Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Image taken from Shelf Elf.

Well, it was about time I updated this blog, now moving on to talk about the third and final installment of the Hunger Games, and once again, Suzanne Collins has not disappointed me in the slightest!

As you can probably tell from what I recounted from the second book, the uprisings have continued, and have escalated since we last hear of them. District 13 DOES exist (sorry to spoil the ending of the second book, but I figured that within the two months of my having reviewed it, you would have and should have read it by now). Katniss is dubbed as the "mascot" for the new rebellion, and it is her job star in propaganda videos and raising hope for all of Panem. But of course, being "The Mockingjay" has its setbacks. You have the Capitol hungry for your blood. You are only told what you "need" to know when prepping up to give the speeches (leaving room for more doubt as to whether the cause you're fighting for is a just one). On top of that, you have two boys fighting over you, which is undoubtedly the LAST thing you want to deal with right this very moment. Needless to say, we read of a very emotionally fragile Katniss in this book, who everyone expects to just be able to pull things together and make everything right again.

I was told by a few people who read the book before me that they did not like how the book concluded. They felt it a bit too "rushed", and they were kind of getting sick of the whole Gale/Peter love triangle thing. I personally found the Gale/Peter thing to be an important part of the storyline, and did not feel the ending to be "rushed" at all. I felt the timing was just right for Collins to conclude the book in the way she did. And, without giving too much away, there is definitely a happy ending for Katniss after all, however bitter-sweet it appears to be.

Well, that's enough of my rambling. Go out and buy the book! You won't regret it...

Alexander Kai: Death God by Metha Metharom

"I am a Necromancer,
someone who can talk to the
dead, has power over the dead
and can do a hell of a lot of other
things, which I am not sure yet
what they all are...

...I am still a little surprised
by the fact that I have agreed to
continue to do their work...

I do agree with them
though that my power, if left
unchecked could be dangerous,
so maybe that’s why I agree to
continue on with their work, to
learn more about my powers..."

When 20 year old Alexander Kai miraculously survives a brutal stabbing in the park near his neighborhood, his life is drastically changed forever. Through the aid of a ghost by the name of Oliver Jones, and a Nephilum by the name of Davis, Alexander Kai discovers that he is a Necromancer - a person with extraordinary supernatural powers, who can communicate with the dead. Furthermore, he has volunteered his services to Super Solutions, a detective agency whose mission it is to solve supernatural crimes and to bring any lawless spirits to justice. We follow Alexander's journeys between the realms of the living and the dead, as he and his fellow colleagues endeavour to solve unsual and most puzzling crimes and restore peace to the dead and the undead.

This six book series showcases some of Metha's darker works. Very well written and full of suspense, you will not want to put them down until you've reached the end. The books are written in such a way that the reader can pick up any one of them, without necessarily having to read them in chronological order, and be able to get the gist of what has happened in the previous book, without having to read from the very beginning.

The books can either be purchased separately, or altogether as one book, such is how I had read them (I received the book which had all six books in one).

I strongly recommend this series to any horror/fantasy fans out there.

Inner Light: The Dragon Within by Metha Metharom

Inner Light: The Dragon Within is the story of Michael, a boy who is looking for excitement in his life, until excitement ends up finding him. Welcome to the world of dragons, dark wizards, amulets of power, danger, and non-stop action, as Michael discovers who he is and what role he plays in saving the future of mankind. Fast-paced and often humourous in most parts, Metha Metharom takes you to a world where you want to get lost in.

Metha Metharom is a new emerging author with an incredible talent. His other works include the "Alexander Kai" series, "Love Stone" and "Tales from the Shore", to name only a few. Having read a couple of his stories already ("Inner Light" being one of them), I have come to notice how no two stories are the same, and he uses different writing methods to engage with his audience. For example, the sporadic, fast-paced writing style for this particular novel really demonstrates the action and excitement taking place in the narrative, allowing the reader "feel" the adrenalin rush that the characters in the novel would be experiencing, rather than just reading about it. Also, the loose descriptions of the characters themselves allow the reader to create his/her own interpretation of the characters' physical characteristics and personalities in his/her mind. In short, it would be accurate to say that no two readers would get the same interpretation from this novel, as there are a lot of "hidden" meanings that people can get from it.

Another interesting element in this novel is that it contained an interesting blend of fantasy and Japanese anime (without the graphics, of course). Such were the images that were going on in my mind when I was reading it.

Unfortunately, I would NOT recommend this book for children (there is a fair amount of course language contained in it), but it is definitely a worth-while read for teenagers and adults.

To order your own copy of "Inner Light", or to view some of Metha Metharom's other works, please click here.

Son of a Witch - Gregory Maguire

Taken from http://weread.com/review/Son+of+a+Witch+%28Wicked+Years%29/2261999

The best-selling sequel to "Wicked" continues to the story of Liir, the illegitimate son of Elphaba (also known as the Wicked Witch of the West). An account of his adventures in trying to find his long lost half-sister, his near-death experience after being attacked by dragons, winning and losing love, and trying to find his place in the world.

Surprisingly, I found this sequel better to the original "Wicked", although, I must say I'm more partial to the musical version of it than the actual novel version. The only disappointing thing with this novel is that it ended so abruptly, and still left you with the unanswered questions from the 1st book.

I hope to get the chance to read the 3rd book, "A Lion Among Men"; hopefully, all the loose pieces will start to fit together in that one.