4.5 out of 5 Stars

Toonopolis is a cartoon city that is home to the thoughts and ideas of all sentient beings in the universe. As the center of the Tooniverse, it acts as an other-worldly rest stop for these creations.

Chi Lin was the last unicorn on Earth before he sought a safe haven for himself and his maiden, Saucha—a thirteenth century Indian girl. Little did he realize that even though they were safe from death in the cartoon universe, they were not safe from the machinations of Agent Mimic on Earth.

Gemini—having barely escaped with his mind intact during his first adventure in Toonopolis—returns to the Tooniverse with Jimbob the Talking Eggplant on a quest to find Chi Lin before Mimic can manipulate the unicorn into doing his bidding. Join Gemini on an all new adventure into both familiar and brand-new realms of Toonopolis where he makes more friends, visits old ones, and is reminded that things are not always what they seem to be in this strange and ever-changing world.

For those of you who missed my review on the First instalment of the Toonopolis Series, feel free to check out Toonopolis: Gemini

Another AMAZING novel by Jeremy Rodden!! I just can’t get enough of Toonopolis!! Yet again a zany mad cap adventure with Gemini, Jimbob, some new faces and some old favourites that I couldn’t put down!

I won’t go too much into the story as any of you who have not yet read the first one (SHAME ON YOU, REALLY! GO DO THAT!) won’t know what’s happened so far. But one of my favourite things about this book is the characters, in a pithy off hand way, breaking the fourth wall to explain things. Such as,

about events from the first story .” 

Gemini blinked.“What people?” 

Jimbob shrugged his eggplant shoulders.

And this gem

“Actually, I need to ask you about an old quest from last time I was here.” 

“And avoid reusing too many gags from our last adventure,” Jimbob added.”

And with that wonderful Abbott and Costello “Who’s On First” kind of humour

  “Then why would you say it?” Jimbob  asked. 
“No, it means, ‘I don’t know what.’” 
Jimbob sighed. “We clarified you don’t know what it means. Can we just move on? I don’t want you 
to be any more embarrassed.”

it has all of that same wonderful and hilarious references to gaming,

“An old shapeshifter character from the X -Men cartoon?” 
“Morph.” 
“A breakfast cereal?” 
Gemini sighed. “It’s like you’re not even trying anymore.”

“DADADADADAAA! 
A strange chime came from the television and Gemini saw the young adventurer on the screen spin in 
a circle and jump in the air, his previously limp shield arm held up high. 
“Were you not just hurt?” Chi Lin asked. 
“I leveled up,” Leothas beamed. “I go back to full health when I level. A good thing, too, because my arm 
really hurt!”

And pop culture,

“If Artax and Atreyu there go through the Swamps of Sadness, I’m not watching. Too many bad feels there.”

“Ursidae, jog his memory,” Jimbob said from right behind them. He had apparently joined them once the danger was handled. Ursidae shrugged.  
Jimbob sighed. “Aw, come on! Princess Bride reference? You hit him on the head and he gets knocked 
out and then you say, ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to jog him so hard’?”

Ok, ok. I know at this point you guys are thinking… Geez, is she just going to quote at us this entire review?! Well…. I’m smart enough to know when awesome writing can win you over better than I can!! And, when I go back to a book to write my review and at least 50% of it is highlighted for quotes?? I know it’s a good book! I honestly want to know when it is going to be made into movies or a T.V series because the writing calls up such wonderful, nostalgic kinds of images!

Fine, you want a little bit about the book… well, I will spoil some of the places we visit in this book to entice you all to catch up, or continue! You will now be introduced to new and wonderful places, such as “Romantica” the place of cold and lonely Billionaires finding love in ‘unlikely’ places, “The Pirates Isle (Kaizoku Island)”, and the one that had me LITERALLY on the floor laughing “Hipsterville”, no… “Portlandish”, no…. “Amsterdam”?? What is that place called again? I never could keep up with the trends!

“It’s kind of a newer section of Toonopolis so I don’t know a lot about it. But it’s basically full of irony and retro lovers. People here are so far ahead of the trends they go all the way around to steal trends from their parents and grandparents.”

In any case, get this series! I don’t care how old or young you are, I guarantee you will find yourself laughing at these books!

If you would like to check out more of Jeremy Rodden’s novels or would like to read his blog Follow these links!!

Jeremy’s Blog

Jeremy’s Facebook

Jeremy’s Twitter

And if you want a copy of his books, the link to the First novel is in my review of Gemini

And the Links for Chi Lin are:

Amazon US

Amazon Canada

Amazon UK

Toonopolis Chi Lin is Best Served With

A Unicorn Cocktail

So, I got this idea from Mix That Drink

But, I had to make a couple of changes to it to suit the book. Firstly, I had to add some tequila for my FAVOURITE quote of the book!!! I know…. ANOTHER QUOTE?! I’m sorry, but this one just had to be on here somewhere!!

“I was trapped in his marshmallow prison. It was not tasty. It tasted like old sugar and regret.” 
Gemini eyed his former Toonopolis guide . “What does regret taste like?” 
Jimbob pondered the question for a moment. 
“Tequila.” 
“What?” 
“Nothing.”

I DEFINITELY didn’t taste any regret while reading this book… but I MAY have tasted some tequila!!

Ingredients

• 5oz coconut water (with pulp looks really neat!)
• 2oz Coconut Rum
• 1oz Silver Tequila
• 1/2oz Blue Curacao
• 1/2oz Grenadine
• Sprinkle Sugar for Garnish

Directions

1. Wet the rim of a highball glass and roll in sprinkle sugar
2. Add some ice
3. In a separate container mix the coconut water, coconut rum and tequila
4. pour Grenadine into highball glass bottom
5. Add coconut water mixture pouring over the back of a spoon slowly
6. Pour in Blue Curacao the same way. It will settle on top of the grenadine at the bottom but it will make things a little blue and purple along the way making a pretty rainbow effect!
7. Stir before drinking
8. CHEERS!!!