The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, 279 pages

When Milo, a young man with little interest in anything, receives a mysterious package containing a tollbooth that magically tnrasports him to a strange new land the kindles his curiosity. 

I was recommended this book by a dear friend because it was their childhood favorite and a yearly reread. I wish now I had read it as a child because I think would have treasured it. The wordplay is at once clever and delightfully ridiculous. The enchanting absurdness of Milo's journey to rescue Rhyme and Reason resounds in the chambers of my soul. It reads like a juvenile primer to Monty Python or Douglas Adams. 42/42 recommend. 

 

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

The Hero of Ages (The Mistbor Saga #3) by Brandon Sanderson, 760 p.

"To end the Final Empire and restore freedom, Vin killed the Lord Ruler. But as a result, the Deepness—the lethal form of the ubiquitous mists—is back, along with increasingly heavy ashfalls and ever more powerful earthquakes. Humanity appears to be doomed.

Having escaped death at the climax of The Well of Ascension only by becoming a Mistborn himself, Emperor Elend Venture hopes to find clues left behind by the Lord Ruler that will allow him to save the world. Vin is consumed with guilt at having been tricked into releasing the mystic force known as Ruin from the Well. Ruin wants to end the world, and its near omniscience and ability to warp reality make stopping it seem impossible. Vin can't even discuss it with Elend lest Ruin learn their plans!" -- Goodreads blurb

I'll repeat that I'm glad I read Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series before this series, because I'm not sure I would have gone on to read any more of his work. While I enjoyed this third in the series, it continues to be slow. Side characters turned more into main characters, bad guys (or bad inanimate objects?) become badder, and the "age" of the story wraps up well. There are 3+ more books in this series, but they come after a massive time jump with different characters, but in the same world. I'm going to take a break before picking those up. Still a huge Sanderson fan and always will be.

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

The Well of Ascension (The Mistborn Sage #2) by Brandon Sanderson, 796 p.
 

"They did the impossible, deposing the godlike being whose brutal rule had lasted a thousand years. Now Vin, the street urchin who has grown into the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and Elend Venture, the idealistic young nobleman who loves her, must build a healthy new society in the ashes of an empire.

They have barely begun when three separate armies attack. As the siege tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.

It may just be that killing the Lord Ruler was the easy part. Surviving the aftermath of his fall will be the real challenge."--Goodreads blurb

Happy to report I liked this book even more than the first. I've found that some of the side characters are my favorite, even over the main characters, with Sazed being my favorite and TenSoon really coming into "his" own in this story. The pace of this series continues to be slower, the climax of this book was worth the wait. High expectations for book 3. 

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Mistborn  (The Mistborn Saga #1) by Brandon Sanderson, 672 p.
 

"For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.

Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.

But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets, and gotten it. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed."--Goodreads blurb

First thing's first, this book starts of S L O W L Y. It took me a good 200+ pages to really get into the story, however the second half of the book totally saved it. Strong leads with strong personalities, and creepy bad guys with creepy personalities. While Sanderson is one of the most prolific fantasy writers, I'm glad this wasn't my first foray into his writing, as I think (so far), this series is nothing compared to his Way of Kings series. I will be picking up book 2, though! 

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas

House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J. Maas, 805 p.

"Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.

The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it."--Goodreads blurb

After looking forward to this second book so much, it just fell a bit flat for me. I really liked the character development between Bryce and Ruhn and other friends, and there were some good twists, but this second installment lacked the emotion of the first. I did like that we got chapters from different character viewpoints and new magical abilities were revealed that set up the next book in the series. While this one suffered a sophomore slump, the third book will be on my must-read.
 

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas, 803 p.
 

"Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it."--Goodreads blurb

This was a re-read for me to prepare for the release of the second book. Maas is one of my go-to, easy read and while I love all of her big series, this newer series from her has become my favorite. As usual with Maas, a strong female lead takes center stage, with great friendship and relationship bonds. Great twists and turns with this story, and while I shed real actual tears with this one too. Looking forward to the second one!