Search

Search only in certain items:

Cryptid
Cryptid
Michael Kott | 2018 | Young Adult (YA)
6
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
View my review on my blog: www.diaryofdifference.com/2018/06/08/cryptid-michael-kott-book-review/

Cryptid by Michael Kott is the second book of these series. It is a sequel to the Piasa, and you can find my review on that here. I have to admit and say that I didn’t enjoy Cryptid as much as I would like to, and you’ll find out why soon.

<b><i>About the book:</i></b>

Cryptid continues to tell the story of Sara, a girl that survives a car accident, when all her family dies. While in the first book she meets Mike, who gets her a job as his assistant in his adventures, in this book we will see Sara still maintaining that position, but a little bit from the background. When a few cats that look like leopards will appear at the museum, people start to get scared, and the police wants to shoot the animals. Then Mike and the team come to the rescue, to try and identify what the cats are, and save them from dying.

<img src="http://www.michaelkott.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/cryptid.wip_.jpg"/>;

<b><i>Review:</i></b>

In Cryptid, we will be introduced to a couple new characters, some of which I happened to be very fond of (Hi Xenia!). The good thing for me was, that I could get a bit of a break from all the Sara moments. The thing I didn’t like was the fact that their background was too short and untold, and they kept making decisions based on the past that we didn’t know (I will mention Shannon’s decision here).

My favourite moments of the book, were, of course, those where Sara wasn’t there. Followed by my previous review of the Piasa, I sometimes like the character of Sara. But I also couldn’t agree with her. I couldn’t understand her character, behaviour and decisions. Maybe it is because of my own childhood. I mean, luckily, I haven’t lost any of my family, but I have lived without both parents in those crucial years, raised by grandparents, while having a little sister to look after, and having an aunt similar to Pamela to guide me through my worst. But I was never this arrogant, self-centered and desperate for ME-ME-ME attention like Sara. Whoa, that lady really can push my limits sometimes.

The same goes with everyone around Sara that constantly tries to please her, and make sure she’s not upset.

And what is the reason that all of the characters are losing their shoes somewhere?

Unlike Piasa, in this book the focus is only on one big event, at two main places – the park and the museum. Apart from a few places in the introduction, the whole story keeps us around these places, which I particularly didn’t mind, but some people may or may not find it boring.

I was a bit sad because I really like Mike, and he wasn’t as present with his story as his was in the other book. I expected to see and learn a bit more of him.

Not to be all negative though, there were a few moments that I really enjoyed! I loved to read about the sisterhood of Pamela and Xenia, and the beginning of the book was fantastic. Xenia is also such an incredible character, and I really admired her. I also loved the explanations on the different kinds of cats and their latin names and meanings.

All in all, I am a bit sad to say that this will be a 3 out of 5 stars. Especially because the author, Michael Kott, is a dear friend of mine, and I greatly enjoyed the Piasa. I may have expected a bit too much of this book, that left me disappointed. But I do believe that some of you might greatly enjoy it! If you like Young-Adult fiction, and stories about mystery animals and cryptids, you will definitely enjoy this book!

Thank you Mike, for sending me a copy of the Cryptid, in exchange for an honest review.

<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="http://innahcrazy.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>; |
  
Paper Princess (The Royals, #1)
Paper Princess (The Royals, #1)
Erin Watt | 2016
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I don't even know what to say. Honestly, I saw someone else say that this book wrecked them and I was feeling masochistic, so I decided to pick it up and read it for myself. Unfortunately, I chose to pick it up around 11 o'clock at night. Wrong choice! I absolutely could not stop! I read the whole thing, straight through, until almost 4 o'clock the next morning. And the reader I got my recommendation from was right - this book absolutely did wreck me. Not so much that I ugly cried, but enough that I literally felt a hole in my heart when I was finished. Nothing could have prepared me for the ending. Some books based on high school teenagers are so cliche and immature, but Paper Princess was different and extremely refreshing. I found myself relating so much with Ella that it was almost scary. The story felt original and I like that. Throughout the whole book, I rode the roller coaster of emotions right alongside Ella. The ending has left me devastated, but I'm desperate to move on to the next book and discover what's next for Ella!
  
“Henry, this . . . fortune, this sudden wealth . . . I fear it will change our lives. And I don’t want my life to change.” After three years on a whaling voyage, Henry Macy returns to Nantucket to news that his grandmother has passed, bequeathing her vast fortune to him and his sister, Hitty. And it was truly vast. But Lillian Coffin was no fool. The inheritance comes with a steep cost, including when each should marry and whom—a Quaker in good standing, of course. But if they relinquish the inheritance, it all goes to Tristram Macy, their father’s thieving business partner. As Hitty and Henry seek a way to satisfy the will’s conditions, they’ll be faced with obstacles on every side—and it may be that Lillian Coffin will have the last word after all.



My Thoughts: This is the third book in the series and it doesn't disappoint! Suzanne Woods Fisher has done another incredible job with this series. In this book, it focuses on the twins Hitty and Henry and the inheritance left to them by their grandmother.


Historians will enjoy the fact that the novel is based on true events that occurred during 1837-1846. The author has done extensive history on Nantucket and the sea captains. This novel does deal with the controversy of integration ( the segregated schools).



I've enjoyed this series, especially reading Great Mary's journal and I believe readers will enjoy this book as well. The reader doesn't need to read the first two books to enjoy this novel, but it would help with some of the histories of the family.