Category Archives: Book Review

Apr26

Bleeding Snow by Caroline Peckham

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bleedingsnowcoverBleeding Snow (Rise of Isaac book 2) by Caroline Peckham, e-book, 212 pages, published in 2016.

In this sequel to Creeping Shadow, Oliver, May and their friends have burst through the gateway to Glacio, only to be immediately captured and imprisoned by the Queen’s men. The Queen’s son has been kidnapped by the horrible gem trolls of the mountains, known as Grolls. She forces the group to accompany a band of hunters led by Hector Rook on a perilous journey in an attempt to retrieve the young prince. They must travel through ice and snow, and face murderous beasts, huge Grolls and soldiers led by an insane commander. Even if they survive, gain their freedom and their Gateway keys, the delay might still cost May her life.

Another fast-paced installment in The Rise of Isaac series, Bleeding Snow had me intrigued right from the first chapter. I was excited to get into this book, and I wasn’t disappointed! There was a lot of action, some of it rather gruesome and violent, but exciting none the less, along with magic and a little romance. I really enjoyed the description of their mountain journey, and the fight scenes. The whole story is well written, and the characters are complex. And I just love the book’s cover!

I feel like I really know the main characters. I like most of them immensely. I am beginning to like Quinn a lot more now too, and even Larkin has shown some improvement through this story. I’m not saying I like him yet, but there is potential for him to become a better person. The addition of the hunters was interesting and welcome. Despite his gruffness and dislike for magic I became rather fond of Hector, and I’m hoping to learn more about him in the next book.

Commander Xen was pretty scary. Cruel and powerful, he was a formidable enemy, and not one I would like to meet in a lonely mountain pass. It seemed incongruous that he cared for and even showed tenderness towards the boy Nex, but perhaps evil villains do need a sidekick! I liked that he was hampered by his magical illness, otherwise he would have been far too powerful. The Queen was pretty evil too, but in a more hands-off kind of way. She was conniving and manipulative, and I didn’t care for her at all.

In this book we learn more about Isaac and William, and what happened to Alison when she disappeared. Isaac reminded me a bit of Voldemort in his pale and sickly appearance from his exile in Vale. I didn’t like or trust him, I feel that he is capable of doing anything to gain his objective, no matter what or who he destroys in the process. William is acting rather despicably too, but I didn’t get the same evil loony vibes from him that I got from Isaac. Both him and the Vark, Kogure, were able to send shivers down my spine.

Bleeding Snow is suitable for high school students, and is perfect for fantasy fans. It is the second book in The Rise of Isaac series, following on from Creeping Shadow. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series!

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.

Apr6

The Elite by Kiera Cass

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theleitecoverThe Elite by Kiera Cass, paperback novel, 323 pages, published HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2013.

The Elite is the second book in The Selection series, following on directly from the first book. Prince Maxon has cut the cohort of girls vying for his affection, and the throne, down to just six. These girls are now known as The Elite. Life in the palace is complicated by increased rebel activity, and the other girls are still fighting hard for Maxon. America seems to have Maxon’s heart, but he is still spending plenty of time with the other girls, which makes America jealous. Her feelings for Maxon are escalating, but with Aspen still nearby, who will she choose?

After reading The Selection and enjoying it so much, I came back to read the next book in the series, and I liked it just as much as the first. The Elite was an easy, quick  and entertaining read. This book delved more deeply into the history and politics of their dystopian world, and there was more about the rebel forces. I found this quite interesting. The development of the competition itself was also interesting, following the girls’ rivalries, friendships and time with Maxon.

The Selection series is fairytalesque, so of course, the Prince should fall in love with the heroine. Yet, it is not your simple prince meets girl, prince marries girl story. America actually has to fight for him, and Maxon has to fight for her too, as she doesn’t exactly fit the usual princess mould. And they get to do it with the whole nation watching. There was conflict within the plot and some twists, and romance, combining to make for a captivating read.

I felt that Maxon came out of his shell in this story. He wasn’t so meek, and he even argued with America, not letting her have her own way all the time. I liked this development. He also started learning more about his country’s history and the way that the lower castes live. America is certainly opening his eyes to many things. For her part, America is impulsive, generous and fiery. I like her. She is changing as she gathers more knowledge about how the country is run, and how she could change it from the inside. At the same time, Aspen is changing as he serves as a palace guard. They are diverging, yet there are still sparks between them. They have both grown up a lot since we first met them. All the characters gained more depth through this story.

The Elite is suitable for high school students. I’m looking forward to the third book in the series, The One.

 

Apr6

Tyranno-sort-of Rex by Christopher Llewelyn and Scott Tulloch

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tyrannosortofrexcoverTyranno-sort-of Rex by Christopher Llewelyn and illustrated by Scott Tulloch, paperback picture book, published by Scholastic New Zealand Limited.

At the end of a dinosaur dig, the bones are carefully packed and labelled to be shipped back to the museum. Unfortunately, during a rough sea journey, the bones become one big jumbly mess. The museum’s curator tries to put them together again, ready for the big exhibition, but things go a little awry.

Dinosaur books are always a hit in our house, but this book is our new favourite! We’ve only had it for a couple of weeks, and it has been read multiple times every day so far. One of my boys even woke in the night crying because he wanted his new dino book to cuddle! He already knows some of the words, and joins in when the curator gets out his drill.

Tyranno-sort-of Rex is very funny with lovely colour illustrations throughout. It will make your child laugh when they see what the curator comes up with. I especially like when the skeleton ends up with two heads! The lyrical text makes it excellent to read aloud, and the repetition of the curator’s actions will have the kids joining in in no time! I love reading this book to my kids.

Suitable for preschoolers and primary age children, adults will also enjoy the curator’s dino designs in Tyranno-sort-of Rex. Every young dinosaur fan should have this humourous book in their collection.

 

Apr5

The Pirate Train by Nicole Plyler Fisk

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piratetraincoverThe Pirate Train by Nicole Plyler Fisk, with Jack Fisk and illustrated by Chad Vivas, picture book, published by Grog Blossom Press in 2015.

The Yo-Ho-Matey family are seafaring pirates, until one day Pirate Bro develops a nasty case of sea-sickness. The whole family looks for a new method of transportation off the oceans, settling on a train, in which they can travel around looking for treasure.

Overall I liked this fun tale of sticking together as a family no matter what happens. My kids liked it too. It was a good reminder that family is important, and that as long as we have our family around for support we can adapt to any situation we find ourselves in.

Whilst the text does rhyme, it didn’t flow as nicely as I would have liked. It just lacked the rhythm I was expecting, so it didn’t sound as nice read aloud. Having said that, my younger kids didn’t complain, and still asked for a second reading! They did have a giggle over pirates on a train!

The illustrations are colourful and clear, capturing the story well. Boy does Pirate Bro have some seriously thick eyebrows! That feature seemed to jump out from every page. I didn’t like the pirates’ black eyes either. I did like how they are dressed and the way that Parrot Tom is depicted with his little pirate vest and eye-patch.

This book is suitable for preschoolers and lower primary school children. The Pirate Train is the first in a proposed series following the Yo-Ho-Matey family on their adventures. It will be interesting to see where they travel to next and if they find any treasure to add to their hoard.

 

*I received this book from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.

Apr3

Weeds in Nana’s Garden by Kathryn Harrison

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weedsinnanasgardencoverWeeds in Nana’s Garden by Kathryn Harrison, picture book, published by Flipturn Publishing in 2016.

Nana’s garden is a special place, full of blooms, lush greenery and fairies. A young girl enjoys time with her Nana in the garden throughout the year, until one summer she discovers weeds choking the garden beds. She has never seen weeds like that in Nana’s garden, and she doesn’t know how or why her Nana would let the garden get like that. Her mother explains that Nana has Alzheimer’s Disease, and her brain is developing more and more tangles that make it hard for her to think and remember, a bit like how the weeds in the garden were making it hard for the plants to grow properly.

Weeds in Nana’s Garden is a lovely picture book designed to help explain Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias to young children through a garden analogy. The weeds in the garden are like the tangles growing in Nana’s mind, causing her confusion, frustration and forgetfulness. It is sad to experience a loved one being claimed by dementia, and it can be very difficult to explain the process to children. This book will make it much easier for children to understand what is happening.

Each page is executed with colourful illustrations. Can you find the cat and fairies in each picture? The text is simple and easy to read, and the story is not too long. It is well written for the intended audience.

I think this book would be an excellent resource for families dealing with the onset of dementia in their loved ones. There is a question and answer section at the back that answers some of the common questions that children might ask. This will help parents to explain this disease in simple terms to their children.

Weeds in Nana’s Garden is suitable for preschoolers to primary school children. Sales of this book will also help the Alzheimer Society of Canada, with $1.00 from each book sold being donated to them.

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.

 

Apr1

Demon Princess by Kassandra Lynn

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DemonPrincessCoverDemon Princess by Kassandra Lynn, e-book, 162 pages, published in 2015.

Mage-in-training, Aldric, has cast a spell to gain his summon beast, a creature that is bonded to the mage for life, and must carry out every command from their master. Unexpectedly, Adriana is summoned forth as Aldric’s summon beast, just as she is about to become Demon King. Mages and Demons are enemies, so Adriana must keep her true identity secret, whilst working out a way to escape her bonds. Aldric’s handsome cousin, Keldrin, is kind to Adriana and agrees to help her. A mage and a demon could never fall in love, could they?

Demon Princess was a quick and easy fantasy read. This book was much shorter than I expected, and I wasn’t prepared for it to end just yet. It made for an enjoyable read though, and with two more books following it, I’m sure all my questions will be answered in those. I liked the quest that Adriana and Keldrin undertake with two companions into Barren Land. It was exciting and dangerous, but I thought that was the best part of the story. I found the writing a little stilted at times, with a number of tense changes throughout. Overall, I was enjoying the story plenty, so it didn’t matter so much.

I hate the idea of any creature being bound to another like the summoning beasts are bound to their mages, but Aldric’s attitude and supposed superiority to Adriana was appalling. Aldric. What a prat! Rude, offensive, ignorant and incompetent to boot. He was an infuriating character that I greatly disliked. His soppy-eyed obsession with the snotty and mean Princess Salvene was pathetic, and his treatment of Adriana, until he discovered her ability to perform magic, was repulsive. He was nothing more than a slug.

I had mixed feelings about Adriana. Sometimes she seemed a bit snobbish and self-centred, but then she was also being held against her will, so I can understand how upset and angry she would be. She was used to being pampered as the Demon Princess, so she had to adjust to being the servant, rather than commanding them. I liked the magic that she was able to perform. I mostly liked Keldrin, he was kind, thoughtful and talented.

Inevitably, Adriana falls in love with the handsome and talented mage destined to be her mortal enemy. This was quite predictable, forbidden fruit and all that, it’s a common theme in young adult literature. A bit of romance is fine, though I thought it probably got in the way of Adriana plotting an escape earlier in the story. I was surprised that Adriana tolerated Aldric and his complete control over her for that long, despite a crush on his handsome cousin.

Demon Princess is suitable for high school students. It will be interesting to see how the story continues in the next book, Demon King.

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.

Mar29

The Quantum Door by Jonathan Ballagh

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Q_Door_Front_FInal_Flat_SMALLThe Quantum Door by Jonathan Ballagh, e-book, 288 pages, published in 2015.

A large swathe of woods stands on an abandoned property behind the house where teenage brothers Felix and Brady live. When a tall chain-link fence is erected along the boundary line the boys’ interest in the woods is piqued. They try to explore the woods using Felix’s remote control quadcopter, discovering something strange among the trees. An huge metal dog with glowing red eyes and a dark-haired girl appear through a fiery portal. The boys quickly remove themselves from the woods and its strange inhabitants, only to find themselves venturing back in in the middle of the night on a rescue mission that will lead them on an interdimensional adventure.

The Quantum Door is technological science fiction. The parallel world that Brady and Felix travel to shows what could happen if Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems evolved to become self-aware. In a world where humans have died out due to some mysterious illness, AI is all that is left as a pseudo life-form. Different types of robots have different jobs and communities in this world that is so similar to Earth, some even have social structures and families. This was fascinating and terrifying. We are so reliant on technology, it is everywhere, and this scenario is a plausible outcome of developing AI, though I hope we stop before the technology gets out of hand.

The plot was fast and exciting, with a lot of action. The description of the machines was particularly vivid, and I found myself thinking about the neurogeists late at night! Creepy, horrible things! It was interesting and engaging. There were a few things I didn’t see coming too. I quite liked the story, and the characters. The giant dog, Achilles, was a lovable sidekick for Nova, who was extremely self sufficient for a girl her age. I admired her efforts to keep Brady and Felix safe. Nova also had a little robotic bird called Thorn that was a wonderful companion and help. I enjoyed picturing her fluttering about the group and helping out, such a loyal little thing. Brady, as the older brother, was responsible and worried about Felix, while Felix was much more likely to take risks and be impulsive. Brady tended to follow whatever scheme Felix had thought up, partly to watch out for him, and partly because his ideas were often fun. I liked the brothers, and their relationship with eachother. The little bot Ajax was rather annoying, but helpful in his own way.

This book was different to a lot of the books I normally read, but it was very good. I highly recommend it to fans of Sci-fi. The Quantum Door is suitable for upper primary school and high school students.

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.

Mar23

Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver by Michele Brouder

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Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000032_00027]Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver by Michele Brouder, e-book, 180 pages, published in 2015.

Claire Daly has just finished school and has dreams of becoming a librarian. She is tall with flaming red hair and is in love with her best friend, Chas, who is completely clueless. She is just an average teenager, living with her Mam and her brother, getting dragged to Mass and Holy sites by her Gran. That is until an extraordinary thing happens when she spills holy water on her hands, and suddenly her whole life changes. She is an Illuminata, a soul saver, it is her destiny and now she is in danger. It’s a lot to cope with, but there are more family secrets waiting to emerge, and a handsome young man called Ari keeps appearing.

This is a captivating paranormal novel with a fast plot, and a number of twists. I enjoyed it greatly, reading it quickly and staying up late because I had to know how it ended! Given the subject matter, there are plenty of references to God, Hell, demons, holy sites and souls. However, there is no need to be religious to understand or enjoy this story, everything was explained and described well. It was easy to follow and quite exciting, with some good action sequences.

The setting in Ireland sounds lovely. It must be so beautiful out on the peninsula and along the coast. The description of the landscape made me want to visit there some day.

Claire is a wonderful character! She is extremely reluctant to take on the job of an Illuminata. She wants to choose her own life path, which is fair enough, but her destiny just won’t allow it for the time being. So she is stuck spending her summer learning to utilise and control her newfound powers with her severe aunt, a much more experienced Illuminata. This leaves Claire grumpy, sarcastic and difficult, just as I picture an adolescent when they are not getting their own way. I got to know Claire quite well through the story, and I liked her a lot. Julia is quite different to Claire, and though she was very strict and unyielding, I came to like and admire her. Claire’s interaction with Ari was intriguing and exciting too.

Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver entertained me. There was a bit of romance and some violence, making it more suitable for middle high school students and up. This is only the start of the Soul Saver series, and I am very much looking forward to Claire’s next challenge.

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.

Mar21

Falling Fire (Part Two) by Caroline Peckham

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fallingfire2coverFalling Fire (Part Two) by Caroline Peckham, e-book novella, 43 pages, published in 2016.

This novella picks up where Falling Fire (Part One) left off. Rogan and Quinn have always been expected to marry, so they have never had the opportunity to date other people or even to explore how they feel about each other. They both have reservations about their relationship, so they make a deal to kiss some one else to see how it feels. Due to their fame the whole deal must remain a secret, but will the people they choose to kiss see it the same way?

More from the wonderful world of Aleva with all its magic, I love falling into this world. This is a captivating novella that I read in one sitting. At the end, I immediately wished for more! The plot is quick with good detail. Overall these two novellas are very entertaining.

All the characters are interesting and complex. I’m back to being annoyed with Quinn, she’s far too self-centred and selfish. She acts like Rogan isn’t in the same situation that she is, but she doesn’t talk to him about it, she slinks off to Larkin, who she barely knows. Larkin is so vain, so annoying, so jerkish, ooo I just want to slap him! I can’t see why Quinn would want to be friends with him, let alone kiss him. And then he goes and does something noble. I still don’t like him, but at least now I know he has a human side.

I enjoyed Rogan’s defence class, and his interaction with Katrina. Making fire balls into the shape of animals is amazing. I liked that Katrina wasn’t fawning all over Rogan too.

Lovers of fantasy and young adult novels should love this! Read this wonderful novella after Falling Fire (Part One) and then check out the other books in The Rise of Isaac series, they are well worth your time. It is suitable for high school students and up.

 

*I received this advanced reading copy as a digital version from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.

Mar20

Falling Fire (Part One) by Caroline Peckham

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fallingfire1coverFalling Fire (Part One) by Caroline Peckham, e-book novella, 42 pages, published in 2016.

Set a couple of years before Creeping Shadow, this novella introduces Quinn Thorn and Rogan Ganderfield, two of the most famous young mages in Aleva. To protect the magical line, mages are paired off in arranged marriages. Quinn and Rogan are one such pair, becoming engaged at sixteen because it is expected of them. Now they are starting university, they must develop their magical skills, make friends, and maybe even fall in love.

Novellas are so short, but there is a lot packed into this one. I loved coming back to Aleva! Meeting Quinn and Rogan at a younger age allowed me to know them more thoroughly and to appreciate them for who they are and how they grew up. I found Quinn rather rude and snobby in Creeping Shadow, but now I actually feel sorry for her. Her life is hard, even though it glimmers on the outside. She is famous, rich and beautiful, but she has to act a certain way and there are many expectations placed upon her. She doesn’t really get to be herself because people are always watching (and often staring), and she never knows if people want to spend time with her for her, or because of her fame or money. Rogan also endures similar pressures, but handles them with more aplomb. I really like him as a character. Despite his fame, he is quite down to earth and approachable. I still want to punch Larkin, but I suppose every story needs someone to hate!

It was exciting reading about the magical lessons Quinn and Rogan are taking at university. I wish I had the ability to heal injuries like Quinn! Though using magic to make her hair sit perfectly or move clothes into the closet seems a little overkill, but when you grow up with it, it’s probably just second nature. While magic must make life move more smoothly most of the time, it is also a huge responsibility and in some cases, a burden. I have a much greater appreciation for Quinn and Rogan now.

Falling Fire (Part One) is suitable for high school students and up. If you enjoyed the other books in The Rise of Isaac series, you should definitely check out this wonderful novella. I am very happy I have Falling Fire (Part Two) to go on with!

 

*I received this advanced reading copy as a digital version from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.