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