REVIEW 'Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams' by Sue Watson

'Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams' by Sue Watson

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Dance like nobody’s watching. Love like you’ll never get hurt…
Laura Watkin's heart isn’t broken, she’s just forgotten how to use it. After years on her own, the highlight of single mum Laura's week is watching Strictly Come Dancing with a glass of Pinot Grigio and a large helping of imagination.
With her daughter Sophie going travelling, Laura knows the time is right to do something for herself for a change. One disastrous Zumba class later and Laura ends up at the feet (literally) of gorgeous dance instructor Tony Hernandez.
A natural dancer and inspiring teacher, Tony rekindles in Laura a passion she inherited from her ballroom dancer father – and with it comes a dream… to make him proud.
But when Tony enters them to perform at the National Dance Festival, can Laura’s new-found confidence survive the test? And with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn Flamenco in Spain, could Laura truly learn to dance like nobody's watching… and love like she’ll never get hurt?"


4****

Hey Elementareaders!

‘Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams’ by Sue Watson is a fun and light-hearted romantic comedy. I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads Giveaway program, very kindly signed by Sue herself!

Laura is a forty-something single mum from Manchester who lives her life working in a supermarket and watching TV. She’s content with her life until her daughter, Sophie, bluntly tells Laura that she doesn’t want to end up like her, single and stuck in a dead end job with her only pleasure coming from watching Strictly Come Dancing and imagining herself on the dance floor.

Six months later Sophie is travelling abroad and Laura is still in her same routine. But the chat with her daughter has been a wake-up call and when Laura’s friend Carole invites her to a Zumba class, she says yes. It turns out Zumba isn’t really her thing, but after one disastrous class she meets a handsome stranger inviting her to his dance class – Latin and Ballroom.  Laura’s parents were Ballroom champions in their day and it seems that Laura has picked up on some of their rhythm and flair. She’s a natural, and when she gets the chance to learn the flamenco in Spain (her late dad’s dream) she jumps at the chance. Suddenly Laura’s life is filled with dancing and she’s never been happier!

This was such a lovely book! I did find it a little slow at the beginning, but once I got into it I really enjoyed it. Laura is just your typical forty-something singleton in a dead end job and she is so passionate about dance. She proves that anyone, any age can achieve their dreams, which I think is a lovely sentiment.

The book’s motto ‘Dance like Nobody’s Watching’ has always been one of my favourite quotes. I love the idea that you should do whatever makes you feel good regardless of whoever’s watching and judging. Suffering from social anxiety, this is a motto that I find difficult to put into practice, but I still think it's such a wonderful idea.

This is such a feel-good book and it made me laugh, smile (and occasionally cry) all the way through. Laura is so passionate that it made me want to get up and dance myself. I LOVE Tony. He’s the best friend that everyone wants, and Laura was lucky enough to find.

This was a really great book and I’ll be looking out for more of Sue’s novels in the future!


I would give this book 4 stars :)


Places to buy:
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REVIEW 'You Have to Stop This' by Pseudonymous Bosch

'You Have to Stop This' by Pseudonymous Bosch (Secrets Series #5)

Goodreads Synopsis:

"The finale to the New York Times bestselling Secret Series! 
I always feared this day would come. A secret is meant to stay secret, after all. And now we've come to this: the fifth and final (I swear!) book in my saga of secrets. 
A class trip to the local natural history museum turns dangerous when Cass accidentally breaks a finger off a priceless mummy. This "crime" of vandalism leads her and her friends Max-Earnest and Yo-Yoji on an expedition into a land of majestic pyramids, dusty tombs, and the walking dead. Is it Egypt? Or somewhere much stranger..."





5*****

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST FOUR BOOKS IN THIS SERIES. Click on the links to read my reviews of ‘The Name of This Book is Secret’, ‘If You’re Reading This, it’s Too Late’, ‘This Book is Not Good for You’ and ‘This Isn’t What it Looks Like’.


Hello Elementareaders!

'You Have to Stop This' is the fifth and final book in the middle-grade 'Secrets' series by Pseudonymous Bosch. This series follows the adventures of Cass, Max-Ernest and Yo-Yogi, three young members of the Terces Society, as they try to keep the dangerous Secret safe from the evil Midnight Sun.

At the end of the previous book Cass comes back from her trip into the past still none the wiser about what the Secret is. But she does know that Lord Pharaoh had got his hands of some of Senor Hugo's time-travel-chocolate and has followed her back into the present. Cass has to discover the Secret before Lord Pharaoh does, and the answer may just be at a new exhibit in the museum.

Cass unexpectedly receives a large trunk in the mail from none other than her ancestor, the Jester, himself. In the trunk, amongst the gold and jewels from the bandits thieving days, she finds a piece of papyrus with the Secret written on in hieroglyphics. But before Cass has a chance to decipher it, the papyrus disintegrates from old age. This leads Cass on a journey to try and translate the hieroglyphs from memory, with the help of Max-Ernest who cannot know the true reason. Cass also finds an ibis ring in the trunk, which will become very useful in her discovery of the Secret.

A new museum exhibit, a mummy from ancient Egypt, turns out to be the remains of Dr Amun, the man who discovered the Secret in the first place. To find it out herself, Cass must place the ibis ring on the mummy, but before she gets a chance the mummy is stolen. This leads Cass, Max-Ernest and Yo-Yogi on and epic trip to Las Vegas, where they must defeat Lord Pharaoh himself…

The next instalment in this series certainly didn't disappoint! The plot of this book was so fast-paced and the action is non-stop so it was so easy and fun to read. I really like this authors writing style. It's very conversational and the little footnotes are very fun (and informative!)

I love the characters, especially Cass. It's been great to see her grow up throughout this series. Max-Ernest's character development has also been a joy to read, and I particularly enjoyed his (final) graduation speech.

This is a really great series that I think both children and adults will enjoy, and I'll definitely be looking out for more of Pseudonymous Bosch's books in the future (assuming he is still writing under that name! :p)


I would give this book 5 stars :)


Places to buy:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
The Book Depository (free shipping worldwide!)

Follow Pseudonymous Bosch on:
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REVIEW 'This Isn't What it Looks Like' by Pseudonymous Bosch

'This Isn't What it Looks Like' by Pseudonymous Bosch (Secrets Series #4)

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Cass may be in grave danger. She's eaten the dreaded Time Travel Chocolate--and you know what that means. I won't even begin to tell you what trouble this delicacy has caused in the past. If only Cass could leave the past behind! But it appears she is literally stuck in it. 

Meanwhile, Max-Ernest is worried for his best friend. Can our expert hypochondriac diagnose Cass's condition before it's too late? And will he have what it takes to save the survivalist? 

For Max-Ernest, it's a race against time; for Cass, a race through it. For the rest of you, well, it's a race to find out what happens next, of course. But proceed with caution, and be sure to read carefully because...this isn't what it looks like."


5*****

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST THREE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES. Click on the links to read my reviews for ‘The Name of This Book is Secret’, ‘If You’re Reading This, it’s Too Late’ and ‘This Book is Not Good for You’


Hi Elementareaders!

'This Isn’t What it Looks Like' is the fourth book in the middle-grade ‘Secret Series’ by Pseudonymous Bosch. These books follow the adventures of three young members of the Terces Society, a secret organisation whose job it is to keep the Secret (to immortality) from getting into the wrong hands. On three previous occasions these children, Cassandra, Max-Ernest and Yo-Yogi, have thwarted the evil Midnight Sun's plans and kept the Secret safe.

At the end of the previous book Cass has discovered that she is a decedent from the Jester, the original founder of the Terces Society, and that she is the Secret-Keeper. The only problem is, she doesn’t actually know the Secret. With the remains of Senor Hugo's extra strong time-travel-chocolate, Cass has gone back to medieval times to meet the Jester and find out what the Secret is.
Unfortunately for Cass, while her mind is in the past her body is still very much in the present and the adults believe she has fallen into a coma. She is in the hospital's Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and her distraught mother is unwilling to let Max-Ernest visit. The couple of times Max-Ernest has been close enough to Cass to try and give her the antidote and bring her back, it hasn’t worked.

Meanwhile Cass meets a seer also named Cassandra who gives her some advice, and a useful double monocle which allows her to see far away and through solid objects. But the evil alchemist, and founder of the Midnight Sun, Lord Pharaoh finds Cass while she is searching for the Jester and ends up locking her in a cell with her ancestor. In the process he steals the double monocle and the last remaining piece of the time-travel-chocolate. Cass has now found what she was looking for, but will the Jester be able to help her uncover the Secret? And can Max-Ernest wake Cass up before it is too late?

This really is such a great adventure series for both kids and adults alike! These books are a fantastic mix of mystery, action and adventure with a little time-travel and alchemy thrown in. The characters are fantastic and I especially like Cass, the survivalist, and Owen, the master of disguise.

There were some great new characters introduced in this book too. I LOVED the Jester and Anastasia is a brilliant bad-ass bandit. Mr Cabbage Face, the homunculus for book two also makes a brief, but memorable appearance as his past-self. Ms Mauvais and Dr L don’t play such a big part in the book, but in their place we meet the horribly evil Lord Pharaoh.

The story was so fast-paced and well written. I really enjoy this authors writing style, and I love the little footnotes and appendices. This book also has a fantastic little author interview at the back which was a fun read.


I would give this book 5 stars :)


Places to buy:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
The Book Depository (free shipping worldwide!)

Follow Pseudonymous Bosch on:
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REVIEW 'This Book is Not Good for You' by Pseudonymous Bosch

'This Book is Not Good for You' by Pseudonymous Bosch (Secrets Series #3)

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Cass, Max-Ernest and Yo-Yoji, the youngest members of the top-secret Terces Society, have been given a crucial mission: to track down a cursed Aztec tuning fork that has the power to recreate any flavour the user has ever tasted."












5*****

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST TWO BOOKS IN THIS SERIES. CLICK THE LINKS TO FIND MY REVIEWS OF ‘The Name of This Book is Secret’ and ‘If You’re Reading This, It’s too Late’


Hi Elementareaders!

'This Book is Not Good for You' is the third book in the young adult 'Secrets Series' by Pseudonymous Bosch. This review will probably contain spoilers for the first two books in this series, so check out the links above if you want to read my reviews for those first.

The previous book ended with Cass, Max-Ernest and their new friend  Yo-Yogi, once again thwarting the plans of the Midnight Sun and keeping the Secret safe. This book picks up a little while later. Cass is working in her grandfather's old-firehouse-turned-junk-shop with the sole purpose of trying to find the box in which she was left on their doorstep as a baby, to try and find out more about where she came from. Instead they find a magazine inside a box of recent donations, and are shocked to see the teen pop star twins Romi and Montana Skelton, members of the evil Midnight Sun, on the front cover. The article inside says that they are visiting the 'Loving Heart Orphanage' (and chocolate plantation) in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. The friends are even more shocked to see that the 'nun' running the orphanage is none other than Ms Mauvais, leader of the Midnight Sun.

Cass and Max-Ernest are eager to tell Pietro, head of the Terces Society, about their find, and Pietro immediately dispatches a team out to Côte d'Ivoire to track them down. The Terces Society believe that the Midnight Sun are after the legendary 'Turning Fork', a piece of cutlery that “has the power to stir into being any taste in the world – as long as the eater has tasted it before.” (Chapter 4, Pg 61).

Seemingly unrelated, Cass and her mother are taking part in a cookery course taught by the famous blind chef, Senor Hugo. Cass accidentally lets slip that she knows about the Turning Fork and suddenly finds herself, he mother, Max-Ernest and Yo-Yogi invited to Senor Hugo's restaurant. The restaurant is unusual, however, as it is completely in the dark so the diners can use their other senses more when tasting the food. But during the meal Cass's mother is kidnapped, and Cass is given 48 hours to find the Turning Fork and bring it to Senor Hugo.

This leads to an epic search, and an adventure that will take them right into the heart of the Midnight Sun's chocolate plantation. But what does chocolate have to do with the Secret? And can Cass save her mother and defeat the Midnight Sun again?

This series just keeps getting better! There was so much more character development for Cass in this book and I’m as excited as she is to find out more about her mysterious past, and her ancestors. Like the previous two, this book was very fast-paced and difficult to put down.

This is such a great series of both kids and adults who love adventure stories. I have the final two books on order from my local library and I'm looking forward to reading them!


I would give this book 5 stars :)

Places to buy:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

The Book Depository

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REVIEW 'If You're Reading This, It's Too Late' by Pseudonymous Bosch

'If You're Reading This, It's Too Late' by Pseudonymous Bosch (Secrets Series #2)

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Proud new members of the top-secret Terces Society, Cass and Max-Ernest can't wait for their first mission. And no sooner have they decoded a message hidden in Cass's shopping list than they are kidnapped by their dastardly enemies, the Midnight Sun. Can Cass and Max-Ernest escape?"











5*****

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST BOOK IN THIS SERIES ‘THE NAME OF THIS BOOK IS SECRET’ You can find my review of that book HERE


Hi Elementareaders!

‘If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late’ is the second book in the Secrets series by Pseudonymous Bosch. I really enjoyed the first book, and this sequel was definitely not a disappointment! This is a middle-grade mystery/adventure series that follows the escapades of Cassandra and Max-Ernest, two children who stumble across a dangerous Secret.

At the end of the first book Cass and Max-Ernest receive gifts and a coded message from Pietro Bergamo inviting them to join the Terces Society, a secret organisation formed to protect the world from the dangerous Secret. The children hindered the evil Midnight Sun from uncovering the Secret in their last adventures, so were asked to join for proving their courage and bravery.

This book begins a little while after the end of the first and Cass and Max-Ernest are still waiting to hear from Owen, a member of the Terces Society who is supposed to be taking them to meet Pietro. One lunchtime Cass finds a note in her lunchbox which appears to be from her mother, but they discover that it is actually a coded message from Pietro (or so they think!) telling them to meet him at Dock 3 on their field trip the next day.

The survivalist and the decoder go to the dock to find that it is a trap and they are once again in the clutches of the Midnight Sun, until Owen turns up in another one of his ridiculous disguises and rescues them and gives them a hint to the location of the Terces Society headquarters. Cass and Max-Ernest are then put on a dangerous quest involving a Sound Prism, an alchemist and a five-hundred-year-old homunculus with the task of stopping the Midnight Sun discovering the Secret once again.

This was a fantastic sequel! The story was just as fast-paced as the previous book and the plot was brilliant! I loved the character development of the two heroes and there were some great new characters introduced too. It was good to finally meet Pietro and Yo-Yoji was an awesome new character and friend for Cass and Max-Ernest.

I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book!


I would give this book 5 stars :)


Places to buy:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
The Book Depository

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REVIEW 'The Name of This Book is Secret' by Pseudonymous Bosch

'The Name of This Book is Secret' by Pseudonymous Bosch

Goodreads Synopsis:

"WARNING: DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!

...For amongst its strange and alarming contents you will find:

two extraordinary adventures...
a missing magician's diary...
a symphony of smells...
and a deadly secret

But wait, you already know too much! It is too late. I'm afraid nothing will stop you now. Open the book if you must.
But, please, tell no one."




5*****

Hi Elementareaders!

‘The Name of this Books is Secret’ by Pseudonymous Bosch is a middle-grade mystery/adventure story about two eleven-year-olds who stumble across a secret that will change their lives.

Cassandra is a survivalist. She always carries a backpack crammed full of things that will be useful if a disaster occurs (torch, compass, rope, space blanket etc…). Her grandfathers, Wayne and Larry, own a junk shop in an old firehouse and one day whilst Cass is there an estate agent named Gloria brings them a box of things from the house of a magician who recently died in a fire. Among the bric-a-brac they find a box containing ninety-nine crystal vials each containing a different scent. The inscription on the box reads ‘The Symphony of Smells’.

Max-Ernest is an aspiring comedian, and the type of boy who doesn’t know when to stop talking. Because of his terrible jokes and his inability to stay quiet he doesn’t have any friends. Whilst trying out his latest joke on Cass, he examines the Symphony of Smells and discovers that it has a secret compartment. In the compartment is a riddle, which spells out ‘HELP’. Convinced that this is a message from the magician who is still alive, they quickly become friends and collaborators, and try to find out what the message means and how to help him.

But it isn’t all plain sailing for Cass and Max-Ernest. They face numerous perils along their journey and discover a dreadful secret group named the Midnight Sun who are experimenting with some truly awful age-reducing remedies…

This was such a fun read! The first couple of chapters are the author telling you not to read this book as it contains secrets that are dangerous. Obviously that just wants to make you read on. Once it got into the story the book was so fast-paced and really easy to read. The authors writing style reminded me a little of Lemony Snicket. He described everything as if it really happened and he was just telling the story, which I think is a really fun way to write a fiction book.

I think this would be a fantastic book for both children and adults. It’s easy enough for an eleven-year-old to read, but the plot and characters are so fantastic that adults would really enjoy it too. I’m looking forward to reading the next books in this series!


I would give this book 5 stars :)


Places to buy:
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Amazon US
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REVIEW 'Habibi' by Craig Thompson (Graphic Novel)

'Habibi' by Craig Thompson

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Sprawling across an epic landscape of deserts, harems, and modern industrial clutter, Habibi tells the tale of Dodola and Zam, refugee child slaves bound to each other by chance, by circumstance, and by the love that grows between them. We follow them as their lives unfold together and apart; as they struggle to make a place for themselves in a world (not unlike our own) fueled by fear, lust, and greed; and as they discover the extraordinary depth — and frailty — of their connection.

At once contemporary and timeless, Habibi gives us a love story of astounding resonance: a parable about our relationship to the natural world, the cultural divide between the first and third worlds, the common heritage of Christianity and Islam, and, most potently, the magic of storytelling."

5*****

Hello Elementareaders!

'Habibi' is a graphic novel by Craig Thompson that follows the lives of two child slaves. The book has strong Islamic religious themes with some hints of Christianity. As an atheist myself I wouldn't normally read this kind of book, but the cover caught my eye so I flicked through and completely fell in love with the artwork.

We first meet Dodola, a young white girl, aged nine who has just been married off to a scribe. Not a nice situation for any young girl, but the scribe does teach her to read and write. Before long, however, their home is raided and her husband killed. Dolola is then sold as a child slave where she meets Cham, a three year old black boy and forms a bond. Dodola manages to escape her captors and takes Cham with her, who she re-names Zam. She also refers to him as ‘Habibi’, which means 'Beloved' in Arabic. They find an old abandoned ship in the desert which they make their home. They spend six years together with Dodola selling herself into prostitution for food and Zam collecting water. During this time Dodola tells Zam lots of stories from the Qur'an including Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark and Moses amongst others. At first Dodola is a mother figure for Zam but as he grows older he begins to develop a lust for her.

Suddenly at ages 12 and 21 the two are separated and have to survive without each other. Dodola finds herself imprisoned in the Sultans palace where he challenges her to please him for 70 nights in a row. On the seventieth he gets bored but spares her life. He then sets her another challenge, she has seventy months to turn water into gold in exchange for her freedom. During this time she becomes pregnant with the Sultan's child and gives birth to a baby boy. But, still torn up about her separation from Zam she neglects the child, only to try and make up for it later, but she doesn't get the chance.

Meanwhile Zam is trying to make a life for himself in the nearby town, when he is taken in by a group of eunuchs and he makes some serious life choices that will affect his future. Zam eventually gets a position in the palace but will he and Dodola ever be reunited?

 First things first, the artwork in the book was absolutely stunning! Each of the 600+ pages was so beautifully decorated and there was so much to look at that I went through after I'd finished it to look again. As well as the pictures depicting the story the backgrounds and borders were filled with Arabic letters and words and although I couldn't read them, they looked beautiful. It really added to the Islamic themes of the book too.

As I mentioned before, I am not religious and wouldn't normally read this type of book but I'm incredibly glad it did! The story of Dodola and Zam was so captivating and I really fell in love with these two young survivors.

The narrative of the book is quite mixed up and there are time-jumps and flashbacks. Quite often I find this kind of style difficult to follow, but this story was so beautifully written that it was so easy. The story is also interspersed with tales from the Qur'an and although I'm not religious I found them really interesting and they fitted in so perfectly with the story.

This was a truly wonderful book to read and I'm sure I'll be going back to it in the future time and time again. The book does contain adult themes and depictions of nudity so I wouldn't recommend it to younger readers, but most adults, religious or not, will be delighted by this wonderful graphic novel.


I would give this book 5 stars :)


Places to buy:
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REVIEW 'Dragon Rider' by Cornelia Funke

'Dragon Rider' by Cornelia Funke

Goodreads Synopsis:

"With lonely Ben aboard, brave dragon Firedrake seeks mythical place where silver dragons can live in peace. Over moonlit lands and sparkling seas, they meet fantastic creatures, summon up surprising courage - and cross a ruthless villain with an ancient grudge determined to end their quest. Only a secret destiny can save the dragons and bring them the true meaning of home."











4****

Hi Elementareaders!

'Dragon Rider' by Cornelia Funke is an epic tale of adventure, magic and friendship.

Firedrake is a Silver Dragon, living in a remote valley in the Scottish Highlands. There are a small cluster of dragons living there and they are unsure whether they are the last of their kind as the humans are slowly taking over the planet. Sorrel, a Forest Brownie (a kind of cat-like creature that walks on two legs) is out foraging for mushrooms when a rat brings news of the humans planning to take over their valley.

Upon hearing this news, Firedrake and Sorrel set out on an epic quest to find the 'Rim of Heaven', the mythical place where it is said all dragons came from and somewhere that they will be safe. Rat tells them to stop and see her cousin in the city, who can give them a map. Whilst in the city they meet Ben, a young homeless boy, who helps them find the rat and the map (showing the Rim to be somewhere in the Himalayas), and ends up embarking on this journey with the Dragon and the Brownie.

But the journey isn't going to be a safe one. When resting on a mountain they meet some dwarves, one of which runs off to his master, the giant and fearsome gold Dragon, Nettlebrand, who enjoys eating Silver Dragons like Firedrake. Nettlebrand sends out a spy to follow them in the hope that they will lead him to the Rim of Heaven and lots more tasty dragons. The gang go on many adventures and meet lots of new friends along the way, but can the defeat Nettlebrand before it is too late?

This was such a wonderful adventure story! The characters were great, although Sorrel did get on my nerves a bit sometimes, but her personality was so well written. I love that this book was set in our world rather than some far off fantasy land, and it was great to believe for a second that these magical beings; dragons, brownies, dwarves, basilisks & more, could be living in our world.

I adored the little illustrations at the tops of the chapters, and the few scattered in between. I think the pop-up replica of the map was also a really nice touch and it was great to look at the map whilst reading to get a better idea of their journey.

While the storyline was amazing, I do thing some of the writing was lacking in the area of descriptiveness. Although I suppose some of it make have been lost in the translation from German. The language is nice and simple for children to read and understand.

Overall I thought this was a really great adventure fantasy for both adults and children alike.


I would give this book 4 stars :)


Let me know in the comments if you've read ‘Dragon Rider’ and what you thought of it! And if you had a dragon, what would you name it?

Places to buy:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

The Book Depository (free delivery worldwide!)

Audible.com

Follow Cornelia Funke on:

corneliafunke.com

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