"InkSpell" By Cornelia Funke

Pages: 635
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Fiction

Back Cover Synopsis: "Although a year has passed, not a day goes by without Meggie thinking of Inkheart, the book whose characters came to life--and changed her life forever.

But for Dustfinger, the fire-eater brought into being from words, the need to return to the original tale has become desperate. When he finds a crooked storyteller with the magical ability to read him back, Dustfinger leaves behind his young apprentice Farid and plunges into the medieval inkscape once more.

Distraught, Farid goes in search of Meggie, and before long both are caught inside the book, too. There they meet Inkheart's author, Fenoglio, now living within his own story. But the tale is much changed, and threatening to evolve in ways none of them could ever have imagined. Will Meggie, Farid, and Fenoglio manage to write the wrongs of a charmed world? Or is their story on the brink of a very bad ending?"

Review: This is the second book of the series--and I adore books of a series. I found it a little harder to get into this one than I did with the first one. But, that might be due to an increased busy life; the end is where I really got into it and couldn't put it down.

All in all, it is a very magical book (for the reader). While I was reading, I was captured in the "what is going to happen next?"--even though it sometimes seemed a little drawn out.

But, I am excited to finish the series with the third book, InkDeath.

The Lovely Blog Award

Callista of SMS Book Reviews has awarded me the Lovely Blog Award.

The rules of accepting this award are to highlight some newly discovered blogs. When I come across one that I find intriguing, I will blog about it. Feel free to submit some of your own book review blogs!

"The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

Pages: 288
Genre: Memoir, Autobiography, Non-Fiction

Back Cover Synopsis: "The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette's brilliant and charismatic father captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn't want the responsibility of raising a family. The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered."

Review: Two words that would describe this book are "disturbing" and "interesting". This poor lady's life is like a trainwreck. I honestly couldn't look away. I wanted to see exactly what happened next in her life. Her parents and her upbringing horrify me, still. For instance, her mother used to hide and eat covertly a chocolate bar under the covers while her children starved for days on end.

The topics addressed in this memoir are not of the easy sort. They are highly disturbing and depressing. But, on the other hand, there are triumphs, joy, and love--even for such a dysfunctional family unit.

Overall, I really enjoyed (maybe not in the normal sense) this memoir. I felt it was honest and brutal, yet uplifting and depressing--full of extremes. I would say this book is worth a shot if you are looking for something new to read.

"Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo" by Obert Skye

Pages: 339
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Fiction

Back Cover Synopsis: "Fourteen-year-old Leven Thumps lives a wretched life in Burnt Culvert, Oklahoma. But his life is about to change and his destiny be fulfilled as he learns about a secret gateway that bridges two worlds--the real world and Foo, a place created at the beginning of time in the folds of the mind that makes it possible for mankind to dream and hope, aspire and imagine. But Foo is in chaos, and three transplants from the dream-world have been sent to retrieve Leven, who alone has the power to save Foo. Enter Clover, a wise-cracking, fuzzy, foot-high sidekick; Winter, a girl with a spectacular gift of her own; and Geth, the exiled but rightful ruler of Foo. Their mission: to convince Leven Thumps that he has the power to save Foo and help him reach the hidden gateway and destroy it before it is too late..."

Review: They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Well, I don't follow that advice all the time. I saw the cover of this book and was immediately intrigued. And I am glad I did. Not only is it an inventive story, but I could relate to the characters. Also, there is a lot of subtle (and not so subtle) humor throughout the book. I loved it. I found myself laughing out loud. Obert Skye is a very talented writer and can really tell a magical and awe-inspiring story.

The concept of Foo amazes me. Basically, it is the land where the all the dreams of our world live. Because of Foo, we can be hopeful, joyful, and imaginative. Without Foo, there would be nothing to live for, nothing to hope for. At that is exactly what Leven Thumps and his "gang" try to stop.

This is the first book of the series. So, if you like reading a series, this is it. Love it! Let me know what you think!