Janitors by Tyler Whitesides

Blake picked up this book a long time ago and suggested that I read it at some point.  Well, honestly a year later I finally decided to read it since it seemed really short and easy to read.  Something I could finish before we leave for a couple of days.  Well, it was short and easy to read and kind of fun to read.  I did not have high hopes for it since the back cover talks about how mothers and other people who clean a lot will appreciate this book.  That does not really get me interested, however, I am glad I read it.  It is not a series I am 'needing' to go out and get, but I would eventually like to get the rest of the series.  It is a fun book that is definately geared more for elementary/early middle school age.  Well, our main characters are in 6th grade.

Spencer finds himself being bullied by Dez and one day ends up with an Algebra equation written across his face in permanent marker.  In hopes to get it off he finds this soap in the bathroom, however, once he washes his face with it he starts to see magical creatures around the school and no one else can see them.   He teams up with gullible Daisy and has her wash her face with the soap so she can help him.  The BEM, a government janitor section, shows up and has Spencer help them to retrieve a magical hammer and nail from the wizard that has set up his domain in the school.  Unfortunately Spencer finds out later that the BEM are the bad guys and the janitors of the school are in fact the good guys.

The janitors use their magical "glop' powers to kill these creatures that suck up brain waves from children.  The three creatures suck up brain waves from children making the children dumb.  Some make the kids fall asleep while others distract them.  Each creature has it's own territory it prefers.  Like Grime prefers bathrooms and drinking fountains that build up slimy residue.  It really grosses you out and makes you want to never go in a public area.  See, when kids get older they use less brain waves because they tend to be less eager to learn, that is why the creatures like elementary schools and all the janitors in the country are meant to keep the schools clear of them.

I will warn you that this book is not necessarily the most entertaining thing you will read, but it is just a fun book that puts a twist on schools and janitors.  Most of the story seems almost believable by the way Whitesides incorporates the magical creatures, kids, and janitors in the story.  It really brings you back to Elementary school and how annoying some kids can be.

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

This is the fifth book of The Mortal Instruments series.  I was very disappointed when I found out Clare was continueing this series instead of just ending it at book three.  I am one that believes most series should never go past three books.  You tend to forget the previous books and lose interest by the time the last book comes out, but you must read it since you read the others.  Well, the fourth book left me believing this, however, this book made me glad she continued with the series.  I found it very enjoyable to read especially since it was not incredibly sappy and "all about Jace with his shirt off" as Blake would say.

Sabastian still has a link with Jace and therefore has control over him.  The two of them disappear in the fourth book and so everyone is out looking for him.  Clary, Alec, Magnus, Isabelle, and Simon go out on their own to find Jace and save him from Sabastian.  Unfortunately, they find out the bond between them affects the other.  When one gets hurt the other does.  So, they can't kill Sabastian without killing Jace.  Clary goes off with Jace and Sabastian while Simon and the others try to find a weapon that will kill Sabastian, but not Jace.

I liked that during the book I began to second guess the true intent of Sabastian and wonder if he really is not that bad of a guy and really cares about Jace and especially Clary.  I liked that Clare was able to do this.  I also enjoyed, although sad, that Alec struggles with trying to keep Magnus close to him to the point that Magnus leaves.  They have a cute relationship and you hate to see them separate.  It will be interesting to see what happens to Alec in the next book since it leaves you hanging as to whether or not he will get killed by Maureen, the vampire that Simon formed.

I will admit that reading this book so close to The Infernal Devices gets me a little confused with trying to keep the stories straight.  I also do not know how much I enjoy reading about Will in The Mortal Instruments.  Clare mentions him a couple times and talks a lot about Parabatoi.  It makes me wonder if she gets stuck on an idea for one book and ends up incorporating it into the other.  I felt like I was reading the same book twice because of the similarities.  Yes, they are both about Shadowhunters so there will be similarities, but maybe she should have waited to come out with The Infernal Devices until all of The Mortal Instruments were out.

I think this is a fun series to read, especially girls who are not very interested in reading.  My husband was talking in his English class about how he tried to read the first book, but could not get past reading about Jace with his shirt off all the time.  Well, shortly after that discussion a young lady in his class, who had never enjoyed reading before, came up to him and said she loved the book and was getting the rest of the series.  Her parents even came to Blake and could not believe she was actually reading.  So, I guess what I am trying to say, if you are not much of a reader, one book may not work for you but I guarantee there is something out there you would enjoy so keep picking up books until you find a genre you enjoy.

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

 This is the second book of The Infernal Devices series set approximately 100 years before Jace and Clary.  I have enjoyed these books, although I may have to go back to the first book and reread it since I do not remember much of Tessa's beginning story so I was lost at some points not remembering the first book.  As many second books, this one did not seem to ever get incredibly suspenseful or anything.  You just read along with very little emotional change, but it is very important to set us up for the third book and what Mortmain might try to do.

We still do not know who exactly Tessa is or where she came from, but her involvement in this book is needed.  She uses her power to transform in order to try to find out where Mortmain is.  She, along with the others in the Institute have two weeks to find Mortmain or lose the Institute to the Lightwood family.

We do find out why Will is negative and honestly just crazy.  He believes he has had a curse placed on him where all who love him will die.  It is not until the end of the book that he and Magnus Bane are able to summon the demon who put the curse on him.  He finds out at this point that the demon never put the curse on him, but just killed his sister.  Unfortunately for Will, by the time he finds this out, he is so excited to love Tessa, but Jem has proposed to Tessa and she has agreed to marry her.  I can honestly say that one part of me believes Cassandra will somehow make it work out for Will and Tessa to be together, but is she going to kill Jem to do so or find another girl for Jem.  I find it hard to believe she will actually keep Tessa and Jem together unless she kills Will.  I guess we will just have to wait and find out.

Mortmain is never found, but we find out he has drugged werewolves and killed them in order to build a clockwork army.  He has blackmailed the Lightwood father to help in his cause and Tessa's brother is involved as well, however, Tessa is involed with his death when he tries to kill all of them at the Institute. And little Jessamine surprises us by being a spy and marrying Tessa's brother.  She ends up in the Silent City prison to think about how she was decieved and used.  Quite a sad ending for her.

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

The Scarlet Pimpernel.  Blake and I read this at the same time and we enjoyed it.  It is not anything spectacular or entertaining, but a classic book.  Baroness Emmuska Orczy is a very talented woman.  She is best known for her Scarlet Pimpernel series, but she also had some paintings accepted by the Royal Academy in London.  It was not until I finished reading this book and went to start this review that I learned there are ten books all based off of The Scarlet Pimpernel.  This is the most famous of her writings.

The Scarlet Pimpernel is set in Paris, 1972 when the citizens of France were beheading all royalists and their families.  The Scarlet Pimpernel is our unknown hero who helps to smuggle out the rich to safety in England.  Agent Chauvelin sets out to find and kill the Scarlet Pimpernel and seeks out the help of Lady Blakeney.  She is a born frenchman but married Lord Blakeney, an englishman.  She does not agree with the way things are going in France and her brother has become involved with the Scarlet Pimpernel.  In order to keep him alive, she is blackmailed by Chaevelin to help determine who the Scarlet Pimpernel is.

Lady Blakeney does not have much of a relationship with her husband since she carelessly was involved with getting a royal family killed in France.  Her husband does not trust her and therefore can not forgive her for what she has done.  It is not until later that Lady Blakeney comes to the realization that her husband is actually the Scarlet Pimpernel.  This knowledge is not really hidden from you since you suspect this towards the beginning of the book.  Well, at this time the Scarlet Pimpernel is heading to France to rescue her brother and others in need of rescuing not knowing that Lady Blakeney has given Chauvelin the information he needed to figure out who our Scarlet Pimpernel is.

We follow Lady Blakeney the rest of the story as she flews to France to warn her husband, but ironically enough, she never speaks to him until the end of the book.  She actually does very little other than hiding the entire time and watching from a distance.  At some point she is caught by Chauvelin and could have easily been ransomed or held captive in order to lure the Scarlet Pimpernel to turn himself in.  Luckily for them, the Scarlet Pimpernel is crafty and able to escape and get everyone safely to England while renewing his love with Lady Blakeney.

Like I said, an enjoyable book, but nothing too fancy or crazy romantic.  Just an enjoyable read that focuses on loyalty, trust, and honesty.  I do wish to read some of the other books based off of The Scarlet Pimpernel to see how Baroness Orczy continues her story.