Graceling

Guys.

I read an awesome book called Graceling. It's by Kristin Cashore. Loved it. Have you ever wanted a special power. Something you could do special that other people couldn't. What would you want? A gift that gives you power?  A gift that gives you strength? A gift that makes you known? A gift that makes you feared by all? Are you willing to pay the price? Do you want to be marked for it? Is it worth it? You don't get to choose your gift; you don't get to choose to have a gift or not.

To sum it all up: Some people are born with a gift, a grace. If you are your eyes will change to two different colors. As soon as you eyes change you are sent to the palace to find out what your gift is. If you grace is useful to the King, you stay. If your grace is not, you get sent home. Everybody avoids the graced they're different and sometimes scary. If a family has a graced child set home, it normally does them no good. It's a gift and a curse to some.

Katsa was born graced. Her one eye is the color of the blue sky and her other eye is the color of the grass. She accidentally killed her relative at a young age. They determined her grace was killing. The king decided he liked that and as soon as she mastered her grace, she became his personal thug. You didn't pay you dues? The king will send deadly Katsa after you to torture or kill. Katsa is used to everyone avoiding her and not making eye contact. She's different from all other girls. Katsa never wants to get married and never wants to have kids; she has no interest in making herself pretty and attracting a husband.

One day everything in her life changes, starting with the graced fighter making eye contact. She notices his one gold and one silver eye, he stands out. He's also the prince of Lienid named Po. Po is a pretty good match for Katsa in fighting and is willing to stand up to her. He is searching for his grandfather who was kidnapped. Katsa plans on helping him find out who did it. They also need to save Princess Bitterblue.

As they go along Katsa starts to think that Po is a little off. He practically has eyes in the back of his head and can anticipate her almost every move. Maybe his grace isn't all he says it is. Po also starts to think about Katsa's grace. She's a little bit more special than just a killer, is it possible she's been lied to about her grace?

What I thought: Awesome. I'm all about fighting and survival and mystery. Katsa is one of the coolest heroines ever. I tried to figure out who kidnapped Po's grandfather along with the two. I couldn't figure out why Katsa was so tough. I didn't understand how ten-year-old Bitterblue was so independent. I couldn't wait to read more.

Genre: Dystopian (futuristic)

Setting: The seven kingdoms: Lienid, Monsea, Estil, Sunder, Nander, Wester, and Middluns. (You'll understand more when you read it.) I don't know how else to esplain how it takes place, sorry.

# of Pages: 480 but it's totally worth it.

Who's it for: I'm not sure, it's young adult so whatever that means.

Warnings: Zero. Zip. Nada. I don't think....

Other books with it: Fire is the prequel, Bitterblue is a follow-up

My Star Rating: 4.5 stars (Please remember I rank things higher than average critique.)

Read it! Read it! Read it! It's great, at least give it a chance.
That's all for tonight. Thanks y'all.
Love and killers,
~AJ

Bible Verse: Phil. 4:13- "I can do all things though him (Christ Jesus) who gives me strength."
Words to live by.

The Accidental Hero - Matt Myklush

This is the cover of the book

Carter here! and time for one of my favorites books!



Summary: Jack Blank has never known his parents, or even his last name. One day Jack gets stuck de-mucking the basement of St. Barnaby’s Home for the Hopeless, Abandoned, Forgotten, and Lost when his entire life changes. after accidentally blowing up a mysterious attacker, Jack is met by a new friend who takes him to the Imagine Nation. The Imagine Nation is the land where every super hero lives. Jack Blank is sucked into a world where Imagination is the ruler and heros and villains fight in the streets everyday and spaceships fly across the sky.

Who's it for: Anyone really, mostly fantasy and dystopian lovers though
what I thought:  This is one of my favorite books, there is a ton of plot-flipping and crazy twists that no one can expect. awesome.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Pages: 480

Genre: Fantasy, Dystopian

Setting: The Imagine Nation

Dark Life

Hello.

I am a despicable human being. I am so ever so terribly sorry. I broke my promise. BUT I didn't forget about doing a review. I'm doing it today. I was busy the past two days. Anywho, onto my book review; it's on Dark Life by Kat Falls. It's about people who live under the ocean. How AWESOME is that? Here you go:

Cover

To sum it all up: It's about a teenage guy, named Ty (apologies for my rhymes) who lives under the sea off the coast of what remains of New York. Topside had been destroyed and those who lived there are packed into super tall buildings. Topside, space is wealth, the more room you have; the better and more successful.

One day Ty was exploring and he found an abandoned sea-sub with the controls covered in blood. Exploring further he heard a scream and found a girl named Gemma. She was looking for her brother who went to live subsea. While helping her look for her brother, Ty tries to ward off the outlaws who are terrorizing the town.

Gemma keeps asking Ty about Dark Gifts. There was a story about a boy who could talk to fish that went through all the news. She wants to know if kids actually have been changed from living under all that pressure from the water. Ty tells her it's all lies, but is it really?

What I thought: It's super suspenseful. I wanted to know what the outlaw group was gonna do next. I wanted to know more about the Dark Gifts and if anyone had them because it sounded pretty real. I really wanted Gemma to find her brother. I loved it.
 
Genre: Dystopian (futuristic)

Setting: Under the sea. Nothing is better than under the sea. (Sorry my Little Mermaid memories) Though it does take place subsea. Off the coast of destroyed New York.

Number of pages: I don't know for sure, maybe 300-ish

Who's it for: Anyone I guess.

Warnings: None

My Star Rating: 4 stars

So that's it. Hope you read it. Ooh, one more thing! Ty glows! He eats glowing fish and it makes him glow! Haha! Wouldn't that be AMAZING!?!?!? That's all for me today. Bye-bye.
Love and oceans,
~AJ

Sorry!

Hey.

Totally and completely sorry about the long book review drought. I will do one later today or tomorrow. Promise. So, sorry though.

Love and apologies,

~AJ

Ashes, Ashes

Ring around the rosie
A pocket full of posies
Ashes, ashes
We all fall down

Depressing when you know the meaning of it, right? Oh, some of you don't know the meaning of it? Um.... You could look it up. It's about the Black Plague. 

Now, onto why my review is actually called Ashes, Ashes.

It's a great book I read by Jo Treggiari. I loved it, here's my review;

Book Cover

To sum it all up: The end of the world has come and gone to Lucy. Epidemics, droughts, floods, she's seen and lived through it all. Though, 99% of the world's population hasn't. All of her family is gone, she lives alone in a willow fort she constructed in the wilds of Central Park. She had always stood out at school, at home, anywhere. Now, she's the only one who she need knew who survived. Sweepers continue to take away plague victims.

One day out for water the hunting dogs start to chase Lucy, she runs and is rescued by a boy named Aidan. It's the first person she's seen in over a year, minus maybe some of the S'ans. Aidan tells her about Hell Gate, the place where he lives with other survivors. She realizes that she can't live on her own, she needs them.

When she meets with them new dangers await. The Sweepers are after her. There's something special about her and they will stop at nothing to have her in their hands. She always knew she was different but as she starts to find out, she shouldn't be alive.

What I thought: I really liked it. Before I read it I knew there was something special about her, I couldn't what to find out. I kept reading, couldn't put it down. I kept guessing at what was going to happen next. I couldn't believe what happened to Del and what she did. You meet a lot of unique characters and they're all fun. I hope you read it.

Genre: Dystopian (futuristic)

Setting: New York. The polar ice caps melted and the oceans flooded so much of the coastal land. NYC is now a collection of islands and suspension bridges. Central Park is practically a forest. What's left of the roads are mainly cracked and collapsed. The land close the ocean is swampy wetlands. It's crazy to think about.

Number of pages: Not sure, probably between 300 and 400

Who's it for: Middle School, Young Adult

Warnings: None

My Star Rating: 5 stars

If you liked the Hunger Games you'll like this one. Hope you read it.
Love and tsunamis, (read the book)

~AJ