Thursday, August 25, 2016




      My Review of Kalifus Rising by Alane Adams

                               
Title: Kalifus Rising (Legends of Orkney)
Author: Alane Adams
Publisher: SparkPress
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Release date: Sept. 6, 2016
Pages: 347                                                      
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Amazon






                                                                                                                                                                                    
I received an Arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own. Kalifus Rising is the second installment of Legends of Orkney. I'd like to start out by stating that I have not read the first book, The Red Sun, but I feel as if Kalifus Rising can be read and have a pretty good idea of some of what happened in the first book, as this book touches on some of the events. Kalifus Rising follows the story of Sam Baron's three best friends, Keely, Leo, and Howie, as they take on different quests to find what they need to help Sam and stop a war. This story is fast paced, high adventure, and full of action. I was impressed with Alane's world building skills as the world of Orkney was opened up to me. I constantly found myself on the edge of my seat, hanging on for dear life amidst the action. The character development is incredible, as I wanted to wring some necks, hug others, and just plain scream at some of the characters. My only concern with this book is that it could have been better edited. There were several grammatical errors that gave me pause. Overall, I give Kalifus Rising four stars for the world building, character development, and the action.                                                                                                                                        

Review: The Blue Dragon's War: an epic fantasy story

The Blue Dragon's War: an epic fantasy story The Blue Dragon's War: an epic fantasy story by Sean Newton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I read the first book in this series, and I loved it. I was a little disappointed in the editing of this book, however. There were words used mistakenly, such as, loose for lose, and similar errors. The story was great, and the characters were well fleshed out. There was quite a bit of fighting, which I love when it comes to fantasy stories. I will continue to read this series, because of the world and character building, but I hope the next installment is better edited.

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Monday, August 22, 2016

Review: The Changelings

The Changelings The Changelings by Christina Soontornvat
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received The Changelings from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Changelings by Christina Soontornvat is a middle grade fantasy full of adventure and wonder. It follows Izzy's search for her younger sister, Hen. Hen has wandered into the woods alone and it is up to Izzy to find her. Along the way, Izzy meets new friends willing to join in the search. It was a fast paced story with vivid characters. Perfect for tweens and teens, or anyone looking for a clean fantasy story.

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Sunday, August 21, 2016

Review: The Dragon Slayer

The Dragon Slayer The Dragon Slayer by J.S. Jaeger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Dragon Slayer by J.S. Jaeger is a middle grade fantasy short story of the Scrolls of Zndaria series. It follows Nathanial “Nate” McGray's brother Theodore "Ted" McGray on his journey to be Champion of the kingdom of Versii. It is a well written short story that takes us into a world of good vs evil.

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Review: The Gift of Sunderland: An Australian Fantasy Adventure

The Gift of Sunderland: An Australian Fantasy Adventure The Gift of Sunderland: An Australian Fantasy Adventure by J.E. Rogers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I won The Gift of Sunderland on a book blog that I follow. All opinions are my own. The Gift of Sunderland by J.E. Rogers is a middle grade fantasy with lively characters that are depicted from some of Australia's endangered species. It follows Waylond, Fergal, and other characters as they learn what friendship and family mean. It is a delightful story with wonderful illustrations.

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Friday, August 19, 2016

Review: The Sword of Demelza

The Sword of Demelza The Sword of Demelza by J.E. Rogers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Sword of Demelza by J.E. Rogers is a middle grade fantasy centered around some of Australia's endangered species. Devon, an orphaned red fox, is on a personal quest of revenge. Erik and Emma, two young marsupials, are on a quest to find the ingredients for a potion to cure their mother. Devon, Erik and Emma encounter each other, realizing that they need to work together to stop the devastation, and end the reign of the evil king, Cynric. This book is beautifully illustrated, and the story is enchanting. A must read for all ages.

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Saturday, August 13, 2016

Review: Minotaur

Minotaur Minotaur by Phillip W. Simpson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I won Minotaur in a giveaway on a book blog. All opinions are my own. The Minotaur by Phillip W. Simpson is a retelling of the tale of the Minotaur in Greek mythology, which has always been one of my favorite subjects. I went into this book not sure what to expect, but I surely didn't expect such a superbly written tale. Phillip's writing is exceptional, and the main character, Asterion, the Minotaur, was so full of emotions and life that I grew to care for this character in a way that I had never cared for a character in a book before. I felt as if I could feel his presence, as if I was in the story that Phillip swept me into. The writing, character development, and the way the story wrapped up makes this one of the best books that I have read in an extremely long time.

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Friday, August 12, 2016

Review: The Unicorn

The Unicorn The Unicorn by Miguel Lopez de Leon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I won The Unicorn in a Goodreads giveaway. All opinions are my own. The Unicorn by Miguel Lopez de Leon is a story of teenage twin boys that have a wonderful family life only to find that their lives are drastically changed when their parents separate. This story is quite a challenge for me to review. When I first started reading this book I was enjoying the magical and whimsical story, then all of a sudden it became all too serious. I had never read a book as extreme of mystery and magic as this book was. I honestly don't know what the purpose of the magic was for. It had no bearing on the story, for me personally. I do like Miguel's writing, though. He pulled me in and kept me interested. The characters were well fleshed out and believable. I didn't, however, enjoy the ending. I felt that I had been cheated out of closure with this story.

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Friday, August 5, 2016

Review: The Dragon Round

The Dragon Round The Dragon Round by Stephen S. Power
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of The Dragon Round from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Dragon Round by Stephen S. Power is a story about mutiny and revenge. I found this story to be intriguing and full of suspense. It is written well, and the characters are very vivid. I'm looking forward to the next installment in this series.

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Review: Dodgers

Dodgers Dodgers by Bill Beverly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I won this book in a giveaway from the Reading Room site. All opinions are my own. Dodgers by Bill Beverly is a stand alone novel about a teenage gang member, East, sent on a mission by his uncle to do a dirty deed with some other gang members. During this journey, East realizes that there might be a different life to be had other than being in a gang. This is a wonderful coming of age story that grabbed me from the start and held my attention to the end. Certain parts of the writing brought to mind of poetry writing. I thoroughly enjoyed following East on his journey.

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