River Readers

Nice conclusion to the Percy series. Sometimes what you think is planned is way off course. Percy believes he is fated to die on or before his 16th birthday, but is ready to sacrifice himself to save New York. However, this final clash isn't all about him. Luke, Annabeth, Grover and many others all play a part in this final clash. Who knows what the future holds when everyone works together. Life will go on or maybe not!

There were so many things I learned listening to this final book that I want to have a movie marathon and reread the books! Jim Dale's voice shows so many nuances that I missed I almost felt like it was a whole new book. I recommend listening to this series just to hear him. I miss this series as much now as I did when I read it the first time.

I enjoyed this book and I can't wait to see the movie. Having this in the back of my mind, I could see character differences from the actors cast, but it didn't make me like the movie any less. Now after I see the movie, I want to look for the other books in this series.

Orphaned Lewis Barnavelt comes to live with his Uncle Jonathan and quickly learns that both his uncle and his next-door neighbor are witches on a quest to discover the terrifying clock ticking within the walls of Jonathan's house. Can the three of them save the world from certain destruction?'
Goodreads.

Daughter of a soft-hearted money-lender, Miryem watches her family go hungry, cold, and turn sick, because her father doesn't like to press people. Even though she can see that the townspeople are better off and do have money to splurge on festivities and extras. As the winter's grow longer and colder, and her mother fails to recover from illness, Miryem goes out to collect money and doesn't take no for an answer.

Even though I know what is coming in this book, it still hits hard. There is so much happening in this story that is dark and fore-boding, but also such a forecast of the last book. It is fun to see Harry as Quidditch captain and to see the developing relationships. Ready to finish out the series in audio, but may have to take time to re-read them all now.

This is an intense story which has very sad parts. I loved listening to it because I caught all kinds things I missed when I read it and things that aren't in the movie. Jim Dale is so amazing to listen to that I am eagerly making my way through the series!

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

“Never underestimate the power of a good story.”

Good advice...especially when a story can kill you.

For most people, the story of their lives is just that: the accumulation of time, encounters, and actions into a cohesive whole. But for an unfortunate few, that day-to-day existence is affected—perhaps infected is a better word—by memetic incursion: where fairy tale narratives become reality, often with disastrous results.

Beneath the Sugar Sky returns to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children. At this magical boarding school, children who have experienced fantasy adventures are reintroduced to the "real" world.

Sumi died years before her prophesied daughter Rini could be born. Rini was born anyway, and now she’s trying to bring her mother back from a world without magic.
-- From Goodreads

Delilah Dirk is a magical, swashbuckling, adventure seeking gal who meets up with Erdemglu Selim and they embark on all kinds of exploits.
This is a delightful graphic novel full of fun and adventure. I can't wait to read the second.

Gorey's creepy-cozy drawings accurately project the ambience of the big old house in tiny New Zebedee, Michigan, where ten year-old Lewis, newly orphaned by an auto accident, goes to live with his benign and rather seedy warlock uncle Jonathan. With the help of gray-haired Mrs. Zimmerman, the cookie-baking witch next door, Jonathan amuses his nephew with an eclipse of the moon and other frivolous pastimes -- but the uncanny happenings become more sinister when Lewis himself, to impress a friend, manages to summon malignant Mrs. Izard, the house's former occupant, from her tomb.

Gertrude is in Hell. Yep it finally happened. And of course normal hell won't do for our lovely Gert. Her hell is being back home with her parents in a twisted version of reality. When that doesn't work out things get even more twisted and Gert is forced to relive all her adventures in Fairlyand. But back in actual Fairyland, a witch has brought Cloudia back from the dead as Dark Cloudia whose mission is to destroy Fairyland for good. Only Gertrude can save Fairyland, but will Fairyland take her back? 

There was so much in this story I didn't remember. I am enjoying this listening experience. Now on to the final book.

This was a fun and quick read. I have gotten quite attached to our pirate theme this year and this was a great way to finish. The idea of Hook having a daughter makes me laugh since that would mean some female had to find him attractive! Can't wait to read the second book.

Captain Hook's feisty daughter hits the high seas to avenge her father's death at the jaws of the Neverland crocodile in Heidi Schulz's spirited middle-grade debut.

Malika is a African warrior queen who has united her kingdom. Yet she still has battles to fight. The Ming Dynasty from China has come to Africa to take over. Malika has aligned herself with her neighboring country of Atala and its king Bass, who just happens to be her secret husband. She faces opposition from her counselors, but prevails in battle.