Book Review: Birth of a Killer by Darren Shan

Title: Birth of a Killer
Series: The Saga of Larten Crepsley #1
Author: Darren Shan
Pages: 256 
Special Features: N/A 
Goodreads Average Rating: 4.26   

Before Cirque Du Freak...
Before the war with the vampaneze...
Before he was a vampire.
Larten Crepsley was a boy.
As a child laborer many centuries ago, Larten Crepsley did his job well and without complaint, until the day the foreman killed his cousin/bestfriend  as an example to the other children. In that moment, young Larten flies into a rage that the foreman wouldn't survive. Forced on the run, he sleeps in crypts and eats cobwebs to get by. And when a vampire named Seba offers him protection and training as a vampire's assistant, Larten takes it.
This is his story.

This book follows the story of Larten Crepsley, as a young boy, working in a silk factory with his cousin and best friend, Vur. After a number of unfortunate events, Larten is forced to flee from his home and ends up in the arms, and protective care of, Seba, a well respected and very old vampire, where Larten than takes the opportunity of becoming his assistant, and be potentially blooded.
We see as Larten grows from boy to man, from human to vampire, and we follow the story of the much loved man who was originally featured in Darren Shan's: Darren Shan Saga.

Why I do not participate in banned book week

Banned Book Week 24th September-1st October, and a book blogging week I refuse to participate in by saying I've read a Banned books.

There is a number of YA which people have attempted to ban, see the main word there ATTEMPTED. Yes a number of books get literally banned from certain schools and libraries, which I do not condone, and think it is 100% unfair, but these books are still available to me, therefore they are not banned.
I was looking through a Banned Book Week reading challenge and came across books like: Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and Harry Potter by JK Rowling, three of probably most popular series, not just in YA but for all ages. Come on people Harry Potter has sold half a billion copies, the majority which would of been read. Does that sound banned to you?
Then there is The Giver by Lois Lowry, which is a book I plan to read, and could probably walk into any English speaking book-shop and find them sitting there right in front of me, no glass window or laser beams stopping me from reaching it, NOTHING!!!! Except a known ban in one school or something.

I'm not criticizing any blogger or reader who is participating in Banned Books Week, I'm just merely posting my opinion, and reason's why I don't participate.
But if you want to join in then feel free, and have a great time.

Happy Reading!!

Book Review: The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Title: The Forest of Hands and Teeth
Series: The Forest of Hand and Teeth #1 
Author: Carrie Ryan 
Publisher: Gollancz
Publication Date: 10th March 2009
Pages: 310
Special Features: Preview of The Dead Tossed Waves 
Goodreads Average Rating: 3.61

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

I don't know what to say about this book really. It is one full of different things and can be described and reviewed in many ways.
It was a great and enjoyable read, though a book which before I started reading it never caught my fancy. I did expect a lot from it, I saw many good reviews on the book, and I will be one of the first to admit it was good, and well worth a read, though the book did not provide me with what other books do.

The story line was one which is rare, and very unique within it's self, not like any dystopian I have read before, but part of the book I just hated.
I felt like the whole trilogy was forced into one quite short book, and that too much happened, which despite what you may say is not always a good thing. This book alone could of made a trilogy, and I partly wish that the first half was a bit more stretched out.

Why I Won't Be Blogging As Much??

I've recently started college, where I will be taking Psychology, Sociology and Maths, but unfortunately these are very demanding subjects and I'm expected to do the same amount of work outside of college, as I do inside, and around exam time, I've been told my free time will be for sleep and probably nothing else.

Fortunately I will only actually be in college for 3 days a week, though more of 2 and a half. On Wednesday I'll be there from 9-12, Thursday: 9-5 and Friday 9-4.30, not including the hour and half it takes me to get home, and already within the 3 days I've actually been at college, I've witnessed my sleep dramtically decrease, so I will probably spend alot of time asleep.

I am going to try and read when I can, and keep up blogging as often as possible, but sometimes when I just get home from college I want to relax laid in bed, trying to rid of my headache.

I am so sorry to have to take a slight break from blogging, but getting into a routine for college is far more important.
Anyway I will go now, as I have 9 pieces of homework to do by Thursday, so I better get busy!