This Isn't Really a Review....

I have made an amazing discovery!

November is National Novel Writing Month! (Who knew right?) Anyway, I found a great website that has a challenge to write a novel in one month. Did I sign up for it? Duh. And you should too because it sounds really awesome. Obviously, I am a writer as well as a reader. Maybe sometime I'll post an excerpt from the novel I'm writing.

So you should totally check out this website.

http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo

Addiction to Fairy Tales

First of all, I apologize for taking so long to post. Now I'll tell you about a book I recently read. It earned three out of five stars for several reasons. The book is called UnEnchanted, by Chanda Hahn. Pros: Its free on Kindle! Also, the characters are very real and engaging and the plot line was great. Cons: Editing. There were grammar mistakes EVERYWHERE to a point where I wanted to go through and fix all of them because the book deserved better. Another bad thing was that the rest of the series isn't free on Kindle! I was disappointed. I won't be reading the sequel unless I can find it in a library now (which I doubt).
Anyway, the book is about Mina who is a descendant of the brothers Grimm. To break a curse set upon her family, she has to survive all of the fairy tales that her ancestors recorded. Can she manage to do so? Well, I don't know because I can't read the second book. The first is a total cliffhanger too, so of you hate those you might want to stay away.
I know that I've been posting about a ton of fairy tale books lately, but this is the last one for a while, I promise!

Entwined

The book Entwined, by Heather Dixon is a version of the classic fairytale The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Dixon tells the story of Princess Azalea and her eleven sisters, whose mother has just died. Their father, the King, is becoming distant and is leaving for war soon. What the princesses love more than anything is dancing. But with their castle in mourning, they are forbidden from doing so. Then they find a magical courtyard where the are free to dance to their heart's content. The guardian of the pavilion, Mr. Keeper, invites them to come back every night. But the girls may have made a dreadful mistake; you see, the thing about Keeper is that he likes to keep things.

Dixon has written an amazing book. I honestly hope that she will write a sequel, though with the way she ended it, I doubt that she will. This is one of those books that make you lose track of the time because you're so absorbed in it, which is what I love about it. I just finished this book, and I would retread it right now if I didn't feel obligated to have new material to review on here. If you enjoy fairy tales or retakes on fairy tales, you should definitely try this book!

My First Post About a Sequel!

So, if you've already browsed through the rest of this blog, you probably saw my rant about how amazing The Hunger Games is. And I'm not gonna lie; I reread that book way too often for my own good! So far I've mostly been posting about series as a whole, not individual books. I've decided that sometimes, I'll do an overview of a series and later I'll go and do individual books in that series. Sound good? Great.

So here's my first review of a sequel.

*ALERT: THERE ARE MILD SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T READ THE FIRST HUNGER GAMES BOOK YET.* (Sorry!)

Catching Fire is, you guessed it, the sequel to The Hunger Games. It wasn't as great as the first one, nor as epic as the third, but I wasn't disappointed. I did find it rather repetitive though, if only because Katniss finds herself in the arena yet again. What I was dying to find out about though was her relationship status with Peeta. Peeta is, quite possibly, my favorite love interest of any main character; he comes in second only to Ginny Weasley. So I'm Team Peeta. For a while though, i was undecided, I have to admit. Gale was the type of guy the heroine almost always falls for in other novels. But my heart did break for Peeta at the end of book one, when he finds out that Katniss was just putting on an act for the cameras. I just couldn't decide! So I determined that I would let Katniss do the choosing and when I found out who she picked, I would be okay with it either way.

In book two, Collins adds yet another cast of interesting tributes, including Finnick (to be played by Sam Claflin in the upcoming movie), Mags, Beetee and Wiress, and Johanna. I loved all of these characters. The clock arena was, by far, one of the most captivating mysteries to unravel in the book. I have a friend who actually drew a map of it and showed it to me. It was incredibly detailed - kudos to her.

The ending was a bit confusing to me at first; I had to reread it to fully understand what happened. But when I finally understood it, I went to the library and searched for Mockingjay immediately. I love when that happens; when all the scattered details you picked up on the book before suddenly click into place and set you up for the ultimate ending. It was like the Horcruxes in Harry Potter.

Suzanne Collins has, once again, transported us to her vivid dystopian world and made you want to laugh and cry with Katniss. The movie of this book is coming out in November 2013, I think. Will it be as good as the book? Probably not. But I'll be in that movie theater anyways.

Not Exactly a Twilight Lover

Unless you live under a rock, you've definetely heard of the Twilight series, by Stephanie Meyer. And if you've read it, you can be separated into one of two categories.

A- People who love it
or
B-People who hate it

There's somewhat of a middle ground, but very few people I've asked claim to be in it. I am though. I loved the plot line... at times. And I liked some of the characters. Except for Bella. She was irritating. Plus, there was a little too much romance. I reached a point where I was like, "Okay, I get it, they're in love. Can something exciting happen now? Please?"

But Twilight is not what I'm here to review. Stephanie Meyer has actually written a book that so surpasses Twilight that I'm amazed it's just now being made into a movie. The Host is one of my all time favorite novels. It's set in the future. Aliens have overtaken the planet and are being placed in our bodies so that we no longer have control over them. The book is written from the point of view of Wanderer, one of the alien creatures who has come to Earth. When she is put into her host body, she expects everything to go smoothly. But Melanie, the human who originally inhabited the body is still there. Trying to keep her memories safe from the creatures, Melanie blocks them out by concentrating on the face of Jared, the man she loves. Wanderer finds herself inexplicably drawn to Jared as well, and together, they set off on a quest to find him.

This book was written so much better than Twilight was. At the end of the book, I didn't find myself hating any of the characters. I was actually in love with every single one of them. Though Ian was definetely my favorite. There was romance in this novel, but not so much that I was bored by it. Plus, it was intriguing the way Wanda felt herself being pulled between Ian and Jared. And Melanie's jealousy was so real and so easy to imagine. Overall, this is a fabulous book. Five out of five stars, no questions asked. Will I be going to see the movie when it comes out?

You bet.



One more random thing: I found this blog a while ago and though you all might apreciate it. It's called 'May Every Word Tell' and it's actually what gave me the idea to start this blog. If you're trying to find books for younger readers or want strategies for getting your kids to read, you should click here to check it out! You can also find it under the tab "Want To Know More?"

And Now to the Not So Exciting Topic of Schoolwork

Now might be a good time to warn you... Not all my book reviews are going to be good. I will post about books that I didn't enjoy, to express my opinion first of all, and secondly because who knows? You may love the book I hated.

For my summer reading assignment for English, I was required to read Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton. I didn't have any specific expectations for this book, which was good.

Bleh.

That's the only word I can really think of to describe this book. Sure, the writing was rich, and the mystery of not knowing Ethan's story makes you curious, but when it came right down to it, I didn't enjoy the book.

Okay, I admit, it was probably because it didn't end the way I wanted it to. But I mean seriously! I really just wanted to punch Ethan at times. I liked Mattie, but Ethan was just plain annoying. Yes, I understand that in the time period where he lived, there weren't many options for a man like Ethan, but wow. That ending was a bit extreme.

In English class, we were talking about that fact. Our teacher explained to us that Edith Wharton did not have a successful love life, which was why she wrote the book the way she did. Her message was that love would and could never end well.

If you think that sounds exciting, then by all means, read the book. It's not very long, but the language might be more difficult to understand for some people. If you like extremely dramatic romance, then this is definetely a book for you. But reader be warned-you won't like the ending, no matter who you are.

I hate to be a downer, but my gosh, that book was depressing!

Land of Dreams

The author of Pillage, a phenomenal book series that I've already reviewed on here, has written another series that I love. Leven Thumps, by Obert Skye is about a fourteen year old boy named Leven whose life is turned upside down by the appearance of a mysterious creature named Clover. Clover claims to be a sycophant from the land of Foo, which is basically a dreamland. Leven discovers that he is an offing-someone who can see the future. Journeying to Foo with them is Winter, a girl who has the gift of ice, and a talking toothpick named Geth (can't say any more there; you'll have to read the series if you want to know what I'm talking about!).

The characters in this book are very deep and exciting to read about. The world of Foo is rich and detailed. You'll find yourself scrambling to the library to find the sequel to this book, I guarantee it! The plot lines are incredible too. Overall, this book gets a five star rating from me.

The series includes: The Gateway to Foo, The Whispered Secret, The Eyes of the Want, The Wrath of Ezra, and The Ruins of Alder.

Princesses, Wizards, and Theives, Oh My!

The Seven Realms, a series by Cinda Williams Chima, portrays a fantastic fantasy world that doesn't quite have an equal. You might ask yourself, how is it possible that the lives of a reformed street theif and a princess heir could possibly be connected? Chima finds a way to tell you exactly how, and at the same time transport you to a world of magic and mystery that you'll be dying to unravel.

 Raisa, the heir to the throne of the Fells, is being pulled into a world of politics as she gets closer to marrying age. As she talks to her friend Amon, she realizes that she really doesn't have any idea what's going on in her own kingdom. Desperate to become a better queen than her mother, Marianna, who is growing far too close to the High Wizard, Raisa sneaks out of the palace, hoping to do some good for once.

Hanson Alister can't remember a time when the silver cuffs on his wrists weren't there. His mother won't tell him why, or even how to take them off. Han is trying to earn an honest living in the world, after leaving a street gang where he gave himself a name and a reputation. When he and his friend Fire Dancer confront three young wizards setting fire to the mountain, Han thinks it will only bring trouble. But Dancer and Han manage to rid the mountain of the wizards and retrieve an amulet as well. An amulet that some say can only bring trouble.

This series deserves five stars without a doubt. I couldn't stop reading these books. Chima had created a world that will enthrall any reader.

Fairytale or Fact?

Ever heard the of the Brothers Grimm and their famous stories? Well, for Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, they're not fairytales - they're facts.

After Sabrina and Daphne's parents disappeared one day, they've been tossed from one foster family to the next. So when they're sent to live with a woman claiming to be their grandmother, they prepare for another daring escape. Their grandmother is dead; their father told them so. The woman is a lunatic too. She's constantly talking about Everafters and how the girls are descendants of the Brothers Grimm. Their stories, she claims, are history.

Seven-year-old Daphe wholeheartedly believes in what the crazy woman is telling them, but Sabrina is twelve and much more sensible. She plans a way to escape from Granny Relda, but when the woman is actually carried away by a giant, Sabrina can no longer deny that everything she thought of as false, might in fact, be true.

If you've seen the popular television series Once Upon a Time, you'll find that this series and the TV show have much in common. The overall plot is different, but many of the details match up. I found that I deeply enjoy both.

One thing I didn't like though, was Sabrina's character. She's stubborn and very protective of her younger sister, but up to a point where I was getting annoyed with her. She's very set on not being a detective like the rest of her family and tries to tell Daphne that she's wrong. Again, stubborn.

I found Daphne's character much more likable than Sabrina. She's funny and sweet and trustworthy. She's not afraid to stand up to her sister when Sabrina tells her what to do and she throws herself into the detective business like nothing else matters. I love her character!

Throughout the whole series though, my favorite character of all was Veronica. You don't meet her until one of the last few books, but she has spunk and sass and isn't afraid to kick butt.

The Scarlet Hand was a really creative idea. I liked that it seemed real and believeable. And the identity of the Master? I have to admit, I did not see that coming. And then I wanted to scream. Partially because I thought I was really stupid for not expecting it and partially because I loved his character. But I can't reveal more than that! One thing I despise is people who spoil the book in their reviews, so I won't do that.

The books in this series: The Fairy Tale Detectives, The Unusual Suspects, The Problem Child, Once Upon A Crime, Magic and Other Misdemeanors, Tales From the Hood, The Everafter War, The Inside Story, and The Council of Mirrors.

You'll Pillage Your Library Looking for the Sequel

Obert Skye is one of my favorite authors. He's extremely funny, while at the same time giving readers the action, suspense, and great characters that any winning novel deserves.

This is the story of Beck, a teenager who gets into a lot of trouble. Unfortunately, his mom has just died, making him an orphan. Beck gets sent to live with his uncle. The house- sorry, I mean mansion- that Beck's uncle owns is incredible, and apparently full of secrets. Beck has been forbidden to go into the backyard, but like I said before, he's a troublemaker. So he recruits his two new friends, Kate and Milo to help him explore. When they find, and accidentally hatch, dragon eggs though, their adventure quickly turns deadly. Can Beck save the town of Kingsplot before it's too late?                      

I can't tell you that! You'll have to read it and find out for yourself. 

 

Pillage is a great novel that anyone will love. Beck's character is amusing and courageous. You'll want to stick with him through to the end. The sequel to this book is quite good too. I really enjoyed it. I haven't had a chance to read the third book yet, but I'm planning on getting to it soon. You'll laugh, you'll stay up all night reading this, and you'll want to slap Beck across the face sometimes, but all in all, this is a book worth reading.

 

Books in the Pillagy: Pillage, Choke, and Ambush.

 

The Time Will Fly When You Read This!

The Mortal Instruments series, by Cassandra Clare, is growing more and more popular every day. I really wanted to check it out, but someone else beat me to my local library. I was left staring at the empty spot where the book had been, feeling disappointed, when something caught my eye.

The book was called Clockwork Angel. It was by the author of the Mortal Instruments series.

I read the back cover, my curiosity peaked. I found out that it was the prequel series to Mortal Instruments. It sounded really, really good too. I figured it couldn't hurt to read a prequel series first right? So I checked it out.

I couldn't put it down.

The book was amazing. It tells the story of Tessa Gray, who goes to England to live with her brother but is kidnapped by two women who are demons. They work for the Magister, who wants to use Tessa's incredible gift of shapeshifting for his own evil purposes. When Tessa is rescued by the Shadowhunters, she realizes what she is: a Downworlder. But what type of Downworlder, they don't know.

Tessa finds herself caught in a love triangle between best friends Will and Jem. The third book in this series hasn't come out yet, but I can't stop wondering who she's going to choose. Will has a dark past that isn't revealed until the second book, so for a while I was most definetely Team Jem. But when I learned what Will had gone through and the reason he acted like he did, I switched to Team Will. If you love romance combined with intrigue and action, this series is perfect for you! I loved it.

As soon as I finished the sequel, I decided to buy City of Bones, the first Mortal Instruments book, on my Kindle. I am sorry to say that I was deeply disappointed. I had extremely high expectations for that book, but I was let down. Clary, the main character in City of Bones, was great. Her, I loved. The other characters... not so much. Plus, I noticed that the book was pretty much just borrowed ideas from other books and movies squished together to create the Mortal Instruments. I didn't like the romance between Clary and Jace. It seemed to happen instantly and was almost unreal. The ending was a surprise, but I didn't like it. Also, it was borrowed from a popular movie (Star Wars) that I love, so I didn't like it very much. The worldbuilding wasn't as good in City of Bones as it was in Clockwork Angel. But I was really glad that I had read the prequel first; she explains the concept of Downworlders and gives you details in that series that Mortal Instruments lacked. I would have been lost and confused without that information.

But that's just my opinion. Maybe you'll love it though, so here's the books in each series.
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, and City of Heavenly Fire. *The final book to come out in September, 2014.
The Infernal Devices: Clockwork angel, Clockwork Prince, and Clockwork Princess. *The final book to come out in March, 2013.

The world of the Shadowhunters is unique and incredible. Check it out!

Hungry for a New Read? Try The Hunger Games!

One of my favorite books of all time is The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. I already posted breifly about it, but I decided that it's so good I'm going to post about it again!

You've probably heard of this book before, just because it is extremely popular with teens and adults. The movie came out in March, and I have to admit that I was impressed by it. They stuck to the story line and the plot wasn't totally screwed up like most of the film adaptations of novels we see nowadays. However, I enjoyed these books a lot more than the movie.

The novel is about Katniss, a sixteen year old girl living in Panem, the future America. Panem is twelve districts that surround a Capitol. Every year, to remind the districts that the Capitol is the ultimate power, they hold the Hunger Games; a competition where a boy and a girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen from every district are placed in an arena to fight to the death on live telivision. The last one standing is the winner.

Katniss had always been prepared for the worst, had always steeled herself in case they drew her name. But what she didn't account for was her little sister's name being drawn. Before she knows it, Katniss is volunteering to take her sister's place in the Games.

I won't spoil the book any more for those of you who haven't read it. I will tell you though, that it contains a spectacular love triangle that anyone will enjoy, a main character you can't stop cheering for, and scenes that make you want to cry. This book is
AMAZING. Suzanne Collins is a truly gifted writer and she shows us that in this series. The other books in the series are Catching Fire and Mockingjay. These books are for YA readers. There is some violence that might be concerning for younger readers.

Also take note-Mockingjay is a very complicated book that can be kind of hard to understand. The first time I read it, I remember being totally confused as to why Katniss was doing what she was doing or why it ended the way it did. Then I reread it recently and had a lightbulb moment because it all sort of clicked inside my head and everything made sense. I was kind of frustrated towards the end by some of the characters who ended up dying... but I won't say any more about that.

I will say that I LOVED the way it ended! Though I know a lot of people who were disappointed and though that Katniss would choose differently, I was thrilled.

All in all, this is definetely a series worth reading. All of my reluctant reader friends who have picked this up have fallen in love with it and if you like to talk about books (like me) this one is known by pretty much everyone.

I'm an Obsessed Bookworm

My name is Alex and I love to read. If you take me to the library, I'll come out the door with five to ten books in my arms. I decided to create this blog to reccomend and rate books. I love science fiction and fantasy books more than anything.

So for starters, here's a list of some of my favorites.

The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling.
Anyone who thinks they can get away with just watching these movies is wrong. The books are amazingly written, with great plots and characters. Probably best for kids in 4th grade or higher.
The series includes: The Sorcerer's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Goblet of Fire, The Order of the Pheonix, The Half-Blood Prince, and The Deathly Hallows.







The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.
Ever heard of dystopian novels? This is one of my favorites. Best for YA readers.
This series includes: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay.









The Warrior Heir, by Cinda Williams Chima.
An exciting story of wizards and warriors with an ending no one will expect. I guarantee you will love this novel.
This series includes: The Warrior Heir, The Wizard Heir, and The Dragon Heir.









More extensive reviews of these books and more to come later!