Blog Tour: T'Aragam by Jack W. Regan

Title: T'Aragam
Author: Jack W. Regan
Publisher: Sweatshoppe Publications
Publication Date: April 16th, 2009
Number of Pages: 286

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Young Max Ransome watched his father die, killed by marauding phantors as they swept through T'Aragam at the bidding of the evil wizard Zadok. Barely escaping with his own life, Max is thrust into a whirlwind journey as he races against time to save T'Aragam, the world he loves, from a dark dominion. Can Max overcome the horror of his father's death and save T'Aragam from the grasping talons of its enemies? Woven with a charming mix of zany humor and genuine danger, "T'Aragam" immerses the reader in a world of original characters and tightly-woven plot. Young Max leads the cast and is ably supported by, among others, a faithful medgekin friend named Gramkin, two monster brothers named Doom and Gloom, and an equuraptor named Dresden. Coupled with quirky supporting characters, such as mercenary Captain Baggywrinkle, Lord Stench, and a perpetually hungry sea serpent named Bob, this cast of characters steps from the pages and pulls the reader into the story.

The first thing that pops into my head when I think of T'Aragam, is of my uncle who insists that T'Aragam is some sort of food in central Europe (I'll have to Google that). The second thing, however, is all of the danger and adventure in this magical tale.

In my opinion, the most impressing part of this whole novel was the way the characters talked among one another. The high and mighty wizard Zohar had this professional and serious air about him, Doom was quite the British gentleman, and the pirates really did sound like pirates! The way everyone spoke fitted their character perfectly. That is one thing I will always remember about Jack W. Regan.

Another thing I won't forgot is all of the fighting scenes in this book (and there were quite a few!). The author described them so well, in so much detail, that is was almost hard to read on. Now that I think about it, scenes that didn't have any violence in them were also written very well.

As you can see, the book seems to have it all. And I do think it does have it all (except romance! Who doesn't love a good romance?!) but. But, I think it could have been a bit better.

There are more then your fair share of deaths in T'Aragam (or, almost deaths) and I couldn't help but notice how the main character, Max, hardly gave them a backwards glance when someone died or was seriously injured. I know you're a guy, but can't you even show a little compassion, Max?

Even though this book was written quite well in terms of research and characters, personally, I think some scenes could have been more dramatic. I have to say that it wasn't hard to stop reading. And other scenes could have been a little shorter. During many of the fighting scenes, I wished the fighting would just stop. I don't know about you but reading about how some guy was mudered is not what I like to do best in my spare time.

Overall, judging by reviews I've read of T'Aragam, many people have enjoyed it. I'd give it a try if you like fantasy books, and I think boys will especially like this novel (my brother even asked to read it! Shocking!). I'm giving this novel an A-.

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

Title: Eyes Like Stars
Author: Lisa Mantchev
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: July 7th, 2009
Number of Pages: 356

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All her world’s a stage.

Bertie Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.

She’s not an orphan, but she has no parents.

She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.

That is, until now.

Enter Stage Right

NATE. Dashing pirate. Will do anything to protect Bertie.

COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARD SEED, and PEASEBLOSSOM. Four tiny and incredibly annoying fairies. BERTIE’S sidekicks.

ARIEL. Seductive air spirit and Bertie’s weakness. The symbol of impending doom.

BERTIE. Our heroine.

Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the actors of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book—an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family—and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.

Lisa Mantchev has written a debut novel that is dramatic, romantic, and witty, with an irresistible and irreverent cast of characters who are sure to enchant the audience.

Eyes Like Stars. The title alone holds so much promise, so much possibility. The beautiful cover painting of Bertie, our heroine, is absolutely breathtaking. You open the book to the first page, and the fancy font brings a smile to your face. The only question that remains is, "What about the actual content of the book? Was it as enchanting as you thought it would be?" Well . . . yes. No. Yes and no.

Let me start with the best part of this book first: the writing. Lisa Mantchev's writing is just astonishing. It's one of those things that you simply can not describe because it's so amazing and wow-ifying. It was an elegant butterfly fluttering in the breeze. It was a heart shattering in an infinite number of pieces. Mantchev's writing is so wonderful that I think you should read this book just to witness it's beauty.

However, even though I loved the writing, Eyes Like Stars also has it's weak points.

For example, the beginning is quite confusing at first so you have to re-read a few parts to understand what is happening. This novel is also a little slow and takes time reading (at least for me). It's one of those books that you just can't read in one sitting. I also feel that even though the twists in this story were clever, I'm sure they could have been delivered a little better.

Even then, the ending of this book left me feeling very satisfied and paved out a very promising Book Two in this series. Lisa Mantchev is a flower that will soon flourish - I'm sure of it. :) B+

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter

Title: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication Date: April 1, 2007
Number of Pages: 284

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The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is a fairly typical all-girls school—that is, if every school teaches advanced martial arts in PE, chemistry always consists of the latest in chemical warfare, and everyone breaks CIA codes for extra credit in computer class. So in truth, while the Gallagher Academy might say it's a school for geniuses what they really mean is spies. But what happens when a Gallagher Girl falls for a boy who doesn't have a code name?

Cammie Morgan may be fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways (three of which involve a piece of uncooked spaghetti), but the Gallagher Academy hasn't prepared her for what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through a mall without him ever being the wiser, but can she have a regular relationship with a regular boy who can never know the truth about her? Cammie may be an elite spy in training, but in her sophomore year, she's doing something riskier than ever—she's falling in love.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You is the first book in the Gallagher Girls series. I absolutely adored the second book - Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy - (which I reviewed here), so I decide to read GG1 all over again!

Many spy novels are just about the main character on going on a spy mission and saving the world. There might be a little romance thrown in if the book is for older audience, but that's it. Nothing more. That's why I particularly like this series. Cammie goes to school for spies and her main "mission" is to stalk, I mean, friendly follow the boy that she had fallen in love with. That's a rather new twist that some people might find more realistic than your average spy story. Even if you still like the whole travel-to-Hong-Kong-and-infiltrate-a-group-of-bad-guys idea then there's some of that in the end too.

I said this in my review of GG2 but it is so easy to see that Ally Carter spent a LOT of time editing this book. She used the perfect words, made sure everything was spelled correctly, and unraveled the story at precisely the right time. You'd you shock me if you pointed out a line that didn't make sense or a grammatical error.

Cammie and her friends Bex and Liz are all very different. I think that this was very clever of the author to do because if you couldn't relate to Cammie, then there were two other people with their own opinions that you could agree or disagree with. However, I personally thought that Cammie was not only an easy person to associate with, but she was hilarious at times, too!

Plus, this novel had a very high re-readability factor. You can easily engross yourself in GG1 and find yourself turning the pages madly to read what will happen next just as if you were reading the book for the first time. This is definitely one of those books that you buy and read over and over and over again.

The Bottome Line: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You is very enjoyable and will leave you thinking "I will never judge someone by their appearance again!" For spy and adventure fans. A.

Paper Towns by John Green

Title: Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Books, A Member of Penguin
Publication Date: October 21st, 2008
Number of Pages: 305
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When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge follows her. Margo has always planned extravagantly, and, until now, shes always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they are for Q.

Printz Medalist John Green returns with the trademark brilliant wit and heart-stopping emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of readers.

Brilliant. Amazing. Astonishing. These are words that can't even justify a fraction of how beautiful and powerful this book was. I am deeply shocked and upset with myself that I have not discovered the outstanding John Green sooner.

Paper Towns was an interesting and different idea. I liked reading from a males perspective, which I don't remember the last time I've done. I must say that Q was much more mature when I thought he would act like my eight-year-old brother but he (along with his companions Radar and Ben) did make me think "ew" once in a while.

I also thought the mystery aspect of this book was quite different. Have you ever read a mystery novel where the person that leaves the clues wants to be found? That they left the evidence on purpose? This novel had an interesting twist that still kept me entertained and VERY tempted to flip to the end of the book.

This novel also made me think of us book lovers. There is always going to be a line between us and everyone else. Not everyone will see it, but it's there. True readers will see the world differently. They can understand people more clearly, live in their shoes. They will analyze things from a more observant pair of eyes. Why? Because we've been there. We know what people think and why they do things. Some people will say that reading is similar to watching T.V., and it is - a little - but it's not the same. When we read, we know why things happen. We get inside the persons' head and understand. In watching television we draw things out of our own experiences and use that, which is not always valid. I know that Paper Towns has made me think of things differently. Very thought-provoking.

The Bottom Line: This is a book that I think everyone should read. If you don't, I have a feeling someones will convince you to pick it up anyways. This is NOT my last John Green book. A.

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Awakening
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Price: $17.99 U.S. (Hardcover), $16.96 CAN (Paperback)
Publisher: Doubleday (Canada), Harper Teen (U.S.) and Little Brown (U.K.)
Publication Date: May 2009
Number of Pages: 360

Warning: Do not read this review if you have not read the first book in the Darkest Powers series - The Summoning.

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.


When I first started reading The Awakening I was pleasantly surprised. The previous book in this series - The Summoning - had a two-faced beginning so I was kind of wary to begin reading this novel. However, The Awakening showed not only a promising start with the always lovable Chloe, but there was also some Nancy Drew sleuthing going on which immediately had me smile.

After Chloe found out some dark secrets about the Edison group and escaped with Tori following a plan that can only be declared as "genius", I was sure that some exciting times were bound to follow. And I was right . . . kind of.

You see, while The Awakening contained some pretty cool fight scenes and you could sense a little romance in the air, it all just seemed very repetitive. Chloe along with the other supernaturals just always seemed to be doing the same thing: either running or hiding. Even though that made sense with the Edison group trying to find them, I was more then ready for a change of scenery.

Like The Awakening, I also found that there were some scenes that were a little too descriptive (read: scary parts). You can decide if this is a good thing or a bad thing. But, besides that, I really enjoyed this book.

The Bottom Line: A little repetitive, but a good novel overall. A definite must of those of you who have read The Summoning. I believe fans of Twilight will like this book. A-.

I just have one question: Does anyone else find it odd that the protagonist's name, Chloe, isn't mentioned on the blurb? I checked on my Canadian copy of the book and it doesn't mention Chloe's name on the cover or inside flap anywhere.

The Specialists: Down to the Wire by Shannon Greenland

Title: Down to the Wire
Author: Shannon Greenland
Average Price: $6.99 U.S. ($8.99 CAN) Paperback
Publication Date: September 2007
Publisher: Penguin
Number of Pages: 213

shannongreenland.com:

Frankie has an uncanny knack for electronics, specifically breaking into the most elaborate security systems. Which is precisely why he was recruited by the Specialists. And after only a few months in the organization, Frankie, aka Wirenut, is ready for his first mission. When wealthy entrepreneur Octavias Zorba hires the Specialists to recover a stolen neurotoxin, the head of the Specialists is sure that Wirenut is perfect for the job. But there's a catch. The computer-coded hints that will lead to the neurotoxin are hidden in a few precious museum artifacts, which happen to be securely locked away. And when these hints are found, there is limited time to get them decoded or they will disappear forever. Enter GiGi and her computer-code genius ability. But when GiGi and Wirenut begin their mission, they find themselves up against a few obstacles, including a copy cat who turns up everywhere they go. And suddenly they find themselves on a fast-paced hunt for the criminal, with time quickly running out....


Before I start this review I just want to say sorry about my current spy book addiction. You all must be sick and tired of hearing about the latest (and greatest) spy books. I'll try to mix to up a bit!

The second book in The Specialists series starts off with how one of the spies, Wirenut (a.k.a. Frankie) lands a position as one of the member of the Specialists. I thought his story was very interesting and had a wonderful tie-in with the plot of this book. I also liked how each book of The Specialists series focuses on one particular member. I really felt like I knew the characters.

Right after Wirenut's story ends we pick right up from the first book, Model Spy. The story moved quickly which made this book quite enjoyable. Unlike last time, I found that Shannon Greenland made the cliffhangers in these books a bit more dramatic and realistic.

What I noticed straight away when I started this book was all the detail that went in regarding each person's special skill. I learned so much about security systems, what types there are and how to break in to them that I'm sure I could write a little "how to" right now! It was incredible!

I like the betrayal the author threw into the end and how the mission in this book had a lot to do with Wirenut and his past. The only thing that I thought was really unnecessary was the gory scene at the mansion. Ewwww. Too much detail. In fact, I think that could have been taken out all together.

The Bottom Line: This is a cute, fast-paced novel that I would recommend to you spy book lovers out there and to some of the younger readers. I'm giving this novel a B.

Cover Note: I don't know if this is just me, but does the leg on the cover bother you? I don't think it looks natural and its driving me insane!

Iryna

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter

Title: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy
Author: Ally Carter
Average Price: $16.99 U.S. (19.75 CAN) Hardcover
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication Date: 2007
Number of Pages:236


After the excitement of the fall, all Cammie Morgan wants is peaceful semester at school. But that's easier said than done when you're a CIA legacy and go to the premier school in the world...for spies.

Despite Cammie's best intentions, trouble crops up quickly. Cammie, Bex, and Liz learn that the Gallagher Academy is hosting guests from another spy school -- a school that is known to the world as the Ethan Frome Academy--a secret spy school for boys.

After her fiasco with Josh last fall, Cammie isn't sure she's ready for daily encounters with boy spies - especially after she meets Zach -- an incorrigible cutie who everyone thinks is just perfect. Cammie is right to be worried about their new guests. Soon after the boys' arrival, she's blamed for a series of security breaches that leave the school's top-secret status at risk. And the perfectly crushable Zach is her prime suspect. The Gallagher Girls will need to use all their skills to investigate the Frome Boys. Even though they're confident about their guy-spying ( as if they haven't done it before!), the playing field is level this time, and the stakes for Cammie's heart-and her beloved school- are higher than ever.


I read the first book in the Gallagher Girls series last year (I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You) and enjoyed it very much, but I never got around to reading the second book in the series. And boy, am I ever glad that I did!

Ally Carter starts off the second book in this spy series right where it leaves off in the first book, which is a must for me in a good series because I don't want to miss anything! I found it very easy to get into this book even though it was a bit slow at first.

You can almost immediately see once you starts this book that the author spent a lot of time on the character development. Each of the main characters had this little quirk or feature about them that I could instantly make a connection to and feel closer to the characters. Ally Carter really layed on the suspense and mystery in this book and each time a twist occurred I was totally surprised!

I loved all of the spy references Carter made in this novel - it just made this book that much more fun! What I most admire about the way that Ally Carter wrote this book is that she also wrote about how being a spy wasn't just all fun and games. Sometimes, real spies got caught. Sometimes, real spies got hurt. Sometimes, real spies didn't come back from a mission.

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy is a thrilling and very enjoyable book that I would recommend to just about anyone - but please read this series in order! You owe that much to your self! :) A.

One other thing: If you haven't read this series yet then a group of book bloggers have just started having weekly discussions about the series. More info here.

The Specialists: Model Spy by Shannon Greenland

Title: Model Spy
Author: Shannon Greenland
Average Price: $6.99 U.S. ($8.99 CAN) Paperback Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: May 2007
Number of Pages: 206


Teen genius Kelly James is in a lot of hot water. A whiz with computers, she agreed to help her college friend, David, uncover some top-secret information. After all, she doesn’t have many friends and David has always been nice to her. It doesn’t hurt that he’s super cute and irresistible, too. All she has to do is hack into the government’s main computer system but a few hours later, her whole life changes. She is caught and taken in for questioning, only this isn’t your run-of-the-mill arrest. Rather than serve a juvenile detention sentence, she accepts the option to change her name and enlist in a secret government spy agency that trains teen agents to go undercover. As if that wasn’t overwhelming enough, she discovers that David works for this agency as well! And before she even begins to understand what is going on, she’s sent on her first mission as an undercover model. And who better to partner with than David himself!


I have to say: I love a good spy story. All of the karate, secret gadgets, dressing up and computer hacking makes a shiver go down my spine. I love the idea of going on adventures and kicking some bad guy booty so naturally I picked this book up. It was not what I expected . . . in both a good and bad way.

What I first realized about Shannon Greenland (other then her cool name) is that she gets straight to the point and she doesn't try to conjure any cliff hangers in this book. That really slowed down the pace of this story so I was tempted to put it down. I also think that sometimes the characters in the story didn't act normally. For example: Kelly is upset that she was tricked into becoming a spy (not a spoiler!) so she contemplates wether or not to quit. Um, did I hear you correctly? You don't want to be a spy? Why? Who doesn't want to go on awesome adventures and use exploding dental floss? WHO?

*silence* Ahem. Anyways, on to the brighter side of things.

I really liked that Shannon gave each of her characters a special trait that made them stand out. I enjoyed reading about the current flavour of lollipop Kelly was sucking on and what Bruiser's latest shirt said.

What really surprised me about this book is that even though Shannon Greenland didn't really add any twists to the spy area of things, she took all of the basics - parties, computer hacking, secret passageways - and made them seem totally original. I think that's one of the Shannon's best qualities: She turns coal into diamonds.

If you want a fun book with a little light romance then this novel might be right for you. B-.

Distant Waves by Suzanne Weyn

Title: Distant Waves
Author: Suzanne Weyn
Average Price: $17.99 U.S. ($22.99 CAN) Hardcover
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: April 2009
Number of Pages: 330

Science, spiritualism, history, and romance intertwine in Suzanne Weyn's newest novel. Five sisters and their mother make their way from a spiritualist town in New York to London, becoming acquainted with journalist W. T. Stead, scientist Nikola Tesla, and industrialist John Jacob Astor. When they all find themselves on the Titanic, one of Tesla's inventions dooms them...and one could save them.

I absolutely adore the cover. The floating dress with the tulips gives it a slightly eerie and mysterious feel that catches my breath. I love the way the dress folds at the bottom and the cluster of bubbles. This cover is probably the only reason I picked up this book.

When I first started this novel I wasn't sure what to expect. This book is set a hundred year into the past so of course you can claim it as historical fiction which is not my favourite. However, I was excited to see how Suzanne Weyn would use the Titanic as the main plot in her novel.

At first I found it quite difficult to get into the novel but after the first few chapters that was not a problem. I was shocked at how easily I could relate to Jane, the main character, and how her thoughts matched mine almost exactly. However, I took me a good chunk of the book to get used to Jane's name - even now I'm not sure that it's quite right for her.

I thought the language they used in the book was very accurate except for the odd word or two. The part where Jane and her older sister, Mimi, go to New York was perfect in almost every sense of the word (especially Thad *sigh*) but, well . . . something happened.

I'm not really sure what is even was, maybe is was the fact that I missed Thad and Mimi, but the story slowed down considerably and I just wasn't that involved in it. However, when Jane and her family go to England the story picked up it's pace again and it was quite enjoyable once again.

The way the author tied in spiritualism into the book was what I though quite clever and entertaining. I liked the way Suzanne got the characters abroad the Titanic and everything that went from there ESPECIALLY the twists she put into the end (Suzanne you are a genious!) but I thought the sinking of the Titanic could have been a bit more dramatized.

I think almost anyone can enjoy this remarkable tale which is why I am giving it an A-.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: October 2008
Number of Pages: 374


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 other districts in line by forcing them to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight-to-the-death on live TV. One boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery to play. The winner brings riches and favor to his or her district. But that is nothing compared to what the Capitol wins: one more year of fearful compliance with its rule. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her impoverished district 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. Acclaimed writer Suzanne Collins, author of the New York Times bestselling Underland Chronicles, delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this stunning novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present.

Last week at Chapters I was faced with the difficult decision of whether to buy "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins (Option #1) or "The Truth About Forever" by Sarah Dessen and "The Dust of 100 Dogs" by A.S. King (Option #2). You see, I had a $20 dollar limit and I couldn't buy a penny over since I was using a gift card. Thankfully, the store had 20% off on all kids and teens books which reduced the price.

Anyways, after walking up to an employee and asking her what she thought I should buy, together we googled "The Hunger Games" to see if it was coming out in paperback anytime soon (it wasn't) and instead found some fantastic reviews. That was probably what convinced me to buy "The Hunger Games" and let me tell you - you don't know how glad I am that I did!

Katniss is a strong character and very intelligent without ever being a know-it-all. I could easily relate to her, too. I also really liked Rue. Actually, now that I think about, the only character(s) I didn't like were the Gamemakers because they killed so many people and the author didn't introduce them properly into the book.

If you're trying to convince your parents to buy you this book tell them it's an ESSENTIAL novel for everyone. I mean really, where else am I going to find out how to heal a bite stung by a mutant bee or crack a puzzle without being killed by a bomb?

Go to the bookstore/library now and be prepared to agree with me on this A+ book.