If I Stay Duology (If I Stay/Where She Went) Book Review

Hi Guys,

Today I am going to be reviewing the If I Stay duology by Gayle Forman. This duology is composed of If I Stay and Where She Went. I will also share some of my thoughts on the If I Stay film. I actually listened to both of these novels as audiobooks. I actually had mixed feelings about these audiobooks, and I will share some of my feelings on those as well. But first, here is the synopsis of If I Stay from Goodreads:

"Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?
Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters."

Book Review Mash-Up (1) *13 to Life/Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe/The 100/Beautiful Disaster/White Cat/Obsidian*

Hi Guys,
Today I'm going to be doing a Review Mash-Up of 6 books that I've read anywhere from 2 months ago to 3 years ago. Some of these books were very good, while others were simply mediocre. I put these books together because of the fact that I only remember certain things from each of these books because I failed at posting a review as I read them. The general ideas, and some major happenings are still in my memory bank, but most situations from these books are forever lost until I decide to pick these books up again, if I ever decide to. The books I will be reviewing are:

• 13 to Life by Shannon Delany
• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
• The 100 by Kass Morgan
• Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
• White Cat by Holly Black
• Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

If you would like to read the synopsis of any of these novels, just click on the title of that book above and it will direct you to the Goodreads page for said book.

Pretty Little Liars Book Review

Hi Guys,
I'm sorry I didn't post a review this weekend. It's been because of homework/projects/events going on during my weekend. Anyway, this week's book review will be on a book I read a few summers ago, Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard. I know, you're probably thinking, "This is really girly, I mean just look at the cover, why would you read this?" This is exactly what I thought about it until I heard more. Here's the synopsis from Goodreads:

Everyone has something to hide-especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily and Hanna.
Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful. But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.
How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and the dirty secrets they've kept. And guess what? I'm telling.
-A

My first impression of this was that it was definitely a "chick-book", I don't see me, or any other guy, ever picking this up to read. This reaction was apparently just made off of the cover alone. One day in class my friend was talking about an all new show that was really good, and would "beat out the Vampire Diaries TV show," (close, but no cigar). At the time I didn't think I would watch it because I saw the cover of the book at a book store, I knew it would be girly... well, one day while at home, I had absolutely nothing to do, and the first episode of this show was on for a re-run, and I decided I might as well, and I've been watching the show ever since. The show is inevitably what made me want to read the book in the first place. The show is amazing, and although I've only read the first book, I continue to watch the show every Tuesday night. This definitely has some "girly" aspects to it, but overall it isn't really too girly. There are a lot of  secrets, mystery, suspense, and characters. My favorite character to read about is Aria, then a close second is Spencer (she kind of reminds me of myself a little). The other characters kind of fell flat to me in this novel, on the show however, I like all of them. The events that happen in this novel are basically what happens within the first three episodes. I like this book I give it 4/5 stars, just because it had some things that I just got bored reading about. If you haven't checked out this series/show... do it now, they're really good. Guys, don't be afraid that it looks to "girly", it isn't too bad, and it's probably the best mystery book I've ever read. I really need to catch up on these books, they're already in season 3 of the show... Yikes, I'm quite a slacker when it comes to this series. If you guys want me to put the next couple books of these higher on my TBR, just comment letting me know, otherwise it's about midway through my TBR pile, but don't fret, I at least have it bought on my new kindle, so I could start it any time.

The Long Walk Book Review

Hi Guys,
This week I'm going to review The Long Walk by Richard Bachman, which is a pseudonym for Stephen King. This, as King has confessed, is the first novel he's written. I never really had an urge to read a Stephen King book, I don't know why I didn't want to, but none of them really seemed that interesting to me. I didn't know what all the "King Rage" was about. After reading this novel, I now know why he has so many fans, and I also plan on reading most of his other books. Here is the synopsis of this book:

Every year, on the first day of May, one hundred teenage boys meet for an event known throughout the country as "The Long Walk." Among this yea's chosen crop is sixteen-year-old Ray Garraty. He knows the rules: that warnings are issued if you fall under speed, stumble, sit down. That after three warnings...you get your ticket. And what happens then serves as a chilling reminder that thee can be only one winner in the Walk--the one that survives...

My first impression of this book, as you all know, was poor. I didn't want to read any famous Stephen King book, let alone a lesser known story of his. The only reason I picked it up is because a vlogger that I follow, Priscilla a.k.a. the founder of "The Readables", posted her March book haul video and this was one of her books for "Epic Month". A friend of her's told her that the synopsis of the Hunger Games reminded him of The Long Walk. This video was posted a couple weeks before The Hunger Games movie was released, and since I wasn't going to re-read the Hunger Games, I decided to read this until the movie was released. This is one of King's lesser known works, but it was phenomenal. I thought that the characters, the plot, and all other aspects of this book were amazing. Since the plot of this book was constant, the characters are what the book rested upon. I LOVED IT! I love reading about characters, and King made me change my opinion on certain characters several times. For instance, Barkovitch is a character that I changed my opinion of numerous times... Olson is another example. Ray was a pretty good main character, I liked him at first, but then towards the end my feelings started to change in a negative way. I know that the walk is a stressful experience, but he didn't have to change so drastically, in my perspective. My favorite character was McVries, who was a close friend of Ray's from the beginning of the Long Walk. There friendship grew stronger with every hour that passed... both of them saving the others life a time or two. As it grew stronger though, it also grew weirder, a few conversations came up that I was a little uncomfortable reading, but they were dismissed quickly in the book, normally by another conversation. The book had a lot of vulgar language and sexual references, but I mean... they are teenaged boys. I give this book 4/5 stars because of the constant vulgarity, but other than that it was an amazing read. I recommend it to anyone. As an extra bit of pretty cool info... while I was reading the Long Walk, I had my Ipod on shuffle, and when I finished the book, the song "Teenage Wasteland" by "The Who" was playing... and I thought it matched the mood very well. I would definitely re-read this novel. I loved the characters, I loved the plot, and I LOVED the plot twists at the end. I just wish I knew what the winner wished for...

Additional Announcement: The film rights for this movie have already been bought, but they have no intentions on starting soon. They would like to make it a low budget film, with lesser known actors.

Vampire Academy Book Review

Hi Guys,
Today I'm going to review Vampire Academy, the first book in the Vampire Academy series, by Richelle Mead. This is a story about a vampire princess and her dhampir bodyguard, who go on an adventure, and find themselves in some trouble. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book:

 St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

My first impression of this book was "it's too girly, and a knock-off of every other vampire book I've read". For this reason, I didn't pick up the book and read the synopsis for... well, until the fourth book was released. When I read the synopsis though, I knew it wasn't going to be like any vampire book I've read. I was correct, this book is unlike any other vampire book I've read (and I've read a lot). I loved how they had an academy for both vampires and dhampirs,  and I also liked the cool "power" element that was added to the vampires. I liked the characters for the most part... Rose was a little too hot headed for me, and I didn't really like that, also Lissa was a little too selfless. But I liked all the other characters... oh wait, except for Mason, for some reason I didn't really like him either. Wow, that really doesn't leave that many characters... well, I hope the characters I've listed can mature a little in the next book. I give this book 4/5 stars, because the lack of great characters... major or minor. I'm hoping the series gets better as I keep reading... but if the characters remain the same through the rest of the series, I might not want to read them as much. Hopefully the amazing plot, dialogue, and twists, can overpower the characters. 


Additional Announcement: This book has been offered many movie deals, but so far I don't believe there is a real, "We're going to start casting next week", chance that this book will become a movie... at this time... I can't tell the future, but I hope it does become a movie.

Beautiful Creatures Book Review

Hi Guys,
This week I'm going to review Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. This is the first book in the Caster Chronicles. This book tells an amazing story with bewitching characters, and plot twists. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book:


There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

My first impression of this book was that it was going to be amazing, just simply because, after reading the synopsis, it left me with so many questions. I hardly knew anything about what this book was about, and yet I bought and read it anyway. That's something that's never happened to me, and I loved it. I read half the book in anticipation of who Lena really was, I had my suspicions of who she was, one of which was very close, but not exactly who she was. I loved that when we learned who she is, it's something that has a very unique twist on it. It was very easy to connect with the characters in this book, even the minor characters held my attention when the story drifted to their scenes. I could really connect with Ethan, he reminded me of myself in some ways. I really enjoyed the fact that the male character was the "normal" one. I also liked how Ethan wasn't just a dumb jock, but he was somewhat intelligent. I also liked Lena and her family, one of my favorite characters was Macon, and I loved learning more about his character. I loved the "powers" in this book, I thought they were very unique. I give this book 4/5 stars. I don't believe there is a specific reason that this is a 4/5 star book, it just simply was not a 5 star book to me. I hope the books get better as they go, not that this book was bad, but I would love to see how amazing this series could be. 


Additional Announcement: This book is also becoming a movie that is set to release in 2013. Most of the actors/actresses are not that well known, and I love that. They will start filming for this movie in just a couple of days. I can't wait to see this book come to the big screen.

City of Bones Book Review

Hi Guys,
This week I'm going to review City of Bones, the first book in the Mortal Instruments series, by Cassandra Clare. I read this book in January of last year I believe... so I hope I remember this correctly, but I did jot down some key points I would focus on, I just hope that's enough for you guys. This is about a girl named Clary Fray, and the discovery she makes about her world, and even herself. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book:


When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 

My first impression of this book was good, I thought that it looked very interesting, I don't know what it is but books that have something special happen with tattoos, I tend to read them. A few examples are: Mortal Instruments, House of Night, and (I'm not 100% sure, but the cover has a guy with a facial tattoo) Reckless. Anyway, when I read the synopsis, I thought it sounded unlike anything I've ever read, so I bought the first three books right then. I started this book in 2010, and I got about 100 pages into it, but for some reason, I lost interest, and their it sat in my "debt-pile" for a couple months. When I finally decided to pick it back up, I was on the part with the motorcycle gang of Vampires, right before you meet Magnus. From that point on, I couldn't put this book down, I believe I finished it that night, and I was confused as to why I put it down in the first place. This book had TONS of action, there was hardly a moment without action. I give this book 4/5 stars, just for the simple fact that for some reason I was disinterested enough to put it in my debt pile. I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to read a book that is different than anything else they've read. 


Additional Announcement: This book is becoming a movie that is set to release in 2013 with the actress Lily Collins as the role of the heroic Clary Fray. It has had a bumpy start, but I believe that it's finally coming together, and very excited for it. It's going to be an amazing movie.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter Book Review

Hi Guys,
This week I'm going to do a book review on Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. This is the first book in the Dexter series. This book is not really a YA book, it's more of an adult crime book with lots... and lots... of gore. This is about a blood splatter analyst/serial killer named Dexter. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book:

Meet Dexter Morgan, a polite wolf in sheep's clothing. He's handsome and charming, but something in his past has made him abide by a different set of rules. He's a serial killer whose one golden rule makes him immensely likeable: he only kills bad people. And his job as a blood splatter expert for the Miami police department puts him in the perfect position to identify his victims. But when a series of brutal murders bearing a striking similarity to his own style start turning up, Dexter is caught between being flattered and being frightened -- of himself or some other fiend.

I started reading this book to get into crime novels. I like watching crime shows like CSI, NCIS, AMW, etc. Since this book had a television show on Showtime, I thought it would be easier for me to read if I could read it and then watch the show to stay into the story. It turns out that I didn't need any help from the show to stay "into" this book. This was a fast-paced thrill ride, I could not put my kindle down for this one, I looked down at the progress bar one second and saw 10%, and looked again an hour later (give or take) and saw 50%. This was my first fiction crime novel, and I'm happy to say so, because this is an amazing read, and I look forward to reading the next couple books in the series. I've never read a psychological book either, but this book shows you what goes through Dexter's mind, and it was intriguing. The scenes were described well... I felt that I was there watching all this happen. (Which sounds pretty scary thinking back on it haha... at least I didn't feel like I was Dexter in my mind, that would've been more creepy). There were tons of twists in this book, but the twist at the end was the most shocking of all. I loved it, because the twist actually made sense, and it wasn't just thrown in at the last second. I give this book 4/5 stars, I really loved this book, it just didn't seem like a 5 star book to me... maybe the others will though (I sure hope so)!

Additional Announcement: After reading the first book, I watched the first season of Dexter. I didn't feel that it was horrible and disgraced the book at all. I actually loved it, I thought all the actors fit the characters well, especially Dexter, I don't know what it is, but the two fit perfectly. So when you finish reading the book, definately check out the television show.

The Fallen Book 1: The Fallen and Leviathan Book Review

Hi Guys,
Today I'm reviewing The Fallen Book 1: The Fallen and Leviathan by Thomas E. Sniegoski. I read this book during the summer of 2011. The reason I haven't posted a review for this sooner, was because I wasn't really impressed with it. The writing, to me, was average, the characters were very one-dimensional, and having so many characters, had me confused on what name matched which character...(if that makes any sense). This is a book about children of fallen angels and mortals(nephilim), the angels that are trying to hunt and kill them, and a special nephilim child, who can redeem the fallen angels. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book:

On his eighteenth birthday, Aaron begins to hear strange voices and is convinced he is going insane. But having moved from foster home to foster home, Aaron doesn't know whom he can trust. He wants to confide in the cute girl from class, but fears she'll confirm he's crazy.
Then a mysterious man begins following Aaron. He knows about Aaron's troubled past and his new powers. And he has a message for Aaron: As the son of a mortal and an angel, Aaron has been chosen to redeem the Fallen.
Aaron tries to dismiss the news and resists his supernatural abilities. But he must accept his newfound heritage — and quickly. For the dark powers are gaining strength, and are hell-bent on destroying him....

My first impression of this book was great, I'd seen the ABC Family movie for it, and I thought it was going to be a great... but unfortunately, the book was almost the complete opposite. The book started out really good, it was very interesting, all the things happening to him had me astounded (even though I knew what it was all leading to I liked reading about it, and I was trapped in the book, so it was like I knew... but I didn't know... O_o? haha). Then it went downhill, and it didn't pick up until the very end. This book was on my debt-list for a very long time, once I got about 150 pages in. I literally had to force myself to finish the book just to get it off my debt-list. I still want to read the next couple books, because I thought the end of the first was picking up at a rapid pace, so I want to see where it goes. But I'm very scared that it might be like the first book (if anyone has read it, please leave a comment and let me know what you thought). I give this book 2/5 stars, because of the reasons I listed at the top of this post. I gave it 2 stars, because it was very good at the beginning and end of this book, you just had to get through the 400 pages or so in the middle. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone based on just this one novel, but because I haven't read the rest of the series, I don't know if it gets better as it goes along. So if you really like angel stories, I guess you should check it out... but only if you also like books that ramble on and on for no apparent reason, and that don't have very interesting characters, or have too many characters to remember them all. (I really wanted to like this book too...) :(

Reminder: If you have read the next couple books in this series, please... please leave a comment letting me know what you thought of it, so that I don't have to endure another horrible book like this one.

The Hobbit Book Review

Hi Guys,
This week I'm doing a book review for The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, this is the first book I've read in 2012! I'm excited about finishing my first Goodreads book challenge. I want to read 50 books this year, and I hope I can accomplish my goal. The Hobbit is the prequel to The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, and it follows a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo goes on a quest with Gandalf and several Dwarves, and they have many misadventures. They meet lots monstrous creatures, my favorite is the guest appearance of Gollum, who plays a large part in this book, even though he's in it for a short period of time. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book:

Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit who wanted to be left alone in quiet comfort. But the wizard Gandalf came along with a band of homeless dwarves. Soon Bilbo was drawn into their quest, facing evil orcs, savage wolves, giant spiders, and worse unknown dangers. Finally, it was Bilbo-alone and unaided-who had to confront the great dragon Smaug, the terror of an entire countryside . . .

My first impression of this book was good. I've been a fan of the Lord of the Rings movies, I haven't read the books yet, but I thought it would be best to start with the Hobbit, and so I sort of knew what it was about. This book was really great. The plot was fast paced, the characters were great, the mythology was well thought out, and I enjoyed the author's humor throughout the book. This book had action throughout, it seemed that in every chapter there was a new creature that they had to fight. The creatures were amazing to learn about, and I learned a lot about most of them. The humor between Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Dwarves, had me laughing a lot throughout this book. I only disliked a few things. One of the things I didn't quite like about the book was all the singing that was done. I know they're all mythical creatures... but really... why do they have to sing? I felt like I was reading a script for Glee (I like Glee, I just don't think I'd like to read about it). The lyrics were great, and went along with the story well, but I didn't like reading the same song several times throughout the book. My personal favorite song was Over the Misty Mountains Cold, it was very eery but it made the mood of that scene. Another thing I didn't really like about this book was the character Gandalf. I liked Gandalf throughout the Lord of the Rings movies, he was one of my favorite characters, but in this book, I just couldn't connect with him. I could connect with every other character though, especially Bilbo, Thorin, and Gollum. I even liked the enemies throughout the book, Smaug was a great addition towards the end, and the Spider scene was cool. I also liked the elves, and the trolls. I just don't know what was wrong with Gandalf's character, something just seemed off to me. Especially when he kept leaving them and coming back just in the nick of time. I give this book 4/5 stars because of these two reasons, but other than that this book was amazing. I would definitely recommend it to fans of the Lord of the Rings series... I would recommend it to anyone really. Check it out if you get a chance, it's worth the 20 pages worth of lyrics, and Gandalf's mysterious disappearances.

Additional Announcement: This book is being made into a movie. The movie is set to release in December of 2012. You can watch the trailer online now. I was happy to hear Over the Misty Mountains Cold during the trailer. I can't wait until the movie, I just hope it lives up to the book. Just don't watch the movie without reading the book first. :D

The Spiderwick Chronicles Book Review

Hi Guys,
This week I'm going to be reviewing a book series I read as a child in elementary school, The Spiderwick Chronicles. I look back at the series and I'm amazed at how well I grasped it as a young child. It's a complex idea written in a great way that appeals to kids and adults. Here is the synopsis from the back of each book of the series:

The Field Guide: When the three Grace children -- Mallory, Jared, and Simon -- and their mom move into Aunt Lucinda's old house, readers know there's magic afoot. The kids uncover a nest of assembled junk, and on a visit to the secret library via the dumbwaiter, Jared finds a note describing "my secret to all mankind." After a few mysterious pranks that get blamed on Jared, the boy finally digs up the real prize: Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You. Fortunately enough, the kids meet one of the critters listed in the guide -- a brownie named Thimbletack -- who makes it all "real" and helps provide the book's suspenseful conclusion: "'Throw the book away, toss it in a fire. If you do not heed, you will draw their ire.'"

The Seeing Stone: A thrilling follow-up to DiTerlizzi and Black's first Spiderwick Chronicles book, The Seeing Stone has Jared and Mallory rescuing Simon from a band of goblins. When the young boy is kidnapped, Thimbletack leads Jared to a stone that allows him to have "the sight," or the ability to see magical creatures. Soon, the brother and sister are outfoxing a hungry troll, working with a helpful goblin named Hogsqueal to thwart the other goblins, and taking care of a wounded griffin.

Lucinda's Secret: Fresh from near-fatal goblin and troll attacks in the previous book (The Seeing Stone, the children are torn over whether to hang onto their long-lost great-great-uncle's book or to turn it over to the menacing faeries. Thimbletack--the house brownie who's transmogrified into an angry "boggart"--has lost his patience with the kids, and he starts subjecting Jared to increasingly nasty pranks. Hoping that Lucinda might know something about Uncle Arthur's fate (or at least have some advice on how to fend off the faeries), the three children talk their mom into a trip to the asylum for a visit--but there they learn their situation might be even more dangerous than they imagined. (And, as readers of the series know, the kids already thought they were in hot water.)

The Ironwood Tree: At school, someone is running around pretending to be Jared, and it's not Simon. To make matters even worse, now Mallory has disappeared and something foul in the water is killing off all the plants and animals for miles around. Clues point to the old abandoned quarry, just outside of town. Dwarves have taken over an abandoned mine there. And the faerie world's abuzz with the news that a creature with plans to rule the world has offered them a gift to join with him -- he's given them a queen...

The Wrath of Mulgarath: The Final Battle

My first impression of these books was good, because the cover was great, the summary was interesting, and they had a picture on every other page haha. I read the first couple books in a day, and as a third/fourth grader that was pretty good. I liked the books alright, but each book wasn't really like a book, it was more like a part of a book, they should've just combined the five to make one great book. I give this series 2/5 stars now, but as a kid I would probably give it 5/5. The story was very magical, and it puts you into a new world with many new creatures. It opened up the world of fantasy to me, and I'm thankful for that. I would definitely recommend it to kids in elementary school/ beginning middle school kids as well. Adults might like it as well, just not as much as the kids of course. This series is also a movie, that combines all five books of course, and I liked the movie, and thought the characters perfectly. There were some differences between the books and the movie, nothing really big though. The one thing I didn't like about the movie was them leaving out the dwarves, elves, the unicorn, and the phooka. I would judge each book differently, that's why I had to judge the series as a whole. :D

Power of Six Book Review

Hi Guys,
This week I'm doing a review on The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore. This is the sequel to the bestselling book I am Number Four. This book switches perspective between Four and Seven. Seven is an orphan girl living in a convent. Four is still on the run from the FBI as well as Mogadorians. Here is the synopsis from the front flap of the book:

I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.
Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.
I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.
And I'm ready to fight.

My first reaction to this book was good, because I'd already read, and loved, I am Number Four. Not to mention that the cover of this book is amazing. I thought this book was decent, it seemed rushed to me. The only things that kept me reading this book were the characters and the plot. I liked Number Seven, I thought she was innocent and I liked how she looked out for others. I also liked Number four, Number nine, Number ten, Number six, Sam, and... you guys might not want to hear this... Sarah. I know, I know... what she did to Four was wrong, but I think there had to be something that happened that made her do that to him. I still think she's a good person. I like Sam and Six's chemistry throughout the book, and I liked how four and nine were not afraid to kick butt towards the end. Number ten amazed me from the moment I found out who she was. I didn't like Number Seven's cepan... she was a total... never-mind that... I did start to like her towards the end, as for the other nuns... i didn't like them. I gave this book 3/5 stars because the only things I liked about it were the characters and the plot. The dialogue was horrible... and there were other reasons I didn't like this book, but I don't want to go through them. I did like the book though. I think people should read it, there is always at least one book in a series that is horrible, and this is that book. I hope the next one will be really good. :D

The Secret Circle: The Captive Part 2 and The Power Book Review

Hey Guys,
This week I'll be reviewing The Secret Circle: The Captive Part 2 and The Power by L.J. Smith. This is an omnibus of the books that were written in the 90's. This is a story about a coven of witches and their adventures. This book contains the second half of the second book and the entire third book. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book:

CAUGHT IN THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL...
Cassie has joined the most alluring-and deadly-in-crowd imaginable. But power comes with a price, and it's more dangerous than she knows. Torn between the dueling desires of the two leaders of the Secret Circle, she must ultimately choose between saving all of the New Salem, and her own dangerous love for bewitching Adam, which threatens to tear the circle apart. In the ultimate battle between good and evil, will Cassie's supernatural powers be strong enough to lead the coven out of danger? Or will she fall prey to the dark forces within?
...WILL SHE SACRIFICE HER LOVE FOR THE CIRCLE TO SURVIVE?

My first impression of this book was good, because I had already read the first book, and I liked it, so I was very excited for this one and I couldn't wait to see how it ended. This book was very good as well, it didn't disappoint. I liked how the characters developed, and I also liked how the plot played out and ended. I was rooting for Cassie and Adam, but I was disappointed at the way it ended (Spoiler: I mean... how could Dianna just do that... and I bet Adam was happy about Dianna just giving him up(sarcastic). I give this book 4/5 stars because I liked it, I didn't like how it ended abruptly and the exact way it ended, but I think everyone should read it. :D

The Secret Circle: The Initiation and The Captive Part 1 Book Review

Hey Guys,
This week I'll be reviewing The Secret Circle: the Initiation and The Captive Part 1 by L.J. Smith. This is an omnibus of the books that were written in the 90's. This is a story about a coven of witches and their adventures. This book contains the first book and the first half of the second. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book:

The circle's power has lured her home
Forced to move from sunny California to gloomy New England, Cassie longs for her old life. Even so, she feels a strange kinship to a terrifying group of teens who seem to rule her school. Initiated into the coven of witches that's controlled New Salem for hundreds of years, she's drawn into the Secret Circle, a thrill that's both intoxicating and deadly. But when she falls for the mysterious and intriguing Adam, Cassie must choose whether to resist temptation or risk dark forces to get what she wants—even if it means that one wrong move could ultimately destroy her.

My first impression of this book was that I wasn't going to like it. I've never really read any books about witches besides Harry Potter (and the witches/wizards from Harry Potter are WAY different than the witches in these books). I then learned that a friend of mine read it, and she told me that I should read it because it was really good. Even after that I didn't want to read it. It wasn't until I saw that the book was being adapted into a show that decided to read it. (I don't know why, but when I find out a book is being made into a movie/tv show, It makes me want to read the book, if it sounds decent, I guess I just like to compare them, and be happy with the result, I don't like when things are changed around to much(Vampire Diaries/Secret Circle) but I still like them anyway). I'm glad I chose to read the books, they are amazing. I loved them, and I loved the witches from this book... about evenly to the witches/wizards in Harry Potter. I liked the plot, and I really liked the characters. I like books with several important characters like this, because I like to see what happens to each of them. I give this book 4/5 stars, because I liked it... but I don't think it was one of my favorites, but you should definitely check it out anyway. :D

Warm Bodies Book Review

Hi guys,
This week I'm doing a review on a book I just finished a week or two ago. The book is Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. This book is about zombies, and their fight to be normal and accepted in a futuristic world where humans are the endangered species, and "bonies" are the Apex predator. The humans want to rebuild but can't with zombies attacking them every time they step outside their safe haven. With that being said, here is the synopsis from the back of the book:

R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.
After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.

This book was extraordinary, I enjoyed reading from the perspective of R. He had a lot of thoughts going through his head that he couldn't at all express, so it was nice to know what was happening with R first hand. Learning things about Julie, the human love interest, is great as well. At first she seems really tough and aggressive but later on in the book you find that she's exactly the opposite. I liked how this book showed the perspective of a Zombie. Normally, in zombie movies/books, you just see the perspective of humans, and this book will change your perspective on zombies because it's narrated by one. I liked all the characters, even the antagonists, it was hard not to. They were all so true to themselves and they didn't completely change who they were throughout the book. I liked how Marion made it so that zombies weren't the apex predators. In this world, there are bonies (Which are like zombies, except they don't have flesh, and they also have supernatural capabilities), and by their descriptions and actions, they are worse than any zombie I've ever read in a book or seen in a movie. As you can tell I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I only had one problem with it though... the constant swearing, and the occasional vulgar scene. I'm not saying the author shouldn't have done it, he was just trying to portray the world in which he though zombies would live, and as for the profanity, most Americans do it, that's why he wrote with the constant cussing... to make it feel real and more close to home for the reader. I just didn't like it because it was a constant thing, and I'm not one who likes contemptible scenes in a book, or cuss words in every sentence, but that just means that he had another audience who liked it for those reasons. I give this book 4/5 stars because of the vulgar scenes and the endless profanity. Other than those two things this book is great, and you should definately check it out. It is worth your time.

Additional Announcement: They are making a movie of this book in 2013 I believe, so you can go and check out the cast of the movie on IMDb.com But you should definately read the book before you see the movie.

The Lightning Thief Book Review

Hi Guys,
This week's review is going to be on the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Rick Riordan has written several other books, but this is the most successful. I read this book series in middle school. I recommended this book to several of my friends, and now I'm recommending it to you guys. Here is the summary from the back of the book:

After getting expelled from yet another school for yet another clash with mythological monsters only he can see, twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is taken to Camp Half-Blood, where he finally learns the truth about his unique abilities: He is a demigod, half human, half immortal. Even more stunning: His father is the Greek god Poseidon, ruler of the sea, making Percy one of the most powerful demigods alive. There's little time to process this news. All too soon, a cryptic prophecy from the Oracle sends Percy on his first quest, a mission to the Underworld to prevent a war among the gods of Olympus.

My first impression of this book was good, I picked it up because I liked the mysterious look of the cover. After picking it up and reading the summary, I saw it was about Greek gods/goddess'. I love Greek Mythology and bought this book immediately. This book is very original, bringing old Greek Myths and putting them in a modern time. It's great, and the idea was brilliant. This book became a movie in 2010 starring Logan Lerman as the lead role of Percy Jackson. It was a good movie, and an even better book series. I give this book a 4/5 stars, just because it was a little childish, there were a couple scenes in which I thought I was reading a 3rd grade book. Other than that it was a good book, next week I will do a book review on The Sea of Monsters, the second book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, by Rick Riordan.

Here is the Book Trailer:

The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Midnight Book Review

Hi Guys,
This weeks book review will be on The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Midnight. This will be the final book review for this series, that is until the next Vampire Diaries book comes out. Yes, I thought this was the last book as well, that is until L.J. Smith announced that she will be starting a continuation of the series with three new books. I myself wish she would just quit. I love her books, but it just seems like this series is ongoing, and I just want it to end. On a better note, I have been reading the Plague book by Michael Grant. Which is really really good, so I am hoping to put up the book review for that, next week, or the week after next. Well getting back on subject, here is the summary from the front flap of the book:

The devil you know . . .

With the help of charming and devious Damon, Elena rescued her vampire love, Stefan, from the depths of the Dark Dimension. But neither brother returned unscathed.
Stefan is weak from his long imprisonment and needs more blood than Elena alone can give him, while a strange magic has turned Damon into a human. Savage and desperate, Damon will do anything to become a vampire again, even travel back to hell. But what will happen when he accidentally takes Bonnie with him?

Stefan and Elena hurry to rescue their innocent friend from the Dark Dimension, leaving Matt and Meredith to save their hometown from the dangerous spirits that have taken hold of Fell's Church. One by one, children are succumbing to demonic designs. But Matt and Meredith soon discover that the source of the evil is darker and closer than they ever could have imagined. . . .

My first impression of this book was great, I loved how it had Bonnie on the front. Bonnie is one of my favorite characters, also one of the only reasons I have continued to read the books. Although I like the cover with Bonnie, I feel like a better candidate for the cover would be Meredith. She had a major role in this book, a lot of her secrets were finally revealed in this book. This book should have been named Secrets or something of that nature due to the fact that so many secrets were revealed in this book. Most were about Meredith but some were about Stefan, Damon, Bonnie, Elena, Matt, and also the town itself. I really liked this book, it kept me on my toes the whole time (except for the last 75 pages or so). With the constant revealing of secrets, this book was put as my third favorite book from this series. The last 75 pages were drawn out, I didn't like how long they spent talking to the council. But other than that, this book was great. I give this book 4/5 stars, because of the last 75 pages. You guys should really check this book out. Come back here next week for another book review, which will hopefully be Plague, but if not that it will be Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls Book Review

Hi Guys,
This weeks book review will be a continuation of The Vampire Diaries Book Review... Saga? ... any way I hope you guys like this one. I'm sorry that this week I will not be degrading a book, this book was better than Nightfall, but not by too much. Here is the summary from the front flap of The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls:

Elena Gilbert's love, the vampire Stefan Salvatore, has been captured and imprisoned by demonic spirits who are wreaking havoc in Fell's Church. While her friends Bonnie and Meredith explore the evil that has taken over their town, Elena goes in search of Stefan.

In order to find him, she entrusts her life to Stefan's brother, Damon Salvatore, the handsome but deadly vampire who wants Elena, body and soul. Along with her childhood friend Matt, they set out for the slums of the Dark Dimension, where Stefan is being held captive. It is rumored to be a world where vampires and demons roam free, but humans must live enslaved to their supernatural masters. . . .

Elena will stop at nothing to free Stefan. Yet with each passing day the tension between Elena and Damon grows, and she is faced with a terrible decision: Which brother does she really want?

Back in Fell's Church, Bonnie and Meredith have made some dire discoveries. They hastily try to follow Elena and warn her—only to be caught up in Elena's most dangerous adventure yet.

My first impression of this book was pretty good. I liked it because, it had Damon on the cover, and showing him on the cover I somehow knew he must play a very large part in this book. I was correct, he does play a very large part, which I didn't like. I never really liked Damon, mostly because he changed his ways for Elena. My friend Brittany, had loved Damon in the first two books, but by Nighfall she felt like the author had turned Damon "fluffy". I believe this, and think it's hilarious. I like Stefan in all the books, I feel like I can relate to him in some ways, and I liked how he loved Elena from the jump. I can't share a lot about this book besides the fact that Damon is in it a lot and Stefan is not. I liked this book enough to give it 3/5 stars, but that is about the MAXIMUM I will give it. I didn't like it that much because over half the book was in the Underworld, where it was Dark, Nasty, and Sorrowful the whole time. I did like the next book in the series though, which is The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Midnight, which I will be reviewing next week, so be sure to check it out.

The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall Book Review

Hi Guys,
This is the second Book Review for this week, and I believe you are pretty caught up on my life from the previous post... (again I'm sorry about that I have a tendency to ramble) So for this Book Review I intend on focusing ONLY on the book. Here is the blog where I "rag" on a book. My first time actually "hatin' on" a book publicly. I hope you enjoy it from here on out. Here is the summary from the front flap of the book:

Elena Gilbert is alive—again.

When Elena sacrificed herself to save the two vampire brothers who love her—the handsome, brooding Stefan and the sleek and dangerous Damon—she was consigned to a fate beyond death. Until a powerful supernatural force pulled her back.

Now Elena is not just human. She has powers and gifts that were bestowed on her in the afterlife. What's more, her blood pulses with an overwhelming and unique force that makes her irresistible to any vampire.

Stefan wants to find a way to keep Elena safe so that they can make a life together. Damon, however, is driven by an insatiable desire for power, and wants Elena to rule as his princess. When Stefan is lured away from Fell's Church, Damon seizes his chance to convince her that he is the brother she is meant to be with…

But a darkness is infiltrating the town, and Damon, always the hunter, is now the hunted; he becomes the prey of a malevolent creature that can possess him at will, and who desires not just Elena's blood but her death.

My first impression of this book, was actually a good one. It has a flawless looking Elena on the cover, symbolizing that she is alive again. Too bad that my first impression of this book didn't match what I thought after reading it. With the addition of fox spirits, Elena being a baby (literally), the possesion of Damon, the kidnapping of Stefan, and the CONFUSING forest scene with Elena and Damon, I didn't like this book very much. The one part I did like was seeing the previous characters like Bonnie, Meredith, Ms. Flowers, and Matt. If they wouldn't have been in this book, I would have completely hated this book. I give this book 1/5 stars, because of it's lack of satisfaction, and interest. I hope you guys enjoy it, but I definately didn't. The next Book Review will be a little better, it is going to be on The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls. This book was somewhat better, so check it out next week.

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion Book Review

Hi Guys,
I know I didn't do a book review last week, so this week I will do two. Thank God my computer/internet works at home, because at school we have no connection because of the storms going on. Which kind of sucks seeing as i have some online classes. But no worries I finished all my work Monday because online classes are rather easy... well anyway, This weeks book review will be following the last post, it will be The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion and The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall. Also I go to Carowinds this weekend, and I can't wait... Oh wait there I go off topic again... haha. Here's the Summary from the back of The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion book:

Elena: transformed, the golden girl has become what she once feared and desired.

Stefan: tormented by losing Elena, he's determined to end his feud with Damon once and for all—whatever the cost. But slowly he begins to realize that his brother is not his only enemy.

Damon: at last, he possesses Elena. But will his thirst for revenge against Stefan poison his triumph? Or can they come together to face one final battle?

My first impression of this book was alright, it wasn't nearly as captivating as the first one, but I still bought it, so I'm not complaining. I read this book directly after the first, and I was actually just finishing it when The Vampire Diaries show was premiering, so that was pretty cool going directly from page to screen. I enjoyed this book the most out of the whole series, I wish I could share all my favorite parts and tell you what I thought about certain scenes, but since it is a sequel I'm unable. i give this book 5/5 stars because it was full of action, romance, and loss. It had a lot more of the paranormal aspect than the previous one did, and that I liked very much. I also liked how the author resolved it. Unfortunately it doesn't get better from here. The next book review will be one of me... "ragging"... on the First book of The Vampire Diaries:The Return series. Make sure to check it out. I hate "ragging on books normally but this one I don't have a problem with. So as I said before check out the series and the blog for more info.