Book Review - Uprooted - Naomi Novik

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I couldn't put this book down!

The characters were instantly with you and the story was great. You get to see the growth between the Dragon and Agnieszka deepen and see how she compliments his magic. Her love for her friends drives her and forces her to confront very scary situations.

Compassion, in the end, is the only way.

Very fast driven plot, yet the characters deal with it and grow.

Loved this book!

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Book Review - Book of Speculation - Erika Swyler

The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was slow to start but gradually gained it's pace. I was more interested in the back history parts of the story but it was a good read.

The characters were a little hard to grow a bond with, but you understood them. Very interesting concept and I enjoyed reading about the families and their history.

Look forward to this book in August 2015

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Book Review - Finding Audrey - Sophie Kinsella

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoy most of Sophie Kinsella's book and this was no exception.

A little bit different from her other books as this one is set in the world of high school bullying and the consequences of the fall out.

Audrey is basically housebound, unable to face people and she wears dark glasses to stop herself from looking into the eyes of her loved ones. After an episode at school, she is now on a break and is forced by her councillor to make a video of her daily life. She is set a series of moves designed to push her boundaries and try to overcome the mental break she has suffered. Her goal - to go to Starbucks and to talk to someone other than her family.

I enjoyed this book and teens should definately read this.

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Book Review - Forged From Silver Dollar - Li Feng

Forged From Silver Dollar by Li Feng
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very fascinating look at three generations of Chinese women. I found this to be an enthralling read and I learnt a lot about how insidious the slow rise to change of power is. We see what it was like before the Communist rule, we see what it was like under the CP rule and we see what it is like for women today in China.

The three women are all very different characters and each has their strengths and weaknesses that make a whole in Li Feng as she draws from her history to tell her ancestor's stories.

A great read for anybody who loved Amy Tan's 'Wild Swans'

Loved it!

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Book Review - Avery - Charlotte McConaghy

Avery by Charlotte McConaghy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The lengths that people will go to for revenge is clearly portrayed in this book. It also shows the healing people can do when they think all is lost.

The bond between loves is infallible and life shattering. To lose your bond mate is to lose your life... except in the case of Ava. When her bond mate Avery is murdered, she expects to die but she doesn't. Instead she lives with half a soul and dreams of revenge.

I loved this storyline and the characters had real depth. You could feel the anger and the pain that Ava feels about losing Avery and then you can see her journey towards redemption. The characters are in your face with their flaws so you sometimes struggle to see their gems, but there they are shining in the development of each one.

A high recommended read and look out for book two next year (I hope!)

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Lost in a Good Book's Review of Twice Upon a Time 5 STARS

The Twice Upon a Time Anthology has got another 5 star review :D

Go over to Lost In A Good Book and check it out!

Book Review - Once - Morris Gleitzman

Once by Morris Gleitzman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I have seen this book everyday in the last 14 years I have worked in the bookshop but I've never read it. I had the opportunity to do so last week and here are my thoughts.

This book was well written and very respectful. The main character is a child who has been placed in an orphanage to hide him from the Nazi's. He believes his parents are world adventuring bookshop owners. As the course of the novel progresses we see the main character start to lose his innocence as he gradually finds out what is actually happening in Poland, which starts when he leaves the orphanage to warn his parents people are burning books.

Depressing in places (but what novel about Nazi regime wouldn't be) this is a highly recommended book for juniors/teens to read to get a feel of what World War 2 was about.

Glad I read it, I wouldn't mind reading the other two in the series Then and Now.

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Book Review - AWOL - Traci Harding

AWOL by Traci Harding
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I throughly enjoyed this book. I was hooked from the beginning and it felt like the author was going back to her original writing style. I really couldn't put it down, I loved it. I was a little bit disappointed at the ending but Traci wrapped up the series well. Can't wait to see what the next series will be like.

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Book Review - Clariel - Garth Nix

Clariel by Garth Nix
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

DUE OCTOBER 2014

I really enjoyed this book.

It has been years since I read any of the Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix but this book threw me back and didn't let go until I had finished it.

Set 600 years before the Old Kingdom series, Clariel is a slightly selfish teenage who is thrown into a city not of her choosing. No one seems to care that she is unhappy and it is that unhappiness which breeds dissent. All Clariel wants to be left alone and become a Borderer, a member of the forest guards who patrolled the woods and forests of the kingdom. Instead her entire family move the Capital of the Old Kingdom to further the ambitions of her mother and she feels trapped by all the stone and people.

Clariel has to make a choice and it is one that will lead to the events of Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen.

Well written and engaging, this stand alone prequel does credit to Garth Nix.

Now I am going to go back and re-read Sabriel again.

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Book Review - Red Queens War #1 Prince of Fools - Mark Lawrence

Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The author drew me into this book quite quickly and I really liked the characters. Prince Jalan Kendeth is the Red Queen's grandson. He is a gambler, coward and drinker - but he is a nice guy. He is honest about his failings but when he gets caught up with the Silent Sister (his grandmother's secret weapon)his life changes forever.

Snorri is a Viking who was sold to the Red Queen. He brings tales of the dead rising and war. Jalan thinks it is all lies and just wants to get back to his life of hedonism. When the Silent Sister strikes, all hell breaks lose and Jalan and Snorri are magically thrown together on a ride of revenge, friendship and snow.

Well written and definitely a page turner. If you love a good fantasy that takes you straight away, then this is the one for you. I really can't wait to see how the game plays out!

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Book Review - Dash of Peril by Lori Foster

Great story, and interesting characters! Although this book is in a series, it can be read as a stand alone. Contains fast action scenes & steamy sex, I definately would recommend reading it.

Reviewed by S.H

Book Review - No Strings Attached by Susan Anderson

DUE AUGUST 2014

Although in a series, this can be read as a stand alone story, fantastic characters & snazzy writting make this a great holiday read. Would highly recommend.

Reviewed by S.H

Book Review - The Magic Pattern Book by Amy Barickman

DUE LATE AUGUST 2014

Finally a clothes sewing book that is easy to learn from, has great tips & hints, as well as being very clear about the whole process. Cant wait until I get a physical copy of this book! so I can study the patterns. A fantastic book!

Review by - S.H 

Book Review - Bound by Alan Baxter

Bound by Alan Baxter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

DUE JULY 2014

I had gone off Urban Fantasy lately. It all seems the same and all the plot lines tend to blend, but not this book.

Bound is the first book of the Alex Caine series by Alan Baxter. We start off in Sydney, then London and then all over the world. We are introduced to characters from Mythology and a new species of Fae. Alex Caine is a martial artist who makes a living off cage fighting. Then after a set of circumstances forces Alex to leave Australia, he then becomes bound to a dark grimoire which incites Alex to embrace his darker nature. He teams up with a Kin woman(the new Fae) and together they search for a way that Alex can be rid of the grimoires curse.

There is a lot of action and the story flows really well. Some of the characters are really evil and the author writes them convincingly. I found some of the sex scenes between the antagonists a bit silted but the rest of the book was well written. This book makes you want to get to the end to see just how Alex goes about getting rid of the book, does he survive? does he bring about the end of the world?

You will just have to read it to find out, you won't be disappointed. The start to this series has given me faith that the Urban Fantasy scene is not just the same story with different characters.

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Book Review - The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was brilliant!

Set in the future but with a difference. Sometime in our past a group of British, Americans and Europeans made a crossing. Not entirely sure where, but they came to this new land and founded new countries and found magic. Fast forward 150-200 years later and we are introduced to Kelsea Glynn. She has been hidden her whole life to protect her but now she is needed to be Queen. Her country is on the brink of decline and her people are starving and desperate. There is a price on her head and she needs gain the respect and loyalty of people who have no reason to trust her.

The world is well researched and the story drives you along. Sometimes it can be a bit jarring when there are references to Earth history as you do get immersed and forget that this is actually not just a normal fantasy book. The characters are interesting and I really enjoyed seeing Kelsea and Mace's journey together.

Highly recommend this book when it is released in July. It is no wonder that this book was optioned for film rights and I wouldn't mind seeing how they portray this book on the big screen.

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Book Review - The French Promise - Fiona McIntosh

The French Promise by Fiona McIntosh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I do not know how the author does it. Everytime I pick up a book by Fiona McIntosh I am instantly transported into her worlds, whether it is fantasy, crime or historical fiction. This author is a rare writer who can cross the genre barrier and I am thankful for it.

The French Promise picks up not to long after The Lavender Keeper. We go on a journey to Australia where Luc and Lisette have come to pick up the pieces of their lives and make a new future. I love reading the way we Aussies talk and I can picture the scenes quite easily. The author's writing weaves three different story-lines together and they form an intricate braid that comes together at the end. I felt a lot of emotion reading this book and I actually stayed up past midnight trying to get to the end before I fell asleep (unfortunately that didn't happen)

I teared up in particular sections and I am glad to have read the ending of Luc and Lisette's story.

Well done Fiona!

I highly encourage people to read the Lavender Keeper and The French Promise! Filled with well researched material, believable characters and brilliant descriptions, you will fall in love, hate and most of all forgiveness with the world Fiona has recreated.

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Book Review - Twinmakers #2 Crash by Sean Williams

Crash by Sean Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book. Crash is due out November 2014

We pick up basically straight off the where the first book left off. Claire and Jesse are on the run still and they have picked up a couple of PK's (Peace Keepers) as companions. Being hailed as the "Girl Who Broke D-Mat" is racking Claire as she wants it fixed. People are stranded around the world, they can't get to hospitals or they are trapped in unusual places. Claire's friends are not talking to her and there are different groups of people who are after her. What Clarie needs is a safe place to hide so she can figure out what is next.

Claire and her companions are on a mission to find Q and to find out who keeps targeting her. They team up with RADICAL and WHOLE (Two opposite groups) and it is a race to find out the information she needs to fix the world before it ends.

I really liked reading this series. There are some slow parts where I skimmed a few passages, but those are few and far between. The world the author has created can be a little low on background detail of the world itself. Sometimes it feels like it is set in the far future and then it's like it's now, except with teleportation. These nit picks are tiny though, the story kept me reading right to the end and I know want to find out in the conclusion. The ending was so fabulous that you really didn't know how it was going to end.

I would recommend reading this series and if you find it hard going, keep at it! The characters develop and the storyline grows. A fantastic tale by a brilliant author.

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Book Review - Girl with All the Gifts - M.R Carey

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very interesting take on the Zombie apocalypse.

Melanie is a special girl in a very damaged world. Knowing little other than long dead facts about life which has been destroyed, Melanie is certain of only one thing. She loves Miss Justineau, her teacher. She loves her like a daughter would, she would do anything for her.

Using this as a basis for the start of the story, we get started on an action packed journey to Beacon when the military base they are on goes haywire.

I like how were grow to love and hate the characters. We understand what Dr Caldwell is doing while hating her for her methods. We love and yet feel scared for Melanie as we go through with her the trials of awakening. Miss Justineau, is forced to face facts on everything she has done, while combating her growing protectiveness and love for Melanie.

The struggle to survive and the horrifying consequences of letting your guard down is shown in great detail and the end result of all this madness is a shocking twist.

Very good read, highly recommended!

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Book Review - Tapestry - Fiona McIntosh

Tapestry by Fiona McIntosh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

DUE MAY 2014

Another fantastic title from Fiona McIntosh.

This time she leads us to 1970's London which in turn leads us to 1714 Britain and the Jacobite rebellion against King George.

The authors characters are well written and engaging. You start on this massive journey with Jane Granger, who is determined to save her fiancé after he gets attacked. This journey involves taking charge of the past and helping a Lord of The Realm to escape the Headsman's axe. The fates of Will Maxwell and William Maxwell, Earl of Nithsdale are entwined and Jane will have to face a most difficult choice of what she wants if she is to find happiness.

I really enjoyed this book, in fact it only took me a couple of days to read it. I liked reading about Winifred, Jane, Will, Robin and Julius. All the characters well well rounded and interesting. What is even better is that this book is founded on an event that happened. The Count and Countess of Nithsdale were real life people who actually did what few people have done and Fiona does justice to the tale.

A very good book and highly recommended when it comes out :D

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