The Eye of the World
By: Robert Jordan

Series: Wheel of Time

Published: 1990

# of pages: 814

Challenge: Ultimate Reading Challenge

Official description:

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

The Kill Order
By: James Dashner

Challenges: Dystopia Challenge 2013, 50 States Challenge

Series: Maze Runner

Published: 2012

# of pages: 327

Official description:

The prequel to the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series.
Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.
Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.
Mark and Trina are convinced there’s a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they’re determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you’re worth more dead than alive.

Matched
By: Ally Condie

Challenges: Dystopia Challenge 2013

Series: Matched

Published: 2010

# of pages: 366

Quote: "I hold onto my brother and for the first time in years he hugs me back, tight, the way he did when he was a little boy and I was the big sister he admired more than anything else in the world." -pg 203

Official description: Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

"Even if the fall of our Society would make life better for some, it would make it worse for others.  Who am I to try to change things, to get greedy and want more?  If our Society changes and things are different, who am I to tell the girl who would have enjoyed the safe protected life that now she has to have choice and danger because of me?" -pg 239

"They have perfected the art of giving us just enough freedom; just enough that when we are ready to snap, a little bone is offered and we roll over, belly up, comfortable and placated like a dog . . . They've had decades to perfect this; why am I surprised when it works on me again and again and again?" -pg 249

Cinder


By: Marissa Meyer

Challenge:  Once Upon a Time

Series: Lunar Chronicles

Published: 2012

# of pages: 387

Official description:Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. 

Divergent

By: Veronica Roth

Series: Divergent, Book 1

Challenge: Dystopia Challenge

Published: 2011

# of pages: 487

Official description:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

My opinion: I started this book a little skeptical about how good it would actually be. I knew it was being compared to The Hunger Games, but seriously, how can anything be better than The Hunger Games!? So the beginning of the book seemed very juvenile and took me awhile to enjoy. But I eventually ended up really enjoying this book and can't wait for the next in the trilogy to be released this year!

I enjoyed imagining what faction I would be in if I lived in the world presented in Divergent. There are 5 factions. I'd be in Erudite, along with everyone in my family. Except my sister, she would definitely be "factionless." For awhile I couldn't think of what faction she fit into, but realized she already is basically factionless in this world, so there you have it. My husband read Divergent as well and said he'd want to be in Dauntless, but we figure he'd probably be assigned to Amity. :-)

So, if you've read this and know what I'm talking about, what faction would you be in?

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: Easy & entertaining to read, good pace, interesting characters, original plot and setting. A little bit too "young adult" for me to fully appreciate, but that just makes it better for people who really are young adults!

Other reviews:
Book Nut
S. Krishna's Books
Bookfoolery and Babble
It's All About Books
Royal Reviews

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Moving Finger

By: Agatha Christie

Series: Miss Marple Mysteries, Book 4

Published: 1942

# of pages: 240

Challenge: RIP VI

Official description:

The placid village of Lymstock seems the perfect place for Jerry Burton to recuperate from his accident under the care of his sister, Joanna. But soon a series of vicious poison-pen letters destroys the village's quiet charm, eventually causing one recipient to commit suicide. The vicar, the doctor, the servants—all are on the verge of accusing one another when help arrives from an unexpected quarter. The vicar's houseguest happens to be none other than Jane Marple.

My opinion: This was my first Agatha Christie book! I don't know if it was the best to start with, but I do know that I really enjoyed it. I couldn't put it down! I can see why Christie is such an acclaimed author. It was short, but very well written and well structured. Apparently this is part of a series, but it didn't make a difference to me. The Murder at the Vicarage is the first in the Miss Marple Mysteries.

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: Interesting characters, I liked the plot, well written, short but didn't feel like anything was left out. It didn't leave enough of an impression on me and the characters didn't REALLY pull me in enough for it to be a 5 star read.

Other reviews:

Chrisbookarama

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

By: Stieg Larsson

Series: Millennium Trilogy, Book 1

Published: 2005 - English version in 2008

# of pages: 631

Official description:

Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue into a complex and atmospheric novel, with an unpredictable style, intriguing scenes, and giant twists to the plot in many places.

Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of iniquity and corruption.

It also could be described as another thriller with romantic affairs, that Salander cannot cope with.

My opinion: It took awhile for me to become interested in this book. It wasn't until about 80 pages in that I started enjoying it. I think it may be that way with most readers. The first part concentrates on the character Mikael Blomkvist's financial journalism career, so unless the reader is interested in financial affairs, this part won't be interesting. Although as soon as the mystery started unraveling I was hooked! I'm surprised I enjoyed this book so much because it's very violent and graphic. There's a theme of sexual abuse and violence against women.

However, I loved the mystery. It was intricate, but not too complicated. I was able to work out a couple of the pieces, but the whole thing wasn't spoiled. I couldn't put the book down because I just had to know what happened next!

The only thing I disliked is how there's a story within a story. There's the beginning and end which concentrate on Blomkvist's financial journalism career and then there's the middle, which consists of the mystery. Thankfully the mystery makes up most of the novel, but then again, that makes the end feel especially out of place. I felt like the book had already ended, but I still had to read a lot more before the actual end. It didn't tie together very well.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Very well written (and translated since it was originally written in Swedish), good character development, unique and thought provoking subject matter.

Other reviews:
You Can Never Have Too Many Books

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Shanghai Girls

By: Lisa See

Series: Shanghai Girls (Sisters Pearl and May), Book 1

Published: 2009

# of pages: 309

Quote: "I focus my eyes on my jade bracelet. . . it is an object that ties me to the past, to people and places that are gone forever. Its continued perfection serves as a physical reminder to keep living, to look to the future, to cherish what I have. It reminds me to endure. I'll live one morning after another, one step after another, because my will to continue is so strong." -Pearl pg. 232

Official description:

In 1937 Shanghai—the Paris of Asia—twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Both are beautiful, modern, and carefree—until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth. To repay his debts, he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides. As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on the journey of a lifetime, from the Chinese countryside to the shores of America. Though inseparable best friends, the sisters also harbor petty jealousies and rivalries. Along the way they make terrible sacrifices, face impossible choices, and confront a devastating, life-changing secret, but through it all the two heroines of this astounding new novel hold fast to who they are—Shanghai girls.

My opinion: This is a tragic book, a lot of terrible things happen to Pearl and May. However, I still enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. I related to Pearl and her thoughts and feelings. All of the tragedies add up to an adventure that is hard for modern Americans to comprehend, but that's part of what makes it so hard to stop reading.

I was impressed with See's storytelling and the obvious research she did for the historic aspects of the novel. I like reading about this time period (WWII and the surrounding years) from another point of view. A few months ago I read Snow Falling on Cedars, a book that is written from the view point of Japanese Americans. I learned so much from that book and now even more from Shanghai Girls, which taught me about how the war and politics affected Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans.

I also liked how See brings together both Pearl's and May's opinions and ways of interpreting everything that happened to them at the end. I'm glad there's a sequel to the story because otherwise I'd be unhappy with the ending! Dreams of Joy was released in May 2011, I'm on a LONG waiting list for it at the library!

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: Well written, realistic characters, interesting story & setting. However, very graphic - violence & sex. It may be too much for readers who are sensitive about these subjects or who have been sexually abused.

Other reviews:
Royal Reviews

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Names I loved from the book:
Pearl
Gordon

Wither

By: Lauren DeStefano

Series: Chemical Garden Trilogy, Book 1

Published: 2011

# of pages: 368

Quote: "I don't know how Cecily has the energy to cry so much. I can barely muster the energy to move. Just being alive feels so arduous that all I want to do is climb under the covers and sleep. It seems impossible that I ever had the strength even to walk." -Rhine pg. 304

Official description:

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?

Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

I really appreciated the writing style and how the story flowed. It was very natural. The characters are realistic and have conflicting emotions and opinions without seeming flighty or unorganized. The author doesn't force anything on the reader. So many young adult novels are repetitive or have everything spelled out for the reader. Or the main character seems unreasonable. It was refreshing to read a sci-fi novel that is so well written.

It hardly seems like a "young adult" novel. I suppose I need to redefine young adult in my head though. I think it's a great novel for adults to read, the content is mature, but not crude or full of bad language.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Well written, realistic characters, unique setting

Other reviews:

Bookfoolery and Babble
Royal Reviews

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Mystic and Rider
by: Sharon Shinn

Ender's Game
by: Orson Scott Card

Last Light
by: Terri Blackstock

Series: Restoration Series, Book 1

Challenges: 1st in a Series Challenge

Published: 2005

# of pages: 381



My grandma gave me this series when I visited her for Christmas. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I rarely read Christian fiction these days. However, this series looked like it would be easy to read, so I decided to give it a try.

However, I wasn't terribly impressed with the first book. I'll go ahead and mention what bothered me about the book and then what I liked. Last Light follows a family of 6 who live in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama. I can't remember all of their names, but the mom is Kay and the 21 year old daughter (the oldest of the 4 kids) is named Deni. The story begins with a city-wide electrical and power outage. Planes fall from the sky, cars stall, watches stop, and mayhem ensues. The family struggles to survive as they realize that the power won't be returning anytime soon.

What I didn't like was the repetitive sermons that are (unfortunately) all too common in many Christian fiction novels. Also, the characters aren't well written. They aren't consistent or realistic. The parents are Christians and yet they are unwilling to help their neighbor, a young single mom of 3 toddlers. Seriously, what kind of "good" people (people who wouldn't automatically prey on others in these circumstances) would be that selfish that they couldn't even spend a little time helping out or spare something that they weren't even using to begin with? I mean, I can see that some people would act like that in a life threatening situation, but I don't know too many people who would behave that way in the situation this family is in. I believe Blackstock was going a little too far with the selfish stereotype and that she should have either found another downfall for the family to be involved in, should have made the progression to selfishness more natural, or had the situations be more dire (like the family having to give up their last bottle of medicine or the rest of their food, etc). She wants to show that the family changes for the better and so makes them unnaturally selfish to begin with.

The thing I liked about this novel - the concept of the storyline. It was neat to think about what I would do if put in that situation. How would the world be if all of our power went out? Also, the story was very suspenseful. I kept reading to find out what would happen next. I plan on reading the next book in the series. Even if I didn't already own it, I'd probably go out of my way to get it because I am interested to see how the story continues.

I recommend this to Christian readers or people who don't mind Christian fiction. I would like to say this is a book non-Christians could enjoy, but I think there are too many sermons and vague Christian phrases.



Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

A Game of Thrones
by: George R.R. Martin

Series: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1

Challenges: Read Your Name Challenge, 1st in a Series Challenge

Published: 1996

# of pages: 835



If you haven't already discovered this from reading my blog - I love fantasy! For the past couple of years I've been meaning to start the series "A Song of Ice and Fire," which I've heard is a classic for fantasy lovers. The first book in the series is A Game of Thrones. And what a beginning it is!

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. For some reason I was thinking this would be one of those fantasy books. It's hard to describe, but it seems like so many fantasy series out there aren't written very well. It's like the authors just wanted to crank out a series to make money. Either that or the series is SO detailed and the world is so unfamiliar that it loses me. Anyway, I figured this book would be the first of one of those types of series. However, I was wrong. This was a very well written book and although the world Martin created is intricate, it's not too "out there" for me to follow. It is similar to medieval Europe actually.

The chapters alternate between different narrators. Ned and his wife Catelyn, who live in a castle in the northern part of the kingdom; their children Bran, Arya, and Sansa; Ned's illegitimate son Jon; Tyrion, the king's brother-in-law; and Daenerys, who used to be the princess of the kingdom and is now an outcast on an eastern island.

Ned is chosen to be the "Hand of the King" and has to move south to live in the capital of the kingdom. He takes his daughters Arya and Sansa with him so they can experience court life. Bran was going to go along, but an "accident" prevents him from leaving his home. Catelyn ends up following her husband and daughters to warn them of treachery as Jon heads farther north to help defend the kingdom's border from otherworldly darkness. Tyrion is a sarcastic dwarf who is caught up in his family's plots to overthrow the kingdom. And Daenerys (the most fascinating character) is married to an eastern lord and goes from being a timid girl to a confident queen who has her own ambitions.

There are so many storylines, but this gives you an idea of what goes on in the book. There's another story about the wolves that are found at the beginning of the book. Each of Ned's children receives a wolf for a pet. They all play a part in the story, but not a major part. However, I feel as if they must still be significant. Wolves and dragons are two major symbols in A Game of Thrones and it will be interesting to see if that continues in the following books.

The only negative to the book is that it is SO LONG. It's very detailed and interesting, but it wasn't easy for me to take the time to read it at this point in my life. I think it would be a great vacation book, something to read when I have large chunks of time. So it will be awhile before I pick up the second book in the series, A Clash of Kings. Yeah...I really do wish it was shorter because I think this is a book my husband and brother would enjoy, but I know neither one will be able to stick with it because of its length!

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Golden Compass
by: Philip Pullman

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
by: Ann Brashares

Catching Fire
by: Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games
by: Suzanne Collins

Lirael
and
Abhorsen
by: Garth Nix

Challenges: 2009 YA Challenge

Series: The Abhorsen Trilogy

Published: 2001 & 2003

# of pages: 705 & 518


I'm behind on posts! My dad gave me a National Geographic subscription for Christmas and I've spent a lot of my reading time on those!

These are the last 2 books of the Abhorsen Trilogy. It's fitting to review them together since they flow into each other with no time interruption between the books, unlike the first and second books. Lirael starts 14 years after the end of the first book, Sabriel. It started out a little slow, following the story of Lirael, a daughter of the Clayr, a group of women who can see the future. Lirael isn't a typical Clayr woman and struggles to find a place among all of her cousins and aunts. She finally discovers a companion, the Disreputable Dog. Together, the Dog and Lirael find many adventures in the Clayr's glacier.

The book also follows Sam, prince of the Old Kingdom. He's similar to Lirael, he knows what he should be, but struggles with fitting into that position. Adventure finds him as the Old Kingdom begins to fall to an evil force. He is forced to leave the castle. Mogget, one of the characters from the first book (and my favorite character in the series), joins him. So we have a girl and a dog and a boy and a cat. Needless to say, they bump into each other on their separate journeys.

The only reason I thought it was a little slow was because it seemed like Nix was dragging it out on purpose. As if he knew he couldn't put everything into one book, but had to have filler to make the second book as complete as the first and third. Lirael is the longest book, but not much really happens in it. However, I still felt like this was a great book and I enjoyed the characters just as much as I did in Sabriel. There is a little more "adult" content in this book, but it is still appropriate for the average young adult.

Abhorsen is a worthy ending to the series! It's action packed and I was even getting worried that the end would be rushed as I read closer and closer to the end. However, I thought the very end was great! It didn't seem rushed at all. The book follows the same characters as Lirael and is in the same time frame, beginning where the other left off. Now that the reader knows the characters, the story moves quickly and it is easy to forget you are reading a different book than the first. It all kind of blends together.

All in all, I thought this was an excellent fantasy series for young adults and adults alike! It was very original and worth reading. I'm always looking for good series that aren't too long and time consuming, and these were perfect. I hope you enjoy them as well!

Sabriel
by: Garth Nix

Challenges: First in a Series, 2009 YA Challenge

Series: The Abhorsen Trilogy

Published: 1995

# of pages: 491


My sister-in-law loaned me this series and I'm so glad she did! It was refreshing to read such a great young adult fantasy. After seeing the cover and glancing at the print inside, I expected it to be a little too young adult, but no worries, this is a book adults can enjoy just as much. I don't know why I expected it to be too juevenile. I suppose the print is a little larger than in some books, but the writing style and vocabulary were advanced.

Sabriel is a young woman who is about to graduate from her boarding school when she receives a disturbing message from her father, Abhorsen. She believes his spirit is trapped in Death, but his body is still alive and trapped in the Old Kingdom, the land beside the one in which she resides. She immediately starts off on a journey to rescue him...and rescue the Old Kingdom in the process. On the way, she meets many interesting people (and things). She learns about the Old Kingdom's history and magic and more about her father.

The worlds Nix created are fascinating and unique. I like that the world Sabriel was raised in is more like our modern world in the early 1900s. They have cars, airplanes, electricity, and guns. Magic is not officially recognized or well known, except near the border of the Old Kingdom. The Old Kingdom is a land of magic that is the typical fantasy world. There aren't any modern conveniences, only magical inventions. I thought this was original on Nix's part and helps the reader relate to Sabriel's confusion at entering a magical kingdom, but still gives us what we typically expect from a fantasy novel.

I also loved the characters. I don't see how anyone can dislike Sabriel. She's brave, but not unnaturally so. She's compassionate and strong, but still shows annoyance, fear, and weakness. The "cat," Mogget, was one of my favorite characters, if not my favorite. Although he's a spirit in a cat's body, he still has feline qualities. I love cat characters in fantasy books that can speak. I find it interesting that in many books they are guiding and wise characters, while being aloof and distant, of course! And Touchstone is a mysterious character that I still want to know more about. I hope he is explained a little more in the next book of the series, Lirael.

Overall, I recommend this book to young adults and adults who enjoy fantasy. The beginning of the book took me a little while to get into. The whole Death and Charter magic and necromancy were a little confusing and topics I didn't expect to read about in this unique book. However, I'm glad that this book is different from other fantasy novels and so try to give it a chance even if you don't enjoy the first few chapters.

Hood
by: Stephen R. Lawhead

Challenge: First in a Series

Series: King Raven Trilogy, Book 1

Published: 2006

# of pages: 496


Hood is a retelling of Robin Hood, a legend that typically takes place in Sherwood Forest in England. Lawhead changes the story in several ways, but without taking away from the quality and excitement of the typical tale. Lawhead has a talent for retelling famous legends, such as the story of King Arthur in his Pendragon Cycle. He changes the stories to make them unique, but keeps the core values and overall feeling so that we still love them just as much.

Bran is a prince whose father is killed by Norman invaders. His land, located in Wales, is also taken and his people are forced into slavery. Bran, his large friend Iwan, and a tubby friar join forces to "earn" the money to buy back Bran's inheritated land. They find that the only way to acquire the money is to take it from the very Normans who are ruining the kingdom. Sound familiar?

I thought this book was well written and enjoyed the historical contexts (I found the author's defense of placing "Robin Hood" in Wales fascinating!). I still can't figure out if it's technically a Christian novel or not, because while there is mention of God (mainly by the clergy that are in the story), there are other parts that aren't your typical Christian novel material. I was glad to see that there isn't a preachy tone and that the religious parts are short, to the point, and fit in naturally with the story. The main characters aren't goody goody or even very religious. I can hear sermons at church on Sunday, I don't need to read them in books too! So I think this novel is appropriate for Christians and people who aren't religious. The book is violent, but clean, making this appropriate for older teens and adults alike.

The book seemed a little slow in some parts. I think that since Lawhead knew he would turn this into a series, he took his time drawing the story out. It wasn't slow enough to bore me, but I think it could have been improved with a faster pace. However, this was worth reading and I'm already looking forward to reading the next in the series, Scarlet.