Growing Pains: Kendra’s Diaries (#1) by K.P. Smith

18 Aug 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 2 Stars, Young Adult Tags: , , ,

Published: 26th March 2015Goodreads badge
Publisher: Doin It Publishing
Pages: 207
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult
★   ★  – 2 Stars

Growing Pains; Kendra’s Dairies is the first book in the series chronicling the journey of Kendra Foster from adolescence to adulthood. I aspire to encourage, entertain, and inspire young adults. Life has its ups and downs, its bumps and its bruises. But with perseverance, determination, and faith you can be all you were born to be. Never Give Up!

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the author for review.

This was an interesting story to read, the idea was sound but fell flat slightly in its execution. While dubbed a YA novel (and may well become one in future books), at the moment it is more suited into that ambiguous tween age group type of story.

One of the first things that I noticed is that I couldn’t settle into Kendra’s voice that well. I know she is only thirteen but the narration doesn’t read naturally and there were inconsistencies in Kendra’s behaviour that didn’t help either. At times Kendra sounded like she was older and other times she was quite immature, whether this was representative of the balance between being a child and almost an adult I don’t know, but it didn’t quite work though I could see Smith’s intentions. Kendra looks after her sister a lot because of her parents arguments so she has a mature and responsible side, but she is also selfish and childish which reflects her age and desire to want everything her own way.

With Kendra narrating we are at the mercy of her voice, experience, and thoughts and as a result there are a lot of opinions about things around her. There are a lot of descriptions, some that don’t blend too well within the story, and Kendra has a tendency to over describe as well. When she discusses friends they are over described and almost critical at times, which again I think is a reflection of her age but it stood out and felt clunky and unnatural. Having Kendra as a selfish thirteen year old was not the issue, but how this was expressed wasn’t quite right, Smith needs to blend description and expression more seamlessly to make this work.

By the end of the story I expected a change to happen to Kendra, be influenced and affected by the events around her but there wasn’t as much as I had hoped. She remains selfish and while there are times when you think she is about to have an enlightened moment she fails just before reaching that point. She does grow up in a way, she accepts her friends a bit more and learns to forgive her parents and see they are trying, but there needed to be a bit more, especially given what happens in the story.

The main things I wanted coming to the end was having Kendra realise what she has, understand what people around her are doing, and be ok with her situation, more so than what she actually is. After the fuss she makes about going to her desired school I was after an acknowledgement of sorts about the entire thing and while Smith touches on Kendra accepting her situation, there wasn’t that reflection or admission about any of it, or even regret.

This is the first book in a series so hopefully as Kendra grows up more the writing and her story will evolve with her. With a bit more editing this book could be a great introduction into Kendra’s life and her journey into growing up and discovering who she is.

You can purchase Growing Pains: Kendra’s Diaries via the following

Amazon

Earth 5 by Hustin Lindenhall

09 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Young Adult Tags: , , ,

Published: 31st March 2015Goodreads badge
Publisher: Florendia
Pages: 242
Format: Ebook
Genre: Young Adult
★   ★   ★  – 3 Stars

What would you do if you were sixteen and you came across someone in the woods that changed your perspective of life completely? Someone that made you realize what you thought was real wasn’t actually reality. What I did was write about it, and it’s all here in this book.

I put all the original sketches in here too – over seventy illustrations by me, Tonya and Astol.

Earth 5 is awesome. I hope you like it too.

– Hustin

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the author for review.

This was an unusual story, I wasn’t sure what to expect from it so I came out of it not knowing whether I was disappointed at not having gotten it. I liked the approach Lindenhall has taken, using his own name as the character and making it read like his own personal account. It reads like a teenager who has written down the adventures of his friends, as it is supposed to be, and this is reflected in language, narration, and helps excuse some of the oddities.

The chapters are little snippets of stories and titbits rather than a flowing narrative but it all centres around the trio and their adventures during the holidays and their time with the alien Astol. Even understanding this, the narration is a bit irksome at times, the tone is odd and a lot of the time doesn’t sit right when you read it, but the story being told is likeable.

There are illustrations throughout which Lindenhall blends into the story nicely. Having the tone set as Hustin recapping his experiences with Astol means they can be slotted in suitably, and they are used constructively in the storytelling rather than just being added decoration to enhance description.

Hustin isn’t a bad narrator, he and Tonya help Astol with understanding how Earth works, both scientifically and socially, and together with the mini stories Astol gets exposed to various parts of our world. Having Hustin and Tonya describe the daily life and the social construct of Earth does make you realise how strange and peculiar the planet is, and it is a shallow reflection on what humanity has become and how we choose to spend our time. The story of Earth 5 and our place in the universe was quite interesting, and it adds a nice science fiction element to the story instead of just a simple deconstruction of Earth life being told to an alien by two teenagers.

The story ends with a “to be continued” which is intriguing in a way because it hints at future adventures, but it is trumped by feeling unsatisfied because it doesn’t feel like a conclusion. Hustin has a deep reflection on everything Astol told him and what he has experienced which starts as a nice resolution, but it’s only fleeting as he moves onto other things and it feels a tad unsatisfying; it feels like the story has been left hanging. While it is setting up for the next adventure, the first story seems unresolved and whether that means a better expression of Hustin’s reflection and discoveries with Astol is needed, or just a better sense of a conclusion I’m not sure. Either way, it is an interesting concept with a few creative science fiction elements that bumped it up to a three star story. Lindehall has been creative with his development of Astol’s universe and I think that is part of what makes this story work, in the comparison of his world with ours, making it much more than just a breakdown of Earth and all its peculiarities.

You can purchase Earth 5 via the following

Amazon | Amazon Aust

Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble

Smashwords | Florendia

 

Timothy Other: The Boy Who Climbed Marzipan Mountain by L. Sydney Abel

18 May 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Junior Fiction, Young Adult Tags: , , , ,

Published: 2nd October 2014Goodreads badge
Publisher: Solstice Publishing
Pages: 354
Format: Ebook
Genre: Junior Fiction/Young Adult
★   ★   ★  – 3 Stars

12 year-old adventurer, the intriguingly named Timothy Other, escapes the Dreams and Hopes Orphanage and travels to the bizarre world of Marzipan Mountain, where he befriends some amazing creatures.

With the help of his friends, Timothy seeks to discover his true origins and returns to the Orphanage. He becomes embroiled in a matter of life and death and faces the evil forces that crave the secret of ‘Golden Life’.

He becomes embroiled in a matter of life and death and faces the evil forces that crave the secret of ‘Golden Life’.

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the author for review.

From a captivating and really sweet beginning this story turns into one that is filled with adventure, puzzles and mysteries, and a lot of other elements that are a combination of magical, bizarre, and delightful.

The narrative is interesting, it is cryptic and elusive, with tiny tit bits dropped throughout that pique your interest. The tone is light and casual, conversational almost like that of a storyteller, but it soon settles into an almost regular narrative style while still maintaining its deliberate style. There are also multiple points of view which allow an understanding of all angles and character intentions, both good and bad, and Abel makes use of these nicely to propel the story along.

There is just enough character depth and explanations to make the situations believable and the events make sense. Timothy goes off on a spontaneous adventure and is quite accepting of the strange and bizarre things that follow, but there are brief explanations that justify what happens which doesn’t make it too farfetched, and the mindset and justifications of a twelve-year-old can account for a lot of things.

Timothy is a decent main character, he is a bit snappish and he likes to tease and bicker seemingly out of the blue, plus he is slightly intolerable, all of which was a little strange but if you remind yourself he is only twelve then it does help explain his behaviour.

Other characters are interesting, unique in their own way, and a mix of quirky, eccentric, and strange with a few stereotypical figures like jolly cooks and maternal housekeepers, but Abel has them in a place that suits them, and makes it a nice environment. There are some darker characters who are not just mean but a tad threatening, but there is restraint in their behaviour and while the actions can be quite dark, Abel doesn’t make it too disturbing.

Plot wise there were a few odd things that were explained strangely or just accepted, even with a magical reasoning. Though this does add to the quirky and mysterious nature of the story, and while it feels like a few things haven’t been answered as much as you’d like, it doesn’t affect the story too much. Where the story shines is towards the end when after all the dropped hints and secrets and puzzles Abel does a great job of bring the story to a close, solving many of the riddles and offering wonderful surprises while still hinting at further adventures.

I wouldn’t call this a Young Adult book; it is more down the Junior Fiction 10-13 year old bracket, though admittedly not unenjoyable for older readers. There is adventure and mystery, with fantasy mixed in but there is also a sweet story as well. There is a slight paranormal element but it is pleasant rather than scary, and coupled with the magical and fantasy components it works really well.

Overall it is nice, complex and delightfully cryptic with secrets to reveal and a fun bunch of characters in a detailed but not over the top adventure story.

 You can purchase Timothy Other via the following

Amazon

Amazon Aust

Amazon UK

The Art of Raising Hell by Thomas Lopinski

14 May 2015 1 Comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Young Adult Tags: , , , ,

Published: 25th March 2015Goodreads badge
Publisher: Dark Alley Press
Pages: 191
Format: Ebook
Genre: Young Adult
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

“There are some people that walk around on two feet and others like me that run on all four.” Newbie Johnson tries to understand the meaning of this statement while learning about friendship, loss, and love as a small town teenager.

“The Art Of Raising Hell” is a coming of age story set in the 1970s that centers around four teenagers and their involvement with a larger-than-life character named Lonny Nack.

Newbie had recently moved to Bunsen Creek, when his mother is killed in a devastating car crash. Nursing a broken soul, he soon hooks up with the three best friends a guy could ever ask for and meets the love of his life, Sally Nack.

Sally’s brother, Lonny, fears no one, including The Law, and soon takes his peculiar sense of justice, along with his love of practical jokes, to new heights while entertaining the colorful characters of Kickapoo County.

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the author for review.

This coming of age story has a wonderful balance of fun, self-awareness, and profoundness to make it a rather moving story. In essence it is just about growing up in the 1970s but Lopinski makes it much more than that. Newbie tells the story with a sense of reflection and while a lot of the story discusses the various adventures and misadventures he and his friends had growing up, there is a great and meaningful story as well. It becomes about making deep and important friendships, about leaving childhood innocence behind and finding your place in the world, and accepting changes and challenges both big and small.

The tone is light but is very much one of being narrated to, Newbie’s voice reads like he’s telling someone his story, which essentially he is, and with that comes a certain type of language. It does work well, even the few places where it references that a story is being told to a reader, but these are minimal and getting caught up in Newbie’s storytelling overrides any minor narration quirks.

The time period covered crosses many years and can often skip months at a time, but Lopinksi maintains the flow of the story nicely and the narrative never falters, nor do you lose track of the story. It was quite interesting to see how the characters grew and changed over the years and the differences this had on their perspectives on life and the wisdom they thought they held.

Despite being told from Newbie’s perspective, Lopinski seamlessly weaves in the stories and lives of other people in the town in a way that feel natural and real and helps you get to know them as well. Characters are connected in ways you do not understand at first and by the end everything is wrapped up beautifully and loose ends and unanswered questions you had forgotten about or didn’t realise were unanswered are all addressed impeccably.

Lopinksi treats his characters right and everyone gets a decent representation. There are no one-dimensional side kick friends or characters just for the sake of characters. Each character has their own story and even if their appearance if brief, Lopinski manages to still tell their story and bring a bit of life to them with a history and personality.

Lonny is one of these great characters, he seems wild and unruly but he isn’t a bad influence or a rough character, just someone who likes to cause mischief and live life to the fullest. In a way Lonny is both the main focus of the story while still being a semi background character. He has a huge presence in town and almost everyone admires him or knows him, and a lot of Newbie’s life centres around him. I liked that Lopinski didn’t make Lonny a bad person, or someone who only Newbie stood up for. He is complicated and energetic and having him flit in and out of the story was an excellent move, it let the great friendship between Newbie and his main friends develop and strengthen, while still enabling him to have a huge impact on their lives.

Lopinski doesn’t make this a happily ever after but he concludes it well and with a feeling that everything is going to be alright, even after all that has happened. I really liked this story, it is insightful and reflective without being too intense and over the top, and it is filled with surprises and moments, good and bad, that capture a moving tale about being young, growing up, and learning some of the harder lessons in life.

You can purchase The Art of Raising Hell via the following

Amazon

Amazon Aust

Death Wish (The Ceruleans #1) by Megan Tayte

21 Apr 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, Fantasy, General, The Ceruleans, Young Adult Tags: , , , , , ,

Published: 7th February 2015Goodreads badge
Publisher: Heaven Afire
Pages: 305
Format: Ebook
Genre: Young adult paranormal fantasy
★   ★   ★   ★   ★  – 5 Stars

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake is haunted by death. Her estranged sister has made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from school, joining a surfing fraternity, partying hard: that sounds like Sienna. But suicide? It makes no sense. 

Following in her sister’s footsteps, Scarlett comes to the isolated cove of Twycombe, Devon, with grand plans to uncover the truth. Alone. But she hasn’t reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her. Luke: the blue-eyed surfer who’ll see the real Scarlett, who’ll challenge her, who’ll save her. And Jude: the elusive drifter with a knack for turning up whenever Scarlett’s in need.

As Scarlett’s quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she’s always known it. Because there’s something strange going on in this little cove. A dead magpie circles the skies. A dead deer watches from the undergrowth. Hands glow with light. Warmth. Power.

What transpires is a summer of discovery. Of what it means to conquer fear. To fall in love. To choose life. To choose death.

To believe the impossible.

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the author for review.

I found it so easy to fall into this story; Tayte’s writing is smooth and has a natural feel to it that allows you to focus on the narrative and not the words themselves. The narrative itself is spectacular, not that it is explicitly grand exactly, but the way Tayte brings these characters to life and creates this story is wonderful and while seemingly simple, it’s surprisingly deep. From the first page the story grabs you with drama and a brilliant narrative voice and from there it becomes a curious but fascinating story where discovering the characters helps to understand the story and vice versa.

The characters are their own person and Tayte makes sure they have the right level of detail and personality behind them to feel in place within the story. Scarlett herself is rather fascinating, she is complicated and determined but she is also unsure of herself and she is looking for answers she doesn’t know she will find. Her voice is authentic and intelligent and Tayte expresses her moods and thoughts incredibly well, meaning you get caught up in her story quickly and have a great understanding of her desires. You can clearly see Scarlett’s uncertainty and confusion as she works through recent events and revelations and with excellent pacing and gradual development there is realism in the progression.

Other characters have the same level of realism. Luke and Cara are well developed characters and they each bring something to the story. Luke is a sweetheart but he isn’t cheesy in a way that makes him unbearable; he is cheeky and loyal, and he has a good heart. Cara on the other hand is clever and passionate and Tayte captures the teen voice perfectly, the one that shows youth, exuberance and stubbornness.

The descriptions and detail of Scarlett’s experiences and emotions was divine, and Tayte makes use of her characters to bring the story to life, rather than too much detail. Information is provided naturally within the story as well as through the characters leaving little need to explicitly state or describe things. The story flows smoothly and gently and Tayte includes multiple layers and side elements to keep the story rounded, while also connecting things and weaving them together with style and seamlessness. Her depiction of the small coastal town is credible, showing just enough detail required to keep the narrative going but it is not overdone, and with seemingly little effort she encapsulates the feeling and workings of a small town without making it feel too small or intrusive. One technically minor part of the story that stuck with me was how Tayte deals with issues characters may have, both mentally and physically. She restrains from focusing on them explicitly, but they are not ignored by any means, creating a balance that feels natural within the story and feels genuine and real.

There is a paranormal component to this story and I liked that it simmers in the background, only being brought to light when the story needed it to be. What Tayte has managed to do incredibly well is connect multiple things together without appearing to do so and nothing dominates the story, instead it is all linked together and of equal value. The paranormal aspect is almost hidden in the background, but at the same time it isn’t. It feels minute in the scheme of things, almost so you forget about it at times, but when it reappears it is a nice addition to story and provides it with extra depth and meaning, and moves the story along. Being introduced gradually and randomly adds to the mysteriousness and it is wonderful in that it often it explains nothing but offers great chances and speculations and theories.

This is undoubtedly Scarlett’s story more than anyone else’s, though Tayte is careful not to narrow the focus too much on her alone. It is certainly a story about discovery and looking for answers, and while Scarlett hunts for answers about her sister, she discovers things about herself as well. Tayte has absolutely enticed me with Scarlett’s story and I am eager to continue reading about these fantastic characters and this intriguing story.

You can purchase Death Wish via the following

Amazon

Amazon UK

Amazon Aust

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