tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72622806476385202832024-03-13T04:12:07.850-07:00Dreamer of Impossible Dreams, Hoper of Far-Flung HopesJack's Book And Movie ReviewsJackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.comBlogger155125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-72089202155435415812019-03-10T19:52:00.001-07:002019-03-10T19:52:50.792-07:00Sure Fire<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sure Fire by Jack Higgins</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span id="freeTextContainer7186526536616124920" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The mother of 15 year old twins Rich and Jade dies in a car crash and they are told they must go and live with their estranged father, John Chance, who they have never met before. A bachelor who lives on his own, it soon becomes clear that Rich and Jade are not welcome.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">This book is not the most well written I have ever read but it sure was a lot of fun. I love spy, adventure stories. The characters were not the most life like but it was a light, fast paced read and this is the second time I've read it.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">It is not a violent, detailed book though. So while there could have been torture scenes there weren't and I was glad of that. Sometimes one just wants an adventure, family story without the pain and agony. This book is prefect to meet that need.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I was pleased to get the other three and will be sharing reviews from those as well soon. </span></span></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-43236176380175125592019-03-03T17:09:00.001-08:002019-03-03T17:09:36.507-08:00“Mrs. Tifton had cut off Jane’s ha-ha-ha before it even began. Lydia thought this was probably a good thing.” <div style="text-align: justify;">
The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall</div>
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I love this series. These are some of my all time favorite books. This is the family we all wished we had, and if you don't wish it then you already do have it.</div>
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This book has left me torn though. It had delightful moments which I loved - Batty saving the spiders, she hiding the ax in the fridge, summer adventures, Ben driving.</div>
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But there was a lot I didn't like about it and it makes me sad there are things in a Penderwick book I didn't enjoy.</div>
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I disliked how opposed to marriage Skye and Jane were. They saw these ideal marriages between there dad and mom and then their dad and Iantha. And they were so weird about marriage. I found that hard to swallow. I know marriage isn't for everyone, but when your dad is Mr. Penderwick how can you be so against marriage?</div>
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I didn't like how we didn't get to meet Skye's boyfriend. He was just there, suddenly, with no chance to get to know him.</div>
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Why was Wesley in the story? Can someone explain this to me?</div>
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And for that matter, my biggest sorrow, WHY WAS MR. AND THE NEW MRS. PENDERWICK HARDLY IN THIS BOOK?! I missed Mr. Penderwick more than I ever realized I would.</div>
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The other books were about siblings. This book hardly had the siblings interacting. I wanted to see more with Batty and Ben and Lydia together.</div>
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It wasn't a horrible book. It just didn't feel like a Penderwick story and that alone makes me sad all over.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-10861946241103040932019-03-03T16:59:00.001-08:002019-03-03T16:59:35.201-08:00Jack Frost<div style="text-align: justify;">
Jack Frost, the End becomes the Beginning by William Joyce.</div>
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I love this series. I've been reading it since the movie came out and waiting eagerly for each new book. I was sad this is the last book but excited as well because Jack was my favorite character in the movie and I couldn't wait for his book. (He is tied with North for favorite in the books.)</div>
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In this book we get a look into Jack's life during his time after he first becomes Jack Frost. We meet his adopted family whom he has to leave to keep safe and get the chance to wander the world with him. </div>
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Jack, once Nightlight, is a mystical boy who cannot grow up. He goes from the age of 13 to 19 and back again. And he is one of the most beloved Guardians.</div>
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His back story in this is different than his back story in the movie but I didn't like it any less because of that. I love both stories, movie and books and cannot pick out of them which I like better.</div>
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Like the movie, this book made me feel all the feels. Jack is a sad person and I needed that ending so badly by the time I reached it.</div>
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I love this series and recommend it often. I read it almost every Christmas and enjoy it more each time.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-58122818976606308792019-01-30T18:48:00.000-08:002019-01-30T18:48:32.816-08:00Lockwood stared. “Does he always talk like this?” “No. Usually he’s worse. See what I have to put up with?”The Empty Grave by Jonathan Stroud<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span id="freeText3215705951423279437" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Five months after the events in THE CREEPING SHADOW, we join Lockwood, Lucy, George, Holly, and their associate Quill Kipps on a perilous night mission: they have broken into the booby-trapped Fittes Mausoleum, where the body of the legendary psychic heroine Marissa Fittes lies. Or does it? This is just one of the many questions to be answered in Book 5 of the Lockwood & Co. series. Will Lockwood ever reveal more about his family's past to Lucy? Will their trip to the Other Side leave Lucy and Lockwood forever changed? Will Penelope Fittes succeed in shutting down their agency forever? The young agents must survive attacks from foes both spectral and human before they can take on their greatest enemy in a climactic and chaotic battle. And to prevail they will have to rely on help from some surprising--and shadowy--allies. Jonathan Stroud once again delivers a rousing adventure full of danger, laughs, twists, and frights. The revelations will send readers back to Book 1 to start the series all over again.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Did I want to reread the whole series over again? You bet I did. And I plan to, once I catch up on some of my other books. (WARNING, AS WITH ALL MY REVIEWS ON SEQUELS THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This book had me up late and night and early in the morning just so I could finish it. I was convinced Lockwood was going to die so put it off forever before reading it, but once I started it I couldn't put it down.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The thing which surprised me most in this book was how much I have come to like Kipps, the Skull, and even Barnes. I felt tricked into liking them, but when Kipps got stabbed and almost died I was on the edge of my seat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And shall we mention when George almost died? Shall we mention the fact everyone almost died but Lockwood, the one most were worried about? It was like Stroud knew our fear so sneaked in other close calls just to watch us cry in fear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The ending was everything I hoped it would be and more. Happy but with enough mystery to imagine things going on the way they had always been, mostly. And I still have hope that Skull came back. I don't count him as dead because of the glow in the end. And after all, what is Lockwood and Co. without Skull and his sass?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This series is well done and one of my favorites and I recommend it, spookiness and all.</span></div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-68593591952557891372018-12-20T15:51:00.002-08:002018-12-20T15:51:55.487-08:00Record of the Lodoss War<div style="text-align: justify;">
Record of the Lodoss War: The Gray Witch by Ryo Mizuno</div>
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<span id="freeText16387783750898325625" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Parn, a reckless but passionate swordsman embarks on a quest to discover the source of a great evil overwhelming the country of Lodoss Joining him are Deedlit, a young elf wielding great magic; Ghim, the tough-asstones dwarf; Etoh, a fledging priest; Slayn, the group's sorcerer; and Woodchuck, their indispensable thief. Together, this iconic group will join forces to discover the truth behind a world torn apart by ancient deities and wield the power needed to defeat the Grey Witch!</span></span></div>
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I saw this at Bucky and Donna's one day but ended up buying it off Amazon because it was way cheaper. I also watched the anime too, which has dorky animation but a cool storyline.</div>
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This book was okay. I will probably read it again but it isn't my favorite of the anime adaptions. It doesn't add anything to the story and the characters are flatter than in the anime. But what can I say, I have a thing for fantasy and dragons and all the nine yards even with a dorky plot.</div>
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Parn is not the ideal kind of hero. He is very loyal and brave, but there just felt more to him in the anime. In this he just came off as rather silly at times. But in spite of all that it was a fun book to read and I am not sorry I own it. I think The Twelve Kingdoms has just set my expectations high.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-20862044442656060432018-12-05T17:44:00.001-08:002018-12-05T17:44:29.296-08:00“I'd rather be in danger with you than be safe without you.”<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow by <span itemprop="name" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; color: #333333; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; top: auto; white-space: normal; width: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fuyumi Ono</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Merriweather","Georgia",serif;">This is the first in a fantasy series written by a Japanese author and translated into English. it is a seven book series but, sadly for everyone but those who can read Japanese, only the first four books have been translated. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Merriweather","Georgia",serif;">The story is about a girl named Yoko, who lives a fairly normal life, attending High School and generally just trying to be a good girl so no one gets upset with her. All that changes the day a mysterious man shows up at her school, a man named Kieki. He is followed by monsters who attack Yoko and destroy part of the school. Yoko is then taken to another world where Kieki goes missing and she is left on her own with only a sword she can draw and monsters which fight her every day. Worn and to the point of death, Yoko seeks help but is no longer sure who she can trust after she is continually betrayed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Merriweather","Georgia",serif;">This was the second novel which was translated from Japanese I read and I loved every moment of it. I can't say this about all Japanese novels, since I've only read a few, but the ones I've read are incredible and filled with wonderful characters and story telling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Merriweather","Georgia",serif;">During Yoko's journey she meets an interesting cast of characters and because the reader feels as betrayed as she does when someone turns out to not be trustworthy it is hard to know who is there to help and who wishes her harm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Merriweather","Georgia",serif;">The pictures in this novel are lovely and make me wish so much I could get my hands on the manga just to look at the drawings. (There is also an anime which I started but watched episodes out of order by accident so need to start over.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Merriweather","Georgia",serif;">The story is exciting and well written and I can't wait to start book two.</span></div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-42349028096500781462018-11-28T17:53:00.000-08:002018-11-28T17:53:04.055-08:00“Dead kids are put on pedestals, but mentally ill kids get hidden under the rug."<div style="text-align: justify;">
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Caden Bosch is on a ship that's headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior.</em><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Caden Bosch is designated the ship's artist in residence to document the journey with images.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.</em><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><strong style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Caden Bosch is torn.</strong></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
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This was the second book I read about mental illness and this one I related to even more than the first. It showed in terms I can relate to, what it feels like to be pulled down into a mental illness.</div>
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Caden tells the story, how he starts to slip from anxiety to something more. How everyone at first thinks he's on drugs until they realize the truth and then no one really knows how to handle it.</div>
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The subject is tender and hard for most to talk about, let alone write about, but this book handles it well. It is delicate but bluntly open and takes it at face value. It is very open while being caring.</div>
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There are swear words throughout the book and hints at a disregard to God. But it is one I can still recommend.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-76640665072714768702018-11-28T17:35:00.001-08:002018-11-28T17:35:29.348-08:00"No. I'm being ironic. Or is it sarcastic? I can never remember."The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud<br />
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<span style="color: #004000; font-family: "Merriweather","Georgia",serif;">This was my first ever ghost story and I put it off for far too long because it was a ghost story and I didn't read them. Oh the irony, get it? Get it?</span></div>
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Moving on.</div>
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Set in an alternate, modern London where hauntings exist, known as The Problem, this book is told through the account of Lucy, a young agent who moves to London to work with one of the big agency which solve The Problem. Instead, she ends up with the smallest agency, run by Anthony Lockwood, a reckless nut whom you can't help falling in love over, and his "friend" George. Lucy, Lockwood, and George, like only children and teens can do, can see ghosts and fight them, adults cannot see them but can sense them and be killed by then.</div>
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At the start of the book the team destroys a house during one of their cases and is sent to redeem their mistake by facing one of the worse hauntings London knows of.</div>
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This book is a good balance of humor and good, old fashioned spooky. The characters are fun and have the right mix of friendship with each other and wanting to strangle each other in their sleep. For a ghost story I can safely say it is a lot of fun to read, and there are parts that make it extra creepy to read in the dark at bedtime. (The room which turned red? The monks? Yeah, definitely creepy.)</div>
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Well worth reading.</div>
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Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-43934429888963951732018-11-28T17:11:00.002-08:002018-11-28T17:11:55.421-08:00“Making tea is a ritual that stops the world from falling in on you.”The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud<br />
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Lucy's is back, and you can guess that where Lucy is Lockwood, George, Holly, and the Skull aren't far behind. At least if Lockwood has anything to say about it. And trust me, he's finally getting to the point where he's saying something about it.</div>
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<i>"What did we find in the department store?" "Well, I found Lucy."</i></div>
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This book was probably my favorite out of the series so far. There were several reasons why. Like how Lockwood snuck Lucy back into the agency and those two dopes finally started opening up to each other. Also, let's not forget how reckless and crazier Lockwood is without Lucy around to keep him in check.</div>
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But there are other reasons this book is my favorite too. The Skull's sass and the fact he clearly only has one friend, Lucy, and doesn't like to share her. At. All.</div>
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The journey into the spirit world. That scene was amazing and creepy and I loved it.</div>
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The fact we get a reminder that George can't hit a target worth beans.</div>
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Holly and Lucy finally bonding.</div>
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The fight between Rotwell and Lockwood. </div>
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And lastly, Kipps. Yes, I said that right. Quill Kipps himself is back and is on the agencies side and is hilarious and precious and I feel as if Stroud tricked me into liking him. But there you have it. </div>
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Oh, and I made a discovery this book. I am a 100 percent confident Stroud named Lockwood after himself like some proud parent and no one can convince me otherwise.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-39700816071086567682018-11-27T17:41:00.001-08:002018-11-27T17:41:17.322-08:00“Just because you see something doesn't mean it's really there.”Calvin by Martine Leavitt<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SDI0Cophigc/W_3yKpB4tnI/AAAAAAAAEoc/adk6AppRuMM64u6r5bHUfrQohWE5V18kgCLcBGAs/s1600/23310675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SDI0Cophigc/W_3yKpB4tnI/AAAAAAAAEoc/adk6AppRuMM64u6r5bHUfrQohWE5V18kgCLcBGAs/s400/23310675.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span id="freeText130321047979392925" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">As a child, Calvin felt an affinity with the comic book character from Bill Watterson’s Calvin & Hobbes.<br style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px;" />He was born on the day the last strip was published; his grandpa left a stuffed tiger named Hobbes in his crib; and he even had a best friend named Susie. Then Calvin’s mom washed Hobbes to death, Susie grew up beautiful and stopped talking to him, and Calvin pretty much forgot about the strip—until now. Now he is seventeen years old and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Hobbes is back, as a delusion, and Calvin can’t control him. Calvin decides that Watterson is the key to everything—if he would just make one more comic strip, but without Hobbes, Calvin would be cured. Calvin and Susie (is she real?) and Hobbes (he can’t be real, can he?) set out on a dangerous trek across frozen Lake Erie to track down Watterson.</span></i></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Merriweather","Georgia",serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
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I wasn't sure what I expected out of this book. I first heard about it from a trusted friend, who typically doesn't like this type of story anymore than I do. But then I wanted to do research for one of my own books and picked up a couple which deal with mental illness. This was the first of those. I wanted to read books which dwelt with the subject of mental illness but handle it well. In that area this did not disappoint.</div>
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Calvin is sympathetic but not to the point where you feel sorry for him but instead understand him. Seeing his illness from his point of view gives the reader a different look into his character, how at first he cannot grasp what is happening to him and goes from not being able to accept it to slow acceptance. His fears and doubts that Susie is going to turn out to be part of his illness, and his later fear that he will actually loose Hobbes all together.</div>
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There was a sprinkle of humor thrown in, but not where you laughed at the illness but instead laughed with Calin at his pluck. He was one determined kid.</div>
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There was kissing in this book which hinted at the possibility that the characters wanted to go further but were too cold to. Also I didn't like how God was spoken of in parts of the book, but the arguments for and against Him were ones which are common and were handled well.</div>
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I would recommend this book to anyone of older readers. It gives a good look on how it feels to suffer a mental illness.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-70602585259536546262018-11-26T19:29:00.002-08:002018-11-26T19:29:51.700-08:00“Don't kill her now, just when we've gone to all that trouble to rescue her,"<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall</div>
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This book is nothing short of delightful. It is the perfect summer story about the perfect family in story telling. It is a mix of sunshine and non stop, quirky adventures.</div>
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I could go on and on about this book, but it is even better if you go and read it for yourself, and every book in this wonderful series.</div>
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The characters are wonderful and as quirky and delightful as the story, and Mr. Penderwick is the best father to ever grace a page. This book is funny and sweat, and like sitting on an old fashioned wood swing watching the sun set. A must read for everyone.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-50553243100385546652018-11-26T19:11:00.000-08:002018-11-26T19:11:41.621-08:00“I had plenty of money in a satchel inside my trunk, but if they were going to kidnap me, then they could do it with their own coins.” <div style="text-align: justify;">
The Traitor's Game by Jennifer Nielsen</div>
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I have yet to meet a book by Jennifer Nielsen I didn't like. This one was no exception but certainly took me by surprise.</div>
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The story is about Kestra and Simon, two enemies who don't see eye to eye on much of anything, okay on nothing for that matter. However, Kestra has the means of getting what Simon and his band of rebels need to take down Lord Endrick, the evil ruler who is making everyone's lives miserable but his own. Together, along with a young girl named Trina, Simon and Kestra travel to Kestra's home to find the Olden Dagger which has the power to stop Lord Endrick's magic. There are a few problems though, the biggest being Kestra soon is torn on who is right and who is wrong in this battle of power, and Simon is finding himself being won over by this spitfire of a girl.</div>
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When I saw the cover for The False Prince I wanted to read that book, and I've been stalking Nielsen for new books since. But I didn't think I'd ever meet a character of her's I liked as much as I adore Jaron. That was until Simon showed up and I kind of tripped over myself falling in love with him.</div>
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Simon was by far my favorite character in the book and I want the next so I can spend more time with him. He is temperamental, can carry a grudge - until he finds out he was being too judgmental - and would give his right arms and some ribs to protect Kestra. I loved his devotion and how loyal he was to his adopted father - and I also really loved the scenes where he used his sword.</div>
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Kestra reminded me of Jaron in some ways, just short fused, but just as sneaky. She had a good reason to be sneaky though, since her enemies were making her into a traitor and keeping hostage the only father figure she had, because her real father was a jerkface. </div>
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I am very eager for book two, mostly for Simon, but also to find out what happens. But mostly Simon.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-51913393213781800232018-11-26T18:55:00.000-08:002018-11-26T18:55:19.983-08:00“But it is one thing to read about dragons and another to meet them.”<div style="text-align: justify;">
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin</div>
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<span id="freeTextContainer7022393184289618823" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Ged, the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, was called Sparrowhawk in his reckless youth. <br style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px;" />Hungry for power and knowledge, Sparrowhawk tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance.</span></i></span><b></b><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
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I love my fair share of fantasy, but I've not run across a fantasy quite like this since The Lord of the Rings. It stands more on world building rather than action, and I didn't mind it one bit. I was sucked into the world of Earthsea and sad when I had to leave and find myself back on Earth.</div>
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Ged, known as Sparrowhawk, is wild and reckless and determined to prove himself as a wizard if only to beat out his rival. Instead of proving just what a competent wizard he is, Ged unleashes a great evil on the world which haunts him for years with the intent on killing him. Ged fleas before it until he is advised to instead face it.</div>
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At first I didn't care for Ged and wondered how he could become the greatest wizard in Earthsea, by the end of the book I understood. (And what an ending it was!)</div>
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This book was beautifully written, almost poet like, and I cannot wait to return to Earthsea on another adventure.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-75138386218543266422018-11-26T18:44:00.000-08:002018-11-26T18:44:18.439-08:00The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox<br />
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<span id="freeText10475529401426294571" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Something is not right at Rookskill Castle, a rundown Scottish manor shrouded in mystery. The castle is a temporary boarding school for children escaping the Blitz, but soon it’s clear there is something terribly wrong. There are clues hinting that a spy is in the house, and there are undeniable signs of a sinister magic. When the children in the castle’s temporary boarding school begin disappearing one by one, it’s a race against the clock for twelve-year-old Kat Bateson, her two younger siblings, and their new best friend.</span></i></span></div>
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I was looking for something slightly spooky to read around Halloween, and Jennifer Nielsen wrote a review for this one so I figured what could go wrong? I was not disappointed.</div>
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I don't even know how to describe this book. It reminds me of A Drop of Night by Stefan Bachmann but for children. It has all the elements of being slightly spooky without keeping you awake at night hiding under your blanket with the lights on. It also has hints of a spy story in it which I loved.</div>
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It was a delightfully fun book, and Kat was everything a big sister should be. And there was a Peter, can I just say I've yet to meet a Peter character I disliked? Not to say it won't happen, it just hasn't happened yet.</div>
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Over all it was not as scary as I wanted, when I went looking for a spooky book, but it was perfect in so many other ways I didn't mind. And again, it is written for children so I get why the spooky was downplayed. Still, it was a lot of fun.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-43809745566021934242018-11-26T18:32:00.000-08:002018-11-26T18:32:18.590-08:00Mortibito II<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mortibito: Guardian of the Darkness by Nahoko Uehashi</div>
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This is the sequel to Mortibito: Guardian of the Spirit. In this book Balsa returns to her home of Kanbal where she had to flee as a young child to escape her father's murderers. She was saved by a friend of her father, who had to kill all of his own friends in order to keep Balsa alive. Now Balsa goes back to face her past and seek forgiveness from the spirit of her protector.</div>
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I loved this book so much. I did miss Tanda a lot, but the book is so well written and Balsa is a wonderful heroine. She is again paired with children as her companions, this time a brother and a sister. They don't have as big a role to play in the story as Changum did, but Balsa still gets the chance to show her gentler side around them.</div>
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I don't often read books with strong female characters because writer's tend to downplay the male characters in those books. This book shows how that should be handled. Balsa is a warrior seeking to make amends with her past. She is kind and caring but brave and protective. The men in the story are, I am thinking mostly of Tanda in this case, protective and take care of those in their care. More importantly, the characters are real and believable, which is what I want when I read books.</div>
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Balsa is one of my all time favorite heroines. My only regret with these books is that the manga, which is a continuation of the story, has not been translated to English and might never be. It leaves me with a strong desire to learn Japanese so I can find out what happens next.</div>
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Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-80802443690488866682018-11-17T15:25:00.001-08:002018-11-17T15:25:49.131-08:00“Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's was worth a pocket watch.” Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Merriweather","Georgia",serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.</span></div>
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I have read plenty of books set during WWII but few have been as raw and emotional as this one. It is a look at the horrors families faced in Stalin's Russia and it tells about them with unabashed clarity and openness.</div>
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Some books tell stories in a gritty fashion, where all is black and dark and grim. This one, though raw, somehow still kept an element of light to it in the telling. It wasn't light hearted by any means, and there were parts which felt hopeless, but it showed the human will to live in impossible times. It is a book about evil times, and the courage which was brought out in those times. </div>
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This book is a must read for anyone who wishes to see the persistence of the human spirit when all is done to crush it.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-22172074839998690722017-08-03T19:08:00.001-07:002017-08-03T19:08:09.755-07:00"Where's your sense of adventure?"Looking for the King by David C. Downing<br />
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Tom McCord is in England in 1940 researching King Arthur for his guide book. He plans to travel to all the places Arthur supposedly lived and visited and maybe even prove the legendary Arthur actually lived.</div>
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Right off things go wrong when he is accused of being a wartime spy. With all of England on edge from what they fear will be a German invasion this is understandable, but Tom soon finds himself being the one who is spied on. All of it has to do with a young lady and her mysterious dreams and an ancient spear.</div>
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This book was not fast paced and not the type to keep me on the edge of my seat. Not only that but it even brought the real life figures of Tolkien and Lewis in for a role in the story. Everything about this could have ended in a disaster of a story, but instead it only added to the book's charm.</div>
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The writer handled Tolkien and Lewis well so that they felt as if they really did know a young Tom and have a role in his adventures. The story was engaging and well written even if it wasn't fast paced. It was fun to read.</div>
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The Christian message didn't slap me in the face or feel unneeded. It was subtle and well handled and I loved it. Tom addresses real life questions that believers and non-believers struggle with.</div>
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Over all it was an amazing story and I hope more are to come.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-67168311636722229062017-07-20T19:36:00.000-07:002017-07-20T19:36:14.978-07:00“It's strange, but once you learn to fight, you seem to attract enemies...Sooner or later, those who master the art of combat must end up fighting.” Moribito by Nahoko Uehashi<br />
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Summary: <span style="font-family: inherit;">Balsa was a wanderer and warrior for hire. Then she rescued a boy flung into a raging river -- and at that moment, her destiny changed. Now Balsa must protect the boy -- the Prince Chagum -- on his quest to deliver the great egg of the water spirit to its source in the sea. As they travel across the land of Yogo and discover the truth about the spirit, they find themselves hunted by two deadly enemies: the egg-eating monster Rarunga . . . and the prince's own father. </span></div>
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I didn't think I would enjoy this book at first. A female warrior usually ends badly for me. Not that I have anything against woman warriors, they just tend to be tough and act like men are stupid. I like female warriors who still have a human side to them.</div>
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I picked up this book after months of just glancing at it. Seeing it was translated from Japanese I decided to give it a chance and I am so glad I did. Balsa is an endearing heroine who has a determination to save as many lives as she can, including the life of the boy prince she comes in contact with through fate.</div>
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The characters in this book were lifelike and wonderful. I loved each and every one of them by the end of the book and only wanted to spend even more time with them. Which is why I bought the second book and the anime series. I would have bought the manga as well if it weren't only in Japanese.</div>
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Though it has some mysticalness to it I still highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy. It is well written and the plot is exciting and fast paced with still enough time to get to know the characters. </div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-64088953850755645972017-04-30T20:27:00.002-07:002017-04-30T20:27:58.298-07:00"Welcome to the future, Clara Brackett."<div style="text-align: justify;">
Before Tomorrowland by Jeff Jensen and Brad Bird.</div>
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The year is 1939. Clara Brackett and her son Lee are off to New York for what could readily be called the first ever book convention. Or fan convention. It is something of their final adventure together as Clara is dying from cancer. They have no idea the trouble which awaits them in New York or the future which stands before them. </div>
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This book had a feel of the movies Sky Captain and The Rocketeer. I loved it, every moment of it.</div>
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The cast of characters were vast, but not where I couldn't keep them straight, and some were familiar and some new. (Amelia Earhart, Nikola Tesla to name a few familiar ones.) I didn't think I would enjoy a point of view from real life people in a fiction book but I ended up loving them.</div>
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Then of course there was Henry Stevens whom I fell in love with in the beginning and...and...and....I can't say for spoilers sake but gosh. That fella. *Sniffle*.</div>
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The plot wove between characters and took place over a three day span. It drew me in and, while is started slow, I loved the slower time to get to know the characters better. </div>
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The spread of the locations wasn't hard to follow either as each chapter gave a heading as to where it took place. Overall, while the plot had complexities to it I didn't feel lost or confused which was an added bonus.</div>
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Part Steampunk, part historical fiction, and part fantasy, this story was a lot of fun and only made me even more excited to see the movie, Tomorrowland.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-63113732095412443012017-04-28T21:34:00.000-07:002017-04-28T21:36:25.879-07:00"See, that is the Gilbert I know." ("I'm this idiot's left eye.")<div style="text-align: justify;">
Wherein Jack is ashamed....but not really. (Spoilers involved but not too many. If you plan to read maybe read my review afterward. If you don't plan to read the series you won't be spoiled anything because it likely won't make sense to you.)</div>
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Did I start this? No, I did not. Contrary to what my best friend might claim. All I did was get her to watch Avatar, The Last Airbender. She took it further and started anime, and then manga, and dragged me along into it.</div>
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Therefore, here is my review....because yes, I finished a complete manga series. And I must confess, this is more of a rant about how hot one of the characters is and not so much a review.<br />
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Pandora Hearts by Jun Mochizuki<br />
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With an Alice in Wonderland twist, the story follows Oz and the many friends and foes he comes in contact with. (My favorite of whom bears the name of Gilbert Nightray. *HintHint* the hot one.)<br />
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First off, I have never in my life read a more complicated, twisted plot. Even after I finished my head was reeling and I plan to reread it to catch everything I missed the first time. Personally I love stories which leave me spinning and going, "WOW" throughout. I love to try and figure things out but still have the plot make sense. Somehow Jun managed to pull this off brilliantly.<br />
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Mostly though I loved the characters. While the plot was tons of fun nothing surpassed the amazing cast of characters.<br />
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First there is Oz. Little, adorable, sad Oz. Oz, who suffers so much and then when you think he will finally get answers his world is shattered and you can't help but hug the book in an attempt to hug him. Seriously, that fella needs a nice holiday somewhere. Away from A CERTAIN SOMEONE I CURRENTLY DISLIKE.<br />
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Then we have Alice, also known as "Stupid rabbit." This term of endearment was given her by Gil. Alice is the spunky, meat loving companion of Oz. She gets him out of as much trouble as she gets him into and is always at his side. She's like his shadow, his loud, bossy shadow. She is quarky and I love her.<br />
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Next is Break. Break with his sweet tooth, teeth, and his refusal to enter or leave a room in any normal fashion. Break who balances things on his head, eats Oz's cakes, drinks tea, and hangs upside down from trees. Break with his ridiculous sleeves and Fufu-ing. Break whom I didn't trust and have been apologizing too ever since for it. Break, who I may copy by flapping my sleeves about as I fufu. Yes, Break was wonderful. He also broke my heart.<br />
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There are so many others I loved. Elliot, Leo, Reim, Sharon, Uncle Oscar, Ada - and those I hated or strongly disliked depending on what they did to the characters I loved: Jack, Lacie, Oswald, Stupid Levi, Creepy Vincent....and so on. There is a long dislike/ hate list.<br />
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And lastly in my character list is my all time favorite, the one I have admitted as to being hot even though I rarely if ever say anyone is hot.<br />
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Gilbert Nightray. Yes, wonderful Gil. I can't even put into coherent words what it is about him I love so much. There are many things I loved about him. His loyalty and devotion. His friendship. The way he looked out for those he cared about, and those who were creepy but family. His struggles. His growth and character development.<br />
Then there are the less noble sounding reasons. His pistols. His hat. His coat. His speeches. His cooking. When he shared his hat and coat. His eyes. His smile. Eh....there, now that I've embarrassed myself I'm sure you get the idea. The fella is wonderful, okay? And I love him. He rates up there on my all time favorite character list.<br />
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Gil aside, this series is worth reading. Even if you are like me and refuse to read Manga, this is worth it. Story telling like this is hard to find.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-78666333226172461682017-04-28T21:10:00.001-07:002017-04-28T21:10:55.801-07:00"If friendship has an opposite it is war."<div style="text-align: justify;">
I Pledge Allegiance by Chris Lynch</div>
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Summary from Goodreads</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Four best friends. Four ways to serve their country.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Morris, Rudi, Ivan, and Beck are best friends for life. So when one of the teens is drafted into the Vietnam War, the others sign up, too. Although they each serve in a different branch, they are fighting the war together--and they pledge to do all they can to come home together.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Haunted by dreams of violence and death, Morris makes it his personal mission to watch over his friends--and the best place to do that is in the US Navy. Stationed off the coast of Vietnam on the USS Boston, Morris and his fellow sailors provide crucial support to the troops on the ground.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">But the Boston itself isn't safe from attack. And as Morris finds his courage and resolve tested like never before, he keeps coming back to a single thought.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">He made a pledge. He must keep them safe</span></span></div>
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I mostly just picked this book up for the sake of research. Though the story held a lot of promise I didn't care for the writing style, lack of details, and shortness of the book. I felt like the story could have been a whole lot better with more of all of the above.</div>
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The characters didn't really have the depth I like with characters. I finished the book wanting more and ended up raiding the Vietnam biography section of the library.</div>
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Overall the book wasn't horrible. It did give me a glimpse into the Vietnam war. Also the series is about friends, so what can go wrong there. I do plan on finishing the series, I just can tell it won't be one of my all time favorites. </div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-83689596664328182122017-04-26T22:35:00.000-07:002017-04-28T21:01:07.904-07:00"She also discovered this secret forbidden to fairies, love, that life-giving force. That is to say, which gives birth and causes death. "<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Book of Pearl by Timothee de Fombelle</div>
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Summary from Goodreads</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Joshua Pearl is from a world that our own no longer believes in - a world of fairytale. He knows that his great love is waiting for him in that distant place, but he is trapped in our time. As his memories begin to fade, he discovers strange objects, tiny fragments of a story from a long time ago. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Can Joshua remember the past and believe in his own story before his love is lost for ever?</span></span></div>
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I fell in love with Vango and Prince without a Kingdom, both written by Timothee. I loved them so much I hunted down more books by him, which lead me to this one.<br />
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This story is a fairy tale woven in with historical fiction. It tells the story of Joshua, who was taken out of his world and forced to struggle through ours. It also weaves in the story of Olia, his true love who must live in hiding - always watching but unable to get close to Joshua.<br />
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Though I don't typically enjoy romances, just not generally my thing, I adored this story. It was hard to put down at some points, and other points had the right magical feel to it one needs with a fairy tale. Of course, one reason I loved it so much were the WWII references. Though it doesn't focus strongly on the war it does have a role to play in Joshua's life.<br />
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So far Timothee has not disappointed me and I now look forward to the day his other books will be translated into English.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-17424457421173718502017-04-26T22:28:00.001-07:002017-04-26T22:28:34.104-07:00Four years have passed since tragedy broke Grace’s family apart<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sufficient Grace by Jessica Greyson</div>
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I love Jessica's books and this one was no exception. The story of Grace and her struggles through life were inspiring and encouraging.</div>
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Grace and her family have been hiding from their shattered past for years, but they are running out of places to flee to. To make matters worse, Grace is kidnapped by outlaws, and then saved by a deputy named Mitch. Mitch only seems to want to be her friend, but Grace isn't sure who she can trust and lives in constant fear someone will learn about her past.</div>
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Set in the old west, this story has the right amount of romance and action. With a mix of faith and sweetness it is a wonderful book to spend an afternoon reading.</div>
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Jessica's books have an almost simple, whimsical writing style to them which I just love. Her characters are amazing and always capture my heart - and by the end of it I usually fall in love with her hero. Mitch was no exception.</div>
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The way she wove Grace's struggles and Mitch's patience was inspiring and encouraged me a lot with my own struggles and past. I found I was able to relate to Grace, but also desired her to open up and trust. </div>
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All of Jessica's books are worth the reading and this one is no exception. It left me longing for more books by her.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-37512937456367024342017-04-26T22:13:00.001-07:002017-04-26T22:13:33.831-07:00“If you find that not many of the things you asked for have come, and not perhaps quite so many as sometimes, remember that this Christmas all over the world there are a terrible number of poor and starving people.” <div style="text-align: justify;">
Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien<br />
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Every December, the children of Tolkien would receive letters from Father Christmas himself. This adorable book contains all the letters, as well as the ones from Polar Bear. It includes delightful pictures which bring the magic to life even more.<br />
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This is definitely a book one should have as a Christmas tradition. The charm and magic only add to the Christmas spirit and I plan to add it to my must read list every year. Not only are the stories wonderful but the illustrations endearing. And I quite fell in love with Polar Bear and his many relations. </div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7262280647638520283.post-14771637937787855122017-04-25T21:23:00.002-07:002017-04-25T21:23:53.635-07:00“It's how I want to remember him, the way he was that night: with horrors up ahead and horrors at our back, and Lockwood standing in between them, calm and unafraid.”<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Hallow Boy by Jonathan Stroud</div>
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Summary from Goodreads...</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">As a massive outbreak of supernatural Visitors baffles Scotland Yard and causes protests throughout London, Lockwood & Co. continue to demonstrate their effectiveness in exterminating spirits. Anthony Lockwood is dashing, George insightful, and Lucy dynamic, while the skull in the jar utters sardonic advice from the sidelines. There is a new spirit of openness in the team now that Lockwood has shared some of his childhood secrets, and Lucy is feeling more and more as if her true home is at Portland Row. It comes as a great shock, then, when Lockwood and George introduce her to an annoyingly perky and hyper-efficient new assistant, Holly Munro.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, there are reports of many new hauntings, including a house where bloody footprints are appearing, and a department store full of strange sounds and shadowy figures. But ghosts seem to be the least of Lockwood & Co.'s concerns when assassins attack during a carnival in the center of the city. Can the team get past their personal issues to save the day on all fronts, or will bad feelings attract yet more trouble?</span></span><br />
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The ending of this book crushed me. I'm still not recovered. Things happened, things I was not okay with. Things which made me need the next book right away.</div>
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Still, even though it left me crushed, I loved this book. Each book in this series only gets better and better. I thoroughly enjoy this series.</div>
Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04395502314886308773noreply@blogger.com0