middle grade fantasy
Book Review: The Book of Boy
The Book of Boy
by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
A young hunchback goatherd named simply “Boy” is indentured as a servant to a shrewd pilgrim traveling through France in search of various relics of Saint Peter. As the two journey together, they boldly endure various adventures in their pursuit of the holy relics of Saint Peter, until they arrive at last within the holy city of Rome. Boy discovers that the pilgrim is hiding a dark past, and the pilgrim gradually reveals Boy’s most closely guarded secret, his own true identity.
Continue readingBook Review: Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows
Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows
by J.M. Bergen
by J.M. Bergen
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Thirteen-year-old Thomas is sure that magic is real, and he goes searching for proof in every dusty old bookstore he can find. One day, a mysterious bookshop owner lets Thomas borrow the magical Book of Sorrows, and Thomas discovers a secret family history and a world of magic and myth that takes him on a dangerous adventure.
I enjoyed this book so much! The magic system is marvelous, the plot is brilliant, and the characters are deep and endearing. Continue reading
Book Review: Dragon of the Month Club
The Dragon of the Month Club
by Iain Reading
by Iain Reading
4 out of 5 stars
Ayana and Tyler find a magical book that teaches them a new dragon-summoning spell every month. When one of their spells goes wrong, they are whisked into a magic land that manifests from different books and furniture in Tyler’s bedroom. They conjure several dragons to help them in their adventures, until they have a little entourage of creatures following them. Travelling across the wilderness, crossing oceans, and encountering strange characters from Tyler’s books, the two friends struggle to reach the tower of Professor Mobius, who they hope has the ability to send them back to the real world.
I enjoyed this book so much! The plot is really imaginative and interesting. The writing and pacing are excellent, keeping the reader on their toes with lots of plot twists and surprises.
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Library Book Haul
Book Review: The Door to the Lost
The Door to the Lost
by Jaleigh Johnson
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
Crown of Earth (The Shield, Sword, and Crown, #3)
by Hilari Bell (Goodreads Author), Drew Willis
by Hilari Bell (Goodreads Author), Drew Willis
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
Sword of Waters
by Hilari Bell (Goodreads Author), Drew Willis
by Hilari Bell (Goodreads Author), Drew Willis
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.
Book Review: Shield of Stars
Shield of Stars (The Shield, Sword, and Crown, #1)
by Hilari Bell
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.
Book Review: Search for the Shadow Key
Search for the Shadow Key (Dreamtreaders, #2)
by Wayne Thomas Batson(Goodreads Author)
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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