Synopsis: Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the Earth itself will perish.
Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.
All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, he realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Alone on this tiny ship that's been cobbled together by every government and space agency on the planet and hurled into the depths of space, it's up to him to conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.
And thanks to an unexpected ally, he just might have a chance.
Review: I loved The Martian, so I was really looking forward to this book!
The story is told in first person - I've come to realize this is the perfect POV for Weir's books because it's the only way for the protagonists humorous internal thoughts to shine through. The only aspect of this that I didn't like was the time skipping that happened throughout the entire book. The time skips worked out a little better in this book than others since the reader gets to truly experience Grace's POV and his experience of recalling his lost memories. However, the classic problem still stands where I want to learn more about the main plot but end up having to trudge through pages of a flashback.
This leads to the second problem; the first 100-150 pages were really hard for me to get through. I started reading this book a while ago, but it ended up sitting around untouched for long stretches of time just because the beginning part of the book wasn't interesting enough for me to really get into the book. If anyone else has the same problem, I encourage you to push through because the rest of the book went REALLY fast. It's a very gripping story that has a good mix of suspense, despair, humor, and camaraderie.
A lot of the science went over my head; I'm not sure if it's just because this book is longer, but it seemed like there were more scientific explanations in Project Hail Mary than The Martian. I have to admit there was a lot I ended up skimming over (some parts I just wanted to know what happens next, with less interest on the exact science behind how it's happening).
Highly recommend giving this book a read. Although it's not my favorite book, I definitely enjoyed it.
Synopsis: The Lord of Laughter, The Monarch of Mirth—if only the bumbling 17-year-old Sebastian Darke could be a successful jester like his father. The problem is, Sebastian’s not funny. But after his father’s death, with no choice but to beg in the streets, the half-human, half-elf teen sets off with Max, his father’s slightly cynical Buffalope, to offer his services as a jester to King Septimus of Keladon. On the way, they meet Captain Cornelius Drummel, small in stature, but the fiercest of fighters. The three rescue the fair princess Kerin, who’s being held captive by brigands, and happily escort her home. If only Sebastian knew the kidnapping was engineered by the evil King Septimus!
Review: The key to enjoying this book is to not take it too seriously.
Yes, the plot is predictable, but as the saying goes, "it's about the journey, not the destination."Sebastian, Cornelius, and Max form a group of unexpected adventurers, and there is plenty of humor as they work to protect the princess from the evil King. The whole story was very Princessbride-esque to me, although with significantly less romance. The dialogue might not seem entirely natural, but this is fine for a book that is considered a comedy!
Despite the illustrations throughout, I would recommend this book to early YA readers and above. It's a light, quick read (and a lucky find hidden amongst my other books; I'm not sure exactly how I got this book but am glad to have read it).
Title: Crooked Kingdoms Author: Leigh Bardugo # of Pages: 536 (ebook) Genre: YA, Fantasy, Adventure Rating: ★★★★☆ Synopsis:Welcome to the world of the Grisha. Kaz Brekker and his crew of deadly outcasts have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets - a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world. Review: I wouldn't have read the second book if it wasn't highly recommended to me.
Sure, I liked Six of Crows well enough, but I didn't feel any urgency to find out what happens to all of the characters. However, with a recommendation and the fact that this book is the last book in the duology, I thought I might as well give it a read.
I liked this book about the same amount as I liked Six of Crows (perhaps a little less, perhaps a little more). I enjoyed reading how Kaz's complicated plans unfolded and seeing the relationships within the gang deepen over time.
I'm really, really sad Matthias died. There are three couples in the book: Kaz+Inej, Jesper+Wylan, and Matthias+Nina. Even though I always views Matthias and Nina as the secondary couple, I feel like they were cheated of a proper conclusion in this book. I'm not complaining about that fact that Matthias is killed off (although that does make me sad). The problem it how every couple seemed to get their own ending chapter (Wylan and Jesper are living in Wylan's father's mansion, Inej and Kaz are going to work on defeating slavers and other greedy/evil people in power together) but it's only briefly mention that Nina is going to bury Matthias in his homeland. If every other character has closure, the least Bardugo could have done is give the reader a little bit more on Nina; was her voyage to bury Matthias's body successful? Is she prepared to live her life without him or is she going to be crippled with the loss. There is just a little too much left up to the reader's imagination.
If you enjoyed Six of Crows, you will definitely enjoy this book. I recommend this to anyone who has read and loved Six of Crows.
Title: The Martian Author: Andy Weir # of Pages: 369 (paperback) Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction, Adventure Rating: ★★★★☆ Synopsis:Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills — and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit — he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him? Review: I was very surprised by how much I was able to enjoy this book.
By no means am I a science fiction buff (the opposite actually, aside from a brief obsession with dystopian YA books). However, since this book was so popular, and there was even a movie based on it, I decided to give it a shot.
Weir does a great job making a likable protagonist; his log entries are fun, so the reader actually wants him to survive. The biggest drag on the story is how much science there is. While I appreciate a well researched book, even the dumbed down science in Mark's log entries force readers to slow down to understand what exactly is going on.
This story is told in first person (the log entries) with the occasional section of third person narration and third person POV from the people at NASA. In this case, jumping between log entries and NASA is fine since there is a clear distinction between these two perspectives and they give a clear picture of what is going on at that moment. However, there still was some overlap between NASA's perspective and Mark's log entries that could have been eliminated to make the way the story was told perfect.
I enjoyed the read and would recommend it to those interested in the book. If you are scared of there being too much science, trying reading an excerpt and see how you fare; it doesn't get much more technical than it is in the beginning.
Title: A Dog's Way Home Author: W. Bruce Cameron # of Pages: 297 (paperback) Genre: Fiction, Animals, Adventure Rating: ★★★★★ Synopsis:After Bella is picked up by Animal Control because pit bulls are banned in Denver, Lucas has no choice but to send her to a foster home until he can figure out what to do. But Bella, distraught at the separation, doesn't plan to wait. With four hundred miles of dangerous Colorado wilderness between her and her person, Bella sets off on a seemingly impossible and completely unforgettable adventure home. Review: This book is so good, I had dreams about.
Okay, that's an exaggerating. And for the record, I had only one dream about it (I read the first half of the book before I went to sleep, and my brain decided to dream up an ending). By no means is this booking going to be winning any big prizes. However, it might just change a set of ridiculous laws referred to as Breed-Specific Legislature.
A Dog's Way Home focuses on the story of a dog (who may or may not be part pit-bull) who is living in Denver with his beloved owner. This may sound like a pretty generic story if it weren't for the fact that Denver has a ban on pit-bulls.
The reason this ridiculous ban was created in the first place is because two pit-bull attacks. Back in the 1980s, a man was attacked by a pit-bull in an alley behind his home and suffered many injuries (I feel bad for the man; this is one of the cases where the pit-bull was probably at fault). However, the second case that encouraged this ban to be passed was when a 3 year old was killed by a pit-bull. It's always incredibly horrifying to hear someone so young to be killed, but the dog was chained up in its own yard and the child WANDERED in. Thus the ban was put in place in Denver (you can read more about the ban here: https://www.denverpost.com/2010/06/18/pet-beat-tide-may-be-turning-for-denvers-pit-bull-ban/).
Pit-bulls are stereotyped to be vicious dogs, but this is definitely not always the case. This is why this book is so interesting; a dog that does not even 100% look like a pit-bull is affected by this legislature. There have been many educated people backing up this ban, but hopefully this book will help more people see how judging a dog by its breed is not the way to protect the public from "vicious" animals.
W. Bruce Cameron said he has been criticized for using "simple, plain descriptions" throughout his book. This story is told from a dog's point of view, which is what he uses to justify this writing style. I didn't see this to be a problem. The story will definitely still interest adult readers, but the simple/plain descriptions make it easier for younger readers to be able to read and enjoy this book too.
That being said, this book will definitely not be for everyone. I felt like I was holding my breath the entire book, hoping that Bella (the dog protagonist) will be able to survive her next ordeal. There's a mix of happy and sad moments that might be too much for young children. However, it's important for people of all ages to be introduced to tough topics, so I believe those around middle school age an older can read and appreciate this book.
I'm a huge fan of A Dog's Purpose, and I could tell this book came from the same author based purely on the writing style and the flow of the plot. Him including Bella's sense of purpose and how she wants to help her human companions exhibits similar themes seen in his other books.
This is a quickly, heart-wrenching read with an important message. I recommend this book to everyone.
Title: Six of Crows Author: Leigh Bardugo # of Pages: 621 (ebook) Genre: YA, Fantasy, Adventure Rating: ★★★★☆ Synopsis:Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price–and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone… A convict with a thirst for revenge. A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager. A runaway with a privileged past. A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first. Review: I wish I read Six of Crows closer to when I read Shadow and Bone.
What everyone says is definitely true; you do not have to read the Grisha trilogy to read the Six of Crows duology. However, since they take place in the same universe, it would have been nice to start the book having already experienced the world building (so I could concentrate on getting to know the characters instead). Also, I would have liked to compare this book with Shadow and Bone; everyone seems to believe Six of Crows is worlds better, but I can't remember it well enough to make a fair comparison (I wouldn't be able to tell you if the four stars I'm giving this book right now is actually four stars or more like the 3.5 stars I gave Shadow and Bone).
I did not think I was going to like this book. The first chapter had me hooked, but it should have been labelled as the book's prologue instead because the characters don't really appear again in the rest of the book. The second chapter, on the other hand, was extremely confusing; not only is the reader just thrown into the world without any background, but there are a bunch of new characters who are introduced all at once. This is a risky choice; I bet there were a handful of readers who were put off from the book after reading this second chapter.
The following chapters were much better. This is definitely one of those books that gets better as you read. Something I noticed right away was something I also dread: POV switching. If it was first person POV switching, I might not have read the book at all. However, by the end of the book I found I was pleasantly surprised. There are many authors who mess this up. What I usually don't like about it is how POVs tend to overlap (the book might be thick, but it's actually covering the same time period from multiple perspectives). However, Bardugo doesn't do this. Sure, every once in a while some of the POVs overlap. But for the most part, one POV picks up from where the other left off. If each chapter wasn't labelled with a different character, Six of Crows could have been a book told in third person (I wouldn't have labelled it as a book with multiple POVs as I distastefully do with so many others).
There was such a distinct cast of characters in this book. Although not all of them are explicitly together, the pairings are obvious.
Kaz and Inej: The "protagonist couple." Bardugo makes sure the hints are obvious. Although they don't get together at the end of the book, Kaz's not-so-hidden affection for Inej is the reason why there's a second book. Six of Crows delved deep into both of their backstories, but for some reason I feel like I know more about Kaz than I do about Inej. Since Inej is the quiet "spider" type, I always picture Inej to be younger than she is, and I'm never quite able to picture correctly in my head. Yes it makes sense that she has an acrobatic background, but personality-wise, I don't know what to think of her. Hopefully her character and her relationship with Kaz is more fully developed in the second book.
Matthias and Nina: The "second couple syndrome" couple. Every story with a lot of characters seems to have one (see Finnick and Annie in Hunger Games and Seo Dae-Young and Yoon Myeong-Joo in the k-drama Descendants of the Sun). This relationship is the only one that is truly "a thing" by the end of the book. What I love about their relationship is how solid it is; they've already fought (about some pretty serious topics too) and yet their love for each other is still as strong as ever. If this couple has survived each others' "betrayals," this couple can survive anything.
Jesper and Wylan: The "closeted gay" couple. Of course the author is not going to introduce these characters as LGBTQ+; she's going to ease these characters into the plot and make the reader wonder what their purpose is before the slow reveal that they're meant for each other. It's so subtle, some readers may miss it entirely (and for this book's conservative readers, it can be ignored entirely...for now). But the chemistry between these two characters is definitely there, even if they're not sure what their relationship is themselves. For example:
1. Wylan tells Jesper he's doesn't like a lot of things, but he likes math, numbers, and equations. Jesper then replies,
"If only you could talk to girls in equations." There was a long silence, and then, eyes trained on the notch they'd created in the link, Wylan said, "Just girls?" Jesper restrained a grin. "No, Not just girls."
If that isn't flirting, I don't know what is.
2. Wylan has been transformed to look like the Kuwei, and Jesper is upset because he might not be able to change back. Wylen asks,
"Why does it matter?" "I don't know!" Jesper said angrily. "Maybe I liked your stupid face."
Jesper doesn't even understand his own feelings. Hopefully Wylan will help him with that in the next book.
Would I read this book again? Probably not; I had a very entertaining read, but I don't think I need to read this book again. Would I read the second book? I'd be willing to give it a shot; I want to know what happens to these characters? Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes and no. Six of Crows reads very much like a young adult novel to me (although it's story is unique, it still contains the same-old hints of romance and standard dramatic structure), so if you are interested in reading an interesting YA book, this is for you.
Title: The Revenant Author: Michael Punke # of Pages: 262 (paperback) Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Historical Fiction Rating: ★★★★☆ Synopsis:The year is 1823, and the trappers of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company live a brutal frontier life. Trapping beaver, they contend daily with the threat of Indian tribes turned warlike over the white men’s encroachment on their land, and other prairie foes—like the unforgiving landscape and its creatures. Hugh Glass is among the Company’s finest men, an experienced frontiersman and an expert tracker. But when a scouting mission puts him face-to-face with a grizzly bear, he is viciously mauled and not expected to survive.
The Company’s captain dispatches two of his men to stay behind and tend to Glass before he dies, and to give him the respect of a proper burial. When the two men abandon him instead, taking his only means of protecting himself—including his precious gun and hatchet— with them, Glass is driven to survive by one desire: revenge.
With shocking grit and determination, Glass sets out crawling inch by inch across more than three thousand miles of uncharted American frontier, negotiating predators both human and not, the threat of starvation, and the agony of his horrific wounds. In Michael Punke’s hauntingly spare and gripping prose, The Revenant is a remarkable tale of obsession, the human will stretched to its limits, and the lengths that one man will go to for retribution. Review: This is not my type of book.
Although I like historical fiction (especially those with a stronger emphasis on the historical and less on the fiction), I have no interest in reading about people venturing through the American frontier. Learning about people "roughing it" is about as appealing as the idea of venturing out into the wilderness myself.
However, in 2015, the movie adaptation came out, and the action-packed trailer convinced me to watch it in theaters. I enjoyed it well enough, but I was grossed out by what Glass had to do to survive. The book was no different, except action scenes are less enjoyable and more chaotic than they are in the movies.
I also realized the movie had swerved away from the plot Punke created to make the movie more interesting to the general public. This is to be expected, but the climax and the fate of Fitzgerald, our antagonist, was completely altered to the point where the message against revenge is weakened. In the movie, Glass is told "revenge is in the Creator's hands" which later influences his actions in regards to achieving his revenge. In the book, Glass has a conversation with Kiowa, who says:
"'Why did you come to the frontier? To track down a common thief? To revel in a moment's revenge? I thought there was more to you than that'" -p.248
The book is clearly against pursuing revenge (many of Glass's life-or-death struggles are folly as he ventures out for revenge instead of exploration) while the movie seems to support it. Although the movie may be more exciting, the book has the better message.
I rated this book four stars because it is well-written, not because I enjoyed it as much as other four star books. However, if you enjoy this kind of topic, I would recommend this book to you.
Title: Snakehead Author: Anthony Horowitz # of Pages: 388 (paperback) Genre: YA, Action, Adventure Rating: ★★★★☆ Synopsis:When Alex Rider crash-lands off the coast of Australia, the Australian Secret Service recruits him to infiltrate one of the ruthless gangs operating across Southeast Asia. Known as snakeheads, the gangs smuggle drugs, weapons, and worst of all, people. Alex accepts the assignment, in part for the chance to work with his godfather and learn more about his parents. What he uncovers, however, is a secret that will make this his darkest and most dangerous mission yet . . . and the knowledge that his old nemesis, Scorpia, is anything but out of his life. Review: Alex Rider books never fail to follow the basic plot Horowitz created: Alex receives some cool gadgets, gets incredibly lucky in defeating the enemy, and returns home to try to return to his normal life. This book is no different. Sorry, I just spoiled the book for you.
Although lacking in originality from the preceding books, it was exactly what I expected from Snakehead; those who enjoyed the first six books will also enjoy this one.
Title: The White Darkness Author: Geraldine McCaughrean # of Pages: 373 Genre: YA, Adventure, Fiction Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ Synopsis: Sym is not your average teenage girl. She is obsessed with the Antarctic and the brave, romantic figure of Captain Oates from Scott's doomed expedition to the South Pole. In fact, Oates is the secret confidant to whom she spills all her hopes and fears.
But Sym's uncle Victor is even more obsessed—and when he takes her on a dream trip into the bleak Antarctic wilderness, it turns into a nightmarish struggle for survival that will challenge everything she knows and loves. Review: When I found this book in the pile of books the LIBRARY was giving away for free, I knew I should have been suspicious. Obviously wasn't a big hit and for obvious reasons.
McCaughrean should go back to writing children's books because she can't seem to create a protagonist that would suite any reading level. Sym claims to be fourteen but has the mentality of an eight year old. When there are obvious red flags alerting her of something being off, she is easily distracted by her Uncle dangling the "going to Antartica" carrot in front of her face.
Almost every single character is a blubbering fool. Sure, I'd expect that of the characters McCaughrean hopes for the reader to dislike, but SYM is one of the greatest fools of them all. She falls for every trick in the book, and the reader is suppose to admire her when she gets out of the mess she helped get herself into? I don't think so.
The author would like the reader to think she's a nerdy, hipster teenage girl who just can't fit in with the regular high school crowd. Everyone loves an underdog, right? Except she's not misunderstood; it would be hard for ANYONE to fit into the stereotypical high school environment McCaughrean creates for her characters. The people Sym considers to be friends are shallow and extremely sex-driven, which makes me wonder why she's friends with them in the first place or why they are friends with her since her character seems to clash so much with theirs. If Sym's school is just as crappy as her Uncle describes, there is usually some sort of community outside of school that Sym could take solace in. Sym isn't even that different from the norm is respect to her intellect; sure she knows a lot more about the Antarctic than most, but she fails to be an independent thinker and can't read between the lines until the truth is practically spelled out in front of her.
Sometimes a book can win me over with a stellar ending, but McCaughrean only made my perception of her book even worse. Mike accidentally hitting on a fourteen year old girl (our protagonist) makes the whole situation uncomfortable for both the characters and the reader. Mike's claim that everyone wanted to ask her out makes it even worse; the whole crew seems to be full of pedophiles who are attracted by her "accomplishment" of surviving rather than her as a person. Sure, they can claim that she appears to be mature enough to be an adult, but this girl just brushed shoulders with death. She wouldn't be wearing any makeup to hide her age nor would she be well enough to look OLDER; if anything, her starved state would probably make her look frailer and younger. To top it off, I couldn't see any significant growth in mental maturity after her journey; she may have recognized how gullible she could be, but I bet she would fall for it again if it happened to her in the future.
Sym doesn't make matters any better by flirting with Mike and suggesting that they get together in a couple of years. I find it hard to believe that a girl who barley made it out of the South Pole alive would be in any condition to be expressing some sort of newfound sexual confidence. As this is the closer for the book, I'm not sure if the reader is suppose to feel proud of this girl for becoming just like her friends; flirty and shallow rather than humbled and wiser.
I could go on and on about this book's flaws (such as how the story claims to take place in the "present day" when references to the state of technology back in 2005 obviously date the book to NOT the present day. This could have easily been fixed by saying the book took place in 2005/2006; obviously the author did not predict the longevity of her book's shelf life), but I don't want to waste anymore of my time on this book. Under no circumstances would I recommend this book to anyone.
Title: Into the Wild Author: Jon Krakauer # of Pages: 207 (paperback) Genre: Non-fiction, Biography, Adventure Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ Synopsis:In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a party of moose hunters. How McCandless came to die is the unforgettable story of Into the Wild.
Immediately after graduating from college in 1991, McCandless had roamed through the West and Southwest on a vision quest like those made by his heroes Jack London and John Muir. In the Mojave Desert he abandoned his car, stripped it of its license plates, and burned all of his cash. He would give himself a new name, Alexander Supertramp, and , unencumbered by money and belongings, he would be free to wallow in the raw, unfiltered experiences that nature presented. Craving a blank spot on the map, McCandless simply threw the maps away. Leaving behind his desperate parents and sister, he vanished into the wild. Review:
"Eating with gristly meat with our fingers, [Krakauer and his companions] slap at mosquitoes and talk about this peculiar person whom none of them ever met, trying to get a handle on how he came to grief, trying to understand why some people seem to despise him so intensely for having died here." -Krakauer p.180.
Well, writing a book about McCandless isn't helping much either.
I had briefly heard about McCandless before reading Into the Wild and had accidentally watched the ending of the movie a few years ago. I didn't have any passionate feelings toward his story, but I was mildly irked by his stupidity. However, when I heard I had to read a book about McCandless, saying I was disappointed would have been a major understatement. Despite the book's relatively small size, I had no interest in the topic at hand. Before I even started reading, I knew it would be a tedious read.
Before I talk about the content, I would like to discuss the structure; it was all over the place. While it would have been nice if McCandless' fate hadn't been spoiled on the cover of the book (and in the first few chapters, if the reader didn't bother to look at the cover), I understand that the author probably wrote this book with the intention of it being informational instead of an enthralling story for the reader. But Krakauer would skip from the time McCandless was in Alaska, to after his death, to the beginning of the journey, etc. He even threw in some stories in the middle about other people who's situations (and downfalls) were considered to be similar to McCandless'.
And don't even get me started on the story Krakauer told about himself. I know the point of the story was to show why McCandless went out on this crazy adventure (and to show how McCandless wasn't suicidal), but c'mon; it's hard enough to hear about one guy's stupidity. If you want to tell people about your adventure, then write a different book so I don't have to hear about it.
"But the meaning he wrested from existence lay beyond the comfortable path: McCandless distrusted the value of things that came easily. He demanded much of himself - more, in the end, than he could deliver." p.184
Learning about McCandless' story only degraded my view of him; he made up these stupid rules such as how he wouldn't look at a map so that "in his own mind, if nowhere else, the terra would thereby remain incognita" (174). Since he chose to disregard crucial skills/tools to help himself survive, it's his own fault that he ended up dead and doesn't deserve the amount of recognition that he does today. A book AND a movie for this guy? It doesn't make any sense.
Another aspect I found irritating were the statements made by the people who McCandless interacted with on his journey. For example:
"'[Alex] did a lot of socializing. Sometimes I think it was like he was storing up company for the times when nobody would be around.'" p.44-45
I don't really care about what these people think now when they're reflecting on McCandless' actions. They're only saying that because they know he spent so much time by himself in Alaska. If they didn't know and just assumed he continued to travel around America, people like Burres would have said he was just social. While the actual statement (and the many like it that were found throughout the book) are not the author's fault, he should have taken the opinionated bits out.
Title: Ark Angel Author: Anthony Horowitz # of Pages: 323 (paperback) Genre: YA, Action, Adventure Rating: ★★★★☆ Synopsis:The sniper’s bullet nearly killed him. But Alex Rider managed to survive . . . just in time for more trouble to come his way. When kidnappers attempt to snatch a fellow patient from the exclusive hospital where Alex is recovering, he knows he has to stop him. But the boy he saves is no ordinary patient: He is the son of Nikolai Drevin, one of the richest men in the world. The eccentric billionaire has been targeted by Force Three, a group of eco-terrorists who claim his project Ark Angel—the first luxury hotel in outer space—is a danger to the environment. Soon Alex discovers that Force Three will stop at nothing to destroy Ark Angel, even if it means sending four hundred tons of molten glass and steel hurtling down to Earth and killing millions . . . unless Alex can stop them. Review: While I've read more attention-gripping books in my lifetime, this book served its purpose.
What I like about Alex Rider is that its a series based on action; there's no romance to muddle up the plot line. However, the plot was drawn out slightly too much. I enjoyed reading the end and the scene that involved Force Three; everything else could have been cut shorter.
If you liked the other Alex Rider books, you'll like this one too!
Title: The Warrior Heir Author: Cinda Williams Chima # of Pages: 426 (paperback) Genre: YA, Fantasy, Adventure Rating: ★★★☆☆ Synopsis:Before he knew about the Roses, 16-year-old Jack lived an unremarkable life in the small Ohio town of Trinity. Only the medicine he has to take daily and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from the other high schoolers. Then one day Jack skips his medicine. Suddenly, he is stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before. And it feels great - until he loses control of his own strength and nearly kills another player during soccer team tryouts. Soon, Jack learns the startling truth about himself: he is Weirlind, part of an underground society of magical people who live among us. At their helm sits the feuding houses of the Red Rose and the White Rose, whose power is determined by playing The Game - a magical tournament in which each house sponsors a warrior to fight to the death. The winning house rules the Weir. As if his bizarre heritage isn't enough, Jack finds out that he's not just another member of Weirlind - he's one of the last of the warriors - at a time when both houses are scouting for a player. Review: Original Rating: 5 stars
Second Rating: 3 stars
Why did I make the decision to reread this series...
I read this book years ago, and I loved it. The Warrior Heir is the first book I read from Chima and the wonderfulness of it led me to read The Demon King (and the rest of the series), which I love a lot. Since The Enchanter Heir was published last year (2013?), I thought rereading The Heir Chronicles will give me the full effect of the new book.
One aspect of the book that bugged me is the third person POV switching. Although I don't htink it is as bad as first person POV switching, it still disrupted the flow since there were time overlaps.
Also, the development overall for the story was poorly executed. Most of the background was done through dialogue through rapid-fire question and answer between characters. To top it off, some aspects of the magically world would repeated throughout the book to other character BECAUSE OF THE POV CHANGES. The reader doesn't need to hear the exact same fact twice just so you can show that a certain character is informed of the information.
The plot didn't progress as quickly as I remembered it; not much happens in this book in general. There were too many contrived plot devices.
One example of this is how Jack escapes from the church, and Linda is able to convince Longbranch that Jack is dead. Why didn't Longbranch look for more proof?! It seems to be that our supposedly intelligent antagonist is extremely gullible...two traits that don't mix well in a character.
It should be noted that The Warrior Heir is among the first of Chima's books, if not THE first published work of hers. Her writing has improved in The Seven Realms series. It's a little bit like John Green's books; many people began to read his books starting with The Fault in Our Stars and then working their way BACKWARDS through his works (which means his writing becomes worse and worse and worse...).
I was forced to drop my previous perfect rating of this book down two stars. It wasn't bad, but it was far from the amazing book I once saw this book as. I recommend that you check this book out at your local library and give it a try. However, if you've read The Demon King and loved it, don't expect The Warrior Heir to be as good.
Title: The Outcasts Author: John Flanagan # of Pages: 434 (hardback) Genre: YA, Fantasy, Adventure Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ Synopsis:They are outcasts. Hal, Stig, and the others - they are the boys the others want no part of. Skandians, as any reader of Ranger's Apprentice could tell you, are known for their size and strength. Not these boys. Yet that doesn't mean they don't have skills. And courage - which they will need every ounce of to do battle at sea against the other bands, the Wolves and the Sharks, in the ultimate race. The icy waters make for a treacherous playing field . . . especially when not everyone thinks of it as playing. John Flanagan, author of the international phenomenon Ranger's Apprentice, creates a new cast of characters to populate his world of Skandians and Araluens, a world millions of young readers around the world have come to know and admire. Full of seafaring adventures and epic battles, Book 1 of The Brotherband Chronicles is sure to thrill readers of Ranger's Apprentice while enticing a whole new generation just now discovering the books. Review: This book was such a disappointment.
I am a huge fan of The Ranger's Apprentice series and was highly anticipating the wonderful story he would right in the Brotherband Chronicles. However, I found that The Outcasts was poorly written and, to be frank, boring. Was The Ranger's Apprentice series written like this? I can't even remember.
Below are the notes I have taken while reading The Outcasts:
- The time skips seem unnecessary as do the extensive background of Thorn.
-Who is the main character? Is it Hal or Thorn? This isn't made clear in the first 50 pages.
-The development of the story and the characters overall is poor.
-The feelings of the characters are told to the reader rather than shown through actions or dialogue, therefore making the writing style come off as childish.
-At first, the twins, Ulf and Wulf, came off as annoying because they were always fighting, and they didn't have very distinct personalities as individuals. However, their mischievous nature is portrayed when they comment that Hal is smart, but, "not as smart as us, though" as Wulf gives his identification cord to Ulf (155). They reminds me of the Hitachi twins (from the anime Ouran High School Host Club), who I like very much.
-I get that Hal is a nature leader, but he's stuck with a brotherband of rejects (with lack of a better term) that have never all worked together as a team. If you include the fact that they're short two members, it seems a little unbelievable that Hal's brotherband was THAT successful in their first assignment. I would have thought that at least one of the other brotherbands would have came relatively close. It would have introduced a little more conflict into the story and made it more interesting.
-It's displeasing how the Sharks are portrayed as the stereotypical bullies. Sure, maybe Tursgud is mean, but it's hard for me to believe that all of those who are in his brotherband are the same way.
-So far, Tursgud seems like Horace, Hal like Will, Thorn like Halt, and Erak like Baron Arnold. Not exactly an original story.
-Is this book suppose to be teaching me that cheating is okay as long as I'm not caught? Because cheating is cheating, no matter what. The Herons cannot honestly say that game of tug-of-war.
-The wording is so childish!
Title: The Shadow Throne Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen # of Pages: 317 (hardback) Genre: YA, Middle Grade, Adventure Rating:★★★☆☆ Synopsis: War has come to Carthya. It knocks at every door and window in the land. And when Jaron learns that King Vargan of Avenia has kidnapped Imogen in a plot to bring Carthya to its knees, Jaron knows it is up to him to embark on a daring rescue mission. But everything that can go wrong does. His friends are flung far and wide across Carthya and its neighbouring lands. In a last-ditch effort to stave off what looks to be a devastating loss for the kingdom, Jaron undertakes what may be his last journey to save everything and everyone he loves. But even with his lightning-quick wit, Jaron cannot forestall the terrible danger that descends on him and his country. Along the way, will he lose what matters most? And in the end, who will sit on Carthya's throne? Review: The Shadow Throne is probably my least favorite book of the trilogy.
This book revolves around the war between Carthya and Avenia, and with war comes politics. And with politics comes confusion. The flow of the book wasn't as smooth as The False Prince, especially since Jaron moves around a lot. Smaller details need to be noted to understand the fighting that was going on.
However, the ending was pretty good. I still wish there was more development of some of the characters and that Roden was too easily trusted.
Title: The Runaway King Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen # of Pages: 331 (hardback) Genre: YA, Middle Grade, Adventure Rating: ★★★★☆ Synopsis: Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom? Review: The Runaway King had a rocky start, but had a bit of a "big-reveal" ending that almost was as good as The False Prince's.
I wish there was more development Imogen either in this book or in The False Prince. I don't feel any attachment to her at all, and it's affecting my enjoyment of the plot.
I really like Jaron's character. He's mischievous and sneaky, but is also brave and caring towards both his country and the people he knows.
If you liked the False Prince, I recommend this one!
Title: The False Prince Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen # of Pages: 342 (paperback) Genres: YA, Middle Grade, Adventure Rating: ★★★★☆ Synopsis: In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king’s long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner’s motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword’s point—he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage’s rivals have their own agendas as well. As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner’s sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
Review: This review is based off the second reading through the book.
I didn't realize it the first time I read it, but The False Prince is written at about the same level as Tuesdays at the Castle.
Part of the reason why I rated this book four stars instead of five (like I did previously) is because I didn't enjoy it as much as I did the first time. Of course, this may be the result of already knowing the plot, but I did notice a few imperfections I didn't notice before.
Conner's plan seemed incredibly flawed. I'm not sure how he expected to make a convincing prince in two weeks. Plus, the training that Sage/Jaron received did not seem sufficient for him to pretend to be a prince.
The way the background to how Jaron became Sage seemed a bit weak. A whole bunch of information was just awkwardly thrown at the reader at once, and the chapters it took to explain it all disrupted the flow of the story.
Overall, still a very good book! Although the writing style is appropriate for a middle-grade reading level, it is still entertaining for all ages.
Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Author: J.K. Rowling # of Pages: 759 (hardback) Genre: YA, Adventure, Fantasy Rating: ★★★★★ Synopsis: 'His hand closed automatically around the fake Horcrux, but in spite of everything, in spite of the dark and twisting path he saw stretching ahead for himself, in spite of the final meeting with Voldemort he knew must come, whether in a month, in a year, or in ten, he felt his heart lift at the thought that there was still one last golden day of peace left to enjoy with Ron and Hermione.' With these words "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" draws to a close. And here, in this seventh and final book, Harry discovers what fate truly has in store for him as he inexorably makes his way to that final meeting with Voldemort. In this thrilling climax to the phenomenally bestselling series, J.K. Rowling will reveal all to her eagerly waiting readers. Review: This book, my friends, used to be my favorite book of all time. The book seemed to be spotless, the definition of perfection. It had amazed me so much that I was unable to read anything for two whole days (which is a really long time for me)!
But a second reading revealed that it is not as amazing as I once perceived it. In order to give this book a fair review, I took notes while I read. These notes will include spoilers (of course) and will make up most of my review.
Notes
*This is the completely non-edited version of my notes, other than some basic formatting.
DEATH TOLL
•Charity Burbage (Ex-Hogwarts teacher)
•Hedwig
•Mad-Eye
•Scrimgeour (Minister)
•Gregorovitch
•Bathilda
•Dobby
•Crabbe
•Fred
•Snape
•Lupin
•Tonks
•Colin Creevey
•Horcruxes
•Etc. (Including the fifty others who died fighting Voldemort).
NOTES
"'I don't think you're a waste of space.'" Dudley Dursley, page 40.
I have to agree with Aunt Petunia; that was pretty sweet of him.
"...there were six Harry Potters gasping and panting in front of him. Fred and George turned to each other and said together, 'Wow — we're identical!'" (51).
I just really love Fred and George!
-Hedwig's death, while still very sad in the book, is more heroic in the movie. I was a little disappointed to find out that the book portrayed her death in this way (I remembered the movie version clearer than the book).
-When Kingsley questioned Lupin to see if he wasn't an imposter, shouldn't have Lupin said it back?
"'How do you feel, Georgie?' whispered Mrs. Weasley. 'Saintlike,' he murmured. 'What's wrong with him?' croaked Fred, looking terrified. 'Is his mind affected?' 'Saintlike,' repeated George, opening his eyes and looking up at his brother. 'You see...I'm holy. Holey, Fred, geddit?'" (74).
This is a pretty well-known quote, but I still love it!
"'When I get married,' said Fred, tugging at the collar of his own robes, 'I won't be bothering with any of this nonsense...'" (138).
This made me really sad...
-Why would Lupin make Harry the godfather? Isn't he a bit young? Doesn't Lupin have any more mature friends to trust his child with?
-Evil guy pretends to be generous but pays for the consequence later cliché (aka, Voldemort waiting until midnight to get Harry Potter)
"'Are you a wizard or what?'" (651, Hermione to Ron).
^I love this quote because it ties back to the first book near the end, and Ron had said to Hermione, "Are you a witch or what?" Or something along those lines.
"Snape raised his eyebrows and his tone was sardonic as he asked, 'Are you intending to let him hurt you?' 'Certainly not. You must kill me.' There was a long silence, broken only by an off clicking noise. Fawkes the phoenix was gnawing a bit of cutter one. 'Would you like me to do it now?' asked Snape, his voice heavy with irony. 'Or would you like a few moments to compose an epitaph?'" (683).
^Snape is so great! XD
-Why does Voldemort have to kill Harry?
"'After all this time?' 'Always,' said Snape." (687).
I didn't realize this quote came from Deathly Hallows!!! It almost made me cry!
-I'm so happy Harry fixed his old wand! I didn't like any of the other ones he had obtained.
-Does Snape get a picture in the Headmaster office? Even though he was a headmaster for a very short time, I think he should get the honor. Plus then Harry might be able to talk to him through his picture...
-The epilogue was a little weird. Very few authors can pull off the what-happened-to-the-characters-after-they-married-and-had-kids ending, and I'm not sure if Rowling quite pulled it off. A whole bunch of names were thrown at me, and I found it completely unnecessary. Sometimes the fate of the characters after the end of their adventure should be left to the reader.
---end of notes---
I thought the final battle with Voldemort was really...short. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed. Harry's "death" wasn't as stunning to me as it was the first time I read it; for some reason, I had been really impressed that Harry was able to pretend to be dead while he could hear his friends' reaction to his supposed death.
The two biggest deaths that I found the saddest was Fred's and Snape's. It's hard to imagine a George without Fred; the two of the are an amazing duo and were among my favorite characters. I was doing a little research and found out that George marries Angelina Johnson and has a son named Fred...that really touched my heart. (Don't tell George, but I favored Fred slightly more than George!).
Now, Snape is a very interesting character. I can't remember my exact view on his character, but I do remember being very confused on if he was a friend or a foe. After all, he WAS extremely mean to Harry. However, the answer is clear now; Snape is a friend. Snape had a bad childhood, especially with his parents always fighting. The lack of parental support may have led to his misguided choices of joining the Death Eaters. However, unlike our antagonist, Voldemort, Snape can feel love. He feels compassion for Lily, who may have been one of his closest friends. Even though he dislikes James, he is willing to watch over Harry. True, he was cruel to Harry at times, but that was to disguise his true intentions. And, eventually, he even cared a little for Harry. Everyone deserves a second chance, and Snape used it well.
Deathly Hallows is still a great book, although my perception of it's image is slightly degraded. I am still willing to give it five star because of the emotional turmoil it was able to inflict on me, although not in the same way it did the first time.
And now, I have completed the Harry Potter series for the second and perhaps last time in my life.
Title: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Author: J.K. Rowling # of Pages: 652 (hardback) Genre: YA, Fantasy, Adventure Rating: ★★★★★ Synopsis:The war against Voldemort is not going well; even the Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses. And yet, as with all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate—and lose a few eyebrows in the process. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. So it's the home front that takes center stage in the multilayered sixth installment of the story of Harry Potter. Here at Hogwarts, Harry will search for the full and complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort—and thereby find what may be his only vulnerability. Review: Oh jeez. The Harry Potter series really does evolve from the first book to now into something different.
I had almost forgotten that this book was the one that contained Dumbledore's death, although I did remember before it happened. But I had forgotten that Snape was the one to do the deed, so it was a shock when I read it. I thought it was something involving the Horcux, like during Dumbledore and Harry's adventure to retrieve it.
The retrieval of Slughorn's memory did not seem to be as crucial as Dumbledore depicted it to be. Although it does a great job of explaining what Horcruxes are to the reader, it only serves Dumbledore in telling him how many Horcruxes Tom Riddle created. But I don't think even Dumbledore could have been sure that Tom would have mentioned that piece of information in his conversation with Slughorn. Harry on his own would have found the memory extremely beneficial as he does not know what Horcruxes are up to that point, but Dumbledore could have just as easily told him.
On a lighter note, here are some quotes that I liked!
"On the other hand, the Prince had proved a much more effective teacher than Snape so fat" (Rowling 239).
I really liked this quote because it's humorous to those who have read the book more than once (or have somehow found out that Snape is the Half-Blood Prince). After all, the Prince and Snape are the same person.
"...what if Ron and Hermione started going out together..." (283).
I love this mostly because I love HermionexRon. End of story.
Title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Author: J.K. Rowling # of Pages: 870 (hardback) Genre: YA, Fantasy, Adventure Rating: ★★★★★ Synopsis:Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His best friends Ron and Hermione have been very secretive all summer and he is desperate to get back to school and find out what has been going on. However, what Harry discovers is far more devastating than he could ever have expected... Review: In case anyone didn't know, this book is the longest book in the series. It's also one of three Harry Potter books that I have in hardback.
It's hard to carry this thing around with me
It's so easy for me to slip into the world of Harry Potter; I laugh when it's funny and cry when it's sad. Rowling spent way too much time writing details on the beginning bit and that was really, really boring for me.
Harry has some major emotional problems, which is understandable; he's experienced a lot in his short fifteen years of his life. But that doesn't prevent me from thinking that he should just calm down. He throws a lot of tantrums throughout the book...I wish he'd handle frustrating situations a little bit better.
Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Author: J.K. Rowling # of Pages: 734 (paperback) Genre: YA, Adventure, Fantasy Rating: ★★★★☆ Synopsis: The summer holidays are dragging on and Harry Potter can't wait for the start of the school year. It is his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and there are spells to be learnt, potions to be brewed and Divination lessons (sigh) to be attended. Harry is expecting these: however, other quite unexpected events are already on the march... Review: Jeez, Rowling disappointed me with this one. I just couldn't give this one five stars.
So far, out of the four books I have reread, this one is my least favorite. It doesn't help that Rowling increased the size of her books by three-hundred-ish pages.
First off, I don't like the beginning. I hate it when the reader knows information that is unknown to the majority of the characters in the book. Harry is oblivious as to what happened to Bertha until the end bit, but I knew she was dead from the start because of that first scene with Frank!
Harry's weird obsession with Cho seemed a bit odd to me too. She's not even an important character; I don't know that much about her! Yet the protagonist can't seem to stop thinking about her. It's a little annoying.
What is up with the Triwizard thing? If they've had fatalities with this tournament before, who was the stupid person who decided to bring it back? And look what happens on its return: the death of Cedric! This tournament doesn't make any sense; why should it take the place of Quidditch? It's liking telling a high school with a huge sports program to disband their football team for a year. Quidditch involves a greater number of the student body than this dangerous and rather boring tournament. There's only three rather short tasks through the course of a year! Seems like a rip-off to me.
On a more positive note, Cedric's death was more maudlin than the first time I read it. I almost cried when I pictured the scene in the movie with shovel-face Robert Pattinson as Cedric when he's hit with the killing curse.
I pray for improvement in the next book. Of course I'm going to recommend it; if you've gotten to book four, you're pretty committed to the series anyway.
