Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I thought I would like this book a lot more than I actually did. The Prison was a very scary place to be. At first when I read that the Prison was alive, I didn't believe it. I thought the characters were just imagining it. As the story goes on, you believe it. The inmates just seemed to go from one bad place to one that was worse. The Prison seemed to go on forever. And there were "eyes" everywhere...watching. On the flip side, the other world was beautiful on the surface, but it was all a game. The story was a bit confusing, but that's because the two world stories were interwoven. The end could have been the end, but I could see it leading to a sequel. There's enough questions there to warrant it. I guess I just didn't like the atmosphere I imagined as the Prison (of course, you aren't supposed to like it) and the darkness and the hanging chains and spiders. Creepy. It was like they were going through a big maze and, if you like that kind of thing, you will love this book.


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Wrap up Post for The 4-Month Challenge Part 8

Tomorrow is April 30th and the last day for the 4-Month Challenge Part 8 hosted by Book Drunkard. Here's how I did this time. I did okay, not great.

5 point category:
Author's name that starts with "J" - "Untraceable" by Shelli Johannes-Wells
A book by an author writing under another name - "India Was One" by An Indian
A book I've been meaning to read for ages - "A Wrinkle in time" by Madeleine L'Engle

Total - 15 points

10 point category:
Author's name that starts with "F" - "Wildflower Hill" by Kimberley Freeman
 A book with a flower in the title or on the cover - "Comfort and Joy" by Kristin Hannah

Total - 20 points; Grand Total so far - 35 points

20 point category:
Author's name that starts with "M" - "I Am The Messenger" by Marcus Zusak

Total - 20 points; Grand Total so far - 55 points

25 point category:
Author's name starts with "A" - "The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party" by Alexander McCall-Smith
A Dystopian novel - "Incarceron" by Catherine Fisher
Author's first and last name has 12 letters - "Watership Down" by Richard Adams
A book about a royal - "Clockwork Prince" by Cassandra Clare
A book with an animal in the title or on the cover - "Sisters of the Confederacy" by Lauraine Snelling

Total - 125 points; Grand Total - 180 points

When will the categories for the next one be up? Even when I don't do well, I really like these reading challenges!

The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig

The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is another of Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series. I loved it. I haven't read one of hers for a little while, so I was happy to return to the series. Her strong female characters are wonderful. This one is about Laura Gray, Governess, who is also the Silver Orchid - spying in France for the British government. She is 32 years old and has been on her own since her parents died when she was 16. She learned to be a governess to survive and she was quite good at it. And, of course she falls in love with the man she is supposed to watch - Andre Jaouoen - but you knew that would happen. Anyway, in the course of their adventures, Miss Gray pulls off these wonderful portrayals astounding Andre and the reader as well as the people she is trying to fool. It was GREAT! The best quote came near the end in her altercation with DeLarouche (the evil assistant Minister of Police) when he asks her, "Who ARE you?" and she says, "The Governess!" in a very BA tone (at least it was in my ears). Be afraid, be so afraid! Anyway, it's a great story based on some historical facts with lots of embellishment. Lauren Willig is so good at this.


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Untraceable by Shelli Johannes-Wells

Untraceable by S.R. Johannes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book was very exciting and fast-paced. It is the story of Grace whose father has recently gone missing in the mountains of North Carolina. He is a park ranger and Grace learned all he could teach her about survival in the forest. She goes out every day searching for clues to his whereabouts, but the law enforcement in her little town doesn't give her any credit for the things she finds. She is determined to find her father, dead or alive. She doesn't want to admit he may be dead. Her mother is barely holding on without her father and makes Grace go to a therapist to help her deal with her father's disappearance.

It's also the story of Grace's relationship with two boys: Wyn, who she has known since she was little, and Mo, who she met in the woods while searching for clues. I think the way the two relationships were handled was very realistic. Wyn really likes Grace and Grace really likes Mo -- yes, it's another book with a love triangle. Poor Wyn. I mean Mo has that great British accent, how can Grace not fall for him. Anyway, I liked the way their relationships developed and didn't go too far.

I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't read this book, but the action is pretty constant and intense. I don't recall reading a "slow" part. It is a very, very good book. I recommend it highly. Oh, and by the way, it's part of a series and I can't wait to read the next one! 





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Patriote Peril by Thomas Thorpe

Patriote Peril by Thomas Thorpe

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


"Patriote Peril" was sent to me by the author, Thomas Thorpe, to read and review for him. It is a relatively short book, 214 pages, but it is filled with exciting situations, mystery and the feel of treading through the wilderness of the early 1800's in Canada. In my youth, I used to make believe I was a pioneer, so this book was right up my alley. It is the story of an English family who spends the summer together at the home of one of the daughters, Victoria, married to a Canadian, Richard Hudson. The story begins when 5 members of the family go on an outing and are ambushed and kidnapped. The 6th member, Elizabeth, had stayed behind and, upon realizing the others' fate, sets out to find them. All sorts of twists happen in this story, but what I liked most about it was the way the author told part of the story from one character's perception, then retold the same events from a different charater's perception adding to what the reader already knew. In this way, the author leads the reader along. As I stated above, there are several twists within the story and especially a big one at the end. So, if you like historical fiction AND you like mysteries and figuring out the chain of events, this book is for you. I really enjoyed it.


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