Book Review: The Awakening

Another book down! This is going to be a good reading summer. Yay!

I've neglected this poor book. I waited for it to come out in paperback and then put it aside so I could read Burned. I started reading it again last night and stayed up until 3:00 AM to finish it. (For those wondering, yes, this happens frequently.) It was worth the lost sleep.

The first book in this series, The Summoning, was interesting. It's about a group of teens in a special house that all have strange powers. For example, Chloe, the narrator, is a necromancer. All the teenagers are learning to use/control their powers. This was the basis of the first book: finding out what was going on and so on and so forth. I don't want to get too into it in case anyone decides to read them.

This book was better than the first, I thought. Chloe and Derek's friendship grew more, which I loved. (I'm secretly rooting for Derek and Chloe but I don't know how plausible that is . . .) Also, a great thing about these books is how vivid the scenes are. They aren't described detail by detail, but the way they're told makes you see everything. I really appreciate that in a book. Chloe grew more, learning to stand up for herself and making tough decisions. And more secrets were solved, thank goodness.

These books are kind of mystery-ish, so I don't want to give too much away. There's no vampires so it's okay to read them. I promise. They're definitely a good read if you like the supernatural and mysteries.

Happy reading!

~Sydney

Book Review: Burned

So, this book just came out yesterday. I went and got it last night, started reading this morning, and finished earlier this evening. (Can I just say how much I love doing that?) Anyways, this book is the seventh in the House of Night series. Yes, it is a vampire series, but it's one of the best ones out there. Very modern, funny references to the present. I love it.

I've been eagerly waiting for this one. The last one, Tempted, ended with such a cliff hanger that I was dying to find out what happened. And this one did not disappoint. At all.

Usually, the books are told from Zoey Redbird's point of view. She's a 16-year-old (actually I think she's older than that now) vampyre High Priestess. Here's what you should know if you haven't read any of these books: vampyres are chosen and marked by a designated . . . marker I guess you'd call him. When chosen, a sapphire outline of a crescent moon appears on the forehead and marks the person as a vampyre fledgling. They then have to go to the nearest House of Night or risk dying from the changes that have started in their body. The House of Night is a school where vampyres go to learn they ways of the Vampyre Order and how to be a vampyre, etc. There's a lot more that goes into this but, you should just read the books. It's really worth it.

So, I guess I should warn that nothing much will make sense from here on out unless you've read the books, but feel free to keep reading or not.

Anyway, this book follows a lot of different people who've become extremely important to the story. Zoey's soul is shattered, Stark is desperately trying to save her but the only solution seems to be dying which would only crush Zoey further. Aphrodite has now received more powers from the goddess Nyx, even though she doesn't want them. Stevie Rae is still Imprinted with Rephaim, the most valued son of the enemy Kalona. Neferet is still manipulating everyone, including the fallen immortal Kalona, making it hard for Zoey's friends to make much progress in their quest to stop her. I could go on and on. Basically, problems are everywhere.

This installment didn't disappoint. You got to learn so much more about these characters you've fallen in love with. All the narration was still true to the story and characters the authors have created through the series. This one may have been my favorite. It focused a lot on the hope and love of the characters. I absolutely adored that. The last few have been all frenzy and action and fighting. Don't get me wrong, I love that, but I've been waiting for things to calm down a little bit. I know from the paragraph before, it sounds anything but calm. But a lot of little side problems were solved and it was just nice to see everyone come together to help Zoey.

Okay, I'm rambling now . . .

If you get anything from this, it's that if you pick up this series, you won't be disappointed at all. It's awesome. If you're already reading this series, this is the best book so far. Get it as soon as you can and start reading!

I'm not even going to hint at the ending.

Happy reading!

~Sydney

Book Review: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

I bought this book on Tuesday. I still have gift cards to Barnes & Noble and I needed something new. I went with the intent of getting some light, non-mythical book. Of course, I can't seem to stay away from vampires, even when I try to. I kept looking and looking, but nothing sounded good.  Then, I pulled this one out and it caught my attention. But I wanted real life, not vampires. Right when I'm about to put it back, an employee walks by and asks if I need any help. I politely declined, but she stopped, seeing the book in my hand, and asked if I had read it. I told her no.

"You'll love it. Did you like Twilight?" I nodded. "Then you will definitely like this one. The narrator is so funny. My sister's read it at least 10 times."

Well, that sealed the deal and I gave in. I read the whole thing yesterday. No, it's not a super short book. I think it's around 350 pages. But, for those who don't know, this isn't unusual. It's not uncommon for me to sit down and finish a book in a matter of hours. I'm a fast reader. Anyways, I hid out in my bedroom and was easily lost to the story.

The story is about Jessica (big surprise there) and the events of her senior year. She's got her best friend, her crush, and her plans for college. Then, this Romanian stranger shows up who claims he's a vampire and so is she. Not only is she a vampire, but she's a Romanian vampire princess. When she turns 18, they must get married to fulfill a pact made by their parents when they were born that would bring peace to their warring clans. Of course, Jessica doesn't want any part of it.

I was actually very pleased with it. Jessica is not "so funny" as the salesperson claimed. I actually found I could really relate to her and understood what she was going through, if you will. Lucius, the Romanian vampire prince, was quite intriguing. Not a lot of brooding, "I hate what I am," poor woe is me nonsense. He was perfectly happy being a vampire. In fact, he was quite arrogant and self assured for most of the time. I loved it. As much as he infuriated me, I loved him. And when he does brood, it's not for the typical reasons. It takes turns I didn't expect and doesn't stick to a lot of cliche vampire plots. I giggled and, yes, I cried too. If you're looking for something not too heavy, it's a great read.

~Sydney

Book Review: Water for Elephants

I just finished this book. Literally. Three minutes ago. I had to come share my thoughts. This book was superb. I haven't been reading much, but what a way to get back into it.

The story is about Jacob Jankowski, a ninety or ninety-three year old man. He is living in a rest home, reflecting on his days with the circus to get through what his life has now become.

So, the story is obviously focused on his time with the circus. At first, I was hesitant. It was recommended to me by a friend and after listening to her rant and rave about it, I gave in. I read the first few chapters one night, but couldn't focus enough, so I gave up. But I took it with me on my trip to California. I think I read a few more chapters on the plane out there simply to take up time. They were good, but I still wasn't seeing what was so great about it.

It wasn't until I was sitting in the airport to go back to Utah that I really got into it. I started reading to take my mind off the sadness of going back and I was hooked. I didn't even bother putting it back in my backpack when I got on the plane. I was devouring it and I couldn't put it down. It's been that way all week. I read every free second I had because I just had to know what happened.

This story is gritty and real. It doesn't focus so much on the circus as it does on Jacob's experiences. I laughed, I gasped, I cried. If you haven't read it, you need to. The author researched everything so you can be guaranteed that you're getting the most authentic experience you can. I was captured by Jacob and the way he saw his world and learned to work for himself. It doesn't shy away from uncomfortable topics. You've got to read this. It is wonderful.

And I hear they're making a movie out of it with Reese Witherspoon!

Now I have to find something else to read . . . .

~Sydney