Thursday, August 30, 2012

Hunger Games by Suzzane Collins

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps  the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her younger sister's place in the games. But, Katniss has been close to dead before - and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The first thing I would like to tell is that this book was supposed to give us a tragedy, not a happy ending. Everyone knows, that the protagonist cant die, so to give tragedy Suzzane Collins could have killed Peeta. This book would have got one star, if not for the moments and days Katniss spends with Peeta and the number of sacrifices they both make. Also, the part where Katniss and Rue come together even if they are from different districts. Suzzane Collins has also got Haymitch helping these people in a time it would be a real tragedy to fend for themselves. I have heard from my friends that this book is a real tragedy and I would love it because of the genre I prefer. But, to tell frankly, I thought this was a waste of time (no money because I borrowed this book. Thank God!) In the starting I didnt want the book to get over, but as I started to come to the end, I really wished the book was over and I finished it and slept last night. Also, this book felt as if it was being written in the past than in the future. Everytime something happened which couldnt happen in the past, I had to remind myself it was happening in the future and even the gadgets were really old for a book which is based so much in the future. I am sorry Hunger Games lovers, that is how I feel.
I will continue  reading Catching Fore and Mockingjay to see what is in store for Katniss and Peeta, even though I thought the book could have more.


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Monday, August 27, 2012

Time Riders-Day of the Predator by Alex Scarrow

When Maddy  mistakenly opens a time window where and when she shouldnt have, Liam is marooned sixty five million years in the past in the hunting ground of a deadly - and until now - undiscovered species of predators. 
Can Liam make contact with Maddy and Sal before he's torn to pieces by dinosaurs - and without endangering history so much that the world is taken over by a terrifying, new reality?

Got this book in my club library. I sooooo wanted to read this book!

Um....lets see...The book was a book with teenagers running around in time. Ok fine. The storyline was, like, in every book these three teenagers, Maddy, Sal and Liam would get into a tricky situation which they will get out of.

When, I first read the back of the book, I thought this is book is, like, in every book there will be one or the other adventure. I was tempted not to read the book. But, I continued, anyways, and I actually liked the book. The way these people end up in the past and the way they survive. 

The book was awesome! It had a species of dinosaurs and stuff, whose fossils are not yet found, but, these small guys attack the group and all and its just...cool. The way my eyes used to widen whenever I used to read about this, 65 million years BC, and the way my eyes used to widen when Maddy and Sal did unexpected things to get Liam and the others back. There were two time waves, and how one became incomplete, but, still, everything was good. 

I would say, if you are a fan of sci-fic, this book is really great. Travelling through time is a really great invention, or, was a really great invention in the book. The book also brought out what could go wrong in the future years, if we didnt take care of our environment. Alex Scarrow is indirectly telling his readers that we could really be in trouble. 

The only thing I regretted was that I could trace his movements. He moves really like his brother, Simon Scarrow. And, I, read Simon Scarrow's book, Fight for Freedom it really made me think of what he would do next in his book and, almost, all the times I was correct.(less)

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Warriors of Ethandun by N.M Browne

Well, the book was good. I will not say very good, but good. It was a bit confusing and boring. The part when the battle starts was the only part I liked the most in the book. I was a bit worried for Dan and Ursula as they were placed nicely. When Ursula was in control of Finna's mind, that part hurt the most. I got bored when Ursula was taken captive. And, as I told, the part of the battle was best, It was really sad when Ursula was forced to put fire on Aelfred's men. I didnt exactly want the  book to end in a happy ending. But, there was something sad in the last...That touched me most and, that is why I will say, the book was really good.

I picked it up in my library in a hurry. It was a good book, as I said above. Not a bad choice though. I liked the book, didnt love it, as I normally write for such types of books.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Blood Water by Dean Vincent Carter

Dr. Morrow found something in the water. He doesnt know what it is, but he's seen what he can do. And now its missing....
The town is on flood alert and everywhere people are trapped by the deluge. But there's something out there far more dangerous - and the death toll will rise along with the waters unless it is destroyed.

Picked it from my library. Was a very good choice... Review follows down.

Blood WaterBlood Water by Dean Vincent Carter


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I will jump to the review. This book was great! It was a thin book so I finished it in one hour. I started it at 12.00 in the morning and finished it at 1.00. In this one hour, the book had me! Everytime, something unexpected happened, I would grip my bedsheetes in fear and when that thing would pass and I would come to know what happened, if it was bad, I would shake my head as if I was very sorry, and if something good happened, I would let out a sigh of relief. At one time in the book, Mr Titus comes out of the cupboard with the creature in his mouth suddenly and I screamed into the night! The book was a real horror book. I couldnt take my hands off the book even once. There was a lot of suspicion in the book and not the type where you are so frustrated with so much suspicion that you dont care what it is. That type of suspicion where you are really dying to know what is the character hiding from the others and the creature. The way Carter describes the victims of the creature getting killed is sick.... I dont want to reveal it. For horror fans They would love to read the book, but for others they would vomit if they saw the cover, thinking of what I wrote. Well, there has to be some sick stuff in horror books or it will not be a horror book. So, horror fans, if you decide to take this book, you are in for something really exciting.




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Thursday, August 9, 2012

Literature Club Secretary!!!

I didn't know such a good news would come for me within two months of joining school. The title says it all.... I am the Secretary for the Nitte International School Literature Club!!! The President is, my school mate (obviously) and a person who lives in my apartment, called Prateek. He is also the head-boy of our school, and I am very sure that everyone in the Literature Club is proud to have a President like him. He is also my friend's brother.

My friends have also got a chance to be the Presidents and Secretaries of various clubs. I am very proud for them and I hope they will do their duty well. But, I am very excited and proud that I became the Secretary of such a prestigious club in our school and I got a very good impression on all the teachers and the students of my school.



Wish me luck, guys!!!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

The Demon Girl by Penelope Fletcher

Rae Wilder has problems.... Supernatural creatures swarm the earth, and humanity is on the brink of extinction. Stalked by a handsome fairy who claims she is like him, demonkind, Rae thinks maybe it was a mistake breaking the rules by going over the Wall into demon territory. Plunged into a world of dark magics, fierce creatures, and ritual sacrifice, she is charged with a guarding a magical amulet. The changes to her mind and body are startling, but rather than accept her purpose she struggles against who she is destined to be. Throw in a big lust for a vampire who can't keep his hands off her, and life starts to get complicated. Rae is forced to make the ultimate choice: to live and die human, or embrace her birth-right and wield magics that could turn her into something wicked, a force of nature nothing can control.

This book was actually an ebook. I found it on goodreads. I saw ebooks and wanted to see what ebooks were there. When I saw the name of the book, I thought it will be good. I rayed it three stars. The review follows down...

The Demon Girl (Rae Wilder, #1)The Demon Girl by Penelope Fletcher


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I expected more from this book. When I read the back cover, I thought this book must be good. Even the title sounded promising. But what I got was a girl coming to know that she was a fairy and she had a bond with another fairy and she fell in love with a vampire. This a series, I know,but in a 191 page book the large scale plot was just this much. To the larger plot I have given 1 star. The other 2 stars were taken by the small scale plot. The small scale plot was much better. At least, there was some action in it. Devlin wanted the necklace and the whole story was on how he got it or did not get. (Im not revieling that)There should have been something else. Penelope Fletcher has left me with no choice but to take the other books in the series as I really want to know whathappened to Rae.

I would like to end now. Penelope Fletcher has written the book nicely but she could add more content to the first book.




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Sunday, July 29, 2012

The Fourth Estate by Jeffery Archer

At first glance, Richard Armstrong and Keith Townsend seemed to have little in common. One was the son of an illiterate peasant, who emerged from the most backward corner ravaged by a bitter war. The other was raised in a mansion on the far side of the world while the war was just another piece of news. 
One was a hustler, a theif, ready to change his story, even his identity, if it would gain him a momentary advantage. The other was the scion of a well known family, groomed for a public role from his earliest years, a rebel who didnt care if any approved of what he got up to, 
One craved wealth, recognition, status. The other quickly discovered that real power comes from anonymity. But, they did have one thing in common. Both of them were gamblers. Both were prepared to risk everything in their battle to control the biggest newspaper empire in the world. 
Only one of them could triumph....

I got this book when I was searching in the attic for some books to sell to earn pocket money. As, I really wanted to read Jeffery Archer so I thought I'll start with this book. I must say that jeffery Archer's style suits only adults. But, that will not stop me form reading more of his books, partly because they show reality, and partly because you cant let go of the book.

The book was good. I cant say great because I found some parts boring. When Archer tells the life-story of the two rivals, it is boring. But, when he comes to the main part, it starts to get interesting. In the end, though, he repeats the first part. The story says about two newspaper barons, who are rivals. Both of them want to be the richest person in the world, but both of them come in the same amount of debt from the same bank. One has someone to guide him, the other doesnt know what to do. Ofcourse, when he cheats on his wife. Both of them have trouble. But, one of them survives this. You enjoy the book thoroughly when their rivalry starts, and the best part is, you wouldnt even know when their rivalry will start!! When they are rivals, you will flip back pages to see where is it written about their rivalry. You wont find it, and you wont feel like reading the book, but when you come back to the present book, the situation is so intense that you will not be able to leave the book. If I had to conclude this review in one sentence then I would say: "Awesome, great, fantastic, energising, proper book!!!"

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Empire of the Moghul - Ruler of the World by Alex Rutherford

Akbar, the third great ruler of the glorious Moghul dynasty, is everything an emperor should be. He commands two - thirds of the Indian subcontinent and a hundred million subjects. His reign begins bloodily in 1556 and he soon proves himself to be brave, ruthless and supremely confident.

However, within the astonishing splendour of the Moghul dynastylies a fatal flaw. Any of the emperor's sons can inherit so Moghul princes become as bloodthirsty and secretive as their fathers. And as Akbar's eldest son, Salim, reaches manhood, this will surely spell trouble....

Ruler of the World is the third book in the gripping and brilliant Empire of the Moghul series; an epic tale of great wars and great sacrifises - and of an unparralleled dynasty that carries within it the unruly seeds of its own destruction.

This book was just great. In our history text books, we come to know only about the outer points of the rulers' life. How that person had his administration, what changes did he put on his followers, what were the taxes removed or added, ect., In this book you come to know about these people's personal life, through a fictious way. Suppose, Salim and Khusrau's rivalry was not highlited in our chapter. But, in this book, I came to know that Khusrau and Salim were fighting to be Akbar's successors. Well, we know that Jahangir i.e Salim got to be the King, so that ultimately means that Khusrau loses and rebels against his father, as we all know. We didnt know that, at first, Khusrau was very close to his father and broke away from him only when his father was starting a rebillion against his father. I dont know how many people ot there know that Abul Fazl was mudered, but I didnt know, and was shocked when I came to know.

 Like this, the book keeps on unwinding the personal life of two rulers and one rebel. Its a good read and I am sure anyone who reads it will enjoy it.

All in all, this was a good book. At first I was dissapointed, when I came to know that Empire of the Moghul is a series and this is the third book in the series, but, when I read it, I could read it as if this was the first book in the series! The first book is Raiders of the North, which is about Timur and Babur, and the second book is Brothers at War, which is about Humayun and the early life of Akbar, stopping just before the First Battle of Panipat.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

White Heat by K. M. Grant

Raimon has escaped the pyre and carried the blue flame to the mountains to unite his people against invasion. Besieged by the Cather White Wolf and the Catholic Aimery, his strenght begins to fail. Will his beloved Occitan and his love for Yolanda survive the King's army, gathering in the north?

Well, after Death of Kings, this book lightened my mood. It lightened the anger brewing inside me for having wasted my time on Death of Kings. It got me wondering if all had been otherwise, like every good book does.
  This is the second book in the Perfect Fire Trilogy. The next book, which is the last book, is Paradise Red and I really want to read it. The first book is Perfect Fire and I want to read that too.
  Getting back to the second book. I didn't sleep all night reading this book! I just couldn't keep it down. The suspense at every page which K. M. Grant has woven on every page is just beautiful. She has woven it so indirectly that the reader doesn't even come to know its suspense. Another reason was that I was fed up of happy endings and heroes winning all the time. This book gave way to tragedy, to real life, not to fantasy. Does a person, who is starved to death, wants to protect the Blue Flame (for instance) and for that he will fight like some two thousand soldiers single - handed? No. That is not reality. Well, if it would happen like that I wouldn't be disappointed but I would have been a bit bored.
   *Yolanda gets sold off by her brother to *Hugh des Arcis and Aimery sells Amouroix to France. And *Aimery does all this so that he could be safe not his people.
   At last, all hopes are lost as even their friends go into the enemy camp. At last, *Yolanda has to go back with *Hugh and *Aimery and *Raimon, thought they hate each other to the core, have to take the same side so as to save Occitan and their lives.
  Now, if Yolanda comes back to Raimon or if Occitan is not captured by the French, we will only come to know in the third and the last book.
  This is the perfect book I have ever read. I dont see any mistakes in it. The character K. M. Grant has chosen for herself is the lands itself, which is so very clever and the way she narrates it also is simple shocking.
  Warning: Once you pick up this book and start reading it, you will not feel like putting it down.
  *These are all the characters of the book and you will come to know who they are by reading the book.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Death of Kings by Philip Gooden

London, 1601, and Elizabeth I is nearing the end of her reign with no direct heir. Plots and rumours of rebellion abound. The Queen's former favourite, the Earl of Essex, appears to be eager to protect the throne - but some believe he intends to seize it.

 In the theatre world, the Chamberlain's Men are approached by a member of Essex's inner circle. He offers them money to put on a special performance of Shakespeare's Richard II - the treasonous drama of monarchy deposed and murdered. And player Nick Revill finds himself forced to act as a government spy and keep watch on his own company. His secret works earns him enemies, and then the murders start.....

Seriously, there is no murder in this book. My review is going to be totally negative. So, I would advice you all not to read it. This is the only book I didnt like. This book made me very angry. If only I had known! I wouldnt have wasted my time on it.
 
Anyway, this book contains a lot of suspence. Everywhere there is suspence. There should have been only the suspence at the end, not in the beginning. Philip Gooden did not explain some parts of the book and jumbled up other parts. Some parts were also predictable.
This book was a serious disaster. There is no murder. Its more of a mystery. There is a lot of suspence in the book and that makes it boring. There are like only two murders. There should have been only the suspense at the end, not in the between. I couldnt even understand half of the book. Its all jumbled up. There are parts which are not needed and parts which are not good in a murder book.

Well, Nick Revill earns only one enemy. And I dont know how does he earn him also. I dont know what does Philip Gooden want to tell through this book or what this book is about. Its all so jumbled up. I was literally waiting for this book to get over. I really dont know what to say, so I would like to conclude with :

All in all I hated this book.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Songs Composed by Us in Yours Truly

Yesterday, in Theatre Class, we composed some songs. First, we were put in teams and we could choose any song and sing it. Then, we had to compose our own song. In the first song, we mixed four songs to make one song. The second song was a bit comedy and about angels.
  The first song:
The sun goes down
The stars come out
And all that counts
Is here and now
My universe
Will never be the same
Im glad you came
Im glad you came

Humne tumse  mohabbat ki hain
Oh janneman
Do you know?????? (A bit of tuning)

But Im only gonna break break your
break break your heart.
Im only gonna break break your
break break your heart.
 
But, baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again
Baby, tonight, the Dj got us falling in love again.
So dance dance like its the last last time of your
life life, tonight.
Cuz, baby, tonight the DJ got us falling in love again.

The first song is Glad You Came sung by THE WANTED. The second song is from a hindi movie HOUSEFUL 2. The third song is Break Your Heart sung By TAIO CRUZ.  The last song is The DJ Got Us Falling In Love Again. Im not sure who sung it. I think it  is JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE.
 The second song was composed by us. (Only the lyrics. The tuning was from Glad You Came.)

The sky is so high
The angels are so high.
With a golden tiara on their head,
They never wear red.

They spend their time using Idea 3G
And talking about their lives to the dadajis.
Have you ever wondered
What you will say to them
When they came to you?
"Im Glad You Came."
"Im Glad You Came."

The sky is so high
The angels are so high.
With a golden tiara on their head
They never wear red.

Have you ever wondered
What you will you say to them
When they come to you?
"Im Glad You Came."
"Im Glad You Came."

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Lunch

  I am writing after some time because I wanted to finish Voyager. But, I just shifted to my new house and my new school is starting from 4th of June and so I have a lot to do. But that doesn't mean that I'm a total geek and I only studied these holidays. Ya I studied a lot. After all I'm going to eight, but I participated in a badminton coaching camp and got many friends. I also reduced a few kilos.
  When the camp was getting over, all of us decided that we will go for lunch in the club. We were eight people: Namita, Nikitha, Juhi, Sharan, Gaurav, Nandan, Preksha and me.
   We went in the canteen, only to find that the canteen was closed.
   Gotcha! It was a normal day there. Everybody were going about their business and we kids were going about ours. Laughing and joking and talking as if there was no worry in the world. We ordered some starters like paneer tikka, chicken lollipop and chicken tikka. We had roles. Juhi would decide, I would calculate and Nandan would pay. As it was our club, he would give the card and it would add up in his account. All of us were so excited and talking continuously, except Gaurav. He was so quite. But he ate most of the food! He didn't talk much but the excitement was being showed on his face. So, Gaurav, I'm a very good observer. Never underestimate me!
   We ordered some juices and soft drinks and started prank calling people. It was fun. I just listened. I didn't give any numbers, though.
   For main course, we ordered egg fried rice, noodles and manchurian. We ate all that very seriously and I really don't know why.
   For dessert, we ordered some ice creams and kulfi. Totally the bill summed up to Rs. 1196. Nandan was paying the bills  so we had to give him the money. So all of us had to give him Rs. 149.5, exactly. That is Rs. 150. So he got  Rs. 4 extra. Lucky person. I would do anything to get even four rupees.
   We had planned to go for swimming, but our badminton class got over at 1 o'clock and at that time, the swimming pool gets closed and that is why that plan got canceled.  Well we had fun for lunch and that's what counts!

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Half Moon Investigations by Eion Colfer

Meet Fletcher Moon. Half-pint schoolboy and fully qualified private investigator. Since graduating online, he has solved all sorts of minor mysteries at school and at home. It was only a matter of time before things got serious...
  These are strange days in the town of Lock. There has been a spate of odd crimes, including the theft of something belonging to one April Devereux. Fletcher investigates -and the finger of suspicion is soon pointing firmly in the direction of the notorious Sharkey brothers, Herod and Red.
  It looks like an open and shut case.
  But nothing is quite as it seems. And, as Fletcher delves deeper, its not long before the hunter becomes the hunted...

As we can expect of Eion Colfer, this book is great for teens. Its all detective work and how Fletcher finds him wrapped up in a bigger mystery.
  Again, we see expect something and something else happens. Only a person with very good brains can track what will happen next. I tried my best, but couldnt track it properly. It has a lot of ups and downs.
   I dont know what to tell about this book. Its just amazing. All the detective work and gettifng hurt does pays off in the end for Fletcher.
  Eion Colfer has really left me speechless about this book. You take the book and read it and you will come to know what I mean.

The Death Relic by Chris Kuzneski

  Vanquished by the Spanish Empire, little remains of the Aztec and Mayan civilization. From the ashes of their cities, a unified legend emerges: the Christians who conquered them possessed a mysterious object, an artefact so powerful - so deadly - that it was known through out the Americas as 'the Death Relic.'
  When Maria Pelati's  research team disappears in Mexico, Jonathan Payne and David Jones embark on a perilous mission to find the missing archaeologists. The duo quickly finds a link between the group's work and its recent disappearance. Following the clues left behind, they try to solve one of the darkest mysterious of the New World, but their quest for the relic might cost them their lives.

This book is actually for adults. I took this book because I thought that I would get some knowledge about History, and get knowledge I did. I came to know so much about the Mayan civilization. I came to know that the Spanish were the first Europeans to step on American soil and capture the Mayan and Aztec civilization.
   I think this is happening because I'm a kid, but I didn't understand some parts of the book.
   There were many stories in the book and all of them were clubbed together to form one story. Ultimately, they have to find the treasure of the Mayan and Aztec civilization hidden somewhere in Mexico.
   The storyline is cool. From archaeology to kidnapping. From Italy to Mexico. From finding to being played. From job to interest. Bloodshed, ruining, strategy. Everything is cool.
   Being a book for adults, I enjoyed every page of the book. The plot keeps on changing and when the plot changes and Kuzneski tries to put the whole thing together, it comes out perfectly.
   So, if Chris Kuzneski stumbles on my blog and happens to read this post, I would like to tell him that he has written this book beautifully.
    But, every book has its bad points also. I have seen that Kuzneski has dragged this book long to make it a fat novel.
    People who hate bloodshed, beware. This book has a lot of bloodshed.
   People who hate it if they are proved wrong, beware. This book can prove you wrong many times.
   Its like something is happening and we think that "Ok. This is gonna happen next." and suddenly everything changes and we come to know that what we thought will not happen but this will happen.
For example, When Maria had gone to meet her boss, Hamilton and he told her that he will come back, we think that he is going to reveal the work of Maria in this project and suddenly in the new chapter Maria calls her friends Payne and Jones, telling them that her boss disappears without telling her role in the project.
    This book is totally different from the adventure and suspense we get to read. It has a totally different aspect.
  If you get this book, let me warn you that after reading this book, you will think of no other book, but this and you will like no other work but Chris Kuzneski's.
  You can take my example. I am trying to read Voyager,  but thoughts from the other book keep coming back.
  If you get this book, enjoy this book to the fullest. And I have doubt that you guys are going to enjoy it!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Heroes Of Olympus - The Son Of Neptune by Rick Riordon

  The sequel to the book The Lost Hero is the Son Of Neptune.
  Percy Jackson, son of Posiedon, God of the Sea, has woken from a very deep sleep and come face to face with two snake haired ladies who refuse to die. But their the least of his problems. Because Percy finds himself at a camp for half-bloods, which doesnt ring any bells for him. There's just one name he remembers from his past. Annabeth. Only one thing is certain - Percy's questing days aren't over. He and fellow demigods Frank and Hazel must face the most important quest of all: the Prophecy of Seven. If they fail, its not just their camp at risk. Percy's old life, the Gods and the entire world might be destroyed. 
  As I told for the first book, the book's just great. I would not say as great as the first book, but good. There are a lot of expected things happening. For instance, Percy will drink the gorgon's blood sooner or later. Phineas will die. Percy will not drown.
  But there were a few unexpected things too. No examples here. I will be giving away the best part of the book.
  Like the last book was about Jason, this book was about Percy, a completely different storyline, except in the end. Both the camps meet up. That's it. But the way, Mr.Riordon has mixed up Myth and Mordern and told us what Mother Gaia does, will leave the readers in shock.
  I just love the way Mr. Riordon has every chapter to the Protagonists of the book. Every incident, he goes into the minds of the different characters and tell us what they felt like.
  The plot's not too great. Many things are expected and I like things totally unexpected.
  As on why should you read this book, is a completely different theory. This book is totally different from the other books. It can also give knowledge on Greek and Roman Mythology (if you want any) and for the fun of it. The way you get to laugh on some of the parts is just superb. The combination of the seriousness, though humour has been put together very elegantly. All in all, reading this book is just great. Your mood gets lightened, you feel carefree anbd you want to finish it as fast as possible. In other words, its a page turner.
  There's a sequel to this book called The Mark of Athena, which is not released yet. But, I promise you guys that the review for that book also will be on this blog sooner or later.