[Heroes of Olympus] The Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan

I've never heard of the series until way long after I watched the first movie. Tu pun tgk kt tv, not during the screening kt cinema 

And I've always been fascinated with Greek mythology eversince primary when those were the only books left in the library that I hadn't devoured hehe.. I disagree with the term Greek gods though. Naughty overgrown kids with super powers seem more appropriate 

Nways, these lead me to be curious enough about the Percy Jackson series that I wanted to buy them. However, since its under the childrens book genre, I had second thoughts. I know if I bought one, I'd want to collect the whole set no matter how annoying it turns out to be (read: Twilight)

This book seemed the perfect choice as it wasn't part of the series (at least not officially) so I could test the waters and see if I liked it

I find myself painfully aware that this is a childrens book as I read (this coming from someone who queued in front of a still-closed Popular in the wee hours to get her copy of Harry Potter). It has 3 stories from Rick Riordan himself that any age (Ehem2~) can enjoy. The final story is, however, written by his son, the one who inspired Percy Jackson. I find it amusing that while Riordan Sr wrote it easy enough for a 7-year-old to enjoy, his son's style of writing is more mature. Maybe because his target readers are his peers rather than kids la kot kan hehe..

Anyway, this is good enough to half-convince me to buy the series so, we'll see.. 

Hide and Seek by James Patterson

My first James Patterson!

I was expecting something more gripping but this will do. It has a Sidney Sheldon vibe to it that makes it a rather relaxing read.

The title is a bit confusing though as I didn't see any game of Hide n Seek happening until the very last few pages.

2 things stood out for me, which is not-so-related to the book.

1. It was in the midst of a World Cup in Brazil (which made me check the year it was published haha..) I raised an eyebrow when it said the USA beat Italy 3-2.. But I definitely laughed out loud when it was said that they beat Germany 2-11 in the semis. Seriously? Oh well, fiction kaaan, anything opuld happen.. Though I doubt the two Germany fans back home would be happy with this piece of 'hikayat'

2. The lawyer for Maggie Bradford went by the name JASON WADE! Cue You and Me, You Belong To Me, First Time, Hanging by the Moment, Good Enough and all my favourite Lifehouse songs hehe 

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

What can I say, its a well loved classic! =) 

I've been meaning to find this book for years now and only found it recently. Of course I had expectation, with it being a very well known childrens book but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I loved it for all the different reasons I had expected to. 

Who would've expected that the ending tore my heart apart..

The Missing Golden Ticket and Other Splendiferous Secrets by Roald Dahl

A very short read, only 118 pages with lotsa illustrations by Quentin Blake. Contains Dahl's notes on each month of the year. It also has 2 candy recipes that seem simple enough for kids to try out. I especially love the discarded chapter from the published Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, just because its been a secret before haha.. The original ending is also quite ok, though the published one is much better by the mile. There's also some bits and pieces of trivia on Roald Dahl that I find amusing.

I think I'll give it.. Hmm.. 3.95  as you won't miss anything much if you don't read it.. But it will definitely complete your Chocolate Factory experience if you're a fan.

P/S "Ages 7 and up" was written on the back. I certainly am..

Supernatural ~ Fresh Meat

Aaaaahhhh.. To have spent the night in an adventure with the Winchester brothers *smiles dreamily*

This is the final Supernatural book I have in hand which I haven't read yet. I bought it last year but saved it as I didn't want to not have any more of their books in my TBR list. However, this year I just HAD to read as the book has been calling and calling to me for the last few weeks anyway J

This time, in addition to the brothers, Bobby makes an appearance and stays throughout the book. I've always missed Bobby in the series after he died so this was a nice surprise.

The brothers, as usual, had just finished a particular hunt for an avenging ghost when Sam found some suspicious missing person on the web (while Dean, of course, was stuffing his face!). The concluded that it might be a wendigo and decided to ask Bobby for help as they trust his tracking instincts more than anyone.

Thier first bruh with the wendigo did not go that well, so they went to the local hunters bar and found, Jason, who has a brush with the wendigo earlier and was mad that he failed to catch it. Together, they ventured again into the woods to catch in.. with success!

After parting ways and already planning on another hunt, they got a call from Bobby that people were still missing. Returning to the 'crime scene', they soon realized they were facing something more sinister, a creature from the Filipino lore, an aswang.

I actually Googled aswang and wendigo haha..

Anyhow, of course la they save the day hehe.. but its the way we get to the end that matters, right!

I had somehow unintentionally read a few words towards the end, shattering me of any suspense.. or so I thought. True as its usual self, the book gave enough twists and turns to make me question what I had just read. I kept planning on 'one more chapter'.. without any avail, that is..

The middle part was quite intense as Dean was involved in a bad avalanche.. or make that avalanches! I like that we could actually feel as if we're in his place. At the same time, Sam and Bobby, in trying to ascend a steep cliff, were attacked by vampires who were determined to kill them there and then.

I'm giving it 4.25 stars coz I love it even if I love Carved in Flesh better. I just hope I'd get my hand on more Supernatural books soon!

The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks

I'm thinking of more like a 3.75 stars rating.. and not because its not that good!

I fell in love with Sparks when I first read The Wedding. The oh-so-sweet twist in the end made me swoon and from then on, I was always alert of his books whenever I went to local bookstores.

This book however does not have much of a grip on me as others.. in other words, I could actually stop at any chapter to do something else instead of wanting to read at one go. I rushed through some parts (my bad) particularly the parts when Denise was teaching Kyle. It took me by surprise (and made me regret my rushed reading) when I realized the method Denise used was devised by the author himself for helping his own son. THAT made me look at those parts in a very much different way.

All in all, it was predictable, though the misfortune towards the end was something I wish hadn't happened as it was a bit too gut-wrenching for someone who told herself to never cry over books hehe..

Would I still read it? Definitely.. and I'd read slowly too to savour every bit of it =)