Showing posts with label YA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YA. Show all posts

Sunday 16 February 2020

The Land of Good Dreams by T. S. Thompson

This is a real feel good Young Adult story. I think it will mostly appeal to teenagers that like their books a little more serious and challenging on an emotional level. The sort of book worm I was when a teenager. I gave this 5 stars.



Samantha is the shy teenager trying to find her place in a foster family after the tragic death of her parents. She is a character you immediately empathise with as anyone could understand why the thirteen year old is traumatised. She suffers from nightmares at night and feels awkward during the day as she feels the other kids just see her as ‘the girl that lost her parents.’   
Richard and Emma the foster parents are equally easy to empathise with. How do you deal with a girl that is so fragile and broken? But this is not a depressing book; it is about people rebuilding their lives, forming a new loving family and finding joy again.
I liked this book a lot and found the idea of there being a good place where you go in your dreams novel and fun. It’s a place where I think all children would like to be when they sleep; a place full of wonder, beauty and adventure.
Written with warmth, and a deep understanding of human emotions. A wholesome young adult read.

Tuesday 31 December 2019

Camp Lenape: It’s supposed to be a fun summer... (A Kahale and Claude Mystery Series Book 1) by Timothy R. Baldwin

Just on the cusp of 2019 another review bringing the total of books reviewed to a measly 13. Lets see if I can do better in 2020. As always I blame work as I tend to be answering emails rather than reading in my breaks. Anyway a teen adventure that I gave 4 stars. I think I'm a bit old and jaded to be truly gripped by this book, but a younger reader probably will be.




I think this book will appeal to all teenagers (young adults) that like an adventure story. For both boys and girls there is a likeable hero in the form of Alissa and Marcus. Alissa is an independent, tomboy who isn’t afraid to fight off a bad guy and my favourite character. I think this will mostly appeal to the early teens and it is a good clean read.

Saturday 17 March 2018

Dancing feet by Tabitha Ormiston-smith

If read a few novels and shorts by this author and I do like her easy and entertaining style. She does write a female character well and this short is no exception. Unlike some of her other work this one is aimed at young adults. As it is the reworking of the fairy tale Cinderella it would suit the younger YA too. 5 stars



This reworking of the Cinderella story is a fun, modern, YA short. Ashley is a plucky heroine who always sees the good in people despite being treated appallingly by her new stepmother. She is single minded in her desire to go to the Melbourne dance academy. When one dream is shattered she picks herself up and explores another avenue, helped along by her fairy godmother in the shape of a big hairy Deer hound. Recommended.

Thursday 8 February 2018

The Unborn Hero of Dragon Village by Ronesa Aveela

I've been reading a few fantasy novels of late and I'm reading another one soon. This is not my favourite genre so it needs a lot of action to keep my attention. This one moved at a good pace and had plenty of action to keep me entertained. The Slavic and Bulgarian myths were unfamiliar to me, but it didn't get in the way of the story and all the mythical beings were explained. (Dragons and mermaids are familiar to us all.) An entertaining 5 star read.



Unborn hero is a magical adventure story that is steeped in Bulgarian and Slavic myths. A young boy, Theo, sets out on a quest to rescue his sister, when she is kidnaped by a dragon. Along the way Theo is helped by a Samodiva (a young woodland nymph) and many other magical beings that inhabit Dragon village. I like the central character of Theo as he is a modern boy who is used to having a mobile phone at his fingertips, rather than surviving in nature. We understand his struggle and his journey into self-discovery. This is a book that will appeal to both boys and girls as it is filled with adventure and magic. Many positive messages can also be taken away from this story such as; together you’re stronger and that love is a more powerful force than hate. There are some gruesome and violent scenes so it might not suit the very young reader, but it certainly entertained this older reader.

Wednesday 20 September 2017

Adventure to Destiny: The Unity Objective Series by Sandra Golden

I normally don't review books that are send to me by the author. Firstly I don't like reading on my computer and prefer kindle. Also I prefer to leave a verified review. But hey this indie writer needed some help and she asked nicely. This one is for the younger reader among us.
Click on the picture to take you to Amazon.



In the Unity objective we get to meet Helaina and J.R; two fifteen year old cousins. It soon becomes clear to their family and Unity corporation elders that these two children have some special gifts. Unity is not a normal corporation, but a company founded by Aliens that came to our planet many generations ago. Even though the plot is quite complex and there is a lot to find out about the world of Unity, Sandra Golden writes in an easy to follow style that will let even the younger reader enjoy this adventure. Helaina and J.R have some special gifts but deep down they are normal teenagers that like to hang out with their friends and go to the beach. The two characters are likable and you can easily relate to them. If I had one quibble it would have been that I felt hungry while reading this book as the Unity family does like to cook and put on meals and treats. The detailed descriptions did lead me to my fridge once or twice! A promising start to the series, that leaves plenty to be discovered and explored. This is a YA Sci-fi adventure that will suit a younger reader.  I was given a copy of the book by the author for an honest review.