The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan



Title: The Serpent's Shadow
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Junior Fiction
Rating: 4.5


 Super sad that this is "supposed" to be the last book in Riordan's Kane Chronicles series.  However, fingers crossed, this isn't actually the case.  I got the feeling after reading this book that maybe (hopefully) a book combining Egyptian mythology with the Greek/Roman mythology is in the future.

I love Riordan's junior fiction books, but I do find the Kane Chronicles more difficult to follow  than the Percy Jackson or Lost Heroes of Olympus series.  Most likely because I am just more familiar with Greek mythology than Egyptian mythology.  That being said, I love being able to learn mroe about Egytian mythology through this series.

In this book, the battle to stop Apophis, the god of Chaos, is the center of the plot.  Of course Carter and Sadie Kane's messy yet entertaining love lives are also part of the plot line.  The Kane children face numerous challenges and obstacles they need to overcome which make for a book packed full of non-stop actiona and adventure. Don't start this book unless you have plenty of time to read becasue it will be one which is really hard to put down.

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Title: A Great and Terrible Beauty
Author: Libba Bray
Genre: YA Historical Fiction/Fantasy
Rating: 3.5

This was not a bad read, but it wasn't particularly great either. I probably had too high of expectations going into it though.  Historical fiction, mixed with fantasy, and a touch of romance; a bit too good to be true.  The characters didn't particularly click with me, but maybe that's because I never understood the popular and annoying 16 year old mindset. They just seemed like the type of people at school I would have avoided at all costs, but maybe that was the point of the book; to show the snotty kids perspective?  Whatever the case, I will probably try and finish the series at some point because for some reason I can't quite put my finger on, I'm curious.  Maybe the next ones will be better?

Overview:
After a terrifying vision and the murder of her mother, Gemma's life is changed forever.  She is sent to boarding school in England after a life in India and discovers the difficulty of fitting in, making friends, staying true to herself, while also learning about a dangerous secret Order and her connection to it.  A gift she didn't know she had also appears and she must learn how to manage it. However, a mysterious young man has followed her from India to England to warn Gemma against using this new gift she has discovered, but should she listen? Gemma faces many difficult decsions, but will she make the right choices?

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart



The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict
Trenton Lee Stewart
Junior Fiction
Rating: 4.5

I was so excited when I saw that this book had come out.  I absolutely love the three previous Mysterious Benedict Society books.  They are great reads for kids and young adults (and adults too of course :) because they are packed with adventure, mystery, and drama. While at the same time the stories teach valuable lessons about freindship, bullying, and other weighty issues.

Review:
This book tells us about Nicholas Benedict's (the "teacher" of the children in the three previous novels) unusual childhood.  I was skeptical.  I thought I would be disappointed since the children I have grown to love in the other novels weren't in this story, but that was not the case.  I loved the characters just as much in this novel!  It was very cool to see how all of the characters in this novel grew and some of the reasons why they turned into the people they do in the previously published novels.

Nicholas Benedict is your not-so-typical, super-smart, narcolpetic young boy. This story begins with his journey to a new orphanage (as Mr. Benedict is an orphan himself) called Rothschild's End.  He dreams of a fresh start where he will have freinds and fit in, unfortunately that is not what happens immediately.  Nicholas is warned of the Spiders, the orphanage's notorious bullies, before he even enters the building and the Headmaster, Mr. Collum,  is not a compassionate or caring man.

However, Nicholas' stay at Rothschild's End isn't all bad.  He is able to learn many valuable life lessons, gain a couple amazing new friends (John and Violet), all while on the hunt for a hidden treasure.  Will Nicholas and his two friends figure out where the treasure is located before the Mr. Collum?  Can Nicholas ever "defeat" the Spiders? Is it possible for someone so different to fit in?

Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Title: Gilt
Author: Katherine Longshore
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.5

I received Gilt from the Early Reviewer's program on Library Thing and one again was able to discover a wonderful book I probably would have never purchased on my own.  I enjoy historical fiction, but am leary of purchasing these type of novels because it's hard to find an author who writes them well. Gilt was a fun historical fiction novel, written more so for teens, (most of the conflict revolves around teen drama) but can be applied and enjoyed by all ages.
Review:
Gilt is a teen historical fiction novel about the Henry VIII debacle. This story focuses around Cat's, Catherine Howard, story told from the perspective of Cat's childhood friend Kiity.

Even though Henry VII and Cat are in the novel, Kitty's transformation from a girl who does whatever she is told to a free-thinking individual is the main focus. Gilt is filled with romance, hte intrigue of court life, difficult choices, consequences, and revelations.

This novel was one I couldn't put down. It held all the elements of a great historical fiction novel. I would definitely recommend this to others, mainly teens, who enjoy historical fiction especially about Henry VII. It's not as detailed as a Phillipa Gregory novel, but a good fast read.

The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen

Title: The Secrets of Mary Bowser
Author: Lois Leveen
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.5

I received this as part of an Early Reviewer program through LibraryThing and was super excited because I haven't read a Civil War era story in quite some time.  I was really impressed by this novel because of all the historical detail in it and how inspiring the story is for the reader.

Review:
Centered around a strong female African American character, this book provides a story filled with inspiration and hope.
Mary is a slave in Richmond, Virginia who is set free and sent North to receive an education by her wealthy mistress, Bet Van Lew. Mary leaves her beloved parents behind in Virginia to receive her education and realizes that she wants more than to just be free and educated; she wants to make a difference and help end slavery. So when Mary is given the chance to return to Richmond and turn spy for the Union against President Jefferson Davis, she takes it. Along the way, Mary is confronted with many difficult choices, discovers love and loss, and risks everything she has to help end slavery.
A wonderful, inspirational story the reader will enjoy while also learning something about American history

The Garden Intrigue by Lauren Willig



Title: The Garden Intrigue
Authour: Lauren Willig
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction
Rating: 5


Lauren Willig is one of my favorite authors and I always get super excited when a new Pink Carnation comes out because I am never disappointed.  This book was no exception. Someday I will make it to one of her book signings even if I have to take a plane to get to there :)

Review:
The Garden Intrigue takes place in France and centers around the relatable Emma Delagardie and the poet/spy Augustus Whittlesby.  Emma is a flirtatious widow who knows a lot more than she lets on; even possibly about the secret machine Bonaparte is waiting for to use against England.  Augustus, on the other hand, is a seemingly superfluous spy ;) whose feelings about Emma may lead him astray from the task at hand; discovering out about Bonaparte's secret machine. 

Overall, the  characters are wonderful and funny and the plot races along so fast you can't put the book down. I recommend this series to people all the time and will continue to with this book.

“Why was it that cheering expressions were invariably so infuriating?”

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones and the Movie Adaption Directed by Hayao Miyazaki



Title: Howl's Moving Castle
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Genre: Junior Fiction
Rating: 4.5



 I found the book Howl’s Moving Castle at a local used book store and had to have it.  I remembered hearing about it before and it had a cool looking cover so I was in.  It was a lovely junior fiction story I would recommend to kids who want something "fun" to read or anyone else who likes a good story. 

Review:

Howl's Moving Castle is a really fast and fun, feel-good story. It is set within a magical land full of witches, wizards, curses and enchantments, royalty, and all kinds of different creatures (including a mischievous fire demon stuck in a hearth). If you like stories packed full of adventure, humor, and magic, this book is for you!

Title: Howl's Moving Caslte
Director:  Hayao Miyazaki
Rating Based on Book: 2
Rating Independent of Book: 4



   

The Movie Counterpart:

I had never seen an anime movie before watching Howl’s Moving Castle and I'm having mixed feelings about it.  I love the book so this may have prejudiced me against the movie as the movie took a lot of liberty on the plot.  This is the type of movie adaption I’m not a fan of; taking a perfectly good storyline and changing it for no apparent reason (at least no reason I could divine). Sometimes, yes changing the plot a bit is necessary because of time constraints or the ease of portraying a certain ‘feeling’ important to the book, however, this was not the case in this movie.  

I found myself asking (out loud) “What?” and “Why?” a lot through the movie and explaining to my fiancé what should be happening according to the book. (I mean no one was afraid of the scarecrow?)   Sophie’s whole family dilemma didn’t come off accurately, the Witch of the Waste was not what I expected, and Howl’s curse?! I don’t even know what that was about.

Overall, if you’re looking for a good movie representation of a wonderful book, you’ll probably be disappointed.  However, if you want to watch an animated movie (not compared to the book), it’s actually not that bad.