Grip of the Shadow Plague (Fablehaven #3), by Brandon Mull → Start Date: January 18th, 2017

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Join Maddison and I as we continue our journey through the Fablehaven series!

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Welcome! :)

[Maddie]

Yay hey :) Finally got home and got to the thread. I actually might be a little late for this one, because I'm reading another book before then, but I'll just see how I go :)

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Yeah, you and your crazy busy buddy reads! I'll understand :)

[Maddie]

Haha thanks. For once I'm actually up to date!

[Maddie]

I might need to delay this one a little. The buddy read after this one counts for a challenge that I need to read this week, so I'd like to read it this week. Is that alright with you?

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Yeah sure! If I get started it'll just give you a place to shoot for, but I've got some other stuff on my plate too

[Maddie]

do you wanna post pone this then? tomorrow's the 17th for me and there's no way I'm gonna be almost finished my current read. I'm only on page 25 haha

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Oh yeah, I forget you're so far ahead of me lol. So 18th for me is 19th for you. What day for you do you want to start it? I can't delay too much cuz my copy will get returned to the library in 9 days and I can't renew it cuz there are holds.

[Maddie]

ah alright. and nope 17th for me is 18th for you. new Zealand is the first to see the sun in the morning.

I'm okay with it on the 18th but i probably will be a few days late.

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

You said tomorrow is the 17th for you, but tomorrow is the 16th for me. You're first to see the sun, so you hit the 18th before I do :) A few days late is fine! I'll just have to read faster when we get to it

[Maddie]

Yeah the 18th for me is 17th for you. I'll just try and read quite a bit tomorrow and Wednesday.

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

I think I'm going to have to start this or risk not finishing by the time my ebook returns itself! Plus I have several more books due soon after that, so I'm getting into a time crunch. Are you still a bit behind with your other books?

[Maddie]

Yeah I still am :/ I'm like less than 1/3 through my current read, and then I have to read the last 40% of my next read. So I'm still a few decent days away :/ But you start :) Just make sure to post spoilers please! And not too far apart!

[Maddie]

So I may have to push this even further back :/ Got another 2 books I have to squish in there for a challenge and they're both timed.

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Oh darn. We won't be reading it at the same time at all then! My book will get returned before you even start :(

[Maddie]

Yeah I know :/ I hope I can still count this as a br :/ I'll probably be too late.

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Chapter Three: (view spoiler)[ I loved reading about how in love Lena and Patton were! I'm sure we're foreshadowing a comeback of Lena in some way. And she starts thinking about Warren! She has such a crush on him. It'll be interesting how that plays out. I really want them to come together somehow! Even despite the age difference and the fact as she states that he is somehow "her distant cousin."

Bwahaha! Kendra spilling on Seth and his "secret!" But you know he only brought it up to her because he knew that his grandparents needed to know about the change in the nipsies and he needed a little encouragement to tell. (hide spoiler)]

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Ang Figgy-Pudding wrote: "Haha, Nix! I was just going to post on Chapters 1 - 3, too!
Chapter 1 thru 3
Lena & Patton [spoilers removed]
Seth [spoilers removed]
Kendra [spoilers removed]"

YAY!
My response to your comments:
Seth: (view spoiler)[ I think Grandpa justifies giving the gold back as a punishment for Seth, but maybe also as a reason for visiting the nipsies to see what's going on. (hide spoiler)]
Quiet box: (view spoiler)[ I DEFINITELY think whoever was in there will play a big role later in the book or series! And I'm actually of the mind that they'll HAVE to let V out of the box in order to get some answers. What I'm wondering is who they'll have to put in to get her out... (hide spoiler)]

And also, Chapter Four: (view spoiler)[ Why is Warren the one assigned to watch Kendra instead of Tanu or Coulter? And oh...I didn't realize Kendra is still only 14! I thought she was 16 now for some reason...awkward... And what was that look from the 18-year-old boy novice? Was that weird sexual tension or is it just me? LOL (hide spoiler)]

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Edit to Chapter Four comments after first page of Chapter Five: (view spoiler)[Just kidding, apparently the boy novice, Gavin, is 16 years old. Slightly less weird on the sexual tension, I guess. ;) (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Oh wow you're already way ahead XD

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

I'll have to blaze ahead...my copy of the book expires in 2 days, 11 hours :-/

I'm through Chapter 11 now.

Gavin: (view spoiler)[ Woah! Super impressed with him now after his work atop the Mesa! He definitely saved Kendra's butt! (hide spoiler)]

Neil: (view spoiler)[ And Neil can transform into a horse? That was unexpected! My first thought was centaur, but I think he transformed completely. I wonder what he is exactly. Quite convenient he still has at least animal skin coverings when he changed back lol (hide spoiler)]

I think Kendra's part of the story is the most exciting to me right now. (view spoiler)[Not knowing what's going on with the Shadow Plague is very mysterious and I keep waiting for some new information to surface. I think Tanu being bitten and crossing over will give them a little more information at least. Like the shadowy connection only Seth can see. (hide spoiler)]

Quiet box: (view spoiler)[ I knew they'd have to put one of them into the quiet box at some time to speak with Vanessa! I guess they could always go get another prisoner to free whoever is she did happen to escape though. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Alright :/ bummer I'll read it soon I promise. it's my next scheduled one anyway so after my compulsory reads I'll read all of the buddy's I'm behind on :/

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

I'm have such a hard time not reading spoilers ahead of time, but I'm only on chapter 12 so I'm going to wait to read your spoilers. Phew! That was hard! :)

[Maddie]

Wow the gaps between them too :/

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

I'm through Chapter 16 too!
Sorry for the big gaps, Maddison :( I don't have a lot of time and real life has been busy too.

Gavin: (view spoiler)[ He had that stutter since we first met him at the Knights' gathering. I think it's good he has it cuz otherwise he's too perfect a hero lol. What with his fighting and dragon-taming abilities. (hide spoiler)]

Mesa: (view spoiler)[ I knew one of them would die, but goodness! The chokepods really are horrific! Poor Neil was liquefied so quickly...*shudder* (hide spoiler)]

Javier: (view spoiler)[ I think the point of him being the spy is that we didn't know him very well but that the other characters did and would never have suspected him. We were already betrayed in the last book by someone we knew and loved with Vanessa. I don't know if I could take it if someone so close to them like Warren betrayed them! (hide spoiler)]

Kendra: (view spoiler)[ I think she did really well for not being prepared as a warrior. She still comes in really useful, although she took a stupid, Seth-like risk by looking at the dragon when she should've kept her eyes down. But how else would we know that her fairy status grants her partial immunity from dragon paralysis? So I guess that was handy too :) I love how the author builds our information a little at a time in this series and keeps characters true to their natures. (hide spoiler)]

House/Old House: (view spoiler)[ Dark brownies are a nightmare! Ugh. So many traps. I think maybe whatever is hidden in the old house will be crucial in helping to eliminate the shadow plague. I wonder what terror awaits them in the demon's domain. (hide spoiler)]

Seth: (view spoiler)[ That was really interesting about him being immune to magical fear now. I'm glad he did what he did to get the information from the demon. Sometimes his gambits really do pay off lol. Unlike the first book where lots of the problems came from him :P (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Yeah I understand. That's fine XD I'm hoping to get my current read finished today so I can start my next one.

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Oh my gosh. It's getting soooooooo good!!!

Finished Chapter 19.

(view spoiler)[ Crazy how it was the ghosty woman from outside the window at Midsummer's Eve in the first book that is the cause of the shadow plague!

And once again, the grandparents need saving. What would they do without Seth and Kendra? And I'm excited to learn more about Seth's power! He re-energized Warren a bit with his touch! How cool! Now his side of things is getting really interesting!

And Patton is back for a few days and bested a Centaur! This is awesome!!!! I love this series and this author! :D I can't wait to read Patton's reunion with his love, Lena, in this next chapter! I wonder if she returns to mortality because of the encounter. ♥♥♥
(hide spoiler)]

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Chapter 20

(view spoiler)[
All I can say is "Awe!"

"I would have left the pond for three minutes." -Lena ♥ (hide spoiler)]

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

End of Chapter 23...

!!! (I can't use names because they're spoilers): (view spoiler)[ I don't know why, but Patton and Lena's story is so touching to me so their last interaction as she sprung for her death I was screaming "Noooo!" in my head, even as I knew it was the only way. Then him holding her and sobbing...now it makes sense why he treated her so much better the rest of their lives. He knew what it felt like to lose her and could draw from it. She'd said the fight before he made the future jump was the last time he ever raised his voice to her. At least he does get to go back to her when his time in the future is up, and they live out their lives happily together.

I know it's really a very happy story, but I still had tears in my eyes at the end of this chapter. (hide spoiler)]

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

END OF THE BOOK

Kendra: (view spoiler)[ Poor Kendra. What ifs will kill ya. It obviously makes more logical sense for her to have allowed Lena to sacrifice herself in Kendra's stead. Kendra is only 14 and so important to the future of the preserves. Lena is technically just joining her love in the afterlife.

That is going to be rough for Patton, knowing how Lena dies and never letting on for the rest of their lives. I can see why he needed to grieve a little too. (hide spoiler)]

Dark and Light: (view spoiler)[ How cool that Kendra and Seth are the two sides of the coin while both being "good"? Kendra radiates light, while Seth can see and has partial immunity to shadow--well, magic fear, anyway. It was cool how Seth could see the wall of darkness in the demon's domain while Patton could see the bubble of light so we got the whole story of what was happening when the two cancelled themselves out. (hide spoiler)]

I really love this series! :)

[Maddie]

Mind waiting for me for the 4th book? It'll probably be at least a month away.

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

I can wait! :) I've got a lot of other things to read in the meantime

[Maddie]

Okay thank you guys. I'll get to this one in the next few books.

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Ang Figgy-Pudding wrote: "Chapter 16 - 19

Old House [spoilers removed]
Patton [spoilers removed]
Seth [spoilers removed][spoilers removed]"

Response: (view spoiler)[

Old House: She is SUPER tied into the revenant nail! Patton sheds a little more light as you'll soon see :)

Patton: He's so awesome! I love him! And I love him and Lena! Seth really did what he had to do though. There was no way the centaurs would have helped otherwise. I can understand Kendra's frustration though. She was ready to accept that they wouldn't help, while Seth didn't accept that option. But how many people could actually defeat a centaur in hand-to-hand combat?

Seth: I feel like Warren could have held on if they'd been able to move more slowly, but since speed was crucial in outdistancing the shadow lady, it almost seemed like Warren sacrificed himself to give Seth time.

Artifact: I think it's already fully charged somehow. Otherwise, Seth wouldn't have been able to use the button to call Patton. This might be a spoiler for later so if you don't know Patton's story yet, don't read: (view spoiler)[Maybe Patton recharged it because he was fairystruck too. (hide spoiler)]


(hide spoiler)]

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

I liked reading your spoilers, Ang, and I look forward to reading Maddison's! I'd love to schedule the next buddy read when Maddison gets caught up with hers :)

[Maddie]

*cough cough* I have absolutely noooo clue when that'll be :/ I'm so sorry!

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

No worries :) I figure it'll be awhile so I didn't want to pressure for a date yet. I've got a handful of books I plan to read too! I'm kinda on a reading roll right now!

[Maddie]

Oh lucky you! I'm the opposite haha. I'm making myself sprint tonight so that I actually read. I'm reading the most boring book I've ever read seriously want to DNF it.

[Maddie]

so pleased I'm finally finishing this series though haha it's awesome! pretty complex for kids

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Maddison wrote: "so pleased I'm finally finishing this series though haha it's awesome! pretty complex for kids"

It really is! It's written very well for what I'd consider more of a middle grade target audience.

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Maddison wrote: "Oh lucky you! I'm the opposite haha. I'm making myself sprint tonight so that I actually read. I'm reading the most boring book I've ever read seriously want to DNF it."

And bummer! I've had some pretty decent reads lately. Ones that have kept my attention anyway

[Maddie]

So I've finally finished Song of Achilles, and Ready Player One :D Now onto Shiver, first of those 2 compulsory reads. I'm already on page 60, and it's an easy read.

[Maddie]

Planning on reading more of Shiver today.

[Maddie]

There's a new Fablehaven book coming out in March, so we chose a good time to read the series :D Dragonwatch: A Fablehaven Adventure

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

*GASP* AWESOME!!!

[Maddie]

Yeahp haha. Finished my first book, and now onto my next book before I get my hands on this one.

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Can't wait! We'll have to finish the series before the release!

[Maddie]

.........

[★ℕłℂØℓҾ★ (Nix), snowflakes and eyelashes]

Lol. No worries if you can't ;)