Graceling

Hello avid readers! Well so I have decided that I will review all of the books in my own personal library, aka my room, so without further ado... the first item on my shelf, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, a personal favorite.

Characters: Lady Katsa: niece of King Randa of the Middluns/graced with the power of killing/part of a secret society that works against the seven kings of the land
Prince Greening Grandemalion aka Po: searching for Grandfather Tealiff/graced with a power of fighting/the only person who can hold his own against Katsa in a fight
Giddeon: part of Katsa's resistant group/in love with Katsa/very arrogant
Oll: King Randa's spy master/one of Katsa's closest friends/the leader of the resistance group along with Katsa
Prince Raffin: son of Randa/loves to experiment with medicine/recently dyed his hair bright blue

The Plot: Enter a world where people possess extraordinary abilities and are shunned by the ungraced. Identified by their two colored eyes, the graced have a wide range of abilities from dancing and gardening to fighting and in some cases killing. Marked with the grace of killing since she was a young girl, Lady Katsa is part of the court of King Randa of the Middluns and is used as his servant to bring torture and destruction to his unfaithful subjects. However, done with living under Randa's thumb, Katsa has formed a resistance group who fights to keep the Kings of the Seven Realms in check and protect the people who live there. When Katsa and two of her friends hear that Grandfather Tealiff, relative to the Queen of Monsea, has been kidnapped, they rush off to save him. Along the way, Katsa meets Po, a prince with a grace as odd as hers. The two of them rush into an adventure to find out the true reason for Grandfather Tealiff's kidnapping.

What I liked: This was one of the most original books I have read in a long time. It was fascinating, fun and interesting. The world was great to read about and the characters were full of life and personality. Take for example Katsa, she was one of the most powerful and strong female characters that I have read about in a long time. However, at the same time she still had fears. I liked that all the characters, not just Katsa, were mulitlayered and complex. Too often you read about one-dimensional characters like Bella Swan from Twilight, and you don't see characters who have many layers. It was refreshing to learn all about these characters and to see deeply into their personalities.

What I didn't like: This is difficult because there was so much that I loved about this book. OK here's something. I didn't like the ending. One thing you should know about me is that in order for me to love a book, I need it to have a happy ending and for me, Graceling didn't have an entirelly happy ending. SPOILERS AHEAD I wanted Katsa and Po to get married but they didn't because Katsa couldn't compromise herself to get married. I get it. The ability to live only for herself and for what she wanted made her a brilliant character in all other aspects but still. WHY NOT? But in my heart of hearts, I know that Katsa marrying Po would not have made her the won't-answer-to-anyone-heroine I loved.

Overall: Graceling is a 9.5 out of 10. Fabulous writing and a exciting plot will keep you hooked throughout the whole book. An excellent debut novel from Kristin Cashore and I look forward to more of her writing.

Only The Good Spy Young

It's here! It's finally here! And I finished it. In about two hours. Now I know what your thinking. There is no way that I could have properly digested the book while reading so fast. Well I beg to differ. I finished Only The Good Spy Young and here is my review. Enjoy!

Characters: Again, due to the fact that this is the fourth Gallagher Girl novel, I am going to list the characters who were new to the series. For a complete list, go to my previous Gallagher Girl reviews.
Agent Edward Townsend: MI6 special agent/the new Cov Ops teacher/a possible threat to the Gallagher Academy
Mr. and Mrs. Baxter: Bex's parents/elite MI6 agents/part of Cammie's security detail
Professor Patricia Buckingham: one of the greatest agents in MI6 history/ headmistress of the Gallagher Academy while Cammie's mom is away/one of the only people who knows the true history of the Circle of Cavan

The Plot: After Cammie survived her attempted kidnapping by international terrorists her life changed completely. Now, Cammie is in London staying with her best friend Rebecca Baxter over the winter break when her life is put in danger once again. At the Tower of London, there is a massive blackout and Cov Ops teacher Joe Solomon gives Cammie a message while the rest of her security team attempts to take Mr. Solomon into custody. Why? Because Mr. Solomon is a traitor and is the man who killed her father. Well, that's what the CIA and MI6 think but Cammie, Bex, Liz, and Macey can't believe it. They won't believe it. So, the four girls embark on a mission to clear Solomon's name with the help of Zack Goode,a Blackthorne student. The problem? A mysterious MI6 agent opposes them at every turn and in order to fully understand what is going on the girls must dive deeper in the past and discover the truth about Mr. Solomon, Blackthorne, the Circle of Cavan, Cammie's father and Zack Goode.

What I liked. All I can say was finally. Finally Cammie learned the truth about Zack. Finally Cammie was given some respect and told more about the situation. And finally Cammie was able to understand about her father's death. I loved this book. I feel like Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover and Only The Good Spy Young were the absolute best they could be. Only The Good was significantly darker than the other Gallagher Girl books but it needed to be. Cammie is growing up and she is entering a world where she is the target and that is a very dark world indeed. SPOILERS AHEAD: In a way, Only The Good Spy Young is a little like Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince. At the end of HP6, Harry figures out that to defeat Voldemort he has to leave school and seek the answers he needs to survive. At the end of Only The Good Spy Young, Cammie has to leave the Gallagher Academy. And she is completely right. She will never discover the answers she seeks if she is content to wait by the sidelines. She is taking her destiny in her own hands and I loved it.

What I didn't like: Alright this is getting really picky but here we go anyway. MAJOR SPOILER ALERT: When Cammie goes on a "Cov Ops mission" and accidentally gets Mr. Solomon into a trap I was a little confused. Not in a clarity sense but because Cammie and Mr. Solomon are too smart to fall for something that obvious. Now I know that Cammie would never have been able to rescue Mr. Solomon if this scene hadn't happened but really? Agent Townsend said No outside of school Cov Ops assignments and yet they decided to have one. Cammie can speak fulluent Mandarin but she didn't see that one coming? And Mr. Solomon world class spy walked right into that trap? He was worried about Cammie so I give him a free pass but I felt Cammie being unsuspicious a little out of character.

Overall: Maybe the best Gallagher Girl novel so far. I absolutely loved it. It gets a 9 out of 10 because it was more than a summer read. Carter seriously shows how much secrets can affect the lives of people who base their whole worlds around them.

Ally Carter Day 4

Hey everyone! So this is the last day before Only The Good Spy Young comes out! So sad. But expect a review about Only The Good Spy Young as soon as I finish. Until then, this is Heist Society. Enjoy!

Characters: Katarina Bishop aka Kat: teen thief and expert con artist/part of the esteemed Bishop crime family/recently out of the family business
W.W Hale the Fifth: Kat's best friend/ a member of the family but not really/the person that got Kat kicked out of the Colgan School, one of the best boarding schools in the country
Bobby and Eddie Bishop: the leaders of the Bishop crime family/both were disappointed when Kat quit "the life"/ Bobby has been framed for something he didn't do and "Uncle" Eddie (Kat's great uncle) will not help Kat
Arturo Taccone: man who thinks Bobby Bishop stole his paintings/is blackmailing Kat/enjoys trying to beat con artists and thieves at their own game
Kat's team: Hamish and Angus Bagshaws who have been "suspended" after they conned a nun/ Gabrielle Bishop Kat's cousin/ Simon security expert

The Plot: Kat Bishop is part of the esteemed Bishop crime family and has up until recently lived the life of a teen thief and con artist. But sick of the life, Kat leaves the family and cons her way into the Colgan School, one of the best boarding schools in the country. Determined to live a normal life, Kat severs all ties with the family for the time being. However, after only a short spell at the Colgan, W.W. Hale the fifth gets Kat kicked out of school for something she didn't do. However, this seems to run in the family because Kat's father Bobby has just been framed for stealing five priceless paintings from Arturo Taccone. Kat and Hale decide the only way to clear her father's name is to steal back the paintings before Taccone goes after her father. And the only way to do that is for Kat to get back into the life she fought so hard to leave. But the family comes first, and so Kat assembles a crew of teen thieves to pull off the biggest heist any of them have ever attempted.

What I liked: I loved the premise of the book. Kat and Hale were absolutely great characters and very well developed throughout the entire novel. From the little inside jokes to the perfect moments before the heist, you could really get into the characters even the minor ones. The Bishop family was great and I loved how you got to meet more of them and learn about what they had done before Kat had quit the life. However, because the novel was written through Kat you learn at the same time Kat does how much her decision to leave the life impacted all those around her. Also, the novel was very creative and I loved how funny the novel was but still serious at important parts.

What I didn't like: I thought at some points the novel was too fast. Ally Carter jumped from scene to scene so quickly I often had to reread to remember what was going on. I think this might be because I tore through the novel so fast but it was still, at some point, difficult to remember which city they were in or what they were doing in the previous one. I didn't like Nick at all as a character but you weren't supposed to. The only person he was concerned about was himself and I thought he wasn't really needed in the novel.

Overall: I would give Heist Society an 9 out of 10. I loved this book and I thought it was more mature than Carter's other novels. Also, this book left you with a great cliffhanger that will keep me eagerly waiting for the next instalment.

Ally Carter Day 3

Hello internet world! So today is the second to last day and I am going to do the last Gallagher Girl novel (that is before the new one comes out). So fasten your seat belts and get ready for Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover

Characters: Again I am going to just add in the new characters who appeared in Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover. There aren't nearly as many new characters this time
The Senator: Macey's father/man running for vice president/more concerned with his political career than with his daughter
Abby Morgan: Cammie's aunt/possibly the greatest girl spy ever/Macey's bodyguard
Preston Winters: highly impressionable running for presidents son/ Macey's secret boyfriend
Circle of Cavan: mysterious society/ targetting and kidnapping Gallagher Girls

Plot: Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover picks up just as the new semester at the Gallagher Academy is about to begin with Cammie visiting her friend and spy classmate Macey at her father's politcal campaign stop in Boston. While in Boston, Cammie, Macey and president's son Preston Winters are almost kidnapped by a group of elite spies. In the escape, Cammie is injured and Macey is completely shaken by the experience. Now, the Gallagher Academy must prepare for a very real attempt at an attack on their school, and in order to keep their own safe the Gallagher Academy gets the best: alumni Abby Morgan. Abby is Macey's bodyguard and Cammie's aunt. However, when even Abby cannot answer the girls questions, Bex, Liz, Macey, and Cammie begin investigations of their own and in the process break the Gallagher Academy's biggest rule. Don't leave the school without permission. But when the stakes are this high, our favorite girl spies just aren't taking no for an answer and the answer they get may surprise even the sharpest reader. Along the way, Cammie encounters Blackthorne Boy Zack Goode and when he refuses to reveal his intentions to her, Cammie is not sure who she can trust as the net draws closer around her and her friends.

What I liked: This book was by far the best Gallagher Girl book yet. I loved the plot line and out of all the books, Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover was the most realistic. It is nice to see growth in a series that could easily become very one-dimensional and predictable but as the Gallagher Girls grow so does Ally Carter's writing. The progression is logical and you see Bex, Liz, Cammie and Macey start to act like real spies and to make the decisions they believe are best. Don't Judge A Girl was the most realistic and by default, the most fun.

What I didn't like: I hate how Cammie's mom and Mr. Solomon are keeping Cammie in the dark. *SPOILERS ALERT* its her life that is at stake so why are they continuing to lie to her? She deserves to know the truth and if she is going to be a spy she can't be sheltered the way she currently is. Its kind of ridiculous because Cammie has proved herself again and again as such an amazing spy so its not like she can't handle it. I understand that its being used to create drama and suspense, but in the real world, you would tell your daughter what is going on.

Overall: I would give Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover an 8.5 out of 10. It left you wanting more and I personally cannot wait until Only The Good Spy Young comes out in two days.

Ally Carter Day 2

Hey hey hey! So its day two of the Ally Carter extravaganza and on today's menu is the second book in the Gallagher Girls series Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy! Here we go!

Characters: If you kept up with yesterdays blog you already know most of the main characters so I will just add the new additions so the blog doesn't get repetitive.
Zack Goode: part of the elite group of Blackthorne spies/boy who cannot remember Josh's name/Cammie's new "boyfriend"
Dr. Steve Sanders: headmaster of Blackthorne/hard to believe he is a spy/may in fact have broken Madame Dabney's heart
Madame Dabney and Dr. Smith: two of the elite teachers at the Galagher Academy. Dr. Smith changes his face every year because he is so paranoid.

Plot: Cross My Heart picks up about where I'd Tell You I Love You stopped. Because of Cammie and Josh's relationship, the CIA required Cammie to go to a full debriefing about the circumstances surrounding their relationship. Because Josh found out the true nature of the Gallagher Academy, the CIA has to make sure that he doesn't remember anything and that Cammie has no interest in contacting him. After the debriefing, Cammie returns to the Gallagher Academy where she discovers that a section of the building has been closed off for mysterious reasons. Curious, Bex, Liz, Macey and Cammie begin to investigate and in the process uncover a secret school for boy spies called the Blackthorne Institute For Boys. But before they can process the news, Bex and Cammie are sent on a Cov Ops assignment where Cammie meets and is beaten by a Blackthorne spy named Zack Goode. Cammie doesn't take it well and is even more frustrated when she learns that the entire Blackthorne school will be studying with the Gallagher Girls for a semester. As Zack and Cammie become closer, Cammie realizes that she doesn't know enough about Zack when the identity of the Gallagher Academy and of Gallagher Girls around the globe becomes endangered.

What I liked: One word. Zack. Zack was far superior as a boyfriend character to Cammie than Josh was. Don't get me wrong I liked Josh. He was fine. But Zack was so much better. He knew the truth about Cammie and understood her life in a way that Josh never could. Also, Zack was way funnier and created much more drama in the book than Josh did. So in this case if there was a Twilight-esc Team Zack and Team Josh I would be on Team Zack. Lastly, I loved loved loved that Cross My Heart was more realistic than the last novel. This one had more elements of a real spy world with the debriefing to the very real final mission at the end.

What I didn't like: I wasn't a huge fan of how Cammie was beaten by Zack early on in the novel. I know it was essential to the development of their competitive relationship but I wanted Cammie to win because I think she is the superior spy. Also, it kind of bugged me that I know absolutely nothing about Zack as a character. I get that he is supposed to be mysterious but I feel like, as a result, his character is very one dimensional and I cannot completely attach to him.

Overall: Due to the increase in realism and an improvement in the characters, I would give Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy a 8 out of 10. Again, this was just a light summer read but it was fun and I loved the dynamic/rivalry between the Blackthorne Boys and the Gallagher Girls. Their relationship made the whole novel. With more humor and more missions, Cross My Heart is a sequel that more than lives up to its entertaining predecessor.

Ally Carter Day 1

Hey everyone! So in honor of the new Ally Carter book Only the Good Spy Young, coming out in four days, I wanted to do a special four day Ally Carter book review. So first on today's blog is I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You! Here we go!

Characters: Cameron aka Cammie Morgan: chameleon/headmistresses daughter/world class spy
Elizabeth aka Liz Sutton: kid genius/chronic klutz/lover of all things tests and organization
Rebecca aka Bex Baxter: daughter of MI6 agents/the next James Bond/daredevil in training
Macey McHenry: daugther of senator/resident boy expert/newest addition to the Gallagher Academy
Joe Solomon: Cov Ops teacher/mystery man of the Gallagher Academy/friend of Cammie's deceased father
Josh Abrams: regular guy who likes Cammie/hater of Gallagher girls/Cammie's first boyfriend

The Plot: Cammie Morgan goes to a school unlike any other. She goes to a school for spies. Along with her friends Bex and Liz, Cammie attends the Gallagher Academy, a school for girl spies with a cover as an esteemed and snotty private school. As school starts, a new roommate is introduced to the girls, Macey McHenry daughter of a famous senator. At first, Macey's looks, attitude, and total lack of respect for the other Gallagher girls causes tension among the four girls. However, on a Cov Ops mission Cammie discovers something that unites all four girls together. A boy. Who likes Cammie. At a private spy school completely shut off from the outside world, boys are a rarity. So Liz, Bex, and Cammie, led by Macey's expertise embark on a whirlwind adventure to win Cammie Josh's heart and to learn more about the real work of spies in the process.

What I liked: I loved the relationship between the four girls. From the very beginning you can sense the camaraderie and bonds between Liz, Bex and Cammie and when Macey enters the picture, you see how the girls look out for each other and work together. In a time when so many novels are filled with the girl character who just sits back and waits for a man to fix the problem for her, it is refreshing to read about a whole group of girls who aren't going to wait in line. I also loved that Ally Carter consistently filled the novel with spy references. For instance, she uses the terms like "honeypot" and she talks about the career day with all the foreign spy organizations. It brings a sense of realism and interest to the story. She could have just left it as "this is a school for spies" but she didn't.

What I didn't like: I thought it wasn't serious enough to be a spy novel in some parts. I know they are only teens and the novel was supposed to be lighthearted but still in some places, like during the training, I wish I could have read about more intense exercises or training. But overall, that was pretty much it.

Overall: I would give this book an 7 out of 10. I loved the book don't get me wrong, but I loved it as a fun summer read and that is all it was. I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You is a novel without a deeper meaning or some in depth point and frankly in this novel some deeper meaning wouldn't have made sense. So that was the reason the book got a 7. I'd Tell You I Love You will never be a Kite Runner or a Tree Grows in Brooklyn but it will be an exciting summer read that will keep you thoroughly entertained.

An Abundance of Katherines

June 23rd, 2010

Aren't you excited? I know I am because today is the first ever book review blog from Along For the Read. For my first book, I chose An Abundance of Katherines due to the fact that I just finished reading it. I am going to try out a format that I have developed for my review and see how it goes.

Characters: Colin Singleton: child prodigy/anagram extrordinare/eternal dumpee
Hassan Harbish: somewhat devoted Muslim/self described "funny guy"/Colin's best & only friend
Lindsey Lee Wells: Gutshot native/dater of TOC/friend to the "oldsters"
TOC, JATT, SOCT, and Katrina: assorted friends of Lindsey Lee Wells
Hollis Wells: Mother of Lindsey/owner of tampon-string-making-factory

The Plot: Colin Singleton, recent high school grad, has been dumped by 19 girls all of which have been named Katherine. When the novel begins, Colin has just been dumped by Katherine XIX and has reached a state of emotional crisis in his life. A child prodigy, Colin is now certain that he will never obtain "genius" status now that Katherine XIX has dumped him and that he is no longer a child. Hassan, who is Colin's best friend, cannot stand to see him like this; in order to help Colin recover from his shock, Hassan proposes a road trip for the two of them. Their road trip takes them to Gutshot, Tennessee, where the two friends stop to see the grave of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and where they ulimately end up staying. There they meet Lindsey Lee Wells, a girl of mulitple personalities who wants to just disappear in life, who contrasts sharply with Colin who is obsessed with "mattering". Colin and Hassan stay with Hollis and during their stay, Colin developes a theorem that can predict how long relationships will last. However, as Colin, Lindsey and Hassan learn more about Gutshot through a town rememberance project, each learns that there is more to life than what they had originally thought.

What I liked: Most importantly, I liked how fresh and different An Abundance of Katherines was. I had never read anything like it from the characters to the plot. The book had humor, but to a point. While there were parts where I was laughing out loud, like when Hassan and Colin got attacked by a hornet nest, there were parts with genuine emotion and sadness, like when Lindsey and the boys visted the assisted living facility to visit Mabel Bartrand. The book was a lot like life; huge ups and downs but through it all an underlying message to just go for it and that you can "matter" in a lot of ways.

What I didn't like: To be honest, there wasn't much I didn't like about An Abundance of Katherines. However, I didn't like that Colin was so desperately into Katherines to the point where he dated nineteen. I am aware that it is an essential part of the story, but I wanted to leap through the pages and shake him screaming "ENOUGH ALREADY!" But anyway, the only other thing I really didn't like was the relationship between TOC and Lindsey. I loved Lindsey: she was a great character and person. I just didn't see the relationship between TOC and Lindsey at all. In the end it didn't matter, but still I just couldn't understand their relationship dynamic; Lindsey was far too good for him.

Overall: On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give it a 9.5. The writing was fluid and cohesive, the footnotes were hilarious and I found all of the characters believable and amusing. The only reason this book didn't get a ten was because of the previously explained Lindsey/TOC dynamic.

Whewww! With one post under the belt I have to admit I feel pretty good!

Hey There!

June 22nd, 2010

Hello Blogosphere! By now you have (somehow) found your way to my blog and are currently wondering what in the world it is. Well I'm about to share my story of how Along For The Read was formed so you are in luck!

Some basic information about me. My name is Augusta, I am in high school and I am absolutely, 100% addicted to reading. If my family is looking for me around the house chances are I am curled up with some gigantic book reading until I don't have enough light to read. Then I go get my flashlight. But as much as I love to read, I really wanted to have some sort of creative outlet for all of the thoughts I have about reading. So my mom decided why not write a blog reviewing books? We had just watched Julie & Julia (great movie by the way all the actors/actresses were fantastic) and Julie wrote a blog. So in the words of Julie "I can have a blog. I have thoughts." and my thoughts will be about the books I read and what I think of them.

This might sound like your everyday review on Amazon.com but it really isn't. This is a perspective of an everyday teen, giving an honest opinion of what I think of a novel. It will also be much more in depth then your traditional review.

But anyway back to my blog. My tech savvy dad and brother helped me set up the blog itself while we worked to come up with a name. It was harder than I had expected. After almost twenty minutes and no "eureka" moment, I went up to my room to look at my books to get inspired. Then my eyes settled on the book Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen. Just substitute ride for read and there is my blog name! Besides Sarah Dessen being one of my absolute favorite authors, the phrase itself "along for the ride" is a very famous expression and therefore something people could identify with.

So that's pretty much it for now...but tomorrow I think I am going to write my first book review. Forewarning: it might be very roundabout and crazy but hey it is my first time right.