Ramblings of the Bookish Sort

I don't usually write down my feelings for a book on my blog before the actual review, but I am making a huge exception in this instance. Currently it is 5 till 2 a.m. over here as I start this post where I have just spent the last, oh, 7 minutes or so screaming into a pillow out of frustration. You might be wondering as to why I am spending my time screaming and punching a pillow in the middle of the night. Two words: Clockwork Prince. Yes, the newest book by Cassandra Clare of The Infernal Devices series has finally driven me mad. Before you go thinking that I am completely weird, let me assure you that, this has happened before with a couple of other books . . . but maybe that makes me seem weirder, but I don't care. This book put me to a point that I had to vent my feelings out on my own blog because apparently everyone is asleep at 2 in the morning (which I think is kind of annoying, being a night person myself). I'm not going to go into detail as to way this book specifically drove me crazy, I'm putting all that down in my review! But until then I am just going to let my mind wander, and muse over the concept of how a book can make me feel breathless and a little crazy, even if I will end up talking about something completely different . . . that is why they call it rambling.

You see, it's all about the characters. I've said it before, and I will say it again: the characters make the book. They are everything. If the book doesn't have at least a few good characters that you can latch onto and use as a method of steering through the plot then it is going to be way more difficult to get through a book. They are the soul, the very essence of a story. As cliché as it might be, they really are like actual friends. First, you get to known them. You get to know your favorite parts about them, their weaknesses, what gives them drive. Then they surprise you with their humor, their tenderness, whatever makes them interesting. You learn to LOVE them. Maybe that sounds bad, but, yes, I do love my characters, they are my friends who I share adventures with.

Now here is where the pillow comes in . . . as soon as things start to finally look up for the characters in the type of conflict they are facing, something HUGE pops up and done. This isn't the case with most individual books, what I am mainly talking about is with book series, such as The Infernal Devices. About 5 HUGE things happened in the last 3 chapters of the book, and then BAM!! it's over. Yes, people, it ended and left me in a state of complete shock and a most unsatisfactory feeling in the pit of my stomach. So naturally, after the pillow screaming and misuse of furniture, I went straight to my laptop and found not even a bit of information on the release date of book 3!!!!!! 

This is the kind of book that made me quite literally laugh out loud, gasp, and despair at the end as if all that was happening happened to people I know. It also had much to do with the love triangle featuring Jem, Will, and Tessa. I know love triangles have been over done lately in most YA fiction, but I have never seen one like this. Usually, you know who you're rooting for, even if you change your mind a little while later and go for the other person. In this story, Cassandra Clare made it infuriatingly hard to choose. I honestly can't make up my mind. At one point I had to stop and breathe because the happiness of one and the despair of the other with both their special circumstances, and vice versa, completely broke my heart. And then it's over, to be continued who knows when! It's safe to say that it will be quite some time before I get a chance to see how this will all come out for the good of the story. I know it's not the author's fault, but why can't the books all be out at the same time?? It's absolutely brutal knowing the story will not continue until who knows how many weeks or months!

Anyway, this ramble certainly helped me clear my head and calm my jitters. It's a good thing I have my blog to vent to, even if I don't know who reads this. I can't imagine how much harder it would have been for me to fall asleep with all these thoughts bouncing about in my mind.

My ramblings have now ceased.

The Iron Fey Series Review by Julie Kagawa

 This review will consist of a big series overview with mini reviews of each individual book with as little spoilers as possible.

The Iron Fey Series blew me away! See, for me, the characters are everything in a good book. They are the fabric of the story, the foundation of it all. This series had the characters down pat. They were realistic but magical, funny and determined, brave and vulnerable . . . there were just so many combinations that went into creating these complex characters that I really can’t name them all. My favorite had to be Puck who is one of the funniest/sarcastic characters I have ever encountered. The point is that they were all fantastic leaders through the NeverNever.

When I say that I haven’t been this excited over a book series in a long time, that is saying something. It’s not that I haven’t enjoyed a good book in a while. There have been many interesting books stacked under my night table, but I haven’t been THIS excited about a book in months. You know the kind of excitement I’m talking about. The kind of excitement where I laughed hysterically a Puck’s pranks, teared up considerably at Ash’s coldness, and the kind where there was absolutely-positively-no-chance-in-hell that I was going to put those books down. They were the kinds of books that I chose over sleep. Thank goodness it’s Winter Break, or I would be considerably sleep deprived! The point is that, these books brought that reading excitement back to me. There were times over the beginning of this school year where reading would be put off for homework and such, and I started to lose the feel of staying up until 5 a.m. with a book under my nose. These books brought them back.

Well, enough sentimentality on my part. I’ll get down to the who’s, what’s, when’s, and why’s of these books. The first three books in this series are completely from the point of view of Meghan Chase. She is a regular girl with the annoying reputation of a hillbilly or pig girl if you will. She is an outcast in her school and a little bit at home. She lives with her mother, her stepfather, and her little four-year-old brother. The day she turns 16 is the day everything in her boring yet normal life shatters. From that moment on she is pulled and pushed into the world of Faery, a magical yet cynical place to be filled with rulers and gremlins and who knows what else. And only she has the powers to save the NeverNevers. From 1-10 for the overall series? I believe the Iron Fey deserves a 9!!

PS: here's a little tidbit I just discovered . . . Julie Kagawa wrote 2 mini ebooks that take place between parts of the series! The parts that were never mentioned like Ash and Meghan's travels to the Winter court in "Winter's Passage" and a mini adventure of Ash and Puck completely told in Puck's funny and eccentric perspective. I just read them, and although way to short to satisfy my thirst for all things Fey, they are certainly not to be missed!

          

•      Book 1: The Iron King

Number of pages:363

Book 1 is where all the discoveries of the NeverNever and Faeries come in. Here is where everything unravels for Meghan Chase. Her little brother is replaced by a demon Faery thing and she goes off with her best friend Robbie, who turns out to be a notorious faery, into the heart of the NeverNever in search for her little brother. Here she discovers everything about her past, along with the perils that come with that knowledge. In this book, I have to say I was Team Puck all the way. He was just so funny and lovable! So loyal, I couldn’t imagine the story without him. 

•           Book 2: The Iron Daughter

Number of pages: 359

Book 2 was a strong follow up of book 1. One thing that I sometimes expect is that the sequel to the original book will somehow come out to be disappointing in some way, or just not good enough in general. Mainly that is because sequels continue the story of the first one. The thing about The Iron Daughter is that although technically, yes, it is a continuation of Meghan’s adventures, it somehow comes out to be a different story. I don’t know if that makes sense, but what I am trying to say is that this book has its ties into the first, but cannot be compared to it because it is unique in and of itself. What happened in this book is that Meghan has kept her promise to Ash and is waiting to be rescued by the Summer Court. When she finally breaks free from the promise, and Ash’s cold ways toward her, she embarks on a journey to find the Scepter of the Seasons, stolen by the Iron Fey. She discovers powers she didn’t imagine she could possess, and love she didn’t know she had. 

• Book 3: The Iron Queen

Number of pages: 358

This is the end for Meghan Chase. Actually just the end of her adventures, not her end end. Book 3 is the tying of all the strings, so to speak. It is the grand finale, the curtain call of Meghan Chase. This was a bittersweet book. What you need to understand about the ending is that it does cover all the loose ends, but it will leave you heartbroken and enlightened at the same time. All I can say is thank God Julie Kagawa thought to make a 4^th book! Meghan Chase has been banished, bullied, and attacked way to many times! Once she finally feels like she has a break from Feary, she is once again pulled back into the world of magic along with her best friend Puck and Ash . . . this time with the Courts permission. Here you get a whole new side to the characters. Puck is now more raw, much more cynical, and still just as funny. You also get a more thawed side to Ash, a more caring side. By this point I don’t know what team I was on: Team Ash or Team Puck? Too hard to choose! Something that I found was really cool was that this is also where Meghan starts to fend for herself a bit. It’s understandable that in the beginning books she needed to be protected. Now she starts to kick butt on her own terms, and gets my respect.

•     Book 4: The Iron Knight

Number of pages: 361

The Iron Knight takes a whole new twist to the stories that by now you have become accustomed to. Here we see Ash take control as we follow him on his own journey to find a soul and finally be reunited with the one he loves . . . Meghan. His goals are simple. Find the Cait Sith, get to the end of the world, win a soul, and return to the Iron Realm all without completely murdering his travel companion, Puck. But as the journey progresses, some discoveries come to light that could completely change his resolve to become human. Some things happen that just leave you in a WOW state. And then there were some parts that I found a wee bit tedious during this particular adventure. I just wanted to see how everything turned out to be, but some things were drawn out a bit. Not that I wanted it to end, not by any means. I just couldn’t wait to see what happened to our lovely hero and his funny companion. I admit it, I did cry at one point. But even after all the curve balls thrown in this book and surprises in every chapter, rest assured that there is a happy ending for this book. And this book does come with a little extra something in the end. There is a NeverNever survival guide, and an author’s questionnaire with some special guest that I completely enjoyed hearing from!

Borrowing Abby Grace Episode 1: The Shadow by Kelly Green

Series Summary:

Smart and sassy Abby Grace is a seventeen-year-old with a talent for getting out of trouble. Sent to repair the lives and loves of teenagers on the edge of disaster, Abby is the perfect girl for the job. She has everything going for her… except one thing: a body

First Installment Summary: Episode 1

When Abby Grace wakes up in the back of a van, she has no idea who she is, how she got there, or why anyone would want to kidnap her. After escaping her masked captors, she hurries home, only to discover that she unknowingly left her younger brother behind in the van. Unable to answer the police’s questions with her memories gone, she retreats to the safety of her bedroom where she tries to reconstruct her life. Just as she is settling into the belief that things will one day return to normal, she looks in the mirror—and sees a stranger’s face.

As Abby learns next, she has become a Shadow, sent to inhabit the lives of strangers in trouble. With nothing to go on except the vague hints of her cute but maddening Guardian, a 19th century ghostly teenager named Will, Abby sets out to rescue the missing brother. But she will need all of her intelligence, fearlessness, and wit, because if she fails to find him in time, she will remain trapped in this unfamiliar body forever.

• Number of pages: kindle version, not sure how long the story is

Review

As it so happens, I got this put straight up on my “must read” list because the author sent a review request about this series. And I am very happy she did. So what can I say about Borrowing Abby Grace? Ultimately it’s one of those easy reads that takes you for an enjoyable ride without making you do any work. Some books are just hard to keep up, and in the end you are doing the work to trying to piece everything together without getting lost. This book was written in a way where the mystery was easy to follow without being obvious. Clearly if the ending were obvious then the book wouldn’t be any fun. It was a cute story, too, that was nice to read and enjoy.

Abby Grace is a girl who didn’t know that she was Abby Grace let alone where she is, why she’s there, and whom she can trust. This is a girl with no identity, and nothing to go on. This is a girl that doesn’t even have a body. Now the details on that are a little fuzzy for me because I didn’t quite understand what she is since she is always summoned into the body and life of another person. She is what is referred to as a “shadow” sent to help fix the lives of the person whose body she is occupying. This episode is kind of like the explainer of things, I guess you could say. She is sent into the body of “Brooke” who has just been kidnapped along with her brother, and escaped while her brother is still captive. Abby Grace’s job is to fix “the problem” before time runs out . . . or she will be stuck in Brooke’s body forever.

Like I said, it was an easy read that I enjoyed from the beginning. But it wasn’t just easy because it was easy to follow; it was also easy because it was such a small book. Now, I didn’t really know how long the story was going to be because it is kindle versions only (for now, I believe) so I cant say how long it was. What I can say is that it felt like I read only about 100 pages or so, and I finished in about 2 hours and a half. That’s pretty fast, even for me. Usually I don’t go for so short a book, but this book was interesting till the end, not making me want to put it down. Still, I feel like the mystery ended to fast and everything was a bit rushed. I guess that if I want to prolong Abby Grace’s story a little bit longer, I am going to have to just read the next episode! From 1-10? I give Borrowing Abby Grace Episode 1: The Shadow a good, strong 7! 

Fateful by Claudia Gray

Summary

Eighteen-year-old Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy troubled family she serves. It’s 1912, and Tess has been trapped in the employ of the Lisles for years, amid painful memories and twisted secrets. But now the Lisle family is headed to America, with Tess in tow. Once the ship they’re sailing on—the RMS Titanic—reaches its destination, Tess plans to strike out and create a new life for herself.

Her single-minded focus shatters when she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. By Alec has secrets of his own. He’s in a hurry to leave Europe, and whispers aboard the ship say it’s because of the tragic end of his last affair with the French actress who died so gruesomely and so mysteriously . . .

Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves exist and are stalking him—and now her, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over.

• Number of pages: 325

Review

The story of the Titanic is one of the saddest and most interesting tales I’ve ever heard. It’s just one of those things that have always interested me (like the last Grand Duchess Anastasia or the Victorian Era). If you didn’t notice from the synopsis, this story is a little different from your average historic tale about the almighty Titanic. Or did you not get that from the werewolf part? In that case I tell you now, this isn’t your average historical fiction. I’d have to say it’s like 60% paranormal, 25% historical fiction, and 15% mystery. That sounds like an interesting combination doesn’t it? Well, it is. I thought that this book was not only interesting, but also easy to read. There weren’t any part where it felt tedious to keep going, or any parts when I want to skip ahead. I was in the mood for an easy read like this that kept me hooked till the end.

The one thing I was fooled at was the actual historical part of the story of Titanic. I thought that a good chunk of the book was going to happen during that horrific event. Turns out that it’s actually just a little part of it, maybe 1 or two chapters I think it was. That’s all I’m going to say on that. It was great to learn little things about the boat that I never knew about, like the 3^rd class living conditions or the events that happened during their week stay on the most magnificent vessel up until the iceberg. It’s funny how I kept picturing Rose and Jack to come up around the corner, or thinking to myself, “While all this was happening, Rose and Jack must have been doing this.” I guess that’s just one of those things that I always associate with Titanic.

Tess was a great, easy protagonist to follow. She had her goals set, and she was practical till the end. That’s sometimes fun to read in a character, especially when things start to turn out a little differently than what she planned . . . kind of like werewolves appearing out of no where and her ship sinking. That kind of stuff can mess up anyone’s agenda. The other characters were good to read as well, for instance, the lady she Tess worked for was a pompous woman about to lose all her money with a messed up son and a daughter that only defends herself when things are already too late. Alec was ok to read, he was pretty temperamental most of the story, but then again with his situation it is to be expected. It wasn’t that bad anyway. All around the story was pretty good, and I thought that the ending—though pretty incredible—was also something that summed up all the lose threads pretty well. So from 1-10? I think a 6 is in order. 

Quote from me on Google!

I was randomly googling napsnackread tonight, and look what came up!

http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=152916111469121&id=240170556013550 

How cool is that? Just one of the many reasons I like to write (:

Quest of the Demon by Michelle Sawyer

Summary
“Darci is your average every day sixteen year old girl who plays basketball and lives in an ordinary country town.  Her life changes forever as she is 'accidentally zapped' to the land of Nahaba by the apprentice wizard Taslessian. Within hours of her unexpected arrival, both teens are thrust into a dangerous journey to the cave of Grisham the Great, who will hopefully be able to send her home.  When they get there however Darci soon finds out that there is no such things as accidents and that their journey is only just beginning.”

•        eBook version, not sure how many pages

Review

I have said before and I will continue to say it for however long I have this blog, may it be another year or another 10 years—I will always be honest on my blog. As to how I say the truth in this case, I don’t know. The thing about this book is that it was an interesting plot written in a way that was drawn out to an extent that it took me more than a month to read. That is saying something because if I set my mind to it, I can read a book in less than a day. It wasn’t that I didn’t try. I read late into the night with this book and yet something always stopped me from continuing it to the end.

Like I said before, this was definitely an interesting plot. It had all the aspects to make it a good book. it had adventure, magic, friendships, but just because the idea of something is good does not mean that it was done in the right sort of manner. Darci’s story is an interesting one filled with dragons and wizards in which she is sent to in order to the save the planet in which she is transported to. This book was written in such a descriptive and drawn out manner that I had to stop myself from skipping ahead till it go to something more exciting. The journey itself had many steps and each step was detailed to a point that it took me 20 minutes to go a percentage higher (as is calculated on an eReader such as a kindle). If I said I could pinpoint exactly what made this such a hard read I’d be lying. I am not sure what it was, but I can say this: I am not rereading this book in the future. From 1-10? I give this book a 3.

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

Summary

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosia, as a siren—the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Esmerine takes her sire’s vow she means to protect the sea and all that live within it—until Dosia runs away to the mainland and Esmerine is sent to retrieve her.

Sectretly thrilled with the prospect of seeing a world that shes only glimpsed from the ocean, Esmerine uses magic to transform her tail into legs and journeys to the capital city. There, she comes upon a friend she hasn’t seen since childhood—a dashing young man named Alander. Who belongs to a winged race of people. Alander, whose odd ways and brash opinions offend yet fascinate her. But as Esmerine embarks on a search for her sister that will take her farther away from the sea she lobes and the life she has always known, she and Alander rekindle a friendship . . . and amore.

• Number of pages: 229

 Review

This was a cute story. I guess that’s the best adjective I can give to this book. It was a cute, sweet, light story that I enjoyed reading. I haven’t gotten much into the mermaid books, but I have a feeling that they are going to start getting popular. This book was about a mermaid who must go to the dry land to find her sister who she thinks was kidnapped and forced to marriage. There she recruits the help of her old childhood friend who happens to be one of the winged people. So clearly this is a story that doesn’t take place in what is the modern earth we live in now. It’s interesting though how the author created an old Queen Elizabeth era to it with the corsets and dresses and manners.

I think that it was a story that was very unique in some aspects such as the mix of sky, earth, and water. The love story in it was very unique as well. There were some obvious problems as to why they couldn’t be together as well as some little surprises that got me shocked. Like I said it was cute. But cute doesn’t necessarily mean I loved it. There were some boring spots here and there where I just wanted to skip ahead. The adventure part mostly happened in the last half of the book. From 1-10? I give it a 5

Cover note: something that did strike out at me was the cover. I found it so beautiful and whimsical. I love the way the sea and the sky merge. I must admit that the cover did influence me quite a bit to read this book. 

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Summary

Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated community without questioning the fact that her father has three wives and she has twenty brothers and sisters. That is, without questioning it much—if you don’t count her visits to the Ironton County Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her secret meetings with Joshua, the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her. But when the Prophet decrees that Kyra must marry her sixty-year-old uncle—who already has six wives—she must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family forever.

• Number of pages: 213

Review

I’ve had my eye on The Chosen One for quite some time now. It’s one of those books that I knew I had to read, a book with a story that I wouldn’t soon forget . . . and I was right. This is a very powerful book. There is a story in here that really did leave me in shock. It took me around 4 hours to read. The book isn’t very big to begin with, but add that to the fact that this is a story that you cant put down, and it’s easy to see why it would be hard to stop in the middle.

Kyra is a confused girl living in a world that isn’t sane. She is the daughter of a man . . . and three mothers, as well as a sister of 20 kids. Not the usual Brady Bunch circumstances. Is she happy? She could be considered a content girl. Does she feel like something is wrong with her community? She’s felt it for many years now. They tell her not to read, not to love, not to wander from their given path. You see how her mind tries to follow their ways, but her heart really doesn’t give a shit whether or not “the Prophet” for sees her life a certain way or not. It’s actually very hard to see how she tries to obey, but really cant help herself when she tries to do what is right. There was one specific moment involving a baby and ice water that really left me in shock. I wont give you the circumstances, but when you read it you’ll know what I’m talking about. I guess Kyra would continue living like this if it were for the fact that one night, the Prophet comes to her house and proclaims that she is to marry her 60 year old uncle who already has six wives, while Kyra is only 13. How disgusting is that? This story is her process through denial, hope, survival, and escape. This is a story through the lives of polygamists and barbarians and child/women abusers. The story was truly heart stopping. It was both unrealistic to me and completely realistic to those who really have to live through that. It really showed me how my life situations aren’t the only ones, that there are many other types of lives and circumstances that I probably wouldn’t comprehend. It opened my eyes a bit, and I don’t regret it. From 1-10? The Chosen One gets a 6.5

Adventures in Funeral Crashing by Milda Harris

Summary

Sixteen year old Kait Lenox has a reputation as the weird girl in her high school, mostly because of her ex-best friend turned mean popular girl, Ariel, but maybe it has a little to do with the fact that Kait has a hobby crashing funerals. At one of these, Kait is outted by the most popular guy in school, Ethan Ripley. Yet, instead of humiliating her for all the world to see, he asks for her help, and Kait finds herself entangled in a murder mystery. Not only is the thrill of the mystery exciting, but more importantly Ethan knows her name! A little sleuthing is well worth that!

Kindle Version

Review 

This is a story that was sent to me by the author herself, and I was very excited to read. Unfortunately, it has taken me about 10 times as long to finish than it would for me to read a regular book. Why is that? The plot was actually very interesting and unique. It’s about this girl who is looked at as a freak because of her weird hobby of crashing funerals. On one of her little trips to a funeral she runs into the hottest guy at her school, and her lifetime crush. It turns out that his sister died of heroin and the brother thinks there was some fowl play. He, with the help of the girl, Kait, start to investigate the mystery of the sister and 3 other girls' deaths.

Seems interesting, right? I thought it would be too. Just not the way it was written. I mean that in a way that the writing style of the author was not something I personally enjoyed. I couldn’t keep up. The only way I can explain it is like this: it was like reading the thoughts of someone else, unfiltered and with no direction. Any little thing would distract Kait. It was actually dizzying to keep up. She would be talking about the murder and then the guy and somehow it would go to her ex-best friend and end with a peanut butter and banana milkshake. It was exhausting, that’s why it took so long for me to finish it. It was like looking through the mind of a little girl that would get distracted by anything and everything. I really wasn’t eager to finish it. I hate to say it, but I believe this was why I am so behind in my reading. The last 6 chapters or so were the most interesting because the mystery was wrapping up. I am only being honest that from 1-10? I give this story a 3.5 

SOOOO Behind

It's funny how life can go from having free time to become impossibly hectic in just a few short weeks. I am extremely behind in all things reading (that doesn't involve school) I have about three or four book requests that I haven't had a chance to get to and that makes me feel really bad. Can't Thanksgiving Break come any faster?! I promise to get to everything as soon as I can! 

Here's a few things that are coming up!

-I've accepted two review request that I am just itching to do, and I will as soon as things settle down a bit.  I'm going to be reviewing Adventures in Funeral Crashing by Milda Harris and Quest of the Demon by M.L. Sawyar.

-I'm going to be starting a 30 day meme just answering questions and getting a little personal with it.

-I got a new review request that I just replied to (a little late) and if everything gets squared off soon I'll add it to my list and have it done as soon as possible. 

-And I want to do something new to my blog, whether it be the layout or a feature I don't know, I just haven't thought of it yet. Got to start brainstorming!

Now that I look at it I have a lot of stuff to accomplish! I have to start managing my time better, and hit the books!

Silver and Stone by J.D. Thompson

Summary

Welcome to high school high society hell.

As if senior year at Weatherford Preparatory School wasn’t hard enough, sixteen-year-old Alexis Bardolph had to add school outcast to the curriculum.

A new found notoriety following a family scandal, her lacrosse star boy-friend dumping her for a former BFF and a string of perpetually bad hair days were among the many things going wrong in her already turbulent teenage life.

But when the haunting nightmares that have plagued her since childhood begin to take an eerily tangible form and several Holler Creek residents are reported missing, Alexis can’t help but wonder if there isn’t more to her hellish dreams than meets the eye.

The unexpected arrival of a mysterious and dangerously handsome new student ultimately leads Alexis to troubling truths that not even her wildest imagination could have conjured.

• Number of pages: 132

Review 

Society hell sounds like fun the way JD Thompson writes it. Ok, maybe not fun exactly, but I loved reading this book and JD Thompson did a great job making this book where it was balanced by scariness, mystery, and humor. This review is going to be a little hard to write though because most of the book consisted of giving you the facts and occurrences little by little throughout the book, so for me to spoil it here on my review would be unfair to you, but I’ll try my best.

For some huge reason in which I can’t tell you, Alexis is the ex-popular girl in this huge castle like mansion, and all but her two best friends don’t completely hate her guts, even her sister is having a hard time accepting her sister’s situation and where this puts her in the society food chain that everyone in this book lives by. Depression is the right word to describe Alexis at this point in her life and the incredible guilt and confusion she feels. For what reason I cant say unless a spoiled story is what you want, but once you read the when’s and why’s of Silver and Stone you will be left stunned and craving more. Add Lucas into the mix and things get a bit more dangerous.

The setting was perfect for this type of story. The castle and the small town made everything seem a little more supernatural, and creepy. There is so much I want to say because the twist and turns in this story was absolutely riveting and I wish I could just blurt it all out and tell you what happens, but I’ll control myself and let you all read and figure it out for yourself. Just have a little patience to go to the end to find things out, and you should get hooked onto Alexis’ crazy story.

And you can imagine my excitement when I see that there was an excerpt for the next book that will come out soon! This may not be the most clear of reviews, but take it from me, Silver and Stone is not a book you want to miss out on. From 1-10 on entertainment alone? I give Silver and Stone an 8!

A note on the cover: I didn’t very much like the cover of this book since it looks kind of creepy, but don’t let that stop you from reading the book. Really! 

Ten Years Ago . . . 9/11 Tribute

Outside the day is clear and blue, a typical Floridian sky. They say it was also just a typical clear, sunny day ten years ago to this day in New York City, Washington, and Pennsylvania. No one, least of all the parents and loved ones of many families, expected to end their lives short because of the sadistic and heartless terrorist planning to make a statement on this country. The high jacking of four commercial planes, the strike on the Twin Towers and Pentagon, the heroic efforts of the passengers on flight 93, the shocking and inevitable collapse of our beautiful Towers, and the destruction of the many lives involved only took a couple of hours, and yet it is something that to this day, 10 years later, it still brings tears to our eyes.

There isn’t much I remember from that day, I was about six years old when it happened. The events from that horrible day just seemed to blur together into a day when everyone cried, everyone seemed to have a frown on their face as if it were permanently etched into their faces. A woman who would always pick us up on days when my parents were out of town on work picked up my sisters and me from school that day. I remember my sisters crying nonstop, asking questions and questions about our parents who happened to be in New York City on September 11. I remember crying along with them, along with everyone. I can’t say whether I understood, but I remember feeling like something big was happening, and the sadness from everyone around me was enough to make me sad. 

Now, a decade later, I know that my parents had overslept and stayed in their hotel that morning instead of going to work, safe and sound. It took them days to return home to us again because they had to drive all the way here, but I remember being picked up by them at school and everyone was alright again. A decade later, and now 15 years old, I am so grateful to God for bringing them home to us again. I think back to the kids who lost their parents from those attacks and it makes me tear up thinking that they all went to school that day like me, but never got picked up by their mom or dad. Many people lost their live—firefighters, volunteers, regular businessmen and women, people of surrounding buildings, plane passengers—but for some reason this year, I also thought a lot of the kids who lost their parents. How old would they be now? 10? 13? 16? 20? How much did they lose from this? Their parents, but also the normalcy of their childhood. Their day to day routine of having their dad tuck them in or their mother pick them up from school, all lost because people they didn’t know and had nothing to do with decided to make a statement and see America panic. We were united that day and we are still united ten years later. Did they expect that? Not a year has gone by that we haven’t remembered, haven’t reflected on the events of that day. Though left behind by those we cherish now dead, we move forward with the grace of a nation who knows how to stick together. We never forgot. 

All That Matters by Youseph Tanha

Summary

Ethan Wright is just like any other high school kid that is one day lucky enough to meet the girl of his dreams. Throughout the course of high school the young couple learn to cope with incredibly difficult odds to discover all that matters.’All That Matters’ is a novella about love and life and all that the heart can endure. With memorable characters and a deep story you will find it difficult to put this book down.

Review

I read this book because the author, Youseph Tanha, contacted me telling me about this story and asking me to review it. I always love when I’m asked to review a book, and this was no exception. I believe this story, All That Matters, is only available on ebook.

So what can I say about this book? Well, it’s not your typical story, and it’s definitely not something I would read without a little push. It was interesting to be sure. I found it very realistic. The story is about a man who is telling you why he became a doctor. It tells of his story and his high school sweetheart. My guess is love can sometimes be hard, but especially when the girlfriend has cancer. I could feel him worry and excitement at being with the girl he wants. The story was really sad, especially near the end, but for some reason it seemed like besides the fact that she had to go to the hospital for chemo and radiation treatments, I didn’t feel much emotion from her family or other characters. Their concern was big, but the emotion behind that just didn’t seem palpable enough to me. What really surprised me was how—I don’t exactly know how to say this—close Ethan (the protagonist) and Amanda (his girlfriend and the girl of his dreams) were in their physical relationship. I found it gave a little too much info into their love life. And what were their parents thinking? I just didn’t understand.

The story ends in a way that is not the ending I would hope for. Not much of a happy ending, but then again does life always have a happy ending? To the protagonist it must have been a decent ending to his life, but I had wished he would find more than contentment. Maybe I understood it wrong. The bottom line is that this is the story of life, sickness, loyalty, and moving forward. From 1-10? I give All That Matters a 5.5!! 

Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Summary

When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s family, she is forced to move from Los Angeles to New York City to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she has never met. In their historic Fifth Avenue mansion, filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers the biggest family secret of all—an ancestor’s diary that, amazingly, has the power to send her back in time to 1910, the year it was written. There, at a glamorous high society masquerade ball, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life. And she finds herself falling for him, and into an otherworldly romance.

Soon Michele is leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves—and to complete a quest that will determine their fate.

• Number of pages: 280

Review

The thing about this book is that the story is a very interesting one, but the way it was written isn’t great. At first reading this book everything was great: the main events were set up perfectly, and the characters started out good. I just didn’t enjoy reading how the rest progressed. I can’t really explain it any better than saying that it wasn’t how I thought it was going to be. I just wasn’t captured. From the beginning I should have gotten hooked like I do with most books, I just wasn’t feeling it with this one.

The story is about Michele who’s suddenly thrown into the life of the wealthy when her mother dies, and she is sent to live with her super rich grandparents. Somehow she gets this key that can somehow transport her to a time in the past, 100 years to be exact. There she meets the boy who has been occupying her dreams for years. It was all cute at first, but then Michele makes a discovery and does everything she can to change the past, and the boy’s future. There were some times where the events were stretched put too much and some random things that I just didn’t understand what it had to do with. And sometime it just seemed overdone to me. Like the corny parts of the book had just too much. The end bothered me. The book wasn’t bad, it’s just that at the end I figured, “ok at least now she did what she had to do and it’s over”. Apparently I was wrong, though. I think that the way the author was ending it was fine, she fixed the past and she was going to learn to move one. Then right when the book was going to be over . . . BAM! Something big happens and the story is stretched out even more to encompass this new turn of events. I probably am going to read the next book because I hate leaving things unfinished, but to be quite honest it would have been great to me if it ended here; it’s probably safe to say that it’s not going to be at the top of my list. But who knows? Maybe I’ll end up loving the next book. All in good time of course. But for now from 1-10? Timeless gets a 4.5

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Review

Every girl who has taken the test has died.

Now it’s Kate’s turn.

It’s always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate’s going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won’t live past the fall. Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he’ll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests. Kate is sure he’s crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she’ll become Henry’s future bride, and a goddess.

If she fails . . .

• Number of pages: 293

Review

I’ve had my eye out for this book for quite some time. It caught my eye expressly because it dealt with some Greek mythology. I actually adore mythology. Reading The Goddess Test was very interesting. The concept of the story was good. I always thought that Hades (in this case Henry) to be misunderstood. It was great seeing someone recognize it as that. But there were lots of stuff that really bothered me about it.

The characters seemed quite annoying to me. I don’t know why, they just seemed very fake to me, like they didn’t have much substance. One in particular was Henry. God, it killed me that he was portrayed as an empty shell for the most part. I mean I get that Carter was trying to make it out that he had given up, but there just wasn’t any spunk to him! He didn’t have any special qualities about him that separated him from the rest. And honestly I don’t know why Kate fell for him. There was nothing in this book that made sense as to why she loves him. And if I can’t understand why she loves him then I, as the reader, can’t fall in love with him either! Kate sometimes came out as . . . I don’t want to say annoying (again) but somewhere near that. I just couldn’t understand her

Another thing was that some stuff was just way too predictable to me. Then again, somethings weren’t. It just all depends, but there were times when this piece of news, or that piece of news was suppose to come out as a surprise, and I had already predicted it. Then again, there were some moments when I was in shock that I hadn’t seen it coming. I think I would have liked it if this book just ended its, that there wouldn’t be more to the story to come in a sequel because this book could have ended itself right, and I would have been happy. But I guess I can understand why there would be given more to the story. I will be putting book two down in my list of books to read, maybe it’ll come out better than this one. So from 1-10? I give The Goddess Test a solid 5.

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Summary

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.

There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed. Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.

Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

• Number of pages: 304

Review

Kat Bishop and her crew are back for an all new riveting adventure including traps, yachting, curses, and cons. I devoured the first book, Heist Society, and I couldn’t stay away from Uncommon Criminals for long. After taking some solo jobs around the world Kat Bishop is finally going back home when she and her oh so suave best friend, the infamous and gorgeous W. W. Hale the Fifth find themselves with the opportunity to steal the Cleopatra Emerald . . . which happens to be cursed (of course). And Kat of course can’t resist such a tempting job, but when things start to go terribly wrong, she and her crew of teen thieves work together to undue the mistakes made and return the emerald before it can make any more trouble for them.

I think this book was just as wow worthy as the first book, and I believe that over and over we can see in the books how Kat is maturing and making her way through the family business without technically becoming the bad guy. Really, every one of the characters were maturing in their skills and personalities, and yet always had those funny ways about them that made them special and quirky and fun. I really loved Ally Carter’s work again in this second book. So much tricks and turns that kept me guessing until the very end—literally. I think that was one thing that kind of bothered me even if it was for a little. Near the end of the book when all the pieces were coming together I had to strain my brain a little to keep up with the book. And even after the way they pulled off everything was revealed I had to pause and think a little while to understand everything better. From 1-10? I give Uncommon Criminals a 7 (:

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Summary

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre . . . to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria . . . to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the vest boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected. Soon, Kat’s friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster’s art collection has been stolen, and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help. For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history—and, with luck, steal her life back along the way.

• Number of pages: 304

Review

Completely ignoring what I was taught since birth about stealing being bad I totally wish I were part of this society. Is that bad? Probably, but I can’t help it. The Heist Society is so cool. This was a good book with lots of excitement and brainwork I guess you could say. Kat is not the average thief—even by her family’s standards. She’s the best of the best (ignoring the fact that she’s just a teen) and has amazing strategist skills, but one thing she has is a conscience—at least for a thief. So she makes her way out of the family business, which is like a HUGE no no. When she is expelled from the boarding school she snuck herself into she finds herself in the biggest job she’s ever done . . . that will also save her father. And along with the rich and handsome best friend, Hale, Gabrielle, The Bagshaw Brothers, Simon, and Nick they are about to find out how much talent they actually have.

This book was very entertaining in the way that Ally Carter makes everything out to be like a real society. One that not many people know of course, but one that exits nevertheless. I loved how it is like a type of living (even if it is corrupt). These people got skills. I kind of got jealous. So from 1-10? I think this society of thieves gets an 8!

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Summary

One hour to rewrite the past . . . For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back. So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson is willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past. Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

• Number of pages: 400

Review

The intricacy of the ins and outs of this book was spectacular. My preferences to sci-fi are usually slim, but Hourglass totally blew me away. It was riveting, complicated, and full out entertainment. It took all I had to keep myself from laughing hysterically while reading during my car trip. My parents already looked at me like I was crazy when the occasional chuckle escaped me. That’s how funny this book was. I love when there is so much drama with humor interlaced the entire plot. Okay, so, Emerson Cole thinks she’s crazy . . . and with good reason! She sees people who no longer exist. Not ghost exactly, more like visions of people from the passed called Rips. She learns all this from the most “delicious” guy, Michael, who happens to be just like her . . . sorta. I can’t really explain all this so the only way to get all the details is to pick up a copy and read it for yourself. But keep a sharp mind out because sometimes things would get a little complicated and twisted around. Just a heads up.

So what exactly is it about this book that I liked so much? I’d have to say Emerson, all the way. I absolutely LOVED reading from her perspective. She is the most kick ass character—literally. Her sarcasm practically dripped out. There is nothing better than good out sarcasm and a strong will to make a book pop. She was the personification of a strong female lead. And you know what I loved about her? She was always showed as strong, but there were clearly times when she cracked. That was perfect for me because it shows that she was human, you know? Not some super girl with the will of an army, just a girl trying to right wrongs even if it was hard and scary. Still, there was something that put me off about her sometimes. I cant quite put my finger on it, but it doesn’t really matter. Along with Emerson there were so many other characters that I LOVED. And when I say I loved that it’s that I LOOOVED them. The thing about this book is that it was the story line that made this such a good book, it was the characters. They were just so real to me, so raw. Emerson’s sparkiness, Michael’s strong feeling of protectiveness, Dru’s compassion, Kaleb’s openness, even Lily’s sassiness even though she just showed up a hand full of times. They were the ones that captured me, and sometimes that doesn’t happen in a book. So for Myra McEntire’s incredible talent for making characters jump off a page . . . from 1-10? I give Hourglass a 9!

P.S. I'm like 95% sure this is just the beginning of a series, but so far I haven't heard or seen anything about other books. Got any info on this? Let me know! I cant't for the next!!

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Summary

How do you defy DESTINY?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small as sheltered as Nantucket. And it’s getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she’s haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they’re destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history. As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realized that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might no to be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

• Number of pages: 487

Review

Take this amazing book cover as an indication of how this book is going to be . . . AH-mazing! I was absolutely captivated by this story, I mean, who doesn’t love a good ol’ curse dating back from the time of the Greek gods to set the mood for this epic book. And who can resist a good demigod story? Out of all the paranormal/fictional characters out there I have to say demigods and angels are my favorite to read about. I do give warnings to you all out there when there is something I think you should know before reading books, and my warning for this book is though I did love it the beginning was . . . scary intense. Like there is this part where these creepy sisters that represent the Fates show up and they are um, well, creep. I can’t even describe it any other way, it kinda freaked me out. Props to the author though for making it seem so real. But other than that and some other freaky stuff in the beginning I have to say the rest of the book was very good. Great even! Of course what would a book called “starcrossed” be without a very dramatic love story? Helen and Lucas are so desperately in love, but alas that is not meant to be . . . or is it? I was kept on my toes (or in this case the edge of my bed) from beginning to end and even afterwards when it was over. Now HERE is when I almost had a heart attack, when I found out that the second book come out . . . MAY 2012!!!! NOOOOOO!!! It can’t be, right? Wrong -.- I have to wait so many months to continue on to the next book Dreamless. I think it’s just cruel how sometimes these books don’t come until months later, but what can you do? Any way I’m getting off track. The only thing I can really do at this point is gush over how I loved this book and if from experience you also love hopeless love stories with danger, secrets, and drama then I guarantee Starcrossed as the next book that should be given a spot on your bookshelf. So from 1-10? Starcrossed is given a close 8.5!

Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

Summary

She took a stand . . .

He took a chance . . .

Holden Harris is an eighteen-year-old locked in a prison of autism. Despite his quiet ways and quirky behaviors, Holden is very happy and socially normal—on the inside, in a private world all his own. In reality, he is bullied at school by kids who only see that he is very different.

Ella Reynolds is a part of the “in” crowd. A cheerleader and star of the high school drama production, her life seems perfect. When she catches Holden listening to her rehearse for the school play, she is drawn to him . . . the way he is drawn to the music. Then Ella makes a dramatic discovery—she and Holden were best friends as children.

Frustrated by the way Holden is bullied, and horrified at the indifference of her peers, Ella decides to take a stand against the most privileged and popular kids at school. Including her boyfriend, Jake.

Ella believes miracles can happen in the unlikeliest places, and that just maybe an entire community might celebrate from the sidelines. But will Holden’s praying mother and the efforts of Ella and a cast of theatre kids be enough to unlock the prison that contains Holden? This time, friendship, faith, and the power of a song much be strong enough to open the doors to the miracle Holden needs.

• Number of pages: 319

Review

I took a chance reading this book, and was not disappointed. This story was deep. I cant say that everyone out there is going to be compelled to read this book because it isn’t one of the usual genres that kids out there are into. And by that I mean there is not one vampire, werewolf, faerie, or love triangle. But should that stop teens from reading Unlocked? I don’t think it should. This book captivates a reader such as myself because of the genuine feeling that comes from it. This book takes you on a spiritual journey through the family and friends of Holden Harris, a guy locked in the grip of autism. Other than praying for the mental return of Holden Harris from his “prison” I didn’t see much of the Christianity aspects in this book. That could be good for anyone out there that isn’t Christian who might want to read this book because I didn’t get the feeling that it pushes this religion to make you want to be a Christian or anything. I, on the other hand ,do believe in God so this was a good book that reminded me of the help the Father can give to those who call to him. Mostly I saw that from the parts where you look through the eyes of the mom of Holden. That poor woman, I can’t even pretend to understand what she went through. And the fact that this actually happens, that there are still kids out there who can’t break from their autism is so sad. I saw in this book how devastated these people who live with an autistic family member or friend might affect them and how much they want that person to come back. I actually did learn a lot from this book, which was good. I think all stories should always give you a little lesson in between pages. After reading I went on a little Google spree, and read a little more on this problem. I can’t say that it wasn’t a little tedious during the beginning when everything is coming into place and there is still no sign of recovery from Holden, but once I started to see some changes in him is when I really could put down the book.

From 1-10? Unlocked get a 6 because I did have to push myself for this book, but was rewarding at the end

The 39 Clues

Summary

There is no way really for me to get a summary of these books without setting off some spoilers so I found this video on YouTube that I have to say sums up The 39 Clues off perfectly.

• Number of pages: around 155 using the first book as a base

Review

This series really surprised me. I read the first book a couple of months ago because one of my friends recommended it to me. She gave me her personal copy, and I set off on a trip to France with Amy and Dan. Usually I get a bit prejudice towards smaller books because I think that it isn’t in some way in my reading range. I guess that sounds kind of bad, but that is just one of my bad thinking habits that I need to get control of if these books are any indication that small books can be SO good. Because that’s what these book were. They were brilliant, fast paced, and mysterious. The plot was very interesting because it really makes it seem like this all-powerful family dates back hundreds of years to the 16^th century. I was fascinated with the ways that the authors used history’s biggest and best-known people as anchors in the clues. I admit it! I learn a lot from these mini history lessons though you do have to be careful in what you think is history and what was made up to make it seem like they were part of the Cahill hunt.

The adventures of the hunt itself was so much fun. Amy and Dan literally went from one side of the globe to the next and back and forth for I think it was a month or two just to find clues to win the biggest prize in the world—ultimate power. It was incredible how smart these kids were. I think of them now and think of my friends and me and I could never in a million years picture us thinking the way they do and using photographic memory! I think that had to be one of the coolest things, to look at something for a second or two and have it permanentlyingrained in your head. I think that would be mighty useful when it comes to tests and studying. But seriously the way they make out these kids to be is amazing although sometimes a little over the top. Although they did have help from other fantastic characters like Nellie Gomez, a favorite of mine.

What I loved about these books is that you had to think about the clues too. Not sure if that makes sense, but like you were also thinking about it too . . . not that I would get even NEAR to cracking the codes before Dan and Amy. These books were very entertaining; it was like food for thought (I try to say this phrase a lot). The way all the authors wrote the book is amazing. It was one author per book and though there weren’t that many difference I like to tell myself that I saw the different styles of writing in the few authors that I recognized like: Rick Riordan, Jude Watson, and Margaret Peterson Haddix.

From 1-10? The whole series gets a 7!

Extra

This whole series is also like a card trading/online game thing that I haven’t really gotten into, but seems pretty cool. I have like one set from one book, and they look cool. Sometimes the whole family roots and clues are a little hard to keep up so I found this website that might help you out if you are reading them or want to read them: http://39clues.wikia.com/wiki/39_Clues_Wiki you can see pictures and profiles too!

Because all authors contributing to these books is important here is a list of all the authors (at least from the first series)

Authors:

Rick Riordan

Gordan Korman

Peter Lerangis

Jude Watson

Patrick Carman

Linda Sue Park

Margaret Peterson Haddix