I liked the realistic element of the story. Another thing I liked was that the story was written in verse format, so it was a short read. I liked how it included news articles and letters from people who were inspired by Jane’s story.
This book is good for children in 4th grade all the way through 7th or 8th grade. There are a couple of swear words in the book, but nothing to be worried about.
I liked this book a lot and I would suggest it to anyone!
Overall I liked this book. I thought it was really slow to get started. Some of the random jumps between who was talking were confusing, too. But despite that, I thought it was overall a good book.
The Incredible Charlotte Sycamore by Kate Maddison was entrancing and immediately pulled me in with the very first words of the first chapter. This book had a wonderful mix of romance, steampunk tweaks, mystery, and action, but it was lacking in a few areas. As a novel, which one can assume it is, it didn’t fully clear up any questions a reader might have. It also had quite a few spelling errors, of which I am sure were mainly corrected before the book was published. Overall though, it was highly amusing and entertaining, and I would love to read it again really soon. I recommend this book mainly to girls in grades nine and above.
I thought that this book was a very good action-packed read that left me wondering what was going to happen next. The characters, I found, were very enjoyable to read about because they were well developed and interesting. There are also a lot of connections of things as you get further along that made you second guess your prediction of the end. It has enough plot twists and action in that will keep you reading far into the night!
I’m so glad that Phyllis Reynolds Naylor wrote this book along with Emily’s Fortune because it was such an exciting adventure that kept my nerves up! I love how she leaves the reader hanging at the end of every chapter. If I could be any character in that book, I would choose Emily because she gets trapped many times with her uncle but always seems to end up safe with Aunt Hilda. I was very surprised and a little worried for Emily and Jackson when the widow woman turned into someone unexpected!
This book was an exciting page-turner. Everything seems to change from the beginning to the end of the story. It changes scenes frequently. I really enjoyed this book.
Glancing at the cover of this book, I saw a privileged woman standing feet away from Paris's iconic Eiffel Tower. Noting the antiquated style of her dress, I decided that this was a book I wanted to read. I have always been fascinated by European history, especially personal accounts of life.
The chaptersof this book alternate between perspectives of different characters, enhancing the reading experience without disrupting the flow of the plot. Though Cora is a wonderful, admirable heroine, her character is still realistic as she deals with social and emotional struggles.
Sometimes, the language and concepts seem cliché, including the physical attraction between Cora and the apprentice tour guide (William). However, the growing connection between the aforementioned outcasts, each struggling to find a name in their worlds, is unique. I also appreciate how the romance was slowly paced, instead of forced and rushed. Unfortunately, I did not find Cora’s religious epiphanies to be profoundly moving, despite the author’s intention.
Being the history lover I am, I give this book a four-out-of-five star rating for its quality writing style and historical detail. Revving up the drama, the author concludes the book when the group prepares to leave France, continuing their trip—leaving me hanging for more. Given the chance, I’ll be sure to check out the sequels of this promising trilogy.
The novel was beautifully illustrated and had an easy-to-understand plot. I really liked the characters and how realistic their personalites were. The story was interesting, but was a rather fast-paced read. Regardless, it did not lack in detail. Lastly, I liked how there were multiple themes present: such as magic, history, and romance.
I thought the story was a little too cheesy and predictable until I remembered all Christmas stories are as such! Just like its precursor, Scrooge and Marley successfully conveys the spirit of Christmas in a heartwarming fashion, whether you read it in December or June. The continuation was seamless and a very quick read, with no prolonged action. However, I did find the book somewhat predictable with little nuance and an ending almost too happy, similiar to a Disney movie. The writing was excellent yet too straightforward, as if going step by step (i.e- "First this happened, then that happened"). As a piece of literature, Scrooge and Marley isn't complex in nature, but in essence is a wonderful Christmas tale, and I'll probably read it again when the holiday season rolls around.
Oh, Ms. Caroline Blythe….how impressed I am with you! For being such a young author, I felt like she did really well with this book! It isn’t something I’ll rant and rave about and claim it’s a classic, but it was a good, solid read that was equally enjoyable and notable. Blythe gave Faye and her mother’s relationship an excellent angle and developed a plot that I felt made the book stand out from some of the rest. Some parts were slightly dull and the sentence structure wasn’t all that great, but the good certainly overshadowed the bad. I feel this book would be a good read for teenage girls like me struggling with the whole “gotta be pretty” problem—Faye had some experiences that I can relate to, especially in a school setting, with the constant scrutiny and put-downs. I felt as if I could connect with Faye through her first person dialogue, even if I don’t mug people for money and attack old ladies on accident. In conclusion, I felt that this was a good read for this summer season!
“I try to take a few more steps forward, but it’s as if I’ve landed in quicksand and I’m being sucked under. The thing is, I don’t really know if this old lady is dead. I mean, I think she is.”
I would recommend this book for ages ten and up, for mild sexual references and swearing. Nothing too graphic, though.
Much to Faye’s chagrin, you can’t turn back the hands of time—you have to live with the consequences of your actions. Her guilt and fear is eating her away……and even if the lady’s alive, the clock is ticking. Will she choose to forget…..or find out?