The Millenium Trilogy (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest) By Stieg Larsson

Hey, sorry it took so long for me to finish this series, but school has been tough. But in any case, I'm back, and here's my review on Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest).

The story follows Lisbeth Salander, an odd woman with an interesting life. We start the series off by learning of another fascinating character, Mikael Blomkvist. He has just been charged with slander, but despite that, he is being hired by a major business mogul as a private detective (even though he is a journalist) to investigate the family's biggest mystery. Blomkvist hires Salander as a research partner, and together they solve a mystery that's been haunting a family for more than 40 years.

In The Girl Who Played With Fire, Salander is away from Sweeden and is trying to get away from it all. Blomkvist, however is helping someone on one of the most shocking storties ever seen. Upon Salander's return, the journalist working on the jaw-dropping article is murdered, and the police all suspect Salander. The book follows her and Blomkvist's search for the truth and revenge.

In the last book of the trilogy, Salander is finally captured, but with a bullet in her head. Safe at the hospital, she awaits the trial that will determine the rest of her life. Blomkvist, along with many others are attempting to free our heroine, but will they succeed?

This series was good, I'll admit. I went in with high expectations, but sadly, I left with a lowered opinion of the series. To put it frankly, this series was downright BORING. Sure, there were some exciting parts (mostly near the end), but you had to get through four excruciating hours to get there. The story was awesome and well written, the plot was excellent and perfectly planned out, but I'm sad to say that the Boredom Banshee barely let me concentrate on all the good stuff. I would recommend this book only to people who can handle more boredom than my science class.

Taryn



P.S.  I'm really sorry it took so long to get this review down, and if weren't for semester finals, it would have taken another 3 weeks. I'm going to re-read I Am Not A Serial Killer, then read it's sequel, Mr.Monster! It should be done soon, since I have to go on a road trip tomorrow. I'm super excited!

P.P.S.  I wrote this review on my iPod, I just thought I'd let you know.

BACK IN THE US OF A (not a review, although there are comments)

Yoo hoo,
I'm back in the United States.  Now, I mentioned in the last post that I would check out Gullivers Travels when I arrived on this land, however, the library was out of copies.  So I went to Borders.  There I found some promising titles, including my next book, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.  That is what I shall be reviewing next.  I might return to Gullivers Travels at a latter time, but that is unknown at the moment.  But for now, I'm glad to be back in my own country, where all the signs are in English and there is nature abound.

Taryn.

P.S.  I shall be starting school on Wednesday, therefore, my reading time shall be a minuscule amount shorter, so I begeth of thee, forgiveth me if I am unable to read a book very fast-eth.

The Maggie Quinn Girl V. Evil Series by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Okay, I know this is the third time I've reviewed this book, so I'm going to write a whole new review for you!!! (maybe only one !, it all depends on how many people actually read my blog.  It's only going to be a period if no one does.)

Maggie Quinn is a normal high school student, well except for her psychic powers.  See, Maggie inherited the Sight from her grandmother, that means she has a freakishly good intuition and sometimes dreams of the supernatural going-ons near her.  She has ignored her Sight for much of her life, but when a demon shows up and starts attacking the popular crowd, she can't ignore it any longer.  With the help of her two friends, Justin and Lisa, she goes on a mission to save her town and her senior prom.

When Maggie goes to her local college, she hopes everything will be normal, even after she is forced to accept her Sight after battling the Forces of Evil.  However, when she decides to go undercover during the Greek Rows Rush for a newspaper article she discovers that one of the sororities made a deal with the devil.  In order to save the new and old Greeks from the demon in their society, she must become one of them completely.

Maggie and her best friend/sorceress Lisa are on a road trip to South Padre Island for spring break when they run over a cow in the night and get stuck in a little town called Dulcina.  They hope that their Jeep will get fixed soon and then they'll be on their way, but when they find out about mysterious livestock killings and an urban legend by the name of El Chupacabra they decide to help the town.  Are they smart enough to beat an unbeatable monster?

Holy cow, these books are good.  And not just good, really really awesomesauce good.  I like the humor and sarcasm mixed with the action and mystery and great, well developed, three-dimensional characters.  This is really the only book I've read that can combine all of those successfully.  For the most part, you just get one or two of those traits.  It's well written, and everything comes together perfectly.  This book is great and you should definitely read it.

Taryn

P.S.  This is unfortunately the last book I have on hand.  I will be moving in five days and then I will have access to a library.  I plan to check out Gulliver's Travels immediately.  Wish me luck on my relocation to the U.S. of A.

P.P.S.  Also, in case moving works like theater, tell me to break a leg.  You know, for safety.

I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells (sorry it's a re-read, I ran out of books)

Yeah, so this is a re-read, I ran out of books.  Until I get to the states, I'll be re-reading.  Not to fear, I only have 18 days until I fly, so I shouldn't have to re-read many books.  But anyways, here's a new review for I Am Not A Serial Killer.

John Wayne Cleaver, aged 15, male, clinical sociopath.  John is scared of becoming a serial killer, therefore, he makes rules.  Rules to keep him out of trouble, rules to keep the community safe, rules to keep him normal.  But one day, a real live serial killer moves into town and John is the only one who can stop him.  But in order to do that, John must break his rules.  Break them, and kill a killer.

There is only one way to describe this book.  Awesome, awesome, awesome....awesome, awesome on an awesome cracker with awesome sauce.  I said this in my first review of this book, this book is so creepy it's awesome and so awesome it's creepy.  I know I'm using the word 'awesome' a little excessively, but this book deserves it.  It's not everyday you find a book that deserves nine awesomes.  The writing is wonderful, the character is wonderful, everything is wonderful.  This book makes for a great character study, there's so much in it that you would never think.  I kind of want to take this book to a sociopathic serial killer and ask if that's what it's like.  You just really like this book.  And do you know what really tells me this is a good book, I still felt the same suspense at the same scene even though I knew what was going to happen.  I leave you with these words, you have not lived a full and complete life unless you have read this book.

Taryn.

Marie, Dancing by Carolyn Meyer (and a commentary on my vacation to Paris)

Marie Van Goethem lives in poverty.  Her mother hasn't really been sober since her father died, her younger sister aches with hunger, and her older sister's only worry is to find a suitable mister.  But there's one shining light in Marie's life, dancing.  In world full of despair, dancing is her hope.  But will it all be taken away?

This is a great book.  Hopeful, and heartbreaking, and awesome.  The way Meyer writes is great, so pretty.  I also love the way she sticks in some French here and there.  Everything seemed so real (that was probably also helped along by the fact that I was in PARIS), the characters, the setting, the situations.  I love this book, and you will too.



COMMENTARY ON MY TRIP-
Paris was great.  Everything was so pretty.  The best part, being surrounded by French for two days, it was awesome.  I saw the Palais Garnier (only from the outside, but still...), where many scenes from the book take place.  I got to walk the streets of Paris, where the upper parts of buildings still look like they did in the late 1800's.  The food was great, the people were great.  Go there.

So You Want To Be a Wizard by Diane Duane and Leaving for Paris!

Nita Callahan gets beat up on an almost daily basis, but not today.  When bullies are chasing her, she takes refuge in the kids' section of the library.  There she finds a peculiar book.  So You Want To Be a Wizard contains an oath that Nita takes, making her a wizard.  She finds out that immediately after a wizard takes an oath, they have to go through their Ordeal.  Will she make it with the help of her friend and fellow wizard Kit?

This book = Awesome.  It's a simple formula, easy as 2+2=4.  I love it, it's well written and compelling.  Pretty much everything about it is wonderful.  However, there is one problem, the catalyst.  Almost every book has a catalyst, the thing that sets off the main chain of events.  In this book, the catalyst is Nita's space pen (a pen that astronauts use and can write on anything).  I admit that the pen is kind of cool, but it doesn't seem worth the lengths the characters go through to get it back.  Also, the paragraphs are long.  But other than those two things, awesomeness in abundance. It's also funny.

Taryn.

P.S. It's part of a series (with like, ten books).  So when I get back to the States (August 19th will be my first full day) I'll have to finish it.




SIDE NOTE
I'm leaving for Paris tonight, and in honor of the occasion, I'll be reading Marie, Dancing by Carolyn Meyer.  It takes place in Paris, so it's perfect!  I'll be in Europe for a week, therefore, although the book is fairly short, I probably won't finish it until I get back to Qatar.

Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

When Dianna was thirteen, she was caught in the back of a Buick with her brother's seventeen-year-old friend.  By her father.  She was instantly labeled the school slut, and her father has never looked at her the same way since.  Now Dianna is sixteen, still trying to redeem herself.  But it's hard.  The jocks of the school consider her public property, to be used at will because she doesn't care.  Her father wouldn't be surprised if she slept with her boss.  This summer, she's trying to make things different.

*silence*

*silence*

*silence*

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!  I really did.  It was hard to read, but it was great.  I really felt sorry for Dianna.  There are so many things that normal, unlabeled 'til high school teens get to do, that she never got to even seriously think about.  And it really hurts to read about how she thinks.  Honestly, I felt my heart tearing inside.  It was hard to read, but the truths this book sent out needed to be heard.  I didn't really cry when I read it, but the pages were blurred more than a few times.

Taryn



P.S.  I've noticed how I never really comment about how well the book was written, but according to my philosophy, that's not the most important thing.  How does that work, you ask.  Well, anybody can write, all it takes to write well is honing, and, if you're published, you've probably already honed your craft well.  Of course there are exceptions, aka Twilight  some books that never should have been published, and forced upon our eyes (Twilight these books tend to be over publicized, turned into sucky movies, with sucky actors and always make whatever medium they are thrust upon disintegrate more than they already are in our modern days).  What I consider the most important thing about writing is if your book made somebody feel something.  If the things you were writing jump of the page and became more than words and ink and paper.  If it made somebody think, and sit quietly for a couple minutes after they turned the last page.  If it talked about something real, something new or not-so-new.  A book that talked about a subject that needed to be talked about.  It's books like that, that make a difference.

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

Kelley Winslow is an actress, performing the part of Titania in the upcoming presentation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.  Sonny Flannery is a changeling, a mortal taken by Faeries to live in Otherworld, the land of the Fae.  Central Park is a portal from Kelley's world to Sonny's.  When they meet, the after effects cause Kelley's world to turn on it's side and her eyes to open to who she really is.  She realizes her destiny all because of a Kelpie and a changeling on the first night of the Nine.

This book is pretty good, not great, but good.  I've always been a fan of fairies, although I've never really read any books about them, so this was a change.  I liked it and finished the book pretty quickly, but it wasn't one of the best books I've ever read.  One of the biggest flaws for me was the way the relationship forms.  Here's my take on it (from Kelley's point-of-view)-

God, that dude's annoying, but kinda cute.

God, that dude is still kinda annoying, but I think I like him.
*five seconds later*

(to Sonny) I love thee. (Direct quote)

Another odd thing I found was that changelings are fairy children left in the place of a mortal child, not a mortal child taken to live with fairies.  At least, that's what I always thought, maybe I'm wrong.  If so, please leave a comment. Anyway, for all it's mistakes, this book was actually okay.  I think I'll buy and review it's sequel when I get back to the States.

Taryn

P.S. HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!

Live long and prosper.

Firespell by Chloe Neill

Firespell by Chloe Neill tells the story of Lily Parker.  Lily's parents are going on a research trip to Germany, and Lily is left in St. Sophia's, an all girls' boarding school.  She thinks the worst she has to deal with are the mega rich brat-packers of St. Sophia's, but when she follows her friend Scout into the labyrinth under the school, she realizes snobby blonds are the least of her problems.

This book was good, not great nor awesome, just good.  I liked the book and found it quite interesting, but it wasn't literary excellence. (Even though most of the books I review aren't literary awesomeness, this one seems to be even more afflicted with non-literary excellence syndrome.)  The characters were nice, but seemed little more than sarcastic blobs thrust upon the pages of this book.  However, even for all its faults, this book was a fun read, and I think others should read it too.

Taryn.

P.S. There are so many sequels coming out to books I've reviewed (Beautiful Darkness to Beautiful Creatures, Linger to Shiver, Mr. Monster, to I Am Not A Serial Killer, and now Hexbound to this book, Firespell).  I'm thinking of saving them all up and a having a month where I review all of the books, the Beautiful books, the "      "er books, the Killer books, and the "Single-Word-Even-Though-They-Shouldn't-Be" books.  What do you guys think?

P.P.S. Seriously, are there any readers of my blog?  Please, if there are, post a comment and say something like "Hi, my name is so-and-so, I read your blog."  I want you guys to do this because on some days (like today) I don't feel like there's any use in my blog.  I like saying "blog".  It's fun.

How Not To Be Popular by Jennifer Zeigler

Sugar Magnolia Dempsey, A.K.A. Maggie, is the daughter of some of the biggest hippies you can find.  Not only are they kind of embarrassing, but they move her around all the time.  When Maggie was younger she found her life adventurous, now that she's older, she finds is cumbersome, to the extreme.  When she moved from Portland to Austin, she left behind her group of friends and her boyfriend.  She knows better this time, she will NOT make friends, she will not get attached, so when she moves again, it won't hurt, and she goes to extremes to achieve this.  However, things go worse than she could have ever imagined.

This book was completely and totally, without a doubt in this world,  awesome.  I downed this book in two sittings.  It was laugh out loud funny, I read the first 2/3rds at one in the morning, and I'm pretty sure I woke someone up (I'm sure some of it can be chocked up to my shriek like laughter, but my laugh has to be induced, does it not?).  It was all very real and believable (I have yet to enter high school, and have been out of a normal school for three years, so I wouldn't know how true the social hierarchy is, but if it's really an exaggerated version of the kind of torture I received in third grade, then my God, she got it completely right.).  Everything worked out as I would imagine it would if the events in the book were to unfold in real life.  I love this book and it really helped take me out of my pre-move depression.

Taryn