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!

Jan12

Book Spotlight: Thirst by R P Channing

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Thirst by R P Channing CoverBook Title - Thirst Blood of my Blood-1

Thirst Blood of my Blood is a new young adult paranormal romance with vampires, demons and witches from debut novelist R P Channing. Here’s a little about the book.

 

~ Kira Sutherland ~

After a near fatal accident (and getting cheated on by her ‘boyfriend’), and beating up the lead cheerleader (with whom the boyfriend cheated…), and being labeled as having ‘issues’ in her school because she, uhm, sees ghosts, Kira is left with two choices:

  1. Continue her ‘therapy’ (where she’s told the ghost is a hallucination and also gets her legs ogled too often…)

Or

  1. Go to Starkfield Academy, a boarding school for “Crazies and Convicts” (as the social media sites call them.)

She chooses the latter…

~ Cory Rand ~

Cory Rand has not had an easy life. His mother died in a car accident when he was twelve, and so did his mother’s best friend…sort of. You see, Janice made a promise to take care of Cory just before she died, and so she lingers. Undead. A ghost that watches out for him.

Brought up in an abusive home, Cory quickly falls into a life of disreputable behavior. After his third offense (which was prompted by a girl, as usual – he has a weakness) he’s left with two choices:

  1. Be tried as an adult and share a cell with a guy named Bubba (he thinks…)

Or

  1. Go to Starkfield Academy, which Cory is pretty sure is run by vampires. But, hey, at least he’ll get an education.

He chooses the latter…

It’s at Starkfield that Kira meets Cory Rand, a boy with an insatiable Rage who sees ghosts, too. As well as other things, other things from his past, things that confuse him, things like fire and witches and demons.

Things he’s always ignored.

Until now.

 

Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Now a little about the author of Thirst Blood of my Blood.

 

R P Channing started writing three years ago, but never published anything even after churning out over a million words of fiction. Thirst: Blood of my Blood is the first book he dared to publish. When asked why, he said, “Because it’s the first thing I wrote that my wife actually enjoyed reading.” When not hammering away (most literally) at his keyboard, he can be found buried in a book, reading anything from romance to horror to young adult to non-fiction to comedy.

Find the latest news and information on R P Channing’s website, or follow him on Twitter.

You can purchase Thirst Blood of my Blood from Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Kindle Unlimited.

There is also an Amazon voucher giveaway link at the back of the book! Once the book hits fifty reviews on Amazon, one of those reviewers will win a $20 (US Dollars) Amazon Gift Voucher!

Now the best bit, read on for a taster of Thirst Blood of my Blood.

PROLOGUE

-1-
The Puppy Eyes

My life was perfect.

I had the perfect shoes and the perfect friends and I lived in the perfect house. My nails were perfect and my hair was perfect (except on Sundays, it was always windy on Sundays) and I had the perfect clothes. My lips were a perfect red and my hair perfectly straight. My eyeshadow was perfect, my hips were…okay, and my waist…well…also okay. Nothing was wrong in my life.

But then there was Jack.

Jack was a problem.

He needed to go. I mean, when you’re dead, you’re dead! I had told him this endlessly. Somehow, Jack didn’t get it. I mean, I felt sorry for the guy. Sure. Being stuck between this life and the next. But just because I found him, does that mean I needed to keep him?

I think not!

Sadly, when Jack got that look in his eyes, that weary, almost teary (if his tear- ducts worked) look, I melted. I just couldn’t send him away. Not even Jack knew where he would go after he died.

Would he, like, die? As in — dead, nada, kaput, finito, gone, no more? Bye bye, sayonara, ciao, hasta la vista baby and all that?

I couldn’t have that on my conscience. No way.

I lay on my bed, wondering what to do about him. “Jaaaaaaack,” I hollered.

“Jaaaaaaack!”

Still no answer.

“Jack!”

Jack…materialized.

His eyes rolled down to the ground. He was making those puppy eyes again. “Jack, I told you not to do that. I told you not to play on my sympathies.”

His puppy eyes became worse.

His skin was gray and, well, dead.

“Oh, brother,” I said. “I have to do something about you. If mom finds out I have another ‘imaginary friend’ — at my age — well, I’d die of embarrassment. But, like, really die. Not like you.” I wondered about this. Would I die? Was Jack a freak accident, or did all people live on like him? Think of the cemeteries…

The idea excited me somewhat.

“What would you have me do, Miss Kira?”

“Knock off the Miss Kira crap. I told you it’s just Kira.”

“Yes, Miss Kira.”

The dead. There’s just no reasoning.

“Fine, Miss Kira it is then.” Rover barked like a lunatic in the garden. No one else might be able to see Jack, but I was sure my dog could.

“I have to do something about this,” I mumbled.

 

-2-

The Rat

Mike knocked on the door before I had time to leave the house. Mike was the guy I thought (at the time) was perfect.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, baby.”

Baby, urgh — I wasn’t his baby. I dated Mike because he was the quarterback, because girls are supposed to like the quarterback, because it’s just so darn perfect to be seen with the quarterback, like we’re brainwashed into thinking these things from the first romantic doll set mom buys us.

This was my previous life. “Mike.”
“Uh-huh. Gonna let me in?”

So you can try rub me up and then complain when I don’t let you? This, dear reader, was the big problem with Mike. The second we first kissed, his hand went way too far south for me to be comfortable — and I pulled back.

Mike suddenly wasn’t so perfect.

“Uhm, I was just on my way out,” I said.

“Kira? C’mon, open the door.” He sounded upset. “Is there someone in there with you?”

Boys. As if.
I didn’t know much about love (nothing, actually) but I knew this wasn’t it. “Uhm, now’s not the time, Mike.”
“C’mon, Kira, what’s going on?” He banged harder.

When in doubt…lie. I opened the door a crack. “There’s a dead rat in the house, Mike. Been here for days. I gotta go get some detergent and stuff to handle the stench.”

Mike stepped back. He peered through the crack of the door.

“It’s really bad,” I said.

“I’ll drive you.”

“I’m afraid the smell” — I stuck my armpit to my nose — “has found its way all over me. I’ll drive myself.”

“O — okay. Fine.” And then he grinned like he wanted something. “Later? My place?”

Urgh. “Uhm, sure…er…later. Not sure when though.”

“Six.”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. According to girls at school, he was apparently so damn good looking — theoretically. But for me personally, he did nothing. Moved nothing. Twisted nothing. “Look, I gotta go, Mike. I gotta — ”

“Kira.” His eyes grew stern. “You’ve been avoiding me…”

Bingo! Well done contestant number one! And what have you won? A brain!

I tilted my head. “Mike, look, this…rat — I need to deal with it. We’ll talk later, okay? Bye.” I closed the door, not waiting for an answer, and peered out the peep hole. Mike hung around for a second, shoulders wide and eyes glaring straight at me through the door. Could he see me? Did he know I was looking at him?

He kicked something off the ground, and I had the distinct impression he mouthed the word Bitch before leaving. But I wasn’t sure…

 

-3-

The Mack

“Roll down the window, Jack.” Jack was recently dead, so he still had a smell about him. (Which only I could smell…)

I had purposely skipped breakfast. Maybe Jack would help me lose weight. I was (still am) a little wide, although it had never stopped guys flirting with me. I know how to dress.

But I could be skinnier.

Lucy Rogers was skinny. All bones and no boobs.

Charlene Carverton was a babe. Cheerleader. Big chest (which she pushed out generously with a push-up — if only guys knew). Toned thighs. Charlene only dated college boys (back then), which I still think is pretty gross for a girl her age.

“He’s not for you,” Jack said out the blue.

“Hmm?”

“This…Mike — he’s wrong for you, Miss Kira.” For all Jack’s faults (mainly, being dead), he has a good heart. Factually, probably it’s why I kept him around at first.

“You think I don’t know that?”

“Then why don’t you dump him?”

I braked at a stop sign. Looked left and right. “Because I’d look like an idiot. I flirted with him and showed interest, and one kiss later I can’t stand the sight of him.”

“So dump him.”
“It’s not that simple. Kids at school — they can be vicious. I have to let it fade slowly. If I drop the bomb on him, I’ll never hear the end of it through senior year.”

“And you care?”

Yes, I did. Forget Guantanamo, schools are rough. “You don’t understand, Jack. Maybe school was different in your day. But in mine, well, we walk through metal detectors.”

“Schools weren’t too different in my day.” I noted the sadness in his voice. “You okay?”
“I’m dead.”
Right. “You miss…your life?”

Jack shrugged. “I like being with you, Miss Kira. And I don’t remember much of my life. I think I’m in limbo.”

“Limbo?”
“Yes, like I have some unfinished business. If only I could remember…what…it is…” He scratched his head. “Any ideas?”

“Well, it can’t be love. If it were love, I’d be a vampire. That’s who teenage girls fall in love with these days.”

“A vampire? That’s just what I need — two undead beings stalking me.”
“I feel I have something to do around you, Miss Kira. I don’t know what, but something. Something important.”
I looked over at him. “Me?”
I was still looking at him when I missed the stop sign. The Mack truck drove straight into us.

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.

Dec31
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If you’re an avid reader, you will know the pull of every bookstore that you have ever come across. It is virtually impossible for me to pass a bookstore without going in. I love browsing the shelves of my local Dymocks, seeing what’s new and picking up books I’ve heard good things about but not yet read. I love the crispness of the covers, the unblemished pages and unmarked spines of new books. With four rugrats I rarely get to experience the pleasure of going to a bookstore on my own, which kind of shatters the leisurely perusal of the shelves that I would like. So in recent years I have started buying more and more books online, from places like Book Depository and Dymocks Online. It’s a somewhat more sterile way to buy, but I still love searching through the various categories and booklists, and I can shop at any time of the day or night, such as when all my kids are asleep!

As nice as new books are, I have always loved secondhand or pre-loved bookstores the most. Books stacked haphazardly from floor to ceiling, piles of books everywhere, the wonderful smell that only used books have, and the delight of finding a real gem among the stacks or grabbing a bargain on a book I’ve wanted for ages. I love that I’m giving these books a new life, another reading, a new home, and a chance to share them with my family. I could spend hours wandering the aisles and perusing the shelves…. except I have children. Children who knock stacks over, pull books from shelves, and run through the narrow aisles disturbing the peace.

So I had a conundrum, wanting to buy used books, but having the inability to get to a used bookstore during daylight hours by myself. Then a couple of years ago I discovered the most amazing online store, a store that allows me to shop at all hours, any day of the week without the “help” of my kids, but still allows me to buy secondhand and used books. As a bonus it has a search function for when I’m looking for something in particular, not as much fun as physically searching stacks and shelves of books, but it does save time!

This wonderful store is called Better World Books. A truly unique online book store, they not only have thousands and thousands of used books in a searchable database, they have free shipping to most parts of the world, and they have plenty of sales and deals throughout the year. A browse in the bargain bin is an absolute must! Each book is listed with a description, including the condition, such as used good or used acceptable. And the best bit? I know, it’s hard to imagine it getting any better, but it does! For every book that they sell they donate a book to a person in need, and each sale supports literacy and libraries around the world. Any books they can’t use are recycled. How totally awesome is that!

Make a difference when you buy books in the year ahead, and give Better World Books a go.

Best Pre-loved Bookstore Ever