Harry Potter, 1-4

(okay, so this is books 1-6 but whatevs. Just though we would enjoy some different covers for a change)

10 Stars

Okay, I usually don't give anything 10 stars, but I've been listening to the Harry Potter books as I work around the house and I may be a bit prejudiced. If I were to grade each book individually, I would have different stars though. For example, Book Two would be more like a 7 - it's always been my least favorite. Book Three would get a 9, and so on. But as the whole, the series gets a round 10. I'm excited to listen to the Fifth and Sixth again since I only read them once when they came out and hardly remember anything about them. What do you all think of the Harry Potter books?

Chalice by Robin McKinley

8 Stars

"As the newly appointed Chalice, Mirasol is the most important member of the Master’s Circle. It is her duty to bind the Circle, the land, and its people together with their new Master. But the new Master of Willowlands is a Priest of Fire, only drawn back into the human world by the sudden death of his brother. No one knows if it is even possible for him to live amongst his people. Mirasol wants the Master to have his chance, but her only training is as a beekeeper. How can she help settle their demesne during these troubled times and bind it to a Priest of Fire, the touch of whose hand can burn human flesh to the bone?" (Taken from this site.)

This is probably the best new fantasy I have read in a LONG time. It is imaginative, thought-provoking, and heartfelt. It is also full of McKinley's organically lyrical writing and avid descriptions. I would happily live in this world she's created, and can readily identify with several of the characters, though we have few life experiences in common. The only reason I gave it 8 instead of 9 stars is because there is no direct timeline, so it's a little confusing to get into at first. Eventually, I appreciated the flow this gave the book, but I recognize it could be off-putting to readers. And, as with all of McKinley's books, I felt it just the tiniest bit lacking in the "ending" department; but I would readily read it again, and only hope that the somewhat open-ending will encourage her to write more in this setting!

Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits by Peter Dickinson and Robin McKinley

7 Stars

"Master storytellers Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson share tales of mysterious merfolk and magical humans, all with close ties to the element of water. From Pitiable Nasmith's miserable existence in a seaside town whose inhabitants are more intertwined with the sea than most people know, to Tamia's surprising summons to be the apprentice to the Guardian who has the power to hold back the sea, each of the six stories illuminates a captivating world filled with adventure, romance, intrigue, and enchantment." (Taken from this site.)

As with all short story collections, this one jumps from world to world, keeping the reader guessing from one tale to the next. But, I found myself not only enjoying each tale, but eager to see what the next would bring. Each story is well-written, interesting, and creative and focused on a different aspect of this particular element. I don't know that I'll pick it up again soon, but I will definitely be seeking out the other titles in the series! (And, yes, Trina Schart Hyman DID illustrate the cover, why do you ask?)

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

5 Stars

Summary: "Elizabeth has a new job at an unusual library— a lending library of objects, not books. In a secret room in the basement lies the Grimm Collection. That's where the librarians lock away powerful items straight out of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales: seven-league boots, a table that produces a feast at the blink of an eye, Snow White's stepmother's sinister mirror that talks in riddles.

When the magical objects start to disappear, Elizabeth embarks on a dangerous quest to catch the thief before she can be accused of the crime—or captured by the thief." (taken from GoodReads)

Review: I liked this book well enough. I thought the premise was intriguing (who doesn't want to visit a library full of objects instead of books?!) but I wasn't really able to connect with the characters. It had potential but kind of fizzled out a bit. However, it kept me interested enough to finish it so it was worth one read I suppose.

Apology

Ok, so this is not a book review but an apology. I'm sorry that I have not reviewed any books since September. That is mostly because I have not read any books since September. I have started several but because I haven't finished them I don't feel qualified to review them. However, I will mention them here:

Ok, so I probably read most of this to qualify for reviewing it. However, I haven't read too many birthing books so I can't really judge it against others. But I found it very informative and much easier to read that some others I've been browsing through.



Notice a trend here? This one was very interesting as well as informative. It started out with stories of women and their labor experiences then it went into more of a guide format. Some parts were a little foreign to me but I much enjoyed it.



I actually didn't get too far in to this one. It was recommended to me by a friend and I have heard elsewhere that it is a good read. I found it humorous in a sort of Jane Austin type way and I would like to finish it someday. However, I started reading it right when the holidays came around and that combined with the fact that it is almost 800 pages long. As a reader, I know this should not be daunting, but whatever. I have a life.

As to my last statement of having a life, I may counteract that by putting this book on here. I just got this over the weekend and I absolutely love it. As the title suggests, this is a book about the lands of the Book of Mormon. I realize that this can sometimes be a controversial topic as the geography is obviously not as important as the theology of this book of scripture. However, this is a subject that fascinates me and of which I am very passionate about. In fact, it is this very subject that inspired me to pursue a degree in archaeology in the first place. Therefore, I have found it to be a delightful read.

Like I said, I have not finished any of this books so these reviews are just partial. However, I have read one book cover to cover since September so I will be posting about that soon.

Gossamer by Lois Lowry

7 Stars

"Where do dreams come from? What stealthy nighttime messengers are the guardians of our most deeply hidden hopes and our half-forgotten fears? Drawing on her rich imagination, two-time Newbery Medal winner Lois Lowry confronts these questions and explores the conflicts between the gentle bits and pieces of the past that come to life in dream and the darker horrors that find their form in nightmare. In a haunting story that tiptoes between reality and imagination, two people--a lonely, sensitive woman and a damaged, angry boy--face their own histories and discover what they can be to each other, renewed by the strength that comes from a tiny, caring creature they will never see." (Taken from inside cover.)

This was a very imaginative, if very brief, read. The concept of tiny fairy-like people bestowing dreams--as well as their awful, sweating and snorting counterparts, the Sinisteeds, who inflict nightmares--was very unique. And Lowry's treatment of it, if a tad over-simplistic, is interesting. This is a book that I would feel comfortable recommending to a fairly young audience (as young as 8, I think), though there are some intense references to a physically abusive husband/father. It is a simple book, but I have to admit that I totally cried in a couple of spots.

The Book of Dragons by E. Nesbit

8 Stars

"Who doesn't love dragons? In this exciting collection, E. Nesbit unleashes a flock of these mysterious, wild, and unpredictable creatures. Here you will meet a dragon who flies out of an enchanted book and swallows an entire soccer team; two children who try to wake St. George while dragons of all shapes and sizes descend on England; and wicked Prince Tiresome, who trades half his kingdom with a pigkeeper to catch a raging dragon. ... Featuring eight of E. Nesbit's best stories, ... [The Book of Dragons] returns...to delight and enchant a new generation of readers." (Taken from the inside cover.)

I happened across this apparently classic children's literature in the same secluded corner as Pat O'Shea's, The Hounds of the Mórrígan. And I have to say, Edith Nesbit's stories are just plain fun! They are each very unique, and while I liked some more than others, the collection feels complete in a way that a lot of short story books just don't. Her writing style reminds me very much of A. A. Milne's (she was British and wrote around the turn-of-the-century), especially in her ability to draw in the young reader with innocent humor. Her characters are delightful (bad and good are both lots of fun), and the book as a whole probably only took about two days to get through (at a VERY leisurely pace). I would definitely recommend this to anyone that likes imaginative fantasy with a "folk tale" feel. (I might recommend reading the last story first, though, as it was probably my least favorite in the collection. It left me feeling slightly less satisfied than many of the others. Still worth a read, but I would save one of the others for last, personally.)

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

9 stars

Plot from amazon.com:
To keep a treaty made long ago, the king of Idris must send his daughter to marry Susebron, the God King of Hallandren. Loath to part with his eldest daughter, Vivenna, King Dedelin instead sends his youngest daughter, tomboyish 17-year-old Siri, who struggles to make sense of the schemers and spies in Susebron's court. Hoping to rescue her sister, Vivenna joins a group of Idrian operatives with questionable motives. As Vivenna comes to terms with her magical abilities, resurrected hero Lightsong questions the role of the undead Returned Gods, who command Hallandren's mighty army of zombie soldiers.

Warbreaker is a truly unique fantasy novel. Within these pages you won't find any fireballs, wizards, elves, or the like. Instead, you will find a system of magic based on color and Breath, a new world that includes men who die and come back to life as Gods, clothes that move as if alive, a religion that fears color, and many other unique and intriguing surprises.

Perhaps the highest praise I can give to Warbreaker is that I was truly surprised by some of the plot twists. I don't know about you, but sometimes books, especially fantasy books, are all too predictable. I didn't have this problem with Warbreaker. Once or twice there were true “huwhaaaaaaat!?!?!?!?!?!?” moments. The characters within Warbreaker are unique, complex, and believable, as is the world they live in. Finally, there were moments that made me laugh out loud. I'm usually not a laugh-while-reading kind of person, so this too is high praise.

Anyone who loves fantasy =needs to read Brandon Sanderson. In addition to Warbreaker, Sanderson has also written The Mistborn Trilogy and Elantris, which I also greatly enjoyed. I happen to own The Mistborn Trilogy and Elantris and anyone who wants to can borrow them.