House of Many Ways

Goodreads Synopsis:    Charmain Baker is in over her head. Looking after Great-Uncle William's tiny cottage while he's ill should have been easy. But Great-Uncle William is better known as the Royal Wizard Norland, and his house bends space and time. Its single door leads to any number of places--the bedrooms, the kitchen, the caves under the mountains, the past, and the Royal Mansion, to name just a few.

By opening that door, Charmain has become responsible for not only the house, but for an extremely magical stray dog, a muddled young apprentice wizard, and a box of the king's most treasured documents. She has encountered a terrifying beast called a lubbock, irritated a clan of small blue creatures, and wound up smack in the middle of an urgent search. The king and his daughter are desperate to find the lost, fabled Elfgift--so desperate that they've even called in an intimidating sorceress named Sophie to help. And where Sophie is, can the Wizard Howl and fire demon Calcifer be far behind?

Of course, with that magical family involved, there's bound to be chaos--and unexpected revelations.

No one will be more surprised than Charmain by what Howl and Sophie discover.

My Thoughts:

-    I enjoyed this book, but Howl's Moving Castle was my favorite in the trilogy.

-    Charmain is kind of stupid and a bit lazy.

-    Opening Uncle William's suitcase would have been the first thing I did.  Charmain is not a very curious person.

-    I think I would have liked the book a lot better if I had liked Charmain better.  It is hard to love a book when the main character bugs me.

-    I loved Waif!  I want a dog like her.

-    Twinkle's dialogue was a little hard to read and understand.

-    Peter was kind of a git.  I don't understand why he was needed in the story.

-    I loved the banter between Sophie and Howl.  They are so funny.

-    Calcifer is awesome!!  I loved that we got to see some of his power in this one.

-    This book is a bit slow, but I was still interested.

-    I really didn't understand Sophie and Howl's mission, but I think I got the gist of it.

-    Overall, I thought this book was charming, but there were certain elements that weren't to my liking. 

-    I think this is one of those books that I'd have to read a few times before I could really appreciate it.

Castle in the Air

Goodreads Synopsis:  Young merchant Abdullah leads a humble life. Or he did until a stranger sold him a threadbare--and disagreeable--magic carpet. Now Abdullah is caught in the middle of his grand daydreams. Waking one night in a luxurious garden, he meets and falls instantly in love with the beautiful and clever Flower-in-the-Night. But a wicked djinn sweeps the princess away right before Abdullah's eyes, leaving the young man no choice but to follow. This is no ordinary quest, however, for Flower-in-the-Night isn't all the djinn has stolen. Abdullah will have the so-called help of the cantankerous carpet, a cranky genie in a bottle, a dishonest soldier, and a very opinionated black cat. Will this motley crew be able to find the djinn's mysterious dwelling and rescue a castle full of princesses?


My Thoughts:

-    Except for the ending, this story wasn't as enchanting as Howl's Moving Castle, but I still enjoyed it.

-    It begins in the Middle East (Aladdinish), and then later in the story the characters travel to a more familiar scene.

-    I loved Abdullah.  He was such a great character, maybe even a charming character.  He was a lot of fun to read.

-    I wish there had been more Howl and Calcifer, but there was a good bit of Sophie.

-    When characters revealed themselves towards the end, I was like "what?"  Some things were a little weird.

-    There was a whole lot of traveling.

-    I liked this one, but I enjoyed Howl's Moving Castle better.  I'm excited to read the third!! 


Series Info:

This is the 2nd book or companion book to Howl's Moving Castle.  Click on the cover below to see my thoughts on the previous book.

Howl's Moving Castle

Goodreads Synopsis:    Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.





My Thoughts:

-    This was an enchanting book!  I really enjoyed it.

-    There were a few slow parts in the middle, but it was still entertaining.  The ending is the best!

-    I love the relationship between Howl and Sophie.  The bickering cracked me up!  I loved a lot of their dialogue. 

-    I love the Miyazaki film of this, and while they are very different, I love them both.  The book and movie seem like 2 different entities to me.  They are both unique and wonderful.

-    I'd love to have a door that went different places.  I'd make one got to my hubby's work, then he could come and go easily.  He could even come home for lunch.  I'd make one go to the mall or a grocery store.  I think I'd make a door that goes to the park as well, just for my little gnome.  

-    I loved Calcifer!  I want a fire demon!

-    So, can Howl time travel as well?  I was confused on the part with Howl's family. 

-    The characters were wonderful, the story was so enthralling, and the scenes were so real!  Great story!

-    Oh, and I'd have a door that went to the ocean.