Red Flame: Wizards' School by Pamela Shine

Release Date: 13/08/12
Publisher: Upfront Publishing
Pages: 114
Target Audience: Kids
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure


Synopsis: Hi, my name is Resha Valentine, I'm a 17 year old wizard who wants to join the strongest Wizards' School, Red Flame. I meet Aiden and Kat, 17 year old twin wizards just like me. Only it turns out they're in the running for the strongest wizards in Red Flame Wizards' School!

Review: Usually I find writing reviews for books pretty straight forward because essentially the authors are all adults with life experience behind them and years of schooling or at least some knowledge of literary skills and devices. Occasionally however, I need to re-evaluate how I look at a book because the author is different. In this case, the author is only 12 years old.

When I think back to when I was twelve there is no way on this earth I had the urge to read much let alone write something. And if I did write stories, I got bored very quickly, so I have to give Pamela Shine full credit for her determination and staying power to the task at hand. To review her like an adult however, would be unfair.

Red Flame: Wizards’ School is a fun fantasy adventure about a group of wizards who go to the Red Flame School, one of many in the world of Wizland. These wizards are given missions and jobs to go on and in the case of some of the wizards, get to go out and cause a lot of trouble (the child in me grinned wickedly at this) and they also get into fights with other competing schools.

The powers the characters have were different to what I usually expect from a book centred on magic. It is often too easy to make your main character super powerful with an insane complicated power, but Pamela has created abilities for her characters which tend to stem from something simple or basic and become surprisingly powerful when used.

The story itself is fast paced and quickly comes to a conclusion without any messing around or going off on a tangent (something some adult authors are guilty of), whereas it  is the way of the teenager or younger person to get the point. Having said that, as an older reader I think I would have liked a bit more explanation as to background and character history and description of the places the events were set. The ability to do this is something I feel she will develop over time and gain with experience, but if I were to give this to a younger person as it stands now I feel they will love it to bits without the added description. As this book is aimed at 8 to 12-year-olds then I think it would be nice if this book got a bit more publicity as I’m sure children in that age group will love it.

One important point to note while reading this, and as a reader it is one of my big sticking points; I hate grammatical errors and I was expecting some from such a young author, but you know what? There were NONE. None what-so-ever. I’ve been known to mark books as DNF because the grammar mistakes are so bad and this book has absolutely none at all. So I give 10/10 for her brilliant spell checking and grammar skills.

If Pamela writes a sequel I will definitely be reading it as I’m interested to follow her career and to see where she goes from here. I’m sure that with more experience and knowledge she will become a very competent adult author. 

Lolly Luck by Ellie Daines

Release Date: 05/01/2012
Publisher:  Andersen Press
Pages: 192
Target Audience: Kids
Genre: Fiction


Synopsis: 
Lolly is Lolly Luck by name, lucky by nature. She always wins magazine competitions, on scratch cards and any game you can think of. But when Lolly’s dad loses his job and then the family home, Lolly’s luck starts to change. And when she overhears her parents arguing, she learns a secret that will change her life forever.


My Review:
I was asked to review this by the author and I can't thank her enough since this is an amazing book. Though it's aimed at 12-year-olds (or there about) there is a lot to learn from Lolly's experiences.
I think the hardest thing I'm going to find when writing this review is doing so without spoiling any major plot twists, but somehow I'll manage.


Lolly Luck deals with many issues including bullying, arguments, redundancy and separation but it's all seen through the eyes of 11-year-old Lolly as opposed to an adult. Personally, I think this made for an emotional read and I couldn't help but feel for Lolly as things change around her. Some of the things she hears and then has to deal with is extraordinarily painful and she does so with such a positive attitude for the most part that I was left very impressed.

Part of the ending was a bit surprising and I am very glad that Miss Daines kept things realistic when she wrote this and even more glad for the things that Lolly learns by the end of the book. 

I won't say any more and risk spoiling things for those yet to read, but this is an incredible novel and I'm sure a promising start to the authors career.

8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf by Michael Mullin

Release Date: 11/11/2010
Publisher: Gemiknight Studios
Pages: N/A
Target Audience: Kids/Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Fantasy/Fiction/Fairytale


Synopsis:
This is the previously untold story of the previously unknown 8th dwarf, named Creepy. He was banished to the basement for being different and , well, weird. Yet he played a vital - and of course previously unknown - role in the popular tale of Snow White (whose title character is an intruder Creepy refers to as "the Maid").


My Review:
I honestly loved this and though it's very short it is a delightful read that will bring a smile to your face. For those who love Snow White and the Seven Dwarves but thought that maybe there was more to the story than first appeared, this is a sure win.

I laughed through a lot of the verse but there were some points that struck a true cord with regards to prejudice and casting judgement. And man do I have a different opinion of those Dwarves and of Snow White. I think I will always want Snow White to end slightly differently in some way, Why should the perfect good-looking prince always get the girl? Love comes in many forms, something we should all bear in mind. 

Regardless of anything else and of how you feel about fairy tales or happy endings, this is a witty, clever and ultimately interesting take on a classic that, for many people, was a part of their childhood. And I am infinitely jealous of Mr Mullins poetic skill (my attempts at verse suck lol)

The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan

Target Audience: Kids/Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Historical fiction/Fantasy/Adventure

Those who have read my other Rick Riordan reviews will know I'm a huge fan of his books and I'm now loving this series as much as his Percy Jackson books (though Percy will always own that little piece of my heart).  With the Kane Chronicles, Mr Riordan has brought the ancient Egyptian gods to life in a way no History teacher I've ever known has ever done.  If you'd like to learn a little more here's a synopsis for you:

Following there victory against Set, Sadie and Carter Kane are now recruiting and training other young magicians in the world. But things aren't as peaceful as they might be and now the great serpent Apophis is breaking free of his prison; if he succeeds then he will swallow the sun and plunge the world into darkness. There only chance is to awaken the sun god Ra, but in order to do that they need the Book of Ra and unfortunately the Book of Ra is scattered. With only a few days until Apophis breaks free, will Sadie and Carter be able to save the world?


This book is pretty much a roller-coaster ride of adventure, humour, peril and really amusing Egyptian gods. I have to admit I thought I'd read most things, that is until the legend that is the Dwarf God; Bes. whom I will rave about in a little bit..
I found the adventure and plot in this book to be more involved and exciting then the first in the series, maybe because all the intro stuff was out of the way in the first book. Whatever the reason, the action kicks off from page one during a museum break-in and swiftly progresses with little pause (I was glad about this, I've read way too many books with far too much babble)

What I did notice was the sheer peril in some areas which even I found to be a little scary. For example, there's a part where one of the characters gets a glimpse to Apophis' cage and coupled with the detailed description I felt honestly terrified of that snake escaping, and I'm not even scared of snakes! Coupled with the race to get the pages of the Book of Ra and what you have is an incredibly scary, funny (inappropriate at times, but who cares?) and totally amazing egyptian adventure.

Once again, the story is split between Sadie and Carter and as usual this lends to some differing and interesting story telling. Sadie has many qualities she shares with Carter but is also very different. Carter seems to think a lot more whereas Sadie is a bit more impulsive but both are stubborn at times.  Either way, I loved them both!
Bes, the Dwarf God, was another favourite character of mine. He was funny, helpful, unforgettable and ultimately the most selfless character I've come across in a long time. I really really hope we hear more from Bes in the future (fingers crossed!) despite how the book ended. Actually, just give the guy a series of his own, he is that awesome!

In short, I can't really find any fault. This is as near perfect as an historical fantasy fiction book gets and if your having a particularly bad day; lock yourself in a room and have a good giggle, because it will make you laugh. The plot will suck you in, the characters are unforgettable and the ending is epic.

Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories by Megan Kelley Hall et al

Target Audience: Everyone
Genre: Non-Fiction/Biographical

I usually review my books in the order in which I read them, but I decided to deviate from that rule because you have to write some review while you have the words to say what you want to say, otherwise you risk never finding those words again.  This is one of those reviews.
Dear Bully compiles some of the most heart-wrenching, moving, inspiring, horrifying and heartbreaking tales of bullying that I have ever read about. Whether the contributing author was the Bully, victim or bystander they are all truly memorable.

I'm not ashamed to say that some of the authors stories made me shed a few tears and as someone who has suffered bullying as a child to some extent, I could relate to some of the feelings these authors have expressed during their retelling's of their own bullying experiences.

What I think is so alarming, and this is something I wish teachers in schools and parents would take note of, is that these authors all remember there experiences of bullying so clearly. This should immediately send alarm bells ringing in people's heads as clearly these experiences are not 'just part of growing up' and clearly leave some form of emotional scaring on the individuals involved as well as awful memories. I think the message is clear, bullying should not be tolerated, it is not something to endure and it should be stopped, no child (or adult even) should have to go through these experiences.

On the brighter side of things, a lot of these experiences have been channelled into positive things such as ideas for books, the strength to move on or even to become a stronger individual but the fact still remains, no one should ever have to endure victimisation in order to become something more in life. Not all stories have a positive outcome and there are some sobering facts about bullying and suicide that will make you think twice about your views.

Whether written in the form of essay, poem or short story these are a collection of stories that everyone should read, whether you've been bullied or not, whether you've witnessed it or not or even if you were a bully yourself. This is a book that will give you an insight into the minds of victims and bully's alike.

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Fantasy/Fiction/Adventure

Rick Riordan is a genius. That's probably more fact than opinion and wow does that guy have a talent for writing clever, funny and compelling stories that are aimed at teens, and yet seem to be loved by adults just as much. For those Who haven't read any books by Mr Riordan I'd start at either Percy Jackson and Lightening Thief or The Red Pyramid as these are the first in both his other series of books and are generally a good place to begin.  For those who have read the Percy Jackson series and the first in this one, then read on.

TSoN joins back up with Percy who is being chased by monsters with no memory of why he's there, why he's being chased and wondering why the only thing he knows is that a girl Annabeth is important to him.  Soon he ends up at a place called Camp Jupiter where he meets Frank and Hazel, two very troubled Demigods holding secrets and troubles of their own.
Soon they find themselves on a quest to stop something that was put into motion a long time ago, well past the their usual territory and into lands even the gods have no control over, as the prophecy of the seven slowly unfolds.

I loved this. In fact, I loved this more than The Lost Hero.. I think having Percy back (one of my favourite all time literary heroes) made this book extra incredible especially as that nearly everything Percy does seems to come out humorous in one way or another. If I were to be stuck in the worst moment of my life, I would like Percy with me, he'd probably make me laugh about it :)
Having said that the humour element does not detract from the adventurous storyline with it's peril and terrifying Greek/Roman monsters. True, there are some monsters that will have you laughing (like the cereal monsters and the cupcake/muffin throwing goddess) but others will absolutely terrify the crap out of you. FYI I do not want to run into any Titans any time soon!

The plot develops quickly and I found myself turning the pages very fast to find out how it would end and I was on the edge of my seat reading most of it. If a book can make me spend nearly the whole Sunday reading it without moving, then the author has done a fantastic job. Well done Mr Riordan you made a restless woman stay still for hours on end :)

As usual though, it's the characters that steal the show and I loved Hazel, Frank and Percy though I did find it a little disconcerting jumping from point of view to another, at least at first anyway. What I admire most is that each of them had their 'weaknesses' and yet still  managed to show incredible strength when placed in the most impossible situations and then come out the other side.
None of the heroes in Rick's novels are perfect and I think that's something both kids and adults can resonate with; the idea that we can achieve anything we want no matter what mistakes we've made and however imperfect we are.

As for the ending? Well it's epic and I'm dying for the next book. I don't want to wait :( I want to read it now! *stamps feet like a child* Anyway, full marks! Like I said, the guys a genius!

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Target Audience: Kids/Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Fiction/Simply profound reads

I can tell you now that I will never do this book justice however well I write the review, so I tell you upfront the best way to experience this is to read it yourself (and get the hardback copy because the illustrations are incredible)

A Monster Calls follows Conor O'Malley after his mother falls ill and he wakes up one night to find himself face to face with a monster who shows up at seven minutes past midnight. The monster claims he will tell him three stories and then Conor will have to tell him 'the truth' something Conor does not understand at first.
This book moved me so much I am not ashamed to say that I was in tears by the end and I mean crying buckets, not just a few tears. I have read many emotional and moving books but this one has left such an impact I doubt I will ever forget it as long as I live.

This is simply one of those books that manages to weave an engrossing story but also manages to hit readers a lot deeper than that while still being a really good read with a fascinating story line. I was very intrigued by the stories the monsters told and some of them left me slightly stunned too, and I felt I took so much away from just reading this.

As well as monsters and darkness there is a lot of loss to deal with in this book and a lot of relationships that are focussed upon as the novel progresses and it is the characters that make this book truly what it is. Conor is such an extraordinary boy and yet curiously different in his view of things and I felt every blow he took and every time he felt pain, and I have to admit I would have had trouble coping in his situation.
Then you have the relationship between Conor and his dad and, to be honest, I wasn't too keen on him since he just didn't seem to want to stay around enough. His son was losing his mother to Cancer and he couldn't stay with his son. That broke my heart.
I did however, have much more respect for Conor's grandmother whom he doesn't seem to like much at first, and it was heart-warming to a certain extent watching how their relationship changes as the novel progresses.  With regards to Conor's mother I could never pretend to imagine what she must have been feeling and the last part with her and Conor in it had me in tears.

And what, you might ask, about the monster?  The monster I consider to be somewhat of an enigma. Is he real? Was he a figment of Conor's mind? I'll let you make that decision for yourself but I think the thing to bear in mind is that no matter what other people believe to be real. If you believe it, then it is.
Incredible book. Please read this.

Death Bringer by Derek Landy

Target Audience: Kids/Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Fantasy/Fiction/Humour

I'm a huge fan of Derek Landy and anything he writes and this was no exception for me. In fact, I've been so in love with this book I decided to re-read the rest of the series too and I enjoyed doing so immensely.
For those who are unaware of the legend that is Skulduggery Pleasant then don't read any further, it will spoil the previous 5 books and we don't want that.  For everyone else, read on for synopsis of Death Bringer (as seen on Goodreads):

Think you’ve seen anything yet? You haven’t. Because the Death Bringer is about to rise…The Necromancers no longer need Valkyrie to be their Death Bringer, and that’s a Good Thing.There’s just one catch. There’s a reason the Necromancers don’t need her any more. And that’s because they’ve found their Death Bringer already, the person who will dissolve the doors between life and death.And that’s a very, very Bad Thing

Indeed it is a very bad thing, as I quickly discovered while reading this book! Death Bringer is following the trend in this series in the sense each book seems to get slightly darker, but this is in no way a bad thing and it certainly doesn't detract from the humour, as I was doubled up laughing on so many occasions I lost count.
One thing that always amazes me with this series is Landy's ability to put Valkyrie and Skulduggery in the most terrifying situations and still have them make a joke of it. It's just stupidly hilarious. I love it.

On a more serious note the threat increases, especially with Valkyrie still facing the fact she may turn into the terrifying sorcerer that is Darquesse and without spoiling things I will say that we learn a lot more about said evil sorcerer in this book and how she comes into being.
On a personal note, as much as I love Valkyrie, her slightly selfish streak comes out as her love life becomes slightly tangled and by the end of the book I had the urge to hit Caelan the vampire over the head with a vampire romance novel, (since he seemed to be spouting a lot of prose from one) even if some of it had me laughing.

With regards to Skulduggery himself, there was such a big 'wow I didn't see that coming' moment that I was left stunned for a little while and had to re-read the page I'd been reading. The effect it has on his relationship with Valkyrie is pretty intense, though I will say personally I think it makes them stronger in the end.
Taking both the big revelation about skulduggery and Valkyries supposed 'destiny' there is one amazing battle towards the end of the book that is truly breath taking and it isn't what you think it will be either.

Skulduggery's secrets aren't the only ones being spilt either as a lot more is revealed about China Sorrows, and some other characters that have been alluded to before make an appearance throughout the novel.
Even with all the revelations, fights and the 'passage' being brought into being there's laughs a plenty, a cute gurgling baby called Alice, a love-struck vampire and annoying brat named Melancholia St Claire (whom I hate) and lets not forget Lord Vile.

Anyway, it may be a good idea for me to wrap this review up before I accidentally post spoilers. But wow, this book is amazing. Just read it. READ IT!

The Naughtiest Girl Again (Naughtiest Girl Two) by Enid Blyton

Target Audience: Kids/Nostalgic Adults
Genre: Fiction


For those who haven't read the first book, here's a brief synopsis of the general series.  The Naughtiest Girl in the School followed Elizabeth Allen who, after being a mostly spoiled and naughty child for most of her life, was sent to school. After the first half-term being the naughtiest girl in the school she soon finds the error of her ways and changes, this book follows her adventures during the Winter term at Whyteleaf School where she gets into even more trouble despite her best attempts not too.

Being 24 and reading this (a big difference to when I read the first book as a little girl) I thought I might find this one pretty silly. I didn't however! If I'm honest the plot doesn't differ much from book to book. Yes, different things happen and Elizabeth matures quite a bit but the general premise is the same: Elizabeth tries to do something good and it backfires.
There are some very valuable lessons about friendship, loyalty and even bullying in this novel and I think this would be an enjoyable read for a lot of young ten and under's but having said that, it's good nostalgia for adults who grew up reading Enid Blyton.

There will be some elements that a lot of people will find incredibly old fashioned (such as the idea of sweets causing spots, yes I know they didn't have all the research on hormones then, but still) And some ideas nagged at me; just because a girl isn't overly pretty does not mean she's horrid and spiteful, as some of the characters were painted to be.
My overall consensus though is that you really need to take this book with a pinch of salt. Don't take all of it too seriously and it's a light, entertaining read :-)

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

Target Audience: Kids
Genre: Fiction

So I had a day off work and I decide to do my usual poking around the bookstores in Canterbury and this book catches my eye! At first I walked away towards the fantasy section, but I was drawn straight back to it by some unknown force (Maybe 'The Force' who knows?) and I had to buy it. I mean it's about an Origami Yoda that gives out advice and predicts the future! Is it as epic as the title sounds? Definitely!

In summary, this story is Tommy's collection of case files of instances where Origami Yoda has been used to give advice in an effort to decide whether to take his advice himself. The problem is Origami Yoda belongs to Dwight, who is clueless, often disgusting and very irritating and so for Tommy, it seems impossible that someone like that could be giving advice through hand puppet. Should Tommy ask Sara to dance with him? Is Yoda right? Or will he be rejected all because he listened to a hand puppet?

Let the analysis begin! And boy is it funny!  Not only do you have first hand accounts of those who have taken Yoda's advice but there are also very amusing comments and drawings that had me in stitches of laughter. This book is so childlike in much of it's writing yet oddly adult in other parts.
Despite the funny exterior, there is a strong moral lessons to be learned about bullying within these pages and it's very cleverly written and Dwight who is thought to be stupid, is actually quite surprising and to me turns out to be one of the best characters in the book.

Needless to say this is a quick, lighthearted and very funny read. Yes, it's aimed at kids but since I'm 24 and I loved it, I think that no matter what your age you should definitely give this book a go. And then once you've read it, don't forget to make your own Origami Yoda, the instructions are in the book!!!

Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl

Target Audience: Everyone
Genre: Fiction

I decided to kick off my older book reviews with this one, Fantastic Mr Fox. I loved this when I first read it, and I will happily read it again now.
If you want an idea of the plot, read on:

Mr Fox, Mrs fox and their cubs live in their fox hole, with Mr Fox leaving to steal food every night for his family. One ill-fated night Mr Fox gets his tail shot off and the Foxes and the other creatures living in the hill find themselves under siege by the evil farmers; Boggis, Bunce and Bean (One fat, one short one lean lol)
Stuck underground with no exit and no food, Mr fox and Co create a plan that even the farmers don't see coming and it makes for one amazing adventure.

Now, I don't no whether it was the creepy farmers, the daring food stealing plans or the sheer sense of fun that emanates from this book, but I love the story to bits.
It's a very quick read but a very entertaining one, and I still laugh at the image of those farmers stuck on the hillside, what a bunch of dipsticks.

Anyway, this gets:

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Target Audience: Children/Teens/Young Adults/Anyone really who wants a bit of escapism

Genre: Fantasy

Love it, Love it, Love it! And i'll say it again...LOVE IT!

Rick Riordan is by far one of the most talented writers in the childrens/teens fantasy genre. Somehow, he manages to take some of the stuff that we were taught in totally boring fashion at school and turn it into the most adrenaline filled adventure i've read in a long time.

At the very beginning we meet our heroes; Jason, Leo and Piper in a school bus with their coach going on a school trip to the Grand Canyon (Cupcakes!!! hehe) On the bus Jason wakes up and can't remember a thing about how he got there and who he is. In due time they are attacked though and all three are revealed as demi-gods who end up at camp half-blood. As if to make matters worse, with Jason's strange appearance, Percy Jackson (Yes, the very same!) has vanished and Annabeth is trying to find him but with little luck.

Annabeth is trying to find him but with little luck.

Events come into play and when it appears Hera has disappeared and Olymnpus is shut off, it becomes clear that these events and Percy's disappearance are linked, and a very adventurous quest begins that will change everything.

Ok, i really did love this and the characters were truly amazing. Jason was very much like Percy was in the first series of books, in the sense that he tackles things that most people wouldn't try. I really liked Leo as well, he was so funny and provided quite a lot of the laughs throughout (i love his tool belt!) and Piper was amazing, it made a change to have a child of Aphrodite who hated make-up.


Some of the ideas that were introduced into the book had me very curious about mythology. Are all gods essentially the same? It poses an interesting question. And when your supposed to consider Zeus as lord of the sky, i have to admit, during the course of this book i found massive sympathy with some of the other gods who weren't looked at in detail last time, such as Apthrodite and Hera, who are ultimately just as obviously important as the Big three. Thalia made a welcome return as well, and it was great to see a different side to her, as opposed to her "lets swear off men routine"!


The plot moves at a hectic pace and at times, i wondered where it was going but it definately came together at the end. And as for that cliffhanger, well don't even get me started. I finished it and then exclaimed very loudly about how unfair it is that i have to wait for the next in the series. I simply can't wait!

Skulduggery Pleasant: Mortal Coil by Derek Landy

Target Audience: Kids/Teens/Everyone else
Genre: Fantasy/Horror/Humour

As with most books that i totally love, i'm going to struggle to write a review, infact its taken me a few days just to finally put fingers to keyboard.

Mortal Coil begins around about half a year after the end of dark days. Valkyrie is trying to find out how to stop herself from destroying the world and they are still trying to establish a new Sancturary in Ireland. Meanwhile, there's a giant psychotic man in a metal mask running around murdering people. So in short, it's all action from the very start!


There are several things about this series that i love and the first of these is the characters. Stephanie/Valkyrie is one of the most amusing and headstrong female leads i've ever read about. She witty, sarcastic and yet loving and caring at the same time. Her emotional human side clearly has an affect on skulduggery and yet she can hold her own against most things that are thrown her way.
Skulduggery himself is still as funny and awesome as ever. I would love to be friends with him. And the way he converses with Valkyrie just borderlines hilarious in some instances. I loved how their friendship changed in this book, and you see how much stronger there friendship has become because of the events in this book. Fletcher is also just as vain and annoying as in dark days, but he displays a lot more of his caring/loving qualities in this book (particularly in that scene near the end of the novel with Valkyrie, awwwww)
With regards to the plot, it seemed somewhat darker in this novel, but then this is understandable considering that they are dealing with someone who can destroy the world. The atmosphere itself was terrifying and some of the events borderlined disturbing and i felt chills creeping up my spine just imagining what would happen if this actually happened in reality.
Having said that, there isn't any lack of witty banter and humour in this book and i found myself laughing a lot despite the darker tone. Whether it's the geniune laugh out loud funny parts or just the one liners and conversation from Skulduggery and Valkyrie, there's plenty to make you laugh.
On that note, i must confess this is one of the things that never ceases to amaze me about Mr Landy, his ability to blend laugh out loud humour with an adrenaline fuelled adventure/horror story. The guy is a genius (and his dedications at the front of the novel were amusing too!)

Anyway, in short. This is a twisty, emotional, frightening, funny novel that ends with enough of a cliffhanger (or several more like) to ensure that all readers (me included) will come back for more. Whether your 13, 23 (like me) or 103, this book is AMAZING!!!

Betwixt by Tara Bray Smith

Target Audience: Kids/Teens
Genre: Faerie/Fantasy

To start with, i'd just like to say that i hate giving bad reviews for anything, but i wouldn't be honest if i said this was good. Don't get me wrong, some of the ideas were brilliant and there was massive potential for this to be an engaging and exciting read, but to me it just fell flat.

To start with, the story came across as confusing and disjointed, with no apparent direction and it seemed to take forever for any conclusions to be drawn, something that infuriated me to no end.

The characters themselves were another problem, there was a distinct lack of depth to them, as if the reader isn't allowed to get to know them properly or love them. The result? I really didn't care what happened to them by the end, which is unusual for me!

Also some of the things that happened weren't explained properly until further after the event, which i found distracting. I'd be reading about something else on page 200 and something and then something from 100 pages back would be explained. Not sure why really, i spent a lot of my time making 'eh?!' noises.

I do think that if this had been more organised and well written this would have been an amazing book. The idea of the story i don't have a problem with, the writing could definitely be improved upon.

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

Target Audience: Kids/Teens
Genre: Fantasy/Humour

***Contains A Few Spoilers***

When i was reading this, i have to admit i hadn't really given it a second thought, and i just randomly picked it up not expecting much at all. Just goes to show then, that maybe that's the best way to start a book, because it's a must-read for fans of fantasy and humour everywhere.

Nathaniel is a young boy who is sold to be a magicians apprentice as a child, something he has no choice about, but he soon adapts to this. Apprenticed to a reluctant and mediocre magician, he finds himself easily surpassing his masters expectations and so as a result ends up summoning a Djinn way beyond the norm.
Enter Bartimaeus, one of the wittiest, original and definately most loved of any of the literary characters i've read about.
On being summoned, he procedes to scare the young boy and crack some amazing one liners and is then entrusted with a task that will change both their lives forever, in a way neither expected.

Plot-wise, i found this a roller-coaster ride of non-stop action, evil people with evil plots, corrupt governments, action, magic and wise-cracks that had me giggling like an insane child. The minute i read that first footnote at the bottom of the page i knew this book was going to have me doubled up with laughing.
As it happens, when i read this book, i was having a bad time and it made me laugh when i really needed it, and for that as well, i just love this book.

With regards to the characters, there are quite a few so i won't talk about all of them. Bartimaeus was by far my favourite; funny, smart and with a sensitive side thats hard to see at first, he really drew me in.
Nathaniel on the otherhand, although he did gain my sympathy for his situation and the fact that he is technically the 'good guy' i generally class as a bit of anti-hero, for reasons that only become obvious once you read this for yourself and the rest of the series.
Lovelace made a brilliant enemy, in an evil genius sort of way, and i loved that. Talk about thinking big! His Djinn were funny too, and i loved their verbal sparing with Bartimaeus throughout the book.

Overall, this gets a full rating from me; emotional, a lot more meaningful than first appearances, and a fast-paced adventure which will have you in stitches with laughing so much!

Changeling by Steve Feasey

Target Audience: Kids/Teens
Genre: Thriller/Horror/Fantasy


As much as i love a paranormal romance, occasionally, i just want to read a good fantasy horror which is, well, different. This book fit that category nicely, and had a few extra intersting points to it that i wasn't expecting.

In summary, Changeling is about a teenage boy called Trey Laporte, who, after his grandmother dies ends up in a care home. Fast-forward a few years and he wakes up in his room one day with the place trashed and the door still locked, with no clue as to how it got that way. About to be punished for wrecking his room, he is saved by a man claiming to be his 'Uncle Lucien' who has come to see him, but not everything is as it seems and shortly after leaving with Lucien, the truth about himself and his family finally surfaces...

I found the paranormal side of this fascinating, the werewolf scenes were awesome and so well imagined that i could picture what was happening clearly in my mind, as if it was happening in front of me (and believe me, a 7/8 foot wolf is terrifying). The pace is non-stop and i was left breathless with what was happening in some instances. What i also loved is that it was set in London which was a change for me, since i usually read a lot of American books which are set in High School or various states, so it was brilliant to be able to imagine clearly where the events were taking place (although i don't think i'll ever go into the London Underground on my own again!)
If your a major vampire fan as well as werewolves, then you won't be diappointed, as there's plenty of them, among random other new and exciting paranormal entities to read about, my personal favourite being the Sputem Djinn (Yuck! lol)and all of the creatures/monsters in this book are given an original and refreshing make-over compared to other books i have read.

Character-wise, i absolutely loved Trey, he was funny, brave, and emotional (which made a change in a book with a male protagonist!) With regards to how he dealt with all the revelations thrown at him, i was quite impressed, because if it was me i'd have done a runner. At the same time though, it was believable as he didn't go all heroic with no panicking and make all the perfect choices, nope, Trey is a flawed hero and those are my favourite kind!
Lucian, i thought, was brilliant and the relationship that forms between him and Trey is wonderful to read about, especially when you realise how much like a father Lucian becomes to him (which pretty much sets up the whole second book!).
Alexia is the character who provides the slight bit of romance into the book, and it's clear that there are sparks between her and Trey from the start, i also love her attitude, she's fun, witty and withstands a lot of crap that's thrown at her.
Finally, my character babble wouldn't be complete without mentioning Tom, the awesome Irish guy who is simply, well, awesome!

To summarise, this book is so brilliant i believe everyone who loves a good fast-paced adventure, with some wonderful twists, heart-stopping emotions and a cliff-hanger that will leave you needing the next in the series, so give this book a read.

Fab book!

Demon Strike by Andrew Newbound

Target Audience: Kids/Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Fantasy

I was surprised by how much i loved this book, and i mean really loved it. Most books with demons in them sort of revolve around the same sort of ideas, but this book took those and blew them out of the water.

There are several main reasons i enjoyed reading this including:

1. The characters are interesting, exciting and refreshingly different (and have very awesome names!)
2. There are enough twists to make a thriller/mystery writer jealous.
3. I actually really want to know what happens next due to the fantastic ending.

Aimed at teens i found this easy to read, yet very intelligently written by who is clearly a very gifted author.
As well as all the above, one of the major highlights through out is the constant humour that will have you laughing out loud.

I could ramble on forever, but the short version is that this is an AWESOME book!