the vampire diaries:the awakening and the struggle by l.j. smith

Title: The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle
Author: L.J. Smith
Pages: 492
Series: Book 1 and 2
Published: June 26th 2007 by HarperTeen
Rating: 2.5/5
Source: Own

Summary (Goodreads):

Elena, the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants. Stefan, brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past. Damon, sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her.

My Two Cents:

I was totally frustrated at the end of the second book in the volume. Of course I'm intrigued to know what's going to happen to Elena after she's turned into a vampire herself soon. When I took the book to read, I have such a high hope that it will be at least as good as the show, because who don't love the show, right? First of all, Elena is totally annoying to me. She's not like Elena I know on the shoe but, sickening, irritating and whatever miss-so-popular to me. Her parent just died and she's not really acting like how a person feel when they lost their parent. In fact, she just jumped into wanting a mysterious guy which ignored her. And acted pretended like she don't care? Is this really happened to anyone? So, okay, she fall in love with a guy that so hot and being ignored, make a fuss over it just because everyone at school want her to be their girlfriend and Stefan is not? She is totally annoying! She is not likeable, think only of herself and I think she's rude to her family. Stefan on the hand, is so dull, and I don't understand him at all! I know that Stefan is quite 'emo' on the show but he's so good at portraying a guilty brother, in remorse, for what happened for the past 1 and a half century. In the book, he seemed kind of lost and I don't feel his love to Elena to be pure or true. But Damon and Caroline really saved the day. Their characters were mean but also quite believable, I'm not so into bad boys, but in this, I totally like Damon. Maybe it was easy to write bad person's characters perhaps?

The truth is, I found the story line is very very interesting, but I don't know, there's so much lacking in the stories and I felt it just a bit dragged and I have to forced myself to finish it because I can't read a book halfway no matter how bad the book is. Nonetheless, at some point, the book actually has quite great scary and deadly actions that made my heart pounds a little. So, it's not that the book is totally wasting a time, maybe if Elena is like the Elena on the show, I will totally recommend and re-read it. Elena's character is just like a parasite that make us hate the book totally, slowly.

I don't know why I read the book at first place. Funny but I think maybe I want to read it ever since I read negative reviews on Twilight series last few years, how the vampires are so lame to sparkle when the sun shines on them, and wrote that Bella was so annoying, clumsy, selfish and 'begged' to be a vampire (well trust me, Elena was totally has all of the list!). And even compared that the Vampire Diaries is actually 'greater' than that. Well, good news, they're NOT. At least I think Twilight series has an honest writing and it totally can make butterflies ruffle in my stomach and I love that some vampires has certain powers.

My last verdict? I DON'T KNOW. Well, if you have read Twilight, maybe you want to read the Vampire Diaries. Some find they're good but I personally will not recommend you to read it. I just let you make the judgement since I've only read two books. I'm planning to keep going reading the rest of the series. I hope I will get better view of the book at the end of the reading. Though I bet Anne Rice should take all the verdict if you want to find the pleasure in reading about true vampires, no?

Have you read Twilight and The Vampire Diaries? What do you think about both of the book? Leave a link if you already post anything on your blog about this. Would love to read your thoughts on this one.

Note: The review participate in Book Review Party Wednesday hosted by Cym Lowell.

looking for ward by laurel osterkamp

Title: Looking For Ward
Author: Laurel Osterkamp
Pages: 80 (pdf)
Series: Novella
Published: August 22nd, 2008
Rating: 3.5/5
Source: Author

Summary (Goodreads):

What if your love disappeared and your loyalties changed? Would you change your life, or would it change you? In Looking For Ward a bride-to-be confronts these questions as she faces the ultimate threat to her wedding plans. Meet Chloe Langley, a wannabe jewelry designer and spoiled Daddy’s girl. Chloe is used to getting what she wants, and for months she’s been planning the dream wedding for herself and her finance, Ward. Then, thirty days before their wedding day, Ward disappears, leaving only an e-mail, instructing her not to look for him. In the month leading up to her wedding, Chloe must decide if and how she should find Ward, whom to trust, when to let go, and what to do about their wedding plans. The story is told through a series of e-mails between Chloe, her best-friend Bethany, and Ward’s best man Owen. As the month goes on and the wedding date gets closer, secrets come out that change the lives of everyone involved. In the process Chloe discovers the true meaning of love and loyalty, and finds that she’s capable of more than she ever thought possible. Looking For Ward is a wonderful story about what it means to believe in love, and to believe in yourself.

My Two Cents:

The novella was a fun read, as I feel like a total bad person, reading other people's emails. The email format writing style and a little bit narrative part from the characters really work. It started when Ward suddenly disappeared and left Chloe with full of questions when the wedding is in a month. I felt awful and sorry for her. Her best friends Bethany is likeable, she gave Chloe obvious advices and very rational to reasons why was Ward chicken out and make fool of Chloe like that. There was a conflict involved and despite of that, other truth about lost feelings and to come clean about it. I found the book very clever even though the cheesiness of it was there. A relationship that start with a lie will never work, same goes here in the story. Even when you love your lover very much, you will find it very difficult to give another chance to start over when you found out he's lying about himself and you don't even think you know him at all. This is the feeling that I got when I read the novella. I love Chloe, she's strong, sometime freaking out but that is fine, and brave enough to make a wise decision even though she's broken hearted in the end. I felt sorry for Ward, even though he loves Chloe, he don't love her enough to trust her to share his darkest secret, it brings frustration to Chloe because he lets his problem dragged until they are about to get married. Owen on the other hand wins all, well, he deserves it even though he kept his love to himself for years. All in all, the novella is fun, page turner and I really feel connected with the characters nevertheless of it was written in emails format. Read it and you'll find it okay.

About the Author

Laurel Osterkamp originally wrote this 22,000-word novella for fans of her chick-lit novel, Following My Toes. Those readers received a new installment of the story by e-mail each day during the month of March 2007. Now this 2008 Kindle edition offers Looking For Ward to the general public. Laurel Osterkamp has been a comedy writer for Minneapolis performance groups over the last seven years. She currently teaches creative writing to high school students, and lives in Minneapolis with her husband and son. Download here.

save magic city by rocsanne shield

Title: Save Magic City
Author: Rocsanne Shield
Pages: 295
Series: Stand alone
Published: December 16th, 2010
Rating: 4/5
Source: Author
Buy at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

Summary (Goodreads):

Hurled into the time flow by a banishing spell, 13th century Edmund lands into the USA, 2007, in answer to Leona's fervent prayers for help to save her town. The corporation employing the townspeople has left, the bank foreclosures have created whole streets of empty houses, people are leaving in droves, the town is slowly dying. A black magician in his old time, Edmund is forbidden to do any magic if it is not for helping other people. He discovers and is fascinated by the magical powers of Internet and wants to bring instant relief to the townspeople, but Leona, who does not trust their dependency on magic, forbids him to do so. Leo, Leona's adoptive son, and his friends, Squirrel and Raccoon, accept the magic with enthusiasm and do their best to help the town to survive. When misfortune strikes, Leona gives her blessing for Edmund to use his magic.

My Two Cents:

The book is totally adorable. I mean, what will happen if someone from 13th century travelled to your doorstep with a little magic come in handy? Well, I think I want one! With interesting plot like this, I grew wondering what's the story behind it and keep on reading to the last page. It started with a little introduction of how Leo and Leona met Edmund one day and the adventure begun. Although Edmund has magic, he can't use it on his will unless to help others. Leo always made Edmund use magic behind her mother's back (Leona) while she solves everything manually like any other normal human does. The children's characters are very enjoyable and really stand out. Leo, Raccoon and Squirrel (yes I know it's quite weird for names), are very adorable kids and sometime they are witty and funny too. They were like a trio that tried to save the town, as to help Edmund uses his magic to let Leona wins the election to be the mayor of the town. The book is very suitable to kids, and readers of all ages. The kids will able to learn some good like friendship, teamwork, confident, learning history of another century, as well as doing good deeds to others. Even though some where in the middle will has a slow pace, the book is worth reading and you'll find it enjoyable too. This is a wonderful book that I fully recommend for kids and teens.

Disclaimer: I received this book from Author Rocsanne Shield for an exchange of a review. These are my honest review and receiving a copy in no way will ever reflected my review.