OJ's Book Review - Exposure

Let's expose my thoughts on this novel.

So Exposure is the 4th book in a series of young adult novels written by Kathy Reichs. If you've read the previous one, Code, then you'll know it had an awesome climax involving a serial killer, the beginning of this book carries that on a bit showing the court case and after effects which to me was a mistake, it would be very confusing for new-commers and to be honest I couldn't remember the finer details of the last few pages of Code so a few references went over my head.
     After that is all over with we get into the plot. The main focus in Exposure is basically a kidnapping; the Virals also start having problems with their powers but that's secondary to the criminal investigation they've decided to take upon themselves. The book flowed mostly smoothly with just a few plot pauses here and there but the tension at the end kept the book glued to my hands. There were also a few humorous points and some cool references to pop culture and the like.
     The only major thing I can criticize about it is that it feels like it went really mild in terms of story. The first book was great with the characters learning their powers and that, the second had a big treasure-hunt adventure and the third involved geocaching, a hurricane and a sweet twist near the end but Exposure didn't really feel amazing, it felt very average. Even their powers took a break a lot of the time because of {spoilers}. In the end it was a good read but inferior to the previous three.

6/10

OJ's Book Review - Why the Whales Came

Yes; a bit random but I've just read it and have only posted one thing this month. So here we go!

Why the Whales Came is a Morpurgo book that came out in 1985. It was lent to me by a friend so I read it. While reading I came to the conclusion that this book should not be called Why the Whales Came because the entire story has nothing to do with whales until the very end; so the title is almost like a spoiler for a twist ending. A better title would be The Birdman because that is what the book centres on really - this apparently crazy old man who is maybe related to a witch. Two children start talking too him through shell messages and that begins the story. As I've probably mentioned before Michael Morpurgo is very good at describing things, some scenes you can see in your mind like a photo. The story too was well executed. Very good mystery and it kept leaving you asking questions in your mind. It also built a little bit of fear at the beginning to the children's safety when they got near this Birdman guy and then as nearly all Morpurgo books do it ties in with the war and that becomes a main plot line. So Why the Whales Came was a very good book and do recommend it to all ages; just don't expect everything to be about whales.

OJ's Book Review - Code

SNUP! So, the whole idea of the second book was so they could have tech in their base?

   Lol, I'm just joking, but I am glad they used the plot points from Seizure to tie in. In trilogies, the best one is usually the first or the last and in this case it is defiantly the last. Code is most unlike the first two and more darker as well; the whole plot is like something you'd see in a movie and is really fun to follow; every character from the series is in this book as I wasn't expecting to see one or two of them but they all do something with the plot and as you know I like references and this book defiantly referred to a few points from Virals every now and again. Code also referenced things were might see in the future; yes the end of this book certainly sets up a 4th even though I understood it to be a trilogy, so, we'll have to see. In the end I really liked Code and towards the end is a really gripping sequence of events that leave you wanting more - but that's just it, with Kathy Reichs' Virals series it's only really the end that makes it good, the bits before and the beginning I'm not that interested in picking up as soon as I can, I can say I have read others where I've spent every spare minute reading but with these - even though they are good and have a sense of realism using the technical terms - I'm not always drawn straight from the beginning. But if you have read the first two you should defiantly get a hold of Code as it is very good and unearths some interesting secrets.

OJ Reviewing: War Horse (novel)

Well, I've seen the movie which I reviewed here: http://theojreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/oj-reviewing-war-horse.html.

After seeing the movie I was interested of how the book went as it had come out first. It is a Michael Morpurgo book and I had read some of his other ones and I really liked them, no naturally I was looking forward to War Horse. Now, when you're reading you can definitely see it is meant for younger people, say 7-13 or something. I liked how it was done but it was all very simple and changed from one thing to another quickly whereas in the film they blended one scene into another. I didn't realise how much the film changed; parts that look maybe 2 days in the book took five minuets in the film and I think they missed out a whole week from the book. I don't know if my review would be different if I'd read the book first but this time I'm not as keen on it as Morpurgo's other books which I think are brilliant. So for me I prefer the film but the book does give a little information on the horse and background to the rest of the world.

OJ Reviewing: Seizure

I've just finished it; sorry I had to review it in the middle of the "Doctor Who only for 7-Days".

  The middle book in the Kathy Reichs trilogy; it follows a few months after Virals and the gang need money bad - so, the obvious way to do it is go treasure hunting! The story may not be original but with this book I didn't mind, some things you felt like you've heard it all before as the complete first half feels like The Goonies, then moves to Indiana Jones for a bit and then there is quite a few surprises near the end; I wasn't expecting them but unlike the first book I did actually like these ones. It is a much bigger adventure and they explore a bit more of their powers and learn something new by the end. One antagonist from Virals even appears now has an ally which was interesting. One or two tiny bits were unrealistic but I liked the plot overall and after reading an excerpt from the last book, Code, I can't wait to read the finale!

OJ Reviewing: The Forgotten Echo

The final book in the Remarkable Adventures of Tom Scatterhorn

  The biggest adventure yet. This book brings everything you ever learnt about The Museum's Secret and The Hidden World together and it makes sense! Thinks you didn't even think were important become linchpins! This novel references lots of things from the first two and it reveals many things and answers lots of questions that the last book should do. It felt a little more fantasy than sci-fi and historical than futuristic but its a very good adventure and absolutely non of it will make sense if you haven't read the first two. A brilliant finale to the Remarkable Adventures but I don't know if its just me there are 1 or 2 parts that confused me a little, Henry Chancellor is a great writer though and as I've said before his settings are outstanding. Now there the end; some people are going to really like it and then there are those who really don't, I personally didn't mind the ending, I quite liked it. But that's just me so what did you think? Was the ending a good finale or should never have been written? Comment below and tell me!

OJ Reviewing: The Hidden World

Great sequel; bigger, and badder.

 An awesome sequel to The Museum's Secret; it has been a year since Tom Scatterhorn's adventure and now he's back at the museum and there is a new exhibit that takes him into other worlds... I love the storyline of this book and some parts made me laugh and I like when books do that. There were even some creepy scenes that you didn't get in the first novel and they were good and then there a few mysteries and great descriptions of the creatures that you are really thankful don't exist. It is a much bigger adventure than the first which can sometimes take the realism away from it but I don't mind that because the whole plot is just great and it sucks you in all the way to the end. I still prefer The Museum's Secret but this is a Remarkable novel and I'm looking forward to future Henry Chancellor young adult novels.

OJ Reviewing: The Museum's Secret

The first book in The Remarkable Adventures of Tom Scatterhorn.

  I looked at the back of this book and the blurb didn't really quench my thirst or sound interesting but boy I couldn't have been more wrong. This plot is the most fantastic, bizarre and unpredictable story I've ever read. Tom Scatterhorn is a boy who goes to live at his Aunt and Uncle's museum and some strange things start to happen. The plot is told very well with a bit of suspense, humour and definitely mystery; even the first chapter your riping the book to get to the next page! I go along with Tom all the way and genuinely want to know what happens next. It's Henry Chancellor's first young adult book and he has done very well. One of my favourite books ever by far. I have to say as well that this I think is the most realistic (as it can be) out of the trilogy - I'm not saying the others are rubbish because they really aren't its just that I really like this one. The visuals that Chancellor gives you are outstanding and you can definitely feel the emotion and atmosphere. A very enjoyable read for sci-fi fans, mystery, adventure and just a tiny bit fantasy.

OJ Reviewing: Virals

First time writing a teenage book; might need a little more practice.

  SNAP! So Virals is a Young Adult book written by Kathy Reichs who is responsible for the TV show Bones (which I've never heard of). It's about a group of kids and a dog (sound familiar?) and they have contracted some sort of virus which effects their body's. I suppose it's trying to be scientific version of a werewolf but I didn't class it was that kind of book because I hate that paranormal rubbish. I did like the science element of it and I thought the characters were portrayed very clearly and realistic but in some cases they really weren't and a few parts you thought "that wouldn't happen". I thought the beginning was a little slow but when the plot got going it was really good and a few surprises got be by surprise and then there was the ending; there was a big twist which I didn't really like; I was expecting something else but then I read it and thought "oh, well I guess that's that then. Pretty predicable from here on". I would have expected a better ending; so next time I think Kathy should spend more time on the end than the beginning.
  So, I have read better books but I didn't mind this one and will be reading the sequel and probably the whole trilogy.