Bibliophile Support Group

Lost in a Good Book is an adult fantasy, sci-fi, bibliophile’s dream by Jasper Fforde. It is also the second book in the Thursday Next series – the first of which was The Eyre Affair , read my review here . Truly these books transcend genres and are just stunning achievements in creativity and surrealism. I strongly, strongly recommend reading The Eyre Affair before Lost in a Good Book . Deal??? Thursday – renowned Special Operative in literary detection - is happily married and resting after a duel to the death with dangerous criminal and murderer Acheron Hades. Yet the massive Goliath Corporation – with far too many strongholds in the government – has not forgotten how Thursday entered Jane Eyre to accomplish her feat. Nor have they forgotten to pursue the means of doing so themselves. In order to blackmail Thursday into releasing one of their errant employees – Jack Schitt – from the The Raven, Goliath eradicates someone Thursday loves dearly – leaving her as the only r...

A Wrinkle in Time is a classic sci-fi children’s novel by Madeline L’Engle. I know, I know. This another one of those, “How could you not have read this yet?” books. Well, I’m getting around to them!!! Many of you have probably already read A Wrinkle in Time – but for any of you who haven’t, join me in fixing this literary crime. It’s a stormy, windy night when Meg simply cannot fall asleep in her attic bedroom. Wandering down the stairs she is joined by her beautiful, scientist mother and little brother Charles Wallace. It’s on this night that the mystery of her father’s disappearance begins to unravel. It’s on this night that the marked difference of Charles Wallace becomes all the clearer. It’s on this night that Meg meets Mrs. Whatsit. Thus begins a journey of Meg, Charles Wallace and new friend Calvin O’Keefe – a journey that will reveal that far more is out there in creation than she could have ever imagined – including her father. It’s a journey fraught with pe...

The Here and Now is a YA contemporary novel with a time travel twist from Ann Brashares. This is the first novel I’ve read from Brashares that is not Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants related. Seventeen-year-old Prenna knows the rules. Since she and the others in her community immigrated to New York from the future – a time of disease and death – the rules have been repeated endlessly. Don’t tell anyone where you’re from. Don’t interfere with history. Don’t become intimate with anyone outside of the community. However, Prenna has always felt that nice, good-looking classmate Ethan Jarves knew something. As much as she tried to follow the rules and be very careful to not reveal anything, his eyes held perceptiveness – almost a shared secrecy. When Prenna is faced with the truth about her community and what they are – or are not – doing to prevent the future plague, she’s forced to decide where her loyalties lie. And if she needs to break the rules… Initially, I didn’t fe...

Shadow Hand is the sixth book in the fantasy series Tales of Goldstone Wood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. As I’ve said numerous times before while reviewing this series, it’s definitely a good idea to read these books in order. Though the time periods jump around a little, it’ll help to keep things more clear – which I’ve struggled with, as the books have not come to me in order. So, you’ll want to first read Heartless , then Veiled Rose , Moonblood (review to come in July), Starflower , Dragonwitch and finally Shadow Hand . The below review will have some slight spoilers from earlier books, so tread carefully! After Lionheart, Prince of the Southlands, was dispossessed and banished, Lady Daylily is now betrothed to his cousin Foxbrush, who has taken his place in the kingdom. Lady Daylily had come to love Lionheart – a love that never seemed to be returned – and now a life with Foxbrush seems to foretell a life just like him – awkward and reclusive. On the day of Lady Daylily’s...

Neverwas is a YA sophisticated haunted house story, and the second in the Amber House Trilogy , by Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed and Larkin Reed. If you haven’t read Amber House , reading Neverwas will not only cause spoilers of the first book – it’ll also be super confusing. Do yourself a favor – read my review of Amber House here and then read the book. Amber House is extremely awesome – you’ll be glad you listened. If you have read the stupendous Amber House , then read on for a brief synopsis of Neverwas . After the death of her grandmother, beloved by her family and community, Sarah Parsons has come to live at Amber House – a centuries-old estate that has been passed down through generations and carries ghostly echoes of the past. Before long, Sarah begins to get a sensation that things are… wrong … somehow. Different. As the American Confederation of States still struggles with segregation, tension is building in town – but even more so in Sarah as she starts to beli...

The Eyre Affair is the first novel in the adult whimsical fantasy mystery Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde. Oh my gosh! Have you read this? As a bibliophile it is a MUST! Picture this: a bizarre alternate version of 1985 Great Britain when the Crimean War is ongoing, time-travel is ordinary, dodo birds are the most popular pet, and literature is taken very seriously. Thursday Next is a Special Operative in Literary Detection, keeping an eye on counterfeit novels and the like. England believes that falsifying a Byronic verse is punishable by law and brawls are started over whether or not Shakespeare actually wrote all those plays. But when an original manuscript of a Charles Dickens book is stolen without any kind of video or camera image, Thursday has started her most dangerous investigation yet. Bloodthirsty and loving the horror he causes, this new villain is beginning to commit literary murder! And now, somehow, he has pulled Jane right out of Jane Eyre and Thursda...

Charlie Bone and the Time Twister is a middle grade fantasy novel and the second book in the Children of the Red King series. To be honest, I do not think this review will hold many, if any, spoilers of the first book Midnight for Charlie Bone – but even so I recommend reading the book and/or review before this review. Here’s a link to my review of Midnight for Charlie Bone . It’s time for a new term at Bloor’s Academy, the private school Charlie must now attend – because he is Endowed with the ability to hear the conversations of those in photos. He doesn’t want to go, but he knows his paternal grandmother and frightening aunts won’t let home get away with not going. Not long after arriving in school, a distant relative of Charlie’s – literally distant - named Henry Yewbeam suddenly appears. From 1916. The nasty trick is rooted in Ezekiel Bloor, in Charlie’s time a mean old man that has not gotten over his hatred of Henry over the years. Realizing he must keep his ance...

Worm Winds of Zanzibar is a YA sci-fi/fantasy novel by Martin Dukes, and the second book in the Alex Trueman trilogy. Caught in a Moment started this story, so to get the full impact (and avoid spoilers!) I’d strongly recommend you read it first. You can start with reading my review here . If you haven’t read Caught in a Moment yet, stop reading this review now!!! I’m trusting you… After finding himself in Intersticia, a bizarre world that exists between intervals of frozen time, Alex realized that he is definitely not an ordinary teenager. Unlike anyone else there, Alex found he could manipulate and move things around him. It proved to be a dangerous ability though, as it put him on the radar of a branch of the angelic community called the Brethren of Twelve, who may have less than kindly intentions for him. In fact, their unsavory obsession interrupts Alex’s reintroduction back to his regular life and Kelly, whose life he saved and whom he is quickly regaining memorie...

The Fire Chronicle is the second novel in the middle grade fantasy trilogy The Books of Beginning by John Stephens. Of course, if you haven’t yet read The Emerald Atlas you may want to read last Friday’s review and avoid this one for the sake of possible spoilers. Agree? All of you who have read The Emerald Atlas : Let’s talk about The Fire Chronicle , eh? After an eventful time last winter, the wizard Stanislaus Pym decided to send the children back to the Edgar Allan Poe Home for Hopeless and Incorrigible Orphans as a measure of protection. Now that Kate is Keeper of the Emerald Atlas, and the three children have been identified as the children of a prophecy involving the Books of Beginning, they are in danger from some influential, powerful and dangerous people/creatures. However, it appears their living among the ordinary didn’t quite do the trick of keeping their location secret. When their enemies discover them, Kate utilizes the Atlas to do her part in saving her ...

The Emerald Atlas is a middle grade fantasy novel and the first in The Books of Beginning trilogy by John Stephens. For ten years Kate, Michael, and Emma have been floating from one orphanage to another – only the faintest memory of their loving parents in Kate’s mind to sustain them. It had been a snowy Christmas Eve when their mother whispered her goodbyes and asked Kate to look after her two younger siblings. There was a vow of seeing them again. That was ten years ago. Having taken her promise seriously, Kate has worked hard to make sure she and her siblings are not separated, and are ready to be found by their parents when that time comes. If it ever does. But after being shipped off yet again as hopeless cases, the siblings find themselves as new residents in an entirely odd new orphanage. First of all, there seems to be no other children. Secondly, the mansion and mountains surrounding it were invisible until they got very close. Third, it doesn’t take long to realize...

Amber House is a YA supernatural novel by Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, and Larkin Reed. Arriving at the sprawling, centuries old Amber House in Maryland for the first time to attend a funeral for her grandmother, whom she barely knew or met, Sarah Parsons can’t help but be awestruck. It’s magnificent, and it’s a part of her family’s legacy that apparently her mother has no interest in whatsoever. Yet with help from her sweet baby brother Sam, he and Sarah convince their mom to let them stay at Amber House as she works to sell it for the best price possible. There are mazes to get lost in, revelations to be found, and so many places to explore. Jackson, an enigmatic boy her age that knew her grandmother far better than she, tells tales of hidden diamonds and leads a hunt for them in their downtime. Meanwhile, Sarah’s not minding the company as she grows closer to handsome, wealthy Richard who introduces Sarah to a life of society functions and privilege. However, it doesn’t tak...

Romeo Redeemed is a YA paranormal fantasy novel, and the sequel to Juliet Immortal , by Stacey Jay. I was very passionate about Juliet Immortal – which is why my little bibliophile heart will break if you don’t read it before Romeo Redeemed ! If you haven’t had the chance yet, read my review of Juliet Immortal here . Now, for those readers who have delved into the sprawling battle-like epic that the tale of Romeo & Juliet was turned into in the first book – do you really need any details on Romeo Redeemed ? Maybe just a few. Essentially after being a callous psychopath for hundreds of years for the Mercenaries that work to destroy love, Romeo made a momentous decision at the end of Juliet Immortal that has given him a chance to redeem himself. Sent back to an alternate timeline where damaged, withdrawn Ariel Dragland is still alive, by those who try to keep love alive, the Ambassadors, Romeo is tasked with not only keeping her alive – but also with making her fall in ...

Yesterday is a YA sci-fi novel by C. K. Kelly Martin. In 2063, sixteen year old Freya is terrified that she has lost her brother forever. The U. N. A. (United North America) has already moved everyone off the coastlines because of climate change, there’s a constant, real threat of ecoterrorism, and the increase in a robot working class has forced a massive amount of people into unemployment and complete dependence on the government. Now, there’s a new disaster coming… In 1985, sixteen year old Freya has just moved to Canada after losing her father in a unexpected, tragic accident. Her mother, sister, and Freya are trying to get through the sorrow and adapt to their new life. But for Freya it’s difficult because everything seems… wrong. Especially when she looks at her life before moving - her old friends, her first boyfriend – it all feels flat. Unreal. Distant. Perhaps it’s just the grief. But it doesn’t feel like it. Then one day she sees a boy. A gorgeous boy. That’s not ...

Kissing Shakespeare is a YA time-travel contemporary romance novel by Pamela Mingle. Miranda has lived her life in the shadow of two of the most sought-after Shakespearean actors in modern history – her parents. As an actress herself, Miranda finds herself struggling with her part in The Taming of the Shrew. After a particularly bad performance, Miranda is approached by one of the more reclusive actors at her school – Stephen Langford, rather new to the drama department, and certainly an enigma. He essentially tells her that for Shakespeare’s work to remain part of history she needs to travel back in time with him to meet Shakespeare and make sure he doesn’t make a different choice in life. Of course Miranda thinks he’s crazy, but that doesn’t keep him from hauling her to Elizabethan times and trying his best to convince her to utilize what he thinks is her considerable acting talents to blend in to sixteenth-century England and charm the most famous bard of all time – when he...