Posts Tagged ‘demons’

A Librarian Reads Prophecy of the Sisters

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

prophecy-of-the-sistersProphecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

It is the late 19th century and Lia and Alice are twins who are from a wealthy family in New York. They have also just lost the last remaining parent in their lives, their father. With his passing Lia has discovered that the twins have fallen into the hands of fate in the form of an ancient prophecy.

The prophecy is simple; one twin will defend mankind while the other will aid an ancient evil in destroying the world. But which twin is good and which is evil?

And then there are the strange dreams that affect Lia. She is flying in her dreams, but there are also monsters who seek her ill will. Soon she learns that they aren’t dreams at all and that she is actually exploring the many worlds of the astral plane, the places between life and death. Then she encounters the remnants of a strange occult ritual performed by her sister. She is almost certain that Alice is the evil sister and she vows to stop her. In order to do that she must learn all she can about the prophecy that binds them, but to gain the knowledge she needs she will need to make friends outside of her sheltered life. But the more she trusts people the more she endangers them because Alice is there and is just biding her time before she strikes.

This is the first book in a new Gothic horror series.  As with every first book of a series it is slow to start. But other than that Prophecy of the Sisters is a dark and spooky horror story of not just supernatural evil, but the true evil that lies within us. Recommended for those who like horror or are looking for an intriguing tale that isn’t the typical Twilight fare that is being published right now. Appropriate for ages 14 and up.

A Librarian Reads City of Bones

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

city-of-bonesCity of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Clary thinks she is just an ordinary girl with an over protective mom. She thinks her weekend visit to her favorite all ages club will go according to plan, that she will be able to relax and hang out with her best friend Simon.

But for Clary the world isn’t as it seems. Tonight will be the night she first glimpses the Shadowhunters Jace, Alec and Isabelle. And her world will never be the same.

Shadowhunters are humans blessed by the angel Raziel and who use the magic of runes to fight demons and other creatures of the underworld. And when they hunt they use runes of invisibility. Despite these runes Clary can still see them. And that makes her a threat.

Next thing Clary knows she is witnessing the Shadowhunters execute a demon who looks human. She wonders how these angel/human hybrids can be the good guys. But once she has stumbled into the world of the supernatural she can’t escape. Soon her mother goes missing, and monstrous demons are left to attack Clary in her own apartment.

Only the Shadowhunters can help her. Soon she will set out on an adventure into the unknown, risking her very life to save her mom. And then there is Jace, and even though he is arrogant and egotistical, she finds herself strangely drawn to him. Clary will have to learn runes, discover secrets locked in her past, and try not to fall for Jace in order to get her mother back. That is, if she is even still alive.

I loved this book. It has everything. Highly recommended and appropriate for ages 12 and up.

A Librarian Reads InuYasha

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

inuyashaInuYasha by Rumiko Takahashi

Kagome is a young school girl in the present day. One day she falls down her family’s abandoned well. Suddenly she is thrust back through time in to ancient Japan. There she meets the half-demon InuYasha who seeks the Shikon jewel, a special stone that can grant one wish to whoever has it or increase their innate powers. InuYasha seeks to become a full fledged demon and in his previous attempts he has tried anything to get it. The only person who could stop him was a woman named Kikyo, the protector of the Shikon jewel, who magically bound InuYasha to a tree forever. But in doing so Kikyo died. The Jewel was buried with her never to be seen again.

Except, Kagome is from the future, and she unknowingly has brought back the Shikon Jewel with her. Now every vile creature in ancient Japan is after her and her only ally is the disreputable InuYasha who she frees from the tree. Together they fight off demons and gods in order to protect the jewel. But matters take a turn for the worse when during one battle the jewel explodes in to hundreds of small pieces. Now their quest to protect jewel is in jeopardy, for even a small Shikon fragment can give someone enormous power. They will have to rely on one another and new friends they meet on their way in order to restore the jewel.

But can InuYasha be trusted? What is keeping him from turning his back on Kagome and stealing the power for himself? Could it be beautiful Kagome herself, who reminds InuYasha of a lost love?

InuYasha is a great manga for beginners. It has action, romance, adventure, and it keeps a lighthearted tone. Highly recommended and appropriate for readers 14 and up.

A Librarian Reads Soul Enchilada

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

soul-enchiladaSoul Enchilada by David Macinnis Gill

Bug is 18 and is one missed paycheck from living on the streets of El Paso. She has her Cadillac and a job delivering pizzas and that is it. Her rent was due two months ago, and all her money goes to gas. She doesn’t have much of a life. But she is proud of living on her own and won’t take charity from anyone. She has been that way since the only adult in her life, her grandfather, died. That is how she inherited the car.

One day that all changes when she is about to drive to work one morning. There is a dude in her car. His name is Beals and he is a demon. Turns out that her grandfather wasn’t as nice as she thought. He actually put up her soul as collateral for the car loan. Now the demon is here to collect, not just the car, but her life as well.

Bug will need to reach out to her only friend Pesto, a car wash manager by day, but a demon hunter by night. But like I said Bug is a proud young woman and needs to learn that asking for help is okay, especially when your soul is on the line. Plus she can’t really ignore her attraction to Pesto too long (because the dead can’t date). ;)

This is a very funny book filled with madcap adventures. I liked it a lot although it ran a bit long. It is appropriate for anyone 14 and up. Recommended for those who love a good laugh, demons, or just pizza delivery. :)

A Librarian Reads The Graveyard Book

Friday, January 30th, 2009

graveyard-bookThe Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Meet Bod. He lives in a graveyard. He has ghosts for parents, friends, and teachers. His whole existence revolves around the dead. The ghosts teach him to read, write, haunt, and scare. They feed him, cloth, and watch him grow. Why do they love him? Because when he was only 1 year old, he was unintentionally fleeing the scene of his family’s murder and he stumbled into the graveyard seeking asylum (whether he understood that or not). The dead obliged.  The man who wanted to kill Bod never stopped looking for him after that night. So Bod was forced to grow up under the protection of the spirits.

Bod goes on many adventures within the graveyard and without. There is a mysterious crypt under a hill that holds an ancient and forgotten secret. There is also a ghoul gate, that leads to the underworld. Bod grows up more ghostlike the boy. But one day a young girl visits the graveyard and begins to play with him. He has found a friend, a real living and breathing friend, and his life is changed forever. Bod begins to understand that he needs to become more alive then dead, and that means going outside the graveyard. But to do that he must one day face the evil that killed his family. Only then will he be safe, and only then will he be happy to be alive.

The Graveyard Book is wonderful. It is appropriate for all ages, and highly recommended. It is the kind of book that happy about life and you will want to read it again and again. And it just won the Newbery Medal for 2009. So read it. Now. :)