First off, I'd like to apologize. This semester has been excruciating for me and as a result, I've fallen off the blog universe. September was especially hard when it came to reading as well. I was desperately trying to finish a series that really didn't endear itself to me in the fifth book, but more of that below. This will be long as I'm including pictures and both months here. As always, any questions, send me a message. . .
Title: A Song of Fire and Ice: A Dance with Dragons, Book 5
Author: George R. R. Martin
Pages: 1016
Age Level: Adult
This book just about killed me. It took me most of the month of September to finish it because it simply dragged on and on. The book could have been half as long and been far more engaging. I swear, half the book is simply a listing of everything they eat at feasts, and apparently the people eat ALOT!! It really stalled the book whenever something like that came up, because it would go on for pages describing every serving and they didn't settle for one or two, no there were usually like fifty. One or two of these scenes would have been enough to show what the people ate, it was totally unnecessary to go on and on like Martin did. I got half way through and seriously considered stopping, but when you've read more than 500 pages already, it's so hard to just give up. The main story line is compelling, but while this is both a companion and extension of book four, I was really disappointed in it as a whole. Too much was left out and I'm getting tired of the bad guys always winning. After a while, while that may be "reality", it becomes taxing. Eventually you want the good guys to win, and this book really makes you think that's not going to happen ever.
Title: Speak
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Pages: 198
Grade Level: 8-12 grade
Speak is about a girl entering the ninth grade with a big black mark on her. She called the cops at a party over the summer and got alot of people in trouble. The problem is that while everyone hates her for this, they don't understand why she did it. At that party she had been raped, and she told no one. She tried to tell the police, but couldn't speak when she called them. She doesn't speak about it at all for most of the book but spirals and deals with the hate all around her and the torment of her rapist as well in silence and alone. Through one teacher who allows her time to find her voice again, she finally begins a path back. This is a great book that really makes you think about how to deal with the student or person in your life that needs the most help but never asks for it.
Title: Dragon's Oath
Author: P.C. and Kristin Cast
Pages: 145
Grade Level: 6-10 grade
This is a background spin off novella of the House of Night series. It tells the story of Dragon Lankford and Anastasia. It's short, it's sweet, and it's intense. It really shows a piece of a character that is not delved into in the main books.
Title: The Gray Wolf Throne, Book 3
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Pages: 517
Grade Level: 6-12
Fighting for a throne is hard work especially when you don't have anyone you can really trust. This is the third book in this series and it is apparent the series isn't over. It's a story of strength, love, magic, and deception.
Title: The Heroes of Olympus: The Son of Neptune, Book 2
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 521
Grade Level: 5-10
Welcome back Percy Jackson! This is the adventure of Percy at the Roman encampment. The timeline is in conjunction with the first book. I just love Riordan. He really has a talent of bringing the ancient Gods and all the drama around them to life.
Title: The Death Cure, Book 3
Author: James Dashner
Pages: 324
Grade Level: 9-12
This is one wild ride and the conclusion of the trilogy. At the end of the book, all I could think was "duh!! why didn't they do that in the first place." This book deals alot of death and struggle and in the end one is left with both hope and despair. Definitely a fitting end for the series.
Title: Crescendo, Book 2
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Pages: 427
Grade Level: 9-12
I just received the third book in this series and realized I'd never gotten around to the second, oops. This is a paranormal romance.
Title: Silence, Book 3
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Pages: 438
Grade Level: 9-12
The third book in the series and definitely not the end. This book shows that love, real love, can break down any barrier.
Title: Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception, Book 1
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Pages: 325
Grade Level: 9-12
Faeries are dangerous and tricky. They sure don't like it when you fight back. For Deirdre it is even harder because she is a cloverhand, which makes her magical and a threat to the current Faerie Queen. Add in that the assassin sent to kill her falls in love with her instead and you have a fun tale with heavy Irish lore and a romance you both root for and despair over.
Title: Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie, Book 2
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Pages: 353
Grade Level: 9-12
A sad second part when you realize that love doesn't conquer all afterall. Deirdre's voice is all by absent in this second book and that is actually quite well done, as it shows her severe isolation and just how lost she is.
Title: The Ranger's Apprentice: The Lost Stories
Author: John Flanagan
Pages: 422
Grade Level: 5-9
These are supplemental stories to the series and also serve as a bridge between The Ranger's Apprentice series and the upcoming Brotherband Chronicles. It answers some fan questions about the series and finally Will and Alyss are married.
October was a much better month than September. Only the first three were read in September, I felt like an utter failure, but thankfully October was blessed with a lot of new releases that I have had on preorder for months. This next month, I will be beginning again with the Eragon series since the final book is finally being released this month!!!!
Total for September: 1,359
Total for October: 3,327
Total for 2011: 31,643
Author: George R. R. Martin
Pages: 1016
Age Level: Adult
This book just about killed me. It took me most of the month of September to finish it because it simply dragged on and on. The book could have been half as long and been far more engaging. I swear, half the book is simply a listing of everything they eat at feasts, and apparently the people eat ALOT!! It really stalled the book whenever something like that came up, because it would go on for pages describing every serving and they didn't settle for one or two, no there were usually like fifty. One or two of these scenes would have been enough to show what the people ate, it was totally unnecessary to go on and on like Martin did. I got half way through and seriously considered stopping, but when you've read more than 500 pages already, it's so hard to just give up. The main story line is compelling, but while this is both a companion and extension of book four, I was really disappointed in it as a whole. Too much was left out and I'm getting tired of the bad guys always winning. After a while, while that may be "reality", it becomes taxing. Eventually you want the good guys to win, and this book really makes you think that's not going to happen ever.
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Pages: 198
Grade Level: 8-12 grade
Speak is about a girl entering the ninth grade with a big black mark on her. She called the cops at a party over the summer and got alot of people in trouble. The problem is that while everyone hates her for this, they don't understand why she did it. At that party she had been raped, and she told no one. She tried to tell the police, but couldn't speak when she called them. She doesn't speak about it at all for most of the book but spirals and deals with the hate all around her and the torment of her rapist as well in silence and alone. Through one teacher who allows her time to find her voice again, she finally begins a path back. This is a great book that really makes you think about how to deal with the student or person in your life that needs the most help but never asks for it.
Author: P.C. and Kristin Cast
Pages: 145
Grade Level: 6-10 grade
This is a background spin off novella of the House of Night series. It tells the story of Dragon Lankford and Anastasia. It's short, it's sweet, and it's intense. It really shows a piece of a character that is not delved into in the main books.
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Pages: 517
Grade Level: 6-12
Fighting for a throne is hard work especially when you don't have anyone you can really trust. This is the third book in this series and it is apparent the series isn't over. It's a story of strength, love, magic, and deception.
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 521
Grade Level: 5-10
Welcome back Percy Jackson! This is the adventure of Percy at the Roman encampment. The timeline is in conjunction with the first book. I just love Riordan. He really has a talent of bringing the ancient Gods and all the drama around them to life.
Author: James Dashner
Pages: 324
Grade Level: 9-12
This is one wild ride and the conclusion of the trilogy. At the end of the book, all I could think was "duh!! why didn't they do that in the first place." This book deals alot of death and struggle and in the end one is left with both hope and despair. Definitely a fitting end for the series.
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Pages: 427
Grade Level: 9-12
I just received the third book in this series and realized I'd never gotten around to the second, oops. This is a paranormal romance.
Title: Silence, Book 3
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Pages: 438
Grade Level: 9-12
The third book in the series and definitely not the end. This book shows that love, real love, can break down any barrier.
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Pages: 325
Grade Level: 9-12
Faeries are dangerous and tricky. They sure don't like it when you fight back. For Deirdre it is even harder because she is a cloverhand, which makes her magical and a threat to the current Faerie Queen. Add in that the assassin sent to kill her falls in love with her instead and you have a fun tale with heavy Irish lore and a romance you both root for and despair over.
Title: Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie, Book 2
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Pages: 353
Grade Level: 9-12
A sad second part when you realize that love doesn't conquer all afterall. Deirdre's voice is all by absent in this second book and that is actually quite well done, as it shows her severe isolation and just how lost she is.
Author: John Flanagan
Pages: 422
Grade Level: 5-9
These are supplemental stories to the series and also serve as a bridge between The Ranger's Apprentice series and the upcoming Brotherband Chronicles. It answers some fan questions about the series and finally Will and Alyss are married.
October was a much better month than September. Only the first three were read in September, I felt like an utter failure, but thankfully October was blessed with a lot of new releases that I have had on preorder for months. This next month, I will be beginning again with the Eragon series since the final book is finally being released this month!!!!
Total for September: 1,359
Total for October: 3,327
Total for 2011: 31,643
