The Mortal Instrument Series by Cassandra Clare

For any of you who like to read Teen Lit, you must read the mortal instruments by Cassandra Clare. Every time I would go to a store that sold books, the books all jumped out at me. I had thought about reading them for a while but didn't know if I really wanted to.

I read the Twilight Saga and it was good, good story good characters and I know that this is going to get me into trouble but it was not well written. Stephenie Meyer tells a good story but she is not a brilliant writer. Then I decided to give the Vampire Diaries ago, the books were well written but so terrible slow I had a hard time getting into give and gave up for a while. I will finish the books, I just had no reason to keep going.

I finally decided to give the Mortal Instruments a chance and I have to tell you that I LOVE THEM! They were so good, Cassandra Clare is not only a good writer but she tells an intriguing story as well. These books are kind of like Harry Potter meets Twilight, you have the NEPHILIM, Werewolves, Vampires, Warlocks and Demons of all kinds. The books are exciting and action packed from the first page. You even have your fair share of an incredible romance.



Here is a link to her website and the series, it will give you a lot more on the books, I don't to ruin any thing for any one who wants to read them.

http://www.mortalinstruments.com/mortalseries.html

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

A Tale of Two Cities (1859) is a novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. With 200 million copies sold, it is the most printed original English book, and among the most famous works of fiction.[1]

It depicts the plight of the French peasantry under the demoralization of the French aristocracy in the years leading up to the revolution, the corresponding brutality demonstrated by the revolutionaries toward the former aristocrats in the early years of the revolution, and a number of unflattering social parallels with life in London during the same time period. It follows the lives of several protagonists through these events, most notably Charles Darnay, a French once-aristocrat who falls victim to the indiscriminate wrath of the revolution despite his virtuous nature, and Sydney Carton, a dissipated British barrister who endeavours to redeem his ill-spent life out of love for Darnay's wife, Lucie Manette.

The novel was published in weekly installments (not monthly, as with most of his other novels). The first installment ran in the first issue of Dickens' literary periodical All the Year Round appearing on 30 April 1859; the thirty-first and final ran on 25 November of the same year.

I Read this book when I was in the ninth grade, but to be honest with you I don't think that I really enjoyed it all that much. I did not remember anything about this book, unless it was that long enough ago that I forgot.

I think that this is one of the most beautiful and tragic stories of the ultimate love and sacrifice one human being can make for another. When I first started the book it flopped back and for between London and France and some of the different characters so much that I was getting confused and lost. (I was suffering from A.D.D and the time) I listened to the unabridged version on audio book, it was narrated by Frank Muller. He is one of my favorite narrators; he is brilliant. This Book brought out a lot of emotions in me, Anger and revulsion. I thought that the British back in the day were brutal when it came to punishment, but they were nothing compared to the French during the French Revolution. If the citizens didn't like the cravat that you had on they would send you to the Le Guillotine, for the closet shave in France.

I loved this book; The characters the plot everything about this book. If you have never read Charles Dickens "The Tale of Two Cities" Add it too your to read list. It is defiantly worth the read.



Narrator Frank Muller

On Wings of Eagles By Ken Follett

"In December 1978 two EDS executives working in Tehran are arrested on suspicion of bribery. Bail was set at 13 million dollars. When Ross Perot, head of the Dallas-based company hears about it, he decides to get his people out no matter what. While the firm's lawyers are trying to find a way to pay the bail, he also recruits a team of volunteers from his executives, led by a retired United States Army officer, to break them out by force, if necessary.

Their well-rehearsed plan to break the two out of jail fails because of a prison transfer, and the team has to figure out another way to rescue their colleagues, culminating in a harrowing overland escape to Turkey. Meanwhile, riots and violence dominate the streets of Tehran more and more each day, culminating in the Iranian Revolution led by Khomeini against the Shah, endangering the other EDS employees as well."


I am a huge Ken Follett fan and have been since I first read the book, A Dangerous Fortune when I was twenty. It is one of my all time favorite books and have reread it many a times and never seem to get sick of it. I know that he has many more books and I am slowly reading all of them, but he is a popular author and his books are difficult to get your hands on.

I just finished reading the book On Wings of Eagles and it is an AMAZING book, beside the fact that it is a true story; it is well told and you become emotionally connected to all of the men and women who are in the book; or shall I say lived through this horrible nightmare. Many time through out the book I realized that I was teary eyed, and through out the story I developed a respect for Ross Perot that I never had before.

If you are into History and you like thrillers I say that you should add this book too your must read list, I give is 2 thumbs up and 10 stars, it is a wonderful story that is sad and heart breaking but in the end it is happy.

The Lovely Bones By Alice Sebold

I just finished reading the book "The lovely bones", and it was the most tragic and beautiful story that I have ever read. The first half of the book really played on my heart strings and made me really sad. At one point in the book I asked myself how much can one family endure before they have had enough heartache. This is a beautifully written novel and a wonderful story; if you love to read this is one that you must read I promise that you will love it.

The Lovely Bones is the story of Susie Salmon, who is raped and killed when she is only fourteen. However, rather than write this story as a thriller, which had been done many times before, Sebold tells it from Susie's perspective: the dead victim tells her own story. This shifts the focus from suspense to the emotional impact of such a crime. The Lovely Bones evokes in minute detail just how much was taken from this young girl, and how much she missed out on, but it also traces in exquisite, painful detail how this violent and undeserved crimes distorts her family. Her mother leaves her father for eight years. Her father tries to catch Susie's killer, and is crippled in the process. Susie's sister and brother are driven into emotional retreat, becoming very distant from their previously idyllic family.

Given that Sebold lived through the initial experience that the main character suffers, it isn't really surprising that The Lovely Bones captures her suffering so well. What is impressive is how Sebold combines well-chosen detail and exquisite prose to paint heartrending portraits of an entire suffering community, and how well she humanizes the serial rapist and killer Mr. Harvey, but without ever excusing his terrible crimes.

In 2004, The Lovely Bones won the Richard and Judy Best Read Award (given by the British Book Awards), and a movie version is currently in production (as of January 2005).

2009 Book List

1) Scarpetta By Patricia Cornwell
2) Cross Country By James Patterson
3) Dark Guardian By Christina Feehan
4) Four to Score By Janet Evanivich
5) Dark Fire By Christina Feehan
6) Dark Watch By John Sandford
7) Hot Mahogany By Stuart Woods
8) Along Came a Spider By James Patterson
9) High Five By Janet Evanivich
10) Dark Legand By Christina Feehan
11) Hot Six By Janet Evanivich
12) Seven Up By Janet Evanivich
13) Hard Eight By Janet Evanivich
14) To The Nines By Janet Evanivich
15) Three To Get Deadly By Janet Evanivich
16) Plum Lucky By Janet Evanivich
17) Scarpetta By Patricia Cornwell (Audiobook)
18) The Keepsake By Tess Gerritson
19) Plum Lovin By Janet Evanivich
20) The Killing Hour By Lisa Gardner
21) Ten Big Ones By Janet Evanivich
22) Blood and Gold By Anne Rice
23) Quicksand By Iris Johansen
24) Lord John and The Private Matter By Diana Gabaldon
25) Brass Verdict By Michael Connolly
26) A Darkness More Than Night By Michael Connolly
27) A Breath of Snow and Ashes By Diana Gabaldon
28) Fauls Impressions By Jeffery Archer
29) Moscow Rules By Daniel Silva
30) Lincoln Lawyer By Michael Connolly
31) The Eleventh Commandment By Jeffery Archer
32) The Notebook By Nicholas Sparks
33) Stargazy By Martha Grimmes
34) Visions of Sugar Plums By Janet Evanivich
35) Two Dollar Bill By Stewart Woods
36) Persuasion By Jane Austen
37) The Italian Secretary By Caleb Carr
38) Suzannes Diary For Nicholas By James Patterson
39) Short Straw By Stewart Woods
40) Fresh Disaster By Stewart Woods
41) Run For Your Life By James Patterson
42) Trouble By Jesse Kellermen
43) The City of Fallen Angles By Brendent
44) Son of A Witch By Gregory Mcguire
45) A Lion Amoung Men By Gregory Mcgiure
46) The Sleeping Doll By Gregory Mcguire
47) Dead Until Dark Charlaine Harris
48) Living Dead in Dallas By Charlaine Harris
49) Club Dead By Charlaine Haris
50) Dead to The World By Charlaine Harris
51) Highland Christmas By M.C Beaton
52) Dead as A Doornail By Charlain Harris
53) Definatley Dead By Charlain Harris
54) The Monster of Florence By Douglas Preston
55) Lost Light By Michael Connolly
56) Henry VIII The King and His Court
57) Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging By Louise Rennison
58) Sharp Objects By Gillian Flynn
59) The Alienist By Caleb Car
60) Dating Dead Men By Harley Jane
61) Eleven Big Ones By Janet Evanivich
62) The Murder Book By Jonathan Kellerman
63) Devil May Cry By Sherilyn Kennon
64) Outlander By Diana Gabaldon
65) All Together Dead By Charlain Harrison
66) Twelve Sharp By Janet Evanivich
67) Dark Places By Gillian Flynn
68) Ink Heart By Cornelia Funke
69) Morrigans Cross By Norra Roberts
70) Fearless Fourteen By Janet Evanivich
71) Dance of The Gods By Norra Roberts
72) Finger Lickin Fifteen By Janet Evanivich
73) Valley of Silence By Norra Evanivich
74) Outlandish Companion By Janet Evanivich
75) Drangonfly in Amber By Diana Gabaldon
76) Voyager By Diana Gabaldon
77) The Last Detective
78) Two Little Girls in Blue By Mary Higgins Clark
79) The Bone Garden By Tess Gerritson
80) The Vampire Diaries By L.J Smith
81) Good in Bed By Jennifer Weinner
82) From Dead to Worse By Charlaine Harris
83) Lord John and The Brotherhood of The Blade By Diana Gabaldon
84) Dead and Gone By Charlaine Harris
85) A Great and Terrible Beauty By Libba Bray
86) Rebel Angles By Libba Bray
87) A sweet far Thing By Libba Bray
88) Worst Fears By Fay Weldon
89) Post Mordem By Patricia Cornwell
90) The Shining By Stephen King
91) Moment of Truth By Lisa Scottoline
92) Dead Lock By Iris Johansen
93) Body of Evidence By Patricia Cornwell
94) Cheif's By Stewart Woods
95) The Rule of Four By
96) Ales Cross's Trial By James Patterson
97) Courting Trouble By Lisa Scottoline
98) 8th Confessin By James Patterson
99) Salems Lot By Stephen King
100) An Echo in The Bone By Diana Gabaldon
101) The Third Victim By Lisa Gardner
102) Pride and Prejudice By Jane Austen
103) Cruel and Unsual By Pratirica Cornwell
104) Dead Ringer By lisa Scottoline
105) Monster By John Kellermen
106) Blind Alley By Iris Johansen
107) Count Down By Iris Johansen
108) Wicked Lovely By Melissa Marr
109) Max By James Patterson
110) Blood Game By Iris Johansen
111) Scarpetta Factor By Patricia Cornwell
112) Point of Origin By Patricia Cornwell
113) The Last Precinct By Patricia Cornwell
114) Blow Fly By Patricia Cornwell
115) Preditor By Patricia Cornwell
116) The Haunting of Hill House By Shirley Jackson
117) Scarpetta By Patricia Cornwell
118) New Moon By Stephenie Meyer
119) Prior Bad Acts By Tami Hoag
120) Scarpetta Factor By Patricia Cornwell
121) Fellowship of The Ring By J.R.R Tolkien
122) The Two Towers By J.R.R Tolkien
123) The Children of Hurrin By J.R.R Tolkien
124) The Return of The King By J.R.R Tolkien

"The Girl With the Pearl Earring" by Tracy Chevalier

Girl With a Pearl Earring tells the story of Griet, a 16-year-old Dutch girl who becomes a maid in the house of the painter Johannes Vermeer. Her calm and perceptive manner not only helps her in her household duties, but also attracts the painter's attention. Though different in upbringing, education and social standing, they have a similar way of looking at things. Vermeer slowly draws her into the world of his paintings - the still, luminous images of solitary women in domestic settings.

In contrast to her work in her master's studio, Griet must carve a place for herself in a chaotic Catholic household run by Vermeer's volatile wife Catharina, his shrewd mother-in-law Maria Thins, and their fiercely loyal maid Tanneke. Six children (and counting) fill out the household, dominated by six-year-old Cornelia, a mischievous girl who sees more than she should.

On the verge of womanhood, Griet also contends with the growing attentions both from a local butcher and from Vermeer's patron, the wealthy van Ruijven. And she has to find her way through this new and strange life outside the loving Protestant family she grew up in, now fragmented by accident and death.

As Griet becomes part of her master's work, their growing intimacy spreads disruption and jealousy within the ordered household and even - as the scandal seeps out - ripples in the world beyond.



This is one of my favorite books of all times; I decided that I wanted to read this book because I love Colin Firth and I wanted too see the movie. After reading the book though and falling in love with the story line and the characters I decided that I would pass on the film. I love everything about this book, I wouldn't want any thing to be different.

I weakened and decided to see the film, they did an ok job but I will take the book any day of the week. It is on my reread book list, I don't usually reread books very often but lately I have come across many books lately that I have read many times. If you haven't read "The Girl in The Pearl Earring" you should really read it.

J.R.R Tolkien

I am reading "The Lord of The Ring" books again for the 5th or 6th time, and I am still in awe and amazed at how wonderful these books are. It doesn't matter how many times I read them I get more into them than the time before. I can never get sick of Tolkiens work; he is a genius and a brilliant author. I don't think that there will ever be another Tolkien.

C.S Lewis is also a brilliant author in is own right, but on a whole other level than Tolkien. It doesn't suprise me that the two of them were such good friends.

I starting listening to "The Children of Hurrin", I have never read "The Silmarillion" but I was thinking today as I was reading that I should read it too learn more about the history of middle earth. I also thought that these books would boare me, but I am completely obsorbed my these books!

I can't keep all the characters, places and history straight so I wont summerise the books.

There are not a lot good authors these days; it makes me sad to think that people are content with simple minded literature. I like to read books that make me have to stop and think about what it is that I am reading; books that if I have to reread a page a couple of times that is ok, I love books that challenge me intellectually.

If you haven't ever Read J.R.R Tolkien, I suggest that you read him. Your life wont be completely until you do!