wingedcreature's reviews
1558 reviews

I really liked it. The thing I thought was most interesting was that the entire book was told in poems. It was refreshing to see Anke's thoughts just spilling out onto the page, but at the same time, I felt like I was just an observer. The poetry made it really easy to follow but it also added a certain complexity to it.

The ending felt a little rushed, and it would have been nice to see what happened to her dad, her friend Angeline, and a couple other people mentioned in the book.

Overall, it was realistic and very emotional. I give it a 4 out of 5.

It was a pretty interesting read. It alternated between stories about the different presidents and the background/history/culture of the Secret Service.

The whole cutting corners thing is a bit scary: there were several instances throughout the book where it’s mentioned that crowds were allowed into events without going through the magnetometers, which were shut off early in order to get the crowds through.

There were a lot of stories from past and present agents, and it gave some insight onto what they thought of the presidents and the agency they work for.

I actually found the anecdotes really interesting: Jimmy Carter would go into the oval office early in the morning to make people think he went into work early…and then take a nap. Or how Nancy Reagan didn’t like it when her California friends got their magazine subscriptions before she did.

Rating: 3 out of 5. It wasn’t organized well, and it was somewhat difficult to find the info I wanted. It was also repetitive, especially in regards to how the secret service is cutting corners and how management treats the agents. However, it did give insight into what it’s like to be a secret service agent (at least to a certain degree), and the timeline of the secret service was pretty useful.

I’m not sure how much of it I’ll end up using, but it was a pretty good read.

There is a reason why this book ended up on my top 24 book list, and it’s because this is a great book! Even though I can’t remember the last time I read it, it was a book I loved reading when I was younger. It was a quick read, but I did split it up over a few days because of another book that I’m currently reading.

For me, it had the perfect amount of adventure and mystery. However, I did notice that there were several references to biblical verses, which didn’t bother me, since it didn’t come across as preachy or anything. It did fit in with the book really well, since the main focus was about trying to get Meg Murray’s dad off Camazotz, and later, trying to get Charles Wallace (Meg’s brother) away from IT. Meg needed to remember that love was what she needed in oder to save Charles Wallace from IT.

There were so many characters that I loved- Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs. Which, the Happy Medium and Aunt Beast. I liked Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin as well, but not as much as the Mrs. W’s, the Happy Medium and Aunt Beast. I found Meg to be a pretty believable and sympathetic character, but there wasn’t really anything that made her very memorable. It was the same with both Calvin and Charles Wallace. I was creeped out that Charles Wallace (as a 5-year-old) was able to read his mother and sister so well, and was fairly mature for his age.

The Mrs. W’s were definitely protective, and on this reread, it was obvious that they were angelic beings…supernatural guardians…whatever you want to call it. Plus, I liked that they were stars who died.

I did like the quotes that were scattered throughout the book, courtesy of Mrs. Who (who found talking hard). And the quotes, much like the references to biblical verses, fit very well with the plot.

Rating: On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4. While not completely and totally amazing, it was still an amazing book.

It was a pretty quick read, and it took me about an hour or so. I haven’t read it since 6th grade, so I was long overdue for a re-read.

There were a few things that were interesting. One, Hevak was trying to create a perfect world with no misfits. I honestly have no idea if this was the authors intent (since the book is aimed at kids), but it did remind of me of Hitler. Two, it turned out that Hevak was Lenora’s imagination! Throughout the book (but mostly at the beginning), it was obvious that Lenora didn’t like the fact that no one used their ability, and all lived in the same boring world. Hevak definitely was there to show Lenora what can happen when you mess with the balance of things.

On a scale of 1 to 5, I’d give it a 3. It wasn’t good, but it wasn’t terrible either. Just average.

It started off a little slow, but I still found the beginning to be very enjoyable. I got bored in the middle of the story, and wanted to stop reading, but I kept reading it in the hopes that it would get better.

I did like the part where the kids were trying to find the Ugly-Wuglies a place to stay and ended up at the Temple of Flora. I also liked the magic in the novel. It wasn’t very obvious, but it was mentioned. Plus, there were mentioned of greek gods and goddess, who have a role towards the end of the book.

I’d have to say that the beginning and the end were my favorite parts of the book, with the middle being the boring part of the book. However, it was an easy read, and I loved that ring was the source of the magic.

I give it a 3 out of 5.

I loved how Meg looked past her initial thoughts about Mr. Jenkins, and started to care for him in order to name him. I also loved how she went from resenting him and seeing him as a not-so-good guy to appreciating him. That definitely goes with the whole looking beyond 1st impressions thing.

I really liked the character of Proginoskes (who ends up being called Progo). He insists on being called a cherubim (as opposed to the singular cherub) because he’s practically plural. In the end, he ends up sacrificing himself after Meg is nearly Xed (or unnamed) and Mr. Jenkins is invaded by his Echthroi doubles.

In the end, Charles Wallace is okay and the world is saved from the Black Thing that was ever present in A Wrinkle In Time.

I give it a 4 out of 5. I liked it as much as I did A Wrinkle In Time, and it definitely had the spirit of A Wrinkle In Time, albeit on a much smaller scale.

I wasn’t surprised that in the end, nuclear war was prevented by Charles Wallace changing the might-have-beens. Branzillo ends up being a peaceful man instead of a South American dictator. I definitely liked it, and the series has been pretty consistent. Plus, it was nice to see all the Murry kids grown up.

I give it a 4 out of 5. It definitely kept up in the spirit of A Wrinkle In Time and A Wind In The Door. It was an enjoyable and quick read, and it was nice to see the entire Murry family as well as Calvin’s mom.

I love how imaginative and creative Rebecca is, despite the fact that she comes from an impoverished background. She’s also high-spirited, which is something that stays with her, even as she matures into a young woman.

She tries to please her aunt Miranda, and wants her approval, but still finds it hard to live up to her aunt’s high standards. Rebecca does brighten aunt Jane’s life because of her curiousity and because of her liveliness. Both Jane and Miranda do their best to make sure Rebecca becomes a proper young woman by teaching her how to sew and cook, as well as other household skills.

In the end, it seems like Miranda is fond of Rebecca, at least to a degree, because when Miranda dies, she leaves the house to Rebecca. Because of Miranda’s will, Rebecca can be independent and help out her family.

I give it a 4 out of 5. It was a great book, and it was nice to see how Rebecca changed over time, and yet still was an imaginative and spirited person.