Witches

FLASH REVIEW: New Halloween Books

Just in time for Halloween we have received some new, very readable Halloween books that kids of all ages can enjoy.

The Monster who Lost his Mean by Tiffany Strelitz Haber
Rating: 3/5 stars
Genre: Picture Book 
When Monster looses his custom made “M” he becomes Onster, a monster without his mean.  As such he is ridiculed by the other monsters and this distresses him greatly until he realizes being a “M”onster who is mean is not as enjoyable as it used to be.  Instead he finds joy with some new human friends to whom he is Onster, the nice monster down the street who can be a helpful friend. I really enjoyed this lighthearted look at being a monster.  With its bright, colorful illustrations this book is engaging and will bring out the “Onster” in your little reader!

Zombie in Love by Kelly Dipucchio
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Genre: Picture Book
Poor Mortimer, a zombie is looking for love in all the wrong places until he finally meets Mildred at Cupid’s Ball.  Then it is “love at first bite”.  This charming little picture book struck me as a clever read-aloud for our Trick or Treat storytime.  Following the trend for Zombie/post-apocalyptic settings in new books, this storybook follows the trend with humor, and a sweet tale of zombie love.  The illustrations are sure to make older preschoolers/kindergartners laugh and the tale is endearing without being sappy.  On the whole a fun read for all!

Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble by Tracey Corderoy
Rating: 4/5 starts
Genre: Picture Book
In the ultimate of Granny Makeovers, a little girl takes her “different” witch granny and makes her into a “normalish” granny.  However, with this change, all involved discover that they don’t like this new granny and with a flick of her wand, Granny becomes her usual, quirky self.  This books message of loving family members for themselves is delivered in a fun manner, with rhyming text and fun colorful illustrations.  Granny herself is a hoot and the book wraps up with a fun beach vacation accompanied by all the cats, bats, and frogs is just funny.  Kiddos will enjoy the concoction of the gloopy soup which includes such ingredient as slime and “froggy poop”.  Of the three books that I have reviewed here, I think that this one is my favorite as it is fun, has a good message, and well, just reminds me of spending time with my Granny when I was a little girl.

REVIEW: A Discovery of Witches and The Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Star Rating: 4.5/5
Genre: Supernatural Fantasy/Time Travel
Audience: Adult, Young Adult

Summary: In two sweeping novels that range in setting from modern-day Oxford to Elizabethan England, Deborah Harkness tells the story of the lovers Matthew and Diana, a vampire and witch who are breaking every taboo to be together.  It all begins when Diana calls up the alchemical treatise “Ashmole 782”.  Unbeknownst to Diana, this manuscript has not been seen in hundreds of years and is said to hold the key to the origins of the three races; witches, vampires and daemons.  Subsequently, Diana simply sends it back to the Bodlien Library’s stacks.  With this one act, Diana suddenly finds herself the object of a race against time, at the center of a powerful magic, and in a struggle for her very life and that of the vampire she loves. 

Lucinda’s Views:   I have a confession to make, I have a guilty pleasure.  I love a good supernatural love story/fantasy, so I eagerly grabbed A Discovery of Witches when it first came out.  Then I heard that the sequel was arriving, so I got out my handy Nook and reread A Discovery of Witches.  It was as absorbing a book as it had been during the first read.  Diana’s tenaciousness and true strength of character draws the reader in and holds them in thrall until the last page.  Matthew is the quintessential vampire hero, strong, protective, and a little bit of an enigma.  As seen in Shadow of Night, Matthew has been a hidden player throughout much of our modern era, including being a member of the School of Night.  (An organization founded by Sir Walter Raleigh during Elizabeth I’s reign.  It consisted of some of the most gifted minds of the day.)  Anyone who loves the combination of history and fantasy will enjoy this aspect of the novels.  These book are well-written, interesting, and will hold a fascination for any reader who picks them up.  I can’t wait for the third novel in the trilogy to be published!