Reviews

How's it going everyone? I am back with my first review in over 6 months! Unfortunately, as you probably have already noticed, this book recieved the lowest score I have ever given. I was pretty excited by the premise, but obviously something went wrong along the way. So let me explain to you exactly what I think makes this book deserve such a score.

The main idea of the book is that there is a secretive government-funded project that has created a gateway that connects two separate locations instantly. When powered on, the Door (as it is called) allows users and objects to travel as if the two locations were right next to each other. This seems like an incredible new technology, but something seems off about the project. That last sentence was said almost word-for-word by a character in the book, highlighting the first issue with this book: exposition. Almost everything we learn throughout the book is directly told to us, without any padding. This is worsened by the main character's thought process which we have to experience the much of the book through. Let me explain. We are told our main character, Mike, is a genius right from the start. This is mainly referring to his extraordinary memory. It is because of this that he is sent to investigate the Door. But his highly analytical and extremely detail-oriented view of the world is almost like reading the thoughts of a computer, which is not pleasant to read. The author seems to think that building a compelling and immersive world for the story to take place in is only dependent on the amount of detail given. Often times this approach strips some of the atmosphere and emotion of some of the earlier scenes. This is explained as Mike just trying to be impartial and gather evidence, but this makes it seem like he is an observer and not really influencing anything until much later in the book. That brings me to problem number two: slow start. The book takes what feels like a very long time to get into any sort of conflict. For over 100 pages, the story is being set up, but the only explaination the reader gets for why anything is happening is that "something feels wrong." Here the author appears to be trying to tap into the thrill of a mystery, but this is also ineffective. First, it is very hard to be intrigued by a mystery that you know nothing about and there is no reason to suspect. And second, the author misses the drama of the mystery genre again due to the emotional void that is the main character. Nothing is suspenseful, and we know that something is indeed wrong because otherwise there would be no book. On the topic of mystery done wrong, the author attempts to leave hints to the main plot twist from the beginning, but they are wildly obvious. This left me pretty confident that I knew what the twist would be from a few pages in. That might be because I am familiar with the genre and its tropes, but I think even people with little prior experience would pick up on it. After a major event, the secret is let out and the book takes a bizzare turn. I won't spoil it, but this takes up a lot of the rest of the book and feels like filler. At this point there is no mystery left, and you end up not really caring about what happens next. Add to all of this an incredibly forced romance that had no reason to be in the book, and you now understand why this book was rated how it was.

It pains me to say this, but I cannot recommend this book at all. If you read this book you will leave mostly feeling like you wasted time. There are just too many other amazing books that you will enjoy much more. I wish I could end this review on a happier note, but that is all I have to say. I can tell the author really tried to make a good science-fiction mystery, but this book is a reminder that there is more to writing than just basic concepts.

Welcome back everyone! This review will be going back to my usual style of writing, but I hope you enjoyed the previous, more formal review! Today I am reviewing Nyxia, a science-fiction book that draws strong parallels to another book that I read recently and one of my favorites of all time, Ender's Game. Ender's Game is all about space, strategy, and secrets, and Nyxia takes all of these and put's its own unique spin on them. Fans of Ender's Game will find themselves right at home, but will not feel like this is a repeat of already told stories. With all that said, let's get into a plot summary.

Emmett Atwater is a 17 year old boy who lives in Detroit. His family is pretty poor, and life has been even harder ever since his mom was diagnosed with cancer. One day, he is pulled out of Algebra class and told he has been selected for a secret mission by tech communications company Babel. A few weeks later, he is brought to Babel headquarters with 9 other kids his age and told the details of the mission. Babel has discovered an Earth-like planet with intelligent species living on it. The planet is also home to Nyxia, a mineral that has quietly become the most valuable substance in the galaxy due to its amazing property: It can be molded into any shape or item using only the power of the mind. Emmett and his other crewmates are tasked with journeying to the planet and extracting the precious substance. But there's a catch. Only 8 of the 10 kids selected for the mission will get to go down to the planet and earn an enormous monitary prize. The journey will be full of cutthroat competition as the kids jostle to be a winner. There will be strategies formed, intense physical challenges, alliances made and broken, and mysteries to uncover. Because Babel has some skeletons in its closet they would rather be kept secret. Secrets that could put the mission, the crew's lives, and the cooperation of the two species at risk.

Nyxia is a fun book full of surprising twists and a ton of creativity. I really enjoyed reading it, and I think you will too. For its originality while also sticking to the tried and true formula, I give it 4 stars. Stay tuned for reviews of the sequels: Nyxia Unleashed and Nyxia Uprising!

Note: This review is not a normal review. My English class recently read To Kill a Mockingbird, and I was asked to write an essay on it. I went through all the work of writing it, so I thought it would be fun to share it here too. It is in MLA format, as usual with school papers, so it will look and sound very different from my usual review. With all that said, I hope you enjoy!

Any life will have its share of good and bad moments. These are the moments you learn from and they will stay with you forever. Scout and Jem go through many of these stages, but overall in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, growing up is a series of gains.

For example, Jem gains a greater understanding of Boo Radley as he grows up. Jem is afraid of Boo Radley when he is young, but as he gets older, he realizes that Boo is just a lonely recluse and not someone to be scared of. This example shows Jem realizing that not everyone is like him and some people just want to be left alone. As he says, “Scout, I think I’m beginning to understand something. I think I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut up in the house all this time… it’s because he wants to stay inside” (Lee, 227). When Boo saves Jem and Scout’s lives, Scout gets to finally talk to him and their childhood fascination is ended.

In addition, Scout and Jem get more privileges as they mature. Scout and Jem want air rifles for Christmas, but Atticus initially says no. Atticus ends up changing his mind after seeing that they are mature enough to handle them. He decides to use it as a teaching opportunity, telling them, “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee, 90). This theme comes up later in the book when it is revealed that Boo was the one who stabbed Bob Ewell and Scout reminds Atticus of this quote.

Finally, Scout gains a way of thinking about the world that is based more on evidence and critical thinking. When Scout first goes to school, Jem tells her that her teacher uses a new teaching method, saying, “I’m just trying to tell you the new way they’re teachin‘ the first grade, stubborn. It’s the Dewey Decimal System” (Lee 18). In reality, the Dewy Decimal System is used to help in the categorization of books in a library, but Scout takes his word for fact. She comments, “Having never questioned Jem’s pronouncements, I saw no reason to begin now” (Lee 18). In contrast, at the end of the book, Scout is able to understand what happened on the night with Mr. Ewell without much difficulty thanks to her logical reasoning skills.

In summary, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a book about the joys and hardships of growing up. Scout and Jem are forced to live through many difficult situations throughout the story, but they also gain understanding, privileges, and critical thinking skills. Growing up is not always easy, but what Scout and Jem learn on the way will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Warner Books, 1960.

Hello again everyone! I know it has been quite a while since I updated this site, but I am back, and I have a ton of more content coming soon! While that is being prepared, please enjoy this review of the much-adored science fiction novel, Ender’s Game.

I am just going to start off by saying that this book is one of my favorite science fiction books that I have ever read. I first read it in fourth grade, and I recently returned to it for another read. It holds up as a great book for younger and older children alike. I think there is no better way to show this off than to dive right into a plot summary, followed by some of my thoughts and commentary.

Andrew “Ender” Wiggins is the third child in his family in a time where the law restricts families to two. The only reason he exists is thanks to the International Fleet (IF), a global military dedicated to protecting humanity from alien threats. They monitored Ender’s siblings before he was born, looking for a genius that could lead Earth’s spaceships against the “buggers”, an intelligent alien species that tried to invade Earth twice before. Both failed. Peter, the oldest sibling, had a violent streak. Valentine, the middle sibling, wasn’t ambitious enough. The IF asked Ender’s parents to have one more child, and Ender was born. Ender lives pretty uneventfully on Earth for the beginning of his life, but that period doesn’t last long. At the age of six, Ender is whisked away to Battle School, a ring-shaped space station that orbits the Earth and is used to train the next generations of soldiers and leaders in the IF. At Battle School, Ender is intentionally isolated from his peers, moving from group to group so often that he cannot form many meaningful bonds. He is tested mentally and physically, with no one to rely on except himself. He makes enemies and defeats them with calculated precision. He forms strategies which have never been seen before. There is no rest for Ender, because the military heads overseeing his education know something that no one else does. Time is running out, and Ender is the world’s only hope.

Ender’s Game is so different from the numerous other “alien invasion” books that exist for one simple reason: it is an alien invasion book that is not about the aliens. Instead, it is a book about the sacrifices and hard decisions that mold a genius child into a hero that can save the world. It is about strategies and concepts that make your head hurt and your mind bend in delightful and extraordinary ways. But most of all, it is just a fantastic read. If you are interested in science-fiction, I believe you cannot call yourself a true fan until you have read Ender’s Game.

This is a special review written by my sister! She wanted to contribute her thoughts on this book to the site, so please enjoy!

One for the Murphy’s: One for the Murphys is a children's novel about the hardships and struggles of foster care. The main character, Carly, is forced into foster care after being abused by her stepdad. One thing you must know before you know the plot of this book is that Carly’s biological family is not a normal one. They are the type of family that goes dumpster diving for clothes instead of going to a store. They’re the type of people that could care less about education. Knowing this, I will now explain why you needed to know this. After Carly's family is not able to care of her anymore, she is placed with a family that is almost the exact opposite of what Carly is used to. The family she is placed with is a loving, kind, and supportive family. Carly isn’t happy being in foster care in the first place, but being in an environment like this one makes the experience a whole lot worse. While with the Murphy’s, Carly learns how to be less stubborn and support the people in her life. She has to adapt to their ways of living whether she likes it or not. In the long term though, the Murphy's end up changing Carly’s life forever and the memories she made with them will be with her forever. That’s all I’m going to tell you so you’ll have to read the book to find out more. Happy reading!

Oh Amie and Jay, you've done it again. Not only did you manage to craft a wonderful sequel to the fantastic "Illuminae", but you made it feel brand new and exciting by adding new characters and ideas that genuinely surprise us. You continue to push the boundaries of the science-fiction genre, while also sticking to some of its more tried and true basic elements. Keep doing what you're doing. Ok now without any further elongated introductions, let's get right into my review of Gemina, book 2 in the Illuminae Files series.

Gemina immediatly makes apparent the fact that we are not following Kady, Ezra, or the Hypatia again. Instead we are now seeing what has been happening on the Heimdall, a stationary jump gate that leads to and from the Kerenza system, as well as a few others. Heimdall is essentially a giant ring that rotates around a wormhole at its center. It is home to a large number of people, most of which are off-station due to a holiday. This, combined with the fact that the wormhole has been taken offline for maintenance, is the perfect setup for a certain corporation with malevolant intent to stage a hostile takeover...

Now let's turn to the delightful characters of this tale. First up we have Hanna Donnelly (17), the pampered and spoiled daughter of Heimdall's commander, Charles Donnelly. Her father's idea of a good time is training her tactical thinking and fighting skills and they spend hours in sims together doing just that. Hanna gets almost everything she wants and is expected to be the well-mannered example for the station. But looks can be decieving, as she hides a few things from her loving dad: she likes to spice up parties with some dust, an illegal euphoric drug. She gets her treats from Nik Malikov.

Nik Malikov (18) is a member of a large crime family known as the House of Knives. Nik is a jokester and can lighten any situation. The HoK breeds a parasite on the Heimdall that secretes a substance used to make dust. The parasite can be extremely dangerous if left unchecked, but the HoK always remembers to check... Right?

When BeiTech decides to "liquidate" the jump station and its inhabitants so that news about their attack on Kerenza IV will never get out, Hanna and Nik must put aside their differences and work together to survive. As their story starts to become entwined with Kady and Ezra's, a thrilling phenomena occurs where you get to witness two stories you love merge into one amazing novel. The only reason why I gave this book a 4.5 is becauase I didn't quite feel the same brilliant energy and thrill as I did in the first book. That should not stop you from reading this book, though. A perfectly fitting addition to the world of the Illuminae Files, Gemina is a truly great book.

Hello readers! Right after I finished reviewing The Warlock, I put a hold on the final book in the series, The Enchantress. I always need a book to read, though, so while I waited I decided to pick up a series that I have been meaning to read for a long time. This is the first book in that series and I am delighted to say that it made such an impact on me that I knew I had to review it soon. I hope you enjoy!

As I was thinking about how best to write this review, I decided I wanted to keep in on the shorter side. Not because I don't have a lot to say, but because I believe the best impact this review could have on you would be to make you want to read this book without giving too much away. This simple idea gets to the root of what is amazing about this book. Its story lives in the spaces between your knowledge. It thrives in the gaps, as you try to piece together what is really happening. At this point I am probably confusing you, so lets get into the plot and I'll show you what I mean.

This book is pretty hard-core science fiction, and it wastes no time getting to the point. Main characters Kady and Ezra live in a small colony on an icy planet at the edge of the galaxy called Kerenza IV. The colony's main purpose is to mine a valuable material called Hermium for it's parent company, Wallace Ulyanov Consortium (WUC). There's only one small problem: the colony is illegal under United Terran Authority (UTA) laws. BeiTech, a competitor of WUC, finds out about the colony and instead of reporting it to the UTA, decides to launch an all-out attack on the colony to claim its valuable resources for itself. And this is where we catch up with Kady and Ezra. As missles rain down from the sky, Kady and Ezra must fight their way to an evacuation ship. Oh, and Kady just broke up with Ezra.

This review barely scratches the surface of this book, but I hesitate to give you anymore information about it. It is truly an amazing book, and if you are an avid reader of science fiction, you are sure to love it. Plot twist, after plot twist after plot twist leaves you entirely confused but incredibly engaged, and when the pieces start to come into place you will be left with an amazed grin for days. I hope you enjoy, and I will be back soon with a review of the next book, Gemina! Happy reading!

Well everyone, we have made it to book 5 in this amazing series, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. I am sorry to say that despite its outstanding predecessors, this book is not quite everything it promises to be. But let's save that for the end. For now, let's talk about the plot.

The book picks up right where the last left off: Sophie and Josh have been separated, Nicholas is on his deathbed, and Dee is madly assembling his next plan. Josh is in disbelief after watching his sister whip the seemingly beautiful and innocent Archon Coatlicue, and Sophie is shocked after she sees Josh intentionally choose Dee and Dare over his own twin sister. John Dee fled his Enoch Enterprises office after his attempt at unleashing Coatlicue backfires, and makes his way to Alcatraz, with Virginia Dare and Josh in tow. Meanwhile, Sophie, unconcious Nicholas, Perenelle, and Niten decide to visit Tsagaglalal, She who Watches.

This is where my problem with this book comes in. What I just described is the majority of the story of this book. Most of this book starts to feel like filler content, just to get everything in place for the final book. There are a few exciting moments, but they are drowned out by a mass of uninteresting text, used just to pad the book out and make sure something is happening in both Sophie and Josh's storylines. I understand that the author had a vision for the series that he needed to set up by the final book, but this book makes the series seem not well thought out and just biding time until the grand finale. On top of that, the author introduces many new things to the universe without any previous set up or excplanation for how it could work. All of this is in stark contrast to the previous books, on which I wrote, "Where other authors might throw a crazy twist in at the end of a book without any previous context, Scott lays the groundwork for his twists from the very beginning. They feel deliberate and well thought-out which makes their surprise all the more exciting." This book throws all that out the window in favor of pushing its characters into specific places and roles, often without much justification. This is most apparent in one line of the book: "For some reason he didn't quite understand, Josh was still reluctant to let Dee know he had the pages [of the codex]." That is not an explanation for Josh's actions. You cannot just push it away and hope the readers forget about it. You need a direct explanation that makes sense given what you've told or showed us before. It is moments like these that totally ruin the reader's immersion in the book, which is one of the things I loved the most about this series.

All in all, this book is still an ok book and it has a good enough cliffhanger to make me want to see the conclusion of the series, but it is not getting any best in series awards from me. For the fact that I love this series and am excited for the end, I will give this book 3.5 stars.

The Necromancer is the 4th book in the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, and it just might be the best yet. Let's get right into the plot. At the end of the previous book, Nicholas and the twins had finally been reunited with Perenelle in San Fransisco. Now they have two tasks: defend the city from the army of monsters waiting on Alcatraz, and continue the twins training by teaching Josh the magic of fire. But the twins' blind faith in Nicholas and Perenelle is starting to fade and they find themselves questioning how much they can trust the immortals. Meanwhile, Scathach and Joan are trapped 11,000 years in the past. They are holding off the creatures' attacks, but they are out-numbered and have no supplies. At some point, something has to give. John Dee is still at large, but after failing his previous mission, he turns his loyalty away from the Dark Elders and devises a desperate plan that could be crazy enough to finally work. If it fails, it would endanger all life on Earth and all of the bordering shadowrealms.

Author Michael Scott deftly molds all his characters, even as their numbers grow larger. He gives them each a distinct, and intriguing personality that makes them all have a reason to be in the story. He also gives them a realistic motive that makes his fantastical stories more believable by giving them a touch of human emotion.

The claim I made at the beginning of the review is true. This could very well be the best book in the series so far, and all because of the plot twists. With not one but two magnificently devised plot twists, this book will leave your heart racing and you yearning to see what happens next. My favorite thing about them, though, is that they make sense. Where other authors might throw a crazy twist in at the end of a book without any previous context, Scott lays the groundwork for his twists from the very beginning. They feel deliberate and well thought-out which makes their surprise all the more exciting. If this prospect is appealing to you, I highly reccomend this book. Enjoy!

The Sorceress is the 3rd book in the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series. As with every book in the 6 part series, this book is incredibly action-packed and so enthralling you feel like you are right next to the main characters at every turn. At the exposition, Nicholas and the newly Awakened twins have left Paris for London. Nicholas hopes that there he will be able to find Gilgamesh, who can teach Sophie and Josh the magic of water. What Flamel conveniently leaves out when telling his plan to the twins is that Gilgamesh is 10,000 years old and largely insane. Their journey is sure to be met with dangerous foes because London is the Magician John Dee's home city and stronghold. Dee is desperate to capture Flamel and the twins because he knows what will happen if he fails again.

Meanwhile, in San Fransisco, Perenelle has been imprisoned on Alcatraz along with a host of terrifying monsters. New immortal beings join the cast of characters when the legendary Billy the Kid and Niccolo Machiavelli are assigned to oversee her demise. Perenelle must fight for her life, even as every use of her aura brings her closer to death's door.

Once again, author Michael Scott displays amazing mastery of the fantasy genre as he blends many of the world's most popular myths into one stunning series. This book and series is a must-read for any fan of fantasy or mythology. Percy Jackson and Harry Potter beware! There's another cowboy in town!

Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception is a classic Artemis Fowl book. It is the 4th book in the Artemis Fowl series, and mostly follows the tried and tested model of the previous books; there is a big bad guy and Artemis has to foil their plan with the help of Captain Holly Short and her fairy technology. This time there's a few thrilling differences, though. Artemis has had his mind wiped of all his memories of the fairy world, and Captain Short has been framed for a terrible crime. The rest of the fairy world thinks Holly is an out of control fugitive, but Holly knows the truth: Opal Koboi is back at large. Holly is powerless to alert the LEP because she is still an accused suspect for murder. And Opal has a new plan, one that could jeopardize the existences of fairy and human kind alike. Holly has to find Artemis, help him restore his lost memories, and stop Opal once again. Will Opal finally outsmart the boy genious? Will Artemis recover his old memories at all? Find out in my new favorite book in the series, Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception.