Books 6 - Advent of the SERIES
Somehow I seem to have taken up reading almost purely books that are part of a series. Call it laziness? I dunno. I call it, hey that book was pretty good, there's another? Fantastic! Gimme, gimme. Heh...
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Dragons of Winter Night - Grade: A+. What I said before.
Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief - Grade: A. I 100% felt like a 10-year-old prepubescent reading this book! L O V E. This book was...genius. The pacing was spot-on, the characters believable, lovable, AND validly humorous! Win, win, win. Let's just hope they don't screw up the movie.
Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Games - Grade: A. I'm not sure what it says about me that I like this book. I feel in a twisted way that makes me just like someone from the Capitol. Hmm. But wow! What a great read! There were slow parts and things that annoyed me, and an occasional unbelievable moment, but I let almost everything slide because the story was so grippingly wonderous.
James Dashner's The Maze Runner - Grade: B+. I feel like with this book Dashner has DEFINITELY come into his prime as an author. His growth and maturity from books like 13th Reality is starkly notable. That said, there were parts of the book that I didn't like flat out and plot elements that really made me reach further than I'm used to doing, but overall the story was dang good. I read through it very quickly and enjoyed myself very thoroughly. I think kids (who not as critical as yours truly) will LOVE this book. I will be picking up the second.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Dragons of Spring Dawning - Grade: A+. Same. I love that as we get further into the series, I forget more and more what actually happens. A chapter that looks boring ends up being spectacularly shocking and breath-taking. These writers are pretty much my idols.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Time of the Twins: Legends, Vol. 1 - Grade: A+. Same x2. :)
Suzanne Collin's Catching Fire (sequel to The Hunger Games) - Grade: B. The whole first half of this book was a drag, and I could have done without it. But I am attached to the characters, so I kept going. SPOILER: [Really, it only got exciting when Cat got put in a second Hunger Games. That's genius! Loved it!] And then of course, the end was a cliff-hanger as usual. Blah. Hurry up April so I can get the third one. Would vote this one definitely at least worth your perusal.
Rick Riordan's The Sea of Monsters (Book 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians) - Grade: A-. So this book wasn't quite as good as the first. That one was definitely more captivating, funny, and attention-retaining. But I don't have anything solid to complain about, so I won't.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Test of the Twins - Legends, Vol. 2 - Grade: A+. Ditto. Do these seem useless to you? They are just phenomenal books. I could gush about them for hours. For your own protection, I am curbing my enthusiasm in the name of brevity.
William R. Forstchen's One Second After - Grade: B. Look! A non-series book! *Gasp* This was recommended by a co-worker and for those who don't know is about the threat of EMP in America (a nuclear bomb detonated in the atmosphere which sends out an electrical shockwave frying all technology within thousands of miles beyond repair). The characters weren't always believable and some of the most thought-provoking scenarios/scenes were completely passed over, but I will give the book credit for making me think. I found myself pondering things relevant to my own life (and survival) should such occur, which was definitely, refreshing? I don't know if that's the right word. Anyway, as far as apocalyptic-type fiction goes, I'd still vote for The Road before this. No question.
Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping - Grade: A-. Ha! Another not-a-series! Although not the first book of hers I've read, nor the last (Home is sitting on my bookcase as I write). Actually, I read this for my Book Group, and I kinda plowed through it since the 20th was getting here rather quickly. I did ponder many of the passages, and her writing as always is ethereally stunning. But I think I'm going to give Gilead the prize on this one. Just liked it more. Connected emotionally with it more. Went back and read it multiple times (and about to read it again). Housekeeping I think was a one-time read. I'm moving on, simple as that.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Dragons of Winter Night - Grade: A+. What I said before.
Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief - Grade: A. I 100% felt like a 10-year-old prepubescent reading this book! L O V E. This book was...genius. The pacing was spot-on, the characters believable, lovable, AND validly humorous! Win, win, win. Let's just hope they don't screw up the movie.
Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Games - Grade: A. I'm not sure what it says about me that I like this book. I feel in a twisted way that makes me just like someone from the Capitol. Hmm. But wow! What a great read! There were slow parts and things that annoyed me, and an occasional unbelievable moment, but I let almost everything slide because the story was so grippingly wonderous.
James Dashner's The Maze Runner - Grade: B+. I feel like with this book Dashner has DEFINITELY come into his prime as an author. His growth and maturity from books like 13th Reality is starkly notable. That said, there were parts of the book that I didn't like flat out and plot elements that really made me reach further than I'm used to doing, but overall the story was dang good. I read through it very quickly and enjoyed myself very thoroughly. I think kids (who not as critical as yours truly) will LOVE this book. I will be picking up the second.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Dragons of Spring Dawning - Grade: A+. Same. I love that as we get further into the series, I forget more and more what actually happens. A chapter that looks boring ends up being spectacularly shocking and breath-taking. These writers are pretty much my idols.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Time of the Twins: Legends, Vol. 1 - Grade: A+. Same x2. :)
Suzanne Collin's Catching Fire (sequel to The Hunger Games) - Grade: B. The whole first half of this book was a drag, and I could have done without it. But I am attached to the characters, so I kept going. SPOILER: [Really, it only got exciting when Cat got put in a second Hunger Games. That's genius! Loved it!] And then of course, the end was a cliff-hanger as usual. Blah. Hurry up April so I can get the third one. Would vote this one definitely at least worth your perusal.
Rick Riordan's The Sea of Monsters (Book 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians) - Grade: A-. So this book wasn't quite as good as the first. That one was definitely more captivating, funny, and attention-retaining. But I don't have anything solid to complain about, so I won't.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Test of the Twins - Legends, Vol. 2 - Grade: A+. Ditto. Do these seem useless to you? They are just phenomenal books. I could gush about them for hours. For your own protection, I am curbing my enthusiasm in the name of brevity.
William R. Forstchen's One Second After - Grade: B. Look! A non-series book! *Gasp* This was recommended by a co-worker and for those who don't know is about the threat of EMP in America (a nuclear bomb detonated in the atmosphere which sends out an electrical shockwave frying all technology within thousands of miles beyond repair). The characters weren't always believable and some of the most thought-provoking scenarios/scenes were completely passed over, but I will give the book credit for making me think. I found myself pondering things relevant to my own life (and survival) should such occur, which was definitely, refreshing? I don't know if that's the right word. Anyway, as far as apocalyptic-type fiction goes, I'd still vote for The Road before this. No question.
Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping - Grade: A-. Ha! Another not-a-series! Although not the first book of hers I've read, nor the last (Home is sitting on my bookcase as I write). Actually, I read this for my Book Group, and I kinda plowed through it since the 20th was getting here rather quickly. I did ponder many of the passages, and her writing as always is ethereally stunning. But I think I'm going to give Gilead the prize on this one. Just liked it more. Connected emotionally with it more. Went back and read it multiple times (and about to read it again). Housekeeping I think was a one-time read. I'm moving on, simple as that.
Comments