Amelia's Book Room: The Hunger Games

Hiya, guys! Before I forget, I finally got Maximum Ride: Fang on Wednesday last week, and finished it that night! It was pretty good; I didn't enjoy it quite as much as book 5, because there was a lot of crazy stuff going on, but overall it left me anxious for more--which, sadly, I'll have to wait for for another year!

Anyway, back to this week's book. Avid readers everywhere have been falling in love with Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games series! Beginning, of course, with The Hunger Games, we get to know 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, and the world she lives in. In a post-apocalyptic world, Katniss lives in the poorest of twelve districts controlled by the overpowering Capitol. Every year, the Capitol chooses two children from each district to compete in the devastating and dreadful Hunger Games: a fight to the death for survival, and there can be only one victor.

Katniss has always fought to keep her family alive in District Twelve; the people she cares most about are her widowed mother, her best friend Gale, and her little sister Prim. So, when Prim is chosen to compete in the games, she has no choice but to put herself in her place.

This great trilogy is continued in Catching Fire, and the last book, Mockingjay, will be released August this year! Definitely a must-read, and they really live up to the hype.

Before I go, I have to mention one non-book-related thing: it took me forever to get around to writing this today, because I have found a new addiction: owl-watching! I love all birds, but one of my favorite kinds is Barn Owls, and I have found a very unique way of watching them with this live owl box feed from San Marcos, CA. Living in this owl box, set up by Carlos and Donna Royal, is Molly, a proud new mother, and her eggs; two of which have hatched. The father, McGee, stops by at night to cuddle and bring food, and we get to watch little owlets Max and Pattison grow! It really is amazing and addictive.

OK, I'm done now. Happy reading, folks! See you owl--I mean, all, later!

Amelia's Book Room: Fang

OK, this is definitely more of a book recommendation than a review, since sadly, I haven't had a chance to read this yet! The sixth installment in James Patterson's Maximum Ride series came out yesterday. I was supposed to pick up my copy at the bookstore, but for some reason, since mine was pre-ordered, I have to wait for it to come in, likely tomorrow. Grr...

Anyway. This series is extremely addictive, although it's not without faults. Fang promises to be an exciting new addition, with Max and the gang of winged kids travelling to Africa and meeting a few new folks, including the mysterious Dylan, a winged boy just like them, who claims he was made to be... Max's soul mate? Max has just recently discovered her love for her best friend and right-hand man, Fang, so this doesn't bode well.

And to ice the feathery cake, Angel, the youngest--and often creepiest--of the flock, makes a prophecy: Fang will be the first to die.

I'm sure I will finish this in a matter of days once I get my hands on it, so I'll let you know how it goes! Happy reading, and don't forget to wear green on St. Patrick's Day this week, otherwise you might get pinched!

Amelia's Book Room: The Casson Family Series

Eek! I almost left you guys with a review-less Tuesday; I had such a busy day, it just slipped my mind!

I'm so excited to finally recommend the Casson Family series. These are some of my favorite novels of all time; they're just so witty and funny. You can read any book out of the series whether or not you read them in order, but I find it best to start at the beginning, don't you? The first book in Hilary McKay's awesome series is Saffy's Angel, in which we are introduced to the Cassons. The artistic family consists of their mother and father, Eve and Bill, and the siblings; Caddy, who is starting driving lessons, Saffron, or Saffy, who finds out she was adopted, Indigo, the boy of the family, and baby sister Rose, who loves to draw.

The books continue with Indigo's Star, which was the book that made me fall in love with the Cassons, Permanent Rose, Caddy Ever After, and the most recent, Forever Rose. This oddball family is sure to draw you in and keep you wanting more, just like they did to me!

Happy reading! :)

Psst--if there's anyone who likes James Patterson's Maximum Ride books, it's official! The sixth book is going to be called Fang!

Amelia's Book Room: Maximum Ride

Everyone wants to fly, right? Well, what if you could? What if you had wings?

Maximum Ride does. Her and five other children and teens were taken from their parents when they were babies, and experimented on by (literally) mad scientists. Complete with avian bones and fully-functioning wings, they’re able to fly. But that’s not all; they also have strange powers.

Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and (appropriately) Angel have escaped from the scientists who have tortured them for so long, and with the kind father-like Jeb gone, they’re on their own. And the scientists are still looking for them. Things go disastrous when the Erasers, half-wolf half-humans, kidnap the youngest of the bird-kids, Angel, and it all goes downhill from there! Meanwhile, Max struggles with her own problems, such as the mysterious Voice in her head, and her growing feelings for Fang.

Maximum Ride is one of my favorite series’, right up there with Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket. (I used to be so obsessed I wore feathers in my hair to ballet class!) You’ll love all the characters, even dark, quiet Fang and the extremely talkative Nudge. Max narrates the books, and Fang keeps a blog, telling snippets of their story. You can even read it online!

The first in the series is The Angel Experiment, followed by School’s Out Forever, Saving The World And Other Extreme Sports, and, the most recent, The Final Warning. The fifth book, MAX, is set to be released March this year, and a movie for 2010. Author James Patterson has written many popular series’, including Women’s Murder Club, Alex Cross, and Daniel X. You can visit the homepage for Maximum Ride and Daniel X here.

Once again, please join the Dekoposh Book Club, and happy reading!