Shannon Hale – Cannonball Read 17

This book has been 16 years on my TBR list, and I don’t think I added it until a few years after it came out

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

August 5, 2025 by Malin Leave a Comment

3.5 stars StoryGraph Easy Read Challenge: A book with flowers, plants or leaves on the cover Buzzword Title Challenge 25: Animals (Birds are animals, right?) Nowhere Book Bingo 2025: A YA book CBR17 Bingo: TBR (I bought this back in 2009, it’s been on my TBR for 16 years) Anidora-Kiladra, the Crown Princess of Kildenree is taught the language of animals by her aunt while she is still a girl, but she has to hide this from people around her. Unfortunately, she’s unconventional enough that […]

The other Themyscira

Diana and Nubia: Princesses of the Amazons by Shannon and Dean Hale

February 20, 2023 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Shannon and Dean Hale continue the fun from Diana: Princess of the Amazons with a similar upbeat tone, graphic novel for younger readers. However, this time we have two alternating points of view, which are the two Princesses of the Amazons, Diana and Nubia. Along with the talents of Victoria Yin, Lynnette Wong, and Becca Carey, the Hales made a story that is a light, but strong, read. From what little I know of the Diana/Nubia story, Diana and Nubia: Princesses of the Amazons seems […]

Badda$$ princess part She-Ra, part Barbie Princess and part Hermione Granger.

Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale

November 18, 2021 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld had several of my favorite things for a cover: the color of purple (amethyst), fun looking characters and it looked like it would be a light read. But most importantly, it was by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale. And you really cannot go wrong with them. However, this growing up story has several missing chunks of the learning to be a better person part of the story. We see the Princess Amaya of the Amethyst kingdom going from extremely powerful with […]

Friends Forever. Or not.

Friends Forever by Shannon Hale

October 12, 2021 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

In the third installment of Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham’s graphic Novel, we have read this story before: Eighth grader coming of age during the late 1980s. No matter the decade, subjects do not change as we still deal with friendships, boys, family, finding your friends, finding confidence, finding the right outfit. Still, the fact that this is based on Hale’s own growing up makes it more special to me (as I’m usually a fan of anything they write and we are of a similar […]

Make sure you know what the ingredients in your bread are

Calamity Jack by Shannon Hale

March 2, 2021 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

While still fun, Calamity Jack, the sequel to Rapunzel’s Revenge is not as strong as the first graphic novel. Shannon Hale, Dean Hale and Nathan Hale this time show the world of Jack of Jack and the Beanstalk fame. We see (in a quick flashback) how the goose came into Jack’s possession; why the magic beans were important (no cow in sight) and that we should watch out for Mother’s who know how to back some crazy bread. Then we jump forward to “now” where […]

That will teach Mother to lock her up in a tower…. ah tree-tower

Rapunzel’s Revenge Book 1 by Shannon and Dean Hale

February 25, 2021 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

It is rare that I reread a book especially if I remember reading it at least once before. And if I do, it tends not to be right away. However, Rapunzel’s Revenge Book 1 by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale (along with illustrations by Nathan Hale, no relation) was a book that I thought deserved a second read. This is for several reasons. The first was that it was not flowing a hundred percent smoothly text-wise. I thought perhaps I had skipped a panel or […]

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Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

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