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As stated by the author, this book came about because rather than write his nephew boring letters while he was at boarding school, his Uncle chose to write him stories instead. Eddie’s stories.
When Eddie Dickens’ parents take ill with an odd disease, they send him off with his Great-Uncle, who happens to be mad. Much to Eddie’s chagrin, upon arriving in the carriage, his Great-aunt is even madder. Naturally, many mishaps ensue. From sleeping in a trunk to rescuing an orphanage full of kids, Eddie is kept on his toes.
Fun, playful, zany little book. Can’t wait to see what happens in his next episode!
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Marina’s relationship with her brother Lex has always been different than that of normal siblings. Therefore, it’s not a shock to anyone when she takes his apparent suicide so hard. But there’s more to the story than anyone knows. At least, so she thinks.
As Marina delves deeper into the mystery, struggling to understand what happened to her brother, hidden truths come to light. But none so large as those learned when she takes off to visit her father.
This is a story of love: how it can raise you up and pull you down, heal you and break you.
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As the teen services librarian, I rarely venture into the world of adult books, but when I heard about this book, I knew I had to read this.
Margaret Lea lives her life for books. Growing up in an antiquarian bookshop, she spends her life reading. As she fine tunes her tastes, she learns that she has an insatiable hunger for biographies and to bring people’s stories alive.
Given a chance opportunity, Margaret is commissioned by a famous author named Vida Winter to write her biography. Vida’s most famous work is a collection of short stories, originally set to have thirteen tales, though only twelve were published. No one has ever found the thirteenth tale.
Vida is known for being a difficult subject, often lying to those around her about her past. Despite this, Margaret is determined to get to the truth–the truth about Vida’s life, her past, and the secret behind the thirteenth tale. What Margaret finds is a deep and tangled web of family secrets, intrigue and scandal.
Run–don’t walk–to the library to get this book. Setterfield has concocted a delicious mystery that will leave people talking about it, long after they’ve finished the book.
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When the world learns that the moon is going to be hit by an asteroid, the reaction is excitement. Finally, everyone alive will get to see something that’s happened throughout history but never truly been witnessed. On Miranda’s road, like many others, families come out to the street for a better view of the event. But soon after her brother announces he can see the asteroid coming through the telescope, things go from spectacular to disaster.
After the hit, everyone on the ground is left with a disturbing sight: the moon, asked, more visible, and far too close. Soon after, the flooding begins. Entire coasts are wiped out. Earthquakes follow. And eventually, fires.
When Miranda’s mother shows up at school soaking wet during a storm, she doesn’t know what to think. When they’re racing around the supermarket stocking up on everything they can, she thinks her mother is definitely over reacting. But as life grows less and less normal, she begins to understand that it was her mother’s quick thinking and foresight that’s enabling them to survive.
Unsure why she’s keeping a diary, Miranda nevertheless writes nearly every day, documenting the good times, the exciting days, and the trauma. Everything.
Quite often, while reading, I’d pause, look up, and be quite surprised to see the HDTV playing on, realize the lights were working, and that there was a fridge full of food. While I certainly hope this creative tale never turns into reality, I have to think it’s a possibility, which makes it all the more gripping.
Miranda and her family suffer through what sometimes seems more than their fair share of ups and downs, but through it all they stick together, showing us that love and perseverance can help you through even the most unimaginable times.
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Every bit as amazing as it’s prequel, if not more so. To do this book real justice I may have to go back and read it again…for reasons I can’t really go into without ruining too much, I read it a little too fast.
Picking up where we left off at the end of Twilight, Bella is now recovered from her attack, still dating Edward, and now has a job at a store in town. Life seems pretty much perfect, except for the minor detail of her still not having what she wants.
Despite her wishes, the Cullens have planned a Birthday party for her, and while she’s displeased, she tries to cut them some slack, once Edward points out that they’ve not been able to celebrate a real birthday in over a hundred years. And party-lover or not, she has to admit they’ve gone all out.
But, clutz that she is, it isn’t long before disaster strikes in the form of a paper cut, leading to Jasper having to be dragged from the house, the rest of the family (other than Carlisle) quickly following after. Once she’s been stitched up and bandaged. Edward brings her home, and his gift to her makes the night perfect despite the badness. In fact, she can’t imagine a better birthday.
But it isn’t meant to last.
Abandoned, Bella spends the next handful of months in a daze. At a complete loss, Charlie has know idea how to help her. But she refuses to leave Forks, and so all he can do is watch her struggle on.
Eventually, sparks of life return, as Bella vows to become reckless, purchases two used motorcycles, and heads down to La Push to see Jacob Black about fixing them. While there, she remembers how much she liked being around Jacob, and her visits quickly turn into a regular thing. Between them, and the sound of Edward’s voice in her mind with each reckless act, Bella begins to feel alive.
And then Jacob turns on her.
Life quickly becomes on trial after another, as Bella refuses to let Jacob go, and after a mid-night visit does some hard thinking to piece the puzzle together, much to the chagrin of his new friends. Then a cliff-diving stunt gone bad sets in motion a whole ‘nother set of events, even more incredible and harrowing.
Even more than Twilight, New Moon will leave you eagerly awaiting what comes next.
(Next installment due out October 2007)
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Visit Stephenie Meyer on the web.
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Colin Singleton has issues with his life. Mainly that he doesn’t understand it, and as a recent high school graduate, is sure of little other than his status as a failure. Utterly disgusted with his best friend’s state of mind, Hassan decides what they needs is a road trip. After somehow making their parents agree, off the head, no destination in mind.
A random highway exit boasts the grave of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who Colin had been thinking of not long before, and so begins the journey to Gutshot, TN, where the road trip becomes stationary.
After the tour to the Archduke’s grave, Colin and Hassan meet Hollis, their tourguide Lindey’s mother, who brings them home for dinner and offers them a job for the summer. At $500/week, the pair can’t refuse.
The days soon settle into a sort of rhythm. Recording oral histories of Gutshot for Hollis in the morning, killing time in the afternoon while Lindsey goofs off with her boyfriend, and for Colin, working on the Theorem he’s come up with to predict the pattern of a relationship. First he can only get it to work for a few of the Katherines. With some tweaking, it works for all but one. After further delving, he realizes he’s misremembered this one, and once he adjusts the formula to show the true events, the Theorem is rock solid.
And yet…while History is easy to study (like they say, hind-sight is 20/20), the future is a different animal altogehter. And this is the realization Colin really needs to come to. That life can’t be predicted, there is no certainty, and the only sure thing to do is to get out there and try.
Excellent book. Unique story, great characters, much lighter than Looking for Alaska. Definitely worth a read.
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This is the story of Orokos–the island in the sea. And as far as most of its inhabitants are concerned, the only place there is. Rail and Moa grew up on Orokos; Rail always certain it is what is seems, Moa sure there’s something more.
As a child, Moa lost her father, who died trying to escape the island. Rail lost his ability to breathe, one of many victims of the Probability storms that have wreaked havoc on the island as long as anyone can remember. The two meet up one day and becomes a fast pair, making their money thieving.
A job gone bad forces them to flee their home. On their way back to the hidden city from which Moa first came, they stumble upon the golem Vago, who helps them on their way, but eventually escapes, seeking to learn the truth of his own identity. A journey that will lead him, and therefore the others, straight into the arms of the Protectorate, the rulers of Orokos, whose chief of Secret Police has a dream of his own. To find and destroy the Chaos Engine, which makes the Probability Storms possible. He dreams of an Orokos filled with only peace. And with Moa and her stolen artifact in hand, the dream seems within reach.
So what will become of this solitary world if these dreams are reached?
Perhaps Wooding’s most original creation yet. A slightly heavier read than some of his other books, but well worth it. Fantasy readers will likely enjoy it–it is an entirely invented world after all, though the nature of the story does lend itself more towards SciFi.
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Twelve-year-old Blake Winters is about to discover something at the library that will change his life…
While at Oxford with his mother, Blake finds himself wandering the deep, expansive library on campus and finds a curious book with a serpentine clasp. When the clasp pricks Blake’s finger, the volume opens and he is led into a a strange mystery that has spanned generations–who was Endymion Spring? Unfortunately, Blake is not the only one drawn into this strange quest; a Person in the Shadows is also seeking to learn the truth about Endymion Spring and will stop at nothing to get what they want.
Skelton has created an entralling fantasy that will appeal to fans of Funke’s Inkheart, and to all those who love books about books, fantasies or mysteries or any combination of the three.
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In this sequel to Faerie Wars, we pick up right where we left off. Mr Fogarty has settled into his duties as Gatekeeper of the Realm, Pyrgus is acclimating to his position as Emperor Elect, and Henry is back at home missing the Faerie Realm. So when he finds out he’s been invited to Pyrgus’ Coronation Ceremony, he’s perfectly happy to except. On top of that, he finds out he’ll be receiving some magical help in sneaking away–even better!
But not for long.
In the Realm, Lord Hairstreak has struck a deal with the now resurrected Purple Emperor, putting Comma on the throne, with himself as Regent. Comma then releases his crazy mother from the West Wing, after banishing Pyrgus, Blue and Fogarty. Henry lost his original portal maker and had to make himself a new one, and isn’t at all sure he got it right, though he does eventually realize what’s actually going on.
Much more action in this one, since the plots are thicker and the twists more numerous. Very enjoyable and quick read. Can’t wait for the next one!
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