A Monster Calls

Last weekend I bought six books and I only finished one, that’s the one I will be reviewing today. I have to say after reading a book that was five hundred and seventy two pages long, it was a good to read one only two hundred and fifthteen pages. It was a good break. I think my eyes deserve a little break. You know the way people say you can go square eyed by watching a television? Would you get rectangular -because books are the shape- eyes from reading to much? If so.. Ooh man… AHH!! … OH! Phew… my eyes are okay. Phew, anyway now that that’s over and done with let get reviewing.

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor’s been expecting- he’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It’s ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth.

Ooh by the way. The book is called A Monster Calls, but I guess you guessed that yourself. It's an amazing book written by Patrick Ness. The illustrations are astonishing really, done by Jim Kay, spooky yet scary. I have to say it was a great book.

It is actually a little spooky. Not scary. Spooky. I found it hard to read before I went to sleep because I thought the monster would come to my window or I would have nightmares. Still I really enjoyed it. It’s one of those books with a meaning in it. I usually don’t like them but in this case I really did.

“You do not write life with words, the monster said. You write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you do.”

“I wish I had a hundred years, she said, very quietly. A hundred years I could give to you.”

“Conor was no longer invisible. They all saw him now. But he was further away than ever.”

From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd- whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself- Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.

I would recommend this book to twelves and up. I have to say it is a really heart warming book. And to tell the truth, I cried twice while reading this book. So good luck with trying not to cry.

An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor.

                                               
           

Me after finishing the last sentence, on the last page. 

The Mark of Athena

I will be reviewing the third book of a book I have already reviewed. Actually I review the second one two weeks ago and that one was amazing. But Rick Riordan must be a mad genius or something because these books just keep getting better and better. They get funnier, and have twice as much adventure. I have to say I wish we were learning about Greek mythology in school because I would know everything there is to know.

So this week I’m reviewing The Mark Of Athena from the amazing Heroes Of Olympus series of books. This book has it all: character and relationship development, and action packed plot. Basically, this book was the bomb. The book starts off were The Son Of Neptune left off. We finally get to see Annabeth and Percy reunited at last. Unfortunately, the heart warming reunion is cut short to some demi-god mischief and of course since there demi -gods not everything ever go’s to plan. One thing I  loved about this book was that within the first twenty pages, the action begins.

In The Son Of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Half-blood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the series will unite them with Jason, Piper and  Leo. But they number only six, who will complete the Prophecy of seven?

The Greek and Roman demi-gods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. The they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death you might ask? Much of the prophecy remains a mystery…

With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes and an exotic setting, The Mark Of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan. 

One very complicated relationship Is Piper and Leo’s. Even thought Piper's with Jason. To Piper Leo looks like a boy she used to know and love, Sammy. When Piper questions Leo he seems to have no idea what she is saying at all. And then Piper shows Leo one of her flash backs, which really complicates things.

Since you have all the relationships like Piper/Jason, Percy/Annabeth, Hazel/Frank and then Leo. Leo. He reminds me of a few people, one in general is chandler Bing. If you know him awesome, If not GO LOOK HIM UP NOW AND DON’T COME BACK TILL YOU KNOW! …. Leo is someone who never stops joking around and messing, which is why he’s my favorite character. Apart from being the … emmm.. Seventh wheel? He is pretty awesome.

 “Gods of Olympus.” Piper stared at Leo. “what happened to you?”
His hair was greased back. He had welding goggles on his forehead, a lipstick mark on his cheek, tattoos all over his arms, and a T-shirt that read HOT STUFF, BAD BOY, and TEAM LEO.
“Long story,” he said”

“Did someone just call me wine dude?” he asked in a lazy drawl. “It’s Bacchus, please. Or Mr. Bacchus. Or Lord Bacchus. Or, sometimes, Oh-My-Gods-Please-Don’t-Kill-Me, Lord Bacchus.”

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Aphrodite said. “war is coming. Bloodshed is inevitable. So there’s really only one thing to do.2
“Uh… and that is?” Annabeth ventured.
“why, have tea and chat, obviously”

“This is Annabeth,” Jason said. “Uh, normally she doesn't judo-flip people.”

“Hercules, huh?” Percy frowned. “That guy was like the Starbucks of Ancient Greece. Everywhere you turn--there he is.”

“Oh my god, I am so awesome!” Leo bellowed.
“So awesome!” Echo yelled back.
“He is funny,” a nymph ventured.
“And cute, in a scrawny way,” another said.
“Scrawny?” Leo asked. “Baby I invented scrawny. Scrawny is the new sizzling hot.”

“Behold,” Percy bellowed “The gods chosen beverage, tremble before the horror of diet coke.”

The ending makes me want to cry.. So I can't talk about it..

I have to say I loved this book. I really do recommend you read them. But of course you will have to read the Percy Jackson series first. But believe me when I say it is worth it. These books are amazing and I recommend then to twelve’s and up. I would give this book ten out of ten.

I can’t wait for the next one, The House of Hades. which should be out in under 350 days. I can’t wait!

This is me now, waiting for The House of Hades. 

Young Sherlock Holmes: Snake Bite

So this week I finished another amazing book. It’s the forth book from a set of books I have already reviewed, but most of the authors are writing more so I will be probably be talking about the same book a few times. Still, I love when they write more books on a series because I hate when they end. I guess I could do what doctor who does, he pulls the last page out so It never has to end.

This weeks book was Young Sherlock Holmes : Snake Bite, by Andrew lane. I finished the first four Young Sherlock Holmes at the start of July. I really love the first four books I thought they were amazing and I couldn't put them down. My fingers were glued to the page. But not literally glued because then I wouldn't of been able to see what happened next.

Kidnapped and taken to china, Sherlock finds himself plunged into adventure. How can three men be bitten by the same poisonous snake in different parts of shanghai? Who wants them dead, and why? The answer seems to lie in a message hidden in a diagram like a spider’s web. But solving it leads to an even more urgent question: what has all this got to do with a plot to blow up an American warship? Sherlock is about to experience greater terrors than any he has faced before… Sherlock Holmes: think you know him? Think again.

I would say my favorite character but It was just Sherlock that was in this book, that was one thing I didn't like about the book. Usually I would say Mycroft is my favorite because he is just awesome, he works for the government and is super mysterious.

I have to say I didn't like this one as much as the first four. I was hoping all the characters were in it because I want to learn more about Amyus  Crowe’s back round. Also there wasn’t as much action and
adventure in this one. The ending with Mycroft’s letter was something I wish I hadn't read.

I’m not happy with Sherlock and Virginia. The way they are going is not good and I found the ending very bitter. I may as well be angry because I want then to be together or for Virginia to die some kind of horrible tragic and heart wrenching death which destroys Sherlock and explains his aversion to relationships, but I guess not…

Even so it was well paced, interesting as always and with a nice little mystery involved. I would recommend for twelve’s and up for this book and would give it eight out of ten. Anyone who loves Sherlock Holmes like myself will love these books, hopefully as much as I did.

Over all it was a interesting, funny, full with adventures, mystery and a little scary at parts when they were close to death.

Andrew Lane has written another amazing book.

The Son Of Neptune

As I said in last weeks blog, I’m reading an awesome book and that is the exact awesome book I shall review this week. Your probably saying “tell us the book already!” or well actually scratch that, your probably thinking it because people will possibly think your mad for shouting at a computer screen. It actually thee second one of a book I have already reviewed. So now It’s a sequel. I love the word it’s so funny sounding. Anywho, where was I? awh yes. Wow, I just realized something. It seems I’m actually writing this in speech form. I must be mad, talking to myself, and I know that because I’m learning it in English. Oh yes. WHO’S NOT LISTENING NOW, MISS. TELLING ME I DON’T LISTEN BECAUSE THE MOMENT YOU LOOKED AT ME I WAS ASKING THE GIRL NEXT TO ME THE TIME!!!!

Okay, I’m getting off track. Apologies. Here’s your review.

The name of the book I have read for two weeks, go’s by the name of, The Hero’s Of Olympus: The Son Of Neptune. As I said it’s a sequel and it’s just as awesome as I said. Maybe even as awesome as the first one. Maybe. Possibly. Yes. Even though The Lost Hero was amazing! The Son Of Neptune seems to have had me stuck in just a tiny bit more.

In The Lost Hero, three demi gods named Jason, Piper, and Leo made their first visit to Camp Half-Blood, where they inherited a blood-chilling quest:

Seven half-blood shall answer the call, 
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath, 
And foes bear arms to the Doors of death.

Who are the other four mentioned in the prophesy? The answer may lie in another camp miles away, where a new camper has shown up and appears to be the son of Neptune, god of the sea…

With an ever-expanding cast of brave-hearted heroes and formidable foes, this second book in the Heroes of Olympus series offers all of the action, pathos, and humor that Rick Riordan fans crave.

If your interested in this in anyway. Which you should be, but in every way possible. Here is a link to read the first chapter.  http://www.rickriordan.com/Files/Documents/Son_of_Neptune_preview.pdf

I have to say Rick Riordan is absolutely bonkers, completely mad. But he is also amazing! I seriously don’t know how he has written so many books and made every single one as amazing as the last. It’s unbelievable.

“The thing about plummeting downhill at fifty miles an hour on a snack platter - if you realise it’s a bad idea when you’re halfway down, it’s too late.”

“What? You run? Coward! Stand still and die!”
Percy had no intention of doing that.”

“Would Grandmother scold him? Would she say, “Frank! Thank the gods, you've come. I’m surrounded by monsters.”
More likely she’d scold him, or mistake them for intruders and chase them off with a frying pan.”

I recommend this book and the one before, to ten’s and up. I would give it nine out of ten stars. It was amazing and I can’t wait for the next book!!! I have so many questions!!!

I hate waiting.

The Outsiders

At the moment I reading an amazing book but unfortunately I’m not finished it yet so I can’t write a review on it this week. But of coarse I still bought another new book at the weekend, I guess its just a hobbit. I apologies but I love saying that, I say it every chance I get. Okay back to writing my blog. So I haven’t actually finished a full book for this week, but don’t worry I’m still going to write a review.

So I've decided to write a review on a book I read in English. I know usually the books they make you read in school are usually really boring, dull and you hate every moment of having to read it, not to mention when reading it you want to throw in in a box, lock it with a thousand chains, cast it out to sea and hope a shark finds it, thinks it’s a fish and tier it to pieces (maybe, just maybe that was a bit over dramatic).

BUT! In this case I loved every last moment of this book. It was amazing I can’t even express how much I loved this book. I actually finished the book before everybody else in the class for technically I read the book twice. I think I should start review the book now.


So this week I’m going to review The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton. It’s an amazing read. I have to say I’m very surprised that I enjoyed it so much. I would definitely read it again. It’s full of action and adventure.

Ponyboy Curtis belongs to a lower-class group of Oklahoma youths who call themselves Greasers because of their greasy long hair. Waking home from a movie, Ponyboy is attacked by a group of Socs, the Greasers’ rivals, who are upper-class youths from the west side of town. The Socs, short for socials, gang up on Ponyboy and threaten to slit his throat. A group of greasers comes and chases the bullies away, saving Ponyboy. Ponyboy’s rescuers include his brother soda pop, a charming, handsome high-school dropout, and Darry, Ponyboy’s oldest brother (Darry assumed responsibility for his brothers when their parents were killed in a car crash). The rest of the greasers who come to Ponyboy’s rescue are Johnny, a sensitive sixteen-year-old; Dally, a hardened street hood with a long criminal record; Steve, soda pop’s best friend; and two-bit, the oldest and funniest group member.

I can’t tell you anything else about the book or I’d rune it for you but I can tell you its AMAZING! It is very funny. I love Hinton’s use of nicknames and teen language makes this a true to life reading experience and you will end up rooting for the group you wouldn’t root for in real life--the Greasers.


“You can’t win. You know that, don’t you? It doesn't matter if you whip us, you’ll still be where you were before, at the bottom. And we’ll still be the lucky ones at the top with all the breaks. It doesn't matter. Greasers will still be Greasers and Socs will still be Socs. It doesn't matter.”

“Shoot, this house ain’t dirty. You ought to see my house.”
“I have and if you had the sense of a billy goat. You’d clean your house up ‘stead of dummin’ ‘round ours”
“Shoot kid, if I did that, my mom would die of shock.”

“Don’t you know a rumble ain't a rumble without me!”

Over all I loved this book! I would recommend this book to thirteen and up. I would give this book ten out of five. It was amazing, funny with lots of action adventure.

(The movies equally as amazing!)

The Grimm Legacy

I read The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman. that’s quite an strange and lovely name and I think she should have put it in the book. It’s a very Interesting name and It would have been intriguing to read that it was one of the characters. I loved to read a sentence saying “Run away!”, screamed Polly Shulman or “who’s your favourite, luigi or Mario?”, questioned Polly.

Elizabeth has a new job at an unusual library a lending library of objects, not books. In a secret room in the basement lies the Grimm Collection. That’s where the librarians lock away powerful items straight out of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales; seven-league boots, a table that produces a feast at the blink of an eye. Snow White’s step mother’s sinister mirror that talks in riddles.

When the magical objects start to disappear, Elizabeth embarks on a dangerous quest to catch the thief before she can be accused of the crime or captured by the thief.

I had actually picked out this book a few weeks ago, Its cover caught my eye. So last week I got it and only after I had bought it had I read the back to see what it was about. It sounded good and exciting and it was. There was suspense in some parts but not many.

There are a few things I didn’t like about the book unfortunately, flaws it had. The plot was quite weak and it was very slow until about 100 pages in. there was as much action as I hoped for. It seemed more of a teenage book more than an exciting fantasy book. It actually took some effort to finish it. I would be sitting in bed and I’d be wide awake, I’d pick up the book, read it and then suddenly couldn’t keep my eyes open it would be straight off to sleep.

"The one who asks questions does not lose his way”

“Good,” said Dr. Rust. “Take Elizabeth up to stack nine and show her the ropes.”
“But the ropes are on stack two.”
“I mean metaphorically.”

I’m not saying the book was exactly bad, it just wasn’t very good. It was still funny, there was a bit of suspense. You see I love fairy tales and the Grimm Brothers fairy tales are the best so reading about some of my favourites was good.

Also I had to write a short story about a modern fairy tale in English and I have to say this book gave me some ideas so hopefully I get a good grade on it. Over all it was good book.

I would recommend this book to more a younger age maybe ten and up. They would probably find it more interesting than a fourteen or fifth teen year old. I would have to give this book 8 out of ten stars. I think that Polly Shulman did a very good job at this book and I have to say the illustrations for the cover were incredible.

If you like magic, mystery and fairy tales mixed into reality then this is the book for you.

Coraline

Do you like books about mystery, adventure and another world were you other mother wants to love and keep you forever and wants to sew buttons into your eyes? If so I have the perfect book for you including all of these things. My favourite Neil Gaiman novel, Coraline. This is an Tremendous book I would definitely recommend you do NOT read this at night in the darkness on your room. I assure you if you do you will find yourself trembling under your bed wishing you took my advice.

Coraline Jones is a very ‘different’ She and her parents move into an old queen Anne style house that has been subdivided into four flats. The other tenants include Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, two elderly women retired from the stage, and Mr. Bobo, who is training a mouse circus. The flat side coraline’s remains empty.

Coraline is a fantasy tale in which Coraline Jones, a smart, feisty and inquisitive young girl, home from school for the summer holidays finds herself very bored indeed. Puzzled by a mysterious locked door in her new home, she finds the key and unlocks it - only to find a strange parallel world concealed behind it. A world which mirrors and distorts her own. Going through the door leads Coraline into a series of adventures which are both fantastical and frightening…

“I don’t want whatever I want. Nobody does. Not really. What kind of fun would it be if I just got everything I ever wanted just like that and it didn’t mean anything? What then?” 

“We…we could be friends.

We COULD be rare specimens of an exotic breed of dancing African elephants, but we’re not. At least, I’M not.”

“The names are the first thing to go, after the breath has gone, and the beating of the heart. We keep our memories longer then our names.”

“When your scared, but you do it anyway, that’s brave.”

I would write about my favourite character but I can’t because you see I watched the movie way before I read the book, so  Wyborne 'wybie' has always been my favourite. He has always been my favourite so when I found out he wasn’t actually in the book I nearly didn’t even read it. So I’m recommending you read the book then watch the movie.

I would say ages eleven and up would love this book. It is quite spooky but funny. When your finished you will be wandering what go’s on in Neil Gaiman’s head half the time. I have to include thee illustrations were mind-blowing! Dave McKean captured the moments off the scenes remarkably.

I usually don’t say this but, actually scratch that I have NEVER said this but unfortunately this time the movie was better than the book. I’m so ashamed.. I’m going to go and sit with my head down in shame…

(Shhh.. But I have always loved that movie and there is no way the book could have been better! Its scary but amazingly awesome)