The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest (Millennium #3) by Stieg Larsson

Summary from www.goodreads.com

In the concluding volume of Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy, Lisbeth Salander lies in critical condition in a Swedish hospital, a bullet in her head.

But she's fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she'll stand trial for three murders. With the help of Mikael Blomkvist, she'll need to identify those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she'll seek revenge--against the man who tried to killer her and against the corrupt government institutions that nearly destroyed her life

My Comments :

This is the final book of the Trilogy of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I have read that book and The Girl Would Played with Fire earlier on when a friend lend it to me.

Was waiting to get this final book at a low price but unfortunately the price was still quite high at this time. Hence I was more than delighted when I found this book at Subang Jaya Book Exchange Programme a month ago. A kind soul had donated more than 150 books for the programme and most of it were almost brand new.

I found that this final book was a it slow in the beginning as the author introducted many characters into the story. It was kinda hard to keep track of who is who and how each of them are related. But once I got through it, I started to enjoy the read pretty much

Although many characters were introduced and the many sub-plot, am glad to noted that the author controlled the flow story remarkably well.

Frankly, am a bit miffed that Mikael Blomkvist seems to get the girl every time. Am amazed that Erika’s husband doesn’t mind that she have a lover and even called him to tell him that she won’t be home as she would be spending the night with Blomkvist

I love the part about Erika and her time at SMP. It was gripping.

I must say that I enjoyed the trilogy very much and happy how well the author concluded the story in the end.

Am giving it 5 stars.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Synopsis.

When he was young, Jacob, had been fascinated by the stories that his grandfather, Abe, told about his childhood in an orphanage. His grandfather showed him some pretty peculair photographs of the kids there and have great fear of something.

Jacob's dad attributed the fear to the horror that Abe gone throigh during the War.

Now Jacob is a rebellious 16 years old teen and he no longer believe the tales. However, one day he received a panic call from his grandfather which leads to him having to go exploring the island where his grandfather lived when he was a kid.

There he discovered the crumbling walls of the orphanage but as he explored the area, it become obvious that the inhabitants of the orphange might not have left. And there seems to be danger lurking around the corner. Is it from the inhabitants or from an unknown source, it was up to Jacob to puzzle it out.

My comments:

This certainly have been one good reads for me. According to the book it's fiction based on real photos and some of the photos can be quite eerie.

If you are wondering whether it's a horror, I would say not. It's more to "X-Men " type of books. Suspense.

The photos enhanced the enjoyment of the book.

I love the author's sense of humour.

One thing that puzzle me is that in one part, it was said that one of the occupants of the loop, Charlotte, had aged 35 years in two days after she venture out of the loop.

This puzzled me as am wondering how the story in book two going to go on ad from the ending of Book 1, the inhabitants of the Loop would seems certainly need to venture out of the loop in some sort of adventure.  Am looking forward to book 2 of the said to know the outcome of the story.

Overall, am rating it 4 stars out of 5..



Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3) by Suzanne Collins

Synopsis at www.goodreads.com

My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains--except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay--no matter what the personal cost

My Comments:

Not only Book 2 left off with a cliffhanger ending. I was at lost too as my friend only have Book 1 and Book 2 of the trilogy.

No matter what, I HAD to know the ending. Hence, I took a gamble and googled. Found FREE e-book of the Mockingjay online. Usually I HATE reading e-books. It gives me headache but beggars can't be chooser, right.

I can say that the pace of this book was rather slow for me. Maybe too much time spend on writing about military stuffs and rules? It makes me feel as if the author not sure what else to write and how to close this book.

Adding so many new characters at this stages did not really makes the story seems to be more enjoyable

There are some pointless loss of lives in this but as everyone knows there are always lives loss in War . However, it still seems pretty pointless to me especially Katniss "mission" to kill President Snow.

The ending in my opinion does not really justified

Nevertheless am rating this book 3 stars as I still love it. I brings an ending to the story. The ending may not be to my liking but it's still an ending. At least, the author did not left me hanging and wondering the relationship between Peeta, Gale and Katniss

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins

Synopsis at www.goodreads.com

Sparks are igniting, flames are spreading and the Capitol wants revenge.

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before...and surprising readers at every turn

My Comments

This second installment of Hunger Games Trilogy still retains the original thrill.

Here we are given a better view of how people at Capitol lives and into Katniss personal life.

I love the vivid description of the Capitol. To me, it's not easy to write it as it needs a lot of imagination. The author also shown that she can "think" from a third party perspective when she wrote the emotions between Katniss, Peeta and Gale.

I think in this book the extend of cruelty of the Capitol is finally revealed. Looks like District 12 got it pretty light previously as compared to others districts and after the Games.
The most memorable scene for me would be Cinna final dress for Katniss. It's such a moving moment.

What I dislike about this book that the character, Katniss, is showing some faults. She can be said as a "user" of people. She used Peeta and Gale as and when she needs it. But I guess this is just another human nature. Survival to the fittest?

Am giving this book 4 stars out of 5 as I did not like the cliffhanger ending. Really hate it. It's like someone trying to be cute and make you guess their age.

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins

synopsis from www.goodreads.com

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts.

The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love

My Comments

I have waited to read The Hunger Games series for so long. Finally found a friend who is willing to lend her copies to me.

Heard that they have it at The Big Bad Wolf Sale last year but I must have missed that. Maybe it was grabbed by fans in the blink of an eye?

Okay, okay...readers out there(if any) must have been bored with me rantig about BBWS. But I can't help it as it's just the biggest books sale in the year. I can't afford full priced books at the rate that am "consuming" books. My best option would be BBWS. For less than RM10, I get my "drug".

Anyway, back to the story here. From various reviews and comments, I gather that ones would either love this series or hate it .

When I heard that this book is like Survivor games type of books where kids were pit against each other till death, I felt sick. I was sure I would hate this book. And yet I just had to read it for myself before passing judgement.

It had it gory moments but over all I think it is well written and that the author obviously trying to inject some sanity in the story despite having to write scene where the kids kills each other.

My most moving moments was what Katniss did for Rue and what Rue did for Katniss. Though they are supposed to be enermy but they still retain some form of humanity.

I am giving it 5 stars out of 5.

A Noble Nyonya by Esther Low

Synopsis from the back of the book

An intriguing, poignant and inspiring tale of a young Thai girl, Meh Nya, who escaped death during the murder of her aristocrat parents, fled from Thailand to Penang in Peninsula Malaya in the early 1900's. She grew up in the stately 'Pelangi' Mansion to emerge as a notable matriarch of a clan.

Find out what happened when a local mafia group, locked her in the mansion and set it ablaze and her agony watching her loved ones and friends raped, tortured and killed. Tear-jerker scenes depict her sharing in her daughter's intense persecution for intermarrying an Indian and the trauma of another daughter who lost her husband and son and tenaciously fought for her life against a killer disease. Nevertheless,share in her blissful escapades and eye- opening Baba Nyonya traditions and practices as she belonged to this exclusive community whose unique and interesting culture flourished in the former British Straits Settlements of Singapore, Penang and Malacca.Be awe-struck with her bizare, mind-boggling experiences with the local cultures as well as repulsive hemeopathic practices of the indigenous groups in Thailand, Malaya and ancient China.

The Last part of this compelling story resonates with gripping no-holds barred accounts of unprecedented atrocities of the Japanese soldiers during the Second World War. Find out how she and her entire family escaped decapitation in one of the many suspenseful episodes. Although horrific, in human tortures killed several of her family members, Meh Nya and her family painfully salvaged whatever remained.Advocating for love, peace and forgiveness, the matriarch's family successfully brought about life-changing values that helped to reconstruct many battered,war-torn lives.

Humorous post-war events and unexpected miracles make for a well-rounded and satisfactory read.

My Comments :

This book have potential. The plot and story was good .

However, the language it was written was rather stilled. It made me feel like the author trying to use too many "big word" and educate the readers. For example in page three, line 1 "Kheng and Ah Too ejaculated excitedly with each bite in their baits" and page six ""I'm famished, " he said, rubbing his abdomen." Both words like "ejaculated" and "abdomen" in the sentences makes me feel like back in English class.

However, am please to say the language got better as the pages goes by. It was much smoother and "normal".

I like the way the author added in some photos in the book. It would be great if they have been colored instead of black and white.

As I have said earlier, the story was good. However, the story tend to "jump from one family members to another. It kinda put me off the tale.

some of the things in the story was lack of vividness. For example when they were caught unaware that Japanese had landed. The family would have heard about Japanese advancing since some members are involved in Mining. It was kind of hard for me to believe that they are caught unaware. Moreover, they sure to have relatives from China and they would have heard some news about the condition in China at the time.

Overall, for me this book was "okay". Could have been better.

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1) by Julie Kagawa

Synopsis from www.goodreads.com

Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My Comments :

I looked forward to this book since I got to know about it. Finally managed to lay my hands on this

It seems that this will be the "second generation" and a branch off the Iron Fey Series.  Here Ash and Meghan's son will hold the fort. Will Julie Kagawa be able to evoke the same magic that she did when she wrote about Ash and Meghan?

Well, for me this book is good enough although at this stage it's still lacking of depth as compare to the rest of the Iron Fey books. It could have been that she is laying the foundation for the coming "Traitor Prince". Guess, by the title we can expect what the son of Ash and Meghan will do.

So far Kierran(Ash and Meghan's son) have not show much potential yet apart from being head strong and a bit selfish. Why did I say that? It's because he very well know what the danger is and how worried his parents will be and yet he did it. He jeapardise not only his own life but also of his Uncle Ethan Chase's life

The charater I love the most in this book is Kenzie. She is Ethan Chase friend. Hopefully, the author will not kill off her in the next book as in this book the author have already hinted something sinister about to happen to Kenzie.

Overal, am giving it 3.5 stars out of 5.