Black Bead: Book One of the Black Bead Chronicles by J D Lakey

A bit of a departure from my normal reviews as this is not an Indie but a published writer. However even published writers need a little help. The writer requested reviews and made her book free on kindle so I downloaded her book and put it on my list. It turned out to be a great read that had me on the edge of my seat. I was initially a little put off by the new age infused world, but when I got going I found myself reading a very exciting adventure story. 5 stars.

Black Bead Chronicles book 1 by J D Lakey on Amazon.com

This is a book that will appeal to a lot of YA fans; a group of children needing to prove themselves in a confusing world full of danger. Cheobawn is a young girl that is deemed to be unlucky by the adults in her group. She has strong psi abilities and she is chosen by 3 boys and her friend Megan to form a pack. I found the world the writer has created at times bewildering as the social structures and the creatures in this world are so unfamiliar. I would advise to just go with the flow and not focus too hard on having to figure it all out. What you are left with is a thrilling adventure story that moves at a fast pace. You hold your breath as the children race against time to make it back to their home dome. This is part one of a series and I’m sure the complex social set up of this world will be further explained. This is a riveting start to a sci-fi series that will no doubt appeal to a lot of youngsters and adults. Looking forwards to the next instalment.

Day of Reckoning (Dawn of Rebellion Series Book 2) by Michelle Lynn

Its been a while since I read the first in the series; Dawn of Rebellion, but it was one I was keen to get back to. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book as it was much darker and violent. As it was well written, quick paced and exciting I still gave it a 5 star. One of the better YA series out there for it's original vision of the future.

Day of Reckoning (Dawn of Rebellion Series Book 2) by Michelle Lynn on Amazon.com

I really enjoyed the first book in the series; Dawn of Rebellion, so I was keen to find out what happened to our two plucky sisters from the East end. I wasn’t disappointed. Dawn and Gabby now find themselves in Texas and the fate of their friends unclear. Texas seems on the face of it a clean and civilised state, but they soon discover that they are held prisoner by an oppressive and cruel regime. Even though the sisters have similar experiences they deal with them in different ways; Gabby becomes hardened and vengeful as Dawn still believes in the protection of the innocents. It tests the sister’s relationship to the limit. The book is much darker as it deals with themes like torture and murder, but it stays firmly in YA territory. The story is like the first book narrated in the first person and each chapter is told from a different character’s perspective. The pace is again quick and there is no shortage of action. I do like the way the girls speak, using typical London slang, but I missed some of the humour of the first book. The author provides us with many surprises and covers a lot of story in this book, but it is still not entirely clear who is fighting on the side of good. I’m looking forwards to the last instalment of the series to find out if the girls will find a safe and happy place to put their feet up. Judging by this book they still have a few trials to face in Eve of Tomorrow.

 

Just Pretending (Hearts to Follow Book 1) by Dana Burkey

While I'm waiting to get my copy of 'Conversations with Tom' back with no doubt some red corrections; I'm getting a lot of reading done. This time a sweet but short YA story. I gave this four stars.

Just pretending by Dana Burkey on Amazon.com

This is a sweet YA love story: Cammy fell in love with Nick the summer before. They were both new to town; Nick holidaying with his father and Cam just moved there. Neither knew anyone and they bonded. Apart from him putting an arm around her; nothing else happened. She was heartbroken however when on going back to school he announced on social media he was now in a relationship. A year later, Cam has made many friends at her new school, amongst them Josh. When the summer holidays start Nick rolls back into town with new girlfriend Gina on his arm. Cam confided in Josh about her heartbreak and the two devise a plan to make Nick jealous.

The book is an easy and quick read and doesn’t hold any nasty surprises. It is a lovely coming of age story with a very likeable main character. I think many young girls will identify with Cam and the pitfalls of first love. Good YA read that would suit an early teen.

Dawn of Rebellion by Michelle Lynn

Exercise for today is to just pick up a random book. Don't read the blurb, just start reading. I often download free books and don't look to closely at the blurb. Sometimes I have the wrong idea about a book and it can be a bit disorienting. (Like this one which I thought was about the American war of Independence, but then I read about London and cars etc.and it dawned this was not a historical novel) I always like to be surprised, I think it ads to my reading pleasure. So this one was a surprise, but a good 5 star one.

Dawn of Rebellion by Michelle Lynn

I have a habit of not reading book blurbs carefully and I’m often surprised when I start reading a book. I got all comfortable with my kindle and sat down to what I thought was a novel about the American war of independence. I didn’t mind one bit when I found myself reading a YA novel about two sisters, Dawn and Gabby surviving in a future version of London where a totalitarian regime rules. The former United States is once again a colony of Britain. When Gabby is arrested for shoplifting, she is shipped off to the colonies. Her sister Dawn and Gabby’s boyfriend Drew start a desperate journey into the unknown to find her.

This is a story about young people discovering a strength and bravery within that they didn’t know they possessed. It is also about the power of love making you discover this strength. The book is narrated by Gabby, Dawn and Drew. The chapters are named after the narrator so this doesn’t get confusing at any point. The story has a quick pace due to short chapters, lots of action and narrator changing all the time. All three talk in sort of cockney London accent, that I found very amusing. It made Dawn and Gabby believable as two streetwise London kids.

This is firmly a young adult novel and the budding romances between Dawn and Drew and Gabby and Jeremy will please this group of readers. Also the action is good and there are a number of cliff hanger moments, including the ending. (Got to leg it to Amazon and buy part 2) The book is also laden with symbolism as the group find bits of a former civilisation and inhabitants of a land that used to be the United States. No one knows what destroyed this civilisation, but religion is now banned in Britain. This mix of all destroying war, religion and world powers, makes the book current and interesting to adult readers like myself too. I will be interested to see where Michelle Lynn will take this story next. Promising start to a series.

Defective (The Institute Series Book 3) by Kayla Howarth

I already reviewed the first two in this series and it is a pleasure to now do the third. This Australian YA writer is a cut above the rest and her books are fun to read. Even though the pace in this book is a bit slower, it still kept my attention and I'm happy to give the third in the series 5 stars too.

Defective (The Institute Series Book 3) by Kayla Howarth on Amazon

I hugely enjoyed book one and two in this series, so I eagerly awaited the third instalment; Defective. We find Allira two years on from the end of the second book. She is working with her aunt in a clinic, helping defective patients who increasingly find themselves the victims of hate crimes. Allira is wracked with guilt that overthrow of the institute didn’t lead to greater tolerance; instead it left defectives vulnerable to attacks. Two years later she is also still mourning the death of her boyfriend Chad. She has agreed to live with Paxton James and his daughter Nuka, once things became difficult at home; her grieving has pushed the once closest to her away. Paxton is running for president and Allira agrees to play his ‘girlfriend’ in order to help his campaign. Life for Allira is shaping up to be all about duty, until tall handsome psychology student Jayce walks into the clinic. The pace of this book is initially a bit slow as Allira struggles with duty versus what she really wants, but then things hot up as the past is catching up with her and she realises what she thought was the truth proves to be otherwise. There are a good few surprises towards the end of the book, and the final chapter sets it up nicely for a sequel. Judging by the ending, book four I imagine, will have a few comedy moments. I think Jayce is one of Kayla Howarth's best characters yet. He is comfortable leaving all the heroics and ass-kicking to Allira and sister Jenna, just providing moral support and a shapely shoulder to cry on. Who needs a hero when you are perfectly able to kick any ones butt? I’m happy she has found the brains to her brawn.