Reading Reflections: November 2009

Books Read:
Ill Wind by Rachel Caine
(Review)
The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #5) by Rick Riordan
(Review)
The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4) by Rick Riordan
(Review)
Fade Out by Rachel Caine
(Review)
The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3) by Rick Riordan
(Review)
The Sea of Monsters(Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2) by Rick Riordan
(Review)
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1) by Rick Riordan (Review)

Total Books Read: 7

Most Anticipated: Ill Wind by Rachel Caine

Biggest Let Down: None this month! :)

Favorite Read: Hmmm...it's between Ill Wind by Rachel Caine and The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Highest rank: 5 apples

Lowest rank: 4 apples

Overall Reflection:
An excellent month in reading! I highly enjoyed the Percy Jackson series, much more than I had anticipated. The final book was definitely the best in the series, although I really enjoyed the fourth book as well, the labyrinth was such an interesting concept to me. I also got to read the latest installment of the Morganville Vampire series, which was lovely. I just adore Caine's writing. I also got to start her Weather Warden series, which so far is amazing. It's definitely more complex than the Morganville series, which actually left me feeling a bit more satisfied! I look forward to another month of fantastic reads! :)

Since I won't be around tomorrow...

Happy Thanksgiving! :D

Ill Wind (Weather Warden Series #1) by Rachel Caine

Summery:
Joanne is unique person with an unique ability to control the weather. Such unique people are often known as Wardens. There are weather wardens like Joanne who control air and water. There are fire wardens who control fire and earth wardens who controls all earth-related matter.

What makes Joanne special is that her ability is about ten-fold compared to your average warden, which makes her coveted, yet feared. The warden council has made sure to keep an extra close eye on her to ensure her gift does not go unchecked. However, Joanne has run into an unfortunate mishap that singles her out as a murderer and liability. Now the council is hot on her trail and an unseen enemy is throwing deadly storms her way. Joanne must use of all her power to outrun the wardens that seek to lobotomize her and find another outlaw warden who is the strongest warden known, and her only hope to survival.

Review:
I absolutely adore Caine's writing. I have read (and loved) the Morganville Vampire series, so I highly anticipated the Weather Warden series. I was not disappointed. Caine's writing style is quite similar, however her adult writing is more complex than that of her YA, and rightfully so. It took me a few pages to discern the complex world Caine created, but once I was up to speed, I didn't slow down. I love the Djinn characters especially. I devoured this book eagerly and can not wait to dive into the rest of the series!

Cover Art Commentary:
I am just smitten with this cover! It highlights Joanne and her prized mustang. There is some foreshadowing with the open road and lightening ahead...Just talking about it makes me want to read it again! ;)

Overall Rating:

Book Bundle (3)

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, Ever can see auras, hear people's thoughts, and know a person's entire life story by touch. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen.

Damen Auguste is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head—wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can see straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. She has no idea just who he really is—or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.
-The author's website


Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever's powers are increasing, Damen's are fading—stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.

Desperate to save him, Ever travels to the mystical dimension of Summerland, uncovering not only the secrets of Damen's past—the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden—but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker each day...
-The author's website


Ray Lilly is living on borrowed time. He’s the driver for Annalise Powliss, a high-ranking member of the Twenty Palace Society, a group of sorcerers devoted to hunting down and executing rogue magicians. But because Ray betrayed her once, Annalise is looking for an excuse to kill him–or let someone else do the job.

Unfortunately for both of them, Annalise’s next mission goes wrong, leaving her critically injured. With the little magic he controls, Ray must complete her assignment alone. Not only does he have to stop a sorcerer who’s sacrificing dozens of innocent lives in exchange for supernatural power, he must find–and destroy–the source of that inhuman magic.
-RandomHouse.com


When a witch is born, a doppelganger is created. For the witch to master her powers, the twin must be killed. But what happens when the doppelganger survives?

Mirage, a bounty hunter, lives by her wits and lethal fighting skills. She always gets her mark. But her new mission will take her into the shadowy world of witches, where her strength may be no match against magic.

Miryo is a witch who has just failed her initiation test. She now knows that there is someone in the world who looks like her, who is her: Mirage. To control her powers and become a full witch, Miryo has only one choice: to hunt the hunter and destroy her.

-The author's website

When a witch is born, a doppelganger is created. For the witch to master her powers, the twin must be killed. Until now .

Mirei's extraordinary magic makes her the most powerful witch alive. By some, she is hailed as a miracle, while others proclaim her to be an evil abomination and vow to destroy those who champion her.

Now the different factions of witches engage in a bloody war, with magic, treachery, and murder. But both sides may be fighting for nothing. For the power that the rebel witches fear, the magic that Mirei alone possesses, is killing her.

-The author's website

Source:
Evermore, Blue Moon, Warrior, and Witch were all purchased at Barnes and Noble. Child of Fire was won from Book Love Affair.

Most Anticipated:
Evermore and Blue Moon by Alyson Noel.

New Blog Award

TJ from Book Love Affair gave me this "kick ass award" along with some kind words:
Lily's Bookself: One of my closest friend-bloggers, Lily's content on her blog is always top notch. She just recently changed her review layout and her reviews are easier to read than ever. And the books she chooses are always interesting!

I shall participate by passing on this award to 5 other blogs I really enjoy:

Pure Imagination: I just recently joined the many followers on Pure Imagination. I must admit, I am addicted. I stop by there almost daily. Lori posts wonderful YA reviews, a genre I recently have delved into. She also posts a lot of extras that are fun to read. If you are looking to get started or already enjoy the YA genre, I highly recommend Pure Imagination. :)

Smexy Books: Now, I will admit, I am not one for romance. However, Mandi's reviews are delectable. I love all the extras she incorporates into her blog, such as her "date with little Eddie." I also enjoy her top ten feature. Don't know what I'm talking about? Go check her out! Mandi also opened me up to books I would have not normally picked up, such as the Riley Jenson series by Keri Arthur. Mandi puts 110% into her blog, and it shows. :)

Ink and Paper: Jo writes excellent reviews. I always look forward to reading them. She posts a lot of YA, which is a genre I have really come to adore. Jo has introduced me to quite a few YA books that I have passed over at the bookstore. Often after reading her reviews, I will go back and pick them up. I always look forward to her In My Mailbox feature, which usually highlights recently released books. :)

Book Chick City: Carolyn is the author of one of my favorite blogs. I visit Book Chick City almost daily. She has excellent reviews, awesome giveaways and amazing features. I really enjoy the books she picks to review. I always look forward to her next post, whatever it may be. :)

Temporary Worlds: Nancy is one of my closest blogging friends. She has a wide variety taste in books, which is half the fun of reading her blog. Her reviews are lovely and honest. I love her monthly reflection feature, which she has allowed me to use in my own blog. :)

The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #5) by Rick Riordan

"The end of the world started when a Pegasus landed on the hood of my car."

Summery:

So begins that last installment of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Last Olympian. Percy is about to turn sixteen and along with his upcoming birthday, the great prophecy is about to unfold. Demigods, gods, monsters, and all mythical creatures must decide where their loyalties lie and chose between the Olympians and the Titans. The battle that has been brewing is now at the forefront. All that stands in the way of the Lord of time defeating the Olympians are Percy and his friends, and their numbers are dwindling...



Review:

This books takes off from page one and doesn't slow down until the very end. This is truly the climax of the series. Riordan does a nice job of tying loose ends. I have to say I was extremely sad to turn the last page. The series as a whole is amazing, but this final installment is epic. I read it in 3 settings. I love the way Riordan modernizes the Greek gods. The reader is easily able to picture and relate to the gods as he or she reads through the series. It is a fun and interesting way to learn about Greek mythology. There is a bit of a opportunity for another series at the end, so I am curious to see if anything will happen in the future. ;)



The Last Olympian book trailer:





Meet the characters:

Cover Art Commentary:

Absolutely stunning. This is definitely my favorite cover of the entire series. All the covers are gorgeous and compliment each other nicely. I am seriously thinking about getting the entire series in hardcover.



Overall Rating:

Sorry I'm late...

Happy belated birthday TJ! Hope you had a wonderful day! :)

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4) by Rick Riordan

Summery:
This year, Annabeth leads the demigods on a quest through Daedalus's Labyrinth, in a feverish attempt to stop their former camp counselor Luke from resurrecting the Titan lord Kronos. Who is Daedalus, and what is his Labyrinth you ask? You can find out here (Daedalus is pictured on the right with his son Icarus. Daedalus and Icarus, by Frederick, Lord Leighton). The Labyrinth is no small feat. The heroes mush fight monsters, solve riddles, overcome fears, and depend on each other to come out alive (with their sanity intact), while attempting to accomplish their quest. Grover enters the Labyrinth with the demigods as well to his fulfill own quest to find the lost god Pan.

Review:
The pages flew by. I found myself anxiously awaiting the end of my shift(s) so I could come home and read more about Percy and the demigods adventures. In my humble opinion, this is the best installment yet in the series. I was going to wait to read the final book when it came out in paperback, but I found myself unable to wait and bought the hardback last night. I cannot wait to delve into this final installment! It's title The Last Olympian sounds epic, doesn't it?!

Cover Art Commentary:
Another beautiful cover with a monumental scene from the book. It's not my favorite, solely because of the color. I prefer the cooler greens and blues from some of the previous books. However, it fits in with the rest of the series quite nicely. The series looks great together on my shelf!

Overall Rating:




You might like:
Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Philips
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling

Book Bundle (2)

Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin is on vacation when her Djinn lover, David, asks Joanne to marry him. She's thrilled to say yes, even if some others may be less than happy about it.

Unfortunately, Joanne's pre-marital bliss is ended by a devastating earthquake in Florida. And she can't ask David and his kind for assistance. Because the cause of the quake is unlike anything Joanne has ever encountered and a power even the Djinn cannot perceive.
-Goodreads.com

Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin was supposed to be enjoying a romantic
honeymoon with her new husband, the Djinn David--not running from a malevolent hurrican bent on destroying her. Joined by an army of fellow Wardens and Djinn on board a hijacked luxury liner, Joanne has lured the storm into furious pursuit. Only one problem: Even their combined magic may not be enough to stop it.

Now Joanne's being drawn into uncharted dark territory, both at sea and in a battle for her own soul...and if she doesn't change course, her fellow Wardens--and even David's Djinn--won't have any choice but to blow her away...
-Goodreads.com


A rare hybrid of vampire and werewolf, Riley Jenson and her twin brother, Rhoan, work for Melbourne’s Directorate of Other Races, an organization created to police the supernatural races–and protect humans from their depredations. While Rhoan is an exalted guardian, a.k.a. assassin, Riley is merely an office worker–until her brother goes missing on one of his missions. The timing couldn’t be worse. More werewolf than vampire, Riley is vulnerable to the moon heat, the weeklong period before the full moon, when her need to mate becomes all-consuming.…
-Goodreads.com

From Melbourne’s gleaming skyscrapers to its throbbing nightclubs, Riley Jenson’s world is raging with danger and desire. A drop-dead-gorgeous werewolf–with a touch of vamp coursing in her blood–Riley works for an organization created to police the supernatural races. But when she wakes up naked and bruised in a barren alley, she knows only that she must run for her life.

Within moments Riley collides with the sexiest man she’s ever seen: steely, seductive Kade, who is fighting a life-and-death battle of his own. With old lovers and enemies gathering around her, Riley knows she is being pursued by a new kind of criminal. Because in Riley’s blood is a secret that could create the ultimate warrior–if only she can survive her own dangerous desires…

-Goodreads.com


In a world of sorcery and seduction, the nights bring out the beautiful, the damned, and the desired. Here, Riley Jenson is on her own–half werewolf, half vampire, working for an organization created to police the supernatural races. Trusting her superiors and lovers barely more than she trusts her worst enemies, Riley plays by her own set of rules. Her latest mission: to enter the heavily guarded pleasure palace of a criminal named Deshon Starr–a madman-scientist who’s been messing around in the gene pool for decades.
-Goodreads.com

Source:
All of these were purchased at my local indie bookstore.

Most Anticipated:
Hmmm....now that's tricky. I anticipate that both series' will be fantastic. At this point, I don't think I can pick one over the other.

Fade Out by Rachel Caine

Summery:
Things have started to return to normal, well as normal as they can be in Morganville, Texas. Clare is focusing on school, Shane is finally employed, Micheal is working on his musical career, and Eve just got a leading role in the town play. A slight snag develops when Eve becomes close friends with one of her cast-mates, Kim. Kim does not play well with others, which creates friction for the other members in the Glass house. Kim also has bigger sights set than the local theater company. She is working on her own side project, one that will expose Morganville in all it's vampire glory. When Kim goes missing, Micheal, Eve, Shane, and Clare must decide if they should save Kim or hand her over to the Vampires.

Review:
At first, I thought Caine would have a difficult time recovering from the ongoing Bishop-Amelie battle. Caine did a nice job recovering and moving the story along. The only thing that detracted from the story, ever so slightly was a mildly ridiculous attempt to incorporate teenage slang. I kept this distraction in check by reminding myself that this book was indeed written and targeted for a YA audience. It was more prominent at the beginning, but eventually tapered off. Overall, the pages flew by and I found myself wanting more once the book ended. I also like that Caine fleshes out the story of Myrnin and Ada a bit more. It's nice to see Myrnin not a bit more sane than previous books. I have truly enjoyed the Morganville Vampire Series and will continue to read it as long as Caine writes more books for it. As I am at the end of the series (for now), I anticipate that I will be starting Caine's Weather Warden series in the near future! ;)

Cover Art Commentary:
I like this cover, though not as much as previous covers. I believe the character on the front is Eve. I do love the necklace she is wearing!

Overall Rating:




You may also like:
The Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine
The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris
Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #3) by Rick Riordan

Summery:
Percy and his demigod friends go to a boarding school to save 2 other demigods from monsters that want to use the half-bloods for their own sinister purposes. In the meantime, Artemis (goddess of the hunt and moon) goes missing. Percy and his friends must find her before the winter solstice begins, when her presence is greatly needed to influence the Greek Gods to fight in the upcoming battle against the Titans. Furthermore, Annabeth goes missing. Percy has premonition-like dreams that she is in grave danger and feels he must find her before it's too late.

Review:
This book is action-packed from beginning to end. There are several twists and turns along the way that make it exceptionally hard to set down. The demigods ban together and discover they need each other more than ever to survive. The Titan's Curse also has a darker side that is more prominent than the other novels in the series. I greedily read this book in 2 sittings and look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.

Cover Art Commentary:
This is my favorite cover in the series so far. I love the colors. They compliment the other covers in the series quite well. As always, the cover displays a scene from the book. ;)

Overall Rating:

*This book was allllmost got 5 apples. A 4.5 would be a more accurate rating! :)

**This is the 50th book I've read this year! A goal I have been meaning to accomplish for a long time! :D

The Sea of Monsters(Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2) by Rick Riordan

Summery:
Percy Jackson is back for another god-packed adventure. His seventh-grade year has been fairly quiet until a game of dodge ball turns into a free-for-all against a pack of cannibal giants. Percy and his new-found-friend Tyson have no choice but to retreat to Camp Half-Blood. Unfortunately, things aren't much better at the camp. They arrive to find the campers fighting against monsters who are trying to breach the camp boarders. In fact, the entire camp has been poisoned. Further more, Percy suspects his old satyr friend Grover is in trouble. Percy and his half-blood-brethren must go in search of a way to save the camp and his beloved friend before it's too late.

Review:
This is a delightful continuation of The Lightening Thief. Percy meets additional gods, creatures and monsters throughout his quest. I love the way Riordan write the god's characters. It is an originally funny and fresh perspective. Percy's relationship with Tyson is a bit interesting. I won't say much about it for those who haven't read the story. ;) Also, more is revealed to Percy about his possible prophecy. Overall, The Sea of Monsters is a lovely addition to Percy Jackson's story that started in The Lightening Thief. I look forward to more adventures with Percy and the demigods in The Titan's Curse.

Cover Art Commentary:
I love how they take a scene from each book and put it on the front. ;) The colors are quite complimentary of each other. They look beautiful together on my shelf!

Overall Rating:




You may also like:
Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Philips
American Gods or The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling

Book Bundle (1)

Fade Out by Rachel Caine

Without the evil vampire Bishop ruling over the town of Morganville, the resident vampires have made major concessions to the human population. With their new-found freedoms, Claire Danvers and her friends are almost starting to feel comfortable again…

Now Claire can actually concentrate on her studies, and her friend Eve joins the local theater company. But when one of Eve’s cast mates goes missing after starting work on a short documentary, Eve suspects the worst. Claire and Eve soon realize that this film project, whose subject is the vampires themselves, is a whole lot bigger—and way more dangerous—than anyone suspected.
-goodreads

Isis by Douglas Clegg

Old Marsh, the gardener at Belerion Hall, warned the Villiers girl about the old ruins along the sea-cliffs. “Never go in, miss. Never say a prayer at its door. If you are angry, do not seek revenge by the Laughing Maiden stone or at the threshold of the Tombs. There be those who listen for oaths and vows….What may be said in innocence becomes flesh and blood in such places.”

She was born Iris Catherine Villiers. She became Isis.

From childhood until her sixteenth year, Iris Villiers wandered the stone-hedged gardens and the steep cliffs along the coast of Cornwall near her ancestral home. Surrounded by the stern judgments of her grandfather—the Gray Minister—and the taunts of her cruel governess, Iris finds solace in her beloved older brother who has always protected her. But when a tragic accident occurs from the ledge of an open window, Iris discovers that she possesses the ability to speak to the dead...

Be careful what you wish for…it just may find you.-goodreads

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Oympians, #4) by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson's fourth summer at Camp Half-Blood is much like his previous three—high-octane clashes with dark forces, laced with hip humor and drama. Opening with a line for the ages—The last thing I wanted to do on my summer break was blow up another school—this penultimate series installment finds Percy, Annabeth and the satyr Grover furiously working to prevent former camp counselor Luke from resurrecting the Titan lord Kronos, whose goal is to overthrow the gods. When the heroes learn that Luke can breach Camp Half-Blood's security through an exit from Daedalus's Labyrinth, they enter the maze in search of the inventor and a way to stop the invasion.
-goodreads


Source:
All of these were purchased at my local indie bookstore.

Most Anticipated:
Fade Out by Rachel Caine. I absolutely love her Morganville Vampire series! I can't wait to see what lies ahead!

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1) by Rick Riordan

Summery:
Percy Jackson just found out that he is a demigod. That is, half human, half Greek god. In a last ditch effort to save his life, Percy enters Camp Half-Blood. There he discovers which mythological god he is related to and also stumbles across a prophecy that he is to fulfill in 10 days. The gods are warring, and Percy is the only one who can abate the conflict before it develops into World War 3. It is a lot to take in, but young Percy is up to the challenge. With a satyr and a daughter of Athena by his side, Percy heads out to face monsters, angry gods, and other mythological creatures that want nothing more that stop Percy from fulfilling his quest.

Trailer:
I thought I would include the trailer for the movie, which looks pretty sweet! :P


Review:
This was a most entertaining and delightful read. However, don't be fooled. There is a dark side lurking behind all of the fun and fantasy (which is half of the draw, if you ask me). I have been meaning to read this series for quite some time, but just couldn't get in the mood for it, if you know what I mean. Once I started reading The Lightning Thief, I was immediately sorry that I had waited so long. This story is charming, fast-paced, and packed with adventure. Though many compare it to J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, I would say this story has an original edge. Yes, there are comparisons, but overall, each series has a unique theme and intricacies all of it's own. I highly recommend The Lightning Thief for those looking to get lost in a good story packed full of adventure, friendship, and mythology.

You may also enjoy:
Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Philips
American Gods or The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling

Cover Art Commentary:
I really like the cover of this book. The colors are great and there is definitely some foreshadowing going on. I wont say much more, but you can appreciate the cover much more after you have read the book! ;)

Overall Rating: