I loved this book on so many levels! The writing is excellent as always. I love each and every character to distraction. The plot is full of suspense and surprises. It was wonderful to see Dick, the Ship's Naturalist, finally getting some credit and recognition! It was bittersweet to read this, knowing that it is the last book of the series, and now all the adventures are truly over. I wish the ending had been more drawn out; it ended abruptly, and I could have used at least a paragraph or two more wrapping everything up.

Cruz has just been accepted into the elite Explorer Academy, which only accepts 25 students per year. In the midst of his classes on anthropology, science, geography, history, and conservation, Cruz also has training sessions in a virtual reality program designed to prepare the students for real-life exploring all over the globe. Then Cruz starts to receive threats from an unknown enemy, and discovers a mystery in the school. His mother died working in the top-secret labs at Explorer Academy, and Cruz is determined to find out what really happened to her.

I loved this book so much! The adventure, the mystery, the engaging characters, the impressive setting at the Academy... I love it all. But the best thing of all... the puzzles and codes!!! I LOVE puzzles and codes.

The plot is full of twists and turns, and there is so much history and depth to the story as Cruz discovers the murky past of the Academy. His mother's mysterious death provides a serious counterpoint for all the fun explorer training and student shenanigans.

I was really pleased with the futuristic tech in the Academy, from the virtual simulations to Cruz's tiny bumblebee robot. It's all so fascinating, and creates a rich setting for the story.

Cruz is such a relatable character. He has drive and energy that propels him into adventure, and he has a very high sense of honor and truth that is the foundation of his relationships with other characters, including friends and teachers and his family. I felt like I was racing along with him through every scene, puzzling through the mystery with him, and going through all the emotional ups and downs of his experiences right by his side. I cheered when he won, and clenched my fists when he was in danger, and cried a little when he mourned his mother's death.

All the supporting characters are memorable and refreshing. Cruz has friends among the students, and some frenemies too. The friends build trust and rapport with one another, and then they get annoyed at the frenemy characters who are trying to make trouble.

I really enjoyed seeing Cruz in class interacting with his teachers, since I am a teacher, and I love the classroom dynamic and the students' enthusiasm for learning. I also appreciated actually learning some real facts about exploring and conservation along the way!

His close relationships with his father and aunt are the root of Cruz's character, as we see how they guide and support him with their family love. I just adore the depth of those family ties.

I would recommend this book to readers aged 8 to 80 years. I can't wait to read more from this series!

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.

Cruz and his friends are searching for clues left behind by Cruz's mother, on a quest that will take them to Norway and Iceland. The team stops along the way to do some underwater diving, help some whales in trouble, and tour the beauties of Norway in between their Academy classes and explorer training. Cruz and Emmett soon discover that there are spies on board the Academy's flagship, Orion, and they don't know who to trust. When Cruz's diving equipment fails and puts his life in danger, it only makes him more determined than ever to find some answers.

I didn't think it was possible for this book to be even BETTER than the first one, but WOW! I am so crazy impressed with this series.

The plot is non-stop action with tons of wonderful adventure, mystery, puzzles, spies, betrayal, high-tech gadgets, and of course, the fascinating characters. I loved reading so many true facts about exploring, conservation, wildlife, history, and Nordic culture, all perfectly interwoven with the story.

There is one scene about saving these whales in trouble, and it was so beautiful and touching that I started crying while reading in public! It was just so heart-wrenching and sweet. (Don't worry- the whales are fine.)

I loved the dynamics between characters, both Cruz's friends and classmates, and the teachers and scientists that interact with them. Every character is memorable and interesting. Cruz especially is very relatable and charismatic, and I was cheering for him in every chapter. I connected with many of the characters on an emotional level, and so many of the new characters have a question mark hanging over their head- "Can we trust them? Are they a spy for the enemy?" It raised so much suspense, and lent significance to every little thing.

The beautiful Nordic landscapes, both in Iceland and Norway, were truly incredible to read about, and sent me searching for photos on the internet, curious to learn even more about these rich cultures.

The writing is excellent, and really draws you into the story. I could barely put this book down and read it in two days! Can't wait to read more from this series.

Disclaimer: I receive 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.

This would have been a good book, if it weren't such obviously disgusting propaganda for evolution. sigh. Waste of a good story.

Tenar is living as a poor farmer's widow in the valleys of Gont, and adopts a disfigured child who was beaten and burned. When Ged, the Archmage Sparrowhawk, comes back into her life, Tenar must face the mystery behind the magic that has followed her all her life.

As with most of Le Guin's books, I'm not quite sure what to think. It's masterfully written with truly beautiful prose, and a deep story full of meaning and emotion. But it's just so strange and other-worldly and odd. There are so many questions and few definitive answers. The best thing about her writing is that it makes you think about things... really think and ponder.

And I love that she never explains things to the reader in a condescending way. She expects the reader to have the intelligence and imagination to fill in the little gaps between the words. It's like she gives you the first half of a well-known sentence, and your heart calls out the end of the sentence before you realize it. She lays such a subtle pathway for you to follow that you KNOW what the character is feeling, or what the character wanted to say behind the dialogue they actually said, without a lengthy explanation of the inner workings of the character. One word suffices.

As always, I adore Ged. He is such a complex and appealing character, and the thread of his strength holds the entire series together. I loved seeing Tenar all grown up, looking back on the choices she made in her youth. And I was intrigued by the sad little disfigured girl, Therru, battling her own demons and slowly healing.

I can't really say that I enjoyed reading this book. It's too sad and full of misery, although there are also lovely peaceful scenes like bright spots in the darkness. It's definitely a memorable and important story, and I'm glad that I read it.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. There are NO practical tips for decluttering at all. Not in the entire book. It's all about your mental and emotional state as you declutter. There are journal prompts and meditations and emotional exercises. The main theme is internal awareness, accepting your own emotions and corralling your thoughts. This is more about clearing the mental and emotional clutter, and it's relationship with your physical clutter. But there are NO actual tips about how to declutter your home or possessions.

I wanted more of a mixture of internal decluttering and physical decluttering, and this book was so heavily focused on the internal stuff that I lost interest. Some of the ideas about decluttering your mental space and your heart space are really wonderful! Some of them are common-sense things, and some are a little strange, all about energy transferring to our possessions and rooms.

The writing was also repetitive, saying the same basic concepts with a slightly different perspective or with a different example. So I got bored with it by the middle and end, because I felt like I had already grasped and understood that concept the first time and I didn't need to hear it two or three more times.
I didn't do any of the journal prompts or meditations, because I already have my own journaling and meditating practice that I do regularly.

Overall, a good book, but with a narrow focus.

Lily and Bell are two sisters, living with their widowed mother in the Small House, adjacent to their uncle's estate at Allington. Both girls have trouble with love, trouble with money, and general family difficulties to overcome. Their uncle has his own plans for the family's future, but the girls have their own independent ideas for their happiness.

A major theme in the book is misunderstandings, disappointments, and how people don't really understand the motivations or inner hearts of those around them, even the people closest to them. As always, Trollope gives a compelling and interesting picture of human life.

I felt like that story was told almost out of sequence. It's not quite chronological, and there are all these little scenes that are told out of order. It all makes sense, and it's not confusing or anything, but it made the writing a little disjointed in places.

What the heck kind of stupid ending is that? I need my happy endings, people. This one is so indifferent and wishy-washy. I expected better from Trollope. I think the book just ended too soon. I needed more of a conclusion, and I can see where another ending is set up for the future of the characters, but the book idiotically ends before getting there.

A lot of people say that Lily is annoying, but I didn't find her so until the very end. Her experience of heart-break is realistic, and I think that it certainly takes longer than 6 months to get over a broken heart when one is sensitive and sheltered as Lily was. For most of the book, she is in the denial stage of grief, and we don't get to see her working through the other stages. She sounds to me like a person who allowed her emotions to control her, and her reactions and experiences are consistent with a person who feels deeply. Her character feels realistic, because her flaws are not ignored and her virtues are not overly-emphasized.

Johnny Eames is another character with a complex personality. He does things that are foolish and unwise, and that annoyed me a little. But he is the hero of the story, gradually growing out of his awkward youth into a confident man, so I can see why his foolishness was necessary to the story for his character development.

Just as wonderful reading it for the sixth time!