Review of Hammered by Kevin Hearne

Title: Hammered (Iron Druid Chronicles #3)
Narrator: Luke Daniels
Author: Kevin Hearne
Published by: Brilliance Audio
Length: 10 hours
Source: Library
Format: Audio
Rating: 3.5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Thor, the Norse god of thunder, is worse than a blowhard and a bully — he’s ruined countless lives and killed scores of innocents. After centuries, Viking vampire Leif Helgarson is ready to get his vengeance, and he’s asked his friend Atticus O’Sullivan, the last of the Druids, to help take down this Norse nightmare. One survival strategy has worked for Atticus for more than two thousand years: stay away from the guy with the lightning bolts. But things are heating up in Atticus’s home base of Tempe, Arizona. There’s a vampire turf war brewing, and Russian demon hunters who call themselves the Hammers of God are running rampant. Despite multiple warnings and portents of dire consequences, Atticus and Leif journey to the Norse plane of Asgard, where they team up with a werewolf, a sorcerer, and an army of frost giants for an epic showdown against vicious Valkyries, angry gods, and the hammer - wielding Thunder Thug himself.

There is never a dull moment in an Iron Druid Chronicles novel.  They are packed with action, adventure and tons of mythology.

Atticus is back and this time it's his mission to kill Thor.  I'm not quite sure why Atticus promised Leif he would do this.  It's a dangerous mission and while Thor is a complete number one jerk, Atticus has no personal issues with him.  As we got to know each of Atticus's companions and their reasons for wanting to kill Thor, I was right along with them.  It wasn't enough that I wanted his head on a silver platter, I wanted his death to hurt.  He was a horrible man and I'm happy that this unlikely, but lovable crew came together to plot his demise. 

While this book had tons of action and fighting it was lacking some of the light-heartedness of the other novels.  No matter how dire things got, there was usually some comic relief, but not so much in Hammered.  I missed Oberon, the widow, and some of the other characters who kept things fun and lively. 

The narrator, Luke Daniels, did an exceptional job as always.  I seriously could listen to this guy read books to me all day long.  He does a wide range of voices for each character and puts so much expression into his tones that it makes it quite enjoyable to listen to.  If you are new to audio books or just looking for a great narrator try Luke Daniels.  You won't be sorry.

While this wasn't my favorite book in the series, it was still a great read and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. 

Review of The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore

Title: The Rise of Nine (Lorien Legacies #3)
Author: Pittacus Lore
Published by: HarperCollins
Pages: 416
Source: Edelweiss and HarperCollins
Format: ARC ebook
Available: August 2, 2012
Rating: 4.5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Until the day I met John Smith, Number Four, I'd been on the run alone, hiding and fighting to stay alive.

Together, we are much more powerful. But it could only last so long before we had to separate to find the others. . . .

I went to Spain to find Seven, and I found even more, including a tenth member of the Garde who escaped from Lorien alive. Ella is younger than the rest of us, but just as brave. Now we're looking for the others--including John.

But so are they.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They caught me in New York--but I escaped.
I am Number Six.
They want to finish what they started.
But they'll have to fight us first.

This series just keeps getting better and better.

The Rise of Nine is action packed, thrilling, and edge of your seat good.  Finally things start falling in place for the Lorien.  They are finding more of their own and starting to understand their legacies.  It is so interesting learning what each person's legacies are and how they are an integral part of the plot.  Of course some characters seem more powerful than others, but it is truly about them working together and using their individual talents to fight the common evil.  Who doesn't love a great "good versus evil" plot line!

Four is back but for some reason doesn't seem as strong in this novel.  Maybe it's just that more of the Lorien are there and they are all unbelievably fierce and have some serious and deadly skills, but I want Four to swoop in and save the day.  I won't give away who you get to meet in this novel but some of the old favorites are back with new powers and a taste for vengeance.

I have to admit that I am quite jealous of all their legacies and their chests of goodies.  As the Garde band together they seem impossible to defeat but Setrakus Ra and the other Mogadorians have some tricks up their sleeves as well. 

One things I loved about this novel was the alternating POVs between the members of the Garde.  It was interesting to see how each of them were thinking about a situation.  The one thing that confused me though is there was no indication of which Lorien was speaking.  You have to read a couple of sentences into the chapter to figure out which one it is, but after a couple of chapters I got used to that and was so addicted to the novel that I couldn't put it down.

The Rise of Nine surpassed my expectations and now I'm impatiently waiting for the next book to hear the rest of their adventure. 

Friday Night Date Night

Friday Night Date Night is a feature on my blog that showcases movie review (mostly movies that were adapted from books). Hopefully some of these reviews will help you decide what to watch on your date night or a night of relaxing at home.

 

When I heard that We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Young Family, a Broken Down Zoo, and the 200 Wild Animals That Change Their Lives Forever by Benjamin Mee was going to be made into a movie I was super excited.  I had heard of the book and always wanted to read it so I instantly bought a copy for my ipad.  Needless to say it still sits on my ipad unread, however, I did get a chance to see the movie.

If you haven't seen this movie yet, drop everything and go rent it.  It was super cute and really inspiring.  While there were some big name actors in the film (Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson and Thomas Haden Church), the whole cast was wonderful.  Matt Damon is such a versatile actor and I loved to see his gentler side in this movie. 

One of the best things about We Bought a Zoo was the way it made you feel.  It was like being wrapped in a blanket of hope.  As much as the story was about reopening the zoo, it was also a story of healing, and a bit of coming of age.  Plus there were tons of cool animal scenes. 

This movie is perfect for a family night.  I think it is a story everyone will enjoy. 

Thursday's Name Game: Tobias from Insurgent

When I first started blogging I did this feature called Thursday's Name Game and as I was going through my posts I realized that I had a lot of fun putting the posts together so I thought I'd try it out again.

Essentially I just take whatever book I'm reading, pick a character and research a little about their name. So here it goes...

Name:  Tobias
Gender: Male
Character From:  Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Origin of Tobias:

Hebrew biblical name that means Yahweh (God) is good

Places named Tobias:

• Tobias, Nebraska a city in the United States
• Tobías Bolaños International Airport in Costa Rica  

Characters named Tobias?

Tobias Gregson, character in the Sherlock Holmes novels

Tobias Snape, Severus Snape's father in the "Harry Potter" series

Have you heard of these guys?
 
Tobias Sippel a German soccer goalie who plays for 1. FC Kaiserslautern
Tobey Maguire, an actor

Do you know of anyone named Tobias or any famous Tobias I am missing?

*adapted from http://www.babynamewizard.com

Review of Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan

Title: Fairy Metal Thunder
Author: J.L. Bryan
Published by: JLBryanbooks.com
Pages: 196
Source: Obtained Free from Amazon on (6/30/2012)
Format: ebook
Rating: 3.5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Jason plays guitar in a teenage garage band called the Assorted Zebras, but they have no fans, no gigs, and they're going nowhere. Even worse, Jason has a crush on their lead singer, but she doesn't seem interested in him at all.

Then Jason steals instruments from the fairy world. Soon the band is enchanting crowds, and Jason is a step closer to the girl of his dreams, but the new gear is brimming with dangerous and destructive magic they can't control.

Their shortcut to success has cost a troupe of innocent fairies their livelihood and turned Jason and his band into enemies of the powerful Queen Mab, who sends supernatural bounty hunters to track them down, including one of the most dangerous horned creatures in Faerie...a small unicorn named Buttercake.

Fairy Metal Thunder is a fun, quirky read with a storyline that will have you quickly flipping through the pages. 

This is my second J.L. Bryan novel and in both novels he has the most unique elements in his stories.  In Fairy Metal Thunder there are some rockin' musical fairy instruments that are out of this world.  They change everything for the lives of Jason and his band members.  I love that this story centers around the power of these instruments and how they are used.  I have never encountered anything like this, so the idea was fresh and captivating. 

As for Jason he seemed like a genuinely good guy.  Of course he is a teenager and a bit of a rebel at times but the way he cares for is his younger sister is endearing.  Of all the character, we get to know Jason the best with him being the narrator.  I wish that there would have been a little more character development with the other characters, especially Erin.  Maybe in the next books in the series we will get to learn more about each of these characters and see where Jason and Erin's relationship goes.

The music the Assorted Zebras play is explosive.  I really wish there were some mp3 that went along with the book so we could hear it.  I have a feeling it would be quite a psychedelic experience.  Along with the music an interesting part of the story for me was the setting.  The novel was set in Wisconsin...my home state!  Therefore when they mentioned cities and such I knew exactly what they were talking about.  Always a neat experience.

Whether you are a music fan or just like a great twist to a fairy tale try Fairy Metal Thunder.  I think you'll like it. 

Review of Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Pandemonium (Delirium #2)
Author: Lauren Oliver
Narrator: Sarah Drew
Published by: Random House/Listening Library
Length: 9 sound discs (ca. 72 min. each)
Source: Library
Format: Audio
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads: I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

Stunned, shocked, and hopeful are just a few emotions you will experience as you journey through Lena's new life.  Delirium left readers emotional drained and curious to see what would happen next.  Does Pandemonium deliver?  In my opinion...yes.  Lauren Oliver has so much talent not only in the premise behind the novel, but also in her writing.  It is quite beautiful and captivating. 

As for the characters, Lena finds her strength in this novel.  She leaves everything she knows behind and has to forge her own path.  I admire her determination and will to survive.  She is a fighter and will do what it takes to help the Resistance.  You will meet some new characters who add dimension and mystery to the story.  They will burrow into your heart and leave a lasting impression.   

Sarah Drew did a fantastic job narrating Pandemonium and bringing the character of Lena to life.  However, I got confused as the book jumped between now (Lena as she takes part in the Resistance movement in New York) and then (right after Lena escaped the fence).  It took me a while after each change to get used to the setting difference.  I think the alternating times worked for this novel as it kept people wondering about multiple things at once.  There was never a dull moment and it kept the readers wanting to read more. 

Just like Delirium, Pandemonium ends with a bang.  I, personally, am not sure how I feel about the ending, but all I can say is the next book will sure be interesting. 

Review of Dead Ringer by Allen Wyler

Title: Dead RingerAuthor: Allen Wyler
Published by: Astor + Blue Editions
Pages: 286
Source: Publicist/Author
Format ARC ebook
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads: While speaking at a Hong Kong medical conference, neurosurgeon Dr. Lucas McCrae slips the cloth off a cadaver’s head during a routine medical demonstration, and is overwhelmed with the shock by what’s staring back at him: His best friend, Andy Baer.

Stunned, McCrae races back to Seattle to discover that Andy is in fact missing and may have been murdered by a gang of body snatchers who operate a legit funeral business and make a fortune by selling recovered body parts to medical researchers.

McCrae teams up with an unlikely pair—a beautiful but hardnosed female cop and a gang member whose family was victimized by the body parts ring—to try and expose a macabre web of corruption that involves law enforcement, politicians, funeral home curators and murdered prostitutes.

Dead Ringer was gripping, entertaining and a welcome addition to the medical thrillers family.

Lucas McCrae is one neurosurgeon you don't want to mess with.  Not only is he brilliant, but he's also fiercely loyal to his friends.  After the shock of seeing his best friend's head on the demonstration table he's determined to find out not only why his friend is dead, buy also how he died.  Lucas  is the type of character that you admire.  He is down to earth, caring and compassionate.  He's your everyday good guy and someone you'd want on your side if things went downhill.   

The premises of this novel was intriguing.  The unusualness and slightly morbid idea of killing prostitutes to sell their body parts was like watching a wreck....you can't look away no matter how horrible it is.  I enjoyed this fresh take on a medical thriller, especially the partnership between Lucas, the investigating officer, Wendy Elliot, and Luis, a gang member looking for revenge for his sister's death.  It's unexpected, tension filled, and at times a bit saucy, but still fun and exciting. 

While I did really enjoy this novel, I felt the ending was a bit rushed and it left me unsatisfied.  Don't get me wrong, it was actioned packed and thrilling, but there was something missing from it.  I would have liked to seen a more detailed and thought out plan.  There were some loose ends that didn't seem to get tied up and left me wondering. 

Despite the ending I liked Dead Ringer and I'll be looking forward to more novels from Allen Wyler.