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  • How to Grow an Addict

    How to Grow an Addict

    How to Grow an Addict by J.A. Wright is a page turner without a doubt. From the very first page, you’re drawn into the main character Randall Granges world and how her story will end.

    Randall’s story is a heartbreakingly beautiful one. From getting drunk at the age of 10 to being 23 and full blown addict on her way to recovery. I personally was drawn to the way Wright shows weak moments in Randall’s life and why she felt the need to reach for alcohol or pills. Wright does an amazing job of showing Randall’s progression in being an addict. Coming from a dysfunctional family In no way helped her but she (at least for a while) had her Aunt Flo and Uncle Hank until tragedy strikes. Going to her aunt and uncles house really kept Randall busy and away from her home troubles. It was sad to see Randall return back home with her mother, father, and brother.

    I feel as though Randall’s father was the biggest contributor to her addiction. At the age of 10, at a birthday he serves her whiskey, getting her drunk for the first time. Now although she did have her mother, she wasn’t in any way a great mom. She was never emotionally there for Randall and would give her sleeping pills because it was convenient which ultimately led to Randall’s addiction to narcotics. Now, her brother Robbie never helped her with anything and blamed her for everything. He treated her awful even though Randall was there for him always and looked up to him.

    One can understand why Randall felt the need to depend on something to make her feel better or take her mind off things. Near the end, we’ve learned a lot about Randall and can’t help but want to run up to her and give her a hug she so desperately needs. From being sexually harassed more than once to being in an abusive relationship and not having a support system, you want to tell Randall that maybe she doesn’t know it now but everything is going to be fine.

    As How to Grow an Addict comes to a close, we find Randall has been involuntarily put into a rehab institution. Of course, she wakes up there and wants to immediately leave, but the more time she spends there and the more people she talks to, she has a new sense of wanting to change her life around. Ultimately in this life and what I learned from this book is that sometimes you get chances to fix your life and it’s up to you to jump on them. This book brings you on a beautiful but tragic journey of a girl who couldn’t find her way in the beginning but gets a second chance at life and gets a retry, something she so desperately needed. I think the message of this book is to learn from your mistakes. Randall made many mistakes and paid for them, but what How to Grow an Addict shows is that you learn from mistakes and thankfully Randall did learn.

    Rating: 4 out of 5

    Views: 5

  • The Winner’s Kiss

    The Winner’s Kiss

     

    The Winner’s Kiss – Marie Rutkoski
    Publish Date: 24th March 2016
    Publisher: Bloomsbury
    Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, New Adult
    Pages: 318
    Format: E-ARC (from Netgalley)
    SYNOPSIS:
    War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it with untrustworthy new allies and the empire as his enemy. Though he has convinced himself that he no longer loves Kestrel, Arin hasn’t forgotten her, or how she became exactly the kind of person he has always despised. She cared more for the empire than she did for the lives of innocent people—and certainly more than she did for him.
    At least, that’s what he thinks.
    In the frozen north, Kestrel is a prisoner in a brutal work camp. As she searches desperately for a way to escape, she wishes Arin could know what she sacrificed for him. She wishes she could make the empire pay for what they’ve done to her.
    But no one gets what they want just by wishing.
    As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover that the world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and they are caught in between. With so much to lose, can anybody really win?

    ~

    The Winner’s Kiss was one of my most anticipated reads of 2016, having read and fallen in love with everything from the first two instalments of the series, and I was not disappointed. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book from NetGalley (you are literal gods, I cannot thank you enough!) and it took everything I had not to devour The Winner’s Kiss in a day.
    This story was so encapsulating, rich and vivid in language and threw you into the thick of things from the first page. But somehow, I paced myself, not wanting it to be over too quickly, I wish I had savoured it even more. It was one of those books that grasp you from the first word and doesn’t let go even after its last.

    I absolutely adore Rutkoski’s writing style, it’s intensely descriptive, fast-paced and flows like poetry, quite frankly I envy it. Her world building is strong and fantastically demonstrated throughout the series’ entirety, the plot is dense, full of twists and turns, and the characters are well-rounded, relatable and incredibly human.

    The story continues to follow the two protagonists, Kestrel and Arin. One of the things I loved about Kestrel’s character was the fact that she was trained and expected to be a warrior like her father but falls short at the ability. In modern YA literature, a strong female character is most often physically strong, in that they must be able to slice people’s throats and show little emotion, to live up to the stereotype, but in The Winner’s Trilogy, Kestrel defies this ideal and I think it is one of the reasons why she has become one of my favourite protagonists. She is strong, without being physically so, using manipulation and strategy as a pose to combat. “You don’t need to be gifted with a blade. You are your own best weapon.” She shows a range of emotions, not just the stark ‘happy’ and ‘sad’, questions the morality of her actions and what it means to forgive, live with her scars and to love. The messages conveyed throughout this novel and the series are confronting, fresh, and underrated in YA-Lit – dealing with revenge, betrayal, rights, and politics. As well as love – not only romantic love but platonic and unconditional love as well, which is not often explored thoroughly in YA/NA Lit. (which mostly focuses on the romantic/lust.)

    The thing I love about the characters in The Winner’s Kiss is that none of them are perfect, they’re all flawed, scarred and true to themselves, richly developed and portrayed by Rutkoski’s talented art, and strongly human. Arin, the male protagonist, continues to show his strength, ambition, delicacy, and kindness throughout the story. His backstory is further explored and drives his actions and desires – and something that wasn’t present in the last books but I felt was a really intriguing, cool addition, was the God of Death and his connection to Arin and involvement of the story. “Open your eyes, Death said. Look, my love, and see.” 

    One of the other things I was pleased with was how dark The Winner’s Kiss was. It has grown so much from the first book, where the relationship between Kestrel and Arin was a mere attraction and lust, the plot twisting from a drive for the freedom to a war and a revolution, and themes of strategy and gambling becoming more than just metaphors, integral to the storyline. It was full of gore, the brutality of war and focused a great deal on choices and how they affect not only a single character but an entire body and event outcome. It kept you on the edge of your seat, skillfully swapping POV between Kestrel and Arin right at the edge of a cliffhanger, leaving you no choice but to continue reading, plunging you further into the depths of the story. It was dark, there were no lies, if a character did something stupid they paid for their actions, it was very real, intense, and at times horrific and I adored it.

    Fans of the series will be happy to know that beloved characters, such as Roshar, Sarsine, Verex, Risha and Arin (the lion) all make appearances in TWK, some of which becoming integral to the ever-thickening plot and all of which growing in character development and demonstrating larger character depth. Everything wraps up nicely, yet the ending remains open in a way that is still satisfying whilst provoking wonder. I keep you thinking about the story long after it’s completed and I have a feeling its one of those series’ that never truly leave you, remaining in a special place in your heart.

    I can’t wait for what Rutkoski brings next, she has become one of my favourite authors because of this series and I strongly recommend The Winner’s Trilogy to everyone. It’s such a vivid tale full of strong characters, rich settings and dense plotlines, destroying ideals of characters and what is expected of their emotions, morals and beliefs, whilst simultaneously remaining true to themselves, man, and the human condition.

    ★★★★★ – 5 stars.

     

    Views: 8

  • Scarlet

    Scarlet

     

    Rating: 5 stars

    Age Recommendation: Young Adult +

    Warnings: Violence, Character Death, Potential Trigger Warnings (character torture, explained below)

    Genre: Fantasy, Science-Fiction, Fairytale Retelling

    “What’s stupid is not that I’m going to try and protect you,” Wolf said, pulling his focus back down to her. “What’s stupid is that I almost believe it will make a difference.”

     

    Scarlet continues the story that Marissa Meyer began when she wrote Cinder, this time telling a version of Little Red Riding Hood that I most certainly did not expect. Scarlet Benoit is a girl of about sixteen, who is living on her own in France, trying to run the family farm. Sure, she has help from farm hands, and the androids running about. But her grandmother has been missing for several weeks, and Scarlet is starting to panic. No one believes that her grand-mère could have been kidnapped, especially after her father left them. There are a lot of things that Scarlet doesn’t know about her family, though, and they are all about to come crashing down in front of her.

    Without mentioning any spoilers, I am going to let you guys in on the secret as to why I liked this book. Yes, it’s true that I very much enjoyed reading the first installment in the Lunar Chronicles. But this book has three new characters, all of whom I loved, and none of whom did what I expected them to do. That’s the thing. I would think I knew what would happen, and then Wolf or Scarlet or Captain Thorne would take it in a completely unexpected direction. Even Cinder and Kai, our main characters from the previous novel, have returned to make things interesting.

    As Cinder and her new friend, Thorne, go looking for answers, Scarlet does the same. She needs a bit of help, though, and finds it in a fairly mercurial street-fighter named Wolf. Sometimes he acts much like his name suggests, going from angry to looking like a scolded puppy. But the rest of the time, he seems very genuine in wanting to help her, seems like he knows some of the answers to Scarlet’s problems. But boy, did she get something quite different than she bargained for.

    Scarlet is a very strong lead character in my opinion, as she is willing to do anything in order to save her grandmother and find out the truth that has been hidden from her throughout her life. Meyer’s plot choices are bold and actually quite brave for someone writing to a Young Adult audience. As I mentioned in the warnings section above, there is a fair amount of violence, but the way it’s written leaves no question in the reader’s mind as to what has happened. Everything is described incredibly well, and it’s almost as though I was watching it happen in front of me, or a little film was playing in my head throughout.

    The other thing that surprised me about Meyer’s plot was the mention of character torture. None of it is presented within the pages of the book, but it is referenced and the consequences are explained and shown to another character, which may be uncomfortable for some readers. I do feel that it is a brave choice to make on the author’s part, though, and I was actually quite impressed when I came across that part of the plot.

    It was not surprising to me that the romance aspect of this novel was at the forefront a lot of the time. But, and I say this with the knowledge that it might sound strange to those who have not read it, I think that it needed to be a main focus. Yes, this book has action and science-fiction and magic that I don’t want to spoil for anyone. But the relationship driving this novel is incredibly important, and I actually think that a great deal can be learned from it if one wishes to find the lessons there. It lacks the typical YA romance dynamic of a weak female character and an over-protective male character. Sure, the two I’m thinking of have their moments, but it isn’t half as trope-filled as the other romances I’ve seen recently. If it sounds like I’m excited about it, I am. Because we get at two more books of this as far as I know.

    Am I looking forward to reading Cress and Winter, you ask? Oh, absolutely.

    Views: 6

  • Passenger

    Passenger

     

    In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.  Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must make sure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

    Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home… forever.

    passage, n.
    i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
    ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
    iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

    Passenger by Alexandra Bracken was one of my most anticipated reads of this year, mainly because of how much I adored Alex’s The Darkest Minds trilogy, but sadly Passenger didn’t live up to the expectation I (maybe set too high?) had of it. In no way was this book bad, on the contrary really, it was in the third person (love-heart eyes), the plot was intriguing, it had strong characters and, my favourite part, there were pirates! It did, however, lack in action and excitement. I wanted there to be more suspense, especially to counter the love story, and more twists and turns. It was, at times, predictable and seemed too easy.

    I had a love-hate relationship towards Etta, the protagonist. She presented herself as strong and capable throughout most of the book, quick-witted and biting back against prejudices towards Nicholas – her partner, love interest and the other protagonist of the story –  yet she was also quite irritating, working out things chapters after I did so myself and falling in love too quickly/easily (barely two weeks of knowing Nic?). She needed more character depth and I felt like she lost her sharp temper towards the end of the book, which I missed. Nicholas, on the other hand, was a very well-developed character. The motives behind his actions were clear, he was his own person, and he was both physically and mentally strong. A protector. What I didn’t understand, though, is why he missed/longed for his brother so much. Unless I misinterpreted, his brother treated him like a slave along with the rest of the Ironwood family, Nicholas kept reinforcing how much he wanted to be free and his own person, to make a life for himself by himself, yet he missed him a great deal more than what I would expect.

    The thing that got me in this book was the change in the atmosphere once they left the ship. I missed the feel of the beginning of the novel, there was suspense, there was action, there were intrigue and suspicion, curiosity and attraction. And once they met Ironwood, it disappeared and became something different. I found myself bored and disinterested during the middle of the book and I think it was aided by the fact that I missed the air of the beginning of the novel.

    I was particularly fond of the side-character, Sophia. What she was with the cage around her was fierce and admirable, even if she acted like a swine to Etta, and when she took her life into her own hands, not trapped by her grandfather or society of the time, I felt really proud of her and found myself rooting for her more the Etta and Nic. There’s a soft spot for characters that strive to destroy someone for what they’ve done to them in my heart, as dark as it sounds. Makes things a hell of a lot more interesting that doing something for the good of the future and it’s people.

    Another thing I noticed was this book is very Americanized. It focused a great deal on American standards, beliefs and biases, which were at times more prominent than the actual story. Etta was considered “experienced” at seventeen, which is a growing concern I have for young people and that is aided by media (look at Teen Wolf Season One, they main characters are supposed to be like 15?) sourcing in the US. It is becoming a standard that young people are losing their virginity at young ages and it is because of media, especially social media, that this is happening, and the weird thing is; it’s frowned upon in society to be a slut, yet the same if you’re a virgin? I felt like this added (not largely, but enough) to that notion being presented in media in a negative way – She acted a lot older than 17 and, if she were to say she had done this before rather than that she was experienced then I wouldn’t be as concerned, experienced makes it sound like she’s done it often? I know it may sound like an overreaction but it is so carelessly used/thrown around, and Passenger just added to the list of culprits. Also, the issues of racism and sexism were presented very well, but it began to dwell on them. I know racism is a large issue in America at the moment, and I feel Alex wanted to reinforce that issue in this book, but her political correctness was overdone and it began to get in the way of the actual story line. I understand it shaped Nic into who he is, and Sophia the same, but we don’t need to read paragraph after paragraph about it once it’s already been stated. The characters are more than just a half-caste and a woman in the 18th century, and I felt Alex was too consumed with being politically correct that she forgot that they were still people, not icons for racism and sexism. And lastly, the setting. If I hadn’t played ACIII (thanks, Ratonhnhaké:ton) I would have no clue about what the hell was going on during the time period, actually, even playing Assassins Creed, I was still lost. What I’m trying to say is that not everyone is familiar with American history, I know I never learnt anything about it at school, so more information was needed. Though I am happy because I did learn something from this book: that a white could be physically punished for marrying (or was it just touching?) an African-American.

    The time-travelling aspect of Passenger was very intriguing and, well, cool, but I was lost. I don’t quite understand the rules of the travellers and guardians. Why can’t you be in the same time that you’ve already been in? What happens when you create a ripple? Can only travellers travel, what if they accompany a non-traveller or a guardian? How did the whole thing come about? I have too many questions and not enough answers which is why I feel Alex needed more world-building and explanation in this book. I also felt like the love between Etta and Nic was very fast and needed to simmer longer, I didn’t believe it as much as the author wanted me to.

    With all that I’ve said, I still enjoyed Passenger, though not as much as I thought and wanted to. The plot was intriguing, the characters strong and fierce and the writing easy to read and well manipulated. The ending was, in true Alex Bracken style, a cliffhanger and I will more than likely be picking up the next installment to see how it all plays out.
    ​

    ★★★☆☆ – (3 Stars)

     

    Views: 11

  • Foul is Fair

    Foul is Fair

     

    Rating: 4 Stars

    Genre: Fantasy, Coming-Of-Age, Action and Adventure

    Age Recommendation: Young Adult or upper Middle Grade

    One more noise drew her eyes to the other side of camp as realization set in: they were surrounded.

    Then her eyes settled on a familiar face: the baseball cap, the jagged grin, and the eyes. As the redcap advanced on her, flanked by two others, Megan froze in terror.

    Foul is Fair, by Jeffrey Cook and Katherine Perkins, tells the story of a girl named Megan who finds out that the medical conditions that define her life are not at all what she thought. In fact, they are just proof that she is actually related to the Unseelie King, and that she has been medicated to keep her from finding out the truth. Her best friend, though, is also from the Faerie world, and knows that Megan’s father (who has almost always been out of the picture), has been kidnapped. Megan finds that she has no choice but to go along on an adventure to find a sword that can help save him.

     

    Foul is Fair kicks off Megan’s story in a particularly interesting way: we know next-to-nothing about her family until she begins to learn who she is and where she is meant to belong. I did struggle a bit when it came to all of the lore introduced within the novel, but it is described through dialogue rather than description, which was fairly interesting. Typically, fantasy lore seems to be told rather than shown, and this is definitely an exception to that rule.

     

    Cook and Perkins also offer a rather diverse cast of characters, from the expected magical creatures to LGBT representation. Megan, as mentioned, has a medical condition – ADHD – and the families shown aren’t necessarily the nuclear family unit one is expecting. Needless to say, this story would appeal to a wide variety of people. This novel also rejects the trope that a main female character has to rely on a love interest to get anything done, which is quite a relief. Although I cannot say if Megan takes to someone in the later books, this first installment clearly shows that Megan and her friends – gender aside – can be just as fantastic without someone stepping in to lead the way for them.

     

    There were a few occasions where I had trouble following the action as described, but things always seemed to be explained in hindsight, so I never felt confused for too long. I would guess that some might have trouble with the names of the characters or the terminology given for pieces of lore within the tale, but I don’t think that it particularly affects the story and a reader’s ability to enjoy following Megan’s adventures. Between the action and humor of Foul is Fair, it is quite likely that the reader will be more interested in seeing how the team gets from one task to another.

     

    The writing is likely designed for Young Adult readers, though I would wager that it would be suitable for Middle Grade as well, although there are suggestions of fairly adult themes. Nothing explicit is stated, however, so it is entirely likely that it would be a good transition from Middle Grade to Young Adult if a young reader wanted to move on to something with a bit more weight to it and a bit of a stronger vocabulary.

     

    This is the first book in a quartet, called the Fair Folk Chronicles. Books three and four are set to be released this year, as the first two have already been made available. Cook and Perkins are publishing these independently, so they are likely most easy to access via Amazon and on e-readers.

    Views: 0

  • Glass Sword

    Glass Sword

    Glass Sword was an amazing sequel to an equally amazing book called Red Queen. I found Red Queen at a local bookstore and decided to give it a try. I don’t have a copy of Glass Sword, but my fellow book-lover and friend lent me her (signed) copy to read. Needless to say, It was superb. Not only fast-paced from the first chapter, Glass Sword also introduced more character development (yay!) and the end was a plot twist that made me ready for the next book! All of the characters were uniquely written, and the author had me cringing, gasping, laughing, sighing, blushing, and grabbing for the next few words all throughout the book.

    Though Mare was definitely not my favorite character for the vast majority of the book because she was cruel and ruthless, I do appreciate flawed characters (Dumbledore and Snape, anyone?) and think that characters without flaws are flat and rather stock. Cal was, as usual, amazing (kind, intelligent, and, well, attractive) and definitely a new fictional boyfriend for me. Farley was amazing; a truly brave, strong young girl that today’s normalized society lacks in. I think all of the characters have matured greatly from Red Queen, especially Mare, who went from a little girl afraid and angry at the world to a mature young woman who understands the world (but is still afraid and angry).

    The only aspect of Glass Sword that I feel could be improved is rather small, but still worth mentioning. I personally think that some of the action in the opening chapter could have been held back until a little later in the book. There should be a balance between the first few chapters of a book filled with rather boring plot and jumping straight into the action, and I feel like Mare, Cal, and the Red Guard should have been given more time to adjust from the events concluding Red Queen before running into battle.  However, the rest of the book was brilliantly written, and I give kudos to Victoria Aveyard. Looking forward to the next book!

    Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars.

    Views: 6

  • A Whisper of Leaves

    A Whisper of Leaves

    A Whisper of Leaves was given to me by Full of Books to review a week or so ago, and I must admit that I was hesitant to read it at first. A small book at only 146 pages, I was worried that the resolution would be quick and the story too short to be interesting. Though I still hold that the book would be improved by adding more plot and, therefore, length, I was pleasantly surprised. I tore through the story, finishing it in a little over an hour, and found myself eager to read more when I finished a chapter. The ghost/thriller theme gave me chills, and I found my eyes darting around me as if the death spirit Shinigami itself were peering over me.

    A ghost story set in Japan, A Whisper of Leaves was written by Ashley Capes. Riko, and ESL teacher finds an old journal in the forest beneath Mt. Fuji and decides to take it home. As she begins to read through the journal, Riko begins to be threatened by a mysterious and angry force everywhere she turns and finds out more than she bargained for about the author. As strange events turn to dangerous (i.e. being held a gunpoint by your possessed ex-boss) and nobody seems to believe her, Riko must discover what happened to the author of this strange journal – and why a strange old man raking leaves in the forest seems to be connected.

    I enjoyed this book more than I first thought, but there were still some flaws. The grammar was slightly better than mediocre, as there were too many simple sentences for my taste, and using a semicolon five times per page gets annoying after a while. As I mentioned earlier, the book could have been longer – I felt that the story was good and complete, but I definitely would have read more if it was available and I felt that there was just something that was missing. Overall, a recommended read for anyone who likes ghost stories, or anyone who wants to dip their toes into the genre.

    Rating: 3.25 of 5 stars

    Views: 2

  • The Secret of Christopher Topher

    The Secret of Christopher Topher

    Rating: 3.5 stars.

    Age Recommendation: Middle grade, maybe Lower Young Adult.

    Warnings: Contains material that followers of certain religions might find offensive.

    Genre: High Fantasy, Science-Fiction.

    Urgent sounding chatter could be heard from outside the room. Something barely audible, about a State of the Union address. Alex held his ear near the door to listen. He heard talk of calming the citizens of the world, and readying the troops for battle.

     

    The Secret of Christopher Topher, by Gee Williams, tells the story of a twelve-year-old boy named Alex Smiley, and how he and his friend Karen spend four years of their lives working to save the human race. The reader is taken along with them on their journey, learning about the truth of the human race’s history. As it turns out, the Roman Catholic Church is perhaps not what it seems. Equally, aliens ought to be taken very seriously if you’ve learned their true nature and history.

    The story isn’t at all what I expected when I was sent a copy of the novel for review. Alex is a rather peculiar boy for being only twelve; he’s in love with his best friend, knows extinct languages, and has an impressive vocabulary. In truth, he isn’t what most people would expect when they think of a young boy. And that really is part of what makes him fit for the job of saving the world, rescuing the President and so on. When he finds a series of secret scrolls, written in a language that his father taught him how to read, he learns more about his dad than he ever imagined could be true. From there, everything is quite hectic and action-packed.

    In truth, the plot of the story was well-thought out, and the twists – even early on – were surprising. I didn’t have any trouble accepting the new rules that Williams presented, given the genre in which the book was set (fantasy and science-fiction). However, I did have trouble with the writing style throughout.

    Essentially, when I’m reading a novel, I like to find things out about the world, or the characters, by being shown things. For example, if a character is blonde and funny, I’d like to learn about that through circumstances rather than having the narrator or the novel simply tell me so. That’s why, when I first started and the initial paragraphs were about looks and personalities of multiple characters I had yet to meet, I was thrown off. Much of the story is presented in this way, with paragraphs of information that the main character shouldn’t have known, or information that could have been presented in a different way. Perhaps, if it had been spread out into a couple of novels, the information could have been given differently.

    I do want to qualify what I’ve just said with this fact, though: My reading tastes are not necessarily the same as yours. I prefer to guess the ending of a book early on, to learn little things about characters that others may not have noticed. I think it comes from reading many series set in fantasy or dystopian worlds (such as Harry Potter or Divergent). But that does not mean that you, as a reader, won’t like this book.

    It is not difficult to understand what’s going on, and is probably pretty good for young readers as far as vocabulary building goes. Some of the names of the alien species will be unpronounceable to those who have not taken a course in linguistics or phonetics, but there are several appendixes, giving extra information. It is not lost on anyone, I’m sure, that the author has done her research and is passionate about the story and the topic she has chosen.

    If you’re looking for an easy read, or are hoping to find something fantastical for your kids to try out, consider giving this book a shot! It may not have been my cup of tea, per se, but it might surprise you, and might give a child the kickstart they need to grow into loving fiction.

    Views: 1

  • Don’t Stay Up Late

    Don’t Stay Up Late

    Hands down R.L. Stine will always be my most loved author regardless of how old I get. I am a major horror/mystery fan so growing up with his books kept me at the edge of my seat. I was really amped up for seeing his more up to date book, Don’t Stay Up Late, at the library rack. I picked it up right away and read it as soon as possible. Don’t Stay Up Late was fresh out of the plastic new and in the event that you know me very well, you’ll know how much I cherish new books. It was a hardcover and I appreciated every little thing about Don’t Stay Up Late; from the look to what was composed inside of the pages.

    Don’t Stay Up Late was a simple read and despite the fact that it is not my favorite type of story, I appreciated it. I can hardly wait for a greater amount of this work to be published in the coming years. Despite the fact that R.L. Stine is my favorite author, there were a few things of the book that were great and some terrible.

    Pros

    1) It’s generally composed in the most immediate and appropriately dissimilar to different books I’ve perused.

    2) It plays with your brain a bit.

    3) It’s simple to peruse and each to traverse.

    Cons

    1) It’s exceptionally unsurprising.

    2) It’s not a story that I usually read.

    The plot behind Don’t Stay Up Late is a young lady, Lisa, 16 years of age gets into a car accident with her mother, father, and her dog Morty, and she loses her father in the process. In the wake of getting to the hospital, she endures a blackout, which causes her hallucinations and nightmares. She begins to see a creature/devil every time she goes to sleep. At that point, her therapist proposes for her to get an after school job to keep her psyche off of things. So she begins to keep an eye on an eight-year-old boy, Harry.

    He must be snoozing by 8 and no later, apparently because of his condition. While she looks after Harry, she sees the creature and something strange happens to her loved ones. She gets questioned by her therapist and police officers and confesses about the strange creature, yet nobody believes her about the creature.

    You know how this story ends, yet notwithstanding I am still a child on the most fundamental level and R.L. Stan’s books will always be one of my most cherished memories.

    Views: 11

  • Sky Knight

    Sky Knight

     

    Rating: 4.5

    Age Recommendation: Upper YA/Adult. Probably about 16 or 17 and over.

    Warnings: Adult language.

    Genre: Steampunk (Science Fiction/Fantasy), Action and Adventure

     

    Taliah recoiled a little. “Priority 1? God, I’ve never even been in charge of a Priority 2 before!” Why was he even speaking to her about the highest ranking missions? “Do you honestly think I can handle it?”

    “Without a doubt,” said Arklin plainly. “In fact, I’ve a feeling there’s no one else suitable for it.”

     

    Sky Knight, by Sandra Harvey, tells the story of Taliah, a woman who has spent her life training to capture thieves and villains of the Skylands. Although she’s young, she has worked hard and risen through the ranks to become a Lieutenant. Her new assignment involves chasing after a pirate named Erikson Roarke, who wants both to evade her as well as convince her that everything she thinks she knows about her government is wrong.

    This was my first adventure into the steampunk genre, and I absolutely loved it. It has many of my favorite dystopian tropes, but is set in an entirely different sort of world and goes far beyond just those things one would expect from a book about potential political turmoil. The plot was full of unexpected twists, Roarke might be my new favorite pirate character, and the writing was both beautiful and funny. There were a few occasions in my Kindle epub copy of punctuation mistakes, and I sometimes came across sentences that were a bit confusing for me, which is why I placed this book at 4.5 rather than the full 5 stars.

    Aside from those little things, however, I thoroughly enjoyed Sky Knight. Harvey has crafted a tale of political intrigue, romance that the reader immediately hopes will work out, and all manner of steampunk items that anyone would want to have for themselves. I wouldn’t recommend this book to young readers, as the language is quite strong throughout, but for those readers who don’t mind such things, it’s sure to be a hit.

    Perhaps my favorite moments were the ones that didn’t seem altogether relevant to the plot. The little world-building moments and Harvey’s ability to weave in things that seem insignificant at first but end up meaning incredible amounts later on – all of it came together into one story that is both believable as well as exciting. I will say that the beginning seemed to start out slow, as I was waiting for Taliah’s assignment to hunt down Roarke, but all of it mattered in the end and made the slow start completely worthwhile. So if you give it a go and feel hesitant, don’t give up on it! I promise, it’s worth it and everything will make sense in the end. Well, most everything. It’s not a standalone, after all!

    Harvey is an independent publisher, so Sky Knight will be most easily accessible via Amazon or an e-reader. Once you read it, I’m sure you’ll agree: It’s utterly brilliant. I cannot wait for the sequel.

    Views: 5