Secret of the Sirens

Author: Julia Golding
My Description: A really good book (for those readers of my regular blog this is the one I was reading in the rain) with awesome characters and cool magical beings... There were a few things I didn't get (like why the Heroine's parents send her to live with her aunt and her brother to boarding school? Or some other unanswered questions that I can't quite remember...) but overall it was a pretty good book that I would recommend it... and don't be fooled by the word 'Siren' like I was, this book isn't really that much about Greek mythology.
Back-of-the-Book Description: When Connie Lionheart is sent to live with her eccentric aunt by the sea, she's not expecting anything great--not to make friends with Col, the coolest guy in town, and certainly not to discover that mythical creatures still exist, that an ancient society had protected them for centuries, and that a dark and treacherous force lurks in their midst.
Most of all, she doesn't expect to learn that she has the rarest of talents, greater even than her secret ability to communicate with animals. With Col's help, she could achieve unimaginable power--and face the terrifying choices that come with it.
Starting Date: May 19th
Ending Date: May 23rd
Reading Time: Five days
Pages: 357
Writing Rating: 6
Story Rating: 7
Overall Rating: 7

Book #29 of '08

Here's a Siren I drew as it appeared in this book... I just thought I'd put it in.

The Shadow Theives

Author: Anne Ursu

My Description: A wonderfully witty and fun book--for once, it doesn't have that dark atmostphere that more than 90% of our books have these days(well, it does get a little dreary here and there, but it's much better than most in that aspect)! Again, it's got Greek Mythology , fun humor, interesting characters (who you can like quite easily) and a great theme. I'm not sure I really liked how the author did Hades, and the villain of the book needed a bit of work, but besides that, I really did enjoy this book and I will be looking for the next in the Cronus Chronicles!

Back-of-the-Book Description: Charlotte Mielswetzki is in such a bad mood that she doesn't notice a freakish man in a tuxedo following her home from school. But something extraordinary is about to happen. Charlotte's cousin Zee lives in England, where all of his friends are becoming mysteriously and seriously ill. Sent to Charlotte's family in America, he discovers that the same thing is happening to his new friends. It turns out that Philonecron, born in the Underworld, is determined to overthrow Hades and builds an army from children's stolen shadows, getting at them through Zee. The quick-paced novel takes readers on a danger-filled journey from the Midwest to Hades, where Charlotte and Zee make their final stand against the evil threatening to destroy the world of the dead.

Starting Date: May 7th

Ending Date: May 11th

Reading Time: Five days

Pages: 432 (it passes by quickly)

Writing Rating: 8

Story Rating: 8

Overall Rating: 8

Book #28 of '08

The Princess Bride

Author: I'm not sure if it's Willam Goldman, or S. Morgenstein...
My Description: This book was (very) confusing, and slightly frustrating (not to mention a little boring), but there were a couple good parts... I think I liked the movie better. Back-of-the-Book Description: The Princess Bride is a true fantasy classic. William Goldman describes it as a "good parts version" of "S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure." Morgenstern's original was filled with details of Florinese history, court etiquette, and Mrs. Morgenstern's mostly complimentary views of the text. Much admired by academics, the "Classic Tale" nonetheless obscured what Mr. Goldman feels is a story that has everything: "Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles."
Goldman frames the fairy tale with an "autobiographical" story: his father, who came from Florin, abridged the book as he read it to his son. Now, Goldman is publishing an abridged version, interspersed with comments on the parts he cut out.
Starting Date: April 28th
Ending Date: May 4th
Reading Time: Seven days
Pages: 300
Writing Rating: 4
Story Rating: 9
Overall Rating: 3 1/2

Book 27 of '08