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rusticreadingal's review
4.0
What an absolute blast! This was a charming, whimsical, all-around wonderful tale! It was so unique, like nothing I've ever read before. I never knew what to expect next. It was constantly surprising me. And it was so funny! It had me literally laughing out loud so much. But in the midst of all the laughs, there was a lot of depth and heart too. I might've even got a little teary-eyed a time or two.
The friendship between Rose and Marek was the best. They were so sweet. You couldn't ask for better, or more genuine, friends. I enjoyed this book so much and am eager to see what kind of adventures they encounter next. I highly recommend this fun middle grade fantasy.
The friendship between Rose and Marek was the best. They were so sweet. You couldn't ask for better, or more genuine, friends. I enjoyed this book so much and am eager to see what kind of adventures they encounter next. I highly recommend this fun middle grade fantasy.
the_bookish_raven's review
5.0
5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Rose Skylar has some rather ambitious career goals: legend seeker, part-time ghost hunter, and time traveler. When she was born, Rose sneezed a storm cloud that continued to follow her around. As you could probably imagine, having a storm cloud constantly with you can be somewhat problematic. Several incidents later, Rose's parents have no choice but to send her away to an asylum for unstable magic. However, Rose didn't expect the asylum to be in a haunted forest. Her life is suddenly full of ghosts, time travelers, and mystery-solving. Crazy, right? At least she has a guardian angel and her future selves around to help her out!
Delightful, whimsical, hilarious, clever, heart-warming, and so much more! There were so many things I loved about this book that I don't know where to start! There is simply no other book out there quite like this one!
Rose, our narrator, is downright hysterical! She has a big imagination and an even bigger heart! She had me laughing throughout the entire novel. Her best friend, Marek, is also an excellent character who participates in her shenanigans and is rather entertaining himself. This is one of those stories where I adored essentially the entire cast of characters! Flawed, quirky, and relatable, the characters are a huge part of what made this story so great! (In particular, I am rather attached to Gor, Silas, and Malachy!)
Next up, the world-building! This story has a lot going on--ghosts, angels, time travel, magic, etc. However, the author managed to weave all of these elements into the plot without them seeming too cliché or excessive! There were many moments where I just had to stop and appreciate how creative and thorough the world-building was without being too complex for middle grade readers.
The plot definitely deserves to be acknowledged! Time travel books can be a huge pain to write, and it's easy for readers to get lost (especially if said readers are middle grade), but Kristiana handled this like a pro! The time travel was clever yet easy to follow, and I don't think it would be difficult for a middle grade reader to understand. Outside of the time travel aspect of the plot, the entire book is action-packed and witty! I was constantly on the edge of my seat, and I adored the plot twists! If I had been given the chance to read this book when I was in middle school, it probably would have been the kind of book I snuck up to my room and read by flashlight under my covers in order to find out what happened next!
And I can't write this review without mentioning how well-written this book is! It's written as a diary with side notes and commentary from the time travelers which is very unique but also probably very challenging to write! Despite this, the story flowed so well, and I found the side notes entertaining! The format actually worked really well for this book. Also, the humor made me literally laugh out loud, and I'm sure a middle grader reader would find this book hilarious!
Middle school me would have adored this book. Rose was the kind of main character that I probably would have wanted to be, and she is still inspiring to me now. I would highly recommend this to middle grade readers, but I would also recommend it to YA and adult readers who enjoy creative stories full of adventure and mischief! I can't wait to continue reading this series, and I'm looking forward to following Rose and Marek on their future adventures!
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Rose Skylar has some rather ambitious career goals: legend seeker, part-time ghost hunter, and time traveler. When she was born, Rose sneezed a storm cloud that continued to follow her around. As you could probably imagine, having a storm cloud constantly with you can be somewhat problematic. Several incidents later, Rose's parents have no choice but to send her away to an asylum for unstable magic. However, Rose didn't expect the asylum to be in a haunted forest. Her life is suddenly full of ghosts, time travelers, and mystery-solving. Crazy, right? At least she has a guardian angel and her future selves around to help her out!
Delightful, whimsical, hilarious, clever, heart-warming, and so much more! There were so many things I loved about this book that I don't know where to start! There is simply no other book out there quite like this one!
Rose, our narrator, is downright hysterical! She has a big imagination and an even bigger heart! She had me laughing throughout the entire novel. Her best friend, Marek, is also an excellent character who participates in her shenanigans and is rather entertaining himself. This is one of those stories where I adored essentially the entire cast of characters! Flawed, quirky, and relatable, the characters are a huge part of what made this story so great! (In particular, I am rather attached to Gor, Silas, and Malachy!)
Next up, the world-building! This story has a lot going on--ghosts, angels, time travel, magic, etc. However, the author managed to weave all of these elements into the plot without them seeming too cliché or excessive! There were many moments where I just had to stop and appreciate how creative and thorough the world-building was without being too complex for middle grade readers.
The plot definitely deserves to be acknowledged! Time travel books can be a huge pain to write, and it's easy for readers to get lost (especially if said readers are middle grade), but Kristiana handled this like a pro! The time travel was clever yet easy to follow, and I don't think it would be difficult for a middle grade reader to understand. Outside of the time travel aspect of the plot, the entire book is action-packed and witty! I was constantly on the edge of my seat, and I adored the plot twists! If I had been given the chance to read this book when I was in middle school, it probably would have been the kind of book I snuck up to my room and read by flashlight under my covers in order to find out what happened next!
And I can't write this review without mentioning how well-written this book is! It's written as a diary with side notes and commentary from the time travelers which is very unique but also probably very challenging to write! Despite this, the story flowed so well, and I found the side notes entertaining! The format actually worked really well for this book. Also, the humor made me literally laugh out loud, and I'm sure a middle grader reader would find this book hilarious!
Middle school me would have adored this book. Rose was the kind of main character that I probably would have wanted to be, and she is still inspiring to me now. I would highly recommend this to middle grade readers, but I would also recommend it to YA and adult readers who enjoy creative stories full of adventure and mischief! I can't wait to continue reading this series, and I'm looking forward to following Rose and Marek on their future adventures!
kricklereadsbooks's review
5.0
Legend of the storm sneezer, what do you say about a book so UNLIKE anything you have ever read. I said this after reading the description of the book and I will say it again Kristiana Sfirlea has imagination like no other. I give this book all the stars I can give because I thought it was the cutest thing I have ever read. Rose is my favorite although I love Marek and stormy and Beta.... (note we need more Beta moments in books to come) GOR and Silas need more moments too. GOR really should have been named Drake Mallard but I digress..... I can't wait to read more of these stories and see how crazy Kristiana's imagination will take me!!! If you like fantasy this is a book you want to read, If you like character driven stories about Sassy girls who will rule the world you should read this book, if you love the strange and unusual or you are strange and unusual you should read this book..... Rose is the terror that flaps in the night!!!
longtimereader's review
5.0
Happy squeals, I loved this book! From the well-done world-building to the humor and fantastic uplifting story; I'm now happily following this author. Rose is fantastic and Marek amazing. This is a book for all ages, but you could start with middle-grades. (Keep away from beverages while reading, those surprise laughs can be dangerous otherwise.) Angels, ghost wolf, time-traveling, and I can't even list it all. There's so much to love about this book. I *need* them all. This is a set that belongs on my shelves, near Narnia and others I treasure.
Thanks to Celebrate Lit for my copy of this book. (I will be buying more copies!) A positive review isn't required. This review is my own, with my thoughts about this book, left freely.
Thanks to Celebrate Lit for my copy of this book. (I will be buying more copies!) A positive review isn't required. This review is my own, with my thoughts about this book, left freely.
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