**And just an FYI: if you see a book listed on my blog that is part of a series, just go ahead and assume that I've read all the books, or am working on reading ALL the books within that series. I may not always list them on here but trust me - they were read.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

the short second life of bree tanner

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Alright. Just finished reading the book and it was good. My neighbor brought it down at dinner and I had it finished before I put my kids to bed. Really short read, but it's pretty cool to get to know a character more in depth from what was given to you in the Twilight Saga.

The story is all about Bree and the newborn vampires that were hunting Bella - even though they didn't know they were hunting hunting Bella until right before they left for the fight. It talks briefly about her change into the vampire world and her new found camaraderie with another vampire in her coven. She soon learns there is more to this vampire life then what Riley has told them - but she's unsure as to who she can trust.

I wouldn't go out and buy it - but definitely borrow it from your local library. It's worth it.

Monday, June 28, 2010

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Author: Stieg Larsson

Alright, this book was difficult for me to jump into. The story itself was good over all (now that I'm done and can look back at the book in it's entirety), but I really had a hard time enjoying the read. I think maybe it's because it is translated from Swedish and somethings in language just do not transfer well into others. Anyway, I stuck with it and finally finished in fours days what I normally would have read in a day (when I'm really enjoying it).

I don't even know how to put into words what this story is really about so I'm just going to re-type what is on the inside jacket cover. Sorry ahead of time....but I just don't even know where to start:

"A spellbinding amalgam of murder mystery, family saga, love story, and a financial intrigue.
It's about Harriet Vanger, a young scion of one of the wealthiest families in Sweden....and about her octogenarian uncle, determinied to know the truth about what he believes is her murder.
It's about Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently at the wrong end of a libel case, hired to get to the bottom of Harriet's disappearance...and about Lisbeth Salander, a twenty-four-year-old pierced and tattooed genius hacker possessed of the hard-earned wisdom of someone half her age - and a terrifying capacity for ruthlessness to go with it- who assists Blomkvist with the investigation. This unlikely team discovers a vein of nearly unfathomable iniquity running though the Vanger family, astonishing corruption in the highest echelons of Swedish industrialism - and an unexpected connection between themselves."

I know that Larsson wrote two subsequent novels after this before he died in 2004, but I'm not sure I'll read them right away. I'll get to them - just not in a real hurry. I'm a fan of the actual girl with the tattoo - so of course I've gotta follow along to see what becomes of her, but it may be awhile before that happens. I vote you give it a try, some of you may like it more than I did.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Spirit Bound - A Vampire Academy Novel

Author: Richelle Mead

http://www.richellemead.com/



Okay guys. If you still haven't been able to read any of the Vampire Academy books you have really got to get to your local library or book store and get to reading. These books are great! I just finished reading the latest one to come out and was NOT disappointed. If you want to check out the gist of what the books are about - go click on the "March" section of the blog and read about it there. If you haven't read them, then don't read what I'm about to write because it may spoil some things for you. And as always, go check out the authors website. You can read an excerpt from each book in the series and it's enough to let you know if it's a series you would like.


Now......

Finally....the trials are about to take place. The last test before Rose can truly become a Guardian. Although she has given up hope to become Lissa's Guardian. Rose isn't really nervous about the trials. I mean seriously, she's been up against REAL Strigori in REAL life. Instructors just pretending to be the bad guys doesn't even compare. Rose is missing Dimitri. Especially today. She always envisioned him being here for her - not waiting out there in the world for her to leave the wards and security of the school so he can attack her. Maybe change her into a Strigori herself so they can live forever...together.

Needless to say Rose, of course, blows the trial tests out of the water. Some claim it to have been the best display of skill they have ever seen. And for Rose, to know that her mother and her father were both able to see it, was great.

But now it's official. School is over. Rose cannot forget about Dimitri, although she's in a relationship with Adrian. But something she can't get out of her head. Dimitri could possibly be saved from his current condition. He might be able to be turned back to normal. The only problem is that in order to find out how this is to be done, she's going to have to talk to Victor. The man who tried to kill her best friend Lissa, and her. But in order to talk to him - she has to break him out of prison. A high security prison - that she has to find in the first place.

Follow along as see if Rose is able to save Dimitri - or if all this work to save her lover/used to be teacher is in vain.

A great, great book! Please go and give them a try. You'll love them!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Blue Bloods

Author: Melissa De La Cruz
http://www.melissa-delacruz.com/

Yes, this is another book about vampires. But it's different then most. Schuyler Van Allen's ancestors came here on the Mayflower, and have been here ever since. Her mother is in a coma and her father died when she was little (there's a great story there, but you'll have to read the book to get it). She's been raised by her Grandmother, although she doesn't really feel loved by her. Sky, 15, attends a private school in NYC. Her best friend Oliver, or Ollie, also attends the same school. They've know each other since elementary school and haven't spent a day apart since.

A student at their school is killed. People talk about drug overdose - but Jack Force, the hottest guy in school according to Sky, doesn't believe that. The student was drained of blood, completely. In De La Cruz's version of "vampire world", vampires can only have 400 walking at any giving time. They have a blood bank where they keep a drop of blood from every vampire that's ever lived. Their "soul" (aka: drop of blood) gets injected into human fetus' so they have the knowledge of all their past lives once they reach a certain age and can access them. In order for them to "live" on, all that's needed is one drop of their blood to be saved. And since this student happened to be a vampire (although not everyone knew that) and she was drained completely - she's actually DEAD. No longer can she be "reborn".

Now an uproar has begun. Is there something out there hunting the "good" vampires?? Aren't they supposed to be immortal?? What could be so much stronger and deadlier than a vampire? Sky has started her journey in becoming a vampire - although she's technically the only "new" vampire in history. She's the result of a vampire (her mom) and a human (her dad). She's got no memories to help her understand what's happening. Only the advice of her grandma (old vampire) and her friend Ollie.

Fun book to get lost in. Very interesting twist on the whole vampire craze going on.

Gone

Author: Lisa McMann
Part of the Wake Trilogy

I know I haven't been writing in here a lot the past two months. But just so you know, it's because I've been reading the books within a series (mostly the Anita Blake Novels..which has like 18 books total) and I've already written about the first few of them. I figure if you like the first couple you'll keep on reading them so I don't do a "review" of the rest. And also it's summer break, so between swim lessons, summer camp and movies - it's kinda hard to get reading in as much as I used to. But I do still read - just not as much, which makes me sad :( . Now, on to the review.

So a couple months ago I read the first and second books in the Wake Trilogy. They are fairly small in comparison to what I normally read, and since it had been a while since I read them I figured I'd do the review on this book even though it's part of a series. Gone is the last book in the set.

Janie is a dream catcher. She has the ability to walk in people dreams and change them if they ask for help. Only problem is she can get sucked into them at any time. She has to put up guards in order to stay out of people dreams. In fact she can't even drive because someone in a house that's on the same street she travels down may be taking a nap and she can get sucked into it. In the last book Janie learned from a fellow dream catcher, that the more she uses her ability the more her body will deteriorate. By the age of 30 she could be blind and no longer have the use of her hands.

Cabel, Janie's boyfriend, is still by her side. Janie knows he's scared about their future. It's REALLY evident in his dreams, though she doesn't tell him that. Janie has a huge decision to make. Should she stay living with her mom and helping out the police as she's been doing using her gift. Or should she tell Cabel goodbye and live all alone without the chance to sucked into dreams unexpectedly??

Well it seems she makes her choice, until she finds her mom at a hospital. Only her mom isn't there for herself (although she is an alcoholic). Apparently Janie's father, the one who abandoned them, is in the hospital. She goes there to see him, but she gets sucked into one of the worst dreams she'll ever see....her fathers. Uncertain about her feelings toward her father, Cabel, her mom, her life, Janie seeks out to find herself the path she thinks will give her the best life.

This book is a quick and easy read. Check it out!

Radiant Shadows - A Wicked Lovely Book

Author: Melissa Marr

If you haven't had the chance to read Melissa Marr then I suggest you give her a try. She is an excellent writer. I've been able to read ALL three of her previous books; Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange, and Fragile Eternity. The three I just listed are all about the Fae and the different Courts (ie. Summer, Winter, Dark) and the journey of one Fae who just learned she is to become the Queen of the Summer Court. They were all really fun to read. In her newest book, Radiant Shadows, you'll notice some of the same characters from her previous books - although there is no real need to read the others first. You'll still get the story without having read them.

Ani is half Fae and half part of The Hunt. Her father is the "Gabriel" for the Dark Court. He takes care of all the unmentioned bad stuff that no one wants to know about. Ani is growing to be more and more Fae as the years have passed so she doesn't feel she "fits" in with her pack. And her father's over protectiveness is starting to kill her - literally.

Devlin is a Fae who is also known as "The Bloody Hands". He's like the "Gabriel" of the Good Court. He follows orders from the Queen of Order. She has the ability to see the future, and anyone who posses a threat to Faeries is visited by Davlin, and doesn't survive. She sent him out many years ago to kill Ani - but he failed. His best friend requested that he not kill her. That he should spare her, so he does against better judgment.

Now they find themselves inside a night club. She has no clue who he is - only that he is attractive and Fae. He, of course, knows exactly who she is and cannot stop thinking about her. Anyway....there is A LOT of other drama going on within the story, which is excellent, but the main plot is about Devlin and Ani. Kind of a Romeo and Juliet romance. Great read!!!! Try it.