Thursday, January 27, 2011

Soulstice by Simon Holt

This review may contain spoilers of previous books in the series.
Summary:(from back of book). Six months... Since Reggie first discovered the existence of the Vours in a tattered journal. Since her little brother Henry, began to mutilate animals and turn against her. Since she learned to overcome her fear and destroyed a Vour to save Henry. Now as the summer solstice approaches, the Vours still haunt Reggie, but only in her dreams- until one night,  when an unexpected visitor turns her nightmares into reality.
Review: This book was just OK. I mean I liked it but it felt like a big part of the plot wasn't really necessary and once it was over it wasn't mentioned for the rest of the book. I guess you could argue that it was to emphasize Reggie's ability but I think that was done enough. I would have rather learned more about the Vours and how their world operated. I also felt like this book largely followed the same plot line as the last one. Of course there wasn't any build up but parts of it felt repetitive.  On the other hand, there were a few things that were surprising. The ending was particularly exciting. The ending was a cliffhanger that will lead to interesting finale to the series. I also like the way the fearscapes are described. Holt has a great way of showing the fear that these characters have been living in. I think the way the Vours operate is interesting.
I still like the characters But Reggie was kind of annoying in this book. Overall, I like this series and will probably read the last book when I can get my hands on it.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

The Devouring by Simon Holt

Summary:(from book jacket) The Vours: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice. When Reggie reads about the Vours in a mysterious old journal, she assumes the are just the musings of an anonymous lunatic. but when her little brother Henry, begins to act strangely, it's clear that these creatures exist beyond a madwoman's imagination, and Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to life. To save the people she loves, Reggie must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. Can she devour her own fears before they devour her?
Review: I liked this book. I don't read very much horror but I thought this book was really great. It was exciting, scary and entertaining. Of course it was a little bit slow at the beginning because a lot of it was the setup for the rest of the series. However, once Reggie and her friends fully believed in the existence of the Vours things picked up quickly. I found a few things to be predictable. My main problem was that it was a little bit hard to follow sometimes. At a few points in the story it was confusing as to what was going on. Other than that though I liked this book and am excited to read the rest of the series.
 I liked the characters in the book as well. Reggie and Henry were both great characters, but i have to say my favorite was Aaron. He was so unique and cool and that really made him stand out. I also liked his and Reggie's fascination with horror stories.
 Overall, this is a promising start to a new series. Lucky for me the next two books have already been released so I won't have to wait for the sequels (at least not yet). Anyone who wants to read a scary story should start here.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Summary:(from back of book) Why can't you choose what you forget... and what you remember? There's a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty four year old girlfriend. Like Zoey's fear that the whole town will find out about her mom's nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she's the perfect daughter, the perfect student and the perfect girlfriend to ultra popular football player boyfriend. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there's one thing she can't remember at all- the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug- of all people- suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all important details of her life- a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.
Review: I had mixed feelings about this book. I liked the fact that the reader is slowly discovering what really happened slowly along with Zoey. This led to a few surprises and some that were more predictable. I also liked the romance aspect although there were a few scenes that were a little more graphic than I would have liked. However, I though this was a really sweet yet somewhat intense story. One things got more intense in the second half of the book I was hooked and couldn't put it down.
I thought the characters were really cool. I liked them and thought the story was relate able but for some reason I wasn't completely connected to the characters. Maybe it was because i spend the entire book slightly annoyed at at least one of them. Despite that though, Doug is awesome he is definitely my favorite character. There were a few things that bugged me. First, Zoeys dad's reaction to her crash and memory loss. It's made clear that he isn't the best father in the world. But the way he acted was downright mean and it bugged me. The other thing that bothered me and was a little bit more important to the story line was Zoey's definition of "boyfriend". I don't want to give anything away but it was annoying that she seemed to use the term a little loosley. i think this is part of the reason I didn't realate to her very well.
Overall, I thought this book was a nice romantic read. Although I did have a few small complaints as a whole i did like it and will probably read some of Echols other writing.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld

This review may contain spoilers of previous books in the series.
Summary:(from book jacket) The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker powers. Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally, together aboard the airship Leviathan they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory. Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies and brave hearts to face what's ahead.
Review: I really liked this book. It was full of action and excitement and there was a cliffhanger ending. I don't know if I can't wait to see how this story will end. There were surprising twists that kept my attention through the slower parts of the book. I don't really have any knowledge of what really went on during the war but that didn't really matter as far as getting into the story. I also really like the illustrations scattered throughout the book. I think it would be harder to imagine this alternate world without them.
 I really like the characters in this story. The characters and story are richly detailed and so believable. I think that's what makes the story so great. I think Alek is my favorite character. He can be stubborn and foolish at times but overall, he is just so awesome. I also like Volger he is so funny sometimes. All the characters are so believable and great.
 Anyway, I recommend this book to anyone who wants an awesome alternate version of history. This series is great and i can't wait to see what happens next.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Entice by Carrie Jones

This review may contain spoilers of previous books in the series.
Summary:(from book jacket). Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever. But that's not how things have worked out. For starters, well, Nick is gone. He's been taken to some mythic place for warriors called Valhalla, where Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. It's not going to be easy. Meanwhile, Bedford needs its warriors more than ever, since a group of evil pixies is devastating the place, with teens going missing every day. An all out war seems imminent. But even if Zara and her friends can find the way to Valhalla, there's the other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to leave with her? Especially considering she hasn't turned into just any pixie... She's Astley's queen.
Review: I thought this book was just OK. I like this series and was really excited to read this at the end of Captivate, but it just fell short for me. First of all, I thought the pixies kidnapping all the boys throughout town wasn't a big enough part of the story. Throughout most of the book the focus was rescuing Nick. Which isn't a bad thing, but the other two books dealt a lot  with protecting the innocent people in the town from the evil pixes. I felt like this book didn't have enough of that and it made it not really fit with the rest of the series. I guess I should have expected it after the way things ended in the last book I didn't. My only other problem was the fact that the plot seemed a little bit repetitive in some parts. I don't want to give anything away but it got a little old.
Despite that though, there were things I did like. I enjoyed Zara dealing with her new found status as a pixie queen and what that really means. She also had to deal with regaining the trust of those around her and proving that she is still the same person on the inside. Zara's struggle with becoming pixie was probably one of my favorite elements of the story.
 I also really like all of the characters in the book. Zara is so awesome. She seems like someone I would want to spend time with(apart from her being a pixie). All of Zara's friends are also really great and entertaining. I liked Astley a lot more than I expected, he is really sweet. And of course I already loved Nick. I have heard a little bit about teams for these two guys forming among fans but to me it seems like Zara has already chosen. Honestly though, after reading this book I can't say how I really feel about that.
Anyway I really like this series this book just wasn't my favorite. I am really excited to find out what happens next.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Summary:(from book jacket) Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?
Review: This book is really good. I haven't read very many books about werewolves but I thought this one was very entertaining. It was a mix of intense action and sweet romance. I thought some things that happened toward the end were predictable and I think this ended in a good place for the sequel to pick up, which I am really excited about. Also, some things about this book reminded me of Matched by Ally Condie. They both have forbidden love and an over controlling society that takes away freedom of choice. Of course, these stories are different they just have similar characteristics. If you liked some of those things about Matched you will probably like this one too.
I also liked a lot of the characters in this book. Calla is a strong leader but also just comes across as being a relate able character. I liked Shay a lot too. He is really sweet and awesome. I thought all of the new pack was really funny and cool. On the other hand, some of the characters were not quite as charming. There were certain parts of the story that kind of bothered me. I think these scenes were added to show how controlled and helpless the Guardians really are, but it bugged me that it was so acceptable. That was the only thing that I didn't like about the whole book.
  I think anyone who is looking for an awesome series to read should definitely  pick this one up. I can't wait for the sequel.

Monday, January 3, 2011

The Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

This review may contain spoilers if you haven't read previous books in the series.
Summary:(from book jacket) Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir's Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off- limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come. Now the law has finally caught up with Rose- for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir. But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back... and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?
 Review: This book was awesome. I have been in love with this series for a while and this final installment didn't disappoint. The majority of the book is focused on finding out who really killed Tatiana and clearing Rose's name. As more and more pieces to the puzzle are revealed the story becomes intense and exciting. This book was full of surprising twists that kept me reading until the end. Although, the plot isn't all that fast paced it still kept me exctied for its near 600 pages.
I absolutely love all the characters in this series. There are too many to name but let me just say that Rose and her group of friends are so awesome. I also like the unique take on vampires that this series has. The world of Moroi and dhampir is different that most other vampire series that I've read. This series is far from the typical scary vampire story, which I think is awesome. I just wish this book wasn't the last, although I believe there is a spinoff series in the works, not sure when it's going to be released though.
 I recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of any other vampire series I think you will love it just as much as I do.