Tag Archives: quest

Review: Secret in the Stone by Kamilla Benko

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,
Secret in the Stone by Kamilla Benko

Secret in the Stone (The Unicorn Quest #2)
Kamilla Benko
Bloomsbury Children’s
February 19, 2019

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About SECRET IN THE STONE

Claire Martinson and her sister Sophie have decided to stay in Arden–the magical land they discovered by climbing up a chimney in their great-aunt’s manor. If what they’ve learned is true, the sisters are the last descendants of the royal family, and only a true heir of Arden–with magic in her blood–can awaken the unicorns.

Since Sophie has does not have magic, the land’s last hope rests on Claire. The sisters journey to Stonehaven, a famed Gemmer school high in the mountains of Arden, so Claire can train in the magic of stone. As Claire struggles through classes, Sophie uncovers dangerous secrets about the people they thought they could trust. With Arden on the brink of crumbling, can Claire prove she is the prophesied heir and unlock the magic of the unicorns before it’s too late?

My Review

Sister books are so much fun. Sophie and Claire’s relationship felt super realistic to me. There’s a bit of a competitive edge. Sometimes Claire feels caught in Sophie’s shadow, or like Sophie doesn’t believe in Claire’s ability to be a hero in her own right. And Sophie pressures herself to be the leader and have all the answers because she’s the oldest.

SECRET IN THE STONE took some interesting turns. I don’t want to give things away, but there were two things in particular that I didn’t see coming at all, and they changed the book. I would have been curious to read the next novel in the series, but after those two things happened, I’m super interested to see where the story goes.

I liked that there’s a theme about trying new things and how harmful it can be to make assumptions about other people or hold on to grudges or judgments about others. Generally, each magic group remains separate from other groups in the story. Romances or relationships between people of different types are strictly forbidden. Under this system, magic has started to fade or die, which makes Claire wonder if isolating each type of magic has something to do with its diminishing. I thought that was a cool element to the story and a neat way to start conversation about how valuable it is to have relationships with people who are different than we are.

Overall, I enjoyed reading SECRET IN THE STONE. I liked the sister relationship and the unexpected twists the story took. Click the link to check out my review of THE UNICORN QUEST (book one in the series)

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
None.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
I think all the characters are white/straight.

Romance/Sexual Content
Sophie and a boy like each other and blush and act a bit awkward around each other.

Spiritual Content
A unicorn healed Sophie and saved her life with its magic in the first book in this series, and that moment is referenced in this one, too. Other characters have magical abilities as well. Claire learns to make gems glow with her magic. Other characters can manipulate plants or metals. Deep shadows called wraiths chase the girls and try to overwhelm them.

Violent Content
Some situations of peril. One of Claire’s friends is convicted of a crime, and Claire believes she may be sentenced to death. Some characters seem to be plotting to go to war

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

Review: The Storm Keeper’s Island by Catherine Doyle

Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , ,

The Storm Keeper’s Island
Catherine Doyle
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published January 22, 2019

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About THE STORM KEEPER’S ISLAND

When Fionn Boyle sets foot on Arranmore Island, it begins to stir beneath his feet …

Once in a generation, Arranmore Island chooses a new Storm Keeper to wield its power and keep its magic safe from enemies. The time has come for Fionn’s grandfather, a secretive and eccentric old man, to step down. Soon, a new Keeper will rise.

But, deep underground, someone has been waiting for Fionn. As the battle to become the island’s next champion rages, a more sinister magic is waking up, intent on rekindling an ancient war.

My Review

The Storm Keeper’s Island is my favorite book that I’ve read for far this year. It’s definitely one of those books whose characters stay with you and has that extra sense of magic. Fionn and his grandfather (and even his know-it-all sister) had me hooked from their earliest scenes.

Fionn chases after his older sister on a hunt for a secrete cave which, once a generation, grants a wish. Tara’s snooty boyfriend means to use it to call himself the next Storm Keeper. But all Fionn wants is to bring his dad back. The only problem is the cave lies hidden somewhere on the edge of the island, and Fionn is terrified of the ocean. So right away there are huge stakes, and lots happening between rival families on the island. Fionn’s grandfather, Malachy, has this super quirky, ridiculous feel to him, but you never doubt his love for his family.

I won’t give anything away, but the climax of the story totally got me. Oh. My. Gosh. All the weeping. I think I cried for like 25 pages. In a good way. Such a good way! So many things snapped into place and happened the way they really had to, but it made for such a powerful confrontation and strengthened the story’s focus on the value of family connections and sacrificial love.

I totally recommend THE STORM KEEPER’S ISLAND. If you liked THREE TIMES LUCKY by Sheila Turnage or BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD by Monika Schröder then definitely check out THE STORM KEEPER’S ISLAND.

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Takes place on a small island. Everyone is Irish.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The Storm Keeper has a certain kind of magic power. He can capture a storm and particular memory of something in a candle that can be burned and re-experienced. See violent content for more.

Violent Content
Fionn witnesses a battle between Dagda, the island’s ancient protector, and a sorceress who seeks to destroy it. Seeing this confrontation sparks a connection between Fionn and the sorceress– like she knows he has a special calling on the island, and she wants to steal his power.

Drug Content
None

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Affiliate links appear in this post.

Review: Storm by Bonnie Calhoun

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Storm (Stone Braide Chronicles #3)
Bonnie Calhoun
Fleming H. Revell Company
Published on November 1, 2016

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About Storm
Selah has survived the forces of both man and nature to reunite her family. But her happiness is short-lived as they are forced into a barren world of volcanic ash that conceals the storm boiling beneath. The clock is ticking and Selah’s abilities are growing–along with the list of those out for her blood.

Selah feels unworthy of her status as a novarium and is tortured by the knowledge of lives lost to protect her. Her physical and mental abilities will tempt her to be reckless, but she must learn to wield such power responsibly. Time is running out as more lives are tragically cut short and the search for the Third Protocol takes Selah into lands that have fallen into legend. Can Selah follow the trail of ancient artifacts and finish the quest? Or have she and her companions pinned their hopes on nothing more than a fanciful story?

My Review
The hardest part about reading this book was that it starts off so quickly, with so many characters and so much going on that I found it hard to get oriented. There’s a lot of story-specific vocabulary which isn’t explained right away (or in some cases at all) and several of the characters had similar names, so I kept mixing them up and forgetting which was which. I would have really liked a character glossary or list of pertinent terms, maybe even a map of the geography and Selah’s route for better orientation.

Storm follows Selah’s urgent quest to complete a task or find an element called the Third Protocol. She doesn’t know much about it, only what she learns along the way as she meets different people who each have a puzzle piece directing her onward. One thing I wish had been clearer is the part of the story that relates to the collection of children’s stories her brother and sister love called the Stone Braide stories. Those turn out to be pretty significant in terms of leading Selah on her quest, but I didn’t feel like that element was well-integrated into the story. The book is mentioned several times, but always in passing and then suddenly it contains answers that dramatically alter the quest, but still only gets a momentary focus. It would have been cool to see that developed more and have chapters begin with quotes from the book or have various trials along the way make Selah’s siblings share bits from the stories.

Other than some of the confusing elements, I feel like the story moved quickly and had a lot of action. I’m guessing some of the terms would be more familiar to me if I remembered more from earlier books or read the whole series pretty quickly. If you like books with a broad cast of characters and larger stage with a dystopian feel, this series has a lot to offer. I’d recommend beginning with the first book and either keeping some notes or reading all three books within a short time.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Some vague references to clans or tribes but few details in terms of culture or race.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kisses between a young man and woman.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Battle scenes involving arrows, guns, lasers, and explosives. Some characters are fatally wounded in battle. Brief descriptions of injuries.

Drug Content
None.

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