Stardust

Author: Neil Gaiman

My description: I didn't like it. It was kind of growse, very gorry(sp?), written in such a way I didn't figure out what the heck was going on until over halfway through the book, and it had a sad ending!

Some things in the book made more sense than the movie, like it was much longer than a week before Tristran (the main character) got back to Wall(Tristran's home town), thus giving him and Yvaine (the fallen star) more time to fall in love, but most of the story was not as good as the movie for me personally. Maybe the book would apeal to an older audience, as it is apparent that that is what this book was intended for. If you plan to read the book, read the book first. Then the happy ending from the movie will stick in your head (hopefully). And if you're planning on reading the book and you've already watched the movie, wait until you are older.

Back-Of-The-Book Description: In the sleepy English couintryside, at the dawn of the Victorian Era, life comes at a leisurely pace in the tiny town of Wall, so named for an imposing stone barrier that divides the village from an adjacent meadow. Armed sentires guard the sole gap in this wall, in order to keep the curious from wandering through. Only once every nine years do they relax their vigil, when a market fair unlike any other comes to the meadow.

Here in Wall, young Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the beautiful Victoria Forester. But Victoria is cold and distant--as distant, in fact, as the star she and Tristran see fall from the sky on a crisp October evening. For the coveted prize of Victoria's hand, Tristran vows to retrieve the fallen star and deliver it to his beloved. It is an oath that sends the lovelorn swain over the ancient wall, and propels him into a world that is strand beyond imagining.

But Tristran is not the only one seeking the heavenly jewel. There are those for whom it promises youth and beauty, the key to a kingdom, and the rejuvenation of dark, dormant magics. And a lad compelled by love will have to keep his wits about him to succeed and survive in the secret place where fallen stars come in many guises--and where quests have a way of branching off in unexpected directions, even turing back upon themselves in space and in time.

Starting Date: 26th
Ending Date: 29th

Reading Time: Four days

Pages: 235

Recomendations: To adults and late-teenagers who don't mind witches and gore.B

Book Or Movie?: The movie without a doubt.

Writing Rating: 4 (because it was so confusing)

Story Rating: 9 (I loved the basic story idea, it was really cute: Guy goes to find a fallen star for a girl he likes, star is a woman, he and the star go on journeys, guy and star fall in love. But I didn't like the way it was intorduced)

Overall Rating: 4

Book #13 of '08

Septimus Heap: Physik

Author: Angie Sage
My Description: This is the third book of the Septimus Heap series, (including Magyk and Flyte) and it's lived up to the title. Another fabulous, interesting, suspenceful, and slightly humorous fantasy by Angie Sage. Wonderful. All I can say is I can't wait for the fourth!
Back-Of-The-Book Description: When Silas Heap unSeals a forgotten room in the Palace, he releases the ghost of a Queen who lived five hundred years earlier. Queen Etheldredda is as awful in death as she was in life, and she's still up to no good. Her diabolical plan to give herself everlasting life requires Jenna's compliance, Septimus's disappearance, and the talents of her son, Marcellus Pye, a famous Alchemist and Physician. And if Queen Etheldredda's plot involves Jenna and Septimus, then it will surely involve Nicko, Alther Mella, Marcia Overstrand, Beetle, Stanley, Sarah, Silas, Spit Fyre, Aunt Zelda, and all the other wacky, wonderful characters that make Magyk and Flyte so memorable.
With heart-stopping action and a dash of humor, Angie Sage continues the fantastical journey of Septimus Heap.
Starting Date: February 23rd
Ending Date: February 25th
Reading Time: 2 days
Pages: 544
Recomendations: To anyone from 12-12,000 who enjoys funny fantasies and has read the first and second book.
Writing Rating: 8
Story Rating: 8
Overall Rating: 8


Book #12 of '08

He's The One

Author: Nina Alexander

My Description: This is one about a girl who likes to date bunches of guys at the same time, and when it get's serious, she likes to break up. The thing is, she meets a guy named Craig who she wouldn't mind getting serious with. I enjoyed this book. I won't say it was wonderful or anything, but it was pleasant to read. Though it was filled with all those moments where one of them thinks the other is doing something wrong, and the other think the one of them is doing something wrong, and one tries to make it right but the other won't because they think the other is doing something else... Though infact, Jill (the main girl) is doing something wrong, but she straitens out in the end because she loves Craig.

Back-Of-The-Book Description: Jill Gersten has never been a one-guy type of girl--after all, variety's the spice of life. So Jill's become a master at juggling dates. As long as she can get away with it, she has no need to commit to just one person. And with the tourists flooding her town on the Delaware shore in the coming weeks, Jill's sure to have a guy crazy summer!

Then Jill meets Craig Miller. With his deep green eyes and intense personality, he's, well... different. When Jill's friends tease that she's finally fallen for someone, Jill protests. She's still not interested in settling down--no matter how cute Craig is . But when Jill spots Craig kissing another girl, she's sick with jealousy... Now she wants Craig all to herself... but can she give up her playgirl ways?

Starting Date: February 23rd

Ending Date: February 23th

Reading Time: 1 day

Pages: 176

Recomendations: To girls in their early to late teens who like Romance books.

Writing Rating: 6

Story Rating: 6

Overall Rating: 6

Book #11 of '08

Hercules: The Man, the Myth, the Hero

(this is a little book, so my review will be different than usual)

Autor: Kathryn Lasky

Illustrator: Mark Hess

My Description: It's an awful story. I rented it because of my love of Greek Mythology. I did NOT like it. Oh my gosh... Poor, poor, poor, short tempered Hercules! The illustrations were beautiful--they really POPPED--but they weren't of things I actually wanted to see... And like I said, the story was just AWFUL. So many horrible things... Please, don't let me begin to THINK about them. I want to write a sequel where Hercules goes to the realm of Hates (the Land of the Dead) and get's his family back, then goes to get revenge on that nasty vengeful Hera! It's not Hercules' falt that his father is god who won't stay true to his wife (Hera) and has countless children (in this case Hercules) with mortal women.

Back-Of-The-Book Description: Listen to my tale, one of cunning and glory. A story of a monster and a man, a hero and a man. But all with one name: Hercules...

So begins the monumental saga of one of the most fascinating Greek hheroes, Hercules. The son of Zeus and a mortal woman, he is the most hated enemy of Zeus's jealous wife, Hera. Only the unique gift of godlike strength that Hercules posesses will serve as his salvation from Hera's treachery. But it will also become a frightening and monstrous force that Hercules will have to learn to control in order to find the peace that he seeks.

Staring Date: February 23rd

Ending Date: February 23rd

Reading Time: 1 day

Pages: 30

Writing Rating: 4

Story Rating: 3

Illustration Rating: 8

Overal Rating: 4

Book #10 of '08

Hard To Resist

Author: Wendy Loggin

My Description: Hard To Resist is not a bad book, and not an exceptionally good book either. It isn't quite right, in the sense that the love story in this book is about a girl who falls in love with her best friends boyfriend. Yeah. Not quite right. But other than that I enjoyed reading the book, because it's not just about romantic love, but about friendship, and it kinda goes over the ups and downs of that kind of love, so I think that this one is better than the other Love Story books I've read.

Back-Of-The-Book Description: Leigh Feralano's move to Buffalo has been a blast, thanks to her fun-loving new friend Kerry Cole. Now Leigh's psyched to begin her junior year, and curious to meet Kerry's boyfriend, Christian Archer, who's been studying in England for the past year. Leigh can't believe Christian could possibly be as cute and charming as Kerry claims.

The second Leigh meets Christian, she discovers he's all that... and more. As much as she wants to, Leigh can't deny that she's beginning to develop serious feelings for him. And the more she sees Christian, the more she suspects her's into her too. Still, there's no way anything can happen between her and her bestfriends boyfriend... is there?

Starting Date: February 20th

Ending Date: February 22nd

Reading Time: 2 days

Pages: 192

Recomendations: To girls in their early to late teens who enjoy romances.

Writing Rating: 6

Story Rating: 6

Overal Rating: 6 1/2

Book #9 of '08

The Egyptian Cinderella

(this is a little book, so there will be some differences in this review)


Author: Shirley Climo
Illustrator: Ruth Heller
My Description: It's about a girl named Rhodopis who was born in Greece and captured and taken to Egypt and sold as a slave. It's basically 'Cinderella' from there, and it is based on a true story. It didn't really impress me, but the story wasn't written badly and I enjoyed reading it.
Back-Of-The-Book Description: In the land of Egypt, where the green Nile River widens to meet the blue sea, lives a maiden called Rhodopis. Because she is Greek, and a slave, Rhodopis is scorned by the Egyptian girls. She had only her rose-red gold slippers, which flash like fireflies as she dances. When a falcon swoops down and snatches a slipper away, Rhodopis is heartbroken. How is Rhodopis to know that the falcon has delivered her slipper to the great Pharaoh himself? She cannot guess that the Pharaoh will search all Egypt to find the owner of the tiny shoe and make her his queen.
Starting Date: February 20th
Ending Date: Feburary 20th
Reading Time: 1 day
Pages: 28
Writing Rating: 7
Story Rating: 6
Illustration Rating: 7
Overal Rating: 6 1/2

Book #7 of '08

My Favorite Book Of The Year So Far Award (#1)

I've decided to every once in a while give an award for the book I liked best of the of 2008 so far. I didn't need to think twice about what book I was going to award first. The book I am to award REALLY stood out, and is one of the most amazing books I've ever read... and the award goes to...

Holes

By Louis Sachar

I don't think I could award any other book I've read this year besides this one. Wow. Whenever I think of it, I think, 'Wow, that was an AWESOME book!'. Holes is without doubt one of the best books I've ever read, and my current favorite out of all the books I've ever read in my entire life. The only word that can describe Holes is 'wow'.

Honorable Mentions:

Waiting For Odysseus (a close second)

The Faerie Path

The Moon By Night

Well, that's really all I have to say!

Galaxy

The Moon By Night

Author: Madeline L'Engel
My Description: It's about a girl named Vicky who is growing up, and going though a lot of changes that are happening in her life. She and her family go on a camping vacation all around America and a little in Canada and in the end Vicky is a little bit wiser, and a little bit more knowing than she used to be. I really enjoyed this book, because I'm at almost the same stage of 'growing up' as Vicky, and can relate to her. I also love Madeline L'Engel books:)
Back-Of-The-Book-Description: Vicky Austin is filled with uncertainty about everything. Her parents call it Vicky's "difficult year". But fourteen-year-old Vicky is not so consumed by her problems that she can't enjoy the exciting adventures of her family's cross-country summer caming trip--and the attention of the gorgeous, black-haired Zachary Grey, who just happenes to pop up wherever the Austin family makes camp. It will certainly be an interesting vacation...
Starting Date: Not recorded... somtime in Febuary after the last book.
Ending Date: Not recorded... sometime in Febuary...
Reading Time: Three to four days
Pages: 250
Recomendations: The story brings up some facts about the Nazis that shouldn't be heard by a younger reader... I say that only people 13 (okay, I know, I'm not quite there yet, but that section was a little upsetting for me, and I would have liked to wait a bit longer to hear it, but I will be 13 soon...ish) and up should read this book for that fact, other than that I think it's a MUST for girl teenagers who are going through this ROUGH stage of life.
Writing Rating: 8
Story Rating: 8
Overall Rating: 8


Book 7 of '08

Waiting For Odysseus

Author: Clemence McLaren
My Description: Waiting For Odysseus is a retelling of The Odyssey, and I love it! True, in a couple of places the Ms. McLaren could have taken her time a little more than she did, but besides that the story was beautiful, well written, and it had a happy ending! My favorite character was Penelope.
Back-Of-The-Book Description: From the moment she first sees the cocky warrior Odysseus, Penelope knows that one day she will be his wife. What she doesn't know is that Odysseus's pride will take him away from her to fight the Trojan War. Penelope must become an expert at waiting, and it is this waiting that proves to be the ultimate test of her courage, patience--and love.
The sorceress Circe has been waiting for Odysseus to land on her island so she can seduce him with her spells, just as she has countless other men. She never expects to fall in love with him, though, or that he willl be the first man capable of resisting her charms.
Odysseus has always been the goddess Athhena's favorite mortal, for he, like she, is famous for his wiles. As Athena guides Odysseus through his many trials, she waits with compassion and love to see if he will learn to temper his desire for fame and discover the truth of his own humanity.
Finally, his Nanny, Eurycleia, has watched Odysseus grow from a mischievous child into a great hero. As she waits for her beloved master to return home, she keeps loyal watch over those he has journyed twenty years to see again.
In this innovative retelling of Homer's Odyssey, Clemence McLaren author of Inside the Walls of Troy, presents the story of Odysseus's epic journey through the hearts of four women who loved and waited form him.
Starting Date: Febuary 7th
Ending Date: Febuary 8th
Reading Time: Two days
Pages: 149
Recomendations: To girls 12 and up... it's a REALLY awesome book, and an absolute MUST!

Writing Rating: 8
Story Rating: 9
Overal Rating: 8 1/2--a.k.a. REALLY GOOD!

Book #6 of '08

The Land of Green Ginger

Author: Noel Langley

My Description: What a delightfully funny book! It's been so long since I've read a book that made me laugh! The story was really cute and it had so many funny things in it... It really is a great book and I highly recomend it!

Back-Of-The-Book Description: This beloved classic opens with Aladdin, now Emperor of China, trying to decide what to name his new son, a child who won't stop talking and is already far too articulate for his own good. The Genie of the Lamp announces that Abu Ali should be the child's name, and that his destiny is to rescure the magician who created the Land of Green Ginger (a sort of fabulous floating garden) and then turned himself into a Button-Nosed Tortoise by mistake. Abu Ali is told he is the only one who can find the peripatric island, locate the Button-Nosed Tortoise and reverse the spell. So begins a series of adventures that invoke a comemorable cast of characters, some despicalble, some feckless, and some (no surprise) beautiful and feisty.

Starting Date: Feburary 5th

Ending Date: Feburary 7th

Reading Time: Three days

Pages: 149

Recomendations: For a family reading together, and to people who are 16 or younger... it's a funny book, but a little childish, and I'm not sure if adults (or people close to adults) would like to read it.

Writing Rating: 8 (because it was sooo funny!)

Story Rating: 7

Overal Rating: 7 1/2

Book #5 of '08

Stolen Kisses

Author: Liesa Abrams

My Description: Please don't ask why this book is called Stolen Kisses. I really have no clue. It was pretty much your average teen-romance novel; Girl hates Boy, Boy likes Girl even though she has a boyfriend, Girl starts to like Boy, Boy is haunted by the memory of Girl, Girl keeps thinking about Boy, Boy gets Girl, The End! But one thing I will say for Stolen Kisses is that it made me laugh numorous times with small jokes and all things considered I did enjoy reading it.

Back-Of-The-Book Description: Laura has great friends, the lead in the school play, and the attention of Ted, a hot senior guy. So why does she end up kissing Mark at a party one night? Sure, Mark's hot, but he's also the most nortorious player in her school--clearly not boyfriend material. Laura knows she's got to put him out of her mind, because kissing Mark was just a dumb mistake... wasn't it?

Starting Date: Febury 4th

Ending Date: Febuary 5th

Reading Time: Two days

Pages: 175

Recomendations: Girls who would like to read a bit of Romance, and don't care if it's that cheezy.

Writing Rating: 7

Story Rating: 5

Overal Rating: 6--a.k.a. GOOD

Book #4 of '08

Sirena

Author: Donna Jo Napoli

My Description: Sirena has a very depressing beginning. Very awful. Then, it gets better. Then it's enjoyable. Then I really like it. The funny thing is that the story is written like Sirena (a mermaid) is telling it to us, yet she says it all in present tense... Like this: I shout out loud. Then it ends very sadly. It still was a good book.

Back-Of-The-Book Description: Sirena is cursed. She will not become immortal unless she is loved by a human man. The siren song she sings with her mermaid sisters makes men adore her--yet it leads them to their deaths. That is why she hides when she finds a young soldier abandoned on the isle of Lemnos. He wants to know her, though she should not let him near her, or allow him to hear her sing. But how can she fight a love she's been waiting for all her life--a love that will make her live forever.

Starting Date: Febuary 3rd

Ending Date: Febuary 4th

Reading Time: Two days

Pages: 210

Recomendations: To girls who like sad fantasy romances.

Writing Rating: 9 (because it's such a wonderfully different way of writing... all in present tense)

Story Rating: 6

Overal Rating: 7 1/2--A.K.A. PRETTY GOOD

Book #3 of '08

The Faerie Path

Author: Frewin Jones
My Description: The Faerie Path was a very enjoyable book. While I read the story, I just kept flipping pages! They passed far too fast and I really couldn't stop... It was a very wonderful story and I enjoyed reading it very much; though some aspects of it made me a little angry. Oh well... That's just how some stories are. It did have a happy ending though, I don't really like stories with unhappy endings.
Back-Of-The-Book Description: Anita was living an ordinary life... until an elegant stranger pulled her into another world. Swept away into a court of magic and beauty, she discovers she is Tania, the lost princess of Faerie: the youngest daughter of Oberon and Titania. Since Tania's mysterious disappearance on the eve of her wedding day five hundred years before, Faerie has been sunk in darkness and gloom. The courtly Lord Gabriel Drake, who Tania was once to marry, found her and brought her back. With Tania's Return, Faerie comes alive again and as a lond of winged children, glittering balls, and fantastic delights. But Tania can't forget Anita's world, or the boy she loved there. Torn between two loves and between two worlds, Tania slowly comes to discover why she disappeared so long ago. She possesses a singular magical ability and she must use it to stop a sinister plan that threatens the entire world of Faerie.
Starting Date: Febuary 2nd
Ending Date: Febuary 3rd
Reading Time: 2 days

Pages: 312

Recomendations: I would recomend this book mostly to girls in their early to late teens, especially people who like fantasy-mystery-tiny bit of romance books.
Writing Rating: 8
Story Rating: 8
Overal Rating: 8--A.K.A. REALLY GOOD!

Book #2 of '08