Review: Treasure Hunters - James Patterson

Treasure Hunters
James Patterson
Series: Treasure Hunters #1
Genre: Adventure, Children, Humor
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Word Rating: Exciting
On Goodreads

Okay finally. A+ James, A+ for bringing me back to a good book. I actually recieved this at BEA 2013 and never managed to read it. My cousin picked the book up and couldn't put it down and so . . . after reading such books as Claire de Lune . . . . (detailed description of my hatred at goodreads, here).

First off, this book is just plain funny. And it's a children's book. Did I mention that I like those? No dirty jokes would be spared within these pages, no clever witty puns. Just straight up humor. And Patterson does it best when he makes fun of his own craft and characters.

'I'm twelve. I don't have a mustache or eyepatch. Don't believe everything you see.' (Introduction)

He even pokes fun at simple things that are hardly funny but you can't help but smile because you've always thought about it. Like, narrators that die, who are still able to tell their story.

'Whoa not so fast . . . If I were dead, how could I be telling you this story?' (On the first page, my lads)

I think the best parts were Beck's drawings. I can't post them for you but she makes fun of her brother all the time and writes 'yikes' at storms and ugh she's just so cute I wish she was my little sister.

Also seriously:

'One, it wasn't Spanish. Two, it wasn't treasure.' (137)

Just. Yes.

And that leads me to my next love of this book. You just love the characters. Maybe I'm just sort of high from a bad succession of terrible books but holy crap I loved everyone in this novel. No one pissed me off from being too exaggerated or too two dimensional. Everyone did what they were supposed to (or went out fighting). The sleazy treasure hunters were sleazy as hell, the CIA were cold and ruthless. The kids were clever, resourceful, witty, and enjoyable as they fought for their parents and their treasure. And I just learned the release date for the second novel. Win.

There's pirates, hidden treasure, lots of bad guys, a missing mom and a possibly dead Dad. The four kids are bickering half the time, trying to cleverly deduce their way out of traps the other half of the time.

There's also a bit of a potteresque (I don't mean to say that the kids are orphans even though by the beginning of the book they're left pretty much orphans) feeling with that heartwarming and adventure around the corner atmosphere.

I really don't know what else to say. I can't find much that is bad about the book. Obviously there are halting moments in the plot and a bit of character development that never happens for one character in particular (you'll see what I mean), I'm judging it as a children's book and as a children's book, it made my cousin go bonkers and want to be a pirate and if that doesn't deserve five stars then I don't know what does.

- Marlon

What would you put in a treasure chest?

Let us know in the comments!

Best of 2013

As 2013 comes to an end, we decided to reminisce on our favorite releases this year. There have been so many great books, whether they were anticipated sequels, series endings, or new series beginnings. To celebrate these loved releases, we've decided to share our best of 2013 picks with you!

Kiersten's Picks

Clockwork Princess
Cassandra Clare
The Infernal Devices, #3

Clockwork Princess was probably my favorite book this year. I absolutely love the Infernal Devices trilogy and I was anxious to see how everything turned out. I felt so much reading this book. SO MUCH. It is a crime that it did not win best young adult fantasy in the Goodreads Choice Awards.

Altered

Gennifer Albin

Crewel World, #2

After reading and falling in love with the world of Crewel (review) I was happy to dive right into more of that world with Altered. This was a great sequel, showing even more of the corruption involved in this world. I'm a huge fan of this series and I can't wait for Crewelest.

Palace of Spies
Sarah Zettel
Palace of Spies, #1

If you read my review of Palace of Spies you know how much I loved this book. This was my first Netgalley read and I'm really happy I discovered this title through them. Looking forward to reading more from Sarah Zettel.

The Deepest Night
Shana Abé
The Sweetest Dark, #2

The Sweetest Dark (review) was the first advanced reader's edition I've ever received (won through Goodreads First Reads) and it was one of the first reviews ever posted on here. I also posted a review of The Deepest Night on here as well. If you've yet to read this series, you should get on that.

Fractured
Sarah Fine
Guards of the Shadowlands, #2

I have to say that I regret waiting so long to read Fractured after it's release. Great follow up to Sanctum! Lela is a character that I empathize with more than most other characters I read and it makes me feel all the feels. I'll be posting a review for this sometime in January.


There were so many great 2013 releases I read this year and I just can't help but add a few more Honorable Mentions! There was Branded (Sinners, #1) by Missy Kalicicki and Abi Ketner (review), which was one of the most emotional books I've ever read; Prodigy (Legend, #2) by Marie Lu, which reminds me that I've yet to read Champion for some reason; Impostor (Slide, #2) by Jill Hathaway; and Zoo (Enclosure Chronicles, #1) by Tara Elizabeth (review).

Noor's Picks

The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Neil Gaiman

As you may or may not know, Neil Gaiman is my favorite author so naturally, I had to purchase and devour this book the very second it was released. This was the very first book I reviewed so if you want to know why exactly it made the list, go check out the review!

Eleanor & Park
Rainbow Rowe

I just read this book recently on my book and am planning to review it next week, and I think it's absolutely wonderful and a very heartwarming tale from an up and coming author.

Allegiant
Veronica Roth
Divergent, #3

I know this book got a lot of mixed reviews and it was either love or hate, but I am one of the people who enjoyed it (review) and I think the response it received just goes to show how influential it was and that's why it makes my list.

Fortunately, the Milk
Neil Gaiman

Oh look, another Neil Gaiman book. Well, I did mention how much I love him and even though this is a children's book, it's so well done I find myself rereading it all the time. Check out my review!

Marlon's Picks

The House of Hades
Rick Riordan
The Heroes of Olympus, #4

This book just shot me in the heart and didn’t care about picking up the pieces it just — ugh. I have a lot of feels. This book resolved countless plotlines from the earlier books and established each of the seven characters’ maturation. Literally the perfect set up for the final book. (live-blogging)

The Fall of Five
Pittacus Lore
Lorien Legacies, #4

Ugh I hate James Frey but his novels are so beautiful.  I’ve officially fallen in love with the I Am Number Four series, there’s just something about aliens fighting aliens for the lives of aliens and humans and oh god the romance and oh god the betrayal and death and horror it’s so perfect. (review)

Fortunately, the Milk
Neil Gaiman

Prepare to have a couple of repeats because I also like Neil Gaiman. Fortunately, the Milk is just such an incredibly woven childrens book (and those as you should know, are my favorite) that speaks to kids in ways that I really don’t even fully understand yet. It’s everything you need to tuck a kid in.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Neil Gaiman

Ugh. Just. Ugh. Seriously. This piece is half memoir, half fantasy, half I don’t understand how there are three halves to this book but Neil Gaiman makes it seem that way, it’s full of everything you want in a sort-of coming of age novel and sort of learning about life through a million eyes at a time book.

Clockwork Princess
Cassandra Clare
The Infernal Devices, #3

Everyone should favorite this. This is how one ends a series of romance/adventure/supernatural novels. This is how. Take note. I’m still not over Will. Or Jem. Magnus Bane everyone, Magnus Fraking Bane. There’s too much to say here. This is one of the best romance novels I’ve ever read.

Amrutha's Picks

Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Maria Semple

This was that one impulsive supermarket buy of the year that turned out to be oh so scrumptiously worth it. This is the only book I’ve reviewed that I’ve given a 5/5 star rating, because it is that perfect. Go check out the review and definitely read the book!

Unbound
Georgia Bell
All Good Things, #1

When I began the ebook for this, I wasn’t expecting much, especially because I am not the usual paranormal fan. This book far surpassed my expectations and is definitely one of the best books of 2013. (review)

Delirium
Susan Kaye Quinn
Debt Collector, #1

This is actually just a short piece, the first in a series of 9. It is honestly beautifully written, and the idea of the story is literally one of the most creative I have read this year. Kiersten and I did a mini-review on it this year, so definitely check it out!

The Storyteller
Jodi Picoult

Just as Noor loves Neil Gaiman, I love Jodi Picoult. I read all her books as they come out, and they never ever disappoint. Get on this book and every other book by her as soon as possible if you have been deprived of her amazing-ness thus far in your life.

What are some of your 2013 favorites?

Let us know in the comments!

Review: Partials - Dan Wells

Partials
Dan Wells
Series: Partials Sequence, #1
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Word Rating: Refreshing
On Goodreads

I discovered Partials by complete accident. After purchasing some other book on my Nook, there were a few suggestions in the side that I was about to ignore, until I accidentally hit something I didn't mean to and ended up on the purchase page for Partials. After reading the description of the book, I wanted to read it so badly I downloaded it onto my Nook and started reading it before the book I initially purchased. And then the next day I bought a physical copy and finished reading it that way.

Anyway, this book totally and completely lived up to my expectations of it. I was promised a book about a dystopian, war-torn society in which humans are barely existent, and "Partials," which are "engineered organic beings identical to humans" are at war with the few that remain. A virus is killing off all humans not immune to it, and none of the babies in over ten years have been born immune, which means humans will die off if no one is there to carry on the lines. The book centers around Kira, a sixteen year old who gets right in the middle of the action. It seems like a lot for one book, but Dan Wells delivers it wonderfully.

My favorite thing about this book is that it succeeded in being different. When it comes to the books about futuristic, war-torn societies, or books about cyborgs and robots versus humans, or dystopian fiction in general, it's very easy to write a book that is similar to all the rest, that doesn't stand above anything and contains the same recycled plot over and over again. While the book's premise seemed interesting enough, I was skeptical as to how well it would be delivered. Having read it, I can say without a doubt that it succeeds in standing out. Dan Wells wrote a book that was refreshing in a genre full of the same old stuff. The characters were likable and easy to get invested in, the plot moved along very smoothly, and there were revelations and plot elements that kept me on my toes. There was only one plot point that I thought was obvious from the beginning and even though I had figured it out, there were still chills sent down my spine as I read it happen. Even though I had a guess of what was to come, I still was affected by it as if I had never even had the thought, because of how well it was written.

Overall, I thought this book did an amazing job of providing a fresh new story. I also really loved the way the characters were all three dimensional. I loved Kira and Samm and all the other characters, and the story itself, and I commend Dan Wells for a novel well written. I own the second book in the series and intend on reading it as soon as possible, hopefully over winter break.

- Noor

What do you look for in a dystopian novel?

Let us know in the comments!

Review: Pretenders - Lisi Harrison

Pretenders
Lisi Harrison
Series: Pretenders, #1
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Word Rating: Half a book
On Goodreads

I got Pretenders on Netgalley, having found out about it through an email. The concept intrigued me – the secret journals of five students were leaked, the book being a compilation of those journals. At Noble High School, all the freshmen were required to fill a journal of 250 pages for their English classes. The five journals included in the book come from the Phoenix Five – the five “most outstanding” freshmen, as elected by the school. I suppose at this point I should have figured out that Pretenders wasn’t going to cover the entire year, but foolishly I let myself believe that I would find out the fates of these characters. Imagine my surprise when the end of the book came just as everything was beginning to get interesting. Craziness starts happening and then there’s a page like, “Oh, you want to know what happens? TOO BAD BECAUSE THIS IS THE END OF THE BOOK. SEE YOU NEXT TIME.” Not cool. None of the characters have a full arc, there is no climax, and there is no resolution. Pretenders is half a book. Plain and simple.

Now that I have somewhat vented my frustration regarding the lack of whole book-ness, onto some analysis of the book.

The book follows five fairly clichéd character types: Sheridan the ditsy blonde, Duffy the jock, Jagger the mysterious bad boy, Lily the weirdo, and Vanessa the nerd. Despite how easy it is to pick out these archetypes, I found these characters rather charming. There was nothing especially deep about them, but they had charisma. There was something about them that kept me interested in their story – something relatable, I suppose. Between all the characters, Lisi Harrison was able to cover many challenges that a freshman in high school may be facing, so that was a plus. They were nothing to rave about, but I don’t really have anything terrible to say about them either.

While looking through some other reviews of Pretenders I read one that complained of how not all the characters had equal story time, how it seemed as though the author cared more about one character’s story than another. However, I believe that the journal entries were distributed differently to add to the characters. For example, Sheridan tried out for the school musical, struggled with making new friends, and had to deal with her best friend drifting away. She had so much going on and a lot to say about it. On the other hand, Jagger is a mystery – he is hiding something. If he had an equal amount of journal entries as Sheridan, I’m not even sure what he’d say. His journals were minimalistic, just touching on what was happening in his life, and anything more would ruin his mysterious nature.

Although I was frustrated with the cliffhanger ending, I’d still say that I found Pretenders to be a fairly enjoyable book. Yes, a lot of the book is exposition, but it was like getting to know real people and seeing what they’re like. Yes, sometimes the characters were annoying, but I was able to have sympathy for them at times. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being mad about the end of this book, but I’m actually looking forward to the next book, License to Spill, and to how the stories of these characters unfold.

- Kiersten

What do you think about books without a full plot line? Is it acceptable in a series?

Let us know in the comments!

Review: Unbound - Georgia Bell

Unbound
Georgia Bell
Series: All Good Things, #1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Word Rating: *Slow Clap*
On Goodreads

I'M CRYING. This was so phenomenal, literally stop whatever you're doing right now and get to this book.

This book is about a young girl named Rachel after her father dies - seems normal enough right? Not at all. Rachel is impossibly scared,but not to worry - she has a guardian angel. The hunky, kind, and oh so mysteriously damaged Eaden.

Eaden, who is immortal, has only one chance to finally die, a chance which can only be given to him by Rachel. However, he soon finds that after meeting Rachel, he doesn't want to die.

Enter a whirlwind romance.

Although I usually feel that whirlwind romances are rushed and never written well, I loved this one. Georgia Bell wrote about two insanely poignant characters that transformed into strong, confident people. The personal growth shown by Rachel and Eaden was tremendous and honestly really inspiring. It's so rare that characters are shown to grow as people in such a short period of time. Bell is a really great author, and I can't wait to see what comes next from her.

The reason this book didn't get 5/5 stars was because there were a few slow parts and one part of the book that seemed a tad unnecessary; however, this book was honestly one of the best I've read in 2013.

The romance between Rachel and Eaden is sparkling, and I ship it ultra hard. Go Raden? Eadchel? I'm still working on their amalgamation.

Enough about their romance. The idea of the book is one of the most creative paranormal ones I've read: I'm not usually a huge fan of this kind of literature, but Bell took my breath away with Rachel's power and her 1500 year old immortal guardian and even the internal power politics of the immortals. Even though this sounds a bit Twilight, I promise this is x19337282 better than that. This book is filled with plot twists and turns that I just cannot bear to give away.

CHRISTMAS EVE WORD OF ADVICE: DROP EVERYTHING. READ THIS. GO. YOU WILL BE GRATEFUL OK I PROMISE. WE CAN AWAIT THE RELEASE OF THE NEXT ONE.

Also, happy holidays guys♥

- Amrutha

How do you feel about whirlwind romances?

Let us know in the comments!