Faery Rebels

 Faery Rebels : Spell Hunter by R.J. Anderson

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (April 28, 2009)
ISBN-10: 006155474X

From School Library Journal

The faery world is crumbling. During a disaster called the Sundering, these small, fragile, winged creatures lost all of their magic save that which allows them to fly, and they live inside a great oak tree, fearful of people and animals. True friendship and love are foreign to them. Worse, they are falling victim to a kind of dementia they call the Silence, and are dying. Into this picture comes Knife: tough, brave, adventurous, and soon taking on the job of Queen's Hunter. While defending herself against an attacking crow, she is rescued and taken home by a human. Knife becomes convinced that the mystery of their lost magic and the dementia are connected to the faeries' fear of humans and becomes committed to saving her community. The heart of the book lies in the relationship that develops between Knife and the human Paul, who is a paraplegic. Anderson draws on echoes from countless fairy tales and legends about the relationships between human men and faerie women to enrich this gripping and involving story. While the main characters are vividly drawn, some of the secondary characters and background story are sketched more hastily.

What an absolute delightful surprise this book was!

Yes it is yet another YA book, very well written, with what sounded like a lot of research into stories that concerned humans and faeries.

This is a small but captivating book.

We watch the main character, Knife, grow up in the Oak Tree always wanting to leave and see the world beyond.  The Queen who works hard to keep her subjects safe, and a few other faeries that become close to Knife as she grows.

Then there is Paul... the human! (horror! haha) We first meet him briefly, as a very young lad, and then some years later in a wheelchair. 

One of the things that kept putting a smirk on my face is that his name is Paul McCormick.  McCormick is my maiden name!  (later on the cover I read that the author RJ Anderson was schooled in New Jersey (where I am originally from)... however, much as I hate to admit this.. I never came across a single winged faery while living there.

This is a story of the Faeries survival.  It is also a story of dreams coming true and of finding love in the strangest places.

The book title seemed to tell me there might be a sequel but it has a very definite ending.

It is a very fast read, and quite enjoyable. Perfect for when you don't think you will have a lot of time to read but want something light and enjoyable.

The Time Quake...Bk. 3

 The Time Quake is my third book for Quest the First. (Having already finished The Journey)

The Time Quake by Linda Buckley-Archer

Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (October 6, 2009)
ISBN-10: 141691529X

 

From Booklist

Readers familiar with Kate, Peter, and Gideon from The Time Travelers (Gideon the Catpurse 2006) and The Time Thief (2007) will happily find that their exciting adventures continue. While greedy Lord Luxon tries to change history by having the British defeat the Americans in 1776, Gideon and the children must overcome obstacles to retrieve the one remaining time machine to stop the quakes and set history aright. In this conclusion of the Gideon trilogy, Buckley-Archer presents a satisfying, yet rather abrupt, neatly packaged conclusion

Taa Daa!... I finished the trilogy!

Book 3 seems to have more history facts then in the other two books, and I found that the author curled the story around it very nicely!  These books would be good for someone to read who wanted some light reading for a Historical Challenge!

Overall the books were very enjoyable. They weren't the kind I couldn't put down (but the past number of months none have been, it's ME not the books!) but I still did enjoy them.  Normally, I am not a fan of Time Travel books, but on the rare occasion I've read a few that suited me, this would be one of them... not too much to overwhelm me!

The characters got separated, so some were in the present and some in the past but the author wrote well enough not to confuse this rattled brain.  When we follow Lord Luxon we get to see Washington crossing over into New Jersey, and he decides he will dispose of Washington and by doing so he will change history .  Not a thought I'd like to ponder!

We also find out in book three that the good man Gideon, who has been helping the children all along has a not so nice brother who he thought was dead. (a little intrigue going on ).

I would say the books were quite enjoyable.  They are YA books and would make excellent read out loud to the kids books.

The Time Thief ..(Bk 2)

Book 2 for  Quest the First!

The Time Thief by Linda Buckley-Archer

Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing(November 25, 2008)
ISBN-10: 1416915281

 

 From Booklist

At the cliff-hanger conclusion to Gideon the Cutpurse (2006), the first book in the Gideon Trilogy, Peter Schock, a twenty-first-century 12-year-old, wound up stranded in 1763. Now, his fellow time traveler, Kate, joins Peter’s father in salvaging a flubbed rescue attempt, one that delivered them to the wrong year (1792) and left their time machine broken. This is a rare middle book in a trilogy that actually outshines its predecessor, and here’s why: Kate and Mr. Schock meet up with Peter, now a middle-aged gentleman, and his agonized decision making (should he reveal his identity or help the visitors continue their mission, possibly erasing his own lifetime from history?) lends the adventure thought-provoking substance. Shifting among numerous perspectives, the tale also benefits from an ingenious crime-caper subplot involving the Tar Man, an eighteenth-century thief who learns to toggle between eras. This isn’t without flaws; the heavy-handed historical scene setting and old-fashioned dialogue may overwhelm some readers. Still, Buckley-Archer has delivered an effective, satisfying sequel that will ensure an audience for the trilogy’s conclusion, in which Gideon will apparently return from offstage

Well now, book 2 has gotten much more interesting then book 1 ! I was prepared for a "middle book", you know the sort.. the one that does nothing much more then fill in between book 1 and book 3..wrong!

This was a very good read!! Not only the the journey continue but it got a whole lot more interesting!  There was more "history" involved and more adventure!  The books are a very good example of mixing a little science fiction with fantasy and history.  (One jump into time travel bringing the kids back to the year 1763)

If I were to find one thing wrong with this book (and book 1) its that it has this tiny blurb on the cover saying, "may very well give J K Rowling a run for her money."  I have come to dislike when things like that are done purely to try to grab a reader who enjoyed HP.  It is nothing even closely like HP ! But they think by putting that on a cover it will get unsuspecting YA to get the book !  Well.. I bought it without noticing that blurb and I"m glad I did because it would have set me into a HP mood and then I would have been very disappointed that it wasn't at all like it.

That being said, now that I've read 2 of the 3 books I can say it is very enjoyable and I can see where any YA reader would get wrapped right up in the story. 

I love that it has small history lessons put in it.  I was never a history buff but I find when small things are put into and adventure or mystery that I do enjoy it very much.  It's not everyday that the name Thomas Paine is mentioned or that men in England still wore the powdered wigs!

I would heartily recommend these books for any YA and even for those of us NOT YA that enjoy ya books!   Try it, you may like it!

The Time Travelers

 

The Time Travelers (The Gideon Trilogy) by Linda Buckley-Archer.

Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; (September 11, 2007)
ISBN-10: 1416915265

(there is a reason I made the photo of the book this way..but you must read it to know why! heh)

Product Description

Previously published as GIDEON THE CUTPURSE

1763

Gideon Seymour, thief and gentleman, hides from the villainous Tar Man. Suddenly the sky peels away like fabric and from the gaping hole fall two curious-looking children. Peter Schock and Kate Dyer have fallen straight from the twenty-first century, thanks to an experiment with an antigravity machine. Before Gideon and the children have a chance to gather their wits, the Tar Man takes off with the machine -- and Peter and Kate's only chance of getting home. Soon Gideon, Peter, and Kate are swept into a journey through eighteenth-century London and form a bond that, they hope, will stand strong in the face of unfathomable treachery.

What an interesting book! I have to admit that it seemed a bit slow at times but overall this was an enjoyable read and I am now curious about book 2, The Time Thief!

Having only read book one, so far, I can say that I think this would be a very nice book to read aloud to young children.  Along with a bit of history of eighteenth century London it is an adventure of finding a way back to their own time.  The young children find Gideon (or is that Gideon who finds the children?) and decides to help them find a way home.  I have to admit, I like this Gideon Character!

Along the way of their adventure the children get to meet some famous people that they knew from their history lessons, and the author has tried to stay true to what it would be like back in the 18th century, written in words so that young people can understand them.

All in all, book one was a good journey into the past and set things up for book two to begin!....

I will see you  again when I finish book 2 !!