adventure

Book Review: Black Water

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Black Water
Black Water by D.J. MacHale

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In this exciting, fast-paced book, Bobby Pendragon is once again fighting against the evil Saint Dane, this time in the jungle territory of Eelong. Bobby is half-killed, nearly eaten by wild animals, thrown into jail, starved, beaten up, and nearly poisoned, so you know…. just a normal day for him.

This book, like all the others in this series, had me on the edge of my seat, clutching the book with white knuckles. The action just keeps coming, and the mystery unravels little by little. Just when you think you have it figured out, something smashes through the plot and turns everything upside down. Continue reading →

Series Review: May Bird Trilogy

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May Bird and the Ever After
May Bird and the Ever After by Jodi Lynn Anderson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this book May Bird is whisked off to the land of the dead, called Ever After, and adventures her way across the land, searching for a way home. She makes some ghostly friends, and some enemies, in her quest to find the Book of the Dead which holds the answers to every question.

The writing is excellent, and there are many good characters. I just don’t like ghost stories. All the Halloween-style world building was not to my taste, but I think other people would enjoy that kind of setting.

The story takes a little while to finally get going, and then I really liked it! I loved May’s character. She is spunky and weird and brave! The people she meets are interesting and crazy and hilarious. So many wild characters! Continue reading →

Book Review: The Jewel of the Kalderash

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The Jewel of the Kalderash
The Jewel of the Kalderash by Marie Rutkoski

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this last book in the trilogy so much! The plot really surprised me, and I loved the new characters and old.
In this book, Petra is still on a quest to save her father from the evil Prince of Bohemia, and naturally Tomik and Neel are along for the ride.
My favorite character is still Astrophil, the tin spider with a big brain and an even bigger heart.
Once again, John Dee makes an appearance, and of course intrigue and spying and political machinations follow in his wake.

The stakes are definitely higher in this book, with assassinations going on all over the place and various thrones of various countries up for grabs. Petra has some tough choices to make, not only in her personal friendships, but also in deciding how much she is really willing to sacrifice to achieve peace for her country and the people she loves. Continue reading →

Book Review: House of Many Ways

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House of Many Ways
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this book so much!! In this last book of the Howl’s Moving Castle trilogy, Charmain is a girl who has been sheltered all her life, but when she goes house-sitting for her great-uncle, her life is turned upside down! A wizard’s house mostly runs on magic, and since this particular house has hidden corridors, and magic entryways, and dozens of time-slipped and spacially displaced rooms, Charmain gets lost and finds herself through her many adventures.

I loved every character so much, and of course, I was especially pleased to see Sophie and Howl again! The plot is wonderful and surprising and full of unexpected wildness. I just never know what mystical or ordinary thing is going to happen. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Celestial Globe

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The Celestial Globe
The Celestial Globe by Marie Rutkoski

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this second book in the trilogy better than the first! In the first book, there was a lot of explanations and random minor characters, but in this book we have a more solid story and better pacing, I think.

Petra is on the run again from the evil Prince of Bohemia, and her friends, Neel and Tomik, are swept into her adventures. The mysterious spy/ambassador John Dee is back, and he tries to train Petra to use her magic, but she is an unruly student.

My favorite character by far is Astrophil, the metal spider with an encyclopedic brain. He’s so wise and intelligent and loyal! I just love his snappy dialogue. Continue reading →

Book Review: A Stranger at Green Knowe

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A Stranger at Green Knowe
A Stranger at Green Knowe by L.M. Boston

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this story, a gorilla escapes from the zoo and hides in the thicket behind Green Knowe, where Ping befriends and hides him.

This is not my favorite of the Green Knowe books, because I’m very “meh” about monkey stories, especially when monkeys are constantly being compared to men. Monkeys, gorillas, or any other primate are NOT like men. Seriously? They are animals. They work on instinct. That’s pretty much it. Are they interesting and majestic? Yes, sure! But it gets so annoying after the first 100 pages to constantly hear how the gorilla’s expression was just SO human. bleh.

But of course, I adore the old house of Green Knowe, and the delightful grandmother Mrs. Oldknow, and the enigmatic Ping! Continue reading →