Sabriel by Garth Nix

I think that I’m going to have to make a rule, where I have to finish one book per week. Then I can not only get through my pile easier, but I can also actively blog. It’s a great idea, I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before!!! OH, and I have something to show you guys, check it out. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/at-europe/at-europe-london-closeup-the-amazing-staircase-042543 It’s a staircase/bookshelf! I want it! This is the first thing that I’m going to do when I’m rich and get to design my dream house. The next thing I will do is make a huge bedroom which is just a bouncy and comfortable mattress going all the way to the walls – but that’s irrelevant.

Growing up outside the wall of the Old Kingdom, living the life of a student, Sabriel is whisked off her feet by the news that her father is trapped somewhere in Death. Using all that her father has taught her about necromancy and sending dead spirits to rest – Sabriel travels into the depths of the Old Kingdom to rescue her father and to make sure that the dead are not freed from their bindings. Pursued by evil spirits and taking many crash landings on the way, Sabriel has to face one of the Greater Dead (possibly the greatest) and use all that she has learned from her father to defeat it. But can she do it without using Astarael – the Sorrowful – which when rung would make all who hurt slip into death.

This book didn’t start slow at all, and that made me happy. It wasted no time in the beginning, and went right to making you form in your mind what the hell was going on with the setting. It has magic and technology mixed together, and the way that the author eased you into the world that Sabriel lived in was perfectly done. I enjoyed this book very very much.

The one thing that I would say needs some work is some character issues. I know that in Nix’s writing style character’s personalities are all very simple, but still. I think that he could work on the main character being a little more interesting. She doesn’t really have personality traits and seems kind of neutral about everything. I just wish that there would be something else that made her unique, besides being full of courage just like every other protagonist in fiction books.

The setting was wonderful, I loved the time and the world that Sabriel lived in. This is a great book, and I recommend it. Here is Garth Nix’s website. http://www.garthnix.com/ I give this one a steady 4 out of 5. (The pictures with the stars are on my other computer, Sorry!)

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

Gone by Lisa McMann

Wow. It has been a while. I read two other books before this, both I didn’t think were worth reviewing because I really had nothing to say about either of them. I have lots of books on the way though, as usual. When I finally start to think that my book pile is getting smaller, I walk by a Chapters and I have to go for more. I think that I might be a bookaholic.

 Things almost seem back to normal for Janie, after learning more about her ability to see other people’s dreams, finding the love of her life, and becoming an undercover police agent. Except there is a dreadful nagging image in the back of her mind that haunts her no matter how much she pushes it away. Just when Janie thinks that she’s decided, she’s slammed in the face with yet another surprise, that leads her to a brand new discovery about her dream catcher. But more importantly, will Janie ever be able to make her choice and get out of this Morton's Fork?

 

 

I got excited before I read this book. It’s the third in a trilogy and I read the first two in grade 8. They were both great books, and I loved them, so I expected this one to be a dramatic finish full of twists and turns that will make an excellent end to this series!

Well, I was wrong. This book is just plain boring. Nothing even remotely interesting happens until you’re half way through the book, and even then, the thing that is supposed to make you gasp with surprise isn’t very surprising at all.

Another thing was that I had the previous novels such a long time ago that I didn’t remember some things that happened, and when you start on this one it just dives in right away and I didn’t get some things until the very end, which was nice in a way because it gave some effect, but still. There were some good parts, but overall this was a crappy last book in a good series.

I give this one a 2.5.

To make matters worse, Miley Cyrus is going to be playing the main character in these books which are being made into a movie! http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/06/17/miley-cyrus-will-star-in-ya-thriller-wake/ Yay for bad actors ruining good books!

If you want to check out McMann’s website, here you go. http://www.lisamcmann.com/html/home2.html She has a new book coming out in Feburary if you’re interested.

Later Cheese Graters!

MRR

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Hey, this was sooner than expected, but I think that I can read better when under pressure. I had a book on hold at the library, and it finally was my turn, and I had two weeks to read it. I thought that I wouldn’t be able to finish it on time, but I finished reading it on Tuesday, and kept on sneaking to my room during Thanksgiving to read a couple pages.

All of her life, Luce has seen the shadows. They stay at a distance, until one night everything goes wrong, and she’s blamed for the death of a friend. This wins Luce a one way ticket to Sword & Cross – a gothic reform school. That’s where she sees Daniel, and instantly feels like she’s met him before. Who is Daniel and what did he do to get himself into Sword & Cross? And how will Luce get rid of the persistent shadows that are slowly closing in on her?

As I was reading this book, I was totally into it. The beginning was engaging and it kept me interesting through almost the entire thing. I kept guessing what the prologue meant, and who was who. The characters are fit well together, and the plotline goes at just the right speed. But as I kept reading, I started to get wary. The only thing that Luce was doing in some part of the story was just going back and forth between the two guys. She would finish talking with one guy and then it would go straight to the next one, and over and over again.

Now, the thing about Luce is that her character isn’t that great. She’s a little shy and has some sense of humour, but other than that she has no personality. By the time that things were speeding up in the book, and secrets were revealed and fights were going on… I was expecting that Luce would step up and be a man. Her character should have developed as she went through her hardships, but she just stayed the same! And when she was the only person who didn’t know what was actually happening, she was just a zombie and didn’t even get angry. Her boyfriend told her that she didn’t need to know, so she excepted it and did what she was told like a good little girl.

If you think that that isn’t bad enough, then get this. When the final showdown fight started between good and evil, her boyfriend shooed her away to safety, and let her cower in a room while he fought for her. I know that she wouldn’t have stood a chance, but still… she didn’t question it at all! I also know that some people have personalities like that… but come on! I want to hear a story about the people who are unique, and have some sort of flaw other than being a lovesick pansy.

Overall though, it wasn’t a bad book. Maybe Luce will get better in the next one, I believe that it is called Torment (check out her website and other books there). And I shall give this book a 4.

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

Tithe by Holly Black

Wow, this went quicker then I thought it would. This book was pretty short, because it had short pages and bigger writing then usual. It was the perfect book to get me back in the mood of reading! I’m currently in the middle of another book, and I feel like I’m on a role!

 Kaye’s life had always been moving and changing, but now the one thing that had remained a solid memory – was turning into something she could never thought it could. Now she struggles to find the truth about the cruel faerie world that she once had thought was about innocent fun. Kaye has to cope as she gets wedged in the middle of two sides that are constantly at a secret war. As everything she knows topples over, and she slowly falls for a brave and confusing dark Knight. How will she ever untangle herself from the Fey world?

 

LOVED this book. It vas very good, yes? Yes. I’ve never really found a book about faeries that I really liked, but this one was wonderfully written. The plot line seemed to on forever, but only because there were so many twists and turns that it kept on going even after I thought it would be the end of things. It kept me on my toes, and it kept me longing and hoping for more romance stuff, because fantasy and romance work well together.

Even though the faerie land was beautiful and very alluring, but the realness of Kaye’s previous life is also something that is really interesting to read about. How she moves around so much, and how bad her mom is at parenting her, it just fits the whole story together very nicely.

I give this book a well deserved 4.

Here is her website, http://www.blackholly.com/ and Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Later Cheese Graters.

MRR

The Golem’s Eye by Jonathan Stroud

It’s probably been a month! A long month at that. All work work work, no time for reading what so ever – to finish this book I had to just sit down and read until 1 o’clock. And now I have to get over how proud I am to finish that one book and get on to the other 20 on my shelf. I’m sure that I’ve said this all before, about how much stuff I have to read.. but I counted today, and there is exactly 20. Whew man.

Two year after the Amulet of Samarkand was returned to it’s proper place, Nathaniel is growing up quickly. Assistant to the head of International Affairs, and gaining status in the magician world, Nathaniel has got a busy future ahead of him. Hunting down the Resistance and trying to figure out what the cause of all the mysterious attacks that are happening constantly throughout London, Nathaniel finds himself missing his old slave and summons Bartimaeus once again.

Sorry about the crappy summery, I’m just going to go ahead and say that it really has been a while. The first thing that I have to say about this book, would be that it was not as good as the first one. The best part about the first book in this serious was that Bartimaeus’ point of view was so much fun to read, because he was hilarious. His character was the humour in the book, and he was the one who made everything more enjoyable. In the second one, you don’t see as much of him as you did in the first one. There is another character’s point of view that took over… and it just wasn’t the same.

If you just want to talk in terms of the story though, it was really good. Nicely woven together with two opposite points of view, and a even a couple different mysteries in one plot line. I really liked this book, and I would have read it much more quickly if I had the time.

I’ll give this one a 3.5 (one less mark then the first one) And here is the website once again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJqygAs2uq4

Now, I have a present for you guys. I made a nice Wordle for the blog at this point, if you don’t know what it is – then check it out. http://www.wordle.net/ You basically give Wordle the URL and they’ll make a little poster of the most used words on that webpage. You can change the font, the colours, and the layout. It’s all really cool.

So there you go! Maybe I’ll see you next month.

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I’m here writing this book review while also majorly multi-tasking. I never knew that I could eat Mr. Noodles, write a 5 paragraph essay and also help my sister draw a flower which is starting to look like a mutated animal. I’m doing great. I like how every minute I’m supposed to be doing something… I always have something to do. I missed school so much, even if it means less reading.. it means more things to fill up my time.

After living all her life in India, the spoiled child Mary moves to England to stay with her Uncle. Left by herself to explore the moor, and the huge property that he owns – Mary finds and learns things she could never have dreamed of when she was in India. She takes a turn for the better, and blooms like a beautiful flower in the secret garden that she adores so very much. What more does a child need than to be loved, have freedom, and most of all… get full breaths of fresh air straight out of the moor wind.                                                                                  

As you should know by now, I’ll read almost anything… so when I saw this children’s book on my friends bookshelf, I borrowed it right away. There’s nothing better than a nice classical read… especially (as I’ve said many times before) when the setting is in old England. And this book had such a great plot line… I kept on thinking that the garden would be discovered by the Uncle and that they would all be yelled at and banned and never aloud to go in there again. But no, it never happened. :]

One of the really big things that made this book likable for me, was the Yorkshire dialogue that was said. By the end of the novel, I was very confident that if a person came up to me and started to speak English in a very heavy Yorkshire accent, I would be able to understand it pretty darn well. A great read, whether you’re a kid or a teen.

I give The Secret Garden a 3.5 out of 5. I don’t know much about this author, but we can always learn! he doesn’t have his own website because he’s too ancient, but you know the deal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Hodgson_Burnett

Later Cheese Graters!

MRR

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Ahhh, I went through all of my things yesterday… so now I have extra room on my bookshelf. (An excuse for buying more books? –Hopefully) I finally feel like I’m getting somewhere with my piles… but then I think about school starting up again and I know that I’m going to be screwed in terms of time for reading. I promise that I will try my best though. :D

In search for something more, Miles ‘Pudge' Halter goes away from all he has ever known to attend Culver Creek, a boarding school in Alabama. Then he meets Alaska Young, the incredible and unforgettable Alaska Young. A girl who catches his eye from the start – and changes him as a person forever. Stuck in happily in the middle of the boarding school life, Pudge couldn’t feel more at home. But just when he had thought that he’d gotten Alaska figured out, everything changes… and nothing will ever be the same again.

When my dearest friend Erin first gave me this book while I was raiding her bookshelf at her mansion home… she gave me the worst summery of the book and I raised my eyebrows and she said, ‘Just read it!’. So I did read it. And I know that my summery is just as crappy as hers sounded like, BUT THIS BOOK WAS GREAT! A book that both boys and girls will love, although it is for more older readers.

There were many parts in this book that I would laugh out loud and anybody in the same room as me would just stare at me and give me one of those looks – those were the greatest parts. But this story also tells a sad part too, in which I almost (but did not) cried.

Now, I’m going to tell you a little something about myself.. because this novel really brought it up. The word ‘colonel’ is one of my least favorite words ever in the whole entire English language, because I never pronounce it correctly! I always say it how it’s spelt… and I was doing that the whole entire book until the very last page where I started thinking of the board game Clue… and then Colonel Mustard… all of a sudden, BAM. I was saying the wrong way in my head the whole entire novel. It made me SO angry. I tried to read the page again but I still couldn’t pronounce it  ‘kernel’ like it’s supposed to be.

Bravo, Green. You did a great job on this story, I really liked it. (I hope that a 4/5 is good enough for you Erin) This guy looks like kind of a nerd… he has weird YouTube videos on his website. http://johngreenbooks.com/

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR

Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan

Happy last day of August! And lucky for me I’ve been reading very short books lately, which means more fun for the both of us. Right? Anyways… I know for a while I said that I was going to do a review on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but I honestly don’t feel like doing seven different reviews for that whole series because everything is pretty similar in all of the books.

In other books, the heroes can go through the whole story making many horrible mistakes – but never having to face the consequences before the story came to an end. Not in this one. After Darren sneaks into an illegal freak show, he finds out secrets that will definitely come back to haunt him. Now he’s caught into something that he can’t understand or get out of, and when he puts his best friend’s life on the line he has to decide to pay up for what he has done, or risk losing somebody he cares about. But how can you pay back some thing that only accepts blood as currency?

I don’t know how many books there are in this series, I think it’s a lot. But who cares? NOT ME! This book was a spooky adventure that I couldn’t help getting pulled into. I’ve never watched the TV series that came out of this, but I can see the reason that they would make this into a show, it’s so compelling! I love the type of fiction books that try hard to convince you that these things really did happen. It just makes it all the more realistic!

This was another book that was great for any age group, and the transitions between each chapter and each book were very well done. It kept you hanging, no matter how short they were… they were jam packed with loads of exciting events. Like a well put together music festival with all the right pieces in all the right places. Haha, bad reference… I know.

This was a great read, but of course I know when something stands out. I’ll give this one a 3.5 You guys will have to watch the show for me, and tell me if it’s good. Here’s his website, http://www.darrenshan.com/ . Looks PRETTY freaky.

Later Cheese Graters,

MRR