Book Review – Page 7 – For the Sake of Reading

Book Review: Crane

Published on August 13, 2015August 13, 2015 by forthesakeofreadingyaLeave a comment

The Horseman is unending,
his presence shan’t lessen.
If you break the curse,
you become the legend.

Washington Irving and Rip Van Winkle had no choice but to cover up the deadly truth behind Ichabod Crane’s disappearance. Centuries later, a Crane returns to Sleepy Hollow awakening macabre secrets once believed to be buried deep.

What if the monster that spawned the legend lived within you?

Now, Ireland Crane, reeling from a break-up and seeking a fresh start, must rely on the newly awakened Rip Van Winkle to discover the key to channeling the darkness swirling within her. Bodies are piling high and Ireland is the only one that can save Sleepy Hollow by embracing her own damning curse.

But is anyone truly safe when the Horseman rides?

Pros – Not your average murder mystery, intriguing way to incorporate American legends, Ireland Crane is a different kind of main character

Cons – The alternating chapters disrupt the flow of the story, at times the story gets lost in its own mythology, Ireland gets super annoying at times

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Book Review: The Pirate Code

Published on August 11, 2015August 10, 2015 by forthesakeofreadingyaLeave a comment

Fresh off a fearsome encounter with the Neverland crocodile, Jocelyn Hook decides the most practical plan is to hunt down her father’s famous fortune. After all, she’ll need the gold to fund her adventuring in the future. (And luckily, Hook left her the map.)

But the map proves to be a bit harder to crack than Jocelyn had hoped, and she’s convinced that the horrible Peter Pan might be the only one with the answers. Of course, he doesn’t really feel like helping her, so Jocelyn takes the only reasonable course of action left to her: she kidnaps his mother. Evie, though, is absolutely thrilled to be taken prisoner, so Jocelyn’s daring ploy doesn’t have quite the effect she’d planned for.

Along with the problem of her all-too-willing captive, Jocelyn must also contend with Captain Krueger, whose general policy is that no deed is too dastardly when it comes to stealing Hook’s treasure. And with the ever-shifting Whens of the Neverland working against her as well, Jocelyn, Evie, Roger, and the rest of the Hook’s Revenge crew have their work cut out for them.

In this rambunctious showdown between characters new and old, Jocelyn puts her own brand of pirating to the test in a quest to save her future and those she loves. !

Pros – Lots more pirate’ing fun, bonding over pillaging (well, sort of) and several people getting their just desserts (good and bad)

Cons – You need tissues and if you don’t have any you’re in a bit of trouble, Peter Pan (I really don’t like this kid) and not enough Tiger Lily

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Book Review: Uprooted

Published on July 9, 2015July 9, 2015 by forthesakeofreadingyaLeave a comment

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life. Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her. But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.

Pros – The “romance” is light and doesn’t play out like you would imagine, old world “fairy tale” feel to the narrative, Agnieszka is easy to relate to, unexpected humor

Cons – takes a long while to get to the “root” of the plot, the Dragon is borderline abusive towards Agnieszka for the better part of the book, gets somewhat confusing in the middle third

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Book Review: Lock and Mori

Published on June 30, 2015June 30, 2015 by forthesakeofreadingyaLeave a comment

In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students, one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James “Mori” Moriarty, meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.Before they were mortal enemies, they were much more.

FACT: Someone has been murdered in London’s Regent’s Park. The police have no leads.

FACT: Miss James “Mori”Moriarty and Sherlock “Lock” Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.

FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.

FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock’s one rule–they must share every clue with each other–Mori is keeping secrets.

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can’t trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

Pros – Surprisingly engaging take on the characters of Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty, offers a tangled mystery, banter between Lock and Mori is delightful

Cons – The mystery becomes predictable as soon as a certain clue or two is revealed, character development is uneven, first person perspective means we get plenty from Mori’s side of things, but very little from Lock’s

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