Book Review (Arc) ~ A Whole New World

A Whole New World

by Liz Braswell
published by Disney Press
expected release date: September 1, 2015
genre: YA, Fairy Tales, Re-Tellings, Fantasy,

*E-galley received from netGalley and publisher in exchange for honest review.

Summary (Goodreads): Welcome to a new YA series that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways. Each book asks the question: What if one key moment from a familiar Disney film was changed? This dark and daring version of Aladdin twists the original story with the question: What if Jafar was the first one to summon the Genie?

When Jafar steals the Genie’s lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear, waiting for his third and final wish.To stop the power-mad ruler, Aladdin and the deposed Princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion. But soon their fight for freedom threatens to tear the kingdom apart in a costly civil war.

What happens next? A Street Rat becomes a leader. A princess becomes a revolutionary. And readers will never look at the story of Aladdin in the same way again.

My Thoughts: This had all the elements to be a really great story for me. I love retellings, fairy tales, and Aladdin is one of my favorite Disney movies. Unfortunately, it just didn't work out for me. I didn't quite DNF but I skimmed most of the second half, hoping that something would happen to re-grab my attention.
It starts off well with the prologue taking us back to when Aladdin was little and his mother was still living. It was a nice look at his younger years and seeing how his mother influenced him as he grew. We also meet some street rats that are already friends and a Palace guard that plays a big part in the story.
Chapter 1 is where it starts to go downhill for me. It was line for line if not word for word the dialogue from the movie. From the moment it starts until Aladdin is in the cave of wonders and is handing the lamp to the old guy (Jafar). There was no deviation. Nothing that made this the re-telling it is supposed to be or the author's own version of Aladdin.
As we know Jafar gets the lamp and wishes to be Sultan. It pretty much matches the summary from there. Aladdin helps rescue Jasmine from the palace where Jafar is holding her until he can force her to wed him. They join up with the street rats, that we met when Aladdin was little, and build up the group that will assist them in getting rid of Jafar.
For me what this really needed was more Jafar. Because we see very little of him throughout I never felt he was as truly evil as the rebellion kept telling us. The story would have benefited more if we would have gotten some back and forth POVs from Jafar and then Jasmine/Aladdin.
Another thing that was missing were the side characters that I loved. What made the movie for me was Genie and he is barely around. We get little glimpses and meetings and while his character is different based on who is in charge of his lamp, I still wanted more.
I'll try to end this on a positive. I did like how Jasmine was more of a character. She was very pro active in trying to get back her city and seemed to be a bit more fleshed out as a character.
Some will like this more than I did. I just couldn't get fully back into it after the first part that was too exact to the movie. Even knowing this is from Disney I still would have preferred for the author to change it up in some way.

Rating: 3

Book Review ~ The Whispering Skull

The Whispering Skull (Lockwood & Co. # 2)

by Jonathon Stroud
published by Hyperion
genre: MG/YA, Supernatural, Fantasy, Paranormal

Summary (Goodread): In the six months since Anthony, Lucy, and George survived a night in the most haunted house in England, Lockwood & Co. hasn't made much progress. Quill Kipps and his team of Fittes agents keep swooping in on Lockwood's investigations. Finally, in a fit of anger, Anthony challenges his rival to a contest: the next time the two agencies compete on a job, the losing side will have to admit defeat in the Times newspaper.

Things look up when a new client, Mr. Saunders, hires Lockwood & Co. to be present at the excavation of Edmund Bickerstaff, a Victorian doctor who reportedly tried to communicate with the dead. Saunders needs the coffin sealed with silver to prevent any supernatural trouble. All goes well-until George's curiosity attracts a horrible phantom.

Back home at Portland Row, Lockwood accuses George of making too many careless mistakes. Lucy is distracted by urgent whispers coming from the skull in the ghost jar. Then the team is summoned to DEPRAC headquarters. Kipps is there too, much to Lockwood's annoyance. Bickerstaff's coffin was raided and a strange glass object buried with the corpse has vanished. Inspector Barnes believes the relic to be highly dangerous, and he wants it found.

My Thoughts: This is a book where I really like the world the author has built. Ghosts of every type have taken over the night time and the only ones that can see and stop them are the young. The only down side is the POV. For some reason I do not like Lucy's voice. She seems very snobby and at times seems to be trying to hard to be the "mean girl". My annoyance with her made me put the book down several times.
It's unfortunate because when I forced myself to look past her and focus solely on the story it was really good. We had talking skulls in a jar, a source that kills with a look, and a "friendly" competition between Lockwood agency and one of the large official agencies. Throw in deaths, black market auctions, and an interesting mystery and you have a good read.
Overall, I had a hard time rating this one. The story was good, with lots of interesting elements that kept the story moving. On the other hand I wish it had either been told by someone else or mixed in at least one other voice. The ending makes me want to find out what happens next but it's really going to depend on mood and who's POV it's told in.

Rating: 3.5

Book Review ~ The Forbidden Library

The Forbidden Library

by Django Wexler
published by Kathy Dawson Books
genre: MG, Fantasy,

Summary (Goodreads): Alice always thought fairy tales had happy endings. That--along with everything else--changed the day she met her first fairy

When Alice's father goes down in a shipwreck, she is sent to live with her uncle Geryon--an uncle she's never heard of and knows nothing about. He lives in an enormous manor with a massive library that is off-limits to Alice. But then she meets a talking cat. And even for a rule-follower, when a talking cat sneaks you into a forbidden library and introduces you to an arrogant boy who dares you to open a book, it's hard to resist. Especially if you're a reader to begin with. Soon Alice finds herself INSIDE the book, and the only way out is to defeat the creature imprisoned within.

It seems her uncle is more than he says he is. But then so is Alice.

My Thoughts: This is an interesting twist on the magic of falling into the books that you read. I almost liked the setting and premise of this story more than the story itself. It did turn itself around and by the end I was sucked into the whole thing.
Alice at the moment seems like the only good character. She is more of a hard worker and determined to see things through type of character rather than your typical strong female lead. At times she was naive, but somehow still managed to do what needed to be done and mostly keep her morals in place.
Other than Alice, and possibly Ashes, there was not another character that I really liked. I wished there had been more exploration into characters like Emma. We are told briefly that the reason she is the way she is, is because she possibly was a reader and her mind was wiped. This was used to scare Alice and then promptly forgotten, we never really find out if this is true. Also, how Mr Black and Mother (Ending) came to be in Geryon's control. They don't seem to be the same as the ones defeated by Alice in her books, a thread tied to her mind, that she can pull on when needed.
Overall, it was a good start to a new series. I'm interested in the world of readers that the author has created. The other old school readers who all seem evil and their apprentices that don't seem any better. There are a lot of questions surrounding Alice and I will give the second book a chance to find out more.

Rating: 3.5

Book Review ~ Wednesdays in the Tower

Wednesday in the Tower (Castle Glower #2)

by Jessica Day George
published by Bloomsbury Children
genre: MG, Fantasy,

Summary (Goodreads): A castle that is constantly rearranging itself, and a young royal family sworn to protect it... Celie, Rolf, and their beloved Castle Glower are back in this exciting sequel.

Strange things are afoot in Castle Glower: new rooms, corridors, and even stables keep arriving, even when they aren't needed. Celie's brother Bran, the new Royal Wizard, has his hands full cataloguing an entire storeroom full of exotic and highly dangerous weapons, while Celie has her hands full . . . raising the creature that hatches from a giant egg she finds! Will they be able to find out what's making the Castle behave this way in time?

My Thoughts: This book was entertaining but had some issues for me. I loved the griffin and Celie trying to raise and hide it once it is hatched. I also enjoyed the characters looking and finding different things in the castle that show a history of the castle and griffins. I just wished it had been a little more explored and given more time in the story considering where this story ended and how the next is shaping up.
Overall, the story just seemed to be choppy at times and incomplete in others. That said I still enjoyed it. It felt more like a filler story to move us from the story in book one into the story coming in book three. I've enjoyed all of George's other books and will still read book three before making any decisions on this series.

Rating: 3.5

Book Review ~ The Fairy-Tale Detectives

The Fairy-Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm #1)

by Michael Buckley
Illustrated by Peter Ferguson
genre: MG, Fairy-tale, fantasy,

Summary (Goodreads): For Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, life has not been a fairy tale. After the mysterious disappearance of their parents, the sisters are sent to live with their grandmother--a woman they believed was dead! Granny Relda reveals that the girls have two famous ancestors, the Brothers Grimm, whose classic book of fairy tales is actually a collection of case files of magical mischief. Now the girls must take on the family responsibility of being fairy tale detectives.

My Thoughts: This was an entertaining start to a series. Having many of your favorite fairy-tale characters stuck in one place as long as their is a Grimm living there has led to some interesting twists and turns that you might not expect.
My favorite characters were Grandma Grimm and Daphne. I loved all the quirks, like saying goodbye and hello to the house, that the grandma had and how willing Daphne was to accept it all in stride. On the other side of that is Sabrina. While I understand why she acts the way she does and it completely in character, I still found myself disliking her most of the time.
Overall, if you enjoy fairy-tale retellings this is a promising start to a series. With the girls learning to become Grimm detectives while trying to find out who has their parents alongside familiar characters in unexpected roles (three little pigs as local law enforcement) I'm looking forward to reading book 2.

Rating: 4

Waiting on Wednesday ~ The House of Hades

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

The House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus #4)

by Rick Riordan
published by Hyperion
expected release date: October 8, 2013
genre: Fantasy, YA/MG, Mythology

Summary (Goodreads): At the conclusion of The Mark of Athena, Annabeth and Percy tumble into a pit leading straight to the Underworld. The other five demigods have to put aside their grief and follow Percy’s instructions to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death. If they can fight their way through the Gaea’s forces, and Percy and Annabeth can survive the House of Hades, then the Seven will be able to seal the Doors both sides and prevent the giants from raising Gaea. But, Leo wonders, if the Doors are sealed, how will Percy and Annabeth be able to escape?
They have no choice. If the demigods don’t succeed, Gaea’s armies will never die. They have no time. In about a month, the Romans will march on Camp Half-Blood. The stakes are higher than ever in this adventure that dives into the depths of Tartarus.

**I really love these books and have wanted to know what happened since the end of book 3.

Book Review ~ Storybound

Storybound (Storybound #1) 

by Marissa Burt
published by Harper Collin's
genre: MG, Fantasy, Fairy Tales

Summary (Goodreads): In the land of Story, children go to school to learn to be characters: a perfect Hero, a trusty Sidekick, even the most dastardly Villain. They take classes on Outdoor Experiential Questing and Backstory, while adults search for full-time character work in stories written just for them.

In our world, twelve-year-old Una Fairchild has always felt invisible. But all that changes when she stumbles upon a mysterious book buried deep in the basement of her school library, opens the cover, and suddenly finds herself transported to the magical land of Story.

But Story is not a perfect fairy tale. Una’s new friend Peter warns her about the grave danger she could face if anyone discovers her true identity. The devious Tale Keeper watches her every move. And there are whispers of a deadly secret that seems to revolve around Una herself....

With the timeless appeal of books like A Wrinkle in Time and the breathtaking action of Inkheart, Storybound has all the makings of a new classic. Brimming with fantastical creatures, magical adventure, and heart-stopping twists, Storybound will leave readers wishing they too could jump through the pages into this enchanting fairy-tale world.

My Thoughts: This book starts with Una in the "real" world, trying to get through the day when she finds someone is sitting in her spot in the library. After finding a new spot and mysterious book that is about her, another run in with the stranger where she wakes up in Story. We don't really get much about who sent her to Story or how (only why). This is really when the story begins.
The author did a great job creating a world (Story) that trains all the characters in your favorite books. I liked how the places they came from were based on their story genre and you could tell by what they were wearing.
Una is an interesting character. She's trying to figure out why she was Written In as well as what really happened between the Muses and the first Tale Keeper. Along with Peter (hero) and Sam (talking cat) they try to piece together the real story based on scraps of info and stolen books.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. There is a character for just about everyone and a setting to go with them. I'm interested in finding out more about Una and The Muses (all of them) and what happens next. While a lot was found out I didn't feel as if anything was resolved. This was a definite  to be continued type book. Luckily, the second book, Story's End, came out in April so I don't have to wait,

Rating: 4

Waiting on Wednesday ~ Lost in Babylon

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Lost in Babylon (Seven Wonders #2)

by Peter Lerangis
published by HarperCollins
expected release date: October 29, 2013
genre: MG, Fantasy, 

Summary (Goodreads): Percy Jackson meets Indiana Jones in the New York Times bestselling epic adventure Seven Wonders! Lost in Babylon is the second book in a seven-book series, chronicling the adventures of Jack McKinley and his race to find the Loculi that have been hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In Lost in Babylon, Jack travels to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, where he discovers a world out of time and is faced with a dilemma unlike any he'd ever imagined.

Rick Riordan calls Seven Wonders "a high-octane mix of modern adventure and ancient secrets. The Colossus Rises is Lerangis's most gripping work yet. Young readers will love this story. I can't wait to see what's next in the Seven Wonders series!"

**I enjoyed reading the first book in this series and look forward to finding out what happens next.

Book Review ~ The Emerald Atlas

The Emerald Atlas (The Books of Beginning #1)

by John Stephens
published by Yearling
genre: MG/YA, Fantasy, 

Summary (Goodreads): Called “A new Narnia for the tween set” by the New York Times and perfect for fans of the His Dark Materials series, The Emerald Atlas brims with humor and action as it charts Kate, Michael, and Emma's extraordinary adventures through an unforgettable, enchanted world.

These three siblings have been in one orphanage after another for the last ten years, passed along like lost baggage.

Yet these unwanted children are more remarkable than they could possibly imagine. Ripped from their parents as babies, they are being protected from a horrible evil of devastating power, an evil they know nothing about.

Until now.

Before long, Kate, Michael, and Emma are on a journey through time to dangerous and secret corners of the world...a journey of allies and enemies, of magic and mayhem.  And—if an ancient prophesy is correct—what they do can change history, and it is up to them to set things right.

My Thoughts: I tend to enjoy most MG books and they're a good go to when I'm in a reading slump. This was a nice start to a trilogy. There was plenty of action throughout to keep you reading from beginning to end.
Character wise, my favorite was Michael, which probably is different from most. I think I felt sorry for him with the severe case of middle child syndrome he seemed to have. That, added to being the fantasy nerd of the group. All his studying of the book left to him by his father really came into play when him and Kate ended up captured by dwarfs. He was also the one that wanted to stop and ask questions no matter how dangerous the current situation was.
Many will like Emma. She was the most full of life. She's fiercely loyal to her sister and brother and quick to defend even if it is not the best solution. This was part of what made me wary about her. She reminded me of the YA character that is constantly having bad things happen and most of the time it is because they didn't stop and think for 5 seconds before acting. While everything turns out okay, this happens a few times in this story.
Lastly is Kate. She is the oldest and the only one of the three that truly remembers their parents. She takes her promise to take care of the other two very seriously. The weight of this responsibility shows up during some critical times. Especially when she had to make an important decision.
Overall, as I said this first book made the second a must read for me. There was plenty going on to keep my attention with enough unanswered to keep the series going forward. I'm curious about the other two Books of Beginning. The one introduced in this book (Kate's book) had a unique process for time travel. I loved the idea of sticking a picture into a book and going to where and when that picture was taken. Can't wait to see how the other two work. Also interested in the master bad guy who we meet for a short time with Kate and explains why their parents haven't come back for them.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ The Colossus Rises

The Colossus Rises (Seven Wonders #1)

by Peter Lerangis
published by HarperCollins
genre: YA/MG, Fantasy, Mythology

Summary (Goodreads): One Boy

Jack McKinley is an ordinary kid with an extraordinary problem. In a few months, he’s going to die.

One Mission
Jack needs to find seven magic loculi that, when combined, have the power to cure him.

One Problem
The loculi are the relics of a lost civilization and haven’t been seen in thousands of years.

Seven Wonders
Because they’re hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

My Thoughts: This had a lot of potential, it just fell a little short on one thing for me. The characters were not developed enough for me to care about in the long run. The main character from this book, Jack, was a little better than the other three but everything seemed to be happening to them. It was hard to care if one was going to make it or if they disappeared, etc.
The actual story I found interesting. The powers that made the lost city of Atlantis great split up and hidden among the ancient Seven Wonders. The interactions between Jack and the loculi and what happened when he touched it was one of the better parts of the story.
Overall, there is enough in the main story (search for the seven loculi in the seven wonders) that will make me read at least the next book. If there is more character development along with moving the story along I can see myself looking forward to this series the way I do Rick RIordan's books.

Rating: 3.5

Book Review ~ The Mark of Athena

The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3)
by Rick Riordan
published by Hyperion
genre: MG/YA, Fantasy, Mythology

Summary (Goodreads): Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that's only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

My Thoughts: This book is told from four different POVs, Percy, Annabeth, Leo, and Piper. I don't mind getting the story from all sides, especially when the group seemed to split up a lot so you were only getting one to two POVs from each story line. That said, I didn't really care for Piper. It seemed to slow the story down whenever it came to her chapters. This stems more from not caring about her and Jason's relationship than anything. It seemed to come across as whining more often than not. It did not bring the book down and I'm sure others will not have a problem with it, it just did not work for me.
Even though I like the mix of the different myths (Greek vs Roman) character wise Percy and Annabeth are  still my favorites., with Leo moving way up on the list. Annabeth's quest to find something that the Roman's stole from her mother was the highlight for me. Following her as she had to take on all of this by herself when she has spent most of her life in a group being taken care of was a great show of character growth. We also got to see this with Percy and Jason realizing that they did not always have to be the leaders and things turned out better when they worked together.
Overall this was another great story from Rick Riordan that ended with just as many questions as it did answers. Looking forward to the next book to see how Percy and Annabeth get out of the trouble they found themselves in at the end of the book.

Rating: 5

Book Review ~ The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (League of Princes #1)
by Christopher Healey 
Illustrated by Todd Harris
published by Waldon Pond Press
genre: MG, Fairy Tales, Fantasy

Summary (Goodreads): Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You've never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming. But all of this is about to change. Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Gustav stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. Now it's up to them to triumph over their various shortcomings, take on trolls, bandits, dragons, witches, and other assorted terrors, and become the heroes no one ever thought they could be.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this fairy tale retelling. It changes what we know of some very popular old stories and mixes it with what could have come next. I'll also add that the illustrations added to the story and helped bring it to life.
All the Princes had their high and low points. You couldn't help but feel bad for them and how they got the short end in their respective stories. I also liked how Duncan and his "luck" happened upon his Princess and yet theirs was the only story that seemed to be working out.
My favorite princess has always been Briar Rose and they made her evil in this story. I can't say I still liked her but the original is still my favorite.
Overall, this is a great book if you like fairy tales or if you're looking for a story that is more from the male POV (always looking for books for my son).

Rating: 4

mini Book Review ~ The Demigod Diaries

The Demigod Diaries (Heroes of Olympus)
by Rick Riordan
published by Hyperion
genre: mythology, fantasy, MG/YA

Summary (Goodreads): What dangers do runaway demigods Luke and Thalia face on their way to Camp Half-Blood? Are Percy and Annabeth up to the task of rescuing stolen goods from a fire-breathing giant who doesn't take kindly to intruders? How exactly are Leo, Piper, and Jason supposed to find a runaway table, dodge a band of party-loving Maenads" ("who just might be a little psychotic), and stave off a massive explosion...all in one hour or less?
With his trademark wit and creativity, Rick Riordan answers these questions and more in three never-before-seen short stories that provide vital back-story to the Heroes of Olympus and Percy Jackson books. Original art, enlightening character interviews and profiles, puzzles, and a quiz add to the fun in this action-packed collection.

My Thoughts: Like The Demigod Files, I read this for the short stories. The illustrations were interesting as was the interview with Hermes' snakes and the pictures were better placed in this book. Now to the stories...

The Diary of Luke Castellan: It was good to get more of a background into Luke and how he, Thalia, and Annabeth came together. This story focuses on Luke and Thalia trapped in the house of a cursed demigod Halcyon Green. It has monsters, treasure and sacrifice. Overall, it made me like Luke a little more.

Percy Jackson and the Staff of Hermes: Percy and Annabeth are on a picnic when Hermes shows up to send Percy on a mission. The ginger, pickpocket, giant Cacus stole Hermes staff (on someone else's orders) and Percy needs to get it back before any of the other gods notice that Hermes cannot send messages. This was a cute humorous short that gives us more of a happy  moment with these two heroes than we usually get.

Leo Valdez and the Quest for Buford: I'll admit I kept getting confused on where this story took place. Every time I would see Jason's name I would think California even though they are at camp half-blood.
My favorite character in this story was the temperamental side table that ran away with an important part of Argo II.

The last short story was written by Rick Riordan's son, Haley. I was impressed by his writing and how well the story flowed with his father's work.

Son of Magic: Alabaster is one of the demigods who fought for Kronos and survived. We find out a lot in this short. How the mist is created and why monsters can smell half bloods. What happened to the rest of the survivors that fought on the losing side (gods and their bargains).
I didn't care for Dr Claymore but he was important to Alabaster's story going forward and had a minor growth in character himself.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ The Last Dragonslayer

The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer #1)
by Jasper Fforde
published by Harcourt's Children Books
genre: Fantasy, MG/YA, 

Summary (Goodreads): In the good old days, magic was indispensable—it could both save a kingdom and clear a clogged drain. But now magic is fading: drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and magic carpets are used for pizza delivery. Fifteen-year-old foundling Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for magicians—but it’s hard to stay in business when magic is drying up. And then the visions start, predicting the death of the world’s last dragon at the hands of an unnamed Dragonslayer. If the visions are true, everything will change for Kazam—and for Jennifer. Because something is coming. Something known as . . . Big Magic.

My Thoughts: This is one of those books that I almost passed on because of the cover. At first glance it looked too much like a contemporary book. I was not familiar with this author but the blurb was interesting enough that I read it anyways. I'm glad I did.
Jennifer Strange was a great character. Her interactions with the temperamental wizards and the last dragon, Maltcassion, were entertaining and humorous. She is definitely a character I would read more about.
Overall this story was a great read with enough action and twists to keep you reading even when the humor wasn't the main focus. I'm not sure where the author would go with this series but I can see myself reading more of his work.

Rating: 4 

Book Review ~ The Book of Wonders

The Book of Wonders
by Jasmine Richards
published by HarperCollins
genre: MG, Fantasy, Debut

Summary (full @Goodreads): Magic, Djinn, Ogres, and Sorcerers. Thirteen-year-old Zardi loves to hear stories about fantastical beings, long banned from the kingdom of Arribitha. But anyone caught whispering of their powers will feel the rage of the sultan—a terrifying usurper who, even with his eyes closed, can see all...

My Thoughts: I've found when I'm having trouble finishing books, if I pick up an MG book it helps get me out of my slump. This book was no exception. I enjoyed both the world and the characters that the author brought us. Some may seem familiar, there is a correlation to Aladdin and Arabian Nights. We even have the characters searching for Aladdin to take over ruling Arribitha from the evil Sultan.
  There were times throughout that I wished the story had only focused on one character, either Sardi or Ridhan's. I found myself liking Rdhan better and was more interested in his story since it had to do with magic and sorcerers. Also, while the Sultan and what he did to Sardi's family (as well as the whole country) was terrible, Ridhan's dad came off as much more vile and those are the type of villain's I like reading about.
Overall, this was a fun enjoyable read with a great set up for a next book (nothing showing at this time).  From Sardi and Ridhan to the pirates and djinni there is something for everyone. The twists in the story made sure it did not become boring and keeps you reading to the end.

Rating: 4 (wavered between this and 3.5)

Book Review ~ 13 Curses

13 Curses (Thirteen Treasures #2)
by Michelle Harrison
published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
genre: MG/YA fantasy

Summary (full @Goodreads): The 13 Treasures have become the 13 Curses. When fairies stole her brother, Red vowed to get him back. Now trapped in the fairy realm, she begs to be seen before the fairy court where she strikes a bargain: Her brother in exchange for all thirteen charms from Tanya's bracelet....Can Red, Tanya, and Fabian find all thirteen charms? And if they do, will the fairies keep their promise?

My Thoughts: This story had everything I was waiting for in the first book. More about the fairies, more about the 13 treasures and more Red.
There were times when I thought Red was a little too full of herself but overall I was glad she was the main character in this book. Tanya, Fabian and even Warwick are also important in this.
I liked how the fairies were represented. With the Seelie being "good" and the Unseelie being the uncaring "bad" court. The casting out of the charms and having Red find them before she can get her brother out was an interesting task and I wasn't sure how they were going to go about it.
As I stated, I didn't like Red at times. Especially when she was dealing with Nell, I thought it was just too much. Fabian also had moments in this book that I just wanted to sit him down and tell him to stop acting like a brat. On the flip side, I enjoyed both Tanya and Warwick more in this story. Finding out more of Warwick's back story added to his character.
The biggest complaint was the epilogue. It wasn't needed and had me rolling my eyes while I read it. With everything that came out and was accomplished in this book I'm interested in seeing what the third book is about.

Rating: 4