Book Review - The Accidental Sorcerer

Synopsis
He's blown up a factory, lost his job, and there's a chance that he's not really a Third Grade wizard after all. Career disaster strikes again. Luckily, an influential friend manages to get him a posting. So it's off to New Ottosland to be the new Court Wizard for King Lional. His back-up, an ensorcelled bird with a mysterious past, seems dubious. But it's New Ottosland, or nothing. Unfortunately, King Lional isn't the vain, self-centred young man he appeared to be. With a Princess in danger, a bird-brained back-up, and a kingdom to save, Gerald soon suspects he might be out of his depth. And if he can't keep this job, how can he become the wizard he was destined to be ... 


My Review
I first saw this book about 6 months ago and thought it looked good, but found out book 3 wasn't out until this month, so i decided to wait to read it, so i could go through all of them at once. In the meantime my colleague at work read it and told me she really enjoyed it, so i was looking forward to reading it even more. It's quite a fat book, at 488 pages it's a good size, i sat down on Friday to start it with high hopes. 
Gerald is the main character, as a lowly third grade wizard with no real talent and always getting in trouble, he is sent on a general inspection job at a Wizard's Staff Factory. But unfortunately, gets involved in disaster which leads to the factory being blown up. He is of course fired and his name marked with disgrace. He finds a job in the paper in another 'country' for a Court Wizard for King Lionel the 43rd. Leaping at the chance to get away from the disaster he has left behind, Gerald goes for it. But the post isn't all it seems. 
I felt this could be a really good story, but to me it went on a bit too much. At 160 pages in, the only thing that had happened was what i summed up above, which is also what is on the blurb. Why it took so many pages to get that far i do not know. There was a lot of unnecessary description and conversations that seemed to have no real impact on the story. But i don't like to give up on a book so i decided to carry on. As the story progressed i began to enjoy it a bit more, but still can't say I was really into it. I fact I sat and read a magazine on the sofa just to avoid picking up this book. I made myself sit down this morning to finish the last half, and  in the last 150 pages it got a lot more exciting and i wanted to know what would happen. But when i had finished i didn't feel any satisfaction, the story comes to a natural end, but is clearly set for book two, and whereas usually i look forward to reading a series, i can only say the thought of two more fat books in this series puts me off. I'm not really sure i will bother with them, may try book 2 to see if it improves it's style. 
I will say though that it was refreshing to have characters aged 20-25, not many stories focus on this age group and it was nice to see, as that is my age, i could relate to some of the issues the characters were experiencing.
So overall, a good story with some interesting characters, but too much padding and unnecessary  writing. Could make an excellent 250 page book!


My Rating
I would give this book 5/10, good idea but too long, wouldn't read it again

Book Blogger Hop: October 8-11

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books and is an awesome way to for book bloggers to interact and find each other. Such a wonderful idea! There's a new question every week that all the participating blogs have to answer. This week's question comes from Suko who blogs at Suko's Notebook.

What's your favorite beverage while reading or blogging, if any? Is it tea, coffee, water, a glass of wine, or something else?

My Answer - depends what i'm in the mood for. I have bottled drinks so i can put them down without fear of knocking them over. Mostly it would be Oasis Summer Fruits :D



The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, go back later and join the fun!  This is a weekly event!  And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added

Book Review - Life On The Refrigerator Door

Synopsis
Told entirely in a series of notes left on the kitchen fridge—some casual, some intimate, some funny, some angry—it is the story of nine months in the life of 15–year-old Claire and her single mother. Preoccupied with their busy separate lives, rarely in the same room at the same time, they talk to each other in a series of short snippets that reflect the daily drama of school, boyfriends, work and chores that make up their days. Yet the mundane soon becomes extraordinary when a crisis overtakes their lives—a momentous change that will redefine their relationship and unfold in their exchanges on the refrigerator door.
 
My Review
I will be honest, i only picked this up because it looked very short and i had half an hour with nothing to do. The idea of a book written entirely by notes intrigued me, i couldn't see how you could get a whole story, feel for characters, setting etc, with just notes. Most pages had about 20 words on it, really short. However once i started reading it, i began to enjoy it. The notes were sometimes funny, other times you could tell the characters distress or anger. And i did get a feel of the two characters and their lives. Both separate and apart. The notes are the pairs only real way of communicating, they are both too busy to spend time together, but that doesn't mean they ignore each other, you get more feel for the stories happenings as you know they do spend some time together, for example some notes say "was nice to spend time with you last night, the movie was great, thanks" or something like that, which i think helps bring another dimension to the story. This story is definitely short but sweet, and amazingly considering there was not much content in the story i had made a connection with the characters and i cried at the end. I could see what was coming from about 20 pages in, but it still got to me. The way the notes were written, so much feeling and expression put in.
I feel this book sends the message that life isn't forever, so you need to make the most of what you have and who you have with you, don't take anyone or anything for granted. Although not the most cheerful message, it really makes you think. 
I would have to say, it would be better to borrow this than to buy it, as it really is short, i finished it in 18 minutes! so isn't really good value for money, but definitely worth a read. 

My Rating
I would give this book 4.5/10 i know that seems low, but i don't think i would read it again. I really enjoyed it this time, but think it would have lost it's sparkle by the second read. So i say try it, read it, enjoy it. But not worth a repeat. 
  

Book Review - The Agency: The Body at the Tower

Synopsis
Mary Quinn sets out to uncover the truth behind a suspicious death at St Stephen's Tower, better known as the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament. The accident occurred after hours in a highly public part of town and despite the presence of night watchmen. Mary, disguised as Mark Quinn, becomes a builder's assistant to find out the truth about the body at the tower. 


My Review
I was so excited when I heard book 2 in this series was out and got hold of a copy as soon as I could. I Love the cover art too, i can't really describe why, just think it's amazing. Mary Quinn is now 18 years old, but still small for her age she accepts a mission to disguise herself as a 12 year old boy looking for work on a building site. She is there to investigate the death of one of the bricklayers who 'fell' off the top of the clock tower. Trying to fit in on a building site, get the work done and pretend to be a boy all at the same time is hard work but Mary likes a challenge, but  can she get past the reminders of her past and stay strong. When met with old friend James Easton, things change again, but is it for the best. 
I loved this book, i started it yesterday and stayed up till 1 in the morning finishing it. I just couldn't bring myself to put it down. I had to know what happened and knew if i tried to go to sleep before finishing it i wouldn't be able to, so i had to stay up to finish. And it was so worth it. I kept trying to guess who was responsible, and changed my mind every few chapters and kept being surprised, i was truly hooked in. 
Once again the writing and research are very good, the characters are fabulous, and i loved seeing another side to Felicity and Anne (Academy teachers/spies). I'm so glad James Easton is back and hope to see more of him. It's also good to see Mary grow as a character and face up to her fears and her past. The end of the book had me gasping and i cannot wait until the next book. Unfortunately I have to wait until June 2011 which at the moment seems so far away.
Another fabulous book from Y S Lee, she is definitely dominating my top 10 favourite books with these. 

My Rating
I would give this book 10/10. Go grab a copy, right now, I mean it, do it now, you won't regret it!

Book Review - The Agency: A Spy In The House

Synopsis
At a young age, Mary is rescued from the gallows by a woman masquerading as a prison warden. She is taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. The school, Mary learns, is a front for a private investigation agency and, at 17, she is taken on as an agent. In her new role she is catapulted into the family home of the Thorolds to investigate the shady business dealings of Mr Thorold. 


My Review
This was actually a re-read for me. I read it for the first time last year, but part two in the series just came out so i wanted to refresh my memory on the events of this book.
Set in Victorian London, At the age of 12 Mary Lang is caught housebreaking and sentenced to death at the gallows, she is rescued and taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for girls, which turns out to be the cover for a spy agency. At the age of 17, Mary is taken on as an agent and sent on her first job. To be a companion to Angelica Thorold, so she can get close to the family and investigate their dodgy business dealings, but not everyone there is who they seam, not even Mary herself.
I was never one to really get into Historical novels, but something about this book caught my eye, and i'm glad it did, it is very well written and researched and the story hooks you in. You really get a feel for the place (not so pleasant when discussing the 'Great Stink' which happened to the Thames when it got polluted) but this also set the scene. I found myself throughout the novel trying to guess who the criminal was or if they were in it together. Obviously having read it before, this time round i could remember odd bits and so had a feeling more where the story was going, but i still thoroughly enjoyed it. The story still seemed fresh to me and kept me captivated. I like books you can read more than once that will still grab your attention, and this is definitely one of them. 
I'd have to say this is definitely on my top 10 list, as one of my favourite books. If you haven't read it, it is definitely worth it.
The author also has her own website so check that out too. :D http://yslee.com

My Rating
I would give this book 10/10, full of mystery, suspense, intrigue and much more. LOVE IT!!!

Book Review - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Synopsis
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge...


My Review
I could not wait to get my hands on this book. I had to order it from amazon, and the 3 days it took to arrive were agonizing. However when i did get it, it didn't grip me as much as the other two, proof in itself that the first two books i had read and finished in an evening, whereas i picked this up and put it down over the last 3 days. This book starts straight where book 2 left off. Katniss was rescued from teh arena by Plutarch and the rebels, and Peeta has been taken prisoner. The Capitol is out for revenge and Katniss is the only one who can lead the way, but doesn't seem in the right frame of mind to do this. The excitement of the first 2 novels, still exists in places, but is seperated by long paragraphs of arguments, hospitalizations and meetings. 
Katniss is still the main character but to me has lost most of her fire, she spends most of this book doing what's she is ordered to do, or defying orders and ending up drugged up in hospital. 
However as i go more into the book and further through the story i could see why this has been done. Peeta is absent for a lot of the book but where he does feature, he comes back with a bang. Gale seems to be drifting further from Katniss as the story goes on and growing up into a stranger. soemtimes a killing machine, sometimes there with the old support but never as close as before. I loved this book for the fact we see a lot more of Prim, and not as the frightened little girl of book 1, but a young girl with hopes, dreams and a plan for her future. She comes across more grown up and a real strength and support for Katniss. 
The story gets really exciting towards the last 150 pages, where the rebels really kick up a gear into the war and things begin to happen at an alarming pace. There were some points where i found myself confused as to what was happening and having to re-read the odd paragraph, but that may have been done to my excitement and eagerness to know what would happen next. Everything seems to come together at once leaving scary, shocking and tear-jerking scenes. 
I am trying not to put anything in that could be a spoiler, but there is so much i want to say about this book. You must all realize there will be a lot of deaths in this book, i won't say who, but know that i was in tears for a lot of the last 50 or so pages. Two of my favourite characters are killed, and many more lost. So get the tissues ready. The writing is really good, i could feel the raw emotion of the story and the tense situations had me gripping the pages of my book and biting my lip. 
This is definitely not my favourite part of the trilogy in some ways, but then in others it is. There isn't technically a "Hunger Games"  in this book but that doesn't take anything away from the story, if anything it makes a nice difference to see the fight happening in the 'real' world.
I would have to say this book has been very powerful and will stay with me for a while. It is a great climax to the series and a good ending. Nt everything is tied up as i would have liked, but enough to satisfy.
I would say to everyone out there, you must read these books, they are truly amazing and different from anything i have read before.


My Rating
I would give this book 8.5/10. Truly amazing!!!

Book Review - 39 Castles: The White Castle

Synopsis
In the third novel of this exciting adventure series, the mysteries of Eleanor’s country are finally revealed . . . After the fall of the kingdom, everyone in England has divided into thirty-nine communities, each based within a castle. This is the way that people live now – in a future that seems like the past. Eleanor, one of a secret elite charged with taking on missions for the Clearheart Castle community, has survived adventure and betrayal. But after returning to the castle, she and Mary soon grow bored of waiting for a new mission. When a familiar figure from Eleanor’s past re-enters her life, it’s the beginning of their biggest and most dangerous expedition yet. Through her discovery of the White Castle, Eleanor discovers what has become of England and is forced to reevalue everything she has learned . . . 


My Review
Like the first two books, the cover is beautiful and the story is short, but i struggled with this book the most. It is supposed to be an exciting adventure, but i found my attention drifting and my concentration slipping. When the group are told of a place where treasures lay from the 'old world' before it became the castle communities, they decide to travel there to collect the lost knowledge and treasure before it falls in the hands of the bad guys. The Castle holding the knowledge is written as The Tower of London, now in the future and abandoned, the group go back to find out about the monarchy and even collect some jewels, all the while trying to prove themselves as a useful part of the community.
This book frustrated me more than anything, for the fact that it doesn't have a proper ending. You sit through the whole book wondering if they will claim the treasure only to have it snatched from under their noses, and then come up with ideas to get it back. then the book just ends. In fact the last sentence is something like "Eleanor knew for certain this was not the end" Well it is, because Matt Thorne hasn't written anything since. I know not every book can end with a happy ending, but it was more of a case of the bad guy has it, we need to do something, and the bad guy saying i have now i will do something with it. Then the book ends. No resolution grrr.
The story settings however are good, but i would like to know which Castles the ones in the story represents as i think they are meant to be based on real Castles. As i said the one featured in this one is The Tower of London, and i think one is Warwick Castle. but i would like to know what the others are.


My Rating
I would give this book 3/10 very disappointing and frustrating. wouldn't read again.

Book Review - 39 Castles: Kingmaker's Castle

Synopsis
After the fall of the kingdom, everyone in England has divided themselves into thirty-nine communities, each based within a castle. This is the way that people live now - in a future that seems like the past. Eleanor Conway is part of the secret organisation Castle Seven, charged with taking part in missions on behalf of the Clearheart Community. But Castle Seven is now Castle Six, following Anderson's dramatic departure. Anderson has kidnapped Eleanor's friend Mary. He tells her she is destined to be Queen of all England one day - but can she trust him? Eleanor and the Castle Six make preparations for a rescue. But by the time they end their adventure, they're destined to be one less in number. 


My Review
This book follows on from where book 1 left. Again it is a very short book at 168 pages, and so i thought it would be a quick read. However i struggled to get into it. The cover on this book is absolutely beautiful and think this is still why i picked it up in the first place. The story picks up now Anderson has left the group so they are now known as the Castle six. It also focuses more on Eleanor's friend Mary. I found this more interesting than the first group because you get more of a sense of what is happening in the world away from the Castle group. However, i found Mary very annoying in this book, one minute scared, then angry, then doing everything she's told, then hating her kidnapper again, then believing him again, i wanted to say, 'make your mind up'. For me, considering it was such a short book, the pace seemed slow again. I missed the presence of Justin in this book, who i really liked in book 1, i hope he comes back for the next one.
I wouldn't say this book was great, but it does draw you in and make you want to know more, so that's something. I don't know, maybe if i was more the intended age group i might have enjoyed it more, and not analyzed it so much, but to me it was an ok story but nothing to rave about, something to read if your bored and want something short. 


My Rating
I would give this book 4/10. Alright one time book, but don't think I'd read again

Book Review - 39 Castles: Greengrove Castle

Synopsis

Eleanor Conway is a 12-year-old girl living with her parents in a small castle community. One day Eleanor is visited by the mysterious Anderson; he tells her that she has been selected to join an illustrious and highly secretive organisation known as Castle Seven. Eleanor must begin training, alongside four other children, in disciplines such as horse-riding, sword-fighting and diplomacy so that she is fully prepared to take part in missions and adventures on the community's behalf. At first, Eleanor enjoys her training and her place amongst the elite Castle Seven members. But then she faces real danger - including wolves, imprisonment, and signs of betrayal from those closest to her. She must learn quickly who to trust - and how to hold her own.


My Review
I was captivated by the cover of this book, i thought it looked beautiful, well detailed and inviting, well they say don't judge a book by it's cover. when i received my copy i was slightly stunned by how small it was at only 167 pages it is very short. Therefore i was expecting a lot of content put into those pages, however i found the story quite slow and found it didn't really get anywhere. This is the first book in what was supposed to be a series and it seems the books flow from one to the next as although the plot was mostly rounded off by the end, it did leave some things open ready for the next. I liked the main character, she was quiet and hard-working and brave in the face of danger. My favourite character was Lucinda i think, not sure why but she grabbed my attention. I found Anderson annoying and knew right away he wasn't what he seemed. The story was well written but very simple. The only thing that confused me was all the different names for the group, one minute they were the castle seven, then the castle six, then just using their real character names, then they would refer to the castle they live in, got me a bit confused as to who the author was talking about. However, it did get more exciting and the characters began to come to life in the last 60 or so pages, for a first time children's novel it was a good book. And I look forward to reading more. 

My Rating 
I would give this book a 5/10. Not the best but a nice little read.  

Book Blogger Hop: October 1-4

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books and is an awesome way to for book bloggers to interact and find each other. Such a wonderful idea! There's a new question every week that all the participating blogs have to answer. This week, question comes from Tina who blogs atBook Couture.
"How do you spread the word about your blog?
(e.g. Social Networking sites, Book Blog Directories, comments on other blogs...)"
 
My answer is, i'm still pretty new to this, so i visit blogs that look interesting and leave comments, and now participate in this the weekly Hop. It's a great way to get noticed and i now have some followers so it's awesome. Will keep spreading the word on Facebook and Twitter, but find this doesn't make a great difference. Visiting other blogs and leaving comments is more personal and more fun. Thanks for visiting my page!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, go back later and join the fun!  This is a weekly event!  And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added!  We get over 200 links every week!!