The Future of Us

Hola... Ready for the strangest concept of a book I have ever laid eyes on? The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. Josh and Emma are teenagers who manipulate their lives (set in 1969...) using their Facebook accounts from the future. They are high-schoolers in a town on the East Coast, with plans of doing something with their lives. But when they get to see their real futures laid out before them, it suddenly doesn't seem so good. By coming to terms with the present, maybe the future won't seem so bleak. It was actually better than I thought it would be, but it was still seriously odd. The characters weren't bad, it was really just the plot that threw me. Maybe this is someone's thing but it isn't mine. Two stars?

Divergent

Hola. Divergent is by Veronica Roth. Five "factions" divide the world of Beatrice Prior: Amity, Candor, Dauntless, Erudite, and Abnegation. Each represents a way of life that, when one turns sixteen, one chooses their lifestyle. Amity stands for peace, Candor for honesty, Dauntless are the brave, while Erudite strives for knowledge and Abnegation are selfless. Beatrice has to make the almost impossible decision—stay with her family or follow her heart. What follows is a time of grueling struggle for the newly named Tris as she tries to fit in with her new life. Even more hardship comes, while trying to deal with a mysterious boy and possibly murderous friends. And Tris has a secret, which it just might be the end of her. I actually really liked this book. The characters were good, very mysterious and hard to anticipate, and the premise was awesome as well. This book is what The Hunger Games should have been. But the ending was horrific. I felt like I had lost a few chapters somewhere. I now know that it is going to be a trilogy—but that ending was the biggest cliffhanger in the world! I am torn between three and a half and four stars (Maybe even four and a half if I am feeling generous).

Theodosia and the Last Pharaoh

Hola, school is about to start! As always, Theodosia and the Last Pharaoh is by R. L. LaFevers. Continuing her adventures with Egyptian magic, Theodosia actually goes to Egypt to return some ancient artifacts to their original owners. But with the murderous Serpents of Chaos on her trail and some other mysterious characters determined to hinder her mission, Theo has her work cut out for her. I know this is a vague summary but this is a complicated book and it is more fun if you don't know what's coming. I really enjoyed this entire series. (This is probably the last book, by the way...) Theodosia is a prim and proper English girl who always gets into just enough trouble to make it exciting, but still manages to pull a spectacular spell out of her small hat. Really very entertaining reads, three and a half stars. (See a review for the first book under Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos.)

The Book Thief

Hola... Markus Zusak is the author of The Book Thief. Liesel Meminger is the book thief, and her story begins when she picks up her first book, next to her brother's grave, in Nazi Germany. Aided by her foster parents, Liesel learns to read. But it is more complicated than that, with the Nazis on the loose and parents that are not exactly 'in the party' Liesel and her best friend Rudy need to stay out of trouble. With "Jesse Owens" (Read the book!) life can never be boring. Punctuated by a stolen book here and there, Liesel and her family try to survive the horrible conditions and crimes surrounding them. By the way, it is written from the point of view of Death—I like him, he has a sense of humor. This was an interesting book. I actually liked it, but it took me forever to read. It is so dense! Rudy is lovable and Rosa and Hans add some comfort to this dismal story. And Max was brilliant. Good characters, thick book, two and a half stars.

Starfleet Academy, The Edge

Hola! Starfleet Academy, The Edge. (I know, I am such a nerd.) Jim Kirk, Nyota Uhura, and Monica Lynne are all first year Starfleet Cadets, along with many other applicants. School seems to be going well—they are all struggling to keep up with the work but that is only to be expected. But when some serious medical anomalies arise concerning other students, Cadet Kirk's best friend, Cadet McCoy, could take the blame. It's up to Kirk to uncover the lengths people will go to succeed. I know this book sounds like a cheesy-little-kid-movie book but it was pretty intense. Some parts were kinda creepy. The story made sense and included many characters that aren't in the movie, which I thought was cool. It was a solid book, three stars.

Larklight

Hola, Larklight by Philip Reeve. Art and Myrtle Mumby live in Larklight, an ancient house that orbits around the moon. They live a rather dull life there, accompanied by their scatter-brained father. However, one morning, word of a guest arrives and throws their lives into chaos. The guest is only the beginning of a terrifying adventure. Aided by cutthroat space pirates they travel to places they never dreamed of going to save themselves and the universe. I liked Larklight. It was one of those kind of silly space books where kids save the day, but it was entertaining. I like Art and Ssillissa, they are both very unique characters. Overall good, but a light read, two and a half stars.

Around the World in 100 Days

Hola! Around the World in 100 Days is by Gary Blackwood. Harry Fogg, the son of the famous Phileas Fogg, built a motorcar, the Flash. Harry believes that motorcars are going to be the new way of transportation, and his conviction is so great that he gambles an awful lot of money, and and his future on the fact that he can drive it around the world in 100 days. On his journey, Harry and his friend Johnny encounter danger, adventure, and many different people. I really enjoyed this book. It was just the right length and had lots of action and suspense. I also thought that it was a very nice follow-up to Phileas's story, (Yes, I have read Around the world in 80 Days, thank you very much!). A good, exciting read, three and a half stars.

The Door to Time

Hola! This book is bad for me, I already wrote this blog but then the computer spazzed and it got deleted. The Door to Time doesn't have an author (Weird!). Jason and Julia, both eleven, move from busy London to an almost empty town on the coast of England. Although they are twins, they couldn't be more different. Jason is a very observant dreamer, while Julia is athletic and adventurous. And the enormous house they move into seems to have some secrets. In this book, Jason and Julia explore Argo Manor (the house), question Ulysses Moore (the former owner), and discover the world through a single door. This book is for little kids. I would compare it to the Spiderwick Chronicles—the first book is like the first chapter. The kids are also outrageously smart, knowing things that no sane (I hesitate to say "teenager") would know. And they don't act British at all, a crime for the setting! Strange book, one and a half stars.

Ring of Fire, Century Quartet Book 1

Hola. Happy (Belated) Independence Day! Ring of Fire, Century Quartet Book One, by P. D. Baccalario. A series of coincidences drive four kids to one hotel room, Ellettra, Harvey, Sheng, and Minstral. The only thing they seem to have in common is their unusual birthday, Leap Day. But when they go for a nighttime stroll, their world turns upside down. The road ahead is fraught with danger, mystery, and what seems to be magic, but can they all take the heat? This was kind of a weird book, it was kind of half murder mystery half mundane scavenger hunt. The characters were fine, nothing special. But Ellettra's abnormalities confuse me, isn't this supposed to be a scavenger hunt? And what about Hermit Devil?! Anyway, two and a half stars.

Skulduggery Pleasant, The Faceless Ones

Hola. Okay, here is the problem with this book. It is the third in the series and I barley remember the first two. Skulduggery Pleasant, The Faceless Ones, by Derek Landy. Valkyrie Cain, previously known as Stephanie Edgely, and her magic mentor, Skulduggery Pleasant, are out, once again, fighting crime. But the stakes are higher than ever. Someone is killing the teleporters, and Skulduggery has a keen idea what its about. With an insane cult of worshippers following the evil gods known as the Faceless Ones trying to foil them, Valkyrie and Skulduggery need all the help they can get. I completely understand if you don't understand this blog. I will reread the first book and see if I can write something slightly less confusing. But anyway, this was a really exciting read. The characters are good and the dialogue is witty. My only thing is that the Faceless Ones seemed just a little too east to fight. And one more thought, wasn't this supposed to be a trilogy? The series totally isn't over! Whatever, three and a half stars.

Peter and the Starcatchers

Hola, it is not supposed to rain during the summer! Peter and the Starcatchers is by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry. As a matter of fact, I met Ridley Pearson, and that was recorded on my firs ever post! (He was really cool,). Okay, here goes; Peter is the leader of a small band of orphaned boys, all of whom have had the misfortune of being put aboard the Neverland, a very old ship bound for Rundoon. But while the Neverland sails, even more ancient powers are at work. With the help of Molly, an extraordinary girl that Peter meets on his voyage, he must solve the mystery of a strange trunk that seems very important. And then they must survive the astonishing adventure that ensues. This is a rather old book, it came out around seven years ago but is still really popular. I really enjoyed this book. It is a different twist on the historic tale of Peter Pan, while making the explanation to his adventures much more logical than the other versions that I have read. The plot is exciting and the characters are lively and unpredictable. I especially like it when authors write how the characters speak, spelling the words out phonetically (Did you understand that because I was having a hard time explaining,). Awesome book, four stars! (Just a heads-up, the rest of the books in the series are kinda creepy, but still good.)

Airman

Hola. By Eoin Colfer (I wonder how you pronounce his first name...), Airman. Conor Broekhart calls the Saltee Islands home. He lives a privileged life, good friends with the king, a close relationship with his daughter (Isabella), and taught by a master of flight, Conor's own love. However, when he unearths a plot against the royal family, Conor gets a little too deep. He is soon branded a traitor and thrown into Little Saltee, an infamous prison. He has to escape the jail's torturous lifestyle and help Isabella uncover the truth. But first, he must fly. Sorry, not a fan. The beginning was good, descriptive with some action, but when he gets thrown in jail, it's horrible. It turns tedious and weird. I really don't understand the Battering Rams thing. And the blatant evilness of the bad-guy is lame (No names, spoilers!). He thinks about what he is doing and consciously agrees with the author that he is a terrible person. Okay, I'll admit, I didn't finish it, which is why it gets half a star.

Young Samurai, The Way of the Warrior

Hola. By Chris Bradford, Young Samurai, The Way of the Warrior. Jack Fletcher is a young English boy who, with his father, has been sailing to the unknown land of Japan. After a shipwreck and a pirate-ninja attack, all Jack has left is his father's rutter—a priceless book of extremely accurate maps and charts. When Jack is taken in by Masamoto-sama, one of the most revered samurai in Japan, he learns that Dragon Eye, one of the pirates, is after the rutter. However, Jack's worries do not stop there. While at his samurai school, he is harassed for being an outsider. But in the end, will Jack see that trading Jack Fletcher for Jack-kun may not be so bad after all? I really enjoyed this book. Jack was an interesting character, made very realistic by his occasional frustration but lovable by his courage and loyalty. My main problem was that the chapters were so short! It could have had half as many chapter breaks and been even better. I also liked the other characters. Yamato is deep, and Yori is quietly forceful. Personal favorite: Akiko! Really great read, four stars!

The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Field Guide

Hola, The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Field Guide, by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. After Malory, Simon, and Jared's father leaves, their family life takes a definite downturn. They move with their mother into an extremely old house that seems to be coming apart by the seams, and owned by a possibly older woman. After only the first night, strange things begin to happen, but the more informed they become, the worse their situation looks. I read this book in about fifteen minutes. I think that the authors should have combined all of the five books into one decent-sized book. Their mother, Helen, seemed awfully quick to accuse Jared of the problems. The plot was non-existent, I felt as if I read the first chapter rather than an entire book. All of this books problems seem to come from its length, we don't even learn anything about the characters in its measly 107 pages! Highly unsatisfactory! One and a half stars.

The Hunger Games

Hola... The Hunger Games is by Suzanne Collins. Living in the Seam, a gritty neighborhood in District Twelve, Katniss Everdeen struggles to feed her family. She never dreams that her younger sister Prim will be chosen for the Hunger Games. A punishment thought-up by the Capitol for the Districts' rebellion, each District sends two children between twelve and eighteen, called tributes, to the Capitol for a fight to the death. When her volunteering in Prim's place, she is thrust into the Capitol life with full force. But what about Peeta, the other tribute from District Twelve, who presents interesting challenges. Or the other blood-thirsty tributes, who are fighting for riches as well as life. The first time I read this book I hated it. It did not meet my expectations at all. I wanted excitement and action, but what I got was a bleak future and lots of sitting in a cave. I am now re-reading it and am enjoying it much more. Katniss is an interesting character with lots of spunk, and Peeta has a lot of depth. Gale also throws some more conflict into the bargain. Now that I understand the appeal, this is a pretty good book! Three stars.

Fever Crumb

Hola! Next up to bat is Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve. Fever is the first girl engineer ever. In a time where the streets of London are overrun with rioters and the low-lifes that haunt the city. In the midst of the end of the Scriven hunts—Scriven being much like humans, only speckled—the engineers strive for rationality. But when Fever is taken from her home on a mysterious mission, irrationality crashes over her whole life. Mixed with technology, honour, and adventure, Fever's journey takes some unexpected turns. I thought that this was a really weird book! It's set in the future but in a really strange way, referencing present things but making them seem a little primitive. I still don't understand what Scriven are, either. Fever has very little personality and the plot was rather disjointed. This was just a seriously weird book. One and a half stars.

The Calder Game

Hola, I know this the third book in the series but I read the first books forever ago! The Calder Game by Blue Balliett. In this book, Calder and his dad are off on an adventure in England! Well actually, his dad just has some meetings and Calder is going along. But Calder's artistic namesake, Alexander Calder, is stirring up some trouble. When Calder reaches the town he is staying in, Woodstock, he is surprised, and intriuged, by the mysterious mutterings of the townsfolk about the new sculpture. It was donated by an anonymous person and is by the great artist, Calder himself. But the mystery continues, fueled the strangely unfriendly inhabitants of Woodstock. I don't remember liking the first two books very much (Chasing Vermeer and The Wright Three,) but this book was surprisingly good. I really liked the conflict between Petra and Tommy, but I had a problem. It just wasn't mysterious enough! I distinctly recall being a little scared while reading The Wright Three, and thinking that it was a good story, but in this book, the outcome was too logical. The beginning to middle of The Calder Game was rather whimsical and interesting, but the solutions were too normal, and nobody was at fault. I need to reread the other books! Two and a half stars.

Steinbeck's Ghost

Hola! Steinbeck's Ghost, by Lewis Buzbee. Travis and his parents just moved from a cozy house in old town Salinas into a giant, blank slate of a house in Bella Linda Terrace. With the change of house, his parents changed as well. No longer the happy, tight-knit family they were that Travis needed to remember his old life. One day he rides his bike to the library and from there, the story begins. While working to keep the library from closing, he sees characters straight out of John Steinbeck's novels. Travis unravels the mystery of the author's hometown (Steinbeck lived in Salinas,) while overcoming the challenges of "normal life". I though this was kind of a strange book. Travis was a good character, misunderstood, heroic, and friendly. My problem with it was that it seemed kind of stuck in the middle, it should have been really fantasy or more realistic. The two parts of the book just didn't mesh well. Overall, it was good, just a little weird. Two stars.

Magyk

Hola, next is Magyk by Angie Sage. On a dark and stormy night (Actually, it was snowing, but whatever!) a seventh son of a seventh son was born, and he was named Septimus Heap. However, he died shortly thereafter. At least, that is what his family thinks... On the same dark and stormy night, Silas Heap (His father,) was walking home after work when he heard a baby crying. He found a little baby girl with dark hair and violet eyes hidden in a bush. Silas took her home and raised Jenna in place of his lost son, Septimus. But what was the real story behind Septimus's early death, and who is the strangely mute boy that chance has thrown at Jenna? Okay, I'll admit that the first time I read this was in Second Grade, but it was good! The story may have been a bit predictable but the characters quickly changing personalities give the plot some twists and turns. I would definitely recommend this to younger readers (Good gift for cousins, etc.) or if you are an older reader that is looking for something entertaining but decidedly easy. Three stars.

Clockwork Angel

Hola, I am now doing a prequel. Clockwork Angel, by Cassandra Clare, is the first book in the Infernal Devices series, and a prequel to the Mortal Instruments (City of Bones...). Tessa was living with Aunt Harriet until she died, and then she was hurried off to London in search of her brother. This is the start of the story of Theresa (Tessa) Gray, whose journey is quickly followed by two sinister beings called the "Dark Sisters" and soon after that, Shadowhunters. With Tessa not even knowing who she really is, how can she manage plotting Downworlders, her brother, or just some boys! This book was not as good as the first series, without a doubt. However, it was good. My biggest problem with it was that I didn't like the characters. Will is a bad imitation of City of Bones' Jace, and Jem is halfway between Simon and Alec—super weird! Tessa is okay but after Clary, her Victorian manners are tiring. Maybe people should read these books before City of Bones so they are not disappointed... Hmm... Well, two and a half stars.