-
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Recently, I’ve been rereading the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books that I have at home. Why? Definitely not because I’m procrastinating reading the next book on my list by reading a ton of short books and telling myself that if I read short books, it doesn’t take any time, but I’ve still already spent a week reading short books…. However, I now have the magnificent opportunity to compare my experiences reading this series in third grade, versus my experiences with them billions and millions of years later.
-
In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune
I went through this whole book thinking it was called In the Lives of the Puppets. What should come as a surprise to absolutely no one is that the actual title is kilometers, no, miles, better than that. It just goes to show how much thought is put into one of TJ Klune’s stories and how removing the most used English word can alter the entire atmosphere of the novel. It makes it feel just slightly more fairytale-esque and dreamlike.
-
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (goodness gracious that’s a long title) by Catherynne M. Valente is a wonderfully imaginative modern fairytale about a girl who circumnavigated Fairyland in a ship of her own making. September is a twelve-year-old girl who lives in Omaha, Nebraska. Her father is away at war and her mother is always working. Because of this, when September gets the chance to travel to a new magical and exciting world, she jumps at the chance to leave her boring home in Omaha. However, Fairyland isn’t what it used to be.…
-
Truth in Comedy: The Manual of Improvisation by Charna Halpern, Del Close, and Kim “Howard” Johnson
I LOVE improv. Truth in Comedy: The Manual of Improvisation by Charna Halpern, Del Close, and Kim “Howard” Johnson (I will now only refer to them as “the authors,” because writing out all their last names would take far too long), is a surprisingly interesting book about all the ins, outs, and basics of improv. Honestly, I thought this book was going to be super boring (because it’s nonfiction and nonfiction generally is boring, fight me) with 150 pages of text written all monotone, and the information would be given in the dullest way possible; however, it turned out to…
-
The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde
The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde (the sequel to The Last Dragonslayer, you should probably go read that review before this one) is filled with so much imagination, creativity, and intricate details that it doesn’t seem like anything a single person would be able to create. Fforde is supremely talented and is quickly becoming one of, if not my favorite, authors. After the death of the last dragon, Maltcassion, magic is back on the rise in the Ununited Kingdoms, and the wizards of Kazam are in greater demand for their magical powers—repairing the phone network, finding lost objects,…
-
Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree
Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree is the prequel to one of my favorite books, Legends and Lattes (which I also have reviewed, and you should probably read that review before reading this one) and I almost walked right past it in the library. I was walking around and saw Legends and Lattes so I thought, nice! I love that book! Upon closer inspection with my eyeballs, I saw another book under it. At first I was like, Ooh, two copies, good idea, but as I took a closer look, I saw a two on the side of the binding…
-
The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
In The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde, the magic levels of the world are quickly dwindling, and wizards are being forced to use their magic for odd jobs such as plumbing and delivering food. Even then, they’re barely making enough money to stay afloat. The main character, Jennifer Strange, is a fifteen year old indentured servant. She has been managing Kazam, the world’s biggest magician employment corporation, since the head of the company mysteriously disappeared. All is going well (as well (that was a lot of wells) as it can go, seeing as there’s basically no magic and the big…
-
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
I don’t know what’s been happening, but the last two books I’ve read (The House in the Cerulean Sea, and the book I will be reviewing today, Legends and Lattes) have become some of my favorites. How incredibly wonderful for me (and in turn, wonderful for you because you now know which books to buy!) Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree is a cozy, comforting read that’s just very nice and relaxing. The main character, Viv, is an orc who has been a freelance bounty hunter all her life. She decides to settle down in a city and open a…
-
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Incredibly, incredibly, incredible. Two (maybe one or three?) words that perfectly describe this modern fairy tale called The House in the Cerulean Sea. Linus Baker is a caseworker at DICOMY (Department in Charge of Magical Youth) and his job is to travel around to magical “orphanages” making sure they are suitable for the magical children. He’s been working at DICOMY all his life, always following the instructions and rules of others, and Linus plans to keep it that way, at least until he can retire. One day, however, he gets picked for a very extreme case; an orphanage far, far,…
No Results Found
The Eccentric Bookshelf 