Mystic City

Guess what? I got this book at the library, too. It's not a bad book- a alternate universe fantasy book. Theo Lawrence really worked his imagination into this book! 

Welcome to a Manhattan where magic is real and true love can change the world. In the Mystic City, otherwise known as Manhattan, the rich and powerful live in skyscrapers- the Aeries. The poor live far below, in the Depths, alongside magic-wielding mystics who provide the energy that keeps the city pulsing. Aria Rose is high in the Aeries, daughter of a powerful family. And she's madly in love with Thomas Foster.

At least, that's what she's told. Yet some things are not what they seem. And Aria is going to find that out- life as she knows it will stop, as she falls in love with a Mystic of the name Hunter. And he may just hold the ket to her past. But as she begins to unlock the dark secrets behind her memory loss, she ricks losing her one true love forever. Mystic City is full of forbidden passion, deep betrayals, and dazzling bursts of magic.

I recommend this book to teens who love magic, mystery, epic tales, and fantasy. It's a great novel and Theo Lawrence really shows how good of a fantasy novel writer he is! In a whole different Manhattan, set in the land of powerful and the mystics, Mystic City really leaves your imagination running!

*** I give this book a 9.2 out of 10!***

Unraveling

Yet another book from the library, Unraveling is a great novel, that I'm sure all teens will enjoy reading. A sci-fi novel, Unraveling is a delicious read, and anyone who reads it won't be able to put it down until it's done!

'SHE DIDN'T SEE IT COMING...

A TRUCK

THAT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE.

A BOY

WITH THE POWER TO RESTORE LIFE.

A COUNTDOWN

TO THE END OF THE WORLD.

... UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE.'

A gripping story of a girl that came back from the dead, and the end of the world, this book is an irresistible thriller. Full of fast-paced, non-stop action, a heroine full of boldness, wicked surprises around every corner, Elizabeth Norris wrote an amazing tale. Stop the countdown. Save the world.

The thing I love about this book is that the characters are all so well-developed and the plot is so intricate- you can tell Elizabeth Norris really worked at it. This novel will hook you and never let you go. A mysterious adventure novel, Unraveling shows the beginning of a new life for Janelle Tenner. And the end of life as she knew it.

I recommend this book to any sci-fi, adventure, mystery lovers, and all teens. This book is one that will surely keep readers up at nights, reading under their beds with flashlights on!

*** I give this book a 9.6 out of 10!***

Kobo Mini

So, I got a new Kobo- the kobo mini. It was just there, at Costco, so I decided to buy it, and try it out!

The first thing that I need to set clear about the kobo is that there are hardly any free ebooks. It's hard to find good ebooks that are free, and even then, most of them are trials or samplers. However, it is true that most ebooks are cheaper than you could buy them for paper copies, and classics are pretty cheap. If you are looking for free books, though, you shouldn't buy the kobo, seeing you do have to pay. Your best bet would be to look towards the internet- the gutenberg project is a good site- second link on google. Or I will post the link below. However, since I have such mixed feelings towards the kobo for now, I will make Pros, and Cons.

Pros:

- your eyes won't get bad, unlike the computer, your phone, ipads, ipods, etc.

- it's extremely light and portable

- you can get discounts on books- they're less expensive

- you can store up to 1000 books on it

- you can control the font size, zoom, and other reading settings

- you can hook the kobo up with Facebook, so you can track your readings

- it's easy to use

- the battery is good for a month

- it has a anit-glare screen.

- the speed is pretty good.

Cons:

- it's slightly small

- There really aren't many free books, and most of them are samples or excerpts.

- you need to make a kobo account

- you can't read it anywhere dark

- the screen is black and white

- it's sort of hard to start at the beginning and takes a lot of time.

Overall, it's pretty good and I like it, it's good for my reading, and also for my eyes. 

*** I give the kobo a 8.9 out of 10! ***

Intuition

Past lives make the present a dangerous place.

 A book by C.J. Omololu, Intuition is a great book and another pick of mine from my library. A book of the past, present, and future, Intuition talks of the Akhet and their lives. 'The best thing about being an Akhet is that you remember everything. The worst thing about being an Akhet is that you forget nothing.' In this book, Reincarnation changes all the rules of life and love... Especially for Cole. With every new vision of her past lives, Cole understands more about who she is in this life. Yet what if that knowledge changes her opinion on things as well? 

Akhet are unique. Cole is an Anket. And even at that, she's an Akhet with unique abilities. She has the ability to sense people's innermost emotions, making her a much-needed asset to the Akhet's worldwide plan. And there is another person- a billionaire by the name of Drew, who seems to be related to her past. Yet with Drew, Griffon, and her best friend, Rayne, Cole is forced to make many decisions, some of which she doesn't want to make.

C. J. Omololu wrote an inciting book of a universe living alongside our 'normal'. However, I have to state that sometimes in this book, things don't make very much sense and you get lost. Also, there are parts where it gets really dreary, and you really want to skip ahead... It has a good plot line and and the idea is great, but I have to put it out there that this book isn't one that will make you stay up at night because it's so good. It's an okay read, but I didn't explicitly enjoy reading it. I recommend it to teens, and anyone who likes Reality, fantasy, special power fiction.

*** I give this book a 7.5 out of 10!***

Immortal Lycanthropes

"A shameful fact about humanity is that

some people can be so ugly that no

one will be friends with them.

It is shameful that humans can

be so cruel, and it is shameful that

humans can be so ugly."

Again, another book that I took out from the library. I started reading the other day, and now I'm nearly finished. I guess that just says how great the book is!

As some of you may know, lycanthropes are werewolves. Seeing that the title talks of immortal werewolves, you would think that this book is about immortal werewolves. Nope. Immortals? Yes. Werewolves? Kind of, but not really. In this book, a certain group of people are 'immortal lycanthropes'. Not werewolves though. Wereanimals. Each different animal has one immortal lycanthrope, who can only be killed by the teeth and claws of another immortal lycanthrope in their animal state.

Hal Johnson wrote a great tale of the immortal lycanthropes, with unique plot twists, and very well developed characters. Also, I really loved how he wrote this book- the narrative really makes it humorous and entertaining!

I recommend this book to any fantasy/ adventure lovers, from teens to young adults. It's a great book to read in your free time and it will definitely capture your attention. Welcome to the life of Myron Horowitz, a disfigured thirteen year-old boy just trying to fit in at his Pennsylvania school. Follow him and his amazing tale of running, hiding, attacking, and finding answers. After all, people will turn into animals and here come ancient secrets and rivers of blood.

*** I give this book a 9.5 out of 10!***

The Lost Girl

I got this book out of the library, and I have got to say that I definitely enjoyed reading it! I recommend this book to any teens-young adults. It's a story with a very unique concept upon the 'life after death' notion. Basically, there's a girl named Amarra who died, and another person has replaced her. Of course, Eva, the 'echo' of Amarra, looks exactly like Amarra. But no person is exactly like another. The same says for Amarra and Eva. No matter what they believe, they will always be different.

'Her life begins when another one ends.'

Eva is not a 'human'. She's a person, just not a human, and made by the weavers. And she has been created for one sole purpose. To substitute a dead human, by the name of Amarra. She has been studying Amarra for 16 years, studying her, prepping her for taking Amarra's place. But nothing has prepared her for when Amarra actually does die in a car crash. Eva manages to stay 'Amarra' and things are alright. Until things go tragically wrong and people start to find out that she is not Amarra. She's Eva. And nothing is going to change that.

'If you pretend to love a boy,

maybe after a while you start to care.

If you spend months with the traces of someone else's

love and memories inside you,

maybe those traces become a part of you.

Or maybe I care because

I'm jealous of what Amarra had.

The kind of love.

That kind of freedom to love.'

This tale written by Sangu Mandanna tells of a girl who is torn between her love, her fate, her freedom, and herself. Who knew that a dead person could be so resilient?

*** I give this book a 9.8 out of 10!!!!***

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Sea of Monsters ( Movie. )

I watched the Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters movie not so long ago. I was quite looking forward to it too...

But sorry to say to myself and the other Percy Jackson fans around? IT. WAS. TERRIBLE. The book is amazing, the movie was made pretty well, too. But it really wasn't the Percy Jackson movie at all. How could they change.... everything?? They may as well have called it an alternate universe Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters movie!

To say the least, I was very disappointed with this movie. I mean, it's alright to change a few things in the movie, make it a little different from the book, but this movie just made me feel like asking: "Did the director even read the book?" They pretty much edited all the important scenes out, and everything that really makes the Sea of Monsters the Sea of Monsters. I didn't like the movie. At all. Everything was so... changed. They just took the ending, and completely changed everything else, leaving only the ending. 

I really doubt any Percy Jackson fans will have much good to say about this movie, and I really don't think the movies should me continuing on like this- it's really just way too different from the actual books!

I recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't read the Percy Jackson books.

*** I give this movie a 2.5 out of 10***

Twilght

Warning: DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU ARE A TWILIGHT FAN.

Okay, let's put this straight. I don't like Twilight, I don't tolerate Twilight, and I.... dislike it immensely.

Many people know of the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. It's an altogether famous series, and I've got to say that there are lots as fans as well. Yet as for those people out there that say that Twilight is better than Harry Potter, I've just got to say: ... right. Like that'll ever happen.

Twilight is an absolutely horrible novel. I despise it. Vampires sparkling? What happened to them shriveling up into ashes in the sun? Also, how old is Edward? He's been living for forever. Is that not pedophilia of some sort? The whole Twilight series is based on the love of a pedophile and a young girl. Does that seem like something teenagers should really be reading about? Therefore, technically speaking, the whole Twilight series is about the love triangle of a pedophile vampire who sparkles in the sun, a werewolf that can read minds, and can turn into a wolf any time, and a human girl who is attracted to a pedophile. Lovely.

All in all, I wouldn't read it if I were you... I mean- if you enjoy twisted romances and messed up plots that all really rotate on pedophilia-love? Go for it. This is definitely a young adult book, and I would not recommend it to any children what-so-ever.

*** I give this book a 1 out of 10. ***

Smurfs 2

I just recently viewed the Smurfs 2. It's a good movie, and I watched it with my family, including my aunt and my cousin. I've got to say that of all of us, my cousin was the one that probably enjoyed it the most...

For all those people who have watched Smurf, you know that this movie is a sequel. However, there are people like me, who have never actually watched the first Smurfs movie. The great thing about this movie is that, even if you didn't watch the first movie, you can still watch it and understand. Even my cousin, who isn't able to understand english that well, enjoyed it.

The Smurfs  2 appeals to a large range of audiences, from the small children, to adults. Although it is more of a kids movie, adults can enjoy it as well.

Featuring the Smurfs, Gargamel, his cat, and two other 'smurfs', The Smurfs 2 will entertain plenty of children! However, to be honest, I think the best age to be watching this movie would be from 5 to 9. It's not a very engaging movie for anyone really much older than that...

*** I give this movie a 8 out of 10.***

How About a Little Rest from Book Reviews?

To be honest, I feel like I'm due for a little vacation from book reviews. So I have come to the conclusion to write some poetry. No flames please- I'm no professional writer, just a girl who enjoys to read and write literature!

What Do You Live For?

Butterflies, moths, and everything nice,

Beautiful meals with just enough spice.

Dawn turns to day as time ticks away,

Dragons in lairs, where precious jewels lay.

The glinting of sapphire,

The enticement of pie.

The petals of pansy 

Like beautiful fantasy.

Breathtaking thrills,

The loud noise of drills.

The language of French,

My warm clothes from Bench.

Cheshire cats,

Grandparents' pats.

These are some things

That I live for.

The Importance of Being a Dish

There are the cats:

The loyal and pure.

Siamese, Tonkinese, Shorthair, and Russian.

They are the mysterious, the kind, and the cuddly. 

The serene and the cautious, and the friendly and cute.

The dogs are there too:

The comforting and loving.

Pug, Chihuahua, Saint Bernard, and Retriever.

They are the comical, the humourous, and the soft.

The alert and the active, and the barker and the tail-wagging friend.

You can choose what you wish,

Please just not a fish.

But maybe, just maybe.

You'll settle for a dish.

The Fire Within

The Fire Within by Chris D'Lacey is a book that I enjoyed reading very much. Talking of dragons and models and mythical creatures, the Fire Within starts an epic series pertaining to dragons and other mythical creatures.

Do you believe in the powers of Dragons? David, as the main character of the story, kind of has to, seeing the place where he recently moved in. With Liz and her eleven-year-old daughter, Lucy, he finds a collection of clay dragons that may come to life. David's own special dragon inspires him to write a story, which reveals the secrets behind a mystery. Soon David, in order to solve the mystery and save his dragon, must master the magic of the fire within. Yet that's easier said than done. He must master it with his hands as much as his heart. 

The Fire Within is a book I read when I was pretty young, and the material can be read by anyone from 6 and up, really. The Fire Within is a great realistic-fantasy novel and I really loved it because from a young age, I was a fantasy lover. This book had dragons and fantasy, two things that I really enjoyed reading. Also, since there is a whole series, this book will keep you entertained and reading for a long time. I couldn't set it down until I finished, and still, I can go back to it, and happily read it all over again.

With the imagination of J.K. Rowling and the down-to-earth-ness of any non-fiction writer, Chris D'Lacey really talks of things that could actually happen in real life. As long as you believe, this story could have happened- and to anyone really. That's what I love about this book. It's amazing, a great read, easy to get into, and easy to relate to your regular life.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes dragons and/or fantasy. It's a great read and I bet anyone who gives it a try will love it!

*** I give this book a 9.5 out of 10!***

For The Win

'Online or Offline, 

You've got to organize 

To survive'

By Cory Doctorow, the author of Little Brother, For the Win is an amazing book, perfect for the modern world of technology. All over the world, there are gamers, collecting virtual coins, gems, etc. And then there are the "gold farmers" in poor countries that harvest virtual treasure that their employers sell to First World gamers for real money.

The players in a battle for rights and for freedom are all over the place. Maia, Matthew, Leonard, and more become entangled with Big Sister Nor, who puts them into a movement to challence the status quo.

Maia is a brilliant fifteen year old girl from rural India. Her leadership skills in virtual combat have earned her the nickname "General Robotwalla." Matthew defies his former bosses to build his own gold-farming crew in Shenzhen. Wei-Dong, or Leonard, lives in Southern California and spends his nights fighting virtual battles alongside his friends in Asia. Yet in this battle, it's not virtual. And you will have to organize to survive.

For the Win features an epic battle of wits and courage. The virtual world and the real world are two different things, and many still need to discover that. This is the beginning of a new generation.

Cory Doctorow wrote For the Win amazingly- it really keep you to your attention until the end. I recommend this book to pre-teens and up, seeing that there are violent parts to it!

*** I give this book a 9.5 out of 10!

Never Knowing

A novel written by Chevy Steven, Never Knowing is an amazing book. Even though I recommend it to teens and adults, it's a great book and I really loved reading it.

Never Knowing is about an adopted girl by the name of Sara Gallagher, who has always wondered about her birth parents. Yet what if this hunt for the truth does more harm than good? It is true that some questions are better left unanswered. In this hunt for information and closure, what she may find instead is terror, and murder. 

A touching book about trying to find biological parents and the pain of the truth, Never Knowing is not for the weak of hearts, but it's undeniably breath-taking tale of action and mystery. Made up of many goose-chases, and deception, Never Knowing keeps you on the balls of your feet. And just when you feel like the book is coming to a close, it fires up with another mystery. It's terribly mis-leading, and thrilling, because at the end, it's really amazing how the answer to some problems is right in front of your nose. At the end, the person they have all been searching for may have been right next to her the whole time. 

It's an amazing book and I recommend it to anyone who likes mystery/adventure. However, if you are not a teen or older, this book may not be suited for you, and I suggest you read it when you are older. 

*** I give this book a 9.56 out of 10!***