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).

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.)

Heist Society

Hola, and now I realize that I haven't blogged Heist Society yet, the book that came before Uncommon Criminals (also written by Ally Carter!). There is a family, not brought together by hardship or the holidays like most of us, rather, connected by one occupation: being a thief. But Katarina Bishop was not happy with this risky existence, so she walked away. Escaping her fate isn't so easy though, and soon her old friend Hale turns up to drag her back in. He came with good reason— Kat's father is caught between a very dangerous man and his very valuable paintings. Kat and her crew are her dad's only hope, but will they be enough to help him? YAY! Loved it! This book was really spectacular. The writing is conversational but witty, as if looking into a very smart person's mind. The plot is original with just enough spice to make it interesting without violence or language (I would compare it to a teenage girl's Oceans Eleven). Totally awesome book! Four and a half stars!

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!

Ella Enchanted

Hola! Sorry it has been such a long time, I have been getting lazy! Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine, they made a movie out of it, the book is WAY different. Ella of Frell is a kind, strong girl, with a fairy gift, she must always be obedient. Or maybe it's more of a curse! With her malicious step sisters and greedy father ordering her around, it's no wonder that Ella needs to break the curse before she does something truly terrible. With Ella's adventure punctuated by ogres, elves, finishing school, and the occasional letter from Prince Char, her story is an exciting one! I REALLY REALLY liked this book! Ella is smart and funny, while the other characters bring out deeper parts of her personality. The concept is intriguing, with hints of other classic fairy tales thrown in. I think that this is good for a large range of age groups and would keep all of them highly entertained. (It was just kinda short...) Good read, four stars!

City of Bones

Hola. The next book is by Cassandra Clare, City of Bones. Clarissa Fray, or just Clary, is an average girl with an artsy mom and a super-cool best friend named Simon. Her dad died before she was born, leaving her without a clue as to what he was like, mostly because her mom won't talk about him. One day, when Clary and Simon are in Pandemonium, an all-ages club, her world falls to pieces. It starts with people nobody else can see but her, and it gets bigger every day. With mystery shrouding her own mind, how will the shards of her shattered life finally fit together? I thought this was a really great book! The characters are interesting and the plot is fast-paced and twisting. My only complaint with it was that I really, really, hated the ending! However, maybe the next two books will sort that out. Three and a half stars for an exciting read!

I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You

Hola... this series of books are really high on my list of favorites right now. The first Gallagher Girls book, I'd Tell you I Love You but then I'd Have to Kill You, by Ally Carter. Cammie goes to a special school. A spy school, where you learn to do the crazy things things that spies do everyday, like disguise, and code cracking. At a school where you could learn how to knock a man twice your size unconscious with two punches, don't you think they'd teach about boys? Well, not really, so when Cammie finds herself faced with a very normal guy, she will have to use all of her skills to keep Gallagher's secret safe, and spend some time with Josh... a lot harder than it sounds. This was actually a really good book. For all of the girls, don't try to tell me that you haven't ever read a Clique book, and these are like those, except a hundred times better! The characters are lively and the plot is just twisty enough so it's not totally predictable. I only have two things bad to say, the rest of the series are better than the first, (So keep reading!) and that Bex is just a little more interesting than Cammie. Love this book! Three and a half stars! (The rest get four!)

The Lost Hero

HOLA!!! OH MY GODZ! (For the second time.) I have decided to demote the Red Pyramid to four stars so that The Lost Hero, by Rick Riordan can take the 4.999999 place. Piper is a girl who can't help getting into trouble, Leo is spunky boy who has runaway from every place he has lived, and Jason can't remember his past. When this unlikely trio is suddenly shipped off to a mysterious place called Camp Half-Blood, where the kids are related to gods, what can they do but join into the fantastic journey that awaits them. I LOVED THIS BOOK! For all of the people that with me thought the Red Pyramid was good, this will soothe your wounded spirits. Piper is awesome, Jason is very brave, and Leo keeps the story on its toes. AND, as an added bonus........ PERCY AND ANNABETH are in it!!!!!!! YAY! The characters are likable but still flawed enough to be edgy, the plot is exciting, and the Greeks are the most amazing civilization ever! Bravo! (Like I already said,) 4.999999 stars!!!!!!!!!!!

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Hola, I think that another classic is in order. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I will mention that quite recently I was in London and and staying less than a five minutes walk from his supposed house on Baker Street. (If you visit, be sure to check out the Baker Street station. Very cool tiles!) Sherlock Holmes is a bit of a hermit. But his mysteries are so amazing that it would seem impossible that he wasn't having dinner with the Queen or some exotic royal... every other night. Most of the cases described in this book have a certain dark intensity that leaves you with the feeling that if you don't finish the chapter that you're reading, something terrible is going to happen. So expertly does Sir Doyle describe Sherlock's extraordinary manner that you find yourself thinking that the author himself must have been a genius to think up such scenes. (I might add that it is told from Watson's point of view.) Other than more than a few drug references I see no reason that it is not a coveted favorite among kids. Three and a half stars!

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos

Hola! Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos, by R. L. LaFevers. Theodosia is a completely ordinary girl, with forgetful parents who work at a museum with a very good Egyptian wing. The thing is that the Ancient Egyptians liked curses, leaving Theodosia to deal with them. Dark magic that the artifacts contain leads her to discover a long-time battle between two secret societies, and she becomes a major factor in the outcome. I really enjoyed this book. Theodosia is a cheeky girl and is very resourceful—you can't wait to see what see gets herself into next. But even Theodosia's charming personality can't hide the rather dark undercurrents of the story. I really recommend Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos. Four stars!

Pendragon, Book One: The Merchant of Death

HO-LA. So, I think that I am going to write about Pendragon Book One: The Merchant of Death. It's by DJ MacHale, and I actually met him once, (He was super cool!), but I hadn't read any of his books at the time. Well, it's about a boy named Bobby Pendragon, who just so happens to be a Traveler! Meaning: he is one of the few people that can travel the flumes in between territories. I know, super confusing, but it's really complicated! There are 10 territories—think of them as planets that you can get to by going through tunnels through time and space. Fun! Each territory is going to have a turning point in its history, determining if there will be peace or chaos. And it is the Travelers job to see that the territories go the peaceful way. But of course, things are never that simple. Saint Dane, the shape shifting, power hungry, rather insane Traveler is ready to destroy all of the territories. All so that he can pick up the pieces and create a new place, ruled, (DUH!) by Saint Dane. So far I am on the sixth book and they are AMAZING! If, so far, you agree with my ratings for books, them you will adore the Pendragon series!!! Four and a half stars!!!

The Penderwicks

Hola! One of my favorite books is The Penderwicks, by Jeanne Birdsall. In it, four sisters, Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty, and their loving father, Martin, go on vacation to a place called Arundel in the Berkshires. There they meet a boy with, lets say, some problems. The Penderwick sisters help sort out Jeffrey's issues while getting into more trouble themselves. All in all, it is the type of feel-good book that you could read over and over and not get bored of. Four stars!

City of Fire

Hola, City of Fire by Laurence Yep is my next book. It is set in some sort of mythological San Francisco, (my home-town!) meaning that people see and understand many types of creatures, including: griffins, dragons, gods, air spirits, and many more. In this book, a twelve-year-old girl named Scirye sets out on a mission to avenge her sister and take back what was stolen from her people by a power hungry dragon and mysterious Mr. Roland. Accompanied by Leech, an unknowingly powerful boy, Koko, his sketchy companion, and Bayang, a dragon in disguise. If you are interested in books that are slightly confusing and very fantastical, City of Fire is awesome. (Personally, I like magical and confusing books, so I loved it.) Four stars! (By the way, I love the cover art!)