Cassandra Caravello is trying to forget Falco, the wild artist who ran off with her heart, as she grows closer to her strong, steady fiancé, Luca. But Luca seems to have his own secrets. When he′s arrested by soldiers in the middle of the night, Cass′s life is once again thrown into chaos. She must save Luca, and that means finding the Book of the Eternal Rose -- the only evidence that will prove he is innocent.
So begins her journey to Florence, a city haunted by whispers of corruption, secret soirees and clandestine meetings of the Order of the Eternal Rose. And home to Falco, who′s working for the Order′s eerily stunning leader, the Belladonna herself.
Can Cass trust her heart to lead her to the truth this time?
Nothing is as it seems in this seductive thriller, where the truth may be the deadliest poison of all..
I know that I didn't really like the first one, but that was because I disliked Falco. Hopefully Luca will be a huge part to this story!!!!
The Classics were some of the first works in literature. They have inspired other writers and are the reason we have books here today. I have read Princess Bride, How to Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, The Hobbit, and the Diary of Anne Frank. These are books I still need to read. I will be reading those during the Back in Time Challenge which will hopefully take place in December-January. What are some classics on your TBR list? Comment below!
The Tale of Two Cities
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... These well-known and loved lines begin Dickens's most exciting novel, set during the bloodiest moments of the French Revolution. When former aristocrat Charles Darnay learns that an old family servant needs his help, he abandons his safe haven in England and returns to Paris. But once there, the Revolutionary authorities arrest him not for anything he has done, but for his rich family's crimes. Also in danger: his wife, Lucie, their young daughter, and her aged father, who have followed him across the Channel.
This is Dickens’s only novel that lacks comic relief, and one of only two that are not set in nineteenth-century England. It is also unusual in lacking a primary central character. London and Paris are the real protagonists in this tale, much as the cathedral was the 'hero' of Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris.
Pride and Prejudice
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."
So begins Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen's witty comedy of manners--one of the most popular novels of all time--that features splendidly civilized sparring between the proud Mr. Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet as they play out their spirited courtship in a series of eighteenth-century drawing-room intrigues. Renowned literary critic and historian George Saintsbury in 1894 declared it the "most perfect, the most characteristic, the most eminently quintessential of its author's works," and Eudora Welty in the twentieth century described it as "irresistible and as nearly flawless as any fiction could be."
The Great Gatsby
In 1922, F. Scott Fitzgerald announced his decision to write "something new--something extraordinary and beautiful and simple and intricately patterned." That extraordinary, beautiful, intricately patterned, and above all, simple novel became The Great Gatsby, arguably Fitzgerald's finest work and certainly the book for which he is best known. A portrait of the Jazz Age in all of its decadence and excess, Gatsby captured the spirit of the author's generation and earned itself a permanent place in American mythology. Self-made, self-invented millionaire Jay Gatsby embodies some of Fitzgerald's--and his country's--most abiding obsessions: money, ambition, greed, and the promise of new beginnings. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning--" Gatsby's rise to glory and eventual fall from grace becomes a kind of cautionary tale about the American Dream.
It's also a love story, of sorts, the narrative of Gatsby's quixotic passion for Daisy Buchanan. The pair meet five years before the novel begins, when Daisy is a legendary young Louisville beauty and Gatsby an impoverished officer. They fall in love, but while Gatsby serves overseas, Daisy marries the brutal, bullying, but extremely rich Tom Buchanan. After the war, Gatsby devotes himself blindly to the pursuit of wealth by whatever means--and to the pursuit of Daisy, which amounts to the same thing. "Her voice is full of money," Gatsby says admiringly, in one of the novel's more famous descriptions. His millions made, Gatsby buys a mansion across Long Island Sound from Daisy's patrician East Egg address, throws lavish parties, and waits for her to appear. When she does, events unfold with all the tragic inevitability of a Greek drama, with detached, cynical neighbor Nick Carraway acting as chorus throughout. Spare, elegantly plotted, and written in crystalline prose, The Great Gatsby is as perfectly satisfying as the best kind of poem.
Fahrenheit 451
Guy Montag was a fireman whose job it was to start fires...
The system was simple. Everyone understood it. Books were for burning ... along with the houses in which they were hidden.
Guy Montag enjoyed his job. He had been a fireman for ten years, and he had never questioned the pleasure of the midnight runs nor the joy of watching pages consumed by flames... never questioned anything until he met a seventeen-year-old girl who told him of a past when people were not afraid.
Then he met a professor who told him of a future in which people could think... and Guy Montag suddenly realized what he had to do.
Alice and Wonderland
Weary of her storybook, one "without pictures or conversations," the young and imaginative Alice follows a hasty hare underground--to come face-to-face with some of the strangest adventures and most fantastic characters in all of literature.
The Ugly Duchess, the Mad Hatter, the weeping Mock Turtle, the diabolical Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat--each more eccentric than the last--could only have come from that master of sublime nonsense, Lewis Carroll.
In penning this brilliant burlesque of children's literature, Carroll has written a farcical satire of rigid Victorian society, an arresting parody of the fears, anxieties, and complexities of growing up.
Carroll was one of the few adult writers to successfully enter the children's world of make-believe: where the impossible becomes possible, the unreal--real, and where the height of adventure is limited only by the depths of imagination.
I have a real treat for you today, folks! The author of a new thriller, Insomnia, J.R. Johanasson, has agreed to do an interview for this blog, and so I am pleased and excited to share this new post and interview with you!!!
First off, a spotlight on the book:
It’s been four years since I slept, and I suspect it is killing me.
Instead of sleeping, Parker Chipp enters the dream of the last person he’s had eye contact with. He spends his nights crushed by other people’s fear and pain, by their disturbing secrets—and Parker can never have dreams of his own. The severe exhaustion is crippling him. If nothing changes, Parker could soon be facing psychosis and even death.
Then he meets Mia. Her dreams, calm and beautifully uncomplicated, allow him blissful rest that is utterly addictive. Parker starts going to bizarre lengths to catch Mia’s eye every day. Everyone at school thinks he’s gone over the edge, even his best friend. And when Mia is threatened by a true stalker, everyone thinks it’s Parker.
Suffering blackouts, Parker begins to wonder if he is turning into someone dangerous. What if the monster stalking Mia is him after all?
Thank you for accepting this interview! Some of these questions are serious, but I have one or two that might be fun.
What is Insomnia about? What makes it different from other books?
I think at its core, Insomnia is about the fight between good and evil that occurs within every person. It's a universal theme that applies to everyone. I think there are several things that make it different. It's a high tension, plot driven character with a male main character and there isn't a love triangle...just to name a few. ;-)
What gave you the idea for this book?
I have weird dreams and I started thinking about what other people would think if they saw my dreams or vice versa. It kind of spiraled out from there. With the book before this one, I realized that I had a real strength in the area of writing darker books and Insomnia was the first book where I decided to focus on that area and go all in. It was a unique experience that truly changed the entire path of my career. I couldn't be happier about it. What are some of your favorite things about your main character, Parker?
I like how Parker faces some terrible and terrifying situations, but he keeps trying. He's resilient but he isn't perfect. I think these things make him a very interesting character. (Now for some fun questions!) If you were stuck in the Hunger Games arena, what would be your strategy to stay alive?
I think I'd be like Rue. Learn to hide and hunt and survive and wait for everyone else to kill themselves off. Of course, she did die...and I probably would, too. If you could have the superpower of any superhero for an entire month, what would you choose?
I'd be able to stop time like Hiro from Heroes. I have SO much to do and not enough time to do it. I think this would help me finally catch up with everything. Plus, maybe I could knock out a few of those books on my massive tbr list. ;-) Thanks for doing this interview! I am so excited to read Insomnia and I know that a whole lot of others are, too! :)
Thank you for having me! These were fun questions! :)
Book Title: Clockwork Princess Author: Cassandra Clare
Number of Pages: 570
Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Supernatural
Books like it: Breaking Dawn, City of Fallen Angels
Favorite quote: “Life is a book, and there are a thousand pages I have not read. I would read them together with you, as many as I can, before I die -"
She put her hand against his chest, just over his heart, and felt its beat against her palm, a unique time signature that was all its own. "I only wish you would not speak of dying," she said. "But even for that, yes, I know how you are with your words, and, Will- I love all of them. Every word you say. The silly ones, the mad ones, the beautiful ones, and the ones that are only for me. I love them, and I love you.”
Brief Synopsis from Goodreads:
The Infernal Devices will never stop coming.
Tessa Gray should be happy – aren't all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net shadows begins to tighten around the London Institute. A new demon appears, one linked to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. And he needs only one last item to complete his plan: Tessa.
The Shadowhunters are desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever. But their small group cannot stand alone, and the powerful Consul doubts Mortmain's advance. The Shadowhunters find themselves trapped when Mortmain seizes the medicine that keeps Jem alive; now it is up to Will to risk everything to save the girl he and Jem both love. But Tessa is discovering her own powerful true nature. Can a lone girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?
The Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.
Trailer:
My Summary:
While reading this book I was completely and utterly devastated. Sorry to all the Jem fans out there, but I was totally voting for Will and Tessa. After all, they are the exact same and perfect for each other, and it seems that Tessa agrees with me:
"Don't you see, Will? You are a person, like me." His eyes watched her face, mystified, she held his hand tighter, lacing her fingers with his. "Don't you see, Will? You are a person like me. You are like me. You say the things I think but never say out loud. You read the books I read. You love the poetry I love. You make me laugh with your ridiculous songs and the way you see the truth of everything. I feel like you can look inside me and see all the places I am odd or unusual and fit your heart around them, for you are odd and unusual in the same way."
Bawling. Just kidding. So anyway, off to the actual summary of the book, with brief interruptions of some of my favorite Will quotes. After Clockwork Prince left off with the cruel breaking of Will's heart and Jem's unexpected and fast proposal to Tessa, I was demanding justice! How dare she break my Will's heart. It seems that whenever I pick a side in a love triangle, I always loose, and that is why I do not like love triangles.
“I'm afraid to answer that. I've heard that when I speak, it makes American women wish to strike me with umbrellas.”
In Clockwork Princess, Tessa is getting ready for her wedding with Jem when she comes to two very big problems. The first is that the drug that Jem's life is dependent on is now gone, and he is rapidly approaching the brink of death. (And I am not a sadistic person, although I don't want him with Tessa, I like Jem and do worry about him.) The second problem is this: One day at the Institute, Tessa is kidnapped by the Infernal Devices and taken to Mortmain, and with Jem laying on his sick bed and everyone else searching for a cure, Will is the only one who can save her. (I am getting very excited at this point in the story, here comes the wonderful knight in shining armor!) Anyway, Tessa discovers that she is the key in Mortmain's plan to destroy the Nephilim. Can one girl, however small and alone, defeat the Infernal Devices and save the ones she loves? Can Will reach her in time?
“Life is a book and there are a thousand pages I have not yet read.” In conclusion, you will definitely get what is expected when you read this book, including love, sacrifice, action, forgiveness, loss, courage, and believing in yourself. I absolutely loved this book although the epilogue made me bawl for everyone's sake, and let me say this: I loved the Infernal Devices and am heartbroken that it is over, but glad that I read it.
“The world is a wheel...when we rise or fall, we do it together.”
Pros: This book was the second best in the entire series. Clockwork Angel will always be my favorite, but this was a close second. It had just the right amounts of action, love, mystery, and suspenseful twists. Both Will and Jem lovers were given satisfaction, and Tessa discovered new things about herself. Although some parts in the story were slow, it picked up the pace after a while and it was well worth the patience. The epilogue was heartbreaking and beautiful and I loved it.
Cons: I can not believe that there is only three books in TID, and six in TMI, when the Infernal Devices, in my opinion, were so much better. Tessa is now on my list of favorite female heroines, probably landing second place after Tris from Divergent. I know that I really need to work on my cons, or maybe I should just get rid of them :) Some parts of the bok are slow and they do drag along, but be patient.
Cautions for Parents: Brief scenes of violence and mild language. Recommended age 12+. Review: 4 stars
Book Title: Clockwork Prince
Author: Cassandra Clare
Number of Pages:
Genres: Supernatural Romance, Fantasy
Books like it: Hex Hall, City of Bones, Twilight
My favorite quote: “Ah,” said a voice from the doorway, “having your annual ‘everyone thinks Will is a lunatic’ meeting, are you? “It’s biannual,” said Jem. “And no, this is not that meeting.”
Brief Synopsis from Goodreads: It’s time—for the riveting sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling Clockwork Angel! The situation at the London Institute has never been more precarious. With Mortmain and his clockwork army still threatening, the Council wants to strip Charlotte of her power and hand the running of the Enclave over to the unscrupulous and power-hungry Benedict Lightwood. In the hope of saving Charlotte and the Institute, Will, Jem, and Tessa set out to unravel the secrets of Mortmain’s past—and discover unsettling Shadowhunter connections that hold the key not only to the enemy’s motivations, but also to the secret of Tessa’s identity. Tessa, already caught between the affections of Will and Jem, finds herself with another choice to make when she learns how the Shadowhunters helped make her a “monster.” Will she turn from them to her brother, Nate, who has been begging her to join him at Mortmain’s side? Where will her loyalties—and love—lie? Tessa alone can choose to save the Shadowhunters of London…or end them forever.
Trailer:
My Summary: My advice to you right now is this:
“They’re not hideous,” said Tessa. Will blinked at her. “What?” “Gideon and Gabriel,” said Tessa. “They’re really quite good-looking, not hideous at all.” “I spoke,” said Will, in sepulchral tones, “of the pitch-black inner depths of their souls.” Tessa snorted. “And what color do you suppose the inner depths of your soul are, Will Herondale?” “Mauve,” said Will.
After reading a book like Clockwork Angel, are you going to be disappointed by the Clockwork Prince?
My answer: Heck no!
Be prepared for love, mystery, pain, curses, sacrifice, and a lot of good vs. evil. And a lot of crying over Will and telling Jem to back off, if you are on Team Will like me. What I really liked about the Clockwork Prince was you learned a lot about why Will acts like poison to everyone who shows kindness to him, and there is also a lot of sweet things that Will does and says that makes me want to TAKE HIM AWAY FROM TESSA! If she doesn't want him, fine, but I want him!
This is a part from the Clockwork Prince, found in Chapter 5 on page 113. I think this is one of the best Will and Tessa moments in the whole series, and most don't agree with me.
“Tess.” A voice came urgently in her ear.“Tess, you’re dreaming. Wake up. Wake up.” Hands
were on her shoulders, shaking her; her eyes flew open and she was gasping in
her ugly gray dimly lit room at the York Institute. The covers were tangled
around her, and her nightgown stuck to her back with sweat. Her skin felt as if
it were burning. She still saw the Dark Sisters, saw Nate laughing at her, and
Henry dissecting her heart.
“It was a dream?” she said. “It felt so real, so utterly
real-“
She broke off.
“Will,” she whispered. He still wore his dinner clothes,
though they were rumpled, his black hair tangled, as if he had fallen asleep
without changing for bed. His hands remained on her shoulders, warming her cold
skin through the material of her nightgown.
“What did you dream?” he said. His tone was calm and
ordinary, as if there were nothing unusual about her waking up and finding him
sitting on the edge of her bed.
She shuddered at the memory.“I dreamed that I was being taken apart-that bits of me were being put
on display for Shadowhunters to laugh at-“
“Tess.” He touched her hair gently, pushing the tangled
locks behind her ears. She felt pulled to him, like iron fillings to a magnet.
Her arms ached to go around him, her head to rest on the crook of his shoulder.
“That Starkweather is an idiot for
showing you what he did, but you must know that it’s not like that anymore. The
Accords have forbidden spoils. It was just a dream.”
But no, she
thought. This is a dream. Her eyes
had adjusted to the dark; the gray light in the room made his eyes glow an
almost unearthly blue, like a cat’s. When she drew a shuddering breath, her
lungs filled with the scent of him, Will and salt and trains and smoke and
rain, and she wondered if he had been out, walking the streets of York as he
did in London. “Where have you been?” she whispered. “You smell like nighttime.”
“Out kicking over traces. As usual.” He touched her cheek
with warm, calloused fingers. “Can you sleep now? We’re meant to rise early tomorrow.
Starkweather is lending us his carriage so that we might investigate Ravenscar
Manor. You, of course, are welcome to remain here. You need not accompany us.”
She shuddered. “Stay here without you? In this big, gloomy
place? I would prefer not to.”
“Tess.” His voice was ever so gentle. “That must have been
quite a nightmare, to have taken the spirit out of you so. Usually you are not
afraid of much.”
“It was awful. Even Henry was in my dream. He was taking
apart my heart as if it were made of clockwork.”
“Well, that settles it,” Will said. “Pure fantasy. As if Henry is a danger
to anyone except himself.” When she didn’t smile, he added, fiercely, “I would
never let anyone touch a hair on your head. You know that, don’t you, Tess?”
I hope you enjoyed this review, and I think I will end here. The Clockwork Prince has much in store for you, please read it!
Book Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Number of Pages: 478
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Supernatural
Books like it: The City of Bones, Hex Hall
My Favorite Quote: “One must always be careful of books," said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”
Brief Synopsis from Goodreads: Orphan Tessa Gray, sixteen, crosses the ocean from New York to find her brother Nate in Victorian London, her only possession a clockwork angel necklace from her mother. She is ignorant of her power to transform; the Dark sisters are not. They kidnap her for the Magister, who wants to marry Tessa and claim her power.
Shadowhunters, warriors of angel blood, battle demons and keep the peace in the Downworld of vampires, warlocks and other supernaturals. Orphan teen Shadowhunters Jem, Will, and Jess rescue Tessa and agree to help save Nate. Vengeful vampire Lady Camille Belcourt and her current lover, warlock Magnus Bane provide entrée to the Magister's secret Pandemonium Club.
Trailer:
My Summary:
I never thought that Clare could top a series like the Mortal Instruments, but after picking up my new copy of Clockwork Angel, I could not believe how utterly wrong I was! I was BLOWN AWAY. In the first few pages, you are completely hooked because there is a girl named Tessa who has a unique talent: She can Change. By changing, I mean she can hold an object that belonged to someone and completely Change her appearance to look like them. I have never heard of this talent before, and I thought it was an amazing idea! Two evil old ladies are forcing Tessa to Change, and preparing her for her marriage to a mysterious being called the Magister. Tessa is afraid, but if she tries to escape, they have one thing to hold against her: they have her brother.
And of course, when there is a damsel in distress, there has to be a knight in shining armor.
WILL!!!!
“Let me give you a piece of advice. The handsome young fellow who's trying to rescue you from a hideous fate is never wrong. Not even if he says the sky is purple and made of hedgehogs.”
If you can't tell, there is going to be a love triangle in this book, and I am definitely Team Will. Well, anyway, not to fear: he saves her, and takes her back to his castle. Or, rather, the Institute. There, Tessa learns that she is a Downworlder, and that there is another world that has been unknown to her. Will is something called a Shadowhunter, that fights vampires and werewolves and demons. Something called the Pandemonium Club is responsible for multiple deaths and a secret organization determined to take over the Shadow World and the race of humanity. With a further investigation, they learn that the Magister is building clockwork creatures to use for a secret army. With the help of Will, Jem, Charlotte, and Jessamine, Tessa's new friends, can Tessa stop the Magister, rescue her brother, and find out who she really is?
Find out in this enchanting story written by Cassandra Clare.
Also, everyone is very in love with Jem. Jem has a secret that might be threatening his life. Tessa finds him intriguingly mysterious, oddly beautiful, and kind. He never looses his temper and is a safe harbor for her to go to. Then there is Will, who is the complete opposite. Don't be fooled by his gorgeously great looks, he has a sharp and sarcastic tongue and is ready to be venomous to anyone who attempts to show him kindness. (Sound familiar? He is a lot like the Jace Wayland from TMI) Although he is frequently mean to her, Tessa finds herself drawn to him. Despite the fact that it seems that he is a coldhearted boy, his few acts of kindness lead Tessa to believe he is not what he fools everyone to be.
“That was enterprising," Will sounded nearly impressed. Nate smiled. Tess shot him a furious look. "Don't look pleased with yourself. When Will says 'enterprising' he means 'morally deficient.'" "No, I mean enterprising," said Will. "When I mean morally deficient, I say, 'Now, that's something I would have done."
In conclusion, Clockwork Angel was a refreshing and enchanting read from Cassandra Clare. I think that it will be the next supernatural romance, but unlike Twilight, I found it interesting and unique. If you have entered the world of Shadowhunters through Clary Fray you will love it even more through Tessa Gray. And even if you have not read TMI, again, I thought TID was a million times better anyway.
“You know," Gabriel said, "there was a time I thought we could be friends, Will."
"There was a time I thought I was a ferret," Will said, "but that turned out to be the opium haze. Did you know it had that effect? Because I didn't.”
Pros: I love this author because she brings new and unique ideas to the table. Her new take on shape-changers was fascinating, and I loved how she opened every chapter with a poem or expert from one of the classics. It adds a more classical taste to these books and an appreciation for the great works that some young readers have forgotten and left in the dust.
Cons: I know that I stink at doing cons. I'm sure critics of fiction would have a lot to say about how stupid these books were but I enjoyed the whole series.
Cautions for Parents: Brief scenes of violence and a little bit of mild language.
A riveting new story from Cat Patrick, author of Forgotten and Revived.
17-year-olds Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey Best grew up as identical triplets... until they discovered a shocking family secret. They're actually closer than sisters, they're clones. Hiding from a government agency that would expose them, the Best family appears to consist of a single mother with one daughter named Elizabeth. Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey take turns going to school, attending social engagements, and a group mindset has always been a de facto part of life...
Then Lizzie meets Sean Kelly, a guy who seems to see into her very soul. As their relationship develops, Lizzie realizes that she's not a carbon copy of her sisters; she's an individual with unique dreams and desires, and digging deeper into her background, Lizzie begins to dismantle the delicate balance of an unusual family that only science could have created.
Sadly, I have not been updating this blog for a long time and I apologize. I have been moving all the crap out of my house and into an apartment. I have not been able to receive wifi until just today. I have read the Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare and will be updating with those reviews next week or as soon as I am moved in. Sorry for the inconvenience. After that, this blog will be up and running again!!! Thanks for your support, more reviews and news are coming soon!
I looked down at the paper, still touching the tip of my shoe. I reached for it, flipping the page over to look.
Scrawls of ink outlined a drawing of a girl lying on a bench.
A sick feeling started to twist in my stomach, like motion sickness.
And then the girl in the drawing turned her head, and her inky eyes glared straight into mine.
On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.
Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.
Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.
Title: The Goddess Hunt
Author: Aimee Carter
Number of Pages: 92
Genres: Mythology, Romance
Books like it: The Goddess Test, Of Poseidon
My favorite quote: "Doing the right thing is never nothing."
Brief Synopsis from Goodreads:
A vacation in Greece sounds like the perfect way for Kate Winters to spend her first sabbatical away from the Underworld...until she gets caught up in an immortal feud going back millennia. Castor and Pollux have been on the run from Zeus and Hades' wrath for centuries, hiding from the gods who hunt them. The last person they trust is Kate, the new Queen of the Underworld. Nevertheless, she is determined to help their cause. But when it comes to dealing with immortals, Kate still has a lot to learn....
Trailer: None
My Summary:
This is not going to be the longest summary since the book was an ebook and was only 96 pages. I got it for a dollar, and was reading it for my Summer Reading List when I realized that I had put the Goddess Legacy on the list. So I changed it, okay? Um, so anyway, this book is a book that goes in the middle of Goddess Test and Goddess Interrupted. It is about Kate's summer with James, and how all is going well until they stumble into two traitors to the gods who have been on the run for thousands of years. Pollux helped his brother escape from the fate of living in the Underworld forever, and he will do anything to protect them. Kate is determined not to let the sentence happen again, but, there is little she can do, and she might find out that Henry is not the man she thought he was. And maybe the council isn't as good as they say they are.
It's been a while. I see you still haven't found a shirt.
Pros: This book was really great. I know that I am way to positive about these things, but Castor and Pollux are really interesting characters and I was not expecting that to happen. Seriously. I read the synopsis for Goddess Legacy and then bought the Goddess Hunt, so you can see why I was thinking that the synopsis was misleading.
Cons: Why didn't they mention this in Goddess Interrupted? I mean, it meant a lot to Kate and the story closed off with her thinking about a lot of things to ask him. Also, when this book closes, she has a completely different opinion about the council, and Walter doesn't really like her that much any more. So why is this not mentioned at all in Goddess Interrupted? It should have been. It is just too much of the things that Kate learns about Henry to leave out of the storyline. Oh well.
Cautions for Parents: This book does swear. I think it used mostly every word except b and f. So if you don't want that for your kids they should not read this book. I just mentally replace each word in my head, personally.
The Summer Reading Challenge
Do you want to participate in the Summer Reading Challenge? The goal of this challenge is to stuff your summer with great books! Here is how to do it in 3 easy steps:
Copy and paste these instructions including the list below into a blog post so people know that you are participating and they can participate, too!
Grab the Summer Reading Challenge button and put it somewhere on your blog.
Make a new page (for temporarily) or something to post this list: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green Divergent by Veronica Roth After the Fear by Rosanne Rivers The City of Bones by Cassandra Clare The Selection by Kiera Cass Icons by Margaret Shotl Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare Across the Universe by Beth Revis The Runaway King by Jennifer Neilson
Geek Girl by Holly Smale The Originals by Cat Patrick Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher
Gone series by Michael Grant The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
You can remove or add books to this list, just make sure you at least pick two that you haven't read. Each time you read a book, cross it off or write Done next to it. Every Thursday, you can post an update to the books that you have finished. Happy reading!
The Series of Unfortunate Events, sadly, has way too short of books to do a review for each book. So here is how it is going to work: I will put the books in order along with a synopsis and then review the series as a whole! I hope that you enjoy it and you will read these books!
Dear Reader,
I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.
In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.
It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.
With all due respect, Lemony Snicket
Dear Reader,
If you have picked up this book with the hope of finding a simple and cheery tale, I'm afraid you have picked up the wrong book altogether. the story may seem cheery at first, when the Baudelaire children spend time in the company of some interesting reptiles and a giddy uncle, but don't be fooled. If you know anything at all about the unlucky Baudelaire children, you already know that even pleasant events lead down the same road to misery. In fact, within the pages you now hold in your hands, the three siblings endure a car accident, a terrible smell, a deadly serpent, a long knife, a large brass reading lamp, and the re-appearance of a person they'd hoped never to see again. I am bound to record these tragic events, but you are free to put this book back on the shelf and seek something lighter. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket All the other books:
I thought these books were easy reads, but you wanted to finish them, all the same. They are 13 books about the misfortunes of the Baudelaire orphans, whose parents left them quite a fortune, and a man named Count Oalf who will stop at nothing to get it. No matter where they go, the orphans are in deep trouble. If you have not read this terrible series, you must get it at your library or wherever they keep the misfortunes.
The characters are Sunny, Klaus, and Violet Baudelaire. Sunny bites things, Klaus reads things, and Violet invents things. These may not seem like very important talents, but they will help the clever children escape from their crazy uncle, who has some very good disguises, except that he has a tattoo of an eye on his ankle and only one eyebrow. Can they outsmart him before they are in danger and a lot of trouble? Find out in this series!
Book Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Number of Pages: 387
Genres: Dystopian, Fairytale Retellings, Romance
Books like it: Ever, The Princess of the Midnight Ball, Scarlet
My favorite quote:
“Kai cleared his throat. Stood straighter. "I assume you are going to the ball?" "I-I don't know. I mean, no. No, I'm sorry, I'm not going to the ball." Kai drew back, confused. "Oh well...but...maybe you would change your mind? Because I am, you know." "The prince." "Not bragging," he said quickly. "Just a fact.”
Brief Synopsis from Goodreads:
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
My Summary:
Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon a Time.
This book is a futuristic Cinderella story, and I found it very interesting and compelling. There are a number of problems: People from the moon, Lunars, plot to take over the Earth and enslave the humans, and a plague sweeps the nation. The entire world is tense and waiting for a war that will be their destruction. Meanwhile, the emperor is sick and hanging on the thread of life.
A cyborg mechanic named Cinder roams the streets of New Beijing. When her sister becomes sick and her stepmother blames her for it, she finds herself on her own and stranded. Her life unexpectedly collides with Prince Kai's. She finds herself falling for the prince, and though she may not know it, the fate of her country and the world rests on her shoulders.
I have never read a futuristic fairytale, so this book was a new experience for me. It was definitely different. Years in the future, we are threatened by people from the moon who want the Earth under their control. Humanity's last hope was a princess, but she died long ago and now they are left alone. This book had a ton of things that I didn't expect, and it was written... just amazingly. I have, actually, read Scarlet, book two, that is an even better book than Cinder and cannot wait for the third book, Cress.
Pros: I loved the characters in this book. Cinder was a special girl, and she felt that no boy could ever care for her, especially since she is partly cyborg.
He was the fantasy of every girl in the country. He was so far out of realm, her world, that she should have stopped thinking about him the second the door had closed. Should stop thinking about him immediately. Should never think about him again, except maybe as a client - and her prince. And yet, the memory of his fingers against her skin refused to fade.
So when Prince Kai, of all people, shows interest in her, she feels like it is a dream come true. I love how this book had a forbidden romance and action with a lot of dilemmas.
Cons: THE END WAS AGONIZING! What was that, Marissa Meyer?!? I am seriously terrible at thinking up cons unless I absolutely hated the book. Um, let's see.... Well, the one problem I am having with this story is that it does not include a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Ugh, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING. I'm trying guys, really.
If you are as excited as I am for the House of Hades to come out, you better read this post now!
Heroes of Olympus, Book Four
Coming October 8, 2013
At the conclusion of The Mark of Athena, Annabeth and Percy tumble into a pit leading straight to the Underworld. The other five demigods have to put aside their grief and follow Percy’s instructions to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death. If they can fight their way through the Gaea’s forces, and Percy and Annabeth can survive the House of Hades, then the Seven will be able to seal the Doors both sides and prevent the giants from raising Gaea. But, Leo wonders, if the Doors are sealed, how will Percy and Annabeth be able to escape?
They have no choice. If the demigods don’t succeed, Gaea’s armies will never die. They have no time. In about a month, the Romans will march on Camp Half-Blood. The stakes are higher than ever in this adventure that dives into the depths of Tartarus.
The great book blogger Emily over at Confessions of a Bookaholic has asked me to help her with her blog for a month while she her computer is undergoing some attempts to save it :) This means that I will be doing two blogs, but I promise I will try and do a few posts here and there. However, I am determined not to disappoint Emily and will therefore spending most of my time over there if you guys want to keep updated on the stuff that I'm reading.
Also some other big news: MY BIRTHDAY IS IN ONE MONH! That's right, July 3rd is my birthday and I am hoping to get some books to read. Its going to be a hard birthday because I'm moving into a townhouse and trying to pack. I have to be moved out 4 days before my birthday.
Well, anyway, go ahead and keep updated here and on Emily's blog! Thanks!
And here comes another conversation with my inner self. Hold on to your seats and get ready for this. I will be, well, me, and my inter self will be IS.
Me: Hello, IS.
IS: Why do we keep posting these online? People will think you are crazy.
Me: Correction, people will think we're crazy.
IS: Fine. Anyway, what is this all about?
Me: Pfft, shows how brilliant you are. Don't you know, already? We have the same thoughts.
IS: You know, any time you make fun of me you are just hurting yourself.
Me: Why is that?
IS: Because I am YOU, idiot.
Me: You basically called yourself an idiot.
IS: Oh, gosh- let's just get on with it. What's this all about? And no snide comments.
Me: And they call me the idiot. Anyway, this post is about books you MUST know about, that I have not read yet, and they, sadly, are not on my Summer Reading List.
IS: And-
Me: And here they are!
IS: There are three of-
Me: There are three of them!
IS: AHHH!!!
Me: Well, that's all, folks!
IS: Great, now we are on the Looney Toon show.
Me: Figures, since you're here.
IS: Wow, that was-
Me: Wonderful? All rightey we better end this post bef-
IS: You are asking for it, you little-
Me: See you NEXT time! Ow! Oi!
For this year, my goal is to read 300 books. I hope I can make it! I obviously don't have time to review all 300. But here is what I have read so far, including the books I have reviewed! Here they are:
1. After Hello by Lisa Magnum
2. Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap
3. A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn
4. Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Shotl and Kami Garcia
5. Beautiful Redemption by Margaret Shotl and Kami Garcia
6. Beautiful Darkness by Margaret Shotl and Kami Garcia
7. Beautiful Chaos by Margaret Shotl and Kami Garcia
8. Beyonders by Brandon Mull
9. City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
10. The City of Bones {The Mortal Instruments Book #1} by Cassandra Clare
11. The City of Ashes {The Mortal Instruments Book #2} by Cassandra Clare
12. The City of Glass {The Mortal Instruments Book #3} by Cassandra Clare
13. City of Fallen Angels {The Mortal Instruments Book #4} by Cassandra Clare
14. City of Lost Souls {The Mortal Instruments Book #5} by Cassandra Clare
15. Cross My Heart Hope to Spy {Gallagher Girls #2} by Ally Carter
16. Divergent by Veronica Roth
17. Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
18. Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George
19. Dragon Flight by Jessica Day George
20. The Elite by Kiera Cass
21. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
22. Entwined by Heather Dixon
23. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
24. The False Prince by Jennifier Neilson
25. Forsaken by Lisa Strasse
26. Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
27. The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum
28. The Guardian by Gerald Lund
29. The Golden Spiral by Lisa Mangum
30. The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
31. Goddess Interrupted {Goddess Test #2} by Aimee Carter
32. The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum
33. The Host by Stephanie Meyer
34. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
35. Heist Society by Ally Carter
36. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
37. I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
38. Janitors by Tyler Whitesides
39. Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson
40. Legend by Marie Lu
41. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
42. Matched by Ally Condie
43. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
44. Michael Vey by Richard Paul Evans
45. Once Upon A Marigold by Jean Ferris
46. Origin by Jessica Khoury
47. Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
48. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
49. The Prince {A Selection Novella} by Kiera Cass
50. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
51. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
52. Sun and Moon Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
53. Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
54. Small Persons with Wings by Ellen Booraem
55. Sunflowers and Seashells by Eber and Wein, (and ME!)
56. The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman by Ben H Winters
57. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
58. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
59. Starters by Lissa Price
60. The Selection by Kiera Cass
61. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
62. The Thirteenth Reality by James Dashner
63. The Timekeeper by Mitch Albom
64. Unravel Me {Shatter Me #2} by Tahereh Mafi
65. Uglies by Scott Westerfield
66. Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff
67. You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis
68. Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover {Gallagher Girls #3} by Ally Carter
69. Out of Sight, Out of Time {Gallagher Girls #5} by Ally Carter
70. Only the Good Spy Young {Gallagher Girls #4} by Ally Carter
78. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
79. Requiem by Lauren Oliver
80. Crossed by Ally Condie
81. Reached by Ally Condie
82. The Hunt for Dark Infinity (The 13th Reality, #2) by James Dashner
83. The Blade of Shattered Hope (The 13th Reality, #3) by James Dashner
84. The Void of Mist and Thunder (The 13th Reality #4) by James Dashner
85. The Door in the Hedge by Robin McKinley
86. Forbidden by Syrie James
87. Bridge to Terebithia
88. Prodigy by Marie Lu
89. Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
90. Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale
91. Kissed by Cameron Dokey (review coming soon on my blog!)
92. The Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley
93. The Series of Unfortunate Events #1
94. The Series of Unfortunate Events #2
95. The Series of Unfortunate Events #3
96. The Series of Unfortunate Events #4
97. The Series of Unfortunate Events #5
98. The Series of Unfortunate Events #6
99. The Series of Unfortunate Events #7
Book Title: Venom
Author: Fiona Paul
Number of Pages: 435
Genres: Fiction, Murder Mystery, Romance
Books like it: Falling Kingdoms, My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century
My favorite quote:
“You should be more careful, you know."
"Careful?" she managed to croak. "You're the one who knocked me over."
"I couldn't resist," he said, and he actually had the nerve to wink at her. "It's not often I get the chance to put my hands on such a beautiful woman.”
Brief Synopsis from Goodreads:
Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.
When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?
Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.
My Summary:
Take a step back into the past as you enter the Renaissance Venice. Cassandra Caravello (aka Cass) is one of the richest maidens in the land, and she has the life of a dream come true, full of riches, and gowns, and jewels. But she feels like a caged bird, trapped inside a golden cage with no way out and no allowance for freedom.
“How terrible it must be to be a member of the noble class. So many rules. Such restraint. You must feel like a caged bird, battering its wings against the sides of its golden prison.”
Ever since she was a little girl, her fiancé was chosen for her: a man named Luca. Though he does have a way with words, and he does have the looks, the one thing he doesn't have is her heart. Then, something extraordinary and strange happens that changes Cass's life forever.
She finds that her late friend's coffin has been replaced by someone that is not her friend. It is a girl with an X carved across her chest. Terrified, Cass wants to go to the police, but a street painter named Falco, who runs into her at the graveyard, convinces her that the police are drunken men who cannot help and that they must do investigating on their own.
As Cass is spending more and more time with Falco, she finds herself falling in love with him, even though he is a commoner and she has already been promised to Luca. But both men have secrets that they are not telling her, and it makes her decision harder to choose the man who will have her heart forever.
As she and Falco set off on a hunt to find the killer, Cass finds out that sometimes investigating can be dangerous. Especially if the killer is determined not to be found.
I must admit, the only reason that I picked this book off the library table is because it the cover was gorgeous. After reading the first few chapters, I grew slightly bored, and the ending was a bit page turning/on the edge of your seat. This book was actually really good and was written well. I really only had two and a half problems with it, and these are them:
The first problem was that the synopsis was misleading. They say don't judge a book by it's cover, ha. Don't judge a book by it's synopsis on the back of the book, that's what I say. When I read the synopsis I thought it was going to be a thriller-chiller action packed novel, and that is why I picked it up. I was like, yes! A murder mystery! I'm not saying this isn't a murder mystery, because it is. All I'm saying is that I expected it to be A MURDER MYSTERY. Now, you're probably like, Sarah has gone nuts. Well, yes, I have gone nuts, actually, but that's not the point. Since this was a murder mystery, I expected it to be running from the crazy killer, adrenaline filled scenes. Nope. I actually thought that the whole point of this book wasn't even the mystery, it was a 15 year old girl falling in love with a guy. And we all know how much I love romance. (If you did not get that right then was sarcasm you are now allowed to slap your own forehead.)
The second problem with this book was that I had heard it all before. I mean, seriously. Forbidden romance. Love triangle. Commoner loves noble. Does that sound familiar? Love triangles are everywhere, and forbidden romance? Twilight. Matched. Delirium. Take your pick. And of course every where we look it is princess and the pauper. Fine, I will say that this book was unique because it combined murder and love, which is not a common combination. But Falco, most of all, bugged me because he was such a suck up Romeo. He was constantly telling Cass how beautiful she was. And flirting with her. I hate characters like that who go after women by hitting on them. So, Falco was my half problem of the two and a half problems with this book. Basically, I was rooting for Luca the whole book even though we didn't meet him until almost the very end.
Examples of Falco's attempt at charm:
“I know you want this as much as I do," he said. "You aren't going to report me. And even if you did, I'm inclined to think a night with you might well be worth imprisonment.”
“Come on," Falco said. "I'll see you safely home to your fancy sheets. I'd say you need your beauty sleep, but it looks like you've been getting plenty.”
Yes, I know what you are thinking, my favorite quote was one of those attempts at charm. But I laughed aloud at that one, and it still makes me laugh, and is therefore my favorite quote.
I am making this book sound terrible, but it was a pretty good read and I enjoyed it. My favorite character was Luca, and I am very excited to learn more about him in Belladonna, which is coming out next month. This was an average read but it had some good parts and even though I was very disappointed that it wasn't a thriller, I think that it was okay in the end and the mystery still had some good twists. I just really hope that Falco never appears in the series ever again.
Overall Review: 3 stars
Cautions for Parents: There are murders in this book, and some scenes that might be a little scary for some younger children. The kissing scenes are intense sometimes.
This is our seventh Waiting on Wednsday hosted by a blog called Breaking the Spine at www.breakingthespine.blogspot.com
3. A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn