Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Paolini’s 4th and final installment of the popular Inheritance Cycle. Honestly? This book only gets 4 stars because I’m obsessed with Dragons. I started reading Paolini’s books when Eragon first came out,the summer before my 8th grade year…I am a Sophomore in College now. You would thik that since it took him nearly 7 years to complete his 4 book cycle they would provide fascinating and original, right? Wrong. As much as my 13 year old self adored Brave Eragon and Beautiful Arya, Dashing Murtgah and the fantasy of it all, my 19 year old self has to note that although his work is enthralling though a bit vague at times, it’s not the most original. The most obvious of these copycats is his eerie likeness to the story line of Tolkien’s LOTR, though we all know that attempting to replicate the Master is a futile affair. The man created an entire language for Goddess sake!! Secondly, His story line may contain a different set of physical settings and Characters, but plot wise, it is nearly Identical to the ever loved Star Wars Trilogy (the original ones obviously, don’t even talk to me about that prequel crap) Laughable as it may seem, it is the truth. Eragon is no more than a rip-off of Star Wars, not kidding. (Don’t believe me? See for yourself: http://complaintlab.blogspot.com/2007/07…
Since it is not my intention to dissuade you from reading this book I will cease my moaning on the originality of the work and continue by telling why you Should read it.
Firstly: It is a wonderful book, the whole series is, and If you are simply reading for pleasure I can’t think of a better book to pick up.
Secondly: It’s a fantasy with Elves, Magic, and Dragons, Hell Yeah!!!
Lastly: It isn’t a difficult read, but will take you awhile simply because of the sheer size, which is good. Especially if you are going on a long trip or need a time waster.
All in all, I liked the book, I’m a bit disappointed how a few things got resolved, but that’s my own personal grudge, Go read the book, you’ll like it. Oh, but go read the first three first…obviously.
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How to Live on Mars: A Trusty Guidebook to Surviving and Thriving on the Red Planet by Robert Zubrin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
How to Live on Mars is a hilarious guidebook catering to anyone interested in the scientific side of things who also harbors a sense of humor. Quirky and entertaining this fascinating book by Robert Zubrin gives a step-by-step explanation of how to move to, and survive on Mars. A book that caters both to the Scientifically inclined and the common folk this book is a great read for any I.Q. level.
In the book Zubrin thoroughly and humorously explains exactly what it would take to survive and thrive on the Red Planet. Covering everything from getting there, to growing your own food, to what to do if you get stranded in the desert, this book is a go-to guide for living on Mars.
Initially, when I unwrapped this book for my 19th birthday, I thought it was a joke. How to Live on Mars, seriously? Funny, yes, but not something I would expect from my oh-so-practical grandmother who only gifts things that will further the education of her grand kids. Not that I’m complaining. However, upon sitting down later that day and cracking open the book for myself I was introduced to just how entertaining knowledge could be. this book is a veritable treasure chest of information. Nestled among the jokes and sarcastic remarks Zubrin managed to compile a 197 page comprehensive guide of how to legitimately live on Mars. I mean, this book is the real deal. Not that I’m endorsing it but I’m pretty sure, if you wanted too and had we the technology and resources to make it happen, you could take this book and move to Mars, and you would do just fine. I’m not kidding.
Upon reading the back of the book and Zubrin’s bio I realized why of course, the guy’s a freaking Genius!!! He has a doctorate in Nuclear Engineering and a master’s in both Aeronautics and Astronautics. The guys a walking powerhouse of Awesome. This book is a textbook hidden in humor, I learned so much I actually considered going into Astrophysics for my major. (this was before I realized how much I sucked at math) And furthermore, on top of being enormously informative, It was also entertaining. i couldn’t put it down!
I recommend this book to anyone interested in Mars, Astronomy, or just Humorous information, this book hosts a wealth of knowledge and it would be a shame to miss out on such an educational experience, especially when it is no chore to sit through. I do concede to say there are big words in here and some parts are perhaps above general thinking level. So, it is not the easiest read in the world. But, if you take the time to open the book and get through it, you won’t be disappointed. I can almost promise you that. =)
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Rage: A Love Story by Julie Anne Peters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Rage: A Love Story, a rather misnomer in my opinion, but go ahead, I’ll bite.
Firstly, I would like to congratulate the author, Ms.Julie Anne Peters, her book is officially the shortest book I have ever read that took me 10 days to finish. *claps in mock enthusiasm*
Honestly that is not a jab at her more so at me. There are very few books I have found in this world that make me so uncomfortable I literally cannot read them. So Bravo. Well written. (and that is complete honesty). On that same note, before we get into specifics I would like to mention one thing: This Book IS a trigger. And as such I believe it should come with a trigger warning, so that people who have dealt with abuse before can prepare themselves adequately. That being said, let’s get to the good stuff shall we?
This book was absolutely wonderful. It took a bit to get into, and it was a hard read, but in the end you will be glad you read it.
The story follows Johanna Lynch, Senior in high school, Star-crossed lover, and oh, bonafied, true-to-the-bone Lesbian. The book begins with her obvious obsession of one the most popular (and damaged) girls in school, Reeve Hartt, and essentially the entire book is story of their relationship unfolding. Here’s the catch. Where you start the book off thinking it’s going to be just a normal find-your-one-true-love relationship story. It is not. It is a story of abuse, and hardship, and finding yourself among the ashes. It is a story on when the thing you hold most dear to you is the very thing that causes you the most pain. Drug abuse, Family abuse, relationship abuse, death, rape, murder, all in one book. (see why I mentioned the trigger warning?) This book is a veritable melting pot of horror.
To be fair, I am going to enter this side note. This book was a difficult one for me too read, because, like millions of other teen girls and boys, I also suffered from extreme dating abuse. I try to be as non-biased as possible at times like these, but sometimes, I have very little respect for the character who reminds me of who I used to be, and it shows.)
This book is a story of Love, and of redemption, but that doesn’t mask the fact that one of the most prominent problems in teen society is also one of the most ignored. Dating violence is everywhere, and this book is even more eye-opening because it is a lesbian novel. It shows that dating violence doesn’t just happen in heterosexual couples, where the male is violently abusing the female. Girls get violent too.
In conclusion, I would like to say that, if you are like me, the moment you decide you like this book will be an hour after you finish reading it. When your disgust with the weakness Johanna shows against Reeve’s violent actions abates, perhaps you will realize just how well-written and true to the bone this book is. It really speaks volumes if you care to listen. And this is me, and I am telling you to listen closely. Perhaps it will ring a bell for you too.
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Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
So, it has taken me awhile to get to this review. 10 days to be exact. The reason being, I was super excited to read this book and by the end I felt kinda let down. So, I decided to be fair, and I gave it awhile to sink in, that way, I wouldn’t be judging it by my first reaction. And now, I am glad I did. (wait that is) Now, you all may be thinking, “But Robyn, you only gave it 3 stars”, and this is true, i did, and I do not revoke my decision to do so. I am a harsh critic, a book has to be pretty f***ing amazing to get a good review from me. And I don’t do that because I think a book is bad, more so for the few exquisitely, wondrous books out there that have set themselves far above the norm in the literary world so that they may be acknowledged as such, and not demeaned by the fact that Twilight got the same rating as they did. That being said, I adored Daughter of Smoke and Bone It was beautifully written and the imagery was lovely. Set in Prague, the story was both modern and classic. A love story of fantastical creatures in a world where Angels and Demons are locked in eternal war. Hope springs anew in the story of a young girl trying to figure out who (or what) she is, and where she belongs in the great scheme of things. Laini Taylor weaves a stunning tale, and truly I have little to complain about. My biggest beef with the story was it’s sporadic nature. It seemed to jump around so much I often lost my place, as if it had been written by a teenager with severe ADHD who had perhaps drank too much coffee that morning. I found it distracting the way she organized the flashbacks and different points of view in the story, and there wasn’t much indication of who was speaking at any given time. Another glitch was Karou, the main character, whom, I wish devoutly she had developed more. She was such a lovely character, so much potential. I only hope there will be a sequel in which we shall learn more about this wondrous girl in all her blue-haired glory. With the ending Ms. Talyor did give us, there certainly should be.Overall I rate this book among my favorites, though it is def. not top of the list and really only makes the list at all because of the creative beauty i see so present in Karou and the story line between her and Akiva. (you will learn about him later if you read the book, I’m not one to spoil books for people) I do recommend this book for all the romantic, angsty, parnormal, romance-lovers out there, because I’ll tell you right now this book has all that and more. There’s so much drama in this book it should be a reality tv show. Hey, i’d watch it.
In conclusion, read the book, it’s not the best, but it’s good. Don’t buy it if you aren’t sure. Borrow it, Rent it, Check it out, Read it in the bookstore if you must, Just get it done. If you’re impressed, buy a copy, who knows, maybe it’s going to come to a show-stopping conclusion in the next book, you just never know. =)
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How to (Un)cage a Girl by Francesca Lia Block
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
For every author I love, there is always the one book they have written I do not like. In Francesca Lia Block’s case, me not liking something she has written is virtually impossible, so I shall concede to say that this book did not move me quite the way her others do. I was brilliant, yes, beautiful, eloquent and imaginative. I would expect nothing less from the mind of FLB, but it was not fluid like her other books. Perhaps because it was a collection of poems and not a full story. Nonetheless, I liked the book, and as always i would recommend her work to all who let their imagination run wild and have a knack of seeing the world in a way others don’t. =)
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Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
First off, I would just like to say, I am truly sorry to all fans of The Hunger Games out there. I know how seriously you take this series. But this is a book review, and although I have to be fair and unbiased as possible, It is also my personal viewpoint. And, In my opinion, this book sucks. Wow it feels good to finally say that. Ok, ok, now before all you little rebels go ape-shit on me, let me explain. I love the series as a whole. I do. However, this book was NOT well written at all. Lets start with the obvious shall we? I should not have been a trilogy. There was too much information stuffed into too little time. I know everybody wants to have a trilogy, it’s neat, not too many books, goes over well with people, heck, even the word sounds cool, Trilogy, like some exotic Star Wars reference. And that’s all good and well, but what’s not good and well is when authors try to shove what could have been an amazing series into three books, just so that they can get the name. Newsflash: It Doesn’t Work.
Good writing takes time, detail, and yes, if need be, a fourth book. This series had so much potential, It was a great story. The character’s were one’s readers could relate to, their cause one we could fight for. But you need more than that. Background, personality traits, only Katniss was truly given a chance to shine. Peeta and Gale were ill-defined and left in the background. I felt as though she didn’t create a world, but rather left gaps, telling only what was needed in that scene, getting the reader by on the bare minimum.
Aside from the obvious plot consolidation that made the book hard to follow at the end, the characters lacked quite a bit in this book. As I previously mentioned, character development on Peeta and Gale virtually stopped, Haymitch as well. we learn new information on all of them but their persons remain virtually unchanged throughout the book. Good character development can make or break a book, I can’t stress how upset this makes me.
And the ending, I can’t even fathom why she decided to take that route. I am all for plot twists but she went too far with that one, opening a whole new can of worms in the last 20 pages of the last book in a series is not a good idea. She left too much hanging, too many whys, not enough explanation. The tactic of murdering main characters just for poops and giggles also doesn’t bode well with me. Look, i’m not the author, but if you have to kill everyone, at least do it tactfully.
All in all, this book was a disappointment. My best friend and boyfriend both warned me as such, but I was never one to judge a book without reading it myself first. This is not to say that you should not read this book, many will find joy in the general angst of the novels, the tragic love and noble deaths; however, I am not one of those people.
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Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
So, technically I finished reading this book at 2:15 a.m. But I was too tired to get out of bed to actually write a review on it. So, here I am now. First off, let me just say, I hereby formally apologize for anything negative I might have previously thought about this book. I did the very thing I swore never to do and judged it by someone else’s opinion, therefore, going into it with an already negative attitude. I stand corrected. This book is absolutely mind-blowing. I literally could not put it down until I found out how it ended. The plot twists were beautiful in a way I cannot begin to describe. I never would have foreseen the way this book would end. I many ways I was as in the dark about the whole thing as much as Katniss was.
Not to say I didn’t have doubts about this book in the beginning. The start of the book moves at a rather slow pace, not a lot of action, but read closely because there are many clues in there as to how the story will progress. I am still no less fed up with the whole love triangle developing between Katniss, Gale, and Peeta, she could have done something a lot more original there in my opinion, she has the imagination for it. But, love-triangles are definite crowd-pleasers, especially when your main audience are teenage girls.
It is obvious to me now where this story is headed, something that wasn’t so clear in the first book, and so far, It seems to be headed in a good direction. Needless to say I am psyched to start reading the third and final book in the series, “Mockingjay”, And plan on beginning it just as soon as I get my hands on my boyfriend’s copy. Until then, I shall re-read through Catching Fire to make sure that I have absorbed all the vital information as it takes reading a book a couple times to truly find everything you might have otherwise looked over, especially when reading tired.
I Give this Book: 5 Stars
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