That made it more fun because you knew a background story before you even started the book.

I’ll give Ink Exchange a 3.5  out of 5

An enjoyable book! I think the series is just going to go from here… isn’t there about 5 books out now? I have some catching up to do! http://www.melissa-marr.com/

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I have to admit that it has been a busy month for me. Softball has been going full force, and there has been a couple other things that have made sure that I have no time for reading anymore. But rest assured, I will come back on track as soon as I can. My book pile is dwindling and I am ready for summer to come kick my ass in to motion and finish up all these books that I’ve wanted to finish reading for years. :P So. HERE WE GO THEN.

1939 in Nazi Germany: Liesel Meminger was dropped off my her mother at the house of two strangers, her new foster parents. A couple days after her little brother passed away, Liesel thinks that nothing could be worse. But with her first book already stolen, she is on her way into her new life. A life growing up on Himmel street, and the life of living in Nazi Germany with a Jew hiding in your basement. In love with words, Liesel takes to book stealing, whether in the mayor’s wife’s library, Nazi book burnings, or wherever there are books to be found. With the war and Hitler constantly at the back of everybody’s minds, it’s a dangerous time – especially for Liesel and the Hubermman’s, and anybody else that is hiding in their house.

After reading the prologue to this book, I was extremely confused. I started to doubt whether this book was at my level or not because I was having a hard time understanding the beginning part. But when I flipped to the first page of Liesel’s story, I knew that this book was going to be impossible to forget. The writing is beautiful from the very first page, and as I continued on my eyes grew wider because it just keeps getting better.

I absolutely loved how Death was the narrator throughout the story. The pieces of writing where Death put in what it was thinking and stuff, I was blow away. I thought it was such an interesting way to tell the story, and in this story in particular it worked perfectly with the subject. I loved how the story was told, instead of making a climax or creating mystery, it was just said like it was, if somebody died in the future of the book, Death just told you right away. No big deal. It happens.

Another thing I really appreciated about this story was the seriousness combined with just a story of a little girl’s life growing up. This book was a nice break from all the repetitive teen fiction that just piles up and up and up. I have to admit, this is one of the first books that I actually wanted to read again right after I finished it. I folded down the pages that I thought had amazing writing, and I do plan on reading this book over and over and over and over again. I LOVE THIS BOOK. The first book that I have actually loved.

So there you have it. I don’t care if you think this book is overrated or whatever, because I think it’s amazing, and I recommend it to anybody, even if you usually don’t like historic fiction like me.

THIS IS A 6 OUT OF 5. So yeah, no graph thing sorry. :P I don’t know if this is his website exactly, but you can get some info on Markus Zusak from here. http://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

Have had an eventful past couple of weeks, and an interesting night last night. Yay. No more spring break for me, school is back in swing, and the softball season is starting up! Spring is the best season in my opinion. :P

 Stuck in San Francisco while their parents are on another expedition for their work, Sophie and Josh witness something that will change their lives forever. Everything that is supposed to be fantasy – magic, immortals, and alien creatures – all become reality when Dr. Dee comes to the bookshop and steals the Codex – a book that Nicholas Flamel kept safe and hidden, and will now be used to end the world as they know it. There is no turning back now, but Sophie and Josh are more a part of it then they think. Part of an ancient prophecy made before anything human lived on earth, Sophie and Josh both might be the key to defeating the last of the Dark Elders and saving humankind.

Well, I actually had pretty high expectations for this series, I thought it would be really amazing. It’s not that I was disappointed after I finished I just thought that the book would have more than it did.

The characters were really good, I liked the ongoing dilemma that Josh was having was having with the whole uneven twin thing, that is something that I know will carry on to the next book. He was an in depth character that at least made a little drama in the plot line. The rest of the characters were kind of meh, then again, there are 3 or 4 other books that can be added in but I’m just not feeling it with the characters. The bad guys didn’t even seem evil at all!

Another thing that was interesting but I don’t know if I liked it or not, was the fact that the whole book happened in only 2 or 3 days. I think that that is sort of unrealistic. Even though things do happen fast and stuff, it seemed to me like it should have been a sort of week long thing, again, I don’t know what to think about that.

I really liked how it would zoom in on one person’s feelings at the time though. It was in third person but on some chapters it would focus on Josh, sometimes the wife in the prison and etc etc. I didn’t like how childish Josh and Sophie were though. They were 15 in the book but I feel like their characters acted like they were 1 or 2 years younger.

Anyway, I’ll give this one a 3.5 because it was interesting and I enjoyed reading it.

Check out the other books in the series, and the website. http://www.dillonscott.com/ . I have no idea why it’s called dillonscott but that’s okay

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

So this is the last day of Spring Break, on which I also had my last softball practice until the the first game of the season! Even so, I’m not looking forward to school, even though there were some lonely hours where I was bored out of my mind. XD. I don’t think that I’m going to be doing a review on the next book I read, so you might have to wait a couple weeks unless I read quickly this week. ANYWAY, HERE WE GOOOO.

Back home in District 12 after the horrors of the last Hunger Games, Katniss thinks that everything is over, and that things will return back to normal. But it starts to look like nothing will ever be normal again – President Snow is watching her very closely, uprisings are starting up in the other districts, and worst of all her family and friends are all in danger of being killed – all because of Katniss. As she and the Mockingjay both become symbols of rebellion against the Capitol, and all 12 districts’ compressed fury finally bubbles, Peeta and Katniss have to literally face their worst nightmares – which become their reality.

WELL. I don’t know why I didn’t read this sooner, I should have read all 3 of them right away, but that’s okay. I don’t know if I liked this book better than the first one, it was of course really amazing, EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS SERIES IS AMAZING. It still had the adventure that the first one had, and same with the love problems. I think that it wasn’t necessarily better or worse than the first one, but it instead they each had their own things that made them great.

I loved the ending to this book because I liked knowing what Katniss thought was going and then speculating what was happening for myself. The second last chapter was really intense as well as perfectly confusing, and the last chapter was just BAM. You didn’t know what was happening unless you were psychic, and then AND THEN. Aaahhh. Nice ending. I really liked how Haymitch was in on everything, he’s one of my favourite characters.

Extremely captivating. I remember being late for something and I was trying to finish the book on time but NO. I had to stop right before the last chapter. IT TORTURED ME UNTIL THE END OF THE DAY! Seriously. I could barely handle it.

OH, and this one had a lot of emotional stuff in it, I cried once and almost cried another time. :P Just a warning!

Suzanne Collins’ website. http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/ I’ll give this one  4.5, because it doesn’t QUITE have the ‘Wow’ the first one had, but let me tell you it was pretty damn close.

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

Daniel X: Watch the Skies by James Patterson

Hooray for Spring Break! Now I’m almost done the first week. I’ve had tons of sleepovers and today I’m going to the mall to buy the tons of presents I’m going to need for the tons of birthday parties next week! God things cost to much money. XD GET OUT OF SPRING BREAK BIRTHDAYS. Jeez.

 Lately there hasn’t been even a little break in between the exterminations, and Daniel has to face his biggest enemy yet, an Alien that is in single digits on the wanted List. Number 5. Extremely powerful, and very intelligent, Daniel is going to have to put all his strength and powers into making sure that Number 5 doesn’t go through with his ‘endertainment’. The whole town of Hollisworth is in danger of being vaporized, and are completely cut off from the rest of the world. If Daniel fails and Number 5’s plan succeeds, the world will be taken over within a matter of months.

I don’t remember what I said when I reviewed the first book in this series, but it was probably close to what I’m saying now, Even though this book was interesting, and I like the idea behind it and the alien – alien hunter deal I just am not feeling wowed by this series.

The chapters are only a couple pages long usually, and the story line for each book isn’t that great. I think that the first one was a little bit better than this one, but I think these books are just a way to get a little extra money. Then again, they’re a nice easy read, and again I like the whole defeating aliens thing, but this book is for more of a younger teenage, or a lower reading level I guess.

I really don’t know what else to say about this book, I still enjoyed it, and I thought that the parts where he was with Judy interesting, but it didn’t have the same sort of dangerous feeling that it had in the first one, I mean, it just wasn’t as exciting. I don’t know if it was because of the new co –author or because this is just a dying series, but still.

Anyway, lets just call this one a 2.5

Websito, http://www.jamespatterson.com/books_daniel_x.php. There is a manga thing now instead of an actual book. I think that’s a good choice.

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

Soulstice by Simon Holt

Spring break everybody! I’m not going to feel like it’s actually the break until I wake up on Monday morning realize that I don’t have to go to school. I’m so glad that we have two weeks this year, and that I’m staying at home. I love just being able to sleep in a laze around, go out at random times and get things done. Plus, LOT’S OF READING TIME. Which is slightly exciting for moi.

It has been six long months since Reggie learned and had her first terrifying encounter with the Vours. After freeing her brother Henry from the Vour inside of him, and gaining the power to enter other people’s fearscapes and save their souls from these evil creatures, Reggie finds that she’s caught up once again the horrors of the Vours. With so much going on, it’s hard to know if you’re trusting the right person, but the Vours were up to something, and Reggie will do anything in her power to stop them – no matter how high the stakes are.

 

Everybody knows that one you are in love with a book and when you know the sequel is going to come out, that you want to read the next book so badly, but it usually doesn’t turn out as good as the first one. Well it was the opposite with this book. I thought that Book 2 in The Devouring sequel was SO MUCH BETTER than the first. Maybe it was just my mood, but seriously. I enjoyed reading this book so much.

I think I remember ranting on about how there was a bit too much description used in the writing, but while I was reading Soulstice I just ate it all up. This was an amazing horror book to read, and it captivated me all the way through to the very last page, unlike the first book in the series.

There were some parts where it was really easy to tell what was going to happen next, and the author must of realized because he found ways to mix it all up. The plotline was a more interesting and thick, I found that because we had the background story of what happened in the first book, and we had this amazing terrible horrific idea of events going on in this one – it made everything so much better!!!

AND THEN THERE IS THE END. The very end. I probably should have expected that it would happen but OMG. I think I have a fear of going insane and people strapping me down, so that just freaked me out. But it was amazing all the same, and I applaud Simon Holt for this work of ART.

4.5. Hmm. Must be in a damn good mood.

Website as usual everybody, http://www.thedevouring.com/about-the-book/ The Third book is out now, I’m curious about how good it will be judging from The Devouring and Soulstice

On another note, I would like to say a congratulations to myself and my 4 lovely followers, (three of which are probably unactive. But that’s okay, because it makes me look popular.). Around this time of the month a year ago, I was doing my first review on here, for the first book in this series. HAPPY ONE YEAR FOR INSUBSTANTIAL YAYYAYAAYYAYAYA.

Read now, party later,

I’m a nerd sometimes,

but that’s okay,

MRR

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

I didn’t think that I would get this book finished by today for my goal thing, but I managed! I’m just a really cool speed reader that way, what can I say! I got some new books from Taylor… I’ve been trying not to add more to my huge ass pile but I JUST COULDN’T HELP IT THIS TIME.

While Alek is forced to become a fugitive in his own country because of his parent’s assassination, Deryn is perfecting the art of being a boy – so she can join the Air Service and become a Middie just like she’s dreamed of since she was a little girl. The countries around them are on the brink of war, and they come from opposite worlds. One full of heavy machinery and Clankers, and the other tied into fabricated beasts full of hydrogen and life; but somehow they manage to end up on the same ship. Forced to work together to escape from the German’s Alek and Deryn make enemies turn to allies: On the great airbeast Levaithan.

I didn’t know what this book was even about at all when I bought it. I wanted to read it because I loved Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series, and even though this book has a completely different writing style and is different than Uglies in so many ways, I enjoyed it just as much. I have to say though, if I didn’t know the author of this book and you wanted me to guess I would have never guessed Westerfeld at all.

Even though I think this book was meant for a younger teen audience, I still really enjoyed it. I loved the moments between Alek and Deryn, it was really predictable that she would end up liking him, but it only happened at the end of the book so now I have to read Behemoth or whatever the hell it’s called!!!

Another thing I really liked, and will always like about Westerfeld’s books is the vast amount of originality. I mean, his novel ideas are always brilliant. I wish I could step into his mind and just take a nice tour of his ideas and thoughts. That would be very nice.

I’m going to have to give this one a nice big 4.

Check out his website http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/ The third book in this series is already being somewhat released.

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

Bounce by Natasha Friend

This one was an easy one, and I’m pretty sure that I bought it in Grade 7. But that’s alright, because i finally got to reading it so no big deal. Another busy week, another book read! Voila.

After living in Maine with just dorky brother, and her pretty awesome dad – Birdie – for pretty much all of her 13 years, Evyn is not ready to change anything, anytime soon. But before she knows it, Evyn is enrolled in a new school in Boston, sharing a room with two crazy twin ‘sisters’, and there is nothing in the world she can do about it. Evyn had had it all in her old city, and now she has to deal with everything and everybody in her life changing for what seems like the worst. She knows that she’s supposed to just bounce along with the changes, but what if she can’t?

 

I bought this book a long time ago, and I sort of wish right now that I read it back when I bought it, because it wasn’t that great to read at the age I am now. This book is of course a really easy read, and I just want to finish it because it was in my book pile and it is short. But I wouldn’t really suggest it for most teens… just saying.

There were some points were I could really relate to Evyn and what she was going through, but most of what was happening in the book and how Evyn was taking it pissed me off. I kept on thinking things that can only come from the opinion of somebody older. Which was sort of bothersome if you know what I mean.

The idea is really good though, as are most of Friend’s novel plotlines. It focuses on the problems of a tween girl who is having the normal problems that a teen girl goes through. Yay.

I probably made this book sound extremely horrible. Yay.

This is not really a young adult sort of thing, but whatever. You know the dealio. http://www.natashafriend.com/ . This book isn’t that bad. Until next week…

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

Virals by Kathy Reichs

I’m pretty sure that I missed last week, but this is a really busy time of year for me so yeah. My 3 followers can deal with it anyway. XD I’m getting excited with my process on my bookshelf, this whole book a week thing is sort of making it a lot easier to finish all these books. I like setting goals for myself. If there is a rule where I have to finish something, I feel like I have to get it done. So here we go ladies and gents.

 Tory Brennan had always been adventurous – it runs in her blood. But sometimes, it isn’t such a good thing. After the things start to go wrong on Loggerhead Island, and she finds a mysterious dog tag deep within the island forests, Tory can’t help but investigate. Caught up in a serious cold case – complete with tails and guns and very large hitmen – the gang has no way of getting out. But that isn’t the only odd thing happening, after rescuing a wolfdog pup infected with a weird disease, Tory and her friends experience weird flares of extremely enhanced senses. Now, together… they are VIRAL.

The first thing that I really liked about this book was the foreshadowing affect at the beginning. It really worked out for me with the style of writing. Sometimes it gets annoying with other books, but it blended in well with everything that was happening in Virals.

I think that they could have worked a bit more on the main character’s personality and background. At the beginning it touches base on how her mother died and that’s why she was living with Kit, and it seemed like they were going to keep going with that thread, and maybe tell the background story later. But then nothing came up. I mean, I could tell that Tory was a curious person who couldn’t let a mystery remain unsolved, but I felt there should have been just a little more to her character.

I don’t feel like there is anything that really stood out about this book. I liked it, and I enjoyed reading it and the plotline was good. But when I closed it I thought, ‘Okay, time for the next book.’ Something I did like though was how much room the author left for a sequel. I know that something else must be coming up, and maybe in the next book Reichs will tell us a little more about Tory and what happened in the past.

So. A good 3 out of 5 will do it for moi. Have a great week everybody.

Here is a website, as per usual. I sort of like having a routine on here. Easier to follow what’s going on. http://www.kathyreichs.com/ And here is a link of you want to look at just the Virals series. http://viralstheseries.com/ It has a cool opening with a lighthouse and this interactive thing. FUN FUN FUN.

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

SO. I understand that this is just a tad late… but I have spend the last week with a program called Encounters with Canada and I was in Ottawa for a week in the Terry Fox Center, along with 130 other people from all over Canada. But yeah, it’s been busy and I’ve been trying to catch up with stuff so that is what’s happening. >:)

After the being shoved into a world of demons and other downworlders, Clary is dealing with things surprisingly well considering everything that is going on around her. But as Valentine’s plan starts to become clearer, and important people in the Clave can’t be trusted to follow the law, bad things start to happen one after the other – and something has to be done. While Jace is deciding who’s side he’s on, and Simon is going through a transformation that will change his whole life, Clary is still trying to find a way to wake up her mother – and make sure to defeat Valentine once and for all.

I have to say a few thing about this book. I really enjoyed it, and I love this one just like I loved the first one, but that comes with some of the same problems. I remember last time saying things about how it was a little bit too full of descriptions and that sort of thing… well the writing style didn’t really improve for this book. I kept on getting distracted because of the amount of describing that was going on – especially in the actions scenes.

I don’t know… it might be because I was tired and just reading this book because I had nothing better to do, but I felt like the plot didn’t really develop all that much. I mean, it was interesting and engaging but almost just a middle sort of thing before the next book (which is pretty much what it was.) But still… I don’t know.

There was one thing that I have always loved about the first book that continued onto this one. Which was the constant romance problems going on between the characters… I think that was the root of my interest level, because honestly, there was parts in that book that were just amazing to read.

Amazing novel, amazing series, AS ALWAYS. Don’t mind my grump.

Yeah, I was going to put 3.5 but I settled for 4. So, here is the website as usual. http://cassandraclare.com/cms/home

LATER CHEESE GRATERS,

MRR

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

I’ve put off a very important project just so I could finish this book tonight. BUT, again… I am glad. Time was way better spent finishing it up than planning for my future in a 6 page project. So yeah. I’m happy with everything right now, besides the fact that I won’t be able to put it off after this is written and published. But you know, whatever.

  They’re all around us, all the time. Invisible to every mortal, except for Aislinn – and any rare others who have the Sight. The fey. Cruel, dangerous, and utterly beautiful, Aislinn knows what will happen if she catches their attention, as well as break the other rules her Gram made to keep them safe. But as more and more fey set unsettling eyes on her, Aislinn slowly gets caught up in the world of battling faery courts, and a little game involving seduction and reckless risk taking. Aislinn finds herself pushed towards a choice. A choice between a life in despair or cold finish, with death on either side.

I bought this book around the time it came out, on the recommendation of a friend, and I can’t believe I put of reading it until now! It was completely different then I expected and it met my standards for a good book. (Meaning just right amount of romance and fantasy.) My stomach fluttered at some of the more romantic parts because of how well things were described, it made me imagine the scene perfectly and I loved it. Maybe it was my mood, but holy crap.

Another reason this novel was so enjoyable was the characters. I loved all four of the main characters with all my heart, and even the villain played a perfect part. The way every one of them fit together in some way was so fun to think about. I admired the girls, and I wanted to marry both of the guys by the end. It was just great!

Just as every good book does, this one ends with a nice twist but also ties everything up, a great transition to the next book I would say. It’s on my shelf waiting for me, and I don’t know if I can wait. Really liked this book, and hopefully I’ll love the next one too. 4 out of 5.

Check out her website, she’s actually written quite a lot of other things besides just this faery series. http://www.melissa-marr.com/index.html

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

I’m surprised I found the time to get this done, but I spent the first two blocks in of the last day for this semester trying to finish it, and I closed it just before the bell rang for lunch. I have my Math and English provincials on Monday and Tuesday. Still need to study for those. Oooh well. Tomorrow. Maybe.

Just like most of the other Gladers, Thomas woke up in a dark metal box – without any memories of his past life, or any idea where he was. But this is no news – once every month another boy is delivered to the Maze, and they have adjusted accordingly. But the day after Thomas arrives, the Box is occupied once again. By a girl. That isn’t the only thing that’s going to change in the Glade. As more and more piles onto Thomas’s shoulders, the more determined he is to find the pattern of the maze – and the closer he is to helping all of the Gladers find a way to escape.

This book received a lot of positive reviews, and were nominated by the Teen Read Awards for having the Best Hero. I think that this novel should have been the winner! Thomas is a character that you can’t help admire as you continue reading through this book. His determination to solve the maze and his constant curiosity about everything around him made this book 10 times more fun to read. You feel his frustration and you hurt with him when he’s upset.

The setting of the Glade, and the terrifying creatures called Grievers that roam outside the doors at night only add the mysterious ways of the Maze. As you slowly put together how everything works, you’re also secretly falling in love with every single aspect of the life in the Glade and the complete story.

Holding a final battle worth re-reading and a hero that is hard to compare, James Dashner did an awesome job with The Maze Runner, and I can’t wait to read The Scorch Trials. Check out his website, (it has a cool opening thing, and a really fun maze game.)http://www.jamesdashner.com/ And I’ll give this one a 4/5. An awesome book!

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

Ptolemy’s Gate by Jonathan Stroud

Another week gone by, another book worth reading – finished. So, yeah I think that this one book a week is working for me, though I struggled to get this one finished on time. I have exams in about a week, and I put off some homework I should probably have finished. But that’s okay. This is important enough for that.

Three years after the devastating events of Gladstone’s tomb. the Resistance is shattered, the Government is floundering, and the Commoners are angry as ever. John Mandrake is stuck in the midst of cowardly politicians, but he knows something is wrong, and intends to do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of it – even if it means using his old servant Bartimaeus, whose essence is so weak it hurts him to change form. How will Bartimaeus get his freedom to the Other Place, as well as save England from a terrifying fate?

 

Now, I may have voiced some doubts in the past about this series. They have always held unexpected turns and pulled at my heart with each ending of another book, but honestly… the first two can’t compare to this one. They were a perfect build up, and I enjoyed them, but I LOVED this one.

I’ve previously complained about how they didn’t have enough Bartimaeus in the last one because they showed the sides of the other characters just as much as his, but this one it is evened nicely by giving us details of his past with Ptolemy, and what he went through. I found myself laughing out loud again, not just because Bartimaeus is hilarious, but because of how enjoyable the book was and I knew that on the last page it would all end.

The development Nathaniel’s character went through made me happy, and I stopped seeing him as John Mandrake the annoying asshole and went back to seeing him as he was when he was younger, which was what the author intended and it worked out great.

The last thing that made the this novel just the absolute best was the ending. It was tragically perfect, a perfect ending for me. It made my bawl and even though I finished the book yesterday… when I think about the words the author used and exactly how he wrote it and how it ended – my eyes start to burn and can’t stop thinking about it. GAAAAAHHH. So good.

If it wasn’t obvious before, I’m giving this book a deserved 5 out of 5.

Check out Jonathan Stroud’s website, http://www.jonathanstroud.com/ he deserves more love. But you know, I can give it to him if nobody else will.

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

The Shadow in the North by Philip Pullman

Almost keeping up with my one book per week thing, I’m quite happy with the receding pile of unread book on my shelf…. even though I keep buying more thanks to the Chapters gift cards I got for my birthday. Anyway, I’m just excited about that, but I have some other news. I was thinking of adding a little picture saying what genre the book is, except I don’t really know where I’m going to put it. Just an idea, but yeah. ALRIGHT. Let’s start on this.

Working as a financial consultant, and the business of Garland and Lockheart booming, Sally lands herself in the middle of another terrifying mystery. With a perplexing conjurer always on the run, two thugs that are on the loose, and a very powerful, very enticing business man by the name of Axel Bellman hiding something extremely deadly – things couldn’t be more dangerous for Sally and her fellow detectives. But with so many distractions and little clues, Sally and her friends can’t help but wonder whether this case is worth solving.

I know that the last time I did a review for a book in this series, I didn’t know what to think of it. Being honest, I thought that I wouldn’t enjoy this book, because of what I thought of the first one. Even though this book revolves around business, shares, and finance and some of it was hard to understand – I really enjoyed reading this one. It’s cool to learn about the old England way of life, and this was a really engaging mystery book.

Compared to the last one, there were so many more twists in the plot, and they were happening from beginning, all the way to the very last page of the book. It’s enticing all the way through and I’m glad that I now feel the need to go buy the last two in the series, (even though my wallet isn’t so thrilled.) The Shadow in the North is a great mystery/thriller book that will keep you interested. Another thing I’m happy to say is this – The second book in the series is remarkably better than the first one!

Take a look at Pullman’s website. I think that his view on writing is really cool, he’s a smart man. http://www.philip-pullman.com/books.asp

I’ll give this a 4 out of 5. I’m in a good mood today.

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins by L.J. Smith

Yeah, this book was shorter than I thought it would be, thick pages and medium font. That’s alright though. Did you know that I still have the last two Harry Potter books to read?  Yeah, I always watch the movies first… because I would rather have the books ruin the movie than have the movie ruin the books – if you know what I mean. Harry Potter fans out there, is it the same for you? Just wondering if I’m a weirdo.

It’s 1864, and Stefan is stuck in the middle of the civil war. But that’s not the only war that’s happening. He is to be betrothed to a woman he doesn’t love, while at the same time, the mysterious Katherine has caught his heart. Stefan isn’t the only one though, his brother Damon has made sure to spend his sunny afternoons chasing her through the garden in the huge Salvatore estate. While the towns suspicion of the ongoing animal attacks turns into something more, the brothers carry a deadly secret; Katherine is a vampire.

Well. I don’t know about all of the other people who have read this book felt about it… but I have a few things to say. I’ve read all four of the original Vampire Diaries books, and I’ve kept up with the TV show since it began, and having all of that background sort of made me confused. When I first started to read this book, I thought that it was going to have elements from both the TV show as well as the previous novels. But that is not the case, it’s based only on the show. SO, to all of you people out there that have only read the books, don’t get confused. It’s the background of the TV show printed on pages. I repeat… KATHERINE HAD BROWN HAIR IN THIS BOOK.

Besides that confusion, there was something else that bothered me quite a lot actually. In L.J. Smith’s other novels, she usually has two or three stories in one whole book. I thought it was way more effective that way, because after you read the first story in the book, you could go right into the next one and by the end everything would be tied up. This novel felt a little lacking to me… I mean by the end everything had happened, but I still felt like there was a lot missing that is needed in a good story. I don’t know. Maybe it was because Smith was writing somebody else's idea, or maybe it was another reason. I think that this should have just stayed a background story instead of becoming something all on it’s own.

I haven’t seen many other people reviewing this book, so I don’t know about what other people thought about it… but yeah. Check out her site, she has TONS of other books that she needs to get writing, instead of doing something like. :P Just saying http://www.ljanesmith.net/www/home 

I guess I’ll give this one… a 2.5 out of 5.

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR