January *A Book Review*

I read two books! YAY! True, I made a goal to read three, but I came close. I also realize that I'm a slacker when it comes to reviewing the books I read on this blog. But I did so well with my monthly reviews, that I thought I'd just do a monthly book one as well!

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green!

I've been planning on reading this book, and many others by John Green for some time now. I've been watching his vlog on YouTube, and ever since have wanted to read something of his. It didn't dissapoint. This book is funny, witty, and holy cow, I probably learned more about english, math and history just by reading this book, than I ever did in High School. The only fault I found is the swearing. I'm not a big fan. But looking past that detail, the book was phenomenal! A very good read! I can't wait to read his other books.

Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

The third and final book in the series that got me reading. (Though lately the reading slump is hitting me hard.) It had a solid story line, and I found myself turning pages in excitement or fear, which is exactly what I love. But I have to say, when I closed the book, I was quite disappointed with some points of the story. I still think that it was an intruiging book, just not quite as wonderful as the first two. But still, a must read if you love the series!

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The Princess and the Hound

This book! Oh wow! It was spectacular. I had been wanting to read it for ages, and thought that I would enjoy it immensely. I was not mistaken. It was filled with a wonderful story, with adventure, romance, and well rounded characters that were completely believable. I love every aspect of this book. (Except maybe that I got jealous of the romance that the characters have and not myself, but I do this with everything. I'm a hopeless romantic. What can I say?)

This was one book that I found a connection with the main character. I love when books make that connection. He was incredibly real, having struggles that he must deal with, and a duty to his kingdom that he is subject to. It was wonderful. The Princess on the other hand, she was also very convincing, but you always knew that there was something hiding under the surface of the character, and I kept turning pages, hardly able to wait to find out what it was. This was a fantastic book. I whole heartedly recommend it to everyone!

Books that I read in 2007, and Books I Hope to read in 2008.

I know I am the biggest slacker in my posting. I'm not promising that I'm going to write about every book I read from now on, but I'm going to try. I thought to catch everyone up, I would share the books that I read this year. I think there might be a few missing, so I am going to try and write down the books I read in my journal this year, because I don't want to forget them. And to shorten things up, I'm going to rate my books with *'s five *'s is great, 1 * not so great. I didn't read any 0 stars, so don't worry about them. :P

2007:
(in no particular order.)

• The Hero and the Crown - Robin McKinley. *****
• The Blue Sword - Robin McKinley. ***
• Beauty - Robin McKinley. ****
• The Silent Boy - Lois Lowry ***
• Gossamer - Lois Lowry **
• Austenland - Shannon Hale *****
• Book of a Thousand Days - Shannon Hale ****
• Twilight - Stephenie Meyer *****
• New Moon - Stephenie Meyer *****
• Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer *****
• Uglies - Scott Westerfeld ****
• Pretties - Scott Westerfeld ****
• Specials - Scott Westerfeld *****
• Midnighters: Secret Hour - Scott Westerfeld ***
• Midnighters: Touching Darkness -Scott Westerfeld **
• Midnighters: Blue Noon - Scott Westerfeld ***
• The Thief - Megan Whalen Turner ***
• The Singer of All Songs - Kate Constable *****
• The Waterless Sea - Kate Constable ****
• The Tenth Power - Kate Constable *****
• Eragon - Christopher Paolini **
• The Looking Glass Wars ****
• Marked - P.C. & Kristin Cast ****
• Harry Potter 1-6 (re-reads) - J.K. Rowling *****
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows *****

Books I have read so far in 2008:

• Extras - Scott Westerfeld ***
• The Two Princesses of Bamarre - Gail Carson Levine ****

What I want to read in 2008:

• The Cup of the World - John Dickinson (I'm reading it right now, and it's really good so far.)
• Betrayed - P.C. & Kristin Cast - (sequel to Marked)
  
• The Princess and the Hound - Mette Ivie Harrison
• Seeing Redd - Frank Beddor - (sequel to The Looking Glass Wars)
• The Last Knight - Hilari Bell
• The Host - Stephenie Meyer (hasn't come out yet, comes out in May)
• Breaking Dawn - Stephanie Meyer (also hasn't come out yet, fourth book in Twilight series, come out in the Fall)
• Inkdeath - Cornelia Funke (third book in Inkheart series. Come out in April, I was expecting it in September! I'm pretty excited!)
• Eldest - Christopher Paolini (sequel to Eragon)
• Brisingr - Christopher Paolini (third in Eragon series, comes out in September)
• Endymion Spring - Matthew Skelton
• Peter Pan in Scarlet - Geraldine McCaughrean
• Leven Thumps: The Whispered Secret - Obert Skye (sequel to Leven Thumps: The Gateway to Foo)
  
• Leven Thumps: The Eyes of the Want - Obert Skye (3rd in the Leven Thumps series)
  
• The King of Attolia - Megan Whalen Turner (sequel to The Thief)
• The Queen of Attolia - Megan Whalen Turner (3rd in Attolia series)
• The Amulet of Samarkand - Jonathon Stroud (1st in Bartimaeus Trilogy)
  
• The Golem's Eye - Jonathon Stroud (2nd in Bartimaeus Trilogy)
• Ptolemy's Gate - Jonathon Stroud (3rd in Bartimaeus Trilogy)
• The Naming - Alison Croggon (1st in Pellinor Trilogy)
  
• The Riddle -Alison Croggon (2nd in The Pellinor Trilogy)
• The Crow - Alison Croggon (3rd in The Pellinor Trilogy)
• The Dragon's Gate - Lawrence Yep
• Magyk - Angie Sage (1st in Septimus Heap series)
• Flyte - Angie Sage (2nd in Septimus Heap series)
• Physik - Angie Sage (3rd in Septimus Heap series)
• Queste - Angie Sage (4th in Septimus Heap series, comes out in April)
• Fairest - Gail Carson Levine
• Voices - Ursula K Le Guin
• Gifts - Ursula K Le Guin
• The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
• I Am The Messenger - Markus Zusak
• Octavian Nothing - M.T. Anderson

Well, I think that is a pretty impressive list so far. I could go on and on, but I will stop for now. I'm sure I'll read a bunch of books that aren't on the list, but I'll try to keep you all posted!

Austenland!

AHHH! This book. It's fresh in my mind...another "Under the Covers" night for me. (I was very excited...I've kind of been in a non-reading slump, and then this glorious book shows up and pushes back the cobwebs that have been occupying the spaces where my imagination rests.
I've been anticipating this novel since it was mentioned by Shannon Hale herself at a book festival last year. I was SUPER excited. Well, after many postponed release dates, it finally came, and I devoured it! Such an amazing book. (I gotta say, I'm a sucker for romance. *sigh*) This book had me laughing...and...well...squealing, at every little twist that could possibly happen to Miss Jane Erstwhile (Hayes) while attending her "therapeutic" stay at Pembrook Park. I loved this book!
I'm sure that everyone reading this post, knows exactly what this book is about (seeing as everyone that reads this blog was also there squealing when Shannon Hale explained the book) All I am here to tell you, is that even though I know that you will all read it, and are very enthusiastically waiting to do so...if you haven't already...that this book is exactly what I was hoping for it to be, and was sad when I turned the final page and saw that it was over. I wanted to see where it went after "ordering in"...just read the book, you'll know what I'm talking about at the very end. HA! I loved it, I know you all will too!

Favorite Lines:

"That would be like rubbing your nose in the poop of my happiness."

"Years later, she considered seeing a therapist about this one, until she realized that Dave "Fancy Hands" Atters wasn't the guy holding her back -- the blame really lay with Fitzwilliam "I love you against my better judgment" Darcy."

Martin: "Ive never understood the women who come here, and you're one of them. I can't make sense of it."
Jane: "I don't know if I could explain it to a man. If you were a woman, all I'd have to say is 'Colin Firth in a wet shirt' and you'd say 'Ah'"

There are plenty more, but they wouldn't make very much sense...as I'm sure these don't really either...oh well, you'll figure it out. :) This book is so very great! I am still all light-hearted, and giddy, and feel like squealing...I'm such a girl! Read the book! That's all I have to say in closing!

Preface

Hola everyone. I know that I'm very behind in my posting, but I decided that I should post the preface to my book. It definitely needs some extensive revision. It's very short, as it is just supposed to lead up to the first chapter. The chapters are definitely better, but you will have to wait until it gets published to read them. Think of this as a teaser...hmmm.

Preface:

Grendorran lost another one.
No more, he thought to himself. I can not bear it.
The latest wife of Grendorran, King of Aminnora, had been killed by the same mysterious illness that had taken the lives of his three other beautiful wives. The sickness was the same with each. After long and tiresome deliveries, every wife would mother a beautiful baby girl. Exactly two days after giving birth, the women would grow irreversibly ill. The king’s physicians would do all that they could trying to save each one, but each time, they failed. Now, the ill-fated sickness had stolen another of Aminnora’s queens. The king grieved inconsolably. He left the kingdom in the charge of his steward and fled to the secrecy of his hidden sanctuary. A place buried deep within the confines of the forest. This was the only place he knew he would be absolutely alone to grieve in solitude.
“I shall never marry again.” He cried out to the emptiness. “My daughters may someday rule my kingdom, but I swear,” He yelled, “I will never lose another wife to them.”

Told you it was short. I am considering posting the first chapter....it depends on if you guys want to read it. :)

Uglies, Pretties, and Specials

What to say about these books. FANTASTIC! I know it's taken me a long time to post about them, but they were absolutely amazing, and I just thought I better say something really fast before I move on to other things.
The journey of Tally Youngblood is completely crazy. She goes through every transformation you could possibly imagine, and the ability Scott Westerfeld (author) to make her seem believable and even make you like her when she's a horribly, rotten agent of Special Circumstances is so amazing and mind blowing. I completely admire him in this. To change a character and make her the heroine each time, even when she is the thing we come to hate most in these books is possibly one of the best things about this book. The story is wonderful, a complete page turner, even though I was furious with some of the twists the last book took. (Even though they made the story all the better...it's annoying how that has to happen...grr.) If you want a thrilling adventure of a trilogy, I definitely recommend these imaginative novels.

Ella Enchanted

This book was very much not what I expected. I was given a copy of this book from my cousins. They insisted that I read it, when they found out that I hadn't read it. It didn't disappoint. I loved it.
I had seen the movie, but in all actuality had few similarities with the book. This book had every aspect that I enjoy in a book. Action, Adventure, Romance, Conflict. And best of all....a happy ending. This book was so much fun to read. I was glad that it was nothing like the movie, it kept every turn a surprise. This book was a fun easy read, and I really suggest to anyone and everyone that reads this post to also read this book!

So Many Books, and I'm SO Behind!

Golly! I need to catch up a bit.

River Secrets! What a book! It definitely lives up to its prequels! This third sequel to The Goose Girl is just as good, if not better than The Goose Girl. If you ever read a trilogy, it should be this one! It's amazing!

Princess Academy: This is an awesome book written by one of my favorite authors. Shannon Hale, who also wrote the afore mentioned, brings to life an amazing story, that is fun, totally original, and has the perfect amount of action, suspense, and the slight hope of romance to keep it's pages turning. Definitely a must read, as are all of her wonderful books!

The Silent Boy: This book is by one of my favorite authors, Lois Lowry (The Giver). She doesn't dissapoint in this book. It was definitely something you will want to read. Easy reading, but the little time it takes to read it is definitely worth it!

The Hero and the Crown! Oh my goodness! This book had me captivated from page one! I stayed up all night just to finish. (at 11 a.m.) Not as easy as the Silent Boy, but it's well worth the effort. This prequel to Robin McKinley's famous Blue Sword will not only thrill you, it will keep you enthralled through the entire novel!

(I know those sound like advertisements, but oh well, I'm kind of in a hurry. Maybe I have a future in Novel Advertising?)