Faerie Wars (book review)

Faerie Wars is the first in a series of fantasy books by Herbie Brennan. When the main character, Henry Atherton, helps his old neighbor Mr. Fogarty clean up his house, the last thing he expects to find is a faerie. But that's exactly what he does find. Pyrgus Malvae, the Crown Prince of the Faerie Realm, is on the run from treacherous evildoers, and he needs to find a way back to his world. Mr. Fogarty helps the faerie build a portal back to his dimension, but something goes terribly wrong, and Henry may be the only one who can save Pyrgus and his family. But as Henry is drawn deeper and deeper into a conflict betweeen two Faerie clans, he finds that the world of Faerie is more complicated than he originally thought.

This book was very complex, and with each new chapter the suspense built up even more. I found it very exciting and dynamic, and I think it's lucky that I already own the next two in the series, or I'd want to head out to buy them immediately! It was a superb mix of fantasy, science fiction, humor, and adventure. What more could you want?

Wild Magic (book review)

Wild Magic, by Tamora Pierce, is the first in the epic Immortals series. The heroine, Daine, has always had a knack with animals, but it is not until she joins up with the horse trader Onua that she learns it's magic. With her wild magic, Daine can talk to animals and make them obey her. She travels with Onua to the city of Tortall, where she becomes an apprentice to the mage Numair. When war threatens Tortall, she is the only one who can save herself...and everything she holds dear. But Daine has a dark secret to hide, a secret that drove her from her home in the first place. What will happen when it comes to light?

I enjoyed this book as much as the first two I have read by this author. I love her writing and I can't wait to get my hands on Wolf-Speaker, the second book in the Immortals quartet. The characters were funny and engaging, and Daine's unique kind of magic made the book even more interesting. I would recommend this book to animal lovers, fans of the author, or anyone who is looking for a good read.

This book was for the First in a Series Challenge.

R.I.P. III Reading Challenge

I am so excited that this challenge has started. I've been waiting for it forever! Thank you, thank you, thank you Carl, for hosting this great challenge!



I plan on doing Peril the First. Here's my book pool:

The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells

Dracula by Bram Stroker

The Hand of the Devil by Dean Vincent Carter

Carrie by Stephen King

The Seer of Shadows by Avi

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

Triskellion by Will Peterson

The Book of Dead Days by Marcus Sedgewick

Burning Issy by Melvin Burgess

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Tamsin by Peter S. Beagle

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Witch-Hunt (book review)

Witch-Hunt, by Marc Aronson, is the true story of the Salem Witch Trials, which actually began in Boston with the possession of the Goodwin children in 1688 and truly ended with a confession by Ann Putnam Jr. in 1706. During the trials, twenty-five innocent people, both adults and children, were killed (twenty were executed and five died in prison, including two infants). But what about the mysterious "afflicted" girls? What caused them to lead innocent women (and even a few men) to their deaths? According to Ann, the girls were used by the devil, forced to scream and moan even when their so-called "tormentors" were actually doing nothing. But was that what really happened at Salem? Scientists have a few different ideas, but you will have to dig deeper to truly discover all the secrets of the Witch Trials.

This book was an extremely fast read, filled with startling revelations and surprises. It reads like a novel, and at the end you will find that, while you were enjoying the book, you learned a lot, both about America's mysterious history and about the human conscience itself.

This is a substitution for the Nonfiction Five Challenge.

All the Cats of Cairo (book review)

All the Cats of Cairo, by Inda Schaenen, is the story of a young American girl experiencing all the magic and wonder of the Egyptian city of Cairo. When Maggie first arrives in this bustling city, she is amazed by the sheer number of cats living on the streets. Soon, Maggie finds that they have a strange supernatural attraction to her.

When her new cat companions lead her to find that not all is well in the busy city, Maggie knows she must take action. Egyptian businesses are kidnapping young boys who will become the work force of their factories. And they are about to bulldoze over the sacred tomb of the Egyptian cat goddess, Bastet. With her newfound friends and newfound powers, can Maggie save the boys...and Bastet's tomb... in time?

This was an amazing book that weaved animal magic and Egyptian culture into one. The plot is full of twists, turns, and dead ends, and you'll find it hard to put down! The unlikely heroine and her strange friends enrich the story with their quirky personalities. I would recommend it to anyone who likes cats, foreign cultures, or simply a good fantasy adventure.

Promise of the Wolves (book review)

Promise of the Wolves is the first in the epic Wolf Chronicles by Dorothy Hearst. The heroine of the story, Kaala, is a mixed-blood wolf who is sentenced to death as soon as she is old enough to journey outside of the den. But Kaala has been born with the courage and strength to resist the elders who demand for her to die. Because of this, the leader of her pack, Ruuqo, allows her to live...for now. As Kaala grows older, she finds herself mysteriously drawn to humans, who the wolves are forbidden to consort with. The punishment for breaking this rule? Banishment or death. Kaala has cheated death once, but can she do it again?

As the young wolf begins to sneak away more and more often to be with her human companions, she unknowingly draws her friends into it. And when war between wolves and humans threatens, Kaala will have to make the hardest choice of all...risk the lives of her friends, both human and wolf, or threaten the survival of all wolf and humankind.

I loved this book and I can't wait for the next one to come out! It was a clever way to tell the story of how the earliest dogs were born. The plot was full of twists and turns, and I nearly forgot that I was human as I ran with Kaala and her friends. To anyone who is interested in animal fiction or tales with courageous heroes and heroines, this is the perfect choice!

My mom won this book ARC from J.Kaye's book raffles...thank you very much J.Kaye!!!

The Killer Angels (book review)

The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara, is perhaps the best historical novel that I have ever read. It told the story of the Battle of Gettysburg through the eyes of people like Robert E. Lee, Joshua L. Chamberlain, and James Longstreet. As I read, I felt like I was on the battlefield, experiencing it firsthand. It began when the Confederates were just moving into the small Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg, and ended after Pickett's Charge. This book was extremely informative, even though it was a novel. And going to the actual battlefield this past week brought it alive even more. When I read the book from both Confederate and Union points of view, I really began to find that I cared about what happened to both sides. These were people, not just soldiers or enemies.

I also watched a movie, Gettysburg, based on the book, and I was surprised by how similar they were! Most movies based on books aren't that good, but this one was phenomenal!

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history or the Civil War. Don't be afraid that it uses too much military jargon, because I found it to be an extremely readable book.

I am Regina (book review)

I am Regina, by Sally M. Keehn, is a fictional tale based on the true story of a young woman named Regina Leininger, who was kidnapped by the Native Americans when she was ten years old and held captive until she was twenty. The story of Regina starts on her family's farm in the country. Regina is the younger of two daughters, and a bit of a worrywart. Her older sister Barbara, however, is fearless and mischievous. When a band of Native Americans burns their farm to the ground and captures Regina and Barbara, Barbara is the one who tries to escape and find help. However, her escape fails and she is recaptured. Now all the girls have are each other. But they are separated when Barbara is sent to live in another village, and Regina feels quite alone. Then she slowly befriends a young girl named Sara, and they are both given to a harsh old woman named Woelfin. Slowly Woelfin and her son, Tiger Claw, seem to accept Sara and Regina. The children begin to learn their the traditions of their new home. They even mourn as their neighbors are lost to the guns and diseases of the white man.

This was a shocking story about hope, survival, and courage. It portrayed the life of a young woman living under those circumstances very well, and as you start to know Regina, you begin to feel happy when she accomplishes something, and to mourn along with her when a friend is lost. It was an amazing book.

This book is for the Back to History Challenge.

Book Awards Challenge II

I am excited to start the Book Awards II Challenge, and I have my list of books all ready. Here it is:

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (Alex Award)

Looking for Alaska by John Green (Printz Award)

How I Live Now by Meg Rossoff (Printz Award)

The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton (Edgar Award)

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (Newbery Award)

Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card (Nebula Award and Hugo Award)

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly (Carnegie Award)

The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (Pulitzer Prize)

The Ghost Drum: A Cat's Tale by Susan Price (Carnegie Award)

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara (Pulitzer Prize)

Alternates:

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (Hugo Award for Best Novella, Nebula Award for Best Novella, and Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers)

A Stillness at Appomattox by Bruce Catton (National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize in History)

All My Patients are Under the Bed (book review)

All My Patients are Under the Bed, by Dr. Louis J. Camuti, is the tale of his career making house calls for pets in New York City. His job is not limited merely to cats. He has also visited pigeons, monkeys, and ocelots, as well as a few dogs. This has led the author to conclude, "If an animal can fit through an apartment window in Manhattan, someone will have it as a pet."
Camuti has treated celebrity cats, burglar cats, wildcats, and even a ghost cat! And there are spots in his heart...and in this book...for all of them.

This book was a very fast read, faster than I expected. It was heartwarming and funny, but also very sad. Some of the stories are of heartfelt goodbyes, others of bright new beginnings. And you learn a lot along the way, as well, about the behavior of cats, and also how to care your best for them.

This book was for the Nonfiction five Challenge.

Lucy and her Times (book review)

Lucy and her Times, by Paseal Pieg and Nicole Verrechia, was the first book I read for the Nonfiction Five Challenge. It was about the evolution of humans and some of the earliest people who lived. One of the most famous of these people was Lucy. She looked sort of like a modern day woman, but was shorter and hairier. She lived in the Afar region of Ethiopia, and although scientists don't know much about Lucy's social life, they do know that she ate fruit, nuts, eggs, and grubs. As Lucy and her kind lived on the savanna, they in turn were eaten by jaguars and other large predators. Unfortunately, however, we still don't have answers to many questions. But scientists are still searching for answers to the mystery of Lucy and human evolution, so you never know...they just might find something amazing!

I enjoyed this book, and I learned a lot from it. It made me want to read more books in this series (the W5) and look more into the topic of early humans. One thing I enjoyed about this book was that it was neither too complicated nor overly simplistic.

The Princess and the Hound (book review)

The Princess and the Hound, by Mette Ivie Harrison, is the story two very different people who must marry one another despite all the barriers between them. In the kingdom of Kendel, Prince George keeps the dark secret of his forbidden animal magic. Keeping this secret eats away at him every day. In the kingdom of Sarrey, Princess Beatrice keeps an equally distressing secret...she isn't the Princess at all, but a wild hound trapped in a woman's body. These two are bound to marry for duty, but how can they when their secrets form a barrier that neither can breach?

This book is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but where the Beast is an animal trapped in the body of a woman. However, it was very different from the original fairy tale, and could almost be considered a fairy tale of its own. I liked soft-hearted George and proud, stubborn Beatrice, and I can't wait to read the sequel, The Princess and the Bear.

Outfoxing Fear (book review)

Outfoxing Fear, edited by Kathleen Ragan, is a collection of folktales about (you guessed it) fear. Anything that people have feared over the years--from ghosts and demons to vicious tigers to death and disease--you will find a folktale about in this book. There are stories of clever foxes and man-eating tigers, brave war heroes, and malicious devils. If you are looking for tales to keep you up all night reading, you've found the right book!

I definitely adored this collection of folk tales, and I will treasure it for a long time. There was a vast assortment of characters. I particularly liked the clever old woman in "What are you Most Scared Of?" who outwitted the devil that came knocking at her door.

Homecoming (book review)

Homecoming, by Cynthia Voigt, is the first book in the award-winning Tillerman saga. It tells the story of the four Tillerman children, abandoned by their mother in the parking lot of a mall with nothing but a few dollars. Dicey, the oldest of the children, leads her siblings on to the small hope they have...the promise of a beautiful seaside mansion belonging to their Great-Aunt Cilla. But when they get there, the children find that Cilla has died and her daughter, Eunice, does not have the kind of home and attitude they have been looking for. The younger children are having problems at school and only their brother James is seeming to enjoy it. So the children march off, their future unknown to them. Their mysterious grandmother is the children's last hope. What will they do if they cannot even find a home there?

I enjoyed this book very much, although it wasn't perfect. I think it was a bit rash of Dicey to just head off to her mysterious grandmother with her siblings after she found life with Eunice unfitting. Normal children don't just leave their homes whenever they feel like it. She didn't even know what life was like there. But other than that, this book was an amazing journey of hardship and trust where the reader grows along with the characters.

Finishing Becca (book review)

In Finishing Becca, by renowned historical fiction author Ann Rinaldi, young Becca is chosen to leave the hard work on her farm behind and work for a rich Loyalist family in Philadelphia. The year is 1778, and Philadelphia is a hotspot for Revolutionary war happenings. Becca can't wait to see the city for herself, her stepfather can't wait for her to get away from him, and her mother can't wait for her to finally get a formal education. The people she is to work for are well-educated socialites, the Shippens, and surely they can give Becca a rich girl's education. But the only thing Becca gets an education in is mendacity, because young and beautiful Peggy Shippen has set her sights on the American general Benedict Arnold, and she will do anything to turn him to her side. Becca can only watch in astonishment and disgust as Peggy woos Arnold into turning against his native country.

It was interesting to see this important historical event from a maid's point of view. As the story unfolds, Becca finds herself a part of the Shippens' duplicitous dealings, so the reader gets to see what happens through the eyes of someone who was close to the family. This book wasn't the best that I have read by Ann Rinaldi, but it did not disappoint me (her books never do).

This book was read for the Back To History Challenge.

Uncle Tom's Cabin (book review)

Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe, is a story of cruelty, of escape, and of hope. It documents the fictional journeys of two slaves (young mother Eliza and kind, old Uncle Tom) and tells of how both of their lives change as time goes by.

When this book was published, it was an immediate bestseller. It was translated into more than 20 different languages. Queen Victoria wept over it. The book's effect on the world was phenomenal. It showed the world what a major issue slavery really was in the U.S., and it shocked people in the North, many of whom had never really thought much about the issue, into acting against slavery.

In the beginning, both Eliza and Tom are owned by kind Mr. Shelby and his wife, but things soon change as Shelby sells both Tom and Eliza's young son Harry to get himself out of debt. Eliza overhears his conversation with the trader, and decides that she is not going to take it. In the dead of night, Eliza and Harry sneak away, determined to elude the slave catchers and their vicious hounds. Tom also hears the news, but his faith in his master never wavers, and he allows the slave traders to take him away from his heartbroken family. He does not leave, however, without great sorrow.

Meanwhile, Eliza and Harry are busy keeping the slave catchers off their trail. They are taken in by a kind Quaker family, and while there, Eliza meets her handsome young husband, George. The family, now reunited, is led by a guide from the Quaker home to their destination of Canada. But even this journey is not an easy one as they face an open confrontation with the slave catchers.

Tom, while on a boat down to the south, meets a beautiful young girl named Eva, who is determined to have her father buy him. Her father, the handsome and thoughtful young Augustine St. Clare, is happy to oblige. Tom finds life at St. Clare's plantation satisfying, and enjoys spending his days with Eva. But when death strikes the family, Tom finds himself without a master yet again. Tom was lucky to find Eva and her father. He's not so lucky this time. There are many cruel masters among the bunch, and when Tom is sold to an ugly brute named Legree, he knows he has found one of them. Legree's slaves are beaten as they work in the fields all day, and have hardly any time to sleep at night. Legree believes Tom's pious, unbreakable spirit to be something which no slave should possess, and Tom immediately becomes one of his least favorite people on the plantation. One night, while in a rage, Legree shoots Tom. Even as he lies dying on the floor of a shed, Tom is loyal enough to forgive his master for the horrible things the brute has done.

This book, especially the ending, was incredibly sad. Tom's incredible loyalty is hard to imagine, especially after the things Legree has done to him. However, this book wasn't perfect. The picture it painted of the happy slaves on Shelby's plantation wasn't true in most cases. In fact, masters as kind as Shelby and St. Clare were very rare. Even despite these flaws, the book was phenomenal and it is something I am going to read over and over again.

This book is for the Classics Challenge.

Among the Hidden (book review)

Among the Hidden, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, is the first book in the Shadow Children sequence. The main character, Luke, is a forbidden third child. He spends his days hiding in the attic in case the authorities come to investigate his parents house. Then one day, Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where two boys already live. He has finally found a child like himself! But when he finally meets the girl, named Jen, Luke finds that she is willing to risk her life to make her presence known. Will Luke allow himself to get caught up in a scheme that could gain him everything he ever wanted...or ultimately destroy everything he loves?

This book was an extremely fast read, and I finished it in less than an hour. It really is hard to put down! The ending was shocking, but definitely was a cliffhanger. I liked Luke more than Jen, because Luke was quiet and observant, while Jen was rash and a bit rude. I can't wait to read the next book!

Uglies (book review)

Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld, takes place after the human world as we know it has been destroyed. The main character, fifteen-year-old Tally, lives in a new and fresh high-tech world. Her sixteenth birthday is nearing, and Tally can't wait. It will bring her an operation which turns her from a repulsive ugly into a beautiful pretty. But Tally's close friend Shay has doubts about this operation. When Shay runs away, Tally is faced with a choice: she can turn her friend in or live the rest of her life an outcast without becoming pretty at all. In the end, what she chooses changes the fate of everyone in her world!

This book was amazing! Tally's world was new and unusual, and it made me think about what it would be like to live there. The book was a mix of science fiction and adventure, although it was different from most of the other books in those genres that I have read.

What an Animal Challenge

Yes, I know, I shouldn't be joining another challenge, the What an Animal Reading Challenge. But I couldn't help it (especially since it involves animals). Here's my list. I managed to use a different animal for each book!

The Ravenmaster's Secret by Elvira Woodruff (Raven on cover and in title)

The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (about a deer and fawn on cover)

The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison (features dog in book, has dog on cover, and dog in title)

Blackwater Creek by Deborah Kent (horse on cover, about horses)

All the Cats of Cairo by Inda Schaenen (cat on cover, cat in title, and features cats in book)

Outfoxing Fear, Edited by Kathleen Ragan (Fox in title and on cover)

Alternates:

Coyote by Catherine Reid (coyote on cover, coyote in title, and is about coyotes)

For Love of Insects by Thomas Eisner (insect of cover, insect in title, and is about insects)

Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce (horse on cover)

So You Want to Be a Wizard (book review)

So You Want to Be a Wizard, by Diane Duane, begins when twelve-year-old Nita runs into her local library to hide from a gang of local bullies. As she is running her hand along the shelf, something stops her. It's a book titled So You Want To Be A Wizard. Nita takes the book home and reads every page of it. At the end of the book she takes the wizard's oath and becomes a wizard herself. She soon meets a fellow wizard, a young boy named Kit. During their first spell, Nita and Kit accidentally transfer a white hole named Fred from his world into theirs. Having found no way to return him to his own universe, they take him in as a friend.

Soon, Nita, Kit, and Fred are running off on a new adventure, this time in a horrible parallel world where cars, helicopters, and even fire hydrants are living--and carnivorous--creatures! Kit, who is a natural with vehicles, soon befriends a predatory sports car, which he had helped out of a fix. With their newfound help, the young wizards soon restore this strange world--and their own--to order, but not before they all make terrible sacrifices and learn more about themselves than they could ever have hoped to know.

I think this was a great start to what I suspect is a wonderful series. The world Duane created was fascinating and dangerous, and there was a great variety of characters. I absolutely can't wait to read the next book in the series, Deep Wizardry.