fantasy
August Reading Wrap Up 2021
Book Review: Eulalia!
Eulalia! (Redwall, #19)
by Brian Jacques, David Elliot (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars
Gorath the badger is captured by evil pirates, his farm and home burned to the ground and all his kin slain. Maudie the hare maid has been sent from Salamandastron on a dangerous mission to find Gorath and bring him safely back to the Lord of the Badgers. Orkwil is a mischievous young hedgehog who has been cast out of Redwall for stealing. These three unlikely heroes team up to battle off a vermin horde and save Redwall Abbey!
I just adore all the Redwall books! What an absolute delight! This book has everything that I love about Redwall books. Ravenous hares, wise old badgers, adorable moles, fierce shrews, and of course brave warriors ready to defend all good beasts.
Continue readingBook Review: Kiki’s Delivery Service
Kiki’s Delivery Service
by Eiko Kadono, Emily Balistrieri (Translator)
5 out of 5 stars
Kiki is a young witch who goes to live in a new town all by herself. She is only 13 years old, but must work as a witch as part of her coming-of-age ritual. She starts a delivery service, flying all around the town delivering parcels and helping her neighbors.
I loved this charming story! I have watched the Ghibli movie many times, and this book has the same enchantment! Other than the basic premise, the movie and book are quite different, but they have the same magical flavor.
Continue readingGraphic Novel Review: WolfWalkers
WolfWalkers: The Graphic Novel
by Tomm Moore (Creator), Samuel Sattin (Goodreads Author) (Adapted by)
4 out of 5 stars
Robyn Goodfellowe is the daughter of a wolf hunter, tasked with ridding the forest of all wolves. Although her father has told her to stay home where it is safe, Robyn tracks her father into the forest, armed with a crossbow and assisted by her faithful hawk, Merlyn. Robyn is determined to help her father and kill a few wolves of her own, until she meets a mystical WolfWalker girl. WolfWalkers are humans when they are awake, and transform into wolves when they fall asleep. The two girls begin an unlikely friendship, and Robyn must choose to either save her father or save her new WolfWalker friend.
I loved the magic and the mystical legends in this graphic novel! The magical world-building is really beautiful and imaginative.
Continue readingBook Review: Magic or Not?
Magic or Not? (Tales of Magic, #5)
by Edward Eager, N.M. Bodecker (Illustrator), Quentin Blake (Cover Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars
I loved rereading this children’s classic! When twins Laura and James move to the country, they find an old wishing well, and begin to test the magic waters with their wishes. The wishes seem to come true, but in such regular, mundane ways that the children can’t be sure… was it magic or not? The eccentric Lydia comes blasting into their adventures, and their neighbor Kip joins in the fun.
The wishing well definitely appears to be influencing their adventures, but only when they wish something good for others, never when they wish for themselves. So the four friends attempt a quest of good deeds, with mixed results when the disgustingly spoiled rich kid, Gordy, begins to tag along and pester them. Can the children accept the strange directions that the wishing well sends them, or will they draw the line at including the nasty Gordy in their group?
Continue readingBook Review: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Rats of NIMH, #1)
by Robert C. O’Brien
5 out of 5 stars
Mrs. Frisby’s son is sick in bed, and cannot be moved. But the farmer is coming to plow up the field where they live as soon as the frost has left the ground. Mrs. Frisby goes to the rats to ask for help, and discovers the secret past of the rats of NIMH.
I just love this book more and more every time I read it. It’s so interesting to find out about the rats and how they live and their past history. The whole world-building of the society of all the animals who live around the farm and in the woods is fascinating. I love stories about mice because they are so little. Who doesn’t love a good under-dog story?
Continue readingJune Reading Wrap Up 2021
Fantasy Book Review: Summers at Castle Auburn
Summers at Castle Auburn
by Sharon Shinn
5 out of 5 stars
Corie is the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman, who visits the royal court every summer to be groomed and trained for life among the nobility. The rest of the year she lives with her peasant grandmother in a small village learning to be an herbalist healer. As Corie grows into a young woman, she begins to realize the depth of the court intrigue that surrounds her half-sister, Elisandra. She determines to do everything she can to help her sister. She soon discovers that there are others who need her help too; the magical elven people who are held as slaves in the castle.
I loved everything about this book! The magic, the world-building, the exciting plot, the writing style, the complex characters: everything is golden!
Continue readingBook Review: Island of the Aunts
Island of the Aunts
by Eva Ibbotson
5 out of 5 stars
The aunts need help, so they decide to kidnap some children and train them up. But these will have to be special children; children who can be trusted with the greatest secret of the island.
Fantastic and imaginative! I loved it! I had me gasping in surprise, and laughing and crying and laughing some more.
Update: Reading this the second or third time is just as enjoyable and magical.
I love all the weird and wacky characters! The aunts are just hilarious, Minette is utterly sweet, and Fabio is such a brave little fellow.
I love all the magical creatures, the mermaids, and selkies, and other wild creatures. It’s all so imaginative and interesting. The details make it all feel real and exciting.
Continue reading
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