The Lost Years of Merlin by T. A. Barron

by Carol1 Comment
The Lost Years of Merlin by T. A. Barron When we bought this, I really had no idea what it would be like, but my daughter had a minor Merlin obsession at the time, so we picked it up. I was pleasantly surprised. The story starts off with a boy, Emrys,  washed up on shore with no memory of who he is or where he came from. The woman who is with him, Branwen, claims to be his mother, but never tells him anything personal or anything about their past, so Emrys is suspicious of her claim. As he gets older, he develops unusual powers. The turning point in the book is when, in defense of Branwen, he uses those powers to kindle a fire, almost killing another person and blinding himself. As he is healing, he learns to use his "second sight" instead of his eyes. At the age of twelve, Emrys sets off alone to find the truth about who he...
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Laced with Magic by Barbara Bretton

by Carol3 Comments
    Laced with Magic by Barbara Bretton Even if you're a sorceress-in-training, finding your true love does not guarantee your problems are all over. In fact, it's just the opposite in this follow-up to Casting Spells, which I reviewed last week. This story picks up where it left off. Bretton does a good job of giving enough of the background, though, that readers new to the sereis could catch right on. Chloe Hobbs, sorceress-in-training and owner of Sticks & Strings knitting shop, has fallen head-over-heels for Luke MacKenzie, a human cop staying temporarily in Sugar Maple, Vermont. Of course, he's the only human in Sugar Maple, but for the most part he manages to get along with vampires, werewolves, etc. But trouble's just around the bend. Luke's ex-wife shows up talking about their dead daughter, Steffie, trying to contact her. Another human is exactly what the townsfolk don't want. To top it off, Luke's daughter's spirit is being held hostage by a Fae leader we already know...
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The Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley

by Carol1 Comment
The Fairy Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, Book 1) by Michael Buckley Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are orphaned after their parents mysteriously disappear. They jump from foster home to the orphanage, to a new foster home and back to the orphanage again. Finally, their Granny Relda claims them and has them brought home to Ferryport Landing. Through the first part of the book, Sabrina is convinced that the old lady is crazy and not even their grandmother. After all, their father had told them their grandmother was dead and Relda herself goes on about giants and sprites and has a room that no one is allowed in to. Relda claims that the Grimms have been writing about real events for years, events that others refer to as fairy tales. Eventually, though, Sabrina has to admit that all the stories are real. Ferryport Landing truly is populated with all the fairy tale creatures you can think of: the three little pigs, giants, Prince Charming,...
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Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny

by Carol3 Comments
Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny Exiled to the Shadows for centuries, a man more than mortal awakens in an Earth hospital with no memory of his past and is surrounded by enemies who hunger for his destruction. For Corwin is the rightful successor to the throne of the real world. But to rule, he must conquer impossible realities and demonic assassins . . . and survive the most insidious malevolence imaginable wrought by his own family. My thoughts: This is a fun, quick fantasy. It also features one of the most dysfunctional families I've ever met. Having Corwin wake up with amnesia is an interesting technique. It allows us to learn about his world and family at the same time he does. As he figures out how walking in the Shadows works, so do we. As he tries to figure out who he can trust and who he can't, so do we.  Of course, he can't trust anyone. When your  siblings can...
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The Light of Burning Shadows by Chris Evans

by Carol3 Comments
The Light of Burning Shadows: Book Two of the Iron Elves by Chris Evans "They might be doomed, damned, and buggered for all eternity, but that didn't mean they couldn't sparkle like a diamond in the sun and grin like a skull in the moonlight on their way to oblivion." Musket and cannon, bow and arrow, and magic and diplomacy vie for supremacy once again in this second epic fantasy adventure from acclaimed author Chris Evans. As the human-dominated Calahrian Empire struggles to maintain its hold on power in the face of armed rebellion from within, the Iron Elves' perilous quest to defeat the power-hungry elf witch, the Shadow Monarch, takes on greater urgency. The Iron Elves, shunned by their own people for bearing the mark of the Shadow Monarch, and desperately wanting to forever erase this shame, became legendary for their prowess on the battlefield as the Calahrian Imperial Army's elite shock troops. But when their commanding officer, Konowa Swift Dragon, murdered...
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Game Night- Small World

by Carol2 Comments
Small World Designer: Philippe Keyaerts Manufacturer: Days of Wonder Year: 2009 Players: 2 - 5 Time: 40 - 80 minutes Ages: 8 and up Description: In Small World, players vie for conquest and control of a world that is simply too small to accommodate them all. Small World is inhabited by a zany cast of characters such as dwarves, wizards, amazons, giants, orcs and even humans; who use their troops to occupy territory and conquer adjacent lands in order to push the other races off the face of the earth. Picking the right combination from the 14 different fantasy races and 20 unique special powers, players rush to expand their empires -- often at the expense of weaker neighbors. Yet they must also know when to push their own over-extended civilization into decline and ride a new one to victory. Small World's design emphasizes the playful fantasy theme with rich details and components that beg to be played. My thoughts: One of our friends brought this over about two weeks...
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