Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Holiday Book Reviews

Happy Holidays


The Fifth Doll

4-star review of The Fifth Doll by Charlie Holmberg

Well-written as all of Mrs. Holmberg’s books are, but I found it a bit disturbing. Very imaginative. Nesting dolls are part of Russian culture, but she has used them in a unique way. Matrona lives in an idyllic insular village but is attracted to a younger man although she’s betrothed to another. Returning a paintbrush to Slava thought to be a tradesman and living in the largest house in the village begins her journey. The bit of Russian history, retold in the middle of the book, was probably unnecessary although it explained part of Slava’s motivation. The mystery of the dolls in Slava’s home and of the village is revealed piece by piece the same way as the dolls are exposed from first to fifth.


Ye Olde Magick Shoppe

4-star review of Ye Olde Magick Shoppe by Claire Buss

Fun-filled as always when Ned Spinks and Jenni are on the scene. A mysterious magic shop has appeared in town and when the investigator and the sprite from The Rose Thief, well, investigate, they’re spirited away to a spot miles out of Roshaven. How will they get back and thwart the owner of the shop? A quick read guaranteed to bring a few laughs.


The Dragon Reborn (Wheel of Time, #3)

5-star review of The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan

The third book in the Wheel of Time series continues to follow the adventures of Rand, Perrin, Mat, Nynaeve and Egwene from the Twin Rivers, Elayne the daughter-heir to the throne of Andor, and Moiraine the Aes Sedai and Lan her Warder. Despite their fleeing Tar Valon in book 2, the girls are raised to the level of Accepted. They take off again after thirteen Black Ajah. Perrin is with Moiraine, Lan and Loial on his own path, and Mat with Thom (yes, Thom’s back!) but all of the paths converge, like the threads in a pattern. This is what it means to be Ta’veren.

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