Wherever you Go

Grade C-

Synopsis
Seventeen-year-old Holly Mullen has felt lost and lonely ever since her boyfriend, Rob, died in a tragic accident. The fact that she has to spend most of her free time caring for her little sister and Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather doesn’t help. But Holly has no idea that as she goes about her days, Rob’s ghost is watching over her. He isn’t happy when he sees his best friend, Jason, reach out to help Holly with her grandfather—but as a ghost, he can do nothing to stop it. Is his best friend really falling for his girlfriend?
     As Holly wonders whether to open her heart to Jason, the past comes back to haunt her. Her grandfather claims to be communicating with the ghost of Rob. Could the messages he has for Holly be real? And if so, how can the loved ones Rob left behind help his tortured soul make it to the other side?
     Told from the perspectives of Holly, Jason, and Rob,Wherever You Gois is a poignant story about making peace with the past, opening your heart to love, and finding the courage to move forward into the light.


My Review


The first 3/4 of the book was so dull. Reading about people being frustrated, confused and bored is frustrating, confusing and boring. I also hated the way it was written in the way that the point of view changed so often and without warning and you never knew from who's point of view you were reading when it changed because everything is written like "You wake up to a loud noise, or You find yourself in a room full of people.". I am all for trying to pull the reader into the story and making them feel involved but when it switched from a teenage girl to a teenage boy to a ghost of a teenage boy and the characters are always refered to as "you" it gets confusing and pull me as a reader out of the story. I got so sick of thinking -What the heck, who is the story being told by now? Tthen as soon as I figured out who it was it would switch again. Other people might like this style of writing but it wasn't for me at all. The last 90 or so pages things got pretty good, the story finally started moving and things started actually happening.
I think you are supposed to feel sad for the main character in the story because her mom is always gone and she has to take care of her sister who is about 9 years old and her grandpa with Alzheimer disease. I imagine that would be so hard, but honestly nothing in the story ever conveyed hard. Her sister was very well behaved and her grandpa although forgetful was docile and cooperative. The worst thing that happened was her sister cut her finger, there was no Dr visit or stitches or anything just a cut and that was as bad as it got. At the end of the story the main character (I cannot remember her name, I just finished this book that was over 300 pages long but I guess I just didn't care about the story enough to remember) was so frustrated and overwhelmed that she had to leave a note for her mom saying she just couldn't do it anymore and she needed help. I am 100% sure it would be too hard for any teenager to handle I just wish the story would have showed more of the struggles of her life because honestly most everything went very smoothly the whole story. I found the new boyfriend in the story to be too kind, perfect, thoughtful and involved. The kid was a rich boy from a broken home with a selfish mom, I just wasn't buying the perfect boyfriend thing. Rob the dead boyfriend was one of the the best characters in the story but even he wasn't great, at least I remembered his name right. Anyways I disliked the whole book except the last 90 pages when things got okay. The message of the book was nice, get help when you need it kind of a message. My very favorite part of the story, probably the part that kept me from quitting was Aldo (the grandpa with Alzheimer's). I love that he was clear thinking when he talked to Rob (the ghost boyfriend), I loved that he was still "there" and that he knew what was going on and that his granddaughter was taking care of him. I don't know anyone personally with Alzheimer's but I imagine that this part of the book would give them hope and some comfort that even though it seemed like their loved one was lost that they were still inside somewhere and that they know and appreciate what you are doing for them. I just thought it was so sweet to see things from Aldo's perspective. I found his character to be kind and deep and just overall a lovely man.

If you liked the book Hereafter you will probably like this book as well or vice versa.

Overall Grade C-

Bad-
-Book was too long
-Nothing really emotional, exciting or scary ever happens which made it dull.
-Too many of the characters were unrealistic or hard to relate to.
-Switched characters point of view too often and was always refered to as "you"

Good-
-Aldo's character
-The take on what Alzheimer's is like for the person suffering.
-The message at the end of the book about seeking help and taking care of yourself and your loved ones.

Hereafter

Grade; D
Cover; Pretty

This wasn't the book for me, there just wasn't anything there that I enjoyed. The whole book is a series of wandering, bad dream, drowning, waking, Joshua repeat. Nothing exciting happens until the very end and then it's short lived. Every time Amelia finally starts getting any answers about anything she gets upset and vanishes or runs away. It was good enough to keep reading because I finished it but really to me this book was boring and depressing. What a terrible thing to have happen when you die, no memories no help no contact with anyone no smells or sensations no heavenly help only the occasional spat with a bad ghost and spending time with a teenage boy. The cover of the book was pretty though.

Mercy

Mercy a fallen angel continuously wakes up in other women/girls bodies. Mercy doesn't know who she is or why these things are happening to her. Mercy wakes up in the body of Carmen a teenage singer who has traveled to a small town with her choir group, she is staying with a volunteer family. She decides to help Ryan her host families son find his missing twin sister who disappeared two years ago.

This wasn't a bad book but not one of my favorite books or one I would read again. Too much time was spent on things that just didn't matter, like page after page after page about choir practice. Then at the end when it should have been really exciting and tense it was mostly just rushed and confusing. I'm not really sure who is bad and who is good in this book at all which is frustrating because you don't know who to like or who to hate. Really I only liked the style of writing, and the idea of the story, the rest was just lacking for me. On the plus side even though I didn't love the story it wasn't hard to keep reading the writing was good and the story has potential, I might even read the second book because the story might actually go somewhere because the idea of the book is really fun. 

Grade C

Average book, not to hard to keep reading but not one I am excited about.

The cover is pretty but vague 

Voices of Dragons

Voices of Dragons                           Carrie Vaughn




This was an enjoyable read and towards the end especially hard to put down. 

Kay is out hiking one day when she falls into a fast moving stream and is saved by a young Dragon. Kay and Artegal (the dragon) become friends and Kay builds a harness and even learns to ride him. Everything goes downhill when the army provokes the Dragons and a war begins. When everyone finds out Kay is friends with a Dragon the army tries to use Kay to spy on the Dragons and to trap Artegal.

Sometimes I felt the story was a little flat like there could have been a deeper storyline, it almost seemed dumbed down a little too much. 

The love story was fantastic, it was sweet and age appropriate. There were a few quotes in the book that I was not impressed with like " 17 is too old to be a virgin..." It kind of makes sense in the end why quotes like that were used but still the book would have been better without it. 

The book doesn't really end, the ending kind of reminded me of The Giver, I don't know if that is just the end or if there will be another book, if there is another book it is one I would like to read. 

I would like to read more by this author, maybe some of her books not directed towards young readers. I like my story lines a little more complicated than this story. 

I would recommend this to young teens and anyone else looking for a sweet fairly quick read with a simple storyline.

page count- 309 Grade- B Why I Read it- Found it at the library

Industrial Magic

Title; Industrial Magic

Author; Kelley Armstrong

Page count; 528

Why I read it; 4th book in Women of The Otherworld series

Grade A

Synopsis;

Meet the smart, sexy — supernatural — women of the otherworld. This is not your mother’s coven...

Kelley Armstrong returns with the eagerly awaited follow-up to Dime Store Magic. Paige Winterbourne, a headstrong young woman haunted by a dark legacy, is now put to the ultimate test as she fights to save innocents from the most insidious evil of all.. . .

In the aftermath of her mother’s murder, Paige broke with the elite, ultraconservative American Coven of Witches. Now her goal is to start a new Coven for a new generation. But while Paige pitches her vision to uptight thirty-something witches in business suits, a more urgent matter commands her attention.

Someone is murdering the teenage offspring of the underworld’s most influential Cabals — a circle of families that makes the mob look like amateurs. And none is more powerful than the Cortez Cabal, a faction Paige is intimately acquainted with. Lucas Cortez, the rebel son and unwilling heir, is none other than her boyfriend. But love isn’t blind, and Paige has her eyes wide open as she is drawn into a hunt for an unnatural-born killer. Pitted against shamans, demons, and goons, it’s a battle chilling enough to make a wild young woman grow up in a hurry. If she gets the chance.

My Review;

Another great book by Kelley Armstrong. I loved the whole book! I was so glad that Elena and Clay and Jeremy were in this book it was like hearing from old friends. Lucas is such a great character and although Paige won't ever be my favorite character in these books she did grow on me. Savannah's character is so funny and Kelley Armstrong really knows how 13 year old girls think and act. I like Lucas's dad a lot too and I like how Lucas learned that the best way to deal with his dad was to listen and not argue but not do everything his dad says either, I think thats how a lot lot of adults have to deal with their parents. There were only a few things in the book that bugged me like the ending was a little drawn out. They find Edward and lose him too many times the last 80 pages or so which kind of kills the suspense a little at the end when they actually do catch up to him. I would much rather a long drawn out ending than an abrupt rushed ending though so it's not a major complaint. The next thing that bugged me was every time they eat or drink anything it gives way to much detail about what they order. And lastly there is way too much mention about how much Paige likes lingerie, otherwise an fantastic book. This is really a fun series to read if you like fantasy, magical, funny, intense, original stories. I am confused by the cover of the book, I can't tell how it relates to anything in the story, minor detail though because despite the random cover it's a great read.

Dime store Magic

Title; Dime Store Magic

Author; Kelley Armstrong

Page count; 448

Why I read it; Third book in a series

Grade; A

Synopsis;

Forget the cackling green hag in The Wizard of Oz, forget Samantha fromBewitched. Real witches are nothing, NOTHING like this. For years real witches have hidden their powers, afraid of being persecuted. They have integrated so well into the community, you could have a witch living right next door and never know about it. Take Paige, for instance, whom we first met in Kelley Armstrong's novel Stolen. Just an ordinary twenty-something who runs her own website design company, worries about her weight and wonders if she'll ever find a boyfriend. Okay, so she's leader of the American Coven and guardian of Savannah, the teenage daughter of a black witch. Really, life is ordinary. But then a telekinetic half-demon, Leah O'Donnell, shows up to fight for custody of Savannah. And although Paige is ready for her, she's not quite so prepared for the team of supernaturals that Leah brings with her, including a powerful sorcerer who claims to be Savannah's father.

When all hell breaks loose -- literally -- and Paige is accused of witchcraft, Satanism and murder, the Coven, fearing exposure, abandons her. Cut off from her friends, Paige is forced against her better judgment to accept the help of a young sorcerer lawyer. And she quickly comes to realize that keeping Savannah could mean losing everything else.

Breathtakingly thrilling, hip and funny, this new novel is another page-turning triumph from an author who is going from strength to strength.


"I had a feeding frenzy on myfront lawn, an unconscious paranormal investigator on my stairs, and, somewhere out there, an entire Cabal special projects team devoted to ruining my life." -- from Dime Store Magic

My Review;

I really loved this book! I read Bitten and Stolen months ago and then stopped with the story when I found out the third book was written from Paige's point of view because I really wasn't a big fan of her character in the first two books. I wish I wouldn't have waited so long because she really grew on me in this book. The story never got boring and it never became predictable which is one thing I love about Kelley Armstrong's books. The title of the book bugs me though because unless I understood it wrong dime store magic refers to silly magic that serves no real purpose. I don't know why you would right a book mostly about magic and then name said book magic that doesn't really do anything, but like I said maybe I just understood it wrong. I am so excited that Paige is mastering harder spells because really the only thing that bugs me about Paige right now is how not powerful she is, I like my supernaturals strong. I see the story developing though and am starting to see her true magical potential and I can't wait to see what she does with the new coven she is starting. I was glad Elana and Clay and Jeremy were mentioned, I miss reading about them and I am excited to continue the series to read more about all of the characters I have read about. There was also a lot less sex and a lot less bad language in this book which made it even more fun to read. I started the next book today and can't wait to see what happens next.


Women of the Otherworld Series


Book 1 Bitten
Book 2 Stolen

The Reckoning

Title; The Reckoning

Author; Kelley Armstrong

Page count; 391

Why I read it; 3rd book in the series

Grade; B

Synopsis;

Only two weeks ago, life was all too predictable. But that was before I saw my first ghost. Now, along with my supernatural friends Tori, Derek, and Simon, I’m on the run from the Edison Group, which genetically altered us as part of their sinister experiment. We’re hiding in a safe house that might not be as safe as it seems. We’ll be gone soon anyway, back to rescue those we’d left behind and to take out the Edison Group . . . or so we hope.

My Review;

I liked this book most out of the three in this series, the only part that really bugged me was the non ending but hopefully these characters will be re introduced in another series. I am so happy this book never turned into a love triangle, as soon as Chloe realized she didn't have feelings for Simon she told him and it was over and they stayed friends I liked that a lot. I like Derek even more in this book, Chloe bugged me a little less and Tori actually proved herself useful and showed that she actually had feelings. A little too much of this book was of them sitting around waiting which happens a lot in this series, it could have had a little more action. There were some twists and turns that I never saw coming and it's hard to tell who is a good guy and who is a bad guy which keeps you on your toes as you read. 

Other Books in this series

Book 1- The Summoning

Book 2- The Awakening

Book 3- The Summoning

Other Books I have read by Kelley Armstrong

1- Bitten (Women of the otherworld series book #1) Grade I gave it 4 out of 5 stars

2-  Stolen (Women of the otherworld series book #2)Grade I gave it  5 out of 5 stars

Read my reviews of these books on goodreads.com

The Awakening

Title; The Awakening

Author; Kelley Armstrong

Page count; 357

Why I read it; Second in a series

Grade C+

Synopsis;

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

My Review;

This book was better than the first book. It still bugs me that no questions were answered or mysteries were really solved, there were just more questions the be answered. Kelly Armstrong has a lot to resolve and a lot of questions to answer in her last book, it makes me worried that the third book will be rushed and still at the end of the book that all of the mysteries of the book won't be answered but I could be wrong. I like Derek more and more, Simon seems like a wussy little boy to me. Chloe the main character is just ok there are things I like about her but a lot of things that bug me too. Tori is just crazy and has no morals or compassion at all and the books would be better without her. I think that Derek and Chloe have a "thing" for each other even though Simon obviously likes Chloe and I don't think Cloe's aunt is dead. I hope it doesn't turn into a love triangle book where Chloe can't decide who she likes better between Derek and Simon I swear that will make me hate this whole series. I am going to read the next book because these books are interesting enough but overall I am underwhelmed. 

Book series 

Book 1 The Summoning

Book 2 The Awakening

Book 3 The Reckoning

The Summoning

Title; The Summoning

Author; Kelley Armstrong

Page Count; 390

Why I read it; Got good reviews on goodreads.com

Grade; C

Synopsis;

After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.

At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…

My Review;

This book was just okay. I felt like it went back and forth from being boring and a little repetitive to too scary (I'm kind of a baby when it comes to anything scary). There was one part where Chloe sees a ghost man standing up on a ledge thing and he jumps off into some sort of big grinding machine and blood and body parts go flying everywhere and it keeps happening over and over again. I kept picturing that scene over and over in my head at night in bad, not exactly my favorite image to fall asleep to. There is still too many questions left unanswered in the first book, I know it's a series but Chloe is just as clueless and confused at the end of the book as she was in the beginning maybe even more so. It wasn't a bad book, I am even going to read the second book in hopes that it gets better because it seems to be a series that could have potential to be really good. I would recommend this book if you are looking for something to read but if you have a whole list of to read books don't rush to start this series.

Fallen

Title; Fallen

Author; Lauren Kate

Page count; 452 pages

Why I read it; Got a lot of good reviews, liked the cover

Grade; Did Not Finish

Synopsis;

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her. 

My review;

I gave this book almost 200 pages, I tried to finish it but I was bored out of my mind. In 200 pages Luce goes to some creepy school for some unknown reason involving a boyfriend she didn't even really like. She gets to the school and blows off what seemed to be a nice cute guy for some guy who hates her and flips her off randomly. Then there are these random shadows that show up, they never do anything but Luce always seems scared of them. Im sure a lot of the questions are answered later in the book but I just didn't care why the guy hated her or why shadows follow her around, or why half of what I read was a detailed description of how her school looked (an old church turned school for troubled teenagers) in great annoying detail. I really don't like to start books and not finish them and I tried really hard but I found myself dreading picking it up to read it and I love reading so I just had to stop. This book seems like it would be enjoyed by whiny teenage girls who hate their lives and want to be special and think it's cute to be treated poorly by men.

Alpha

Title; Alpha

Author; Rachel Vincent

Page count; 472

Why I read it; 6th book in a series

Grade; A

Synopsis;

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE FAYTHE...

The unscrupulous new Council chair has charged Jace, Marc, and me with trespassing, kidnapping, murder, and treason. Yeah, we've been busy. But now it's time to take justice into our own hands. We must avenge my brother's death and carve out the rot at the heart of the Council.

It's not going to be easy, and loss seems unavoidable, but I have promised to protect my Pride, no matter what. With a target on my back and Marc at my side, I'm heading for a final showdown that can--that will--change everything forever. A showdown I'm not sure I'm ready for.
But life never waits until you're ready.

My Review;

 I was so worried that there was too much still going on and too many loose ends at the beginning of the book for Rachel Vincent to give it a good ending but I didn't need to worry this book was great from beginning to end. There was a lot less sex in this book, the love triangle is resolved and amazingly has a happy ending for everyone, well as happy as things can end after a war. This book made me laugh and cry and cringe and mostly it made me want to keep reading. I keep thinking how I want to keep reading more to see what happens next when I realize I am all finished with the series and it makes me so sad, I want more! I have other books to read but right now none of them are as good as these books were. I think this is a series I will want to read again in a year or so, really it's one I would love to buy because I have been getting them from the library but this would be a great series to own. I love how things end for Jace and Marc and Faythe and Kacie and Manx and Owen and there are other characters endings just broke my hear but I won't give too much away. If you are Just staring this series don't give up on Faythe, I know she can be spoiled and annoying and stubborn but she really does grow up in the end while still remaining true to herself. 

Books in the Shifters series

#1- Stray
#2- Rogue
#3- Pride
#4- Prey
#5- Shift
#6- Alpha 

Shift

Title; Shift

Author; Rachel Vincent

Page count; 441

Why I read it; Fifth book in the Shifters series

Grade; A-

Synopsis;

Being the first female werecat enforcer isn't easy. Scars accumulate, but I'm stronger in so many ways.

As for my personal life? It's complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother's death and my father's impeachment, it's all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe.

With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option….

My Review;

I really love this series, it has been a while since I read the 4th one because I was waiting for my library to get the fifth one in. I will just start with the bad of the book, there were only a few bad points. 1- The love triangle is getting a little out of hand, before it was always Faythe and Marc and Jace was just a flirt but now he is "in love" with Faythe and for reasons I can't figure out Faythe can't decide who she wants even though Marc is way better for her than Jace. 2- The first half of the book was a little slower than the last half and a lot of parts were frustrating because everyone was so trapped by the Thunderbirds. It was ok because I think that is what the author was going for because that is how all the characters felt but it just left too much time for Faythe's immaturity to surface again although I have to say she has grown a lot since the first book. 3- Still to much language and sex but less than in the previous 4 books, this book was more about Faythe's emotional problems. Those are the only things I can think of that I didn't like. The rest of the book was full of surprises, new characters and further development of characters that I both loved and hated. Malone is getting more evil and manipulative and gaining more power by the day. Families are turning against one another and where courage and honesty existed now there is only cowardice and lies. Faythe's pride and their allies are under attack from all sides and if they can't prove Malone is a traitor to their kind soon they will be totally destroyed. I have already started the 6th book and am so excited to see how the series ends. There are so many loose endings that I am nervous with everything going on the author isn't going to be able to come up with a totally satisfying. I hope I'm wrong but either way I am really glad I read the Shifters series.

Stolen Children

Title; Stolen Children

Author; Peg Kehret

Page Count; 165

Why I read it; Sounded like a good book

Grade; B-

Synopsis;

Amy learned a lot in her babysitting course, but not what to do if two thugs show up, intent on kidnapping. Armed with misinformation and a weapon, the men take Amy and little Kendra to a remote cabin in the woods. There they make videos of the girls and mail them to Kendra’s wealthy parents in an effort to get ransom money. After several of her escape attempts fail, Amy is forced to make one last, desperate move. Award winner Peg Kehret crafts a suspenseful thriller with a spunky heroine who uses her wits to save herself and the toddler.

My Review;

Another fun, quick read. Stolen children was an easy story to get into and was written really well and kept me guessing. The book cover was a bad choice, it makes it look a lot more scary than it was and there is nothing about being taken at night or an empty rocking chair. The three year old Kendra that was one of the girls stolen was a lot more well behaved than any three year old I have ever met, she acted more like a five year old. I did like the messages in the book about never giving up and not making excuses, a book with a moral is always good. This book only took a couple hours to read so it isn't long but the story line is well thought out and there are no big holes or rushed pieces in the story so really it was the perfect length. Read this if you are in to mood for a mildly intense short read.

Midnight Pearls

Title; Midnight Pearls

Author; Debbie Viguie

page count; 197

Why I read it; some of my friends on goodreads.com gave it good reviews

Grade B

Synopsis;

In a quiet fishing village, one lone fisherman rescued a child from the sea seventeen years ago. He and his wife raised the girl, Pearl, as their own daughter, never allowing themselves to wonder long about where she came from -- or notice her silver hair, usually pale skin, and wide, dark blue eyes.

Pearl grows from a mysterious child into an unusual young woman, not always welcomed in the village. As all the other girls her age find husbands, she has only one friend to ease her loneliness. One very special, secret companion: Prince James.

But their friendship is shaken when trouble erupts in the kingdom -- a conspiracy against the royal family combines with an evil enchantment from beneath the sea. Now, just when Pearl and James need each other most, bewitching magic and hints about Pearl's past threaten to tear them apart...forever.

My Review;

I liked this book a lot, it was easy to get into the story and the writing was really nice. There were enough similarities for it to be a retelling of The Little Mermaid but enough differences that you really don't know what is going to happen in the story. What I though was going to be the climax when Pearl went to face the Sea Witch really turned out to be short and honestly a bit too easy. The story really is more about Pearl and her "finding herself" than any actual event that happens. The story is sweet and innocent and a quick enjoyable read with a happily ever after ending. The romance was sweet without being overdone the same can be said for any action or intense parts of the book, they are there but nothing too intense and never very long lasting. Read this if you are in the mood for a nice easy romantic but not overly mushy book.

Stolen

Title; Stolen

Author; Vivian Vande Velde

Page count; 158

Why I read it; Liked the cover and was in the mood for a non love story.

Grade A-

Synopsis;

The same day that the villagers of Thornstowe finally hunt down a witch with a reputation for stealing children, a 12-year-old appears in the woods with no memory of her past. Is there a connection between Isabelle, the girl who doesn t know who she is, and the girl the witch stole six years earlier? One of the few things Isabelle remembers is a chant that keeps running through her head:

Old as dirt,

dirty as dirt.

Ugly as sin,

mean as sin.

Don t let the old witch catch you!

Could Isabelle have been stolen by the old witch of the woods, or has she lost her memory as the result of an accident? And what about the baby the witch stole right before the villagers attacked? Did either the witch or the baby survive the fire the villagers set?

My review;

I really enjoyed this book. It is pretty short and an easy read which is what I was in the mood for, probably why I enjoyed this book so much. I liked that the ending wasn't so predictable, I only guessed half of the ending. The cover of the book is intriguing and made me excited to read the book but in all honesty it doesn't really fit with the story at all. This book isn't scary and the forest is always talked about as a pretty place which doesn't really come across in the cover. This book was written for kids Jr. High age but I really enjoyed the original story and the characters were developed enough to like or dislike the people but no so long winded that you get bored or annoyed. Read this if you are in the mood for a quick easy read, a little mystery and overall a happy ending.

Mockingjay

Title; Mockingjay

Author; Suzanne Collins

Page count; 390 pages

Why I read it; 3rd and final book of a series

Grade A-

Synopsis;

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans -- except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay -- no matter what the personal cost.

My review;

I finished most of this book today, yesterday I read maybe 2 chapters. As expected this book was exceptionally well written, Suzanne Collins has a way of making you feel and be a part of the story even if like me you never get overly attached to the main characters. First with the negatives of the story so I can end with the positives. I never really felt any attachment to Katniss, Peta or Gale. I think mostly it's because I am so sick of teenage girl who has no idea what she wants or who she is has 2 boys so in love with her for no real apparent reason to me. I just don't understand no matter how many different ways it has been written why two amazing, talented, handsome guys are so in love with a teenage girl who can't decide who she loves so she ends up treating them both like crap the whole book. It just wouldn't ever happen, any real man would soon get sick of being treated like dog poo and move on to a real woman who can truly love him. Even so the author is so talented that even though that part of the plot drove me insane I still enjoyed the book. I do like a lot of the other characters in the book, Prim being one of my very favorites. 

    Now for the positives because really I did love reading this book. This book to me contained the perfect balance of hope and despair, love and hate, beginnings and endings. So many reviews I read on this book commented on how depressing the book was and how little hope it contained but I disagree. I thought that there was always something Katniss and other were hoping for and working towards without the situations being so easy or quick that it became unrealistic. I love that under the most depressing, horrible long lasting circumstances there was always something to hope for, to want and to work for. It was written that no matter how bad things get there really is always a reason to keep going, that nothing on earth can last forever. What is more hopeful than understanding that even if things are as bad as they can get that they will get better, maybe never perfect but better and always worth living for?

Artemis Fowl The Atlantis Complex

Title; Artemis Fowl The Atlantis Complex

Author; Eoin Colfer

Page count; 357

Why I read it; 7th book of a series

grade C+

Synopsis;

Artemis has committed his entire fortune to a project he believes will save the planet and its inhabitants, both human and fairy. Can it be true? Has goodness taken hold of the world’s greatest teenage criminal mastermind?

Captain Holly Short is unconvinced, and discovers that Artemis is suffering from Atlantis Complex, a psychosis common among guilt-ridden fairies -- not humans -- and most likely triggered by Artemis’s dabbling with fairy magic. Symptoms include obsessive-compulsive behavior, paranoia, multiple personality disorder and, in extreme cases, embarrassing professions of love to a certain feisty LEPrecon fairy.

Unfortunately, Atlantis Complex has struck at the worst possible time. A deadly foe from Holly’s past is intent on destroying the actual city of Atlantis. Can Artemis escape the confines of his mind -- and the grips of a giant squid -- in time to save the underwater metropolis and its fairy inhabitants?

New York Times best-selling author Eoin Colfer delivers a knockout, fast-paced, and hilarious adventure in Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex, the seventh book in the blockbuster series 

My Review;

This book was written as well as all of the other books were but I didn't enjoy most of it as much as I enjoyed the other books for a few reasons. All of the things I liked about the other books were missing from the first half of this book. My favorite things about the Artemis Fowl books are 1- Artemis Fowl himself, I love his nasty sense of humor and his quick wit. In this book Artemis comes down with a fairy condition called The Atlantis Complex causing OCD and multiple personalities. I hated Artemis's alter personality called Orion, he was gooey and old fashioned romantic and just plain annoying. I think maybe he was supposed to come across this way but it didn't make it any more fun to read. 2- I love the adventure and the lack of romance in the Artemis Fowl books and it's starting to come out that Artemis has feelings for Holly. I'm not a big fan of that relationship, it just seems strange to me that they are a different species not to mention the age difference. 3- In the other books you get a good sense of "the bad guy" who ever it is at the time, but the author never spends too much time focusing on the story of the bad guy. In this book it seemed to me almost the first half of the book was dedicated to the bad guy. I hated the bad guy, he was evil and enjoyed the thought of torture and death but at the end of the book the author seemed to try to make him come across as a man so in love that he just made some bad choices. That would have been ok if every time the story went to him he didn't keep thinking how he was going to kill everybody even the people who were helping him and that he was going to enjoy it. 4- I love Mulch Diggums and there just wasn't enough of him until the end of the book.
So overall I would have enjoyed this book if there was more written about the main characters and less about the annoying bad guy. I did enjoy the last third of the book a lot when the main characters were involved and the action really picked up. I also liked that Juliet was more a part of the story, I have always enjoyed her character even though she has never been a main influence in any previous books. I still feel too that the story was written well enough to keep me reading the series and I am curious to see how Artemis will overcome his illness. 

The Iron Daughter

Title; The Iron Daughter

Author; Julie Kagawa

Page count; 361

Why I read it; Second in a series, Netgalley review book

Grade; A-

Synopsis; 

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

My Review; 

This book took me longer to read than I wanted and not because the story wasn't great, life and kids and surgeries just slowed down my reading. I really liked the second book in this series, it was interesting and the story kept moving and never got dull. There was a lot of detail without getting boring and I was able to get a clear picture in my head of the story and the characters. The whole teenage girl finds out she isn't all human in love with two guys who are so in love with her they would die to save her story line is a little over done for me but everything else about these books is creative keeping you guessing and hoping to the very last page. This is a series that I am excited to keep reading and I look forward to reading other things written by Julie Kagawa.

The Iron King

Title; The Iron King

Author; Julie Kagawa

Page count; 363

Why I read it; Recommended by my sister in law Brenda

and was given a copy off of netgalley to read.

Grade A-

Synnopsis;

Meghan Chase has never fit in at her small-town high school, and now, on the eve of her 16th birthday, she discovers why. When her half brother is kidnapped, Meghan is drawn into a fantastical world she never imagined--the world of Faery, where anything you see may try to eat you, and Meghan is the daughter of the summer faery king. Now she will journey into the depths of Faery to face an unknown enemy . . . and beg the help of a winter prince who might as soon kill her as let her touch his icy heart. The Iron King is the first book in the Iron Fey series.

My Review;

My sister in law Brenda recommended this book to me and the author was kind enough to

allow me to read it from Netgalley. The first half of this book was a little bit hard for me to

get into. I felt it was the typical teenage girl doesn't fit in at school because there is something

different about her. Girl finds out she is connected to magical world and escapes some dangers

with the help of a new cute magical guy friend. It was very well written I just felt like it was like

a lot of stories I have read before. At about the half way mark the story really started to come

alive for me. The story branched off in new original and exciting directions. I like the background

story between Puck and Ash and the conflict between like and hate and doing what you want to

do vs doing what you have vowed to do. The author is really able to convey the feelings and the

struggles that all of the characters have without slowing down the story. I am excited to read the

next one and find out how Ash truly feels and what happens to Puck. I am curious to figure out

Grimalkin, I can't decide if he cares about Meghan or if he is just waiting to use her sense she is

in his debt like almost everyone else has. I am curious to see if the friendship between Puck and

Ash can be healed or if it;s too late for that. And mostly I wonder what the winter queen really

wants with Meghan and if Ash will protect Meghan or be loyal to his queen. I guess thats what

makes a book great is that it keeps you wondering and makes you excited to read more.

Motor City Fae

Title; Motor City Fae

Genre; Fiction, Romance

Page Count; 224

Why I read it; Netgalley review copy

Grade; B

Publication Date; June 7th 2010

Synopsis;

Detroit artist Meagan Kelly has had a strong sixth sense all her life, but that doesn't mean the gorgeous stranger's crazy story—that she's a half-elf, half human heiress—is true. But Meagan can't deny the evidence of her own eyes—he's Fae. A tall, blond, handsome, pointy-eared elf—and a man she just can't get enough of.

Ric Thornhill's assignment just got a lot more complicated. The more time he spends with Meagan, the harder it is to see her as a political tool to prevent an all-out war between humans and Fae.Now Meagan's in a race to master her newly released powers in time to prevent the conflict, convince a jealous Queen not to strip Ric of his powers, and find out if she can build a life that straddles two worlds.

My review;

** spoiler alert ** Minor Spoilers in my review, it was hard to express some of my feelings about the book with taking certain examples from the story.

I really enjoyed so many things about this book. Firstly it was very easy to get involved in the story. The story line was very original as far as fantasy books involving Fae and other magical creatures go. The story never got boring or slow, it kept me turning pages until the very end. I loved that she gave detailed descriptions of the characters and of the fantasy world she created in her story without going overboard and killing you with the details. I loved that Meagan is strong and successful and can do things all by herself and doesn't rely anyone to take care of her and do everything for her even after she falls in love. Most everything about the book was great but there were a few things that could have been changed that would have made me, personally enjoy it more. One thing in the story that I didn't enjoy so much because it was so overdone was there were too many sex scenes. It seems that Meagan and Ric could never ever ever be alone together without ripping each others clothes off. I guess I just expected a little more of a fantasy, romance type book and less erotica to me 20 sex scenes isn't romance it's just sex. After a few times reading page after page of sex I found myself skimming which was frustrating because there were so many exciting things going on in the story that I would have liked to keep reading about. Also there really isn't much of a climax to the story. There is so much build up of the danger to Meagan and so many people assigned to protect her, but when it finally comes down to it three (ish) pages later she is fine and all the worry is over and and everyone goes to live happily ever after. Don't get me wrong I love a good happily ever after I just like when they really have to work at it, and there are some major nail biting parts before they get there. This is the first in the series though so the author may just be getting started with the intense action. I guess my biggest complaint about the book is all of the build up to so many problems and dangers and then feeling like the parts that should be the most intense and all of the things you have been waiting for are skimmed over. Like with Ric's relationship with the queen, he is so terrified for her to find out how he feels for Meagan and spends page after page worrying and trying to find a solution and then Meagan gets snotty and says something really obvious to the queen and the queen almost smiles, gives up and everything is over.

I feel like I have spent too much time on the negatives though, I really had a fun time reading this book and it is definitely a series I would continue to read. With a little more action and a little less build up in the next books it would totally fix 99% of my complaints about this book, the other 1% would be 2 or 3 less sex scenes.