Love and Muddy Puddles

Love and Muddy Puddles, Cecily Anne Paterson

After enjoying Invisible and Invincible, and knowing that Miss 12/13 had also enjoyed them, I turned to Paterson’s two novels about twins Coco and Charlie Franks. Love and Muddy Puddles focusses on Coco, in Year 8 at an exclusive girls’ school in Sydney, where she is perfectly happy having finally made it into the popular group at school. But her Dad has taken a redundancy after years of high stress work and decided the family is going for a full tree change and moving to the Kangaroo Valley, to build their own home. Twin sister Charlie and older brother Josh are thrilled, but Coco is horrified. Such a move will be social suicide, why would she possibly want to move away from friends and the city? Refusing to talk to her father, she begrudgingly goes with them, hanging out for the promise of the chance to return to boarding school in a year. She’s pretty badly behaved and has no real idea of just how rude and condescending she can be. Not surprisingly, country life is a bit of a shock at first, but along the way Coco figures out what real friends can be like, how much she loves horse-riding, and that her family might not be so bad after all.

Charlie Franks is A-OK charts Charlie’s exploits the following year, in a new school in the Valley. She has taken up show jumping, and her usual competitive nature might just be causing some problems with the girls at school. Not only that, but things at home are all out of kilter with her mum not being well. Again, Charlie learns what matters with family and friends, and has to rise to a challenge when really needed.

As with the other books of Paterson’s these two also have some reasonably intense storylines. I was somewhat surprised by the intensity of the bullying in Love and Muddy Puddles (as with the Jazmine books) and one creepy boy and his behaviour. I did love the bullies’ names though in the popular group: Saffron and Tiger Lily. I felt it was a shame that none of the friends seemed to grow or change in a positive way, except the main characters. I would have liked to see some of the mean girls come to some realisation of what they were like, and consider change, but I understand they were backdrops to the main character. Miss 14 and I have talked about them and think that while they are well-written, descriptive and evoke heartfelt emotion at points, both the bullying and the early love infatuations were a bit over the top.

The Maze Runner Series

The Maze Runner series, James Dashner

Some books really make you stop and wonder about the imagination of the author. I have read a fair amount of dystopia in recent years: Tomorrow, When the War Began, The Hunger Games, Scythe and so on. Most have intrigued me when their concepts, creativity and premises. But The Maze Runner series has horrified me. Dashner has created a truly awful post apocalyptic world.

I’ll give an outline of the overall story, because I think parents may want to know what it’s about before they decide to recommend it or not to their kids. (I am giving away some things now that it takes a while to figure out while reading).

Extreme sun flares have left the earth barren, boiling hot and mostly empty with rising sea levels. In the years following, as communities of survivors started to rebuild and form basic groups; remaining governments formed the Post Flares Coalition. To complicate things, a man made weapon virus made its way into the populace. Named The Flare, death rates were astronomical, but more terrifying are its effects: the slow decline of all features of humanity, so that by the end people are lower than animals with no cognitive function, turning to self harm, mutilation and cannibalism.

It seems a very small proportion of the remaining population are immune and so the race is on to develop a cure. Enter WICKED, a scientific subset of the PFC working around the clock to map the killzone (brain) by extended tests and challenges, all on teenagers.

All of this becomes clear as Books 1 and 2 unfold. The Maze Runner starts with Thomas waking up in a large metal box which delivers him to the Glade. Greeted by the approximately 50 boys who already live there, who are maintaining their community though farming and supplies delivered from The Creators. Thomas has no memory at all and it becomes clear that no other boy did either when they arrived. They have managed to provide for their needs, and certain boys spend their days mapping the enormous maze that surrounds them. The next day Teresa is delivered to the Glade. It soon become clear that no more supplies are coming and they must escape from the as yet unsolvable maze.

Book 1 charts the final weeks of the Maze project, as they try to find their way out. They have to battle terrifying creatures called Grievers, bulbous fatty creations with numerous weapons attached that maim, sting and kill. Tensions rise between various boys and justice is meted out as necessary. They have developed their own language which has given Dashner the ability to insert a massive among of swearing among the boys, even though they are not words we would use for the purpose. (e.g. shuck). When I finished this book, the words I wrote down immediately were: action packed, extreme, violent and imaginative.

Book 2 The Scorch reveals that the vast experiment of the maze was actually only Phase 1. In this Phase 2, the kids are dropped off in an equatorial region, now blinding desert and populated only by Cranks (those infected with The Flare). They have to make their way through the region to safety on the other side. Again, it’s all part of one massive experiment. My thoughts through this book were that is was overwhelmingly, unnecessarily violent. The back of this book summed it up in three words: adrenalin-fuelled, horrifying and page-turner. That’s pretty spot on.

Book 3 is The Death Cure. As it becomes increasingly apparent that WICKED will stop at nothing to try to formulate their cure for The Flare and continue the survival of the human species, Thomas and his friends are aware that they will never escape, and their trials will never be over. It’s one very extreme version of ‘the ends justify the means’ at all costs. The conclusion was inevitable, but it took a long time to get there.

Books 4 and 5 are prequels. The Kill Order gives the back story both to the time immediately after the sun flares, as well as when the Flare virus was released. The Fever Code charts the lives of Thomas, Teresa and their friends in the years prior to going into the maze, once they are the property of WICKED. They are interesting, but just as violent and disturbing in different ways.

At this point you are possibly wondering whey I kept reading them all. I am wondering the same. They were an interesting premise and they were imaginative, but as I have said, also confronting and disturbing. I kept reading them because Miss (almost) 12 loved them. I kept asking why, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. My reflection is that the story drew her in, and she cannot conceive of a world where this could actually happen. So, it was interesting but complete fantasy. I, on the other hand, could actually see a grain of truth in much of it and therefore found it much scarier. As I thought about it further, I can see that this is an author who has a true dense of total human depravity.

Personally I think Tomorrow, When the War Began, Hunger Games and Scythe are better at opening up some larger issues, without the extreme violence (and for those that have read the others, that’s saying something). But, perhaps like my daughter, your kids may love it too! Having said that, I wouldn’t have recommended it to her, and am a little surprised it was available in the primary school library. The publisher’s website does suggest 13+. There is definitely no way either of us want to watch any visual representation of it.

Five Feet Apart

Five Feet Apart, Rachael Lippincott with Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis 

There is something about books that cover teen romance combined with major illness. They grab you in, draw out your emotional energy, and spit you out again hopefully more understanding and empathetic at the same time.

Stella has CF (cystic fibrosis), and has spent the last decade coming in and out of the same hospital, and is loved like one of the family by the medical staff. Over the years her Mum and Dad and sister Abby have already been by her side, and her sister’s drawings illustrate each hospital visit. However, things at home are complicated and this time she has come to hospital on her own. Delighted to learn fellow CF teen friend Poe is also in at this point, they reconnect quickly mainly via video chat as CF sufferers cannot get closer than 5 feet apart due to high risk of infection transfer.

At the same time, Will is in the same hospital. He also has CF, but combined with a deadly infection B. cepacia, which means he is no longer on the lung transplant list and only has a few years to live. His mother has made it her mission to find a cure and so has dragged him all over the world in hope. Will, however, is over the treatments and is counting down the days till he turns 18 and can refuse treatment.

As Will and Stella connect, neither is impressed with the other to start with. Stella thinks Will is arrogant and too risky. Will thinks Stella is too controlling and organised. But as they start to learn more about each other, the walls come down. Yet, how do people really connect, when they can never get closer than 5 feet from each other?

You know tragedy will strike at some point, but you can’t always see which way it comes from. We learn Stella has come to believe she has to survive for others. Will starts to realise just how dangerous his infection could be. Both grapple with the realities of facing death, major medical treatments and complicated family and friendships.

There are lots of similarities to The Fault in Our Stars. It doesn’t shy away from medical realities. It touches nerves, is funny as well as highly emotional, and sits with you for a while after. Highly recommended for teens about age 14 and up.

Invisible and Invincible

Invisible and Invincible, Cecily Anne Paterson

These two very good books for younger teen/tween girls deal realistically with some tough issues that kids can face.

Jazmine is 13 and likes to remain hidden. It’s easy when you try hard enough, avoiding contact with people and never allowing yourself to feel. She can remove her hearing aid and just switch off. She’s moved house with her mum numerous times over the four years since her father’s death. She doesn’t have any real friends at school, so has drifted into the attention of bully Shalini and her friends, who she tries to appease.

Everything comes to a head when Shalini convinces them all to wreck the drama classroom and Jazmine is on the brink of suspension. However, drama teacher Miss Fraser intervenes and convinces Jazmine to be her helper for the upcoming drama production. One proviso is that she has to write down her feelings in a private journal. For the first time in years, Jazmine starts to analyse what she is thinking and how she feels and acts.

As the weeks unfold, Jazmine discovers she loves being involved in the play, she experiments with some gardening at home, and starts to ask questions about what happened to her father. However, she continues to think she is worthless and has nothing to offer and is stunned when some nicer students including Gabby and Liam, extend overtures of friendship towards her.

It is really a story of a girl learning to find her own voice and be OK with who she is. The themes are quite developed, with the bullying being quite intense at points, as well as the desire she feels for one boy. She also has to face what happened to her father.

The sequel Invincible returns us to Jazmine’s Year 8 world. I probably liked this one even more. Jazmine is balancing friends and their eccentricities, a boyfriend who is making her feel uncomfortable, and lots of nightmares when she tries to sleep. She escapes in the school holidays to her grandmother’s house, and finds it a place of solace with a woman she loves, respects and listens to. But family is never simple and an accident means Jazmine has to step up and care for others.

I finished both thinking Paterson has done an excellent job of portraying the variety of feelings and emotions of young women, and the challenges of friendships, boyfriends and complex family relationships. For that reason, I was a little surprised Jazmine was only 13. I felt the story would still have worked for a girl up to 15 or 16. As such, it’s good solid reading for girls aged about 11-14, though younger more naïve ones might want to wait a little longer to read it. Miss 12/13 really enjoyed them when she read them. Miss (almost) 12 also liked them, but wasn't as keen on the boyfriend parts. I enjoyed them myself, and there were sections that brought a tear to my eye. Paterson is Australian and so it reads very naturally for our context. The places referred to all smaller towns and regions on the east coast, and the books reflect people, life-styles and a school system many of us are familiar with. Recommended.

(I see too there is now a third in this series – Being Jazmine)

Winterhouse

Winterhouse, Ben Guterson

Miss 11 recommended this one and upon reading it, I fully agree with her. For his first novel, teacher Guterson has written an intriguing story full of word plays, anagrams and word ladders. Anyone who likes reading, puzzles and mysteries will enjoy it.

Orphaned Elizabeth Somers lives with her grumpy Aunt Purdy and Uncle Burlap. Surprisingly, they send her off for a trip for the Christmas holidays to the Winterhouse Hotel. Elizabeth is dubious, but once she arrives the charm of the hotel, its eccentric owner Norbridge Falls and the friendly staff win her over. She quickly makes friends with boy Freddy, who is as keen on world games as she is. The delights of the massive library and the various entertainments on offer keep them amused. Yet, an odd, mysterious and unwelcoming couple are also there, and they seem to be taking a close interest in Elizabeth.

Soon she discovers a magical book in the library that it seems will unlock some of the mysteries of the Falls family. But why do things keep happening around her? And why are others also searching for the same book?

It’s an enjoyable, longer read aimed at about 10-12 year olds. Guterson clearly has a love of reading and puzzles himself and there are many word ladders throughout, as well as references to numerous books loved by children, enough to encourage keen readers to try some other books afterwards as well. The illustrations (by Chloe Bristol) match the tone of the book well and help to set out puzzles and clues. There could be a few confusing or slightly scary moments for some readers, as there is also some dark magic and someone returns to life.

We then discovered that this is a planned trilogy, the second of which has also been published: The Secrets of Winterhouse. Both Miss 11 and I enjoyed that one as well, containing the same characters with another mystery and some odd people in the hotel who seem up to no good. We are both looking forward to the third instalment, planned for release later in the year.

Everything I've Never Said

Everything I’ve never said, Samantha Wheeler

This great tween book is about Ava, an 11 year old girl with Rett Syndrome, which means she cannot speak, move her head or feed herself, and has very limited muscle control. She adores her big sister Nic and her parents, but is also aware that they don’t really know her or what she is thinking because she can’t express herself.

School is a constant frustration because the teacher thinks Ava should be able to point to various communication cards, but Ava can’t get her body to do it right. When pushed really hard or overstimulated she screams uncontrollably or pinches, all the while longing to be able to express herself in ways people understand. When circumstances mean that another member of her family also can no longer communicate, people around Ava start searching harder for a solution to help her talk.

It is a heartfelt book, expressing what is must be like to be trapped with your own thoughts in a body that won’t do what you want it to. Author Samantha Wheeler has a daughter with Rett Syndrome so she is writing from personal experience and it shows. There are some wonderful characters who help with children with disabilities, and also people who clearly shouldn’t. She expresses the frustration of dealing with disability services (this book is based in Queensland) and trying to get the assessments needed to qualify for assistance.

In many ways there are very similar parallels to Out of My Mind but in an Australian context. Highly recommended reading for anyone age 9-10 right through to adults.

The Giver Quartet

The Giver Quarter, Lois Lowry

This quartet of books by Lois Lowry has provided some interesting reading of late for Mr 15 and me.

The Giver

In a seemingly perfect and ordered community, Jonas looks forward to the rite of passage when he turns 12 and is assigned his job; he could be a Nurturer of young children like his father, perhaps someone in the Department of Justice like his mother, or any number of roles assigned including Food Distributor, Mail Deliverer, Instructor or Laborer. In Jonas’ world there is no choice, all decisions are made for you. Couples are assigned to each other, children are produced by birth mothers and each family unit is given one boy and one girl. Those who don’t fit into the community are released, which is a celebration at the end of someone’s life, but a punishment to anyone else who doesn’t fit in properly.

Feelings and dreams must be openly shared, mistakes are apologised for quickly, and advice is often given, but there is little ability to change anything. The rules are the rules and the community keeps them rigidly.

Jonas is given a job he has never heard of, he is selected to be the new Receiver of Memory, and so begins training with an elderly man called The Giver. He is slowly given access to memories, providing an understanding of concepts long forgotten in a world of same perfection (colour, suffering, variety) and learns to feel real pain and joy for the first time. But with such understanding comes knowledge of what his community is missing out on, and what they have become. Jonas must decide whether to accept the status quo or fight for what he thinks is right.

Gathering Blue

Kira, lame and recently orphaned is worried about her future. In a village where no one is valued and only the strong survive, she is aware that she may end up left on The Field to die like other weak ones. But strangely, the leaders of the community take her in, give her comforts of food and running water that she has never known and help her to develop her talent for sewing, so that she can repair the Singer’s robe, which contains illustrations of the entire of the community’s history. There she meets Thomas, who is to be the new carver of the Singer’s staff and they discover a tiny child also kept nearby, Jo, destined to be the new singer. Like The Giver, Lowry has imagined a community with little to no love or compassion between people and where almost all adult figures end up being more corrupt than originally thought. It’s a creative yet depressing dystopian read, but should intrigue young readers as they grapple with different ways a community could look.

The Messenger

It is six years since both The Giver and Gathering Blue and Jonas is now is Leader of the community where Seer (Kira’s father) and her friend (Mattie) now live. The community has always welcomed newcomers and those who have fled or been rejected from their own communities; it is a loving and caring place. But things are changing, people are becoming more selfish and more aware of the cost of having a regular influx of those who need help. There are murmurs of stopping new people coming and the Forest surrounding is becoming malevolent and unwelcoming. This one is a little odder and harder to get your head around, as people start to trade key traits of their character for things that they want; but it seems to be considering what it is that drives a community and their values.

Son

The final instalment starts with Claire, who has been designated with the low status job of Birthmother in the community we first learnt about in The Giver. However, something goes wrong in her first product delivery, and while she produces a healthy infant (who she is not allowed to see or know), her own body is damaged in the process. Unable to continue to with her job she is relocated to work elsewhere. Yet, stirrings in Claire reveal a great sense of loss and wonder about what happened to her child. Investigations help her to find the child, number Thirty-six, who we discover is one of the children at the centre of The Giver. It’s an insightful look into the same community from a different perspective. Claire escapes and then trains for years to find the treacherous way out to go in search of her child, but what is she willing to give up to do so?

Of all of these books, numbers 1 and 4 were my favourites, yet all raised interesting questions about communities, the good and evil that drives them and the people within them. These are thought provoking books that should grab the attention and hopefully expand the minds of kids aged 11/12 and up.

Nevermoor

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow, Jessica Townsend

This new book by young Australian author Jessica Townsend has shot to the top of many booklists and won numerous awards*, and it’s easy to see why. She has created a fantasy world which immediately draws children (and this adult) in. Morrigan Crow is 11 years old and lives in Jackalfax, in the Republic. Born on an unlucky day, she is a cursed child and is now blamed for everything that goes wrong. At the end of each age, all cursed children die and the day for the end of the age is fast approaching.

As she awaits this depressing fate with a family who are keen to be rid of her and the burden she brings, she is whisked away by Jupiter North to the secret city of Nevermoor. Jupiter is sponsoring her to enter the Wundrous Society, an elite membership club of the most skilled and talented people in the city. She cannot possibly see why she should be included in the Wundrous Society, but the awful fate that awaits her in Jackalfax ensures she is determined to try. There are four trials that all candidates must complete in, requiring intuition, skill, courage and bravery. Over the year, she lives with Jupiter and his friends and employees at the Deucalion Hotel, a wonderful magic building that changes to match its occupants. She makes close friends along the way, including Hawthorne, another contender for membership who is a skilled dragon rider.

It’s an original, exciting and engaging book, which promises to extend to a series. It’s full of imagination, mystery, wonder, magic and creativity. Townsend has created a world very different to our own, but with enough elements of humanity and reality to make it recognisable and understandable. There are enormous cats that talk, umbrella rail transport networks, and very scary shadows and witches. Not surprisingly Nevermoor has been compared to Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland and Mary Poppins. While it’s a minor side note, I really liked that Jupiter was a single man who was competent, caring and friendly with children.

Both Miss 10 and Miss 12 loved it and keenly await #2 - Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow, which seems set for release in September. I’ll be lining up to read it too!



* Winner, Book of the Year 2018 at the Indie Book Awards. 
Winner, Children's Book of the Year at the Indie Book Awards. 
Winner, Best Children's Fiction at the Aurealis Awards.
Winner, Younger Fiction at the Waterstones Children's Book Prize (UK).
According to Hachette 

White Fang

White Fang, Jack London

I must have read this at least once when I was young because I recalled it was good. It was very enjoyable to return to.

It tells the life of White Fang, a pup born to a runaway sled dog, and fathered by a wolf. His early days know the life of a burrow, famine and exploration into the world. A chance encounter with an Indian group reveals to White Fang that people are gods: they rule everything and even his feisty, protective mother gives her obedience to the owners she once lost.

His character is strongly affected by those around him: bullying pups, a harsh master and cruel children. In time he becomes the property of Beauty Smith, who uses his vindictive streak to turn him into a dog fighting champion.

One day Weedon Scott, a compassionate engineer breaks up a dog fight and buys White Fang outright. In the same way that cruelty and meanness shaped White Fang, now the patience, tenderness and care shown by Scott begin to change him. An incredibly close bond develops between them.

It's a very insightful book by someone who knew and understood the nature of canines, humans and the various bonds that develop between them. White Fang is never personified, although his actions are explained and detailed. This is a highly intelligent animal who has instincts as well as learned behaviours and responses.

This is definitely worth reading for adults and older children alike. Originally published in 1906, it still is very readable and understandable. There's a depth to it that children and teens may miss and it does require a certain level of vocabulary and intuition, but adults will appreciate the insights and comments throughout. I suspect it will resonate with dog lovers for it will describe things they already know and understand about canines, and those who aren't may appreciate them a little more.

The Land of Stories

This review was written by Miss 12:

The Land of Stories is an engaging, adventurous 6-book series. Written by Chris Colfer, it’s based on the travels of Alex and Conner Bailey, twin sister and brother. Their father, John dies when they are nearly eleven and they are raised by their caring mother, Charlotte. However, Charlotte’s pay is little and they just get by with what they need. On their 12th birthday, their fun grandma shows up, cooking a feast and giving them her fairytale book, The Land of Stories. At night, Alex notices a strange thing happening with the book and barely sleeps investigating it.

At school, Alex is a genius while Conner is a sleeper in class. Their teacher Mrs. Peters gives Conner detention several times for dozing while she’s teaching the morals of fairy-tales. When a mistake Conner makes goes horribly wrong, he and his sister become lost in the Land of Stories, where fairytales come to life. Alex is thrilled but all Conner wants is to go home.

Find out the amazing characters they meet, their quest, and their encounter with one of the most feared enemies ever! I enjoyed this book and the rest of the series. The first one is The Wishing Spell, and it continues; The Enchantress Returns, A Grimm Warning, Beyond the Kingdoms, An Author’s Odyssey and Worlds Collide. I have not yet read Worlds Collide, as it is not yet out in paperback.

The rest of the books in the series are about Alex and Conner helping when there is a crisis in the Land of Stories and attempting to restore peace. They make many lasting friends, such as Jack, Goldilocks and Queen Red Riding Hood of the Red Riding Hood Kingdom. They meet the wonderful monarchs of the Land of Stories Kingdoms, and travel to spectacular places. Alex also makes a tough, heart-breaking decision at the end of book 2, and at one point in the series, she and Conner find out something Charlotte had hidden from them that will change their life!

I loved reading this series after a friend suggested it to me. They are funny and sarcastic, scary and fun and very interesting. They give a new, exciting perspective to the fairytales and I would recommend it to ages over 10 as there are a few hard things to grasp but overall, I think most would enjoy it. You should read this series! (if you haven’t already)

Liz Kessler Books

This review was written by Miss 12. 

I have recently discovered a great author, Liz Kessler. She’s written two series, Emily Windsnap and Philippa Fisher, as well as stand-alone books: Has anyone seen Jessica Jenkins?, A year without Autumn and North of Nowhere.

For as long as she can she can remember, twelve-year-old Emily Windsnap has lived on a boat in the harbour. Oddly enough, for just as long, her mother has kept her away from the water. When her mother allows her to have school swimming lessons, she’s thrilled, but as soon as she’s in the water, she discovers something amazing - her legs can turn in a mermaid’s tail! Find out how Emily becomes best friends with a mermaid, and the fun and danger they get into together! I enjoyed this book thoroughly, and the books 2-6 cover different adventures and new people that they meet. Emily has an exceptionally strong relationship with the mermaid, they both care for each other - and think each other is the best person (or mermaid) in the world! I enjoyed this series as it’s about friendship and magic, adventure and some interesting concepts.

Philippa Fisher is a girl around the same age, with crazy, wacky parents who embarrass her so much. What with the going-away of her best friend, she becomes lonely and depressed. That is, until a magical fairy named Daisy comes and grants her three wishes. At first, Philippa and Daisy don’t get along, but when something goes wrong, they must work together to solve a problem caused by Philippa’s wishes. In the second and third books, Philippa must rescue Daisy from a captor and travel into time itself. They both risk their lives for each other, and their relationship leads to a problem only they can solve; because of the exceptionally strong friendship between a human and a fairy. This series (especially book 3) involved a lot of thinking to understand, but overall, I loved these books. They’re all about differences and how to overcome them, and powerful friendships between a girl and a mythical being.

Has anyone seen Jessica Jenkins? is about having super-powers, being able to turn invisible, stop time, fly, read minds and more, all because of Jessica’s mum’s midwife! This book has some tricky scientific words, and some strange concepts, but it was a great read. I very much enjoyed it and I wish there was a sequel.

A year without Autumn is about a girl called Jenni, who finds that she’s lost a year of her life and doesn’t know how it happened. Jenni and Autumn were the closest of friends, before time tore them apart. It was a bit scary at times, but overall I really liked this book.

North of Nowhere is about time travel and a teenager called Mia. It’s about travelling back in time 50 years without realising and facing the consequences, and the bizarre things that happen. What would happen if your grandmother travelled forward in time 50 years? I liked this book, and it also was about a friendship that didn’t start well, but ended up strong (even though the two girls never meet!). I’d recommend this book to girls and boys around the same age as Mia, from 11 to about 14/15, as it involves interesting adventure and the scary thought of a family member leaving you.

The Inheritance Cycle

This review was written by Mr 14 (with some edits by me!)

The Inheritance Cycle, Christopher Paolini

I wonder what you would find on your regular morning walk. I suspect you probably wouldn’t be carrying the bow that Eragon is holding. Nor would you be likely to have a quiver of razor-sharp arrows slung over your shoulder. I really don’t think that you would find a dragon’s egg, just lying in your path. And I especially don’t think mysterious men would start appearing around your town of Carvahall co-incidentally at the same time that you’d found that egg…

Meet Eragon. A small, wiry boy living with a father and brother (and now a dragon). A 15 year-old boy required to provide food for his family, because there is just no-one else to do it. A 15 year-old boy who has to look after a dragon, because there is just no-one else to do it. The Dragon Riders are dead. There is no hope for anyone, because the tyrant Galbatorix has conquered them all, with his army of Urgals. Now all the hope of the land of Alagaesia rests on the shoulders of Eragon, the dwarves, and the elves (who no-one has seen for a millennia). Eragon must learn to control and use his powers before Galbatorix takes them from him.

Some of my favourite parts are the friendships shown between Eragon and his friends, as they bond in remarkable ways. I also liked it because it shows how much Eragon changes when he was required to, needing be stronger, faster, and smarter than he ever had before.

I didn’t really like the elves’ idealism and how they do whatever they want regardless of consequence or morals. I also didn’t like how the dwarves worship stone as their god.

I really enjoyed this series, I couldn’t put any of them down throughout the four weeks it took me to read them! Made up of four (quite large) books, each one details a different part of Eragon’s journey throughout Alagesia. The books are written in the third person, and do have a difficult and extensive vocabulary. I would recommend these book for boys and girls interested in fantasy/action/thriller books that are 12 or above. Competent readers may also enjoy them from age 10, although they may not pick up on all the sub-plots. I rate the series 4.5 out of 5 stars.


Books are titled: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance.  You can read a sample chapter here.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Miss 11 bought this with her own money the moment she could and read it the same day.   She loved it, for any continuation in the HP empire is a treat as far as she is concerned (hence her Christmas presents filled in the gaps in the DVD collection!) 

J.K. Rowling has teamed up with two other writers, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne to write a play set 19 years after the Harry Potter books – it picks up at the point of the final chapter of book seven, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

It mainly follows Harry’s second son Albus Severus as he starts his education at Hogwarts.   Surprisingly for many, he ends up in Slytherin House and becomes friends with Scorpius Malfoy, Draco’s son.  Over the course of the play, with the introduction of a more powerful time-turner, Albus and Severus seek to change the past.  As such we are introduced to two other possible realities, where the events of the previous books are changed and the future is very different.  It’s an interesting premise, but in the end, it just rehashes the events of previous books and rework the endings – so it doesn’t feel especially new. 

I found the play format frustrating.  So much more could have been done with a novel, and plays are by nature harder to read and follow.   Miss 11 agreed with me on this, also preferring a novel format.  With no explanation of who some characters were, there were times we weren’t sure if a character was a fellow Hogwarts student or an adult. 

In the end, it was a light, mostly entertaining read delving back into the world of Harry Potter - a book series which we have enjoyed.  Existing fans will probably like it, as it continues the characters they have grown to know and love, and watching their children together is always a fun continuation of a loved story.  Yet, I finished it feeling it lacked something – and I think it was depth and originality.

Percy Jackson

Percy Jackson

This review is by Miss 11 (almost 12).

This series of 5 books starting with Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan, are for ages 11 and up and are very good!

Percy Jackson thinks he is a regular boy until he finds out that he is half Greek god and he needs to stop Kronos, the Titan Lord from rising and taking over the world. The series is based in modern time, eg, to get to Olympus you must take the Empire State Building elevator to floor 600.

In the first book, Percy goes to a camp where half-bloods are trained to fight monsters, receives weapons, tests his powers and finds out which god is father is. He also makes friends with Annabeth and Grover the satyr (half goat and half boy) and they go on a quest to return Zeus’ stolen lightning bolt to him.

In Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters Grover’s goal in life (like all satyrs) is to find the great god Pan, the Lord of the Wild. However, he’s lured to an island where he’s captured and asks Percy for with Annabeth and a new friend Tyson, a Cyclops.

In book 3: Percy Jackson and the Titan’s Curse, Annabeth goes missing after she, Percy, Grover and Thalia (new friend) are tasked with bringing two new half-bloods safely to Camp. Percy is desperate to find her, however the goddess Artemis is also missing, and her followers, the Hunters of Artemis, are the one tasked to save her.

In Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth, Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Tyson adventure into the Labyrinth, a maze full of traps and try to find Daedalus, it’s creator. In the end, monsters invade the camp and must be stopped.

The fifth and final book Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian, Percy and the camp must protect the city of Manhattan from Kronos’ army, and so the final battle begins.

There are no Christian references, because the entire premise is based on the Greek gods, such as Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Apollo, Ares, Aphrodite, Hera, Artemis and more.  

One of my highlights was when a quest was issued, the leader is given a prophecy to help them.  The main prophecy from the series is:

A half-blood of the eldest gods, shall reach sixteen against all odds,

And see the world in endless sleep, the hero’s soul, cursed blade, shall reap

A single choice shall end his days, Olympus to preserve or raze

**

Miss 11 also loved the next series of five books: The Heroes of Olympus.  Mr 13 has also devoured all of them, and pretty much anything else by Rick Riordan.

I am Number Four

I am Number Four, Pittacus Lore (cont.)

I reviewed the first three books of the I am Number Four series eighteen months ago.  At that point, I had decided to wait until the series was complete as every book finished on a cliff hanger and each subsequent one followed immediately after in the time-frame.   Mr 13.5 was given the series for Christmas so he, Husband and I then worked our way through them all.

All of us concluded that the series started better than it finished.  In fact the writing seemed to change.  Mr 13’s research suggests that three authors were actually writing under the one pseudonym.  This makes some sense as the final three books were fast, action packed events with little subtlety or character depth in the way that #1 was.    The later books seemed like Matthew Reilly for teens, especially as some swearing crept into the final three books, often in the mouths of the female characters.   In my opinion, swearing is always a sign of lazy writing (and lazy talking), we all found it disappointing and unnecessary. 

Overall, the story was engaging and attention grabbing.   All three of us read #1-7 straight through without stopping.   In the end, we all felt they were fine, but could have been better.    Perhaps that was why I so enjoyed the Robin Hobb series that I read immediately after – they were more refreshing, complex, adult and yet still ‘clean’ – much better!