Bethany Huang's Blog, page 7

Artemis Fowl The Eternity Code By Eoin Colfer Book Review

Name of book:The Eternity codePublisher:ScholasticPublished:2003Age group:10-16 Number of Pages:309
Summary
Artemis Fowl II, criminal mastermind aged 12 is off on another crazy encounter with fairies accompanied with his ever-faithful bodyguard Butler. In this adventure, Artemis builds a cube with stolen fairy technology. It is stolen by Jon Spiro, a Chicago business man who shoots and kills Butler.Holly Short, Captain of the LEP heals Butler with magic.

Unfortunately, the healing does not work as planned. It leaves Butler alive, though fifteen years older and unable to carry out his duties as a bodyguard. However, his sister, Juliet, agrees to help Fowl recover the stolen computer. With the aid of the rest of the LEPrecon team and kleptomaniac dwarf Mulch Diggums, they break into Spiro's company, Fission Chips, in the Spiro Needle. They begin their mission once Artemis is captured and placed inside the company.
Artemis lets Foaly take control of the C Cube and tricks Spiro into going to the offices of his rivals Phonetix in order to sabotage their work projects, but Artemis gets Spiro arrested by a SWAT team.
After recovering the C cube, Commander Julius Root orders Artemis Fowl, Butler, and Juliet mind-wiped before they cause anymore damage to the fairies.




Review
I absoloutely loved the first and second Artemis Fowl books-and this one was of no exception. Eoin Colfer's books just draw the reader in and make them desperate to read more. There were only a few exceptions that made Eoin Colfer's book away from perfect.
I didn't exactly understand the process of crygogenics. The freezing of the body makes the corpse survive even if it isn't breathing because...? I think that's only for the masterminds to determine.
I really liked The Eternity code-it's one of the books that I love reading over and over and over again. Artemis fowl and the Eternity code has gotten a new twist-Artemis Senior is alive-Artemis Junior's father. And this time...he doesn't care for the gold. He cares for his family.

Rating
Grade:A+


Beth

Cinders by Michelle Davidson Argyle Book Review

Name of the book: Cinders


Publisher:Michelle Davidson Argyle
Published:June 28th, 2010

Age group:12-16


Number of Pages:180


Summary
Cinderella's happily-ever-after isn't turning out the way she expected.With her fairy godmother imprisoned in the castle and a mysterious stranger haunting her dreams, Cinderella is on her own to discover true love untainted by magic.
Review
         Reading the summary of Cinders already made me excited enough to read the book. As I watched the book trailer, my eagerness to read this book grew. I happened to recieve the book just today, and I raced through it in atleast 2-3 hours. Michelle Davidson Argyle is a great original fairytale story reteller. I did happen to enjoy her book-I just had a few things I wished could be changed.

          I thought Cinderalla was a character that couldn't decide what she wanted anymore-the stranger or Rowland, Peasant life, or the life of a monarch. I was a little bit confused on what type of character she was. But as the story went along, I understood her better, and got to know her side of the story.

           Kale was the unknown stranger haunting her dreams. I thought that he was really mysterious, which was good-it left me hanging off at a end. What I didn't like about him was that he decided to let Cinderella choose another path instead of the one she'd be happier on.
I liked the feeling of suspense, worry, intrigue. I thought this book measured up to Gale Carson Levine's stories, and I hope to read more of Michelle Davidson Argyle's books. Hopefully there is a sequel-it was partly unfinished at the end.

Rating
Grade:A

Luv,
Beth <3

Mentor Monday

Hi everyone! Again, I haven't been blogging much lately, but I'm glad to say that the front cover of my book can now be viewed on goodreads. (Cover on the left) I hope you all like it!I have decided that my sequel will come after I complete writing another book that I plan to get published called the Chang family (I have writers block on my sequel.)Anyway, enjoy the last two days of your summer!

Until next time,
Bethany

Surprise Saturday!

Hey everyone! I haven't been blogging in a while, and I'm gicing you this update just to let you know how everything's going-my cover is completed! My book will be out soon-either this September or next month, which is October. Until then, sit tight!
Until next time,
Bethany

Reunion of The Untouchables by Kurt Frenier

Name of book: Reunion of the Untouchables
Publisher: Eloquent books

Published: July 12th, 2010
Age group: 10-14

Number of Pages: 210
Summary
Five hundred years ago, Master Magician Mikhail Pilkington III created a magical flying train, the Study Train. His vision: to take average teenagers aboard, show them the world, and turn them into leaders. Ethan is invited on the train, escaping his miserable life in Switzerland, and soon discovers that the train is all but ordinary. It is filled with magic, secrets, people with interesting histories, and much more. Ethan's intrigue and hunger for knowledge and power catches the attention of a hidden, ancient alliance called the Untouchables. Soon, Ethan learns all their mysteries, powers and sorcery. He stands out from the rest of the students and is recognized as the long-awaited leader for the Untouchables. But his dark side - The Dark Fire Inside - grows and becomes much stronger than anyone thought it would. Ethan gets sucked into a web of conflicts and feuds while battling his own inner feelings. Will he go for power, or turn toward good?

Review
I just recieved this e-book yesterday-and I'm already finished with it-which is amazing, considering how many books I have to complete reading before school starts. I have to say, The reunion of the untouchables is a wonderful book-with just maybe a few parts that I would like better if it was changed.

I liked Ethan and sympathized with him all the way. I thought it was great that he was accepted onto the studytrain. My only problem with him is: how could he have betrayed everyone on the studytrain like that-especially when they rescued him from his misery? I would have liked it much better if Ethan realized the flaws before the ending. I think Ethan was over-powerhungry-especially since he was just rescued from his personal home of a cell.

Alesia was nice, kind, and what I heard from Ethan-pretty. She was much more powerful than I perceived and is purely good and true. I didn't like it much that Alesia wasn't heard from almost halfway through the story, and then she appears again at the end-she should have been included in some parts of the story, atleast mentioned-she was the chosen one, after all. But otherwise, Alesia is my favorite character.

Lena...I can't say she's my favorite. As for the other minor characters...they're not my favorites either. But Parker is the one character that I completely despise-just waiting for the day that the leader of the untouchables would come, hmm?

But I fully enjoyed the story-just maybe at a little minor part here and there, you can see how rebellious Ethan is. Too rebellious-now if he wasn't accepted back, what would happen then?

Rating

Grade-A-

Why?: The plot was good, but Ethan sounded like such a good character-until the middle and end. We need to know Ethan more in depth. Also, some things aren't exactly clear:how did they study, what did they study particularly? but otherwise, not bad.

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by the story siren. Let's go!
Ebooks

Reunion of The untouchables


Chicago Squeeze


Hardcover recieved

Cinders


Thank you to all of the authors who have sent me a copy to review!

Luv,
<3 Beth

Artistic Wensday

Hi everyone! I haven't been blogging much lately, so I have alot to let you all get updated on. The production of my sequel is going quite nicely-I am currently on page 25. My trip to Boston, MA Author Vacation blog can be found at http://www.Bethanyinbostonma.wordpress.com if you would like to catch up with me on my trip to Boston. My book cover's design is due any day now (yay!) and as soon as I get it and approve of it,
I will add it as my cover on goodreads. Have a great rest of your...

North Of Beautiful By Justina Chen Headley Book Review

Name of book:North Of Beautiful
Publisher:Little Brown and Company
Published:2009
Age group:9-12

Number of Pages:373

 Summary
Born with a port-wine stain birthmark covering her entire right cheek, Terra Rose Cooper is ready to leave her stifling, small Washington town where everyone knows her for her face. With her critical, reproachful father and an obese mother who turns to food to deflect her father's verbal attacks, home life for Terra isn't so great either. Fueled by her artistic desires, she plans to escape to an East Coast college, thinking this is her true path. When her father intercepts her acceptance letter, Terra is pushed off-course, and she is forced to confront her deepest insecurities. After an ironically fortuitous car accident, Terra meets Jacob, a handsome but odd goth Chinese boy who was adopted from China as a toddler. Jacob immediately understands Terra's battle with feeling different. When Terra's older brother invites her and her mother to visit him in Shanghai, Jacob and his mother also join them on their journey, where they all not only confront the truth about themselves, but also realize their own true beauty. North of Beautiful is the engaging third YA novel by Justina Chen Headley. This is a gorgeously-written, compelling book featuring universal themes of defining true beauty, family bonds, personal strength, and love.
Review

This book was full of compassion and feeling-unlike any other that I've read. Amazing!

Terra has to battle herself to realize how truly beautiful she is even with the port-wine stain on her cheek that she believes fully disfigures her. As the story passes on and Terra realizes how jolie ladie she is (pretty ugly) Jacob helps her throughout everything, to realize the specialness that she holds within her.

On her visit to Shanghai, a girl named Peony helps her realize what jolie ladie means more than ever. As the time comes and Terra goes back to her art studio, her life changes. Her Mother finally gets the courage to stand up to her Father and gain her independence, while Terra rips up her past 'Beauty Map' full of beautiful people that she wishes that she could be.

I have to say, this was  full of emotion and surprise-and fulfills every persons craving for a great read.

Rating

Grade-A

Luv,
Bethany <3

Knight Angels #1 Book of Love By Abra Ebner

Name of Book: Book Of Love
Publisher:Createspace

Published: 2010

Series:Knight Angels

Age group:12-14
Number of Pages:366

Thank you to Abra Ebner and Createspace, who has willingly sent me a copy of her book!



Summary

When seventeen-year-old Jane Taylor witnessed her father's death at age seven, something happened to her. Ever since, her thoughts have been consumed by death, going so far as to foresee the ever-changing deaths of those around her.







Sixteen-year-old Emily Taylor always resented her sister's closeness with their father, who died when she was only six. Ever since she can remember, she's had the strange ability to read minds, something her father held the key to. Left helpless, she drowns herself in a world of prescription drugs, sending her responsible older sister Jane – who acted as the mother her real mother refused to be – over the edge.






Seventeen-year-old Wes Green was adopted as a baby, left carelessly by parents that clearly did not love him. He moved in next door to Jane, sharing an alleyway window and finding in her a childhood friend that soon turned into his high-school crush. All summer, though, the pain that's been wracking his body seemed to come with no explanation. He was done growing, was plenty healthy, and worked out regularly as a member of the wrestling team. When senior year starts, though, and the pain gets worse, the changes ahead of him are anything but what he expected, and far to animal for his taste.






When Max Gordon, doomed to be a teenager for the next thousand years, found himself standing above her dying body, he saw in her bright eyes something he hadn't seen in the nearly one-hundred-years he'd spent roaming Earth. Her father was already dead, but there was a chance he could still save her from the wreck. Jane was her name, and she was only seven, but already she was all he ever wanted. It was his job to bring her back, but it was an act that could have been the biggest mistake of his life.






When four teens enter Glenwood High on an unseasonably cool day in September, no one but Max could understand the future that was ahead of them. Drawn together by blood and friendship, they each hide a dark secret that will soon help to bind them even closer.






When the one face Max hoped to never see again shows up on school grounds – his evil twin brother, Greg – he knows that coming back for Jane was the wrong thing to do. Finding that Greg already knows about Max's attraction for Jane, Max finds he can no longer hope to leave again, afraid of what Greg will do.






Max has to protect Jane, Jane wants to be normal, Wes wants Jane to love him, and Emily just wants the voices to stop…






And Greg… he just wants everyone dead.
 ReviewI really liked this book-it caught my attention enought that the moment I recieved it, I read it, and it was finished within one day. Unfourtanately, I recently went on vacation, so I didn't have a chance to really review it until now.  Jane was...interesting. The sort of girl who is a book nerd and loves to read and study for school and doesn't really care how she looks. Just Jane doesn't know how pretty-and ultimately special she is. Jane has always dreamed of seeing real magick-but what she doesn't know is that it's right in front of her. I really liked Jane-she was the sort of enthusiastic and bubbly type of character that knew how to control herself at the same time. Emily was not my favorite-in fact, I thought of her as a sort of punkish character. I also didn't like how she tempted the boys to get the pills-but of course, she needed them to stop the vioces in her head-so I guess that makes sense for her to want them. To me, Emily jsut seemed like the sort of devilish type of girl who would do almost anything to maintain her status. But towards the end, I actually liked her better. Max is really compassionate-he saved Jane because she was innocent and he believed that she had a right to live-shich she did. If Max was real, he'd be the ideal boyfriend of every single girl. Wes is sort of hot-tempered and really short minded. He switches from one girl, to another girl, to another girl-the same two girls that he keeps on switching to. Hopefully, he'll know which one is better for him sooner or later-or realize which one he likes better. Greg is just plain evil-there's nothing else you can say about him, and this sentence alone just about sums it up.  This book was definetely one of my favorites, but one of the only of the few flaws I could find was that a few words were missing, making the words confusing to understand, and some words were clearly mispelled. But otherwise...this was amazing! GradeB+ Luv,Bethany <3

Trip to Thursday

Today's finally the day-I'm going to Boston, MA! Yes, I know I said that I was going to Maine, but we had a change of plans, and now we're going to Boston. Anyway, there are more things that I want to do in Boston than I ever did in Maine. If you want to keep track of my trip to Boston, and the awesomely fun stuff I'm going to be doing there, visit my very first travel blog to keep track of me in Boston. (http://www.bethanyinbostonma.wordpress.com/) I hope you'll all have a great summer...