Finders Keepers - Russ Colchamiro

Book Title: Finders Keepers: The Definitive Edition
Author: Russ Colchamiro
Category: Adult Fiction
Pages: 310 pages
Genre: SciFi/Fantasy
Publisher: Crazy 8 Press
Release Date: October 17, 2018
Edition: Ebook
 Content Rating: PG-13 + M (A few f-bombs, and mild sex scenes + some casual drinking/pot smoking) 
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

Description: In the spirit of The Good Place, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, author Russ Colchamiro has gone back to the future to deliver his wildest, funniest novel yet--the new and updated Sci-Fi/Fantasy tale Finders Keepers: The Definitive Edition. 

When a jar containing the Universe's DNA falls from Eternity, bumbling backpackers Jason and Theo find their loyalties--and sanity!--put to the test. Unaware that a motley crew from another realm is chasing them across the globe to retrieve that radioactive vessel, these intrepid new friends are forced to contend with passion, responsibility, and their own mortality--and the fate of the Solar System, which hangs in the balance. 

Traversing Europe, New Zealand, and the backbone of Eternity, Finders Keepers: The Definitive Edition ultimately asks one simple question: Is the life you're living the life you actually want . . . or does the Universe have more to offer than you can possibly imagine?

Thoughts: I really didn’t like this book, as I felt it was more of a chore than anything to read it.  I felt that that there were a lot of things that I didn’t like about the book.  The first thing was that I didn’t really find it funny. I had one small chuckle at one point during the read, but it seemed rather mundane for the most part.  Secondly I felt that the plot of the book was all over the place and there were too many characters.  I have read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and that book was more polished and coherent than this one.  For example, the book didn’t keep you with one set of characters for large periods of time and I wouldn’t get a sense of what the book was about.  I would read about one set of characters for a bit and then a few chapters later, would read about another set of characters and that switch to yet another set of characters a few chapters down the line.  I realize that the book is part of a series, but the number of characters in the book was way too much and too hard to keep track of to the point that I couldn’t tell who was who for the most part.  The author needed to have a better editor that would make the book tighter and more readable and therefore more readable.

It also needed to be shorter in terms of page length.  If the book was at least 50 pages shorter, it would be a better read.  There was too much to keep track to comprehend it properly.

I can see where the author is going with it and while it’s a good idea,  I doubt I am going to continue with the series.

Buy the Book:
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Watch the trailer:​

Meet the Author:

​Russ Colchamiro is the author of the rollicking space opera, Crossline, the zany SF/F backpacking comedy series Finders Keepers, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, and is editor of the SF anthology Love, Murder & Mayhem, all with Crazy 8 Press.

Russ lives in New Jersey with his wife, two children, and crazy dog, Simon, who may in fact be an alien himself.

Russ has also contributed to several other anthologies, including Tales of the Crimson Keep, Pangaea, Altered States of the Union, Camelot 13, TV Gods 2, They Keep Killing Glenn, and Brave New Girls. Russ is repped by The Zack Company.

Connect with Russ: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Providence - Caroline Kepnes

Title: Providence
Author: Caroline Kepnes
Pages: 384
Published: 2018
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description:
Growing up as best friends in small-town New Hampshire, Jon and Chloe are the only ones who truly understand each other, though they can never find the words to tell one another the depth of their feelings. When Jon is finally ready to confess his feelings, he's suddenly kidnapped by his substitute teacher who is obsessed with H.P. Lovecraft and has a plot to save humanity.

Mourning the disappearance of Jon and facing the reality he may never return, Chloe tries to navigate the rites of entering young adulthood and "fit in" with the popular crowd, but thoughts of Jon are never far away.

When Jon finally escapes, he discovers he now has an uncontrollable power that endangers anyone he has intense feelings for. He runs away to protect Chloe and find the answers to his new identity--but he's soon being tracked by a detective who is fascinated by a series of vigilante killings that appear connected.  (via Goodreads)

Thoughts:  I had high hopes for this book.  Had heard from a podcast that this was one to read this summer and I honestly I wasn't really impressed.  Honestly I felt very confused with the plot of the book and even by the end of the book, I couldn't really figure out what the big mystery was or even what the book was about.  It could have been that I left the book for a couple of weeks before I finished it, but still I could never seem to figure it out what Jon's power was.

Bottom Line: Didn't really understand the plot of the book.  Maybe it was that the main characters were at least 15 years younger than me or maybe it was the genre.  I really don't know.  If you like urban fantasy/thrillers, you might enjoy it.

Rating: 2.75/5

Loreena's Gift - Colleen M. Story

Title: Loreena's Gift
Author: Colleen M. Story
Pages: 350
Published: 2016
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Edition: PDF
Source: I recieved a free copy in exchange for a honest review.

Description: A BLIND GIRL'S TERRIFYING "GIFT" ALLOWS HER TO REGAIN HER EYESIGHT--BUT ONLY AS SHE FERRIES THE RECENTLY DECEASED INTO THE AFTERLIFE.

Loreena Picket thinks she knows herself. A blind young woman who lives with her uncle, a reverend at a small-town church, she's a dutiful niece and talented pianist for the congregation.

But they're both hiding a terrible secret. Loreena can kill people with the touch of her hand.

While her uncle sees her as an angel of mercy, helping usher the terminally ill members of his flock into the afterlife, Loreena has her doubts.

Torn between doing her uncle's bidding and the allure of the fleeting moments when her eyesight returns on the journey to the other side, Loreena cooperates with her uncle until her troubled older brother returns to town. When she reveals her power by saving him from a local drug dealer, she is drawn into a sinister and dangerous world that will test the true nature of her talent and force her to consider how far she is willing to go to survive.

An exciting debut that crosses fantasy and literary fiction, Loreena's Gift is a thought-provoking meditation on life and death and what ultimately lies beyond this world.

​

Buy the Book:  Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Book Depository  ~  Chapters Indigo

Thoughts:  I didn't know what to think of the book, but once I sat down and read the book, I thought it was a decent read.  I liked the early part of the book, but once I got into the middle of the book, I got a little confused as to what was going on. But despite the fact that I was little confused to what was going on in the book, I found it to be an engrossing read.

I liked how the author seamlessly made the transitions between Loreena being sighted and blind.  I also liked how Loreena took charge of a situation and didn't really feel sorry for herself and pushed on despite her blindness.  She seemed to take charge of situations rather than the situation take charge of her.  Despite the situation that she found herself in, she didn't really feel sorry for herself and tried to make best of the situation that she was in.

Bottom line: I quite enjoyed the quickness of the book and it really felt like you were by Loreena's side through out the book.  I would probably recommend the book for those that aren't quite into fantasy, but would like either a taste of fantasy or need something different in their reading.  Recommended.

Author's Bio:

Colleen M. Story writes imaginative fiction and is also a freelance writer, instructor, and motivational speaker specializing in creativity, productivity, and personal wellness. Her latest novel, "Loreena’s Gift," was released with Dzanc Books April 12 2016. Her fantasy novel, "Rise of the Sidenah," is a North American Book Awards winner, and New Apple Book Awards Official Selection (Young Adult). She is the founder of Writing and Wellness (writingandwellness.com) a motivational site for writers and other creatives.

​Connect with the author:  Website  ~ Twitter  

The Buried Giant - Kazuo Ishiguro

Title: The Buried Giant
Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
Pages: 304
Published: 2015
Genre: Fantasy
Edition: E-book
Source: Library

Description: Begins as a couple, Axl and Beatrice, set off across a troubled land of mist and rain in the hope of finding a son they have not seen for years. They expect to face many hazards—some strange and other-worldly—but they cannot yet foresee how their journey will reveal to them dark and forgotten corners of their love for one another. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: Quite honestly, this one just flew over my head and by the time that I had gotten through about a third of the book and just had to focus on the book without focusing too much on what I had missed.

Unlike his Booker-prize winning book, The Remains of the Day, I felt kinda meh about the book and there was nothing that really wowed me while reading the book, even though I was intrigued with the book itself.

Bottom line: Like I said earlier, I thought that the book was okay and didn't have the power that Remains of the Day had.  Probably would recommend the book to those that enjoy retellings of familiar myths and stories.  Recommended.

Rating: 3.25/5

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle

Title: A Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet #1)
Author: Madeleine L'Engle
Pages: 232
Published: 2007 (originally published 1963)
Genre: Science fiction, Fantasy, Classic, Middle-Grade
Edition: Paperback
Source: Library

Description: Out of this wild night, a strange visitor comes to the Murry house and beckons Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O'Keefe on a most dangerous and extraordinary adventure - one that will threaten their lives and our universe. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I had heard a lot about how a lot of podcasters that I listen to liked this book as kids and thought I would give it a try.  To make it plain, this is probably something that should be read first as a kid, but each reader is different.  Basically I couldn't make heads over tails about what the book was trying to say.

Bottom line: Probably more ideal for middle grade readers that like science fiction or fantasy.  Recommended.

Rating: 2.75/5

Shadow of Night - Deborah Harkness

Title: Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2)
Author: Deborah Harkness
Pages: 584
Published: 2012
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: Historian Diana Bishop, descended from a line of powerful witches, and long-lived vampire Matthew Clairmont have broken the laws dividing creatures. When Diana discovered a significant alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library, she sparked a struggle in which she became bound to Matthew. Now the fragile coexistence of witches, daemons, vampires and humans is dangerously threatened.

Seeking safety, Diana and Matthew travel back in time to London, 1590. But they soon realize that the past may not provide a haven. Reclaiming his former identity as poet and spy for Queen Elizabeth, the vampire falls back in with a group of radicals known as the School of Night. Many are unruly daemons, the creative minds of the age, including playwright Christopher Marlowe and mathematician Thomas Harriot.

Together Matthew and Diana scour Tudor London for the elusive manuscript Ashmole 782, and search for the witch who will teach Diana how to control her remarkable powers... (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I quite enjoyed the book, as I managed to fly through the book, albeit with the aid of an audiobook.  One of the aspects that I like was the time travel aspect, especially the Elizabethan era, as well as the introduction of new characters that added to the overall flavour and tenor to the book.

But I did feel that the middle of the book seemed to drag a bit and that if I wasn't listening to the audiobook while reading the book, I may have not completed the book as quickly as I was able to.

Bottom line: As the book is a continuation of A Discovery of Witches, I would probably recommend that you read that book before reading this one.  But if you have read the first book in the series and enjoyed that one, you probably will enjoy this book as well.  Highly Recommended.

Rating: 4/5

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter #7)
Author: J. K. Rowling
Pages: 607
Published: 2007
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Personal

Description: Harry has been burdened with a dark, dangerous and seemingly impossible task: that of locating and destroying Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes. Never has Harry felt so alone, or faced a future so full of shadows. But Harry must somehow find within himself the strength to complete the task he has been given. He must leave the warmth, safety and companionship of The Burrow and follow without fear or hesitation the inexorable path laid out for him. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I know it may be hard to believe it, but this as only the second time that I have read the book.  There are a few times that got me a bit freaked out to the point that I thought I may have nightmares as a result; one time was when Harry and Hermoine where in Godric's Hallow they met Nagini, disguised as Bathilda Bagshot.

One thing I liked about the book is that it brought all the elements of the six books together, even if they weren't as pronounced in the final book.  I also liked that there were quieter moments and how Harry was able to interact with Hermoine and also have sometime to reflect as to what is going to happen.

If there is one quote that I loved in the book it is when Molly Weasley said to Belletrix, wheen she was about to attack Ginny: "Not my daughter, you bitch!" I like it so much that I have had it as my user picture on Goodreads for a number of years, probably about 2009 or 2010.

Bottom line: I really enjoyed how Rowling tied up the series and how that while that most of the characters did survive, there were also characters that didn't.  Despite what some readers may think of the final book, I felt it was a satisfying end to the series.  Highly recommended. 

Rating: 4.75/5

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Author: J.K. Rowling
Pages: 607
Published: 2005
Challenges: Finishing the Series, Harry Potter Re-Read, Chunkster
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Personal

Description: It is the middle of the summer, but there is an unseasonal mist pressing against the windowpanes. Harry Potter is waiting nervously in his bedroom at the Dursleys' house in Privet Drive for a visit from Professor Dumbledore himself. One of the last times he saw the Headmaster was in a fierce-one-to-one duel with Dumbledore with Lord Voldemort, and Harry can't quite believe that Professor Dumbledore will actually appear at the Dursleys' of all places. Why is the professor coming to visit him now? What is it that cannot wait until Harry returns to Hogwarts in a few weeks' time? Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts has already got off to an unusual start, as the worlds of Muggle and magic start to intertwine ... (from Goodreads)

Thoughts: This is one of my favourite books in the Harry Potter series for a number of reasons.  My first reason is that the relationship between Harry and Dumbledore.  Dumbledore is able to impart information to Harry in way that doesn't make Harry feel inadequate or a child, but rather in a mature manner that allows Harry to ask the questions that he needs to ask.  Secondly, it shows how Harry has grown since the last book, not only in age but also in maturity and knowledge of what lies ahead for him.  The final reason that I like this book is because the author allows the book to build and gives the reader just enough to wonder what is going on but still be surprised by what happens, especially when reading he book for the first time.

Bottom line: While I had moments in which I felt that the book was hard sometimes to get through, I found the book to be a pleasurable and enjoyable read.  The book is a good continuation of the series and is an excellent jumping off point for the final book in the series.  Highly recommended.

Rating: 4.75/5

If you have read this book, what did you like or didn't like about the book?

Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine

Title: Ella Enchanted
Author: Gail Carson Levine
File Size (Pages): 1513 KB (272)
Published: 2012 (first published 1997)
Challenges: Eclectic Reader, E-book, I Love Libraries, Snagged @ the Library, Readers to the Rescue
Genre: Children's, Fantasy
Edition: E-book
Source: Library

Description: At her birth, Ella of Frell was the unfortunate recipient of a foolish fairy's gift -- the "gift' of obedience. Ella must obey any order given to her, whether it's hopping on one foot for a day and a half, or chopping off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate. Against a bold backdrop of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella goes on a quest to break the curse -- once and for all.

In this incredible debut novel comes the richly entertaining story of Ella of Frell, who at birth was given the gift of obedience by a fairy. Ella soon realizes that this gift is little better than a curse, for how can she truly be herself if at anytime anyone can order her to hop on one foot, or cut off her hand, or betray her kingdom'and she'll have to obey?  (from Goodreads)

Thoughts: I read this book to fulfill the Eclectic Reading challenge and had heard a number of good things about the book that I felt that I needed to check out this book. 

I felt that the first half of the book was disjointed and I didn't know where the book was headed, but I did enjoy the second half of the book and felt that it was better than the first half.  While the first half felt disjointed to me, one could definitely see elements from the Cinderella fairy tale.

Bottom line: Felt that the first half was a bit disjointed, but saw many elements of the Cinderella fairy tale in the second half.  I would highly recommend the book for middle-grade readers and recommend the book for adults who enjoy fairy tale retellings.

Rating: 3.2/5

If you have read this book, what did you like or not like about it?

The Last Battle - C.S. Lewis

Title: The Last Battle (The Chronicles of Narnia #7)
Author: C.S. Lewis
Pages: 229
Published: 1994 (first published 1955)
Challenges: Classics Club, Finishing the Series, I Love Libraries, Readers to the Rescue, Snagged @ the Library
Genre: Children's, Classic, Fantasy
Edition: Mass-market Paperback
Source: Church Library

Description: The last battle is the greatest battle of all. Narnia... where lies breed fear... where loyalty is tested... where all hope seems lost. During the last days of Narnia, the land faces its fiercest challenge - not an invader from without but an enemy from within. Lies and treachery have taken root, and only the king and a small band of loyal followers can prevent the destruction of all they hold dear in this, the magnificent ending to theChronicles of Narnia. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: After reading the other 6 books in the series, I think that I expected a different end and that my expectations were somewhat elevated as to how the series ended, not that I didn't enjoy the journey.  I think that while my expectations were inflated, it was a good way to end the series  This might be a series to revisit down the road by reading the omnibus copy that I own.

Bottom line: The story itself seemed to be ok, but felt it to be a little slow at times.  Overall it was a satisfying ending to the series.  Recommended.

Rating: 3.5/5

Pages for 2015:  2,940

If you have read the book, what did you think?

The Silver Chair - C. S. Lewis

Title: The Silver Chair (The Chronicles of Narnia #6)
Author: C. S. Lewis
Pages: 272
Published: 1994 (first published 1953)
Challenges: Finishing the Series, Classics Club, I Love Libraries, Readers to the Rescue, Snagged @ the Library
Genre: Children's, Classic, Fantasy
Edition: Mass-Market Paperback
Source: Church Library

Description: A prince imprisoned - a country in peril. Narnia... where giants wreak havoc.... where evil weaves a spell... where enchantment rules. Through dangers untold and caverns deep and dark, a noble band of friends are sent to rescue a prince held captive. But their mission to Underland brings them face-to-face with an evil more beautiful and more deadly than they ever expected. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts:  Really enjoyed this book, as it seemed to have a better flow to the story than The Dawn Treader and seemed to be less contrived than the previous book and more of what I have usually experienced with other narrative fiction that I have read.

I think that the biggest reason that I enjoyed the book was the introduction of Jill Pole.  She gave the book a lightness to the book that really allowed me to enjoy reading the book.

Bottom line: A good continuation of the series that retains the magic of the earlier books. Recommended.

Rating: 3.75/5

Pages for 2015: 2,711

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C.S. Lewis

Title: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (The Chronicles of Narnia #5)
Author: C.S. Lewis
Pages: 288
Published: 1994 (first published 1952)
Challenges: Finishing the Series, I Love Libraries, Readers to the Rescue, Snagged @ the Library, The Classics Club
Genre: Children's, Classics, Fantasy
Edition: Mass-Market Paperback
Source: Church Library

Description: Lucy and Edmund, with their dreadful cousin Eustace, get magically pulled into a painting of a ship at sea. That ship is the Dawn Treader, and on board is Caspian, King of Narnia. He and his companions, including Reepicheep, the valiant warrior mouse, are searching for seven lost lords of Narnia, and their voyage will take them to the edge of the world. Their adventures include being captured by slave traders, a much-too-close encounter with a dragon, and visits to many enchanted islands, including the place where dreams come true. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: For some reason, I found this book to be difficult to get through.  Maybe it was the fact that the story seemed to be too chaotic and disjointed for liking and that maybe if I were closer to the age of the main characters, I may have enjoyed the book a more than I did.

Bottom line: For me at least, there were parts of the book that felt dull but also there were parts that were enjoyable and entertaining.  It was a nice continuation of the series and towards the end of the book, I finally could see the illusion that Lewis was aiming towards.  Recommended.

Rating: 2.75/5

Pages for 2015: 2,335

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter #5)
Author: J.K. Rowling
Pages: 766
Published: 2003
Challenges: Chunkster, Finishing the Series, Harry Re-Read
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Edition: Paperback
Source: Personal

Description: Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His best friends Ron and Hermione have been very secretive all summer and he is desperate to get back to school and find out what has been going on. However, what Harry discovers is far more devastating than he could ever have expected . . . (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: If there was a book in the Harry Potter series that I have difficult with, it would have to be the fifth book. The reason is that I didn't enjoy his moping about and felt that it distracted from the fact that it introduced elements that become important for the final two books.

There were times I would dread opening up the book and there were times that I felt the book dragged at times, especially in light of the action that took place during the previous book, The Goblet of Fire.

Bottom line: It was a pretty decent book through the introduction of several elements that become key in the next books, but felt that the book was somewhat marred by Harry's attitude, which at 15 is pretty common for most people.  It is a good continuation of the series that helps to move the series along.  Recommended to Highly Recommended.

Rating: 4/5

Pages for 2015: 1,919

Prince Caspian - C.S. Lewis

Title: Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia #4)
Author: C.S. Lewis
Pages: 240
Published: 2001 (first published 1951)
Challenges: Finishing the Series, I Love Libraries, Readers to the Rescue, Snagged @ the Library, The Classics Club
Genre: Children's Classic, Fantasy
Edition: Mass-Market Paperback
Source: Library

Description: The Pevensie siblings travel back to Narnia to help a prince denied his rightful throne as he gathers an army in a desperate attempt to rid his land of a false king. But in the end, it is a battle of honor between two men alone that will decide the fate of an entire world. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I enjoyed this one much more than The Horse and His Boy in part due to the fact that story was less fantastical, but more a bit more based in "reality".  I think it also helped that the Pevensie siblings (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy) made an appearance for a good portion of the book and that there was a definable good vs. evil story.  

Bottom line: I enjoyed this book much more than The Horse and His Boy and thought it to be better thought out and more coherent.  It is a good continuation of the series and introduces characters that become important in other books as well.  Highly recommended.

Rating: 4/5

Pages for 2015: 687

The Horse and His Boy - C.S. Lewis

Title: The Horse and His Boy (The Chronicles of Narnia #3)
Author: C.S. Lewis
Pages: 241
Published: 1994 (first published 1954)
Challenges: Back to the Classics, Finishing the Series, I Love Libraries, Official TBR, Readers to the Rescue, Snagged @ the Library, The Classics Club
Genre: Children's, Classic, Fantasy
Edition: Mass-Market Paperback
Source: Library

Description: Narnia... where some horses talk, where treachery is brewing, where destiny awaits. On a desperate journey, two runaways meet and join forces. Though they are only looking to escape their harsh and narrow lives, they soon find themselves at the center of a terrible battle. It is a battle that will decide their fate and the fate of Narnia itself. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I have mixed feelings about the book, as I had great expectations of the book and found it to be ho-hum.  I was unable to find a rhythm with the book and just couldn't get into the novel itself.  It felt more like a separate story than the other two book and didn't particularly like the fantastical element in this book, even though the first two had that same element in them.   And honestly I just couldn't see were the book fits into the overall story.

Bottom line: While I wasn't enamoured with the book, I felt that it was a really good continuation of the series and I look forward to seeing how this book connects to the rest of the series.  Recommended.

Rating: 3.25/5

Pages for 2015: 447

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis

Title: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia #2)
Author: C.S. Lewis
Pages: 206
Published: 1994 (first published 1950)
Challenges: Classics Club, Finishing the Series, I Love Libraries, Readers to the  Rescue, Snagged @ the Library
Genre: Classic, Children's, Fantasy
Edition: Mass-Market Paperback
Source: Library

Description: When Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are sent to stay with a kind professor who lives in the country, they can hardly imagine the extraordinary adventure that awaits them.

It all begins one rainy summer day when the children explore the professor's rambling old house. When they come across a room with an old wardrobe in the corner, Lucy immediately opens the door and gets inside. To her amazement, she suddenly finds herself standing in the clearing of a wood on a winter after-noon, with snowflakes falling through the air. Lucy has found Narnia, a magical land of fauns and centaurs, nymphs and talking animals -- and the beautiful but evil White Witch, who has held the country in eternal winter for a hundred years. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: Unlike the previous books (The Magician's Nephew), I quite enjoyed the read and felt engaged with the book.  I really liked how the story flowed and how the book continued the series.  It had a faster pace to it than The Magician's Nephew).

I really liked how the book built on The Magician's Nephew and how it could also be a stand-alone, based on how the book ended.

Bottom line: I quite enjoyed the book and liked the pacing of the book.  A very enjoyable read and a good continuation of the series.  Highly recommended.

Rating: 4/5

Pages for 2015: 206

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling (#hpreadalong)

Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter #4)
Author: J.K. Rowling
Pages: 636
Published: 2000
Challenges: Harry Potter Re-Read
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Personal

Description: It is the summer holidays, and one night Harry Potter wakes up with his scar burning. He has had a strange dream, one that he can't help worrying about...until a timely invitation from Ron Weasley arrives: to nothing less than the Quidditch World Cup!

Soon Harry is reunited with Ron and Hermione and gasping at the thrills of an international Quidditch match. But then something horrible happens which casts a shadow over everybody, and Harry in particular... (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: While this isn't one of my personal favourites books in the series, it does have a lot going on in the book that keeps the reader engaged with the story.

 Another thing that the book has going for it is that it is a turning point in the series, in that there are things that happen throughout the book, especially in the final 4 or 5 chapters that show the reader that the tone of the series has clearly shifted.

Also the book starts to deal with more adult-like themes and situations starts to show that the dynamic between the boys and the girls are starting to change and the interests and strengths of the three main characters, Harry, Ron and Hermoine, are starting to be shown.

Bottom line: A pivotal book in the series that is very clearly darker in tone and more adult-like in the themes that are explored and is clearly meant for an older audience than the first three books, which are geared to a younger audience.  Highly recommended.

Rating: 5/5

Pages for 2014: 29,028

The Magician's Nephew - C.S. Lewis

Title: The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia #1) *
Author: C.S. Lewis
Pages: 220
Published: 2002 (first published 1955)
Challenges: I Love Libraries
Genre: Children's Fantasy
Edition: Paperback
Source: Library

Description: Polly's hand went out to touch one of the rings. Immediately, without a flash or a noise, she vanished. When horrible Uncle Andrew starts experimenting with magic, Digory and Polly find themselves in another world, and at the beginning of an incredible adventure, as the doorway to the magical land of Narnia opens This is the first adventure in the exciting Chronicles of Narnia. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I saw a set of books while volunteering at my church library and since I had not fully read the series in its entirety from start to finish and took the opportunity to read them.

Even though I do know that the books are geared towards the middle grades, I wasn't exactly wowed with the book and the book to be a little slow at times, even though it was cute.  It definitely does give the reader a good introduction to the world of Narnia and serves as a launching point to the rest of the series.

Bottom line: As I said earlier, the book is a solid introduction to the rest of The Chronicles of Narnia series.  It would be an excellent introduction to fantasy to that are a bit young to read the Harry Potter series and other fantasy books that are geared to older readers.  Recommended, but strongly recommended for young readers who are interested in fantasy.

Rating: 3.5/5

Pages for 2014: 28,152

* I will be posting the books in their chronological order rather than the publication order.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling (#hpreadalong)

Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter #3)
Author: J.K. Rowling
Pages: 317
Published: 1999
Challenges: Harry Potter Readalong
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Personal

Description: Harry Potter, along with his best friends, Ron and Hermione, is about to start his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry can't wait to get back to school after the summer holidays. (Who wouldn't if they lived with the horrible Dursleys?) But when Harry gets to Hogwarts, the atmosphere is tense. There's an escaped mass murderer on the loose, and the sinister prison guards of Azkaban have been called in to guard the school... (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: This is probably my favourite Harry Potter book, along with the Half-Blood Prince.

What I liked about the book is how the HP universe expands from the first two books to the village of Hogsmede and introduces the reader to such characters as Remus Lupin, Sirus Black and a number of other characters that become important in forthcoming books.  I also liked how the book became a little bit darker, but also retains some of the lighter elements of the first two books in the series and how the book adds a little bit more to the overall story arc.

Bottom line: This is probably the best one of the Harry Potter books because while the book is still fairly lighthearted like the first two, but still has is able to bring the darker side of the series and carry momentum throughout the book by giving the reader a bit more understanding to Harry's dad's life at Hogwarts and also introduces us to several new characters that are going to prominent throughout the last 3 books of the series.  Recommended for those that are a fan of the Harry Potter series.

Rating: 5/5

Pages for 2014: 27,932

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author: J.K. Rowling
Pages: 366
Published: 2004 (first published 1998)
Challenges: Harry Potter Re-Read
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Edition: Mass-Market Paperback
Source: Personal

Description: Ever since Harry Potter had come home for the summer, the Dursleys were so mean and hideous that all Harry wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike. 

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor and a spirit who haunts the girls' bathroom. But then the real trouble begins--someone is turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects...Harry Potter himself! (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I quite enjoyed this reading of the book and emersion into the Harry Potter universe.  There were several things that I enjoyed about this reading of the book.  While did not glean any further insight to the book, I really liked how the universe was opened that more with further areas being explored and more characters introduced or used a bit more than the first book.

I also liked how the story arc of the series continues by continuing to use aspects of the first book in the second book (e.g. the use of Harry's Parseltongue) and how the book refers to certain aspects of the first book, but not everything mentioned within the first book.  As well, I liked how the the book was a little more coherent than the first book and how everything seemed to have some sort of purpose to it and that the book did not dwell too much on Harry's past and concentrated at the mystery.

Bottom line: A really good continuation of the Harry Potter series and really helps to move the story arc along.  Highly recommended.

Rating: 4.75/5

Pages for 2014: 26, 363