Origins (Stefan's Diaries #1) by "LJ Smith" and Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec 4.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I decided to go down a different path from here on out in the Vampire Diaries series.  Let's ditch the awful writing of The Return series and the original Vampire Diaries series for something a bit different.  This is a book based on the Vampire Diaries TV show which was based on the Vampire Diaries books.  The reason I put LJ Smith in quotes is because, while her name is on the cover, she had no input in this book's writing process, and I'm grateful.
The Cover:

The Cover:
This is a boring cover.  End of story.  It has Stefan's face on it.  (Have I mentioned I hate the half-face on book covers? Because I do)

Official Description:

A love triangle that will span eternity… 

The year is 1864 and the Civil War rages on. But seventeen-year-old Stefan Salvatore is fighting a battle all his own. Engaged to marry someone he does not love, Stefan falls for a mysterious girl named Katherine. With her gleaming curls and mischievous brown eyes, Katherine is beautiful and seduction…but she also harbors a dark secret: She’s a vampire.Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan’s Diaries reveals what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine—and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began.(Note: This book is written by a ghostwriter)

My Review:

This was infinitely better than the original Vampire a Diaries series and The Return series. Both of those series were decent at best and trash at worst. However, I really enjoyed Stefan's Diaries book one. 
My reasons:
1. Stefan is a much less irritating main character than Elena. He's just a strong character who I can relate to.
2. The writing style was much better than LJ Smith's (who didn't write this book).  
3. The plot was interesting and not stupid. 
This book was by no means that best book I've ever read, but it was much better than I expected. 

I got really involved in this books plot and felt for all of Stefan's difficulties throughout the story.

I would definitely recommend Origins to anyone really.  It's definitely more of a girl book than a guy book, but do what you want to do.

Quote:

"It was ironic that while I'd spent my entire life trying to get my father's approval, what made him happiest was an act that made me feel dead inside"

Phrase:

Oblong ball

Happy Reading, everyone!

Midnight (Vampire Diaries: The Return #3) by LJ Smith 3/5 stars

Hey, guys!  I know that I promised to give Vampire Diaries a break for a bit, but that didn't happen, I'm afraid.  If you haven't read my previous reviews, check them out: Vampire Diaries (original series) and Nightfall and Shadow Souls.

The Cover:

The Cover:
....Yeah.... I have no idea who is on the cover.  Is it Bonnie? This girl looks just plain evil so I doubt it.  Anyone know? Comment!

Official Description:
The devil you know . . .
With the help of charming and devious Damon, Elena rescued her vampire love, Stefan, from the depths of the Dark Dimension. But neither brother returned unscathed.
Stefan is weak from his long imprisonment and needs more blood than Elena alone can give him, while a strange magic has turned Damon into a human. Savage and desperate, Damon will do anything to become a vampire again, even travel back to hell. But what will happen when he accidentally takes Bonnie with him?
Stefan and Elena hurry to rescue their innocent friend from the Dark Dimension, leaving Matt and Meredith to save their hometown from the dangerous spirits that have taken hold of Fell's Church. One by one, children are succumbing to demonic designs. But Matt and Meredith soon discover that the source of the evil is darker and closer than they ever could have imagined. . . .

My Review:

What can I say about this book? It wasn't bad or good. It was probably a waste of time to read it, but for some bizarre reason, I haven't given up on this series yet. I think I'm holding out hope that it will miraculously get better? I know the next part is not written by the same author, and while I'm disgusted that LJ Smith got fired from her own books, I kinda hope it will re-jumpstart this series to at least the point of the first Vampire Diaries "series". Who knows? I think I'm definitely going to take a break for a while though. 

I just feel so offended when I read it. Seriously all of the girls literally FAINT at the sight of trouble. Elena is hopelessly playing with two boy's hearts. The villains are stupid. Elena has wings (I will never not be upset by that). And LJ Smith DOESN'T BOTHER TO USE TRANSITIONS!!! How can I possibly know what's going on if things happen with no explanation. I had to read entire pages like 7 times in order to figure out what on earth was going on. Honestly though, it was on par or maybe even better than the rest of The Return series (the others were bad with a single good moment while this book was simple Ehh... the whole time).  I think that this was partially because Elena was not as much the center of attention as she normally is. I'm not sure.
If you made it through the tragedy that was the rest of this series, go ahead and read Midnight.  If you are debating whether or not to read this section of the Vampire Diaries series, I would suggest you read a different book.

Phrase:
Virgin tears

Until next time, Happy Reading!

New Page --- Suggestions

Hey, guys! I just made a new page on this blog.  You can find it on the side bar on the right of your screen.  It's called Suggestions, and its point is to give you some general book suggestions from my personal favorites of all time.  Please check it out, and maybe check some of the books out as well. They are all books that I have actually recommended to my friends on multiple occasions so you know that they were really good.
Try to find something that sounds interesting to you!
Happy Reading!

Gods Save the Princess (Grace of Gods 2) by Kyleigh Castronaro 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! So, earlier this year, I posted a review of Ode to the Goddess by Kyleigh Castronaro.  It was fantastic.  This book is its sequel, and it was also fantastic. You should read both of them because they are amazing, and you just need to.  LINK TO MY REVIEW!!!

The Cover:

The Cover:

The cover shows Valentina in what I believe is the Underworld.  There's a skull under her head.  It's an okay cover, but I generally don't like covers with models on them.  They tend to restrict imagination.  That being said, the cover is fine.  The more I think about the title Gods Save the Princess the cooler it seems.  It makes perfect sense after you read the book (no spoilers), and I like the use of "gods" since it is a book about Greek Mythology, after all.

Official Description:

In a world of Gods and mythologies Valentina still struggles to identify her own Goddess. Despite feeling out of place amongst others of her kind, nothing will stop her from protecting her friends from the dangers that begin to surround their new reign.
While grappling to name her inner Goddess, Valentina finds herself torn by the mysterious Griffin who leaves her frustrated and confused. She doesn’t understand the connection she feels toward him or why every time they start to get close he pulls away.
But relationships are the least of her problems when she’s kidnapped and trapped in the Underworld. Her Goddess has no choice but to awaken to help Valentina navigate her way through the doomed hallways of Hades and try to get back to Olympus before it’s too late for all the Olympians.
With a reluctant Goddess in her mind, Valentina fights to survive in a realm where death is the only outcome. Will history repeat itself or will the New Olympians write their own myths?

My Review:

I expected this book to start off right after Ode to the Goddess ended, but it didn't.  It actually started before.  This book led from Valentina's life before she realized that she was a Greek goddess to long after the first book ended (the ending was about 50% through the book). While at first I was a tad skeptical, I'm glad the author wrote it in this time frame.  This way we can fully understand Valentina's character and still manage to move onwards in the story.  

Let's talk about the plot.  It worked.  The plot flowed smoothly from event to event.  I was worried, excited, happy and all the other right emotions while reading.  I was fully immersed in the storyline and could not stop reading.  I went from thinking, "this should be good" to "Oh. My. Gods. I need more of this right now!" and then reading ravenously for as long as sleep, or lack of sleep, would allow.  I still think that I need more! I'm so glad that there's a book three.

The characters.  Valentina, our protagonist, was wonderful. She was complex and strangely relatable.  I just loved her character, and I imagine that you will too.  Griffin was also a very dynamic character.  While I wouldn't say that I "liked" him, he seemed real and, in a way, I felt for him.  I was a bit disappointed in how much Aidan/ Savannah were in book two.  They made guest appearances, but, while they weren't very relevant to the plot, I wish I could have seen more of them.  

Really, my only real issue with this book was Valentina's inability to understand who her goddess was.  I had worked it out almost immediately.  Also, I don't know what books she was using in her research, but I think most people looking into Greek mythology learn about Cerberus before Prometheus... Who knows?

I really loved this book.  I was absolutely entranced by its storyline and I got really into it.  I strongly suggest reading it, really for whatever reason you might have.  It was simply fantastic.

Happy Reading!

*Note: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for my honest review*

Currently Reading: The Importance of Being Earnest

Hey, guys! I just wanted to check in!

In school, we just started reading the old play, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.  It is great, and I strongly recommend it, though we've only gotten through the first act.  It just has so much irony and is just really funny.  Some of my class obviously don't find it very funny, as evidenced by the times I laugh at a joke they rather don't understand or don't find funny (or both).
Either way, it's fairly easy to understand, and just really entertaining if you want to give it a go.
I'll post a full review once I finish reading it!

Until then, Happy Reading!

Shadow Souls (Vampire Diaries: The Return #2) by LJ Smith 3.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! Sorry about all of the Vampire Diaries books that I've been posting lately.  After this one, we'll get back on the normal schedule of me posting on books as I randomly read them!  If you haven't read my earlier reviews of this roller coaster of a series. This is my original Vampire Diaries series review and my review of Nightfall, the first in this series Go read those first since there may be spoilers ahead for those books.

The Cover:

The Cover: 

The cover just shows Damon's face.  It's really plain.  Though, I cannot tell if his face is the face of a model or if its computer generated.  Anyone know? Comment! Also, I think that the title doesn't make much sense.  There are no shadow souls involved in this book... Maybe its because they go into a shadows world and they are souls? It's a cool title but it doesn't make much sense in the context of the book.

Official Description:
On the run . . .
Elena Gilbert's love, the vampire Stefan Salvatore, has been captured and imprisoned by demonic spirits who are wreaking havoc in Fell's Church. While her friends Bonnie and Meredith explore the evil that has taken over their town, Elena goes in search of Stefan.
In order to find him, she entrusts her life to Stefan's brother, Damon Salvatore, the handsome but deadly vampire who wants Elena, body and soul. Along with her childhood friend Matt, they set out for the slums of the Dark Dimension, where Stefan is being held captive. It is rumored to be a world where vampires and demons roam free, but humans must live enslaved to their supernatural masters. . . .
Elena will stop at nothing to free Stefan. Yet with each passing day the tension between Elena and Damon grows, and she is faced with a terrible decision: Which brother does she really want?
Back in Fell's Church, Bonnie and Meredith have made some dire discoveries. They hastily try to follow Elena and warn her—only to be caught up in Elena's most dangerous adventure yet.

My Review: I struggled through this book at a start and stop pace for weeks. The first half was agonizing. It was just awful. The summary of the first half: Elena and Damon go on a road trip. It was just long and boring. Roughly 300 pages of driving along and complaining about various things. (Matt and Damon don't get along, Damon likes Elena, etc.)  The first half ranked a 2.5/5 star rating. However, one night I picked it up again and read the last half in almost a single sitting. The last half was probably a 4.5 star rating. It was exciting and the pace picked up considerably. There were cute moments and gut-wrenching moments. I'll definitely read the next book, and I'm glad that I gave Shadow Souls a chance, though I was considering permanently abandoning it. 
That being said, the problems still remained: boring side story in Fell's Church, irritating characters, long descriptions of dresses when your BOYFRIEND IS LITERALLY BEING TORTURED RIGHT NOW!!!, Elena has wings (I'm still not getting over that), and it has a title that makes no sense in the context of the book.
It was decent. If you made it through the trainwreck of Nightfall, go ahead and read it. If not, don't bother.

Phrase: 
That night at the motel...

Happy Reading!

Nightfall (Vampire Diaries: The Return #1) by LJ Smith 2/5 stars

Hey, guys! Earlier this week, I reviewed the original Vampire Diaries series, so now it is time to review the first book in the first rebooted series.  Just so you guys know, this series was written a decade after the original series and is very, very different.  For one, the writing style changes drastically (I had to check to make sure the same author wrote it since it was so different). Also, the book is twice as long as the original books.
While I absolutely despised this book, Nightfall, the sequel, Shadow Souls, was much better (though still not necessarily good)
The Cover:

The Cover:

While this is a boring cover, it is a lot more modern than the original Vampire Diaries's 90's covers. It shows Elena... staring.

Official Description:

The first book in a new trilogy from L. J. Smith!
Elena Gilbert is alive--again.
When Elena sacrificed herself to save the two vampire brothers who love her--the handsome, brooding Stefan and the sleek and dangerous Damon--she was consigned to a fate beyond death. Until a powerful supernatural force pulled her back.
Now Elena is not just human. She has powers and gifts that were bestowed on her in the afterlife. What's more, her blood pulses with an overwhelming and unique force that makes her irresistible to any vampire.
Stefan wants to find a way to keep Elena safe so that they can make a life together. Damon, however, is driven by an insatiable desire for power, and wants Elena to rule as his princess. When Stefan is lured away from Fell's Church, Damon seizes his chance to convince her that he is the brother she is meant to be with. . . .
But a darkness is infiltrating the town, and Damon, always the hunter, is now the hunted; he becomes the prey of a malevolent creature that can possess him at will, and who desires not just Elena's blood but her death.

My Review (taken from right after finishing Nightfall):

I'm not sure what happened to these books but I hated it. This was by far the worst book I've read in a long time. I expected it to be at least comparable to the other books in this series but no. This book was TWICE as long as the other books and THREE times as bad. 

It was a struggle to get through. First of all, it was as if the physics of the Vampire-Diaries-world randomly shifted. Now Elena can just randomly float and has wings? Seriously, what? And trees can now attack! And there are also these werefoxes because normal supernatural creatures aren't enough!Also, the characters all decided to get weird. Really weird. Stefan spent a lot of the book calling Elena his "little lovely love". To say that that creeped me out would be an understatement! You know what this book needed? TRANSITIONS! I was hopelessly lost in the plot at certain points. My timeline for Nightfall was warped beyond recognition. I was so disappointed in this book. In LJ Smith. In the publishing industry as a whole, since they allowed this book to be published without, as it seems, revisions. To be honest, I'll probably read the next book, but only in a last ditch effort to salvage the series, which I'm doubting can be saved at all. (UPDATE: While not necessarily saved, my opinion still has hope of recovering after finishing Shadow Souls)

I was disappointed in Nightfall.  I can't say that I would recommend it to anyone, but if you've already read the original Vampire Diaries and can survive 586 pages of disappointment, go for it.  I won't stop you.  Read Nightfall if you are curious, but be careful, your opinion of this series and these characters will probably plummet. 

Phrase:
Lovely love

PS After finishing this book, I went on a review reading rampage, where I discovered that I'm not the only person who hated this book.  In fairness, quite a few people rated it positively, as well, but the majority had some ranting review.  Just a word of advice, if you hate a book that you've read, go read angry reviews that others have written.  You will not regret it. 

Happy Reading!

The Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith 4/5 stars

Before you run away screaming because vampires are so overdone, you hate Twilight and everything it represents, or any other pre-conceptions, just chill, forget what your brain is complaining about, and read this review.

A few months ago, I decided to watch the Vampire Diaries TV show. I did this although I thought it sounded bad, mainly because I wanted some context for the commercials that came on while I would watch Arrow (a good vigilante show if you are interested).  My exact thought was "This looks bad. Let me watch the pilot."  Anyways, I got hooked.

After my personal success with the show, I thought, "Hey, why not try the books?"  To be honest, I found them a little disappointing, though still decent.  I just really did not like Elena, and the books were a tad dated (the first came out in 1999). Also, they are not at all like the TV show.  The general premise, though not the specifics, were the same...  The characters had the same names... And that was about it.  I'm sure that if I had read the books first, I would have been outraged by the show but...

Anyways, let's do this book by book.  I'm not going to review each one because I did not review them as I read them and I honestly cannot tell the differences between the books in my mind. They all blended together!

General Things to Know:

• Each book is short (in the 200 page range).  Some editions combined each set of two into one book.  You could read each in one sitting, fairly easily.
• Elena is annoying and the main character.  She is manipulative and basically awful in every way possible, but you can enjoy the book even if you hate her.
• The things that it shares with Twilight were not copied. (Look at publishing date above)
• A lot of the books have cliffhangers
• All of the covers are just awful, so please don't judge these books by their covers
• The author uses italics a lot

The Awakening

Here's a classic 90s cover if I've ever seen one.

Official Description:
A Love Triangle of Unspeakable Horror...
Elena
Searching for the ultimate thrill, she vowed to have Stefan.
Stefan
Haunted by his tragic past, he struggled to resist her passion.
Damon
Driven by revenge, he hunted the brother who betrayed him.
The terrifying story of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

I swear that this book is not quite as cheesy as the description says.

The Struggle

Official Description:

This is the terrifying story of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them: Damon: determined to make Elena his queen of darkness, he'd kill his own brother to possess her.Stefan: desperate for the power to destroy Damon, he succumbs to his thirst for human blood.Elena: irresistibly drawn to both brothers, her choice will decide their fate.

Book two was a bit better than book one, but they were very comparable. If you didn't enjoy the first, you probably won't enjoy the second.

The Fury

Official Description:

A Love Triangle of Unspeakable Horror... Stefan Tormented after losing Elena, he's determined to end the feud with his brother, Damon--whatever the cost.
Damon Mocking Stefan and Elena, he laughs in the face of doom.
Elena Wild with her craving for blood, she confronts the ultimate evil.
The terrifying story of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

Things get intense in book three.  It is by far the best in this series.  It's very exciting!

Dark Reunion:

Official Description:

Elena rises from the dead to recreate the powerful vampire trio. Summoned by Elena, Stefan keeps a promise to her and fights the most terrifying evil he's ever faced. Joining the brother he once called enemy, Damon battles this new horror with strength, cunning, and deadly charm.

This book was a bit more strange than the others, but I enjoyed it.  It also had very, very little of Elena (who I found incredibly irritating) so I was happy with it!

This is the end of the original Vampire Diaries series.  The have a bunch of branch-off series that were written about 12 years after this original series.  I'll post my review of the first of these spin-offs soon, but just so that you know, they are much worse than the original series.

In the meantime, Happy Reading!

Conspiracy Girl by Karen Chacek and Abraham Balcazar 1/5 stars

I requested this book from its publisher, a while ago.  However, I made a mistake.  Conspiracy Girl is a picture book.  I suggest that you stop reading this review if you aren't interested, but I said I would review it so here goes.

Official Description:
See that flock of birds over there? Looks pretty normal, right? But Nina sees right through their mangy feathers and divines their plot to end the world in a nuclear ball of white noise. What to do? Save the world armed only with a box of cereal? Perhaps.

I wasn't expecting a picture book from the description. It wasn't what I expected, but I kept an open mind. However, upon reading it, I just didn't get it. I was confused, and I believe that my mind is more sophisticated than the target audience's.
The illustrations were very interesting and artistic, though.
If the plot was smoother, I might recommend it, but as it is, I would not.  The book just needs some fine tuning.

In other news, if you haven't already, I suggest you check out my twitter page @BookshelfSecret so that you can be notified when I post a new review!

Happy Reading!

The Room by Jonas Karlsson 1/5 stars

*Note: I received this book in exchange for an honest review*
Hello, everyone! I recently read The Room by Jonas Karlsson, and I was disappointed.
Let's go ahead and just to the cover:

The Cover:

Cool cover, right? It shows the protagonist going into the room that was the center of this book.  However, the cover gives the impression that he is disappearing or crossing dimensions or something interesting, which was not the case. This was an A+ cover on a D- book.

Official Description:

Bjorn is a compulsive, exacting bureaucrat who discovers a secret room at the government office where he works--a secret room that no one else in his office will acknowledge. When Bjorn is in his room, what his coworkers see is him standing by the wall and staring off into space looking dazed, relaxed, and decidedly creepy. Bjorn's bizarre behavior eventually leads his coworkers to try to have him fired, but Bjorn will turn the tables on them with help from his secret room. Author Jonas Karlsson doesn't leave a word out of place in this brilliant, bizarre, delightful take on how far we will go--in a world ruled by conformity--to live an individual and examined life.

My Review:

I was incredibly disappointed by this book.  I had high expectations and was severely let down.  There are some books that I simply would not recommend, but this book made me so frustrated that if I saw someone pick it up at a bookstore, I would tell them that they really should rethink their decision.

The plot didn't really develop as the book proceeded.  Most of the book was Bjorn standing around thinking about how much better he was than anyone else.  This book was not, by any stretch of the imagination, plot driven.

The main character, Bjorn, was the most unlikable person that I have ever had the displeasure of reading about, and I am including villains.  Bjorn was a know-it-all, sexist, creepy man.  For example, one time he hovered over the receptionist, the receptionist was creeped out and asked what his problem was, and Bjorn assumed from that interaction that she was on drugs.  That is a great representation of his character.  I understand that he possible had a mental disease, but I HATED him with a passion. 

I spent the entire book alternating between being confused, angry, and bored.  All that being said, the writing style was decent, and I am sure that some people might like it, though I did not.  I strongly do not recommend reading this.

Phrase:

Indoor shoes

Happy Reading!