"Leviathan" by Scott Westerfeld

"Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.
Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.
With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever"-goodreads

Leviathan is the first steampunk book I've read. (Note: I still wouldn't understand what steampunk IS if it weren't for: a) Angela who is awesome and kind of a steampunk specialist, b) to some extent, google, and c) this book.) I now understand the appeal. It's also the first novel by Scott Westerfeld that I've read besides Uglies, Pretties, and Specials (which was ages ago and I REALLY need to re-read them as I hardly remember anything except that they were amazing). If they hadn't proved his genius-- Leviathan would have!

First off, oh my gosh I need to talk about the illustrations. There are these really intricate, awesome, brilliant full page and half page illustrations throughout the book. These were both great to look at and good at explaining things. The 'clanker' machinery and the 'Darwinist' creatures were so bizarre that I couldn't quite picture them, but then the illustrations had me seeing them perfectly. So cool. Then another favorite bit for me was how it's both historical fiction and futuristic fiction seamlessly put together, which is the steampunk element, but it was so interesting to read about a World War II world in an alternate society and universe sort of way. I can't wait for those things to be explored more in Behemouth and Goliath, the other two books in the series (although Goliath hasn't come out yet). 

The only negative thing I have to say about this book is while Alek and Deryn are obviously different characters, genders, and very different personalities their thought processes seemed TOO similar sometimes. Also, something to note, although Leviathan seems to have been marketed as a YA book I'd say it could just as easily be enjoyed by a more middle-grade and younger audience-- it has something for pretty much everyone in a broad age range!

"Crystal Bones" by C. Aubrey Hall (The Faelin Chronicles, #1)

April 2011

"Diello and Cynthe have always believed their parents' rules are too cautious. The twins expect things to be different on their thirteenth birthday. Their mysterious Fae mother has promised them that today they'll be given magical gifts, and they're planning to sneak off to the village fair. But nothing goes right. The magic isn't what they hoped. Their human father won't let them out of their chores. They're forbidden to attend the fair and sent on an errand instead. Then the day turns deadly as Diello and Cynthe are plunged into a lethal game of cat and mouse with old enemies of their parents. Suddenly, there are secrets upon secrets to unwind. Who is friend and who is foe? And what have their parents been hiding?

   This is the exciting first novel in The Faelin Chronicles trilogy." -the back of the ARC

This book was great! I loved the way it was written. I thought the whole thing flowed really well and was written just kind of... mystically and mysteriously, to fit the story perfectly. I liked the characters, especially Diello (I'm sure you're supposed to like him best though). I thoroughly enjoyed the odd twists and turns the story took as it unfolded, and the whole thing really wasn't what you'd expect it to be by reading the first few chapters or the back of the book. I think this book could easily be the next middle-grade/YA/anyone fantasy story, (ex: "Magyk", "Eragon", "Harry Potter", "Spiderwick" fans will love this one). I can't wait for the sequel! The downside of getting to read it this early is I suppose I'll have to wait even longer haha! I'm really glad I got the opportunity to read this though. I liked the setting, and Diello and Cynthe's world. I'm guessing it's supposed to take place in a more medieval time, and different country. The Faelin thing is really cool to :) I give this one 4 and 1/2 stars. Really excellent. Random: I also liked the cover :) Can't wait to read the next one and anything else by C. Aubrey Hall! Look for "Crystal Bones" in April!

Thank you Marshall Cavendish publishing for giving me the opportunity to review this and sending me a copy of it. 

Reader's Note: UNBIASED REVIEW. Always :) 

"Gossip From the Girls Room" by Rose Cooper

"Gossip from the Girls’ Room fills readers in on all there is to learn about middle school life at Middlebrooke, where Sofia has her very own blog and discusses all the juicy gossip that comes out of the Girls’ room; read along to find out just what happens when class is not in session.
 In Sofia's words . . .
Mia St. Claire is only the most popular girl in all of Middlebrooke Middle School. For three very obvious reasons:
1. She's very rich.
2. She has tons of money.
3. She can buy anything and everything she wants. And she does.
I'm sure people like her for other reasons too, but none of those reasons are obvious enough for me to really know. Or care about, for that matter." -from Goodreads

"Gossip from the Girls Room" is a cute little book. It's the notebook of Sofia Becker, who has a unique voice, and a good way to convey here feelings and opinions- as well as all the gossip at school, in the notebook. It's filled with amusing doodles which really just emphasize the funny bits of the book. The doodles are also cute in that they are unique, with kind of a school girl doodle style with a touch of japanese manga type of flair (ex.. the big eyes in her drawings of people). This book has a nice story where Sofia learns some important lessons about gossip- including the fact that she can hurt people, it's not always true, things aren't always what they seem to be (and neither are people) and she also naturally and importantly learned how it felt to be the talk of the halls, whether because of her mom teaching, or because she was actually the daughter of the mom everyone was talking about because of well something. I don't want to spoil everything. I also liked how author Rose Cooper managed to really inhibit the 5th or 6th graders mind (in my opinion) with Sofia.This book was a bit young for me, but that's a personal thing- and it was a nice book-. I also liked that it reminded me of when I was younger and used to read those American Girl "Amelia's Notebook" books. 4 stars for something I think 10,11,12 year olds will really enjoy.

If you would like to learn more about "Gossip From the Girls Room" go to author Rose Cooper's blog: here.
Thank you Random House for sending me this book to review.
Reader's note: THIS REVIEW IS BIASED IN NO WAY by being sent a review copy. Real Opinions=ForTheWin.

"The Eiffel Tower's Daughter" by Bethany Huang

 "The Eiffel Tower's Daughter is a story about love, compassion, family, and life. A girl who has to face it all with no one to help her. She runs away from home the day after her divorced mother unknowingly marries a spy. Swanilde has to deal with rivalry and vengeance on her way to warn her father and ask for help. Swanilde thinks she's on a quest for truth, but her family reveals all of the secrets and lies they have been hiding from her for years. As Swanilde's world crumbles under her, she realizes how precious life is and how short it is. She tries to deal with all of the obstacles in her way to find who she really is-until disaster strikes and she's running again." (From the back of the book.)

This was a good story! Anyone over 10 or 11 could probably enjoy it. It was fast-paced, and emotional. The story was pretty vivid in my mind. It was a nice quick read- there's something to be said for a book that can be even slightly good that's both only 100 pages, and a stand-alone book. I also liked that the story crossed many countries (France, Egypt, Greece). I give this book 4 Stars!

There's also obviously something to be said about the fact, HELLO, the author of this book wrote it when she was 10! When I was 10, I wasn't trying to write an actual novel and get it published. Trust me. I know everyone's been talking about the fact that she's 11, but still! It's just really inspiring and impressive that she wanted to write and publish a book at such a young age, and achieved her goal. If you want to find out more about "The Eiffel Tower's Daughter" go to the facebook for the book here.
Thank you (author) Bethany Huang for giving me a copy of your book to review after we'd been talking. 
Again, note to readers, receiving a review copy from an author/publisher doesn't alter my review, THESE ARE MY REAL OPINIONS. 

"Cloaked in Red" by Vivian Vande Velde

"Cloaked in Red" is a collection of small stories, re-telling -with different elements, characters, and details- the story of "Little Red Riding Hood". The book opens with the author jestingly pointing out all of the problems with the original "Little Red Riding Hood" stories; vague characters and story, a mother that clearly should pay better attention to her daughter who is either to young or to stupid to venture out in the woods on her own, a clearly unobservant girl in a red hood, and more... There are eight different stories in the book and the author's introduction.

I liked this book! It was cool, different characters and elements emphasized humorously, including "Little Red Riding Hood" not always being the main character in the story. I also think that if you got this book, and wanted to just read a story or two at a time in-between books to get a good laugh it's great for that too. It was really funny. My favorites of the stories were probably: "Granny and the Wolf" and "Deems the Wood Gatherer". The author's opening at the beginning was one of my favorite parts as well. I thought the "Red Riding Hood Doll" was rather creepy (but in a good way, isn't creepy good once in a while?). I'm thinking four stars for this collection of humorous versions of the classic fairy-tale!

If you'd like to find out more about "Cloaked in Red" go to Vivian Vande Velde's website here, and the bit on it on the Marshall Cavendish website here.
  
Thank you very much Marshall Cavendish for the review copy! 
Note to readers receiving a review copy  in no way influences my reviews, these are my honest opinions people!!!!

Daniel X: Demons and Druids by James Patterson & Adam Sadler

Daniel X is back for the third adventure in the series (btw, review for the second one is here). This time, he's trying to track down Number Three on the list of aliens. This one's on fire. He controls fire and everything, so he'll be a difficult enemy. Daniel can time travel and has found new skills- but is also finding his powers harder to control. Will him and his friends defeat Number Three on the list, and be alive to tell the tale?

As cheesy as I just made that description- it was pretty good! I think it was my favorite out of the series, actually. Packed with action and some surprises- very fast-paced read, exciting and awesome. I'll give it 4 stars! You should read itttt. I think there was more to the story then there usually is in the Daniel X books too. Plus the fact that it was the fire alien dude this time, there was fire. That's exciting- right!?

"Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare" (The Saga of Darren Shan, bk 1) by Darren Shan

Darren Shan is your average boy (I imagine around 11 or 12, it never says) who likes being with his friends, playing soccer, and messing with creepy animals like big furry spiders. His life is a relatively normal one until one of his friends steals a flier from his older brother for "Cirque Du Freak" (Circus of Freaks), an (in-secret) traveling freak show. The boys are fascinated, and Darren and his best friend Steve end up going to the freak show. They find it intriguing, there's a bearded lady, a snake boy, the world's fattest man, many more, and most intriguingly for Darren, a man and his giant spider. He controls the spider with his thoughts and flute, and Darren loves spiders, so he loves this act. His friend figures something out about the man who controls the spider, and Darren continues to be infatuated with the spider- and his life changes forever.

I loved this book! I'm already reading the second book. I found it very fast-paced and exciting. The ending was pretty surprising... and I thought it was written so that it felt very real, and if vampires and all that existed it feels like that could definitely happen. I just really liked it, the only thing I think I could possibly complain about is it seemed like there was just a lot of punctuation; rather short sentences. Part of this contributed to it being a quick read but it also seemed a little weird at times like in the more serious of moments. Anyway though, excellent, five stars!!!! *****

"The House of Dead Maids" by Claire B. Dunkle

"The House of Dead Maids" is a short 'prelude' to the classic literary novel "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte. If you want a reason to get into "Wuthering Heights" or have already read it and enjoyed it, this is a good book for you. However, if you have no interest in the old English type of writing style and the gothic elements with that type of story, you might not like it. I already read "Wuthering Heights" for my literature class last year, so I knew what they were talking about and enjoyed it fairly well!

Tabby has no parents and no family that she knows of. She has always been an orphan so long as she can remember. She has worked at various places, helping to be housekeeper and such, and is now finally at a knitting school where she's learned to knit well, when someone named Miss Winter comes to collect her. Tabby has been bought by this Miss Winter woman, from being at the school. She ends up at "Seldom House" where she finds that she's going to be the maid of a young boy; by various names. When she's taking care of the little boy -and when she's not- she finds herself haunted by a girl spirit that seems to be an old maid of the house. Soon, her and 'himself, heathen git' in their explorations of the house discover the dark house's very dark secret.

This book was alright. It was pretty sure which (a rare case) I found myself kind of glad about. It's written in an old english style like "Wuthering Heights" and is filled with Gothic era elements and the like. It's a complicated to story, and some might think it's a sophisticated type of book. I give it 3 stars ***. And also: the cover is creepy.

"The Red Pyramid" (Kane Chronicles, Bk 1) by Rick Riordan

"The Red Pyramid" is the first book in one of the new series by Rick Riordan, "The Kane Chronicles". Rather than following the lives and events of Greek demi-gods (children of the Greek Gods and a mortal parent) and Camp Half-Blood like in "The Heroes of Olympus" and the "Percy Jackson" series, it's the epic adventure tale of Sadie and Carter Kane (brother and sister) who have the 'Blood of the Pharaohs' from their mother and father. These two siblings have been living on different continents since the death of their mother years before, but when it's 'visiting day' for Carter and his dad (Julius Kane, acclaimed Egyptoligist) and they visit the British Museum to see the original Rosetta Stone artifact, they're brought closer together in light of a crisis. Now, they begin the adventure of discovering everything no one ever told them about themselves, with their blood of the pharaohs. Pick up the book to see what happens!

I really liked this one. I would give it 5 stars! I've never disliked the books I've read by Rick Riordan, though so yeah.. When the 2nd one comes out in May I'll be sure to read it too! I think this is a very promising first book for the series. It's an exciting and rather epic adventure filled with suspense, godliness, and mythology (like Percy Jackson and the Lost Hero)!

If you'd like to find out more about "The Kane Chronicles" and the rest of Rick Riordan's books go to his blog here, and the website for "The Kane Chronicles" here. 

"The Gift" -James Patterson & Ned Rust (Sequel to Witch&Wizard)

Whit and Wisty are back in this action-filled adrenaline rush of a sequel to "Witch & Wizard". Whit and Wisty are back for more rebellion, action, escapes, fighting, and further discoveries about Wisty's gift. I really can't say much more without spoiling the first book so on that note I'll stop!

I highly recommend the first book and its sequel! I think they're great books, with an amazing concept. They're very fast paced, just like all of James Patterson's books, which we have reviewed several of. Another note is that Ned Rust also collaborated with James Patterson for the second Daniel X book, "Daniel X: Watch the Skies".

I actually liked this book better then the first one, it was a rare occasion for me but I liked the sequel better- that never happens! I thought it was just as action packed and interesting, but I thought most of it just seemed to be written better than the first one, and I think it was portrayed in a less confusing manner- the first book seemed to confuse me a bit....

Anyway, you should definitely pick up "Witch & Wizard" and "The Gift". 4 1/2 Stars!

Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines

This is the American Title fight, so people are watching this one all over the globe. When a gladiator wins the American Title, this is his job: to look large, to be the largest man on Earth really. His name appears in novels, it's shaved into hair art.
In the age Lyn lives in, the biggest sport, the biggest entertainment, is gladiators. The sport came back as a way to (hopefully) stop war. It didn't really work, and now she lives in a world where life is all about blood, money, and a lot of publicity. Her mother has married seven gladiators- the seventh being the current, Tommy. The thing is, a glad wife is only allowed to marry seven times. If Tommy dies in a fight, she's done. When Tommy does die, and the enemy accidentally becomes Lyn's fiance, she says she'd rather die than marry him. And she means it literally.
He grows larger and larger. He becomes the sign. He becomes a giant where endorsments are concerned. He helps the population buy poorly assembled vehicles with tires that will blow out, and small overwrapped meals, and trillions of bottles of diluted water.
This book was very interesting. Very, very interesting. It is written in present-tense, which I think helps bring it to life. I cannot, however, say that it is one of the best books I've read. I really didn't like the ending- it was happy, sure, but it... it was just a let down, really. As most of you know, I take points off for a lame/bad/incomplete ending. So I'd say that, overall, this book really only gains a 2 3/4 amount of stars. Maybe a 3.

Endymion Spring by Mathew Skelton

Endymion Spring is a book about the adventure that surrounds Blake and his sister, Duck, when he is in Oxford, from America, while she is working at the library. They explore the library, and Blake, finds an odd book. The book is not odd, because it is old, worn, or with an odd title, "Endymion Spring" because, there are plenty of those at the Oxford library. It is odd because as he flips through the pages, it seems to be the case that all the pages, made with beautiful paper, are completely blank. And not blank, like the type for a journal or something, but completely emptily blank. After that, all sorts of odd things happen, and he tries to solve the mystery of the blank book. It is also not catalogued at the library. The book is gone when he comes back, and all sorts of weird things follow.

There is also the side story, taking place in Mainz, explaining who Endymion Spring is and exposing how this book and its extraordinary abilities came to be... and you'll have to read the book to learn more. :P

Okay, Bookworms. READ THE BOOK! I was surprised to find that this is one of the best books I've read in a while. For me, it ranks right up there with Harry Potter and Maximum Ride. And most of my favorite books are series, and this isn't. It's a very intriguing, different, and well written story, and I love it. I rate it 4 1/2 or maybe even 5 stars. Wow, huh? I really only had one major quip with the book and that was the fact that it never stated how old Blake and Duck were, although the stories lead me to believe they were around 13 and 10 or 11. I also didn't like that it never stated where they were from, I don't believe, but it is hinted and all but said that they were from the United States. There are some other lacking details from the story as well, like their physical features. All of this left a lot up to the imagination though and your point of perspective, so it wasn't that bad. Missing details like that though, are one of my pet peeves.

So, when you read this book, help yourself answer the question and imagine what it would be like, to find the first and/or the last book, and have them in your hands. Deep concept! :P :P

Witch Child by Celia Rees

I am Mary. I am a witch. Or so some would call me.

When Mary's Grandmother is taken and accused of being a witch, Mary's life is changed. They kill her grandmother, and Mary knows it's only a matter of time until they go after herself. So she crosses the ocean with some puritans, heading toward the new world, where she hopes she shall not have to worry about her witchcraft being discovered. But instead of refuge, she finds only worse superstitions. In the small town near Salem, she must either give up the witchcraft, or pay the price.

I have the power; none may doubt it. Whatever I may of hoped, I cannot escape my destiny. What happened today has served to prove that to me.

I liked this book... a little. I really didn't like the beginning, and the middle wasn't so good either. Mary was unlikable, not because of her attitude, but just because the author made her so different. she has to stand out in everyway. I would give this book 2 stars. I would still recommend reading it, but just be warned that it doesn't have a good beginning or middle.

I've seen his past. I have seen his future. I know how death will come to him, and I feel the knowledge like a burden.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Book 1. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson is a normal boy. Or at least somewhat. He has ADHD and learning problems, and he gets expelled from school every year, though he really is a good boy. He never knew that all of those problems were deeper. And they didn't lead to anything that anyone could guess either. Is Percy really a 'half-blood' of olympian origin? Is he just a weirdo? Can he fit in at camp? How long will his stay be at his new favorite place, camp? and if it leads to it, can he save the world from a war of the gods.

What I thought: I thought it was really good. 4 stars. An interesting and intriguing story. Some of the elements of the story are kind of predictable or old, yet other parts of the story, the result, and everything else is completely unexpected and mysterious. It is very good. I recommend it to anyone that likes books such as Charlie Bone, Harry Potter, Spiderwick, Series of Unfortunate Events and more, as well as anyone who appreciates mythology.

Daniel X: Watch The Skies by James Patterson & Ned Rust

In this near to brand new, highly anticipated sequel to the original Daniel X book, "Daniel X" by James Patterson &Micheal Ledwidge, another intriguing view of the world from a somewhat superhuman person being the main character, Aliens taking over the world, aliens exhisting, and life as a good alien although appearing human life form is depicted as intriguing (like I said), rather then cheesy or dorky, and the whole alien thing sounds.

Summary/Description: Daniel X is a boy who wants revenge, and he is going to go up and down the "list" to find and hunt every bad alien there is, leading up to the big alien, the prey, number uno, who killed his parents when he was younger. He has plenty of powers to fight them with, whether he is teleporting himself, transforming himself (or others), making things appear (such as the pack of friends that help him), or something as simple and innocent as playing music in his head. Will he succeed in hunting and destroying Number 5 on his way up to the number 1? Will he live to tell the tale? You'll have to read this one to find out.

I thought this book was pretty great, though I think I liked the first better. I rate it 4 stars! As dumb as the descriptions may sound, it's a great story, with many elements of adventure and surprise. Obviously, you should read the first book first, which is also a great book. Have fun reading. :)

Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz

I read this book, because I heard about it after I read the Alex Rider series, and the Horrowitz Horror books. It is a great adventurous book, and I give it 4 stars. I recommend it to anyone who liked Alex Rider. :)

Description/Summary: Mathew Freeman 'matt' is a juvenile delinquent. But it didn't start that way. He was just another 8 year old when his parents died, and he went to live with his Aunt. He didn't like it at all, but who would? The only person that seemed to be nice to him was his new friend Kelvin, and they got involved in some crime. Little did they know that their next crime would start such weird things. After breaking into a warehouse and they get caught, Matt will have to go to another home far away as part of the LEAF project. His new guardian seems pretty crazy, but what he thinks is only the half of it...
...and you're going to have to read it to find out more. I need to go get the sequel, like, now. (Evil Star)

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Greetings Bookworms, Cat here to review an awesome book by called Inkheart! :)

Summary/Description: Meggie and her father live a simple, seemingly normal life filled with books. They both thoroughly enjoy them. Little does Meggie know that there is a reason her mother is gone and her father never reads aloud, and that those two are oddly connected. When an old friend of her father's shows up late on a rainy night, she thinks it a bit odd, but what she doesn't know is that simply because of that (and the reminder it brings) her whole world is going to be turned upside-down.

What I though: I rate this book 5 stars! I really loved it. It was a long book, a good looking one that I'd been meaning to read for a long time, and finally decided I would. It was well worth it. I'm going to check out Inkspell (the sequel) as soon as possible from the library. I also know that it has been recently turned into a movie, which I'd like to see. So, the moral of this story is, Read Inkheart! Great summer reading too.

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer

Hey, Remember how I reviewed that awesome vampiric book a while ago that was for the second book in the series because of... well, reasons (go there to see), I finally read the first one and I am back with the review.

4 stars! It's a good series. Although, actually, maybe the second one was a bit better (you know it's good, when the sequels improve instead of getting worse.)
Vladimir Tod is a teenage vampire, who has to hide it from the public (obviously), so that he isn't killed or something. He doesn't know of there are any like him left, or if there ever was. His parents died in a mysterious fire just a few years before. Now, witness the (expected) and not adventures of this high school vampire's life.

I like this series. It is well written, and the characters are cool, and well developed. There are lots of surprises, one of those books where you definitely expect things, and then it's totally wrong. I think anyone can like it really. I recommend it for those who are interested in vampires, or twilight (although I think this is better), or maybe just good books in general!

Lily's Ghosts by Laura Ruby

I liked this book, lots! :) It was good, I give it 4 stars! I liked that it was perfectally descriptive enough, with some comedy, romance, horror, drama, and mystery. The wide cast of characters were great. I think it was written very well and the reading goes very smoothly. Every time you try to put the book down you want more. Anyway, Summary time!

Lily is a preteen girl who has moved around a lot, to finally end up living in her mom's families' summer house, (though no one has gone to spend time there for a while). Everytime she leaves a place she misses the last, and loses all her friends. She moves here and is going to be homeschooled until the start of next year, because she doesn't plan on starting all over again just yet. The house has some unusual goings on, that she doesn't know how to explain. She meets a nice boy from town, Vaz, to be her first new friend. They research the house's (and family's) history searching for the answer to the weird things that keep happening, from moving homework to creepy baby dolls and sudden temperature changes.

To find out more you will just have to read it. Have fun

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling

Ok, so I read this immediately after I got it months ago but re-read it to review, just for you!

If you are a Harry Potter fan, you obviously looked forward to this coming out! The stories that go along with the Deathly Hallows, explanations, or just an extra sensation of there being another HP book, even though it really isn't. I knew it was going to be short, so I wasn't dissapointed, and these stories are great! I give it 4 and 1/2 stars. If you aren't already an HP fan and you haven't read the series, I don't recommend it, sorry. Did anyone get the Collectors edition? It's amaziinggggg. Anyway, back to the point, Summary time!

This is a collection of stories/fairy tales that are told to magical children, all facing values and issues, and bunches of other stuff. Read the book, thats all I can really say. I recommend it for any Harry Potter fan, and that's really all. :)

I say 11&up actually, because one of the stories, "A Warlocks' Hairy Heart", is extremely violent actually. :P