Review: The Worst Witch

Title: The Worst Witch (Worst Witch #1)
Author: Jill Murphy
Publisher: Puffin Books
Publication Date: 1974
Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy

Mildred Hubble attends Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches and is probably the worst student the school has ever seen. Mildred seems to be always getting into trouble. Whether it’s potions, spells or broomstick riding, she can’t seem to do anything right. When Mildred’s class does a display for this years Halloween celebrations, Mildred finds herself at blame when their presentations turns into a disaster. How will Mildred ever earn her Witches Higher Certificate when she is the worst witch to ever attend Miss Cackle’s Academy? When a group of evil witches conspire to take over the school, Mildred might be the only one able to save the school.

The Worst Witch was a television show when I was younger, and I never had any idea that it was based on a book. I thought this would be a good read for Halloween, which it definitely was. It was a cute, simple story about a clumsy girl who attends a boarding school for witches. It was a quick and entertaining read that I would have loved when I was younger. You can’t help but love disaster prone Mildred, Maude, Miss Cackle and even the strict Miss Hardbroom. The illustrations were very sweet and added a lot to the book as a whole. It’s easy to compare this to another book about a magic boarding school, but I don’t think this would have such a wide appeal as Harry Potter. I think The Worst Witch is mainly for children, and doesn’t have the same complexity as J.K. Rowling’s books. I loved the simplicity of The Worst Witch, and I think it would be a great book for children this Halloween.

4/5

In My Mailbox (11)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, in which book bloggers post about the books they've bought, borrowed or received in the past week.

Happy Halloween! It would be cool if my books this week were relevant to the holiday, but they're not. Instead, this week seems to be sequel week. I read The Maze Runner in August and I'm really looking forward to The Scorch Trials, the next in the series by James Dashner. I also picked up Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World by Bryan Lee O'Malley. I read it on Friday and I need to write the review soon. Any book that includes a fight inside the Toronto Reference Library is my kind of book. 

The picture above was taken in the little graveyard we made in our front yard for Halloween. It's a strange graveyard that includes a homemade guillotine. This year I'm dressing up as the (current) Doctor from Doctor Who. 

What was in your mailbox this week? 

Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Title: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Author: Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Publisher: Quirk Classics
Publication Date: April 4th, 2009
Genre: Fiction, Horror

When England is stricken by a zombie plague, Mr. Bennet puts all of his energy into training his five daughters in the deadly arts so that they can fight the Unmentionables. His wife, however, is only concerned with finding suitable husbands for the girls. When Netherfield Park is let by the handsome Mr. Bingley, she hopes that he will marry one of the Bennet girls. While Bingley takes to Jane Bennet at once, his friend Mr. Darcy slights Elizabeth. Since the Bennet estate is entailed to the closest male heir, a distant cousin, it is important that the girls marry well. But how will the ever be able to find suitable husbands when they are can’t leave their house without being attacked by zombies?

I should start by saying that Pride and Prejudice is one of my favourite books of all time. My Mom is a huge Jane Austen fan and I don’t remember not loving P&P. I was obsessed with the BBC Pride and Prejudice when I was about five or so and used to act out the wedding scene with my dolls. I first actually read the book about ten years ago, and I pretty much grew up with Pride and Prejudice. Despite that, I was surprisingly open minded about mixing Jane Austen’s classic with zombies. It’s definitely an original idea, and I thought it could be quite funny. Although there were funny parts, it was usually because everything was just so ridiculous. You would assume that a book about zombies would be exciting, but this book became boring a few chapters in. It wasn’t scary or suspenseful, and the zombies just felt like an annoyance rather than something life threatening. The zombies were added to the story with few changes to the plot, and I think it would have worked better if more alterations to the original story were made. Some of the changes didn’t make sense to me. Considering the circumstances, why would Charlotte Lucas choose to marry Mr. Collins and leave her family and friends? Although there were very few differences in the actual plot, Elizabeth was a completely different character. Instead of the witty and charming Elizabeth I love, Grahame-Smith’s heroine is bloodthirsty and often rude and cruel hearted. I don’t think that the writer did a good job of imitating Austen, and he often over explained things. Although this was a dumb-downed version of the original, I somehow found it harder to get through. It only made me want to re-read Pride and Prejudice.

Overall, not sure I’d recommend this one. If you have already read and loved Pride and Prejudice, I’d say you would be smart to skip its zombie parody. It would have been better if more changes were made to the plot. However, the idea was very clever and I’d have to give Grahame-Smith 5/5 for originality. But as a whole, I was disappointed.

2/5

“The business of Mr. Bennett’s life was to keep his daughters alive. The business of Mrs. Bennett’s was to get them married.”

Review: Vampire Academy

Title: Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1)
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: August 16th, 2007
Genre: YA, Paranormal Fantasy

When Rose and Lissa return to St. Vladimir’s Academy, they are the talk of the school. Although St. Vladmir’s may seem like an average high school, it is actually a boarding school for vampires. While Lissa is a vampire with distinct powers, Rose is half human and must train to become a bodyguard for a vampire like Lissa. Rose happens to share a rare and special bond with her best friend, and intends on doing anything to protect Lissa. But the girls are more in danger at St. Vladimir’s than they ever were on their own. The Strigoi, a vicious breed of vampires, are out to get Lissa. When Lissa’s special abilities might put her at risk, Rose will have to be the one to protect her friend.

This was recommended to me by an anonymous follower, and I’m very grateful for the recommendation! I never would have read this on my own, based on the title, the cover and the genre. Which shows you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, sine Vampire Academy was quite good. A lot of people who do not normally read vampire sagas enjoy this book, and I can see why. I liked how St. Vladimir’s felt like a normal high school: it had the drama, the mean girls and the parties. That aspect of the book was a lot of fun and made it feel real. The vampire lore was intriguing and worked well as the backbone of the novel. The plot was well paced and I loved how the author held back information to keep suspense. I managed to guess who was after Lissa, but there were some things that I didn’t see coming. Initially, I thought I was going to prefer Rose to Lissa. Lissa just seemed so submissive, while Rose proved herself to be brave early on in the novel. However, I ended up disliking Rose after she meddled with Christian and Lissa’s relationship. I did like how she had a strong personality, but some of the things she did were too much for me. Dimitri was an uninteresting love interest who felt very dull (I preferred Mason.) Despite this, I found the plot to be engaging, especially the story line concerning Lissa and her abilities. The flashbacks worked well and I loved how there was a bit of a mystery element to the book.

Overall, I thought that Vampire Academy was a great story and a good start to the series. It was definitely entertaining. If you don’t usually like vampire sagas or paranormal romance, you might like this anyways. Due to the interesting vampire lore, I think this could be a good read this Halloween.

3.5/5

“It's worth it. It's worth giving up the sun and magic.”

Review: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Title: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Author: Washington Irving
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Publication Date: 1819
Genre: Fiction, Horror

Sleepy Hollow is a small town in New York, inhabited by Dutch settlers. Ichabod Crane is the superstitious village schoolteacher. Ichabod is trying to win the hand of Katrina Van Tassel, a beautiful eighteen-year-old girl in the village. When Ichabod leaves a party he attended at the Van Tassel estate, he is chased by a mysterious headless horseman on the lonely road leading to his house.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a short story that pretty much everyone is familiar with but not very many people have actually read. I’ve seen the Disney version, the Wishbone episode and the 1999 film with Johnny Depp. However, I’d never read the book (which I happened to own.) This Halloween, I thought I would finally give The Legend of Sleepy Hollow a try. I was surprised to find wit and humor in this book, especially concerning Ichabod (who I still picture as looking like he did in the Disney cartoon.) Irving’s prose is a bit wordy, but I liked his writing overall, especially some of the descriptions of animals and plants. He did a very good job at painting a picture of a sleepy little town. The story is fairly simple, unlike the Tim Burton film. Ichabod leaves a party late at night, and is chased by a headless horseman. Ichabod is never found. I loved how we never know exactly what happened. Overall, it was a creepy ghost story that is perfect for Halloween.

4/5

“They are given to all kinds of marvelous beliefs; are subject to trances and visions; and frequently see strange sights, and hear music and voices in the air.”

Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

Title: The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (The Mysterious Benedict Society #2)
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Illustrator: Diana Sudyka
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: May 1st, 2008
Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Adventure, Mystery

After a year apart, the members of the Mysterious Benedict Society are about to finally reunite. Mr. Benedict has planned a surprise for them that will provide them with a safe chance for adventure and challenge. However, things change unexpectedly when Mr. Benedict and Number Two are kidnapped by Mr. Curtain. When Reynie, Constance, Sticky and Kate see the clues for the scavenger hunt Mr. Benedict had planned, they might be able to retrace his steps and find him. As the foursome embark on their journey, all of their skills will be needed to save the founder of their society.

After I read a book that I love, I’m often hesitant to read the sequel. I’m always worried that the later books in the series won’t live up to the original. But The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey was just as enchanting as its predecessor. All the things I loved about The Mysterious Benedict Society were back for the sequel: the quirky and original characters, the puzzles, the clever writing and the adventure. Together, Sticky, Reynie, Constance and Kate make the perfect team. Sticky is perfect for when you need accurate information. Reynie is the ultimate problem solver and notices everything. In this novel, Constance proves to be excellent at predicting outcomes. Kate’s the girl you want if you need someone to act fast under pressure. They are all great characters and I love them to bits. A year has passed between the first book and the second, and the children have grown up quite a bit. Constance, for example, shows new abilities that were never there before. You can tell that the other children have also matured in the course of the year, especially Sticky. In some older children’s books it feels like the characters are children forever, and I like seeing the characters grow up with each book. The children grapple with some bigger issues in this novel: Reynie has trouble believing that there are very many truly good people. Stickie struggles with his newfound pride and Kate has trouble understanding why they can’t occasionally sink to the level of their enemies, if it’s for the better good. The villains were much more frightening in this novel and the threat felt very real. The Ten Men turn ordinary items (such as bowties, clipboards and pencils) into instruments of torture. I thought this was both creative and terrifying. In The Mysterious Benedict Society, the villains' intellect didn’t match the children. In fact, many of the Executives weren’t that bright. In The Perilous Journey, the Ten Men outsmart the children at times, and it felt like they were in much more danger than ever before.

The plot was fast paced and exciting. The children travel a fair bit, including a ride on the boat from the cover. There were parts that were so clever, such as how Mr. Benedict concealed the truth when taking the truth serum. Everything was just so smart and fun and I loved it. While the illustrations for The Mysterious Benedict Society were drawn by Carson Ellis, the rest of the books in the series are illustrated by Diana Sudyka. I think she did a fantastic job at both keeping the style of Ellis’ drawings while still adding something unique. My favourite illustrations were for the chapters “Awkward Exchanges and Clever Disguises” and “Dusk Before Sundown.” Sudyka’s illustrations of the characters were brilliant, as was the cover. Overall, I really think that this is a book that has everything. With adventure, mystery, danger and excitement, this is a children’s book that can appeal to anyone and a good example of how to do a sequel.

5/5

“May your adventures bring you closer together, even as they take you far away from home.”

In My Mailbox (10)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, in which book bloggers post about the books they've bought, borrowed or received in the past week.

This week, from the library I took out You Are Here by Jennifer E. Smith, Shine by Lauren Myracle, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, Pies & Prejudice by Heather Vogel Frederick (already read and reviewed) and The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy (e-book.) I will probably start Shine today, if I have time. 

I ordered The Mysterious Benedict Society box-set from amazon and I've read 2/3 of the books. They're really good and I'm happy to own them! Unfortunately, these are the last books I'll be buying for myself until after Christmas. 

What was in your mailbox this week? 

Review: The Atheist’s Daughter

Title: The Atheist’s Daughter

Author: Renee Harrell
Publisher: Hunting Monsters Press
Publication Date: September 2011
Genre: YA, Paranormal

Kristin Faraday is finding life after high school difficult: she can’t manage to find a job and leave the small town of Winterhaven. Kristin is also known as a local nutcase after spending time in a psychiatric hospital when she was younger. But Kristin isn’t crazy: she can tell when people are lying to her. Although she doesn’t know it, it was the mysterious Mrs. Norton who gave her this gift, before murdering Kristin’s father. When Mrs. Norton reappears in Winterhaven accompanied by her family members, Kristin seems to be the only person who can see them for what they really are. Thanks to her strange gift, she might be able to stop Mrs. Norton and her companions from terrorizing the citizens of Winterhaven. Will Kristin be able to protect the peoples she loves from the monsters who have taken so much from her?

Let me just start by saying that I love how this book is dedicated to “Danger and Adventure.” I thought that was amazing! This book starts off with Kristin’s diary entries from her time in a psychiatric hospital. These worked very well as an introduction and they also appeared sporadically throughout the novel. I loved these entries because they showed so much of Kristin’s personality. I could relate to Kristin: other than her ability to see whether someone is lying, she’s pretty average. She’s stuck living at home and can’t manage to get a job. I loved Kristin’s relationship with her Mom, and enjoyed all of the secondary characters. I’m looking forward to learning more about Hawkins and Liz in the next novel in the series. Mrs. Norton and her family members were pretty creepy, and made excellent villains. They were very original and helped make this book memorable. The plot was gripping and made reading The Atheist’s Daughter fly by. It was well written and I loved the dark tone of the novel. The plot was fairly fast paced and unique. I wish it had been more character driven, but I think that’s just my preference, not an actual flaw of the novel. I would definitely recommend this as a Halloween read (or just an every-day read,) since it was eerie and unique.

Thanks to the authors for sending me a copy to review!

3.5/5

Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society

Title: The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society #1)
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Illustrator: Carson Ellis
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: March 7th, 2007
Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Adventure, Mystery

When Reynie Muldroon sees a newspaper advertisement looking for gifted children, he is one of the many children who take a series of challenging tests to determine if they have what it takes. In the end, Reynie is one of the four children selected, along with Sticky, Kate and Constance. Mr. Benedict created the tests to find capable children who are willing to help him save the world. The foursome will have to go under cover at The Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened to stop the scheming Mr. Curtain. As the four children encounter the unimaginable evil taking place at The Leaning Institute, they will have to rely on one another and their own special talents to save the day.

This book was definitely something special. It had my interest right from the start when Reynie takes a series of challenging (and mysterious) tests. Solving the puzzles at the beginning of the book was a lot of fun, and I thought it was very interesting how the idea behind this book was based around a chess riddle. I found the book to be mysterious and intriguing even as the story was just beginning. The characters were wonderful and quirky, especially the child members of the Mysterious Benedict Society. I love reading books about children who are out of the ordinary. You have Reynie, who is good at puzzles, Sticky, the walking encyclopedia, Kate, who works well under pressure, and the ever-resisting Constance. They were all very original characters with a lot of depth. I liked how the children all had their own approaches to Mr. Benedict’s tests. None of them solved the problems in the same way but they were all correct. The story was fresh and unique and the style reminded me of A Series of Unfortunate Events. I liked the whimsical tone and how the book felt withdrawn from the modern world. Although they have television and radio, there’s no reference to cell phones or the Internet and the characters don’t use modern slang. Trenton Lee Stewart never underestimated the reader, which is a pet peeve of mine in children’s literature. Like J.K. Rowling, Stewart didn’t have to end the book with a cliffhanger to make me crave the next in the series. The Mysterious Benedict Society was a clever book, with unexpected twists and a lot of suspense.

This book was illustrated by Carson Ellis, who I am a fan of. Her illustrations are as brilliant as ever, and I loved how well she captured the different characters. Overall, The Mysterious Benedict Society was well paced and very difficult to put down. With excitement, friendship, secret societies and adventure, it was a great book for all ages.

5/5

“You must remember, family is often born of blood, but it doesn't depend on blood. Nor is it exclusive of friendship. Family members can be your best friends, you know. And best friends, whether or not they are related to you, can be your family.”

Review: Pies & Prejudice (The Mother-Daughter Book Club)

Title: Pies & Prejudice (The Mother Daughter Book Club #4)
Author: Heather Vogel Frederick
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing
Publication Date: September 14th, 2010
Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Realistic Fiction

Three years ago, the Mother-Daughter Book Club was formed when four friends decided to start a book club to bring them closer to their daughters. The four girls had very little in common, but they soon became best friends and book lovers. Now Jess, Emma, Megan and Cassidy are about to enter the ninth grade. All their plans for high school change when Emma’s family decides to house-swap and spend the year in Bath instead of Concord. The book club perseveres by having Emma and her mom attend the monthly meetings via webcam. In honour of Emma spending the year in Bath, the book club is going to read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. While Emma moves to a village outside of Bath, a new family lives in her house. The boys, Simon and Tristan, go to school with the other girls in the book club. Cassidy immediately clashes with Tristan, a stuck up ice dancer. Megan hits it off with Simon and starts a fashion blog called Fashionista Jane. However, her blog causes problems for her at school and with her budding relationship with Simon. As Jess struggles with her crush on Emma’s brother Darcy, she also worries about not knowing what she wants to do when she grows up. When Emma gets on the wrong side of Annabelle, a regular Caroline Bingley, she makes Emma miserable with some unflattering photographs. The girls want to surprise their friend by paying for her to come visit for spring break to cheer her up. They come up with their own business selling pies to friends and neighbours, called Pies & Prejudice. As the girls adapt to high school and deal with crushes and Queen Bees, they ask themselves, what would Elizabeth Bennet do?

I picked this one up based entirely on the title, since it references two things I love (I’m referring to pies and Pride and Prejudice, not pies and prejudice. That would be weird- I hate prejudice.) I really wish that these books were around when I was a pre-teen, since I would have loved them. When I was younger I would have related to Emma, since we have a lot in common. We actually were both named after the book Emma, oddly enough. The girls were all great characters and a lot of fun. They were all very different and I feel like there’s a character for everyone to relate to. I loved how all the girls found different things that that enjoyed and found their own projects to do. They were all so resourceful! I thought Megan’s blog was very clever and hilarious, although I knew it was only going to cause trouble. From early on I knew what was going to happen in the story, but I still had fun reading. The audience intended for this book is middle school aged, and as a whole it didn’t matter that I’m 6 or 7 years older than the characters. The actual book club discussions were too juvenile for me, but I still enjoyed the book overall. It was very character driven and I really liked that. The writing was great and I found myself feeling everything along with the characters. It didn’t matter too much that I hadn’t read the earlier books in the series, although now I want to read them. I loved how Pride and Prejudice was worked into the plot. Throughout their first year of high school, the girls dealt with a lot of issues, such as dealing with bullies, crushes and finding out who they are and what interests them. Overall, Pies and Prejudice was a fun take on a classic, and a great read for middle school aged girls.

4/5

“Never say 'I can't.' 'I can't' is a limit, and life is about breaking through limits. Say 'I will' instead.”

Review: Before I Fall

Title: Before I Fall
Author: Laruen Oliver
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: March 2nd, 2010
Genre: YA, Contemporary

Sam Kingston has it all: the perfect boyfriend, the coolest friends and the best table in the cafeteria. She never stays home on a Friday night, and is one of the most popular girls in school. Friday February 12th is supposed to be a special day for Sam. Not only is it Cupid Day, but it’s also the day she is supposed to lose her virginity to her boyfriend. The night ends in a way no one could have predicted when Sam is killed in a car accident. Instead of her life flashing before her eyes, she wakes up in her bed on the morning of February 12th, again. For one week, Sam relives the same day over and over again. As the details of her death become clearer, she will have to decide how she will spend the last day of her life.

Before I Fall starts with an intriguing premise: what if you could relive the last day of your life? Who would you spend it with and what would you do? A promising concept mixed with Oliver’s great writing pretty much guaranteed that this would be good. I was really looking forward to it and it didn’t disappoint. This was an honest story about being a teenager. I don’t usually like books about the “mean girls” but this was an exception. I know a lot of girls like Sam and her friends and this book gave me a bit of a high school flashback. Although popularity at my high school wasn’t as simplistic as it was for Sam, Oliver did a good job at capturing life as a teenager. Sam goes to a small high school in Connecticut where everyone knows each other, and she believes that bullying the occasional person is just a part of high school. Although there were times when I hated Sam and her friends, there were also times when I could understand why they were popular. They were complicated and very realistic. There were some fantastic characters, including Kent, Izzie and Anna. It was amazing how Sam grew as a person throughout one week. I went from basically hating her to loving her. The characters ended up being one of the strongest points of the novel. The plot could be compared to Groundhog Day, but it was carried out brilliantly. You would assume that things would drag on, with Sam repeating the same day over and over. That wasn’t the case at all, since different things happen each day. At first, Sam’s death appears to be very simple, but as we learn more each day it becomes clear that things are more complicated than they appear. I loved how everything came together in the end. The writing was beautiful, making Before I Fall an amazing debut novel.

This book asked a lot of interesting questions: what would you do if no one would remember it in the morning? How would you spend the last day of your life? What would you regret? What would you miss? And most importantly, what would be worth dying for? With characters that jump of the page, great writing and an absorbing plot, Before I Fall was memorable and fascinating. It didn’t have the same emotional effect on me as Delirium, and I think that’s one of the reasons many people prefer it to Before I Fall. However, this was a captivating novel that I’d definitely recommend.

4/5

“I guess that's what saying good-bye is always like--like jumping off an edge. The worst part is making the choice to do it. Once you're in the air, there's nothing you can do but let go.”

Review: Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life

Title: Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life (Scott Pilgrim #1)
Author: Bryan Lee O’Malley
Publisher: Oni Press
Publication Date: July 28th, 2004
Genre: YA, Graphic Novel

Twenty-three year old Scott Pilgrim’s life is pretty awesome. He lives in Toronto with his roommate, Wallace Wells, and he’s currently in-between jobs. Scott spends his time playing bass in his band, shopping at goodwill, playing video games and listening to music. Scott is also dating Knives Chau, who is only seventeen. Things become complicated when he meets Ramona Flowers, who is literally the girl of his dreams. Cool and mysterious, Ramona is the opposite of Knives, and Scott can’t stay away. Unfortunately, if Scott wants to date Ramona he will have to defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends. Will Scott, the ultimate slacker, be able to fight to be with the girl he loves?

Amazing! I loved the movie and I loved the book. I’ve wanted to read this ever since I saw the movie last year. However, since I knew I’d read it very quickly, I didn’t want to spend the $10 to buy it. After waiting on a very long list at my library, I was finally able to read it a few days ago. The movie followed the first book very closely, and I wasn’t disappointed. I basically love everything about Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life. First off, Scott lives in Toronto, and many references are made to places in the city. This might make me sound very lame, but I love it when books or movie reference places I’ve been to. The characters were amazing; they were all quirky, original and very funny. Scott’s kind of a strange hero; he’s a major slacker and can be a jerk at times, but he can also be charming and adorable. Overall, he’s a good guy who has a lot of growing up to do. I found Ramona to be a lot more likable in the book than in the movie. I found Movie-Ramona to be annoyingly aloof, while Book-Ramona feels more like a real person to me. The plot definitely was original and quick paced. I really liked the drawings, especially the funny captions (such as the diagram of Scott and Wallace’s apartment and who owns what.) Overall, Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life was a quick read that was fun, original and hilarious. I don’t usually read graphic novels, and this makes me want to read more of them. If you are a little bit nerdy, I’d definitely recommend this. I’d also recommend this to reluctant readers. Easily one of the funniest things I’ve read in a long time.

5/5

In My Mailbox (9)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, in which book bloggers post about the books they've bought, borrowed or received in the past week.

This week I went to the bookshop inside the Toronto Reference Library and bought The Girl Who Played With Far, A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian and The Friday Night Knitting Club all for $1. I still haven't read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, so it will be a while before I get to The Girl Who Played With Fire. I also bought Matched from Mabel's Fables, also in Toronto. 

For review, I got The Atheist's Daughter by Renee Harrell in the mail. From the library, I picked up Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O'Malley and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith. I read Scott Pilgrim earlier in the week and it was awesome. I'm currently reading P&P&Z, and I'm actually having trouble getting into it. 

What was in your mailbox this week? 

Bookish Halloween Costumes

When making your costume selection for this years Halloween party, why not go literary? I made a list of some costume ideas based on characters from books, excluding some of the classic ones, like Dracula and Frankenstien. These are just ideas, but I’m sure you can find some help for making the actual costume on the Internet. If not, message me.

1. Max from Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

2. The whole gang from The Magic School Bus by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen. A large group of kids in my high school got together and dressed up as Miss Frizzle, Liz, Dorothy Ann, Phoebe, Carlos, Arnold, Keesha, Ralphie, Tim, Wanda and the Bus.

3. Madeline from The Madeline Books by John Bemelmans Marciano

4. The Paper Bag Princess and the dragon from The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch.

5. The Cat, Thing 1 and Thing 2 from The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

6. Amelia Bedelia from the Amelia Bedilia books by Peggy Parish and Herman Parish

7. Willy Wonka and the Oompa Loompas from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, the twits from The Twits and a witch from The Witches.

8. Pippi from the Pippi Longstocking books by Astrid Lindgren. I had a friend who did this by braiding their hair around copper wire, to make it stand out.

9. Alice, the Queen of Hearts, The Mad Hatter and The March Hare from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. If you’re really into it, you could be Alice when she’s stuck in the house and make a house out of a cardboard box.

10. Aslan or Mr. Tummus from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

11. Anne from Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

12. Mary Poppins from Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers

13. Peter Pan from Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

14. Dorothy, The Tin Woodman, The Scarecrow and The Lion from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

15. Various characters from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. If you’re depressed that you’ll never be able to dress up for another movie/book release, then there’s always Halloween. There are so many characters to choose from; the possibilities are endless. From the trio, Snape, Luna, Voldemort, Moaning Myrtle, Hedwig and The Fat Lady, you could be anyone

16. The Fellowship from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

17. Katniss from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I wouldn’t set yourself on fire, though.

18. Ramona Flowers from Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O’Malley. I was Ramona last year.

19. A Greaser from The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.

20. Georgia’s stuffed olive costume from Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison. This is only mentioned in the book, but it’s so brilliant that I’m putting it on the list anyways.

21. Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Wear a red hunting cap and carry a baseball glove.

Review: Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks

Title: Queen of Hearts
Author: Martha Brooks
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Publication Date: July 19th, 2010
Genre: YA, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

In the summer of 1940, Marie-Claire’s life changes forever when her Oncle Gerard comes to live with her family. He entertains his nieces and nephew with stories of the shadow man, despite the fact that he is getting sick. When her uncle is diagnosed with tuberculosis, he is sent to a near by sanatorium where he lives throughout his final days. After his death, Marie-Claire goes on with life as normally as she can, filling her time working on the family farm and even going to a dance with a soldier. When Marie-Claire and her younger brother and sister are diagnosed with TB, they are all sent to the sanatorium where their uncle died a year earlier. Marie-Claire is angry with her parents, with God and even with her cheerful roommate, Signy. As Marie-Claire “chases the cure,” she wonders if she will ever be able to live a normal life again. As she grows up while fighting TB in a sanatorium, Marie-Claire learns about love, loss and friendship.

I was interested in this book because my Great-Grandfather died of TB in a sanatorium in Ontario, Canada in the early 1920s. In Queen of Hearts, Marie-Claire and her family are sent to a sanatorium in Manitoba, Canada. Since I knew fairly little about the treatment of TB, I thought I’d give this book a try. At first, I thought the writing was a bit coarse and hard to get used to. There was little build up to Oncle Gerard, and then Marie-Claire, contracting TB, and I wish we had seen more of Marie-Claire’s life before she was sent to the sanatorium. Things picked up when we are introduced to Signy, Marie-Claire’s roommate in the hospital. In many ways, the two girls are opposites. Marie-Claire is a hardworking farm girl, and Signy is an upper class city girl. While Marie-Claire is openly angry about her situation, Signy does her best to put on a cheerful face. Signy was a great character and my heart really went out to her. While sometimes I was frustrated with Marie-Claire, but I liked how she was headstrong and how she dealt with her losses much better than I ever would have. I think this book’s strongest asset was its emotional effect. Although it was sad, I was still able to enjoy it and feel like there was hope in the end. As a piece of historical fiction, I think Brooks did a very good job of showing life in the sanatoriums and how not only the poor were touched by TB. Set during World War II, I liked how the novel showed a girl going through a different kind of war at home. It was a short and fairly simple novel, but it managed to portray a realistic and poignant story about a part of history that is some times overlooked.

Overall, Queen of Hearts provided an in-depth look into a part of Canadian history that I knew fairly little about. It was definitely worth reading, and although there were some flaws, it was a memorable coming of age story set in a tuberculosis sanatorium.

3.5/5

Review: The Lightning Thief

Title: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1)
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Miramax
Publication Date: June 12th, 2005
Genre: Children’s Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology

Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson has been kicked out of one boarding school after another and Yancy Academy will likely be no exception. Percy goes to a school for troubled kids in Upstate New York. School has always been a struggle for Percy, who has ADHD and dyslexia. He is used to the occasional strange occurrence, but things reach a whole new level of weird when his math teacher turns into a monster. And no one even remembers her afterwards. After he is attacked by a Minotaur, Percy escapes to Camp Half-Blood and learns that is a demi-god: half human, half god. Just as he is getting used to his new life and abilities, Percy is sent on a quest. Someone has stolen Zeus’ lightning bolt, and Percy is the number one suspect. Will Percy be able to find the real thief and prove his innocence?

I have no idea why it took me so long to start this book. Truth be told, I had never even heard of it until the movie came out a few years ago. Recently, quite a few people have been recommending it to me, and it took me a while to do anything about it. The Lightning Thief came out when I was fifteen, and it just wasn’t on my radar at that time. Which is a shame, because it was quite good. It took me a while to get into it, mainly because of the writing style, which I initially found to be awkward. Things picked up fairly quickly, since this book is basically packed with action. The concept is original and intriguing, but at the same time you can’t help but wonder why no one thought of this before. When you think about it, it makes sense for the Greek gods to still be around today and mating with humans. It was one those ideas that I wish I came up with first. The plot was exciting, but at times I didn’t like the pacing, since it felt like conflict after conflict. I loved how Percy was, as he puts it, a troubled kid who struggles in pretty much every aspect of his life until he goes to Camp Half Blood. I also enjoyed his sarcasm. I know some people were annoyed by the similarities between The Lightning Thief and Harry Potter, but I never connected the two while reading. Honestly, I think a lot of fantasy novels have similarities if you break them down. The Lightning Thief never felt unoriginal. I loved how it mixed Greek gods with a road trip across America. If you are interested in the Greek gods, then this book is a must-read.

The Lightning Thief is a book that deserves its popularity. With an interesting concept that was carried out perfectly, this book was very difficult to put down. At the same time, I just feel like it wasn’t for me. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I’d read it at a younger age. Although I will be continuing with the series, I’m not in any rush to do so. Despite that, I still think that The Lightning Thief is a great fantasy novel and a promising start to the series. It was fast paced and riveting and felt like a perfect book for a reluctant reader.

4/5

“If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself.”

In My Mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, in which book bloggers post about the books they've bought, borrowed or received in the past week.

This week I picked up Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver and Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks from my library. I loved Delirium so I'm really excited for Before I Fall. Queen of Hearts was recommended by my library and looks very good as well.

For review, I received The Awakening of Stella Steinar by T. Anderson. You can see my review here.

This week I bought Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. It looks brilliant and I love the inside map and illustrations. Plus it was really cheap at Costco. I loved Uglies, although I read it ages ago.

What was in your in mailbox this week? 

Review: Mary Poppins

Title: Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins #1)
Author: P.L. Travers
Publisher: Harcourt Children’s Books
Publication Date: June 1st 2006, first published 1934
Genre: Children’s Fiction, Fantasy

When Katie Nana leaves her position of nanny at Number Seventeen Cherry-Tree Lane, the Banks family needs to find an immediate replacement. The Banks children, Jane, Michael and the infant twins John and Barbara, are in need of a nanny and Mrs. Banks quickly puts an advertisement in the paper. When Mary Poppins shows up at the Banks’ door, she’s unlike any nanny they have ever seen. She doesn’t give references and acts as if she were doing them a favour by taking the position. Jane and Michael have never seen anyone slide up a banister, or have conversations with dogs. And Katie Nana certainly never spent her day off jumping into a chalk painting. Perhaps the most peculiar thing about Mary Poppins is that she never seems to remember any of these things afterwards. After nighttime visits to the zoo, tea parties on the ceiling and even visits to the North Pole, Number Seventeen will never be the same.

Mary Poppins is easily one of my favourite movies from my childhood, but for some reason I never bothered to read the book. Usually, I’ll read the book first then worry about the movie not being as good as the book. For Mary Poppins, I was a little bit worried that the book wouldn’t compare to how much I love the movie. I ended up really liking it, even though it was quite different from the movie. While the movie is set in 1910, the book is set in the 1930’s. And the Banks have four children instead of two. The main difference is that in the movie Mary Poppins is there to bring the family together, while in the book that isn’t the case at all. No lesson is really learnt. We know very little about Mr. and Mrs. Banks and they are completely oblivious to what goes on when they are not around. This book is a lot simpler than the movie, and there is less of a plot. Each chapter is a new adventure, and overall it was very fun and enchanting. The Mary Poppins in the book is vain, strict and a little bit frightening. She’s much more mysterious than in the movie and I love the scene where the sterling calls her the “great exception” to the rule about children forgetting how to understand the wind and the birds. It was a quick read that was well written and full of magic. Imaginative and original, this is a great book for children. It was a really cute story and I can see why it is considered a classic. I’ll always love the movie, but I think that the book’s simplicity was wonderful.

4/5

“Don't you know that everybody's got a Fairyland of their own?”

Review: MONAD 12.21.12 The Awakening of Stella Steinar

Title: MONAD 12.21.12 The Awakening of Stella Steinar
Author: T. Anderson
Publisher: Sunbury Press, Inc.
Publication Date: August 24th, 2011
Genre: YA, Metaphysical Fiction

Stella Steiner is looking forward to leaving her hometown in Minnesota to attend Berkley in California. Stella just wants to start anew and forget about the intense headaches and visions she experiences. There is no way that she can stop these visions, but she has been lying to her adoptive parents by pretending she rarely experiences them anymore. Stella’s parents are researchers for MONAD, the largest scientific research firm in the world. At Berkley, Stella finds herself reunited with her biological family and learns the truth about her visions. When Stella might be the living proof that immortality can be obtained, she will have to keep herself safe from MONAD. But whom can she really trust? When Stella’s fate seems to be unpreventable, she will have to delve deep into the past to understand her future.

This book was unlike most of the books I read and I thought it was a refreshing change for me. The plot is fast paced and original. The spiritual elements and metaphysical themes of the book were interesting and I gained some insight about Buddhism and Scandinavian culture. The reincarnation plotline was captivating, as were the implications of what that would mean for humanity. The first and last chapters were written in the first person, while the majority of the book is written in third person. Choosing the third person was a good call, since it read smoothly and worked better with the alternating perspectives. I liked Stella and Aron and their instant connection with each other. I wanted to know more about them (especially Aron) and their lives before they met each other. Dane never felt like he had much depth, and I hope that his character is developed more in the upcoming books in this series. I liked how the motifs and allegiances of some of the characters weren’t always clear, and that kept me guessing. The ending was unpredictable and kept me on the edge of my seat.

Overall, The Awakening of Stella Steinar had a creative and original premise and an attention-grabbing storyline. I found a lot of the topics in this book interesting, but I was left craving more information about the main characters. The fast paced plot kept me engaged and interested. Unique and creative, The Awakening of Stella Steinar was unlike anything I’ve ever read before.
Thank you T. Anderson for sending me a copy to review.

3/5

"My name will always be Stella. And my fate will always be the same."

Review: The Name of the Star

Title: The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1)

Author: Maureen Johnson
Publisher: Putnam
Publication Date: September 29th, 2011
Genre: YA, Paranormal Fantasy

When Rory Deveaux leaves her small town in Louisiana for a boarding school in London’s East End, she expects a bit of homesickness and some culture shock. Never would she have imagined that her arrival in England would coincide with the first of a series of murders mimicking Jack the Ripper. Or that she would find herself in the middle of the mystery. The first murder occurred in exactly the same way as the murder of Mary Ann Nichols in August of 1888. Soon, Rippermania takes hold of the world. When Rory becomes the sole witness for the third murder, she can’t understand why her roommate couldn’t see the man that was right in front of her. When the murderer takes an interest in Rory, she finds herself in direct danger of a madman. Who is the new Jack the Ripper and why is Rory the only one who can see him?

Maureen Johnson’s The Name of the Star has been getting a lot of hype in the past week, and as a fan of her other books I felt like I had to check this one out. I actually thought this book was going to be historical fiction, sort of like A Great and Terrible Beauty. It wasn’t until I had the book in my hands that I realized it was about a Ripper copycat in modern day London. It turned out to be one of those books that feels like it was written just for me. It had boarding schools, London, some history, likeable characters, suspense, ghosts and great writing. Basically, all of my favourite things in less than 400 pages. I feel like this book is a Paranormal novel for people who don’t usually read or like Paranormal. I liked how Johnson focused on the characters and the setting before jumping into the Paranormal mystery. The beginning of the book wasn’t as quick paced and suspenseful as the majority of the story, but I think it was necessary to build the other important aspects of the book before the plot picked up. The characters were a big part of why I liked this novel. Rory was charming, likeable and very real. Her hometown honestly sounds like the most awesome place in the world. The secondary characters were just as wonderful, especially Jazza, who I would call the perfect roommate. Even though they are polar opposites, I love Boo almost as much as I love Jazza. I enjoyed Johnson’s clever writing; her wit shines through every page. I also love her detailed descriptions of London and I thought Wexford was the perfect setting for this book.

Although this book has been labelled a mystery, I wouldn’t quite call it that since we are introduced to the murderer fairly early on in the story. However, it was still thrilling and suspenseful. I love ghost stories (even though they freak me out) and I thought that the way the paranormal elements of the plot were handled was interesting and original. Initially, I assumed this book was a Paranormal Romance, but it’s not. Although there is some romance, it wasn’t fully developed and I liked how the book wasn’t all about that. Since this is the first part in a series, I think it’s smart to slowly develop relationships over time. At this point, I feel like focusing too much on romance would have just have been a distraction from the gripping plot. I love the premise of the story, since I find Jack the Ripper fascinating. Johnson put a lot research into the history of the Ripper murders, and it showed. The rest of the books in the series will not be related to Jack the Ripper and I think that’s what a lot of people initially found interesting about this book. Despite this, I think the series will still work without that plotline. Johnson’s laid the backbone for an interesting series, and I was actually equally as caught up in the Shades as the Jack the Ripper story line.

With an original and intriguing premise and an amazing protagonist, The Name of the Star was an intense beginning to a promising series. You do not have to be a fan of Maureen Johnson or of Paranormal YA novels to like this book. Who would have thought that the author of 13 Little Blue Envelopes could do creepy so well? The Name of the Star is different from anything else I’ve read by Maureen Johnson, and it was amazing. I’d definitely recommend it, and I’d even go as far to say that it’s one of my favourite YA books of the year.

5/5

“Fear can't hurt you," she said. "When it washes over you, give it no power. It's a snake with no venom. Remember that. That knowledge can save you.”

In My Mailbox (7)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, in which book bloggers post about the books they've bought, borrowed or received in the past week.

This week I actually got books in the mail! They're too big for my mailbox, but still. For some reason my bookstore won't have The Name of the Star and Lola and the Boy Next Door until Tuesday, so I ordered them from Amazon instead. I've been looking forward to these two for a while, and read Lola on Friday. I'll probably start The Name of the Star later today. 

I made a quick trip to the library yesterday to pick up The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. I also picked up Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin and The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson. I picked both based on their covers, but realized later that The Fox Inheritance is second in a series. Oops. 

What was in your mailbox this week? 

Review: City of Glass

Title: City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: March 24th, 2009
Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy

If you haven’t read City of Ashes yet, don’t read this review, as it will contain some spoilers.

As the third instalment in The Mortal Instruments series begins, Clary is preparing to travel to Idris so that she can heal her mother. Things do not go as planned when Jace, Simon and the Lightwoods are attacked by demons and forced to leave New York without Clary. Entering Idris without permission from the Clave is illegal, but Clary will do anything to save her mother. In Idris, Clary is reunited with Jace, and learns that Simon has been imprisoned by the Clave, who are afraid of a vampire that can withstand sunlight. Jace and Clary both struggle with their romantic feelings towards one another, despite the fact that they are siblings. Things become more complicated for Jace when he learns a disturbing fact about himself and his past. When Idris is in danger of attack from Valentine, the Clave is forced to decide between defending the city with the help of Downworlders or surrendering to Valentine. In the final struggle against Valentine, Clary will have to learn to use her new powers to save Idris.

City of Glass was the best book in the series so far! Like the previous books, it had a fast paced plot that quickly drew me in. It was a fun and entertaining read, even though it was a bit predictable and the characters often came to conclusions very slowly. Although there were some flaws, they didn’t stop me from enjoying this book overall. Filled with action, City of Glass was definitely a page-turner. I loved Simon’s growth as a character and his role in this book. When I started this series, I felt like the vampires and werewolves were kind of thrown in and didn’t really fit, but I was wrong. They had an important role to play in this book. I liked Valentine as a villain, because he wasn’t pure evil; he truly believed that was he was doing was for the better good. I think that Clare does a good job of showing why Jocelyn, Luke and the Lightwoods all followed him at one point. I was actually surprised to learn that there is another book in the series after this one, since everything seemed to be wrapped up in the end. This book really felt like a satisfying end of the series, since there were few loose ends. I’m interested to see what will happen in City of Fallen Angels.

Even though I figured out a lot of what was going to happen, I still had fun reading City of Glass. I think that these books are entertaining, with lots of fun characters and a captivating fantasy world. They are hard to put down, but this series didn’t have the same affect on me as books like The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Delirium and The Maze Runner. I enjoyed it, but for me it’s the type of book that I finish and that’s really it. I wasn’t sad about finishing, and I easily moved onto the next book without drawing on what happened. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun and entertaining YA novel packed with action.

3.5/5


"I wouldn't change it," Simon said. "I wouldn't give up loving you. Not for anything. You know what Raphael told me? That I didn't know how to be a good vampire, that vampires accept that they're dead. But as long as I remember what it was like to love you, I'll always feel like I'm alive."

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: September 29th, 2011
Genre: YA, Realistic Fiction, Romance

Lola Nolan believes that life is too short to be the same person every day. A budding fashion designer, Lola is all about wearing coloured wigs, sparkles and anything wild and outrageous. All she wants is to wear a homemade Marie Antoinette dress to her high school’s winter formal. And to be accompanied by her boyfriend, Max. Of course, he also happens to be her parents’ worst nightmare, since he is five years Lola’s senior, in a band and covered in tattoos. When the Bell twins move back into the house next door, Lola’s life gets complicated. Calliope Bell is a promising figure skater, and her brother Cricket is a novice inventor. Lola barely recovered from the last time she saw Cricket two years ago, when he broke her heart. But Lola is with Max now, and she definitely no longer has feelings for Cricket. Right? With Cricket back in the picture, Lola will have to come to terms with the fact that she never stopped loving the boy next door.

Boy, was I looking forward to this book. I loved Anna and the French Kiss, so you can bet I was excited about Stephanie Perkins’ next novel, Lola and the Boy Next Door. And of course, it was amazing. First things first, I love Lola. Perkins is especially good at creating characters that are likable, believable and original. Even the secondary characters have a lot of depth. At one point Max says that Lola is constantly changing her personality with her outfits, but I never felt that way at all. Her costumes were a big part of her personality and reflected who she was. Cricket was probably my favourite character in this book. He was everything a boy next door should be (but rarely is, at least in my life.) He was sweet, honest, brilliant and he always saw the best in Lola. What more can you ask for? He definitely gives Etienne St. Clair a run for his money (I’m more of a Cricket girl, myself.) Speaking of St. Clair, he and Anna appear quite a bit throughout the novel. Anna and Lola work together at the cinema, and St. Clair and Cricket live in the same residence. When Anna was first introduced, I was a bit wary about her being in this book as well. No idea why, because it worked really well. Anna and St. Clair are just as cute as ever, and being able to see them from someone else’s perspective was very cool. Lindsey, Lola’s best friend who loves converse shows and Nancy Drew books, was great and I wished we’d seen more of her. Just like in Anna and the French Kiss, Perkins has written interesting characters that really ring true.

As is often the case in chick lit, the plot was fairly simple. And the good writing and great characters make that work well. These things also made the book very hard to put down. Lola’s relationships with boys, her friends and her family are in the forefront in this novel. I feel like Lola could be read as a sort of guide for relationships. Don’t start a relationship off on a lie, it’s probably a bad sign if your boyfriend is rude to your friends, age differences can be trouble, and so on. In the end, I was really satisfied with everything that happened and couldn’t have asked for more.

I really liked this book. It was a sweet story with some amazing characters. Once again, Perkins succeeded in making me wish I lived somewhere else. First it was Paris, now it’s San Francisco. And I wish I had a Marie Antoinette dress (although I am not nearly as brave as Lola, so I’d probably never wear it.) I don’t think that it had the same special magic as Anna and the French Kiss, but it was a great read all the same. I’d recommend this book for anyone looking for a fun and light read, with a swoon-worthy boy and some wild outfits.

4/5

“Once upon a time, there was a girl who talked to the moon. And she was mysterious and she was perfect, in that way that girls who talk to moons are. In the house next door, there lived a boy. And the boy watched the girl grow more and more perfect, more and more beautiful with each passing year. He watched her watch the moon. And he began to wonder if the moon would help him unravel the mystery of the beautiful girl. So the boy looked into the sky. But he couldn't concentrate on the moon. He was too distracted by the stars. And it didn't matter how many songs or poems had already been written about them, because whenever he thought about the girl, the stars shone brighter. As if she were the one keeping them illuminated.”

Review: Wildwood

Title: Wildwood (Wildwood Chronicles #1)

Author: Colin Meloy
Illustrator: Carson Ellis
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: August 30th, 2011
Genre: Junior Fiction, Fantasy

When Prue’s baby brother Mac is kidnapped by a murder of crows, she will do anything to get him back. If that means venturing into Portland’s Impassable Wilderness, then so be it. She meets up with Curtis, her classmate, who follows her into the wild forest that’s forbidden to everyone. When Curtis is taken by the coyote soldiers that live in Wildwood, Prue sets off find the Governor so that she can save Curtis and her brother. Prue and Curtis both find themselves pulled into the magical and mysterious world of the forest while searching for Mac. While Curtis becomes part of the Coyote army for the Dowager Governess, Prue meets a helpful mailman, an Owl King and some mystics. In the quest to save Mac, Curtis and Prue delve into the secrets of this magical world that has been right under their noses all along.

This book has such a beautiful cover that I couldn’t resist reading it. Plus, Colin Meloy is the lead singer of the Decemberists, so I was curious about what he’s like as an author, and not just as a songwriter. Wildwood is about children who enter a magical world, so I can’t help but wonder why the book didn’t feel magical at all. Although it had a promising start, it never managed to pull me in. It just felt long and drawn out, and there were parts where I was bored. While reading, I found myself thinking about slightly similar books and wishing I were reading those instead. The fact that I was craving Neil Gaiman, The Book of Lost Things and The Chronicles of Narnia while reading this is a sure sign that it just didn’t do it for me. Meloy uses a lot of big words that made the writing feel forced and the dialogue between Curtis and Prue felt the same way. Although none of the characters jumped off the page, I liked Prue. She’s clever and resourceful, and you have to respect that in a twelve year old. Having the narration also told from Curtis’ perspective was a smart choice, since it meant that the reader was able to see more of the forest. It also meant that we got to have a more in depth look at the Dowager Governess, who was easily the most interesting character. The plot showed potential at first, since no one can argue that a baby being kidnapped by crows isn’t original. However, the plot later proved to be nothing special. It could have worked, but Meloy just didn’t pull it off. The beautiful setting was one of the strongest points of the novel, and I think that the illustrations made full use of that. Wildwood was illustrated by Carson Ellis, who is married to Meloy. As you can probably tell from the cover, her drawings are completely brilliant and added a great deal to the overall story. Since I loved the illustrations so much and they were an important part of the book, I increased my overall rating by .5 stars.

Overall, Wildwood was disappointing. It never had any emotional effect on me, and I was never immersed in the magic of the Impassable Wilderness. Although it was written for middle school readers, I can’t help but think that it would not keep their interest. While reading, it reminded me of other similar books that I feel it couldn’t compare to. However, thanks to Carson Ellis and her illustrations, it is probably the most beautiful book I’ve ever read. While I will be reading other books that were illustrated by Ellis, I will not be continuing with this series. I feel that the best way to experience Colin Meloy’s writing is through listening to his band, The Decemberists.

3/5