kailey_luminouslibro's Reviews (3.79k)

Jane inherits Lord Harold's old letters and journals after his death, but they contain secrets about almost every prominent family in England. There are those who would do anything to keep the papers from becoming public, including commit murder.

I really liked this story 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, Cassandra, 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. Jane is especially annoyed by her mother sometimes. Her mother is similar to Mrs. Bennet, always fussing and worried.

The murder mystery itself is good, and all the intrigue with the old letters is exciting! I was completely shocked at the ending! I never imagined what the ending could be, and it was a total surprise.

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.

Gustav wants to go water rafting and drags his friend Henri along for the ride. After getting caught in a storm, they are left stranded on a des_ert island, but something strange is going on with this mysterious island.

In the second story, Gustav loses a puzzle piece down the drain, so Henri uses her shrink ray to make them both small so that they can lower themselves into the drain and retrieve the puzzle piece. But they are captured by sewer rats and must think quickly if they are to escape!

In the last story, Henri receives a strange letter from her agoraphobic aunt, and Gustav goes into detective mode to investigate. When they arrive at the aunt's house, she is nowhere to be found and a cheeky robot butler answers the door.

This graphic novel/ comic is so hilarious! I love the funny jokes and crazy plot lines. It had me giggling and laughing all the way through.

The art style is really cute, and it adds to the comedy of the story. Everything is in gray, white, and orange. I like the way the orange colors are used to bring shadows and light into the art.

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.

This graphic novel follows Mina, a girl with an extraordinary ability to defy gravity. Her blood can cure any disease, and she has been locked in a basement for as long as she can remember with a nurse drawing her blood each day. When she escapes, she discovers that her family's past reveals a much more complex relationship with her captors than she could ever imagine.

I loved this story! Mina's life is so mysterious and she is stumbling around trying to find answers about her family. Gradually she begins to realize that she has an inner strength that can overcome the abuse of her past.

I really loved the beautiful art style in this graphic novel! It's so colorful and imaginative in the designs.

I can't wait to read further volumes in 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.

How did people live in ancient times? Where did they sleep and eat? How did they bathe and wash their clothes? How did they cook their food and furnish their homes? This book takes us from prehistoric times all the way up through the Ancient Egyptians, Greek and Roman Empires, and into the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Victorian era, and into the Modern Era.

I love the way this book is divided into sections for bathroom, washing machine, kitchen, cooker, cutlery, living room, wallpaper, board games, bedroom, and a few others. We follow the development of techniques and technology through the ages as people live their ordinary lives in history.

I really liked the illustrations that show how people used what was available to them in clever ways to make their everyday jobs easier and more efficient. The art work is excellent and does a great job of illustrating the past in a clear way.

I learned so much in this book! The information is interesting and fun!

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.

We start out with a little bit of the history of space travel, and the first brave astronauts who inspired the author become an astronaut himself. Then we dive into training, learning what it really takes to be an astronaut. And it's not just about science skills! Astronauts need to have great communication skills, maybe even learning other languages. They need to have medical knowledge, math skills, and be in top physical shape. Astronauts even train underwater to enhance their ability to move in a buoyant environment.

Throughout the book, you can stop to do an "Astronaut Activity". You might learn to say hello in a few different languages, which could come in handy with other astronauts from all over the world congregating at the International Space Station. You might just take a walk and track your time to see how phsyically fit you can be. You could train yourself to respond to a mechanical problem by taking apart an old toy or appliance and see if you can get it back together again. Even just swinging on the swings in the park can give you a feeling of weightlessness at the second when you are falling.

My favorite part of the book was the chart showing all the different parts of a spacesuit. There is so much cool information in this book! Including lots of questions you might have about how astronauts can survive in space. How do they eat, drink, or go to the bathroom? How do astronauts sleep without floating around and bumping into things? If the astronauts are in orbit, how they keep track of what time it is?

There is a whole section just about what Earth looks like from above. The city lights, the storm clouds, the deserts and jungles and oceans, and of course the Aurora Borealis lights around the poles. And if you look beyond Earth... the stars are twinkling brighter than you can imagine.

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.

Animals use lots of ways to communicate with each other through smell, touch, sounds, and visual cues. An albatross can smell the fish in the ocean below before it dives for its prey. Many birds use their colorful display of feathers to attract a mate. But even different species of animals can communicate with each other. Humans can communicate with their pets in a myriad of ways using hand signals, verbal commands, or gentle touch.

In this book we learn about frogs croaking, crickets chirping, elephants trumpeting, wolves howling, and every type of animal call in between! And you had better study, because there is a quiz at the back of the book to test your knowledge!

I love the colorful design of this book. There are hundreds of bright photographs of all these beautiful animals.

The information is really interesting and divided up into sections for each type of animal. There are sections for land animals, ocean animals, birds, and pets or farm animals that are domesticated.

This is such a cool book!

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.

This book gives folk stories about fairies from all over the world. In each chapter we also get a recipe or craft we can make to hopefully entice the fairies to visit us. We can make a Japanese fan, a flower crown, or Chinese Cherry Dumplings. There also little gnomes and other creatures who live alongside the fairies. There are even games and music to play that come from all around the globe. You can go on a Djinn treasure hunt, make a leaf basket, or eat some Pixie Porridge.

This book is a complete delight! I love all the different fairy traditions from so many areas of the world. At the back of the book, there is a complete plan for throwing a fairy party with food, decorations, costumes, and crafts. There are also instructions for building a tiny fairy house or planting a little fairy garden.

The illustrations are so pretty and I love the delicate art style. The colors are soft and beautiful. Every page is so lovely, and each little fairy or magical creature has their own unique design.
What a fantastic magical book!


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.

Isabella is moving in with her new stepfamily after her mother gets married. Her new stepbrother has a little puppy, Honey. It will be Isabella's job to look after the puppy while her stepbrother is out of town, but does Isabella know what Honey really needs?

This is such a sweet story about a blended family learning to get along and build new habits together. I really liked the character arc for Isabella and her new stepbrother. They are kind of awkward around each other at first, but as they both care for Honey, they begin to bond.

I enjoyed the simple writing style which is perfect for young readers ages 7-10. Every three or four pages there is a pencil illustration with soft lines. I liked the art work and how it enhanced the story!

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.

Callie is magically transported to a woodland in Texas where she sees a baby barn owl in trouble. The owl family has lost their nest when their tree was cut down, and now the little owlets are hopping around on the ground. Some of the little owls are strong enough to fly, but one young owl is barely able to flap their tiny wings. Callie must find some way to feed the owlet and teach it to fly!

This chapter book is so sweet and fun! The writing is perfect for ages 8-11, as children start to read more on their own. The plot is fairly simple, but keeps things interesting. I liked learning all about barn owls and their habits in the wild.

Every three or four pages there is a pencil illustration with soft lines. I liked the art work and how it enhanced the story!

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.

Harper's grandmother is not able to live on her own anymore, so Harper's family move in with her to take care of her. But Harper is worried that their new kitten Sammy will not adjust well to the move. Sammy is confused by the new house. His food bowl is in a different place, he can't get out the cat door, and his litter box is nowhere to be found! Sammy is sure that if he could just get outside then he would be able to find their old home again. Will Harper be able to find a way to make Sammy accept their new home?

This book is so adorable! It reminded me of getting my cat, Jellybean, when she was a little kitten and she would sleep at the end of my bed. I love the way the writing describes feline behavior, so that the reader can really envision everything that is happening in the story.

I really loved the way Harper's family bond together to care for the grandmother. It's not an easy transition and there are some frayed nerves and disagreements, but ultimately the family support each other through those difficulties and they learn to adjust to their new living situation. Such a lovely character arc for a sweet family!

I enjoyed the simple writing style which is perfect for young readers. Every three or four pages there is a pencil illustration with soft lines. I liked the art work and how it enhanced the story!

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.