Book Review – Page 40 – The Constellation of Moon

The Burning Review

Posted on March 28, 2019

The Burning by Laura Bates

A rumour is like a fire. You might think you’ve extinguished it but one creeping, red tendril, one single wisp of smoke is enough to let it leap back into life again. Especially if someone is watching, waiting to fan the flames …

New school.
Tick.
New town.
Tick.
New surname.
Tick.
Social media profiles?
Erased.

There’s nothing to trace Anna back to her old life. Nothing to link her to the ‘incident’.

At least that’s what she thinks … until the whispers start up again. As time begins to run out on her secrets, Anna finds herself irresistibly drawn to the tale of Maggie, a local girl accused of witchcraft centuries earlier. A girl whose story has terrifying parallels to Anna’s own…

Rating:

This book sounded like the kind of grippy gritty books I have recently been into, so I grabbed it. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting (not to say it really wasn’t at all).

I expected the thing that Anna is trying to forget to be something else, so when it finally surfaces I was more like “oh, it’s that? meh” rather than “oh wow!”. Won’t spoil what it is, but this book certainly touches on topics like abortion, torture, abuse, bullying and the kind.

The witchy part was my favourite of it all. When they move to the new house Anna notices some odd marks scratched into the beams of the house and things like that, and turns out they’re witches marks, to try to disuade the spirit of the witch to come back and haunt the people that bought the house.

All the story of the “witch” was quite interesting, and it was intense. I was so angry for her, and I really liked that Thomas had an opinion and the part he “played” in it (yes, I wish it was different, but hey, this was way far back in time).

Another thing I really enjoyed was the friendships developed here. Partly it touches on how friends can turn on you and fall to peer pressure, which is something I had happen a lot during high school when I used to be bullied. My “best friend” would bully me in public then outside of school treat me completely different. Go figure! Regardless, it is interesting to see how each of the old and new friendships Anna slowly biulds develop, and that they are unique, most of the characters involved didn’t feel bland which was lovely because they were part of Anna’s world and not just plot props. Kudos for that.

The topic and the thing Anna deals with is important, I just imagined something else and it then fell under my expectations, but it hooked me so I read it before dinner the other day.

I guess you’d say my overall rating comes from having different expectations (my fault a little, part the blurbs fault) but it was an interesting book that I enjoyed reading.

Book Review, Books

The Whisper Review

Posted on March 24, 2019

The Whisper by Pamela Zagarenski

When a little girl received a curious book filled only with pictures, a whisper urges her to create the words she cannot see. As the pages turn, her imagination takes flight and she discovers that the greatest storyteller of all might come from within.

A celebration of reading and the power of the imagination, Pamela Zagarenski’s debut as an author reminds us that we each bring something different to the same book.

Rating:

This was totally a cover buy (most of my illustrated children’s books usually are cover buys), a girl with a cute red eared hoodie and a fox and a huge book, of course, I don’t care what it is about I need it.

Good thing it is actually a nice sweet book. And it is mostly about letting your imagination run and have some fun, but also to enjoy books, and how books and words can be “not boring” because you can imagine, and you can create. All the stories, ideas, and you can even change stories in your head with a pinch of imagination.

The author is also the illustrator and you can see just how much love and care there was into making this book match in words and drawings (not saying other books don’t, just that you can see it very well in this one).

The amount of foxes and gorgeous ideas was quite good, and there is a lot to encourage reading.

I know, short review, but it is a short book however the illustrations do make you pause and make them match the words, and try to find what else you can see in it.

Book Review, Books

Echo Murder Review

Posted on March 22, 2019

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Echo Murder by Laura Laakso

Yannia Wilde returns to the Wild Folk conclave where she grew up, and to the deathbed of her father, the conclave’s Elderman. She is soon drawn back into the Wild Folk way of life and into a turbulent relationship with Dearon, to whom she is betrothed.

Back in London, unassuming office worker Tim Wedgebury is surprised when police appear on his doorstep with a story about how he was stabbed in the West End. His body disappeared before the paramedics’ eyes. Given that Tim is alive and well, the police chalk the first death up to a Mage prank. But when Tim “dies” a second time, Detective Inspector Jamie Manning calls Yannia and, torn between returning to the life she has built in Old London and remaining loyal to the conclave and to Dearon, she strikes a compromise with the Elderman that allows her to return temporarily to the city.

There she sets about solving the mystery of Tim’s many deaths with the help of her apprentice, Karrion. They come to realise that with every death, more of the echo becomes reality, and Yannia and Karrion find themselves in increasing danger as they try to save Tim. Who is the echo murderer? What sinister game are they playing? And what do they truly want?

Rating:

The delightful wonderful human behind LWB sent me a copy of this book to review, because I have fallen so hard for Fallible Justice, and I couldn’t wait to read the next one. As the sticker says, I can do whatever about it. But even if I didn’t get this early copy, I am/was getting a copy anyway.

Now to the review. The book picks up just from where Fallible Justice ends. Yannia is making her way back to the Conclave and the Wild Folk with Dearon. Karion has stayed back to do his thing (whatever that is).

And we also meet Lizzie and Tim, who like to go on dates, and Tim really seems to be on the bad side of luck, because he keeps dying every time he goes out with Lizzie. Best/worst part? Tim doesn’t have a girlfriend, and he’s very much alive. So who gets called in?

Yannia does (no ghostbusters in this one!).And this lady isn’t stepping down from investigating things, so she starts trying to find out what type of magic and who could’ve done this.

The tricky thing the “illusions” of the murders are starting to bleed in with the real Tim, and it is becoming more and more dangerous as time goes by. What is making this particular magic so powerful? How can it be?

I loved the writing and the story. However, I have to say that this book has a lot of violence, and some of it is domestic, there is abuse, and well, it is an intense book. But it is also extremely good. I opted for reading it in the morning during a flight. One of those “read it in one sitting”.

It was quite good, and it keep me wondering. Alas, because of the particular topic, it was relatively easy for me to figure out who was behind the Echo murders, and part of the motive. But not everything I guessed and the reasons unspooling as Yannia understood them and raced to catch the one behind it all before Tim actually dies. High stakes indeed.

Karion, Wishearth, Lady Bergamot and a few others still make an appearance, so all good for me. So my take is, read Fallible Justice, read this, and cry until the next one comes out because it is so far away. (You can come cry with me, I’ll share my blanket fort, and give you access to the Moon library).

Book Review, Books

BLOG TOUR: Sapphire Smyth and The Shadow Five: Shadows Part One by R. J. Furness // Review

Posted on March 20, 2019

Sapphire Smyth & The Shadow Five: Shadows (Part One) by R.J. Furness

Have you ever seen something you can’t explain? Did it vanish as fast as it appeared?
Perhaps that thing you saw was lurking in the shadows, and you caught a glimpse of it before it went back into hiding.
There’s a good chance, of course, that the thing you saw simply emerged from your imagination.
Or maybe, just maybe, it didn’t…

Sapphire Smyth is no stranger to rejection. When she was only a baby, her father abandoned her after her mother died. Since then, Sapphire has never felt like she belonged anywhere, or with anyone. To make things worse, Sapphire’s foster carers have now turned their back on her – on her eighteenth birthday. After living with them throughout her childhood, Sapphire has to find a new home. Is it any wonder she finds it hard to trust people?

Abandoned by the people she called family, Sapphire is alone and searching for some meaning in her life. Except that meaning has already come looking for her. When Sapphire discovers mysterious creatures lurking in the shadows, she soon realises that her fate is unlike anything she had ever imagined.

“Sapphire Smyth & The Shadow Five” is a six-part, serialised young adult fantasy story!

Rating:

Well look at that, my orange rating foxes fit perfectly with this book’s cover. And before I get into the full review, as a disclaimer, I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. No one forced me to write what I have written here (no drakes, no shades).

R. J. Furness was already on my radar, thanks to the Orgo stories (and the Orgo Adventures). So when he mentioned this new idea I was happy to give it a go and see what it was all about.

This is a very fast paced book, despite being short. And I had to pause and make sure I knew what had just happened. There is also a lot of “secrets” and so much to find out, when I reached the last page I kinda thought !it isn’t fair, I need answers now!”

We meet Sapphire as she is running away from her foster parents home and panicking about what to do next. I know the purpose of this is to set the story, but I kept thinking that foster parents that have kept a child for 16-18 years (which is what is implied) won’t just suddenly kick the child out. If they were the kind that just do it for the money, then Sapphire would’ve been SO ready to leave and counting down to her 18th birthday (I say this as I know a couple of people who were in situations like that). The only way I can think that Sapphire couldn’t see it coming is that she is stupid, but that doesn’t really fit with the Sapphire we meet, so this is a bit of a plot issue (but I know most will see past it, and it isn’t huge, it was just a little dissonant for me).

Otherwise, the rest of the story just keeps you trying to figure out what is going on with the shadows, what Ben knows and why Sapphire is suddenly thrown into this. I actually really liked the chapter that sets things of with Michelle and Jason. I’d like to find out more about them too.

Basically, I now have SO many questions I don’t even know where to start, but the best start is probably to keep reading the book.

R.J. was super kind and surprised me with a box of goodies(see below). I have never had blackcurrant licorice sweets, so this was an intriguing surprise. I kinda like licorice but not always, so I was a bit unsure. Also, when I got the goodies I was so puzzled by what each item meant, but now I know they fit the story so well!

And of course, this cover wins because it is an orange fox, and there is a fox in the story and I want to know more about the shadow fox and what Sapphire is going to discover in the next “part”.

Book Review, Books

Everdark Review

Posted on March 18, 2019

Everdark by Abi Elphinstone

It is midnight in Crackledawn – a midnight full of magic. Sea dragons stir in the depths of the ocean, silver whales surface beneath the moon and sand goblins line the shores. Everyone is waiting for the phoenix, the guardian of the kingdom’s magic, to rise up from the forests of Everdark.

But there is no sign of the phoenix tonight. Something else surges up out of Everdark instead: a harpy bent on stealing Crackledawn’s magic.

It is up to an eleven-year-old girl called Smudge and an eccentric monkey called Bartholomew to set sail beyond the legendary Northswirl and stop the harpy before it’s too late.

So, grab your compass and roll down your sail – the first adventure in THE UNMAPPED CHRONICLES is about to begin…

Rating:

I enjoyed this little book so much and it made me want to read Rumblestar even more (I already wanted to).

We meet Smudge, who isn’t the very best at, well, anything. She struggles to be a good student, and isn’t sure she fits the potential careers she can have. We also meet her monkey companion, Bartholomew, and well, poor Smudge has no choice but to save the world because she is the only one that wasn’t cursed.

So she sets off to try to sort this out, with just her courage, and her unusual view of the world and ideas.

I enjoyed reading it very much. It is a good reminder of why I still love to read Middle Grade books even if I have no children myself and I am most definitely not a child myself.

The quest keeps moving forward, and the book does a good job at pointing out that being different and not fitting the status quo isn’t always bad, but rather, gives you an opportunity to be something else. Here it is an adventurer, but in our world we would potentially consider them to be the creatives, the innovators.

There’s a lot of magic, a lot of happy accidents that somehow help them out and a lot of courage from Smudge.

Book Review, Books

Moon Review

Posted on March 12, 2019

Moon by Britta Teekentrup

Over deserts and forests, Arctic tundra and tropical beaches, the moon shines down on creatures around the world. Children will love discovering how it changes from day to day as the lunar cycle is shown through clever peek-through holes, each revealing the moon in a different size and shape.

It’s the perfect light nonfiction book for young stargazers–and an ideal bedtime book, ending with a giant moon hovering over a sleepy town hunkered down for bed.

Rating:

This book had been in my radar for various reasons. Foxes on the cover and well, the title was already calling my name (look at that, I can make puns!). And I found it to be a great “bedtime” book.

For starters it has cutout phases of the moon throughout it, which I used to love as a child and still do (and they work really nicely, I was like “oh look, it keeps adding effect”). But it also has not a lot of lines to read out loud. Plus it talks about nightime and bedtime around the world, which is great for encouraging any kiddo to go sleep.

And of course, it is full of animals and nature through the pages getting ready for nightitme. The colour palette could’ve been a little more vibrant but it does work well for the purpose of “sleepy” time encouragement, so it isn’t a complaint but more of an “I just wish it was more vibrant because it is so gorgeous”.

As a proper adult, I of course, thoroughly enjoyed poking at the moon peek-through holes, and following the shape of the moon as the pages go past, plus trying to see every little detail of each page and the animals/climate/place in it.

Book Review, Books

Franklin and Luna Go to the Moon Review

Posted on March 8, 2019

Franklin and Luna go to the Moon by Jen Campbell, illustrated by Katie Harnett

Luna’s best friend, Franklin, is a dragon. They love to read stories about everything from trampolining to deep-sea diving. One day, they are reading about where werewolves live and Franklin begins to wonder where he is from. He is 605 years old and has no idea where to find other dragons!

Luna suggests that they go on an adventure to find his family. They Google his family tree, they e-mail a princess, and along the way they find twenty yetis eating spaghetti, five vampires reading Shakespeare, not to mention disco-dancing unicorns . . . but no dragons!

Where on earth could they be?

Following the success of Franklin’s Flying Bookshop, Franklin and Luna Go to the Moon― a book about the joys of reading, exploring, and coming home― continues to bring the magic of classic fairy tales into the twenty-first century.

Rating:

When I saw there was a “sequel” to Franklin’s Flying Bookshop, I had to buy it! When it arrived the box was huge, so I was surpsied by it.

The artwork is still very cool, and now we aren’t setting up a bookshop (they did that in the first book), but we are finding out what they do now that they are good friends and that they read a lot. All kinds of adventures, but then they try to find Franklin’s family and just seem to not get much out anyhting (there’s a hint here of Nessie, the Loch Ness monster which I found cute).

Then they wonder if maybe there is something in the moon, so why not try to fly there? (nevermind science, it is a dragon, right?) They get to the moon and they find dragons!

The artwork is still super cute, but the story wasn’t as nice and cute as the first one. I wasn’t into it as much as I was for the bookshop one and thought I liked the idea of finding more of Franklin’s family, when we find the dragons I wasn’t elated or excited about it. I guess that defines the fact I just didn’t engage as well with it, which is sad because I was really looking forward to it.

However I can still recommend wholeheartedly the first book.

Book Review

The Spinner of Dreams Review

Posted on March 6, 2019

The Spinner of Dreams by K. A. Reynolds

Annalise Meriwether–though kind, smart, and curious–is terribly lonely.

Cursed at birth by the devious Fate Spinner, Annalise has always lived a solitary life with her loving parents. She does her best to ignore the cruel townsfolk of her desolate town–but the black mark on her hand won’t be ignored.

Not when the monster living within it, which seems to have an agenda of its own, grows more unpredictable each day.

There’s only one way for Annalise to rid herself of her curse: to enter the Labyrinth of Fate and Dreams and defeat the Fate Spinner. So despite her anxiety, Annalise sets out to undo the curse that’s defined her–and to show the world, and herself, exactly who she is inside.

Rating:

I had preordered this lovely book at the start of the year when I did a huge sweep of books to preorder, and then the lovely Asha (@cat_book_tea) had an ARC and thought I would love (which made me smile because I already thought I’d love it, so yay!). And then the author did a giveaway and I won a digital copy of it.

Due to my photosensitivity I rarely ever read anything in digital format and do not accept review copies of this kind (plus, I prefer if someone who may actually read it in that format gets a chance for it instead of “gathering electrical dust”). So I politely mentioned this to her, and lo and behold. I now have a physical copy. I felt SO seen, which automatically made me smile whenever I picked this proof copy.

But now unto the actual contents of the book. This is a middle grade book and boy! It is the kind of book I wish I had written, you know how they say, “write the books you want to read”? Well, my child/teen self would’ve loved to read this book at the time. This is the book that the me then should’ve written. And now I have written myself into a loop of writing. Nevermind that.

We start with the introduction to what, or rather who, the Fate and Dream Spinner are. You could say we start with a “fairytale”. Then we get a “more in reality” view, and finally, we meet Annalise, our main character (MC). She has purple hair (loved it!) and is cursed. The day she was born lots of bad things happened and the whole town hates her, despite how much she tries to be kind and nice (and she is, not just tries). Then hope appears and things go a bit wrong, so she decides she has to challenge the Fate Spinner, solve the Labyrinth and ask the Dream Spinner to fulfill her dream (to rule her own destiny).

And that way we begin the quest to find the way to the labyrinth first of all (I liked that this has to be done rather than just wishing and ending up in front of the Labyrinth). Along the way we meet Muse, a talking cat with a hat and monocle (huge huge Ghibli vibes from Muse, and I absolutely loved that!). We also meet Mr. Edwards, a fox also wanting to make his dream come true alongside his husband fox, Mr. Amorieux.

The labyrinth is a good quest plot, and it kept me entretained, and also rooting for each fo the characters, including the minor ones (like trees, or a cockatrice, or a pair of siblings). The character growth of Annalise is gradual, and that was something I appreciated, as sometimes the character has this magic shortcut to growth and that is that. Annalise has magic, but it is a curse in her hand, so not exactly the nice shortcut.

Another thing that made me treasure this book more was that Annalise struggled with anxiety and panic attacks. She counts in fours. I do that too. Either with my breaths or counting in German 1,2,3,4… 5,6,7,8… then restart. The German counting is the only one that kinda goes beyond four, but I do it in chunks of four. So it was nice to see that and easily identify with her.

All the little or big plot twists fit well and none felt too crazy (I figured a few out, one I got it slightly wrong, but the “nature” of it I had right). The world building is also precise, even if you only get a glimpse of it. And I found the characters charming.

Basically, everyone should read this book and maybe eat some nice cake with it. With a lovely cup of tea. Enjoy!

Book Review

Free love, creativity and monsters

Posted on March 4, 2019

Monsters

Monsters: The Passion and Loss that Created Frankenstein by Sharon Dogar

Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin is only a young teenager when Sir Bysshe Shelley first enters her home, where she lives with her father, her step-mom, and her sisters Jane and Fanny. Like almost everyone else, Bysshe is soon infatuated with Mary’s impressive but sorrowful heritage, her intellect, her determination and progressive values about women’s right to freedom and equality. Mary herself, as well as her sisters, falls in love with Bysshe, a handsome and troubled poet, and maybe more than the person himself, his ideas about and attempt to form a new world, where class and gender is secondary, and equality and free love shall prosper. This becomes the start of a remarkable journey, where the strive for a different world, and the consequences thereof, pushes Mary deeper and deeper into a spiral of psychological, emotional, artistic and physical monstrosity and loss, that eventually leads up to her writing the famous novel Frankenstein.

Rating: 🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖

Honestly, I was a bit put off when I received this book in January’s Bookbox Club-box. Historical fiction really isn’t my cup of tea, and even though I’ve been interested in Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley ever since I studied literature, Monsters is a massive book, and it’s set in the early 1800’s, so that did get me a bit sceptical.

However, while historical fiction isn’t my favourite genre, two of my absolute favourite subjects quickly appeared to be in the center of this story: feminism and tragic love. That kept me reading, even though I initially found it a bit tricky, since the story is told by an all-knowing narrator, and shifts perspective between the (quite many) characters all the time. The language though was quite easy, fast paced and flowing, and not at all old and dusty (there’s my prejudice towards historical fiction again … ). And even though I struggled for the first couple of pages, I’m so happy that I kept reading. Because suddenly, I couldn’t stop.

This is a story about a remarkable person, author and destiny, but it is also so much more than that. It is a story about social and societal boundaries, about women’s rights, about sorrow, about love, and about the norms we’ve set for how certain emotions and situations are supposed to be felt and handled. It is not the first book written about free love and the will to change the world, but the fact that it is about a teenage girl with high expectations lying heavily on her shoulders, sets it apart. Because usually, these types of idealistic attempts about how to live are often expressed through someone like Bysshe. Someone (male and white) that can afford to try on different life styles without being particularly affected. For Mary though, the consequences of practicing free love soon becomes a question of life and death. That brings on a pragmatic aspect, that is so much-needed when discussing what boundaries societal norms set for our lives, and for our practicing of artistic creativity. And it makes us think about who’s really the monster.

Monsters is a well needed and fresh breeze, taking on a new perspective on subjects that’s been literary praised, but honestly has gotten a bit old and well too mansplained. Read this book. It’s gonna be one of the best you’ve read this year.

Dr. Bea approves

For further reading, I of course recommend Mary Shelley’s own Frankenstein. And if you’re into more fictional/factual biographies on writing women, Oranges are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson and the diaries of Virgina Woolf should be your next reads!

Book Review, Books

Little Red Reading Hood Review

Posted on February 28, 2019

Little Red Reading Hood by Lucy Rowland and Ben Mantle

“Whilst leaving footpaths should NEVER be done,
Straying from stories is all sorts of fun!

Little Red Reading Hood LOVES reading books and making up stories of her own. When she meets a cunning wolf while on her way to the library, he convinces her to stray from the path and read for a little while. But hasn’t she read this in a story before? Perhaps it’s time she came up with a new ending . . .

A contemporary and fun take on the classic fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood. Created by incredible new picture book partnership, Lucy Rowland and Ben Mantle, Little Red Reading Hood will inspire children, and adults, about the magic of books and reading.”

Rating:

Sometimes I really fancy reading a short illustrated book. And most of those times I want a satisfying easy story with gorgeous artwork. This little book has that.

It is a retelling of Red Riding Hood but this time it includes books, and a visit to the library! (Overdue books are bad!) It rhymes (I find that I enjoy easy rhymes where it isn’t “fancy poetry” but just a simple rhyme that tells a story well. Also, rhyming in English is painful! This requires a lot of skill). The interactions and rhymes made me laugh and smile and as I caught on that it rhymed, I kept trying to guess what the next line would say and what word it’d end with. (Wow, that’s a lot of variations on a single word, I’ll run with it!)

The colour palette of the artwork is quite magical and is good at providing “context”. Library, stories, woods, all have different tones but it all matches and works well together. Very pleasant story and the end made me smile and go “yeah, I like that, it is a good ending”.

(Sometimes it is hard to rave about picture books when you try to not include spoilers and also admire the artwork. I choose either for story or artwork, sometimes I get lucky and get both, like this time.)