Book Reviews: City of Ashes, P.S. I love You, The Iron Daughter

Goodreads Summary: Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.
Why I Read This Book: Another series book that I am working through. I think I may have had this on a challenge list this year as well.

Review: I love the shadowhunter world, and this book was no exception. Clary and Jace are getting a bit weird, but whatever. I thought this was a good sequel book. Definitely moved the plot along nicely. Can't wait to get to the next one.

Rating: 

Goodreads Summary: A novel about holding on, letting go, and learning to love again.

Now in paperback, the endearing novel that captured readers' hearts and introduced a fresh new voice in women's fiction Cecelia Ahern.

Holly couldn't live without her husband Gerry, until the day she had to. They were the kind of young couple who could finish each other's sentences. When Gerry succumbs to a terminal illness and dies, 30-year-old Holly is set adrift, unable to pick up the pieces. But with the help of a series of letters her husband left her before he died and a little nudging from an eccentric assortment of family and friends, she learns to laugh, overcome her fears, and discover a world she never knew existed.

The kind of enchanting novel with cross-generational appeal that comes along once in a great while, PS, I Love You is a captivating love letter to the world!

Why I Read This Book: This book was on my Monthly Key Word Challenge list for February.

Review: I liked this book, but didn't love it. It was good. It tells the sad story of a widow trying to overcome her grief. I can't fully appreciate Holly's story, as thankfully I have never had to go through that. Even though it was sad, it was written in a generally light-hearted way so that it was still enjoyable to read and not miserable.

Rating:

Goodreads Summary: Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.
Why I Read This Book: This was my March book for the Paranormal Reading Challenge.

Review: This was a pretty good sequel to the first book that I really liked. It had enough in it to keep it interesting and surprising. I was happy with it. Some things happened that I definitely wasn't expecting, and also some good news in it as well, which I don't want to spoil for anyone so I won't say.

Rating: 

Long Over Due Book Reviews

In an effort to do so review catching up, I thought I would do a few posts with some multiple reviews. Also, some of the books I don't have much memory of, so this way my reviews don't have to be much more than a line or two. I'm going to do 3 books per post.

Goodreads Summary: The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed.  In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire -- that is, if she makes it through the Change.  Not all of those who are chosen do.  It's tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling.  She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx.  But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers.  When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

Why I Read This Book: I put this book on my challenge list for the 2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge because it had been on my TBR list for so long.

Review: I have still only read the first book of this series, but I think it may be one of my favorite vampire books so far. I like teen vamp books, but this one had all the good stuff without being really lame at times too. I read this book about 6 months ago, and honestly can't remember much except that I really enjoyed it. It was a bit confusing at first, but I look forward to getting to the rest of the series.

Rating: 

Goodreads Summary: Time is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who held sway over and age of enforced peace are dead...victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. 

As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky—a comet the color of blood and flame—six factions struggle for control of a divided land. Eddard’s son Robb has declared himself King in the North. In the south, Joffrey, the heir apparent, rules in name only, victim of the scheming courtiers who teem over King’s Landing. Robert’s two brothers each seek their own dominion, while a disfavored house turns once more to conquest. And a continent away, an exiled queen, the Mother of Dragons, risks everything to lead her precious brood across a hard hot desert to win back the crown that is rightfully hers. 

A Clash of Kings transports us into a magnificent, forgotten land of revelry and revenge, wizardry and wartime. It is a tale in which maidens cavort with madmen, brother plots against brother, and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. 

Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory may be measured in blood. And the spoils of victory may just go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when rulers clash, all of the land feels the tremors. 

Audacious, inventive, brilliantly imagined, A Clash of Kings is a novel of dazzling beauty and boundless enchantment—a tale of pure excitement you will never forget.
Why I Read This Book: I started this series last year because Game of Thrones was on my 2012 TBR Challenge list, and I loved it. I knew that I would have to continue this series. I am actually reading Book 3 right now.

Review: This book is full of complex charaters and plots, and sub plots, and sub sub plots, and there is a whole lot going on! It can be a bit confusing at times when non-main characters come out so infrequently, but it is a fantastic series. I loved this book and love this series. I recommend it all the time. The TV show as certainly helped in its popularity, however I haven't started watching (yet).

Rating: 

Goodreads Summary: Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.

Jacob was there because his luck had run out—orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive "ship of fools." It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act—in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival. 

Surprising, poignant, and funny, Water for Elephants is that rare novel with a story so engrossing, one is reluctant to put it down; with characters so engaging, they continue to live long after the last page has been turned; with a world built of wonder, a world so real, one starts to breathe its air.
Why I Read This Book: This book was on my 2012 TBR Challenge Reading list, but I had put it off so much that it actually ended up on my 2013 TBR Reading Challenge list as well! Someone from work heard I wanted to read it, and brought me in their copy to borrow, and that was how it got moved up the list.

Review: I really loved this book. I remember when the movie came out and I wanted to see it, but knew I should read the book first. I'm so glad I waited, I read the book and watched the movie a few days after. And the book was SO SO SO much better. I actually did a post about this book comparing it to the movie awhile back (you can see that post here). I loved the story of Jacob it was incredibly engaging and this was a great book.

Rating:

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Goodreads Summary: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Why I Read This Book: I had set this book as my January read for the 2013 Monthly Key Word Challenge. Plus, it had been on my TBR list for a long time!

Review: I found this book was only just okay for the first 3/4 of it, but after that it really does get a lot better. I think the next one will be really good. I finished this in January and now its near the end of March, so I don't remember it all that well, but I do remember really liking it. I also loved that it was printed in blue ink!

Rating:

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Goodreads Summary: A long, hot summer...

That's what Macy has to look forward to while her boyfriend, Jason, is away at Brain Camp. Days will be spent at a boring job in the library, evenings will be filled with vocabulary drills for the SATs, and spare time will be passed with her mother, the two of them sharing a silent grief at the traumatic loss of Macy's father.

But sometimes unexpected things can happen—things such as the catering job at Wish, with its fun-loving, chaotic crew. Or her sister's project of renovating the neglected beach house, awakening long-buried memories. Things such as meeting Wes, a boy with a past, a taste for Truth-telling, and an amazing artistic talent, the kind of boy who could turn any girl's world upside down. As Macy ventures out of her shell, she begins to wonder, Is it really better to be safe than sorry?
Why I Read This Book: This is my second Dessen book, and I liked the first one, so hey, why not?

Review: I really liked this book. Sarah Dessen is a great contemporary teen writer. One on the best. She is so good at implanting warm fuzzies over young love. I loved the characters in this book, and even though its been awhile since I read this one, I can still recall that I liked it a good bit. Definitely recommend for all contemporary lovers.

Rating:

I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Goodreads Summary: I’ve lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now the very same day his parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day! Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive :) !!
 
Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her “happily ever after” begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!
 
Well, perfect except that the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.
 
What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life
Why I Read This Book: I pretty much read all of Sophie Kinsella's books (or at least buy them, as I still have a few to read!) and I got this one as an ebook. Tragedy stuck while I was reading this though, because I stepped on, and broke, my ereader while I was reading this one! Writing this review reminds me of that awful time :*(

Review: Initially when I started this book, I was like, oh god, another self centered, whiny, panicky, heroine who has trouble remembering anything, and never tells the truth (I'm looking at you, Becky Bloomwood!). I used to like the Shopaholic books a lot, but the last one got on my last nerve. I was a little disappointed. But, as I persevered, I did really start to enjoy the book, the story ended up really growing on me. It is a very cute book, and Kinsella's excellent and adorable writing style sucked me in! I do hope that this is a stand alone book. I loved it just the way it was, and Poppy doesn't need a sequel!

Rating:

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Goodreads Summary: Who is the real McLean? 

Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out. 

Combining Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading.
Why I Read This Book: Sarah Dessen is an author who I kept meaning to read, but she always got pushed to the bottom of my list. Someone lent this book to me, so it managed to make its way to the top of the pile, and I read it.

Review: I thought this was a great book. Dessen writes about relationships (both romantic, friendship, and parental) with a genuine feel. This book had mostly likable characters, but they had some moments where they had to make some tough decisions which showed all sides of their personalities. Great character development. As for the story itself, it was pretty enjoyable, although I have herad from huge Dessen fans that this wasn't here best story. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and in the future, I won't put off picking up her books like I have been.

The one thing I didn't like about the book is near the end there is some much "metaphorical wisedom". McLean "realizes" so much, and strings all the events from the story into one neat little "life lessons" package, which I thought was a little annoying. As the reader, all the conclusions that Dessen wrote down were things I had already connected, so reading it was kind of redundant.

Rating:

Frostbite by Richelle Mead

Goodreads Summary: Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...

It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians - including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price... 

Why I Read This Book: I read the first in this series and enjoyed it, so I will read them all.

Review:  I like these books so far. (Unfortunately I read this over a week ago, so I don't have great amounts of detail to add to this review...) Rose's character really grew in this book compared to the first. Her relationship with her mother was interesting to read about, as was her feelings toward Mason. I have definitely been in a position to wonder if settling for something 'comfortable' would be a good choice, so I could related there. I thought this book was really missing the Rose/Lissa relationship, and I like reading about them together. But, that is exactly what happens when someone gets a boyfriend, so at least it was authentic!

I like these books, they are quick, good reads. I look forward to Shadow Kiss.

Rating: 

Second Helpings (Jessica Darling Book 2) by Megan McCafferty

Goodreads Summary: “Knowing that I’ve just done something that will take decades off my parents’ lives with worry, you’ll excuse me for not getting into the fa-la-la-la-la Yuletide spirit this year... The only difference between Christmas 2001 and Christmas 2000 is that I don’t have a visit from Hope to look forward to. And Bethany has already packed on some major fetal flab. Oh, and now Gladdie doesn’t need to ask a bizillion questions about my boyfriend, because she’s already gotten the dirt from you know who.”

Jessica Darling is up in arms again in this much-anticipated, hilarious sequel to Sloppy Firsts. This time, the hyperobservant, angst-ridden teenager is going through the social and emotional ordeal of her senior year at Pineville High. Not only does the mysterious and oh-so-compelling Marcus Flutie continue to distract Jessica, but her best friend, Hope, still lives in another state, and she can’t seem to escape the clutches of the Clueless Crew, her annoying so-called friends. To top it off, Jessica’s parents won’t get off her butt about choosing a college, and her sister Bethany’s pregnancy is causing a big stir in the Darling household.
Why I Read This Book: Its a sequel to the first Jessica Darling book, Sloppy Firsts, which I thought was great!

Review: I liked Second Helpings even better than Sloppy Firsts. I thought Jessica grew a lot in this book, much like I think a lot of seniors in high school do. I thought she made keen observations in this book, which she definitely lacked in the first one. Jessica is a great character, and I sort of see myself at that age in her a little bit. Some of the best parts of this book was when Jessica finds her voice without hiding behind the school paper. There is many times she manages to stand up and say what she feels or thinks, where the Jessica from Book 1 definitely wouldn't have been able to. The book kind of makes Jessica seem a bit self centered, however that doesn't bother me because it's written as her journal, so really it should be all about her. It would be different if it was written in another style, but I'm okay with it like that. Also, as much as some of Jessica's choices made her seem like she was growing up, other were just plain dumb. But, I thought that made the book pretty funny, because realistically, she's 17, of course she is going to make ridiculously stupid choices sometimes! The only part of the book that really made me think 'WTF?!' was that everyone was so OBSESSED with sex. Even people who had never had it. (Which obsessing over being a virgin - normal. Obsessing over how horny you are when you have almost no sexual experience - not normal). I thought it was a bit odd that Jessica claimed to be so freakin' horny all the time. Maybe that is normal and I was just an asexual teenage though... who knows.

Rating:

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Goodreads Summary: When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel.

Why I Read This Book: I actually have no idea why I initially added this book to my TBR list. I think I was browsing the Goodreads recommendations and just added it one day. Anyway, it came up next on my list and I got it from the library.

Review: I really liked this book, I liked the main character and the adventure she had. It was a quick, cute read. Recently I have been feeling wanderlust and vagabonding coursing through me intensely, and since I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, reading about adventures will have to do until I actually get to go on one. I thought that the journey which Ginny had to take sounded fun, and that it was definitely something that I would have loved to do myself. A trip like that can really make a difference in your life. Reading this book certainly energized that part of me dying to get away.

There was only 2 things about it that I didn't like, 1) what 17 year old has parents who allow her to go on this journey, alone, without a cellphone/computer/any money of their own??? This book suffered from unrealistic missing parents. Johnson trys to pepper in concerns that Ginny's parents have, but its a stretch. I think the character should have been about 20 instead of 17. 2) It made me crazy that she got to go to all these amazing places and she didn't spend any time really DOING anything in any of them. That got to me, because even if I was on this 'mission', would make the most of every second while traveling.

I still thought this book was great, and really enjoyed reading it. Looking forward to the sequel to see what is in that last envelope!

Rating: 

Dead Ringer by Allen Wyler

Goodreads Summary: While speaking at a Hong Kong medical conference, neurosurgeon Dr. Lucas McCrae slips the cloth off a cadaver’s head during a routine medical demonstration, and is overwhelmed with the shock by what’s staring back at him: His best friend, Andy Baer.

Stunned, McCrae races back to Seattle to discover that Andy is in fact missing and may have been murdered by a gang of body snatchers who operate a legit funeral business and make a fortune by selling recovered body parts to medical researchers.

McCrae teams up with an unlikely pair—a beautiful but hard nosed female cop and a gang member whose family was victimized by the body parts ring—to try and expose a macabre web of corruption that involves law enforcement, politicians, funeral home curators and murdered prostitutes.
Internationally renowned neurosurgeon Allen Wyler takes us deep into a nightmarish scenario, shockingly ripped from recent headlines, and delivers a horrifically plausible, page-turning thriller.
Why I Read This Book: I received an electronic copy of this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: When I first read the summary of this book, I wasn't that excited about it. I like a good thriller/mystery, but the medical stuff was a little off-putting. If you feel the same way, don't let that stop you from reading this book! There is a good bit of medical information, but the author makes it very easy to understand, and it is by no means the focal part of the story. I would recommend this book to people who like the 'In Death' series by J.D. Robb, or books by James Patterson. The main character, Lucas, is interesting and easy to relate to. The book is fast paced, and very engaging. I started this book not really knowing what to expect, and I finished up in a 3 day period where I had a lot of other things going on (so, not much time to read)! My only complaint is that it was an ebook, and I couldn't make pages to reference in my review. I really enjoyed this book, and I can already think of 2-3 people I want to recommend it to. I did receive the book as an ARC, and it probably needs another once over edit for some spelling error and a few misplaced words (I'm pretty sure that's normal with a draft) but there weren't any huge errors, just maybe using 'the' when the sentence required the word 'they' for example. Thanks to the published for providing me with this book, it was great.

Rating: 

The Last Summer (of Me & You) by Ann Brashares

Goodreads Summary: Set on Long Island's Fire Island, The Last Summer (of You and Me) is an enchanting, heartrending page-turner about sisterhood, friendship, love, loss, and growing up. It is the story of a beach community friendship triangle-Riley and Alice, two sisters in their twenties, and Paul, the young man they've grown up with-and what happens one summer when budding love, sexual curiosity, a sudden serious illness, and a deep secret all collide, launching the friends into an adult world from which their summer haven can no longer protect them. 

As wise, compelling, and endearing as her Traveling Pants series, and as lyrical, thoughtful, and moving as the best literary women's fiction, this novel is sure to win an entire new generation of adult fans.

Why I Read This Book: From the Travelling Pants series, I knew I liked Brashares books, and since this was being compared to Summer Sisters by Judy Blume (one of my all time favorite books), I thought I would read this one.


Review: This was a pretty good book. I am almost always a fan of writers who transition between characters point of views. I can't say any of the events in the book were shocking, as I think they may have been intended to be, but it was still a great story of Alice's growth. I do get a little irritated by books when all the problems that arise in it could have been avoided if the characters were just honest!! But, I guess that is what real life is kind of like, so what can you do about it? Anyway, this was a good summer read, and I enjoyed it a lot. It's nice that it isn't a series, it's just a story and not it's done. I have been reading so many series books lately that it's kind of refreshing not to have the next book to think about.


Rating:

The Millennuim Trilogy by Steig Larsson

Goodreads Summaries:
Book 1: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, watches his professional life rapidly crumble around him. Prospects appear bleak until an unexpected (and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an old-school titan of Swedish industry. The catch--and there's always a catch--is that Blomkvist must first spend a year researching a mysterious disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly four decades. With few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius with a cache of authority issues. Little is as it seems in Larsson's novel, but there is at least one constant: you really don't want to mess with the girl with the dragon tattoo. 


Book 2: The Girl Who Played With Fire
Mikael Blomkvist, crusading journalist and publisher of the magazineMillennium, has decided to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation between Eastern Europe and Sweden, implicating well-known and highly placed members of Swedish society, business, and government.

But he has no idea just how explosive the story will be until, on the eve of publication, the two investigating reporters are murdered. And even more shocking for Blomkvist: the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to Lisbeth Salander—the troubled, wise-beyond-her-years genius hacker who came to his aid in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and who now becomes the focus and fierce heart of The Girl Who Played with Fire.

As Blomkvist, alone in his belief in Salander’s innocence, plunges into an investigation of the slayings, Salander herself is drawn into a murderous hunt in which she is the prey, and which compels her to revisit her dark past in an effort to settle with it once and for all


Book 3: The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest
Lisbeth Salander—the heart of Larsson’s two previous novels—lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She’s fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she’ll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge—against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life.

Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.


Why I Read These Books: These books came highly recommended by a number of people I work with, so much so that for our office secret Santa I was given the first in the trilogy as my gift. When I was about half way through it, I ordered the next two online.


Reviews: If you have read these books, you know it takes about 100 pages of book one to really get into them. I'm going to try and do this without spoilers, so this will be a pretty short review (but mine always kind of are, I don't want to ruin anything!). First off, Larsson is a very detailed writer, so much so that he kind of over explains some things. For example, in book one, you are bombarded with the Vanger family. There are so many of them, that I was thinking "OMG, I will never remember all these people". You only really need to know few, but you get tons of details on ALL of them. Other than the books being a little dry because of this reason, they were fantastic. I loved Lisbeth as a heroine in this story, and I was so into this series. I'm not normally one to pick up a political mystery but maybe I should be, because these books were fabulous. I can definitely say they were totally worth the hype. My favorite was the second one, as it had the fewest dry parts. The boring bits were the only reason all three weren't 5 star reads!


Ratings:

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Club Dead (Southern Vampire #3) by Charlaine Harris

Goodreads Summary: Things between cocktail waitress Sookie and her vampire boyfriend Bill seem to be going excellently (apart from the small matter of him being undead) until he leaves town for a while. A long while. Bill's sinister boss Eric has an idea of where to find him, whisking her off to Jackson, Mississippi to mingle with the under-underworld at Club Dead. When she finally catches up with the errant vampire, he is in big trouble and caught in an act of serious betrayal. This raises serious doubts as to whether she should save him or start sharpening a few stakes of her own.


Why I Read This Book: Because I am working through this series.

Review: This was my favorite Sookie Stackhouse novel so far. I think the downfall of this series up to now was that I also watch True Blood, and suffice it to say, I like the show more. However, it has been awhile since I watched the shows that correspond to the story of this book, so I think that made me like it a bit more, because I wasn't really comparing the two, I was just enjoying the book. And I did like it, I like Alcide in this book, and Eric too. Bill was MIA for most of the book, as with the book you only get what Sookie is up to as it's told in the first person. I'm really glad I gave this series another shot, as I was almost ready to give up on them. Now I;m looking forward to reading the next one!


Rating:

Good Girls by Laura Ruby

Goodreads Summary: Audrey Porter is a "good girl": a good student, a great daughter, an amazing friend. She's also the last person anyone expects to be hanging out with Luke DeSalvio, the hottest guy at Audrey's school. But Luke is a liar, a player, a dream, and Audrey knows it. She dumps him at her friend's Halloween party with no intention of looking back, but not before giving him one last goodbye gift... 
The next Monday, messages begin popping up on people's phones and email inboxes. Somebody has taken a picture of her and Luke together and soon everyone knows, including her teachers, her mum and her dad… Now she must discover strength she never knew he had, find friends where she didn't think she would, and learn that life goes on – no matter how different it is to how you think it's going to be.

Why I Read This Book: One of my friends started reading this on Goodreads, and I added it to my TBR list without too much though. Since I am now trying to clean that list up, I got the ebook of this for super cheap, and... well, that's pretty much all there was!


Review: I liked this book, probably even a little bit more than I expected to. The topic wasn't overly heavy, but I could really connect with the way that Audrey felt about having the whole school talking about you. It happens, or you see it happen, in high school all the time. The author did a really good job of making you really feel for Audrey, all I wanted for her was good things, I really felt like she was my friend. Which to me signals fabulous writing! If I had a daughter in high school, I would definitely give her this book to read. Audrey, and her group of friends, are honest, decent girls, who yes, have made mistakes while growing up, but everyone does, and this book shows that you know what, you will survive, and learn, and grow even when you screw up.

Rating: I gave it 3.5 on Goodreads, and I think that if this book was more age appropriate for me, I would have rated it even higher. Here, after I have had a little more time to reflect I think it deserves 4, so:

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Goodreads Summary: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Why I Read This Book: I had never read a fey novel before, but I read A Midsummer's Night's Dream in university. I had read some good reviews of this series, so I picked this book up.


Review: I actually really enjoyed this book. As is the norm with paranormal series lately, it did take awhile to get into as the 'world' needed to be explained, but Meghan is likable, and I thought Robbie was cool. The book was exciting, but the "rules" we a little confusing. I'm still not sure I have them all straight. Otherwise, it was great. I liked Kagawa's writing style, she is descriptive while still getting to the point of what she is saying, and I liked all the characters (or didn't like if that was what she wanted!) I can see how this may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I liked it and look forward to getting to the next one!


Rating:

Bitten (Women of the Otherworld #1) by Kelley Armstrong

Goodreads Summary: Elena Michaels seems like the typically strong and sexy modern woman, She lives with her architect boyfriend, writes for a popular newspaper, and works out at the gym. She's also a werewolf. 

Elena has done all she can to assimilate to the human world, but the man whose bite changed her existence forever, and his legacy, continue to haunt her. Thrown into a desperate war for survival that tests her allegiance to a secret clan of werewolves, Elena must recon with who, and what, she is in this passionate, page-turning novel.

Why I Read This Book: This book was recommended to me by a friend (who isn't a big reader) and then confirmed as good by another person who does read a lot, so I wanted to pick it up soon after that.


Review: I enjoyed this book from the beginning. Some books that are a part of a larger series can take a little longer to get into, but that wasn't the case with this. I didn't love it, but the book had all the right ingredients: hot boys, paranormal activity, some steamy love scenes, and an exciting plot. I can't actually pinpoint exactly why I didn't love it, but it took me over a week to read, so it wasn't calling my name at all hours of the day. I actually had times where I felt more in the mood to read the less exciting book I was reading at the same time. So, I;m not sure what the book was missing, but it was still really good, and I will definitely be picking up the next book very soon!
Any other opinions on this one would be appreciated!

Rating:

Vampire Diaries 2, 3, & 4 by L.J. Smith

Goodreads Summaries: 
Book 2 The Struggle: 

Torn between two vampire brothers
Damon: determined to make Elena his, he'd kill his own brother to possess her. 

Stefan: desperate for the power to destroy Damon, and protect Elena, he gives in to his thirst for human blood.
Elena: the girl who can have anyone finds herself in the middle of a love triangle . . . one that might turn deadly.


Book 3 The Fury: 
A Love Triangle of Unspeakable Horror...
Stefan: Tormented after losing Elena, he' s determined to end the feud with his brother, Damon--whatever the cost. 
Damon: Mocking Stefan and Elena, he laughs in the face of doom. 
Elena: Wild with her craving for blood, she confronts the ultimate evil. 
The terrifying story of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.


Book 4 Dark Reunion: 
The Final Conflict...The Last Deadly Kiss 
Elena: Now she rises from the dead to recreate the powerful vampire trio. Stefan: Summoned by Elena, he keeps a promise to her and fights the most terrifying evil he' s ever faced. 
Damon: Joining the brother he once called enemy, Damon battles this new horror with strength, cunning, and deadly charm.

Why I Read These Books: Basically I read these three books because I read the first one, and I liked it.

Review: I didn't like the second book as much as I liked the first. I think I can attribute this to the fact that not a lot happened in most of the book, and it was kind of boring. Also, I started watching the TV show after I finished book 1, so was watching it and reading this book at the same time, and the book really wasn't as good. I still liked it though, so I will give it 3 stars. The 3rd and 4th book got more excited, and I enjoyed those a lot more than the 2nd book. Also, the TV show and the books as SO different at this point that I wasn't trying to compare them at all anymore, which helped. There was a lot of spooky twists and turns in the last two books that kept you on your toes. After seeing the TV show actors, I don't think I will ever picture a lot of the people the way Smith describes them, but I am now enjoying the book series quite a bit, and look forward to starting 'The Return' series about them, I would give both book 3 and book 4 four stars.

Rating:

Book 2 - 

Book 3 - 

Book 4 -