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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase by Greg Cox is the second book in The Librarians trilogy. Eve Baird along with Cassandra Cillian, Jake Stone, and Ezekiel Jones have just returned to the Library annex in Portland, Oregon after another successful mission. They are all off to relax when the Clippings Book (and the Librarians miniature versions) start acting up. A professor in Northumberland wakes up inside a pumpkin, a tree trimmer in Miami gets carried away by a freaky wind, a librarian in Ohio found three mice without eyes in her kitchen (and she attacked them with a butcher knife), and Mother Goose’s Magic Garden, an amusement park, is about to be demolished. Jenkins believes that the 1918 Mother Goose Treaty has been broken. In the 1700s Elizabeth Goose created a spellbook that ended up getting published. The Librarian at that time rounded up all the copies except one which remained with the family. It ended up getting divided into three sections for the three different factions of the Goose family in 1918. It seems that a descendant has decided to stage a coup and claim all three copies to enact a horrible spell. Stone, Cassandra, and Ezekiel each take a different clipping and set off. Eve and Jenkins have their hands full in the Library. Mother Goose’s magic has set off the goose that lays the golden egg. They need to catch it and return it to its cage before more magical items start acting up. Just another typical day for the Librarians and their Guardian! Join Eve, Ezekiel, Stone, Jenkins and Cassandra on another magical adventure in The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase.
The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase is bewitching. Greg Cox captured the quirky character’s personalities perfectly (for those of you who watch the show) as well as the Library. I could just envision the Library from the written descriptions. I found the book to be well-written, engaging, and entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed the humor in this story. I found myself laughing out loud many times while reading The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase (especially when Jenkins was trying to capture the goose and Eve with Dead Man’s Chest). The book has a fast pace that never slacks. The description of Mother Goose was spot on from the children’s books. I give The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase 5 out of 5 stars. I do wish, though, that the mystery had not been so easy to solve. One clue was all I needed to identify the responsible party. The book is written with four points-of-view (Cassandra, Stone, Ezekiel, and Eve) which works for this book. It is not confusing or complicated. If you have not watched the show or the movies, you can read the book. The author provides the backstory needed. I think it does help, though, to have watched the show. As I read the book, I could picture it in my head. I have not had the opportunity to read The Librarians and The Lost Lamp (first book in trilogy), but I have moved it to the top of my TBR pile.
The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase is bewitching. Greg Cox captured the quirky character’s personalities perfectly (for those of you who watch the show) as well as the Library. I could just envision the Library from the written descriptions. I found the book to be well-written, engaging, and entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed the humor in this story. I found myself laughing out loud many times while reading The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase (especially when Jenkins was trying to capture the goose and Eve with Dead Man’s Chest). The book has a fast pace that never slacks. The description of Mother Goose was spot on from the children’s books. I give The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase 5 out of 5 stars. I do wish, though, that the mystery had not been so easy to solve. One clue was all I needed to identify the responsible party. The book is written with four points-of-view (Cassandra, Stone, Ezekiel, and Eve) which works for this book. It is not confusing or complicated. If you have not watched the show or the movies, you can read the book. The author provides the backstory needed. I think it does help, though, to have watched the show. As I read the book, I could picture it in my head. I have not had the opportunity to read The Librarians and The Lost Lamp (first book in trilogy), but I have moved it to the top of my TBR pile.
mxsallybend's review against another edition
4.0
The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase is a solid second entry in the literary annals of The Librarians, a fun follow-up by Greg Cox to last year's The Librarians and The Lost Lamp. Having already proven his grasp of the characters and their world, he's free to be a bit more playful this time around. It does lack the tension of the first, coming across as more a comedy of errors than a real life-and-death pursuit, but that's pretty much in keeping with the pacing of the series itself.
This time around, we discover that the original Mother Goose nursery rhymes were actually a dangerous spell book, one that was split apart and entrusted to three different descendants as part of the Mother Goose Treaty of 1918. A century later, it appears as if the planned demolition of a Mother Goose themed amusement park has prompted a return to the magic nursery rhymes.
"I don't plan, I act. I go by rhyme, not reason. I do as the spirit moves me. I am my own muse, the one true Mother Goose. No plans for me, only inspired flights of fancy!"
As a whole, the book is rather silly, but in an altogether clever way. Cox expands upon the verses we all know so well, going back to their darker, more sinister origins, and using them to serve as clues to a trio of treasure hunts. While all of this is going on, Colonel Baird and Jenkins are left to guard the Library itself from a hungry treasure chest, in a room-to-room battle that involves a lion, a unicorn, Excalibur, and more. As for Flynn, he's largely absent for this one, but the twist explaining why makes for an interesting finale.
If you're a fan, and can't wait for the new season to begin this fall, The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase is a great fix for riding out the wait.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
This time around, we discover that the original Mother Goose nursery rhymes were actually a dangerous spell book, one that was split apart and entrusted to three different descendants as part of the Mother Goose Treaty of 1918. A century later, it appears as if the planned demolition of a Mother Goose themed amusement park has prompted a return to the magic nursery rhymes.
"I don't plan, I act. I go by rhyme, not reason. I do as the spirit moves me. I am my own muse, the one true Mother Goose. No plans for me, only inspired flights of fancy!"
As a whole, the book is rather silly, but in an altogether clever way. Cox expands upon the verses we all know so well, going back to their darker, more sinister origins, and using them to serve as clues to a trio of treasure hunts. While all of this is going on, Colonel Baird and Jenkins are left to guard the Library itself from a hungry treasure chest, in a room-to-room battle that involves a lion, a unicorn, Excalibur, and more. As for Flynn, he's largely absent for this one, but the twist explaining why makes for an interesting finale.
If you're a fan, and can't wait for the new season to begin this fall, The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase is a great fix for riding out the wait.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my review.
meagan_kay's review against another edition
4.0
This book, as well as the Lost Lamp, was a short, adventurous story that was a lot of fun to read. As someone who really enjoys the tv show The Librarians and the movies that preceded it, I was excited to read two extra adventures of some of my favorite characters. I definitely appreciated all of the literary references in the books, particularly the Mother Goose Chase, and the creative ways that the existing stories were tied in with this book.
To me, the only sad thing about these books was that Flynn wasn't in them as often, and when he was, he wasn't with the rest of the team. The Lost Lamp included quite a bit of Flynn, Judson, and Charlene; however, their story took place about 10 years prior to the Librarians and Eve's adventure. Though I expected this, as most of the show is the same way, I was still a bit sad about it.
Overall, these books were two very fun, but quick reads that have done well in distracting me from the hiatus. Now I have books to go back and re-read while I wait for season 4! :)
To me, the only sad thing about these books was that Flynn wasn't in them as often, and when he was, he wasn't with the rest of the team. The Lost Lamp included quite a bit of Flynn, Judson, and Charlene; however, their story took place about 10 years prior to the Librarians and Eve's adventure. Though I expected this, as most of the show is the same way, I was still a bit sad about it.
Overall, these books were two very fun, but quick reads that have done well in distracting me from the hiatus. Now I have books to go back and re-read while I wait for season 4! :)
schnoebs13's review against another edition
3.5
This time around, the Librarians are faced with a blast from the past as they realize the stories of their childhood have a lot more magic in them than they previously thought. With an imposter Mother Goose on the loose, the librarians split up to tackle each of the nursery rhymes that seem to have a life of their own.
This was definitely a fun case for the group to solve and I think it was something we didn’t really see much of in the show or in the previous book. The Mother Goose mystery forced each of our young librarians to handle a specific nursery rhyme event on their own and rely solely on their skills and not those of their teammates. I feel like it really allowed the characters to shine in their own way especially with all the varieties of perspective that we received in the book. Additionally, I liked that we go to see new rooms in the library and encounter a few more myths due to a good chunk of the story happening there.
Though we saw clues as to why Mother Goose was trying to put Humpy back together again as the search for the missing pieces of the book went along, I thought the ending was a great twist and really made this mystery even more unique compared to many we’ve seen in the past. Overall, it’s always such a great time being able to experience just a little bit more of this world and I’ll be sad when I have nothing left that is new to explore.
This was definitely a fun case for the group to solve and I think it was something we didn’t really see much of in the show or in the previous book. The Mother Goose mystery forced each of our young librarians to handle a specific nursery rhyme event on their own and rely solely on their skills and not those of their teammates. I feel like it really allowed the characters to shine in their own way especially with all the varieties of perspective that we received in the book. Additionally, I liked that we go to see new rooms in the library and encounter a few more myths due to a good chunk of the story happening there.
Though we saw clues as to why Mother Goose was trying to put Humpy back together again as the search for the missing pieces of the book went along, I thought the ending was a great twist and really made this mystery even more unique compared to many we’ve seen in the past. Overall, it’s always such a great time being able to experience just a little bit more of this world and I’ll be sad when I have nothing left that is new to explore.
lolasreviews's review against another edition
4.0
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
I am a big fan of the tv series The Librarians, so when I was browsing netgalley one day and saw a book for the series I immediately hit request! This is a great book for fans of the tv series. As I already watched the first two seasons of the tv series I was easily able to visualize everything. There is a short recap and explanation of things and characters, but I think you might be a little lost if you start this without knowing anything from the series first.
I was impressed by how well the author brought these familiar characters alive in the book. The book had the same tone, style and feeling as the series. It was like watching an episode, but then in your head instead of on an a screen. It was a lot of fun to read and experience a Librarians adventure in a slightly different way. The author really handled the universe well and make it come alive and feel familiar for those who watched the series.
And it was such a good adventure as well. This book is centered around Mother Goose, As I am Dutch I didn't know of most of the nursery rhymes used in this book sadly, but the ones that are applicable are all written out, so that helped a lot. It was fun to read. There are some good twists and I like how the librarians always use their smarts and knowledge to solve any troubles they run into. There are some interesting puzzles and mysteries for them to solve and they all seemed well thought out.
In this book we got multiple point of views, which worked well. The librarians split up and we switch to their different point of views and Colonel Baird her point of view as well. And we even get a chapter from Jenkins his point of view too, which was great. The three librarians all have their own unique personality, and I like how different they are, but they also work well together. In this book we get to see their personalities in action really well and each of their puzzle seems to be fit well for that librarian their specific talents.
To summarize: This was a very well written and enjoyable read. I really like the Librarians tv series and this book managed to capture the essence and same feel of the series, but then in book form. I am really impressed by how well it was written and how spot on the descriptions and character actions were. I could very vividly imagine how everything looked like due to having seen the series first. Those who haven't seen the series first might be a bit lost when reading this as there's only a small amount of recap. The story was an enjoyable one filled with puzzles, mysteries and some nice twists and turns in true Librarians style. It's written in multiple point of views which really works. Reading this book left me with a happy feeling and eager to watch season 3 soon. And I hope I can get my hands on book 1 in this series eventually as well, as the author did a great job bringing the Librarians to book form.
I am a big fan of the tv series The Librarians, so when I was browsing netgalley one day and saw a book for the series I immediately hit request! This is a great book for fans of the tv series. As I already watched the first two seasons of the tv series I was easily able to visualize everything. There is a short recap and explanation of things and characters, but I think you might be a little lost if you start this without knowing anything from the series first.
I was impressed by how well the author brought these familiar characters alive in the book. The book had the same tone, style and feeling as the series. It was like watching an episode, but then in your head instead of on an a screen. It was a lot of fun to read and experience a Librarians adventure in a slightly different way. The author really handled the universe well and make it come alive and feel familiar for those who watched the series.
And it was such a good adventure as well. This book is centered around Mother Goose, As I am Dutch I didn't know of most of the nursery rhymes used in this book sadly, but the ones that are applicable are all written out, so that helped a lot. It was fun to read. There are some good twists and I like how the librarians always use their smarts and knowledge to solve any troubles they run into. There are some interesting puzzles and mysteries for them to solve and they all seemed well thought out.
In this book we got multiple point of views, which worked well. The librarians split up and we switch to their different point of views and Colonel Baird her point of view as well. And we even get a chapter from Jenkins his point of view too, which was great. The three librarians all have their own unique personality, and I like how different they are, but they also work well together. In this book we get to see their personalities in action really well and each of their puzzle seems to be fit well for that librarian their specific talents.
To summarize: This was a very well written and enjoyable read. I really like the Librarians tv series and this book managed to capture the essence and same feel of the series, but then in book form. I am really impressed by how well it was written and how spot on the descriptions and character actions were. I could very vividly imagine how everything looked like due to having seen the series first. Those who haven't seen the series first might be a bit lost when reading this as there's only a small amount of recap. The story was an enjoyable one filled with puzzles, mysteries and some nice twists and turns in true Librarians style. It's written in multiple point of views which really works. Reading this book left me with a happy feeling and eager to watch season 3 soon. And I hope I can get my hands on book 1 in this series eventually as well, as the author did a great job bringing the Librarians to book form.
tea_at_mole_end's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
3.25
healingtothemax's review against another edition
5.0
Whimsical fun with Librarians on the run! Greg Cox's second outing with the TV tie-in bests the first in plot, characterization (with winks to the actors' own histories - "you just need... leverage"), and enjoyable prose. There's odes to architecture and math, including a fantastic rap-a-long by a King Cole-ish descendent of "The" Mother Goose, during our intrepid bookish protectors' race to stop a wild-n-crazy crone from restarting the universe by setting Humpty Dumpty up for a great fall. The climatic battle erupts inside an abandoned fairytale amusement park (I remember those from my childhood, now closed and nearly forgotten yet still resonating with the spellbinding allure of make-believe). The full cast is here, brought to vivid life by skillful narrator Therese Plummer. Fans of the TV show will be pleased - yes the violence is a bit more graphic and there's a few wrinkles in the characters' relationships - but the adventure is worth the time to enjoy outside of the regular TV season. Book 3 AND THE POT OF GOLD was just announced for Feb 2018, plenty of time to make room on your to-read-shelf.
keya_caivalur's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to the audiobook on Audible.
I've watched The Librarian trilogy many times since I've been a child. I always loved the adventures Finn gets himself into. A couple of years ago I discovered The Librarians TV show and, of course, finished it pretty quickly. But it took me a long time to find the books. This is the first one I've read and I intend on reading more.
If you're looking for a continuation from the series, this is quite good. The characters are close to their TV counterparts, be it slightly exaggerated for emphasis.
I've watched The Librarian trilogy many times since I've been a child. I always loved the adventures Finn gets himself into. A couple of years ago I discovered The Librarians TV show and, of course, finished it pretty quickly. But it took me a long time to find the books. This is the first one I've read and I intend on reading more.
If you're looking for a continuation from the series, this is quite good. The characters are close to their TV counterparts, be it slightly exaggerated for emphasis.
imzadirose's review against another edition
4.0
Received from NetGalley for my honest review
Completed 10/19/17
288 page ebook
This was the 2nd book in the Librarians series, the same as the TV show. While I am not current on the show, I have watched it, and watching the show is pretty pivotal to reading the books. You COULD read the books without the show, but you'd be missing the little nuances, plus they reference things that happened on the show frequently.
In this story, Mother Goose is trying to destroy the world, to create a new one. The Librarians are flung out to different corners of the world to trace down 3 parts of a Mother Goose book before Mother Goose herself.
I really enjoyed this story. It was typical of the Librarians and an interesting story. The characters are very well done to reflect their tv counterparts and I actually listened to the audiobook of this, and the narrator did a really good job of bringing the characters to life. Her Ezekiel and Cassie were especially good, she sounded like a female version of Ezekiel, and she had all Cassies mannerisms and the way she talks down pat. Baird & Stone weren't as good, but probably because they aren't as unique.
My favorite parts were definitely the house in Miami, though it was all enjoyable. The house was unique though and the kind of thing I like, puzzles in puzzles and I liked each time the story went to it. Satisfying, if a bit predictable, ending. Good for any Librarian fans.
Setting = B
Plot = A
Conflict = B+
Characters = B+
Theme = A
Completed 10/19/17
288 page ebook
This was the 2nd book in the Librarians series, the same as the TV show. While I am not current on the show, I have watched it, and watching the show is pretty pivotal to reading the books. You COULD read the books without the show, but you'd be missing the little nuances, plus they reference things that happened on the show frequently.
In this story, Mother Goose is trying to destroy the world, to create a new one. The Librarians are flung out to different corners of the world to trace down 3 parts of a Mother Goose book before Mother Goose herself.
I really enjoyed this story. It was typical of the Librarians and an interesting story. The characters are very well done to reflect their tv counterparts and I actually listened to the audiobook of this, and the narrator did a really good job of bringing the characters to life. Her Ezekiel and Cassie were especially good, she sounded like a female version of Ezekiel, and she had all Cassies mannerisms and the way she talks down pat. Baird & Stone weren't as good, but probably because they aren't as unique.
My favorite parts were definitely the house in Miami, though it was all enjoyable. The house was unique though and the kind of thing I like, puzzles in puzzles and I liked each time the story went to it. Satisfying, if a bit predictable, ending. Good for any Librarian fans.
Setting = B
Plot = A
Conflict = B+
Characters = B+
Theme = A
deanie's review against another edition
4.0
The Mother Goose Treaty was mentioned in an episode of The Librarians, and this book takes it further. Descendants of the original "Mother Goose" are being attacked by nursery rhymes (a farmer's wife has to fend off three blind mice, etc.). But worse of all, a modern-day "Mother Goose" is trying to reunite the three parts of the original storybook, which will have world-ending consequences.
Greg Cox has crafted another Librarians book that could be an episode of the series. He's got the character voices down perfectly, plus he put in a little easter egg for Christian Kane's previous series (in one sentence his Librarians character Jake mentions providing "leverage.") It's a really great book that makes me miss a really great show.
Greg Cox has crafted another Librarians book that could be an episode of the series. He's got the character voices down perfectly, plus he put in a little easter egg for Christian Kane's previous series (in one sentence his Librarians character Jake mentions providing "leverage.") It's a really great book that makes me miss a really great show.