Tag: magic

REVIEW: More Than a Princess by E. D. Baker

REVIEW: More Than a Princess by E. D. Baker

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Princess Aislin is half fairy and half pedrasi. She may not be able to do the sorts of magic her fairy best friend Poppy can do, but her pedrasi connection to various stones gives her strength and magic all her own.

Long ago, the fairies left the human lands to live as a people set apart in their own lands protected by magic. But one day as Aislin and her friends are playing, the forest animals announce there are humans in their forest! Princess Aislin places herself in danger to save her friends. And she is “rewarded” when the human king she saves in turn take her to his kingdom.

Aislin is willing to do almost anything to keep her family and her people safe from the humans. So she endures taunts and thinly veiled insults from the nobility of Morain. But it becomes clear that the king is planning for war with another kingdom. And Aislin’s people could be caught in the middle.

Review

In the first few chapters, I was worried about keeping up with all the names and figuring out the magic of this world. But I was quickly caught up in Aislin’s story, and all the rest fell into place.

Aislin is a fantastic heroine! Smart, fiercely protective and confident. She might play things cool to gather information, but she also feels secure enough to stand up to the bullies, both adults and teens. I loved watching her fight for her people and learn what her magic could do along the way.

There’s a ton of action here. I loved the pacing of this – never too fast or too slow. And Aislin rises to each challenge she faces. Fantasy fans should be sure to check this series out.

I picked this up at the library when I was approved to review book two, Power of a Princess, which releases next week. I’ll be reviewing book 2 next week as well. Be sure to come back and see what I thought.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse by K. Eason

BONUS REVIEW: How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse by K. Eason

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DAW in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

As a baby, Rory had a naming ceremony. And, as in the long ago history of her people, the fairies arrived to bestow their gifts and blessings – kindness, beauty, harp-playing, and the ability to “know the truth when she hears it” as well as the ability to see her way out of trouble. Odd gifts for a princess in some cases, but oh, so handy for Rory’s future.

For several years, that naming ceremony was one of the more interesting stories about Rory. She was a feisty, strong-willed princess, still too young for much responsibility in the kingdom. She did occasionally hang out with visiting royalty, though, especially kids like Prince Ivar.

The Prince’s visit is where everything changed. His father was killed by one of his own servants during the visit to Rory’s world, and Rory’s father was gravely injured in the incident. It set their world on the course to war. Rory’s father dies, and her mother delivers their second child – a son – who suddenly displaces Rory as the one to inherit the throne thanks to antiquated rules of inheritance. This leaves Rory to be married off when it becomes politically useful. When that times arrives, and Rory is sent to her betrothed’s world, the political secrets and royal maneuvering kicks up to a whole new level!

Review

This is a very long book. At times, it is wordy and overly self-aware. That threatened to derail my reading and enjoyment of this. The nature of the story – the world building, character development, and the time span from Rory’s birth to the end – is part of the issue. There’s a lot to cover! I’m not sure you could split the story in any good way that would make sense. So readers need to push through. When you can get into the rhythm and style of the narrator, and can move through the first section of the book which handles most of the set up (pretty much the whole summary above), then the story picks up cohesiveness and a good pace through to the end. (FYI, this is not a “multiverse” in the sense of multiple timelines or versions of the same characters.)

Once Rory gets to Urse to wait for her impending marriage, it was easier for me to hang onto the story, and I quite enjoyed it. There’s still a good bit of character development to come for Rory and a couple of the other characters who are in the whole novel. At 16, with her magic and fairy gifts and her training, Rory becomes a fantastic, fascinating character in act 2 and beyond. I especially enjoyed Rory and her relationship with her primary guards.

There’s a good deal of suspense in the second and third acts of the story. The Regent for the “Free Worlds” is a formidable adversary. And to him, Rory is a tool – a means to an end. She has to be smart, plan five steps ahead, and use her gifts to camouflage her intentions. I really enjoyed watching her work!  Fantasy and science fiction fans – settle in for a long story. Relax through the set up and then enjoy the great conclusion!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Conceal, Don't Feel by Jen Calonita

REVIEW: Conceal, Don’t Feel by Jen Calonita

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Elsa is the 18-year-old princess of Arendelle, and she is being trained to someday take over the running of the kingdom. As an only child, there were no other kids in the castle to play with when she was growing up. She’s lonely, focused always on her studies and the work of the kingdom.

Anna is the 15-year-old adopted daughter of the village baker in Harmon, a small town up the mountain from Arendelle. She’s an energetic, talkative girl who makes amazing snowman cookies. And she longs to head to the city for an adventure. When her mom’s best friend, Freya, comes to visit every couple of months, she tells Anna about the city. At her last visit, she said it might be time for Anna to visit Arendelle and meet Freya’s husband and 18-year-old daughter.

After Elsa’s parents die in an accident, she discovers magic hidden in her hands that is leaking out because of her grief. She’s been trying to control it for a few years, but in a moment of panic before her coronation, her life and kingdom are changed forever. And while Elsa’s world is icing up and falling apart, Anna can’t help feeling like someone in Arendelle desperately needs her help.

Review

This is book 7 in the Twisted Tale series, but it’s the first one I have finished. The story is maybe 75-80% the original Frozen movie. But one moment in the story, one thread of the tale, is changed. That leads to a small set of changes in how and where the girls are raised. That in turn changes how Kristoff, Olaf, and Prince Hans figure into the story.

I enjoyed this version of the story. I’m not sure it fundamentally changes anything. The twist doesn’t have any impact on Hans or Kristoff of course, so their characters are consistent with the movie. I don’t feel like I walked away from this book with new insights into the characters or Elsa’s magic. Frankly, I think the movie is stronger in the ways it addresses the emotions of the conflict – Elsa’s trapped feelings, her struggle for control, Anna’s desperation to help her sister, etc. This may present a stronger case than the movie for how essential Anna is to Elsa and to her control of her magic.

Fans of Frozen may enjoy spending time with the characters again or debating the merits of each version of Elsa’s story – I did. But readers looking for NEW content about Elsa and Anna, or new dimensions to their relationship might be disappointed. It seems like the folks at Disney didn’t give the author a lot of wiggle room to change the movie plot in any significant way. Readers might instead find something new to enjoy in some of the Frozen II books that released earlier this month.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Friend or Fiction? by Abby Cooper

REVIEW: Friend or Fiction? by Abby Cooper

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Charlesbridge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Life was weird in Tiveda, Colorado. It was a small town, and no one every stayed there long. People there were generally passing through on their way somewhere else. For Jade, Tiveda was extra weird because her family was sticking around. That wasn’t the plan at first, but her dad’s been way too sick to move away, find new doctors, etc. And while she stays, her friends tend to come and go.

Until Zoe.

Zoe is a character Jade created. Jade’s a writer. And she writes stories about a fictional Jade and her best friend Zoe. All of the stories fit in a notebook that Jade takes everywhere so she always has Zoe with her. She can add to their adventures any time, which comes in handy when you don’t have a best friend at school any more. And Jade’s dad loves to hear any new Zoe story she writes.

When a kid named Clue takes Jade’s notebook for a “project,” she is beside herself. What dose she even do without Zoe? But the project seems to be a success because Zoe – Jade’s made up Zoe – has come to life, and she’s is living across the street from Jade and going to her school!

Review

This was great. There’s a touch of magic to the story that brings Zoe to life. But the rest is a realistic story about friendship, family and writing. And it all comes together so well.

I loved the revelations Jade encounters in the last part of the book – about her brother, about Zoe, about the kids at school, about storytelling, and about herself. There’s so much here, and it’s all so rich. Jade grows and changes so much from the start of the novel to the end. It’s a fantastic journey.

This would be great for classroom reading or a book group. This fits in the “older middle grade” category, for kids 10 and up. There are tons of friendship pieces to talk about, but so much more – cancer, grief, isolation, family. There are great pieces about writing and writers in this, too, that could have classroom connections. The fact that Jade is a writer, that she connects with a teacher at school who encourages her writing, and her dad’s enthusiasm about her stories – those were some of my favorite parts of the book. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

REVIEW: Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Marvel Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Loki knows he doesn’t fit in in Asgard. He might be a prince, but Asgardians are warriors, not sorcerers.

Odin has a royal sorceress, Karnilla, Queen of Norns. Even though she is training an apprentice, Amora, she is officially the only magic-wielder for Odin’s court. Even Odin’s wife, Frigga, mostly kept her magic small and to herself.

In Amora, Loki found a peer. They did magic together and understood each other. (And he thought she had the most magnificent high heeled boots!) But an act of magic – desperation on Loki’s part – left a magical artifact destroyed and Amora banished to Midgard where her magic would dry up completely. And Loki was left in Asgard, without the one friend who understood him and with Odin’s constant disapproval, living in Thor’s everpresent shadow.

Years later, after a disastrous diplomatic mission, Loki himself is sent to Midgard. It’s supposed to be an important task for Odin, but Loki knows when he is being dumped somewhere. Something magical, though, is going on on Midgard, a place where there should be no magic. People are dying. This is Loki’s chance to redeem himself by helping some allies look into these deaths in 19th century London.

Review

I wanted to love this. I love the MCU version of Loki played by Tom Hiddleston. And there are some great moments early in the book where I could “hear” that Loki. It’s mostly in the interplay with Thor. But that’s lost in the second part of the book when those characters aren’t together.

Fans were promised a Loki from the comics in terms of sexuality. And it’s here. This Loki is genderfluid (although that’s mostly stated in a single line in the book). He also kisses both a male character and a female character in the book. This sexuality piece, though, wasn’t a huge part of the story, so it felt “there” rather than integrated. Readers who have strong feelings about this aspect of the character’s history will have a better take on this than me. For me, it felt tacked on, but with no emotional weight or punch.

I think antiheroes must be hard to write. A character like Loki is beloved, but he isn’t the hero. And as a young man here, part of Loki WANTS to be the hero. He wants to earn real praise from Odin. He wants the choice of successor to at least demand some thought and debate. This could have been a much stronger exploration of identity; I would have loved that. But it never went as far in that direction as I wanted.

I wanted to get to the end of the book and believe it couldn’t have worked out any other way – that Loki HAD to give in to his darker side and become the villain. But I didn’t feel the story here was compelling on that piece. There’s more “I’m a trickster, I guess I have to just lean all the way in” than circumstances that drive him there. There’s a bit of the Odin situation that didn’t leave Loki some of the options he wants, but he lets that eliminate everything else, too. I was disappointed by this. If this piece had been stronger, I would have liked the book a lot more.

The story was solid. I had plenty of questions so I kept turning pages, waiting for it all to become clear. And it did. It was more violent and gruesome in parts than I generally prefer. But none of the story grabbed me emotionally. I wasn’t in suspense or connected to any character other than Loki for the Earth-bound portions of the book. It was fine but it wasn’t fantastic. I wanted fantastic.

Fans of the character should check this out for themselves and see what they think. And readers who enjoy historical fiction might enjoy that angle on the story as well. (Violence; some language; some horror features – zombies; LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

REVIEW: The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Aladdin in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Founder’s Bluff’s history centers around the Kramer family – and witches. Judge Nathaniel Kramer led the settlers who founded Founder’s Bluff. And he led the witch hunt against a group of women who were seen as outsiders.

Turns out the women were witches. And they ran and hid as long as they could. But they eventually called on the goddess Hecate to help them find a safe haven where they could live free.

Moth Hush is a middle school student studying the history of Founder’s Bluff. On Halloween, she even dresses as a witch. But in a fit of anger after abuse by the usual bullies, something strange and magical happens.

What is Moth’s connection to the history of Founder’s Bluff and the witches who once lived there?

Review

This is a rich graphic novel that is a fantasy, but also an exploration of legacy, belonging, and identity. And I really enjoyed it!

Early on the book is all about the history of Founder’s Bluff, Moth’s questions, and her mom, Calendula. And that was fine. But as the story developed and we learned about Calendula’s life, it really grabbed my attention. Calendula longed for her own place – her own story and identity outside of magic. At the same time, Moth is longing for those things, also, but she wants the magic, too. It was fascinating!

If the story was just about Moth and magic, it would have been solid. But these deeper, richer themes really brought this up to the next level for me. Fantasy fans should be sure to check this one out! (Magic elements – witches, goddesses, spells, familiars, ghosts)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye

REVIEW: Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The Kingdom of Kichona is a tiger-shaped island in the sea, ruled by Empress Aki. Aki and her twin brother, Gin, battled for the throne in what is now called the Blood Rift. Prince Gin followed a cult that inspired his bloodthirsty quest for conquest. He was defeated, but only after great loss of life, including all of the younger children set apart to be the future magical guardians of Kichona, the Taiga.

Sora lost her little sister, Hana, in the Blood Rift. And it haunted her. But her mother encouraged her to channel those feelings to help her be the best Taiga she could be. Together with her partner Daemon and their best friends, Sora operated under the mantra, “Work hard. Mischief harder.” But in memory of Hana, Sora would try to be more disciplined.

On their first Taiga mission, Sora and Daemon observe a strange group in a remote part of Kichona. They seem to have strange magic – and a disturbing leader. But when none of the Taiga leadership believes them, Sora and Daemon sneak off on their own to track the strangers and protect Kichona.

Review

This was spectacular! I immediately clicked with Sora. She’s smart, clever and determined, but also irreverent. Her peers love her. Her teachers grow weary of her antics. And that leads to some of the mistrust Sora receives when she tries to alert them to danger. It’s a little like the boy who cried wolf.

The fantasy world is fantastic! The magic was intriguing, and the strangers are quite formidable. It all made for an engrossing story. The short chapters helped build even more urgency to the story. And some great twists – both some I figured out on my own and others that were total surprises – tied this up beautifully into an unpredictable story.

I can’t recommend this highly enough to fans of fantasy novels. The storytelling is top notch, as is the world the author has developed. I’m sure I’ll have to wait a year for the sequel, but it is already on my 2020 Must Read list. Don’t miss this one! (Language, violence, attempted assault)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Twinchantment by Elise Allen

REVIEW: Twinchantment by Elise Allen

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

In the kingdom of Kaloon, magic was outlawed during the reign of King Lamar. Only the Keepers of the Light could use magic in the kingdom. Anyone – or anything – considered magic was banished to the Twists, a magical prison. This included people who did magic, black cats, anyone who was left-handed and twins.

This was all thanks to a dark magician Maldevon who betrayed King Lamar and killed the entire royal family except for the king and his son, Prince Alistair. The king was rescued by a mage named Grosselor who became the leader of the Keepers of the Light. Grosselor and the Keepers kept the kingdom safe for years.

King Edwin, Lamar’s great-great-grandson was the next king who had to deal with an attack. Queen Latonya was pregnant with their first child, and the court jester Gilward attacked her with a green mist. But the queen – and Princess Flissara – were thankfully fine.

Only four people know the truth. The queen delivered twin girls that night, Flissa and Sara. No one was certain what the Keepers would do about a royal set of twins. So the two girls take turns being Princess Flissara, working hard to deal with the strengths and weaknesses of one another.

When the queen is attacked a second time, just before the girls’ twelfth birthday and Ascension Day, the girls believe Gilward has escaped the Twists to curse the queen again and must be hiding back in the Twists, biding his time until the queen is dead. With time running out to save their mother, Flissa and Sara will take on the dangers of the Twists with Gilward’s own son helping to track the mage/jester down. Gilward is their only hope to save the queen.

Review

This was fun! Be sure to look closely at that cover – isn’t it gorgeous?!! It’s a terrific representation of this fun tale. I enjoyed Sara and Flissa and the rest of their traveling companions. The split perspective storytelling was perfect for showing how the girls were wrestling with their identity on an adventure when they didn’t have to hide and pretend to be one person.

The magical world was interesting, too. The girls question everything they have been taught about their kingdom once they are actually out of the castle and seeing the reality of things. They have to face the contradicting stories of their history – something that will continue to be addressed in future books.

I wish this book had existed when I was teaching. I had several students who wanted “brown kid books,” but so many of their choices were what I would call issue books. If there were Black characters, the book was often about racial issues. Those books are usually excellent, and serve a purpose. But sometimes a kid just wants to read a friendship story or an adventure that stars a kid who looks like them. While this book stars two Black girls, their race has nothing to do with the story. It’s just an element in their character description. Not only is it a fun fantasy story, but it adds this diversity piece that is so needed. Be sure to add this one to your home or classroom library!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep

BONUS REVIEW: Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lady Everleigh has lived at Seven Spire palace since her parents were killed when she was a girl. As 17th in line for the throne – and a “mutt” with barely any magic – her life at the palace was less than spectacular. Queen Cordelia tolerated her. She sent Everleigh to any event where a royal was required, but none really wanted to attend. If there was a crummy task to dump on someone – like making 13 pies for a luncheon – it was dumped on Everleigh.

The crown princess was even worse. Vasilia was hot and cold to Everleigh. She ignored her or looked down on her as less than dirt, unless she could humiliate her instead. At 27, Lady Everleigh is ready to leave palace life behind, return to her family home, and live her own life.

She hopes to approach Queen Cordelia about that plan at the luncheon. But Vasilia launches a murderous attack on every other member of the royal line, and Everleigh barely escapes with her life. If Vasilia finds out she’s alive, she will destroy Everleigh in the most brutal way possible. Especially as Everleigh is one of the few who can tell what really happened the day of the massacre.

Review

This was AMAZING! I loved everything about this. The characters, the world building, the story. It was all a perfect fit for me! It is my favorite book that I read in 2018.

While the reader knows from the book summary that the massacre is coming, the build up is slow and deliberate. The author doles out great details about the characters at Seven Spire and the worlds of politics and magic so that when the action kicks up, you already have a good handle on the situation and you care about the people.

But at the same time, the author doesn’t tell everything. There are great details sprinkled throughout the whole book – and some questions are still unanswered at the end to drive readers to book 2 (Protect the Prince – summer 2019).

The magical world in this was fascinating. I loved Everleigh from the start, and the friends she makes along the journey are terrific. I’m a huge fan of displaced royalty sorts of stories, and this is the epitome of everything I love about them. I can’t wait to read more! Highly recommend! (Some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: DC Super Hero Girls Graphic Novels by Shea Fontana

REVIEW: DC Super Hero Girls Graphic Novels by Shea Fontana

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of both of these books from Netgalley and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

DC Super Hero Girls Out of the Bottle – Summary

Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Supergirl and Katana are in the art room at Super Hero High working on their comics project. Katana’s is one of the best their teacher has ever seen, but Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn are struggling with theirs. While Wonder Woman checks out Supergirl’s project, Harley decides to try their teacher’s “magic paint” on her own.

When Katana checks on Wonder Woman’s project in order to encourage her friend, one of Harley’s drawings has moved from her project onto Wonder Woman’s. And the comic version of Harley is only interested in causing trouble. Soon she is off the pages all together and hassling the heroes face to face. Then she sets all of their comic characters free, too – and they all become villains.

Review

This is a fun addition to the Super Hero High graphic novel collection. It was the sixth book in the series so far (although in some places it is marked as book 5), after Date with Disaster and before Search for Atlantis. The story for this one is delightfully wacky, which fits the focus on Harley, with more chaos in every chapter, especially when the art teacher gives in to her dark side. The solution to the runaway comic characters is a little cheesy, but I think kids will get a kick out of it (although it may elicit some groans). The story takes a serious turn at the end when the characters talk about anger management, mental health, and therapy. This seems like a great message for the audience – it’s okay to need help and to get help!

These are fun characters, familiar in a lot of ways but still growing up, learning about friendship, and gaining confidence in themselves and their gifts. This particular book had some nice moments celebrating creativity along with the usual friendship and teamwork themes. Fans of this series will gobble up this story.

This is a lighter, sillier version of the characters in Lisa Yee’s middle grade novels. One series or the other (or in my case, both!) will appeal to superhero fans in general as well as fans of these particular heroes.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

DC Super Hero Girls Search for Atlantis – Summary

Mera has arrived from Atlantis to go to Super Hero High. Wonder Woman offers to help her get settled in. The two become friends, leaving Bumblebee feeling left out. Mr. Fox, the weaponomics teacher, leads the heroes on a field trip to Atlantis. But after a battle with a giant squid the group discovers Atlantis has gone missing! It is a lost city once again.

The kids discover Brainiac has shrunken the city and keeps it on his ship. Their elaborate plan to rescue Atlantis requires Miss Martian to impersonate a criminal; the Teen Titans to back her up; and Bumblebee, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Mera to shrink down and wait in a fake miniature city until Miss Martian’s team sells it to Brainiac. What could possibly go wrong?!

Review

This series just gets better and better! I loved this story. It’s intricate with lots of suspense and conflict in each chapter. The characters are smart and play off one another in familiar ways (the Teen Titans are a great example). I loved the emphasis on Bumblebee, Raven and Miss Martian in this story. I know Raven from a few episodes of Teen Titans Go! and Miss Martian from Young Justice. I enjoy both of those characters a lot, so I loved seeing them get a lot of focus in this story. The author does a great job with these characters as well as with Bumblebee’s angst and jealousy over Wonder Woman’s friendship with Mera.

In the midst of superhero powers and super villain schemes, there’s a very relate-able friendship crisis that plays out through the larger Atlantis/Brainiac story that’s fantastic! Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥