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Review: Portal 24 by Meredith Stroud


Portal 24

When teen con-artist Darius is approached by a mysterious government agent about joining a 'Project Oberon', he has no idea what to expect. Certainly not that Project Oberon is actually a top-secret experiment which sends teens back through time to prevent disasters before they happen! Before Darius has time to wonder why he's been chosen, his first mission arrives in the form of a huge electromagnetic weapon of mass destruction, which will kill millions of people in New York - unless Darius and the team can stop it. They're confident; it's all in a day's work for these teen wonders, but what they don't bet on is evil mastermind Ludd. And what they don't know is that Ludd knows the deadly secret behind Project Oberon. If Darius and the gang don't make it back to the portal within twenty-four hours, then they'll be lost in time forever...

 Portal 24 was an enjoyable book and it's a breath of fresh air in this time of female and romance dominated time travel stories. I can't say that I absolutely adored this book because it did seem a little bit simplistic for me as it seemed to be aimed at a slightly younger and more male audience than I fit into! I think that the slightly younger target audience meant that the science wasn't exactly all that believable and the explanations given for the twenty four hour rule was very vague in comparison to explanations given in other time travel books.

 That being said, Portal 24 was still a very engaging story. I loved the con-artist main character Darius and the kick-ass female lead Bianca and I really appreciated the lack of romance in this book. This is actually a real boy book, full of action, adventure, sci-fi and a street-smart main character and whilst I established quite a few years ago that I am NOT male, I did really like the high-stakes action in this book.

 I did feel that the ending was a little bit rushed, it all seemed just a teeny bit too wrapped up and I would have liked a bit of an epilogue. I'm not sure if this book will have a sequel, because there were a few things left open, but if there is a sequel I probably will read it.


Book released  5th September 2013 by Hot Key Books
Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review 
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Review: The Clockwork Bluebird by Ravven

The Clockwork Bluebird





London, 1897: Maia and her brother Tyler find themselves in the midst of a war between the Faerie Courts on Christmas Eve. Accompanied by a talking dog, a clockwork kitchen servant and Fox the stable boy, they embark on a quest to save their lost parents and find the Bluebird.

The palace of Night and the Land of the Dead. Skyships. The Goblin Market. A black wolf and the Huntsman who pursues him. A gang of clockwork-enhanced children living in the lost Underground tunnels under the city.

What do you get if you mix the fantasy adventure of Alice in Wonderland, add in some clockwork and airships and put in some fairy queens and talking animals? The answer is The Clockwork Bluebird... this book is a mixture of all the things I would have loved to read when I was twelve years old and reading this book took me back to that age where I didn't need any romance, all I needed was a good adventure with some fun characters and a slightly scary bad guy.

 I felt a little bit out of the loop with this book because I haven't read the children's book that this was based on, so I think that I missed out on a few references and stuff that made it a tiny bit less awesome for me. I did really enjoy the story on it's own though, it was short and a complete story and the writing and descriptions were absolutely beautiful, I was really impressed by how Ravven managed to combine the whole steampunk and the fantasy together in this amazing London setting.

 Maia and Tyler were both tough, adventurous characters. I loved spunky Maia from the start, but by the end she was such a tough fighter, the type of character I really would have connected with as a younger reader. Tyler started out more meek and mild, but he got a lot braver during this story - I loved him to pieces. The other characters were also fantastic - the treacherous Zazu, the loyal Pip, the faithful Bread and the cunning Fox - every single one of them added a dynamic to the story.

 Overall, fans of classical children's books by Lewis Carroll and C.S. Lewis and Enid Blyton will love this book, it will take you back to your younger years. This is one book that you would like to read and then give to your kids in the future.

Book released 4th June 2013 
Book received from the author in exchange for an honest review 
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Review: Gnit-Wit Gnipper and the Perilous Plague by TJ Lantz

Gnit-Wit Gnipper and the Perilous Plague (Rosehaven: The Hidden City)No matter how hard she tries life never seems to go quite right for Gnipper Tallhat, an eight-year-old Gnome determined to receive the recognition her intelligence deserves. This time, however, she's got it all figured out. Finally, her father will have to be proud of her accomplishments...provided he manages to live through them.


This book was a fun and quirky read which I thoroughly enjoyed. I really liked this short story because it was extremely humorous and quick to get through, it came as a nice break between some pretty dark reads and even though I wasn't sure I'd enjoy it that much I really did have fun reading it.


The story is pretty funny - Gnipper is a gnome trying to earn recognition for her intelligence and she poisons her Dad in the process, the result is hilarity and some pretty deep morals. i really liked the message sent across in this book, which is to not let others decide what you deserve and that it's only what you think about yourself which matters. I think that Gnipper and her adventures will appeal to kids, that are after humour and adventure and something outrageous and that is what Gnipper is all about.


If I had any problems with this book it's that the storyline seems to be geared towards younger children, and I really think that this book will appeal to this audience, however I felt that the vocabulary in this book may be a little older, some words were long and I wouldn't expect a lot of kids to know what many of the words meant. For me, having the longer words added to the story but it may be confusing for kids.


Overall, a funny and quick read that will appeal to younger readers. I do feel that the vocabulary may be a little difficult for the target age group.


Overall Rating: B-


Book received as an eCopy for review from the authir
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Ruins of Noe Blog Tour: Reviews for Brigitta of the White Forest and the Ruins of Noe


Since I read both of these books for this blog tour, I have decided to do a two mini reviews in one post, rather than two separate long reviews.



Brigitta of the White Forest
 Brigitta is a young Water Faerie from the village-nest of Tiragarrow. She's confused, moody, and anxious about going through "The Change" as she doesn't see how destiny markings on her wings should determine her life's path.

A few days before the annual Festival of the Elements, Brigitta is flying an errand with Himalette, her tag-a-long sister, when a mysterious curse turns everyone in the White Forest to stone -- except for the two of them. The sisters have no idea why they were not cursed, but they do know if they don't turn everyone back in time for the festival rituals, the Hourglass of Protection will run out and so will its protective field around the forest.

I have to admit that when I first started this book I began to wonder if maybe it was too young for me, especially since I'd just finished a much deeper and darker book. It took me about twenty pages to realise that I was wrong - it was just the fun and lighter read that I needed to wind down a little and by 100 pages I was loving it. I loved the world that Danika Dinsmore made from the faerie village of Tiragarrow which was carefree and magical to the wild forests outside of the village which were wild and dangerous. Despite the fact that this book wasn't as deep as I usually read there was a lot of emotion there and a great character arc. Brigitta definitely grows from a faerie that doesn't know what her calling is to a brave young woman that saves her village but I especially liked Himmy as a character as she goes from a cowardly little sister to a strong and brave girl! 

Overall Rating: B

The Ruins of NoeA child born with no destiny: one of many signs that the White Forest faeries have lost touch with the Ethereals, the Ancient Ones. High Priestess Ondelle is convinced by an old proverb that one faerie is fated to travel to the former home of the Ancients, the Ruins of Noe, to find the answer. That faerie, she believes, is Brigitta. 

Ondelle and Brigitta set off to save their forest once again, but when they arrive in Noe they discover something they never learned from any faerie tale. Why had this dark secret been kept from them? Why in the name of Faweh had the Ancients left some faeries behind?

I was so worried that the end of the first book saw the end of Briggy's adventuring days and the beginning of boring studious days, I was so wrong! In this installment Brigitta goes on a whole new quest which is even more exciting than the previous one! I found that this book was a bit darker than the first in the serious and also because Briggy has grown a little I began to see this book as teen fiction rather than middle grade which boosted my enjoyment. This book is finished very cleanly but I still cannot wait for the third in the series because I just love Briggy and Ondelle so much. Ondelle was a great character and we get to see her a lot more in this one which is great because she is such and intriguing character and we get to know her a little better.

Overall Rating: B+

Brigitta of the White Forest was published March 1st and The Ruins of Noe will be published May 1st by Hydra House.
Many thanks to the author for allowing me to read and review it.
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Review: Stones for my Father by Trilby Kent

Corlie Roux’s farm life in South Africa is not easy: the Transvaal is beautiful, but it is also a harsh place where the heat can be so intense that the very raindrops sizzle. When her beloved father dies, she is left with a mother who is as devoted to her sons as she is cruel to her daughter. Despite this, Corlie finds solace in her friend, Sipho, and in Africa itself and in the stories she conjures for her brothers.
But Corlie’s world is about to vanish: the British are invading and driving Boer families like hers from their farms. Some escape into the bush to fight the enemy. The unlucky ones are rounded up and sent to internment camps.

Will Corlie’s resilience and devotion to her country sustain her through the suffering and squalor she finds in the camp at Kroonstad? That may depend on a soldier from faraway Canada and on inner resources Corlie never dreamed she had….


As a lover of historical fiction I knew that I had to read Stones for my Father when it was pitched to me and overall I liked the story. I loved how short this book was; (I managed to read it in a one single bath and I didn't come out all pruney and the water was still quite warm!) this also meant that the story was purely about Corlie's struggle meaning that even though I still learnt about the Boer war, I didn't have to try to follow any complicated politics or anything.


Corlie was a fantastic character with an honest voice. Whilst most of the time she seemed her age - twelve or thirteen, she also had times where we saw how the war and her mothers treatment had forced her to act like an adult. The character of Corlie's mum was well written and utterly unlikable, we're later given a backstory to why she dislikes Corlie but I still didn't really sympathise. I loved Byrne, the soldier who helps Corlie through brief appearances in the story, he gave Corlie a way to see the soldiers as people and show the reader both sides to the war. I also loved Gert, Corlie's funny and clever younger brother.


I felt that the narrative was okay, but nothing great and at times Kent seemed to slip into parts where she was explaining things too much and it bored me a little, there were times when things were thrown in the cover the plot holes or explain something foreign and it kind of threw the narrative off balance for a while. the pacing was okay as well, but I would have liked a little more confrontation as it went a little slow for me.


Overall, this book was enjoyable enough and had a fantastic group of characters and great description, however the writing wasn't something that I found particularly good and would maybe appeal to the target audience of young/preteens more than young adult.


Overall rating: C


Book released on March 22nd 2011 by Tundra books.
Book released from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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Review: Shimmer by Alyson Noel

Shimmer (Riley Bloom #2) Having solved the matter of the Radiant Boy, Riley, Buttercup, and Bodhi are enjoying a well-deserved vacation. When Riley comes across a vicious black dog, against Bodhi’s advice, she decides to cross him over. While following the dog, she runs into a young ghost named Rebecca. Despite Rebecca’s sweet appearance, Riley soon learns she’s not at all what she seems. As the daughter of a former plantation owner, she is furious about being murdered during a slave revolt in 1733. Mired in her own anger, Rebecca is lashing out by keeping the ghosts who died along with her trapped in their worst memories. Can Riley help Rebecca forgive and forget without losing herself to her own nightmarish memories?


I read the first Riley Bloom book, Radiance, a few months ago and really enjoyed it. I was a bit skeptical to start with because I really did not get into Alyson Noel's The Immortals series, but I totally loved Radiance and Shimmer, I don't have a review posted for Radiance, but I'm just going to go straight to Shimmer!


What I loved about this book was the length. At 176 pages, it's just the right length for a middle grade read and I personally wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if it had been strung out. I also love how the storyline itself is very separate to that in Radiance, we have the same characters but the actual events and the bad guy is a different story to that in Radiance. It makes the story more fun - rather than this long, strung out, angsty series, it's just a set of books with a girl battling a different bad guy each time and growing in character. I liked this!  


I also loved the characters. Riley is as sarcastic and hard headed as always and Noel has written her very convincingly for her age, Bodhi is as likeable as ever, the voice of reason to Riley, I think their relationship is so sweet. We also get other characters like the eccentric Prince Kanta and the angry Rebecca, who added their own unique tone to the book.


My problem was that even though the book was sweet, it wasn't really all that engaging. The fact that it was short meant that I got through it but had it been any longer I would have lost interest. Noel's writing never really grabbed me and neither did the story, I can't say that I was ever bored but it just wasn't the most fantastic read ever. I would have liked a little more action, rather than 'I did this, then saw this, then did this...', in Radiance the action with Radiant Boy was quite thrilling but I didn't get any thrill at all at the end of Shimmer.


Overall, Shimmer was a quick and cute read which didn't didn't really grab me but I liked nonetheless. I'd definitely recommend it to middle grade readers, but probably not to 
YA/older readers.


Overall rating: B

Stand alone/series: Second in a series (preceded by Radiance)
UK Release: May 5th 2011
Publisher: PanMacmillan
Book obtained via: Received from the publisher for review
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Review: Charlie Woodchuck is a Minor Niner by Dalya Moon

Charlie Woodchuck is the most minor of niners. She’s the youngest girl at Snowy Cove High School, and so clueless, she wore leg warmers and acid-wash jeans on her first day. Big mistake! Almost as big a mistake as signing up for a boys-only shop class. 

Just when she thinks the first week of high school can't get any weirder, Charlie discovers she may be adopted. According to the genetics section in her Science textbook, her eyes should be blue, not brown. 

Before she graduates from the ninth grade, the girl with the boy's name and the wrong eye color will have to use her detective skills to discover her true identity. She'll use power tools to build fantastical wood creations, and before the year ends, she'll have to face down the biggest bullies of all: the all-powerful members of Snowy Cove’s School Board.

Charlie Woodchuck is a Minor Niner is a really quick read, but totally entertaining nonetheless. 

While this is a middle grade slice-of-life book, the tone is completely different. This book is set in the 1980s and so there is no reference to internet and phones, something that you see a lot of in modern day contemporary books. For me, as a noughties teen through and through, this was a bit of a culture shock, but it just made it totally fresh and original and the story itself is modern even if the setting isn't.

What I totally loved about Charlie Woodchuck is a Minor Niner was Charlie. I think that she is one of the most relateable protahonists I have read in a long time because I totally remember being just like her when I was fourteen years old, nerdy, rebellious and totally socially awkward so I totally got Charlie's reactions and behaviour, which made this book all the better for me. I can also relate to her feelings because she goes through a lot of the things most kids go through at that age - new school, bullying, meeting new friends and losing old friends as well as her own personal problems, which make this book deep but also very entertaining.

This book runs just like any other middle grade book, with the ordinary everyday events mixed in with crazy moments which have you laughing, a particular favorite was Charlie's ride in the doghouse to the board meeting (hah, got you interested now, haven't I?) and that had me laughing like crazy. I also loved the puppy love budding between Charlie and class clown Ross, they were adorable!

While there were some tiny issues, for example I found that the scenes switched too fast and it was all a bit rapid to me, I found this book to be a short, sweet and totally entertaining read. I would recommend it to the kids of the 70/80s and their kids as well!

Overall rating: B+

Book obtained via: Received from the author



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Review: The Odd Job Squad by Karl Fields

The Odd Job SquadThirteen-year-old Ander Cartwright is an expert on two subjects: fortune cookies and payback.

Especially payback.

When he’s not struggling with algebra, Ander is the leader of an anonymous revenge club that operates within the walls of Marina Middle School. Got a beef with a classmate? Email Ander’s crew and, if your case if legit, they’ll get even on your behalf.

It’s not easy to right wrongs and stay under the radar at the same time. That’s why Ander developed three simple rules designed to help him and his friends from blowing their cover.

But when Ander spots the opportunity to settle an old score of his own, he ignores his own rules, setting off a chain of events that threatens to blow his cover, and it’ll take all the butt-kicking, detention-dodging skill the guys can muster to keep a lid on their secret.

Karl Fields may possibly have made it to my favorite people in the world list. Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but he's definitely made it onto my favorite authors of the year list.

While most readers of my blog will recognise that most of my reviews are for YA books, I will occasionally slip into children's and middle grade books, if my mood permits it. While The Odd Job Squad is marketed as middle grade, I think that the appeal for this book is a lot wider than that, and I would recommend it to anybody who wants a fun and relatively fast read.

I usually struggle to get into books, but with The Odd Job Squad I was literally grabbed by the first page and this book is totally the type of book that, while it isn't on-the-edge-of-your-seat, unable to put it down reading, it's so fun that you won't want to put it down. I totally adored the concept and story of this novel, while it's simple it is also so fun and has such an amazing cast of characters to carry it. 

Ahh... yes... the characters. I loved the main character, Ander. Ander is the narrator for the story and while at some points it seemed as though his voice was a little too mature for a thirteen year old, this actually seemed to fit with Ander's character, so it didn't bother me. The other characters are awesome too, Joe, the gothish computer geek, Christian the short and cool skateboarder and Shooter, the only girl of the group (though she is a tomboy). All of these characters came of real, which I totally loved.

There are subtle hints of romance, which totally had me singing "And they call it puppy loooove" in my head, it was that cute! Ander is just beginning to notice that Shooter is a girl and this was so cute. The subtle thoughts and little jealousies that come out are enough to make any romance lover SQUEEE because it's so cute! Massive Kudos to Karl for making me squee!  

This book also deals with moral issues though; friendship, loyalty, revenge and trust are all issues that are dealt with, but not in an in-your-face way, in a subtle way so you wouldn't actually notice unless you were either a very discerning reader or a reviewer digging deep to find some flaw about this book (I'm coming up empty though!)

Overall, The Odd Job Squad is one of the most fun and engaging reads that I have read this year, and I am totally looking forward to the authors next middle-grade installment. Definitely one that I recommend you buy for a quick but totally entertaining read!

Overall rating: A+

Stand alone/series: Stand alone
Book obtained via: (eBook) Sent for review by the author


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Review: Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon

Cinder and Ella








After their father’s disappearance, Cinder leaves home for a servant job at the castle. But it isn’t long before her sister Ella is brought to the castle herself—the most dangerous place in all the kingdom for both her and Cinder. Cinder and Ella is a Cinderella story like no other and one you'll never forget.


 I've always been a fan of fairy tales and fairy tale retellings, with some of my favorite authors being the likes of Shannon Hale, Robin McKinley and Zoe Marriott, and I decided to read Cinder and  Ella simply because I felt the urge for something fresh and I had no books by these authors that i haven't yet read. So to be honest, I didn't really have any expectations set for this book.


Which is good, because if I had set standards, this book may not have reached them, and that way I wouldn't really have noticed the magic of this book.


The narrative of this book totally reminds me of a fairytale right out of Hans Christian Anderson story book and that is what I absolutely adored about this book. The story telling is simple and yet so beautiful, which, I suppose, makes up for the slow pacing that most fairytales seem to have.


The story was original, from the title, you may think it was pretty much a straight retelling of Cinderella, with two characters instead, but there are a lot of changes, making this almost unrecognisable as the fairytale we know and love. The handsome prince is a bad guy, though Cinder does fall for him, there are no glass slippers and the story basically revolves around Ella's journey to save her sister and father from the grips of the evil prince, who has some evil dark magic stuff.


The other characters are charming too, from Tanner, a handsome and clumsy knight who falls for Ella, to the King and Queen and even to Cinder and Ella's spoilt sister Beatrice, who becomes a nicer person later in the story. There wasn't a great deal of character development on anyones part except from Ella's, which I think would have made the story and relationships a little more interesting, though I did adore the chivalrous Tanner and his feelings for Ella which were sweet!


And in the tradition of stories from the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson, the ending isn't one hundred percent happy, which pleased me very much, as I like an ending to be a little bittersweet.


While this book isn't on the same level as some of my favorite retellings, it is definitely a fresh and sweet take on the Cinderella story that was lovely refreshing read after more dark young adult books.



Overall rating: C



Book released November 18th 2011
Book received as an eGalley in exchange for an honest review

 Other books from this author:
Snow Whyte and the Queen of Mayhem
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Review: Six Days by Philip Webb

For Cass, the life of a 'scav' is all she’s ever known – scavenging what’s left of London in search of a precious relic no-one, not even her new Russian masters, has ever seen. 

But when two survivors from another time show up, claiming they hold the key to the whereabouts of the missing ‘artefact’, scavving will never be the same again. They have six days to find it before their world will come to an end. 

Six Days is a book that I would recommend for any dystopian lover. To me, this book seemed like a younger version of INSIDE OUT by Maria V. Snyder. That's not a bad thing though, while the concepts have a little similarity, the execution is totally unique and fantastically absorbing.

I have to admit that I struggled to get into this, maybe it's because I was halfway through another book and couldn't get it off my mind, but I found that for the first few chapters I had to will myself to read on. That's just a warning though, because about three or four chapters in, the story gets really interesting and after that, I had to will myself to put it down.

What I really liked about this book is that it has that childish vibe, with the adventure and the fantasy, but also appeals to young adult and adult readers, with themes of war, a sweet romance and a little bit of gore. I seem to remember one small swear word, but it was nothing offensive. The characters also appeal to all ages; Cass is rough and tough but also a bit vulnerable, traits that will appeal to older readers, but shes also brave and adventurous, which will appeal to kids. There is a cute romance between Cass and Peyto, which is completely suitable for younger readers but also adorable!

The story is really interesting and absorbing and had me staring at the page and on my edge of the seat, I liked how there was a lot going on but it was very simple and easy to follow, never confusing.

My main issue, as mentioned before, was that it took me a while to get into it. Also, while I really liked this book, I would never say that I loved it.

All in all, a great read suitable for readers of all ages. The story is executed so fantastically that I was laughing one minute and gripping the edge of my seat the next! Despite a few pacing problems, this book is pretty good!


Overall rating: B-

Stand alone/series: Stand alone
UK Release: July 4th 2011
Publisher: Chicken House
Book obtained via: Sent by Chicken House in exchange for an honest review (many thanks to Claire!)



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