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Gloom Trilogy #2
The Doldrums
Alternate cover edition for ASIN: B008E9OAGO
Over the past year Poppy has made many trips back into Winsome, catching up with the friends she’s made. On the anniversary of her first visit to the kingdom, a gala is cut short when Augusta’s aide, Benny, is found gruesomely injured, and Poppy’s friend, Annie, has been abducted and taken into the mysterious goblin caves known as the Doldrums. Poppy decides that she must travel into the elaborate mountainside maze to rescue her friend and halt the efforts of an old adversary.
Over the past year Poppy has made many trips back into Winsome, catching up with the friends she’s made. On the anniversary of her first visit to the kingdom, a gala is cut short when Augusta’s aide, Benny, is found gruesomely injured, and Poppy’s friend, Annie, has been abducted and taken into the mysterious goblin caves known as the Doldrums. Poppy decides that she must travel into the elaborate mountainside maze to rescue her friend and halt the efforts of an old adversary.
Kindle Edition
First published June 23, 2012
1 person is currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Piper Kelley
9 books1 followerPiper Lee Kelley was born in a small suburb of one of America's largest cities. Although the beach was a mere block from her home, she still harbors a general distaste for sand and ocean water. Since her father hated to drive, her explorations in the city were relegated to walking, usually barefoot. Growing up without television or even a phone, Piper relied on her creative mind to conjure elaborate fantasies, which propel her work to this day.
She moved away from the beach around the age of 25. She misses it terribly, but the loss came with the gain of a wonderful family of her own. Piper has been with her husband for 10 years and, along with two wonderful children and two obnoxious cats, she now spends her time in the suburbs of a much smaller city. Her cats spend their time cuddling up with her laptop.
In Piper’s debut novels, she explores the nature of family, love, forgiveness, and bravery.
She moved away from the beach around the age of 25. She misses it terribly, but the loss came with the gain of a wonderful family of her own. Piper has been with her husband for 10 years and, along with two wonderful children and two obnoxious cats, she now spends her time in the suburbs of a much smaller city. Her cats spend their time cuddling up with her laptop.
In Piper’s debut novels, she explores the nature of family, love, forgiveness, and bravery.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 4, 2013
We're straight back into the world with this book, picking up right where book 1 left off. Poppy has come to visit her mother and friends in Winsome but whilst there one of her friends is kidnapped. Queen Augusta tells them to wait and plan a rescue, but Poppy wants to find her friend before it's too late, so she sneaks out with her friends Brady and Gus, determined to get her back.
This one seemed a little bit more exciting than the first, I think because I knew the characters better, it felt like there was more at stake. I liked Annie as a character and really wanted Poppy to find her and bring her home.
Brady is growing more as a character and I like his courage and quiet confidence and the easy friendship between him and Poppy. I liked Gus even more, his spirit and heroics are really endearing, although I'm still not sure what he is supposed to look like.
Sneaking through a world of goblins and trolls the characters have to face danger at every turn, but I liked how you weren't really sure of what was to come next.
Augusta is still very short tempered and straight laced but I actually really like her, I found myself waiting to see if that tough exterior would crack and on the rare occasions it does you see a whole other side of her.
Again this book is quite short at approx 150 pages and I finished it within about an hour, the plot carries you through and I was actually surprised by how quickly it passed.
The series is certainly getting better.
This one seemed a little bit more exciting than the first, I think because I knew the characters better, it felt like there was more at stake. I liked Annie as a character and really wanted Poppy to find her and bring her home.
Brady is growing more as a character and I like his courage and quiet confidence and the easy friendship between him and Poppy. I liked Gus even more, his spirit and heroics are really endearing, although I'm still not sure what he is supposed to look like.
Sneaking through a world of goblins and trolls the characters have to face danger at every turn, but I liked how you weren't really sure of what was to come next.
Augusta is still very short tempered and straight laced but I actually really like her, I found myself waiting to see if that tough exterior would crack and on the rare occasions it does you see a whole other side of her.
Again this book is quite short at approx 150 pages and I finished it within about an hour, the plot carries you through and I was actually surprised by how quickly it passed.
The series is certainly getting better.
October 8, 2012
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Piper Kelley.)
It’s been a year since Poppy went on her first adventure into the fairy land of Winsome, and she’s been going back to visit people, so much so that her little isster has noticed her talking to the tree in their back garden (which is the portal to the fairy world.)
This time Poppy is going back to the castle for a party, and we get to meet up with all of Poppy’s friends from book 1 – Gus, Sug, Tilly, Nixie, Brady etc.
Trouble is in store though when a little girl that Poppy met in the gloom (Annie) has been kidnapped from the castle, and Poppy and Brady sneak away to try and get her back. Annie has been taken to the doldrums though, a network of caves lived in by goblins, and many people go in and don’t come back out.
Can Poppy and Brady save Annie? And can they survive the Doldrums?
This was a fast paced trip through the fairy land of Winsome, taking us along with Poppy and her friends on another whirlwind adventure. All of Poppy’s friends made a cameo, and we learned more about her strange family. There was also a hint of romance in the air!
Great middle school book, and a great second book in the trilogy. On to ‘The Dregs’!
6 out of 10.
It’s been a year since Poppy went on her first adventure into the fairy land of Winsome, and she’s been going back to visit people, so much so that her little isster has noticed her talking to the tree in their back garden (which is the portal to the fairy world.)
This time Poppy is going back to the castle for a party, and we get to meet up with all of Poppy’s friends from book 1 – Gus, Sug, Tilly, Nixie, Brady etc.
Trouble is in store though when a little girl that Poppy met in the gloom (Annie) has been kidnapped from the castle, and Poppy and Brady sneak away to try and get her back. Annie has been taken to the doldrums though, a network of caves lived in by goblins, and many people go in and don’t come back out.
Can Poppy and Brady save Annie? And can they survive the Doldrums?
This was a fast paced trip through the fairy land of Winsome, taking us along with Poppy and her friends on another whirlwind adventure. All of Poppy’s friends made a cameo, and we learned more about her strange family. There was also a hint of romance in the air!
Great middle school book, and a great second book in the trilogy. On to ‘The Dregs’!
6 out of 10.
September 1, 2012
In Piper Kelley’s Middle Grade/Tween novel, THE DOLDRUMS, BOOK TWO OF THE GLOOM TRILOGY, the adventures of Poppy continue. Once again, she returns to Winsome, the world beyond the old tree where she is needed to help find the kidnapper of her friend, Annie. Benny, Augusta’s aide (Augusta is sister to Peregrine, Poppy‘s mother) has also been wounded. Poppy, along with her friend, Brady, a wingless faerie, set out for the doldrums, a network of caves inhabited by goblins where they suspect Annie has been taken. Gus, an adorable imp (yeah, imps can be adorable) goes with them. In their search for Annie, Poppy and Brady encounter more interesting characters, some they can trust, some they cannot. Along the way, they face danger, sometimes with fear, but more often with courage, determined to find Annie.
Vivid descriptions of the landscape make the reader feel the sand on their bruised and bleeding feet, the water swirling around them, or whatever the characters are feeling. THE DOLDRUMS, BOOK TWO moves the series along with new obstacles and interesting characters. Another nice book to add to your library.
I haven’t read the third book in the series, yet, but am looking forward to connecting with Poppy and her adventures again.
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Vivid descriptions of the landscape make the reader feel the sand on their bruised and bleeding feet, the water swirling around them, or whatever the characters are feeling. THE DOLDRUMS, BOOK TWO moves the series along with new obstacles and interesting characters. Another nice book to add to your library.
I haven’t read the third book in the series, yet, but am looking forward to connecting with Poppy and her adventures again.
###
September 8, 2012
I can't tell you how much I like Poppy. For a teenage girl she is head strong and stubborn, but she's at least smart. She thinks through things logically and she always ends up being right. So basically, she's kind of like me. (HA!)
What I appreciate about these books and Piper Kelley as a writer is that these books are to the point, succinct, well written, and entertaining. There is no unnecessary fluff just to add pages and the story moves at a fantastic pace. What I also loved is how Piper describes the Doldrums, where the goblins live, because it sounds creepy. I love all of the characters that Poppy comes across, and I was hoping for the possible romantic relationship between her and Brady would bloom. And can I just say- the game changer in regards to Benny? Holy balls.
What I appreciate about these books and Piper Kelley as a writer is that these books are to the point, succinct, well written, and entertaining. There is no unnecessary fluff just to add pages and the story moves at a fantastic pace. What I also loved is how Piper describes the Doldrums, where the goblins live, because it sounds creepy. I love all of the characters that Poppy comes across, and I was hoping for the possible romantic relationship between her and Brady would bloom. And can I just say- the game changer in regards to Benny? Holy balls.
August 26, 2012
This is the second book in The Gloom Trilogy. My review for the first one is on my blog.
Poppy is still torn between her human life and her life in Winsome. This time she is forced to help Winsome in the middle of a crisis again.
This book moved very quickly and didn't take long to read. In this book I didn't see as much action as in the first. Not until the end anyway. The writing was great just the story didn't have much action.
There is only one more book left in the Trilogy. I have to say I'm both anxious and sad to read it. Will it tie up loose ends for me, or will it make me sad to see the world of Winsome end?
Poppy is still torn between her human life and her life in Winsome. This time she is forced to help Winsome in the middle of a crisis again.
This book moved very quickly and didn't take long to read. In this book I didn't see as much action as in the first. Not until the end anyway. The writing was great just the story didn't have much action.
There is only one more book left in the Trilogy. I have to say I'm both anxious and sad to read it. Will it tie up loose ends for me, or will it make me sad to see the world of Winsome end?
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews