The Marvelous Land of Oz

Goodreads Synopsis:    Tip builds a pumpkinheaded man as a joke. But the joke's on Tip when a mean old witch brings Jack Pumpkinhead to life! 

Soon Jack and Tip-and their friend, the Sawhorse-are on the road to Oz. There they join forces with the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman against the rebel army of General Jinjur, who has conquered the Emerald City. 

If Tip and his friends defeat Jinjur, they can restore the throne to the rightful ruler-Princess Ozma. There's just one slight problem-they've got to find the princess first.

My Thoughts:

-    I didn't love this one as much as the first book, but it was still very enjoyable.

-    I love the classic characters the best, but the new characters were fun. I missed Dorothy, but I liked getting to know Tip and his friends. 

-    I love Baum's simple writing style. He is a great storyteller. The story is very straightforward without much fluff.

-    The ending is quite surprising. I don't think anyone could see it coming.

-    I love the world that Baum created. Oz is awesome! I want to visit.

Previous Oz Book

(covers are linked)

Heartless

Goodreads Synopsis:    Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland and a favorite of the unmarried King, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, she wants to open a shop and create delectable pastries. But for her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for a woman who could be a queen.

At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the King’s marriage proposal, she meets handsome and mysterious Jest. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into a secret courtship.

Cath is determined to choose her own destiny. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

Book Trailer:

My Thoughts:

-    I didn't love this as much as The Lunar Chronicles, but it was still good.

-    The ending is predictable, but I think it is meant to be. Even though I knew what Cath's fate was, I enjoyed the journey. 

-    I never fully trusted Jest. I wanted to love him, but I just couldn't. I wish he had been a more swoon worthy guy. I always felt like his ulterior motives were hanging over his and Cath's relationship. I just couldn't get behind this romance. In fact, I felt a little sorry for the king the whole time. At least his intentions were honorable and true, even though he was an idiot.

-    The story was pretty slow in the middle. I feel like 100 pages could have been edited out.

-    This book made me crave baked goods really bad! I recommend having lemon tarts, cookies, cupcakes, and macarons on hand while reading. 

-    The ending was very captivating and a lot was going on. I really enjoyed the last few chapters. It was everything I hoped for.

Happy Memorial Day

To all who have served and continue to serve, thank you!

I'm proud to say that my father, uncles, and grandfathers have served our country.

Thank you!

One Trick Pony

Goodreads Says:    The aliens have arrived. And they’re hungry for electricity. In the Earth of the future, humans are on the run from an alien force—giant blobs who suck up electrical devices wherever they can find them. Strata and her family are part of a caravan of digital rescuers, hoping to keep the memory of civilization alive by saving electronics wherever they can. Many humans have reverted to a pre-electrical age, and others have taken advantage of the invasion to become dangerous bandits and outlaws. When Strata and her brother are separated from the caravan, they must rely on a particularly beautiful and rare robot pony to escape the outlaws and aliens—and defeat the invaders once and for all.



My Thoughts:

-    I think this needed to be part of series and not a stand alone. I felt like I was thrown into the middle of a story, and there wasn't a beginning or ending.

-    I was moderately entertained while reading, but when I finished I was all, "What the heck did I just read?"

-    I liked the idea of the story. It would make a cool sci-fi. 

-    The illustrations were fun and very Nathan Hale.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Goodreads Synopsis:    Journey to the spectacular land of Oz with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz! This classic tale from L. Frank Baum has enchanted readers for over a century. Now, in this stunning hundredth anniversary edition featuring the original illustrations by W.W. Denslow, new readers will learn the power of the phrase “There is no place like home.”

In this hardcover edition with high-quality reproductions of the original art, follow the adventures of young Dorothy Gale and her dog, Toto, as their Kansas house is swept away by a cyclone and they find themselves in a strange land called Oz.

Here she meets the Munchkins and joins the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion on an unforgettable journey to the Emerald City, where lives the all-powerful Wizard of Oz.

Original Thoughts:

-    Classic in ever sense of the word! What a great story.

-    I loved the familiar characters and the familiar scenes, but I also loved the extra things you don't see in the movie. All the little details that Baum puts in the book is so great, but easy to overlook. I enjoyed the little endnotes that helped the reader catch these. I loved the symbols used, like the colors. This book is such a great story that keeps any age reader loving it.

Re-Read Thoughts:

-    The first time I read this, I read the Barnes and Noble Classics version. This time I read the 100th anniversary edition. I liked the anniversary edition better.

-    This story is SO timeless, and the characters are some of the most endearing characters in all of literature.

-    I love this book!

-    The illustrations are amazing! I loved reading this illustrated version. However, sometimes the pictures and text were on top of each other and it was hard to read sometimes. 

-    I can't wait to read these with my daughter. I would have started now, but we have other books we are reading.

-    This story will never get old!

Page by Paige

Goodreads Says:    Paige Turner has just moved to New York with her family, and she's having some trouble adjusting to the big city. In the pages of her sketchbook, she tries to make sense of her new life, including trying out her secret identity: artist. As she makes friends and starts to explore the city, she slowly brings her secret identity out into the open, a process that is equal parts terrifying and rewarding.











My Thoughts:

-    This book was more philosophical and art than story, but I liked it.

-    The artwork is amazing! There are a lot of pages that could be framed and hung in a gallery. I love how the art depicted emotions and situations.

-    This was a very fun and cute graphic novel. I want to read more by this author/illustrator. 

The Immortal Throne

Goodreads Synopsis:    Daphne Raines was not expecting to wind up Queen of the Underrealm. She knew it was risky to enter the underworld to save the love of her life, Haden, who had sacrificed his own honor as an Underlord for her sake. But she could never have predicted that she’d end up betrothed to Haden’s conniving half-brother, Garrick, new King of the Underrealm—and bound to his dark world.

Even worse, Haden is banished to the mortal realm, and has just days to live as poison takes over his body and mind. Only Daphne’s kiss can save him, but how can she escape Garrick and reach Haden in time?

Surprises lurk around every corner in the final chapter of this romance story as Haden and Daphne fight to fulfill their destinies, challenging their fates and confronting the reality that they might die in the process.

My Thoughts:

-    I have nothing but praise for this series! The ending did not disappoint. It was everything I wanted and more.

-    I love how these characters have grown and developed. They each had their own moments to shine, and I've grown really attached to each one. 

-    I was able to predict some of the story twists, but not all. There were still a lot of surprises for me, and I loved it.

-    Daphne's dad and Tobin really shined. They didn't have any special powers, but they really stepped up and didn't shy away from the battle. I loved how they did everything and anything they could to help Daphne. I especially loved Daphne's dad. He really redeemed himself and turned his whole life around. 

-    I enjoyed Haden and Daphne's relationship. Their relationship didn't take over the story even though it was central. There was still plenty of other things going on, and it was the perfect amount of romance to action/scheming/awesome stuff. 

-    This is my new favorite Persephone and Hades retelling. It was a really fun trilogy. I'm glad Bree didn't give up on it. She fought through all the obstacles, and I really admire that.

Previous books in the Into the Dark series

(covers are linked)

 

Bone Gap

From Goodreads:    Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps—gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O’Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother had high-tailed it to Oregon for a brand new guy, a brand new life. That’s just how things go, the people said. Who are you going to blame?

Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. But the searches turned up nothing, and no one believes him anymore. Not even Sean, who has more reason to find Roza than anyone, and every reason to blame Finn for letting her go.

As we follow the stories of Finn, Roza, and the people of Bone Gap—their melancholy pasts, their terrifying presents, their uncertain futures—acclaimed author Laura Ruby weaves a heartbreaking tale of love and loss, magic and mystery, regret and forgiveness—a story about how the face the world sees is never the sum of who we are.

My Thoughts:

-    There was a lot of hype surrounding this book, and to me it was a little overrated. 

-    The book was very different from what I was expecting.

-    The writing was very captivating and artistic. The story was interesting and very unique.

-    A lot of the symbolism was lost on me. It was just kinda weird to me. 

-    The ending was very anticlimactic. 

-    The "magic" was a little weird, and it didn't really fit in with the story. I feel like the characters were on shrooms, absinthe, acid, and any other hallucinogen. 

-    I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I'm kinda in the middle about this one. I can understand why people loved it, but it was underwhelming to me. 

The Witches

Goodreads Synopsis:    The Grand High Witch of all the World has gathered together the witches of England for an annual conference at the Hotel Magnificent in Bournemouth. Their agenda is the elimination of all the children in the country and the prospects for their young victims look bleak. But her Grand High Witch and her cronies have reckoned without the spark and ingenuity of a young guest at the hotel and his rather brilliant grandmother.











My Thoughts:

-    This is one of my favorite Dahl books. The witches are so unique and scary. I love Dahl's descriptions.

-    I read this with Gnome, and it was really fun to see her reactions to the witches and mouse-maker potion. 

-    The grandmother is awesome! I love how spunky she is. 

-    I feel like Bruno wasn't really needed. He didn't add anything to the story, except maybe some comedy. 

-    This is a must read for Roald Dahl fans! 


Gnome's Thoughts:

-    I liked it.

-    The grandma was really nice and built things for the mouse.

-    I hated The Grand High Witch. She was scary.

The Eternity Key

From Goodreads:    Fan-favorite author Bree Despain continues her modern-day romance trilogy inspired by the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades with this second book in her Into the Dark series. 

Haden Lord, the disgraced Prince of the Underrealm, has chosen love over honor and will do everything in his power to protect Daphne Raines, the human girl he was supposed to bring to the Underrealm. Haden’s choice is put to the test as the Skylords and a figure from his past arrive in Olympus Hills with a plan that could destroy all of the realms.

Embracing her destiny as the Cypher, Daphne begins to understand the immense power of her musical ability to control the elements, but she must come to terms with her feelings for Haden and what she must sacrifice in order to protect him and her friends.

Believing the Key of Hades is the only thing that can stop the Underrealm Court from releasing the monstrous Keres on the mortal world, Haden, Daphne, and their friends set out to find the Key before Persephone’s Gate opens again on the spring equinox.

My Thoughts:

-    I love this series! This book didn't have middle book syndrome at all. It moved the story along nicely and kept me hooked the whole way through.

-    The story is very well thought out. I love the twists and surprises.

-    The characters are awesome. I loved them in the first book, and each character grows so much in this book. Great character development!

-    The ending is awful, but in a good way. It is one of those cliffhanger endings where you want to chuck the book across the room and weep, but you love the author for it because it is just great storytelling. 

-    I love the relationship between Daphne and her father. Her dad made huge mistakes, but he is really stepping up as a father, and I love seeing good father figures in books. We need more of that.

-    I also love the Daphne and Haden relationship. It is full of tension!

-    Love this series! So many emotions! More gush gush gush! 

Previous book in the Into the Dark series

(cover is linked)

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Moms

Hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

Top Ten Favorite Moms in Literature

Marmee


Molly Weasley


Marilla Cuthbert


Anne Blythe


Natalie Prior


Lady Jessica


Ma Ingalls


Mama Bear


Betsey Trotwood


Sally Jackson

Arrival

My Thoughts:

-    Everyone raved about this movie, and I wasn't too interested in seeing it, even though Jeremy Renner was in it. Hubby wanted to see it, so we watched it.

-    I was bored, really bored. Not a lot happened throughout the movie, and I felt like the whole movie was just a prelude to a bigger story.

-    I had a few issues with the logic. Language is not just words and vocabulary. It incorporates culture. Louise would have needed to learn the alien's culture while learning the language. Also, the alien's words might not even have a close comparison to one of our words.

-    There was no point to this movie. There wasn't really a conclusion, a lesson learned, a message, or anything. There was no action or entertainment value. I felt like I wasted my time watching this.

-    I have other complaints, but they contain spoilers.

-    The only saving grace of this movie was seeing Jeremy Renner and his awesome hair.

Fan Art Friday: Trigun

Today I want to showcase my favorite anime, Trigun. I have a lot of fond memories of these characters, and in a way, Trigun brought me and my husband together. I'll tell you the story sometime.

All of these are amazing! I love them all. I'm partial the pictures of Wolfwood, but my most favorite is probably the last one. I love the epic battle stances of Vash and Wolfwood together.

Which is your favorite?

Have you seen Trigun?

All the artwork is linked to the source. Please go check out more from these artists!