Shatter Me

Hola! Shatter Me is by Tahereh Mafi (I agree, totally awesome name). Juliette Ferrars is not sure if she is sane. Which is perfectly sane considering that she hasn't touched a fellow human being in 264 days. But she doesn't want to touch anyone, because she is a monster. After living alone in a world of screams and blank white walls for so long, the shock of meeting a person, someone kind, is overwhelming to Juliette. So when Adam enters her life everything is different, but is it for the better? With the Reestablishment controlling the whole world, it will be a hard journey for Juliette to regain her lost life. This book was weird but good. It was a bit confusing because there are all these crossed-out bits, which are presumably thoughts of Juliette's that she doesn't like or want. And at the end it went totally Xmen! (I will give you a hint of her power, think Rouge.) Adam was lovable and a good balance to the bizarre story, but Warner is still a mystery. The ending was rather abrupt, I wouldn't have minded a few more chapters to tie up the numerous loose ends. Three stars, good enough that I will follow the series for the rest of the story.

Anna and the French Kiss

Ho-- I know! I know! Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is not my usual genre but I did read the Clique books so... Anna Oliphant's father made his fortune writing smut novels, (Smut, a term I picked up from my aunt: those trashy romance novels with a Fabio-type character on the cover.) Now part of a higher social scene, Anna has to fit into his idea of "class," so he sends her to France. However, Anna was perfectly happy in her home of Atlanta, Georgia, with her best friend Bridgette and crushing on her work colleague Toph. But if Anna keeps an open mind, Paris might not be that bad, especially if the dreamy Etienne St. Clair is around. Can Anna balance her chic Parisian life with her home in Atlanta, or even get her tangled love-life smoothed over? I liked this book more than I should have. It was not too teenage-ish, only laced with the occasional swear word or suggestive comment. It was highly entertaining and the characters are actually really interesting. I'm not saying that it was fabulous but it was much better than I thought it would be for a teen romance novel. Three stars.

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.

The Help

Hola, The Help is by Kathryn Stockett. Aibileen Clark is a life-long, "colored" maid in Jackson Mississippi whose specialty is raising her white employers' children. From their numerous employments Aibileen and her friends have many stories to tell about their situations, but they can never tell them. But then again, what if they could? When Skeeter Phelan, a white friend of Aibileen's employer, approaches Aibileen about writing a book from the point of view of "the help", it seems much too dangerous an opportunity to take. However, with racial tensions stirring in Jackson, what is a little more stirring going to do? With a myriad of subplots, The Help follows Aibileen and Skeeter's journey as change-makers in their community. I thought this was a really good read. I will say that the ending was disappointing but the story was solid. The characters were refreshingly human and it was a really easy book to power through. On a side note I thought the movie was good and cried throughout. I would recommend this book, three 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.

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.

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.

The Wide-Awake Princess

Hola, The Wide-Awake Princess is by E. D. Baker. With so many magically enhanced people around, Princess Annabelle's gift seems more like a curse; no magic can ever touch her. And there is more to her "gift"—if she goes near enchanted people, then their gifts start to fade. But when a real curse comes into play, Annie counts herself lucky. She sets off on a journey to save her family from, of course, one hundred years sleep. With the help of her handsome guard Liam, how can Annie not save the day? I really like Baker's books. They are happy princess stories that are always punctuated by just enough magic. Very light and entertaining! Three and a half stars.

Uncommon Criminals

Hola! It's summer and new books are coming out! Uncommon Criminals is the sequel to Ally Carter's Heist Society. Katarina Bishop is back and single-handedly righting the wrongs of the world, one stolen painting at a time. So that when a plea for the Cleopatra Emerald is voiced, how can she resist? With the help of her crew, Kat has to steal the enormous—and reportedly cursed—stone. But with so many cons and some very inconvenient accidents... cough, cough... will Kat be able to hold her family together? (That includes people not strictly related to her.) I thought this was a really good book. It is nice to now that Kat has flaws other than walking away from stealing, if that is a flaw. The characters develop well, although Nick didn't play as much of a role as I had hoped. My only problem was that, looking back on it, it was a really painful book to read, bad stuff happens that isn't in a good, plot-twisting way, it's just uncomfortable. Well, the other thing is that I always have kind of a hard time working out how they pulled the job. Carter doesn't explain enough. Other than that, I did really like it. Three and a half stars!

Wild Magic

Hola, schools out! I am very sorry, I accidentally lied in my second-to-last post, I haven't blogged Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce yet, so here goes! Daine is a thirteen-year-old girl with a plan and a knack for animals: get a job, go to Tortall. This works very well for her, soon she is hired by Onua to take care of her ponies as they go to the capital of Tortall. As she learns about this new land, she also discovers that her "knack" is really magic, wild magic. Daine loves her new home, from the new sights and peculiar nobles to Numair, her magic teacher. However, trouble is brewing for Tortall as blood-thirsty mythical creatures (Immortals,) attack. And Daine has a secret that could jeopardize her whole new world. I really liked this book. Daine's character really develops over the entire series (There are three more books,) and the plot is unexpected. The other characters also add a lot to the story and I like how this ties into Pierce's other books. Overall I think that this book is an exciting read for many ages. Three 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.

First Term at Malory Towers

Hola, First Term at Malory Towers, by Enid Blyton. Malory Towers is a prestigious boarding school sitting on a high cliff overlooking the ocean. (It is in England.) Although the building may look elegant and proper, the inhabitants aren't. In this book you follow Darell Rivers—a likable, happy girl with a fast temper—through her first year full of laughs, pranks, and some unexpected surprises at Mallory Towers. These books are awesome! The school, though very entertaining, is incredibly realistic. The characters are the perfect combination of fun and anger. Each person goes through different changes, and the fact that they are at a boarding school doesn't hinder their adventures. The only real problem is that the books are from Great Britain, so they might be hard to find... but anyway, the Malory Towers books are not a waste of time! Three and a half stars!

The Sisters Grimm, Book 1

Hola, The Sisters Grimm, Book 1 by Michael Buckley. After Sabrina and Daphne Grimm's parents go missing, the girls are shipped off to their Grandmother's house, but before this, they didn't even know she existed! Sabrina, the elder sister, gets more and more suspicious while Granny Relda serves them strangely colored food and tells them about how the Grimm family has been detectives, and the keepers of the Everafters. These are characters straight out of story books, but are sometimes a little bit different than they may seem at first. When Granny Relda goes missing, the Sisters Grimm are on the case! I really like the characters. The plot is fun and original and the setting, though confined to a single town, is quite an adventure. However, a really hate Sabrina! She rather bogs the whole story down, but, if you ignore her, these are awesome books! Three 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.

Eyes Like Stars

Hola? (I am running out of punctuation...) Eyes Like Stars, by Lisa Manchev. Bertie lives in the Theatre Illuminata, a magical place where the character of every major play ever written resides. Bertie, a rather rebellious teenager is one of the only real humans in the Theatre. She is constantly trying to remember life outside of the Theatre, however, she is not the only one to have been outside its walls. When the mysterious air spirit Ariel discovers the secret to freedom, he may do a lot more than escape—he may destroy Bertie's chance to stay in the home she has ever known. Follow the motley crew through a suspenseful story full of humor, wit, and a very original cast of characters. I love the faeries from A Midsummer Night's Dream! (Peaseblossom is by far the awesomest!) I thought that this was a rather strange but incredibly interesting book. The plot kept me engaged and I thought the cover art was really cool. (I know it's not strictly "the book", but it was cool,) In all, I think that is you happen across it, Eyes Like Stars is not a waste of time, 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.

Leviathan

Hola! It was recommended that I read Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld. The book starts with two vastly different people in equally different circumstances. The characters live in counties that are in a constant struggle -between those who are "Clanker" and those who are "Darwinist". Both have incredible technology but use it in opposing ways. Deryn is a hopeful, Darwinist girl, concealing her gender under the name "Dylan", in an attempt to be an airman. Whereas Alek is the son of a Clanker archduke, often compared to the child Mozart. When the impending war throws them together, how will they survive their opposing views, let alone their common enemy? I liked this book a lot, though some of the concepts were rather creepy (like mutating animals!). The characters were realistic and I thought that the dangers they faced would be very relevant in their world. Overall, I enjoyed this book, however I thought some parts were a little bit boring. Three stars.

The Two Princesses of Bamerre

Hola! I know! I'm sorry it has been such a long time since I last posted! But alas, I grow lazy! To make up for my absence I am doing The Two Princesses of Bamerre by Gail Carson Levine. Meryl and Addie, as the title announces, are the two princesses of Bamerre. The elder, Meryl is fearless and brave, while Addie prefers to watch her sister's theatrics. However, when Meryl contracts the dreaded Gray Death, Addie finds her only comfort in the world in need to help. Along with the assistance of the young sorcerer Rhys, Addie must go on the adventure of a lifetime, and meet enough trouble to last her a lifetime as well. I really liked this book. I thought that the way the dragon was portrayed really brought the character to life; and the strength and almost dangerous determination of Meryl was also good. The only things I didn't really enjoy was the character Rhys, and the length of Addie's journey. Rhys was not nearly developed enough in the story so I felt like I barley knew him at the end. And I thought that the book was just a little bit too short, I was fully prepared for another fifty pages. Though, on the whole, I very much enjoyed reading The Two Princesses of Bamerre, three stars.

Knightly Academy

HOLA! Happy Thanksgiving! (Sorry I haven't been writing!) Now it's up to Knightly Academy, by Violet Haberdasher. Henry is a servant, a commoner—but not at all stupid. He studies in secret and is a very hard worker. When the examiner from the prestigious school of Knightly Academy comes, he sits the entrance test. After passing the test with flying colours he is the first commoner ever accepted to the Academy. But trouble is afoot when deliberate sabotage impedes the boy's progress at school. Henry has to deal with the noble bullies that roam the halls, and find his mysterious enemy before he and his friends are expelled from Knightly. I really liked this, the characters were nice and funny and they were very realistic. The time period that it takes place in is rather conflicting, but it can be overlooked for the entertainment of the story. Not the most thrilling of reads but it should not be passed by. Three stars for Knightly Academy.