Thursday, June 29, 2017

Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Bloodlines (Bloodlines, #1)

It has been a couple of years since I completed the Vampire Academy series, so I decided it was time to finally read Bloodlines.  Adrian Ivashkov was my favorite character in that series, so this book was almost a guaranteed winner for me since he has a much larger part in this story.

The story is told from Sydney Sage's point of view.  Her job as an alchemist is to protect humans from the vampire world and to make sure humans are not aware of their existence.  She was labeled a "vampire lover" because of her role in helping Rose and her friends in the Vampire Academy series, but she feels she did the right thing.  She explains her reasons for the decisions she made and the alchemists decide to giver her another chance.  She is assigned to protect Queen Vasilisa's sister, Jill, while the royal court works to change an ancient law that requires the King or Queen to have a living relative.

Throughout Bloodlines we learn considerably more about Sydney and the role the alchemists play.  We are introduced to Keith, who is the head alchemist in Palm Springs, which is where Sydney is assigned.  He spent some time living with the Sage family when he was younger and Sydney is clearly not fond of him.  The only thing keeping their interactions civil is the fact that she has some dirt on him that could ruin his reputation.  When she discovers he is involved in far more than she ever could have imagined, she uses the knowledge to her advantage.

We are also introduced to an elderly Moroi, Clarence, and his son Lee.  Clarence's niece was killed by Strigoi well before the start of this book, but he firmly believes it was a vampire hunter who really killed her.  Adrian is forced to stay with the older man, which is the complete opposite of the party boy lifestyle he is used to.  In addition, his parents are only giving him a small allowance, so he isn't able to maintain his lavish lifestyle.  He quickly latches onto Lee and Sydney to help get him out of this unsuitable arrangement.

The ending of Bloodlines was a complete surprise and clearly sets up the plot line for The Golden Lily, which is the next book in the series.  I included the sequel on my COYER Summer Reading List and can't wait to see how the story proceeds.  

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Movie Review: Miss. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children


I read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children back in April of 2015, so I didn't remember all of the details while watching the film.  From what I can remember, they did an excellent job of bringing the unusual qualities of the children to life.  

Jake is a sixteen year old boy who always thought he was an average boy that simply didn't fit in.  He is the only member in his family who is close to his grandfather, but even he can't believe all of his grandfather's crazy stories in recent years.  After his grandfather's death, he sets out on a mission to discover the meaning of his final words.  

Jake convinces his father to take him to an island off the coast of England where his grandfather spent some time in an orphanage during World War 2.  His grandfather told him stories about the home along with the children and headmistress who lived there.  His therapist thinks the experience could provide some closure, so his father agrees to take him on the trip.  When they arrive, they discover the home was destroyed during the war.  Jake's father immediately thinks all of the old stories were lies and starts working on his book.  Jake investigates a little further and discovers "the loop" his grandfather told him about and the magical world that exists inside.

Below is a link to the official movie trailer:


Overall, I thought the movie was entertaining. The first half was pretty consistent with what I remembered from the book, but the last half seemed like completely new material to me.  In addition, some of the uniqueness of the story was lost because the movie couldn't spend as much time focusing on the old photographs Ransom Riggs used to weave this tale.  They do include some of the photographs in a few scenes, but it wasn't nearly the same experience as reading the book.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Matched (Matched, #1)

This book has been on my TBR list since July 2011.  For some reason I kept skipping over it until I found a copy in my local little free library.  At that point I figured it was a sign I should finally read it.

Matched is about a "Society" that has perfected everything.  They control what and when you eat, who you will marry, how many children you can have and when, what job you have, etc.  The benefits have been the elimination of cancer and other diseases, an increased life expectancy, decreased violence, improved efficiency, etc.  The only thing that seems to be missing is a life filled with choice and happiness.  The citizens simply live out each day like robots because the Society knows what is best.

Cassia is a seventeen year old girl who begins to challenge the rules after her grandfather tells her she "shouldn't go gentle", which is a quote from a banned poem.  She starts thinking independently and wants to create things instead of simply doing what she is told.  She even begins to question why people can't fall in love with whoever they choose.  She has been matched with Xander, but she may be falling in love with Ky.  She doesn't understand why she can't be with him if they make each other happy.  

This book was surprisingly good.  A solid 5 stars!!  I had no idea what it was about prior to starting it, but I was aware of all of the hype it received when it was first released.  It appears the government is losing control as outsiders continue to resist.  Now those on the inside, like Cassia, may be staging a revolt and I can't wait to see how things will unfold in the sequel.  I already have a copy of Crossed and plan on reading it as part of my summer COYER reading challenge.  Now that I have discovered this series I don't think I can resist seeing how it will conclude.  


Monday, June 5, 2017

Review: Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter

Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls, #5)

Out of Sight, Out of Time is the fifth book in the Gallagher Girls series, which is about a group of students attending an all girls boarding school for spies.  At the end of the previous book, Cammie set out on a mission to complete an investigation her father started before his disappearance.  The Circle has been after her for an unknown reason for over a year and she is finally going to take matters into her own hands.

Her first error; however, was not taking anyone with her.  I'm sure any good spy would agree that backup is essential.  She doesn't want to endanger any of her friends when the only person they are after is her.  The problem is, when she wakes up in a foreign location having no recollection of her entire summer, she has no one to help jog her memory. 

The majority of the book involves Cammie and her friends trying to piece together clues to uncover where Cammie went last summer, what she discovered, and where things went so terribly wrong.  

I have enjoyed this series from the beginning and can't wait to dive into the final book in this series.  The girls started their senior year at the beginning of Out of Sight, Out of Time and graduation is quickly approaching.  They will soon be out in the real world, but I'm not sure the real wold will be any more challenging than the missions they have already completed.

The Gallagher Girls and Cammie's boyfriend Zach, who is also a spy, have learned that there are moles in the highest levels of government all over the world.  People they thought they could trust have been working against them, but they now have the upper hand.  They can finally take the offensive to bring the Circle down once and for all.