Pegasus and the New Olympians by Kate O' Hearn

Emily discovers that humans are making clones of the Olympians! There are already some on the loose, if Jupiter finds out then her world will be destroyed. Emily and her friends journey back to earth to stop the clones but what seemed a simple task no longer makes any sense. Paelen is charged with burglary and Diana has been seen burning up houses, Pegasus is a famous race horse and if they got Emily, the flame of Olympus, and copied her DNA, everything would be over. Everything they had ever fought for. She has to stop it, and fast!

Joel, Paelen, Pegasus and Emily are a gang. Emily and Joel are from earth while Paelen and Pegasus are Olympians. As the Flame of Olympus it is essential for Emily to stay protected at all times, that's why Alexia had to come too, even though her and Emily don't get on.

These books are great stand alone books, as I discovered when I read Pegasus and the New Olympians, I had not read any of the others yet but I was still able to get the gist of what had happened so far.

Nineteenth Century Short Stories

Nineteenth Century Short stories covers a range of different tales and genres making every story differ from the next. All the tales are engaging and each one has an exciting adventure waiting for you to discover.

I really enjoyed this book because it is easy to pick up and put down.The tales are gripping, short and each one is different from the next. My favourite story was The Yellow Wallpaper because at the end you know just as much as you did at the beginning and only through careful study of the story can you understand what it means.

One of the best characters in this book is that of Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock is a detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and many tales have been written about Sherlock but only one short story   appears in this book. The reason I like Sherlock Holmes so much is because he is a very intelligent guy with a very serious sense of humour. He doesn't  ever do anything particularly funny just the way he does things feels humorous.

Robinson Crueso by Daniel Defoe

Robinson Crusoe was a little of a disappointment because I had been excepting more action. Robinson Crusoe is a very similar story to that of the Swiss family Robinson however the Robinson's are able to have more conversations and tend to have more gripping adventures. After the first initial disappointments I did find Robinson Crusoe very interesting if not gripping.

Robinson Crusoe is alone on a desert island after being shipwrecked on some rocks nearby. At first he gives up all hopes of  survival but then he discovers that things are not as bad as they seem and he still had a  good chance of life.

I don't really have a favourite character in this book because for most of the time there is only one character anyway. Robinson Crusoe is a determined man who strives to get things done and is not scared of working hard. Using many amazing and often challenging equipment he makes himself a home to live in until he dies or is rescued. This sort of determination is very inspiring and makes me long to do things even if they take a lot of effort.

Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall

From Albion and Brutus right up until the famous rule of Queen Victoria, Britain has had intriguing and often gory history. Sometimes History books dull this down and what once was a tale of bravery and challenge becomes a list of dates and facts this book isn't like that, it really brings history alive. Every character is real to you and when the Britain's are conquered you morn with them and rejoice when the victors are destroyed.

My favourite 'story' is probably the tale of the two princes in the tower. I like this one because it is such a mystery. Why would any one kill two innocent young boys? Every time I read the tale I can come up with a different reason for their capture and then subsequently their death. My favourite character is King Richard III in this story because he has such a deep character. He wants the crown so much he is prepared to murder his two innocent nephews.

This book is a great read and a fun way to learn the history of Britain. I thouerly enjoyed reading it and have read it three times already.

Harry Potter Series by J.K.Rowling

 

I don't think Harry Potter really needs any introduction, you've probably read or watched it,  have seen the Lego sets, the museum or maybe just the adverts but just in case you have somehow missed out...

Harry Potter is an ordinary boy, so why do strange things keep happening. Somehow he can understand snakes and sometimes things just happen, and then there's the scar was it really made by a car crash? Bullied and unloved Harry lives in London with the Dursleys. Dudley his oversized cousin and his Aunt Petunia and her husband Uncle Vernon are all trying to keep it secret but finally there is no more hiding it.

The whole series of Harry Potter is great, although, my favourite books are probably Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The reason I like the first one is because it describes everything in much more detail than in other books. The reason I enjoy Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is because there is a lot more action and questions solved.

My favourite characters in the Harry Potter series are mainly Fred and George. I like them because whatever happens they always have a laugh. Other characters that I particularly enjoy reading about are, Snape and Ginny. The reason Snape is one of my favourite characters is the depth of his character, Snape is very intriguing and I like Ginny because she is a girl version of Fred and George.

You may be wondering why X years after it's publication I am still on the last book and it's simply because J.K.Rowling's Harry Potter is a great book to read aloud.   For us, Harry Potter has been a family event and although it does take longer to get through than if you read it to yourself you are able to appreciate the cliff-hangers at the end of every chapter. For example, those who have read Harry potter might recognise this, if a chapter ended 'THEY ARE COMING' you would automatically read on and so the atmosphere of the cliff-hanger would loose it's  power.

PS  Alnwick Castle in the background!

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

The Neverending Story is the tale of Fantasica the magical land of all the stories ever written and ever to be written. Bastian Balthazar Bux is one of those lucky few who can reach Fantasica and give the childlike emperor a new name but how. He isn't a likely hero he is fat, week and timid so with the help of Atreyu he has to save them all from the Nothing.

My favorite character was Atreyu because he was brave, not just in fighting wild beasts but in doing what is right for his friends and protecting them even if they don't like it. Atreyu had to go through many hardships and points where he felt he couldn't go on but for the sake of all in Fantasica he risked it all.

The Never-ending Story is a great read and it also has a good film to go with it. The film sticks to the book very accurately but if you do not like the film do not be put off. My suggestion is read the book first and then watch the film because they are both excellent.