Pegasus by Robin McKinley

About the book: I rarely read YA fiction and decided to read some this year. At the Library I browsed and was attracted initally to the cover of this book, then decided to read it after the blurb sounded interesting. I enjoyed this book and the author's imagning of the pegasi and their world. However I did not realize this was only the beginning. After reading the last pages of the book and realizing that the story ended, well, mid-story I went online to search for the sequal only to find there wasn't one.

First line: Because she was a princess she had a pegasus.

My thoughts: I rarely read YA fiction and decided to read some this year. At the Library I browsed and was attracted initally to the cover of this book, then decided to read it after the blurb sounded interesting. I enjoyed this book and the author's imagning of the pegasi and their world. However I did not realize this was only the beginning. After reading the last pages of the book and realizing that the story ended, well, mid-story I went online to search for the sequal only to find there wasn't one. I sincerly hope there will be one but this was out in 2010......

Zoo by James Patterson

About the book: All over the world, brutal attacks are crippling entire cities. Jackson Oz, a young biologist, watches the escalating events with an increasing sense of dread. When he witnesses a coordinated lion ambush in Africa, the enormity of the violence to come becomes terrifyingly clear.

With the help of ecologist Chloe Tousignant, Oz races to warn world leaders before it's too late. The attacks are growing in ferocity, cunning, and planning, and soon there will be no place left for humans to hide. With wildly inventive imagination and white-knuckle suspense that rivals Stephen King at his very best, James Patterson's ZOO is an epic, non-stop thrill-ride from "One of the best of the best."

First line:

 My thoughts : I got this book because I thought this was an interesting idea for a  story line. This novel takes place over a decade of time, with 5 of those years skipped.  It kept me turning pages but also had a few things I wondered about. For instance the main character keeps a chimpanze in his apartment even though he is tracking HAC....Human Animal Conflict. That made no sence to me. Some of the death scenes of both humans and animals were pretty graphic so be warned. It was a quick read, a page turner but not one of the best of Patterson's career in my opinion.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

About the book: A voyage to the very ends of the world. NARNIA . . . where a dragon awakens . . . where stars walk the earth . . . where anything can happen.

A king and some unexpected companions embark on a voyage that will take them beyond all known lands. As they sail farther and farther from charted waters, they discover that their quest is more than they imagined and that the world’s end is only the beginning.

First Line: "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it." (I love this first line!)

My Thoughts: I have enjoyed reading C.S. Lewis in the past but had never read this children's series of his. I think that God blessed him with his writing. This was a well written fantasy series with little life lessons in each of the books.  I believe they targeted the 4th-6th grade market but I seen no reason adults would not enjoy them.