Great YA read!

I read this with my kids, and we all enjoyed the story! Perfect for those who like some adventure, and a story that has not been done time and time again! Perfect for fall reading!

Casper and Jasper and the Terrible Tyrant was pretty good, a quick read and attention grabbing. Tilia Klebenov Jacobs brought together a wonderful group of characters that kept you guessing.
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Sometimes you find an epic book, a read that just fits. This book did that for me. It has super great names. Count Scream is the villain of this tale. Casper and Jasper are brothers and the heroes of this story. I loved them! This book was just fantastic. Evil is fought with brains, love, and bravery. I could read it again! It's on par with many of the now-famous movies that have been taken from superior books. 

My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

A spirited romp sure to be enjoyed by young readers with a sharp sense of humor and the adults in their lives alike, Casper and Jasper and The Terrible Tyrant is a page-turner in the grand tradition of young adult adventure literature. Tilia Klebenov Jacobs skillfully threads the needle of combining thrilling action, suspense, humor, and lively characters into a memorable story that readers will want to enjoy many times.

Casper and Jasper and the Terrible Tyrant is a charming, truly unique tale that follows the delightful and daring escapades of a family separated by a cruel ruler. As heartwarming as it is funny, this story will have you rooting for Casper and Jasper as they search for family and freedom.

What a wild ride! The book's narration is really sarcastic and slightly snarky. You definitely get a sense of the narrator being on Casper and Jesper's side. Immediately, you know who the villain is and you follow the characters in overthrowing the tyrant. I would say suspend your beliefs for this book and you'll have a fun time. It's full of witty dialogue, puns, wordplay, and two of the most mischevious twins you'll meet. I swear they were possessed by the spirit of Fred and George Weasley.

I think some younger children may not appreciate some of the puns, but they will still love the silly antics and characters. You have trolls, little blue Keebler elf-like creatures, carnivorous marshmallow plants, magical birds, and an epic journey. There are also nice illustrations sprinkled through the book. This book reminded me of the whimsical fantasy books like Ella Enchanted that I absolutely loved when I was younger. I've also seen this compared to the A Series of Unfortunate Events books. I had a great time reading this book. I highly recommend if you like reading younger middle grade books.

***Thank you to NetGalley and Linden Tree Press for for giving me a digital galley of the book in exchange for my honest review.***

Count Scream has taken over the lands of Yonder which includes Middlemost where Jasper and Casper are living with their birth parents. They are twins. When their parents are caught in their home trying to overthrow Count Scream, they are arrested. To save their babies, they throw the twins into the audience of people watching them being taken away. Count Scream finds them guilty and sentences them to work in his factories. Life is good for the twins with their new parents until they discover that they were “adopted.” The twins decide to find their “real” parents. Will Jasper and Casper find their parents?

The author writes a tale that made me think of how a person can rule and ruin a country. However I enjoyed how the parents scheme under Count Screams’s nose to escape from the factories. The twins have quite an adventure fighting trolls, escaping from Count Scream’s special police, man-eating marshmallows, and other monsters. It is an enjoyable tale and yet educational without one realizing it.

Check out Casper and Jasper and the Terrible Tyrant by Tilia Klebenov Jacobs~ Humorous juvenile/MG fantasy read that has enough comic relief to satisfy teens. The characters are quirky with carnivorous marshmallows headlining. A bit of violence targets upper level teens more.

Although this book is funny in places and quite entertaining, it is a bit too long for most ten year olds, which would be the idea market for it.

This was a fun story to read! I enjoyed the trip through the world that the author built. I look forward to more by this author.

Check out this book on Goodreads: Casper and Jasper and the Terrible Tyrant http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39996005-casper-and-jasper-and-the-terrible-tyrant

I got this to read to my 6yo but quickly realized the language and pacing were beyond him. My 9yo enjoyed it immensely though and begged me to read more each night.

It was long, it did in fact take me two months of split custody, bedtime reading to make it through this book. But that 9yo has such a good memory she was always able to remind me what was going on and piece things together.

I did not enjoy the book as much as the 9yo though. The dialog was snappy and sometimes I didn't enjoy reading that out loud. I also found the small characters (the Ivy's for example) too much. The plot sometimes bogged down like a serial and I just wanted it to move along.

I'm giving the book four stars as a split between my three and my 9yo's five.

Casper and Jasper are two young boys whose moxie and wit make what could be a terribly scary story into a funny and adventurous one!

Author Tilia Klebenov Jacobs weaves a fun adventure full of trolls, villains, kobolds, guards, heroes, love, mythical birds, talking werewolves, an evil ice princess and a terrible count. This is a great book to read. It will take children into an exciting adventure and will keep their imaginations running wild with mythical creatures.

Though I am unsure if it is young enough for an 8 year old, it is definitely going to be loved by 10 - 13 year olds! Jacobs includes funny definitions for words that are complex and explains actions in a way that are easy to imagine. She also gives the star characters, Casper and Jasper, some terrific one-liners that will make kids and adults laugh out loud. And it highlights just how important it is for kids to "properly raise their parents."

When a scene in the story starts to become too scary, Jacobs makes sure to break up the storyline with humor. This would be a fun read for kids at bedtime, especially if parents are good at creating different voices for characters.

Book Cover
This is a great illustration to put on the cover. It represents the story well! Besides the two boys and the troll, the story, just like the cover, is colorful and dark at the same time.

My name is Casper, and my twin brother Jasper and I were literally thrown into a crowd of people when we were only six months old. Of course, it wasn't until now that we learned our real parents have been slaving away as prisoners all these years. We don't even know what they look like. Jasper and I have never been known as rule-followers (just ask our teachers), so any sensible person could have predicted we'd run away to rescue our parents. I must admit I was a little uncomfortable about being eaten by werewolves and drowning in the swamp, but the giant troll named Guthrum the Sinister came in pretty handy. I'm sorry we tricked him into burying "magic" yarn, but desperate times called for creative thinking. I'm not sure how we'll rescue our parents and mess up the count's plans for the deadly black ice, but we'll think of something.

Some readers might not enjoy the word play in the book, but I found it amusing. Younger readers will probably miss the references to old pop culture. The twins had a special bond, and their teamwork was formidable. They used language as a weapon or tool, as they confused and manipulated people they met. They managed to get past Guthrum by bribing him with yarn, and they later escaped from the same troll by using their words. Guthrum was an endearing character, since he was sincere and only wanted to do his best. I'm not sure I've ever read a book where all of the antagonists are so simple and gullible. The only one with an actual sense of evil logic was the "princess". She was a poor, needy girl who managed to become Count Wilhelm Scream's most powerful confidante using confusion and trickery. She was as ruthless as the count, as they both enjoyed inflicting pain on others. The plot jumped around to several settings, which I don't enjoy, but the imprisoned parents displayed the same magical tongues as their sons. They were able to persuade the guards into making the prison arrangements more bearable for their fellow inmates. The author left some unfinished business after the climax, but everything was resolved in the end.

When the wicked Count Wilhelm Scream takes over the land, rebels Adel and Kale are separated from their infant children. Unaware of their parent's fate, Casper and Jasper decide to find out more about the family who left them behind, relying on their gift of gab and the icy cold trail that points toward the count's cruel prison camps.

With lively humor, <i>Casper and Jasper</i> builds a fantasy world with cruel creatures, magical races, and wily wildlife. While perilous themes such as enslavement and tyrannical rulers are present, the overall tone of the story remains largely upbeat and low tension, good for younger and more sensitive readers who might wish to avoid the crueler potential of those elements.

While this was a fun read, I was mildly disappointed by the overall story. Considering that the title is <i>Casper and Jasper and the Terrible Tyrant</i> the story not actually about Casper and Jasper. It's about their parents and the world building. While parts were certainly humorous and witty, I didn't think the use of asides from the narrator were used effectively, which is a shame because I generally enjoy that style. Overall, good but not great. I might look for future works from the author to see if they improve.

I really wanted to like this book, but I didn't. I do not think that was due to the quality of writing, but just due to a personal taste. I do not enjoy snarky kids books, and this one was definitely one of those. However, the story was fun and I will recommend it to the kids at my library who love that kind of humor and story.

I truly enjoyed reading this story. It developed quickly and kept my attention throughout. I felt like the characters were well written and I got to know them. I recommend this to children, teens and adults that enjoy juvenile fiction.
I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Casper and Jasper, twelve-year old twins, constantly bicker and always find themselves in trouble. Don't be fooled because they also love their parents and help each other.  Parents might like to know that these two brothers compare to the Laurel and Hardy comedies of the 1920's to 1950's.  Younger people probably won't know about Laurel and Hardy, but when parents hear laughter as their children read this book, they'll know that similar comedy is taking place.  The boys get their positive outlook on life from their parents. While this book has serious situations and a dangerous plot, Casper and Jasper, give just enough comic relief to lesson the negative effect of a dystopian.  They aren't the only protagonists, but they certainly add to the enjoyment of this book.

Everything from characters, animals, creatures, to locations, is filled with distinct personality. Even though there were many people, the author did a fantastic job of keeping the characters separate and identifiable.  The land comes alive with carnivorous marshmellows and magical creatures that play a huge part in forwarding the plot. "Casper and Jasper and the Terrible Tyrant" by Tilia Klebenov Jacobs has all the elements to be a fairytale, even a princess.  There is an evil dictator, some trolls, and normal human beings that make up this fantasy.

Ms. Jacobs didn't go into great detail, but I will caution that there were many  references to violence.  Some violent implications could have been left out  without hurting the story.  Because of this I would not recommend this book for anyone under the age of fifteen.  Overall it was a good story with a distinct "good versus evil" message.  It encourages bravery, courage, friendship, love, perseverance, and doing your best to get out of a bad situation.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Linden Tree Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Personal Rating: 3.71                Star Rating:  4/5 stars  

Title: Casper and Jasper and the Terrible Tyrant
Author: Tilia Klebenov Jacobs
Publisher: Linden Tree Press
Publshed: June 1, 2018

About This Book

Casper and Jasper are fast-talking, twelve-year-old twins who discover that their parents, long believed dead, are in fact rebels being held by the evil Count Wilhelm Scream. When the boys set out to rescue their parents, they stumble into a land of werewolves, trolls, and carnivorous marshmallows. Will the twins’ loyalty and quick wits be enough to save their parents – and themselves?

If the Princess Bride and Terry Pratchett had a love child -

Well, but then there are probably genetic crosses to Garth Nix, Diana Wynne Jones, Brandon Sanderson, Ransom Riggs, and others. Stop trying to imagine what that would look like! (Sheesh.) Jacobs is a witty, irreverent, vocabulary-spewing, pop-reference popping wordplayer that makes Casper and Jasper and the Terrible Tyrant as much for adults as it is for kids. In between puns and peril, there’s a frenetically fast fantasy adventure story starring a pair of red-headed boys (who I kept picturing as Fred and George Weasley), two sets of parents, a terrible ice-addicted tyrant, fidelius birds, and a plethora of oddball characters, including a drunk car. The book would seem like too much of an homage to great literature and classic children’s tales, but it totally triumphs on its own merits.

Loved, loved, loved this book! Adele and Zach and their fellow revolutionaries are plotting against a micro-managing tyrant when they are betrayed. As Adele and Kale are forced into the paddy wagon, they turn and throw their twin baby boys into the crowd, where the boys are caught by total strangers, Becky and Zack. Uncle Zack and Aunt Becky raise the boys while Adele and Kale spend year after year slaving in forced labor camps. 12 years have passed and revolution is fomenting again. It’s about time that someone stood up to the tyrant, who has underestimated the power of a family.

If you love fantasy, brilliant children’s stories, witty banter, and word play, Casper and Jasper and the Terrible Tyrant has your number. I don’t think you can pin this book down to middle-school or any age, as I think adults and even high schoolers will get a kick out of the wit, action, and humor that races its way through this adrenaline-laced adventure. Highly recommended.