Lady Thief

Hello Shiny Knives,

Just a note, and I can do this because no one reads these, but I'm pretty sick. So we'll see how sick Book Panda writes. Probably poorly.

Anyway, What's up? How's life? That's great. This book? This book I have in my lap, awesome but makes me want to scream. You know the type. You know.

Today I finished the second book in the Scarlet trilogy, Lady Thief. After  rescuing Robin from torture and marrying freaking Gisbourne, the band is hiding out in a monastery for the winter. Robin has those awful PTSD nightmares that end in Scarlet getting hurt more often than not. Scarlet is determined to help him through this until Gisbourne comes back talking about annulment, which is an old-timey word for divorce. Though Robin is completely opposed to this, seeing as Gisbourne is a giant bag of douche, Scarlet agrees. I mean, she wants to marry Robin. Robin is great. Scarlet then has to try and act like a proper court lady to appease Gisbourne. But this is Scarlet we're talking about. It ain't gonna be that easy.

So, what did I enjoy in this book? That Robin actually has the feelings throughout the book. In Lady Thief you can actually tell that he loves her, instead of his hot and cold spiel in the first book. I also like the overall story, though the ending ticked me off. WHY CAN'T THEY JUST BE HAPPY, DANG IT! I was afraid that A. C. was going to make me feel sympathy for Gisbourne, but all I felt was hatred and disgust. Prince John is also trash. I'm not sure if he's supposed to be trash since my Disney Robin Hood days are so far in the past, but I hate him. He's like that teenage boy that's throwing a tantrum because his Prius is blue instead of black.

I have more feelings about this book, but the sickness is telling me to go to sleep.

Shipping: Robin and Scarlet
I Dig: Much, Winchester
Pissed About: John (he just wanted to be happy)

8.5/10
~Book Panda

Scarlet

Hello Merry Readers,

Dang. I got a book for you. The historical fiction thing worked out pretty well! This week I read a book called Scarlet by an A. C. Gaughen. Sorry to those of you who thought by the title that I meant Scarlet from the Lunar Chronicles series.

You know those books that retell stories in a magical, better way? This was one of those. Scarlet is a spin on the Robin Hood legend. Scarlet is a member of Robin's band of merry men, expect Scarlet is a chick. Few know this, but the band does. The story is some of your typical Robin Hood adventures, stealing from nobles to hand out money to the commoners, but Scarlet brings about a new perspective. Scarlet is the knife throwing thief of the group. She has a shady past and doesn't let anyone near her. She avoids some topics and thinks she isn't good enough for much. For some reason I love these types of characters. I like to pretend I know them and mentally send them comfort so they don't feel bad anymore. I don't know. I'm weird. Anyway, Scarlet has a secret, and it might disrupt the band. *gasp*

But here's what you all were looking for: the love interests. So there's John Little, the flirt of the group. He's the more obvious of the loves. To be honest, I was rooting for him throughout some of the book. I liked his personality better and how he actually showed his feelings. I was team John. I mean, I didn't like how he flirted with other girls, but I liked him. Then there's Robin. As in Robin Hood. This guy was so hot and cold. Like Katy Perry's love interest. Like one second he's freaking the heck out because he thinks she got hurt, but the next he's saying if she puts them in danger she's out the band. I was like, dude. Make up your mind or John will make it for you. When I realized he wasn't just being a dick, I kind of liked him. Then I really liked him.

Overall, this was an awesome book. I don't know much about the Robin Hood legend besides what the Disney version told me, but I liked it. I'd recommend if you like awesome, kick-butt, female protagonists, the retellings of other stories, and "historical fiction". (I don't know if Robin Hood was actually real).


Shipping: Robin and Scarlet
Rooting For: Much

8.5/10
~Book Panda

Reckoning

The end is nigh!

This is the last book of the Strange Angels series, and let me tell you. It was a book.

Reckoning starts off with Dru, Ash, and Graves on the run from everybody. The vamps, because they're three types of crazy, and the Order, because their protection is pretty crappy. The trio is pretty safe for a while until a series of events cause them to be found. Again. Chris comes back (did we really expect him not too?) and all seems well. Then we realize who's fault it is, and hearts are broken. . . . bad word choice, sorry.

Anyway, we see the other species of Real World, some kickbutt fighting scenes, and love declarations. No heavy make outs, unfortunately. Ash still speaks like a baby who only knows four words, but he's still adorable. I liked the book, but I wasn't fond of the ending. Dru is still being pulled around regardless of her feelings and I hate that. It hits too close to home. Also, I'm sad I didn't see if my ship sailed. Or the other ship that was possible but not the one I really wanted. There was no ship closure. I guess this is why people read and write fanfiction. So their ships can sail. The end of this series didn't leave me with the idea that Dru's life would be a happy one. It gave me bad vibe. Like Nat the shifty werwulf, who apparently was okay.

Besides the ending, I enjoyed the book. The entire series was good as a whole too. It wasn't a read-five-times series like The Mortal Instruments, but it was definitely a you-should-read this series. I recommend to those of you who like Supernatural like books.

8.5/10

To my imaginary readers: I know that I said I'd try and not do spoilers, but I realize that whatever I really like or don't like about the book is some sort of spoiler. And that's what this is about. So oops. Maybe you shouldn't read these until you've read the book. Next I'm reading a series that my library labelled Historical Fiction, so we'll see.

~Book Panda

Defiance

*spoilers be present*

Alright, so. . . .

AghhhhgGGHHHghhhh!

Just so you know, that wasn't a bad scream. It was like a yay! No! I knew it! Agh! Why?! Scream. There were a lot of things that happened. A lot of things.

Alright. Summary. Defiance is a post Anna Schola where Dru's main goal is to save Graves. Will the Council let her? No. Is she angry about it? Absolutely. The Council is also smothering her with guards and everyone is still weary about Ash. They're trying to train her, but they won't let her in on the action of outside. It's too dangerous, they say. You're precious, they say. From my perspective it's just as dangerous inside the Schola, but what do I know about safety and assassination attempts?

Well, don't ya know Dru don't play that mess? So, we have this new werwulf chick, Nathalie. She was shifty to me the entire time. I mean, Dru dug her but I there was something about her that rubbed me the wrong way. She was too perfect for me. Christophe. . . things get intense with him. I don't like it. Ash though! He does it! It makes me happy. Lili described him exactly how I pictured him besides the stripe, and that made me happy. I also like how he speaks monosyllabic for the most part. Ahh, Ash. I started to trust Christophe, then I was like, "This guy's shady." Then my suspicions were confirmed. Then I was like agh! Now I just don't trust anyone. Except Ash. And Dibs. And Shanks. And Graves of course. . . . yup. No one.

Shipping: Graves and Dru?

Rooting For: Ash

Confused About: Dru's feelings

8.5/10

~Book Panda

Jealousy

What's up?

I'm just going to start with a little rant. So, whoever had this book in the past decided that it would be a good idea to WRITE IN PEN in the library book. Not only did they write in it in 25 concurrent pages, but it's in a spot that you can't miss. If you're out there and you're reading this, Book Defacer, you are the reason we don't have nice things. There are three reading pet peeves I have. Writing in books, particularly library books, dog-earring books, and people spoiling the ending for me. All three have happened to me through library books and scum in my school who don't want me to have happiness and it makes me want to lay on the ground and contemplate the existence of these heathens. *sigh*

But Jealousy though.

Jealousy takes place in yet another Schola. The right Schola. Dru should feel safe, but can't help feeling paranoid, seeing as how wulfen, vampires, and dreamstealers have been trying to kill her since her dad turned zombie. Now she's stuck in another blue room, with another group of boys that won't talk to her, and the feeling that someone wants to do her harm. Ship with bae-Graves moves forward but is really weird. He acts more like her affectionate older cousin than her lover in the night, but whatever. It was progress. We see less of Dibs, but I still love him. Ash is seen more, even if he is just doing the equivalent of a puppy crying at night. Towards the end he kicks booty though. Anna. . . more like wanna punch her in her red dyed head. And her throat. I want to punch that too. She was shifty from the beginning to me. I kind of hate her more than Serje, the vampire trying to kill Dru, because I know the type. She's that pretty, popular girl that picks on those beneath her for no reason other than to amuse herself. Ugh.

Anyway. This one was probably the best one of the three I've read. I felt like the pacing of this one was much better. It kept me interested the whole way through and the ending. AGHHHH! I had a feeling! Sorry. Good book. You should read it.

Shipping: Graves and Dru
Rooting For: Ash

8/10
~Book Panda

Betrayals

Hey again,

Yesterday I finished a book called Betrayals by Lili St. Crow. This is the second book in a series called Strange Angels. I read the first one over the summer and finally found all the rest of them.

The first book, Strange Angels, has absolutely nothing to do with angels. The main character, Dru, and her dad travel the country hunting things that go bump in the night. Much like Sam and Dean in Supernatural without the Impala and the beautiful Jensen Ackles. After a few days, Dru's dad doesn't come back from a hunt. Until he does. And not in the Supernatural way. By herself, she realizes that whoever did that to her dad will be coming after her. A half-goth boy and someone she'd normally hunt try to keep her safe, even though she can do that just fine by herself.

*IF YOU HAVEN'T READ STRANGE ANGELS, GO AWAY AND READ IT, BECAUSE OF THE SPOILERS*

Betrayals takes place while Dru and Graves are at the Schola, a supposedly safe place for teenage werewolves, half-werewolves, and half-vampires. It should be like normal school with the addition of combat training, except Dru is the only girl. And that's only the beginning of her struggles.

This book was a combination of slow and frustrating in the beginning. For me. Then as I realized what was happening, it got faster and infuriating. How dare they try and shelter the most powerful whatever-she-is! At least I think she's most powerful. . . when she comes into her powers . . . ? I don't remember. Anyway, yeah! I liked it. Besides when she was all sad and the people were being annoying, I enjoyed this book. I think in the third book, or somewhere before the end of the series, Dru's going to fix Ash, and Ash is going to be awesome. Dibs is literally the most adorable person ever. I used to want Shanks to go eat dirt, but he's cool now.

Shipping: Dru and Graves; Dru and Christophe
Rooting for: Ash
Disclaimer: There are three other books in this series and I'm reading them in order, so the next few posts will probably be written assuming you've read  the others.

7.5/10
~Book Panda

The Last Star

Hey Internet!

So I finished a book last night called, The Last Star by Rick Yancey. This is the final book to The 5th Wave trilogy and to be honest, I don't know how I feel about it.

If you haven't read The 5th Wave, it's a sci-fi book about aliens systematically killing off the entire human population in a series of waves. The main character is Cassie, who is trying to find her brother, but the story of Zombie is also followed. Zombie has been taken to a military base to be trained as a soldier. To those of you who are like, "I watched the movie so I'll just read the second one," that movie was trash, and you are also trash. READ THE BOOK!

But The Last Star though. The beginning was slow--so slow--but the ending was alright. I didn't hate it, but there was a lot of sighing on my end. Bae never got a chance, not really. *sigh* There were also a lot of scenes in the book that I thought could have been avoided if they just followed The 5th Wave world rule: trust no one. I totally saw majority of the bad things coming. Out of 10 I'd give this book a 5. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good. The first book was definitely best out of the entire series.

5/10
See you when I finish my next book!
~Book Panda

Hi!

Hi all!

I'm the Book Panda, and I've come to give you all the power of book reviews. Hopefully I will make someone want to read these books I review. Will there be spoilers? I'll try not to. Will there be gushing and minor fangirling? I can almost guarantee it. And will I post everyday? No, because I don't finish all books in a single day. I don't expect people to actually read any of these, but I'm doing it anyway because none of my friends read so I can't freak out with them. Now, you may be wondering I decided to be a book panda instead of a book worm. My response to that would be worms are gross. Pandas are cuddly. Need I say more?

That's all for now. I'll be posting my first review shortly, so stay tuned!

~The Book Panda