2012 Off the Shelf Challenge: Completion Post!

IT'S DONE! I'm officially calling it quits on the Off the Shelf Challenge, after reading 19 books from my list - 4 more than I actually needed too! Next year I'm going a level higher with Making a Dint - 30 books. Here are all the books I read this year:

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
   {review here}
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
   {review here}
3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
   {review here}
4. A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander
   {review here}
5. Abandon by Meg Cabot {review here}
6. Shatter Me by Tahere Mafi {review here}
7. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
   {review here}
8. The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory {review here}
9. The Alchemyst by Michael Scott {review here}
10. The Magician by Michael Scott {review here}
11. The Sorceress by Michael Scott {review here}
12. The Necromancer by Michael Scott {review here}
13. The Warlock by Michael Scott {review here}
14. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley {review here}
15. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger {review here}
16. Vixen by Jillian Larkin {review here}
17. Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper {review here}
18. Asenath by Anna Patricio {review here}
19. One Day by David Nicholls {review here}

Book Review: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley 
Release Date: 10th August 2010

Publisher: Pan MacMillan Australia
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 264
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge

Summary from Amazon:

"Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes."

Review:
This was a nice little romance. The main romance in this story was fairly predictable, but I didn't mind. I liked seeing how it played out, how it all came together. It was cute, easy to read, and a romance that I approved of. The one thing I didn't really like about this novel was Poet's chapters. I understand why they were there, and I understand why they were written in poetry, but I didn't really care for them. I found that I rushed quickly through these chapters (which was easy considering they were only ever a page or two long), so I could get back to Lucy or Ed. 

What I liked was that Lucy and Ed, our main characters, didn't outshine the rest. I thought Jazz, and to a lesser extent Daisy, were hilarious, I really liked Leo and his back story, and I thought the Malcolm Dove was mental, and also hilarious. I also liked the writing style; switching between Lucy and Ed's perspectives allowed us to see conversations from both their points of view, as well as misunderstandings and miscommunication. Just as you finish a conversation between the two from Ed's point of view, the next chapter brings us Lucy's thoughts as you re-read parts of the same conversation. This was a writing tool that I thought worked quite well. 

Overall, a cute novel about teen romance that I found very hard to put down. 

Book Review: Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper

Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper
Release Date: 6th July 2010

Publisher: Baker and Taylor 
Format: eBook 
Pages: 272
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge

Summary from Amazon:

"WRONGED. HANGED. ALIVE? (AND TRUE!)

Anne can't move a muscle, can't open her eyes, can't scream. She lies immobile in the darkness, unsure if she'd dead, terrified she's buried alive, haunted by her final memory—of being hanged. A maidservant falsely accused of infanticide in 1650 England and sent to the scaffold, Anne Green is trapped with her racing thoughts, her burning need to revisit the events—and the man—that led her to the gallows.

Meanwhile, a shy 18-year-old medical student attends his first dissection and notices something strange as the doctors prepare their tools . . . Did her eyelids just flutter? Could this corpse be alive?"

Review:
I really liked the premise of this story. A girl, just a normal girl, survives her hanging. Her hanging. That's not something that happens. And, this story was based on a true story. Now I made sure to read the authors notes, and there was in fact a girl named Anne Green who survived her hanging. A person who actually did exist, survived a hanging. I'm sorry, I probably sound like I'm banging on about this, but don't you just find that amazing? That doesn't happen, people don't survive public executions, especially if they occurred the way it was described in this book. The fact that this book was based on a true story was a massive plus for me. It made the story so much more interesting.

So, to actually get to the story, I really, really enjoyed it. Granted, you know where the story is going to go from the beginning, but it was still really interesting to read the journey that took us from Anne's hanging to her revival. What I enjoyed was that the story had two narrators; Anne, who told us her story and established for us why she was hanged in the first place, and Robert, who details her (planned) dissection which turns into a resurrection. All of it was fascinating to read, and I found that I didn't have a preferred narrator either. Sometimes, I find that books with more than one narrator can have the problem where I don't like the narrators equally, and so I end up rushing through certain chapters or dragging through others. I'm glad to say that this wasn't the case for this novel.

Probably the only thing I didn't like was the character of Sir Thomas. He was in the background being very mad and angry, and it just annoyed me. I got to the point where I just skipped over whatever dialogue he had; his incessant yelling didn't need my attention. Overall, this novel was a great read - a solid plot, great characters, and a happy ending. 

Book Review: Asenath by Anna Patricio

Asenath by Anna Patricio
Release Date: 24th September 2011

Publisher: Imajin Books
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 215
Rating: 3.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge

Summary from Amazon:

"In a humble fishing village on the shores of the Nile lives Asenath, a fisherman's daughter who has everything she could want. Until her perfect world is shattered. 

When a warring jungle tribe ransacks the village and kidnaps her, separating her from her parents, she is forced to live as a slave. And she begins a journey that will culminate in the meeting of a handsome and kind steward named Joseph. 

Like her, Joseph was taken away from his home, and it is in him that Asenath comes to find solace…and love. But just as they are beginning to form a bond, Joseph is betrayed by his master’s wife and thrown into prison. Is Asenath doomed to a lifetime of losing everything and everyone she loves?"

Review: 
I'm not entirely sure what to say about this book. From the start, it pulled me in - just being based on Joseph's wife (as in, the Joseph from the Bible as well as the protagonist in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat) had me interested. I didn't even know Joseph had a wife! So, to read about Asenath, albeit a fictionalised version of her life, interested me. Overall, however, the story was only, really, ehhhhh. I liked the storyline, but the romance seemed almost fabricated. I just didn't believe it. And the fact that the plot basically relies on this impacted the book greatly for me. Putting that aside, the book was enjoyable. I really enjoyed the beginning, really enjoyed the middle, and I enjoyed the ending but probably not as much as a should have. Overall, a satisfying read that fans of historical fiction (maybe not so much romance, in my opinion) will enjoy. 

Book Review: A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander

A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander
Release Date: 21th November 2011

Publisher: Baker and Taylor
Format: eBook
Pages: 432
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This books was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge

Summary from Amazon:

"To create something that will last is Claire Laurent's most fervent desire as an artist. It's also her greatest weakness. When her fraud of a father deals her an unexpected hand, Claire is forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville, only a year after the War Between the States has ended. Claire's path collides with that of Sutton Monroe, and she considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But when they meet again and he refuses to come to her aid, she realizes she's sorely misjudged the man. Trading an unwanted destiny for an unknown future, Claire finds herself in the middle of Nashville's elite society and believes her dream of creating a lasting impression in the world of art may finally be within reach.

All that Sutton Monroe holds dear lies in ruin. He's determined to reclaim his heritage and to make the men who murdered his father pay. But what he discovers on his quest for vengeance reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined.

Set at Nashville's historical Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, the richest woman in America in the 1860s, A Lasting Impression showcases the deep, poignant, unforgettable characters that set Tamera's stories apart and provides an inspiring love story that will capture readers' hearts and leave them eager for more."

Review: 

This book had all the components to make me absolutely fall in love with it. I loved the characters; Claire, lovely young woman trying to move on from less than humble beginnings, and Sutton, the young lawyer with a heart of gold. I enjoyed reading the romance between these two characters - the slow build-up, that began as playful friends and evolved into something more. The plot, albeit predictable at times, was enjoyable. And the setting; the fact that the story was loosely (very, very loosely) based on fact, made the setting and the story overall much more interesting for me. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although I do think it was missing that little bit of pizazz that would make it a 5/5. 4.5 out of 5 ain't bad though! I would definitely recommend this book to fans of romance and historical fiction.  

Book Review: Abandon (Abandon Trilogy #1) by Meg Cabot

Abandon (Abandon Trilogy #1) by Meg Cabot
Release Date: 12th January 2012

Publisher: Pan MacMillan Australia
Format: eBook 
Pages: 291
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge

Summary from Amazon:

"Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld."

Review: 
To be honest, I hadn't heard a lot about this book before I decided to add it to my TBR list. Amazon suggested I may be interested in it, and the blurb was intriguing, so I thought I would give it a go. After reading this book, I am actually dumbfounded that I left it on my TBR list for so long. To me, this book was all types of brilliant. The book mixed so many things together that I love; mystery, supernatural, romance, mythology - it all just melded beautifully together. I loved the setting, the characters, the plot - I just loved everything about this book. And the twist at the end! I really, really did not see that coming, and I absolutely loved it. A definite must read. 

Book Review: One Day by David Nicholls

One Day by David Nicholls 

Release Date: 1st March 2011

Publisher: Hodder General Publishing Division
Format: eBook 
Pages: 448
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge

Summary from Amazon:
"It’s 1988 and Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley have only just met. But after only one day together, they cannot stop thinking about one another. Over twenty years, snapshots of that relationship are revealed on the same day—July 15th—of each year. Dex and Em face squabbles and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. And as the true meaning of this one crucial day is revealed, they must come to grips with the nature of love and life itself."

Review: 

I have no idea what to write for this review. And not because I just don't have anything to say about this book, but a mixture of 'I read this book ages ago' and 'I don't know how to express what I feel about this book without it sounding like a bunch of mumbo jumbo'. So, I am going to try for clear and concise. This has to be one of the best books I have ever read. No joke - the book's structure was unlike anything I had seen before, I completely fell in love with the characters, and the plot (albeit predictable at times) did completely throw me at the end - I really was not expecting that ending there. I think that this has to be one of the books that you just have to read.

Book Review: A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

Release Date: 5th January 2010

Publisher: Hachette Australia
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 291
Rating: 3.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge

Summary from Amazon:
"He placed a notice in a Chicago paper, an advertisement for "a reliable wife." She responded, saying that she was "a simple, honest woman." She was, of course, anything but honest, and the only simple thing about her was her single-minded determination to marry this man and then kill him, slowly and carefully, leaving her a wealthy widow, able to take care of the one she truly loved.

What Catherine Land did not realize was that the enigmatic and lonely Ralph Truitt had a plan of his own. And what neither anticipated was that they would fall so completely in love.Filled with unforgettable characters, and shimmering with colour and atmosphere, A Reliable Wife is an enthralling tale of love and madness, of longing and murder."

Review: 

Its been a while since I read this book now - I don't know why it's taking me so long to get around to these reviews. So, as you can probably imagine, this book isn't fresh in my mind - kinda finding it hard to figure out exactly what I want to say about it. But, to be honest, I had the same problem when I finished the book in the first place. I'm not quite sure about this book. It didn't exactly turn out the way I thought it would, which was probably to be expected because I really didn't know anything about this book going into it. But, I guess I just thought that it would be better.  And some of the themes in this book I really wasn't expecting - and I didn't particularly enjoy them. Overall, this was a good read, with an interesting storyline and some interesting characters, and I would suggest it to anyone who is a fan of this genre or this style of writing. 

The Quarterly Challenge Update Post

For my first year of blogging, I decided to participate in 3 blogging challenges.
Some of the books I'm reading apply to more than one challenge. So far, I've managed the following:

4/5 books read for the Around the Stack in How Many Ways? Challenge
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory 
Vixen by Jillian Larkin

11/15 books read for the Off the Shelf! Challenge
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
The Magician by Michael Scott
The Sorceress by Michael Scott
The Necromancer by Michael Scott
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory 
Vixen by Jillian Larkin
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi


5/6 books read for the Debut Author Challenge
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Tempest by Julie Cross (review coming soon!)
Slide by Jill Hathaway (review coming soon!)


What about you? Are you participating in any reading challenges this year, and if so, how are you going?

Book Review: The Necromancer (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #4) by Michael Scott

The Necromancer (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #4) by Michael Scott
Release Date: 26th April 2011

Publisher: Random House
Format: eBook
Pages: 416
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge 

Summary from Amazon:

"San Francisco:
After fleeing to Ojai, then Paris, and escaping to London, Josh and Sophie Newman are finally home. And after everything they've seen and learned in the past week, they're both more confused than ever about their future. Neither of them has mastered the magics they'll need to protect themselves from the Dark Elders, they've lost Scatty, and they're still being pursued by Dr. John Dee. Most disturbing of all, however, is that now they must ask themselves, can they trust Nicholas Flamel? Can they trust anyone?
 
Alcatraz:
Dr. Dee underestimated Perenelle Flamel's power. Alcatraz could not hold her, Nereus was no match for her, and she was able to align herself with the most unlikely of allies. But she wasn't the only one being held on the island. Behind the prison's bars and protective sigils were a menagerie of monsters-an army for Dee to use in the final battle. And now Machiavelli has come to Alcatraz to loose those monsters on San Francisco.
Perenelle might be powerful, but each day she weakens, and even with Nicholas back at her side, a battle of this size could be too much for her. Nicholas and Perenelle must fight to protect the city, but the effort will probably kill them both.
 
London:
Having been unable to regain the two final pages of the Codex, Dee has failed his Elder and is now an outlaw-and the new prey of all the creatures formerly sent to hunt down Flamel.

But Dee has a plan. With the Codex and the creatures on Alcatraz, he can control the world. All he needs is the help of the Archons. But for his plan to work, he must raise the Mother of the Gods from the dead. For that, he'll have to train a necromancer. And the twins of legend will make the perfect pupils. . . "

Review:
Its been about a week since I finished reading this book, so this review will probably end up being really short, and besides, I'm finding it hard to find new things to say about this series! Each book is pretty similar to its predecessors, with basically the same pros and cons in each book. Just check out my review for The Sorceress here. The one thing I will say is that some good plot points occurred in this book - finally, the difference of opinion between the Sophie and Josh is played up a little more, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and will continue to enjoy reading about in the coming books. A fitting fourth instalment in the series.

Book Review: Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: 15th November 2011

Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: eBook
Pages: 352
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge 

Summary from Amazon:

"You can't touch me," I whisper.

I'm lying, is what I don't tell him.

He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him.

But things happen when people touch me.

Strange things.

Bad things.

No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.

But Juliette has plans of her own.

After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.  

Review:
I've actually found this review really hard to write, which is why it's taken me a week to post this (sorry about that :/). The problem I have is that I don't know what to say besides the following: 
This. book. was. AMAZING. I loved everything about this book - the plot, the setting, the characters, the writing style - almost everything about this book was brilliant.
There were only a couple of little cons in this book. 1. There is a pretty intensive love story in this book, with some sexual content (only kissing). But hey, this part didn't really bother me that much. 2. What did bother me though, was the fact that Juliette's feelings for Adam seemed a bit convenient, what with him being that only person she has met in her life whom she can actually touch. But honestly, these are minor, minor points that you hardly notice whilst reading the book.
Overall, this is a definite must read. If you're not convinced, check out the book trailer below:

The Quarterly Challenge Update Post

For my first year of blogging, I decided to participate in 3
blogging challenges.
Some of the books I'm reading apply to more than one challenge. So far, I've managed the following:

4/5 books read for the Around the Stack in How Many Ways? Challenge
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory 
Vixen by Jillian Larkin

9/15 books read for the Off the Shelf! Challenge
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
The Magician by Michael Scott
The Sorceress by Michael Scott
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory 
Vixen by Jillian Larkin

2/6 books read for the Debut Author Challenge
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

So far I think I'm doing pretty well! Technically I should be aiming to read 12 books for the Debut Author Challenge, but I have so many books sitting on my TBR pile that I'd rather read those than go out and buy new books. So, I've decided that I'll be finishing off the Debut Author Challenge with these books:

Tempest by Julie Cross
Fracture by Megan Miranda
Slide by Jill Hathaway 
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (which should be arriving in the mail any day now...)

And since I have so many books on my TBR pile, depending on how quickly I read, I may move up a level or two for the ATS and OTS Challenges. 


What about you? Are you participating in any reading challenges this year, and if so, how are you going?

Book Review: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins
Release Date: 24th August 2012

Publisher: Scholastic
Format: eBook 
Pages: 400
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge 

Summary from Amazon:

" Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. "

Review:
After finishing this book, I have mixed feelings about it. I'm not really sure if I loved it (I know that I liked it at least...), because there's something nagging at the back of my mind. But, whilst I don't think this was Suzanne Collins' best effort, it was a fitting end to The Hunger Games, and this was a book that I enjoyed reading.

You could kind of guess where the series was heading at the end of Catching Fire. We were moving away from the Hunger Games themselves, and more towards a rebel vs Capitol war till the last man standing won. The final instalment of the series is much more serious, focusing more on politics than on action and adventure. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - there is still plenty of action and adventure in this book, its just surrounded by a much more grown-up plot - a small nation's struggle for independence from their oppressive dictator. I guess, you could say that Mockingjay was a bit of a war propaganda book, but honestly, this didn't faze me. 

What did bother me though, was Peeta. Peeta, who was such a great character in The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, was missing for the first half, and then when he did return, he wasn't really Peeta anymore. Of course, Suzanne Collins has to take the best character in the novel, the one that everyone loves, and mess around with him. That was not a plot point that I particularly enjoyed.

Overall, I would have to say that Mockingjay is my least favourite book of the series. This isn't me saying that its not a good book, because it is, but I just think that The Hunger Games and Catching Fire were in a different league. Fans of the series will probably be a little disappointed, but the book is a fitting end to the series and I do recommend that they read it. 

Book Review: The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #3) by Michael Scott

The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #3)by Michael Scott
Release Date: 27th April 2010

Publisher: Baker and Taylor
Format: eBook
Pages: 512
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge 

Summary from Amazon:

"Nicholas Flamel's heart almost broke as he watched his beloved Paris crumble before him. The city was destroyed by Dee and Machiavelli, but Flamel played his own role in the destruction. Sophie and Josh Newman show every sign of being the twins of prophecy, and Flamel had to protect them and the pages from the Dark Elders.

But Nicholas grows weaker with each passing day. Perenelle is still trapped in Alcatraz, and now that Scatty has gone missing, the group is without protection. Except for Clarent—the twin sword to Excalibur. But Clarent’s power is unthinkable, its evil making it nearly impossible to use without its darkness seeping into the soul of whoever wields it.

If he hopes to defeat Dee, Nicholas must find an Elder who can teach Josh and Sophie the third elemental magic—Water Magic. The problem? The only one who can do that is Gilgamesh, and he is quite, quite insane. "

Review:
Just like the first two books, The Sorceress by Michael Scott doesn't disappoint. I'm pretty much loving everything about this series at the moment - the characters, the plot, the action, the mystery, everything is just so enthralling that I found it hard to put this book down at times.

What I think this book managed to do well is that it took a step up - there was more confrontational action, the characters were growing, and (finally) the evil guys were getting their just desserts. What Scott has also managed to do well is to ensure that you'll keep reading the series with all the little mysteries (Who is Dee's Dark Elder? What will happen to Scatty and Joan?), and that cliffhanger at the end (which really has me intrigued). My only problem with this book (and the series as a whole) now is that the line of monsters never seems to end. Honestly, how many of them can their be? We've already had more than an entire series would have, and I'm only half way through!
But, overall, I think this is a fitting 3rd novel in The Alchemyst franchise, and I'm looking forward to reading the next instalment. 

Book Review: The Red Queen (The Cousin's War #2) by Philippa Gregory

The Red Queen (The Cousin's War #2) by Philippa Gregory

Release Date:  19th September 2010 
Publisher:  Simon and Schuster
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 400
Rating: 2.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS and 2012 ATS Challenge

Summary from Amazon:

"Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her house is the true ruler of England and that she has a great destiny before her. Her ambitions are disappointed when her sainted cousin Henry VI fails to recognize her as a kindred spirit, and she is even more dismayed when he sinks into madness. Her mother mocks her plans, revealing that Margaret will always be burdened with the reputation of her father, one of the most famously incompetent English commanders in France. But worst of all for Margaret is when she discovers that her mother is sending her to a loveless marriage in remote Wales.
Married to a man twice her age, quickly widowed, and a mother at only fourteen, Margaret is determined to turn her lonely life into a triumph. She sets her heart on putting her son on the throne of England regardless of the cost to herself, to England, and even to the little boy. Disregarding rival heirs and the overwhelming power of the York dynasty, she names him Henry, like the king; sends him into exile; and pledges him in marriage to her enemy Elizabeth of York’s daughter. As the political tides constantly move and shift, Margaret charts her own way through another loveless marriage, treacherous alliances, and secret plots. She feigns loyalty to the usurper Richard III and even carries his wife’s train at her coronation.

Widowed a second time, Margaret marries the ruthless, deceitful Thomas, Lord Stanley, and her fate stands on the knife edge of his will. Gambling her life that he will support her, she then masterminds one of the greatest rebellions of the time—all the while knowing that her son has grown to manhood, recruited an army, and now waits for his opportunity to win the greatest prize.

In a novel of conspiracy, passion, and coldhearted ambition, number one bestselling author Philippa Gregory has brought to life the story of a proud and determined woman who believes that she alone is destined, by her piety and lineage, to shape the course of history."

Review:
I had high expectations of this book, because I had heard so much about Philippa Gregory's writing, and I'm a big fan of historical fiction. And I really enjoyed reading about the history side of things. Gregory did quite well to create an unstable England, with the House of Lancaster and the House of York fighting a 'cousins war' over the right to rule England. But that's where the praise for this book stops.
Unfortunately, my immense dislike for the protagonist of the novel, the Lady Margaret, tainted the entire novel for me. She was entirely consumed by greed and self righteousness, but apparently this was justified because her actions were the 'will of God'. Not only this, but she was depicted as extremely jealous of the Queen Elizabeth, and I just didn't find that trait attractive in a protagonist. The Lady Margaret was deceitful, untrustworthy and downright rude to anyone who she perceived as beneath herself, and I really didn't enjoy reading about this woman's story.
Not only did this book include a protagonist that I disliked, but it was also highly religious in nature. And I know that England back in the 1400s was a religious place, but Lady Margaret took that a bit further (she believed that she had 'saintly' visions). It was a bit too much for me to handle, and I really struggled to get into this book because the beginning was very focused on Lady Margaret and her religion. Overall, this was not a book I enjoyed. I will read Philippa Gregory again, but probably not in the immediate future. 

Book Review: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins

Release Date: 15th December 2009
Publisher: Scholastic
Format: eBook
Pages: 480
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge 

Summary from Amazon:

"Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge."

Review:
I was actually a bit worried when I picked up this book. I didn't really know where the story could go, what exactly could happen after the end of The Hunger Games. But as soon as I started reading, everything made perfect sense. I was sitting there thinking I was such an idiot, because obviously this is where the story would continue too. And then BAM, at the end of Chapter 12, the story went somewhere I wasn't expecting, but probably should have in hindsight, but knew I would thoroughly enjoy. I'd like to say what happens, but I'll be spoiling the book if I do that.

What I loved about this book was that Suzanne Collins continued doing what she does best. She took what was an amazing premise in The Hunger Games, a story filled with plot twists and incredible characters depicted in the dystopian world of Panem, and took it to a whole new level. The characters that I know and love were still there, and extra attention was payed to Gale, which I enjoyed. All the action and adventure from the first book was still there, just taken to the next level. I feel weird saying this, but this book blew me away. I can't wait to read Mockingjay - I have no doubt that it will be amazing!