Ninth Key - Book Review

Ninth Key (The Mediator #2)
by Meg Cabot

What is it about:
Everything is going great for Suze. Her new life in California is a whirlwind of parties and excellent hair days. Tad Beaumont, the hottest boy in town, has even asked Suze out on her very first date. Suze is so excited that she's willing to ignore her misgivings about Tad... particularly the fact that he's not Jesse, whose ghostly status - not to mention apparent disinterest in her - make him unattainable.

What Suze can't ignore, however, is the ghost of a murdered woman whose death seems directly connected to dark secrets hidden in none other than Tad Beaumont's past.

What did I think of it:
This is yet another fun book by Cabot.

Suze is jumping to conclusions rather fast, and has poor judgement at times, but it makes for an enjoyable story, so I won't grumble about it. It did feel like there was less action in this story, but that may be because in the first book lots of things had to be explained and had to happen to get to know Suze, so it might have felt like a faster story because of that.

All in all this is a fast and entertaining read. I might pick up the next book when I'm in the mood for something breezy.

Why should you read it:
It's an enjoyable Paranormal YA read.


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Shadowland - Book Review

Shadowland (The Mediator #1)
by Meg Cabot

What is this about:
There's a hot guy in Susannah Simon's bedroom. Too bad he's a ghost.

Suze is a mediator - a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living. But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations.

But the very first day at her new school, Suze realizes it's not that easy. There's a ghost with revenge on her mind... and Suze happens to be in the way.

What did I think of it:
Once again I got hold of an omnibus, so I'll review both books that are combined in this omnibus separately.

I've read several series by Meg Cabot. Some i liked more than others. I will confess that Queen of Babble was a big miss for me for example, while I love the Heather Wells series.

The Mediator series is off to a good start I can tell you.

Suze does remind me of other wacky Cabot heroines, but that's not a bad thing. The writing is breezy and fun, and the events are both funny and suspenseful. Suze makes some cool friends at her new school, and her stepbrothers are a mixed bag that promises lots of future problems for Suze.

This book has both a storyline that starts and ends in this book as a storyline that's clearly going to run throughout the series. This setup makes that I was both satisfied with the conclusion of this book and eager to find out what's next for Suze.

All in all a fun read.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun Paranormal YA read.


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More Quick Book Reviews

And here are some more quick reviews of books I read a while ago, but never got round to reviewing.

Home Improvement: Undead Edition
A really fun anthology. My favorite stories were those by Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs, Stacia Kane and Suzanne McLeod.

Blood Before Sunrise (Shaede Assassin #2) by Amanda Bonilla
I really tried to like this book, but I just couldn't connect with the lead characters. I won't read other books in this series.

Dime Store Magic (Otherworld #3) by Kelley Armstrong
A really enjoyable read. Not my favorite of Armstrong's books, but a gripping read nonetheless. I should read the next book in this series one of these days.

Code Name Cassandra (1-800-Where-R-You #2) by Meg Cabot
A light and fun read. There's a mysterious disappearance to solve, Feds to fool, unruly kids to wrangle, but Jess can handle it.

Awaken - Book Review

Awaken (Abandon Trilogy #3)
by Meg Cabot

What is it about:
Death has her in his clutches. She doesn’t want him to let go.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera knew by accepting the love of John Hayden, she’d be forced to live forever in the one place she’s always dreaded most: the Underworld. The sacrifice seemed worth it, though, because it meant she could be with the boy she loves.

But now her happiness — and safety — are threatened, all because the Furies have discovered that John has broken one of their strictest rules: He revived a human soul.

If the balance between life and death isn’t fixed, both the Underworld and Pierce’s home back on earth will be wiped away. But there’s only one way to restore order. Someone has to die.

What did I think of it:
This is a very enjoyable read.

I will confess I read this book just after having read The Outside by Laura Bickle, and that made that I thought this book missed some bite. There are some tense moments, but compared to the grimness of my previous read they fell a bit flat.

That being said: I very much enjoyed this book. It's a worthy conclusion to a fun and intriguing trilogy. I think Cabot did a good job in re-imagining the myth of Persephone and Hades.

I liked how Pierce includes her friends in the action and doesn't run off alone (most of the times). I also liked how the roles are being reversed and Pierce becomes the one having to save John.

The thing that did bug me is the (recurring) theme of divorcees getting back together. Really: there's a reason people get divorced. Happy reunions are far and few between, yet YA seems to be full of them.

Overall I really did enjoy this book though and this whole trilogy deserves a spot on my keeper shelves to be reread in the future.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun and cool Paranormal YA read.

Abandon - Book Review

Abandon (Abandon Trilogy #1)
by Meg Cabot

What is it about:
Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone... because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away... especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

What did I think of it:
I'm totally reading this trilogy out of order, because the first book I read was Underworld, which is book two. But I liked that book enough to want to read Abandon to see how everything started.

And I must say:
I'm glad I picked up this book, because it's not only a great read, it also makes Underworld a better read.

While I'm still wondering why Pierce and John are attracted to each other, I now understand and like Pierce better. Abandon does a great job to characterize Pierce and make her actions understandable even if they're not always very wise actions.

There's a lot going on this book and while these events do lead up to a sort of cliffhanger ending, it wasn't such a frustrating cliffhanger as the one in Underworld. And yes: I know, I already know what happens after the end of Abandon, but even if you wouldn't know what happens next, the ending of Abandon is of the kind that I could accept if I did have to wait for the next book.

All in all Cabot doesn't disappoint with this trilogy and I'm going to put book three on my 'must order once available for pre-order' list.

Why should you read it:
It's an enjoyable YA take on the Hades and Persephone myth.

When Lightning Strikes - Book Review

When Lightning Strikes (1-800-Where-R-You #1/Missing #1)
by Meg Cabot writing as Jenny Carroll

What is it about:
When lightning strikes there can only be trouble - as Jessica Mastriani finds out when she and best friend Ruth get caught in a thunderstorm. Not that Jess has ever really avoided trouble before. Instead of cheerleading there are fistfights with the football team and month-long stints in detention - not that detention doesn't have its good points - like sitting next to Rob - the cutest senior around! But this is trouble with a capital T - this trouble is serious. Because somehow, on that long walk home in the thunderstorm, Jess acquired a newfound talent. An amazing power that can be used for good...or for evil.

What did I think of it:
This was a fun read.

Jess is a fun and spunky heroine who gets herself in trouble all the time. The writing is as I've come to know in Cabot's Heather Wells series: witty and funny.

The story is full laughs and action and because Jess is such a likeable heroine I was soon caught up in the story and rooting for Jess to get out of the weird situations she manages to get herself into.

This first book sets itself up nicely and although perfectly readable as a standalone it also creates lots of expectations as to what might happen next in a way that made me eager to read more about Jess and her friends.

I will most certainly read other books in this series if I get the chance and I might also try more of Cabot's humoress Young Adult books.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun and funny paranormal YA read


This book seems to be out of print, but you can buy this book and book two in one volume here

Underworld - Book Review

Underworld (Abandon Trilogy #2)
by Meg Cabot

What is it about:
Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance…on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there…and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.

And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape.

What did I think of it:
I'm a big fan of Cabot's Heather Wells books, so when I got this book as a gift I was more than curious to read it, even though it's the second book in a trilogy.

And it turned out to be a very enjoyable read.

Even without having read the first book I was quickly invested in the story and characters. Of course there were lots of referrals to things that happened in book one and which I didn't know about, but even without that information the story was intriguing and intense.

Cabot's writing style is pleasant as always, although in Underworld the tone of her writing is a bit more serious than I'm used to, but it fits the story perfectly.

I must confess I wasn't so sure Pierce and John made a good couple. They both are great characters, but they had some trouble communicating and I really hope for them they learn to do so in the last book or I do not see a happily ever after for them.

As for the ending of this book:
It was another ending that left things wide open and makes you annoyed you will have to wait for the final book to release. (Seems to be a trend in YA I'm beginning to suspect.)

All in all I really liked this book though and I'll be trying to get my trotters on book one, while waiting for book three to be released.

Why should you read it:
It's an original YA take on the myth of Hades and Persephone

Size 12 is Not Fat - Book Review

Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

What is it about:
Heather Wells Rocks!
Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two -- and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that the glamour and glory days of endless mall appearances are in the past, Heather's perfectly happy with her new size 12 shape (the average for the American woman!) and her new job as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. That is, until the dead body of a female student from Heather's residence hall is discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft.

What did I think of it:
To be honest I skipped over this book in the store as reading the title and seeing the cover I thought it would be a much too girly book about fashion or female drama or something.
But then a friend told me to read it as it was really cool, so I gave it a try.

And let me tell you: looks are deceiving!
It's not about girly issues at all, but instead this book is a very funny and decent murder mystery. It has some romance too, but it has lots of action and amateur sleuthing. Cabot's writing style is witty and humorous and even though you want to hit Heather over the head as she's acting without thinking sometimes, she's also very likeable.

All in all a fun read!

Why should you read it:
If you like murder mysteries that are written with lots of humor, you will most probably like this book. There's two more books in this series sofar and at least two more to come according to Meg Cabot's website

book 2: Size 14 is not fat either
book 3: Big Boned / Size doesn't matter(Great Brittain and Australia)

And here's a sneak peek of some books I hope to be reviewing somewhere in the (near) future, but expect other reviews before that time:

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

Soulless by Christopher Golden

Zombie, An Anthology of the Undead edited by Christopher Golden

And I can tell you I also got something else planned, but I won't tell you what exactly yet, but it's going to be fun I hope.