The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis

Summary

A good girl.

A bad boy.

A fairy tale that’s true.

A truth that is no fairy tale.

It begins the day Anna finds the child’s doll on the floor of the student lounge. When it’s claimed by Abel, the school drug dealer, Anna becomes determined to learn more about this mysterious boy with the military haircut and deep blue eyes. She follows him after school and discovers a secret: Abel is caring for his six-year-old sister, Micha, alone. Anna listens in as he tells her a fairy tale, the story of a little orphan queen pursued by hunters across the oceans for the treasure she carries: her pure, diamond heart.

It’s a story with parallels to reality. Social services and Micha’s abusive father could take her from Abel if they discover the truth. Despite friends’ warnings, Anna is drawn to Abel and Micha, and falls under the spell of the story of the little queen and her desperate voyage.

But when people Abel has woven into his tale turns up dead, it’s Anna whose heart is in danger. Is she in love with a killer? And has she set out on a journey from which there is no return?

Number of pages: 416

Review

Never before have I read a story like that of The Storyteller. In a way, Antonia’s story went above and beyond everything that I expected considering nothing is as expected in the lives of Anna, Abel, and Micha, but there was also a bit of a let down. Call me a sucker for happy endings, I guess.

 The Storyteller’s story in the book is unlike any fairy tale I have ever encountered. I really feel like someone was telling me the story rather than me just reading the words and absorbing them on the paper. Abel tells the story to Micha and Anna part by part as the story of their lives unfolds before them, inspiring the story of the little cliff queen (Micha). As I read the story and compared it to the fairytale, Antonia guided me through it, making me assume things and think that I had it all figured out way ahead of time. It was incredible really how I felt and thought exactly what the author wanted me to feel and think. There were parts where my original reactions to things described in the story made me want to fling the book far away, but then the author would describe something about the characters and the actions and it would just make me go along with it. It was as if she made me feel empathy for things that I would never usually feel for. She also made me think that I had all the puzzle pieces together even though I knew some pieces were missing. In reality, I had had all the pieces, just in a different order and waiting for new fabricated pieces to arrive. This all probably sound confusing the way I am explaining it, but this story is one that I can not explain in just simple words. It’s all about feeling it as you go along.

The writing was simply beautiful. It was poetic . . . lyrical even. Usually I tend to stray away from flowery writing because I get distracted in the detailed descriptions and what not. In this book, that was not the case (at least, not often). There was a slight change in writing style, I thought, between the story of their lives and the fairytale story. I assume it was because Abel was the one telling the fairytale story, not Antonia as the author. Antonia also wrote about very different characters, ones whose personalities and problems are not that of the ones I usually encounter. Take Abel for instance: he is as unique a character as I have ever read, but I didn’t even get to discover that until piece by piece the author revealed Abel at the end as he was meant to be. And Anna: she was one of those main heroines that you feel for and understand but also want to beat the crude out of her for the way she handles things or the way she reacts. Some of her actions seemed so naïve to me—or just stupid—but then the author was make me feel she was justified by doing that whole empathy thing again. In the end, I didn’t know whether to love or hate those two. Micha I adored, wholeheartedly. That little queen captured my heart from the start, and I ached over the things she went through and the things she saw during that cold winter in their little city in Germany. I can’t blame the author for anything that happened in the end because looking back I realized that I always knew this story of the little queen and her friends was one of heartbreak, which is exactly how I was left feeling. From 1-10? The brilliant work of tragedy is a 7 to me.

P.S. I feel like a heads up is in order. While this book was very good, I do not recommend it for those who are young. Many things happened in this book that are not G rated, nor do I think that all of it is comfortable reading about to some of you i.e. murder, drugs, rape etc. 

Timepiece: An Hourglass Novel by Myra McEntire

Summary

Kaleb Ballard was never supposed to be able to see ripples—cracks in time. Are Kaleb’s powers expanding, or is something very wrong? Before Kaleb can find out, Jonathan Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, reappears. Why is he back, and what, or whom, does he want?

In the wake of Lander’s return, the Hourglass organization is offered an ultimatum by a mysterious man. Either they find Landers and the research he has stolen on people who might carry the time gene, or time will be altered—with devastating results for the people Kaleb loves most.

Now Kaleb, Emersion, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their extraordinary powers to find Landers. But where do they even start? And when? Even if they succeed, just finding him may not be enough . . .

• Number of pages: 336

Review

Interesting story line. Interesting characters. It was all very interesting, which makes it good. It was a good plot and I had a good time reading it. But that doesn’t make it great.

Really there is nothing bad I can say about this book. I didn’t encounter any definite flaw, nor did I have a bad time reading, it just ended up being average. The story itself is not average in the way that we see lots of these time travelling and science fiction stories, but it wasn’t like I was left with my mouth open and the adrenaline rush I get from a really great book. Sure it wasn’t the best, but I’m glad I read it.

The first book in the Hourglass series is narrated by Em, and Kaleb narrated this one. I can’t say which character I like better as the lead, but it was very different between the two people. I found myself missing having Em as the leader of the thought process. Anyway, their personalities, their struggles, their connection to the happens of the book, but I found this one a little bit more cliché than the last one. Honestly, I would be lying if I told you that there was something wrong with this book, it’s just something that I can’t put my finger on, and I don’t want anyone reading this thinking that they shouldn’t read the book because of it. This is just the feeling that I had, and I am sharing. Yours may be completely different than my own, and I completely accept that. With that said, I am also going to write why I thought this book was good. Kaleb has a strong personality and it was interesting seeing how that played off in his inner thoughts. He is an empathy, which means he can feel the emotions of people he is connected to or around him. Read this I would continuously be thrown the different emotions of people around Kaleb, and that was interesting seeing how he reacted to the different emotions. It was also great to see how he changed for the better, though like I said before it was a tad bit cliché. Then again, who doesn’t like a little cliché in their lives? Your opinion is just as good as mine. I will say that I am looking forward to the next book for two reasons: the story continues into a new adventure, which will obviously not settle me until I find out how it is resolved and I am looking forward to seeing who is the narrator of the next book. Em the first, Kaleb the second, who is next? Michael? Lily? Someone new? I wonder . . . I wonder . . . From 1-10? 5.5

Fearless by Francine Pascal

Summary

Gaia Moore is brilliant and beautiful. She’s trained in three kinds of martial arts, has a reflex speed that’s off the charts, and can break codes in four languages.

She’s also missing the fear gene.

All Gaia wants is to be like everyone else. Instead, she’s left wondering about her past, her missing family . . . and the unavailable boy she’s falling for. But everything changes when she learns that someone is hunting her down for her special skills, and they’ll do anything to get her to.

But Gaia isn’t worried.

She is FEARLESS.

• Number of pages: 856

Review

Definitely not your average girl, that’s for sure. Gaia, pronounced “guy-uh”, is a rational, badass character that really knows how to fight  . . . mostly for good. She’s cranky, judgmental, and a bit of an outsider. She’s badass. I said that already, but I’m just trying to make sure you understand how badass she is. She kicks butt and is too cool to take names, if that makes any sense. While she may have only one friend and no family that she can call her own AND is constantly a target of some kind.

This was definitely not your average book. The story was a complicated and complex story that rotated from many, many different points of view. Off the top of my head I would say there were at least 8 different characters’ points of view that you jump into, but guaranteed there are a few more that I forgot to mention. I have to say it was pretty cool sensing the whole story from basically everyone’s point of view, but there were time that it was tricky to handle, namely when it jumped from one seen to the scene before but with a different character. Make any sense? Of course after a while you see the connection, but there were some frustrating times where I was just like “Whaaaaaat?” You definitely just have to try to keep up, and not let yourself get lost.

Now you are probably wondering how this whole “no fear gene” works. I wont give up any details because you will probably want to read about it yourself, but I will say that you see her feel every emotion except fear. The lack of fear doesn’t mean there is a lack of emotion in this book. In fact, there were times where the lack of fear constituted a stronger set of emotions. It was interesting to see how the author wrote about it like that. The plot was interesting as well. There were many different conflicts, but the main conflict didn’t come up until the second half of the book, way way off near the end. Through the first half, though it was entertaining, I sometimes felt like I was waiting for the real to take place, you know? It was just a restless feeling I had when something was prolonged a bit. The way it was written was highly entertaining as well. There were some very funny LOL moments for me  . . . actual laughing out loud.

Something I feel like I should definitely warn you about is how this book can get a little graphic. Everything was on overdrive and there was some talk that I felt was unnecessary and a little inappropriate. Some fighting scenes as well were a bit graphic and sometimes were disturbing. It kind of made me a bit uncomfortable.

This is a very big book, but it also turns out to be the first book in a series! So if you do decide to read this book, do not be surprised when you see that it did not end completely. Expect another book accompanying it! From 1 to 10? I give FEARLESS a 6.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Summary 

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveauz arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London Boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city—gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific work of Jack the Ripper in the autumn of 1888.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only on who saw. Even her roommate, who was with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, what is he planning to do about her?

Number of pages: 372

Review 

I’m not exactly sure how I feel about sleeping in my very dark, spacious room tonight. Not after reading this book.

And I’ll let you know why. This book is all about a series of murders that resemble the murders taken place in 1888. And let me tell you, none of them were pretty. The victims were mutilated in a series of ways that is pretty gory. I wouldn’t say the book is completely graphic, but when it came down to it some parts were pretty nasty to read about. But don’t let that freak you out! No, what is freakier than that is the invisible killer doing all of these murders. Yea . . . invisible killer.

This book was a good read. I had some issues with it at the beginning. I’d have to say that the book didn’t really pick up speed until 150 pages or so into the book, I thought. It went by meticulously slow at the set up of the store while Rory settled into her new school and you were caught up to speed on Jack the Ripper’s murders. It got more enjoyable near the second half of the book. That was where the more suspenseful side of the story kicked in. The plot was a good one. Definitely one that was planned out in all of it’s complexity. The main character was all right. I found her kind of tedious to follow sometimes, but she did well when push came to shove. Now the ending of the book was great. That really was a good ending for it over all. Now, it kind of leaves the reader with a new revelation. I’m not sure if that is supposed to signify the start of a new book, or just a way to close the curtains with a bang. I gets we will just have to wait and see. From 1-10? I’d give The Name of the Star a good solid 5.

Cover Close Up: The cover is really quite beautiful and interesting, but it has nothing to do with the story. At all. I hate when that happens . . .

(This is irrelevant, but when my room door is slightly ajar it sometimes closes by itself . . .  and it just closed for no reas

The Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare

INFERNAL DEVICES BOOK 1: CLOCKWORK ANGEL SUMMARY

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London’s Downworld, where vampires, warlocks, and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the Dark Sisters, who are members of a secret organization called the Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downlorlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa’s power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and bvolatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm’s length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

INFERNAL DEVICES BOOK 2: CLOCKWORK PRINCE SUMMARY

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of handsome, self-destructive Will and fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister that she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

INFERNAL DEVICES REVIEW

Cassandra Clare has created a completely new masterpiece. I don’t know if you have read my review on her other series The Mortal Instruments, but if you haven’t then let me just say that I adored her other books and I adore this author. When I found out that she had a whole NEW series coming out, I almost had a heart attack. I am going to do a summary of both the first and the second book as one, and when the third book comes out I will review it on a whole different post, so stay tuned!

There are so many changes from book 1 to book 2, but all around both books are amazing. The characters are perfectly created, and I couldn’t imagine any better way to live through the Downworld during the Victorian Era other than through the eyes of these characters. That’s the great thing about Cassandra Clare, she has a great gift for creating life into her characters, characters that you can relate to, hate, love, and trustingly follow as they maneuver the reader through this intricate plot. I always say that the best thing about a good book is the characters, and The Infernal Devices has plenty of that. All the characters are all so different, Will is hilariously witty, Jem is a sweet heart I could just hug and hug and hug and never let go, Henry is the mad and lovable professor/genius/screw up, and Tessa is a strong version of a young lady in a time where they are suppose to be seen, not heard.

Now, I don’t want anyone thinking that this book is going to be like The Mortal Instruments series. Yes, it has all the good qualities that the other series had, but it is a completely different story line and they really don’t have much to do with each other, so I don’t want anyone who has read The Mortal Instruments series freaking out that these books should have been read before or anything like that connecting the two. These books are like the prequels of that series. The cool thing about this series is that it does have small connections into The Mortal Instruments series, things like characters that pop up from the other books and names that any Mortal Instruments fan would recognize. I’m not going to go into detail of what the book is about because the book flap summary really just about covers all the real important stuff, and writing any more will definitely give it away.

If you read my previous ramblings post, you’ll see that something about the second book stressed me out to no end. Don’t worry! I’m not going to tell you what it was, I am just warning you that you will feel the need to chuck the book across the room, grunt in frustration, and then run to pick it up and continue where you left off as if your air supply depended on it. I must have sounded crazy in that post, but no one can judge. All you have to do is go get the books, read them, and then you guys can see for yourself what happened to my sanity after reading it. Trust me, my reaction was not so out there. So all in all go get the books and you’ll see that from 1-10? I’m not crazy to give these books a 9.

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!