Icefall

Hey guys! Here is my next review on the book Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby! I read this book a couple of weeks ago after having it on my shelf for years. I finally picked it up after my English teacher put it on the summer reading list for this year. So I decided to pull it off my shelf and crack it open. 

So to start off, let's give you a summary. Princess Solveig, her beautiful sister, Asa, and her brother the heir to the throne, Harold. They have been sent to a hidden fortress for protection while their father fights in war. They are trapped there because the fjord has frozen. As winter drags on, it becomes clear that there is a traitor in their midst. No one is safe from accusation, except for the perfect villains... How long can the traitor stay hidden before they are found out?

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and the characters were developed well. The only thing I didn't particularly like about Solveig was how she was so insecure about herself, and it seemed like all the other characters needed to mollycoddle her. But after she overcomes this, she is a very strong character who tries her very hardest in every task she takes on. 

I also really like the character of Hake. He takes care of Solveig and her siblings like they were his own; in a guard type of way though. He would do anything for them, because he has nothing left to care about. He never had a wife or kids, and never talks about his family. He's very sweet, but is not afraid to put his foot down on some matter he deems will have bad or unsatisfactory results. He is by far my favorite character. 

I have always loved reading stories about Greek and Roman mythology, but this is my first heavy Norse story. I know a little bit about the Norse gods from Marvel movies and a presentation I did on a story about Loki and Baulder, but after that I don't know much. This helped me get familiar with some of the legends and myths before Rick Riordan's Norse mythology series comes out next year. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this! I really appreciate it! If you already read this book and liked the author's writing style, then check out another one of his books, The Clockwork Three! Please R&R! 

~Carly 

P.S My admin should have her next post up soon! Be on the lookout for that! 

The Rules for Disappearing

The Rules for Disappearing By Ashley Elston was an amazing book that I loved so much. It is a story  about a girl who was stuck in the Witness Protection Program. Don't let the cover fool you, she didn't run away by herself. 

"My eyes are larger, the angles are stronger, my face looks too thin. The woman was right-no one from my former life would ever recognize me. I am truly gone." 

Meg Rose Jones is always changing every month, eye color, hair color, style. I can't imagine bing in her shoes. Ethan, dreamy farm boy, had tried to help her, even if he didn't know her secret. He wanted to be her friend. Meg knows not to let anybody in, but can she help it? 

This book is full of suspense to keep you guys on the edge of your seats. The end is truly fascinating, and I enjoyed it, and it made me think how sad it is to be in the Witness Protection Program. I could never leave my friends behind. All in all, I really liked this book and I highly recommend it. Thanks for reading! 

Hi!

Hello people!
I'm a new admin at this blog for Carly! I am her best friend and she wanted me to help her do this. My name is Giselle and I love fantasy and mystery books. The scarier, the better. :) I love recommending books and reading them more. I hope you guys enjoy the books I recommend! Thank you guys so much, and thank you Carly for letting me do this! 

The Montmaray Journals

Hey guys! So this is a post that should have come out a while ago, but I haven't gotten around to it with school and volleyball etc. But I have been really busy reading books! My English teacher requires us to read for at least twenty minutes each night, so I've read four or five pretty long books to do reviews on! The first of which is the Montmaray by Michelle Cooper!

This series takes place before and in the middle of World War II. It is the diary of Princess Sophia FitzOsborne of the island of Montmaray. She is the middle child; her older brother Tobias (Toby) is away at school in London and her younger sister Henrietta (Henry) is refusing to grow up and become a proper lady. They live with their smart older cousin, Veronica, the old housekeeper Rebecca, and their faithful dog. Life is simple, and money is tight. The king of Montmaray is mad after traumatic incidents in the first Great War where almost all of the male citizens of Montmaray were killed. Simon Chester also pops into the island from time to time. The trilogy follows the family from living happily on Montmaray, to being forced into exile after Germans raid the island, to fighting in World War II.

I really enjoyed this series! It was heart breaking for sure, with unexpected plot twists and deaths, but I was able to rejoice and be happy along with Sophie and her family! There is a cast of funny and quirky characters, and there are a lot of real people from history in here as well!   Some examples are the Kennedy family, Winston Churchill, and Neville Chamberlain to just name a few. Cooper captures the emotions of our second World War and the historical hardships of the upper class in a way that I've only seen Downton Abbey accomplish.

My favorite book in the series was probably the second  book. It follows the events of the family being exiled to London and living with their aunt. They go to parties, partake in clubs, and get presented at court. I think the reason I like it so much is because I can relate Downton Abbey's characters and themes. Except while Downton Abbey focuses on both the upper and lower class, while the Montmaray Journals just captures the events of the upper class.

I really loved this series, and I recommend it to everyone who likes history and is in middle school and high school. I learned a whole lot about World War II and the politics involving it. The cast of characters taught me that no matter where you come from, you shouldn't let anyone get in the way of loving someone.

Please R&R my latest post! Have you read this series? What did you think of it? Tell me in the comments! Thanks for reading! The next post will be up later today or tomorrow!