fiction

Novella Review: The First Star to Fall

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The First Star to Fall
The First Star to Fall by Diana Peterfreund

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great short story about Persis as the revolution begins and she starts her adventures. It’s just a little snippet showing the political unrest and how Persis and her friends react to the events that began the revolution, and how they determine to help everyone they can.

I love the dynamic between Persis and Princess Isla! Those two friends are such a great addition to the story. Persis is such an intelligent and caring person, and with her bravery and resourcefulness, she makes an exciting main character.

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Book Review: Murder Is Bad Manners

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Murder Is Bad Manners
Murder Is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Hazel Wong stumbles across the corpse of a murdered teacher, no one believes her except her faithful friend, Daisy Wells, and it’s up to the two girls to investigate the murder in between classes and still get their homework done. This 1930s British boarding school is the perfect setting for a murder mystery!

I love stories about boarding schools, and the little everyday goings-on of this school make for a hilarious story!
The plot has a lot of red herrings, so I never saw the solution until the very end. I puzzling and puzzling through the whole thing, and completely surprised at the end. Continue reading →

Comic Review: Prince of Persia

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Prince of Persia
Prince of Persia by Jordan Mechner

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This plot makes no sense. I have no idea who anyone is or what happened. The story is told by jumping between two (or three?) timelines, so there are all these different sets of characters, most of whom look alike, and it’s impossible to keep track of them all. There’s also a prophecy and a magic peacock dude that confused me even more. Then there came the giant sand babies; I’m not sure if they were real or imagined. Was that part of a giant sand baby nightmare? Did someone dream that whole thing, or were the babies really there? IDK.

I’m confused if the Prince was reincarnated as the other crazy dude in the ruins, or was that his long-lost son or something? And why did the girl have one blue eye and one brown eye exactly like the lion cub? Is she a mystical lion baby? How is that connected? What is happening here? This makes NO sense at all! Continue reading →

Book Review: The Guide to the Territories of Halla

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The Guide to the Territories of Halla
The Guide to the Territories of Halla by D.J. MacHale

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I expected more from this book. It’s basically an intro summary of each of the first 5 books in the series, with some illustrations of various characters and settings. But it’s nothing I didn’t already know from reading the books. There’s not any new or interesting information about the series, and I was hoping for more details on the various territories, or even short stories of the characters’ backstory/past.
Disappointing and very short.  I LOVE the Pendragon series, so I was really hoping for more.

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Graphic Novel Review: The Merchant of Death

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The Merchant of Death Graphic Novel
The Merchant of Death Graphic Novel by D.J. MacHale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this graphic novel of one of my favorite books! Revisiting the first book in the series in a different format was wonderful! Bobby is still as hilarious and goofy as ever, Press is mysterious and wise, and Loor is all anger and sass.

Bobby Pendragon gets whisked away to another universe by his mysterious Uncle Press, and with the help of other Travelers, tries to help a tribe of poor miners start a revolution or find justice through peace. But the evil Saint Dane is determined to push the war in his own favor, and destroy the world of Denduron. Continue reading →

Book Review: Thursdays with the Crown

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Thursdays with the Crown
Thursdays with the Crown by Jessica Day George

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this third book of the series, Celie and her siblings and friends are whisked away to the mysterious land where the Castle came from. Evil wizards, poisoned lakes, and griffins abound, and Celie has to figure out what the truth is about the Castle’s history to find a way to get back home, save the griffins, and heal the Castle.

I didn’t like this book quite as much as the others, since there was a lot of confusion about who was lying and who was telling half-truths about the past. It made for a confusing plot, and I couldn’t tell who was Arkish and who was Hathelocke, who had control of the Castle first or who first trained griffins.
Also instead of sneaking through secret passageways in the Castle for some whimsical fun, the characters are mostly trekking through forest, starving, and hiding inside a massive crypt/tomb. This book is a little darker than the others. Continue reading →

Ilvermorny House Recs

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Ilvermorny is the American version of Hogwarts, and here are my book recommendations for each of the Ilvermorny Houses!
What house are you in? Thunderbird, Horned Serpent, Pukwudgie, or Wampus? Continue reading →

Book Review: The Tightrope Walker

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The Tightrope Walker
The Tightrope Walker by Dorothy Gilman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When quiet Amelia finds an old note from a woman about to be murdered, Amelia finds herself compelled to follow the mystery and find out what happened to the woman. Along the way, she is launched into life, meeting new people, falling in love, and gaining confidence in her own abilities. As she uncovers the murderous secrets of the past, Amelia’s own past rises up to haunt her, and she has to choose to cover up her own neurosis, or free herself to live life to the full.

The mystery plot is really good! I was kept guessing and in suspense to the very end, and I was amazed how every little puzzle piece, that made no sense in the beginning, fell right into place at the end. I loved it! Continue reading →