Holy Freaking New Year Batman!

So yes, it has been approximately four-ish months since my last post.  Oh goodness, I can't seem to stick to anything!  But, it is my new years resolution to write a post about once a week, and possibly even get one follower.  That's a very slim possibility, but still.  What's that saying about shooting for the moon so even if you miss you'll land among the stars?  A bit lofty for a silly little blog, but still, the meaning is there. 

In the mean time, I have had four months to read many, many, many new books!  But I doubt you can here to read about my BSAVA Manual of Practical Veterinary Nursing (believe me, it's only good for the bragging rights), so let's get to the good stuff.  Now where to start?  Hmmm...  Oh!  Yes, let's start with a book that has been getting some very big press lately, I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore.  Not only did I love this book because when you say the title and author in one sentence it rhymes, but also because I could not physically put it down!  I swear, when I wasn't reading it, I was carrying it around.  It was like a drug!  Plus it wasn't about vampires and werewolves.  So now for a bit of an overview my newest drug.  John Smith doesn't come in to the story as John Smith.  Nope, that would be too easy.  When you're first introduced to the main character, his name is Daniel Jones.  You want to read the book a bit more now, huh?  John Smith is an alien.  Not a 'take me to your leader' type alien, but one from a once-beautiful planet called Lorien, who's inhabitants look just like us here on earth.  The only differences are their vast physical strength and speed, and their ability to develop 'Legacies', special powers that they reach a certain age.  Well Lorien was invaded and destroyed my Mogadorians.  Now the Mogadorians have come to earth to find the last nine 'Garde' and their nine 'Cepan' (trainers/guardians/general caregivers).  None of the nine know where the others are, and they're safer that way.  And there's one more little twist to add that extra bit of intrigue.  The Garde were all given numbers before leaving Lorien, and they ca only be killed in order.  The first three were found and killed by the Mogadorians.  John is number four.  I am also very excited about the movie (which comes out February 18th, if I'm not mistaken), but I'm a bit worried about how much they're going to leave out.  And I'm kinda sad that the cool cover art is going to be replaced by some silly stills from the movie.  But all in all, I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes aliens, action, outsiders and a bit of romance too (because really, you can scarcely find a YA book without it). Oooh!  And a bit of a bonus, there's a spelling mistake one page five of my copy, unless 'blew' really is spelled 'bxlew'.  I love it when I find things like that in books. 

And I'll do one more and then try to turn my insomniac mind off, sound fair?  Okay.  Let's do another new release!  Yay!  The Scorch Trials by James Dashner.  I could not believe how much I loved the first in this series, The Maze Runner.  It was so original!  Well, it was to me anyway.  I picked it up because it was a nominee for a Teen Read award from Indigo.  I had never read anything by James Dashner before, actually, I had never even heard of him!  But ohmigod, am I glad I did buy it.  I loved it from the opening line, and The Scorch Trials was the exact same.  I can't really tell you much about the Scorch Trials without giving away the ending of the Maze Runner, so let's suffice to say that you should rush right out today and buy them both.  You won't be disappointed.  They're futuristic and also not about vampires or werewolves (I really don't have anything against vamps or wolfies, but it got a bit out of hand for a while there).  They are about a group of boys known to each other as 'Gladers' because in the Maze Runner, they all lived in a giant maze with a safe clearing in the middle known as the Glade.  They are watched continuously by an organization called WICKED, and hunted everyday by all sorts of nasty, inhuman creatures.  They aren't your run of the mill YA books, and if you're anything like me, the endings will make you think your book is missing a few pages.  Plus, dear, sweet, wonderful Mr.Dashner had them both published in 2010, so the next is surely right around the corner.