books.

Book Review: IS Underground

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Is Underground by Joan Aiken
Is Underground (The Wolves Chronicles, #8) 
by Joan Aiken

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


I love this 8th book in the Willoughby Chase series! Dido’s little sister, Is, vows to find her long-lost cousin, and ends up looking for a missing prince too. All the children in London are being snatched up and sent to “Playland”, where they are promised treats and games and fun. But the horrible reality is a dark mine where they are forced to work as slaves, and Is has to go underground to continue her search. Is gets unexpected help from some unique and interesting characters, but it is only her fierce determination and street-smarts that will save her cousin and the other children from the horrors of the mines.
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Book Review: Travels with Gannon and Wyatt: Great Bear Rainforest

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Travels with Gannon and Wyatt by Patti Wheeler
Travels with Gannon and Wyatt: Great Bear Rainforest 
by Patti Wheeler, Keith Hemstreet (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Twin brothers, Gannon and Wyatt, are invited to the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia, Canada, to search for the “spirit bear”, a rare albino bear said to be the Spirit of the Rainforest. But when their parents go missing, the brothers must trek into the wilderness alone to search for their parents and uncover a plot to destroy the delicate rainforest ecosystem. They face danger from the predators of the forest, wolves, black bears, and grizzlies, and it will take all their wilderness survival skills to make it out alive.

I loved this second book in the series! There is even more action in this one, and the plot really keeps you in suspense! The writing is in a journal style, as the two brothers write about their experiences and adventures.  Continue reading →

Recent Reads: Middle Grade, Comics + Manga

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What are your favorite fairytale retellings? Favorite manga or comic? Leave a comment and let me know!

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GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/thekai05

Disclaimer: Some of these books were received from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
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Book Review: Travels with Gannon and Wyatt: Botswana

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Travels with Gannon and Wyatt by Patti Wheeler
Travels with Gannon and Wyatt: Botswana 
by Patti Wheeler, Keith Hemstreet (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


I thoroughly enjoyed this story told through the travel journals of twin brothers, Gannon and Wyatt, as they explore the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta in Botswana. When the brothers hear about a lioness with cubs who has been wounded by a poacher, they trek into the wilderness with a native guide to find the lioness and give her some medical attention before the poacher tracks her down to finish her off! Searching for the lioness, they encounter a plethora of wild animals, and learn how to survive in the wild. Continue reading →

Manga Review: Count of Monte Cristo

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Manga Classics by Crystal S. Chan
Manga Classics: The Count of Monte Cristo 
by Crystal S. Chan (Story Adaptation), Alexandre Dumas, Nokman Poon (Art by)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Edmond Dantes is betrayed by a coworker who wants his job, a romantic rival who will steal his bride, and a crooked government prosecutor with a dark secret to hide. Thrown into prison for decades, Dantes eventually escapes, becomes fabulously wealthy, and vows revenge on those who ruined his life.

Count of Monte Cristo is one of my top five favorite novels of all time, so I was interested to see how one of my favorite stories would translate into manga form. Although they had to simplify the story considerably, and there are really too many characters for a stand-alone manga, I enjoyed this wonderful adaptation of a classic tale!
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Trilogy Review: Lion Boy

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Lionboy by Zizou Corder
Lionboy (Lionboy Trilogy #1) 
byZizou Corder
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

 

Charlie’s parents are kidnapped, and Charlie goes searching for them, traveling with a circus, and becoming the LionBoy for a lion act. But the lion tamer doesn’t know that Charlie can talk to cats! Charlie and his lion friends decide to escape the circus and strike out on their own to find his parents.

What a fun book! Just a romping, rollicking adventure story with lots of layers to it. I read this book all in one day; it’s an easy read and really captured my attention. The plot even surprised me a few times!

I love Charlie’s character! His emotional ups and downs are perfectly timed to the pace of the plot, and give us a feel for his humanity, making him an interesting and endearing character.
I loved Charlie’s parents right away too; such a quirky family with their own little language!
Even the villains are superbly written- creepy and petty and spiteful and sly. Just brilliant!
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Manga Review: The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up

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The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up by Marie Kondō
The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story 
by Marie Kondō (Goodreads Author)
4 out of 5 stars
I love this manga about Chiaki, who hires KonMari to give her tidying lessons, and discovers a new life for herself in the process.
It really inspired me to get tidying and clean out all my junk! I really love the ideas in this book about finding joy, being real about your life, and finding your true self, and then crafting your living space to reflect what really makes you happy.

One of the best things in this book is the advice that while you are sorting through your piles of junk, You are NOT choosing what to get rid of; You are choosing what to keep. That one piece of advice will change your whole perspective on tidying.
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Comic Review: Strong Female Protagonist

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Strong Female Protagonist. Book One by Brennan Lee Mulligan
Strong Female Protagonist. Book One (Strong Female Protagonist, #1-4) 
by Brennan Lee Mulligan, Molly Ostertag (Illustrations)
3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Mega-Girl was a superhero in her teens, saving the world, until she discovered that the world is too big to really save in any permanent way. She wants to make a difference that really counts for something in the long run, so she quits doing the superhero thing and goes to college, to educate herself about the best way to help the world. Along the way, she connects with her arch-nemesis on a personal level, argues with her friends about her decision to quit, and finds it difficult to live a “normal” college life with her non-super friends and classmates. And when the supervillains start showing up again, will Mega-Girl make another appearance, or will plain Alison go back to class?
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Picture Book Review: Wild Zoo Train

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Wild Zoo Train by Carmela LaVigna Coyle
Wild Zoo Train 
by Carmela LaVigna Coyle (Goodreads Author), Steve Gray (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

The Wild Zoo Train is leaving the station, and the conductor calls out, “All Aboard”, while the children pile into the cars. One little girl is very concerned that their stops are not on the Zoo Map, but the conductor safely shepherds the children through the jungle, the desert, savanna, and
Antarctic, with a surprise destination at the end that is definitely NOT on any Zoo Maps.

When the children disembark at each place, the conductor tells them to look out for various indigenous animals, and the cartoon illustrations of the animals are colorful and they each have funny expressions on their little faces.
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