Editorial Review

Reviews

Unexpected Direction, but Perfection
This was a brilliant conclusion to the trilogy. I can only compare it to "Ender's Game" - and that is extremely high praise, indeed.

When I first closed the book last night, I felt shattered, empty, and drained.

And that was the point, I think. I'm glad I waited to review the book because I'm not sure what my review would have been.

For the first two books, I think most of us readers have all been laboring under the assumption that Katniss Everdeen would eventually choose one of the two terrific men in her life: Gale, her childhood companion or Peeta, the one who accompanied her to the Hunger Games twice. She'd pick one of them and live happily ever after with him, surrounded by friends and family. Somehow, along the way, Katniss would get rid of the awful President Snow and stop the evil Hunger Games. How one teenage girl would do all that, we weren't too sure, but we all had faith and hope that she would.

"Mockingjay" relentlessly strips aside those feelings of faith and hope - much as District 13 must have done to Katniss. Katniss realizes that she is just as much a pawn for District 13 as she ever was for the Colony and that evil can exist in places outside of the Colony.

And that's when the reader realizes that this will be a very different journey. And that maybe the first two books were a setup for a very different ride. That, at its heart, this wasn't a story about Katniss making her romantic decisions set against a backdrop of war.

This is a story of war. And what it means to be a volunteer and yet still be a pawn. We have an entirely volunteer military now that is spread entirely too thin for the tasks we ask of it. The burden we place upon it is great. And at the end of the day, when the personal war is over for each of them, each is left alone to pick up the pieces as best he/she can.

For some, like Peeta, it means hanging onto the back of a chair until the voices in his head stop and he's safe to be around again. Each copes in the best way he can. We ask - no, demand - incredible things of our men and women in arms, and then relegate them to the sidelines afterwards because we don't want to be reminded of the things they did in battle. What do you do with people who are trained to kill when they come back home? And what if there's no real home to come back to - if, heaven forbid, the war is fought in your own home? We need our soldiers when we need them, but they make us uncomfortable when the fighting stops.

All of that is bigger than a love story - than Peeta or Gale. And yet, Katniss' war does come to an end. And she does have to pick up the pieces of her life and figure out where to go at the end. So she does make a choice. But compared to the tragedy of everything that comes before it, it doesn't seem "enough". And I think that's the point. That once you've been to hell and lost so much, your life will never be the same. Katniss will never be the same. For a large part of this book, we see Katniss acting in a way that we can only see as being combat-stress or PTSD-related - running and hiding in closets. This isn't our Katniss, this isn't our warrior girl.

But this is what makes it so much more realistic, I think. Some may see this as a failing in plot - that Katniss is suddenly acting out of character. But as someone who has been around very strong soldiers returning home from deployments, this story, more than the other two, made Katniss come alive for me in a much more believable way.

I realize many out there will hate the epilogue and find it trite. At first, I did too. But in retrospect, it really was perfect. Katniss gave her life already - back when she volunteered for Prim in "The Hunger Games". It's just that she actually physically kept living.

The HBO miniseries, "Band of Brothers", has a quote that sums this up perfectly. When Captain Spiers says, "The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you're already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function: without mercy, without compassion, without remorse. All war depends upon it."

But how do you go from that, to living again in society? You really don't. So I'm not sure Katniss ever really did - live again. She just ... kept going. And there's not really much to celebrate in that. Seeing someone keep going, despite being asked - no, demanded - to do unconscionably horrifying things, and then being relegated to the fringes of society, and then to keep going - to pick up the pieces and keep on going, there is something fine and admirable and infinitely sad and pure and noble about that. But the fact is, it should never happen in the first place.

And that was the point, I think. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

A True Classic, August 24, 2010

Because I was such a fan of Suzanne Collins' The Underland Chronicles (also known as the Gregor the Overlander series), I picked up The Hunger Games the first week it was out and I feel privileged in a way to not only have read this series as it unfolded, but to have witnessed its climb in popularity over the last 2 years. That popularity is richly deserved.

Collins is both a talented writer and a gifted storyteller, two things that do not always go hand in hand. In The Hunger Games trilogy, she has created characters that will stay with me and has given them a hard and difficult story that will haunt me. She also managed to keep the quality of the series high throughout which is not always the case with a book series.

At the conclusion of book three - Mockingjay - Collins hasn't wrapped everything up in a neat little bow and slapped a happy face sticker on the bow's ribbon ends nor, IMHO, should she have done so. Instead, Collins provides a conclusion that suits the story, that left room for my internal `if-onlys', `what-ifs', `I-wonders' and `but-what-abouts', but that I also found satisfying.

I consider The Hunger Games trilogy to be a great accomplishment for Collins and a true classic for both teen and adult readers of both sexes. I'm very pleased to give it a permanent place on my-favorite-books-of-all-time shelf where, coincidentally, it will sit right alongside The Underland Chronicles.

Very, very highly recommended.

Note: Prices will vary, but you may want to price the books out to see if you'll get a better deal buying them separately. As I write this, you will, so if you're not really committed to the box... :-)

An haunting series that will stick with you long after the last page is turned, August 27, 2010
The Hunger Games (Trilogy) is one of the most "unputdownable" books to enter the teen market in a long time. The cliffhangers at the end of each volume are so intense, you can't help but continue on. Knowing this in advance, I decided against reading the series last summer despite the fact that everyone was talking about it. I waited the extra year, and I'm glad I did--even a week was torture when it came to getting my grubby mitts on a copy of Mockingjay.

For the record, this isn't a series for everyone. You will be drained emotionally by its end. The Hunger Games is one of the grimmest dystopian worlds I've encountered in literature. A lot of characters die, and their deaths aren't pleasant. This series may not be for you. Then again, those who know me well would say it's not for me, either. I'm one of the most squeamish people you'll meet, and The Hunger Games more closesly resembles the movie Battle Royale than I thought it would when I started reading. I really enjoyed the series, though. There are scenes so poignant, they'll stick with me. Between this and Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy, I've found that even squeamish ole me can still enjoy a disturbing book if it's thought-provoking and well-written.

Now that I've warned you about the contents, let's move on to the meat of this review. It's hard to go in-depth without giving a lot away, so I decided to focus on the trilogy as a whole instead of singling out Mockingjay and reviewing it on its own (though I do have a paragraph dedicated to it further down). A brief synopsis for the uninitiated:
The trilogy takes place in the future. The USA has been destroyed; in its place is Panem, which consists of thirteen districts and a Capitol city. Before the series begins, the districts revolt against the Capitol and are defeated; the thirteenth is completely obliterated. As retribution for their crimes, each district is now required to send a boy and girl, called tributes, to participate in the annual Hunger Games. The games are centered around survival; there can only be one winner (Luckily, most of the deaths occur off-page, so it makes it easier for the squeamish to read). The characters are very rich and detailed; some of their deaths hit incredibly hard and are forever memorable. In the second book, Catching Fire, there is a lot of unease in the districts, and a lot of anger when the year's Hunger Games take a twisted turn and past winners are forced to battle it out for survival. The final book, Mockingjay, consists of a full out rebellion; the districts are at war with the Capitol and it's do or die in a showdown so explosive, readers never see it coming.

Mockingjay has already received flack for not going in the direction fans anticipated. Most were caught up in a romantic triangle and hoped the final book would have a heavy emphasis on this theme with war as a backdrop and a happily-ever-after on the horizon. At the same time, Suzanne Collins has been setting up the revolution since Day One; the grim nature of the first two books should lead readers to believe that the finale will continue in a similar vein. Yes, people will die and it won't always be fair. That's life. I think the direction of Mockingjay was natural, especially in war-like situations. Characters will not be the same as they were earlier in life; war changes you. I would have been disappointed if Collins sidestepped harsh realities in order to soften the story. The tale she weaves is extreme, but it's also genuine. To me, by sticking to her guns and not copping out for something friendlier, she has created a memorable, haunting series that will stick with you long after you've finished reading it.

I'd also like to bring attention to the amazing book jacket art put together by designer Elizabeth B. Parisi and artist Tim O'Brien. At first glance, they don't mean much, but once you've read the serious, you notice just how ingenious they truly are. Before I read the series, I looked at the preview of the Mockingjay jacket and thought, "Wow, that's bright compared to the first two." Now I know better. Each book features a mockingjay, which is a hybrid mix of mockingbird and jabberjay (a Capitol creation used for spying on enemies during the first rebellion). The first book features the bird as the pin the main character, Katsa's, friend gives to her. The book is black and grim, giving it a desolate air. Every character in the Games feels hopeless, as though he/she won't survive. The second book's mockingbird is trapped inside a clock-like environment, which is the setting of the Hunger Games in this volume. The book is red for fire (both for its title, Catching Fire, and the literal associations with the element in the book), for anger (the fact that previous survivors of the Hunger Games must participate once more), and for bloodshed. Both books feature these circular objects that link to one another representing the way the districts and Capitol are linked. The final book features a mockingjay with its wings spread out. The linked circles are in broken pieces around it. The book is a vivid sky blue, the color of peace and hope. These covers have become favorites of mine; I adore the symbolism.


All in all, I'm personally glad I've read this series and wouldn't change a thing. I'm glad I didn't sidestep it due to its violent nature and extreme situations. This trilogy is one I'll read again to delve into the intricate layers I know Collins has laid out for us. Collins is a master at capturing a society at war and showing the horrors that come when a corrupt government is in control.

The books are 5+, wish the gift boxset had a little more., August 25, 2010
No doubt if you're looking at this product, you already know The Hungry Games Trilogy are all great books!

In my mind, there's really only a few reasons for a "boxset" to exist: 1) To give as a a better looking gift than three separate books to someone who somehow missed the phenomenon along the way or is missing some of the collection. 2) Because they include something special w/ the set that makes it more meaningful, or 3) Because it's cheaper to buy them as a set.

In this case, this set is only your best choice if you want to give the set as a gift. I wish they'd included something special that made it more worthwhile than a cardboard container to hold them. I don't think it would have hurt to add in a mockingjay pin and an exclusive map or poster - since the set costs more than the individual books combined. (Or did, the day I was writing this.) Who knows? Maybe they will come up with a more special set after the third books been out a bit longer.

Still, there's plenty of avid teen readers that are just now getting to the age to begin enjoying these tales, and a set of the books would definitely make a great gift for them boxed or unboxed.

A must-read for all ages!, October 2, 2010
This compelling trilogy examines the brutality of war and the desensitization of a media-saturated society. Katniss is a strong and thoughtful young heroine, and readers will be haunted by her long after the final chapter of Mockingjay. In Hunger Games you will be introduced to the characters and their trials will keep you on the edge of your seat. In Catching Fire you will find out that no one is safe from the clutches of the Capitol. In Mockingjay you will feel the stirrings of revolution, and the dread that comes along with leaving relative safety for the unknown. These books are terrific for a book club, or for kids to read with their parents.

Best Deal I Could Find, November 23, 2010
This was the best deal I could find. And it literally knocked all the other deals out of the water. All the books come with a hard cover. And I really enjoyed reading the series! ... Read more

Editorial Review

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. Acclaimed writer Suzanne Collins, author of the New York Times bestselling The Underland Chronicles, delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. ... Read more

Reviews

Engaging. Brutal, but engaging!

The Hunger Games - Definitely worth reading!

Could not put it down.
The 74th Annual Hunger Games are soon to begin. The Hunger Games are a fight to the death. In the new country of Panem, in the ruins of North America, each year as punishment for a rebellion and as a control mechanism, the Capitol forces each of the 12 provinces to draw names of a male and female tribute. The tributes are drawn from all people between the ages of 12 and 18. They receive training, are assessed by the game masters and then the betting begins. The games will be televised and are required viewing for the whole nation.

The draws are not exactly even though. You can choose to enter your name extra times, for yourself and for family members to receive a terse, a grain and oil supplement from the government. Thus enters our heroine Katniss Everdeen. She is entered this year 20 times as she is 16 and taken the terse every year, for herself, her sister and her mother. Her close friend Gale has his name in 42 times, but this is the last year he is eligible. Then Katniss has the worst fear hit - her younger sister Prim (short for Primrose) is drawn with her 1st and only ballot. Katniss then does the unthinkable; she volunteers to take Prim's place.

Katniss Everdeen knows that she has at least some chance of survival in the games. She has been secretly hunting in the woods and feeding her family since her father died years earlier. She hunts and gathers what she can with her friend and hunting partner Gale, in the woods beyond the fenced border of District 12. Yet even so, most believe she has just given up her life for her sisters.

Katniss and Peeta Mellark are the tributes from District 12 for the 74th annual hunger games. As they travel to the capitol they have two mentors - Haymitch Abernathy the only surviving Hunger Games winner from the district and Effie Trinket the Capitol's representative in the district. They will each in their own way try to help them to survive both the Capitol, to win favor with the citizens who can sponsor them in the games, and then the games themselves.

This book is very well written, the scenes sharp and crisp, the world believable and detailed. The characters become real as you read. You reach the end and are left hungry for more, which is what you will get as this is book one in a trilogy. The only drawback in my opinion is the lack of a map. I keep hoping for a map of Panem, with the 12 districts, the mysterious destroyed 13th district and the wilderness area's between them. Maybe it is just a guy thing, but I wanted a map. In this book Twenty-four are forced to enter the game zone but only the winner survives. You get a sample online. You can read chapter 1 online but it will only whet your appetite for more. There is also a video trailer for the book you can find online. This is a great Sci-fi book and would make an excellent movie.

Chilling, Compelling, Best of 2008
When Katniss Everdeen finds herself a contestant in the annual Hunger Games, she considers herself a goner. Out of 24 teenaged contestants chosen from the 12 districts of Panem, only 1 will emerge victorious. The rest will be slaughtered. By each other. And the entire event will be televised from the Capitol for the entire nation to watch.

If you had described the basic plot of the Hunger Games to me and told me that it was going to be THE book to read in 2008, I probably would have raised an eyebrow. Futuristic? And dystopian? AND gladiatorial? Despite the seemingly disparate elements, Suzanne Collins somehow managed to hit upon the perfect combination in this thrilling story about a girl who lives in a nation obsessed with violence and reality television. There is action, romance, deception, humans hunting humans (Most Dangerous Game, anyone?) surgically altered stylists (reminiscent of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies), genetically enhanced mutants, a cruel totalitarian government, and a unspoken mandatory creed to treat the entire event as if it were a holiday.

I read Hunger Games from start to finish in a day while I was supposed to be studying for finals. I meant to read a chapter or two and then go back to work, but I just could not put it down. Hunger Games is the kind of book that continues to haunt you days and weeks after you've turned the final page. I absolutely recommend it to everyone, with the one caveat that it does feature brutal violence between children and is perhaps not for the faint of heart. The next book can't come fast enough! In the mean time, I'm going to go learn how to shoot a bow, you never know when you're going to need to know how!

Hungry for the next book!!
I read this book upon the recommendation of Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series of books even though this isn't the kind of book I typically would seek out at the library. THANK YOU MS. MEYER! The Hunger Games had me engrossed from the first page. I was very intrigued with the characters, especially Katniss, however, the development of all the characters was impressive. The complexity of each character was described so well that there really weren't any that I didn't love and hate at the same time.

The story itself is scary...to think that such a concept could be born and carried out is unsettling, but, unfortuantely believable. I'm not a person who likes blood and gore and this book is sometimes violent and gory, however, not to the point that I was too grossed out to read on. The romance added just enough additional struggle to keep me addicted.

I would classify The Hunger Games writing as excellent. As you read you can easily visualize the characters and what's taking place. I am sooooo looking forward to the second book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. ... Read more

Reviews

And you thought the Capitol couldn't get any more twisted..., July 7, 2009
If you thought the Capitol couldn't get any more twisted... you were wrong.

The highly-anticipated sequel to The Hunger Games is the kind of novel that has you pulling back to take a breath and go, "How did the author think of this?" (if you can stop turning the pages long enough to breathe)

Catching Fire picks up right where Hunger Games left off. Unrest in the Districts is growing at an alarming pace and Katniss unwittingly finds herself the figurehead for the movement against the Capitol. The characters you loved return for the sequel and the reader must endure each indignity the Capitol inflicts upon them. It is painful, tortuous, imaginative and motivating. It is everything The Hunger Games was and more. It both answers your lingering questions and creates so many new ones. It challenges you to think and creates such feelings of empathy for the characters that whenever I had to put the book down, I was genuinely worried for leaving the characters hanging and couldn't wait to pick it back up just so they could continue fighting for their lives and freedoms.

Everything I loved about The Hunger Games is present in Catching Fire: the unique and engrossing storyline; characters so thoroughly and beautifully described they start to feel like friends; a fantastical setting that is both real and sad; and language that is easy to read and yet conveys such a profound meaning. It has action, romance, horror, hope, despair and, most of all, humanity. It has sci-fi and politics yet, unlike a lot of books on the market, they are not "in your face" and are completely approachable.

Due to elements of violence and some light romantic scenes, I would recommend it for 13+. That being said, I would recommend it for ANYONE 13+ of any reading taste or background: as a bookseller and a recent library school graduate, these are the books I find easiest to recommend to anyone I meet.

I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the third and final book to come out. After reading Catching Fire, I know you will be too.

The Biggest Problem with Trilogies . . ., September 7, 2009
. . . is that darn book in the middle! You know how it goes - the first book is dynamite, because it's all new and there's so much to discover. The last book is explosive too, since we find out what happens "in the end." But the book in the middle . . . well, it's sort of like treading water. It's a place holder, filler maybe, a way to stall the reader until the good stuff can start.

Hunger Games was exiting and compelling; we found out about Katniss's world slowly, which drew us into it completely. My guess is, the final book will be equally engaging - after all, we'll learn all about District 13, we'll find out which of her two suitors Katniss will finally choose, and we'll get a glimpse of what lies in store for the Capitol and its totalitarian government. But Catching Fire is a disappointment. Nothing much happens. The plot can be summed up very succinctly - unrest grows slowly in the aftermath of Katniss and Peeta's Hunger Games victory. That's it. Katniss can't make her mind up about Peeta and Gale, she can't make her mind up about whether or not to rebel, and she can't make her mind up about who to really trust. In the end, not only is there no resolution, but little progress has been made toward one.

The biggest problem with Catching Fire is its pacing. The first third of the novel is really told in summary - Katniss explains what happened when she and Peeta came home, what happened on their tour of the Districts, what happened when she talked to Gale, etc. By telling it all in long paragraphs of summary, Collins removes the reader from the immediacy of the action - and it's both disappointing and disengaging. I wanted to experience Katniss's first meeting with Gale after she returned from the Games. I wanted be part of her trying to get her life together after her horrific experiences. But that's not the way this story is told. Then, about midway through the novel, things start to feel very much like Hunger Games revisited. From the moment it's announced that Katniss will be thrown back into the arena it all starts to feel very much like a re-run. What was exciting and new in the first book, is expected and redundant in the second book. It's not that the final section isn't exciting - it is. There's plenty of action in the last chapters of the novel. But it just wasn't as gripping. I found myself reading to get to the end, rather than to find out what was going to happen.

As with most "middle books," Catching Fire was written to set up the final part of its trilogy. There will be a rebellion. And there will be a love triangle. The sparks of the rebellion are there, although the reader is kept away from the actual embers. Collins put more time into Katniss's confusion over which boyfriend to pick - I found myself wishing for something, anything to happen to make that rather silly conflict moot. Katniss, as written by Collins, seems very, very young. It's hard to imagine her actually "torn between two lovers." Additionally, Gale plays such a peripheral role in this novel that it's hard to really know him. Peeta is present in almost every chapter - the sweet, loving, doting boyfriend who will be eternally true to Katniss. Gale, however, appears in only a few brief scenes, and never says more than a few words. Book 3 may give us a better picture of what these two young men really meant to Katniss; Catching Fire does not.

Actually, I think the title accurately reflects what this novel is all about - things in Katniss's world begin to catch fire. They don't actually CATCH fire - it just begins; it's "catching," so to speak. The conflict was set up in Hunger Games. The actual conflagration will play out in the third and final installment. Here, in Catching Fire, we just see the striking of the match. It's not a bad read, and fans of the first novel will enjoy this one. I just found myself wishing for more - more of an understanding of Katniss, Gale, and Peeta; more of an understanding of the totalitarian government they live under; and more of a connection to a story that won me over brilliantly in Hunger Games. This time, I felt a little lost.

I wish I could give it 10 stars!!!, July 9, 2009
When I read the Hunger Games, I read it straight through the night, from 1AM til 5AM. Couldn't stop reading even though I had to pee badly. After I finished it, I was dying for the sequel. DYING!!!! When I found out the ARC would be available in the spring, I bribed everyone I could think of to get me one. And yes, I got it. The day I got it, I couldn't look at it until 1AM again. This time, I promised myself, I would only look at the first chapter and then put it down. Riiiiight. It was 4:30AM when I finished reading and immediately began plotting to find out when the next book ARC would be available.

I thought the first one was fantastic. In the back of my mind I felt that the sequel just couldn't be as good. How could it? Boy was I wrong! It was even better! My heart was racing the whole time I was reading it and I simply couldn't put it down. I believe Ms. Collins is the MASTER of the pageturner. Every chapter ends with almost a cliffhanger feeling. It compels you to keep reading. It physically traps you into the book so that you just can't put it down. If you can't read this book in one sitting, then I urge you not to even look at it until you can. Like the first one, you will not be able to put it down. The house could have been on fire and I doubt I would have noticed.

Since we got to know Peeta and Katniss so well from the first one, what the sequel does is invest us even more deeply into their emotional well being. I won't give any other spoilers than what has already been said. So the book starts with Katniss as the face of the rebellion because of her act of defiance in the first book. As rebellion grows, the President sets up his revenge - and when I found out what it was, I literally sat up in bed and shouted "Oh NO! I can't believe they are doing this to them!!!" Yes I was talking to my book. That's how deeply this book sucks you into this amazing and disturbing dystopian world. It makes you want to grab up a weapon and join the rebellion.

One thing I have to say, I was deeply satisfied with the ending of this book. The first book ended in such a way that I was bothered by it and itchy for the next book. With the end of Catching Fire, I felt it was absolutely right and thrilled with the conclusion. But I'm still DYING for the third and final book of this amazing book series.

No sophomore slump here, August 1, 2009
I got a galley at the BEA Conference this year. Before I started to read, I was terrified that Suzanne Collins couldn't possibly live up to my expectations after the extraordinary Hunger Games. I'm thrilled to say that she did not let me down. I don't want to give anything away as it would only ruin the rollercoaster ride of a read, so suffice it to say that all of our favorite characters are back to join Katniss as the spark of revolution catches fire. Collins is masterful. The story is at once personal to Katniss, Peeta & Gale, but it also makes social statements that can apply to society at large. Characters show the best and the worst of humanity. And at several points, I found myself finishing a chapter, stunned at the turn of events. Collins kept me on the edge of my seat. I hope she's writing quickly, because I can't wait for the concluding volume of this amazing trilogy.

Collins has done it again, July 10, 2009
Against staggering odds, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark of District 12 have somehow won the annual Hunger Games. But the fruits of triumph are bittersweet. Success in the arena means a life without want in the Victor's Village, but extravagant food and a nice place to sleep can only provide so much comfort when an increasing amount of one's life must be faked for the protection of those one loves. That's exactly Katniss's predicament, because she when she held up the poisonous berries in the arena, it was interpreted as an act of defiance against the Capitol rather than Katniss's strong will to life. And now the girl on fire has become the spark for rebellion--a rebellion the Capitol is determined to stamp out at any cost.

I must commend Collins for writing such a phenomenal sequel to The Hunger Games as Catching Fire is. It's everything I hoped for and even more than I expected. Katniss's legend lives on in this action packed, suspense filled drama in which one's friends are nearly indistinguishable from one's enemies and ambiguous meanings make life into one giant maze. Collins takes her portrayal of a dystopian future to the next level in this novel by highlighting the extent of the power the totalitarian Capitol wields and the beginnings of long suppressed dissent. Catching Fire is such an engrossing read, thanks to Collins's well written and executed plot, vivid and realistic characters, and the resulting sense of revolutionary fear. It's so easy to lose track of time while reading this novel, because the story just flows from the page so fluidly; I really enjoyed the many plot twists and the development of each character. The only times I had to pause while reading were due to the multitude of names and minor characters that are somewhat difficult to remember. But overall, Catching Fire is a story so overwhelmingly incredible, no reader will want to put it down.

Catching Fire and its prequel The Hunger Games are must reads for all readers not just because they are such interesting stories but because they show the nasty side of politics and culture not enough of us are aware of. This trilogy will be especially enjoyed by fans of the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, Cherry Heaven by L.J. Adlington, Shift by Charlotte Agell, Daylight Runner by Ois�n McGann, and the Poison Study trilogy by Maria V. Snyder. I know that I, along with throngs of others, can't wait for the conclusion to this trilogy.

In which the plot most definitely thickens, September 4, 2009
"On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol..."

Ever since she pulled those berries out in the last minutes of the previous year's Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen has become an icon of defiance and rebellion to the Districts. She knows that the leaders in the Capitol are not happy that she outsmarted their plans, forcing them to accept two victors and saving her fellow tribute Peeta in the process. But she is unaware of the extent of their ire until she receives an unexpected visit from President Snow, complete with a death threat against Gale's life should she fail to quell the rising spirit of rebellion in the Districts.

Meanwhile, President Snow has his own plans to quash any inklings of revolution, and they happen to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Hunger Games--also known as the Quarter Quell. As in the two previous Quells (taking place on the 25th and 50th anniversary respectively) the rules of the Games have been altered for the year to remind the Districts that even the annual massacre of their children in the regular games is not enough to atone for their previous attempt at insurgency. But what the Capitol has cooked up for the new Games results in something that nobody could have predicted, not even President Snow himself.

After reading the Hunger Games and being completely enthralled by the world that Suzanne Collins painted with her words, I was worried that Catching Fire might not be able to hold up to the high standard that the Hunger Games set. And while I did feel that some of the page-to-page action and detail suffered by comparison, it is more than made up for by the sharp upswing in overarching plot and the many twists that never failed to take me by surprise and made me wonder out loud: how did she think of that?! The love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale had me on the edge of me seat wondering who she was going to choose, whether it would be by choice or necessity, and who I would choose if I were in her shoes (definitely Peeta! Sorry, Gale.) In my opinion, it was not as polished or smooth a read as the Hunger Games. At the same time, however, I must acknowledge that the focus was entirely different from the first book, with a far more complex and ambitious plot, and I truly applaud Collins' creativity and ingenuity in weaving the bigger picture of corruption, manipulation, and rebellion within an entire nation into the same captivating first-person narrative of survival that made the Hunger Games such as success. I really enjoyed Catching Fire and cannot wait to get my hands on the third book to see what finally happens to our rebels.

the girl, still on fire, August 23, 2009

Getting deeper and more complex, August 4, 2009
I, too obtained an ARC at BEA. I thought I was very lucky to get Catching Fire before September. I was so wrong! Now I have to wait longer than others to read the last book, and it's pure agony wondering what will happen next.

The Hunger Game was a great book, but Catching Fire is even better. The story is getting deeper and more complex. As another reviewer stated, it's a "rollercoaster ride of a read". You'll never be able to guess what happens next. And once you start, you can never stop until the end. Relationships between Katniss, Peeta , and Gale are also getting more complex. This separates the Hunger Games from other shallow YA romantic fantasy. Their relationships reflect social issues and humanities this trilogy deals with.

It's categorised as YA fantasy book, but I highly recommend it to adult Science Fiction fans. The Hunger Games trilogy should be and will be a classic like 1984, The Giver, and Fahrenheit 451.

Watch out for the 75th Hunger Games - the Quarter Quell is deadly!, September 6, 2009

A review you can read without spoilers., August 30, 2009

Editorial Review

Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them--Set--has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe--a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs. ... Read more

Reviews

Scoot Over Percy Jackson, The Kanes Are HERE!
I must say, when I read the Percy Jackson series, I instantly liked it. I enjoyed the whole Greek Pantheon of ancient gods & goddesses, magic, etc. So, naturally, I wanted to read "The Red Pyramid" to see if it had the same magic. I can happily say that it does and then some. I would even volunteer that I liked "The Red Pyramid" even more than the Percy Jackson books for several reasons.

First, in "The Red Pyramid", we're introduced to two amazing lead characters who both share in the story's narration. Carter Kane, age 14, is an African American teen who has lived with his father, Julius, his entire life...due to what is described as an ugly custody battle between Julius and his former in-laws (Julius' wife, mother to both Carter and Sadie Kane, died when the children were quite young). Sadie Kane, age 12, looks caucasian (taking after their mother) with light skin, blue eyes, and hair she likes to put colored streaks throughout. Because of the custody agreement, Sadie lives in London year-round with her grandparents - seeing her brother and father only two times per year, which has resulted in the siblings being more like distant relatives to each other. Julius is an archeologist, traveling around the world studying ancient Egyptian artifacts and bringing his son Carter along with him wherever he goes. Carter, because of his father's teachings, is an awkward 14 year old boy, a bit hesitant and unsure of himself. Sadie, on the other hand, despite being two years younger than Carter, is quite a bit more bold, quick to speak her mind and very sure of herself and her opinions. I must say, I loved both Carter and Sadie Kane...for their differences as well as how they grow together as siblings! I cannot reveal much more than this without revealing too much of the book...but I think you'll know what I mean when you read "The Red Pyramid".

Another reason I enjoyed this book is because of the depth of information given to the reader. It's obvious that Riordan, in his research, learned quite a bit about the ancient Egyptian ways as well as the intricate nature of their belief system....and he definitely gets that information out to the reader in a very exciting and entertaining way.

Magic and mythology come together in a fascinating and fast-paced way in this book. Instantly, the action starts and you'll be pulled into the book. Humor plays a big role in this book as well (especially from Sadie), which just adds to the entertainment.

All in all, I'd highly recommend "The Red Pyramid". If you're a fan of the Percy Jackson series, I'm sure you'll like it. Or, perhaps you'll be like me and like it even more! :)

A parent's view
This is the first book I've read by Rick Riordan and I loved it. The combination of suspense, history, and mythology is just brilliant. I'm going to have to read the Olympian series next. I'm a big fan of young adult fiction because kids are a tough audience. They won't slog through a book like an adult will just because they bought it, and so I believe that young adult novels have to be more exciting. Riordan does not disappoint.

I read in Riordan's bio that he taught English and history. And now, through his books, he's teaching it again, only in a way that makes kids want to learn it. For any parent who wants their child to enjoy two subjects that are normally near the bottom of their list as far as what they have to learn, Riordan breathes new life these subjects. It's too bad that schools haven't caught on to this wonderful way of learning. We might have more engaged students.

I can't wait to see what other subject Riordan decides to tackle after the Red Pyramid series. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's going to be exciting and informative.

When I Dream ... Read more

Editorial Review

The epic finale in Richelle Mead's #1 international bestselling Vampire Academy series. ... Read more

Reviews

Bittersweet But Satisfying Ending, December 7, 2010
In the past Rose has overcome every obstacle in her path, no matter the odds, but now she may just be facing the one thing that could bring her down. Permanently. She's to be tried for the Queen's murder, an almost guaranteed death sentence despite her innocence. Fighting for her life isn't her only challenge, she also must carry out the Queen's last mission. Rose must find Lissa's illegitimate sibling to ensure her vote before it's too late. In the end it will take every last one of her allies working together for any hope at survival, let alone a happy resolution.

Rose makes the choice between the two men in her life. I can honestly say that I was almost equally rooting for both of them. They both were good for her in their own way, but her choice really seemed to be the right one for her once all of her reasons were laid out. I felt really bad for the one that she didn't choose, but as soon as she made her choice it was really apparent why it wouldn't have worked with him in the long run. I'm hoping in the spin-off series he just might get a slice of happiness, he deserves it.

While it is bittersweet to say goodbye to Rose, I'm really glad she finally got her slice of happiness. I feel it ended well and my only possible complaint would be for the happily ever after to have been more thoroughly fleshed out. Don't get me wrong, the major plotlines are all tied up, but I couldn't help but feel I was missing something, as if there just needed to be a little more concreteness in the resolution. However, when I really think about it, the ending works as is because it fits Rose perfectly. She is always flying by the seat of her pants, and a completely planned out future just wouldn't work for her at all.

This book is one that you will definitely want to set a large block aside to read, as it will suck you right in. As I was reading it I didn't realize how absorbed I was until I looked at the clock and realized hours had passed. All of the characters have grown so much over the books, especially Rose and Lissa. In this book they really seemed to come into their own, and shine. Some of the ending events were a surprise, but I think everything worked out the way it should in the long run. At least the good-bye isn't really final as I'm sure some of my favorite characters will have a least small parts in the upcoming spin off series. All in all it was a very good book that I really enjoyed and highly recommend.

Left with more questions..., December 8, 2010
I absolutely fell in love with this series and was eagerly anticipating this final book. While I am happy with most of the book, as well as the ending, I was left with more questions and felt like there were missing pieces that should have been included. With this being the final book for Rose, I had hoped to get a little more out of it. I loved the amount of Dimitri in this book. I was disappointed with the lack of his presence in SB so this one was more thrilling to me. The book was happy, sad, and funny at different times. I know many people are disappointed with the way certain people were left hanging (Adrian, Jill, Eddie), but I think they will all be joining Syndey in the spin-off series (Bloodlines). Some other things I enjoyed were Lissa's newfound strength, the severed bond (it was killing Rose), closure of the love triangle, Sonya Karp, Rose's growth, Dimitri finding himself again, and Adrian's anger (didn't expect that reaction). Here are some things I thought were lacking:

Rose/Dimitri: I know they had a lot of time together in the book, but the real stuff didn't come until so late in the book and it left me wanting more interaction between them. They should have talked more about what happened in Siberia, the cabin, her achievements during her trial/graduation, how much she actually did to get him back, her time with the Belikovs in Baia, how she felt when he said "love fades, mine has" and so much more.

The Belikovs: I would have rated this with another star if they had been included in the book. I know they were not meant to have a huge role in the series, but I fell in love with the family and I think they deserved some paragraphs. Even if they were not present, I think Rose should have talked to Dimitri about his family and whether they know he was brought back to life. Although I'm sure Yeva knows.

Abe/Janine: I love Abe's personality and was happy to see a little Janine in this book. I was disappointed that we never did find out what Abe truly does for a living. Also, I was hoping for a more elaborate conversation between them and Dimitri. How do they really feel about this relationship that clearly started back at the academy? We will never know.

I guess we have to make our own assumptions since this is clearly the end of Rose's story. Richelle has stated that this is the last book for Rose and she will only have a cameo appearance in the spin-off series. My guesses for the next book are Sydney (which is a given), Adrian, Eddie, and Jill. Too many things were left unanswered for those four. I know all series must come to an end, but I was hoping for a little more out of this book. Instead I was left with more questions. Although some will be answered in the next series, I know that others will not. It did not have quite the closure I was looking for but I guess you can't make everyone happy, right? Overall it was a good book, just lacking a few chapters in my opinion...

Feels one book short of finished, December 17, 2010
THERE ARE MANY SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

It felt like one really important point was overlooked here. Rose often dreamed and was even forced to live it by Avery, getting away and leading a life of her own choosing with Dmitri rather than a life of servitude to Lissa or any other Moroi. This is a huge point that is brought up in the series and is never resolved. Just because she gets her promise mark does not mean she doesn't want another life for herself. (She did it when it seemed as if nothing could bring her and Dmitri back together.) It is almost like it is passive resignation to a life that was planned for her by virtue of her birth but never by her choice. I think that she and Dmitri needed to talk about what they wanted from life and make this decision to be guardians and not together rather than ignore the reality that they are giving up their life together in servitude to others.

Dmitri goes from almost catatonic with grief and remorse to I love you with too much ease. The few bouts of struggle seem unlikely to yield the turnaround in behavior that they do. Rose is siphoning spirit off Lissa at an alarming pace and only has one huge breakdown? This also felt wrong. Why introduce the people living in the woods and not have them help the story along with either info on the lost Dragomir (I actually thought s/he would be living there in hiding at first)or help clearing Rose of the murder? In the absence of this help, maybe this group should have been saved for the spin off and not bogged down the pace of the story.

Rose and Dmitri never talk about what happened between them in Siberia, even though she forgives him, they should have spoken about all of it. Or his subsequent stalking of her. He never acknowledges the love and strength it would take for her to try to end his Strigoi existence by death or by spirit cure. He never talks about how hard it must have been for her to kill so many Strigoi looking for him. They never talk about her challenging final exam. They never talk about their one sexual experience in the cabin. (The perfect time for that was their second time together.) All of these things could have been addressed in the road trip and would have felt more honest in bringing Dmitri to redemption than "your hair is beautiful" did. Therefore I propose the series really does require one more book about Rose. One that hashes out these points, has Abe and Janine talk to them both about what went on in their past relationship and brings in Dmitri's family.

As observed by other reviewers, there was no mention of Dmitri's family at all. I would have expected most of his family to get on a plane and support him based on Rose's word alone. At the least a phone call should have been part of the story with a planned trip to follow.

The other thing that really bothered me was ending the book feeling like Rose simply did not care about the fate of her many friends. Adrian's conversation with her broke my heart but needed to be done. But once he points out the sacrifices of so many of her close friends on her behalf, she doesn't even say "I'll look into that tomorrow" she just shines it over. She was somewhat selfish throughout the series (which is appropriate for her age) but she was always loyal to her friends and this lack of interest in their well being didn't sit well with me. I understand the author wanted to leave questions for the new series, I just wanted Rose to acknowledge that she would now try to help her friends out of the jams she had gotten them into.

All of that said it is easy to complain when the hard work that went into it wasn't mine. I did love the book, I guess I wanted more of a balance of action and relationship in line with Patricia Briggs. I am grateful to Mead for writing the series and the effort she took in making me care about the characters and keeping me addictively flipping pages to see what would happen next. I look forward to any new books set in this world and hope that she will reconsider relegating Rose to the background and acknowledge that she can have books set in this world that are about Rose and books that feature other characters at the same time (see Kelly Armstrong's women of the other world and Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson/alpha and omega).

OH-MY-GOSH, December 7, 2010
After waiting for this book for what felt like a century. I finally got it and breezed through it, like the rest of Vampire Academy series. I literally went to the book store at 12:00 and got the book. Ten minutes later I was reading it in my car. It took me half the book to finally drive home, even thought my fingers were numb from the freezing weather. I was in such in haste I forgot my gloves. But to the review.

I loved the book. Rose is one of my favorite heroines in YA and it was a joy to get to read about her one last time. The book was faced paced with full of action. But we should already expect that seeing as though the main character is a bad***. If you though Rose was going to be in jail most of the book, think again. By the second chapter she's out and about. Doing what Rose does best getting in more trouble and finding the answers she needs found. She won't let someone fix her mess, no she fixes it herself. Even if it means tapping it back together with a couple of pieces missing. She won't be caged in some crappy motel in a small town that's most likely called town. Not are Rose.

The Alchemist Sydnay plays a huge role in the book. I was shocked by how much she was in the book. I'll tell you guys she's in here more than blood promise. Abe's not in here as much as I would have liked. I through he would play a bigger role. Yes, people there will be some Victor Dashkov and his brother. Then there is someone else I will not spoil it but she is mentioned throughout the books her last name starts with a K. More Dimtri, Rose and Dimtri are together a lot seeing as there both on the loose. It's really not a spoiler because it's like in the second chapter. See the action starts off insanely fast. As another review stated I do wish that there was something about Dimtri's family or a guess appearance. They didn't really mention anything about his family.

The comedy in this book is amazing. Rose has humor like me. She can find humor in opening a can of beans. It was just funny to read her snappy comments, and her banter. Plus she has it in the worst possible places. But it works.

If you're a Lissa fan there is a lot of good things that happen to her so you might like that. We don't see much of Christian and I hated that he was one of my favorite characters. His humor was always a good thing to read about. It was so dry in a good way. Rose looks through Lissa's head a lot like in Blood promise. I'm not going to lie it annoyed me not enough to deduct a star. I just wanted Rose to stay in her world.

The murder was a shocker to me. The person that killed the queen went through my brain but I wasn't really thinking. So it was a shocker not as much after I read who did it.

The illegenement Dragomiar was not so much I knew who it was when I first heard the gender. I'm just sad that he/she is in that situation.

The triangle. That's usually what a lot of people wanted to know who did Rose choose? Well I won't tell you but it was obvious. For the guy she didn't choose I felt so bad for. He didn't deserve that at all.

I heard that there's going to be a spinoff series. I can't wait to read it. I'm really going to miss vampire Academy and Rose. She was what made it. Hopefully I will like the spinoff series just as much.
Here one of my favorite lines from Last Sacrifice. A gun. I had been brought down by a gun. It was practically comical. Cheaters(See humor in the wrong place at the wrong time)
Little spoiler bit if you didn't read the book.
"Fine, I guess it's ok then. Go ahead.
Huh? What's ok?
It's okay if you marry my brother."
(If you read the book you get the person is talking to rose by the way)

I recommend you reading other Richelle Mead's work esepecially Georgina Kincaid series. She's a great author and I would like to thank her for writing such a great vampire series.
Also recommend all
-Ilona Andrews magic bites series
-Patrica Briggs Mercy Thompson series
-J.R Black Dagger Brotherhood series
-Kristen Cashore Graceling
-Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost
-Midnight breed series by Lara Adrian
-Chicagoland series by Chloe Neil

So long, but not farewell..., December 7, 2010
*** The beginning of the end ***

It's here! It's here! The sixth and final instalment of Richelle Mead's epic `Vampire Academy' paranormal YA series. . .

I have been waiting, nail-biting and anticipating this final instalment for MONTHS! And now that it's finally here and I have consumed the book in one sitting my overall response is. . . okay. It was pretty good. I wasn't overwhelmingly in love with the book, I didn't hate it, but it won't make my 2010 favourite's list.

`Last Sacrifice' picks up where `Spirit Bound' left off. Queen Tatiana is dead, staked in her sleep - and all evidence points to Rose Hathaway. Now Rose awaits trial in the court prison, and it is very likely that she will be found guilty and sentenced to death. . . But not if Rose's friends have anything to say about it.

Dimitri, still recovering from his Strigoi-turn, is determined to break Roza out. Adrian, Christian and Lissa want to wade through political intrigue and find out who really killed Tatiana. . .

And Rose wants to get to the bottom of Tatiana's cryptic final message. A hand-written note warning Rose that danger lies ahead, and Lissa is not the last of the Dragomir line. . . she has a sibling, an illegitimate child who could change the course of Moroi royal history forever.

*** Big surprises ***

This is a MAMMOTH final instalment. Following in the footsteps of Stephanie Meyer's `Breaking Dawn' and JK Rowling's `Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows', `Last Sacrifice' is a whopping 594-page ending extravaganza. That being said, because it's 594 pages there's a fair bit of legwork on Richelle Mead's part; lots of scene setting and plot strategizing to set up all the players and orchestrate this grand finale. The first 200 pages seem quite slow, revolving around Rose's imprisonment, the political implications of Queen Tatiana's death and Lissa's standing in Moroi society. I would warn that the plot doesn't start to satisfyingly thicken until about chapter fifteen (page 236).

*** She said, she said ***

The book is broken up between Rose's perspective as she hunts for the lost Dragomir child, and Lissa's pseudo-narrative as she hunts for Queen Tatiana's (real) killer.

`Last Sacrifice' follows a similar structure to book #5 `Spirit Bound', in that the book is often split between Rose's `real-time' perspective, and her shadow-kissed bond with Lissa. The bond with Lissa allows Rose to pull a `Being John Malkovich' perspective-swap, and let her see through Lissa's eyes. I'm not a big fan of this tactic; Mead used it quite heavily in `Spirit Bound', when Rose was in Siberia and Lissa remained in St. Vladimir's. I think the reason this point of view structure doesn't sit well with me is because it means Rose and Lissa aren't actually in scenes together. I know the storyline calls for them to be apart, but I've always struggled with Rose and Lissa's bond (mostly because I can never get past the idea that Rose is slave to Lissa's princess) so not actually having them in scenes together means I am missing out on evidence of their devotion to one another. I know that's quite an outlandish response to have, and few VA fans share it, but it's just the way I feel. I've never much liked Lissa, purely because I think she puts Rose in a position of servitude (even if Rose wants to be there).

*** Stake, Treason and Plot ***

The good news however, is that both plots are equally fascinating.

The political storyline is wildly absorbing - not least of all because Rose is the accused murderer at the centre of it all. This plot sees Lissa, Christian and Adrian unearthing court secrets and political intrigues - sex, violence and royal assassinations are at the heart of their investigations. And the court politics runs nicely alongside Rose's hunt for the elusive lost Dragomir, with help from Dimitri and her Alchemist friend, Sydney. Rose's adventure in this book isn't as grand as past instalments - she travels to West Virginia instead of Russia, for example. But the stakes are higher than ever when the hunt for the missing Dragomir could potentially change the course of Moroi history. Even if I have never responded to Rose and Lissa's powerful `friendship', I appreciated the fact that they are both working for the other in this book - Lissa is trying to clear Rose's name, while Rose is hunting for Lissa's lost sibling. It's a nice compliment and balancing act that Mead juggles throughout. . .

*** I think I love you. . . ***

But let's not beat around the bush or walk on eggshells - what fans really want, what made the 12 month wait so excruciating and the prospect of this finale so delicious was the romance. Will Rose choose Adrian, or Dimitri?

Once upon a time, Rose's choice would have been simple. Dimitri was her teacher, mentor, lover and firmly set upon a god-like pedestal. Adrian was once nothing more than a drunken flirtation - a boozed royal amusing himself with Rose's affections. Then Dmitri became Strogoi and everything changed. . . Adrian became a true friend and shoulder to cry on, and then so much more. Rose's romantic entanglements got flipped around and turned inside out, and fans are desperate to know who Rose ends up with. Well, I will say that Rose makes a choice; Mead doesn't take the option away from her.

In `Last Sacrifice', Dimitri is still reeling from his Strigoi turning - and still standing by his `Spirit Bound' decision to stay away from Rose. Adrian, mean while, is as devoted to his little dhampir as ever. It's a tough choice for Rose, and a romantic triangle that Mead didn't write lightly. I loved that she built Adrian's character up from his first appearance in `Frostbite', making him a real contender for Rose's affections. Adrian was once a drunken flirt, but over the course of five books he has made some real changes and become an admirable character and fan-favourite.

Dimitri and Rose still have all the spark that's been there since book one, but Mead piles on the romantic obstacles for these two. . . The romance has been a big selling point of the Vampire Academy series. Rose and Dimitri's clandestine student/teacher affair was a risky and somewhat revolutionary coupling in the young adult genre (and hardly mainstream). But more than that, Mead's doses of romantic tragedy kept fans reeling and devastated. Richelle Mead clearly does not shy away from heartbreak or moral conundrums (as evidence when she sent Rose off to kill the man she loved). `Vampire Academy' marks the first of Mead's series' finales (with `Georgina Kincaid' and `Dark Swan' still continuing). Fans will be going into `Last Sacrifice' not knowing what to expect from Mead's wrap-up style - does she like happy-endings, or will she leave the series on a sombre note???. . .

*** Last Goodbye ***

And on that note, I will say that the ending was so-so for me. The foreword from Richelle Mead (which may only appear in international copies of `LS', to clear-up a name-change error) deflated what could have been a dramatic ending. . . I can't go into too much detail, but if you read the foreword from Ms Mead you will see that she makes mention of the much-anticipated VA spin-off series. Because of this small mention, the ending of `Last Sacrifice' is more of a whimper than a bang, purely because that foreword gave away what could have been a curveball ending for some (like those who haven't been reading spoilers about the spin-off).

I was also a little disappointed by the romantic wrap-up. I expected. . . more. The romance's conclusion ended up being a little more `teen melodrama' than anything else, and instead of a dramatic scene we get a lot of inner monologues and heart-to-heart's. Which is fine, but for the finale a bit ho-hum when not coupled with memorable action.

*** So long, but not farewell. . . ***

The good news is the spin-off series cast of characters become apparent by the end of `Last Sacrifice'. . . and I dare say a few fan favourite's will be coming back for more! And it looks as though the `Vampire Academy' title will be relevant once again, as the spin-off will most likely take place back at Vladimir's Academy - YAY!

The `Vampire Academy' series has been a hallmark of the young adult paranormal genre. It has been an epic series of love, hate, violence and kick-ass girl heroics. This series is a work of unparalleled teen brilliance and Richelle Mead has cemented her place amongst not only the teen heavyweights, but paranormal-writers. If you haven't read this series yet, then you're doing yourself a disservice. Even if I wasn't thrilled with the finale, I can appreciate the series as a whole and will forever count it amongst my all-time favourites.

Hot Series that Fizzles Out, December 26, 2010
I've enjoyed the previous books in this series, despite the fact that I felt like the main character complained like a child A LOT. The action was good, often the dialogue was alright, and I could almost appreciate the characters' struggles. However, starting with the last book and continuing on until the end of this, I was highly disappointed with the direction of the story.

For someone as bitter and acidic as Rose has always been, she sure seems to have everything turn out peachy keene in the end for her, and never takes the time to fully appreciate or reflect on it, or even experience personal growth. In fact, I personally think the smartest thing she's ever said comes in this book when she says, "I suck," to a friend after screwing up royally (yet again). At the end of the series, she is undoubtedly the exact same person as she was at the beginning.

She also doesn't actually receive any serious repercussions from her irrational, childish, and impulsive behaviors--rather, she is often rewarded for them, which in my opinion will give impressionable reader's the idea that life might actually work like this. It doesn't. In real life, if your lover emotionally and physically abuses you, the scars don't go away in a month because that lover is suddenly transformed into the person he was when you first met. They cripple you for years. This is just one example of the unrealistic character development in this series.

However, despite its flaws the books have always been quick, exciting reads. Rarely does the author bore with details, and every once in a while she can land a surprising punch or two. Fans of the reformed Dimitri will enjoy this book, and most of the character's stories are firmly set onto paths that make their future predictable and provide a little sense of closure. Fans of Lissa will no doubt have seen her ending coming since the first book, and rejoice.

Personally, I'm exhausted by Rose and am grateful she's finally giving it a rest. I've enjoyed the ride, but this series needed to end. By the last twenty pages of the book, some of the fans that have grown a little weary of the never-changing characters may find that they're skipping entire pages because they've all read it before. Yet, up until that point the mystery of who-done-it is still unknowable and interesting enough to keep people's attention. Die-hard fans will most likely be squirming with impatience for the next story of this world, and I wish them good luck with it.

I love-hated it..., December 25, 2010
***THE FIRST HALF OF THIS REVIEW IS SPOILER-FREE (because people who spoil books and rehash plots in reviews without fair warning should be staked)***

Before I start this gripe-fest, let me just say that I LUB Richele Mead's books - all of them. I read all 3 of her series. I think she's a brilliant storyteller and she skillfully drags me into the emotional web of all of her characters and their worlds. That being said, on with the griping.

I kinda want to give this book 2 stars as a series finale, but the book is actually good and deserves 5 stars for the story, so I settled on 4. I can only speak for myself, but I'm very emotionally invested in this series and it pains me that I might have to guess at what will happen next, but, seemingly, that's what I'll have to do. Don't get me wrong, this book is really good. Although it strays from the norm in this series, there's a lot of action and a LOT of interaction between Rose & Dimitri. The pacing of the story is good, too, except for a few parts. There are plot twists & surprises that you don't see coming. Overall, it's good - it's just NOT a series finale. I've had some time to really ponder & I think Mead coulda knocked out another book to give us all real closure. I've been dragged (willingly) through this highly emotional & vivid saga and I don't want it all wrapped up neatly in a bow. Not only do I not want to guess what will happen next, I also don't want to hear it from any other character's point-of-view in a future book. I'm hoping & praying that someway, somehow the new series will feature point's-of-view from multiple characters, namely Rose and/or Dimka.
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***SPOILERS*****
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MY GRIPES:

First and foremost, the Keepers were a colossal waste of time. They added nothing to the story except a couple of random laughs. Dimka should have heard everything Rose did in Siberia & after to save him. She went through hell for and with him. They kept alluding to a talk about what happened, but it never really came. I also wanted a firsthand look at Dimka's reunion with the Belikov clan. You come back from the undead and you don't immediately call your mother?! I also would have liked to see Rose & his kid sister patch things up. Most importantly, Rose should NOT have cheated on Adrian!! I'm not a prude, but per the series, Rose has grown & she should have broken things off with Adrian the honorable way - especially after the way she berated herself for killing Victor. Dimitri's all, "No. I can't steal another man's girlfriend. There's no honor in that," but then Rose gives him the "eye" and they just fall into bed and have sex. Ok... There goes honor right out of the window. I guess I just expected more from these two. I expected their legitimate reunion to not be so cheap and at the sake of Adrian.
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END OF SPOILERS
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I still liked the book overall, but again, looking back, it's more like another installment. A good installment, because there was some good stuff there, but NOT a series finale. So sad now.

Not a conclusion....I want more!, December 18, 2010
I love the Vampire Academy series and started reading this book as soon I received it. And I finished reading it all in one day-today. Honestly, this book was really a 3 star book but due to my love for this series and the main characters, I give it 4 stars.

I was left wanting more, heck of a lot more. I did not get that happy, fuzzy feeling after reaching the conclusion in a beloved book where your characters reach that HEA. I didn't feel like there was a HEA at all, and I was left with more questions than answers.

*SPOILERS*

The most important thing to me in the series was the romantic relationship between Dimitri and Rose, especially given how it ended in the previous book. Dimitri was in the book a lot more than he was in the previous books, but I didn't feel like it was enough. There wasn't really a lot of talk about what went down between them in the past. Nothing was mentioned about how much Rose did for him, especially breaking Victor Dashkov out of jail. There were hints and clues but nothing really clear, even though Victor was with them both. I felt like it could have been done a bit better. There wasn't a lot of romance really. It was kinda depressing because in the end, Rose dives in to save Lissa from a bullet. She asks Dimitri later if he had been going in to save her or Lissa, and he answers that he doesn't know. WHAT???? That's just so depressing! And he ends up being assigned as Lissa's boyfriend, Christian's Guardian. Not good!

Then there is Rose being shot by Tasha. She goes in front of Lissa in order to protect her. Their bond is broken as a result because Rose heals all by herself. Nobody heals here because the Guardians have everyone on lockdown. So we are led to believe that after everything, nobody tries to heal Rose and break into where she is being held? They would have just let her die? But thankfully, she recovers by herself, which ends up breaking their bond. And to top it all of, Rose is never even thanked by Lissa for saving her life. What Lissa did was stupid. She went into the crowd knowing that Tasha had a gun and that Tasha's hostage, Mia would have gotten away anyway. So she went in to save the crazy woman with the gun? Very stupid.


Let's get to the Queen's murderer. It's Tasha and she frames Rose because she loves Dimitri and knew about their relationship. She gets detained and more evidence comes to light, but we are not told what that evidence is or what her faith will be. Will she get executed or not? What happens? Call me bloodthirsty, but I would have liked to see Tasha executed or at least killed during the fight. I mean, she framed Rose and sent her to her death, even shot her at the end. Her character should have been KILLED OFF and not just detained because she could always escape. So, that's another loose end. And we aren't told about how Christian feels about Rose turning in his aunt. Although it is mentioned that he still visits her. We aren't told a lot about many other characters either. What happens to Ambrose? What happens to Eddie? What happened to Victor Dashkov's brother, Robert Doru? What happens to Sydney? The alchemist, Sydney, who was in a lot of this book and helped Rose in her quest to find the missing Dragomir and clear her name. Nothing is really resolved.


That was my whole problem with the book. This was supposed to be the FINAL book in the series. I know there is going to be a spin-off series and all, but it's unfair for questions about this series to be answered in the spin-off series. Everything pertaining to this book/series should have been wrapped in this very FINAL book & conclusion to this series! I was disappointed and left wanting more. I want more! I want more Rose and Dimitri. I feel like there is so much more left to their story. Not everything was wrapped up about their relationship or about them being Guardians. What about that "they come first" phrase that was always repeated and how Rose questioned if Dimitri would have saved her or Lissa? Nothing was really resolved. It was just more questions and questions. Rose and Dimitri did NOT even discuss the past matters in their relationship like when she went to Siberia, met his family, everything she did for him, how his rejection of her after he was healed from becoming Strigoi hurt her so much, etc. I want more! Ugh, very frustrating. Many things are still left unresolved. This "final" novel was not a conclusion and left me feeling a bit disappointed and anxious for answers. Guess I'll have to wait all the way until August for the first Bloodlines novel, or wistfully wish for there to be more in this series!

So much better than Twilight!, December 9, 2010
I can't even begin to say how much I love this series. I am not a teen but instead am a 30 year old teacher! I have tried reading all the other vampire novels out there and without a doubt the VA series rises way above and beyond. I wish I could give Last Sacrifice way more than 5 stars because it deserves it and then some. I have waited and waited for this novel to come out and when it did, I found I couldn't put it down. I put aside lesson planning and grading papers until I knew if Rose ended up with Dmitri. I've read a ton of books in my life but can't remember a series resonating with me and whose characters I absolutely adore. I felt satisfied when I finished the book, having gone on this journey with Rose. I am sad it has to end because I would love to read more about her and especially Dmitri!!

Not really an ending to a series, December 7, 2010
This is my favorite YA vampire series and I was excited that this is the last book in the series. (Although a spin off series is coming! The first book, Bloodlines, is due out August 2011.) I eagerly dove into this book as soon as I got it in the mail but when I finished it I kind of felt let down. I'm going to try hard not to give away any spoilers so sorry if some of this is somewhat vague.

The Storyline

As you can imagine Rose doesn't stay locked up for long and she and her friends are trying to figure out who really killed Queen Tatiana, who is this mystery Dragomir that Tatiana referred to in the note Ambrose slips to Rose and Rose and Dmitri have to confront their feelings for each other. The pace of the story was steady but not as much action as the earlier books. Being the last book it was obviously a lot about tying up the little story lines that have ran through the series. We find out what happens to Sonya Karp, the teacher turned Strigoi, the fate of Victor Dashkov, who Rose chooses and what happens with Lissa. I think while not a bad book this did not grab me as much because you could guess pretty early on who the murderer would turn out to be and what happens to Lissa and Rose was kind of obvious as well. In the fact the things that you could not figure out were never explained and the reader is totally left hanging. I guess this was so they could be explained in the spin off series. Which on one hand irritates me because I like to see things wrapped up nicely but on the other hand makes me even more anxious to get my hands on Bloodlines in hopes that I get to see more of some of my favorite characters and find out what happens to them.

The Characters

No real new characters in this one although we do finally get to see a lot more of Sonya Karp and Rose's dad, Abe. I loved that Sydney is back and plays a pretty large role. She's turning out to be more feisty than she first seems. A new group of people are introduced although they did not really add anything relevant to the story other than some comic relief. I have a feeling that this again is something that was more of a setup for the next series. I loved that Lissa was finally showing more back bone and not being as dependent on others to solve her problems. In contrast, I found it irritating that Rose making so many obviously stupid decisions. She is normally rash and lives in the moment but some of her choices made no sense and I actually had to put the book down at one point to say "Seriously? You did not see what was going on in front of your face regarding Dmitri?".

The Romance

Both Dmitri and Adrian get face time in this book and I was still torn about who I wanted Rose to end up with. She and Dmitri just seemed like they were meant to be but could Dmitri overcome the trauma of being a Strigoi and allow himself to love Rose again? I also love Adrian and really wanted him to be happy. He was so in love with Rose and was trying to change himself for the better so he could be with her. So I could really feel for Rose as she had to figure out which way to turn. I'm not unhappy with who she chose but of course I still feel bad for the other guy.

All in all...

I enjoyed this book but did not love it. I did not get a feeling of closure for the series. Instead it felt like one adventure was finished and it's getting ready to launch you into the next book rather than a new series. Not that this is a bad thing. lol. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Humans and half-bloods alike agree--Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a series fit for heroes! Re-live the adventure from the beginning with this boxed set of the first three books.

The Lightning ThiefPercy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. When his mom tells him the truth about where he came from, she takes him to the one place he'll be safe--Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island). There, Percy learns that the father he never knew is actually Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon Percy finds himself caught up in a mystery that could lead to disastrous consequences. Together with his friends--a satyr and other the demigod daughter of Athena--Percy sets out on a quest to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

The Sea of MonstersAfter a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson finds his seventh-grade school year unnervingly calm. But things don't stay quiet for long. Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: the magical borders which protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner by the Cyclops Polyphemus on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters--the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia--only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new nameL: the Bermuda Triangle. Now Percy and his friends must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes by the end of the summer or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family--one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke...

The Titan's CurseWhen Percy Jackson receives a distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he'll need his powerful demigod allies, Annabeth and Thalia, at his side; his trusty broze sword Riptide; and... a ride from his mom. The demigods race to the rescue, to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two new powerful half-bloods whose parentage is unknown. But that's not all that awaits them. The Titan lord, Kronos, has set up his most devious trap yet, and the young heroes have unwittingly fallen prey. Hilarious and action-packed, this third adventure in the series finds Percy faced with his most dangerous challenge so far: the chilling prophecy of the Titan's curse. ... Read more

Reviews

A true joy for children and adults, and the only other series that even comes close to Harry Potter
I am a 24 year old married woman, and like many Harry Potter fans I have been reading unfufilling series after unfufilling series for the last few years trying to find something to fill that void. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is fantastic. I have to say I did like the second and third books a little more than the first. They were more colorful and funny than the Lightning Thief. Everything that you loved about Harry Potter is in this book, but not in the haphazard, copycat, money-maker way that some other series have tried (*cough cough Charlie Bone and Septimus Heap to name a couple). This is totally original and you will find yourself with the same love of Camp Half-blood that you had for Hogwarts. While this book is for children it is meaty. It has substance, thoughtful characters, interesting plots, and an intricate world I cant get enough of. I had a hard time putting the books down. I cant wait for the next book to come in so I can start right back up again. My cousin recommended this to me and I just cannot thank her enough. Thanks again Debbie!

Excellent, even for reluctant readers
My 4th grade son who does not love to read absolutely loves this series. I can't get him to stop reading; he is reading instead of TV, video games, outside, etc. I read a few chapters of each of the 4 and they are well written, funny, and full of action/adventure. Great books!

Highly Entertaining for Both Kids & Adults
I bought this set for my daughter, who's a fan of Greek mythology, and ended up enjoying them myself as well. Like the "Harry Potter" and "Narnia" series, these books appeal to readers of all ages. I also appreciated the prominent featuring of strong female characters.

Some of the plot twists I did find a bit on the predictable side but I still thought the books were highly entertaining.

Series as a whole
I actually posted this on a discussion thread on books for fifth graders. But I decided it fit well in a review, so here it is. I feel (as a mom and as a teacher) that this series is great for everyone from strong fourth grade readers through eighth grade and beyond.

My now 14-year-old son introduced me to this series: relatively new, from Rick Riordan. The Olympians have apparently moved Olympus over the years, following the westward march of civilization - in fact, Olympus is now floating above the Empire State Building in New York City! The main character is Percy (Perseus) Jackson, who is a half-god (Demigod), introduced in the first book, "The Lightning Thief". This first book is not as engaging as the following ones, but this is mainly because it first introduces all of the characters and has to give a lot of background quickly.

Each subsequent book covers roughly one year (well, usually one summer) of Percy's adventures. They generally start out from Camp Half-Blood, the magically protected space on Long Island Sound set aside for Greek/Roman gods' half-human children. They need this special summer camp for protection from all the monsters and evils that we mere mortals can never see because of "the mist" that makes us interpret what we see only in ways that make sense to us. So, that evil substitute teacher might actually be a harpy, sent to weed out another half-blood. :-)

This creative and engaging series introduces or reinforces ancient myths from Greek and Roman mythology, and does a wonderful job of painlessly increasing cultural literacy for the "history of Western Civilization". In fact, it covers many legends beyond that as well, because the premise is that the Olympians have always existed, and they just keep moving their base every few hundred years, through major civilizations on several continents. Really an awesome series, especially for fairly competent, but possibly reluctant, readers in 8th grade and up.

good books
I've read all four books and I have found them pretty good. Not as good as the Harry Potter books in my opinion- they don't have quite the descriptive and immersing storyline- but the Percy Jackson novels are full of adventure throughout the entire book, which I found to be entertaining enough to make up for lack of detail. My only disappointments are that the books are really written for a younger audience (unlike many other YA books, which are written so teens can enjoy them and older adults can get even more out of them, i.e. HP), also that he either assumes you have a bad memory or that you haven't read the previous books.

My opinion is based from someone who is 25. If your the parent of a teenager or preteen, then my nags do not apply to them. They will likely love the books without any complaints! I'm more speaking to those closer to my age or older.
My 16 yr old brother loved the first book and is reading the second- and he hardly reads. He never finished the 3rd HP book, and hasn't read much of anything else except half of a zombie book. I thought he could use some new books, and I hoped to enjoy them as well. - Which I did.

Each book gets better. the story becomes much more developed with each book, but it always seemed like Riordan tried to keep them short. I personally like more immersion- which needs more detail. But don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put down the books! I think their great books, and I would recommend them to anyone under 20, and many adults who enjoyed the HP books.

*Edit: My little brother is now finished with the fourth book and my family is excited that he is actually reading! He very much liked these PJ books and is telling his friends about them. I've already said he could lone the first one to a friend. I'm looking for other books now that he might like. Think I'll go with the Bartimaeus Trilogy next.

A great read to share with you and your child
I have been looking for an adventurous series for my almost 9 year old boy and finally found it. I read the first book first then gave to him to read. The author wrote with such wit and it is interesting to combine mythology in the story. Now I want to go back to look for some mythology books to read. It is truly enjoyable.. my son is not avid reader but yesterday he read this book 1 for 4 hours on our long road trip. He is ready to read book #2. I just finished book #2 so we can discuss... He couldn't put it down because he wanted to know how the story develops..

This book changed me
I am an 11-year-old girl who absolutely hated reading. I could never find a book I liked. If I actually found a good book, I would end up getting bored with it and not finishing it. Then, I happened to stumble upon "Percy." I opened up this book, and I never put it down. I read all day long, while eating dinner, while brushing my teeth, and even read it by flashlight in bed. I finished the series in less than two weeks. I cried so hard when I was finished with the last book. I was literally sick to my stomach and had a headache. I was bedstricken, okay???!! Then, I found out Rick Riordan would be writing a new "Percy" series, featuring some of the old characters. I have no reason to live until "The Lost Hero" comes out. (October 12th.) This is coming from a girl who, 2 weeks before "Percy", wouldn't even read a picture book. Rick Riordan, you are amazing. This author knows what his mythology-loving audience wants to read. And I will be reading Rick's work as long as I can possibly stand it!!!!!!!

Exciting Adventures and Likeable Hero
Percy Jackson is an ordinary 12-year-old except for dyslexia, ADHD, and his propensity for getting expelled from private schools. He is also being attacked by monsters out of Greek mythology. His mother brings him to Camp Half-Blood where he learns that he is the son of a god and a hero who has to go on a quest. Percy, along with his friends Annabeth (daughter of Athena) and Grover (satyr) must battle gods and mythological monsters as they try to bring Zeus his stolen lightning bolt before the solstice in order to stop the gods from going to war. Excellent adventure for middle grade readers. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Switched - the first book in the Trylle Trilogy...

When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right.

With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it. ... Read more

Reviews

Not my typical reading, but enjoyable light reading!, November 26, 2010
Hocking has an uncanny ability to write fascinating little stories that are compellingly addicting. Her books are not my typical reading fare - I tend more toward the adult mysteries and suspense type of thing - however ever since I picked up Hocking's My Blood Approves series, I've been strangely addicted to her work. The Trylle series is no exception. Now, I may not fall in the typical readership for Hocking's books, but because I work as a Probation Officer for teenagers, I tend to read a lot of YA fiction to keep "in touch" with what my kids enjoy.

Hocking's three-part Trylle series, of which Switched is number one, is about a girl who has a miserable existance. Her childhood is filled with little oddities that don't make much sense, and her mother, who refers to her as a "monster" goes so far as to try to stab her to death at her own birthday party. Switched is so much a coming of age tale - with a twist - as Wendy soon discovers that she has another life waiting for her discovery and that she is so much more than an angst filled teenager stuck in high school.

I won't give away any more, as part of the joy of reading this book is discovering - right along with Wendy - just what in the heck is wrong with her and why she has all these odd little habits, abilities and thoughts.

This is not a literary masterpiece for your college Women's Literature 101 class. It was not intended to be so. It is not filled with symbolism and fodder for critical discussion. It IS, however, fun, light reading that will keep your attention. It is a sweet story. Hocking has captured a believable and realistic teenage heroine. She's captured appropriate action, adventure, and even romantic tension. For those reviewers who say the teenage angst is overblown...I would disagree. I work with teenagers for a living and the internal and external dialogue is actually quite realistic for the age group. Perphaps not ALL teens think this way, but the ones I work with quite often do. Many teens - especially girls with abusive backgrounds and lack of a stable parent figure like Wendy - DO think and act this way, althought many of them would be hard pressed to publically admit it.

I've given Switched four stars, not because it isn't excellent, but because I save my five star reviews for books that are out of this world wonderful or books that really speak to me emotionally. This one is excellent, but it is not the definition of perfect. There are a few typos, but they are easily overlooked.

Overall, excellent book. Excellent and believable plot. An overall wonderfully creative and engaging book. Nice job, Amanda - I'm off to purchase #2 in the series and I am looking forward to discovering more.

Pleasantly Surprised, September 29, 2010
I stumbled upon this book while hunting down my next read. I was intrigued by the description and also by the very low price.

Pros:
- The writing is smooth and very easy to read. I was drawn in immediately and would often digest great lengths before putting it down. It only took me 2 days to finish.
- The storyline is unique. I had a hard time getting over the "troll" element, but I appreciate that it is something different.
- I am a sucker for fairy-tales, so I appreciated the old world elements wound into the plot (balls, castles, beautiful gowns...)
- Some of the character were incredibly enjoyable. I loved Rhys, Matt, and Willa the most. They were well-written and likable.

Cons
- Hocking repeats the word 'foxy'. It made me wonder about Hocking's age, as the word seemed out of place. At first, it was only used by the main character, so I thought it was placed in there purposefully as part of her character, but then other characters started to use it. Very odd.
- Some of the Trylle history was not explained clearly. Much of it was explained through dialogue, which I found tedious. Narrative would have been a better choice, in my opinion (or perhaps a mix of both).
- I am just not feeling the romance between Wendy and her tracker. I am much more interested in a romance between she and Rhys.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to the next one!

Thoroughly Enjoyed it!, December 26, 2010
I had seen this book every now and then but was not familiar with it nor was I familiar with the author at all. And the first thing I usually do is read the reviews and see if it is worth a buy - and of course reading a sample of it on my Kindle. This was worth the buy and the a good read. I know she has a vampire series as well, but this one was really great - take a break from the vampire genre.

In a nutshell, Wendy feels that she does not belong - in fact her own mother felt the same way that she nearly killed her daughter. After she receives a visit, to her bedroom at night no less, from the newer student at her school (Finn Holmes) she finds that there is a reason she feels she doesn't belong and the things that seem to happen when she's around...

Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you - gonna have to read and find out.

I am not really a fan of books written in the first person, with the exception of one (White Oleander, Great book by the way!) this one I actually didn't mind at all. I didn't care for Twilight (sorry Twilight fans) simply because I couldn't care for the character because she was...to put it simply...annoying. That's just me though!

I do like how she developed her characters, even the ones that don't have such a big part in the story.

I did spot a few errors, but not enough to completely annoy me - but then I'm not a true grammar person. I will be getting the next book fairly soon (I read the excerpt and I have to know what happens with Wendy). Highly recommended.

Amazing!, December 28, 2010
From the first page I was absolutely hooked. I'm the type to give up on a book early; if it doesn't capture my attention in the first few pages, it probably wont capture it at all. But this one did literally the first paragraph. I cannot wait to read Torn, and hope to see more the series! :)

NOT a "children's book", December 27, 2010
Great book if you liked Hunger Games, Twilight, or Percy Jackson. I liked it less than Hunger Games but much more than other Fantasy Young Adult Books. However, parents of readers be warned: Kindle has this book under the sub-category "children's books" and that is misleading. Hockling uses every swear word under the sun in this book and there are several sexually suggestive encounters between characters both old and young. Overall, I would suggest this book for anyone over 16. (I'm a prude).

Fantastic Book!, December 26, 2010
This book was fantastic! I loved this book, am almost finished with the second, and am eagerly anticipating the third!

Very entertaining!, December 26, 2010
New twists on a well-known plot design made this an entertaining read. I was seriously diappointed to find out that the author has placed an indefinite hold on publication of number 3, especially when the teaser chapter cites publication by the end of 2010. Still well worth the price, though.

Wonderful!!!!, December 14, 2010
Simply charming! I love Amanda's imagination! There were a few typos, but nothing major. I can't wait to start Torn! Keep up the great work Amanda!

An alternate world that will peak your imagination..., December 8, 2010
An alternate world that will peak your imagination...
Hocking has a knack for creating a world spun from fantasy. Her characters are full & rich. This is the beginning of a trilogy about trolls, known as the Trylle, their enemy trolls, the Vittra, their tradition of substituting their children for human children known as changling, and a world chock full of ideas, customs, and more that will keep you reading. Meet Wendy, an angst teen with a colorful past who discovers she is the Trylle Princess. Then there is Finn, the tracker who takes her to her `true home'. And of course there is a host of other characters, both good and bad that will thrill your desire for adventure. Great read in spite of the many errors in the ebook version.

Keep in mind that this is a fluff fantasy teen read. 4* of 5*

Captivating!, November 30, 2010
Would never had picked this kind of book out of a bookstore as I have never been into trolls or changelings, but after reading My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking I knew it had to be good! She definitely knows how to keep the readers attention (maybe a little too much..lol). I read this book in less than a day, could not put it down. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Zach knows Joanna is too young for him, but he has never felt like this about anybody before. She’s so sweet and passionate and flirty and free, and the most beautiful girl Zach has ever known.

Joanna is swept away by her feelings for Zach as they grow increasingly passionate with each other. She’s doing things she’d never normally do, but it’s like God has whispered in her heart Zach is the one for her.

The powerful forces of young love, sex and religion come crashing together in this romantic, sexually charged story.

... Read more

Reviews

Christian porn for teens?
Make that ZERO stars.
A bizarre, unrealistic story of two teenagers, Zach and Joanna, who over the course of her 2 week family vacation from Colorado, manage to fall madly in lust/love. Intertwined throughout all of their self-inflicted sexual temptations is their desperate struggle to please "god". But at last we see their "patience" pay off as they promise Joanna's father to wait until Joanna is 17 to fulfill their commitment to "god" and go all the way. It's the least they could do after "he" came through with the prayed-for-a-few-times scholarship to the prestigious art school a mere 5 blocks from Joanna's house. Now THAT'S a miracle! I'm sure they'll be happily married forever and ever.....(yes, that was sarcasm.)

I hated this book.

unfair reviews?
Before this book was free it received nearly all positive reviews. Obviously it has gained a lot more exposure since then, but the title and cover picture must have given a lot of people the wrong impression of what kind of book this is, and a lot of people must have downloaded it expecting an adult romance or erotica and not noticed it's in the teen/YA category. Most of the positive reviews come from teens who loved the book, while all the negative reviews are from adult women. Many of them speak of it as being juvenile and unrealistic, but the book has a romantic-teen-fantasy feel to it, especially the ending, and most adult romance novels are not realistic either (they're just aimed at a women's fantasies rather than a teens). The ending would be very romantic to a younger teenager, but to adults who have a more jaded outlook it might not be so romantic, and might even be offensive.

There are quite a few religious conversations in this book, and I can understand some people being offended by that and not wanting religion mixed into their entertainment. But I think the religious views in this book are unique and add something to the story. It is not a standard religious message or indoctrination, and it takes an honest hard look at the church through the eyes of its main character. The teenage years are a time of questioning and figuring out what the truth is and what you believe and what is important. This is a real part of "coming of age", but not something you find very often in teen novels. Perhaps its realism is too much for some people. I can also understand some people not liking the realism and sensuality between a nearly 16 year old and an 18 year old. There is a lot in this story that could offend people.

I think most of the harsh reviews are from people who were personally offended by this book. Many of the reviews give away the ending and deliberately misrepresent the story. They don't just give their opinion, they express it as if it is the opinion everyone should share. I think people should try reading it for themselves and form their own opinions, especially since it is free to read.

an amazing love story
I do not understand how come this book get so many harsh review... I think it was captivating. Great love story of 2 teens struggling to stay pure and holy for God.

Today's view is so deformed so a story like that may seem unrealistic but it is very real or at least should be.

Great read!

...
Some people that reviewed this novel didn't like it. It's directed at YA, but a mature YA. I'm 15 and I really liked it, keeping in mind that it is fiction.

good read
I think this story was great and it shows pressure teens may face but turned back to GOD

Amazing debut novel!
This is one hot young adult story, but it is also very realistic (for a Christian teen) and well-written. The author includes God and faith in the mix, thus complicating things further when feelings get strong and the pull of young love becomes blinding. I really hurt for this guy. Seriously. I felt his pain as well as hers while they struggled with their budding relationship. I could not stop reading this book. It's the kind of story where you want to crawl inside and talk to the characters to make sure they don't do something they'll regret because they keep putting themselves in tempting situations. I totally remember being the same age as the characters in this book. I identified with the faulty thinking that came with their burgeoning hormones. This author has talent! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Minutes before she died Grace Cahill changed her will, leaving her decendants an impossible decision: "You have a choice - one million dollars or a clue."

Grace is the last matriarch of the Cahills, the world's most powerful family. Everyone from Napoleon to Houdini is related to the Cahills, yet the source of the family power is lost. 39 clues hidden around the world will reveal the family's secret, but no one has been able to assemble them. Now the clues race is on, and young Amy and Dan must decide what's important: hunting clues or uncovering what REALLY happened to their parents.

The 39 Clues is Scholastic's groundbreaking new series, spanning10 adrenaline-charged books, 350 trading cards, and an online game where readers play a part in the story and compete for over $100,000 in prizes.

The 39 Clues books set the story, and the cards, website and game allow kids to participate in it. Kids visit the website - the39clues.com - and discover they are lost members of the Cahill family. They set up online accounts where they can compete against other kids and against Cahill characters to find all 39 clues. Through the website, kids can track their points and clues, manage their card collections, dig through the Cahill archives for secrets, and "travel" the world to collect Cahill artifacts, interview characters, and hunt down clues. Collecting cards helps: Each card is a piece of evidence containing information on a Cahill, a clue, or a family secret.

Every kid is a winner - we'll give away prizes through the books, the website and the cards, including a grand prize of $10,000!

... Read more

Reviews

Nothing wrong with a smart marketing strategy
There's already a review that is negative about this series for being a blatant marketing scheme. While I was a bit put off at first by the whole book series/trading cards, now that we've bought the book and a few card packs, I'm a huge fan. Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series helped ignite my 10-year old son's passion for reading. He's now half-way through Maze of Bones, and thoroughly enjoying it. He's noted on the calendar the date the next book will be released. I have to admit I'm reviewing the book without having read it myself yet, but based on the number of times my son has read me excerpts, I'd say it is succeeding with the target audience.

As for the trading cards, well, 10-year old boys love trading cards - Pokemon, Yu-gi-oh, and so on. These cards are different though. They have puzzles on them that the reader has to solve. They're not that tough - they seem simplistic to me as an adult - but for my son, they're challenging enough that he feels a sense of accomplishment when he solves them, but not so challenging that he's had to enlist parental help very often. The web site provides hints. We did have a problem entering one card. We sent e-mail to support and the problem was quickly fixed. I was pleased when my son noticed a clue hidden in the book. I believe the puzzles have him looking at the books much more analytically.

I'm hoping (as is Scholastic) that by including different authors in the series, my son will be encouraged to read other books by these authors as well. I see this as a win-win situation. Anything that gets kids to read is OK by me.

I think this is a brilliant marketing move on Scholastic's part. I try to teach my kids to be informed consumers, and understand when they are being manipulated. Everything is about branding and marketing in our culture, and here is a case where someone got it right, and is marketing a quality product in a very effective manner. Kudos to Scholastic for coming up with such a unique and engrossing series!

An addictive new series
I was reminded of both The Da Vinci Code and the Harry Potter books as I read Maze of Bones. First of all, it's an addictive read. Second, it is a mystery with multiple clues involving famous people, like Dan Brown's book. Last, like J.K. Rowling's famous books, it is about a group of people separated into four different branches, or houses; and about children saving the world.

The plot involves the diverse, far-flung Cahill family, which has been the most powerful family in history. Anyone important in history was probably a Cahill, including Abraham Lincoln, Isaac Newton, Winston Churchill, Napoleon Bonaparte and, especially, Benjamin Franklin. The source of the Cahill's power has been lost over time. The 39 Clues is about the search for that source, by a group of Cahill relatives vying against each other to find the answer. The clues are found all over the world.

Penniless orphans Amy and Dan Cahill enlist the help of their teenage au pair, Nellie, to find the solution to the mystery. The kids seem like real people, and you root for them against their mostly despicable relatives. Amy is a painfully shy, stuttering 14-year-old; Dan is a precocious 11-year-old who loves collecting things. Although they often fight, the siblings help each other during the many dangerous adventures collecting the clues.

Maze of Bones is the first of 10 books in this new Scholastic series, which also has an elaborate supplemental contest where readers can try to come up with the answers to the clues themselves. The book comes with six game cards that you can use to get clues online. There are 350 cards in total, so the series is also a card-collecting game for kids.

But if you just want to read Maze of Bones, it's certainly worthwhile. It's fast-paced, full of fascinating people and has an interesting mystery. I recommend it, and look forward to the second book.

Can't Wait For the Next Book!!!
My son devoured this book!!! For a child that hates to read, he read the book in one weekend and exclaimed, "I can't wait for the next book!" What music to my ears!!! My son read the book, entered his trading cards on line, worked out the puzzles and had a ball!! I wish all books would thrill and excite him the way that this one did!! Kudos!!!

My 10 year old Loves The 39 Clues Series
Got Book 1 for my 10 year old daughter. She read the entire book in days, joined the website, and talks about these a lot. She keeps asking me to get her all 39 books - she really loves this series. Previously loved the Daisy Meadows books and still likes Nancy Drew. Hope the next few in the series come out Soon. I love to encourage her reading, and this book brings in educational subjects including travel and history. We highly recommend this book.

Fascinating First Book in an Intriguing Series of Ten . . . You Don't Need Any Game Cards to Have Fun
I decided to wait until I had read the second book in the series, One False Note, to review The Maze of Bones. I wanted to see how well the books work without the trading cards, Web site, and contest.

Imagine that the Wizard of Oz had been written as a ten part book where you could read what happens to Dorothy and Toto along with clues to help get them home . . . with an opportunity to win a cash prize for solving the clues before anyone else. It would have been a nice publicity stunt, but the pleasure of reading about Dorothy's adventures would have been no less.

The 39 Clues provides a similar opportunity to my imaginary alternative to The Wizard of Oz. The series is a cross between The Amazing Race, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Survivor . . . constructed as a competition for youngsters.

As the book opens, an elderly woman, Grace Cahill, is dying. She instructs her attorney to employ "the alternate will." At her funeral, a handful of the 400 Cahill relatives who attend are invited by ticket to attend a reading of the will. During the reading, each person is given five minutes to choose between taking one million dollars or competing in a contest to solve 39 clues in order to become the heir to the Cahill destiny and become the most powerful people on Earth. They may compete as individuals or as teams. Most people take the money and leave.

Orphans Amy (fourteen) and Dan (eleven) Cahill are pressured by their great Aunt Beatrice (their grandmother Grace's sister) to take the money. She is also their guardian and says she will turn them over to the state to live in foster homes if they don't take the money. The two decide that they want to compete, having a chance to honor their grandmother's faith in them and their parents' memory. Naturally, the siblings form a team, but how will they compete without any money and adults to help them?

Within minutes the competition takes a potentially lethal turn as it becomes obvious that some of the Cahills will stop at nothing to win the competition.

In the rest of the book you'll get to know Amy and Dan better, meet their au pair, Nellie Gomez, and travel to Boston, Philadelphia, and across the Atlantic to Europe. An important American turns out to be important to solving the first clue, and you'll read a lot about that person.

Youngsters will like it that children are the stars of the book (and the contest) with adults playing a supporting role. Parents will be happy that the book contains a lot of interesting historical, biographical, and geographical information in a format that makes learning fun.

The book's main weakness is that it doesn't do much to develop the characters of Amy and Dan before the contest begins. As a result, you'll root for them as underdogs and wish them well . . . but you won't identify with them as closely as if you knew a lot more about them (as Roald Dahl did by introducing the Buckets in detail before launching the golden ticket contest).

The writing is otherwise quite good, and you'll find yourself slipping rather easily into the adventure fantasy (despite many details in the story that don't quite work in real life). I liked the excitement of The Maze of Bones better than the more intellectual focus of One False Note. The two books are rewarding for different reasons.

Don't expect, however, that the writing is the same or that the characters behave in the same way. As with any multiple-author series, there will be shifts from book to book.

To me, the only thing better than a good mystery . . . is a longer good mystery. With the prospect of ten books to keep me entertained, I'm looking forward to reading all ten.

I did look at the game cards and only found two that related to the first story. Those two didn't add much to my understanding of the book. The others seemed to relate to future stories, so they did give me a sense of the future story line. That part was nice.

I haven't tried the online site for playing the games because I'm not interested in the contest, but if that is something you enjoy, please do take a look.

I'm sure the focus will shift more towards the game in 2010 as the book series ends. But until then, you can just have lots of fun with the books!

If you like this story, I also encourage you to ask your relatives about your family's history. You might find that your relatives are connected to some pretty famous events and places. Wouldn't that be fun?

A Fun Adventure. Reveiwed by the Book Junkie
The first in a series of 10 books, "Maze of Bones" is the beginning of an adventure for the Cahill family. After the death of the family matriarch, Grace, the four branches of the Cahill family are called on to solve the 39 clues. The group who accomplishes this first will become the most powerful people on Earth. No one expects Amy and Dan, 14 and 11 respectively, to get far. They turn out to be cleverer than the others think, though--which puts them in danger from their competitors. From Philadelphia to Paris to Tokyo to Seoul to Cairo, Amy and Dan fight to stay ahead of the game without turning to deceit or violence like their distant relatives.

A bit like a YA version of Indiana Jones or (or National Treasure, if you prefer a more contemporary reference), the 39 Clues books are fun, exciting, and filled with enough tension to keep you turning pages. I can't wait for the rest of the series to come out so I can find out what happens!

Sure it's a marketing strategy...but hey, it's a good story too
I ordered this for my son for Christmas. It arrived yesterday and it just sat there...enticing me. So I started to read just a bit to see what the hoopla was all about and lo and behold, I got sucked into the story.

I have absolutely no problem with the cards being part of it. My son collects cards from different things--why should this be any different than his Pokemon collection? He'll be reading...bonus #1....he gets to collect cards...bonus #2...and it's online as well...big bonus! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion. ... Read more

Reviews

Vampires Within, June 5, 2010
Warning - spoilers ahoy.

My favourite aspect of the Twilight novels was the supporting cast of characters, who were so fascinating they always left me wanting to know more. This short novel from Bree's perspective works as a supplement to Eclipse, and as a tragic story in its own right. If the main aspect of the Twilight novels you enjoyed was the romance between Edward and Bella, then I don't think you'll enjoy this one, however if you liked the wider politics of the Twilight vampire universe, then this is one for you.

I enjoyed the way the details of Bree's conversion to the vampire life were revealed gradually throughout the first half of the story. There was a great sense of tragic irony in the fact that Bree ended up trading her humanity for a cheeseburger, of all things. The contemporary culture references in Twilight always act as a nice reality contrast to the more fantastical elements.

Riley came off as a sympathetic character in Eclipse, another sad victim of Victoria's evil. From Bree's perspective, there is nothing to pity, as Riley is as much a perpetrator of evil and manipulation as Victoria. His referral to the newborns as his 'kids' felt like a sad, twisted mirror of Carlisle and Esme's loving parental relationship with their own coven.

Fred was a fascinating new character. Most of the vampire powers we've seen so far have seemed as much of a curse as they are a gift, but Fred's ability to repel people would be every wannabe hermit's greatest dream. I wondered if he was a social phobic when he was a human. The progression of his relationship with Bree was nicely done - very subtle. I especially liked the card playing: from solitaire, to assisted solitaire, and finally two-player.

The best scenes came towards the end, when the story meets up with what we know from Eclipse. One of my favourite was between Carlisle, Esme and Jasper when they discuss Bree's fate. I don't think we ever saw those characters interact in the Twilight saga, and the dynamics between the various personalities of the Cullen family make for good drama.

I can see a lot of potential for these supplemental stories for expanding the Twilight universe. I'd love to read one about Maria, or Peter and Charlotte, or the rest of the Cullen family. And, of course, Fred ... I hope he did meet the Cullens some day.

"Please. I don't want to fight", June 9, 2010
"Please. I don't want to fight"
Bree Tanner was a fifteen year old runaway before she became a vampire. Now, a three-month-old vampire, Bree has to find ways to stay alive, to feed without getting caught, and to find the truth about her new life. But Riley, the leader of this gang, is spurring them to war.

I Liked:
Right off, I need to say that I have recently finished Eclipse and did actually find myself interested in the character of Bree Tanner. She seemed interesting and was the first time we had seen a newborn vampire that wasn't so hostile. This book expands on her small part in Eclipse and there are many fascinating aspects.
Bree Tanner, for one, is not a Bella clone. She is far more independent and curious, a lot more proactive and a lot more involved in her own life. I thought she had way more spunk than Bella has ever shown. Sure, Bree has no hobbies either, besides reading, but Bree is a newborn vampire. I don't expect to find her in a knitting circle.
Fred needs to seriously have his own novella. He has a power that is absolutely creative and interesting and this novella (focusing on Bree) barely gives him a chance to show it off. Maybe if this book does well enough, Meyer will write his story (starting, hopefully, before he goes vampire).
Learning more about newborn vampires in general was eye-opening. Finally, Meyer gets to explore her creation. We get to see newborn vampires have absolutely no loyalty to each other, no self-control, and no qualms about sinking their teeth into their poor human food banks. I liked reading Bree and Diego roam Seattle.
I also loved how Meyer acknowledged the other vampire mythos by having our newbie vampires believe that sun is bad, they can get staked through the heart, and to fear garlic.

I Didn't Like:
You know it's a Stephenie Meyer book when after meeting a boy for two seconds, the girl cannot live without him. Yes, my fellow readers, Bree becomes very friendly (never exactly romantic, though) with Diego and when he is gone, she is devastated to the point of giving up on living. Oh, please. Spare me.
Another part that really irked me is how, when the whole "army" of newbies appears in daylight, they spend most of their time commenting on how "pretty and sparkly" they are. Uh, the girls, maybe, but the guys? Particularly fifteen year-old guys? Have you been around fifteen-year-old guys? I can almost bet you they would comment on it, but I bet it would have a far more negative tone than "My you are so pretty and sparkly" (I won't recount it because I have no desire to reproduce such offensiveness here). Geesh.
I guess one of my biggest complaints is that Meyer takes a character, who was in the big battle with vampires and werewolves, and TOTALLY AVOIDS WRITING THE BATTLE SCENE! Bree ends up avoiding it by hanging in the back for two seconds, and POOF! When she appears, the battle is all gone, the werewolves are elsewhere, and I am so confused about how long this battle took, who was where, who did what, and what was the point of writing from Bree if you can't even write the battle that she would have taken part it? Lord!
Lastly, I have to mention that Meyer's writing is a little sloppy. I mean, she's not the best writer in the world (most elaborate, most spellbidning, most whatever), but this is her first book I had to reread certain parts over again to figure out what she was trying to say.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
I didn't catch anything.
Victoria and Riley head off to a "gingerbread house" in the middle of the forest to "smoochie smoochie".
There is a lot of violence near the beginning, with multiple feedings, vampires' losing limbs, and burnings.

Overall:
I did like this book. But I wasn't happy when I learned that Meyer is hosting this novella on her site for free while I spent nearly $14 (okay, not quite) on it. Yes, the free version is only up until July 5th, and I probably would have bought it anyway because it is a rather nice looking book (and I have a terrible time reading books on the computer and don't want to fight with my printer to print out nearly 200 pages), but I still want to warn those who are on the fence. It may be better to read it online, see if you like it, and then shell out the 14 bucks or whatever sale you can snag (and there are tons of sales to be found).
So, nice book, neat insights, new characters. Is it brilliant? No. Is it interesting? Yes. Is it absolutely vital to understanding Eclipse? No. Do I recommend? For a nice, quick "time waster", sure.

Brought to you by:
*C.S. Light*

Bree Tanner and Canon Consistency - Spoilers*, June 9, 2010
Even though I'm of the XY persuasion, I really loved Twilight. I loved New Moon and Eclipse less. I disliked Eclipse most of all, because Bella's confusion made no sense at all, and poor Edward had no way out. Any normal man would have given Bella the boot, and let Jacob have her, but Edward didn't have that option. Breaking Dawn restored some of my faith in their romance, which Eclipse had largely killed. Over all, I love the series as much as any fan. So does my wife. But this novella is an insult to our intelligence as fans. This story marks an epic fail.

Let's leave out the critical scenes on the post-battle field for a minute and focus on something really simple. Given what this story claims, Victoria and Riley had been at their "build an army" thing for nearly a year, where as Eclipse leaves you with the impression that they were at it for two months at the most. Diego was 11 months old as a newborn. That's an entire year of a growing number of newborns "grazing" in Seattle. The opening of the book has Diego and Bree murdering 5 people. And the impression you get is that, that was business as usual for members of Riley's coven, which had been growing in fits and starts for a year or more. So, take a calculator and start playing with some numbers and you have to wonder just how big the city's "dregs" population was, because you start getting into a body count in the thousands. For instance assume that you have only four newborns the first three months, hunting every other night, and taking say 3 people each, instead of the 4 that Bree took. That's 540 corpses in 90 days. Now extrapolate that through the next 9 months with an increasing population of thirsty monsters. By the time we get to the start of the story, they'll be killing 150 to 200 people a week just to sustain themselves. Seattle ain't Mexico City. They'd finish off the city's population of "dregs" in a month, six weeks at the outside, and be hitting the malls and houses in the suburbs. Even if they hid ALL of the bodies, the number of missing wouldn't have the city in a panic. It would be in a state of war. The military would be called in and martial law would be declared.

Then, there's the ferry massacre. No mention of it in Eclipse. Nada. On 9/11 people got cell phone messages out about what was happening, both in the buildings and the planes. No one on the ferry did? No bodies were found with mysterious wounds? Nothing? (snorts) Sloppy and careless writing.

Then you get to Bree after the battle, passing her info to a telepathic Edward and you just completely blow large chunks of Breaking Dawn out of the water. Now, if they were the parts that were centered on Jacob and Bella rather that Edward and Bella, I wouldn't mind so much. But with this story Meyer completely destroys canon on what the Cullens knew or didn't know in planning to deal with the Volturi. Carlisle wouldn't have even attempted a peaceful solution and neither Edward, nor Carlisle, nor anyone else indicated that they had any hint of the information that Bree supposedly gave Edward there on the battlefield. Taking Bree's alleged actions at the end of the novella as canon for the books makes most of the discussion that took place in Breaking Dawn while preparing for the Volturi into utter useless nonsense.

Meyer just retconned her own canon, while the books are still in the stores, after making tens of millions of dollars off of it. What will be next? Eclipse 2.0 and Breaking Dawn 2.0, the rewritten novels that take the amazing and sweet former plot device Bree Tanner, and the information that she never gave to Edward in the original canon, into account? If she's retconning the Saga, why stop there? Why not go for the gold and have Bella choose Jacob in the new canon? (shakes head) In my book there's no more unforgivable sin in an author than not being able to keep their writing internally consistent with itself. She rarely had that problem in the Saga itself, and The Host really rocked (says the science fiction fan of 40 years). Why did she drop the ball now? And the violations here are so obvious and blatant that we can't even say that she made a mistake. To do something like this you have to not care at all. As my wife would say..."Most authors protect their canon. I don't think she even *likes* Twilight anymore."

Diego and Bree would have been a good story to tell, had Meyer kept within the bounds of canon. As it is, I give this thing a complete and total thumbs down. I can think of ten fan fiction stories off hand that are better, and I could probably think of more given time.

What? She couldn't just finish Midnight Sun and be done with it? (snorts) She should have left it alone.

Rick

Added in Edit 06/22/10: I just realized something sort of ridiculous while talking to my wife yesterday. Think about the canon time line in the books. Edward leaves Bella in New Moon. Not quite nine months later the Cullens and the Pack destroy the newborn army on the field of battle. According to Edward, while he was separated from Bella he was tracking Victoria all over hell and back, including to Texas where she presumably got the idea to build an army. My problem is, if the novella is to be believed, Vicky started assembling her army prior to the events of New Moon. How did she begin building an army before she had the inspiration to build an army? Diego was 11 months old. That makes Reilly over a year old. Months before the Cullens ever left, there would have been newborns rampaging around Seattle. No one noticed? Not the cops? Or the newspapers? Not the Cullens? Apparently not, because it isn't mentioned in New Moon, and there isn't even a hint of it in Eclipse until less than 60 days before the battle. Remember that body count? Nobody? Noticed? (shakes head) I do still truly adore the original four books (with reservations about way too much Jacob), but I just can't stomach this novella.

Added in Edit 07/03/10: I just got back from my second viewing of the movie...which was pretty good by the way. Meyer implied in interviews that people should read the novella prior to seeing the movie, as if it were a movie companion, or necessary to understanding the movie. I have to tell you, aside from vague generalities, there was almost nothing of the novella in the movie. Certainly nothing that, lacking the novella, couldn't be written off to Melissa Rosenberg getting creative. In short, the novella is a red herring. It doesn't fit in the book canon, and is utterly unnecessary to make sense of, or enjoy, the movie. Steph must be laughing all the way to the bank.

Man, what a waste of paper..., June 8, 2010
I have to say it: I was bored silly by this book. I know there are fans out there who will say that they are happy to have anything Twilight related to read now that the series has ended, and I thought I might be one of them, but sadly, that's not the case. I'm going to make a gross assumption and say that the majority (not all) of the people who love this series do so because they are sucked into the teen romance and either love Edward or love Jacob. And unfortunately, there is hardly mention of either character in this novella. So, the main pull of the series is almost totally absent from the storyline. And unfortunately, the story is not nearly engrossing enough to pull you in otherwise. I was so bored and uninterested by page 64 that I almost stopped reading.

I think it's great that SM wrote this for her fans; she is obviously an author who takes the process very seriously and I think this idea came honestly to her during the writing process. But I will repeat what ALL your fans have been asking for: give us what we want, "Midnight Sun." Your point has been made regarding copyright infringement. Please, please stop punishing the masses because of one person.

So, even to you die hard fans, truly, this book may disappoint.

Wow. And not in a good way., June 8, 2010
You've got to be kidding me. This story adds nothing to the Twilight experience. There is no feeling in this, no... pardon the pun... soul. Dare I say it: It's boring. What's with the lame "cool! let's create a ninja club!" theme?! And "vampire kissy noises"?! Really? Holy moly, how deep did she have to dig to come up with these gems? Ugh! Look, I was just as obsessed as anyone w/ the Twilight Saga, but really... I don't understand all the stars people have given this "book." Yes, the focus is on Bree. But Victoria is an important part of this backstory and Meyer diminished Victoria's cunning nature so much that I felt the poor vamp was robbed. Laurent said in the first book: "Don't underestimate Victoria." That's JUST what Meyer did in this novella. That aside, we weren't really given anything that would help us to better understand--or even care about--Bree. We get that the newborns were cast-aside teens. But that's all we get. Where is the emotion? Why should I feel for Bree? Because she somehow manages to retain some reasonable thought processes and not become obsessed with video games? None of the relationships were explored in meaningful ways. Diego & Bree were hardly believable and completely dull. The only character that had a modicum of promise was Fred, and she did nothing of significance with him. She dropped interesting hints and then took the easy route out. Fred just went away. Huh?

What a waste of time, energy, paper & Moneyd, June 18, 2010
I just want to start off by saying that i'm a fan of all 4 of the Twilight Saga. After reading the Saga multiple times, I was excited to see another addition to the series. So after paying $10 for the book I took it home and immediately started reading it. Immediately I couldn't follow it. I thought that I was missing part of the book, but then figured out it's just how it's written. With the Twilight Saga, I literally couldn't put the book down while reading them. With this book, I couldn't pick it up!

I feel that if Stephenie Meyer would get off her high horse and finish Midnight Sun, would be a much better use of her time & our time! I would've preferred she write a book about the characters in the saga that we've "met & made a connection with". I would rather read about Carlisle's life before and after becoming a vampire, before he changed Edward etc.

This book did NOTHING for me! I feel the only good part is that I bought the hard cover so $1 was donated to the American REd Cross. That is the ONLY redeeming factor of the book.
Don't waste your time or money on this waste of shelf space! Just re-read the Twilight books you like the best it's much better!

More garbage, June 16, 2010
Yet another marketing ploy masquerading as "literature," this alleged novella tells the poignant story of Bree Tanner, a nearly forgettable character from Eclipse (the film version of which is premiering on June 30, a mere three weeks after the book's publication--coincidence? Not in the carefully orchestrated world of Twilight marketing). The special twist here is that Meyer tells the story from Bree's perspective, abandoning (for the first time in the Twilight series, anyway) the first-person narrative voice of Bella. The reader, however, will be forgiven for overlooking this difference, since the voice of Bree is almost indistinguishable from the voice of Bella. Bree is an overly sensitive adolescent girl (and newborn vampire) prone to flights of melancholy who manages to fall passionately in love with Diego--another newborn vampire--within the space of one day; Bella, on the other hand, is an overly sensitive adolescent girl (who wants to become a newborn vampire) prone to flights of melancholy who manages to fall passionately in love with Edward--an old vampire who looks youthful--within the space of a few days. See the difference? I didn't think so. This tale does fill in a narrative gap or two from Eclipse, and we get to witness the unintentionally absurd way in which Bree and Diego discover their ability to glitter in the sunlight. But the book's most redeeming quality is its merciful brevity--only 178 pages.

Not exciting in the least..., July 28, 2010
I can't say I'm a fan of the Twilight saga, but I admit I enjoyed reading them - despite the awful writing and irritating main character, they still provided some entertainment.

This novella, however, put me to sleep. From the very beginning I found myself skipping paragraphs and waiting impatiently for it all to end. Stephenie Meyer continues to skim over the details of what could have been a very interesting story.

I was hoping this novel would be a bit darker than her usual writing; after all, this novella IS about a group of teenage train wrecks, kidnapped and turned into savage, soul-less killing machines. However, if this is SM's definition of an "edgy" novel, I think it is pathetic. I understand she is writing for the young adult spectrum, but that is no reason to water down your work. Plenty of YA novels deal with harsh language, violence, sexuality, etc. I'm not saying SM should have included all of these aspects, but really, to assume teenagers use phrases such as "top secret ninja club" and "vampire kissy noises" is pathetic.

I did not feel for Bree or Diego. I found their sudden romance/strong friendship incredibly contrived. Even Edward and Bella had more of a pull to each other than these two, and the only reason Edward even noticed Bella at all was because she smelled good. I did not appreciate the lack of details. I understand this is a novella, but that does not mean skimming over the gritty details. This would have made this book much more interesting and would have made me care more about Bree and the other characters. I definitely had a very hard time finishing this very short "book".

A Good Addition to the Twilight Universe, June 9, 2010
I feel like this is a great addition to Eclipse. It's not suppose to be a stand alone novel like the rest of the Twilight books. It's just a back story to an already existing book. I thought it was great! It made me hate Riley more, and the rest of the newborns less. I felt aweful for Bree and Diego, and wished they had a longer story together. I guess that's the point.. the newborns don't get to live long enough to have a great story. I think that's part of their irony and why Stephenie gave you that back story.

I would just like to go over a few of the things people said were negatives, and maybe explain it better for them.

1. People have complained that the Cullens didn't save Bree. Why would they risk losing one of their own for someone they don't know at all? It would be inevitable, just like in Breaking Dawn. They know if they fight for her, one or all of them could die.

2. That Bree doesn't have a back story / human story. Most of the Cullens have a hard time remembering their past, especially Alice. Bree said that her father beat her, so she left home. Then, she got stuck on the street and was starving. Riley offered her a burger for her immorality, and she took it. That's the most she can remember, and that's more than Alice can remember.

3. That the story isn't long enough or in depth enough. Stephanie Meyer has said herself that this was never meant to be a stand alone book. It was meant to help the directors of Eclipse get a better understanding of the newborns. Then after that, wanted to add it to The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide as a back story to Eclipse, but it was too long. Since Eclipse was coming out soon, they thought it would be a great idea to release it alone for readers to better understand what is going on in the book and movie on the other side of things.

PS: I really hope Fred gets to meet the Cullens! :)

Mostly Pointless, June 6, 2010
I don't really see the point in this novella. I mean we all knew it was going to end badly but I was cool with that. I figured it would be sad, but it wasn't. I just couldn't make myself care about Bree. Her relationship (if you can call it that) with Diego was hollow and unconvincing. She didn't have any real personality. If she had just once expressed some kind of remorse about all the people she was killing and sucking dry, maybe I could have sympathized more with her plight. If she had developed a real connection with Diego, I might have cared more. This could have been a poignant little story about with real emotional impact if it had been handled differently. Instead it just seems completely pointless. What are we supposed to take away from this? What is the message here? What is the point of Bree and her short second life?

As far as I can see, the only good thing to come out of this novella is the introduction Freaky Fred. He was an fascinating character with an intriguing power. I was way more interested in him that I was in Bree, or any one else. I kind of hope he gets his own book some day. The one star is basically for him.

And yet, despite being a pointless, dull and frustratingly empty little story I would still rate this novella better than Breaking Dawn. At least it did not offend or infuriate me. It just made me yawn. ... Read more

Editorial Review

When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife have led her to the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs.

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life-first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse-seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever?

The astonishing, breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions. ... Read more

Reviews

So bad, I want to rewrite it myself, June 10, 2009
I started reading this series after I heard a rave review on NPR during their "Guilty Pleasures" segment. The middle-aged gentleman described Twilight with such enthusiasm that I couldn't resist temptation. I bought the four-book set and settled in for a long weekend of reading.

Three days and 2400 pages later, I'd finished the four novels. I adored Twilight, tried not to slap whiny Bella during New Moon, and mostly skimmed through Eclipse trying to get to something interesting. Finally, I got to Breaking Dawn. I have never been so let down by a book in my entire life. I don't even need to go into all the ways that this book was horrible - the other reviewers have done that well. But, here I go anyway:

Wedding - So, Bella's wedding to Edward was not what she wanted, but what she was willing to trade for sex and immortality. The wedding itself was not her vision and in no way represented their unique love, but was instead a fantasy created fully by Alice's vision.

Honeymoon - Meyer is telling us that sex is scary and awful. You will have a lot of pain your first time and your husband, who puts you up on a pedestal, will hate himself for "hurting" you, no matter how yummy delicious it is. Oh, and once you do get some, it's pretty much the only thing you'll want, and your new hubby will reject you, mercilessly, due to his own hang ups. Woo! I gotta get me some of that!

Also, how come it's either a little french kissing or sex? How come no one ever talks about alllll that space in between those two extremes? What a perfect place for her to talk about sex and the implications of it, especially given her target audience.

Pregnancy - You will get pregnant the very first time you have sex. Pregnancy is the most horrible state you will ever experience. It will be stunningly painful as your body is taken over by something that hurts you, and tries to kill you, and eventually chews its way out of you. The bloodbath of child birth is fine - but it says a lot, to me, about Meyer that she can't write the sex, but can write the gore. Or maybe it's about society, and not Meyer at all. Take your pick.

Renesmee - Say it out loud. I dare you. Look, I get what Meyer was trying to convey here about the beauty of having a child, the connection that a newborn's family feels to the child and how fleeting childhood is. But come on! The massive gaps in logic and leaps of faith it takes you to get here are stunning. Stunning. And impossible.

Jacob - Sigh. Poor Jacob. This boy never had an ounce of pride, he submitted it all to Bella, only to find himself a pedophile in the end. How utterly freaking awful. (and yeah, I tried to go with the whole "it's fiction, not pedophilia" but I just couldn't get there. It was creepy.)

The Cullens - Who? No seriously though, Edward had a family? Where were they after page 150?

Renee and Charlie - So, while Renee has been the primary parent and the person that Bella is closest to for the entire series, suddenly she's just...absent. Laaaame. And suddenly Charlie is Bella's first concern, but we've been given absolutely nothing by way of character development to buy into this. Again, I say: Come on!

Editing: Look, I don't know who edited this book, but ZOMG! fire that person. There were so many errors it was distracting. Dialog tagging: use it. Also, adverbs are not your friends. If Bella "shyly" does one more thing, I'm going beat her with her own arm. If you have to tell us that people are chuckling, giggling, that their eyes are "tightening" (wth does that even mean?) then you're failing at description. If you must tell and not show, read some Willa Cather. She gets away with it. You don't. So stop.

Tone: I'm guessing that Meyer took a break from Twilight land to write "The Host" and that's why the entire tone of this novel is off. It just doesn't even sound like it was written by the same person.

At the end of this novel, I wanted to rewrite the whole thing myself. I wanted to see why Bella decided that she would marry Edward. I wanted her to give a damn about the wedding and see some reverence in it. I wanted to see a real deepening in her relationship with Alice. I wanted Esme to be more than just a paper doll mother figure. I wanted a real, honest to goodness sex scene that lived up to three freaking novels worth of some of the steamiest kisses ever. I wanted Bella to pay a price for some of her choices. I wanted that epic battle with the Volturi to actually happen. I wanted someone to die. Meyer cheated us out of the thoughtful endings that we get when good triumphs over evil. That's what makes life sweet, and makes us appreciate what we have - working for it, sacrificing for it.

Bella would have actually wanted to marry Edward. She would have cared about the decorations and Alice would have developed into a real sister, and not some overblown party planner. There would have been real sex - not smutty, but real, nonetheless. Pregnancy would have disappeared. Bella would have had to make the choice - between having babies and having Edward. She would have been cruel to be kind and given Jacob his freedom. Jacob would have grown and gotten over her, and moved on and found real love with someone who loved him back - maybe even Leah, since that ground was laid pretty well. Bella would have spent months being a newborn, filled with nothing but bloodlust. Jessica would be her first victim. The Cullens would have worked tirelessly to help her transform, and we could have gotten to know them all so much better. Rosalie might have died, doing something selfless for once in her life. That would have been doubly meaningful if Meyer rewrites the whole series from Edward's POV (ala Midnight Sun, which in rough draft form is head and shoulders better than Breaking Dawn.) Bella would have to give up Charlie and Renee for a while, but eventually they would be able to be in her life, altho in a much more limited way. There are a million possibilities that could have had a very nice happy ending, with a bit of bitter thrown in with the sweet.

Meyer is a great storyteller and an okay writer. If she gets a better editor and learns some discipline, she could be very good. I found this particular book to be a total betrayal of the earlier books, which is why my review is so harsh. Overall, I hope she keeps going, and I *really* hope she keeps going with Midnight Sun, which so far, I love.

The Worst Book Ever, May 29, 2009
While I've been known to exaggerate on occasion, I promise you I'm being completely serious when I say Breaking Dawn is the worst book I have ever read. The writing was atrocious, there was no drama and/or real conflict, and Meyer broke her own rules. Repeatedly.

Let's begin, shall we?

First, the writing itself was a huge problem. It's nearly impossible for me to believe Meyer was an English major in college. Maybe she was technically a literature major, but either way, she should have been exposed to enough decent writing to know how to produce it herself. And if she couldln't produce it from her own head, she probably had enough references to replicate it. Instead, Breaking Dawn reads like a terrible fanfiction. Meyer tends to overuse adjectives and adverbs, but does so in the least descriptive way possible. How did Bella look on her wedding day? I couldn't tell you, since Meyer never bothered to describe her dress other than to say it was satin-y. And how about the rest of the wedding ceremony? There were flowers "everywhere" and everyone looked "amazing." Thanks. I can totally picture that.

Bella is also the ultimate Mary Sue, which doesn't help Meyer's writing skills in my eyes. Bella is SO PERFECT. Everyone LOVES HER. Meyer's lame attempts to make Bella relatable by making her clumsy fall flat (pun intended), because the other characters think injury-prone Bella is adorable. Will Charlie object to Bella Sue getting married at 18? Of course not! Will Bella Sue become the most graceful vampire ever, even though she was the world's clumsiest person? You bet! Bella gets everything she wants in Breaking Dawn and sacrifices nothing.

There was also a conspicuous lack of drama and conflict in what should have been an epic conclusion to a series. As I mentioned above, Bella had no problem convincing Charlie that marrying Edward was the right decision. I was expecting more of an objection from the ol' sheriff. Denied. Jacob does make a small attempt to talk Bella out of turning into a vampire, but what could have been another interesting conversation is brushed aside by Bella. Why would she miss anybody she knew as a human? She'll be with her beloved Edward for all eternity; that's all she needs.

The sexy-time was also lacking. I'm not much of a smut fan, but I was hoping for more than a cheezy "fade to black" when Edward and Bella finally do the deed. After three books of anticipation and denial, Meyer doesn't have the balls to give us more than Bella walking toward Edward in the water. Seriously, Meyer? You can show Bella vomiting "a fountain of blood" but kissing before sex is too shocking? Nothing interesting here, folks.

There is also the issue of Bella's pregnancy. Nowhere in the previous three books, and I mean NOWHERE, did Bella mention a desire to be a mother. But as soon as Edward gets his vampire sperm inside her, she decides that motherhood is the most important thing on Earth. (Inconsistent much, Meyer? Another sign of bad writing!) I was expecting Bella to freak out, get angry at Edward, and blame him for ruining her life when she thought she could never get pregnant! But instead, Bella is inexplicably calm and instantly bonds with her "little nudger." Again, any drama that could have been just melted like an ice cube in Death Valley. The plot floats along...

The previously mentioned "fountain of blood" happens when Bella goes into labor. To make a long and rather gruesome story short, the baby almost kills Bella, and would have, had Edward not turned Bella into a vampire. Bella lays on a table for a couple of days until the venom stops her heart. She's dead! Let the crazed baby vampire gather her bearings! She's dangerous right now! Right? Wrong. Bella Sue is the perfect vampire, so graceful and strong. She requires almost no adjustment time, even though Meyer told us in previous books that new vampires are totally out of control. Again, all conflict nipped in the bud.

This leads us to Meyer breaking her own rules. Bella is totally in control of herself as a new vampire even though, according to Meyer's own words, it's totally normal and EXPECTED to have a lenghty adjustment period. Jasper struggled for years, but Bella gets the hang of things in a day. Of course. Meyer breaks the rules so Bella Sue can have her perfect life.

Meyer also gets into a sticky situation with Bella's pregnancy. According to Meyer, speaking through (I believe) Carlisle, vampires don't have any liquid in their bodies except for their venom. Last time I checked, sperm isn't venomous. Getting Bella pregnant should have been impossible if Meyer followed her own rules! That entire plot device (which only served to give Jacob something to imprint on) was an amateurish cop out that I would expect to find in fanfiction, not a novel written by an adult with a college degree.

Oh yeah, they named the baby Renesmee. Vomit.

And then Jacob imprints on it. Double vomit.

Allow me to backtrack for a second. I forgot to mention another scene that should have been exciting but wasn't: the confrontation with the Volturi. Yep, the leaders are back and they want to kill the Cullens for making an "immortal child." Finally, some action! The Cullens invite some vampire friends to gather at their house and fight the Volturi, which should be the epic conflict we've all been waiting for! Except it most definitely is not. It turns out that Bella has a shield she controls with her mind. All the does is put the sheild around everybody and they're impervious to weapons. The Volturi stand around and talk for a while and then... leave.

Breaking Dawn was a letdown in every sense. Meyer's writing didn't improve (it got worse, actually), there wasn't any tension or action, and a lot of the rules established in the first three books got thrown out the window.

Avoid this book at all costs.

(Note: Don't be fooled by the high number of five-star reviews; a lot of them are two sentences long and say things like, "BELLA AND EDWARD ARE IN LOVE!!!!1!11one" They may very well be, but that doesn't make it a good book.)

Sickening, December 9, 2008
Sorry about the length of this, but I am absolutely livid about this book. I am angry at myself for reading the trash, but exponentially more furious at Stephenie Meyer for writing it. This book is an insult. If you are a fan of the series, over the age of 12 and/or have an IQ above 50, then DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. PLEASE listen to me. Thank God I didn't spend a penny on it.

Everything that made the romance between Edward and Bella so great has absolutely been destroyed. Gone are the cute, innocent teenagers who fall into an impossible romance in the cafeteria. I don't think I can ever read or watch Twilight again. I mean, I always slightly cringed when it was obvious that a modern teenager had nothing to do with any of these books. (ex. "Holy Crow?" Even my GRANDMOTHER doesn't say that.) Or the sometimes over-the-top sappy exposition and dialogue. But I could deal. But this BOOK. It was like watching my childhood stuffed animal get... um, defiled. It was that horrifying.

I understand the concept of author's prerogative, but ANY author has a responsibility to 1) Keep leaps of logic to a minimum, which definitely excludes some weird, mutant child of the corn, 2) Keep the plots and characters consistent throughout the series within the framework which the author has set up, and 3) Follow basic rules of writing and editing a novel designed for an intelligent audience. All 3 of which were shockingly snubbed in Breaking Dawn.

Please, please, please. Do yourself a favor and stop reading at Eclipse, or better yet, at New Moon or Twilight, and fill in the very few blanks for yourself. I will never criticize an author for having an ambiguous ending again. Just click on "Most Helpful Reviews" and you will see the many, many people who feel the same way.

*SPOILERS AHEAD, but you should probably read this part anyway to realize just how awful this book is*

Here are a few of the many, many problems I have with this book:

1) So Edward and Bella get married and that part's pretty cute, even though I think it would have made more sense to transform her first, since that's how they're planning to spend their marriage. They get married at the very beginning of the book, and Bella doesn't even really want to. She agreed because she wants to get laid. Wow, warms the heart.
Then begins the vomit-inducing 700 pages.

2) Edward and Bella have sex. A lot. Effectively ruining the innocence of their cute romance and turning it into some trashy, thinly-veiled-porn novella you buy at the airport. Sex is at the very least alluded to in almost every scene they have together. They like it. We get it.
But that's not the worst part. Even while she is HUMAN. Um, Edward is a creature who literally turns iron into dust and moves as fast as a speeding car without breaking a sweat. And she wants him to have SEX with her as she is?! How the HELL would that be 1) Enjoyable for him, and 2) Not life-threatening for her?! Not only does Bella whine, manipulate, and cry her way into doing this outrageously stupid and selfish thing (totally decimated my respect for her character), but then Edward, totally out of character, gives into her crap and agrees to TRY. TRY?! Why don't I just TRY to juggle chainsaws?! And for what? So she can GET SOME a little bit ahead of schedule? She can't bear to have her first time unless she's worried about Edward breaking her in HALF?! If I was Edward, had Bella even suggested such a thing I would have first laughed myself silly, then run screaming in the other direction from such a reckless lunatic. That whole thing really pissed me off.

3) Pregnant. 17-year-old vampire Edward and 18-year-old human Bella. Ew. Ew. Ew. I can accept the marriage, because Edward will never get older, and they love each other. But when I got to that part, and both of their reactions to it, I wanted to scream I was so angry. It is just so small and stupid, so out of place in the story, and CONTRIVED. Ugh! As so many other people said, I thought it was Fanfiction I was reading, not a published work, let alone from the actual author. I'm curious as to what Meyer was smoking when she thought this was an appropriate plot line. But it got worse. What suspension of disbelief I had left broke, and I became permanently removed from the story. I began to hate Bella, and resent Edward's cardboard characterization.

4) Their weird mutant spawn literally kills Bella slowly. And she couldn't be more thrilled about it.
The fact that Meyer had made the ridiculously immature, but lovable and relatable teenager Bella PREGNANT was bad enough. But then it is with some weird, unknown mutant parasite, that saps all her strength, breaks several of her bones (including her SPINE) and causes various bruises, and makes her drink HUMAN BLOOD. During Bella's pregnancy, I was literally shuddering with disgust on almost every page. That is not an exaggeration. And I'm 19.
No joke, I was rooting for the wolves to attack the Cullens and kill the thing. Bella and Edward's characters fly so far off their character rails that you can't even see them any more. Bella whole-heartedly embraces the thing while it slowly kills her, and Edward does nothing but hopelessly mope about it.

5) The birth and Bella's transformation.
UGGGGHHHH. This was hands-down the most disturbing passage I have ever read. I had to put the book down to take some deep breaths several times out of anger and disgust, and then wrestle with myself about whether or not to keep reading multiple times on one page. My Edward and Bella. Who fell in love as lab partners, and cutely fought because of their stubborn personalities.

Here, Bella, dieing and screaming in agony, vomits blood while the mutant baby inside of her destroys her body, internal organs and spine. Edward uses his teeth to bite the baby out of her uterus. Bella dies and then Edward injects vampire venom into her heart with a syringe.

This is how Bella starts her new life with him. TOTAL Slap. In. The. Face.

I was ready to drive to Arizona, find Stephenie Meyer's house, and burn it down.

6) Renesmee. This is what Bella names their child. Ruh. Nez. May. A combination of Renee and Esme. Seriously?

Seriously, Stephenie Meyer?

Why didn't you just sell a book that just says, "To all my fans: F%*# YOU."

When Bella tells her father that the baby's middle name is Carlie, I thought, "well, that's not so bad." Then she says that it's a combination of "Charlie" and "Carlisle."

Again, I considered driving to Arizona.

7) Bella as vampire. One of the things that made this series so great was how seemingly-impossible and different the relationship with her and Edward was. She literally had to give up her humanity, her family, and her whole life, in order to have a future with him, but she decided that the love of her life was worth it. It's a difficult, heart-breaking choice and I really liked that. But no. All of a sudden, Bella has it all. She is infinitely more beautiful, graceful, powerful, inexplicably becomes supermom at 18, and still retains all the parts of her humanity she was afraid to lose. She has a child, she stays in Forks, and tells her family. There are mentions of her carrying wads of five thousand dollars like it was chump change, which is BEYOND out of character. Waiters "gasp" at her beauty. She also becomes sickeningly vain. Then they run off to a little storybook cottage her new family has just given her for free, and Edward and Bella "make love" in it like rabbits every chance they get. If Bella had any relatability left, especially for teenagers, she lost it. This also applies to the believability of the story as a whole and the complexity of the Twilight characters.

8) Jacob and Renesmee.
Jacob, the cute and friendly guy (but also rapist-in-training in Eclipse) who is painfully in love with and loyal to Bella, imprints (falls in love with) on her newborn BABY. This is beyond sick and pedophilic. But it's ok. He's willing to "share" the baby with Bella and Edward. Bella and Edward quickly realize this whole thing is great. WHAT the F#*%?!

If it weren't bad enough that this annoyingly perfect child that absolutely everyone in the book ADORES exists, she is destined to be with JACOB. At the end of the book, Edward calls Jacob SON. I just shuddered again WRITING that.

9) The climax, or lack thereof.
After several stupid and pointless pages, and GIANT letdowns with weak plotlines about secret messages and hidden motives that go nowhere, nothing happens. Bella puts up her magical, super-scary mental shield around everyone and all of a sudden the infinitely powerful and wizened vampire royalty runs away, peeing their pants.

In conclusion, Breaking Down is not only literary trash that should have returned from the editor's office soaked in red ink, but it also completely destroys the story as a whole. It makes me sick to my stomach what this book did to Edward and Bella in my mind and everyone else's. I will never read a single page of this absolute rubbish again, and hopefully I'll forget about it in a few years. I pray this book will never make it into theaters.

Do yourself a favor and don't buy this.

Needs more Cowbell, August 13, 2008
To quickly qualify my review - I discovered the Twilight Saga about a month ago, so I have basically read all four books as one 2500-page novel. I'm in my fifties, and the series was recommended to me by a 20 something guy at a bookstore. Bottom line, I can't speak to the young adult audience for whom the saga was written, and I didn't have years between books to ruminate about how it would all end. Also, whether the laws of Meyer's supernatural world were bent or broken during the writing of this book is for other reviewers to debate.

As I read the Twilight saga, the two things that carried me were the romance and suspense. The romance (whether you're a member of Team Edward or Team Jacob) was palpable throughout. The works that inspired the first three books in the saga - Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, and Wuthering Heights - number among the great romantic stories of our time, and Meyer adapted them brilliantly to her story of first love in town of Forks, WA. In terms of suspense, big battles never seemed to be the author's choice. Tense moments were built more out of implication than body count. The final showdown with James in Twilight seemed to me the most graphic battle of the first three books. The scenes with Laurent and the Volturi in New Moon were suspenseful, but no blood was shed in either. Even in Eclipse, the confrontation with Victoria and her minions played out like the chorus describing an off-stage battle in a Greek tragedy (with a bit of head rolling tossed in for good measure). So, tense and dramatic, yes. But violent and filled with depictions of hand-to-hand combat, no.

Having said that, I think that Breaking Dawn needed more of the kind of "Cowbell" that made me a fan in the first place. All the heat of that torchy, end-of-the-world, young love was reduced to a patio-sized chiminea. The newlywed's preoccupation with sex was not a problem for me. After all, these kids had two years of pent-up passion to work out of their systems. Heck, I was almost as frustrated as they were by the time they hit that island. For me, the issue had more to do with the small amount of screen time given to Bella and Edward's great LOVE. It seemed as though the wedding guests were still picking rice of our their hair when Bella's first bout of morning sickness made an appearance. Where was the cuddling, the pillow talk, the connection between two young lovers who have finally become one? As for the other kind of Cowbell, i.e., suspense, there's a good reason that no one ever refers to The Merchant of Venice as real page turner. While the play includes a great bit of debate over a pound of flesh, I never for one moment thought that a pound of flesh would actually be extracted. Same here. I didn't expect a limb-tearing, flying-head, re-do of The 300. That's never been Meyer's style. What I did expect, though, was to believe that the characters believed - even for a moment - that they were really in danger. And I didn't.

If I'd been Meyer's editor, I'd have advised her to go for more romance (with a capital R) between Bella and Edward, less Shylock and more Buffy on the battlefield, and I'd have given that vampire UN (like the U.S. Congress) the rest of the summer off. I wasn't Meyer's editor, though. I was just one of her many readers. And as one of her readers, I have to say that I had a pretty bitchin' summer thanks to the Twilight Saga. The story kept me turning pages for about a month, and I can't remember the last time I did that much reading without a thesis paper due at the end. Also, I think Meyer does a great acknowledgements page and, based on her recommendation, I discovered the band Muse. If it's possible for music to "sound like" a book, Muse actually evokes for me memories of the Twilight Saga. Pretty cool, eh?

I hope that the negative reviews of Breaking Dawn don't keep people from making a stop in the town of Forks. It's actually a pretty interesting place with some pretty interesting people -- and an inordinate number of really cool cars.

Poorly written and vastly overestimated, August 4, 2008
Okay, I'm not going to lie: I am addicted to Twilight. I own actual, physical copies of the first three books and the copy of Breaking Dawn I ordered from Amazon is on the way (I read an online version). But I really cannot understand why anyone, ANYONE, can treat it seriously. The entire series is filled with convenient plot devices, shallow, one-dimensional characters, and Meyer is not a very concise writer, which means that the books are long. Really long.

I'll admit the initial plot is engaging: deadly yet benevolent vampires, a forbidden love. All very marketable and appealing. What bothers me is the lack of skill with which the stories are executed. Meyer's writing is not bad, it's just amateurish. Quite honestly, I think I or any other of my friends could have written it the way she had, and I'm not even out of high school. Everything in Breaking Dawn slots neatly into place, making all the fuss that precluded it practically useless. What was the point of building all that up if it's just going to resolve it anyway?

I hear people comparing her series to Harry Potter and Pride and Prejudice, and wince. I sincerely hope that the masses don't feel this way, or else I'll lose faith in society's ability to judge quality forever.

Just, wow., September 30, 2008
At the time, I was 12, and I had seen Twilight in book stores hundreds of times. I had never paid it any attention until one day I finally decided to read it. I had read the back cover, but it wasn't too informative, but I did gather the fact that it was typically about vampire love. So, against my better judgment, I thought "Well, if I've seen it this many times it MUST be good."

The beginning of Stephenie Meyer's writing leaves so much to be desired. In all of her books, for the first 150-200 pages I am bored out my mind, wishing for SOMETHING exciting to happen. I remember reading Twilight and being at least a hundred pages in and not caring about any of the characters at all. If they all decided to jump off a bridge I doubt I would have batted an eyelash. But then, something that changes the entire story occurs and it finally gets interesting 'till the point where I just can't put the book down. That is, until Breaking Dawn. I remember being at page 107, and looking at the 550-600 more pages I had to read and feeling like breaking down and crying. I wanted to chuck the book out the window and just have my friends fill me in on what happened, because I was just sick of it all. I had to force myself to read what I did, and every five minutes or so I got distracted by something around me because the book just couldn't hold my attention.

In Twilight, I instantly liked Edward because of what I thought he'd be, but then later I realized I got his personality all wrong. I imagined he'd be . . . I don't know, different. Deep, meaningful, calm, cool, collected. Not some overactive stalker. (He said to her face that when she got to Forks he WATCHED her SLEEP. I mean, mega ew much?) Bella, I hardly had much of an opinion on until much later. She wasn't strong enough for me to respect, didn't have enough of a personality for me to like, and wasn't practical or smart enough for me to even comprehend. Her boyfriend was a freakin VAMPIRE, and she's totally fine with that. She wasn't terrified, or even the slightest bit nervous, which makes no sense. Think about it for a second: If your boyfriend is a VAMPIRE, would you be THAT cool about it? You wouldn't be scared at all, when a month ago the thought of a vampire existing would have you laughing at the absurdity? But here, Bella is introduced to a world of vampires and werewolves and she's pretty much chill with it all.

Um, where's the conflict? Where's the "OMG YOU'RE A VAMPIRE?" Where's the "Ohmygoodnesswhatonearthisgoingon?" panic attack? Vampires and werewolves don't just waltz into everyday life and I expected at least SOME kind of resentment or hesitation Bella would have for Edward. But oh no, that would make too much sense.

In New Moon, I had the slight hope that maybe through the course of the series Meyer would have Bella grow and develop into a strong, wonderful and mature character. Sadly, she didn't. To the very end, Bella remains a selfish, impractical, and illogical girl who for the life of me I can't stand. Jacob was the only one with a sliver of a complex personality. He had a goal and did everything in his power to achieve it, and throughout the books you saw the different faces of his personality. Everyone else's personality could just be classified with one or two descriptions.

I won't even get into Eclipse, because I can never remember what it was about.


[Spoilers]

Okay, from the beginning. What was with that wedding? The wedding was something I was actually EXCITED about. I thought "Oh, wow, I wonder how Alice is going to out due herself." Honestly, I don't even remember what anything looked like. Weren't the colors white and blue? That's probably wrong, but then again that's Stephenie Meyer's horrible descriptions at work. Most of the time I just imagine what everything and everyone looks like for myself. I didn't even KNOW Alice had spiky hair until the third book when Bella patted her head. "What? Alice has spiky hair? Since when?" And I didn't have a single clue as to what Jasper looked like besides that he had golden eyes and was blonde, and then after Bella becomes a vampire they mention his scars. Oh, and there's also the fact that Rosalie is gorgeous. Well, come on now, how descriptive is that? Gorgeous HOW? Like, pretty pretty model gorgeous? Or sophisticated gorgeous? Or seductress gorgeous? Meyer, come on girl, surely you can be more creative than just using vague descriptions about people.

Now, the honeymoon was nice and all, something I thought she could have skipped until I saw the purpose it held. Bella gets pregnant! Oh joy! Oh hell. She's 19, and she gets pregnant. What kind of message was Stephenie Meyer trying to send to the young audience that reads her books? At least Edward had the decency to call Carlisle and assure Bella they would get Nessie out of her. (I am going to call her Nessie, because I think Renesmee is a hideous name and Meyer should be slapped for even considering it for the girl.) But what does Bella do? She stops him. She suddenly gets an overpowering sense of maternal instincts and wants to keep her baby. Bella didn't even really like children, and before then she never had the slightest thought about wanting one. But now, she's suddenly ready to die for this thing that's sucking the life out of her. In plain text, Bella isn't the motherly type. I wouldn't trust her to take care of my dog, let alone a baby. Isn't this the same Bella who did dangerous stunts to hear a voice in her head? Isn't this the same Bella who, on a whim, thought it was fine to jump off a cliff in a rainstorm? Being pregnant doesn't magically make you a mom, or magically make you mature. It makes you utterly terrified. No matter whom you are or how old, for any woman who gets pregnant, her first instinct is to have her mom there at all times. But does Bella call Renee? Nope, she calls Rosalie. ROSALIE, PEOPLE. That makes SO much sense.

Another point about Nessie: Wasn't she just the PERFECT baby? I mean, she was disgustingly perfect. I mean, when at all did Bella ever show any true motherly characteristics? I was surprised at Meyer, because she actually does have children, and I wondered what she was thinking when she wrote about Nessie. When did Bella ever feel the horrible strain that comes with taking care of a baby? Nessie was way too perfect. There was no constant feedings every two hours, there was no changing diaper after diaper, there was no shopping for baby clothes and supplies, there was no Nessie waking up at 3 AM and crying - which was a surprise, considering the head-board destroying sex Bella and Edward have every night. You'd think it would wake her up - and there was not much of anything. The only time Nessie cried was when she wanted Bella, which I thought was just plain ridiculous. (So what, she never wanted Edward?) Now, I understand that sometimes there IS such a thing as a quiet baby. I was one myself, and I never cried unless something was wrong with me, but there is no baby that just doesn't cry at all unless it wants its mom. That just doesn't happen. (Did anyone else feel Alice's statement that Nessie had never been set down in her life laughable? When I read that, I didn't know whether to fall out my chair laughing or give myself a face-palm and chuck the book into the dirt where it belonged. Honestly, I was surprised Nessie could even walk.)


May we move on to Jacob's point of view? I thought it was going to be, like, Jacob traveling the world from Canada to Mexico to South America to Greece and such on a spiritual journey to find himself and realize that he really, really didn't need Bella. But again, I was wrong and expected too much. No, instead he hangs around Forks, determined to stay with Bella until she has her monster baby and they turn her into a vampire. Oh, but there's a solution! They can abort the baby, and then Jacob can have a baby with Bella the NORMAL way, so Bella can still have a child. Btw, this was Edward's idea. Btw, Jacob agreed.

Ew, much. Ew on so many levels.

But I guess Bella isn't THAT sick because he didn't agree. One of the smartest moves she's made this whole series.


Another thing, I hated how Bella skipped the newborn stage. I was actually excited about that, wishing, praying that Bella would turn evil and start killing off humans. Wouldn't that be so interesting?! Her, the heroine, suddenly becoming the evil villain, using her vampire powers for her evil deeds. And wouldn't it have been beautiful if the Cullens and Blacks and Volturi and whatnot had to, oh goodness, KILL her to preserve the secret and save humanity? I would have loved Meyer if anything remotely relating to that had happened. But, as I've learned, I always expect this woman to redeem herself and the whole series be worthwhile, only to be continually disappointed.

So, why did Bella skip the newborn stage? Oh right, because it was her state of mind. She didn't WANT to be one, therefore she WASN'T. Because Bella is SPESHUL, therefore she can DEFY the natural laws Meyer has set up. But since Meyer just wants all her characters to be happy, even if it means doing so in the most illogical ways, she decided to have the most sugar-coated fairytale ending I'd ever read in my life that wasn't in picture book.

So, Bella gets everything she wants, including Edward, a baby, a family, immortality and tons and tons of sex? Check. Jacob has someone, even though she's 2 months old and it makes him a pedo? Check. The Volturi are defeated without actually engaging them in battle, causing the most depressing let-down in the history of potential battle scenes ever? Check. Sugar cakes and muffins and gummy bears rain from a glittering sky and Carebears run frolicking through the meadows of innocence as the final ending? Check. Well, well, Meyer, you've outdone yourself if I do say so myself.

Boring, fails to use logic. Lacks in character interest., August 4, 2008
Okay, I know I'm probably going to get comments over me saying that the book has no logic. Yes I am well aware that the whole series based around the fantasy of vampires and werewolves etcetera. I can't get past the fact that Stephenie Meyer broke the rules of her own world while writting this novel. Numerous times in interviews she has stated that it is impossible for her vampires to have children, and that once turned into a vampire all of their bodily fluids are replaced by venom.

As reading this book I felt like all the elements circulated through the other three novels were thrown out the window, the characters for the most part were boring, Edward lost his charm, Bella went from being obsessed with Edward to obsessed with their child, and Rosalie flipped into a motherly role that just seemed out of place (I know Rosalie's backstory and that she wanted to have children, I understand the way SMeyer was probably trying to go with getting Rosalie involved). If SMeyer was going to get Rosalie put into this motherly role then where was Esme? Last time I checked she had a yearn to bear her own children as well. As an author, SMeyer developed a seemingly okay plotline but just didn't expand on it enough. It felt as though it was rushed in the end.

The "explanation" of how Bella got pregnant was also put to fault later in the novel, when a Amazonian vampire explains how his father is trying to create a superior race by impregnating human females with his children. How would this even be possible if, when using SMeyer's logic. She explains that Edward was able to get Bella pregnant was because he was a virgin and that he still had sperm in his system from when he was turned 100+ years ago. With that said, vampire males couldn't create more sperm, so how could this Amazonian vampire keep going around and impregnating human females?

After the birth of "Nessie" the book took a downward spiral and was nothing more than a borefest, everything just seemed to happen without any conflict whatsoever. Bella easily shifted into vampire life without any problems, she was able to care for her baby, keep her friendship with Jacob, and even was able to "slightly" let Charlie in on her secret. Even at the end of the story, we are led up to believe that there is going to be a fight between the Volturi and the Cullen coven along with other covens who agreed to support their cause. What you think is going to be a fight just turns into pages and pages of endless drabble between the Volturi and members of the Cullens' defensive, and in the end lead Volturi member Aro agrees to let them be and he leads the rest of the Volturi on their way, so Bella and Edward could now begin their "happily ever after." Where in the last pages Bella finally allows Edward to see inside her mind, one of the features that drew him towards he at the beginning of Twilight.

What disappoints me the most is that this novel had potential, it seems to me that in anything SMeyer writes she has a generally good idea but can never expand on it. Breaking Dawn seems to me as though it was completely rushed, and that she just finished writing it because she had to. Not to mention I am curious as to what happened to the editors in this book. Has SMeyer ever heard of a thesaurus? I have never seen an author overuse the words "chagrin" and "dazzle" as much as she does. I am honestly curious as to how any editor would allow the sentence "He was both dazzling and dazzled" be put into print.

Lastly, I find it really sad that there are so many people giving this a five-star review just because it is a SMeyer novel. Yes, it is nice to have loyalty but please a poorly written book is still a poorly written book no matter who writes it.

Can I give it zero stars?, December 12, 2008
UGH. This whole series was a travesty really, but like any good masochist I plodded through. By the time I got to Breaking Dawn I knew I was in it just for the laughs but sadly, it failed in that department too. I can honestly say this is one of the few books in my life that I've literally had to refrain from throwing against the wall in sheer frustration. There are just so many things WRONG here that it's hard to sum them all up succinctly.

Reasons why this thing almost ended up as wall fodder ( **warning, spoilers below**)

1. Our heroine barely out of high school really REALLY wants to have sex with her sparkly boyfriend. Okay, whatever. There's a catch though. Sparkly boyfriend wants to wait until marriage. Bella doesn't want to get married, in fact the idea utterly repulses her. But sparkly boyfriend just won't let it go and our fearless heroine ends up "caving" because she really, really wants the sex that badly. The whole "engagement" scene amounts to Bella trying to jump him and getting denied, then accepting the ring with a lackluster "sigh....FINE. If that's what It takes to get laid then I'll do it. Give me the ring that I don't want to wear already, damn!!" Really Steph?? That's the best you can do for two people who are supposedly passionately in love?! Nice.

2. Oh and screw college while you're at it. Because who needs an education when your ultimate goal in life is to marry a rich vampire and spend 24/7 with him. What a message to send to your target audience.

3. The Pregnancy. This has to be the saddest excuse of pro-life propaganda disguised as sexy YA fiction ever. If that's your cup of tea then great, you'll really like the first half of this book. If not then be prepared for massive headaches caused by excessive eye-rolling.

4. The Birth. I find it fascinating that the author tiptoes gently over the whole implied sex thing, yet goes above and beyond (wayyyy above and wayyyy beyond) to make sure the Miracle of Childbirth is depicted in a way that would make the makers of the Saw movie franchise proud. If the readers were expecting no less than a monster bloodaholic baby to come out of this romantic union, then this delivers (no pun intended). I will give Meyers credit in that she definitely has a promising future in the horror/scifi genre.

5. A Dingo Ate My Baby? No honey, that's just the werewolf imprinting himself on the newborn. But the Cullens have more important things to worry about, like keeping Bella away from her newborn lest she find the Bundle of Joy appetizing. To her credit though Bella isn't exactly down with the whole imprinting thing at first. That is, until she realizes that having your kid get engaged to the family dog means a built-in babysitter and thus more time for sex with Edward. Awesome.

6. Vampire p*ssing contest. What happens for the rest of the book is pretty much pointless, as the whole thing gears up to to be one big showdown that never amounts to anything. Basically the leaders of the vampire underworld, the Volturi, aren't down with Bellaward's freaky kid and plot to destroy them all. So the Cullens gather their frenemies to lead into battle Lord of the Rings style. Except the battle doesn't happen, except in Bella's and the Volturi leader's minds. Because now that Bella is a vamp she has super awesome magical powers like an invisible shield that she spreads over the frenemies to protect them from an equally freaky vampire that can make them pretend they are in pain. And then they all live happily ever after. Not joking.

Let Down, August 2, 2008

The fans who stuck by this series, regardless of age, will be dissatisfied with this product. I still love Stephenie Meyer's first three in this saga, yet the fourth seemed to be written by someone who did not care for the established story. I loved Bella's vulnerability and naivet�; Edward's love, maturity, SENSIBILITY; Jacobs playfulness, loyalty and his love as well. The traits I fell in love with were almost forgotten. Edward gave into Bella's irrational wants and the rest of the book hung on his indecisions.

Sure, fans got what they wanted in every way possible. I agree with other fans: cop out. All of the tragic novels mentioned in the previous books (Romeo and Juliet for example) should have been a compass to what love stories inevitably are: tragic. There was a line that talked about how it was strange when puzzle pieces finally fit together for Bella, they were all about to come undone. That is real. This book? Not so much.

Petition for rewrite? Sorry Stephenie Meyer seems like you missed the mark for a lot of people on this one. I refuse to believe this is what you have been dying for your fans to read.

And she would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those meddling IQs above 40., December 23, 2008
So, I guess that consistency, logic and entertainment were out of the question, then?

I was never a rabid fan of this series. Seriously. Why? Because, let's be honest, they're not, and never were, well-written. It has always felt like a fan fiction to me. The way the books are written in first person, the way the main character is proclaimed to be (not really ever BEING it, though) and the way every single character acts around her, always made me feel like an intruder in Stephenie Meyer's deep wet fantasies. And yes, I noticed. I noticed how you were supposed to insert yourself in Isabella's shoes (ahah!) to make it your OWN fantasy. Durr, I see what you did thar!!

"Why did you read it then, stoopid?" - you might ask.
Well, I might answer, though they were never the great books they were hyped out to be, and Meyer still isn't the best writer evah (not even the greatest storyteller, in my opinion) and these series is not (or should not be) best-selling material, they were fairly entertaining. They were simple, entertaining, simple and entertaining. That's it. A good escape read. So yes, I kept reading them; if only so that I could get some closure on the story and the complete set of the series (I hate incomplete series on my bookshelf).

My opinion never changed, though. It only grew stronger and became more and more confirmed by Meyer herself with each new book. I don't hate the author. I just don't think she deserves this much attention. I mean it. Her writing doesn't even sound to me as a college literature graduated one. These books are only successful because a LOT of teenage girls and bored housewives lived through Meyer's fantasy as their own: a simple, regular girl (*ahem* you!) draws the attention of hot, mysterious, popular and rich guy. Not only that but she's the ONLY one he ever got interested in (in 107 years! Really?! Talk about dead hormones and some serious sex issues!) AND everyone seems to love you AND you get some action in your life, during which you can play damsel in distress (over and over and over and over again!) and be saved by hot guy, ALWAYS. YAY! Fantasy fulfilling time!

Twilight was, when compared to the others, good. The best of the series, I think. Maybe that's because it is the beginning and as so, it didn't ask so much for all those pesky things like: consistent characterization, character development and continuity. Then, the other books needed it much more. Oh noes! New Moon was bo-ring. And honestly, annoying. With all the Romeo and Juliet pseudo-crap! Bella showed herself as being even weaker, needier, dumber and more pathetic than previously. I don't think I ever saw a character go back in development before but, alas, she did. And Edward too. I didn't find it endearing that he tried to kill himself. Nor did I find attractive that Jacob was all around the place moping for Bella. Can you spell pathetic? As in, the most pathetic, needy and weak characters' cast in the history of ever? Eclipse just accentuated that so much more. Is there anyone with a personality in here, somewhere? And a strong one at that? Why can't, any of the main three characters, really stand up for themselves (and for the right reasons), grow a spine and stop being so damn miserable? Why can't they just grow and be strong and go away from what's hurting them? These characters and their interactions with each other remind more of a bunch of drug addicts and their drugs. Because Meyer's characters are addicted to each other.

Breaking Dawn just delved deeper and deeper into the waters of mediocrity. Its continuity with the other books is zero. Everything that produced even the tiniest spark of thought in my brain on the other books was totally erased, stepped on and vomited by Bella in this thing. Serves me right for trying to think at all about the previous themes of choice, sacrifice and consequence. How dare I, trying to take something actually meaningful from this series...

Breaking Dawn was worse because it made me laugh when I don't think I was supposed to. Also, it reached new degrees of disgusting, all in the wrong places. It was so uninteresting; it was painful to read sometimes. Never before had I ever had to force myself to keep turning pages. It was also way too long. How can anyone say so much about nothing, I will never know. I seriously doubt this was edited at all. Heck, I almost doubt even Meyer herself read it more than once. Grammatical mistakes, bad and sloppy writing, obvious OOCness, all mistakes that can NOT be in a best selling product. Heavy chunks and entire sections could and should be erased. My biologist's heart weeps for all those poor innocent trees. IF an editor looked at this thing I would like to meet this person and ask him/her what the hell...?! And also what were you high on, because it must be good.

It's the final book in a best-selling series, yet it's extremely and amazingly amateurish. All the bad choices were taken. Not to mention that it's a YA romance novel that it's neither YA nor romantic. Meyer says she never wrote a YA book in her life. Really?? Well, my darling, then either you're not the one writing this or someone doesn't know what the hell they're doing. Because they are being sold as much, so you have to write to YA. Not the case with this book.

The Positive:

-Leah and Seth ruled! They were fun and interesting and had a personality.
-Jacob also ruled until the sad, sad end.
-Jacob's chapter titles actually made me smile.
-The final scene with Edward and Bella because it was the only shadow of romance and the only bit in the entire lengthy book where they were like their previous selves. AND maybe by entering her mind Eddie will finally understand how boring Bella is. Take that, Edwarckle! Yeah, I had to put up with that for four books! And you'll have to put up with her for eternity! Ahah! Not to mention it was the final scene!

The Negative:

-Everything freaking else.

Now, on to the marvellous piece of WTF known as "plot".

The wedding was... meh. Short, uninspired and under described.
The honeymoon was an unsexy joke. I did stop finding it funny when she started begging for sex. Way to go Bells, I guess dignity isn't in your dictionary. And the sex was... also meh. THAT was what everyone's been waiting for?! Thanks, Steph, I could barely contain myself with all the burning passion, desire and sensuality of that. When childish kisses and innocent holding are more sensual than the actual making of the love, you know you are in for one long crappy romance.

The pregnancy was the biggest ridiculousness in the entire life of ridiculous. OMFGWTF?! I don't even care about the impossibility of it all, but as soon as she started with all the chromosomal mumbo-jumbo, a lonely tear of anger made its way out of my biologist's eye. It was sad, all that ignorance. Leave science out of it, damn it! Darwin actually rolled on his deathbed.
Jacob's book was a bunch of wah wah wah wah wah wah, but as I already noted, Leah and Seth were cool. I was annoyed that Jake had to go back to selfish Bella and more so with Edward just giving her away for sex. Well, I guess I would want to give her away too. But I actually enjoyed understanding Jacob better because he was cool (until the sad, sad end) and I love his sarcasm! I don't love that he loves Beauty Swan. I wish Leah would've smashed the crap out of her instead of just making her cry, but oh well. I was rooting and cheering for Leah all the way! Seriously, it was about time that someone told Bella how lame and selfish and unbearable she is.

Now, the birth scene. Can you say YUCK? I actually felt nauseated! Gross! Was that really necessary? Oh, and the ripping uterus with teeth thing? So romantic! Way to go, Meyer, you destroyed the last shred of hotness that Edwarckle might've still had at this point. Eww! "Fountain of blood" ... I was prepared to vomit a fountain of actual vomit! And then, after all that, we're supposed to just love cutey pie Renesmee?! She's NOT adorable, she's freaky and creepy. Oh, and the loving scene when a mother holds her child in her arms for the first time? Nope, the creepo mutant alien thingy just bite her! Oh, predator, where are you?

The transformation was a disappointment. The vampire Bella was a disappointment. Of course she is the most beautiful, graceful, controlled, perfect vampire ever! Wow, Steph, another opportunity for character development completely destroyed. The transformation and the newborn phase, had they been made correctly, could've been a great time for struggle and pain and development of depth to both Bella and Edward alone, not to mention it was perfect to mature and take their relationship to a higher level of depth and connection. But, no. Just throw that away! The only thing that was done was make Bella even more annoying and perfect. Oh, and of course she had to have a power. A lame one, but still. Was I the only one waiting for a romantic, passionate but still difficult scene between Edward and Bella? One when he would actually bite her?
Oh, and the motherly and fatherly vibes that I got from Renesfreaky's parents were just amazing. I wish Edward and Bella would adopt me so I could be conveniently passed on to Rosalie and Jacob whenever they wanted to get it on - vampire style!

The imprinting ... God! I don't even want to go there. Again, another opportunity for growth and development for Jacob completely raped and chewed on. Wouldn't it be great if he just resisted the imprinting crap thing? And actually fell in love? Remember all his talk about not wanting to give up on his free will? Yeah, she basically just stepped over it, shred it to pieces and set it on fire. Because, you know, who wants to have freedom, anyway? Not to mention how severely disturbing it is that he imprinted on the child of his former target of obsession. AND the fact that the thing is still an infant. Well, he's just going to have to raise it until it's ready! ARGH!

The new vampires were more of the same wah wah wah. And useless one, for that matter.
The battle was the most epic non-battle that I have ever not-read. It was just disappointing. I only wanted for someone to die (and, please, Irina-whoever does NOT count)! Or at least suffer a little bit! God forbid, Stephenie, God forbid there's actually some sacrifice or pain or struggle. It was lame and *yawn*.
The cheesy happy ending was the saddest of all happy endings ever. Yes, absolutely EVERYONE got EVERYTHING without giving up ANYTHING. No one deserved it. No one. It was all so sparkly and happy, with rainbows and unicorns, all so sweet and candy that I think I got diabetes by just reading it.

Now, the characters. Are you expecting to find any of the ones you met in the earlier books? Well, stop deceiving yourself, because you are not going to find them here. They're simply gone.

Bella has got to be the most annoying main character ever. And I refuse to use the word "heroine" because she just isn't. She's whiny; she's selfish, immature and embarrassingly weak and needy. I just can't understand why everyone, including Edward and Jacob, love her so much. It's amazing, though, that without many qualities and so many faults she still manages to be the perfect Mary-Sue. She's the sparkliest, most beautiful, perfect and most special and purest snowflake you can find. If sparkly, beautiful, perfect, special and pure snowflakes had a name it would be Bella. For now on, every time it snows, I'll just call it "snowbells". It makes me sick.

Edward was reduced to a pathetic shell of self hatred, hidden in a pool of his own miserable impossible tears. Not sexy, at all! Maybe it's just my Latin-Oriental roots talking, but really, cold and hard marble who just weeps in misery without stepping up and taking action just isn't my type. I don't want a man who just gives me what I want blindly and gives in to my every whim; I want one who can give me what I NEED and who can step up against me when necessary. Well, I guess I just find strong personalities hotter, it's a matter of taste.

Jacob was the ONLY developed character in this series. He actually had a personality, and a fun one! Ironically, he's the one character that Meyer wasn't planning on developing. Whoops! Well, he got butchered on the end with the imprinting thing and is now stuck to Bella and Renespooky for eternity so... I guess he got what he deserved for having depth.

Renesmee... I think we're supposed to love her. Aren't we? I just love mutant babies that grow with repulsing speed, are born with teeth, chew their way out of mommy, drink blood and read. Such cuties. Again, I cannot understand why everyone loves her so damn much. I guess the Sueish gene runs in the family. She got that from her mommy.

Leah and Seth were awesome. Too bad they were not even considered for development. Leah just... well, stayed there, I guess. She was developing a good, real relationship with Jacob but then ... Puff! Sucks to be you, Leah! Maybe if Meyer had inserted herself in your shoes she wouldn't have to do this.

The Cullens weren't there. Period. And when they were, they were so out of character it actually gave me physical pain. I don't even remember reading Esme's name, except in that idiot island's one.

The humans are just GONE. Minus Charlie, but after what she did to him, I wish she would've just lost him somewhere like she did to Renee, Jessica, Angela, Mike and Ben. Because, you know, humans just aren't good enough to be in this dazzling book.

The Vulturi ... Oh Mother of God.

In conclusion, it was a mess. A big, sloppy, illogical, unprofessional, uninteresting and unedited mess. I won't even go into all the messages and innuendos out there because honestly I don't even know if she understands them herself. And I'm tired of talking about this.

Read it if you must, but borrow from someone or get it from the library.

I am sorry for the lengthy review but hey, Meyer does it lengthy - ALWAYS - and somehow it seems to be working for her.

... Read more

Editorial Review

Three children whirl back in time through an enchanted potter’s wheel into the reality of evacuation in 1940s Britain . . . Whirl of the Wheel pulls feisty Connie, her brother Charlie-Mouse, and school pest Malcolm into dangers on the homefront and towards a military operations secret that will save their home. The children hit trouble when Malcolm fails to return to the present day. This fast-moving adventure will keep you guessing . . .

Age group: 8+ ... Read more

Reviews

Imaginative and Thoughtful
This time travel tale takes three youngsters back to World War II Britain in a fast moving adventure through time via the motion of a potter's wheel. About to lose their beloved home, Connie and her brother Charlie-Mouse, inadvertently accompanied by their least favorite person, Malcolm, face danger trying to prevent the historic dwelling from being destroyed and find themselves in search of a military secret that could prevent the disaster. Particularly well done are the letters to a mother in war-time London from a daughter separated from her parents, and the strong character of viewpoint Connie, who gets around most of the time in a wheelchair, (treated without sentiment) making a most admirable young heroine. Likable characters, strong sense of place, a well plotted novel that makes a fun and thoughtful read.

An enchanting tale well told
Catherine Condie's tale of three young people and their time travel adventure from the rural vicar's house at Claybridge, England back in time to World War II and back again using a local potter's wheel as entry point to the past. It's all to save their house from being torn down by a greedy speculator who wants to turn the property into a housing development. But Connie and her brother Charlie Mouse and an accidental traveler who adds a bit of mystery to this enchanting adventure. Very well-written.

An enchanting tale well told
Catherine Condie's tale of three young people and their time travel adventure from the rural vicar's house at Claybridge, England back in time to World War II and back again using a local potter's wheel as entry point to the past. It's all to save their house from being torn down by a greedy speculator who wants to turn the property into a housing development. But Connie and her brother Charlie Mouse and an accidental traveler who adds a bit of mystery to this enchanting adventure. Very well-written. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Grinch, whose heart is two sizes too small, hates Who-ville's holiday celebrations, and plans to steal all the presents to prevent Christmas from coming. To his amazement, Christmas comes anyway, and the Grinch discovers the true meaning of the holiday. ... Read more

Reviews

The Grinch found the strength of ten grinches...plus two!
My 9 year old took a look at the face of Jim Carey, as the movie Grinch, and said, "That's not the real Grinch!"

He's right, of course. It's hard when a book you've been reading faithfully every year is made into a movie, and you see who Hollywood gives the lead part to. (Then again, who else would anyone cast in this rubber-faced role?)

This is the original story, in a classy cover for the Seuss lover or favorite grandchild(ren) on someone's Christmas list. Of course, as the story tells us, material things aren't as important as the intentions behind them.

If the price seems a bit high, amazon offers another version that's a little less expensive and still has the real face of the scowling, mean-spirited Grinch.

That face changes from bad to worse, and then to tender when he finally "gets" the meaning of Christmas. But before he does, children and adults will read (and reread) in delight and shock as the Grinch disguises himself as Santa. The innocent townspeople of Whoville never seem to catch on as the Grinch forces his poor dog Max to help him steal all the toys and ornaments. He's so sure that once he's done away with the material goodies, the Christmas spirit will be gone.

A wonderful story with a message we can't hear enough. Add this deluxe edition (sure to last for another 40 years!) to a child's Christmas bookshelf, or give it to that special someone who's ba-humbuging around.

This book is the classic (accept no substitutes)! ... Read more

Editorial Review

When Whit & Wisty were imprisoned by the wicked forces of the totalitarian regime known as the New Order, they were barely able to escape with their lives. Now part of a hidden community of teens like themselves, Whit and Wisty have established themselves as leaders of the Resistance, willing to sacrifice anything to save kids kidnapped and brutally imprisoned by the New Order.

But the One has other plans in store for them: He needs Wisty, for she is "The One Who Has the Gift." While trying to figure out what that means, Whit and Wisty's suspenseful adventures through Overworld and Shadowland lead to a jaw-dropping climax and conclusion: the highly-anticipated fulfillment of the heart-pounding opening prologue of book one... The Execution of the Allgoods. ... Read more

Reviews

Know it will mesmerize!!!
I haven't yet read this book, but it is in its way. I have never before been disappointed by James Patterson and i
know I wont now I know this will be a great read just as before. Loved his first book and can't wait to get my hands on this! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Torn - the second book of the Trylle Trilogy...

Wendy thought she finally understood who she was and what she wanted, but everything changes when the rival Vittra come after her.

She's caught between two worlds, torn between love and duty, and she must decide whatlife she is going to lead. ... Read more

Reviews

Torn - Trylle Trilogy # 2
Amanda Hocking did it again! Another page turner that I simply couldn't put down. Beautifully written, engaging characters and a story-line that didn't stop.

When we leave Wendy at the ending of Switched, she and Rhys are just starting a reunion with a very worried Matt. It's a short reunion though; the Vittra show up, kidnapping Wendy along with Rhys and Matt. They are, of course, rescued and off to Forening they go. Only this time, Wendy has a bit more information under her belt and what she does with it is interesting, to say the least. While at the Vittra Kingdom a new character is introduced, Loki, a devastatingly handsome Vittra with a devil-may-care attitude who seems to care a little too much for Wendy.

Back at Forening, Wendy begins to hone her power under the tutelage of Tove Kroner; her odd and loyal friend. Willa remains a loyal friend, helping Wendy dodge one Faux pas after another, not to mention keeping her hair under control and Finn, SIGH, Finn, Finn, Finn... Finn is duty bound to protect Wendy, and that he does. He will protect her from anyone & everyone including theirselves.

Danger and suspense lurks, the Vittra are dangerous and powerful and they want Wendy...BAD. There are some Trylle who think its Wendy's fault that the Vittra are targeting them and a quick fix would be to turn her over and there are others who feel that Wendy is the one who will save them all. She is the one Trylle who is special; with special powers that will make her the best leader in Trylle history.

Wendy's character develops beautifully; she takes on her responsibilities Wendy style. The people in her life become more developed as the story moves along and there is a closer look into the interpersonal relationship between herself and Elora that is both touching and heart-breaking.

Loved it!
Amanda has done it again. She grabs you in the first few paragraphs and you cannot put the book down until you are finished.

The book had all of the characters you loved from Switched plus a new addition - Loki. He is a wonderful character and you instantly want to know more about him and the relationship between him and Wendy.

The book really showed Wendy having to grow up and put her wants and desires aside for the good of the people of the kingdom. Wendy has to show that she is strong and will be able to be a great leader with so much at stake.

I can't wait for the final installment of this trilogy.

Warning - the book ends on Kindle at 94% as Amanda has included a preview of Hollowland. Don't be fooled into thinking you still have 6% to go. When it hit the 94% and I saw the ending, I wanted to say, "Not yet! I'm not ready for this to be over."

Loved it!
I was so looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint. I could not put it down! I liked the new characters, especially Loki. I am glad I only have to wait 2 months for the next book to come out! What makes Amanda's books so good for me is that there is more dialogue between the characters than in most books and no filler! Amanda is quickly becoming my favorite author. If you have not checked out her other books (My Blood Approves series, and Hollowland), I highly recommend them! I have only one complaint...they are sooo good, when I am reading them, I get absolutely nothing else done! ... Read more

Editorial Review

This is the first book in Robert Liparulo's critically acclaimed, wildly popular Young Adult series, The Dreamhouse Kings.

Dream house . . . or bad dream?

When the Kings move from L.A. to a secluded small town, fifteen-year-old Xander is beyond disappointed. He and his friends loved to create amateur films . . . but the tiny town of Pinedale is the last place a movie buff and future filmmaker wants to land.

He, David, and Toria are, however, captivated by the many rooms in the old Victorian fixer-upper they moved into -- as well as by the heavy woods that surround it.

They soon discover there's something odd about the house. Sounds come from the wrong direction. Prints of giant, bare feet appear in the dust. And when David tries to hide in the linen closet, he winds up in locker one-nineteen at his new school.

Then the really weird stuff kicks in. They find a hidden hallway with portals leading to far-off places -- in long-ago times. Xander is starting to wonder if this kind of travel is a teen's dream come true . . . or his worst nightmare. ... Read more

Reviews

A great new series!, May 5, 2008
Xander King is seriously bummed when his family moves from Pasadena, CA to a little hick town called Pinedale. He loved his life back home and can't imagine what this new town and new school could possibly have to offer. When the King's arrive they begin searching for a house to buy and finally stumble across an old, abandoned Victorian home deep in the woods.

Xander's parents instantly fall in love with the old house and set to work trying to make it livable. Xander and his brother, David, begin exploring and make startling discoveries. It seems one of the closets is some sort of gateway to a locker in their new school. If that wasn't strange enough, they also discover a secret passageway that is full of rooms that are portals to other worlds. After a couple of exploring adventures gone bad, the boys soon realize that this house is much more dangerous than they could have ever imagined. Unfortunately, the King's are about to discover just how real that danger is.

Robert Liparulo is known for pulse-pounding thrillers. With winners like Comes a Horseman, Germ, and Deadfall under his belt, he has truly left his mark on the genre. Now Liparulo graces his fans with a new young adult series that has everything we've come to expect from him and more. House of Dark Shadows is a fun story that is full of thrills and chills that never feel watered down for the young adult audience. Xander and David's mini adventures and discoveries are laced with just the right amount of action and intrigue to keep you nervously flying through the pages. The house itself is one of the strongest characters in the book, bringing a delightfully creepy tone to this well crafted tale.

As always, Liparulo's writing carries deeper meaning beyond the action and thrills. At its heart this story is about the bond of family and love, and the power therein. With every new novel Liparulo continues to prove what an incredible storyteller he is and this new series is no exception. The end will leave you begging for more and loving every moment. This is Robert Liparulo at his best!

Write Faster, Bob, June 6, 2008
If you are thinking about buying House of Dark Shadows, you may want to go ahead and grab Watcher in the Woods because once you reach... "Not the end" you are going to want book two within reach. These books are quick reads, too. Don't say you haven't been warned if you have to wait for the next book, and don't expect a resolution of the King family problems in book two either. I may have to have a word with Bob or the publisher about possibly speeding up this series.

Robert Liparulo respects the YA genre by refusing to dumb down his storytelling mastery. House of Dark Shadows delivers rich characters, intense action and crisp setting along with a strong vocabulary. Adults are going to love these books as much as the teens they're written for.

Centered around a family that has "no secrets," the story starts with foreboding and provides bang after wham after sucker-punch as the reader discovers one secret after another along with the characters. More questions are left than are answered.

Shadows introduces the King family, all named after royalty, as they are moving from city to country...make that backwoods. Not only does Xander, the 15-year-old point-of-view character have to deal with leaving friends and a girlfriend, his dad is now his principal in the smallest school he's ever attended.

Xander's folks then find a house they fall in love with. Lots of room, and full of character, creepy noises, shadows and odd acoustics. What's not to love?

Xander discovers how very strange the house is as the entire family is plunged into the truth of the secrets.

The intensity of the themes may be too much for younger or easily frightened readers.

I Want More!, May 23, 2008
I have read 2 of Liparulos books (Comes a Horseman & Germ) and love the way he writes. When I found Out that he was writing a YA book I thought I would check it out. Actually got this and his book Deadfall the same day and decided to read this one first. The King family moves from Pasadena, CA to the small town of Pinedale,OR. When the arrive they begin searching fo a house to move into. The one they find seems to be a little scary to Xander the oldest son. Sounds seem weird, it feels like someone is watching you, and people seem to show up in different places then where they actually are. The Family still decides to move in and that is when the story really takes off. I couldnt put the book down and now have to go pickup book 2. The series will be 6 books in total. There is also a contest at www.robertliparulo.com thatyou can write in and decide where you want to see the family go and he may use it in a future book in the series and give you credit. This book is not just for the YA crowd but for adults too.

Exciting and Fun for all ages!, May 20, 2008
This is the first book in Robert Liparulo's new Young Adult series. What does that mean, "Young Adult"? Basically it means that the book is shorter.

Don't be afraid though, in just 286 pages Liparulo manages to pack in enough creepiness, intrigue, excitement and fun that you'll swear it's a full blown novel.

"Young Adults" and adults alike will find something to love here, as Liparulo proves once again that he's a master of his craft. It's easy to identify with the King family, and anyone who's ever changed houses, schools or cities will be able to empathize with the memorable characters.

From Xander's resentment at his parents for moving him away from his friends (and girlfriend) to Ed (the father's) concerns for his new job and his family, it's easy to feel like you know the King's.

The settings are perfect, reading late at night gave me shivers as the creepiness of the King family's new home kicked into overdrive.

Simply stated, for the money you can't find a better book for parents and teens alike. Highly recommended.

Be sure to check out the second book, Watcher in the Woods: Dreamhouse Kings, Book #2 (Dreamhouse Kings) also.

Real page turner, May 16, 2008
A family moves to a small town in a house in the woods. Although the plot starts out like most generic thrillers, the author has spun a good story.
This is not my normal genre of reading but I found this book quite good. It kept my interest all the way through and piques my interest to read the rest of the upcoming series.
It may be written for young adults but it is still a good read for adults.

Good for "grown-ups" too, August 17, 2008
House of Dark Shadows is the first in the Dreamhouse Kings - a new series for young adults from Christian publisher Thomas Nelson. Young Alexander, Xander for short, and his family - the Kings, move from Pasadena to the small town of Pinedale when their father Edward accepts the position of principal at the Pinedale high school. The King family moves into an unsettling house with a dark history; a shadowed past that has made it a focal point for speculation and rumour amongst the townspeople of Pinedale.

It soon becomes apparent to the Kings that their move into the house has thrown them into a world where nothing is as it seems. Brothers Xander and David soon discover mysterious portals on a hidden third floor that seem to lead into the past. Unfortunately most of these portals lead into life-threatening scenarios - once entered into they require some effort to escape from.

The story moves at a brisk pace and readers soon find themselves contemplating the nature of the mysterious house and trying to unravel its mysteries. The chapters are short - 40 chapters to 283 pages of story, keeping the level of suspense high and the reader moving from one scene to the next. The entire story takes place in a very short time period, approximately one week. Once Liparulo has his hooks in the reader, he blazes through the story, bringing the action on at an unrelenting pace.

Aimed at teenagers, the writing style is easy to read and highly accessible. Though written for a young audience, adults who appreciate a suspenseful and unusual tale will also enjoy this series. An age appropriate discussion guide is also included to guide readers into further examination of the events and speculation about the mysteries of the house. While intense events are taking place all around them, the King family remains realistic. Sibling rivalry, teenage angst, self-absorption and day-to-day family squabbles are all presented realistically and woven into the dramatic storyline. Young readers are certain to empathize with these everyday occurrences and struggles that are intertwined with the highly unusual events the King family experiences.

Liparulo is well known for his work in the genre of thrillers, with several adult titles already published. While House of Dark Shadows is eerie and unsettling I didn't have any nightmares after reading it, and I'm not exceptionally brave. Most readers should be able to read this title without undue distress or horror depending upon their age and comfort levels.

While published by a Christian publisher and marketed to a Christian audience this title does not contain a strong faith message. Interviews with the author have indicated that when the series is viewed in its entirety readers will be able to see the message that Liparulo has written into the books, but that it will be subtle. The King family does include references such as to God, church, and creation, building a Christian worldview into the backdrop of the storyline. However, the plot does not focus on the characters' relationships with God, but rather the unusual events and struggles they encounter, as well as their changing family dynamics. Those without a Christian background will enjoy this work as much as Christian readers will.

With this first title the mystery has only begun. The cliffhanger ending leaves readers with a long list of questions and a minuscule list of answers. Thankfully readers can dive into the second book in the series, Watcher in the Woods, which has already been published. Unfortunately the third title, Gatekeepers, will not be available until January 2009.

Scary but hard to put down..., June 11, 2008
I haven't seen the Young Adult years in...years, but I can tell you that this series is SCARY even for adults. I finished House of Dark Shadows a little while ago and can testify that it's freakier than Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews and just about as scary as The Amityville Horror. Did I mention this book was scary, LOL? But I finished it. I just didn't read it at night. Seriously. And I'm thankful that my house has neither an attic or a basement or I wouldn't be able to sleep! I know it's just fiction, but while I was reading the story I was in it, so it seemed real to me. Too real.

So far I haven't found a spiritual element (like they didn't even pray when scared) but it's still an incredibly entertaining tale of horror. I dare say it ranks right up there with any number of scary secular novels. There is even some blood in the book. Did I mention it was scary? Bottom line...this is top notch fiction but it is tolerable even for big honking chickens like me. In fact, I want to read the next book right away...but it's dark outside, so that'll have to wait until tomorrow!

Home Isn't Always Where The Heart Is..., May 23, 2008
I am always looking for that next amazing young adult fantasy that will just leave me stunned. After racing through Robert Liparulo's HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS in roughly a day or two, I can say that I have found it.

The story blasts to a start with an insanely creepy prologue as we watch a mother ripped from her family by an unknown assailant, who then disappears deep within their own Victorian house -- not to be found again. Fast forward a bit, and we're watching the King family drive into the small town where this strange home resides. Soon, 15-year old Xander and his family are moving into the house, which is completely isolated from everything in a forest ripped straight from a horror movie. As they move in, strange things begin to happen, all leading up to the ultimately frightening climax...

Liparulo does a superb job building the suspense with this -- the first in the series. Splashed in is a bit of gothic horror, and even a little twinge of sci-fi, and you've got the perfect blend for a winner. The characters are developed well and are definitely convincing enough to read and adventure along with. the writing style is pretty crisp, and will have readers moving along pretty quickly.

All in all, this is a must have -- just be warned: once you finish book one, know that you are in for the long haul. The story is not even nearly resolved by the end of book #2, WATCHER IN THE WOODS. And the ending of HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS will definitely leave you gasping for the next installment. Here's to hoping more great things come from the series.

Not For Me, December 15, 2010
Fifteen-year-old Xander King wasn't at all happy to move from his home and friends in L.A. to a nowhere town in northern California. He felt like he was being exiled and made his displeasure well known to his parents. It didn't alter the fact that he found himself, along with his twelve-year-old brother David and nine-year-old sister Toria, shuffled off to Pinedale looking at houses with their parents. Until one morning, when one of the houses seemed to look back.

Xander felt the wrongness of the house...where sounds come from odd places and his family isn't always where they are supposed to be, but before he can formulate an objection, his father has purchased the house and they are moving in. Not even the history of the house, where thirty years previous a mother was ripped away from her family and the remaining family disappeared without a trace, dissuaded the Kings from the relocation.

As Xander and his brother explore the house and mysterious occurrences keep piling up, the house takes on a darker aspect and the danger increases, but ultimately it is a family secret that puts every one of the Kings at serious risk.

Creepy and atmospheric, Robert Liparulo kicks off this young adult horror/adventure series with gusto, blending a smooth narrative with a gift for story that is often genuinely disturbing and - admittedly - scary. Xander is a sympathetic young hero and his relationship with his brother David is one of the high points of the book. They are realistic in their curiosity and often casual disregard for danger, and the adolescent honesty of emotional expression was also very well represented.

Unfortunately, there were a few things that seriously impacted my enjoyment of the book. The Dreamhouse Kings Series seems to be, and this is strictly based on the first book, less episodic and more series-centric. In other words, House of Dark Shadows isn't a self-contained book with its own completed plot arc. Rather it seems to be the first chapter of the arc of the entire series, and as such it introduces you to the characters and conflict, but doesn't resolve anything. In fact, events just preceding the end lean me towards considering it a cliffhanger ending. It's not badly done, and the book ends at a point that felt natural instead of abrupt, but I loathe cliffhangers and I don't like many series-centric series. It's a style that just doesn't appeal to me (with one or two notable exceptions).

The other thing that bothered me is more plot-related than style-related. While I do believe the story to be scary and the characters likable, their actions left a lot to be desired. I expect a bit of dunderhead behavior from kids, but even with that, there were several times when the actions of Xander and David were on par with those of B-grade horror movie victims for their apparent lack self preservation. And I felt the entire premise and every action of their father's was unconscionable, unthinkable, and lacking in common sense. Towards the end I just wanted to smack him. Hard. Repeatedly.

I also felt that there weren't many surprises in the plot (the "big reveal" was neither big nor revealing when it happened), the pacing dragged a bit at the beginning and again in the middle, and there was an unexplained disparity between Xander's original reaction to the house and his latter curiosity for it. The lack of resolution, the cliffhanger, and the questionable character actions, though, were what really put me off.

I think that the series will have a wonderful following and even with the issues I had, I'll admit...it's the first book I've read in a very, very long time that creeped me out that much. The opening prologue was gut wrenching and powerful and there were others that were hair raising. That being said, and strictly because my preferences lie elsewhere, I just don't think that this series is for me.

Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.

One of the Creepiest Books in a Long Time, March 17, 2010
The King family's new house is seriously messed up. The linen closet is a portal to a school locker. The house can control sounds, making them seem closer or farther away at will. And the creepy noises in the middle of the night aren't always caused by the wind.

From the very first chapter, Robert Liparulo proves he's extremely capable of freaking you out. He brings a whole new level to your average "haunted house" story you can't even begin to imagine. Add relatable and realistic characters and this is easily one of the best young adult thrillers out there.

And then there's the ending. Let's just say you'll really, really want to read the sequels. ... Read more

Editorial Review

'Magic! Real Magic! Ever wanted to learn? We require someone with intelligence and a disciplined mind. Those well versed in fantasy novels and role playing games a plus. May need to travel.'

Little did James realize when he answered the ad in the paper that he would find himself in the middle of an adventure destined to test the limits of his intelligence and courage. Not given any explanation as to why he had been brought there, James, a high school senior, must learn to survive quickly or die as others before him.

He quickly realizes that knowledge gained from hundreds of books, as well as time spent role playing, will prove invaluable in his new circumstances.

This new world is one on the edge of war and only by learning to control the magic within himself will he be able to survive the trials ahead. With the help of a boy named Miko, the wits he was born with, and no small amount of luck, he sets out to discover what he must do and perhaps the architect of his being there.
... Read more

Reviews

Like a glass of water, May 30, 2006
This book is like a glass of water - refreshing , simple but colourless and tasteless .
You drink it and forget it .
There are 2 kinds of 2 stars ratings .
One kind is when you are angry because the writer really messed up and delivered a sub par piece of writing (Jordan anybody ?) .
The other is a happy rating because the book is simply worth it .

The Unsuspecting Mage belongs to the second category .
I have been for the first (and last) time mislead by advice on Amazon and actually bought the first 2 installements .
I read both books in about 7 hours , don't really regret it but won't be buying the sequels .

What are the weaknesses ?

There are many but all probably originate in the fact that what we got is a transcription of an AD&D session .

1)
There is no plot . Even if I wanted to give spoilers , I could not . James , a young student , crosses a door and finds himself in another world . He meets a magical character who tells him "Go to X ." and "I won't answer any questions ." . Then he disappears .
So James tries to find X and gets involved in fight every couple of days (of course he always winns) .
Between fights he sleeps in Inns and eats stew .
Sometimes he eats sliced goat . He also drinks ale .
After X he will go to Y .
And after Y to Z .
The places are not actually important , like in an AD&D session what is important is the travelling because it enables to set up ambushes what leads again ... to fights .

2)
The fights are despairingly identical .
A module of between 7 - 12 riders , brigands , thiefs , soldiers rush James .
He takes out 4 or 5 with magically propelled stones (later metal slugs) while his companions hack down the rest .
One almost hears a Dungeon master saying "Brigand 4 is touched by knife . Critical hit to femoral artery . He falls bleeding . Brigand 5 slashes with a sword at Miko . Miss . Your turn now James ..."

3)
James is a very bad AD&D player .
Example 1 : On one of his stops he goes looking for 2 missing persons (a peasant and a child) .
Using a magical compass he finds their location in an abandoned ruin where supposedly a necromancer lived once - typical AD&D situation .
He gets in a fight with a necromancer who turns out to be a girl from his world .
Interrupting her while she is trying to summon a demon he kills her and liberates the child .
Now what would every player do ?
In this very intriguing situation , it seems necessary to stay at that place and to find out why this girl was there . When did she come and how .
However James would not even ask the questions . He gets on his horse and rides away like if finding summoned demons and killing necromancers was as usual as eating a stew .

Example 2 : James goes on an errand while his friend Miko sleeps in an Inn . Getting back to the Inn he sees Miko tied up and gagged in the bed . Of course he enters the room and gets hit on the head by a horde of brigands standing behind him .
No worry , he'll escape easily by using some simple spells .
Yet a good AD&D mage player would never let himself surprise so stupidly .
He'd use a spell checking on unfriendly beings or alternatively leave a trap spell on the door when he has to leave his friend sleeping in an unknown and potentially hostile environment .
Yet James would never think of it .
Of course I understand why the author lets him to behave so stupidly - if James was never kidnapped (and boy does he get kidnapped often !) it would eliminate dozens of pages describing fights accompanying his liberation .
However stupidity always irritates .

4)
The worst part as far as I am concerned is the characterisation .
The characters are 2 dimensional , don't evolute , have no past , no motivation or psychology .
The villains are anonymous shadows whose role is to appear , slash with a sword and die
Even the main hero James is a hasty sketch with whom it is hard to identify .

In conclusion - if you have time and money to spend on a very simple account of a series of Ad&D modules , you will get here a refreshing and fast read that will put no stress on your little grey cells .
However it is not necessary to go beyond the first book .
The following will be only more of the same .
En evil God using an evil Empire as a tool stands in a fight with a good God using James as his tool .
Don't get concerned about the motivations - the evil God will be evil only for the fun of it and is there anyway only to provide a frame in which fights can take place .
After 124 000 ambushes , kidnappings and slashings James will prevail and return home with loot , XP and several new spell levels , ready for the next session with another evil God .

This is not a book, May 26, 2010
Like some reviewers said , this is not a book but a transcription of a computer D&D game .
Play for example Baldur's gate . Take notes of every single fight . Put it on paper and dilute with some descriptions .
The end result is this book .
Actually the most puzzling and interesting issue are the 5 star reviews because it is utterly impossible to rate this more than 2 stars for anybody who's used to fantasy litterature .
To be complete and to provide helpful information for eventual readers , it appeared to me necessary to review the 5 star reviewers and here are the results .

There are 15 of them .
- 8 (Bertramm , Donal Hicks , Gamma Man , Grad Student , John G.Pritchard , River Rat , Sven Bjorenson , Bj�rn Ostermann) have only reviewed this single book . What is the probability that a reader would write an enthousiastic 5 star review on the first volume of a series , say how much they looked forward to the next book and not review any of the sequels ? Right , 0 .
So all 8 are in reality Mr Pratt .
- Reggie is like the 8 above but wrote also another 2 line review . He is Mr Pratt .
- 2 (Diane A. Goins , Kevin Davenport) have reviewed only Mr Pratt's books and all of them . Of course all 5 stars . Their style is very similar and reproduces Mr Pratt's comments . With a very high probability both are Mr Pratt .
- Keril has written also 3 2 line reviews on Donaldson , Martin and Hobb . After the 2 lines he always added a warm recommendation for this book which is longer than the original "review" . He is clearly Mr Pratt .
- M.Thorsson is an interesting case . 153 reviews . All are "written" in one day , all rate 5 stars , consist of copy and paste and concentrate on whole series of unknown writers . This is probably not Mr Pratt but it is clearly a professional "improver" of ratings .
- Kadyra Reddick is like Reggie . A few 2 line reviews out of which 1 for this book . Posted at the same time like John G.Pritchard , River Rat and Bj�rn Ostermann . Probably Mr Pratt too .
- A Kids Review . Here it is impossible to check anything . With the benefice of doubt , this may be somebody else than Mr Pratt .

Summary : Out of 15 5 star reviews , 12 are Mr Pratt , 1 is very probably Mr Pratt , 1 is a professional rating "improver" and 1 may be a genuine 5 star Kid's review . I didn't review in detail the 4 stars ratings but a random check showed that some may be Mr Pratt too .
Last but not least . While this shows dedication from MrPratt what is a respectable thing , it may misguide some people who trust in the value of ratings . So for future visitors of this page , read also this review of reviewers .

Poor execution of scenes, April 25, 2010
While the premise of the book is of interest, the scenes in the book are very linear. The sub-plots resolve very simply, without any buildup of tension. If you think about, say, the LOTR trilogy, every scene is imbued with its own level of complexity and anticipation. That this book is meant for younger readers is not a worthy defense - the Percy Jackson/ Olympians series is sophisticated enough to attract older audiences as well. Usage of the present tense also makes reading challenging, without delivering any side benefit.

About Time, January 27, 2007
It's about time someone came out with a book that told the story of the common man. And that's what James is. The main hero is just a high school senior without any special abilities. He's not skilled in athletics, not a genius, has no special powers or that hereditary 'something' so many heroes have these days. The only thing that gives him an 'edge' over his adversaries is the common knowledge garnered while in our world.
You see, once he crosses over to the other world, he uses his knowledge of the physical world i.e. physics, biology, etc. to create potent spells. The author gives magic a more believable foundation than others have.
James has his doubts, worries, fears, yet he persevers through it all. Though it seems he's beset by enemies on all sides, he somehow maintains his sense of right and wrong. Just when you think he should kill someone to remove a threat, he's unable to do so because at the moment of choice, in his mind, it would be murder. And despite the consequences, James always does what he feels is right.
A good story with plenty of action.

Complete waste of time, September 8, 2010
This book is a complete waste of time. I was apprehensive about reading it, after reading the review, but I decided to give the book a chance anyway. It turned out the other reviewers were right. This book has action just of action's sake, no plot or character development. Most incidents are without rhyme or reason, and just there to make it an 'action book'. If you like reading asinine books, filled with mindless fights, this is for you, but for other readers with a more discriminating taste, try better authors like GRRM, Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, LeGuin etc.

Errm, July 16, 2010
If this was written by a High School Senior that took notes while playing a linear RPG (Say, Heroes of Might and Magic) and then put his notes into a book, this is what you would have. I can almost imagine the "pick how you would respond/reply to this situation" on screen. Do you A) go get help to get the cat from the roof (it's in there, yes, page 190), B) Help the kids throw rocks at the cat, or C) Scold the kids for being immoral and attempt to rescue the cat yourself. If you chose C, then this book is for you.

Spell-check no substitute for editing, September 28, 2009
I have been reading the Morcyth Saga books along with my 13-year-old son. We both are enjoying the story line. However, the text is riddled with errors that appear to be the result of relying on spell-check instead of actual proofreading or editing. This does not serve to help teenagers struggling with spelling to get a better grasp of what is correct. Further, some of the words are misused (again, a spell-check artifact). For example, "empirical soldiers" is used, when "imperial soldiers" should have been. Look up both adjectives, and you may burst out laughing. The list goes on, but you get the idea.

Good plot - too bad it has no editor!, July 2, 2006
As far as plot for a new fantasy goes, this book stands out well. But that's all this book has in its favor. There is very little character development, and James (the protagonist) lacks a lot as a hero. He can't be bothered to shout "climb a tree!" or "over here!" as one of his high school acquaintances is attacked (and killed) by wolves during his first night in a fantastic world - yet we're to believe he is a seasoned role-playing gamer and well-read in the realm of fantasy literature. In fact, James seems very proud of having read over a thousand fantasy novels. Oddly enough, the author makes the same boast on the back of the book... For an avid reader of SF and Fantasy to read one thousand books in twenty-five years seems reasonable (an average of forty books a year), but for a high-school student like James to have read the same number is far less credible. It seems clear that James is really meant to be the author, Brian Pratt, as he would picture himself. However, some of James' actions are so far out of character that I have difficulty with my suspension of disbelief. After all, a boy his age who finds himself in a fantasy world with his background should know better than to start killing animals for food right away. He learns early in this new world that all sorts of things can talk, yet doesn't wait to see if the rabbit he kills is more than just an animal. Later, James is very charitable and soft-hearted in many ways, but he never expresses the slightest thought of remorse or regret with killing people. He often jumps into a fight with "bandits" and slays them with his magic without ever learning if they really are bandits and murderers. As Mr. Pratt writes his story, James is always justified about his killings, both of animals and people. It is hard to conceive of such a situation. Wouldn't a child of this world who believes in the concepts of "right" and "wrong" (as James explains to his sidekick) think twice about so much killing?

James' sidekick, Miko, is a street orphan who seems to have an advanced vocabulary and relatively few street-smarts. Miko often speaks more like a college professor thans as a poor, uneducated orphan would in a medieval fantasy setting. I'm not referring to the content of Miko's speech, just his vocabulary and grammar. And for a street brat to be so open, honest, and forthcoming is unusual - he trusts strangers immediately and completely to the point where James repeatedly scolds Miko not to tell their business to strangers.

This book is written in the literary present tense, and that alone is a bit distracting. Most of the fantasy works I've read seem to be written in the past tense. Maybe this is one of the reasons I found it difficult to immerse myself in this book, because the plot really was well-conceived.

The biggest problem with this work is the sad lack of editing. There are so many misspellings (the word "lightning" is only spelled correctly once in the whole book, even though it is used many times - always spelled "lightening," for example). The author includes many run-on sentences, and doesn't use commas correctly. Often he includes commas where they don't belong and doesn't use them where they are needed. Mr. Pratt also doesn't seem to know how to use an apostrophe. He constantly mistakes "its" for "it's" and vice-versa, as well as "their" and "they're." His dedication refers to his students - I truly pray he doesn't teach English!

All said, I really enjoyed the plot but wish that the complete lack of proper writing skills didn't distract me from the story. I will read more of James's adventures, if only to see if the writing style and grammar skills improves.

EDIT: I tried to upgrade this review to three stars - I'm extremely impressed with Mr. Pratt - not only did he take the time to respond to my review, he also emailed me and explained that he is self-published and had no editor! Thank you, Mr. Pratt! I'll continue to read your future writings, with pleasure!

What a joke!, April 21, 2006
After the 40th time the book was recommended to me I decided that I should give it a try. Suffice to say that I'm still p..... off at myself 'cause I should have known better than to fall for it.
The whole book is written in present tense - which works just fine for fantasy role games, inner monologues, reviews and essays in elementary school but not for a novel. Word repetitions, the constant use of no-no words like "say", "do" and "is/are" and grammatical, spelling and typing errors are the icing on the cake. What was the editor thinking?! I'm not a native speaker but even I noticed!
Another weak point is the characters. James offers some identification potential because he is a fantasy geek and turns into a valiant hero but everything comes too easily to him - especially in the beginning he's outfitted like in a computer RPG (money, horses, comrades ...). Miko, his companion, is the typical auxiliary - true of heart, none too bright and asking convenient questions which help the reader to understand the story line. Consequently the dialogues are stilted and awkward. The rest of the cast fulfills every bloody clich? of the genre.
The plot could be straight out of a RPG, too. There's no pattern of rising action, climax and resolution, no complexity, no depth but a constant stream of little events that just happen to lead the hero to the next clue of his quest. Moreover the author pays overmuch attention to everyday details like haggling, sleeping and travelling arrangements, food purchases etc. It's not necessary to tell the reader about each roadside tavern and every market stall the hero comes across, especially if it doesn't serve any deeper purpose. It takes the flow out of the story and the way it's done doesn't even create much of an atmosphere. That's my next issue - the book lacks atmosphere. Descriptions of either characters or surroundings are inadequate and lifeless.
THE UNSUSPECTING MAGE by Brian S. Pratt is a cheap sham. My recommendation is to try Jim Butcher's FURIES OF CALDERON or Patricia Brigg's DRAGON BONES. Those novels are truly worth their money and will please teenagers and adults alike.

Please, please learn about plotting..., October 14, 2010
...and characterization. This book has no flow whatsoever. Some of the other reviews have it pegged... It is an rpg module. The character follows blindly off into a new world, rarely questioning things, not knowing where he is going, but seeming to know at every step where he must go. It sounds like James thought that the plot was unrefined and predictable as well.

It's not bad enough that the fight scenes are predictable, but the dialogue is as well. It is always the same... Character x says something, character y says I think it is this way because of this, character x says, I can see that point. There are so many literary atrocities associated with this book that I can't list them all, unless someone is going to pay me to do it, because it is just too painful to relive the reading of this book. Mr. Pratt just does not have the writing skills to pump out an interesting and hearty read although I have to give him props, he did create something so awful that I could not put it down because I wanted to see just how bad it was all the way to the end. By the time the "dungeon master" walked James through Disneyland in a Mickey Mouse suit, I was ready to poke something into my eye. ... Read more

Editorial Review

THIS JUST IN! Amy and Dan Cahill were spotted on a train, hot on the trail of one of 39 Clues hidden around the world. BUT WAIT! Police report a break-in at an elite hotel, and the suspects ALSO sound suspiciously like Amy and Dan. UPDATE! Amy and Dan have been seen in a car . . . no, in a speedboat chase . . . and HOLD EVERYTHING! They're being chased by an angry mob?!?

When there's a Clue on the line, anything can happen.

... Read more

Reviews

11 yr old son loved - loved - loved this book
First let me tell you that my son for the most part hates reading. Getting him to read was comparable to getting him to brush his teeth (11 yr old boy, need I say more). He is dyslexic therefore his reading avoidance is somewhat understandable. He loved this book. In fact, once he started reading, he was reluctant to stop. He really didn't get into the website, although he likes games; however, he did enjoy the plot and enjoys writings by Rick Riordan.

My 10 year old loves 39 Clues
After finishing the Harry Potter series my son and I didn't know what to read next. We got the first 39 clues and my son just loved it. It's not the writing and plot quality of HP but just enough suspense and mystery for a 10 year old boy!

service was excellent
The product was on time and arrived in the condition that was stated in the ad. Very pleased. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A New York Times bestseller!

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Look for CROSSED, the sequel to MATCHED, in Fall 2011! ... Read more

Reviews

Romantic and Thought Provoking, October 4, 2010

a great story with one thing that bothered me, November 23, 2010

A Perfect Match, October 14, 2010

Not enough dystopia, too much obsession over a boy., December 5, 2010
So it was okay. I wanted to read this book because I'm a sucker for dystopian novels, but the few clear dystopian details were really the only things I enjoyed in this book.

The setting: I like that there are tablets that people carry, particularly the green one, because I find it interesting that they would end up creating a society that can't really handle pressure naturally since they're accustomed to "handling" it by taking the calming green pill. To me, it reflects a little on the way our society handles medication for things like anxiety, and at the same time it would be interesting to analyze a society that took calming pills over even simple nerves. But the novel doesn't get that deep into the pills, not as much as I'd like it to.

The world, quite frankly, isn't all that clear to me. At some point, I thought the author was going to leave us in the dark on a lot of details, as is often the way with dystopian novels, but it's like she couldn't fully decide on a clear setting. I'm probably being nitpicky, as I often am, but I'm used to authors being very clear on what they want you to know and what they don't want you to know in order for you to fully grasp the world they've made. The author also unfortunately did not seem to know how to pace the information she *did* give us, because early on I felt overwhelmed with information that I didn't even understand.

The characters: Cassia is an annoying- sometimes infuriating- protagonist. The girl sees the wrong guy on her screen and then obsesses over him like crazy. She decides she's in love with him at a point that doesn't make sense. For a good while her obsession with him is over his ~mysterious~ background. In other words, she doesn't actually know what this kid is like (something she sort of acknowledges) but she's pretty much already chosen to throw everything away for him. The girl also jumps into a streak of rebellion pretty easily for someone who was so content with following the rules to begin with. It just wasn't convincing for me, and too much of Cassia's story was centered around obsessing over Ky so there came a point early on where I stopped caring about her. I love me some romance in any novel, but when it starts to feel like that's the only thing that matters then I get a little annoyed.

And we don't really get a well-fleshed out character for Xander either, but with the way Cassia was obsessing, and with how cheesy Ky was at times, I was starting to really hope she'd just go back to him in the end. Since that doesn't seem likely, I at least hope that someday he finds a girl that isn't as irritating as Cassia was.

The writing: This was just... bad. This was one of those books that often makes you want to say, "I don't think that word means what you think it means." It was also obvious that too often the author was trying to sound poetic, thoughtful, and deep, but instead came off as awkward and nonsensical. She often had "deep" thoughts that didn't fit well whenever she threw them in. It would be like, "I didn't tell dad about the (insert secret) and I felt wrong keeping a secret from him for the first time. But maybe we all keep secrets from each other?" or "It felt strange to be rebelling this way against rules I was previously accustomed to. But maybe we all rebel in some ways?" She kept tacking on some universal thought to her personal experiences and I couldn't help but laugh at how hard the author was trying to make her protagonist sound enlightened or thoughtful.

It isn't mind-meltingly horrible, but I'm not really interested in the sequel. I'd really rather not read any more situations in which Cassia obsesses over Ky for reasons I can't really comprehend. Try reading it if you must, but you're way better off going for The Hunger Games. Now *that* is a good dystopian novel/trilogy.

Ok book. Not hard to put it down though., December 2, 2010
I must say that this book is ok. However, it is not a book that I just have a really hard time putting down. You know how you just get so enthralled in a story and the characters that you just can't put it down. Or, if you do put it down for a few, then you are constantly thinking about it. In my opinion this book is not like that. To me this book goes exactly where you expect it to go. I really like the characters. But the plot is typical. The middle is so slow and in spots a little boring. I will say I was glad when I finally got to the end. However, the ending was exactly what I expected. I have novels that never get old no matter how many times I read them. This is definitely not one of them. I will probably end up selling my copy or giving it to my sis-n-law.

Nooo! Please don't end yet!, September 26, 2010

A blatant "The Giver" rip-off, November 30, 2010
First thing first. I think Ally Condie owes at least half of her seven-figures paycheck to Lois Lowry. The entire dystopian world is lifted directly from Lowry's "The Giver." Almost everything interesting in "Matched" is very familiar - the idea of highly controlled Society (the Community in "The Giver"), the prearranged Matches, uniform clothing, the pills suppressing emotions, predetermination of everyone's life course, euthanized elderly, regulated personal possessions, the precision of the language, the family structure. The list goes on and on... What Condie adds of her own is too often doesn't make much sense - people are not allowed/can't write, but they know how to read and operate computers; Matches and procreation are controlled but teens can still snog around a bit; and what is the sorting job all about, I still have no idea. I am not the biggest fan of "The Giver" our there, but that novel had a horrifying, structured, world hiding behind its simplistic language. What hides behind the words of "Matched" is sheer emptiness. And boredom and unoriginality.

If all "borrowed" dystopian ideas are stripped away, what is left is a tepid, G-rated teen romance affair with an obligatory love triangle and magical love connections. Even the male love interests are the same old tired cliches - a sweet and loyal best friend type and a mysterious, hurt, emo type quoting poetry. Yawn! Yawn! Yawn!

Ally Condie's writing is serviceable enough. So are the characters. No male character requires a restraining order against him, no female - a head check for putting up with abusive crap. But is this (and a pretty cover) really a recipe for success these days? There is nothing in this novel to get excited over. There is no urgency to Condie's writing, no passion. Just dull characters, dull relationships, dull conflicts, dull conversations...

I can't whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone, it simply doesn't offer anything new or noteworthy. But some fans of lukewarm-romance-driven stories like "Birthmarked" or "Beautiful Creatures" might enjoy it I suppose.

Do I really need to say I am not coming back for more?

Good, but not great, December 1, 2010
***mild spoilers ahead***

I really wanted to like this novel. Really. I had it on my wish list for a while and pre-ordered it to download on my Kindle yesterday. I read all the buzz and the recent positive review in EW. The problem is that I just didn't really like it for a couple of reasons. But first, what is good about it:

Cassia: Cassia is very well developed character and I did believe her struggles and confusion. I found her to be a very real and believable heroine

The Matching Banquet: I loved reading about this and it was a great start to the novel. I love dystopian fiction and I thought the description of the matching banquet was great.

The poetry: I'm a fan of Dylan Thomas

Unfortunately, not much else jumps out at me as being particularly good. First off, I felt like I had read this before. The society seems to be pulled straight from Lois Lowry's The Giver. There are a lot of similarities, almost too many: the killing of the elderly, the assignment of jobs, the medication to suppress emotion to name a few. The differences seemed to be pulled from other stories. The officials reminded me of official type characters from any number of books, including The Hunger Games, The Uglies etc. Worst of all, the ending was so similar to George Orwell's 1984 that it was completely predictable. It did not surprise me in the least. There were other things that I think were supposed to be reveals that were easily figured out. For example, it was painfully obvious to me what the function of the red pill was.

I think the most egregious fault of the story, and the reason I can't give it more than 3 stars, is that it was boring. It really, really dragged in the middle and there was not a sufficient payoff at the end for the pace of the middle. I finished the book not really caring about the sequel. I may read it, but I won't eagerly be anticipating it.

Overall I was disappointed - maybe all the hype led me to expect a better book. I'm glad I read it and it is worth reading if you read as much as I do, but it isn't at the top of any of my lists and I'm not eager to reread it as I am with many novels.

Matched: Enjoyable, but no Hunger Games..., December 7, 2010
Matched by Ally Condie was a very highly anticipated book for 2010. Seven different publisher bid for this book, while two movie studios tried to option the rights to the book. It was supposed to be a mix of The Hunger Games and Twilight.

I just finished Matched but there are some problems with the book. I, being a huge Hunger Games fan, was expecting a lot of action, but there was none. What author Ally Condie did was take the setting of Hunger Games, the perfect world of The Giver, and the romance aspect of Twilight. Sorry, Twifans, there are no sparkly vampires here.

Matched is about a girl named Cassia Reyes, who has just been "matched" with her best friend, Xander. She is given a microcard with all of Xander's information on it, and when she inserts it into the computer, a different face appears, the face of Ky Markham.

The book may be called Matched, but I must say that the Matching has only a little part of the book. Most of the book is Cassia trying to figure out how to destroy a poem, hiking on a mountain with Ky, and choosing between Ky and Xander. The romance aspect of this book is actually fantastic, Condie captures teen lust and want perfectly.

The book was really slow, but picked up during the last 15%(I read on my Kindle). It totally set it up for the sequel, Crossed, due to come out November 1st, 2011. I will definitely be reading it, because I can tell that this book was the base for the series, and it will most likely pick up and get more interesting, with more action.

If you are a huge fan of The Hunger Games, you might be disappointed. I still would recommend this book to any YA reader who wants a good romance.

3/5 Stars.

A Dystopian love story for teens..., October 15, 2010