Book 135: A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent

Okay, so when I read this book I didn't know that it had only been published recently. I saw it on tumblr and thought that it was the coolest looking book ever. I really love natural history and nothing is cooler than dragons, so what could go wrong? Answer? Nothing.

I started it because I was looking for something to read while I was waiting for the sims to load and it was close at hand. I didn't end up playing the sims for long because the book kept calling to me.

The first few chapters are about her childhood and, if you'll excuse my language, she was a bit of a badass. Not only was she super smart and read philosophy, she explored her world and dissected things and was generally awesome.

Okay, enough spoilers! All I have left to say about plot/character development is that it's there and it's fantastic. The middle section is fantastic. The ending is bittersweet. Ugh! Such a fantastic book!

I really loved the writing style. The memoir really works well for the story. It really helps that the character of Lady Trent is super sassy and wonderful.

I give this book a 10/10. It's made my favourite shelf, which is a task by itself! I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy and dragons, obviously, but also anyone who's interested in intellectual pursuits. As contradictory as it might sound to some who abhor fantasy and sci-fi and think of it as unintellectual, although you're just wrong, in this case you're far wrong. The way that Marie Brennan wrote the novel, it won't disappoint you.

Book 134: The Reptile Room

Just a warning, I'm going to start a lot my review for A Series of Unfortunate Event with "character _______ was my favourite and I'm so sad that they're dead". Also, that I'm not going to stagger my catch up posts because I can't be bothered and I think I'm less likely to write my next review if I have things queued.

I feel like I can honestly, or not so honestly as the case may be, say that Uncle Monty is one of my favourite guardians of the Baudelaire children. He seems to genuinely care about the well being of the Baudelaires and believe them when they say people are evil.

Again, in this novel, Mr. Poe plays almost more of a villain than Count Olaf himself. His blindness towards the truth that the orphans say is discouraging to say the least and disturbing to say the most, especially in the later books.

The Reptile Room is one of my favourite novels in the series. I find that Uncle Monty is a particularly well rounded and well developed guardian, or at least more so than some of the other figures that appear in the books, like Justice Strauss and Mr. Poe who are both quite flat.

I give The Reptile Room 10/10. It's an excellent read and I highly recommend it!

Book 133: The Bad Beginning

The Bad Beginning is a fantastic start to a fantastic series.

So I read this a month ago and as always it's a lot foggy now. Someday I'll be good at this.

I really love Klaus. He's always been my favourite Baudelaire because I feel like he's the most like me.

I really love how all three children always work together to solve their problems and will forever be heart broken that they don't get to live with Justice Strauss.

I give this book 10/10. It's still one of my favourites, after all the years that have gone by.