Book Reviews

The Song of the Quarkbeast (The Chronicles of Kazam #2) By: Jasper Fforde

The Song of the Quarkbeast

The Song of the Quarkbeast (Last Dragonslayer #2) By: Jasper Fforde

Plot:

Long ago, magic began to fade, and the underemployed magicians of Kazam Mystical Arts Management have been forced to take any work their sixteen-year-old acting manager, Jennifer Strange, can scare up. But things are about to change. Magical power is finally on the rise, and King Snodd IV, of the Ununited Kingdoms knows that he who controls magic controls everything. Only one person stands between Snodd and his plans for a magic-grab–and that’s Jennifer.

Yet even smart and sensible Jennifer would have trouble against these powers-that-be. The king and his cronies will do anything to succeed–including ordering a just-might-be-rigged contest between Kazam and iMagic, Kazam’s only competitor in the magic business. With underhanded shenanigans afoot, how can Kazam possibly win?

Whatever happens, one this is certain: Jennifer Strange will not relinquish the noble powers of magic without a fight.

Review:

A great installment in a series that I’m already feeling like is an old favorite. I’m comfortable with the characters and I love the quirky world. It’s classic Jasper Fforde.

I did feel like the epilogue at the end was kind of weird. It was like an ending, as though there were no other books, which kind of reminded me of the last Thursday Next book I read. Maybe Fforde wasn’t sure his publisher was going to let him write another book in the series? Not sure. Now a days, if the readers are there if a publisher doesn’t pick up a series, I don’t see why authors don’t just publish themselves.

Anyway, love the series, already have the next book on hold at the library.

5/5

Carry On By: Rainbow Rowell

Carry On

Carry On By: Rainbow Rowell

Plot:

Simon Snow is the worst chosen one who’s ever been chosen. That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right. Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here—it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up. Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story—but far, far more monsters.

Review:

Rainbow Rowell has joined Ilona Andrews and Patricia Briggs in the very short list of authors that I will buy whatever they do. I love her, she reaches a part of my soul that no other author I read does.

I’ll stop being sappy now.

I loved Fangirl and I thought the parts about Simon Snow and Baz were fun so I thought it was pretty cool that Rowell was taking it a step further and writing a full book about the characters. I did not expect this, though.

It was like reading the eighth book in a series, there are mentions of exploits from past adventures, but the book isn’t really about those adventures or even the current one, it’s all about the relationships. It’s—awesome.

Even in a fantasy novel Rowell’s characters are so real and common, but not too common, they’re normal, but a weird normal. I love them.

Simon is stupid, but kind of on purpose. He doesn’t want to look any deeper into anything because the magical world he’s apart of is the best thing in his life. Baz may not be the chosen one, but he’s been given just as many obstacles to overcome.

The romance in the book is perfect and filled me with all kinds of warm fuzzies. I just really loved this story.

Fair warning, this is not a normal fantasy book. There’s magic and monsters and spells and all that jazz, but that’s not what makes it so great. It’s the characters and their reactions. You still care about the whole end of magic mystery going on, but because it affects the people you’ve come to love.

5/5

The Last Dragonslayer (Chronicles of Kazam #1) By: Jasper Fforde

The Last Dragonslayer

The Last Dragonslayer (Chronicles of Kazam #1) By: Jasper Fforde

Plot:

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.

Review:

Jasper Fforde’s books are so awesome and strange and cool and fanciful and off the wall bizarre and I love them. Well there was one I didn’t love, but all the others I do. I think, there’s a couple yet that I need to read.

Anyway, this is a young adult novel that is not filled with stupid teenage emotions and all that CW stuff that often times pops up in YA books. This is a great Jasper Fforde for kids book. It’s funny and ridiculous and thought provoking. It’s a great start of what could be an awesome series and I can’t wait to read the next one.

5/5

On Borrowed Time (Library Lover’s Mystery #5) By: Jenn McKinlay

on-borrowed-time-jenn-mckinlay

On Borrowed Time (Library Lover’s Mystery #5) By: Jenn McKinlay

Plot:

Loving a good cup of coffee runs in the family for Briar Creek library director Lindsey Norris. But when her brother, Jack, a consultant for a coffee company, goes missing, her favorite beverage becomes a key clue in a dangerous mystery. Between preparing the library for the holidays and juggling the affections of ex-boyfriend, Captain Mike Sullivan, and her new crush, actor Robbie Vine, Lindsey has her hands full. But the mysterious disappearance of her world-traveling playboy brother takes precedence over all. Afraid that involving the police could brew trouble for Jack, Lindsey takes matters into her own hands. But as her quest for her brother embroils her in a strange case involving South American business dealings and an enigmatic and exotic woman, it’ll take the help of both her library book club—the crafternooners—and her eager-to-please suitors to keep Jack from ending up in hot water…

Review:

I’m well on my way to being a Jenn McKinlay superfan. I own ebook and paperback copies, though, I do still check out some from the library.

This book didn’t move Lindsey’s relationships forward as much as I wanted, still hasn’t gotten back with Sully. She was actually a bit stupid in this one, which is one of the things I’ve always liked about McKinlay’s books, the heroines aren’t stupid. Her plan at the end and the way she acted wasn’t the normal smart Lindsey. Of course her brother was involved and people don’t always think clearly when family is involved.

This book was kind of filler character and relationship wise. The mystery was fairly predictable but fine. Overall not my favorite in the series.

3.5/5

Aunt Dimity’s Death (An Aunt Dimity Mystery #1) By: Nancy Atherton

Aunt Dimity's Death

Aunt Dimity’s Death (An Aunt Dimity Mystery #1) By: Nancy Atherton

Plot:

Down-on-her-luck Lori Shepherd thought Aunt Dimity was a pretend character in her mother’s bedtime stories … until the Dickensian law firm of Willis & Willis offers the possibility of large inheritance — if she can discover the secret hidden in letters between Dimity and her mother. Plus 1-pg recipe Beth’s Oatmeal Cookies.

Review:

I didn’t realize just how long ago 1992 was until reading this book. The lead character is early thirties, I believe, maybe younger and she talks about how her mother worked for Eisenhower during WWII. The language is also more dated than I had expected.

Was not a fan of the heroine, Lori, she was destitute barely surviving and gets handed a golden ticket, awesome, but she’s so—ugh. I don’t have a problem with her attitudes toward money and all of a sudden getting to buy stuff, I have a problem with how she treated Bill. He was nice to her and she acted like a bitch to him. She was annoyed he was trying to be some kind of knight in shining armor and seemed to always think he was playing a prank on her, but he wasn’t.

She eventually warmed up to him, and she got better, still not one of my favorite characters, though. She was bossy to Bill, super friendly to everyone else, and went from not being able to cook to being able to pull off meringues without issue.

I picked this up months ago in my search for cozy mysteries. It was billed as one and I thought it sounded interesting enough, but this would not be considered a cozy with todays definitions. There wasn’t much of a mystery, just why did the ghost of Dimity feel unable to cross over. It was easily solved once they actually got around to it, and then that was it. The mystery wasn’t the reason for the story, overcoming grief and moving on with your life was. It was like the publisher really liked the story, wanted to publish it, but had no idea how to bill it so just slapped a mystery label on it.

I ended up crying within the first few pages because like the movie Up it hits the character with one loss after another and it’s super depressing. Honestly I cried throughout the entire thing because I empathize way too easily and all Lori did was come across things that reminded her of her mother or Dimity or someone else that was dead. Super depressing book, for me, and I don’t see myself reading the rest of the series.

3/5