Review: Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival

Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival
Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival by Dene Low
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You would think Petronella’s sixteenth birthday would be cause for celebration. After all, fashionable friends are arriving at her country estate near London, teas are being served, and her coming out party promises to be a resplendent affair. Everything is falling nicely into place, until, suddenly—it isn’t. For Petronella discovers that her guardian, Uncle Augustus T. Percival, has developed a most unVictorian compulsion: He must eat bugs. Worse still, because he is her guardian, Uncle Augustus is to attend her soiree and his current state will most definitely be an embarrassment.
During the festivities, when Petronella would much rather be sharing pleasantries with handsome Lord James Sinclair (swoon), important guests are disappearing, kidnapping notes are appearing, many of the clues are insects, and Uncle Augustus is surreptitiously devouring evidence. It’s more than one sixteen-year-old girl should have to deal with. But, truth be told, there is far more yet to come . . . -GoodReads

 

I love it! I read this book all in one sitting, and was perfectly delighted with every chapter. The absurd plot and witty banter are just perfection! There are so many imaginative details in this book that all come together for a truly interesting plot. The writing is so dignified and humorous; it’s like this sugary froth of words. Continue reading →

Review: Henry VI, Part 1

Henry VI, Part 1
Henry VI, Part 1 by William Shakespeare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Tis much when sceptres are in children’s hands; but more when envy breeds unkind division: there comes the ruin, there begins confusion.”

That quote sums up most of the plot! Henry VI is too young to rule on his own, and his advisers and lords ruin everything by bickering and fighting amongst themselves, leaving England’s armies vulnerable to the French. Continue reading →

Book Review: Dreamtreaders & Search for the Shadow Key

Dreamtreaders Dreamtreaders by Wayne Thomas Batson My rating: 4 of 5 stars Love this book so much! From the first word, we are plunged straight into the action. This author really knows how to write fight scenes! The plot kept me guessing, and I loved discovering the Dream kingdoms. The world-building is just amazing! So imaginative and different from anything I’ve ever read. Continue reading →

Book Review: Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope

Doctor Thorne
Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book even more than the previous Barchester books, because there’s more action and more dialogue. I love the country setting, and how the small doings of ordinary people become quite important.
The scope of this novel is wide in that it concerns people of all walks of life, and how they interact and influence one another. But the scope is also small in that it tells of the little day-to-day concerns of plain people. That is the genius of Trollope! Continue reading →

Review: Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden

Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden
Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden by Angelica Shirley Carpenter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved finding out more about this author’s life! What an interesting character she had! I love that she had such an independent spirit in a time when women didn’t enjoy much freedom. “I do what I want” seems to have been her motto.
She wrote about 60 novels and over a hundred short stories, but most of them are out of print these days. I love her books, and I’m always searching for those obscure out-of-print editions. Continue reading →

Review: The Trespassers

The Trespassers
The Trespassers by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love this author’s writing style! Every book of hers that I’ve read has been delightful but also… different, weird, indescribable. This one is a sweet story about two siblings who find a playroom in an old mansion, and then things take a dark turn. Continue reading →