kailey_luminouslibro's Reviews (3.79k)

In this spin-off from the Young Wizards series, we follow a group of cat wizards in the same world, meeting some of the same characters from "So You Want to Be a Wizard". This book includes spoilers for Book 4 of the Young Wizards series, "High Wizardry".

This book has much more adult content than the Young Wizards series. There were a lot of mentions about cats being in heat and tomcats competing for sexual favor. The cats overhear mice in the walls having sex, and at one point the cats stop outside a window like disgusting proverbial peeping toms and watch humans having sex.
There is also a lot more graphic violence in this book than in the Young Wizards series. There were disembowelments, drownings, and guts and blood and cannibalism. All very descriptively described.

I do not know what was going on with this book. It is not at all what I expected from this author.

The plot was slow. The writing was needlessly convoluted and overly mysterious about nothing. The ending left several unanswered questions that felt like plot holes. There is some deus ex machina with ridiculously convenient coincidences. This plot could have been condensed. It's just not at all the type of tightly-woven plot I expect from this author.

I was interested to learn about the cat culture. They have their own history, religion, social relationships, and language. The world-building was good, but I didn't connect with any of the cat characters.
There are a lot of cat language words that are used throughout the book, and I gave up trying to remember what all of them meant. Thankfully there is a glossary of cat words in the back of the book.

I probably will not continue reading this series. I love the Young Wizards series, but this spin-off is not my cup of tea.

Olive is born with a deformity in her spine. Her parents are devastated to have a humpback child, but try to show Olive compassion. Her childhood is peaceful, but as Olive grows up she begins to realize that she will never be able to live like other people. She is unlikely to ever marry or have a family. Uneducated and without resources, Olive must lean on her faith to help her through the difficulties of her life. She finds solace in nature and art, and in supporting her friends and family with a patient and kind spirit.

I loved this story so much! The plot is full of twists and secrets. There are so many characters whose fates are intertwined in unexpected ways. It was really interesting to see how people's decisions changed the course of their life and took the story in new directions.

I really enjoyed the deep themes of faith and religious doubt. There is a character who begins to question his religious beliefs, but when he sees Olive's faith in God, he begins to reconsider and seek the truth of God once more. The character development is so inspiring and hopeful! We all have questions about God, but if we just keep looking for the truth in the Bible, God will answer all our questions and give us faith.


Olive's personality is so complex and beautiful! In some ways, she is the typical angelic Victorian heroine, good and pure. But she is always struggling internally with her own self-esteem and sadness. The only thing that brings her peace is her faith in God.

Despite the censure of the world, she finds that she can lead a useful and happy life. She has to fight for every inch of happiness, but her weapon is love. I really liked that she doesn't become bitter, but is thankful for the good things in her life. She doesn't harden her heart because of her misfortunes, but she remains tender and sensitive to respond warmly to her friends and family who love her. This is in contrast to another character who becomes bitter and angry when misfortune comes.

I think the thing I love most about Olive's personality is her intellect. She is quick to see all the aspects of an argument and to take into consideration the emotions and thoughts of the people around her. She is sensitive to beauty in nature, and her skills in sketching and painting is the result of her intelligent approach to art. She is serious and thoughtful and wise beyond her years.

Everyone who knows Olive, from her parents to her friends, begins by pitying her, but in the end they all recognize her worth and they love her. I enjoyed the exploration of these deep themes about self-worth and what makes a worthwhile life. It's really interesting to see the character development of all the people around Olive and how she influences them. She makes them change their perspective from the external to the internal.

I found it interesting that sometimes the writing would say some Victorian sexist phrase about how women are inferior to men in some way, and then in the very next scene we would see an example from one of the characters about how that is not true. I loved how the writing took these common Victorian ideas and proved them wrong!
One particular instance was a saying that old people don't feel their emotions as strongly as young people, so it doesn't matter if old people are sad. In the next scene we see Olive's old aunt keeping a yearly memorial for someone who has died decades before. Her emotions are still strong and her sadness is still real even if her old age. Everyone's emotions deserve respect and consideration.

The writing is very emotional and there are many heart-breaking scenes. The writing style is so powerful and vivid that you can really feel the strong emotions of the characters, even if they are trying to conceal their feelings.

I loved this book! I can't wait to read more from this author.

These short stories all feature some horrific circumstance or frightening apparition. There are terrifying nightmares, murder, ghosts, seances, dangerous exotic animals, and stolen jewels. Each story gradually leads into more and more suspicious circumstances until the hero of the tale is finally confronted with the full effect of their horrific situation.

These are exactly the kind of creepy stories that I enjoy! They are not too scary to give you nightmares, but just thrilling enough to give you a pleasant chill in your bones as you read. Some of the stories are not scary at all, but only tragic or mysterious. There is no Sherlock Holmes in these stories to ingeniously solve the wild crimes, so they are usually solved by the timely confession of a criminal on his death bed.

I love Doyle's writing style! With just a few words, he paints a picture of the creepy atmosphere, and plunges you into the adventure.

These stories are the perfect thing to read in October!

In a drunken rage, Henchard sells his wife and baby daughter to a sailor for five guineas. Once he is sober, Henchard bitterly repents of his deed and searches for his wife and child, but to no avail. Over the passing years, Henchard's fortunes change and he becomes a successful businessman and mayor of the town of Casterbridge. He is well-respected and lives a peaceful life, until his wife returns with a teenage daughter, Elizabeth-Jane, and his old secrets begin to haunt him.

I love Hardy's writing style! He really knows how to tell a dramatic story in a beautiful rural setting. There is something so vivid and immediate in his writing that draws you into the emotions of every scene.

This plot is really crazy. There are so many twists and turns and mistaken identities and dark secrets. I did not like the ending, but I can respect that it is well-written.

The setting of the town of Casterbridge and the surrounding countryside is almost like its own character in the story. The whole atmosphere of the town and the suspenseful gloom of the streets reflects Henchard's inner turmoil. And the fresh air of the fields and woods around the town bring a brightness like Elizabeth-Jane brings to everyone who knows her.

I was sort of confused by Henchard's character. He is such a conundrum. He is mixture of so many warring traits. His personality is a big mess of contradictions. He is neither good or bad. He is somewhere in between, and I think that is why I don't like him.

I like Elizabeth-Jane though! She is thoroughly good and generous. No matter what ups and downs come into her life through all the various twists of the plot, she is strong and resilient.
I really loved her passion for knowledge and education though. She is determined to educate herself, and she studies and reads books all on her own without a teacher to guide her. She just loves learning and wants to better herself, and I related to that very deeply.
But somehow I didn't emotionally connect with her. I think that might be because I was listening to an audiobook and her character's voice was not very well done.

Overall, I can definitely see the genius of Hardy in this book, but it didn't touch my heart. I was interested to see what would happen to the characters, but I didn't really CARE about them. I think I would like to reread it sometime in the future, and not listen to an audiobook. This particular audiobook sort of ruined my enjoyment.

As a result of a feud between her father and King James, Ellen Douglas must live a secluded life in hiding on a small island in a Scottish loch. There she meets the mysterious James Fitz-James, a knight who has lost his hunting party in the highlands. Ellen is distressed by the romantic intentions of two highland lords, Malcolm Graeme and Roderick Dhu. Her father, the Douglas, refuses to lead his clan into war with King James, but Roderick Dhu calls together an army for a bloody battle.

I loved this beautiful poetry! There is such a wonderful balance in the writing between flowery phrases and powerful emotions and good plain storytelling. All these things come together for a delightful reading experience.

I loved the strong characters of the highland lords. They are courteous and brave and loyal. They are everything that knights in a fairy tale should be. The Douglas is so strong and brawny that he has become a legend among all the Scottish clans. Roderick Dhu may be rough and violent, but he always respects traditional courteous conduct. Fitz-James is serious and stalwart, but also has a tender heart.

Ellen is a lovely character. She's so sweet and strong-minded. She will sacrifice anything to save her father. She is sensitive, but also very tough to weather the storms of difficulty. I really liked how she will not bend to other's wishes, but she is also very generous and unselfish.

I enjoyed diving into the Scottish setting. The poetry paints a gorgeous picture of the highlands, and the perfect unspoiled nature of the mountains, the lochs and rivers. I could almost smell the greenery and the pines. I could almost feel the coolness of the water rippling in little waves on the shores of the lake. It's vivid and alive in every stanza.

I liked that my edition has a map and some illustrations, and footnotes to explain some of the more archaic or Scottish words. I didn't usually need the footnotes though. The language is so readable, and the story flows along so easily that they weren't usually necessary, but nice to have.

All around the world, children in different countries have vastly different homes, languages, schools, games, and cuisine. This book explores amazing details about beautiful cultures across the globe, and how children live their everyday lives in such different ways. There are also chapters about food, kitchens, bedrooms, weather, pets, manners, celebrations, and superstitions.

I loved the design of this book! Every page has adorable illustrations of cute kids from all nationalities. The artwork is colorful, and you really get a feel for the scenery around the world.

The chapters are well organized to give you a lot of information very quickly. It really sparks your interest! The information is broken up into small bits, usually just one sentence for each little factoid. It's easy to read and keeps your attention as you learn about dozens of different cultures.

I especially enjoyed reading a few facts about Mexico, where I grew up. It was fun to see my adopted Hispanic culture featured in some of the chapters.

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.

Jane is devastated that her best friend, Sienna, is moving away. But Sienna has a great idea for how Jane can find some new friends- leave a note in their favorite library book inviting whoever finds it to join the Undercover Book Club. The club members' identities will be secret, and they will leave anonymous notes recommending books to each other.

Tyson is always in trouble at school. He doesn't turn in his homework. He plays mean pranks on people. He is constantly in the principal's office. When Tyson sees Jane leaving a note in the library, he gets curious and joins the club! For the first time, he is reading and it opens up his world. Can these total opposites really become friends through the Undercover Book Club?

I like this book a lot! I loved the characters of Jane and Tyson. Jane is sweet and kind and bookish. She's an adorable nerd! But she has a lot of heartache in her life, and she turns to books to help her manage her stress. Tyson is a slacker who feels like there is no point in trying to follow the rules or do well in his classes, because everyone expects him to fail and make trouble. He lives up to those low expectations, but on the inside he is capable of more. He just needs the courage to break out of the labels, and be his true self. He has such amazing character development! His character gives me hope for some lost kids I know.

The writing style is wonderful, but it has a slightly odd structure. There are two POVs from Jane and Tyson, and I liked that each character's POV is written in separate chapters, so that it is easy to tell who we are following. They each have distinct voices, which is so important with multiples POVs. However, Jane's chapters are told in first-person, and Tyson's are told in third-person omniscient. I will say that this fits so seamlessly with their personal voices that I didn't even notice it until chapter 5. So I didn't mind the changes in style, but I thought it was a bold choice, and I'm not sure why the author chose it. It seems unnecessary.

I loved the positive messages in this book! There are some really deep themes that are explored, like death, illness, war, bullying, and trust. There is one incident where some boys draw rude pictures onto a school poster. The book says explicitly what they drew. They are punished for it, and the incident is used as a growing moment for some of the characters.

The best part of this book is all the books! Half the story takes place in the library, and the characters are preparing for a Kid Lit Quiz competition, so they are studying their fiction trivia. There is a list at the back of the book showing all the books that the characters read, and then you can read them too!

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.

Daniel and Maxie are intrigued when a new boy comes to school. They can't figure out if the new boy, George, is just a shy person or if maybe he has a developmental disorder. Max good-naturedly jokes that George might be an alien! They reach out to befriend him, but George's behavior is a little odd. George is definitely weird, but after all... everyone in school is weird in their own unique ways. Daniel and Max, along with some other friends in their class, take George under their wing, inviting him to play football/soccer with them, and they are surprised by the interesting way George becomes their friend. Could George be something more than they ever realized?

I loved this book so much! All the characters have such beautifully complex and yet somehow simple personalities; simple because they are just so relatable, so they are easy to understand, and complex with all the crazy weirdness of all humanity.

I love love loved the teachers in the school! They are so dynamic and excited about their subject. The history teacher gets everyone to imagine that they are part of an explorer ship in Magellan's time. The music teacher knows just how to develop the music talents of each student, and give them the confidence to join in. She's really inspiring! As a music teacher myself, this resonated with me in a special way.

I loved that there was no question of bullying anywhere in the class. From the moment they met him, the whole class rallied around George to support and accept him. Even when he said strange things or did something weird, no one teased or insulted him. They just tried to understand and to act with kindness. It's refreshing to have a story about a weird kid and the main plot does NOT revolve around defeating a bully as the villain.

The writing style is so thoughtful and pensive. Daniel and his friends really ponder over the big questions in life, and I loved the way that their philosophical contemplations merge into the plot and drive their actions.

The plot is a bit slow, but it feels right for this type of story. We take the time to analyze all the nuances of what Daniel and his friends value in this world, and then when the plot is pushed forward because of their values, it is so satisfying! I liked the slow plot, and it never felt like it dragged. It felt restful.

This is such a beautiful book! I loved the positive moral messages and the lovely characters and the interesting plot. There are also excellent illustrations throughout the book that brought a lot of emotion into 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.

I loved reading these Alice and Jerry books when I was a little girl, and I still love them as an adult. The stories are so simple and fun. The characters are so sweet and kind. It's just a delight to read these cute stories!

This book gives valuable information about how to interpret ornamentation markings such as trills, turns, and mordents in music. Each era of music had their own style of ornamentation with slight differences, so it can sometimes be difficult to determine exactly how the composer intended their ornaments to be played. This book clears away all that confusion, and gives precise instructions about how to play ornaments in music from all the eras.

I loved that this book is divided into sections for Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern music with detailed explanations of the ornamentation styles of each era. They aren't extremely different. There are just small changes throughout history that are interesting to learn about!

Each ornament is analyzed in detail with several clear music examples to illustrate how they should be played.

I thought it was really interesting to read about how the styles of art and architecture in each era also influenced the styles of music. You can definitely see those things reflected in the use of ornamentation and also how they are notated.

This book is such a huge help for musicians!