BOOK REVIEW: Lord of the Rings Trilogy

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
including The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King

First of all, this "trilogy" is actually supposed to be one book, so with that said, this is one of the best books ever written.

There is a lot of description in this book. There is a lot of history and a lot of information that can bog people down. If you can push through the history lesson in The Fellowship of the Ring, you will be hooked! You cannot rely on the movies to give you the story here--the characters are far more noble than the movies portray.

BOOK REVIEW: The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

This is one of my favorite books I have ever read. It has a little of everything (are you kidding me?! Fencing, fighting, true love!). It is funny, too.

If you liked the movie, you will love the book.

AUTHOR REVIEW: Shannon Hale

I love Shannon Hale books.  They are awesome.  The first one I read was Princess Academy.  It was so cute.  I then read the 4-book Goose Girl Series, I have read Book of a Thousand Days, Austenland, and The Actor and the Housewife.  I really liked them all.  I have most of them. :)  They are fun books about princesses or people with magical powers.  Austenland and The Actor and the Housewife are geared more towards the older crowd.  They were a little more mature but still good.  I remember there was kissing in Austenland, but nothing raunchy.  The Actor and the Housewife also has had mixed reviews.  It's all about a Mormon housewife who runs into her celebrity crush and they become best friends.  You either love it or you hate it.   All in all, they are very fun books.  I am excited to read her new ones that have come out.  Here is her website.

http://www.squeetus.com/stage/books.html

You can get online and read the first chapter in each of her books.  She also has other fun tidbits about each book.  Anyway, you can't go wrong with a Shannon Hale book for a good, fun, quick read.

BOOK REVIEW: Graceling

Graceling (by Kristin Cashore)

This is a series--the first is Graceling.

This book is a young adult fantasy book. The premise is original and quite interesting. It is set in a mid-evil type of a world where some people are born with certain graces--extra power to do things well. Some can read minds, some can use swords well, some are strong, some are good with animals, etc.

I do not, however, recommend this book. It alludes to adult themes and the characters have standards that are definitely not my own. I won't write out what it is because it can give things away, but if you want more details, you can ask me. It is a small very part of the book, which is too bad because the idea of the book is a good one.

BOOK REVIEW: The Matt Cruse

The Matt Cruze Series (by Kenneth Oppel): 

Airborn

Skybreaker

Starclimber

My review: I really enjoyed this series as well. It is young adult, fantasy and a lot of fun. There was some violence and suspense but I don't remember any notable graphic content, language, or adult themes.

Here is the Amazon description. Matt Cruse is a cabin boy on the Aurora, a huge airship that sails hundreds of feet above the ocean, ferrying wealthy passengers from city to city. It is the life Matt's always wanted; convinced he's lighter than air, he imagines himself as buoyant as the hydrium gas that powers his ship. One night he meets a dying balloonist who speaks of beautiful creatures drifting through the skies. It is only after Matt meets the balloonist's granddaughter that he realizes that the man's ravings may, in fact, have been true, and that the creatures are completely real and utterly mysterious.

In a swashbuckling adventure reminiscent of Jules Verne and Robert Louis Stevenson, Kenneth Oppel, author of the best-selling Silverwing trilogy, creates an imagined world in which the air is populated by transcontinental voyagers, pirates, and beings never before dreamed of by the humans who sail the skies.

BOOK REVIEW: Fablehaven

Fablehaven (by Brandon Mull)

Fablehaven

Rise of the Evening Star

Grip of the Shadow Plague

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary

Keys to the Demon Prison

My review: I read this series with Brayden and totally enjoyed it. There is some scary stuff and some violence but nothing I wouldn't have let Brayden be exposed to. I it similar in intensity to the Harry Potter series. The books are really well written, very imaginative, and just a lot of fun. I thought they were great! The story is compelling and doesn't have any gapping holes in the ploy that I remember. I would totally recommend this series to anyone. No language, adult themes, just a little violence but it is not detailed and quite minimal overall.

Here is the Amazon write-up for the first book:  

Kendra and her brother, Seth, have no idea that their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws keep relative order among the greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. But when the rules get broken, powerful forces are unleashed, and Kendra and her brother face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save their family, Fablehaven, and maybe even the world, Kendra and Seth must find the courage to do what they fear most...