Category Archives: Reviews

Oct16

A Haunting Tale For Halloween Reading

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Haunting at Heidelburgh Mansion by Tracy Marchini

October is the time to get into a Halloween mood. Haunting At Heidelburgh Mansion is a great short story that includes characters from the “Hot Ticket” children’s series by Tracy Marchini. Juliet is the odd ball at her school, bullied by the most popular kids. She manages to get through the sixth grade with her good friend, Lucy. Like most kids at this time of year, they are trying to figure what to do on Halloween.

Trick or treating is for little kids, and Juliet isn’t invited to the big Halloween party given by her nemesis Cindy Newsome. Only thing left to do is crash the party. After all, it plans to be the coolest party in town, given at a supposedly real haunted mansion. But when Juliet finds out that the ghost in the mansion is real, they have a most unusual request. And of course, it’s the only way to help rescue her friend, Lucy.

I think this short story is a great way to get into the Halloween spirit. If you want a good read that gives the feel of a Scooby-Doo mystery, this is a story for you. There is even a sneak peek of the first book in the “Hot Ticket” series at the end of the short story. For 99 cents, it’s a great ebook to begin getting into the Halloween mindset. It’s definitely a “Hot Ticket” read.

**** 4 Star Rating
Available at Smashwords.com and Amazon.com.

Link to the “Hot Ticket” series by Tracy Marchini on Amazon.com.

Sep30

Codename: Dancer is YA For Glee-sters

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Codename: Dancer by Amanda Brice

If you love “Glee” and “Dancing with the Stars”, this is a book you have got to try. Set at a performing arts boarding school, this is a mystery packed full with teens, dancing, and accidental mishaps.

Dani is starting her freshman year at her dream school. Little does she know that a film crew is there to shoot a new reality show. They need dancers to be paired up with teen celebrities. Waffling only slightly about trying out, Dani nails it.

Added to the cast, the mystery begins. Falling set pieces, fake bombs left in her bag, and a fire set to the dance studio start to point fingers at her as the suspect.
But luckily, Dani is surrounded by her fellow cast members that believe, with a little gumshoe thinking, they can solve the case.

I grew up as a theater geek. So any book with a performing school related background catches my interest. With a simple connect the dots plot line, it’s a straight forward mystery.
There wasn’t a huge amount of guess work on who done it. If you like real complicated, intense mysteries, this might not be for you. But overall, it delivered a good, basic suspenseful plot that delivered complete with twist ending. However, it is a bit simple minded on the who-done-it aspect. For a clean, fun read with teens obsessed with texting, cute teen stars, and dance, this is a definite read for you or the teen in your life. (less)

**** Four Star Rating
Available on Amazon.com and

Aug2

A New Take On Friendship

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The book, Jimmy Stone’s Ghost Town is a cross between the Wimpy Kid series and the TV series Ghost Hunters. Written by Scott Neumyer, this book takes the reader into a 10 year old boy’s world of childhood problems, an alcoholic dad, bully victim, and ghosts.

Jimmy has a lot of problems for a kid. His dad drinks, his mom is gone, and he’s getting bullied at his new school. But when a classmate decides to give him some pointers on how to save himself from the school bully, Jimmy’s life takes a turn for the better. But then, on an adventure together in the woods behind his house, Jimmy and his new friend, David, find a challenge that will test their friendship even further-ghosts.

This book starts out a bit slow, with a lot of background information telling why Jimmy is in the new town he dubs “Boredsylvania”. The story really starts in Chapter 7 where David saves him from the class bully gang in the boy’s bathroom. From there, things get a bit weird and interesting, like if the “Wimpy Kid” series involved ghosts. There is a lot of mystery to the secret world that Jimmy and David discover, but it really didn’t pull me in like some books do. However, the cliffhanger ending makes me wonder what will be in the set-up sequel. Plus, there was some mild swearing that might delight any upper grader, but should be acknowledged for parents.

Overall, this book is an exercise in friendship and boy bonding. I think the author’s voice is something a Tween boy could relate to. There is a good mystery plot to it since Jimmy has to save the fantasy world of “Ghost Town”. It’s worth a try on your list if you like some paranormal/fantasy fiction for your child’s bookshelf. Give the book a scan yourself before letting your 10 year old delve in to it.

*** Three Star Rating– Jimmy Stone’s Ghost Town is available as an ebook at Smashwords and the Kindle Bookstore.

Jul6

A Book With A Twist In Misfortune

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My Sparkling Misfortune Cover

My Sparkling Misfortune by Laura Lond

Books often give you the perspective of the hero. What would it be like to hear from the villain’s point of view? In the book, My Sparkling Misfortune by Laura Lond, the villain gets his say. Well, at least that’s what Lord Arkus calls himself at the beginning. In a twist of fate that makes this story so appealing, he is turned into a hero, in which he doesn’t really realize, not even at the end. This is the endearing quality to the tale that made this middle reader novel stand out among others.

Lord Arkus is a card holding villain. He’s established himself and attends the conventions. But when a turn of fate tosses him out of his castle and finds his army captured, he must take drastic action. Capturing a gormack, an evil spirit, to assist him will solve his problems and lead to the start of new plans. But by mistake, he captures a sparkling, a valiant and good spirit. Thus, begins the start of an adventure of a villain going down the wrong path towards righteousness.

I really enjoyed this new perspective into villainy. It kept my interest until the end, with twists and turns that are a great surprise as you watch Lord Arkus slowly turn into a hero. By the end, you are hoping for him to vanquish his former evil friends, the villains that take advantage of his new heroism. Though most of it seems to happen by chance, it is soon apparent that the sparkling, or good spirit, might have a hand in things. Overall, I think children will love this new take on good vs. evil, esp. since it’s such a good tongue and cheek adventure. Boys and girls will be cheering for Lord Arkus by the end, even if he doesn’t want it. This is a definite add onto any reading list.

5 stars rating: *****
Available in Paperback and Hardback Editions at Amazon.com. Ebook editions available as Kindle and Smashwords editions.

**For an interview with author Laura Lond on this blog site, please link here.
**Link to her second book’s review, My Royal Pain Quest.
To continue with your INDIEpendence Day Blog tour event, link back to the Indibles Writers Blog.

Jun14

Summer Reading For The Goblin In Your Life

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Goblin Brothers Adventures Vol 1 by Lindsay Buroker

Looking for good summer reading for your child? Here’s a great fantasy adventure with a twist, the main characters are goblins. Not your ordinary goblins; the kind you might think that smell bad and maybe eat cats. No. These are a book worm and science obsessed pair of goblins that will win you over. Enter the world of Goblin Brothers Adventures by Lindsay Buroker. Enjoy short stories of how two goblin brothers get into and out of all sorts of trouble.

From saving human children, surviving bullies, or even almost being turned into goblin slaves, these two brothers get into all sorts of problems. But there seems to be an underlining theme to all the stories, they stick together. No matter what problems they encounter, Malagach and Gortok never give up. Their interest in books and science are a charming balance of skills they use to solve their problems.

I would recommend this book for children that still enjoy a good fantasy read, but may have trouble focusing on a full chapter book. The short story adventures can be read aloud and enjoyed one at a time. This is especially wonderful for kids that have trouble reading. Your child will enjoy this as a start to their summer reading adventure.

**** 4 Star Rating
Available as a Kindle and Smashwords editions.
An interview with the author, Lindsay Buroker, is available in the Interviews Section of this blog.

For more information on Lindsay Buroker, visit her website at: http://www.lindsayburoker.com.

Mar14

YA Realistic Fiction That Asks, “Would I Do That?”

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Snow Burn by Joel Arnold


Review for Snow Burn by Joel Arnold

What if you save someone’s life? What if you knew they were a criminal? Would you do it? This is the main focus of the book Snowburn, a YA suspense novel, that kept me turning the pages until I found the answer. With about 30,000 words in length, it’s a quick read for teen or adult. With the added bonus of page turning suspense, it’s a realistic fiction treat for the mind.

Two teenage boys, Vince and Tommy are unlikely friends. Vince, the football jock and Tommy, the band geek, find a common interest in drums and horror films that begins an unusual friendship. But Vince loves to walk the edge. He convinces Tommy to camp in the snow, building an igloo and digging in from an unexpected blizzard. The groan heard nearby turns out to be a man caught in the blizzard as well. Vince and Tommy save him only to find the life changing decision puts them at risk as well.

I enjoyed this YA for the suspenseful situation that the author creates. It’s a predictable event, but executed in a way that drives the reader to the solution. I couldn’t stop turning the pages. I usually don’t enjoy realistic fiction, but found this story propelled me forward to it’s climax. There was a bit of a let down in the ending, again predictable. But it did seem necessary to the theme of the book. Teenagers that enjoy realistic fiction and survival stories should enjoy this one. I think even adults will find this a quick, but interesting read.

Rated 4 Stars-Available on Smashwords in several ebook formats.

Feb14

A New Twist on Dragon Myths

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Sam and the Dragon by Eric B. Thomasma

I am always on the look out for new myths and legends. I found this little gem of a picture book that involves dragons on Kindleboards.com. I must say, it was amazing to see a picture book finally on the Kindle. Most of the pictures and text lined up fabulously. There might have been one line or two on an extra page. Plus, the story is a great read-over dragon oriented fable with a new take on modern heating systems.

The story starts out with a boy named Sam not wanting to join the annual migration of his family south for the winter. Instead, he chooses to stay home by hiding from his family. He finds out that winter is colder than he thought. If it wasn’t for the warmth and friendship of his dragon friend, he surely would have perished.

Upon the family’s return, the dragon Freness, has a new metal home in the basement. Metal was the most likely material not to burn from dragon fire. So, soon Sam tells his family how he kept warm for the winter, and soon they realize they can attach piping to all the rooms so Freness’ fiery warmth can spread throughout the home. In the end, the town learns of the wisdom, and everyone is out getting a friend dragon to heat their house.

This delightful tale was illustrated by the author’s brother, Lanin. The dragon illustrations are a winsome, cartoon style. The pictures add to the storytelling style of the writing.

This book is a great read aloud for any child from 2-8 years old. I would especially recommend it to kids that are dragon obsessed. It is similar to old world fairy tales and legends that explain how things work, but instead, explains the modern device of indoor heating. Every child that hears the story will be happy that perhaps the dragon that lives in their furnace will always be their friend.

**** 4 Star Rating. Available on Smashwords, Kindle, and Paperback editions. Format reviewed was from Smashwords.

Feb6

A Sweet Adventure For Your Child

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Candy Wars: The Tooth Fairies vs. The Candy King by R. G. Cordiner

This book is a treat for any child. It has all kinds of elements that will tempt a child’s imagination, as well as their stomach. From chocolate archers to powdered sugared snowmen, this candy tale will lead any child’s fancy into a world that they wish they could explore.

It starts with a brother and sister each finding different paths into a world of the Tooth Fairies and the Candy King. The fascinating fact is that each sibling is on opposing sides, and a Candy War is imminent. The story carries the reader from the different perspectives until finally drawing them together for the ending. A dragon plays a pivotal part in the story, along with the Tooth Fairies characterized as young Valley Girls. I enjoyed this fantasy world that was created. I can see a child getting lost in this turmoil of tooth fairies and candy creatures.

I think the first thing I had to get used to is the style of this author. There were some phrases that were distinctly Aussie English usage, like icing sugar instead of powdered sugar. So, for American children, they will have to use context clue strategies to conclude the meaning of some phrases.

A balance between the real world and fantasy world was thrown off a bit when the teacher caged up the bad children in his classroom, and no one noticed. Maybe I’m just a stickler for real facts embedded in fantasy to make it realistic, but I felt the teacher could be mean without the additional abuse. But then, I’ve never gone to school in England. Maybe there are secret classroom disciplines I know nothing about.

Overall, I found this to be an enlightened, sweet tale full of fantasy to tempt the imagination of any child. I’m sure it will hold most children enthralled throughout the story. It is definitely a sugary tale of adventure without the cavities.

**** Four Star Rating, ages 7-12 years. Middle Reader Book. Available in paperback or Kindle editions.

Jan20

Great Beginning Chapter Book 7-9 year olds

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Crystal Palace Cover

"The Crystal Palace: Rescue of the Baby Fairy Prince" by Michelle Hauser


Review for “The Crystal Palace: Rescue of the Baby Fairy Prince” by Michelle Hauser.

I’m always curious about new crystal and fairy books. This one came under my teacher radar on one of the discussion boards. After ordering, I was surprised at the child friendly candor and easy readability. This is a great book for struggling readers. If your child loves fairies, this will feed the need.

The story begins with a sleepover visit to grandma’s. The granddaughter, Karina, takes her two good friends, Emily Jean and Katie, on a slumber party adventure. They discover that in her specially decorated bedroom of crystals a visit from her grandmother’s tooth fairy, Angela, reveals a problem. The Baby Fairy Prince is missing. The girls must help Angela find him. Off on an adventure with fairy magic, rainbow travels and leprechauns, any reader will discover a safe and fantastic fairy world adventure.

This is a great book to share as a read-aloud or for independent readers.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jan2

New Cutting Edge YA Fantasy

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Shadowmagic by John Lenahan


I saw this book on an Amazon.com board for new book releases. I liked the fantasy angle and the concept. Lenahan’s writing style isn’t your typical fantasy writing. He has a real humorous voice that after a bit, grows on you. I do like the connection to the real world. The main character continues to miss our reality and wonders how to get back. A lot of Narnia comes to mind as the main character goes through a lot of difficulties to solve the adventure.

I did like the characters, the imp, hot-headed girl, and the banshee sidekick. There were enough character traits to make them enjoyable and want you to keep reading. The plot wasn’t so predictable, and the twists involved were fun. I enjoyed this book over all and would recommend it to any fantasy reader that wants a new take on what fantasy can be.

Available in Paperback and Kindle Editions.
Rated: 5 out of 5 stars