fantasy

Book Review: Wildlord

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Wildlord by Philip Womack

Wildlord
by Philip Womack

3 out of 5 stars

Tom is an orphan who must stay at boarding school during the boring summer months. When his uncle Jack invites him to stay the summer in the country, Tom jumps at the chance. However, it soon becomes apparent that Tom’s uncle is hiding a devastating secret. Jack is using magic for unimaginable ends, and he expects Tom to be his heir and take over the magical responsibilities of their ancient family. But Tom worries that Jack is not telling the whole truth about the magic. Could there be evil at the root of it?

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Book Review: Tolkien’s Ordinary Virtues

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Tolkien's Ordinary Virtues by Mark Eddy Smith

Tolkien’s Ordinary Virtues : Exploring the Spiritual Themes of the Lord of the Rings
by Mark Eddy Smith (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars

Why is it that The Lord of the Rings continues to inspire and fascinate generations of readers? I think it is because it mirrors elements of a much larger story- the spiritual story of God and his Creation. In this book, we explore different themes found in LotR and see how the virtues of the characters originate (as do all good things) in the virtues of God.

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Book Review: A Spoonful of Time

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A Spoonful of Time by Flora Ahn

A Spoonful of Time
by Flora Ahn (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

Maya’s grandmother moves in, and the two begin cooking their favorite Korean recipes together. Maya discovers that her grandmother has the ability to revisit moments of her past, using food as the memory trigger to time travel. They can’t change the past, but can only watch themselves reliving those same moments, frozen in time. Maya has many questions about her Korean family, her father’s death, and why her mother is so sad and distant. She hopes that these visits to the past will provide answers, but the more Maya finds out about her family, the more questions she has.

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Book Review: Over Sea, Under Stone

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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.

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Book Review: Nordic Animal Tales

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An Illustrated Collection of Nordic Animal Tales by Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin

An Illustrated Collection of Nordic Animal Tales
by Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin, Jill Timbers (Translator)

4 out of 5 stars

This collection of folk tales follows Bear, Fox, and Wolf as they attempt to sow a field of wheat by clearing a space in the forest. Fox is always trying to get out of doing his share of the work, and he tricks his friends and neighbors. The Rooster at the nearby farm has a terrible premonition that the end of the world is coming, and he spreads a panic among the animals. The Hare is terrified at some strange monster creature in the woods, but no animal is brave enough to get close enough to find out what kind of creature it is. In each tale, Fox is a prominent character, always sly and clever.

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Book Review: The Sable Quean

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The Sable Quean by Brian Jacques

The Sable Quean (Redwall, #21)
by Brian Jacques, Sean Rubin (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars

Two warrior hares of Salamandastron set out on a journey to Redwall looking for adventure. When they find out that little animal babes and toddlers are being kidnapped from all around Redwall, they vow to help the Redwall creatures to find their missing children. The evil ‘Quean’ is hatching a horrible plot against all the good animals at Redwall, and her vermin army is closing in.

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Book Review: Doomwyte

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Doomwyte by Brian Jacques

Doomwyte (Redwall, #20)
by Brian Jacques

3 out of 5 stars

The good creatures of Redwall discover a riddle that could lead to the lost treasure of Gonff, the Prince of Mousethieves. Hundreds of generations ago, Gonff stole four beautiful jewels from the Doomwyte caves, and hid them somewhere in Redwall Abbey. Now a new generation of young creatures are following the clues to find the priceless jewels.

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Mermaids Rock Series Review

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The Floating Forest by Linda Chapman

The Floating Forest (Mermaids Rock #2)
by Linda Chapman, Mirelle Ortega (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars

Coralie and her friends are playing at the magic whirlpool, transporting to different oceans around the world to explore. Coralie travels to a kelp forest and discovers a map that seems to point to a treasure. The friends plan a treasure-hunting expedition, but the nosy Glenda is spying their plans. The mermaids are also worried about encountering dangerous animals like orcas or sharks in the kelp forest, and they try to make a plan to stay safe. But you never know what might happen out in the ocean!

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Trilogy Review: The Lord of the Rings

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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.

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Book Review: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

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The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia, #3)
by C.S. Lewis, Pauline Baynes (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

Lucy and Edmund are back in Narnia, this time accompanied by their annoying cousin, Eustace. The siblings join King Caspian again, this time on a quest to the Eastern edge of the world. They sail through rough seas, encounter sea monsters, chart magical islands, and fight battles. But the greatest adventure of all is what they find at the edge of the world.

This one is my favorite of all the Narnia books! It appeals to something deep inside me on many levels. The magical adventures, the spiritual themes, poor sad Eustace and his character development, the beautiful imagery, and the imaginative settings all resonate with me in special ways. There are so many sweet little moments that tug at your heart!

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