Shannon

I checked this book out from the digital library. I didn't love it, but I liked it enough. I enjoyed the mythology parts the most. I didn't lose interest. And now that I've gotten to the end... I'll need the next book right away.

Jingle Bell Pop is worth the short listen if you're interested in the origins of Christmas songs and “behind the scenes” of how some of the “modern” era songs were written and recorded.

This is a fun short listen about the history of Christmas and Holiday music. It starts with Silent Night, and includes explanations for songs like Jingle Bells. It has some really interesting interviews with songwriters of songs like Santa Baby and All I Want For Christmas Is You. They try to answer the question of why some songs “stick” and come back every year. They don't really have a definitive answer of course, but there are some interesting theories.

I like a good dystopian story, and this is one of the older ones which I had never read. I wouldn't say it's “fun” to read, but I'm glad to have read it, it's as relevant as ever.

Read with Guinevere, age 4.
Me: Did you like it, really like it, or love it?
Guinevere: love it!

Me: What was your favorite part?
Guinevere: I think every single one.

Me: Was there a part you didn't like?
Guinevere: shakes head No, there wasn't. I like every single part.

Me: Who was your favorite character?
Guinevere: Actually, Ramona. Ramona's my favorite. Ramona's just like me, isn't she?

Me: How is Ramona just like you?
Guinevere: Because she cries like me, and yeah. And stuff.

A different and exciting book, with an ending that I couldn't guess. I'm definitely interested in the next book of the series.

SpoilerI thought that the concept of the Epics was pretty interesting. The name “Newcago” was pretty funny. I kept guessing about Steelheart's weakness but I was surprised. I did think it would be something about David's father himself that did it, and perhaps David could do it too. It was that David's father didn't fear Steelheart, so it was something about the man, but not what I expected.

I was somewhat surprised that Prof turned out to be an epic. I was kind of expecting, near the end of the battle with Steelheart, for someone to say “Ha! He wasn't an epic at all. He was just a regular man.” So that was a little disappointing, but it made sense when it was explained that he gifted his power to keep himself from being corrupted by it. I liked the backstory that everyone thought he was a scientist that worked in some kind of high-end lab, but really he had just been a fifth grade science teacher. I do wonder, though, if he was the one that destroyed his school.

Comflux was interesting. Perhaps since the nature of his power is to give it away when he powers things, that keeps him from being corrupted?

I was very interested that Megan was Firefight, the epic illusionist. I guess she's the subject of the next book!

I'm a confirmed descendant of Mayflower Pilgrims William Bradford and William Brewster. I've been to Plymouth and seen the museums and the Mayflower 2. There wasn't really that much in this book that I didn't already know about the Mayflower Pilgrims, but it still kind of messed with my head.

I appreciated learning more about the Wampanoag than I had previously learned, and I thought this History Smashers book told a more complete story than may be familiar to many Americans.

I think the biggest revelation for me is that the very idea of the Pilgrim's feast in 1621 being the “first Thanksgiving” is the most fictional part of all. Neither the Pilgrims, nor the Native people in attendance ever referred to it as a thanksgiving. Both groups did have thanksgiving celebrations and this was not one of them.

The idea of this mythologized “Thanksgiving” was brought out with a nostalgic lens during times of struggle and war, I guess with the hopes of increased unity. I can imagine them suggesting that if the Pilgrims and the Indians could get along and give thanks together, we can all get along too! This is, of course, presented without additional historical context and completely ignoring how things turned out in the years to follow.

I'd like to quote The O.C. now. Possible spoilers for The O.C. Season 2.
Ryan: Alright, look. Luke Skywalker was happy to find his dad, right? Even if he turned out to be Darth Vader.
Lindsay: Ryan, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader fought each other with light sabers until one of them died.

Another good book in this series. I've realized that not only does each book have a day of the week, each day is afflicted with one of the seven deadly sins. I kind of like this theme thing. I'm also beginning to think that this whole series might take place over the course of a week of “our time”. This was an enjoyable book with interesting characters and I think it's shaping up to be a good series as a whole.

This book was on the edge of okay/liked it for me. I would take off a half-star for the use of the word “coolio”. Disregarding the overreaching attempt at youthful language which is already dated, I'm not sure how I felt about it. I liked it enough that I'm going to read the next book in the series and see how it goes.

A fun book with enjoyable characters and great Shakespearean references.

I found this to be a fun read. I was familiar with enough Greek mythology to recognize characters and guess at some of the story and I thought that some of the ways the old Greek characters were integrated into a modern setting were very clever. It seemed like a good start of the series, and I hope to enjoy the next one as well.

I loved this book as a young girl and read it several times. The title drew me in, I had and still have a serious runaway imagination. I was intrigued by the setting, both time and place. Hat pins? Don't have a library? People on farms don't eat lunch? These were all new ideas for me. I haven't reread this book in years and even now the details are coming back to me like I read it yesterday.

I really liked it. Quite different from what I expected. I really liked the characters and the interesting world they lived in. I was surprised it took so long to find out who Septimus really was, but I could tell who it was going to be right away. After a certain point I figured that reveal was going to be at the end.

A Boy Called Christmas was a delightful fantasy story. It really had a Roald Dahl feel to it. The beginning especially felt very Matilda/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

I liked that it wasn't one of those Santa stories about “saving Christmas”. Christmas is already a thing, and the main character loves it despite coming from a poor family and rarely getting presents. The story didn't suggest that he was connected to the historical figure of Saint Nicholas either. It was a very British style Father Christmas, despite the main character being from Finland.

A Boy Called Christmas was just a great, magical fantasy story with a unique fantasy origin for “Father Christmas” with elves, reindeer, and lots of heart.

I needed something with an audio version to listen to while I drove to do a store pickup, and also while I wrapped presents. As I looked at the choices, I noticed A Boy Called Christmas. I had seen this book around a little bit, but didn't know a whole lot about it. I saw that the audiobook was read by Stephen Fry. It's hard to go wrong with an audiobook read by Stephen Fry!

A Boy Called Christmas was a wonderful story, and the audiobook was a fantastic listen. And I really did finish this book on Christmas Day! I finished the last ten minutes or so in the early morning when I woke up before my kids.

Ack! Now I'll need to read the next one.

Like the previous books in the series, I enjoyed the characters, pacing, and exciting story. This is the “ending” book so it's a bit more dramatic, and there are some sad parts, but I enjoyed it and am excited that there seems to be a spinoff series coming this year.

I loved it! This book had...  • Delightful literary references.  • Scenes that moved back and forth between 1960 and 1939/1940  • Characters that I loved  • Descriptions of places that made me want to visit them.  • A resolution that I couldn't guess  Healing from trauma  A good “spring” book.

If you love the movie, you'll love the book too. The screenplay was written by the book's author as well so they have the same tone.

This is a re-read, because I originally read these as shorts when they were first released in 2015. But it's also my first time reading these stories together in one book.

This book/series was one of my favorites when it was released. I love the character of Simon, and the Shadowhunter Academy setting was really fun. I also enjoyed all of the “flashback” stories. The stories feel more tied together than the Bane Chronicles(I liked those too, but they felt more standalone). It was also nice reading about young Julian and Emma now that I've read their series as well. The cast of additional characters felt more cohesive to me on this reading.

I read this as part of my “chronological-ish” reread of Shadowhunter books. I had just finished reading The Mortal Instruments. One very important thing happens in Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy that didn't happen much in all of The Mortal Instruments books. Time passes. That's right. School years go by and the characters age! It's just really satisfying, after reading a six book series over the span of years which all took place within the span of three months. Simon turned 19? How did that happen? Time passed, characters developed, and it was amazing.

I think this is my favorite “urban fantasy” type book that I've read so far. I really liked the settings and was drawn to the characters. I was a bit confused at the end, I was sure some things would be straightened out, but let me say that I can't remember the last time I was so tempted to look ahead at spoilers for a book.

I really liked this book. Very fun and magical with likable characters and a different kind of fantasy setting. Loved the Midsummer Night's Dream tie-ins.

I decided to read this book because my daughter was reading it for school. She's a third grader, and this is the first time that I'm aware of that she's read a novel at school. I was excited!

This is a truly wonderful book. It's often quite sad, but the best books, the ones that really touch you, usually are. It really feels like it's written from the perspective of the gorilla. If I thought that gorillas could actually talk and write, I would believe that this was the gorilla's actual journal. I found myself briefly wondering how the author learned this story from the gorilla before I reminded myself that gorillas can't actually talk, and this gorilla's internal dialogue is a fantasy.

It's also written in such a way that it seems outside of time. The story is probably intended to have taken place in the recent past, but it never hints at a time period and feels very timeless.

I saw quotes saying that this book was a great animal book in the tradition of Charlotte's Web. It exceeded expectations.

Wait. How can that be the end? It finished rather abruptly. I wondered if I had missed something.

I definitely liked this one better than the Clockwork Angel, though I seemed to have forgotten I hadn't read it yet and it and I went on to the fourth book in the Mortal Instruments series when I should've read this first. The characters were great and I was riveted and in agony with them. I can't wait for the next installment!

I wish I had read this as a kid, but I never did. In fact, I somehow managed to not hear much about it but the title. I think the title was the problem, actually. My mind focused on the “wrinkle” part and for some reason I imagined an old woman's wrinkled face. I remember hearing other kids say they liked it in childhood, but nobody had ever said any more about it. I finally read this book in the last couple years after finally reading about the author and figuring out that it wasn't really about an old woman, and it was beautiful. I wish I'd read it sooner!

I love this series as a whole. I like some of the books better than others, but even in my lesser favorites, there's at least one thing which stands out and makes me think fondly of it.