The Death And Life Of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood

No. of pages: 269
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud tells the haunting story of a young man who narrowly survives a terrible car wreck that kills his little brother. Years later, the brothers’ bond remains so strong that it transcends the normal boundaries separating life and death. Charlie St. Cloud lives in a snug New England fishing village. By day he tends the lawns and monuments of the ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. Graced with an extraordinary gift after surviving the accident, he can still see, talk, and even play catch with Sam’s spirit. But townsfolk whisper that Charlie has never recovered from his loss.

Into his carefully ordered life comes Tess Carroll, a captivating, adventuresome woman training for a solo sailing trip around the globe. Fate steers her boat into a treacherous storm that blows her back to harbor, to a charged encounter with Charlie, and to a surprise more overwhelming than the violent sea itself. Charlie and Tess discover a beautiful and uncommon connection that leads to a race against time and a desperate choice between death and life, between the past and the future, between holding on and letting go.

Review: When Sam is 12, and Charlie 15, they are in a terrible car accident. Both die at the scene, but miraculously Charlie is brought back to life. But he's not the same Charlie anymore, now Charlie can see Sam's spirit, and he vows never to leave him. That is until he meets Tess, and Charlie realises what living is all about, but can he get past the spirits that haunt him?

This is a lovely book and perfect for a summer read. You'd imagine a book about death would be very depressing, but actually this book is uplifting, and shows more than anything how love affects us in every way. The story moves along at a nice pace, kind of in sync with Charlie's life in the book. I really liked all of the characters, and I especially loved the relationship between Charlie and Sam. My one disappointment with this book was that I guessed the big twist pretty early on in the book, but luckily it didn't ruin the enjoyment for me. I mainly picked this book up because I saw an advert for the movie being released this summer, and I'm so glad I did, it was an enjoyable read and I'm now looking forward to seeing how it adapts to film.

The Keeper by Natasha Mostert

No. of pages: 388
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: Mia Lockhart has a secret. Her mother was a keeper, as was her grandmother - women who were warriors, healers and protectors. And when a mysterious man enters her life, she puts this to the test. Adrian Ashton is a brilliant scientist - and a killer. With the aid of an ancient Chinese text, he has mastered the art of capturing the chi of his opponents - the vital energy that flows through their bodies. Mia finds herself drawn to his dark genius. But when he targets the man with whom she is falling in love, she is forced to choose between them. Soon it becomes a fight to the death in which love is both the greatest weakness - and the greatest prize.

Review: Mia is a Keeper - a healer and protector of the fighters in her care. That is until Adrian Ashton suddenly shows up. She's never met him before, but she feels connected to him in some elemental way and it scares her. But when she finds out what he does, and that he's after the man she's falling in love with, she must fight Ash to protect everything she cares about...

This was a really interesting read for me, I liked how the author took martial arts, tattooing, chinese medicine, spirituality, love, life, death and rolled it all into one great read. Being as the killer is revealed on the back cover and right from the beginning, I wasn't sure how the story was going to pan out, but it still held a few surprises that I wasn't expecting and I never felt like it was boring or dragging at any point, in fact the combination of all the different elements kept the whole book easy to read and enjoyable. Would really recommend this book, it's something a bit different and refreshing to read, and you can even learn something along the way.

Soul Eater by Michelle Paver

No. of pages: 257
Rating: 8/10
Series: Chronicles Of Ancient Darkness (Book 3)

Synopsis: The ice bear twisted its head on its long neck and snarled: a deep reverberating thunder that shook the ice. It locked eyes with Torak - and the world fell away. It's winter, and Wolf, Torak's beloved pack-brother, has been captured by an unknown foe. In a desperate bid to rescue him, Torak and Renn must brave the frozen wilderness of the Far North. Soul Eater is a haunting story of loyalty and loss, and a chilling portrayal of the nature of evil. It carries you back to the flickering torchlight of the ancient world, and leads you on the next step of the perilous journey which began with Wolf Brother and Spirit Walker.

Review: Whilst out hunting with Renn, somebody snatches Wolf, and takes him to the Far North. Torak cannot abandon his pack brother, so they follow through unknown territory, but can they make it in time to save Wolf?

Again, another fantastic addition to the series. I'm really enjoying these books, you can tell the amount of research the author has done because it's so realistically detailed for that time. The stories have started to get darker in tone as Torak and Renn get closer to fighting the Soul Eaters, and with the end of every book, you never know where the next one will go, so it's always unexpected and interesting. A really enjoyable series so far, and I'm already thinking ahead and wondering what will happen in the last book, so I cannot wait to read the next three and find out!

Spirit Walker by Michelle Paver

No. of pages: 275
Rating: 8/10
Series: Chronicles Of Ancient Darkness (Book 2)

Synopsis: As the Moon of No Dark waxes large, the clans fall prey to a horrifying sickness. Fear stalks the Forest. No one knows the cause—and only Torak can find the cure.

His quest takes him across the sea to the mysterious islands of the Seal Clan. Here, Torak battles an unseen menace and uncovers a betrayal that will change his life—forever.

Review: When people from all the clans start falling sick, Torak goes off in search of a cure. After ending up on the Seal Clan island, he finds out about a lot of things that have been hidden from him, and fights to stop the sickness...

This was a great continuation of the series, again jam packed with a great storyline and lots of action. I liked the fact that Torak had grown up a bit more in this book, and I was very pleased to see the return of my favourite characters from the first book. I liked the introduction of the Seal Clan and their ways which are so different to the Clans we read about in Wolf Brother. A really enjoyable series so far, and I'm eager to read more!

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

No. of pages: 233
Rating: 8/10
Series: Chronicles Of Ancient Darkness (Book 1)

Synopsis: 6,000 years in the past, twelve-year-old Torak and his guide, a wolf cub, set out on a dangerous journey to fulfill an oath the boy made to his dying father - to travel to the Mountain of the World Spirit seeking a way to destroy a demon-possessed bear that threatens all the clans.

Review: With his father on his death bed, Torak promises him he'll go to the Mountain of the World Spirit for help with destroying the bear than killed him. But having never been alone before, the journey is a lot tougher than Torak imagines...

This was a really enjoyable book, and I am definitely going to continue reading the series. Paver does an amazing job of taking you back to times when people wore animal pelts, and hunted with arrows, and even the language has been thoroughly thought out. The storyline itself keeps you interested with the twists the whole way through, and even though this is written for YA, this is definitely something that can be enjoyed by adults. I would definitely recommend it!

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

No. of pages: 386
Rating: 6/10

Synopsis: Julia and Valentina Poole are normal American teenagers - normal, at least, for identical 'mirror' twins who have no interest in college or jobs or possibly anything outside their cozy suburban home. But everything changes when they receive notice that an aunt whom they didn't know existed has died and left them her flat in an apartment block overlooking Highgate Cemetery in London. They feel that at last their own lives can begin ...but have no idea that they've been summoned into a tangle of fraying lives, from the obsessive-compulsive crossword setter who lives above them to their aunt's mysterious and elusive lover who lives below them, and even to their aunt herself, who never got over her estrangement from the twins' mother - and who can't even seem to quite leave her flat. With Highgate Cemetery itself a character and echoes of Henry James and Charles Dickens, "Her Fearful Symmetry" is a delicious and deadly twenty-first-century ghost story about Niffenegger's familiar themes of love, loss and identity.

Review: When Elspeth dies, she leaves all her belongings to her identical twin nieces, who she saw only once when they were 4 months old. The twins don't even know that their mother is an identical twin herself, so it comes as a big surprise when they get the letter to tell them they now own a flat in London. When they move into the flat, they meet Martin, the middle aged guy who lives upstairs who's crippled with severe OCD and can't leave his flat. They also meet Robert, the guy who lives below them, who was their aunt's lover. As they settle into life in their flat, they realise Elspeth isn't as gone as they thought...

I really was expecting a lot from this book, maybe too much and that's why I felt so disappointed when I had finished. But I think more than that, there was just that something that made The Time Traveler's Wife so great, that was missing from Her Fearful Symmetry. The story itself was okay, there were some great characters, but I sometimes felt there was no explanation for some of the characters actions, when it didn't seem to fit with what we knew of their personalities.

I guessed one of the big plot surprises about 40 pages in, it seemed incredibly obvious and I'm curious to see if it's as obvious for other people too. I absolutely hated the last quarter of the book, it just got more and more ridiculous and I felt it ruined the whole tone of the story with such a poor ending. On the plus side though, the writing is incredibly easy to read, and so it feels like the story is progressing very quickly rather than being long and drawn out.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

No. of pages: 607
Rating: 10/10
Series: Harry Potter (Book 7)

Synopsis: Harry has been burdened with a dark, dangerous and seemingly impossible task: that of locating and destroying Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes. Never has Harry felt so alone, or faced a future so full of shadows. But Harry must somehow find within himself the strength to complete the task he has been given. He must leave the warmth, safety and companionship of The Burrow and follow without fear or hesitation the inexorable path laid out for him.

Review: This was a fantastic ending to the series, I really enjoyed re-reading this book. Having only read it once before and disliking it then, I couldn't remember barely anything about what happened in this book, so it was almost like reading it for the first time. You finish Half-Blood Prince with a lot of answers and Rowling keeps you waiting in the finale, not letting you know the truth until near the end of the book, but keeps you going with lots of anguish and action. Finding Voldemorts Horcruxes is the basis for this book, and that's what majority of the book is about. I enjoyed the ending, with the surprises that it brought, although some bits made me sad. My one concern about this book, is being that it's plugged as a children's book, yet there's a sudden appearance of swear words, such as b*stard, and I'm not sure that's very appropriate.

This is a great series overall, and should be recommended to every young and old reader alike, because although it's said to be a children's series, people of all ages can appreciate and enjoy the series.

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

No. of pages: 607
Rating: 10/10
Series: Harry Potter (Book 6)

Synopsis: Lord Voldemort is acting out in the open, continuing his reign of terror which was temporarily stopped almost 15 years ago. The press have been questioning the events at the Ministry which led to the admission of Voldemort’s return, and of course Harry’s name is mentioned a number of times. Harry’s got his problems, but his anxiety is nothing compared to Hermione’s when the OWL results are delivered. There’s a new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, an assortment of new characters and creatures, and startling revelations about past characters and events. Accepting his destiny, Harry continues to behave as teenagers do, enjoying his time with his friends, developing his relationships outside of his usual circle, and learning more about how he must, eventually, do what he is destined to do.

Review: This was a really enjoyable read and definitely one of the better books of the series. I could barely remember anything when I started re-reading this book, so it was almost like reading it for the first time again, and it was great! Shrouded in mystery from the very first page, it keeps you eager to read on. This book has moved on completely from the last book with regards to Harry's stroppy behaviour, and I was very glad of that. In this book Harry moves from anger to obsession, which is much more readable, and I could feel the dread growing throughout the book, knowing that the ending would be a big one. It was both shocking and terribly sad, and makes you much more aware of what you might be going into in the 7th and last book. This book has some very powerful scenes, and a lot more character development for some of the 'background' characters such as Ginny, Luna and Draco, making the series so much more compelling. Rowling uses this book to pave the way for the ending and she does it very well, leaving readers eager for the final volume.

Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

No. of pages: 766
Rating: 8/10
Series: Harry Potter (Book 5)

Synopsis: Over the summer, gossip has turned Harry's tragic and heroic encounter with Voldemort at the Triwizard Tournament into an excuse to ridicule and discount the teenager. Even Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of the school, has come under scrutiny from the Ministry of Magic, which refuses to officially acknowledge the terrifying truth: that Voldemort is back. Enter a particularly loathsome new character: the toad-like and simpering Dolores Umbridge, senior undersecretary to the minister of Magic, who takes over the vacant position of defence against dark arts teacher--and in no time manages to become the high inquisitor of Hogwarts. Life isn't getting any easier for Harry Potter. With an overwhelming course load as the fifth years prepare for their examinations, devastating changes in the Gryffindor Quidditch team line-up, vivid dreams about long hallways and closed doors, and increasing pain in his lightning-shaped scar, Harry's resilience is sorely tested.

Review: I think this has now become my least favourite of the series. It dragged on for what seemed forever, and it was only in the last 125 pages that the book became more engaging. I think Rowling could have cut out most of the long Umbridge passages and the book wouldn't have lost anything at all. I also disliked how Harry suddenly changed so much between the end of Goblet of Fire, and the beginning of this book, and I just found all the angry shouting quite annoying. I also hated the big twist at the end, and wish that hadn't happened. I did enjoy some things about this book though, like Fred and George, the battles and Dumbledore's revelation at the end of the book. I just can't help but think there was no need for this book to be so long, and I think that would be a negative for a lot of readers.

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

No. of pages: 636
Rating: 10/10
Series: Harry Potter (Book 4)

Synopsis: Once returned to Hogwarts after his summer holiday with the dreadful Dursleys and an extraordinary outing to the Quidditch World Cup, the 14-year-old Harry and his fellow pupils are enraptured by the promise of the Triwizard Tournament: an ancient, ritualistic tournament that brings Hogwarts together with two other schools of wizardry--Durmstrang and Beauxbatons--in heated competition. But when Harry's name is pulled from the Goblet of Fire, and he is chosen to champion Hogwarts in the tournament, the trouble really begins. Still reeling from the effects of a terrifying nightmare that has left him shaken, and with the lightning-shaped scar on his head throbbing with pain (a sure sign that the evil Voldemort, Harry's sworn enemy, is close), Harry becomes at once the most popular boy in school. Yet, despite his fame, he is totally unprepared for the furore that follows.

Review: Filled with action from the beginning, this is a fantastic book that will keep you gripped from the outset. The two main plot points of the story are the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament, which are both darker than previous storylines. Rowling has also written this book in a more mature manner, which I think could be a bad thing for the younger readers, who may not understand some of the words. The length could also be a problem, as it's over double the size of Prisoner of Azkaban. But the story does keep flowing very well, and you're not always aware of the size of the book, and it certainly never drags enough for you to think of it. Mad-Eye Moody is a great addition and provides a lot of entertainment during the story. You're very aware during this book that Harry, Ron and Hermione are growing up and leaning towards adulthood, although there is still the magical atmosphere that is present in the first three books. This is most definitely the best book in the series so far, each book keeps getting better and continues to draws you more and more into the world of magic and Hogwarts.

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

No. of pages: 317
Rating: 9/10
Series: Harry Potter (Book 3)

Synopsis: The escape of Sirius Black--one time friend of Harry's parents, implicated in their murder and follower of "You- Know-Who"--from Azkaban, has serious implications for Harry for it would appear that Black is bent on revenge against Harry for thwarting "You-Know-Who". Back at Hogwarts, Harry's movements are restricted by the presence of the Dementors--guards from Azkaban on the look out for Black--however, this doesn't stop him throwing himself into the new Quidditch season and going about his normal business--or at least attempting to. Despite warnings Harry is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Sirius Black--how could this one-time close friend of his parents become the cause of their deaths?

Review: This is the third book in the series, and starts to pick up in pace and bring in events that lead into the future books. The style of writing is very easy to get into whether you're a child or an adult, and that's why this series has such wide spread appeal, to people of all ages and nationalities. I loved how this book didn't have Voldemort as the main "bad guy", but was still gripping and dark. Rowling does a great job of describing the Dementors, and how they affect people, in particularly Harry, and you can clearly imagine how awful it would be to be locked up in Azkaban with them surrounding you. Professor Lupin, the new Defense Against the Dark-Arts teacher, is introduced in this book and it's enjoyable to read about him and his lessons, the boggart one in particular. And of course, we can't forget the escaped convict Sirius Black, who is out to kill Harry for thwarting Voldemort as a child. The Sirius Black storyline is my favourite so far in the series, it keeps you guessing all through the book, and then surprises you at the end.

I've given this a 4.5/5 as it's a fantastic book and the series is definitely getting better, but it hasn't peaked yet, there's still so much more to look forward to and enjoy reading in this series. I would definitely recommend this, to both adults and children who will enjoy the antics of Harry, Ron and Hermione at Hogwarts. It's something fun and easy to read, but is still incredibly enjoyable!

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

No. of pages: 251
Rating: 8/10
Series: Harry Potter (Book 2)

Synopsis: Harry is returning to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry after the summer holidays and, right from the start, things are not straightforward. Unable to board the Hogwarts express, Harry and his friends break all the rules and make their way to the school in a magical flying car. From this point on, incredible events happen to Harry and his friends--Harry hears evil voices and someone, or something is attacking the pupils. Can Harry get to the bottom of the mystery before it's too late?

Review: This has always been my least favourite book of the series, so I was surprised when I read it through this time and actually liked it a lot more than I have previously. This book is much more eventful than The Philosopher's Stone, so it draws you in much faster. The chamber of secrets makes a good plot line, and the book flows well, and finishes with a gripping conclusion.

Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

No. of pages: 223
Rating: 8/10
Series: Harry Potter (Book 1)

Synopsis: Say you've spent the first 10 years of your life sleeping under the stairs of a family who loathes you. Then, in an absurd, magical twist of fate you find yourself surrounded by wizards, a caged snowy owl, a phoenix-feather wand and jellybeans that come in every flavour, including strawberry, curry, grass and sardine. Not only that, but you discover that you are a wizard yourself! In the non-magical human world--the world of "Muggles"--Harry is a nobody, treated like dirt by the aunt and uncle who begrudgingly inherited him when his parents were killed by the evil Voldemort. But in the world of wizards, small, skinny Harry is renowned as a survivor of the wizard who tried to kill him. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoilt, pig-like cousin Dudley.

Review: As this is a re-read, I've only given this book a 4/5 because I know there are others in the series I prefer, but this is still a fab beginning to a great series. I forgot just how short this book is, and so the action ending is wrapped up pretty quick, using most of the book to introduce Harry to the world of magic and Hogwarts. It was enjoyable to start over and get to know all the characters again, although Dumbledore still remains my favourite. I think it's been about 8 or 9 years since I first picked this book up, and I do still love the series as much as I did in my teens, so now I'm eager to move on to the rest of the books in the series.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

No. of pages: 518
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: The Time Traveler's Wife, is the story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-three and Henry thirty-one. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing. Clare and Henry attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goals - steady jobs, good friends, children of their own. All of this is threatened by something they can neither prevent nor control, making their story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

Review: This has been my favourite book for about 4 years now, it has a perfect blend of science, romance and drama. I love the way it flicks around in time, you get a real sense of how it must be so disorientating for Henry to randomly be shoved into a place in time and not know why he's there. I love the interaction with an older Henry and a young Clare, throughout the whole book you see so many different facets of their relationship and how it evolves over the years that Clare is growing up. I adore the writing of this book and find it hard to believe it's a debut novel! There's lots of humourous little comments, and she describes things so fantastically. I just love this book so much, and can only hope the film version will be as good when it's released this year!

The Tales Of Beedle The Bard by J.K. Rowling

No. of pages: 105
Rating: 6/10
Series: Harry Potter (Short Stories)

Synopsis: A very special book of five fairy tales illustrated by the bard herself, including the enlightening and comprehensive commentary (including extensive footnotes!) by Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, who brings his unique wizard's-eye perspective to the collection. Discovered "among the many papers which Dumbledore left in his will to the Hogwarts Archives," the venerable wizard's ruminations on the Tales allow today's readers to place them in the context of 16th century Muggle society, even allowing that "Beedle was somewhat out of step with his times in preaching a message of brotherly love for Muggles" during the era of witch hunts that would eventually drive the wizarding community into self-imposed exile. In fact, versions of the same stories told in wizarding households would shock many for their uncharitable treatment of their Muggle characters.

Review: I enjoyed reading the tales, but felt they were a tad too short. The explainations by Dumbledore at the end of each tale was longer than the actual tale itself, and in general I felt the whole book was very small. I would have loved to read more tales from Harry Potter's world and it's a shame she didn't include more than 5. Overall I gave this a 3/5 because I was slightly disappointed by the shortness of everything, but other than that, the tales were enjoyable.