5 comments about The Giving Tree 40th Anniversary Edition Book with CD.

1. It looks like a children's book. It even sounds like a children's book. But there's a strong message here and, if you've discovered the controversy at all, you'll know that message is definitely up for interpretation.
   
   Is the story sweet or sad? Is it uplifting or depressing?
   
   Some see it as a metaphor of unconditional love. Others see it as a cautionary tale exposing the selfishness and egocentrism of youth.
   
   Is the tree a mother, a lover, the environment, or a philosophical ideal? Shel Silverstein's not telling, so you'll have to decide for yourself. I think that's the power of this book.
   
   I think of the tree as the unchanging ideal in Buddhist philosophy--giving of oneself without regard for appreciation or even feedback. Mothers, gods, co-dependent people, and saints all give this way, too.
   
   Would you rather be the boy or the tree in this story? The answer to that question may contain the moral others find missing in the book.
   
   If you can't already see that this book is worth a few bucks and a few minutes, then it's not for you. But if you like being challenged and want to read something extraordinary (as in "outside the norm"), then Add to Cart and enjoy.
   
   Even if you hate it, you'll love it.



2. This book, in my opinion, is a wonderful story for very young children and even older.
   Our world needs less selfishness, self-centeredness and more empathy and this seems a perfect way to reinforce those qualities.



3. I love the tree's quick thinking in being able to always give the boy just what he needs. Too bad the cute boy grows up to be a selfish whiner.
   
   But I have one question: Why is the tree a "she" in the English version and a "he" in the Hebrew version? Can anyone answer that for me?



4. Book was purchased for a young woman having her first baby. She is painting a mural on the baby's room wall of The Giving Tree. This was one of her favorite stories growing up, so I added it to her shower gifts. It's a very dear story of love. I've always felt that the heart of the tree was still alive and underground, much like our love for our children.



5. this book has occupied a small space in my mind ever since i first read it at around 8 years of age. Even then I was profoundly affected by it, challenged and confused by the different perspectives possible. I'm just a little disappointed to read in other comments that the story was simple in its original conception as an allegory of Christ. I've tried hard to work out what it was that made such an impression, beyond the obvious. Perhaps it was that I could somehow immediately identify with BOTH characters- the naivete and self-centeredness of the child who asks/takes without thinking of the cost to the tree, and the tree who is compelled to give even to extremes to see the child happy and able to indulge pursuits that are, after all, part of the normal trajectory of life. I don't feel it sends the wrong message about lack of proportion in giving and taking, but just opens up room for reflection, as many readers have pointed out. Coming back to it now, I do notice a little feeling of dissatisfaction with the conclusion - the boy is old, the tree is a stump and they are finally happy just to be together. It's nice, but well, kind of shortchanges the rest. Which makes me wonder whether in fact the saddest and most bewildering thing for me at eight was the feeling that the ending imparted... "is that all there is left of the life that was in both of these characters, and is nothing more gained than the tacit recognition by the boy of the tree's years of sacrifice?" I want to see them look at saplings growing from seeds in the cores of the fruit that the boy discarded, or perhaps suckers growing from the roots of the tree.

5 comments about The Phantom Tollbooth.

1. I think The Phantom Tollbooth is a very interesting book. What was so interesting about the story is that the characters have such a backwards way of living compared to reality. For example, in the imaginary realm that Milo enters through the tollbooth, the characters he meets only eat when they are full, and become more hungry as they eat!
   
   Milo and Tock meet a Mathemagician who owns a mine called the Number Mine. It's a very different kind of mining then you would think, they throw away the diamonds, rubies, and emeralds and mine for numbers. The numbers are currency and are worth more when they weigh more. The Mathemagician explains the purpose of his mine ["as valuable a jewel as you'll find anywhere." He scooped up a great handful of stones and poured them into Milo's arms. They included all the numbers from one to nine, and even an assortment of zeros. "We dig them and polish them right here, and then we send them all over the world. Marvelous, aren't they?"] Milo drops one of the glittering numbers and it breaks in two. ["Oh, don't worry about that", said the Mathemagician. "We use the broken ones for fractions."]
   
   My favorite part of the book is when Milo and Tock pass through the Mountains of Ignorance to rescue the princesses Rhyme and Reason. Milo and Tock have to avoid the demons who are constantly trying to trick them to fall into their traps. They use manipulation and magic to try to trick them to complete impossible tasks such as digging a huge hole with a spoon, or confusing them by agreeing and disagreeing with everything they say. They become so confused that they forget why they were there.
   
   I would recommend this book to my friends as it is one of my favorite books. The author Norton Juster is really creative and imaginative. The story kept me interested until the last page. This book reminds me of a mixture between Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland.
   
   I hope you find my review useful, Chris



2. I love this book!!! There is something about traveling with Milo that appeals to me at all ages, when I was a kid, and even now. It could be the clever ideas, witty dialogues, and interesting characters. But I think there's much more as well to make this book such a joy to read.
   
   Milo has come home from school and once again can't find anything to do. He's not interested as much and looks glumly around when he finds a package waiting in his room. Inside is a genuine tollbooth with signs and a couple coins for passage. With nothing better to do, he sets it up, gets in his car, and proceeds to go through.
   
   He doesn't just end up in his room though. He ends up in Expectations. There's some strange characters here to be sure. Especially in the doldrums, where he is stuck until a helpful watchdog named Tock helps him escape. Together they go to Dictionopolis where they meet the King and learn a bit about words. Also here, the humbug joins their journey. Their new mission, on behalf of the King, is to rescue Rhyme and Reason, two princesses who were banished by the King and his brother when they made a decision they didn't like.
   
   With the King's blessing, they set off only to go through a forest of sound, jump to the Island of Conclusions, and help many people along the way. They reach Digitopolis where the King's brother rules. Here the numbers are many and the problems confusing, but they manage to outsmart the King for his blessing to rescue the princesses as well.
   
   The only thing left is to scale the Mountains of Ignorance to get the princesses. But there are plenty of demons along the way to stop them. Is Milo up to the challenge?
   
   The characters in this are great. They all fit their parts well and while their names may be confusing to younger readers, what better way to introduce the dictionary as a learning tool. And to be sure, this book is also an excellent learning tool. Milo especially grows throughout the book and you find yourself satisfied with his courage, bravery, fortitude, intrepidness, and pluck.
   
   This book, because it is technically is a children's book, has many pictures. While they are a good way of getting a visual of the characters, I could help but hope for color. They seem to be of a pen and ink style with various types of black lines. However, Tock is absolutely adorable.
   
   Juster has a great writing style. He isn't afraid to challenge the younger crowd with his words and style. He is entirely clever and the book is written in the 3rd person. Such a wonderful book and an absolute treasure to the literary world. Everyone should read this book at least once!
   
   The Phantom Tollbooth
   Copyright 1961
   256 pages



3. I think this is the only school book I liked.
   
   Puberty had just taken effect and so I was tripping my balls off on hormones: "My boobs hurt. There is blood on my panties. I hate everyone. Does that dog have a clock on it?"



4. Best. Book. Evaaar. If you did not have the privilege to read this book as a child you have been extremely deprived.



5. Let's set aside the implausibility of the beginning for a moment. Forget that normally, a package would not simply appear in a child's room. This book was after all written in different times. This book is not about the beginning or why Milo was bored. The story is about the magical land Milo goes to. The situations are clever and so is the dialogue, and the plot points are quirky. There's some fun math trivia and thought-provoking riddles and statements in here that cause you to stop for a moment and think it over. Just forget about Milo's 'real world', this is a novel that is simply fun to read. Call it a guilty pleasure if you will, but it's a good book for kids AND adults.

5 comments about Pretty Little Liars #4: Unbelievable.

1. **Spoilers from previous books*
   
   Finally, some damn answers! Not all of them of course because there are 4 more books in the series but enough to briefly satisfy. I love how in Unbelievable Emily is shipping off to live with relatives (because her family is basically appalled by her, nice ones they are). I wondered how that would work, how she could still be part of the story but she really still was. I think in the previous book and a bit in this one, the "Rosewood Stalker" is mentioned a lot and then fizzles out, I wish that plotline would have turned into something more. In the end it just got roped into something else.
   
   The aftermath of Hanna's hit and run leaves her with some gaps in her memory. That plotline in Perfect was INSANE! I was freaking out when I was reading it. Along with Perfect, this book really ramps up the plot, you know you are so close to answers you just have to keep going and going!
   
   A few red herrings were in place to help the revelation of A (yes we finally get to find out!) more surprising. But honestly my suspicions about who A was from earlier in the book were proven right so for me nothing too shocking, but I was glad to finally know and know WHY!
   
   So while this book wraps up one mystery it leaves open another and there is far far more to come!



2. Ah, yes. Another fine installment to this great series. We finally get to find out who A really, is and it was a complete surprise. I didn't know who A was, but I did figure out how A knew everything about the 4 girls.
   
   This book picks up after A runs over Hanna with her car and is in the hospital. A is still pulling strings that make the 4 grirls jump. That being said, A offers one of the girls a choice: Help A, and they both can be A, or die. The choice is there.
   
   Emily-Her parents don't like the choice with her sexuality, and ships her off to her aunt's and uncle's to live. While she's there, she does something, and when she moves back home, it come to bit her in the butt and could cause even more problems. Out of all the girls, Emily is my favorite.
   
   Hanna- She has to deal with being hit by a car, and has a memory loss of all of it. She knew who A was, and for that, A ran her over with a car. When she's getting better, her once friend, then ex friend, Mona, is helping her. Hanna doesn't remember what Mona did to her. Lucas is trying to help Hanna, but soon Mona convinces Hanna to dump Lucas as a friend, because, Lucas isn't cool enough. Hanna is my second favorite, but she makes choices, and I feel that she has to live with those choices.
   
   Spencer- She's up for a writing award for an essay she's written, but the only problem is that she didn't write it. She has to come to terms with that. Also, we get to know a little more about her past. We learn that she has memory gaps, She is still having problems with Melissa, her sister. They try to work things out, but is it to late for them? Spencer is one of my least favorites. She tends to make poor choices, then whines about them. She's made her bed, and now she has to lay in it. All of her problems she brought on herself.
   
   Aria - She has to come to terms with her dad's affair and his love love. Her mom kicks her out of the house for something she does. Her mom and brother find out that she knew about her dad's affair and didn't tell them, so that doesn't maker her popular with them. Aria has to come to terms with the affair that she had with a teacher, and how it affects her new boyfriend. Aria is another character that I really don't like. She made a lot of poor choices and then wants people to feel sorry for her. Like Spence, she made her bed, now she has to take a big ole nap in it.
   
   What I like about this series is that we don't know everything at once. We get small pieces here and there, then the small pieces make a big picture. We find out some things about Allie and her secrets that she was hiding. We also get some information on "The Jenna Thing" way back in the start of the series. Again, we see how Allie wasn't such a nice friend, and how she controlled everyone around her and how she used them.
   
   There are a lot of things I left out, because I don't want to spoil anything.
   
   Even though we find out who A is, and what happens to A, but the end of the book, we have a new A in town. I can't wait to see how the series plays out.
   
   If you start the series, I can promise you'll be hooked.



3. This book was amazing. Sara shepard definitely knows how to keep you in suspense. I am so glad that there are four more books after this one. I can't get enough of this series. The ending was unexpected. Even with A being revealed, you still can't help but wonder who else may be involved. There are also many more secrets to be revealed. The characters also start dusting off memories that they have tried so hard to forget. They then start realizing that these memories are all part of A bigger puzzle. I highly recommend reading this book if you are into suspense. You might want to have book five on hand to get started immediately after you finish this book. I have been plowing through these books. I can't put them down.



4. Alison DiLaurentis, 13, was a bright leader of a girls' clique. The members of said clique were more like satellites than actual friends as Alison's approval tended to give her peers a social leg up. These girls bandy designer names about at the drop of a hat. Alison has been discovered murdered some 4 years after the summer she completed 7th grade in Rosewood Day, a private school on Philadephia's Main Line.
   
   Spencer Hastings, along with the other satellites discovers she has good reason to want to dim the sun around which she revolves. In this installment, readers learn that she has had a history of blackouts. She also has a habit of sputtering. Her older sister, Melissa, favored to the point of excess and indulgence treats her like dog droppings. To make matters worse, the Hastings have ostracized Spencer in the past for bird-dogging Melissa's boyfriends. Spencer literally has to pay admission into the family. One price she pays is to plagiarize Melissa's economics paper, which is nominated for a Golden Orhid Award. Many is the time she wants to come clean and when she tells the Hastings what she has done, they insist she go along with the ceremony and possible award to make their family name look good.
   
   Aria Montgomery had been having an affair with her English teacher, Ezra Fitz. Her theme song is Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher." Back in town after a 3-year stay in Iceland, Aria reluctantly re-enters Rosewood Day School and the consequences of her father's infidelity. Aria's mother ousts her from the house upon learning Aria knew about the affair even before the family left for Iceland. Aria moves in with her father and the girlfriend in question. She has a habit of reaching into her yak-fur bag, a security blanket she brought back from Iceland. Her 2-years younger brother Mike straddles the post on where he stands and who he is aligned with in the family.
   
   Emily Fields, a reknowned swimmer has finally become open about her sexual orientation. She is back with her partner, Maya, who is now living in the DeLaurentis house. Her irate parents ship her off to her unloving aunt and uncle in Iowa. The Weavers suffer from such a paucity of love that they don't even inform Emily she has an infant and two toddler cousins, ages 2 and 4. These three little girls are staying with their grandmother. This is never explained. Once in the Weaver house, Emily's "uber conservative, uber chaste and proper" cousin Abby, 16 insists Emily sneak out with her and her 17-year-old twin brothers to a dance with other kids. Liquor is served and it is there Emily meets a potential girlfriend named Trista.
   
   Upon returning to the Weaver home, Emily's emotionally bankrupt aunt and uncle blame her for corrupting Abby and the twins. Emily explains that Abby took HER out and that other than Abby and the twins and their toddler sisters, she doesn't even KNOW anybody in the area! Resolute, her emotionally bankrupt aunt and uncle tell her they will leave her at the airport, but they won't pay for her passage home. Emily wisely sneaks out and hops a Greyhound out of town. You have to cheer at her departure.
   
   Hanna, the former fat girl now femme fatale has been lying in a coma after being struck by an SUV. While recovering, she tries to figure out what happened prior to being struck. Lucas, a kind boy who has stood by her and helped her when she needed it the most remains at her side.
   
   Someone else is at Hanna's side too and that someone else may mean her grave harm. Whoever it is has been hounding and stalking the girls and sending them messages outlining the darkest moments of their lives. The mysterious shadow figure is only identified as A, which makes the girls wonder if somehow Alison can contact them from beyond her grave. Each one of the girls has been targeted for some kind of danger! Hanna clings to life in the hospital after she is run over by an SUV. Her brush with death is the most extreme the girls have encountered to date.
   
   Masks play an important part in this story. Hanna wears one over her battered face; people who appear to be friends wear masks concealing their true motives and the girls think they have unmasked "A" at last! Have they? Or is A still in a mask, moving behind shadows? Keep reading. This series gets more and more spellbinding with each installment!



5. I am a 12 year old who is insanely in love with these books. Emily Fields, Ali DiLaurentis, Hanna Marin, Aria Montgomery, and Spencer Hastings have their annual 6th grade sleep over and Tony Cavanaugh, the freaky black cat person of Rosewood had been peeking through the window and when he sees them in their lingerie, Ali decides to get him back by setting off a firework. The fire goes through he window and blinds Toby's cousin Jenna. Now in High School, the girls reunite to the memorial service of Ali DiLaurentis, whos body was found in the halfway finished gazebo of Mr and Mrs DiLauretis. Now the girls are recieving taunting notes by a mysterious person named ~A. Rea the amazng Series to find out what happens next to Emily, Spencer, Aria, and Hanna.

5 comments about The Outsiders.

1. This is the book I was proud to call my favorite, before I discovered how silly such a concept is.



2. I have been working as a substitute teacher, and one of the perks is to find out the books that are being used in schools. This one and S.E.Hinton's book RUMBLE FISH are being used in the district where I do a lot of my work. There's a reason. They're excellent quality. This book was published three years after I graduated from high school. Where I graduated, we didn't have the terms "soc" (pronounced sosh, long O)and "greaser," but I identified the two groups immediately. If there was any "rumbling" going on between the two of the groups in our school, I didn't know about it. But I know from painful personal experience what it is liked to be picked on by the "cool crowd." And after I graduated I learned that when it came to the "cool crowd," not all was gold that glittered. Those young people had a lot of genuine problems to deal with, too.
   
   This author knows how to paint personality types and make a believable story. Even though I have long since ceased to be a "young adult," I lapped up this story as if I had just dropped back into junior and senior high school There's action, suspense, humor -- and be warned -- lots of tears. Ms. Hinton paints us a believable story of young boys who are trying to make their way with little guidance from their families and not much else but their mutual caring for one another to support them. The story moves quickly and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
   
   The ending is one of personal triumph, the very best kind to have.
   
   So -- even if you're a kid my age (considerably over 21 years old) try reading the book! You won't be disappointed.



3. Book Reviewed by:
   Scott N.
   
   S.E. Hinton's book, The Outsiders, really caught my attention. Basically, it's about a young protagonist, Ponyboy, and the rest of his friends. This gang of friends is called the "Greasers." Soon, a problem escalates between the "Greasers" and the "Socs," the opposite social group. After the death of one of the "Socs," things turn to chaos. Ponyboy and his friend, Johnny, show their heroic personalities after saving a few kids from a burning church. Unfortunately, Johnny gets seriously wounded in the fire. Suddenly, Ponyboy is faced with a couple of questions. Will Johnny die? Will they go to jail for killing that Soc?
   
   After reading this book once, I would definitely read it again. Because it was written in the 1960's, it will catch the eyes of any historical fiction lover. The use of alcohol, drugs, violence, and profanity makes the book unsuitable for anyone under the age of thirteen. I'm sure that both males and females will like this book, too. Overall S.E. Hinton wrote an awesome, action-packed book.



4. A book review by D. Williams
   This book is of course by S.E. Hinton that she wrote when she was only 16, deals with many emotional conflicts of teens or young adults, especially with a character from the book named Pony Boy. Parentless, he and his two older brothers, Darry and Soda Pop, must survive the brutality of city living with the Socs, the bullies from the wealthy. Pony Boy believes that there are only two kinds of people, Greasers (Pony, Dally, and Soda Pop) and Socs.
   Of course Pony, Dally, and Soda can't hold off the rich uptight gang. That's they have friends like Two-Bit, Dally, and Johnny, which are also greasers. Pony and Johnny then find themselves in a sticky, one-way situation. I don't read much, but this is a great book and reentered me into the wonderful world of reading.



5. I was very pleased with the speed in which I received this book. I read it many years ago and wanted to re-read it. It was as I remembered and I thank you for sending it so quickly.

5 comments about Fate (My Blood Approves series).

1. Fate is a better book than the first. Again, Hocking kept my interest in the writing style and dialogue. Something happens to Milo that changes Alice drastically and Milo ends up moving in with Jack's family. Hocking builds enough tension between Peter and all the characters that I'm now looking forward to how the love triangle between Alice, Peter, and Jack goes. The pacing in this book is faster leading to an exciting yet tragic ending.



2. Having finished the book last night, I needed to sit on the story for a while and really consider what I'd just read. And the simplest answer I could form was something amazing; the blatant answer would be phenomenal. In the second title in Amanda Hocking's My Blood Approves series of books, the story immediately twists into a more serious and darker tale for the book's heroine, Alice Bonham, as her 'future plans' accidentally go awry and the stakes are raised to an entirely new level.
   
   In the first book, Alice meets Jack Townsend and his charming family, who happen to be rich and commendable folks in the neighborhood. It doesn't take long to realize that Jack and the Townsends are vampires. Alice knows that she wants to become a vampire, but her obligations to her younger brother, Milo, keep her from acting so hastily. She inevitably falls in love with Jack, only to run into a monumental complication named Peter, Jack's older brother. In the second book, our leading lady finds out just what it means to become a vampire.
   
   The second book is, in a nutshell, Alice deciding whether the path of a vampire is really the right path for her to take. She asks herself whether this is really the life she's meant to live, and these reflections are starkly exampled in metaphorical events that make her realize, for the very first time, that vampires aren't human. After this dawning revelation, Alice then understands for the first time that Jack and his family aren't human.
   
   After she realizes that the Townsends are predators, new shades begins to unfold about the characters. We learn of patriarchal Ezra's past, and see that even now, although he behaves and acts pleasant for the most part, he has very cold and uncaring moments. In one sense, what semblance of humanity he's managed to hold onto cares very much for Alice; on the other hand, the vampire in him rises now and then, and cares little whether Alice lives or dies. This is the struggle for each member of the Townsend family, a duality that they struggle to control, and Alice has only scratched the surface as she continues to mindlessly provoke the demons within them.
   
   This novel takes quite a huge leap from the chaste and tame themes of the first novel, and becomes much more mature and adult, from alcohol and date-rapists at high school parties, to the graphic gay club scene in which men and women act in ways 'only appropriate in pornography', to the sensual atmospheric vampire club V, teeming with 'Blood-Whores' and the book's secondary-protagonists, Lucian and Violet; two sexy, dark, and twisted vampires that are obsessed with Alice once they catch a whiff of her. The book effectively uses contrasts in characters and their actions to portray Alice's inner turmoil over her own decisions and the choices she's left with. Fate was not a title slapped across the cover for the sake of it; it shares a much deeper theme in this continuation of the first.
   
   At this point in the series, Alice's character still hasn't grown much. She's still childish, naive, insensitive, and self-centered. One would argue that she was destined for the vampire's life for the simple fact that if she's still this immature at her age then she would definitely need the extra years to grow up. But sadly, once turned, a vampire does little, if any, growing. For the most part, they remain the same.
   
   Although still unappreciated and avoided by Alice, Jane is still a presence in the book. Alice's sanctimonious nature rears its fangs in constant judgment of Jane's lifestyle of sex, drugs, and alcohol, but this is only because she does care on some level for Jane's well-being. Though at one point in the book Alice finally realizes what the reader clearly saw in the first novel; Jane's wild binges of debauchery are her way of dealing with pain. And yet, with this knowledge in her grasp, Alice still never questions just what pain and/or anger Jane harbors inside of her; she's too busy worrying about herself and her newfound family, the Townsends. Though near the end of the novel Alice begins to realize just what a friend she has in Jane when danger snaps at their heels, old habits die hard, and Jane's actions pale in comparison to the shade of shrew Alice can't seem to shake; a trait that she unfortunately picked up from her mother.
   
   Alice's newly outed gay sixteen-year-old brother Milo is a dominant force in the story, and much of Fate revolves more around how her relationship with him has changed, and how it will continue to evolve. Milo is just finding himself, and although just as hotheaded as his sister, he also tends to be just as emotionally vulnerable as Alice. In the end, neither of them realized just how much they needed one another, and Alice wonders if she really would have been able to leave him behind after turning into a vampire.
   
   Concerning the driving force behind the series, the Alice-Jack-Peter triangle, it has such tangible charisma that one can almost consider it a character in its own right. Alice's nurtured love for Jack is powerful, but her natured love for Peter still runs its course through her veins, no matter how much Jack disdains it. Peter seemingly doesn't want Alice, and so he leaves. But tragically, Jack and Alice still cannot consummate their love for each other as the bond between Peter and Alice is still strong, and if Jack so much as samples Alice, her blood will be sullied and Peter will instinctively slaughter them both mercilessly.
   
   The reader is led to assume, once events begin to spark the climax, that the final bout will end deus ex machina fashion, but yet another twist of events leaves the reader in awe, craving what's on the next page. The problem: it's the end of the book!
   
   
   Fate receives a stable 5-Stars for Amanda Hocking's ability to change the game and 'up the ante' while keeping all of the same rules in place. Not to mention that the humor is incredible; at one point Alice's mother accuses her of being on drugs, and threatens to have Alice tested for "Every drug known to man, is that clear?" to which Alice replies "Crystal!" - Am I the only one who finds that pun ingenious? I think not!



3. Great series! 1st book a-la-TWILIGHT, then 2nd book a-la-NEW MOON. Alice's destined bond Peter is gone for her benefit, and she's hanging out with Jack although they're not meant to be. The setting may be a rip-off from Meyer's work, but the story has a totally new premise and very captivating one. Good and gripping with a cliffhanger leaving readers salivating for more immediately. Must read for Twilight fans!



4. I would give the storyline 5 stars - very entertaining. However, I subtracted a full star for the NUMEROUS typos and grammatical errors contained within the story. If I were the author, I would be embarrassed to have my name associated with such a poorly edited product.



5. This is the second book in the 'My Blood Approves' series. I am really enjoying this take on the vampire myth. Amanda Hocking creates engaging, complex characters who are likeable, but far from perfect. There is a love triangle so complex that I'm not sure who I want to win. There are complex side stories that also have no easy solution. Unfortunatly perfect health, immense wealth and immortality are no guarantee of a carefree life. Rather than focusing on vampire politics, or paranormal crime, this series focuses on personal relationships and family dynamics. Despite their issues, it is a family that I respect and enjoyed spending time with.

5 comments about Flutter (My Blood Approves series).

1. I love this series. The suspense, characters, and plot are great. I am starting to feel like I don't want this series to end. I wonder if a few movies will be made based on the books. To me, this is a better read than the Twilight series. I can't wait to read the next installment with hestitation because I will be getting closer to finishing this amazing series.



2. I read all four books in this series in two days because I just had to know what was going to happen next! Great new author who I can't wait to see how she grows in her work in the coming years. Looking forward to reading Switched in the morning.



3. Lots of action is where Flutter strays from feeling like Twilight. I enjoyed Twilight for the sweet dialogue between the leads. But in Flutter, there's more dialogue and story with side characters that i started skimming through just for Alice and Jack or Peter parts. Team Peter since book 1, i weeped a tear for him here and have my finger crossed for him. Enjoyed Alice's sex scene with Jack. Good read.



4. I love these books, but I can't help wondering if she is a twilight fan. They are very similar in story line.



5. The third book in the My Blood Approves series follows with Alice's choice and new life. Peter is in danger, and Alice goes with Ezra to rescue him. When Peter is brought back home, the household explodes with more tension. Alice's little brother Milo has a boyfriend and Alice doesn't like him. Peter and Jack are trying to get along. This book definitely has me rooting for Peter now. Although I still do not quite like Alice, I do like all the other characters. The author provides enough backstory to get us to care about them. I will read the next book in hopes Peter gets together with Alice.

5 comments about Halo.

1. What if you were an angel and your mission was to turn the tide against the growing evil in the world? What if you fell in love with a mortal? And what would happen if you broke all the rules? In Halo, Alexandra Adornetto's riveting debut trilogy, explores the perils of being a young angel and succumbing to temptation.
   
   For Bethany Church, life is brand new. The youngest and untried of three angels on a mission, just being in human form is a challenge. Eating, drinking, sleeping, even the simplest tasks are challenging. Assimilating into daily life could end up being more than she bargained for, especially where high school is concerned. But Bethany must keep her mind on the mission and grounded with her brother and sister. Because it looks as if the devil just might have plans for the seaside town of Venus Cove, and he will not tolerate any competition over the souls of the residents.
   
   Somewhere along the way, Bethany must find her own path and it could veer away from her brother and sister angels-into the hands of temptation. Can she manage her precarious mission and her burgeoning love for Xavier Woods all at the same time? What about her vulnerability to Jake Thorn? Who is he and what are his plans for Venus Cove? What are his plans for her when he seems to already know who and what she really is? What is he hiding?
   
   Adornetto begins Halo simply enough until midway she changes the game and ups the ante, and suddenly you realize that though Halo might have been tame to begin with, the story has evolved into a thrilling tale of good against evil. A dark tale with victims (!) This sinister bent manages to focus on how dire the situation is in Venus Cove and how perilous the task is before her. Adornetto is no longer pulling punches. While the first half of the book is about the trio getting used to suburbia and keeping on task with good deeds, Adornetto has devoted the second half of the book for the action and the EVIL-an evil has been unleashed in the Cove, and some have already died. Others will be possessed by souls of the Underworld, and in the darkness of it all, one being will stop at nothing to gain Bethany's soul for himself. Will he succeed?
   
   While I am a firm proponent of "bringing on the evil" earlier in the manuscript rather than later, it positioning didn't detract too much from Halo's pace. I was still captivated with the developing story line between Bethany and Iain, and their foundation at Bryce Hamilton among friends and family. And that was an important facet to capture.
   
   Adornetto has hinted it is not over and at the end of Halo you will desperately wonder what will she show us next? What will happen to Bethany, Xavier, Jake, Gabriel and Ivy when they meet once again? I am definitely eager to read Hades (set for 2011) release, because I have an idea of where Adornetto is heading...or well...Bethany could be headed (hint...its very hot)
   
   A Fiendishly Bookish Review (and one grumpy cat)



2. I LOVED this story!!!! Forget that it is for YA,the plot, characters all provided a wondrful escape!



3. Bethany is an angel who was only created seventeen years ago. She along with her brother angel Gabriel and sister angel Ivy have been sent down to Earth on a mission. They'll live in the sleepy backward town of Venus Cover and act like humans as they battle against the Agents of Darkness by offsetting their evil influences. This is a whole new experience for Bethany since she has many years behind Gabriel and Ivy who have been around for centuries. The first order of business is to become acclimated to their environment and that means eating, learning hygiene and getting enough rest; all things Bethany never had to do before. She's also worried that she'll fail her mission and will be forced to return to Heaven a failure.
   
   Gabriel will teach music at the Bryce Hamilton Private school were Bethany will also attend as a student. Her first few days at the school are stressful as she tries to navigate this new world, but then she makes some friends, such as the vibrant Molly and a few other girls who dare to sunbathe on school grounds with their skirts high above their knees. Soon the school hottie, Xavier goes out of his way to make her feel welcome. Gabriel warns Bethany not to become too emotionally involved with Xavier since their reason for being on Earth is something much bigger than her having a romance. But Bethany can't seem to stay away from Xavier and longs to tell him who she really is.
   
   Bethany begins to defy Gabriel's orders. Bethany loves her new role as a teenager, that is until a new boy, who comes all the way from England arrives at the school. Jake Thorn is dark and mysterious, and even though Bethany has fallen in love with Xavier, something about Jake calls to her, especially since he may know the secret that she hides from the world.
   
   Halo has a major lack of drama or edginess found in the pages. Yet again we have a paranormal young adult triangle with the innocent and pure heroine, who falls for the near perfect boy who she thinks is her soulmate, and the seductive rebel type who wants the heroine to walk on the wild side with him.
   
   There are some religious instances mentioned such as the Heavenly Father and a mortal's free will, but nothing too preachy or in your face. Bethany at times is too subdued with her thoughts and actions. She simply doesn't progress as the story moves along. She is afraid of rocking the boat, and because of that, the tension is very minimal. Even when Xavier enters the picture, their relationship is romance light, as in the lack of any desires being acted on between the two. There is a mention of sex, but that is quickly forgotten. We see these two talk, hang out, take long walks on the beach... but nothing more stands out. Not even the character of Jake can shake things up, and by the time the big climax occurs, I found it more ho-hum if anything.
   
   Halo tries to be suspenseful, but fails to deliver in that aspect. As I read, I kept wanting something more to occur with Bethany. Her personality is somewhat lacking and not even those characters around her can make up for it. Only Xavier had the gumption I was looking for, and Molly is the stereotypical friend who wants to be oh so bad, but never really crosses that line.
   
   Some may find this slow moving. Halo is what I call tame reading or "pop-light". But, if you're looking for a read that's not too taxing on the mind, Halo is the book for you. I also feel this is perfect for those young readers who are about to venture into more mature reading. Halo would be a nice starting point for them. As an author of only seventeen, Alexandra Adornetto has some merit, and I can really see her growing as an author.
   
   Overall, Halo was so-so reading for me mainly because of the lack of depth with the characters and suspenseful action, although the writing was pleasant.
   
   Katiebabs



4. I was thrilled to have the chance to read Halo, as it has been on my list of highly anticipated reads for 2010. Halo is the story about three angels sent to earth, to the tiny town of Venus Cove to bring more good to it. Sent with strict rules not to have close human relationships, everyone but Bethany follows this rule. Tempted by the immediate connection she feels to one human, Xavier, Bethany can't help but want to get closer to him.
   
   Bethany has her protective big brother Gabriel, and her more reasonable sister Ivy to help her in their assignment, and it won't be easy. Bethany is immediately drawn to the ways of the human world. She has an immediate attraction to Xavier and quickly makes friends with a group of stereotypical high school girls. The girls are constantly talking about boys, clothes and the upcoming prom. Being an Angel, Bethany is pure and innocent which is both a character strength and weakness. Bethany's greatest weakness is being sent to earth so naive, which really bugged me. I'm drawn to stronger female characters and Bethany wasn't that for me. Being sent on an assignment, I had excepted her to be a little more educated with the ways of the world. Luckily Bethany has a great support group with Gabriel, Ivy and Xavier.
   
   I liked how sweet Xavier and Bethany's relationship is, but I was caught off guard with how intense her feelings for Xavier were. From the moment she meets him, he consumes her every thought and she always wants to be with him. Not saying people can't have an immediate connection with someone, but their intensity took me by surprise. My biggest complaint is when Bethany wants to give up everything she is to sleep with Xavier. Not only did I feel that didn't fit with the story, but I felt didn't fit with a character who's an angel. I loved Xavier's character even more when he said no and told her why.
   
   While Xavier isn't the main character, he quickly became my favorite character. He was the most in-depth character in the story. He comes from a close knit family, is the school captain, and the hot boy every girl at the school wants to date. Since a terrible accident, he hasn't given much thought to the girls at his school, until Bethany enrolls. With Bethany being so naive, I like how protective Xavier is of her. Even Xavier will have a challenge protecting Bethany against the hot new British bad boy, Jake Thorn. Where there's good, there's evil. Jake definitely provides the evil in Halo.
   
   Halo's sweet love story and good vs evil battle make for a quick, fun read. I'm looking forward to finding out more to Bethany's story in Hades, when it's released next year. Congratulations to 17 year old Alexandra Adornetto, as Halo is her first US debut.



5. Angels are currently hot stuff in YA...just look at the success of Hush, Hush and Fallen, or even earlier works like Angel. "Halo" is the first in a trilogy, to be followed by "Hades" and "Heaven." Unlike the "bad boy" fallen angel stories that are currently all the rage, "Halo" features a trio of squeaky-clean messengers: the archangel Gabriel, seraph Ivy, and Bethany, the youngest of the trio. Each has a special talent; Gabriel is a warrior, Ivy a healer, and Bethany has yet to discover her powers. The three are living in a house in Venus Cove, where they've been sent to counteract the dark forces at work.
   
   Bethany is enrolled in the local Catholic high school, where she soon falls in with Molly and her crowd, and more importantly, Xavier, the school captain. Xavier has it all: he's handsome, athletic, and most importantly, Catholic. He volunteers at soup kitchens and nursing homes in his spare time. The two begin a whirlwind romance at the risk of heavenly interception. Beth becomes so wrapped up in Xavier that she starts to shirk her community service duties. Meanwhile, transfer student Jake is a charming rebel with a dark streak...
   
   At nearly 500 pages, "Halo" reads fairly quickly for its length, but there's a lack of depth. The author has a habit of overloading descriptive adjectives into a sentence, which affected the flow and, considering the level of Bethany's reflections, the vocabulary level seemed too elevated to ring true (I expect that's because of the author's young age, and that her style will become more streamlined as she continues to write). The few descriptions of heaven seemed hastily drawn, as do Gabriel and Ivy, who conveniently appear when neccessary and come across as flat, when I would have liked to hear more about Bethany's life before coming to Venus Cove.
   
   Much of Bethany's story is taken up by trying to fit in at school (no "modern technology" is allowed at home, so she's never seen a cell phone and doesn't know about Facebook), or her all-consuming love affair (we're constantly reminded how Xavier is gorgeous, perfect, etc., and she wallows in despair during his absences). Despite being an angel, she obsesses over prom dresses just as much as the next mere mortal (and is just as susceptible to human foibles involving alcohol at parties). She's clueless about s-e-x, too, and solicits advice from dubious sources at school.
   
   But "Halo" isn't all squeaky clean, even if Xavier believes in "saving yourself until marriage," the angelic trio volunteers at soup kitchens and tries to bring people back to the church, and Gabriel counsels Molly to love her body the way it is instead of crash dieting. There's some pretty graphic violence, but it's starkly at odds with the Catholic messages running throughout the book. The "evil" ringleader was apparent fairly early on, which kind of ruined the suspense.
   
   Despite the length of the book, there were several subplots that could have been more fully developed, such as Alice's story (Bethany adopts Alice's dog Phantom early on). My main issue was that the Catholic themes seemed rather forcefully inserted at times (the dinner table discussion at Xavier's, for example), and that Bethany is so busy being human that there is precious little time devoted to hearing about the heavenly Kingdom; the brief descriptions that are there feel abstract and vague. And several other minor quibbles will probably be corrected in the final print run, including numerous misspelled words that were distracting. Verdict: fans of "Hush, Hush" and "Fallen" will enjoy "Halo."

5 comments about Pretty Little Liars #3: Perfect.

1. Oh my goodness such an amazing series. I'm on book 4 right now so have no clue who the bad girls or guys are but can't wait to find out. I bought book 1 and wasn't sure it was going to be all that great since I haven't been a teenager in well lets say 10ish years. Oh boy was I surprised. I'm hooked and can't wait to finish the whole series. Way more then just a young adult novel. I am loving every book and thinking they read way too fast. LOL. I have done books 1-3 in a week and started book 4 on week 2.



2. It's been a month since the mysterious A contacted the four girls, and since Toby killed himself. But soon, A is back to her usual dirty work; and this time she's done with playing games and is determined to tell everyone about the girls' secrets. Hanna and Mona, the queen bees of the school, are fighting - thanks to A. And soon, Hanna's being replaced by other girls, right before Mona's huge sweet seventeen party. Word got out that Emily and Maya kissed and now the school and her whole family knows. Her parents force her to go to a program called Tree Tops, hoping to make her straight again. It's that, or be sent to live with her crazy aunt and uncle on a farm. Spencer's essay, which she stole from her sister, has been nominated in the Golden Orchid awards - which her family and the press is extremely proud of. Aria's dad has left their family to be with Meredith, and Aria's mom knows because of a letter she received from A. She kicked her daughter out of the house and doesn't want to see her again, for keeping the secret from her. And this is just the beginning of the third book in the series...
   
   Once again, Sara Shepard has left me speechless at her wonderful series. This book had so much drama, secrets, and gossip gushing out of the pages that I was constantly craving more. I grew to know and better understand the four main girls even more than I did before. And even when it felt like the world was against them, I still felt for them. Although they did some horrible things, I think their families were way too hard on them. The author did a great job with characterization. I got to know even the minor characters who barely played a part in the story. I also like how Sara Shepard doesn't pick and choose favorites out of the four main girls in the book. She gives each of them just enough chapters and spotlight so that it's equal.
   
   I don't want to give too much away of everything that went down between these chapters in this gripping book! It was full of mystery, scandal, and secrets. There were many twists and turns like always, but it seems like each book in the series just keeps getting better and better. As the girls dig themselves into even deeper holes, and the drama escalates, it makes me rip through the pages wanting - no, needing - to know who the heck A is! Every time I get a theory as to who this mysterious creeper might be, it gets shot down and someone else comes to mind instead. Oh my goodness - the last few chapters?! Insane! I'm telling you, something so unexpected happens and leaves the reader on a cliffhanger ending, biting their nails, yelling "What just happened?!" I want to stand up and give the author a standing ovation at how awesome she is at keeping up suspense.
   
   I will insist though that you have to read these books in order, to experience the story from beginning to end. I'm ecstatic to start reading the fourth book in the series, and hopefully I'll be able to finish the series as quickly as I can. I don't want the TV show to give anything away before I read it!



3. This is a fantastic series, I admit that I'm totally hooked. The funny thing is that this series isn't the genre I usually read. I took a chance on the first one and it had me. :O) I always read each book, pretty much in one sitting, and that's very, very rare for me to do. I can't wait to see what happens next, and to see how A controls the lives of Spencer, Hanna, Emily and Aria.
   
   This installment picks up right where book two leaves off. Spencer has a secret that's about to destroy her family. This is coming after making about with her sister, Melissa's finance. It seems that Spencer has a lot to do and a lot of things to commit to, and for one of the things she had to do, she took the easy way out, and now it's coming to bite her on the butt, with the help of A.
   
   Emily is still coming to terms with her sexuality and the pressures from her family, friends, and of course, A. A knows what buttons to push, when to push, and how hard to push. A has no problems doing that. Emily is right on the edge, and A will be there to push her over, and do it with a smile on his/her face.
   
   Aria - She takes some matters on her own hands and gets revenge on someone. As a result, her mom pretty much kicks her out of house and wants nothing to do with her, and Aria wants nothing to do with her father. Aria has to deal with her new boyfriend, and the teacher she's having an affair with. A knows what is going on, and exploits it, for his/her enjoyment. This has an interesting end and I can't wait to start the next one, to see how things turn out.
   
   Hanna- She has a lot to deal with. In this installment, A really sets her sights on Hanna. Hanna has to come to terms with that they did with "The Jenna thing". She's trying to put her past behind her, but A isn't about to let that happen. A causes a lot of pain and grief in Hanna's life. At one point, A appears to help Hanna, but all isn't as it seems. Hanna follows A's advise, and it wasn't the smartest move Hanna could make. For me, that shows how much Hanna is really screwed up. It was a wonderful character trait for Hanna. I don't want to say to much here, but if I do, it would be a lot of spoilers.
   
   It seems that the girls don't really follow A's threats, and A isn't please about that, so A turns up the heat on all of them. Trust me on one thing, A won't be ignored.
   
   There are so many fantastic things about this book. It has the usual great characters, a wonderful writing style, and so many plot twists that you need a road map. We're given a lot of background, but this time, Shepard gives us a bit more information on what happened around the time Allie vanished.
   
   Allie is a surprising character. In the first book, we fell sorry for Allie. As the series goes on, we learn what Allie was like, and she wasn't a very nice person, but rather a bully. She has to have everything her way, and if she didn't get her way, look out.
   
   The character of A. I can't wait to see who A really is. She just knows all, and seems almost perfect. Almost. A makes a mistake, and one of the girls pays the ultimate price. We're give a hint on who A is, but with all great books, nothing is as it seems.
   
   I can't say enough good things about this series. If you start it, I can promise you'll be hooked too.



4. I am totally hooked on this series. As you read each chapter, you have no idea who really is A. So I found myself pointing the finger at just about every character in the book. I found some parts of this book to be a little slow. But then the story took off and I couldn't put the book down. I was not expecting the ending that came and couldn't wait to get to book four. The book gets closer to revealing A's identity. Trust me. It's not who you think it is.



5. Perfect is probably my favorite of the Pretty Little Liars series. It was the first book that made me really sit up and say WOW A really means business! A is really out to do some serious damage to these girls. Some big stuff goes down in this book! I love how each book starts with something from the past when Ali was still around, we get to know more and more about her and her very apparent baggage and more and more clues are thrown into the mix.
   
   I'm not sure which book this really starts to come into play but there are some really great instances of creepiness in this series. Like the girls see people in the shadows watching them or crouching by cars. It totally works too, it freaked me out! And there is a Rosewood Stalker on the loose too in this book, I mean it's bad enough we have A but now another stalker too! Or is it? And A starts to keep creepier, leaving the girls notes in places that make it obvious that A had just been standing right by them.
   
   I'll leave you with this, if you find the first two books just ok and are thinking of not continuting to read, at least read through this book and then see how you feel. From about this book on I read about a book a day until the end of the series!

5 comments about Number the Stars.

1. This is a very good book and definitely worth reading. For me and my daughter, who was 11 when we read it, it just wasn't a great book. It did not pull us in the way a great book does, it didn't stay with us for long.
   What I did like about this book was that it was a relatively gentle way to present the holocaust to a child. My daughter resists anything that she thinks is going to be too sad, and this book is one she could get through. She could relate well to the girls in the book and the story is powerful enough to have an impact without being overwhelming.



2. This book was an incredible insight. I loved every minute of it. Much like Anne Frank's diary this book is about Jews in hiding. It's an incredible story and one that I read over and over again. I highly recommend this book to all.



3. an amazing story. Lowry really went all the way into pulling the reader(s) into the book. I suggest for children ages 10 and up, or for anyone who understands the meaning of war, death, and sacrifice. This made many people who read this book cry. Very understandable. Bravo.



4. What a sad triumphant story. I've not read too much on the holocaust (something I intend to remedy) and to start out with this children's novel was probably the perfect introduction to the subject. Even though it is for a younger crowd, it does give a nice easy start to what essentially is a horrifying point in history. It helps prepare for the harder things to come.
   
   Annemarie is a Danish girl who lives with her parents and her younger sister. It is several years into the war and the Nazis have occupied the city and are in control. They terrorize everyone, Jewish or not, and aren't above scaring young girls on the street. Annemarie learns this firsthand when she is reprimanded for practicing a footrace on the street and a soldier yells at her. With her, is her Jewish friend Ellen, who is also yelled at for racing.
   
   When the Nazi's start clearing the Jewish out of the city, Annemarie's family takes Ellen in and disguises her as Lise, an older sister of Annemarie's that died a few years back. They have some close calls harboring Ellen but manage to keep her safe. However, life in the city becomes too dangerous for even this and they flee to the country where there are relatives near the coast. With the help of this relative and other brave heroes, they help Ellen and her family escape persecution.
   
   The writing in this, is of course, juvenile. It is after all, a children's book. But despite this, it is very elegantly told and easy to get lost in the story. I would have liked to see a bit more description on events and people, but I can see where it should be left out in order to appeal to a younger crowd. Its written in the third person and mostly follows Annemarie as a character. Since it is a fairly short book, it moves quickly and not a lot of time is spent on developing the characters or storyline beyond the basic plot and this may account for the lack of description as well.
   
   Such a sad story, even despite having happy moments. To think that such things were done in real life and all the atrocities committed is very depressing. I can only hope that human kind has learned from its mistakes and it will not be repeated. This is the perfect introduction to the horrors of the holocaust for the younger crowd. It has enough in it to be realistic but not enough to completely scare a younger reader. There are some violent aspects to the book, but really, in perspective it is no worse than some of the violence in cartoons.
   
   I enjoyed the book for its information but it did make me want to go read something a little more positive. But sometimes that's a good balance, once you read something sad it gives you an excuse to read something happy as well (at least for me it does!). It is important to read though and I wish I would have had the opportunity to read it when younger.
   
   Number the Stars
   Copyright 1989
   132 page



5. I am 10 years old, and I read this book because my sister read it and loved it. I didn't think I would like it, but I read it anyway. After I read the first chapter I couldn't put it down! That's how good it is. Usally it takes me at least 2 weeks to read a book, but I read this in 6 days. It is one of my favorites. Good book! In fact extra good book!

5 comments about The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 3).

1. this is my favorite book in the series. i mean, sure annabeths missing almost all of the book, but percy is trying to get to her the whole time. rick's introduction of rachel (yuck) was very interesting. he is a very talented author and i cant wait for the sequel! i have read this book about 5 times and every time it just keeps getting better and more thought provoking. i hope they make a movie for thhis book soon. having just purchased it on my kindle, i can enjoy the ability of beng able to comment without marking up my book. GO PERCY!



2. Oh how I anticipated this particular Percy Jackson book. It had been rumored that my favorite goddess was finally going to be a central character in this Percy Jackson. And it turns out that yes indeed, the rumors were true. The goddess Artemis finally showed up! Other than being so excited for the goddess appearance, I was excited for the book. The moment it came out I read it. Titan's Curse may very well be my favorite book in the Percy Jackson series. Like the others in the series, the moment it started the something happened. I enjoyed this book for many reasons, but I really liked the new characters introduced in this book. Annabeth isn't in this one very much, a fact that bothered me, but hey we needed her out of the way for other things to happen. I loved it!



3. Months after Thalia has been brought back to life, she teams up with Grover and two Hunters, Zoe and Bianca to rescue Annabeth and Artemis the goddess of the hunt. They have been captured by Luke and an evil General. No I didn't forget to mention Percy, because he hasn't been invited to join the team because the group of woman Hunters can't stand men and aren't allowed to be around them. Grover doesn't count because he's half goat. Percy is supposed to go home to his mom, but she even tells him to do what he thinks is right. Before you know it, Percy is flying on the back of his black Pegasus friend following the group of rescuers on a mission he hasn't been invited on.
   
   The book has non-stop action, yet I wasn't as excited reading it as I was the Sea of Monsters. The book is well written and for once Percy isn't thrown out of a new school because there's not even one part where he's at school. But I don't know, the book didn't do for me as much as Sea of Monsters did. I will say though that did have a problem with Annabeth's father showing up in an old fighter plane to save the day though. I expected someone to show up when Percy and his friends were in danger, maybe Tyson or Chiron and his brothers again, but certainly not Annabeth's father. Plus just like with Sea of Monsters, we get another twist that a main bad guy is really a father of one of the heroes.
   
   This is a good book, but like I mentioned in the last paragraph, the writer thrown in some repetitive things that worked in the Sea of Monsters but don't work as well here. I also didn't believe that in one minute the Gods were considering killing Percy and in the next they were throwing a big party for him and his friends. Still, I'm in love with this series and despite being some-what disappointed with this book, that didn't stop me from starting book 4 right after finishing this one. To me, they're even more addicting than Harry Potter, it's just a shame that Chris Columbus messed up the movie as much as he did. Because this series really deserved a better adaption than it got.



4. The third book in the Percy Jackson series, The Titan's Curse embodies a fresh wave of originality, humor, and cleverness. After the disappointment that was The Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse regains lost ground with a strong storyline and new characters. The Percy Jackson series is back on track.
   
   While this series will never come close to rivaling others such as Harry Potter, Percy Jackson is fun for both kids and adults alike. Don't expect a literary masterpiece or a life-changing story, or you'll only be disappointed. Just read it and have fun with it.



5. The Titan's Curse tapped into a section of Greek mythology I was unfamiliar with and I was fascinated and immersed in the story from beginning to end. We meet a lot of new characters some of which includes the gods Apollo, who was given that bad boy charm; Artemis, his twin sister, and her hunters.
   
   I like the way we jump into action immediately at the beginning of the story and how the cliff hanger from the previous book is touched upon but the full explanation we don't find out about until our hearts stop beating from all the high action. This is awesome writing.
   In fact, the Titan's Curse is full of non-stop action with well-paced character building of new and old characters. Percy is the most three dimensional character along with his friends as they are full of adolescent angst but never the typical hero you would read in the Greek mythology. This is the benefit of the story being told from his perspective.
   
   The plot is full of twists and the adequate drama brought to the story makes the Titan's Curse a pivotal book in the series. I also adored the humor throughout the book.