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I Never Gave My Consent
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In 2013, a series of high-profile court cases sent shockwaves through the West Midlands town of...
Gage (Angelbound Offspring #8) by Christina Bauer
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Gage runs the L’Griffe, AKA the dragon shifter mafia on Earth. Since the human realm has no...
Young Adult Fantasy Series
Would You Rather? Book for Kids 8-12: 350 Challenging Questions, Silly Scenarios, and Hilarious Situations
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Why settle for a boring day when you can sprinkle it with the magic of laughter? This fantastic...
Kyera (8 KP) rated Gentleman's Guide To Vice And Virtue in Books
Jan 31, 2018
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is a hilarious romp through the 1700's. Monty is a well-off, yet rakish gentleman who is sent off of a Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend, Percy and his sister, Felicity. Three the manage to, of course, get into trouble and a wonderfully fun journey for the reader ensues. This light, humorous, historical fiction read is a must - even if you don't think you're normally a historical fiction person.
Monty is quite enamored with himself and unconcerned about the responsibility that his title infers that he should possess. He doesn't think through his actions and gets in more trouble than the pretty face of his would lead you to believe. Despite that, and despite his absolute ineptitude, you can't help but love him as a character. His shenanigans and lack of forethought throw the trio into a situation that they might not make it out of unscathed.
Percy, his best friend, is much more responsible and adds a perspective to the history that we might not think of otherwise. Although his father is a titled man, he fathered Percy with a woman of colour which gives readers the perspective of a man of mixed-race rather than the white-privilege that we see from Monty. Felicity is well-educated because she is stubborn and refuses to bow to the whims of society. She wants to study medicine, so she finds any book she can on the subject and devours it. Felicity's character also allows readers to see the position of a woman in those times, to realize how far we have come in the treatment of woman, or just anyone who is not a Caucasian male, their equality, and how far we still have to go on all accounts.
I have noticed that some people find the story to be slow, which is not quite how I would describe it. The first few chapters might be tough to get into as it is not immediately the energy of a swashbuckling pirate adventure or high stakes battle in space, but it does find its stride. The journey the reader is taken on is highly enjoyable and certainly worth the slower early build up. Plus the flirting is precious and I want to believe that it is a historically accurate portrayal of a person from that time period.
Mackenzie Lee does a wonderful job of taking us on a Grand Tour of Europe, despite the fact that most of us probably are not familiar with the continent in the 1700's. She adds authentic little items into the story like cities, events or jobs that make the story feel real. It is clear that she did a lot of research and it makes her book shine.
I highly recommend this to young adult/teen readers even if they don't feel that they are historical fiction readers. This story is fun and will give you all of the feels, although you may want to hit Monty upside the head a few times. This cute story will leave you wanting more of the trio and wondering if you are a historical fiction fan after all.
Monty is quite enamored with himself and unconcerned about the responsibility that his title infers that he should possess. He doesn't think through his actions and gets in more trouble than the pretty face of his would lead you to believe. Despite that, and despite his absolute ineptitude, you can't help but love him as a character. His shenanigans and lack of forethought throw the trio into a situation that they might not make it out of unscathed.
Percy, his best friend, is much more responsible and adds a perspective to the history that we might not think of otherwise. Although his father is a titled man, he fathered Percy with a woman of colour which gives readers the perspective of a man of mixed-race rather than the white-privilege that we see from Monty. Felicity is well-educated because she is stubborn and refuses to bow to the whims of society. She wants to study medicine, so she finds any book she can on the subject and devours it. Felicity's character also allows readers to see the position of a woman in those times, to realize how far we have come in the treatment of woman, or just anyone who is not a Caucasian male, their equality, and how far we still have to go on all accounts.
I have noticed that some people find the story to be slow, which is not quite how I would describe it. The first few chapters might be tough to get into as it is not immediately the energy of a swashbuckling pirate adventure or high stakes battle in space, but it does find its stride. The journey the reader is taken on is highly enjoyable and certainly worth the slower early build up. Plus the flirting is precious and I want to believe that it is a historically accurate portrayal of a person from that time period.
Mackenzie Lee does a wonderful job of taking us on a Grand Tour of Europe, despite the fact that most of us probably are not familiar with the continent in the 1700's. She adds authentic little items into the story like cities, events or jobs that make the story feel real. It is clear that she did a lot of research and it makes her book shine.
I highly recommend this to young adult/teen readers even if they don't feel that they are historical fiction readers. This story is fun and will give you all of the feels, although you may want to hit Monty upside the head a few times. This cute story will leave you wanting more of the trio and wondering if you are a historical fiction fan after all.
Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome by E.M. Berens
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Silver footed, fair haired Thetis, Ares the God of War, Nike the Goddess of Victory, The Furies and...
Looking for the Outsider: Albert Camus and the Life of a Literary Classic
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The Outsider is a rite of passage for readers around the world. Since its publication in France in...
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated The Beguiled in Books
Jun 5, 2019
“A classic slice of Southern Gothic, shot through with psychological suspense, which is the basis for Sofia Coppola’s (winner of Best Director at Cannes) 2017 film of the same name starring Nicola Kidman, Colin Farrell and Kirsten Dunst”. Source: wiki/The_Beguiled_(2017_film).
The book was originally written with the title A Painted Devil and some of you eagle-eyed readers and film fanatics may also remember this was a film starring Clint Eastwood and Geraldine Page in the ’70s. The maid in the latter film and this 1966 novel, was black and there was also another bi-racial character, too. However, in the new film, mentioned above, this bi-racial character was played by Kirsten Dunst. This totally ruined the whole point of the book that the black woman was really a slave in their household and the bi-racial woman (who was a free woman) could not seem to see that she herself was not truly white. And that, dear readers, is a very relevant part of the original book, why change it? (Rolls eyes). Is it so wrong to portray this black woman exactly how the author intended her to be? The way I see it, what she did in that house was her way of surviving. It’s an integral part of the story. Why hide it?
After all, if you look at the underage sex and the way the main male character acts by taking advantage of his position in a household full of young girls who are basically shut away from society, should he also be seen as wrong? These young girls are easy prey, but some, are also very willing to learn… Incidentally, I must say the heat and sexual tension within the book is superbly done.
I found parts of the way this was written to be a little repetitive and confusing in style, despite this, it was still a great story. It’s only told from the girls’ perspective, which in many ways adds to this atmospheric, hothouse of lies and deceit the further into the story you delve.
The Beguiled is chock full with a Gothic sense of foreboding and unease, set against a backdrop of the Civil War, which made for some serious, ghostly tension. Who is this injured solider who turns up on their doorstep? How can these girls protect themselves from this seductive man when they have no idea what life is like outside the four walls of the house they live in?
If you read right to the end you’ll find out the brilliant twist of fate this story has in store for you. A devious surprise!
The book was originally written with the title A Painted Devil and some of you eagle-eyed readers and film fanatics may also remember this was a film starring Clint Eastwood and Geraldine Page in the ’70s. The maid in the latter film and this 1966 novel, was black and there was also another bi-racial character, too. However, in the new film, mentioned above, this bi-racial character was played by Kirsten Dunst. This totally ruined the whole point of the book that the black woman was really a slave in their household and the bi-racial woman (who was a free woman) could not seem to see that she herself was not truly white. And that, dear readers, is a very relevant part of the original book, why change it? (Rolls eyes). Is it so wrong to portray this black woman exactly how the author intended her to be? The way I see it, what she did in that house was her way of surviving. It’s an integral part of the story. Why hide it?
After all, if you look at the underage sex and the way the main male character acts by taking advantage of his position in a household full of young girls who are basically shut away from society, should he also be seen as wrong? These young girls are easy prey, but some, are also very willing to learn… Incidentally, I must say the heat and sexual tension within the book is superbly done.
I found parts of the way this was written to be a little repetitive and confusing in style, despite this, it was still a great story. It’s only told from the girls’ perspective, which in many ways adds to this atmospheric, hothouse of lies and deceit the further into the story you delve.
The Beguiled is chock full with a Gothic sense of foreboding and unease, set against a backdrop of the Civil War, which made for some serious, ghostly tension. Who is this injured solider who turns up on their doorstep? How can these girls protect themselves from this seductive man when they have no idea what life is like outside the four walls of the house they live in?
If you read right to the end you’ll find out the brilliant twist of fate this story has in store for you. A devious surprise!
Kyera (8 KP) rated Rise of the Elgen (Michael Vey, #2) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Michael is a 14-year-old who has electrical powers and is joined in this novel by his fellow Electro-Clan members. In this book, Michael and his friends must battle the Elgen again in order to save his mother from their clutches. It was nice to see the world we had come to inhabit in the first book expanded in the second. We got a deeper look into the Elgen, their plans and one of their other secret locations. If you haven't read the first book, this may spoil you so please read that (or my first review) before you read the second book's review.
I felt the same way about the second book as I did the first. The overall idea of this story was very intriguing, although I found the writing to be lacking at times. One of the biggest elements that drew me out of the story was the author's inability to choose a word other than <i>said</i> to describe when a person was speaking. It became frustrating to listen to the characters talk when the entire page just repeated, "he said... she said... then they said... he said again." By that point, I was pretty over the word said. It definitely detracted from the story, which I found enjoyable overall.
There was a little more character development in this novel than the first, as I found myself connecting to the characters more. Although I still don't find that they are three-dimensional enough, I do care if they succeed or not. The relationship between Michael and Taylor was very insta-love-y in the first book, but I liked seeing more support for it in this book. It is starting to feel more authentic and less like an overused trope.
As there are five other books in the series, I hope that the character development and world building will be improved upon. It definitely continued from the first to the second book and I felt more knowledgeable about the world as the story continued. The author definitely writes for a younger audience; the writing style was not as developed or mature as I would expect for a young adult reader.
I would recommend it to middle-grade readers, as well as young adult/teen readers who enjoy their fantasy books in a familiar setting. Don't expect flowery writing or deep characterization, just let the story take you on a fun, easy journey.
I felt the same way about the second book as I did the first. The overall idea of this story was very intriguing, although I found the writing to be lacking at times. One of the biggest elements that drew me out of the story was the author's inability to choose a word other than <i>said</i> to describe when a person was speaking. It became frustrating to listen to the characters talk when the entire page just repeated, "he said... she said... then they said... he said again." By that point, I was pretty over the word said. It definitely detracted from the story, which I found enjoyable overall.
There was a little more character development in this novel than the first, as I found myself connecting to the characters more. Although I still don't find that they are three-dimensional enough, I do care if they succeed or not. The relationship between Michael and Taylor was very insta-love-y in the first book, but I liked seeing more support for it in this book. It is starting to feel more authentic and less like an overused trope.
As there are five other books in the series, I hope that the character development and world building will be improved upon. It definitely continued from the first to the second book and I felt more knowledgeable about the world as the story continued. The author definitely writes for a younger audience; the writing style was not as developed or mature as I would expect for a young adult reader.
I would recommend it to middle-grade readers, as well as young adult/teen readers who enjoy their fantasy books in a familiar setting. Don't expect flowery writing or deep characterization, just let the story take you on a fun, easy journey.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Outcasts (Brotherband Chronicles, #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>The Outcasts</i> is the first book in the <i>Brotherband Chronicles</i> about teenaged Hal and his small team of misfit friends. Set in times when to be a warrior and be part of a crew on a wooden ship were some of the highest honours, all boys when approaching the age of sixteen have to endure months of exhausting training. The popular boys form together Brotherbands containing the candidates with the most potential leaving Hal and seven other social outcasts to form the final group: the Herons.
Despite their severe disadvantage, Hal must encourage the Herons to use their brains to outwit the strength of the other Brotherbands in order to defeat them at the challenges the instructors set and become the ultimate winners.
Hal is instantly a likeable character. He is talented, intelligent, kind and thoughtful and makes an excellent and inspiring team leader. Although this book is set in a fictional historical period, there are many things that a young reader can relate to, for example bullying and racial discrimination.
As well as the Brotherband training there is a lot of ship and sailing references that may appeal to male readers of a certain age. The author, John Flanagan, realizes that many people today would not be familiar with the ins and outs of sailing and has included a glossary explaining numerous nautical terms that are used during the novel. These are defined in an easy to understand way, as the target audience is those of ages ten and upwards.
There are a limited amount of female characters, which suggests that these chronicles are written with male teenage readers in mind. Despite this it is still an enjoyable, exciting book regardless of your gender. The character developments are excellent and the Herons are an admirable team.
Initially it took a while to get into the story. The reader does not meet Hal until part two of four as it begins twelve years prior to the main timeline. Throughout this section the only characters are adults, which the target audience is less likely to relate to. For this reason, and due to some of the violence, I personally would recommend this book for ages thirteen and older rather than the “10+” suggested on the back cover.
Overall <i>Brotherband: The Outcasts</i> is a brilliant book and it was refreshing for a young adult novel not to revolve around a romantic relationship. The next book in the series looks as promising as the first, which has left us wanting to know more!
<i>The Outcasts</i> is the first book in the <i>Brotherband Chronicles</i> about teenaged Hal and his small team of misfit friends. Set in times when to be a warrior and be part of a crew on a wooden ship were some of the highest honours, all boys when approaching the age of sixteen have to endure months of exhausting training. The popular boys form together Brotherbands containing the candidates with the most potential leaving Hal and seven other social outcasts to form the final group: the Herons.
Despite their severe disadvantage, Hal must encourage the Herons to use their brains to outwit the strength of the other Brotherbands in order to defeat them at the challenges the instructors set and become the ultimate winners.
Hal is instantly a likeable character. He is talented, intelligent, kind and thoughtful and makes an excellent and inspiring team leader. Although this book is set in a fictional historical period, there are many things that a young reader can relate to, for example bullying and racial discrimination.
As well as the Brotherband training there is a lot of ship and sailing references that may appeal to male readers of a certain age. The author, John Flanagan, realizes that many people today would not be familiar with the ins and outs of sailing and has included a glossary explaining numerous nautical terms that are used during the novel. These are defined in an easy to understand way, as the target audience is those of ages ten and upwards.
There are a limited amount of female characters, which suggests that these chronicles are written with male teenage readers in mind. Despite this it is still an enjoyable, exciting book regardless of your gender. The character developments are excellent and the Herons are an admirable team.
Initially it took a while to get into the story. The reader does not meet Hal until part two of four as it begins twelve years prior to the main timeline. Throughout this section the only characters are adults, which the target audience is less likely to relate to. For this reason, and due to some of the violence, I personally would recommend this book for ages thirteen and older rather than the “10+” suggested on the back cover.
Overall <i>Brotherband: The Outcasts</i> is a brilliant book and it was refreshing for a young adult novel not to revolve around a romantic relationship. The next book in the series looks as promising as the first, which has left us wanting to know more!
It Could Have Been Fantastic
I feel very conflicted about this YA novel so please bear with me as I try to explain why!
The positives first. The plot is very interesting and well thought out. Although not entirely original it isn't your run of the mill haunted house story either.
The main characters are well rounded and sympathetic. They each have a strong voice and are relatable. The author is very good at creating tension and does not shy away from scary/unsettling images.
The narration and pace of the story feels perfect for a young adult book - no slow enough to be condescending but with simple sentence structures and short chapters that will help to encourage reluctant or not so confident readers to stick with it. I would certainly use this book in my teaching role for my higher level students - adults that struggle with literacy and/or have slight learning difficulties.
The messages that this story carries are important ones. The main message is especially vital for both male and female readers.
Now for the negative's. There is rather a lot of repetition in the story. Not just parts of the back story but actual sentences in a couple of instances. This did grow to be tiresome and, had I read this aged fourteen I would have felt the same way. Unfortunately this did tend to slow the story down at times. Reading the exact same joke from four chapters ago isn't great.
The book centres on one character and what happened to her. I felt that the sudden shift in her personality was rushed. More time should have been taken to really understand her and what happened to her.
The fact that she is automatically disbelieved is not great. It's a VERY sensitive subject and to have the rest of the characters do that could easily lodge the idea, in some young people's heads, that they would also be treated with scepticism.
A few times throughout the story there were errors. Mostly continuation errors but a couple of glaring mistakes. For example, two of the characters are playing a video game. Fallout 4. In the story one of the characters 'gets the guy' of the other. Fallout 4 is not a multiplayer game, a friend cannot 'get' you in any way.
Yes, a small thing but hugely annoying when you know that it is wrong. As Fallout 4 is such a popular game this will not go unnoticed by many young adults!
The ending did feel rather rushed. An extra chapter or two to explain what happened and to explore the feelings of the characters properly would have been nice.
So yes, this is an extremely mixed review. Most of the negative's are small and I would have given another star if not for the slightly mixed message surrounding the title character - I was disappointed with that.
The author is obviously very talented and writes perfectly for the YA market. Just a little more time and care would have made it awesome.
The positives first. The plot is very interesting and well thought out. Although not entirely original it isn't your run of the mill haunted house story either.
The main characters are well rounded and sympathetic. They each have a strong voice and are relatable. The author is very good at creating tension and does not shy away from scary/unsettling images.
The narration and pace of the story feels perfect for a young adult book - no slow enough to be condescending but with simple sentence structures and short chapters that will help to encourage reluctant or not so confident readers to stick with it. I would certainly use this book in my teaching role for my higher level students - adults that struggle with literacy and/or have slight learning difficulties.
The messages that this story carries are important ones. The main message is especially vital for both male and female readers.
Now for the negative's. There is rather a lot of repetition in the story. Not just parts of the back story but actual sentences in a couple of instances. This did grow to be tiresome and, had I read this aged fourteen I would have felt the same way. Unfortunately this did tend to slow the story down at times. Reading the exact same joke from four chapters ago isn't great.
The book centres on one character and what happened to her. I felt that the sudden shift in her personality was rushed. More time should have been taken to really understand her and what happened to her.
The fact that she is automatically disbelieved is not great. It's a VERY sensitive subject and to have the rest of the characters do that could easily lodge the idea, in some young people's heads, that they would also be treated with scepticism.
A few times throughout the story there were errors. Mostly continuation errors but a couple of glaring mistakes. For example, two of the characters are playing a video game. Fallout 4. In the story one of the characters 'gets the guy' of the other. Fallout 4 is not a multiplayer game, a friend cannot 'get' you in any way.
Yes, a small thing but hugely annoying when you know that it is wrong. As Fallout 4 is such a popular game this will not go unnoticed by many young adults!
The ending did feel rather rushed. An extra chapter or two to explain what happened and to explore the feelings of the characters properly would have been nice.
So yes, this is an extremely mixed review. Most of the negative's are small and I would have given another star if not for the slightly mixed message surrounding the title character - I was disappointed with that.
The author is obviously very talented and writes perfectly for the YA market. Just a little more time and care would have made it awesome.