Keeping a series feeling fresh after 6 books is a difficult challenge. Book 6, Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris, felt like a bit of a stumble as it’s position in the overall plotline felt a bit forced to ask a question which it immediately answered early on. There was a lack of tension … Continue reading Book Review: Harley Merlin #7 – Harley Merlin and the Detector Fix by Bella Forrest
Tag: Young Adult
Book Review: Harley Merlin #6 – Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris by Bella Forrest
Entering the latter half of the series begs an interesting question. How does the author keep the story engaging and exciting when so much has already happened? That might sound strange, but truth be told it was something I hadn’t really considered before. Trilogies don’t have this issue, but anything longer essentially has a longer … Continue reading Book Review: Harley Merlin #6 – Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris by Bella Forrest
Book Review – Harley Merlin #5 – Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell by Bella Forrest
A series that has gone on as long as the Harley Merlin series can be at risk of running into derivative plots and character arcs. As someone whose working on their own lengthy book series, the idea of keeping everything fresh and interesting by book #5 seems like a daunting task. However Harley Merlin and … Continue reading Book Review – Harley Merlin #5 – Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell by Bella Forrest
Harley Merlin #4 – Harley Merlin and the First Ritual by Bella Forrest
Getting back into the routine of reading and writing reviews, I thought I’d pick up the Harley Merlin series again. Truth be told I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as the series has always felt kind of off in a way. While there was a clear focus, it never felt like each book had … Continue reading Harley Merlin #4 – Harley Merlin and the First Ritual by Bella Forrest
Book Review: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard – 9 from the Nine Worlds by Rick Riordan
I’m not quite sure what I expected when I pucked up 9 from the Nine Worlds by Rick Riordan. While I did enjoy the Magnus Chase series, I did feel a bit offput by how the series had ended. It didn’t quite leave a satisfying resolution to things. But I did like the characters the … Continue reading Book Review: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard – 9 from the Nine Worlds by Rick Riordan
Book Review: Harley Merlin Book #3 – Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals by Bella Forrest
The third book in the Harley Merlin series and one would think we would see some significant progress in the overarching plot of the series. Book 1 The Secret Coven started off pretty strong introducing a compelling, if not entirely unique, mystery while Book 2 The Mystery Twins had a unique twist of perspective for … Continue reading Book Review: Harley Merlin Book #3 – Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals by Bella Forrest
Book Review: Harley Merlin Book #2 – Harley Merlin and The Mystery Twins by Bella Forrest
Trying to get back into the groove of reading regularly, I thought to continue the Harley Merlin series to see if it improved on what I thought were a few shortcomings. The first book was actually pretty good despite feeling like an overall safe attempt to capture the magic of the Harry Potter universe but … Continue reading Book Review: Harley Merlin Book #2 – Harley Merlin and The Mystery Twins by Bella Forrest
Book Review: Harley Merlin #1 – Harley Merlin and The Secret Coven by Bella Forrest
An urban fantasy novel about a secret world of witches and warlocks, sounds very familiar doesn’t it? Throw in an orphan learning about her magical abilities and the “real” magical world that she’s a part of and it’s a little too reminiscent of Harry Potter. Considering the Harry Potter universe has been a fundamental part … Continue reading Book Review: Harley Merlin #1 – Harley Merlin and The Secret Coven by Bella Forrest
Book Review: Magnus Chase and The Gods of Asgard #3 – The Ship of the Dead
Truth be told, the main reason I read The Heroes of Olympus and The Trials of Apollo was so that I could finish The Magnus Chase series. I had read the 2nd book in The Magnus Chase series and it contained a slight spoiler for The Heroes of Olympus. I was a bit annoyed by … Continue reading Book Review: Magnus Chase and The Gods of Asgard #3 – The Ship of the Dead
Book Review: The Trials of Apollo #5 – The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan
Finishing The Trials of Apollo, it’s hard not to feel sad seeing Lester/Apollo’s journey coming to an end. While he isn’t quite as heroic as Percy or Jason, there’s a bit more humanity in how he approaches these mythological adventures. I’ve always loved the perspective of immortals, how they view their lives, lives of mortals … Continue reading Book Review: The Trials of Apollo #5 – The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan
Raph's Cozy Musings 