Book Review: Half Moon Investigations

Half-Moon Investigations
by Eoin Colfer

Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Young Adult
Publication: March 2006
Format: Hardcover, 290 pages

Fletcher Moon has never been like other kids. For one thing, he has had to suffer the humiliating nickname "Half Moon" because of his short stature. But the real reason Fletcher is different is that ever since he was a baby, he's had a nose for sniffing out mysteries. And after graduating at the top of his Internet class, he is officially certified as the youngest detective in the world. He even has a silver-plated detective's badge to prove it. Everything is going along fine until two things happen: a classmate hires him to solve a crime, and his prized badge is stolen. All signs point to the town's most notorious crime family, the Sharkeys. 

As Fletcher follows the clues, evidence of a conspiracy begins to emerge. But before he can crack the case, Fletcher finds himself framed for a serious crime. To clear his name, he will have to pair up with the unlikeliest of allies and go on the run from the authorities. Fletcher has twelve hours to find the guilty party--or he "is" the guilty party.

I'm a fan of the Artemis Foul books. When I found Half-Moon Investigations written by the same author, Eoin Colfer, I get excited. Plus, I’m also a fan of mystery. I figured that this is going to be a good book.

Fletcher Moon (or Half Moon) is a detective. He even got a silver-plated badge when he graduated in his internet class. When April Devereux, one of the girls in his school hired him to investigate the missing lock of a popstar’s hair, which April thinks was stolen from Red Sharkey, Fletcher accepted. Besides, Fletcher suspected that Red is also responsible of stealing his detective badge. This would be like killing two birds with one stone. But things started to go wrong when Fletcher was framed for arson. Now he has to team up with the Sharkey to find out the real criminal.

I didn’t expect much from Half Moon investigation since it is a light and well, innocent read. But I love the twist. I couldn’t guess what was going to happen, and who the real criminal really is. And it’s not that Eoin Colfer distract me with lots of suspicious characters in the book (or I was probably too slow to think of the character as suspicious).

I absolutely love the idea of how it started with a small case – to find a missing lock of popstar’s hair before it turns into something more dangerous. The development of the case and the mystery are interesting.

#23 Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week:

What am I going to do? I'm in love with my new best friend.- Page 258, Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins

I'm a bit slow on reading this week since work been piling up again. But, I manage to read Anna and the French Kiss. I got this copy from a friend! The book is definitely a cute and fun read! There's lots of funny moments too. The teaser is actually where I'm stopping right now.

Book Review: Inkspell

Inkspell (Inkheart, #2) 
by Cornelia Funke

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Suspense, Young Adult
Publication: first published October 2005
Format: Paperback, 682 pages

Amazing! Inkspell is a great sequel to Inkheart.

In the first book, Inkheart, Meggie and Mo read characters out from a novel, Inkheart. And this time, we get to see Meggie, Mo, and her mother, Resa read themselves into the novel. How exciting is that!?

When Meggie found out that someone read Dustfinger back into the world of Inkheart, she was determined to follow him and Farid. They need to warn Dustfinger of what Basta and Mortola was about to do to them. And soon, with the help of Orpheus, Mo and Resa was now sucked into the book. Things have become out of hand. Now, Meggie seek for Fegnolio, the creator of Inkheart for help. Afterall, Fegnolio is the one who could save Meggie and her parents. But, things were not going to as what Meggie and Fegnolio planned when the characters and story get out of control, and refuse to listen to the creator.

There’s a little bit of Robin Hood references when Fegnolio decided to model Bluejay, after Robin Hood, who steals from the rich to give to the poor.  When Fegnolio writes about Bluejay, he always imagined Mo as the character. So, when Mo was sucked into the world of Inkheart, everyone assumes him as the real Bluejay.

The world of Inkheart is somewhere I would very love to live in. There’s fairy, the black princes, the Wayless Wood, magic and everything. It sounded wonderful. The story is amazing. I love Meggie and her adventure along with Farid, Dustfinger and Fegnolio to save her parents, Mo and Resa. It was full of suspense! I love the little bit of romance between Farid and Meggie. The ending to the story was both exciting and sad.

I can’t wait to read the next book, Inkdeath to know what will happen to the characters next! I’m sure it is as exciting as Inkheart and Inkdeath.

Book Cover’s Description

THE BEST BOOKS NEVER END...

Although a year has passed, not a day goes by without Meggie thinking of Inkheart, the book whose characters came to life - and changed her life forever.

But for Dustfinger, the fire-eater brought into being from words, the need to return to the original tale has become desperate. When he finds a crooked storyteller with the magical ability to read him back, Dustfinger leaves behind his young apprentice Farid and plunges into the medieval inkscape once more.

Distraught, Farid goes in search of Meggie, and before long both are caught inside the book, too. There they meet Inkheart's author, Fenoglio, now living within his own story. But the tale is much changed, and threatening to evolve in ways none of them could ever have imagined. Will Meggie, Farid, and Fenoglio manage to write the wrongs of a charmed world? Or is their story on the brink of a very bad ending?

#22 Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week:

The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in. - Page 38, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K.Rowling

I'm probably one of the person who never read this series before. Although, I've seen the movie when it first came out. I borrowed this copy from my little sister, and wow! I understand why people are crazy about Harry Potter series. The writing is absorbing!

Review: Firelight

Firelight (Firelight #1)

by Sophie Jordan

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Publication: first published September 2010

Format: Paperback, 323 pages

When I first read the synopsis to Firelight, I get excited. Dragons! Okay. How many dragon stories have we seen around? Not much, I think.

Jacinda is a ‘draki’, a descendant of dragon who could shape-shift into human form. The draki were to stay hidden from human to protect themselves or they will be capture and kill by the hunters. Jacinda is special among her pride. She can breathe fire, an ability which is thought to be extinct among draki. It was Jacinda rebellious act that broke the rules that that pushed her mom to take her and her sister, Tamra away from the pride. They went to this town in the desert to stay hidden. That’s where she found Will, a hunter that hunts her kind for their skins, bones and such.

The thing about this book is that, I’m not entirely sure whether I like it or not. Let’s start with the character first, Jacinda. She sounded so brave and powerful in the first few chapters. But then, she started to sounds a bit irritating and selfish. And her sister, Tamra is a little bit too annoying for my taste. I don’t think I enjoy the withdrawing and pushing in relationship between Jacinda and Will. I understand that they were having conflict to stick together for what they are – their forbidden relationship, but, I think I saw too much of this kind of love story that, well, I don’t feel that there’s something different, unique about it.

But still, Firelight isn’t that bad. I definitely enjoy the world of draki in Firelight with the dragons and everything. The writing is nice and easy to follow. I can’t believe I read this one in a day! It has a nice flow that keeps me flipping the pages to know what will become of Jacinda and Will. But then... THE ENDING! I can’t believe that it would end like that. I guess I’ll have to read the continuation to find out about Jacinda and Will. From sneaking a peek from the next book, it sounds like something interesting will happen to Tamra. I’m looking forward to read Vanish soon!

Book Cover’s Description

A hidden truth.

Mortal enemies.

Doomed love.

With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki--the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda's rebelliousness forces her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is the gorgeous, elusive Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can't resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she's risking not only her life but the draki's most closely guarded secret.

Book Review: Warrior

Warrior (The Blades of the Rose #1)

by Zoe Archer

Genre: adventure, historical-romance, paranormal, romance

Publication: September 2010

Format: ebook, 384 pages

Warrior is definitely one of the romance books I enjoyed. Probably the best historical romance I’ve read so far. I love the combination of adventure, romance, action, magic and a bit of humor in it. It has a little bit of something that makes it perfect.

I don’t usually enjoy historical romance. When Zoe Archer combined the romance with adventure and action, I’m hooked! I definitely enjoyed the storyline. Thalia has finally had an opportunity to get the status as the blades of rose. Along the way, Gabriel joins in her journey to protect her from the heirs. Their journey was full of adventure and magic, which made the book enjoyable. And let’s not forget that steamy scene between Gabriel and Thalia at the oasis.

I love the character, Thalia Burgess and Captain Gabriel Huntley. I love how their relationship evolved from the beginning. Together, they are perfect. Thalia is a damsel in a distress, but she’s also tough. I love how Thalia and Gabriel both protect each other. That they are fighting side by side. They complimented each other. Like Gabriel said,

"She and I are like flint and gunpowder. Each are strong, but together, they're explosive." "We're bow and the string. Useless alone, but strong together."

I’m looking forward to the next book of the series. Especially as there’s the mention of the of Bennet from the second book,  and Catullus from the fourth book.

Book Cover’s Description

To most people, the realm of magic is the stuff of nursery rhymes and dusty libraries. But for Capt. Gabriel Huntley, it's become quite real and quite dangerous. . .In Hot Pursuit. . .

The vicious attack Capt. Gabriel Huntley witnesses in a dark alley sparks a chain of events that will take him to the ends of the Earth and beyond--where what is real and what is imagined become terribly confused. And frankly, Huntley couldn't be more pleased. Intrigue, danger, and a beautiful woman in distress--just what he needs.

In Hotter Water. . .

Raised thousands of miles from England, Thalia Burgess is no typical Victorian lady. A good thing, because a proper lady would have no hope of recovering the priceless magical artifact Thalia is after. Huntley's assistance might come in handy, though she has to keep him in the dark. But this distractingly handsome soldier isn't easy to deceive. . .

#21 Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week:

Damned aggravating, how difficult it had been to tear his eyes from her, how, from the moment he had set foot inside Franklin Burgess's tent, Huntley had been aware of her, every movement, every word, even, for the love of the devil, her breathing. 

His only explanation was that it had been six months since he'd taken a woman to bed. - 9%, Warrior, Zoe Archer

I haven't post my teaser for weeks! I've been busy these past few weeks. Anyway... I'm reading a Historical Romance this week (which I don't usually read)! But, warrior sounds exciting! Huntley sounds gorgeous!