The Power of Six

Booklist Reviews...
Not two weeks after the climactic battle of I Am Number Four (2010), aliens John and Six, along with human ally Sam, find themselves on the run from a government that suspects them of terrorism. As their supernatural gifts—or "legacies"—become more evident, they're determined to find the four other alien teens who can help fend off the bloodthirsty Mogadorians. One of these is Marina, who narrates half the book from a convent in Spain and whose story line replicates much of the pleasure of the first book. John's and Marina's voices are nicely distinct, injecting attitude into this largely run-in-place set-piece actioner. Copyright 2011 Booklist Reviews.

This is the sequal to I Am Number Four...not too bad...I think I liked it better than the first book.

I am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six's Legacy

From Amazon.com...

Number Six—when John meets her in I Am Number Four she’s strong, powerful, and ready to fight. But who is she? Where has she been living? How has she been training? When did she develop her legacies? And how does she know so much about the Mogadorians?

In I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six’s Legacy, discover the story behind Six. Before Paradise, Ohio, before John Smith, Six was traveling through West Texas with her CÊpan, Katarina. What happened there would change Six forever….

This "book" was only available in electronic format, so I bought it and read it on my iPhone. I thought it was very good...

Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters

I also read this book and completed it a few days ago...I am really enjoying this series so far, and so far I like the first book better than the 2nd.

From Publisher's Weekly....
In a feat worthy of his heroic subjects, Riordan crafts a sequel stronger than his compelling debut in this second adventure in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. After a group of Laistrygonians (giant cannibals) infiltrate the dodgeball game at Percy's alternative Manhattan school, and his friend Annabeth (a daughter of Athena, introduced in the first book) comes to the rescue, the two take the homeless scholarship student Tyson with them to Camp Half-Blood, where trouble is brewing. Percy soon realizes that Tyson is a Cyclops (meaning they're half-brothers and possibly enemies—both sons of Poseidon) and learns that someone poisoned the sacred Thalia's tree, which protects the "magic borders" of the demigod camp. Riordan catches readers up seamlessly on this world in which gods still reign; he builds on existing subplots and rivalries, and introduces harrowing new challenges as Percy and Annabeth set off across the Sea of Monsters on a quest to find the Golden Fleece, which will heal Thalia's tree. Percy's relationship with Tyson and their battle against the Cyclops guarding the Fleece (Polyphemus) brings up probing questions about shame, family and loyalty. With humor, intelligence and expert pacing, the author uses this tale of believable teens and their high-stakes struggle to bring the mythical lore up to date (e.g., Hermes, appropriately, invented the Internet). A cliffhanger imparts new meaning to the prophesy (mentioned in the first book) and leaves no question that Percy's high-stakes battle for Western Civilization will continue to surprise even himself.

Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief

One of the classes I work in was reading this book, so I pulled out Gus's copy and read it along with them. It was a lot of fun as the teacher pointed out many literary elements...it's amazing how interesting I find the middle school classes I work in...I think I appreciate education much more now as an adult than I ever did as a kid...

From Publisher's Weekly....
A clever concept drives Riordan's highly charged children's book debut (the first in a series): the Greek Gods still rule, though now from a Mt. Olympus on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building, and their offspring, demigods, live among human beings. Narrator Percy Jackson thinks he's just another troubled 12-year-old, until he vaporizes his math teacher, learns his best friend, Grover, is a satyr and narrowly escapes a minotaur to arrive at Camp Half-Blood. After a humorous stint at camp, Percy learns he's the son of Poseidon and embarks on a quest to the Underworld with Grover and Annabeth (a daughter of Athena) to resolve a battle between Zeus and Poseidon over Zeus's stolen "master" lightning bolt. Without sacrificing plot or pacing, Riordan integrates a great deal of mythology into the tale and believably places mythical characters into modern times, often with hilarious results (such as Hades ranting about the problem of "sprawl," or population explosion). However, on emotional notes the novel proves less strong (for example, Percy's grief for his mother rings hollow; readers will likely spot the "friend" who betrays the hero, as foretold by the Oracle of Delphi, before Percy does) and their ultimate confrontation proves a bit anticlimactic. Still, this swift and humorous adventure will leave many readers eager for the next installment. Ages 10-up.

I am Number Four

From Publisher's Weekly: In this action-packed but formulaic novel, first in the Lorien Legacies series, John Smith appears to be a normal American teenager, living in Ohio with his father, attending high school, and falling for a local girl. But he's really something much cooler: an alien from the planet Lorien, and one of the last survivors of a race that was nearly wiped out by its enemies. And now the evil Mogadorians have traveled to Earth looking for survivors, with an eye toward wiping out this planet as well. John is destined to fight them, but will his superpowers manifest before it's too late? Lore (a Loric elder in the book, and a pseudonym for writer James Frey and a coauthor) provides a fast-moving plot and some genuinely creepy bad guys, though the basic premise is clichéd and the science won't pass muster with diehard SF fans. However, a Michael Bay–produced movie is planned for 2011, and for those looking for an undemanding, popcorn-ready read, this "guy—okay, alien—gets the girl and saves the world" adventure should do the trick. Ages 14–up. (Aug.)

I finished this book a few days ago and really enjoyed it, even though it was a little mushy/sappy. We saw the movie a few weeks ago and enjoyed it too, although the book is much better. I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

Three Cups of Tea

From Publisher's Weekly:

Some failures lead to phenomenal successes, and this American nurse's unsuccessful attempt to climb K2, the world's second tallest mountain, is one of them. Dangerously ill when he finished his climb in 1993, Mortenson was sheltered for seven weeks by the small Pakistani village of Korphe; in return, he promised to build the impoverished town's first school, a project that grew into the Central Asia Institute, which has since constructed more than 50 schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. Coauthor Relin recounts Mortenson's efforts in fascinating detail, presenting compelling portraits of the village elders, con artists, philanthropists, mujahideen, Taliban officials, ambitious school girls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way. As the book moves into the post-9/11 world, Mortenson and Relin argue that the United States must fight Islamic extremism in the region through collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access to education, especially for girls. Captivating and suspenseful, with engrossing accounts of both hostilities and unlikely friendships, this book will win many readers' hearts. (Mar.)

I started this book several years ago, but for whatever reason did not finish it. I picked it up again after seeing students in a class I attend reading it. I'm glad I finished it as it's very inspiring.

The Death Cure

Not Publisher's Weekly: Through the first two books of Utah author James Dashner’s post-apocalyptic trilogy, a teenager named Thomas with no memories has negotiated a deadly maze (The Maze Runner) and run for his life across a devastated landscape (The Scorch Trials). Now, he may be about to learn the truth behind everything he has been forced to experience.

The Death Cure finds Thomas still in the hands of the mysterious organization WICKED, which claims that his horrifying ordeal has been necessary for developing an antidote to the insanity-causing virus known as The Flare that has afflicted much of the world’s population. But Thomas’s trust in WICKED is thin, and when an opportunity to escape presents itself, Thomas and several of his friends make their way out into the world in a final effort to find out what they can believe, and whether there’s a chance to save those who have been doomed to madness. Join the author and be one of the first to experience this tension-packed finale. (Scott Renshaw)

I just finished this third book in the Maze Runner series, and thought it was good, although not as good as the Maze Runner....I think these books would make excellent movies...possibly very scary because of the Cranks.

The Scorch Trials

Publisher's Weekly: Hundreds of pages into this sequel to The Maze Runner, one of the teen subjects of a survival experiment on postapocalypse Earth wonders aloud, "[w]hat this is really all about." Readers may be asking that, too. In The Maze Runner, the teens, their memories erased, searched for a way out of a deadly maze; their escape, led by Thomas, was short-lived. As volume two opens, the boys learn they are infected with the "Flare," a virus that has killed millions and produced a population of nearly insane, disease-ravaged "cranks." New orders from WICKED, a coalition of surviving governments, have the boys marching across a wasteland toward a promised cure. Though some facts are teased out, the narrative bogs down under the weight of unanswered questions. What is the purpose of torturing these kids? How is making them into killers ensuring the survival of the world? Why would government leaders name themselves WICKED? Hopefully answers are forthcoming in volume three. In any case, fans who are already hooked will gobble this down, particularly those who don't mind anemic female characters and a high body count. Ages 12–up. (Oct.)

The Maze Runner

Publisher's Weekly: Dashner (the 13th Reality series) offers up a dark and gripping tale of survival set in a world where teenagers fight for their lives on a daily basis. It starts when Thomas, a teenage amnesiac, wakes up in the Glade, a fragile oasis in the middle of an enormous maze. Here, a group of teenage boys eke out a hazardous existence, exploring the Maze by day and retreating to the Glade at night. No one knows how they got there; no one has ever found a way out (“Old life's over, new life's begun. Learn the rules quick,” the group's leader tells Thomas). Bizarre technological monsters called Grievers patrol the Maze's corridors, almost certain death for any who encounter them. Thomas struggles to regain his memories, but the arrival of a young woman with an ominous message changes the rules of the game. With a fast-paced narrative steadily answering the myriad questions that arise and an ever-increasing air of tension, Dashner's suspenseful adventure will keep readers guessing until the very end, which paves the way for the inevitable continuation. Ages 12–up. (Oct.)

Of course I've read this book before, a while ago, but re-read it in September in anticipation for the third and last book of the series to come out on October 11th.

A Red Herring Without Mustard

Publisher's Weekly: In Bradley's outstanding third Flavia de Luce mystery set in post-WWII rural England (after 2010's The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag), precocious 11-year-old Flavia de Luce and her family pursue their different interests. Flavia's widowed father, Col. Haviland de Luce, has his philately; 17-year-old sister Ophelia ("Feely"), her music; and 13-year-old sister Daphne ("Daffy"), her books. Flavia's escape is the old, elaborately equipped chemistry lab installed by her late great-uncle, Tarquin de Luce, in their Buckshaw estate. Flavia's discovery of an old Gypsy woman who's been attacked in her wagon sends the girl off on an investigation that will reveal more of Buckshaw's secrets as well as new information about Harriet, the mother Flavia never knew. In this marvelous blend of whimsy and mystery, Flavia manages to operate successfully in the adult world of crimes and passions while dodging the childhood pitfalls set by her sisters. (Feb.)



I read this book last summer, but haven't done any updating on this website for a while...I'm getting caught up now.

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag

Publisher's Weekly: Bradley’s endlessly entertaining follow-up to 2009’s The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie finds precocious 11-year-old Flavia de Luce once again indulging her curiosity about corpses. Wandering near her threadbare ancestral home in early 1950s England, Flavia bumps into famed TV puppeteer Rupert Porson and his pregnant wife, who have been marooned by an ailing van. While they wait for repairs to be completed, they agree to put on a performance for the village of Bishop’s Lacey—but Rupert’s sudden death ends the show. Feigning an innocence entirely at odds with her shrewdness about adult doings, Flavia uses her skills in chemistry and questioning to puzzle out which of the many possible suspects murdered Rupert and why. The author deftly evokes the period, but Flavia’s sparkling narration is the mystery’s chief delight. Comic and irreverent, this entry is sure to build further momentum for the series. (Mar.)

This was a good book, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the first....it wasn't until half way through that the murder occurred.

Smokin' Seventeen

I just finished the latest Stephanie Plum book by Janet Evanovich and both liked it and disliked it. I liked it because it was very funny, and I found myself laughing quite a bit. I disliked it because Stephanie cheats on Morelli with Ranger while in previous books she wouldn't let herself do this.

Anyway, it was a good, easy, light read.

Down River

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Hart surpasses his bestselling debut, The King of Lies (2006), with his richly atmospheric second novel, which offers a tighter plot, more adroit pacing and less angst. Five years earlier, Adam Chase was arrested for murder, largely on the basis of his stepmother's sworn testimony against him. He was acquitted, but nearly everyone, including his father, still thinks he did it, and Adam's deep bitterness has kept him away from home ever since. Now, at the request of a childhood friend, he's back in Salisbury, N.C., where all the old demons still reside and new troubles await. The almost Shakespearean snarl of family ties is complicated by a very modern struggle between economic progress and love for the land, between haves and have-nots. Throughout, Hart expertly weaves his main theme: that by their freedom of choice, humans are capable of betrayal but also of forgiveness and redemption. This book should settle once and for all the question of whether thrillers and mysteries can also be literature. 150,000 first printing; 15-city author tour. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

My opinion: Another really good book by John Hart. I've read all of his books, and while they are all so good, I think I liked this one the best.

The King of Lies

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Hart's stunning debut, an exceptionally deep and complex mystery thriller, compares favorably to the best of Scott Turow. Jackson Workman Pickens, whom most people call "Work," is a struggling North Carolina criminal defense attorney. Work has wrestled with inner demons for most of his life, especially after the death of his mother and the disappearance of his wealthy father, Ezra Pickens, a highly successful lawyer who took him into his practice. Trapped in a loveless marriage and haunted by poor emotional choices and his sister's psychological trauma, Work finds himself under suspicion when his father's corpse surfaces more than a year after Ezra was last seen alive. Work's quest for the truth behind his father's demise opens old wounds and forces him to face the consequences of his own decisions. Few readers will be able to resist devouring this tour-de-force in one or two sittings—or clamoring for more John Hart.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

My opinion: I really enjoyed this book - lots of suspense (the 2nd by this author that I've read so far).

Tinkers - Book Awards Reading Challenge #4

From Publishers Weekly

Harding's outstanding debut unfurls the history and final thoughts of a dying grandfather surrounded by his family in his New England home. George Washington Crosby repairs clocks for a living and on his deathbed revisits his turbulent childhood as the oldest son of an epileptic smalltime traveling salesman. The descriptions of the father's epilepsy and the cold halo of chemical electricity that encircled him immediately before he was struck by a full seizure are stunning, and the household's sadness permeates the narrative as George returns to more melancholy scenes. The real star is Harding's language, which dazzles whether he's describing the workings of clocks, sensory images of nature, the many engaging side characters who populate the book, or even a short passage on how to build a bird nest. This is an especially gorgeous example of novelistic craftsmanship. (Jan.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

My opinion: this was a good book told from an interesting perspective, but difficult to follow at times.

The Last Child - Book Awards Reading Challenge #3

I finished this book a few days ago and enjoyed it immensely. It is very suspensful and even scary in a few places. It moves a long at a good pace and is quite captivating. I'll have to put other books by John Hart on my list to read.

Dead Reckoning

A few days ago I finished reading Charlaine Harris' 11th Sookie Stackhouse vampire book, and as usual I really enjoyed it. The story line has become a lot more complicated, so it's a little hard to keep up with it, and I think it could stand to have a lot more Eric in it. I bought this book in electronic format and read it on my iPhone.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Book Awards Reading Challenge #2

I finished this Agatha Christie-esq mystery a few days ago and really enjoyed it. It's set in Great Britain right after WWII, and is quite detailed about life at that time. There are two more books available in this series that are on my to-read list.

Book Award V - Books Read

1. Pulitzer Prize for fiction, 2009
(a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature, and musical composition)
Olive Kitteridge, finished 4/11, by Elizabeth Strout

2. Agatha Award Best First Novel, 2009
(literary awards for mystery and crime writers who write via the same method as Agatha Cristie, i.e. closed setting, no sex or violence, amateur detective)
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, finished 5/11, by Alan Bradley, 370 pgs.

3. Edgar Award, 2010
(honors the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction, television, film, and theatre published or produced in the previous year)
The Last Child, finished 6/6 by John Hart, 371 pgs.

4. Pulitzer Prize, 2010
Tinkers, finished 6/23, by Paul Harding, 191 pages

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

I just finished this book last night, and although a bit slow at times, it is a wonderful story of three sisters coming together after being apart for a long time. It made me think of my own sister and how little time we get to spend together.

Published 2011, 318 pgs.

Book Awards Reading Challenge

I think I am going to participate in this book reading challenge...I have already finished one book...Olive Kitteridge.



Thanks to all those who participated in the first four book awards challenges!! Are you up for a fifth? The challenge for Book Awards V will last for 10 months, from February 1 through December 1, 2011.
Rules:

1. Read 5 books from 5 different awards during February 1, 2011 through December 1, 2011.


2. Overlaps with other challenges are permitted.


3. Choices don't have to be posted right away, and lists may be changed at any time.


4. 'Award winners' is loosely defined; make the challenge fit your needs.


5. SIGN UP at the Book Awards site using Mr. Linky -- please use a SPECIFIC post link.


6. Read your books and then, if you wish, come post your reviews into Mr. Linky at http://bookawardschallenge.blogspot.com.


7. Have fun reading!

Olive Kitteridge - Book Awards Reading Challenge #1

I finished this book a few days ago.....it was a good book, not filled with action, but with human stories of life and love. It took me a while to finish it.

This book is by Elizabeth Strout and is the 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction.

Reading Log

I haven't posted to this blog for quite a while, but I think I'll start again and use it to keep track of what I read, as I easily forget.

The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore

I just finished this book, and while I really enjoyed it, it is a bit bizarre. I almost quit in the middle because I was horrified/disgusted by what happened between Bruno and Lydia. I decided to continue and am glad that I did.