The Hunt - Andrew Fukuda

I picked this book up for a £1 so I really wasn't expecting much. Plus I had checked out some reviews on Good Reads and most people had scored it 1 - 2 stars at most.

The story is basically Hunger Games with vampires: but there is a whole lot more besides. Gene is a human living alongside vampires by pretending to be one. It sounds daft I know, but it really adds to the story. I found my self on tenterhooks each time Gene is nearly found out! 

One of the great things about this book is that there is no mushy love story ruining the plot. Of course there's a girl, there always is in YA fiction now, but she is very much a sideline in this book - and glad I am about that!

The final chapters of the book in which 'The Hunt' takes place are described perfectly. Although, as with all trilogy books, it leaves you on a massive cliffhanger.... So naturally I have ordered the next two books :)

A Gathering Light - Jennifer Donnelly

When I was little I had a copy of The Little House on the Prairie which I read until the cover started to fall off. It now has pride of place on my bookshelf and reminds me of why I love to read; losing yourself in another world where the simplest things are those you treasure. This book reminds me of Little House.

Firstly the writing is beautiful. Donnelly has hints of Margaret Atwood in her writing style, and uses this to cleverly lead us on a tale of a young woman breaking the rules that back in 1905 her gender and age were bound to obey.

The murder in the book is by-the-by and it wasn't until I finished the book that I was told the murder is a true story. Donnelly used the mlocal murder of a young girl to put Mattie's actions into perspective; life can be so suddenly cut short, so chase your dreams.

I picked this book up at a charity shop on a whim, but have found a true treasure of a book that I'll sit perfectly alongside Little House on my bookshelf.

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief - Ricky Riordan

First things first, don't be fooled by the 'For ages 9 and over' note on the cover of this book. It's a book any age will enjoy!

Being a history geek I was intrigued by the book's take on Greek mythology, and this is what initially lured me in. 

In a similar vein to the tv show 'Once Upon A Time, Riordan takes myths and makes the characters into modern day equivalents in a very clever way. You end up playing a game with yourself whereby you try and guess which mythilogical creature they are... Medusa stumped me and I am incredibly mad at myself for not working it out sooner!

So long as you remember it is a children's book, and therefore don't expect any prize-winning literary feats, you will enjoy this book for the tale itself. It is a simple yet effective 'fairy-tale' and an easy read to get caught up in.