All the Books.

"A good start to a series that introduces kids to mythological figures such as Zeus, Chiron etc but at the same time there was a lot of violence. It seemed a bit excessive for a book geared towards younger readers."  4 Stars. Pros: A good start to the series, the ending definitely left the reader curious for more/The use of things such as an Oracle, an ancient Prophecy, it was fun, like reading the myth of Hercules only in language that any layman could understand. Cons : Having seen the movie first, the way they had them complete the quest seemed to make a lot more sense while in the book, things felt rushed at the end, kind of like Riordan remembered halfway through writing that he had set a deadline for himself and was rushing to meet it. It just felt odd. Full Review Percy (Perseus) Jackson is a troubled tween. He's been kicked out of six boarding schools in the past six years and he is convinced that none of what happens to him is his fault; bad luck just seems...

“The final book in the Lorien Legacies Series though the end was a bit saccharine, “the world is better with friends” but dark/gritty parts were intermixed enough to make it a well rounded wrap up.” 4 Stars Pros: If only briefly, we get to see all the remaining OG (Original Garde) in one way or another/Lore did a good job in touching upon every aspect and wrapping the series up nicely/Characters that were never given a shot or enough meat on their bones played important/critical parts in this novel. Cons: The complete change in character of Taylor Cook from mousy, nervous, shy Healer to round em all up, pep talk Hero seemed sudden and well, out of character/It would have been interesting to see all remaining OG interact for at least one moment.   Full Review If you’ve followed the “I am Number Four Series” from the beginning, like I have, this was a pretty good conclusion. All the Original Garde that remain (Four, Five, Six, Seven, Nine and “10”) all show u...

“An interesting autobiography set in a time where the world was very, very different. But it is mired down with far too many people to try and keep track of. Though the reign of Caligula is as entertaining as it is horrifying." 2 Stars.  Pros: Interesting to see the world at a time where Rome was the ultimate power/The Character of Claudius is far smarter than anyone dares to think and so they never take him as a threat, much to his benefit/Caligula’s madness is both entertaining and terrifying. Cons: Far too many people to keep track of, all the descendents of Julius Cesar and downward, on and on to infinity, it was far too difficult to keep track of Full Review From the very beginning it’s obvious that Claudius does not think highly of himself, nor does anyone else. Ever since birth he has been thought of as a halfwit, feeble minded and feel bodied, a shame to his family. And though he struggles physically, mentally he is as sharp as a tack and doesn’t miss a b...

"A tale so interwoven and complex but so very simple at its core; it leaves the reader fulfilled and thoughtful. It is a story about being human, making mistakes and trying to find your own identity in a small town where the only thing that really exists is Hockey."  5 Stars Pros: Fast paced/Intriguing/Filled with scenes of heart wrenching emotion both good and bad, a true study of what it is to be human/Leaves the reader eager to read the sequel.  Cons: At first there were so many characters that it was hard to keep everyone straight but once the story gained momentum everything fell into place. Full Review In Beartown, there is one constant. One thing that brings the people together, win or lose, good or bad and that is Hockey. And this year, their Junior team is set to play a semi-final match, something that hasn't happened in twenty years. Tensions are at an all time high and when the members of the Junior Team are basically celebrities in their own town, they...

A harsh but necessary tale about returning to your home town and realizing that the people you idolized in childhood are in fact, flawed. It was a well rounded, if somewhat depressing wrap up to Lee’s series set in Maycomb County. 5 Stars Pros: Jean Louise or “Scout” is a spitfire, free thinking, spirited young woman who any woman with a mind and opinion of her own can relate to/The returning characters that are so well known in To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus, Aunt Alexandra, Calpurnia are there as well as a few new characters such as Henry Clinton and Dr. Finch, Scout’s Uncle, who is a voice of reason during a troubling, difficult time for her Cons: The harsh truth of the fact that the South during the Civil Rights movement/segregation was not a nice place to be, it’s not necessarily a con but more a depressing fact of American History/The sudden and untimely death of Jem, it felt like Lee had no room for the character so she just threw him off and away Full Review Jea...

"A quick, entertaining and unsettling read that keeps the reader guessing right to the very end. Everything is interconnected and interwoven and Roux does a good job in keeping the reader guessing."  4 Stars Pros: Quick, easy read/Definitely has a good, creepy, unsettling vibe right off the bat/The mystery behind Daniel’s origins is intriguing and telling, leaving the reader to wonder why it is he feels so connected to this place. Cons: The characters were pretty one dimensional, you run of the mill, emotional teenager stereotypes but it didn’t take away from the book too much/Daniel and Abby’s relationship felt forced and awkward Full Review: Similar to Ransom Riggs Peculiar Children Series, Roux uses old photographs to help aid the reader in envisioning the surroundings. Though some of these seem photo-shopped they still add to the creep factor of the novel overall. Daniel Crawford, shy, smart, socially awkward is attending a Summer Course/College...

“A tale that could have been mesmerizing if it wasn’t so mired down in Louis’ self-hatred and the general lack of any redeeming quality in any of the other characters.” 2 Stars Pros: Rice gives an interesting view of the Vampire mythos, what can and cannot harm them etc/The description of their heightened senses was interesting.  Cons: Not one character seemed to have anything redeeming about them, except for Louis and his stubborn hold on his “humanity” but that also gave rise to his utter self-loathing which became absolutely insufferable/How the characters just fell in love so easily, there was really no reason for it, no real backstory, it was all just a little unsettling and weird. Full Review Louis is already the owner of a prosperous plantation in New Orleans when he is turned into a Vampire by the mysterious Lestat. Lestat’s reason for this is that he wants Louis’ plantation and so he more or less, gets what he wants. Louis struggles with the idea of being a...