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The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

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  The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner 362 pages 📕📕📕📕    Oh my!!! What a rollercoaster this book was....I read for hours on end, enthralled. It's so hard to exit a book once begun. The Plot:    Caught stealing information from the Attolian Palace, Eugenides is traditionally punished and sent back to his country. There Eugenides battles depression unsure if he can still serve his queen. But when war strikes, Eugenides finds that maybe he can still help his country even at the cost of his life. What I liked: 1. Eugenides is finally learning to shut his mouth a little bit. 2. Helen, even if she's ugly she's such a sweetheart. Her thoughts are constantly on others and she will tell the truth no matter the pain. 3. Agape too, way to go, girl! 4. After King Sounis' navy explodes the Magus and Eugenides have the BEST conversation. 5. The Minister of War is so solid. I love him. 6. Phrisene, dear girl. What I disliked: 1. Whoa! I never in my wildest of dreams...
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Rupert of Hentzau by Anthony Hope

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  Rupert of Hentzau by Anthony Hope 385 pages 📕📕📕📕    Maybe I should put Anthony Hope in with Charles Dickens and Percival Wren. What kind of an author betrays their reader so cruelly, so unjustly? How many times must my heart break in the fictional world of words? Books are supposed to be an escape (at least, the fictional ones are) from the mundane trials of the here and now. Or not.  Summary:    After Rassendyll saves Ruritania and heads back home the Queen and he keep up annual communication. Thus three years pass. Unfortunately, Rupert (dear soul) has discovered this exchange and has decided to bring such news to the already quite jealous King. Somehow Rupert gains hold of the Queen's letter to Rassendyll. With only hours to spare Rassendyll must once more come to the Queen's aid. Fritz, Sapt and Bernenstein risk all to help Rassendyll in his quest. My thoughts: 1. Why did Rupert come back? Life was so innocent and pleasant before this. I would've ...
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The Secret of the Tower by Anthony Hope

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  The Secret of the Tower by Anthony Hope 327 pages 📕📕📕📕    Well, Hope has a way of twisting your mind a million different directions. I was torn, changing my mind many a time. Once I was certain of something I'd have to change it again ('twas a torture). The Plot:    Inkston is a quiet little town, so when rich Mr. Saffron and two other men move into the tower it's big news. The two men are his attendants, Hector Beaumaroy and the Sergeant. Everything slowly returns to normal until Dr. Irechester begins to suspects something fishy with his new patient, Mr. Saffron. Beaumaroy notes the doctor's suspicion and quickly persuades Mr. Saffron to become Dr. Mary's patient instead. But why? A mystery seems to envelope Mr. Saffron, a curse haunts the tower, and a burglary is being planned. Somehow Beaumaroy must decide between living the truth or a lie. What I liked: 1. Beaumaroy was ideal as the main character. He reminded me of Loki, and I loved his wit.  2. ...
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The Elusive Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

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                        The Elusive Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy 288 pages 📕📕📕📕    This book took me forever to finish. Not because it was boring or anything like that. My eyes have been straining themselves too much when I use screens to read, so it took me about 2 months to get this read.               Orczy did it yet again, leading you to think everything is going horribly wrong and that the most immortal spy may die. The Plot:    Sir Percy Blakeney is forced into a duel by the devious Monsieur Chauvelin. Though, as we all know, 'tis but a way to get him onto French soil to capture him. To further ensure the destruction of le famous English spy, Chauvelin takes Percy's wife hostage.    In a race against time Sir Percy must decide between losing his honor or losing his life. What I loved: 1. The direct, black and white contrast between good and...
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Urbane and His Friends by Elizabeth Prentiss

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                                  Urbane and His Friends by Elizabeth Prentiss 314 pages 📕📕📕📕📕    I think I was about thirteen when I first read a Prentiss book. The first time around I read it because it was a book to read. The second was an in-depth perusal of its contents. I loved it. That book was Stepping Heavenward. Then came The Home at Greylock, during which I cried. And now this. If I could ever be half as good a writer as she I would be satisfied. The Plot:    This is a sermon told through several persons' lives and faith. Almost, as it were, a parable. Urbane is a pastor who conducts a weekly Bible study with several of his parishioners. Then you get a glimpse into some of their lives betwixt meetings. What I enjoyed/needed: 1. Hermes giving himself fully to God, thus bringing Stephanas' prayers to fruition. 2. Antiochus' struggling and finally giving up the idols he ...
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The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

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  The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner 280 Pages 📕📕📕📕     If you're looking for brain candy fantasy is the way to go. Ersatz countries in a fake world where anything  goes and it doesn't have to be historically accurate because it isn't true to begin with (historical inaccuracies are a real killer for me). The Plot:    When a thief by the name of Eugenides boasts too loudly of his accomplishments in lands him under heavy guard in the heart of the Sounis gaol. When Magus to the king of Sounis discovers a map leading to Hamiathes' Gift they need a skilled thief to help them acquire said item. Thus the Magus, a soldier, an apprentice, a duke and the thief make up an unlikely team traveling across Eddis and Attolia in search of the Gift. Once they reach the temple of Aracthus Eugenides is in a race against time to find the Gift before death finds him. What I enjoyed: 1. The humour was exquisite. Though at times I really wished Eugenides would just shut up....
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Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

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                                                                      Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan 587 pages 📕📕📕📕📕    Oh. My. Gosh. This woman can write! Such a beautiful crescendo of emotion. I can't tell you how lovely it was to read this.    My cousin wanted me to read this, even to the point of sending it with me to Iowa under oath that I return it by the time I next saw him in two weeks. How glad I am that he did.    I began hesitantly enough, noting it's size and the time crunch. Oh, gracious! What a heart wrencher.  The Plot:    Three sisters trapped under a spell. Three children with choices to make. A harmonica as it travels through time, across nations, and touches lives. And each life it touches it inevitably draws to the others. What I loved: 1. I could hear t...
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