4 stars A remarkable tale of an orphaned girl who winds up in the care of two rather strange individuals. Diana Wynne Jones’ writing is wonderful. She creates such amazing worlds, which I love visiting. This book is home to a cast of odd characters from the reluctant familiar, Thomas, to the easy-to-anger mandrake, and…
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3 stars Another fun adventure with Jack and the gang, complete with new monsters, intriguing problems, and epic adventures. Fast-paced story full of battles, mystery, and jokes. Great for reluctant readers. As with the previous books, this one is broken up with artwork incorporated into the scenes. Cool integration and art style. Really works with…
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4 stars As with the other books, the artwork is absolutely fantastic. Such beautiful and imaginative creations on every page. I love it! This volume didn’t sit as well with me as the previous ones though. I think it was getting more into Max’s backstory and the lazy way of motivating his character. SPOILER An…
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4 stars Another fun Princess in Black adventure. Featuring a whole slew of heroes, a giant problem, and some snowy playdates, this was such an engaging read. As with the other books, the illustrations on lovely. Great level of detail. From fight scenes to creative problem-solving, this was a great read that shows some problems…
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2.5 stars I received a copy of this book through Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. First off, the hardcover edition of this book is just gorgeous. I loved the texture of the jacket itself and the design fits the feel of the book very well. As many reviews have pointed out, not a…
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4 stars I watching the movie over and over again as a child. It has been years since I last watched it, but from what I remember, the plot and dialogue of the book closely follow that of the movie. Lovely world-building. Some parts felt a bit rushed, but overall I enjoyed the level of…
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4 stars My favorite in the series so far (I’ve read them hopelessly out of order). This little story is odd and strange, but in the charming way that Rowell does so well. I think Amazon kind of missed in trying to brand this as a series of fairytale retellings. None of the ones I’ve…
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3 stars Overall, this was an entertaining start to a series featuring mythical creatures, powerful Elders, and an alchemist that’s a few hundred years old. The writing was decent. I found some of the sections trivial but I stuck around for the adventures and cool connections to mythology/legends and was not disappointed. I didn’t necessarily…
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3 stars I’m a bit conflicted about this story, mostly because it was not what I was expecting. I absolutely love reimagined fairy tales so when I saw this series, I immediately jumped at it. Not realizing this was the fourth book, I started with this one (possibly because from the title and cover I…
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5 stars A captivating series featuring dynamic characters, mysterious conspiracies, and gorgeous scenery. As with the previous books, the artwork in this one is absolutely stunning. I am always blown away with the details of the art. Whether its fight scenes, deep conversations, or scenery shots, each panel is so well done. It is a…
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