Tiger's Voyage

Colleen Houck

The Tiger Saga #3

I do love these covers though...

Summary: (WARNING: may contain spoilers of previous books!)

With the head-to-head battle against the villainous Lokesh behind her, Kelsey confronts a new heartbreak: in the wake of his traumatic experience, her beloved Ren no longer remembers who she is. As the trio continues their quest by challenging five cunning and duplicitous dragons, Ren and Kishan once more vie for her affections – leaving Kelsey more confused than ever.

In One Word: Melodramatic (exaggerated/overemotional)

Plot:

So first of all, those of you who follow me on goodreads already know...I had no recollection of what happened in the previous book (as in none at all). This made it really hard to understand the references to it in this book and also where the characters (I at least remembered who the characters were) and their relationships were. The writing in this book can be a bit stilted at times, and that makes it hard to get into the story. Also, I feel like there’s too many descriptions of Kelsey’s emotions and not enough of a storyline in the first half of the book. The second half does get a lot more interesting, with the five dragons thrown in, but I felt like the author could’ve made more of this part and cut the overly dramatic first part a little shorter. I hate pretentious books, and parts of this one would definitely fall into that category, also the similarities to New Moon by Stephenie Meyer were a little hard to handle (especially since I already didn’t like NM...I didn’t need a rewrite of it thank you very much...)

Characters:

In all honesty, I kind of detested the main character, Kelsey, in this book. In my review of the first book I did not feel like this, on the contrary, I really liked Kelsey. I also really don’t like Ren all that much either, where I used to think he was a pretty good hero. I don’t really care if Kelsey ends up with him, because I no longer care what happens to either of them. Actually I kind of feel like they deserve each other, and Kishan deserves way better. Okay, rant over. Kishan is not the best character ever written. I usually like the ‘bad’ character turned good, but his transformation was a bit unrealistic. However, I did like him more than Ren in this (and I want to say in the previous one as well, but I can’t really remember) installment. He’s caring and patient and fair, while Ren is completely irrational and does stupid things for stupid reasons (Edward in New Moon flashbacks anyone?). Overall, the characters are a little flat and Kelsey is extremely annoying.

Who should read this:

12+, there is very little violence, very mild sexual content and no language that I noticed. If you have a problem with the whole ‘Eastern mysticism’ idea then you might not like this, but like I said in the previous review (which I had to reread to try and jog my memory...didn’t work) a book that contains these ideas as well as fairies (or in this case, dragons) shouldn’t be a problem for people.

My rating:

This was kind of a rant review, sorry, I love the premise of this series, and I think there was a lot of potential with this particular installment’s plotline, but it was just disappointing in my opinion. I can usually excuse one bad book in a series, but two is pushing it. I’m not going to be trying overly hard to find the next book any time soon. 2/5

Quote:

“Your heart knows. Your soul remembers.” (Oh the pretentiousness...)

Read my reviews for 'Tiger's Curse' and 'Tiger's Quest'!

Tidal

Amanda Hocking

Watersong #3

This cover looks cool, but is too
melodramatic...

Summary:

Her only hope lies with her greatest enemies.

Gemma is facing the fight of her life.

Cursed by beautiful but deadly sirens, her extraordinary powers have a terrifyingly dark side, and becoming human once more is proving her greatest challenge yet. As she struggles to break the curse, the sirens, Penn, Lexi and Thea, are determined to kill her before she can set herself free.

Gemma’s only allies are her sister, Harper, and Harper’s boyfriend, Daniel. Together they must delve into their enemies’ mythical pasts – to discover their darkest secrets. But Penn has also set her sights on Daniel. Soon, the sirens threaten everything Gemma holds dear: her family, her friends, her life, and her relationship with Alex-the only guy she’s ever loved. Can she save herself and those she cares about before it is too late?

In One Word: Average (mediocre/not very good)

Plot:

To be honest I would’ve liked some more progress in this book, especially in the first part, where it didn’t seem to really go anywhere. The writing is okay, it’s easy to read, but it’s not something to get excited about. There are also way too many moments where the characters do something completely idiotic and you feel like yelling at them.

Characters:

I don’t particularly like any of the characters in this series. My favourite was in this particular book was probably Alex, since I like troubled characters. The girls are all interesting enough, but I would’ve liked to know more about the sirens’ history and I didn’t get emotionally attached to any of the characters. I do still like the chemistry between Harper and Daniel, but as individual characters they don’t really interest me all that much.

Who should read this:

13+, the language is this book is not exactly mild and the violence throughout is also a little disturbing. There is also a little sexual content. If you enjoyed the previous books in this series you will probably like this one as well, but if you didn’t then don’t bother. This series is not for anyone who want something profound.

My rating:

I didn’t hate reading this book, but it wasn’t nearly as good as it could’ve been. 2/5

Quote:

“And you'd be surprised what you can do to the people you love.”

Read my reviews for 'Wake' and 'Lullaby'!

Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian

Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the Olympians #5

Summary:

Most people get presents on their sixteenth birthday, I get a prophecy that could save or destroy the world.

It happens when you're the son of Poseidon, god of the Sea. According to an ancient prophecy, I turn sixteen and the fate of the entire world is on me. But no pressure.

Now Kronos, Lord of the Titans, is beginning his attack on New York City. And the dreaded monster Typhon is also heading our way. So it's me and forty of my demigod friends versus untold evil...

In One Word: Brilliant (exceptionally clever)

Plot:

The thing I loved most about this particular installment in this series is the fact that even though it has the most tense and nerve-wracking moments of all the previous books it also had the most humour and funny parts. I really love how the author manages to make you laugh out loud while at the same time making you hold your breath in anticipation for what’s going to happen next (trust me, it’s a really weird feeling, laughing while holding your breath at the same time...you should try it sometime). This book also managed to surprise me, which has not been happening that often lately, so it was pretty exciting that I couldn’t guess what was going to happen next. This also shows that even though it’s a middle-grade book, it isn’t predictable or too simple for older people to enjoy as well.

Characters:

I definitely think that this installment was the best as far as character-development went. Percy becomes a true hero, without completely losing himself and becoming a completely different person. I also liked how Grover went from an insecure, funny guy to a force to be reckoned with. Annabeth didn’t develop that much during this book, but she remains a great character. I also liked Thalia in this installment (if you read my previous review you’ll remember I didn’t like her all that much before), but I really like how she’s changed. Nico is still one of the more interesting characters in my opinion, but I preferred his portrayal in the previous book.

Who should read this:

10+, once again, mild violence, no sexual content or language and if you have problem with mythology, skip this series. If you’re searching for something similar to the first 2/3 books in the Harry Potter series then I definitely suggest these. I don’t think adults will enjoy this as much as younger people, but I do think there's something ageless about this series.

My rating:

This was my favourite book in the series. I loved the action and humor and the storyline and I really liked how the author ended the series, leaving it open enough to make me want to read ‘The Heroes of Olympus’, but not too much so it felt like the series didn’t end at all. 5/5

Quote:

“With great power... comes great need to take a nap. Wake me up later.”

Read my reviews for 'The Lightning Thief', 'The Sea of Monsters', 'The Titan's Curse' and 'The Battle of the Labyrinth'!

Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth

Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4

Summary: WARNING: Possible spoilers of previous books ahead!

Honestly, blowing up another school was the last thing I wanted to do.

As the son of a Greek god, I’ve had my share of near-death disaster – and now my arch-enemy Luke wants to invade our camp via an ancient labyrinth.

If he succeeds, thousands of bloodthirsty monsters will attack. So it’s goodbye sunshine, hello darkness as four of us descend into the terrifying underground and beyond.

In One Word: Unputdownable

Plot:

These stories are great simply because they’re just so much fun. They’re hilarious, but still exciting and can keep you on the edge of your seat or have you laughing out loud. And even though they’re a lot of fun and very entertaining there are still some scenes that are touching and emotional, without ever becoming too deep for a middle-grade book.

Characters:

These above-mentioned moments really helps the reader connect with the characters. I really like all the characters in this book, but now I’m really starting to get fascinated with Nico di Angelo. He’s a little darker than the other main characters, without being a fully-fledged villian, which is very interesting and not something you see very often. Percy remains a little naive in my opinion, although it is part of his charm, and he really does develop quite a bit during this particular book. Annabeth is still a great character, and I also really like Rachel, who we get to see more in this book. Grover and Tyson remains great characters, who never takes away the spolight from the main character, but is still important enough to make you care for them. All the characters connect really well with each other and nothing feels forced.

Who should read this:

10+, again, some violence, although it is very mild. There is no language or sexual content to speak of. Also again, if the mythological aspect of Greek gods bother you, don’t read this series. If you liked the previous books this one won’t dissappoint, if you didn’t, well don’t read this one...I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves Harry Potter and wants something similar, and this series doesn’t get darker like HP does, so you younger kids can read the entire series back-to-back if you should want to.

My rating:

I absolutely love this series. It’s not going to make my favourites, but it’s very close to it. I enjoy every minute of reading it, and I’m going to start the next one right now. 4.5/5

Quote:

“Don't feel bad, I'm usually about to die.”-Percy Jackson

Read my reviews for 'The Lightning Thief', 'The Sea of Monsters' and 'The Titan's Curse'!

Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse

Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3

Summary:

It’s not every day you find yourself in combat with a half-lion, half-human.

But when you’re the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.

Oh and guess what. The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive.

In One Word: Exciting

Plot:

While the previous books in this series were really good and entertaining, this one stepped up the action and suspense quite a bit. It had way more surprises and twists than the previous ones and I really enjoyed that about it. Apart from that the author stays very consistent, the writing stays easy to read and humorous and the story stays interesting.

Characters:

There is quite a bit of character growth in this installment. Percy realizes what his fatal flaw is, and also learns to see other people more clearly. I still really like Annabeth and Grover, I think they’re great characters that compliment Percy very well. I did not, however, like Thalia all that much. I’m not sure exactly why, but I kept hoping that she wouldn’t stick around with the main characters. The villians are all pretty scary, but they’re not all completely evil (I think). My favourite part is still the humorous ways of the ‘gods’ (e.g. Apollo’s fascination with Haiku’s ever since he’s gotten back from Japan).

Who should read this:

10+, there’s a little violence, but almost no language and absolutely no sexual content. Again, if you have a problem with the whole mythological aspect of these books then don’t read them. If you enjoyed the previous 2 then I would definitely suggest continuing the series. I don’t think adults would really appreciate this series, but I also feel like older teens can enjoy them.

My rating:

I really enjoyed this book more than the previous ones, but not quite enough to give it 5 stars yet. So 4.5/5.

Quote:

Wow," Thalia muttered. "Apollo is hot."

"He's the sun god," I said.

"That's not what I meant.”

Read my reviews for 'The Lightning Thief' and 'Sea of Monsters'!

Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters

Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2

Summary: (WARNING: Possible Spoilers of previous book ahead!)

You can’t tell by looking at me that my dad is Poseidon, God of the Sea.

It’s not easy being a half-blood these days. Even a simple game of dodgeball becomes a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants – and that was only the beginning.

Now Camp Half-Blood is under attack and, unless I can get my hands on the Golden Fleece, the whole camp will be invaded by monsters. Big ones...

In One Word: Fun

Plot:

This book drew me in more than its predecessor, maybe because I now know the characters and start caring for them. I couldn’t put this installment down. It was exciting and funny and just a very entertaining read. I really like Riordan’s easy-going writing style and I think this series is everything a good middle-grade series should be.

Characters:

At first Percy annoyed me a little in this book. I felt like he hadn’t learned anything from his previous adventures and he was just as naive as before everything happened. However, this does change as the book progresses and we see him grow. I still really like Annabeth and in this book I felt like the reader gets to see another side to her, which is always good. Grover’s part in this book was just flat-out hilarious, even though he was in a life-threatening situation for most of it... (Possible spoiler: Luke also makes an appearance, and this time he’s even scarier and meaner than before). The new character ‘Tyson’ is also great and you really start caring for the guy. Overall the characters, both old and new, were very entertaining to read about.

Who should read this:

10+, there really aren't any  inappropriate for younger readers, except if you have a problem with the whole mythology aspect of it. If you’re looking for something fun and easy to read or looking for something for a 10-12-year old boy, then I definitely suggest this. I don’t think adults will love this series, but I do think older kids might.

My rating:

Like I said, I couldn’t put this book down, and I couldn’t guess the ending (for a change), so I really enjoyed reading this book. 4/5

Quote:

“Families are messy. Immortal families are eternally messy. Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we're related for better or for worse...and try to keep the maiming and killing to a minimum.” 

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1

Summary:

Look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood. I never asked to be the son of a Greek god.

I was just a normal kid, going to school, playing basketball, skateboarding. The usual. Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. Now I spend my time battling monsters and generally trying to stay alive.

This is the one where Zeus, god of the Sky, thinks I’ve stolen his lightning bolt – and making Zeus angry is a very bad idea.

In One Word: Entertaining

Plot:

This book is great, the story is exciting and interesting, and the writing is so easy-going. I did think it was a little similar to Harry Potter (you know, boring ‘weirdo’ kid suddenly becoming this extremely ‘interesting’ person in a whole different world that he didn’t even know existed), but the whole mythology concept is so original that it didn’t bother me at all. I loved how the humorous writing style made sure the book never got too tense or dark, while it still stayed exciting. The author doesn’t try too hard or take himself too seriously and that makes it a fun read. I did guess the ending in this book, but it wasn’t blatantly obvious and it was more a suspicion than anything.

Characters:

I like how the author made kids ‘with problems’ into something cool, and with that I mean that the demi-gods have dyslexia and ADD, and that somehow makes them even cooler (SPOILER: not to mention the fact that a ‘crippled’ boy turns out to be a satyr....the hooves make it a little awkward for him to wear shoes). Percy is funny and a nice kid, not always exceptionally bright, but still a hero to look up to. I liked Annabeth and Grover as well, they’re loyal and brave and great sidekicks. The gods were also really interesting, and also made me laugh a couple of times, Riordan uses exaggeration to make them larger than life (quite literally...)

Who should read this:

10+, there’s no sexual content or language and the violence is very mild, although there are some scary scenes. If you have a problem with reading about Greek ‘gods’, then I don’t suggest this for you. If you enjoyed Harry Potter then you might like this, it has the same feel to it. If you want a serious or thought-provoking read this is probably not for you, but if you want something fun and entertaining, I definitely suggest this book.

My rating:

I’ve heard so much about this series that I had very high expectations and I wasn’t disappointed at all. I can’t wait to read the next book. However, it wasn’t amazing enough to join my favourites. 4/5

Quote:

“I'd love to tell you I had some deep revelation on my way down, that I came to terms with my own mortality, laughed in the face of death, et cetera.
The truth? My only thought was: Aaaaggghhhhh!”

Wake

Amanda Hocking

Watersong #1

Summary:

Beautiful. Fearless. Dangerous.

The kind of girls you envy. The kind of girls you want to hate.

Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Thea and Lexi have caught everyone’s attention, including the eye of practical Harper. But it’s her sister, Gemma, they’ve chosen. Sixteen-year-old Gemma seems to have it all – carefree, pretty and falling in love with the boy next door. But her greatest passion is the water. She craves solitary late-night swims under the stars, where she can belong to the sea. But lately she’s had company.

Penn, Thea and Lexi spend their nights dancing and partying on the cove, and one night Gemma joins them. She wakes, groggy on the beach the next morning and knows something has changed. Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster and more beautiful than ever. And as she discovers her new mythical powers, Gemma is forced to choose between staying with those she loves – or entering a dark world brimming with unimaginable secrets.

Plot:

I liked the premise of this story, it sounded like a easy read with some creepiness thrown in and that’s always fun. However, the story was a tad too predictable for me (spoiler alert-She’s a mermaid?!...Sorry Siren, 'cause mermaids don't exist...but now she's in her mermaid form again? Oh never mind...). The writing was okay, it wan’t hard to read, but it didn’t really flow in my opinion and it didn’t draw me in. This story has so much potential, but unfortunately it wasn’t as well-written as I would’ve liked. Also, the descriptions could've been so much better.

Characters:

I liked the main characters in this story, but the problem is I’ll only remember them as: that mermaid, that mermaid’s sister (who kind of sounds like me), that mermaid’s boyfriend and that mermaid’s sister’s boyfriend (who was probably my favorite out of these). The characters are just too generic for me, I would’ve liked at least a little something that made them a bit different. The other three mermaids, however, have a lot of potential and I’ll read the next book only because I’m interested in knowing more about them and their story, since I feel like there's more to it than what I read in this book.

Who should read this:

10+, there is a bit of violence (some of it is pretty gross...but I’m kind of desensitized at the moment after reading all that Game of Thrones), some language and mild sexual content. I don’t think anyone over the age of 20 would really enjoy this. If you’re looking for an easy read and you liked Twilight, you will probably like this as well. Don’t read this if you’re looking for the next great literary work.

My rating:

I had no trouble finishing this book, and it kept me interested, but there was just something about it that I didn’t like. I don’t know if it was the characters being one-dimensional or the story being predictable, but it was all just okay. 3/5

Quote:

Sirens are real, mermaids are not.

Abandon

Meg Cabot

Abandon Trilogy #1

Summary:

Pierce knows what it’s like to die. Last year she flatlined following an accident.

During that time Pierce saw a dark world and met a mysterious, irresistible boy.

Now that boy, John Hayden, has turned up at school. Every time she sees him Pierce finds herself in terrible danger. Yet she’s still drawn to him.

John wants to take her back to the place she fears the most: the Underworld.

The question is, why?

Plot:

I found this to be a very intersting concept: the old Greek myth of Persephone turned into a modern story. I think Cabot handled that part of the tale pretty well. However I found the actual story to be pretty dull. I thought the romance was forced and didn’t make sense. The supposed ‘twist’ was surprising yes, but not exactly in a good way, and I just didn’t feel drawn into the story. It didn’t have any moments that stood out for me, there were no really sad, really funny or really tense moments.

Characters:

The characters are not bad, but I felt like they were a little one-dimensional. I didn’t really connect to any of them, and none of them were really interesting. I’d hoped for some more growth and developement, but I feel like Cabot focused too much on the ‘facts’ of the mythology that she didn’t put enough effort into character building. I like characters that are complicated and multi-faceted, but these weren’t like that for me.

Who should read this:

10+, There are some mild cursing, and obviously the themes are pretty dark. The sexual content is very vague, but present. I don’t think I’d suggest this to anyone who’s not really interested in Greek mythology and wants a fun way to read more about it. Even then, I think there should be better options out there.

My rating:

It may sound like it, but I didn’t hate this book, it just didn’t capture my attention at all, I didn’t connect to the storyline or characters emotionally and I don’t think I’ll remember it. 2/5

Quote:

Anything can happen in the blink of an eye. Anything at all.