Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer

Warning: If don't want to hear Breaking Dawn being criticized please don't read my ranting verdict.
Synopsis
In the final book of the Twilight series, Bella has made her choice. She is going to leave everything she knew, humans and all, behind, and start her new life as a vampire.

Twilight tempted the imagination. New Moon made readers thirsty for more. Eclipse turned the saga into a worldwide phenomenon. And now, the book that everyone has been waiting for...

Goodreads


Review
Category: Teen Fiction/Romance (Mild Violence)
Age Group: Teens
Star Rating: 0.5/10


Verdict (Beware: Rant)
What can you say about an absolutely rubbish book with no plot? Funnily enough, the book's initials are B.D., which suits the contents perfectly. Breaking Dawn is an absolute Brain Drain. Bella, who never bothered me from the start of the series, started really bugging me in New Moon. Please leave Edward alone if he's convinced he's too dangerous for you. Stop whining about the amazing 'after' car your fiance has bought you. If you are THAT displeased sell the car and donate the money to Salvation Army. Bella has become so much of a whiner that it totally spoils the book as readers stop to stab at her name with sharp fingernails and glare.
On the plot. Stephanie Meyer has previously spent three long books describing the supernatural world and what can and cannot happen in it. Then she turns around and totally ruins everything I was reading about. Rule: Vampires cannot have kids. Bella has a kid. Rule: Newborn vampires spend years being bloodthirsty and out of their head. Bella is not.
Come on. Supposedly, Bella has to struggle with the fact that if she wants to become a vampire, she will have to cut off ties with all humans she ever knew; she will be out-of-her-head-crazy for at least a few years; she will never be able to have kids. All this is spoiled with the author's obsession for having a happily-ever-after ending that Bella gets the best of both worlds by being beautiful, controlled, having a talented, amazing child, being amazingly talented herself. She opens her eyes and sees the world in a whole new perspective. After reading this, doesn't everyone want to be a vampire? There are absolutely no downsides to it! Mummy, I want to be a beautiful vampire with paranormal powers too. This total Brain Drain killed me to read and I ended up throwing my hardback copy across the fence to my three year-old neighbour who will hopefully enjoy tearing them up and chewing on the hard cover.

Chasing Orion by Kathryn Lasky

When Georgie moves houses, she has to face new neighbors. However, this is not usually a problem except this time of the year is Polio season and back in 1952 the vaccinations were not yet invented. What is strange about her neighbors is that their daughter had Polio so is now in an iron lung. Georgie learns to make friends with this girl, Phyllis, who is around the same age as her elder brother. They all get to know each other and soon Phyllis starts a relationship with Emmett, Georgie's brother. This is all perfectly find until Georgie finds out about Phyllis' lies and plans.

I think this book was quite interesting; the reader can learn of the past and compare differences with the current day and life 60 years ago. It is fun to know what they used to do for relaxation purposes withoutany of the current technologies such as computers, PSPs, iPads etc.

Age Group: 12+

Star Rating: 6/10

It was quite cool to read but some bits dragged on for a while.

The Tomorrow Series by John Marsden

The Tomorrow series consists of 7 books, beginning with Tomorrow When the War Began and ending with The Other Side of Dawn. During these books Ellie and her friends are constantly thinking up new tactics to try and defeat the enemy soldiers as well as trying to keep their lives going.

Personally, i think the series is quite good because once you've started reading you don't want to put the book down, or wait until you can get the next book in the series. I was quite sad when i reached the ending as there was nothing else i could go on to, but i was quite satisfied with the way Marsden ends it all off. Even though I wasn't expecting it to be closed off the way it did, i can't think of any other way else to make it such a great and interesting read.

Apart from all the fighting and (mild) violence, there are also other themes in the play such as romance and friendships. The series can be quite sad at times, such as when friends pass on, but most of the time the reader can enjoy the mighty adventures of Ellie and her friends.

Age Group: Teens

Star Rating: 9/10

Horror High Series

The Horror High series are about horror stories (hence the name) about high school students dying, murder cases, vampires, all the scary things that you can imagine. These series are written by several authors such as R.L Stine (well known for his goosebumps series) Diane Hoh and many many other authors

The one that I read was called "Horror High Deadly rumours" was about Abbie who just moved schools finds Louis and becomes his girlfriend. After some time she heard a story on how his girlfriend mysteriously died and Abby wants to find the truth after she gets threats and having to go under life threatening situations.

This story you could say it was predictable (as I suspected the killer on the first few chapters) but you keep turn the pages to see what happens as there are so many twists and turns.

Rating for the series: 7.5/10

Rating for Deadly Rumours:7/10

by Grace