Review: Brisingr

Title Brisingr (Inheritance 3)
By Christopher Paolini
For Fun
Pages 749

First sentence Eragon stared at the dark tower of stone wherein hid the monsters who had murdered his uncle, Garrow.

Synopsis
Eragon and Saphira continue there journey. With the evil king using Murtaugh and Thorn as weapons the Varden must continue to fight. Eragon and Saphira's bond is tested as they are separated. Eragon learns more more about the original Dragon Riders and a secret that may help him defeat the evil king and free all of Alagaesia.

General thoughts
This was only the second time I've read this one. When I read it before I was slightly disappointed with the slow parts and the knowledge that it wasn't going to be the last book in the series. Maybe knowing that the next and last one is out and waiting for me helped, or maybe I've just matured more and can appreciate the relationships despite some lack of action, but I enjoyed it better this time. That's not to say the slow parts weren't still pretty freaking slow but they weren't as long as I remembered them being. Re-reading these has been, at times frustrating, but all in all enjoyable and I'm so excited to get to the fourth one...AT LAST! The thing I truly love about this whole series is the growth of the characters. It's something you can actually see throughout all the books. Every book should have that, yet, sadly, most don't. I appreciated it in these books. More so this time around. Maybe it's because I want to see some personal growth in my own life. Hmmm. ;)

Characters
I'm love how close Eragon and Saphira are but I love how much closer they get in this one and how it makes you really appreciate...um an event that takes place at the end. ;) Sorry, don't want to spoil anything. I'm interested in the developments in Eragon and Arya's relationship even though I'd rather he didn't end up with her. Yeah, that's right, you heard me. I don't want Eragon to end up with Arya! I love the characters in this series and I'm so excited to see how everything turns our for all of them.

Would I recommend it?
Yes, of course. Just remember this one is a little slow, but worth sticking with.

November Wrapup 2011

What a pathetic reading month! It feels like I hardly read anything. What with my failing endeavor to re-read the Inheritance series before this Friday and the holidays it just hasn't gone well. Oh well. Here's what I DID read.

Eragon (Inheritance 1) by Christopher Paolini
Fun, adventurous book I enjoy every time I read it.

Eldest (Inheritance 2) by Christopher Paolini
I finally noticed the similarities with other famous fantasy books but I loved it again anyway!

Fang (Maximum Ride 6) by James Patterson
Once I got back into the hang of things I had a blast. I'm interested about that new character. ;)

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Thank goodness for book club or I never would have read this one. Very delightful.

Favorites of the month well that's hard I liked them all for different reasons. So no least favorites this month. That's something, right? ;)

Hangs On A Cliffhanger

As we all know there are a LOT of series coming out lately, especially trilogies in YA books. Am I right? Anywho, with all those trilogies we're often faced with the dreaded cliffhanger ending.

Whether the cliffhanger endings are to "trick" us into reading the next book or books in the series, or because that's just the way it had to end it's, always frustrating. However I've noticed around the blogosphere lately, with bloggers who rate what they read, that they'll take a star (or whatever they rate with) away just because the books had a cliffhanger ending. As if that diminished how amazing the book was?! Huh? Is it because they feel like the author just did it to ensure they'd continue with the series or, in their frustrations, are they're just punishing the poor book who otherwise was amazing but just happened to leave them hanging? Either way I'm not sure I understand the reasoning.

I get that cliffhangers are annoying, I really do. There's nothing worse than realizing that all can not be resolved in the amount of pages left but at least you know there's something more to come. (even if it is a year or more away) Right?

All I'm saying is: Should your overall opinion of the book really hang on that cliffhanger? Should that one tiny flaw actually lessen the books reputation in your mind?

So, what say you? Should I get off the old soap box? Do you let a cliffhanger ending ruin the whole book for you? Or does it just whet your appetite for more?

Sunday Salon

Welcome to the new Sunday Salon. A weekly update post about my boring life. ;)

Weather Small Talk: It's cold, cold, cold but no snow...yet.

On The Idiot Box: With it being Thanksgiving week here in the US not many new shows were on. So I've been watching old re-runs of Myth Busters. Love those guys! 

Weekly Reads: Ugh! I have to keep reminding myself I WANTED to re-read the Inheritance series. I'm enjoying it but I'm getting soooo overwhelmed trying to finish it on time. Did I mention the author is coming to my local library on Friday? Cause he is, and I really want to be done with them all by then. I finished Eldest and am re-reading Brisinger but I'm going to have to read 200+ pages a day to finish it and Inheritance by Friday. So Shatter Me is on the back burner and it might be a little quiet around here this week. 


Crazy Kitty: It's my fault! She kept bugging me all night on Friday and it wasn't till I got up the next morning that I realized why. She was all out of food. :( 

Movie of the Week: I saw J. Edgar with my mother on Friday...ugh! It was supposed to be about the history of the man and how he started the FBI. At least that's what I thought. It ended up going on and on about how supposedly he was gay. Whatever!  I will say I was so freaking impressed with the make up, though. Check it out! That's Leonardo Decaprio, people! 

Food Talk: You know when you get to gorge on the holidays? Ignore the diet for one day? Yeah, well I waiting all week for Thursday (Thanksgiving) and then gorged...for like two seconds. I was so full I felt sick the rest of the day! Sigh! 

Soccer Sightings: After working out on Tuesday I didn't have time to shower before my soccer game so I flipped on the TV and started watching, figuring I'd shower at half time. 8 minutes in my boys had already scored three times. :) I went and showered. By the time I got out they'd scored again! Way to go, guys! (in case you don't know...that's nearly unheard of!) 

Music Discoveries: Wow! I heard this one on the radio the other day...How have I not heard of Christina Perri? Now I'm loving a bunch of her songs! 

Question of the Week: Is it crazy that I went to the Walmart's Black Friday sale at 10:00 PM, had to park in a completely different parking lot, hike all the way to the store, swim through masses of people only to find that the item I wanted was sold out and to just buy cat food? I'm kinda thinking yeah. ;)  I kinda felt like screaming at the top of my lungs, while holding up the bag of cat food, "I got it. I got it! Mwha ha ha!" 

Review: Eldest

Title Eldest (Inheritance 2)
By Christopher Paolini
For Fun
Pages 688
Recommended by Me

First Sentence The songs of the dead are the lamentations of the living.

Synopsis
The story of Eragon, the boy who found a dragon egg and becomes the first dragon rider for over a century, continues. Eragon and his dragon Saphira travel to Du Weldenvarden, the forest that houses the elves to receive training. Meanwhile, Roran, Eragon's cousin, must protect his village from the evil Raz' zac.

General thoughts
I think this is the third time I've read this book but it was the first time I really noticed all the similarities between it and LOTR and Star Wars. I guess I'm not very smart because lot's of people were outraged at this and hate the series because of it. Now that I have noticed it I'm still not bothered. I can see the influence of these books and movies on this series but I see the influence of Twilight and The Hunger Games in more books than I care to mention. I think when you grow up surrounded by a certain book or movie that's popular at the time you're going to be influenced. K, now that I've weighed in on that I'll get onto the review. I still stand by my previous opinions. I like this book. I like this series. It has great characters you care about. Adventure and excitement. Heartbreak and romance and even a touch of humor. It's just a great epic fantasy!

Characters
I love how we get to see the progression of Roran and how he becomes the man he does. I ADORE the relationship between Eragon and Saphira, it's what keeps bringing me back to this series over and over.

Would I recommend it? 
Yes, and don't be all close minded about it because it has some similarities to other books! Sheesh!