An absolute delight to read....I've been wanting to read this book for years and I finally got to it. This is the one that started it all...the basis for the original movie. There are just as many laugh out loud moments in the book, if not more, than there are in the movie. The influence this book had on future entertainment should be an indicator of the genius of it. I was instantly drawn in to the characters and setting and literally could not put the book down waiting for the next hilarious moment to occur. If you are looking for comedy or satire in your next read, give this a try.

It is a while already since I finished this book, and I have to admit, I’m still is in two minds about it.

Considering the writing quality and the fact how the style and language harmonized with that period and with a created historical atmosphere [b:The Curse of the Blue Scarab|31421764|The Curse of the Blue Scarab|Josh Lanyon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470859190s/31421764.jpg|52113304] is a nice piece of fiction.

However, judging by my personal enjoyment, I cannot give this book more than 3 stars, and I am generous here.

Had the author published it under another name, I would have never guessed that it came from the pen of Josh Lanyon. That fact shows, on the one hand, a wide range of JL’s writing skills, on the other hand, it shows that readers don’t meet with approval every experiment. It takes courage to try something new, and we have to respect it, but we are habit creatures regarding our reads.

This book is excellently written, as I’ve already mentioned. However, by and by, exactly the writing became my problem. I found it very interesting, unusual and perfectly suitable to the story line at the beginning, but as the story unfolded, it became increasingly frustrating to concentrate on the events and the story line.

What happened here: a good writing became an obstacle to the story itself. It started to be difficult to come through long-winded passages in old-fashioned language - that matched perfectly with the historical atmosphere- but that became difficult for me to enjoy.

The story is slowly paced that have never been a problem for me, if I’m connected with the characters and If I am intrigued with the story and its development. Unfortunately I couldn’t really connect with the MCs and I found the story rather boring than enigmatic and, in regard to a mystery concept, rather illogical than mysterious. I didn't get why the mummy has to be moved from host to host, leaving dead bodies behind, if the main owner could simply keep it in his house without bringing anyone in danger of death.

The ending I liked more than the majority of the readers, and I am glad that it didn’t turn at the end into a horror-paranormal-novel with the revitalized bloodthirsty mummy that one could have initially presumed.

It was my first book in a mashup genre, and it is nice to be introduced to it. I knew it solely from movies (like The Naked Gun, if I can qualify this series as such).
I didn't read the original [b:The Mummy|28805554|The Mummy|Riccardo Stephens|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1454152055s/28805554.jpg|49018817] that serves as the basis for [b:The Curse of the Blue Scarab|31421764|The Curse of the Blue Scarab|Josh Lanyon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470859190s/31421764.jpg|52113304], but I know that it is not actually funny, quite the opposite. However, considering the mashup genre I think, I’d have had much more fun reading [b:The Curse of the Blue Scarab|31421764|The Curse of the Blue Scarab|Josh Lanyon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470859190s/31421764.jpg|52113304], if it had been told with more humor.



***Copy provided kindly by the author in exchange for an honest review.

I want very much to give this 3.5 stars.

An interesting book as from the outset we know what is happening with the child who has been abducted.  I didn't find it particularly gripping but rather there was an overall sadness throughout the book that made me want to read on.  There were several points where I felt an emotional shock.  "Oh no" moments rather than "OMG" moments!  Definitely a thought-provoking read and an interesting change in perception from many other books of a similar type.

Halloween is such a fun and exciting time for children, and adults! My children personally love this book and it is so much fun to read. This would be perfect for a kindergarten/first grade class to read at Halloween. There is so many activities we could do with book, even integrate music into this book and introduce the children to song Monster Mash. So many fun things to do with this book!

 

Day 4!  Well my day didn't go exactly how I had planned.  Once home from the vet I started on house work that turned into me sort of deep cleaning my office.  Which then turned into me dealing with the after effects of taking the little dude to the vets.  Between the car ride and the meds he got a little sick.  So the blanket fort turned into a nest, because if I'm up moving around most of the time so is Maxwell.  So I got a bit of reading done while he slept off his upset stomach.  Monstrous is nearly halfway finished and I'm a section farther into Quotable Doctor Who.  But, between Maxwell's purring and the nest I took a nap.  Now I've cooked dinner, caught up with my sister's day, and doing a post before diving back into my nest to read the night away.  

 

The Bout Challenge today is from Bingeing On Book, and I think it's my favorite one of the week.  It's the Villain Mash-Up and I knew immediately who my first villain would be.  Jim Moriarty.

 

Maybe it's because the Sherlock special just aired and Andrew Scott's portrayal of the Professor amuses me to no end, but it could also my that I've been Sherlockian long before I knew what a Sherlockian was.  So when asked to pit two villains up against each other, it was no hard reach to know who my first choice would be.

 

So who would I put Professor Moriarty up against?  It honestly didn't take me long to think of worthy adversary.  One of my favorite fantasy series I've stumbled across is Joe Abercrombie's First Law Series.  So for villain number two I picked Bayaz.

 

  VS    

 

Personally I feel this would be the ultimate battle of wits and patience.  Moriarty is called the Napoleon of Crime for a reason.  His schemes were well thought out down to the last detail.  The Professor was the only man smart enough to out smart Sherlock Holmes.  So he needs an adversary just as smart.  I think Bayaz is that man.  Bayaz waited years for his revenge and he set the stage for it perfectly.  He played every single person around him so well none of them realized what was happening until it was so late.  In a book where everyone lost, Bayaz managed to win.  In fact I think they would get bored of trying to out smart each other, and if that happened Moriarty would find a way to neutralize Bayaz's magical ability.  Personally I don't think the Magi stands a chance, but I think it would a sight to behold those to battling it out.  Even if my money was on the Math Professor the whole time.