Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane

by Suzanne Collins

I've gotten terribly behind on this blog (7 books behind) and I can't really remember the order I read some in or when I finished them, so this is just my best guess.

This is the second book in the Gregor series. Gregor returns to the underland to fulfill yet another prophecy. This book was better than the first one with some additional fun characters through into the mix. The fireflies are both hilarious and infuriating, while the newest rat Twitchtip keeps you guessing. Gregor continues to struggle to interpret the prophecies and understand his new friends all while having to make some of the most difficult decisions of his life. You can't help but love him, his sister Boots or even the various rats, bats and cockroaches that accompany him.

Gregor the Overlander

by Suzanne Collins

Two reasons to read this book: it's by Suzanne Collins, author of the incredibly awesome The Hunger Games, and Dani recommends it! (Both reasons clearly being enough on their own - put them together and it's pretty much mandatory to read this book!)

Gregor the Overlander is the first book in a five-part series. Gregor lives in New York City and lives a fairly ordinary life - until he and his little sister Boots fall through a grate in their laundry room and find themselves deep below the city in the Underland. Here they meet pale-skinned people with violet eyes, as well as scores of giant cockroaches, bats and rats. Gregor soon learns that the Underlanders believe he is the "warrior" from an ancient prophecy as well as that his dad (who's been missing for over 2 years) is likely being held prisoner by the rats. Gregor and his new acquaintances must set out on a journey to save his father, as well as the future of the Underland from the scheming plans of the rats.

Fun premise, fast read, amusing characters and four books to follow all add up to an exciting new series to enjoy!

It's a Mall World After All

by Janette Rallison

Fun and frivolous - that's how I'd describe this book. I laughed a lot.

Charlotte works in Bloomingdale's in the mall. While she spraying people with perfume she observes lots of things going on around her. First, she thinks she witnesses her best friend Brianna's boyfriend Bryant out with another girl. She also befriends a little boy who comes in needing new shoes for his mother. Charlotte spends a lot of the book trying to help this boy while also trying to prove to Brianna that Bryant is actually a jerk. Along the way she has many amusing encounters with Colton - Bryant's best friend who sometimes seems interested in her, as well as the boy Reese and his friend T.J. This boo isn't the next great American novel, but it is a fast read that will have you laughing out loud with frequency.

Gatekeepers

by Robert Liparulo

I've finally gotten around to reading the next book in the "Dreamhouse Kings" series. This book comes after Watcher in the Woods which comes after House of Dark Shadows. I liked Gatekeepers better than Watcher. The story was more interesting and some questions about the house begin to get answered.

However, my complaints remain the same: more questions are asked than answered, and the book ends right at the climax as each previous book has done. The first half of the book is spent resolving the climax from the previous book while the second half is spent creating a new one. So of course now I'm obligated to read the next book if I wish to know what happens. And while this may be a good book-selling strategy, it does annoy me. It's a good premise - I would have read the whole series even if they had been written the normal way!

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary

by Brandon Mull

Well I have now reached that dreaded moment: after months of anticipation, I finally have my hands on Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, and I finished reading it! Now I have probably about a year to wait for the final installment in what has become one of my all-time favorite series. On the scale of adoration for a book this one is right up on the pinnacle with the likes of Harry Potter and the Twilight series. I love it that much.

Fablehaven is just littered with interesting characters and creatures. The characters are each unique and believable. The creatures found on the preserves are a perfect mixture of traditional legends and lore as well as new beings and traits unique to Mull's universe.

I am having a terrible time writing this blog without spoilers, but I really hate to give away the ending or twist to a book. Usually, (especially with books written for children) I can spot the plot "twist" a mile away. Sometimes, I have an inkling of what type of event might occur, but rarely am I caught by surprise. However, this book provided a plot twist near the end that I NEVER saw coming. I literally felt jolted by the shock of what I had just read. And as much as I want to type of just what happened and exactly how I feel about this surprise, it is just too fabulously shocking for me to even think about giving it away.

Besides that point Mull continues to be fabulous at character development. Seth continues to be a risk-taker, but no longer does he thoughtless jump into danger. Kendra has grown up as well, and while she's still the thoughtful, careful one, she finds bravery and courage to stand up to all she is faced with. Other characters are varied, some comedic, some protective, some evil, some enigmatic, all entertaining. You'll probably laugh out loud when Verl proclaims his love, read suspiciously as Vanessa claims her loyalty, and mourn alongside the group as devastating events occur.

Each book in this series has release approximately 11 months after the previous. So here's hoping that many more will discover this fabulous series (that truly deserves more hype than it has been given) and that February 2010 will bring the conclusion of this amazing story.

My Fair Godmother

by Janette Rallison

Fun little book - I hesitate to use the word "romp" because it is used far too often.

Just when Savannah thinks her life couldn't get any worse (her boyfriend dumps her to go out with her sister, she already spent $350 on a prom dress and now has no one to go with her, and a kind-of dorky guy embarrasses her by announcing to nearly the entire school that her swimsuit top came undone when she jumped off the diving board) she gets a fairy - actually just a "fair" - godmother. Chrysanthemum Everstar isn't actually a fairy godmother yet because she hasn't passed all her tests...and she hasn't done that well in godmother school. She's simply done "fair". So when Chrissy comes to grant poor Savannah three wishes she doesn't really take the time to get things right. Savannah doesn't think her wishes through before saying them out loud and before she knows it, she's stuck in the middle ages! It will take all of her brains and willpower to escape the mess she's thrown herself and her friends into, but maybe, just maybe, she might learn something about herself, and what she really wishes for along the way.

This book is a quick read, with believable and likable characters, and witty banter all around. It was just the right mix of fairy-tale romance, adventure, problem-solving, and humor to be added to my ever-growing list of favorites.

The Other Book

by Philip Womack

Usually I can read a book while my roommate is in the room talking on the phone, with the tv on and my ipod in my ears and I won't notice any of it because I get so absorbed in what I'm reading. A really good book pulls you out of all your surroundings and says, "Hey! Pay attention to me!". Some of all my all-time beloved books fall into this category: Harry Potter, the Twilight series, Fablehaven, The Hunger Games etc. However, occasionally a wonderful book will require more concentration. It's not a bad thing, it just that some books need every ounce of thought focused of them because what they're about to say is so complex or the book in general is less flashy. Some of my favorite books were this way also, including: 100 Cupboards and Dandelion Fire, The Belgariad, Lord of the Rings, Megan Walen Turner's series, etc.

It is not a good sign though, when a book requires your complete concentration, and even then you don't quite know what's going on. Or when you set the book down for a few hours to, say, eat or talk to people, and when you pick it back up you can't for the life of you remember what you'd read an hour ago. This is the problem I had with this book. I tried! I gave it my full attention and concentration and it gave nothing back. I was so disappointed! Not only is it pretty, but the description both on the back and the inside flap were interesting. The first chapter was dark and intriguing and I was excited to read this relatively short novel. But then everything just fell apart.

First off, I think the idea is cool. It's about a boy, Edward - hey, and I didn't even have trouble not picturing sparkly vampires whilst reading! Go me. - who goes to this boarding school. One day he comes across this mysterious book - the "Other Book" - a dark tome that begins to take over his life. He learns that it is a source of power - one that is being sought out by people who would use it for evil. Edward must protect the book, and eventually deliver it to the rightful owner.

Sounds cool huh?

That's what I thought!

But the characters are confusing. Edward falls kind of flat. His personality isn't really explored, and all he does during the entire book is run from one place to another.

Another annoying aspect to me was that the other characters were extremely unreliable. Throughout the entire book you were never sure what their true colors were. Edward would put his trust in someone new, and time after time after time that person would turn around and betray him.

Also, the origins and nature of the Other Book were not fully explored. It was as if the author hadn't really decided what the Other Book was, so just put in some vague descriptions and decided that was enough. It was not enough for me.

In short, it was a cool idea for a story, but in the end the story and characters were not fully fleshed out or explored and the whole thing ended up feeling flat, truncated and confusing.