Eona, by Alison Goodman, begins where the first book, Eon, left off with the ten dragoneyes murdered and the ruling emperor, Kygo, being overthrown byEona, by Alison Goodman, begins where the first book, Eon, left off with the ten dragoneyes murdered and the ruling emperor, Kygo, being overthrown by his uncle, Lord Sethon whose coup was aided by Lord Ido, the last male dragoneye. Sethon fears Ido’s power and has him imprisoned. Meanwhile, Eona, the first female dragoneye in one hundred years, has cast off her masquerade as a boy and discovers she cannot control her dragon power without the help of Lord Ido. Ironically she has to free him so she can learn to control her dragon and block the 10 grieving dragons that rush her when she links with her dragon. Emperor Kygo wants his throne back and needs the power of the two dragoneyes to get it. A love triangle between Eona, Kygo, and Ido ensue where Eona must learn who she can trust.
The action in the book is nonstop with a heavy dose of romance in the love triangle. The characters are complex and embody good and evil with only Lord Sethon being completely evil. The internal conflicts and plot twists make the story interesting and engaging. The writing is well done and Eona is a strong character who tries to do the right thing. The author does a nice job tackling eastern culture. I would have liked more exploration of what it was like for Eona to be female (after masquerading as a male for 16 years) in a male dominated society. Goodman does some when Eona is chosen as a naiso.
This book is for an older audience than the first book, Eon, and has more sexuality, torture, and violence. While there is no sex, Eona controls Ido by tapping into the energies of his sexual side. It might be too confusing for younger readers because it happens when Eona and Ido enter an alternate, energy realm. There is a little swearing at the end which stood out because there wasn’t any earlier in the book. Fans of Graceling, by Kristin Cashore, will like this book. ...more
Magic. Wizards. Time Travel. Dwarves. Witches. Adventure. Sounds fun, right? It is!
In The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens, Kate, Michael, and Emma arMagic. Wizards. Time Travel. Dwarves. Witches. Adventure. Sounds fun, right? It is!
In The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens, Kate, Michael, and Emma are being shuffled from orphanage to orphanage after their parents mysteriously give them up. Kate is told by her mother to look after Michael and Emma, but when they end up in a creepy mansion in Cambridge Falls with a book that allows them to travel through time, Kate’s job becomes impossible. Not only are evil creatures trying to capture the three children who are the only ones who can use the powerful ancient books, but an evil witch has captured the children of Cambridge Falls and will kill them if Kate doesn’t give her the ancient book called, The Atlas. Can she change the future? This fast-paced book is sure to be popular with students.
The characterizations are hilarious, especially with the dwarf, King Hamish: “…’fore we get started on the whole thingamabob, what’re the names a� these brats a� yours who think they can just go walkin� in my land when and where they please? Eh� Tell me that.�
“It wasn’t on purpose,� Kate bagan. “We-�
“Oi!� Hamish smacked the table. “Did I tell you to speak?! Huh? Did I say, ‘I want to hear from one of the brats�? Did I say, ‘I wish one a� them brats would pipe up�? The dwarves around him shook their heads vigorously. “No! I said, ‘Magician.� That’s ‘im!� He pointed a chicken wing at Dr. Pym. “So you, lassie, just keep your yapper shut. Bloody manners on this one.�
The housekeeper is funny as well. The humor and wit made the story fun and the plot twists were surprising. The part where Kate naively ends up with the witch was predictable but a surprise comes quickly thereafter. The writing is in third person omniscient from Kate’s point of view with the occasional shift to a minor character; mostly Emma. I believe this is because the next book will be from Emma’s point of view. The setup is for a sequel with many unanswered questions, but the book has a distinct ending � I didn’t feel cheated. The female characters are strong. Kate is the kind caretaker, Emma is spunky and brave, Michael is academic and brilliant. There is some violence but most is tempered with humor. ...more
Jaide and Jack are waiting for Dad to come home. When his suitcase falls open and they pick up a metal rod the house explodes and a series of events hJaide and Jack are waiting for Dad to come home. When his suitcase falls open and they pick up a metal rod the house explodes and a series of events happen that sends them to Grandma X’s house. They are troubletwisters and must learn to control their powers. The problem is no one really wants to tell them exactly what those powers are or how to control them. When the evil villian threatens to take over their minds and bodies they are forced to teach themselves with a little help from two talking cats.
I usually like Garth Nix but this book is not my favorite. The beginning has a promising start but it slows down in the middle before picking up again at the end. Not all the questions are answered such as the twin seen in the photo of their dad or how they will control their powers. It is obvious that there will be a sequel. The characters argue and don’t trust each other and the names are odd: Grandma X, Jaidith, Jackaran, The Evil. There is plenty of action at the end and some scary parts with zombie-like creatures trying to kill the twins. ...more
It is Choosing Day and Will desperately wants to be accepted into Battleschool to become a warrior. An orphan, Will was raised as a ward of the Baron It is Choosing Day and Will desperately wants to be accepted into Battleschool to become a warrior. An orphan, Will was raised as a ward of the Baron Arald’s fiefdom. Will’s mother died in childbirth and Will only knows that his Dad died as a war hero in the Battle of Morgarath. He doesn’t know the details but he wants to honor his father’s memory by following in his footsteps to become a warrior.
Choosing Day is when the wards of the castle are chosen as apprentices into a craft they want to learn. Will’s dream of being accepted into Battleschool is dashed when he is deemed too small. When his rival, Horace, is chosen, Will is devastated and afraid he will be sent to a farm as labor. When a mysterious Ranger named Halt, shows up to take him on as an apprentice, Will is uncertain about this profession that is said to use black magic.
As Halt trains Will he learns that the Rangers provided secret intelligence to those running the country and help enforce laws. He’s trained with the Ranger’s weapons of bows, knives, uniquely trained horses, and stealth. Will and Horace fight until faced with a life and death situation forcing the boys to either be friends or enemies. As the kingdom comes under attack, Will helps Halt hunt down two monsters of the dark who are killing leaders of the country.
The strength of the story is the great character development, dialogue, and tension. The third person narration offers multiple viewpoints from adults to youth that adds humor and wit to the storyline. Old Bob is particularly funny. He skips the beginning of most consonsants saying words like “‘e� instead of “he� and has a braying laugh. Tension is created as the two adults running Battleschool are excited by Horace’s natural swordsmanship but they don’t tell him because they don’t want to give him a big head. Horace and Will go through internal changes as they decide whether or not to embrace their apprenticeships and become friends. The plot has some interesting twists especially at the end.
This is the first of 10 books in a series. An 11th book is still in the works and will be set 20 years into the future. The series is fun and full of action. Be aware that the adults use the word “damn� about half a dozen times mainly when referring to the monsters as “damn things.� It is mostly at the end of the book and a rare moment where the characters voices started to sound the same. It’s not very noticeable. This is the second time I’ve read the book and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. ...more
When Megan sees some escaped zoo animals, she runs to tell her older brother, Noah. But by the time he gets to where she saw them they are gone. He doWhen Megan sees some escaped zoo animals, she runs to tell her older brother, Noah. But by the time he gets to where she saw them they are gone. He doesn't believe her and thinks she was seeing things.
A couple weeks later Megan disappears and the family is devastated. When an exotic bird from the nearby zoo flies into Noah's bedroom leaving him part of Megan's journal, Noah begins his own investigation into his missing sister. With the help of some highly intelligent animals he and his friends, Ella and Richie, discover the Secret Zoo, a place where extinct animals are hidden before they disappear on earth. It is in the Secret Zoo that Noah finds Megan has been captured by some evil creatures and he and his friends must try and rescue her.
The author does a great job with creating tension and the writing is descriptive. The characters are distinct with Richie being odd and Ella as an in-your-face kind of gal. The plot is clumsy in spots and not all the questions are answered. Perhaps they will in the sequel. The reader doesn't know why the Shadow guy has turned evil or what the kids tell their parents at the end. Also, the beginning starts from Megan's point of view and she's writing in her bedroom and then the story shifts to some frog's points of view. I remember reading it and going, huh? The end of the novel makes it clear what the author was hinting at but it was an awkward passage that jumped too much in time. I think it would have helped with a chapter on Megan doing some investigation on her own into the escaped animals. The story then shifts to Noah's point of view and is fine.
Readers should know that a child goes missing, a monster gets killed, the kids lives are in danger many times, and some of the animals have the same intelligence as humans. Nice pacing and tension. I can see why it is popular with the students in the Lower School Library. ...more
Percy’s back! And he is wise-cracking his way through another quest with a new set of friends and a different camp; Camp Jupiter. Struck with amnesia,Percy’s back! And he is wise-cracking his way through another quest with a new set of friends and a different camp; Camp Jupiter. Struck with amnesia, Percy finds himself immersed with a bunch of Roman kids who don’t look kindly on the Greeks. However, Percy is tolerated because he saved Jupiter from some Gorgons. When Mars visits the camp to claim his son, Frank, he sends him on a quest to free the god of Death, Thanatos, who has been chained by the giant, Aclyoneus. Frank asks Hazel and Percy to help him. If the three don’t free the god of Death, chaos will reign and Gaea, the goddess of Earth, will kill off all of humankind.
Riordan does a great job with pacing and character development. Chapters are short and Roman mythology is explained in easy-to-understand passages. I like how he uses mnemonics and humor to help with difficult words. For instance, Percy keeps referring to the Feast of Fortuna as the the feast for tuna. I also like how the Heroes of Olympus series uses third person narration versus first person narration. This allows for the reader to get into the minds of the other characters. Like the first book, The Lost Hero, The Son of Neptune is told from three points of view: Percy, Hazel, and Frank. Hazel is supposed to be dead but isn’t and Frank is a klutz who lacks confidence. Frank changes the most in the story from the beginning to the end and all have internal (as well as external) conflicts that makes the story tense and exciting.
I like how the women in Riordan’s books are strong female characters who stand on their own, as well as, the goofy gods. The god of Death looks beautiful (like Cupid) and consults his iPad to see if Frank’s name is on a death list. Frank thinks to himself, Please don’t let there be an app for reaping souls. I was looking for a sidekick in this book like Coach Gleeson Hedge in The Lost Hero � I thought he was hysterical � but there isn’t one. The part of the book at Camp Jupiter was predictable and very similar to plots in previous books. It was fun, but I was able to put the book down at that part. Once the quest started I couldn’t stop reading. Terrific book with lots of action, humor, and adventures. ...more
Han Alister, once thief � now wizard, is looking for his missing friend Rebecca Morley.When he finds her in the mountains near death he practices someHan Alister, once thief � now wizard, is looking for his missing friend Rebecca Morley.When he finds her in the mountains near death he practices some wizardry that nearly kills him but saves her. He discovers that she is not a tutor who worked for the Bayars but the princess heir to the Fells. Many people want her killed and he begins a plan to protect her and elevate him in status so he can court her as an equal.
The action and adventure is less interesting in this book than the first two in the series. There are a few interesting plot twists but not many. I thought the pacing slow and parts boring. It reads more like a romance novel with Han and the princess heir doing a lot of thinking about their lost love or lovers and how to move on� blah, blah, blah. It sets up for the next book with not much of an ending. There is violence and smooching.
If you like this type of story about kingdoms, try reading, The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner. ...more
n this fantasy/creation story/mystery (pick your genre), Kelly Barnhill unravels a compelling story about Jack, who is sent to stay with his Aunt and n this fantasy/creation story/mystery (pick your genre), Kelly Barnhill unravels a compelling story about Jack, who is sent to stay with his Aunt and Uncle in a house that literally moves, because his parents are getting a divorce. Jack makes friends with Wendy, Anders, and Frankie as the four try to uncover the mystery of why children are disappearing in their town called, Hazelwood, Iowa.
This story is well-written, creepy, weird, fun, and abstract. By abstract, I mean it deals with the spiritual realm of souls and good and evil in one person that separates into two beings. The book reminded me of the picture book, Zen Ghosts, by Jon Muth which is about a woman whose soul separates into two beings. In Zen Buddhism it is called a koan which means the reader can’t intellectualize the story and come up with a logical conclusion. The book also reminds me of creation stories that involve Mother Earth. Some might not like the bittersweet ending. It isn’t happy; however, it does have hope.
Some minor things were I didn’t think the characters developed enough in their friendships to warrant the actions at the end. It seemed somewhat rushed and inauthentic. It seemed out of character that Jack kissed Wendy. I didn’t think they were that close. Maybe if they hugged it wouldn’t have stood out. It did seem authentic that Frankie wanted to rescue his sister. Maybe the problem was there were so many characters, Jack got a little lost in the shuffle. Plus, Wendy steals the show from Jack. She’s fast-talking, fast-swinging, and strong-willed � an absolute riot. An interesting and creative book....more
If you liked the Ranger’s Apprentice series you will like John Flanagan’s new series that follows the same formula. Instead of Will, there is Hal. InsIf you liked the Ranger’s Apprentice series you will like John Flanagan’s new series that follows the same formula. Instead of Will, there is Hal. Instead of Halt, there is Thorn. Instead of Horace, there is Stig. All have flaws and strengths. There is plenty of action and humor throughout the story. This formula works and it’s highly entertaining.
Hal is an outcast in Skandia because of his mixed parentage. His Mom, a former Araluen slave, was set free by his Skandian dad who later married her. Hal is an inventor and talented navigator. The Skandians revere muscle over brains. Hal’s never known his dad, Mikkel, who died in a battle with Thorn, his best friend, at his side. Thorn promised Mikkel to look after Hal; however, Thorn lost his hand right after Mikkel died and fell into depression. It wasn’t until Hal was 10 that Thorn made good on his promise and turned his life around. Now, Hal is 16 and entering Brotherband, a training ground for young boys before they become skilled Skandian warriors and seamen. He ends up leading a team of outcasts, boys who are chosen last because of what the others view as defects. Not only does Hal’s team learn to work together, they become good friends, warriors, and sailors. Read this story to see how the outcasts struggle to win contests and learn what it means to stand up for what’s right.
The plot moves at a fast pace and the characters are engaging. I enjoyed the descriptions of sailing and how Hal created a new type of sail. The adults usually do the right thing but not always. The bully in the story is really completely consumed with winning and I thought the adults could have addressed this more. This character doesn’t change from the beginning to the end. Hal wants to be accepted by the townspeople and struggles with being an outcast. Stig probably changes the most as he tries to control his temper. A minor thing that I didn’t think worked well with the story was how it began. I thought the book could have started when Hal makes his failed invention that floods his Mom’s kitchen and that the story of how Thorn ended up involved in Hal’s life could have been slowly revealed. It’s all thrown at the reader at the beginning. Well, almost all. I did like the surprise later on. I just thought Flanagan could have sprinkled it throughout to create more suspense in the beginning.
Conor’s nightmare starts the day his Mom starts her cancer treatments. He dreads going to sleep. When he looks out his window in London, England at 12Conor’s nightmare starts the day his Mom starts her cancer treatments. He dreads going to sleep. When he looks out his window in London, England at 12:07 he sees a monster outside, but it isn’t the terrifying one from his nightmare � in fact it doesn’t frighten him at all. The monster tells Conor 3 stories that are more like parables. Each story can be interpreted different ways and it isn’t until the end that it becomes clear the meaning of all of them. The monster tells Conor that that in return for his stories Conor must tell one as well. Meanwhile Conor is dealing with a bully at school, a father who has remarried and lives in America, a grandma he doesn’t get along with or like to stay with, and the pity of classmates and teachers at school. Plus, he won’t face the fact his Mom has a terminal illness.
This is a well-crafted story with suspense and actions from characters that are unpredictable and puzzling. It is a quick read with deep themes to explore such as death, grief, loss, bullies, murder, friendship, family relationships and more. It isn’t a scary book as the cover suggests. Just so you aren’t surprised, the first story the monster tells has a man and woman “coupling.� I think the author wanted to show the woman trusted the man. Also, Conor retaliates against the bully at school so violently that the bully ends up in the hospital. I’m not sure if kids will like this book. It’s targeted for a younger audience but the themes are much older. I wonder if it is a book that adults will gush about and kids will not because it deals with death and grief. It was on a Newbery list but I would recommend it for older readers....more
Whew! I’m done. I brought this book on a trip and at 850 pages it was like lugging around a barbell. Eragon’s quest has finally ended in the last of tWhew! I’m done. I brought this book on a trip and at 850 pages it was like lugging around a barbell. Eragon’s quest has finally ended in the last of the Inheritance Cycle books. The story begins with the Varden, (rebels comprised of dragons, Urgals, dwarves, werecats, humans and elves who want to overthrow the villian, Galbatorix), capturing cities on their way to Galbatorix’s headquarters in Urubaen. Belatona is the first city to fall followed by Roran leading a suicide mission in an attempt to capture the city, Aroughs. Galbatorix is a tyrant who destroyed the previous riders who ruled the land and whose purpose is to control everyone and everything that breaths in Alagaesia. He does not see himself as a dictator who leads by fear and tries to convince the Varden rebels to join his cause. Nasuada, current leader of the Varden, is captured and tortured by Galbatorix and Eragon must lead the Varden into a desperate battle against Galbatorix. Assisted by Arya and the leaders of the Varden they battle their way to an exciting climax.
The detail the author put into creating Eragon’s world called, Alagaesia, is truly amazing. The author has created his own language and detailed the mountains, lakes, and cities so they come alive and it is easy imagining their colors and shapes by the reader. Most of the characters change in some way in this story. Eragon matures and is less rash and temperamental. I did think the beginning was slow mainly because I didn’t think Roran changed and I couldn’t get into his story as he fought the battle at Aroughs. Much of the dialogue is about strategy for overtaking the city and battle scenes. Others will like the details. Once Eragon gets in the story I couldn’t put the book down. The battle scenes and magical war between Eragon and Galbatorix is interesting. I liked at the end how Paolini mixed the magical traps Eragon was trying to get through with Roran fighting outside.
I didn’t particularly like the ending. It didn’t make sense nor was it necessary for Eragon to isolate himself to that extreme. It felt like Paolini was saying goodbye to Eragon rather staying true to the character. But it was still fun and I enjoyed the book immensely!...more
Liesl is locked in the attic by her evil stepmother. She is sad because she wasn’t able to see her sick father in the hospital and talk to him before Liesl is locked in the attic by her evil stepmother. She is sad because she wasn’t able to see her sick father in the hospital and talk to him before he died. When a boy ghost, Po, comes to visit her, she asks him to find her dead dad and tell him she misses him and say, ”Goodbye.� At the same time the alchemist’s apprentice, Will, has accidentally delivered a box of powerful magic to Liesl’s house instead of her father’s ashes. When Liesl decides to runaway and bury what she thinks is her father’s ashes a chase ensues that throws Will, Po, and Liesl together fighting against all sorts of nasty people trying to stop them.
The author has nice details so that it is easy to imagine the place and characters. The characters don’t change much from beginning to end and the villians are more like bumbling idiots which makes it less scary for younger kids. The pacing might be slow for some readers because of the lack of tension. The stepmother tries to kill Liesl and the kids are bound up against their will but there is a good adult in the bad bunch that looks out for them. There are not many surprises with the plot and the characters are innocent and naive. The book does look at death and where people go after they die but it isn’t in depth. A good book for an elementary library and an advanced younger reader. The vocabulary is high....more
This Harry Potter wanna-be book has a promising start with Alex Stowe being declared an Unwanted on Purge Day. Unlike his twin brother who is a WantedThis Harry Potter wanna-be book has a promising start with Alex Stowe being declared an Unwanted on Purge Day. Unlike his twin brother who is a Wanted, Alex has shown signs of creativity which is not tolerated in the land of Quill. He is sent off to be killed with the other Unwanteds where he meets a magician who has other plans for the Unwanteds.
I guess I liked the start of the book before it started going downhill for me. The characters in this book don’t change much, except maybe Samheed,which made it difficult for me to get pulled into the story. The plot isn’t well-written and feels rushed. I also thought the adults were preachy. I couldn’t understand why Aaron would become a cold-blooded murderer and I don’t think the parents would have been so callous toward their own flesh-and-blood. The kids kill their parents and the parents kill their kids in a battle at the end. Only one parent has his head on straight. There isn’t much depth to this book. It is also supposed to be a dystopian society but it doesn’t make sense. In 50 years people wouldn’t fall astray from their human-side that quickly and the magic isn’t fully explained. Mr. Today says he could have used a single word to stop Justine but never did. Huh? Why not? Because he wanted everyone to live in fear and innocent children be separated from their parents? This story had too many unanswered questions for me.
I do think some students will really like this book. On ŷ.com 300 people gave it 4 to 5 stars. Normally I can tolerate even bad fantasy but I struggled with the writing in this one....more
Sunny is a misfit who lives in Nigeria, was born in America, and is an albino. “Ghost girl,� the students tease at school. Her skin so sensitive to thSunny is a misfit who lives in Nigeria, was born in America, and is an albino. “Ghost girl,� the students tease at school. Her skin so sensitive to the sun that she has to use an umbrella whenever she is outside and she can’t play soccer � not that it matters � the males in her society always remind her that “girls don’t play soccer.� When Sunny is helped by the boy, Orlu, from being beat up by the class bully, they strike up a friendship that has Sunny meeting Orlu’s friends Chichi and Sasha. Chichi recognizes magic in Sunny who becomes initiated into the Leopard People. Regular people who can’t use magic are called, Lambs. The group of four learns magic and must figure out how to stop a man who is sacrificing children to an evil spirit he is trying to raise from it’s slumber.
This book was so unique in how it captures Nigeria, its customs, traditions, languages, and superstitions. I also like how Sunny is an American living in Nigeria and what it is like feeling as an outcast. Sasha is in the same situation. Before each chapter there is a page that gives facts about the Leopard People and how they came into existence and use magic. Sunny is a likeable character who grows in confidence from the beginning of the story until the end. She is bullied in the beginning, wonders what her place is in the world, and by the end she stands up for herself so that her father can’t slap her, the bully can’t beat her up, and she can play soccer with the boys regardless of her sex. The plot is face-paced and entertaining. I did think the ending is setup for a sequel. I had more questions than answers at the end, especially after Sunny reads her grandmothers note. The author doesn’t explain the tribes and their history in a satisfactory way. I also thought the end scene with the villian was rushed. It should have dragged out more and shown more internal conflicts going on with the characters.
There are some things you should know about when reading this story so you aren’t surprised. There is swearing by the four kids in the book and children are being killed by a serial killer so it is darker than your average fantasy story. There is violence from the serial killer with kids losing their eyes and a fight at a festival where someone is killed. I didn’t really understand why that was in there or how it advanced the plot. The kids are punished by being whipped. Also, Sunny and Orlu become boyfriend and girlfriend� sort of. And Chichi and Sasha definitely are boyfriend and girlfriend. They all kiss. Chichi and Sasha smoke cigarettes. People compare this to Harry Potter and while it has some plot parallels it is for a more mature reader than Harry Potter....more
Once upon a time there was a girl that lived in a cold, cold city. It was so cold and snowy in this city that “it didn’t seem to matter [to the girl] Once upon a time there was a girl that lived in a cold, cold city. It was so cold and snowy in this city that “it didn’t seem to matter [to the girl] as she was mostly snow herself now. She breathed it, in and out. It collected in her gasping lungs. The snow was colonizing her, breath by breath.�
The girl’s name is Hazel and the city is Minneapolis, Minnesota. Brrrrrrr…�
A fairy-tale twist on the Hans Christian Andersen’s, Snow Queen, Hazel is adjusting to a new school, one parent because her dad split from her mom, and a best friend who is a boy that doesn’t want to be her friend anymore because she’s a girl. Hazel struggles to fit in. She is creative and looks different from the other students as a result of being adopted from India. Her best friend Jack is the one person who makes her feel like she belongs. When he starts to show an interest in other boys his age and wants to be with them, Hazel is upset. Jack is going through his own family upheaval. His mom has depression and Jack and Hazel compare it to the Dementor’s in Harry Potter who steal peoples souls from them. Jack’s mom is described as having blank, soulless eyes. When a Snow Queen appears at the park where the kids sled Jack is lured away into an enchanted castle where only Hazel can rescue him.
What a wonderful book with fantastic character development and layered writing. Different phrases appear throughout the book that have to do with how the characters change such as Hazel describing herself and Jack as being “scratchy and thick.� Or how adults say one thing and mean another. Hazel realizes that it is supposed to make a person feel better but they are just “plastic flowers of words.� This is why at the end of the story she doesn’t try to make Jack feel better by saying “everything will be alright.� She knows their friendship is changing and that they might not be best friends forever. But she’s okay with that in the end because it was worth knowing Jack. I’m not sure if young readers will understand that or be confused by the ending. It might seem abrupt. I really liked it with the promise of the future and new things to come as symbolized by the ballet slippers. I also got a kick out of the signed Minnesota Twins Joe Mauer baseball which was the magical object that snapped Jack back to reality. I laughed thinking, “Hazel’s magical wand is a baseball.� I’m a Twins fan so I loved the unique choice. Hazel and Jack use their imaginations to play, oftentimes acting out stories. The novel is inundated with references to books and movies such as Narnia, When You Reach Me, Peter Pan, The Golden Compass, Harry Potter, The Little Match Girl, The 12 Dancing Princesses, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and more. The author weaves them in the story line and they are, oftentimes, quite funny. For instance, when Jack gets into the sleigh the witch says, “Would you like some Turkish Delight?� Edmund was lured by the White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia from being fed Turkish Delight. Or the part where Hazel asks a woman if she’s seen Jack. The woman reponds, “The princess saving a knight, eh?� “…I hope the knight doesn’t mind.�
The beginning of the story is realistic and the second half is fantasy. When I was Hazel’s age I would act out books with my best friend. We sat smothered in a hot closet of winter coats wishing with all our hearts for the back to open into the world of Narnia. That’s why I loved the twist in this book where it actually happens to Hazel. All that pretending and she and Jack get to enter their make-believe magical fairy tale world. But to Hazel’s surprise the world of imagination is more dangerous than reality. The author’s description of cold weather will make you feel like an icicle and I recognized some of the places she describes in the book. Minnesota is my home town so this added another layer of fun for me when reading the story.
Mirasol is the newly appointed Chalice for her village called, Demesne, after the previous Master and Chalice died mysteriously and tragically leavingMirasol is the newly appointed Chalice for her village called, Demesne, after the previous Master and Chalice died mysteriously and tragically leaving the House and land in political chaos. A younger brother who was sent to live with elemental priests of fire is called back to the House to run it but he is no longer human. Mirasol greets him as tradition when he arrives but he accidentally burns her with the touch of his hand. Seen as a bad omen, he is not accepted by the people of the village, and struggles to rise above his insurmountable problems.
The story has great details regarding the land, bees, and duties of a Chalice. There is not much dialogue and the pacing is slow as a result. The writing is confusing in spots; for instance when Mirasol’s eating indoors and the faenorn happens she refers to herself as the Chalice in third person and I thought she was talking about the past when she was explaining why she didn’t see the faenorn happen. It was an awkward passage. Also, the bees are critical to the story so the author writes about them in great detail which I found boring. I did find the fire priest intersting but I wished his character was developed more in the story.
The book has some violence. The vocabulary and concepts are going to be difficult for elementary students to comprehend. The duties of the Chalice are to keep harmony with the earth and Mirasol does this using honey and magic by healing earthlines. I would recommend this story for middle or high school students. I borrowed this book from my public library in the U.S. and it isn’t available in our libraries. You can always request it be purchased for the library if you are interested in reading it.
A fairy tale twist of Beauty and the Beast. ...more
Aly wants to be a spy like her father but both of her parents refuse to let her go into the field. She decides to visit a relative and is captured by Aly wants to be a spy like her father but both of her parents refuse to let her go into the field. She decides to visit a relative and is captured by pirates and sold to a noble family. She sees an opportunity to begin her spy training when the god, Kyprioth, comes and makes a deal with her. He’ll convince her parents to let her be a spy if she keeps the two daughters of the family she was sold to alive. Aly ends up using all her spy skills and more to keep them safe.
Aly is an independent head-strong character. She doesn’t change much in the story except to learn to believe in herself and see her parents and her behavior to them in a more mature way. Her father and grandfather have been training her to be a spy and she helps him translate coded. She’s bored and looking for adventure which she finds.
Aly is discovering what it is like to be a woman and is falling for crow-boy, Nawat. They kiss. While most of the story is entertaining, one part has Aly telling the family’s children age 4 and up a dumb story about her mom being annoyed by a menagerie and chasing the birds away with no clothes on (which the guards liked). There is some violence. Aly gets herself beat up so that she would not have to be sold to a family where the man would bed her. People get stabbed and attacked. There is no ending. It setups for the sequel, Trickster’s Queen. The Middle School library has the book if you are interested � ask at the circulation desk. This book is similar to Graceling except Aly is more of a jokester. A fun adventure with magic and political intrigue. ...more
Peter Nimble was found floating in a basket as a baby by sailors with a raven that had pecked out his eyes. Not your usual start to a child’s book butPeter Nimble was found floating in a basket as a baby by sailors with a raven that had pecked out his eyes. Not your usual start to a child’s book but the Narrator tells the story with humor and pokes fun at orphan stories; hence, the reader knows that Peter Nimble is no ordinary baby. He was nursed by a cat, tossed in a tied bag into a river and meant to drown, and enslaved by Mr. Seamus, a thief who taught Peter all the tricks of the trade so Peter became the best thief that ever lived. “Until this point,� the Narrator says, “you have been witness to Peter’s rather typical infancy � probably not unlike your own.� Peter meets the Haberdasher whom he steels a box from that contains three pairs of eyes. Peter uses the eyes and ends up on a quest, with a cat-horse cursed knight, to save a kingdom and discover a place for himself in the world.
The characters in the book are fun such as Officier Trolley who says his sentences so fast they sound like one word or Peg who is a no-nonsense in-the-face girl working hard to survive in terrible conditions. The pacing is fast and the Narrator’s voice interesting. The Narrator keeps the violence in the story at a distance using humor � which is good � considering the surprising amount of characters that get killed. The plot has some loose ends that aren’t tied up such as Old Scabbs and why the raven’s killed him. The narrator also explains difficult words in funny ways and sometimes goes too far explaining the plot such as on page 144 when the Narrator foreshadows the thieves betrayal; thus, taking out all the tension in the plot at that point. It’s the only time I felt truly ticked at the Narrator. The author obviously loves Peter Pan and there are references to the classic throughout the story. A fun fantasy adventure. ...more
Janie’s parents are writers who are blacklisted as Communists during the McCarthy era, 1952. The family flees LA to live in London where Janie starts Janie’s parents are writers who are blacklisted as Communists during the McCarthy era, 1952. The family flees LA to live in London where Janie starts midyear at a new school. The city is still scarred from WWII where chocolate and a nice apartment are hard to come by. When Janie makes friends with the Apothecary’s son, Benjamin, she gets swept up in a mystery (and fantasy) as the two try to figure out who kidnapped his father and why.
The author does a great job with character development using unique voices and engaging personalities. Notice how Sarah Pennington is described and the dialogue of the parents who love to joke, the Russian boy’s father’s, the Chinese woman’s and poor boy’s speech; each is distinct from the others. The novel is historical but shifts after page 50 to mystery and fantasy. The plot has some nice twists such as the not-so-obvious villian. The plot also raises some questions such as why the gardener was killed or why the good guys were going for “containment� versus just stopping the villians. I’m being vague here because I don’t want to give away the ending. Plus, Sarah helping the kids because she liked Pip just didn’t seem plausible to me. And the kids running around naked (but invisible) in London in February was unbelievable as well, but I don’t think most readers will care about these minor questions. The pacing is good and action fun.
The violence in the story involves a murder, kids being attacked, and a man holding a pistol to a girl’s head. There is kissing and a little romance between Sarah and Pip and Janie and Benjamin. They are all too busy saving the world for much to happen between them. Come at the story as a fantasy not historical novel and the unbelieveable parts shouldn’t get in the way of this enjoyable story. ...more
This last book in the series is about the characters in many of the books and fills in the gaps as to what happened to them. It also has many of thoseThis last book in the series is about the characters in many of the books and fills in the gaps as to what happened to them. It also has many of those characters getting together for two weddings. However, not all the stories are related and is disjointed in spots. Some stories weave together with the wedding of Horace and Evalyn, but it is a loose connection at best. While entertaining and full of action, the characters don’t change much so there is little internal tension. The tension is solely in the plot. The first story is Halt telling Will how his dad fought in the Battle against Morgarath and saved his life. The story is told in more detail than what was told over the series and there is a twist at the end regarding Will’s mom. The next story is about Gilan and his adventure after leaving Halt and Will in The Icebound Land. The stories are filled with familiar characters and the typical banter and humor that goes between them. It is a fun read but won’t make much sense unless the reader has read the other books. I haven’t read all the books so I didn’t know some of the characters. It felt like the author was saying “goodbye� to them and the tone was nostalgic. He even said “goodbye� to Tug, Will’s horse. There is also mention of Hal, a character in the new series, The Brotherband Chronicles....more
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