The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell

The Wishing Spell

by Chris Colfer

The Land of Stories, book one

Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales.

The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about.

But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought. (description from Amazon.com)

 

I really enjoyed this tween-aged fairy tale adventure.  Though the twins started out feeling a little bit like stereotypes (the super smart girl and the troublemaker boy) they swiftly grew to have deeper personalities and they played really well off of one another.

 

I really enjoyed how Colfer delved into the afters of each fairy tale's "Happily Ever After." It was great to see a Goldilocks who was wanted across the kingdoms for theft, a Cinderella who was expecting her first child, and a Sleeping Beauty who wouldn't sleep until her kingdom recovered from her hundred years' repose. 

 

For a wild and whimsical adventure through all your favorite classic tales, try this one out!

 

Full disclosure: ARC received at BEA 2012



Your Highness - Movie Review

Your Highness
starring Danny McBride, James Franco, and Natalie Portman

When the glorious crown Prince, Fabius, returns home with a bride-to-be, his younger brother, Thaddeus, is none too impressed. When an evil wizard steals Fabius' fiancee from their wedding to use her as part of a nefarious plot to sire a dragon that would be under his control, Fabius sets out on a quest to save her. Sick of Thaddeus' antics, their father, the King, forces Thaddeus to accompany his brother so that he will become a man along the way. In the midst of their quest, the brothers meet a very pretty, very psychotic young woman, Isabelle, also questing to take out the evil wizard in revenge for killing her family years before.

If you like campy, slapstick, perverted humor, then this is the movie for you. If you don't like dirty humor, nudity, or wizards that shoot lightning out of their fingertips, you may want to skip this one.

I, for one, loved it. I guess there is a part of me that channels 12 year old boy humor, but I thought this movie was hilarious. I was horrified in spots at the dark depths of the humor and parts made me blush, but I would not have stopped watching for anything. So funny!!