books

Series Review: Tiger’s Curse Saga by Colleen Houck

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This is a series review of the entire Tiger’s Curse Saga by Colleen Houck!  I loved these books!

“The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever. Tiger’s Curse is an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.”  -GoodReads Description

Tiger's Curse Tiger’s Curse by Colleen Houck My rating: 4 of 5 stars I loved loved this book! The magic and mystery, the adventure and mystical Indian setting, the sweet romance and puzzling myths… all these drew me in and made me forget that I was reading a book! I loved all the characters; the delicious Ren, and sweet Kelsey, the enigmatic Kishan, and grandfatherly Mr. Kadam. The romance between Ren and Kelsey is sweet and Continue reading →

Female Friendships in Literature

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Other Videos on Female Friendships:
Thoughts on Tomes: Female Friendships| Book Chat https://youtu.be/jkQmLvoq91Y
Serious Rereader: Female Friendships in YA https://youtu.be/IpQkroqSdCo

Again, I’m sorry for the terrible lighting in this video. I am working on a solution.

Review: Gathering Blue

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Gathering Blue
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“In her strongest work to date, Lois Lowry once again creates a mysterious but plausible future world. It is a society ruled by savagery and deceit that shuns and discards the weak. Left orphaned and physically flawed, young Kira faces a frightening, uncertain future. Blessed with an almost magical talent that keeps her alive, she struggles with ever broadening responsibilities in her quest for truth, discovering things that will change her life forever.” -GoodReads

 

I loved this book almost as much as the Giver! I’m falling in love with Lowry’s books one by one! Kira’s connection to her embroidery art is touching and mysterious. It really sparked my interest from the beginning. I loved seeing her growing into her art, and discovering what it means to be an artist. The responsibility of art can be a heavy burden or a joy, and Kira has to make decisions, hard choices, about how to Continue reading →

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

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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: The House of the Seven Gables

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The House of the Seven Gables
The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

“Greedy Colonel Pyncheon builds his mansion on ill-gotten ground, setting the stage for generations of suffering. Years later, a country cousin, Phoebe,  attempts to reverse the tide of misfortunes surrounding the house, and tries to help the old hermit Hepzibah and her half-mad brother, Clifford, before they fall into their own decay.”

 

This ought not to be a book. It ought to be a short story. There is so much unnecessary description and long philosophizing passages. I skipped entire chapters of nonsense and silly imaginings that had nothing whatever to do with the plot. There is very little dialogue at all. I estimate that about 3% of this book is dialogue. Not nearly enough dialogue.

I found most of the book to be gloomy, but not too creepy until Continue reading →