Tag: Action & Adventure

Books

Book 161: The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien

Geoff W

[Check out my 2014 updated review when I re-read it as part of my 30×30 project.]

What is there to say about this wonderful book that hasn’t already been said in some way or some form? Not much honestly, so this isn’t much of a review. It’s more a response/regurgitation of my immediate thoughts having finished reading it Wednesday evening.

I’m glad I squeezed in a re-read of The Hobbit this year for a couple of reasons: it’s the 75th anniversary of its original publication; I haven’t re-read it since high school; the first of the films comes out this year; and there was an awesome panel at the 2012 Boston Book Festival about the book, the movie, the previous adaptations and the associated artwork.

Click here to continue reading.

Books

Book 150: The Enchantress – Michael Scott

Geoff W

[Check out my 2016 re-read here.]

Now THIS is how you end a series. Although I’m definitely sad about quite a few things, it took until the final ten pages for me to find out what was going to happen. And when I realized I scared the dogs because I yelled out ‘NO WAY!’ in excitement and wonder and then jumped up and paced while I read the last few pages.

After the lackluster ending to the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read the last book of Michael Scott’s The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, but I am glad I did. Although I didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have (it’s been over a year since I read book 5), it was definitely an awesome ending! I think I’m going to have to purchase copies of the series and re-read them next year. Good thing work got me a $100 gift certificate to a local book store and I recently purchased to Groupons/Google Local coupons for a total of $50 (I only paid $25) for two local used book stores 😀

Click here to continue reading.

ARC, Books

Book 137: Seraphina – Rachel Hartman

Geoff W

I decided to read Seraphina after seeing Grace’s review of the galley over at Books Without Any Pictures, and I am very glad I did. Of all the dragon novels I’ve read in the past few years, and I’ve read quite a few, this one is probably the most unusual.

I mean I LOVE dragon fiction. Dragons even have their own tag on my blog. I might not read as much fantasy as I used to, but some of my all time favorite books feature dragons!

I’m not sure if it has been done before, I vaguely recall perhaps Irene Radford having done it, and I know Christopher Paolini has one character that is somewhat of a dragon/human, but having the dragons transform into humans was definitely interesting. And then narrowing the focus even more was beyond incredible.

Click here to continue reading.

Books

Book 133: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K. Rowling

Geoff W

[Click here to read an updated response from my September 2018 re-read.]

And so it ends…there is so much that happens I can’t begin to explain my feelings about the end of this series. As with most of my posts on this re-read, this post is not so much a review as a regurgitation of my thoughts and emotions of the books. So, please accept my apologies ahead of time.

For those of you considering a re-read I encourage you to check out the Harry Potter Read Along over at The Lost Generation Reader from September to December. If I hadn’t just finished I would seriously consider it again. I’m already considering another re-read this time next year 😀 Re-reading this series provided me with a much-needed relaxation and break from my various challenges and I’m definitely glad I took the time to do it.

Click here to continue reading.

Books

Book 132: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – J.K. Rowling

Geoff W

[Click here to read an updated response from September 2018.]

I’m sad that my re-read of the series is coming to an end, but elated that Tom has started reading them and is seriously enjoying them! We’re watching the movies as soon as he finishes each book and both playing through the Lego Harry Potter series. Although I could do without him telling me everything that’s different in the books (open-wound people!), but it’s still exciting that he’s enjoying them.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is DEFINITELY in the top half of my arbitrary which Harry Potter books do I like more list. In this book more than any other, I believe, we truly see just how much potential Rowling has. She begins tying up loose ends while at the same time keeping the story moving forward in such a way that you can’t stop reading. This book more than any other (except for perhaps the first) provides the stage and set for the final novel. And as such – the wait for the final novel was by far the hardest and the longest (seeming)!

Click here to continue reading.