Air Keep

Goodreads Synopsis:    It’s been six months since Marcus and Kyja obtained the help of the land and water elementals, but before they can secure the help from the mysterious air elementals, the two friends must first be reunited. A task easier said than done.

Master Therapass is worried that trying to pull Marcus to Farworld would put him in danger of the shadow realm, but if Marcus stays on Earth, he’ll be sent back to the Philo T. Justice School for Boys instead of being able to stay on the protected grounds of the monastery. 

While attempting to return to Farworld, Marcus finds himself in the Abyss of Time, facing four doors: the Is, the Was, the Will Be, and the Never Was. What he learns in that dangerous place has the potential to change his life—and Kyja’s. But does he have the courage to tell her what he learned?

And in Farworld, a drought, floods, and blizzards have seized the land, hinting that perhaps there is a traitor in the elementals’ midst. The Dark Circle is growing in power, and as Marcus and Kyja desperately search for the air elementals, they must first answer the question “Is there anyone we can trust?”

My Thoughts:

-    I finally read this!! Hooray! It has been sitting in my own-but-haven't-read pile on my nightstand for a long time! 

-    The story was a bit slow for a lot of parts, and I thought this was going to be my least favorite book of the series for sure, but the ending all came together, and I really enjoyed the book as a whole.

-    Marcus was a little annoying at times. I'm still waiting for him to grow and develop into the big hero that Farworld needs.

-    I like Mr. Z a lot. He is a very fun character. 

-    The ending was very captivating. I didn't want to quit reading. That hasn't happened to me for a while, so I'm excited that I found a book that kept me riveted. 

-    I wish the elementals played larger role in the story. I think that will happen in the next book. At least I'm hoping to see all the elementals get together and do something amazing.

Previous Farworld Books

(click on the covers to see my thoughts)

 

Fan Art Friday: Mary Tyler Moore

Another one of the greats has passed on. Mary Tyler Moore was so lovely, and she will be missed. I loved her in the Dick Van Dyke show and Thoroughly Modern Millie. I haven't watched the Mary Tyler Moore show, but I want to. I'm hoping it comes to Netflix sometime.

 

My favorite picture is the last one. I love the joy of seeing Laura Petrie dance in her living room.

Which is your favorite?

All the artwork is linked to the source, so go ahead and check out more by these talented artists.

Coraline

Goodreads Synopsis:    Coraline lives with her preoccupied parents in part of a huge old house--a house so huge that other people live in it, too... round, old former actresses Miss Spink and Miss Forcible and their aging Highland terriers ("We trod the boards, luvvy") and the mustachioed old man under the roof ("'The reason you cannot see the mouse circus,' said the man upstairs, 'is that the mice are not yet ready and rehearsed.'") Coraline contents herself for weeks with exploring the vast garden and grounds. But with a little rain she becomes bored--so bored that she begins to count everything blue (153), the windows (21), and the doors (14). And it is the 14th door that--sometimes blocked with a wall of bricks--opens up for Coraline into an entirely alternate universe. Now, if you're thinking fondly of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe or Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, you're on the wrong track. Neil Gaiman's Coraline is far darker, far stranger, playing on our deepest fears. And, like Roald Dahl's work, it is delicious.

My Thoughts:

-    I read this a long time ago, and I don't remember how much I liked it, but I loved it this time through!

-    The story and characters are awesome. I love Coraline's journey and how she grows throughout the book. The side characters are all great. The other mother is perfectly creepy. I also love the cat.

-    The illustrations were so creeptastic. I loved them!

-    Neil Gaiman is SO imaginative. I would love to see him and Tim Burton create an original movie together. The story and style would be mind boggling.

-    Very fun quick read! 

Funny!

Goodreads Says:    From Toy Story to The Good Dinosaur, some of the most iconic and hilarious moments in Pixar's films were first conceived by the artists featured in this book. But there are hundreds of gags that don't make it past the cutting room floor, like Mater as a ninja and Sadness wearing mom jeans. Funny! explores this material in depth, showcasing classic moments from all of Pixar's films to date, plus never-before-published illustrations and doodles from the Pixar archives. With an introduction by veteran story man Jason Katz, this book is a must-have for any Pixar fan.


My Thoughts:

-    I'm a big Pixar fan, and I was really excited to get this from our Christmas book club party. 

-    I would love to sit in on a gag session at Pixar Studios. It would be SO much fun!

-    I liked reading and seeing how some of the jokes in the movies came to be. I love get back story on movies I love. 

-    The variety of illustrations were a lot of fun to look at. My favorite picture was Bud Luckey's picture of the jackolopes crossing the road. I'm a Bud Luckey fan, and the Boundin' is my favorite Pixar short. 

-    There were some explanations about the artwork, but I wish there had been more! I wanted to read more about these amazing movies.

-    Overall, this was a really fun book. I highly recommend it for Pixar fans.

Fan Art Friday: Debbie and Carrie

I've put off doing this Fan Art Friday long enough. I am still shocked, and I am still sad. It took me a while to process the loss of these amazing women.

I wish I could have found artwork for their various rolls and movies. I mostly found artwork from the movies that made them famous. I love that they were both 19 when they landed their iconic rolls.

I can't pick a favorite. I think these artists captured great things.

Which is your favorite?

The pictures are linked, so please click away and check out more by these talented artists.

When You're Feeling Sick

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads:    This laugh-out-loud picture book from Coy Bowles, guitarist for the Grammy Award winning Zac Brown Band, will have sick kids feeling better in no time!

Sneezing? Coughing? Taking a sick day? Don t worry, you ll be feeling better soon thanks to this hilarious picture book from Coy Bowles, guitarist of the Grammy Award winning Zac Brown Band. Full of encouraging and super-silly rhyming advice on how to face sick days with courage and a positive attitude, When You re Feeling Sick is just what the doctor ordered! Comes with a sheet of stickers to bring a smile to every sick kid s face."

My Thoughts:

-    The book I received wasn't bound or anything. The pages were loose. It was awkward to hold.

-    I didn't know anything about this book before reading it, and it wasn't at all what I was expecting. It was trying to be silly, but I didn't find it funny or fun.

-    Some of the book rhymes and some doesn't. It was really inconsistent, and some of the rhymes were a bit of a stretch.

-    I think this was a cute idea for a children's book, but it was executed very poorly. 

-    The illustrations were really good.

Gnome's Thoughts:

-    I didn't like it.

-    I don't get it

-    I was bored.

Happy New Year!

It's 2017!!

My Goals

My Goodreads Challenge goal is set to 125 books. It is lower than last year because I have a few cross stitching projects I'd like to tackle, and I can't do both at the same time.

These are the books on my night stand. They are the books I own but haven't read. By the end of the year, this pile will be gone!

I hope you have a fabulous year! Happy reading!

2016 Goals

It has been an eventful year, although the blog probably doesn't reflect that.

My reading has been up and down. For the last few months, my cross stitching has taken over my reading time. I also had a little reading slump after Squeaker was born.

Despite the set backs, I actually met my Goodreads goal of reading 150 books!! Woo!

I also met my goal for reading and reviewing 52 graphic novels. I actually finished the year with 56!

As for my goal of reading the big stack of books on my night stand, I still have a stack of books on my night stand. It has gotten a little smaller, but it is still there.

Overall, I think I've had a pretty great year in books!

The Twits

From Goodreads:    How do you outwit a Twit? Mr. and Mrs. Twit are the smelliest, ugliest people in the world. They hate everything -- except playing mean jokes on each other, catching innocent birds to put in their Bird Pies, and making their caged monkeys, the Muggle-Wumps, stand on their heads all day. But the Muggle-Wumps have had enough. They don't just want out, they want revenge.












My Thoughts:

-    I remember liking this book and thinking it was funny. During this re-read with my daughter, I thought it was just alright. It had funny moments, but it was a bit silly and childish for me. I think I'm getting old. 

-    Mr. and Mrs. Twit are terrible people. They deserved a worse fate than what they got. I don't know how they can stand each other. The pranks they pulled on each other were pretty funny, and I wish the whole book had been about that.

-    The birds and the monkeys were fun, but when the story switched over to be about them, that is when the book got too young for me. 

-    Gnome liked the book, she laughed and was excited to read it every night. It was a quick read with lots of pictures, and she liked all the pictures.

-    I can't imagine a Roald Dahl book without Quentin Blake's illustrations. He always brings the characters and whimsy to life.


Gnome's Thoughts:

-    It was silly and funny.

-    Mr. and Mrs. Twit were mean.

-    There were lots of funny parts.

-    I liked the whole book.

Perfect Scoundrels

Goodreads Synopsis:    Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of loveable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the son of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it's that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting-or stealing-whatever they want. No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale's family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother's billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there's no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won't let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother's will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company's fortune. Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she's willing to save her boyfriend's company if it means losing the boy.

My Thoughts:

-    I love Kat and Hale's relationship. It is complex and full of tension. 

-    I love that these stories are about family, and the family business is theft! So great! It is so great to read about a family that is so loyal. Each member of the family watches out for each other and is always willing to step in and help.

-    I really enjoyed meeting other members of Kat's family.

-    I was binge watching White Collar while reading this, and it is a perfect companion for this novel. 

-    I wish I had some of Kat's skills.

-    This is a really fun series, and I'm excited that Ally is writing another one! 

Previous books in the Heist Society series:

(covers are linked)