The Icebound Land

Goodreads Synopsis:    Kidnapped after the fierce battle with Lord Morgarath, Will and Evanlyn are bound for Skandia as captives aboard a fearsome wolfship. Halt has sworn to rescue Will, and he will do anything to keep his promise–even defy his King. Expelled from the Rangers he has served so loyally, Halt is joined by Will's friend Horace as he travels toward Skandia. On their way, they are challenged constantly by freelance knights–but Horace knows a thing or two about combat. Soon he begins to attract the attention of knights and warlords for miles around with his uncanny skill. Even so, will they be in time to rescue Will from a horrific life of slavery?






My Thoughts:

-    These books are so amazing! I can't praise them enough!

-    This book breaks my heart, but it also mends it again. What happens to Will is so sad, and if you don't cheer and cry a little bit at the end, you have no soul.

-    I loved getting to know Evanlyn better, and I love how strong and determined she is. Even though she has lived a life of luxury, she doesn't cower away from hardship. She endures hard things with dignity and bravery. I love that about her. 

-    I also loved getting to know Erak's character. He is a strong and fearsome dude, but he also has a gentle side, but not too gentle. 

-    I loved the interactions between Horace and Halt. Their part in the story was a welcome reprieve from all the terrible stuff Will and Evanlyn were enduring. The humor between Halt and Horace cracked me up! 

-    I admire Halt's loyalty to Will. He did whatever it took to go after him. 

-    Even though I've read this before, I still couldn't read fast enough. The story is so gripping, and I just have to read what happens next. 

Previous Ranger's Apprentice Books

 

The Burning Bridge

From Goodreads:    Bracing for a final clash with the evil warlord Morgarath, the Rangers rally the kingdom's allies, and Will is chosen, along with his friend Horace, as special envoys to nearby Celtica. But the simple mission soon takes an unsettling turn - the Celticans have disappeared, their town abandoned. The scheming hand of Morgarath, it seems, has been far from idle. He has found a way to bring his legions over the once impassible eastern mountains and is planning to ambush the king's army in a rout. Now with help many miles away, Will and Horace are the only ones standing in the way of the dark lord's plans.They have shown great skill and courage in their training, but how will they fare in the face of true evil?

With bigger battles and higher stakes, John Flanagan's epic adventure charges ahead with this rousing follow-up to The Ruins of Gorlan.

My Thoughts:

-    These books are thought out so well. The plot, the characters, the dialogue, etc. Everything is done so well. 

-    I loved the interactions between Horace and Will. These boys that used to be rivals are now close friends, and I've really enjoyed seeing their friendship developed.

-    I liked getting to know Gilan better. He is a fun character. 

-    I loved the introduction of Evanlyn, and I liked that she wasn't useless. She fit right in with Horace and Will, and she was a great asset to them. I also love her snarky personality compared to the boys. 

-    The war planning and tactics are so much fun! John Flanagan is brilliant!

-    One of my favorite things about this series is the humor. I laughed out loud several times, especially with some of Halt's shenanigans. Halt's interactions with Alice were the best!

-    The ending is very exciting and thrilling, but also a little sad. That last scene with Halt just breaks my heart. 

-    I love these books! They are one of my favorite series ever! I will own all of them someday! 

Previous Ranger's Apprentice Book

Rebel Angels

Goodreads Synopsis:    Ah, Christmas! Gemma Doyle is looking forward to a holiday from Spence Academy, spending time with her friends in the city, attending ritzy balls, and on a somber note, tending to her ailing father. As she prepares to ring in the New Year, 1896, a handsome young man, Lord Denby, has set his sights on Gemma, or so it seems. Yet amidst the distractions of London, Gemma's visions intensify. Visions of three girls dressed in white, to whom something horrific has happened, something only the realms can explain. . . . 
The lure is strong, and before long, Gemma, Felicity, and Ann are turning flowers into butterflies in the enchanted world of the realms that Gemma alone can bring them to. To the girl's great joy, their beloved Pippa is there as well, eager to complete their circle of friendship. 
But all is not well in the realms or out. The mysterious Kartik has reappeared, telling Gemma she must find the Temple and bind the magic, else great disaster will befall her. Gemma is willing to do his intrusive bidding, despite the dangers it brings, for it means she will meet up with her mother's greatest friend and now her foe, Circe. Until Circe is destroyed, Gemma cannot live out her destiny. But finding Circe proves a most perilous task.

My Thoughts:

-    This is a rare occurrence where I enjoyed the second book more than the first. I liked the first book a lot, but this one was a step up. 

-    This story is the perfect mash up of Victorian young ladies worried about their social standings and dangerous magical realms. It is so cleverly put together. I love it!

-    I was able to figure out certain plot points, but I was still intrigued and surprised. The story telling is really well done.

-    I love how vivid and visual this book is. It was so easy to get lost in Gemma's world.

-    The characters are all complex, and enjoy reading about each one. Felicity is such a brat and very annoying at times, but she has redeemable qualities, and Gemma really needs a go getter like her. I like quiet and uncertain Ann, but I wish her character could develop a bit more confidence.

-    This series is so underrated. It deserves more attention and love. I wish I hadn't waited so long to read these. 

Previous Gemma Doyle book

(cover is linked)

Holiday Princess

From Goodreads:    A princess always knows how to celebrate the holidays. There's Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule, Chinese New Year, Saturnalia . . .to name just a few.

Then there's gift giving, the royal Genovian Fabergé advent calendar, hot chocolate with marshmallows -- oh, and all those fabulous holiday movies. How will YOU celebrate this holiday season? Mia and her subjects have a few ideas.

My Thoughts:

-    I think it is weird and funny that this is a YA Non-Fiction book. Who categorizes these?

-    This wasn't as entertaining and informative as Princess Lessons.

-    The illustrations are really fun! The characters illustrated remind me of Audrey Hepburn, and I love that!

-    I liked the Christmas around the world chapter. It was fun to read how all the different countries celebrate Christmas and what they believe. 

-    This book really isn't 10.1. It belongs earlier in the series. It doesn't really add to the series or anything. It is kind of a random side thingy. 

Previous Book in The Princess Diaries Series:

(covers are linked)

  
  
  
  
  

Princess in Training

Goodreads Synopsis:    High school sophomore Princess Mia records in her diary her struggles with geometry, the expectations of being a college student's girlfriend, running for president of the student council, and a potential ecological disaster in her native land, Genovia.











My Thoughts:

-    Mia is such a spaz! She freaks out over everything! GROW UP ALREADY!!

-    The content is not appropriate for the target audience. I wouldn't want my teen daughter freakin' out about sex at that age, or thinking that it's normal.

-    I know Mia and Michael's age difference won't be an issue when they are older, but right now when Mia is in high school and Michael is in college, I just don't think their relationship is okay right now. Mia is still a minor!! 

-    I'm glad people are FINALLY calling Mia out on her over thinking things and being a spaz!

-    Are Frank and Mia ever going to develop a father/daughter relationship? Mia still calls him Mr. G? You'd think they would try to bond a little, especially since they live in the same apartment. Their awkward relationship is weird.

Previous Book in The Princess Diaries Series:

(covers are linked)

  
  

Vampire Knight: Volumes 1 - 5

Goodreads Synopsis:    Yuki Cross has no memory of her past prior to the moment she was saved from a vampire attack ten years ago. She was adopted by the headmaster of Cross Academy, and now works alongside Zero to guard the Academy's secret. Cross Adademy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy's dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!




My Thoughts:

-    This was a great first volume to the series. The characters are very compelling, and I'm very intrigued by the story.

-    The text varies sizes a lot. It is kinda weird.

-    I wish this was in color. The illustrations are beautiful, and I want to see the character's eye color and hair color. The eyes are so big and awesome.

-    Do we really need to be reminded that the night class is for vampires every chapter/book? It is getting old.


From Goodreads:    Yuki and Zero go into town to do some shopping for the Headmaster, and they are attacked by a fiendish vampire called a "Level E". Two Night Class students, Takuma Ichijo and Senri Shiki, come just on time and slay it, and invite Yuki and Zero to their dormitory at midnight to find out why they killed one of their own kind...










My Thoughts:

-    I loved learning more about the vampires in this volume. The lore and hierarchy are very interesting. 

-    Why do mangas have to have the mentor that is flamboyant one second and super serious the next? This is popular in a lot of mangas and animes.

-    It is hard to tell some of the vampires apart. They look and sound so similar. 

-    I am craving more!! I'm seriously hooked!


Goodreads Says:    Kaname, the pureblood vampire, has kept to his room since learning of Yuki and Zero's forbidden act. However, the arrival of Ichijo's grandfather brings the entire Night Class together to greet one of the oldest vampires on the senate. Ichijo's grandfather says he's there merely to visit his grandson, but he's out for Kaname's blood.









My Thoughts:

-    I loved seeing more of Kaname and Yuki's history in this volume! What is up with those two?

-    I want to know what is going on in Kaname's head. He is so stoic and mysterious.

-    The new girl is definitely trouble!

-    The boy vampires all look the same, except Kaname. They need name tags! Even then, I don't think it would help.


From Goodreads:    Zero warns Yuki to stay away from Maria Kurenai, the new Night Class transfer student, although he won't tell Yuki why. Kaname is also wary, and he sends Ichijo to watch Maria so she doesn't start trouble. Who is this girl, and why does she have the entire Night Class on edge










My Thoughts:

-    I really like the cover on this one.

-    Whoa! Just whoa! The things this volume reveals is intense and crazy!


Goodreads Synopsis:    Zero is suspected of killing Shizuka Hio, the pureblood vampire who murdered his family. Incensed, the vampire senate sends assassins to Cross Academy to execute him. Will the Night Class intervene, or will Kaname let Zero take the fall?











My Thoughts:

-    Things are getting tense in the vampire world. I can't turn pages fast enough.

-    What is Kaname planning!?!? I feel like everything is part of this elaborate plan he has, but what is the goal? 

-    Zero is fighting his instincts, but he is still dangerous. I don't know if I trust him.

-    What is going on with Aido?

-    So many questions!! I need answers!

The Sea of Monsters

Dust Jacket Says:    Percy Jackson's seventh grade year has been surprisingly quiet. Not a single monster has est foot on his New York prep-school campus. But when an innocent game of dodgeball among Percy and his classmates turns into a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants, tings get . . . well, ugly. And the unexpected arrival of Percy's friend Annabeth brings more bad news: the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and unless a cure is found, the only safe haven for demigods will be destroyed.

In this fresh, funny, and hugely anticipated follow-up to The Lightning Thief, Percy and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their beloved camp. But first, Percy will discover a stunning new secret about his family - one that makes him wonder whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor, or simply a cruel joke. 

My Thoughts:

-    This was fun, funny, and adventurous!

-    I really like how Percy and Annabeth encounter a lot of the same things Odysseus from The Odyssey did. 

-    I like how modernized the old Greek mythology is, and I like how the author explains certain modern things as part of the mythology. 

-    Tyson was a great addition to the story. I really enjoyed his character. He made me laugh, and I kinda have a soft spot for under dogs.

-    We can start to see Percy growing as a hero, and I'm looking forward to more character development for him.

-    I know a fair amount of Greek mythology, and it makes the books more fun. I'm also glad the characters explains some of the stories that relate to their quest. I'm learning new things!

-    I think I liked this one a little more than the first book, and I'm excited for the next ones! 

Previous Book in the Series
(cover is linked)

The Lightning Thief

From Goodreads:    Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

My Thoughts:

-    The writing style is very easy to read. The story just flows, and it doesn't feel like reading.

-    The chapter titles were funny and clever. 

-    Of course Percy's dad is Poseidon! Duh! It bugged me that it took so long for everyone to figure that out! Hello! It was so obvious!

-    I like Annabeth and Grover a lot. I would choose them if I was going a quest.

-    I like how modernized the ancient Greek gods and monsters were. It was fun to see certain characters brought to life in today's world.

-    I'm hoping for more action in the next books. 

Batman Begins

My Thoughts:

-    This is a great movie!  It isn't entirely accurate, but I enjoy it!  I think they captured the essence of Batman.

-    Christian Bale is a really good Batman, but the 90s animated Batman will always be the best one!

-    I LOVE LOVE LOVE Michael Caine as Alfred!!

-    They cast Jim Gordon perfectly as well!  

-    The action sequences are a lot of fun to watch, and they keep you on edge!  It makes me want to play Batman: Arkham Asylum.

-    I think Liam Neeson did a fantastic job, as usual, but I don't like him as a bad guy.  He is too awesome to hate.  I think Ken Watanabe should have been the real Ra's Al Ghul.  

-    Some of the dialogue is a just great!  The banter between Bruce and Alfred and Fox makes me laugh!  There are very fun quotable lines int his movie!

-    Batman has this "no kill" rule, and he doesn't break it, but he sure bends it a lot!

-    In a nutshell, the casting was amazing, the story is great, the action is great.  It is a fun movie!

Hubby's Thought:

-    Tyson's dad could play Jim Gordon.

Tyson's Thoughts:

-    I did notice that Batman destroys a lot of the city before saving it.

-    It needs a good lady, like Batgirl or Catwoman.

The Book Thief

From Goodreads:    It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery....

Narrated by Death, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a young foster girl living outside of Munich in Nazi Germany. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist – books. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever they are to be found.

With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, Liesel learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids, as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

My Thoughts:

-    There are no words to describe the beauty of this book.  It is the most beautiful book I have ever read.  No matter how many times I read it, I cry, and I fall in love all over again.

-    I completely understand Liesel's love of books and words.  I also understand how she could hate them.

-    I didn't enjoy some of the language in the book.  There were a lot of names flying around that made me squirm a little.

-    I LOVE LOVE LOVE Max's gifts to Liesel.  I love that the illustrations are included in the book.  They were really well done, and I felt like they really were from Max.

-    Oh the characters and the love I feel for each one of them.  Hans Hubermman is one of my favorite characters in all of literature!  I can't even tell you how much I love this man.  Liesel steals my heart.  I just want to dive into the book and hold her and protect her.  Rudy...I can't even say.  Rudy was wonderful.  Max was inspirational, and my heart aches for him.  Ilsa Hermann was a bit of a silent heroine.  She was so kind and forgiving.  Rosa Hubermman was hilarious and awesome.  All the characters were wonderful, and I feel so emotionally attached to each one.  Every character is so real!

-    Even though I know what is going to happen at the end, I sob!  I cant help it.  I feel like a little piece of my heart is breaking.  

-    I love that the narrator of the story is Death!  It is so fitting, and it sets the perfect mood for the book.  It is one of the elements that make the story so beautiful.

-    This story is so emotional and brilliant!  It is expertly executed and beautifully written.  It is a unique piece of art that everyone should read!!  I think The Book Thief is timeless, and people will be falling in love with it for forever!

Death Note: Contact

From Goodreads:    Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal...or his life?

Contact
Light has always been confident in his ability to outthink everyone, but L's proteges are proving to be more of a challenge than he anticipated. The more Light mentally maneuvers, the tighter the net around him becomes. And now Near and Mello are working to break the taskforce apart and expose Kira from within! Light has always held up under pressure in the past, but will the stress of this new line of attack and the strain of maintaining three different personalities be the beginning of his end?

My Thoughts:

-    There are some tense moments in this one!

-    Light is heartless!!  He is also a good actor.  I would not be able to hold it together in some of these situations, especially with family.

-    It blew my mind for a minute that there were 3 Death Notes, but Rem had 2, so that makes sense. 

-    I still miss L.  It just isn't the same without him.

-    I think if Mello and Near worked together more, they could catch Kira in no time!

Series Info:

Contact is the 9th volume of the Death Note series.  Click on the covers of previous volumes for my thoughts on them.