Children Of Blood And Bone by TOMI ADEYEMI

This book teaches an important lesson, and despite it being set in a fantasy world, unlike our own. The events and the way people are treated, is a reflection of how our society treats people today. Tomi Adeyemi states at the end of her novel in the Author’s Notes that she felt that she needed to do something after hearing stories of innocent black women, men and children getting shot by policemen and women. This novel was her way of doing something meaningful, to fight against this problem. Anyway, onto the review…

This book is based off African mythology, focusing mostly on the many different gods that they have. The story starts in Zelie’s home town, Orisha. Zelie Adebola who is a (diviner, white hair, should have magic powers but magic has been suppressed) lives with her father and her brother (Tzain) and lionaire Nailah. Having just earnt her staff, she is sent on a quest to restore magic, and restore the maji’s powers in order to defeat King Saran. Waterstones puts it much better, if you’d like a good description. I won’t go into detail since it’s quite a long book. Zelie meets many different characters along the way, Amari (King Saran’s daughter who is on the run with a scroll (scroll is important)), Inan (Amari’s brother), Olamilekan (or Lekan) and Zu to name a few. Zu was probably my favourite and Zelie as well, and I really liked Binta, even though you never meet her. I think Tomi Adeyemi really got something right with the characters in her book, and how they all interact with each other. I thought Zelie was very inspirational, considering everything she’s been through, Tzain is thoughtful and kind, and Amari is quiet and shy, but a very important and strong character. And then there are the bad guys obviously, otherwise the book would be boring. Of course, there are some really cool characters that I didn’t mention, but as I said earlier, the book is really long and I would be here forever.

This novel is a beautiful mixture of an adventure, a love story, fantasy and sadness. This book is a tear jerker, so I wouldn’t read this in a public area, you have been warned. You would really love this book if you’re a fan of exciting and thrilling novels (towards the end I couldn’t put it down, I was desperate to finish it). Fantasy lovers will like this and I think that this is my favourite fantasy book ever written, so thank you.

After reading this book I wanted everyone to read this, and I still do, I don’t care if you don’t like fantasy or love stories, you need to read this book. It spreads such an important message, something that I believe everyone should know. And I just really loved this book, hence why it was in my top 3 books of 2018. Anyway, I give this book a 10 out of 10 stars, and will continue to recommend it as long as I shall live (that’s a tad dramatic, even for me). I’d say it’s for people aged 13 and upwards because it’s rather upsetting in some parts of the book, and you should definitely read it!

Blurb: Magic can burn, turn tides, light the darkness and bring back the dead. But magic is gone. So one girl must bring it back in the first in a gripping fantasy trilogy.
They killed my mother.They took our magic.They tried to bury us.Now we rise.

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Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

I’ve been away for so long! I’m so sorry, I got caught up with school, and I have GCSE’s starting this month so I’ve been extremely distracted. Anyway, I’m back and I promise to start blogging more frequently, so let’s get on with it. As you may be aware this book is currently a film in the cinema (directed by Steven Spielberg). And having seen the film and read the book, I thought it was time to do a review.

I read this book about 2 or 3 weeks ago and I loved it! It was really different to anything I had read before and I really liked the futuristic aspect of the book and how realistic the character’s situation was, as in, that could be us in 30 years. This book is about a way to escape reality through a virtual reality called the OASIS – Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation. But the Oasis isn’t just any old game, it’s an entirely new world for people to escape the awful lives they are living in. The game was created by James Halliday and his best friend Ogden Morrow with their company GSS. However, after James Halliday’s death, a competition arrises that was set up before James died. The challenge is a series of challenges, each of the three challenges produces a key, copper, jade, and crystal, once you get a key, you receive a clue as to where the gate is. Each key opens a gate where there is another challenge, if you win the challenge, you get a clue to the next key and so on. The last key, being the crystal key opens the last gate which leads you to the last challenge where the prize (easter egg) is hidden. The prize is amazing, but you’ll have to read the book to find out, or if you’re really desperate, you could google it. Anyway, the entire story revolves around a boy called Wade Watts or Parzival in the OASIS and other characters trying to win the amazing prize that is up for grabs. The book is from the point of view of Wade and the challenges he faces as a ‘gunter’ i.e. egg hunter. The book is filled with 80s references to games, movies, books, and music. But the book isn’t just about a boy trying to win a game, there are some much darker things at stake and the danger of the real world. The characters were really well detailed along with the events. This is also probably one of the funniest books I’ve read all year so if you want to read a book that will make you laugh, this is the one.

I’ll move onto characters now, my favourite characters were definitely Parzival (Wade, the main character), Art3mis, Aech, Shoto, and Daito. I also really liked James Halliday and Ogden Morrow who aren’t main characters but are a key part of the novel. I thought Aech and Parzival were hilarious and Art3mis was a strong female character, who is way cooler than anyone else. Shoto and Daito were really cool as well, and I liked how they were a duo because everyone else is either in a gunter clan or going solo.

I also loved the film, however, it was completely different to the book! it was almost like Ernest Cline had written another book with the same storyline, but, there was so much detail in the book, that I couldn’t possibly imagine how the director could possibly have fitted it all into one film. Despite my criticism, there were similarities, and it was a really good film, I was very impressed. I give the book a 10 out of 10 and recommend it to anyone! I’ve also decided that it is pointless for me to tell you which gender I think the book is most appropriate for because I think all books are for anyone, so I won’t be including it anymore. Anyway, I really loved this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I did. See you next week for another review, and make sure that you subscribe (it’s free and you only need an email address) so that you get notified whenever you post a review.

Age: 12+

Blurb: 2044. The real world is in ruins. Out of oil, the climate destroyed, famine, poverty and disease are widespread.

Like almost everyone, Wade Watts has an escape – the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia where you can be anything you want to be, where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. And like almost everyone, he’s on the hunt for the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this alternate reality – control of the OASIS, courtesy of the wish of its now-dead architect, James Halliday.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that the riddles are based in the culture of the late 20th century. And then Wade stumbles onto the key to the first puzzle. Suddenly, he finds himself pitted against thousands of competitors in a desperate race to claim the ultimate prize, a chase that soon takes on terrifying real-world dimensions – and that will leave both Wade and his world profoundly change.

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A Court of Wings an Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

This is the third book in the ACOTAF series. My reviews of books 1 and 2 will be linked down below. Sorry, it’s taken so long, but I was busy with school in January, so this had to wait until February. Anyway, happy belated new year and I hope that you had a lovely Christmas.

When I read this book, I thought that it was the last one in a trilogy, but I was wrong, the 4th book is coming out on the 1st of may, this year. So at the beginning of this book, Feyre is staying with Tamlin and keeping up a false pretence of still being in love with him. When to Tamlin’s dismay, still hates him and is using him for information. I thought it was a bit odd how Lucien could tell that she was lying but Tamlin couldn’t. However, I didn’t think that the beginning section was written very well anyway. Feyre (the main character) did a lot more in this book than she usually does, I still don’t particularly like her, but I do like that she is a strong and empowering female character. And I also liked her determined attitude and her impressive leadership as High Lady. Anyway, when Feyre returns to the Night Court to see Rhysand and her sisters, she has a meeting with the inner circle where they decide they need to fix the holes in the wall between the human lands and Prythian. And training starts for Nesta to help fix the wall.

SPOILERS IN THIS SECTION!!! I DID WARN YOU!

Even more, characters are introduced in this book. Jurian who plays a key role in the story, the Hybern twins (not so important), and the high lords from all 7 courts. This is probably the best book out of the 3 that are out at the moment because a lot more interesting things happened like Elain being a seer, she basically became Professor Trelawney (from Harry Potter) but not as cool. And Bryaxis, the bone carver and the weaver join Feyre and Rhysand to fight Hybern. And they all fight together and it’s probably the coolest part of the book!I thought the war scenes in this book were amazing and the link between the colours of the shields and the book covers was clever. Also, can we just talk about the ending? OMG, Rhysand dies. I was distraught and confused. Though saying that, it was kind of pointless to include his death because almost immediately the high lords and Feyre brought him back to life, so I don’t see where Sarah J. Maas was going with this one.

the spoilers are over…

My favourite characters were probably, the inner circle, not including Feyre (Cassian, Azriel, Mor and Rhysand), Miryam and Drakon, and Helion – Helion was definitely my favourite!!! As enjoyable as this book was, it wasn’t an amazing piece of literature so I can’t really say that it was an amazing novel. However, I did enjoy it so it gets a 7 out of 10. This book is for both boys and girls and if you like fantasy and romance books then you’ll probably like this. Thank you for reading and remember to keep scrolling to see the blurb, age rating, social media and more…

Blurb: Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s manoeuvrings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit – and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords – and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

Age: 14+

Links to reviews of Books 1 and 2 are here:

Book 1 – ACOTAR http://larawhitfield.co.uk/?p=698

Book 2- ACOMAF http://larawhitfield.co.uk/?p=702

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New review coming next week (I’ll try not to forget). Thanks for reading.

Apache by Tanya Landman

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!

This book is about an Apache young woman who goes astray from the traditions of her tribe and decides to become an Apache warrior to avenge her mother, father and brother Tazhi. However, following the path of a warrior isn’t easy and the hardships along the way are evident in the book. Tanya Landman herself said that “I’ve made no attempt to produce an accurate historical novel.” but having said that the book does seem like it’s quite accurate. There are a lot of characters in the book but the main ones are Siki and Golahka. All the characters in the book are different but there are so many I can’t name them all. This book is not happy, if you are the type of person who cries in books then there will be tears from you over this. I will say that it’s quite a confusing read and sometimes I found that occasionally it was difficult to follow what was going on so this isn’t an easy or quick read, but definitely a good one.

Anyway, there are numerous battle scenes in the book between the Mexicans and the Apache. Where SPOILER: numerous people are killed. But if you’ve read any Sarah J Maas books, I’m sure you can cope. Despite this being a Teen/YA novel, it’s quite a serious book and Tanya Landman ventures towards the older half of the teenage years with this novel. However, I do think that anyone could and should read this and I found it very empowering especially for women and teaches young girls to follow their dreams no matter what. This book would be a great last-minute Christmas present for your friends or family and definitely worth the read. I give this book 9 out of 10 stars and hope you enjoyed my review.

Blurb: Siki is an orphan of the Black Mountain Apache. Her mother was killed by Mexicans three years ago and her father lost in an ambush the winter before that. When Siki witnesses the brutal murder of her little brother Tazhi, she vows to become an Apache warrior and avenge his death.

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A court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Hello, I’m so sorry it’s been so long. I’ve been on holiday and had school to catch up on so I lost track of time. Anyway, here is your overdue book review.

Link to my review of the first book is here http://larawhitfield.co.uk/?p=698

Anyway, this is the second book in the Sarah J Maas ACOWAR series. I really enjoyed this series overall (review of book 3 will coming soon) however I definitely preferred this book over the first as it got interesting a lot quicker than the first one did. In this book, you meet a lot of new characters, Mor, Cassian, Azriel, Ianthe (can’t remember if you meet her in the first book) and you learn a lot more about Rhysand.

SPOILER ALERT – spoilers from book 1, beware!

At the end of book 1, Feyre succeeds in freeing Tamlin from Amarantha but in doing so she is killed. However, she is resurrected by the High Lords and she lives. Which brings us to the beginning of book 2 where she is back in the Spring Court with Tamlin but not all is well. Despite Feyre now being a high fae (which is really cool) she isn’t happy and suffers from Nightmares and on top of that, her bargain with Rhysand. This book is even more exciting and thrilling than the first and Rhysand’s inner circle of friends are probably the coolest people you’ll ever meet in a book and in real life. This book was hard to put down and I finished it within a matter of days. I’m sorry the review is so short, it’s because I read the book in may and it’s now November so it won’t be in as much detail as my usual reviews. I give this book 8.5 out of 10 stars and thank you for reading, a review of the 3rd book is on its way. Make sure to scroll down for the blurb, summary link, age range and my social media.

If you can’t be bothered to read the book, I found a great summary of it for you, just click on this link http://www.bookseriesrecaps.com/what-happened-in-a-court-of-mist-and-fury/

Blurb: Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court – but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people. Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms – and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future – and the future of a world cleaved in two.

NOT FOR YOUNGER READERS 14 YEARS AND OLDER.

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Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Blurb: This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

Age: 13+

Price: £2.00 (on amazon)

My friend made me read it and I am glad she did. This book is about a girl from a poor family who becomes a servant in the Silver Palace. Suddenly she finds out that she has an amazing power which I thought was a bit out of the blue, but then again, there wouldn’t really be a story without her possessing her power. And then she works with the Red Guard to bring down the Silvers. In a way, this book is like the last Hunger Games book, ‘Mockingjay’ with a rebel force fighting against a dominating race/capital, so if you liked the Hunger Games then I think you will like this. However it is different in the way that there are a lot more plot twists and not so many people die.

My favourite characters were definitely Maven, Kilorn, Cal, Elara and Mare. Elara was so evil and very clever, she can read minds which makes her even cooler than she already is. The other 4 are the standard main characters in most books, the main character, Mare, her best friend Kilorn and then the two love interests/friends, Cal and Maven. Even though Victoria Aveyard didn’t have the most original characters, I still really liked all of them and couldn’t imagine the book without them. I give this book a 9 out of 10 stars and recommend it to both genders. If you have read the Hunger Games and enjoyed them I would definitely consider reading this and if you didn’t like them, give them a go anyway. Sorry I haven’t posted in so long, but I have a new policy now and will be posting at least 3 times a month so you won’t be left with no review for months. Anyway, happy summer and comment what book you are currently reading.

The Outlanders (Fulfilment Series #2) by Erin Rhew

Blurb: With King Jesper dead and Prince Wilhelm mortally wounded, Halfling prince, Nash, and the Fulfilment, Layla, assume the throne of Etherea. They must contend with a new Prophecy Candidate who asserts her position, and Layla is surprised to find her fate intertwined with this challenger. Facing a myriad of choices, Nash and Layla’s decisions affect not only their own futures but that of two kingdoms.

Age: 13+

Price: £3.98 (may vary)

As you may know, the lovely author Erin Rhew sent me the Fulfilment Series. I read the first book (The Prophecy) and reviewed it on my blog go to http://larawhitfield.co.uk/?p=438 and I really enjoyed it. So I proceeded to read the 2nd. The only thing didn’t really like about this book was the lack of action. Maybe it’s because at the end of the last one, there was a lot of action and fighting and in this one there was very little, but otherwise, I really enjoyed it. I liked the plot twist and that it ended on a cliff hanger, leaving you wanting to read the last book. I also liked the fact that there were more characters incorporated into the story. The Outlander queen came across as a very strong character and I am looking forward to read the next book, purely to see what she will do next. As you can tell, my favourite character was the Outlander queen. Which brings m to another thing. Erin Rhew introduced a whole new place in the book that non of the other characters had properly explored before. I give this book an 8 out of 10.

I WISH YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Born Scared by Kevin Brooks

Blurb: Elliot is terrified of almost everything.

From the moment he was born, his life has been governed by acute fear. The only thing that keeps his terrors in check are the pills that he takes every day.

It’s Christmas Eve, there’s a snowstorm and Elliot’s medication is almost gone. His mum nips out to collect his prescription. She’ll only be 10 minutes – but when she doesn’t come back, Elliot must face his fears and try to find her. She should only be 400 metres away. It might as well be 400 miles…

Price: £5.99

Age:12+

This is not the type of book I would normally read, but I really enjoyed it. This an adventure book about a boy called Elliott who is scared of pretty much everything and his twin Ella-May. I got given this book by my mum’s friend as a present and she thought I might like and I did, I loved it. There are some quite scary and violent parts so I suggest that if you are sensitive to violence, this is not a good book for you. I would recommend this to people who love adventure books (and violence) because this brilliant. It’s even won an award, the Cilip Carniege Medal which is a big prize awarded by librarians. My favourite character was definitely Ella-May and the evil Santa’s because they were so good at being evil. I read this book at just the right time as it is Christmas Eve and there are only 8 days to go!!!! I give this book 9 out of 10 stars and hope you enjoy, I will see on the 24th of December to wish you a Merry Christmas!

The Cursed Child by J.K.Rowling & Jack Thorne

harry_potter_and_the_cursed_child_special_rehearsal_edition_book_cover Blurb: It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Price: £10.00

Okay, so it has been 15 years since the last Harry Potter book and this didn’t disappoint. I absolutely loved it and all the characters. This is written in the form of a script, but it didn’t bother me at all. We have tried so many times to get tickets but haven’t succeeded. I loved all the characters, my favourites were Rose, Scorpius and Albus. I thought that the story was amazing and loved all the stage directions The only thing I would say is that the ending was a bit boring and there was a lack of spell casting. However, saying that, it is my favourite book that I have read this year and for that reason, I am disregarding my small criticisms and giving it a 10! I would recommend this to all Harry Potter fans and I suggest you read it if you haven’t already. I would love to know what you thought of it and whether you got tickets to see it or not?

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Eldest (Inheritance, #2) by Christopher Paolini

Blurb: Darkness falls . . . Despair abounds . . . Evil reigns . . .

Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesméra, land of the elves, for further training in magic and swordsmanship, the vital skills of the Dragon Rider. It is the journey of a lifetime, filled with awe-inspiring new places and people, each day a fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and Eragon isn’t sure whom he can trust.

Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle back home in Carvahall – one that puts Eragon in even graver danger.

Age: 13+

Price: £5.99

This is a sequel to the book Eragon, if you would like to read the review, here is your link http://larawhitfield.co.uk/?p=184…..

On the whole, I really enjoyed this book, however, it was very, very long-winded. If anything, it was too descriptive of everything. For instance, Eragon is travelling and it takes about 3 chapters for him to get to where he needs to be. Anyway, aside from the negativity, the books are always worth reading because the endings are amazing, but don’t be that person who skips pages or chapters in books, because you never know, you may miss something important. As I was saying, there is a twist at the end that I was kind of expecting but it still surprised me. I liked this one more than the first in some ways as you got to know a lot more about Roran, Eragon’s cousin (or ‘brother’) which I was happy about. I am still unsure whether to read the other 2 books as this one took so long to read and the size of the last 2 books is a little scary. I give this book 7 out of 10 stars recommend to both genders. Please tell me if you have read the last 2 and whether they are worth the read.

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The Castle by Sophia Bennett

Layout 1 Blurb: Peta Jones is an ordinary girl struggling with the loss of her father, an ex-army hero who died in mysterious circumstances. When she receives clues that he may still be alive, she embarks on a dangerous rescue across the Mediterranean to a clifftop castle, home to an exiled billionaire. Soon she discovers that what some people will do for money, Peta will do for love.

Price: £6.99

Age: 12+

This is the last of my holiday to Spain book series and another book that I am impressed with….

I was given this book for my birthday along with another book by the same author called ‘The Look’ which I haven’t read yet but it is on my list. This book is about a girl who tries to find her dad. This book is really sad and thrilling at the same time. Because of the content, I would place it in the adventure books category and mystery, but it could be in my sad books category as well. My favourite characters were Peta, the 2 slave children (won’t mention their names because it may be a spoiler). This book is a lot darker than I expected it to be and there were a lot of characters cleverly portrayed so that you immediately hated them. I think that this book was amazing and would definitely recommend it to people who enjoy adventure, mystery thrillers. This is for both genders and I give it 10 out of 10.

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Skulduggery Pleasant (#1) by Derek Landy

Blurb: “With his sunglasses gone there was no denying the fact that he had no face. All he had was a skull for a head.”

Meet Skulduggery Pleasent: wise-cracking detective, powerful magician, sworn enemy of evil.

Oh yes. And dead.

Age: 11+

Price: £4.99 (library)

OH MY GOODNESS, YOU MUST READ THIS!!!!!!!

So as you may know from my last blog post, I have been in Spain this summer, so this is another of my holiday novels. You already know that I love this book by the rather large phrase in red, so I apologise if this review is very long, but you will understand when you read it, that you want to do nothing but talk about it…..

Anyway, onto the review. This is a fantasy – action novel and I LOVED IT! It’s super original with the skeleton as the good guy and that there is another world lurking in the shadows to be found. My favourite characters were Skulduggery (obviously), Stephenie and Tanith who is just awesome in every way. The way it has been written is similar to Rick Riordan’s style of writing, so if you like his book you should read this, if you don’t like his books, you should read it anyway. This is the first book in the skulduggery series and I am definetly going to read the rest! Also, would you be interested in seeing a series review after I have read them all rather than 12 different ones, think about and let me know. I would say that this is aimed at both boys and girls and I really hope you enjoy this book (you better read it).

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The Prophecy by Erin Rhew, #1 of The Fulfillment Series (Trilogy)

Blurb: Growing up on a small farm in the kingdom of Vanguard, seventeen-year-old Layla Givens lives a deceptively tranquil existence. But her carefully constructed life quickly falls apart when she’s abducted by a religious zealot who proclaims her The Fulfillment of an ancient peace prophecy and whisks her away to marry her greatest enemy.

Price: £0.99 (on kindle)

Age: 13+

I love fantasy books and this is just another great one. I loved all the characters in it, I have several favourites. Layla, Grant, Will, Nash and Vespa. The battle scenes in the book were amazing and described vividly. The only thing that I would say about this book is that I would like to have heard more about Layla’s parents but maybe it’s in the other books. I would recommend this to people who have read and loved Forestium and the Crimson Claymore because they are all slightly similar great fantasy books. I would definitely read the other 2 books so look for a review of them in the future. I would say this book is probably more for girls than boys, because of the several love stories that go on throughout the book, but if you are a boy and think it sounds good, then by all means, give it a read. I give this a 9 out of 10 star rating and hope you will read and enjoy it!!

Lyre by Tina V. Tatum

Blurb: The daughter of the great warrior Kitonga, protector of the Yimbe village, Lyre was always aware of the beauty of combat which led her to dream of becoming the first female warrior. She received what she asked for and more, but becoming a hero like her father came with a price.
She must battle warriors unlike any the Yimbe village has ever seen and face challenges both physical and mental. Lyre is truly a hero unlike any other.

Price: £4.99 (KIndle Edition)

Age: 13+

Firstly I would like to say thank you to Tina because the PDF of this book didn’t work and so she sent me a gift on amazon of the book which was ever so kind of her.

Anyway…

I enjoyed this book and read it during exam week and it kept me entertained during revision period. This book is a fantasy novel and has a wide array of characters. My favourite characters were Lyre and Miata . This book has an evil plot twist towards the end of the book which I hated but I don’t think I would love the book so much if it hadn’t happened. I thought the names were really interesting and sounded very tribal, unusual and unique. This is a rather different book than those that I would usually read, but I enjoyed it all the same. I would give this 8 out of 10 stars because some things that happened that I cannot tell you because it would be a spoiler. This is for both genders and I recommend it to Eragon fans. Hope you enjoy.

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The Crimson Claymore by Craig A. Price Jr.

Blurb: When Searon loses everything he once holds dear, he begins a quest for revenge, leaving behind everything except his Crimson Claymore. He runs into something he doesn’t expect…a sarcastic wizard, who won’t leave him alone unless he forms an army, an army that could fulfill his revenge, and save all of humanity in Calthoria.

Price: $14.99 (£10.26) or $5.99 on the kindle (£4.10)

Age: 13+

Before I say anything else, I would like to apologise to Craig if he is reading this, that it took me so long to read and write a review of it, well first thing is, it took 2 weeks to come from America and then it took me a while to read it, so I am very sorry, but now onto the review.

I really enjoyed this book, I would recommend it to Eragon and LOTR/The Hobbit fans and people who love the fantasy genre. There is a lot of detail crammed into this book which I like because you get a bigger picture of what’s going on. My favourite characters were Anaela, Karckeolos (hope I spelt that correctly) and Starlyn. The book was well written and I enjoyed reading it, the only thing I would say is WHERE DID STARLYN GO???? Because she kind of just leaves, I’m guessing it’s to find her sister but I would like to know, also, it ends on a cliff hanger. I know that this is book 1 of hopefully a series, and I am looking forward to the next book. If you like romance, fantasy and killing then go for it. I would say this is for both genders and give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Harry Potter series by J.K.Rowling

The Harry Potter series is one of the most highly praised book series on our planet, and this is definitely one of my favourite book series.

I will give each of the books a score out of 10, and then add them up to reveal the grand total out of 70 for the series.

Harry Potter and the philosophers stone – 8.5 / 10

Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets – 9.5 / 10

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – 9.5 / 10

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – 10 / 10

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – 10 / 10

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – 10 / 10

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – 9.5 / 10

Which gives the series a grand total of 67 out of 70, which in my opinion is a very high scoring series.

Now, let’s go on about my favourite book, which was ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix‘ because it was nice to have a change of scenery, all the books so far had been set in Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizadry so it was nice for it to be set mostly in Sirius Black’s house. This also was the book where Harry finally met a fatherly figure that he had been wanting for the whole of his life so far and meeting Sirius was a good thing however J.K.Rowling goes and spoils it by killing him at the end of the book. The other good bit of the book was that you get to meet Luna Lovegood who is one of my favourite characters as she is just so odd but doesn’t seem to be aware of it which I think is rather funny. There is also the cool battle at the end in the Ministry of Magic.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post, please tell which book was your favourite and why because I would love to know because I am a nosy person!

Girl About Time (#1 Ruby Red) by Kirsten Gier

Blurb: Every family has secrets, but what happens when you are the family secret? Gwyneth is shocked to discover she’s inherited the family time-travelling gene. One minute she’s shopping, the next she’s trapped between centuries. But she’s not the only time traveller. Soon she’s caught up in a dangerous mystery with a gorgeous boy and a secret society determined to change the past.

Price: £6.99

Age: 13+

I really enjoyed this book! This book is part of a trilogy and the other two are called ‘Saphire Blue’ and ‘Emerald Green’. This book is about time travel and strangeness, this is a very weird book but boy will you enjoy it. I don’t actually like the front cover as in my opinion, it doesnt look like the main character and that annoyed me a bit, but otherwise, this is one of the best fantasy books I have read this year! (and that is saying a lot) I give this book 10 out of 10 stars and I would say this book is for girls rather than boys. Please say if you would like me to review the rest of the series.

Percy Jackson Series (5 books) by Rick Riordan

I don’t normally write a review for series’, but this is an exception.

This is a series that consists of 5 amazing books…..

#1 Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief – 9 out of 10 stars

#2 Percy Jackson and The Sea of Monsters – 9.5 out of 10 stars

#3 Percy Jackson and The Titan’s Curse – 10 out of 10 stars

#4 Percy Jackson and The Battle of The Labyrinth – 10 out of 10 stars

#5 Percy Jackson and The Last Olympian – 10 out of 10 stars

As I read this series, the books seemed to get better and better. My favourite book by far was the third book, Percy Jackson and The Titans Curse, this book is where you meet one of my favourite characters, Nico Di Angelo, who you then get to know even better in the Heroes of Olympus series which is set after the Percy Jackson series.

The first book is where you first meet Percy and find out that he is Demigod of one of the THREE (you must read the book to understand this). He then gets whisked off on a quest and things go wrong because Percy is the worlds biggest idiot. Luckily he has Annabeth.

This series is all about Greek Mythology that still exsists, for example, the gods, monsters and strange creatures that could be classed as monsters. This series will make you cry with all the sacrifices that are made and will make you laugh at the ridiculous chapter names. I loved this series and just wish that it was an ongoing thing that never ended. There are films for the first 2 books, but don’t watch them as they are worse than having to watch Brian Cox (annoying astronomist) on the television. So please read the books and tell me what you think.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Blurb: In a society divided into factions all are forced to somewhere they belong. And the choice for Beatrice Prior makes shocks everyone, including herself.

During extreme initiation tests, Tris must determine who her friends are and whether she can trust the man who both threatens and protects her. Because Tris has a deadly secret. One that might ave those she loves… or destroy her.

Age: 12+

Price: £7.99

I knew about the film and my friends had all read it and were begging me to read it, so I did. And I am glad that they told me to do so. This book is a bit like the hunger games with the book mostly based on war, fighting and love. I did really enjoy this book. I love how it is written, I have a soft spot for books that have been written in first person (not sure why??). If you have read the hunger games and loved it, you will definitely enjoy this book. I am aware that there are three other books in this series and I am keen to read them. So when I have read them, I shall review them individually. This book is for both genders and there are some very soppy moments and awfully sad and depressing moments where you want to scream out and want the torture to stop. It doesn’t, but you get over it. I give this book 10 out of 10 stars and can’t wait to read the next one.

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan – Doyle

Blurb: There’s the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it.

After a harrowing tour in Afghanistan, Dr Watson returns to London to convalesce at 221B Baker Street, home to the enigmatic Sherlock Holmes. Their lives are irrevocably thrown together by news that a man has been found dead in a grimy ‘ill-omened’ house, with the word ‘rache’ – German for revenge – written in blood on the wall. This grisly discovery is complicated further by the look of utter horror on the victim’s face, and the complete absence of any wounds on the body or sign of a struggle.

Age: 11+

Price: The complete Sherlock Holmes is available on the kindle for free, and so is this book. However, if you do not have a kindle and wish to by this book, then it is £2.50.

I really enjoyed this book. It is quite long and hard going because it was written a while ago, but I thought it was amazing. I am a huge fan of the TV series so I was super excited to finally read one of the books. This book is very similar to the first Sherlock Holmes episode, “A Study in Pink” where Sherlock and John meet each other for the first time. This is ever so slightly different from the program, but not the same. Murders are always scary, but I didn’t think this one was too bad. There is a part after they solve the murder, where i thought the book was going off on a tangent. Turns out, if you keep reading, it makes perfect sense, so don’t give up on it. This is an amazing book and I highly suggest that you read this book about a double murder, a weird heart disease and a young girl. This book is definitely for both genders and I really hope you read it.

Forestium (Portallas #1) by Christopher D. Morgan

Blurb: Joshua’s life is on the line, as he attempts to navigate through the magical world of Forestium to find the truth about his father. He and his companions will need to use all their cunning to stay alive and avoid the dark forces of the Goat. Will he find the magical orbs and open the Portallas, a magical gateway to other worlds, before he’s killed?

Age: 10+

Price: It is available on amazon as an ebook only. Which is priced at £3.83.

I was super excited to review this book because it was a new experience for me to be contacted by an author and given an ARC (advanced reading copy) and I really wanted this book to be good, and it sure was. The prologue was intriguing and draws you into the story. And then the actual book starts ten years after the prologue.

The book is about a 17-year-old boy called Joshua, who refuses to believe that his father is dead and goes off to search for him with his best friend Andrew and an Imp named Galleon. This book is going to be published in February or March and will probably be available on amazon. This book is for both genders. I really enjoyed this book so I hope when you read it, you will too.

‘Forestium’ is the first book in the series ‘Portallas’ and I cannot wait for the rest of the series to come out. This is an adventure/romance/fantasy novel and in some parts I found it scary, partly due to the chapters about ‘The Goat’. My favourite characters were Isabelle, Sarah, The Goat and Lilly. The only thing I didn’t like about the book was at the end, so I wont say because it is a spoiler alert, but it has something to do with Joshua’s dad. I reckon people who have read Eragon will enjoy this book so if you have read it, I would recommend giving this a shot.

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

Blurb: My name is Magnus Chase. I’m orphaned and living rough on the streets of Boston. And things are about to get much worse.

My day started out normally enough. I was sleeping under a bridge when some guy kicked me awake and said, ‘They’re after you.’ Next thing I know, I’m reunited with my obnoxious uncle, who casually informs me that my long-lost father is a Norse god.

Nothing normal about that. And it turns out the gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Apparently, if I can’t find the sword my father lost two thousand years ago, there will be doom. Doomsday, to be precise.

A fire giant attacking the city?

Immortal warriors hacking each other to pieces?

Unkillable wolves with glowing eyes?

It’s all coming up.

But first I’m going to die. This is the story of how my life goes downhill from there…

Age: 10+

Gender: Both, but will probably suit boys more than girls.

Price: only available in hardback at the moment £7.50

I loved this book!!! Rick Riordan is one of my favourite authors, which is probably why i loved it so much. This book is about a boy who is a son of a norse god, and then dies, and then a load of other stuff happens which I will let you find out for yourselves. This book is original and funny, with ingenious chapter names. My favourite character was Samirah Al Abbas (A.K.A. Sam) who is a Valkyrie, she is so cool! If you loved this book, there is a second one coming out which i am super excited about called Magnus Chase and The Hammer of Thor. Also, if you are a massive Rick Riordan fan (like me) thee is a book about Apollo coming out in summer called The Hidden Oracle. I give his book 10 out of 10 stars and i really hope you like it as well.

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

Blurb:

My mother is still alive, and she is going to come for me one day.

Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. Found floating in a cello case and swaddled in a Beethoven score, she is the only recorded female survivor of a shipwreck on the English Channel. But Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help..

Age: 11+

Price: £5.24

I can’t even start to describe how amazing this book is. Well, it has a very original story line and Katherine Rundell has a way with words that make fall head over heels in love with the characters. I have to say, my favourite characters was Safi and Sophie.

The book is about a girl who is found floating around the ocean in a cello case after a ship has sunk, her mother was on that ship and drowned. But Sophie still believes that she is alive. Then her and her guardian Charles set out to Paris to go mother hunting.

This book was a present from my best friend for Christmas, and it is by far the best book I have read this year, and it is definitely better than any of the books i read last year. This book has had really good reviews from other book bloggers and book stores. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves adventurous and mysterious books. I give this book a whopping 10 out of 10 stars and is perfect for both genders. If you have read this book, please contact me in the comments and tell me what you thought.