fantasy

Book Review: Saturdays at Sea

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Saturdays at Sea by Jessica Day George
Saturdays at Sea (Castle Glower, #5) 
by Jessica Day George 

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Celie and her family are far away from the Castle in the land of Grath, preparing for Lilah’s betrothal celebrations, and overseeing the construction of a Ship with components from the Castle. The Ship appears to have many of the same magical qualities that the Castle has, but can the Glower family trust that the Ship will protect and guide them, or does the Ship have its own agenda?

I adore the entire Glower family, and Celie is just as spunky and adventurous as always. I was interested to see this new side of the Castle-magic infused into the Ship, and the magical development in the story is wonderful! The plot drags a little bit at first, with lots of betrothal parties and parades, but once the Ship is at sea the adventure truly begins.

I really loved the mystery of the lost unicorns, and how that influenced so many of the characters and their decisions. I was especially interested in the differing reports they received about the history of the unicorns and why they were lost in the first place, which served as some interesting red herrings in the plot.

I only wish there were more books in this series! It’s a good ending, but I want more!

Book Review: Jennifer Murdley’s Toad

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Jennifer Murdley's Toad by Bruce Coville
Jennifer Murdley’s Toad 
by Bruce Coville, Gary A. Lippincott (Illustrations)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Jennifer wishes she could be beautiful, but feels ugly and dumpy. When she buys a talking toad at the Magic Shop, her entire life changes, and she is whisked on an adventure where she will have to choose between pursuing beauty or saving her friends.

I loved this hilarious story, and read it all in one sitting! The madcap plot is full of surprises, and the snappy dialogue makes every page interesting. I enjoyed the magic system and how it interacts in strange ways with the modern world.

I thought Jennifer was sweet and REAL and beautifully awkward. Her family is quirky and weird, and her friends are peppery and unreliable. The best part of the book was Jennifer’s various relationships with her parents, siblings, and school friends, and of course, her magical talking toad.

I adored every chapter! Can’t wait to read more from this series.

Book Review: Wizards of WaterFire

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The Guild of the Wizards of Waterfire by Iain Reading
The Guild of the Wizards of Waterfire (The Wizards of Waterfire, #1) 
by Iain Reading (Goodreads Author)

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Memphis and her friends are wizards, using elemental power over Water and Fire to create a unique magic. But the rules of their magic guild are very clear; each guild must have exactly five members, no more, no less. When a member of their guild dies, Memphis scrambles to find someone to fill the empty place before their elemental magic spirals out of balance. Flynn seems like the perfect candidate to join the WaterFire guild, and Memphis senses a strange connection to him from the beginning. As the wizards work together to keep the balance within their guild, they must face ancient mysteries, and travel to the headquarters of the WaterFire elders to uncover the dark secrets of the deepest elemental power. Continue reading →

Book Review: Tehanu

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Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin
Tehanu (Earthsea Cycle, #4) 
by Ursula K. Le Guin

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Tenar is living as a poor farmer’s widow in the valleys of Gont, and adopts a disfigured child who was beaten and burned. When Ged, the Archmage Sparrowhawk, comes back into her life, Tenar must face the mystery behind the magic that has followed her all her life.

As with most of Le Guin’s books, I’m not quite sure what to think. It’s masterfully written with truly beautiful prose, and a deep story full of meaning and emotion. But it’s just so strange and other-worldly and odd. There are so many questions and few definitive answers. The best thing about her writing is that it makes you think about things… really think and ponder.  Continue reading →

Graphic Novel Review: Pilu of the Woods

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Pilu of the Woods by Mai K. Nguyen
Pilu of the Woods 
by Mai K. Nguyen

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Willow has a fight with her sister, and runs out to the woods where she used to go hiking with her mother. She meets a tree spirit named Pilu, who has run away from her grove, and the two form a friendship and help one another navigate their turbulent emotions.

Both girls are struggling with loneliness and anger, and they are remorseful after arguing with their families, but don’t know how to stop. When Willow’s emotional monsters begin to take on a real form, the two girls are in danger, until Pilu discovers how to resolve the emotional pain both girls are hiding.
Continue reading →