Early Book Review: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Book Review: Becoming Crone (The Crone Wars) by Lydia M. Hawke
Early Book Review: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Book Review: Dreams Factory by Jerome Hamon, Suheb Zako, and Lena Sayaphoum
Book Review: Final Heir (Jane Yellowrock) by Faith Hunter
Audiobook Review: Relatively Normal Secrets by C.W. Allen, Narrated by Ivy Tara Blair
Book Review: Sorceline by Sylvia Douyé, Paola Antista
Sorceline, written by Sylvia Douyé and illustrated by Paola Antista, is a middle grade graphic novel that is the first in a series. Welcome to the Island of Vorn, where mythical creatures roam free and only the brightest students are invited to study them. For as long as she can remember, Sorceline has had a knack for the study of mythical creatures. Now a student at Professor Archibald Balzar’s prestigious school of cryptozoology, she’s eager to test her skills and earn a spot as one of Balzar’s apprentices. But for all her knowledge of gorgons, vampires, and griffins, Sorceline is mystified by her fellow humans. While she excels in her studies, she quickly clashes with her classmates, revealing her fiery temper. When one of her rivals suddenly disappears, Sorceline must set aside her anger and join the quest to find her. But the mystery only deepens, leading Sorceline on a journey far darker and more personal than she expected.
Early Book Review: The Midnight Orchestra (The Mystwick School of Musicraft) by Jessica Khoury
Book Review: Book of Night by Holly Black
Early Book Review: The Doors to Nowhere (Secrets of Camp Whatever) by Chris
The Doors to Nowhere is the second volume of the Secrets of Camp Whatever graphic novel series by Chris Grine. It is currently scheduled for release on May 3 2022. I do recommend reading the series in order to have the full backstory and understand who and what the characters are.
When twelve-year-old Willow went to her weird new town's even weirder summer camp, she didn't expect to get caught up in an ancient mystery involving forest-dwelling vampires, living garden gnomes, and other completely bonkers creatures most people would never believe exist. Now she's not only involved, she's marked—too close to the heart of an ages-old quest for power and control than she should be, and too concerned about her new friends and the dangers they face to let them go it alone. With the help of a spell book and her scrappy crew of camp friends, Willow is about to step through a doorway to magic and discovery that will change her world forever.
The Doors to Nowhere is another well written and skillfully drawn graphic novel for the middle grade and older set. I liked the continuation of the story and how the characters continue to grow as individuals and as part of a friend group. I liked the art style and found the expressiveness of character faces to be on point throughout the book. I thought the reminders of past adventures was well done, reminding readers of important moments without covering too much of the same ground. My only complaint is that I wanted more. The story had a satisfying resolution, with plenty of foreshadowing for further adventures, but it just felt like it was over far to quickly so I went back and enjoyed some of my favorite moments again. I am eager to see where the story goes from here.
The Doors to Nowhere is a great follow up to the first installment, and I look forward to reading what happens next.
Early Book Review: When a Princess Proposes (Embraced by Magic) by Kerrelyn Sparks
Book Review: What the Fang? (Undead Ever After) by Stacey Kennedy
Book Review: Accidental Magic (Myrtlewood Mysteries) by Iris Beaglehole
Early Book Review: Peach and the Isle of Monsters by Franco Aureliani, Agnes Garbowska
Early Book Review: Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu, Teny Issakhanian
Wingbearer is a beautifully drawn and colored graphic novel with fantastic writing. I was engaged in the story from the very beginning, ad my only complaint is that now I have to try and wait patiently for the next installment. Zuli and the the characters that she meets on her journey are well written and complex, with very few good/evil absolutes. The world building, as revealed through the characters and their interactions, was very well done. I feel like I have a reasonable grasp of the important aspects of the world, and never felt like there was an info dump. It was reveals as things became important in a way that really made sense and felt natural. Although, I will admit that I saw the big reveal (not telling), or something very close to it coming on a couple levels. However, I think the way it was done was smart and will keep readers hooked and invested in continuing the series. I think this series will be a new favorite for a wide range of readers and I look forward to seeing what happens next.
Wingbearer is a wonderful start to a new series. I look forward to reading what comes next.
Book Review: The Immortal (Rise of the Warlords) by Gena Showalter
Book Review: Scales and Sensibility (Regency Dragons) by Stephanie Burgis
Scales and Sensibility is the first book in the Regency Dragons series by Stephanie Burgis. Sensible, practical Elinor Tregarth really did plan to be the model poor relation when she moved into her aunt and uncle's house. She certainly never meant to kidnap her awful cousin Penelope's pet dragon. She never expected to fall in love with the shameless - but surprisingly sweet - fortune hunter who came to court Penelope, either. And she never dreamed that she would have to enter into an outrageous magical charade to save her younger sisters' futures. However, even the most brilliant scholars of 1817 England still haven't ferreted out all the lurking secrets of rediscovered dragonkind, and even the most sensible of heroines can still make a reckless wish or two when she's pushed. Now Elinor will have to find out just how rash and resourceful she can be when she sets aside all common sense. Maybe, just maybe, she'll even be impractical enough to win her own true love and a happily ever after, with the unpredictable and dangerous "help" of the magical creature who has adopted her.
Book Review: Heroes (Royal Academy Rebels) by Jen Calonita
Princess Devin didn't come to Royal Academy for fame, glory, or a crown. All she's ever wanted is to be a Magical Creature Caretaker. Just when Devin gets up the courage to ask about following her passion, disaster strikes. The evil Rumplestiltskin and Alva cast a curse that nearly destroys Enchantasia, a new villain is on the rise, and the students of Royal Academy find they now have to share their castle with the delinquents from the notorious Fairy Tale Reform School.Devin feels stuck—how can she think about going her own way when her kingdom clearly needs her now more than ever?
Heroes is an entertaining and engaging read, and a wonderful addition to the series. Devin is still trying to find her way to being an animal caretaker, but the world still seems to be in danger and everything seems to be problematic. She does not know who to trust, including herself. I liked that she has some serious character development in this book, even if she really frustrated me at many, many points in the story. I enjoyed getting to see Anna and Tara more in this book, but would have enjoyed more character development or depth from the rest of the group. I thought the mystery and danger aspects were well done, and thought there were some surprises in play, for instance some that I thought would be involved with the big bad were not, and some that I did not suspect at all were. I liked the way the story and world were build and grew. I think fans of the two series thus far will need to read this, and that this series might just be a favorite for a large group of middle grade and teen readers.
Heroes is another great installment to the series and world that Calonita has created. I hope to revisit this world and its characters again soon.