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Kingdom Quest #1
Life Reader
Fifteen-year-old Raven Wishmore was supposed to snatch a cauldron. Instead she accidentally blows up a library.
When Raven’s father—a spy for Kingdom Quest, a secret society devoted to protecting magic and punishing magic abusers—is charged with finding a priceless cauldron, Raven is coerced into joining the investigation. She reluctantly goes undercover at Saint Cloud Library, the supposed location at which the cauldron is being guarded. Raven—in her gum snapping, skirt wearing, ditzy disguise—is employed at Saint Cloud, which is ruled by a tyrannical library director who has declared all book sections closed. Her coworkers are wary, unfriendly, and unconcerned that the library’s magic is taking on the disposition of a chained monster.
It gets worse. Thanks to a cyber security leak an organization of magic abusers know the cauldron is at Saint Cloud. They will burn the library to the ground to get the cauldron if Raven doesn’t find it first. The only things Raven has going for her is her friendship with the mischievous Montamos brothers, who specialize in breaking and entering, and her dubious magic, the ability to read things to life. However, Raven is unwilling to use her power as she knows firsthand that her magic-based creations are willing to destroy her. Raven must decide if saving the library and recovering the cauldron is worth the personal risk of using her dangerous magic, or if she should let Saint Cloud and its employees fall.
When Raven’s father—a spy for Kingdom Quest, a secret society devoted to protecting magic and punishing magic abusers—is charged with finding a priceless cauldron, Raven is coerced into joining the investigation. She reluctantly goes undercover at Saint Cloud Library, the supposed location at which the cauldron is being guarded. Raven—in her gum snapping, skirt wearing, ditzy disguise—is employed at Saint Cloud, which is ruled by a tyrannical library director who has declared all book sections closed. Her coworkers are wary, unfriendly, and unconcerned that the library’s magic is taking on the disposition of a chained monster.
It gets worse. Thanks to a cyber security leak an organization of magic abusers know the cauldron is at Saint Cloud. They will burn the library to the ground to get the cauldron if Raven doesn’t find it first. The only things Raven has going for her is her friendship with the mischievous Montamos brothers, who specialize in breaking and entering, and her dubious magic, the ability to read things to life. However, Raven is unwilling to use her power as she knows firsthand that her magic-based creations are willing to destroy her. Raven must decide if saving the library and recovering the cauldron is worth the personal risk of using her dangerous magic, or if she should let Saint Cloud and its employees fall.
223 pages, ebook
First published May 26, 2013
171 people are currently reading
863 people want to read
About the author
K.M. Shea
120 books4,820 followersMy pen name is K. M. Shea, but my readers—I prefer to call them Champions—call me Kitty.
I love to write funny, clean stories with strong characters. Books like that are among my favorite to read so naturally I love writing stories like that as well. My philosophy is that life is tough, so books should be something that makes you relax and laugh!
VISIT MY FACEBOOK GROUP
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VISIT MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE
https://www.amazon.com/K-M-Shea/e/B00...
VISIT MY WEBSITE
https://kmshea.com/
I love to write funny, clean stories with strong characters. Books like that are among my favorite to read so naturally I love writing stories like that as well. My philosophy is that life is tough, so books should be something that makes you relax and laugh!
VISIT MY FACEBOOK GROUP
https://www.facebook.com/groups/27090...
VISIT MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE
https://www.amazon.com/K-M-Shea/e/B00...
VISIT MY WEBSITE
https://kmshea.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
April 18, 2015
Another excellent book by KM Shea.
The opening scene was aces. It got right to the point and grabbed my attention.
Raven is a no-nonsense heroine who has to pretend to be a flighty, ever-popular, girly-girl. I loved her slip ups, when she accidentally expressed her real opinion and then had to cover it up with some vapid comment or inane act.
The twins were hysterical and I l loved the way they interacted with each other and the way they brought Raven into their inner circle so completely.
I'm hoping for a sequel! Hopefully one in which the mysterious figure from Raven's class is explained.
The opening scene was aces. It got right to the point and grabbed my attention.
Raven is a no-nonsense heroine who has to pretend to be a flighty, ever-popular, girly-girl. I loved her slip ups, when she accidentally expressed her real opinion and then had to cover it up with some vapid comment or inane act.
The twins were hysterical and I l loved the way they interacted with each other and the way they brought Raven into their inner circle so completely.
I'm hoping for a sequel! Hopefully one in which the mysterious figure from Raven's class is explained.
September 9, 2015
Life Reader by K.M. Shea
During the past week I have literally devoured all of K.M. Shea's books (excepting the King Arthur series). I started with the two MBRC books and Princess Ahira. Then took a detour to Robyn Hood, (my least favorite), before speeding through the Timeless Fairytale Series. Finally, I finished with The Red Rope of Fate and Life Reader.
I saved Life Reader for last because the book description did not seem to make sense. Once again I was pleasantly surprised. Life Reader is so far my favorite of Shea's books, (closely tied with The Little Selkie.) Now I find myself disappointed because I want more!
However, I hear that there is a new Life Reader book coming out in 2016, and I cant wait! There are so many possibilities... How will the twins will complicate Raven’s life as an Administrative Assistant. What is Jeremiah hiding? How will Foxx's obsession with Raven develop? Will Shannon return with a bigger role as the 'Human Friend?'
During the past week I have literally devoured all of K.M. Shea's books (excepting the King Arthur series). I started with the two MBRC books and Princess Ahira. Then took a detour to Robyn Hood, (my least favorite), before speeding through the Timeless Fairytale Series. Finally, I finished with The Red Rope of Fate and Life Reader.
I saved Life Reader for last because the book description did not seem to make sense. Once again I was pleasantly surprised. Life Reader is so far my favorite of Shea's books, (closely tied with The Little Selkie.) Now I find myself disappointed because I want more!
However, I hear that there is a new Life Reader book coming out in 2016, and I cant wait! There are so many possibilities... How will the twins will complicate Raven’s life as an Administrative Assistant. What is Jeremiah hiding? How will Foxx's obsession with Raven develop? Will Shannon return with a bigger role as the 'Human Friend?'
October 29, 2017
'Twas pretty good. The characters were fun and the plot wasn't bad.
If you're looking for a light fun read, I would recommend this or My Life at the MBRC (Which I enjoyed more, but was a bit soppy on the romance side)
- Second time through -
One of K M Shea's best actually, despite being an earlier book. The writing was pretty decent, and all the characters had a bit of development and interest. The romance was barely even noticeable, while still being really sweet.
And the twins are awesome :D
If you're looking for a light fun read, I would recommend this or My Life at the MBRC (Which I enjoyed more, but was a bit soppy on the romance side)
- Second time through -
One of K M Shea's best actually, despite being an earlier book. The writing was pretty decent, and all the characters had a bit of development and interest. The romance was barely even noticeable, while still being really sweet.
And the twins are awesome :D
July 2, 2024
Heheheh stayed up too late much like the first time I read this book. Always worth it tho! Anything by this author is gold!
October 7, 2017
i read and re-read the (mixed) reviews before i downloaded the book. i love shea's MBRC series, but i think it's pretty hit and miss with the fairy tale series. and while i don't mind the few misspelled words or grammatical errors, the author's usage of the wrong word throws me off at the worst times. i'll be absorbed in the story and then i'll hit a word that's so wrong, i have to stop and reread the sentence (or the paragraph) until i figure out what word she really meant. then i will have to reread the entire page to get back into my groove.
i'm really glad i downloaded the book. shea has a way of making of her characters real. they are not cookie cut-outs of stephanie meyer or cassandra clare characters (not everyone has to be an "edward" or a "jace!") her characters are.. the brother who you want to strangle for making that stupid comment, but run to when you have a problem because you know he'll be there for you; the obnoxious friends that know you better than you know yourself. yeah, your brother and friends don't have magical powers (or do they?) but you know what i mean.
i know some reviewers complained that not all the characters were developed and that there were a lot of loose ends. i agree but 1) the reader is being introduced to the characters from raven's point of view. she is not a mind reader. 2) i'm pretty sure the author intends to write a sequel, thus the loose ends.
that all said, i loved the twins! (yes, i am gushing.) i would love to be the third twin! i really do hope there are more books about the twins!
i'm really glad i downloaded the book. shea has a way of making of her characters real. they are not cookie cut-outs of stephanie meyer or cassandra clare characters (not everyone has to be an "edward" or a "jace!") her characters are.. the brother who you want to strangle for making that stupid comment, but run to when you have a problem because you know he'll be there for you; the obnoxious friends that know you better than you know yourself. yeah, your brother and friends don't have magical powers (or do they?) but you know what i mean.
i know some reviewers complained that not all the characters were developed and that there were a lot of loose ends. i agree but 1) the reader is being introduced to the characters from raven's point of view. she is not a mind reader. 2) i'm pretty sure the author intends to write a sequel, thus the loose ends.
that all said, i loved the twins! (yes, i am gushing.) i would love to be the third twin! i really do hope there are more books about the twins!
May 20, 2019
Good story!
The story line was great, with good character development for the major characters. I would like to see sequels. I dropped a star because this book needed more proofing/ editing as there were missing words, additional words, and incorrect prepositions. Didn't interfere with story too much, but they were obvious.
The story line was great, with good character development for the major characters. I would like to see sequels. I dropped a star because this book needed more proofing/ editing as there were missing words, additional words, and incorrect prepositions. Didn't interfere with story too much, but they were obvious.
July 10, 2014
Not sure where the high rating comes in ... At least 19 blatant errors in the first three chapters, and not that interesting to boot. No excuse for the likes of "wracks" of books and security "breeches" -- I'm out.
October 13, 2019
I literally stayed up half the night reading this. Finished at 4 am. I simply could not put it down!
It takes place in our world, just with magic. Raven is a 15 year old page turner. When a page turner reads, what they read are supposed to come to life in illusions. The problem? What Raven reads doesn’t become illusion, it becomes real. This is a secret she has hidden from everyone. Even her family.
Then she is “forced” to become a spy at Saint Cloud Library for the magical government. She is looking for a cauldron that she knows noting about. And she isn’t the only one looking for it.
She has to pretend to me a person she isn’t, befriended the other page turners at the library(that positively hates her, or?), protect her secret, find the cauldron, and hinder the magic abusers from getting it. Yup, things are not easy for this girl. Oh, and did I mention that the library is alive with magic?
It takes place in our world, just with magic. Raven is a 15 year old page turner. When a page turner reads, what they read are supposed to come to life in illusions. The problem? What Raven reads doesn’t become illusion, it becomes real. This is a secret she has hidden from everyone. Even her family.
Then she is “forced” to become a spy at Saint Cloud Library for the magical government. She is looking for a cauldron that she knows noting about. And she isn’t the only one looking for it.
She has to pretend to me a person she isn’t, befriended the other page turners at the library(that positively hates her, or?), protect her secret, find the cauldron, and hinder the magic abusers from getting it. Yup, things are not easy for this girl. Oh, and did I mention that the library is alive with magic?
December 15, 2022
Life reader by K. M. Shea is really good. It's placed in the modern world and there are magical people too. The main character is a page turner (someone who reads books out loud and makes illusions out of what they read), but she doesn't like reading out loud because she has a secret about her powers. She goes under cover at a library and she tries to find an artifact. When I re read this book I noticed that Raven (the main character) and Asher (one of the other page turners) looked like they started to have feelings for each other which was an interesting find. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading, fantasy/fiction, and action.
January 27, 2018
Loved it
Great story with Blairs and loveable characters. Loved the magic and the twins. The interplay between them is awesome. It's set up for more in the series, which would be amazing because i loved the world is set in and how her magic works. Fabulous
Great story with Blairs and loveable characters. Loved the magic and the twins. The interplay between them is awesome. It's set up for more in the series, which would be amazing because i loved the world is set in and how her magic works. Fabulous
August 22, 2019
Amazing
One of her best books. Absolutely amazing! Lovely plot twist but you will not be getting any spoilers out of me!
One of her best books. Absolutely amazing! Lovely plot twist but you will not be getting any spoilers out of me!
June 21, 2021
recap:
Raven's house got attacked by a bunch of magic abuser who looked for a cauldron so she and her family had to move out and took a whole new identity and Raven had to be a spy in a library that is suspected to keep the cauldron. so she pretended to be a empty-headed fashionista girl in order to seduce one of the librarian to squeeze out information. at first everyone in the library hated her, but suddenly the crazy, anti-social twin asked her to be her triplet out of nowhere just because she threw a shoe at the prefect (?!)
but Raven actually got a dark secret of her own, she could read things to life and it was considered to be dangerous (at least she thought so), so when the library got attacked by the previous attacker, she was too cowardly to help them and instead acted like a damsel in distress for a few pages before everyone almost died and she finally read a book to save everyone. but with great power, comes great need to nap... or in Raven's case, great price to pay, such as her magic wreak havoc on her own body, causing her to be in real pain (i think this part is complete bullshit and weird).
after that she continued on her pretending to be normal and boring life but she also continued to find the cauldron (although with no urgency) when suddenly, they got the idea to hack into the prefect's computer and omg-so-lucky to stumble upon the ENEMY'S WEBSITE! seriously?! are you joking?! what kind of group of villain have a website?! and they even got more lucky to find that there would be a secret, evil meeting soon! and of course they got to come, only to receive a useless information, and of course the enemy found out about their presence. but, of course, they managed to escape *yawn*
so they search the cauldron with a tiny bit more urgency and Raven just decided to directly ask the terrifying director for it and surprisingly, the director agreed! so they retrieve the cauldron, along with Raven's dad and 2 bodyguard, who one of them, the nicer one of course, turned out to be a traitor. so here was another stupid thing that i mentioned (there were tons that i didn't, too lazy), so turned out Raven is a double A (the name for magician who can read things to live), and she could just dismissed the cauldron and voila! problem solved. but of course she didn't dismiss it until everyone were dying and the enemy almost won. and of course she didn't help too until everyone was screaming in pain. *sigh*, reading books like this is really a trial to my patience. but of course, the enemy was defeated, everyone was save and sound, Raven got a bit sickly because she used so many magic, but it was okay because she was offered the position of assistant whatever, and no one paid a heed to her 'supposed to be very dangerous' power. the end. so fucking anti-climatic, and ughhhh. if i had the physical book, i would throw it into the nearest trash can. along with the king arthur series, and the robyn hood duology.
my thoughts:
the idea of reading things to life is a far cry from a new and creative idea, there's already books and stories and movies about that, but i genuinely like the concept of Raven's ability here, even though the story, the plots, the characters, the conflicts are all sucks. i felt like i read this book endlessly. every chapter i read felt like the same chapter as before and i felt like i didn't make any progress at all! i was so damn glad when i finally finish this. the whole plot was either repetitive, boring, flat, or totally ridiculous. and also, who named their main character something that sounds like DIARE?!
also, Raven didn't sound like she was pretending to be empty-headed and flirty, the more i read, the more i think that it was just the way she is. it was obvious, like suddenly, she really cared about what boot she wear, how she sacrificed wake up 2 hours early just to curl her hair and apply make ups, and ladadida boring girly stuff. i have no problem with girly stuff but what annoyed me was the fact that this made her character to clash so badly from what she was described to be by the author with how she actually acted.
Raven's house got attacked by a bunch of magic abuser who looked for a cauldron so she and her family had to move out and took a whole new identity and Raven had to be a spy in a library that is suspected to keep the cauldron. so she pretended to be a empty-headed fashionista girl in order to seduce one of the librarian to squeeze out information. at first everyone in the library hated her, but suddenly the crazy, anti-social twin asked her to be her triplet out of nowhere just because she threw a shoe at the prefect (?!)
but Raven actually got a dark secret of her own, she could read things to life and it was considered to be dangerous (at least she thought so), so when the library got attacked by the previous attacker, she was too cowardly to help them and instead acted like a damsel in distress for a few pages before everyone almost died and she finally read a book to save everyone. but with great power, comes great need to nap... or in Raven's case, great price to pay, such as her magic wreak havoc on her own body, causing her to be in real pain (i think this part is complete bullshit and weird).
after that she continued on her pretending to be normal and boring life but she also continued to find the cauldron (although with no urgency) when suddenly, they got the idea to hack into the prefect's computer and omg-so-lucky to stumble upon the ENEMY'S WEBSITE! seriously?! are you joking?! what kind of group of villain have a website?! and they even got more lucky to find that there would be a secret, evil meeting soon! and of course they got to come, only to receive a useless information, and of course the enemy found out about their presence. but, of course, they managed to escape *yawn*
so they search the cauldron with a tiny bit more urgency and Raven just decided to directly ask the terrifying director for it and surprisingly, the director agreed! so they retrieve the cauldron, along with Raven's dad and 2 bodyguard, who one of them, the nicer one of course, turned out to be a traitor. so here was another stupid thing that i mentioned (there were tons that i didn't, too lazy), so turned out Raven is a double A (the name for magician who can read things to live), and she could just dismissed the cauldron and voila! problem solved. but of course she didn't dismiss it until everyone were dying and the enemy almost won. and of course she didn't help too until everyone was screaming in pain. *sigh*, reading books like this is really a trial to my patience. but of course, the enemy was defeated, everyone was save and sound, Raven got a bit sickly because she used so many magic, but it was okay because she was offered the position of assistant whatever, and no one paid a heed to her 'supposed to be very dangerous' power. the end. so fucking anti-climatic, and ughhhh. if i had the physical book, i would throw it into the nearest trash can. along with the king arthur series, and the robyn hood duology.
my thoughts:
the idea of reading things to life is a far cry from a new and creative idea, there's already books and stories and movies about that, but i genuinely like the concept of Raven's ability here, even though the story, the plots, the characters, the conflicts are all sucks. i felt like i read this book endlessly. every chapter i read felt like the same chapter as before and i felt like i didn't make any progress at all! i was so damn glad when i finally finish this. the whole plot was either repetitive, boring, flat, or totally ridiculous. and also, who named their main character something that sounds like DIARE?!
also, Raven didn't sound like she was pretending to be empty-headed and flirty, the more i read, the more i think that it was just the way she is. it was obvious, like suddenly, she really cared about what boot she wear, how she sacrificed wake up 2 hours early just to curl her hair and apply make ups, and ladadida boring girly stuff. i have no problem with girly stuff but what annoyed me was the fact that this made her character to clash so badly from what she was described to be by the author with how she actually acted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2018
Plagarism.
Firstly. How on earth did she get this published with so much barely concealed, stolen material?
The identical twins take Raven to a magical store hidden from humans. (Honeydukes, Zonko's Joke Shop)There they purchase fireworks, tricks, candy named after magical creatures and every flavor magic drops. Not an exact copy but so, so obvious. They travel to the magical store through a hidden portal in a bathroom stall of a rundown looking store. (The Ministry Employee Entrance, The Leaky Cauldron)
The magic rings they all wear have cores from magical creatures such as dragons and unicorns.
The adult Raven reports to is her guardian/father who is a black dog. (A job not literal dog but still.) Seriously.
They have to watch out for hordes of floating "decayers".
They have a dangerous willow tree protecting their yard. (Whomping Willow anyone?)
Secondly. The heroine and her father are supposed to be undercover. Her father, a professional undercover agent, does big magic, in broad daylight, in his front yard. They don't have separate magic towns but live among nonmagic people.They aren't supposed to let nonmagic humans see magic. Plus they have relocated and need to stay under the radar of their enemies. He makes an entire willow tree disappear from his yard.
The heroine is dumb as dirt. She talks OUT LOUD to herself about top secret and sensitive stuff where anyone can hear her. Repeatedly. She also does big obvious magic in her front yard exposing her true identity to her enemy.
She hides her magic from her family and allies only showing it to her ENEMIES. Even when she discovers her magic is rare, special and needed instead of forbidden and shameful she won't tell her father about it. She decides to only use her magic to save lives but then when all her friends and co-workers and the library she is supposed to protect are being destroyed she still won't use it. This
happens twice.
She doesn't recognize the bad guy in disguise even when he gives her a BIG RED CLUE to his identity. I don't know why he would do it but it was unmistakable to ANYONE but her.
There are so many more reasons this book is badly written. There are many typos and other errors. The character Brannon shows up as Brandon 11 times.
And so many things simply don't make sense.
The premise of the book is cool. And there are a few funny parts but on the whole even ignoring the large-scale magical content theft, it just isn't well done. The heroine is just so dumb, selfish and disappointing.
This author has a few really great books and a few really awful ones. I could at least finish this one.
Firstly. How on earth did she get this published with so much barely concealed, stolen material?
The identical twins take Raven to a magical store hidden from humans. (Honeydukes, Zonko's Joke Shop)There they purchase fireworks, tricks, candy named after magical creatures and every flavor magic drops. Not an exact copy but so, so obvious. They travel to the magical store through a hidden portal in a bathroom stall of a rundown looking store. (The Ministry Employee Entrance, The Leaky Cauldron)
The magic rings they all wear have cores from magical creatures such as dragons and unicorns.
The adult Raven reports to is her guardian/father who is a black dog. (A job not literal dog but still.) Seriously.
They have to watch out for hordes of floating "decayers".
They have a dangerous willow tree protecting their yard. (Whomping Willow anyone?)
Secondly. The heroine and her father are supposed to be undercover. Her father, a professional undercover agent, does big magic, in broad daylight, in his front yard. They don't have separate magic towns but live among nonmagic people.They aren't supposed to let nonmagic humans see magic. Plus they have relocated and need to stay under the radar of their enemies. He makes an entire willow tree disappear from his yard.
The heroine is dumb as dirt. She talks OUT LOUD to herself about top secret and sensitive stuff where anyone can hear her. Repeatedly. She also does big obvious magic in her front yard exposing her true identity to her enemy.
She hides her magic from her family and allies only showing it to her ENEMIES. Even when she discovers her magic is rare, special and needed instead of forbidden and shameful she won't tell her father about it. She decides to only use her magic to save lives but then when all her friends and co-workers and the library she is supposed to protect are being destroyed she still won't use it. This
happens twice.
She doesn't recognize the bad guy in disguise even when he gives her a BIG RED CLUE to his identity. I don't know why he would do it but it was unmistakable to ANYONE but her.
There are so many more reasons this book is badly written. There are many typos and other errors. The character Brannon shows up as Brandon 11 times.
And so many things simply don't make sense.
The premise of the book is cool. And there are a few funny parts but on the whole even ignoring the large-scale magical content theft, it just isn't well done. The heroine is just so dumb, selfish and disappointing.
This author has a few really great books and a few really awful ones. I could at least finish this one.
March 3, 2018
This book has so few reviews, it's shameful. Here are my two cents: This book is a must-read! <3 It's a clean, enjoyable read with a neatly wrapped-up story arc and a promise for future adventures. Raven is a stellar lead with a good head on her shoulders (though I did want to shake her at one point), and you can tell that she knows what she's doing.
The world in which she operates is familiar to her - so, by extension, to us, by the time we're a few chapters in. I'll be honest: my biggest complaint about this book was its learning curve. Kitty (the author, K.M. Shea) used quite a few terms at the beginning that I found difficult to grasp at first. However, it wasn't too long before I started to feel on par with Raven's familiarity, and the difficulty I had at the very beginning was well worth the payoff.
I adore the varied cast of characters Raven interacts with, from the director (heeheehee, this guy xD) to the twins (AHHH, THE TWINS! <3) to Raven's school friend (underrepresented, but if there's a sequel, I bet we'll see more of her). I would happily throttle perhaps two or three of the other characters - none of whom are villains, by the way, but all of whom are antagonistic in a way that makes me hold a grudge. xP Speaking of the villains, I'm actually really curious about Fox, and I think I'll leave it at that to avoid giving spoilers.
Oh, and the library itself is a character! Sort of. I mean, basically. I mean, I don't really have that part completely figured out, but I totally don't mind just going with it, especially given the additional information provided in bonus short stories on the author's website. ^_^
So there you have it - my two cents, whatever that will buy. xD The book is totally open for a sequel at some point, but it by no means ends on a cliffhanger. The plot points introduced at the very beginning of the novel are all resolved satisfactorily by the end. I have definitely fallen madly in love with the characters of this story and will revisit them again and again! <3
The world in which she operates is familiar to her - so, by extension, to us, by the time we're a few chapters in. I'll be honest: my biggest complaint about this book was its learning curve. Kitty (the author, K.M. Shea) used quite a few terms at the beginning that I found difficult to grasp at first. However, it wasn't too long before I started to feel on par with Raven's familiarity, and the difficulty I had at the very beginning was well worth the payoff.
I adore the varied cast of characters Raven interacts with, from the director (heeheehee, this guy xD) to the twins (AHHH, THE TWINS! <3) to Raven's school friend (underrepresented, but if there's a sequel, I bet we'll see more of her). I would happily throttle perhaps two or three of the other characters - none of whom are villains, by the way, but all of whom are antagonistic in a way that makes me hold a grudge. xP Speaking of the villains, I'm actually really curious about Fox, and I think I'll leave it at that to avoid giving spoilers.
Oh, and the library itself is a character! Sort of. I mean, basically. I mean, I don't really have that part completely figured out, but I totally don't mind just going with it, especially given the additional information provided in bonus short stories on the author's website. ^_^
So there you have it - my two cents, whatever that will buy. xD The book is totally open for a sequel at some point, but it by no means ends on a cliffhanger. The plot points introduced at the very beginning of the novel are all resolved satisfactorily by the end. I have definitely fallen madly in love with the characters of this story and will revisit them again and again! <3
April 2, 2021
This has such a good concept but I feel like it borrows heavily from other books - Harry Potter for example - with there being magical 'cores' to rings and the special 'available to people with magic' sweets and such.
I really liked the characters in this book, I thought they were mostly pretty well developed but there's so much of this world that isn't explained. And it's so obviously meant to be a series as there are so many questions (why did the Fox not tell her secret? What happened to the Twins' Mum? When she comes back - where does she go to school? Because it says they're not classmates but she's still only 16?And what is ACTUALLY happening with the library?). The problem with this is that no other books have been released and it's been YEARS. I sort of think that if authors aren't intending to immediately start the next book in a series, they should wrap up all loose ends, because it's bloody frustrating.
I also think the pacing is off in this book. Really, not a lot happens, at one point I' felt I'd been reading for HOURS and when I looked at my progress, I was only 30% in. So slow going.
I'm not the target audience for this book (I'm in my 30s) but there are plenty of fast paced, engaged young adult books out there so I don't think I'm just missing something because of my age.
This had potential but was a pretty disappointing read for me.
I really liked the characters in this book, I thought they were mostly pretty well developed but there's so much of this world that isn't explained. And it's so obviously meant to be a series as there are so many questions (why did the Fox not tell her secret? What happened to the Twins' Mum? When she comes back - where does she go to school? Because it says they're not classmates but she's still only 16?And what is ACTUALLY happening with the library?). The problem with this is that no other books have been released and it's been YEARS. I sort of think that if authors aren't intending to immediately start the next book in a series, they should wrap up all loose ends, because it's bloody frustrating.
I also think the pacing is off in this book. Really, not a lot happens, at one point I' felt I'd been reading for HOURS and when I looked at my progress, I was only 30% in. So slow going.
I'm not the target audience for this book (I'm in my 30s) but there are plenty of fast paced, engaged young adult books out there so I don't think I'm just missing something because of my age.
This had potential but was a pretty disappointing read for me.
July 13, 2017
K.M. Shea is one of my favorite authors so I jump at the chance to read any book by her I come across. Unfortunately Life Reader isn't one of my top picks from her.
I did enjoy the book. I liked the characters a lot and the modern day setting with a hidden magical society operating under everyday peoples noses was also fun to read. But I felt the story lacked a little polish I guess.
Even though the main characters were all in high school the book felt middle-grade to me. Raven is a strong female lead, something I expect from K.M. Shea, and the twins that serve as her companions are quirky and entertaining. But the plot and the modern day magical society in the book both could have used some work and more depth. Like I stated before, the book could have used a little more polish.
All in all even I did really like the characters and world and I would definitely recommend this book. There are plans to eventually expand Life Reader into a series so I look forward to reading more. Perhaps the ideas started in this book will be more fleshed out in the next book. (Though K.M. Shea's website says that could take years.)
I did enjoy the book. I liked the characters a lot and the modern day setting with a hidden magical society operating under everyday peoples noses was also fun to read. But I felt the story lacked a little polish I guess.
Even though the main characters were all in high school the book felt middle-grade to me. Raven is a strong female lead, something I expect from K.M. Shea, and the twins that serve as her companions are quirky and entertaining. But the plot and the modern day magical society in the book both could have used some work and more depth. Like I stated before, the book could have used a little more polish.
All in all even I did really like the characters and world and I would definitely recommend this book. There are plans to eventually expand Life Reader into a series so I look forward to reading more. Perhaps the ideas started in this book will be more fleshed out in the next book. (Though K.M. Shea's website says that could take years.)
February 28, 2017
This was a fun read but the world felt a bit disconnected, I never really understood the magic or the societies within it, it just didn't feel that well explained. I also couldn't get over how roll-play Kingdom Quest sounds, every time someone mentioned it all I could think of was a group of people in fancy dress waving sword about shouting Hurrah! rather than a serious magical society.
The plot was a bit predictable and at times it felt like it was plodding along to the next thing to happen. I found all the high school stuff and Raven pretending to be a brainless idiot really dull, she was trying to blend in so I guess she was trying to be unremarkable but it was dull to read about.
What I really loved about this book though was the characters, they were really great, I really liked the strange mix and their different conflicting personalities. The were sweet, funny and infuriating all at the same time. The twins were brilliant.
I'd read the next in the series, but I probably wouldn't re-read this one.
The plot was a bit predictable and at times it felt like it was plodding along to the next thing to happen. I found all the high school stuff and Raven pretending to be a brainless idiot really dull, she was trying to blend in so I guess she was trying to be unremarkable but it was dull to read about.
What I really loved about this book though was the characters, they were really great, I really liked the strange mix and their different conflicting personalities. The were sweet, funny and infuriating all at the same time. The twins were brilliant.
I'd read the next in the series, but I probably wouldn't re-read this one.
August 7, 2018
Oh my! I loved it!
I'm a huge fan of K.M Shea's books. This was the last of her books for me to read. Now, I've read ALL OF THEM.
This story is about Raven Wishbone and her awesome magic which is reading life into stories or parts of stories.
After her family is attacked my magic abusers, she life is uprooted. She is given a new name, life style, and home along with her family. After a briefing from her dad's boss, Gram. She learns she will do undercover work at a library she HATES. Why does she hate it? Learn more by reading it. Enjoy the trouble she goes through!
A special note, I think Asher likes her A LOT.
I'm a huge fan of K.M Shea's books. This was the last of her books for me to read. Now, I've read ALL OF THEM.
This story is about Raven Wishbone and her awesome magic which is reading life into stories or parts of stories.
After her family is attacked my magic abusers, she life is uprooted. She is given a new name, life style, and home along with her family. After a briefing from her dad's boss, Gram. She learns she will do undercover work at a library she HATES. Why does she hate it? Learn more by reading it. Enjoy the trouble she goes through!
A special note, I think Asher likes her A LOT.
December 21, 2019
Great potential
I really liked the premise and world building, though there was a decided lack of details on the main character’s history and how she discovered her talent. The supporting characters were enjoyable and the action was there.
My main issue with the book was the editing. One of the character’s name changed half way through the book, then changed back after a couple more chapters. The use of itching instead of scratching is a pet peeve of mine, you cannot physically itch something, it’s impossible. There are several other little details, but overall I liked it enough to hope that it will turn into a series.
I really liked the premise and world building, though there was a decided lack of details on the main character’s history and how she discovered her talent. The supporting characters were enjoyable and the action was there.
My main issue with the book was the editing. One of the character’s name changed half way through the book, then changed back after a couple more chapters. The use of itching instead of scratching is a pet peeve of mine, you cannot physically itch something, it’s impossible. There are several other little details, but overall I liked it enough to hope that it will turn into a series.
December 11, 2025
Oh goodness. FUN. This book is a stand alone, in an abandoned series, and very hard to get your hands on. Yes, it is riddled with typos. But if you go in knowing that, you’re in for a LOT of fun. I loved these characters. (Also? Do you know how rare it is for an author to write twins that feels true to my lived experience as a twin?! I’ll tell you. REALLY rare.)
Raven Wishmore is undercover, in more ways than one. She possesses a magic too monstrous to even show her own family, and now she’s in hiding from a group that attacked her home. She finds some unlikely allies, and ends up (obviously) saving the day.
I loved this book!!
Raven Wishmore is undercover, in more ways than one. She possesses a magic too monstrous to even show her own family, and now she’s in hiding from a group that attacked her home. She finds some unlikely allies, and ends up (obviously) saving the day.
I loved this book!!
January 24, 2026
FINALLY!! I got to read this book and can now officially say I have read everything by this ridiculously talented author. Even with the alarming number of errors, the story was *muah* chefs kiss! It performed the hat trick of awesome that readers have come to cherish about Kitty: an amazing concept, sarcastic dialogue between characters that enhanced any scene, and the always late night mantra of " just one more chapter.....ok just one more page.....!"
It's sad to think that there will never be a sequel, cause holy smokes there DEFINITELY could be, but so excited that Kitty shared this with us all! Thanks for another great read!
It's sad to think that there will never be a sequel, cause holy smokes there DEFINITELY could be, but so excited that Kitty shared this with us all! Thanks for another great read!
May 1, 2019
I enjoyed this book. It was a mixture of Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians, Inkheart, andHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I kept turning the pages to see what would happen next!
March 4, 2020
Fantastic!!!
I totally loved this book! It was extremely unique. When I read the description, I thought it would be very similar to the book and movie Inkheart but it was completely different. The characters were wonderful. I loved the twins characters and the relationship between them and Raven. The book was filled with action and excitement. I really hope Shea will write a sequel to Life Reader and perhaps a whole series. I highly recommend this book and all of Kitty's books. She is an amazing writer!
I totally loved this book! It was extremely unique. When I read the description, I thought it would be very similar to the book and movie Inkheart but it was completely different. The characters were wonderful. I loved the twins characters and the relationship between them and Raven. The book was filled with action and excitement. I really hope Shea will write a sequel to Life Reader and perhaps a whole series. I highly recommend this book and all of Kitty's books. She is an amazing writer!
April 13, 2021
So well written
Yet another win by KM Shea!
This adventure started with a band and then kept me on the edge of my seat through the entire book.
Raven is something special and she doesn’t know it. She has lived in fear and shame her entire life, hiding who she truly was, afraid of being called a monster.
But then she encounters the real monsters and learns some valuable lessons about being careful about who you trust and the value of true friends.
I feel like Raven and the Saint Cloud library have more adventures in store. Or, at least, I wouldn’t mind reading more.
Yet another win by KM Shea!
This adventure started with a band and then kept me on the edge of my seat through the entire book.
Raven is something special and she doesn’t know it. She has lived in fear and shame her entire life, hiding who she truly was, afraid of being called a monster.
But then she encounters the real monsters and learns some valuable lessons about being careful about who you trust and the value of true friends.
I feel like Raven and the Saint Cloud library have more adventures in store. Or, at least, I wouldn’t mind reading more.
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January 17, 2026I'm not going to give this book a rating, since the author has unpublished it, and doesn't intend to finish the series, but I will say (aside from the grammatical issues and issues with incorrect word choice), this was an intriguing premise, which I really enjoyed, and I liked the characters. I'm sad that Shea won't be writing more in this world, because the magic of page turners was so interesting to me, and Raven's connection to the library was fascinating. I also would have like to see her relationship with the twins develop more, both as found family, but also Asher's crush on her.
August 26, 2018
I never know what to expect when I start a new KM Shea book. She writes wonderful tales, weaving simple but fascinating worlds with plucky characters but I sometimes find myself disappointed by - what appears to me - a too rapid ending. Life Reader was one such case but, alongside a few spelling mistakes, it is the only downside to this volume. I will state that it is a must read for fantasy book lovers! Not only does KM Shea offer an intriguing new world rife with captivating personalities but the entire story revolves around magical libraries and librarians with powers connected to literature. Our heroin’s ability is much stronger as she can give life to the books she reads, not just create illusions. As is the case in most stories, such great strength does not come without a price and, fearful of her fate should anyone learn of her talent, she keeps it hidden from all, including her family. The story evolves slowly but the action will keep the reader wanting to know more while the witty dialogues between the quirky characters are highly entertaining. I spent half my time reading and the other laughing aloud in public.
December 18, 2020
Amazing!
I laughed my myself silly several times. Once I started reading I couldn't stop! I loved Raven. She's smart, sassy and throughly lovable character. I didn't know quite what to think about Asher and Aron but by the end I really liked them.
The author did an outstanding job of world building and character development. I loved the premise of being able to bring a book to life. I only caught a couple of spelling/grammar issues. I definitely recommend reading this book!
I laughed my myself silly several times. Once I started reading I couldn't stop! I loved Raven. She's smart, sassy and throughly lovable character. I didn't know quite what to think about Asher and Aron but by the end I really liked them.
The author did an outstanding job of world building and character development. I loved the premise of being able to bring a book to life. I only caught a couple of spelling/grammar issues. I definitely recommend reading this book!
December 23, 2020
I enjoyed this author's take on libriomancers and the potential for misuse of their abilities - I wonder how Rachel would get along with Jim Hines' Jeneta Aboderin. I also like how the magical world exists around and within the mundane world - it feels so much like Harry Potter's London, except not as separated. This was a fun read - so magical yet so typically young adult at the same time. I recommend this to readers of Jim Hines' Magic Ex Libris books.
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December 27, 2020Free book from early on in this author's career. I can see a lot of growth with this author's writing. You can see her origin as a good story teller though aspects of this book can be a little confusing and unclear. However, the bones are here. I wouldn't judge your enjoyment of this author's work based on this book as I think she's grown a lot as a writer. However, for a freebie it's a good basis for a story.
May 15, 2021
charming. witty. A true display of the great talent of K.M. Shea.
its funny, but like most other books of this author, it has a heroin who must battle against her own fears and self-doubt before she can save those she loves.
Raven Wishmore is the Queen of Devas, and the Montommos twins are the heroes of my heart.
Thank you, K.M. Shea, For such an amazing cast of characters. your imagination is as boundless as the ocean.
its funny, but like most other books of this author, it has a heroin who must battle against her own fears and self-doubt before she can save those she loves.
Raven Wishmore is the Queen of Devas, and the Montommos twins are the heroes of my heart.
Thank you, K.M. Shea, For such an amazing cast of characters. your imagination is as boundless as the ocean.
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