Review: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

I Am Number Four 

(Lorien Legacies, #1)

Written by Pittacus Lore
Available Now (August 3, 2010)
Published by HarperCollins

I was really excited about reading this book.  I have been hearing lots of hype about the book and the movie adaptation that Dreamworks is currently filming (starring Beastly hottie- Alex Pettyfer) and I couldn't wait to see for myself!  The book definitely lived up to its hype!

Summary from Goodreads:

"Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next."
 Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers y...more
Book Trailer:

My Thoughts:

In short, this book was original, fast-paced, and action-packed!  I enjoyed it from the first page until the last.  Pittacus Lore is the pseudonym for the writing duo of James Frey and Jobie Hughes.  Pittacus Lore is also a character in the Lorien Legacies.  He is from the Planet Lorien (like Number Four) and is one of the planet's 10 mysterious Elders.  He is also the 'author' of this book.  He is using the book as a way of telling the readers the story of Lorien and the Nine in hopes that Earth will not suffer the same devastating fate as Lorien did.  I think that is a really neat concept and it definitely adds to the mysterious air that this series seems to hold!

I Am Number Four tells the story of Number Four, aka John Smith.  He is one of the 9 children that escaped amid a devastating war on their planet, Lorien.  These 9 children were sent to Earth in the hopes that they would grow up and come into their powers, or legacies, before their enemies, the Mogadorians, could find and kill them.  That means a life on the run for John and his guardian, Henri.  New names, new identities, and a new location are required every few months to keep them safe and undetected.  Unfortunately for John, he is unable to form any real relationships because #1- they move so frequently and #2- the closer he gets to humans the more questions they have and the likelihood his 'differences' will be noticed.  When Number 3 is killed, John knows he is next, so he and Henri hit the road for their next stop: Paradise, Ohio.

Paradise is better than John coud have imagined.  He has met his first real friend, Sam, and actually has his first girlfriend, Sara, but things don't stay calm for long.  John is desperate to hold his ground this time.  No more running.  He loves his new life, especially the people in it, and wants to fight for it.  Hiding who and what he is becomes increasingly difficult, especially when the enemies begin to close in.  You can imagine the action and adventure that ensues!  John is such an awesome and believable character!  He is a normal teenager in so many ways, yet he has this amazing power within him.  I really enjoyed watching his relationships with Sara and Sam progress and grow.  Poor John... he struggled with all of the normal teenage angst where girls are concerned, but he also had a HUGE secret to conceal! The other characters were just as well developed and interesting.  I really admired Henri's character.  He was so loyal to John and gave up so much to ensure his safety.  Sam was just adorable!  He was a stereotypical high school nerd/geek, but as he gets to know and befriend John, he undergoes such a beautiful transformation.  But my favorite character was one of very few words... Bernie Kozar (John's dog!).  There isn't much that I can say about that little guy without giving any spoilers, other than he was loyal, protective and all-around AWESOME!! 

I really enjoyed this read.  I read it cover to cover within the span of two days and was left wanting more!  The authors did a great job and wrote in a way that made this story believable.  I appreciated the attention to detail used during John's flashbacks to Lorien.  These flashbacks gave me a clear mental picture of John and Henri's world.  The Lorien shown to the reader makes you want to see it restored to its former glory.  The visions of the war allow you to see the Mogadorians for what they truly are and the danger they pose to the Nine and mainly to Earth!  The ending was well done.  The events that transpired were a little sad, but they also offered hope in the fight against the Mogadorians.  I think a wide range of people will enjoy this book and it is definitely one to recommend to reluctant readers.  I believe it will also really appeal to teen boys.  There are some graphic/violent battle scenes, but nothing nightmare inducing!  The relationship between John and Sara is sweet and innocent as well!  After reading the book I can't wait for the movie to come out in February!  The next book in the series will release in the spring of 2011 and will be titled The Power Of Six.

Review: Far From You by Lisa Schroeder

Far From You               

Written by Lisa Schroeder                                  

Paperback released January 5, 2010

Published by Simon Pulse                                       

Summary from Goodreads:
"Lost and alone...down the rabbit hole

Years have passed since Alice lost her mother to cancer, but time hasn't quite healed the wound. Alice copes the best she can, by writing her music, losing herself in the love of her boyfriend, and distancing herself from her father and his new wife.

But when a deadly snowstorm traps Alice with her stepmother and newborn half-sister, she'll face issues she's been avoiding for too long. As Alice looks to the heavens for guidance, she discovers something wonderful.

Perhaps she's not so alone after all.. "


My Thoughts:

I read this book last year, but I read it before I started my blog so I haven't reviewed it yet.  I had to post the cover from the paperback edition because it is SO beautiful!!  I think it really captures the tone of the book.  If you do not know what the book is about then you would probably assume from the cover and the tag line "Do you believe in angels?" that it is about angels.  There is talk of faith and guardian angels and Alice(main character) looks to Heaven for help when things are bad, but this book is mainly about family, grief, and love.

Alice is our main character and narrator.  Her mother died of cancer a couple of years ago and Alice is still unable to accept that she is gone.  Her father has moved on with his life.  He has remarried and has a newborn daughter.  Alice feels like an outsider in her home and cannot bring herself to embrace her new family.  She resents Victoria (stepmom) and doesn't want much to do with her new half-sister.  Alice clings to her boyfriend Blaze, her best friend Claire, and her music.  Things change for Alice when she is forced to take a road trip with Victoria and the baby.  While driving they are caught up in a massive snow storm and are stranded in their car.  In order to survive this ordeal Alice must work with Victoria, confront her own pent up emotions, and trust her faith.  The dire situation Alice finds herself in begins a journey of discovery for her that is profound and touching.

This is the first book I have ever read that was written in verse.  At first I admit I was skeptical that so few words could convey a story properly.  After reading the book I can say that Lisa Schroeder did an amazing job!  The verse was poetic and beautiful and it conveyed only what was necessary to the characters and the story.  The book is Alice's journey back to life (in a sense) and the rebirth of a family.  The issues the book deals with are heavy, but the story is told so beautifully that you really don't want to put it down.  This was a very quick read for me (a day!) and I look forward to future work from this author.

Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr

One of my all-time favorite book series is the Wicked Lovely  series by Melissa Marr.  Fragile Eternity is the third installment in this phenomenal series!  If you are a fan of the first two books, Fragile Eternity is not going to disappoint you!  
**SPOILER ALERT** If you haven't read Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange this review may contain spoilers!  Go NOW and get both of them and start READING! 

Summary from HarperCollins:

"Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone—but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he'd ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.

Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who'd always terrified her—but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she'd ever imagined.

In Melissa Marr's third mesmerizing tale of Faerie, Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and each other in a milieu of shadowy rules and shifting allegiances, where old friends become new enemies and one wrong move could plunge the Earth into chaos."

My Thoughts:
Melissa Marr out did herself with this one!  I L-O-V-E-D it!  I found this book extremely hard to put down, even when dinner was burning on the stove, the dog was whining to go out, and the phone was ringing!!  Seriously...I wasn't that bad but I wasn't far from it! Fragile Eternity picks up the story between Seth and Aislinn (aka Ash).  I love the lovestory between them and I couldn't wait to find out where their relationship would go after Wicked Lovely (Ink Exchange is a companion book to Wicked Lovely and Fragile Eternity is the actual sequel to Wicked Lovely).  Seth is my favorite character and I was excited to see that this is basically 'his' book. 

I think that the underlying theme in Fragile Eternity is balance.  Balance between the courts (Summer, Winter, and Dark) and balance between love and court responsibilities within the relationships found in the book (Seth and Ash, Keenan and Donia, as well as Keenan and Ash).  The need for balance between all the courts is crucial to not only the Faerie, but the mortal world as well.  If one court is stronger than the others, the mortal world feels the effect.  When Beira was Winter Queen, she was more powerful than Keenan (Summer King) because he had yet to find his queen.  This imbalance plunged the mortal world into eternal Winter since the strongest court was the Winter court.  Unfortunately, the courts are becoming unbalanced again.  Seth (Ash's boyfriend and a mortal) seems to be the central figure in this unbalance.  He is Ash's lover, Keenan(Summer King) just wants him gone, Niall(King of the Dark Court) protects him and thinks of him as a brother, and Donia(the new Winter Queen) identifies with him and feels bad for his situation.  She is also the one that granted him "The Sight", which enabled him to see faeries.  Last (but certainly not least!) there is Sorcha, the Queen of the High Court, who plays a major part in the story and in Seth's life.  Unfortunately, I can't really say much about Sorcha's connection with Seth because it would be a MAJOR spoiler!  So I will just say that what transpires is unexpected and exciting!  

One of the biggest strengths in all of Melissa Marr's books, especially Fragile Eternity, are her characters.  She crafts each character so that the reader feels something for each of them.  You love them and root for them (Seth) or you just don't like them (Keenan), but you feel something for all of them.  The pace of this book was quick and the plot was full of exciting twists and unexpected turns!  This book made me love Seth even more than I already did.  You can just feel how consumed he is in his love for Aislinn.  The fear he feels over losing her to Keenan and her position as Summer Queen (not to mention her immortality versus his mortality) is the motivation behind some big decisions he makes that will effect everyone! I am dying to find out if Seth made the right choices or if Keenan and the Court will pull her away from him after all.   

I highly recommend all of Melissa Marr's books, especially Fragile Eternity!  These are fun books that will keep you up at night reading (Don't you just love those kind of books!) and leave you begging for a sequel!  The next book, Radiant Shadows,  is coming out soon.  If you follow my blog you know how much I am anticipating getting my hands on it!  Well keep a look out for my review coming soon.  I am a lucky participant in Melissa's arc tour and I should be receiving the book within the next week or so!!!  YEAH!! Woot! Woot!!  Thanks for stopping by!

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz

     

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz is the fourth installment of the hugely popular vampire series Blue Bloods.  I had the prior three novels in the series (Blue Bloods, Masquerade, and Revelations) on my bookshelf for quite some time and hadn't read them yet.  I picked up the first one and read it and it was so awesome that I read through all three books in two days!  I couldn't wait to get The Van Alen Legacy!  Let me just say.....This book ROCKED!

From the book jacket:

"With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods.  Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival.  Not to worry; love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side.  Or is it?  Schuyler has made her choice.  She has forsaken Jack for Oliver, choosing human over vampire.  But old loves die hard.... And even coldhearted Mimi seems to suffer from the ties that bind."

My Thoughts:

In the fourth installment, we find our favorite vampires facing a major turning point.  Sides are being chosen and everything and everyone is not what it appears to be.  Bliss is dealing with the revelation of her destiny and Schuyler and Oliver are on the run from those who should be protecting them!  We get a lot more insight into Mimi's character in this book.  I was pleased to find that she may not be the superficial fashonista bitch-vamp that I always thought she was.  There are also secrets  finally revealed about Schuyler's destiny and her connection to the Blue Blood world.

I think the story behind the series is fresh and original.  I love the fact that the vampires are actually fallen angels who have been doomed to live their lives on Earth as punishment for turning their backs on God and following Lucifer in a battle for Heaven.  This installment delves a little further into Allegra Van Alen's (a.k.a Gabriel) story.  She has been in a coma-like state since the start of the series and we FINALLY get some answers to questions about Allegra, her connection to Bliss and her relationship with Schuyler.  Schuyler is once again tormented and torn by her love for Jack and devotion to Oliver, while Mimi begins to realize that she may never truly have Jack's heart and endeavors on a journey that tests her beliefs and sense of duty.  There is plenty of action, suspense and romance in the pages of this book.  I tore through it in a day!  As I mentioned before, questions were answered, but by the end of the book I had many more!!  I look forward to the next book in the series and I am also excited about her new series for adults about witches!

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

***5 super sexy stars***

Who wouldn't love a dark, mysterious, beautiful and dangerous fallen angel?  Well, unless you have been living under a rock, you know that Becca Fitzpatrick's "Hush, Hush" gives us Patch!  He definitely fits the above description!  Normally, I summarize the plot of the books I read and review myself, but since most of you have read many reviews of this FABULOUS book, I will include the summary found on the back of the arc copy I read and then make my comments on what I thought about the book.

Summary:
"Nora Grey is responsible and smart and not inclined to be reckless.  Her first mistake is falling for Patch.  Patch has a past that could be called anything by harmless.  The best thing he ever did was fall for Nora.
After getting paired with Patch in biology, all Nora wants to do is stay away from him, but he always seems to be two steps ahead of her.  She can feel his eyes on her even when she is alone in her bedroom.  And when her attraction can be denied no longer, she learns the secret about who Patch is and what led him to her.  Despite all the questions she has about his past, in the end, there may be only one question they can ask each other: How far are you willing to fall?"

Wow!!  I loved this book!  Becca Fitzpatrick created the perfect bad boy.  He is mysterious, sexy, and dangerous! The book contained the perfect mixture of suspense and romance.  The tortured relationship between Patch and Nora was H-O-T and Patch's snarky attitude was entertaining and sexy!  I liked that Nora was not only strong and brave, but she was smart and could take care of herself.  The story was set at a good pace and all of the characters (good and bad) were engaging.  I really look forward to the next book in the series titled "Crescendo".   I am dying to find out where Patch and Nora's relationship is headed, and I really want to find out more about Nora's past and what it means for her and Patch's future!  I hope Becca writes fast because I am already desperate for more Patch!!!!

Meridian By Amber Kizer

***4.5 Stars***

I loved this book!  It was an exciting read from front to back!  Meridian by Amber Kizer is about a 16 year old girl named Meridian Sozu.  She desperately wants to be "normal".  Unfortunately, she has been anything but since the day she was born.  As a small child she always awoke in the morning sharing her bed with an assortment of dead insects and small animals.  As she got older the dying animals continued seeking her.  Death is her constant companion and the dying are drawn to her.  She never understood why this was happening to her or why she was always sick and in pain until the day of her 16th birthday.  After witnessing a horrific car crash she was immediately debilitated by intense pain and a sense of dying.  It was then that her father came to her rescue and drove her from the scene.  He was frantic to get her away from not only the crash site but from her family as well.  He told her that she was a fenestra (half angel/ half human) and that she was in grave danger.  He also told her that she had to leave right away to go live with her "Auntie" in Colorado.  There she could learn more about what she is and how to protect herself from the unknown danger that is after her.  She arrives in Colorado heartbroken, confused and sad.  It is in this small town of Revelation, Colorado that she learns the truth about what she is, what she is destined to do and that everything in this small forgotten town is not what it seems.  Fortunately, she is no longer alone in her journey.  She meets Tens, a handsome teenage boy that helps take care of Auntie and also happens to be Meridian's sworn protector.  Together with Tens and Auntie, Meridian must face her destiny and find a way to restore the balance of good and evil in a war that she never knew existed.

Amber Kizer's Meridian is a fast-paced story that includes danger, intrigue, romance, spirituality and hope!  I enjoyed the refreshingly original story line and feel that the author did a great job with making the characters likable and believable.  The book's unique take on death and the afterlife will give its readers something to think about.  What a wonderful start to a new YA paranormal series!  Teens and adults alike will be hungry for the next installment!