kailey_luminouslibro's reviews
3794 reviews

Basil is the Sherlock Holmes of the mouse world. He listens in on the cases of the great Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street, to learn at the feet of the master. Then Basil can use that knowledge to solve mysteries among the mice of the world. When danger calls, Basil is on the case with his trusty friend, Dr. Dawson, at his side.

In this book, Dawson and Basil are traveling to find an ancient island. There is a legend that tiny cats were once ruled by benevolent mice on this isolated island. However, evil Ratigan is also on the hunt, and it's a race to see who will discover the lost island first.

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!

Voran meets a mysterious Pilgrim while on a hunt for the white stag, and is sent on a quest to save his country. There is magic in the song of a Sirin that could heal his nation, but at a terrible cost.

I only read through page 85 of this book and then DNF'd it. I just wasn't in the mood to continue, and I've seen in other reviews that it gets really violent later on. Not my cup of tea.

The writing was very dense. Every scene had the same dramatic intensity, even if the characters were doing something simple like eating breakfast. Everything has a secret symbolism. A loaf of bread can't just be a simple loaf of bread; it has to have a deeper meaning. After awhile, that constant symbolism became oppressive. I felt like I had to remember every little detail, because it might be important later on.

I did not connect with the characters. They have interesting personalities, and it looked like there was some good setup for character development later in the story. But somehow I just didn't care about them.

The world building is very rich and imaginative. You can really feel the weight of history in Voran's country. Part of the story is about how the people have forgotten their true heritage, and the song of the Sirin should help them rediscover their national heritage again. However, it felt like too much information all at once. I couldn't keep track of all the symbolic beliefs and rituals and historic monuments. Once again, it became oppressive.

I think other people might like this book better. I just wasn't in the mood for such a dense story.

Basil is the Sherlock Holmes of the mouse world. He listens in on the cases of the great Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street, to learn at the feet of the master. Then Basil can use that knowledge to solve mysteries among the mice of the world. When two little mice children are mouse-napped, Basil is on the case with his trusty friend, Dr. Dawson, at his side. They must go up against a gang of criminals who are threatening to destroy everything Basil holds dear.

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!

Jane Austen is visiting her brother and sister-in-law in London, when a foreign princess is murdered. Jane is accused of being involved, and she starts her own investigation to find the real killer. A "barque of frailty" is a polite society term for a prostitute, and Jane discovers that one such woman highly-placed in society might hold a clue to the murder.

I liked this murder mystery, and the history behind it. There is quite a lot of real history woven into the story with Jane's family and her acquaintances, but of course the murder mystery and Jane's involvement in the investigation are entirely fictional.

I enjoyed seeing more of Jane's brothers and their sibling relationships. Jane also has a lot of sweet scenes with her sister-in-law, Eliza, that shows how close they were. It was lovely to see how Jane cares so much for her family, but they also exasperate her at times.

I love the formal writing style that mimics the Regency era language. The dialogue is fairly close to what a real conversation might have been like in that time period. It really immerses you in the history.

Three children are playing by the creek when they step onto a shelf of ice and float away down the river. The ice takes them out to sea, and they land in a world of snow and glaciers. The children discover an abandoned cabin where they take shelter. They learn to survive, and find that there are many strange things in the frozen wastelands.

I loved the poignant writing style in this book! The writing is very straightforward, but powerful. The children not only have adventures in the wild, but they also have to cope with their own emotions and internal struggles as they learn to accept their situation. I love their sense of wonder and awe at all the beautiful new things they encounter, but the book also doesn't shy away from their trauma and how much they miss home. It makes their story really meaningful and inspiring!

The illustrations are hauntingly beautiful! You can really feel the chill of the snow and the warmth of the fire through the artwork. I loved the enchanting colors of the aurora borealis, and I loved the cute little penguins.

This book is perfect for independent readers who can read chapter books but still like to have illustrations. Ages 7-11

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/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.

Two children make a boy of snow to be their playmate during the winter. They are worried about their father who is gone to fight in the war. They pour all their emotions into this magical snow child, who becomes like a part of their family. But what will they do when spring comes and the snow begins to melt?

I liked this sweet winter story! The plot is very simple, but heartfelt and meaningful. I love the themes of family togetherness and love. I like how the children fight desperately to save their snow friend from melting. And the ending is really lovely and sweet!

However, the writing needs a good editor. The grammar is a little odd in places with funny fragments of sentences. I'm not sure if that was on purpose to create a certain style, or if it was just a mistake.
The writing also seems like it's trying too hard. There are phrases that could have been more straightforward. For instance, instead of just saying that the children didn't have any school that day, the text says, "On this fateful day, the town children were absent from their learning halls." The entire story is wordy and convoluted. It would be a much better book if most of the writing were condensed and simplified. There is also a lot of extra description which slows down the pacing.

The story itself is enchanting, but the writing could use a little help.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/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.

Anna Hibiscus has always wished to see snow, and now she is going to Canada to visit her grandmother! But Anna worries that she will miss her family too much. She worries that she will have to eat strange food. She worries that there might be a mangy dog in the house who will bite her. When Anna arrives in Canada, her Granny welcomes her with open arms and a whole new outfit of warm clothing to stay warm in the snow. Anna meets a dog and makes some new friends. She tries to ice skate and goes sledding in the snow. She makes snow angels and learns about her Canadian family.

I loved this sweet book! Anna is so adorable, and I loved her amazing family. It's so interesting and beautiful to see her honoring both sides of her heritage. I am bi-cultural myself, so it's lovely to see how Anna adapts to a new culture and embraces it as her own.

The writing style is light-hearted but emotional. In just a few words, the writing really paints a picture for you of Anna and her family. The stories are told in a straightforward manner, but there is a lot of depth and meaning in them as well. I love the themes of family identity, generosity, love, and gratitude.

I love the beautiful illustrations! The black and white art work is absolutely lovely, and brings Anna's family to life. You can see Anna's energy on each page!

This book is perfect for ages 7-10.

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

A nurse is called in to assist Mrs. Leidner, a lady with a case of nerves. Mrs. Leidner imagines that she sees a face at the window, tapping on the walls, and seems to be afraid of strangers. When a murder seems to confirm Mrs. Leidner's fears, Poirot is called in to investigate. It is difficult to find definite proof, but Poirot trusts his little gray cells to unravel the mystery of the personalities involved. If he can only understand the personality of each person who was present at the time of the murder, their little jealousies and rivalries will point to the killer. Poirot relies on the eye-witness testimony of the nurse as the only unbiased person there.

I love that this mystery is told from the perspective of the nurse. Her impression of Poirot is hilarious and splendid. She relates to him as if he were the surgeon on a case, and she is the nurse there to assist him. I really enjoyed her narrative voice and the way that she observes all the other characters. She is also a little bit of an unreliable witness, because she makes snap judgments about people, assuming that they must be the good guys. While Poirot suspects everyone and so arrives at the truth.

The mystery is particularly good in this one! The plot really keeps you guessing, and there are plenty of red herrings, but it all makes sense in the end. Unfortunately, I had already watched the TV episode of this mystery before reading it, and so I already knew the ending; but that did not diminish my enjoyment of the story. It was still really wonderful to revisit this mystery and see all the little clues laid out in order.

I did feel like there are a few too many characters in this story. The story could have been told without quite so many side characters. At least three of them could have been done away with, since they didn't play any major part in the story. As it is, it takes a while to be able to remember who everyone is. But since the nurse is also being introduced to all the characters for the first time, we get to learn who everyone is through her eyes, and that makes it more memorable.

I really liked the psychological aspect of this story. There aren't many concrete clues, and so Poirot relies on his ability to analyze each person's personality. Are they the kind of person who would do this or that? Was the deceased the kind of person who would write that letter, or was it a forgery? A lot of the focus is on the personality of the deceased person and their influence on everyone else. Poirot goes around asking each person's opinion of the deceased, and he gets a multitude of conflicting answers. Some say they were an angel, some say a fiend, some say a selfish trouble-maker. His little gray cells must work to discover the truth behind all these different impressions.

Agatha Christie's writing style is just so phenomenal, and Poirot is one of my favorite detectives of all time!

Carag and his shape-shifting friends begin to investigate a strange burglary at the local bank. They wonder if a woodwalker could be involved, but Carag worries that Holly might be up to her old thieving tricks again. She is known for being a petty pickpocket, but she wouldn't do something as risky as rob a bank, would she?

I loved this imaginative series! It's so interesting to explore the world of humans as seen through the eyes of a character who has spent their life as an animal. I really loved the school setting and all the different shapeshifter characters. The plot has a lot of action and mystery as Carag has to learn and grow in his new environment.

Carag has wonderful character development in every book, and in this third book he is really anxious about seeing his puma family again after such a long time. His father does not approve of humans, and was very upset when Carag decided to enter the human world. It was amazing to see how much Carag has grown in wisdom, so that he is able to help his family and be honest with his father.

It was interesting to see how the different Woodwalkers interact based on what their animal form is, whether prey or predator. Their personalities reflect characteristics of their animal form. Carag is calm and graceful as a human, because he is a mountain lion/puma in his animal form. The squirrel character, Holly, is energetic and talkative. The wolves of the school run together in a pack. The spider character is shy and retiring. The bear, Berta, is cuddly and warmly welcoming. Brendan, a huge bison, is clumsy and friendly.

In this third book, the Woodwalkers discover a wolf cub abandoned in the woods, and have to decide what to do to help him. Would it be better to leave him with his wild wolf pack, or take him to the school? The wolf pack at school have always been Carag's enemies, but can he trust them to care for one of their own?

The shapeshifting students have classes about how to shapeshift quickly under pressure, how to navigate difficult situations, and how to blend in with the human world. The whole setting of the school is so cleverly set up!

I can't wait to read more books from this series!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/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.

This book analyzes the inner workings of the writing group, The Inklings, showing specific examples of how they encouraged and influenced each other's writing. We learn about Lewis' and Tolkien's individual writing styles, and how their group read aloud portions of their writing. The process of writing, revising, and editing was intimately connected with the influence of the Inklings, despite Lewis famously saying that it was impossible to influence Tolkien: "...you might as well try to influence a bandersnatch." This book proves Lewis wrong, giving specific examples of times when Tolkien took criticism from the Inklings very seriously and altered major sections of his writing accordingly.

I really loved that this book gives specific examples of how the Inklings influenced each other, sometimes even showing the manuscript before and after revision, with little notes from their fellow authors in the margins.

Tolkien said that he loved "hobbit talk", but Lewis urged him to cut down on the silly hobbit dialogue since it slowed down the plot. Tolkien listened, and his earlier manuscripts of the Lord of the Rings show a lot more hobbit dialogue and a slower pace. Although there might be readers who would enjoy a little more silly "hobbit talk", all of that was cut down for the final version of the book. It was fascinated to read an early scene from Fellowship of the Ring as the hobbits are trekking across the Shire happily chatting amongst themselves, but in the end, only a handful of those lines were kept.

Another interesting section of the book was about how the Inklings would collaborate on humorous poems, composed on the spot during walking tours, never written down, but just recited or reeled off for their own amusement in the moment. They would also play a game of round-robin storytelling, inventing part of a story and then the next person would have to concoct the next leg of the tale. For these creative geniuses, imagination was like breathing.

But their close friendship did not mean that they always agreed. There is a whole chapter about how the Inklings often argued and butted heads. Most famously, Tolkien didn't like the Narnia books. Although Tolkien had a deep respect for Lewis, both as a writer and as a scholar, he admitted that the style of the Narnia books was just not his cup of tea, mainly because he disliked allegory so vehemently. But when Tolkien saw how popular Narnia was becoming, he acknowledged that they "are deservedly very popular".

There are also sections about Charles Williams, with his enigmatic personality and his deep influence on each of the Inklings; and about Owen Barfield, and his delightful intellectual skirmishes with Lewis (apparently they loved to argue good-naturedly over everything). There is also a focus on Warren Lewis and his scholarly writings about French history. We really get to know the intimate details of how these people talked and worked and interacted.

You can tell that this book is extremely well-researched. In fact, the author has published another similar book with a more scholarly tone, and they wrote this book to be more geared towards the fans, rather than scholars. We have some fun anecdotes, and the writing style is engaging.

There is one thing that makes this book stand out from all other books about the Inklings: the application. At the end of each chapter there is a section that talks about applying lessons we can learn from the Inklings group to your own creative group. No creative journey should be attempted alone, and we can learn from the example of the Inklings to see what works and what doesn't work, and what practices allow creativity to thrive and what kills creativity.

I enjoyed this book so much! It really got me inspired to take on some creative projects, and look about me for like-minded people to encourage me on my writing journey.

If you are looking for a creative breakthrough, this book is wonderfully insightful and helpful. Or if you are just wanting to learn more about the Inklings and their work, you will definitely discover something new in these pages!