Book Review: Stefan's Diaries- L.J Smith, Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson (#5)

Origins

Title: Origins
Author: L.J Smith, Julie Plec & Kevin Williamson
Series: Stefan's Diaries #1
Pages: 237
Publisher: HarperTeen
Goodreads: 3.92
The Blurb:
In the first novel of this thrilling new series fans of the hit television show THE VAMPIRE DIARIES will finally find out how a passionate romance with a dangerous girl turned loving brothers into deadly enemies.

Set during the Civil War, against a backdrop of grand estates, unimaginable riches, and deadly secrets, three teenagers in Mystic Falls, Virginia enter a torrid love triangle that will span eternity.

Brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore are inseparable until they meet Katherine, a stunning, mysterious woman who turns their world upside down. Siblings turned rivals, the Salvatores compete for Katherine’s affection, only to discover that her sumptuous silk dresses and glittering gems hide a terrible secret: Katherine is a vampire. And she is intent on turning them into vampires so they can live together—forever.

Review:
This book was good, it really is. The problem is that I already know how it ends! I have watched the show, and everything was already shown in it too! I knew what Katherine was going ot do, how Stefan and Damon were going to react, how they would be turned... Everything! But it was nice.

Stefan was my lovely, sweet Stefan he always is (well, except in his evil-Stefan fase). He did what he believed was right and he tried to be good to everyone. It was so sad when he was going to marry Rosalyn because his father told him to, although he 'loved' Katherine (did he, or was it just compulsion?).

Damon didn't appear much. I would have prefered it if he had more scenes with Katherine (I know, I know, Stefan's Diaries, not Damon's, but he was in love with her for 146 years, he deserves more time with her in the book!). He was my Damon alright, such a rebel and desperately in love! I need more of him, I do!

Katherine was plain charming. Had I not known who she is or what she was planning, I would have fallen for her too! She nicknamed Stefan, played games.. she was lovely. It's sad to think that she still loved him 146 years later! Which leads me to... WHERE IS KATHERINE?!?! She has disappeared from the show? I expect her to come back worse than ever!!

The writing style was nice. A bit out of date, but it was Mystic Falls 1864, can't blame them!

COVER: It's a half face. as usual, but it's not any half face. IT'S PAUL'S WESLEY'S HALF FACE! That's one handsome half face, isn't it? Although I prefer Ian Somerhalder's sexy half face!

Rating:
Plot: 3.5
Characters: 4
Writing: 3.5
Cover: 4
TOTAL: 3.5

Things I have Learnt With This Book:
- If you feel something strange when you tell a mysterious person or vamp that you love them, be careful, he might be using compulsion.
-If you're a vampire, you might want to check that a person isn't on verbain before drinking their blood. The effects can be most... unwanted.

Book Review: Night Star, by Alyson Noël (#4)

Title: Night Star
Author: Alyson Noël
Series: The Immortals #5
Pages: 302
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Other Books By The Author: Evermore, Blue Moon, Shadowland, Dark Flame, Everlasting, Radiance, Shimmer, Dreamland, Whisper, Saving Zoë, Art Geeks and Prom Queens, Cruel Summer, Faking 19, Kiss and Blog, Laguna Cove, Fly Me To The Moon, Fated.
The Blurb: After fighting for centuries to be together, Ever and Damen’s future hinges on one final showdown that will leave readers gasping for breath. Don’t miss this explosive new installment of the #1 bestselling series that’s enchanted millions across the world!

Haven still blames Ever for the death of her boyfriend Roman, no matter how hard Ever’s tried to convince her it was an accident. Now she’s determined to take Ever down…and destroy Damen and Jude along the way. Her first step is to tear Ever and Damen apart—and she has just the ammunition to do it.

Hidden in one of Ever’s past lives is a terrible secret about Damen—a secret that illuminates new facts about her relationship with Jude, but that’s so dark and brutal it might be enough to drive her and Damen apart once and for all. As Ever faces her greatest fears about the guy she wants to spend eternity with, she’s thrust into a deadly clash with Haven that could destroy them all.

Now it’ll take everything she’s got—and bring out powers she never knew she had—to face down her most formidable enemy. But in order to win, she must first ask herself: is her own survival worth dooming Haven to an eternity of darkness in the Shadowland? And will learning the truth about Damen’s past hold the key to their future?

Review:
This book was so much better than Dark Flame, the previous one! For one thing, Ever wasn't sooo depressed, she was happy (most of the time) and although all the bad things that can happen to a person happened to her, she didn't give up. Good for you, Ever! The depressing outlook in the previous books made me depressed myself, but this one didn't. The plot was good, and the love triangle wasn't one of those stressing ones, I liked it.

Ever was happier here, more balanced. She has gone through alcohol addiction, elixir addiction, Roman addiction... And like Britney Spears, she has finally found herself. That doesn't mean that she isn't a little bit troubled about who to chose, Damen or Jude. I didn't like her attitude towards Sabine, but it's also true that it isn't entirely her fault. I loved her mental conversations with Damen during class.

Damen was so sweet! I'm in love with him, I totally am. He has never stopped loving Ever, he's adorable. I liked him more at the beginning of the series, when he was a vain, cool and supeficial bad boy. That's just me, I'm crazy. Anyway, as long as he isn't Karma crazy I'm fine. He keeps secrets from Ever... but he's perfect.

Haven is just hateful, can I punch her in her weak chakra and send her already to the Shadowland? Please? She's over-paranoical, elixir-addicted and a total failure as immortal, and all she wants to do in the entire book is kill Ever? Obsessed much? Miles was just as sweet as always, nice and supporting and a good friend. I always imagine him like Kurt from Glee, I don't know why. Will he go to NYADA to be an actor too? I can see him in Broadway! Jude was nice too, helping Ever out even though she doesn't love him like he does. Poor him, I hope he finds his soulmate someday.

Alyson Noël's characteristic writing style is easily recognizable, full of adjectives that make everything graphic and beautiful and flowing easily, letting us see what she sees and feel what Ever feels.

Cover: Typical 'The Immortals' cover: girl's face with some object that appears in the story. Here we have Ever with the elixir, I guess. I like it, although it's nothing outstanding.

To sum up, it's way better than the previous one, more dynamic and with more romance. Ever realisation of her undying love for Damen is so romatic!

Rating:
Plot: **** (4 stars)
Characters: **** (4 stars)
Writing: ****+ (4.5 stars)
Cover: ***+ (3.5 Stars)
TOTAL: **** (4 STARS)

Movie Review: Snow White and The Huntsman (#1)

Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth

I enjoyed this movie quite a lot. There were interesting twists in the plot, interpreteations of the fairytale that I wouldn't have thought of.

The setting was very twilighty. Everything was dark, except for the snow scenes, when it was white, obviously. All the trees and mountains were exactly like those in twilight, and the gothic atmosphere was almost the same. The dresses were beautiful, and the queen's hairdoes were so impossibly lovely! I didn't like how they were almost always covered with mud or dirty. I always say that during the Middle Ages everyone- except for the nobility- wore brown, and the stylist in this movie seems to agree with me.

Kristen was absolutely beautiful. Black hair really suits her, and the contrast it makes with her pale, flawless skin. I envy it! What shocked me about her appearace was her eyes. In Twilight she had brown lenses on, so we didn't get to see how her eyes were like in reality. Here, she wore none, and her green-blue eyes were simply amazing. She played her part beautifully, but to me she will always be the sad, depressed Bella (whom I love, don't get me wrong). When she bit the apple and was dying, I thought of the time when James bit her in Twilight. And when she was dead, laying down and wearing a white gown, I had the feeling that any moment she would open her eyes and they would be red, like in the end of Breaking Dawn Part 1. I loved the part when she gave this little pep-talk to all the men, telling them to fight with her. She sounded like she had eaten all of Shakespeare's works, all she used were long and ancient words with weird grammar. It was so good!

Chris Hemsworth, who played the Huntsman, was totally gorgeous.There were times when he looked at the horizon when he got the same expression of his brother, Liam Hemsworth, and I thought of Gale in The Hunger Games all the time. At the beginning I didn't like his character, because he was always drunk and trying to take Snow White to the queen, but later, I fell for him. (By the way, he has just had a child with his wife Elsa Pataky. The baby must be so beautiful, with such parents! Congrats, Chris!)

Charlize was the most evil villain of history (maybe Voldemort beats her, but still). On her youth periods, she was so beautiful! At her wedding, her long blonde hair was amazing. She might have to go to some anger management classes. The times when she got angry- there were a lot- she screamed and opened her eyes so much I feared they would pop out. The way she killed people by putting her hand close to their heart and squeezing was very cool, I loved it. She played the bad-person part incredibly well.

I liked the movie, and I recommend it to you if you liked 'Red Riding Hood' (with Amanda Seyfried) or maybe Twilight. Or if you simply like retellings, then it's for you too.
Piece of advice: if you watch it at the cinema don't buy the big drink, it's nearly two hours long.

Rating: ***+ (3.5 Stars)

TRAILER:

Book Review #3: Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Title: Last Sacrifice
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy #6 (last)
Pages: 594
Publisher: Razorbill
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance, Vampire, Urban Fantasy
Other Books By The Author: Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kissed, Blood Promise, Spirit Bound, Bloodlines, The Golden Lily, Succubus Blues, Succubus On Top, Succubus Dreams, Succubus Heat, Succubus Shadows, Succubus Revealed, Storm Born, Thorn Queen, Iron Crowned.
Goodreads Rating: 4.51

The Blurb: Murder. Love. Jealousy. And the ultimate sacrifice.

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir’s Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir Princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardian to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose—for a crime she didn’t even commit. She’s in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She’ll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose’s life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back... and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your life is about saving others, who will save you?

Review: I finished the Vampire Academy series! I don't know if I should be happy because everything turned out fine or sad because it's over. Conflicting emotions in me, but that's nothing new. I absolutely loved it. It took me three days to read it, and there wasn't one second when I wasn't reading it that I didn't want to go back to it.
I was worried that all that had to happen wouldn't fit in just 600 pages- it seems like a lot, but it isn't, really. I was worried that Richelle Mead wouldn't have enough space to write a happy ending. She did it, however, and managed to do it beautifully. There were many unexpected twists in the plot that surprised me. While some people say that they knew all along who was the murderer and how it would all turn out, but it caught me totally by surprise. Who would have thought that person was capable of that much? The ending was what I had thought from the beginning of book one, but I was starting to fear that it wouldn't finish like that after all.
Rose is just so Rose... You only undestand me if you have read the books, she's so herself. She's amazing and unique. I already said that I loved books that made me want to be better, and this one did. This book has tought me about self-forgiveness, about doing the right thing, about searching true love and stopping at nothing to get to it. Rose excelled at everything. She's an example at never giving up and always trying to be better. It's easy to see how she has evolutionated from the beginning of the series. She used to be indisciplined, impulsive, letting what she felt control her every move and getting into fights. She has matured so much! I feel as proud as if I was her Mum, or maybe even more than Janine does. Although no more than Abe! Now she is like a mini-Dimitri. She has selfcontrol, she thinks before she acts, she avoids fights (except if they involve killing strigois), she puts other people first (specially moroi)... She's fantastic.
I'm crazy in love with Dimitri. Someday I will dedicate him a 'My Book Boyfriend'. He's perfect, perfect, perfect. He loves Rose so much! I adore him. The problem is that there is also Adrian Ivashkov. Ah, my sweet Adrian. He's so cute, so adorable... He gave up smoking and drinking for Rose, and he likes her so much... But Dimitri is meant to be with her, they are perfect for each other, they work in sync. And I want one like him! Gosh, love triangles are exhausting, but I love them all the same.
The writing style is very pretty and easy to follow, fun and light. I love this book series dearly, I adore it. I'm so sad it's already over! But tell you what, I still have Bloodlines! It won't be all about Rose, Dimitri and Lissa (who by the way was very royal and fantastic in this book), but I will have Sydney, Jill, Adrian (<3) and Eddie! They are so good, I can't wait to buy it!
COVER: A very 'Vampire Academy' style cover. The beautiful girl, the hair, the gate, the background... I liked it, though I prefered the cover of Shadow Kissed. It's pretty nonetheless.

Plot: ***** (5 Stars)
Characters: ***** (5 Stars)
Style: ****+ (4.5 Stars)
Cover:**** (4 Stars)
TOTAL: ****+ (4.5 STARS)

And a very pretty quote for you:
``Sometimes, a person can get so caught up in the details that they miss the whole. It's not just the dress or the hair. It's you. You're beautiful. So beautiful, it hurts me.´´
Tell me that you don't love it!

About The Author: Richelle Mead

Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time. Before becoming a writer, she considered a few different career paths. She received a liberal arts degree from the University of Michigan, an MA in Comparative Religion from Western Michigan University, and a Master in Teaching (Middle & High School English) degree from the University of Washington. In the end, she decided writing was the way for her but believes all of her education prepared her for it.

A life-long reader, Richelle has always had a particular fascination with mythology and folklore. When not writing,, she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. Lots of dresses. She is a self-professed coffee addict, fights a constant (and losing) battle with procrastination, and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.

Her adult series are published by Kensington Books. The Georgina Kincaid Series (Succubus Blues, Succubus on Top, Succubus Dreams, and Succubus Heat) tell the humorous and heart-breaking story of a reluctant succubus who can't touch the man she loves without dire side effects. On top of that, she must deal with Hell's middle management team and the many supernatural threats that come her way. Richelle's Dark Swan Series (Storm Born and Thorn Queen) follows Eugenie Markham, a free-lance shaman who battles ghosts and fey that sneak into our world from the Otherworld. When an alarming prophecy suddenly makes her every Otherworldly creature's object of desire, Eugenie must dodge their advances while also fighting a dark power rising within her.
Richelle's YA series, Vampire Academy, is published by Razorbill Books (Penguin) and thus far contains Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, and Spirit Bound. This New York Times and USA Today bestselling series has won honors from the American Library Association and been translated into 30 languages. It follows the war between two races of vampires, living and undead. Rose Hathaway, a 17-year old half-vampire, is training to be a bodyguard for the living vampires and finds her life complicated by the dangers that involves, as well as an illicit romance with one of her teachers.

Book Review: Th1rteen R3easons Why by Jay Asher

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why

Author: Jay Asher

Pages: 288

Publisher: Razorbill

Genre: YA Contemporary, Real Problems

Other Books By This Author: The Future Of Us

The Blurb: Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.
On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.
Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

``Hello, boys and girls. Hannah Baker here. Alive and on stereo.´´ With these fateful words start the tapes that Clay Jensen finds on his doorstep. The problem is… Hannah Baker is dead. She killed herself two weeks ago. And now Clay has the chance to discover why she did it.

All through seven tapes, Hannah explains the thirteen reasons that led her to ending her life, all the people connected with it and how small, tiny and seemingly unimportant things can grow and develop into huge traumas that change our whole life.

I will explain my situation right now. It’s 17:48. I’m back from a long day at school with a term exam. I’m falling asleep on the spot and have been for most of the day. My eyes sting so much that I have to blink around two times per second. Do you want to know why?

Because of this book.

Last night, at 23:00 I started reading the book. ``It will only be one chapter,´´ I said. After what seemed like twenty minutes, I looked at my watch. 00:20. Wow. And I kept on reading it until I finished it. At 03:00. I read it in four hours, non-stop except for a small break at 01:30 to go to the toilet (I’m human too, you know). And then I laid awake in bed for God knows how long crying my eyes out and thinking about life and stuff.

It was totally worth it.

Remember when you finished reading Lauren Oliver’s ‘Before I fall’? (If you haven’t read it go and do it, it’s amazing). You felt like being the best person in the world and being nice to everyone because you knew that everything has an effect, that all the things can backfire and end up hurting people you didn’t mean to. That’s exactly how I felt when I finished this book. It makes me want to be wonderful and fantastic and so good that people will feel happy enough around me to ditch their suicidal thoughts.

Now, here’s the review. The idea for the plot was superb. A girl who chose to kill herself, leaving her thoughts in tapes, no less, for the reasons of her choice to hear them. The story was told in quite an unusual way: while Hannah spoke and told her story, Clay did things and reacted to what she said. Sometimes I had to keep up with two different actions simultaneously, but it was good because it caught my attention. It wasn’t that confusing. I kept waiting for Clay’s tape to turn up so that I could know what he did. Dividing the book into tapes and sides is so original, I loved it. What did confuse me a bit was the abundance of characters. Too many silly boys, too many people. But with a good memory or writing them down to keep track of them, the problem is solved.

Clay is very easy to like, nice and adorable. Him liking Hannah is lovely and sad at the same time, because we know she’s dead, but we still feel the romance. I don’t usually like reading from a male point of view, but this time it was fantastic. I felt identified with everything he felt, except for the beginning, when I didn’t know him that well.

Hannah, my poor Hannah is so good. She could’ve had a perfect life, but for some small chances of fate everything went wrong. She was really nice, and not a sl** like people said she was. When she started to think about killing herself, I was so sad! Right now, writing this I am almost crying. I love her, I really do. RIP Hannah Baker.

The writing style was very good! It kind of surprised me. I don’t really like YA books written by men. I have nothing against them, it’s just that I understand better a female perspective. But Jay Asher nailed it, and I’m proud of him. I adore it, and my sleepiness is a big proof of it.

I can’t wait for the movie to come out. For those of you who don’t know it, Clay is going to be played by Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief), and Hannah is Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place, Another Cinderella Story, Montecarlo, Ramona and Beezus). They are so cute! Logan is extremely handsome and his eyes just leave me breathless.

COVER: It was beautiful. On one side, the girl on the swing looking at the horizon looks kind of ominous, adding to all the gothic motifs(English classes are finally paying off) in the story. On the other side, it was silver. And it shone. I’m so pathetic that shiny covers attract me as if I was a cat. The title and the font are great too, and the fact that it’s written TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY made It even more cool.

To sum up (like my literature teacher would say), shockingly beautiful. It makes you realize the value of life and that we can’t control the effects our actions have on people. It made me want to be a better person. Also, the romance was lovely but sad. It’s a can’t-miss.

Plot- ***** (5 Stars)

Characters- ***** (5 stars)

Style- ***** (5 stars)

Cover- ****+ (4.5 stars)

TOTAL- ***** (5 STARS)

This is an amazing fan-made trailer I found online. It's really good, capturing the essence of the book. I particularly love Hannah's voice! Plus, Hannah is Nina Dovreb from The Vampire Diaries!

About the Author: Jay Asher (Cool name, isn't it?)

Except for six months in Wyoming, I've lived my entire life in California. It was during those six months in Sheridan, Wyoming that I came up with the idea for Thirteen Reasons Why. I've worked at an independent bookstore, a chain bookstore, an outlet bookstore, and two public libraries. Before those jobs, I worked at a shoe store, a trophy shop, and an airline. My very first writing award earned me a free fruit smoothie every day for a year. I've won a lot of awards since then, but that one tasted the best!


Book Report Info:
Birth Date & Place: September 30, 1975 - Arcadia, CA
Siblings: one younger brother, Nate
High School: graduated from San Luis Obispo High School in 1993
College: attended Cuesta Community College and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (left during my senior year)
Marriage: married JoanMarie on September 7, 2002
Children: Isaiah Nathan was born on December 11, 2010 (12-11-10 So cool!)
Career: I write books and then I travel around the country talking about them (one part of my job is much less work and so much more fun)

Here's he's blog: jayasher.blogspot.com