Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban book + movie review

Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter Book #3 of 7) by J.K. Rowling

Hardcover, 435 pages
Read: Dec. 18 - 31
Rating: 5/5
Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Magic
Summery: For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.
Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well; and the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts . . . he's at Hogwarts."
Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst.

Review: This story starts a few months after the events of the last book, again it is Harry's birthday and his uncle Vernon's sister, Aunt Marge, is visiting for the week. I loved this book. I had read this book back in Dec. of 2003, before the movie for it had come out, so I remember the main points within the story, but I had forgotten quite a few littler plot points so I'm happy I read it again, and that I had read the other two books before it this time around. most of the plot points I remember such as the one's involving Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, but I did not remember the anything involving Remus Lupin or Severus Snape, so reading those moments did feel like reading it for the first time. There were a few moments that did end up making me laugh, The first Divination class with the scene involving Parvati Patil and Ron was one of my favorites in particular. I also really liked most of the new characters introduced. I am a little disappointed that it took me two weeks to finish. The first time I read it I was sick with a flu and I still read it in only a day and a half, although considering the fact that I didn't remember quite a bit of the plot of the book, I probably barely retained any of it the first time around. I did not anticipate being so tired the following three days before the 23rd, and sadly I cannot retain anything I read if i'm to tired, so that's the main reason for it taking so long to read the book, the second reason, is that I did not anticipate being so busy around Christmas since I'm normally not. Anyway, I really liked this book and it was a great third book in a series, and I'm excited to read the next book in the series.

Now onto the movie.

Book-To-Movie Rating: 4/5
Thoughts on the book to movie adaptation: I really liked the movie. There are a few things that I wish had been more like the book, but considering the fact that the movie is over 2 hours long I can understand why certain thins were done differently. While the dialogue between Harry and Aunt Marge had been extremely close to what was in the book there were a few lines that I wish had been in the movie.Professor Trelawney was great in the movie although I would have also liked to have seen the scene involving Ron and Parvati, it wouldn't have furthered or added anything to the plot, I just happened to really enjoyed that scene in the book. While I liked both the confrontation towards the end both in the book and in the movie, I liked Sirius's personality in the book slightly better, also the dialogue/action part in the shrieking shack (Giving Hermione Ron's lines and actions) annoyed me so bad.

Hope everybody had/has a great day : )

Fearscape book review + The Devouring book series review

Fearscape (The Devouring book #3 of 3) by Simon Holt

Hardcover, 314 pages
Read: Dec. 16 - 17
Rating: 2/5
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Supernatural, Horror
Summery: The Vours: Evil demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hour of the winter solstice.
It's been a year since Reggie first discovered the Vours, and the winter solstice is approaching once again. It will be another night of unspeakable horror for those unlucky enough to be taken by the Vours, because this time, she won't be able to stop them. The Vours have imprisoned Reggie in a psychiatric hospital, where she is subjected to a daily routine of unfathomably sadistic experiments. Her life is a living hell, but she won't give up. They attacked her brother. They killed her friend. And Reggie will never stop fighting back.

Review: This story starts almost a year after the events of the first book, The Devouring, and almost six months after the events of the second book, Soulstice. Sadly I ended up with the same opinion of this book as I had about Soulstice. I like the psychological aspect, but everything else was just there, not really good, nor bad. The characters still had a disconnected feel for me. There were events in this book that did annoy me, and have me rolling my eyes, such as practically everything from chapter 11 and 12, and the beginning of chapter 19 was kind of stupid and felt unnecessary. Also, I was right about the romance, but thankfully it didn't take anything away from the story, but it also didn't add anything either. It seemed only hinted at a love triangle, which was/would have been stupid. the story really didn't have a open and shut ending, like there was the possibility of having another book, which if that did end up happening I would not be reading it.

Series Rating: 2.5/5
Series Review: While I really liked the psychological horror aspect, as well as the fearscapes, nothing else stood out or made me feel much, if anything, while reading it. The only character I liked was Henry, and he wasn't in the series much. The rest of the characters had a disconnected feel to them, like I didn't care whether they lived or died, they were just there. Most of the events in the second and third book felt over-dramatic, I don't think the all over non-feeling that I had with the characters helped, but most of the events that were supposed to be suspenseful or heart-racing weren't. I did enjoy the first book in this series and think it was a really good set-up for the rest of the series, but after reading the other two books, I wish it could have been left at just that first book, sure there would have been some unanswered questions, but having those questions unanswered would have been better than reading the other two books in the series. The thing is, that the events themselves, as well as the reason for the events weren't terrible and could have been really good, but the way that the whole book series was written made it boring and uninteresting. The disconnected feeling I got with the series wasn't very obvious in the first book, but became glaringly obvious with the other two books. Sadly, while I did enjoy the first book, I feel like I wasted my time reading the other two.

Hope everybody had/has a good day : )

Soulstice book review

Soulstice (The Devouring book #1 of 3) by Simon Holt

Hardcover, 266 pages
Read: Dec. 15 - 16
Rating: 3/5
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Supernatural, Horror
Summery: The Vours: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice.
Six month...
Since Reggie first discovered the existence of the Vours in a tattered journal. Since she learned to overcome her fear and destroyed a Vour to save Henry.
Now as the summer solstice approaches, the Vours still haunt Reggie, but only in her dreams - until one night, when an unexpected visitor turns her nightmares into reality.

Review:  This story starts out six months since the events of the first book, The Devouring. I still really liked the psychological aspect of the series, the rest is where I have a problem getting into it. While I enjoy and can respect what the characters in the story bring to it I don't really like them, they have a disconnected feeling. I still have no real connection or interest in the main character Reggie, or her friend Aaron, the only one I really liked was Reggie's little brother, Henry, In the first one you can't really get a feel on his personality but in this one, even though he's not in it much you can get a feel on who he is some, and I ended up really liking him. The only parts I really liked or that held my interest were the fearscape parts. I didn't really like the relationship that ended up happening between Reggie and the "unexpected visitor", I didn't like that she ended up trusting them, I also don't like that I have a strong feeling that their going to be the romance in the third book, from reading non-spoiler reviews I know there is going to be a romance, and it seems like it's going to be between Reggie and the "unexpected visitor". Also, the who are Vours felt... I don't know if this is the right way to explain it, but it started to feel soap opera Dramatic instead of suspenseful. While I will be reading the third/last book in this series next, I am not really excited or really interested to read it, the reason I will be reading it is that 1. there was a pretty big cliff hanger (that thanks to the third books summery I knew was going to happen), and 2. considering I own the last book I feel like I should just get it over with and read it.

Hope everybody had/has a great day : )

The Ice Dragon book review

The Ice Dragon by George R. R. Martin

Hardcover, 128 pages
Read: Dec. 14
Rating: 5/5
Genres: Fantasy
Summery: In the world of A Song of Ice and Fire the ice dragon was a creature of legend and fear, for no man had ever tamed one. When it flew overhead, it left in its wake desolate cold and frozen land. But Adara was not afraid. For Adara was a winter child, born during the worst freeze that anyone, even the Old Ones, could remember.
Adara could not remember the first time she had seen the ice dragon. It seemed that it had always been in her life, glimpsed from afar as she played in the frigid snow long after the other children had fled the cold. In her fourth year she touched it, and in her fifth year she rode upon its broad, chilled back for the first time. Then, in her seventh year, on a calm summer day, fiery dragons from the North swooped down upon the peaceful farm that was Adara’s home. And only a winter child—and the ice dragon who loved her—could save her world from utter destruction.

Review: This story starts Adara who waits for winter every year. According to the summery the ice dragon is also in the world of A Song Of Ice and Fire, I wouldn't know since I have not seen the series nor have I read the book. I really liked this story. It's a children's story  I would have loved when I was younger, I love it even now at 22. The Illustrations are beautiful. The relationship between Adara and the Ice Dragon in this book was a subtle but nice relationship. I also liked the subtle character growth in this book as well. I really liked this story.

Hope everybody had/has a great day : )

The Knife of Never Letting Go + The New World book review

The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking book #1 of 3) by Patrick Ness

Hardcover, 479 pages
Read: Dec. 11 - 14
Rating: 5/5
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action
Summery: Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.
But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

Review: This story starts out Todd and Manchee walking through the fields towards the swamp to get some swamp apples. Wow, at the beginning of reading this book I did not think I was going to like it as much as I did. To start off, the first two chapters (page 9 - 26) did not interest me, but once I got to chapter 3 (Ben and Cillian) things really took off, both in the book and with my interest. The ending was a cliff hanger that left me wanting to read more. For the first third of the book, Especially at the beginning Todd was a little annoying to me, but after both me and Todd started learning me about the New World and the people in it I started liking him more and more, I also liked that after Todd made a mistake (ex. Chapter 25: Killer) he learned and grew from them. I liked that it's a little bit of a rarity to have when reading a Young Adult book/series, especially when reading dystopian one. There was a part in the end of part five (chapter 31) that made me cry, which for me was surprising. The only other book I cry while reading was Mockingjay, I got teary eyed while reading The Hunger Games and The Book Thief but I didn't cry, so that was surprising. I really liked Ben and Cillian for the little bit I got to read of them, and I loved Manchee, but most of the men from Prentisstown are pretty crazy, and I didn't really enjoy Carbonel Downs men very much either. Because of the first two chapters, and little bit because of Todd personality in the first third, I did not think I was going to like the book or that it was going to be emotional, but it was, and I did really like this book and am excited to read the rest in this series.


Next up,
The New World (Chaos Walking novella/short story #1 of 3) by Patrick Ness

Kindle Edition, 25 pages
Read: Dec. 14
Rating: 4.5/5
Genres: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Dystopia
Summery: In this dramatic prequel to the award-winning Chaos Walking Trilogy, author Patrick Ness gives us a short story of Viola's journey to the New World.

Review: This story starts with Viola and her parents within days of arriving at New World. I Don't know how Patrick Ness did it but this one was also emotional for me. The story jumps back and forth between when Viola and her parents are arriving at New World and when they had not left yet for New World. I really like getting to see more background into Viola as well it made me like her tat much more. Even though this story is set before the first book in the series you should read the book before reading this novella/short story, this story will make more sense if you read it second. All in all both books were a great start to the series, and have made me excited to read more in the series.

Hope everybody had/has a great day : )

Ink Exchange Book Review

Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely book #2 of 7) by Melissa Marr

Paperback, 352 pages
Read: Dec. 3 - 6
Rating: 2.5/5
Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Faries
Summery: Unbeknownst to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance among the Faery Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow.
Seventeen-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life.
The tattoo does bring changes—not the kind Leslie has dreamed of, but sinister, compelling changes that are more than symbolic. Those changes will bind Leslie and Irial together, drawing Leslie deeper and deeper into the faery world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils. . . .

Review: This story starts with the first time Irail meets Leslie. So far this series is very enjoyable for me. the main reason I've been enjoying them is because of the characters. The book switches through the perspectives through out the book (Irail, Leslie, and Niall). I really liked all three, Aislinn, Keenan, and Seth are also in this book of the series, it takes place a few months after the ending of the first book, I still liked the relationship between Seth, Ash, and Keenan (Donia was sadly not in this book, and vaguely mentioned as the new Winter Queen). I also liked the relationship between Leslie, Irail, and Niall. While Niall and Leslie were in the first book (Niall a tiny bit more then Leslie) they were not in it enough for me to like or know them (Irial was only mentioned), but in this book they are front and center. I really liked Leslie, and her decision in the ending of this book, It took me about two chapters from Niall's perspective to like him, and about three chapters from Irial's perspective to like him. I liked this book more then the first, the point of views from the characters were a little more in depth, as well as the world building. For the first book I didn't really know much about the faries from this series, but in this book I got some answers to why some of the fae did what they did. I can still definitely understand why some people may/will not enjoy or like the book and/or the series, but I for one do enjoy them.


Other books in this series.
Wicked Lovely #1 Review: http://wolfsecho.blogspot.com/2014/05/wicked-lovely-book-review.html

Hope everybody had/has a great day : )

The Devouring book review

I ended up getting sick at the ending of Nov. and while I tried to read I couldn't get through chapter three, much less the rest of the book without getting extremely dizzy.

The Devouring (The Devouring book #1 of 3) by Simon Holt

Paperback, 256 pages
Read: Nov. 28 and Dec. 2
Rating: 4/5
Genres: Young Adult, Horror, Paranormal, Psychological Horror
Summery: When Reggie finds an old journal and reads about the Vours, supernatural creatures who feast on fear and attack on the eve of the winter solstice, she assumes they are just the musings of some lunatic author. But soon, they become a terrifying reality when she begins to suspect that her timid younger brother might be one of their victims.
Risking her life and her sanity, Reggie enters a living nightmare to save the people she loves. Can she devour own her fears before they devour her?
Bone-chilling, terrifying, thrilling...what are you waiting for?

Review: This story starts with the beginning of a story about Jeremiah getting taken over by Vours on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice. It was a good book, I enjoyed it, but there were definitely problems with it for me. The first and biggest one for me was that while the characters were okay, I didn't connect with, or get invested with any of them. Although I liked the fast pace I think that might have caused the problem with the characters for me. Also the more or less complete absence of parents, whether they weren't there completely or weren't there emotionally, bothered me. I did really like the psychological aspect, especially with the horror. The Vours, or as there called in the book, are these shadows/dark mists that take over your body a trap you in your worst fears in your mind, trying to keep hope that you will escape before you either die or become completely devoured by your fears. I really liked the Vours aspect of the book and there are a few cliffhangers/questions about one of the characters (Eben) that makes me want to read the rest of the series. I read this book once before back in 2012, and when I read the summery to the last/third book in the series I ended up not wanting to read the second or third in the series, because the summery for the third book gives a big spoiler to the ending of the second book away. So my advice is if you do read the first book and want to continue with the series, don't read the summery to the third book before you read the second book through. Although thanks to the third books summery I know whats going to happen at the end of the second book, I will be reading the rest of the series.


Thanks to first being very busy mid Nov. and getting very sick at the end of Nov. I had to put The Devouring series, The Montrumologist, and the 2 in 1 Chaos Walking Omnibus, onto Dec. T.B.R. list so I am now hoping to read and finish 13 more books this Dec., and finish 50 physical books for the year of 2014 (Not including the 6 short stories/novellas I have on my kindle).

Hope everybody has/had a great day : )