My Rating: 3 Stars Very enjoyable read even if a bit short in my opinion, maybe because I'm used to reading relatively big books. The story though is really good bringing together adventure, time-travelling, mystery and mythology. The story starts with a museum visit where a 14-year-old boy named Jon hears the sphinx whisper to him. When he returns at night, curiosity getting the best of him, Jon is introduced to Neb, a spirit trapped inside the sphinx after being murdered by an evil sorcerer in Ancient Egypt. In order for Neb to be released, Jon has travelled back in time and find his killer. How to go unnoticed? By assuming the identity of the pharaoh's son of course. The story is fast-paced and very easy to follow and enjoy. Jon is a very likeable young boy with a thirst for adventure and reveals a level of courage beyond his years. I would have liked to see a more detailed description of the old Egyptian world. I'm a big fan of mythology and it would have been nice some more depth in this field. I recommend this book for YA/children that love mythology and like quick-readings! Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Tambora Books, and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.
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My Rating: 5 Stars Absolutely loved it! Between Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, the first book from the Magisterium series shows a lot of promise and definitely has the material to go far! What is the story about? Callum Hunt, a 12-year-old kid, was born with magic but has always been told by his father that he should never use it. His father tells him that magic is dangerous, that older mages use younger mages for their own sinister purposes and that they will manipulate him. When the time comes for Callum to take his entry test, the Iron Trial at the Magisterium, things don't go as expected. Instead of not using magic, Callum produces very powerful uncontrolled magic that leaves an impression. When he's chosen to be an apprentice, he doesn't know how much his life will change. Living in deep underground caves and tunes, separated from his father, Callum will learn the truth about magic and most importantly, himself. I highly enjoyed this book, in full. Really liked the system of magic and the Magisterium, the Iron Trial and the tasks and the magic teaching system. Very creative and refreshing! I fell in love with the characters. Callum is a victim of bullying in the "human" world because of a serious leg injury that leaves him limping, probably for the rest of his life. On the contrary of what we read in the Harry Potter saga, Callum doesn't want to be a mage, he doesn't want to be an apprentice in the Magisterium. But he fails at failing, completely. He doesn't trust people and always expects the worse from them but, at the same time, he's courageous and is eager to prove that his leg doesn't define him and that he can actually be good at something. The supporting characters are also very good. Tamara and Aaron really bring some fun and spice to Callum's life along with Jasper that becomes his rival from day 1. I don't have enough words to recommend this book. It's highly addictive, impossible to put down, packed with adventures, action and magic. A must-read! My Rating: 4 Stars This book was a surprise. I was expecting the usual layout of a Grimoire and instead, I found that it was more like an academic search style. It's by no means a bad thing, the style of writing is engaging and accessible, and it's fairly easy to understand and follow. To me, it made easy to memorize some of the information. I was blown away by the depth of research. The information on symbols, the different types of rituals, the tools you need to conjure, medication techniques in the modern world was incredible to read. There aren't any loss ends, everything is explained in detail and it mentions famous references of grimoires' and previous studies in the field of magic. It was very interesting to read it and I recommend it to the fans of magic that are looking for a more modern approach to magic and spirit conjuring. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Llewellyn Publications, and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. My Rating: 3 Stars This book was recommended to me by my fellow bookseller and I couldn't help but be a bit disappointed. I lot of this book reminded me of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" where the children jump from orphanage to orphanage, living adventures and misadventures along the way. In this story, you just change a mean uncle for a good one and mix magic with it. But I'm getting ahead of myself. The story of "The Emerald Atlas" is about three siblings that are forced to leave their home and have their memories almost completely erased. Without memories of their parents and no last name, the children go from orphanage to orphanage, ending up with a mysterious man, Dr Pym and end up finding out a world across time and space where magic is real. As they discover the existence of three very powerful books, The Books of Beginning, they are faced with the task of having to find the Emerald Atlas to return home. The thing is they are not the only ones that need it desperately. It's a very easygoing reading, flowing nicely and you really get to know the three main characters, Kate, Michael and Emma that are thrown in a world they don't understand. The story builds up quite nicely and I really enjoyed reading how events affected each sibling differently. I wouldn't say that it arrives to the level of Harry Potter, not even close in my opinion, but I still want to read the next book. My Rating: 5 Stars Another great novel by Genevieve Cogman! Highly addictive, full of action through and through! An amazing sequel of the first book "The Invisible Library", packed with action, twists, new enemies, a very dangerous world and an almost impossible mission. Irene is amazing as usual, struggling to understand emotions that she has long forgotten and to test the boundaries of friendship with Kai and Vale. I could actually see a development in the friendship between the characters, especially with Vale. He really cares for Irene and Kai and he does everything, risks everything for the sake of their safety. Irene also grew as a character and I could see that she relies on her friends more even if she is still ruled by logic, which I identify myself with. The villains are amazing, loved the diabolically clever plans and the delicacy and fanciness of their actions and speech. Loved the setting, an alternative Venice with this classic style of writing is beautiful. The cliffhanger at the end of the book left me counting the days until the release of the third volume on December 9th! Can't wait! The Magic of Trees: A Guide to Their Sacred Wisdom & Metaphysical Properties by Tess Whitehurst7/10/2016 My Rating: 4 Stars It's the first time that I review a book like this one, about magic and healing and I can say I enjoyed it. I really enjoyed reading the introduction, it shows the passion of the author. The style of writing is beautiful and somehow relaxing and reassuring. The depth of research on each tree is very good, doesn't leave any detail out and it's very informative. The way the "The Trees" chapter is organized is brilliant. Absolutely loved the cover, it's beautiful and a great representation of what the book is about. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Llewellyn Publications, and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. My Rating: 5 Stars Three words: Perfect, Amazing, Thrilling! This book just made my Top 10. I have to congratulate Genevieve Cogman for this amazing accomplishment of a novel! Brilliant! It's been a while since I got this deep with a book and I loved every little second of it. I couldn't put it down and I had to slow down the pace just long enough to receive the second book! This book was a bit of everything that I enjoy: Magic, Steampunk and Books. Absolutely marvellous story-line with Irene as the main character, a Junior Librarian spy and Kai, her new handsome assistant with a temper with secrets of his own. The two of them are given a mission that reveals itself to be more dangerous than they could possibly imagine. I fell in love with the main characters, Irene for her passion for books, her attempts to remain impartial to emotions and attachments, Kai for his loyalty and spunk and Vale which reminded me so much of a Sherlock Holmes in a Steampunk reality where fae, vampires and werewolves are part of this English Victorian world. The story is thrilling, beginning with action and finishing in a perfect way, that brings all the thriller and suspense to an explosive ending. The language is perfect and the detailed and logical analysis of details and events is extraordinary and not even a little bit boring. A highly recommended reading for all the book lovers out there that dream to have this job, just like I did! My Rating: 3 Stars I must say, first of all, the cover of this book is simply beautiful. The colours and the image really grab the attention of the reader and it's perfect for the story. I had problems connecting with the story in the first chapters but the pace changed and I went through it quickly. After that, the long description broke that pace. It was my only problem with this book was the extensive and detailed descriptions. I ended up reading in diagonal in the long descriptions, hoping that some action would take place. I think it's amazing that Chupeco thought of all those tiny details, but for me, it was tiring to read all of them, especially in the training descriptions. However, I really connected with Tea and I enjoyed reading through her development process throughout the story. The writing is beautiful and the plot was very good. Rin Chupeco created a whole new world is a great way, so much it seems to exist. I'm looking forward to the sequel and I hope to see a bit more of action. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Sourcebooks Fire, and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. My Rating: 4 Stars Sweet, nostalgic story that reminded me of the obstacles everyone faces as a child and the problems and responsibilities that come with growing up. I knew from the beginning that this was a play and even so, after all the bad feedback, I really enjoyed this book. I see J.K. Rowling's writing style all over it and a few changes that go perfectly with the story and the characters. The dialogues and the conversations between the characters throughout the story are meaningful, sweet and heartfelt. They really brought out the nostalgia in me, wishing that I was 12 again and reading about the adventures and misadventures of Harry, Hermione and Ron for the first time. One of the things I particularly enjoyed about this story is the unexpected friendship between Scorpius and Albus. It's heart-warming to read of their moments and jokes together. This isn't the 8th book everyone was expecting, but if you are a Potterhead, you will, in the end, get your hands on this book. It was a charming, sweet adventure that deserves to be read! Loved it! My Rating: 5 Stars I usually don't go for the romance genre because it bores me. This time though, I made a good choice. This first book of Katrina Snow proved to be worth the read mixing magic, romance and adventure in a historical reality. The book is very compelling and it was very difficult to stop reading it. The characters are incredibly described, especially Kate, the heroine of the book. The secondary characters also grew on me, all coming together in a world where the lady is the one that was to battle to win the charming prince! This book will send your emotions and your heart on a wild ride! Thank you NetGalley, the publisher KL Andersen, and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. |
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