The Thirteenth Tale

The Thirteenth Tale

Diane Setterfield

A young woman, Margaret Lea works in her father’s bookstore. She loves to read and spends a lot of time writing biographies about forgotten authors and the likes. Margaret is called to record the biography of the reclusive Vida Winter. Vida is probably England’s most famous writer and she is without a doubt the most colourful. Every time she is asked about her past she gives a different story, each one as unique and unbelievable as the last!

Margaret is completely enthralled by Vida’s story, she gets lost in the story within the story. I guarantee you that you will get lost with her! Time and place lose all meaning with this incredible book. It has the feel of a good old fashioned fairy tale; it has magic, mystery and suspense. Here’s my advice curl up on the coach, watch the snow fall and don’t forget that hot chocolate, this book is a definite hit! This book is a book for book lovers because a lot of the story takes place in libraries and bookstores. This made me love it even more.
You’re probably not exactly sure what it’s about well then read it because Diane Setterfield tells the story a hundred times better then me! You’ll be sucked in from the very first word! Promise!

The book has a lot of different covers but this is my personal favourite :)

High School Debut

Manga: High School Debut Book 1

Kazune Kawahara

So I'm not entirely sure that mangas count as books but I love them anyway so here goes. I just finished reading High School debut by Kazune Kawahara. Haruna has started high school and she has never had a boyfriend before and she wants that to change and change soon! In junior high she spent all her time playing softball and reading mangas so she has no idea how to act around boys. Haruna has a simple solution to this problem. She needs a coach just like in softball. She gets the impossibly popular Yoh to coach her. Yoh promises to make her attractive to boys. Of course he has one condition, she has to promise not to fall in love with him.

This story was hilarous! It literaly had me laughing out loud! It was great entertainment and tons of fun! Sure it's not deep reading and it shouldn't take you very long to read it but still it's awesome. Definetly worth reading. The book is light, fun and cheery. A total pick me up! I'd say it's mangas version of chick lit. All in all a great read. :)

Before I forget, the book reads right to left in order to keep with original japanese comics. It's a little confusing at first but it doesn't take very long to get used to it. Promise :)

Vamps by Nancy A.Collins

Vamps

Nancy A.Collins

The girls from New York’s richest and oldest families all attend Bathor Academy. When I say oldest families, I mean the oldest. These girls and their families are vampires. Lilith’s family has been attending Bathor for generations and her role there is quite clear, she’s the queen B. She has her band of loyal followers, her fiancé, Jules and she knows exactly what she wants. That is to party until the sun comes up and be with Jules. That’s what Lilith wants and that is exactly what she was going to get, until a new blood vampire shows up in her life, Callie. After a disastrous run in at a park one night, Lilith has it in for the new blood girl. Who will come out on top, Lilith or Callie?

This book had some good parts but a lot of it was over the top and unrealistic. Like Lilith’s vanity and her hatred for Callie. She did not seem like a real girl. Instead she appeared exactly like what she was, a fictional character in a teen novel. Other than her I liked most of the characters and their relationships. With one exception, Callie’s relationship with Henry van Helsing. They didn’t seem like they were attracted to each other. Obviously that was the author’s intention but I didn’t enjoy her attempt at the whole star-crossed lover’s thing. It was not only a cliché but it was so obviously a cliché. The parts that were over the top were the vampires’ abilities. The fact that they could each transform into animals was a bit of a reach. All in all though it wasn’t a bad book, it is ok for an easy and entertaining read. It’s not a deep read or anything but still it is fun. So definitely check it out if you’re looking for some light reading.

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Evernight

Claudia Gray

Bianca regards Evernight Academy as the end of the line. That is until she meets Lucas. He doesn’t fit in at Evernight any better than she does and he intends to keep it that way. Suddenly going to school is more appealing than ever before but Lucas warns her to stay away from him. Lucas tells her it’s dangerous for her to be around him and he couldn’t bear it if something were to happen to Bianca because of him. Still the two find themselves drawn to each other and have a hard time staying apart.

Evernight is such an incredible book. It’s filled with romance, excitement and an unexpected twist towards the middle of it. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out something completely unexpected happens. It changes everything and makes the story even better and more original. Bianca and Lucas’ relationship is intense and completely believable. Claudia Gray makes you completely fall in love with the characters, their world and the whole story in general. This book is good for anyone who loves a good vampire love story. Definitely worth reading! I can’t wait to check out Stargazer which comes out in March.

Gone by Michael Grant

Gone

Michael Grant

What happens when everyone above the age of fifteen years old just vanishes one day? Well you’re about to find out. In the small town of Perdido Beach, California suddenly all the adults disappears. Without warning the older teens and adults are all gone! A 14 year old Sam and his friends struggle to adjust to this new world and as if things aren’t complicated enough there is a large dome-like barrier surrounding the town. The barrier seems to be centered around the town’s nuclear power plant. The kids nickname the area the FAYZ, Fall Out Alley Youth Zone.
Still the strangest thing of all is that the animals are changing and so are the kids! Soon they find snakes can fly and coyotes can talk. Some of the kids are developing strange powers! The bullies are getting worse and worse by the minute; the kids from Coates Academy from up the hill come into town and take over. The bullies have taken over town, fights are breaking out, fear is spreading, food supplies are running low and the scariest thing of all, Sam’s birthday is coming up. Will he disappear on his fifteenth birthday too, just like everyone else?

I loved this book. It’s probably the best book I have ever read! Filled with action, suspense, heart pounding terror and a surprise around each corner it’s nearly impossible to put down. You could clearly see the whole story playing out in front of you. Michael Grant created a whole new world that was as real as our own. By the end of the book I felt like I had been there alongside Sam, Astrid and all the others, instead of simply reading about it. I especially loved the differences between Sam and the bad guy, Caine. Both boys have many similarities yet they are as different as night and day.

I found a lot of the book was about “what if”, what if this happened what the consequences would be. Every move the kids made had a consequence some good and some bad but mostly bad. Like when Caine comes into town and tries to take over, instead of stepping up, Sam just lets it happen.

It’s going to be a six book series, the sequel, Hunger comes out next summer. I can’t wait to read it! Before I forget Gone is a long book but don’t let that stop you from reading it. It’s done before you know it

. Here's the link to the book trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf8B3FM1L8c

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

The Luxe

Anna Godbersen

Manhattan, New York 1899. Elisabeth and Diana Holland are daughters of one the oldest families in New York. They’re members of an exclusive club, Manhattans high society. Elisabeth is the “It Girl” of her time which is everything her younger sister Diana despises. Diana is the very definition of the word free-spirit and has no interest in leading the same life as her mother and sister. When they’re family is threatened with bankruptcy because of the debt their father left behind after his death. Elisabeth is horrified and accepts Henry Schoonmaker’s proposal. In an attempt to salvage the Holland family fortune. One thing she was not expecting was her best friend, Penelope Hayes. Penelope is bold, daring and determined to become the new “It Girl” and Henry's wife. No matter what the cost.

Ever read a book you just can’t put down? Well I have. It’s called the Luxe by Anna Godbersen. It’s an easy and fun read. It captivates you from the very first page and it just got better. Although it was a little predictable at times I still enjoyed it. The characters seemed real and likeable. Especially the young girls were convincing. They have good qualities and flaws just like anyone else.

Let’s face it we all know an Elisabeth. You know who I’m talking about, that girl that everyone loves and seems too perfect. What I liked about her character was that it showed the cracks in the perfect façade. Throughout the book you see that vulnerable and human side to the characters. This is something I just loved about the book! I actually know the real live Diana, except the girl I am talking about doesn’t have dark hair. She has curly blonde hair with blue eyes that dance with excitement and even if she is younger, you can clearly see all the things that make Diana, well Diana. This both terrifies and thrills me. I can't help but to imagine all the wonderful and terrible things that she will experience.

So basically the whole point of my rambling is this, my favourite part about the whole book was the characters. They were real, you loved them and you hated them. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an interesting yet light reading. I just snapped through those pages; don’t let the length discourage you from reading it. Believe me, it’s worth it and I can’t wait to read the sequel, Rumours. Hopefully I will be able to find it in english...