Book # 21: Ghostland (Jory Strong)

Pages: 341
Reading Time: 3~ weeks
Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Well, I see a pattern... when school gets rough, I read romance stories... I feel slightly ashamed, for this will surely not make me any smarter. But then again, I think it's the "@_# brain hurts, no more thinky" that leads me to select fluffier stuff.

FIRST: Hooray for not having a sleezy cover! This makes me slightly respect the book... I could take it in public without people assuming I was reading something gross. :D Ghostland reminded me a bit of Supernatural (tv show), dealing with spirits and traveling to the 'spirit lands.' Aisling is an orphan with special shameness abilities, and can travel in the spiritlands without you know, getting stuck there... She's taken from her community home outside of San Francisco and brought to the city to work for the Church. In doing a job for them, Aisling summons a demon to stop a sacrifice, he murders everyone participating, and that lands her in trouble with the demon. Since you know, demons love being summoned to do human dirty work.

I was glad I know my supernatural beings roughly pretty well, so when I read Zurael is Djinn, I went OHKAY. Djinn are probably the origin of genies, but get the picture of Disney's Genie out of your head, because Zurael is far from blue and smokey. Maybe smokey good looking, but that's a given. Zurael's goal is to kill Aisling because she was able to summon him, but not before he uses her to get a valuable tablet stuck in our world. It basically has directions on it that include "How to Summon Bad Things for Dummies,"or the sort. Of course, there is intense attraction for one another, so that whole plan to kill her flies out the window. Zurael sees Aisling is an innocent soul, not power hungry, so he starts to crumble.

Aisling has a familiar that is secretly a Djinn that was cast out, but in this case he runs around as a ferret, and she has no idea what his true form is. He's been other creatures before and died, but seems like a cool pet?

I wish I would have read this without so many breaks, because at one point I forgot what was going on since, the plot was pretty woven with different people's motives going on. I would recommend this book though, I bought into the supernatural future and the goals of the characters. Aisling and Zurael do have a very difficult time keeping their hands off each other, but I usually bought into that as well. Probably since it was less lusty and more desire for that one character.

Grade: B+

+Plot with more than one goal
+Supernaturallll stuffff that isn't corny
+I only predicted about 50% of what was happening. Yay!
-One 'love scene' I preferred to skip... nothanks.

Book # 20: Catching Fire (Suzanne Collins)

Pages: 391
Reading Time: 1.5 days
Genre: Science Fiction/Young Adult

It happened again...

I started the second novel in the Hunger Games and was kidnapped and engulfed until I finished it. And it just keeps getting better.

The novels picks up after Katniss and Peeta have won the hunger games. Two winners. For the first time in history. Her Romeo and Juliet double suicide by berries pissed off the Capitol. Her act of rebellion that if there can't be two winners there will be none, earns Katniss the pressure to win over every district that this was an act of love, not REBELLION.

Katniss tries on the tour to prove her 'love' for Peeta, and after the President's nice little do or die challenge, it's gotta be good. After getting Peeta to come around, their desperate attempt faaaaaails to wow the President. But little clues pop up that things are not going smoothly for the Capitol and their districts... Remember the key is divide and conquer, and this is exactly what the Capitol has done to the other districts. They don't even have the ability to communicate with one another. Soo, that makes a full out rebellion kind of tricky. Tricky...

When the next hunger games begin to roll around, it's a Quarter Quell year (every 25 years are 'extra' special! Awww thanks Capitol!). And the theme this year is "Let's reap from the pool of winners! DOWN WITH POWER." So of the whooping three victors from District 12, Katniss is the only female, and Haymitch and Peeta the only males to pick from... Peeta and Katniss find themselves going back to the hunger games they escaped from.

I knew some things were up with some of the players are making sure Peeta is going to survive.. HMM... that's NOT fishy...

Well Katniss isn't sure what to make of it, and the novel builds until the plan is to electrocute the island at the center of the arena in hopes of zapping two players. The plan starts to crumble and I couldn't believe Katniss did not see that Johanna was removing the tracker from her arm when she stabbed her there. Then runs off. Duh. In her wrong, disorientated state, Katniss realizes the enemy is the Capitol, not the players, and fires an arrow with wire at the force field above, just as lightning strikes the tree she's under. BIG BOOM.

She's taken up by the helicopters that rescue the bodies of the dead players, except the Gamemaster, Plutarch, her coach, and a few other players are there when she wakes up. Katniss finds out there is rebellion all over the districts, but there are TWO THINGS majorly wrong. I will stop spoiling, and say I need book three now. I need to know how this ends, and also, very importantly, which BOY Katniss decides to stick with. Finally. A LOVE TRIANGLE done RIGHT. I keep wondering if this is going to go down like A Tale of Two Cities: Charles Darnay and Synday Carton style. If that is the case, I may cry girly tears like I did at the end of that one. Nooo...

+Great action of plot
+Great baddies to hate on
+Katniss has lots of self monologues, which I enjoy. Explains what's happening, and her thoughts, even if you see through it she's got part of it wrong
- I can't wait to read the 3rd one and now my spring break is nearly over. Crap. This is going to interfere with studying and attention spans
+OH WELL.



Also: Go download Taylor Swift's Safe and Sound, from the Hunger Games soundtrack. Matches this story, the tone, mood right on. As it should, for being written for it and put on the soundtrack.

Book # 19: The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)

Pages: 374
Reading time: 2 days
Genre: Science Fiction

HOLY CRAP. I haven't been enthralled in an obsessive reading state since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Hence why it was 48 hours. Would have been less, but I had to be social and consume food.

What an interesting concept... in this futuristic distopia, the continent Panam had 13 districts. When District 13 tried to start a rebellion, they were crushed and obliterated by the government. As payback and a reminder of their submission, the remaining districts hold a drawing/reaping of their children 12-18. A boy and girl are selected from each and forced to gladiator it out until one remains alive... 'may the odds ever be in your favor' my butt!

Collins is smart about this concept. You can't have a protagonist as a bloody thirsty gladiator (tribute, they call them). But a hero forced to survive. Katniss is the provider for her family and hunts illegally, giving her a cunning edge over the other contestants with a bow and arrow. Peeta Mellark, her chosen counterpart has had the hots for Miss Wilderness for ages. So, it's kind of crushing when Katniss VOLUNTEERS to go in place of her baby sis. Aw. In the preparation time before hand, their drunken coach, the only winner from District 12 over 30 years ago, urges them to act as if they are starry eyed for each other. This angle hasn't been done
before.... think survivor: some play cunning and backstabby, some try to out wit, over power, etc. But appeal as a love story to the audience? That's new.

I give Collins kudos since she always compels you to read on, each chapter is a cliff hanger to the next. Especially since you want both Kat and Peeta to win, and know there can only be one winner... unless..... maybe they will allow it if both are from the same district! oOooOOO.... plot thickens.

Katniss is very savy in her survival, and even her killing... while the antagonists (the other tributes) are ruthless and cold, the only time Katniss actually shot an arrow into someone was a mix of revenge and self defense. Before that, she sends a nest full of angry bees onto the tributes who have her cornered up a tree, causing the deaths of two... And then there was the explosion she started, that got one dude wacked off too. She's got a heart, she her bond with the youngest tribute mirrors her younger sister. Same age, protective, smaller size, and when she's attacked, Kat goes all mama-bear on the other kid.

Collins is also smart not to name every tribute who gets killed off. Some are given names but luckily, these 22 other characters we have to part with are not humanized too much. Nice job, otherwise this would be one nasty young adult novel... I cannot wait to read the second one, and similarly, a novel called "Battle Royale," that has nearly the same plotline as this story... copycatter. So I will have to find out how close they really are.

+AWESOME writing. I think I only tripped once in a spot I would have edited.
+Good descriptions of this distopia universe.
+Compelling characters. Little Romeo and Juliet minus Juliet actually being head over heels for R.. oops! Still... I see a loooove triangle!!!
+Kat is not bloodthirsty and you won't see her as a murderer. Nice to know when you have to see 1/24 walk out right? Cool.

A+

Like I said, this was as hard to put down as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Suspense gets you. It's unconventional compared to other known plots and worlds. READ IT.


http://jessmindless.deviantart.com/art/Katniss-The-Hunger-Games-205690390 For pic!

Book # 18: Critical Care (Theresa Brown)

Pages: 189
Reading Time: 4 weeks
Genre: Nonfiction

A little ashamed it took me so long to get around to reading a 189 page book, but life happens. I also notice I tend to read about 3 books at any one given time. Whoops. I saw this book at my work and gave in because it was like a whack in the head. The author Theresa Brown, was an English Professor before changing careers to nursing. Helloooo I can totally relate. Just glad I didn't go that far (although I highly, highly considered a PhD in English at one point). Brown chronicles the events that happen during her first year as a nurse. As the stupid cheesy subtitle says, "A New Nurse Faces Death, Life, and Everything in Between." Yep, that was the best they could come up with.

Brown writes well enough, explaining some of the medical jargon she uses, but I was still glad I've taken my pre-nursing classes. After a few chapters though, I was wondering if any of Theresa's patients LIVE. Good grief, she works in the oncology department (no DAD, that's not women and babies <-true quote), so everyone who comes in has cancer. It felt like every patient ends up with a sad story... aiiee...

My favorite chapter may have been when Theresa has issues on her floor with the other nurses' attitudes. She transfered floors and was much happier with the lack of a mean pecking order... Good to know what to expect when I get in there for nursing... Although, I may not pursue oncology. Not sure what the mortality rate is for patients who come through, but from the picture Brown paints, I'd suspect it would be a heavy burden to encounter daily.

Grade: B

+Explains most of the medical 'jargon'
-Not always explains medical...
+Good message (go live it up, buy the piano)

Book # 17: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson)

Pages: 590
Reading Time: ~3 weeks (library hold interruptions...)
Genre: Fiction/Crime Mystery

About time I cross this one off my To Read list and put it on my Already Read list. YES.

I was a bit tainted reading this novel, since I saw the Swedish version of the film and THEN was inspired to read the book. So, here's a short recap for the few who have not gotten on the bestseller train.

Mikael Blomkvist is a journalist, got in trouble for libel and couldn't produce his evidence, and gets hired to investigate the disappearance of a 16 year old girl who's been missing for decades. Her great-uncle is desperate to find out what happened to his beloved Harriet, and he's convinced she was killed by a family member on their island that day. Blomkvist eventually is entwined with Lisbeth, the gothic computer hacker, strange woman whom he hires for his assistant.

Someone warned me it was slow to start, and at that time I said I disagreed. Well, at that point I was naive. It is a bit slow, but only if you find the juicy parts about investigative journalism dull. (Ok, some of it was over my head in the interest department, didn't see why, but, not all was a chore to get through.) At this point, my favorite parts were the ones about Lisbeth. Obviously deeper than the author wants to let us know (oh and soo sad Larsson died shortly after his works...).

Much more detailed than the film obviously, I thought the ride was quite enjoyable. I was satisfied until the climax? Can I call it that? When Mikael figures out who the killer is, he's in over his head. Quickly he finds himself the next victim when Lisbeth, luckily, figures it out and comes just in time. After chasing him onto the freeway, he's killed in a crash, boom, just like that! I had to go back and re-read to insure that it was indeed just one page of action. It went on to carry out the journalism revenge, which was mostly satisfying. Last page, not so much, but I assume that's why there are more in the series. I'll definitely add those to my list.

Overall Grade? A-/B+. I can't decide. Definitely a good read, but the film satisfied more vengeance. Just the way it goes....

+Awesome characters
-Some journalism jargon?
-Found the killer, no big deal he's dead in like five minutes
+Moooore

Book #16: The Vampire Dimitri (Colleen Gleason)

Pages: 384
Reading time: 3 weeksish. Took a while to find time.
Genre: Paranormal/Romance! (I haven't done a paranormal one in ages...)

VAMPIRE RANT/OPTIONAL BLURB:
I don't consider myself weird, or particularly geek-ish in any abnormal way. No strange obsessions, hobbies, etc. But this just keeps surfacing--vampires. For some reason, I enjoy reading novels with them, shows staring them, movies featuring them. I remember some mythology lecture in high school where some poor kid had to shift through piles and piles of crap of vampire lore-junk to get to the heart of some mythic 'facts' to present to the class. (Soooo glad that was not my group. No, luckily for me we got "Russian Mythology," and I can tell you right now, that topic doesn't exists. There are maybe two books on it ever written. Anyway.) Supposedly, there are some hard-core facts about the origin of these blood sucking, sometimes sexy beings, that they come from super nice lords sucking dry all the good stuff from their surfs, so the legend may have started as a representation, not literal blood-suckers. Then there's that one Dracula novel, which drew on some events in real life (there was a count, rumored to be evil! Vlad the Impaler!). OK CUT TO THE POINT: I've read a lot of versions of these myth-creatures. From Interview with the Vampire, to the sad, sad work that has consumed part of pop culture that is Twilight (barf).

DIMITRI!
In this version, vampires are those who have made a bargain with the devil and he owns their soul. This is the only true way to be a vampire. Some peeps were made from the originals, but they are like flunkies and not so strong. Dimitri is an Earl and decently old. Hundred plus years of living as a vampire, he sold his soul to ensure he and his beloved (at the time) survived the fires of London. It worked, but similar to Megara from Disney's Hercules, his girlfriend realizes how cool being a vampire is and ditches Dimitri, leaving the ex-puritan up a creek without a soul and a pact with the devil. That bites.

Dimitri is left in charge of two sisters, and he's not happy about it. Frankly, he's Mr. Grouchy Pants a lot. Chas, a vampire hunter and pal of Dimitri's, leaves his sisters with him while he's out after the big bad one Cezar. Then Mr. Grouchy Pants---I mean Dimitri, keeps having inappropriate encounters with the eldest, Maia, and they deny their feelings quiiiite a while. Cute. Of course, there's some kidnapping (not necessarily a damsel, although there are multiple kidnappings), rescuing, and torture. Yay for old, angry flames!

I wasn't expecting much with this, to be honest. It's got a skanky lady on the front showing lots of chest with a good looking vampire leaning over her. I wish I hadn't read it in so many chunks so I could have gotten the flow better. I would have to say it's one of the better vampire novels I've read. Now, I say this because I enjoyed a fresh batch of mythology on them.

1. These vampires have a pact with the devil, complete with a big fat tattoo marking their backs. They feel immense pleasure when being naughty, bad, heartless people, and Lucifer's anger when they are good little citizens. Dimitri has sworn off feeding and being a bad guy while researching any way out of his contract. He's an exception to the others.
2. What about silver?! And SUN?! Each vampire has an anathema, or specific weakness. Dracula got stuck with silver, poor bloke, and some were luckier to get less common household materials. Dimitri's weak to rubies, so it's really important not to let other vampires know this. Kind of detrimental. And as for sun, he's not doomed to sleep all day, but Gleason writes it as more of a super allergic reaction. Cool. Maia! Stop opening the shades. Duh.
3. Human again? Yes. However, no one has done so until Voss, Dimitri's frenemy, breaks his contract before Dimitri. This really ticks him off since Voss was the essential vampire, loved everything naughty until boom! After falling in love with the second sister Angelica, he 'changed.' And literally, that's all the clue he givens to Dimitri. "I just changed, man, guess you gotta figure it out too." I do find it mildly cute Dimitri is given a copy of "La Belle et le Bete" from a mysterious book store owner (OR IS SHE?! *twilight zone*). Walled off, anti-social, he ironically is driving himself away from what makes us human, but realizes how to love and be all human-emotion-y after finally admitting he's truly in love with Maia. Awww. Sorry Luce.

So what's the score?? Worth the time?!

I checked out this book and The Vampire Voss at the same time but chose the tormented Byronic-character over the badass changed by love. I will probably not go for Voss because it's essentially the same events but told through other characters' eyes at the time. Been there, know that. So pick one and go!

B. Solid B.

+No one glitters.
+New twist on mythology. Yay!
-Ending was a little corny. Wouldn't have ended it that way, drenching the grouch in love syrup goo. "Darling!"
+Pretty decent plot. I feel like it's hard to make a plot when you're old, demonic, and trying to be a good guy. Who's gonna stop you or have a big fat beef with you? Oh right, an ex girlfriend. Or maybe your maker, except... it's the devil himself in this one. Tough luck.

Book #15: Clockwork Prince (Cassandra Clare)

Pages: 498
Reading time: 7 days
Genre: Historical Fantasy/Young Adult

The sequel is here! And I finally got a hold of it! Although, I almost felt like too much time had lapsed since I read the first one, Clockwork Angel, this summer. So many details! Maaaaybe I forgot some...

So what's going on? The Clave and the Institute run by Charlotte and Henry Branwell are still trying to hunt down Axel Mortmain, the bad guy. The Institute is given a two week deadline before they must hand leadership over to the Lightwoods, a rival family of shadowhunters who just scream "Malfoys" for those who have read/seen Harry Potter. Of course, it's not that Charlotte's doing a crummy job, circumstances, yadda yadda. Anyway, Will's still a handsome prick, Jem's tall, silver, and mysterious, and Tessa's disappointed yet hopeful about her brother being a traitor and betraying her, how sweet of him. Of course, you'd be blind not to see this coming, but both boys have the hots for Tessa, Will being hot and cold but Jem consistent and NICE. HMMM. Both do sound relatively attractive (However, if Clare had one more paragraph about how handsomely charming Will is, I might have screamed at her. I got it. He's a babe. He's misunderstood. I GOT IT.) Further details are revealed about everyone's past, minus Jem. Not so much on him. Someone turns out to be a traitor, and boohoo's about it. If you've read the first you can take a wild guess who's unhappy and cranky enough about shadowhunters to betray everyone.
So, while all these hormones are stifling everyone, more information comes up to get the gang hotter on Mortmain's tail. Go team! Most of it comes together with two smaller climaxes ending with a nice cliff-hanger because of couse, you need to read the third book in the series (not yet out).
I was trying to think what makes you root for these characters, and get so disappointed when the LOVE COUPLE you want doesn't end up holding hands all sappy in the end. Clare makes Will a tragic hero, he's moody and cruel, but once we find out why we can only pity him and want to give him a big hug. Clare quotes a heckuva lot of literature from the time, even a Tale of Two Cities (coincidentally one of my fav. Seriously. Y'all need to suck it up and read it. Dickens gets better). She set up that love triangle you see in ATOTC. Will's Sydney Carton, down on his luck but hopelessly in a love he can never have (break my heart already!) and Jem's the good guy (Charles Darnay) who's so good he deserves all the love of the heroine, but he's lacking that character flaw that makes you root for the underdog. He's so great you almost don't want to let him down... Tessa, is probably one heroine I actually do like. She knows she's torn up about it, doing that dumb girl thing of rationalizing with your head when your heart pulls another direction. She's in love with both buuuuuuuuuuuut I think I can call how this will turn out in book three. Just a guess....

Grade: A-
+Fast read
+Plot thickens, but not muck
+Variety of characters now have their stories more fleshed out!
-Uhhhhh, the ending was a little too happy for me. Just a personal preference. Also forgot some details that I was waiting to be reminded of. Clare does not remind you of them. Read closer together with the first one.