The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore Review

Title: The Power of Six (Lorien Legacies #2)

Author: Pittacus Lore, James Frey, Jobie Hughes

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Page Count: 406 pages

Publish Date: August 23, 2011

Book Type: Library Hardback

Publisher: HarperCollins

ISBN: 9780061974557

From Goodreads: I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number One in Malaysia.

Number Two in England.

And Number Three in Kenya.

They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight.

My Review: Like I Am Number Four, this one has a pretty cool cover. Very sci-fi. However, it did throw me because I assumed this book would be mainly about Six. I guess I didn’t read the description. Hah. Good one.

I’ll start by saying that I actually enjoyed this a lot more than the first in the series. I didn’t not enjoy the first one... I was just middling on it. This one I was actually pleasantly pleased with. Some of the aspects in the first that were a bit confusing made much more sense in this one and I found that I remembered many more details than I thought I would. I loved how this one had a lot more action and mystery. 

I also loved how the characters were fleshed out more, while we were still introduced to some new ones. I really like Six and I’m glad she was heavily featured. Sam will always be one of my favorite characters. He’s human and basically amazing. Four is such a flawed character, which is nice to see in a main character. He makes some really dumb decisions, but they are decisions I can kind of understand. Four, Six, and Sam make a pretty amazing trio. I’m kind of glad Sarah wasn’t around. Her relationship with Four is kind of mediocre to me. 

The Power of Six is told in alternating points of view--John (Number Four) and Marina (Number Seven). The writing style was very effective for this book. Just when something major would happen, the points of view would shift so the reader is left wondering what is going on with the other character. It kept me reading late into the night!

Overall, this is a pretty action packed book. There are numerous battles, adventures, and even deaths. Now I’m looking forward to the next one!

P.S. Bernie Kosar is still awesome. :)

What do you think of this series?

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare Review

Title: The Mortal Instruments Book 4: City of Fallen Angels

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

Page Count: 424 pages

Publish Date: April 5, 2011

Book Type: Library Hardcover

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

ISBN: 9781442403543

Picture from Amazon

From Goodreads: The Mortal War is over, and Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most important of all—Clary can finally call Jace her boyfriend. 

But nothing comes without a price. 

Someone is murdering the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her. His mother just found out he’s a vampire and now he’s homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side—along with the power of the curse wrecking his life. And they’re willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he’s dating two beautiful, dangerous girls—neither of whom knows about the other. 

When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: She herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace. 

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. The stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

My Review: I love how all of the covers in this series have the same look and feel. It always bothers me if a series doesn’t go together.

I started this book last year when it first came out, but I just couldn’t get into it. Back to the library it went. When I was at the library a couple weeks ago, it caught my eye again. I enjoyed it much more this time and it was a pleasant break from reading school books (if you can’t tell from my previous reviews--womp womp). 

I really grew to love Simon in this one. I feel like we got to be in his head a bit more than  the previous books and that was nice. It was also fun to see the evolution of his relationships. I also loved the interactions between Simon and Jace. They’re an unlikely pairing, but it is nice to see. I have a feeling Simon will be helping Jace through his problems that were hinted to at the end of the book. Would be totally fun to read.

Poor Jace and Clary. They can’t seem to catch a break, can they? Cassie always seems to throw a wrench in their relationship, huh? I suppose it wouldn’t be The Mortal Instruments series without that, but I just want it to work out for those two crazy kids.

I always love Cassie’s world building. The moment I start reading one of her books, I can picture the world with no problem. I love that because sometimes it had be hard to imagine a fantasy world. Thanks, Cassie! 

You can check out my reviews of City of Bones and City of Ashes. (I still need to review City of Glass. Hm. I’m not sure why I haven’t). 

Which Mortal Instruments book has been your favorite so far? Or do you prefer The Infernal Devices? I can never decide!

Wither by Lauren DeStefano Review

Title: Wither (The Chemical Garden #1)

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian

Page Count: 358 pages

Publish Date: March 22, 2011

Book Type: Library Hardcover

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

ISBN: 9781442409057

Picture from Amazon

From Goodreads: Obviously, something went terribly wrong. Genetic mutations have festered, reducing human longevity to twenty-five, even less for most women. To prevent extinction, young girls are kidnapped, mated in polygamous marriages with men eager to procreate. Sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery, a recent victim of this breeding farm mentality, has vowed to break loose from its fetters; but finding allies and a safe way out is a challenge she can only hope she will survive. A dystopian fantasy series starter with wings.

My Review: This cover is absolutely, 100% gorgeous. 1) I wish my hair was that awesome. 2) I love the circles and lines connecting the significant parts of the cover. 3. It’s just SO pretty.

I have to admit that the cover is what made me read this book. I eventually was sucked into the story as well. I do wish that there was more world building. Just like with my recent review of All These Things I’ve Done, I thought the world building was severely lacking in Wither. Why did everyone decide to take the “cancer cure”? I can’t imagine that every single person would consent to that without it being thoroughly tested. Why is all but North America destroyed? I just want more things explained!

Fortunately, these setbacks did not hinder my enjoyment of this book too much. I thought the character building was very well done. I got a good sense for who they were and the motives behind their actions. It was also a really quick read. Lauren DeStefano’s writing style flowed nicely and sucked me into the story.

I’m looking forward to the sequel and how that we get a little more of the world building in there!

What about you, have you read Wither? What’s your favorite dystopian?

The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer Review

Title: The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Genre: Young Adult, Reading Guide, Companion

Page Count: 543 pages

Publish Date: April 12, 2011

Book Type: Library Hardcover 

Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers

ISBN: 9780316043120

Picture from Amazon

From Goodreads: Fans of the #1 New York Times bestselling Twilight Saga will treasure this definitive official guide! 

This must-have hardcover edition--the only official guide--is the definitive encyclopedic reference to the Twilight Saga and provides readers with everything they need to further explore the unforgettable world Stephenie Meyer created in Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. With exclusive new material, character profiles, genealogical charts, maps, extensive cross-references, and much more, this comprehensive handbook is essential for every Twilight Saga fan.

My Review: I like this cover of this one. It goes well with the rest of the series and I enjoy how the puzzle pieces are representative of filling in all of the questions (aka putting the puzzle together). The book is also really well made. The pages are very thick. It’s super substantial.

My favorite part of the book was actually the interview/chat in the beginning, conducted with Shannon Hale. It was inspirational and gave a bit of insight into the writing of the series. At 60 or so pages, it is quite the interview. I never got sick of reading it, though. It seemed as if they just transcribed their entire conversation instead of having it be a formal interview, which I appreciated.

I really enjoyed all of the pictures throughout the book. They were all so beautiful! Also, the section where they show the covers (and title translations) from other countries was really fun. Plus, there is a “Fan Art” section. There are some really talented people out there. How awesome would it be to have your art featured in the book?

There were certain things that weren’t mentioned that I would have liked to know more about. I’m not even sure if the movies were mentioned at all? I also would have liked to hear a bit more about Midnight Sun (which I am really hoping gets finished someday). I haven’t read the “leaked copy,” but I did read the excerpt she posted on her site ages ago (I think it was just Chapter 1?) and I remember enjoying it. I thought that her writing had really improved and would have liked to see a finished copy of that.

All in all, I do wish it would have included some more/different things, but I did enjoy it. I think any fan (or previous fan) of the series will appreciate it. This book kind of brings you back into the world of Twilight and reminds you of why you enjoyed it in the first place.

Have you read this one yet? What is your favorite companion/informational book about a book? Hah. That sounds awkward.

The Girl Who Was on Fire Review

Title: The Girl Who Was on Fire: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Trilogy

Author: Leah Wilson, Carrie Ryan, Ned Vizzini, Lili Wilkinson, Blythe Woolston, Sarah Darer Littman, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Mary Borsellino, Sarah Rees Brennan, Terri Clark, Bree Despain, Adrienne Kress, Cara Lockwood, Elizabeth M. Rees

Genre: Anthology

Page Count: 210 pages

Book Type: Library Paperback

Publisher: Smart Pop

ISBN: 97819356180401

Picture from Amazon

From Goodreads: Katniss Everdeen’s adventures may have come to an end, but her story continues to blaze in the hearts of millions worldwide.

In The Girl Who Was on Fire, thirteen YA authors take you back to Panem with moving, dark, and funny pieces on Katniss, the Games, Gale and Peeta, reality TV, survival, and more. From the trilogy's darker themes of violence and social control to fashion and weaponry, the collection's exploration of the Hunger Games reveals exactly how rich, and how perilous, protagonist Katniss’ world really is.

• How does the way the Games affect the brain explain Haymitch’s drinking, Annie’s distraction, and Wiress’ speech problems?
• What does the rebellion have in common with the War on Terror?
• Why isn’t the answer to “Peeta or Gale?” as interesting as the question itself?
• What should Panem have learned from the fates of other hedonistic societies throughout history&mdashand what can we?

The Girl Who Was On Fire covers all three books in the Hunger Games trilogy.

My Review: The cover for this book is perfect. I love the smoking arrow. It fits The Hunger Games trilogy completely.

This book is obviously for fans of the series. If you haven’t read the books, this one would be a major spoiler for pretty much everything in the series. In all honesty, this review may be a little spoilery as well, considering the subject matter. Just a warning for all of you non-Hunger Games readers out there (Rachel @ Fiktshun, I’m looking at you). Actually, upon further reflection, I think I kept the spoilers out of my review. 

About halfway through this book, I went and requested a couple more Smart Pop books from the library. I requested the Twilight one, the one about the Sookie Stackhouse books, a Harry Potter one, and finally one about the Gilmore Girls. These are seriously addicting. Anything that analyzes books is a-okay with me.

There were a lot of references to early Romans that I hadn’t noticed while reading. The authors also brought up some really good points about our current culture and how the games aren’t that far of a stretch from where we are. I really want to purchase this book to have on hand whenever I read the series again. I think it will be really enlightening. I was in love from the start because one of the first essays was about how the series is much, much more than Team Gale vs. Team Peeta. I cannot express how annoyed I get when this series is broken down into only a love triangle. I am cringing at all of the Team Peeta/Team Gale merchandise that will come out closer to the release of the movie. 

This book really just reaffirmed my love for The Hunger Games and I’m so glad I read it. It made me think about how I viewed the series and will no doubt have an impact on my future readings. This book is definitely for all of the book nerds out there like me (and probably you). If you have ever wanted to analyze The Hunger Games (and really, if you’ve read the series, I’m sure you want to), then I would suggest checking out The Girl Who Was on Fire!

My Reviews of the series:

The Hunger Games Review

Catching Fire Review

Mockingjay Review

Have you read this one yet? Any other good anthologies like this that you can suggest to me? I’m obsessed now!

IMM (4)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and is awesome for sure. This is my first time doing a vlog IMM, so don't be too critical on me, but please do let me know what you think!




Thanks to:
Netgalley
Scott Nicholson
My library for having ILL


There you have it! Link me to your IMM's, I would love to see them!

Batch of Library Books 8/22/10

It has been awhile (actually, exactly one month) since I’ve shared my library books with you all and I know I missed a couple, but you got reviews of most of them, so not too bad. You know the drill by now, so here we go!

Lucy by Laurence Gonzales. Looks intense and I’ve heard some really good things about this one.

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare. You all know my feelings on these books. I just want to know what happens!

Fade by Lisa McMann. I enjoyed the first, so I’m really looking forward to this one!

Flawless by Sara Shepard. Pretty Little Liars--it’s a guilty pleasure. Plus, I have my suspicions as to who A is and I want to read the books to see if I am anywhere close. That is, if they are keeping to the same storyline. We shall see.

Stalker Girl by Rosemary Graham. Super excited about this one. I love the cover. So much.

Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities by Alexandra Robbins. By now, you probably know that I was in a sorority in college. I just want to see how this book compares with my experiences (which were great). I’m also planning on having a Greek-life themed week sometime in September.

Girl Parts by John Cusick. I’ve been looking forward to this one ever since I started reading the reviews on other blogs. 

Okay, so I’m going to add in the school books I bought, since I didn’t actually receive anything fun enough to warrant a legit In My Mailbox post for the week.

Writing and Reporting News: A Coaching Method by Carole Rich. So, I definitely bought the international edition because it was $70 (yes, SEVENTY) cheaper. *sigh*

Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning by Clifford G. Christians, etc. Pretty self explanatory.

Basics of Design Layout & Typography for Beginners by Lisa Graham. Another one for my Desktop Publishing class that I’m excited about.

News Values: Ideas for an Information Age by Jack Fuller. Meh, we’ll see. 

There you have it! Have you read any of these? Any suggestions on a potential order to read them in? Thanks a million.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare Review

Title: The Mortal Instruments Book Two: City of Ashes

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA

Page Count: 453

Book Type: Library Paperback

Publisher: Simon Pulse, An Imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

ISBN: 9781416972242

Picture from Amazon

Summary from Goodreads: A murderer is loose in New York City ... 

... and the victims are Downworlder children. Clary Fray and her fellow Shadowhunters have a strong suspicion that Valentine, Clary's father, may be behind the killings. But if he is the murderer, then what's his true motive? To make matters worse, the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, has been stolen, and the mysterious Inquisitor has arrived to investigate, with his eyes vigilantly targeted on Clary's brother, Jace. 

Clary will need to face some terrifying demons and even more terrifying family decisions. No one said that the life of a Shadowhunter would be easy.

My Review: I think the cover is gorgeous. I always seem to like Cassandra Clare’s book covers with their cityscapes and one character focus. I’m not a huge fan of the Stephenie Meyer quote being directly in the center, but to each their own. I love how the protagonist is a red-head. Yay for the red-head love. I’m so happy all of these books seem to match each other, so when I do buy them, they will look excellent next to one another on my shelf. They will also look nice with the Infernal Devices books. Score. 

I just want to start out with a couple things I tweeted while reading... 

1. “Page 271 out of 453 in 'city of ashes' by @cassieclare. i want to punch valentine in the face.” 
2. “he's such a jerk face” 
3. “Wahhh i just want to find out how city of ashes ends!”. 

Side-note: If you follow me on the Twitter, these are the kinds of things you will see. 

I’m pretty sure that Cassie makes me an impatient reader. It always seems as if I cannot read fast enough because I just want to know how this is going to end! Clearly, it will be awhile before I find out with one more book already printed in the series and three more after that which are currently unprinted. Luckily, the journey to find out what on Earth is happening in these books is quite excellent as well. 

I really like Clare’s writing style. She gives her characters some snark, which I always appreciate. She always makes me curious as to what is really happening. It makes me so frustrated when the characters think one thing, but in actuality, I think that something else is going on. It makes for a frustrating, but excellent read. I cannot wait to find out what the real deal is with Jace, Clary and Valentine. 

I may have preferred City of Bones a bit more, but that could change from day to day. I am really looking forward to the next installment I’m really glad I have it checked out from the library already!

Have you read this one? Which is your favorite book of the series? Let me know!