Thursday, April 28, 2016

Book Review of The Iron King (The Iron Fey, Book 1) by Julie Kagawa



Book Title: The Iron King (The Iron Fey #1)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 368
Author: Julie Kagawa
Date Published: 19 January 2010

Synopsis:

MEGHAN CHASE HAS A SECRET DESTINY—ONE SHE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth.

For Meghan is the daughter of a mythical faery king…and a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Review:


The Iron King (The Iron Fey, #1)The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book in The Iron Fey series. I absolutely loved it!

Meghan Chase is a wonderful character. I really liked her. She's a typical sixteen year old, full of angst and a bit of a tom boy. However, all is not what it seems and when her four year old brother gets kidnapped, she finds herself on a deadly mission to rescue him. Along the way, she finds out that she's not a normal teen after all. She's the daughter to Oberon, the Faery King of the Seelie court of Summer.

I have been in a reading slump for a while and have struggled to find a book with which to fall in love with reading again. Browsing through my bookshelf, looking for inspiration, I saw this book that I had swapped in a book club but never had a chance to read. I decided to try it and I am glad I did, because I haven't been so excited about a book for quite some time.

I started to read this book and I got so caught up in the tale that I forgot that I was sitting in my lounge! This story captured my imagination and held me enthralled right up until the end.

As the story unfolds we get to meet Meghan's brother, Ethan whom I absolutely adore. He's cute and reminded me of my nephews' at that age. Robbie Goodfell is Meghan's best friend and is a bit of a clown, but he's also hiding a secret. He's not exactly human and is known as Robin Goodfellow or Puck to those in Faery. I really liked this character. He is the witty, outspoken mischief maker of the Summer faery court and has been appointed by Oberon to keep an eye on Meghan.
We are also introduced to a Cait Sith called Grimalkin, who reminds me a little of The Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass, and to Prince Ash, the third son of Queen Mab of the Unseelie court of Winter. I wasn't too sure if I would like Ash at first, but I would have to say that I fell for him myself. He's a complex character, with a depth to him that I enjoyed getting to know. I know it sounds weird, but I also enjoyed his and Puck's feud. Although they clashed physically in fights, there was a respect and deep friendship hidden amongst the heartbreak caused by a tragic accident.

I fell in love with this story as it is full of action, adventure and danger, as well as romance. Meghan goes on an amazingly dangerous journey that will test her strength and determination to the fullest. It is a coming of age story that left me breathless in it's complexity. The descriptions of the faery world and creatures living within it were vivid and felt real. As I sat reading, I could picture every scene in my mind's eye with ease. The way the author has incorporated the myths of the Summer and Winter faery courts with modern technology to create a whole new court under the rule of The Iron King intrigues me. In our modern day lives, we use technology for everything. If the land of faery was made from peoples hopes, dreams and fears in olden times, then the technology we use today would definitely have an impact on it. The author explores this concept with frightening detail. The only thing I was worried about in this book was a love triangle, as I am not overly fond of those. However, I needn't have worried. Some readers have become fans of Puck and others Ash. I must admit that I fall into the Ash camp. But Puck is an intriguing character too, though his mischievous nature makes him a little irresponsible at times.

I reached the end of the book and thought "Wow, what a ride!". I am now looking forward to reading the next book, The Iron Daughter as soon as possible.

Julie Kagawa has written a fantastic Young Adult series. I love her writing style, which is fast paced and exciting. The flow was also wonderful, as each scene moved effortlessly into the next. There may have been a few continuity issues, but it didn't affect my enjoyment. This is the first book I have read by this author, but she has found a fan in me and I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future.

Although there are no scenes of a sensual nature, there are scenes that are violent or a little gory. Therefore, I do not recommend this to readers under 15. However, I highly recommend this book if you love YA fantasy or paranormal romances. - Lynn Worton

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About The Author:



Julie Kagawa, the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey and Blood of Eden series was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn't getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.
When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time (okay, at least the illustrations did), but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a
real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dog trainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, an obnoxious cat, an Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and a hyper-active Papillion.

Author Links:

 Website 

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Audio/Book Review of Storm Mistress (Others of Seattle Book 2) by Brandy L. Rivers



Book Title: Storm Mistress (Others of Seattle Book 3)
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Pages: 364
Audio Run Time: 10 Hrs 50 Mins
Author: Brandy L. Rivers
Date Published: 15 September 2014 (E-Book)
12 May 2015 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

18+ adult content

Nothing is as it seems…

Everything Isadora Starling wants is right there in front of her, but Toryn is off limits. He’s her best friend. She’s been denying her heart all these years, afraid to lose him.

Toryn Flame has a long past full of secrets. None of which he can share with Isadora, the only person who truly matters to him. She’s the one woman who has never shown a hint of lust toward him, but even if she did, pursuing her is forbidden.

That all changes when the family Isa doesn’t know decides it’s time to reveal who and what she is. After Isa’s recent attack, their motives are unclear.

His only goal is protecting Isa. Toryn will do everything in his power to keep her safe, including going against orders from his king.

Toryn’s only fear is losing Isa’s trust. Once the truth is revealed, can she forgive him for years of misdirection and omissions? Can she come to terms with a world she doesn’t want or know?

Review:


Storm Mistress (Others of Seattle, #2)Storm Mistress by Brandy L. Rivers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Others of Seattle series. I really enjoyed it.

I decided to get this book in audio format, since I had listened to Night's Embrace this way. This book is again narrated by John Lane, who did a wonderful job in bringing the characters to life.

Isadora Starling is a wonderful character. I like her strength and determination. She has felt a strong attraction to Toryn ever since she met him, but he's never shown any interest in her. When a stranger brings danger into her life, she turns to the only man she can trust.

Toryn Flame is also a wonderful character. I really liked him. He is a little mysterious and I enjoyed getting to know him better. He is determined to resist his attraction to Isa, as he has a mission to fulfil. Unfortunately, danger forces him to face breaking Isa's trust and reveal secrets that have been kept from her; that's she's a Fae Princess and has power over the five elements, fire, air, earth, water and wind.

I started to listen to the story and was quickly hooked. I found myself on a wild ride of action, danger and romance. The story is told through the eyes of several characters, though Isa and Toryn have the most say. I love meeting Toryn's mother, though she scared me a little. I also found myself intrigued with the dragon, Adanathos (sorry, not sure of spelling), who was only in a few scenes. I also enjoyed meeting Leon, Toryn's friend.

I enjoyed watching Isa grow into her powers. She is a truly powerful and formidable fae. I also enjoyed watching Isa and Toryn's relationship bloom. They both have an amazing chemistry that fizzes and pops; the sparks are extremely hot! The danger from Remus and his greed for Isa's power made me shiver. I know the Fae world is a little strange, but his plans were pure evil.

However, although I enjoyed the story, I also found that there are mentions of other characters' and relationships from the Others of Edenton series that surprised me. As I have only read a few of the books from that series, I found the mention of these couples as a little spoiler-ish. Therefore, I have come to the decision that I will not be continuing this series until I have caught up with Others of Edenton first. I mean no disrespect, because I really love this series. I love the Other's world in Seattle and the characters in it and look forward to continuing it soon. But, for now, I will be focusing on the Others of Edenton.

Brandy L. Rivers has written another intriguing paranormal romance series. I loved her fast paced writing style, and the flow was wonderful. Her characters are lifelike and likable. She is now one of my favourite authors.

Due to explicit scenes of a sexual nature, as well as use of bad language, I do not recommend this book to readers under the age of 18. However, I do recommend this book if you love hot erotic paranormal romances full of werewolves, vampires, fae, druids etc. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


                   

About The Author:



I've always loved books, especially about monsters and magic, so I started writing. I'm working on a prequel and the next few books in the Others of Edenton series, and I have a head full of stories to share.

I'm a stay at home mother with a wonderful husband who lets me write and write to my hearts content.

For more about me and my books, please visit:

Author Links:

Friday, April 22, 2016

Audio/Book Review of Sacrificed to the Dragon (Stonefire British Dragons Book 1) by Jessie Donovan



Book Title: Sacrificed to the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons #1)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 258
Audio Run Time: 6 Hrs 29 Mins
Author: Jessie Donovan
Date Published: 22 September 2014 (E-Book)
5 November 2015 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

In exchange for a vial of dragon's blood to save her brother's life, Melanie Hall offers herself up as a sacrifice to one of the British dragon-shifter clans. Being a sacrifice means signing a contract to live with the dragon-shifters for six months to try to conceive a child. Her assigned dragonman, however, is anything but easy. He's tall, broody, and alpha to the core. There's only one problem - he hates humans.

Due to human dragon hunters killing his mother, Tristan MacLeod despises humans. Unfortunately, his clan is in desperate need of offspring to repopulate their numbers and it's his turn to service a human female. Despite his plans to have sex with her and walk away, his inner dragon has other ideas. The curvy human female tempts his inner beast like no other.

Review:


Sacrificed to the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons, #1)Sacrificed to the Dragon by Jessie Donovan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the Stonefire British Dragon series.

I saw an advert on one of my social network newsfeeds about this book. Intrigued, I looked it up and decided to listen to the audiobook sample. After listening to it, I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did, as I really enjoyed it.

This audiobook is narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies, who did a wonderful job in bringing the characters to life. He definitely got the growl-y voice of Tristan down, as well as the Yorkshire accent of the Peak District. I would consider listening to other books read by him.

Melanie Hall is a wonderful character. I really liked her. She is incredibly brave and determined. In order to save her ill brother with a vial of dragon's blood, she sacrifices her old life to become a surrogate mother to the dragon-shifter clan. When she meets Tristan, she is not impressed with his attitude. However, she is determined to make the best of it. The question is: Can she survive with her heart intact?

Tristan MacLeod is a character I really liked. His dragon side, on the other hand, not so much. Tristan is the typical over-protective alpha type, dangerous and a little mysterious, but his dragon came across as a whiny two year old throwing a temper tantrum when he didn't get his way - I wanted to give him a time out!

This is a wonderful paranormal romance. Unfortunately, I read another paranormal romance with a slightly similar storyline a few books before (although there were some differences too), so this book gave me a feeling of de ja vu. Nevertheless, I really liked the way the story unfolded.

It is not easy for an author to come up with something new and fresh in the romance genre, as most situations have already been explored or flipped on its head to satisfy the readers' appetite for romance. Nevertheless, I love how the author shows the reader Tristan's softer side, which makes him more approachable. Melanie has a stubborn, steely side that clashes with Tristan's arrogance. This creates sparks and heat, which is almost palpable.

What wasn't really explored (in my opinion) is the reason why the dragons had to find human females to mate with. There are female dragons born, but are they sterile? Or are there not enough of them? Another thing that bugged me about the story is that the dragons are basically exhorting the human population for females in return for vials of blood. Granted, the blood has healing properties and the human dragon hunters have virtually decimated the dragon population in order to get it. However, this just didn't sit right with me. Maybe I am reading more into this than I should since it's a romance book but, that's my opinion. Other readers may disagree with me.

I reached the end of the book with mixed feelings. Although I enjoyed the audiobook, which had me on a roller coaster ride of emotion, I am not sure I will continue with the series in audio format. I may enjoy it more if I read the books rather than listen to them.

Jessie Donovan has written a wonderful paranormal romance that caught my imagination. I love her fast paced writing style and the flow was wonderful. I look forward to reading more of her books in future.

Due to scenes of an explicit nature, I do not recommend this book to younger readers. I do, however, recommend this book if you love paranormal romance or books with sexy dragon-shifters. - Lynn Worton

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About The Author:





Jessie Donovan wrote her first story at age five, and after discovering the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey in junior high, realized that people actually wanted to read stories like those floating around inside her head. From there on out, she was determined to tap into her over-active imagination and write a book someday.

After living abroad for five years and earning degrees in Japanese, Anthropology, and Secondary Education, she buckled down and finally wrote her first full-length book. While that story will never see the light of day, it laid the world-building groundwork of what would become her debut paranormal romance, Blaze of Secrets. In late 2014, she became a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.

Jessie loves to interact with readers. When not reading a book or traipsing around some foreign country on a shoestring, can often be found on Facebook.

===================
Series by Jessie:
Stonefire Dragons, Lochguard Highland Dragons, Cascade Shifters, Asylums for Magical Threats

Author Links:





Sunday, April 17, 2016

Book Review of Possessed by a Dark Warrior (Eternal Mates Paranormal Romance Series Book 9) by Felicity Heaton



Book Title: Possessed by a Dark Warrior (Eternal Mates #9)
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Pages: 453
Author: Felicity Heaton
Date Published: 9 April 2016

Synopsis:

A powerful warrior and commander of the dark elf legions, Bleu is a loyal and devoted male, and one who has never failed in anything—except one thing. Love. When an elusive female dragon shifter surfaces in Hell again, giving him a mission to hurl himself into, he gladly returns to his hunt for her and the deadly blade she stole from his prince seven centuries ago, but as he closes in on his prey, fate reveals she is far more than his enemy.

Having escaped from the black market arena and her life as a slave, Taryn sets her sights back on the task she began seven hundred years ago when her brother stole a precious sword, but in the three centuries she’s been a captive, everything has changed. Corrupted by a craving for power, her brother has become dangerously obsessed with finding the blade and using it to claim the ultimate treasure—the position of King of Hell.

Faced with having to end her beloved twin to stop him from bringing all of Hell to its knees before him, will Taryn be strong enough to use the very blade he seeks against him? And when Bleu finally catches his elusive prey, will he listen to his head as it demands he complete his mission or his heart as it demands he claim his eternal mate?

Review:


Possessed by a Dark Warrior (Eternal Mates, #9)Possessed by a Dark Warrior by Felicity Heaton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the ninth book in the Eternal Mates Paranormal Romance series. I loved it!

Bleu is a wonderful character. I have liked him ever since I met him in the first book of the series, Kissed by a Dark Prince. He is a commander in Prince Loren's army and is his friend. When a dragon who stole his Prince's sword seven centuries before resurfaces, he vows to track it down. However, things are more complicated than he anticipated; the dragon is his eternal mate.

Taryn is also a wonderful character. I liked her fiery determination, especially since she has not had an easy life. She is a dragon with rare colouring, which makes her valuable to slavers. Having escaped the slave market after three hundred years of captivity with the help of Cait, the Hell Cat shifter, she will have to face her brother's madness and fight to keep her most prized treasure, her fated mate.

I absolutely love the Eternal Mates world. I have been waiting a long time to read Bleu's story, so as soon as I could, I started to read it. I was quickly pulled in and kept riveted from beginning to end.

The story is told through the eyes of Bleu and Taryn, which gives the reader a chance to see and feel as they do. We get to meet a few of the other characters again: Prince Loren, Olivia, King Thorne, Sable, Rosalind and Vail amongst others. We are also introduced to some new characters: King Tegan, the demon king of the Second Realm and Queen Melia, the phantom queen of the First Realm and Isla, her adviser. We also get to meet Taryn's twin brother, Tenak, who has become power hungry and more than a little insane.

I found myself grinning at certain scenes between the squad mates under Bleu's command, Dacian, Fynn and Leif. I also held my breath during the descriptive battle scenes that I have come to love. The heat between the main characters is as scorching as ever. Their chemistry is explosive and explicit. I love the way the story swept me up and spit me out on a roller coaster ride of emotion. Hell is a dangerous place, and the characters living within it have a strength within them that helps them to survive. However, they also have flaws and fears, which makes them lifelike and relatable.

I don't know if the sword will have significance in future books, but I am looking forward to finding out. I am now looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Awakened by a Demoness as soon as possible. There is an preview of it at the end of the book to whet the appetite.

Felicity Heaton has written another fast paced, sexy paranormal romance that I thoroughly enjoyed! I love her fast paced writing style, which flows effortlessly from scene to scene. She is on top of my favourite author's list.

I do not recommend this book to younger readers due to the extremely HOT and explicit sexual scenes. However, I highly recommend this book (and series) if you love sexy paranormal romances full of vampires, elves, werewolves, cat shifters, succubi, incubi, angels, dragons and demons. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


           

About The Author:
Felicity Heaton






Felicity Heaton is a New York Times and USA Today international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. In her books, she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! If you're a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.
If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series.

If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Tsu | Pinterest | GoodReads | Amazon

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Audio/Book Review of The Last Spaceship (Course of the Worlds Book 1) by J.A. Hawkings



Book Title: The Last Spaceship (Course of the Worlds Book 1)
Genre: Science Fiction/Space Opera
Pages: 99
Audio Run Time: 2 Hrs 47 Mins
Author: J.A. Hawkings
Date Published: 6 July 2015 (E-Book)
8 December 2015 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

Year 2076. The colonization of the solar system has begun. Engineer Jeff Baker and exobiologist Nicole Price find themselves on an exploratory mission. Destination: the Jovian moon of Callisto. As the two are about to land, however, their ship is compromised by a malfunction of its electrical system. Having reached the surface without serious damage, they are startled by the sight of an unknown spacecraft. It appears to have crashed. Baker, an expert in space flight mechanics, explores the ship and realizes it’s like nothing he’s ever seen before. He suspects there are only two logical explanations: it’s either some secret government project or the ship came from another star system.

Review:


The Last Spaceship (Course of the Worlds Book 1)The Last Spaceship by J.A. Hawkings
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This the first story in a science fiction trilogy.

I am unsure if I liked this book or not. I have mixed feelings about it.

This audiobook is narrated by Fred Wolinsky. Unfortunately, I found his narration to be extremely off putting. Although he read the story clearly, I found the slow pace of his speech and the drawl in his voice to be rather grating for my ear. I found myself switching off the book often to listen to something else, in an effort stop myself from grinding my teeth in irritation.

I normally do character breakdowns in my reviews. However, although I enjoyed meeting Jeff Baker and Nicole Price, I found them and the other characters to be rather one dimensional and lacking the spark that would have made them come alive for me.

The story is told through several points of view. It started off strongly; I love the description of the crashed spacecraft on Callisto's surface, the suspense of who the owners were had me sitting on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, the story began to go down hill from there. The captain and crew of the Nabira (sorry, not sure of spelling) ship that rescued Jeff and Nicole, and their mission, felt a little dis-organised and had me feeling confused. There are also several unresolved loose ends that promise to be revealed in the later books.

I love science fiction, but this book left me feeling confused and dissatisfied. Although this book is only two hours and forty-seven minutes long, it felt longer. I love it when a book grips me and this one, sadly, did not. I am not sure I will continue with the trilogy in audiobook format if the same narrator will be used.

J.A. Hawkings has written an intriguing start to a science fiction trilogy. I cannot say for sure that I loved his writing style, as I found it disjointed and confusing. This, in my opinion, also affected the flow.

I cannot in good conscience recommend this in audiobook format, but suggest you give the print form a go if you love space operas or science fiction. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


          

About The Author:



J.A. Hawkings always wanted to be a Star Fleet Captain in Star Trek's fictional universe. He ended up as a surveyor instead, but developed a passion for writing. He hopes that you will get as much enjoyment from reading these books as he does from writing them.
Hawkings lives in Europe. He enjoys traveling, stargazing, and dreaming about strange new worlds for his stories.

You can find J.A. Hawkings online at:
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/J.A.-Hawkings/e/B00WQ4I01O/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Email: jahawkings85@gmail.com

Wednesday, April 06, 2016

Dis ek, Anna by Elbie Lotter

http://www.amazon.com/Dis-Anna-Afrikaans-Elbie-L%C3%B6tter-ebook/dp/B00BW7AHTY?ie=UTF8&keywords=dis%20ek%2C%20anna&qid=1459925362&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2
Sy het haarself Stom Anna genoem. Omdat sy aan iemand kon vertel van dit wat tussen haar en haar stiefpa plaasgevind het nie. Nie aan haar ma nie, nie aan haar beste vriendin nie, en selfs nie aan haar eie pa nie. Dit is ’n verhaal wat sy nou eers, jare later, kan uitskryf. Nou eers kan sy die swye verbreek oor hoe haar stiefpa haar diepste menswees aangetas het. En hoe sy uiteindelik ánderkant uitgekom het.
 
My review
Format: Kindle Edition
Dis ek, Anna
Is a book that twisted me like a dirty dishcloth. Left me out to dry. Made me feel like a tuning fork that has never been pitch perfect. It acted like a magnet. Pulling me towards it only to change polarity and force me away.

Is the writing good? No. Its brilliant. You are with this girl every step of every way. You are with her, watching as Danie starts to prime her at only ten.

You look down the hall to warn her when she needs to sneak out her wet bedding. When she meets Marnus you fall in love with him ten seconds before she does.

Yes. I am late to the party. 12 years late but this book is ageless. It is horrible, it is stunning. It is served with no sides of nice and with a distinct lack of woe-me all at once.

This book, this review. Is not for you dear reader. The book is for everybody. This review is for me. I finished this book last night and talked to EVERYBODY about the book the entire day. To the point where I got annoyed with myself. I have never ever hated anybody the way I hate Anna's mom. I am glad Anna loves her. I hate her.
I am writing this review to close this chapter. To still Anna's voice in my head. I do not bank on it working but I need to get over Anna, over even Little Danie who in his own way broke my heart.

I hope when I push publish I will be done with this. I doubt it. I think Anna came to change my life
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, April 05, 2016

Book Review of Red Leech (Young Sherlock Holmes Book 2) by Andrew Lane



Book Title: Red Leech (Young Sherlock #2)
Genre: YA Mystery
Pages: 338
Author: Andrew Lane
Date Published: 5/11/2010

Synopsis:

Sherlock knows that Amyus Crow, his mysterious American tutor, has some dark secrets. But he didn't expect to find a notorious killer, hanged by the US government, apparently alive and well in Surrey - and Crow somehow mixed up in it. When no one will tell you the truth, sometimes you have to risk all to discover it for yourself. And so begins an adventure that will take Sherlock across the ocean to America, to the centre of a deadly web - where life and death are cheap, and truth has a price no sane person would pay . . .

Review:


Red Leech (Young Sherlock Holmes, #2)Red Leech by Andy Lane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Young Sherlock Holmes series. I loved it!

Sherlock Holmes is fourteen years old and is beginning to develop his detective skills with the help of Amyus Crow, his mysterious American tutor. I really like this young man. He thinks quickly on his feet, even though he puts himself into situations when his curiosity gets the better of him. When his brother Mycroft visits the house, Sherlock finds himself embroiled in another adventure when he eavesdrops on a conversation.

I bought this book in 2012 in paperback format. Since then, there has been a new cover, though I am not sure if it has been re-edited or changed in any way. Therefore, I can only review what I have read. Unfortunately, due to my rather large reading list, I haven't had a chance to read it until now. I started to read it and didn't put it down until I had finished it several hours later. I found myself completely hooked.

This story takes the reader on a journey from England, across the Atlantic on a steam ship, to America on the trail of a wanted man. The story is full of action and danger, with kidnappings, fights and a scary villain.

I was, however, slightly disappointed about the red leech that gave the book it's name. It didn't
really have much to do with the story except to give a bit of mystery as to why someone would go to such lengths as to collect it from Borneo. I must admit that Balthassar seems to be a scary villain. However, I found his character development a little lacking. Then again, he is also a megalomaniac and a little crazy, so I guess that's all we needed to know about him. I was also slightly puzzled as to why his cougars reacted the way they did to the red leech when they were from completely different environments. They didn't react the same way with ordinary leeches, so why the red one? This wasn't explored. Granted, this book is aimed for young readers and not adults like me, so this may be me just being pedantic. I did enjoy the plot and the story, so I am now looking forward to reading the third book, Black Ice, as soon as I can.

Andrew Lane has created a fantastic adventure for Sherlock to sink his teeth into. I love his fast paced, descriptive writing style and the flow was wonderful. I would definitely consider reading more books written by him in the future.

The reading age for this book is 11+, but I would definitely recommend this book for everyone who loves reading YA mysteries. - Lynn Worton

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About The Author:

Andrew Lane is the author of the Young Sherlock Holmes series of young adult novels, starting with Death Cloud. He has also written numerous spin-off novels based on the BBC sci-fi television series Doctor Who, as well as definitive guides to Babylon 5 and the Wallace and Gromit films, and is the author of The Bond Files: An Unofficial Guide to the World's Greatest Secret Agent. He lives in Dorset, England.

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Friday, April 01, 2016

Audio/Book Review of The Infinite Sea: The 5th Wave, Book 2 by Rick Yancey



Book Title: The Infinite Sea (The 5th Wave Book 2)
Genre: YA Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic Adventure
Pages: 320
Audio Run Time: 8 Hrs 12 Mins
Author: Rick Yancey
Date Published: 16 September 2014 (E-Book)
2 April 2015 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

For Cassie Sullivan and the rest of Earth's remaining human survivors, the situation was already desperate when the 5th Wave hit. It's about to get worse. No one yet knows the depths to which Earth's conquerors - the Others - will sink in order to rid the Earth of the human infestation, nor have they guessed the heights to which the human spirit can reach.

Characters introduced in book one will come to the fore - and others will face the ultimate test.

Review:


The Infinite Sea (The 5th Wave, #2)The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review 3.5 rounded up to 4*

Having previously read The 5th Wave, I was looking forward to continuing the series. I decided to download this in audiobook format, having listened to book one in this way.

This audio book is again narrated by Phoebe Strole. However, she is joined by Ben Yannette this time instead of Brandon Espinoza. They both did a wonderful job in bringing the story and the characters to life. Their voices were lovely to listen to. I would definitely consider listening to other books narrated by them.

Cassie (short for Cassiopeia) Sullivan is a wonderful character. I really liked her, she has a lot of spirit and determination. She seems to have grown up some in this book and is not as whiny or full of angst.

Ben "Zombie" Parish is another wonderful character. I really liked him from the beginning. He is quite bright and determined, not to mention charming. Still injured from Ringer's bullet, he is determined to get everyone to safety, though fighting infection.

Ringer is still an enigma to me. I can't seem to figure her out at all. Is she a friend or a foe? Her actions in a certain situation had me scratching my head.

This book has a completely different tone to the first one. Notably, it is no longer told through the eyes of only Cassie, Ben, Sammie and Evan, now Ringer has a say and I must admit that I found this a little confusing, as she seems to have become the main character in this book. Cassie and co are relegated slightly into the background for more than half the story, which I found a little disconcerting, though Evan has more page time, which I enjoyed. There is also a new character introduced, though I am not sure if she added anything to the story apart from a little backstory/history with Evan and as a threat to the group. I loved meeting Poundcake and Dumbo again, and getting to know a little more of their history, especially Poundcake. His tale is not a happy one but, I found him to be exceptionally brave; especially near the end.

For me, the story is bogged down with metaphors about the title and is lacking in the intensity/danger that made The 5th Wave so exciting. There is even less romance too, as Evan and Cassie are separate for most of the book. There are several twists that surprised me though, so it wasn't all bad. I enjoyed the story, but felt disappointed that it didn't grab me as much. Sequels are tricky. They can either exceed the original book, or disappoint a reader. I had high hopes about this book but, unfortunately, it didn't meet them. I am hoping that the third book in the series will be more cohesive and less confusing.

Rick Yancey has written an exciting, fast paced dystopian series that has kept me hooked from beginning to end. I love his fast pace writing style. However, the flow of the story was not as wonderful as the first book and seemed confusing at times. Nevertheless, I will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

I highly recommend this book if you love YA dystopian novels like Divergent and The Hunger Games, or TV series like Fallen Skies. - Lynn Worton

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About The Author:




Rick Yancey (www.rickyancey.com) is the author of the New York Times bestseller The 5th Wave, The Infinite Sea, several adult novels, and the memoir Confessions of a Tax Collector. His first young-adult novel, The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp, was a finalist for the Carnegie Medal. In 2010, his novel, The Monstrumologist, received a Michael L. Printz Honor, and the sequel, The Curse of the Wendigo, was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. When he isn't writing or thinking about writing or traveling the country talking about writing, Rick is hanging out with his family.

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