For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle

A highly entertaining, educational, and fun book. This is such a fantastic series. Great for fans of the first book as well as the picture book series. 

Personally, I like the chapter books more than the picture books. It's just easier to really get to know the characters in chapter book form. 

There are also great illustrations that keep the book fun and entertaining. 

Wonderful read. I can't wait for future books in this series.

Tales from the Perilous Realm by J.R.R. Tolkien is a collection of Tolkien's novellas and poems which have been in various books over the years, but have not been released in one volume.

The following are included in this book:

Roverandom

Farmer Giles of Ham

The Adventures of Tom Bombadil

Smith of Wootton Major

Leaf by Niggle

These are lighthearted stories and poems with a bit of humor. This collection was fun to read, and a great addition for Tolkien fans.

First in this new series. Very good read. Intrigue, romance a little steam. The story flowed and held my interest. I figured the bad agent out but had a problem picking out the "friend" angle. Good read, well worth the time spent.

I have to agree with other reviewers. This book was good but not as good as the first book. I didn't like that the potential deepening of a relationship but put on hold for some (to me) obscure reason. It just seemed like a ploy to keep us interested in the story. 3-1/2 stars.

When we first met the intrepid, orphaned quartet that made up a large part of the Mysterious Benedict Society we were left feeling that surely this couldn't be the last adventure that they'd be on together...and we were absolutely right. The whole gang is back in the second book in the series by Trenton Lee Stewart titled The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey. (Note: A new illustrator, Diana Sudyka, has penned the drawings for this book and forthcoming books in the series.) The beginning of the book starts off with the kids separated and trying to live as close to normal as possible. The reader is once again following the main character, Reynie, as he heads to meet up with everyone on the anniversary of their last adventure together. However, when they are all reunited at Mr. Benedict's house they are met with a very unpleasant surprise. (No spoilers here!!) What follows is a treacherous journey (hence the name of the book) that takes them on boats, trains, and up the side of a mountain in another country. While the central theme of friendship and working together is still present, this book is much darker in tone and a sense of foreboding lingers over every page. (In some ways, it reminds me of the progression of the Harry Potter series.) The illustrations again accompany a portion of the text and even though it's a different illustrator the sense of whimsy is ever-present. Overall, very enjoyable and fun to see how the author expands on each of the characters personalities and abilities. (Constance plays a much larger role in this book.) I have to confess that I've had the third book in the series gathering dust on my desk at work (and a copy of it here at home) but I haven't felt an overwhelming urge to pick it up just yet. I have a feeling this will be one of the first books I get to in the new year. XD If you read the first book in the series then I'm confident you'll enjoy the sequel. 8/10

A sample of the new illustrator's style [Source: Kinder Books]

 

 

What's Up Next: The Time Quartet series by Madeleine L'Engle

What I'm Currently Reading: Scythe by Neal Shusterman