Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
The Vampire Stalker by Allison Van Diepen
Amy is in love with someone who doesn’t exist: Alexander Banks, the dashing hero in a popular series of vampire novels. Then one night, Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander. In fact, he IS Alexander. He has escaped from the pages of the book and is in hot pursuit of a wicked vampire named Vigo. Together, Amy and Alexander set out to track Vigo and learn how and why Alexander crossed over. But when she and Alexander begin to fall for each other, Amy wonders if she even wants him to ever return to the realm of fiction. (From Amazon.ca)
If you ever want a quick entertaining read, look no further. This one is it. This can be finished in a day – because it’s just so entertaining and you want to keep reading until you’re done. I loved how you could almost compare Amy and her friends to the Twilight fans out there, they’re all huge fans of a popular series of vampire novels that’s featured in the book (sounds familiar doesn’t it?)
The thing that was most interesting is the characters Amy reads exist. Now who wouldn’t like to read that??? (imagine if your favorite characters existed?? that would be so cool!) the plot itself as a whole was fun to read and extremely entertaining. It’s filled with humor and memorable characters – Alexander is extremely crushworthy indeed! there’s a nice blend of paranormal/urban fantasy elements, and also bits of romance here and there as well. It was extremely fast paced with one event happening after another, this is certainly a very quick read.
There was just one thing that didn’t sit too well with me. Some characters just made their appearance and just left and you’re left wondering what happened to them? although this is probably going to explained in a possible sequel (I REALLY HOPE there’s going to be one!) it would have been nice to know just what happened to them and where they were headed. Otherwise, besides that, this book was fun to read.
Most definitely recommended for YA readers. The ending is pretty much open and I’m sure there’s going to be a sequel, and I hope it comes SOON!
9 out of 10.
PS: more James and Hannah please!!!!!!!!!!!
The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle
Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages turning. (From Amazon.ca)
You know what got me to read this? Amish. Then the word ‘dystopian’ showed up somewhere in the same paragraph. Yep. Instantly got me into the book.
So it starts off well. Katie is your typical heroine of the book. Strong willed but obedient when necessary, but knows when to say something when things don’t look right. I liked how what was ‘Outside’ was a total mystery until at least midway into the book. Even when you encounter them the first time with Katie, you’re still not quite sure what they are.
Then the tidbits of information come out (sort of like the breadcrumb approach) and once you find out what is Outside, ‘inside’ just seems a whole lot safer now. The horror aspect of this novel was very well written and well done. Sometimes, what you don’t know is a lot more scarier. You do find out what they are, and it’s still just as scary. Just the way they were portrayed and written does actually raise a hair or two at the back of your neck.
Throughout the other half of the novel there’s more horror and a bit of romance in the mix. (What would a YA be without a potential love triangle). Watching Katie make her own choices showed a lot of her development as a character – plus you also saw some other characters develop (and then go down the downward spiral) (coughElijahcough). The romance part of it was okay. A little cliche towards the end but tolerable.
The ending was good. Wasn’t really a cliffhanger but it’s good enough to keep you interested for the next one. I can’t wait to see what happens. I definitely recommend this to YA readers.
I give it an 8 out of 10.
Bitter End by Jennifer Brown
When Alex falls for the charming new boy at school, Cole — a handsome, funny, sports star who adores her — she can’t believe she’s finally found her soul mate . . . someone who truly loves and understands her. At first, Alex is blissfully happy. Sure, Cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her close friend Zack, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all her time with another boy? As the months pass, though, Alex can no longer ignore Cole’s small put-downs, pinches, or increasingly violent threats. As Alex struggles to come to terms with the sweet boyfriend she fell in love with and the boyfriend whose “love” she no longer recognizes, she is forced to choose — between her “true love” and herself. (From Amazon.ca)
This is one of the few contemporary YA books I’ve read and really enjoyed. (Usually I go into Paranormal or Fantasy). But the subject matter of this book got me curious as to how they address them for Teen readers. It really tackles the subject well. Alex is a great character, and thought she found everything she wanted in Cole, and I nearly fell for it too, he was very well done and his charming manipulative manner was something any girl could possibly fall for. It wasn’t until later when the reader does see his darker more violent side, that all of sudden he becomes so ugly and horrible that the reader wonders what was so great about him in the first place.
I felt for Alex, although I didn’t take too kindly how she just managed to drop her friends just like that for Cole – then again Cole sometimes did not give her much of a choice and at certain times, are we not guilty of doing that at least once in our lifetime once a boy/girlfriend moves into our lives? so in that sense, Alex is made into a very realistic character.
There were moments where you were just frustrated with Alex for still being with Cole – especially after such horrible treatment but you also sympathize with her, the isolation and helplessness can certainly be felt throughout the novel. I was very surprised at Alex’s sister. I didn’t like her at first but when she gave Alex a significant present it made do a complete turn around and I thought differently about her.
The plot was very well written. It had a nice pace and timing. All the characters were also well done which made this book a great reading experience. There was only one thing that did not sit well with me and that was the lack of history behind Alex’s mom. Something bad happened, and she just left…ok…but there has to be more than that right? there really was not much to this part of the story and I wonder if it really was all necessary to begin with?
It’s a hard subject to write about, but this book was well done and it’s worth reading. You do eventually support Alex with her decision and hope for the best for her on her road to healing and recovery. The ending is somewhat open ended but it was good enough to leave it the way it was. I recommend this for all YA readers, not just for a good read, but also to become aware of this sensitive subject and possibly help others they might know who might be going through what Alex did.
I give it a 10/10
Review of The Lost Symbol
The Lost Symbol
Robert Langdon is back and this time it has to do with the Freemasons and America. A close friend and mentor has been kidnapped with a hand left behind leaving a clue. It is up to Langdon to put the pieces together and save his friend from a ruthless and highly ambitious kidnapper.
I tried to enjoy this. I really did. It didn’t have the excitement and intrigue that the other books had. There were some parts in the book where it was fun and it got me turning a page or two, but, then I felt the action and excitement die down. The writing then got bland, the chase scenes started becoming redundant, eventually the entire book got downright…well..have to say it, boring.
I’m not sure what else to say. I personally thought the puzzles would be more entertaining and the ending well, I think it fell short. I didn’t really force myself to finish this book. I kept going because I wanted to see if there was something exciting going to happen, if something mind blowing and catastrophic will be found out and the end of the world is nigh. Well, the book certainly put that out successfully, but you’re left with an empty feeling, a feeling as if asking: “That’s it?? that’s what it was?? I read 528 pages and …that’s it?????” I was disappointed for sure.
The story arc with Mal’akh (this name belongs in a fantasy book…not in a Dan Brown one) is all right. I’d rather figured out who he really was and although perhaps his hate and anger is justified, he’s nothing more than a spoiled brat who really did deserve to rot.
Overall, over hyped and not worth the read I’m still trying to figure out where these rave reviews are coming from. Stick with either Angels and Demons (I’m not even finished and I prefer it instead of this one) or The DaVinci Code for better work from Dan Brown.
I give it a 2 out of 10.
Musing Monday 5/3
Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about the war books
Do you frequent second hand book stores? Have you ever bought a book home only to find anything interesting within their pages?
- Aw jeez! I go to thrift stores all the time!! it’s where I get about 40% of my books! I go there at least once a week to check out what’s there. Then sometimes, the hombre and I go to various ones and I often come home with bags of books (which he looks upon with a weary eye) 
As to if I found anything within the pages..nah…maybe an ugly bookmark. Nothing special.
What about you?
Review of The Fairy-Tale Detectives
The Fairy-Tale Detectives is the first novel in The Sisters Grimm series. It combines both fantasy and a bit of mystery, but also uses fairy tales we all know and love. Two sisters; Sabrina and Daphne have gone through dozens of foster homes after their parents just happened to have disappeared. One day, their grandmother whom they thought was dead comes to adopt them. It turns out they are related to the brothers Grimm, the well known fairytale collectors. What used to be just stories and myth have become a reality for the two girls and when their Grandmother gets kidnapped. It’s upto the girls to rescue her, with a little help from some very unlikely characters.
The story is certainly filled with fun and a very entertaining read. Nearly every fairy tale or story I’ve read as a kid was featured in this book. I guess you could say, it was like reading something that came out of Shrek, sans the main cast. The concept is certainly very interesting and adding in the idea of making the Grimm family a family of detectives out to solve mysteries caused by the Everafters (characters and creatures from the fairy tales) makes the story all the more fun to read. There were a few parts here and there that made me laugh out loud (the momma bear part was really good).
I have to admit I didn’t like Sabrina at first. Her skepticism got annoying and for someone who’s very young (around 11 years of age) she doesn’t act like it. She’s certainly very mature – however given that they have jumped through a dozen or so foster homes, perhaps that’s what made her grow up so fast. However, I still think she’s a little too skeptical for her own good. All characters though were well done and each had something I liked. Which makes the book even much more enjoyable to read.
The ending of the book is well done, albeit, a little too quick in finishing off the main story arc but naturally it leaves a lot more to do with the Grimm family and leaves me with a lot of questions. I am definitely going to get into this series. It’s a quick read and there aren’t any lulls or anything that takes you away from the main plot.
Overall it’s certainly worth a look into if you want something light and easy to read. It’s filled with adventure and will keep you entertained, and hopefully getting you to pursue the series a little more further.
I give it a 9 out of 10.
Update: Going AWOL for a bit.
Hello dear readers and fellow book bloggers.
I will be moving into my very first apartment (omg yes, I’m leaving the nest) so posts will be a little slow at the moment. Right now I have one book ready to post a review (less than 100 pages to read) and after that my reading will be slow.
To those that have contacted me about book reviews: I will get to your emails shortly but not until after I move, I don’t want to give you an old address to send the books to! 
I should be back on my feet in a week or two! until then I’m going to try and read as much as I can to bombard all of you with my reviews! ahahah. Until then, see you in a week!
Kreativ Blogger Award
Kreativ Blogger: For this award, you are supposed to list 7 things about yourself that people may not know and pass this award on to 7 other people. Thank you Alita Reads for this wonderful award! here’s my list of 7 things!
1. I’m a huge hockey fan. I love my Vancouver Canucks.
2. I was born in Canada, from a Chinese father and a Japanese/Spanish mother.
3. I speak three languages (English, French, and Spanish).
4. I love furbabies. I love my kitties they’re my children
5. Aside from reading I love gaming and cooking (baking is my specialty).
6. I’m a fast typist. I can type over 100 words per minute and with my eyes closed (ie; touch typing)
7. I take belly dancing classes
I pass this along to anyone who stops by and want to participate I think it’s rather neat as it gives readers facts about their fellow bloggers and lets us get to know each other better so please! feel free to take and pass along!
Friday Finds 9/11
Today’s Friday Finds include these three:
Angel Time by Anne Rice
Toby O’Dare — a.k.a. Lucky the Fox — has fallen far from grace. He is a contract killer who carries out violence whenever and wherever he is told, a soulless soul who takes orders from someone he calls “The Right Man.” When a mysterious stranger comes into Lucky’s nightmarish world and offers him a chance to save lives rather than destroy them, Lucky seizes the opportunity to escape the darkness. He is lifted in (angel) time and carried back through the ages to the primitive and treacherous world of thirteenth-century England, where Jews live an uneasy existence. He begins a journey that leads him from the medieval villages of England to the cities of London and Paris as his quest becomes a story of danger and flight, loyalty and betrayal, selflessness and love.
Note: I miss Lestat. I miss Armand. I even miss whiny Louis. I’m willing to give this book a chance after she turned to God. If it’s too preachy then I won’t continue as I’m not into that sort of stuff. However I have to admit this book looks mighty interesting!
Lovely Green Eyes by Arnost Lustig
Prague-born Lustig (The Bitter Smell of Almonds) adds this chronicle of a resilient teenage girl to his highly regarded oeuvre of spare and haunting novels rooted in the Holocaust. The “lovely green eyes” of the title belong to 15-year-old Hanka “Skinny” Kaudersova, a shy, ginger-haired girl and the only member of her family to avoid death in Auschwitz. At first a cleaner in a camp hospital lab (where the doctor sterilizes her), she continues to evade extermination by lying about her age and her heritage (passing herself as Aryan) and is requisitioned as a prostitute in the German military field brothels. In a typical workday, Hanka services at least a dozen soldiers, many of whom are distraught and violent. Lustig presents the brothel clients as fully rounded characters, both viciously prejudiced against Jews and kind to the (Czech, they think) girl whose body they use. Constant hunger, freezing temperatures and disease further weaken Skinny’s spirit, but as the war ends, she realizes she must search for her place in a world built on ashes. A rabbi, who is himself drowning in despair, attempts to offer her solace, but she’s unable to shed her shame and guilt. Back in Prague, agonized by nightmarish memories, she settles in with a group of survivors and meets the narrator, whose declaration of love eventually thaws her heart. Lustig’s prose is evocative at the same time it is sparse, even during harrowing scenes of physical and mental cruelty. Aided by a fine translation, this is a stunning work, worthy of comparison to those by Elie Wiesel and Primo Levi. In imagining the ordeal of a young girl “who had looked on the devil 12 times a day,” Lustig has created an unforgettable character within whom “remembrance and oblivion contended,” but who still summons the courage to affirm life.
Note: Although this book looks extremely hard to read (because of subject matter) I’m interested in this, and am going to pick this up once I find it. (I’m in the mood for some serious stuff!)
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
When the Igbo people of eastern Nigeria seceded in 1967 to form the independent nation of Biafra, a bloody, crippling three-year civil war followed. That period in African history is captured with haunting intimacy in this artful page-turner from Nigerian novelist Adichie (Purple Hibiscus). Adichie tells her profoundly gripping story primarily through the eyes and lives of Ugwu, a 13-year-old peasant houseboy who survives conscription into the raggedy Biafran army, and twin sisters Olanna and Kainene, who are from a wealthy and well-connected family. Tumultuous politics power the plot, and several sections are harrowing, particularly passages depicting the savage butchering of Olanna and Kainene’s relatives. But this dramatic, intelligent epic has its lush and sultry side as well: rebellious Olanna is the mistress of Odenigbo, a university professor brimming with anticolonial zeal; business-minded Kainene takes as her lover fair-haired, blue-eyed Richard, a British expatriate come to Nigeria to write a book about Igbo-Ukwu art—and whose relationship with Kainene nearly ruptures when he spends one drunken night with Olanna. This is a transcendent novel of many descriptive triumphs, most notably its depiction of the impact of war’s brutalities on peasants and intellectuals alike. It’s a searing history lesson in fictional form, intensely evocative and immensely absorbing.
Note: Although this doesn’t really look like my kind of read, this does look really interesting and I’ve been hearing lots of good things from African authors. So why not? books are like food right? you have to give it at least a taste
So what did you guys find?
