Adventure

Premise: Guinevere died in the convent where she'd been sent by an her father. An imposter, Merlin's daughter and Arthur's new protector, is her replacement, and all have been fooled into thinking she's the "real" Guinevere, save Arthur, who she immediately marries and starts to protect.

I found the beginning of the book, with its delicious hints of a larger story of evil and darkness, to be captivating. Unfortunately, those hints, for the most part, stay hints, and the book ended up being a pretty predictable retelling of sorts that was paradoxically too faithful and not faithful enough to its predecessors. It had glimpses of the humor from Mallory, T. H. White and Steinbeck. It had the promise of the adventure that lies in those tales. It just never fully delivered. And the end, when it finally came, was predictable enough to be a bit disappointing.

That said, I do love Arthurian legend, and this version of Guinevere is not without promise. If the next entry gets great reviews, I'll give it a go as my familiarity with the characters and story would render a re-read unnecessary. 3 stars. I...liked it? I'll recommend it to younger readers new to the legend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte for the advance copy which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. The Guinevere Deception will be on sale on 05 November, but you can put your copy on hold today!

Starting off another series by Shannon Messenger called Keeper of the Lost Cities, the first book, Keeper of the Lost Cities, was amazing! It is adventurous, cliff-hanging, action-packed, and great for ages 8-teens! While reading this book, I can guarantee you will meet some of your favorite, funny, awesome fictional characters! This book series has a VERY good chance of becoming your favorite. No inappropriate content or language.

Long after Horace's departure for the east nation of Nihon-Ja, his friends fear of his safety as Horace has not communicated back to them whatsoever.
Alyss, Evanlyn, and WIll all catch up with Horace only to find that Horace has dedicated himself to protecting the imperial throne of Nihon-Ja. With everyone here, they must defend against the Senji warriors intending to kill the emperor.

The Emperor of Nihon-Ja focuses on the growth of Horace and his outlook on Knighthood. Instead of Will from Halt's Peril, Horace truly discovers his place.

Reviewer Grade: 11

Continuing on from The Kings of Clonmel, Halt's Peril starts off as Halt is captured when he is pierced by the poisoned arrow from the renegade group of outlaws. The outlaws, known as the Outsiders, take Halt from Will. Will is on his own, and he needs to do whatever it takes to get his mentor back to safety.

Halt's Peril brings out a new side of Will, where he is now left alone without his mentor. Although this is not the first time he is alone without his mentor, there is more tension as his mentor's life is at stake. Will must take his training from Halt to a new level. This is a new character development story that focuses on Will entirely, which is a great story for those that are invested in Will.

Reviewer Grade: 11

Halt, Will, and Horace are tasked to investigate the group of Outsiders of the Kingdom of Clonmel. They must work together to retake the Kingdom, as each of them are forced to overtake challenges from the tyrannical King Ferris.

The Kings of Clonmel continue the legacy story of Halt, Will, and Horace, bringing a new story to the series. In this particular story, it pulls an emphasis on the skills of Ranger's stealth combined to the fighting of the Knights. With this, it introduces a much more interesting character arc that combines both perspectives for those that are interested with both the principles of Ranger and Knight fighting.

Reviewer Grade: 11

The Skandian Oberjarl Erak grows tired of the constant overflow of paperwork he has to do. Instead, he leaves to do one last raid on the neighboring desert country of Arrida. There, him and his raiding party are ambushed and captured, leaving Will and Halt to come and rescue Erak.

Erak's Ransom brings a new perspective to the table, switching between Will and Halt to Erak and his crew. This is an interesting point that allows those who are invested to compare the two characters side by side. The characters relationship's bring out a later climatic point.

Reviewer Grade: 11

The Siege of Macindaw continues the legacy story of the ranger Will. He is sent to recapture the Castle Macindaw, as a renegade knight had compromised the royal family and is planning to overthrow the Kingdom. Will, joined by his friend, Horace, does whatever it takes to rescue their childhood friend Alyss, with the fate of Araluen in their hands.

The Siege of Macindaw ties in a well-rounded romantic story, balanced by a series of intense action. It is a perfect fit for those who enjoy a little bit of both genres. Siege of Macindaw continues on the story of Ranger's Apprentice, bringing out more in-depth lore to the universe.

Reviewer Grade: 11

Mickey Cray and his son Wahoo are hired to wrangle various creatures for a survival tv show. Throw in a bat *bleep* crazy leading man along with various and sundry everglades characters and hilarity ensues. Such a fun read! Well, I actually listened to it, but I was still highly entertained.

With assistant pig keeper, Taran looking through the forrest for Henwen, a speaking pig that can predict the future, Taran makes friends and enemies along the way of this incredible journey. Eilonwy and her sarcastic comments, Gurgi with his crunchings and munchings, Fflewdurr Fflam and his lying harp, and Doli who was forced to come along a guide, these friends fight off gangs and monsters while trying to find this special pig. When they meet the Horned King, who will come out victorious? With this book pulling you in with its funny and relatable characters, I encourage readers of all ages to dive into this wonderful journey with Taran.

Reviewer Age: 15

Will, now a fully trained Ranger, is embarking on an adventure with his childhood friend, Alyss. He is tasked to investigate a castle in the North when the Lord Syron is faced with an unknown and unexpected illness. As he and Alyss investigate, they find out more mysteries and sorceries. Will is then faced with trying to find out everything about everyone, whether they are traitors or supporters of Will and Araluen. His ultimate decision is to choose between the mission or to help Alyss, as she becomes a hostage.

The Sorcerer of the North takes away the obsolete story of Halt and Will.
Instead, it takes an approach to one of Will's childhood friends, bringing a new perspective to the table.

Reviewer Grade: 11