YA books

Book Review: House of Many Ways

Posted by

0

House of Many Ways
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this book so much!! In this last book of the Howl’s Moving Castle trilogy, Charmain is a girl who has been sheltered all her life, but when she goes house-sitting for her great-uncle, her life is turned upside down! A wizard’s house mostly runs on magic, and since this particular house has hidden corridors, and magic entryways, and dozens of time-slipped and spacially displaced rooms, Charmain gets lost and finds herself through her many adventures.

I loved every character so much, and of course, I was especially pleased to see Sophie and Howl again! The plot is wonderful and surprising and full of unexpected wildness. I just never know what mystical or ordinary thing is going to happen. Continue reading →

Comic Review: Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant

Posted by

0

Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant
Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love it so much!!! Action and adventure and friendship and travel and everything… Ah, so good!
So this is the story of two unlikely traveling companions, who go looking for adventure and go up against a dirty pirate king. They escape from hoards of bad guys in Delilah’s flying boat, and then stop for a cup of Selim’s famously delicious tea and biscuits. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Boy Who Lost Fairyland

Posted by

0

The Boy Who Lost Fairyland
The Boy Who Lost Fairyland by Catherynne M. Valente

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

How to describe the delicious whimsy and melancholy of Valente’s books? It’s impossible to do, but I shall try.
It’s like spiced cinnamon tea served in a golden teacup with all the honeyed tears of your childhood heart when it first broke into pieces. No, that’s not it. It’s like cool peppermint tea in a silver chalice and all your favorite golden words at the bottom… no, no, that’s not it either. It’s like your heart and mind are at war, and when they finally call a truce they sit down for a lunch of memory sandwiches and warm library books baked with pink icing. But it’s all wrapped up in a glittering fairy story, so you don’t mind so much that your heart was just sliced open and your mind picked apart.

This fourth book in the Fairyland series is no exception! I was wary, as many were, since this book is not about September; but I immediately fell in love with the new characters, and cheered them on through their adventures.
This is the story of Hawthorne, who is whisked away to be a changeling and make trouble in the world of men. When he meets Tamburlaine, they become friends and discover that they are not so very different. The two find their way to Fairyland and are immediately roped into a quest. Continue reading →

Book Review: Shades of Grey

Posted by

0

Shades of Grey
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gah! The Ending! What?!? My brain can’t stand it, and my heart is limping along all hurt and crushed and stuff. Dis book!

Okay, let me start from the top. This is the story of a dystopian future world where most people can only see one color or some not any color at all. The Greys are looked down on and oppressed by the Colorgentsia, and everyone’s place in society is determined by the percentage of color they can see.
There’s definitely a “1984-Big-Brother” vibe going on with the government controlling every aspect of the citizen’s lives.
In the middle of it all is Eddie, a high-color Red with a bright future, until he meets and instantly falls in love with a Grey named Jane. Jane is involved with some very deep revolutionary stuff, and Eddie gets dragged into it all, somewhat against his will, but mostly because he’s too good-hearted, kind, and morally upright to cheat and play the system like everyone else does. Continue reading →

Book Review: Twilight Tenth Anniversary/Life and Death Dual Edition

Posted by

0

Twilight Tenth Anniversary/Life and Death Dual Edition
Twilight Tenth Anniversary/Life and Death Dual Edition by Stephenie Meyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have always loved the Twilight series, and I don’t care what anyone says! Meyer’s writing always draws me in and holds my attention and my heart, and this book was no exception.

The story is almost exactly Twilight again, just with all the genders swapped. Most of the dialogue is the same with a few changes, and almost the entire story is copy and pasted from Twilight. The ending is changed, however, and I found that very interesting! I prefer the ending of Twilight, but seeing this “what if?” ending was like a little adventure into the possibilities of the imagination. I liked it! Continue reading →

Book Review: The War at Ellsmere

Posted by

0

The War at Ellsmere
The War at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I adore this graphic novel! Juniper is a scholarship student who attends a fancy girls boarding school. She makes friends (and enemies) on her very first day, and has to hold her own in the new more competitive learning climate. But there is also a mysterious legend about the old forest and whatever monster or myth might be lurking in its dark shadows.
I’m growing to love Faith Erin Hicks work! Her stories are interesting and surprising, and the artwork is just so beautiful! Continue reading →