middle grade fantasy

Book Review: Emily and the Spellstone

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Emily and the Spellstone by Michael Rubens
Emily and the Spellstone 
by Michael Rubens (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Emily hates adventures, but when she discovers a magical stone that acts as a cellphone, she is thrown into a magical adventure that proves she is strong and resourceful against the greatest of enemies. A fiery monster named Gorgo is trapped in the Spellstone, and vows to eat Emily if he ever gets free. But Emily needs his help to defeat the nasty people who are seeking the stone’s power for their own evil purposes.

I loved the wit and humor of this book! The dialogue is snappy and every new magical situation is hilariously weird. The plot is full of action and danger. The characters are beautifully written with plenty of contrast and development. Continue reading →

Recent Reads: Middle Grade, Comics + Manga

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What are your favorite fairytale retellings? Favorite manga or comic? Leave a comment and let me know!

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Disclaimer: Some of these books were received from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
*Review copies are marked with asterisk in the video. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Thirteenth Princess

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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

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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

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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 →

Book Review: The Samurai’s Tale

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The Samurai's Tale by Erik Christian Haugaard

The Samurai’s Tale 
by Erik Christian Haugaard

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Taro’s family are all killed by invading soldiers, but the captain saves young Taro alive to be a servant. Taro vows to become a samurai, and regain the wealthy position his father once held. He begins as a lowly kitchen boy, but quickly is placed in higher positions of trust. He gains the respect of men in power and slowly rises in the ranks to follow his dream, but the shifting wars in Japan threaten to destroy everything he knows. Continue reading →

Book Review: The List

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The List
The List by Patricia Forde

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this story about a post-apocalyptic society where words are considered dangerous, and people are forced to use only The List, a small selection of words approved by the ruler of their small surviving community. Only the Wordsmith is allowed to know and use words outside of the List.
The main character, Letta, is apprenticed to the Wordsmith, and her love for the beauty of language is a major theme throughout the book. Letta uncovers a plot to rid the entire community of ALL their words, and she is caught in the midst of a desperate rebellion, full of intrigue and adventure. But is Letta willing to risk everything, just to save a few words? Continue reading →

Book Review: Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx

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Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx
Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx by James Rollins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jake and his sister Kady are thrown into another mythical world of the past, this time with a lost tribe from Egypt. Jake’s old friends are pulled into the desert with him, and they must fight to survive in the strange land. Once the young Princess Nefertiti takes them as captive slaves to the capital city, the dangerous plans of the Skull King become apparent, and even the Princess will turn to Jake for help in fighting against that ancient evil. Surrounded by mystical beasts and magical stones, Jake and his friends are in the thick of another wild adventure!

I LOVE the action in this story! The plot takes a million twists and turns, the puzzles and mysteries keep me guessing, and I can barely stop reading because every scene flows into more action. Continue reading →

Book Review: Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow

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Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow
Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow by James Rollins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just as good as the first time I read it!

Jake and Kady’s parents were archaeologists, lost and presumed dead in the jungles while they studied ancient Mayan pyramids. When Jake and Kady use an artifact their parents found, they are transported to a mysterious world of dinosaurs and lost tribes of people. They’ve barely had time to explore and make a few friends, when the lost civilization comes under attack from the evil Skull King. Jake and Kady must choose between searching for a way home, and defending the strange world they’ve been dropped into.

Magic crystals, strange alchemy, ancient tribes and traditions, extinct animals, and archaic festivals; this adventure has such a beautifully imaginative world! Continue reading →