The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

Stephen King is one of the best story-tellers I've ever read. And I mean story-tellers not just authors. Story-tellers are a whole other breed of authors. I don't know if that makes any sense but even if it doesn't just know that the way Stephen King writes is different than the average author. I've read other author's work when they are telling a story and it somehow seems too detached. In Mr. King's worlds, he holds a certain regard for the characters and it somehow makes it more real. This book had me engrossed from the 30th page. Not bad :)

The story is set in medieval times. Times of kings and royalty and scandals and magicians. One particular magician named Flagg is the main antagonist in this story. He is the perfect villain - old (very old), knowledgeable, has a sense of strategy, and is evil and wants to cause discord wherever and whenever possible. There's a lot of foreshadowing that keeps you reading. It's done so artfully that you can't help but wonder why Mr. King wrote it and therefore read on until you find out at which point another foreshadowing point has come up. It continues in this manner until the very last page. It is a sort of fairytale.

Overall, 4 stars!

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

I was debating between 3 and 4 stars and finally decided to give this book 4 stars for the message it sends. It could have been one of those hypocritical books that finds mistakes in everything except for itself but it didn't. This was the story of a girl in a small town that has everything wrong with it - even the things that big-shots think only happen in penthouse suites and billionaires garden parties. It showed that everyone shares common difficulties and common misgivings about the other groups of people. In the last portion of this book, the main character has some serious enlightening going on and she discovers her inner self that she's been holding in for a long time. It's a pretty powerful message.

I didn't give this book 5 stars mostly because I felt no emotion whatsoever except maybe astonishment and the sudden urge to shake the main character until she came to her senses. I didn't get too attached to it so it wasn't amazing to me - just surprisingly enlightening.

This book really is a good read so give it a shot :) 4 stars and I can't wait to read the next one.

The Dark Side of Truth by Gary Caruso

Thank you Gary Caruso for a copy of this book to do an honest read2review!

**there are a few spoilers**

First of all, this book was just wow. As soon as I read the first chapter, I was intrigued as to what came next. It all starts out with Will's dad being arrested. Five years later, Will pretty much hates his dad and doesn't want anything to do with him. End of story. Except it isn't. Will meets Mason, a guy who goes to the same school as Will, and they go out geocaching. That's when the real fun starts and they find their dead science teacher: murdered.

The most significant thing I noticed while reading this book is the overall growth. Will's maturity level grows so much. In the beginning, he seems pretty dang shallow playing his video games all day and blaming everything on his dad (which he has a right to do... but still). At the end though he grows up and is able to reach those deeper thinking levels. The plotline also grows dramatically from just the murder of a science teacher to the uncovering of a secret guild that has their own secret place in history.

I loved the plot. If you don't allow yourself to really read the book, you may think it's dull when really it's anything but. There were a crazy about of plot twists (especially at the end) which came at exactly the right time. Just when you think the story is winding down and you wonder how you'll ever get through the next 50 pages, there was another plot twist that changed the game entirely.  The person who ended up being the killer was the person they all trusted which really through me through a loop.

Onto the characters. As I said already, I loved how Will's character matures throughout the book as he discovers... I really don't want to sound cheesy but as he discovers himself. His personal growth is one of the main attractions right next to the murder investigation! Mr. Burke was absolutely amazing. I loved his conspiracy theories and all the preparations he made. Especially since he turned out to be right about a lot of things. And Mason. He really is the perfect teammate. He helped Will through a lot of sticky spots which made him all the more lovable. The three of these main characters together made me laugh at the strangest moments and connect with the book.

Overall, I give this book a solid five out of five!

The Elite by Kiera Cass

I never should have bought this without reading it first. The first book was amazing and I got it in a heartbeat but this one left me cringing within the first 20 pages. At one point, I had to restrain myself from throwing the book at the wall I was so utterly frustrated at the plot and at the characters stupidity.

The largest source of my grief? How America was jealous of Maxon dating the other girls. Honey, you're in a competition for his heart so you have to compete against the other girls. That means that Maxon will be dating EVERYONE. Not just you. Because of your behavior, he needs to find someone who will be more reliable. I really hate to break it to you but your bringing this onto yourself.

Alright, you know it's bad when I start talking to the characters. But seriously! I wish I could smack some sense into her head! In The Selection, I loved America. She was so strong and brave and different than everyone else. She didn't care about the crown and she stayed true to herself. In The Elite, she contradicts herself every other chapter! It's enough to drive a girl insane I tell you.

Most books I love reading a second or even third time but I couldn't even bear to reread the first sentence of this book. I almost never give out one or two stars but I had to make an exception for this book. Ms. Cass was really on the right track with The Selection but somehow missed the mark on The Elite. I'll still be reading The One so hopefully she'll get it together and write a fabulous ending to this trilogy that really in my opinion should have been a stand alone book.