Rate and review the last book you read

The News Where You Are by Catherine O'Flynn - A really wonderful, charming little book. Funny and heartwarming, with some really compelling storylines for the characters. The interwoven lives of the characters were lovely to read, and the characters themselves were brilliant, especially the delightfully written Mo and the pityable Cyrill. Would definitely recommend this for a nice comfort read, with enough mysetry to keep you hooked. 5/5

OMGOMGOMOGMOGMOGMOGMOGMGOMG!!!!!!!!!!!! I am completely fangirling here!!! I just finished reading Anna and the French Kiss and oooooooooooooh buddy!!

It's about Paris.
It's about flawed, gorgeous boys.
It's about vulnerability.
It's about food, and cinema, and learing to speak French!
It's about flawed heroines.
It's about friendship.

This book is so good, that a rating of 10/10 does NOT do it justice! It's so sweet and the characters are NOT perfect! The story is relatable, though not completely realistic. I've never wanted to go to Paris. This book has changed that for me. Completely.

In case I missed it, rating: 1000000/10. :love::love::love:

The Naming (Book#1 of Pellinor) - Alison Croggon, 5/10. It's been about a month since I'd started that book. I was almost crying by the end of it. Out of pure boredom. The writing was somewhat good. The plot was completely unoriginal, same thing about the setting of the story. Most of the characters are hard to put up with. The pace is so slow. By the end of the book, I was skipping pages of discription and journeying. I can sum up everything related to the plot, in the whole book in about one or two pages. The rest is all about how scary the future is, how the main charcater has super powers, despite being uneducated and ignorant of their talent for years. And of course the description of the landscape and the journeys. It only got interesting in the last twenty pages or so. I'm very uncertain whether I should even bother with the next book of the series.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. 10/10

So ridiculously adorable and beautiful. I loved everything about this book! Seriously. All of it. Amazing. :love:

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. 7/10

Companion to Anna but I didn't like as much. The heroine is a little..."out there" for me and I just couldn't take her seriously. The story is cute, the romance delish, but it lacked some of the warmth of Anna. I just couldn't rate it as high. :no:

Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen, 9/10. This is one of those 'unusual' books that stick into one's head for days after reading them. It's intriguing from beggining to end; the prologue is gripping, and so is the first chapter, both set the dangerous and gruesome atmosphere for the rest of the book. As much as I liked the prologue, however, I think it was very revealing; the author doesn't do anything to conceal who those people are, and half way through the book it is not difficult to guess exactly what happens and why, (still I enjoyed it to the end, :agree:).
The topics the book touches on are all interesting and probably what I enjoyed most about the book; cruelty towards animals, treatment of old and sick people; in general people (and things) who naturally have feelings, but unlike normal people, they can't stand up for themselves.
I also liked the narration of the book and how it shifted from present to past. Usually that confuses me, but I think it fit very well in that book. The author has managed to weave both stories very well into each other, and I liked the main character's 90-something years-old self as much as I liked his young self. It is difficult not to feel for him at one point or another. The characters in general, are all well-written and likeable. The romantic story-line was okay for me, it wasn't hard to predict, though.
Overall, I liked the book and it was definitely a good choice after my last disaster of a read, :D.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, 4/5

I liked this one better than Looking for Alaska. Both lack something in the connecting-to-the-characters-department for me, but I really liked reading this book.

Sisterhood Everlasting by Anne Brashares

5/5 Loved it. It was quite shocking and sad, but also happy. The end is great. I really enjoyed the book and am sad that it's over.

Killer (Pretty Little Liars #6) by Sara Shepard. Was brilliant but at the same time freaked me out.

Before they are hanged

This is the second book in The First Law series. The first book, while not great imo, had some really good moments in it and some likable characters, so it was enough to keep me reading. and i'm glad it did because it was better. the only thing i didn't like was the ending, not because it was bad but becuase i waited all this time for...not a whole lot. That was just one of the story lines though, in the others I did get some sort of payoff, or at least a look into what's coming. I'm sure the ending is some sort of set up but it felt a bit empty.

The positive is t hat at times the action was pulse pounding, during the last battle I was afraid to turn the page in a way.

8/10 would have been higher had i felt empty at the end.

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent (Soul Screamers, #1), 4/5

It turned out to be quite the pageturner - something I didn't expect. It was fast paced and I really liked it! I'm not sure if I like Nash, though. Excited to read book two!

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett - 8/10

I loved this book, but I did have to stop in the middle for a while. It's quite a feat to read this book and about half way through I got pretty sick and tired of it. I finished the second half yesterday.

Started Early Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson.

This is another of her novels featuring the character Jackson Brodie, a private detective ( now a BBC series with Jason Isaacs in the title role). The novel introduces several characters early on and cleverly builds the story so that in the end all the characters are involved.

I thought it came together really well and I thoroughly enjoyed it - I am awarding it 4.5 out of 5.

A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle - 3.75/5 stars

I enjoyed it, but not as much as A Wrinkle In Time.

6/10 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
I don't know, this one wasn't for me. :shrug:

Gone - Micheal Grant, 9/10. The idea of the book is quite brilliant (and I imagine it must have been very challenging to write), I liked the characters a lot, although how original they are, I can't be sure; the 'trio' in the book is very much like JKR's trio, a genius girl, a sacrificing boy and ... a Ron. The pace of the book is very suitable for its events. I found the shifting of POVs a bit annoying, and sometimes unnecessary, but not really off-putting. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, as the end was really intriguing; I still have to check whether it's released or not, though.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. 9/10

I know, I'm late to the party on this one. But I finally found time to finish it amidst my busy schedule. I LOVED this book. I particularly liked that the author wrote from the story from both the maids' and the white ladies' POV. It made it much more real to me and it made the story go above and beyond the average civil rights novel. It struck a chord with me, particularly the ending and Aibileen's effect on and raising of Miss Leefolt's children. Overall, highly recommended!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - 5/10

Charming enough, but overall too twee and contrived for my tastes, despite the heavy subject matter. I like the idea more than the actual execution.

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro. No idea how I feel about this book. It's very emotional from beginning to end, it got me crying only three pages in, (this could just be me though). Anyways, as much as I liked the book and found it gripping, I couldn't help feeling that it was sort of pointless; it doen't adress a social issue, past or contemproray. Not that I know of anyways. I suppose it's supposed to make us grateful for Human Rights, we regard as natural, to make us grateful for ethics of science. Anyways, the characters don't do anything to solve their 'problem'. They just accept it that their lives are that way. The ending left me somewhat disappointed.
I can see why I've been told it's a good book and that it's a disturbing book. Disturbing because as much as you read about the characters suffering and hope things would get better, at sometime the reader, too, stops hoping and just accept what's going to happen. Good book, because, diappointing as it is, I always wanted to go back to it and know what's going to happen next. I truelly enjoyed reading about the characters and had grown to like them. But right now I just want to go and read something else.

7/10 methinks.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - 6/10

It took me weeks to finish this, and it's only 20 chapters. The beginning is alright and the end is quite good - I wasn't expecting what happened - but the middle drones on and feels like nothing is happening. There's a chapter that I completely skipped because it was pure description and glossing over about 20 years of stuff and it felt like it went on for about 20 pages. I won't be rereading any time soon.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. I didn't know much about this book before I read it and I think that was exactly the best way to enter it. I wasn't sure at first, but all the things I disliked about the characters turned out to be there for a very good reason and so any doubts I had disappeared once I got into the second chapter. Such a great concept for a book, and emotional too. 5/5

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevesky (if I spelled that last name wrong, I'm sorry!) 8/10

Firstly, I'm proud of myself for actually finishing it! :lol: This is an amazing book, plot-wise, but the language was a little too much for me. I found myself getting lost in the long monologues of the characters, and I think I just skimmed a few of those, just so I got the gist of the dialogue. Otherwise, I loved this book. The contrast between Svid (can't spell his full name), Raskolnikov, and Sofya/Sonya was spectacular. The themes present in the text were also a reason I loved this book. It was wonderfully written. :)

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - 6/10

It took me weeks to finish this, and it's only 20 chapters. The beginning is alright and the end is quite good - I wasn't expecting what happened - but the middle drones on and feels like nothing is happening. There's a chapter that I completely skipped because it was pure description and glossing over about 20 years of stuff and it felt like it went on for about 20 pages. I won't be rereading any time soon.

Interesting. I actually read that book in one morning, :lol:. I don't think it's because it's an easy read - it's not. But because I went quite fast through its middle, which mostly described what Dorian did with his life and how his position in society changed over the time.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman. 10/10

I really enjoyed the premise of the book and how the main character, Mia, must choose whether to live or die. It's very different from any other book I've read, and that's why I loved it so much.

The Belly of Paris by Emil Zola and I enjoyed it very much! It was a light reading for a classical writer probably, but the richness of descripton, the juicyness of the pictures and the deepness of it all took me by a very pleasant surprise. I would recommend it to any half-serious reader :)

Death on the Nile - Agatha Christie, 9/10. That's probably the first Christie book I read in which it takes so long for a crime to be commited. So it was fun trying to guess who was going to die in the first place. This book isn't any less complicated than the ones I've read before; so much hints, red herrings and quirky characters. In the end, though, I'm glad that for once I've been correct (to an extent) in my guesses. Of course I was swayed in the middle with all the hints thrown, but my initial idea was correct. I was a bit frustrated by the end though, it didn't feel right for the murderers to take the easy way out, and for the detective to know they had that chance and leave them to take it, :shrug:.

Last Argument of Kings.

Book 3 of The First Law trilogy.

This book delivered on alot of the stuff it hinted at in the first 2 and then some. There was stuff that I picked up on in the second book that was made much bigger in the third and things that seemed like they wouldn't be big or would just continue to be mysteries ended up being relevant in surprising ways. also I found myself changing my views on a lot of the charecters. there were times where people I thought I liked turned into people I didn't, and people i was so-so on turned into people i was actively rooting for at the end.

I did have a couple problems with the book. the ending was really opened ended and didn't really feel like a ending to a series.. Also the ending is just straight up depressing at times. A problem I had with the series was we don't really get a view into the enemies. I would have liked to see if these people where bad dudes or not. While you could probably have a long debate on whether the characters we see are bad people or not, i would have liked to get to know who they were fighting. And that also happens in this book.

8.5/10

Many Waters by Madeline L'Engle
4/5 stars

Just about as good as A Wrinkle in Time. The book is set in between A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet, but is book 4 due to the main characters being Sandy and Dennys rather than Meg and Charles Wallace. I thought I would not like the story focusing on the twins as they were not appealing to me in the other books, but I truly enjoyed having them as the protagonists. This story is very surprising and that helps make the story better. I love the way science and religion is intertwined.
(doesn't get a 5, because it was a little jarring in the beginning to realize this book was set between books 2 and 3).

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

I really liked this book and how it delved into the Amish culture and signified how the Amish are somewhat different than we are but that they are also people. This story is really good, and I loved Picoult's writing style within it. She really presents some interesting characters and leaves you guessing as to who murdered the baby in the barn. I correctly predicted who the father of the baby was, but I didn't see the murderer comng as I thought that maybe Katie did kill her baby without realizing it. When Picoult revealed at the end who it was, I was thrown for a loop and couldn't believe it. I'm surprised Ellie didn't turn the murderer in, but she probably figured it would be cruel to do so.

Rating: 10/10

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
9/10

I just loved this book. I was so wrapped up in the imagery that the writing provided that I didn't mind the length of the book or the pace of the story. The characters were wonderful, the setting amazing. I could read this book again and enjoy it just as much. I didn't give it a 10/10 because I thought the 'game' should have been more central to the story and the outcome was nearly predictable.

Many Waters by Madeline L'Engle
4/5 starsOh I loved this one. I thought it was a great departure, and I loved the Noah aspect to it.

Room - Emma Donoghue, 6/10. If the book were a bit shorter I would have enjoyed it much better than I did. I felt it was a bit longer than it should be, and I felt really bored at some points. I liked the narration of the book. Most of the time. Sometimes it's so annoying to be in the head of a five-years-old, but maybe that's because it's very well written and probably very close to what goes through the head of a real 5 yrs old kid, :lol:. I have a slight objection to the book, however.The idea that a woman couldn't be a perfect mother without devoting her whole time to her child is one I can't accept. I know it's probably unintentionally presented; the story being told from the PoV of a kid, thus representing how he feels and sees his mother engagement in other matters, after being her one and only comapanion for his whole life.
Overall, the book is alright and very enjoyable at some points, but it's not really my type of book.

9/10 Hearts in Atlantis - Stephen King
This is a collection of stories or novellas if you will. There's five stories and every one is from a character that appeared in the first story, The Low Men in Yellow Coats, and how their lives are changed from the events that take place in the '60s. The Low Men in Yellow Coats happens to be my favorite King work so far, I love the sense of innonce between Bobby Garfield and his friends, Carol Gerber and Sully John. I love the relationship between the trio, and the relationship between Bobby and Ted Brautigan, an older man who rents the upstairs apartment from his mother. Ted is a mysterious character, who has come from a far away place and is on the run from unnatural beings. The four other stories consists of Carol going through the peace riots from the war in vietnam, how Sully fought in the war, there's also Blind Willie, who turned out to be a character who seen an act of violence toward Bobby and Carol in the first story and did nothing to stop it, and how he tries to gain forgiveness. The final story is of Bobby returning to his childhood hometown and finding the biggest mystery of all concerning Ted. A great read, and one that I've read before and enjoyed much more the second time around.

SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi. 10/10

A dystopian that touches all basic elements of human interaction: love, loneliness, depression, hope, the sense of touch, trust. A truly lovely book written in a poetic prose which enabled the reader to visualize as well as feel what the protagonist was experiencing. Amazing.

At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks
4/5 stars

I am so glad I finally got to read it.

Read my blog (http://polliwogblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/book-review-at-first-sight-by-nicholas.html) for a review.

When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman. I love books written in this sort of style, where the characters lives are intertwined with world events that happened in the timeline of the book. I though this was a really beautiful read, the characters and their relationships had me laughing and holding my breath in anticipation. 5/5

The Betrayal by Helen Dunmore

I read this because it is this months choice for my book group - I wouldn't have picked it for myself.

It is set in Leningrad after WWII in the last days of Stalin. It tells of how a young couple cope with everyday life until he is forced into an impossible situation. There is much in the book about how Leningrad suffered during the seige in WWII.

It is beautifully written, but it is not easy to read. I give it 4.5 out of 5

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (Night Huntress, #1), 4/5
Really enjoyed reading this one, even though it got way too sappy at some points. I also don't understand what the appeal is for main characters living together with their grandparents (I mean Sookie lived with her Gran as well). BUT the one single best thing about this book is Bones, hands down. I'd like him under my Christmas tree this year, PLEASE.

Anthem by Ayn Rand - 9/10

This was an amazing novelette. There was so many important ideas and themes and morals packed into every page. I feel like almost every line of it is quotable and impacting. The only thing I didn't like is how short it was! That was really the only qualm I had, too. Everything else was cool, especially the way the narrator sort of evolved as the story progressed. :) It was a quick, good read that I enjoyed overall.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. 10/10

This was such an emotional book and really highlighted some conflicts about children's rights regarding donation of organs. The twist at the end was sad and something I didn't see coming.

Secrets in the Attic - V.C. Andrews, 5/10. I would have liked the book so much better if the end didn't feel so rushed and left unexplained. The story itself was gripping and the characters were intriguing, everything was spot on, in that regard. I made it through the book pretty fast but I was deeply disappointed with the end. I guess the author concentrated more about the main character and how she would get on with her life after being involved in such events, but I don't like how she skipped the details about why really the crime was committed, and whether all the stories the main character was told, were true; which makes the books seem pointless in a way.

I own that book and really liked it. You should read the sequel Secrets in the Shadows. It's very different, though I haven't read it in a long time.

The Help- Kathryn Stockett (6/10)

Enjoyable enough, but patronising and insulting as the day is long.

Well, take into account the time period it's written in. Maybe that will give you a better perspective of the book itself. I enjoyed it and thought it was very well-written myself.

I did do exactly that. It is still patronising and insulting filled with wacky characters and a bubblegum plot. It's about as good with its subject matter as Remember the Titans (bad football movie), which is why I said it was enjoyable enough- but still pretty insulting.

Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (10/10!)

This book was absolutely brilliant. Breathtaking. I read it literally in two days (because I had to sleep and go to school xD) like I do with Harry Potter books. The story in which it's based on is amazingly original, the characters amusing, and the plot addicting. Once you take this book in your hands you won't put it down till you finish it. I really recommend it! Now I'm waiting for my friend to lend me the second one so I will finally find out what will happen between the two main characters of the first book :o

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins (Underland Chronicles, #1), 4.5/5

I really enjoyed this one. After reading some reviews on Goodreads, I was worried that it might be a little disappointing, but that couldn't be more wrong! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this first book in the series. It's exciting, fast paced and full of adventure - just the way I like it in middlegrade books. What I gather from the reviews I've read, people are expecting something along the lines of excitement of The Hunger Games, but keep in mind that this is a middlegrade series. The main character is 11 and he has a 2 year old toddler with him so of course it's going to be different.. But I really liked it. I can't wait to dig in to the rest of the series! I think I should hurry and read away the books that I need to get to first..

Angel Falls by Kristin Hannah. 10/10.

The plot was really good, and I got through it quickly. It was a good read about true love and how the main character is torn between two lovers but realizes who she really loves.

Secrets in the Shadows - V.C. Andrews, 6/10. It doesn't have the tension of the previous book, and the main character is easier to relate to, even though she's still quite pessimistic and gloomy. There were many unpredictable twists (when the chapter title didn't give them away..:rolleyes:), but I'm not sure I if I liked them all. Also the book explained and addressed the points that seemed rushed in the end of book 1, which was surprising, in a good way.

Unlocked: A Love Story by Karen Kingsbury

4/5 stars review (http://polliwogblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/book-review-unlocked-love-story-by.html)

The Secrets of Nicholas Flamel (the series) by Michael Scott -- 8/10

Just got done reading it up to The Warlock, and so far it's REALLY good. The man really has a talent for writing, keeping the pace quick and the dialogue fresh. Looking forward to the last book in the series, The Enchantress, that's coming out next year.

This series is truly full of many twists, turns and surprises and is one of the reasons why I got hooked on it so quickly. Couldn't put it down for a second :D.

Swann's Way, by Marcel Proust.

I'm unable to rate this book. It's one of the most difficult I've ever read... There's not a definite plot, but a series of self-biographical impressions, that you later find out are somehow related one to another. Proust has an immense command of language and his descriptions are so rich and detailed that tend to overwhelm the reader. Not an easy book to read, but, no doubt, an interesting one.

5/10 Communion - Whitley Striber
This book is about the mysterious beings that invade our world. Its one of the fascinating subjects when dealing with supernatural beings, however, this book is simply boring. The author's account of meeting with these unknown beings is not what I expected. He couldve made it thrilling and exciting, but he made the close-encounter unbelievable. Perhaps he's just not a good story-teller

All the colours of Darkness - Peter Robinson

Another crime novel festuring DCI Banks ( now a TV series in the UK )- who is called back from holiday to be in charge of an apparently clear cut case of murder and suicide.

But very soon it would seem that the security services are involving themselves too!

A gripping read - one of those I read as quickly as possible! 9.5/10

Night Light (Restoration #2) by Terri Blackstock

3/5 stars. If you like suspense and Christian fiction you'll enjoy this. It's not the greatest, but it's decent and it kept me turning the pages.

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon (Carrier, #1) 3/5

I'm still not entirely sure what I should rate this book. I had some problems with the omg-I-love-you-so-much-forever-stuff and there were things that reminded me of Twilight, but I was intrigued by the history of the Carrier and the meaning of the Mark, and I found it an easy read (although some stuff was pretty confusing). So I might change my rating later :P


And I also read Adorkable by Sarra Manning (proof) and it was AWESOME. I loved it. I'm definitely going to be picking up a finished copy of the book when it comes out! 5/5!

Last Breathby Rachel Caine. (10th book in the Morganville Vampire series)

This book is very exciting and crazy, just like the 9 before! Rachel Caine is a great story-teller, and she doesn't seem to lose her touch the farther we go into the series. It just gets better and better.

9/10

Peace Like a River by Lief Enger; 10/10

This book was truly amazing. I loved every moment of it, and I don't have a single negative thing to say about it. It's formatted wonderfully, and the I just really appreciated the author's style. It was simplistic, but at the same time, there were so many deeper layers and hidden meanings in things that I didn't see until I discussed the book. Also, in my opinion, it had one of the best endings that I've read in a long while. Overall, awesome and wonderful. :D

Just reread The Hunger Games Trilogy over the past couple of days...

The Hunger Games: 8.5/10
Catching Fire: 9/10
Mockingjay 7.5/10

Catching Fire is still my favorite of the series, and probably always will be. I love the twist with the Games coming back into play, and the way the arena worked, and how it all turned out... just some great reading. Love Hunger Games too, and Mockingjay was okay, but so different than the first two books. But the very short epilogue was excruciatingly bad.

Peace Like a River by Lief Enger; 10/10

This book was truly amazing. I loved every moment of it, and I don't have a single negative thing to say about it. It's formatted wonderfully, and the I just really appreciated the author's style. It was simplistic, but at the same time, there were so many deeper layers and hidden meanings in things that I didn't see until I discussed the book. Also, in my opinion, it had one of the best endings that I've read in a long while. Overall, awesome and wonderful. :D

Okay, I'm going to try to read this over Christmas break. :D

Just reread The Hunger Games Trilogy over the past couple of days...

The Hunger Games: 8.5/10
Catching Fire: 9/10
Mockingjay 7.5/10

Catching Fire is still my favorite of the series, and probably always will be. I love the twist with the Games coming back into play, and the way the arena worked, and how it all turned out... just some great reading. Love Hunger Games too, and Mockingjay was okay, but so different than the first two books. But the very short epilogue was excruciatingly bad.

I agree! The epilogue was really disappointing and how things turned out at the end also let me down... Catching Fire was great, but I have to say the first book is my favourite, it felt like Catching Fire was "fast-paced"? I expected the Hunger Games in it to be a little longer and more exciting. I love this series though :')

Peace Like a River by Lief Enger; 10/10

This book was truly amazing. I loved every moment of it, and I don't have a single negative thing to say about it. It's formatted wonderfully, and the I just really appreciated the author's style. It was simplistic, but at the same time, there were so many deeper layers and hidden meanings in things that I didn't see until I discussed the book. Also, in my opinion, it had one of the best endings that I've read in a long while. Overall, awesome and wonderful. :D

On my reading list and you're making me want to read it even more!

10/10 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
I love this book just as much as the others, but Jo really broke me with Sirius's death. I recall the speculation flying around about who was going to be knocked off. I don't see the point in people coming about the length of this book, or the fact that there was so much "moody" Harry. Considering what Harry was going through I can't think any less of him.

9/10
Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger

It was a really, really original one, liked it almost as much as The Time Traveler's Wife, the only thing I didn't really like were the two main characters!

9/10
Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger

It was a really, really original one, liked it almost as much as The Time Traveler's Wife, the only thing I didn't really like were the two main characters!

I'd have to agree with you on that one! It's about a year since I read it but the only character I really took to was the one with the anxiety disorder.

I did, however, REALLY like all the description of Highgate Cemetery..

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan

4/5

I'd have to agree with you on that one! It's about a year since I read it but the only character I really took to was the one with the anxiety disorder.

I did, however, REALLY like all the description of Highgate Cemetery..

Haha, that's exactly how I felt! I loved all the Martin and Marijke chapters :agree: But the (young) twins, they were weird.

Best Served Cold

This is a stand alone book set after the events of The First Law trilogy.

While each of The First Law books where pretty good with a bunch of charecters I cared about. this book was the opposite of that. I didn't really care about any of the charecters.I'm all for characters with qeustionable morals, but this was too much, there's barely a redeeming quality in the group of charecters. so to me it seemed like Scumbags vs Scumbags. There was one character who i would like to see more of though. with that said some of the battles are good and it's well written, just pretty boring since i couldn't root for anyone.

6/10

Dracula 6/10

I couldn't really get into this book, and it probably didn't help that I got very busy when I was about halfway through and stopped reading for a good few weeks so I forgot who was who. I might have to reread it when I have the time to so I can get a proper opinion on it, but I did enjoy it even though it drags on a bit.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5/5 Love it and can't wait to get my hands on Catching Fire.

Fated by Sarah Alderson, 5/5 (possibly first in trilogy)

Fantastic read. I haven't read Hunting Lila yet, so I wasn't familiar with her work, but this was a wonderful story and quite the pageturner. I really liked it!

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith: I'd love to give it a 10/10, primarily because it's just such a charming book that I simply could not put down. It is a beautifully written story with one of the most delightful narrators I've ever read. Cassandra Mortmain's journey discovering life and love is unforgettable and it's easy to see why this character and this book have inspired so many authors. I was quite disappointed that the book had to end.

Finally finished Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert. I'd give it 8/10. Powerful, even though it was a very slow read. I'm a bit worried by my level of identification with Emma Bovary.

I just finished The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and gave it five stars. I'll admit, the overall structure of the book threw me for a strange loop--I wish I could say more without spoilers--but all in all I loved how it was framed and how it set the stage for the next installment.

There is also probably an intriguing paper to be written about the ambiguous way the book treats Naturalist ideas about determinism and free will.

Just finished re-reading the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead.

Book 1: Vampire Academy - 5/5
Book 2: Frostbite - 5/5
Book 3: Shadow Kiss - 5/5
Book 4 - Blood Promise - 3.5/5
Book 5: Spirit Bound - 1/5
Book 6: Last Sacrifice - 1.5/5

There you'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones--10/10

To say that I loved this book would be akin to the understatement of the century.

Finley is a wounded, broken teenaged girl who goes to Ireland to find God and see the beautiful country through her deceased brother's eyes. Who she meets along the way help to shape her life in more ways than one.

The book was so magnificently beautiful. It was tinged with hope, fear, grief, love, tenderness...it struck a nerve. It deals with very heavy subjects but in such an inspirational way. My heart is still heavy and full. That is the evidence of a wonderful and true author, when your heart is invested in the characters, in their well-being, in their lives and you begin to evaluate your own because of a story. This book has done this for me. I could relate to Finley and because of her, I could relate to Beckett. Normally I pick my books because of the romance aspect, but in this book I wanted the romance to take an even farther backseat to what was going on. (I never thought I would say something like that about romance!) However, the sweet love between Beckett and Finley was integral to the story and part of the band-aid that helps Finley heal. Jones's descriptions of Ireland were the icing on the cake. One day I will go there and think about this book and just be with God.

No adjectives are worthy of describing this story. Words just fail to do it justice.

If I Tell by Janet Gurtler, 5/5

Janet Gurtler has become one of my favorite authors after loving both of her books. She has a way of writing her stories in a way that completely sucks me in. This book made my heart ache in all the right ways, and I loved it. Cannot wait for her next book :)

Sister by Rosamund Lipton - I loved the narrative of this book, it was just so wonderfully written. The suspense was there all the way through and you knew there was something big to be revealed, but the twists in the story took me completely by surprise. And it was the perfect mix of contemapry and crime fiction, and I love both genres so this was just perfect to me. So good! 5/5

The Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder - This book made my Christmas even more magical. Each chapter is dedicated to a day of advent so you can read it along through each day of December which is such a sweet idea, and the story was just so beautiful! 5/5

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill - I loved the description in this book, within minutes the reader is transported to another period in time. You can sense the fog and feel the loneliness and the isolation of Eel Marsh House.

It is quite scary - I read it during the day with the light on ( but I am a well known wimp!) and one of my reasons for reading it is to see if I will be brave enough to see the film when it is released next year......

I will be going, but I may well be hiding behind my hands at certain points.

The book is beautifully written - I give it 5/5!

I watched an adaptation for stage of The Woman in Black a few years back, and enjoyed it a lot (well, enjoy is not the word; I've never been so scared in a theatre in my life). I'd like to try the book, but I can't find it in the library...

Dead Beat by Jim Butcher - 3/5

I've liked the rest of this series, so I don't know why I wasn't too keen on this book. It might be because it's been a while since I read the last one, so I'd forgotten quite a bit of what had happened. I kept expecting there to be a massive twist in it like a lot of the others had, and I was a bit disappointed that the twists that were there weren't as big as I'd expected. I still love the characters, but I didn't think the plot was as good as the others had been.

Chain Gang Elementary by Jonathan Grant

Somewhere between a 2.5 and 3. It was okay. It started out slower than heck, but I was hooked towards the middle. It was riddled with typos and editing mistakes galore, but it wasn't hard to read because of that.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

9/10. It would have been even higher if it was a stand alone book and not part of a series. I didn't realize that and was waiting for the entire conclusion but didn't get it. I am however VERY excited for the next one to come out though! So good and bad that.

Wishes, mysterious errands, two worlds, angels and a love story to boot - what's not to like!

Unbroken by Tracy Elliot- 7/10

It took me a while to get interested in this story, and that's saying something because it's a pretty short book (only a little over 200 pages). Still, this memoir was by all means extremely moving and inspirational. I was completely and thoroughly surprised to read a story about a woman who won Mrs. Texas, and yet had such a tragic and awful childhood, and even early adulthood. The style was simple to me, but I think this book was more about what was said, and not how it was said. :)

Outlander - Diana Gabaldon, 6/10. I was truely impressed with this book. I don't read much historical fiction, so I don't know how good this one is, comparing to other books of the genre. Still I liked it a lot. I liked the detail the author gives in the book, of pretty much everything. In some books it just bores me, but I found the details very complimenting to the story, probably because of the narration. Regarding the historical side of things, though, it's not a book where one could pick up information about the events of that era. When I started the book I knew very little about 18th century Scotland, and now I just have a general idea, but nothing deep.

Another thing I liked about the book, is that pretty much every scene in it was relevant to the plot. The pace is very suitable, as well, it doesn't drag on and yet it isn't too fast. Also I think I rather liked it that the author doesn't seem to be concerned about the damage she does to her characters; it felt like she just does the damage and lets the events cure it. Or not, :lol:.

I gave it a low rating due to a combination of some offensive remarks, deeply cheesy parts, and some unexpected and boring end to the story. I'm going to try the next book of the series (I hadn't realised there are seven of them, :wow:. I'm really wondering how her characters have survived seven books of her ruthless writing! :yuhup:) it will decide whether I'll go on reading the rest of the series or not.
Overall, it was a nice read.

6/10 Brave New World Aldous Huxley
I think I missed something in this book, but I'm not sure what. I lost interest in many parts of this book, and there was only one part that got me excited about it again. :shrug:

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, 4/5

The only reason for the 4/5 instead of a 5/5 rating is the fact that my expectations were sky high and they weren't quite met. I really liked reading it, it was a good book. Maybe I should have waited a little to pick it up so the hype would have died down. Oh well, I still really really liked it! Excited for book two.

Fellowship of The Ring.

Pretty sure everybody knows what the book is about. I recently got really into LOTR for the first time in a while and decided to read the book. This is a good book. but I think that seeing the movie first hurt me. some of the parts in the book weren't as good i thought. And all the singing threw me off.
9/10.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I had to read it in my high school English class. Sometimes I don't enjoy the books they make us read, but I thought this one was pretty good. The other students complained about it because of all the heavy symbolism and long descriptions, but I didn't think it was too bad. 8/10. :)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5/5 Love it and can't wait to get my hands on Catching Fire.
That's one of my favorite book series other than HP! I don't much like Katniss as the protagonist, but the plot is very intriguing. And I have a very soft spot for Peeta. ;) But I was really disappointed in Mockingjay! I thought it was horrible. :no: 10/10 for THG and CF...3/10 for Mockingjay.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett - 5/5

This was a book that got better the more I read it. I really can't find anything to fault it. I loved the characters and the story. This is a book that I would add to the Books you were actually sad to finish (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=99596) list, because it was that good. :agree:

Finished The Immortal by Angela Hunt last night. 4/5 stars. It's another example of why she has become one of my favorite authors.

Everneath by Brodi Ashton, 4/5

Interesting take on mythology which I quite liked. There were some things that I didn't like in the book, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ashton's writing style made me read very quickly, so big plus for that :)

Dragonfly in Amber - Diana Gabaldon. Okay, I'm officially taken by Ms. Gabaldon's writing. The book is perhaps not as good as the first one; it lacked the magic and beauty of the first book most of the time. Moreover, it had lots of my reading pet peeves, including shifting points of view, trying to make the antagonists seem more sinister than they are when the reader has understandably ceased to be intimidated by them, writing about the characters' fate in the beginning of the book - it just makes the book sort of pointless when you know who is going to die and when.
The beginning of the book was very tedious, mainly because the characters were trying to stop events we know are going to happen anyway. However, it got better as it progressed, and had it's hilarious, deeply shocking and very intriguing moments, which made it nearly impossible to put the book down at some points.
I'm very curious what the next book would contain, because the end was quite unpredictible. I can't say I didn't think of that end, considering that there are still other six books in the series, but it was still unexpected. Anyways, it was a very good read and I'm looking forward to start the next book and I hope it is as good as the first two books.

Overall I would give the book 7/10.

10/10 Zodiac - Robert Graysmith
A very intriguing read on one of America's unsolved murder cases. It was a very good timeline of events and was a chilling read.

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare, 9/10

This book exceeded my expectations. I'm looking forward to the 3rd book!

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

10/10

I really loved this book. Was written really well from a first person point of view.

The Darkest Whisper by Gena Showalter (Lords of the Underworld, #4), 4/5

I think this might be my favorite book in the series so far. I love this series for nice and easy reading with plenty of action and some (at times) cheezy moments.


Firelight by Sophie Jordan (Firelight, #1), 4/5

I read the Dutch edition of this one, and I really liked it. I never read it because I was working on a similar story at the time, but I enjoyed reading it.

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon, 5/10. While I like the writing style and tone of this series a lot, I must admit that the plot is getting too random and unfocused for my taste. It doesn't help either that the characters are beginning to feel more like characters out of a fanfiction, rather than characters with solid and definite backgrounds built in two 800-pages books, (no disrespect intended for any fanfiction writers out there..:)). But I admit it feels very strange when the characters start making choices and decisions that are completely opposite to what they have been doing and standing up for in the previous books. It felt to me that it's the author who wanted the characters to make such choices rather than the characters themselves, :shrug:.

It's also quite apparent that the plots of the books are getting less and less compelling as the series progresses. The writing style and detail is pretty much the same, though, and I suppose that's something at least.. I think I'm just going to leave the series at here, rather than have my opinion and perception of the first two books spoilt by the rest of the series.

True Valor by Dee Henderson 4/5 Very captivating.

Ruthless by Sara Shepard. 9/10. While I thought it was a good book, I was a bit disheartened by Aria's little story within the book. It just made me mad and I wish that it could've been done better.

The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger, 9/10. I'm rather surprised that I liked the book a lot. Because generally, I don't like books where the characters practically do nothing except wallow, get on people's nerves and swear. I really liked way the book starts off; it is just captivating and gets you into the story better than any normal introduction could have done. I found the main character quite likeable, as well, even though he can be really thick at times. Most of the time actually. Still, I found that I relate to him on a level, (regarding the whole thing about thinking about some things and finding them depressing). I do that a lot myself. The book is not what I really expected, but then again I don't know what I expected, so..

Now I really should stop saying really, because I really say it a lot and reading this book wasn't helping. It really wasn't, :rotfl:.

5/10 The Woman in Black - Susan Hill
I wasn't too impressed with this book and I didn't think it mighty scary as I've heard.

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (Incarceron, #1) 3/5

I picked this one back up after basically abandoning it in October. It was unable to keep me entertained at the time so I stopped reading it about 3 months ago. When I picked it back up, it was much better than how I had abandoned it at about 200 pages in. It's a dystopian, but because the people live 'in era', they are forbidden to use the technology, even though they sometimes use it. This gives it a bit of a steampunk-ish feel, which I really enjoyed. The characters however were rather flat for me, and I was unable to experience their journey through their eyes. It was okay, but for me personally, it wasn't more than that. I'm unsure if I will pick up the sequel, Sapphique, even though I'm a bit curious. The ending tied up most of the lose ends, so I guess I won't miss anything if I don't.

The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger, 9/10.

Now I really should stop saying really, because I really say it a lot and reading this book wasn't helping. It really wasn't, :rotfl:.

Really?

My Scorching Summer Diary by Liz Rettig, 3-/5

Jeesh, how I hated the main character. She lied about everything (not even exaggerating here) and it was driving me crazy. I really liked the writing style and the British humor, but other than that, I wasn't really that impressed.

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
This was beautifully written with a kind of musical prose that makes the reader feel the peaceful river of the title. I was absorbed by the fully drawn characters and the interweaving of the family's story with other literary works referenced in the text. The ending left me somewhat dissatisfied. I don't know what kind of ending I wanted. I'm left only with a feeling of sadness, but I'm not sure why. Still, it's a worthwhile read that I give a 4/5. I picked up another book by this author today, which I'll probably read next.

9/1@ Storm of Swords - George R. R. Martin
Woah, this book had so many awe moments. Martin took me by surprise with this one. :wow:

The Road by Cormac McCarthy - 4.5/5

The story is about a father and son surviving some sort of horrible, planet-wide catastrophe. They are traveling down the road. It is nuclear winter. The sun never shines through the ash in the air. The daytime is just a little less dark than the nighttime.

The story was strangely horrible and beautiful at the same time. It was both fascinating to read, and a little scary because of what might happen next. The book was written with a lot of incomplete sentences, which I usually find annoying. But they almost read like poetry, which was probably the intent.

The one thing that constantly nagged at me while I read this book is whether or not I would have wanted to survive a catastrophe like this. I'm not sure of the answer.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins-10/10

Why did it take me so long to read this book? It was hard to put this book down, greatly paced and loved the story. Can't wait to read the second!

Your Heart Like Quicksilver by Theo Lawrence (Mystic City, #1), 3.5/5

Not saying too much about this one because it won't be out until the end of 2012, but while I really liked this book, I wasn't blown away. Can't put my finger on what it is exactly, since I thought the story was pretty well written.



The Fault in our Stars by John Green, 5/5

ALL THE STARS! Oh my god, this book was absolutely amazing. I wasn't really blown away by Green's other work, even though I enjoyed the books, but this blew everything out of the water. I cried. Properly cried, not a few tears. SUCH a good book. Definitely recommended!

The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig 5/5

Reread, but it's been forever since I read it. I think everyone should read it.

The Girl Who Played With Fire.

This kicks off about a year or so after Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. It's a good book, way more focused than the first. 8/10.

The Secret Pilgrim by John le Carre - this was billed as a George smiley novel and I was a bit disappointed becuse although Smiley is in the story he acts as a stimulus to the main character, Ned, looking back over his career in the Service.

It was well written, but not as gripping - probably because it was a reflection on past cases.

Not enough George - 7/10

I Capture the Castle - 9/10. Wow, what a beautiful book! I found the plot simple yet gripping. I suppose it's the way the book is written and how clever and deeply-thought-out the narration is, that really got to me. Considering the small number of the characters around which the story revolves, I think the authors manages to make them very realistic and varied; the enigmatic, the selfish, the observant, the easy-going, etc. The book has really got a number of remarkable characters.
Now, I said the plot was simple, still I couldn't guess the outcome of things correctly and the end took me by surprise. It also left me sad in a way, I don't know why, since it doesn't have a 'sad ending', I suppose it's just seeing the journal come to an end, after looking forward to every new bit in it.

The Fault in our Stars by John Green, 5/5

ALL THE STARS! Oh my god, this book was absolutely amazing. I wasn't really blown away by Green's other work, even though I enjoyed the books, but this blew everything out of the water. I cried. Properly cried, not a few tears. SUCH a good book. Definitely recommended!

This was the last book I read, too!

I hadn't actually read any of John Green's books before although I'd come across his name through the fandom. I saw all the buzz and hype surrounding the book and although I was a bit weary at first, I decided to buy it because it sounded like something I would like and that I needed to read.

And I definitely made the right choice! It's such a beautiful book, and there were sentences I had to go back and read twice because they were just so stunning. I read it in under 24 hours which doesn't happen a lot for me, but I just couldn't put it down. I got so attatched to the characters and the book didn't leave my head for a long time afterwards, I was just constantly thinking about it :) 5/5

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (Under the Never Sky, #1), 4.5/5

This was such a good book! What suprised me the most was how much I loved the characters. Aria, Perry, Roar, Marron, and even Cinder. Loved it! I really liked the dual narrative and thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. (the only reason for it not being 5 stars is that I've noticed I'm getting very selective on which books I give the max amount of stars). I'd definitely recommend this one!

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

8.5/10 I didn't really get into the book until I reached the 150 page mark. It was still good up until then, but it just wasn't going at the quick pace The Hunger Games brought. Although, it was just as good as the first after I got past that mark.

The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffinegger. This books is exhausting. It's not exactly a happy story, plus it's confusing and you don't really get out of it with anything (unless you count some tears). Well, that sounds as if the books was really bad and it was not. My complaints are mainly, with the beggining of the book, which starts off with disjointed scenes with the main characters. Not only do the points-of-view shift, but also the time setting and not in chronological order, so... This is kept up until the third of the book where finally a storyline begins to show itself. I started to get into the story then, but it was a bit predictable at some points. The end was the part I liked the best about the story (probably because I finally got used to the shifting in time and POVs, :lol:).

What I liked about the book was the fact that Time Travelling isn't an advantage but an inconvenience and something that the character 'suffers' from and has to put up with. I also liked the characters (most of them), I don't know why I wasn't overly fond of Clare, it's just that I didn't feel she actually has a character, :hmm:.

The book is not what I expected but I still liked it; it was complicated, funny and sad. And worth reading, 7/10.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles, #1), 4.5/5

Fantastic sci-fi retelling of Cinderella with a cyborg as the main character! This was such a surprisingly good read, I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. I need the sequel ASAP

Finished my reread of The Hunger Games last night and it was just as amazing as the first time.

I finished to Kill a Mockingbird last night and it was just as amazing now as it was the first time i read it!

I cannot recommend it highly enough - it is brilliant!

I give it 11/10!

Finished Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow. I give it 4/5 stars. It was great, though the football season related chapters seemed a bit tedious. They were great at first, but then it just got to be the same thing. Still, it's a great big. I recommend for any Tebow, Gator, Bronco, football, and/or sports fan.

Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery, 9/10. I don't know what to say about this book, except that I enjoyed every bit of it. In all books there always comes a bit where I might not bother reading things deeply, and just skim through long paragraphs of description. In this book, however, I think I read it from beginning to end, with the same level of interest, :tu:.
I especially loved the dialogue in this book - it's definitely a strong point with the author; many important incidents were recounted in the form of dialogue instead of being shown first-hand. Also, it felt as though each character in the book had its own distinctive voice, that could almost be heard as the characters talked.
I liked the characters a lot, Anne most of all, of course. She is definitely a remarkable lead character, :agree:.

The Nightmare Garden by Caitlin Kittredge (The Iron Codex #2), 3/5

I really wanted to love this book, but I didn't. The main character won't take any help that is offered to her and she's so annoyingly stubborn that I wanted to slap her. I didn't like what happened near the end (WHY?!), but even though I wasn't blown away by this book, I'm looking forward to reading book 3, mainly because I want to find out how everything will end/be resolved.

10/10 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Another of my favorites of the series, tied with Prisoner of Azkaban. I love all the back story on Lord Voldemort as Tom Riddle. It makes us see how he became what he is. My favorite chapter is when we see the memory of Tom applying for the teacher's post with Dumbledore. I also love that Dumbledore took the time to show Harry all these memories and knew how important they were. And of course, the mystery surrounding Draco Malfoy, Snape's part in it, and of course Snape being the Half-Blood Prince.

Hounded by Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid Chronicles, #1), 4/5

This was a pleasant surprise! I loved the humor in this fast paced, witty urban fantasy. Looking forward to reading book 2!


Life's A Witch by Brittany Geragotelis, 1.5/5

If I hadn't been reading this book on my Kindle, I'd have thrown it across the room. The main character is completely stuck up and full of herself. The minor characters fall completely flat and blend together because they don't have a personality. The solutions to the problems in this story are found with the snap of a finger. And don't even get me started on the insta-love.. 0.5 stars higher than I would initially give it because I kinda liked the prologue (which, ironically, is the part of the story where our main character isn't introduced yet. Bliss!)

Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver. I had very high expectations for this book, and unfortunately it left me deeply disappointed, :shrug:. The main characters were very unlikeable, in my opinion, they were terribly awful to other people, and I found it extremely annoying how the main character keeps making fun of others, actually comparing them to animals (in her head, but I found it annoying). I didn't find it exactly enjoyable to read the same events repeatedly; true with various changes, but all leading up to the same results. It did develop and change the protagonist's character, but again, not in the way I would have imagined it would. It's a creative idea, and sometimes it wasn't difficult to sympathise with the main character, even though I didn't like her. It's just the fact that, halfway through the book, it's obvious that the character won't be able to 'fix' things - not to mention that, like the main character, I was hoping to get some explanation for what was actually happening to her (some of it never made sense to me; like the whole thing about the girl taking the last spot in the parking lot, why was she so worried about that? :hmm:), which of these days counted, which one of them was the real day - the one the normal people would have lived and experienced like her. I know what matters is what she had done and not people's reaction to it, but still..
There were parts of this book that kept me interested and looking forward to know what happens next, but most of the time I didn't find it that interesting.
5/10.

The last one from the Millenium saga 10/10.
I love how Stieg's characters feel real, and the plot is great. My favorite character of all times is in that saga: Lisbeth Salander

Finished Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins yesterday. I give it 4/5. It's really good but I didn't think it matched the level of The Hunger Games, which is why I can only give it 4 stars instead of the full 5.

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow (Strange Angels, #1), 4/5

Fast paced, full of action and excitement. I loved the chemistry between the main character and the two guys. Looking forward to reading book 2!


Nightshade by Maryrose Wood (The Poison Diaries, #2), 4/5

This one read much quicker than the first installment in the series, and I really really like it! I didn't expect to like these books as much before I started reading them, but they have pleasantly surprised me.

Mokingjay. 7/10. Liked it. Didn't end in the best way. Katniss was too depressing for my liking.

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder. 7/10.

It was a pretty interesting read. The protagonists were fun as were the secondary characters. It's the first book in a series so no real action occurred, but it was interesting nonetheless. I'm excited about the sequel!

The Swimming Pool by Alan Hollinghurst; probably a 7/10

It's an easy and interesting read and it is rare that the one thing I like best about a novel is the ending. It came as quite the shocker. But there were passages that felt a little indulgent and it didn't engage me enough to really make me want to read till the end (and I would have missed something!).

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, I spent most of this book undecided as to what I thought of it. I think the main problem was I wanted to know more about the Katherines, given the title, and didn't really get the answers I was looking for until towards the end of the book. The end did make it up for me though. The book is quite slow paced but once some stuff actually started to happen towards the end of the story I could appreciate the rest of the book more :) and I liked the characters. 3.5/5

The 13th Horseman by Barry Hutchison, 3.5/5

Quite a nice middlegrade adventure kind of story. The storyline was a bit predictable, BUT I really liked the characters - Pest was one of my faves, but War had his moments as well. Nice and easy read :)




Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder (Avry of Kazan/Healer, #1), 5/5

My first Maria V Snyder book - and I loved it! I loved the bickering between Avry and Kerrick and most of all I loved Belen. Very much looking forward to reading book 2!

Just finished Mockingjay. 5/5 I don't know what to think. Wow.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1st book) by Douglas Adams

4/5

I love the humor. The only reason I gave it a 4 is that I'm not quite used to the writing style and the way Adams almost jumps around in his story, making a bit hard to follow.

The Maze Runner - James Dashner, 6/10. I liked the idea but not the writing. It didn't help that the first half of the book was all things along the lines of 'Stop talking, you don't understand anything'. There were some interesting plot twists, half way through, that made helped me get into the story. I found the end interesting, as well, and I hope it means that the next book in the series will be better.

The Loom of Youth by Alec Waugh gets an 8/10

It's not the perfect novel but it's a touching and thought-provoking one with lots of melancholy and pessimism added into the mix of schoolboy shenanigans.

Only In London by Hanan Shaykh - 2/5

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking, #2), 4.5/5

GREAT read. Even better than book one, if you ask me. I loved that I wasn't able to tell what happened until the very end. I loved the suspenshun (hah!) and I la-la-love Todd.

James Potter and the Hall of Elder's Crossing by G. Norman Lippert

7 of 10
Initially thought it was James Potter Sr. but turns out it was little ol' James Jr., Harry's son. Story was good, engaging, loved the introduction of the new course, "Technomancy" :rotfl: Story was slightly transparent in areas and the christmas chapter was very indulgent (there only to give the reader time with Old Harry, Old Ginny, Old Hermione and Old Ron) and could have been cut; the only thing that happened in that chapter to move the story further could have been handled differently. Am a little skeptical of the ending but I have yet to read the next two in the series.

http://www.jamespotterseries.com/muggle_index.html

Beloved - by Toni Morrison - It is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel which was based on a true story of a woman who escaped slavery with her children.

I had a hard time following the story. It would jump all over from past to present without warning. The story was told from the point of view of several characters, and that was hard to follow, too. I forced myself to finish it because I wanted to know it was all about. Unfortunately, I still don't know. :hmm:

This is going to be one of those books that a lot of people love, but I didn't like it all. It had its moments, with the few bits of poetry being the standout best parts of it, but all in all, it was a little too weird for me. 2/5

7/10 Peace Like A River - Leif Enger
This book had nowhere near the effect I was hoping to get out of it. It was definitely a good read, but I think I was hoping to get too much out of it. :shrug:

Game of Thrones by George RR Martin. 7/10.

The rating is primarily because this is not my favorite genre. I don't love medieval settings in general, or the ongoing family histories. But I realize that is a main driver for the story. Overall hard to put down, so much intrigue that you really want to know how all the stories are going to play out. Frustrating that book 1 doesn't resolve much, and it seems that it will take reading the entire series for the multiple moving parts to resolve themselves.

The Prisoner of Zenda - by Anthony Hope - 10/10

An Englishman vacationing in a Ruritarian kingdom is recruited to impersonate his cousin, the soon-to-be-crowned king when the monarch is drugged and kidnapped.

I just loved the main character, Rudolph Rassendyll. He was brave, honorable, loyal and a great guy. He is going to go down as one of my favorite characters ever. I read this short book twice because I wanted to absorb all of it again. There is a sequel to this story, but I don't think I'll read it. I want to remember the main character just as he was. :love:

8/10 The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
My view has changed on this book. This one was my favorite of the trio, but I'm not sure now. I guess because I know how it's going to end and I can see all the little things that'll end up between the 'star-crossed lovers'. :grumble:

Random Harvest - James Hilton 9/10

I just loved this story and could hardly put the book down. Random Harvest was published in 1941 and the story bookends the two world wars. The time period covered is between Armistice Day in 1919 and the news that Hitler has invaded Poland in 1939. The main character was injured during the Great War and lost his memory of everything that happened before his injury. He didn't even know his name. Then, about two years after the war injury, he had another injury and consequently remembered who he was, but completely forget what happened to him during the two years of memory loss. The book is basically about his struggle to remember the lost period of his life.

I really enjoyed this book. The only reason I didn't give it 10/10 was because some parts rambled on a bit. But otherwise the story was very engaging.

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (Delirium #2), 4/5

While it was a great book, it wasn't as good as Delirium. I'm both excited for and dreading the third book, because of the ending. Lauren Oliver is a great writer though and the writing is just as good as in her other books :)

Room by Emma Donoghue - 5/5 stars. If you haven't read it yet I do recommend you getting yourself to a library or bookstore and picking up a copy.

7/10 Insomnia - Stephen King
This book was overly long and not as good as I was expecting. :rolleyes:

6/10 The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffeneger
I don't know about this one. I didn't quite like the book as much as the movie. It would also be nice to know how the book ended since my copy was missing the last hundred or so pages. :rolleyes:

6/10 The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffeneger
I don't know about this one. I didn't quite like the book as much as the movie. It would also be nice to know how the book ended since my copy was missing the last hundred or so pages. :rolleyes:

Should I spoil you? :whistle:

I haven't seen the film. Is it better than the book? I can think how it can be better, because I found the book a bit disorganised and sometimes confusing, :shrug:

Mother Clap's Molly House by Rictor Norton 8/10

Non-fiction but provides interesting and entertaining case histories. Excellent book on the molly subculture and its development over the years. It doesn't get 10 because its arguments are not always 100% coherent and bullet-proof.

Should I spoil you? :whistle:

I haven't seen the film. Is it better than the book? I can think how it can be better, because I found the book a bit disorganised and sometimes confusing, :shrug:

I actually really liked the movie and hoping the book would be just as good. I did find it a bit confusing too when he comes back and forth, and when there's two of them at different ages. :yuhup: Might as well spoil me just so I won't have to go hunt down another copy of the book again.

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter (The Goddess Test, #1), 3+/5

I'm not sure if I should give this book 3 or 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed reading it becaude of the easy writing, but there were some major eyeroll moments in it that made go "WHY?!", which is a shame because her writing style is really pleasant to read. It wasn't really a retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth either, more like a continuation of Hades' story. I'll be reading book two because I have a review copy, but also because I just like the way Carter writes, despite the stuff I didn't like in the book.

Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind. 8/10

Great story, great characters. The length of the book is a bit daunting, but once you get through that you get hooked into the story. There was a few slow parts but I think that's a given based on its length. Overall it kept up a great pace. The story wrapped up in a very nice way, but at the same time you still have questions and confusions. That's probably why the next book is 900+ pages long!! :rotfl: I think I'm going to take a break before I take that on.

Also, the TV show Legend of the Seeker is loosely based off of this book. I haven't seen the show, I just wanted to read the book before I watched it.

I've just finished reading The Wreath, the first book in Sigrid Undset's medieval trilogy Kristin Lavransdatter. (Kristin daughter of Lavrans.)

What a wonderful writer! :) And such an interesting woman. I'm not surprised she's one of Norway's most beloved and acclaimed writers. :)

You are right there in 14th century Norway. Undset wrote this in 1920 ... whilst it's incredibly good historical fiction, it also has a remarkably contemporary feel to it, because of the rich psychological authenticity of her characters.

I love discovering writers like this. :)

Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson - 8/10

It's a charming little book that is bound to make you feel good. I'm glad it has been reprinted as part of the Persephone classics series!

The Darkest Passion by Gena Showalter (Lords of the Underworld, #5), 4-/5

Nice and easy read, can't really say much about it except that I really liked it :) Aeron is one of my favorite Lords so far. Curious about the next installment..


Starters by Lissa Price (Starters, #1), 4/5

Nice debut set in a dystopian future where Starters (teenagers) are able to put their bodies up for hire so Elders (80+ people) can be young again by renting a young body. Interesting concept, sometimes a bit weak in the writing but very enjoyable overall. Looking forward to the second book.


The Changelings by Elle Casey (War of the Fae, #1), 4/5

Quite a surprise this one! Some errors in the writing and the story had some weak moments, but once it picked up the pace, I really liked it. The ending lead up quite nicely to the sequel.


Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter (Goddess Test, #2), 2/5

Jeesh. So much eye rolling during this one. Gah. Stuff I disliked: Kate acting like Bella 2.0, the fact that we're in her head the entire time and there isn't much else going on, the way the gods were portrayed and the fact that the last 35% of the book led up to a cliffhanger that I saw coming from the moment I knew what was going on in the cave. I'll be reading book 3 because I can't stand unfinished stories, but I would not recommend this one.

Finished Carrie Goes off the Map by Phillipa Ashley. Pure chick lit. Rated 3/5 stars.
Also finished The Annihilation of Foreverland by Tony Bertauski. ARC ebook. Eh, it's all right. Give it somewhere between 2.5 and 2.9 out of 5 stars.

The Great Gatsby. Surprisingly I didn't hate it! I enjoyed it, a pretty quick and interesting read. 3.5/5

10/10 Rage - Richard Bachman
This is the side of Stephen King that I love, I didn't see this in Insomnia.

World War II, by Winston Churchill - 9/10

One of the most interesting books I've ever read. One thing is reading books about a period of History, and a very different one reading the memoirs of the person who was in charge in that period. Technically speaking, it's an excellent book, surprisingly easy to read despite describing so complex a thing as a World War. And besides, the glimpses of the author's humanity, his wit and even humour, really gripped me.

10/10 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
My favorite bok tied with Prisoner of Azkaban and Half-Blood Prince. It took te second read to realize how much I love this book, fron the Hallows themselves to the horcrux hunt, Ron's departure, Dobby's death, Dumbledore's history, the battle of Hogwarts, and the fall of Lord Voldemort. It seemed to fit in place.

Penelope Lively - Consequences

This book focuses on the lives of 3 women, Laura, her daughter Molly and Molly's daughter Ruth. It tells of their lives loves and achievements. Initially I found it a bit fractured - there are whole chunks of people's lives that are omitted. In the end I really warmed to the style.

Most of the characters are nice, interesting people, who it easy to care about.

I did see the endingcoming, though.

Nevertheless an interesting and compelling read - I give it 8.5/10

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking, #3), 5/5

Freaking fantastic! The pace, the characters, the writing, the plot coming together and ALL THE FEELS! OMG. What a ride! Definitely recommend this series!

Finished my re-read of The Hunger Games, and I thought I might as well write a review, because I didn't review it the first time I read it. Like HP, I just found it very difficult to put my feelings about it in words, (it's better this way, though, because there are lots of things which I hadn't noticed the first time over, :whistle:).
Anyways, I admit that one of the most things I liked abot the book is the narration; Katniss' tone is amazing and very suitable for the story she's telling. Her comments are often wry and funny but poignant. I also liked the way Collins presents the information about her world, she gives the information at the correct places and doesn't cram the book with stuff that doesn't directly affect the plot and the characters. Another thing I loved, is how she managed to balance the book action-wise; she never lets things slow down completely or get boring for one moment, but still she gives the reader (and more importantly Katniss :lol:) the chance to stop, take a deep breath, get a look good around and then have things pick up again.

I'd like to say a lot about the characters, but since book 1 was more about the plot than the charcacters, I'll just say that I found them pretty realistic, even the minor characters such as the tributes who didn't get much 'page-time', (especially Foxface). It's a great start for the series, but still not my favourite. Because as much as I liked Katniss and the main charcaters in book 1, I find it easier to relate to the post-Games Katniss.

Again like with HP, I can read these books tens of times and not get bored, 10/10.

A couple of days ago I finished Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury. I give it 4/5. It's a really good story even if you're not into Christian Fiction. Now I want to see the movie.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. 9/10. I particularly liked the ending. :)

The Hunger Games - 5/5

I'll copy my Goodreads review:

I usually rate my experience with the book, not its literary merit, and I had a stellar experience with this. It's majorly plot-driven - the characters, including Katniss, are no more than rough sketches, the ethical theme is scarcely touched upon, the style is very simple, barely any devices such as foreshadowing, symbolism, allusions, etc. are used and the few that are there are thoroughly explained which sort of invalidates them. But it's a riveting read: fast-paced, super suspenseful, with plenty of twists, a well-constructed reality with working internal logic, and a premise that guarantees keeping you on the edge. I enjoyed every bit of it - it lives up to its hype, in my opinion.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I loved this book so much! I bought it based on how much I loved her book "Before I Fall" and I was just as impressed with this one! I really loved the whole premise of it, and how the character is so complacent at the beginning of the book but then really grows and fights back. Just really beautiful writing, too :) 5/5

The New World by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking, #0.5), 4/5
(actually a short story) I really liked reading Viola's experiences prior to when we meet her in The Knife of Never Letting Go. She's one of the strongest female characters I've come across in YA, and after reading this, I admire the way she was written even more.


Hollow Earth by John and Carole E. Barrowman, 3/5
The premise sounded beyond exciting: art brought alive by imagination. How cool is that?! I loved the concept, but I didn't like the writing style of the book. It felt choppy, not fluent and it bothered me while reading. I get that the authors wanted to give a look at the different characters in the book, but I didn't like the way it was executed. The story itself was nicely fast-paced with some great moments, but the way it was written really put me off a bit.

Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn. 7/10.

I was expecting a whole lot more. I had read many, many, MANY rave reviews of this book and was really excited to read it! However...it was sweet, but not moving. It was nice, but not wonderful. It was cute, but not amazing. It was okay-great.

This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers, 3/5

This could have been a great book - the writing was good, the setting was good, plenty of suspense (although the middle part was a bit boring), but the main character was completely distancing herself from just about everything, which made me feel oddly disconnected to the story. Not once did I feel something while reading it, and that's the reason I didn't rate it any higher.

6/10 A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess
I didn't really know what to expect from this book considering it's banned, what really turned me off was the dialog. :shrug:

Looking for Alaska by John Green - 3/5

I was actually a little disappointed with this book, because everyone that I'd spoken to about it said it was amazing, but there's very little in the way of plot IMO and it's more about making you think about life than what's actually happening to the characters. I can usually read something with not much plot as long as the characters are interesting and draw me in, but they don't. They start off being relatable but then the nerdy boy makes friends with, if not the popular people then the fun, prankster people who go off smoking and drinking underage, and they pull pranks etc. while still being geniuses. I still read it in a day but I won't be wanting to reread it anytime soon.

5/10 Salem Falls - Jodi Piccoult
A typical Jodi Piccoult book, well I guess I can't really say that since I've only read two of her books including this one. I wasn't all that impressed with her writing. She had a good storyline, which reminded me so much of The Crucible, but her writing just didn't live up to it. Disappointing really since I've got about three others of her books to read. :shrug: Luckily I got them at a farmer's market for two bucks a piece, here's to hoping one of the others turn out better. :yuhup:

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler -- 7/10

A decent novel about two kids (Josh and Emma) being able to see 15 years into the future by her (Emma's) computer, via Facebook. It's the usual teen drama with plenty of angst and it's pretty well written dialog wise. It was a blast from the past for me, since I grew up during that period :).

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest. It was okayt, the one thing I hated was that there was no mystery to anything like in the first two books. And the fact that all of it was pretty much wrapped up in one chapter.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson - 9/10.

Some of the plot points I could see coming, but the majority I couldn't, and at the end I wasn't quite sure why the bad guy was doing what he was doing - that explanation was a bit weak. On the whole it was a brilliant book that kept you reading, more than once I'd put it down to go to sleep but then pick it up to read another chapter (or two :whistle: :p). The ending seemed to leave a few things hanging, so hopefully a sequel is in the works :D

Patchwork Dreams by Laura V. Hilton 3.5/5 stars
Sweet little Amish story.

10/10 The Long Walk - Richard Bachman
This book was brutual, even more so than Rage. One hundred boys volunteer to take the long walk and in the end only one survives.

The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht-- 5.5/10

I was not a fan of the book in the slightest. While the author is extraordinarily talented, truly, it just didn't pack as powerful as a punch as it could have. There are long, wonderful, detailed descriptions of the surroundings, and complete histories of these minor characters that felt, to me, like old folk tales, but they were also, for the most part, completely unnecessary. More often than not, I found myself wanting to just skip past those sections and get to the plot. I loved the stories about the tiger's wife and the deathless man, and I would have been content with an entire novel just about those two things. I also found myself more attached to the animals in the story rather than the people, but that may just be because I'm an animal lover. :)

Slide by Jill Hathaway [YA] 9/10

This a better book for young people as they will relate better to our heroine and her situations, but it still is a good read and a not-easily-solved mystery.

About That Night by Julie James 9/10

Super cute romance about an ex-con and Assistant US Attorney who fall in love one night nine years before. As fate would have it, they are reunited and angst ensues. Dialogue is funny, smart, and sweet. Very fun book.

Sunshine by Robin McKinley. 9.5/10 One of my favorite books! The details in this story are great.

The Small Hand - Susan Hill

Having read The Woman in Black in January I when I spotted this in my local library I thought I'd give it a go!

Like Woman In Black it's short - 204 pages and I duly read it within 24 hours. It's good - the scene is set well and you know that the main character will go back once he's had his first encounter with the child...

I had sort of second guessed the ending, though......

I thought it was well written - I'd give it 8/10.

8/10 A Feast for Crows - George R. R. Martin

Sebastian Faulkes - A Week in December

A book containing many characters ( a number of them are fairly repulsive) set in London over the course of a week building up to an 'event.'

This is my book group read for April and I was unsure as to whether I would enjoy it. I normally don't like reading books where I don't like a number of the characters, but I kept on till the end with this one - I wanted to see what happened to them.....

I found the end disappointing and a bit of a let down.

One of the main characters is a banker in the City of London - there was an awful lot of detail about this character's deals and actions which I found very confusing...

I give it 7/10

The Travels of Marco Polo 6.5/10

It's not that I didn't like the book, just that it's no in my style. Anyway, it's very interesting, nowadays that you can travel all around the world in a matter of hours, reading about journeys of years and provinces that took months to get through. It gives you some perspective.

Catching Fire I gave it 3/5. My review from Goodreads:

This one falls short of the first book, I think. It's unevenly paced, it feels more like a patchwork of separate stories and leaves the impression of dragging the narrative a bit. The characters are two-dimensional, but that's not new, and in a sense it works better because you have more room to fill them out. The style is annoying, but the plot and suspense make up for it.

My biggest gripe was believability. I know it's dystopic, but it still has to have some semblance to how humans operate. They seem pretty normal by real-world standards - they love their family and friends, have a concept of compassion and decency, recognise cruelty and oppression, etc. So it's a little too hard to believe that so many people, and resilient, determined people at that, seeing as they won their respective Games, would actually go in willing to literally die in the name of a rebellion which they will not benefit from (as they'd be dead). I think that runs contrary to human nature. Willing to give your life for a cause is not literally offing yourself altruistically for the future generations - most of the time it's going into battle knowing there's a huge risk to your life, but also having hope that this risk would yield the desired result of making a positive change for yourself, and living to see it. People don't just go into death en masse for the other people. That was a bit more than I'm able to suspend my disbelief.

Hamlet, by none other than Shakespeare, of course. :) 9.5/10

I am a serious Hamlet fan, and re-reading this just made me think and ponder morality and justice and duty all over again. Any book that can make me think deeply about life is a great book, in my opinion. :)

Before the Poison - Peter Robinson.

This is a stand alone novel by the author of the Inspector Banks novels.

Chris, a composer of film scores, moves back to Yorkshire after the death of his wife. He buys a remote house and later discovers that a previous owner died there and there was then a local scandal when the deceased man's wife was tried, convicted and executed for his murder.

Chris decides to find out more.........

Peter Robinson knows Yorkshire very well and it shows in his writing - he captures the beauty and the isolation brilliantly. I think the story works very well and I read it very quickly.

A really good read - I'd give it 8.5/10.

Before the Poison - Peter Robinson.

This is a stand alone novel by the author of the Inspector Banks novels.

Chris, a composer of film scores, moves back to Yorkshire after the death of his wife. He buys a remote house and later discovers that a previous owner died there and there was then a local scandal when the deceased man's wife was tried, convicted and executed for his murder.

Chris decides to find out more.........

Peter Robinson knows Yorkshire very well and it shows in his writing - he captures the beauty and the isolation brilliantly. I think the story works very well and I read it very quickly.


A really good read - I'd give it 8.5/10.

I read this. It was really good. I love all Peter Robinson's books.

glad you enjoyed it too snugglepot!

glad you enjoyed it too snugglepot!

I bought it for myself for Christmas.

I love the way Peter Robinson writes, especially when he weaves the narrative between different time periods. The first of his books I read was "In a Dry Season". and I was immediatly hooked and began reading all the others.
He does it again in the book about the rock star who died in the swimming pool. I can't remember the title right now, but it went from the 60s and back to the present.

I can't wait till his next book.:)

A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen. 7.5/10

I loved all the thematic issues here in this play, but I felt like everything happened far too quickly. There was so much action in such a short amount of time. And personally, I wasn't a fan of the character development of Nora, especially in the end (mainly because it was such a sudden snap change) though I did enjoy reading the work as a whole.

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
10/10

A brilliantly written novel. The author has a unique style that makes everything about her writing seem illuminating and ingenious. Intriguing characterization and themes of altruism versus egoism, creator versus parasite, individual versus collectivism. Made me feel smart just have have read it. ;) I don't agree with all of its philosophies, but they are interesting to ponder for a little while.

I read it for a scholarship contest, and I just submitted my essay! Hope I do well and that I didn't do all that reading and analyzing and writing for nothing...

9.5/10 for A Game of Thrones!

Great characters, great story, and great pace. The POV switch for each chapter is great. It's hard to hate any character for each of those POVs, but if you find one storyline particularly boring you don't have to read about it too long because it goes to a different character in a different place.

The Hunger Games -- 8/10

Better than I thought it would be. The characters' aren't the most three dimensional, but the pacing and the story itself make up for it.

Catching Fire -- 8/10

Pretty good sequel. Better than I thought it would be, even though there are some uneven parts in it.

Mockingjay -- 7/10

Good finale. The fighting parts could get somewhat wearing, but otherwise a decent book.

Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton. I'd been wanting to read this as soon as I realised the author had a second book out. Her last book "Sister" was brilliant and so I was really pleased when I found this one cheap. It's a really gripping story, and great writing, I loved it! Just as gripping and unpredictable as her first book and I just love her style. Great story and really interesting characters. 5/5