dtrpath27 Posted September 29, 2014 Author Share Posted September 29, 2014 September 2014 A Kidnapped Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum Genre: Children's short story Charming and sweet. A nice bedtime story at Christmastime for a little one. Also, it was free on Amazon, so you can't beat that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 (edited) December 2014 An Old Captivity by Nevil Shute ©1940 333 pages This is the story of a Scottish pilot, Donald Ross, who is hired by wealthy Englishman Cyril Lockwood to lead an archaeological air survey mission to Greenland. Out of concern for her father, Lockwood's daughter, Alix, insists upon accompanying them on the arduous journey. I rather enjoyed the story overall, and found Shute's deliberate writing style to be well-suited to it. As usual, he writes relatable characters of great depth. This story, however, had a bit of a tangent about reincarnation which made it the least favorite of his books so far. I was a bit tired and unfocused when I read it on Friday (probably a harbinger of my illness today) so I didn't quite get it at first, then even after I rather didn't care for the plot twist. As I said, though, I enjoyed it overall and would be happy to continue exploring Shute's writings. Eta: Reading this story was rather like watching an old Cary Grant movie. Edited December 8, 2014 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 December 2014 The Paper Magician by Charlie M. Holmberg 214 pages So this is the first book in a series about magicians who can manipulate various materials. In this case, it tells the story of paper magician Emery Thane and his apprentice Ceony Twill and their struggle to defeat blood magician Lira. Upon beginning this story, it rather felt as if the author was trying to write a Harry Potter-esque story for a slightly older audience. It seemed to find more of its own voice, however, as the story progressed. The development of the main character, Ceony, seemed dubious to me. She seemed much, much younger at the beginning; I had pictured her to be 15 or so as opposed to the 19 she actually was. I suppose both are still quite young, though! I rather liked Emery and enjoyed learning more about him throughout the story. I did enjoy this overall, and would be interested to see what the author (who is, by the way, a female!) does with the sequel. I liked the idea of it all quite a bit. It was a fun, easy read -- not incredibly challenging but enjoyable nonetheless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 The Paper Magician sounds like a book I might like! Great reviews . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted December 10, 2014 Author Share Posted December 10, 2014 December 2014 The Glass Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg 222 pages This sequel to The Paper Magician takes a step forward away from the Harry Potter-wannabe feel that plagued much of the first novel. The Glass Magician unfolds as a love story between Ceony and Emery. It's sweet and charming. Definitely young adult, but a fun read nonetheless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 December 2014 Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane Author: Neil Gaiman Pages: 178 How to describe this? Well, simply put, it's the story of a man who travels home for a funeral. Stricken by grief, he finds himself driving away from the event and seeking solace beside the pond at the home of his childhood friend and protector, Lettie Hempstock. What transpires, though, is both terrible and heartwarming, fantastical yet somehow more honest than anything one can imagine, crafted with that dreamlike quality that only Gaiman can achieve. Suspend disbelief and let him take you on a journey through this dark fairytale; it will be time well-spent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I really enjoyed The Ocean at the End of the Lane too. I really need to read more of his stuff though. I've only read this and The Graveyard Book, which I loved. The Magician books sound interesting. Are they a trilogy or a series? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 I really enjoyed The Ocean at the End of the Lane too. I really need to read more of his stuff though. I've only read this and The Graveyard Book, which I loved. The Magician books sound interesting. Are they a trilogy or a series? The Magician books are nice! I believe she's doing a whole series as there are several different kinds of magicians mentioned in the book, so I assume she'll have a book focusing on each one. Like I said, at the beginning of the first one it feels a bit like a Potter knock-off, but then she finds her own voice and it really becomes quite enjoyable in its own right. Emery Thane, the leading man, is my new literary crush. I do love Neil Gaiman's writing, but don't read it as often as I should. I quite liked Stardust; if you enjoyed The Ocean at the End of the Lane, that might be a good place to head next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I loved The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, you captured the 'vibe' of it really well in your review. The Magician books have gone straight onto my New Year wish list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 I loved The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, you captured the 'vibe' of it really well in your review. The Magician books have gone straight onto my New Year wish list. Thanks! I thought describing the feel was more important than the events on this one, if that makes sense. I can't believe the new year is almost here! I already have my wish list going as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I'm glad you enjoyed The Ocean at the End of the Lane ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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