Book Reviews
Jun. 6th, 2009 09:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kikoteiI have been slamming through books this week, I finished three, one I just finished a few minutes ago so I'll put the review up next time. -_- And I just ordered a couple I couldn't get my hands on through the library system.
Again, these are just c&p from the book blog I run for work, you can visit if you want to see what my co-worker has been reading.
Zira is an orphan in the care of Surya, the highest ranking priestess of the Ruan temple dedicated to their Mother Goddess. Zira was left at the temple during one of the bloodiest moments in Ruan history. In one horrifying night king, queen, and all their children murdered in their beds and the palace set ablaze, the entire country is now under the control of the invading Sedorne and their king.
But Zira is not all that she believes, bearing a terrible scar from the fires set that terrible night, she is really Zahira, the only surviving child of the king and queen, destined to reclaim the throne and save her people. In order to do this, Zahira must do something she finds almost unthinkable; she must seek help from a man who should be her enemy. Sorin, Sedorne lord of the city of Mesgao, and perhaps the only man who can help her organize the downtrodden Rua. Together the two must find a way to unite both people against their oppressive king, and Zahira must decide how much Sorin means to her.
This book was a pleasant find, and a while not the best book ever it was worth the read for the characters, who are well rounded, with all their strengths and weaknesses and come across so clearly and so human. Even the tyrannical King Abheron’s story can invoke a sense of pity for the man. Daughter of the Flames is a solid addition to the ranks of the fantasy genre.
Teen
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
All year Percy and the other demigods of Camp Half-Blood have been preparing for war against Kronos and his army of Titans, monsters, and disillusioned half-bloods. Throughout the year the campers have been launching small teams to harass and do everything possible to disrupt Kronos, to slow him down and buy them more time to prepare. But time, so to speak, is running out and the Great Prophecy that has been at the center of Percy’s time at camp is nearly ready to be fulfilled.
However before the demigods can complete their defenses for Olympus and Manhattan, one of the strongest Titans, Typhon, is released from Mount St. Helens and the all of the gods must leave Olympus to fight. At the same time the Titan Oceanus has been keeping Percy’s father Poseidon busy defending his own territory. In an act of desperation Percy and Nico have come up with a dangerous plan to give Percy a chance against Kronos. Percy will have to take a dip in the River Styx and become nearly invulnerable like Achilles. But like Achilles, invulnerability will come with its own price.
With battles raging elsewhere, it’s now up to a handful of young demigods to hold Manhattan against Kronos’ massive army.
As the final book in the Percy Jackson series, The Last Olympian does not disappoint. Full of the battles and adventure that made the previous books exciting, Percy will be faced with the choices and challenges befitting any Greek hero. And it seems that Riordan is leaving the option open to write more tales from Camp Half-Blood.
Upper Juvenile/Teen
Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins
Kiriel is a rebellious demon, who prefers the term ‘fallen angel’ as it’s more accurate, and he’s decided that he’s pretty much had it with his job and wants a vacation. His job is to reflect self-loathing and regret back at doomed souls in the afterlife. While it may be a job, Kiriel knows it’s really punishment and after centuries of feeling human sin and emotion second hand he’s decided it’s time to try it himself.
Shaun is seventeen and the epitome of the slacker teen; sloppy, introverted, bored to tears with school and family, and apparently not long for this world. When Shaun steps out in the street without looking, Kiriel takes the opportunity to hijack Shaun’s body just before he’s messily smeared all over the pavement by a cement mixer.
Now embodied, Kiriel plans to make the most of it by experiencing every single one of the seven deadly sins for himself before the Boss or the Creator realize that he’s skipped out on work. But Kiriel soon find himself growing a little attached to the people in Shaun’s life, people that he never took the time to appreciate, and tries to leave everyone Shaun comes into contact with through the course of the day with some sort of positive impact. From creating a positive relationship with his younger brother, to making the school bully understand the effects his own actions will have on his future, and Kiriel doesn’t have much time to pull all of this off.
Repossessed is a look into the ‘human’ condition with a touch dark humor. Kiriel’s attempts to fit in with Shaun’s family and friends without drawing attention to the fact he’s not really Shaun are fun, especially as he knows him time with them is growing short and ‘Shaun’ keeps slipping up and behaving more like ‘Kiriel’. Recommended for mature readers.
Teen
Chasing the Secret by Maya Snow
Kimi and her sister Hana managed to successfully disguise themselves as boys and enter Master Goku’s dojo as servants and potential students. However they weren’t as successful in fooling Master Goku, the older instructor saw through their efforts, but was still willing to allow them to hide at the dojo and even began helping them search for their mother and little brother’s whereabouts.
But betrayal rocks the quiet dojo, Master Goku is killed and their true identities are discovered by their uncle, the new Jito and their father’s killer. With the help of their friend Tatsuya, the only other person at the dojo to know that the two new boys are really girls, Hana and Kimi are able to escape. Now the trio head for the girl’s mother’s last known location and hope that they can beat the Jito’s men there. Along the way they must withstand battles, more betrayal, and the one thing Tatsuya would rather never see again – ninja.
Chasing the Secret decent enough sequel to Sisters of the Sword, but suffers from the same things as movie sequels – it’s not as exciting as the original. The use language and foreign words to better than the first book, making the flow of the text far easier and sensible. Despite its shortcomings, Chasing the Secret is still a good read, especially for middle grade readers and reader simply looking for a quick read.
Teen
Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
Fifteen-year-old Chloe Saunders is about a normal as a modern girl can get. Her mother passed away when she was younger, and her father threw himself into his work, leaving little Chloe in the care of nannies, housekeepers and her aunt Lauren. Chloe has done the same thing, throwing herself into cinematography and all things film, even talking her father into letting her attend an arts focused high school so she can pursue her interest in becoming a screenwriter or director.
One day however, Chloe’s world begins to unravel, when on the way to school she begins to see unusual things that no one else does; people jumping in front of the car and disappearing and most horrifying of all, a man covered in chemical burns who chases her around the school that day. After Chloe’s apparent ‘fit’ in the middle of the hall, the school demands that she be placed under observation before she’ll be admitted back.
Enter the residents of Lyle House, and unusual group home for mentally disturbed teens. Or are they? Liz, Tori, Rae, Peter, and brothers Simon and Derek seem to be normal, with the typical teen issues that appear to have been blown out of proportion, landing them in Lyle House. And are Chloe’s delusions really the effect of schizophrenia, or is she really seeing ghosts?
The Summoning is the first installment of what promises to be a delightfully spooky teen horror book, with plot elements befitting some of the best horror and mystery films out there. Each character is well built, with realist strengths and weaknesses that help drive the story to a satisfying cliffhanger.
Teen
The Reckoning by Michael Carroll
The Gathering left the fledgling team of young New Heroes shattered, Colin has left Sakkara, angry at the world and most of all, angry at himself for failing his mentor Solomon Cord so badly. And with military now in charge of the Sakkara base, Colin as one of the most powerful superheroes on the planet is considered a loose cannon. While Danny and the others figure out a why to get through to Colin without the military getting in the way, Reginald Kinsella a.k.a. Victor Cross beats them to the punch.
s the New Heroes struggle to come to terms with Colin’s defection to the Trutopians, something even more terrifying is happening. Everything that the kids have known about their world and the superheroes and villains of ten years ago comes unraveled when Cross attempts to spark conflict by releasing information about a particular mining facility that the governments of the world would rather remain secret.
Now on the verge of World War III with the Trutopians; Colin is torn by his choices, while Danny struggles to keep both Quantum’s prophecy and his own visions of the future from coming true. At the same time Stephanie must look within herself to find whether or not she can ever forgive both Colin and her father, and Renata must find the strength to save the world before her body gives out on her.
The Reckoning continues to satisfy fans of the superhero and comic book. While the plot may seem a bit overdone for some, it is the tried and true storytelling of classic superhero story. Well paced and full of excitement and epic battles between super-powered teens, this third book in the series stops with a great cliffhanger and room for more books to follow.
Teen
Reality Check by Peter Abrahams
Cody and Clea are a very unlikely couple. Cody is a football player, barely pulling in the grades he needs to stay on the team and little interest in school, while Clea is a pretty, straight ‘A’ student from a wealthy family and Ivy League prospects in her future. But when the two are caught alone by her father, Clea is shipped out of Colorado and off to boarding school in Vermont.
With no other choice, Cody throws himself into football, hoping to catch the eye of recruiters from East coast colleges. But just as the recruiters are starting to show some interest in him, Cody is benched with a serious injury to his knee and school becomes even more unbearable. When Clea is suddenly reported missing, Cody decides to drop everything, so he packs up his car and heads East to help with the search. But Cody’s like a fish out of water in Vermont, and he may end up putting himself in serious danger before he can even find Clea.
This is another solid mystery from Peter Abrahams, author of the Echo Falls series. Cody is an extremely likeable character, and most readers will find themselves sympathizing deeply with him. The mystery itself will seem fairly simple to most serious mystery buffs, but it’s still well crafted, with plenty of clues and red herrings scattered throughout.
Again, these are just c&p from the book blog I run for work, you can visit if you want to see what my co-worker has been reading.
Daughter of the Flames by Zoë Marriott
Zira is an orphan in the care of Surya, the highest ranking priestess of the Ruan temple dedicated to their Mother Goddess. Zira was left at the temple during one of the bloodiest moments in Ruan history. In one horrifying night king, queen, and all their children murdered in their beds and the palace set ablaze, the entire country is now under the control of the invading Sedorne and their king.
But Zira is not all that she believes, bearing a terrible scar from the fires set that terrible night, she is really Zahira, the only surviving child of the king and queen, destined to reclaim the throne and save her people. In order to do this, Zahira must do something she finds almost unthinkable; she must seek help from a man who should be her enemy. Sorin, Sedorne lord of the city of Mesgao, and perhaps the only man who can help her organize the downtrodden Rua. Together the two must find a way to unite both people against their oppressive king, and Zahira must decide how much Sorin means to her.
This book was a pleasant find, and a while not the best book ever it was worth the read for the characters, who are well rounded, with all their strengths and weaknesses and come across so clearly and so human. Even the tyrannical King Abheron’s story can invoke a sense of pity for the man. Daughter of the Flames is a solid addition to the ranks of the fantasy genre.
Teen
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
All year Percy and the other demigods of Camp Half-Blood have been preparing for war against Kronos and his army of Titans, monsters, and disillusioned half-bloods. Throughout the year the campers have been launching small teams to harass and do everything possible to disrupt Kronos, to slow him down and buy them more time to prepare. But time, so to speak, is running out and the Great Prophecy that has been at the center of Percy’s time at camp is nearly ready to be fulfilled.
However before the demigods can complete their defenses for Olympus and Manhattan, one of the strongest Titans, Typhon, is released from Mount St. Helens and the all of the gods must leave Olympus to fight. At the same time the Titan Oceanus has been keeping Percy’s father Poseidon busy defending his own territory. In an act of desperation Percy and Nico have come up with a dangerous plan to give Percy a chance against Kronos. Percy will have to take a dip in the River Styx and become nearly invulnerable like Achilles. But like Achilles, invulnerability will come with its own price.
With battles raging elsewhere, it’s now up to a handful of young demigods to hold Manhattan against Kronos’ massive army.
As the final book in the Percy Jackson series, The Last Olympian does not disappoint. Full of the battles and adventure that made the previous books exciting, Percy will be faced with the choices and challenges befitting any Greek hero. And it seems that Riordan is leaving the option open to write more tales from Camp Half-Blood.
Upper Juvenile/Teen
Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins
Kiriel is a rebellious demon, who prefers the term ‘fallen angel’ as it’s more accurate, and he’s decided that he’s pretty much had it with his job and wants a vacation. His job is to reflect self-loathing and regret back at doomed souls in the afterlife. While it may be a job, Kiriel knows it’s really punishment and after centuries of feeling human sin and emotion second hand he’s decided it’s time to try it himself.
Shaun is seventeen and the epitome of the slacker teen; sloppy, introverted, bored to tears with school and family, and apparently not long for this world. When Shaun steps out in the street without looking, Kiriel takes the opportunity to hijack Shaun’s body just before he’s messily smeared all over the pavement by a cement mixer.
Now embodied, Kiriel plans to make the most of it by experiencing every single one of the seven deadly sins for himself before the Boss or the Creator realize that he’s skipped out on work. But Kiriel soon find himself growing a little attached to the people in Shaun’s life, people that he never took the time to appreciate, and tries to leave everyone Shaun comes into contact with through the course of the day with some sort of positive impact. From creating a positive relationship with his younger brother, to making the school bully understand the effects his own actions will have on his future, and Kiriel doesn’t have much time to pull all of this off.
Repossessed is a look into the ‘human’ condition with a touch dark humor. Kiriel’s attempts to fit in with Shaun’s family and friends without drawing attention to the fact he’s not really Shaun are fun, especially as he knows him time with them is growing short and ‘Shaun’ keeps slipping up and behaving more like ‘Kiriel’. Recommended for mature readers.
Teen
Chasing the Secret by Maya Snow
Kimi and her sister Hana managed to successfully disguise themselves as boys and enter Master Goku’s dojo as servants and potential students. However they weren’t as successful in fooling Master Goku, the older instructor saw through their efforts, but was still willing to allow them to hide at the dojo and even began helping them search for their mother and little brother’s whereabouts.
But betrayal rocks the quiet dojo, Master Goku is killed and their true identities are discovered by their uncle, the new Jito and their father’s killer. With the help of their friend Tatsuya, the only other person at the dojo to know that the two new boys are really girls, Hana and Kimi are able to escape. Now the trio head for the girl’s mother’s last known location and hope that they can beat the Jito’s men there. Along the way they must withstand battles, more betrayal, and the one thing Tatsuya would rather never see again – ninja.
Chasing the Secret decent enough sequel to Sisters of the Sword, but suffers from the same things as movie sequels – it’s not as exciting as the original. The use language and foreign words to better than the first book, making the flow of the text far easier and sensible. Despite its shortcomings, Chasing the Secret is still a good read, especially for middle grade readers and reader simply looking for a quick read.
Teen
Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
Fifteen-year-old Chloe Saunders is about a normal as a modern girl can get. Her mother passed away when she was younger, and her father threw himself into his work, leaving little Chloe in the care of nannies, housekeepers and her aunt Lauren. Chloe has done the same thing, throwing herself into cinematography and all things film, even talking her father into letting her attend an arts focused high school so she can pursue her interest in becoming a screenwriter or director.
One day however, Chloe’s world begins to unravel, when on the way to school she begins to see unusual things that no one else does; people jumping in front of the car and disappearing and most horrifying of all, a man covered in chemical burns who chases her around the school that day. After Chloe’s apparent ‘fit’ in the middle of the hall, the school demands that she be placed under observation before she’ll be admitted back.
Enter the residents of Lyle House, and unusual group home for mentally disturbed teens. Or are they? Liz, Tori, Rae, Peter, and brothers Simon and Derek seem to be normal, with the typical teen issues that appear to have been blown out of proportion, landing them in Lyle House. And are Chloe’s delusions really the effect of schizophrenia, or is she really seeing ghosts?
The Summoning is the first installment of what promises to be a delightfully spooky teen horror book, with plot elements befitting some of the best horror and mystery films out there. Each character is well built, with realist strengths and weaknesses that help drive the story to a satisfying cliffhanger.
Teen
The Reckoning by Michael Carroll
The Gathering left the fledgling team of young New Heroes shattered, Colin has left Sakkara, angry at the world and most of all, angry at himself for failing his mentor Solomon Cord so badly. And with military now in charge of the Sakkara base, Colin as one of the most powerful superheroes on the planet is considered a loose cannon. While Danny and the others figure out a why to get through to Colin without the military getting in the way, Reginald Kinsella a.k.a. Victor Cross beats them to the punch.
s the New Heroes struggle to come to terms with Colin’s defection to the Trutopians, something even more terrifying is happening. Everything that the kids have known about their world and the superheroes and villains of ten years ago comes unraveled when Cross attempts to spark conflict by releasing information about a particular mining facility that the governments of the world would rather remain secret.
Now on the verge of World War III with the Trutopians; Colin is torn by his choices, while Danny struggles to keep both Quantum’s prophecy and his own visions of the future from coming true. At the same time Stephanie must look within herself to find whether or not she can ever forgive both Colin and her father, and Renata must find the strength to save the world before her body gives out on her.
The Reckoning continues to satisfy fans of the superhero and comic book. While the plot may seem a bit overdone for some, it is the tried and true storytelling of classic superhero story. Well paced and full of excitement and epic battles between super-powered teens, this third book in the series stops with a great cliffhanger and room for more books to follow.
Teen
Reality Check by Peter Abrahams
Cody and Clea are a very unlikely couple. Cody is a football player, barely pulling in the grades he needs to stay on the team and little interest in school, while Clea is a pretty, straight ‘A’ student from a wealthy family and Ivy League prospects in her future. But when the two are caught alone by her father, Clea is shipped out of Colorado and off to boarding school in Vermont.
With no other choice, Cody throws himself into football, hoping to catch the eye of recruiters from East coast colleges. But just as the recruiters are starting to show some interest in him, Cody is benched with a serious injury to his knee and school becomes even more unbearable. When Clea is suddenly reported missing, Cody decides to drop everything, so he packs up his car and heads East to help with the search. But Cody’s like a fish out of water in Vermont, and he may end up putting himself in serious danger before he can even find Clea.
This is another solid mystery from Peter Abrahams, author of the Echo Falls series. Cody is an extremely likeable character, and most readers will find themselves sympathizing deeply with him. The mystery itself will seem fairly simple to most serious mystery buffs, but it’s still well crafted, with plenty of clues and red herrings scattered throughout.