Keeper of the Lost Cities
Keeper of the Lost Cities
Keeper of the Lost Cities
★★★★1/2
Keeper of the Lost Cities is incredible. It has everything you would want in a book: humor, girl power, deep feelings, magic, relatable characters, and HUGEplot twists. And, best of all, the series hasn’t ended yet! Hello, book signings and book parties! The first book is a great introduction, but if you’re not convinced after you read it, don’t worry! The sequels are even better. I know,it sounds impossible, but.... it’s true! Multiple of my own friends have become obsessed with this series. I have no doubt you will too. It’s seriously one of favorite book series’ ever! Plus, the world building is just magical. The food will make your mouth water, and the architecture is unbelievable. Sophie Foster is an incredible heroine who you will cheer on throughout the book, and the mystery surrounding her extraordinary powers and her birth circumstances will leave you stroking your beard and scratching your head. All in all, read this book. Please.
Warnings: Death, Violence
Sylvie
The Mirrorwood
The Mirrorwood
The Mirrorwood
★★★★☆
This book was just wonderful to read! It had me laughing and worrying and everything a good book should. I loved the characters, especially Moth, who is one of the cutest fictional kitties out there! I might be a little bit biased, as I adore cats over nearly every other animal, but that’s beside the point! Fable is a perfect hero. She’s kind and brave and even has an adorable cat friend. And Vycorax is such a good character. Every book should have an enemy-to-ally-to-friend character (enemies-to-lovers is really getting old)! Aside from the characters, another one of my favorite parts is the settings. The timespun village, the Withering’s cave, even Fable’s home. The dialogue is witty and the plot is delightful. A must-read for fantasy and cat lovers alike!
Warnings: Violence, Mentions of Death,
Decca
Out of My Mind
Out of My Mind
Out of My Mind
★★★★★
Out of My Mind is magical. Truly magical. Not in the literal sense, though. It does not have any magical properties, nor is it even a fantasy book. It is just one of the most heartwarming, funny, beautiful books ever written. It will have you laughing, then smiling, then crying, then sobbing of both happiness and sadness at the same time. How isthat possible? I don’t know. But it is. Because Sharon Draper managed to make it happen. Melody is just fantastic, and I was rooting for her the whole way through. She is a tough, funny girl with smarts to rival Einstein, although she can’t share them out loud yet. This book is one of those books that you don’t know you need yet, but you do need.
Warnings: possibly a few minor curses, injury
Sylvie
A Pinch Of Magic
A Pinch Of Magic
A Pinch of Magic
★★★1/2
A Pinch of Magic is pretty much timeless. No matter how many times you read it, you don’t really get tired of it. Charlie, the littlest girl on the cover, is so cute! She keeps her tooth (named Peg) in her pocket because she’s trying to catch the tooth fairy, is nice to her family inn’s cat when no one else is, and is just generally adorable. Betty, the girl in the middle, is adventurous and curious and just like many non-fictional girls. She’s a perfect protagonist. Fliss, or Felicity, the last and eldest girl, is a great, very human character. At times, she can be vain and secretive, but mostly she’s a warm, motherly, funny, hopelessly romantic older sister. The little magical items and the family curse are just so interesting. The whole premise, from Crowstone itself to the uses of the bag, the nesting dolls, and the mirror are the most wonderful additions to Fiction Questing Materials Inc. (trademarked by yours truly). The plot twists and the writing style and really everything in between are great additions to any middle-grade bookshelf.
Warnings: Mentions of Death, (probably) a few minor curses, Kidnapping, Just Creepy Stuff in General
Decca
Sorcery of Thorns
Sorcery of Thorns
Sorcery of Thorns
★★★★★
Oh. My. Goodness. I am going to have so much fun with this review! I absolutely LOVE this book. It is positively amazing. I got it at my favorite book store, and it is now (no surprise) one of my favorites. It is so fun, filled with whimsy and delightful, slightly creepy fun. The world is built in such an amazing way, with the grimoires that turn into Maleficts, Demonslayer (the sword), beautiful romance, and even the booklice. I love the whole idea of the sorcerers and demons (Silas is so great) and the whole magicmurder-demon-conspiracy plot is so intriguing in all the best ways. I love Elisabeth. I feel like we would be such good friends if I lived in her world or she lived in mine. Another of my favorite parts is Silas as a cat, and the fact that the first name Elisabeth comes up with for him is Sir Fluffington. I also love Nathaniel’s sense of humor, especially in the beginning. It made me laugh so hard I showed it to my sister, who told me to stop because she was planning to read it. Okay. I could go on and on, but I’m going to run out of room. So. The end. Conclusion: READ THIS BOOK OR I WILL DUMP A CRATE OF BOOKLICE ON YOUR HEAD.
Warnings: Murder, Creepy Monsters, Violence, a whole lot of (beautiful) romance, possibly a few minor curses (even after cutting myself short I had to make the font smaller so it would fit the page)
Decca
Aru Shah and the End of Time
Aru Shah and the End of Time
Aru Shah and the End of Time
★★★★★
This book is amazing. If you are someone who likes mythology, this book is for you. If you are someone who likes funny books, this is for you. If you are someone who likes character development, this is for you. If you are someone who likes adventures, this is for you. Basically, if you are someone who likes anything, this book is for you. I LOVE this book. It’s like my heart in a book. It’s hilarious, with plenty of Lord of the Rings references, but its hilariousness somehow doesn’t take away from how deep the books are. I don’t care how old you are, if you think yourself to old to read this book, you aren’t. Anyone can read this book and like it, not to mention its four sequels that just might be even better. (Especially the second one!) Sadly, though, no one I know besides my sister has read this book. Meaning, you should read this book even if you think it sounds boring just so I have someone to talk to about it. Aru is hilarious, Mini is hilarious, Boo is hilarious, EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER is hilarious and amazing in their unique way. It’s just a refreshing new way to write a book. You really should read this book. It’s great.
Warnings: Mentions of death, violence, romance, and attack pigeons.
Sylvie
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games
★★★★★
I know you have heard of this book. Most people have. But do you really know what it is? It’s a heartbreaking, plot-twisty, wonderful book. I don’t really like dystopian books. But this book? I LOVE this book. It’s incredible, it’s wonderful, it’s awesome, it’s fantastic, it’s great, and it’s SO DARN SAD, but in a lovely way that will make you cry like only really good books can do. It’s set in a future where, 74 years before, the 13 districts of Panem and the Capitol got into a war. The Capitol eventually won, eliminating an entire district and, as punishment, creating the Hunger Games. Once a year, two kids, 1 boy and 1 girl, will be plucked from each district and thrown into an arena where everyone has to fight to the death until only one person is left standing. That person will then become the victor and get to live with a lifetime supply of enough food (which is rare in most districts), fame, and glory. In District 12, only 2 people have ever won, and only one is still alive. Not great chances. But when Katniss Everdeen’s beloved sister is reaped, she knows she has to save her. So she volunteers. And so Katniss is thrust into a terrible fight, in which the only familiar face is a guy who she’s never even talked to before. This description does not do this book justice. Please read it. It’s one of the best books you will ever read. READ THE HUNGER GAMES!!!!
Warnings: Death, violence, gore, blood, romance, and a few minor curses.
Sylvie
Greenglass House
Greenglass House
Greenglass House
★★★1/2
So, this is not a book many people have heard of. I know, such contrast to the one above this! But. It is still so wonderful. It is a mystery set in a smugglers’ inn about an adopted Chinese boy and his friend Meddy, the cook’s daughter. A bunch of strange strangers stay in the inn and a bunch of strangely strange things happen. It’s so fun and so twisty and so surprising! It is perfect if you love short stories, roleplay games, and/or mysteries. It is a coming of age story, a thrilling mystery, and a curious-yet-not-very scary ghost story. I love the writing style and I wish the RPG game they play in the story really existed so I could play it. I also wish Greenglass House (the inn) existed so I could go stay at it. Milo is so similar to typical twelve-year-olds its almost eerie, but somehow that doesn’t make it boring. It makes it so wonderfully realistic! I wish I could go inside the story (at a perfectly safe time when there are no thefts and such happening) and stay there for a week, all warm and cozy and happy in Greenglass.
Warnings: Theft, Maybe a Tiny Bit of Violence, . . . . nothing else, really. It’s great for practically everyone, fourth grade and above.
Decca
Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief
Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief
Percy Jackson
★★★★ 1/2
SO. I know this like, the third of many famous books on this website, BUT they happen to be famous for a reason, so...... Let’s get started. What do you like in books? Romance? Adventure? Athletics? Humor? Animals? Mythology? Magic? Science? Well, all of that is in this book! (Except for maybe that last one..... but you should still read this book.) Just read the first paragraph of this book, and it will suck you right in. It’s so relatable, but at the same time you wish you could be in this book... I want to live at Camp Half-Blood with Annabeth and Grover and Percy! It sounds awesome! But that’s besides the point. The point is, this book is great. If you’re looking for something with wonderful plot twists but is also wonderfully funny, this book is perfect. You will never forget this book, especially if you read the other related books by Rick Riordan. Unlike a lot of the other books I have reviewed, this book is not sad. So if you’re in the mood for something nice and not sad, reading this book is a good idea. (The rest of the books are sad, though!)
Warnings: Mentions of death (or maybe real death, I forgot), violence, betrayal
Sylvie
Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
★★★★
Well. We’re here. I know you knew this was coming. You’re probably thinking ‘of course you would put this book on here! I already know people like it, duh.’ BUT. I still can’t help it. I want to talk about it. So here goes. If the first book does not make you want to read more and more, than I don’t know what to tell you. Sure, it is the definition of ‘Fantasy Cliche’ but I think we all need at least a little bit of cliche now and then, don’t you? The chosen one who discovers they have magic and go to magic school, you know where I’m going with this. But the characters. Sure, Harry gets to be a HUGE jerk in the later books, but. Ginny and Hermione and Luna and Cho and Crookshanks and many, many more are such amazing characters, I wish I could reach through the book and hug them and become their very best friend. Also, lets face it: J.K. Rowling is just a good writer. She spins her tales with such beauty and whimsy that it has bought a house in my head and hasn’t left since.
Warnings: Lots of death, lots of betrayal, lots of violence, some gore, those sorts of things. But the first three books don’t have a lot of that! (they can be kind of creepy though . . . )
Decca
A Tale of Magic
A Tale of Magic
A Tale of Magic
★★★1/2
I love this book. It’s just great. I have read it at least 5 times (I admit that’s nothing compared to some of my other books but STILL. That’s only because I often forget I own it!) This book, and the rest of the trilogy, are MAGICAL! The world building, the characters, and the plot are all pure greatness. The only thin to be said is that the age range for the first book is not quite as broad as the others; I’d say 8-12.-yearolds would enjoy it the most. But the other 2 books are a little better for older kids. But just because you are an older kid does not mean you would not enjoy this book. You almost definitely would, because Chris Colfer can do wonders with words. So read this book. If you’re still not convinced, here’s a quick summary: Brystal Evergreen lives in a world where girls are banned from reading. But Brystal loves to read. And her love of of reading leads her to discover something even more forbidden than her love of words: she’s a fairy! Despite being outlawed in the Kingdoms, though, this is a wonderful thing. Soon, she is enrolled at Madame Weatherberry’s Academy of Magic, and she learns that she is more powerful than she had ever known.
Warnings: Mentions of death, a little bit of violence, disobeying laws
Sylvie
The Land of Stories
The Land of Stories
The Land of Stories
★★★★1/2
So here we are, at yet another Chris Colfer book. Let me tell you before I really begin: this book may seem a little bit childish at first, but the writing, oh the writing. Chris Colfer is able to draw you in from the first chapter (or, in this case, the prologue) and capture your heart and never let it go. I reread this book a while ago, and I remember sitting in a hotel room before a wedding and thinking ‘This is a perfect book’ as I snuggled into those pillowy hotel comforters with a beautifully chunky book about fairy tales and became engrossed in reading. I even own ‘The Land of Stories: A Book Hugger’s Guide’ which has bonus chapters and author insight and stuff like that. I love these books so much. I really, really want to visit the Land of Stories, with its magical palaces and wonderful people and everything in between. And the characters! Alex Bailey, the heroine you see on the cover, reminds me so much of me that I wonder if maybe Chris Colfer peered into my head and stole everything to create Alex. Although he probably added that bravery on himself, seeing as I don’t have much. Anyway, I just love this book and you will too.
Warnings: Death, Kidnapping, Creepy Stuff in General
Decca
All the Wrong Questions
All the Wrong Questions
All the Wrong Questions
★★★1/2
All the Wrong Questions is a great series. It’s spine-tingling and mysterious, and you will have no idea what happens next. This first book is particularly interesting as it introduces us to the world of Lemony Snicket, the supposed author of both these books and the “A Series of Unfortunate Events” books that he is so famous for. (Also a good series!) But somehow, these books are completely different. The characters are incredible, and you will be laughing throughout this unhappy book. Somehow, for a book series with no happiness, it’s surprisingly funny. It’s also just a great read. If you’re looking for a book that you won’t get tired of while you read it, this is a good choice. It’s perfectly creepy but still rather appropriate for those of younger age while still being interesting for those who are a bit older! This book series is, simply put, interesting and great!
Warnings: Death, kidnapping, fire, violence
Sylvie
Murdle
Murdle
Murdle
★★★★
Yay! We’re here! I absolutely love Murdle. To be clear, Murdle is not your typical book. It is filled with 100 beautiful logic puzzles, the kind you’d find in a book of Perplexors. You know, the little checkboxes. But they are not your ordinary puzzles. No. They are MURDER themed! I know, what a strange thing for an eleven-year-old girl to be interested in, perhaps she should stop reading so many murder mysteries, it can’t be good for her. Well I say it is perfectly fine to be interested in murder mysteries. Anyways, I absolutely love the silly little explanations for the settings, weapons, and suspects. That is probably my favorite part. Oftentimes you will find me and a friend flipping through all the fun weapons in the book. What a strange phrase, ‘fun weapons’. They probably aren’t fun for the . . . well, you know. But they’re very silly sometimes: Attack Geese, Bent Spoons, Quasi-Perpetual Motion Machines, so on. And I absolutely love the satisfaction of flipping to the answers part of the book to see that I am correct, and it was the Duchess of Vermillion with a chainsaw at the docks to terrify the populace!
Warnings: Well, Murder. At times Very Gruesome Murder. Violence, death, blood
Decca
The Chance to Fly
The Chance to Fly
The Chance to Fly
★★★★1/2
The Chance to Fly is a heartwarming, inspiring story about a girl in a wheelchair named Nat who has just moved all the way from California to Saddle Stream, New Jersey. She’s always wanted to be in a show, so when she comes across a flyer for a Wicked production for kids her age, she can’t wait to audition! Wicked is her second favorite musical, maybe tied for first with Hamilton, and there’s even a part for a girl in a wheelchair: Nessarose. It’s perfect! But her parents are worried. They think she should just stick to wheelchair racing. Nat disagrees, though, and goes to auditions anyway behind her parents’ backs! The rest is history. And even if you’re not sold on the story, you should read this book anyway, because it is PURE GOLD. The words are heartwarming and magical! The character development is awesome! It’s a good book for theater lovers and non-theater lovers alike. And it even has a sequel! Which happens to be just as good as this one! And there might be a third book! We don’t really know! So basically, read this book and you will feel like belting out the entire Wicked soundtrack without feeling guilty.
Warnings: Fire
Sylvie
Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables
★★★★★
Ooh! Our first classic! I do love this book, and it is definitely a classic for a reason. Anne is literally maybe the best character to ever exist. If I could pick any book character to come out of the book and into this world, it would probably be Anne. She is a dreamer, a storyteller, a friend, and everything you want in a person. She is imperfect and has flaws, but somehow is still perfect in every way. Even though she only exists in the world of fiction I feel like she is already a close friend. Every book in the whole giant series is great, even if I haven’t read them all yet, I can just tell. I love every twist (except for that really sad one) every turn, and every single chapter. The little town of Avonlea where Anne lives is quaint and adorable and I just need to visit it (you actually can, its on Prince Edward Island in Canada)! I could go on and on and on forever about these beautiful books, but I will stop because I probably should and leave it at this book is wonderful, please, please read it, it is heartwarming and lovely and every single person in the ENTIRE WORLD should read it. Okay, I’m done.
Warnings: Death
Decca
Four Years Trapped in My Mind Palace
Four Years Trapped in My Mind Palace
Four Years Trapped in My Mind Palace
★★★★★
This book is probably my favorite book of all time. It’s WONDERFUL. It’s MAGICAL. It’s ENCHANTING and HEARTWARMING and SAD and INCREDIBLE and just so perfectly PERFECT nothing can ever change my opinion of it. The only reason I’m not reading it right now instead of writing this review is because 1. You need to read this book and 2. I’ve read it pretty recently and I find it hard to reread something after I’ve read it recently. Plus, it’s a great book club book, so if you’re looking for something for your book club, Four Years should be one of your options. So, basically, it’s about a guy named Aaron Greenburg, and he’s paralyzed and has been living in an old folks’ home for 4 years. His parents almost never visit him, and since he can’t change the channel on his old black-and-white TV, he’s always stuck watching the same episodes of Sesame Street over and over again. The only reason he’s still sane is because of something he calls his mind palace: a palace in his mind where he can do anything he wants. Then, one day, he gets a roommate: an old man with dementia named Solomon who plays the saxophone and can read his mind. Since he’s the first person Aaron’s been able to talk to in 4 years, they become great friends. Occasionally, though, Solomon will somehow pull Aaron into one of his dementia episodes! And get this: it’s also historic! It’s set in the late 1900s! It’s not just magical,it’s educational! The book is just magical, and this description has probably not even come close to describing how amazing this book is. Read Four Years Trapped in my Mind Palace. PLEASE!!!!!! THIS BOOK DOES NOT HAVE THE FAME IT DESERVES!!!!
Warnings: Death, dementia, romance
(P.S. Read this and one of Decca’s choice books and we will start taking book recommendations!!)
Sylvie
Wings of Fire
Wings of Fire
Wings of Fire
★★★★★
Oh. My. Goodness. I absolutely LOVE these books. They might just be some of my favorite to exist ever, they are just that good. Seriously. This is going to be one of my favorite reviews because I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THIS SERIES! Sorry. I usually try to keep the exclamation points to one per sentence but . . . . I can’t help myself. Anyway, I love dragons, and this captures the essence of my I love for them perfectly! The writing is exquisite, and whenever I’m at the library I always check the Wings of Fire shelf to see which ones I haven’t reread recently. The fourth one is sitting on my nightstand as I write this. The characters are so fun and lovable, and the romance is beautiful. This is yet ANOTHER book that I want to go inside of and vacation there every summer . . . just imagine the day after school lets out, opening a Wings of Fire book, stepping inside, and staying there until school starts up again. How wonderful it sounds. You really should read this. It is utterly and unarguably amazing. This time I am not going to threaten anyone into reading it, because I want you to read it willingly so you can truly appreciate its brilliance. So I shall offer a reward instead: Read this and one of Sylvie’s choice books and I will start taking book suggestions to review!
Warnings: Death, Gore, Violence, Fire, War, Kidnapping
Decca
Twilight
Twilight
Twilight
★★★★★
TWILIGHT IS AMAZING. There. I said it. Now I can move on to the rest of the review. So. If you like fantasy books, or romance books, or really any teen book, you probably have heard of Twilight. Maybe you’re not interested. Maybe you’ve never really thought about it before. Maybe you think you could never stoop so low as to read a ROMANCE book. EW! But let me tell you, this book is awesome. Stephanie Meyer’s writing will capture your heart from the moment you read her words. It’s not even the story that really gets me about this book, it’s the magical words. They are just wonderful. I couldn’t stop reading this book. In the words of Decca in her Harry Potter review, “this book has bought a house in my mind and hasn’t left since.” So, Twilight is about Bella Swan, a rather average girl with serious clumsiness issues. She’s living in Forks, a dreary, rainy town in Washington, with her dad, Charlie, for the summer while her mom is off with her stepdad traveling the country. At first, Bella thinks its going to be a rather boring summer, but then she meets Edward Cullen. She almost immediately falls in love. But as it turns out, Edward is a vampire, and so is the rest of his family. Yes, they love each other, but is it worth the danger? As far as Bella is concerned, yes.
Warnings: Mentions of death, violence, blood. The first book is appropriate for those 12+, and the second book is too, although there is actual death. The rest of the books are more like 14+, according to my mom...
Sylvie
A Language of Dragons
A Language of Dragons
A Language of Dragons
★★★★
This book is so good, so sad, so beautiful, and so amazing. I was laughing when I read Atlas and Viv’s notes and crying when certain characters died. I don’t think I’ll ever recover from reading it. But I also don’t regret it one bit! I loved the beautiful writing, and it reminded me a bit of the ever-wondeful Hunger Games. I love Viv and Sophie and Atlas and Ursa and Chumana and even Dr. Seymour’s little dracoval. I hate Ralph and Wyvernmire and the Dragon Queen and everyone who - whoops, let’s not spoil. Anyway, this book is a little more mature than most of the books I myself have reviewed. It’s about Hunger Games level in terms of appropriateness. I don’t really have much else to say. The best way to understand its glory is to just read it!
Warnings: Death (lots of it), Gore, Attempted Murder, Successful Murder, Fire, War, Cursing (primarily unmild), Poisoning, Fire, Abuse
Decca
Six of Crows
Six of Crows
Six of Crows
★★★★★
This is quite possibly my favorite book. Not that I could ever choose. But when asked, this is the first thing that comes to mind (probably because I’ve read it kind of recently). So I was at the library combing the shelves, yes? And I come across a kind of thick book with a crow’s wing on the cover (sound familiar?). I think ‘I’m pretty sure my brother’s read this,’ pick it up, read the bag, and ask my mom if she thinks it’s appropriate. Turns out, it was. And it was beautiful. And wonderful. And amazing. And funny. And dark. And sad. And a bunch of other things that I’m not going to name right now. But oh, oh, oh, the characters! Nina, my love, Inej, my other love, Wylan, Jesper, practically all of them! I love Nina and Inej’s relationship as friends, really good friends, and I think I might be obsessed with them. I absolutely love the plot, with its twists and turns and anti-heroes. Please read this. I love it, you will love it, it is an atrocious, horrifying idea to not read it. You’ll never know what you’ve been missing out on.
Warnings: Major Cursing (a whole lot of it), Death, Gore, Fire, Kidnapping, Theft, a lot of bad things
Decca