Thursday, May 28, 2009

Book Shelf ---- Books that I'll soon be review/reading

So I decided to show you a bunch of reviews that will be coming up with the books that I have planned to read. More books may be reviewed this then this, but this is all the books I have on my list that I currently have at home. Anyways please enjoy XD.

Wings by Aprilynne Pike
Bio: Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.(From Barnes And Noble)


The Secret of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel: The Alchemyst
Bio: He holds the secret that can end the world.
The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life.
The records show that he died in 1418.
But his tomb is empty.
The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.
Sometimes legends are true.
And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.
Wicked Lovely By Melissa Marr
Bio:
Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything. (From Harper Collins)

Fragile Eternity By Melissa Marr
Bio: Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone—but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he'd ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who'd always terrified her—but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she'd ever imagined.In Melissa Marr's third mesmerizing tale of Faerie, Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and each other in a milieu of shadowy rules and shifting allegiances, where old friends become new enemies and one wrong move could plunge the Earth into chaos.(From Amazon Canada)
The Sweet Far Thing By Libba Bray
Bio:IT HAS BEEN A YEAR OF CHANGE since Gemma Doyle arrived at the foreboding Spence Academy. Her mother murdered, her father a laudanum addict, Gemma has relied on an unsuspected strength and has discovered an ability to travel to an enchanted world called the realms, where dark magic runs wild. Despite certain peril, Gemma has bound the magic to herself and forged unlikely new alliances. Now, as Gemma approaches her London debut, the time has come to test these bonds. The Order - the mysterious group her mother was once part of - is grappling for control of the realms, as is the Rakshana. Spence's burned East Wing is being rebuilt, but why now? Gemma and her friends see Pippa, but she is not the same. And their friendship faces its gravest trial as Gemma must decide once and for all what role she is meant for. (From RandomHouse)
The Secret Of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel, The Sorceress
Bio:
Nicholas Flamel's heart almost broke as he watched his beloved Paris crumble before him. The city was destroyed by Dee and Machiavelli, but Flamel played his own role in the destruction. Sophie and Josh Newman show every sign of being the twins of prophecy, and Flamel had to protect them and the pages from the Dark Elders. But Nicholas grows weaker with each passing day. Perenelle is still trapped in Alcatraz, and now that Scatty has gone missing, the group is without protection. Except for Clarent—the twin sword to Excalibur. But Clarent’s power is unthinkable, its evil making it nearly impossible to use without its darkness seeping into the soul of whoever wields it. If he hopes to defeat Dee, Nicholas must find an Elder who can teach Josh and Sophie the third elemental magic—Water Magic. The problem? The only one who can do that is Gilgamesh, and he is quite, quite insane. (From Barnes And Noble)

Rebel Angels By Libba Bray
Bio:
Ah, Christmas! Gemma Doyle is looking forward to a holiday from Spence Academy, spending time with her friends in the city, attending ritzy balls, and on a somber note, tending to her ailing father. As she prepares to ring in the New Year, 1896, a handsome young man, Lord Denby, has set his sights on Gemma, or so it seems. Yet amidst the distractions of London, Gemma’s visions intensify–visions of three girls dressed in white, to whom something horrific has happened, something only the realms can explain. . . .The lure is strong, and before long, Gemma, Felicity, and Ann are turning flowers into butterflies in the enchanted world of the realms that Gemma alone can bring them to. To the girls’ great joy, their beloved Pippa is there as well, eager to complete their circle of friendship. But all is not well in the realms–or out. The mysterious Kartik has reappeared, telling Gemma she must find the Temple and bind the magic, else great disaster will befall her. Gemma’s willing to do his intrusive bidding, despite the dangers it brings, for it means she will meet up with her mother’s greatest friend–and now her foe, Circe. Until Circe is destroyed, Gemma cannot live out her destiny. But finding Circe proves a most perilous task.(From Barnes and Noble)

The S
ecrets of The Immortal Nicholas Flammel, The Magician
Bio:
AFTER FLEEING OJAI, Nicholas, Sophie, Josh, and Scatty emerge in Paris, the City of Lights. Home for Nicholas Flamel. Only this homecoming is anything but sweet. Perenell is still locked up back in Alcatraz and Paris is teeming with enemies. Nicollo Machiavelli, immortal author and celebrated art collector, is working for Dee. He's after them, and time is running out for Nicholas and Perenell. For every day spent without the Book of Abraham the Mage, they age one year—their magic becoming weaker and their bodies more frail. For Flamel, the Prophesy is becoming more and more clear.It's time for Sophie to learn the second elemental magic: Fire Magic. And there's only one man who can teach it to her: Flamel's old student, the Comte de Saint-Germain—alchemist, magician, and rock star. Josh and Sophie Newman are the world's only hope—if they don't turn on each other first.(From Fantastic Fiction)

Luthiel's Song By Robert Marston Fanney
Bio:
First Summer's Eve has come and all elves celebrate as the black moon's shadow fades from the world. It is also Luthiel's fifteenth birthday. With it come two extraordinary and dangerous surprises: a Wyrd Stone, its silvery heart a window into a world of dreams and nightmares, and a Blade Dancer, dreaded protector of the Faelands, who bears a dark message. Instead of celebration, Luthiel is given a terrible choice: if she does nothing, someone she loves deeply will die. Or to save a life, she can break the most perilous law of the Faelands, and venture alone to the Vale of Mists. If she chooses the journey, she must race Othalas -- eldest and most feared of all the werewolves -- past great back spiders who weave webs out of nightmares, through glittering mists with the power to reshape flesh, and at last into death by the teeth of dark and ancient Vyrl, who feed on the blood of elves. Either choice will bring death -- unless Luthiel can find the secret in her remarkable Stone, a secret that even the nightmares fear. (From Amazon.com)

The Kite Runner By Rhaled Hosseini
Bio:
The Kite Runner follows the story of Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman in Kabul, and Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant. As children in the relatively stable Afghanistan of the early 1970s, the boys are inseparable. They spend idyllic days running kites and telling stories of mystical places and powerful warriors until an unspeakable event changes the nature of their relationship forever, and eventually cements their bond in ways neither boy could have ever predicted. Even after Amir and his father flee to America, Amir remains haunted by his cowardly actions and disloyalty. In part, it is these demons and the sometimes impossible quest for forgiveness that bring him back to his war-torn native land after it comes under Taliban rule. ("...I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.") (From Amazon.com)

---Tomorrow I will have a new review up, it's of the book Mackenzie Blue by Tina Wells. Anyway it's almost been a month since I started Monster of Books and I'm very happy. XD

Friday, May 22, 2009

Evermore (First Book In Immortal Series) ----Book Review #6


Author: Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Ratings:

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, here their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school---but everything changes when she meets Damen Aguste. Damen is gorgeous, exotic, and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head---wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is----or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him. (From The back of the book, Evermore By Alyson Noel)


I really, really, really, loved this book. It was very fast paced and I didn't get bored with it. I've read mixed reviews and this book and have doubts about reading it myself but when I started reading it I couldn't stop. The characters are very realistic, well almost realistic. It does have similartys to Twilight (gorgeous guy, girl trying to kill girl,ect) but what I notice that the books difer is a) Twilight was a bit to slow and dragged in parts *my opinion* and b) Even though both are narrated by the main protagaonist *aka Bella/Ever*, Ever is not totally obbessed with Damen and even resists him at times. I found Ever to be more realistic then Bella. Bella is a bit to obbessed and clingly and I bet Ever could live without Damen but Bella really couldn't. I know this sounds bad and I'm not trying to get "twilight fans" mad but it's just what I noticed. A lot of people have compared this book and I have seen the similaties but I find one a bit more realistic then the other. I enjoyed Twilight, I've seen the more, but I liked Evermore better. Anyways the story is well written *reminds me of how I write stories*, very fun to read, and will have you craving for more. I didn't hate anything really. I really recommend this, and I'm very excited to read the sequel. This is my first book that has gotten : Maura's Choice (Which is like five stars). Anyways here's the book trailer:


Sunday, May 17, 2009

Fate by Jennifer Lynn Barnes ----- Book Review #5


Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Rating:

For the past two years, Bailey Morgan has lived a double life: high school student by day, ancient mystical being by night. As the third Fate, Bailey literally controls the destiny of the world, but as Plain Old Bailey, she sees her life falling apart. She's got a tattoo that was supposed to be temporary but isn't, friendship that were supposed to last forever but might not, and no idea what her future holds after graduation. Then Bailey meets the rest of the Sidhe, an ancient race defined by power, beauty, and a sinister habit of getting what they want at any cost. Before Bailey knows it, she's drawn into an Otherworldly web more complicated than anything she weaves as a mortal Fate. Senior year is a time for choices. A time for temptation. A time for Bailey Morgan to figure out, once and for all, who and what she wants to be. Or does she really have any choice in the matter at all? (From The Back Of The Book, Fate by Jennifer Lynn Barnes)


I recommend for anyone who wishes to read this to read the first book, Tattoo by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. This book was fairly good. Their was only one real fault to it in my opinion. But I'll talk about that later. First I would like to say that Jennifer did an amazing job in this sequel it just as good as Tattoo in the fact that the characters are well described and the dialog is well written. Tattoo was a interesting book that was a real page turner and I was happy to read a sequel and have the four best friends continue their journey of otherwordly events. Even though they've grown up I can still picture them as I did two years ago when I read Tattoo. Even though it's been Tattoo I still have their first book adventure in my mind (this shows you how one book can really stick with you if it's well described or well written). Now the fault with this book is that I found the love realtionship between Bailey and Alec not really developed good enough. It wasn't that it was two rushed it was more like it didn't have enough time to develop. So by the end of the book it not developed enough *in my opinion* which left a really not-so-great-ending. I found reading this book was very hard to read at times and I couldn't finish it in one sitting. It took me a week to read this book. I found I read a bit slower so I could understand what was going on. Why I recommend for people to read the first book first is because even though I read the original I still have forgotten things which are mention in here and aren't completely explain and can seem confusing. They were to me. Anyways on my scale this book deserves a 3 star rating. Don't get me wrong this was a absolutely good sequel for such a well done book like Tattoo. Next book review is Evermore.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

The Silver Blade By Sally Gardner ----Review #4


Author: Sally Gardner
Publisher: Orion Children's Books
Rating:

With Sido safely in England and the Terror at it's height, Yann returns to France to smuggle out aristocratic refugees who will otherwise face the guillotine. But when Sido is kidnapped, he must use all his strength and courage to outwit the evil Count Kalliovski, and rescue her for a second time. (From www.orionbooks.co.uk)

--------------------------------------------------------------
The blade of the guillotine falls on the neck of the King himself, and the spirit of the French Revolution lies in tatters. The Reign of Terror has begun. Yann Margoza, the mysterious young man known as the magician, is helping desperate people to escape to London, where Sido, the girl he loves, waits to hear from him. But Yann's past haunts him. He is in grave danger, and so is Sido. For under the streets of Paris, in the catacombs, the howl of a great beast can be heard. And a boy with angelic looks and an evil heart is ready to do the bidding of a man who has made a pact with the devil. (From The Back Cover Of The Book)

The sequel to the amazing 'The Red Necklace' was pretty good but not as good as the original. I didn't find this book slow at all, it was fast pace and like the first one the writing was brilliant and vivid and will draw you in with every word you read. What made it not so good as the original was I felt some characters who are newly introduced into the series really didn't have time to develop through the whole book so I was disappointed with that. I didn't enjoy the ending and thought it could of ended a bit differently and had more action in it. My favorite character, Sido, was not really in the book until the ending of it which was a bit disappoint. The nice thing about Sido and Yann is they remind me of Romeo and Juliet, but I won't tell you if they have a tragic ending or a a happily ever after ending.
The last thing that bothered me is some parts were down right confusing. This isn't a big thing because the parts that were confusing you'd usually figure out later on your own or you just keep reading. I also was kind of disappointed with myself because I don't know much about the French Revolution so a lot of information about the French Revolution in here, other then the prisions, guillotine, and that a lot of rich people were killed, made little sense to me. But because I don't know about the French Revolution, this book makes me want to learn about this.
I must say, if you've read The Red Necklace then you don't want to miss this amazing sequel. I knew the instances I found out that their was a sequel I had to read it and I wasn't disappoint (except for the ending). I urge readers who haven't read this series by Sally Gardner to read the 'The Red Necklace' or for those who have read it to read The Silver Blade.
By the way, why I put two bios up there is because I couldn't decide which one to pick. Also in my opinion I believe for those who haven't read The Red Necklace to read it first because I really can't see people who haven't read the first one to read this one and understand. Like you'd probably understand whats going on this book but some of the stuff that happens in the last book continue in this book. I won't say anymore, anyways I hope you enjoy this review and will go read The Red Necklace and The Silver Blade.



Thursday, May 7, 2009

A Great And Terrible Beauty By Libba Bray (1st Novel in the trilogy) ----Review #3"

Gemma Doyle isn't like other girls. Girls with impeccable manners, who speak when spoken to, who remember what their station, and who will lie back and think of England when it's required of them. No, sixteen-year old Gemma is an island unto herself, sent to the Spence Academy in London after tragedy strikes her family in India. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma finds a chilly reception. But she's not completely alone...she's been followed by a mysterious young man, who warns her to close her mind against the visions. For it's at Spence that Gemma's power to attract the supernatural unfolds; there she becomes entangled with the school's most powerful girls and discovers her mother's connection to a shadowy group called the Order. It's there that her destiny waits...if only she can believe in it.
(
From the back of Book of 'A Great And Terrible Beauty' by Libba Bray)

WOW! Where do I begin? The writing style is...different. It's written mostly in diary type style where it's all Gemma's point of view including the narriation. At first this was really weird for me to read this type of style so I was really slow at reading it, but as the novel progresses her writing style changes. Did anyone notice that? Or was that just me? I mean read the first page and then read a page that's near the end and I think you can notice it. Anyways, theirs a reason this book is a bestseller, it's because it's a really good story and it's interesting. The writing is unique and different which sets it apart from other books. It's wonderfully described and almost instantly you can imagine the characters and the places and you really feel as if your the characters and this is happening to you. Their is many quotes in the book which I adore to death and will probably almost always treasure. Such as: "In every end, there is also a beginning.", "You mind is not a cage. It's a garden. And it requires cultivating."

It's a excellent book I'm not going to lie, it can be long in parts and be slow and their wasn't enough of the mysterious young man as I would of like their to be. Also the biography on the back of the book only got my attention because of the supernatural part, if it hadn't had said that then I probably wouldn't have read it. I think even though I enjoyed this book, and it's the start of the trilogy, I will not read the sequel of it for a while. I think these book need to be taken in small portion, I don't think I could real all three of them in a week or two weeks to be honest. Also while I was reading this book I couldn't stop thinking about another book that is kind of similar to it so that really put a damper on me reading this. I have no negative things to say about this book it's simply amazing. Yes it can be slow at times, but that's pretty much it. I enjoyed it overall and hope people who haven't read this will. Or who are thinking of reading this will. My favorite character was Gemma because me and her are both very similar.

Author:Libba Bray
Publisher: Random House
Ratings:

Monday, May 4, 2009

Wondrous Strange By Lesley Livingston ---- Review #2

Author:Lesley Livingston
Publisher:Harper Trophy Canada, 2008
Ratings:
For seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow, faeries are just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery, whose steel-gray eyes mask an equally steely determination to protect her.

Sonny guards the Samhain Gate, which connects the mortal realm with the Faerie's enchanted, dangerous Otherworld. Usually kept shut by order of icy King Auberon, the Gate stands open but once a year.

This year, as the time approaches when the Samhain Gate will swing wide and nightmarish Fae will fight their way into an unsuspecting human world, something different is happening . . . something wondrous and strange. And Kelley's eyes are opening not just to the Faerie that surround her but to the heritage that awaits her. Now Kelley must navigate deadly Faerie treachery, and her growing feelings for Sonny.
(From Amazon.ca)


For a debut novel it was good, I enjoyed the story and how it was planned out. In my honest opinion I've never read a story like this and how Lesley Livingston made it turn out. I've read a bunch of faerie books in my life, but none like this so that was a bonus. I enjoyed the adventure and stuff but what really bothered me about this book, sorry to do the complaining first, was that the characters weren't really developed good enough in my opinion. I mean by the end of the story I couldn't really tell you one personality trait about Sonny or Kelly other then Sarcasm and easily fooled. I also felt the love was a bit too rushed. Maybe I'll have a better sense of the characters in the second novel, because this is a trilogy. I mean don't get me wrong I didn't hate this book I enjoyed it, or loved it, but this one thing bothered me throughout haft of the book.I think Lesley left the book off in a good place and will have readers itching for more. The author is very good with making plot twists and little surprises in the book that you'll never guess from the beginning. She writes with words that will attract readers and keep them reading till the very end. Parts of the book are a bit slow whereas other parts aren't. Some of the stuff happening was a bit too rushed and made me confused. (Ex; introduction of the Janus Guards and the story on the merry-go-round) I think anyone whose looking for fantasy, faeries ,adventure, and romance should read this book. I don't think Lesley Livingston's book will disappoint readers who are wanting to read this or are looking for a new book to read. The author did Awesome on her debut novel. I'm most honestly looking forward to the sequel of Wondrous strange.

Friday, May 1, 2009

List Of Books I have Reviewed

List Of Books That I have Reviewed
Here is a list of books that I have reviewed. They're labeled by book title, alphabetically.

A
A Great & Terrible Beauty - Libba Bray
A Spy in The House - Y.S Lee
All These Things I've Done - Gabrielle Zevin
Arson - Estevan Vega
Aurelia - Anne Osterlund

B
Beastly - Alex Flinn
Beautiful Creatures - Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Betrayed (House Of Nights Novel #2) - P.C & Kristin Cast
Blood Feud - Alyxandra Harvey
Blood Red Road - Moira Young
Blue Moon - Alyson Noel
Boys that Bite - Mari Mancusi

C
Captivate (Need #2) - Carrie Jones
Cathy's Key - Sean Stewart & Jordan Weisman
Cathy's Ring - Sean Stewart & Jordan Weisman
Cat O'Nine Tails (Cat Royal Adventure #4) - Julia Golding
City of Lost Souls - Cassandra Clare

D
Darkness Becomes Her - Kelly Keaton
Darkness Before Dawn - J.A. London
Deadly Little Secrets - Laurie Faria Stolarz
Death Cloud -Andrew Lane
Devil's Kiss - Sarwat Chadda
Die for Me - Amy Plum

E
Evermore - Alyson Noel
Evernight - Claudia Gray


F
Fallen - Lauren Kate
Fallen Angel - Heather Terrell
Fate - Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Finnikin of the Rock - Melina Marchetta

G

Generation Dead - Daniel Waters
Glimmerglass - Jenna Black

H
Halo - Alexandra Adornetto
Hearts At Stake - Alyxandra Harvey
Heist Society - Ally Carter
Hold Still - Nina Lacour
Hourglass - Claudia Gray
Hush Hush - Becca Fizpatrick

I
Immortals - Gillian Shield
Infinite Days - Rebecca Maizel
Ink - Amanda Sun
Insatiable - Meg Cabot
Invisible Line - Mary Amato

L
Living Dead Girl - Elizabeth Scott

M
Mackenzie Blue: The Secret Crush - Tina Wells
Magic Under Glass - Jaclyn Dolamore
Marked (House Of Night) - P.C & Kristin Cast
Mieradome - Kate Hegarty
Mistwood - Leah Cypress
Morganville Vampire Series (Books 1-4) - Rachel Caine

N
Need - Carrie Jones
Nightshade- Andrea Cremer
No and Me - Delphine de Vigan


O
Once a Witch - Carolyn MacCullough

P
Paranormalcy- Kiersten White
Poison Study - Maria V. Snyder
Prophecy of the Sisters - Michelle Zink

R

Ruby - Amanda Taber
S
Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flammel: The Alchemyst - Micheal Scott
Seriously...I'm Kidding - Ellen Degeneres
Shadow Hills - Anastasia Hopcus
Shadowland (The Immortals #3) - Alyson Noel
Shadowspell (Faeriewalker #2) - Jenna Black
Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater
Sing me to Sleep - Angela Morrison
Skeleton Creek - Patrick Carmen
Stargazer - Claudia Gray

T

The Awakening
- Kelly Armstrong
The Book of Blood and Shadow - Robin Wasserman
The Dark Divine- Bree Despain
The Darkest Minds - Alexandra Bracken
The Elite (The Selection #2) - Kiera Cass
The Emerald Talisman - Brenda Pandos
The Eternal Ones - Kirsten Miller
The Gardener - S.A Bodeen
The Girl at Midnight - Melissa Grey
The Iron King - Julie Kagawa
The Lost Saint - Bree Despain
The Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong
The Red Necklace- Sally Gardner
The Selection - Kiera Cass
The Silver Blade - Sally Gardner
The Summoning - Kelly Armstrong

U
Unearthly - Cynthia Hand

V
Vampire Diaries (The Awakening & The Struggle) - L.J Smith
Vampire Kisses: Royal Blood - Ellen Schreiber
Velvet - Temple West


W

Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr
Wings - Aprilynne Pike
Wondrous Strange - Lesley Livingston

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