The Mistmantle Chronicles: Book Four: Urchin and the Raven War

Title: The Mistmantle Chronicles: Book Four: Urchin and the Raven War
Author: M. I. McAllister
Rating: Four and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Things have been peaceful on Mistmantle Island. But one day, the swans of Swan Isle come to ask for help. Terrible ravens have come and seriously messed things up. King Crispin helps the swans get rid of the ravens...
But the ravens turn their attention to Mistmantle. A terrible war's about to rage. Can Urchin of the Riding Stars and his friends, along with some new faces (and not-so-new, but older faces), win the day? Or will the ravens defeat them all?

Rockin' Review:
The Mistmantle Chronicles have always been one of my favorite series. And this installment in the series was wonderful! It grips you, and you hate it when life makes you put it down. The head-hopping was cleverly done--most of the time, you could tell who you were hopping to. There was some confusing--some was just that I haven't read the series in the long time, and blanked on some of what happened (though that wasn't a major problem). There were some unexplained and confusing things at the very end. But, all in all, this was a great book.
If you find this book, get it! It's totally rockin'!

Invid Invasion

Title: Invid Invasion
Author: Jack McKinney
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
The Invid have invaded, and succeeded where others have failed... the Invid Queen Regis and her horde have taken over Earth and enslaved the population! Admiral Hunter has sent a rescue team to Earth to destroy the main hive--Reflex Point--and save the Earth!
But the Invid destroy the rescue team. Only Lieutenant Scott Bernard has survived, and he soon heads on a solo mission to Reflex Point to save the Earth. Soon, he has a small ragtag team of freedom fighters with him.
Will it be enough on this doomed and changed Earth...?

Rockin' Review:
Ah... back in the part of the Robotech series that I like! This was an enjoyable book, and answer a question or two that wasn't in the anime series. It didn't grip you totally (except for a scene or two in the end), but it was still a good book.
If you find this book, get it! It may not be rocking, but it's good!

The Cat Who Played Post Office

Title: The Cat Who Played Post Office
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Qwill's now super-rich! As he settles into his new life, and his cats Koko and Yum Yum get used to being rich.
And, as usual, they stumble onto a mystery... that could turn deadly!

Rockin' Reviews:
Now this is the kind of Cat Who I like! It was more enjoyable, and it played with a new plot device. I think it took a little long to finish playing that card, however... but this was a good book.
If you find this Cat Who, get it!

Animal Farm

Title: Animal Farm
Author: George Orwell
Rating: Four and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
On Manor Farm, the animals are overworked and mistreated by Mr. Jones, the farm's owner. They finally snap and drive out the humans, taking over the farm. They start out to make the farm better... but only end up under a system just as bad--if not a little worse.
And the sad part? They don't even know it!

Rockin' Review:
This is an awesome book. It's a classic, and I can see where. This book was very well-written and it was enjoyable to read. The only down-part was the end. But this book was very well-done, and the message it was meant to send was sent through. It's worth knowing the background of the book... it was written to warn the world of the very bad totalitarianism system of Stalinist (Communist) Russia. And I believe that warning was sent through very loud and clear.
So, whether studying history, classic literature, or even just for fun reading... get this book! It's rockin'! Brace for the ending, however... it's not the happiest, but the message of the book comes through very well!

The Cat Who Turned On and Off

Title: The Cat Who Turned On and Off
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Without meaning to, Qwilleran gets a new beat: doing a feature series on Junktown, an antique shop area. He was actually hoping for an illegal drug den. Qwill's never been crazy about antiques, but he ends up finding a new and much-needed apartment. But when he gets to Junktown, he discovers a murder mystery that no one wants to investigate.
But, of course, he and Koko will be looking about...

Rockin' Review:
This was a pretty good book. It was pretty well-done, but the enjoyment level was only about average most of the book. It started better near the end. You almost couldn't let it go until you found out "whodunit" and finish the action scene. There were also some glitches, but one near the end was honestly admitted as having no good explanation (nice move!). That's a good thing to do in writing books when you have no explanation... find a way to say you have no explanation. Though I suspect a certain Siamese in that incident...
This was a pretty good overall.

The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
In the future, humanity has been devastated by disaster. In what was once North America is now the country of Panem. It made up of twelve Districts ruled by a cruel Capitol. The primary iron fist of the Capitol is the Hunger Games... where the Capitol forces each District to send one boy and girl tributes in-between the ages of twelve and eighteen to the Capitol, so the Capitol can send them to an arena and have them fight each other on live TV... to the death!
Katniss Evergreen lives in District 12. When her sister is picked, Katniss volunteers to go in her place. Katniss is determined to win the Games and survive.
She's got experience at surviving, but will it be enough to be the last one standing, therefore the winner of the games...?

Rockin' Review:
I can see where this became a movie. The book's divided into three parts. The first part was excellent. It was very well-written, and Katniss almost seemed alive.
Once we enter the Hunger Games, however (the other two parts), things dropped. It didn't seem as alive, and it was only about average and/or four-Guitar enjoyment. It was still good and well-written, but it could have been done better.
This was a pretty good book overall, however.

The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern

Title: The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Jim Qwilleran's got a new job... he has to publish a magazine for the Fluxion about interior decorating! And he has no experience! But things are going to get crazy... when the house that's in the first edition of the magazine is robbed the day right after the magazine came out! Talk about bad rep!
Qwilleran and Koko is going to have to get to the bottom of this before things get even worse... and deadly!

Rockin' Reviews:
This was not Mrs. Braun's best. #2 of the Cat Who series wasn't terrible, but it didn't grab you. It was relax-full (sp?). The mystery wasn't very well-done, though things made sense in the end. It was well-written, but it's not going to be my favorite.
But there's one thing I was very impressed on. I was also impressed at it when Diane Duane did it in her first So You Want To Be A Wizard book. There was a loose end that could have been forgotten, and it was wrapped up. Very well-done!
This was only a so-so book, so maybe get it if you want the next book in this series and it's at least semi-cheap. Note, however, this book introduces Yum Yum in the end, so you might want it if you want to meet her for the first time!