Kirsten John – Mia Reihe/ Mia Series

This is a children’s book series that has sadly not been published in English yet, but really should. For a short English review please see further below.

Kirsten John – Dornröschen, der Märchenprinz und meine total verrückte Tante

Hardcover
Verlag: Arena
veröffentlicht 2011
Seiten: 123

Book on Amazon

Klappentext:

Das darf doch nicht wahr sein! Mia ist direkt in Dornröschens Schloss gelandet. Und was jetzt? Hier sind alle viel zu schläfrig, um Mia zu helfen. Außerdem stellt sich heraus, dass sie versehentlich den Prinzen k.o. geschlagen hat, der Dornröschen wachküssen soll. Wie kann das Schloss nur erlöst werden und Mia nach Hause kommen? Ein Glück, dass wenigstens Küchenjunge Jakob auf ihrer Seite ist!

Kirsten John – Schneewittchen, der Nervzwerg und die verflixte Schokotorte

Hardcover
Verlag: Arena
veröffentlicht 2011
Seiten: 126

Book on Amazon

Klappentext:

Mia und ihr Frosch Jakob wollen unbedingt ins Märchen der „Froschkönig“ reisen – doch leider landen die beiden Pechvögel bei den sieben Zwergen. Dort treffen sie das quicklebendige Schneewittchen, das Mia prompt als Brautjungfer für ihre Hochzeit mit dem Prinzen engagiert. Doch die böse Königin schmiedet immer noch finstere Pläne. Mia und Jakob müssen das Schlimmste verhindern!

Kirsten John – Aschenputtel, der goldene Schuh und der Prinz mit der Beule

Hardcover
Verlag: Arena
veröffentlicht 2012
Seiten: 122

Book on Amazon

Klappentext:

Mia und ihr Frosch Jakob geraten unfreiwillig in das Märchen vom Aschenputtel. Natürlich wollen die beiden schleunigst wieder nach Hause, doch zuerst müssen sie den Prinzen davon überzeugen, wer seine richtige Braut ist: nämlich ganz bestimmt nicht Mia! Auch wenn sie der Aschenputtel-Prinzessin zum Verwechseln ähnlich sieht und der goldene Schuh angegossen passt!

In Kürze:

+ eine Variation Grimmscher Märchen
+ wunderbare Abenteuer mit einer tollen und eigensinnigen Protagonistin
+ lustig und unterhaltsam
+ flüssig und lebhaft erzählt

Meinung:

Diese Buchreihe (es fehlt mir jetzt nur noch ein Buch) ist wunderbar unterhaltsam, lustig und spannend. Im Zentrum der Aufmerksamkeit steht Mia, die bei ihrer Tante lebt, während ihre Eltern auf Geschäftsreise sind. Auch wenn sie am Anfang nicht sonderlich davon begeistert war, ist Mia jedoch froh, da sie nun mehr oder weniger guten Zugang zu einem magischen Märchenbuch hat. Wenn Mia die Seiten des Buches berührt, wird sie direkt in das Märchen gezogen. Dabei muss sie nicht nur aufpassen nicht entdeckt zu werden, sondern sie muss auch darauf achten, die Geschichte des Märchens nicht zu verändern. Das ist jedoch leichter gesagt als getan.
Die Reihe ist wirklich ein Traum. Der Schreibstil ist flüssig und lebhaft, die Charaktere sind einzigartig und skurril. Als Mias Tante die Kuckucksuhr füttern möchte, habe ich laut lachen müssen – die Vorstellung ist einfach herrlich. Mia ist eine muntere, abenteuerlustige, manchmal auch recht eigensinnige (dabei aber nicht nervende) Protagonistin, die mich in diese Bücher gezogen hat, so dass ich gleich weiterlesen musste.

Fazit:

Eine wunderbare Reihe, die wirklich sehr zu empfehlen ist. Eine tolle Abenteuer-Märchen Reihe.

In English:

All three books in this series are really short and sweet. Mia has to stay with her aunt when her parents go on a business trip. Although she doesn’t like the idea at first, she is intrigued by her aunt’s strange behavior and her whispering book of fairy tales. When she opens the book, she is drawn into the story of Sleeping Beauty, (and later Snow White and Cinderella). Her arrival causes some problems and Mia soon discovers that the prince is no help at all. So, it is up to her to stop the 13th fairy.
It is a wonderful series with a lovely and strong main character and a great adventure at its heart. The writing is fluid and vivid. The illustrations are beautiful and the stories are funny and exiting. A really great series for girls.

Rating:

Alan Bennett – The Uncommon Reader

paperback
publisher: Profile Books
published 2007
pages: 121

Book on Amazon

Blurb:

Led by her yapping Corgis to the Westminster travelling library outside Buckingham Palace, the Queen finds herself taking out a novel by Ivy Compton-Burnett. Duff read though it is, the following week her choice proves more enjoyable and awakens in Her Majesty a passion for reading so great that her public duties begin to suffer. And so, as she devours work by everyone from Hardy to Brookner to Proust to Beckett, her equerries conspire to bring the Queen’s library odyssey to a close.

In (Very) Short:

+ the Queen as main protagonist – that in itself should be enough

+ a story about the love for reading

+ what would happen to the Queen if her life was dominated by books

+ a little conspiracy thrown into the novella

My Opinion:

A lot of people have recommended this short book to me. Somehow I was afraid, that I would not like it as much as I was supposed to. And though I really enjoyed it, I was not so blown away as many wanted me to be. But I cannot say why.

It was a lovely book and lovely story: the Queen discovers her passion for reading. While that might be fine for many people, her staff and her people were not as thrilled. If you always wanted to know what her life would look like, if books ruled the world, pick Bennett’s story up.

I felt for her when her staff tried to discourage her habits, looking down on her new hobby. Something that I have somehow experienced myself, but to a lesser degree. I loved her desire to read, her tenaciousness about it, and the witty comments on particular authors whom I felt similar about.

The writing is wonderfully fluent and for the lack of a better word fluffy. I felt like the words carried me through the story and I felt very safe. There is something so serene and beautiful about the writing. The story idea is unique (I’d like to say) and the conspiracy gives it a little bit of spice. But for some reason I can’t help to like Gin O’Clock more and I know that is a very different genre.

Bottom Line:

All in all, this was a great and entertaining read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Rating:

Alison Goodman – Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye

paperback
publisher: David Flicking Books
published 2008
pages: 430

Book on Amazon

Blurb:

Two swords, angled for slicing, came whirring towards my chest. My block was simple: a step back of the back leg, a shift of weight, my right sword joining the left in front of me, cutting side slanted down. His blades hit mine. The impact resonated through my arm bones.
Does young Eon have the power to become a Dragoneye? Now the years of grueling training, under a ruthlessly ambitious master, will be put to the test: it’s time for the terrifying Rat Dragon to choose his next apprentice.

In (Very) Short:

+ a great young adult fantasy adventure

+ exiting, entertaining, thrilling

+ great world creation, wonderful characters

+ the struggle within the character do not overshadow the bigger battle fought between good and evil

My Opinion:

I had this book on my shelf for some time now, and I can’t quite believe that it took me so long to read it. I was a great book – entertaining, adventurous, and touching upon topics that I have not come across in fantasy yet.

Eon is really Eona, who pretends to be a boy in order to be chosen as Dragoneye. Girls are not allowed to have dragon magic. After a long time of pretending and living as a boy, after hours and hours of training, the time has come for the Rat Dragon to pick his new Dragoneye apprentice. Though the Rat Dragon does not choose Eon, the Mirror Dragon, which has been lost for over 500 years, returns and claims Eon. This miraculous return initiates a power struggle. Can Eon keep up appearance while being the center of everyone’s attention.

This story was an adventure story without the love triangle or any other true-love related theme. It focused on Eona’s identity crises and her journey of coming to terms with the truth. I enjoyed that Eona was not suddenly powerful and cunning, but that she was lost and slowly learning and understanding. This gave us time to learn and understand the world alongside her.

The world creation was wonderful, the characters well-developed, the writing vivid, fluent and yet again fluffy. I was carried through the story. I particularly liked that Eona’s gender crisis (having lived as Eon for so long, she has suppressed Eona, who struggles to break free) or issue was not limited to the main character. It is also present in other characters such as Lady Della. She is biologically a man who lives as a woman.

It is the first time for me that I came cross the transgender and transsexual topic as being part of a fantasy narrative. I would have preferred that the issue was more accepted and normal within this fantasy world. But I loved that Lady Della is respected in her own country and (partially) at court, and that she has accepted who she is.

Bottom Line:

A great story, wonderful world creation, and new and interesting topics. An exiting fantasy adventure.

Rating:

March Book Haul

I did not plan to buy any. I never do. But they honestly just called my name. 🙂

Annelie Wendeberg – The Devil’s Grin

In Victorian London’s cesspool of crime and disease, a series of murder remains undiscovered until a cholera victim floating in the city’s drinking water supply. Dr. Anton Kronberg, England’s best bacteriologist, is called upon to investigate and finds evidence of abduction and medical maltreatment. While Scotland Yard has little interest in pursuing the case, Kronberg pushes on and crosses paths with Sherlock Holmes. The detective immediately discovers Kronberg’s secret – a woman masquerading as a man in order to practice medicine – a criminal deed that could land her in prison for years to come. But both must join forces to stop a crime so monstrous, it outshines Jack the Ripper’s deeds in brutality and cold-bloodedness.

I was at a reading of The Devil’s Grin and I really wanted to know how it continues. It’s a crime story and it is set in Sherlockian England, so I couldn’t resist and I have read it already.

Mary Janice Davidson – Sleeping with the Fishes

Fred is a mermaid. But stop right there. Whatever image you’re thinking of right now, forget it. Fred is not blonde. She’s not buxom. And she’s definitely not perky. In fact, Fred can be downright cranky. And it doesn’t help matters that her hair is ocean-colored.
Being a mermaid does help Fred when she works at the New England Aquarium.But, needless to say, it’s there that she gets involved in something fishy. Weird levels of toxins been found in the local water. A gorgeous marine biologist wants her help investigating. So does her mer-person ruler, the High Prince of the Black Sea. You’d think it would be easy for a mermaid to get to the bottom of things, Think again…

I stumbled over this book and I got it for a bargain. The cover caught my eye. I am not sure I actually like it, but I have never read anything about mermaids (except for The Little Mermaid and that was a long time ago). So, why not include another supernatural creature.

Walt Disney Comic Collection

This collection contains 10 Disney Comic Books. I don’t think this is essentially the correct term and genre, but since I don’t know any better, I am just gonna call it that. I have been eyeing it for a while and I finally couldn’t resist. I love them. They are so beautiful and precious and wonderful.

Agatha Christie – The Thirteen Problems

One Tuesday evening a group gathers at Miss Marple’s house and the conversation turns to unsolved crimes…
As each of her guests is mystified by the sinister tales they tell one another, the company is inclined to forget their elderly host. But there is a ruthless precision in Miss Marple’s pursuit of the killers in each tale…and a few surprises in store for ‘The Tuesday Night Club’.

Another Christie. What more can I say. I have to keep my Agatha Christie Reading Challenge in mind and so I really was „forced“ to buy one. 🙂

Alan Bradley – Speaking from Among the Bones

Eleven-year-old amateur detective and ardent chemist Flavia de Luce is used to digging up clues. What she is not accustomed to is digging up bodies. Upon the five-hundredth anniversary of Saint Tancred’s death, the English hamlet of Bishop’s Lacey is busily preparing to open its patron saint’s tomb. Nobody is more excited to peek inside the crypt than Flavia, yet what she finds will halt the proceedings dead in their tracks: the body of Mr. Collicutt, the church organist, his face inexplicably masked. Who held such a gruesome vendetta against him? The irrepressible Flavia decides to find out. And what she unearths will prove there’s no such thing as an open-and-shut case.

Flavia de Luce, my (currently) second favorite sleuth in the book world. This is the 5th book in the series. I doubt she has aged a day and the people in her village just die like flies. I am really looking forward to this. Bradley has never disappointed me so far.

My Reading Month March

Lately, coordinating life, work, writing, and reading has been a little tricky. That’s why I am so behind on everything. I really hope to catch up soon. Please bear with me.
My reading month was quite good. Though it is not a lot, I enjoyed the books and they helped to stop my brain from going into overdrive.

Adam Switz – Eine Dunkle und Grimmige Geschichte

I started my month with this little treasure. It is a retelling of many of Grimm’s fairy tales (supposedly the true story). All the fairy tales are beautifully connected and you can still read this story by story without loosing sight of the overall link. When I read it, I thought is was actually quite bloody and gruesome, but thinking about the original fairy tales – it really isn’t different. They are brutal. Still, I have never perceived them that way. Anyway. It was a really good and entertaining read.

Jesse Andrews – Ich und Earl und das sterbende Mädchen

There are a lot of cancer/terminal illness books and/or movies out there apparently. I have to confess that I have not read John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, yet. But after reading this book, I will some time soon. I really enjoyed the read. It was an interesting way of addressing the topic of death and loss. The writing was fluent and altogether a really good read.

Annelie Wendeberg – The Devil’s Grin

After my dose of serious contemporary fiction, I fled into Sherlock’s arms. The Devil’s Grin is a crime story, with a female protagonists, who dresses as a man in order to work as a bacteriologist. Her secret is discovered by Holmes, who does not tell, but helps her investigate a case the police has dropped. Altogether, it was a solid read. I am not sure, how I feel about Anne Kronberg (the protagonist), and this version of Sherlock, but with Benedict Cumberbatch in my head, everything is good.

Dieter Nuhr – Nuhr auf Sendung

This is a book by a German comedian and it contains short diary-like pieces in which the author reflects on his life, his country and the world. Really funny and enjoyable. Loved it because it was short and I could read it in between appointments or during a break.

Marie Lu – Legend

I have been eyeing my final book for a while now and I finally caved. I really enjoyed it. The story might have been a little predictable and some readers did not like the very fast developing love between the protagonists. It did not bother me, because it did not feel like it was dominating the narrative. I really enjoyed the world building, which I hope to read more about. The entire conspiracy is intriguing. So, I am very interested to see how this one turns out.