In The Hand Of The Goddess book review

In the Hand of the Goddess (Song of the Lioness book #2 of 4) by Tamora Pierce

Paperback, 264 pages

Read: Feb. 21 - Mar. 16

Rating: 3.5/5

Genres: Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Magic, Young Adult

Summery: "I don't want to fall in love. I just want to be a warrior maiden."

Still disguised as a boy, Alanna becomes a squire to none other than the prince of the realm. Prince Jonathan is not only Alanna's liege lord, he is also her best friend -- and one of the few who knows the secret of her true identity. But when a mysterious sorcerer threatens the prince's life, it will take all of Alanna's skill, strength, and magical power to protect him -- even at the risk of revealing who she really is...

Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna's second adventure continues the saga of a girl who dares to follow her dreams -- and the magical destiny that awaits her.

Review: This story starts of with Alanna, now fifteen, trying to find cover from the rain in a forest. This book was very hard for me to read, it felt very similar to the first book (Alanna), Although I feel like the first book had much better pacing. The beginning took me a long while to get into and the middle and ending had places where the way that the events that were taking place would be written moderately fast pace and it would make me gain interest, then a few pages afterwards the pacing would slow way down and I would lose interest again. I still really like all of the characters that I did from the last book though (although I didn't enjoy the romantic relationship that took place, the chemistry read more as friends so when they became romantic it felt off.), I also really like the plot and story, it's just the actual writing that I can't seem to get into. Also the ending gave me exactly the same feeling as the first book's ending did, It was very anti-climatic for me.

Also, for the release of the third book in the Penryn and The End of Days Series (End Of Days) which comes out May 12th, I'm so excited. I'm in a goodreads group that are re-reading the first two books in the series. For march we're re-reading Angelfall, and for April we're re-reading World After, So I'm going to have another review for those this month and the next.

Hope everybody had/has a great day : )

Harry Potter and The Goblet Of Fire book + movie review

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (Harry Potter series book 4 of 7) by J.K. Rowing

Hardcover, 734 pages
Read: Jan. 2 - 13
Rating: 5/5
Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Adventure, Romance
Summery: The summer holidays are dragging on and Harry Potter can't wait for the start of the school year. It is his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and there are spells to be learnt and (unluckily) Potions and Divination lessons to be attended. But Harry can't know that the atmosphere is darkening around him, and his worst enemy is preparing a fate that it seems will be inescapable.

Review: This story starts with some small background into the Riddle Family's death. I really liked this story, so far this one is both my favorite and my least favorite. The reason it took me so long to get through the book was that for a good 2/3 of the book felt extremely slow paced, there was exciting stuff happening and i really enjoyed it, but with the way it was written it felt very slow, there were funny and interesting parts within those portions of the book but the writing was a little to drawn out for me to really enjoy them. Chapter 24: Rita Skeeter's Scoop was when the pacing really picked up for me. That was the main problem I had with this book. My favorite had to be the new characters, i loved them, Even "Mad-Eye Moody" for the most part. The house-elf parts of the book were interesting, and I was more on Hermione's side involving that. I'm hoping I don't spoil the book by saying that Sirius is in the book. I loved him, I mentioned this a little bit in my book + movie review for The Prisoner Of Azkaban but I really like Sirius' personality much better in the books than in the movies so far. I am still very excited to read the rest of the books in the series.


Now on to the movie.

Book-To-Movie Rating: 4/5
Book-To-Movie Thoughts: While the movie was a good adaptation I much preferred the book. There were quite a few things that I wish were done more like the book. I liked the first, the third, and most of the second task better in the book. I also wish most of the event from after port key were more like the book. Also, I liked Dumbledore's and Viktor's personalities better in the book. While I liked the way they handled the polyjuice potion reveal well in the movie, it came as more of a shock in the book. Also I was a little sad there was such little amount of Sirius in the movie when compared to the book. I'm also a little sad I didn't get to see any of the house elves or Ludo Bagman, I would have liked to see how they looked. While I understand why they made the changes and cut things out completely, and while I did enjoy the movie, I'm still a little disappointed with the adaptation.

Hope everybody had/has a great day : )

Dec. Book Haul

I ended up with 16 books this month. 5 books were bought on black Friday on thriftbooks, they arrived in early Dec..

First an overview of all 16 books.

First, Thriftbooks.com. The bottom 5 I bought on Black Friday. The top 5 I bought right before Christmas Eve.

(L-R)1. The Diviners (The Diviners book #1) by Libba Bray
2. The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness
3. Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely book #3) by Melissa Marr
4. In The Hand Of The Goddess (Song Of The Lioness boo #2) by Tamora Pierce
5. Game Of Thrones (A Song Of Ice And Fire book #1) by George R. R. Martin
6. Rampant (Killer Unicorns book #1) by Diana Peterfreund
7. Real World by Natsuo Kirino
8. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
9. A Sword In Her Hand by  Jean-Claude van Rijckeghem and Pat van Beirs & Translated by John Nieuwenhuizen
10. Stranger With My Face by Lois Duncan

Now onto Amazon.com, Ebay.com, Goodwill and Bookoutlet.com. The first 3 are from Bookoutlet, the 4th is from Goodwill, the 5th is from eBay, and the last 1 is from Amazon.

(L-R)1. Stormdancer (The Lotus War book #1) by Jay Kristoff
2. Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn book #1) by Brandon Sanderson
3. Faery Tales & Nightmares (Wicked Lovely Bind-up of short stories) by Melissa Marr
4. Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
5. The Coldest Girl In Coldtown by Holly Black
6. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (Side note : I bought the UK Special Edition on Amazon UK as well, the cover was to hard to pass off, so I'm going to be selling this one once I get the UK Edition)

Well that's all of them.
Hope everybody had/has a great day : )

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 : )