Gillyweed'sReads

Broken Wish by Julie C. Dao Shout-out to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the advance copy! 😊😊😊 I want to say I loved this book so much.  Middle-grade, fairy-tale retelling, rich, dark world, not to mention that GORGEOUS cover...  But unfortunately it just didn't resonate with me.  We follow Elva as she struggles to keep her magic a secret from the town she lives in who don't approve of magic.  When one day she  accidentally uses her powers and sees the future, it's looking pretty grim.  Her parent's farm they've worked so hard to maintain and make a living off of is completely destroyed by an awful storm.  Elva then decides to get help from the only person who might understand her powers and help her change the future, the Witch of the North Woods.  The only problem is that people say she has been cursing any who venture too close to her home and that she has been stealing children who stray too far into the depths of the woods. This premise sounded amazing to

Keeper of the Lost Cities Neverseen by Shannon Messenger It's safe to say that this series is one of my all-time favorites.  Each book raises the stakes even higher than the last.  If you haven't picked up the first book yet here's a synopsis.  In the first Keeper of the Lost Cities book we meet Sophie.  A girl who is different than the rest of the kids her age.  She is advancing in her studies so much quicker than is normal and is having trouble fitting in and making friends.  She's also been having terrible head aches because for some reason she can hear other people's thoughts.  When she goes on a field trip with the rest of her classmates she meets a mysterious boy that tells her she doesn't belong to this world.  She's an elf.  And from there Sophie enters a whole new world.  One with people just like her.  We follow her as she embarks on an adventure where she learns about magic and how to live in this fantastical, new place where she belongs and fits

The Slippery Slope and The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket I have to say, I always re-read the first few books in this series for nostalgia's sake, but upon continuing through the series this time I am absolutely loving it!  Lemony Snicket's writing had me laughing out loud so many times and the descriptions he uses are so enjoyable to read.  It's crazy how such depressing books can put a smile on your face even while your heart is breaking for the Baudelaire children the whole time. The Slippery Slope starts out with the Baudelaire siblings getting separated and each having their own perilous journey.  Fighting to survive and to get away from the evil Count Olaf, they are determined to get back to each other.   Growing up, maturing, learning new interests, and maybe even a little romance, 😉 this book gave me all the feels.  Be prepared to want to rid the world of Count Olaf (one of my top villains of all time), and to feel so sorry for the three siblings that you wish you