The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows (Book 1) by Jacqueline West

When eleven-year-old Olive moves into the crumbling old mansion on Linden Street, she's right to think there's something weird about the place, especially the walls covered in creepy antique paintings. But when she finds a pair of old-fashioned glasses in a dusty drawer, she discovers the most peculiar thing yet. She can travel inside these paintings to Elsewhere, a world that's strangely quiet . . . and eerily sinister.


Now, I don't like spooky, scary, horror or anything along those lines typically. But, this book had just the right amount! It was suspenseful, creepy and mysterious.  I really wanted to know what was happening and why! Great page turner and I loved the cats!

Happy New Year!

Well, it's 2012 and it's time to get rolling! I took a break from blogging for awhile, but now I am back with some reviews of books that I read over the holidays!

This is a new companion series to the wonderful Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan. If you read the Ranger's Apprentice and are sad that it ended, this new series is for you. It is very similar in a sense to Ranger's Apprentice- great characters, life lessons, right versus wrong, overcoming hardships, loyalty, learning how to be a man, action and adventure, etc. So, I really enjoyed this first installment! Great reading and I can't wait until the next one!

It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows - a fascinating boy who's not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary's sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their enemies - Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons. Discovering and testing potions they never believed could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent impending disaster.

I read this book in one sitting. I really enjoyed it. It combined historical fiction and fantasy together in a exciting read.

Hugo the Movie

Thursday, Nov. 17th at 5:00
Hugo Program- trivia, giveaways, movie passes!

Relic Master: The Lost Heiress by Catherine Fisher

Ok, I read the second one and the third one is on its way! I do like this series. It's interesting and fast paced. Now, the relationship between the master and the apprentice are nothing like my beloved Halt and Will from Ranger's Apprentice. Galen and Raffi have a very different relationship. Galen is very harsh and moody, although Raffi admires him.

So, they team up with the Sekoi- a cat-like creature- and Carys, who happens to be on the enemy's side- to find the 'lost heiress' who they believe can help restore the world to what the Makers designed originally before it was corrupted by Kest.

I think you would enjoy this series! I am waiting to see what others think!

Lots of Great Books to Read!

Ok, so what's on my nightstand?

The second book in the Maze Runner Trilogy by James Dashner- The Scorch Trials.
The second book in the Relic Master Series by Catherine Fisher- The Lost Heiress.
The new series by John Flanagan- The Brotherband Chronicles- The Outcasts #1.
Lost stories from my FAVORITE series, Ranger's Apprentice- The Lost Stories.
AND.........
Inheritance- the final chapter in the Inheritance Cycle!!!

Lots of reading to do....

Relic Master: Dark City by Catherine Fisher

Welcome to Anara, a world mysteriously crumbling to devastation, where nothing is what it seems: Ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. The only hope for the world lies in Galen, a man of the old Order and a Keeper of relics, and his sixteen-year-old apprentice, Raffi. They know of a secret relic with great power that has been hidden for centuries. As they search for it, they will be tested beyond their limits. For there are monsters-some human, some not-that also want the relic's power and will stop at nothing to get it.


I just finished this and I really like it. I will be reading the others in this series. This is a unique series because The Dark City came out in May, The Lost Heiress in June, The Hidden Coronet in July and the final book The Margrave in August. That's a quick series!!! So, they are all out right now and ready for you to read!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

I finally finished another book! Since I have returned to school, I haven't had much time to read for pleasure- yuck! There are so many good books on  my list!

One of our patrons suggested this trilogy and I really liked the first book. I will definitely read the next two so I can find out what happens. The third book just came out- The Death Cure.

In the Maze Runner, Thomas wakes up in a place called the Glade with no memory except his first name. There are other boys there in the same situation. There is a maze that surrounds the Glade and every morning the doors open to the maze and every night they close, thankfully, to keep out awful things called Grievers. Every 30 days a new boy is delivered to the Glade, but next the first girl arrives and she brings a message.

This was a fast read and a page-turner. I really wanted to know what happened next. I thought it was an interesting concept and enough action, suspense and character development to keep me interested. It ended in a great cliff hanger!

I don't generally read science fiction, but I would definitely suggest this trilogy!