Those Left Behind

From Goodreads:    Here's how it is -- in a universe filled with hearts and minds as cold and dark as the reaches of space, one small Firefly-class starship named Serenity takes its ragtag crew of mercenaries, outlaws, and fugitives in search of a job, any job, that'll earn them enough cash to afford that most elusive commodity -- peace.

Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, unveils a previously unknown chapter in the lives of his favorite band of space brigands in the prequel to the Serenity feature film -- the blockbuster followup to Whedon's cult-hit TV show Firefly.

My Thoughts:

-    My friends and I are watching Firefly together. I've only watched it once, and it has been a while. Jenni hasn't seen it at all! Hava is a brown coat veteran.

-    As many of you know, the series wasn't long enough, and it left its fans wanting more. . . lots more. Thankfully there are these graphic novels. 

-    I loved Nathan Fillion's note at the beginning. I love his history of comic book collecting, and I love that his role as Malcolm Reynolds fulfilled a life long dream of becoming a super hero. 

-    I wish I could read Chinese. I felt like I was missing out on stuff, but I used the Google Translate app, and I wasn't missing much. The app lets you scan the dialogue, and it will translate it into English for you. I was disappointed. 

-    There are a few violent moments. I would not recommend this to people who are more sensitive to blood and violence.

-    This volume was like an episode of the series. It didn't answer any of my burning questions, but it was another fun adventure with the Serenity crew. I enjoyed it.

Polly and the Pirates, Volume 1

From Goodreads:    Polly is caught between the prim-and-proper boarding school set she's grown-up with and the legendary legacy of the Pirate Queen that she never knew she was a part of! But which is the cruel, cold world and which is the care-free paradise? And does it even matter when there's a dashing pirate prince involved? Hoist the sails and batten the hatches on this brand new adventure!

My Thoughts:

-    This was a fun little graphic novel! I've been wanting more pirate stories, so I was excited to pick this up. It definitely filled the pirate void.

-    The illustrations are really fun. Polly's character design is really cute. I loved her anime buns and tiny feet.

-    I had a hard time reading Naff's dialogue. It is written phonetically, and it was hard to understand. I had to be okay with not understanding what he was saying sometimes.

-    There were a few things that were a bit of a stretch. Polly starts off as a proper and shy do-gooder girl, and then all of sudden she knows how to sword fight, plan escapades, and do fancy acrobats. There was nothing in the middle. She just magically knew how to do stuff. 

-    Overall, it was a fun and adventurous story. I liked it, and I was excited to read the second book. 

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Goodreads Says:    On the day of the Picori Festival, Link and Princess Zelda go to watch the sword-fighting tournament. The winner is a strange man named Vaati, who has come to claim the Light Force which is sealed within the Bound Chest. When the Light Force turns up missing, Vaati turns Princess Zelda to stone! To save his friend, Link needs the power of the Picori Blade, but only a certain master swordsmith can reforge it. Can Link find the pieces of the broken sword before Vaati does?









My Thoughts:

-    This was a really fun story, and I kinda want to play the game now.

-    I loved the whole idea of the Picoris. They were so cute and fun.

-    I liked the cap's story, and I liked Vaati's story. The story as a whole was thought out and well presented, and the characters were all likeable and good.  

Previous Books in the Series:

  
  

Mr. Knightley's Diary

Goodreads Synopsis:    Relive Jane Austen's Emma- from Mr. Knightley's point of view. 

Between managing his estate and visiting his brother in London, Mr. Knightley is both exasperated and amused by his irresistibly beautiful, outrageously mischievous neighbor, Emma Woodhouse, whose misguided attempts at matchmaking are wreaking havoc in the village of Highbury. 

But when a handsome newcomer arrives and catches Emma's attention, Mr. Knightley is shocked by his reaction. Amusement gives way to another emotion entirely-for his unreasonable dislike of the handsome newcomer seems suspiciously like jealousy.

My Thoughts:

-    I randomly picked this up from the library, and it was a story that I needed at the time. I had been reading some blah things, and I wanted something fun, warm, and familiar. This fit the bill!

-    Emma is my favorite Austen novel, and I loved getting the story from Mr. Knightley's perspective. I loved his inner turmoil about Emma and Frank Churchill. I liked that I knew what was happening on Emma's side, but Knightley didn't. He didn't know about some of Emma's shenanigans until she told him about it, or he heard from other sources.

-    I love that the author stays so true to the original work. 

Ivy and Bean and the Ghost That Had to Go

From Goodreads:    Now that Ivy and Bean are friends, they do gymnastics club together, sit together in Ms. Aruba-Tate's second grade, and tell each other their darkest secrets. And when Ivy discovers a ghost in the school bathroom, it will take both girls' courage and imagination to make it go away. Another entertaining installment in this series about two mischievous, funny, clever girls.











My Thoughts:

-    Yes, we read another one of these. Gnome really liked it. She said she liked everything about this book.

-    It was fun to read about girls in the same grade as Gnome. The characters are cute.

-    I liked this one better than the first one, not by much, but I thought this one had a better story.

-    The whole ghost thing reminded me of making up things with my friends. We used our imaginations and created fun places and situations too. 

-    Overall, these are pretty cute and quick reads for kids. 

Previous Book

Ivy and Bean

From Goodreads:    The moment they saw each other, Bean and Ivy knew they wouldn't be friends. But when Bean plays a joke on her sister, Nancy, and has to hide quickIvy comes to the rescue, proving that sometimes the best of friends are people never meant to like each other. Vibrant characters and lots of humor make this a charmingand addictiveintroduction to Ivy and Bean.











My Thoughts:

-    This was a cute book about two unlikely friends. 

-    There wasn't a lot to the plot. The story is mostly about these two girls meeting and getting to know each other. 

-    Gnome really liked this book. She liked the characters. 

-    The illustrations were cute, and there are a lot of them.

-    I probably wouldn't continue the series, but Gnome wants to read more.

The Siege of Macindaw

Goodreads Says:    The kingdom is in danger. Renegade knight Sir Keren has succeeded in overtaking Castle Macindaw and is now conspiring with the Scotti. The fate of Araluen rests in the hands of two young adventurers: the Ranger Will and his warrior friend, Horace. Yet for Will, the stakes are even higher. For inside the castle, someone he loves is being held hostage. And now the time has come for this onetime apprentice to grow up.

My Thoughts:

-    I love this series! I can't say enough about it. 

-    I enjoyed the growing relationship between Will and Alyss. I wish they were able to interact more.

-    I'm so happy that Horace joined Will in this one. I liked that Will had a trusted friend by his side, and I loved the dialogue between Will and Horace when they were hashing out battle plans. 

-    I love that this is a fantasy book that uses science instead of sorcery. Will and his friend are able to use parlor tricks and science to convince the simple folk that there is sorcery going on, and I love when they use their tricks to scare people. 

-    The battle to take back Macindaw and save Alyss was fun. I loved all the different strategies and things. 

-    The end of this book just left me with a bug smile on face.

Previous Ranger's Apprentice Books

  
 

The Sorcerer of the North

Goodreads Says:    Time has passed since the apprentice and his master, Will and Halt, led the Araluens to victory against invaders, and Will is now a full-fledged Ranger with his own fief to look after. The fief seems sleepy–boring, even–until the king is poisoned. Joined by his friend Alyss, Will is thrown headfirst into an extraordinary adventure propelled by fears of sorcery, and must determine who is trustworthy to the king and who is trying to take his throne. Will and Alyss must battle growing hysteria, traitors, and most of all, time. The king is fading, but when Alyss is taken hostage, Will is forced to make a desperate choice between loyalty to his mission and loyalty to his friend.






My Thoughts:

-    This book was a little slower than the previous ones, but it was still very enjoyable.

-    I wish we could read about Will becoming a full fledged Ranger. It would be fun to know what kind of things he had to pass off for his test. 

-    It was fun to see Will strike out on his own. He has grown so much since the first book, and I love that all the experiences he's had, and I've read, have given him a lot of knowledge and wisdom that he can use now. 

-    I wish Halt and Horace had bigger roles in this book. I missed them. 

-    It was fun getting to know Alyss more. She is a girl I really admire. I love her quick thinking and poise. She is so elegant and intelligent! Love that!

-    I love the introduction of Will's dog. She is such a fun character, and I like that Will has trained her to help him in his Ranger ways and for his mission. 

-    These books are SO fun!

Previous Ranger's Apprentice Books

  

The Battle for Skandia

From Goodreads:    For Will and Evanlyn, freedom has never felt so fleeing.

Still far from their homeland after escaping slavery in the icebound land of Skandia, the Ranger's apprentice and the princess's plan to return to Araluen is spoiled when Evanlyn is taken captive by a Temujai warrior. Though still weakened by the warmweed's toxic effects, Will employs his Ranger training to locate his friend, but an enemy scouting party has him fatally outnumbered. Will is certain death is close at hand, until old friends make a daring, last-minute rescue. The reunion is cut short, however, when they make a horrifying discovery: Skandia's borders have been breached by the entire Temujai army. And Araluen is next in their sights. 

If two kingdoms are to be saved, the unlikeliest of unions must be made. Will it hold long enough to vanquish a ruthless new enemy? Or will past tensions spell doom for all? 

The battles and drama are nonstop in Book Four of this hugely popular epic.

My Thoughts:

-    I love this Skandia heavy book in the series! I enjoyed getting to know the Skandian culture better, and I liked visiting their country. It makes me excited to read the Brotherband series. 

-    Erak is such a great character! I loved getting to know him better, and I loved his interactions with Halt. I loved their mutual appreciation for each other. 

-    I love how important each character is to the story. They all have moments to shine. 

-    The battle sequences were awesome! I love the strategy and tactics. I would never want to go to war against John Flanagan. He is so brilliant! 

-    The humor in this book is so great! I laughed out loud several times, especially because of Halt and Erak. 

-    I'm so glad Will and Evanlyn got to go home. The ending in this book is one to celebrate!

Previous Ranger's Apprentice Books

  

Princess on the Brink

Goodreads Says:    At last, Mia is a junior. An upperclassperson. Free of her responsibilities as student body president. So why is it that everything is going so terribly wrong? What is she doing in Intro to Creative Writing? When she has made it through Algebra and Geometry, why must she be faced with Precalculus? And for the love of all that is Genovian, why has Lilly nominated her for school prez again? All this is nothing compared to the news Michael springs on her, however. On top of all the mathematical strife, her beloved boyfriend is leaving for Japan for a year. Precalc has nothing on preparing for the worst separation ever

Turns out there is one way she might convince Michael to stay. But will she? Or won't she? No matter what, Mia seems headed for disaster.

My Thoughts:

-    I feel like Mia was a Freshman forever, and she is going through these other grades a lot faster, thank goodness. Let's move the story along!

-    I'm NOT okay with a 19 year old guy pressuring a barely 16 year old into having sex with him! What the heck!? Michael lost MAJOR points in this book.

-    Mia (who doesn't have a lot of points to begin with) also lost major points. She thinks she can manipulate Michael into staying by having sex!?!? This series is sending all the wrong messages to teens.

-    Mia is SO oblivious to J.P.! OMG! She is such a clueless idiot!

-    The screenplay that Mia is writing feels like filler, and it is weird and isn't needed.

-    I feel bad about the Mia and Michael thing, but they both need to grow up a bit.

-    I am so frustrated with this series! Why am I still reading this!?

Previous Book in The Princess Diaries Series:

(covers are linked)

  
  
  
  

Valentine Princess

From Goodreads:    Valentine's Day means flowers, chocolates, and all-out romance.

That is, it usually means those things. But when you're Princess Mia, nothing happens the way it's supposed to. For one thing, Grandmère seems determined to prove that boy (or Michael, as he is commonly known) isn't the right one for the crown princess of Genovia. And Mia isn't having much luck proving otherwise, since Michael has a history of being decidedly against any kind of exploitative commercialization (Valentine's Day, as it is commonly known).

Boris can declare his love openly to Lilly, and even Kenny comes through with a paltry Whitman's Sampler. So why can't Michael give in to Cupid and tell Mia he loves her—preferably with something wrapped in red or pink and accompanied by roses—in time to prove he's Mia's true prince?

My Thoughts:

-    Why does this story go back in time? Why didn't they just place this where it belonged in the time lime? This should be between books 4 and 5 I think.

-    I love Tina even more now that I know she is a huge Audrey Hepburn fan! Her movie list is awesome! Why can't Tina be Mia's best friend? She is nicer and more friendly than Lilly.

-    Oh yay! More whining from Mia! Just what the series needed! 

Previous Book in The Princess Diaries Series:

(covers are linked)