books.
Classic Review: The Romance of the Forest
The Romance of the Forest
by Ann Radcliffe
by Ann Radcliffe
3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Adeline is cast out by her father and finds shelter with her new friends, the La Motte family, who are on the run from the law. The family find a refuge in an old ruined Abbey in the depths of the forest, where they hide from prying eyes, always terrified that they will be discovered and forced from their pitiful home.
The Marquis who owns the dilapidated Abbey, discovers them living on his land, but inexplicably allows them to remain, making a mysterious alliance with Mr. La Motte. Ghoulish skeletons, mysterious manuscripts, and gruesome secret rooms are lying around all over the Abbey, and the dark forest holds secrets of its own.
The friendly Theodore warns Adeline that her life is in danger, but he is called away to his regiment before he can explain or help her. Adeline goes through every kind of disaster and terrifying mishap, fleeing for her life when she is betrayed by those she trusts.
This is Gothic melodrama at its best! I lost count of how many times Adeline fainted, but it must have been more than twenty times. She dissolves into tears, is frozen with terror, collapses under the strain of horror, and is prostrate with grief in every single chapter.
Picture Book Review: This is a Taco!
This Is a Taco!
by Andrew Cangelose, Josh Shipley
by Andrew Cangelose, Josh Shipley
5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Taco is a squirrel who loves to eat tacos, and he agrees to be in this book to teach young children about squirrels, with the understanding that there will be tacos in the book! But Taco gets more than he bargained for when he is mistaken for a flying squirrel, forced to eat tree bark, and hunted by a ferocious hawk. Can Taco take back control of the narrative before it’s too late?
I love books that break down the fourth wall, especially picture books. As Taco becomes increasingly anxious about the chaotic turn the story is taking, he does a beautiful job of addressing the reader directly and including the audience in the book narrative. The writing is quite clever, and similar to another favorite picture book, The Monster at the End of this Book !
The illustrations are so lovely! Colorful and funny, each page has a charm all its own. Taco is so cute!! He’s cuddly and adorable, and I love his funny facial expressions.
Continue reading
Book Haul
Recent Reads: Children’s Classics
Book Review: Mystery of Edwin Drood
How to Read More and Enjoy It
Book Review: Jorie and the Magic Stones
Jorie and the Magic Stones
by A.H. Richardson (Goodreads Author)
by A.H. Richardson (Goodreads Author)
2 out of 5 stars
Jorie comes to live with her maiden aunt in a house by the Tarn, a deep lake with a magical past. She finds out that she is a Chosen One, who can pass through the Tarn to the magical world beneath, where dragons and goblins roam free. With her friend Rufus, Jorie sets out on a quest to recover the three missing magic stones that will bring peace to the land, but an evil enemy is also looking for the stones, and betrayal haunts every step of their journey.
I was disappointed in this book. The story is promising, but the writing lacks polish and badly needs an editor. The spelling is good, but punctuation and sentence structure are riddled with mistakes and typos. The plot is predictable and trite, making the story boring at times. The whole Chosen One/ prophecy storyline is really overdone, and there’s nothing new in this story to add interest to the trope. Continue reading
Book Review: Freddy the Detective
Freddy the Detective
by Walter R. Brooks, Kurt Wiese
by Walter R. Brooks, Kurt Wiese
4 out of 5 stars
A cute, old-fashioned children’s story about Freddy, an intelligent pig, who reads about Sherlock Holmes and decides to become a detective. All the farmyard animals bring their little problems to Freddy, and he does some sleuthing to solve their mysteries. A little rabbit goes missing, someone steals a toy train, and a cat is wrongfully accused of murdering a crow, but Freddy is up to the task, looking for clues, and tracking down heartless criminals.
I enjoyed the charming old style of writing, and the simple story lines. The characters are sweet and funny, and they kept my interest. I liked how Freddy makes mistakes at first. He is not a very good detective to begin with, but he learns quickly and does a better job each time he tries.
Continue reading
Book Review: Mary Poppins in the Park
Mary Poppins in the Park (Mary Poppins, #4)
by P.L. Travers, Mary Shepard
by P.L. Travers, Mary Shepard
3 out of 5 stars
Mary Poppins is back again with Jane and Michael for adventures in the Park! An ordinary outing in the park turns into a magical and extraordinary adventure when you go for a walk with Mary Poppins.
I love how Mary Poppins can be stern with the children, but is also kind and loving. She has a no nonsense attitude, but secretly loves to take the children on nonsensical and silly outings!
The writing is enchanting, and has a beautiful charm in its simplicity! I love all the Mary Poppins books! Continue reading
Luminous Libro 