NOTE:

Hello Everyone. I thought that I should inform you that I am in the middle of reading several exceptionally good book and have been listening to new (and old) music, as well as have been watching some on the most resent movies in the theaters. In other words, many (MANY) reviews on all sorts of things will be coming out this weekend. Before I end this note I would like to inform you that if you like my blog, you should definately check out my friend Gabi's at: www.rockinbookworm.com. Thank you all for reading and don't forget to read and follow me on my adventure with all of these books, music, and movies I go through.

-Reading Turtle

Real Joy: Freedom to be your Best by John Ashley Null; foreward by Josh Davis

This book is a very life fore filled book about how Christian athletes (like myself) should connect their relationship with God, with their athletic careers. Josh Davis (in which the foreword was written by) is a past Olympic gold medalist in the sport of swimming. This book has many different sections that, if you read with your heart, you will find true meaning in. There are many practices and techniques that you many use contained in this book as well as many prayers to the Almighty. These book not only teaches you how to truly love God, but how to live your athletic life alongside Him at all times throughout your life. This is an extremely powerful book and I recommend it to anyone that is an athlete and is a Christian.

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowery

Kira, an orphan with a twisted leg, lives in a world where the weak are cast aside. She fears for her future until she is spared by the all-powerful Council of Guardians. Kira is a gifted weaver and is given a task that no other community member can carry out. While her talent keeps her alive and brings certain privileges, Kira soon realizes that she is surrounded by mysteries and secrets. No one must know of her plans to uncover the truth about her world--and to find out what exists beyond it.

This is an extremely heart-warming book full of the adventures of a young and crippled girl named Kira. This book is about how Kira's mother argued for her to stay alive and they Council accepted and now she must live her life as a cripple in a village of perfects. Most every one of the villagers has an awful taste for Kira. They all mock her and hate her just for living. When she is offered a task that only she can complete and must take, she becomes isolated from all that she once lived outside. Her task was to repair the robe worn by the Singer of the future during the Gathering ceremony. When she begins taking dye making lessons from an old woman out in the forest, the whole world opens up in front of her eyes. She knew she must complete her task and get on with life. But, with even a roadblock toward the end, the surprise that is coming for her may be too much for her to handle... or will it?

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod Series

This series was one of my favorites to read. As some of you may still know, the series is not even completed yet! I personally cannot wait for the next book to be published and released. These books are very exciting to read for almost anyone that reads it. I will now write and individual review on each of the four books that have already been released and I have read: Eighth Grade Bites, Ninth Grade Slays, Tenth Grade Bleeds, and Eleventh Grade Burns.


The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod:
Eighth Grade Bites

Junior high really stinks for thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod. Bullies harass him, the principle is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: His mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers and no one to teach him, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a strange substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he realizes he has a much bigger problem: He's being hunted by a vampire killer who is closing in... fast! This first book in this ghoulishly funny series leads readers on a nail-biting adventure that is filled with dark characters and mystical glyphs, secret identities and hidden agendas, unearthly powers and teenage angst.

Ahhh, this book was the running start into a new vampire series that sent me into amazement. Everything in this book was so surprising and unforeseeable that you would never know what adventure was next! In this book Vlad learns many of the things that he can do being the only half-human, half-vampire in existence. The evil D'Ablo is not the vampire to mess with either. His standards are set high on achieving his goal of getting what he wants from Vlad. Young Vlad also learns much more about the vampire world than he ever could have dreamed of with the help of a very special person indeed. The many twists and turns in this book leave every reader thirst for more. I definitely recommend this book to anyone out their that likes mysterious and spooky books that will leave you hungry for more.

Recommended for: EVERYONE 10+



The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod:
Ninth Grade Slays

If middle school stunk for Vladimir Tod, high school is a real drain. Besides being a punching bag for bullies, he's still stalled with dream girl Meredith, and he's being tailed by a photographer from the school newspaper. Needless to say, participating his vampire skills hasn't exactly been a priority for Vlad-until now. A monumental trip to Siberia with Uncle Otis is Vlad's crash course in Vampire 101. Training alongside the most gifted vampires is exactly what Vlad needs to sharpen those mind-control skills he's been avoiding. And he'd better get it right, because the battle brewing back home with the slayer who's been stalking him could be Vlad's last. In this witty, suspenseful second book in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, Heather Brewer gives Vlad fans even more thrills and chills to sin their teeth into.

Indeed another thrilling book by the wonderful author Heather Brewer. Many surprises in this book as well as some romance. But all of these things cannot prepare Vlad for the shocking happening near the end of the novel. There is so much dramatic irony in this book that you can't help but think ahead! In this book, Vlad yet again faces some vampire-related problems. Henry tells Vlad that his cousin is coming into town and for him that is a real downer. Vlad thinks that because his cousin is coming, Henry will forget all about him... But that's not the case. The deal is Vlad and Joss turn out to have a lot in common although there is one major difference... Joss is an all-out vampire slayer. Joss tells Vlad that a no good "blood-sucker" killed his sister and he just stood there, helpless and frightened, and couldn't do anything about it. So Vlad must work extra hard to not blow his cover. But Joss finds out Vlad's secret from an old friend... Now that he knows Vlad must protect himself but the thriller at the end is something you will never see coming.

Recommended for: EVERYONE 10-12+



The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod:
Tenth Grade Bleeds

Its another sucky year at Bathory High for Vladimir Tod. The evil vampire DAblo is hunting for the ritual that could steal Vlad's powers. His best friend Henry doesn't want to be his drudge anymore. And as if all that weren't enough, its getting harder for Vlad to resist feeding on the people around him. When months go by with no word from Uncle Otis and DAblo shows up demanding Vlad's fathers journal, Vlad realizes that having a normal high school year is the least of his concerns. Vlad needs to act fast, and even his status as the Pravus wont save him this time . . .

The title says it all: Tenth Grade BURNS! As well as hurts, kills, surprises, scars, and whatever else! This year is probably one of the worst Vlad will ever experience. This story seems like the pain that is brought down upon sophomore class man Vladimir Tod. He is always being hunted and tricked in this book and he might not be able to take much more of it! This year, Vlad's new romance with his dream girl is stronger than ever... but so is his physical self! He's trying desperately hard to try and not hurt or harm her in anyway, but of course, that's pretty hard for him speaking of which he's a vampire. On top of that, his arch-enemy D'Ablo is back again but wants something more... He want to claim the abilities as Vlad has as the Pravus, for himself... and that consists of preforming some ritual that was created long ago as well as killing him. But Vlad will not allow it... When Otis leaves Vlad, Vlad begins having horrific nightmares about a man cutting his body open with a dagger. When he learns that it is D'Ablo in the nightmares, Vlad sets of to find him, for he will surely have Otis. But nothing in even his Pravus, unharmable, powers can ready him for all that he finds when he locates D'Ablo. This book is an extremely good book if you are reading this series and love a good horror book.

Recommended for: EVERYONE 10-12+



The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod:
Eleventh Grade Burns

Things are looking dark this year for Vladimir Tod. With Uncle Otis awaiting trial for crimes against vampirekind, Vlad seeks the help of a mysterious and powerful vampire, Dorian. Unfortunately, Dorian has a taste for uncommon blood, and as the only half-vampire in existence, Vlad possesses the rarest blood of all. But Dorian's not the only one out for Vlad's blood. Joss is back in Bathory with strict orders from the Slayer Society, and this time nothing will stop his mission to eliminate his former friend.
More alarming still, D'Ablo has somehow secured a seat on the Council of Elders--a shocking move that can only mean trouble for Vlad. With death threatening from all sides, Vlad will have to use all of his skill and training just to survive his junior year. But nothing can prepare him for what awaits him at the end...

This book is definitely the best yet in the Vladimir Tod series. There is so many twists and turns in this single book that it will simply leave you in your thoughts... speechless. In this book the evil D'Ablo returns but this time, he isn't intending to just stop and at killing Vlad... He wants the title that Vlad has that he doesn't. To help him on that mission, he has mysteriously claimed the seat on the Council of Elders. The seat that is home to the youngest vampire on the council. The spot that help control the hearings upon other vampires and he intends on using that ability against, not only, Vlad's Uncle Otis, but himself in turn as well. Adding to that, his ability to control his thirst has dramatically decreased and he has started feeding on humans... well human. But that secret is not the only one that he is struggling to keep. Eddy Poe is still trying to expose Vlad for what he really is and now he has help from an expert: Joss. Yes, that's right. Joss, Henry's slayer cousin is moving back into Bathory and now there is nothing that is going to stop him from killing Vlad in the name of his little sister Cecile. On top of all of this, an extremely mysterious and powerful vampire that has an unusual taste for vampire blood--which just so happens to be illegal in the vampire world. However, sense Vlad has the rarest blood of all Dorian will stop at nothing to get Vlad's blood down his throat. With all of these obstacles surrounding Vlad during his junior year, he is in for the greatest surprises of life.

Recommended for: EVERYONE 10-12+

First Post

Hello readers! Well, this is probably the most expect thing you would think of any blogger but here it goes: If it wasn't already obvious, this is my very first blog! What I will tell you in this post is pretty much what I will be blogging about on my site. That will include reviews over every book that I read in my young life, and some of the music that I listen as well as some of the things that you (my readers) refer to me to blog. So that's just about it. One more thing; please refer any books or music to me that you think that I should write a review on! Thank you all for reading (or not reading) and hope you enjoy!

Your blogger,
Reading Turtle