The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya by Nagaru Tanigawa: review

The Malancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya by Nagaru Tanigawa

Series: Haruhi Suzumiya #1

Genre: YA Fiction, Paranormal, Science Fiction

Publisher: Kadokawa Shoten, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers(English Publisher)

Synopsis: Haruhi holds the fate of the universe in her hands . . . lucky for you she doesn’t know it!
Meet Haruhi – a cute, determined girl, starting high school in a city where nothing exciting happens and absolutely no one understands her.
Meet Kyon ­­- the sarcastic guy who sits behind Haruhi in homeroom and the only boy Haruhi has ever opened up to. His fate is now tied to hers.
Meet the S.O.S. Brigade – an after-school club organized by Haruhi with a mission to seek out the extraordinary. Oh, and their second mission? Keeping Haruhi happy . . . because even though she doesn’t know it, Haruhi has the power to destroy the universe. Seriously.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya(such a long title!) is a very delightful, fun, and quick read that will bring a smile to your face. I recommend it to readers the age of 13 and up. I would say for all ages but there are a couple of scenes that are little mature(although not to over the top).

This book is filled with delightfully fun characters. Haruhi is a very entertaining character. She is funny and a will go to extremes to get what she wants and when I say extreme I mean extreme(no wonder nobody wants her to find out her powers). She is a very random and upbeat character that will keep you entertained for a long while. Kyon is a very fun and generous narrator. He tells the story very well and never tells too much about himself which is a good things because the story is about Haruhi. He can be a bit on the sarcastic side a times but it is always in the right places and never really gets old. It is funny how he is the only normal person in the club. The rest of the characters: Mikaru Asahina and Itsuki Koizumi, and Yuki Nagato are also very entertaining and fun characters.

The story is a very light-hearted story. Every chapter is a short story about the S.O.S Brigade member’s adventures. There are some exciting parts but mostly the story is very light-hearted and humourous. The mystery behind Haruhi’s powers is something I am definitely curious and I want to know more about it. There are a lot of paranormal events that occure in this book which are very enjoyable to read. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a very fun and light-hearted story so if you are looking for a story filled with meaning and substance than you will not get it here. If you are a person looking for a light and entertaining read than this is a book for you!

The writing is very simple and readable which is to be expected since this is a light novel. The writing is very understanable and you do not have to think to hard a while reading. The way the story is told with each chapter having its own short story(the short stories do come together as a story though) makes it very easy to find a stopping point. The art that is scattered through the pages is very pretty and has its own style to it. I believe that the writing makes this book very rereadable.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Susuzmiya is a very quick and fun read that will cheer you up and make you laugh. The book is a very light and rereadable. I will certainly be getting the next books in the series!

I give The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 4 out of 5 Stars

Pandora Hearts Vol.2 by Jun Mochizuki: review

Title: Pandora Hearts Vol.2

Author: Jun Mochizuki

Series: Pandora Hearts #2

Genre: Shounen, Mystery, Paranormal, Fantasy

Publisher: Yen Press(English)

Synopsis: Oz Vessalius may have survived his stint in the Abyss, but he is no closer to discovering the truth behind the “sin” for which he was condemned. On the advice of a mysterious man who appeared to him when Alice regained the first of her memories, Oz, along with Alice and Pandora’s Raven, embarks on a mission to investigate the site of his disastrous coming-of-age ceremony in search of answers. However, what begins as a simple investigation becomes the revelation of a harsher reality, which comes swooping down on Oz as the hands of the clock continue ticking away mercilessly…

Note: There may be minor spoilers for this volume and the volumes before it. Read the review for volume 1 here.

The second volume of Pandora Hearts blows the first one completely out of the water. Volume two has a lot more substance and darkness than volume one. I enjoyed this one a lot.

Again, the characters are marvelous, amazing, great, fantastic, hilarious….I think you get the point. This volume focuses on the characters Raven, Oz, and Alice which is very awesome as they are hilarious together. Raven does not like Alice and Alice does not like Raven and they fight and Oz kind of just smiles all happy-go-lucky which gets Alice a bit irritated. The way they interact with each other is just hilarious. In this volume Oz learns about how serious having a contract with Alice really is and there are going to be horrible consequences if they do not find out how to nullify the contract. We also get to learn something very important about Raven. The way he got to see the person he cared a lot for again was very sweet but a little sad at the same time. The Will of the Abyss gets her own brief scene in this volume! She was very creepy and I loved it! I am excited for future scenes with her. Of course, we also get a few scenes with Break and Sharon who are both also really funny. Break makes some vague remarks but they seem to foreshadow something…or he could just be trolling.

The first volume of Pandora Hearts was more of a set up for the story but in this volume things really take off! Secrets are being revealed, answers are given, and then more questions are showing up. There is also a little tid bit where we get a glimpse of Alice’s memories! I am really impressed with the complex story Mochizuki has created and it seems to be getting more complex as I read through more and more chapters!

Again, I love the way Jun Mochizuki draws…It seems to me she is getting better! The lines are crisp and very clear. The art can be cute and beautiful but also creepy

The second volume of Pandora Hearts does not disappoint! The story is getting more complex and mysterious and I am excited to read and review the future volumes…

I give Pandora Hearts Vol.2 5 out of 5 Black Rabbits

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock: review

Title: Dairy Queen

Author: Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Series: Dairy Queen #1

Genre: YA Fiction, Contemporary, Sports, Romance, Chick Lit, Realistic

Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Synopsis: When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D. J. can’t help admitting, maybe he’s right.
When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isn’t so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers won’t even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the high school football team herself. And why Brian is so, so out of her league.
When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Welcome to the summer that fifteen-year-old D. J. Schwenk of Red Bend, Wisconsin, learns to talk, and ends up having an awful lot of stuff to say.

Why didn’t I read this sooner? Dairy Queen is definitely one of the best contemporary books I have ever read. Although Dairy Queen does not get into deep issues it is still thought-provoking in its own way. Plus, there is a farm and a lot of cows in this book. I like that.

The characters are all true to life characters. They are realistic, relatable, and very loveable. D.J.(I admire her so much) is a very well made character. Although she is unsure of herself at times she is very determined to do what she wants to do. D.J. was also a very hardworking character which made me love her even more. I loved her as a narrative as she was funny, serious, and true to herself. D.J. was also very kick butt. Brian was also a very fun to read about character. He had his own set of flaws to but his good qualities balance that out. I found him very crush worthy. I loved seeing D.J. and Brian grow as characters and loved them both very much. The rest of the characters are not to be overlooked. Even though they had only a short time on the pages of the book I was still able to like and care for them. I especially loved how D.J.’s family grew as characters to as we do not really get to see much family in the Young Adult genre. Simply put, the characters in Dairy Queen are marvelous.

The story of Dairy Queen is a very fun story. In the first half of Dairy Queen we are introduced to D.J.’s life on the farm and around the cows. We read about D.J. training Brian over the summer and developing relationship. Reading about their growing friendship was a very peaceful but fun experience. The second half where all the sports and action happens is where it gets the most exciting. I was never a fan of football but Dairy Queen has shown me how great, hard, and exhilarating it really was. I loved reading about D.J. on the football field kicking the opposing team’s butts. I sometimes found myself about to open my mouth and cheer on D.J. but than close it as I was around people(I do not think I would look very normal talking to a book).

Murdock is able to write D.J.’s voice and emotions so very well. The scenes when D.J. was on the field were very vivid and detailed. I could imagine myself as a player on the field running right next to D.J. I loved Murdock’s good humoured but also serious writing.

Dairy Queen is a very fun, cuddly, and exciting read. I really need the next book. Now.

I give Dairy Queen 4 out of 5 Footballs

Pandora Hearts Vol.1 by Jun Mochizuki: review

Title: Pandora Hearts Vol.1

Author: Jun Mochizuki

Series: Pandora Hearts #1

Genre: Shounen, Paranormal, Fantasy, Mystery

Publisher: Yen Press(English)

Synopsis: The air of celebration surrounding fifteen-year-old Oz Vessaliuss coming-of-age ceremony quickly turns to horror when he is condemned for a sin about which he know nothing. Thrown into the Abyss – an eternal prison from which here is no escape – Oz meets a young girl named Alice who is not what she seems. Now that the relentless cogs of fate have begun to turn, will they lead only to crushing despair for Oz, or will Alice provide him with some shred of hope?

I think you should all know that Jun Mochizuki is a genius. I have been reading Pandora Hearts for a while now and my mind has been exploding at least ounce every volume I read of this manga.

The characters in Pandora Hearts are characters like no other. You would think that with all the very contrasting personalities they would clash with each other too much but they actually fit very well together. Actually they are quite hilarious! We have one kid who just goes with the flow to a guy who is always smiling and talking to a puppet. The personalities melt together to make the one of the best set of characters in a manga series. Almost all the characters have some kind of secret. Oh, and these characters are only a fraction of all the awesome characters, there are some that are not introduced yet. Oz starts off pretty well as a protagonist. Actually he acts a lot like Alice from Alice in Wonderland-which this manga series is based off- just going with the flow with all the craziness. Alice also known as the B-Rabbit(B stands for Bloody and Black) is a very mysterious character. The fact that she does not even remember anything about her past just adds on to the mystery behind her. The other characters-Break, Sharon, Gil, and Raven also have a good start in this volume. The Baskervilles, the villains are the dark and mysterious kind of villains. The Chains(the creatures that are born in the abyss) are just creepy. I actually jumped a few times because I would be turning a page and than see a picture of a some creepy monster.

The story of Pandora Hearts is based on Alice in Wonderland. Now do not be afraid that this is just some stupid rip-off because Pandora Hearts is original and unique. The only similarities between the two titles are the names and some very vague referencing-and when I say vague I mean so vague that you will probably have to be a Alice in Wonderland fanatic like me in order to find all of them. The story is complex, mysterious, and dark. Many questions pop up in the first volume: Who is Alice? What is the Abyss and who is the Intention of the Abyss? Just this volume gives us a bucket-load of questions!

The art is just FANTASTIC! Mochizuki makes art like a Mangaka God. Mochizuki puts a lot of detail in her art amd draws very beautifully! I actually picked up this manga because of the pretty art and title on the cover made me think it was a cute manga. Yeah….right…. The art IS pretty but it can also be creepy to. The characters designs are as awesome and unique. If you do not like the story of Pandora Hearts-and I swear you will- you can at least just flip through the pages and look at all the super pretty art.

The first volume of Pandora Hearts gave the series a pretty solid start but the first volume is nothing like the awesomeness that followd after it. Prepare to have your mind blown multiple times. Mochizuki is known for being a troll with all her awesome plot twist.

I give Pandora Hearts Vol.1 4.5 out of 5 Black Rabbits

Graceling by Kristin Cashore: review

Title: Graceling

Author: Kristin Cashore

Series: Graceling Realm #1

Genre: YA Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Adventure

Publisher: Harcourt

Synopsis: In a world where people born with an extreme skill – called a Grace – are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of the skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him.
When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.
She never expects to become Po’s friend.
She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace – or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away…a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

I am just astounded with Graceling! I never was a high fantasy reader but this book is convincing me I should read more of it. I do not just love Cashore’s writing. I practically worship her writing.

The characters were extraordinary! Katsa is definitely one of the most kick butt heroines I have ever read. She is courageous, smart, daring, and selfless. The things she would do to help the people she cares and loves for are dangerous but she takes the risk anyway. She is not the one to fling herself into danger unless she knows she can do it or she absolutely has to. Katsa is a very good role-model for children and I admire her greatly. She is a very respectable character. Po was a fantastic male main character. He was respectful, tough, caring, and was not at all controlling which was very refreshing as I am seeing many controlling male characters in the Young Adult genre this year. He was a very swoon-worthy character. Do not get the idea that these characters are perfect though. They are very flawed but the way they overcome those flaws throughout the book was made them so admirable. Bitterblue(I love her name) is a strong and fine character to. The way she reacted to things fitted very well to what she is: a princess but also a child. Leck, the villain in Graceling was very evil and cruel. The way he used his Grace was horrible. A very well made villain indeed.

The story is an adventure story meaning that there was a lot of traveling. I was surprised as books with lots of traveling in them normally bore me easily but Graceling did not. In fact I was totally enraptured in the traveling. Reading about the different places and settings was very interesting and enjoyable. The romance between Katsa and Po was very well-developed! There was no annoying insta-love or the annoying I-will-not-be-with-you-because-I-am-dangerouse thing either. Reading about Katsa and Po’s developing relationship was very entertaining. The climax did seem a bit rushed though. There was so much build-up and then it just..stopped. I did enjoy reading about the Seven Kingdoms.

The way the story was written is lovely! The words flowed very. The exchange of dialogue between characters never felt forced and the descriptions of the places was detailed but not overly detailed.

Graceling is a very endearing and unique novel and if I ever met Kristen Cashore-whom I love- my reaction would be:

Fix hair.

Then fangirl

I give Graceling 4 out of 5 Stars

The Diviners by Libba Bray: review

Title: The Diviners

Author: Libba Bray

Series: The Diviners #1

Genre: YA Fiction, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy, Horror

Publisher: Little, Brown Books

Publish Date: September 18, 2012

Synopsis: Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City–and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult–also known as “The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies.”
 When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer–if he doesn’t catch her first.

I loved this book so much!

After reading The Diviners I had only one thought: I need the next book. Now. The Diviners is a story full of creepiness, awesome characters, and beautiful writing. This book enraptured me immediately. I am certain that The Diviners is a book that will keep you reading until the last word.

Evie O’Neill is a very unique character. She craves attention and will do almost anything to be in the spotlight. She can be selfish at times but she does care greatly for the people she loves. Evie was a very…loud character. Not only is she a flapper that craves attention and the spotlight but she is also a very strong character.  She is not a character you will forget anytime soon with the loudness of her personality. Mabel’s quiet and obedient personality contrasts greatly to Evie’s personality. Mabel does not play a terribly big part of the story but I loved her all the same. She was a very real character to me. Jericho and Sam are Evie’s love interest. Yes, this book has a love triangle but it was done so well that I did not mind it at all. It never got in the way of the story and I did find myself enjoying the love triangle to an extent. Jericho and Sam are both likeable male characters. Sam was especially entertaining as he flirted with Evie in very silly ways. Sam also has his own little story: he is trying to find his mother. I hope his story plays a bigger part in the next books. Jericho I do not love as much as Sam but he was a very good character nevertheless. I sympathized with him a lot and he was a gentleman. Memphis and Theta who are also Diviners did not play a big part in this book but I have a feeling we will be spending more time with them in the later installments. Naughty John is probably the most scary character I have ever read in a YA book. At first I thought he was funny because of his name but after learning about him I started to fear him. A lot. Whenever Naughty John’s name was mentioned in the book my heart started pounding.

Diviners are people with a special gift such as reading someone’s past by touching an object they own, being able to get people to not notice you, and healing people with the touch of you hands. The idea of a special group of people is not the most original idea but the mystery Bray was able to put behind the Diviners and their powers kept me reading all way to the end. I was totally engrossed in the mystery of the murders, Naughty John, and the Diviners. One very minor flaw this book has is that I thought that the ending dragged on a little too much. The resolution just went on and on and one. I started to get a little bit bored.

The writing was magnificent! Libba Bray wrote about old-time New York with such detail! I imagined myself walking about the streets with Evie and Mabel having a grand old-time. You could tell Bray spent a lot of time on research. The descriptions on the surroundings were beautiful and clear. The way the author was able to write about a character’s emotions made them seem even more real. Bray’s writing is certainly something to admire!

The Diviners is a awesome and beautiful book. The characters, writing, and story are exquisite and endearing. Reading this book is not something to pass up.

I give The Diviners 4.5 out of 5 Stars

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga: review

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Jasper “Jazz” Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.
But he’s also the son of the world’s most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal’s point of view.
And now bodies are piling up in Lobo’s Nod.
In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

Books about serial killers interest me. A lot. Serial killers, if done well almost always make for a very exciting and suspenseful read. The way they can do something so horrible so easily always intrigued me. So when I saw this book on the shelf it was an immediate buy. I must say that Lyga did not disappoint. I Hunt Killers left me utterly speechless.

Being in Jazz’s head was just terrifying and horribly sad. The way that Jazz was raised by his father was an awful way to grow up and it astounded me how Jazz raised above all that. Jazz is constantly wondering if he will harm the people around him and become the killer his father wanted him to be. Even though Jazz is always doubting himself as a good person you know that he really is just a deeply disturbed, good-hearted kid. Jazz is an incredibly endearing, sad, and believable character that will stay in your mind for a very long time if not the rest of your life. Also let me just say that Jazz is very hilarious with his black humour:

Making a duplicate key from a wax impression was an extremely useful skill to have if you were the sort of person who liked invading other people’s homes and killing them.

That little line will never leave me. Ever. Jazz’s hemophiliac crime investigation partner, Howie was an awesome and hilarious addition to the book. Jazz and Howie’s conversations are seriously funny:

“What if the whole thing was just an accident?”
“And what? Accidentally cut off three fingers postmortem? ‘Oops, oh no, my girlfriend just died! Clumsy me, in trying to perform CPR, I chopped off some fingers! Guess I’ll take them with me…Oh, darn, where did that middle finger go?’ “

Their hilarious friendship is one of the big reasons I enjoyed this book so much! I love how even though Howie is very weak physically Jazz still treats like an equal. Connie, Jazz’s girlfriend is an awesome female character even though she stays out the action throughout most of the book. She is strong, smart, and speaks for what she believes. I really love how Howie and Connie all have a positive effect on Jazz and help him stay “human”. Jazz’s father and the killer well let’s just say I hated them. Oh, and Jazz’s grandma is very delusional-and hilarious. The way she reacted to the cops and the media made me laugh so much my stomach started to hurt. She can also be very cruel though…

The murder mystery was awesome. My heart was hammering in my chest at times. The suspense had me up awake in my bed reading with a flashlight. I never knew who the killer was until the very end when he/she was revealed. The climax was exciting and the ending….was amazing! One complaint I had was how the story was told. Sometimes the book will switch to the killers POV, which I was never really a fan of. It kind of ruined the flow for me but it was just a minor issue.

The writing was awesome. I do warn that I Hunt Killers is not for the faint of heart. There is a lot of blood and gore and the descriptive writing just makes it even more gruesome. Considering that this is a YA novel I was really surprised about all the descriptions of the murders scenes and the bodies of the victims. If you are not one to shy away from blood and gore than you will probably enjoy the writing as much as I did! Lyga did a great job portraying Jazz and the killer. The dark humour was all put into the right places and never seemed offending or forced. I loved the writing almost as much as I love the story and characters.

I Hunt Killers is definitely one of the best YA murder mysteries I have ever read. Judging by the ending there is going to be a sequel! I am going to mark this on my calendar with a big red pen and blood splatters!

I give I Hunt Killers 5 out of 5 Bloodsplatters