Book Review: Lady Dragon, Tela Du

I'm participating in the blog tour for Lady Dragon, Tela Du, the second book in the Rizkaland Legends series. I'm reviewing the book. I'm really tired right now, so I don't know what else I need to say about this, other than here's a cool picture!

And an author bio: Kendra E. Ardnek is a home-school graduate who picked up a pen at an early age and never put it down. The eldest of four, she makes her home in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her parents, younger siblings, giant herd of giraffes, and honor guard of nutcrackers.

And the author herself: 

 And the book cover. Because why not?

Recommended for: Ages 12-Adult

Kendra's content advisory:
"Romance: Pretty strong since I'm dealing with a married couple, but doesn't go past minimally-described kissing and sharing a bed.
Violence: Mild fantasy sort. I can't write gore to save my life.
Magic: Fairly strong. You can read a full description of how I use magic in this series here."

Two girls with one face
Two girls with twisted fate
One in purple, one in red
One shall speak the other’s death
Who shall win their final war?
Lady Dragon or Tela Du?

Amber, the Lady Dragon, has been promised a fifty-year reign over Rizkaland and nothing can stop her from claiming it. But when you've lived six thousand years, fifty is such a pitiful number. Only one person can keep her from making this reign permanent - the Tela Du, a girl who shall share Amber's face.

The last thing Petra wants is a magical world interrupting her plans for a normal life, let alone an ultimate battle against the Lady Dragon with only one prophesied survivor. She has her childhood best friend, Reuben, at her side, but she's not sure if he's more of a help or a hindrance right now. Though she'd much prefer to just return home and forget about this whole crazy affair, things change when she discovers that the world has surprising connections to her own family - including her sister who disappeared without a trace two years before. Still, Rizkaland can't possibly expect her to risk her very life, can it?

I totally called most of the plot twists. The book still kept me up, though, way past when I should have gone to bed. But I had to finish it so I could focus on my review of Reversal Zone. (At least, that's what I told myself.) At any rate, Kendra has entered my roster of evil authors.

Writing: 4.75/5
Kendra's writing style is very fitting for her personality. Really fun, yet somehow serious, too. It was really well-written. The only drawback was the many typos. Some of them were fixed, but I didn't mark all of them, so not all of them got fixed. Oh, well. Most of the time I could figure out what she meant, so it wasn't really that much of a drawback.

Setting: 5/5
Of course, a lot of the world had already been set up in the first book, so there wasn't as much ground for Kendra to cover, but the world-building she did was very well-done. The settings were interesting, fun, yet serious, and the descriptions were well-done.

Plot: 5/5
So twisty and turny. Oh, my goodness, I'm not even sure I even understand everything that went on. It was very intriguing and kept me up reading, as I said, really late. It's just so...I don't know how to describe it, especially without giving something away. You just have to read the book.

Character Development: 5/5
Okay, so you know the author's doing a good job when you heartily wish for the bad guy's reformation even though there seems to be absolutely no way she will survive. Just all of the characters...but this category is even more spoilery than the last one. So I'll just talk about Reuben and Petra. They're both awesome and cool and I love their relationship. It's so close. I like Ashley, too. Amber and Granite...it's complicated. Really complicated. I won't even try to talk about anyone else.

This is such a good book. You totally have to read it. Although you have to read Water Princess, Fire Prince first. Which, by the way, is free from the 19th to the 23rd. That includes today, so go get it and start reading, if you haven't read it already. And go here to buy Lady Dragon, Tela Du on kindle and paperback.

Other links:
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25873539-lady-dragon-tela-du
Go to Kendra's blog: knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com
Kendra's website: kendraeardnek.weebly.com

Movie Review: The Emperor's New Groove

The Emperor's New Groove

Recommended For: All Ages

Rating: G

In this animated comedy from the folks at Disney, the vain and cocky Emperor Kuzco is a very busy man. Besides maintaining his "groove", and firing his suspicious administrator, Yzma; he's also planning to build a new water park just for himself for his birthday. However, this means destroying one of the villages in his kingdom. Meanwhile, Yzma is hatching a plan to get revenge and usurp the throne. But, in a botched assassination courtesy of Yzma's right-hand man, Kronk, Kuzco is magically transformed into a llama. Now, Kuzco finds himself the property of Pacha, a lowly llama herder whose home is ground zero for the water park. Upon discovering the llama's true self, Pacha offers to help resolve the Emperor's problem and regain his throne, only if he promises to move his water park.

Last Thursday I got a bad cold, so I spent two days mostly sleeping and watching TV. This movie was going off of Netflix, which we have now gotten rid of, so I decided to watch it. It was so cute and funny! It didn't quite have the feel of most Disney movies, but it was hilarious and awesome!

Technical: 5/5
Do you really need to wonder? It's Disney; they always do a good job. They have great animation and actors and everything else! The dialogue is hilarious. It's quite a funny movie, filled with entertainment, fun, and a little bit of satire.

Setting: 5/5
Just a normal fantasy country... Seriously, though. Jungles, hills, large palaces, llamas, restaurants that serve bugs, squirrels and panthers... I'm not sure if it's supposed to be in a specific place, but it is a very vibrant setting that is the perfect backdrop for the story.

Plot: 5/5
Fun, imaginative, and completely hilarious. If you can't tell, this movie had me in stitches! Kuzco's narration of the entire plot is fabulous. A bit conceited and self-obsessed, but that's just Kuzco! I don't know what else to say about the plot without giving stuff away, so I'll leave it at that.

Character Development: 5/5
Wow. Just... The characters in here? Wow. Kuzco was hilarious and sarcastic and conceited and his character arc was just amazing. Kronk is...Kronk. I like Kronk, even though he is stupid. Yzma...I just love how the entire plot was borne because she was lazy and wanted to save on postage. And Pacha. He was amazing, and made even more amazing by the fact that he was voiced by John Goodman, better known as James P. Sullivan.

I love Sully, so that made it even better.

Basically, this is a hilarious, fun movie that everyone should see at least once.

Movie Review: Nanny McPhee

Nanny McPhee

Recommended For: All Ages

Rating: PG

Mr. Cedric Brown has just lost his wife and is now left with his seven children who misbehave so much that all the nannies have run away. A magical, but fearfully ugly Nanny McPhee shows up and claims she can tame the rowdy children.

This movie was so cute! The other day we watched this because we hadn't been using our Netflix in a while, and oh my gosh, it was adorable! I certainly did not expect Colin Firth to be in it. So weird. But he did a really good job.

Technical: 5/5
This movie was done really well. The CG, the acting, the costumes, all done well and aesthetically pleasing.

Settings: 4/5
The settings were...interesting. I couldn't tell what the time frame was supposed to be, though. The house was painted such weird colors! Probably as a result of the kids somehow.

Plot: 5/5
The plot was very...just wow. It was so magical. And it had a happy ending! (Of course it had a happy ending, it's a kids' movie. Still, though, I was wondering for a bit.)

Character Development: 5/5
The characters were so amazing. Nanny McPhee is very interesting. I really liked the kid that Thomas Brodie-Sangster played. I can't believe he was fifteen when that movie was made! That kid looks so young!

Does he look fifteen in that picture? No? Well, he was! That kid just amazes me. I just can't fathom how much younger he looks than he actually is.

The other characters were really good, too. I really liked Mr. Brown, and felt so sorry for him! Yes, he almost married a nasty woman, but he was doing it to keep his kids out of the workhouse. Poor guy. I liked the kids, too, though they were bratty, and Aunt Adelaide...well, I just can't believe she was Angela Lansbury!

This was a very good movie that I would recommend to everyone, especially naughty children. :)

Book Review: Princess Academy Series

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Recommended for: Ages 10 to Adult

Rating: PG

Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her village the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince will choose his bride from among the village girls.

The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess. Soon Miri finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires. Winning the contest could give her everything she ever wanted-but it would mean leaving her home and family behind.

It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was very, very good. I'd been reading it on my Saturday lunch break for several weeks, but I had to bring it home  to finish it. So good. So much about what education can really do, deep relationships, real characters, and the quarry speak is pretty cool. 

Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city is a thrill to Miri. She and her princess academy friends have come to Asland to help the future princess Britta prepare for her wedding. There, Miri also has a chance to attend school – at the prestigious Queen's Castle.

But as Miri befriends sophisticated and exciting students, she also learns that they have some frightening plans for a revolution. Torn between loyalty to the princess and her new friends' ideas, between an old love and a new crush, and between her small mountain home and the bustling city, Miri looks to find her own way in this new place.

 Oh my goodness, words cannot express how much I loved this book. The Princess Academy books are never what I expect, they are so much better. I intended to leave this as a lunch break book, but I just had to bring it home and finish it. This book. It's just so deep. I love deep. All the Ethics questions Miri ponders, the politics, the French Revolution-type conflict, the uncertainty of her relationship with Peder...there's just so much I love, that I can relate to, that made me think. So, so good. 

 After a year at the king's palace, Miri has learned all about being a proper princess. But the tables turn when the student must become the teacher!

Instead of returning to her beloved Mount Eskel, Miri is ordered to journey to a distant swamp and start a princess academy for three sisters, cousins of the royal family. Unfortunately, Astrid, Felissa, and Sus are more interested in hunting and fishing than becoming princesses.

As Miri spends more time with the sisters, she realizes the king and queen's interest in them hides a long-buried secret. She must rely on her own strength and intelligence to unravel the mystery, protect the girls, complete her assignment, and finally make her way home.

 The second book is still my favorite, but I loved this one nevertheless. In a way, it brings the series full circle as Miri the Princess Academy student becomes the teacher of a mini Princess Academy. But it is so much more than that. Political unrest is not yet over, and relations between Danland and Stora are, well, not pretty. I do caution you not to peek at the end. I did before I even read Palace of Stone--solely to see if Miri and Peder got together--and accidentally got a spoiler that ruined a lot of the suspense. But it still managed to surprise me a bit even so. Miri and Peder are still fantastic, the sisters are great, things are concluded well, and I love it to pieces. I must have my own copy.

This series is highly recommended. Clean and kid appropriate, yet so deep. Wonderful stories.

Book Review: By Darkness Hid (Blood of Kings, Book One)

By Darkness Hid (Blood of Kings, Book One) by Jill Williamson

Recommended For: Ages 13 to Adult

Rating: PG-13 (violence, mature themes)

Half of the kingdom is shrouded in Darkness. On the side that still sees the sun, two young adults struggle to understand the magical abilities thrust upon them. 

It's called bloodvoicing. Some say it's a gift. One of the newly "gifted" wish it had never come. 

Jill Williamson’s award-winning epic fantasy series, Blood of Kings, tells the story of Achan, an orphan who’s been a stray all his life. When an enigmatic knight offers to train Achan for the Kingsguard, he readily accepts. But his new skills with the sword do not prepare him for the battle raging between the voices in his head. 

Vrell Sparrow is not who she seems. She masquerades as a boy to avoid marriage to a powerful prince who seeks to exploit her. But Vrell feels called to help a young squire who recently discovered his bloodvoicing gift, even if doing so puts her in the path of her enemy. 

While Achan learns to use his new ability, Vrell struggles to shut hers down. All the voices strive to learn Achan and Vrell's true identities—and a different kind of voice is calling them both to adventure, romance and a truth that just might push back Darkness for good.

So, I started this in a book slump because the cover was cool. For some reason, no Kindle books were good enough. All I wanted was a physical book. So I got through a little bit of the beginning, gave up on Kindle books, and read Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson instead. (Good book, by the way. Definitely worth a read.) Then I picked this book up again Thursday morning after getting out of the book slump and...I was finished with it by that evening. Man, it was a good book! I admit, during Vrell's POV, I was very impatient to get back to Achan, but still. Very good book. 

It's been long enough (AKA, I've read a book or two in between) that I don't think I can remember enough to review it analytically. But I know I loved the characters. Achan and Vrell, man, they were amazing! I did like Achan better than Vrell, but I still really liked Vrell. And yes, I have a ship between those two even though Vrell's engaged to someone else and Achan's attracted to her cousin and doesn't even know Vrell's a girl. But still. They'd be perfect for each other!

I also really liked the bloodvoicing and the way Christianity was portrayed. A little hard to explain, but it was fresh and new while staying true to the essentials. Certainly not the typical Christian fantasy allegory that sticks to dry facts while missing virtually everything that's most important. Quite a relief!

I absolutely loved how she took very overdone story idea and took such a new angle on it, I didn't see it coming until it was revealed. SPOILER I suspected he was somehow a big part of the royal family since bloodvoicing is a gift that is passed down through anyone descended from the Er'Rets royal family and Sir Gavin was dragging Achan to the prince's confirmation when it was way dangerous, but I did not expect him to be the prince! For all the times "unsuspecting hero turns out to be long-lost prince." I think the main reason Jill Williamson pulled it off so well was because she didn't flaunt in the readers' faces that the identity of the prince was questionable. She didn't really need more foreshadowing since the plot has been done so many times. Kudos to Jill Williamson for keeping readers blind! It was so refreshing to see a really good but clichéd plot done well. END SPOILER

I would definitely recommend this book, and since you can get it free for Kindle on Amazon, head over there now and buy it!

Movie Review: Wreck it Ralph

Wreck it Ralph

PG (rude humor and mild action/violence)

Recommended for: All ages

Wreck-It Ralph longs to be as beloved as his game's perfect Good Guy, Fix-It Felix. Problem is, nobody loves a Bad Guy. But they do love heroes... so when a modern, first-person shooter game arrives featuring tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun, Ralph sees it as his ticket to heroism and happiness. He sneaks into the game with a simple plan -- win a medal -- but soon wrecks everything, and accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens every game in the arcade. Ralph's only hope? Vanellope von Schweetz, a young troublemaking "glitch" from a candy-coated cart racing game who might just be the one to teach Ralph what it means to be a Good Guy. But will he realize he is good enough to become a hero before it's "Game Over" for the entire arcade?

I thought, before I saw this movie, that it seemed like an interesting concept. I was also told by a little girl that it was the sweetest movie because of the candy.

 

Technical: 5/5

 

The animation of the characters was good and since they are video game characters, they're not supposed to look realistic. The story was more complicated than normal for a kid's movie but not confusing. It was also cool to see the foreshadowing of the finale.

 

Setting: 4/5

 

It was interesting to see how they made the video game world a place where the characters lived. They travel through the wires to get to a place where you can go to different games. The different games were all very unique and the characters reflected where they came from, but one of them was given the saddest backstory. 

 

Plot: 5/5

 

The plot follows Ralph who does something rash while trying to get acceptance from others and thinking that a medal will give him that. Other characters are trying to save their games because Ralph's rash actions could destroy everything. There are two main plots: Ralph trying to be a good guy and trying to save their worlds from destruction. Their actions do have consequences. There is also Vanellope's story. She glitches and so is treated badly. Ralph also makes a tough decision about her, doing what he believes to be right even though it hurts him and Vanellope.

 

Characters: 5/5

 

Disney characters are always well developed, and this movie is no exception. Each character has their motive which drives their actions throughout the movie. They do grow, realizing when they made mistakes, except for the bad guy. The characters also have their different hurts and prejudices which shape the way they act towards each other.

 

This is a fun movie with a sweet setting (Vanellope's world) and even if you are not into video games, like me, it is still a good movie and I would recommend it.

Book Review: Defy

The Blades of Acktar: Defy by Tricia Mingerink

Recommended for: Ages 13 to Adult

Rating: PG-13 (for violence, intense torture scenes, and intense epic battle sequences)

The war for Acktar has begun. 

With his betrayal revealed, former Blade Leith Torren flees into the Sheered Rock Hills, pursued by King Respen’s vengeful Blades. 

Left behind at Nalgar Castle, Renna Faythe tries to find her purpose, yet that purpose isn’t what she expected. 

Brandi Faythe has been torn from her sister, and that isn’t all right. If Leith can’t rescue Renna, Brandi will take matters into her own hands. 

War demands sacrifice. Courage falters. Who will find the strength to defy King Respen?

Acktar rests on one hope: 

The Leader is ready.  

 

*Incoherent screaming* Okay, okay, I'm calm, I'm calm. (Not really, but who cares?) Oh my goodness, wow, that was an AMAZING book. I was literally shaking during some intense scenes of the book. And I, who have only ever been brought to tears by one piece of fiction in my life (Star Wars Episode VII: the Force Awakens), had a tear in my eye because of this book. Somehow, without me realizing it, this book series became my second favorite ever, only topped by the ever amazing Ilyon Chronicles (because while Leith Torren is one of the most amazing fictional characters I have ever read about, he has not and can never pass up Jace). This book was simply amazing. After I finished it, I had to scream into my pillow because I couldn't hold it in and didn't want to scream in front of my sister.

 

I received this book free as a result of winning the Name That Character contest, and was simply ecstatic when the email with the book arrived on my kindle on May 25 (when I was struggling to hold my eyes open because of exhaustion from the election the night before plus Benadryl). Due to some problems with my email, I wasn't able to send it to my kindle and actually read it until that night, when I was halfway through Brothers-In-Arms, which I preordered on kindle. I finished Brothers-In-Arms late last night, and early this morning, when I couldn't sleep because my stomach was in knots because of pollen allergies, I picked up the book and barely put it down until I finished it. Just...wow. Please excuse all the fangirling bound to end up in this post, but IT WAS JUST SO GOOD!

 

Writing: 5/5

I think I noticed a couple typos or something...I'm not sure...if there were some, they weren't enough to detract from the story. The three main POVs were perfect, and Tricia included just the right number of scenes, with no extraneous ones and no essential ones left out. Poor Leith can never fully recover from what he went through... What happened to him ripped my heart out, but also satisfied me as an author's promise to her readers finally fulfilled. (So many authors break the promises they make to the readers. So glad Tricia isn't one of them.)

 

Setting: 5/5

Great. I loved Eagle Heights. It was so interesting. And I liked seeing more of Nalgar Castle. Mostly, it was good enough to let the characters move around in and add to the plot without getting undue attention.

 

Plot: 5/5

Oh my goodness. This is how authors get inducted into the evil author society. SPOILER Tricia can't pretend for one minute she didn't enjoy torturing Leith. END SPOILER All the things they went through, it's amazing more people aren't dead. The plot was well-paced and exciting and gripping and...oh, for Pete's sake, just go read the book!

 

Character Development: 5/5

Why are you still standing here? Oh, right, I have to finish the review. Leith was amazing, and so strong in his faith, the dear boy! Renna has grown so much, she's so strong and full of courage and kindness! She was only made stronger by what she went through. And Brandi, poor, dear, innocent, light-hearted Brandi had to grow up completely.

 

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. I feel just like Mushu watching Brandi, though. The other characters were great, too, and OH MY GOODNESS I just remembered, I was not expecting that plot twist in the middle when that certain character showed up and was alive and started hating on Leith (how dare he!)

 

Don't nobody go hatin' on my babies.





 

But I guess he's okay now, since he's finally started to forgive Leith. SPOILER So sad that Respen never converted before he died! But Martyn is starting to see the light, as well as the other Blade, so I guess that makes up for it. END SPOILER

 

So anyway, now that I have that off my chest, I can go do something productive! Au revoir!

 

Oh, and by the way, check out Defy's BLOG TOUR!!!!

Book Review: Samara's Peril

Samara's Peril by Jaye L. Knight

Recommended for: Ages 14 to Adult

Rating: PG-13 (for violence and references to rape; one woman was attacked by a ryrik in the past and a young man tries to drag off a young woman. He is prevented from doing anything, but later accuses another of the same act. All very well handled.)

When news arrives that Emperor Daican has been in contact with his chief war strategist, it signals potential doom for the country of Samara. Determined to intervene, the resistance in Landale, headed by Lady Anne, embark on a covert mission in hopes of unearthing further information. However, a shocking discovery leads to complications no one could have foreseen.

Armed with their newfound knowledge, they set out for Samara to warn the king. War is inevitable, and they must face two desperate battles—one on the walls of Samara’s great stronghold, and the other on the battlefield of Jace’s heart, where victory might only be achievable through great sacrifice.

Available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks!

Samara's Peril. Book three of the amazing Ilyon Chronicles. Each book in Ilyon just gets better. I loved this book, every bit of it. It's intense and heartbreaking, but has such happy moments as well. There were parts where my whole body was tense, and there were parts where I'm pretty sure I was probably grinning like a silly idiot. Parts that I've reread many times, parts that make me very happy, parts that make me sad, parts that fill me with hope. I'm just going to go ahead and say that I highly recommend it.

Writing: 5/5

Yep, the writing is just as good as in previous installments. I really felt the intensity and sorrow, the happiness and hope. Jaye really gets into her characters' heads. I felt all of Jace's struggles, experienced his trials and successes, resonated with Kyrin's emotions. I look at the way Jaye does things to figure out how to write deep character point of view.

Setting: 5/5

And the new stuff. Because the old settings are consistent with previous books. We visit Ashwood, the home of Sir Rothas. It's kind of like a clean version of Downton Abbey, but it fits perfectly within the Arcacian worldbuilding. We also visit the country of Samara in this book. It's got a different feel from Arcacia, but it works very well. And the Biblical parallels. One after another stood out to me as I was reading. I don't want to give too much away, but the allegorical side of the story is very powerful, in my opinion. I thought it was very well done.

Plot: 5/5

The storyline includes finding out Jace's backstory as well as significant progress in Jace and Kyrin's relationship. Of course it's amazing. :) Jace finds out his backstory and it has both positive and negative effects. That part of the story is definitely packed with conflict, and is kind of stressful, but never dull. Then they go to Samara as Jace is on a downward spiral. Battles ensue, both on a spiritual level and on a physical level. I thought the plot was well constructed, flowed well, and made sense. There was a perfect balance of external conflict, internal turmoil, and sweet squeal-worthy moments. Loved it all.

Character Development: 5/5

Jace and Kyrin. <3 I love those two. Their relationship does take some stress in this book, but they come out better than they were before. I just love how three dimensional the characters are. I met my most hated Ilyon villain in this book. I cannot stand Rothas. I want him to die. Please, Jaye? ;) But Elanor is so sweet, Charles is awesome, and so is Rachel, James needs a good mentor, Balen is a great king...all the new characters add so much to the story. We get plenty of Kyrin's family, we see Rayad, some of Trask...oh, and Anne was fantastic in this book. Definitely some "Go, Anne!" moments. Leetra is softening ever so slightly, Timothy and Aaron have some roles. And there's Elon. I wasn't exactly expecting it in this book, but I can't see it happening any other way. He was exactly what Jace needed, and it was powerful.

So good. Because of some Ashwood details, I'd recommend it for mid teens and up, but definitely recommended.

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author
Jaye L. Knight is an award-winning author, homeschool graduate, and shameless tea addict with a passion for Christian fantasy. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope. She has been penning stories since the age of eight and resides in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

You can connect with Jaye on her website, blog, Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and Etsy.

Shameless backward plug:

To all you fellow Ilyon fans, my sister and I made Tyra plushies that we have for sale on Etsy. :) Go check them out.

Giveaway
Share in the excitement of the release and enter to win a themed giveaway pack! Prizes include an autographed copy of Samara’s Peril, a John 3:16 necklace by FaithWearDesigns, and a green wire dragon bookmark by Wirelings! (Giveaway is open to US residents only. Cannot be shipped internationally.)

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Find the rest of the blog tour here! 

Book Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Rating: PG (violence)

Recommended for: Ages 12 to Adult

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse—Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena—Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods. 

This is going to be more of my thoughts on the series than a regular review. Because as far as a literary analysis goes, this series gets 4-5 points all the way, and I don't want to keep saying the same things over and over again. Addy, don't get onto me for not following the system.

"I like it except..."

A few weeks ago, a friend and I had a conversation about Mulan and Disney movies, and how for pretty much all of them it's "I like it except..." For instance, I like Mulan except the whole ancestor worship thing. But I realized the same is true for most fiction. For Percy Jackson, I like it except the fact that the assumption that Greek gods are real denies the existence of the One true God.

That's a pretty big except, the same one that caused me to hate Disney's Hercules. It's not one that can be reconciled. Indeed, if I didn't have Christian friends who like the series, I never would have read the books, let alone bought them. It's a tough call. I don't have any more problem with the Percy Jackson series than I do with learning about the actual myths. In fact, I'm sure with my own children it'll be "Now, we're done with our study on Greek myths. HERE'S PERCY JACKSON, GO READ IT. AND NO, WE ARE NOT WATCHING THE MOVIES." But is it truly okay? I don't know. Because I still don't like Greek myths, I'm still not okay with pretending they are real, and (though this is utterly impossible) I'd like it better if it didn't make Greek mythology "real." But I do like Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

 The Characters

The main reason I like these books is because of the characters. They're all very well developed and each one adds to the story.

Percy Jackson
Percy is the protagonist, son of Poseidon, and the narrator of the series. In a lot of ways he's a fairly normal preteen/teen, but in a lot of ways, he's so much better. He's ADHD and dyslexic, common signs of being a halfblood, a demigod, and he's got a crazy sense of humor. So often I laughed or just had to read something out loud because the wording or the metaphor used was just so unusual and funny. And he's very loyal to his friends. He'd do anything to save them. He really would. He'll even fall into Tartarus with Annabeth, though that doesn't happen until the second series. Percy isn't perfect. He makes lots of mistakes, and his fatal flaw is that he's willing to go too far in protecting his friends, or at least so he's told by Athena. But Percy is strong and a great fighter, and he doesn't know it. He doesn't realize how awesome he is, and that just makes it better.

Annabeth Chase
Annabeth is the daughter of Athena. She's smart, she loves architecture, she has a deathly fear of spiders, and she wants so badly to build something permanent. She's had a rough life, but Camp Half-Blood is her home, and Percy becomes her best friend. Eventually. I love watching their relationship grow throughout the series. She always calls Percy Seaweed Brain, but when she uses it, it's more of a term of endearment than an insult. He's Seaweed Brain, and it's sweet. Just believe me.

Grover
Grover is a satyr, Percy's best friend at the beginning of The Lightning Thief. He's funny too. But he's also devoted to his cause. He's pretty great.

Tyson
Tyson's such a sweetie. He's a cyclops, he loves peanut butter, and he looks up to his "big" brother Percy so much. (All cyclopes are apparently children of Poseidon.) He's willing to fight for what's right, he loves "ponies" (centaurs), and did I mention he's sweet? "Though 'peanut butter' is a strange battle cry."

Thalia Grace
Daughter of Zeus, reminds Annabeth a lot of Percy. They are similar, though I don't think Thalia quite shares Percy's sense of humor. She's had a rough life. I like her.

Chiron, Mr. D (Dionysus), Charles Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, Nico di Angelo, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Luke Castellan, Sally Jackson, Mrs. O'Leary (the hellhound), Apollo...they all spring off the page, they all add something to the book, they (the heroes) all will fight to the death to defend their friends and family, to defend their home, to defend the earth. That's why I like them.

Persassy
My friend tells me that's the fan term for Percy's character voice. It's very unique, and a good reason to like these books. 

     Ever had a flying burrito hit you? Well, it's a deadly projectile, right up there with cannonballs and grenades.

     At the Hoover Dam--“Let us find the dam snack bar," Zoe said. "We should eat while we can."
     Grover cracked a smile. "The dam snack bar?"
     Zoe blinked. "Yes. What is funny?"
     "Nothing," Grover said, trying to keep a straight face. "I could use some dam french fries."
     Even Thalia smiled at that. "And I need to use the dam restroom."
    ...I started cracking up, and Thalia and Grover joined in, while Zoe just looked at us. "I do not understand."
    "I want to use the dam water fountain," Grover said.
    "And..." Thalia tried to catch her breath. "I want to buy a dam t-shirt.”

    She'd also called me brave...unless she was talking to the catfish.

    We only came close to dying six or seven times, which I thought was pretty good. Once, I lost my grip and found myself dangling by one hand from a ledge fifty feet above the rocky surf. But I found another handhold and kept climbing. A minute later Annabeth hit a slippery patch of moss and her foot slipped. Fortunately, she found something else to put it against. Unfortunately, that something was my face.
    "Sorry," she murmured.
    "S'okay," I grunted, though I'd never really wanted to know what Annabeth's sneaker tasted like.

     I don't recommend shadow travel if you're scared of:
a) The dark
b) Cold shivers up your spine
c) Strange noises
d) Going so fast you feel like your face is peeling off
    In other words, I thought it was awesome.

You probably get the point. Persassy alone was enough to keep me reading.

Morals
Despite the fact that the Greek gods are supposedly real, right is right and wrong is wrong, and there's no confusion between the two. The one time Percy sneaks away from camp, they're under a really horrible camp director who shouldn't be in charge, gets replaced at the end, and wasn't following procedures correctly. And they were helped by Hermes.

Content
It does get a little violent. They do end up at war with the Titans. Percy gets put into a gladiator arena in the Labyrinth. I didn't find it too gruesome, though. As far as romantic content goes, it's really clean. Sure, there is some romance, but it's pretty slow. There are a couple kisses, but it doesn't go any further in the description than to say that they kissed. I found it extremely refreshing. Spiritual content is the trouble, but there's not really anything you wouldn't expect from Greek myths. So if you're okay with reading Greek myths, you should be okay with Percy Jackson. And there was one bit of conversation. I hate that it was applied to a Greek god, but I still think it made a powerful point.

     "Dad," I said, "when I was in the maze, I met Antaeus. He said...well, he said he was your favorite son. He decorated his arena with skulls and--"
     "He dedicated them to me," Poseidon supplied. "And you are wondering how someone could do something so horrible in my name."
    I nodded uncomfortably.
    “Percy, lesser beings do many horrible things in the name of the gods. That does not mean we gods approve. The way our sons and daughters act in our names... well, it usually says more about them than it does about us."

Conclusion
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a difficult topic. There are many pros, but there are also serious cons. I personally like the series a lot, but I'm glad I waited to read it until I was a more mature reader. For younger kids, since they are clean and well written, I would recommend them as a follow up to a school study on Greek mythology. As such a supplement, they are fantastic. Be careful to treat it wholly as fiction, and enjoy!

Movie Review: Oz the Great and Powerful (TV version)

Oz the Great and Powerful

Rating: PG

Recommended for: Ages 8 and up

 This is the story of how Oz came from Kansas to the land of Oz and how he became the wizard in the Emerald city.

 As with most Disney movies, I wasn't interested in it when it came out. I have been a big fan of The Wizard of Oz since I was about three. My sister turned Oz the Great and Powerful on and I ended up watching it even though I had intended to work ahead on school. There are some things I don't agree with in this movie but I really enjoyed it.

Technical: 4/5

 I think that overall it was done really well. There are some things that don't look entirely realistic but it could have been done on purpose. The movie starts out in black and white and then goes to color when Oz reaches Oz. I liked the way that they switched it, it wasn't too sudden. There were also references to things that will happen in The Wizard of Oz, such as someone who is going to marry a John Gale, and a person who makes scarecrows. I think that there were some parts with the munchkins where you could definitely tell that they were fake.

Setting: 5/5

 Oz works at a circus at the beginning of the movie. It was very much the same as all the circuses I have come across in fiction and didn't seem out of place. Oz is very colorful and bright with many fantasy elements, like flying monkeys and china people. There are familiar places and landmarks like the Yellow Brick Road and the Emerald city.

Plot: 4/5

 This is an origin story about how Oz became the wizard. I don't know if there is a book about it or not but it did tie into everything you learn about the wizard in The Wizard of Oz, except that in this movie he doesn't think that he is a good man, but that is a view that can change over time. The slippers are silver like in the books and they did incorporate the china village, only you only see one of the people. There still are good witches, which don't exist. The plot made sense to me and wasn't confusing. The finale was pretty funny and clever on the characters' part.

Characters: 5/5

 Disney always has well developed characters even when they aren't good people. Oz is not a good person, he is a trickster and tries to kiss several different girls but gets interrupted a couple of times. He is not very nice to those who work for him and is willing to lie for power. He is told that he is a wizard from a prophecy and goes along with it even though he is not a wizard. Glinda might have been okay with him lying to give the people hope, but I couldn't quite hear what they said. He does grow throughout the movie in a good way, but he still is tricking people at the end, which is consistent with The Wizard of Oz. Glinda is pretty good and doesn't seem to really have any flaws. The wicked witch of the west becomes evil in this movie. It was sad because she was nice at the beginning of the movie and someone's lie is what brought her to it.

 I really enjoyed this movie and would recommend it to people who like fantasy, origin stories, and The Wizard of Oz.

Book Review: Champion in Flight

Champion in Flight (The Champions Trilogy book two) by Tyrean Martinson

Recommended For: Ages 10 to Adult

Rating: PG (for violence)

A year after she won the battle for Septily, Clara feels trapped in Skycliff by the Allied Council. As the last pieces of information about the Healing Caves fall into place, Clara is attacked by an assassin. Covert Drinaii mercenaries and the Council aren't going to stop Clara from her quest to heal her broken blade. As Champion of Aramatir, she must act.

Meanwhile, in the joint kingdoms of Rrysorria and Wylandria, the youngest and still-cursed swan prince despairs of ever being whole again. In a moment of anger, Liam discovers a blood link between him and a dark sorceress.

Clara won the battle for Septily, but her battle isn't over.

Champion in Flight is the second book in The Champion Trilogy.

I finished this book a while back, I just got sick and then got busy and never got around to writing it. Also I was somewhat avoiding typing anything on the computer. I actually enjoyed the book, though, despite the fact that it was not written as well as the first one was.

Writing: 4/5

The writing was pretty much the same as the last book, though Clara's POV did get a little deeper. One thing that annoyed me was the "big reveal" of the bad guy and the hero being family and how broken up it made the hero. Seriously? It seemed like a cliche thrown in just because it's "what's done." Plus, the blood link between Liam and the dark sorceress is only threatened, but never used, and is removed by the end of the book without ever actually serving a purpose except to freak out poor Liam.

Setting: 4/5

The world got built on some, but not much. There is so much potential for great world-building in here that isn't realized at all. I got less of a sense of the intricacies of the world than in the last book, as if the author gave up on world-building or something. the world-building could be considered good, but compared to the potential it doesn't realize, it's frustratingly not good enough.

Plot: 3/5

The story structure of the plot was so completely off I couldn't even pinpoint one little element of story structure in the story. As a result, the plot was off, and while it was there, didn't move the trilogy along quite as it should have. Though it didn't lack for conflict and therefore wasn't boring, it did drag a bit at times for the lack of a solid plot. It moved incredibly slowly, and by the time it got to where the first major plot point could have actually happened and the plot moving quickly, we were slapped with a climax.

Character Development: 5/5

The real reason I kept reading and am actually interested in finishing the trilogy. I really like Clara and Liam, especially Liam. While Clara had to grow on me through the entire last book, I liked Liam almost immediately. Even though I was impatient for the plot to actually get moving and it never did, I enjoyed this book because of Liam (and Clara, too, but not as much). There aren't as many characters present in this book, but for the most part they're well-written.

While not as well-written as even the last book, I enjoyed this book, and would like to read the next one (preferably sometime after May when I'm much less busy). I would probably recommend this book, if only for Liam. (Which just goes to show that a reader can overlook a multitude of writing sins if the characters are well-done and lovable.)

I received a free review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Adela's Curse

Adela's Curse by Claire M. Banschbach

Rating: PG (magic and mild violence)

Recommended for: Ages 10 to Adult

A curse. A murderous scheme. A choice.

A witch and her master capture a young faery and command her to kill their enemy. Adela has no choice but to obey. If she does not, they will force the location of her people’s mountain home from her and kill her. To make matters even worse, the person she is to kill is only a man struggling to save his dying land and mend a broken heart.

Count Stefan is a man simply trying to forget the woman he loves and save a land crippled by drought. When a mysterious woman arrives at his castle claiming to be a seamstress, he knows she is more than she seems.

Adela enlists the help of Damian, another faery, to try and delay the inevitable. He insists she has a choice. But with the witch controlling her every move, does she?

I read this book in one day. I enjoyed it very much, the fairy-tale quality of the story, the characters, the tough decisions they had to make...

Writing: 4.5/5

Claire's writing has greatly improved since her last book. She's gotten better at letting the readers in on her characters' thoughts and feelings. I was truly absorbed in the story. There's still some "head-hopping," but it was fairly minor.

Setting: 5/5

Myrnius is a well developed world. Despite having a definite fairy-tale feel, it still managed to feel real. The world of the faeries and the work they do was very interesting. The world of the humans is distinct from where the faeries dwell and just as well developed. It's a world that would be neat to visit.

Plot: 4.5/5

Adela is in a tough situation. She's controlled by a witch who is trying to get her to kill a man, but not only are faeries not allowed to kill humans, Adela naturally doesn't want to. As her target begins to fall in love with her, things only get more complicated, especially as Adela is finding herself to be in love with fellow faery Damian. Things escalate. I was honestly afraid for some of the characters' lives at times, especially since I know Claire is not above killing her characters.

Character Development: 5/5

I really liked these characters. I felt that I could understand Adela and relate to her. I also liked Damian. In the short time I was with them, they became friends, and I was invested in their lives.

I would definitely recommend Adela's Curse.

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 Author Bio:
Claire Banschbach was born and raised in Midland, TX, the fourth of eight children. She was homeschooled through high school and is now a proud member of the Texas A&M University class of 2014. She is currently working on her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Texas Tech University Health Science Center. She continues to write in her spare time (and often when she doesn’t have spare time). She hopes her strong foundation in God will help to guide her writing.

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