kailey_luminouslibro's reviews
3794 reviews

A young man from Australia inherits his uncle's cottage in the village of Finch, and all the village gossips (including Lori) are determined to discover everything there is to know about him. They find an old wishing well in the tangle of the overgrown cottage garden, and the villagers jokingly make a few wishes. They are all amazed when their wishes start coming true! Only Aunt Dimity can help Lori to figure out whether the strange happenings in Finch are just coincidence or wishing well magic.

It was so fun to see the friendship between Bree and Lori in this book! They are both wild and weird and wacky! It was adorable to see how Bree looks up to Lori and seeks her advice, and how Lori feels responsible to take care of Bree. They have almost a mother-daughter type of connection in the way they care for each other.

I enjoyed this book so much! I especially loved the history that is unfolded in this plot, as we get a closer look at the deepest desires of the people in Finch. Their wishes really highlight how precarious their friendships are when people think of their own selfish wants instead of being kind and generous to their neighbors.

The plot has many little details that made it fun and engaging. I still think it's hilarious that Aunt Dimity is a ghost who talks to Lori through a journal. I still love Lori's delightfully stubborn character, and her relationships with everyone in her little town. I love seeing Lori meet new people in every book, making friends and enemies, and being her own wild self.

This book in particular has some really sweet scenes with Lori and her husband Bill. They are such a cute couple! I really love how their relationship is stable throughout the series. Bill is reliable and kind, and I love how he is so protective of Lori.

The writing is good, clear, and funny! The characters are adorable and complex. It's not all fluff all the time with Aunt Dimity, but there are also some really hilarious scenes. There's an excellent balance of serious subjects with more light-hearted scenes.

I love it all!

Princess Samantha is searching for true love, and she seems to have found it with Prince David, until he humiliates her at the grand ball. The heartbroken princess decides to take matters into her own hands, and she sets off on a quest through a magic portal to find true love, expecting that somehow she will find her way back to Prince David. When Prince David discovers that she is gone, he sends his best knight, Sir Zachary, to bring her back. But he's not the only one searching for the missing princess. The royal family has their own dragon, Hubert Firetongue the Incomparable. The dragon teams up with Sir Zachary and they follow Samantha through the magic portal. But when they arrive on the other side of the portal, she is nowhere to be seen. Unbeknownst to any of them, they are all being pursued by a murderous dark knight.

This fairytale is full of humor and adventure and a delightful romance! It reminds me of the Princess Bride with lots of swashbuckling adventure and sword fights and daring heroes. They have to fight off ogres, escape from a dungeon, and free innocent creatures from the evil rule of a despotic baron. They encounter magical unicorns, kind giants, annoying gnomes, and one very slippery enchantress. And best of all, it is hilarious from start to finish! I was literally giggling like a madwoman through most of the story.

I loved the sweet slow-burn romance, especially because it's very clean and their romance is based on more than just physical attraction. It was really lovely to see these two characters gradually beginning to respect and care for each other in deeply meaningful ways. Every romantic moment between them is just so adorable and sweet, but you also get the sense that their relationship is built on something lasting.

Princess Samantha and Sir Zachary both have really excellent character development as they go through their adventures and it teaches them humility and gives them a perspective beyond their own previously narrow experiences. I completely fell in love with Sir Zachary, and I really related to Princess Samantha. They both have very complex personalities, and it was wonderful going on this inward journey of self-discovery with them.

I love all the funny references to other fairy tales, movies, and famous quotes. Princess Samantha complains that Snow already found her Prince Charming, and that other princess was asleep for years and found someone, so why can't Samantha find her true love? During their quest, the group visit a town that they describe as a "hive of scum and villainy". There are tons of witty quips in the dialogue that made me laugh.

I cried at the beautiful ending, because there is this heartwarming family reunion, and it was just so touching to see the parents and children all reunited. I love stories about family togetherness and this poor family had been through such difficult struggles to find each other again. Beautiful!

The best part of this book is the Christian themes that are woven through the story. The characters explore the meaning of self-sacrifice, gratitude, and personal joy. They discover that true love encompasses much more than just romantic love, but that it also includes family love. There are many instances throughout the story of different father figures who sacrifice for their children, just as God sacrificed his Son for us.

Since it is a fairy tale, the knight is obsessed with honor and chivalry, and the other characters sort of roll their eyes at this in the beginning. However, as they begin to see how Sir Zachary actually lives out his moral code and makes honorable decisions no matter the cost to himself, they begin to respect the beliefs and values that he lives to uphold. It's a very powerful and inspiring message!

I love this book so much! I enjoyed it just as much rereading it for the second time.

Brenden has always felt more comfortable with plants and animals rather than people. He meets a sorceress named Od, who invites him to be the gardener at her school for wizards. He discovers that the way he can wordlessly communicate with plants and animals might be a type of magic. The magic school has very strict rules about what types of magic can be used, and they are bound by the laws of the king. But the wizards aren't sure what to make of Brenden's type of magic.

Princess Selys has her own magical secret which she keeps hidden from her father the king. Yar is a teacher at the school who is frustrated with the strict rules the wizards must follow. Mistral is a travelling magician's daughter who is hoping to make some money performing a show in the city, but the king's guard are very suspicious that her act might be real magic instead of just illusion.
All these characters want to find a way to express themselves through magic, but the king's laws don't allow them to be their true selves.

I really liked the enchanting writing style of this book. I've tried to read some other books by this author where the writing was very disjointed, but in this book, the writing flows along really well. I love the way that magic is described, not just by the results of the magic and how it looks, but also by how it feels to the magic-user when they are in the midst of channeling power to work a spell. It's really intense, intricate, and personal to each character.

The characters are all very complex and interesting. They all have an emotional journey that leads them to realize that they cannot live under the restrictions of the king's laws anymore. They are willing to risk everything in order to be able to express their true magic.

I liked that the plot includes a lot of mysteries and strange legends and puzzles to be solved. There is a labyrinth with a map at the center, but the map does not lead you out of the labyrinth. The labyrinth changes for each person who enters it, reflecting that person's thoughts. If your thoughts are clear, you can find the center and find your way out more easily.

I took off a star because the ending is very Deus ex machina. It was good, but everything wrapped up too quickly and easily.
And I took off a half star because I did not care for all the head-hopping. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character, going back and forth from Brenden, Yar, Selys, Mistral, and a guard named Arneth. In the beginning, when the characters are all following their own paths, this was okay. But towards the end, all their storylines start to merge, and it got sort of confusing. Multiple POVs is one of my pet peeves, and very few authors can write it successfully. Having five separate POVs was just too much.

Overall, I really liked the world-building, the magic system, the mysterious plot, and the characters. This book has convinced me to give this author another try!

Kit and Nita are trying to find out why an initiate has been on Ordeal for over three months. They know something must be wrong, but they are having a hard time finding out what is going on. Darryl McAllister is not an ordinary wizard, and the fact that his Ordeal has continued for such a lengthy time shows that the Lone Power must be up to something.

This assignment is especially difficult for Kit and Nita, because Nita is grieving for the loss of a loved one. She has been retreating into herself and shutting Kit out, so Kit feels like he has to take on the assignment alone and he gets himself into trouble without Nita there to watch his back. This theme is mirrored in the way that Darryl retreats into himself as well. Both Nita and Darryl have to find the courage to face the world again.

As always, it is utterly impossible to describe the wonder, the grandeur, the sheer enchantment of a book by Diane Duane. There's something so indescribably foreign and deliciously familiar in all her characters. They possess great magical power; they encounter mystic beings; and they get embarrassed when their socks don't match. Those little down-to-earth moments, like drinking a cup of tea and finding your favorite tennis shoes before going off to fight in a magical war, are what make her stories so special.

There's always a current of awareness running under her stories that glances out through little things, showing the dark and brightness in every human heart with a startling clarity. I love the way that each wizard responds to and experiences the magical powers they harness, and there is a reflection of struggle and understanding inside themselves. It makes the magic system so deep and wide and omnipresent in each aspect of the story, because of its complexity and actuality.
(I'm trying so hard to explain the particular enchantment of this magical setting, but I'm failing miserably. It won't make sense unless you've read the magic yourself.)

As always, I adore Nita and Kit's friendship! They are so comfortable together, and there is such a depth of understanding between them. Every scene with them is so carefully and beautifully written. In this book, they have some awkwardness in their friendship because of Nita's grief. She is embarrassed by her intense feelings and it's difficult for her to share her thoughts with Kit the way they normally would. They work through it in the end, but it takes some serious introspection to restore their trust.

I love that this author always deals with heavy subjects - sacrifice, and honor, and the meaning of truth- but there's also much light-hearted fun in her books.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series!

Phillip is an officer with the Royal Mounted in Canada, tracking down a rumor about a murderer named Bram who is hiding in the wilds. Bram is well known to be a madman, a murderer, and the owner of a pack of ferocious wolves. Phillip meets with an eyewitness who shows him a strange rabbit snare that Bram left behind. The snare is made from a woman's golden hair. This propels Phillip to travel into the wild and barren wastelands of the north, searching for an answer to the mystery of the golden hair.

I loved this adventure so much! I could barely put it down because the pacing is so fast and every chapter is full of suspense and action. I really loved the mystery of the women with the golden hair, and how Phillip is intrigued by her wild story. I was so entranced with the action scenes that I was pumping my fists and yelling, "Shoot him! Shoot that evil guy! Punch him! Yeah!" I felt like I was watching an action movie and getting all involved in the adrenaline of the moment.

There is a really lovely romance in this book as well. I thought it was really sweet and thoughtful how Phillip falls in love and then falls deeper and deeper in love as the story progresses. Everything is enhanced when you are out in the wilderness, fighting for your life and having adventures together. All the extraneous things are stripped away, and you are able to see into the raw truth of people's character and personality. So it's natural that people would fall in love in this raw and intense way. And yet Phillip is very introspective and reflects in a quick-thinking way, as he reacts to each new situation in the adventure and his feelings develop and change.

Evelina is a naive young lady, entering society for the first time. She has been raised and carefully educated in the country by her affectionate guardian, but now her rich relations begin to show an interest in her. Evelina travels to London where she meets a wide variety of people, not all of them exactly nice. Evelina finds herself in a kind of culture shock as she tries to navigate the different manners of high society in London, but her sweetness and good nature will always win her friends no matter where she goes.

There is also a conundrum surrounding Evelina's birth. Her father refuses to acknowledge her as his daughter, and her guardian is reluctant to pursue legal channels to fight for Evelina's birthright since it would subject Evelina to unpleasant publicity. But nothing in her life can be truly settled until Evelina can confront her father and come to terms with her own parentage.

The thing I love most about this book is the rich language. The book is written in an epistolary style, with most of the letters being from Evelina to her guardian. Every sentence is carefully constructed to tell us something about the character who is writing or speaking. We can tell a lot about the characters from the grace and decorum with which they speak, or the way that they carelessly joke around or insult others. In the middle of it all is Evelina herself, with her own voice describing all the people that she encounters.

This book is a very interesting exploration of class and education, since Evelina is first traveling with pleasant country people with simple good manners similar to herself; then she is staying with her grandmother and cousins who are uneducated, crass, and bad-mannered; and finally she visits with a high-born family who are just as rude as the low-born characters but with more imperious and haughty manners. No matter where she goes, people are rude and mean and sometimes downright dangerous in their intentions. But she also meets people who are kind and generous.

Evelina is at the center of a maelstrom of social expectations and norms. She has a clear sight that can discern what is good and true or what is vulgar and evil. She is not fooled or enticed by the glitter of society. She values what is virtuous and honest. While others might turn a blind eye to coarse behavior, thinking that it is only normal and still considered respectable, Evelina is justly shocked at the evil she finds out in the world, and longs to return to her quiet country life. Because she has such a simple innocence, she is able to see how absurd and excessive London society really is.

Of course, there are many young men who are enchanted with Evelina's beauty and soft manners. Sir Clement Willoughby plagues her with his ardent and dramatic (and obviously insincere) pronouncements of his love for her. Monsieur Du Bois shyly and awkwardly tries to court her. She is only embarrassed by their unwelcome attentions. But it is Lord Orville who treats her with respect and generosity; and in her letters to her guardian, Evelina speaks very highly of him, which her guardian takes a sure sign that some greater emotion is brewing for them both. I loved the sweet slow-burn romance between them! It's really adorable!

I took off one star because the middle of the plot seems to drag out with a lot of similar scenes where Evelina goes to some public event with her cousins, and is somehow separated from them and gets into difficulties with nasty people or some sort of embarrassing situation, and then she sees Lord Orville and is ashamed for him to see her in that situation. That same basic scene happens at least three times. Otherwise, it would have been a five star book.

Overall, this is a novel with many layers of social commentary, love story, coming of age, and family identity. A complete delight!

Kenji is surprised when the most popular girl in school invites him to her family's home for a weekend in the summer. He finds it awkward to fit in with her large and affluent family, especially since Natsuki is pretending that he is her fiancée! Kenji receives a work email from OZ, an online virtual world where he has some part-time work doing web maintenance. The email contains a code to be solved, and Kenji loves math puzzles. He solves the code and sends in the answer. The next morning, Kenji discovers that he has unwittingly unleashed a terrible danger into OZ.

I really enjoyed this manga! Now that I have read it, I want to watch the anime. The plot is a very interesting mix of real life and online life. The way that the two realities intertwine and affect each other is very complex, especially since some of the characters think the online OZ is just a game they can't understand, something for the young people to waste their time on. There is a beautiful storyline about the different generations learning to understand each other better and appreciate the strength and knowledge that they all bring to the table. They learn to value each other.

I liked Kenji's character and the way that he finds courage and inspiration with Natsuki's family. They really encourage each other to be the best version of themselves. It's beautiful the way the whole family pulls together during difficult times, and they include Kenji and welcome him. He is determined to live up to their trust in him, and it makes him very strong.

Natsuki is sort of foolish in the beginning, pretending to have a fiancée, doting on her dead-beat uncle, and generally being aimless in life. But through the story, she realizes that she has to grow up and find her true purpose. She really wants to make a difference in the world, and she finds that inner strength.

Basil and Dawson are called to the royal palace to track down a group of teen royal cousins who have gone missing. The teens have a habit of daring each other to dangerous feats, teasing a ferocious dog and barely escaping from its jaws. Now they have disappeared, and the royal parents call on Basil to find them. Could they have been eaten by the horrible dog, or is there something more nefarious at work?

I love this story so much! I have always been a fan of the Great Mouse Detective cartoon, so I was delighted to discover that the movie was based on a book series. The writing is charming, the story is exciting, and the mystery is full of wild clues that only Basil can figure out. I also loved the adorable illustrations that bring the characters to life.

This chapter book would be perfect for young readers ages 6-10 who are starting to read on their own, but it is also enjoyable for older children to read. I loved reading it even as an adult!

Willa is shocked when her father announces that his gambling debts are so pressing that she will have to marry a duke in order to pay off the debt or they will lose their home. James, the duke in question, has to fulfill a legal clause that requires him to marry if he wants to keep his inheritance. Willa's father is only too happy to make a deal with James, but Willa is fiercely independent and refuses to marry the duke. James is hoping to change her mind, and uses all his charm to beguile her into marriage. Can Willa trust her heart and happiness into James' keeping, or is he just greedy for his inheritance?

This sweet clean romance was exactly what I wanted! It's adorable and funny and delightful! I love reading stories set in the Regency era, and this book gives that Jane Austen vibe for sure.

I loved Willa's character. She is grieving from her mother's death years before, and especially missing a mother's guidance as she contemplates her future. She sparks with annoyance and anger at the duke, but at the same time she feels an irresistible connection to him. Willa also has a health issue that she is trying to hide from her father, because she doesn't want to worry him. But she is really scared about her health. She has a lot of complex emotions rolling around in her heart and I found it so interesting to go along with her on that inward journey.

I liked that James starts out really self-centered, but because Willa rejects him, he starts to rethink his life. He has been horribly spoiled because of his rank and riches, and it has made him selfish and thoughtless. Through the story, he starts to think more about Willa's feelings, instead of just thinking about himself. I loved his character development! By the end of the book, he is a hero worthy of Willa's love.

There is a trigger warning for sexual assault, but the person is rescued before anything really happens. There are no graphic descriptions, but it was still disturbing to read about, and I wish that that scene had been shortened or entirely cut out.

There are quite a few errors in grammar in the e-copy that I received. However, it was not so bad as to ruin my enjoyment of the book. Mainly just verb tenses that didn't agree and things like that.

There is also a scene were James and Willa ride on horseback together, and Willa sits in front of the saddle on the withers of the horse. God, that must be so uncomfortable! I hate that trope. It makes me roll my eyes. It just seems so silly to me. I guess some people think it's romantic though. To each their own, I suppose.

Overall, this book is a delightfully clean romance that captured my heart! One time I was reading it while cooking, and I burned my breakfast because I was so enthralled with the story! Haha! I couldn't put it down.

Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

Basil and Dawson are visiting Paris to investigate threats to the International Cheese Cook-Off competition. Basil thinks that Ratigan must be involved somehow, but they can't find any clues that point in his direction. They meet several suspicious mice, but no one has a motive for threatening the cooking competition. Basil reaches a dead end in his investigation until the final clue from an unlikely source falls into place.

This is one of the books in the series that is written by a different author. The writing so perfectly mimics the original author, that I didn't even notice that the name on the cover was different until I was halfway through the book! This story still has the charm and mystery of the first books in the series.

I love this series so much! I have always been a fan of the Great Mouse Detective cartoon, so I was delighted to discover that the movie was based on a book series. The writing is charming, the story is exciting, and the mystery is full of wild clues that only Basil can figure out. I also loved the adorable illustrations that bring the characters to life.

This chapter book would be perfect for young readers ages 6-10 who are starting to read on their own, but it is also enjoyable for older children to read. I loved reading it even as an adult!