If you liked The Unwanteds, you'll love Falling Kingdoms. It has everything you liked abut the other magical books I have reviewed so far: magic (duh), battles, dying lands, murder, action, likable characters, and plot twists. While reading this book, I was entranced by the magic and the way the author, Morgan Rhodes, was able to see through the eyes of multiple characters that are so radically different: A heir in love with his adopted sister, a sorceress with the most powerful magic seen in centuries, a young farmer rebelling against an opposing kingdom, and a princess who needs to save her sister. If you wish to read about magic and try to learn where the Infinity Stones (sorry, I meant the elemental rocks) are, Falling Kingdoms is the book for you.
PS: I'm trying out a new kind of book review style, comment if you like or dislike it!
Friday, March 16, 2018
Saturday, March 3, 2018
Book Review: The Battle of the Labyrinth (Book 4)
Do not read this if you have not read the previous Percy Jacksons. Start with the first one, my thoughts on it can be found here.
The Battle of the Labyrinth is, in my opinion, the best Percy Jackson out of all of them for its amazing setting (the labyrinth), interesting characters, and great plot. It starts out with Percy going to hi new school, Goode academy, when he ends up fighting vampires on mismatched legs, killing one, and letting the other escape in a fiery ball of explosion. Later, at camp, he learns that the camp director, Dionysus, is not at camp, and is replaced by a mysterious 50 year old demigod by the name of Quintus, who owns a pet Hellhound named Mrs. O'Leary. He also runs a game played later that night, involving pairs of two fighting giant scorpions for the laurels. During this game, Percy and Annabeth, while fighting three of scorpions, find an entrance to the Labyrinth in a pile of rocks called Zeus's fist (named for if you look at it the exact right way, it looks like a fist coming up from the ground, any other time, a giant pile of deer poop). Time is weird while in the Labyrinth, so while they think they are in there for about a minute, an hour has passed aboveground. Since the enemy's army is using the labyrinth as a way to travel, this gives them a direct passageway into camp. Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson are sent to find the maker of the labyrinth and convince him to help the demigods. Will they succeed? Will they be crushed by the enemy's forces? find out in The Battle of the Labyrinth!
The Battle of the Labyrinth is, in my opinion, the best Percy Jackson out of all of them for its amazing setting (the labyrinth), interesting characters, and great plot. It starts out with Percy going to hi new school, Goode academy, when he ends up fighting vampires on mismatched legs, killing one, and letting the other escape in a fiery ball of explosion. Later, at camp, he learns that the camp director, Dionysus, is not at camp, and is replaced by a mysterious 50 year old demigod by the name of Quintus, who owns a pet Hellhound named Mrs. O'Leary. He also runs a game played later that night, involving pairs of two fighting giant scorpions for the laurels. During this game, Percy and Annabeth, while fighting three of scorpions, find an entrance to the Labyrinth in a pile of rocks called Zeus's fist (named for if you look at it the exact right way, it looks like a fist coming up from the ground, any other time, a giant pile of deer poop). Time is weird while in the Labyrinth, so while they think they are in there for about a minute, an hour has passed aboveground. Since the enemy's army is using the labyrinth as a way to travel, this gives them a direct passageway into camp. Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson are sent to find the maker of the labyrinth and convince him to help the demigods. Will they succeed? Will they be crushed by the enemy's forces? find out in The Battle of the Labyrinth!
Book Review: The Titan's Curse (Book 3)
I advise you not to look at this review if you have not read the previous Percy Jacksons. My thoughts on those can be found here and here.
The Titan's Curse is the third book in the bestselling Percy Jackson series. However, I skipped this book while reading it for the first time as the plot didn't pick up until about three or four chapters into the book, unlike the rest of the series, which jumps straight into the plot in the first few pages. It starts off with Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia visiting a school in Bar Harbor, Maine to see if they can find some demigods living there. About two chapters later, after they met the demigods, they learn that the principal, (or one of the teachers, I haven't read this one in a while.) Dr. Thorn, is a Manticore, a creature with the feet of a tiger, the body of a human, and the tail of a scorpion (the ancient greeks had some really messed-up imaginations). During the battle, Annabeth pushes Thorn off a cliff, taking herself with him (she's captured, not dead). Then, the mythical Hunters of Artemis, hunter women who have vowed never to fall in love, in exchange for anti-aging, arrive. What do they want with our heroes? What will happen to Annabeth? Find the answers in The Titan's Curse!
The Titan's Curse is the third book in the bestselling Percy Jackson series. However, I skipped this book while reading it for the first time as the plot didn't pick up until about three or four chapters into the book, unlike the rest of the series, which jumps straight into the plot in the first few pages. It starts off with Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia visiting a school in Bar Harbor, Maine to see if they can find some demigods living there. About two chapters later, after they met the demigods, they learn that the principal, (or one of the teachers, I haven't read this one in a while.) Dr. Thorn, is a Manticore, a creature with the feet of a tiger, the body of a human, and the tail of a scorpion (the ancient greeks had some really messed-up imaginations). During the battle, Annabeth pushes Thorn off a cliff, taking herself with him (she's captured, not dead). Then, the mythical Hunters of Artemis, hunter women who have vowed never to fall in love, in exchange for anti-aging, arrive. What do they want with our heroes? What will happen to Annabeth? Find the answers in The Titan's Curse!
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Book Review: Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library
Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstien is a definitely a book on the better side of the spectrum. It starts with 7th grader Kyle Keeley playing a board game in his neighborhood. In order to win the game, he has to get down to the basement before his older brother mike does, in order to find two coins. He ends up breaking the basement window, thus winning the game, but getting grounded in the process. At school the next day, he remembers an essay contest he could enter to win a lock-in at the new public library. The judge of these essays is the world-renowned board game maker, Mr. Lemoncello. He ends up turning in a hastily and badly written essay consisting of "Balloons. There might be balloons." However, he will not give up, as he types up a great essay, emails it to Mr. Lemoncello himself, and finds out he sent it to a no-reply mailbox. When it is time for the essays to be graded, Kyle finds out his essay has made it into the winner's circle, along with a few of his friends's. When the lock-in is over, Kyle and his friends find out that they are taking part in Mr. Lemoncello's biggest game yet! What are the mysteries of the library? What are the rewards and how will they be found? All of this will be answered in Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library!
Saturday, February 17, 2018
Book Review: Strange the Dreamer
Note- there is a plot twist very early on in the book, so this review may be different than the others, as I do not wish to spoil the book.
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor is one of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. It starts with the young orphan Lazlo Strange, who loves stories about the Unseen City, a place no one has heard from in two centuries. This place exists at the edge of a vast desert called the Elmuthaleth, on a foreign continent to him, on a foreign world to us, called Zeru. He is enthralled by these stories, but when he is playing a game where he pretends he is one of the Tizerkane (the unbeatable warriors of the city) in an apple orchard one day, the name of the Unseen City is stolen from his mind, and everyone else's across the globe, leaving only the name of Weep in its place. As Lazlo ages, he ends up going to the Great Library of Zosma (Zosma is the name of the continent he lives on), and he is captivated by all the stories there. He then spends the rest of his life there, learning all he can about the Unseen City and writing about it. During his time there, he runs into Thyon Nero, the godson to the Queen of Zosma and an alchemist. Lazlo then helps him with the secret of turning lead to gold (the main goal of any alchemist) out of pity after seeing him beaten by his father in a graveyard. A few years later, Thyon collects all of the books that Lazlo wrote about the Unseen City for an unknown reason.What does Thyon want with Lazlo's books? What are the mysteries of the Unseen City? Read the book to find out.
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor is one of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. It starts with the young orphan Lazlo Strange, who loves stories about the Unseen City, a place no one has heard from in two centuries. This place exists at the edge of a vast desert called the Elmuthaleth, on a foreign continent to him, on a foreign world to us, called Zeru. He is enthralled by these stories, but when he is playing a game where he pretends he is one of the Tizerkane (the unbeatable warriors of the city) in an apple orchard one day, the name of the Unseen City is stolen from his mind, and everyone else's across the globe, leaving only the name of Weep in its place. As Lazlo ages, he ends up going to the Great Library of Zosma (Zosma is the name of the continent he lives on), and he is captivated by all the stories there. He then spends the rest of his life there, learning all he can about the Unseen City and writing about it. During his time there, he runs into Thyon Nero, the godson to the Queen of Zosma and an alchemist. Lazlo then helps him with the secret of turning lead to gold (the main goal of any alchemist) out of pity after seeing him beaten by his father in a graveyard. A few years later, Thyon collects all of the books that Lazlo wrote about the Unseen City for an unknown reason.What does Thyon want with Lazlo's books? What are the mysteries of the Unseen City? Read the book to find out.
Sunday, February 4, 2018
Book Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
Do not read if you do not want spoilers about the Harry Potter trilogy. My thoughts on the first book can be found here.
Dumbledore is dead. The magical world, once filled with wonder, is now a dangerous place to exist. All hope rests on The Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter, and his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. They are off on a quest to find the four remaining Horcruxes of Lord Voldemort, in hopes of being able to defeat him. They are being tracked by Death Eaters at every turn, and while they are hunting the 'cruxes, they learn of the three Deathly Hallows, relics that make you unbeatable, death-defying, and invisible, though the first two come with drawbacks. After a realization about said relics, Harry realizes something terrible. Voldemort is after the unbeatable wand. This could change the entire outcome of the Second Wizarding War, so Harry and his friends have to choose- Horcruxes or Hallows? They must choose fast, as Voldemort is about to march on Hogwarts. What will they do? Find the answer in the heart-stopping final installment in the bestselling Harry Potter series, The Deathly Hallows!
Dumbledore is dead. The magical world, once filled with wonder, is now a dangerous place to exist. All hope rests on The Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter, and his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. They are off on a quest to find the four remaining Horcruxes of Lord Voldemort, in hopes of being able to defeat him. They are being tracked by Death Eaters at every turn, and while they are hunting the 'cruxes, they learn of the three Deathly Hallows, relics that make you unbeatable, death-defying, and invisible, though the first two come with drawbacks. After a realization about said relics, Harry realizes something terrible. Voldemort is after the unbeatable wand. This could change the entire outcome of the Second Wizarding War, so Harry and his friends have to choose- Horcruxes or Hallows? They must choose fast, as Voldemort is about to march on Hogwarts. What will they do? Find the answer in the heart-stopping final installment in the bestselling Harry Potter series, The Deathly Hallows!
Book Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)
Do not read this review if you have not read the previous Harry Potters. Here are my thoughts on the first book.
Voldemort has returned! In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Voldemort is sweeping the wizarding world. Harry is going to be picked up by Dumbledore to find a new professor for Hogwarts, Professor Slughorn. He does not like horned slugs. After he is dropped off at the home of Ron, Harry learns two things. One, he will be taking private lessons with Dumbledore the following school year. Two, his OWL (ordinary wizarding level) exam results are arriving tomorrow. He fails everything, getting kicked on the curb and leaves Voldemort open to rise to power (just kidding, he does very well) When he gets to Hogwarts, he realizes he doesn’t have a Potions book or scales. He is lent the following items, but his new book is something special. It has been written in, and is full of useful tips about making perfect potions. He looks inside the cover, and sees that the notes were written by the Half-Blood Prince. Who is he? Why is he good at potions? Read the book to find out.
Voldemort has returned! In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Voldemort is sweeping the wizarding world. Harry is going to be picked up by Dumbledore to find a new professor for Hogwarts, Professor Slughorn. He does not like horned slugs. After he is dropped off at the home of Ron, Harry learns two things. One, he will be taking private lessons with Dumbledore the following school year. Two, his OWL (ordinary wizarding level) exam results are arriving tomorrow. He fails everything, getting kicked on the curb and leaves Voldemort open to rise to power (just kidding, he does very well) When he gets to Hogwarts, he realizes he doesn’t have a Potions book or scales. He is lent the following items, but his new book is something special. It has been written in, and is full of useful tips about making perfect potions. He looks inside the cover, and sees that the notes were written by the Half-Blood Prince. Who is he? Why is he good at potions? Read the book to find out.
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