Friday 30 December 2016

Book Review - Library of Souls

Title: Library of Souls
Author: Ransom Riggs
Series: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Book 3)
  • Publisher: Quirk Books
  • Release Date: 22 Sept. 2015
  • ISBN-13: 978-1594747588

Synopsis
Time is running out for the Peculiar Children. With a dangerous madman on the loose and their beloved Miss Peregrine still in danger, Jacob Portman and Emma Bloom are forced to stage the most daring of rescue missions. They ll travel through a war-torn landscape, meet new allies, and face greater dangers than ever. . . . Will Jacob come into his own as the hero his fellow Peculiars know him to be?

My Review
This book takes off exactly where book 2 finished, *Spoiler Alert for previous book*, Emma and Jacob are in the underground with Addison, his friends all kidnapped by wights and a Hollow on their trail. I was immediately back into the story. However I then had to have a break for a couple of weeks to catch up with coursework so when i did sit down to read it again I had to try and remember what was happening. Thankfully it was an easy step back in and once again i was running alongside our peculiars.
I liked that this book focused more on just Jacob and Emma, whilst i liked all the other Peculiars, there were sometimes too many voices so it was nice to get to know these two better. 
I had struggled a bit with book 2 finding it a bit slow in places but this one picked up the action again and I found myself tearing through the story. in fact i read it in two sittings. I loved the descriptiveness of Devil's Acre and could fully visualize it in my head making for an exciting read. I found Bentham talked a little bit too much which slowed the pace but overall it was a great action packed read.
In the first book the pictures were a focal point to the story but in this third book i found them more as extras that were nice to look at but not overly important to the story and in a way i missed it a bit. But the ones that were there were still creepy enough. 
I liked the idea behind the Library of Souls but must admit i was a little confused with how it worked and how the souls were drained or added, but it wasn't enough to ruin the story.
Overall i though it was a great end to the trilogy and i am sad to say goodbye to the characters. I would recommend the series as a whole and will look for more works by Riggs in the future

My Rating

Friday 2 December 2016

Book Review - Hollow City

Title: Hollow City
Author: Ransom Riggs
Series: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Book 2)
Publisher: Quirk Books
ISBN: 978-1594747359

Synopsis
This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine’s island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises.

Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages.


My Review
After finishing book 1 I had to move onto this one as soon as I could. The cliffhanger ending of the first made me desperate to know what happened to Jacob, Emma and the rest of the Peculiars. The front of the book is creepy in itself and I knew I was in for a real delight with just the same excitement and imagination of the first. 
I actually found this book a bit slower in places and the photos didn't seem to fit in with the plot as well as in the first book but saying that I still found it very enjoyable and I read it quite quickly. 
I loved the introduction of the new characters and the fact that it was in the wider world, seeing how the Peculiars fit in with the world outside of the home. There are tensions in the group and you really see their relationships grow and change especially without their leader to guide them. The dynamics in the group are tested but I love to see how they all interact with each other and find their places working together. 
Although the book is slower throughout, it is definitely worth continuing with because the ending is EPIC, it ends on such an exciting action filled event that it makes you desperate to get the next book. 
Overall not as good as the first but still highly enjoyable.

My Rating