book review

Manga Series Review: Dictatorial Grimoire

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Dictatorial Grimoire: CinderellaDictatorial Grimoire: Snow WhiteDictatorial Grimoire: Red Riding Hood

 

 

 

 

Here are my reviews of the three volumes in the Dictatorial Grimoire  by Ayumi Kanou! Scroll down to see all three reviews!

Dictatorial Grimoire: Cinderella
Dictatorial Grimoire: Cinderella by Ayumi Kanou

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Otogi, a descendant of the Grimm Brothers, has to battle his ancestors’ fairy tale characters, and trap them inside an ancient magical book before they destroy him. But the dark truth about the deal the Grimm brothers made to write the stories isn’t the only mystery Otogi will need to unravel if he is to discover who he can trust and who is determined to kill him.

I liked the premise of this story, and I love fairy tale retellings! As each of the fairy tale characters appear, I was interested to see what they would be like, but was disappointed Continue reading →

Book Review: Thursdays with the Crown

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Thursdays with the Crown
Thursdays with the Crown by Jessica Day George

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this third book of the series, Celie and her siblings and friends are whisked away to the mysterious land where the Castle came from. Evil wizards, poisoned lakes, and griffins abound, and Celie has to figure out what the truth is about the Castle’s history to find a way to get back home, save the griffins, and heal the Castle.

I didn’t like this book quite as much as the others, since there was a lot of confusion about who was lying and who was telling half-truths about the past. It made for a confusing plot, and I couldn’t tell who was Arkish and who was Hathelocke, who had control of the Castle first or who first trained griffins.
Also instead of sneaking through secret passageways in the Castle for some whimsical fun, the characters are mostly trekking through forest, starving, and hiding inside a massive crypt/tomb. This book is a little darker than the others. Continue reading →

Book Review: Wednesdays in the Tower

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Wednesdays in the Tower
Wednesdays in the Tower by Jessica Day George

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another wonderful book in this series! I loved the first book so much, and wondered what direction the author would take next, and I was astounded with the magical scope of the story! Castle Glower holds so many secrets and magical enigmas, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the books.

In this book, Celie finds a mysterious orange egg that the Castle will let only her see. She hatches the egg, and cares for the newborn creature without letting anyone in the castle know about it. But her brother Bran, the Royal Wizard, finds Celie with her quickly-growing and mischievous pet, and the two have to find a way to protect the magical baby, and somehow protect the Castle from threats as well. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Tightrope Walker

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The Tightrope Walker
The Tightrope Walker by Dorothy Gilman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When quiet Amelia finds an old note from a woman about to be murdered, Amelia finds herself compelled to follow the mystery and find out what happened to the woman. Along the way, she is launched into life, meeting new people, falling in love, and gaining confidence in her own abilities. As she uncovers the murderous secrets of the past, Amelia’s own past rises up to haunt her, and she has to choose to cover up her own neurosis, or free herself to live life to the full.

The mystery plot is really good! I was kept guessing and in suspense to the very end, and I was amazed how every little puzzle piece, that made no sense in the beginning, fell right into place at the end. I loved it! Continue reading →

Book Review: Finding God in the Hobbit

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Finding God in the Hobbit
Finding God in the Hobbit by Jim Ware

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this in-depth look at the Christian themes found in the Hobbit! Tolkien is one of my top three favorite authors, so I was hanging on every word.

The author takes various characters, events, dialogue, and plot points from the Hobbit and then uses them to illustrate a Biblical truth. He really brought forth some excellent points that I had never thought of before! I loved how the author worked “around” a principle, and showed you all the facets and different sides, and then hammered it home simply and concisely. I loved the forceful writing style!

I wish that there had been more literary analysis though. It read more like a devotional book with personal stories, nuggets of wisdom, and a “thought for the day” kind of moral at the end of each chapter. I liked that, but I was hoping for more analysis of literary history, fairytale story structures, classical writing influences, Greek philosophy, etc…
In short, I wanted it to be more intellectual than it was.

But the devotional style of the book was good too! I enjoyed reading it so much, and I was even brought to tears a couple of times.

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Book Review: The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear

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The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear
The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Whimsical, wild, and hilarious! Imaginative, original, and wacky! I’m trying to find some good adjectives to describe this book, but none of them do it justice. I have never read anything quite like this! There are just so many things that are thrown together in this story… it defies categorization.

Bluebear recounts his first 13 lives, which range from adventures with the tiny Mini-Pirates to the Babbling Billows (waves who talk), and onward to a pterodactyl, a deceitful Troglotroll, desert nomads, and a professor with seven brains. You never know what insane character or monster is going to pop into the story next! There are a lot of supporting characters, and they are all wacky and weird with their own detailed history and their own quirks and habits. Continue reading →

Review: Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice

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Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice
Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice by Stacy King

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a fun little adaptation of P&P into manga form, but it’s a little too cutesy and “teen drama” for me. There are roses and hearts everywhere, and the character’s facial expressions and actions are too overly dramatic.

I mean, if someone is going to collapse into a chair from illness, is it really necessary for them to pitch headlong to the floor in a flurry of curly hair and roses, and with their cloak fluttering behind them? haha! They couldn’t just sit down in a chair and faint like a normal person? Continue reading →

Book Review: The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland – For a Little While

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The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland - For a Little While
The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland – For a Little While by Catherynne M. Valente

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this little short story, and was delighted to see the beginnings of Mallow’s adventures. It’s strange how I got used to thinking of her as the bad guy, but she really is such an interesting and complex character, that she doesn’t fit into the “bad guy” box. She’s so much more.

As always, I adore Valente’s whimsical and brilliant writing style. There are lots of delightful plot twists and surprises in this story, but it’s too short to really have much development.

A wonderful addition to the Fairyland series!

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