Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Review: Shadow and Thorn by Kenley Davidson

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Shadow and Thorn by Kenley DavidsonShadow and Thorn
Kenley Davidson
Page Nine Press
Published March 12, 2017

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About Shadow and Thorn
An exiled king.
An elusive thief.
And the treasure they would give their lives to possess…

Alexei is returning to his homeland after more than twenty years in hiding. His kingdom is destroyed, his people dead or enslaved. His only hope to provide sanctuary for those few who remain is the uncertain word of a traitor, a broken man who claims to know the hiding place of Erath’s greatest treasure. To find it, Alexei will have to return to the place where Erath fell, and brave the shadowed halls of a castle that echoes with the ghosts of his past.

Zara is a woman without a future—a treasure hunter, and a thief who hates to steal. Trapped by fate in an abandoned castle, she encounters a destiny she could never have predicted, and uncovers a treasure far greater than she ever imagined.

When their paths collide, Alexei and Zara may both have a chance to atone for past mistakes… unless they kill each other first. Brought together by enemies both expected and unexpected, they will plumb the depths of an unimaginable betrayal and forge the foundations of a love they would risk anything to keep.

My Review
Confession: The characters’ ages make this technically adult fiction, which I almost never review here. I’m making an exception for two (kind of flimsy) reasons. One is that I LOVE this series, and the other is that earlier books fit the young adult genre a lot better, so YA readers who’ve been along for the earlier books may want to know what I have to say about this one.

The only hiccup for me was the opening scene. I was kind of confused by what was happening and I wasn’t sure if I should be able to place it with something from a previous book. Once I got a few chapters in, I realized exactly what was happening in that opening scene, and I appreciated it a lot more.

I remembered Alexei from the third book in the series, and I definitely remember thinking I wanted to know more about him. So finding him at the center of this book was really exciting. I also liked Zara a LOT. She’s spunky and good, which you don’t often see paired together. I was a fan from the moment she walked on scene.

Shadow and Thorn is a re-imagining of the story of Beauty and the Beast, but it’s possibly the most clever re-imagining of that story I’ve ever read (and I do NOT say that lightly because Robin McKinley’s Beauty is easily in my top twenty-five favorite books ever.) because while it retells the story in a different way, it also becomes an origin story. I know that’s vague. I don’t want to give too much away, but there were so many moments as I read the story where things suddenly clicked and I was like, OHHHHHHH! I see what’s happening here! And that made reading it so much fun.

I also liked that Alexei has a team of allies–sort of the way the Beast has his servants in the castle who are loyal and often see things he doesn’t. It rounded out the cast of characters really nicely. The castle appears as a character, too, and I thought that was really imaginatively done. She is ancient and inhuman, and it definitely came across in her actions and desires and added some real complexity to the tale.

I feel like fans of Leah Cypess need to read the Andari books. Seriously. Something about this story reminded me of her debut, Mistwood. If you’re a fan of fairy tales re-imagined, you need to put this series at the top of your reading list. Kenley Davidson has published four books so far, and I’ve loved every one of them. If you’ve never heard of the Andari Chronicles before, check out my review of the first book, Traitor’s Masque here .

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
The Andari Chronicles feel rich with varied cultures. This story focuses mostly on one culture, which had previously been enslaved because of their magical abilities.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Magical abilities allow some people to do amazing things—manipulate crystals, predict the future, heal others, or control them.

Magical ability can also be used to form an unbreakable bond with someone. When someone shares a bond with someone else, they must stay near each other or risk death if they become too distanced from one another. Also, if one member of the bond dies, the other will follow.

Violent Content
Brief battles. Some soldiers become wounded.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Review: Racial Profiling by Alison Marie Behnke

Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, ,

Racial Profiling: Everyday Inequality
Alison Marie Behnke
Twenty-First Century Books
Published January 1, 2017

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Media and political activists have worked hard to bring attention to the issue of racial profiling in America. Profiling occurs when details about someone’s racial identity are used as reason to treat them differently. Sometimes this happens when police assume a person of a particular race must be guilty of a crime before any investigation takes place. The real statistics about how many people experience racial profiling can be staggering. In this book, Behnke carefully defines racial profiling and explains what it is and areas of the community where profiling can occur. Though it can be a charged political topic, Behnke’s clear, straightforward narrative presents a calm and thorough investigation supported by statistics and further illustrated by stories shared by victims and their families, making it a great resource for students and teachers interested in educating themselves about this topic.

One of the things I really liked about this book is how easy the author has made it to find additional information. The chapters are peppered with case studies and historical facts as well as full-color illustrations supporting the narrative. Extensive source notes as well as suggestions for further study in books, documentaries, and websites make this a high-powered, informative, resource.

I feel like this is a tough topic to talk about because it’s one I think we all wish were not a reality and certainly not one nearly so pervasive and devastating as it seems to be. It has been interesting as a parent watching my daughter discover some of these things about the world and wrestle with the frustration we feel when we find the world to be different than we believe it should be.

I think it’s also an important issue to be educated about. I’ve flagged some of the resources Behnke used and some of the recommended texts as well so that I can continue to learn more. I found this to be an accessible, easy-to-understand book, so if you’re looking for a place to begin, this could be it.

Recommended for Ages.

Cultural Elements
The book focuses mainly on issues faced by people of color, including African Americans, immigrants (particularly from Mexico and Latin America), and Muslims.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The book briefly talks about prejudice faced by Muslims or those mistaken for Muslim.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Falconer by Elizabeth May

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

The Falconer
Elizabeth May
Chronicle Books
Published May 6, 2014

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Ever since Aileana witnessed her mother’s brutal death, she has hunted for the killer. Maintaining the balance of her daylight life as a wealthy, prominent young woman in Scottish society becomes increasingly difficult as faeries, the monsters who prey on humans like her mother, begin to find Aileana everywhere. Then Aileana learns more drives her than her thirst for vengeance. She’s the last of an ancient race with the ability to fight even the most powerful faeries. And she’ll need all her sleeping gifting to wake if she has any hope of stopping terrible creatures from forming an army and destroying all of humanity.

At first I had a little trouble reconciling all the various parts of the story. The setting has this sort of Jane Austen feel. The terrifying faeries bring a pretty serious suspense, almost horror element. And the strange mechanical devices Aileana depends on and invents give the story a steampunk flare. Once I acclimated to all these things, though, I felt like they complimented each other pretty well. The story needs all those things in order to complete its plot.

The characters—just, wow. I loved the banter between Aileana and her best friend Catherine and of course Aileana and her mentor Kiaran. Pretty much every character surprised me in some great way through the course of the story. I felt like their emotions were complex and realistic, and the fact that sometimes I spotted things before Aileana did (she was rather determinedly clueless about a couple of things) really added to the story and made it believable, if that makes sense. I guess it gave her blind spots and flaws.

I’m crazy eager to get my hands on the second book in this series. I stayed up way too late last night finishing The Falconer and I can tell you I would have jumped straight into the second one if I’d had an ARC on me. I’m hoping there’s still time to get one, but if not, I might have to break down and pre-order this one. It’s too good to miss.

I think if you liked the complex story world and banter between characters in Six of Crows, then The Falconer will definitely appeal to you. Fans of Julie Kagawa might find the faery lore similar and enjoy the human versus fae dynamic.

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Cultural Elements
All the characters are from Scotland, so pretty much white and upper class.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used with moderate frequency.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing. Aileana is very aware of propriety and strives to behave herself like a lady even when circumstances make that difficult. At one point, rumors circulate that she and a young man have been caught in a compromising position, but those rumors are false. At another time, a man enters her bed chamber to clean and dress a wound of hers.

Spiritual Content
The story contains faeries and monsters who possess magic. Some humans have specialized abilities which allow them to sense faeries or resist their magic.

Violent Content
Several intense battle scenes. Some were a bit gruesome.

Drug Content
Alcohol is served at gatherings. Aileana’s friend drinks quite a bit of liquor to get drunk. A pixie living in Aileana’s closet gets drunk on honey and acts silly.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Review: Quest for the Golden Arrow by Carrie Jones

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , ,

Quest for the Golden Arrow (Time Stoppers #2)
Carrie Jones
Bloomsbury
Published May 2, 2017

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When the demon Raiff kidnaps Annie’s guardian, Miss Cornelia, the magical village of Aurora, Annie and her friends must journey to the Badlands to rescue her. Annie, a young Time Stopper who can stop time on command, doesn’t make the journey alone. Together with a team of misfits—an elf who may be the last of his kind, a boy who might be a troll, an irritable dwarf, and a stone giant obsessed with quotes—Annie embarks on a quest to find the last dragon and a golden arrow which will help her defeat Raiff and save her guardian and her village from destruction.

Quest for the Golden Arrow took a little getting used to for me. It’s super different than my usual go-to fantasy read in that it’s really quirky and silly and sort of random. I can definitely see how it would appeal to younger readers because of the high adventure elements paired with the fun, offbeat storytelling. Sometimes the characters stand around and tease each other or make jokes or conversation that has nothing to do with anything but is absolutely the kind of thing that kids really do.

While there are some heavier references (at one point the team learns Raiff tortures his captives, for instance), the story refrains from describing any real violence. Annie uses her Time Stop ability to help her friends escape from more than one battle rather than fighting the enemy head-to-head.

All in all, I think The Quest for the Golden Arrow has strong appeal for younger readers, particularly third or fourth graders. Readers interested in fantasy stories but not quite ready for the likes of Percy Jackson may find this a great introduction to the genre.

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Cultural Elements
Quest for the Golden Arrow features characters of different fantasy races, like dwarfs, elves, trolls, brounies, and giants. In one place the text mentions that Jamie’s skin is dark, but there aren’t a lot of cultural details beyond fantasy race.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
No profanity, though one character is said to swear using words about trolls, etc. Some jokes and situations about gas and poop. (A cow passes gas; a bird poops on someone’s head, etc.)

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Annie uses magic to stop time. Also, things she draws become 3D objects. Another character can draw the future, though what he draws isn’t guaranteed to happen. A hag prophesies Annie falling to evil, which haunts not only Annie but her whole team. Jamie may turn into a troll, which prejudices the town against him, and also makes Jamie continually question himself and worry that no matter what he believes and values, he may transform into an evil creature.

Annie’s adversary, Raiff, is a demon and a pretty bad dude. Through the story, Annie learns a secret about Raiff and about herself which forces her to question everything more deeply. See below for spoiler.

Violent Content
References to torture (not shown). Trolls attack Annie’s village and take pixies captive. Annie and her friends battle and attempt to escape from monsters like Snatchers (female monsters with long claws) and a Bugbear. Snake-like creatures bite Annie and her friends.

Drug Content
Brief references to alcohol. In Ireland, the team meets a dwarf who’s fifteen but look much older. He says the Guinness beer ages dwarfs faster. An older man drinks liquor from a flask.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

SPOILER – Spiritual Content
Annie learns that Raiff is her great-grandfather, and therefore, she’s part demon herself. She worries, like Jamie does, that this means she may be destined for evil no matter what she truly wants and values.

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Review: Hit the Ground Running by Mark Burley

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Hit the Ground Running
Mark Burley
Blue Moon Publishing
Published April 25, 2017

Amazon | Goodreads

A terrifying video from his brother leads Eric to think something is terribly wrong. When he learns his parents are missing, and confirms his brother’s disappearance after the video seems to show him captured and possibly shot, Eric vows to help them. He can’t do much from his remote boarding school location, but with the help of the lovely and talented Tess, who agrees to play his girlfriend in an effort to throw off pursuers, and Tess’s friends who possess some pretty amazing online skills, Eric just might have a chance at cracking the mystery and bringing his family home safely.

What Eric finds as he reaches his parents’ lab in California changes the whole game. Secret artifacts point to a dangerous ritual, and deadly assassins close in on Eric’s trail. Eric must outwit those chasing him in time to locate his family and plan their rescue.

This book pretty much had me at parkour. Apparently I’m a total sucker for stories which feature characters with an unusual interest (see my review of Graffiti Moon or Everything, Everything, which happily features another parkour kid!) so this book had me really curious.

I feel like Blue Moon Publishers has been a little hit and miss with me in terms of books I like. Hit the Ground Running was a huge win. The sense of mystery and high stakes yanked me through page after page well past my bedtime. Eric’s concern for his family and his conflicting feelings about Tess won me over superfast. The story isn’t completely from Eric’s point-of-view. Several chapters are from Tess’s point-of-view, and we get a couple of other characters sneaking in from time to time to give us their input.

If you like action-packed stories with high stakes, you will want to have this one on your summer reading list.

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters appear to be white. One of Eric’s allies is wheelchair-bound. He and his twin sister still enjoy a lot of active sports like surfing.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
A brief kiss.

Spiritual Content
Eric tells his allies about a strange situation his parents looked into, in which a dead person resurrected to exact revenge. He calls this person a Revenant. He learns his parents may have found an artifact which can be used in a ritual to grant something like resurrection, but without the gory grossness that comes from being Revenant and needing revenge, still decomposing.

Tess’s necklace shows a Makara, a mythical creature from Hindu mythology. There’s a brief description of some Hindu beliefs associated with the Makara and creation and such.

Violent Content
Eric sees video which shows a dark image of his brother getting shot. He discovers the body of a man whose throat has been cut. Bad guys chase him, he tries to escape. Some depictions of kidnapping (bound captive tossed into a trunk).

Brief reference to torture.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Review: The Rift Uprising by Amy S. Foster

Book Review and Content, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

The Rift Uprising (The Rift Uprising Trilogy #1)
Amy S. Foster
Harper Voyager
Published October 4, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The Rift Uprising
Seventeen-year-old Ryn Whittaker is a Citadel: an elite, enhanced soldier specially chosen to guard a Rift, a mysterious and dangerous portal to alternate Earths scientists cannot control or close. Trained from the age of fourteen, Ryn can run faster, jump farther, and fight better than a Navy SEAL—which is good when you’re not sure if a laser-wielding Neanderthal or an axe-wielding Viking is trying to make it through the Rift and into her world.

But the teenager’s military conditioning and education have not prepared her for the boy who crosses through—a confused young man, seemingly lost and alone. Because while there’s an immediate physical attraction, it’s his intelligence and curiosity that throws Ryn off balance. The stranger asks disturbing questions about the Rift that Ryn herself has never considered—questions that lead her to wonder if everything about her life and what she’s been told these past six years has been a lie. Are the Rifts as dangerous as her leaders say? Should her people really try to close them . . . or learn how to travel through them?

My Review
One of the things that was too much fun about this book was all the nerdy pop culture references, especially the sci-fi ones. It created an in-on-the-joke feeling, and I laughed out loud at several of them.

Ezra pretty much had me at hello. I liked the way he turned out to be a critical player in figuring out what was going on with the Rifts and the people controlling them. Ryn took a little bit for me to warm up to, but I loved the way each of her teammates had a distinct voice and approach to relationship with her. I want a whole spinoff story about Henry. Tell me that’s happening, someone!

I thought the whole Immigrant village thread made an interesting parallel to some current social issues and fears, but didn’t find it overly preachy. Generally I am a bit of a pansy where it comes to sci-fi, and I like my sci-fi pretty light. I would definitely not call this story light sci-fi, but I found the characters so compelling and the science-y elements easy to follow, so I thoroughly enjoyed it. I feel like I’ve read a couple of indie books that tried to do something like this, and The Rift Uprising is my favorite so far.

If you liked Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray or These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, you should check out The Rift Uprising.

Recommended for Ages 17 up.

Cultural Elements
Ryn and her team appear to be Caucasian. One team member, Henry, is gay. Ryn meets Ezra, an Arab-American non-practicing Muslim.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Ryn and her fellow Citadels experience Blood Lust—intense rage only sated by attacking and physically harming the person they felt attracted to—whenever they feel aroused. This means they’re unable to have sex. Ryn sets out to find a way to undo the programming which makes her this way. (Spoiler about this below.)

At one point, Ryn battles a sexy vampire and things get pretty lustful, which she makes use of as a battle strategy.

A few scenes show intense kissing and nudity/touching between a boy and girl. One scene gets pretty explicit.

Spiritual Content
Ryn believes learning about the Rift would either make someone extremely devout or a complete atheist.

The immigrant camps allow all religions, but no “fundamentalist” practices. Women aren’t allowed to wear a burqa for instance. Ryn states she feels that practice to be misogynistic.

At one point, while waiting at the Rift, the team play a game where someone ranks three people—one to have sex with, one to kill and one to marry. Violet refuses to play because other players sometimes name deities, and she feels it’s disrespectful.

Violent Content
Graphic descriptions of battles against aliens and other humans in multiple scenes.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol at a party. Ryn makes an offhand comment about a suspicion her brother may be smoking marijuana.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Spoiler
Ryn learns she and the other Citadels were made to watch explicit videos which aroused them and then beaten. The goal was to form an association between pain and arousal, which was meant to create Blood Lust.

 

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