The month of September initially is turning out to be a bad month to read any books. I started with blocking off a good week at the beginning in order to attend Dragon*Con in Atlanta, then followed it up with a lot to make up at work. I was still able to squeeze in around four new to me novels in that time frame, but it seemed at times like I wouldn't be able to finish anything in time.
For the first half of the month, I was able to read three young adult novels, and one older, but recommended adult novel.
Higher Institute of Villainous Education - Mark Walden - (YA) In a riff of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and much more, we have a new series about a boy destined for greatness, that is great Evil. However unlike the Evil of Harry Potter, this first book in the Young Adult H.I.V.E. series, paints Evil as just being really good businessmen, with flexible Ethics, but strong Morals. As such, it's a perfectally acceptable book to introduce young readers to, and get them interested. For older fans, not so much. However, as other reviewers have noted, fans of Artemis Fowler, would likely love this book. [Cost 8.00; Rated 5.00]
Emissaries from the Dead - Adam-Troy Castro - First of only two Andrea Cort Novels. In a universe that's been post singularity since the dinosaurs, humanity has carved mash of empires. Yet they are still at the bottom when it comes to all encompassing AIs. Andrea, sentenced to a life of civil service, is good at her job. So good she is sent to investigate a murder in a reverse artificial biosphere. The book itself was a very engaging murder mystery, although fans of mystery will probably figure the plot twists fairly earlier on. The AI issues, and the world built, make it a good novel for the hard sci-fi fan. [Cost 8.00; Rated 7.00]
Priscilla The Great - Sybil Nelson - (YA) Again with the Superhero novels? A coming of age novel, in which our heroine finds herself starting to exhibit unusual abilities, and that her family is a lot more complicated then she though. A quick read, and obviously the first in a series of short YA novels. Good for those starting out reading, not so much for the older fans. [Cost 3.00; Rated 3.00]
Trapped - Douglas E Richards - (YA) Also billed as a Superhero like novel, the book itself was nothing of the sort. First in a trilogy, there were no unusual powers or abilities but a rather straight forward encounter story, with a sci-fi twist. For hard science fans it won't make much sense, but for the young reader it's perfectly acceptable. I found it a little to quick and the story a little too presumptuous. Again, it's definitely not for my age group. [Cost 3.00; Rated 2.00]
In the second half of the month I've already read more then the beginning half, and from the looks of it, hands down better as well. Stay Tuned.