Category Archives: Book Review

Jan23

Cyclops by Rachel Meehan

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cyclops coverCyclops by Rachel Meehan, e-book, 53 pages, published by Cherry House Publishing in 2015.

Cyclops lives on a beautiful island which is invaded by evil pirates looking for a place to rest and relax. Frightened by the giant with one eye, the pirates decide to capture him and sell him to a traveling circus. He becomes a prisoner to be gawked at, prodded and tested by underhanded scientists.

Cyclops is an illustrated ballad, and is the first book in the Chronicles of Curious Creatures series. It is cleverly written with lyrical text; I got into quite a rhythm as I read. It described all the characters and locations well and with humour. I really liked that the evil pirate was called I.M. Mean!

The text was white on a black background, which I normally find more difficult to read, but it suited this story quite well. The size of the text also changed through the story, which just worked. There were lovely coloured illustrations throughout. I particularly like the way the villains are depicted in the pictures.

Cyclops is suitable for middle primary school students to lower high school students. It is a good story for sharing aloud too, I just love the way the story rolls off my tongue! More books in this series will be available soon!

 

*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.

Jan23

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

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redqueen coverRed Queen by Victoria Aveyard, paperback novel, 383 pages, published by Orion Books in 2015.

Mare Barrow lives in a world divided by the colour of blood. The ruling class Silvers treat the Reds as lower life forms, forcing them to live as servants, menial workers and fodder for the front-line of an everlasting war. While the Silvers live luxurious and leisurely lives, the Reds mostly exist in poverty. The Silvers all possess some extra talent or ability that sets them apart, leading them to believe that they are superior to the Reds, who lack such superhuman powers. Then comes Mare, whose blood is red, but who has power within that may be even stronger than that of the Silvers. The Silvers hide her in plain sight, masquerading as a long lost noble within the palace itself. Despite her shackles, she will try to aid in the revolution that could free the Reds from servitude and drudgery.

A wonderful fantasy dystopia, Red Queen was a quick paced read that I enjoyed. There were some similar elements to other well regarded series, such as The Hunger Games and Divergent, with the abilities that the Silvers possess being very much like those of the X-Men. Throughout the book, the writing was good, the plot logical and the characters well developed.

I really liked the action sequences. The way the Silvers use their abilities was intriguing, though terrible when used against the Reds, who had no hope of defending themselves against such power and strength. I could have been sitting in the arena watching the last battle (or right in the thick of it!) it was so clearly written.

Overall the Silvers were cruel and arrogant, and difficult to like as characters. I have a soft spot for Cal though, he was my favourite character. He too is proud and believes himself and his people to be the rightful leaders and superiors to the Reds, but he is not cruel or dismissive in the same way as the other Silver nobles. He is in line for the throne, but he wants to be a just and kind king, serving all of his people, including those with red blood. This is reflected in the way he meets and treats Mare. The other Silver that I liked was Julian, Mare’s teacher. He was kind and curious, prepared to accept a different social order.

Cal’s brother, Maven, on the other hand, I didn’t like at all. Perhaps it was just the instant dislike I took to his wicked and manipulative mother, the Queen Elara, that had me in mind that he shouldn’t be trusted, or his overly sweet treatment of Mare. I wanted to shout at Mare to keep herself guarded around him! Evangeline, Cal’s betrothed, was a right cow, but very well described. I hoped Mare would overcome Evangeline at some point.

I generally felt sorry for the Reds, and incensed that they should be treated so badly due to the accident of their birth and genetics. I cheered on the Scarlet Guard for taking a stand against their oppressors. I often found myself shaking my head at Mare though. She made some very poor decisions. However, I still liked her, and I really wanted her to realise how she felt about Cal before it was too late.

There was some violence, not much swearing, and only a little romance. Red Queen is a great young adult novel suitable for high school students. There is a sequel coming out soon called Glass Sword, which I am looking forward to. I think this could be another great young adult series.

 

Jan15

Weeping Willows by S. B. Rose

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28333619Weeping Willows by S. B. Rose, e-book, novella, 50 pages, published in 2015.

Suzie Edwards is an English major at college, living with her best friend, Melly. When Melly disappears, her boyfriend Craig is the prime suspect. Suzie is still waiting for news of her friend when her parents die suddenly. Are the two incidents related?

Weeping Willows is a quick read with a nice premise. The story has potential, however, the writing requires a lot of polishing. It was riddled with errors, and for some reason my copy was missing quite a number of ‘l’s, especially the second ‘l’ in words like Melly or chilling. This is probably to do with the conversion of the file, but I found it very annoying. There were some grammatical errors as well, but many of the mistakes were one word misplaced for another, such as ‘winching’ instead of ‘wincing’. It interrupted the flow of the story, and is evidence of a lack of editing. Spell-check is simply not enough. I think an extra draft or two could really make a difference here.

I usually like mysteries, but I found myself drowsing whilst reading this. The blurb sounded exciting, but it didn’t reach my expectations, it was only something to pass the time. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and therefore had no investment in what happened to them. There wasn’t any suspense, and I was disappointed that Suzie didn’t even try to escape her fate. She was a weak and annoyingly boring character. I’m also a little confused about the start of the story, as Suzie remembers something from her childhood that seems to have no bearing on the rest of the story. There was no explanation as to how her family went from poverty apartments to a wealthy neighourhood, perhaps I missed the importance of that.

Weeping Willows is suitable for middle high school students and up.

 

*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.

 

 

Jan15

Four Days to Fusion by Lira Brannon

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4days2fusioncoverFour Days to Fusion by Lira Brannon, e-book, 242 pages, published by White Bird Publications in 2015.

At fifteen all Seren wants to do is fit in. It’s kind of hard when her hair is screaming red and she constantly looks sunburnt, but things are looking up when the cute boy that she’s been mooning over invites her to the homecoming dance. She’s just getting to experience some normality, when her life is blown apart. Seren has forgotten she is a star, and that her mum and dad are actually her bodyguards, and she’s a little older than fifteen… Seren must return to the skies to claim her rightful place as a queen, but King Palomar wants to prevent that at all costs, and killing a few billion life forms, planets and solar bodies along the way doesn’t bother him at all.

Young adult science fiction at its best! Four Days to Fusion was entertaining, exciting and fast paced. I haven’t read much science fiction lately, but I am very glad I read this one. I was hooked from the first chapter, with Seren’s parents odd behaviour, and the action that followed. Lots of action in this story! It is told from a few different perspectives, but not difficult to follow at all. It’s a really great read.

Seren is a lovely lead character, full of self-doubt and clueless as to what she’s meant to do, but striving to do the right thing anyway. Although she has been often ostracised, she retains enough humanity and compassion to want to help others. I really liked Hy and O, their attitude reminded me of the fire demon in Howl’s Moving Castle, except they are water. It was interesting picturing this blob of water forming heads and limbs, and even moving about independently.

Trey and Emmett were the main male characters. Both were well written. Trey is somewhat dark and enigmatic, making him ever so more alluring. Emmett had his horrible sister around his neck like a chain, poor guy. There’s a little romance with Seren here, but it’s pretty tame.

Four Days to Fusion is suitable for high school students, but adults will also enjoy this wonderful ride into the galaxy. There is a preview of the next book in the series at the end, which left me quite excited for its release!

 

*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.

Jan15

Time Sailors of Pizzolungo by Scott Abrams and Adam Blockton

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Time Sailors - imageTime Sailors of Pizzolungo by Scott Abrams and Adam Blockton, e-book, 257 pages, published in 2015.

Guillermo comes home on the last day of the school year to find a strange package. He opens it, and inside is an exquisite model sailing ship. Along with his sister, Piccola, and their friends they take the ship down to the water. It is no ordinary ship, however, and soon the kids are heading out to the open sea atop a massive and splendid sailing ship, and right into a raging storm. Before they know it, they are facing pirates who are determined to wrest control of the glorious Grande Infante, meeting famous mariners such as Christopher Columbus, and diving for treasure off the Canary Islands.

A grand adventure on the high seas and across time! A magic ship, time travel, pirates, treasure, sea battles, a variety of historical figures and a pet pig called Romeo make this a very entertaining read. A wonderful combination of adventure, action, geography and history will engage readers of all ages.

I love the idea of a group of sixth graders taking on pirates and crewing such a massive ship. All of the kids had unique characteristics, and I liked them all. I was amused by Luca’s insistence on avoiding the water, Tony’s attachment to his ipad, Enzo’s overly large chin and Mario’s focus on food, but I was drawn to Guillermo’s determination and Piccola’s intelligence. I’m not sure an eleven year old would know that much Latin though! As the story progressed, I felt like I got to know the small crew of the Grande Infante, and I was able to tag along for the ride.

I’m not very familiar with sailing, and even though nautical and sailing terms are used within the story, that didn’t matter because everything was well described. The detail provided clear images of the ship, crew and surrounds. That also applied to the uncouth pirates, which I could almost smell as they tried to board the Grande Infante! I think washing was very under-rated in those days!

Time Sailors of Pizzolungo is most suitable for middle to upper primary school students, but it is really an adventure open for everyone to enjoy. It was lots of fun, and I do hope that there might be another adventure for the Time Sailors of Pizzolungo soon!

 

*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.

Jan14

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

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courtcoverA Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, paperback novel, 416 pages, published by Bloomsbury in 2015.

At nineteen, Feyre has been the sole provider for her father and two sisters for the past five years. The family lives in abject poverty, nearly succumbing to starvation every winter, despite Feyre’s efforts to hunt in the forest. The land in which they dwell is not far from the border that separates the mortals from the realms of the faeries. Feyre has grown up hearing stories of the faeries’ cruelty and destruction of humans, and knows that it is dangerous to enter the forest near the wall, yet they must eat. She encounters a large wolf whilst hunting, suspecting by its size that it may be a faery, but kills it anyway. In exchange for the life she took, Feyre is whisked away to live out her life a captive of Tamlin and Lucien, High Fae in the Spring Court. She has freedom to move about the house and grounds, but is forbidden to leave their lands. While it is always beautiful in the Spring Court, a darkness has been building in the north which will change the land of the Faeries for ever. Feyre must find a way to break the curse or lose everything she has come to love.

Wow, what an incredible book. I enjoyed it immensely! It was fantasy with action and romance. The plot was fast, and enthralling. I was flying alongside Feyre with every twist. I had a serious book hangover after finishing this book! If the second book in the series was available already, I would have gone straight to the store for it.

It is much racier than many other young adult novels I have read over the last few years, with some sex scenes. It echoes the base elements of Beauty and the Beast, but it is so much more than that. This is not just about falling in love, it is about giving up everything for that love, sacrificing one’s entire self, displaying courage and loyalty no matter the cost.

The setting and landscapes came alive beautifully, and all of the characters were well written. I easily conjured up the images of the various faeries, which were described in excellent detail. I could have done with a little less mental imagery of the Attor though! The evil Queen, Amarantha, was quite scary. Bent on revenge and the acquisition of absolute power, she was not a faery one should cross. She was just full of hate, which made her a very nasty character, one which inspired fear, but also one which I fervently hoped would be overthrown.

Feyre was a great leading lady. I admired her bravery, strength and perseverance, but Lucien was actually my favourite character. He was gruff and rude towards Feyre at the start, but he was also cheeky and playful. He showed unending loyalty to Tamlin, though he also spent a lot of time making snide remarks and laughing at Tamlin, in a way that only best friends can treat one another. I often found myself smiling at his antics. Lucien and Feyre made for good verbal combatants. I liked Rhysand for similar reasons to Lucien. He was arrogant and cunning, but I enjoyed his verbal sparring with Feyre. Though he is very self-interested, and not at all trustworthy, I saw glimpses of a better soul within him. Tamlin I also liked, but he was more serious than Lucien, and so powerful he was almost frightening.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is suitable for upper high school students and contains violence, sex scenes and swearing. It is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy, with the second installment due out in May 2016. I am very excited about the next book!

Jan6

Charlie, Presumed Dead by Anne Heltzel

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charliepresumeddeadCharlie, Presumed Dead by Anne Heltzel, paperback novel, 263 pages, published by Nero in 2015.

Charlie Price is missing and presumed dead after the plane he was flying explodes mid-air. Aubrey and Lena meet at Charlie’s memorial service, discovering that they were both dating him. Neither one knew about the other one, and as they get to know each other, they find that Charlie was very different with each of them. Lena is suspicious of Charlie’s accident. She convinces Aubrey to go with her to search out the truth about Charlie. Both Lena and Aubrey harbour secrets as they set off on their quest for the truth, can they learn to trust each other before it’s too late?

The first time I started this book, I only got a couple of chapters in. It didn’t immediately pull me in, nor did any of the characters speak to me. When I picked it up again I pushed on, and within a few more chapters, I was hooked. So while the start was a little slow, the pace did improve. I read the remainder of the book quite rapidly and I’m glad I gave it another go.

Charlie, Presumed Dead is a psychological thriller for young adults. I did not expect it to be as dark as it was. There was some coarse language and low level violence, but it was Charlie’s callous and detached actions that disturbed me. He is a psychopath, manipulating and lying for his own benefit with no remorse or guilt for those that he injures along the way.

None of the characters were really likeable. I thought I could like Aubrey, with her naivety, but she had deeper and darker layers too. Lena was a spoilt rich girl with not enough parental supervision to mould her into a responsible adult. She is over privileged and throws her money around like it means nothing, jet-setting all over without a second thought. She is quite different to Aubrey, and Charlie presented an appropriate side to each. A quiet intellectual gamer with the reserved Aubrey, while being an eager clubber  and drug user with the more gregarious Lena.

The story was told primarily through alternating chapters by each girl in the first person. This sometimes caused the story to jump around a little, as the same part of the story was retold from the other girl’s perspective. I didn’t mind this method of narration, and I liked that each of them got to convey some of their memories from before they met. There were some chapters written from Charlie’s perspective, but these felt a little wrong. They did succeed in conveying Charlie’s fragile and declining mental state, I just didn’t like the writing style employed in these sections.

The book ended rather abruptly, and the final chapters were chilling. The fate of the girls could be imagined, but I do hope that there will be a sequel.

Charlie, Presumed Dead is suitable for middle to upper high school students and adults.

 

 

Jan5

Dr Hedgehog and the Post Box Rescue by Jerry Mushin

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IMG_6058Dr Hedgehog and the Post Box Rescue by Jerry Mushin, paperback picture book, published by Sweet Cherry Publishing in 2014.

Martin Mouse has disappeared again. His mum is very worried, so she calls Dr Hedgehog to help search for Martin.

This simple picture book is part of a series covering the mishaps of Martin Mouse and his saviour, Dr Hedgehog. Each book is able to be read independently of the other books in the series.

The plot is basic, the language simple and the text large, great for early readers to try. I read this book to my younger children, and they all seemed to enjoy the story. My eldest child, at eight, thought it was much too easy for her.

The illustrations are large and clear, though I wasn’t keen on the image of Dr Hedgehog. I normally find hedgehogs rather cute, but Dr Hedgehog is actually a little scary. Maybe it’s the spines coming through his doctor’s coat, or his grumpy expression throughout the book. Even when the rescue is complete and he can finally go home, he still doesn’t look happy. This kind of spoilt the book for me, though my kids didn’t seem to mind, and asked for a re-read.

Dr Hedgehog and the Post Box Rescue is suitable for preschoolers and children in lower primary school.

*I received  this book for free through Goodreads First Reads Giveaways.

Dec28

Pocket Pal Jokes to Tell

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jokestotellPocket Pal Jokes to Tell, 220 pages small format paperback, published by Hinkler Books Pty Ltd. in 2009.

An excellent collection of jokes, riddles, silly book titles and knock knocks. Some of the jokes are very funny, some are groan-worthy, and most could be classified as ‘Dad’ jokes.

We read some of this book aloud during Christmas lunch this year, after we’d run out of cracker jokes. I had everyone laughing, even the toddlers were laughing because everyone else was! There were plenty of moments where our eldest (almost nine), would groan, shake her head and say “oh, muuuuummmm”, so I knew the jokes were good.

I liked that there were jokes that I had heard a million times, and others that were new to me, but all of them were child friendly. I think kids in primary school would particularly enjoy this book.

Jokes to Tell is a perfect way to enjoy humour with children and family. It is suitable for children big and small, but is best shared aloud!

Dec26

Willakaville: Baffling Ballads of Boisterous Braveness by Bald Guy (Mathew Heinecke)

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willakavilleBWillakaville: Baffling Ballads of Boisterous Braveness by Bald Guy (Mathew Heinecke), short stories, 124 pages, published in 2015.

Be chased by quicksand in Mexico, go on a quest in Snobbleland or eat candy in the sewer in this odd, yet funny collection of short stories. This is the second book of stories from Willakaville, where the weird and wacky happen often.

Overall I did enjoy this collection, the stranger the story, the better it was. There were gentle lessons through these stories, such as an anti-bullying message and believing in yourself. While all of the stories are unique and imaginative, there were a couple that stood out for me. “Souper Duper” was about a boy who gains superpowers by eating soup, and battles a supervillain, The Mad Milker. He used special milk from his cow as a weapon, which made me laugh. Another story saw a small girl go adventuring with a friendly snow monster that she created. This one really captured the imaginative ability of children. The exploration of the caves in Mexico was very exciting, and somewhat Indiana Jones-esque. I’d like to see more adventures like that in the future books.

The poems in this collection were good. There is one about scary things in the night, and another about making a big sandwich. These simple and fun poems are great for getting kids interested in poetry.

There were some spelling and syntax errors, nothing serious though. Except, in the middle of “Robot Insects”, when the main character Jerry is suddenly referred to as Jimmy for a few paragraphs.

These self-contained and easy to read stories are suitable for lower to middle primary school children. However, anyone can enjoy the humour of these stories. A third volume will be available from Willakaville soon.

 

*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.