In My Mailbox (9)

In My Mailbox (9)

The idea for In My Mailbox came from The Story Siren.

This week, I was planning on trying to reduce my reading pile but I ended up getting quite a few books from the library and also I borrowed a couple of books.  I'm doing this post quite late at night and I'm not really tired so just for something to do I tracked down some websites to do with each of the books and if you click on the book titles you can go to those pages.

From the library:

Bliss by Lauren Myracle

Having grown up in a California commune, Bliss sees her aloof grandmother's Atlanta world as a foreign country, but she is determined to be nice as a freshman at an elite high school, which makes her the perfect target for Sandy, a girl obsessed with the occult.

I had this book out from the library once and didn't get to read it.  It looked really good though so I'm going to try read it this time around.

The Lost Queen by Frewin Jones

After discovering her true identity as Princess Tania of the Faerie Realm, a sixteen-year-old British girl returns to the Mortal World, in search of her mother, Queen Titania, who disappeared 500 years ago.

I've read the first book in this series and I quite liked it and as the fourth book in the series has just recently been released I thought it would be a good idea to try read the rest of the series.

Skinned by Robin Wasserman

To save her from dying in a horrible accident, Lia's wealthy parents transplant her brain into a mechanical body.

I thought that this book sounded really good when I read a synopsis for it.  It sounds kind of science fictiony and I really like science fiction so I decided I should read this one.

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley

Ever feel invisible? Charlotte Usher did. Teased by classmates, overlooked by teachers, beneath contempt of the popular and ignored by Damen, the guy of her dreams, she barely registered on the radar at Hawthorne High. The kind of girl no one would ever miss if she died tomorrow. And then she did...

The End?

Not exactly...

I saw this book at the library and I thought it looked really cool.  So I'd give it a read.

Ghostsitters by Angie Sage

Araminta's Aunt Tabby has won a Transylvanian holiday for four so she and all the adults of Spook House are going for a much-needed break but it just so happens to be Araminta's birthday, too. So who will keep an eye on Araminta and her friend Wanda? Mathilda, Araminta's 'grown up' cousin, arrives to babysit, along with two rowdy teenage ghosts.

I've read the rest of this series and I really like Angie Sage's books so I had to read this one. My  review for which is here.

Cathy's Ring by Sean Stewart

Cathy is in St. Louis, Missouri. It's been six months since she'd discovered her boyfriend was immortal. She searches for answers to her father's death and finds a website on the internet. This an immortal fortune teller whom claims she can help Cathy find out if her father really died of heart attacked. The fortune teller's name is Auntie Joe. When Cathy met her Auntie Joe said that her father did not die of a heart attack. He was murdered. Then Auntie Joe said that if Tsao (her boyfriend, Victor's father and an immortal) could not marry her, he will kill her. After Auntie Joe told her about some things Cathy wanted to know, Cathy took a Greyhound Bus to San Francisco, her home. But, little did she know that it was the beginning of another crazy adventure through the immortal world.

I saw this book at the library and it had some cool bits and pieces in it so I grabbed it.

The Borrowed:

Cathy's Key by Sean Stewart

When the laboratory technicians working for Ancestor Lu discover the key to the immortality genetic structure, Victor names it the "Cathy Key" in honour of his quest to make Cathy immortal. Ancestor Lu humours him. But when events go fatally wrong and a Fortune Teller's grim prophecy comes true, soon a homicide investigation is underway and Cathy, once again, is a little too close for comfort Cathy's Key is a brilliantly involved thriller, a love story and an entirely interactive experience with further developments to the websites and phone numbers and online activity which make this package so unique and special.

Cathy's Book by Sean Stewart

When 17-year-old Cathy wakes up one morning to discover a needlepoint near her elbow, her mother is typically suspicious and worried. But Cathy has other ideas and quickly puts them into action. In pursuit of her missing boyfriend (who she feels must be linked to the strange mark on her arm) she starts piecing some startling facts together which lead her into the dangerous underworld of San Francisco's China Town. Throughout her findings, Cathy keeps a secret journal and gathers many items of evidence as well as telephone numbers and websites - leaving it all for her friend Emma to find should Cathy go too far and not come back. All this evidence can be found, integrated into the book and also available to download online. Readers who fully explore this compelling and unique novel, will enter an alternate reality as they reach deeper into the thrilling mystery of Cathy's world.

I got the third book in the series out of the library so I decided I had better get the first two so I borrowed them from my boyfriend's sister.  My review for Cathy's Book is here.

And that was my week in books, I hope everyone else had a great week.

Shattered Mirror by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Shattered Mirror by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Published: Laurel-Leaf, 2003

Series: Book 3, Den of Shadows

As seventeen-year-old Sarah, daughter of a powerful line of vampire-hunting witches, continues to pursue the ancient bloodsucker Nikolas, she finds herself in a dangerous friendship with two vampire siblings in her high school.

Shattered Mirror is an entertaining read.  I quite liked reading Shattered Mirror, the characters were all pretty good.  I had no complaints when it came to the characters.

The story line itself wasn't a bad one, I have to say though I felt that it was a little dragged out in some places but nonetheless it was quite a good read.

There were a few elements of mystery scattered throughout the story which was quite good, it kept me entertained and continuing to read the book.

Overall, I quite liked Shattered Mirror, it was light, and very short.  I did get a little confused at some parts though.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the vampire genre and is looking for a short but entertaining read.  I would however, suggest reading the other two books in the series, In the Forests of the Night and Demon in my View, as the books link distantly.

My Rating: φφφφ

Cathy's Book by Sean Stewart

Cathy's Book by Sean Stewart

Published: London : Bloomsbury Children's, 2008

Series: Book 1, Cathy's Books

When 17-year-old Cathy wakes up one morning to discover a needlepoint near her elbow, her mother is typically suspicious and worried. But Cathy has other ideas and quickly puts them into action. In pursuit of her missing boyfriend (who she feels must be linked to the strange mark on her arm) she starts piecing some startling facts together which lead her into the dangerous underworld of San Francisco's China Town. Throughout her findings, Cathy keeps a secret journal and gathers many items of evidence as well as telephone numbers and websites - leaving it all for her friend Emma to find should Cathy go too far and not come back. All this evidence can be found, integrated into the book and also available to download online. Readers who fully explore this compelling and unique novel, will enter an alternate reality as they reach deeper into the thrilling mystery of Cathy's world.

Cathy's Book is an interactive book.  It's a mystery that you can take part in.  There are clues in the book that you can look at and make conclusions from.   There are also a couple of websites, here and here, which are incorporated into the book.
The story itself started out to be quite good.  It was different to what I was expecting.  But it was interesting.  I was reading it and trying to figure out what was going to happen next and such.

The characters were different, Cathy was different to characters I'd read in other books before.  I found Cathy to be an interesting person because she was rebellious but a good person in general.  I found Victor to be very mysterious but that was part of his character.

As I was reading through Cathy's book I was trying to piece the clues together but I have to say the outcome of the story was not what I had expected.  I thought that Cathy's book would be a normal, straightforward mystery story so I was not prepared for the ending.  However, the story was a very good one.

There was one downside to the book however, there were a lot of little pictures and such drawn around the edges but sometimes they got in the way of the text so I had to strain my eyes to figure out what the words were.

Overall, I quite liked Cathy's Book, it was something different and the interactive element was quite cool.  I will definitely be reading the other two in the series.  I'd recommend this one to anyone who loves a good mystery, good characters and anyone who loves interactive story's.  So give it a try.

My Rating: φφφφ

Ghostsitters by Angie Sage

Ghostsitters by Angie Sage

Published: London : Bloomsbury Children's, 2008

Series: Book 5, Araminta Spook

Araminta's Aunt Tabby has won a Transylvanian holiday for four so she and all the adults of Spook House are going for a much-needed break but it just so happens to be Araminta's birthday, too. So who will keep an eye on Araminta and her friend Wanda? Mathilda, Araminta's 'grown up' cousin, arrives to babysit, along with two rowdy teenage ghosts.

Ghostsitters is a neat little story that is a very light, fast-paced read.  I really like the Araminta Spook series by Angie Sage.  They are for younger readers but the storyline is interesting enough to keep me entertained.

I find Araminta to be such a funny character.  She is clueless about so many things like in this book she had no idea what a pizza was.  It was so cute.

The illustrations are really cool too.  I find the way the people are drawn to be similar to Arnold of Hey Arnold, with the football shaped heads.

There were a couple of things that were meant to be a surprise but I guessed them part way through the story but that didn't stop me from enjoying it.

Overall, Ghostsitters is a neat little story that is entertaining and a very light and fast read that is mostly good for younger readers but it is a delightful story for anyone who is interested.

I'd recommend this one to anyone who likes ghosts and little mysteries.

My Rating: φφφφ

Demon In My View by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Demon In My View by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Published: New York : Delacorte Press, c2000

Series: Book 2, Den of Shadows

Seventeen-year-old Jessica Allodola discovers that the vampire world of her fiction is real when she develops relationships with an alluring vampire named Aubrey and the teenage witch who is trying to save Jessica from his clutches.

Demon In My View is part of the vampire genre.  I quite liked the book, it was a very small book being only 176 pages.

I have to say however, I felt that Demon In My View was nothing too special.  It was a nice read for a relaxing afternoon and the story line was relatively interesting.

The characters were interesting enough but they weren't special in any way.

Overall, I thought that Demon In My View was an interesting read and good if you want something short to read.  But it was nothing extraordinary.

I will however to continue to read the rest of the series as they are entertaining enough.

I'd recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of vampires, witches or anyone just looking for something short to read. I would suggest however reading the first book entitled "In The Forests Of The Night" before reading this one as there are quite a few references to the first book.

My Rating: φφφ

Love Waits by Donald James Parker

Love Waits by Donald James Parker

Published: Sword of the Spirit Publishing, 2009

Cheri is an innocent fourteen-year-old raised in a small town in Nebraska. Her father lands a promotion, demoting her to a status of ‘nobody’ in a much larger and inhospitable city. One of the few people she connects with in her new school spills the beans that Cheri is still a virgin. Some of her cool schoolmates frown on that condition and exert pressure on her to ditch her inhibitions. Faced with the loneliness of the new environment coupled with relationship problems with her father, Cheri finds the temptation growing strong. When her father assigns an older babysitter, she is ready rebel. However, she finds that Jean Macalester is no ordinary sixty-year-old, especially to a girl with aspirations of resuming a love affair with music. Jean's womanly wisdom, background as a flute teacher, and love of God provide a counterweight to the peer pressure of Judy Green, the girl who goes on a personal crusade to convert Cheri to coolness. When Cheri and Duke Williams, Cheri's new crush, discover the church youth group planning a chastity pledge, they have to decide whether to join. In addition to dealing with guarding her own purity, Cheri tries to help friends in distress, win top chair in the band, and set her dad up with the teacher from the chastity class. Everything comes to a climax when two of her friends are brutally assaulted, and they all look to the peace that passes all understanding that only God can provide.

Love Waits was a book that is different to the books that I would normally read, but I decided to read it because it sounded like it could be a good read.  And it was.

While reading Love Waits I found myself deeply drawn into the story line of the novel.  The characters were all very good although I have to say at first I didn't really like a couple of the characters but later on in the story as they changed I began to really like them.

Love Waits gave me a lot of things to think about.  That is to say, for me it was a very thought-provoking novel.

I loved how there were some parts that made you laugh out loud and then there were also some very serious parts that made the book stand out.

I feel that Love Waits was a really good read that made me think long and hard about some of the issues that were brought up.  I definitely felt emotionally attached to the characters and the issues they faced.

Overall, I really enjoyed Love Waits, I found it to be a serious, refreshing read that brings about some very good points.  I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves christian fiction as well as anyone who would love to read a story that brings up some really good issues.

The good news is that you can read it in e-book form here.

My Rating: φφφφφ

The Forest of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Published: London : Gollancz, 2009

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future-between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

I had a lot of mixed feelings about The Forest of Hands and Teeth while I was reading it.  At the very start I found it to be slightly boring but it soon picked up pace and I really loved the suspense of it and I kept reading it because I wanted to know more and more about what happened.

Unfortunately my interest in it tapered off slightly towards the end, where I found it to be quite slow moving.

I did really like some of the descriptions in the book and there are quite a number of memorable scenes that I thoroughly enjoyed.  I did feel like i was a part of the story, like I was there in the village with Mary.

The characters were all very good, I really liked most of them.  The only one I didn't particularly like was Jed but I did warm to him later on.

Overall, I felt that The Forest of Hands and Teeth was a well-written, and descriptive novel.  I did however think there were a couple of unanswered questions hovering in the air and the end was slightly lacking.

I would recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of the post-apocalyptic novels, also to anyone who just wants to read something different.

My Rating:  φφφφ

Quotable Quotations (6)

Quotable Quotations (6)

Monday rolls around again.  Time goes by far too fast.  It's a good thing I'm not running out of quotes from books that I like.  So, this week I have chosen the quote and it is for a good reason.  This quote is from King Lear by William Shakespeare.

"Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides." ~ William Shakespeare, King Lear

I chose that particular quote because it means that only time will tell what's around the corner.  And in the world of book blogs as well as life in general, there are things that are only revealed when time tells.

Thats it for this week, have a great week.

In my mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox (8)

The idea for In My Mailbox came from The Story Siren.

This week I had a good week, I didn't get too many books.  All of the books I got this week came from the library.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future-between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

Ever since I read the description of this one I've wanted to read it, it sounds really really good.  It also sounds a little creepy so it definitely caught my eye.

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

Lyra and Will, the ordinary children who were left in such extraordinary danger at the end of Book Two, find themselves facing even greater perils. Old friends come to their aid and they make new allies.

I really loved the first two books in the series and have been meaning to read this one for years.  And so now I finally got it out so I can try read it at some point.

Envy: A Luxe novel by Anna Godbersen

Manhattan's most envied residents appear of have everything they desire: wealth, beauty, happiness. But sometimes the most practiced smiles hide the most scandalous secrets.

I got the second one last week and so when I saw this at the library I grabbed it.  I really really love the cover of this book and the other books in this series.

So, that was my week in books.  I hope everyone else had a great week.

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

Published: New York : Greenwillow Books, 2008

Series: Sequel to Howl's Moving Castle

When Charmain is asked to housesit for Great Uncle William, the Royal Wizard of Norland, she is ecstatic to get away from her parents, but finds that his house is much more than it seems.

House of Many Ways was an interesting read.  It started off being really slow and boring at the start but then it got a little bit more exciting.  About 3/4's of the way through I started to get interested in what was going on.  Unfortunately this excitement didn't last.  I was a tad disappointed by the ending too.

As for characters, I was excited to see Howl, Sophie and Calcifer from Howl's Moving Castle.  But unfortunately they didn't make the book any more exciting.  I really disliked most of the characters, I found myself strongly disliking Charmain,  Peter and Rollo.

This is the fourth book by Diana Wynne Jones that I have read.  The first one happened to be Howl's Moving Castle and I absolutely love it and it is one of my favourite books.  Unfortunately, it seems to be the only one I have liked.

Overall, I found House of Many Ways to be slightly disappointing.  It just didn't seem to capture my attention.  I'd recommend this to fans of the fantasy genre and anyone who is a fan of Diana Wynne Jones.

My Rating: φφ

Reading On Film: Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons

Today I went to see the film Angels and Demons directed by Ron Howard and based on the novel by Dan Brown.  The first thing I have to say about it is that I loved it.

There were quite a few parts that were different to the novel but overall it was a thoroughly pleasing film.  It definitely sparked my memories of the book in places however.

Characterwise, I thought that Tom Hanks once again made a great Robert Langdon.  I did however feel that the character of Vittoria wasn't quite how I imagined her.

Nor was the Vatican library.  But you do get that with films they never are exactly the same as they are in the books.  Which made me wonder if there was some law that made directors have to change parts of movies so they differ from the books.

Overall, however I was utterly thrilled with the film adaption of Angels & Demons and if the third book (not yet published) gets made into a movie I will definitely be going to see that.

Quotable Quotations (5)

Quotable Quotations (5)

This weeks quote I picked out of Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson which I read a couple of weeks ago.  I really love the descriptions in this quote and so without further ado:

"This girl shivers and crawls under the covers with all her clothes on and falls into an overdue library book, a faerie story with rats and marrow and burning curses.  The sentences build a fire around her, a Times New Roman 10-point barricade, to keep the thorny voices in her head from getting too close." ~ Laurie Halse Anderson, Wintergirls

Thats it for this week, have a great week.

Random Thoughts

Random Thoughts

I've been sitting here for about an hour or two flicking through websites about books, movies made into books, quotes from books and all sorts of other random things to do with books and I can't help but think about different things to do with books.

I'm not entirely sure how many people take the time to flick through and read the posts I put up, but I do have a question that I've been pondering over a lot lately and I just thought I might ask it here and see if anyone has an opinion on the matter.

It's actually a little series of questions but I am curious as to your thoughts.

Have you read anything or seen anything done by William Shakespeare?

If yes, what are your thoughts on his work? Do you think it's relevant in today's society?

Do you think that Shakespeare's unimportant or do you find his writing to be magnificent?

Also just as a little side note I'm curious as to whether or not people from the US study Shakespeare very much?

My opinion:

I really love Shakespeare, his language use is amazing.  I've had the chance to experience several of his plays in reading them, on film and on stage.  I even did a little stint acting in one little snippet of a Shakespearian play.  At first, I had to study Shakespeare for english at school and my first thoughts were "oh man, this is going to be so boring" but I somehow managed to fall in love with the words of William Shakespeare and am completely in awe of how he writes.  I also think that Shakespeare is definitely relevant in today's society because his plays are all about human emotions that are still experienced in this day and age.

Well, thats my opinion on the matter.  I'm just curious to hear anyone else's.

In My Mailbox (7)

In My Mailbox (7)

The idea for In My Mailbox came from The Story Siren.

This week I am doing my post a little early.  Mainly because I know I won't be venturing out anywhere tomorrow.  Also, there's no post on a Sunday.  So, this week I ended up going a little overboard at the library, one day I went in to collect two books I had on hold and ended up with five books.  So anyway, I feel that I had a really good week in the way of books this week.

Rumors: A Luxe Novel by Anna Godbersen

After bidding goodbye to New York's brightest star, Elizabeth Holland, rumors continue to fly about her untimely demise.

All eyes are on those closest to the dearly departed: her mischievous sister, Diana, now the family's only hope for redemption; New York's most notorious cad, Henry Schoonmaker, the flame Elizabeth never extinguished; the seductive Penelope Hayes, poised to claim all that her best friend left behind—including Henry; even Elizabeth's scheming former maid, Lina Broud, who discovers that while money matters and breeding counts, gossip is the new currency.

As old friends become rivals, Manhattan's most dazzling socialites find their futures threatened by whispers from the past.

I just recently finished The Luxe and I was dying to know what happens next, so I managed to pick up the sequel, Rumors.  I also have to mention the cover, I love the cover, the dress is so cool.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

In a world where some people are born with extreme and often-feared skills called Graces, Katsa struggles for redemption from her own horrifying Grace, the Grace of killing, and teams up with another young fighter to save their land from a corrupt king.

I love the cover of this book.  Ever since I read the description for the first time I have been wanting to read this.  I've waited for so long to get hold of it and now I have and I hope that it will be really really good.

Airhead by Meg Cabot

Sixteen-year-old Emerson Watts, an advanced placement student with a disdain for fashion, is the recipient of a "whole body transplant" and finds herself transformed into one of the world's most famous teen supermodels.

I've read a couple of reviews for this book and thought it sounded quite interesting, I've never read anything by Meg Cabot so this will be a new thing for me.  I do have The Mediator series on my list though.  One thing that makes me really want to read Airhead is that it seems to have a tiny element of science fiction and I do love science fiction.

Teach Me by R.A Nelson

Welcome to my head.

Let's hit the ground running.

With these words, high school senior Carolina "Nine" Livingston invites readers to take an up-close-and-personal glimpse at a secret and taboo affair.

Nine is immediately drawn to her new English teacher, Mr Mann; to his brilliant exploration of poetry in class, and to the way he talks to her like an equal.  What begins as a friendship between student and teacher soon becomes more, as the two tumble headlong into a passionate romance that goes against every basic notion of what's right and what's wrong.

I thought that I'd read this one because it seems to be different to the things I'd normally read and so should make for an interesting read.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

When one of their tightly-knit group mysteriously disappears, four high school girls find their friendship difficult to maintain when they begin receiving taunting messages from someone who seems to know everything about their past and present secrets.

I've been meaning to read this series for quite a while because it sounded like quite an interesting one, so I picked up the first one and shall see how it goes.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14:

Debate club.

Her father's "Bunny Rabbit."

A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15:

A knockout figure.

A sharp tongue.

A chip on her shoulder.

And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.

Frankie Landau-Banks:

No longer the kind of girl to take "no" for an answer.

Especially when "no" means she's excluded from her boyfriend's all-male secret society.

Not when she knows she's smarter than any of them.

When she knows Matthew is lying to her.

And when there are so many, many pranks to be done.

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 16:

Possibly a criminal mastermind.

This is the story of how she got that way.

I've been seeing this book around for ages now, and I must admit that I was a little put off by the cover.  But then I read the synopsis and thought "oh this actually sounds like quite a good read."

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

"Just listen," Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel. I open my eyes wide now. I sit up as much as I can. And I listen."Stay," he says. Everybody has to make choices. Some might break you. For seventeen-year-old Mia, surrounded by a wonderful family, friends and a gorgeous boyfriend decisions might seem tough, but they're all about a future full of music and love, a future that's brimming with hope. But life can change in an instant. A cold February morning ...a snowy road ...and suddenly all of Mia's choices are gone. Except one. As alone as she'll ever be, Mia must make the most difficult choice of all. Gripping, heartrending and ultimately life-affirming, If I Stay will make you appreciate all that you have, all that you've lost - and all that might be.

The picture for this one is really small because it's hard to find one for this cover.  For a while I thought that this might not be my kind of book but the more I hear about it, the more I want to read it to see what I think of it.

On A Good Day by Deborah Burnside

Lee is fed up with her out-of-control alcoholic mother, her absent father and having to shift towns and schools whenever life gets sticky.

Thank goodness for Evie, her surrogate nana next door.  Evie's house is Lee's safe haven, and her sewing machine the only way for Lee to enter the school wearable art competition - although being paired with Hinemoa, who is definitely not model material, is almost enough to stifle anybody's creative streak.

Then there's Gunna, heart-stoppingly gorgeous Gunna, her secret crush.

Lee struggles to keep up appearances, desperately hoping that one day things will be different...

Deborah Burnside is a New Zealand author and this is her first novel.  It was written a couple of years ago, but there is a good reason for why I want to read and review this book.  Which will be revealed all in good time.

So that was my week in the way of books.  Hope everyone else had a great week. 

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Published: New York : Simon Pulse, c2006

Series: Book 3, Uglies

Tally thought they were a rumour, but now she's one of them.  A Special.  A super-amped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.

But maybe being perfectly programmed with strength and focus isn't better than anything she's ever known.  Tally still has memories of something else.

But it's easy for her to tune that out—until she's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently.  It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete.  Either way Tally's world will never be the same.

I thought Specials was a great ending to the trilogy.  It had a nice summation.  I have to say that I was very happy with the ending.  I was also amazed that there were a couple of surprises hidden there.

My one complaint about this book is that it was a bit slow going at the start but then it got really great.  Specials is definitely worth reading.  Well, you have to read Uglies and Pretties first but the series is a really good one.

The characters were all great.  I found the ones that I absolutely hated became beloved characters for me in this book.

I really liked that the ending was swift and didn't drag on painlessly.

Scott Westerfeld has truly created a brilliant work of art with Specials.

As a little note I have to add that the Uglies series is a great one for making you think about things as they are now.  I know that I feel the whole series has definitely been very thought-provoking to me.

So, overall I really really enjoyed Specials.  It was utterly fantastic.  I would recommend this one to anyone who loves a good futuristic novel or a good science fiction.  Or anyone who loves the work of Mr Westerfeld.  I would also just like to mention that there is a fourth book in this 'trilogy', and I will definitely be reading that one very soon.

My Rating: φφφφφ