Review

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

Foyle’s War (2002-2015)

Foyle's War

Foyle’s War (2002-2015)

Network:

ITV/PBS

Creator:

Anthony Horowitz

Starring:

Michael Kitchen

Honeysuckle Weeks

Anthony Howell

Plot:

As WW2 rages around the world, DCS Foyle fights his own war on the home-front as he investigates crimes on the south coast of England. Later series sees the retired detective working as an MI5 agent operating in the aftermath of the war.

Review:

Wow was not expecting this, it was crazy good. Foyle’s War was recommended to me by Netflix after my parents visited and used my Netflix account. One day I thought, why not, next thing I knew I was spending a month and a half watching this show. It was hard to get anything else done because all I wanted to do was watch.

I loved the fact that Foyle, Michael Kitchen, didn’t let people use the war as their excuse for being bad. So many people would tell him there’s a war going on, what I did was for the greater good, and he would just look at them and give that dad look that says, ‘I’m so disappointed with you and that the ends doesn’t justify the means.’ Loved it.

Foyle had a moral compass that could not be corrupted.

The side characters were just as interesting. Sam, Honeysuckle Weeks, made it through the entire season and I liked to see the development. Milner, Anthony Howell, didn’t make it in the final few seasons and the last season he was in was kind of rough, but he was still a good character.

Honestly, that’s my only complaint with the show. The first five seasons are amazing, but the last few aren’t as good. Foyle is no longer a police detective or not really and Milner eventually gets a promotion but he changes when that happens. He seemed to really learn from Foyle, but then all of a sudden he’s just as bad as everyone else.

It didn’t make the show horrible or even bad, but it wasn’t as awesome as those first few seasons.

Highly recommend Foyle’s War.

5/5

Fuller House (2016-?)

Fuller House

Fuller House (2016-?)

Network:

Netflix

Starring:

Candace Cameron Bure

Jodie Sweetin

Andrea Barber

Plot:

D.J. Tanner-Fuller is a widow and mother of three. Things become too much to handle, so she asks for help from her sister Stephanie and her best friend Kimmy.

Review:

I don’t remember exactly what I thought when I first heard that Netflix was making this, but I believe it was along the lines of, “Why?”

After having binge watched the entire first season on release day, I can safely say, “More please.”

Fuller House of course had loads of nostalgia attached to it since I’d watched the original show growing up, however I found that the parts and episodes I liked the most were the ones that weren’t filled with cameos from the original older cast members. In fact easily the worst episode was the first one, the increase in quality after that one was immense. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the first pilot, but there were plenty of cringe worthy moments and I think a series written with everyone in it would have not worked.

This was also a family show, with comedy for the entire family, not just kids like the remake of Boy Meets World, Girl Meets World. I’ve read some people think the humor was too adult for a family comedy, but I disagree. It had nothing more risqué than what you find in an episode of Modern Family.

D.J., Candace Cameron Bure, Stephanie, Jodie Sweetin, and Kimmy, Andrea Barber, take up their roles like no time has passed. The kids, who could easily drag down the show, are as entertaining as the original Full House kids. It’s like I’m watching a 90’s sitcom through the lens of the 10’s. It’s awesome.

Honestly, as soon as I finished the season I wished there were more episodes. I’ve already re-watched the first episode and I can see myself re-watching the entire season easily. Now I wait to hear if Netflix decides to pick it up.

4.5/5

Side note: I don’t understand why the original series isn’t on Netflix US, it’s available in other countries, I’d really love an opportunity to re-watch the original series.

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