The Inside Story (Sisters Grimm Series #8)

By: Michael Buckley

Pages: 288

Publisher: Abrams, Harry N., Inc.

    After the shocking ending of The Everafter War, this book picks up with Sabrina, Daphne, and Puck stuck in the Book of Everafter, where all the fairy tales are stored and enchanted characters can change their destinies. The girls (and Puck) must chase the Master through a series of stories, where they’re willing to change what they need in order to save their baby brother. Soon, however, they are confronted by the Editor—the book’s guardian—who, along with an army of tiny monsters known as Revisers, threatens the children with dire consequences if they don’t stick to the stories. As they chase their quarry and dodge the Revisers, they meet Alice, Mowgli, Jack the Giant Killer, Hansel and Gretel, the Headless Horseman, and more. But will they find their brother in time?

   I know I don't have any of the earlier books in this series posted with a review, so if you haven't read this series I will try and do my best in explaining it to you. I love, love, love this series! I started to read the first book a while back, and I ended up really enjoying it. This series is about two sisters who are about twelve and eight. They had been passed from bad foster home to bad foster home. I am not going to tell anymore other than they find out all  fairy tales that have ever been written are true and they are related to the Brothers Grimm.

   I know this is a children's book and that I am a little old to be reading it, but they are just so good! Michael Buckley introduces you to old fairytale characters with new personalities. You find things out about these fairytale characters that you grew up with that you would have never thought of!

   My favorite character of all time is Puck! Yes, this is the same Puck from Shakespeare's A Mid-Summer's Night Dream. He is so mischievous and I enjoy every minute of it! I feel bad for his victim, Sabrina. Sabrina Grimm is the older of the two sisters. She has a hard time in the beginning believing all this "nonsense" with the Everafters (fairytale characters.) The little sister, Daphne, on the other hand dives into the family business right away.

   This book was a great addition to this wonderful series. You get to learn even more about the Everafters history. I love how Sabrina and Daphne became characters in the fairy tales, that part was hilarious. I don't I will ever get enough of Puck! His idea of "marriage" is so funny. He literally made me laugh out loud in this book. The combination of him and Sabrina in this book is great! Both characters made so I didn't want to put the book down. I had to keep reading to find out what fairytale they went into next and trouble they would cause. The ending left me LONGING for more. Thank you Michael Buckley!
                                  I give it five out of five hearts:)

        Oh Dang!! I just messed up big time. As some people may noticed I accidently deleted my review of Cassandra Claire's book Clockwork Angel. If anybody by some miraclous chance as my review saved anywhere, can you please send it to me so I can repost it. I don't need any of the other stuff just the review. I know I am asking for the inpossible, but I don't want to give up hope yet. Thank you!

    Injane
    By: Douglas Pearson

      I finally got sometime to check my email and much to my surprise I found this! The first chapter to the book Injane. This book was published August 2, 2010, but I hadn't even seen it on shelves. I have never heard of this author either. I decided to give it a go anyway and read the chapter.
     The chapter I read was quite interesting. It gives you a small peak into a girl named Jane's life. She had been going in and out of foster families because according to her file she is insane. A little less than halfway through the first chapter she gets adopted by a very "churchy" foster family, there she discusses with the reader what her visions look like.
      Sometimes the author made it a little unclear what he was talking about, but by the end of the chapter it all made sense. It left me wanting to go out and buy the book to find out what was going to happen to Jane and her visions. I enjoyed reading Jane's thoughts on what is going on around her. I found it odd that I haven't heard anything about this book. Thank you to the publisher for sending this chapter to me, I probably would have never found this without you. Next time I am out I will be looking for Injane to add to my book collection.

Most people think I'm crazy because I see things they cannot. But if they saw the blood and the torture, or felt an ounce of the pain I feel, they would know I'm not insane. No one believes me and that makes me more alone than I feel. To those who meet me for the first time, I'm Jane; once they hear my one-sided conversations and terrified screams, they refer to me as Injane.

Flawless
By: Sara Shepard
Pages: 352
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Second book in the Pretty Little Liars series

   Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya . . . as much more than a friend. Hanna's obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. And their most horrible secret yet is so scandalous that the truth would ruin them forever.

   And why shouldn't I tell? They deserve to lose it all. With every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I'll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I've got enough dirt to bury them alive.

   I am not sure why, but I found this a book a little less interesting than the first one. The whole time I was reading the first book I was interested in what was going to happen, but this one bored me at times. It wasn't until I read quite a bit, that the book started to get good.
   I found it hard to write a review for this book, why? Because, it is quite forgettable. The characters start to become more vain and self absorbed, and at times a little crazy. A still kept me on the edge of my seat, though. You never knew when he or she would text or leave a note.
   But, like I said earlier, some of the best parts don't come til' closer to the end. That is when things start to get good. I am looking forward to reading the third book, I hope it is a little better than this one.
             I give it three and a half out of five hearts :)

Iron King
By: Julie Kagawa
Pages: 368
Publisher: Harlequin

   Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

   Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.
   When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
   But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.
   Wow! What a great book! I haven't read a Faerie book in a while and I was happy to have picked up this one. I spent hours straight reading this book, I even stayed up til' one in the morning! Oh, where do I start?
   Usually beginnings of books are a little slow, but this book was interesting right from the start. Meghan was very easy to relate to, like some of the ways she reacted to things made me say "I would have done the same thing!"
   I love Kagawa's Faery world! She described the world and the fey so well. The adventure that Meghan took was so intense, I kept flipping rapidly through the pages to find out what happened next. This book is beautifully written and the storyline is very good. The characters were unique and interesting enough to keep me wanting to read. I really liked Cait Sith, I found him quite true to his word and at times a bit heroic! I don't know any more ways to say that I loved this book!
                      I give it five out of five hearts :)

Pretty Little Liars
By: Sara Shepard
Pages: 304
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

   Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna.
   Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. And Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful.
   But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.
   How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were and the naughty girls they are now. And guess what? I'm telling.

   I bought this book because I saw the TV show and I really enjoyed it, but I think the book is better. The characters were more developed in the book than they were in the show. *SPOILER* The show avoided many of the not so happy details, such as how Hanna really did lose weight, and how Spencer's family treated her after the Wren thing. I wished they would have stayed more true to the book. *END OF SPOILER* Everything is so detailed, from the things they drink to the brand of clothes they are wearing. Shepard's great description made this book come to life.
   I really like this cover too! To me it represents that the girls are A's toys, but it also seems to represent that they are not true to themselves. You will notice many times in the book the girls put up a front so they could be what everyone else wants them to be. The cover was interesting, it kept drawing me in even after I stopped reading. But the cover wouldn't have been so interesting without the story inside.
   Unfortunately there is one thing that I disliked about this story. Pretty much everyone smoked and drank alcohol! A few of the girls drinking, I could understand, but all of them did it! That surprised me, but other than that this book was wonderful! A must read!
                I give it a four and a half out of five hearts :)

City of Bones
By: Cassandra Clare
Pages: 512
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

   When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder — much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Clary knows she should call the police, but it's hard to explain a murder when the body disappears into thin air and the murderers are invisible to everyone but Clary.

   Equally startled by her ability to see them, the murderers explain themselves as Shadowhunters: a secret tribe of warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. Within twenty-four hours, Clary's mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a grotesque demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....
   OK, to tell you the truth, when I saw this book in the store I did not want to read it. Boy, was I stupid! I got this book because someone suggested it to my mom and she went out and bought it. The cover is beautiful, first off, but the story inside makes it one of my favorite books. I love how it is so unique! It's not about vampires, or faeries (don't get me wrong I do enjoy a good faery or vampire book) its about her own unique idea!
  I loved going on this exciting journey with Clary! It was exciting and heartbreaking. Clare always kept some type of mystery with her characters. Something that by reading her whole series you would uncover their secrets. I enjoyed not knowing everything, it made me long for the next book even more! What kept me wanting more was the end. Oh, that dang ending.
  After reading that sentence, I freaked out. I needed the next book right then and there! I could not accept the fact that this was the end. Although the ending scared me, I liked how she was able to shock me.
  Clare is a wonderful author! I could visualize every piece of the book almost as if I was right there.  Her characters are so unique, that there is no way you would ever be able to forget them! The ending is shocking and unexpected. I highly recommend this book!
                                I give it a FIVE out of five hearts :)