Reviews written by C.J. Redwine

What I Loved: Dr. Wiggins' discoveries of fantastical, mythical creatures all across the globe are accompanied by detailed artwork depicting those creatures. For middle grade readers who love artistic renderings or who love to imagine unusual, mythical creatures might exist somewhere, this premise will be fascinating. Detailed...

What I Loved: This action-packed, emotionally rich debut is a real page turner. Readers will be instantly captivated by Alexa, the heroine, as well as by the vivid fantasy world full of danger, intrigue, and magic. Strong, capable prose and a fast-moving plot will keep readers engaged....

What I Loved: I've been a tremendous fan of this series from the start. Ms. Ashton handles extensive world building, deep emotional character arcs, and a complex plot that shifts around on its timeline with a deft hand. Readers are never lost, and the idea of an...

What I Loved: I've been a fan of this series since INCARNATE, but this time Ms. Meadows takes the story and her writing to the next level. With lovely prose and a fluid pace, Ms. Meadows takes her readers on a high-stakes, heart-in-the-throat ride that includes dragons,...

What I Loved: The historical setting is brought to brilliant life with vivid, sensory details and attention to the kind of unique observations that make a setting feel real to the reader. Every aspect--from Trinity College to Castle Mound and all of the streets in between--felt absolutely...

What I Loved: This story is fantastically entertaining, and is a nice, quick read. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to reluctant readers, readers more interested in video games than books, or readers who want a fun, fast-paced adventure that doesn't pause often for romance. ...

What I Loved: Ms. Shaw Wolf excels at atmospheric tension, and the sense of impending disaster grows stronger with every chapter, making it difficult to put the book down. The premise is fascinating, and every clue the heroine uncovers leads to more mystery. Soon, the reader isn't...

What I Loved: The premise is fantastic, and the whole creepy, exclusive boarding-school-with-secrets setting provided an atmospheric tension that permeated the entire story. Ms. Friend really delivers the setting, giving the reader sensory details and chilling moments throughout. The setting definitely added to the suspense that builds...

What I Loved: Ms. Showalter's follow up to last year's ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND is a smashing success. As with the first book, THROUGH THE ZOMBIE GLASS is action-packed, fast-paced, and the romance sizzles. This time, though, Ali is facing an inner demon that threatens both her survival...

What I Loved: This book is compulsively readable. The pacing is quick, with just enough down time between action scenes to keep a reader connected to the characters and begging for more. The action is exciting. And the romance is sizzling. Fans of The Vampire Diaries will...

What I Loved: I haven't read high fantasy in a while, and this book reminded me why I love that genre. Elves, dwarves, magical assassins, dangerous artifacts--this book has it all. While it takes time to feel grounded in the world of DARK TALISMAN, the details are...

What I Loved: The world of TWINMAKER effortlessly swallows the reader. Even though so much of it is futuristic and different (d-mat booths used for travel, fabbers used to create anything from food to guns etc), the reader is instantly grounded in the culture and lifestyle of...

What I Loved: I've been a fan of Katie McGarry since her debut novel PUSHING THE LIMITS hit the shelves. McGarry's strength lies in her ability to perfectly capture each character's unique voice, make her readers feel connected to those characters, and then play out their stories...

This book is chock full of trivia guaranteed to keep any child interested for hours on end. From typical bathroom humor to information about weird and wonderful anomalies in nature, this book has something for everyone. My seventh grader was immediately engrossed and kept saying the things he was reading...

This warm, captivating tale will capture the hearts of young readers. My preschooler was fully engaged in the story, though some of the words and phrasing were difficult for her to understand. I explained the things she didn't know, and enjoyed using this book to broaden her vocabulary. The story...