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Boyhood Dreams + Love + Adventure + Fantasy World ⇉ Review of Magician by Ramond E. Feist

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Long long ago, I read Magician: Master by Raymond E. Feist. Years later, I finally bought Magician: Apprentice  and read the two books back to back. The Magician  books are truly, as Feist explains in the foreword, a fantasy adventure that was written for the author's pleasure, and it is best enjoyed as a fantasy that fulfills boyhood dreams of love and adventure in a fantasy world. WHAT I LIKED A Fantasy That Fulfills Boyhood Dreams The Magician  books are best read as a story that fulfills the boyhood dreams of the protagonists Pug and Thomas and, in the process, the reader's dreams of love and adventure. While the two boys go through hardships, events seem to work out for them in incredible ways. To enjoy this book, it's best to put skepticism on hold and enjoy this book for the fantasy romance that it is. Likable Characters The protagonists and the primary supporting characters are likable and come from all walks of life. A Tale of Two Worlds I like how the story sho...

Character Theme Songs for The Boy, The Bird, and the Coffin Maker by Matilda Woods

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Happy book birthday to  The Boy, The Bird, and the Coffin Maker  by Matilda Woods! Today, I'm delighted to share a playlist of character theme songs for this middle-grade novel. Alice, a former regular on the blog, helped me out with the content since I got sick over finals week and am still recovering. Alice is going through some health issues herself having had a bad fall recently, so I'm really grateful for her help. As soon as I've had a chance to finish reading Matilda's novel, I'll be sharing my thoughts on the blog. If you enjoy lighthearted fantasies or magical realism for younger readers, you'll want to check this one out! ~ Kris CHARACTER THEME SONGS The Boy (Tito) 1. "O-O-H CHILD" by The Five Stairsteps This song speaks to Tito's situation before he ran away. It provides the assurance that things are hard now but there are better times ahead. 2. "Pocketful of Sunshine" by Natasha Bedingfield This song represents Tito's hope...

Epic World Building + Intriguing Story = I Need Book Two Last Week ⇉ Review of The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

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I found The Name of the Wind  when I was looking up good (fairly) recent fantasy books to read. Kvothe's introduction to his life reeled me in with the promise of an epic story. (See synopsis below.) Rothfuss didn't disappoint. WHAT I LIKED Poetic Language The Name of the Wind  is filled with poetic phrases. While they bring images to life, they are also beautiful to read and give me something to anticipate in future rereads. Compelling World In reading this book, I can tell that Rothfuss is familiar with his world and its rules. (I read in an interview that he even did the calculations for use of sympathy, which is akin to magic but scientific in its processes.) There is much potential for future exploration of this world, not to mention that a big conflict seems to be brewing. Complex MC Kvothe is both endearing and frustrating. I like his curiosity and desire to learn, and he has a natural flair for entertaining crowds. However, he is also very aware of his intellect and gi...

Another Romance Novel . . . With an Oxford Setting and Frequent English Lit References ⇉ Review and GIVEAWAY of My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan

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Oxford + Studies + Life Changes = a formula for a story. Having studied at Oxford before, the title caught my eyes. Today, I'm sharing my thoughts on the novel along with a giveaway for a copy of The Oxford Year . WHAT I LIKED Oxford Setting As the MC Ella shares, Oxford is considered by some to be a magical place where dreams come true. Having spent some time there as a student, I was intrigued to see how the author Julia Whelan portrays it. Characters Who Know Their English Lit Much of the banter between different characters involves references to and quotes from literary works, both poetry and prose. English lit fans will enjoy seeing these references. Character Dilemmas Though there is a strong romance focus, romance is not the only issue they're dealing with. For example, as the synopsis says, Ella has to choose between her political dreams and being there for the man with whom she's falling in love. Moral Questions are Raised Various things from political issues to re...

Blood, War Horrors, and a Ruthless Protagonist ⇉ Review of The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

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I'm always on the lookout for books with Asian protagonists, especially Asian-inspired fantasies. I love reading books with characters who look like me, and I love Asian mythologies. I also read the author's "review" of her book on Goodreads and was intrigued by her comments on her work. (Though after reading the novel, I would caution against reading her comments until after you finish the series . . . since on hindsight her comments seem to cover the whole of the work and may potentially spoil the books for you or have you anticipating something that won't happen in the first novel or two.) WHAT I LIKED Asian-Inspired World The Poppy War  draws inspiration from Chinese history (the Second Sino-Japanese war). I like how the story incorporate elements of Chinese culture in a fantasy world. Because the inhabitants of this world look like me, and that rarely happens in the American book industry. Intricate Worldbuilding The world building is not at the scale of grea...

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