fantasy

Book Review: In the Hand of the Goddess

Posted by

0

In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
In the Hand of the Goddess (Song of the Lioness, #2) 
by Tamora Pierce (Goodreads Author)

2.5 out of 5 stars

Alanna is a teenage girl who pretends to be a boy so that she can train as a squire and learn to be a knight in the royal palace of Tortall. Only a few people know about Alanna’s true identity, among them, her dearest friends, Prince Jonathan, and George, the King of Thieves. In the midst of a war with a neighboring kingdom, Alanna starts out with a determination to focus on her knightly studies, but she gets distracted by the temptations of love. With the protection of a Goddess upon her, Alanna uses her magic to unmask a deadly enemy within the very walls of the palace.

I was disappointed in this book. So disappointed in Alanna. She makes very bad decisions,

Continue reading →

Book Review: Alanna: The First Adventure

Posted by

0

Alanna by Tamora Pierce
Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness, #1) 
by Tamora Pierce (Goodreads Author)

3.5 out of 5 stars

Alanna switches places with her twin brother, so that he can study magic with the priests and become a sorcerer, and Alanna can study to become a knight in the royal palace.  She pretends to be a boy, and joins the pages in the palace. She learns to fight and begins to control her magical abilities. But it’s difficult keeping her biggest secret, her true gender, from all the boys around her!

I really enjoyed this book, and I read it in one sitting! Couldn’t put it down. The writing style has a few flaws, but the memorable characters and fascinating plot make up for it. A few trite “fairy tale” sort of things pop up (King of Thieves, a horse named Moonlight, a sword named Lightning), but I like them anyway. Not exactly original sometimes, but the oldies are the goodies. Continue reading →

Book Review: IS Underground

Posted by

0

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.
Continue reading →

Trilogy Review: Lion Boy

Posted by

0

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!
Continue reading →

Book Review: The Thirteenth Princess

Posted by

0

The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler
The Thirteenth Princess 
by Diane Zahler (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

 

Zita is the thirteenth daughter of a king who only wanted sons, and when her mother dies during childbirth, the king banishes Zita to be raised as a servant in the castle. Zita steals little moments with her twelve sisters, but must sneak around the castle to keep it a secret, terrified of her father’s anger. When the twelve princesses fall ill and their shoes are worn through every morning, only Zita knows the secrets ways to sneak into their bedrooms and watch where they go at night. The princesses are trapped in an evil enchantment that forces them to dance until dawn, but Zita can’t find a prince who is willing to save them!

I loved this book from start to finish! Every chapter is wonderful! Continue reading →

Book Review: Searching for Dragons

Posted by

0

Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Searching for Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #2) 
by Patricia C. Wrede, Peter de Sève (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


King Mendanbar, Monarch of the Enchanted Forest, is having trouble with wizards burning up bits of his forest. He visits Kazul, the King of the Dragons, for some advice, but Kazul is missing, and Mendanbar teams up with Princess Cimorene to find Kazul and restore the Enchanted Forest.

I enjoyed this book even more reading it for the second time! I still wish that there were a little more romance between Mendanbar and Cimorene, but I do enjoy their friendship and the way they respect and rely on one another through all the sticky magical situations they find themselves in.

There are so many delightful characters in this book! Even the side characters shine with originality and wit.
The basic plot is rather straightforward, but there are so many misdirects and twisty roads for the characters to get delayed and misguided and thrown off course, that it feels like a complex plot.

Book Review: Dealing with Dragons

Posted by

1

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #1) 
by Patricia C. Wrede, Peter de Sève (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Princess Cimorene, who hates the endless embroidery lessons and dancing lessons at court, decides to run away and ends up being the “captive princess” of the Dragon Kazul. Studying Latin, cooking anything she likes, and concocting magic spells are exactly what Cimorene loves, and she has the time of her life with Kazul. If only those pesky knights and princes would stop hanging around trying to rescue her! When a group of sneaky wizards start spying in the dragon’s caves, only Cimorene has the wits and courage to stop them. Continue reading →