Review: Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

From Goodreads:
For centuries mystical creatures of all description were gathered into a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite.

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 greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken — Seth is a bit too curious and reckless for his own good — powerful forces of evil are unleashed, and Kendra and her brother face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save their family, Fablehaven, and perhaps even the world, Kendra and Seth must find the courage to do what they fear most.

***

If there is a contender for #1 on my favorite series list, this would be it.  Brandon Mull wove an intricate and intoxicating thrill ride that I just couldn't pull myself away from.  His imaginative writing kept me coming back time and again for more adventure.

Mull employed the classic quest  story plot for his books and used that concept repeatedly throughout the series.  It worked very well with his elaborate story.

Seth and Kendra start out as very normal siblings: bickering, pestering, and shooting off sarcastic remarks.  In the first book, I found Seth to be very typical of your average pre-teen boy.  He was annoying and careless.  He thought only of himself and what could bring the most amusement.  Kendra was nauseatingly well-behaved and followed rules to the letter.  They could not have been more opposite.  As the series progresses, so do the siblings.  They mature and grow into their personalities, each one developing their strengths and learning from their mistakes.  Seth learns how to use his bravery to his advantage, and Kendra learns to step out of her comfort zone and take a few risks.

As a mother of girls, I am always looking for books with strong female characters that my kids would enjoy.  Kendra is a wonderful example of such a girl.  I absolutely loved her.  I loved Seth as well, but since I only have daughters, I was mostly focused on Kendra.

One of the things that makes a good series in my mind is when each book builds off the previous ones.  The story continued through each book seamlessly.

If Harry Potter were to meet his match, Fablehaven is the series to do it.

Reading level: Ages 8 and up
Paperback: 2512 pages
Publisher: Aladdin (October 4, 2011)
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Review: It's a Mall World After All by Janette Rallison

From Goodreads:
It's too bad they don't give out diplomas for what you learn at the mall, because I could graduate with honors in that subject.  No really.  Since I've worked there, I've become an expert on all things shopping-related. For example, I can tell you right off who to distrust at the mall:
 
1) Skinny people who work at Cinnabon.  I mean, if they're not eating the stuff they sell, how good can it be?

2) The salesladies at department store makeup counters.  No matter what they tell you, buying all that lip gloss will not make you look like the pouty models in the store posters.

3) And most importantly--my best friend's boyfriend, Bryant, who showed up at the food court with a mysterious blonde draped on his arm.

Yeah, I saw it, and yeah, I told my best friend all about it.

You would think this would mean trouble for Bryant, but you would basically be wrong.  Somehow, the evil boyfriend turned everything around, and now I'm the one who has to prove myself!  But I will. Even if Bryant--and more importantly his best friend, Colton--keep trying to stop me.

***

While this book wasn't anything spectacular, I still enjoyed reading it.  Janette Rallison has a way of enticing me to sit and pour over her stories for hours.  I finished this book in just a couple of sittings.  It was a light read, with plenty of romance and character development.  

I didn't find this story as funny as some of Rallison's other books, but it was an enjoyable escape from reality.  I didn't laugh out loud with this one, but I smiled plenty.  The main character, Charlotte is lovable and kind hearted.  She has wonderful intentions that don't always turn out the way she hopes, (in fact most of the time they don't), but it doesn't stop her from being loyal to her friends and to what she feels is right.  She overcomes some of her flaws and tries to improve herself.  It was a good, clean read that I was able to enjoy without ever feeling uncomfortable.  


Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Walker Childrens; Reprint edition (November 25, 2008)
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Review: Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

From Goodreads:
When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years for Saren's refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment.
As food runs low and the days go from broiling hot to freezing cold, it is all Dashti can do to keep them fed and comfortable. But the arrival outside the tower of Saren's two suitors--one welcome, and the other decidedly less so--brings both hope and great danger, and Dashti must make the desperate choices of a girl whose life is worth more than she knows.
With Shannon Hale's lyrical language, this forgotten but classic fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm is reimagined and reset on the central Asian steppes; it is a completely unique retelling filled with adventure and romance, drama and disguise.

***

I am a sucker for a good story and beautiful writing.  Shannon Hale provides both in this retelling of a Brothers Grimm Fairytale.  Her language is poetic and musical.  This was a book that I wanted to slowly digest, word by word and relish the taste of each one.  

The characters developed beautifully over the course of the story.  Both Dashti and her mistress, Saren, grow and change over the course of their companionship.  I loved Dashti dearly, and cheered for her constantly.  There was more romance than I had expected in this story, but I was glad of it.  I was also glad that the story wasn't only about romance.  I love books with a story to tell, and this one filled just about everything on my "must have" checklist.  

I borrowed it from the library when I read it, but I just purchased the Kindle Edition.  It's only $0.99 right now, so if you've ever been curious about Shannon Hale or this story in particular, it is the perfect time to try it out.  

Happy reading!

Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; First Edition edition (September 18, 2007)
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Review: Fame, Glory, and Other Things on My To Do List by Janette Rallison

From Goodreads:
A PC school principal turns West Side Story into a comedy of errors.
Sixteen year-old Jessica dreams of Hollywood fame, and when Jordan moves into her small town, she dreams of him too. He’s a movie star’s son, and hey, he’s gorgeous to boot. Jordan has always wanted to get out from the shadow cast by his superstar father, but now that he and his mother have moved so far away from LA, how can he get his divorced parents back together? Jessica convinces Jordan the way to get his father to come for a long visit is to be a part of the school play. And if she’s “discovered” in the process, all the better. Things go wrong when she lets Jordan’s secret identity slip, and grow even more disastrous when the principal tries to change West Side Story into a gangfree, violence-free, politically correct production.
In the same romantic and sharply witty spirit of Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws, Janette Rallison delivers another comic gem that teen readers are sure to love.

***

After reading so many sci-fi and paranormal books, I really wanted a break from so much end-of-life-as-we-know-it plots and go for something lighthearted and fun.  This was absolutely perfect.  It was a breath of fresh air, and I found myself laughing out loud several times.  

The last few chapters were absolutely hilarious and I was laughing so hard I had tears coming out of my eyes.  My husband kept sending odd looks in my direction and my kids tried peeking over my shoulder to see what I was laughing at.  

The main character, Jessica is lovable and funny.  She is a pretty girl that wants to be an actress, but has to learn a few lessons along the way.  Of course, she must learn these lessons in the funniest way possible.  The level of romance was perfect for the story and the age group it's intended for.


Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (August 11, 2005)
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Review: Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare

From Goodreads:
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

***

If it is possible to love the second book in a series even more than the first, then I have found it.  This was a story full of black magic, demons, and romance.  What's not to love?

In this book we are taken deeper into the mystery of the Magister and find out more information about him.  We also discover more about Will and his history.  Jem is more developed as a character but his past still remains vague.  We do get to see a little more of Magnus Bane, a character I absolutely adore. 

The encounters with automatons were not as frequent as in Clockwork Angel, so I rarely had problems sleeping.  The romance was so thick and beautifully written.  Maybe I am a glutton for disappointment, but whenever I read a book with a love triangle, I am always rooting for the wrong guy.  (I was Team Jacob, in case you are wondering.) The action scenes were fantastic and not so frequent that I got tired of them.  There was a nice pace throughout the story that kept things moving without it getting boring or going too fast.

I don't know if I will be able to wait for another year before the final book comes out!


Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Hardcover: 528 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Book
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Review: Clockwork Angel (Inernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare

From Goodreads:
Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

***

 I saw this book on the Amazon bestsellers list and I had to try it.  The cover is so enticing.  This is one of those books where the story actually lives up to the cover.  The plot was so intricate and the characters so fascinating.  I loved Tessa as the heroine.  I cried with her, loved with her, and laughed with her.  Jem and Will add a very interesting dynamic to the whole love triangle charade.  They are so different and yet so close.  Will is mysterious and bitter while Jem is sweet and very ill.  I fell in love with both of them. 


I had only two complaints about this book.  The first is that it is the first in a trilogy of prequels to the series "The Mortal Instruments".  I did not know that before I started reading and I felt a little lost for the first few chapters.  The second is that the characters were always covered in blood.  I don't think it is humanly possible to lose that much blood all the time without passing out or dying.  However, the characters in this book are not entirely human, so maybe my complaint is unwarranted.  


I got so engrossed in the story that I could not read it before going to bed. If I did, I would lay awake, thinking of automatons and swearing that I could hear the whir, click of them coming to get me.  It was a definite page turner full of action and romance.  I can't wait to read the next one!

Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
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