Book Review - Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston

Rating: 10/10

Twenty-seven year old Aron Ralston is a retired mechanical engineer and an experienced outdoorsman. He has hiked numerous mountains and escaped death several times. However, on April 26, 2003 somewhere in Utah, as he is hiking through an "easy" route, a boulder gets dislodged and traps Aron's right hand on the canyon wall. With scant food and water and a dying resolve, Aron manages to pull through for six days, and survive to tell his inspiring tale.

This book has been in our family's shelf since 2006 (it's my dad's - he brought it back from America). I never once thought of reading it all those years, until Danny Boyle came out with the movie 127 Hours starring James Franco. So, yes, I am guilty of that.

Anyhow, as much as I dislike non-fiction literature (I'm a lover of fiction through and through), I actually liked this one. Aron Ralston's writing style is very good, very detailed (don't worry, the amputation scene isn't all that bad). Between a Rock and a Hard Place is a very inspiring book, more than the movie I dare say. If you felt 127 Hours was not enough to convince you, then you should go read this book. :)

Book Review - Dirty Sally by Michael Simon

Rating: 10/10

Sgt. Dan Reles, a Jew and New Yorker, is trying to fit in the Austin, Texas police department. When his buddy is killed, Reles finds he is having a hard time coping with the death and with his feelings for the widow. Additionally, he is set to go before a review board, and cracking his current case is the only way for him to look good in front of the superiors. However, the future seems bleak, as businessmen and prominent Austin citizens appear to have a hand in the murder of a prostitute.

Gritty and dark, this is an example of a good crime novel. Not only is it exciting, it is also well-written. This may be Michael Simon's first novel, but he sure writes like an expert.

Book Review - Three for the Chair by Rex Stout

Rating: 10/10

Three for the Chair contains three stories starring Nero Wolfe and his assistant, Archie Goodwin. The first, "A Window for Death," involves a pretty nurse, a squabbling family, and the mysterious death of Bert Fyfe. "Immune to Murder" brings Wolfe and Archie to the Adirondacks where the famous detective is asked to cook trout for an ambassador. But things start to go awry when Archie discovers a dead body during a fishing expedition. Finally, Wolfe and Archie are suspects in a murder investigation in "Too Many Detectives."

As I mentioned before, I have started to like Nero Wolfe and how he does his work. A secretive man, much like Sherlock Holmes, his methods are irregular but his results are always astounding.

Book Review - Plot It Yourself by Rex Stout

Rating: 10/10

A group against plagiarism asks Nero Wolfe to find out the person behind the recent plagiarism claims in the literary world. As Wolfe and his assistant, Archie, embark on this seemingly simple investigation, a dead body suddenly turns up, followed by another, and another. Soon, they are not only looking at plagiarism, but also at murder.

I didn't like Nero Wolfe at first because of the comparisons given by people between him and the beloved Sherlock Holmes. With this book, though, he is starting to be likeable, and his methods of investigation are as astounding as Holmes. A wonderful book this one is.

Book Review - The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen

Rating: 10/10

Boston PD Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles receive an appalling - and rather grotesque - Christmas present: a murder investigation. However, this is no simple murder. There are evidences of arcane and demonic activity in the crime scene left by the mysterious killer. An occult group offers to help them - a group that aims to find the root of Evil in this world. When the murders grow closer to home, the group wonders if they accidentally summoned a demon on earth.

Medical suspense can't get any more thrilling than this. Tess Gerritsen's The Mephisto Club lingers in the reader's mind long after it has been finished (heck, I couldn't sleep for three nights). This is one of her best books, really.

Book Review - The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld

Rating: 9/10

To the ordinary human being, midnight occurs only for a moment. To a special group of people, though, midnight lasts for an hour. Only at this time can they truly be free, enjoying their powers to the fullest. The darklings, creatures that roam only in the midnight hour, let them be, afraid to come near the humans. However, when a new girl comes to the town of Bixby in Oklahoma, the midnight hour turns dangerous. Meet Jessica Day, a normal girl with a normal family. The darklings, though, see a power in her that could destroy their precious midnight hour, and they must stop her, at all costs.

The Secret Hour is the first book in the Midnighters trilogy.

This is my second Scott Westerfeld book, and all I have is praise. He is a master of his art - able to use literary techniques to their full potential. The Secret Hour is a well-written dark, adventure novel, with just a hint of romance here and there. It's a good read for teens.

Book Review - The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Rating: 9/10

Professor Robert Langdon is summoned to Washington, DC late at night to deliver a lecture. When he gets there, the lecture is mysteriously cancelled, and the only thing that remains is a severed hand belonging to his friend, Peter Solomon, which represents the Hand of Mysteries, an invitation to a challenge. With his life's friend on the line and a killer on the loose, Langdon unravels a series of events that leads him to the secrets of Freemasonry and the search for 'the Lost Word.'

With amazing writing techniques and numerous surprising secrets, Dan Brown created a book where the reader can't help but go on and on reading without stopping. Interesting and filled with lessons about history and religion, The Lost Symbol is a thrilling page-turner.

Book Review - The Society of S by Susan Hubbard

Rating: 10/10

Ariella Montero is a young girl living in Saratoga Springs, New York. She has almost everything: a nice house, education, a caring (and handsome) father. But Ari does not have a mother. One day, amidst the questions plaguing her life, she sets off to look for the mysterious mother she never met.

To those who have been disappointed after reading Stephenie Meyer's Twilight and who have given up reading YA novels about vampires, this book is for you. Beautiful and sensitive in its writing, The Society of S keeps one reading forever, if that is even possible. I like the way Susan Hubbard wrote: dark, haunting, and often infused with humor. Her techniques will leave you begging for me (which is precisely the reason why I shall now be looking for a copy of The Year of Disappearances).

Even humans can enjoy this book.

Writing/Reading updates

Hi! Tonight, I published another story on FF.net with the [rather cheesy] title "Old wounds never heal". It's InoShika once again (after one year) and is set ten years after the current manga events. I have added the URL on the list on the right. Feel free to click it, but for easier access here it is: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7034292/1/Old_wounds_never_heal.

Chapter 2 of "Broken" has been up since last week. Here's the URL: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6981993/2/Broken

Book reviews will be posted sometime this week. I have to write for 'The Mephisto Club' by Tess Gerritsen, 'Plot it Yourself' by Rex Stout, and a collection of Edgar Allan Poe stories. I still have not read my "new" books. :P

That is all for now. Feel free to read anything and criticize. Muh.

Book Review - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Rating: 10/10

The rebellion has begun, and Katniss Everdeen must play the Mockingjay - the symbol of the revolution.

Different from the first two books, Mockingjay is more political and bloody than its predecessors. It explores themes such as pain, indecision, madness, etc. Some parts of it are fast-paced. The ending, though, sticks to the reader's mind indefinitely. It's a fun read. :)

Book Review - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Rating: 10/10


Katniss Everdeen's last action in the arena did not go unnoticed, and now President Snow wants her to assuage the spark she started in the Victory Tour. But fire is catching, and pretty soon, even she can't control it. What is more, the Quarter Quell brings another surprise: she, along with Peeta Mellark, must go back to the arena.

Book Review - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Rating: 10/10

The Hunger Games is an event held annually by the Capitol to remind the Districts of their helplessness. Each District must provide two 'tributes' - one boy and one girl - to participate. The twenty-four, aged 12 to 18, must compete for survival and fight to the death, until only one remains...

The Hunger Games certainly lives up to its reviews. Spectacular and thrilling in its entirety, it's a novel you'll never want to put down. It's the best adventure story I ever read. Every moment is just fantastic and equally thrilling.

And the last paragraph! God, how I loathe that last paragraph... It practically leaves you wanting for more. If you're planning to buy this, buy the other two as well, because once you've read this, you cannot stop. :>

Book Review - Arabian Nights by Kathryn Wesley

Rating: 8/10

Schariar, the son of the late Sultan of Baghdad, must marry in order to inherit the kingdom. However, his recent experience with his first wife causes him to distrust all women. With this dilemma in mind, he formulates a plan: marry a girl from the harem and have her killed the morning after the wedding. Enter Schaharezade, the beautiful and independent daughter of Giafar, Schariar's adviser. Ever since they were children, she had always loved Schariar, and she feels she can save him... But can she also save herself with only tales as her guard?

This version of Arabian Nights is not that complicated: it's a simple love story. This aspect of the novel makes it a light and easy read. Plus, the stories are told in a humorous style, which temporarily alleviates the mood of sadness enveloping Schaharezade.

Book Review - Extras by Scott Westerfeld

Rating: 10/10

Set in a futuristic Earth, Extras tells the story of Aya Fuse, a fifteen year old girl in a city addicted to fame and reputation. With her rank of 451,369, Aya is a total nobody - that is, until she meets the Sly Girls, a clique that likes playing dangerous tricks but is obsessed with keeping it secret. She decides to kick the Sly Girls story without them knowing... But when they stumble upon an earth-shattering discovery, Aya becomes caught in a web of betrayal and extreme danger that may just cost her her life.

Before Extras, Scott Westerfeld also wrote Uglies, Pretties, and Specials. I, unfortunately, have had no chance to read the three books. However, Westerfeld's writing is so masterful that after a few chapters of Extras, I understood just what he was talking about. Now, that is an important rule in writing a series, but how he does it is just amazing.

Another appeal of the novel to me is that it is, I think, set in Japan. The manga eyes, pixel skin, prehensile toes... It's just something crazy and so Japanese-y! Reading Extras is totally entertaining.

Also, the characters come alive. I definitely see this turning into a film... A good film, in fact, if placed in very good hands. It has the makings of a blockbuster teen flick: hoverboards, the right amount of romance, etc.

I'm dying to read the other three books. :>

Book Review - Emily's Quest by L.M. Montgomery

Rating: 10/10

Emily Byrd Starr is all grown up and it's high time she marry! At least, that's what the Murrays want. But what does she want? To publish her own novel, of course! But in the course of her literary adventures, Emily encounters love in its many forms and, as her relationship with her childhood friend, Teddy Kent, blooms, will she be ready?

This is the last in L.M. Montgomery's Emily trilogy. Actually, I liked these novels better than the Anne of Green Gables series. It was more entertaining and more personal, I guess, for Montgomery. In some of the articles I've read about her, all of them say that the trilogy was more like her life story. Maybe I am reading Montgomery's biography, and that's what made it better than the Anne series.

Again, L.M. Montgomery works her wonders. She can make her characters dance right out of the page. They are so real that I want to strangle a few Murrays right now. Emily is still lovable (and, sometimes, hate-able) as always. Her adventures never fail to amuse. Montgomery can make the reader laugh and cry. She truly is a wonderful writer.

Book Review - Sword of Waters by Hilari Bell

Rating: 7/10

Sword of Waters is the second book in Hilari Bell's trilogy. Arisa and her mother, the Falcon, have just settled into the life of the nobility. But Arisa hates it: the dancing, evening balls, the spiteful girls, politics... Everything! That is, until her mother tells her to befriend Prince Edoran in order to find the Sword of Waters...

It's a good book - on its own. But when Sword of Waters is placed alongside personal favorites like Green by Jay Lake and A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray, it's not as good. While reading it, I felt like it was meant for a younger audience (by younger I mean 10-12, 'kay?) and, seeing that I've read a lot of fantasy novels lately, I've failed to appreciate it. But it is well-written and well-executed. I just don't see it competing with other novels. :(

Book Review - Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco

Rating: 10/10

Winner of the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize and the Palanca Award, Ilustrado tells the story of Miguel, a close friend of the acclaimed and much-criticized writer Crispin Salvador, as he goes on a journey to write the story of his mentor amidst a troubled Philippines.

The world of Ilustrado is, chillingly, similar to ours and it makes one wonder if this is really fiction one is reading. At least, it made me feel that way. Miguel Syjuco weaves a masterful story that reveals so much about us - things that often go unnoticed. After I closed this book, I wondered for a very long time why we cannot reform this society we live in. We, obviously, have so much work to do.

But it is not only its social relevance that makes Ilustrado a good read. It is also, more importantly, a good read. Unlike boring political novels, this mixes politics with humor and other entertaining literary devices. Not one moment is boring and I'm sure everyone can (and will) enjoy this book.

Considering that this is one of the (unfortunately) few Filipino novels I've read, Ilustrado is so good I want more...

Book Review - K is for Killer by Sue Grafton

Rating: 8/10

Private investigator Kinsey Millhone is hired by Janice Kepler, a woman who lost her youngest daughter, Lorna, ten months before. Lorna was found in her secluded apartment in a bad state of decomposition. Police suspect foul play but there are no leads and the investigation is forced to a halt. But Janice doesn't want to stop, and so Kinsey must solve the puzzle of Lorna's death, but she must take care not to face her own.

K is for Killer is good in its own right, but it doesn't stand against the better Grafton novels I've read, like T is for Trespass or I is for Innocent. It was just "okay" for me.

Book Review - Green by Jay Lake

Rating: 9/10


She was sold by her father when she was young, and was brought to a land she did not know. Imprisoned in a bluestone walled manor, she was taught the ways of a great lady. For many years, she had been called "Girl", until the Factor arrived and called her "Emerald". But she prefers to call herself Green. Suddenly, the time is ripe and she knows she must leave. Running away from the things she had known for years, Green enters a world where the gods meddle with the affairs of men, and one full of treachery.

I was actually frustrated while reading Green. I thought it was taking me a long time to finish a 368-paged book. I spent three hours one night and finished less than a hundred pages. But for all that, I actually enjoyed reading Green.

There is so much to say about this novel, but I'll focus more on the main character.
It's amazing to note that a man was writing this novel. The character of Green is so strong, but it still retains its feminity. It was like Wally Lamb with She's Come Undone. I mean, these guys are amazing. I felt what Green felt, and that feat isn't just rooted in the writer's style: it has to be felt by the writer himself/herself. My professor was telling me some time ago to "write about what you know". Now, Jay Lake isn't a woman, but I felt the womanly aspect of Green. That was just amazing.

Book Review - I is for Innocent by Sue Grafton

Rating: 9/10

PI Kinsey Millhone finds new office space with her attorney, Lonnie Kingman, after being fired by California Fidelity. Lonnie has a case he needs help with: Isabelle, a house designer, was shot through a spy hole on her front door six years ago. Her husband, David Barney, was accused, tried, but found innocent because the prosecution couldn't make it stick. Now Isabelle's former husband, Kenneth Voigt, wants to try once more, and Kinsey is hired to look for evidence. However, every discovery she makes seems to prove that David Barney is innocent. If he didn't kill her, then who did?

I is for Innocent is one of the best Alphabet Mysteries novel I've read. There is a lot going on, and the reader is as clueless as Kinsey (at some part, at least) is on the investigation. The ending is surprising and, yet, predictable. It's everything you're looking for in a mystery novel.