YA

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: The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear

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The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear
The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Whimsical, wild, and hilarious! Imaginative, original, and wacky! I’m trying to find some good adjectives to describe this book, but none of them do it justice. I have never read anything quite like this! There are just so many things that are thrown together in this story… it defies categorization.

Bluebear recounts his first 13 lives, which range from adventures with the tiny Mini-Pirates to the Babbling Billows (waves who talk), and onward to a pterodactyl, a deceitful Troglotroll, desert nomads, and a professor with seven brains. You never know what insane character or monster is going to pop into the story next! There are a lot of supporting characters, and they are all wacky and weird with their own detailed history and their own quirks and habits. Continue reading →

Review: Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice

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Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice
Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice by Stacy King

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a fun little adaptation of P&P into manga form, but it’s a little too cutesy and “teen drama” for me. There are roses and hearts everywhere, and the character’s facial expressions and actions are too overly dramatic.

I mean, if someone is going to collapse into a chair from illness, is it really necessary for them to pitch headlong to the floor in a flurry of curly hair and roses, and with their cloak fluttering behind them? haha! They couldn’t just sit down in a chair and faint like a normal person? Continue reading →

Book Review: The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland – For a Little While

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The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland - For a Little While
The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland – For a Little While by Catherynne M. Valente

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this little short story, and was delighted to see the beginnings of Mallow’s adventures. It’s strange how I got used to thinking of her as the bad guy, but she really is such an interesting and complex character, that she doesn’t fit into the “bad guy” box. She’s so much more.

As always, I adore Valente’s whimsical and brilliant writing style. There are lots of delightful plot twists and surprises in this story, but it’s too short to really have much development.

A wonderful addition to the Fairyland series!

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Book Review: The Rivers of Zadaa

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The Rivers of Zadaa
The Rivers of Zadaa by D.J. MacHale

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

How is it possible that every single book in this series is so amazing?! I adore every page!
In this book, Bobby is on Loor’s home territory of Zadaa, and there is a war looming between two tribes, the surface warriors of the Batu and the underground city of the Rokador. A terrible drought threatens both their civilizations, but the Batu think the Rokador are controlling the underground river sources and holding all the water for themselves.
Bobby and Loor are caught in the middle of espionage and small skirmishes between the tribes, trying with all their Traveler ingenuity to stop the war from starting. And of course, the horrible Saint Dane is lurking around causing trouble.

The plot twists! I still can barely wrap my head around the stuff that goes on in this story. Non-stop action, and things happening everywhere! Continue reading →