Dragons & Jetpacks discussion

How is the book going for you?

I finished it yesterday.

It was a fun and inventive read. I liked that the magic is weirdly specific to individual who own it.

A little too YA for my taste, but I'm glad I read it.

I'm almost done. I like the way magic works and it's pretty fun and a light read, which I needed atm.

I finished it yesterday. It was a fun read but not very interesting for my taste.

It was a fun read. Not as detailed in its world building and characters as I'd hoped but it was rated as a children's book so I suppose that's understandable. I liked that the best wizards weren't always the most powerful, but those who used their magic in the most inventive ways. I thought the book could have explored this idea a bit more than it did and been a much better story for it. However, I did like Bob, the vicious sourdough starter.

I'm looking forward to my library copy coming available in the next few days!

I found this fun but not my cup of tea. It was aimed a little to young for my liking, although I may recommend it to my Niece who is 8. I don’t know if anyone else got big a feeling that there was a big homage to the gingerbread man from shrek 2 I think it was. But that is all I could picture at the siege at the end.

I liked this book a lot. It was a very quick read. I also enjoyed the "discussion" of heroes in it. and i rarely felt so attached to a cookie XD

My library copy should be arriving soon. I read another book by the author that was pretty creepy, so I'm optimistic.

My library copy arrived today, so I'm starting tonight!

I'm about halfway in, and I find it cute, a bit too meandering, and I wish I had a protective gingerbread man to ride on my shoulder, attack the eyes of my foes, and throw out rude gestures when warranted. LOL

Overall I liked this book. It has a lot going for it. I especially liked how the magic is specific to each individual.

But, it seemed like three differnt books stuck together. At first I thought it would be a murder mystery, but then it turned into a political thrilller. I liked the way Mona's sense becoming an outsider in her own city dawns on her. I thought this is a good way to explain othering to young people.

After that it turns into an epic war story and we gets lots of quips about heroism. (I think the word "hero" per page was unnecessarliy high in the third half.)

Characters: The weepy woman seems to be a mainstay of Kingfisher books. Mona's always crying, the Duchess is crying etc. Molly was one of the most interesting characters, bit of a pity how her story ended.

Indeneri wrote: "Molly was one of the most interesting characters, bit of a pity how her story ended ..."

Agreed. I would have liked to have read more about her and nag, and more of bob too.

Indeneri wrote: "Overall I liked this book. It has a lot going for it. I especially liked how the magic is specific to each individual.

But, it seemed like three differnt books stuck together. At first I thought ..."

This is exactly how I felt about the three books in one. It's probably why I didn't rate it more than 3 stars. I expected it to be a murder-mystery at 1st.

Fannie wrote: "Indeneri wrote: "Overall I liked this book. It has a lot going for it. I especially liked how the magic is specific to each individual.

But, it seemed like three differnt books stuck together. At..."

I was hoping for the murder mystery to continue. I think it would have been much more interesting to me than the last third of the book.

This is my first T. Kingfisher book. Indeneri, it's interesting that you say she includes weepy women. Disappointing unless it's supposed to be humorous. Not sure.

I read The Twisted Ones last year. Started off really creepy; good humor; rather odd ending that was a bit of a letdown.

Nearly half-way through this one: they're breaking into the privy.

Audrey wrote: "I read The Twisted Ones last year. Started off really creepy; good humor; rather odd ending that was a bit of a letdown.

Nearly half-way through this one: they're breaking into the privy."

HAHA Audrey, that privy scene was funny after I reminded myself that this is not 'adult' and meant to be kid-funny. :D

There were no weepy women in Nine Goblins, my favourite of T. Kingfisher's books I've read so far. Or Clockwork Boys now I think about it.

The second-hand embarrassment in some of these scenes is painful.

Amy wrote: "There were no weepy women in Nine Goblins, my favourite of T. Kingfisher's books I've read so far. Or Clockwork Boys now I think about it."

Good to know! I bought Clockwork Boys. :)

Audrey wrote: "The second-hand embarrassment in some of these scenes is painful."

LOL Good way to put it, Audrey.

Shawnie wrote: "Fannie wrote: "Indeneri wrote: "Overall I liked this book. It has a lot going for it. I especially liked how the magic is specific to each individual.

But, it seemed like three differnt books stu..."

I've read Swordheart before and the main character in that was a grown woman who was a weepy-hand-wringing type also. I just find it an uncessary character trait.

I don't know what it is but it just didn't hang together for me.

It seemed unsure of what it wanted to be. For the most part, it was fun.

I'm behind on everything this year. I just read this one. It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it and embraced the silliness. Weirdly specific powers are a mainstay of some of the X-Men books and the Wild Cards series, and I enjoy both.

I do like the weirdly specific powers trope. (I recommend The Supes for more of it.)

I didn't get around to this when it was a group read, but I'm reading it now and pleasantly surprised. Getting toward the end, and I'm finding it wildly entertaining. Nothing deep of course but a lot of fun! As Wayland said, I'm also perfectly happy to embrace the silliness for a short, fun book.

I like the weirdly specific powers, and I'm eager to see what the evil gingerbread men are going to do in the enemy camp. :)

Happy to hear you're enjoying it, Greg. I'm still stuck on the visual of a gingerbread man riding on a shoulder and throwing out rude gestures. LOL

Shawnie wrote: "Happy to hear you're enjoying it, Greg. I'm still stuck on the visual of a gingerbread man riding on a shoulder and throwing out rude gestures. LOL"

Ha ha, thanks Shawnie! It's a naughty cookie! :) I had read a few serious books in a row, and this light book was perfect for me right now.