Is It Right To Read A Book More Than Once?

There comes a time in everyones life when they run out of books to read. I'm facing that problem right now. I'm out of money. Out of books. Out of luck.

So, I'm begining to think about reading Twilight again. But I don't want to, because I just don't have the same passion for the book as I did before. I know what's going to happen. It's different, you know. What do you think? Do you think it's right to read a book more than once? Do you do it yourself?

The Sorceress!

Book Three in the New York Times bestselling series.

Nicholas Flamel's heart almost broke as he watched his beloved Paris crumble before him. The city was destroyed by Dee and Machiavelli, but Flamel played his own role in the destruction. Sophie and Josh Newman show every sign of being the twins of prophecy, and Flamel had to protect them and the pages from the Dark Elders.

But Nicholas grows weaker with each passing day. Perenelle is still trapped in Alcatraz, and now that Scatty has gone missing, the group is without protection. Except for Clarent—the twin sword to Excalibur. But Clarent’s power is unthinkable, its evil making it nearly impossible to use without its darkness seeping into the soul of whoever wields it.

If he hopes to defeat Dee, Nicholas must find an Elder who can teach Josh and Sophie the third elemental magic—Water Magic. The problem? The only one who can do that is Gilgamesh, and he is quite, quite insane.

Except from B & N!!!:

I think I see them.”

The young man in the green parka standing directly beneath the huge circular clock in St. Pancras station took the phone away from his ear and checked a blurred image on the screen. The English Magician had sent the image: the picture was grainy, the colors washed and faded, and it looked liked it had been taken from an overhead security camera. It showed an older man with short gray hair, accompanied by two blond-haired teens, climbing onto a train.

Rising up on his toes, the young man swiveled his head, looking for the trio he’d glimpsed. For a moment, he thought he’d lost them in the milling crowd, but even if he had, they wouldn’t get far: one of his sisters was downstairs; another was in the street outside, watching the entrance.

Now, where had the old man and the teenagers gone?

Narrow, pinched nostrils opened wide as the young man sorted through the countless scents in the station. He identified and dismissed the mixed stink of too many humani, the myriad perfumes and deodorants, the gels and pastes, the greasy odor of fried food from the station’s restaurants, the richer aroma of coffee and the metallic oily tang of the train engines and carriages. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back.

The odors he was seeking were older, wilder, unnatural. . . .

There!

Mint: just the merest suggestion.
Orange: no more than the vaguest hint.
Vanilla: little more than a trace.

Hidden behind small rectangular sunglasses, blue-black eyes opened wide and his head swiveled, following the gossamer threads of scent through the vast train station. He had themnow!

The gray-haired older man, wearing black jeans and a scuffed leather jacket, was striding down the station concourse directly toward him. There was a small overnight case in his left hand. He was followed by the two teenagers, alike enough to be brother and sister. The boy was taller than the girl, and they were both wearing backpacks.

The young man snapped a quick picture with his cell phone camera and sent it to Dr. John Dee. Although he had nothing but contempt for the English Magician, there was no point in making an enemy of him. Dee was the agent of the most dangerous of all the Elders.

Pulling the hood of his parka over his head, he turned away as the trio drew level with him, and dialed his sister, who was waiting downstairs. “It’s definitely Flamel and the twins,” he murmured into the phone, speaking the ancient language that had eventually become Gaelic. “They’re heading in your direction. We’ll take them when they get onto the Euston Road.”

The young man in the hooded parka set off after the Alchemyst and the American twins. He moved easily through the early-afternoon crowd, looking like just another teenager, anonymous and unnoticed in his sloppy jeans, scuffed sneakers and overlarge coat, his head and face concealed by the hood, his eyes invisible behind the sunglasses.

Despite his form, the young man had never been remotely human. He and his sisters had first come to this land when it was still joined to the European continent, and for generations they had been worshipped as gods. He bitterly resented being ordered about by Dee–who was, after all, nothing more than a humani. But the English Magician had promised the hooded boy a delectable prize: Nicholas Flamel, the legendary Alchemyst. Dee’s instructions were clear; he and his sisters could have Flamel, but the twins must not be touched. The boy’s thin lips twisted. His sisters would take the boy and girl, while he would have the honor of killing Flamel. A coal-black tongue licked cracked dry lips. He and his sisters would feast for weeks. And, of course, they would keep the tastiest morsels for Mother.


Nicholas Flamel slowed, allowing Sophie and Josh to catch up with him. Forcing a smile, he pointed to the thirtyfoot- tall bronze statue of a couple embracing beneath the clock. “It’s called The Meeting Place,” he said loudly, and then added in a whisper, “We’re being followed.” Flamel grasped Josh’s arm with iron-hard fingers. “Don’t even think about turning around.”

“Who?” Sophie asked.

“What?” Josh said tightly. He was feeling nauseated; his newly Awakened senses were overwhelmed by the scents and sounds of the train station. The light was so sharp he wished he had a pair of sunglasses to shield his eyes.

“ ‘What?’ is the better question,” Nicholas said grimly. He raised a finger to point up to the clock, as if he were talking about it. “I’m not sure what it is,” he admitted. “Something ancient. I felt it the moment we stepped off the train.”

“Felt it?” Josh asked.

“A tingle, like an itch. My aura reacted to the aura of whoever–whatever–is here. When you have a little more control of your own auras, you’ll be able to do the same.” Tilting her head back, as if she were admiring the latticework of the metal-and-glass ceiling, Sophie slowly turned.

Crowds swirled around them. Most seemed to be locals, though there were plenty of tourists, many stopping to have their photographs taken in front of The Meeting Place or the huge clock. No one seemed to be paying them any particular attention.

“What can we do?” Josh asked. “I can boost Sophie’s powers. . . .”

“No,” Flamel snapped. “You can only use your powers as an absolute last resort. As soon as you activate your aura, it will alert every Elder, Next Generation and immortal within a ten-mile radius, and here, just about every immortal you encounter is allied to the Dark Elders. Also, in this land, it could awaken others, creatures best left sleeping.”

“But you said we’re being followed,” Sophie protested.

“That means Dee knows we’re here.”

Flamel urged the twins to the left, away from the statue, hurrying them toward the exit. “I would imagine there are watchers in every airport, seaport and railway station across Europe. Although Dee might have suspected that we were heading to London, the instant either of you activates your aura, he’ll know for certain.”


Format: Hardcover, 512pp
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Pub. Date: May 2009
Sales Rank: 17
Age Range: Young Adult
Series: Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series, #3

Beyond The Grave Summary

A Clue found in Japan has Amy and Dan jetting off to Egypt to find out just what's behind the fierce rivalry between the Tomas and Ekaterina branches of the Cahill family. Was a Clue stolen from the Tomas branch? Where is it now? And most important, can Amy and Dan get their hands on it before their rivals do?


It's a wild race that will take Amy and Dan deep down into the tombs of Egypt . . . and right into the hands of the enemy.

Hunger Games Review Coming Sometime This Weekend! :) - Jake

Mythology, Wating, And More...... A Little Summary Of My Visit With Rick Riordan

1500+(I think the approximate total was 1539, including me), braved a severe thunderstorm, a tornado watch and at least several hours of waiting to meet the famous author, Rick Riordan. When I got to the St. Louis County Library HQ around 6:45 PM, I thought all hope of getting to meet him and getting my book signed was lost. Five Hundred crowded the building inside, and at least a thousand more circled the building. WOW! was the only word coming out of my mouth. I was told at 5:45 PM, the line circled into the parking lot. I joined the line anyway, and just then, rain began to fall.

Apparently, we were enduring a severe thunderstorm, and were under a tornado warning. YIKES! I stood out in the rain for at least an hour and a half. When I got in, I waited another 3 hours to get my books(7 of them!) signed. When I got up to him(I've been waiting for that moment for years, trust me), he said he recognized me. I was confused at first, but then I remember, I was a Demigod Of The Week last year. He said I grew a little(honestly, I don't see it, not yet anyway), and told me Thanks for being a loyal and die hard fan, which I am! And for those who don't recognize it, try standing in a crowd of 1500 plus people, all drenched and sopping wet(I swear to gods, those clothes still aren't dry!), just to meet one person! Thanks, Rick! He also said that he is planning to release a new Camp Half-Blood Series next year, but is now also working with Egyptian Mythology too. Both of the new series' are planned to release around the same time next year.

Meeting Rick ranks #1(so far), in the highlights of my life. He's a very talented author with a lot of good skill, and if I don't ever get to meet him again, I wish him the best.

Rick Riordan wrote about his STL expereince on his blog:

I think the Saint Louis crowd caught everyone by surprise.

The county library was prepared for 900 and could hold 1000, which seemed like plenty to me. When we arrived at the library, however, it had already filled to capacity and a line of five hundred more people snaked around the building. More than fifteen hundred people showed up in all – wow. Thanks to those who heard the presentation, and especially to the hundreds who couldn’t get it and could only do the signing line. On top of everything, the area was under a storm and tornado warning! Fortunately everyone got inside before the rain started.

Favorite moment from the night: A crowd of girls dressed in costume (Bianca, Thalia, Percy, Annabeth, etc.) asked me this question: “If Percy can talk to horses and control water, does that mean Annabeth can talk to owls and control olives?” LOL. Fear me. I control the mighty black olive! Another thought-provoking question I’d never had before: Would I rather be a god, demigod or mortal? Interesting. I’m still thinking about that one. I met more school groups than I could count. Librarians and teachers came from all over the state. Families had traveled from Jefferson City, Springfield, Indiana and even Chicago to attend the signing. Thanks to the Saint Louis County Library staff for managing the huge crowd so well, and thanks for everyone who waited through the three-hour signing line with such patience.

Here’s a blog from the Post-Dispatch about the event, which they are speculating might be the largest Saint Louis book signing ever for a single author.

I'll send some pics from the event soon. Stay tuned!

PS: Oh, and one more thing! This is probably one of the longest posts I've ever written, so tell me if I did something wrong. I mean, lets face it, not everybody has perfect hands

The Hunger Games & Catching Fire!

I going to a half-off book sale at a Scholastic Warehouse tonight, and I'm for cetain getting The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. It's a book I've been trying to get for months, and if I like it, I'm getting the sequel, Catching Fire, when it comes out on September 1!

Disney In Shadow

Revealed sometime this past month, the title for the third Kingdom Keepers book(KK3, as people call it), is titled Disney In Shadow. It will be approximately 547 pages long, primarily take place at Epcot, and is rumored to be releasing in either August, October, or right now, September 15th of this year. More details will be posted as I find them!

The Dangers Of Cyberbulling

Let's face it, not all writing sends a good message. Like stuff posted on MySpace.

If you don't live in the St. Louis area, then you need to know about a girl named Megan Meyers. Megan was an average teenager, who was diagnosed with depression. She met a person named Josh Evans on MySpace. "Josh" was nice to her at first, but in one day, hurt Megan's feelings so much that when her parents got home, hung herself in her bedroom closet. It was discovered that the MySpace account was fake, and a family friend, Lori Drew, was has been sentenced to 3 years in prison. Lori probably thought she was doing the right thing, she was trying to find out if Megan was talking about her daughter behind her back. And she went about it the wrong way.

Today, Megan's mother, Tina Meyers, came to our school to talk to our student body about the dangers of Cyberbulling. I strongly back her. So if someone wants to talk to you on the Internet, and don't know them, don't even respond, and leave them out of your life. Because you never know who's on the other side.

Last Olympian Book Review

In this thrilling last novel in the Percy Jackson & The Olympians Series, Percy and friends find themselves finally going head to head with the evil Titan Lord, Kronos.
All your questions about the series are finally answered:

- The spy at Camp Half-Blood was, believe it or not, Silena Beauregard. Somehow, Luke got to her sometime between The Lightning Thief and The Sea Of Monsters, and convinced her to work for him. She dies right after she reveals the secret.

- The Oracle once lived inside a beautiful maiden, but when she became the Oracle almost 50 years before The Last Olympian, Hades was upset(see fact below), and put a curse on the next Oracle to stay like that forever. However, toward the end of the book, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, somehow, someway, convinced Chiron to make her become the next Oracle.

- Nico's mother's name is Maria di Angelo. Zues killed her, causing Hades to go into rage and curse the Oracle.

- The prophecy surrounding Percy's Sixteenth Birthday was on a necklace around the Oracle neck during the whole series.

- It was stated that the true last Olympian was the goddess Hestia.

- Who is the true hero in this story? Percy, you say? No. It's really, perpare for a shock: Luke. The war concludes with Luke struggling to release Kronos from his body, and Percy hands him the knife. Luke didn't want to be evil, and he had finally, finally, realized the error of his ways. He knew what he had to do. He stabbed himself in the chest, killing himself to save Olympus, but in the process, put Kronos in the right place: Tartarus.

- And for those who have been itching to know. Percy and Annabeth do get together. Happy Ending. Yay.

There are many more facts I didn't share, read the book to find them! 5 Stars! It's an epic finish to a fantastical series!

Farewell To Percy

Alas, all good things must come to an end. Such is the case of Percy Jackson Series, with The Last Olympian, the final book in the series, being published today. While this is a time of rejoicing for me, knowing that all of my questions will be answered, but a sad day because my favorite series is coming to an end. It SUCKS! I mean, it like you know rocks because I think 5 is an awsome number to end at, but I was hoping for at least 7 books.

Well, I going to go buy my copy now, before they're sold out. I'll post a spoiler later this week!

BORDERS OR BARNES & NOBLE: WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE?

Juvie Three Book Review

BARNES & NOBLE Synopsis-

Gecko Fosse drove the getaway car.

Terence Florian ran with the worst gang in Chicago.

Arjay Moran killed someone.

All three boys are serving time in juvenile detention centers until they get a second chance at life in the form of Douglas Healy. A former juvenile delinquent himself, Healy is running an experimental halfway house in New York City where he wants to make a difference in the lives of kids like Gecko, Terence, and Arjay.

Things are going well, until one night Healy is accidentally knocked unconscious while trying to break up a scuffle among the boys. Terrified of the consequences, they drop him off at a hospital and run away. But when Healy awakes, he has no memory of them or the halfway house. Afraid of being sent back to Juvie, the guys hatch a crazy scheme to continue on as if the group leader never left. They will go to school, do their community service, attend therapy, and act like model citizens until Healy's memory returns and he can resume his place with them.

But life keeps getting in the way...like when Gecko finds romance. Or Arjay gets famous. Or Terence starts reverting to his old ways. If the boys are discovered, their second chance will be their last.

-249 PAGES/34 CHAPTERS

JAKE'S RATING - 4 STARS (Appropriate for Grades 7 & Up)

Percy And WSJ!

Read About Percy in the Wall Street Journal