REVIEW: Code Name Cassandra (1-800-Where-R-You Series #2)

Title: Code Name Cassandra
Author: Meg Cabot
Series: 1-800-Where-R-You
Published: 2001
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

JESS MASTRIANI
was dubbed "Lightning Girl" by the press when she developed a psychic ability to find missing children after she was struck by lightning during a huge storm. Now Jess has lost her miraculous powers...or at least she would like the media and the government to think so. All she wants is to be left alone.
But it doesn't look like Jess is going to get her wish -- especially not while working at a summer camp for musically gifted kids. When the father of a missing girl shows up to beg Jess to find his daughter, Jess can't say no. Now the Feds are on her tail again, as is one ornery stepdad, who'd like to see Lightning Girl...well, dead.

Jess is back and has a job at summer camp in the second installment of Meg Cabot's 1-800-Where-R-You series.

Since lying to the Feds about the loss of her power to find missing people Jess has continued to find missing children who are truly missing and wanting to come home by calling Rosemary at 1-800-Where-R-You.  With a system in place to keep using her gift to help the missing kids, Jess feels safe taking a summer job as a camp counselor.  The reporters are no longer camped out n her front lawn so what could go wrong....

On a personal note I did not like book two as much as I enjoyed the first book.  Though this time she does come to face the dangers of find kids who have been kidnapped with out the proper authorities going with her.  She is still in love with Rob who says he can not be with her because of the age and him being on probation thing, but he seems to keep coming when she calls no matter the distance.  Of course I think she is over doing it to get him to give in and date her and that may be one of the things that I really do not like about this book/series in general.  But I am rooting for them to get together.  I think that has something to do with the fact that he will drive hours so that she does not get a ride somewhere from another guy.

Overall review a quick easy read if you want to borrow it from you local library for a summer read.

REVIEW: When Lightning Strikes (1-800-WHERE-R-YOU #1)

Title: When Lightning Strikes
Author: Meg Cabot
Series: 1-800-Where-R-You
Published: 2001
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Jess Mastriani has never been what you'd call a typical Midwestern teenager—her extracurricular activities, instead of cheerleading or 4-H, include fist-fights with the football team and month-long stints in detention. A part of Jess would like to be the prom queen her mother has always envisioned her being, but another part is secretly counting the days until she's saved up enough money to buy her own Harley.

Then something happens that guarantees Jess will be one of the in-crowd...at least until her newfound talent ends up getting her dead.

I have loved Meg Cabot since I was in high school and I first read The Princess Diaries.  So with my love of The Princess Diaries I decided to give another shorter lived series by Meg Cabot a try, and on a personal level I have really liked it.

This first book reminds me of the writing style of The Princess Diaries, Jess Mastriani is writing the story of what had happened to her.  The events of what had caused her to be able to find missing children.  Personally this is a very quick and easy read but I did love the story telling style of Jess telling the FBI her side of what happened.  This book has been in my TBR pile not because it was written by on of my all-time favorite authors, Meg Cabot, but because I watched the TV Series that was loosely based on the books.

Now onto the review, if you are one of those people who like to take a red pen to everything you read, you may want to skip this one.  I like to think that this is supposed to be written by a 16 year-old and I have read some papers I wrote at that age, I do not understand why the teacher gave me a passing grade (and there are times I still can not seem to form a sentence correctly.)  But other than a few hard to understand sentences this is a very good book.

Jess Mastriani is writing her statement of events to the FBI that led to her being able to find missing children on the milk cartons as well as the events afterwards.  Everything from being struck by lightning because her best friend wanted to walk home, to the escape from the "closed" military facility she goes to because her brother has a problem with the press on the front lawn.  Jess has a lot going on within just this first book even some everyday teen girl problems - boys.

Loved it and can not wait to enjoy the next 4 books in the series.

REVIEW: The 100 by Kass Morgan

Title: The 100
Author: Kass Morgan
Series: The Hundred
Published: 2013
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

In the future, humans live in city-like spaceships orbiting far above Earth's toxic atmosphere. No one knows when, or even if, the long-abandoned planet will be habitable again. But faced with dwindling resources and a growing populace, government leaders know they must reclaim their homeland... before it's too late.

Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents are being sent on a high-stakes mission to recolonize Earth. After a brutal crash landing, the teens arrive on a savagely beautiful planet they've only seen from space. Confronting the dangers of this rugged new world, they struggle to form a tentative community. But they're haunted by their past and uncertain about the future. To survive, they must learn to trust - and even love - again.

MY REVIEW


So The 100 by Kass Morgan is a post-apocalyptic society where the Earth has been completely uninhabitable.  With the “Ark” Space Station they have been living on running out of air, the Council decides to send 100 juvenile delinquents down to Earth to see if it is inhabitable for the rest of the population.

Overall this book was pretty good, hard to read at times if you get so absorbed in your reading that you miss the chapter change and all of a sudden you are reading a new character (I had to start a few chapters over because of this).  The characters are great they each have an interesting back story which leads to them being in the “Detention Center”; of course this makes it hard to keep up with also since each character also has their own flashbacks in the middle of their “Scene”.  So yes hard to read but if you are paying attention to what you are reading it can be a pretty quick read.

It has all the things that every good YA has in it, No Parent Supervision and a Good Love Triangle.

The Earth in the years that no one has lived on it is pretty interesting from two headed deer to what was once a church now abandoned with trees growing through it and bodies left kneeling where they died.  Yeah the Earth has changed a lot in the years that humans have lived in space.

SPOILERS are coming, if you plan to read this book and do not want to be spoiled stop here.  If you have read it or just are not interested keep on reading.

Personally I think a society that thinks teens are an acceptable test subject needs to rethink their life choices but this society has a lot of questionable decisions they have to live with, and I get it Survival of the smartest and the most useful.  The more your occupation is useful to society the more “money” you get for food and other necessities.  But some of the things these people do to “save” as many people as possible are kind of scary.

Let’s look at the people whose lives we follow with this book alone.  What we know about them and the crimes that got them “locked up” until their 18th birthday.

Clarke’s parents were both killed for testing radiation levels of Earth on the kids that were Unregistered aboard the Station.  Now these kids already have no parents as they were killed for having them to begin with as that is a crime and then to be tested on by people of the Council (Though said person denies giving order) is just wrong.  Since Clarke had spent a lot of time in her parent’s lab bonding with one of the girls, Lilly, she was also found guilty of the same crimes as her parents and locked up.

Wells, was Clarke’s best friend and “boyfriend” until he told his father what Clarke told him about the testing her parents were doing.  But when listening to a conversation his father was having with the Council about the mission to Earth and the timeframe on when it should happen he knows he needs to speed up the date as well as get himself on that mission and that is what he does.  I love and hate Wells, I hate him for breaking the confidence of the girl he loves but I love him because he gets himself arrested so that he can join her.

Bellamy is 1/2 of the only pair of siblings living on the space station.  Most people choose someone to be the “sibling” type but they do not have any by blood.  Besides your parents it is very unlikely that you have any blood relatives aboard the Space Station with the way the laws are.  And when said sister is going to be sent down to Earth he knows as her older brother he needs to get on that ship to protect her down on Earth.  In doing so he got the Chancellor shot but he made his way on the ship to protect the girl who he has spent most of his life protecting.

Glass is the last character we follow.  I like her character because she is not on the ground, she is our eyes and ears on the Space Station since the moment Bellamy fought his way on the ship she escaped and went to find the man she loves.  Glass is now a “free” woman on the Space Station but at what cost, the guy she loves may have moved on to another girl and she has not told him her dark secret that got her arrested to begin with.  The pregnancy that should never have happened and the fact that she said the baby’s father was his best friend, and not him to save his life.  Glass sees people going on with their lives like nothing has changed but she also sees the bad in the fact that the council seems to be limiting oxygen to the decks that could be considered “non-essential”.

Overall this book has some great scenes: a kiss between Clarke and Wells on the ground, a kiss between Clarke and Bellamy, as well as some shirtless Bellamy (this will make fans of the show happy).  And even the discovery that there are people living on the ground and they are not that friendly.   I will admit to Shipping Clarke and Bellamy already in just the first book.  I think they make a great couple already.  Then there is Clarke and Wells who I just think do not work, I mean he turned in her parents when she trusted him with the information.

If you were one of the 100 sent down to Earth what kind of skill would you bring to the Survival of yourself and fellow friends? Personally I know how to fish and hunt (not well) now I may have to find the tools or learn how to make the tools from things that are in the woods but they were sent down to Earth with some weapons and one was a bow and arrows so I think the hunting thing I could figure out.

Personally I have fallen in love with this book and can not wait for the sequal this fall.

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Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Bones

Author: Cassandra Clare

Series: The Mortal Instruments

Published: 2007

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... 

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

I had already seen the movie and listened to the audio book of this book, but I decided I want a complete fresh take on the book and the rest of the series before the release of the final book in May.

I will admit to wanting to break my iPod when listening to the first book as the surprise twist which had I read the blurb for the next few books I would not have been so surprised, bun on some weird level I did see it coming.  I mean you do have that think that comes between the destined couple and it was a biggie.  All in all I love this story, I wish the movie had been better but hopefully the next one will be.

In this first book we really get to meet the major players in the series and I do love them.  

Clary Fray - The girl who grew up thinking she was normal with a father who died before she could really get to know him.  That is until she saw someone killed that no one else could see, opening up the doors to demon and other supernatural beings.  When her mom gets taken by the believed to be dead Valentine her only goal is to remember what her mom made her forget so that she can find the Mortal Cup and get her mom back.

Jace Wayland - Described as a danger magnet by Alec is the super hero, bad boy all rolled into one.  Being raised by the Lightwoods at the Institute, he loves to go off killing demons sometimes at both the risk of death to himself and those around him.

Though Jace and Clary are great I think it is the other characters who make the story amazing.  Alec who lives in the closet in "love" with Jace.  His sister Isabelle who is amazing with the whip.  Simon who has been in love with Clary even though his mother said she will break his heart.  And my favorite Magnus Bane the warlock who has a thing for Alec and watched Clary grow making him kind of protective of who her mother was really protecting her from.

Overall the plot line keeps you entertained and wanting more, the humor is also great for a good laugh and the plot twist at the end makes you need to put the next book on your TBR list.  I personally liked this book and can not wait to get my hands on the next book since this is as far as I got during the reading of this series the first time (I was reading during back to school shopping time and I work retail, life got in the way).  I will admit that while reading the book this time I did read some of the goodreads bad reviews, though they make some valid points I have found that not all books are for everyone.  Some people will like something that someone else will find fault in.  So yes these books are not for everyone but I have found that I do like them.  The book was readable, followed a good story line but it did have some slow moments that made me take longer to read a few parts.  The one downside I see with this book that for a first book in a series it is very long, but it does get off to a very quick start since the book starts in Pandemonium where she firsts witnesses something that no one else can see.

Review: Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens

Title: Devil's Bride
Author: Stephanie Laurens
Series: Cynster Series
Published: Avon March 1998
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis

Devil, the most infamous member of the Cynster family, caught in a compromising position with plucky governess Honoria Wetherby, astonishes the ton and offers marriage. Cousins wager on the wedding date. Honoria wants to see the world, bets on solving the murder of a young Cynster cousin instead, until her passion for Devil tempts her to an adventure of the heart?

My Review

This has to be one of my earliest Historical Romances that I read and probably part of the reason that I love them so much.  I will admit to finding this book on one of my aunts bookshelves in my senior year of High School probably when I first started getting into romance in books.  I had read the first four Harry Potter by this time and most of The Princess Diaries but beyond that I did not read much in the way of books back then unless it was Nancy Drew and the Boxcar Children.

I really do not know what caused me to read my first romance and a Historical (Bodice Ripper) to begin with but I did.  There have been many of romances books on my shelf ever since then and there will be many more in the years to come because as a friend of mine from work likes to tell me they are the cocaine of all books.  Once you start reading romance you just can't stop unless you just really do not like the happy love stories that romance brings your way, but enough about why I first read this book and more about my thoughts this most recent time of reading this book.

So Sylvester "Devil" Cynster best known to his family as That Devil Cynster is the 6th Duke of St. Ives.  When he comes across Honoria Prudence Anstruther-Wetherby who is helping his recently shot cousin he knows that she is meant to be his.  When Devil tells Honoria that she is to marry him she flat out refuses as she has no ambition to marry at all, her only goal is to travel to Egypt and ride camel back under the shadow of the Sphinx, something that Devil and her brother Micheal have come to agreement she shall not be doing.  So to keep her occupied Micheal gets her to agree to stay with the Dowager Duchess through out her mourning period.  Which works well for Honoria as he plans to use that time to find out who killed Tolly, Devils cousin, and why.  

The best part about this book is the butting of heads between Devil and Honoria since he wants to keep her perfectly safe and she wants to have an adventure and solving the murder with our without the help of Devil is exactly what she plans to do. The sexy level of this book is also pretty strong which makes me want to know what I was thinking reading this book in high school at the age of 18.  Now of course I think the eyes have been fully open to all things sex and not much surprises me until you think about the age at which you first read one of these books and you think "What was I thinking?".

Overall I like this book, the question of who the killer was and why were not an overall the basis of the book but Stephanie Laurens does not leave you completely guessing as she does keep giving you clues every so often.