Spark and the League of Ursus by Robert Repino
Published: April 21st, 2020 by Quirk Books
Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy
Format: Hardcover, 192 pages, Own
Rating: 3.5 stars
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It also came with these fun promotional items!
Publisher's Summary:
Toy Story meets Stranger Things in this epic tale of warrior teddy bears and the children they protect.
Spark is not your average teddy bear. She’s soft and cuddly, sure, but she’s also a fierce warrior. At night she fulfills her sacred duty: to protect the household from monsters. But Spark’s owner Loretta is growing up and thinks she doesn’t need her old teddy anymore.
When a monster unlike any other descends on the quiet home, everything changes. Children are going missing, and the monster wants Loretta next. Only Spark can stop it. She must call upon the ancient League of Ursus—a secret alliance of teddy bears who are pledged to protect their human friends. Together with an Amazon-princess doll and a timid sock monkey, the bears are all that stands between our world and the one that lies beneath. It will be a heroic chapter in the history of the League . . . if the bears live to tell the tale.
My Thoughts:
I had a lot of fun reading this one aloud with G. Spark is a warrior teddy bear and must protect her child Loretta at all costs. But soon the monster is coming more often and more children are going missing, including Loretta's brother. Can her and the other toys and stuffed animals find out what's going on? It kind of reminded me of Monsters Inc. a bit too. It's a fun story.
It definitely will appeal to children more than to adults but that's ok. I found it a tad lacking in logic and character-building. But overall it's a fun fantasy for kids and everything ends well.
Normally I would have had G write a little something but then he got sick and time got away from us...But he loved it!
Spark is not your average teddy bear. She’s soft and cuddly, sure, but she’s also a fierce warrior. At night she fulfills her sacred duty: to protect the household from monsters. But Spark’s owner Loretta is growing up and thinks she doesn’t need her old teddy anymore.
When a monster unlike any other descends on the quiet home, everything changes. Children are going missing, and the monster wants Loretta next. Only Spark can stop it. She must call upon the ancient League of Ursus—a secret alliance of teddy bears who are pledged to protect their human friends. Together with an Amazon-princess doll and a timid sock monkey, the bears are all that stands between our world and the one that lies beneath. It will be a heroic chapter in the history of the League . . . if the bears live to tell the tale.
My Thoughts:
I had a lot of fun reading this one aloud with G. Spark is a warrior teddy bear and must protect her child Loretta at all costs. But soon the monster is coming more often and more children are going missing, including Loretta's brother. Can her and the other toys and stuffed animals find out what's going on? It kind of reminded me of Monsters Inc. a bit too. It's a fun story.
It definitely will appeal to children more than to adults but that's ok. I found it a tad lacking in logic and character-building. But overall it's a fun fantasy for kids and everything ends well.
Normally I would have had G write a little something but then he got sick and time got away from us...But he loved it!
My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
Published: May 17th, 2016 by Quirk Books
Genre: Horror
Format: Kindle, 337 pages, Own
Rating: 4 stars
Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fifth grade, when they bonded over a shared love of E.T., roller-skating parties, and scratch-and-sniff stickers. But when they arrive at high school, things change. Gretchen begins to act….different. And as the strange coincidences and bizarre behavior start to pile up, Abby realizes there’s only one possible explanation: Gretchen, her favorite person in the world, has a demon living inside her. And Abby is not about to let anyone or anything come between her and her best friend. With help from some unlikely allies, Abby embarks on a quest to save Gretchen. But is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?
My Thoughts:
Fantastic fun. Especially if you any sort of connection to growing up in the 80s and 90s like I did! Each chapter is an 80s song. Their are tons of fan-girl details to just enjoy the world Hendrix creates. And he really takes the demon possession trope to a new level. It's just a really clever story.
And it's a great ending! Yes! And look at that cover... OMG! If you enjoy a funny horror and how two best friends can overcome it all, then look no further. This is the book for you!
Grady Hendrix put up highlights and commentary on this book on Goodreads. He's got some fun things to say about growing up in North Carolina, his wife keeping him grounded and why these two best friends deserve a happy ending.
We just watched ET with Gage over the weekend, my first time seeing it since watching at the theater when it came out! I'm all in for the 80s so My Best Friend's Exorcism sounds like fun :)
ReplyDeleteOh fun! We watched ET last fall with Gabe. He loved it. We started showing him more of the age-appropriate movies Archie and I grew up on. Flight of the Navigator, The Explorers. Good stuff. I think you'd really like My Best Friend's Exorcism. Let me know if you get around to reading it!
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