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Palace Library #1
The Palace Library
Three children stumble upon an extraordinary library in an old house. Armed with magical books, and accompanied by an enchanting deerhound, they leave through a door that takes them to a world in the past.
Beyond the door, a kingdom is in crisis. The Great Sword of State has been stolen and destroyed. The Queen reveals an ancient prophecy that says only children can replace the Sword and she sends them on a journey that takes them beyond the world's end.
The children must unlock the secrets in their books as they face storms, fight traitors and tackle dragons. Without knowing who they can trust, can they succeed?
"Charming and compelling, this magical adventure story will entertain and enchant in equal measure." Santa Montefiore.
Beyond the door, a kingdom is in crisis. The Great Sword of State has been stolen and destroyed. The Queen reveals an ancient prophecy that says only children can replace the Sword and she sends them on a journey that takes them beyond the world's end.
The children must unlock the secrets in their books as they face storms, fight traitors and tackle dragons. Without knowing who they can trust, can they succeed?
"Charming and compelling, this magical adventure story will entertain and enchant in equal measure." Santa Montefiore.
192 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2012
About the author
Steven Loveridge
2 books1 followerSteven Loveridge is the author of The Palace Library, first in a series of children's books for 8-12 year olds about three children who discover a hidden library full of magical books.
Steven is 43 and lives in Dorset in England with his wife and their young children, a cocker spaniel called Bella, two ponies, a horse and four chickens called Rihanna, Crunchy, Treacle and Pippin.
Steven read history at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He still believes that all libraries have magical books in them somewhere.
You can learn more about his books at The Palace Library
Steven is 43 and lives in Dorset in England with his wife and their young children, a cocker spaniel called Bella, two ponies, a horse and four chickens called Rihanna, Crunchy, Treacle and Pippin.
Steven read history at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He still believes that all libraries have magical books in them somewhere.
You can learn more about his books at The Palace Library
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
February 13, 2016
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I think that maybe as a child I might have enjoyed this novel a lot more than I did now.
Three children find a magic door which leads to a magic library that transports them through time where only they can save the Kingdom.
The parallels with Narnia are clear, I believe. I just couldn't get into the story, unfortunately. I think it is aimed at a rather young audience, because everything in the story happens very easily. No matter how big the problem, it is solved in a few pages. and most of the time even in less. The prophecy was never more clear in guiding the protagonists through the story and every one seems willing to help out. This makes that it is not a very interesting read unfortunately for anyone over about the age of 8. I was quite disappointed with the story, not in the least because the library only plays a very minor role in the story.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I think that maybe as a child I might have enjoyed this novel a lot more than I did now.
Three children find a magic door which leads to a magic library that transports them through time where only they can save the Kingdom.
The parallels with Narnia are clear, I believe. I just couldn't get into the story, unfortunately. I think it is aimed at a rather young audience, because everything in the story happens very easily. No matter how big the problem, it is solved in a few pages. and most of the time even in less. The prophecy was never more clear in guiding the protagonists through the story and every one seems willing to help out. This makes that it is not a very interesting read unfortunately for anyone over about the age of 8. I was quite disappointed with the story, not in the least because the library only plays a very minor role in the story.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
February 16, 2017
The Palace Library is set in an old house. This special place is visited by three children who happened on it expectantly. Along with an deerhound and some magical books they discover a doorway which takes them to the past. They find a kingdom which is missing their Great Sword of State. This article is not only gone but it was totally destroyed. The queen tell the children they must find a replacement for the sword so they go on beyond world's end to find one.
This book takes the reader on a spectacular journey with the children. Along the way the author, Steven Loveridge, leaves the reader wanting to continue on with them. I believe children will be captivated by the story while they find it fun. The author has a creative writing style which I loved.
I was given this book by NetGalley and Cameron Publicity and marketing Ltd. in exchange for my honest review.
This book takes the reader on a spectacular journey with the children. Along the way the author, Steven Loveridge, leaves the reader wanting to continue on with them. I believe children will be captivated by the story while they find it fun. The author has a creative writing style which I loved.
I was given this book by NetGalley and Cameron Publicity and marketing Ltd. in exchange for my honest review.
February 4, 2016
The Palace Library By Steven Loveridge
http://amzn.to/1Svz0G6
I loved it!
It was a fun, jaunty tale that reminded me of the best things of childhood.
I really like it because it made me so happy reading it, all warm, fuzzy and covered in feels.
I still remember the first time I traveled through the space-time continuum... um, I... SO don't have a secret time machine.... THAT would be crazy.
Don't judge me!
The story was carried with great storytelling, and fun, lovable characters.
Grace discovers a secret... hotdog stand! What? You thought it would be a library? Why on earth would you think that! Sink me!
Oh all right, it's a magical library...
I've always wanted one of those! It sounds wonderful!
Grace, who is eight years old and an orphan, finds the Palace Library. Then runs the other way, it was simply much to much for her!
She finds her two cousins Eleanor and Harry and tells them of the library. Of course they do not believe her, but soon they do. They can doubt it no longer and are thrust into an adventure to save the kingdom (in the past) from unrest.
There is treachery afoot.
A sword of magical proportions, gone.
The very sword that commands loyalty from the people, gone.
Without this sword, the people will riot, for the king no longer wields it.
It now lies at the bottom of the sea, unreachable.
They must make another sword to save the kingdom.
But with the direction clouded in mystery and vague ideas,
it might be harder than they thought.
The Palace Library, read it today.
-TheZebraReader
WWW.TheZebraReader.blogspot.com
http://amzn.to/1Svz0G6
I loved it!
It was a fun, jaunty tale that reminded me of the best things of childhood.
I really like it because it made me so happy reading it, all warm, fuzzy and covered in feels.
I still remember the first time I traveled through the space-time continuum... um, I... SO don't have a secret time machine.... THAT would be crazy.
Don't judge me!
The story was carried with great storytelling, and fun, lovable characters.
Grace discovers a secret... hotdog stand! What? You thought it would be a library? Why on earth would you think that! Sink me!
Oh all right, it's a magical library...
I've always wanted one of those! It sounds wonderful!
Grace, who is eight years old and an orphan, finds the Palace Library. Then runs the other way, it was simply much to much for her!
She finds her two cousins Eleanor and Harry and tells them of the library. Of course they do not believe her, but soon they do. They can doubt it no longer and are thrust into an adventure to save the kingdom (in the past) from unrest.
There is treachery afoot.
A sword of magical proportions, gone.
The very sword that commands loyalty from the people, gone.
Without this sword, the people will riot, for the king no longer wields it.
It now lies at the bottom of the sea, unreachable.
They must make another sword to save the kingdom.
But with the direction clouded in mystery and vague ideas,
it might be harder than they thought.
The Palace Library, read it today.
-TheZebraReader
WWW.TheZebraReader.blogspot.com
May 26, 2016
I decided to let my 11 year old daughter Gaby write the review for this book as it is perfect for her age and she has been contributed to my blog several times. Here is Gaby's review:
The story is about a girl named Grace. She finds a mysterious door that leads to the Palace Library. Eventually, she finds out that all the books there are magic. When she goes inside, she meets a librarian named Edgar.
When she returns, her Great Uncle Jasper sends her and her cousins, Eleanor and Harry, with her to the library. There, Edgar gives them each a magic book. Grace gets a book with star charts that magically pop out of the pages; Eleanor gets a book about healing and plants/herbs that you can scratch-and-sniff; and Harry gets a book that can answer any question of his, but is very cryptic.
They go to Clarendon Palace, January 1164 through a portal called the Great West Door. They are accompanied by a dog named Sophie. When they get there, they meet a man named Master John. He brings them to the queen.
When they meet Queen Eleanor, they also meet a very suspicious knight named Sir Guy of Caen and, the queen's personal handmaiden, Eloise. The queen tells them that what they are supposed to do is reforge the Sword of State, which was thrown overboard during a storm by a traitor, and find out the identity of the traitor who threw the Sword overboard. They leave immediately to find the blacksmith who will reforge the Sword. They are accompanied by Eloise. During the ride to the port, where the blacksmith's house and the ships are, Harry asks about a prophecy from his book. The prophecy is about the cousins. The blacksmith's name is Edwin and he's a dwarf.
They ride on the king's ship and go to an island called Hell's Bay. There they are supposed to reforge the Sword. Will they finish their quest before the door to their home closes?
I like this book because it is about a library, and I am a bookworm so books are my favorite pastime. And I also like this book because it has plenty of twists.
I like how Eloise is so mysterious and I think that makes readers want to read more and find out more about her. And I like how Grace is so enthusiastic and happy most of the time. But, my favorite character is honestly Eleanor because she can be calm when she wants to and she has a pretty good memory.
When Mr. Loveridge wrote this, I think he gave a lot of thought about the characters because they are described really well. I am happy I read the Palace Library and am looking forward to reading the next book of the series, Guardians of the Scroll.
The story is about a girl named Grace. She finds a mysterious door that leads to the Palace Library. Eventually, she finds out that all the books there are magic. When she goes inside, she meets a librarian named Edgar.
When she returns, her Great Uncle Jasper sends her and her cousins, Eleanor and Harry, with her to the library. There, Edgar gives them each a magic book. Grace gets a book with star charts that magically pop out of the pages; Eleanor gets a book about healing and plants/herbs that you can scratch-and-sniff; and Harry gets a book that can answer any question of his, but is very cryptic.
They go to Clarendon Palace, January 1164 through a portal called the Great West Door. They are accompanied by a dog named Sophie. When they get there, they meet a man named Master John. He brings them to the queen.
When they meet Queen Eleanor, they also meet a very suspicious knight named Sir Guy of Caen and, the queen's personal handmaiden, Eloise. The queen tells them that what they are supposed to do is reforge the Sword of State, which was thrown overboard during a storm by a traitor, and find out the identity of the traitor who threw the Sword overboard. They leave immediately to find the blacksmith who will reforge the Sword. They are accompanied by Eloise. During the ride to the port, where the blacksmith's house and the ships are, Harry asks about a prophecy from his book. The prophecy is about the cousins. The blacksmith's name is Edwin and he's a dwarf.
They ride on the king's ship and go to an island called Hell's Bay. There they are supposed to reforge the Sword. Will they finish their quest before the door to their home closes?
I like this book because it is about a library, and I am a bookworm so books are my favorite pastime. And I also like this book because it has plenty of twists.
I like how Eloise is so mysterious and I think that makes readers want to read more and find out more about her. And I like how Grace is so enthusiastic and happy most of the time. But, my favorite character is honestly Eleanor because she can be calm when she wants to and she has a pretty good memory.
When Mr. Loveridge wrote this, I think he gave a lot of thought about the characters because they are described really well. I am happy I read the Palace Library and am looking forward to reading the next book of the series, Guardians of the Scroll.
February 26, 2016
I'm giving this book 3 stars!
This was a cute middle grade story. It felt a lot like adventures from my childhood imagination. The main characters - Harry, Grace, and Eleanor - are cousins visiting their great uncle. Grace discovers the library in his home and immediately wants to show Harry and Eleanor what she found. They don't believe her at first, but they soon realize that the library really is a special place full of magic and mystery. The library has enchanted books and it leads them to another world - or another time, I suppose - where they must fulfill a prophecy by facing dragons and overcoming betrayal.
The characters were so cute. I loved the three kids. However, they didn't feel very special to me. They kind of all had the same personality for the most part, so I wish they were a bit more unique. They were uncharacteristically smart for their ages, but that generally happens in books. It just bothers me sometimes when pre-teens are waaayyy more intelligent than I would be in the same situation. That threw me off a bit.
I really enjoyed the plot. Like I said, it reminded me of my childhood and all the things I wanted to do when I was younger and imagined a big, undiscovered world. I thought it was pretty creatively done. I liked the world, but I wish we could have seen more of it. I wanted MORE with the dragons and MORE with the king and queen. But I guess more might happen in the next book. (:
I was skeptical of Eloise at first, but I grew to love her all the way to the end of the book. I wish we could have gotten more of her character, as well as Master John. But again, that's what the second book is for, right?!
Everyone knows I LOVE magic. And the magic in this book wasn't overwhelming or too ridiculous. It was a nice touch and I loved it.
Overall, I liked this book, but I felt like it just needed MORE, in general. More of the characters, more REALISTIC characters, and mooooore of the world because it was so cool! I definitely feel like this is more suited for younger kids, since it's middle grade and so incredibly imaginative. So give it to your younger siblings or your kids! (:
This was a cute middle grade story. It felt a lot like adventures from my childhood imagination. The main characters - Harry, Grace, and Eleanor - are cousins visiting their great uncle. Grace discovers the library in his home and immediately wants to show Harry and Eleanor what she found. They don't believe her at first, but they soon realize that the library really is a special place full of magic and mystery. The library has enchanted books and it leads them to another world - or another time, I suppose - where they must fulfill a prophecy by facing dragons and overcoming betrayal.
The characters were so cute. I loved the three kids. However, they didn't feel very special to me. They kind of all had the same personality for the most part, so I wish they were a bit more unique. They were uncharacteristically smart for their ages, but that generally happens in books. It just bothers me sometimes when pre-teens are waaayyy more intelligent than I would be in the same situation. That threw me off a bit.
I really enjoyed the plot. Like I said, it reminded me of my childhood and all the things I wanted to do when I was younger and imagined a big, undiscovered world. I thought it was pretty creatively done. I liked the world, but I wish we could have seen more of it. I wanted MORE with the dragons and MORE with the king and queen. But I guess more might happen in the next book. (:
I was skeptical of Eloise at first, but I grew to love her all the way to the end of the book. I wish we could have gotten more of her character, as well as Master John. But again, that's what the second book is for, right?!
Everyone knows I LOVE magic. And the magic in this book wasn't overwhelming or too ridiculous. It was a nice touch and I loved it.
Overall, I liked this book, but I felt like it just needed MORE, in general. More of the characters, more REALISTIC characters, and mooooore of the world because it was so cool! I definitely feel like this is more suited for younger kids, since it's middle grade and so incredibly imaginative. So give it to your younger siblings or your kids! (:
October 4, 2016
Review posted on my blog:
http://www.pageschaptersandbooks.blog...
I requested this book from netGalley, because I thought it sounded like something I might be interested in. I did like the idea of this book, the palace library sounds so intriguing. However I was somewhat disappointed. It had great potential but honestly I thought that the whole thing was very rushed. I felt that storyline and world building was just skimmed over. I could not even picture the scene that the story took place in because there was barely any description. Characters were one dimensional and flat. Not unlikable, but just flat. I had no emotional connection to any of them. Another issue I had with the story is that everything was convenient, the storyline and characters. I felt like the story was one of those puzzles for kids with big pieces and everything fit together neatly. Conflict was barely existent and little bit of conflict that was present was over in like page or two. I had no doubt on how the story was going to end, I never wondered once because there were no obstacles.
Even though I felt story and characters had no depth or personality, I believe that the story had a lot of potential but it needs more work. It felt like this was a first draft of the book. However I think younger kids might enjoy this more than older kids or adults. It follows a simple quest story line, where there are chosen kids and they are tasked with saving the ‘world’.
I give this book 2/5 stars, it was ok story with a lot of potential that wasn’t realised.
2/5 STARS!!!
http://www.pageschaptersandbooks.blog...
I requested this book from netGalley, because I thought it sounded like something I might be interested in. I did like the idea of this book, the palace library sounds so intriguing. However I was somewhat disappointed. It had great potential but honestly I thought that the whole thing was very rushed. I felt that storyline and world building was just skimmed over. I could not even picture the scene that the story took place in because there was barely any description. Characters were one dimensional and flat. Not unlikable, but just flat. I had no emotional connection to any of them. Another issue I had with the story is that everything was convenient, the storyline and characters. I felt like the story was one of those puzzles for kids with big pieces and everything fit together neatly. Conflict was barely existent and little bit of conflict that was present was over in like page or two. I had no doubt on how the story was going to end, I never wondered once because there were no obstacles.
Even though I felt story and characters had no depth or personality, I believe that the story had a lot of potential but it needs more work. It felt like this was a first draft of the book. However I think younger kids might enjoy this more than older kids or adults. It follows a simple quest story line, where there are chosen kids and they are tasked with saving the ‘world’.
I give this book 2/5 stars, it was ok story with a lot of potential that wasn’t realised.
2/5 STARS!!!
May 9, 2016
I received this free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is such a cute and fun adventure with middle grade characters as the protagonists. Harry, Eleanor, and Grace are vibrant youths and you feel their excitement come through the pages as they discover new things and embark on their quest. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read a book about a magical library even if it is for young readers. There is lots of potential for future stories and the excerpt for the next book was just enticing enough to have piqued my curiosity and have me wanting to read it.
This is such a cute and fun adventure with middle grade characters as the protagonists. Harry, Eleanor, and Grace are vibrant youths and you feel their excitement come through the pages as they discover new things and embark on their quest. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read a book about a magical library even if it is for young readers. There is lots of potential for future stories and the excerpt for the next book was just enticing enough to have piqued my curiosity and have me wanting to read it.
April 7, 2016
I enjoyed this book. I think though that it would have been a very different read if I had been the age of the targeted audience. This is definitely a Middle Grade novel. It's a very quick and easy read, and doesn't have as much substance I can imagine it could have. Still it was a very good read! Definitely recommend to your children, or if you like middle grade books.
February 7, 2016
This was such a fun read. It brought me back to my childhood when I read such magical books, anything seemed possible. It was comforting and such a treat to get to visit this magical place again. The Palace Library will transport you to wonderful places,and hopefully you will love and enjoy this fun story as much as I did!
February 24, 2016
A wonderful book magic books fun a wonderful adventure.Felt Like I was back in my childhood,
April 13, 2018
I was pulled in by the concept of this book, however, I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I could have if I was younger. It is definitely aimed at younger audiences, so there were moments when I wasn't very captivated, and I felt like some of the obstacles were solved fairly quickly and didn't elicit emotional responses from me. That being said, it is still a very strong concept, and the characters were fun to read about in its better moments, so there are plenty of reasons to pick this one up!
December 25, 2018
This was an interesting concept. I love time travel. And started out well but somehow I found they the story wasn't fleshed out well enough for my liking. I know this is a children's story so maybe if I was 9 or 10 I might have found it more exiting but the detail wasn't enough for me I'm afraid. Just to say that I do read lots of children's books to my children and myself .
February 17, 2026
I am a little older than the target audience (38 ahem) but I found this a little old fashioned to read. Similar to Narnia actually, but the plots and action seemed to stumble over each other. Would be a nice read for a child however. I don't think I will be seeking out the next one in the series, not that it's bad but my TBR pile is big enough!
February 4, 2016
A lovely start to this adventure fantasy primarily for children 7 and up. An intriguing concept where books, teamwork and thinking provide the resolution to daunting tasks given to three cousins. Grace, 8 who is an orphan; siblings Eleanor 9 and a half, and Harry 11, are all spending the summer holidays at Great Uncle Jasper's mansion when Grace finds a curious small door. Naturally, she goes through the door after a strange experience seeing a great deer hound in a tapestry change positions & seems to smile at Grace. On the other side of the small door Grace finds herself at the top of a huge bookcase. A very kind man, the Librarian she learns, brings her a library ladder and Grace enters the Palace library. Edgar, the Librarian, tells her he is a Witan (as is Great Uncle Jasper), shows her the wonder of the magical books (where pictures become real!) and loans her The Owl and the Pussycat. Grace doesn't understand when Edgar warns her that the book leaks, but falling asleep with it open and Eleanor finding Grace's bed wet, they both 'get it' when every drop of moisture is removed once they close the book. The girls are enchanted, of course (as will be the reader), and they quickly decide to find the Palace Library. They stop at Harry's room to pick him up, only to find him gone and the room wrecked. Great Uncle Jasper surprises the girls and explains he's sent Harry to the library. The council of Witan has an emergency and the three children are to be sent by the library on a very important mission.
Edgar gives the girls each a carefully selected book: Grace's astronomy, which shows actual stars and constellations; Eleanor's is on healing plants, which when opened gives the fragrance as well as beautiful pictures and detailed properties of each plant. Edgar also gives Grace a slender green volume with no title (& blank pages) for her to give to Harry; explaining that it will give Harry the answers he needs, although they can be cryptic. They are rush through the gigantic Palace Library, which is not part of Great Uncle Jasper's house, nor can one find it, as the library finds you--or those it needs. Edgar explains the paradox of the Library: that it remains hidden to guard the knowledge and memories of England, yet isn't secret. The Librarian also tells the girls that he cannot leave the Library. He gives them 3 gifts: Eleanor receives an elaborate dagger not to be used as a weapon unless absolutely necessary; Grace a heavy gold pocket watch which is also a compass; lastly, he blows a special whistle and the deer hound from the tapestry appears. Edgar introduces the girls to the dog, Sophie, who is his sole companion living in the Library, but will go with them on their journey. She is a very special dog, can sense danger, is protective of them and empathetic.
Just before they reach the same West Door Harry had gone through, Edgar opens a book, flicks the pictures towards Grace & Eleanor and they are instantly clothed in heavy, fur robes, appropriate for 1164. They are told to rely on one another like the family they are, told to find Master John and he'll take them to Harry and the Queen. He also warns them to be careful when they use their special books for people in that time will arrest them for being witches!
Thus the little party sets off on their adventure, where they encounter Harry, a Queen, traitors, volcanoes, dragons, carriage rides and a sea voyage!
The story is quite enchanting for children (and even parents), features girls and a boy as heros and adventurers, with plenty to entertain young minds. It is the first in this hybrid fantasy/adventure/science fiction series which has no more negativity (or violence) than the average Disney story, but does include plenty of original ideas. The children are normal, everyday kids who work together to solve problems and accomplish tasks. Despite having magical books, it is their ability to problem solve as a team that sees them through their incredible adventure. The magical books are tools just as are real books--it is the use of their contents and the ability to build on that knowledge gained that is the true magic.Learning to rely on and trust one another forges bonds between the three children and with several others they encounter.
I recommend this story for a wide range of school-aged children, however, younger ones may need vocabulary assistance (although the author has incorporated definitions in his dialog). It is a delightful story which most children will enjoy immensely, especially those who like adventure, fantasy, or magic and to all children who can still believe. Will appeal to readers and book lovers and perhaps convert those who aren't.
I was provided an advance copy by the publishers and netgallery in exchange for my honest review and opinion.
Edgar gives the girls each a carefully selected book: Grace's astronomy, which shows actual stars and constellations; Eleanor's is on healing plants, which when opened gives the fragrance as well as beautiful pictures and detailed properties of each plant. Edgar also gives Grace a slender green volume with no title (& blank pages) for her to give to Harry; explaining that it will give Harry the answers he needs, although they can be cryptic. They are rush through the gigantic Palace Library, which is not part of Great Uncle Jasper's house, nor can one find it, as the library finds you--or those it needs. Edgar explains the paradox of the Library: that it remains hidden to guard the knowledge and memories of England, yet isn't secret. The Librarian also tells the girls that he cannot leave the Library. He gives them 3 gifts: Eleanor receives an elaborate dagger not to be used as a weapon unless absolutely necessary; Grace a heavy gold pocket watch which is also a compass; lastly, he blows a special whistle and the deer hound from the tapestry appears. Edgar introduces the girls to the dog, Sophie, who is his sole companion living in the Library, but will go with them on their journey. She is a very special dog, can sense danger, is protective of them and empathetic.
Just before they reach the same West Door Harry had gone through, Edgar opens a book, flicks the pictures towards Grace & Eleanor and they are instantly clothed in heavy, fur robes, appropriate for 1164. They are told to rely on one another like the family they are, told to find Master John and he'll take them to Harry and the Queen. He also warns them to be careful when they use their special books for people in that time will arrest them for being witches!
Thus the little party sets off on their adventure, where they encounter Harry, a Queen, traitors, volcanoes, dragons, carriage rides and a sea voyage!
The story is quite enchanting for children (and even parents), features girls and a boy as heros and adventurers, with plenty to entertain young minds. It is the first in this hybrid fantasy/adventure/science fiction series which has no more negativity (or violence) than the average Disney story, but does include plenty of original ideas. The children are normal, everyday kids who work together to solve problems and accomplish tasks. Despite having magical books, it is their ability to problem solve as a team that sees them through their incredible adventure. The magical books are tools just as are real books--it is the use of their contents and the ability to build on that knowledge gained that is the true magic.Learning to rely on and trust one another forges bonds between the three children and with several others they encounter.
I recommend this story for a wide range of school-aged children, however, younger ones may need vocabulary assistance (although the author has incorporated definitions in his dialog). It is a delightful story which most children will enjoy immensely, especially those who like adventure, fantasy, or magic and to all children who can still believe. Will appeal to readers and book lovers and perhaps convert those who aren't.
I was provided an advance copy by the publishers and netgallery in exchange for my honest review and opinion.
March 10, 2016
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Palace Library is an action-packed children's book full of magic. It goes straight into the action and immediately drew me in. One of the three main characters, Grace, stumbles across a painting that seems to move, leading to a secret library that seems to have a mind of its own, full of magical books. What a great premise!
The plot follows a standard 'quest' storyline, but the clumsiest part of the book is the setup of the quest. There are multiple characters involved who don't really affect anything or add to the story, nobody really explains what's going on and all sorts of key plot devices (magical books and items, given to aid them on their quest) are just thrown out there. Even as an adult I felt like the purpose wasn't clear for far too long. A little bit of mystery is great, but this was too much confusion. Not to mention 'The Witan', some kind of mysterious council that really should've been removed from the story with how little they added to it!
Once the quest is clear, the plot takes off. I would recommend this as a good book to read aloud for parents or teachers, it's simple enough to follow but also packed with great vocabulary. There are lots of cliffhangers at the chapter ends and with the exception of the quest set-up, it's quite fast paced.
My main issue with the story, however, and the reason it has only 3 stars, is the gender representation in the book. There is a complete lack of interesting, well thought out, positive female characters. Of the four adult female characters we see in the book, two are nasty to the children and described as unattractive (Horrible Hair Bun and Miss Comely). The third, Queen Eleanor, is condescending, giving the children 'withering look's and considering them fools, and the fourth, Anwen, finally a positive character, has no purpose except to support her husband and is gone a few pages later. That's all a disappointment, but with 2 of the 3 main characters being young girls, you'd think that would make things better. Whilst Grace and Eleanor are interesting characters, they come across clearly as second to Harry. They are the navigator and the healer, whilst Harry, for seemingly no reason except his gender, is of course the one who carries out the dangerous task and who receives the reward at the end of the quest.
Overall this book with its exciting premise showed so much potential, but I was left a little disappointed.
The Palace Library is an action-packed children's book full of magic. It goes straight into the action and immediately drew me in. One of the three main characters, Grace, stumbles across a painting that seems to move, leading to a secret library that seems to have a mind of its own, full of magical books. What a great premise!
The plot follows a standard 'quest' storyline, but the clumsiest part of the book is the setup of the quest. There are multiple characters involved who don't really affect anything or add to the story, nobody really explains what's going on and all sorts of key plot devices (magical books and items, given to aid them on their quest) are just thrown out there. Even as an adult I felt like the purpose wasn't clear for far too long. A little bit of mystery is great, but this was too much confusion. Not to mention 'The Witan', some kind of mysterious council that really should've been removed from the story with how little they added to it!
Once the quest is clear, the plot takes off. I would recommend this as a good book to read aloud for parents or teachers, it's simple enough to follow but also packed with great vocabulary. There are lots of cliffhangers at the chapter ends and with the exception of the quest set-up, it's quite fast paced.
My main issue with the story, however, and the reason it has only 3 stars, is the gender representation in the book. There is a complete lack of interesting, well thought out, positive female characters. Of the four adult female characters we see in the book, two are nasty to the children and described as unattractive (Horrible Hair Bun and Miss Comely). The third, Queen Eleanor, is condescending, giving the children 'withering look's and considering them fools, and the fourth, Anwen, finally a positive character, has no purpose except to support her husband and is gone a few pages later. That's all a disappointment, but with 2 of the 3 main characters being young girls, you'd think that would make things better. Whilst Grace and Eleanor are interesting characters, they come across clearly as second to Harry. They are the navigator and the healer, whilst Harry, for seemingly no reason except his gender, is of course the one who carries out the dangerous task and who receives the reward at the end of the quest.
Overall this book with its exciting premise showed so much potential, but I was left a little disappointed.
January 30, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley to be reviewed.
Reading the synopsis of the book, I immediately thought it was going to be similar the one the Narnia Chronicles. These three children stumble upon a hidden library full of magical and strange books and are whisked away on adventure. The concept of the book sounded awesome, so I was eager to get reading.
The first few chapters were almost too short. I was expecting a chance to be able to get to know the characters and their backstory and ease into their library adventure; however, you only get a glimpse of who they are. In this respect, I couldn't connect with the characters.
The library, itself, seemed really fascinating. It seems almost seems like it's time traveling. The library is able to open two doors to two different places at the same time. In this book, in particular, it's open to the children's Uncle's home, where they are spending the summer, and the Great West Door, which transports them back in time in England.
The Great Sword of State has been destroyed and the Queen told of the prophecy that claims only children can replace the sword. The children are sent through the Great West Door in order to fulfill the prophecy and are given magical books that will help them on their journey. This book follows the children and the many steps they have to take in order to revive the Great Sword.
I really enjoyed the plot of this book, but I feel as if it's missing some pieces. I understand it's made for younger children, but in order to tell an adventure story of this size, I feel as if it needs more detail in order to make the book truly complete. As soon as the book begins, everything seems to happen too fast, as if I didn't have time to savor what was actually happening. Also, the children were getting into "dangerous" situations, but there didn't seem like they were in any real danger. Whenever I read a new book, I'm expecting it to feel real, no matter how far-out the concept is from actual reality; I didn't get that from this book.
Despite the parts that, I feel, are lacking, I really enjoyed this story and I think it will do well in a children's book category.
Reading the synopsis of the book, I immediately thought it was going to be similar the one the Narnia Chronicles. These three children stumble upon a hidden library full of magical and strange books and are whisked away on adventure. The concept of the book sounded awesome, so I was eager to get reading.
The first few chapters were almost too short. I was expecting a chance to be able to get to know the characters and their backstory and ease into their library adventure; however, you only get a glimpse of who they are. In this respect, I couldn't connect with the characters.
The library, itself, seemed really fascinating. It seems almost seems like it's time traveling. The library is able to open two doors to two different places at the same time. In this book, in particular, it's open to the children's Uncle's home, where they are spending the summer, and the Great West Door, which transports them back in time in England.
The Great Sword of State has been destroyed and the Queen told of the prophecy that claims only children can replace the sword. The children are sent through the Great West Door in order to fulfill the prophecy and are given magical books that will help them on their journey. This book follows the children and the many steps they have to take in order to revive the Great Sword.
I really enjoyed the plot of this book, but I feel as if it's missing some pieces. I understand it's made for younger children, but in order to tell an adventure story of this size, I feel as if it needs more detail in order to make the book truly complete. As soon as the book begins, everything seems to happen too fast, as if I didn't have time to savor what was actually happening. Also, the children were getting into "dangerous" situations, but there didn't seem like they were in any real danger. Whenever I read a new book, I'm expecting it to feel real, no matter how far-out the concept is from actual reality; I didn't get that from this book.
Despite the parts that, I feel, are lacking, I really enjoyed this story and I think it will do well in a children's book category.
February 3, 2016
I received this book through netgalley for free so I will give an honest review.
First off, like many other people's reviews this has a very Chronicles of Narnia feel to it crossed with a bit of Percy Jackson and Lord of the Rings. The story itself is very child-like, but in a good way. It embraces imagination, adventure and fantasy that needs to be recovered. It has a very playful and light feel to it and I like that. When I first started it felt very rushed and just dropped into the middle of things. I couldn't figure out the time or place of the story. So there were more questions about what was going on and where were they than anything. It stayed like that for a good chunk of the story which made it really hard to get through. I wish though the story was more original. The concept of the Palace Library in general is really intriguing. It could have been something way better than a poor imitation of the Chronicles of Narnia.
The characters are a mixed bag. Grace is supposed to be 8yrs old, Harry only a few years older, for the main characters being children they don't speak like children their age should. I feel it is too advanced for children their age. It makes it seem unrealistic for a fantasy book and fantasy is unrealistic to begin with. I don't feel like there was anything at all substantial about the characters. They felt like characters on a page, but with no personable qualities that make the reader connect with them.
One of the other things I liked, which I think was a nice subtle add was the use of vocabulary. Occasionally you'd see the characters stutter with pronunciation with words they were unfamiliar with, and another character would give the definition - similar to how a teacher would explain new vocabulary in class, which I think is a good thing to have in a book like this which is geared towards maybe 2nd-5th graders.
I'm not sure how I feel about reading the second one, I may have to reread this at a later date.
Overall, the story is interesting, but needs more character and plot depth. I would recommend this for younger readers under 12 years of age.
First off, like many other people's reviews this has a very Chronicles of Narnia feel to it crossed with a bit of Percy Jackson and Lord of the Rings. The story itself is very child-like, but in a good way. It embraces imagination, adventure and fantasy that needs to be recovered. It has a very playful and light feel to it and I like that. When I first started it felt very rushed and just dropped into the middle of things. I couldn't figure out the time or place of the story. So there were more questions about what was going on and where were they than anything. It stayed like that for a good chunk of the story which made it really hard to get through. I wish though the story was more original. The concept of the Palace Library in general is really intriguing. It could have been something way better than a poor imitation of the Chronicles of Narnia.
The characters are a mixed bag. Grace is supposed to be 8yrs old, Harry only a few years older, for the main characters being children they don't speak like children their age should. I feel it is too advanced for children their age. It makes it seem unrealistic for a fantasy book and fantasy is unrealistic to begin with. I don't feel like there was anything at all substantial about the characters. They felt like characters on a page, but with no personable qualities that make the reader connect with them.
One of the other things I liked, which I think was a nice subtle add was the use of vocabulary. Occasionally you'd see the characters stutter with pronunciation with words they were unfamiliar with, and another character would give the definition - similar to how a teacher would explain new vocabulary in class, which I think is a good thing to have in a book like this which is geared towards maybe 2nd-5th graders.
I'm not sure how I feel about reading the second one, I may have to reread this at a later date.
Overall, the story is interesting, but needs more character and plot depth. I would recommend this for younger readers under 12 years of age.
February 6, 2016
Review originally posted on my book blog: https://enchantedreaders.wordpress.co...
eBook sent to me by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows a prophecy about The Great Sword of State that been stolen and destroyed. The prophecy says only three children can replace the Sword and the Queen she sends them on a journey that takes them beyond the world’s end. In order to fulfill the prophecy, they have some magical books from The Palace Library and with them they could unlock secrets, fight dragons, cure themselves and more.
I loved the three kids; Grace, Eleanor and Harry. They were really normal, brave and badass at time. They show us that we need to work together in order to accomplish difficult things. It shows us that working together isn’t a bad thing, and we should do it often. The only thing weird was that those kids didn’t talked like little kids. Sometimes they used a vocabulary not common in kids. I was looking forward for the dragon’s part and when it came, I was really disappointed because it was rushed and I didn’t had the time to enjoy it.
I enjoyed the story… it wasn’t amazing but it was good. It’s child-like, but not in a bad way. It embraces the imagination of those kids. Sometimes it felt rushed and I got lost at times. It has some Narnia vibes too. The concept of the Palace Library was really unique, because who doesn’t love to read a book about a magical library? The Palace Library had a time travel vibe and I liked that. I liked how sometimes the grown ups explained with definitions the words the kids didn’t understand. I think that’s pretty good because if a kid is reading this book, they would understand it better.
Overall, this is a great book for children. It would help them embrace their imagination in a good way. Kids need to have more imagination, and leave the technology behind for a few hours or days. I’m looking forward for the second installment. I hope the story gets better.
eBook sent to me by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows a prophecy about The Great Sword of State that been stolen and destroyed. The prophecy says only three children can replace the Sword and the Queen she sends them on a journey that takes them beyond the world’s end. In order to fulfill the prophecy, they have some magical books from The Palace Library and with them they could unlock secrets, fight dragons, cure themselves and more.
I loved the three kids; Grace, Eleanor and Harry. They were really normal, brave and badass at time. They show us that we need to work together in order to accomplish difficult things. It shows us that working together isn’t a bad thing, and we should do it often. The only thing weird was that those kids didn’t talked like little kids. Sometimes they used a vocabulary not common in kids. I was looking forward for the dragon’s part and when it came, I was really disappointed because it was rushed and I didn’t had the time to enjoy it.
I enjoyed the story… it wasn’t amazing but it was good. It’s child-like, but not in a bad way. It embraces the imagination of those kids. Sometimes it felt rushed and I got lost at times. It has some Narnia vibes too. The concept of the Palace Library was really unique, because who doesn’t love to read a book about a magical library? The Palace Library had a time travel vibe and I liked that. I liked how sometimes the grown ups explained with definitions the words the kids didn’t understand. I think that’s pretty good because if a kid is reading this book, they would understand it better.
Overall, this is a great book for children. It would help them embrace their imagination in a good way. Kids need to have more imagination, and leave the technology behind for a few hours or days. I’m looking forward for the second installment. I hope the story gets better.
January 23, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
When it came to the main characters in this book I really struggled to form a bond. There was nothing much to distinguish them for me accept the obvious age differences and that one of the children was a boy. On top of this, they just didn't feel real to me. They seemed to figure something's out to easily while area that I felt were more obvious, they struggled to grasp. On top of this, they were frequently neglecting to tell each other things that seem pretty important to me.
As a result, I found it really hard to stay focused on this book for long periods of time and often had to force myself to return to the book later on.
Strangely, though I did like some of the bit characters, such as the little mute girl Eloise and the Librarian.
At times, the story did leave you guessing, but there just wasn't enough excitement within the pages to really keep me hooked.
I have to admit that I was fairly disappointed with this one, the premise was lovely, but the plot just didn't live up to expectations.
The pacing was either too slow or too fast as if the author kept changing his mind about just how much detail he wanted to include.
I was left feeling like this was a grammatically well polished first draft, that needed a trip back to the editing board, in order to achieve its full potential.
With a little more work I feel this book could be great as it has some really interesting ideas. Given that this is aimed at children and not adults, though I could see how it might catch their attention and imagination and make them smile, but as it currently stands, it's not a book I would personally recommend. That said I think there is lots of potential for improvement, and I'd be intrigued to see what my son made of it before fully disregarding it, which means on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this a 3.
When it came to the main characters in this book I really struggled to form a bond. There was nothing much to distinguish them for me accept the obvious age differences and that one of the children was a boy. On top of this, they just didn't feel real to me. They seemed to figure something's out to easily while area that I felt were more obvious, they struggled to grasp. On top of this, they were frequently neglecting to tell each other things that seem pretty important to me.
As a result, I found it really hard to stay focused on this book for long periods of time and often had to force myself to return to the book later on.
Strangely, though I did like some of the bit characters, such as the little mute girl Eloise and the Librarian.
At times, the story did leave you guessing, but there just wasn't enough excitement within the pages to really keep me hooked.
I have to admit that I was fairly disappointed with this one, the premise was lovely, but the plot just didn't live up to expectations.
The pacing was either too slow or too fast as if the author kept changing his mind about just how much detail he wanted to include.
I was left feeling like this was a grammatically well polished first draft, that needed a trip back to the editing board, in order to achieve its full potential.
With a little more work I feel this book could be great as it has some really interesting ideas. Given that this is aimed at children and not adults, though I could see how it might catch their attention and imagination and make them smile, but as it currently stands, it's not a book I would personally recommend. That said I think there is lots of potential for improvement, and I'd be intrigued to see what my son made of it before fully disregarding it, which means on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this a 3.
April 18, 2016
Originally posted here at In the Senter of it All
Genre: Fantasy
AR level: none
Grade appropriate: 3rd and up
RATING BREAKDOWN:
Overall: 3/5-- A sweet fantasy based around a magic library. The entrance to the library is never in the same place, but when you are needed, the library finds you. Three cousins travel through the library to medieval times to go on a quest to help the queen.
Creativity: 3/5-- This book follows in the tradition of Narnia with the exception that these children travel into an actual past whereas in Narnia they travel to a different fantasy world.
Characters: 4/5-- Likeable, relatable.
Engrossing: 3/5-- It was great in the beginning, which is a big deal. Hook me in 4 chapters or I’m out of here. But in the middle it got slow and I didn’t want to pick it back up.
Writing: 5/5-- Slow middle...
Appeal to kids: 3/5-- Perfect for fans of Narnia. I would have loved this book as a kid. No disturbing violence or suspense. But not a lot of edge of your seat adventure either. Might be a hard sell to those who don’t already know what they like.
Appropriate length to tell the story: 2/5-- I was ready for it to end. I was ready to move on to another book.
CONTENT:
Language: none
Sexuality: none
Violence: mild-- The children face dragons and a very bad villain and are in real danger.
Drugs/Alcohol: none-- The dwarf they travel with has a pipe and smokes herbs. One of the children has to smoke dragon’s bane in the pipe to lull the dragons to sleep.
Genre: Fantasy
AR level: none
Grade appropriate: 3rd and up
RATING BREAKDOWN:
Overall: 3/5-- A sweet fantasy based around a magic library. The entrance to the library is never in the same place, but when you are needed, the library finds you. Three cousins travel through the library to medieval times to go on a quest to help the queen.
Creativity: 3/5-- This book follows in the tradition of Narnia with the exception that these children travel into an actual past whereas in Narnia they travel to a different fantasy world.
Characters: 4/5-- Likeable, relatable.
Engrossing: 3/5-- It was great in the beginning, which is a big deal. Hook me in 4 chapters or I’m out of here. But in the middle it got slow and I didn’t want to pick it back up.
Writing: 5/5-- Slow middle...
Appeal to kids: 3/5-- Perfect for fans of Narnia. I would have loved this book as a kid. No disturbing violence or suspense. But not a lot of edge of your seat adventure either. Might be a hard sell to those who don’t already know what they like.
Appropriate length to tell the story: 2/5-- I was ready for it to end. I was ready to move on to another book.
CONTENT:
Language: none
Sexuality: none
Violence: mild-- The children face dragons and a very bad villain and are in real danger.
Drugs/Alcohol: none-- The dwarf they travel with has a pipe and smokes herbs. One of the children has to smoke dragon’s bane in the pipe to lull the dragons to sleep.
May 10, 2013
In The Palace Library there are magical books that can create chocolate cakes, healing plants and animated star charts. When eight-year-old Grace stumbles upon the mystical library in an old house, her cousins don’t believe her when she tells them about the wondrous place. Eleanor and Harry quickly learn that Grace was in fact telling the truth as they are being rounded to help recreate the Great Sword of State. Now the three children are on an adventure into the past where they will need to work as a team, outsmart dragons and discover a traitor in their midst if they are going to fulfill the prophecy.
The Palace Library is a fun adventure. I for one would love to get lost in the special place where books are four foot tall and can magically answer questions and bring to life anything that has been written in them. Author Steven Loveridge has created endearing youthful characters with Grace, Eleanor and Harry. I loved that Grace, who was the youngest, seemed to be the bravest and most willing to embark on this adventure. The solutions that the children came up with to complete their quest were both innovative and authentic. I felt that if real children were on this journey they may have come up with the same solutions. The entire book is well written and entertaining.
I would highly recommend this book for any child who loves to read. As book lovers they will feel right at home in the Palace Library.
(This book was provided to Compulsion Reads for review by the author.)
The Palace Library is a fun adventure. I for one would love to get lost in the special place where books are four foot tall and can magically answer questions and bring to life anything that has been written in them. Author Steven Loveridge has created endearing youthful characters with Grace, Eleanor and Harry. I loved that Grace, who was the youngest, seemed to be the bravest and most willing to embark on this adventure. The solutions that the children came up with to complete their quest were both innovative and authentic. I felt that if real children were on this journey they may have come up with the same solutions. The entire book is well written and entertaining.
I would highly recommend this book for any child who loves to read. As book lovers they will feel right at home in the Palace Library.
(This book was provided to Compulsion Reads for review by the author.)
March 3, 2016
Hott Review of The Palace Library:
Loved it!
What I liked: I enjoyed The Palace Library so much that I bought copies for my middle-grade readers before I was even finished!
I loved that The Palace Library is about a brother, sister, and their cousin. It starts at their uncle’s home in the country. It almost feels like a more comfortable and peaceful Narnian beginning. They do jump right into the adventure though and there aren’t any slow or drawn out areas that will bore reluctant readers.
While it’s not a Christian book, they do discuss how prayer helps to put away fears.
All in all, The Palace Library is one of the best middle-grade books I’ve read that will appeal to both boys and girls.
What I didn’t like: The only sections that may offend are that Harry needed to smoke the dragons to sleep. Though he then talks about how disgusting it is. They also discuss having mead for their meal.
There is only one “battle” and it’s very minor only about two paragraphs. To me, the most concerning thing in The Palace Library was that one of the people tried to take their own life. It was a sentence and the person was stopped though so it probably won’t make much of an impact.
More…
Author: Steven Loveridge
Source: NetGalley | Lent to me in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher & Date: November 5th 2012 by Createspace
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy Adventure
ISBN: 148017663X (ISBN13: 9781480176638)
Pages: 194
Grade: A
Ages: 8-14 | All ages
Steam: N/A
Setting: England
Series: The Palace Library Series
Loved it!
What I liked: I enjoyed The Palace Library so much that I bought copies for my middle-grade readers before I was even finished!
I loved that The Palace Library is about a brother, sister, and their cousin. It starts at their uncle’s home in the country. It almost feels like a more comfortable and peaceful Narnian beginning. They do jump right into the adventure though and there aren’t any slow or drawn out areas that will bore reluctant readers.
While it’s not a Christian book, they do discuss how prayer helps to put away fears.
All in all, The Palace Library is one of the best middle-grade books I’ve read that will appeal to both boys and girls.
What I didn’t like: The only sections that may offend are that Harry needed to smoke the dragons to sleep. Though he then talks about how disgusting it is. They also discuss having mead for their meal.
There is only one “battle” and it’s very minor only about two paragraphs. To me, the most concerning thing in The Palace Library was that one of the people tried to take their own life. It was a sentence and the person was stopped though so it probably won’t make much of an impact.
More…
Author: Steven Loveridge
Source: NetGalley | Lent to me in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher & Date: November 5th 2012 by Createspace
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy Adventure
ISBN: 148017663X (ISBN13: 9781480176638)
Pages: 194
Grade: A
Ages: 8-14 | All ages
Steam: N/A
Setting: England
Series: The Palace Library Series
October 14, 2013
Synopsis: "Three children stumble upon an extraordinary library in an old house. Armed with magical books, and accompanied by an enchanting deerhound, they leave through a door that takes them to a world in the past. Beyond the door, a kingdom is in crisis.
The children must unlock the secrets in their books as they face storms, fight traitors and tackle dragons.
The Great Sword of State has been stolen and destroyed. The Queen reveals an ancient prophecy that says only these children can replace the Sword and she sends them on a journey that takes them beyond the world’s end.
Without knowing who they can trust, can they succeed?"
My Review: I was really looking forward to this book, however it wasn't quite what I expected. It was clear that the Chronicles of Narnia was an influence for the author. The book may have been better for a kid because I wasn't too keen on being told what everyone felt or how things were going to happen. I also expected the library to play a lot more of a role, or at least more books to be involved. It was still a good adventure for younger readers.
The children must unlock the secrets in their books as they face storms, fight traitors and tackle dragons.
The Great Sword of State has been stolen and destroyed. The Queen reveals an ancient prophecy that says only these children can replace the Sword and she sends them on a journey that takes them beyond the world’s end.
Without knowing who they can trust, can they succeed?"
My Review: I was really looking forward to this book, however it wasn't quite what I expected. It was clear that the Chronicles of Narnia was an influence for the author. The book may have been better for a kid because I wasn't too keen on being told what everyone felt or how things were going to happen. I also expected the library to play a lot more of a role, or at least more books to be involved. It was still a good adventure for younger readers.
January 31, 2016
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a rather fun read.
Anyone who has ever read the Narnia books or seen any of the movies will notice right away that there are a lot of similarities in The Palace Library. This was a little troublesome at first because I had some difficulty separating the two, but as I read further I started to enjoy the story more.
The thing that I liked the most was the setting. The library was everything that one could want in a library and it was so lovely that I wish I could open a secret door and find myself there.
The writing has some ups and downs, I'll grant you, and there were parts that dragged a bit. I think some of it was the fact that there was a lot of overly descriptive parts, particularly dealing with feelings. Adults don't seem to care for those parts as much as a younger reader might, which is who this book is aimed towards.
I would recommend this to any child that enjoys books and their parents as well, especially one that might need reminding that magic exists, especially between the pages of a story.
This book was a rather fun read.
Anyone who has ever read the Narnia books or seen any of the movies will notice right away that there are a lot of similarities in The Palace Library. This was a little troublesome at first because I had some difficulty separating the two, but as I read further I started to enjoy the story more.
The thing that I liked the most was the setting. The library was everything that one could want in a library and it was so lovely that I wish I could open a secret door and find myself there.
The writing has some ups and downs, I'll grant you, and there were parts that dragged a bit. I think some of it was the fact that there was a lot of overly descriptive parts, particularly dealing with feelings. Adults don't seem to care for those parts as much as a younger reader might, which is who this book is aimed towards.
I would recommend this to any child that enjoys books and their parents as well, especially one that might need reminding that magic exists, especially between the pages of a story.
January 21, 2016
I received a free copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book had some charm, but it was a little lack luster. It kinda ebbed and flowed but not in a good way. The points were I thought it should go faster went slowly and the points that should have been eeked out went really fast.
The story was good, not amazing but good enough. I am trying to remember that this book is aimed at children and not for adults. I do think it would be an exciting book for younger readers. I do read a lot of books aimed at this level and enjoy them. I just think this book could have done with a little more oomph, it was a little on the bland side. It was also a lot of tell and not showing the reader. There was quite a lot of needless explanations as to why the characters were doing what they were doing.
I did like the premise behind the story and how it unfolded, it worked well and I think kids would like it.
3 out of 5 stars
This book had some charm, but it was a little lack luster. It kinda ebbed and flowed but not in a good way. The points were I thought it should go faster went slowly and the points that should have been eeked out went really fast.
The story was good, not amazing but good enough. I am trying to remember that this book is aimed at children and not for adults. I do think it would be an exciting book for younger readers. I do read a lot of books aimed at this level and enjoy them. I just think this book could have done with a little more oomph, it was a little on the bland side. It was also a lot of tell and not showing the reader. There was quite a lot of needless explanations as to why the characters were doing what they were doing.
I did like the premise behind the story and how it unfolded, it worked well and I think kids would like it.
3 out of 5 stars
February 23, 2016
I went looking for this book, because I got the second book in the series from Netgalley to review.
Grace is eight, an orphan and curiosity leads her into a forbidden room in her Great Uncle's house. During her exploration, she meets a deerhound and finds a door into the Palace Library.
Grace and her cousins, Eleanor and Harry, are drawn into the past through the Palace Library.
They must help to save England and the court of King Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine.
It is an exciting adventure and quite daunting in places. These are children 12 and under and they demonstrate great courage.
I like the use of a library as a gateway to other worlds or the past in this case. There are fun situations and interesting things that happened that drew me in and I think that children would like this story.
Grace is eight, an orphan and curiosity leads her into a forbidden room in her Great Uncle's house. During her exploration, she meets a deerhound and finds a door into the Palace Library.
Grace and her cousins, Eleanor and Harry, are drawn into the past through the Palace Library.
They must help to save England and the court of King Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine.
It is an exciting adventure and quite daunting in places. These are children 12 and under and they demonstrate great courage.
I like the use of a library as a gateway to other worlds or the past in this case. There are fun situations and interesting things that happened that drew me in and I think that children would like this story.
February 4, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Palace Library is an enchanting story of a magic library that appears to people who want to protect knowledge. Grace , an orphan living with her uncle, stumbles upon the door to the library and a tapestry with a deer hound that comes to life. Her cousins, Harry and Eleanor don't believe any of this until they are sent on an adventure back in time through the library by their uncle. The children must complete their quest by working together and using the knowledge given to them by the librarian.
It felt like Chronicles of Narnia, but the story development wasn't as good. This would be a great chapter book to read out loud to kids and I do recommend it.
The Palace Library is an enchanting story of a magic library that appears to people who want to protect knowledge. Grace , an orphan living with her uncle, stumbles upon the door to the library and a tapestry with a deer hound that comes to life. Her cousins, Harry and Eleanor don't believe any of this until they are sent on an adventure back in time through the library by their uncle. The children must complete their quest by working together and using the knowledge given to them by the librarian.
It felt like Chronicles of Narnia, but the story development wasn't as good. This would be a great chapter book to read out loud to kids and I do recommend it.
January 24, 2016
I gave this book 3 stars as i enjoyed the whole concept of the story but i was really hoping to be more entertained but it seem to be a very flat kind of story. The whole part with the dragons was very interesting. I like how the books the children got from the palace library each had their own unique traits that fit with the child they were given to. I did feel that the one child who got stuck with the cryptic riddle book did more complaining about the book then he did really using it except for memorizing the prophecy. This series is great for little kids but it not even close to being on par with chronicles of narnia in entertainment value.
February 4, 2016
Really enjoyed this book a little under my age range but a quick read. I can see why others feel it was similar the chronicles of Narnia. I enjoy reading books that have dragons and other magical creatures. I feel the children spoke not as their age would represent, but I found I could ignore this even though I was aware that it was there. Will be interesting to see what book two is like and hope to read this in the future. If you are looking for a middle grade book with adventure then this is the book for you.
A copy was granted to me by the publishers and Net galley for my honest review. Thank you to both.
A copy was granted to me by the publishers and Net galley for my honest review. Thank you to both.
June 24, 2016
I was given a free book from netgalley in exchange for a review.
The book was a fun read! It was written as a young adult book, and it would be a wonderful book for a parent to read to a child. I enjoyed the library and wish we'd had more of an adventure in there. I liked meeting the maincharacters, Grace, Eleanor, and Harry and learning more about how they have to work together to solve the riddle and go on the adventure with royals, ships, dragons and storms. I enjoyed learning about history and I think kids would get more interested also. It would make for a great kids TV program either live action or animated!
The book was a fun read! It was written as a young adult book, and it would be a wonderful book for a parent to read to a child. I enjoyed the library and wish we'd had more of an adventure in there. I liked meeting the maincharacters, Grace, Eleanor, and Harry and learning more about how they have to work together to solve the riddle and go on the adventure with royals, ships, dragons and storms. I enjoyed learning about history and I think kids would get more interested also. It would make for a great kids TV program either live action or animated!
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