Book Review: The Alchemyst

The Alchemyst
The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life. The records show that he died in 1418. But his tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It’s the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That’s exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won’t know what’s happening until it’s too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true. – Good Reads

I liked this book pretty well. I loved the fantasy aspect, with lots of magic and ancient myths! The story is good, and the plot moves quickly. I liked the characters, but although they are all interesting and diverse, I didn’t really connect with any of them. Continue reading

Book Review: The Joys of Love

The Joys of Love
The Joys of Love by Madeleine L’Engle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

During the summer of 1946, twenty-year-old Elizabeth is doing what she has dreamed of since she was a little girl: working in the theatre company on the sea where she is an apprentice actress. She’s never felt so alive. And soon she finds another passion: Kurt Canitz, the dashing young director of the company. Then Elizabeth’s perfect summer is profoundly shaken when Kurt turns out not to be the kind of man she thought he was.

Moving and romantic, this coming-of-age story was written during the 1940s. As revealed in an introduction by the author’s granddaughter Léna Roy, the protagonist Elizabeth is close to an autobiographical portrait of L’Engle herself as a young woman—“vibrant, vulnerable, and yearning for love and all that life has to offer.”  -GoodReads

 

I enjoyed reading this book! L’Engle has such a unique writing style; she can take a side-character with a toothache, and make their toothache be a philosophical commentary on the fantasy vs. reality of emotional entanglements, weaving it so perfectly into the storyline that you barely realize she’s doing it. As always, brilliant writing! Continue reading

Book Review: The Wise Man’s Fear

The Wise Man's Fear
The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”

So begins the tale of a hero told from his own point of view- a story unequaled in fantasy literature. Now in The Wise Man’s Fear, Day Two of The Kingkiller Chronicle, Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time. – GoodReads

There are no words to describe my experience with this book. There were parts that I hated, but there were far many more parts that I fell in love with! The writing is so brilliant that I forgot that it was writing. The story is so engrossing that I forgot it was only a story. The characters are so near to my heart that I forgot they are just characters. It became real for me, and that is probably why I hated and loved it and was fascinated with every page. Every word in each sentence spoke to me in some way, whether good or bad, pleasant or upsetting. Continue reading

Book Review: Las memorias de Sherlock Holmes

Las memorias de Sherlock Holmes
Las memorias de Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Of course I love, love and adore, any story with Sherlock Holmes, but this translation is not the best. First of all, it uses some archaic words, weird sentence structure, and it also has typos and misspellings. It was a little difficult to read at times, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
It’s so sad rereading “The Final Problem” (“El Problema Final”), and it’s just as pathetic and distressing a story in any language.
I adore this book, and will be rereading it many times in the future, in English and in Spanish!
—-
Por supuesto que me encanta, con mucho amor y adoracion, cualquier historia con Sherlock Holmes, pero esta traducción no es el mejor. En primer lugar, utiliza algunas palabras arcaicas, estructura de la oración raro, y también tiene erratas y faltas de ortografía. Fue un poco difícil de leer a veces, pero lo disfruté, de todos modos.
Es tan triste releyendo “El problema final”, y es igual de patético y angustiante una historia en cualquier idioma.
Adoro este libro, y estaré releyendo muchas veces en el futuro, en Inglés y en Español!

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Book Review: Bible Promises for Teens

Bible Promises for Teens
Bible Promises for Teens by Barbara Farmer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love how this devotional book is divided by topic, so that whatever difficulty you may be having in life, you can turn to that topic and receive encouragement. The Scripture verses are a mixture of NIV, the Message, and NKJV.
Each topic has five or six passages of Scripture that pertain to the subject. I found this book wonderfully inspiring! It would make a lovely gift for any teen.
The graphics and layout are so beautiful!

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.

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Book Review: The Middle School Rules of Brian Urlacher

The Middle School Rules of Brian Urlacher
The Middle School Rules of Brian Urlacher by Sean Jensen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I don’t know anything about football, so I was pretty lost through most of this book. But I think if I were a 6th-8th grade kid who loved football, I would probably love this book!

This tells the story of a young boy who loves sports, mainly basketball and football, and how that plays a large role in the development of his character. Continue reading

Book Series Review: Conspiracy 365

Conspiracy 365 by Gabrielle Lord: http://c0397.myubam.com/p/1006/conspiracy-365-january-book-1
Julia at Books Under the Bed: https://www.youtube.com/user/je1suis1julz

JanuaryFebruaryMarchApril

Scroll down to see in-depth reviews of all four books!

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January
January by Gabrielle Lord
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

On New Year’s Eve, Cal is chased down the street by a staggering, sick man with a deadly warning They killed your father. They’ll kill you. You must survive the next 365 days. Hurled into a life on the run the 15-year-old fugitive is isolated and alone. Hunted by the law and ruthless criminals, Cal must somehow uncover the truth about his father’s mysterious death and a history-changing secret. Who can he turn to, who can he trust, when the whole world seems to want him dead? The clock is ticking. Any second could be his last. -GoodReads

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book, since it is not really the genre I normally read. What drew me into the action and adventure was the puzzle aspect of the story… the mysterious drawings, the enigma of the Ormond Singularity, the bad guys hiding in the shadows. The suspense is high, we don’t know who to trust, and we have to question everything as the plot unfolds! I couldn’t stop reading! Continue reading

Book Review: Sidekicked

Sidekicked
Sidekicked by John David Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I adored this book from start to finish! It surprised me, made me laugh, tugged at my heartstrings, and made me think about the meaning of good and evil. Brilliant writing, a delightful story, and a compelling and likable main character! I love it!

The story is told from Drew’s perspective, who is a teen sidekick-in-training with a super that has abandoned the superhero community. As Drew tries to convince his super to come back and fight against evil, the other sidekicks are having difficulties as well, especially once an old archenemy returns and begins kidnapping supers. The best thing about it is that Drew’s superpower is his supersenses; super-hearing, super-smell, and super-sight.

I loved Drew’s character, because I always love the underdog. I immediately Continue reading

Graphic Novel Review: Friends With Boys

Friends With Boys
Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“After years of homeschooling, Maggie is starting high school. It’s pretty terrifying.
Maggie’s big brothers are there to watch her back, but ever since Mom left it just hasn’t been the same.
Besides her brothers, Maggie’s never had any real friends before. Lucy and Alistair don’t have lots of friends either. But they eat lunch with her at school and bring her along on their small-town adventures.
Missing mothers…distant brothers…high school…new friends… It’s a lot to deal with. But there’s just one more thing.
MAGGIE IS HAUNTED.
” – GoodReads

I enjoyed this graphic novel so much! The artwork is beautiful, and I love the use of shadow and light to bring emphasis or attention to a particular character or one side of the page or panel. Just brilliant! The art really tells a big part of the story. Continue reading

Book Review: ArchEnemy

ArchEnemyArchEnemy by Frank Beddor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“The Heart Crystal’s power has been depleted, and Imagination along with it. The people of Wonderland have all lost their creative drive, and most alarmingly, even Queen Alyss is without her powers. But at least the vicious Redd Heart seems to be similarly disabled. Amazingly, she is attempting to team up with her enemy, Alyss, in order to reclaim Wonderland from King Arch. Alyss might have no choice but to accept Redd’s overtures, especially when she begins to receive alarming advice from the caterpillar oracles. . . .”  -GoodReads

(This review is Spoiler Free!)

I thought this was the perfect ending for the Looking Glass Wars trilogy! A big climactic battle at the end and then everything resolved. The world of Wonderland is so imaginative and magical, and I loved how it connects with Earth. Wonderland is very different from the Lewis Carroll books, and has such a cool twist on the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, the whole cast of Wonderland characters, and even Alyss herself! Continue reading