Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub

So i have FINALLY finished this book. It was a REAL pain. Its about a town that has been "blackened" by a serial killer. The killer was possessed by a monster from another realm that goes by The Territories(by the main character) and Far Away(by an important character). The killer kidnaps children and takes them away to this land, where they are forced to work to try and break the cage that keeps The Crimson King in place. The main character, Jack Sawyer, is a 'coppiceman' (policeman) that is a highly thought of L.A homicide detective that comes to French Landing for his retirement. As the killer kidnaps children, he starts to get involved to try and catch this man, even though he is retired, and along the way he crosses over the The Territories on many occasions to discover more about the kill and the monster that has possessed him.

If you are the kind of person who likes to read a lot of descriptions and not get into the main story until about 2/3s of the way in, just to end up not even getting much of a surprise, this is the book for you! i personally did not like much (except a few parts which were cool, like the demon dog) and i would not recommend it to you. i think there was an earlier book, which might be why i found it hard to follow, so if you read that first you might like this one. i give this a 3/10, marks because it had a lot of stuff i would like to use (like 'zip up your fly' which is used by a radio broadcaster to say that the game is over (i think)), after all the boring stuff it did get slightly exciting, and that it did have a good ending.

Daemon Hall

im back! after like 2 mins. XD now this book is very unique to me. Divya M was reading it and i found that it suites my taste of horrors alot. a famous horror author named Ian Tremblin i think.. is holding a competition for budding young authors to get a book published. you get into the draw by writing a horror story and the top 5 will spend the night at a haunted house and the last one standing will win. its practically a bunch of horror stories in 1 book but there is quite a good poem that is spread through out and this really pulled me in:

"Five little finalists waiting at the door,

One went down a hole and then there were four.

Four little finalists, plain for all to see,

One was dragged into the night and then there were three.

Three little finalists made up this hearty crew,

One was forced to walk the plank and then there were two.

Two little finalists, one went on the run,

screamed and tripped and broke a neck and then there was one.

The last little finalist almost had it won,

poor thing went insane and then there were none."

this really pulled me in!! the horror stories arent to bad to be honest but i think that it could have been more about the plot instead of the stories (atleast half the book was stories by far) but they werent too bad. i would give this a 7/10 due to the vast amount of stories and little plot there. also i kinda figured out what was going to happen after the stories were though. (i think i know horror way 2 much. the same happen to me with movies)

Changeling: Discover The Beast Within

this book is about a boy named trey whos parents died in a "car accident" and we all know that means they were murdered. could have guessed that a mile off sadly D= well he has been living in a care home when he wakes up one morning to find his room completly TRASHED! he thinks that someone broke in and the head care man thinks he did it. hes been living in this home becaus ehe has no family until his uncle Lucien comes for a visit. his uncle has this special power and has a bad allergy to sunlight. eventually trey finds out his uncle Lucien (total vamp name) is a vamp and hes actually the last of hereditary werewolves. he must learn to control his power to save humanity!! this book is quite a good book and i recommend reading it. 8/10 points lost because it was quite typical for this kind of book.

btw could we PLEASE get the 2nd book in?? its called dark moon. we have the 1st (this 1) and the 3rd (blood wolf) but not the 2nd! could we PLEEEAAASSSEEE get it in??

Goosebumps Comic: Creepy Creatures

Boy it's been a long time since i've been on here but it's great to be back,
With this epic story I tell you I thought this was great
If your one of those poeple that read at night trust me this
is a story for you, of course it's written by none other than
R.L. STINE and when you hear that name you know it's gotta be great
This comic version of Goosebumbs consists of 3 different comic stories
they include "The warewolf of Fever Swamp", "The scarecrow walks at midnight" & "The Abominable snow man of Pasadena"
Where all these stories have an epic story and not to mention a epic end will he survive will he not all brought to you by R.L. STINE

Yours
MASTER BLOGGER

Coraline

What did you think of the artwork?

It was quite simple, but seemed very mature artwork and didn't seem like a children's comic.

By Pheobe Rolfe

Silverfin, graphic novel, young bond series

What did you think of the artwork?
Simple, not too much detail. Easy to follow.

By Jade Wang

Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 1

What did you think of the artwork?

Sometimes I got confused and read the wrong panels. People's faces changed a lot.

By Hazell Fernandez

Percy Jackson And The Sea Of Monsters

hae everyone just in the middle of the 2nd book in the percy jackson series and it's going great, whats been happening is that percy has been breaking the rules (hehe, like he hasn't before) because he's on a quest, that hasn't even been given to him, by the god of the roadways, travellers, merchants and thieves yes Hermes, and what the quest is is that he has to find the golden fleece (from the greek story jason and the golden fleece) before thalia (the border that protects half blood hill) dies because someone has poisened thalia

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan

Hey everyone,

After going to the movies to watch Percy Jackson, I decided to read the book, which as everyone should know, is a pretty dumb thing to do. In my defence however, I didn't know that a book existed before I went to watch the movie. Anyway, as usual, the book was way better than the movie.

I thought this book was pretty good. The author describes battles and other major events in a gripping way in my opinion. Plus the storyline isn't half bad either. It's about this boy named Percy Jackson (major shock) who finds out that he's the son of a Greek God. And then he finds out that he's been labelled 'The Lightning Thief' (another major shock, who would've guessed that's what the book's about!) because Zeus' lightning bolt has gone missing and everyone thinks he took it (which is absolutely crazy, but what else can you expect from the Greek?) Now he's on a mission to find the lightning bolt and clear his name. The only problem is that truck loads of hideous monsters are now coming from all corners of the earth to kill him which is quite a hindrance surprisingly.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was that the writing was in first person. Since the main character is like 12 or something, this made the book look like it was written by some little kid which annoyed me. But the battles and major events were described alright.

All in all, a pretty good book which was easy to read and satisfying. It ends with a pretty good cliffhanger which paves the way for us to read the rest of the books in the series.

7/10

Dead Gorgeous by Malorie Blackman

hey all here i am reading more Malorie Blackman =D this cover isnt the one the library has but its the same book. Dead Gorgeous is about a family who bought this hotel, which has tunnles under it. and 10 years before a boy was searching through them when it collapsed and killed him. he is now a ghost in the hotel. his name is Liam. and Nova (child of the family) is the only one that can see him when he is in ghost form (he can turn solid when emotional). Nova and Liams brother are trying to find his dead body so he can move on. i found this book to be a bit out of my fancy. it wasnt very fast paced and it was a little bit exciting but i didnt like it as much as Noughts and Crosses. i give this a 7/10. marked down due to the slow pace and not very much excitement.

Full Metal Alchemist 14

This is book is a manga and i know i shouldnt have read it before the meeting but i really like Japanese stuff =D this is about Edward and Alphonse Elric, or The Elric Brothers as the are known for. They are in search of the Philosphers Stone (NO HARRY POTTER REMARKS PLEASE!) which gives them absolute power in alchemy. in this manga episode they find the person who has the stone and it looks just like their father!! there is a fight and they cant use their alchemy. i give this book a 7/10 and i think there should be more manga =D=D maybe exclusively for book club and librarians since people may rip out pages... XD

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

Three words...a. ma. ZING.
Robert Langdon, symbologist, gets a call at the crack of dawn. Someone was murdered, and he gets a fax...a symbol. An ambigram (looks the same from upsidedown) of the word ILLUMINATI...an ancient brotherhood that has supposedly been lying low for 400 years. Many learned symbologists have been trying to recreate the ambigram, and failing, and suddenly it turns up on a murdered scientist at CERN.
CERN has been developing a new technology: antimatter. An EXTREMELY explosive device, a quarter of a kilogram of it is equal to five kilotons (VERY explosive) it would wipe out a whole town.
The canisters holding the antimatter have battery charged magnets that hold the antimatter in suspension...but if the battery was to fail...and the antimatter comes into its direct opposite (matter)...by touching the bottom of the canister...
They have 24 hours counting down untill the battery fails. Robert Langdon teams up with Vittoria Vetra, daughter of the murdered scientist, and who invented the antimatter, and takes an adventure of a lifetime to the Vatican city.
The Vatican city is in the prossess of choosing a new pope after the death of the old one. But theres a problem. The four preferred Cardinals have been kidnapped and the antimatter is somewhere within the Vatican City, ready to explode at midnight. The four cardinals are going to be murdered by the Illuminatus on the four "altars of science". Robert and Vittoria do all they can to stop the murderer, who claims to work for the illuminatus, and they beleive that following the "path of illumination" will lead them to the four altars of science and finally to the antimatter. If they could only get it before time runs out...
A breathtaking adventure
The whole book is like one enormous jugsaw puzzle that all fit in together for a while and then, at the end, BAM! the WHOLE structure changes in one unEXPECTED ending...

Going Solo

I thought this book was awesome; full of Roald Dahl's old lifetime stories from way back. It was really exciting because it was full of information about his working conditions and history as an author. It did keep my interest and the most interesting part for me was the biographies on his precious books.

This review was written by Jasmine Henderson-Cook in response to the Book Club 'Hero' theme.

Mao's Last Dancer

I thought the book was really excellent, I liked the description and the way the author wrote the book. It was exciting, but of a different sort because it is a biography. Overall, it did keep my interest but sometimes I had to make myself read the next part.

This review was written by Phoebe Rolfe in response to the Book Club 'Hero' theme.

Zlata's Diary

I thought this book was very informing but I don't think it is as serious as Anne Frank's Diary. I didn't think it was really exciting. The excitement was generally consistent throughout the book but sometimes I lost interest.

This review was written by Jade Wang in response to the Book Club 'Hero' theme.

Sunrise From The Summit

This book was about heroic sportswomen, the hardship they endure and the victories they have. It was interesting at first but the story was the same everytime. Even so I liked all their stories.

This review was written by Pauline Suyat in response to the Book Club 'Hero' theme.

The New Heroes Absolute Power

This is a great book about heroes. It is action packed with no boring bits.

This review was written by Omar Shahin in response to the Book Club 'Hero' theme.

Indira Gandhi

I think this book gave a very insightful and descriptive story of Indira Gandhi's life. The book was exciting because Indira has many ups and downs in her life and many struggles with her political career. It kept my interest because it was very inspiring to learn how she overcame any challenge that was put to her. Indira achieved so much and gained so much respect.

This review was written by Tara O'Driscoll in response to the Book Club 'Hero" theme.

The Flying Scotsman

This book is the true story of Graeme Obree who battles with mental health issues but is a champion cyclist.
The book is a relaxed read and isn't adventure packed but it does contain interesting facts and events about Graeme's life. It was able to keep my interest.

This review was written by Freya Brehmer-Hine in response to the Book Club 'Hero' theme.

omg i thought the past to books were good but this is just over the top good!! this book has the twist of a lifetime and theres so must tension!! i didnt do my homework over this and almost got a detention but it wouldve been SOOO worth it!!! its practically the end to the trilogy and it answers ALL questions. i wish i could tell more but i dont want to ruin it. but read the 1st 2 1st!!! i give this book 1000000000 out of 10. you must read the trilogy!! c ya =D

hey guys and gals. this is the 2nd book of The Old Kingdom trilogy by Garth Nix. i wish i could say this book was any good but it SOOOO wasnt. it had its high points now and then but it was really slow. its about a girl who is part of the Clayr (people who can see the future) but she hasnt yet got the Sight. one thing leads to another and she has to find a price named Sameth who is out looking for his friend near the most dangerous place in The Old Kingdom. its REALLY slow and only read at your own peril. i couldnt even finish it, but that was mainly because i want to read City of Glass (which is my next bolg). i give this a 4/10/ sorry ash i didnt like it at all.

Guest Speakers

Last Thursday we had three guest speakers come to the book club meeting to talk about our theme of 'Heroes'. They were Greg Boyed (news reader of TVNZ), Tony Searle (a fireman) and Liz Manley (lifeguard and Principal of Woodlands Park Primary).

Each of them gave an account of something they experienced which they thought was heroic. Some excellent questions were asked and everyone walked away with something that will influence them in a positive way for the rest of their life. All the book club members thought it was a really excellent program, and we hope we can do it again sometime. We'd like to extend our sincere gratitude to the three people mentioned above, for making it such a wonderful day.

'Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire' by J.K.Rowling

First time reading Harry potter.... I really did enjoy this one. But then again I've enjoyed them all so far...

Now i've got to read the last three which i have read before (which was a bad idea)

Wish me luck continuing =]

Uhh... thats it...

-Div

City Of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

This is the 2nd book in the series. the 1st is City of Bones and i HIGHLY reccomend reading both. there is slight romance i guess.. and more than romance. this book is about a brother and sisters father trying to take control of the government on Idris called the Clave. he believes that its tainted and he builds an army of downworlders (lycans, vamps, demons ect.) to take it down. Clary and Jace (the siblings) kiss AGAIN (omg) but this time because the queen of faries (who are the aftermath of an angel and demon being together) makes them (the sick weirdo) there are alot of discoveries that the characters find and there is alot of anger and sadness spread throughout the book. i give this book a 8/10 because i found it hard to picture the Marks they draw and the creatures summoned. if you are going to read this book read the 1st 1 1st... itll make alot more sence that way. thank for reading! =D

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte...

This book is....wow. I dont know how else to describe it! A heartwarming tale, with a passionate romance that will make your heart leap out of it's cage! Its a period book, with ladies and gentlemen and bonnets and carraiges but it still speaks to people today. I dont doubt why.

Jane Eyre is an orphan with no beauty. Her uncle had adopted her and his dying wish was that his wife would bring her up as her own. Hard chance. Her aunt Reed hated her, her cousins bullied her and her childhood was a misery. She was a passionate girl but she was forced to bottle up her feelings lest she be severely punished.
Eventually, she gets sent off to boarding school. A cold, crude place...she was very talented and rose high in her studies. She became independent and advertises for a job.
Now this is where the real story starts...she had taken up a job as a governess for a girl called Adele, the ward of a certain Mr. Rochester. The romance springs up here...and I love Charlotte Bronte's idea of love...
Mr. Rochester is considered rather ugly. Jane very plain. Yet, the two of them see in the other something to love, soemthing to cherish and treasure. The sweeping romance about two minds, very alike, two people whose match seems to have been made in heaven...a girl's strive for love and independence...Jane Eyre is a true heroine.

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Hey people! hope you've all been chillaxing! this book is about a girl names Sabriel. she is the daughter of Abhorsen (the title passed down though generations to the family line of GOOD necromancers (not bad)) and when her father visits her through the Death realm she is worried he is dead so she goes out in search of him and to rid the world of Kerrigor (the most evil Dead creature there is). she gets a few companions along the way aswell so shes not a total loner =D i REALI liked this book and since it is the 1st book in the Old Kingdom trilogy by Garth Nix i cant WAIT to read the others!!! if you like magic and adventure and have a good imagination to see what the creatures look like you should SOOO read this!! but if you dont have the imagination to picture it then i think you should SOO read this (notice how there 1 O difference??) it even has a bit of romance in there although 1 bit is a bit freaky zekey.. have fun reading and keep it up!!!

The First Apostle - James Becker

This is the first book I read for the holidays and it was one I just randomly picked off the shelf. I was quite lucky that is wasn't a hopeless lump of droppings, and it in fact turned into one of my favourites.

An Englishwoman is found dead in a house near Rome, her neck broken. Her distraught husband enlists the help of his closest friend, policeman Chris Bronson, who discovers an ancient inscription on a slab of stone above their fireplace. It translates as '-Here Lie the Liars.' Pursued across Europe, Bronson and his ex-wife uncover a trail of clues that lead them back to the shadowy beginnings of Christianity; to an ancient code inscribed upon a stone; to a chalice decorated with mysterious symbols. And to a deadly conspiracy which will rock the foundations of our modern world if revealed. (That's the blurb).
It's quite a fantastic book, very similar to Dan Brown style, but then again I guess there isn't much variation when it comes to thrillers except perhaps you could change the religion being destroyed to something like a golden duck or whatever. Nevertheless, it keeps the pages turning and does suck you in with it's mixture of fact and fiction, and great storyline. Some people may find it hard to read and take some of the information in (I had a little trouble), but take it slow and thankfully there is a little simplified run down of the historical info so we can get alright with it. I give it a 9/10 simply because it's awesome. Definitely give it a go!