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: 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: 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