Sorry!

I know, I know, I haven't been on in forever. You know how summer is when you're a high schooler, all you want to do is laze about. XD

So here, I'll review a book. ^^

The Thirteenth Child was absolutely wonderful.

Now, this book takes place in the 1800's Frontier of America, a setting that I've found many times before to be dull for me. This book was anything but boring. Patricia Wrede spices thing up with saber tooth cats, wooly mammoths, steam dragons, sphinxes, and a plethora of creatures, magical and non, that kept me fully entertained.

Then there's Eff, the main character. She's patient and perhaps a bit timid due to her status as a thirteenth child, known for bad luck. While her brother, the seventh son of a seventh son, receives most of the praise and attention in the pair for his natural talent for magic that comes with his lucky birth.

Born with the stigma of being thirteenth, and considered bad luck, Eff considers their family's move to the frontier from the east to be a new start, one where no one has to know in which order she was born. There, the reader is able to watch her grow up and observe how her own viewpoints on herself and her magic change. More than anything, this book was one of her journey for self knowledge and her ability to use different forms of magic to become just as praised as her older brother.

Perhaps it is just me, but I found the book a bit slow at first. But as I went on, the story became more and more enthralling until I was hiding it behind my science textbook to read during class! I definitely recommend this. Ef is easy to like, and she's surrounded by a cast of marvelous characters who draw you in and snag you're attention. Although the book is a tad bit light on plot, focusing more on Eff's journey from childhood into adulthood, the story of the frontier and the struggles to protect its settlements from the animals I mentioned before is both engaging and entirely unique.

Who doesn't love reborn legends?

I absolutely ADORE this book. Meg Cabot is entertaining, fun, and one of my favorite authors. In Avalon High, she tells the story of Ellie, a girl who has just moved to the Washington DC area. Her parents are professors who study the Medieval times, especially the legends of King Arthur. Through Ellie's unique knowledge of the subject, readers soon learn that many of the characters are reincarnations of those famous legends; Guinevere, Lancelot, King Arthur, Mordred, and more.

Ellie plays an important role in changing the course of the story of Arthur that we all know, even if she doesn't quite believe it. And Meg Cabot tells it all with surprising humor that keeps the reader engaged, even without prior knowledge of the legends of Arthur.

Of course, the story is a bit more complicated than that. But I can't tell you everything can I? Just pick up this book at your nearest Barnes and Noble or library, it's absolutely wonderful.

~Miss Read =D

Not my cup of tea...

Alright, so I started this book yesterday and finished it this morning. Sadly, I was sort of looking forward for it to end. The plot was cute, if a little cliche. I would have enjoyed the book anyway if it wasn't for the main character. Truthfully she was a bit... shallow. And very annoying. Overall, I just don't have a lot to say about this book. It just wasn't the sort of I enjoyed. But someone else might. Who knows, maybe it's just me. Maybe someone else would enjoy this book.

The only thing this book will leave you hungry for is the sequel

The first book I read of Suzanne Collins was Gregor the Overlander, of the Underland Chronicles. I absolutely adored them, especially for their unique and interesting plots and characters.

But her newest book is aimed towards a slightly older audience, and I love it even more. We're introduced to a war torn and poverty filled future earth and a young woman named Katniss who supports her small family through illegal poaching. But her hunting and survival skills are truly put to the test when she is entered into the national Hunger Games, in place of her younger sister. There she is forced to endure harsh obstacles along with kids from other districts, including the second from her own district, a boy named Peeta who has always been in love with her.

This book is exciting and action packed, but it also contains a bit of romance. Collins is excellent at building suspense, and when I reached the end of the book I only wanted to keep going. Imagine my heartbreak when I remembered that the book had just been released and I'd need to wait at least a year for the sequel!

Luckily, the sequel is available on Amazon through pre-order and will be released in stores on September 1st. I can't wait! I would recommend this book to anyone asking for a good read.

A new book from one of my favorite authors...

I've always enjoyed history, especially that of the Ancient Greeks. So when I saw Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner, I knew I had to read it. It was a great read. Freisner showed her readers a feisty elen of Sparta who was more interested in learning how to fight than learning how to weave or embroider or find a husband.

Now she's written a new book, Sphinx's Princess, due to come out in stores on September 22. It looks as if she is continuing her writing in historical fiction, except this time in Egypt. Cleopatra maybe? I haven't been able to find a summary, but I'll post it as soon as I find one. If you want, you can pre-order it in hardback for only 17.99 on Amazon. I can't wait for it to come out!

~Miss-Read

I've just started this series, and I'm definitely in in love.

First, there's Artemis, for in all his mild maliciousness, you can't help but adore. He's a literal genius with a missing father and an ambition to restore his family fortune and name. And he's only twelve years old. In the very first book, he not only discovers the world of fairies, but he also devises a plan to steal millions of dollars worth of gold from them.

And then there's Holly Short an elf who is an officer for LEP-Recon force. She smart, feisty, short-tempered (no pun intended) and as intriguing a character as Artemis.

That's only two characters, and the series is full of interesting and complex characters that help make the story as vivid and interesting as any fantasy you've read. I'm only starting the third book and I'm hooked. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy tale.

My 1st day!

Alright, so I'm hoping that one day, people will actually be interested in reading this.

I'm Ashley and in this blog I'm ready to post just about anything. But as you can probably guess from the title, I'll focus a lot on books. I really love reading, and I'm always looking for something new and interesting. And I know too many people who can never seem to find a book that catches their attention. I hope to help with that.

I'll hopefully post more later!

~Miss-Read