The Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles #2) by Rick Riordan

Genre: fantasy & adventure
Series and Book #: Kane Chronicles #2
Pages: 446
Synopsis:

Ever since the gods of Ancient Egypt were unleashed in the modern world, Carter Kane and his sister, Sadie, have been in trouble. As descendants of the House of Life, the Kanes have some powers at their command; but the devious gods haven’t given them time to master their skills at Brooklyn House, a training ground for young magicians. And now their most threatening enemy yet—the Chaos snake, Apophis—is rising. If they don’t prevent him from breaking free in a few days’ time. The world will end. In other words, it’s a typical week for the Kane family.

To have any chance of battling the forces of Chaos, the Kanes must revive the sun god, Ra. But that would be a feat more difficult than any magician has ever accomplished. First they have to search the world for the Book of Ra, then they have to learn how to chant its spells. Oh—and did we mention that no one knows where Ra is, exactly?

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Loved the second book in the series, and can't wait for more! Rick's writing is simple but funny, action packed, and so intriguing!

One thing I hate about sequels; the author has to reexplain everything. Especially in a complex book where so much is going on all at once. Rick retold some facts at the beginning of the book, and throughout the rest of the story, he added snippets from the prequel The Red Pyramid (see my review here). He didn't retell the entire first novel, which was much appreciated.

Again, I loved Sadie and Carter Kane's narration of the story. They are so different in how they see the events. Rick also did an amazing job of all his characterizations, both in the first and second novels.

Overall, I definitely will be waiting anxiously for the next in this series. The Egyptian mythology is difficult to understand but interesting. Rick makes is all the more enjoyable by adding fascinating tidbits from the modern world. I really recommend this to any readers looking for spunk, humor, and adventure.

The Cover: Relates to the story wonderfully.

Release: Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

 
Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.
 
There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long — and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous, and that is . . . the emerald is cursed.
 
Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all, she has her best friend — the gorgeous Hale — and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses and realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.
 
Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

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I haven't read the first book in the series, Heist Society, but I will read it soon. It's waiting for me at home, on  my shelf. But I have read Ally's other series, the Gallagher Girl series, which is completely different from this series as it is about a school for spies. Ally's writing, from my experience, is funny and full of action and romance. You don't want to miss this!

Daily Dose (26)

Daily Dose is a weekly meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly where we share inspirational photography we've found. Enjoy!

Cover Reveal: Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

Hey! Yesterday on her blog, Andrea Cremer, the amazing author of the book Nightshade, revealed the cover to the third book in the Nightshade series, Bloodrose:

So, it's in the new covers, which I was kinda disappointed about. This goes back to the discussion I had in March about the covers. I was really looking forward to not only having the new cover, but also the original.

I like how they had pink elements to the cover. I think I expected it because of the the title. Blood and roses are both red, so I had this thought that they would be red. I like the blood dripping off the O, like the T in Nightshade and the F in Wolfsbane. Also, the wolf. You can't really have a werewolf novel without a wolf on the cover. Still, it's not really my favorite of the three. I hope that just to humor fans they'll make a cover like the originals.

What do you think?

The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles #1) by Rick Riordan

Genre: teen fantasy
Series and Book #: Kane Chronicles #1
Pages: 514
Synopsis:

Since his mother’s death six years ago, Carter Kane has been living out of a suitcase, traveling the globe with his father, the brilliant Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane. But while Carter’s been homeschooled, his younger sister, Sadie, has been living with their grandparents in London. Sadie has just what Carter wants—school friends and a chance at a “normal” life. But Carter has just what Sadie longs for—time with their father. After six years of living apart, the siblings have almost nothing in common. Until now.

On Christmas Eve, Sadie and Carter are reunited when their father brings them to the British Museum, with a promise that he’s going to “make things right”. But all does not go according to plan: Carter and Sadie watch as Julius summons a mysterious figure, who quickly banishes their father and causes a fiery explosion.

Soon Carter and Sadie discover that the gods of Ancient Egypt are waking, and the worst of them—Set—has a frightening scheme. To save their father, they must embark on a dangerous journey—a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and its links to the House of Life, a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

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One thing I love about Rick Riordan is the constant action and humor he adds to his books. Since having read his first mythological series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, I've been itching to read his next two series the Kane Chronicles and the Heroes of Olympus (although I won't be reading those for awhile). The Red Pyramid lived up to my expectations.

You would think that Rick would write the Egyptian gods and goddesses similar to the Greek ones. But, as always, he did his research and The Red Pyramid gave you an entirely different brand of divinities. First off, they weren't present like the Greek gods and goddesses. They were trapped in the Duat, a sort of alternate place that can be used to keep things and to travel through, and Carter and Sadie's dad let them out. They were also less human. They were more divine than the Greek gods. They used magic and their powers more.

I loved how Rick added magic to the story! I know a lot about Greek mythology, but I hardly knew anything about Egypt mythology. I loved how Rick explained things in the story so you could understand the myths behind the characters.

Overall, I can't wait to read more from this series. This book certainly lived up to my expectations and what I expected after having read Percy Jackson. It may have surpassed my expectations, actually. The magic, the myth, and how it all fits into modern day life was awesome and I love how Rick can tie it all together in his books. Can't wait for more!

The Cover: Perfect, as usual. It takes a scene from the book and adds the characters. Always loved Rick's covers.

Daily Dose (25)

Daily Dose is a weekly meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly where we share inspirational photos we find on the World Wide Web. Today's Daily Dose was actually supposed to be tomorrow, but I was excited to post about Anna (see my review here) that I forgot about this.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Genre: teen social issues
Series and Book #: none
Pages: 372
Synopsis:

Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she’s less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all…including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

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Amazing, wonderful, heart-breaking, adorable, tear-jerking, funny, cute. Stephanie Perkins has wrote a book that will follow me everywhere! She has added the perfect elements to make a realistic and wonderful love story.

First impression of Anna: real and kind of idiotic in her attempt to refuse anything her father offers. A trip to Paris, France? I would have accepted it in a heartbeat! But Anna is determined it's bad news because her father is sending her to the School of America in Paris (SOAP for short). As the story progresses, she becomes less focused on hating everything and instead starts to enjoy France.

I loved how Stephanie describes all of her locations with detail. There's nothing 2D when she describes Paris or Atlanta. She places Anna in real places that she describes with ease. The story is so 3D, I love it!

Overall, there is nothing bad I can say about Anna and the French Kiss. Stephanie sets the story perfectly and the romance on a realistic pace. She doesn't do the whole "they knew they were destined to be together the first time their eyes met" thing. Because truthfully, love is hard. And Stephanie isn't afraid to say that in her writing. If you haven't read this novel, I highly suggest you do. I regret having not read this sooner. It's so real and 3D, it's unbelievable. I can't wait for more from Stephanie!

The Cover: As amazing as the book. Need I say more?