Nemisis: The Beast Within by Catherine Macphail

Synopsis-

Ram has cheated death four times in the past but now finds himself stranded and with no memory. He is taken in by a man and a woman named William and Mary. Ram at first thinks they are being kind but then those thoughts turn into suspicion when they start calling Ram by another name.

Review-

I enjoyed this book because it is funny & exciting. It was not to dull & not to scary

Verdict-

4/5

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- by J.K Rowling.

Synopsis-

Harry, Hermione and Ron have found themselves leaving Hogwarts and are now tasked with locating and obtaining all of Lord Voldemort's remaining horcruxces. This task is found to be difficult for the three as the horcruxces are disguised as everyday objects (a goblet and a locket for example) and in the most unlikely of places. After almost all horcruxces are destroyed, Harry, Hermione and Ron participate in the "Battle of Hogwarts". During this climaxtic assult, Harry is able to conjure up the courage to destroy the final horcrux. With the final horcrux destroyed, Voldemort is finally killed and the wizarding world is safe.

Review-

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the last in the iconic "Harry Potter series" and is probablly J.K Rowlings greatest writing accomplishment.

The book allows the readers to understand why "YOU-KNOW-WHO" is such a devastating and dangerous foe and also why he was not able to kill Harry when Harry was an infant. The book also divulges into Dumbledores past and how this information affected the very future of the wizarding world.

Verdict-

This book is a "Cauldron cocktail" of action, romance, adventure and brilliance, which any Potter fan would see as an absoloute requirement in the vastly popular Potter collection.

Remembrance Day 2010

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

by John McCrae, May 1915

It is thought that doctor John McCrae (30^th November 1872 — 28^th January 1918) began the draft for his famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ on the evening of the 2^nd May, 1915 in the second week of fighting during the Second Battle of Ypres. It is believed that the death of his friend, Alexis Helmer, was the inspiration for McCrae's poem ‘In Flanders Fields’. The exact details of when the first draft was written may never be known because there are various accounts by those who were with McCrae at that time.

OTHER READINGS -

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

Little Albert Kropp; Muller, who still carries his schoolbook; Leer, with an eye for the girls; and Pual Baumer, missed by his sick mother - these are four classmates who have volunteered for the German army in 1914, with youthful optimism. This is the story of their First World War - theirs and millions like them. We read for carnage and shell-shock, but also of small comforts and joke, tricks to get extra rations, stretches of boredom and banality. No novel has portrayed more universally what Owen, writing of the same period, called 'the pity of war'.

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo

Like many other English soldiers in WWI, 'Tommo' Peaceful is too young to fight, however he lies about his age.  The passing time, and subsequently the chapters, is marked by a watch given to Tommo by his older brother Charlie who is also at the front. Tommo looks back, while out on the front, to his childhood with Charlie, big Joe, his simple brother and the girl he loves: Molly. As the time progresses he begins to recount the events on the front; the mutual loathing he shares with Sergeant 'horrible' Hanley and the death of some of his comrades. We learn that Charlie, Tommo's guardian and protector at the front, has disobeyed a direct order from Hanley to stay with Tommo while he is injured on No-man's-land, while fully aware of the dire consequences of his actions.

The Esccape by Robert Muchamore

Summer, 1940.

Hitler’s army is advancing towards Paris, and millions of French civilians are on the run. Amidst the chaos, two British children are being hunted by German agents. British spy Charles Henderson tries to reach them first, but he can only do it with the help of a twelve-year-old French orphan. The British secret service is about to discover that kids working undercover will help to win the war.

For official purposes, these children do not exist.

Harry Potter & the Philosopher's Stone by J.K Rowling

Synopsis-

Harry Potter believes he is an ordinary boy - until he meets a beetle-eyed giant of a man, is enroled to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, learns to play the popular wizarding sport of Quidditch and proves himself as he does battle in a deadly duel with the most dark wizard of our time. The reason.... Harry Potter is a wizard!

Review-

I enjoyed this book because I felt like I was glued to it and I could relate it to the current world.

Verdict - 4/5

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Synopsis -

STAY BACK, HUMAN. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH.

Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a brilliant criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidanps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtim stories. These fairies are armed and they're dangerous. Artemis thinks he's got them just where he wants them, but then they stop playing by the rules...

Review -

I like the fact that this book is different from the rest and it is mainly due to Artemis Fowl being the bad guy rather than the hero. It has a really good adventure plot which carries the story in a fast pace. Totally would recommend the book to friends.

Verdict - 5 out of 5.

Chocolat by Joanna Harris

Synopsis -

When an exotic stranger, Vianne Rocher, arrives in the French village of Lansquenet and opens a chocolate boutique directly opposite the church, Father Reynaud identifies her as a serious danger to his flock - especially as it is the beginning of Lent, the traditional season of self-denial. War is declared as the priest denounces the newcomer's wares as the ultimate sin.

Suddenly Vainne's shop-cum-cafe means that there is somewhere for secrets to be whispered, grievances to be aired, dreams to be tested. But Vianne's plans for an Easter Chocolate Festival divide the whole community in a conflict that escalates into a 'Church not Chocolate' battle. As mouths water in anticipation, can the solemnity of the Church compare with the pagan passion of a chocolate eclair?

Review -

I love this book! Its mouth-watering description of the chocolate treats are enough to give it full marks! The contrast between the strict Church during Easter and the seductive temptress Vianne who breaks the rules makes for a good battle. Harris's writing lures you into the small French village with her vivid words and makes you care about all the odd characters in the book even the strict Father Reynaud. An enjoyable read that you can will reality away easily.

Verdict -5 out of 5.

Batman: The Killing Joke (deluxe edition)

Synopsis -


"Batman: The Killing Joke" is perhaps the Batman's most terrifiying adventure to date. Batman's arch-nemises, the Joker, has escaped from prison and has yet again hatched a plan to wreck havoc on Gotham and more importantly attempt to destroy Batman's soul... And the Joker will go to any length to finally bring down Batman and have the last laugh. Is there a way to stop Joker or is this a night the "Dark knight" will not be able to survive?

Review -

"Batman: The killing joke- the deluxe edition" is an extremely well thought out graphic novel and is considered a rare treat for devoted comic-book readers. The novel itself has many brillant traits , but the two that stand out the most to the naked eye, are: the amazing story that the writer has so gorgously put toghether. And the simply sublime artwork and inks which some may consider to be a work of genius. Both the writer and the artist should be proud of their works and consider it to be a work of art.

The "Killing Joke" graphic novel must be credited for being unique. It has divulged in great detail what almost no Batman story has done before- The mysterious and extremely sinister origins of The Joker! These (Yes "these" origins) are given in the form of the Joker's perspective. This allows the readers to gain a key aspect of the Joker's personality- When it comes to the past not even the "Clown Prince of Crime" wants to look back.

However don't think this is night of crime is going the be easy on the caped crusader! Joker has carefully laid traps for "The Dark Knight" and the way Batman attempts to deal with these traps , will ultimitly reveal who Batman is at heart and if there really IS a spark of darkness inside his soul.

Verdict - 5/5

For everyone who collects Batman comics or even just like the characters of the Joker & Batman, "Batman: The killing joke- The deluxe edition" is the ultimate "Treasure chest of comics" and this magnifacient piece of literature which along with it's writers and artists deserves a place next to the Mona Lisa.

Angel by Cliff McNish

Synopsis -
Two girls are inextricably linked by destiny, not choice. Stephanie is friendless, strange, a misfit. Freya can't stop seeing angels.

But when one of those angels begins to stalk her, its shadow following her everywhere, Freya is forced to make decisions with a devastating reach - and from which there is no turning back.

Review -
I thought this book was great because it made me want to read on until the end. It was a very understanding book and I would read it again.

Verdict - 4 out of 5.

One to keep on the shelf for re-reads!

Shade's Children by Garth Nix

Synopsis -

In a furturistic urban wasteland, evil Overlords have decreed that no child shall live past the age of fourteen. Ella, Drum, Gold-eye and Ninde have all escaped this terrible fate and are recruited into a resistance movement by the mysterious Shade. Hunted ceaselessly bt savage, mutant creatures, Shade's children work together to discover the source of the Overlords' power. But as they get closer to their goal. they begin to question Shade's motives and objectives.

Review -
I thought this book was very good. It wasn't my usual type of book but I thoroughly enjoyed it! It has encouraged me to pick up another one of Garth Nix' books.

Verdict - 4 out of 5.

Wolverine Weapon X. by Marc Cerasini

Synopsis -

"Wolverine: Weapon X" is an action, adventure novel written for young people over 15. The novel was written by author Marc Cerasinni and is based on "Marvel's" comic book hero Wolverine. The novel follows the story of Logan ( Later known as Wolverine), a Canadian-born mutant, as ,through a series of flash backs, his dark past is reaveled. Wolverine's past is not the only thing reaveled by his tormentors. They also uncover his soul and test it to the very end of Logan's boundries


Review -

The outline of this story is well written and for people who may prefer books to films, this gives a much better look into the characters torment than the "X-Men" film franchise ever did (Apart from " the X-Men Origins- Wolverine" film)

Verdict - 5/5

Blind Beauty by K.M. Peyton

Synopsis -

Every once is a while a great race horse is born that will become famous throughout the land. Buffoon is such a horse. As a foal, he is raw-boned, awkward and ugly. He doesn't look like he's destined for glory, but appearances can be deceptive...

Tessa is no angel. She's wilful, rude and uncooperative. But then she has good reason to be. She and Buffoon share a special bond. A bond that endures through all the ups and downs of this thrilling horses story, told by an award-winning author.

Review -

This is an excellent story that goes beyond the usual horse story. Tessa is a great flawed character who grows in maturity through a sequence of up and down emotional events. It delves deepy into human relationships and strong bonds between humans and animals. It's a book that tells you that chasing your dreams even when no-one else believes or even supports can be worthwhile.

Verdict - 5 out of 5.

Rani and Sukh by Bali Rai

Synopsis -

Sukh reckons Rani is the most fanciable girl in school. She's got just the kind of look he goes for...
Rani can't stop thinking about either. Talk about fit. Beautiful amber-brown eyes, like pools you could jump into...
But Rani is a Sandhu, and Sukh is a Bains - and sometimes names can lead to terrible trouble...

Review -

I thought this book was exeptionally good! It is a story about two lovers who have to hide their secret. They are in love and it is forbidden! When their parents fianlly find out Sukh is killed by Rani's father and Rani is left to bring up their child.

Verdict - 5/5

Young Bond: Blood Fever by Charlie Higson

Synopsis -

An Eton boy's family disappear at sea. James uncovers a shadowy society operating in a hidden corner of the school. And far from England, in the bandit-infested interior of Sardina, a sinster Italian count has built himself a mountain fortress. Is there a connection?

Review - 

Blood Fever is the second book of the Young Bond series and is my favourite one! Count Ugo Carnifex, is a true Bond villain with an elaborate lair and scheme reflecting every inch of his megalomania. There are flashes of the 007 agent in James as he coolly defies the Count, finds allies that are bandits, and gets an adrenaline buzz by diving off high cliffs and driving fast cars. But the best part of the book is the whole scene with James being tortured with the deadliest animal in the world: mosquitoes.

Verdict - 5 out of 5.

Eragon by Christpher Palini

Synopsis -

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.

Overnight he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.

Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

Review -

A book filled with destiny, dragons, sword fighting and a hero faced with an impossible task should have been a good read but I found something lacking in the pages. It didn't have the the ability to draw you right into Eragon's world. Maybe because I was a little distracted from certain words being spelt the American way or that I could see a number of plot twists ahead of time.

Verdict -  3 out of 5.

It was enjoyable but it didn't pursue me to read the sequel.

Synopsis -
Summer, 1940.

Hitler’s army is advancing towards Paris, and millions of French civilians are on the run. Amidst the chaos, two British children are being hunted by German agents. British spy Charles Henderson tries to reach them first, but he can only do it with the help of a twelve-year-old French orphan. The British secret service is about to discover that kids working undercover will help to win the war.

For official purposes, these children do not exist.

Review -

I thought this book was excellent. It had a great story line and if you are a Cherub fan then it will tell you how Cherub was made and answer a few questions bout how it was founded and why. It is a good book and I would highly recommend it.

Verdict - 5 out of 5.

Warriors into the Wild by Erin Hunter

Synopsis -

Fire alone can save our Clan...

For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest according to the laws laid down by the powerful ancestors. But the warrior code is threatened, and the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger. The sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day. Noble warriors are dying -- and some deaths are more mysterious than others. In the midst of this turmoil appears an ordinary housecat named Rusty . . . Who may yet turn out to be the bravest warrior of them all.

Review -

This is a very exciting and awesome book about a domestic cat that wants to go further than his back garden and ends up joing the Thunderclan.

Verdict -  4 out of 5.

Synopsis -

With Serpine dead, the world is safe once more. At least that's what Valkyrie amd Skulduggery think, until the notorious Baron Vengenous makes a bloody escape from prison, and dead bodies and vampires start showing up all over Ireland.

With Baron Vengeous after the deadly armour of Lord Vile, and pretty much everyone out to kill Valkyrie, the daring detective duo face their biggest challenge yet. But what if the greatest threat to Valkyrie is just a little closer to home...

Review -

I thought this book was exciting because it was adventurous and the nightmares came true. Ending was a bit stop and start.

Verdict - 4 out of 5.

Buster Bayliss: Custerfingers by Philip Reeve

Synopsis -

Buster Bayliss is not a keen on journalism. he never asked to be a fearless investigative reporter on the school newspaper - it was more that he got volunteered. Forcibly. Now his Fake Cousin Polly is going to make his life a misery until he turnes in a gripping article on the new school dinner ladies. And she's probably going to want is spelled right, as well. It's not even as though dinner ladies are interesting! Gingham overalls, harinets, mouthfuls of gold teeth and lots of stubble - all dinner ladies look the same, don't they?

Review -

I thought this book was quite good and very funny. Although it was a good book, I thought it could of been a bit longer.

Verdict - 3 out of 5.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Synopsis -

Clary Fray is seeing things: vampires in Brooklyn and werewolves in Manhattan. Irresistibly drawn towards a group of sexy demon hunters, Clary encounters the dark side of New York City - and the dangers of forbidden love.

Review -

I thought this book was interesting and very well written.

Verdict - 3 out of 5.

Ghost Trouble by Pete Johnson

Synopsis -

THE GHOST DOG - Daniel's story about a bloodthirsty dog goes down well at a spooky party. But then somehow his imagination comes to life and the howling monster begins to haunt his dreams!

THE CREEPER - Lucy fins an old tape of the spine-chilling story of the Creepers - a horrific creature looking for revenge. Lucy knows she has just done something terrible - will the Creeper track her down?

Review -

I thought this book was a scary read. The second story easily frightened me. Quickly, the author placed me in the book, feeling the characters' emotions. I would recommend the book to a younger audience so the effect on them will be better.

Verdict - 4 out of 5

Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief

Synopsis -

My name is Percy Jackson. Until a few months ago I was at a private school for troubled kids in New York. Am I troubled kid? You could say that...

Does six schools in six years count as troubled? Does finding out that the Greek gods are alive and living in America count as troubled? Does being no.1 on their hit list count as troubled? And does discovering that you're the only half-blood alive who can stop a war fo the gods count as troubled?

If Percy fails in his quest, forget trouble - there's going to be Hades to pay...

Review -

Totally a cool book! It's about an American boy that finds out that his father is a Greek god and that all the myths around the gods are true! I also liked that Percy's dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder were put down to his subconscious familiarity with ancient Greek and his need to be ever ready to fight off hoards of deadly monsters.

Verdict - 4 out of 5

Defintely going to read the rest of the series.

Nemesis: Sinster Intent by Catherine MacPhail

Synopsis -

Strange lights in the night sky, people disappearing, a mysterious man calling him Destiny - Ram has run straight into another mystery. But the people who go missing are people no one will miss, except Ram and the dotty old woman who rescues him...

And the Dark Man finds Ram again - but how? Just when Ram thinks it is safe to run he discovers another terrifying truth. Something that means he will never be safe again. Not him. Not anyone.

Review -

This book is the third in the series. In the book you get a lot more hints about Ram's past and what he is searching for but my favourite character in the story was Catman - brilliant! Its fast paced, adventurous and still keeps you guessing!

Verdict - 4 out of 5.

Anne Franks: The Diray of a Young Girl by Anne Franks

Synopsis -

The Diary of a Young Girl remains the single most poignant true-life story to emerge from the Second World War. In July 1942 Anne Frank and her family, fleeing from the horrors of Nazi occupation, hid in the back of an Amsterdam warehouse. Anne was thirteen when the family went into the Secret Annexe and, over the next two years, she vividly describes in her diary the frustrations of living in such confined quarters, the constant threat of discovery, the hunger and fear. Her diary ends abruptly when, in August 944, she and her family were finally discovered by the Nazis. Anne Frank died in March 1945, aged fifteen, in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany.

This book provides a deeply moving and unforgettable portrait of Anne Frank - an ordinary and yet an extraordinary teenage girl.

Review -

This book is very sad to read because of the fact that it is all true. However, I would urge people to read it because it is so touching in many of the chapters. I especially liked her romantic interest in Petel.

Verdict - 5 out of 5

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Synopsis -

Harvard professor Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call while on business in Paris: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been brutally murdered inside the museum. Alongside the body, police have found a series of baffling codes. As Langdon and a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, begin to sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to find a trail that leads to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci - and suggests the answer to a mystery that stretches deep into the vault of history. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine code and quickly assemble the pieces of the puzzle, a stunning historical truth will be lost forever...

Review -

I enjoyed this book because the chapters were so short and I felt like I was racing through it! An interesting plot with many twists - much better that the film.

Verdict - 3 out of 5.

Nemesis: Into the Shadows by Catherine MacPhail

Synopsis -

Ram has no memory of who he is. He wakes up in a darkened corridor of a tower block with no idea of how he had got there. And then the lift doors nearby open and inside is a man, lying in a pool of blood, desperately trying to tell him something...

Ram is now the murder suspect and on the run. But it isn't just the police he has to worry about. Something is moving in the shadows. Could it be connected with the dying man's last words? Or is he past catching up with him?

Review -

This book was recommended by a friend and it's really good! The book is fast paced and there are loads of twists that keep you guessing what is actually happening! Ram is so confused about who he is that you feel sorry for him. The other characters in the book are strong and believable. I'm going to keep reading the series.

Verdict - 4 out of 5

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