13-17 Meredith Ann Pierce, Maria V. Snyder and Brian Selznick
13-15) The Darkangel Trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce
The Darkangel, A Gathering of Gargoyles, The Pearl of the Soul of the World
- Fiction, YA (256, 304, 256 pages)
- The Darkangel, a vampire of astounding beauty and youth, can only summon his full power when he finds his 14th and final bride. But for Aeriel, whom he kidnaps to serve his brides, there is something about him--something beyond his obvious evil--that makes her want to save him rather than destroy him.
- I've seen great reviews for these books and finally read them. The first one was good the second one was better and the third best. Quick reads - great trilogy. (5/5)
16) Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder
- Fantasy (512 pages)
- With her unique magical abilities, Opal has always felt unsure of her place at Sitia's magic academy. But when the Stormdancer clan needs help, Opal's knowledge makes her the perfect choice - until the mission goes awry. Pulling her powers in unfamiliar directions, Opal finds herself tapping into a new kind of magic as stunningly potent as it is frightening. Now Opal must deal with plotters out to destroy the Stormdancer clan, as well as a traitor in their midst. With danger and deception rising around her, will Opal's untested abilities destroy her - or save them all?
- I've reread Snyder's study series 3 or 4 times and love it. This is a great continuation with a different protagonist. Can't wait for the next book :) (5/5)
17) The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
- Children's Books, Historical Fiction (544 pages)
-Twelve-year-old orphan Hugo lives in the walls of a Paris train station at the turn of the 20th century, where he tends to the clocks and filches what he needs to survive. Hugo's recently deceased father, a clockmaker, worked in a museum where he discovered an automaton: a human-like figure seated at a desk, pen in hand, as if ready to deliver a message. After his father showed Hugo the robot, the boy became just as obsessed with getting the automaton to function as his father had been, and the man gave his son one of the notebooks he used to record the automaton's inner workings. The plot grows as intricate as the robot's gears and mechanisms. - from amazon
- I heard good reviews for this book so I tried it. I did like it, but it didn't wow me in any way. A little depressing, but with a happy ending. Definitely a book for kids. (2.5/5)