Tag Archives: elves

Review: Through the Moon: A Dragon Prince Graphic Novel by Peter Wartman and Xanthe Bouma

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , ,
Through the Moon: The Dragon Prince Graphic Novel Series #1 by Peter Wartman and Xanthe Bouma cover shows a human boy's face upside up and a girl elf's face upside down, separated by a glowing phoenix feather

Through the Moon (Dragon Prince Graphic Novel #1)
Peter Wartman and Xanthe Bouma
Graphix
Published October 6, 2020

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Through the Moon

Don’t miss this exclusive, original story set between seasons 3 and 4 of the hit animated series THE DRAGON PRINCE!

The Dragon Prince has been reunited with his mother, the Human Kingdoms and Xadia are at peace, and humans and elves alike are ready to move on. Only Rayla is still restless. Unable to believe Lord Viren is truly dead, and haunted by questions about the fate of her parents and Runaan, she remains trapped between hope and fear.

When an ancient ritual calls her, Callum, and Ezran to the Moon Nexus, she learns the lake is a portal to a world between life and death. Rayla seizes the opportunity for closure-and the chance to confirm that Lord Viren is gone for good.But the portal is unstable, and the ancient Moonshadow elves who destroyed it never intended for it to be reopened. Will Rayla’s quest to uncover the secrets of the dead put her living friends in mortal danger?Don’t miss this exclusive, original graphic novel from Peter Wartman and Xanthe Bouma, with story by THE DRAGON PRINCE creators Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond!

My Review

I kept seeing this book around. The first place I saw it was on my library’s ebook database, but I wasn’t able to check it out there. I ended up ordering a copy without realizing this is part of a much larger project and takes place between seasons of a Netflix series.

I didn’t have any trouble following the plot of the book even despite knowing nothing about it when I picked it up. The story left me with a lot of questions that I think watching the series or reading the other books would answer. It takes place after a lot of bonds and relationships have formed, so if you want to see how those come about or feel like knowing the results would spoil the beginning of the series, definitely don’t start with this novel first.

I enjoyed the storytelling and the beautiful panels. I tend to like sweeping fantasy graphic novels with really immersive illustrations, and this book definitely delivers that.

Would I continue the series? I think I would watch the Netflix series first and catch up before moving forward with the books.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Some characters are elves with pointed ears and horns on their heads. The book alludes to tension between these two races and how they’re only now beginning to be able to overcome it.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Characters use a phoenix feather to complete a ritual allowing a phoenix to be reborn. Another ritual will open a doorway between the living and those who’ve passed on.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. An appearance of a scary spider-like monster.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amparo Ortiz

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

Last Sunrise in Eterna
Amparo Ortiz
Page Street Press
Published March 28, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Last Sunrise in Eterna

Three teenagers are invited to spend seven days on the secluded island floating off the coast of Puerto Rico to learn the magic of the elves.

All they have to do is give up their dreams.

Seventeen-year-old goth Sevim Burgos hates elves. Everyone else on earth loves the elves (especially their handsome princes) and would give anything to participate in Eterna’s annual Exchange, where three teens can trade their dreams for a week of elven magic.

But Sevim knows things most people don’t. She can see through the illusions the elves use to conceal their crimes. Ever since elves killed her father, Sevim has longed for revenge. So to help support her single mother, she has been selling abandoned elf corpses on the black market.

But it turns out that the elf prince Aro has noticed Sevim bodysnatching, so he kidnaps her mother in retaliation. To get her mother back, Sevim must participate in the Exchange.

In the home of the elves, Sevim will have to surrender her dreams and put her trust in the charming prince who took the last family member she has in order to master the art of elf magic. And in working with him, she will discover how the royal elves might be more tied to her own history than she ever suspected.

My Review

I liked several things about LAST SUNRISE IN ETERNA. First, I loved the setting. The story takes place in Puerto Rico, and all the characters have brown skin. I loved that we got to see elves reimagined as Puerto Rican and anchored to the island and language. I’ve never read anything like this, so it felt very fresh and pulled me in.

Second, I liked the characters, especially Sevim, Aro, and his brother, Feyn. Sevim goes full speed ahead, even when she knows she’s outmatched. Her determination and her loyalty to her mom along with her refusal to believe things just because someone told her they were so made me a big fan from the early chapters of the book.

The plot also goes some interesting places, some that I really didn’t expect. That plus the Puerto Rican elves element gave the whole book a totally unique vibe for me. I really enjoyed reading something so different and with such high stakes.

I struggled a bit with the writing at times. It seemed to jump around a bit, so that sometimes I had to reread things before I could figure out what was going on. I read an ARC, a pre-release version, of the book, so it’s possible that the final version reads more smoothly. Or it could just be me– I was reading pretty fast because I wanted to know what happened next.

All in all, I think fans of this author’s earlier books will not be disappointed in this one. I think fans of TOGETHER WE BURN by Isabel Ibañez will love the magic and high-stakes adventure of LAST SUNRISE IN ETERNA.

Content Notes for Last Sunrise in Eterna

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Major characters have brown skin. Sevim is Puerto Rican.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Brief mentions of attraction between two boys.

Spiritual Content
Elves have magic and the ability to create illusions that affect how humans see them. Other characters have the opportunity to gain magic through challenges and other rituals.

In a dream, Sevim encounters a character who talks about feeding on the magic of others.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some descriptions of battle violence. In a couple scenes, Sevim encounters the bodies of elf children who’ve been mutilated. The person responsible for the mutilation talks about enjoying harming them.

Drug Content
Sevim takes an elixir that is meant to allow her to see through the elves’ illusions.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of LAST SUNRISE IN ETERNA in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar from Elsewhere by Jaclyn Moriarty

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar From Elsewhere
Jaclyn Moriarty
Allen & Unwin
Published November 1, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar from Elsewhere

Let me get this straight. I’m on a trip with the following people:
1) Bronte, a girl who makes magical ‘Spellbinding’ rings,
2) Alejandro, a former pirate/current prince who can shoot arrows and make fire from stones,
3) Imogen, who can read broken maps and is a kickboxing master,
4) Esther, who saved her entire world from some kind of ancient monster,
5) Astrid, a smart ten year old who can read minds, and
6) Gruffudd, a surprisingly speedy (and always hungry) Elf.

And who am I? Just a kid who skips school to ride a skateboard.

The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar from Elsewhere is the account of Monday through Friday of last week. That’s when Oscar found himself on a quest to locate nine separate pieces of a key, held by nine separate people, in order to unlock a gluggy silver spell that had trapped the Elven city of Dun-sorey-lo-vay-lo-hey. The quest was an urgent one. Friday at noon, the spell would become permanent, the Elves would be crushed to death and Oscar would be trapped in this magical world forever. (The account, it should be noted, has been written at the request of a small public school’s Deputy Principal. She wants to know exactly what Oscar considered more important than coming to school last week.)

From the award-winning Jaclyn Moriarty comes an enchanting tale of cryptic challenges, breathtaking danger and 360 kick flips.

My Review

Years ago I read A CORNER OF WHITE by Jaclyn Moriarty, and I remember really liking her writing style and the way that her characters have a lot going on inside them. It was also a portal book, so I figured another portal book by Moriarty would be a good idea.

And it was. Just like her other book, I found this one to have a great cast of characters. I enjoyed the banter and layered emotions between them. Though it’s the fourth book in the series, I didn’t have any trouble following what was happening. There are some references to events that happened before this book began, some of them from previous books in the series, but they were explained well enough for me to follow. This adventure features characters from earlier books in the series, but it’s a pretty self-contained adventure.

The only thing I wish had been a little different is that the characters had many conversations or arguments. They were always quippy and fun, so the scenes weren’t boring. I guess after a while, it didn’t feel fresh anymore? Despite that, I still enjoyed the conversations between the characters.

I think readers who enjoy portal books, especially books about magical quests, will find a lot to love in this book. The storytelling is pretty gentle, but there’s a lot of humor and fun.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Oscar is Australian. The other characters are from made up places. At least one is described as having bronze skin.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. Some use it to cause harm, and others use it for protection.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. One battle scene.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE ASTONISHING CHRONICLES OF OSCAR FROM ELSEWHERE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

Brisingr
Christopher Paolini
Alfred A Knopf Books
Published September 20, 2008

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

After a crushing defeat at the hand of an unexpected enemy, Eragon and Saphira’s confidence in their abilities remains deeply shaken. They desperately need more training, but first, Eragon must fulfill his promise to his cousin Roran. He must rescue Roran’s beloved from the evil and creepy Ra’Zac.

Immediately upon their return to the rebel camp, both Eragon and Saphira must help protect the troops from Galbatorix’s seemingly invincible armies and the unbelievable strength of the magic supporting them. Eragon and Saphira must uncover the mystery of Galbatorix’s might and come up with a plan to stop him before his power grows too vast to challenge.

I was really excited to learn who Eragon’s father is. It made a lot of sense, and it’s a character that I liked anyway. The dragon Glaedr was another unexpected favorite character for me. Again, the story world is highly developed. The large cast of characters gives Brisingr a definite epic fantasy feel. Some of the battle scenes are more intense than in other books as the war between Eragon and Galbatorix heats up further.

I’ve invested a lot in the series, so I definitely need to read the fourth book, but I still wish each one was shorter and the descriptions of things were reigned in a bit more.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
A girl discovers she’s pregnant, and a wedding for her and her lover is quickly arranged.

Spiritual Content
There is a lot of magic/sorcery-type content as well as telepathy, etc. Obviously the story contains dragons portrayed as thinking, feeling, benevolent creatures.

Violence
Some battle sequences and creepy villain characters. Light to moderate gore with battle injuries.

Drug Content
None.

Save