The Beautiful and the Cursed

The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan
Publisher- Random House


Summery
After a horrible accident in London Ingrid and her family flee to Paris. Being in a strange place Ingrid discovers that her twin brother Grayson is missing!!! Now she has to find her brother with her sister Gabby, but can she do it with out the help of mysterious Luc? Or without help of a hidden organization? Find out in The Beautiful and the Cursed.

My Thoughts
This book has what my local librarian calls the "right of passage." You have to get through the first part before the book becomes any good. That is what happened with this book. However once I got past the slow part I loved it.

The characters were extremely dark and I loved that. There are not many books that has many dark character that are fighting for good.

Other than this there are not that many things to report back. It was a good book, but any mistakes that really jumped out at me.

Over all I give this book a 4 out of 5.

Hope to have you reading again soon,
Paige <3

The Grimm Legacy

The Grimm Legacy
By Polly Shulman


Summery
Elizabeth is starting over in the big city of New York because her dad just had to go marry her new step mother. When Elizabeth writes her history paper on the brothers Grimm she was assigned to by her history teacher. After she writes it she was not really sure if she did very well, but the paper ends up landing a job at a library. Not just any library, an object library where the patrons can check out objects for their own use.

Everything seems normal until her co-workers, fellow teens, start talking about the disappearance of a girl her age, everything starts changing. Can she figure out what happened to the missing co-worker before the same thing happens to her newly made friends? Or is the mastermind behind her disappearance has something much more sinister in mind?

What I Thought
When I first picked up this book I knew I would just love it. It has the perfect mix of fairly tales and good old fashion magic.

There were in some parts in the book that the dialogue was not the best in the world. There were a ton of times that the author made the characters say, "Oh, blah blah blah." I do not know about you, but that makes me think that the character is sighing or having an epiphany.

I did like the depth of the characters, and the range of the them. Polly Shulman has a three year old as a hero in this novel, I think that just comes to show that she thinks that anyone can be a hero, no matter what their size. Another character that you would not suspect to be a hero, Jaya, a ten year old girl. She figures out things that the teens in the novel would never figure out.

Overall I give this book a 4 out of 5.

Hope to have you reading again soon,
Paige <3

Underworld

Underworld by Meg Cabot
Pages: 317


Summery
Pierce thought that she was safe from the Underworld. That she would not return until it was her time to die, then she would only go to board the ferry to take her to the final place where spirits go to rest in eternal happiness or eternal hell. But she could not run from her love, John, forever and keep him from taking her into the underworld to be his queen. But when Pierce finds out her cousin, Alex, maybe in danger, can she convince John to let her return to Earth to save him? Even if it means exposing herself to the Furies.


What I Thought
As the person I am, I have read almost all of Meg Cabot's books. This series is by far the best that I have read of hers. She actually make the person who is in the position of Hades seem normal an like someone who was actually a man. Someone who knows what it feels like to die, through that he shows more sympathy than in other characters I have seen who have played the role of Hades. I also loved how John has more background, something more interesting, than the normal stories about the lord of the dead.

This book is a lot less confusing than the first book, which is good. Where the first book flips between past and present a lot, this book stays with Pierce the entire time.

 This book also explains a lot more in a lot more detail, mainly because the main character is not as clueless in this book than in the first one. Some of my favorite parts are when she sees the curtains fluttering. I like this because the curtains are white and seem symbolic in a place of death. It makes me think that there is innocence and purity in the Underworld. It also makes me think that Pierce is getting to start over, that the white curtains mean a clean slate for her. It is kind of like the pomegranate in the Underworld, everyone thinks it is one thing, when it actually means something else entirely.

Some parts of the dialogue were a little weird for me. I don't know why, but whenever someone puts something with and "Oh," in front of a name it just sounds ridiculous.

Overall this book and a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Hope to have you reading again soon,
Paige <3

Random Pictures!!!!!!!

This one is my favorite!!!!!!!!

Something everyone should do in times of panic. Inspiration may find you yet. :)

Goddess

Goddess By Josephine Angelini
Publisher- HaperCollins
Copyright- 2013
Pages- 279


Summery-
It is here, the war that everyone has been preparing for for over three thousand years. Now it is time for Helen to step up and realize who she is, the reincarnation of Helen of Troy. With new powers that come as a result of here actions in Dreamless, can Helen defeat the Twelve? Or more importantly, can she stay sane long enough to be able to even fight the Gods? When truths come out and the ancient and modern world clash, is anybody really safe?


My Thoughts-
This book was amazing, however it was too short. Throughout the entire book I felt like something more could be explained. Or what was explained could be elaborated more on. However, Josephine did an excellent job with what she wrote. Everything made more sense in this book than any of the others, (Which is what she wanted to do, I think), and was beautifully crafted so everyone (well, almost everyone) got their happy ending.

Reading through this series it was exciting to see how each person changed and developed, even though some did not. Characters people didn't like very much get some justice behind them and end themselves with very noble acts.

The only true problem I had while reading this story was the epilogue. It felt way to long and that the author was trying to rap up a story that wasn't completely closed. I feel that if she wanted to Josephine Angelini could write another novel that explains more of what ends up happening to everybody. Some parts I was okay with the wrap up (Jerry and Kate) and others I wasn't (Lucas's situation).


Overall I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.


Hope to have you reading again soon,
Paige <3

Summer Postings

Now that school is out and summer is in, reading time is so much more allowable. So I will be posting more book reviews. Hopefully it will be one every day or so, but in those times where I am going out of town it won't be until I get back. I hope everyone else is reading out there and when you don't know what to read next you report back here.


Hope to have you reading again soon,

Paige <3

The Selection

The Selection
By Kiera Cass
Published- April 24, 2012
Pages- 327


Summery-
America never wanted to enter the Selection, a contest for 35 girls to go to the castle and win the princes heart, but everyone insisted she should. Even her amazing boyfriend Aspen Leger, who is in the caste below her and her family. The day of the announcing every girl who was eligible was wound up tighter than a string, but not America. She is heart broken, the love of her life had just left her because he feels he cannot provide for her. When her name is called on The Report that Friday everyone is ecstatic for her. One week later America is at the castle getting ready to begin her new life. With a day of pampering and a quick tour of the castle America begins to feel claustrophobic and she runs out into the garden, where she meets the handsome Prince Maxon. From that moment America realizes that staying there may not be the best option. But will she change her mind when the competition gets a little more serious and all of the sudden they are down to the final ten?


My Thoughts-
Some of my friends had me get this from the library, they talked about it so much that I just had to check it out. And I am so happy that I did. Cass had me hooked from the very first paragraph. I stayed up until midnight reading this and as soon as I finished it I bought the second one on my nook. ( I am almost done with it so I will have The Elite for you tomorrow.) The Selection is a beautiful written book that I am going to read over and over again until I get so sick of it I put it in a box and put it in my closet until I go to college.

The thing I loved most about this book was hearing about all of the outfits the Selected got to wear to all of the events. It made me wish I liked there even though they have a caste system worst ( and in some ways better) than the one they used to have in India. In this novel all of the gowns that the young ladies wore were hand sewn by each of the Selected personal maids.

If some one asked who my favorite character was I would have to say America because she is so independent and so opinionated. I feel that is the way all women should be, well most anyway. I like how she talks the Prince Maxon sometimes, she treats him as an equal not like a One (the highest caste.) You see more of this personality in the second book, which I loved.

There are some parts in the book I am like, okay come on America. Make your move, he isn't going to wait around forever.

The end of the book left you with such a huge cliff hanger that you will want to pick the second one up as soon as you finish the first one.

I am giving this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Hope to have you reading again soon,
Paige <3

The Luxe

The Luxe By Anna Godbersen
Published- November 20, 2007
433 pages

Summery-
It is 1899 and the fabulous lives of Elizabeth and Diana Holland is in danger. After their father died he left them without much money. Now Mrs. Holland is desperate in saving their reputation, doing anything for her daughters and herself to remain in the social sector of Manhattans high strung society. That include marrying off her eldest daughter to the most eligible bachelor in town, Henry Schoonmaker. Although Elizabeth feels that she should marry Henry to save her family, she is also torn between duty and running off with the man she truly loves.

Diana is facing a similar situation, being in love with a man who everyone would disapprove with her being in love with. Henry Schoonmaker, he sisters new fiancé. With her secret constantly being threatened by her actions and thoughts, she has to be extra careful, even if she has to betray her sister to be happy.


What I Thought-
This book was amazing. I couldn't put it down after I really got into it. It has so many emotions that an average teenage girl feels in anytime period. You feel the hurt, the love, the excitement.

At the beginning of the book I was really lost because it switched characters a lot. However, after a few chapters I began to get a feeling of the book and how the beginning of each chapter worked. (It starts with something, a newspaper article, a journal entry, or a letter to show what character it is going to be narrating that particular chapter.)

I am a fantasy lover, and I am not afraid to admit that to anyone, but this book had me going from the minute I opened the cover. It has tons of romance, betrayal, and scandal that has any girl wanting for more. One of my favorite parts was when Elizabeth Holland and her lover (Will) got together and talked about running away to California. Usually the lovers in romance novels are my least favorite characters because the are boring, mostly because all they do is try to find ways to be together. In this case that is not all that is happening.

There aren't many bad things in this novel (at least none that left a lasting impression.) So I guess that is it for my review of The Luxe. If you liked that review I am sure you will love the book, so check it out.
I am giving this book a 5 out of 5 stars. It is one of the best written books I have read in a long time.



Hope to have you reading again soon,
Paige <3

Hex Hall Review

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Publish date- February 1, 2011
Age range- 12+
Pages- 352


Summary-
 Sophie is a witch. She came into her powers when she was twelve like every other witch and wizard in the world. People have always been scared of witches and wizards, and they will always be. So the Prodigium created a school for their kind (witches, wizards, fairies, werewolves, shape shifters, with the occasional vampire.) This is where teens go when their powers are exposed. Just like Sophie, she was sent there by a love spell go wrong at her homecoming dance. Now Sophie has to not only deal with living in a strange place, but she also has three new enemies, a defense teacher that hates her guts, and a boy who is dropping major hints but is running the opposite way.


What I Thought-
When I first started reading this book it was kind of dull and boring. However it redeemed itself fairly quickly. I found myself not wanting to put the book down after I got really into it. The main thing I liked about the book was the love that Sophie and Archer started to share. I loved how at one part of the book Sophie was like "I am not falling for him. I am not falling for him."

The only bad thing about this book was that at the beginning Sophie was like this little innocent girl who has never done anything wrong. Heck she wouldn't really cuss at the beginning, then towards the end she started getting some dirty words in.

Overall this book was very good and well laid out. The plot moved quickly and didn't have any huge holes in it. All the characters really seem to jump off the page at you, even the minor ones, with the detail the story is told in.

I am giving this book a 4 out of 5 stars.


Hope to have you reading again soon,
Paige <3

Kissing Booth Excerpt

Today I post an excerpt from a book written by a seventeen year old in England. I am doing this for Randombuzzers.com if you are not already a member of this fabulous website I high suggest that you sign-up immediately.

The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles.

 
We were working on the banner for the kissing booth. The letters were cut out and Lee had smoothed the edges; we just needed to paint them and then nail them onto the booth itself. We had some decorations back at my house, and the posters were ready too. We also had a couple of boards with the price on.

‘Everybody’s been asking me all week what happened with you and Cody,’ Lee said to me. It was after school on Wednesday afternoon. We needed to hurry our asses up to get everything ready to set the booth up on Friday night.

‘You haven’t said anything too incriminating?’

‘I haven’t told them the truth, no,’ he laughed, dunking his brush into the pink paint again. ‘I don’t know why you said you were sick though.’

‘It was believable,’ I defended myself. ‘First thing I thought of.’

‘Yeah, I guess. But loads of the guys reckon it’s Noah scaring him off.’

‘He did look pretty threatening when I was waiting for Cody,’ I admitted, printing with my lipstick sponge onto one of the already dry letters.

Lee shrugged. It was a little while before he broke the silence again. ‘Shelly . . .’

‘Yeah?’

‘Does he ever scare you? I mean . . . I know he’s not quite the Incredible Hulk or anything, but he can lose his temper kinda quickly.’

‘That’s just the way he is. I grew up with him around. He couldn’t scare me – I know that he’s . . . intimidating . . .’

‘I guess,’ Lee said, nodding. Suddenly he dropped his paintbrush into the pot, splattering me with pastel-pink paint – my face, my blouse, my tie, my hair . . .

‘Lee!’ I screamed.

‘Sorry!’

I grabbed a brush and dunked it into the pot of black, totally prepared to flick it over Lee. But something cold and wet landed on my face and neck as he flicked me again, making me jump so much that I dropped my paintbrush, leaving a trail down my front.

Lee spluttered before collapsing into laughter. I scowled at him, waiting for him to stop.

‘It’s not funny, Lee!’

‘Yes it is! You sh-sh-should’ve s-seen your . . . your face!’ He was holding his side now. I glared and grabbed my bag. ‘W-where you going?’

‘The locker rooms to wash this crap off of my face,’ I snapped. ‘And stop laughing!’
‘I can’t help it!’ he gasped, bent double. ‘Your face!’

I stormed out, slamming the door behind me. I thought I had a spare blouse in my locker. We’d be going for a burger later and I did not want to go out looking like a Picasso.

I always thought the locker rooms at school were really weird: a big communal corridor, with notices and stuff pinned up, which led to the ‘fitness suite’, with its treadmills and weights, and the fields outside. The girls’ were on the far left, the boys’ on the right.

Just as I came into the corridor, the whole football team poured through the door. I’d already yanked off my tie and undone another button; I hadn’t stopped to think I might not be alone.
The boys all slowed down seeing me, and I stopped in my tracks.

And then the laughter broke out, all of them finding me hilarious, apparently.

‘What happened?’ Jason asked, biting his lip hard to try and keep from laughing.

‘We were painting the banner for our booth,’ I said.

‘Lee had a bucket of paint. Do I need to say anything more?’

He shook his head. Most of the boys started trailing into the locker rooms, still laughing and looking at me. I caught a couple of them shamelessly checking out my semi-unbuttoned shirt and put an arm across my chest.

‘Aw, come on,’ I said, doing a twirl and giving them a big grin – I’d rather make a joke out of it than be embarrassed. ‘Do I look that bad?’

‘Well, I’d pay to see you in the art gallery,’ said one of the boys, laughing. I rolled my eyes at him and drifted down the corridor toward the girls’ changing rooms, calling a goodbye over my shoulder.

A hand caught my arm, making me stumble backward, and then steadied me before I fell.
I turned to see who it was. Then the smile on my face dropped. ‘Oh.’

‘What’re you doing?’ hissed Noah. ‘You don’t walk around half dressed, Elle.’

‘I’ll walk around however the hell I want, thanks,’ I snapped back, jerking my arm away. ‘It’s no big deal. It’s not like I’m prancing around in my underwear, for Pete’s sake.’

‘Yeah but still . . .’ His eyes trailed down me, then he gave me a stern look.

‘Leave me alone already!’ I exclaimed, glaring at him. ‘Honestly, it’s bad enough you’re being so overprotective, but you don’t have to be so . . . extreme!’

‘So what happened with you and Cody? I know for a fact the whole “being sick” thing was a lie.’
I gaped. Was he blackmailing me? ‘You didn’t tell anybody, did you?’

He smirked, giving me a patronizing look. ‘I don’t gossip. And no, I didn’t tell them. Because I figured you had a good reason. So what went down?’

I shrugged. ‘Nothing.’

‘Something clearly happened–I know you well enough to spot when you’re lying. So what’s the truth?’

I bit the inside of my cheek, debating whether to tell Noah or just ask him to keep his nose out of it. But I thought maybe if I didn’t tell him, he’d jump to the stupid conclusion that Cody had overstepped the line.

While I was debating this, I couldn’t help but notice just how hot Noah looked in his football gear, with the shoulder pads and his helmet tucked under his arm. His hair was a little damp with sweat and he just looked . . . wow.

Well, there it is. I hoped you enjoyed. I certainly did.

Hope to have you reading again soon,

Paige <3