Review: Mockingjay

Title: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)

Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Publication: 2010

Summary: Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.

My Thoughts: It's a revolution! As we know, revolution brings on more than just change but something new entirely, and in this final book of The Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins may not have destroyed the fantasy/science fiction genre and rebuilt into her own creation, but she definitely slaps you with a story that defines exactly what is so great about it.

Mockingjay is a story about revolution, politics, the struggles of love, but more than anything else, it is a story about survival. From the very beginning of the first book, Katniss Everdeen has done everything she has to survive and to protect those she loves. However, being the face of the revolution comes with a cost and at times a heavy conscience. We learn more about Katniss in this book and have a light shed on more of her personal struggles and feelings. Her character is really well written - I don't know how to put it better than that. She is unique and with that comes a lot of different opinions about her, and that's what makes her so engaging. There's a lot of other characters introduced to this book as well, a lot I liked, others I didn't, but none that I couldn't appreciate. And as the writer of this great story, Suzanne Collins has the ability to write some in, but also kill anyone of them off.

Over the course of the trilogy I've come to like a lot of the characters, so I felt sad when some died. And believe me, Collins doesn't go easy on it. At times I've found myself wanting to throw down the book and yell "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Mockingjay is dark.

The fight between the rebels and the Capitol really show what each side of the war are willing to do, and how far they will go to achieve their goals. Moral issues arise within each faction and even among the people you might think better of. I loved every single bit of it! Give me something political and ethically questionable to chew on and I'll be as content as cat with a ball of yarn. Collins did a really great job on creating mystery where it was needed and provided so many fantastic twists that I would never have seen them coming. I like to try and guess what will happen next in a book but she did well making sure the story wasn't predictable. And as for what made the first book so intriguing, another form of "hunger games" was added to the plot here too. Nothing to make it repetitive, but gives just enough of what I loved that made the first book such a success.

The ending... it's all I can really say - the ending. THE ENDING! I was so pleased with how everything turned out and can say I was even surprised. It's a real ending. The kind of ending that actually makes sense and isn't written to be finished with an explosion of butterflies and daffodils. It's a nice sweet touch to the conclusion of the series and is something I can appreciate. However, there is an epilogue added to the very end and I personally believe that it could have done without it. It was nice but without it the story could have left off somewhere for our imaginations to play with.

Mockingjay is a wonderful conclusion to a brilliant, heart pounding series. If you are looking for a book with engaging characters and dialogue, intense action and moral dilemma's, mystery and politics, then look no further than The Hunger Games series.

My Rating: 5/5

Recommend It For: Everyone.

Review: Catching Fire

Title: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)

Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Fantasy / Science Fiction
Published: 2009

Summary: Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster boys for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol. Catching Fire maintains the adrenaline rush of Suzanne Collins's series launch.

My Thoughts: In the second installment of the Hunger Games, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, the plot thickens and blood still pours. In certain aspects this sequel somewhat resembled its predecessor in terms of how the story played out, but in my opinion that's not a bad thing. Suzanna Collins adds just the right touch of everything to make this one just as engaging as the first.

In Catching Fire things become real serious, real fast. Threats are issued, fear becomes overwhelming, romance becomes complicated and the battle for survival is ever present. The number one thing I loved the most about this book was the political struggle. I eat that stuff up. In The Hunger Games there was a hint of this, especially near the end, but in this one it's more apparent as the idea of rebellion are catching fire. Katniss has not lived long in her victors home with her family, before her stunt in the arena brings on consequences from the Capitol. She realizes that even though she has left the arena, the games are not yet truly finished. Dun.. dun.. DUNNNN!

The plot becomes a lot more intricate in this one, mainly because, as I said before, politics are involved. When politics are involved nothing is ever simple and no one can ever be trusted. I really liked the story and the struggles each character went through. And there were quite a few new characters added and all were pretty believable. There were some really nice twists and the whole way through it kept me wondering if there is something else going on than what Katniss believes is happening. As in the previous book, the dialogue is spot on and so convincing, a lot of the time I was even laughing out loud, and so I'm not disappointed there because I love dialogue.

As sequels go this one did not let me down. Everything I loved from The Hunger Games was brought back and just as convincing and exciting as ever. I could really feel for these characters and shared in their fear, sorrow and joy. Catching Fire is a delight to read.

My Rating: 5/5

Recommend It For: People who enjoy great Young Adult literature.

Review: Coraline

Title: Coraline

Author: Neil Gaiman
Genre: Children / Fantasy / Horror
Publication: 2002

Summary: Coraline's often wondered what's behind the locked door in the drawing room. It reveals only a brick wall when she finally opens it, but when she tries again later, a passageway mysteriously appears. Coraline is surprised to find a flat decorated exactly like her own, but strangely different. And when she finds her "other" parents in this alternate world, they are much more interesting despite their creepy black button eyes. When they make it clear, however, that they want to make her theirs forever, Coraline begins a nightmarish game to rescue her real parents and three children imprisoned in a mirror. With only a bored-through stone and an aloof cat to help, Coraline confronts this harrowing task of escaping these monstrous creatures.

My Thoughts: Coraline is among my favorite books ever read. For one thing, it's the first book written by Neil Gaiman that I've read and is the one that started me into reading a lot more. Secondly, this story my kind of story.

If I could sum up the entire book with one word I'd use - creepy. This is the second time that I've read Coraline all the way through from the beginning to the end and it is still as amazing and as frightening as the first time I've experienced it. Perhaps even more frightening this time around now that I have a daughter of my own and couldn't imagine her going through what Coraline had to. But it was for that reason that it made reading this creepy story so exciting. It's because Coraline was just an ordinary girl, who was a bit small for her age. She's a charming, curious, intelligent and brave little girl who gets herself into a scary predicament and needs to gather up all her courage to defeat the odds set against her.

Not only is Coraline's character really great, the other characters in this story are just as interesting. I especially loved the cat and found a lot of his lines very memorable. The eccentric neighbors are also quite unique. And finally the other mother is just plain creepy. I've known people who seem like they could kill you with their niceness, and have wondered if perhaps they are secretly "an other mother". There is not a character in this novel I didn't like reading about.

The atmosphere was also something else that added to the creepiness. Neil Gaiman sure knows how to paint a picture with words that will linger in your memory long after you've read them. One of the more notable of these things, yet such a simple thing, are the black button eyes. Who knew that black buttons could be so creepy! Coraline is filled with nice little touches of creepiness like this one. I loved it!

In the end, Coraline is really a children's book, but it's so unique and scary that I have no doubt that even an adult would love it. Take myself for example. I believe parents with children would find this book a lot more frightening than even the children themselves. So if you're looking for a nice, short book to read about a girl who is cast into a frightening adventure, then look no further.

My Rating: 5/5

Recommend It For: Everyone.

Review: Bones of Faerie

Title: Bones of Faerie

Author: Janni Lee Simner
Genre: Fantasy / Young Adult
Publication: 2007

Summary: The war between humanity and Faerie devastated both sides. Or so 15-year-old Liza has been told. Nothing has been seen or heard from Faerie since, and Liza’s world bears the scars of its encounter with magic. Trees move with sinister intention, and the town Liza calls home is surrounded by a forest that threatens to harm all those who wander into it. Then Liza discovers she has the Faerie ability to see—into the past, into the future—and she has no choice but to flee her town. Liza’s quest will take her into Faerie and back again, and what she finds along the way may be the key to healing both worlds.

My Thoughts: A war between Earth and Faerie has left the world changed and ruined forever, where even the plants and trees are no longer to be trusted and will even kill you if they have the chance. Sound awesome? I think so! But unfortunately for me, the execution made on this story about a post-apocalyptic future touched by the effects of magic just didn't live up to my expectations.

As I said, I really liked the idea the author was working with here and is the reason I read this book. A war between the people of Earth and Faerie sounded too good to pass up, and the general story itself was interesting enough to hold my attention the whole way through. However, the characters were so flat and uninteresting half the time that I felt zero connection with any of them save for perhaps Allie. I felt like I was thrown head first into the story without getting to know the characters so that I could feel for them or care about their struggles. Matthew is a great example of this. Even the elements of surprise, those I felt that the author was trying to achieve, were lackluster and had no meaning because it was like they were dumped on me too soon without any sort of build up. I did like some of the characters, but I wish they could have been fleshed out more so I didn't have to feel so disconnected.

My biggest criticism about the story is the main character. I just plain didn't like her. And the fact that the narrative was spoken by her, it made it all the worse. She was two-dimensional, depressing, and straight out annoying. However, considering her situation, like her father abusing her and other sad things that's revealed about her life, it's somewhat understandable. But again, the writing here couldn't bring it all together in a way that I could relate to her. If you don't mind an "emo" (couldn't think of a better word for it) character and narrative then you will probably like this book a lot more than I did. I'm just not into that sort of thing.

A lot of the description in this book was really nice, and the way the author painted this post-apocalyptic world was, as I mentioned earlier, interesting enough to hold my attention, although some of the ideas to describe somethings were just plain bad in my opinion. For example, magic touched people have clear hair. Hair as clear as glass. I can't help, I think that's really stupid. On the other hand, the way the forest operated was awesome. I wouldn't want to live in such a place but reading about it was great.

When you see my rating, you may think "why give this book the rating you did if you sound like you didn't like it that much?" Perhaps it sounds that way but I honestly did like the story itself well enough. Even though I found the execution not to my liking, the main character annoying, the characters two-dimensional, I thought it was a good little story about a post-apocalyptic future and magic. It's not the best story I've read but it was still good.

My Rating: 3/5

Recommend It For: Young readers.

Review: The Sorcerer's House

Title: The Sorcerer's House

Author: Gene Wolfe

Genre: Fantasy

Publication: 2010

Summary: In a contemporary town in the American Midwest where he has no connections, an educated man recently released from prison is staying in a motel. He writes letters to his brother and to others, including a friend still in jail. When he meets a real estate agent who tells him he is the heir to a huge old house, long empty, he moves in, though he is too broke to even buy furniture, and is immediately confronted by supernatural and fantastic creatures and events.

His life is utterly transformed and we read on, because we must know more. We revise our opinions of him, and of others, with each letter. We learn things about magic, and another world, and about the sorcerer Mr. Black, who originally inhabited the house. And then perhaps we read it again.

My Thoughts: (I normally try to stay away from writing anything that may give away important information concerning the story, but I've never read anything like this before so I find it hard to review. I'll do my best.)


This was not at all what I was expecting. I really liked it! However, in the end I was left a bit confused. Sadly, I am not very good at "reading between the lines" thus the reason for my being confused, because this is the kind of book that you read and realize that there is a lot more being said here than that is being shown. Just the same, I really enjoyed the narrative and the surface story of this book enough that I was deeply intrigued and captivated.

The book is written in a series of letters all written by, or written to, an ex-convict named Baxter Dunn who has inherited an unusual old house by a mysterious man and in turn writes about his experiences, more or less. Bax writes to three people, his brother George, Millie (George's wife), and his friend Shell. Within these letters is where I've learned the most of his personality, and have come to believe that even though he writes to his brother (and Millie) with pleasantries and good intentions, I couldn't shake the feeling that he's a wolf in sheep's clothing. However, I could be wrong. That's what I mean about the story being more than what it appears. A person can read this and later think up multiple theories on what really took place, if there was indeed anything else at all. This story being told by Bax is either deceptive (my impression), or a very extraordinary flat out truth (because it is a fantasy after all). All this is another reason I really enjoyed this book even though I'm not exactly intelligent enough to piece it all together. I will most likely some day reread this and try and discover more.

Now, putting aside all of that, the story being told is definitely interesting. There's talk about sorcerer's, magic, werewolves, facefoxes (the reverse effect of a werewolf - a fox who turns into human), ghosts, and other fantastical creatures that will fascinate or turn off. If you believe what the narrator is saying is true then you'd have to admit that his story is definitely remarkable because it's [expletive deleted] crazy. Although some of the twists were predictable, the general mystery of the story remained strong enough to keep me entertained.

All in all, the story was really well written. It had me from the very beginning and I was captivated by it the whole way through.

My Rating: 4/5

Recommend It For: Adults and fantasy readers.

Review: The Candy Shop War

Title: The Candy Shop War

Author: Brandon Mull
Genre: Children/YA Fantasy
Publication: 2007

Summary: Welcome to the Sweet Tooth Ice Cream and Candy Shoppe, where the confections are bit on the . . . unusual side. Rock candy that makes you weightless. Jawbreakers that make you unbreakable. Chocolate balls that make you a master of disguise. Four young friends—Nate, Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon—meet the grandmotherly Mrs. White, owner of the Sweet Tooth, and soon learn about the magical side effects of her candies. Then the ice cream truck driver, Mr. Stott, arrives with a few enchanted sweets of his own. The danger unfolds as the four youngsters discover that the magical strangers have all come to town in search of a legendary treasure—one that could be used for great evil if it fell into the wrong hands. The kids, now in over their heads, must try to retrieve the treasure first. And so, the war begins . . .

My Thoughts: The thing about Brandon Mull is that after I have read a book of his, I wish I could erase my memory of ever having read it just so that I can read it all over again for the first time. I have never read anything of Brandon Mull's and not absolutely loved it! And the same goes for The Candy Shop War.

I've read the Fablehaven series, read the first Beyonders and am excitedly awaiting the second book, but have always sort of put off reading The Candy Shop War because I personally don't ca...moreThe thing about Brandon Mull is that after I have read a book of his, I wish I could erase my memory of ever having read it just so that I can read it all over again for the first time. I have never read anything of Brandon Mull's and not absolutely loved it! And the same goes for The Candy Shop War.

I've read the Fablehaven series, read the first Beyonders and am excitedly awaiting the second book, but have always sort of put off reading The Candy Shop War because I personally don't care for candy. I've never been a person who's liked a lot of sweets of any kind, so I figured that this book wouldn't interest me because of the subject matter. Boy was I wrong! The magical candy in this story brought out my inner child and I relished in this tasty treat. I honestly believe that if Brandon Mull picked up a piece of trash off the street and decided to write a story about it he could make it a best seller. As with all of his other books, Mull brings his characters to life in such a great way and really knows how to weave together a great a story. He adds just the right hint of mystery, suspense, action, wonder, magic and always comes out with something amazing. I was really surprised by how much I loved The Candy Shop War but I should have expected as much.

The dialogue was witty, clever and really funny. Nate, Summer, Trevor and Pigeon were all believable characters and had their own spark, and all of the other supporting characters and villains were also enjoyable to read about. Some favorite characters of mine were John Dart and Pigeon. Nearly every character has something unique about them and it really adds to the life of the world. I LOVED John Dart's background and the fact that he couldn't bring harm to others without feeling the pain that they also felt. Considering all the characters of the book, the plot was so well thought out that a lot of the time all I could do was inwardly squeal with joy because of all the shocking, surprising and wondrous moments this story dished out. I never felt once during this book a moment of boredom or that some things were thrown in there for the sake of filler.

The Candy Shop War is a triumph in the genre of Children/YA fantasy and even though it's directed more toward a younger audience, I believe adults can enjoy it as well. The book may be about kids and candy but it's also much more than that - it's a fast paced, page turning tale of magic and adventure that leaves off with a sweet aftertaste.

My Rating: 5/5

Review: Howl's Moving Castle

Title: Howl's Moving Castle

Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Genre: YA/Children Fantasy
Publication: 1986

Summary: In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another matter.

After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls.

The Hatter sisters— Sophie, Lettie, and Martha— and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. But that was only the beginning.

In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl's castle?

My Thoughts: The first I've ever heard of Howl's Moving Castle was of the film version directed by Hayao Miyazak and loved it! Later I learned that it was originally written as a book by Diana Wynne Jones and I immediately wanted to jump on it. Normally I find the book better than the movie but in this case even though the film was based on the book it was still very different from it, resulting in not being able to choose which was better because they are both really great. Now onto the book because this is not a movie review.

From the very beginning I was really into this book. It's full of charm, wonderful magic and has a fairly decent plot. The plot itself was rather slow in my opinion but in the end it all comes together nicely. I really liked all of the characters, especially Calcifer and Michael, and found the dialogue enjoyable as well, although admittedly, I became annoyed with Sophie after a while. I liked her... but poor Howl! She never gave the guy a break! I guess I would be negative too if I had a curse thrown on me to make me seem decades older, and perhaps her moods were also fueled by jealousy, but her constant nagging and complaining about Howl was a bit tiresome... because all she really had to do was TALK to him. That is basically the only thing I didn't like about this book. Howl himself was an intriguing character but I think in real life I'm not sure if I would like him. Reading about him in this story is great because he's mysterious, and deep down has a kind heart, but he is a bit of a player and really knows how to throw a tantrum.

The magic was great! In this alternate reality where wizards and witches really exist there is a ton of magic to be had. A fire demon who maintains a moving castle, spells that harm and spells that aid, a door that opens to different areas and towns, and unfortunate souls who have been cursed with altered shapes and appearances. I really love magic so the variety here was nice. But the magic wasn't the only good thing about the story because the characters also brought lots of life to it with some funny and witty dialogue.

Although Diana Wynne Jone's book Howl's Moving Castle has its shortcomings, the pure charm and its lovable characters makes this a really enjoyable YA/Children's fantasy story.

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Sunshine

Title: Sunshine

Author: Robin McKinley
Genre: Fantasy / Vampire
Publication: 2003

Summary: There hadn't been any trouble out at the lake in years. Sunshine just needed a spot where she could be alone with her thoughts for a minute. But then the vampires found her . . . Now, chained and imprisoned in a once-beautiful decaying mansion, alone but for the vampire, Constantine, shackled next to her, Sunshine realizes that she must call on her own hidden strength if she is to survive. But Constantine is not what she expected of a vampire, and soon Sunshine discovers that it is he who needs her, more than either of them know.

My Thoughts: I wish I could write a well thought out review for this but because my wife and I just had a baby my mind is so tired I don't think I have it in me just yet. But I don't want to put off writing a review because it'll likely never happen. So...

Ugh. Sunshine, seriously, I don't care about your cinnamon rolls, killer zebras, muffins or your family run coffee house THAT much. My biggest issue with this book is that it's spent too much inside the narrator's head. Sure, what goes on in there can certainly be interesting and even insightful into the kind of world the author has created, which I found neat, but I found her to be annoying and she definitely talked to much about Charlie's Coffeehouse. Again, I really don't care THAT much about your coffehouse. It was nice at first but what I really came into this book for were the vampires! Which, when I think about it, were few and far between.

The beginning when she first meets Con was promising, but that all went downhill later in means of storytelling for me. There wasn't enough dialogue, not enough character interaction, not enough vampire action, not enough Con, and it all boils down to too much narrator rambling inner thoughts. The magic in this world was admittedly really captivating and original because even though there were demons, magic, vampires, etc, society kept going on like it normally would to any of us. Cool alternate reality. But unfortunately that didn't save story for me. The only reason I picked up this book was because Neil Gaiman said it was "pretty much perfect". As big of a fan as I am of Neil Gaiman, I'm going to be careful of that kind of thing from now on.

I truly believe this could have been a great story. It was all there! All those delicious ingredients were there to bake a great vampire story. But whyyyyyyyy?! Maybe it's the sleep deprivation talking here because I really wanted to like this book. But it flopped. This is the first book I've read of Robin McKinley and it will most likely be the last.

My Rating: 2/5

Review: Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan

Title: The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1)

Author: John Flanagan
Genre: Fantasy
Publication: 2004

Summary: He had always wanted to be a warrior. The Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways, made him nervous. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now fifteen year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't realize yet is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied . . . .

My Thoughts: After coming off a book that sucked the soul out of me, I was rather pleased by how enjoyable it was to read The Ruins of Gorlan. It's a fun, light read following the story of a teenage boy who has been taken on as an apprentice to one of the most mysterious figures he's ever known, Halt, to learn to ways of the Ranger and train to protect the Kingdom. I've always liked stories like this because the allure of the Ranger really pulls me in. Warriors who uses the bow and stealth to obtain the upper hand on their enemies before they even know to react. So, naturally I'd be all over this kind of story.

As for the story itself I enjoyed it quite a bit, even though it may be a tad unoriginal. There are several books in this series, and it's obvious when you read the first one because it's feels like a big introduction to the characters and the way of life in the world the author has created. But it's written in such a way that it's still exciting and has its fine moments to admire. I found the main character, Will, to be pretty generic as protagonists go, but the other characters such as Old Bob, who made me laugh, Horace, with his struggles and growing maturity, and I even found Halt to be somewhat fascinating. So, the story may be a little unoriginal but that's not always a bad thing, because sometimes it's exactly what you want to read. And the Ranger's Apprentice doesn't disappoint when what you're looking for is a fun, medieval adventure filled with knights, monsters and mayhem.

The Ruins of Gorlan is a worthy beginning to the Ranger's Apprentice series, and it's so good that I won't be hesitating to read more of the adventure in the following books.

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Iron Angel

Title: Iron Angel

Author: Alan Campbell
Genre: Fantasy / Steampunk
Publication: 2008

Summary: After a destructive battle, the ancient swaying city of Deepgate has been overtaken. Most of the chains that suspend it have given way, toxic fumes are emanating from blazing structures, and the temple once inhabited by the ruling Presbyter now dangles upside down above the once-uncharted abyss. The victorious Spine have initiated martial law and are ruthlessly pursuing all who attempt to leave. Amid the turmoil, two captives are returned.

Arriving by ship are the young angel Dill, now toughened by war, and traitor assassin Rachel Hael. Incarcerated in the slowly crumbling temple, the two await their fate, while from the abyss beneath them ghosts rise—for the death of the god Ulcis has left open the gates to Hell.

But on orders from his divine brethren, Cospinol, the god of brine and fog, is traveling the world to Deepgate to seal this breach. His great skyship is being dragged through the air by the giant John Anchor, a monster of a man enslaved to pull the god’s vessel, moving slowly, inevitably, toward the city.

As the city waits, teetering on the brink, myriad plans for vengeance are set in motion, from the continent of Pandemeria to Heaven itself. Among them is a ghostly archon sent to deliver a message to the gods on earth—using Dill as his vessel. Thrust from his body, Dill’s own soul returns to Hell. When Dill and Rachel are attacked by Spine assassins, Rachel has no choice but to try to escape with the creature that calls itself Dill…and to somehow find a way to restore her friend’s soul before it’s too late. For powerful forces are stirring, and in the coming battle between gods, it is the world of men that is at stake.

My Thoughts: I liked it, hated it, loved it, was annoyed with it, enjoyed it... and ultimately after forcing myself to read through this bag of mixed feelings I have to say in the end I didn't like it.

The book was okay, because in terms of writing he's really good at description and building a well thought out world and characters, but his writing style just wasn't my cup of tea and the story was slow paced and often boring because of it. I can't imagine how people believe Iron Angel is better than Scar Night? I can't put a finger on it but I just didn't like this book and for some reason feel like I've been robbed of my innocence (if it existed) and will never be able to read another book with enjoyment ever again. Sorry Alan Campbell, but you just couldn't keep me with this one.

But I will give credit to where it's due, even though I didn't like this book, and say that the characters were interesting and I liked the dialogue, and even a lot of the places were intriguing, although I personally don't like a lot of description, and the author gives an excessive amount of this, but if you're into that kind of thing then you'd enjoy it. I felt like there was too much focus on describing every little detail of every environment and surrounding areas that ultimately means nothing to the story, instead of focusing on the tale itself and making it great. If it weren't for some of the characters, and the imagined Hell in this book, I wouldn't have liked the story at all. To be honest, in the beginning I felt like the story was going to be great, but it quickly went down hill after part 1.

In the end Iron Angel doesn't finish the story and is just the set up for the third book, God of Clocks, which I will not be reading unless I have zilch left to read.

My Rating: 2/5

Review: The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Publication: 2008

Summary: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before--and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. (taken from goodreads.com)

My Thoughts: I find it really hard to review a book that I couldn't keep my eyes off of or my mind from replaying the scenarios I've just read. This is the case for The Hunger Games. Not because I don't want to write a detailed review, but because all I can really do is shower praise and go on about how amazing the book was. So, without further ado...

WOW! What a treat! I went into this book without any sort of expectations and came out bursting at the seam raving my excitement about it. From the very beginning the story had be hooked with an intriguing setting that had be feeling for the people who lived in it. To be honest though, I was sort of put off by the writing perspective because it felt awkward to me. Although, halfway through the book I realized that it couldn't have been written any other way because the emotional connection you feel for the narrator, who is the main character, wouldn't be as strong and it would have lessened the suspense of the plot because the mystery of the narrators ultimate fate wouldn't have that *oomph* to it.

This book is a real page turner. Every time I finished a chapter, if I had to put the book down it was with great reluctance because the need to know what happens next was almost too much. The story is full of suspense and moments that I shock you and moments that move you, either into sadness, joy, anger or worry. I was pulled in by the narrator and also by all the dialogue that went down because I found it believable and engaging. The whole premise of the story was just so inviting because it's about what we people strive to do in life - to survive.

I am glad that I read this book. Some books I read and I am satisfied but that doesn't always feels like it was enough. The Hunger Games went beyond that and thrilled me so I have no regrets investing my time into this book. This is a story I will remember.

My Rating: 5/5

Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society

Title: The Mysterious Benedict Society
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Genre: Children / Mystery / Science Fiction
Publication: 2007

Summary: Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children-two boys and two girls-succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you're gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help. (Summary taken from Barnesandnoble.com)

My Thoughts: I like puzzles. I like things that challenges my mind and make me work to figure out the solution. I'm not saying I'm any good at it though. The thing I liked most about this book is that its full of puzzles that the children in it must solve.

The first part of the book is the best in my opinion. I really liked reading about how each of the children solved the puzzles in their own way. I even admit that I hadn't even clued in with of them myself! This is probably the strong point of the book I would say.

Other than that to tell the truth I'm actually having a hard time writing a review for this book because even though it was a good book, and it has to be considering its a New York Times Best Seller, I only just liked it. I liked it fine and the story was good but it is certainly geared towards children more I would say. The story is clever with puzzles but the main plot was more or less predictable which made the twists not so shocking. But I don't think that was the focus of this book because aside from that the characters were really great and I loved how they all interacted together and how each of them were very unique. It was funny at times and definitely charming. The writing was really good too and easy to read so in the end it was a good book.

Ultimately I never felt that certain "I just NEED to know what happens next!" itch but I did like it. I would recommend this book to children and young adults because it's a very charming book that's full of adventure and great characters. I'm sure even some adults would find a few of the puzzles in here a little challenging. I will someday read the next ones but they aren't on my immediate to-read list.

My Rating: 3.5/5

Review: Beyonders - A World Without Heroes

Title: Beyonders - A World Without Heroes
Author: Brandon Mull
Genre: Fantasy
Publication: 2011

Summary: Jason Walker has often wished his life could be a bit less predictable--until a routine day at the zoo ends with Jason suddenly transporting from the hippo tank to a place unlike anything he's ever seen. In the past, the people of Lyrian welcomed visitors from the Beyond, but attitudes have changed since the wizard emperor Maldor rose to power. The brave resistors who opposed the emperor have been bought off or broken, leaving a realm where fear and suspicion prevail.

In his search for a way home, Jason meets Rachel, who was also mysteriously drawn to Lyrian from our world. With the help of a few scattered rebels, Jason and Rachel become entangled in a quest to piece together the word of power that can destroy the emperor, and learn that their best hope to find a way home will be to save this world without heroes. (Summary taken from Barnes and nobles.com)

My Thoughts: I believe Brandon Mull could not write a bad story even if he tried. Being a tremendous fan of the Fablehaven series, I went into this book with very high expectations and I wasn't left disappointed. Mull has a way of bringing life to his stories and characters that I have come to enjoy greatly as I love his style of writing and his storytelling. With all of his books, and especially Beyonders, I did not want to put it down for even a moment. If I had the time I would have read it all in one sitting because I just needed to know what happened next.

I got to hand it to Mull, he definitely knows how to write a compelling story. During the story there was a certain thing tugging at my mind about a major plot point which I couldn't really make sense of because it seemed silly to me, then I was pleased to realize it was all part of his master plan to create the story that way because in the end it blew my mind. It introduces a lot of great characters who I came to care about and I experienced joy and sorrow for them. All of the characters are believable and handle themselves perfectly to really make the book shine.

Beyonders - A World Without Heroes is definitely now one of my favorite books. It's exciting, engaging, perilous, funny, sad and overall spectacular. I may just be showering praise onto this book but honestly it's all I can do. I liked it that much. I wish I were a time traveler so I could read the next one immediately.

My Rating: 5/5

Review: Autumn: The City by David Moody

Title: Autumn: The City

Author: David Moody
Genre: Horror
Publication: 2005

Summary: When a mysterious virus swept across the city, millions of people suddenly collapsed to their deaths within moments as they wheezed and coughed struggling for breath. The city had died but a fortunate had not been affected by the disease floating in the air. As the dead begin to rise, together they struggle to stay alive and to keep their minds intact as they search for answers and try to remain out of reach of the increasingly violent walking corpses outside.

My Thoughts: The thought of a zombie apocalypse for me is the scariest horror scenario that could ever happen. Autumn: The City brings out all the fear and dread that surrounds this unlikely happening and like a slow rise it consistently builds up the tension with every chapter. Bringing a fresh perspective to the the traditional zombie story, Autumn: The City delivers delightfully.

This is the second book in the Autumn series and although I have not read the first book, due to this being given to me by a friend to read, I had no problem enjoying the story. The author did an amazing job depicting how the city had gone to waste with each passing day since the disease had spread. Something I really enjoyed about this fresh approach to the zombie story is that he gave it a bit originality, even though it's hard to make any zombie story somewhat original anymore because they are basically all the same. Not every person who died had risen again and there was an evolution to the behavior of the walking dead. The book never once use the word "zombie", although a phrase in the book did reveal that the idea was not foreign to the world, and there wasn't any pointless gore for the sake of there being gore.

My favorite bit about this book was the raw human emotion that the author did amazing at expressing - fear, anger, emptiness, confusion, longing, etc... Every character displayed their emotions differently than others and it was all very compelling and believable. The book was all about expressing the struggle of the survivors and how they tried to come to terms with it. I definitely could appreciate that because a lot of zombie anything these days rely heavily on gruesome acts such as flesh eating and gore. There was plenty of decay and descriptions of rot and smell, but that only helped depict the scenery and the horror of the survivors.

The book was easy to read, the writing was vivid, the emotion excellent and the build up intense. Each character portrayed were believable and the walking dead were creepy and progressively more frightening. This book is definitely intended for mature readers due to its nature and for its coarse language. But if you are a fan of zombie stories then I highly suggest reading this book.

Favorite Passage: "Suddenly feeling paranoid and self-conscious, Michael did up his trousers and immediately began trying to work out how he was going to clean the bedding and his clothes without Emma asking questions or discovering what he had done. A once-familiar feeling of post-ejaculation regret bordering on disgust washed over him. What had he done? Millions of people were dead outside and there he was, wanking under the bedclothes like some dirty little schoolboy. He felt ashamed, and that shame increased infinitely when Emma rolled over."

My Rating: 4.5/5

Review: Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright

Title: Red Riding Hood

Author: Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
Genre: Fantasy & Romance
Publication: 2011

Summary: Valerie's sister was beautiful, kind, and sweet. Now she is dead. Henri, the handsome son of the blacksmith, tries to console Valerie, but her wild heart beats fast for another: the outcast woodcutter, Peter, who offers Valerie another life far from home.

After her sister's violent death, Valerie's world begins to spiral out of control. For generations, the werewolf has been kept at bay with a monthly sacrifice. But no one is safe. When an expert wolf hunter arrives, the villagers learn that the creature lives among them - it could be anyone in town.

It soon becomes clear that Valerie is the only one who can hear the voice of creature. The Wolf says she must surrender herself before the Blood Moon wanes . . . or everyone she loves will die. (Summary taken from Amazon.com)

My Thoughts: The reason I picked up Red Riding Hood was because I was fascinated to read an adaption of the original fairy tale. I like seeing old things become new. So I picked up this book while I was strolling through the mall one day, not really looking for anything in particular, and came upon this. At the time the movie was being shown at the theaters and I thought it would be cool to read the book first and watch the movie after so I can see the comparison. But I will not go into detail about the movie here. The book, however, was good but I couldn't bring myself to believe some of it. Like the romance for instance.

The writing of Red Riding Hood was really good and beautiful and the author did a wonderful job depicting emotion and scenery such as the village of Daggerhorn. The writing was elegant... but dragged on too much. As much as I found the writing to be beautiful, I found myself at times wanting to scream at the narrative for not getting to the point - especially for the first half of the book. After that, when it rolled into the second half, I found it was more bearable since the action picked up and the mystery surrounding the Wolf was exciting. If it weren't for the Wolf bits I wouldn't have enjoyed this book at all. There was a lot of girly infatuation with men that I didn't care for because it's just not my thing, but that doesn't mean someone else who likes romance wouldn't enjoy it.

The Wolf parts were definitely my favorite. They were mysterious and whenever I thought someone to be the Wolf there would be something else that would make me reconsider and keep wondering. The Wolf was eerie and frightening and awesome all at once. I mean, I wouldn't want to cross paths with it, but as an observer it was great.

The only thing about the romance was that some of it wasn't believable. For instance - Valerie's love at first sight with Peter. I just didn't feel believable. "Oh my, that's Peter? My childhood friend who I haven't seen for years? I think I'm in love with him!" I didn't care for that. Although I'm certainly not an expert in romance, I just couldn't bring myself to appreciate this aspect of the book.

Now for the number one thing that totally turned me off was the ending. Because there was no ending. I spent the entire time reading and wondering who the Wolf is and... nothing! I considered writing this as a possible spoiler but then felt it wasn't because you can find out who the wolf is eventually... if you read the bonus chapter on the website. So you will be able to discover the mystery although you won't find it inside the book. The entire time reading I had my suspicions about certain people and was aching to find out the truth in the end, but when the end came I was severely disappointed and angry because I thought it was a terrible ending. Then I learned that the author added a bonus chapter on the website, which to me felt tacked on, where I then learned the Wolfs true identity. Shame on you, Sarah Blakley-Cartwright.

Overall I did enjoy Red Riding Hood for its mystery, action and the Wolfs character but I couldn't get into some romance aspects and I didn't like the ending. The first half of the book was alright but I felt it dragged on too much and the second half was much better and more exciting. Although this is a fantasy novel it does heavily involve itself with romance so if you're into that sort of thing then I would recommend this book.

My Rating: 3/5

Review: War of the Ancients Trilogy by Richard A. Knaak

Title: War of the Ancients (Trilogy)

Author: Richard A. Knaak
Genre: Fantasy
Publication: 2004 & 2005

Summary: Months have passed since the cataclysmic Battle of Mount Hyjal, which put an end to the Burning Legion's invasion. Most Legion forces on Azeroth have been slain or driven into hiding. Yet now a mysterious energy rift in the mountains of Kalimdor propels three heroes to the distant past: the dragon mage Krasus, the human wizard Rhonin, and the weathered orc veteran Broxigar. It is a time long before orcs, humans, or even high elves roamed the world. A time that marks the Legion's first invasion of Azeroth, brought about by Queen Azshara and other night elf nobles. A time when the Dragon Aspects are at the height of their power -- unaware that one of their own will soon turn on the world he was charged to protect. (Summary taken from Amazon.com)

My Thoughts: It's been a few months since I've read this trilogy so my memory of it isn't exactly fresh, but I do know I enjoyed it so much that these are books that will be hard to forget. These three books are part of some delicious Warcraft lore. I've played World of Warcraft for years and the one thing I loved the most about the game is the lore, and these books deliver in a big way.

Although it isn't necessary, I would recommend reading Day of the Dragon written by Knaak because it's somewhat of a prequel to this series. Day of the Dragon introduces some of the main characters in War of the Ancients and so you'd get a better understanding of who they are. But it's not a major issue if you don't.

Knaak does a great job at fleshing out the Dragonflights and giving life to his characters in this series. He's basically a pioneer in Warcraft's Dragon lore. As a former World of Warcraft player, I have always had a fascination with Night Elves and their background - like how did the Burning Legion cross into Azeroth the first time, what caused Deathwing to go insane, and why was Illidan imprisoned for ten thousand years? You learn all of this in these books.

The story as a whole does drag on at times, but I think it's mainly due to introducing more characters along the way. The battle scenes between the Night Elf armies and the Burning Legion are very descriptive and some are just plain epic. I find that Knaak does a well at describing battles and its easy to read. You meet a lot of characters from classic Warcraft lore and get to know some new ones as well who are just as interesting and fun to read about.

The plot isn't too complex, there is mystery, plenty of action and magic, and tons of lore revealing the past of the Night Elf race, druidism, the Dragonfights, and the Burning Legion and its master. If you have not played any of the Warcraft games but are still like the Fantasy genre then you will get your fix out of this series, and if you have played Warcraft and are interested in its lore then this is a must read because it's great.

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Stormrage by Richard A. Knaak

Title: Stormrage

Author: Richard A. Knaak
Genre: Fantasy
Publication: 2010

Summary: Many are the mysteries surrounding the Emerald Dream and its reclusive guardians, the green dragonflight. In times past, druids have entered the Dream to monitor the ebb and flow of life on Azeroth in their never-ending quest to maintain the delicate balance of nature.

However, not all dreams are pleasant ones. Recently the Emerald Nightmare, an area of corruption within the Emerald Dream, began growing in size, transforming the Dream into a realm of unimaginable horror. Green dragons have been unexpectedly caught up in the Nightmare, emerging from it with shattered minds and twisted bodies. Druids who have entered the darkening Dream lately have found it difficult - sometimes even impossible - to escape.

Nor are these the Nightmare's only victims: more and more people are being affected. Even Malfurion Stormrage, first and foremost of the druids on Azeroth, may have fallen victim to this growing threat. As uncontrollable nightmares spread across the world, a desperate quest begins to find and free the archdruid. (Summary taken from back of book)

My thoughts: I am a fan of Richard A. Knaak's work. The very first book I ever read I think was Day of the Dragon which was also his work. I liked all his previous books and Stormrage did deliver as the others did but not as well. I liked Stormrage. That's all. It had a great idea and was thrilling during some parts but unfortunately the drawn out narrative and continual plot twists was a little too much. But as part of the World of Warcraft story, it was a great piece of lore.

In a nutshell, I would say the beginning was slow, the middle was fantastic and last third or so was repetitive.

The beginning of the book did feel a bit drawn out but it wasn't bad either. It sets up the plot well and gives you a good feel of the struggles that are happening in Azeroth. It introduces the characters well enough too but my only criticism about the characters is that they often felt... emo. When it gets rolling into the Emerald Dream and introduces the Emerald Nightmare then my blood got flowing and I thought it was rockin'! The Emerald Nightmare was drawn out really well and it definitely gave you the feeling of dread and fear. The struggle happening between the Nightmare Lord and his minions against the druids and people of Azeroth was great and exciting. I thought to myself if I had been put in that setting I'd be scared out of my pants. But as the story progressed passed the initial fascination with the Emerald Dream and Nightmare, the story began to become repetitive.

I cared about Malfurion's struggle while he was trapped by the Nightmare Lord within the Emerald Dream and the character interaction was great as well. The book also gives us a few good twists that really threw me a curve ball which I appreciated, but it ends up that there are so many plot twists that I started becoming tired of them.

All in all I cared about the characters struggles, even though at times they bordered on being emo, and I thought the Emerald Nightmare and its from of attack was fantastic, but becoming too repetitive and having too many plot twists weighed the story down in the end.

My Rating: 3/5

Review: Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski

Title: Blood of Elves

Author: Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Fantasy
Publication: 2009 (First Published 1994)

Summary: For over a century, humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves have lived together in relative peace. But times have changed, the uneasy peace is over, and now the races are fighting once again. The only good elf, it seems, is a dead elf.

Geralt of Rivia, the cunning assassin known as The Witcher, has been waiting for the birth of a prophesied child. This child has the power to change the world - for good, or for evil.

As the threat of war hangs over the land and the child is hunted for her extraordinary powers, it will become Geralt's responsibility to protect them all - and the Witcher never accepts defeat.

My Thoughts: Upon reading the prequel to this book, The Last Wish, I was extremely excited and looked forward to reading Blood of Elves. Although I enjoyed it, ultimately I was disappointed. I knew these books were part of a series but didn't think that it would have been an unfinished story. Perhaps that's my mistake for not looking into it more but the book ends... with nothing. There isn't really an ending. The book ends with a chapter break and feels like it should keep going on the next page, which I imagine will continue on in the next book once it's finished being translated into English. Last night when I was only left with thirty pages I wondered "How is the author going to wrap ALL that up in thirty pages?" but he doesn't. So that's why I felt disappointed because I wanted to know how it ends and what happened to the characters.

I concluded that this book was basically an introduction to the series as a whole. Like setting up/introducing characters and allowing us to get to know them so we can care about them, and giving details of the wars and the political and economic struggles going on so the real action can take place in the next book. A lot of talking happened, which I'm not bashing because I loved it all, and very little action took place. Because of that fact it made it feel just like what I said - an introduction; very informative and something to give us the low down.

Aside from that I did enjoy Blood of Elves. I got a good feel for the characters and enjoyed learning about the history of some of the things. The dialogue, which takes up about eighty percent of the book, was superb and was believable and drew me in. Some of it did drag on a bit but every character had a life of their own. Reading about the relationships between characters like Ciri and Geralt, and then Ciri and Yennefer were my favorite bits. I loved reading up on the history of Kaer Morhen, the Witchers settlement, and observing Ciri develop her skills in different arts. What little action there was was exciting too and I'm hoping for more of it in the next book.

All in all I enjoyed Blood of Elves but was ultimately disappointed because I wasn't satisfied with its ending. Although it was perhaps intended by the author to be that way. Because the characters were so well drawn out I do intend to read the next book because I really want to know what happens to them and of what will become of this war and of Ciri's fate.

My Rating: 3.5/5

Review: The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski

Title: The Last Wish

Author: Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Fantasy
Publication: 2007 (First published 1986)

Summary: Geralt was always going to stand out, with his white hair and piercing eyes, his cynicism and lack of respect for authority… but he is far more than just a striking-looking man, He’s a witcher; his sorcerous powers, enhanced by elixirs and long training, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the vile fiends that ravage the land. But first appearances are often deceptive. Not everything monstrous-looking is evil, and not everything fair is good… and in every fairy tale, there is a grain of truth.

As guardian of the innocent, Geralt, the witcher from Rivia, meets incestuous kings with undead daughters, vengeful djinns, shrieking harpies, lovelorn vampires and despondent ghouls, and none are quite as they appear…

My Thoughts: The first time I've ever heard of The Witcher was from the video game I picked up a couple of years ago. As far as I knew that was all it was - a video game. While at that same store talking to someone about it a couple of months ago, the employee had mentioned that she had gotten the books as a gift because she liked the game so much, and so I was pleased to find out that it had been a novel first and then adapted into a video game. On my wife and I's last trip to the big city I had picked up The Last Wish, the first book in the series, and was overjoyed with my luck of finding it there.

The Last Wish by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski is now my favorite book.

The novel is broken up into a series of short stories which give you glimpses of the life of Geralt, the witcher, of Rivia. Sapkowski's writing is possibly one of my favorites because I love dialogue and character interaction and there is plenty to be had here. The novel starts off with a story of Geralt being hired to deal with a kings dilemma, which involves a bewitched monster, and from there he ends up recovering in a temple in which he's friends with the priestess in charge. From there each story is a flashback to earlier parts of his life and each story is unique and captivating. Because the story followed a path like this I found it much easier to read and I didn't want to put it down because I always wanted to know what happened next.

Geralt is a great character. I really like his views and philosophies on certain topics and he's a great anti-hero. Being a witcher, a professional monster slayer for hire, he lives to protect people from evil, for a price, but he's not interested in politics and petty affairs. Something I greatly enjoyed about this book is that it doesn't just tackle topics that are black and white, good or evil, but the grey areas where we would have to ask ourselves what would we have done in those situations. The tales are dark and gritty and has a good deal of intellectual discourse.

Another thing I liked as well is that the author managed to integrate old fairy tales into his stories and gave them all his own twist. Such as the stories like Hans the Hedgehog and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. They weren't the main focus of the stories but kind of like side notes which fit in well and gave me a smile.

The Last Wish is a mature book. I wouldn't recommend it for children because there are topics and situations that wouldn't be appropriate for them to read. But if you like Fantasy with stories that concern themselves with mature topics, monster slaying, love and action then I suggest this book for you.

Favorite Quote: "People," Geralt turned his head, "like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves. When they get blind-drunk, cheat, steal, beat their wives, starve an old woman, when they kill a trapped fox with an axe or riddle the last existing unicorn with arrows, they like to think that the Bane entering cottages at daybreak is more monstrous than they are. They feel better then. They find it easier to live."

My Rating: 5/5


This is my first book review so I'm not exactly sure how to write a proper one, since I always got away with not writing one in high school because I'd write a song and played it for the class instead, so I hope I did alright because I plan to do one for every time I finish a novel.

Stories, Fishing & Ocarina

In less than two weeks I'm going to be back out on the boat and fishing lobster again. I'm sort of looking forward to it but at the same time dreading it. I like the job and enjoy working with my dad and grandpa but it's the waking up at 3:45 am so I can drive for 45 minutes to arrive at the wharf and the rough waters when it's windy outside that I don't care much for. But this will be my last season since I will be attending college this fall while I study Criminal Justice. Since my wife and I are having a baby I want to have a career that I can depend on so I can provide for my family.

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In writing I had made a lot more progress this time on my story than I did at my previous attempt. I hadn't known how bad my story was until I decided to scrap it and start over again. This time I'm really happy with what I've got and feel like there is actual substance to it instead of filler. I'm in the middle of chapter six! I did hit some writers block though, and I'm still working on getting pass that.

In the mean time I began writing another type of story which I got inspiration from Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. I loved how he wrote it and how it was like short stories of Bod's life and that each chapter jumped ahead a couple of years and such. Even though the book had a plot that was tied together, I thought making each chapter sort of like a short story in itself brilliant and it was a lot of fun to read. The Graveyard Book is one of my favorite books hands down!

This new story I'm working on is a mixture of horror and fantasy which consist mainly of the walking dead - Zombies. I've always wanted to write a horror story because I've grown up watching horror films and always thought I could tell a good one myself if I tried. But honestly, I've picked the scariest horror element that I could possibly choose for myself. I am terrified of zombies. I dream a lot and five days out of seven I can usually remember what I've dreamt, and it's very rare that I ever have a nightmare, but if when I do it's always about zombies and I wake up scared. Call me crazy for wanting to write about what I find the scariest horror element possible, but that's exactly why I love it, because it's so scary! Might as well write about what really shakes you right? So my book is going to be a novel of short stories that has a plot all the way through, following the story of one man in a world infested with zombies. That's all the information I'm giving up for now.

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Today is also a special day because I have finally received my new ocarina! I'm particularly excited about this because it's one I've wanted for a long time but never got around to buying. The picture on the left is the same as what I've got. It's made from a man named Charlie Hind who makes exceptional wooden ocarinas. The picture alone cannot even capture how remarkable this ocarina looks.

The reason I'm extra excited about this one is because I want it to be a family heirloom. I want use it until our child becomes old enough and then I want to pass it down to him/her and keep the tradition going with each generation. It may sound old fashion but things like that make me happy. The reason I chose this one as an heirloom is because wooden instruments only become better with time as long as they are properly taken care of. It's just like a guitar - If made with the right kind of wood, the sound that comes from it will continually sound richer as the years go on. And, this ocarina just sounds really nice and is one of the best ones I've ever played!

That's all. I hope you have a nice day!

Sometimes

I haven't written in a long time.

Feelings change, people change and it's amazing at how quickly it can all happen. But sometimes there's a nice person out there who will say nice things - just because they are a nice person - and it's refreshing. It's like a cold shower on a hot summer day to help cool you of unwanted layers of heated skin that keep reminding you of today. Yesterday was good, but it hasn't caught up with today. All you can do is hope.

But sometimes there's a nice person.

And it's refreshing.

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In the world of writing - I've scrapped my book and restarted it a few days ago. I'm making good progress and I'm really liking what I've got so far. I like it much more than what I used to have. It's was like I didn't exactly have a voice before but I feel that now I'm finally able to the speak out the way I want to on paper. Hopefully in the end the story will be worthy of people's time.