Red Riding Hood

Valerie's sister was beautiful, kind, and sweet. Now she is dead. Henri, the handsome son of the blacksmith, tries to console Valerie, but her wild heart beats fast for another: the outcast woodcutter, Peter, who offers Valerie another life far from home.

After her sister's violent death, Valerie's world begins to spiral out of control. For generations, the werewolf has been kept at bay with a monthly sacrifice. But no one is safe. When an expert wolf hunter arrives, the villagers learn that the creature lives among them - it could be anyone in town.

It soon becomes clear that Valerie is the only one who can hear the voice of creature. The Wolf says she must surrender herself before the Blood Moon wanes . . . or everyone she loves will die.

Red Riding Hood was actually written after Catherine Hardwick received the screenplay from the movie. She felt like the story was too good not be be more in depth. I really would like to watch the movie and see if it was set up differently than the book. Not to say the book was horrible, it just wasn't that good. I really liked Valerie,the narrator, but she was very indecisive and when she did make decisions they were confusing. She would spend a large amount of time talking herself in one direction and then actually go against everything she had just said. The ending was also a little haphazard and kind of thrown together. It could have been a whole lot better if the plot would have been clearer and not so confusing. Overall it was an easy read, but not very original. One thing the book did fairly decent was hide who the wolf was. Even in the ending it wasn't officially announced, which was a bit annoying since the reader had been lead in circles. I will probably post again once I see the movie.

Review/Description

The sleepy village of Daggorhorn has been plagued by werewolves for many moons. Animal sacrifices have proved effective in keeping the Wolf at bay, but now human blood has been spilled. Valerie's beautiful sister is dead, killed by the werewolf who is terrorizing the village. Valerie knows that the Wolf wants her; she has known it since she was a small child. She is somehow attached to the creature, enabling her to communicate with the beast. The village is desperate to rid themselves of the monster, and decide that Valerie can be used as bait. Valerie is a willing sacrifice; blaming herself for her sister's death. She hopes that the Wolf will be placated by her willingness to surrender; however, nothing is certain. Blakely-Cartwright has the basis for a wonderful novel; suspense, romance, adventure...but somehow, it falls short. The characters are two-dimensional, making it difficult to find a reason to care about them from the very beginning. There are also elements of the plot that are not explained well in the narrative, including how the houses are built on stilts to help protect them from the Wolf. The third person perspective is annoying at times, especially when trying to figure out which character is being focused upon. Look for the movie version of the novel, released on March 11th. Perhaps watch the film first and then pick up the novel.

Awakened

“My love, speak to me. Tell me everything.” Neferet went to Kalona, kneeling before him, stroking the soft, dark wings that unfurled loosely around the immortal.
“What would you have me say?” He didn’t meet her eyes.
“Zoey lives.” Neferet’s voice was flat, cold, lifeless.
“She does.”
“Then you owe me the subservience of your immortal soul.” She started to walk away from him.
“Where are you going? What will happen next?”
“It is quite simple. I will ensure Zoey is drawn back to Oklahoma. There, on my own terms, I will complete the task you failed.”

Awakened is the 8th book in the House of Night series, and I thought it was actually pretty good. The authors are starting to run a little low on material, so to me it seems like the conflicts are starting to repeat themselves a bit. However, Zoey finally has only one boyfriend, Stark, who she is now devoted to and in love with. The book starts out with them dealing with being back from the Otherworld and then, they sleep together for the first time. Neferet has control over Kalona who now hates her. Neferet has to repay her debt to darkness and to get Zoey to come back to school so she has Jack killed. The rest of the book is about Stevie Rae and Rephraim and Zoey and Stark. I liked the ending because it worked out for Rephraim, Nyx rewarded him with the ability to be human during the night. I didn't like the part about Heath becoming part of the vessel of evil.

Review/Description

Exonerated by the Vampyre High Council and returned to her position of High Priestess at Tulsa’s House of Night, Neferet has sworn vengeance on Zoey. Dominion over Kalona is only one of the weapons she plans to use against Z. But Zoey has found sanctuary on the Isle of Skye and is being groomed by Queen Sgiach to take over for her there. Being Queen would be cool, wouldn’t it? Why should she return to Tulsa? After losing her human consort, Heath, she will never be the same – and her relationship with her super-hot-warrior, Stark, may never be the same either…
And what about Stevie Rae and Rephaim? The Raven Mocker refuses to be used against Stevie Rae, but what choice does he have when no one in the entire world, including Zoey, would be okay with their relationship? Does he betray his father or his heart?
In the pulse-pounding 8th book in the bestselling House of Night series, how far will the bonds of friendship stretch and how strong are the ties that bind one girl’s heart?

Shiver

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.
Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

I really like the theme of Shiver. I aslo like the characeters personallities. Sam was awesome and I thought he balanced Grace out perfectly. However, I thought the plot was a little lacking in exceitement. It got better toward the end when Grace is trying to save Sam, but during the middle it was just about them being in love. All the information about wolves was cool too. It was interesting that Grace's attack played such a large part and I liked it. The ending was extremely good, since I'm all about how books end and I like happily ever-after. I kind of don't want to read the sequels because I think they are going to make me mad, but I will probably read them anyway.

Review/ Description

Stiefvater leaves the faeries of Lament and Ballad for a lyrical tale of alienated werewolves and first love. For years, Grace has been fascinated by the yellow-eyed wolf that saved her from its pack when she was a child. Sam, bitten by a wolf as a boy, is that wolf. Long obsessed with each other at a distance, they finally meet after a wolf hunt (inspired by the apparent death of a local teen) sends a wounded and temporarily human Sam into Grace's arms. Their young love is facilitated by Grace's hands-off parents (“Once upon a time, I would've leaped at the rare opportunity of curling up with Mom on the couch. But now, it sort of felt like too little, too late,” Grace muses), but threatened by two linked crises: the fact that Sam will soon lose the ability to become human and the instability of a new lycanthrope.

Animal Farm

I actually read this book for english class a few months ago and forgot to post it. I really like it though, and I definetely reccomend it for any book report. Discussing the Russian revolution in the form of animals, it showed how power slowly corrupts those who possess it. The animals of Mr. Jones's farm decide to hold a revolution in which they assume all power of the farm. Once they run off the farmer, the pigs assume a leadership position. The pigs in general represented the Bolsheviks, but Napoleon represented Joseph Stalin. Snowball represented Leon Trotsky and Boxer the hard working horse epitimized the working class. In the end, the animals couldn't tell the difference between the pigs and the other farmers.

Review/Description

When you open up to the first page, you read about a farmer who owns a farm, animals, and has hired helpers to work on the farm. Typical farm, right? Wrong. There is something majorly different about this one compared to others you may visit. The animals here can talk, and even more, they are plotting to take over the farm. Throughout the story, read about the many difficulties that result from this action on their part. Read of the changes that happen because of this shift of power. When George Orwell wrote this book, many people were willing to accept the Communist ideals held by the Soviet Union. The Soviets had earned a lot of friends after they helped give the Allies an edge against the Nazis. However, others like George Orwell saw that a totalitarian government had actually risen behind the scenes. That is why he wrote Animal Farm, to show people the real situation and threat behind the Soviet government. In the story, Orwell emphasized the factor of too much power. As you read the book, watch to see what happens to those who are given the power of leadership. Watch to see the way they use and misuse it. Orwell also uses many symbols that relate to the real world situations. He used many of the animals to represent things like the workers in Russia, the religion, propaganda, and the influences of power. In the story, the animals build a windmill as a symbol of their ability to accomplish things on their own. This was Orwell's representation of the Communist ideals that were initially made to benefit the Russian people. This book is very valuable in its ability to show the consequences that come from abusing power. Orwell makes it very clear where his standing is on the issue of absolute power and influence. As you read Animal Farm, look for the instances where he shows how propaganda can influence people to do things only from the viewpoint of the person that it solely benefits. Why not try to look for ways that show the similarities between the story and the Russian Revolution? If you do, you could get a better understanding of the way Animal Farm plays out. Will the animals and their ideals hold true? Or will the humans take back the farm? Will the conditions get better on the farm after the animals take over?

Imposssible

I didn't think this book was as good as i thought it was going to be. The story was about a girl who was born into a curse. The whole line of women in her family has been doomed to have a daughter at 18 and then go crazy during which time they belong to the evil Elfin Knight, to get out of the curse they must accomplish three impossible tasks. Lucy lives with her foster parents, and her next door neighbor Zach lives with them. The whole book is about the relationship between Lucy and Zach and how their love helps Lucy achieve her goals. The end is good, but the whole plot just seemed a little lacking. The three tasks only counted for a small portion of the book and kind of lost focus throughout the middle. Overall, the book was ok and I don't think it was a waste of time.

Review/Description

Werlin (TheRules of Survival) melds fantasy and suspense in a contemporary setting for a romance with plenty of teen appeal. Lucy Scarborough, raped on prom night, is pregnant. Committed to keeping the baby, she nonetheless sees disturbing parallels to her mentally ill mother, Miranda, who had Lucy as a teen, then left her in the care of the Markowitzes-Soledad, a nurse-midwife, and her husband, Leo. Boy-next-door-type Zach, home from college and living with the Markowitzes, happens upon Miranda's teenage diary, which outlines a curse placed on Lucy's family generations earlier by the evil Elfin Knight: the women all give birth as teens before descending into madness. Lucy can break the curse only by performing three impossible tasks set forth in a variant of the ballad "Scarborough Fair." None of her forebears have come even close, but then none of them had help from the selfless Markowitzes, the love-struck and self-sacrificing Zach or the Internet, where items like goat horns can be easily located: Lucy is the luckiest accursed girl ever.

A Bride in the Bargain

In 1860s Seattle, a man with a wife could secure himself 640 acres of timberland. But because of his wife's untimely death, Joe Denton finds himself about to lose half of his claim. Still in mourning, his best solution is to buy one of those Mercer girls arriving from the East. A woman he'll marry in name but keep around mostly as a cook.

Anna Ivey's journey west with Asa Mercer's girls is an escape from the griefs of her past. She's not supposed to be a bride, though, just a cook for the girls. But when they land, she's handed to Joe Denton and the two find themselves in a knotty situation. She refuses to wed him and he's about to lose his land. With only a few months left, can Joe convince this provoking--but beguiling--easterner to be his bride?

In keeping with the other Deeanne Gist books I've read this one was exquisite. A Bride in the Bargain had characters that by the end of the book it seems like you know them personally. I loved Anna and Joe, they were so perfect for each other. Joe was every girls fantasy he had sensitivitey, strenth, and sex appeal. The plot always has challeneges and towards the end I was afraid it wasn't going to work out the way I had hoped, but then it twisted and did. This book will make you fall in love with Seattle and wish it went on longer when it was finished. I recommend every true romantic read this book.

Review/Description

In the land replete with timber but few women, widower Joe Denton signs a contract with Asa Mercer to deliver the wife he needs to ensure his land rights. Unfortunately, 19-year-old Anna Ivey doesn't realize she's signed on for marriage; she only wants passage out West and a job. Sparks fly as tempers flare when Joe and Anna discover they are at cross-purposes. Acquiescing to common sense as well as a sense of desperation, the two agree to work together temporarily. As Anna cooks up a storm in payment for the traveling debt Joe incurred on her behalf, Joe cooks up his own scheme for wooing Anna into marriage.

Beastly

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.
You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.
Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night?

I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

Beastly as the name probably implies is about a Beast. Well, it's the classic story of Beauty and the Beast with a modern day twist. I think Alex Flinn did a really good job of adding in the technology without belittling the actual story. And it wasn't boring either. I actually enjoyed it a lot even though I've seen the disney version of this story a hundred times. He added a few plot twists and some background history on Kyle(the beast) A.k.a Adrian and on Lindy(Beauty). I think this is a good story for all romance, happy ending, fairytale addicts like me.

Review/ Description

Kyle Kingsbury is a gorgeous high school freshman, spoiled rotten by his famous anchorman father, a man who'd rather dole out cash than affection. Kyle attends the exclusive Tuttle School in New York City and torments those poor unfortunates who lack his looks and wealth. When he humiliates a girl at school, she transforms him into a horrific-looking creature. Kyle's only hope for breaking the spell lies in finding true love-as he reports online in meetings of the Unexpected Changes chat group (other members include Froggie and the mermaid Silent Maid). Flinn follows the fairy tale's original plot points closely, but falters in her depiction of the story's bad guys, over-the-top caricatures that simply ring false in her up-to-date setting. Kyle's father, for example, spends literally three minutes with him each day, the time it takes him to heat his dinner in the microwave