5 comments about Dark Reunion (Vampire Diaries, Vol. 4).

1. My daughter absolutely loved this book! It arrived quickly and was exactly as described. Thanks!



2. I truly believe I would have loved Dark Reunion if it hadn't given me that "reunion special" feel. Everything was neatly wrapped up and finalized at the end of The Fury, but the cast of characters was brought back more because the fans wanted it rather than there actually being more of the story left to tell.
   
   Nevertheless, I did enjoy Dark Reunion. The Tyler aspect of the story was a completely unexpected but welcome surprise. I love Bonnie's abilities, but I wasn't in love with how they were used in this specific book. It seemed to allow a lot of easy access to Elena for whenever the other characters didn't know what to do.
   
   Overall, Dark Reunion was amazingly fast paced, but the least bit confusing. It provided a great chance to revisit with the characters and was a decent addition to The Vampire Diaries series even if it did lack some of the deeply emotional thrills of The Fury.



3. I enjoyed the first three books but I thought that this one was a bit lame. The two things that annoyed me the most:
   
   In book 3 Katherine said that she killed Klaus and now in book 4 he is alive. Was this a mistake? Was there meant to be a portion of the story explaining how Katherine thought Klaus was dead but he really wasn't? Confused.
   
   How did Elena come back from the dead?? I though it seemed a bit lazy to bring her back with no explaination of how it happened.



4. I almost wish the series would have stopped at book three. This book was nothing like the previous. With Elena gone, the story doesn't have the same pull. The characters felt forced. I think it would have worked a little better if it wasn't Elena working her magic from the dead. And then end was very cheesy. I'm not sure if I want to read the new series.



5. Okay - now we are on book four. You should know all the character's by now so I will get to the heart of it. At the end of the 3rd book - Elena sacrificed her life to save Stefan and Damon. Both boys were devastated to say the least. This book starts off with Elena's friend Bonnie being the main story teller. They have some more supernatural trouble in Fells, Virgina and they contact Elena through a Ouija board to get some help. Elena tells them to contact Stefan for help. Meanwhile Damon and Stefan went to Florence to try to start their "Elena free life". They come running back to Virgina because Stefan and Damon where told that Elena asked them to help. And that starts off the book.
   
   I did like this book but I didn't like it as well as the first three. I think it was because I thought Elena would come back to life but that's not necessarily the case. It was still worth reading. I just missed Elena.

1 comments about Blair's Nightmare.

1. This is a gripping tale of children's loyalty to each other and a frightened and fearful dog. An adventure with self-discovery - one of Ms. Snyder's specialties. As are all of hers, this is a wonderful page-turner.

5 comments about Vampire Diaries #1: The Awakening.

1. I loved this series ! It was exiting and had a really well written storie line . My mom and I bolth read the series and we bolth loved it ! The charectors have very difforant personalitys and back ground . exept for the brothers Damon and Stefen ! Eleana who is torn between the two brothers is from a hole difforant backround . I loved this book and the series is very exiting , and somthing is always happening ! I would recomend this book to anyone . It was defenetly a book you can't put down !



2. After watching the new TV show, I just could'nt get enough. So I started reading the books. They are great!!!



3. The premise of the novel is a little cliche, but it's a guilty pleasure read. I'll admit that the vampires felt like actual non-Twilighty sparkle vampires, which was a major plus for me. Despite some of the grammer mistakes, this was a very good read.
   
   Elena wasn't exactly my most favorite main character, but I think that's because she was created to be like that. She's selfish and bratty, but she was also a popular girl so her character was kind of sterotypical. I don't believe that she and Stefan were in love for having so little contact with each other, so I think it was just lust.
   
   Damon and Stefan's interaction in the story were fairly intense. I liked the fact that they were rivals.
   
   The ending was kind of open ended so I'll be checking out the second book in the series.



4. The Vampire Diaries The Awakening is the first book of this series by L.J. Smith. This novel is 253 pages. The novel starts off with Elena Gilbert writing in her diary about how summer is over and she doesn't know how to face school again after the death of her parents. Elena is stuck in a boring house living with her Aunt Judith and younger sister. Even though Elena is the most popular girl in school and has so many friends she feels empty inside. Then, Elena meets Stefan Salvatore, the new guy in high school. Stefan is the mysterious type of guy which interests Elena. She makes it her goal to get to know Stefan as best as she could, even though he has many secrets.
   During the school's Halloween dance, an incident occurs that has everybody frightened. Mr. Tanner, the history teacher was murdered. All the students think that the new guy, Stefan had something to do with it. Stefan is forced to disappear for the night, but Elena follows him and learns a deep dark secret about Stefan. He is a vampire. Instead of being frightened, Elena realizes that she loves Stefan. Later, they discover that Stefan's evil brother, Damon has been the one behind all of the murders going on in the city of Fairview. Damon is also a vampire, but unlike Stefan, he is bad and murders innocent people. The book ends with Damon kidnapping his brother. Elena is left in the dangerous presence of Damon hoping to find her vampire boyfriend.
   I decided to read this novel because I started watching the T.V. series on the CW, which I really enjoy. However, the book is very different from the show. I personally found this book boring and predictable. It is written in third person, therefore it is a bit slow. I feel like I couldn't get interested in the words. This novel disappointed me and did not reach my expectations. I don't think that I will continue reading this series. I recommend the T.V. show The Vampire Diaries, not the novels.



5. So Elena is this kind of shallow girl who thinks she can have anything and anyone she wants. She had this really nice boyfriend named Matt but apparently there just wasn't any chemistry there. And as soon as she sees Stefan she throws him out the window to chase after the new kid who acts like he doesn't want anything to with her. What she doesn't know is that Stefan is actually a vampire, though I noticed that not once does it say the word vampire in this book. Not once.
   
   Stefan is a very old vampire who got turned by his girlfriend back in Italy. She also happened to like his brother and turned him as well. The two brothers have been at odds ever since. And it's all about to happen again with Elena.
   
   Okay, I have to say I debated for quite a while on weather I wanted to read this or not. I watch the CW show and I actually really like it, despite all the teen drinking and sex (my husband calls it the Vampire Slutteries, lol). I'd read some reviews saying that the show is better, and well, I have to agree. Elena isn't that likable, at least to me. She's shallow and self centered. I couldn't quite figure Stefen out. He's good, he's bad, he's a mess...? Maybe that's just supposed to be the whole mystery to him but it didn't quite work for me.
   
   As for the writing. Ugh... I was often confused in parts, not quite understanding what was going on and what it had to do with the rest of the story. It's really awkward and clumsy at parts and the plot seemed fairly underdeveloped.
   
   Now, I was impressed how the book still felt current and like it could have been written today, instead of back in 1991. For being 19 years old, not too bad! I find myself wondering if maybe this was the first urban fantasy with a vampire going to high school, you know, the whole concept that has swept the YA board these days? Maybe not. IDK
   
   Despite all it's flaws and awkwardness, I did kind of enjoy it. The characters eventually grew on me in a way and I finished it in 3 days.

5 comments about The Faith Trials, Vol. 1 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, No. 21).

1. These novelizations of three of the television episodes from the third Buffy season featuring Faith are solid; we get a little more of Faith's perspective and experience, how these stories and events had an impact on her on a personal level. It's a good read, not a necessity, but enjoyable nonetheless.



2. I read The Faith Trials, Vol. 1 (is there going to be a volume 2?) from the library, and it's an awesome book! James Laurence really knows how to make you think of the episodes he's writing about, and I think that's great, seeing as Buffy is now over. There's something about the character that is so likable---I think it's the way she's so reckless and such a change from Buffy. Laurence really well portrays her character. I agree with what someone said about how I wish they actually showed Faith's thoughts. But still, it was a really great read.
   
   Another reason why I liked this book is Laurence's language. I already said it and I'm going to say it again. He really does give life to the episodes he's talking about. Quotes are almost as enjoyable in the book as they are in the episodes on the screen themselves. (e.g. "So what, you just fell, and tripped on his lips?"---Xander.



3. THE FAITH TRIALS, VOL. 1

   By James Laurence (2001), based on teleplays "Faith, Hope & Trick" by David Greenwalt, "Bad Girls" and "Revelations" by Douglas Petrie, and "Consequences" by Marti Noxon

   RATING: 3/5 Stakes

   SETTING: Season Three

   CAST APPEARANCES: Buffy, Faith, Xander, Willow, Oz, Giles, Angel, Cordelia, Joyce, Principal Snyder, Wesley, Kakistos, Gwendolyn Post, Scott Hope, Mr. Trick, Lagos, The Mayor, Deputy Mayor Allan Finch, Balthazar, Detective Stein

   BACK-OF-THE-BOOK SUMMARY: "Sometimes, it's gotta be a drag to be the Chosen One. Occasionally a girl would rather be at the mall, talking on the phone, or even doing homework than saving the world from unstoppable evil. Fortunately, Buffy Summers has always had a support system of friends and family to help her cope. But what if she hadn't? She might have been just like Faith. Faith, the `shadow-shelf' Slayer, is strong, sexy, and willful. When she first arrives in Sunnydale, Watcher-less and fancy-free, Buffy has doubts about the tag-team approach to patrol. As times goes on, though, she learns to find the fun in synchronized slayage, and appreciates Faith's zest for life. . . . Until Faith's impulsive attitude toward her calling takes her one step too far, and her inability to cope with consequences eventually pushes her over the edge. . . ."

   REVIEW

   The first (and so far only) Buffy novelization centered on Faith, Volume One of the Faith Trials focuses on the rogue Slayer's adventures in Season Three. James Laurence, a newcomer to Buffy-authordom, provides a solid and straightforward adaptation of four episodes: "Faith, Hope & Trick", "Revelations", "Bad Girls", and "Consequences" (contrary to the book's cover, "Enemies" is not included, with "Revelations" as the surprise substitute).

   "Faith, Hope & Trick", as the title indicates, is the first appearance of Faith, Scott Hope, and Mr. Trick, and involves Faith's confrontation with Kakistos, the vampire who slew her former Watcher. A solid story, the best part of both the episode and the novelization is seeing Buffy's jealously over how quickly Faith moves in on Buffy's mom, friends, and even would-be boyfriend. A short prequel is added to the novelization, detailing Faith's arrival in Sunnydale, but it's not of any particular interest.

   After a similarly so-so original intermission, the book moves on to adapt "Revelations," which tells of evil Watcher Gwendolyn Post's pursuit of the Glove of Myhnegon. Laurence does a skillful adaptation of an episode that has plenty of humor, plenty of romance, and an important betrayal, as Faith loses (what else?) faith in someone she had trusted--this episode starts Faith on the downward spiral that makes a strong story arc for Season Three.

   "Bad Girls" features a rather silly major villain--an overweight, immobile bather named Balthazar. However, the episode is redeemed by great scenes with the Mayor and Laurence does a good job in the adaptation of making us feel the rush that Buffy and Faith get during slaying. For die-hard fans of the "rogue demon hunter," Bad Girls is also Wesley's first appearance.

   The final episode adapted, "Consequences", tells how Faith tried to set Buffy up for the accidental killing of the very-human Deputy Mayor in "Bad Girls". Giles and the other Scoobies see right through Faith's plan, but they're unable to redeem her and she decides to go seriously evil by allying herself with the Mayor. The episode is far more interesting than my description makes it sound.

   All in all, Volume One of the Faith Trials contains four solid stories, with smooth, straightforward adaptations by Laurence. Although the book doesn't contain very interesting original material, hardcore Faith fans shouldn't hesitate to pick it up.

   (c)(...)




4. If you are a Faith fan, buy this. It explains how she feels troughout the book, covering her first 4 episodes. The only tiny critisism is that I wished it showed more of Faith's point of view.
   In the middle of the book are glossy pictures. A great buy.



5. This is almost the only place to find even a mention of Faith in the book series, let alone to experience her as a character. Which is a great pity, because there's a lot there to explore.

   This book is merely a novelization of Faith's first episodes on the series, and as such will be nothing new to the fans. The stories end at the point where Faith falls from grace, which hardly makes for a complete novel from her entry as a co-Slayer, but is at least a solid introduction to the confused psychological mess that is Faith for book series newcomers.

   As a novelization, it isn't bad. Laurence is able to give inner voice to the tormented Slayer, which is something the T.V. series of course could rarely do.

   Who's it for? Buffy and (especially) Faith fans, of course. Not a book for newbies to start out on, but one well worth getting for those who are behind on their Slayer watching, or to get to later for other readers.

5 comments about The Witch's Daughter (The Blair Witch Files, Case File 1).

1. This is a very good book, and its very intrguing, I read this and The Dark Room (a just as good read) all in one day. Really great books but I only have Blood Nightmare and after that I'm on my own, I can't believe some of the prices on the rest of the series, The Night Shifters is $70! Thats stupid and utterly ridculous! I wish these books were still in print!



2. I bought this book at a dollar store and once I started reading it, I could hardly put it down. Cade Merrill is a talented writer. He makes you feel sympathy for the young Lee Irwin as he describes her life growing up in an abusive boys' orphanage. She eventually becomes The Blair Witch's chosen daughter then she gets her revenge! I felt the storyline was great but I feel the scene where the Witch takes Lee under her wing in the woods should have been drawn out more. There wasn't enough to show why Lee decided to follow in her "mother's" footsteps other than just seeking revenge. But Merrill did a fine job of making the conclusion unpredictable with plenty of suspense. I highly recommend this book. But if you read it at night, do so at you're own risk...



3. When he was a child, Harper Kemp and the other orphan boys tortured poor Lee Irwin, leaving her miserable life in ruins. As the years went by, the boys grew up and died in bizarre "accidents", and a regretful Harper Kemp finds himself an old man, traped in a failing body hooked to hospital machinery.

   The only hope is that grandson Justin Petit will find Lee Irwin before she finds Harper.

   Let's start with the first weak link in the chain. Justin Petit is a two-dimensional, atypical horror hero. The Freddie Prince, Jr. of prose, Justin's a great fella, he simply lacks depth. He and his grandfather have no past relationship. His sole motivation for believing the tale is "It'll make him feel better." Yeah, sure. And as for Harper, all he does is rant and rave. "Get me out of here! She's coming!" I desperately needed some form of connection between these two!

   The story takes an early twist when Justin meets a pretty young nurse named Leslie Wolf, but her intentions are painfully obvious and I often felt like smacking Justin upside the noggin! Things are slow with a few scares that have nothing to do with the plot, but the story almost picks up when the diary of Lee Irwin is found. Her capture by Rustin Parr, an important figure in Blair Witch lore, should be a wonderful obervation and descent into insanity, but the serial killer is reduced to a Leatherface-style redneck hobbling around at the bidding of a ghostly woman - the Blair Witch. Suspense is forgotten. Nothing new is explored. The opportunity is wasted.

   The novel jumps back and forth between Lee and Harper in the past and Justin and Leslie in the present. It's nice, but could've used a little structuring so a form of contrast would come out of the developing plot lines. Instead, one plot develops for 30 pages, then another goes on for a while, then back to another. Ellis (* see note at bottom) doesn't even give me cliffhangers to build interest.

   Lee Irwin's story is a tragic one and would've made a better novel on its own. It still suffers from bad writing, but the character is interesting. Following her parents' death by salmonella, Lee (Louise at the time) is dumped on her widowed aunt who, in turn, forces Lee to dress as a male and dumps her at the Oakbridge Home for Boys. Here's where trouble begins between Lee, Harper, and the other kids.

   The scenes in the Orphanage are tense, but from cruelty rather than fear. The boys are brutal, completely lacking in remorse. This leaves them as cardboard characters with no differences beyond their names. Why couldn't some be her friends and some her enemies? All revenge stories need the person who didn't want to perform the crime but was forced into it. Where is he? We need him here!

   What gets me is that Lee is the most sympathetic character. Harper never once does anything to make up for what he did to her. And Justin doesn't have anything interesting enough happen to him. I wish they would have kept Lee as a tormented soul rather than make her totally evil in the end. Yeah, she should be out for revenge, but the reader should still sympathize with her. Instead, she becomes the unlikely bad guy. A great twist would involve Justin realizing his grandfather is to blame, so he takes Lee's side. It would've wrapped things up nicely.

   All in all, the whole thing feels rushed. A bit of polishing here and there, a bit more depth to the characters, and this could've been as good as the second book in the series, the unforgettable DARK ROOM. Speaking of DARK ROOM, why not make Cade Merril the hero and drop all this Justin Petit nonsense?

   (* Note: each of these books were done by a different writer. For the identity of each guest writer -- in this case, Carol Ellis -- check out the first name on the acknowledgements page.)




4. I thought Blair Witch Files: The Dark Room was alot better than this book. Cade Merill barely has a part in The Witch's Daughter, which is disappointing since he is the one trying to uncover the legend. The books ending is also disappointing, resolving things easily and quickly - not as professionally as The Dark Room did - but somehow still leaving thoughts to the imagination. That said, The Witch's Daughter is a page-turner. You want to read it, you're interested in the plot and the characters are all descripted accurately, giving you a good measure of what they look like and how they feel. The best part of this book is Lee Irwin-Papert's diary, which is chilling to the bone and the most intriguing part. Cade Merill deserves a pat on the back for his great mythology work in this one, and even though - I've said it once, I'll say it again - The Dark Room is better, his first shot at the Blair Witch files is still one to be cherished.



5. Cade Merrill's cousin Heather Donahue was part of a student project to document a legend of the Blair Witch. After her disappearence, Cade had moved to the tiny town of Blair, Maryland to uncover the legend. He meets a young girl by the name of Lee Harper who seems to be just as interested as he in the myth. When weird and unworldly things start to happen, Cade begins to question all the information he has gathered. Is Lee really the Blair Witches Daughter? Or is she being pulled in to the abiss of the Blair Witch, and can Cade help her? I read a book from the Blair Witch Files called "The Witches Daughter." This book was very realistic in describing the events of the legend of the Blair Witch. I read another book in this seriese, and the way the author writes is amazing. Even in the dedications he is always living the myth. He dedicates his books to those who are lost or who die in the Black Forest. It really leaves you wondering weather or not this is actually fiction. I think compared to other books, this one is just as good if not better then most. The suspension in the end is very tense. The beginning starts out kind of slow, but if you hang on until the middle, then it's all worth the wait. If you are someone who loves action, horror, and suspense, and is willing to wait a little while for it, then this is definately a book for you. If you are someone whom is impatient and can't wait for action, you might have a little trouble with this one.

5 comments about Power of Persuasion (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

1. Normally I like the entire "female power" thing but frankly the "this is wrong" or "evil" part of that storyline is really old. In an era where girls do try out for and get placed on "boys" teams, these issues seem outdated. Likewise rules were recently changed in Indiana (not even slightly a liberal state) that says any pageant receiving state funds cannot discriminate on the basis of sex or gender. I know, this book is from 1999, but we are living in a conservative backlash politically and this is still happening, changes are happening. Overall I felt the book had a very negative view of the gender roles and did not do anything to suggest they should be different. Even the disempowered girl who creates the initial problems with her "magic" is empowered through a pageant and her cooking. How much more gender role enforcement can we have? Really, with a strong female lead, shouldn't a Buffy universe story do better than this? In general the feel of the relationships and lingo between the main characters was fine but not particularly outstanding.



2. POWER OF PERSUASION
   By Elizabeth Massie (1999)
   
   RATING: 2/5 Stakes
   
   SETTING: Season Three
   
   CAST APPEARANCES: Buffy, Angel, Willow, Xander, Giles, Oz, Anya, Cordelia, Joyce, Principal Snyder, Hank Summers
   
   MAJOR ORIGINAL CHARACTERS: Allison Giankous (Greek student); Radello Giankous (Allison's father); Mo Moon, Polly Moon, Calli Moon (Muses); Viva (vampire)
   
   BACK-OF-THE-BOOK SUMMARY: "When the female population of Sunnydale starts strutting its girl power, the push for gender equality seems like a normal expression of `90s feminism. After all, a girl trying out for the football team isn't usually a sign of imminent danger. But when the guys start acting like powerless pawns and a few even turn up dead, Buffy Summers notices that the local womyn's movement has reached a feverish--and probably unnatural--pitch. The Slayer is the only one who can see straight during the ultimate battle of the sexes. Her friends--including Giles--are spellbound by the malignant muses permeating the school. Even the local vampires are acting strange. Alone in her search for answers, Buffy must figure out who's behind the sinister sisterhood . . . and close the gender gap before the feminist revolution goes too far."
   
   REVIEW
   
   Power of Persuasion starts out strong, introducting us to Sunnydale student Allison Giankous and her father, Radello. When the latter suddenly decides to open up a restaurant, Allison is mortified by her father's terrible cooking and cluelessness about running a business. Not a standard Buffy book opening by any means, but providing one-shot characters with interesting backgrounds and personalities makes their inevitable meetings with the Scooby Gang far more interesting than normal. Crisp dialogue, humor, and a certain sense of . . . "meanness" successfully draws the reader in and bodes well for the rest of the book.
   
   Unfortunately, the strong opening is followed by lacklustre middle and a disappointing ending. The plot of Power of Persuasion involves a trio of ancient Greek muses coming to Sunnydale and starting up a war between the sexes by entrancing women (and some men) into becoming militant and aggressive. Unfortunately, what could have been an interesting story about female empowerment (a core theme of Buffy to begin with) or even the evils of reverse-discrimination becomes an almost farcical caricature of modern feminism and is rather boring to boot. After making Allison and her father interesting characters, each gets entranced by the muses and loses both the reader's and the story's interest. (On a side note, Xander, Giles, and Willow all get entranced as well; I think a moratorium should have been established early on prohibiting the alreadly-incredibly cliched mind-controlling of Scoobies.) The muses themselves have an incredibly dorky backstory involving the Titanic, while the story's ending is sappy and the way Buffy kills the muses is almost laughable (in an unintentional way).
   
   There are some nice bits: Buffy feeling torn between her mother and father; Buffy and Oz having a debate over nature vs. nurture on gender attitudes; and Buffy's visit to a funeral home to find liquified brains. Still, in the final analysis, I'm really not sure what happened to make the book so bad after a promising beginning. I suppose the moral of the story is that even good dialogue and characterization is not always enough to redeem a story with a poorly thought-out plot.
   
   (c) 2004 Jeremy Patrick-Justice (jhaeman@hotmail.com)



3. Set in season three of the television show, "Powers of Persuasion" is one of the most worthwhile "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" novelisations out there. Author Elizabeth Massie brings together a great twisting story, lively characterisation and sense of danger and camaraderie that made the first three seasons of "Buffy" so enjoyable.
   
   Taking a male vs female conceit and adding to it vampires, Greek goddesses, mind-control, corpses, and even the Titanic, Massie creates an interesting and page turning Buffy-story. As well as this is the perfecting fitting subplot, dealing with the slightly more mundane problem of Buffy's parents' having alternative activities for her to perform, that will force her to make a decision between them. Massie has a good grasp of the characters (only Oz seemed a bit off-kilter to me, maybe a bit too talkative), and keeps the story rolling along nicely.
   
   Buffy is immediately suspicious of the two new students at Sunnydale High School; Polly and Callie Moon, who are demanding equal rights between the male and female student body, and taking this stand to extreme levels. Their mother Mo Moon is also on the scene as a library inspector that is making Giles's job a misery, and all three of them seem to have an odd definition of the word 'equality', since every man that is in their presence for long becomes a mindless servant, and every female a staunch supporter.
   
   Soon all of Buffy's allies are under the thrall of the three women, save Oz and Cordelia, and ironically enough Buffy finds added support within the vampire community. The vampires are not happy about the Moons' presence in Sunnydale, as they interfere with the quality of their blood supply. To top it off, the bodies of dead male students are being found around town, and their disembodied voices are haunting Buffy's mind.
   
   The mystery soon begin to unravel as Buffy pieces together the facts (that the sisters love jewellery and have 'magic' breath) with the information the vampires give her, and discovers their true identities. They are Greek goddesses (but I'm not going to tell you which ones - see if you can guess before Buffy does), and the Slayer has absolutely no idea how to kill a goddess...
   
   A full season before a goddess actually appeared on the television screen (Glory of season five), Buffy took on three goddesses pretty much by herself, by following her own plan. One of the striking features of this book is Buffy's independence and her extreme responsibilities, and with the absence of Angel and the bewitchment of most of her friends, she's on her own for the most part of the book.
   
   There are a few little complaints, namely involving the subplot of the dying high-school boys - there is no real reason for them to die past the fact that the killer just likes doing it (if you're going to kill people in your book, they should at least die for a decent reason) and how and why Buffy can hear their voices is unexplained. Likewise it is never really explained how the presence of the Moon girls affects the blood of the students which in turn cuts off the vampires' food supply. Massie also fails to wrap up a few plot threads: the goddesses are apparently summoned to Sunnydale by the actions of Allison Gianakous, but she doesn't seem to fully understand this or suffer consequences for it, and the conflict between Joyce and Hank Summers isn't fully resolved - what parent did she end up choosing?
   
   But all in all, "Powers of Persuasion" is far above average in the context of all the "Buffy" books out there. Massie is possibly the best author in terms of displaying Buffy's pathos - of a girl so desperate for a normal life, but who keeps on fighting anyway.



4. I didn't read this one until now, even though it's been out a while. I'm trying to catch up on Buffy reading, since I'm sort of new (just two years) to the Buffy universe and want to catch all I can, on t.v. and off! This book is great! The characters in this book are just like they should be, full of fun, quirkiness, curiosity, courage, and determination. I love their quips and their quarrels even as the danger grows around town. I think the Muses (wow, were they irritating and nasty!) as antagonists are a great idea (I see that was used later in the show), and it sure does put up a major problem. How does Buffy kill creatures who cannot die? I've read at least 15 Buffy novels so far and this is a favorite. I hope Massie does more.



5. This is one of the best Buffy books out there (along with "Coyote Moon") I really enjoyed it. A new team of Buffy, Oz and Cordelia is formed to sort out the problem while the others fall to be helpless. I would have liked it a little more if the enemy didnt turn out to be what it was, but it was still great.

5 comments about The First Scream (Fear Street: Fear Park, No. 1).

1. This book is scary for young readers. I would suggest that only the young adults read it because this book is very violent like a guy's head being sliced off. Yuck but the book was still great. The First Scream was more focused in the year 1935. That was when Robin Fear was still a mortal(yes, he later becomes immortal) and how Nicholas Fear vowed that there will never be an amusement park built in Fear Street Woods.



2. This is the first book of a 3-part series. I love R.L. Stine, and I love amusement parks. This was a good book, but it wasn't the cozy type that I like - it was more gory. The book was about the original Fear Family trying to stop the development of Fear Park. But it was a good and enjoyable book.



3. I liked this book a lot but I thought it was very violent like when the teenagers were hacking each other to death with hatchets and I didn't like the fact that Robin Fear kills all the people for like no reason at all. Well,if you like Horrer then you will most likely like it. Hope this helps!



4. This was a very good book. Although it was very violent, it was still good. I would of still like the book if he didn't describe the teenagers hacking themselves to death so much with all the gore.



5. i just finshed reading this book and it's creepy.Especially at the part where everyone's chopping eachother. It's a good book but has lot of gory details.

5 comments about Redemption.

1. Whitney Tyler has a bit of a problem. She has gotten so good at playing the vampire in Dark Midnight (her TV show) that they has more people trying to stake her then there are chasing Angel. As the problem escalates from a few crackpots to a serious team of assassins intent on major damage, Whitney's producer panics and interrupts Angel's usual vampire slaying to ask him to help keep Whitney's heart in one piece.

   Intertwined with Whitney's story is Angel's memory of Moira O'Braonain, who he first encountered in his Angelus the Vampire Pirate days (bet you didn't know that Angel used to swashbuckle a bit). While taking over a ship, Angelus and Darla run into Moira, a deadly fighter who Angel kills. And then has to kill several times over. Whitney and Moira are nearly identical, but it will take time for Angel to work out the connection, and people around Whitney keep dying unpleasantly.

   Mel Odom does a great job on his first Angel novel, capturing not only Angel's character perfectly, but the interactions between Cordelia and Doyle as well. The make an interesting counter to what is building between Whitney and Angel. Despite being pure fantasy, Odom's style adds the touch of believability that is necessary if a reader is to stay interested.

   This story comes from the short period of time when every Angel story seems to depend on undoing the vampire's actions during the Angelus period, where amends and redemption had a very specific meaning. Unfortunately, the constant flashbacks wear thin after a while. Redemption spends as much time in the past as it does in the present and, despite Odom's writing stills, I'm beginning to twitch every time I see Angelus in a frilly shirt.




2. Overall, this was a pretty good book. The story was interesting, the dialogue true to the characters (for the most part) and the pacing good. The problem I had with the book is that it read like the author wrote it in one draft and then submitted it for printing without editing. You would read along for a couple of pages, really getting into it, and then a sentence would pop up that was awkwardly written or a descriptive word thrown in that would harshly snap you back to reality. An example of this would be during a fight scene where all of a sudden the author Odom describes Angel as scampering along. Angel may do may things, but he doesn't scamper.

   The other problem that I had was with Doyle's character meeting up with a loan shark and a seer. Both of these characters were interesting to a point, and the scenes were well written, but they ultimately had nothing to do with the story. They could have been written out completely and the rest of the story would have remained the same. In fact, the loan shark storyline is completely left dangling. He forgives Doyle's loan as long as Doyle agrees to introduce him to Angel. Interesting, you might think. And then you would read the rest of the book wondering what business this loan shark would have with Angel. But you would never find out, because Odom never goes back to this subplot. It is just left dangling at the end. Very disappointing.

   But getting past the occasional misplaced word or sentence and the subplot that goes nowhere, there was a lot of good in this book as well. For the most part the characters read like those in the show (which isn't always the case in tv tie-in novels)and the rest of the plot is pretty tight. The introductory scene hooks you right in, and for a while at least you are intrigued by the mystery woman who Angel had met and fought over a century ago and who is now not only still alive and well, but doesn't seem to recognize him.

   I bought this book at a garage sale for a quarter. I got my money's worth. I don't know if I would feel the same if I had picked it up at cover price.




3. To me, this book repersents that the character ANGEL is trying to get redemption. In this book to me is most dramtic is where angel finds out that whitney has the personality of a vampire hunter from the days where angel was angelus and not angel. This book has a great ending to it. I have continued to read the rest of the series and now I have finished the eighteenth book and looking forward to the book named FEARlESS.



4. The story was great. I really enjoyed all the flashback to "Angelus". Highly recommend, especially in you're a fan of the TV show. Hard to put down because the story really pulls you in.



5. I have to say this is soooooo much better than "Not Forgotten!"

   It took me a while to get into it, but once the action started I couldn't put it down! The plot is full of twists and keeps you guessing untill the end. This book has more of a mystery element to it and I like the way the present day story fits in with flashbacks to Angel's past.

   It centres around a young, pretty hollywood actress - Whitney Tyler who stars in her own T.V series - Dark Midnight about a female vampire detective. However, the actress soon starts receiving death treats from a cult who believe she is a real live vampire. Angel is called on to get to the bottom of the mysterious threats and deaths - while protecting the woman from further harm. Angel somehow feels Whitney Tyler is very familliar, and he begins to have flashbacks to his past. The actress is identical to a young woman the evil Angelus fought on The Handsome Jack, a ship, hundreds of years ago.

   Angel must somehow find what links the two very different women together, and he must do it fast before even more people die at the hands of an evil creature from his past...

   I really enjoyed this book. The plot is gripping and is very well thought out - if you enjoy mystery stories this is the Angel book for you. You can also rely on Cordelia and Doyle to bring some humour and comic moments into the book too.

5 comments about The Deadly Fire (Fear Street: Cataluna Chronicles, No. 3).

1. Synopsis: Buddy McCloy's brother Stan is a racecar driver, and the latest victim to the evil Cataluna. Buddy feels terrible and gets upsets when he sees his girlfriend Sarah Franklin flirting with another guy named Will. Buddy gets consumed with rage when he sees Sara hanging out with Will more often, even though he likes his new neighbor Marisol. Will challenges Buddy to race him in the Cataluna. Even though Buddy fears the car, he has no choice but to drive the Cataluna, in order to get his girlfriend back.
   
   Meanwhile, the evil spirit of Catherine is trapped within the car, and feels that Will is actually William Parker, and makes her own plans to destroy him. Is William Parker's spirit still alive, and if so, can he destroy Catherine in time?
   
   Review: I had mixed feelings about this book, because I liked the story, despite hating the protagonist Buddy. Even though there is a reason provided as to why Buddy and Sara acted the way they did, I still didn't like Buddy's character in this book. On one hand, Buddy feels terrible about what happened to Stan, but at the same time, he seems really immature in hating Sean, who is just looking out for him. It is clear that Sara doesn't want Buddy, yet he does everything to make her his girlfriend again, while ignoring Marisol. True, the evil did make him behave that way, but nevertheless, it didn't make me feel sorry for the character. At times I wished the Cataluna ended Buddy's character.
   
   On the other hand, the climax of the book where William fights Catherine was written really well, and I thought it was an excellent ending to the series. This is probably the main reason why I also think this book is weak compared to the previous two in the series, because while the previous two books had two parallel storylines of two different timelines, where one took place in 1995 Shadyside, and the other took place in the late 1600s, (and I was really intrigued with the 1600-1700 storylines between William and Catherine), this book only focused on one timeline, and mainly with only one character - Buddy. This is why I feel this book could have been so much better if Stine could have focused more on the rivalry between William and Catherine rather than Buddy and Sara.
   
   Overall, I thought this book was weak compared to the first two books in "The Cataluna Chronicles", but if you liked the first two books, you would definitely want to read this to see how the series ends.



2. I love how R.L Stine set place the book from colony period to present,and the end is really twisty.



3. My niece (11) loves horror and goosebumps through the ages. So, I got her the 3 books in the Cataluna Chronicles. Her review: 2 thumbs up!



4. This is the third and final chronical of the Cataluna series. William Parker is still hunting after Bad Moon Catherine. His chase takes place in Shadyside inside of a girl's body. This girl happens to be Marisol, the curious neighbor of Buddy, who can't wait to take a ride in the Doom Car. Buddy's brother Stan died in this car and Buddy is dying to drive the car and race Will, the new stranger who's winning over Sara, his girlgriend. Will Buddy make it out alive, or will he die in the Doom Car just like his brother? Will Willam Parker finally defeat Catherine? Or will she beat him?



5. This book was the best of the three! part 1 and 2 were good but part 3 was the best of the lot because it got straight to the point instead of keeping you in suspense all the time having to wait for the next part to come out.I liked it how Catherine and william had a face to face fight leaving one person standing.

5 comments about Bury Me Deep.

1. This is from the back cover. Jean Fiscal is on her way to Hawaii. On the plane, a pasenger beside her suddenly chokes and dies. When Jean arrives, two of her friends are already there and have made friends with Dave and Johnny. And then, Jean starts to have terrible dreams about Mike...



2. Jean Fiscal goes to Hawaii for a vacation where she will meet her two girlfriends. But on the plane there, she witnesses the choking death of a young man sitting next to her and it taints the rest of her vacation. She can't stop thinking about him, dreaming about him. In Hawaii, she meets two guys named Johnny and Dave. Scuba instructors. The three girls and the two guys hit it off. But meanwhile Jean is having all these nightmares and it's really awful.
   
   This is not my favorite Pike book by any stretch of the imagination. It was interesting to read about scuba-diving and all. Pike really goes into depth (no pun intended) and treats every book as if it was a lesson on something or other. I never bothered to verify the accuracy of his facts but I was always impressed with his details. But this particular book is just a basic who-dunnit/ghost story. I know he can do better than this. The story's uninspired. It's not even a guilty pleasure. But that's just my opinion.



3. I liked this book a lot! This book is a good read. The book has a couple twists that kept me wanting to find out what happened next.



4. "That can't be. M-Mike was already dead. How is that even possible? I-I saw him on that plane. I know I did! And I found a skull in an underwater cave. Could it be...? No. I won't believe that... could it be Mike's?"



5. This book was the best book i have ever read. I read it in 1 hour. It is by far the scariest book. it is about a girl Called jean with her 2 friends go to hawwai on vacation. Jean meets a boy on the plane called mike. Mike chokes and dies. Mike was the boy sitting next to her in the plane. When Jean arrives to the island, Her and her friends decide to take scuba diving lessons with Dave and Johnny. Jean was scuba diving and went inside a cave and saw a skull. Mysteries happen on their way and she finds out Mike died a month before she saw him. She gets confused and them figures out that someone or some people are trying to murdur people underwater to hide the murdur of the scull. Jean tries to find who it is. And goes through many dangers.
   This is a great book and it will be a mistake if you dont read it. I suggest it is for ages 10-16. i hope this review was helpfull to u coz everything i wrote here is a fact