The Iron Fey series

Last week I read The Iron Fey series (The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, The Iron Queen)  by Julie Kagawa.  I figured I'd do mini reviews of each, since I can't remember a lot of the details now (I have a horrible memory!).  So, here goes...

In The Iron King, Meghan Chase learns she is a faery princess, daughter of King Oberon, the ruler of the Summer Court.  She journeys to the Nevernever (the land of fae) to rescue her kidnapped brother, and discovers that her best friend, Robbie, is really Robin Goodfellow, otherwise known as Puck.  Meghan also learns of a centuries-long war between the Summer and Winter Courts, but she can't help the feelings she's having for the Winter Prince, Ash.

I was immediately pulled into The Iron King, and I thought for sure that I'd love the book.  The beginning of the book was amazing, but Meghan's journey through the faery lands really dragged for me.  The ending made me like the book a bit more, but I was still somewhat disappointed overall, considering the excellent reviews the book has received.  3/5

The Iron Daughter finds Meghan in Queen Mab's Winter Court.  In The Iron King, Ash helped Meghan defeat Machina, the Iron King, and part of the deal between them was that Meghan would willingly accompany Ash to his mother's court.  Things between Meghan and Ash had been wonderful, so Meghan is surprised when Ash turns a cold shoulder to her in Tir Na Nog.  Following the changing of the seasons, the Scepter of Seasons is stolen, and fingers are pointed at King Oberon and the Winter Court.  Meghan and Ash know the real thieves are the Iron Fey, and Meghan is determined to prove that the Iron Fey are a real threat to the Nevernever.  Meghan and Ash once again join forces, this time to retrieve the stolen Scepter of Seasons.

I LOVED this book!  It was my favorite of the series, and there wasn't a moment that bored me.  I loved the characters, especially Grimalkin and Ironhorse, not to mention Prince Ash.  My goodness, is he ever swoon-worthy!  The love triangle grated on me a bit because, really, there's no way Meghan would choose Puck over Ash, but every book has to have a love triangle these days.  If that's the only bad thing I can say about the book, then that shows you how amazing this book really is.  I loved the decisions both Ash and Meghan made in the end, and I couldn't wait to begin The Iron Queen.  4.5/5

The Iron Queen was originally the end of the Iron Fey trilogy, but there is a 4th book in the works now.  Meghan and Ash find themselves pulled into an all-out war between the Summer and Winter Courts and the Iron Fey.  A new Iron King has taken over, and his influence is spreading over the Nevernever.  King Oberon and Queen Mab tell Meghan that she is the only person who can defeat the false Iron King, since iron doesn't affect her the way it does the faeries.  Meghan sets out to destroy him, knowing it's the only way the Nevernever and those she loves will be saved.

I wanted to love this book, especially since I loved The Iron Daughter so much.  I really liked this third installment, but it didn't affect me as much as The Iron Daughter did.  I do have to say that Ash was absolutely amazing in this one, and I loved every minute spent reading about him.  He and Meghan both changed so much, and I loved the way they worked so hard to set things right.  The ending was a bit disappointing, though, and I was left feeling a bit devastated.  It wasn't at all how I'd envisioned things ending, but it definitely left things hanging so that a 4th book, The Iron Knight, could be published.  The Iron Knight is Ash's story, and I am soooo excited to read it when it's released!  4/5

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Not wanting to leave her life - or boyfriend - behind on Earth, but not able to face a life without her parents, seventeen-year-old Amy follows her parents and is cryogenically frozen for a 300-year journey across the universe.  Her parents are specialists who have been asked to help colonize a new planet, Centauri-Earth.  By a mysterious turn of events, Amy is reawakened 50 years too early.  She quickly realizes that her awakening wasn't an accident; someone tried to kill her.  With the help of Elder, the future leader of the ship, Amy goes on a quest to find who attempted to kill her, and who has been murdering the other frozen people.  She desperately wants to protect her parents from the same fate that awaited her.

 

I really wanted to love this book.  It sounded so amazing.  Unfortunately, I can only say that I liked it.  The premise was fascinating, but there was just something about the book that turned me off.  The alternating chapters between Amy and Elder were interesting (I love being privy to both points of view in a book), but I'd sometimes forget who was speaking and then have to re-read entire excerpts.  The characters weren't unlikeable, but I found that I didn't ever really care what happened to them.  I wasn't really cheering them on, though I was hoping that Amy would be able to save her parents.  I just wasn't as invested in the characters as I wanted to be.  Another problem I had was with "The Season".  Way too much time was spent on that particular plot point.  Eww.  I also sometimes felt like there was too much detail given.  Some parts of the book really dragged for me, and I couldn't help but wish that the book would end already.  Definitely not a feeling I want when reading a book.

Overall, it was a good read, but I don't know that I'll read the sequels when they're released.

3/5

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

I tried reading this book about a year ago, and just could not get into it.  I made it to page 170, and then decided I couldn't go any further and returned the book to the library.  I told myself I'd try it again sometime.  When my sister, Kira, told me that she planned on reading this series, I decided that the time had come to give City of Bones another try.  But, where Kira has now read all 3 in the series (the fourth book - of six - is due out this spring), I only finished this first book a couple of days ago.

So, what did I think this time around?  I definitely enjoyed it more.  I didn't have a difficult time getting into the story at all, which was a relief.  I was actually worried that I would get stuck at the same spot and not want to read on.  I'm glad that didn't happen, because I ended up liking the story quite a bit.  Jace definitely intrigues me (I may have a teeny crush on him, too), and I'm interested in seeing what Clary can make of herself.  (I have to say, though, that the name 'Clary Fray' annoyed me the entire time.  Not a name that really flows well off the tongue.)  What kind of Shadowhunter will Clary be?  And what does the future hold for Clary, Jace, and Simon?  Simon is a cool character, too, and I'm already wondering what will be in store for him.

One thing that kind of bothers me about YA books these days is that almost all of the main characters seem much too young to be in some of the situations they're placed in.  I just can't wrap my head around a 14- or 15-year-old doing some of the things authors have them doing these days.  I felt that way with Clary.  She seemed a bit too naive and young to be a Shadowhunter.  I know she had a completely different upbringing than Jace, Isabelle, and Alec did, but a part of me still can't accept that someone so young (barely 15 years old) can do the sorts of things a Shadowhunter does.  And reading about Clary and a certain someone kissing in the hallway kind of shocked me, too.  Don't get me wrong - I wanted her to kiss this certain someone, but at the same time I was thinking how young she still is.  Maybe it's just me, and it's been too long since I was a teenager and felt urges like that. ;)

Anyway, I look forward to continuing with this series.  I really thought there were only 4 books in the series, and knowing that there are really SIX and that I'll have to wait until 2013 to finish the series is depressing.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Also in the series: City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels (April 2011), City of Lost Souls (2012), City of Heavenly Fire (2013)

Night Star by Alyson Noël

Haven blames former best friend, Ever, for everything that has gone wrong in her life since becoming an Immortal.  She's determined to make Ever pay, by killing her and sending her to the Shadowland.  And if Jude and Damen are destroyed along the way, all the better.  Haven tells Ever that Damen is not what he seems, and when Ever sees proof of that with her own eyes she again wonders if she and Damen really are destined to be together.

Meanwhile, Haven is out of control.  She's chugging elixir like no one's business, and refining her powers so that she'll be ready for the showdown with Ever.  It's only a matter of time before best friend is pitted against best friend in a fight to the finish.

Night Star is the fifth book in the Immortals series, and I am really hoping that the sixth book, Everlasting, is the final book.  The title implies that it probably will be.  I can't wait to be done with this series.  This fifth book just dragged the story on.  Not much happened until the final pages.  I'm sick of reading series books where nothing happens, where the story drags and I want to pull my hair out.  I tell myself that I've come this far...I have to continue.

I hate Haven (I've said that with every book), and I'll be glad the series is over if only to bid farewell to her.  She gets more and more annoying with every book, if that's possible.

Ever finally realized who she's meant to be with in this installment, so that was at least something good.

This series has been like a roller coaster ride for me.  Books 1 and 3 received 3 stars from me, while books 2 and 4 received 4 stars.  It's only fitting that book 5 be given 3 stars then, right?  (Honestly, I was tempted to give it 2, but the ending was so much better than the rest of the book.)

3/5 stars

Also in the series: Evermore, Blue Moon, Shadowland, Dark Flame

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Incarceron is a prison unlike any other: Its inmates live not only in cells, but also in metal forests, dilapidated cities, and unbounded wilderness. The prison has been sealed for centuries, and only one man, legend says, has ever escaped.

Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, can’t remember his childhood and believes he came from Outside Incarceron. He’s going to escape, even though most inmates don’t believe that Outside even exists. And then Finn finds a crystal key and through it, a girl named Claudia.

Claudia claims to live Outside—her father is the Warden of Incarceron and she’s doomed to an arranged marriage. If she helps Finn escape, she will need his help in return. But they don’t realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye. Escape will take their greatest courage and cost far more than they know.

Because Incarceron is alive.

I've read numerous reviews of this book, the majority of which have been 5-star reviews.  So I was expecting Incarceron to be amazing.  But, it fell far short of my expectations.

First of all, the terminology was confusing.  It took me quite awhile to understand what certain words meant.  I also had a hard time grasping what was happening.  Maybe it was too complex a world for a simple girl like me.  I enjoyed Finn and Claudia as characters, and was rooting for them to find a way to free Finn from Incarceron, but the story as a whole didn't do much for me.

I read a week or two ago that Taylor Lautner has been signed to play Finn in the movie version of Incarceron.  Catherine Fisher seems pleased, but, personally, I don't think he fits the part.  At all.  I tried to imagine him as Finn while reading, and I just couldn't do it.

I have the sequel, Sapphique, on reserve at the library, but I don't know that I want to read it anymore.

3/5

Misguided Angel by Melissa de la Cruz

After inheriting the dark Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler fled to Florence with her forbidden love, Jack. Now the two of them must embark on the mission Schuyler was destined to complete: to find and protect the five remaining gates that guard the earth from Lucifer, lord of the Silver Bloods.

Back in New York, Mimi has been elected Regent of a crumbling coven. Struggling with her heartache over the loss of Kingsley and with her overwhelming desire to destroy Jack, she must focus all of her energy on a perilous new threat. Vampires are being abducted and their captors are planning to burn them alive online…for all the world to see. Help arrives in the form of Deming Chen, a Venator from Shanghai, who must untangle the web of deceptions before the killers strike again.

As the young vampires struggle for the survival of the coven, they uncover a deadly secret, a truth first discovered by Schuyler’s mother during the Renaissance but kept buried for centuries. And as the Blue Blood enclave weakens yet further, fate leads Schuyler to a terrible choice that will ultimately map the destiny of her heart.

Boy, did I have mixed feelings about this latest Blue Bloods novel.  I wanted to love it because, really, I've loved them all.  (Okay, maybe not the first book, but it was still pretty entertaining.)  After reading about these characters for five books now, I feel completely invested in their lives, so it's disappointing when an entire book goes by without anything really happening.  The story that had been built up over the four previous books went almost nowhere in this fifth installment, which seemed like it was written simply as a filler to tide us over until the next book comes out.  And why is it that authors feel they have to write so many books in a series?  The story could have ended with this fifth book, but I'm left waiting for a sixth book to be published.

I really like reading about Schuyler, Jack, Mimi and the gang.  There were two very noticeable missing characters this time around, though: Kingsley (for obvious reasons) and Bliss.  Where was Bliss?  She's been a major character through four books now, and not even one mention of her in book 5?  What?  I did enjoy the interactions between Mimi and Oliver.  Mimi has really grown on me over the series, and I enjoy reading her side of the story just as much as Schuyler and Jack's side.

As disappointed as I am with this book - it is, by far, the weakest book in the series - I can't find it in me to rate it lower than a 3.  I really can't believe I have to wait until October to read the next book.

3/5

Also in the series: Blue Bloods, Masquerade, Revelations, The Van Alen Legacy

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Is that a cheesy book cover, or what?

I first read the VA books over the summer, thinking that all five had been published and I could just read them all in a row, not having to wait for new books to be released.  Well, after finishing the fifth book, I discovered that a sixth book was set to be released.  So, I've been waiting since July to get my hands on book 6, Last Sacrifice, which was released today.  I ordered it from Amazon, so I'll probably have it in my hands tomorrow or Thursday, but before I read it, I'm rereading the others in the series so that I can jump right into Last Sacrifice.  And since I never reviewed the VA books when I read them the first time around (I was on a blog hiatus), I decided to review them as I reread them.  (Mostly for you, Kira, since you were so disappointed that I hadn't reviewed them.)

Vampire Academy revolves around dhampir Rose Hathaway, who is a bodyguard to Moroi princess Lissa Dragomir.  They'd run away from St. Vladimir's Academy, but have been captured and returned.  Now Lissa continues her schooling and Rose is back to guardian training.  Guardians are protectors of the Moroi, the good vampires, and mostly guard them from Strigoi - evil and highly dangerous vampires.  Rose is in training to hopefully become Lissa's guardian.  She takes her lessons from Dimitri Belikov, who's known as a "god" on campus.  Rose enjoys her time with Dimitri, and soon her feelings turn into more than just admiration for the skills he can teach her.  She falls in love with Dimitri, but knows that she must push those feelings aside and concentrate on protecting Lissa, for she and Lissa share a special bond and no one can protect Lissa like Rose can.

I feel the same way I did when I first read Vampire Academy: it started out a bit slowly, but the action grew and by the time the book ended I was ready for more.  Like Rose, I fell in love with Dimitri, and I can't wait to read more about him in the upcoming books.  Yes, I've read the other books before, but I'm giddy and excited all over again.  The scenes with Dimitri are hot.

I did find all the foreshadowing interesting this time around.  I already know the story, so it was fun to pick up on all the little details I'd missed before or not known to pay attention to, like all the talk about St. Vladimir's "spirit".

3.5/5

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

When Isobel Lanley and Varen Nethers are paired for an English project, neither is very happy.  They are total opposites: Isobel a popular cheerleader, Varen a goth loner.  At first, Isobel wants nothing to do with Varen.  She grudgingly agrees to meet up with him to discuss the project and comes to the realization that he's not what he seems.  Isobel's football-playing boyfriend and her friends turn their backs on Isobel, which hurts at first.  But the more time she spends with Varen, the less she cares what her so-called 'friends' think.

While working on the project, about Edgar Allan Poe, Isobel comes across strange writings in Varen's notebook.  Soon after, she begins seeing scary creatures and discovers that Varen's writings have trapped him in a dreamworld of his own creation.  Only Isobel can save Varen and prevent the creatures from taking over the real world.

I'm not a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, but I think a series based on his writings is a cool idea.  I admit that I only skimmed the poems that were included in the book, because Poe's works aren't what interested me about the story.  I was more interested in the connection between Isobel and Varen.  (Did you know that Varen is an anagram for 'raven'?)  Usually, goth boys don't interest me in the least, but there was something about Varen that pulled me in.  He's a very deep and unique character, and he keeps many things hidden.  And Isobel isn't your ordinary cheerleader.  There's a real depth to her, as well.  I love that the relationship between Varen and Isobel wasn't rushed.  It developed slowly, like any real relationship does.

I hated the way Isobel's friends treated her, and Varen.  I really couldn't believe that they would be so cruel to her simply because she was hanging out with Varen.  I'm glad she dumped her possessive boyfriend and defended Varen.  Her actions were very admirable.  Not many high school cheerleaders would befriend and stand up for a goth kid the way Isobel did.

I have an admission to make:  I skimmed the last third of the book because it was so drawn-out and all the details about the dream realm bored me.  The funny thing is, though, that after finishing the book, I wanted to get my hands on book 2 right away.  I may not care about all the details of Varen's dream world, but I want to know how Isobel is going to rescue him.  Varen as a character fascinates me, and I'm looking forward to learning more about him.

Overall, I think the book was a bit too long (over 500 pages), but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

My rating: 3.5/5

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

At eight years of age, Evie discovers that she has a special gift... she sees through the glamours of paranormals.  With no family of her own, Evie is taken in by the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA), a group charged with tracking and containing paranormal beings.  Eight years later, Evie has become somewhat bored with the usual "bag and tag" at work, but while she knows her gift is indispensable to the IPCA, she longs for a normal teenage life.  When Evie's superior, Raquel, is attacked by a shape-shifting -- and extremely cute -- teenage boy named Lend, Evie finds herself strangely drawn to him.  Lend is drawn to Evie, too, and wonders if she may be the person at the center of a dark faerie prophecy.  As Lend and Evie form a friendship, paranormals begin dying and Reth, a faerie obsessed with Evie, gives odd clues that may lead Evie to discover who she really is.

Prior to reading Paranormalcy, I'd read nothing but glowing reviews about the book.  Maybe the high praise is to blame for my less-than-stellar reaction to Evie's story.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it.  I just didn't love it.  Evie is a fun, spunky, likable character (although I never could understand her fascination with lockers, of all things), and Lend is the kind of guy teenage girls dream about.  I think the whole idea behind Paranormalcy and the IPCA is intriguing, and the story held my interest throughout.  I really had no clue where the story was going, but even so, in the end, it took a completely different turn than I had expected and I felt like things weren't quite as fleshed out as they could have been.  And what's up with Reth?  He remains a big mystery to me, even after all the interaction he and Evie had.

While I didn't love it, I still found Paranormalcy to be an entertaining read.  I'll definitely read the second book, Supernaturally.  I'm eager to know Reth better, and to see where life leads Evie and Lend.

My rating: 3.5/5

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Just when Nora thought things couldn't get any better, she tells her guardian angel boyfriend, Patch, that she loves him and he runs off without replying.  The next day at school, Nora's archenemy, Marcie Millar, tells Nora that she spotted Patch staring into her window the night before.  Nora confronts Patch, who tells her that his business with Marcie doesn't concern her.  He also tells her that the archangels are keeping a close eye on them, waiting for any excuse to get rid of Patch.  Patch knows that his relationship with Nora may be cause enough for the archangels to send him to hell.  Nora, thinking she's doing what is best for the both of them, breaks up with Patch and tells him she doesn't want him to be her guardian angel anymore.  Patch runs straight into Marcie Millar's arms.  To numb the hurt, Nora begins spending time with Scott Parnell, a childhood friend who has moved back to town.  But she can't keep her mind off Patch, even though she thinks he's hiding something from her.  If things with Patch and Scott weren't complicated enough, Nora begins seeing her dead father around town.  She becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him, to the point of putting her own life in danger.

I loved Hush, Hush, and I was so excited to read Crescendo.  Unfortunately, Crescendo fell a bit short for me.  It wasn't as compelling as HH, and there definitely wasn't enough Patch to satisfy me.  Nora annoyed me to no end, and I couldn't believe she willingly chose to place herself in some of the situations she did.  She seemed so pigheaded, thinking her way was always the right way.  And I could have slapped her for breaking up with Patch, who is, by far, my favorite character in the series.  I wish Nora would have really thought things through, instead of making decisions on the spur-of-the-moment.  If she'd taken a step back, she would have realized that Patch always had her best interests at heart.  I love that he never gave up on her.  (I have such a huuuuge crush on him right now!  Even more so than before.)

Scott landed at both spectrums with me... sometimes I thought he was okay, sometimes I hated him.  And Marcie was as evil and skanky as ever.  I had the "bad guy" figured out, but the ending totally threw me for a loop.  Happily ever after seems to be eluding Patch and Nora yet again.

Overall, I enjoyed Crescendo, and I look forward to reading Tempest.  Wish I didn't have to wait a year, though!

My rating: 3.5/5

Torment by Lauren Kate

In this second book of the Fallen series, Luce finds herself uprooted from Sword & Cross, only to be dumped at Shoreline, a school in California for Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.  Daniel thinks Shoreline will be a good place for Luce to hide out, while he, Cam, and the other angels and demons hunt down the Outcasts - immortals who are after Luce.

Luce resents Daniel's interference in her life.  She loves him deeply - how can she not, when he's all she's ever known, throughout every life she's ever lived? - but wonders if maybe her life wouldn't be so screwed up if she'd fallen in love with someone else.  Maybe someone dependable, like Miles, who is so charming... and normal.  As Luce learns what the shadows are and how to manipulate them, she realizes that Daniel hasn't been very forthcoming; he's hiding something, and she's losing her faith in him.

So many people have said that they've liked Torment more than Fallen, but I found my enjoyment of them about the same:  slow to start out, too drawn-out in the middle, with a really good ending that leaves me hanging and wanting more.  I was so bored as I was reading Torment that I almost gave up a couple of times.  I just wanted something to happen.  As with Fallen, I felt that there was too much buildup.  But once I got to the last 70 pages, I couldn't stop reading.  And, once again, I'm hooked.  I want more, and I have to wait until next summer for Passion to be released.  I hope it's not as drawn-out as Fallen and Torment were, but I have a feeling it will be.

My rating: 3.5/5

Shadowland by Alyson Noël

In this third installment of The Immortals series, Ever and Damen search for an antidote to the antidote (yeah, you read that right) Damen was given in Blue Moon.  Roman tricked Ever when she was saving Damen's life, and now Ever and Damen are forbidden from ever touching.

I waited a long time for something to happen in this book, but not much did until the last 100 pages.  Damen took in the twins, Romy and Rayne.  He and Ever became pseudo-parents to them, putting a bit of strain on their relationship.  Damen told Ever about the Shadowland, where immortal souls go if an Immortal dies.  Ever got a job at Mystics and Moonbeams, the shop she'd gone to for her needs in the last book.  She met the owner's grandson, Jude, and began having feelings for him that she couldn't explain.  Damen "showed" Ever that she'd had relationships with Jude in her past lives.  In the end, Ever was forced to choose between getting the antidote for Damen or saving her best friend, Haven, who fell under Roman's spell and was on the brink of death.

I had to fight boredom at times, but in the end I'm glad I finished the book.  I wasn't sure I'd want to read the fourth book, but I most likely will now so I can see where the story goes from here.  Will Damen and Ever really end up together, or is Ever destined to be with Jude?  Seeing that there are three more books in the series is a bit depressing, though!  (I wish there were more standalone books and not so many series written these days.)

My rating: 3/5

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood)'s life has been anything but ordinary.  The shopaholic wooed the debonair Luke Brandon, Finance PR Extraordinaire, while devising a way to throw a certain bank manager named Derek Smeath off her track.  Then she moved to Manhattan, became host of a financial segment on a popular TV show (even though she can't handle her own finances), and shopped some more.  Then there was the fiasco of the two-weddings-on-the-same-day, one in NYC and one in England.  And of course, more shopping.  After a fairy-tale honeymoon, Becky arrived home to discover that she has a half-sister she never knew about, a sister who hates to shop!  Let's see... what else?  Becky got pregnant, scored a celebrity OB, and then hired a P.I. to follow said celebrity OB and her own husband, Luke, because she swore they were having an affair.  (All links are to my reviews of the other Shopaholic books.)

Now Becky and Luke are parents!  Mini Shopaholic takes place two years after Shopaholic and Baby left off.  'Mini Shopaholic' herself, Minnie Brandon, is now a rambunctious two-year-old, and Luke and Becky are at wits' end; they don't know what to do with little Minnie, who wreaks havoc wherever she goes.  Becky's mum is willing to help with Minnie--she's been doing it for the two years Becky and Luke have been living in her house anyway--but Becky and Luke decide to hire an "Ultimate Nanny" instead.  (After all, it'd be great if Minnie could learn Mandarin!)  Becky is less than forthcoming about Minnie's behavior, though, and said Ultimate Nanny begs off after a few hours in Minnie's presence.  Can anything go right?  Not only has their fifth try at buying a home fallen through, but there's a huge financial crisis in England because one of the major banks failed.  Luke is putting in so much extra time at work that Becky decides to throw him a surprise party for his birthday.  Of course, she has trouble staying on budget, so she accepts help from an unlikely source...Luke's birth mother, Elinor, whom Luke isn't speaking to at the moment.  As with any book featuring Becky Brandon, chaos ensues, lies are told, and shopping is done.

I was super excited to get my hands on this book.  I really enjoyed the first five Shopaholic books.  Becky makes me laugh.  She gets into so much trouble, and of course her scrapes are all a bit unbelievable and outrageous, but she's just such an amusing character to spend time with (even when I want to pull my hair out and shout at her that she better not buy that dress/purse/scarf/pair of shoes, no matter the sale price.)  Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this latest book as much as I'd hoped to.  Sure, I still liked it and Becky still made me laugh (though not as much as in the other books), but I'm left feeling slightly disappointed.

3.5/5

Mini Shopaholic is #6 in the Shopaholic series.

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

When the Mayflower set sail in 1620, it carried on board the men and women who would shape America: Miles Standish; John Alden; Constance Hopkins. But some among the Pilgrims were not pure of heart; they were not escaping religious persecution. Indeed, they were not even human. They were vampires.The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society.

The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapidated mansion. Schuyler is a loner...and happy that way. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a popular girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think, but she wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger?

Since reading Twilight, I've come to love YA vampire stories.  While some are definitely better than others, I found myself really enjoying Blue Bloods.  While I didn't enjoy it as much as Twilight, it was still an entertaining read.  Besides all the fashion designer name-dropping, I think what most bothered me about this book was the way Schuyler and Jack Force went from I-barely-know-you to I-love-you-and-can't-live-without-you in a nanosecond.  (The same thing bothered me with Bella and Edward in the Twilight movie.  Ugh.)  Still, I find Jack captivating.  Mimi, on the other hand, drove me nuts (in a good way!), and I think there is something ominous about her.  Her relationship with Jack, her twin brother, is very strange, and I hope the next book delves further into the Force family history and expounds on the twins' relationship more fully.

I think it's interesting that the Blue Bloods are reincarnated over and over throughout eternity, and I found it fascinating that Jack thought Schuyler was the woman from his "dreams" when really it was her mother.  Can't wait to see how that all plays out!  I'm eager to read Masquerade and continue the story.  Just as soon as I read The Joy Luck Club for my family book club.
 
My rating: 3.5/5
 
Blue Bloods is #1 in the Blue Bloods series.

Evermore by Alyson Noël

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste . . .

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

A friend of mine is reading this book, and she says she's having a hard time getting into it, that it seems too much like Twilight.  I had similar thoughts while reading Evermore.  It was very Twilightish, but different enough that the similarities didn't bother me.  What did bother me was Ever's friend Haven.  I couldn't stand her.  I liked both Ever and Damen, and Ever's friend, Miles, and while the story was interesting enough at first to keep me reading, by the end I was ready to be done.  The whole plotline with Ever's sister Riley didn't really pull me in; Drina, Damen's mysterious redheaded lady friend, drove me nuts; "Summerland" made me laugh. I did appreciate that Ever had a big choice to make at the end, and I'm glad she took time to think about it, but now that she's chosen to be with/like Damen, I don't know that I really care to continue with her story.  There are at least 4 more books in this series--I picked the second one, Blue Moon, up from the library today--but if I can't get into the second one, I'm not going to bother reading the rest of them.

3/5

Evermore is #1 in The Immortals series.

Church book group: Ender's Game and Fallen

Last night my church book group met to discuss Ender's Game.  I read it way back in 2006 (see my review here), and while I didn't feel like completely re-reading it  (I had other things to read...like Mockingjay), I did find the time to read some summaries online and go over the last few chapters of the book again to refresh the story in my mind.  We had a great discussion--one of our best yet.  Not everyone loved the book like I did (although a couple of women did), but it got pretty good reviews from the other gals.

Anyway, someone asked what next month's book, Fallen, is about, and since I've read it already, I decided to give a little summary of sorts.  But for the life of me, I couldn't remember a single thing.  A couple of the other women are reading it now, and one other has already read it, so I asked them to tell me the names of the main characters in hopes that I could remember something.  (I've been so anxious for Mockingjay to come out that everything else has leaked from my brain, it seems.)  To make sure that I have at least one resource to look back on next month when book group comes around, I decided that I should write my Fallen review before I completely forget everything about the book.  As it is, I don't remember much, which is quite sad, considering I read it a little over a week ago.

I'll just go ahead and use the synopsis from the back of the book, since I don't feel any summary I write will do the book justice:

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce—and goes out of his way to make that very clear—she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

I found another synopsis online that gives a better feel for the book, but it is definitely spoiler-ish, so highlight it if you'd like to know more about Fallen:

Seventeen-year-old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce's boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant, even evil, history.


It's only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there's a reason to be here though she doesn't know what it is. And Daniel's frosty cold demeanor toward her? It's really a protective device that he's used again . . . and again. For Daniel is a fallen angel, doomed to fall in love with the same girl every 17 years . . . and watch her die. And Luce is a fellow immortal, cursed to be reincarnated again and again as a mortal girl who has no idea of who she really is.

I wanted to like Fallen a whole lot more than I did.  I waited and waited for something to happen, but the story dragged on so slowly.  Fallen has a very interesting premise, but it took far too long for anything to happen.  I know it's the first book in a series, but come on.  The last 100 pages (out of 452), when we find out Daniel and Luce's story, are what made the book enjoyable for me, and it's those last chapters that make me eager to read Torment when it comes out.  I really hope things work out for Luce and Daniel!

3.25/5

Mockingjay!

I was SO EXCITED to get my hands on this book!  My husband brought it home for me bright and early (2:30) yesterday morning, and all I wanted to do was spend the day devouring it.  Unfortunately, life got in the way and I wasn't able to really delve into the story until yesterday evening.  I was sucked in, of course, because I love the characters and couldn't wait to find out what would happen to them.  I stayed up until 1:15 this morning to finish the book.  And...just as with Breaking Dawn, I was left with a feeling of disappointment.  Mockingjay was definitely not the conclusion I had hoped for.  Maybe my expectations were too high.  It's just that The Hunger Games and Catching Fire were both so amazing that I just knew Mockingjay had to be, too.  Only it wasn't.  At least not in my opinion.

Yes, the story was good and very well-written.  I understand that war is not a pretty thing, and Suzanne Collins did a great job describing just how horrific war is.  But I didn't feel that connection with any of the characters that I had in the first two books.  They seemed so different.  I wasn't as emotionally involved as I had previously been.

SPOILERS to follow, so read at your own risk!!  (Highlight to read.)


I actually ended up liking Gale so much more in this book.  I could see why some fans would want he and Katniss to end up together.  I don't think his character was developed much in the first two books, but in Mockingjay we get a real sense of who Gale is, and he really grew on me.  But, he could never take Peeta's place in my heart, or in Katniss' (or so I hoped!).


So, on to Peeta: I didn't like what Collins did to Peeta.  At all.  He wasn't the Peeta I'd fallen in love with.  He was just a shell of himself, and I know that there's good reason he was like that, given what he experienced at the hands of the Capitol people.  But I had a hard time connecting with him in Mockingjay.  There were times that I just wanted to cry for what had been done to him.  I didn't give up hope that he'd return to his normal kind, happy self after being hijacked, but that didn't happen.  Sure, by the end he seemed okay, but I still don't feel that he was the same Peeta.  And I missed that Peeta terribly.


Katniss wasn't herself at the end, either, it seemed.  After all the atrocities of war, of losing her friends and Prim, I understand why she would go a bit crazy.  But she'd been so strong and such a fighter for such a long time that I expected her to always be strong.  Maybe it was naive on my part, but I'd hoped she'd pull through everything and still have that fighting spirit to her.  She seemed so broken at the end, and I absolutely understand why, what with Prim being killed and her mom and Gale abandoning her.  But there was just something about Katniss that didn't sit right with me.  I'm glad that Haymitch, Greasy Sae, and Peeta didn't give up on her, though.


I was really sad when Finnick died!  He was one of my favorite characters.  On the contrary, I have to admit that I didn't mourn Prim's death much.  I'm glad we got to know her better in this book, but I didn't ever really connect with her as I did with other characters--characters I'd "known" for a longer period of time.  But, Finnick... that broke my heart.


I was confused when the parachute bombs went off toward the end, when all the children were corralled in front of Snow's mansion.  I didn't really understand what was going on, and was even more confused when Katniss woke up and so much time had passed.


I was shocked when both Katniss and Haymitch voted to have another Hunger Games with the Capitol children.  After all they went through, I thought for sure they'd be against it.  I know Katniss was mourning Prim and wanting revenge for her death, but I didn't see she or Haymitch being "for" another Hunger Games.


I'm so, SO happy that Katniss and Peeta ended up together!  Having Katniss and Peeta finally--finally!--be together was one of the better moments in the book.  I wish it had been under different circumstances, though.  I felt like they were both so changed from who they once were.  But I guess that can be seen as a good thing, too, since they ended up together even though they had both experienced such horrific things and been changed in such momentous ways.  Still, I really miss the old Katniss and Peeta.  I missed the romance.


I LOVED the ending, where Peeta says "You love me.  Truth or not truth."  And Katniss answers, "Truth."  Loved it!  Thought it was the perfect ending.  Of course, then came the epilogue... a lot of people are saying that they felt the epilogue was unnecessary and that they didn't like it.  I don't think it was necessary, but I also didn't have a problem with it.  I enjoy knowing that Katniss and Peeta had children.  I think it brings everything to a nice conclusion.  And being Team Peeta since book one, it's nice to see that he and Katniss spent many happy years together!


END SPOILERS


So, while I didn't like Mockingjay anywhere near as much as I adored The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, I still thought it was a good book and I'm still glad I read it.  It wasn't the book I wanted, but I can live with it.  Maybe a re-read will improve my opinion of it, maybe not.  It can never compare to the first two books.  I hate giving it such a low rating, but I can't help it.

3.5/5