I own more editions of Peter Pan than I care to admit. I've seen the movie of the Broadway musical with Mary Martin more times than I can count. And yet, as an adult, I'd never reread my favorite book. Until now. Synopsis On a starry night, Peter Pan and his fairy friend Tinker Bell fly with… Continue reading Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
Unicorns are a pretty hot topic these days so I figured it was time to honor someone who led the charge for unicorns before the train even left the station. Rampant Synopsis Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns… Astrid Llewelyn has always scoffed at her eccentric mother’s stories about killer unicorns. But when one attacks… Continue reading Killer Unicorns duology by Diana Peterfreund
Back in January 2013 I was trying to find a new favorite book (which never works, you can’t force it) and I had been eyeing A Discovery of Witches for a while and decided to take a chance on it. I read the first 30 pages, got really annoyed and put it away, only to… Continue reading All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness
I love a good fairy tale adaptation and when I first heard the true story of the Little Mermaid, I became a bit obsessed with all accurate adaptations. Synopsis Princess Margrethe has been hidden away while her kingdom is at war. One gloomy, windswept morning, as she stands in a convent garden overlooking the icy sea,… Continue reading Mermaid by Carolyn Turgeon
I’ll readily admit that Ella’s dark green dress on the front cover of the first paperback edition was what first caught my attention. But given my established record as a lover of fairy tale adaptations, it should come as no surprise that this is the book that started my obsession! Synopsis How can a fairy's… Continue reading Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
I am a sucker for Peter Pan stories, especially ones that provide a more interesting and compelling female character than Wendy! Synopsis Peter was the leader of the orphan boys because he was the oldest – or so he claimed. And because he could spit the farthest. Not that it did him much good, shipped… Continue reading Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
I picked this book up upon the recommendation of a fellow educator at the school book fair last spring and I read it while on vacation last summer. While I’m trying to review only books that I’ve read most recently now, I figured it best to throw this one in as well. Synopsis The signpost… Continue reading The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
For the past few weeks I’ve been debating picking up the book Bitterblue as I’d seen it all around the book stores. When I finally did decide to read it, I realized that it was a companion novel to Graceling, which was published first so I figured I’d give it a shot and I was… Continue reading Graceling by Kristin Cashore
While an undergrad at Pitt, I was book browsing before seeing a movie with a friend, I saw Clockwork Angel sitting on the shelf at the Waterfront Barnes & Noble. Not knowing anything about the vast popularity of the Mortal Instruments series, I picked it up as I was intrigued. Eventually I attempted to start… Continue reading Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare
While waiting for a flight to Ecuador, I realized I had not brought a book to get lost in when I would need to get away from the stress of traveling for a wedding. I figured the magical circus would be the perfect escape. Synopsis The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It… Continue reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
