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Action May 26, 2012

COMING SOON

Artemis Fowl & The Last Guardian

To be Published 10th of July 2012

Seemingly nothing in this world daunts the young criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl. In the fairy world, however, there is a small thing that has gotten under his skin on more than one occasion: Opal Koboi. In The Last Guardian, the evil pixie is wreaking havoc yet again. This time his arch rival has reanimated dead fairy warriors who were buried in the grounds of Fowl Manor. Their spirits have possessed Artemis’s little brothers, making his siblings even more annoying than usual. The warriors don’t seem to realize that the battle they were fighting when they died is long over. Artemis has until sunrise to get the spirits to vacate his brothers and go back into the earth where they belong. Can he count on a certain LEPrecon fairy to join him in what could well be his last stand?

US Cover

UK Cover

My Verdict: Well I myself have not read the previous book as I felt that the series should have ended a long time ago. Things got way too confusing after the time travelling business but I won’t stop fans from giving it a go. The US cover is stunning but it takes away a lot of the secrecy I know Arty likes. He would never reveal himself like that! But boy does he look good. As for the UK cover? Meh. Sorely disappointed. I hope Colfer ends this series with a big bang!

Action May 24, 2012

Saying Goodbye is Never Easy

Alex Rider Series: Ended with Scorpia Rising

I loved Alex. He was like a young James Bond, only cooler and funnier. He went through a lot and this is obvious form the way the series evolved. When he was captured in the earlier books, he would always banter with the villains. Later though, it was far too serious for this and there was a much darker tone. The threats became much more sever. In the first book, he was threatened to have his face carved. In Ark Angel, he nearly faced having a finger chopped off. In Snakehead, he nearly had his organs removed. Very severe. But through it all, Alex has persevered and I very much like his character development.

Favourite villain: Yassen Gregorovich (first appearance: Stormbreaker)
Favourite vialliness: Julia Rothman (first appearance: Scorpia)
Favourite mission: Skeleton Key

Wicked Lovely Series: Ended with Darkest Mercy

I’ve blogged about the Wicked Lovely series before, but basically it is about the different faerie courts. This includes the Summer Court (mostly featured in book #1 and #3), the Dark Court (mostly featured in book #2 and book #4), the High Court (mostly featured in book #3) and the Winter Court.
What is unique about this series is that there is an ever changing multiple narrative throughout the series. This series will entice and grip you. Don’t forget to read Faery Tales & Nightmares, the companion novella!

Favourite character: Irial, King of the Dark court
Favourite couple: I’m caught between Leslie & Niall, and Aislinn & Seth.
Favourite book: Ink Exchange

Missing/ 1-800-Where-R-U-? Series: Ended with Missing You

Jess Mastriani is your typical 16 year old girl with anger management problems. Things take a turn into weird lane when she gets struck by lightning and gains powers to locate missing people through her dreams. Thinking that her new ability is a gift, she begins making anonymous calls to help the police find missing people, but then the FBI try to find her. Then she accidentally finds someone who didn’t want to be found. (Synopsis for the first book, When Lightning Strikes)
And of course there has to be some romance, so queue Rob Wilkins, bad boy extraordinaire. They met in detention! He helps her out through all the madness. But what with him being on parol, he doesn’t think that the two of them can be together. 🙁 Sad times.
This series is exhilarating and thrilling. With action, drama and romance all wrapped in one.

Favourite book: Sanctuary
Strange fact: The protagonist, Jess, and I BOTH play the flute!

How appropriate that the last book is called ‘Missing You’! I miss you too Jess!!!

The Mediator Series: Ended with Twilight/ Heaven Sent (UK title)

Suze Simon is your usual ghost buster extraordinaire! So she’s basically not a typical 16 year old. When her mother remarries and moves them to sunny California, she has a lot of adapting to do, what with her new school run by nuns! Then there’s the hot ghost who’s been dead for over a 100 years living in her bedroom. I don’t know what she had to complain about. This six book series was engaging, and thrilling. There was romance and just a hint of horror (come on! I scare easily!). Read it before you’re undead!

Creepiest character: Paul Slater
Favourite villain ghost: Jesse’s ex

The Hunger Games: Ended with Mockingjay

Oh, I’m sure there isn’t a single self respecting teenager alive (living in America and most countries in Europe, at least) who doesn’t know about the amazing Hunger Games Trilogy.

Favourite Tribute: Apart from the protagonists it would have to be Finnick. Sexy!

The Kane Chronicles: Ended with The Serpent’s Shadow

So Rick Riordan has ditched his toga for a crook and flail. In this amazing new-ish series (well, the last book was out May 1st 2012), brother and sister Carter and Sadie Kane find out that they are descendants of two great pharaohs. And that they are magicians! You’d think that would be awesome if not for the ancient gods that their father accidentally unleashed on the world. And now if they don’t stop Set, the evil god of Chaos, it’ll be the end of the world- no pressure! ( my synopsis for book #1, The Red Pyramid)
This series captured much of the same humour that made The Percy Jackson series so amazing. This one has two equally engaging narrators and it’s filled with adventures you’ll love to relive.

Favourite god: Bes (Anubis came REALLY close)

Favourite goddess: Bast

Favourite Carter quote: “Noble” I agreed. “That’s the first word that comes to mind when I think of pigeons”- The Serpent’s Shadow

Favourite Sadie quote:

Favourtie Horus quote-
Carter: “She’s almost as annoying as you”
Horus: “Impossible! No one bests Horus!”- The Red Pyramid

Favourite Ra quote: “I like Zebras… Weasels are sick”

Most detested villian: Setne

WELL, THAT’S ALL OF THEM. FAIR THEE WELL!

*sobs

Action May 16, 2012

The Kane Chronicles: The Serpent’s Shadow

Goodbye! For now!

Best Quote: MANY! But I don’t want to give too much away.

Shocking Resolution (No spoiler): The resolution to the love triangle between Walt, Sadie and Anubis.
Favourite Appearance: Neith, goddess of hunting and weaving
Favourite Magician: Apart from the Kanes (and Walt is too easy), it has to be Felix. He is soo cute! Got to love him and his penguins.
Useless information I have gained: The names and purpose of the five parts of the soul, as dictated by Egyptian Mythology.

This is the grand finale to the epic trilogy that is The Kane Chronicles. It does not disappoint as Riordan has included a lot of action, drama, and of course, CHAOS! Once again, Carter and Sadie both narrate- and interrupt each other from time to time. They do a bit of travelling, although I would have to say that the travel in the other books was a bit more extensive. The travelling in this novel is mostly through the Duat rather that actual places that we know of, such as how they travelled to Russia in the previous novel.

Relax because Anubis does indeed make an appearance, thank the gods. I very much like him but Riordan does not focus very much on his character development, possibly because this is not a YA Romance novel. I guess we must all just leave the majority of his character to our imaginations… Similarly, Zia Rashid, Carter’s crush, is also here. I really like her and you will be happy with their ending, although there is a bit of an awkward chapter here. Read it and then you will understand.

At the centre of this novel is the struggle between good and evil- Ma’at and Isfet. I’m not a fan of Apophis, but I really linked Kronos from the Percy Jackson series. I’m not sure why. He was incredibly cruel and sadistic. Maybe more so than Apophis. This is rather typical of children’s novels but I like how sometimes the right choice does not seem obvious. Although the prophecy is not as clear as that of Percy Jackson, one thing is made clear from the beginning- Apophis will swallow Ra. So technically it’s not like I was giving you a spoiler.

I rather liked the opening to this novel, although I think it kind of gave away too much. Having said that, there is no way that they would have recorded their account of how they saved the world if they had not been there to do so. Therefore, it was already clear that Apophis failed but the novel is not so much about ‘Will the world fall?’ but the journey of how they saved the world.

My only actual criticism is that Riordan did not reveal very much about quite a few of the supporting characters. Jaz was in ‘The Throne of Fire’, making her seem fairly important but she did not do very much in ‘The Serpent’s Shadow’. Similarly, I was left wondering which god will Felix follow the path of?

I had expected the problem that arose from saving the world all along, what with the need for balance. This may not make sense right now unless you have read this book, so I advise that you do so immediately. This is me being pushy (haha!). Riordan also implies that whilst this may be the end of the series, you may be seeing more of the magicians in the future. I can’t wait!

I GIVE IT A FIVE STAR RATING!!!

Action April 10, 2012

Art to Celebrate

Authors can write but not many of them can draw or paint. Here are a number of great digital drawings I found on DeviantArt on some of my favourite books:

Gale and Katniss

By mseregon from Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series

Prince Ash of the Unseelie court

By mseregon from Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series

Left to right: Seth, Asilinn, Keenan

By skellingt0n from Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series

Leo Valdez and Festus, the dragon

By jujubajulia from Rick Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus series

Left to right, Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo and Thalia Grace

By BncaRes from Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series

Irial, king of the Dark court

By feral kin from Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series

Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson

By jujubajulia from Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series

Schuyler Van Alen and Jack Force

By Uzumaki-Akane-sama from Melissa de la Cruz’s Blue Bloods series

Action April 9, 2012

Never to be Read?

For a person like me it normally takes about 3 days to read a novel. Sometimes a week. But for all my efforts, every now and again I come across a novel that I just cannot finish. Sometimes it’s because they’re boring; other times I’m reading two novels at a time and one just catches my attention more. Here some of the books I have started and am yet to finish:

Artemis Fowl & the Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer

Having read the entire series, apart from this one, I was thoroughly disappointed. I loved Arty and all of his adventures. I honestly think that Colfer should have quit whilst he was ahead after about the with book. Once he brought time travelling into the mix, it just got confusing. One Artemis Fowl is quite enough, and having him try and out-smart himself was bizarre but interesting. With The Lost Colony, Colfer introduced the demons, the over race of fairies. Did he really have to call them that? Why not ogres? But besides the name, the race seemed pretty cool and I really liked the new character, Number One.

I did my best to read The Atlantis Complex but I just didn’t things were the same without Commander Root. The events were somewhat confusing and watching Artemis deteriorate into madness was unbearable. Knowing that this book has something to do with Opal Koboi also irks me. I’ve seen enough of this pixie, and now I think that she should just die.

With that pleasant thought, I warn Artemis Fowl fans about this novel and future ones to be written. And Eoin Colfer, I still love you as a writer and I hope you redeem yourself.

Odin’s Voice by Susan Price

I came SOO close to finishing this novel. I reckon I got distracted by another one, as I often do. It’s a pity because it was actually a good book. Set in a futuristic world where the old gods are still worshipped, it follows two very different girls whose worlds are entangled. It is a world where slavery is very prominent and those that are bound by it are called bondsmen, and freewomen and freemen rule. It is the perfect entanglement of the ancient and the futuristic. Unlike Riordan, Price has chosen to go for Norse Mythology.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

This is an uncommon case of the movie is better than the book. The book was just far too slow paced. I tried, Paolini. I honestly tried.

Harry Potter & the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

This wasn’t so bad but I found that I just didn’t enjoy the reading this style of writing. I don’t hate 3rd person or anything, though I do prefer 1st. I just didn’t feel very connected to Harry. I think this is often the same with Alex Rider from Anthony Horowitz’s series but in this case the action and suspense is enough to let me ignore this. HP is more mystery based but I barely even got that far. I put this book down halfway through, not willing to let myself endure anymore of it.

Sorry to those millions of fans, but I don’t see the hype.

Action February 17, 2012

From the pages to the cinema: The Hunger Games

Many of you might have already heard of Suzanne Collins’ epic Huger Games trilogy. Those who have not already read them should do so, swiftly.

The UK covers

In a not-too-distant future, North America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcast throughout Panem. The 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss’ young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district’s female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives.

The movie will star:

Jennifer Lawrence (from X Men: First Class) as Katniss Everdeen,

Josh Hutcherson (from The Kids are Alright) as Peeta Mellark,

Liam Hemsworth (from The Last Song) as Gabe.

For other actors, check out IMDb.

Here is the official trailer:

Action February 3, 2012

My Reading List of the Month- JANUARY

So, I am taking the goodreads challenge and I am aiming to read 40 books this year. That probably doesn’t seem very impressive, maybe 50 would have been better rounded but 40 just seemed more realistic to me. So I have read 6 books so far. Goodreads has calculated that this accounts for 15% of my goal, and that I am apparantly 3 books ahead.

So here are the books I read this month. You may notice that I have reviewed most of them already.

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet of her kind, she nearly pays with her life, only to be spared by a beautiful stranger sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki–a descendant of dragons whose ability to shift into human form is her best defense.

Forced to flee into the mortal world, Jacinda struggles to adapt. The one bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irrestibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will’s dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away – if it dies she will be left a human forever. She’ll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

This was a very interesting novel, all in all. I enjoyed it and I would recommend it to my friends. It was captivating and kept me wondering. The plot line was somewhat familiar, however. I am not a big fan of the main character falling head over heels with the love interest so quickly. It just gave me a case of dejavu. It reminded me of Twilight, but perhaps it was closer to Evermore. It had a great ending that ended rather quickly for my liking but leaves me wanting more.

FIND MY FULL REVIEW HERE

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

When Meghan Chase finds her life turned upside down, she learns a deep secret that has been hidden from her for all her life. With her brother missing, she finds herself travelling through Faerie in search for him. But not all is lost, for she has help from her best friend, who so happens to be Puck himself. But she is infatuated with the brooding Winter Prince. Armed with inhuman beauty and a deadly sword, he could easily be a foe even more dangerous than she could imagine.

Iron. Ice. A Love Doomed from the Start.

I enjoyed this book greatly. Having read Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series, I needed a fantasy book to fill the void in my heart. The Iron King did that and more. Meghan is a great character. She is loyal, brave, and funny. Whilst characters like Bella Swan would wallow away in their own misery, Meg moves forward and kicks ass!

Pick up a copy!

FIND MY FULL REVIEW HERE

Lost in Time by Melissa de la Cruz

The SIXTH instalment in the Blue Bloods series unfolds.

After their brief bonding ceremony in Italy, Jack Force and Schuyler Van Alen depart for Egypt in search for the Gate of Promise. Mimi Force seeks to find a way to bring her beloved, Marin Kingsley, and revenge from her former bond mate. When the twins of the Apocalypse finally face each other for the blood trial, who will be left standing? Confronted by danger, betrayal, and loss at every turn, the Blue Bloods must find the will to fight- and love- another day.

A superb novel, although I still desperately miss Bliss and Dylan. The characters are seductive and their never ending relationship problems are captivating. Yet Cruz uses the right balance between romance, mystery, and action. This is one to stay on my bookshelf for years to come. Be prepared for Mimi to have a heart!

Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She’s about to find out she’s also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries. When a mysterious boy enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of nowhere, Deirdre finds herself infatuated. Trouble is, the enigmatic and conflicted Luke turns out to be a gallowglass—a soulless faerie assassin—and Deirdre is meant to be his next mark. Deirdre has to decide if Luke’s feelings towards her are real, or only a way to lure her deeper into the world of Faerie.

Stiefvater successfully captured the essence of faeries. Some were rather playful, such as the delightful Una, whereas others were simply deadly. They often showed up when you least expected and caused a lot of mischief and trouble in their wake. Dee handled most of these situations quite well and she still managed to some realistic. Every hero and heroine needs help from time to time and her close friend, James was just that. There were many twists and turns along the way and the novel was certainly not predictable. My only criticism was its strong resemblance to Julie Kagawa’s The Iron King.

FIND MY FULL REVIEW HERE

Gladiator: Fight for Freedom by Simon Scarrow

It’s Rome, 61 BC. Recruited as a gladiator, young Marcus Cornelius Primus faces a new life of brutal training, governed by strict rules, as he learns the skills of an elite warrior. But Marcus cannot simply forget his past. His father lies murdered by soldiers and his mother has been kidnapped and forced into slavery. Marcus is determined to find his father’s old commander, Pompeius the Great, to seek justice for his family and set his mother free. Yet, unbeknown to him, Marcus is hiding a life-threatening secret. And if the Romans discover it, there will be no escape…

I found this book very enjoyable but rather predictable at times. It is rather like the movie Gladiator with Russel Crowe, but with a child instead. Still, I would not shrug it off so easily. It is a well written book and I enjoyed the twist towards the end.

FIND MY FULL REVIEW HERE

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan’s own fey powers have been cut off. She’s alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can’t help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

Now, I have heard comments on Goodreads about readers who thought that Meghan came across as a desperate love crazed teenager who simply needed to get over her infatuation- yes, I will use this word again- for the Winter Prince. Personally, I thought that she took it better than a certain depressing character- BELLA SWAN- and DID do her best to get over him. She built a back bone of iron and unlike the vampire crazed, depressed girl, actually did all she could to keep those around her safe. Meg is kick ass, and don’t you forget it.

Action January 30, 2012

Gladiator: Fight for Freedom by Simon Scarrow

“We who are about to die, salute you!”

It’s Rome, 61 BC. Recruited as a gladiator, young Marcus Cornelius Primus faces a new life of brutal training, governed by strict rules, as he learns the skills of an elite warrior. But Marcus cannot simply forget his past. His father lies murdered by soldiers and his mother has been kidnapped and forced into slavery. Marcus is determined to find his father’s old commander, Pompeius the Great, to seek justice for his family and set his mother free. Yet, unbeknown to him, Marcus is hiding a life-threatening secret. And if the Romans discover it, there will be no escape…

I found this book very enjoyable but rather predictable at times. It is rather like the movie Gladiator with Russel Crowe, but with a child instead. Still, I would not shrug it off so easily. It is a well written book and I enjoyed the twist towards the end.

Having been sheltered from the world, Marcus is unaware of the cruelites of the real world. And I’m not talking about our world as we know it, but rather Ancient Rome, in the time of Julius Caesur. A time when slavery was very prominent and the favoured sport was not football or tennis, but rather watching armed gladiators fight to the death. It is a cruel blow when he realises that his case in not uncommon. He is not the only one to face such an injustice. To survive, he must remain determined, head strong, and of course, brave.

The majority of the first part of the book was about Marcus’ life before he was sold into slavery. This of course had me ultimatley questioning how he would become a gladiator. It took longer than I thought to reach this point but I am glad it did. We got to understand Marcus and see how his home life had shaped him before he was forced to become the hard, brave gladiator. As a character, I respected him. He reminded me quite a bit of Percy Jackson, whose mother was also taken in The Lightning Thief. Both were determined to find their mothers and were seemingly blind to their own stupidity in order to do so.

Marcus makes a deadly enemy whilst training as a gladiator with a Celt boy named Ferax. Things could have ended up a lot worse between the two. I do wish that some characters could have been more developed. The seemingly hard, brooding Spartan intrigued me a great deal, for instance. With no romance in this novel mostly aimed at teenage boys, it is pure action and adventure. Yet being a girl I still think it has a place in my heart somewhere near Percy Jackson and Artemis Fowl. Please do get a copy. You won’t be dissapointed.