I have no idea why it took me this long to read this book. I am almost embarrassed to say that this is the first time I have picked it up. My only saving grace is that I was an adult by the time that it was published - which is why it missed being read by my much younger self. I would have loved this book when I was in elementary school.

I love this book now.

The world is dying, or rather it is running out of lights, and the key to saving the city was lost buried in a cluttered closet. Now it is up to two children, who do not quite fit into the norm of society, to save the world. Well, they at least need to save themselves.

The concept of the book is a unique twist on a very common theme. Dystopian literature seems to dominate at the moment. The last part of the book answers a lot of questions, but it was still not satisfying. I hope that as I continue on in the series more questions will be answered.

Clockwork Prince is the second book in the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare. Infernal Devices is the prequel to her best selling series The Mortal Instruments. It is also where I decided to start reading in the series.

The second book takes the focus and puts it on, Will. I would say his backstory is a little melodramatic except it left me feeling appropriately sorry and remorseful for him. That and seen through the eyes of a twelve-year-old, it is completely plausible. I just don't get the connection between Terresa and Jem. I mean Jem is a pretty amazing character, but why did anything develop between the two? I don't feel like there really needed to be a love triangle. Although, that does seem to be in the formula for teenage fantasy.

The writing is good, although not amazing. The world is pretty classic steampunk. What really made me like the second book more than the first was the characters. I connected more with them then I did in the first book. They were more dynamic, even in their simplicity. I will pursue the third book soon, there is too much unsettled for me not to.

Secrets of a Digital Marketing Ninja: A Marketer’s Guide to Sustainable Growth by Daniel Rosenfield is written by a digital marketer that is well established in his field. He is addressing those who have a foundation of marketing but are looking to increase their skills in digital marketing as well as small business owners interested in learning about marketing their products. This book is a mentor for an entirely new generation of digital marketers with a light, limited jargon, tone that can be easily read by those who are knew to marketing of any kind.

This book covers basic marketing concepts such as finding your market, social media, crafting a marketing plan, landing pages, affiliate programs, crowd sourcing, and many other topics. Each topic contains the wisdom that Rosenfield has acquired from his career, as well as a breakdown of the basic digital marketing concepts. Since it is assumed that the reader will have a basis in marketing already, there is not enough information on most topics to launch a digital marketing campaign off this book alone. You would need more practical ways to apply the strategies contained in Secrets of a Digital Marketing Ninja.

One exception to this is the section on app marketing. This is the most useful section of the book due to Rosenfield providing examples on how to apply the strategies that he presents. While I have zero plans of marketing an app at any point in the future, I appreciated a better understanding of how app marketing is put into play. I was also able to visualize the use of digital marketing in apps that I frequently use.

The communication in the book is clear and concise. If you are in marketing looking for a recourse on digital marketing then this book is for you. If you have limited knowledge on marketing then I would pair this book with other marketing books, ones that will help you to apply the strategies presented in Secrets of a Digital Marketing Ninja. While I found this book enjoyable I feel it would be better served by simply mentioning more direct examples of how to put the marketing concepts into use. It would also have been interesting to expand beyond Rosenfield’s experience to include some marketing research to illustrate the concepts that he introduced.

Fire Wars is the first book in the Fire War Trilogy by T.T. Michaels. The book would best be classified as a military dystopian novel. It is set seventy years in the future when, due to terrorism, the United States joined with Canada to become a union. However, that was not enough power for President Meyers who made it his mission to unite Mexico with its North American companions and close the borders for the good of all citizens.

Michaels has a light and easy read writing style. The wording and story flow quite well making for an enjoyable read. The characters are real, although not entirely believable. I have a really hard time believing that one of the best snipers in the Marines could possibly be that dense. While it would have hurt the flow of the plot if he caught on earlier, there were too many clues and too many insights for him to have been so blind sighted. As a reader, you will catch on clear at the beginning of the book.

My other concern is the timing of the book. It took seventy years for the transition of uniting Canada with the United States, and only four years for it to turn into a totalitarian government. There was a comment in the book about the characters not missing elections. However, elections were already moved to every six years, so it would not make logical sense for the characters to feel a loss of something that would not have already happened. While there were plot issues that stuck with me, I found Fire Wars to be a very enjoyable read. I would absolutely recommend that you check it out if you are in the mood for something light. I look forward to seeing how Michaels grows in the sequel.