Heat Wave: Book 1 of Nikki Heat (Richard Castle)

If you're an avid Castle (the tv series) fan, then the book might be a slight disappointment. It's not a bad read, but it doesn't fully live up to the series. But if you haven't watched an episode of Castle, then you'll enjoy this book. After all, how often do you find humour in between the drama and suspense of catching a killer?

Jameson Rook is a reporter working on an article on America's finest (the police force), and is given the opportunity to shadow detective Nikki Heat. While Nikki finds him slightly annoying, he brings a fun element to an otherwise drab case solving process. Together they are investigating the death of a wealthy real estate agent, Matthew Starr, who was pushed out of his sixth floor apartment.

The story follows the way in which these detectives systematically follow the clues, in order to catch their killer. But being a detective doesn't mean that you can't be harmed, as Nikki finds out when she is attacked in her own home. Despite the fact that Rook is just a reporter, he sometimes provides insight which is otherwise overlooked by the detectives.

Can Nikki and her team succeed in closing this case?

I rate this book a 4/5. While the story is not exactly unpredictable, it is still a really easy read and it is interesting to read the book after following the series. Don't forget to read the dedication and acknowledgments if you are a Castle fan :)
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Coraline (Neil Gaiman)

Coraline is a slightly dark story, but tells the story of one brave little girl. Coraline finds herself in an alternate version of her home and family. In order to get back to her real home with her real parents, she must outsmart her fake mother. But will Coraline be able to save herself and her parents?

I rate this book a 3/5. The book is a quick read, and is entertaining despite the dark elements.
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Forever: Book 3 of The Wolves of Mercy Falls (Maggie Stiefvater)

In the final installment of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series Cole turns into a "mad scientist" in an attempt to find a cure for the wolves. Cole St Clair, ex band member of Narkotika, has come a long way from being a suicidal drug addict to being the guy who tries to save the wolves and help Sam and Grace.

While Grace struggles to come to terms with the fact that Sam has been accused of atrocious things since she went "missing", Sam battles with the image of Beck, his foster father, as he never knew him and the truth behind his becoming a wolf.

Above all, there is a single major concern for Sam, Cole, Grace and Isabel ... Thomas Culpeper, Isabel's dad, has managed to remove the protection surrounding the wolves, and has planned a hunt focused on killing the wolves. Now Sam and Cole must discover a way to move the wolves to a safer place away from Mercy Falls. Will they succeed in moving the wolves before the big hunt?

I rate this book a 4/5. The book is very easy to read and is hard to put down. The story is well written from the perspective of each of the main characters: Sam, Grace, Cole, and Isabel.
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