Inheritance

I finally finished Inheritance by Christopher Paolini, the last of the Inheritance Cycle. (Took me awhile because of all the other reading for classes that I needed to do.)

I am satisfied with this conclusion. I started out with Eragon and loved the story, though I felt the prose was weak. The story made me want to know more. Paolini's prose has improved greatly and I hope he continues to write. For the story, I was secretly hoping for some things to happen, (hey, we all get our hopes up), but I understand and can accept what did happen. I might like Murtagh a little better than Eragon, just because of his complications and how he could still change. I love that Paolini can write flawed characters, especially that they can see their own weaknesses. If you like battles, this book is battle heavy.

Brown

Trouble With Angels

I was raised on old movies, where you knew that the heroine and hero would get together because they kissed, or because they had famous child stars. One of these stars Blue and I loved so much was Hayley Mills. We watched everything we could get our hands on that had her in it. One of my favorite movies is Trouble With Angels. Possibly because one of the main characters' name is mine. :) My family remembered this so well, they gave me the movie for Christmas. Per our Christmas tradition we began watching the movies we had received and there I finally noticed that this movie was based off of a book. My favorite type, if done right, I may add.

This book is written by Jane Trahey, and it is an autobiographical showing of her teenage years. The movie got it right. I absolutely delighted in reading the scenes and I had come to love. What makes it even better, is the fact that it is a true story. What would you do if you were sent to a boarding school ran by nuns? Exactly.

PD: I also love that this book came through an interlibrary loan from Indiana.

Brown

Hunger Games

I was hesitant to read this since it got the same reaction as Twilight. At least in my circle of friends. Finally, with the upcoming movie, I decided to try it.

The story in short is about survival. It is written in first person, where we follow Katniss' thoughts as she makes her way through the Hunger Games, where tributes from each district fight to the death. However, she ends up going with a young man named, Peeta, who has been in love with her since she was five.

It was painful for me to see such a cyncial attitude at so young an age. And then to see her misreading so many signs, especially how she misread Peeta's true feelings. However, she was smart enough to understand Haymitch's signals. Still, I couldn't connect with Katniss. One moment she was hard and calculating and the next she is teaming up with a girl named Rue to hurt the Careers. And all because she owes her one? Can you owe someone something when  you're fighting for your life? Peeta was easier to connect to, which is sad, since we only see him through Katniss perceptions of him.

An interesting read for sure, and I'm interested on how they do the movie.

Brown

1632

Another book suggestion that just turned out to be marvelous! I admit that I judge books by their cover and when I saw this one I was highly skeptical. But with the opening line of "The mystery would never be solved" of course I was hooked. I had to know. What mystery?

Eric Flint's characters are strong and open individuals who face their "present" circumstances with a forward will. I found myself constantly asking "would I do so well if this happened to me?" The answer for me I think is no. I've been too much pampered by modern society and don't have enough survival skills. Honestly, I probably would have been shot just because of my mouth. :)

But I do know their are people out there who would behave this way. They would survive no matter what.

Altogether a fun read and one that I want to do again. This book is definitely going on my to buy list.

 Brown

Mastiff

Tamora Pierce has done it again. She wrote a twist into the book, that when I snooped ahead, I didn't like, but when I read it properly, well, it made sense. I still don't like it, but it does make sense.

This is the third installment and last book about Beka Cooper. She has grown in her training and become quite proficient in her job. Of course, Achoo is even better at hers, which gives Beka plenty of opportunity to work outside of the capital, doing special jobs that requires a scent hound. But work isn't the only experience that Beka has gained. Spoiler: no nothing happens with Rosto.

Beka and Tunstall, her partner, are called from Corus, on a secret mission to find the kidnapped Prince Gareth. (By the way, I love how names repeat themselves in the nobility.) Beka and Tunstall team up with the Knight Lady Sabine and a mage, Farmer Cape for this mission. The chase is pretty straight forward. The story is dealing with life as it is and how we can affect changes.

I'm just hoping this is one of my Christmas presents because I want to read it again.

Brown

The Gods of Winter

The Gods of Winter by Patricia Miles was an interesting read. I've been searching for this book for years. I think it was a recommendation from a favorite author, but the book is out of print, so I couldn't find it to buy it. Thank you for libraries that have amazing interlibrary loan systems. I'm definitely spoiled at the moment.

The story is narrated by Adam, a twelve year old boy, who is trying to just give us the facts of what happened at the same time as he is trying to make sense of it all. Set in England sometime after WWII, but definitely before 2011, we see a picture of a family that sort of reminds me of the Narnia series. Or maybe all British families have weird relationships. The family has been moved to the countryside because of Dad's job. In America, the kids would have been pissed. Here, the kids think it will be a fun interesting adventure and handle the move beautifully. Since the move out into the country, with the mom almost ready to give birth (at home), the hire a home help, who turns out to be Mrs. Korngold, who isn't all she appears to be.

It is a beautiful form of an ancient myth. I learned more than I knew before. This is definitely one to read,  but good luck finding it.

Brown

The Gray Wolf Throne

Loved this book so much, I finished it in a day. Just saying.

But in all seriousness, Cinda Williams Chima has continued with a compelling narrative about Raisa ana'Marianna and Han Alister as their adventures merge together to deal with the Gray Wolf Throne. Life with politics is not a simple thing as we can see daily in our own governments across the world. Some people are born to lead, pure and simple. And some of those born to lead are wise enough to be dedicated to truth, integrity and honor.

This book will leave you wailing that you have to wait another year for the next, to find out what will happen. But at the same time it wraps up many loose ends. It divulges some guessed at secrets. And it brings on more questions. And always a reminder and lesson that you can never know the full truth behind history. Whoever said that the victors control the information of what had happened was right.

Brown