Bone, Vol. 7: Ghost Circles by Jeff Smith

Bone, Vol. 7: Ghost Circles by Jeff Smith

Bone, 184 pages

⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

The Bones, Gran’ma Ben, Thorn, and their loyal Rat Creature cub venture on a journey through the mysterious ghost circles to Atheia, the old city of the royal family. One wrong step could change the Valley’s fate forever…

Little Robot by Ben Hatke

Little Robot by Ben Hatke

135 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Life outside the robot factory is confusing.

Little Robot has a lot to learn...

And that's what friends are for.

But with danger in the way, will friendship be enough to save them?

Thea Stilton and the Dragon's Code by Thea Stilton & Geronimo Stilton

Thea Stilton and the Dragon's Code by Thea Stilton & Geronimo Stilton

Thea Stilton #1, 176 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Geronimo's adventurous sister Thea takes center stage in this super special that's packed with mystery, adventure, and friendship! When Geronimo's sister, Thea, is invited to teach a journalism class at a college on Mouse Island, she has no idea that she's going to be called on to help solve a mystery. But when a student disappears, it's up to Thea and five of her students to find out what happened. A nail-biting mystery ensues, complete with secret passages, underground tunnels, and more than a few surprises along the way. Readers will love following the clues to help Thea and her new friends through their first adventure together!

Young Hag and the Witches’ Quest by Isabel Greenberg

Young Hag and the Witches’ Quest by Isabel Greenberg

272 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Once there was magic in Britain. There were dragons and wizards and green knights and round tables and kings that pulled swords out of stones. But now, the doors to the Otherworld have closed, and the magic is gone. All that is left are the stories of those bygone days. Young Hag, her mother and her grandmother, Ancient Crone, are the last of the witches in Britain. At least, that’s what Ancient Crone says.

Young Hag has grown up hearing those tales and believing in her the power of her Grandmother. But when tragedy strikes, and their world is shaken, Young Hag turns her back on magic. She is sick of the tales of family curses, faerie doors, lost magic, and ancient swords. If they are witches, where is their magic when they really need it?

And then one day they find a changeling baby in the woods. Confronted with real magic at last, Young Hag has no choice but to believe. She sets off on the greatest quest of her life; to bring the magic back to Britain. But when faced with magic and myth, can Young Hag put aside her doubts and fears? Or will she simply become a forgotten footnote in the tale of famous kings and wizards?

Helen of Wyndhorn #1 by Tom King

Helen of Wyndhorn by Tom King

Helen of Wyndhorn #1-6, 176 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Following the tragic death of her late father C.K. Cole, the esteemed pulp writer and creator of the popular warrior character Othan, Helen Cole is called back to her Grandfather's enormous and illustrious estate, Wyndhorn House. 

Scarred by Cole's untimely passing and lost in a new, strange world, Helen wreaks drunken havoc upon her arrival. However, her chaotic ways begin to soften as she discovers a lifetime of secrets hiding within the myriad rooms and hallways of the expansive manor. For outside its walls, within the woods, dwell the legendary adventures that once were locked away within her father’s stories. 

The House on the Cliff by Franklin W. Dixon (The Hardy Boys #2)

The House on the Cliff by Franklin W. Dixon

The Hardy Boys #2, 180 pages

⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Frank and Joe Hardy are investigating a mysterious old house high on the cliffs above Barmet Bay when they are frightened off by a mysterious scream. The boys return to the apparently haunted house and make a connection between the place and a smuggling case their father is working on. When their father goes missing, they start-out investigating the secret caves beneath the house and soon confront the gang of smugglers.

The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington

 The Shadow of What Was Lost (The Licanius Trilogy #1) by James Islington with Michael Kramer (Narrator), 25 hrs, 28 min. (725 pages)

"As destiny calls, a journey begins. 

It has been twenty years since the godlike Augurs were overthrown and killed. Now, those who once served them -- the Gifted -- are spared only because they have accepted the rebellion's Four Tenets, vastly limiting their powers. 

As a Gifted, Davian suffers the consequences of a war lost before he was even born. He and others like him are despised. But when Davian discovers he wields the forbidden power of the Augurs, he and his friends Wirr and Asha set into motion a chain of events that will change everything. 

 To the west, a young man whose fate is intertwined with Davian's wakes up in the forest, covered in blood and with no memory of who he is. In the far north, an ancient enemy long thought defeated begins to stir." Provided by publisher

I picked up this first book in the series because I read a James Islington book that I absolutely loved a couple years ago (The Will of the Many) and because of narrator Michael Kramer, who I have found to have impeccable taste in fantasy novels. When diving into this book, be prepared for a lot of characters, but a core group of characters that you get attached to. There is a lot of world building and character development, as it should be in any first novel in an epic fantasy series. This is a complex world with complex characters, and I enjoyed learning how they connected. Looking forward to reading the next in the series. 

Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard

Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard (563 Pages)

                                                                    

Summary: A strange darkness grows in Allward even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it in her small town at the edge of the sea. The long lost heir to an ancient lineage, it’s not until Corayne meets a rag-tag group of companions that she learns how to wield the magic slumbering in her blood—and how together they might stop what’s coming. From her seat on the throne, Queen Erida has one aim: build a kingdom worthy of her destiny. While her court hopes to marry her off, Erida will do anything she can to avoid losing her crown—and her freedom. No matter the cost. Meanwhile, shadowy corpse armies march the hillsides and dangerous beasts creep through fissures in the world, and a great evil grows stronger by the day. As the realm descends into chaos, the choices are clear: Save the world…or end it.

Opinion: This is the first book in the Realm Breaker series. It's pretty long with multiple POVs with some chapters feeling slow because of unfinished action for another character from the other chapter. That being said, this book is a fun read with essentially a rogue, barbarian, mage, knight, and leader as the main characters taking on an adventure to save the world. Anyone who likes playing dungeons and dragons or likes the anime or manga Frieren: Beyond Journey's End would probably like this series. There is subtle romance, but more angst or longing than anything. Overall, a good fantasy adventure book. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. 

Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly Devos

 

EAT YOUR HEART OUT by Kelly Devos  352 pages

Vivian Ellenshaw is fat, but she knows she doesn't need to lose weight, so she's none too happy to find herself forced into a weight-loss camp's van with her ex-best friend, Allie, a meathead jock who can barely drive, and the camp owner's snobby son. And when they arrive at Camp Featherlite at the start of the worst blizzard in the history of Flagstaff, Arizona, it's clear that something isn't right.

Vee barely has a chance to meet the other members of her pod, all who seem as unhappy to be at Featherlite as she does, when a camper goes missing down by the lake. Then she spots something horrifying outside in the snow. Something...that isn't human. Plus, the camp's supposed "miracle cure" for obesity just seems fishy, and Vee and her fellow campers know they don't need to be cured. Of anything.

Even worse, it's not long before Camp Featherlite's luxurious bungalows are totally overrun with zombies. What starts out as a mission to unravel the camp's secrets turns into a desperate fight for survival--and not all of the Featherlite campers will make it out alive.

This was a good story that shows kick-ass, confident  people come in all sizes. She's thinking of making a sequel. There's definitely more to the story.  I hope she does.  

The Maze of Bones :Thirty-Nine Clues

The Maze of Bones :Thirty-Nine Clues by Rick Riordan  220 pages

When their beloved aunt--matriarch of the world's most powerful family--dies, orphaned siblings Amy and Dan Cahill compete with less honorable Cahill descendants in a race around the world to find cryptic clues to a mysterious fortune.

Warning: This book ends abruptly. You must read the next one to continue the adventure. I enjoyed all the horrible characters. 

A Dog's Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron

 

A Dog's Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron-327 pages

Others have already reviewed this since it was our Book to Movie club.  It's a very sweet story as told from the dogs perspective.  After reading this I actually looked at my own dog differently!  They are the most loving, loyal creatures on the planet.  I enjoyed the book very much..though at times it seemed far fetched!

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

 

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton-448 pages

We all know what the book is about so there is no reason to summarize it.  I will say it took about 120 pages before it grabbed me and then I couldn't put it down.  There are many differences between the book and movie and I can honestly say that I enjoyed the book much more than the movie.  Since I had seen the movie It helped me picture the characters in the book.  I highly recommend it.

Namesake by Adrienne Young

Namesake by Adrienne Young -- 360 pages

With the Marigold ship free of her father, Fable and the rest of the crew were set to start over. That freedom is short-lived when Fable becomes a pawn in a notorious thug’s scheme. In order to get to her intended destination, she must help him to secure a partnership with Holland, a powerful gem trader who is more than she seems.

As Fable descends deeper into a world of betrayal and deception, she learns that the secrets her mother took to her grave are now putting the people Fable cares about in danger. If Fable is going to save them, then she must risk everything—including the boy she loves and the home she has finally found.

Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

 The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

305 pages

★★★★

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day, to whisk him away on a journey ‘there and back again’. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon…

I loved the adventure this book took me on and all the characters are so silly and loveable.

Fable by Adrienne Young

Fable by Adrienne Young -- 357 pages

For seventeen-year-old Fable, the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home she has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one, and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father, and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him, and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.

Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men. Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue, and adventure.

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren -- 384 pages

Growing up the daughter of notorious treasure hunter and absentee father Duke Wilder left Lily without much patience for the profession… or much money in the bank. But Lily is nothing if not resourceful, and now uses Duke’s coveted hand-drawn maps to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts through the red rock canyons of Utah. It pays the bills but doesn’t leave enough to fulfill her dream of buying back the beloved ranch her father sold years ago, and definitely not enough to deal with the sight of the man she once loved walking back into her life with a motley crew of friends ready to hit the trails. Frankly, Lily would like to take him out into the wilderness—and leave him there.

Leo Grady knew mirages were a thing in the desert, but they’d barely left civilization when the silhouette of his greatest regret comes into focus in the flickering light of the campfire. Ready to leave the past behind him, Leo wants nothing more than to reconnect with his first and only love. Unfortunately, Lily Wilder is all business, drawing a clear line in the sand: it’s never going to happen.

But when the trip goes horribly and hilariously wrong, the group wonders if maybe the legend of the hidden treasure wasn’t a gimmick after all. There’s a chance to right the wrongs—of Duke’s past and their own—but only if Leo and Lily can confront their history and work together. Alone under the stars in the isolated and dangerous mazes of the Canyonlands, Leo and Lily must decide whether they’ll risk their lives and hearts on the adventure of a lifetime.

The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young

The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young -- 327 pages

For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.

For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.

Magic's Price by Mercedes Lackey

 

Magic's Price by Mercedes Lackey - 351 pages

Last Herald Mage #3

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Valdemar—the once-peaceful kingdom protected by the magic of its Herald-Mages—is now besieged on all fronts. The king lies near death, the neighboring land of Karse wages a relentless war against Valdemar, and the forces led by a master of dark forbidden magic are massing to strike the final devastating blow against the kingdom.
 
And Vanyel, the most powerful Herald-Mage Valdemar has even known, has become the primary target of the evil which is reaching out to poison all the land.
 
With all his fellow mages slain, Vanyel alone remains to defend his people against the dark master’s army. Yet a dream vision has revealed to Vanyel the fate which awaits should he and his Companion Yfandes take up the dark master’s challenge.
 
And if either Vanyel or Yfandes falters, the dream will become a horrifying reality in which both Valdemar and its last Herald-Mage must pay the ultimate price.

Magic's Promise by Mercedes Lackey

 

Magic's Promise by Mercedes Lackey - 320 pages

Last Herald Mage #2

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wild magic is taking its toll on the land. Many Heralds and Herald-Mages have died fighting to preserve the peace. Even Vanyel, the most powerful of the Herald-Mages is almost at the end of his strength, in need of a respite from the dual threats of war and dark magic.

But for Vanyel, there can be no rest. Not when his Companion, Yfandes, receives a summons which can’t be ignored—a desperate cry of a magical holocaust in the neighboring kingdom. Almost overwhelmed by the devastations they discover there, Herald-Mage and Companion must try to unravel this tragic mystery.

Is the young Prince Tashir, a newly Chosen Herald who can’t control his magic, responsible for the destruction? Or is Tashir a pawn in a deeper, more deadly game—and, if so, will Vanyel be able to find and defeat the true destroyer before this master of dark powers can strike again?

Into the West by Mercedes Lackey

 

Into the West by Mercedes Lackey - 486 pages

Founding of Valdemar #2

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Baron Valdemar and his people have found a temporary haven, but it cannot hold all of them, or for long. Trouble could follow on their heels at any moment, and there are too many people for Crescent Lake to support. Those who are willing to make a further trek by barge on into the West will follow him into a wilderness depopulated by war and scarred by the terrible magics of a thousand years ago and the Mage Wars. But the wilderness is not as empty as it seems. There are potential friends and rapacious foes....

....and someone is watching them.