Library Trip

OK, been a while, but haven't been doing much reading. I finished Vampire Diaries. It is such a strange book, I seriously can't make up my mind on it. There is so much mystery and old myth going on its hard to keep track, not to mention the constant twists in the story. It is reasonably well written and I like it, just a little shaken after reading it.
Over vacation this past week I started Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. A timeless classic, one I haven't gotten the chance to read yet. I love the movie and the book it written beautifully, but it is a very slow read and can get boring easily because of the little dialog, which I tend to be fond of. She doesn't describe the scenery much, but the characters shes goes into full detail about them, even if it takes the whole book to finish.
From the library today, I got Blank Confession by Pete Hautman and Beast by a Donna Jo Napoli. Started Blank Confession this afternoon. Its about a kid named Shayne Blank who walks into a police station and confesses to killing someone. It goes back and forth from him and the detective to the story told from a kid named Mikey's point of view. Its confusing and a little weird, but the story seemed interesting and I like it so far. Beast is the story "Beauty and the Beast" with a twist. Napoli has written several books and all of them are old stories from over a thousand years ago retold with her personal twist. I am a huge fan of Beauty and the Beast and just had to read it.
Though I haven't read much recently, I'm trying to pick up on it, I miss my books. =)

mlpanichelle

Looking Back on Ranger's Apprentice

OK, so about a week ago I finished The Burning Bridge (book 2 of the Ranger's Apprentice Series by John Flanagan). I have read at least once before (maybe twice) and it's definitely my favorite out of the series, closely followed by the ninth. Gillan is a bigger character, and Halt (sadly) is a little bit smaller of a character then most would think him, and Flanagan introduces a new character: Evenlyn. A servant girl, whose mistress has been killed, that Horace, Gillan and Will run into in Galica, though Gillan isn't so quick to entirely believe her story. This continues straight from the first after the fight with the Kalkara to the battle against the Wargals.
Got the second volume of the Vampire Diaries from the library last Monday. Getting through it kinda slow, but it's an interesting book. Looking forward to finding out how it ends. 

Pegasus

Finished Pegasus last Thursday. Would of posted something then, but I was in Jamaica, so I couldn't. Well, now I'm home and can write. Pegasus took me a while to get through. I had slight problems following the plot, or even figuring out the plot. In the synopsis she leads for one plot then she starts a different plot in the beginning of the book, then that turns out to be just a bunny trail then continues with the original plot, but doesn't explain why some things are happening. And things happen that have nothing to do with the plot and she just seems to be rambling. So I can't say that I liked the book, but it wasn't bad. I didn't like her writing style and couldn't find dots to connect to figure it out. It also lacked an ending. It's obvious that she meant to have a sequel. I think it's suppose to come out later this year or early next year. Will I read it? Of course, I never miss an opportunity to read a new book. =)
Right before leaving for Jamaica, I started Vampire Diaries. I had watched some of the TV show and curiosity on how close it is to the books drove me to get it from the library. To start off, I don't like the main character, Elena. She so self centered and her friends are so gullible. I didn't like her in the TV show either, because the way the show her reminds me so much from Bella in Twilight which just annoyed me to no end. The book is a romance novel and it has some pretty freaky parts, definitely not for anyone under thirteen. Altogether I thought it was a good book, it intrigued me from chapter 1. Book one and two have been finished (The Awakening and The Struggle) and I eagerly await the next one.

Unfortunately I got tied into the other TV show Pretty Little Liars, also based off a book series. As soon as I finish Vampire Diaries, I intend to read that series. It's a strange show and I expect the books to be same, not sure what it will turn out to be.....

The Last Song

Finished The Last Song (Nicolas Sparks) today. I cried through the last quarter of it. It was so sad, but an amazing story. Sparks did an amazing job at telling this story, not only from main character, Ronnie's point of view but from Steve and Will's as well. It was so cute and I was glued to each page. Recommended for older teens and adults, some of the topics they talk about not really for children. I'm looking forward to picking up another one of Sparks' books, hopefully VERY soon.

Starting Pegasus tonight, we shall see how this one turns out. Not very high expectations....

mlpanichelle

Several New Books

Did not finish the Warriors yet. I started Avalon High by Meg Cabot. I have always wanted to read a book by Cabot, since she's written so many. Avalon High was really good. Ellie starts off the school year at a new school and instantly feels drawn to the quarterback/president of student body/everybody's favorite guy, Will. Ellie soon finds herself wound up in a modern story of King Arthur, but what she needs to figure out is what role she plays in all this. It was very well written, an amazing story and I loved it.
Today I'm getting Pegasus by Robin McKinley, and The Last Song by Nicolas Sparks. Pegasus looked kinda dumb when I first looked at it on the "Must Read for Teens" on the Barnes and Noble website. But after reading the reviews I decided to get it from the library. The reviews said it was well written and a captivating story about a young girl and her Pegasus. We shall see how this turns out..... The Last Song is supposed to be really good as well and since the movie came out (starring Miley Cyrus) I have been wanting to read the book (I have not seen the movie yet though).
Maybe I will adventually get to finishing Warriors but it's kinda slow and it tends to put me to sleep. It's cute story but a little bit too easy for me.

mlpanichelle

Mountain Pose

I finally got Halt's Peril (John Flanagan)! It was awesome! Flanagan continues the story from The Kings of Clonmel, as Will, Halt and Horace track down the cult, led by Tennyson back into Araluen. The first half of the book is packed with sarcastic conversation and humor as well as the last eighth or so. But in the middle in completely nerve-wrecking. Halt gets poisoned by an arrow and is on death's doorstep as Will rides hard to find  maybe the only person who might know the cure. Flanagan did an amazing job with this book, I can't wait for the next that comes out in April.
Also, I picked up a book loaned to me a couple months ago, Mountain Pose (Nancy Hope Wilson). It was a cute story about a twelve year old girl, Ellie, who is named heiress of her grandmother's house and farm. Her grandmother never spoke to her and only saw her once in her whole life, at her mother's funeral. But along with the house, Ellie is left and requested to read a collection of diaries written by her great-great grandmother. Through these diaries, Ellie finds out a secret of her family's past.
Just started the Warriors series. Book 1: Into the Wild. So far so good. Rusty a house cat is welcomed into the ThunderClan to become a warrior that they despretaly need. It's a cute book, but a little too easy for me.

mlpanichelle

Rick Riordan and John Flanagan = Brilliant Authors

Finished The Lost Hero (Rick Riordan)! It was amazing. Not only does Riordan keep the greek mythology but he adds the roman mythology too! It got confusing but it turned out wonderfully. It also goes into more detail on some of the gods not dwelled upon in the Percy Jackson series. Also a main characture is a son of a Roman god so you have a little bit of conflict there. Jason, Piper and Leo go on a quest that leads them from Nevada to New York City to Quebec to California. They have the time of their lives as they look for Piper's dad and the godess Hera, and try to get back Jason's memories (convienently taken by Hera, that dumb godess haha). Annabeth, Chiron, and Rachel also are in it as very minor charactures and Percy is mentioned, he will hopefully be in the next book. The book is filled with the comedy from the original series that everybody found enjoyable. Riordan did an another amazing job and I can't wait for the sequel!
While I wait for Riordan to write and the library to get books (and to go buy books myself) I am reading again, The Kings of Clonmel (book 8 of Ranger's Apprentice series). I love that book. It has adventure, fantasy and plenty of comedy. Again, Horace joins Will and Halt as they go rescue the neighboring country of Clonmel on the island of Hibernia, from a religious cult trying to take control of the island then work their way back over to Areluen. Halt has already some practice with this type of difficulty and this cult specically. It is, again, up to Halt, Will and Horace to save the day.
Not doing much else with reading, hopefully I will be soon.

mlpanichelle