Alex Rider: Stormbreaker: Book Review

Title: Stormbreaker
Author: Anthony Horowitz
My Rating: 4 Stars
Buy The Book:
-HERE-

"They said his uncle Ian died in a car accident. Alex Rider knows that's a lie, and the bullet holes in his uncle's car confirm the truth. But nothing can prepare him for the news that the uncle he always thought he knew was really a spy for Britain's top-secret intelligence agency. Enlisted to find his uncle's killers and complete Ian's final mission, Alex suddenly finds himself caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse, with no way out. "



I picked up Stormbreaker from the library after having it recommended from a friend. The plot sounded incredibly intriguing to me. Of course, hearing that the book was transformed into a movie was one of the major factors in drawing me to reading it. You see, I'm a fan of book-to-movie conversions. I like to not only picture the images set forth in written word, but to actually see them on the big-screen brings me excitement.

Back to the book...I thoroughly enjoyed it! I don't read through books incredibly fast, but I found that I finished this within a week or so.

Alex Rider didn't think himself very special. In fact, if his Uncle Ian had not died in a suspicious car accident, his life would have gone on as normal. But one jaunt into the junkyard and an escape from death later, Alex's life is turned upside down by the discovery of bullet holes in his Uncle's car. If his Uncle was only a banker and he had only died in a 'car accident', why were there bullet holes in his car? When Alex is enlisted from a British secret intelligence agency to help finish his Uncle Ian's, who was revealed to not be a banker, but a spy, last mission, his life turns to the dangerous side. But Alex can supposedly handle that. After all, his Uncle had been secretly preparing him for this type of thing his whole life.

I found the writing was an easy read. While it wasn't completely descriptive in every aspect, I felt like the style was easy and perfect for this novel. The characters were well developed, enjoyable and realistic. The adventure was definitely eye-catching.

My only complaint was the small amount of swearing they spread in the book. The ones I caught were on pages 60, 79 and 140. The bad guy used his form of 'bloody' quite a lot. But seeming as it's really only a British swear word, I don't find it offensive. :P Because of this being a 'spy' book, there was some violence. Nothing was too descriptive or gory, but the thought might send some shivers up your body.

I'm going to be watching the movie in the upcoming week. If I feel like it, I might post a movie review. :)



What's Coming Up Next?

The Horse and His Boy, by C. S. Lewis
Raising Dragons, by Bryan Davis
Too Rich for a Bride, by Mona Hodgson
Point Blank, by Anthony Horowitz

A Cowboy's Touch: Book Review

Title: A Cowboy's Touch
Author: Denise Hunter
My Rating: 4 Stars
Buy The Book:
-Here-

"Hypertension is nothing to mess with, Abigail. You're so...restless. You need a break -- a chance to find some peace in your life."

With those words spoken, Abigail Jones was sentenced to three months in Moose Creek, Montana to check up on her Aunt Lucy. The aunt who seems to be going a little insane. But what workaholic, big-city girl like Abigail would cherish the thought of enduring three months of boredom in the middle of nowhere?

Only a few days into her venture out to Moose Creek, Abigail happens upon Maddy Ryan, a young girl who has just had her bike stolen. With her journalist instincts kicking up, Abbey promises the girl, who turns out to be the daughter of the widowed cowboy who owns Aunt Lucy's ranch, to help her recover her precious item. The two form a special bond during their short mystery adventure. Maybe her visit here wouldn't be boring after all...

To kickstart her summer stay in Montana even further, Maddy informs Abigail that her nanny has just bailed on her dad for the summer leaving the job wide open. Maybe this was just what she needed. After careful consideration and accepting the job, Abigail is now spending her time living with Maddy and her handsome father.

Wade Ryan seems a mysterious character to Abigail. He is a solemn man, and while he wishes the right life for Maddy, he seems so detached from her. Abigail sets out to fix that disconnection. But who could this mysterious Wade Ryan be? She knows he is hiding something.

What happens when this cowboy starts to find a place in her longing heart? How can she deal with an incredible discovery, an astounding opportunity, and a love that is only bound to be broken in the end?

This was a very fun read! Being a fan of stories that take place out West, I found this satisfying. Being a romantic, following along Abigail's sentimental adventure was endearing. The pace of the book kept the suspense just where it needed to be.

I rated this a four star because I felt the narrative writing seemed a bit clipped at times. While the author described things well, I feel like it took away from the flow of the book. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the dialogue. It's so hard to figure out how to manage writing good dialogue. Usually I complain more about how the talking just didn't seem realistic to me, but that wasn't the case in this book.

I highly recommend this for girls aged 14 and up who love to settle down with a good romantic book with a bit of mystery thrown in. :)

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

What's Coming Up Next?

The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis
Raising Dragons by Bryan Davis
Stormbreaker (Alex Rider Novel #1) by Anthony Horowitz
Too Rich for a Bride by Mona Hodgson