Tag: brandon sanderson

Book Review: Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians (Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians #1) by Brandon Sanderson

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Middle Grade Fantasy
Length: 320 pages
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Starscape
Release Date: May 3rd, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Experience the action-packed first book in #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson’s laugh-out-loud middle-grade fantasy series like never before― Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians is now in paperback with all new covers!

AN ANCIENT RIVALRY REAWAKENS.

Everything I’d known about the world was a lie.

On my thirteenth birthday, I, Alcatraz Smedry ( yes, I got named after a prison, don’t ask ) received my a bag of sand . And then I accidentally destroyed my foster parents’ kitchen. It’s not my fault, things just break around me, I swear !

I thought the sand was a joke until evil Librarians came to steal it. You’re probably thinking, “Librarians are nice people who recommend good books,” but that’s just what they want you to think! It turns out they’re actually a secret cult keeping the truth from you―a hidden world filled with magical eyeglasses, talking dinosaurs, and knights with crystal swords!

Or so my Grandpa Smedry claimed when he suddenly showed up to rescue me. So now I have to go with him to invade the local library and get that sand back, before it’s used to conquer the world. And Grandpa says how I keep breaking things is actually an amazing talent. There’s no way that can all be true, right?

Will I ever make it back home alive?

LOL.

This book had me snickering. I’ve been wanting to read Sanderson’s full backlist and this series has been on my radar, but I’m generally just not a middle-grade reader. This had me questioning that statement. I thought this was a lot of fun and fit the genre well. I would be able to hand this to a young kid easily.

I loved the concept and narrative. The unreliable and a bit chaotic Alcatraz brought the house down in keeping me on my toes. I enjoyed the side characters and the general concept of evil librarians (and the theme that knowledge should be available for all and not controlled by the ones at the top).

A great book and I look forward to continuing the series.

Overall audience notes:

  • Middle grade dystopian fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: low

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: December 2024

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How is it the end of the year again? I wrapped it up with a few less books (reading Rhythm of War and Wind and Truth will do that to you). But a good month to end 2024.

Favorites of the month:

  • Rhythm of War (reread)
  • A Monsoon Rising
  • Beg, Borrow, or Steal
  • O Goalie Night
  • Wind and Truth
  • Exes Don’t
  • Holiday Hostilities
  • Is She Really Going Out with Him?
  • All the Missing Pieces
  • In the Wake of the Wicked

Least favorites:

  • The Island House
  • Merry Little Match by Celine Rachelle
  • [Reread] Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archives #4) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Stranger Skies (Drowned Gods #2) by Pascale Lacelle
  • [ARC/ALC] A Monsoon Rising (The Hurricane Wars #2) by Thea Guanzon
  • Since We’ve No Place to Go
  • Servant of the Earth (The Shards of Magic #1) by Sarah Hawley
  • [ARC] Beg, Borrow, or Steal (When in Rome #3) by Sarah Adams
  • Have Yourself a Married Little Christmas by Claire Cain
  • The Serpent and the Wolf (Dark Inheritance Trilogy #1) by Rebecca Robinson
  • [ARC] Lady Anna’s Favor by Karen Tuft
  • O Goalie Night by K.M. Gillis
  • My December Darling by Lauren Asher
  • One Night Two Holidays by Ali Brady
  • [ARC] A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya
  • [ARC] Dating and Dragons (Dungeons and Drama #1) by Kristy Boyce
  • 12 Days of Mistletoe by Jen Atkinson
  • That Time We Kissed Under the Mistletoe (Abieville Love Stories #4) by Julie Christianson
  • Wind and Truth (The Stormlight Archive #5) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Games Untold (The Inheritance Games #4.5) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
  • [ALC] Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan
  • A Kingdom of Shadows (A City of Flames #2) by Rina Vasquez
  • An Honorable Deception (The Imposters #3) by Roseanna M. White
  • We Could Be Villains (The Vigil & Ante Files #1) by Megan McCullough
  • Twenty-Four Seconds from Now… by Jason Reynolds
  • [ALC] Breath of the Dragon (Breathmarked #1) by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee
  • Exes Don’t (Fall in Love #3) by Leah Dobrinska
  • Holiday Hostilities (Cyclones Christmas #2) by Katie Bailey
  • The Island House (Getaway Bay Romances #1) by Elana Johnson
  • Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens
  • [ARC] All the Missing Pieces by Catherine Cowles
  • In the Wake of the Wicked by V.B. Lacey
  • The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry

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Book Review: Wind and Truth (The Stormlight Archive #5) by Brandon Sanderson

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Epic Fantasy
Length: 1330 pages
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: December 6th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The long-awaited explosive climax to the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive―the iconic epic fantasy masterpiece that has sold more than 10 million copies, from acclaimed bestselling author Brandon Sanderson.

Dalinar Kholin challenged the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare―and the sudden ascension of the crafty and ruthless Taravangian to take Odium’s place has thrown everything into disarray.

Desperate fighting continues simultaneously worldwide―Adolin in Azimir, Sigzil and Venli at the Shattered Plains, and Jasnah at Thaylen City. The former assassin, Szeth, must cleanse his homeland of Shinovar from the dark influence of the Unmade. He is accompanied by Kaladin, who faces a new battle helping Szeth fight his own demons . . . and who must do the same for the insane Herald of the Almighty, Ishar.

At the same time, Shallan, Renarin, and Rlain work to unravel the mystery behind the Unmade Ba-Ado-Mishram and her involvement in the enslavement of the singer race and in the ancient Knights Radiants killing their spren. And Dalinar and Navani seek an edge against Odium’s champion that can be found only in the Spiritual Realm, where memory and possibility combine in chaos. The fate of the entire Cosmere hangs in the balance.

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT?

This was arguably my biggest release of 2024. I have been waiting YEARS to get my hands on this book and y’all. It delivered and MORE. AND MORE. I honestly don’t even know how to put all my thoughts into coherent sentences. I’ll keep it vague so if you happen to read this without having read Stormlight yet, you’ll be okay. BUT ALSO GO READ IT.

I loved how Sanderson handled every single character in this story. The arcs are MAGNIFICENT. They are empowering and gives you hope and faith in something greater. I am in love with every member of this cast and I loved the flashbacks we received for a certain character this time and how that journey brought them to where they are now.

There were a few moments I had surmised or theorized happening (that did happen!!) and even more I could not have seen coming. And even more so, things I wasn’t expecting but am so happy to see. I laughed and cried, raged at the skies and shouted STORMS a few hundred times. I hugged this book trying to hug these characters.

Every single moment of the 62 hours I spent with this audiobook (okay less because I was listening at a 2.85x speed) BUT ANYWAYS. The longest book I have ever read was one of the best books of my life.

I just can’t even believe we’re here. The end of the first arc. THE END OF AN ERA.

(I’m excited about Sanderson’s next books but I don’t know how we’re supposed to all wait 10 years for arc two).

Overall audience notes:

  • Epic fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high

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