Book Update!

Okay, so it's been almost a week since I posted last......in my defense, I had no idea what to post....but I'm going to attempt to get back on my usual schedule with this blog, which means book update today! I might as well not even mention Blood of Olympus and Hunt for Jade Dragon in this one because they haven't been opened once......It's absolutely terrible, I know! I hate that I'm not in the mood to read either of them! So, as for The Maze of Bones, I finished that one this past Thursday! I gave it 5/5 stars on my Goodreads account! I really love these books.... Anyway, after The Maze of Bones, I started the book Schooled by Gordan Korman (one of my favorite authors!) which was 224 pages long and I finished it Friday :) And then yesterday I started and finished Wellspring of Magic by Jan Fields which was only 120 pages long! I probably won't do reviews on those two so I'll just say that I gave both of them 4/5 stars on Goodreads! Last night I started a book called The Cypher by Julian Rosado-Machain! I think it's 238 pages long, but I'm reading it as an e-book on my Kindle/phone so I'm not entirely sure! I'm 42% through it right now though!

~Allie~

BTW - I completely forgot about the photo challenge that I said I was going to post, so starting tomorrow I'll be posting them along with my posts!! Also, I couldn't read the font on my posts very well so I'm trying out a new font! Hopefully this one's easier to read!

                                                                           

I'm back again!!! For real this time!!!

Okay, so it's totally been over a month since I last posted....Being away in Indiana for over a month and Kentucky for a week apparently makes you completely forget the existence of your blogs.....it wasn't until I got home last Monday that I realized I have blogs, and I would've posted sooner but it's been a busy week!! (And I must admit, every time I decide that I can stop doing schoolwork for the day and that I can work on my blogs, I'm usually too tired to pull my blogs up...) So, I'm going to make this post a book update, a new books announcement, and I'm also gonna use it to show off some of my picture edits that I made using my Picsart app on my phone! So, as for book updates, I'm currently reading three books....I'm still in the middle of The Blood of Olympus.....I forgot to pack it in my bag so it stayed at home sitting next to my bed for a month....and I still have yet to open it up because I haven't been in the mood to read it yet...anyway, forget my excuses! I'm currently on page 330 out of 516, which is a little over halfway through! The second book on my currently reading list is Hunt For Jade Dragon by Richard Paul Evans :) It's the fourth book in the amazing Michael Vey series that I love so much and I can't wait to see what happens! I'm on page 22 out of 320 which is less than ten percent through....XD Unfortunately, I haven't been in a mood to read this one lately either which is the reason for a third book in my currently reading list...Finally, the book I'm actually currently reading is The Maze of Bones which is also by Rick Riordan! This is the first book in The 39 Clues series and I've read it before but I really enjoyed this series and I was actually in a mood to read this one! I'm currently on page 107 of 224 (yes, it's small!!) and I'm sure I'll be further in before I actually go to sleep tonight! The only problem with this picture is because Hunt for Jade Dragon and Blood of Olympus look extremely pink and they're really not! Especially Hunt for Jade Dragon! It's a really awesome looking red and gold!!

 Now on to the new books announcement!! And I'll also show off my Picsart edits!! So I got a lot of new books while I was in Indiana and Kentucky!! The first group of books I got were from Goodwill XD So from left to right on the top row are The Angel Experiment by James Patterson which is the first book in the Maximum Ride series (I can't wait to read this one! And I love the bright blue title!!), a special edition book by Emily Rodda which has the first four books of her series Deltora Quest (The Forests of Silence, The Lake of Tears, City of the Rats, and The Shifting Sands) in one book (I've already read this one and it was really good and I need to get the next ones from the library!), and Charlie Bone and the Beast by Jenny Nimmo which is the sixth book in The Children of the Red King series! (I've already read this one too, but I like buying books that I really liked so that I can read them again if I want to, especially if I already own part of the set!) The two on the bottom row from left to right are Beyond the Deepwoods by Paul Stewart which is book one in The Edge Chronicles and The Shadow World by Jane Johnson which is book two in the Eidolon Chronicles! (Yes, I bought a sequel to a book I've never read before....it sounded good enough that I decided I'd just get the first one from the library when I could!)

 The other set of books that I bought were from the half price book store in Kentucky! The bottom two are Eldest and Brisingr by Christopher Paolini! They're books two and three in The Inheritance Cycle and I can't wait to read them! Finally, the top two books are The Testing and Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau which are books one and two in The Testing series! Another series I can't wait to read!

 Finally, I just had to add the awesome color pop picture of my wonderful Michael Vey book! That's one of my favorite picture edits that I've done so far!

 BTW - My friend Sierra showed me a picture challenge today where you take a different pic of books for each day of November! Starting tomorrow, I'm going to post the pics on my blog! Night!!

~Allie~ 

Book Update!!

Okay! So I'm doing my book update today along with that review!! I realized that it's been a couple of weeks since I've posted on here....:/ But hopefully I'll remember to post more often now! So I finally finished House of Hades the other day!!!! It should not have taken me that long! I'm planning on starting Blood of Olympus today!! Hopefully it doesn't take me two months to read this one!! I finished The Prophecy of the Stones today so the only one I'm in the middle of at the moment until I start Blood of Olympus is The Maze Runner by James Dashner which I'm reading for the second time :) I'm currently on page 210 out of 374 :D So my friend Sierra tagged me in a book tag yesterday so hopefully I'll post that tomorrow!!

 -Allie

Review! The Prophecy of the Stones by Flavia Bujor

Okay, so I've officially decided that I'm just going to start over with the reviews and not write reviews for those other ten that I was supposed to...I just finished this book about an hour ago and I have quite a bit to say about it!

 About the book: In a magical realm, three teenage girls - Jade, Opal, and Amber - are chosen to fulfill an ancient prophecy. Although they meet as strangers, they must learn to trust one another with their lives as they embark on an epic journey, armed only with magical stones. On the day of their fourteenth birthdays, they set out on a quest that will require them to leave their homes and families to face fierce enemies in an effort to save an enchanted land called Fairytale, where magic reigns and evil is unknown. 
  At the same time, in a parallel world, a young girl named Joa fights for her life in a hospital bed in Paris. While she is dreaming, she is transported to a magical realm where three young heroines fight a spectacular battle. Their success or failure will determine the fate of Fairytale ... and Joa's survival. 

Pages: 386

Genre(s): Fantasy

Age range: 12+

POV: Changes from third person, Jade, Opal, and Amber - Main characters, 14, third person, The Nameless One - Main character (I think), 18, and first person, Joa - Main character, 14

Stars: 4/5

Review: Okay, so first of all, this book was written by a thirteen-year-old girl which is one of the reasons I was interested in this book in the first place. I think the idea for this story was a good one, but there were multiple things that made me not like the book as much as I could've. In the very beginning of the book Jade annoyed me pretty badly and I've honestly never had a character annoy me before! Then the story went on to have Opal, who's fourteen, fall in love with a sixteen year old who ends up kissing her. It was also a "love at first sight" type and I personally don't like that kind of relationship. There was another "love at first sight" relationship between Amber and The Nameless One who's eighteen which I really didn't like very much just because of the age difference...I also got really confused by the ending...I'm going to assume Joa lives, at least for a little longer, but the way it ended it almost seemed like it could've been either way...

Book Pic!!!

Okay! So today I'm just gonna post a random book pic that I love! It's a pretty simple post, but it helps separate what I post every day!! I saved a lot of these pics off of pages I follow on Facebook... So here ya go! Random book pic that I really like both because of the saying and the look!!

 

-Allie

New Books!!!!

Hi! Sorry I haven't posted in so long!!! First, we were visiting family and it's kinda hard to post on a book blog without the books! Now my nieces and nephew (Arianna, Leah, and Jaeson) are visiting for about three weeks (only one more week to go!) so I keep forgetting to post...I finally remembered at almost 4 in the morning that I need to post a pic and list of all the new books that I bought at a thrift store while looking for baby clothes for my niece (my sister's first baby!) who's due this month!!! Just had to add that!! This picture is a little bigger than they usually are so that you can actually see the covers of the books... So from left to right, I got Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (I have a feeling I'm gonna end up getting teary eyed reading this one...), Doll Bones by Holly Black (Creepy story!), Cinderella Stays Late by Joan Holub (Book 1 in the Grimmtastic Girls series), Heaven to Betsy by Maud Hart Lovelace (Book 5 in the Betsy-Tacy series), Twister on Tuesday, Christmas in Camelot, Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve, Moonlight on the Magic Flute, and Dogs in the Dead of Night by Mary Pope Osborne (Books 23, 29, 30, 41, and 46 in the Magic Tree House series), My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald (Book 1 in the Pink and Green series), The Sea Trolls by Nancy Farmer (Book 1 in the Sea of Trolls series), Partners in Crime by Kim Harrington (Book 1 in the Sleuth or Dare series), Star in the Forest by Laura Resau, and If the Shoe Fits by Sarah Mlynowski (Book 2 in the Whatever After series) :) I still have to add all of these into my book jar!!

-Allie

 

BTW - I will be starting school again on the 10th so I might not be able to post some days :'(

Book Update - A Forest Divided by Erin Hunter (Book 5 in the Warriors: Dawn of the Clans series) - Pg. 31 out of 335! (Chapter 2 out of 25!) : House of Hades - Same spot as before...........

Courtship Book Tag!

So my friend Sierra from 26 Countless Possibilities tagged me in her Courtship Book Tag post, so now it's my turn to do it!!! :D

1. Initial Attraction: A book you bought because of the cover.

 
It took me a while to find a book I got because of the cover!!

2. First Impressions: A book you got because of the summary.


Only one of many!

3. Sweet Talk: A book with great writing.



4. First Date: A first book of a series that made you want to pursue the rest.



5. Late Night Phone Calls: A book that kept you up all night.

 

6. Always On My Mind: A book that you cannot stop thinking about.


Technically I'm still in the middle of this one, but it's true....XD

7. Getting Physical: A book which you love the way it feels.





8. Meeting the Parents: A book that you would recommend to your friends and family.



9. Thinking About the Future: A book, or series, that you know you'll re-read in the future.



10. Spread the Love: Who would you like to tag?
I don't really have anyone to tag, but if you want to do this, consider yourself tagged!! :D

Book Update!

I just realized I completely forgot to post book updates on my posts yesterday....and I don't put them in reviews....XD Technically I'm in the middle of two books right now....I have a problem with starting another book even if I'm already in the middle of one....It's usually because I don't feel like reading whichever one I'm reading at the moment....last week or the week before, I was in the middle of four books at once.....I finished three of them though! And now I'm reading the fourth one, plus another one to read for when I don't feel like reading this one...XD Anyway, since I haven't said what I'm reading in a while, I figured I'd just make an actual post for it today! So the first book that I'm in the middle of is The House of Hades by Rick Riordan which is the fourth book in the Heroes of Olympus series. It's absolutely amazing so far, as are all of these books....XD I started this one last year but never finished it, so now I'm reading it again! I'm currently on page 402 out of 597! I only have 195 words left!! At least I have one more book after this one before the series ends....The other book I'm currently reading is The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler, the first book in the Emily Windsnap series. I've read this one once before, but it's been a couple of years at least....I'm currently on page 42 out of 209. :)

-Allie

Review! Take the Reins by Jessica Burkhart (Canterwood Crest - Book 1)

 Two down, at least ten more to go!!! Warning: This may be a pitiful review because it's been a month since I finished it and I've read multiple other books in the time between now and then!

About the book: When Sasha Silver and her horse, Charm, arrive on the campus of the elite Canterwood Crest Academy, Sasha knows that she's in trouble. She's not exactly welcomed with open arms. One group of girls in particular is used to being the best, the brightest, and the prettiest on the team, and when Sasha shows her skills in the arena, the girls' claws come out. Sasha is determined to prove that she belongs at Canterwood. Will she rise to the occasion and make the advanced riding team by the end of her first semester? Or will the pressure send Sasha packing? 

Pages: 249 (I think this is the first one without a preview of the next book in it....)

Genre(s): Preteen

Age range: 10-12+

POV: First Person, Sasha - Main character, 12 (7th grade)

Stars: 4/5

Review:  This is the first book about horses that I've read in a while! I really missed it! I do wish that they hadn't introduced relationships and relationship problems in a book about seventh graders....but I didn't mind it enough that it ruined the book! The story line of this one was pretty good, but it's definitely not on my favorites list.....

This might be updated again later if I read the book again...I can't remember too many exact details.....This is what happens when you get behind in your posts!!

Bookmark Problems...

So, technically I already did my post for today, but I started a new book and I think I'm gonna have to switch my bookmark..... This book is really small.....my bookmark is exactly the same length as it and it's already beginning to annoy me....So I think I'm going to have to use my Hunger Games bookmark.....XD That's pretty much all this post is for, but I wanted to show the pitiful bookmark problem....

-Allie

Schedule!!!

I have officially made myself a schedule for my blogs! Or for this one at least! My other one is pretty much just a "whatever I feel like posting" schedule... Anyway, from now on I'm going to try and stick to my schedule so I don't post review after review after review... for right now the schedule is book reviews every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, Bookshelf tour every Monday and Saturday, my favorite book pics (which could either be books in general or pics of my favorite book characters *cough* Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus *cough*) on Fridays, and pretty much whatever I feel like posting on Wednesdays...XD Hopefully the schedule works! I'm determined to actually post on here every day, though it may take me a while on Friday cause I'm having an Eragon movie night with my bestie and spending the night :) I finished another book just now, so now I have yet another book to add to my long list of reviews to write! It's gonna take a while to get caught up!

-Allie

New Book!!!!

So I know I said I was probably going to post another review tonight, (and I still might!) but I wanted to post the book I just bought on my kindle!! ^_^ Half-Blood by Jaye L. Knight is a prequel novella to a Christian fantasy series called the Ilyon Chronicles. I won the first book, Resistance, on a Facebook contest in e-book form and loved it! I just finished it about a month or so ago (after much well meaning nagging from my friend!) and I can't wait to read the second one! But I can't wait to read this one more as it's about the past of one of the main characters! It just came out today and I've been waiting months for this book! It's in my book jar now and hopefully I'll read it soon!!

-Allie

Review! The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Book 5 - Final Book)

So I have a lot of books to post reviews for!! This is what happens when I don't post on here like I should! I might end up putting more than one review up today just so I can get caught back up!! And I have officially decided that my computer needs to learn Greek names already so I don't have to keep adding them to the dictionary!!


About the book: All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos's army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan's power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it's up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time. In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy's sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own.

Pages: 381 plus 15 pages of the first book in the Heroes of Olympus series (The Lost Hero - review will be up soon!)

Genre(s): Preteen, Fantasy

Age range: 12+

POV: First person, Percy - main character, 15 (turns 16 at the end of the story)

Stars: 5/5

Review: This review would probably be longer if I had finished this book more recently because then I would be fangirling like crazy, but anyway, I absolutely loved this book just like I did all the other ones...of course...XD Especially the ending because of a specific amazing scene that I can't explain because I refuse to give out spoilers.....I did like Luke's decision in the end, and the rewards the gods gave once the war was over. Plus Percy's decisions in this book made me love him even more....XD All in all, this book is very good! 

New Book!!!

Hi! Sorry I haven't posted in so long!! I didn't realize it had been over a month since my last post until I checked the other day! I meant to post this when I got back from my friends' house the other day, but I fell asleep before I could finish it... So I spent the night with some of my best friends for the first time in a really long time the other day! I haven't seen my friends since before my birthday (which was about two months ago) so when I spent the night the other night they gave me my birthday present! And of course it was a book!! ^-^ This is The Young Elites by Marie Lu. It's the first book in The Young Elites series and I can't figure out how to really explain it unless I put the whole description in this post...XD Marie Lu is the author of a set of dystopian books called The Legend Trilogy. I read Legend, which is the first book (I still have yet to read the second and third....), and really liked it so I'm excited to see how this book is! I actually think I accidentally put this one in my book jar twice...Oh well! It gives me more of a chance of picking it! I have a ton of books to post reviews for so hopefully I'll post one tonight!!

-Allie

Bookshelf Tour! - Children of the Red King

I'm actually curious to find out if I have books that aren't in a series on this bookshelf! I haven't found one yet! XD

 

Bookshelf: Favorites!

Name: Children of the Red King

Series: Yes

Author: Jenny Nimmo

Genre: Preteen, Fantasy

Age range: 12+

Number of books in the series: 8

Books I own: Midnight for Charlie Bone (Book 1), Charlie Bone and the Time Twister (Book 2)

Books I've read: Midnight for Charlie Bone, Charlie Bone and the Time Twister, Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy, Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors, Charlie Bone and the Hidden King, Charlie Bone and the Beast

About the first book: Charlie doesn't want to believe it. He can hear people talking in photographs. What's happening to him? Why now? The mysterious and magical powers of the Red King have been passed down through his descendants. These gifts, some evil and some good, turn up unexpectedly in someone who has no idea where they came from. This is what happened to Charlie Bone. . . Charlie doesn't want to believe it when he discovers that he can hear the thoughts of people in photographs. But his horrible aunts are delighted - it means he is one of the chosen and must attend the Bloor's Academy for gifted children. Once there, Charlie realizes that some of his classmates have equally mysterious powers, and soon Charlie is involved in uncovering the mysterious past of one of them.

Opinion: It's been a while since I've read these so I might update this opinion when I reread them again...This series definitely has its good parts and it's weird parts...XD I realize I say this a lot, but I really like the story line of this series. There are a lot of intense (for lack of a better way to describe them) scenes in these books which is one of the reasons I said I would recommend this for ages 12+...all in all it's a pretty good series, but it really depends on what you like!

Book update - The Last Olympian - Pg. 98 out of 381! (Chapter 6 out of 23!)

Book Challenge!

 I found this on Facebook yesterday and it was pretty fun! I chose to use The Last Olympian and I was kinda nervous considering there are a lot of battles in this book! When I did this yesterday I got "Not Important"....not exactly what I would've wanted one of my favorite books to tell me...XD Maybe I'll try it again later!!

-Allie

Book update - The Last Olympian - Pg. 63 out of 381! (Chapter 4 out of 23!)

Review! The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Book 4)

About the book: Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse. In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade it's once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth - a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.

Pages: 361 plus 10 pages of The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Book 5 - Final book)

Genre(s): Preteen/Teen, Fantasy, Mythology

Age range: 10+

POV: First person, Percy - main character, 14

Stars: 5/5

Review: So, warning, this review is pretty much major fangirly ranting! I honestly have nothing at all even remotely bad to say about this book (or this series!) whatsoever...XD This truly is my favorite book series! I've read this series at least three times and it hasn't gotten old! It'll probably be read like ten more times and still be just as good! I don't think I can narrow down the parts I liked either...mainly because if I did, they would probably be major spoilers! Let's just suffice to say I enjoyed every part of this book and leave it at that! XD

Bookshelf Tour - Children of the Lamp

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days! My cousin is visiting and the only reason I have time to post right now is because we're having a Disney movie marathon! At the moment I plan on making two posts today because I don't really think I want to have more than one Tour post a day...But we'll see! The reason this is only one book this time is 1. Because it's part of a series even though I only own the first one, and 2. Because the next books are a series too and I don't want to put more than one series in a single post!

 

Bookshelf: Favorites!

Name: Children of the Lamp

Series: Yes!

Author: P. B. Kerr

Genre: Preteen, Fantasy

Age range: 10+

Number of books in the series: 7 (According to Goodreads)

Books I own: The Akhenaten Adventure (Book 1)

Books I've read: The Akhenaten Adventure

About the first book: Meet John and Philippa Gaunt, twelve-year-old twins who one day discover themselves to be descended from a long line of djinn. All of a sudden, they have the power to grant wishes, travel to extraordinary places, and make people and objects disappear. Luckily (and luck does have something to do with it), the twins are introduced to their eccentric djinn-uncle Nimrod, who will teach them how to harness their newly found power. And not a moment too soon. . . since John and Phillipa are about to embark on a search to locate a monstrous pharaoh named Akhenaten and his eerie tomb. Standing in their way is Iblis - the most evil djinn in the universe. Will the twins be strong and skilled and clever enough to outwit Iblis and live to see another adventure?

Opinion: So far this series is very good, but it's also pretty weird in parts! Including the fact that the uncle's name is Nimrod...in the beginning I considered stopping the book, but I'm glad I didn't because I do like the way it ends and I do plan on getting the second book from the library at some point! I'll probably have a better opinion for this series when I read the second book!

-Allie

Book update - The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan - Pg. 49 out of 381! (Chapter 3 out of 23!)

Overflowing!!

I'm definitely not got to run out of books any time soon!! There are over 200 books in here and I'm not even finished filling it!!! I really love this!! ^-^ Short post, but it's 1 A.M. and I was determined to post two tonight!!

-Allie

Book update - The Battle of the Labyrinth - Pg. 270 out of 361! (Chapter 15 out of 20!)

Bookshelf Tour - American Girl

So, since yesterday was a Guest Blogger day, I'm gonna do two posts today! The second one is going to have to wait until a little bit later, but this one I can do now! There were way too many of these to take off the shelf and take pics of, so I just decided to do this! Warning! This list is long!!!!

Bookshelf: Favorites!

Name: American Girl

Series: Definitely!

Author: Multiple

Genre: Preteen

Age range: 8+

Number of books in the series: I honestly have no idea how many books are in the American Girl series all together! XD

Books I own: Meet Kaya and Kaya's Escape! by Janet Shaw (Kaya - Books 1 & 2), Meet Felicity by Valerie Tripp (Felicity - Book 1), Very Funny, Elizabeth! by Valerie Tripp (Felicity - Special edition), Josefina's Surprise, Josefina Saves the Day, and Changes for Josefina by Valerie Tripp (Josefina - Books 3, 5, & 6), Kirsten series by Janet Shaw, Addy's Surprise, Happy Birthday, Addy!, and Addy Saves the Day by Connie Porter (Addy - Books 3, 4, & 5), Meet Samantha, Samantha Learns a Lesson, Samantha's Surprise, Happy Birthday, Samantha!, and Changes for Samantha by Valerie Tripp (Samantha - Books 1-4 & 6), Meet Kit by Valerie Tripp (Kit - Book 1), Meet Julie by Megan McDonald (Julie - Book 1), American Girls Short Stories Sets 1, 2, 3, and extras, Lady Margaret's Ghost by Elizabeth McDavid Jones, Danger at the Zoo by Kathleen Ernst, Missing Grace by Elizabeth McDavid Jones, Lindsey by Chryssa Atkinson, Marisol by Gary Soto, Jess by Mary Casanova, Nicki by Ann Howard Creel (Nicki - Book 1), Mia by Laurence Yep (Mia - Book 1), Lanie by Jane Kurtz (Lanie - Book 1), McKenna by Mary Casanova (Mckenna - Book 1), Flying High, Pogo! by Constance M. Foland, Nowhere, Now Here by Ann Howard Creel, Meet the Bitty Twins, The Care and Keeping of Friends, More Help!, The Manners Guide for Girls, School Smarts, Stand Up for Yourself & Your Friends, A Smart Girl's Guide to Boys, A Smart Girl's Guide to Friendship Troubles, A Smart Girl's Guide to Liking Herself, and The Care and Keeping of You

Books I've read: We're just gonna go ahead and say all of them that I own...XD

About the first book: (Meet Kaya) It's hard for Kaya not to boast about her beautiful, spirited Appaloosa mare, Steps High. Kaya wants to be one of the very best horsewomen in the village. But when boasting leads to a daring bareback race, Kaya puts both herself and her horse in danger. And she also endangers her little twin brothers, who've wandered off into the woods during Kaya's race. Although Kaya finds the boys unharmed, she still must face a punishment. All her friends must, too, since one person's actions affect the safety of the whole village. Kaya's mistakes earn her a terrible nickname - will she ever be able to lose it?

Opinion: Okay, so I'm just giving an opinion on all of these put together because I am not going to type out reviews for every single one of these right now! XD As you can probably tell, I really love the American Girl books! The sets like Felicity or Samantha are so short I can read one in less than half an hour usually! I love the story lines for each one and the fact that each one is in a different time!

-Allie

Guest Blogger Day!!!!!

Hello guys! I am really excited to be here today :D My name is Sierra and I am 17 years old! I blog over at 26 Countless Possibilities with my friend Rebecca. Today I am here with a book review! Let's get started:



Curse of the Spider King by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper
 
About the book: The Seven succeeding Elven Lords of Allyra were dead, lost in the Siege of Berinfell as babes. At least that's what everyone thought until tremors from a distant world known as Earth, revealed strange signs that Elven blood lived among its peoples. With a glimmer of hope in their hearts, sentinels are sent to see if the signs are true. But theirs is not a lone errand. The ruling warlord of Allyra, the Spider King, has sent his own scouts to hunt down the Seven and finish the job they failed to complete many ages ago. 

Now 13-year-olds on the brink of the Age of Reckoning when their Elven gifts will be manifest, discover the unthinkable truth that their adoptive families are not their only kin. With mysterious Sentinels revealing breathtaking secrets of the past, and dark strangers haunting their every move, will the young Elf Lords find the way back to the home of their birth? Worlds and races collide as the forces of good and evil battle. Will anyone escape the Curse of the Spider King?

My thoughts:

I loved this book! You would think with many points of view it would get confusing, but the story wasn't confusing at all. I really enjoyed learning about the kids' powers. I fell in love with the characters and am looking forward to the next book by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper, Venom and Song.

Genre: Fantasy.

Romance: NONE! No romance at all! There was talk toward the end where a group of girls mention Timmy as being "cute." But that was the only thing!

Magic: Each of the seven kids has "Powers:" walking on air, reading minds, shooting fire from his hands and telling the near future. The enemy uses Arc Stones, which flash blue. There are creatures called "Wisps" who remind me of shape-shifters, and they can turn into any elf or human form.

Language: None

Violence: If you don't enjoy fighting scenes or mentions of blood this book isn't for you! There is extensive use of swords, bows, and spiders; and mention of blood, death, and killing. The descriptions of the spiders being killed and killing are detailed.

Scripture/Bible stuff: There are many mentions of God. The G in God is capitalized. (In the elven language God is called Ellos.) Several mentions of God being the creator. Romans 8:38-39 is quoted. 

Bookshelf Tour! - 39 Clues

Okay! I'm officially starting my bookshelf tours now that Summer vacation has started!! I've decided that if there are books in a series, I'm going to just show the whole series that I have! That way I don't have to go slowly through the series! So it'll either be one book series a day, or three to four individual books a day! Okay! Here we go!!



Bookshelf: Favorites!

Name: The 39 Clues

Series: Yup!

Author: Multiple

Genre(s): Preteen

Age range: 10+

Number of books in the series: The Clue Hunt - 11 books and 1 special edition, Cahills vs. Vespers - 6 books and 2 special editions, Unstoppable - 4 books, and Doublecross - 4 books

Books I own: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan (The Clue Hunt - Book 1), The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis (The Clue Hunt - Book 3), In Too Deep by Jude Watson (The Clue Hunt - Book 6), The Emperor's Code by Gordon Korman (The Clue Hunt - Book 8), The Black Book of Buried Secrets by Rick Riordan (The Clue Hunt - Special edition), and Day of Doom by David Baldacci (Cahills vs. Vespers - Book 6)

Books I've read: All of The Clue Hunt, all of Cahills vs. Vespers except for the special editions, and the first two Unstoppables

About the first book: What would happen if you discovered that your family was one of the most powerful in human history? What if you were told that the source of the family's power was hidden around the world in the form of 39 clues? What if you were given a choice - take a million dollars and walk away...or get the first clue? If you're Amy and Dan Cahill, you take the clue - and begin a very dangerous race.

 Opinion: So, if you haven't figured it out by now, I read pretty much everything from children's books, to Young Adult, to even some adult occasionally... Anyway, I really like this series! The story line is very good and I love the characters! I love the fact that the series is written by multiple authors and each books fits so perfectly into the next like they're only written by one! The first one is another Rick Riordan book, so I obviously love that one! I have also read multiple other books by Peter Lerangis and multiple books by Gordon Korman other than the ones he's written for the 39 Clues, and I've really enjoyed all of them. Gordon Korman is on my favorite authors list because I've liked every book of his that I've picked up! I plan on reading the first and second series over again soon and then reading the third and fourth ones which I haven't yet!

-Allie

Book Update - The Battle of the Labyrinth - Pg. 171 out of 361! (Chapter 10 out of 20!)

Review! The Crown of Ptolemy by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson/Kane Chronicles Crossover - Book 3 - Final book)

About the book: In their first encounter, demigod Percy Jackson and magician Carter Kane had to battle a giant crocodile on Long Island. A month later, Annabeth Chase ran into Carter's sister, Sadie, on the A train to Rockaway, where the pair fought a god named Serapis. Now trouble is brewing again, this time on Governor's Island. An ancient Egyptian magician named Setne has come back from the dead and is experimenting with Egyptian and Greek magic, trying to become a god himself. He's so powerful and tricky that all four - Percy, Annabeth, Carter, and Sadie - have to team up against him. But their usual weapons and spells aren't going to cut it this time. Will the heroes be taken down by a wannabe god who looks like Elvis, or will they rise to the challenge?

Pages: Ebook version so I'm not sure, also a small preview of The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the gods of Asgard - Book 1) that I am super excited for!!

Genre(s): Preteen/Teen, Fantasy

Age range: 12+

POV: First person, Percy - main character, 17

Stars: 4/5

Review: This one honestly didn't meet the high expectations I had for it... It was very good, but out of all three of them my favorite is still The Son of Sobek! I did like the fact that they had to use both Egyptian and Greek magic together! And Percy hosting an Egyptian goddess was pretty entertaining! I'm not entirely sure why I didn't like this one as much, but for some reason parts of it just didn't draw me in... I really hope Rick Riordan makes more crossover stories, but I'm not sure he will...I can still hope though!!! XD

Book Review! The Staff of Serapis by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson/Kane Chronicles Crossover - Book 2)

About the book: In this adventure, Annabeth encounters more oddities in the subway than usual, including a two-headed monster and a younger blond girl who reminds her a little of herself. This is the story fans have asked for, in which Annabeth Chase teams up with Sadie Kane. The demigod daughter of Athena and the young magician from Brooklyn House take on a larger-than-life foe from the ancient world. Perhaps even more disturbing than the power-hungry god they encounter is the revelation that he is being controlled by someone - someone all too familiar to Sadie.

Pages: Another ebook so there isn't a particular number, also a short preview of The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus - Book 5) which I have yet to read because I haven't finished House of Hades and I hate spoilers!

Genre(s): Preteen/Teen, Fantasy

Age range: 12+

POV: Third person, Annabeth - main character, 17

Stars: 4/5

Review: The story line behind this one was very good and I of course loved the fact that Sadie and Annabeth meet! However, since the other two books are written in the first person point of view, I wish this one had been too. I was also a little surprised that Sadie and Annabeth told each other pretty much everything the second they met. From all of the books I've read that Annabeth has been part of, I can't see her giving up that much information so readily... I did enjoy how close Annabeth and Sadie became, I just wish it had happened at a bit of a slower pace! All together, it's a very good book and anyone who enjoys the Percy Jackson series and Kane Chronicles trilogy should definitely read it!

Book Jar!!!!

Okay, so it's totally two a.m......but I was determined to write more than book reviews today, and I really wanted to introduce my book jar! I saw this idea on Pinterest and loved it, so I found a big jar with a lid that I could fit my hand into, decorated it, and turned it into my book jar! The book jar is pretty much for those of us who have the hardest time trying to decide which book to read next! All you have to do is write the name of a book on a piece of paper, fold it up, and put it in the jar! I'm sure I have at least 100 books in it in this picture, and this is from a couple of months ago! I think I'm going to take them out one day and rewrite them on colors depending on their genres! Now that it's Summer break, I have time for it!! ^-^ Okay! I've officially put two more reviews and my book jar on my blog! I can now go to bed!!! I can't wait to post tomorrow!

-Allie

Book update - The Battle of the Labyrinth - Pg. 117 out of 361! (Chapter 7 out of 20!) : The Lost Kingdom - Pg. 35 out of 348! (Chapter 4 out of 28!) : Resistance - 89%! (Chapter 40 out of 43!)

Review! The Son of Sobek by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson/Kane Chronicles Crossover - Book 1)

About the book: Carter Kane is investigating rumored sightings of a monster on Long Island when he runs into something else: a mysterious boy named Percy Jackson. And their meeting isn't exactly friendly. . . . 

Pages: Ebook, so I have no idea, but there is a short preview of House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus - Book 4)

Genre(s): Preteen/Teen, Fantasy

Age range: 12+

POV: First person, Carter - main character, 15 

Stars: 5/5

Review: Okay, so my five star rating might be biased for this one since Rick Riordan is pretty much my favorite author and I love both Percy Jackson and the Kane Chronicles! Plus I've been wishing for a story where the Kane Chronicles meet Percy Jackson for a while and then I found this on my kindle book store! In my opinion, this is the best one out of the three crossover books. I really like the story in this one, and the way that Carter and Percy interact is so fun to read! I honestly don't particularly have anything negative to say about this one! 

Review! The Glitch in Sleep by John Hulme and Michael Wexler (The Seems - Book 1)

About the book: You know the rain we had two weeks ago, or that nightmare you had last night? Becker Drane can tell you exactly who or what was responsible because Becker works as a Fixer for The Seems. From the Department of Weather to the Department of Time, The Seems is the world-behind-our-World, and it keeps everything running smoothly. But every so often, something goes wrong. When a Glitch makes its way into the Department of Sleep, Becker is called in for his very first Fixer assignment and he's got to get it right. But this Mission is tricky, and his regular Tools aren't up to the test. If Becker doesn't find a Fix fast, he just might lose the coolest job ever - and The World will lose a lot more than a good night's sleep.

Pages: 254 plus 25 bonus pages and 6 of the next book, The Split Second


Genre(s): Children, Fantasy/Science Fic.

Age range: 10+

POV: Alternates between third person, Becker - main character, 11 and multiple other side characters

Stars: 3/5

Review: I'm honestly not sure what I think about this one....XD I really liked the story line and the characters were pretty good, but I wasn't used to the set up where they changed the setting of the story in the middle of some of the chapters and it took a chapter or two to understand what was going on. Once I knew though, it was a pretty good book and I'll most likely end up reading the next one! 

Review! Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett (Chasing Vermeer - Book 1)

About the book: When a book of unexplainable occurrences brings Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay together, strange things start to happen: Seemingly unrelated events connect, an eccentric old woman seeks their company, and an invaluable Vermeer painting disappears. Before they know it, the two find themselves at the center of an international art scandal, where no one - neighbors, parents, teachers - is spared from suspicion. As Petra and Calder are drawn clue by clue into a mysterious labyrinth, they must draw on their powers of intuition, their problem-solving skills, and their knowledge of Vermeer. Can they decipher a crime that has left even the FBI baffled?

Pages: 254 plus 16 bonus pages and 9 of the next book, The Wright 3

Genre(s): Children, Mystery

Age range: 10+

POV: Alternates between third person, Petra - main character, 12 and third person, Calder - main character, 12 

Stars: 3/5 

Review: So, when I first started this book I just couldn't get into it....I'm not sure whether it was just the way it was written or the content, but I honestly almost put it down...I know one thing was that it felt like every little thing that happened was connected to every other little thing and it was very near crossing the line of not being believable. But I hate stopping in the middle of a book, so I did go on to finish it! Surprisingly enough, I actually liked the ending and I like the way there were connections between everything, if only there hadn't been so many! I plan on most likely reading the second one and hopefully I'll be able to get into this one sooner! (And yes, I know it's incredibly late, but I really wanted to finish this one tonight!)

Review! Behind the Gates by Eva Gray (Tomorrow Girls - Book 1)

About the book: Disaster and destruction are all thirteen-year-old Louisa has ever known. But now she and her best friend, Maddie, are among the lucky few being sent to boarding school, far from home. Finally, a taste of freedom! Country Manor School isn't perfect: The girls' roommates are tough to get along with, and the school is hard work. Still, Louisa loves CMS - the survival skills classes, the fresh air. She doesn't even miss not having TV, or the Internet, or any contact with home. It's for their own safety, after all. Or is it? (I just realized how mysterious that last part sounds...XD)

Pages: 211 plus 5 of the next book, Run For Cover

Genre(s): Preteen, Dystopian

Age range: 10+

POV: First person, Louisa - main character, 13

Stars: 4/5

Review: I really liked this book! I do wish it had been bigger, but I don't mind small books that I can finish in a day or two like this! I also really like when books give me a preview of the next book because it usually pulls me in and makes me feel really excited for the next one! I have to admit I wasn't a big fan of the fact that it was written in present tense instead of past tense which is what I'm used to, and it did get a little bit in the way of me being able to focus in the very beginning, but once I got used to it I enjoyed it very much! I can't wait for the next book!

First Book Review!!! The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (The Kane Chronicles - Book 1)

About the book: Since his mother's death six years ago, Carter Kane has been living out of a suitcase, traveling the globe with his father, the brilliant Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane. But while Carter's been homeschooled, his younger sister, Sadie, has been living with their grandparents in London. Sadie has just what Carter wants - school friends and a chance at a "normal" life. But Carter has just what Sadie longs for - time with their father. After six years of living apart, the siblings have almost nothing in common. Until now. On Christmas eve, Sadie and Carter are reunited when their father brings them to the British Museum, with a promise that he's going to "make things right." But all does not go according to plan: Carter and Sadie watch as Julius summons a mysterious figure, who quickly banishes their father and causes a fiery explosion. Soon Carter and Sadie discover that the gods of Ancient Egypt are waking, and the worst of them - Set - has a frightening scheme. To save their father, they must embark on a dangerous journey - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and its links to the House of Life, a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs. 

Pages: 516

Genre(s): Preteen, Fantasy

Age Range: I would most likely recommend this for ages 10-12+

POV: Alternates between First Person, Carter - main character, 14, and First Person, Sadie - main character, 12. There are a couple of scenes told in third person from the other magicians' point of view.

Stars: 4/5

Review: So, I have to admit that this is probably about the third time I've read this book....Rick Riordan is one of my favorite authors and I have loved every single book of his that I've read! I have so many favorite characters and parts in this book that I probably couldn't choose just one if I had to! I really like that the chapters alternate between both Carter and Sadie so that you get to learn both of their personalities and thoughts the further in you read. Plus I enjoyed seeing how they both mature and grow closer as the story progresses. I'm having such a hard time trying to think of something that I didn't really like in this book! I may have to read it again just so I can look for something! ;) If I can think of something I'll update this! If not, it'll just have to stay just like this!!   

I'm Back!!

Okay! I'm really sorry it's been a while since I've posted! I've been really busy with schoolwork and dance!! During that time, I've finished six books! Which means I have six reviews to write! So, starting this Wednesday, my friend Sierra will be doing Guest Blogger posts! :) Once a week, she'll write a book review or something else equally cool to do with books! I can't wait to see what she writes! Finally, I'm currently in the middle of three books! I apparently don't have the ability to read one at a time! Technically, I'm in the middle of reading The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (for the third or fourth time!), The Lost Kingdom by Matthew J. Kirby, and Resistance by Jaye L. Knight! I have a subscription button now that I'm hoping works!! All you have to do is click subscribe to posts, click Atom, and click Live Bookmarks and it will add it to your favorites!!

-Allie

Book update - The Battle of the Labyrinth - Pg. 54 out of 361! (Chapter 3 out of 20!) : The Lost Kingdom - Pg. 35 out of 348! (Chapter 4 out of 28!) : Resistance - 89%! (Chapter 40 out of 43!) I wish I wasn't so close to finishing this one!!! It's really good!!

My Bookshelf!!

So this is my bookshelf for my favorite books!! The amazing little wooden books on my top shelf were gifts that my aunt made me last month! :D I am hopefully going to start my bookshelf tour tomorrow because I've decided to start with this bookshelf! Goodnight!!

-Allie

Book update - The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan - Pg. 475 out of 516! (Chapter 40 out of 41!) Almost done!! Book review coming soon!! :D 

New Books!!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days!! I couldn't figure out which bookshelf to start my tour with! (I still haven't so I'll probably end up flipping a coin! :D) Anyway, I got three new books from Goodwill yesterday! The first one I got is Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist by Liz Kessler! It's the third book in the Emily Windsnap series and it's about mermaids! I own the first and second ones, The Tail of Emily Windsnap and Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep, and plan on rereading the first one soon! I also got Olympus at War by Kate O'Hearn which is the second book in the Pegasus series and I also own the first one called The Flame of Olympus which I also plan on putting in my book jar so I can read it again because it's about Greek mythology so I obviously love it! The last book I got this time is Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett. I'm pretty sure it's the first book in a series, but unfortunately I don't know the name of it. :/ This one is a mystery book and it shall go in my book jar tonight! That's all for now, but I'll try to start my bookshelf tour tonight! Bye for now!

-Allie

New books!!

So, while we were in Kentucky this past weekend we went to this awesome half off book store and I got six new books!! :D First, I got the fifth book in the Warriors : Dawn of the Clans series by Erin Hunter called A Forest Divided! I usually ask for the new Warriors books for Christmas, but I saw this one and totally couldn't wait eight months! The second book I got was a book called Spy High Mission One by A. J. Butcher. :) I'm not positive if it's a series or not, but I'm hoping because of the title! In case the title didn't explain, this book is about a "regular" high school that's actually a school for teen spies. I can't wait to put it in my book jar and read it! The third book I bought is the second book in the Kingdom Keepers series by Ridley Pearson called Disney at Dawn! I've already read this book at least twice, but I really love this series!! It's based in the Disney parks where all of the characters are real and the villains are trying to take over! The last three books I bought are called Behind the Gates, With the Enemy, and Set Me Free. They're the first, third, and fourth books in the Tomorrow Girls series by Eva Gray! I bought the second one, Run For Cover, a few months ago, so now I own all four! I can't wait to put this one in my book jar too!! Goodnight!!

-Allie

Book update - The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan - Pg. 247 out of 516! (Chapter 20 out of 41!!)

Hi!

Woohoo!! Day one of my book blog!! :D I'm gonna try and post on here at least once a day! I'll probably make three posts tonight including this one! So, I plan on taking pics of any new books when I buy them and putting a little info along with them! I'll post updates for the books I'm reading,(The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan right now!) and reviews when I finish a book! And finally, I'll give bookshelf tours, (Thank one of my awesome friends for that idea!!) choosing a couple of books each day from my bookshelf and saying what they're about and, if I've read them, I'll say what I thought of them! Enjoy Confessions of a Teenage Bookworm!!

-Allie