Wow. I am genuinely so impressed with this story. It sucked me in and held on, keeping my attention even when I wasn’t in the middle of the pages. I aWow. I am genuinely so impressed with this story. It sucked me in and held on, keeping my attention even when I wasn’t in the middle of the pages. I am completely sold on Charlie’s books and can’t wait to read even more of them!
Pell is determined and hard working and cares about her people—of which there are few in their small town, which is slowly dying in the baking sun. The new world took me a minute to get used to, but once I did, I was all in. I liked how Pell would work through a problem, mentally and physically, giving herself time to figure things out, but also pushing herself to make sure she did. She was maybe a little hotheaded, but I still liked her tenacity and her vulnerability.
All the people in the town—Salki and Cas in particular—were really so good. I loved them and was invested in their lives. And I’d be lying if I said Heartwood wasn’t one of my favorites. He is kind of intense, but once you learn his story, it makes perfect sense why he would be.
The mystery surrounding Heartwood and Moseus really kept me interested. I guessed at a couple of things, but there were a lot that still surprised me, particularly how the whole world came to be. But there are a lot of puzzle pieces that have to be moved into place. It’s kind of interesting figuring it all out alongside Pell. Her visions and her experiences sometimes answer questions, but nearly always also create more questions. And I really was invested in figuring out why she had the visions in the first place, what the tower was all about, and her work with the machines.
As I said before, I really liked this book and I’m looking forward to spending more time in Charlie Holmberg’s works. And I hope we can look forward to a sequel for this one! It may have ended happy for now, but there has to be more to come. And I look forward to it when it does!
**Many thanks to the author for the copy. A positive review was not required, and these thoughts are my own....more
My daughter and I both read this book and enjoyed it so much. She and I each wrote reviews for the book, so you’ll get a little something from the botMy daughter and I both read this book and enjoyed it so much. She and I each wrote reviews for the book, so you’ll get a little something from the both of us. First, me daughter’s review:
**** Grimmworld is a thrilling, exciting book, for all ages. It works great for sci-fi lovers and fantasy lovers. I loved seeing the connection to fairy tales and science all in one connected plot. Willow and Jake are really relatable; they’re just normal teenagers thrown into the unknown. The overall story kept surprising me, and the suspense was amazing. I loved the book. 5 stars ****
And mine: This book surprised me in the pleasantest of ways, and when I finished, I wished I had the next one on hand to read (it’s not even published, so…boo).
It had everything you could hope for in an exciting middle grade novel—action and excitement, good relationships and heart and character development, heart stopping moments and laugh out loud moments and sweet moments and crazy moments. I did not anticipate anything that happened (though I do have a theory about a certain Chet).
Jake and Willow were fantastic protagonists. I loved that they acted their ages. I loved that they thought the world of each other, that they helped and lifted each other. I love that they have a loving home life. And I loved that they had flaws and strengths, which were both put to use in this book.
This will definitely be a book I read to my children, and I’m sure my kids will read it over and over, because it was delightful. And we will be anxiously waiting for the second installment!
4.5 stars
**many thanks to the publisher for the copy. All thoughts are mine and my teenage daughter’s....more
Another winning installment in The House of Oak series that I absolutely devoured! With this book, I saw even fewer options for how things could be woAnother winning installment in The House of Oak series that I absolutely devoured! With this book, I saw even fewer options for how things could be worked out, and per usual, Nichole Van absolutely astounded me with how she resolved all the issues.
I thought Georgiana was such a delightful character. I appreciated her conundrum, and the feelings she had to work through in trying to decide what to do about her life. I loved how real she was. She was the kind of person you could enjoy watching a movie with, complete with oversized pajamas and popcorn, or attend a regency-themed soiree with. Her personality was so enjoyable. She was also so cute, how much of a romantic she was. While I would never find the same kind of thrill she did with mysteries and people skulking about, I loved that part of her personality.
Sebastian is such a sweetheart. I couldn't help but love him! I always love a male protagonist who is head over heels in love with the FMC, and will do anything, go to any lengths to try to help her see him as a potential love interest. He may have been a little rash with his marriage proposals, but I found it endearing rather than annoying. He's the cutest, and so perfect for Georgiana.
I did not foresee who was pulling all the strings and doing such dastardly things until right before the big reveal. And even then, I only guessed, and it was literally right before. Like a couple pages before. Nichole Van wrote that mystery so well that I was fully invested and clueless and it was so good.
The very end of this book made me so happy. I was so glad for the way things wrapped up here. And once again, I cannot wait to read the next in the series!
Audiobook Review: Narrated by Shiromi Arserio -- I've said it before, but I loved this narration! Shiromi is a fantastic narrator and suits this series so well! ...more
A time travel book can either be really good or really not, and this falls squarely in the former category. I was so impressed with how well it was doA time travel book can either be really good or really not, and this falls squarely in the former category. I was so impressed with how well it was done! It was a really unique way to introduce time travel and, honestly, feels *almost* plausible. The suspense, the mysteries, the different time periods, with their expectations and customs, were all incredible and kept me on my toes! Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I absolutely had to know how it would end. This book was so well written! ...more
Once again, Rachel Hoffmire has crafted an incredible story! I am continually impressed with how she makes “magic” work, time travel makes sense, crafOnce again, Rachel Hoffmire has crafted an incredible story! I am continually impressed with how she makes “magic” work, time travel makes sense, craft what becomes a fairytale through the use of time travel, all without any plot holes that I can discern (which tends to be difficult to accomplish with time travel novels). This time travel story was more complicated than the first book, with travelers from the future as well as those traveling into the past. But still so, so good! I would recommend this series to anyone who likes fairytale retellings, science fiction, or wants to branch out and try something new.
I really love how Rachel uses modern technology (or even beyond modern, since the “modern” time is 2069) to create “magic,” because those living in the 1100s wouldn’t understand it as anything else. She also crafted really believable backstories for Prince Charming, Sleeping Beauty, and the villain. The faeries were clever. I liked that this book, while focusing more on Jarul and Dorothea, still gave me some of Kelton, Bianca, and Bay. But speaking of Jarul, his character arc is goooooood. And the plot twist is almost mind blowing! Totally did not see that coming!
I have been really enjoying this series and look forward to more (which I’m assuming will come because of that final chapter)!
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Read By Rachel White—Rachel is an absolutely phenomenal narrator. Her accents (in this book there is Scottish, German, French, American) and voices are superb. She helps bring the characters to life and bumps the story from amazing to incredible. I’d listen to anything read by this narrator.
Wow! I am honestly quite impressed with this book. I imagine any retelling comes with a certain set of difficulties to manage, but to write an entire Wow! I am honestly quite impressed with this book. I imagine any retelling comes with a certain set of difficulties to manage, but to write an entire fairytale retelling with a sci-fi/time traveling mashup has to have provided a whole different set of challenges. And I’m honestly impressed.
I am not typically a fan of sci-fi. I think usually it’s not a problem with the authors or books, they just aren’t for me. However, I find time travel a fascinating a subject about which to ruminate. And since I had a friend who highly recommended this book, I decided to give it a go. Well worth it!
I really loved the way Rachel weaved this tale. This book is a retelling of the story Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, told with time travel, traveling between the 1550s and 2069.
There were several different elements I was curious how the author was going to make them work and then she would work in a specific character or detail of time travel and things would made sense. A few things I didn’t even realize how crucial to the overall story arc they would be and I was pleasantly surprised to see how things ultimately came together. The initial world building at the beginning felt a bit slow and it took me a few chapters to get into the book, but once I did, I was completely hooked and couldn’t wait to find out the ending.
Lilia makes the perfect “wicked step mother.” You won’t believe me about that at first but oooh. She plays her role perfectly. Bianca (Margareta) ends up being the perfect Snow White. I really liked her kindness and thoughtfulness, even if it did make her naive and foolish sometimes.
Kelton is super awesome. His moral compass, the drive behind his entire operation, was admirable and I appreciated how it led him to certain choices that ultimately became important to the story.
When some characters were introduced, like Jarul and Bay and Amond, I was confused why they were there but then they each became so important for the story later. Jarul particularly surprised me because he seemed so inconsequential but then he ended up being a key figure several times!
I was really so pleased with this book and the way the author tied up all the loose ends, creating this complete story. I can’t even think of any holes anywhere. Everything just worked! Great work, Rachel! I am looking forward to reading the next book.
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Read by Rachel V. White—I was impressed with this reader. Emotions were raw and evident in her voice and you could really feel what the characters must have been feeling. She did pretty good giving each character a distinctive voice. Her accents were also fantastic. Since there were Irish, German, Russian, English, and American characters, it could have been easy to get confused or do subpar, but the accents were amazing every time.
This has been a fun surprise series for me. I’ve been impressed how much I’ve enjoyed it! In this installment, I liked Hazel and Sam. They were clearlThis has been a fun surprise series for me. I’ve been impressed how much I’ve enjoyed it! In this installment, I liked Hazel and Sam. They were clearly perfect for each other from the very beginning and since friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, I loved watching their relationship slowly develop into more as they began to recognize how much they each cared for one another.
Count Petrescu is super creepy throughout the entire thing and the mystery surrounding who he is and what he’s about kept me on my toes the entire time. I liked that Hazel was a little less bad-a** heroine and more comfortable just taking care of people and loving them. It offers a whole new dynamic on the friendships of the women in all the books. I also loved how fiercely Sam defends and takes care of her. He is such a good hero (and his automaton is fabulous; he had me laughing many times).
I do admit that the zombie element toward the end wasn’t my favorite. But it honestly has nothing to do with the book (nor did it affect my rating), it’s just a personal preference. Clearly I don’t do zombies. However, I really loved how everything ended up working out. So many good moments! (And I do hope we get a book for Hazel’s sister, Marit, in the future).
Quotes I loved: “You are methodical and organized. You learn all you can about a topic before wrestling it to the ground with your big brain.”
The pages smelled divine. Flowers were beautifully fragrant. Certain desserts made her mouth water even from a distance, but the smell of old books, old paper, was her favorite by far.
“Accepting help from others does not mean a person is weak or lacking. It means that person is wise and uses the resources available.”
“Between your skills and my training, we make a formidable pair.”
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Read by Elizabeth Knoweldon—I have listened to the audio on each book I’ve read in this series thus far and I think I prefer the reader from books 1 and 2 better. I wouldn’t say Elizabeth is a terrible reader, but she doesn’t quite measure up to the book. ...more
This was my first read in the Steampunk Proper Romance series and I must admit I had no idea what to expect going in. It took me several chap3.5 stars
This was my first read in the Steampunk Proper Romance series and I must admit I had no idea what to expect going in. It took me several chapters before my hesitancy gave way to enjoyment of the book. I would say this book is a melding pot of steampunk, paranormal, romance, mystery, sorts of magic, and fairytale retelling. Which is an odd mashup to be sure, though somehow it all works. Perhaps my biggest hesitation came in the fact that I generally don’t read paranormal books. Vampires, ghosts, werewolves are not a fodder I am overly fond of reading. There is a reason I never got into the Twilight series. “I don’t do vampires” has always been my phrase for explanation regarding that series. If I’d known vampires were a part of this story, I may not have picked it up. That said, I didn’t hate it. For the first few chapters I kept thinking, “what have I gotten myself into??” But definitely by the half-way point I was completely engrossed in the story and had to finish. This book is the perfect book for reading in October. And as it is not entirely vampiracal in nature (made up word!), I found I could generally enjoy it. It is a bit more chilling than the cozy mysteries I usually limit myself to. Even knowing that vampires don’t really exist I found I couldn’t read this at night, especially if my husband wasn’t home. Haha!
Lucy was a fantastic heroine. She is spunky, independent, fiery, smart, and not afraid to speak her mind or stand up for herself. I liked her right away. Miles is the character who perhaps underwent the most development. He’s an interesting character, with quite a lot of depth and complexity. It was nice to see how Lucy was able to help him. She definitely became his beacon through the storm, the glue to his divisive behavior. The romance between the two was quick paced, more so than I usually like in a romance. Lucy definitely knows her mind! But as it is a crucial element to the book’s ending, I understand why everything happened as it did.
As for the remaining characters, Kate & Johnathan are fantastic. Arther and Candace are sooo interesting. Aunt Ustess is unfortunate. Mr Clancy is kind of my favorite grumpy old man. And Miles’ three friends are so cool. I hope their stories are the ones we get in the continuation of the series.
I think if you enjoy a good mystery that is a bit chilling, you would like this book. Also, if you’re into steampunk or paranormal, I think you’d like it. As neither is my typical genre, I’d say it’s a 3.5 star read for me. I do plan, however, to read the others in the series. ...more
Astonishingly good and deeply disturbing. I have never read a book from the villain’s point of view before and it was, in a word, appalling. The justiAstonishingly good and deeply disturbing. I have never read a book from the villain’s point of view before and it was, in a word, appalling. The justification, the excuses, the evil plans, even when knowing they are wrong—talk about narcissism in overdrive. I mean, the whole family is straight-up evil, but Levana takes it to a whole new level. This can be a difficult book to read, living inside the head of someone so bad, but it’s a good book, and an interesting little piece of the overarching story. ...more
My favorites in the set are “Darth Vader and Son” and “Vader’s Little Princess.” I think it’s hilarious how the author takes lines from the films and My favorites in the set are “Darth Vader and Son” and “Vader’s Little Princess.” I think it’s hilarious how the author takes lines from the films and incorporates them into a different story line as Vader raises Luke and Leia. These are really fun books that can appeal to young kids and adults can also enjoy. ...more
3.5 Stars I’m sad to say this book might be my least favorite of the entire series. It’s still good, but this book in particular is really long and dra3.5 Stars I’m sad to say this book might be my least favorite of the entire series. It’s still good, but this book in particular is really long and drawn out. As a friend said, I had no idea I was starting an 800+ page beast when I started listening to this book. Toward the end, there was over an hour of audio just on the details of the final battle. One reason it’s so long is there are now NINE characters who all get their own chapters to tell the story from their perspectives, going back in time for each to cover essentially the same time-period for each character. It just gets really long that way. Also, everyone is maybe just a little too lucky. Sure, it makes for a nice story but somewhat unbelievable. On the whole I’d still recommend the series, but this was my least favorite book. Note: this is the most violent of the series, especially with the big battle at the end. More kissing in this book but still really tame on that front. No swearing. ...more
I still really like this series. I couldn’t help but like Cress immediately and figured out pretty quickly who she is. This book is fast-paced and pacI still really like this series. I couldn’t help but like Cress immediately and figured out pretty quickly who she is. This book is fast-paced and packed with action, but still covers only a short period of time. I thought Cinder’s plan about how to stop the wedding was pretty good and pulled off remarkably well. Anyway, I still like it. Note: remarkably clean. A kiss and a bit of mild violence. No swearing. ...more
So sci-fi just isn’t my genre. I guess I just don’t get into it as much as some people do. That said, this is a good book. It’s well written and conceSo sci-fi just isn’t my genre. I guess I just don’t get into it as much as some people do. That said, this is a good book. It’s well written and conceived and the little twists at the end were perfectly played. Of course, anyone who knows me or has read my reviews of teen lit, know that I take issue with young people (and in this case, actual children) doing/thinking/accomplishing things that would take the experience and brain development of adults to do/think/accomplish. My husband thinks it’s silly how much I raved about that in this book, but come on. Ender is six when he starts? Hm. All that aside, it really is a good story. *Note: there is some mild language and talk of male genitalia and walking around naked. ...more
Man, this series has sucked me in. I never expected to like it this much and now I can't get my hands on the books fast enough. I like how this book iMan, this series has sucked me in. I never expected to like it this much and now I can't get my hands on the books fast enough. I like how this book intertwined Scarlet's and Cinder's stories (it took me awhile to see the connection) and brought them together at the end. I still can't decide how I feel about Wolf. I mean, his very name is Wolf, after all. But I want to like him. I like Captain Thorne; his self-assured character just makes him all the more....endearing? hilarious? annoyingly lovable? Whatever it is, I actually like him. Scarlet's temper could drive me mad. It makes her dangerously impulsive. She needs to learn to control that if any good is going to happen with her around. And Kai! Oh man, I desperately want to read the next book because this just can't happen to Kai and I have to see what actually transpires. Cinder is developing nicely. I kind of wish she'd listened to Doctor Erlund but it's making for an interesting story since she didn't. Also, was anyone else glad she found a body for her android's personality chip? Love that! Side note: does anyone else get mildly annoyed by how much happens in such short time spans in these books? What was it, a week? Maybe? ...more
I was surprised to enjoy this book as much as I did for being a science fiction book (a genre I don't usually derive enjoyment in reading). The first I was surprised to enjoy this book as much as I did for being a science fiction book (a genre I don't usually derive enjoyment in reading). The first couple of chapters aren't very exciting (I also don't love the epilogue) but then it gets moving and was kind of enjoyable to read. I especially like the religious aspects. It's a very interesting thought, one I've never considered in the same vein as aliens. If you like science fiction (and don't mind religious influences in your books), you'll probably enjoy it. ...more
This book is heart warming and heart wrenching all at the same time. I think the project behind this book is wonderful and inspiring—most especially bThis book is heart warming and heart wrenching all at the same time. I think the project behind this book is wonderful and inspiring—most especially because the subject, these beautiful children, are wonderful and inspiring. Many of the stories are fun and well written. I love that each story is written with a specific child in mind, keeping in mind that child’s dream and making him/her the hero. Each story could easily stand on its own and each would make fun little bedtime stories. I also love the photos and QR codes for more. Lovely book. ...more
I was truthfully surprised by how much this book sucked me in. The synopsis makes it seem kind of weird; it's a science-fiction, fairy tale, post-apo I was truthfully surprised by how much this book sucked me in. The synopsis makes it seem kind of weird; it's a science-fiction, fairy tale, post-apocalyptic, cyborg, alien book and I'd never expect all of that to work together in one book but it does. Cinder is a pretty good character, perhaps with some of the typical whiny behavior I've come to expect from teenage heroines, but at least she's got gumption. I really like Kai (he sure seems to have a head on his shoulders!) and Peony and a part of me feels sorry for Audrey (though her's and Pearl's behavior is still not justifiable). Perhaps my biggest complaint is how predictable the book is. I wasn't really surprised by anything happening, especially Doctor Arlund's big reveal to Cinder (though maybe that bit of info was supposed to be predictable to the reader). All in all though, I really did enjoy it and look forward to reading the next books. ...more
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