For the King

 
For the King
Kiera Carpenter
228 pages

 Summary: Direct from Smashwords ("For the King." Smashwords – – a Book by Kiera Carpenter. Web. 21 Mar. 2015.)

Shiloh was supposed to die. The assassins meant to kill the entire royal family that cold winter morning. They tried to kill her, of course. The Fallen couldn't allow the king and queen's only daughter to survive. But Shiloh's heart kept beating. Left to die in the dirt, she was spirited away to safety by a woman and her grandson, Aden.

Ten years later, Shiloh is no longer the girl she once was. Trained for combat and in the powerful position of having nothing left to lose, she is determined to join the Redemption army formed to oppose Orjak and his followers—a regime he proudly calls the Fallen. How else will Shiloh be granted access to the men who murdered her parents? She intends to return the favor.

When Shiloh hears that Redemption recruiters are passing through a nearby village, she sets out with Aden and their trainer to enlist. But they soon find that their journey won’t be so simple. As the three of them fight to survive the treacherous path to Headquarters, Shiloh begins to see that their pasts refuse to be forgotten. That their histories are intertwined in a way she never expected. That the time has come to confront her feelings for Aden.

But reaching their destination is only half the battle. When situations suddenly threaten to expose her true identity as the lost princess, Shiloh learns that her role in the Redemption will require a strength she’s not sure she possesses. And as war finally descends upon the realm, Shiloh may be forced to put aside her thirst for revenge to ensure the survival of her parent’s kingdom, and perhaps even save the boy who first saved her.

Review:

I liked this book. Shiloh had a strong spirit. She was very stubborn and a great a heroine. The friendship and loyalty she had for others was nice. The feelings and reactions of the characters were very realistic. The world the author created was original. I couldn't understand the geography of the world though. I really loved learning about the Guardians and the history of Aden. I knew he was a special boy. I would like to see a sequel. It would be interesting to see how this war pans out and to view these other realms.

P.S. Leave comments or questions please.

The Peculiars

 
The Peculiars
Maureen Doyle McQuerry
359 pages

Summary: Direct from Maureen Doyle McQuerry's website
 ("Maureen Mcquerry." Maureen Mcquerry. Web. 21 Mar. 2015.)

On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena’s father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears.

Review:
The world this author created was wonderful, but overall the book was confusing. A lot of the background wasn't explained like certain words used. I would have liked to see pictures of the Peculiars.  I think there might be a message in the book as well about your heritage not shaping you (Lena's goblinissum). I wouldn't recommend this book to others as it didn't really resonate with me.

P.S. Leave comments or questions below.

The Dragon of Trelian

 

The Dragon of Trelian

Michelle Knudsen

407 pages

Summary: Michelle Knudsen's website
("Michelle Knudsen." THE DRAGON OF TRELIAN -. Web. 22 Dec. 2014.<http://www.michelleknudsen.com/the_dragon_of_trelian_93100.htm>.)

Calen is a mage’s apprentice with a problem: he’s not especially skilled at magic. Meg is a princess with a secret: she found an orphaned dragon in the forest. They never expected to become friends. But when Meg begins to feel the dragon in her mind, calling to her, Calen is the only one she can turn to for help. And now, just as Meg’s sister is preparing to marry an enemy prince to end a hundred-year war, Meg and Calen
discover a deadly plot against the royal family. Will Calen’s magic, Meg’s dragon, and their unlikely friendship be enough to save the kingdom of Trelian?

My Opinion:
This book was good. I really liked it. Something seemed different about it, in a I have to read it kind-of-way. I feel that you should read it. No other words can be spoken. The characters were a breath of fresh air. Meg was a great princess, my favorite type. I wish Jakkel could talk. It would make the adventures that much more exciting. There was some amount of waiting, chill time before the actual action started, so that may deter some of you. Not much of a review, I'm sorry. This book is a part of a trilogy. So far, I have read the first two books and both are I can't out them down type of books.

P.S. Leave a comment below.

Athena the Brain

Athena the Brain
Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
160 pages
Goddess Girls

Summary: Barnes and Noble's website  (Athena the Brain (Goddess Girls Series #1). (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/athena-the-brain-joan-holub/1100329703?ean=9781416982715#product-commentaries-1)

 In Athena the Brain, Athena always knew she was smart and special, but she didn’t realize that she was a goddess! When she’s whisked away to Mount Olympus Academy, she worries about fitting in and dealing with her dad (Zeus). Luckily, she meets the Goddess Girls and finds the best friends she’s ever had.

Opinion:
Now I advise you this book is for younger children possibly eight years old to twelve years old. That does not mean that anyone can't read the book though. Your local librarian might just give you a few weird looks though. I have been waiting to read this book for years and I finally got it. The concept/plot is fairly cute. I loved how the author made the gods and goddesses interact with the mortals. Also, the mannerisms of the gods were spot on. (I'm a bit of a Greek mythology buff.) The concept of who Athena's mother is, was my favorite part to be honest. I've never heard anything about it (no spoilers). Athena herself resembled me in how she took on multiple projects at once and seemed to excel. A really cute read, and appropriate for all ages.

P.S. #Blackout #Blackout all week #March 6th

P.P.S. Leave a comment below. Rate my review or opinion (whatever you want to call it). Tell me what you think about it or even recommend some books. Thanks for stopping by.

Things Fall Apart

HAPPY END OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH!!!! I had this really cool post for black history about John Lewis's book "March", but i accidentally deleted it. Oops. So here is my 2nd best on the classic book: Things Fall Apart. Just remember black history is 365 days a year (same for other people of color).

Now on to the book review:





Things Fall Apart
209 pages
Chinua Achebe

Summary: Amazon.com ("Robot Check." Robot Check. Web. 2 Mar. 2015. <http://www.amazon.com/Things-Fall-Apart-Chinua-Achebe/dp/0385474547>.)

Things Fall Apart tells two intertwining stories, both centering on Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first, a powerful fable of the immemorial conflict between the individual and society, traces Okonkwo’s fall from grace with the tribal world. The second, as modern as the first is ancient, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world with the arrival of aggressive European missionaries. These perfectly harmonized twin dramas are informed by an awareness capable of encompassing at once the life of nature, human history, and the mysterious compulsions of the soul.

My Opinion:

*Start Rant*
This is another school reading book. I wonder who decides what high schooler's should read. Wouldn't it be important to take their tastes and interests into consideration plus can they read the books before they make us read them.
*End Rant*

I really didn't like this book. Maybe because of the historical accuracy and the characters' demeaning perspective roles on women during that time. Okonkwo was not a person, I would admire or even say was the smartest. He made the dummiest decisions and was very impulsive. Everything else, the character backstories especially, was on point. It was a fascinating look into the times before and during European imperialism. I loved learning about the Ibo culture more. Interesting fact is that we are learning about European imperialism in AP World History. After a while, around the times the Europeans (British) came and started converting the Ibo people, I began to appreciate the book, though that still doesn't mean I like it. The ending I tell you is most surprising. Actually the entire book is just pages of surprises. I can see why it is regarded as a classic, but it will not be a book I highly recommend to others.

P.S. Please leave a comment below. Tell me how I am doing with this book review business. Am I helpful or not? Ciao for now!