From the Bookshelf #9

Hello lovelies!

It's been almost a month since I lasted posted. *hides face in shame* I could rattle off a bunch of excuses, but the truth is that I honestly just needed a break. I would hate for blogging to start feeling more like a job than something I enjoy, and I just needed to recharge and get some schoolwork under control.

So I'm kicking my brief hiatus away with a From the Bookshelf post! It's been a while since I've made one, so I've got plenty of books to share with you.

The Soul Seekers series by Alyson Noel

Star Rating for . . . 

Fated: 2

Echo: 3

Mystic: 2

Horizon: 2

Genre: Fantasy

Notes: As captivating as the titles sounded, I just felt like these books weren't gripping. The plot was dry and the characters had no depth. It also was a big fan of the "hide stuff from the reader and then INFO DUMP THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF THEM" tactic, which I wasn't fond of.

The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore

Star Rating: 3

Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Notes: This is #4 in the I Am Number Four series.

Slaves of Socorro by John Flanagan

Star Rating: 3.5

Genre: Fantasy

Notes: This is book #4 in the Brotherband Chronicles. Also, it got the star rating it did because I felt like it was trying so hard not to be it's sister series The Ranger's Apprentice, that it lacked its own character.

Paper Towns by John Green

Star Rating: 3

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Notes: Before you John Green enthusiasts come for my head, I'll explain the rating. I just felt like the whole book wasn't interesting for the most part because it's entirely about finding Margo, who we know nothing about. We have no emotional attachment for her at the time of her search party. I did like the minivan scenes, however. Those were hilarious.

The Royal Ranger by John Flanagan

Star Rating: 4

Genre: Fantasy

Notes: I loved seeing the characters one more time after the original series. I was also a big fan of a girl kicking butt and becoming a Ranger in this book, but I can't give this book a full five stars just because I felt like Will in this book was a carbon copy of Halt, and I just didn't enjoy it as much.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Star Rating: 4

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Notes: I loved that this book took the time to get to know Alaska, which John Green didn't do well with Paper Towns's Margo. This way I could actually understand the other characters's urgency and decisions. I can't give this book a full five stars just because of some things that happened in the book, and because I just didn't feel completely connected to the book in a way that a 5-star book would.

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Star Rating: 4.5

Genre: Fantasy

Notes: This is the final book in the Mortal Instruments series. If you read it, just be warned that you're gonna feel all of the feels. That's all.

Hope you enjoyed my latest From the Bookshelf! I know it's a bit of a word dump, but I figured I ought to take care of my massive finished book stack sooner or later. Let me know what you've been reading! I'd love to hear book suggestions and what you've though of ones I've read.

And now I'm off to schedule some posts so that we can avoid those awkward hiatuses. Huzzah!

Cheers,

Sea