fantasy novel

Book Review: An Unexpected Apprentice

Posted by

0

An Unexpected Apprentice by Jody Lynn Nye

An Unexpected Apprentice (Tildi Summerbee, #1)
by Jody Lynn Nye (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

Tildi lives a simple life on the farm with her brothers in the land of the smallfolk. But when her brothers are all killed by monsters, the council says that a woman cannot manage a farm by herself, and they say they will force Tildi to get married. So she runs away and travels out into the world of the humans, centaurs, and elves. Before her brother died, he had applied to become an apprentice to a famous wizard, so Tildi dresses up like a boy and takes the letter of apprentice as her own. But first, she has to get to the city where the wizard lives.

Continue reading →

Book Review: The League of Seven

Posted by

0

The League of Seven by Alan Gratz

The League of Seven (The League of Seven, #1)
by Alan Gratz (Goodreads Author), Brett Helquist (Illustrator)

3.5 out of 5 stars

Archie’s parents are part of the Septemberist Society, a secret organization that has kept evil monsters locked away for centuries. When the Swarm Queen begins to awaken out of her prison, Archie’s parents are kidnapped and brainwashed to release the monster. Archie and his robot servant have to unravel the secrets of the ancient civilizations that imprisoned all the monsters in the first place. Along the way, Archie befriends two other children who are also searching for answers… and revenge.

Continue reading →

Book Review: The Maze in the Heart of the Castle

Posted by

0

The Maze in the Heart of the Castle by Dorothy Gilman

The Maze in the Heart of the Castle
by Dorothy Gilman

5 out of 5 stars

When his parents die unexpectedly, Colin goes searching for answers. He hears of a mysterious wise man who guards the entrance to a maze. Colin enters the maze, accepting the challenge to find a new country where his questions will be answered and his grief assuaged. Along an arduous journey, he meets people who have given up in despair, those who have turned to evil, and those who are willing to help him and guide him through the maze. But ultimately, Colin must answer his own heart and find the inner strength to endure.

Continue reading →

Book Review: The Dark is Rising

Posted by

0

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper

The Dark Is Rising (The Dark is Rising, #2)
by Susan Cooper (Goodreads Author)

4.5 out of 5 stars

Will Stanton is the seventh son of a seventh son. On his 11th birthday, he discovers that he is an Old One, a special race of people who are endowed with magical abilities so that they can protect humanity from the Dark. Will is trained in his new abilities by Merriman Lyon (the modern Merlin). Will is sent on a quest through time to retrieve the Signs, which will help the Light to keep back the Dark Rider.

Continue reading →

Book Review: Over Sea, Under Stone

Posted by

0

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

Over Sea, Under Stone (The Dark Is Rising, #1)
by Susan Cooper (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars

The Drew children are on holiday in Cornwall, renting the old Captain’s house while he is away. They explore through the dusty attics of the house and discover what appears to be an ancient map with the name Arturus Rex. They embark on an adventure to recover a lost treasure that tells the true story of King Arthur. But there are others who also search for the treasure for their own nefarious purposes. The children’s Great-Uncle Merry warns them of the constant battle between good and evil, and tries to protect them as they search for the treasure.

Continue reading →

Trilogy Review: The Lord of the Rings

Posted by

3

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings
by J.R.R. Tolkien

5 out of 5 stars

Frodo learns that a magic ring that was left to him by his Uncle Bilbo is incredibly dangerous. The wizard Gandalf warns Frodo that the Dark Lord is searching for the ring, and Frodo must leave his home in the Shire. A few of his loyal friends accompany him through the wilderness, hoping to discover a way to destroy the evil ring.

Every time I reread this trilogy, my heart soars and I get inspired! I just love the deep spiritual themes about friendship, grief, duty, honor, love, and courage. There have been many times in my life when I have faced a difficult circumstance and I found courage and hope in the examples of these characters. There is so much meaning behind every scene. There is always another layer to unpack and explore. I especially find encouragement in the Christian themes and imagery. Tolkien’s writings are saturated with faith.

Continue reading →

Book Review: The Blue Dragon’s War

Posted by

0

The Blue Dragon's War by Sean Newton

The Blue Dragon’s War (The Chronicles of Calibran, #0.5)
by Sean Newton (Author), Alberto Bieri, Tommaso De Benetti (Editor)

2.5 stars
Belrog the Minotaur tells the younger minotaurs the tale of Grom, a legendary minotaur warrior who fought the Blue Dragon in a great war. Grom was once a simple soldier, apprenticed to learn from one of the fighting Masters. General Kelkak leads them to war when a dragon and his army of orcs threaten their peaceful city. The dragon has orcs and evil elves on his side, but the Minotaurs have their own magicians and a secret company of berserk minotaurs who will fight to the death.

Continue reading →

Book Review- Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good

Posted by

0

Loki by Louie Stowell

Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good
by Louie Stowell

4 out of 5 stars

Loki has been banished from Asgard. Odin has given Loki the form of an 11-year-old human, and sent Thor, Heimdall, and Hyrrokkin (also in the form of humans) to keep an eye on him. Loki must learn to be good within a month’s time, or he will be punished for all eternity. Thor and Loki go to school together and must dodge the sneaky Frost Giants, while Loki tries all the wrong ways to be good.

Continue reading →

Book Review: The Ordinary Princess

Posted by

0

The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye

The Ordinary Princess
by M.M. Kaye

5 out of 5 stars

At Princess Amy’s christening, one of the fairies grants her the gift of ordinariness. Compared to her beautiful royal sisters, Amy is plain and ordinary. All her sisters have long blonde hair and perfect complexions. Amy has short mousey brown hair and freckles on her nose. As Amy grows up the royal family is distressed, because no prince wants to marry an ordinary princess with freckles. Princess Amy must take her destiny into her own hands, and prove that you don’t have to be beautiful and perfect to find happiness.

Continue reading →

Book Review: Healer and Witch

Posted by

0

Healer and Witch by Nancy Werlin

Healer and Witch
by Nancy Werlin (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

This YA fantasy takes place in the Middle Ages, and Sylvie is terrified that an Inquisitor from the Holy Catholic Church could denounce her as a witch. She has a special ability to heal which she believes is from God, but being a good Christian won’t save her from being killed as a witch if the wrong people find out about what she can do.
Sylvie tries to heal her mother, but when it goes terribly wrong, Sylvie leaves her quiet French village searching for someone who might be able to teach her how to control her powers. Her little friend, Martin, tags along eager to travel and see the wide world.

Continue reading →