Review/Gush of Reckless by Cornelia Funke

You all knew this gushing/drooling over Cornelia Funke's latest novel was coming :)

I can never ever EVER say it enough: I LOVE Cornelia Funke and there's a reason she's my favorite author!  Her latest book Reckless, was no exception to the awesome book rule.  It's a bit hard to write this review because I loved the book so much and am still really excited about it!

Funke's books are magical.  They transport you to new worlds.  And I mean they really transport you.  You get sucked into her world, in this case, the Mirrorworld, and you lose yourself in it for days.  When I wasn't reading Reckless, I was daydreaming about the world it takes place in, wondering (and yes, actually trying..) if I could also disappear through a mirror. 

Reckless is the story of Jacob Reckless and his adventures in the Mirrorworld.  Right away, we're introduced to the fact that his brother, who has followed him into the Mirrorworld from their home in the "regular" world, is in trouble.  He's been attacked and is now turning into a Goyl-a man-like creature made of stone.  Time is running out for Will.  If Jacob doesn't find a cure soon, his brother will lose all memory of his family and girlfriend (Clara) and become a scary, coldhearted, and mean stone creature.  Jacob will risk everything to help his brother.

As I've already stated a few times already, I loved this book!  It is so magical.  I love all the creatures mentioned in it.  There are dwarfs and foxes that shapeshift into humans.  There are scary things like the Tailor, which will probably make me think twice about walking alone in woods.

One of the funnest things about this book was the fairytale aspect.  It refers to some of the fairytales that Disney made into movies.  But in the Mirrorworld, they don't always have a happy ending.  For example, snow white doesn't not end up with her prince *wink wink*.  It's all so well told, and I love the fairies in it too.  They aren't as sweet as you'd think.  In fact, they are quite evil.

Here are some quotes from some of my favorite passages:
Opening line: "The night breathed through the apartment like a dark animal.." 

Description on pg. 49 of some of the scary creatures in the forest: "Barkbiters, Mushroom-Wights, Trappers, Crow-Men.  The Hungry Forest had many unpleasant inhabitants, though the Empress had been trying for years to clear it of its terrors."

Pg. 336: "The Fairy was standing by the shore, the light of the stars on her hair.  The two moons caressed her skin, and Jacob felt his hatred drown in her beauty, but the memory of Will's stone face quickly brought it back." 

I cannot wait for the next book about Jacob Reckless and his adventures in the Mirrorworld!  The ending of this one makes me want book 2 sooooo badly!

Okay I'm done acting like a giddy 13 year old!  Just go out and read this book!

Oh, and have a mentioned that I'm totally in love with Jacob Reckless now??!