The Heir Chronicles is a trilogy surrounding the world of the Weir (that's magical beings to you and me). These are people with Weirstones, allowing them to have capabilities beyond what is usually possible. There are five types of Weir: Wizards, Warriors, Enchanters, Sorcerers and Seers.
These three books focus on three young people each belonging to a group of Weir, and the events surrounding them.
Now these books are apparently for ages ten and up, which is why I could so accurately predict what was going to happen presumably. Although with the amount of death threats and actual death in these books I would probably not give them to a ten year old to read.
The themes surrounding this set of novels were simple: Relationships, Trust, Strength and Courage, Life Struggles and Overcoming Evil.
These are the kind of themes I very much enjoy, but sometimes find lacking as they are used over and over in books, especially of the fantasy genre.
But these books did not dissapoint me. The characters with these ideals were well rounded and I did feel something for the characters, although I would say not as much as I have for other characters.
There was one character in particular that I loved, and for those of you who have read this trilogy, or are yet to read it, this character is Jason. Definitely my favourite. I can't say much else otherwise I will definitely spoil the plot.
Which reminds me, the plot was good, if predictable quite a lot of the time, but younger readers would probably find it less so and therefore enjoy the suspense more. As it was, the only suspense I had was wondering what else would happen inbetween finding out major plot points.
Although at times I found myself wavering on boredom, over all I would say that this is a good set of books, to be enjoyed mostly by younger readers, but young adults would also enjoy it.
For that reason I give it three and a half stars out of five.
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- Apparently there are two more Heir Chronicles yet to come out, but this works as a trilogy. But I will be reading the next two books :).
Wikipedia Page (WARNING: PLOT SPOILERS)
Fantastic Fiction Review
Need more opinions? Here's Good Reads on The Warrior Heir.
Showing posts with label Relationships. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Relationships. Show all posts
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Raising Demons by Rachel Hawkins
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
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Raising Demons is the explosive second book of the Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins.
The story starts where it left off, at Hex Hall. it's been six months since the last book, and not much has changed, unlike Sophie's life so far. And there's more to come. So much more.
This summer Sophie has even more to think about. The mysteries keep unfolding and the tables keep on turning. This book really does have twists an turns that I did not expect, although some I really did.
I also managed to read this within 24 hours. With long breaks. That includes sleeping and a film.
The characters are just as lovable, especially Jenna, the pink-loving Vampire, and the story may just grab hold of you even more than the first book.
I really looked forward to reading this one, and the next one I'll definitely be buying as soon as possible.
As before with Rachel Hawkins the book flows well, with laughs here and there, elegant descriptions, ghosts, demons and men. Everything a good book should most definitely have.
So, after what seems a pretty glowing review, I'd better give it 5 out of 5, and admit that these books are kind of addictive.
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Hex Hall Series Website
Review on Wondrous Reads
Raising Demons on Amazon.co.uk
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Raising Demons is the explosive second book of the Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins.
The story starts where it left off, at Hex Hall. it's been six months since the last book, and not much has changed, unlike Sophie's life so far. And there's more to come. So much more.
 |
| Picture from fictionalfantasy.com |
This summer Sophie has even more to think about. The mysteries keep unfolding and the tables keep on turning. This book really does have twists an turns that I did not expect, although some I really did.
I also managed to read this within 24 hours. With long breaks. That includes sleeping and a film.
The characters are just as lovable, especially Jenna, the pink-loving Vampire, and the story may just grab hold of you even more than the first book.
I really looked forward to reading this one, and the next one I'll definitely be buying as soon as possible.
As before with Rachel Hawkins the book flows well, with laughs here and there, elegant descriptions, ghosts, demons and men. Everything a good book should most definitely have.
So, after what seems a pretty glowing review, I'd better give it 5 out of 5, and admit that these books are kind of addictive.
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Hex Hall Series Website
Review on Wondrous Reads
Raising Demons on Amazon.co.uk
Monday, 16 May 2011
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Delirium is a quiet masterpiece. The descriptions are beautiful and the storyline is good. It's different, even from other futuristic society novels.
Delirium is all about love. Only love is a disease. Amor Deliria Nervosa to be precise. And the way it's described is perfect. It wreacks havoc upon you. At least, that's what the government is saying. Lena believes whole heartedly in the cure for this disease. A cure you have at 18. She has 95 days.
But then something happens on the day of her Evaluation. And that's when the adventure really begins.
Delirium is a haunting and detailed story. I'm sure I'll have it in my head for a good few days, even if I start reading another book. But this book. Wow.
It shows a change of perspectives, this time it's from the viewpoint of someone who agrees with society. And it takes a hell of a lot for her to think that it may not be right. It's quite refreshing to see this. Usually people who are against society in fiction are already inclined to be against it.
Whereas her best friend Hana is breaking rules left right and centre.
Lena is the perfect herione. She's flawed and interesting. But she's just like you and me, which makes you like her even more. In fact, the only thing that annoyed me about her was the fact that during the first half of the book she was very derogatory about herself. She was hard on herself. but as always she matures and grows throughout the book., so I guess it was kind of needed.
If anyone thought that we didn't need love, reading this book would make them think otherwise. It's heart wrenching and beautiful, and makes you see all kinds of love. Romantic, Friendship, Familial and so on.
It also made me think about the divide and difference between adults and children. This was defined even more by the cureds and uncureds, the adults and children in Lena's world. It made me think that adults still need fun in their lives, otherwise it's not really living.
And the ending is a complete heart breaker.
This book is stunning. And I'm giving it 5 out of 5.
And I'm getting her previous book.
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Links.
Lauren Oliver's Website.
Delirium by Lauren Oliver in Cari's Book Blogs.
Wikipedia: Love
Delirium is all about love. Only love is a disease. Amor Deliria Nervosa to be precise. And the way it's described is perfect. It wreacks havoc upon you. At least, that's what the government is saying. Lena believes whole heartedly in the cure for this disease. A cure you have at 18. She has 95 days.
But then something happens on the day of her Evaluation. And that's when the adventure really begins.
 |
| Picture from Google |
It shows a change of perspectives, this time it's from the viewpoint of someone who agrees with society. And it takes a hell of a lot for her to think that it may not be right. It's quite refreshing to see this. Usually people who are against society in fiction are already inclined to be against it.
Whereas her best friend Hana is breaking rules left right and centre.
Lena is the perfect herione. She's flawed and interesting. But she's just like you and me, which makes you like her even more. In fact, the only thing that annoyed me about her was the fact that during the first half of the book she was very derogatory about herself. She was hard on herself. but as always she matures and grows throughout the book., so I guess it was kind of needed.
If anyone thought that we didn't need love, reading this book would make them think otherwise. It's heart wrenching and beautiful, and makes you see all kinds of love. Romantic, Friendship, Familial and so on.
It also made me think about the divide and difference between adults and children. This was defined even more by the cureds and uncureds, the adults and children in Lena's world. It made me think that adults still need fun in their lives, otherwise it's not really living.
And the ending is a complete heart breaker.
This book is stunning. And I'm giving it 5 out of 5.
And I'm getting her previous book.
------------------------------------------------------------
Links.
Lauren Oliver's Website.
Delirium by Lauren Oliver in Cari's Book Blogs.
Wikipedia: Love
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
I have literally just put the book down.
I only started it yesterday.
I think that tells you that this books was an easy read with plenty of twists and plot lines to keep me hooked. It was just one of those books.
This is the story of 16 year old Sophie, who, upon casting a pretty disastrous love spell, is relocated to Hecate/Hex Hall, a magical reform school. Even the first day of this school goes wrong, and Sophie finds she's left at a weird school where she doesn't fit in.
But what's under the surface of this school is the interesting part.
And this book tells the story of Sophie's discoveries of the best kept secrets the school has.
Although the story may not be overly original, and I could see what was going to happen in the book, it happened in a different way to what I had expected. There were twists and turns and the characters have some substance. There are always layers beneath what Hawkins has already shown us.
It was like an older version of a mash up between Harry Potter and the Worst Witch, only set in America, and with other creatures at the school. You could definitely see the inspiration from R.K Rowling's masterpiece sluicing through the book. And although Rachel Hawkins adored the use of the word 'heinous' I can forgive her because some of the circumstances were just that.
Also, I loved the ending. A bit of a cliffhanger and there are now endless possibilities running through my head.
At times the book was funny, sad, scary. But not a complete emotional roller coaster. And possibly a little on the younger side for the young adult readers out there. But still, I am very much looking forward to the next installment.
4 out of 5 stars
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Links.
The Hex Hall Website
I only started it yesterday.
I think that tells you that this books was an easy read with plenty of twists and plot lines to keep me hooked. It was just one of those books.
 |
| Book Cover - From Google/Waterstones |
But what's under the surface of this school is the interesting part.
And this book tells the story of Sophie's discoveries of the best kept secrets the school has.
Although the story may not be overly original, and I could see what was going to happen in the book, it happened in a different way to what I had expected. There were twists and turns and the characters have some substance. There are always layers beneath what Hawkins has already shown us.
It was like an older version of a mash up between Harry Potter and the Worst Witch, only set in America, and with other creatures at the school. You could definitely see the inspiration from R.K Rowling's masterpiece sluicing through the book. And although Rachel Hawkins adored the use of the word 'heinous' I can forgive her because some of the circumstances were just that.
Also, I loved the ending. A bit of a cliffhanger and there are now endless possibilities running through my head.
At times the book was funny, sad, scary. But not a complete emotional roller coaster. And possibly a little on the younger side for the young adult readers out there. But still, I am very much looking forward to the next installment.
4 out of 5 stars
----------------------------------
Links.
The Hex Hall Website
Friday, 25 March 2011
The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom
The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a story about life. Eddie's life in particular. But also yours and mine. Every single person's.
I adore this book, and can say right away that its 5 out of 5 stars.
To explain what this book is about, here's a passage from it:
' "There are five people you meet in heaven," The Blue Man suddenly said. "Each of us was in your life for a reason. you may not have known the reason at the time, and that is what heaven is for. For understanding your life on earth." '
So the book follows Eddie on his journey through the first step of heaven; making sense of your 'yesterdays'. As we walk through heaven with Eddie, as so look deeper into his life, I found myself looking at similarities with my own.
This is a story about many many things. There's Loss, Pain, Death and Shadows but also Love, Change, Stories and most of all Happiness.
Even if, like me, you don't believe in Heaven or God, this book is still about you.
Mitch Albom writes in such a way that you can't help but be drawn in, and to think about how it would reflect on your life.
It's simplicity and explanations of life will leave you quietly contemplating your own, and your version of a heaven, and also the people within your life.
I adore this book, and can say right away that its 5 out of 5 stars.
To explain what this book is about, here's a passage from it:
' "There are five people you meet in heaven," The Blue Man suddenly said. "Each of us was in your life for a reason. you may not have known the reason at the time, and that is what heaven is for. For understanding your life on earth." '
This is a story about many many things. There's Loss, Pain, Death and Shadows but also Love, Change, Stories and most of all Happiness.
Even if, like me, you don't believe in Heaven or God, this book is still about you.
Mitch Albom writes in such a way that you can't help but be drawn in, and to think about how it would reflect on your life.
It's simplicity and explanations of life will leave you quietly contemplating your own, and your version of a heaven, and also the people within your life.
Thursday, 17 March 2011
The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld
The Interpretation of Murder tells the story of Sigmund Freud (the famous Psychoanalyst) and his first and only trip to America. Freud said that he had experienced a traumatic event there, and his opinion of America was not the same afterwards. It is this trauma that Rubenfeld plays out. And what a dramatic one it is.
If you're interesting in an American version of a Sherlock Holmes style Murder Mystery featuring Freud and his theories then this is the book for you.
But if you're not interested in Psychology I suggest you don't read it. Even I, a student partially studying psychology and fascinated by Freud and his odd ideas, found some theoretical conversations a little hard to chew.
This book covers a little bit of everything: from Relationships and Love to New York history, and then to medicine and therapies, and then to Shakespeare's Hamlet? But most of all covering the murder mystery themes of crime and detection.
I found this book to be a little slow at the beginning, and a little too fast with the whole explanation of what had happened at the end, but that is usually how murder mysteries pan out anyway. The part where usually Sherlock Holmes would remind us of small things that his clever mind had picked up. Except the protagonist is more likeable than Mr Holmes.
The story, however, was told wonderfully. I'd say it was very, very clever. Of course having read this book before, I was not surprised at the twists and turns it was making, but originally remember being slightly shocked and very much enjoyed fitting all of the pieces together in my head.
So, owing to the fact that I enjoyed it, but that I expect quite a lot of people may not, I'm giving this book 3 and a half stars.
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The wikipedia page for The Interpretation of Murder can be found HERE.
If you're interesting in an American version of a Sherlock Holmes style Murder Mystery featuring Freud and his theories then this is the book for you.
But if you're not interested in Psychology I suggest you don't read it. Even I, a student partially studying psychology and fascinated by Freud and his odd ideas, found some theoretical conversations a little hard to chew.
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| Book Cover. |
I found this book to be a little slow at the beginning, and a little too fast with the whole explanation of what had happened at the end, but that is usually how murder mysteries pan out anyway. The part where usually Sherlock Holmes would remind us of small things that his clever mind had picked up. Except the protagonist is more likeable than Mr Holmes.
The story, however, was told wonderfully. I'd say it was very, very clever. Of course having read this book before, I was not surprised at the twists and turns it was making, but originally remember being slightly shocked and very much enjoyed fitting all of the pieces together in my head.
So, owing to the fact that I enjoyed it, but that I expect quite a lot of people may not, I'm giving this book 3 and a half stars.
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The wikipedia page for The Interpretation of Murder can be found HERE.
Saturday, 5 March 2011
The Pact by Jodi Picoult
Another masterpiece by the wonderful Jodi Picoult.
The Pact is a story that every one on us can relate to in some way. Even though the actual storyline is something which very few of us would ever have to go through, there are so many layers of thought put into it that you feel like you know each characters story personally.
And it goes like this:
Chris Harte and Emily Gold have known each other their whole lives so far. But today one of those lives has been cut short. Emily has died, and Chris is the prime suspect in her murder case. Is it murder, or is it suicide, or is it something completely different? What is the Truth?
This book immerses the reader into the lives of Chris and Emily and all those involved in the case. The sad thing is, Jodi Picoult tells Emily's story from so many loving points of view that you don't want her to be dead, even though she is. You see her through everybody else's eyes, very rarely her own.
It not only explores a large range of topics including: Loss, Prison, Trauma, Relationships, Expectations, How Well You Can Know A Person, Love, Family, Truth and so on, but also areas of research such as Crime, Law, Science, Psychology and Art. Which is always wonderful to see in a book.
Although it is at first confusing, noting who is who, and what their relationships are, soon you are entrapped in their world. This way you feel a great affinity for the characters.
I also adore the fact that you don't know what happens until nearing the end. You're free to make your own assumptions on whether Chris did kill Emily or not.
I absolutely despise an ending that I can foresee in a book. Especially if I can foresee it a mile off. But in this book, although I had my theories, there was nothing telling me the true story until the point it was revealed. And that's just how I like it.
Perhaps the only real bad thing about it is that you can't read it lightly. (But I hardly think that's a deal breaker.) And that it took me a small amount of time to get truly into it. But once you are, you're in for a literary treat with this suspenseful, emotional masterpiece.
As this book gave the the heart-wrenching story I was looking for, albeit with a few bad things, I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
-----------------------------------
Another Review on The Pact.
Review #2 on The Pact.
Buy it Here at Amazon.
The Pact is a story that every one on us can relate to in some way. Even though the actual storyline is something which very few of us would ever have to go through, there are so many layers of thought put into it that you feel like you know each characters story personally.
And it goes like this:
Chris Harte and Emily Gold have known each other their whole lives so far. But today one of those lives has been cut short. Emily has died, and Chris is the prime suspect in her murder case. Is it murder, or is it suicide, or is it something completely different? What is the Truth?
 |
| Book Cover |
It not only explores a large range of topics including: Loss, Prison, Trauma, Relationships, Expectations, How Well You Can Know A Person, Love, Family, Truth and so on, but also areas of research such as Crime, Law, Science, Psychology and Art. Which is always wonderful to see in a book.
Although it is at first confusing, noting who is who, and what their relationships are, soon you are entrapped in their world. This way you feel a great affinity for the characters.
I also adore the fact that you don't know what happens until nearing the end. You're free to make your own assumptions on whether Chris did kill Emily or not.
I absolutely despise an ending that I can foresee in a book. Especially if I can foresee it a mile off. But in this book, although I had my theories, there was nothing telling me the true story until the point it was revealed. And that's just how I like it.
Perhaps the only real bad thing about it is that you can't read it lightly. (But I hardly think that's a deal breaker.) And that it took me a small amount of time to get truly into it. But once you are, you're in for a literary treat with this suspenseful, emotional masterpiece.
As this book gave the the heart-wrenching story I was looking for, albeit with a few bad things, I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
-----------------------------------
Another Review on The Pact.
Review #2 on The Pact.
Buy it Here at Amazon.
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