Sunday, July 31, 2011

Anne Of Green Gables

I started reading Anne of Green Gables because of High School Entrance Exam. I thought Anne of Green Gables was going to be a dreadfully boring book that talks in confusing Old English. I was wrong. Anne of Green Gables is a wonderful series that I now enjoy reading. Anne is highly amusing to read about. Anne is the stereotype redhead though. She has a temper to match with her hair, but she's also very imaginative and comes from a interesting background. She's a orphan ever since she was a baby when both of her parents die. She was raising by a neighbor with three sets of twins and two more children. Anne in return was forced to help raise and take care of these children. Mrs. Thomas can't take care of her anymore so she is sent to an aslyum, which is an orphanage in the old days. Anne finally accidentally lands in the loving hands of Marilla and Matthew. The Anne series is about Anne growing up, meeting kindred souls, and falling in love. This is a great book and so great that there are television shows about the series and movies.

My rating: ***** out of 5
Comments: Most enjoyable old book I've read yet.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Die For Me (Revenants, #1) by Amy Plum

Die For Me (Revenants, #1) by Amy Plum
Hardcover, 341 pages
Published May 10th 2011 by HarperTeen
In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity. When Kate Mercier’s parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life–and memories–behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate’s guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he’s a revenant–an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.In this incandescent debut, newcomer Amy Plum has created a powerful paranormal mythology with immortal revenants. The Paris setting comes enchantingly alive as a relentless struggle between good and evil takes place in its streets. Rich with romance, atmosphere, and thrills, Die for Me will leave readers breathlessly awaiting its sequel. – Goodreads
My Opinion: this was an interesting read. I really liked the different ways that Vincent’s supernaturalness is described and it was just different. However something that bugged me a little was that it was a little similar to Twilight. For example the way the relationship started out, about how Kate became obsessive about Vincent reminded me of Bella and Edward. But other than that I think that the story was unique.
 
I really enjoyed the ending. It just worked really well I think. I can’t wait to see what the next one in the series is going to be like. I also really enjoyed the setting. I wonder if the locations in the book are there in Paris. Like the out door market that Vincent showed Kate.
Plus the cover is GORGEOUS! I really like the dress. I think its supposed to be like the one that she gets from Vincent.
 
Overall I think the story was cute and sweet and a great read.
 
Overall: 4 out of 5

The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen

The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published June 1st 2011 by Point
What if the characters in a vampire novel left their world–and came into yours?
Amy is in love with someone who doesn’t exist: Alexander Banks, the dashing hero in a popular series of vampire novels. Then one night, Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander. In fact, he IS Alexander, who has escaped from the pages of the book and is in hot pursuit of a wicked vampire named Vigo. Together, Amy and Alexander set out to track Vigo and learn how and why Alexander crossed over. But when she and Alexander begin to fall for each other, Amy wonders if she even wants him to ever return to the realm of fiction. – Goodreads
My Opinion: this was definitely a unique read. There were lots of great things but i have to say that this is the first book where I have read that does the whole relationship with a character from a book. It was just interesting to keep reading to see what Vigo would do and how Alexander would react and if finally Amy and Alexander would go anywhere with their relationship.

My favorite character was Katie. Not just because she has my name, but also because she is tiny and can do A LOT of damage, physically. But we also share some similar qualities and she seems like a great friend to have in a time of crisis.

I also really enjoyed that I was on my toes the whole entire time wanting to know when Vigo’s next victim would come and who they would be especially when he started threatening Amy and her family and friends. It was interesting watching the development between all the characters. I really also enjoyed how the police reacted to the “vampire murders” and how they were willing to accept the impossible. I don’t think that would happen in real life. But I also really enjoyed that they were willing to work with Amy on how to defeat him.

The ending was interesting as well. I don’t want to spoil it but I really hope that there will a second or third book to this novel. But I haven’t heard anything about it. Plus the cover is really interesting.

Overall: 4.75 out of 5

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury
Hardcover, 320 pages
Published May 24th 2011 by Atheneum
Agnes Wilkins is standing in front of an Egyptian mummy, about to make the first cut into the wrappings, about to unlock ancient (and not-so-ancient) history.Maybe you think this girl is wearing a pith helmet with antique dust swirling around her.Maybe you think she is a young Egyptologist who has arrived in Cairo on camelback. Maybe she would like to think that too. Agnes Wilkins dreams of adventures that reach beyond the garden walls, but reality for a seventeen-year-old debutante in 1815 London does not allow for camels—or dust, even. No, Agnes can only see a mummy when she is wearing a new silk gown and standing on the verdant lawns of Lord Showalter’s estate, with chaperones fussing about and strolling sitar players straining to create an exotic “atmosphere” for the first party of the season. An unwrapping.
This is the start of it all, Agnes’s debut season, the pretty girl parade that offers only ever-shrinking options: home, husband, and high society. It’s also the start of something else, because the mummy Agnes unwraps isn’t just a mummy. It’s a host for a secret that could unravel a new destiny—unleashing mystery, an international intrigue, and possibly a curse in the bargain.
Get wrapped up in the adventure . . . but keep your wits about you, dear Agnes. – Goodreads
My Opinion: This was a fun read. It was an interesting mystery and I liked the historical aspect. It was fun to see the mix of Egyptian history put in with the British/French war. It was fun to see how Napoleon was viewed by the British at that time period. I really liked the whole espionage aspect as well. It was interesting to see how Agnes and her partner would try to lose the person who is following them to see who the actual double agent is.

Agnes was also a really interesting character because of how restricted her life would have been had she actually wanted to follow the norms for women at the time. I love that she spoke so many languages and had all of these dreams and hopes to see the world. The setting was also pretty interesting because what she had to do for the time, all the sneaking around and the fun I think she was having with that.

Overall, I really hope that this will be a series because the ending was amazing and left an opening for a series in my opinion that could lead to a popular series.

Overall: 4.75 out of 5