E.S. Barrison's Blog, page 17

Matilda – Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★★★   (5 / 5 stars)
Audio Book Performance: ★★★★★  (5 / 5 Stars)
Total Rating: ★★★★★  (5 / 5 stars)

Matilda is a seemingly ordinary little girl, but she is wise beyond her years. By the age of five, she already went through the entire children’s section in the library, and has read works by the likes of Dickens, Eyre, Austen, and more. So when she starts school, Ms. Honey is astounded by two things: 1) her parents don’t seem to care and 2) Ms. Trunchbull, the pernicious head mistress, will not let Matilda expand her horizons. Stuck in Ms. Honey’s class, Matilda’s mind continues to grow, and as she discovers her innate powers, she must decide the best use for them.

There was a nostalgic aspect in picking up Matilda by Roald Dahl. When I was young, I used to go over to my friend’s house for a sleep over quite regularly, and Matilda was our default movie. But I never read the book. So many memories flooded back as I listened to Kate Winslet’s narrating this classic tale: I could picture Matilda with her family, with Ms. Honey, and with her friends. It was like I was sitting on the couch of my friend’s house all over again. That’s the power of books as Matilda discovered? You’re transported to another time and place, away from troublesome people and things.

The book does differ to an extent: while the movie focuses more on Matilda’s magic, which is easier to portray, the book focuses on her intelligence and mind. She is bright, but not in the annoying sense. This is an accomplishment in itself. Sometimes writing smart characters can make them seem annoying; Matilda is entirely unaware of her intelligence, something Ms. Honey even comments on to herself throughout the narrative. At her core, she is just a little girl who wants to read and learn. Weren’t we all children like that?

While I’m quite aware of the controversy around some of Roald Dahl’s past (but then again, it is similar to that of Walt Disney and other famous writers/entertainers), I didn’t let that hinder my enjoyment of the story. For the most part, Matilda is a secular tale that anyone can enjoy, although there are some Christian-centric references that can easily be skimmed over.

All-in-all, the book did not disappoint and reignited a part of my childhood, and that’s all I could have asked of it.

What’s it about?

Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she’s just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a menacing, kid-hating headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It’ll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!

Matilda on Goodreads

The Weirdies – Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★☆☆   (3.5 / 5 stars)
Audio Book Performance: ★★★★★  (5 / 5 Stars)
Total Rating: ★★★★☆  (3.75 / 5 stars)

We all know some strange people, but none are as weird as Barnacle, Melancholy, and Garlic Weirdie. Born to an eccentric wealthy man and a snake enchantress, the Weirdies have never quite known a normal life. Granted, they aren’t normal children either: they’ve committed crimes, have unique characteristics, and don’t quite know how to interact in the so called “real world”. But after a cruise ship accident, the three children find themselves as orphans. Can a kind social worker give them a loving home? Or are they just too “weird”?

In a story reminiscent of A Series of Unfortunate Events, Roald Dahl’s work, and many others, The Weirdies parodies an array of stories about loving homes and orphans. These children are not endearing, they are not kind; no, they’re absolutely horrendous. And that’s what makes this story all the better. Barnacle likes to examine head lumps to determine if someone is a murderer. Melancholy likes to cut bodies up and perform experiments. And Garlic, well, she just likes to see things explode. So are they endearing? No. But are these triplets unique and interesting? Mostly definitely. Coupled with Kate Winslett’s narration, you’ll want to sit through the entire 2 hour ordeal, chuckling to yourself over the odd misfortunes and strangeness the Weirdies encounter.

Yet while this book was clearly inspired by A Series of Unfortunate Events, it does lack the sympathetic nature that really makes those books stand out. The children aren’t kind, and while you can understand how neglect led to such terrible circumstances, some of their antics can grow a little much throughout the short narrative. The only lesson they learned is love – and what it means to be loved. While this could be considered the greatest lesson of them all, the characters do not seem to grow much from there.

Knowing that more adventures with the Weirdies are coming though, I imagine we will continue to see growth in Barnacle, Melancholy, and Garlic. Love can do strange things.

And with a guardian who loves them, anything is possible.

What’s it about?

This is a very, very sad story. The characters suffer terrible tragedies. People die in unspeakable ways. Only a truly horrible person would be amused by their misfortune.

Nevertheless, it is kind of funny.

My advice is that you listen to this all by yourself. People can be judgy.

If you’re a fan of A Series of Unfortunate Events, Edward Scissorhands, or the darkest bits of Roald Dahl, the Weirdie triplets – Barnacle, Garlic, and Melancholy – will feel like old friends. After being left behind when the entire estate of Deadeye Manor is packed up for a doomed vacation cruise, the triplets have to learn how to fend for themselves. (When a staff of 200 servants has taken care of your every need, even brushing your own teeth is a mountainous task.) From their time at the Our Lady of the Perpetual Side-Eye Orphanage to their adoptive home on picture-perfect Sunshine Circle, the Weirdies have a lot to learn about the world…but, at least, they have each other.

The WEirdies on Goodreads

The Graveyard Book – Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★★☆   (4 / 5 stars)
Audio Book Performance: ★★★★☆  (4 / 5 Stars)
Total Rating: ★★★★☆  (4 / 5 stars)

On a seemingly normal night, in a seemingly normal town, a murder takes place in a seemingly normal house. The man Jack slaughters a husband, a wife, a daughter and goes to murder their toddler…only for the toddler to have disappeared. Where did the toddler run off to? Little does the man Jack expect for the toddler to have left for the graveyard on the hill. The dead take the boy in under their wing, naming him simply “Nobody” or “Bod”, and giving him the freedom of the graveyard. But even with the graveyard’s protections, is Bod safe from the man Jack? Or are there bigger terrors afoot in the graveyard?

In a coming of age tale with a spooky but sad twist, we live Bod’s childhood in the graveyard with him through chapters designed in the form of standalone stories. Each whimsical story takes on a life of its own, introducing us to the Ghouls, the Sleers, the Witches, and all the other elements of Bod’s childhood. Every story plays into when Bod ultimately has to face the man Jack again, with hints of Jack’s ultimate fate peppered throughout each tale.

Gaiman is always a talented author. His writing is poet-almost, and he writes stories that we all know about coming of age, facing our demons, and learning lessons…but with twists added into them. This graveyard doesn’t just welcome Bod into its loving arms, but the readers as well.

It’s amazing that it took me this long to read The Graveyard Book. I started it long ago, in high school, and never finished it, so I picked up a full-audio cast performance of Neil Gaiman’s famous book. Still, this took me much longer to finish than I’d like to admit. I don’t know why; the story is delightful, after all. Perhaps it was the performance itself, or a momentary lapse in my attention span in regards to audio books, or the ability to break up every story into separate pieces. Any of those factors might have caused me to drag my feet a little bit more with the story.

While every story was a delight, each focusing on a different point of Bod’s childhood, and showing his growth over time, they did make the narrative somewhat disjointed. Was it enough to hinder my enjoyment? Absolutely not. But I know I wanted to see more about Bod and his friends, and I wanted to spend time exploring the graveyard. Like childhood though, it was over too soon. Will children think that though? Probably not. Children will cling to every story and every word, and they are the target audience.

Gaiman, even in his most fantastical stories, always leaves some sort of message to both the young and the old. The Graveyard Book is no exception. In a story about childhood, and about growing up, and about outgrowing what we once loved, The Graveyard Book teaches us that you need live. Do not hold back, otherwise, you will find yourself riding off with the lady in gray before long.

What’s it about?

IT TAKES A GRAVEYARD TO RAISE A CHILD.

Nobody Owens, known as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn’t live in a graveyard, being raised by ghosts, with a guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor the dead. There are adventures in the graveyard for a boy—an ancient Indigo Man, a gateway to the abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible Sleer. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, he will be in danger from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod’s family.

The Graveyard Book, a modern classic, is the only work ever to win both the Newbery (US) and Carnegie (UK) medals.

The Graveyard Book on Goodreads

The Seer of Shadows – Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5 / 5 stars)

Do you ever see weird images in photographs? Especially in old ones from many years ago? Horace Carpetine, a photograph apprentice from the 1800s, indeed saw a strange image in one of the photographs he took. At first, he thought his eyes deceived him, but soon he discovered that he photographed a ghost with a vengeance. Can he overcome his own logic, with the help of servant girl Pegg, and stop this ghost before she wreaks havoc on the Van Macht family?

In an interesting take on a ghost haunting, we enter the historical world of photography, and the way it can be manipulated. In this case though, while there is sinister human made manipulations at work, a deeper force is at work. When Horace takes a picture, suddenly the ghost of Eleanora – an abused adopted daughter of the Von Macht family – comes to life. This is done with suspense, and just like a developing photograph, the revelations come slowly, first viewed with skepticism, then astonishment.

While Avi is no doubt a fantastic storyteller, the ending of this book was somewhat unsatisfactory for me. Rather than the winding problem solving ability that Horace displayed throughout the tale, the story ends with a bang, leaving a dark and sinister plume looming over Eleanora and her past. For a girl who Horace and Pegg wanted to help find peace, instead they are just witnesses of her ultimate vengeance upon her abusers. Also, for a children’s book, this is somewhat dark and foreboding.

But the story is still extremely unique; we’ve heard about images of ghosts appearing in photographs at haunted homes before. But what if there was someone out there, a seer perhaps, who could call upon the ghosts through photography? Than it itself is an idea that pulls at realism and the imagination, whether you believe in ghosts or not.

It’s actually amazing that this is one of the first books by Avi I ever read. I grew up seeing his books, but never picked them up. And while the ending of Seer of Shadows missed the mark for me, it was still an engaging tale that adults and children alike will enjoy. I will definitely be picking up another Avi book in the future.

What’s it about?

The time is 1872. The place is New York City. Horace Carpetine has been raised to believe in science and rationality. So as apprentice to Enoch Middleditch, a society photographer, he thinks of his trade as a scientific art. But when wealthy society matron Mrs. Frederick Von Macht orders a photographic portrait, strange things begin to happen.

Horace’s first real photographs reveal a frightful likeness: it’s the image of the Von Machts’ dead daughter, Eleanora.

Pegg, the Von Machts’ black servant girl, then leads him to the truth about who Eleanora really was and how she actually died. Joined in friendship, Pegg and Horace soon realize that his photographs are evoking both Eleanora’s image and her ghost. Eleanora returns, a vengeful wraith intent on punishing those who abused her.

The Seer of Shadows on Goodreads

Sentience – Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.75 / 5 stars)

Who is human? Who is the robot? That’s the question posed to a group of twenty-four individuals that agree to take part in a dangerous Turing Test, where four of them are in fact artificial intelligence. Can they figure out which among them isn’t human? Or will they end up killing themselves in the process?

In a much personal approach to the Turing Test, we follow the journey of Leo, Avery, Ripley, Evie, Luca, Kai, Blaire, and many many others as they go on an adventure through Eden, fending for survival and trying to figure out who is not human. But even if one of them is an AI, does that mean they’re not human? This is the central question throughout the story.

While I guessed who at least two of the four AI were before they were revealed, Courtney Hunter still does a great job in connecting the readers with the primary players in this Turing Test. Even as participants turn against each other, I found myself not caring who was the AI: in fact, to an extent, I hoped the AI would prevail. Which, in a way, is the point of this story. The AI are just as human as everyone else, and if we as society ever get to the point of creating artificial intelligence, what rights would they really have?

The second half of the novel was much stronger than the first half, in my opinion. We start to get insights into the organization running these tests, as well as their purpose. In the first half of the novel, we’re thrown head first into the test, and into the lives of all 24 characters. This is done with reason, but it took quite a bit for me to get to know the crucial characters in the story, especially after going through two pages of “my name is ___ and I am a ___”. While this isn’t unrealistic for an actual test, as a reader I ended up putting more than half those characters to the side. Some of these characters turned out to be very important too in the long run, but because of how many existed, it was hard to keep track of the way they played this game.

This take on the Turing Test will delight fans of sci-fi – whether you love Westworld, Star Trek, Battlestar Galatica, or something else entirely! Sentience asks the true question: is being sentient equal to being conscious? And who really is a true representation of humanity?

I guess you’ll have to read it to find out.

What’s it about?

Robots, sex, lies, adventure, and chaos. Who can you trust when you can’t trust yourself? And what truly defines humanity and consciousness?

Running from a violent past, Leo Knox desperately decides to participate in a scientific experiment conducted by the infamous and greedy tech-giant, AlgorithmOS. Soon, Leo learns that she has agreed to take part in a Turing Test, a test that measures the ability of artificial intelligence to blend in among humanity, but what she doesn’t know is that the test set to take place is unlike any other of its kind. 

Leo enters Eden, the contained preserve where the test will occur, with twenty-three others. While everyone appears to be human, four of the individuals are an indistinguishably advanced form of humanoid AI. The task is simple: identify the AI while trying to survive. The twist? The four AI are completely unaware of their nature, causing every participant to question what they know as reality. 

The group embarks on a journey within the preserve, rigged with obstacles devised by the controllers of the experiment to elicit human response and emotion. Quickly, madness ensues and divides form, partnering Leo up with Avery Ford, a Marine who wears his demons on his sleeve. Romance falls together for the two as the world around them falls apart, revealing the lengths people will go to protect those they love, to achieve monetary gain, or simply to survive.

Back at AlgorithmOS, the story unfolds on the screens of Nathan Aimes, a scientist responsible for monitoring the experiment’s surveillance cameras. Nathan studies the humans involved as they wrestle with where they stand on the polarizing issue of AI and its applications. He watches the AI unknowingly fight to prove their humanity just to leave the experiment unscathed. All the while, Nathan is intimately aware of his company’s plans to weaponize or commodify the AI should they pass the test, and he must reconcile this with the chaos that plays out before him.

Sentience on Goodreads

Ms. Infinity: Earth’s Greatest Hero – Book Review

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Book Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.25 / 5 stars)

“Never forget the power you have inside you!”

Ms. Infinity is Earth’s Greatest Hero. Whenever there is trouble, she is there. Many fantasize about who she is, where she came from, and why she saves the day, including Hal Holstein. But what Hal doesn’t expect is for Ms. Infinity to be Bonnie Boring, his crush from the Big Box Store. Ms. Infinity takes him up to her starship, where soon Hal learns about Ms. Infinity’s secrets, as well as the darkest corners of her past. Are the two of them ready to tackle a relationship when Misery is afoot? Can they overcome the balance between a regular human and a super hero? And in the end, who will really save the day?

Ms. Infinity is a hero we all need; she is brash, bold, commanding, and most importantly, good. While her hubris gets the best of her at times, it makes her all the more human. It’s not her powers that make her weak, but who she is, and the readers are along for her journey in discovering her true power. It’s not about these otherworldly abilities that are equal to Superman or Wonderwoman. If anything, she is a caricature of heroes; she is noble like them, but also just a person trying to make due in the world. So much of this is important when reading and watching super heroes. Let us see their flaws.

Despite the story being about Ms. Infinity, I was really drawn to the side plot with Lisa Lin – Bonnie’s best friend and coworker. This side plot shows how everyone has a hero inside of them; while Lisa’s heroic duty was taking down a sexist and abusive manager at the Big Box Store, it is an act that we can all applaud and relate towards in the modern world. In some ways, Lisa represents the more traditional hero in her outlook. It isn’t about pizazz, but about justice.

I’ve already read Ms. Infinity: Where Infinity Begins and Ms. Infinity: Infinite Moon, and I feel that this story, which is the first written in the series, is probably the weakest. I would not discredit it though. In fact, I implore you to check out one of Ms. Infinity’s other adventures first. Andrew Kirschner has just gotten better with each story, ironing out the characters and strengthening his craft. In this first book, the dialogue is a bit clunky, and having not read Where Infinity Begins, I might have been a bit lost.

But Ms. Infinity is still infinitely amazing! She’s a hero everyone can look up to, not just for her heroism, but also for her humanity. So if you want a fun read, that’s a little “tongue-in-cheek”, check out one of Ms. Infinity’s adventures.

And I cannot wait for the next edition in her quest for good.

What’s it about?

Join Earth’s greatest hero on the adventure of a lifetime! In her daily life she’s Bonnie Boring, the petite, smart-mouthed customer service girl at The Big Box in Queens, where she laughs it up with her best friend Lisa Lin, and falls all over herself around her work crush, “Handsome” Hal Holstein. Yet she is secretly an alien refugee from a distant world, possessing many awesome powers. For years, at the insistence of her mother, she has hidden her true self. Now she is at last coming forward, in her new alter ego as the superhero Ms. Infinity. But now Bonnie’s past is haunting her, as a frightening villain from her despotic native world attacks the Earth. Bonnie is about to fly off to face her when Hal walks in on her transformation. With little time to think, she decides to bring him along, and he rides with her in her fantastic Starship Infinity. But dangers await that even Ms. Infinity is ill-prepared for. If she is to save the Earth, she will have to do the impossible. All the while, she confronts uncomfortable secrets from her past, and warms up to a budding romance. Ms. Infinity combines superhero adventure and science fiction with romance, humor, and a dash of social commentary. All this is tied together with an accessible writing style that is friendly to young adults but fun for all readers.

Ms. Infinity: Earth’s Greatest Hero on Goodreads

Splitter – Book Review

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Book Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 / 5 stars)

Mackenzie has long used video games as a method of coping with tragedy. But, she never expected these video games to come in handy! When she wakes up in Kurat Manor captive to the sadistic and psychopathic Jumal, Mackenzie has to use her knowledge from video games and horror movies to survive. But with the walls constantly shifting, faceless creatures lurking, and her new companion Ezra constantly disappearing, it may be more difficult to get out alive than in her video games. After all, it’s not like you can press pause on life.

In an eerie and captivating story that leaves you on the edge of your seat, Kaitlyn Keller’s Splitter brings out some of the best and most suspenseful elements of horror. The monsters – Catalysts, Mundanes, and Splitters – are those of nightmares. I saw each of them clearly as I ran with Mackenzie through the manor, and their tendrils of fear and lack of humanity followed even into my mind.

The beauty of Splitter is that it’s not just about monsters; it’s about humanity. This is not just about Mackenzie running for her life, but it is also about accepting feats in her past. Her kindness is her asset, but its her own kindness that riddles her with guilt over deaths she could not control. Her sadistic captor sees himself as the righter-of-wrongs, the vigilante-with-a-vendetta, and as the hand-of-God. Mackenzie’s only chance of escape is not just to defeat the monsters, but help reclaim her humanity, as well as those standing in her way.

At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book. The book is the type that is fast paced, and will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time – reminiscent of horror movies and horror video games. But the beginning does jump straight into the action, and we don’t have time to get to really know Mackenzie. This made it hard for me to get into the story at first, but after reading it, I see that it was done with a purpose. Would I have liked some breathing moments? Sure. Were some parts cheesy – with breadcrumbs spread throughout the house – like a horror movie or video game? Absolutely! But that’s the point. None of these hindered my enjoyment in the end.

So even though it’s long past October, if you don’t mind a bit of spookiness and horror to fill your day, definitely check out Splitter. I ended up enjoying it way more than I thought I would!

What’s it about?

When twenty-three-year-old Mackenzie Foster wakes up in Kurat Manor to find herself captive to a sadistic stranger, she doesn’t panic or cower in a corner. Instead, using her knowledge of horror video games, she comes up with a plan and prepares for the worst. But with insane, faceless creatures lurking the halls, notes detailing the experiments taking place inside, and a timid school teacher who’s more of a hindrance than a help, surviving the night might be more than she’s capable of.

Splitter on Goodreads

The Long Shadow on the Stage – Book Review

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Book Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.75 / 5 stars)

Jackson Birkman is an emmy nominated actor who seems to have it all. But, with the final episode of “Dispatching David” approaching, his future is filled with uncertainty. Sure, he has a wonderful fiancée and the best friend a guy could ask for, but with finances tight, there seems to be a constant nagging over his head that he might be on the streets. Unfortunately, Jackson never has a chance to find out after a freak accident on set that results in his murder. But was it an accident? A suicide? A murder? Will anyone ever know for certain?

In a suspenseful, compelling novel that will keep you on your toes, The Long Shadow on the Stage paints a picture of psychopathy, obsession, and uncertainty. The reader is thrown for a loop, with time frames put into question, as well as the reliability of the point-of-view characters. Did Clara do it? Did Edgar? What about Gus? Or was it just a crazed fan? The pieces eventually fall together, but even when the crime is solved, it doesn’t mean justice is served.

In a way, to an extent, this is the origin story for a killer. Perhaps the killer first acts out of desperation, but it is clear there is something more sadistic and evil going on backstage. As we delve more into the killer’s mind, we see someone who distorts reality, who takes small things as offense, and might just be a brilliant actor. Has the plotline of Dispatching David taken over the actor’s persona? Have they lost themselves to the show? So many of these questions linger, even as the book ends, and that is the brilliance behind the story: not every question can be answered, and justice is not always served.

Yet, the lack of answers to why the murder took place might also be the book’s flaw. It is never clear why the perpetrator kills Jackson: was it for his money, his debts, his fame? Or was there someone else? There’s a hint that possibly the killer is in love with Jackson, or at least in what Jackson is; I do hope the author’s intention is not to frame the killer’s desire for Jackson as a reason to kill him. Perhaps it was just a long game instead, to lay pieces of a puzzle together, to fill some sadistic desire for blood.

We might never know, and that’s okay.

Overall, the story is suspenseful and leaves the reader hanging on the edge of every word. Will the killer continue? Or will they stop? And is Jackson really that good of a guy?

I guess you have to read and find out.

What’s it about?

Jackson Birkman has the perfect life: the lead role on the popular detective show “Dispatching David,” millions of adoring fans, celebrity status, and a beautiful girlfriend. After five seasons, “Dispatching David” has just been cancelled. With the final episode quickly approaching, Jackson is worried about more than just his future acting career. His once massive fortune is dwindling and his girlfriend Clara is pressuring him to propose. When Jackson unexpectedly dies on the set of the TV show during filming, everyone speculates whether it was suicide or murder. Why would Jackson commit suicide? If it was a setup, who would want Jackson to die? And most importantly, what was the motive of the murderer? As the investigation continues, Officer Wilson inches closer to the truth, uncovering Jackson’s secrets. She begins to think no one really knew Jackson at all, but is determined to solve the case, no matter the cost.

The Long Shadow on the stage on Goodreads

Deep and Dark and Dangerous – Book Review

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Book Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 / 5 stars)

Ali has always considered her mom strict. So when her aunt Dulcie asks her to come to the cottage in Maine over the summer to watch her cousin Emma, Ali does not want to pass up the opportunity! But, as she arrives in the old lakefront cottage her mother and aunt spent time in as a child, mysteries begin to unfold. Why is Dulcie acting so standoffish? And who is this stuck up girl named Sissy who seemingly appeared out of nowhere? Does it have to do with the odd photograph Ali found a couple months earlier? Or is she just being ridiculous?

In a ghost story for the modern age, readers of all ages will be drawn into Ali’s suspenseful story as she uncovers the deep, dark, and dangerous secrets of the lake where her mother and aunt grew up. Ali and the reader discover how much action have consequences, even when they’re an accident, and can haunt the perpetrator for years afterwards. This message, coupled with the suspense and spooky nature of any ghost story, makes it valuable for readers of any ages.

Author Mary Downing Hahn does an amazing job not only in creating this suspenseful element, but also in the realistic nature of conflict between relatives. Ali’s frustration and sadness mirrors her mother’s, while Dulcie is the standard adult frustrated by the children’s antics. Emma is portrayed an unreasonable 4-year-old, which is exactly how any 4-year-old would behave! A child just wants to impress their new friend, and when told that they aren’t allowed to do so, then OF COURSE they’re going to rebel. And then there is Sissy, a bitter girl with a dark past, who even the reader grows sympathetic to, despite her antics. All of this is done with such care, that even if you don’t like ghost stories, you’ll be amazed by the details of this relationship…especially in a middle-grade novel.

While I was easily able to guess Sissy’s secrets, it did not hinder my enjoyment of the story. The story is about seeing Ali and Emma reach those same conclusions, and mending fractured relationships. Sure, there are some parts that force reality a little bit: would the paper and cops really believe that the girls saw a ghost? There is some dated terminology in the book though, which may not be politically correct, but if parents and readers identify it and discuss it, then I personally don’t think it becomes much of an issue. Remember: ghosts are from the past, and since they are from the past, they might say things we don’t say now.

Either way, although the lake is deep and dark and dangerous, this book has light in it. The story is more than spooky; it’s more than ghosts. It’s about family. And for that, I think people should read it.

What’s it about?

Just before summer begins, 13-year-old Ali finds an odd photograph in the attic. She knows the two children in it are her mother, Claire, and her aunt Dulcie. But who’s the third person, the one who’s been torn out of the picture?

Ali figures she’ll find out while she’s vacationing in Maine with Dulcie and her four-year-old daughter, Emma, in the house where Ali’s mother’s family used to spend summers. All hopes for relaxation are quashed shortly after their arrival, though, when the girls meet Sissy, a kid who’s mean and spiteful and a bad influence on Emma.

Strangest of all, Sissy keeps talking about a girl named Teresa who drowned under mysterious circumstances back when Claire and Dulcie were kids, and whose body was never found. At first Ali thinks Sissy’s just trying to scare her with a ghost story, but soon she discovers the real reason why Sissy is so angry. . . . Mary Downing Hahn is at her chilling best in this new supernatural tale that’s certain to send shivers down her readers’ spines.

Deep and Dark and Dangerous on Goodreads

The Last Dragon Riders of Eleanthra – Book Review

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Book Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 / 5 stars)

Seanah has accepted her life as a lowly vassal of the Eyrie. She doesn’t mind it; at least it gives her a chance to witness the dragon hatchlings and assist in protecting Eleanthra. But, when a hatchling dragon named Shenvu bonds with Seanah, suddenly her world is changed and she is transformed into a dragon rider. While battling comments from her peers about how she is unworthy, Seanah puts her all into becoming a dragon rider. But will her mistakes risk lives…or will she be hailed as a hero?

In a wonderful novella that introduces us to Eleanthra, L.A. Stinnett is quick to give us Seanah’s hopeful and kind characterization, while also diving deep into the fantasy elements of dragon rearing. Seanah’s bond with Shenvu, as well as with their friendly cat O’Mae, shows how caring this protagonist is, and most people will bond with her just as Shenvu did. Seanah is strong willed and filled with dreams; she embodies how everyone wants to be more in life.

Despite the length of the story, we really get a feeling for the world and the hierarchy among dragons, dragon riders, and vassals. It’s hard to do this in a novella sometimes, and that alone deserves kudos. The characters are realistic and well thought out, and I could easily picture the Eyrie sitting against the smoky waters. In addition, the dragons were absolutely adorable. Rather than just being shown as wise and mysterious creatures, they’re treated as friend and companions, with elements similar to dogs and cats. The way they dove into the water and played, or rolled over on their back, made me want a dragon myself.

The length, as with any novella, can also cause some minor issues, and usually that plays out in the fact that I want more! I would have loved to see Seanah and Crohl form more of a bond, especially once Crohl softens, prior to becoming a pair. I also would have loved to explore the world more. But with novellas and short stories, sacrifices have to be made. So when I found out this was a prelude, in a way, to Stinnett’s Blood Witch Chronicles, I immediately added that book to my TBR list!

So if you want a quick read with dragons and a wishful protagonist, I encourage you to check out this novella!

What’s it about?

Seanah is a a lowly servent girl who dreams of becoming a dragon rider and defending the shores of Eleanthra. Fate intervenes when a hatchling dragon chooses Seanah as her caretaker and future rider. With the odds against her, she must fight to prove herself worthy to the elite of the Eyrie. The bond she forms with her dragon, Shenvu, changes her life forever.

The Last Dragon Riders of Eleanthra on Goodreads