Sunday, September 27, 2009

Twenties Girl


Title: Twenties Girl
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Series: None
Genre: Chick Lit



Lara is being forced to go to her great aunt Sadie's funeral. Problem is, no one knew her or ever went to visit her. The funeral is poorly attended by only Lara's family. Then Lara starts seeing and hearing a ghost. It turns out to be Sadie, in the ghost body of a 23 year old woman. She is upset because her favorite necklace is missing and she can't rest without it. She enlists Lara to help her.

Another great story from Sophie Kinsella. The story turned into somewhat of a treasure hunt as Lara looks all over for the necklace and learns things about both herself and her family. There were parts that made me laugh and some that were incredibly touching. I kind of feel like the writing of this book was the best yet by this author. I whizzed through it, which is getting harder and harder with all of the time I am working.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Revelations


Title: Revelations
Author: Melissa De La Cruz
Series: Blue Blood (Book 3)
Genre: Young Adult



When we meet back up with Schuyler, she is living at the Force household, where Jack is ignoring her, Mimi is making her life hell, and Oliver is forbidden to see her. Things are starting to go sour in Rio and her grandfather is sent down there to investigate.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this installment. You think you know something and then the world is turned upside down and you don't.

I am anxiously awaiting book 4, The Van Alen Legacy, which is released the first week of October. Looks like a promising continuation to a series that keeps you guessing.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

The Palace of Laughter


Title: The Palace of Laughter
Author: Jon Berkeley
Series: The Wednesday Tales No. 1
Genre: Juvenile Fiction


Miles Wednesday is an orphan. He ran away from the orphanage and now lives in a barrel under a tree. On day a circus comes into town, and he speaks with a tiger. The next day he sneaks into the circus and learns there is no tiger at this circus. He does, however, meet Little. Little is a Song Angel who is being forced to work for the circus. Miles helps her escape and the two take off on an adventure to find the Palace of Laughter where Little's friend is.

The Palace of Laughter is part of the Julie Andrews Collection. Yes, the Julie Andrews we all know and love and not just someone with the same name :). The Julie Andrews Collection encompasses books for young readers of all ages taht nurture the imagination and celebrate a sense of wonder.

I am sad to say that I did not finish (DNF) this book. I tried, but even now when I'm 300 pages in, I don't want to invest the time and effort to read the last 100 pages to find out what happens to Miles and Little.

When I first started reading it I thought it seemed a little Harry Potteresque. Example: He's an orphan who lives in the barrel under the tree. It to me was very reminiscent of the cupboard under the stairs. Unfortunately, it's not good in the way that Harry Potter is. I think if I can't get through it and I can read most anything, then I wonder how any child is expected to read this book? I just felt it slow moving to the point where I didn't feel that the plot was moving along at all.

It has gotten 12 reviews and an average of 5 stars on Amazon, what am I missing? One reviewer remarked, "By the time I reached the gangs of children that reminded me of nothing so much as "The Warriors" meets "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome", I was skeptical" This is where I've pretty much ended, perhaps I needed to read farther into it.

There are 2 more books currently in the series, The Tiger's Egg and The Lightening Key (both of which are on my bookshelf waiting). For me I think I'll stop here.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

The Twilight Prisoner


Title: The Twilight Prisoner
Author: Katherine Marsh
Series: Sequel to The Night Tourist
Genre: Young Adult


Since getting out of the underworld, Jack has been trying to move on with his life. He still sees ghosts, but doesn't ever see Euri. He's made some friends at his new NY school and is part of a Latin Club. The Latin Club is where he meets Cora - the girl he likes. He tries to ask her out on a date, "Do you want to hang out tomorrow?"

On the way to hang out with Cora, Jack stops and picks her up a bunch of daffodils. Unfortunately when he gets to their meeting spot Austin, the boy Cora likes, is also there. Cora suggests they go to Austin's house, but Jack doesn't want that. His Dad had told him about a secret room under Columbia earlier that day so he decides to try and find it.

Interestingly enough they arrive back at the entrance to the underworld, and the daffodils contain three golden boughs to buy their way into the underworld. They get it, find Euri and Austin runs off a different way.

Again it's a story about a race against time and a hunt to find the right way to leave the underworld.

Once again I loved seeing the parts of NY, although I did find Cora to be kind of annoying with her bitching and moaning. We get to see more into Euri and her life before death. She's changed since Jack left and now has some interesting hobbies.

Since this book was just released in April, there isn't any word of a third book yet. I feel like this could be the ending, but who knows?

Monday, September 7, 2009

The Night Tourist


Title: The Night Tourist
Author: Katherine Marsh
Series: Has a Sequel: The Twilight Prisoner
Genre: Young Adult



Jack Perdu is a brainy kid. He speaks several different dead languages and translates them for professors at a college. Then one day he gets hit by a car. He realizes he can now see ghosts.

His father knows something is up and sends him to a doctor in NYC. On the way home Jack stops in Grand Central to look around before boarding his train and he meets Euri. She promises to show him all of the secrets found below Grand Central. He's intrigued and follows only to be admitted to the underworld and learn that Euri is dead.

He then spends the next 3 nights searching for his dead mother and enjoying the city in the way only a ghost at night can.

I picked this up simply because it had a picture of the Angel of the Waters/Betheseda Fountain on the cover and it's my favorite fountain in Central Park. I wasn't disappointed though, I loved being able to experience the city from their perspective. The story line was simple, but the book was never boring.

The Night Tourist is set to be a movie, and according to IMDB, released next year.

Next up - the sequel The Twilight Prisoner. The cover being the Chrysler Building.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Living With the Dead


Title: Living With the Dead
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld (Book 9)
Genre: Paranormal



Robyn, a friend of Hopes, is in a low place. Her husband has recently been murdered. He saw a woman who had a flat tire on the side of the road and got out to help her. When she saw a large black man carrying a tire iron (to change said tire) she freaked out and shot him. Now Robyn is living in LA and working as PR rep for a celebutante, Portia Kane. Portia is also shot and murdered, Robyn being the #1 suspect.

She didn't do it, but it leads her to be immersed in the world of the supernatural, which she had no idea existed. Her goal being to clear her name with the help of Hope and Karl.

Now early on in the book I had a really hard time. Where Personal Demon was told from 2 points of view Living with the Dead was told from at least 5, 4 of them being new characters. This made it extremely difficult. I also had issues with so many new characters being thrown at me that were all main players in combination with the multiple points of view.

Since the book is about clairvoyants, it is almost paralleled in the story telling from multiple views, but initially when I was trying to learn everyone, I was having a difficult time of it. I believe that's what took me so long to finish it.

Up next - Frostbitten, book 10. Back to Elena and hopefully less points of view.