Brad About Books: Soldier Dog by Sam Angus

Read from March 27 to 31, 2013

SOLDIER DOG
Expected Publication Date: April 16, 2013
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan)
Format: ARC
Page Count: 256 pages
Source: Publisher

With his older brother gone to fight in the Great War, and his father prone to sudden rages, 14-year-old Stanley devotes himself to taking care of the family’s greyhound and puppies. Until the morning Stanley wakes to find the puppies gone.
 
Determined to find his brother, Stanley runs away to join an increasingly desperate army. Assigned to the experimental War Dog School, Stanley is given a problematic Great Dane named Bones to train. Against all odds, the pair excels, and Stanley is sent to France. 

But the war in France is larger and more brutal than Stanley ever imagined. How can one young boy survive and find his brother with only a dog to help?

A beautiful and heartbreaking story, Soldier Dog is the perfect book about loyalty and love. I couldn't help but fall deep in love with this book.

I'm a huge lover of dogs, so putting that element into Soldier Dog was extraordinary for me. And the love and friendship between Stanley and Bones was fantastic. Angus has crafted together a marvelous story that I couldn't put down - I had to know what was going to happen to our beloved characters! And let me forewarn you that this book is a tear-jerker, but gosh, it was super good.

But my complaint about this novel was the beginning. I do have to admit that I was gripped into the story immediately. It took about 40 or so pages for the story to get going and for me to connect. But once it did get going, I was emerged into the story. Stanley was such a great character, just because of the love for his family that fills him whole. I can't deny that he was an excellent character!

And like I said before, prepare tissues when you read Soldier Dog. Because they are going to be a must-need. I didn't cry, but I definitely felt sad and almost lost it during one scene! But you must read this book - you won't regret it at all.

Overall, Soldier Dog was slow, but built up to a wonderful story of love and redemption. Fantastic and magnificent, I loved every bit of this book!

MY RATING

Brad About Books: Professor Gargoyle by Charles Gilman

Read on March 25, 2013

PROFESSOR GARGOYLE
Published: September 25, 2012
Publisher: Quirk
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 168 pages
Source: RAK
Series: Lovecraft Middle School, #1

Strange things are happening at Lovecraft Middle School. Rats are leaping from lockers. Students are disappearing. The school library is a labyrinth of secret corridors. And the science teacher is acting very, very peculiar. Robert Arthurt knew that seventh grade was going to be weird, but this is ridiculous!

With the help of some unlikely new friends, Robert discovers there's more to Lovecraft Middle School than meets the eye. Can he uncover the secrets of the school before it's too late?

Fun and creepy, Professor Gargoyle is a mad, morbid, and hilarious tale! This book will delight readers of all ages.

This novel is such a fast-read. I will admit that the exposition of the book is pretty slow, simply because it's setting up the characters, the background, and Lovecraft Middle School itself. But after awhile, the story began to flow seamlessly, and I really connected to Professor Gargoyle. Middle grade is always a fun and enduring genre; this one was no exception. And believe me when I say that fun is packed between these pages. It may be a bit twisted at sometimes, but fun nonetheless.

Robert was an awesome character - I felt bad for him at times, but he grew a backbone and stood up for himself. That's what redeemed his character for me. And of course, you can't forget Glenn. I really disliked him in the first half {for obvious reasons}, but Charles Gilman took a turn I didn't expect. He knows how to put a spin on characters!

And wow, this book is creepy. Towards the end, a certain character transforms, and the way it's described made my skin crawl. But that's thing, it wasn't only described - it was illustrated too. Wonderful illustrations can be found throughout the Lovecraft Middle School series, and towards the end, they got so eerie and frightening. Gilman took a terrifying turn within the final 30 pages, and I loved it so much. It was fantastic!

Overall, Professor Gargoyle started off slow in the beginning but quickly worked it's way up to a mystic and scary conclusion. Want monsters and two-headed rats in your school? Look no further, because Professor Gargoyle will wholly satisfy you!

MY RATING

Brad About Books: Rotten by Michael Northrop

Read on April 1, 2013

ROTTEN
Published: April 1, 2013
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: ARC
Page Count: 256 pages
Source: Publisher

A troubled teen. A rescued Rottweiler. An unlikely friendship.

Jimmer "JD" Dobbs is back in town after spending the summer "upstate." No one believes his story about visiting his aunt, and it's pretty clear that he has something to hide. It's also pretty clear that his mom made a new friend while he was away---a rescued Rottweiler that JD immediately renames Johnny Rotten (yes, after that guy in the Sex Pistols). Both tough but damaged, JD and Johnny slowly learn to trust each other, but their newfound bond is threatened by a treacherous friend and one snap of Johnny's powerful jaws. As the secrets JD has tried so hard to keep under wraps start to unravel, he suddenly has something much bigger to worry about: saving his dog.

Rotten is a wonderful story about bonding love and friendship. This book is outstanding!

I am a huge lover of dogs (I have two myself), so when I found out that this book was about a dog, I was all over this one. I was so happy I read it! The friendship that grows between JD and Johnny Rotten was amazing to read. They truly connected to each other as best friends, and I was rooting for both of them during the entire book. Plus, who doesn't love a story about dogs? 

My only complaint about Rotten was that it took a bit for me to connect to JD - I'm not sure why I didn't like his character in the beginning, but I didn't. He felt a bit self-centered and uncaring. But trust me when I say that he grows out of that, thanks to Johnny, which I truly loved and appreciated. Looking back now, I can totally see what Johnny represents. He represents Johnny learning true friendship and caring about something so extremely. And I love that Michael Northrop put that element into Rotten!

And I was honestly scared at how the book was going to end. I couldn't see how Johnny and JD could get out of the situation they were in, but Northrop did a seamlessly job at making that ending so surprising and wonderful. It was one of my favorite parts of the entire book!

Overall, Rotten is a great story that is a must-read animal lovers and non-animal lovers!

MY RATING

Waiting on Wednesday (16): Icons

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine!

This week, I'm waiting on...

Icons (Icons, #1) - Margaret Stohl

Expected Publication Date: May 7, 2013

Publisher: Little, Brown

Page Count: 448 pages

Your heart beats only with their permission.

Everything changed on The Day. The day the windows shattered. The day the power stopped. The day Dol's family dropped dead. The day Earth lost a war it didn't know it was fighting. Since then, Dol has lived a simple life in the countryside -- safe from the shadow of the Icon and its terrifying power. Hiding from the one truth she can't avoid. She's different. She survived. Why?

When Dol and her best friend, Ro, are captured and taken to the Embassy, off the coast of the sprawling metropolis once known as the City of Angels, they find only more questions. While Ro and fellow hostage Tima rage against their captors, Dol finds herself drawn to Lucas, the Ambassador's privileged son. But the four teens are more alike than they might think, and the timing of their meeting isn't a coincidence. It's a conspiracy.

Within the Icon's reach, Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas discover that their uncontrollable emotions -- which they've always thought to be their greatest weaknesses -- may actually be their greatest strengths. Bestselling author Margaret Stohl delivers the first book in a heart-pounding series set in a haunting new world where four teens must piece together the mysteries of their pasts -- in order to save the future.

This book sounds absolutely brilliant! I'm a sucker for sci-fi stories, and gosh, this one sounds phenomenal. I loved Beautiful Creatures, so knowing that one of the coauthors wrote this one makes me super happy. I can't wait for this book! Oh my gosh, I seriously cannot wait!

What are you waiting on? Leave links to your WoW post in the comments!

Brad About Books: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

Read on March 23, 2013

THE CALLING
Published: April 10, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 326 pages
Source: Amazon.com
Series: Darkness Rising, #2

This review is spoiler free, even if you haven't read The Gathering.

Three words: So. Much. Action. The Calling is an excellent second installment in this fun and unique paranormal series. This is a sequel that shines out!

Maya grows to be such an awesome character. In the first book, she was wandering around, lost and confused about her past and the secrets she holds. But in this book, she's kicking butt and taking names. The character development absolutely soars in this book; I couldn't believe how much all of the characters change for the better.

Daniel, Hayley, and the entire gang develop and turn into kick-butt characters as well. Armstrong did a phenomenal job at connecting the emotions and characters together, and these characters felt authentic. And I absolutely love that.

Plus with all the craziness going on, there is tons of action in The Calling. In The Gathering, most of the action and climatic scenes took place towards the end of the book. There is an action scene on the first page in The Calling: and that's why I loved this sequel even more than the first book. Helicopter crashes, running away from the officials who want to take them away, and so much more, I couldn't help myself by turning these pages so quickly, simply because the story was fast-paced!

But I do have one complaint about this book. Some of the scenes felt a bit... repetitive. Don't get me wrong, the scenes filled with action were great. But after awhile, I began to think, "Didn't they do that 30 pages ago?". I just felt like some of the scenes were repeated and presented in a slightly changed way, which is what knocked it down a star for me. I really loved the action scenes, but after a bit, I started to catch onto the string of events.

But luckily, the ending was phenomenal. I thought the first half of the book was crazy. The second half (especially the final 40 pages) were insane. The story moved along so rapidly and quickly, and The Calling was an absolute page-turner. I couldn't get enough of this book!

Overall, The Calling is a brilliant sequel. Aside from my one flaw, I loved this book. This series is outstanding and fantastic!

MY RATING

Fantastic Five {MARCH}

Welcome to my Fantastic Five post for March, in which I tell you the top five books that I read in the month of March!

Read from March 28 to 29, 2013

5. The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns, #2) - Rae Carson

I love my high fantasy so much, and the Fire and Thorns trilogy is the best high fantasy series I've read. I thought that The Girl of Fire and Thorns was great... The Crown of Embers just knocked it out of the ballpark! The stakes are raised so much higher, and wow, Rae Carson can do no wrong with fantasy. I can't wait for The Bitter Kingdom!

Read from March 7 to 8, 2013

4. A Touch Menacing (Touch, #3) - Leah Clifford

An amazing conclusion to a stellar series! This is a trilogy where each book is better than the previous, and A Touch Menacing is a gripping, powerful and incredible third and final novel; I'm so sad to see this series go, but it ended so well! And that ending... my mind is blown. I totally didn't see that coming!

Read from March 9 to 11, 2013

3. Fear (Gone, #3) - Michael Grant

The Gone series is my favorite series of all time, and Fear is definitely an amazing addition to this ever epic series! Darkness is everywhere in this book, and I do have to say that this was the darkest book of the series! Grant's imagination ran wild with this book, and I LOVED it!

Read from March 17 to 18, 2013

2. Prodigy (Legend, #2) - Marie Lu

I read both Legend and Prodigy in March, and my only question is, WHY IN THE WORLD DID I WAIT SO LONG TO READ THESE BOOKS?! These are some of the best dystopian novels I've ever read, and Prodigy is a fantastic and epic sequel. So much more action and character development, plus more world-building! And after that ending, I am shattered. I cannot wait for Champion! (especially since it comes out on my birthday!)

AND MY #1 BOOK OF MARCH IS...

Read from March 23 to 24, 2013

1. The Madman's Daughter (Madman, #1) - Megan Shepherd 

Words cannot even begin to describe how truly amazing The Madman's Daughter is! The haunting and eerie atmosphere, the stunning characters, the weird and freaky crap on the island - every single bit of this novel worked for me. I absolutely adore it so much. It is fantastic. I need the sequel so bad!

What were your favorite books of the month?

Brad About Books: Fear by Michael Grant

Read from March 9 to 11, 2013

FEAR
Published: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (Harper)
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 509 pages
Source: Amazon.com
Series: Gone, #5

It's been one year since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

Despite the hunger and the lies, even despite the plague, the kids of Perdido Beach are determined to survive. Creeping into the tenuous new world they've built, though, is perhaps the worst incarnation yet of the enemy known as the Darkness: fear.

Within the FAYZ, life breaks down while the Darkness takes over, literally—turning the dome-world of the FAYZ entirely black. In darkness, the worst fears of all emerge, and the cruelest of intentions are carried out. But even in their darkest moments, the inhabitants of the FAYZ maintain a will to survive and a desire to take care of the others in their ravaged band that endures, no matter what the cost.

Fear, Michael Grant's fifth book in the bestselling dystopian Gone series, will thrill readers . . . even as it terrifies them.

Fear is a fantastic addition to this epic series. Masterful and chilling, I can't get enough of the FAYZ!

Let me start of by saying that the Gone series is one of my absolute favorite series of all time. Every time I read one of these books, I feel like I have emerged into this world, and I'm always totally obsessed with the book. And Fear was no exception: in fact, it was one of my favorites of the series thus far. The concept was so... different and amazing. Darkness overtaking the FAYZ?! This is exactly what this series needed, because every book is so original and unique. Michael Grant did a stellar job with this installment.

What I'm super impressed about this series is that not a single book drags or isn't as good as its predecessors. And with a six-book series and each one at least 450 pages, that is a major accomplishment. I notice that I find something different in each book in this series that captivates and hooks me into the world even more. With Fear, the character development sky-rocketed! Astrid? She turns amazing in this novel. Diana? I actually loved her! Drake? EVEN. CREEPIER. 

Another thing that I loved about Fear was the fact that new territory was explored of the FAYZ. I hadn't seen some parts of the dome, and the way that Grant explored and showed them blew my mind. This is series has my favorite world-building, and it was even better in the fifth book. I highly recommend these books to everybody!

Overall, Fear was simply fantastic. This series is definitely in my top favorites of all time!

M Y   R A T I N G