Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Incarceron
Catherine Fisher
464 pages

Incarceron was a very interesting book. It is set in either an alternate universe or the future and centers around a prison called Incarceron. Only one person has ever escaped, but that doesn't stop Finn from trying to figure out his past and escape. Claudia is the warden's daughter who has been raised in the lap of luxury and is soon going to marry a prince and become Queen. I thought it was a pretty good book, although a little predictable. It is very intense, and I read it in two sittings as I could hardly put it down. It took me a while to figure out exactly what was going on in the beginning, as Fisher does not put enough background in. (at least for my preferences). It really is a fascinating book. It is Fantasy mixed with Sci Fi, which is an interesting blend. All in all, I thought this was a pretty good book. I would not read it again, though. I recommend this book to middle school students and high school students who enjoy fast paced fantasy novels. There is a sequel out, but I don't think I will be reading it.

Happy Holidays!

Word Girl Paige

Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade by Patrick Dennis

Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade
Patrick Dennis
320 pages
(12+?)

I really enjoyed this book. It is about Auntie Mame- a glitzy, bubbly and not to mention rich woman who suddenly finds herself as the caretaker of her young nephew (the author). Each chapter tells a different story in which Auntie Mame does something ridiculous, outrageous or glamourous. The story starts in 1929 and ends around 1940ish. It is a laugh out loud novel, and is fairly quick. It is actually based on the author's (Patrick Dennis) aunt, so it is almost true. And the story reads so true and honest that I believe it.  Auntie Mame was actually made into a play, musical, movie and a movie musical. I highly recommend this book. Go forth and read it! I guarantee that you will laugh out loud!

Sincerely,

Word Girl Paige

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton (5 stars!)

The Distant Hours

Kate Morton 

576 pages

(ages 12+)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am an ardent fan of Kate Morton and I have loved her other novels. The Distant Hours centers on a woman who is selected to write an introduction for a famous children's novel. The author himself is dead, but he is survived by 3 aging spinster daughters. They (and the castle they live in) are hiding secrets from the past and its up to the woman to uncover them. The story switches between the woman's percival of the past and actually what happened. It is an extremely well written book. It floridly describes every scene in wonderful detail so that it is easy to picture. It is the perfect book to read on a dark and stormy night as it is a haunting and cleverly told tale. There is so much more to the story than what I am telling you! This is a must read for people who love to read and have lots of time on their hands.

Sincerely, 

Word Girl Paige

The Sorcerer's Stone: A Harry Potter Novel by J.K. Rowling

The Sorcerer's Stone: A Harry Potter Novel

J.K. Rowling

320 pages

(all ages)

After many years of restraint and hard-headedness (if that's a word), I have finally succombed to the Harry Potter phenomenon. Of course, most people have already read through the series at least twice--I would just like to convince fellow stubborn readers that you might as well start reading the most advertised books in the world (in my opinion)--they are quite a conversation starter. In other words, the fast-action, fast-paced and well-written novels are worth the read as both good books and as a cultural experience.

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/books

Most respectfully,

Word Girl Caroline

Runemarks by Joanne Harris (3.5 stars)

Runemarks

Joanne Harris

526 pages

(young adult)

Runemarks is a story for boys and girls that LOVE mythology and want a good adventure in the process. Maddy is a young girl in a Scandinavian village that, with the help of a mysterious traveler, finds her destiny intertwined in the ancient Norse myths. It is a lengthy book, I understand, but the language is easy to read and to really enjoy. I would advise, however, that you should do a minimal amount of research on the basics of Norse myths before starting-it is a lot easier to understand at the beginning if you have some background on the topic. Nevertheless, I would definitely recommend this book to all of my friends.

Here is the website for the book itself: www.runemarks.co.uk (if for some reason the link doesn't work, copy and paste it as a URL-it should be correct.)

With warmest regards,

Word Girl Caroline

Heist Society by Ally Carter (4 stars)

Heist Society
Ally Carter
(young adult)
287 pages

From the author of "The Gallagher Girls" series comes a new and exciting book that will captivate you until the very last page. Kat, the daughter of an infamous criminal, tries to avoid a past (and family) of crime. But when her life gets turned upside down by a series of whirlwind (and humorous) events, Kat will find that she can never fully distance herself from the family business. Will Kat recover a stolen piece of art supposedly taken by her father? Read to find out. I promise- this is a quick, feel-good novel that will leave you thirsting for more.
For more information, visit www.allycarter.com

Most Sincerely,
Word Girl Caroline

Juliet by Anne Fortier (4.5 stars)

Juliet
By Anne Fortier
464 pages
(young adult/ adult)

This was a very good book. It is about a girl who finds out that she is related to (and is a reincarnation of) the real Juliet from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. She then embarks on a journey to Italy, where she must find her mother's "treasure" and break the curse on both her own (and Romeo's) houses. The book is filled with suspense, love and betrayal. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Shakespeare, as each chapter begins with a quote from his iconic play. Although it is a lengthy book, Fortier makes up for the length with content. I really enjoyed this book, although younger readers may not. The writing is fluid and descriptive. You will absolutely fall in love with this book.

here is a link to the video for the book (on amazon)
http://www.amazon.com/Juliet-Anne-Fortier/dp/0345516109

Word Girl Paige

Hello Fellow Literature Maniacs!

Hey Everybody!

We are the Word Girls, the creators and owners of the blog "A Thousand Words". We hope you enjoy the reviews (yes, they will be coming soon) of our FAVORITE books. Don't worry; this won't be your average book review. We will recommend to YOU, our readers, books that we LOVE. You will also have the opportunity to tell US what to read!!!!!
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With warmest regards,

The Word Girls