booksncrannies_official's reviews
88 reviews

'North! Or Be Eaten' is a masterfully written novel filled with action, suspense and epicness. The action and suspense brim forth from the story and become a tangible part of the reader's life (it's amazing!). The intrigue in the story is launched to new heights by Peterson's realistic and insightful writing. Oh, did I mention the epicness? Several plot twists and intense scenes provide the stepping stones that carry this novel to extreme levels of a page-turner. An award winning novel that will hold you from start to finish, 'North! Or Be Eaten' claims a worthy position as one of my favorite books.

Just when I thought the Wingfeather Saga couldn't get any better, 'The Monster in the Hollows' delivers a moving, deep, and emotional story. The relationships among the Igiby family are given deeper meaning in this book allowing the reader to become even more attached to these characters. Again (must I say it?), Peterson writes with the style of one of the best writers ever! His writing is descriptive, clear, and crisp —adding an even greater dimension to this already amazing novel. Surprise, suspense, heartbreak, and betrayal are all employed to construct an ending that will pull on your heartstrings and your tears! Don't miss this fabulous fantasy!

'The Warden and the Wolf King' — Wow,... how shall I describe this epic tome!? To begin with, the story and plot are artfully constructed and portrayed. Vived details, intense scenes, well developed, dynamic characterization, and several plot twists make this books pulse with the life of a story that will steal your heart from beginning to end. Instilling another dimension to the story, the interior illustrations are so realistic (some are happy, others are scary, other dramatic, and still others will touch your heart). Since the plurality of characters in this series is so well rounded and realistically described and portrayed (both in word and illustration), the reader will feel a relatable connection to most if not all of the protagonists as if he or she has been a lifelong friend. Dynamic changes in the main characters brings readers heartwarming and, yes, heart wretching scenes. Peterson's vivid, crisp, descriptive, and smooth writing style is so amazing! Biblical alegory is masterfully woven into the fabric of the series, just one of the aspects that makes the 'The Warden and the Wolf King' and the Wingfeather Saga as a whole a rare and shining jewel in the genre of fantasy, especially in this age. The theme of brotherly love is clearly defined and powerfully portrayed; this theme will prompt the siblings in this series to make sacrifices for each other that will provide for even further dynamic character development. Packing a powerful punch of emotions the ending of will leave you shaken with a heart and eyes brimming with tears! 'The Warden and the Wolf King' takes the number one place as the book with the most shaking, emotional, yet satisfying ending in my 10+ years of devouring good books. Blending sacrifice, courage, wonder, and redemption, the Wingfeather Saga is a must read (believe me!). So, nuff said. Get reading. And prepare yourself for an epic adventure you will never forget.

'Through Russian Snows' gives a historically accurate and detailed look at Napoleon's campaign against Russia in 1812. While this novel is a bit lacking in character development and plot construction, Henty does a good job incorporating the events of this campaign with fictitious characters. The writing is somewhat detailed and repetitious at times leading to a few dull and boring sections. The history in this novel is accurate and intriguing, however, which gives the reader a lot to learn and is a beneficial history lesson. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and learned a lot of interesting facts and history in a fun way.

'I Must Betray You' delivers a superbly portrayed and powerfully written narrative set in the unsettled time of of late 1989 Romania. Giving readers a pulse-pounding experience, this gripping plot elevates the suspense and intrigue to an extreme level. The plot stole my full attention; it was very hard to put this book down once I began reading it! The plot is captivating — and combined with masterful character development it becomes engrossing. The main characters are dynamically developed and solidly defined. Because the protagonist is so realistically described in his thoughts and actions, it is very easy for the reader to relate to him and become involved in this story. This relatable connection will allow the reader to physically and emotionally experience the pain, the hardships, and the wounds that so many went through under the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausesc. The protagonist, Cristian, is also emotionally in tune with the reader, further adding a sense of connection to his character. In short, I really liked the characters and found it easy to relate to them. Ruta Sepetys's writing style is a lot more than I expected; it's realistic, descriptive, and conveys so much meaning with very little word usage. By using short, descriptive sentences, Sepetys enhances the realistic atmosphere of this novel because this writing sounds like natural thoughts and speech. These things being said, however, I recommend this novel only to mature readers as it contains some age-appropriate elements: inappropriate language (some swear words and a few dirty names); mild violence; some potentially disturbing descriptions for younger readers (of a dead body and brutality); and a couple of scenes where a boy and a girl kiss (it doesn't go any further than kissing and doesn't last very long). Other than these elements the story is really good. Sepetys's writing accurately depicts life under communism allowing the reader to feel the hardships people face under such an oppressive government. It instills in the reader the same longing for freedom that the characters have. This amazing novel will take readers on a thrilling journey — a journey that emphasizes courage and resilience in the face of hardships and oppression.
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BOOK BREAKDOWN
Fundamentals:
-Plot: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
-Writing: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
-Characters: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Content: (Please see review for details.)
-Language: 3/5
-Violence: 2/5
-S*xual: 1/5

An informative and eye-opening read, 'Divided Nation' correctly but solemnly identifies why the Western world — and the Church — is becoming more secular every day. This book is simple to read yet profound in it's message. 'Divided Nation' is definitely worth the room on your TBR.

Told through the eyes of a young stowaway aboard the ill-fated Titanic, 'Iceberg' presents the tragic account of the ship in a well-balanced and interesting narrative. While I found the plot to be a bit uneventful and some what lacking in development at the beginning of the book, the suspense soon moves in allowing for more action and involvement for the reader. The characters are diverse in their qualities which helps to add flavor to the storyline. The protagonist, Hazel Rothbury, can seem a bit repetitious in her careless actions, however, which seem to make her more immature than the plot tries to have her appear. Although the writing could have been a bit better in its descriptions and overall flow, I am pleased with the clean delivery of this novel. I did enjoy this story and learned a lot more than I expected about the events surrounding the sinking of the Titanic. I can fully recommend this thrilling story to readers of all ages.

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BOOK BREAKDOWN
Fundamentals:
-Plot: 3.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐✨
-Writing: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐
-Characters: 3.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐✨
Content:
-Language: 0/5
-Violence: 0/5
-S*xual: 0/5

'A Ranger’s Guide to Glipwood Forest' is filled with all of the qualities one would expect from Andrew Peterson: wit, imagination, humor, and artistic writing. An interesting, little book that any Wingfeather Saga fan will enjoy!

'A Wrinkle in Time' is an artistic and thoughtful portrayal of the clash between two opposing forces — good and evil. The plot and construction of the story contain a lot of new and intriguing details for the reader to understand; yet L' Engle writes in such a realistic and uncomplicated manner that, instead of bogging the reader down, these details incorporate layers of excitement and fascination into the plot. This plot also holds much suspense which makes this book hard to put down. Lending another facet of realism, the main characters are so wonderfully defined and developed in their thoughts and actions. (I loved Charles Wallace; he's so young and cute, but yet he speaks such words of wisdom that he appears older than he really is.) As I've already mentioned, the writing and presentation of this novel are amazing. They make the story flow so smoothly and establish a solid foundation of realism to the plot. Realistically detailed, powerfully presented, and intriguely defined, 'A Wrinkle in Time' has now become one of my favorite science fiction reads.

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BOOK BREAKDOWN
Fundamentals:
—Plot: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
—Writing: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
—Characters: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
Content:
—Language: 0/5
—Violence: 1/5
—S*xual: 0/5

While written like a quaint fairytale, 'The Golden Thread' goes beyond just providing entertainment and enjoyment; it also delivers solid examples of biblical truths and morals. This story was written in the 1800s so the writing can be a bit lacking in providing smooth flow at times. Short in length and easy to follow, this biblically allegorical tale is definitely worth reading.

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BOOK BREAKDOWN:
Fundamentals
— Plot: 3/5 (⭐⭐⭐)
— Writing: 2.5/5 (⭐⭐✨)
— Characters: 2.5/5 (⭐⭐✨)
Content
— Language: 0/5
— Violence: 0/5
— S*xual: 0/5