middle grade fantasy

Book Review: The Door to the Lost

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The Door to the Lost by Jaleigh Johnson
The Door to the Lost 
by Jaleigh Johnson

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Rook and Drift are exiles, forced to live in hiding because they possess magic from another world. Rook has the ability to open doors that will transport her to any place she can imagine, but when she opens a doorway to a mysterious snowy forest, a creature comes bounding into her life that will change her forever. Unable to trust anyone, hunted down by a government that hates their other-worldly magic, Rook and Drift try desperately to control the unreliable magic buzzing around their city. The magic of the world is poisoned and twisted, and only Rook and her friends have a chance at controlling the magic before it destroys their city.

I devoured this book, and was utterly fascinated with every scene! The characters, the world-building, the beautiful magic, the masterful writing, the adventure, the mysteries… I loved it all!
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Book Review: Crown of Earth

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Crown of Earth by Hilari Bell
Crown of Earth (The Shield, Sword, and Crown, #3) 
by Hilari Bell (Goodreads Author), Drew Willis (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Prince Edoran races across the countryside to save his friend Weasel, who has been kidnapped by traitors to the crown. Joined by the fiery Arisa, Edoran faces cruel bandits, pirates, and mysterious priests, as they search for any trace of their friend Weasel. As he comes to terms with his own inadequacies, Edoran finds that the life of the common people, working for a daily meal, and living in a community all speak to his heart in a new way. In the midst of the political struggle for the magical Sword and Shield, Edoran and his friends discover the true nature of the magic bequeathed with those royal symbols.

I LOVE this ending!!! Such a good ending to the trilogy, and all those loose ends came together wonderfully. The big reveal is the true meaning of the Sword and Shield, and how they work together with the Crown. I was so surprised and happy and delighted with that plot twist!  Continue reading →

Book Review: Sword of Waters

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Sword of Waters by Hilari Bell
Sword of Waters 
by Hilari Bell (Goodreads Author), Drew Willis (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Arisa, Weasel, and Prince Edoran are searching for the missing fabled sword of King Regalis, and they uncover a secret plot involving a kidnapper, a silent assassin, and a fiery tavern keeper. Unable to trust anyone in the palace, the three friends unravel the mystery of the sword while keeping one step ahead of the traitors in their midst.

I am falling more and more in love with this series! The awkward and adorable friendship between Arisa, Weasel, and Prince Edoran makes me smile in every chapter! I especially like that they don’t always get along.

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Book Review: Shield of Stars

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Shield of Stars by Hilari Bell
Shield of Stars (The Shield, Sword, and Crown, #1) 
by Hilari Bell

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Weasel, a former pickpocket, is the trusted clerk of Justice Holis. When the Justice is arrested for treason against the king, Weasel must return to the underground community of criminals searching for the outlaw bandit, the Falcon, the only person who could help him break Justice Holis out of prison. With the help of Arisa, an escaped prisoner, Weasel finds a mysterious old shield, rumored to be the long-lost magical shield of the king. The two set out on an impossible quest, to find the Falcon, restore the shield to the rightful ruler of the land, and save Weasel’s master.

Weasel is an interesting character, and I loved that Arisa is mysterious and full of surprises. Their sturdy friendship felt real and tugged at my heart. They are both tough and smart, but in different ways.

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Book Review: Search for the Shadow Key

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Search for the Shadow Key by Wayne Thomas Batson
Search for the Shadow Key (Dreamtreaders, #2) 
by Wayne Thomas Batson(Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars
“The Nightmare Lord has been thrown down, but his throne is no longer empty. Rigby Thames has taken up the evil mantle with Kara Windchil as his queen. Now the only living dreamtreader, Archer Keaton finds himself on the outside of two worlds looking in. Dream Walking Inc. is taking the world by storm, allowing Rigby to build an unstoppable empire. Worse still, Rigby has unleashed the Tendrils, shadow people who can cross over into the waking world. As Archer s family and friends begin to disappear, unexpected help comes in the form of the Wind Maiden, a mysterious angelic being who seems to know how Archer can rescue his loved ones and defeat the new Nightmare King. But the cost may prove too dear for Archer to pay.”
– GoodReads Description

I’m so in love with this series! The dreamscape is incredibly imaginative. There’s always something new to discover beyond what we’ve already seen in the first book. The plot keeps me guessing the entire time, and the action just never stops. I love every single character, both the old characters from the first book and the new characters that are introduced. This second book is just as good as the first book in the series, which doesn’t happen often with series.
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Book Review: In the Hand of the Goddess

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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,

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Book Review: Alanna: The First Adventure

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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 →

Fairy Tale Retelling Book Tag

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What’s your favorite fairy tale? Leave me a comment!

Brunette Bibliophile’s Original Video: https://youtu.be/2oIAGwq7MQ0

QUESTIONS:

1.What is your favorite fairy tale?

2.What is your favorite retelling of that story? Continue reading →