Tomb Raider: The Ten Thousand Immortals by Dan Abnett & Nik Vincent

Today's review will be about:

THE SUMMARY

IN THE WAKE OF YAMATAI'S ENDURING EVIL, LARA IS THRUST INTO A DANGEROUS WEB OF MYSTERY AND INTRIGUE.

Lara Croft wants only to put her horrifying ordeal no Yamatai island behind her. Her modest wish shatters as she's plunged into a frantic race to save Sam. Desperate for a remedy, Lara searches for anything that could help her. A wisp of hope arising from a myth gives Lara purpose: the story of an ancient and mysterious artifact that could heal her friend, and possibly help explain the supernatural events she witnessed on Yamatai.

However, Lara is not alone in her pursuit of the treasure. A nefarious magnate, a shadow society, and lethal henchmen will stop at nothing to exploit the powerful relic for their own ends. The hunt drives Lara across the globe, through a twisted web of conspiracy, suspicious contacts, and life-or-death intrigue, as she seeks salvation for her friend and the truth behind the legendary talisman.

MY REVIEW

I'm sure that many of you were in my shoes when you heard that a new Tomb Raider game was coming out; I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy! A new Lata Croft, younger than the others, with actual realistically sized boobs?! Count me in!

The first Lara vs. the new Lara. It's amazing to see how much technology has advanced!

I've been a Lara Croft fan since a very young age. I used to watch my dad play the Tomb Raider games, dodging boulders, climbing up cliffs, and even admiring the amazing scenery (when we weren't defending ourselves from bad guys and animals, that is), and I always had time to watch him discover new tombs and artifacts that held a part of Earth's history. I was beyond delighted when I played the game, finding that Lara and her adventures were almost exactly how I remembered them. (I didn't remember them being THAT intense, though.)

"I hate tombs..."
Nice little joke here... :)

It must be no secret to you now that I loved the new game, so when I heard that there was going to be a book about the time following Yamatai, you bet your bucket I ran to the bookstore to secure myself a copy.

This is from a comic book that also came out and is also about Lara after Yamatai. The art style is amazing, and it tells an amazing story.

I'm pleased to announce that this book has everything that a Tomb Raider book should; action, adventure, persistent bad guys, and an artifact that will take your breath away.
Lara's state of mind was the thing that caught me off guard when I read this book. Any loud noise could send her into a state of shock, unable to do much of anything until it passes. I guess I didn't think much about what Lara was going through after she crashed on Yamatai. Since I was only experiencing it through the screen, I wasn't able to see that the things that she was doing would make anyone go insane, let alone have PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).

This is part of the video game. Yes, that is blood, and yes, it is disgusting.

The only thing that I didn't like about this book was the ending. It seemed to come too easily, and I think that they could have easily made another 100 pages or so (or even another book) instead of ending it. So if you are going to read this book, just keep that in mind.
In conclusion, if you are a Tomb Raider fan like me, you need to read this book. Bad ending aside, I couldn't seem to put this book down. I even missed my stop on the bus one day because I was so stuck in its world!

A LITTLE EXCERPT

"The sound came without any warning. The sharp, loud bang of a rifle firing a single shot at close quarters.
Lara knew the sound. The sudden shock of it shattered her peace of mind.
Her heart started to hammer hard in her chest. She could feel the sweat break out on her forehead and between her shoulder blades. Her throat felt constricted. Her hands began to flutter as she closed the Book. It dropped to the floor, forgotten.
"Please, no!" she said to the empty room. "Not again. I don't need this again." She got up and started to pace. She tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry. She shook out her tingling hands. Her chest felt impossibly tight.
"Damn it, Lara, breathe," she gasped. "Don't let yourself-"
Too late.
She was back on the island. On Yamatai. A hellish storm raged all around her. Lightning flashed. Thunder roared. The rain fell in sheets, hard as hail. She wove her way through the jungle. Sam was missing. All she could think of was her friend. She had to find her friend.
As she approached the monastery, a great fork of lightning lit up the corpses of dozens... hundreds of men. A thunderclap rolled in across the ocean and reached a crescendo right over Lara's head, crashing around her, deafening her, and leaving a tang of ozone in the air.
When the air shock had passed, she studied the bodies for a moment. Recent kills, still bloody, lay on top of older, skeletal remains. She tried not to think about how they had met their deaths. She threaded a path through them and entered the monastery."

Well, that's all for now!

See you next time!

~Sea-Solo

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Watch the trailer for the new (2015) Tomb Raider game!

Wake by Amanda Hocking

Today's review will be about:

THE SUMMARY

Enter the world of Watersong, a place of breathtaking beauty,
immortal power - and terrifying secrets.
Gemma Fisher seems to have it all - she's carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He's always been just a friend, but this summer they've taken their relationship to the next level, and now she's falling harder for him every day. But Gemma doesn't know that her ordinary life is about to change forever.
Penn, Lexi, and Thea are strangers in town for the summer - and they've been watching her. Three sisters with mysterious powers, they invite Gemma to join their exclusive circle, and it changes her in ways she never imagined. Suddenly she's stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she is forced between staying with those she loves - or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

MY REVIEW

I actually found this series when I was shopping at Smith's with my mom. I unknowingly picked up the second book, Lullaby, which had a sticker on front that said "signed", and I really liked the back summary, so I got it. You can imagine my surprise when I figured out that I had bought the second one. One year later, and I've finally read the first book! Yay!
Like the summary above says, main character Gemma has it all. A cute, nerdy boyfriend, beautiful looks, a future career in swimming, etc. What the summary doesn't say, however, is how good this book really is. It's got mystery, romance, mythology  (you all know how much I LOVE that!), family drama, and a lot more wrapped up in a well designed spine and cover. (the picture above doesn't show this, but the cover has a layer that makes it look like rays of sun are going through the water. It's pretty to look at.)

This is what the cover looks like IRL.

Let's start with Gemma, our heroine and main gal. She loves to swim, like a LOT. Almost every night she goes down to the bay by her house and swims in the water, and every morning she gets up and goes to swim practice to train for the Olympics. Due to all of this swimming, she has that golden tan that girls would pay for, and blonde streaks through her dark hair from chlorine. Like many teenage heroines, she has a rebellious side, and she brushes aside her family's concerns about her swimming at night. She says that swimming at night is like floating in a cloud, there seems to be no border between sea and sky. I don't know about you, but reading that made me want to drive to a beach and just spend a day watching the tides come in, listen to their soft shhh as they slide along the sand...
-happy sigh- That's the life... :)

This is a poster that you can get from the hardcover version, I think.

Okay! Back to the review!
Gemma has this great older sister named Harper who reminds me a lot of myself. She went all through her school years without a boyfriend, works at a library, and is EXTREMELY protective of her sister. Since their mom got in an accident a couple of years before, Harper has been the mom of the family, from taking care of Gemma and their dad to doing the laundry and cleaning up the house. She even stops during her lunch break to give their dad his lunch that he frequently forgets. Other than Gemma, Alex, and her dad, she has a couple of people that she interacts with. One of them is a guy who lives in a boat near where her dad works, and during the book you really get to understand him better.
On to my personal favorite: Alex. He's been friends with Harper for ten years, ever since he moved into the house next door, but during this book you get to see his and Gemma's relationship really get into the next level. You'll be able to see in the excerpt below just how awkward he is, plus he's a huge nerd, which just makes me love him as a character even more. When Gemma transforms into something else, he's the one that she talks to about it, and that's because you really get the sense that he's one of those people who you can trust to just be yourself around, you don't have to put on a strong face.
All in all, I loved this book and its never-ending ties to the ocean. I'm not usually into romantic dramas or anything like that, but I would say that even if you don't like that sort of book, you should give this one a try. Trust me, it's worth every page.

And yes, I do know how perfect this book is for my blog. It's got waves and ocean, my theme's ocean.... Hahahahaha...

Well done.

A LITTLE EXCERPT

""The stupid piece of junk won't run." Gemma gestured to the rusty compact and stepped over to where Alex stood on his lawn. "I've only had it for three months, and it's dead already."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Alex said. "Do you need help?"
"You know something about cars?" Gemma raised an eyebrow. She had seen him spend plenty of time playing video games or with his nose stuck in a book, but she'd never once seen him under the hood of a car.
Alex smiled sheepishly and lowered his eyes. He had been blessed with tan skin, which made it easier for him to hide his embarrassment, but Gemma knew him well enough to understand that he blushed at almost anything.
"No," he admitted with a small laugh and motioned back to the driveway where his blue Mercury Cougar sat. "But I do have a car on my own."
He pulled his keys out of his pocket and swung them around his finger. For a moment he managed to look slick before the keys flew off his hand and hit him in the chin. Gemma stifled a laugh as he scrambled to pick them up."

Well, that's all for now!

See you next time!

~Sea-Solo

EXTRA! EXTRA!

To find out more about Amanda Hocking and the Watersong series, visit this site:
http://www.worldofamandahocking.com/

The Coming of the Dragon by Rebecca Barnhouse

Today's review will be about:

THE SUMMARY

When he was a baby, Rune washed up onshore in a boat. Some people thought he was a sacrifice to the gods and wanted to send him right back to the sea. Luckily for Rune, King Beowulf disagreed. He gave the boy to Amma, a wisewoman living on a farm, to raise as she saw fit.
Sixteen years later, Rune spends his summers laboring on the farm. He goes to the king's hall each winter for weapon's training. Many people still fear he will bring a curse on the kingdom. Then a terrible thing happens. On a lonely crag on the giants' mountain, someone awakens a dragon. It is time for Rune to find the warrior inside himself and prove to the doubters once and for all that he is a true hero.

MY REVIEW

I first got introduced to this series through my Medieval Literature class at school, and I've got to say, this series is a diamond in the rough. Not a lot of people know about it, and that makes me super sad. It's too good not to share!

For those of you who didn't read my review on Peaceweaver (which can be found here), the companion to this book, let me assure you that you do not have to read the long tale that is Beowulf before reading this one (I mean, you can... That would give you special bragging rights and such), and you don't have to know much about Norse mythology before either. Like I said in my Peaceweaver review, if you watched the movies Thor and Thor: The Dark World, you'll be fine.

Plus, you get to see this handsome devil. Oh Loki, how we love you.

On the surface, the main character, Rune, is just a normal farmhand who lives with his adoptive mother, Amma. From the get-go, however, you get to see what is not so "normal" about him. For one, he was found on the shore in a basket, sort of like Moses from the Bible. In the basket with him was an amulet with runes carved on it (hence the name), and a sword that we believe was his fathers'. In the winter he is set apart from the other boys in training, and instead is taught to use the sword and shield by Beowulf's finest instructor. So clearly there is something different about Rune, and in this book we get to figure out exactly what it is that sets him apart from the rest.

I really grew to love Rune as a character. He has a natural curiosity and courage that I just adore, along with some awkwardness because of who he is: Rune, the boy who showed up in a basket. He also has a lot of wisdom for a teen his age. He would surprise me by going against tradition and actually thinking about the situation, no matter what someone else said, to keep people safe. He's one of those people that you wish was a leader because they certainly have the brains and wisdom to do so, but the crown always goes to the town idiot.

Yeah, I'm talking about you, Joffrey.

All in all, if you're a fantasy nerd like me, you need to read this book. It's got action, it's got adventure, it's got wisdom, it's got mythology, and most importantly, it's got heart.

A LITTLE EXCERPT

"Above a farm, a black shape rent the sky. Like a dark ribbon blowing in a breeze, it undulated through the air, then straightened and shot toward the farmhouse. Fire streaked from it. The thatched roof blazed in sudden flames, and two tiny figures raced from the door. The thing wheeled and turned, beating heavy wings and retching forth more fire. Both figures fell.
Rune's body turned to ice. It was the worst thing he could imagine. A dragon.
Someone had awoken a dragon."

Well, that's all for now!

See you next time!

~Sea-Solo

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Find out more about Rebecca Barnhouse and The Legacy of Beowulf series!:
http://www.rebeccabarnhouse.com/index.html

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Today's review will be about:

THE SUMMARY

SHE WON'T REST UNTIL SHE'S SENT EVERY WALKING CORPSE BACK TO ITS GRAVE.
FOREVER.
Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. But that's all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.
Her father was right. The monsters are real.
To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn  to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn't careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies.

This is apparel from threadless that I found! Cool, huh? :)

MY REVIEW

I actually found this series at Wal-Mart (I know, I know, how American of me. Har-de-har-har.), but they didn't have the first one. I waited until the next time I went to Barnes & Noble and this book was the first thing that I picked up.
I didn't regret my decision.
I'm obsessed with Alice in Wonderland in the first place, but when you make Alice a bada** and then put her against tons of zombies that she takes out with special powers, I simply can't resist loving it.
As you can imagine, this book has a lot of really fast-paced fighting, a little bit of romance, and a whole lot of scary imagery. I'm seriously surprised that I didn't have nightmares about this stuff.
One thing that I didn't expect is the fact that this book is set in the real world (more or less). I was thinking it was going to be a little bit like the original Alice in Wonderland where she went down a rabbit hole and was transported to a place completely different from the world she had come from, but instead she just ends up in the same world that she has always been in- it's just that she can actually see the zombies now.
I really got a kick out of how Gena Showalter put in little elements of the original story in order to keep tying it back into the classic. Ali has a friend named Kat, there's a rabbit cloud constantly reappearing, and then there's Cole, who I have a raising suspicion is the mad hatter. This really made me enjoy the book, and it kept reminding me that it was an adaptation.
All in all, I liked this book, and if you like strong, kick-a** female leads, you will too

A LITTLE EXCERPT

"We went airborne, flipping over, crashing into the road upside down, then flipping over again. The sound of crunching metal, shattering glass and pained screams filled my ears. I was thrown back and forth in my seat, my brain becoming a cherry slushie in my head as different impacts jarred me and stole my breath.
When we finally landed, I was so dazed, so fogged, I felt like I was still in motion. The screams had stopped, at least. All I heard was a slight ringing in my ears.
"Mom? Dad?" A pause. No response. "Em?" Again, nothing.
I frowned, looked around. My eyesight was hazy, something warm and wet in my lashes, but I could see well enough.
And what I saw utterly destroyed me."

Well, that's all for now!

See you next time!

~Sea-Solo

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Listen to Alice's iPod!:

Furious by Jeremy Riddle

How He Loves by Flyleaf

Fallen by John Waller

Monster by Skillet

Fading by Decyfer Down

Things Left Unsaid by Disciple

All In by Lifehouse

Beautiful Disaster by Jon McLaughlin

How to Save a Life by The Fray


P.S. So sorry that this was late, I had a lot of things to do on Friday and couldn't get it done on time. Cinder will be on time, however, so come back this Saturday for that.
Thank you in advance for your kind consideration! :)

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Today's review will be about:

THE SUMMARY

SOME RACE TO WIN. OTHERS RACE TO SURVIVE.
It happens at the start of every November: The Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.
Some riders live.
Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition - the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

MY REVIEW

The reason that I chose to read this book was for three reasons: I loved Maggie Stiefvater's work (I had read the Shiver series before this one), I love the ocean, and I love animals (horses are just too cool!) When you put all of that together, add a little bit of island tradition, romance, mythology, and family drama, well, there you have The Scorpio Races.
Before diving into the book, however, I want to give you a brief look at the mythology that this book was based on.:
Capaill Uisce (pronounced copple ishka) is a water horse that comes from Irish and Scottish myth. The horse is usually descibed to be made out of sea water and eat meat, and they don't discriminate, let me tell you. The racers in The Scorpio Races have to be careful because one slip-up can cause you to lose life, limb, or both.
Well, enough about that, on to the review!

Ta-da! Oh...
Yes, I know, I'm a HUGE nerd for adding this in here but, you know what? I don't care! Sulu is too awesome not to share.
^OMGosh this rhymes^
Okay, now back to the review.
...
Why are you still reading this?
....
Get back to the review!
.....
Rebel. I like you. :)

One of the things that I loved first about the book was the island. I imagined it to be sort of like Ireland (even though I've never been there), with rolling green hills and water that splashes onto the rocks that line its beaches. True, Thisby is smaller than Ireland, but I couldn't get that image out of my mind. The island also has a sheer white cliff where the Scorpio Races take place, and I sort of imagined to look like the cliffs below, but smaller. Also, the entire book takes place on or near the ocean, and I think you can guess by my theme and blog name how much I love that. :)

I loved the main character, Puck (Kate) Connolly, not only for her I-don't-need-a-man charm, but for her overall rebellious and tomboy ways. Again and again Puck has to prove herself in this book, and where others may have quit, found some other way to fix their problem, she kept fighting.
She is the first girl to ever compete in the races, not because there was a rule that there would be no women there, but rather it was (quote unquote) "too dangerous" for them, and men just so happened to be the only ones who had ever wanted to race before. Not saying that this is sexism, just saying that it was tradition. By being in the races, she was breaking the tradition that was when the races first began. As you can imagine, the men who were racing weren't exactly happy about that.
Sean Kendrick was a good, strong character as well. A horse lover and trainer his entire life, he works for a horse trader and gets paid for every race that he wins from said employer. His father died in the races because, Sean said, he was scared, so when he goes on his capaill uisce Corr, he is fearless, taking him only as far away from the shore to keep Corr sane. In the beginning, you don't know much about him, but as you read on you begin to grasp at his personality. By the end of the book, you know him as well as you know Puck.

This is a picture of some fan-made November cakes that are sold during the Scorpio Races. The ingredients involve lots of orange, honey, frosting, and caramel, and they sounded SO sweet! The recipe is at the back of the book so that you can make them, but if you don't want to wait, Maggie Stiefvater posted a recipe on her blog: http://maggiestiefvater.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-name-is-maggie-im-perfectionist-and.html .

Another thing that I loved about this book was the relationship between the riders (mainly Sean and Puck) and their horses or capaill uisce. You could really tell just by reading how close Puck and her horse Dove are, and even Sean and his red capaill uisce Corr are closer than ever. Nothing needs to be said about their friendship, you just see it in the way that they talk to and act around their steeds. I think that this was a very important part of the story, and I'm glad that she took the care to add that in the book.
All in all, this book is a must read. You can probably tell how much I love it by how much I've typed above this, but I really think that you need to read this book. It'll make you gasp, it'll make you cry, and there are going to be some times that you are going to laugh and love the characters even more. And that, dear reader, is what makes a great story.

This is a painting of a capaill uisce.

A LITTLE EXCERPT

"SEAN
It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die.
Even under the brightest sun, the frigid autumn sea is all the colors of the night: dark blue and black and brown. I watch the ever-changing patterns in the sand as it's pummeled by countless hooves.
They run the horses on the beach, a pale road between the black water and the chalk cliffs. It is never safe, but it's never so dangerous as today, race day.
This time of year, I live and breathe the beach. My cheeks feel raw with the wind throwing sand against them. My thighs sting from the friction of the saddle. My arms ache from holding up two thousand pounds of horse. I have forgotten what it is like to be warm and what a full night's sleep feels like and what my name sounds like spoken instead of shouted across yards of sand.
I am so, so alive."

Well, that's all for now!

See you next time!

~Sea-Solo

EXTRA! EXTRA!

"But I suppose the song that really embodied the book for me by the end was "An Toll Dubh" by Runrig. It plays with the tradition a bit, and it's a little hungry sounding, and it's got a lot of heart. I like to think that defines The Scorpio Races, too."
-Maggie Stiefvater

Peaceweaver by Rebecca Barnhouse

Today's review will be about:

THE SUMMARY

Sixteen-year-old Hild has always been a favorite of her uncle, the king of the Shylfings. So when she protects her cousin the crown prince from a murderous traitor, she expects the king to be grateful. Instead, she is unjustly accused of treachery herself.
As punishment, her uncle sends Hild far away to the heir of the enemy king, Beowulf, to try to weave peace between the two kingdoms. She must leave her home and everyone she loves. On the long and perilous journey, Hild soon discovers that fatigue and rough terrain are the least of her worries. Something is following her and her small group of guards - some kind of foul creature that tales say lurks in the fens. Will Hild have to face the monster? Or does it offer her the perfect chance to escape the destiny she never chose?

MY REVIEW

If you were looking at the cover of this book and thinking: "This book looks like fun", well then you would be absolutely right! Believe me when I say that the cover isn't the most exciting thing about this book, but rather it is the extremely believable story that lives within it!
When reading, you form theories on how the book is going to end, and one by one they are all disproved until you get to the end, and even then nothing is for sure. That is one of the things that I loved about this book, it keeps you guessing until the very end, and then you have to somehow suck yourself out of the story so that you can go on to other books.
The cover is what really drew me in at first, and I'm happy to say that this IS a book that you can judge from the cover. The cover art depicts very realistically the horror that you encounter later in the book, a fight between Hilde and whatever that is, so take comfort in the fact that it won't catch you completely by surprise (even though it will surprise you still).
Hild's blackouts are intense and unpredictable and make you wonder what in the heck is going on, which makes it really fun to read. Still, this book is very violent, so we (my class) were thinking that this would be appropriate for ages 12+.
Another thing that is wonderful about this book is the fact that it looks at the sort of aftershock after King Beowulf (yeah, that's right, THAT guy) died while defeating the dragon. Even if you haven't seen or read Beowulf, the story is explained very well, so you don't have to force yourself to read it if you don't want to (though I would recommend it, just so that you have read it and have said bragging rights). The tie-in with another Medievalist novel was a good move and really sets you into the time-frame.
With all of that comes another plus: Norse mythology. Once again, if you don't know anything about Norse mythology, don't sweat it, because that is explained as well, and although it is a major part of the book, you don't need to know much to dive-in, feet first. (Pretty much if you watched Thor or Thor: The Dark World, you'll be fine.)
And the rest? Well, you'll just have to read it for yourself, won't you? ;)

A LITTLE EXCERPT

Within Hild, something snapped. White-hot fury filled her, and without realizing what she was doing, she grabbed her skirt in one hand, her sword in the other, and ran blindly toward her cousin. In less time than it takes a hawk to plummet from the sky after its prey, she was across the practice area, shouldering Arinbjörn aside and pushing with her sword. Her arm jolted as the weapon met resistance, but she shoved back against something she couldn't see, then shoved again, pushing her blade in front of her as it buried itself in something solid.
Everything stopped. Insects in the grass quit their chirring mid-note, the breeze in the birches held its breath, the bright autumn sky blanked into white -
-and then a weight was on her sword as the man standing in front of Arinbjörn staggered.
Now her own lips were parted and she stepped back, taking her blood-spattered hand from the sword, which was still embedded in the man's guts, and looked over his shoulder at Arinbjörn. A tuft of her cousin's hair was sticking up on one side, she noted incongruously. It gave him a comical appearance.
A raven cawed, unlocking the stillness, shocking the world back to life.

(pages 56-57)

Well, that's all for now!

See you next time!

~Sea-Solo

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Visit Rebecca Barnhouse's website!:
http://www.rebeccabarnhouse.com/index.html

{A Blast from the Past} The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

Today's review is on:

THE SUMMARY

Vladimir Tod

NORMAL EIGHTH-GRADE STUDENT?

OR POWERFUL VAMPIRE?

Junior high really stinks for thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: His mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers and no one to teach him, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs.When a strange substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he realizes he has a much bigger problem: He's being hunted by a vampire killer who is closing in - fast! This first book in this ghoulishly funny series leads readers on a nail-biting adventure that is filled with dark characters and mystical glyphs, secret identities and hidden agendas, unearthly powers and teenage angst.

MY REVIEW
I started these books when I was in middle school myself, so reading this one was truly a blast from the past. I loved coming back to the world of Vladimir Tod, a character that I understand now more than 5 years ago. The constant vampire jokes and references made me laugh, and the serious moments filled me with dread.
The characters Otis Otis scared me once again as I was swept into the mind of a young male vampire. Unlike the Twilight saga, love isn't the focus. He has a crush on a girl named Meredith, yes, but Vlad focuses more on the vampire world and his parents. Just like Vlad, you learn things about his parents, their pasts, and also about vampires and how they are.
I am also sympathetic toward Vlad because of the bullying that he receives in the book. I'm sure that many of us know how it is to be in that situation.
Basically, this book is a rollercoaster ride of emotion that I would recommend to anyone. I've really loved re-reading this book. :)

A LITTLE EXCERPT
He was spooning a big, sweet glob of half-frozen blood into his mouth when the doorbell rang. With a hurried swallow, he dropped the empty container into the biohazard box beneath the sink and popped the plastic fangs over his shrinking canines. With careful steps, he snuck over to the wall just to the right of the archway and peeked over at the front door, where his aunt was greeting Henry with a hug.
Vlad jumped out from behind the separating wall and held his cheap cape out with both arms. "I vant to suck your blood!"
Henry doubled over, roaring with laughter. When he straightened he slapped Vlad on the shoulder. "That's a sweet costume. Check me out. You'll just die." Henry placed his fists on his hips in a pseudo-Superman pose, and when he turned his head, Vlad's jaw dropped at the sight of two small holes on Henry's neck.
"No way." He stepped closer to inspect Henry's bite marks. They were flawless. Vlad had only seen one actual vampire bite on a human before, and Henry's handiwork was very close to the real thing. "What did you use?"
"Silly Putty and raspberry jam."
"Seedless?"
"Well, duh. Can't have seeds in my wound. Might get infected."

See you next Saturday!
~Sea-Solo out! :)

To learn more about Vladimir Tod, go here:
http://www.vladtod.com/

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Today's review is on:

THE SUMMARY

A CAPTIVATING STORY OF LOVE,

~ LOSS, AND IMMORTALITY ~

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned - to her old life, her family, her boyfriend - before she's banished back to the underworld... this time forever. She has six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance - and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

MY REVIEW
Ever since reading about Persephone, I've been intrigued about her story. My love of Greek mythology is no secret; I'm technically an enthusiast. When I read Allie Condie's review on the front ("I was pulled under by this bittersweet, beautiful retelling of the Persephone myth. Wonderful!"), I couldn't wait to read it! Persephone is by far one of my favorite Greek goddesses, and I had to see how Ashton had modernized her character. And let me just say that the review on the front was right!
As I read the book, I began to wonder what I would do if I had only a small amount of time left on Earth. Visit my family? Do stuff off my bucketlist? To be honest, I just don't know. You'll never know what you want to do. (Though if I could, I would go to San Diego Comic-Con. Scratch at least that off of my bucketlist...)
The ending shocked me, I wasn't expecting it at all. I was so wrapped up into the story, I wasn't spending time thinking about how it might end. All I need say is that I can't wait to read the second installment. Ashton might be one of my new favorite authors after this debut. :)

JUST A LITTLE EXCERPT
Certain emotions were stronger than others, and would hit me when I wasn't ready. Like when my dad told me he was so happy I was back and that he didn't blame me, but his disappointment in the air tasted as strong as a clump of salt.
It wasn't so easy to identify most of them, except when an entire room was feeling the same thing.
Like now. Thirty people in a room, all curious.
But as the class settled in for the lecture, one emotion, separate from the curiosity, floated on the top of the rest. I couldn't figure out what it was. It would've been easier if I'd been prepared.
"Hi," a familiar voice said from the desk next to mine.
I startled.
It was him.
Jack.
The boy who had gotten me through hell.

See you in the next one!
~Sea-Solo out!

Currently reading:

Fated by Alyson Noël

Today's review is on:

THE SUMMARY

Daire Santos is just an ordinary girl, traveling around the world with her mother, a movie makeup artist. All of the sudden, something happens. Daire can see things that other people can't and one time, these visions cause her to hurt someone: her newest boyfriend.
After months of medication and psycho analysis, Daire's mother is about to give up. A call comes from Daire's grandmother, a woman that she has never met, promising to be able to help Daire control her gift. After living in her grandmother's small town in New Mexico for a while, she finds a boy that she had dreams about was real. Now all she has to figure out is whether he is a friend or a foe.

MY REVIEW
I first picked up this book because of the author, Alyson Noël. I have read the Immortal series by her, and I loved the way that she wrote the love story (that my tomboy side cringes at) that I came to accept. I knew her style and wanted more of it. When I read the back, however, I became interested in the Native American aspect of it. I'm part Native American, and that side of my heritage has always interested me. So off I went into another adventure, narrated by a character that shocked me with every new chapter. The things that she could do!
My interest in this book wasn't in vain; I truly enjoyed it from front to back! Noël was once again the master of my imagination, taking it to Enchantment, New Mexico and away from my comfortable bed (where I do most of my reading). The only thing that I didn't like about this book was.. nothing. I've got nothing.
The visions were some of the best parts of the book! You never knew whether or not they were real, or if they were just a warning of what was to come. I enjoyed the crows as well. I've always liked crows, ever since I was a little kid. I used to talk to them, in fact. Still do, actually...

JUST A LITTLE EXCERPT
He doesn't see what I see.
Doesn't see the way everything stops.
Doesn't see the way the atmosphere changes - growing shimmery, hazy, like peering through carnival glass.
Doesn't see the way the glowing ones appear - hovering along the perimeter.
Doesn't see the way they beckon to me - beg me to join them.
Only I can see that.
Even after repeatedly blinking, trying to return the scene to normal, it's no use. Not only are they still there, but now they've brought friends.
Crows.
Thousands and thousands of crows that fill up the square.
They land on the drummer, the transvestite belly dancer - soaring and swooping and settling wherever they please - turning the once-vibrant square into a field of dark beady eyes that relentlessly watch me.
The glowing people creep forward - arms outstretched, fingers grasping - stomping the crows to a mess of black, bloodied bits.
And there's nothing I can do to stop their progression - nothing I can do to convince time to march forward again.
So I do the only thing I can -
I run.

See you in the next one!
~Sea-Solo out!

Currently reading:

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

Today's review is on:

The back reads:

Ever since their mother's death, siblings Carter and Sadie have been near-strangers. While Sadie's lived with their grandparents in London, Carter has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane.

Then one night they are reunited when their father takes them to the British Museum, hoping at last to set things right. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

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

If you like the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, you need to pick this one up! It has all the witty humor of Rick Riordan along with Egyptian gods and goddesses and it's respectable monsters. Just like Percy Jackson, these siblings have powers that they never could've dreamed of, and an amazing amount of royalty in their blood to boot. Along with the siblings, you discover their abilities, their strengths, their weaknesses. All wrapped up in one hell of a story line.

What I liked most about this book is that it was dictation from a taping that the author found (or so we're told). That just makes it even easier to believe that what is happening really happened. It skips between Carter and Sadie telling their story so far, which really makes it a fun book to read. Carter speaks in an American accent, and Sadie in an English accent, so you can pretty easily tell by the spelling of certain words who is talking into the mic. (Mum, for example, is used by Sadie and Mom by Carter.)

My favorite part:

"You're forgetting something, Horus told me.

A little busy here! I thought back.

You might think it's easy steering a magic boat through the sky. You'd be wrong. I didn't have Amos's animated coat, so I stood in the back trying to shift the tiller myself, which was like stirring cement. I couldn't see where I was going. We kept tilting back and forth while Sadie did her best to keep an unconscious Zia from flopping over the side.

It's my birthday, Horus insisted. Wish me happy birthday!

"Happy birthday!" I yelled. "Now, shut up!" "

Well, that's all for now, folks!

See you in the next one!

~Sea-Solo out!

Currently reading:

 

More Egyptian stuff:



Learn more about the Kane Chronicles!:

http://www.kanechronicles.co.uk/site/author.php