vhenderson93's reviews
512 reviews

I'm not much of a science fiction fan, but a lot of the technology in this book was incredible! This book was really fast paced and kept you on your toes. I have really enjoyed following along with the characters and watching them grow. Little by little, Cole is finding his friends and it's so exciting to watch that.

That huge spoiler near the end...WOW!! like I couldn't even imagine what that would be like!

Wow. After reading The Beyonders and Fablehaven, I really shouldn't be so surprised at what Brandon Mull comes up with. I can tell just by the first book this series is going to be fantastic! From giant killer scorpions to a royal scandal, this book has just about everything! I could hardly put this down and I'm so pumped for book 2!

And let me just ask this, who else hates Jace?

Everything about this book was fantastic! I just finished rereading the Rangers Apprentice series and have been meaning to start the spin off series for some time. I'm so glad I did! I love the characters, the themes of courage, loyalty, and determination to keep going even if the waters get rough. At one point toward the end- I literally had to stop reading as I soaked in the inevitable hard truth that was to happen. This is defiantly a book that you have to read for yourself. I loved that there was no language, unlike the RA. I'm so pumped to get the second book!

As intriguing as the overall plot sounds, I don't think this series is living up to what it could be. I know that sounds harsh and it's a rough way to start a review, but I'm stating my honest opinion in the nicest way I know. I started this series because my family's planning a trip to Disney World this fall and I thought it would be fun to read these books before we go.

I will say that Maleficent's character portrayal was slightly better than the first book. I could actually visualize her more and the tone of her voice was more recognizable. I still don't see a need for her to be in a cold room for her powers to work. After all, she is a dragon...

This book was definitely kept at a faster pace and I sort of liked the group splitting up instead of staying clumped together for most of the story. It gave readers a chance to get to know each of the character's personalities and try to distinguish one from the others. The first book didn't offer much, if any, individuality of the characters. I noticed hints of character growth, but in my opinion, some of it felt a little forced and not natural. I did like when Charlene got excited at being nicknamed Charlie. Her excitement at feeling like she was being more included, made her want to contribute and be more involved. I believe that was well played.

One thing I found annoying was the underlying language. There was no bad language in print, but the author was constantly implying that one of the characters had a foul mouth. It was like the author was dying to have it in his book, but couldn't because it's supposed to be geared for kids. After a while it was just repetitive and annoying.

Overall, it was an okay read but I can't see myself rereading this series.

After reading the blurb on the back I knew I had to check out this series. Everything about this book was intriguing. When I first started it, I found it confusing and hard to get into to. But I didn't want to give up on it too soon and I'm glad I didn't. As the story progressed, the plot grew and it was hard to put down. I was disappointed in Maleficents. Character. It sounded nothing like her.

If you enjoy magical mayhem and all things Disney you'll definitely love this book. But to be able to really visualize the layout of the park and some of the rides, it really helps if you've been there before.

What can I say about this book? The adventure was exciting. The characters were flawless. I loved watching how the characters interacted. I was very pleased with how this book ended. Hal did the right thing at the end and I think that simple act showed more character and value than retrieving the Andomal. As for Lydia's character, I liked her spunk and independence. She's going to be a great addition to the Heron crew. Onward to book 3!

Out of the series so far, this is my favorite. I had noticed that the relationship between the cousins was nearly perfect. They rarely disagreed or argued. And you know the saying about close quarters and all that. Well, this book shook things up a bit. There were heavy disagreements and some sharp words. Don't get me wrong, arguing isn't good, but it really made the characters more realistic. The mystery for this book was also baffling and I really enjoyed it. Onto book 4!

I'm not sure why but I had such a hard time finishing this. The first book was amazing and I couldn't put it down. This one I couldn't get into. I noticed a different style of writing and that may have had something to do with. Guess it just wasn't my cup of tea ;)

OK. I'm not going to lie. I had mixed feelings while reading. I actually found Jan kind of annoying at times and Avery's friend drama was irksome because that situation hits really close in my family.

*SPOILER*
For a while I honestly believed that it was Katelyn leaving the crosswords and was kinda disappointed when it wasn't. I know, I'm weird. But that's just me.
*END SPOILER*

I noticed a different writing style altogether and it threw me for a loop. I'm aware there are different authors working on this series but it's kind of frustrating to finish a book where you loved the style, and to go to the next book with a certain expectation only to find it's not what you expected. Know what I mean? The way things were worded was kind of hard to follow with and I found myself having to reread a lot. Also I noticed a number of typos. Now do not get me wrong, as a writer I have made many, many, MANY, humiliating typos in my books. I'm not bashing Elizabeth Adams in any way. Just as my typos throw off any who read my books, these typos threw me off in her book. I'm just pointing out what I noticed.

Wow this is the longest review I've ever written. Over all I liked this book. Genuinely liked it. And I do recommend this series to all fellow mystery lovers.

This book has been on my currently reading list for two months short of a year. The surprising thing is that after finally picking it back up after a number of months, I had little to no trouble picking up where I left of. Needless to say it was an easy read.

I enjoyed the historical side of the mystery and I thought the plot was nicely done. The book had an overall easy going, small town, reuniting with long lost family feel that was enjoyable. Looking forward to checking out the next in the series.