Reading In February

I know it's not quiet February yet, but I might as well do this now before I forget.

Currently I am reading:
Blood Song by Cat Adams
Follow Me Down: An Orwell Brennan Mystery by Marc Strange

I hope to read this month:
A Spy in the House by Y.S Lee
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Blueberry Muffin Murder by Joanne Fluke

Review: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Title: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Author: Stieg Larsson
Published: September 16th 2008 by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Rating: 1/5
Goodreads Summary: Once you start The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, there's no turning back. This debut thriller--the first in a trilogy from the late Stieg Larsson--is a serious page-turner rivaling the best of Charlie Huston and Michael Connelly. Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, watches his professional life rapidly crumble around him. Prospects appear bleak until an unexpected (and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an old-school titan of Swedish industry. The catch--and there's always a catch--is that Blomkvist must first spend a year researching a mysterious disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly four decades. With few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius with a cache of authority issues. Little is as it seems in Larsson's novel, but there is at least one constant: you really don't want to mess with the girl with the dragon tattoo.


Review:
I found it really hard to read this book. There was a lot of un necessary details, which just made the book longer than it should have been. It took me about 200 pages to get through the character introductions and back story, which i majorly skimmed. Once I got to the actual mystery I stopped skimming until I got to more un necessary detail. Really, I don't care that Blomkvist made two sandwiches and a coffee to then decide that he didn't want it. This wasn't a book I could curl up in bed with, with the tv on in the background. I needed absolute quiet because it was hard to concentrate on. I had considered giving up countless times, but I kept on reading because I was curious to see if I was right as to who did it. Once the mystery was solved and the book went back into the un necessary details, I very much skimmed to the end because I just wanted to be done with it. So I guess you could say, that I think this book sucks. I will however attempt the second book as, it sounds to be a bit more interesting.

Review: Fire

Title: Fire

Author: Kristin Cashore

Published: 2009 by Dial

Pages: 461

Rating: 3/5

Goodreads Summary: It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. The young King Nash clings to his throne while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. The mountains and forests are filled with spies and thieves and lawless men.

This is where Fire lives. With a wild, irresistible appearance and hair the color of flame, Fire is the last remaining human monster. Equally hated and adored, she has the unique ability to control minds, but she guards her power, unwilling to steal the secrets of innocent people. Especially when she has so many of her own.

Then Prince Brigan comes to bring her to King City. The royal family needs her help to uncover the plot against the king. Far away from home, Fire begins to realize there's more to her power than she ever dreamed. Her power could save the kingdom.

If only she weren't afraid of becoming the monster her father was.

Review: 

Fire in my opinion had a slow start, it took me a while to read the first half of the book until the story started to pick up some speed. I noticed that like the first book of the series "Graceling", the main female protagonist Fire, did not like what she was. She was also a bit more whiny than Katsa was in Graceling, she wasn't as strong of a character either. One of the male characters, Archer, drove me insane. The guy was a man whore, who would basically screw any female that he crossed paths with, even if they were only 15 years old. Why the hell would Fire not be jealous of her horny "love interest"? I mean if I had a thing for him, I would have cut off his manhood and shove it down his throat! I also wasn't impressed that there were mentions of rape. Sorry let me correct myself, not mentions but the idea that certain men wanted to rape Fire. That to me isn't a cool thing to have a book meant for teens. There were some good points in this book, like the whole mind reading thing. So this book was ok, not good or great but ok.

Review - Assassin's Creed Renaissance

Title: Assassin's Creed Renaissance
Author: Oliver Bowden
Published: November 11th 2009 by Penguin UK
Pages: 516
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Summary: 'I will seek Vengeance upon those who betrayed my family. I am Ezio Auditore da Firenze. I am an Assassin…'

Betrayed by the ruling families of Italy, a young man embarks upon an epic quest for vengeance. To eradicate corruption and restore his family's honour, he will learn the art of the assassins.

Along the way, Ezio will call upon the wisdom of such great minds as Leonardo Da Vinci and Niccolo Machiavelli – knowing that survival is bound to the skills by which he must live.

To his allies, he will become a force for change - fighting for freedom and justice. To his enemies, he will become a threat dedicated to the destruction of the tyrants abusing the people of Italy.

So begins an epic story of power, revenge and conspiracy.

TRUTH WILL BE WRITTEN IN BLOOD

Review:
As someone who has played the Assassin Creed games, I was very excited to read this book, but somewhat skeptical of how it would turn out. I thought, that like most books based on a game, it would suck. It didn't. It indeed did follow Assassin's Creed II fairly closely but it also added some things that you didn't see happen, which i liked. I am curious though, as to why the author didn't make the first book based on the first game, instead of making the second game be the first book. But who knows, all I know was this was a pretty damn good book.

Review - The Cat Who Played Brahms

Title: The Cat Who Played Brahms
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Published: June 1st 1987 by Jove
Pages: 245
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Summary: Is it just a case of summertime blues or a full-blown career crisis? Newspaper reporter Jim Qwilleran isn't sure, but he's hoping a few days in the country will help him sort out his life.
With cats Koko and Yum Yum for company, Qwilleran heads for a cabin owned by a long-time family friend, "Aunt Fanny." But from the moment he arrives, things turn strange. Eerie footsteps cross the roof at midnight. Local townsfolk become oddly secretive. And then while fishing, Qwilleran hooks onto a murder mystery. Soon Qwilleran enters into a game of cat and mouse with the killer, while Koko develops a sudden and uncanny fondness for classical music...

Review:
As any of the other Cat Who books I've read, The Cat Who Played Brahms was hilarious. Koko and Yum Yum once again make my terrible days just a little bit better, which is a good thing unless I want to lash out at costumers. Anyway, Qwilleran decides to go to the country where he intends to spend his vacation writing a book. But when he arrives he starts to hear weird sounds at night and the townspeople are keeping secrets. Soon after a fishing trip, a former cop gets murdered and Koko once again comes to save the day and help solve the case. This is a killer book for those who love cozy mysteries and those who love cats!

Review - Hush Hush

Title: Hush Hush
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Published: October 13th 2009 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages: 391
Rating: 3/5

Goodreads Summary: For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along.
With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Review: 
This book only took me two days to read, that is something that rarely happens. As much as I liked that I finished this book quickly, I could only give it 3/5 because in a way, it reminded me a bit of Twilight. Nora is annoying and seems to be scared of everything in the world. Patch is a bit of a jackass and I wanted to slug him not to mention all he did was harass Nora. So all in all, there were parts that I liked, parts that I didn't. it could have been better but what can you do? I will read the sequel in hopes that it will be a bit better, but I will not be entirely disappointed if it isn't.

Reading In January

Currently this month, I am reading:
Assassin's Creed Renaissance by Oliver Bowden
Fire by Kristan Cashore

This month I also hope to read:
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Follow Me Down by Marc Strange
Blood Song by Cat Adams

Review - Ghost Ship

Title: Ghost Ship
Author: Dietlof Reiche
Published: October, 1st, 2006 by Scholastic Inc
Pages: 320
Rating: 2/5


Goodreads Summary: A contemporary, wholly original, spine-tingling ghost story born of pirate legend that School Library Journal calls "reminiscent of the film Pirates of the Caribbean."

Vicki plans to spend her summer vacation waitressing in her father's famous seaside restaurant. But when the bay goes dry and a 1772 sailing ship appears, Vicki's course is reset. Where the greedy mayor sees dollar signs, and a nosy reporter sees something fishy, Vicki sees ghosts. Determined to discover the truth and to uncover old family secrets, Vicki and her new best friend Peter venture into the deep to face the unimaginable.

Review:
I in all honesty don't even remember why I put this on my to read list. The idea of having a bay mysteriously dry up and a sunken ship appear out of nowhere, was an interesting idea to me. As I read on however, much of the book became predictable. The two main characters Vicki and Peter were meh for me. In my opinion these two twelve year old's had way to much freedom, WAY more freedom than I have ever seen in a twelve year old. Those two could have probably gotten away with murder. If some of the elements were a little bit different then I would have given this a higher rating, but alas it will stay at 2/5. Now, that being said, this book is targeted at a younger audience, so to someone younger this would be a good book.

2012 Reading Challenge

This year I am currently challenging myself to read 50 books. I will up that once I actually get to 50.

Current Progress: 3 out of 50.

About Rainbowtastic Reading

Hey there everyone, my name is Amy and welcome to my book blog!

Keep in mind that this is my first book blog so bare with me!

Anyway, I am 19 (almost 20) and I'm from British Columbia, Canada. When I'm not at work I like to read, play video games, watch tv and work on my art (photography, digital dolls and writing). I like to read young adult, fantasy, paranormal romance, mystery, anything with vampires, Star Wars and anime.