The Secret Commonwealth (The Book of Dust Volume 2)

The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have I read anything else from this author? Yes, I've read the His Dark Materials trilogy and the first book in the Book of Dust series, La Belle Sauvage.

Was this book better than this author's other book(s)? So far it's been my least favorite of the five, but I fully expect to like the sixth book better.

Was this book enjoyable? It wasn't as enjoyable as La Belle Sauvage. The tone was much darker, and while I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing, it didn't read as easily as the first book in the series did.

Did I learn anything new from this book? I learned a bit about what Lyra Silvertongue will be like as an adult, but this is the middle book in a trilogy, so I won't really be able to confirm until the third book is over.

Where did I get this book? I bought this book at Barnes and Noble with a gift card I got for Christmas.

Do I recommend this book to other readers? Yes, but even more strongly I recommend the His Dark Materials trilogy to anyone who hasn't read it yet. I want everyone to finish The Amber Spyglass and learn what Philip Pullman knows about love.

'Children of Blood and Bone' Is a True Must-Read

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that's so good, I have a hard time articulating why I loved it as much as I loved it. The story is compelling, the relationships between the siblings and the various other characters are compelling, the world-building is incredibly detailed, and the writing is full-grown. The ending blew my mind. I doubt I've read anything better in the last 12 months (and keep in mind I really, REALLY liked Philip Pullman's latest.)

"Must-read" is bandied about so much in book marketing that it loses all meaning, but in the truest sense, readers who appreciate good YA fiction must read this book. Tomi Adeyemi has the gift.

I borrowed this e-book from my library using the Libby app. I had to keep returning it and checking it out again because it's really popular and I kept stretching it out because I literally did not want this story to end.

'La Belle Sauvage' (The Book of Dust, #1) by Philip Pullman

La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm a big fan of the series. I wish everyone would read the His Dark Materials trilogy because I want everyone to know what Philip Pullman knows about love, as explained through the third book, The Amber Spyglass.

I read La Belle Sauvage in February and I quite enjoyed it. As often happens when I read a book that blows my mind, it takes me a while to be able to articulate why I loved it like I did.

Malcolm is a good boy, and I love his reverence for baby Lyra. The little scene of Lord Asriel being parental with Lyra was heartwarming, the fairy tale scenes felt very magical to me, and Malcolm's first inklings of coming of age and perhaps starting to fall in love made me want to keep reading about him.

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful addition to the His Dark Materials universe.

I purchased this book with a gift card my parents gave me for Christmas at my local brick-and-mortar Barnes and Noble. I was not obligated in any way to review it.