Melissa B. (dragoneyes) -
I enjoyed reading this book. As an adult, I found the book to be a little bit too "young" for me. I love young adult books but would have to put this one in more of the older children's section. It was still a fun enough read that I'm looking to purchase the 2nd one in the series and go from there.
It's about an evil sorceress who wants a dress made by the Ancient Crones. The only problem is that the dress is going to be expensive and she has no money. So she sets out on an evil plot to blackmail the kings and queens of the realm. It's a battle against good and evil. Who will win? I enjoyed the characters the most. They were well written. My favorite was Marlon the bat. Loved that little guy! I also liked the illustrations throughout the book. The cover was the whole reason I bought it.
It's about an evil sorceress who wants a dress made by the Ancient Crones. The only problem is that the dress is going to be expensive and she has no money. So she sets out on an evil plot to blackmail the kings and queens of the realm. It's a battle against good and evil. Who will win? I enjoyed the characters the most. They were well written. My favorite was Marlon the bat. Loved that little guy! I also liked the illustrations throughout the book. The cover was the whole reason I bought it.
Jennifer W. (GeniusJen) reviewed The Robe of Skulls (Tales from the Five Kingdoms, Bk 1) on + 5322 more book reviews
Reviewed by Tasha for TeensReadToo.com
Just above the town of Fracture lies a ghastly castle with an even ghastlier occupant, Lady Lamorna, who is just plain freaky. Her latest wish is a magnificent black velvet gown that is studded with skulls. When she goes to pay for it she finds that her treasure chest is empty. Instead of canceling her order, Lady Lamorna concocts a plan to pay for the dress.
Her plan includes a couple of members of the royal party, some frogs, and blackmail.
Then there is Gracie Gillypot, a shy girl who spends most of her days locked up in the cellar under the stairs of her house. When she's not spending time with the spiders under the stairs she is running after her stepfather and complying with his every wish. When a talking bat finds her one day, he promises her a better life and takes off. Days later he returns and helps Gracie escape. He's taking her to see the Ancient Crones, who will hopefully be able to help her with her wicked stepsister and stepfather problem.
Last but not least there is the prince that scoots under Lady Lamorna's radar. Marcus is a rather curious prince who really doesn't want anything to do with royalty. When his brother is turned into a frog he is determined to find the person who committed this heinous crime. Through a twist of fate he is paired up with Gracie and they set off to put Lady Lamorna in her rightful place.
This book was an absolute riot. While it is a super-fast read, you will find yourself enthralled with the quirkiness of the characters and loving the story. The illustrations are very comical, too! While this is definitely a middle grade novel, it is definitely suited for older and younger readers alike. I really enjoyed the quick-moving plot that keeps taking twists and turns. I loved how the author connected everything in a way that wasn't predictable and added to the hilarity of the book.
Overall, I really liked THE ROBE OF SKULLS and highly recommend it!
Just above the town of Fracture lies a ghastly castle with an even ghastlier occupant, Lady Lamorna, who is just plain freaky. Her latest wish is a magnificent black velvet gown that is studded with skulls. When she goes to pay for it she finds that her treasure chest is empty. Instead of canceling her order, Lady Lamorna concocts a plan to pay for the dress.
Her plan includes a couple of members of the royal party, some frogs, and blackmail.
Then there is Gracie Gillypot, a shy girl who spends most of her days locked up in the cellar under the stairs of her house. When she's not spending time with the spiders under the stairs she is running after her stepfather and complying with his every wish. When a talking bat finds her one day, he promises her a better life and takes off. Days later he returns and helps Gracie escape. He's taking her to see the Ancient Crones, who will hopefully be able to help her with her wicked stepsister and stepfather problem.
Last but not least there is the prince that scoots under Lady Lamorna's radar. Marcus is a rather curious prince who really doesn't want anything to do with royalty. When his brother is turned into a frog he is determined to find the person who committed this heinous crime. Through a twist of fate he is paired up with Gracie and they set off to put Lady Lamorna in her rightful place.
This book was an absolute riot. While it is a super-fast read, you will find yourself enthralled with the quirkiness of the characters and loving the story. The illustrations are very comical, too! While this is definitely a middle grade novel, it is definitely suited for older and younger readers alike. I really enjoyed the quick-moving plot that keeps taking twists and turns. I loved how the author connected everything in a way that wasn't predictable and added to the hilarity of the book.
Overall, I really liked THE ROBE OF SKULLS and highly recommend it!
