Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J.K. Rowling)

*****

         After fifteen years of peace in the Wizarding World, the war against Voldemort is back on.  The Ministry is doing its best to protect everyone, but it can only do so much against a powerful, terrifying enemy who works in stealth.  Harry Potter is coming to terms with the prophecy he heard last summer, a prophecy that brings him to the center of this war.  Now that Harry knows what he should have known years before, Dumbledore has offered to help him.  Dumbledore, the only person Voldemort ever feared, knows more about Tom Riddle's life than anyone else.  He promises to take Harry on his journey through the past, looking for the key to defeat Voldemort.
         At Hogwarts, meanwhile, strange things are happening.  Students are being poisoned, cursed, and attacked.  Nobody knows how, but Harry has a theory.  He suspects that Draco Malfoy has been made a Death Eater (something that nobody else believes) and he's determined to catch Draco in the act.  Throughout the year, Harry takes advice from the notes of a former Hogwarts student, the self-proclaimed Half-Blood Prince, who might be more trouble than he's worth.  Harry and Dumbledore dig deeper into Riddle's murky past, until they finally hit the moment when all of the pieces come together.
It is then that Harry finally understands the magnitude of what must be done to stop Voldemort once and for all.

         I think by now we've established that I am a Harry Potter fan, but I've got to say that book six is not my favorite.  True, there are some seriously exciting parts: Quidditch and romance and poison and adventures with Dumbledore.  Maybe it comes down to the fact that, goody two-shoes that I am, I hate having to sit around while characters make stupid decisions in books.  Most characters do - trust me, I know.  But here we have Harry, and he's taking advice from a book again.  I mean, what happened the last time you listened to a book, Harry?  TOM RIDDLE POPPED OUT!  Throughout book six, I get this horrible sense of impending doom, even when I know exactly what is going to happen.  That being said, this book also contains some of my favorite parts of the series (Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, Harry's and Ron's relationships, and Harry's final trip with Dumbledore, to name a few).  And those things must outweigh the bad, because I still find it in me to give The Half-Blood Prince five stars ...

Rating: 5/5
Completed: June 25, 2013

Two Harry Potter reviews in a row!  And this one was particularly rambling.  Sorry, people - new content coming up soon.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (J.K. Rowling)

 *****

         Harry Potter has never enjoyed summer with the Dursleys less.  Haunted by the death of Cedric Diggory and anxious for signs of the return of Lord Voldemort, Harry wants to hear news of the Wizarding world.  When he finally does, it is nothing like he had expected.  The Ministry of Magic denies that Voldemort has returned; wizards everywhere think Harry is an attention-seeking liar; and Dumbledore has revived the Order of the Phoenix, a secret society and the only force fighting against Voldemort.  At Order of the Phoenix headquarters, everybody is determined to keep Harry in the dark.  Harry is trying to get through the usual Hogwarts drama on top of everything else: evil teachers, future-altering exams, gossip, rule breaking, and budding romance.  All the while, he knows something much worse is brewing outside the walls of Hogwarts.  And something about the strange dreams Harry has been having makes him wonder how soon it will be before he becomes a part of it.

         Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is one of my favorite books in the series (and also one of my favorite books ever).  My sister divides Harry Potter into three categories: Baby Harry, Angsty Harry, and Adult Harry.  Order of the Phoenix is most definitely considered Angsty Harry (hint: try to count the number of all-caps explosions Harry has in this book).  I know that some Potter fans think Angsty Harry is really annoying, but I kind of like it.  And after all Harry has been through, and all the pressure he feels, isn't it normal for him to get emotional?
         By the time Harry gets to his fifth year, he has seen how twisted and evil some people can be.  For him, it's more than just a glimpse into the "real world".  I would argue that it's in Harry's fifth year that he figures out what he cares about and believes in.  The realizations he comes to after all the angst prepare him to take on the challenges Dumbledore will throw at him the following year.
         Apart from all the seriousness, though, this book is really exciting.  You can't help but feel giddy as Harry and the D.A. defy Umbridge and learn defensive magic behind her back.  You have to laugh out loud at Fred and George's various attempts to cause mayhem in the school, while the teachers turn a blind eye and even encourage it.  You feel your stomach flip-flop when Harry decides that he has to take matters into his own hands to figure out what's going on.  I would even go so far as to say it's epic.

Rating: 5/5
Completed: June 19, 2013

Starting this summer, my sister and I started reading Harry Potter aloud to our younger sister.  It's been really fun to look back at all of my favorite parts of the story and live vicariously through her experience.  For those of you who have read the series, which is your favorite book?  Favorite character?  Favorite scene?  Post in the comments!

Clockwork Princess (Cassandra Clare)

***

Book Three of The Infernal Devices - spoiler alert!  (It's kind of hard to explain this book without telling you what happened in Book Two.)

         Tessa and Jem are preparing for their wedding before it is too late for Jem.  However, their plans are interrupted when Mortmain sends his automatons to kidnap Tessa.  He is almost ready to unleash the demon he will use to kill the Shadowhunters, but he needs Tessa to complete his plan.  Both Will and Jem will do anything to rescue Tessa, but they might not be able to muster the force to get her back.

         You know you're behind on your blog posts when you hardly remember what the book was about.  Sorry, guys . . . I've been slacking lately.  It was a close call between books and exams, but somehow the AP and ACT and SAT subject tests and finals won out.  Go figure.
         Anyway, I liked the first two books in this series a lot, but Clockwork Princess let me down a bit.  Maybe it was anticlimactic, maybe it was a little too perfect.  I remember not being a fan of the way the love triangle was resolved for that reason.  Things just don't work out that easily in life.  That's not to say it was a bad book - it was good, and I know people who have followed this series and thought this was the best installment of the three.  Although it wasn't my favorite of the three, if you read the first two books, I'd still recommend reading this one so you can see what happens and decide for yourself what you think of it all.

Rating: 3/5
Completed: March 28, 2013

If you read this book, what did you think?  Are you a fan of the ending to this trilogy?

The Princess Bride (William Goldman)

****

         A tale of high adventure with princesses, giants, murderers, mysterious killers, and everything in between.  'Nuff said.

         Seriously, though, this was a really good book.  The characters are well-developed and sort of comical.  The Princess Bride reminded me of the books I read when I was nine and refused to read any story that took place in the real world, and it would probably appeal to people of all ages.  I'm also told the movie is awesome, but haven't got around to watching it.  Now that school is out for the summer (!) I'll hopefully have time.

Rating: 4/5
Completed: March 23, 2013

The Crown of Embers (Rae Carson)

****

Sequel to The Girl of Fire and Thorns - spoiler alert!

         Elisa is now the hero of Joya d'Arena, but that doesn't mean that her life is any easier.  She has to deal with the discontent of her people, threats to her life, and grief for the loss of two people she loved.  On top of that, her advisors are distracting her from the threat of the Inviernos by trying to force her to marry.  Under the guise of visiting a suitor, Elisa goes to the south to find magic so she can defeat the Inviernos and fulfill her destiny as bearer of the Godstone.

         This book was SO GOOD - holistically, I'd say 4.5 stars.  Like The Girl of Fire and Thorns, it sped by.  One minute I was only a few chapters in, and then all of a sudden I had less than a hundred pages left.  Rae Carson kept me in suspense the whole time, too.  I did notice that in both of these books, it was obvious who Elisa would end up with from the second they started talking.  That being said, it didn't actually bother me at all.  Instead, I got the sort of smug feeling you get when two friends get together and you've known all along that they would.  The Crown of Embers was full of action and excitement.  If you read The Girl of Fire and Thorns and liked it, you will not be disappointed by this book.

Rating: 4/5
Completed: January 20, 2013

Sorry I've neglected the blog for so long!  I've still been reading (there are a few more reviews on the way), but I've been too busy with school to post anything.  The sequel to Tempest is up next.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Rae Carson)

****

         On her sixteenth birthday, Elisa is married to Alejandro, king of a neighboring country, to seal the deal on a treaty.  This would be difficult enough without the fact that she bears the Godstone, a sign that she will perform a service for God, and is targeted by enemies everywhere.  Elisa may be one of God's chosen, but she doesn't seem fit to take on any kind of divine task.  She is an overweight, coddled princess without any of the power or commanding air of her older sister.  Once she arrives in Joya d'Arena, Elisa is faced with even more danger and mystery than she had faced at home.  She knows why she must keep her Godstone a secret, but doesn't understand why Alejandro wants to keep their marriage under wraps as well.  Worse still, Elisa is being hunted down by unknown forces who will go to any lengths to get her Godstone.

         This was a really good book, the kind that you don't want to stop reading.  It was a nice change of pace to read about a heroine who really isn't all that heroic to start out with.  Elisa doesn't slip into her role as the leader of an underground resistance group easily - she's too busy trying to walk fast enough to stay with the group and keep the pangs of hunger at bay for that.  I enjoyed seeing her go from a pampered princess to a hardened warrior.  It was a fairly smooth, believable shift: Elisa wasn't so tough by the end of the book that she was unrecognizable.  Instead, it felt like she had just grown up.  Plus, the story kept me hooked the whole time.  There weren't any parts that were slow or boring.  If you're looking for a book that you can't put down, give this one a go.

Rating: 4/5
Completed: January 10, 2013

Finals are over!  I survived!
Hopefully this weekend I will have plenty of time to get reading.  I've already got three books lined up. It's a relief to have a few days completely to myself . . . except studying for the SAT.  Whoops.
What about you?  Are you working hard this weekend or getting a little time off?

Days of Blood and Starlight (Laini Taylor)

****

Sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone (!).  Serious spoilers, so watch out . . . 

         Karou is not just art student and tooth snatcher Karou anymore.  She's also Madrigal, a chimaera who was executed for loving the enemy.  A chimaera who has been betrayed by the very same angel she died for.  Karou has left Akiva and left this world entirely.  Most of her people are dead, but she has gone back to her homeland in search of those who are left.  Karou is determined to avenge the dead, and she will do anything necessary to make it happen.  Even if it means allying herself with the very monster who sentenced her to death.

         I loved this book!  It wasn't quite as good as the first one, but it seems as though very few second books are.  I found it pretty frustrating that Karou gave up on herself after realizing that most of the chimaera - including Brimstone - had been killed because of her.  She lost a lot of her identity and personality for a while.  It took a lot of time for her to realize that she wasn't the complete villain the chimaera were making her out to be.  I was so happy that Zuzana and Mik had a bigger role in the book.  Those guys are the best!  With their help, Karou made a good comeback in the end.  On the whole, I'd say this was another success for Laini Taylor, and I can't wait to read the next book.

Rating: 4/5
Completed: November 21, 2012

Merry (day after) Christmas, if you celebrate it!  It's hard to believe there are only five days left in this year . . . it's not looking too good for the book goal, huh?  I guess I'll just have to post the rest of my reviews this week and start fresh next year!

Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Laini Taylor)

*****

         To her classmates, blue-haired art student Karou seems very strange.  She disappears mysteriously without warning and returns days or weeks later as though everything is normal.  Her sketchbook is full of elaborate drawings of monsters who collect teeth, and she claims the creatures are real.  Though nobody quite believes Karou, it's true.  But Karou's world is full of mysteries, and not even she understands who or what she is.  When a strange young man with eyes like fire arrives in Prague, Karou may have her chance to discover who she is - if she can stand to know the truth.

         This was an awesome book!  I couldn't put it down.  It's fast-paced and the concept is really cool.  When an author creates a fantasy world, it's really important that there are enough details that it feels real and the reader believes it.  Laini Taylor did a great job of this; I was sucked into Karou's world.  I loved the characters, as well: Karou's mysterious exterior and childish interior, Zuzana's spunkiness and loyalty, and Akiva's pensive nature.  Though this book has the feel of other books (like Cassandra Clare's Immortal Instruments), its content is unique.  I thought about giving it four stars, but that didn't seem like enough, and I decided that sometimes sheer awesomeness counts for an extra star.  If you like fantasy (and maybe even if you don't) you should read Daughter of Smoke and Bone!

Rating: 5/5
Completed: November 2, 2012

Happy day after Thanksgiving, if you celebrate it!  I found these ecards from fictional characters yesterday on figment.com.  Best holiday cards ever, in my opinion.

Destined (Aprilynne Pike)

***

The final installment in Aprilynne Pike's Wings series

         Laurel now knows that Yuki is a Winter faerie, and she is more than capable of helping Klea destroy Avalon.  Laurel, Tamani, David, and Chelsea must open the gates to warn everyone that Klea is coming.  Even with advance notice, Avalon doesn't have enough time to prepare for the battle that will determine the survival of the Winter dynasty.  Their only hope lies in humans Chelsea and David, who might be able to turn the tide in a war that can't be won with faerie magic alone.

         I really, really loved this series when I read the first book, Wings.  I didn't enjoy the following books quite as much, including Destined.  However, it was a pretty good ending to the series.  I was glad to get some closure on the Laurel-Tamani-David love triangle (I won't tell you how it ended, but it was a relief for me).  I wish that instead of having four books in this series, books three and four were sandwiched together.  There is a lot of action covered in Destined, but it really feels like the next chapter in Illusions instead of a new book.  If you've read the other Wings books and plan on reading this one as well, make a point of reading Illusions again first.  I think that's the best way to maximize enjoyment of the last book in this series.

Rating: 3/5
Completed: July 19, 2012

Hello, Blog Viewers!
If anyone has a good book recommendation or two, I would love to hear from you in the comments.  Or you could say hello, if you don't have any suggestions.  I just want to meet the people who read the blog.  Don't be shy!

The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern)

*****

         "The circus arrives without warning.  No announcements precede it, no paper notices on downtown posts and billboards, no mentions or advertisements in local newspapers.  It is simply there, when yesterday it was not."
         - The Night Circus, p. 1

         Le Cirque des Rêves stirs up a quiet sort of excitement wherever it goes.  It doesn't look like a normal circus: no circus of the usual kind is entirely in black and white.  Nor does a normal circus open at night and close as the sun begins to rise.  Inside are countless tents, each home to an attraction that is simply too marvelous to be real.  So wondrous is the Night Circus that hundreds of people - the rêveurs, as they are called - share fond memories of the circus as they track its progress around the globe, waiting for their next chance to visit.  Though the rêveurs know that Le Cirque des Rêves is more than just a circus, they could never guess at its true nature.  The Night Circus is the venue for a magical game with devastating consequences to all involved.  The players in the game are Marco and Celia, who have been training for this exhibition of talent since childhood.  When the game begins and identities are discovered, Celia and Marco fall in love.  As the pair tries to keep the circus from damaging all of the people it touches, they discover that the rules of the game are not at all what they had expected.

         The Night Circus was a very unique book, unlike anything I have ever read before.  Erin Morgenstern has a great eye for the details, bringing Le Cirque des Rêves to life with powerful descriptions of things including a dreamlike clock, caramel-scented air, and a pair of eccentric red-headed twins.  Morgenstern's writing made the circus feel quite real.  The characters were also done really well.  There's a lot of jumping back and forth in time, so you get an in-depth understanding of the most important people.  I would recommend this to everybody based on how much I enjoyed it, but I think that it might feel too "slow" for some people.  Personally, I thought it was a really nice change from what I normally read.  If you don't mind a book that isn't action-packed (at least in the usual sense) and moves at a relaxed pace, you should definitely read The Night Circus.  It was all kinds of awesome!

Rating: 5/5
Completed: July 18, 2012

The Iron Knight (Julie Kagawa)

***

         Meghan Chase managed to stop the Iron Fey from destroying all of Faery, but it came at a cost.  Now she is a queen, ruling over the Iron Realm.  This wouldn't be such a problem if Ash, the former prince of Winter and Meghan's lover, weren't poisoned by the very essence of Meghan's land.  Ash swore that he would find a way to be with Meghan in the Iron Realm.  With the help of his enemy, Puck, and an irritating cait sith, Ash sets out on a journey to the end of the world.  It has been rumored that there he can win both mortality and a soul - if he can pass the tests that no one has ever passed before.  The trip is nothing like Ash expected.  Whether he succeeds or fails, it will change the way he sees himself forever.

         Though I did like this book, it didn't hold up to the standard of the rest of the series.  The Iron Knight didn't draw me in at first, but it improved quite a bit after the first hundred pages or so.  One thing that bothered me was that Ash was acting way out of character.  He has a very distinct personality in all the books leading up to this one, and the change in behavior wasn't as smooth as it could have been.  However, the concept of earning a soul was pretty cool, and was executed reasonably well.  This wasn't my favorite book by Julie Kagawa, but that won't stop me from reading any of her future books (I hear she's planning a spin-off series about Meghan's brother).

Rating: 3/5
Completed: June 18, 2012