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

Twitter

Goodreads

REVIEW 'Encore' by Kat Green

'Encore' (The Black Eagles #2) by Kat Green

Goodreads Synopsis:

"The Black Eagles and their loved ones try to recover from the traumatic events that have beset the band, starting to piece together their lives while trying to make sense of everything that happened to them. How can they trust again, after so much betrayal? As they begin a collective healing process, they find that the future has more demons in store for them. 
At the centre of it all are Luke and Melissa, only just starting to put their lives back together. As they embark on new adventures, old enemies may not be ready to let them forget..."







5*****

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST BOOK IN THIS SERIES. TO READ MY REVIEW OF ‘STRINGS’ CLICK HERE

Hi Elementareaders!

‘Encore’ is the second book in the fantastic ‘Black Eagles’ series by Kat Green. This is a contemporary romance set in the world of The Black Eagles, a British rock band, following the lives of the band members, their other halves and their friends.

At the end of the previous book (spoilers ahead! Continue at your own peril…) Luke Black and his girlfriend Melissa Webb are finally safe from the mentally unstable Amber, and Jay-Den Lake, the head of the Eagles record company who kidnapped Luke. All of their lives were turned upside down, Luke left with mental scars, Melissa with physical ones, Megan unable to have children and the rest of the core gang, Toby, Dale, Beth and Tom left rattled by their experiences. Dale and Beth have a child on the way, and the group are now trying to rebuild their lives.

‘Encore’ picks up a six months later. Melissa and Luke have finally won their long court battle against Jay-Den and Sky Storm Records. The band have been released from their contract, Jay-Den has been sentenced to prison, and Amber has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. The group are now trying to move on and begin the healing process. After a while they sign with a new label, the label that also has their friends Echo, and make their first appearance back at a festival before starting to tour again. However, not long after the tour begins Amber escapes from her institution and is hell bent on destroying all their lives once more. With her newborn baby to look after, Beth is even more on edge, especially after her abusive father is released from prison and wants to come back into her life. Can Luke, Melissa and the gang escape Amber’s destructive warpath this time?

This follow up to ‘Strings’ was so freaking good!! The drama is non-stop and the story flows so well that it’s almost impossible to put down. I love Kat's style of writing. It’s just so conversational and it feels like you're talking to a friend rather than reading a novel. Kat has a wonderful way of getting important information and back story to the reader without bombarding them with loads of information.

One thing that I love about this series is the wonderful characters and the relationships. Luke is just the perfect boyfriend, and the way he cares for Melissa comes across so strongly in the writing. Although the characters are pretty young (a couple of years younger than myself) it’s obvious that Luke and Melissa's relationship isn't just a fling, but real, true love. Despite being a rock band, all the boys are so sweet and genuine that the relationships feel so real and wonderful.

I loved that some of the characters from ‘Strings’ had their parts expanded (especially Echo) and some great new characters were introduced too. Cassie is my favourite character and it was fantastic to see her getting a love interest (even if some other members of Summer's band *cough*Nathan*cough* are a**holes). I would love to read more about Cass's new relationship and how Cassie and Jo-Jo dealt with their tragedy. Echo spin-off anyone? Yes please!! :)

Lyla was a wonderful new character too, and proof that Jay-Den's evilness was still affecting lives even though he is now locked up. There was so much heartbreak in this book and I really hope the Eagles manage to pull through it again and become even stronger.

This was a truly fantastic sequel and I'm really looking forward to book three! Hopefully they'll all get a bit of a break in the next one, although somehow I doubt it ;) This is such an amazing series Kat, and I can’t wait to read anything and everything you write next!


I would give this book 5 stars :)


Have you read this series? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!


Places to buy:
Kat's blog for a signed copy!
Amazon UK
Amazon US

Follow Kat Green on:
insidethemindofkatgreen.wordpress.com
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

REVIEW 'In Real Life' by Joey Graceffa

'In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World' by Joey Graceffa

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Twenty-three year old Joey Graceffa has captured the hearts of millions of teens and young adults through his playful, sweet, and inspirational YouTube presence (not to mention his sparkling eyes and perfect hair). Yet, Joey wasn't always comfortable in his skin, and in this candid memoir, he thoughtfully looks back on his journey from pain to pride, self-doubt to self-acceptance.

To his fans, Joey is that best friend who always captures the brighter side of life but also isn't afraid to get real. In the pages of his first book, he opens up about his years of struggling with family hardships and troubles at school, with cruel bullying and the sting of rejection. He tells of first loves and losses, embarrassing moments and surprising discoveries, loneliness, laughter, and life-changing forks in the road, showing us the incalculable value of finally finding and following your true passion in this world. Funny, warm-hearted, and inspiring, Joey Graceffa’s story is a welcome reminder that it’s not where you begin that matters, but where you end up."


5*****

Hello there Elementareaders!

‘In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World’ is a memoir by the American YouTuber Joey Graceffa. I've been watching Joey's videos for a while now and he always seems like such a vibrant, happy person and doesn't really talk about his past. In this memoir Joey speaks very candidly about his childhood and his journey to YouTube.

Joey Graceffa grew up in Massachusetts. At a young age his parents divorced and his mother didn't have much money so life was tough. Joey also suffered with learning difficulties which made school hard. He was bullied for being in the Special Education class and for his femininity. His mother was an alcoholic so home life was difficult too.

Joey's main escape was his imagination. He would make up games and stories, and when he was in his teens he started recording them on video. In his mid-teens he set up a YouTube channel, WinterSpringPro, with his best friend Brittany, where they made parodies and other funny videos.

In this book Joey talks very openly and in detail about what it was like for him growing up under these circumstances. I loved his honesty and this was a fantastic insight into the life of one of the most popular internet personalities. Joey also used this book to come out as gay, and I was so pleased to see how kind and supportive the YouTube community has been since his coming out.

This was such a great read and I really admire Joey's courage to share his story.

I would give this book 5 stars :)

And may the odds be ever in your favour!

Places to buy:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

The Book Depository

Audible.com

Follow Joey Graceffa on:

YouTube

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

REVIEW 'Homecoming' by Kass Morgan

'Homecoming' (The 100 #3) by Kass Morgan

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Weeks after landing on Earth, the Hundred have managed to create a sense of order amidst their wild, chaotic surroundings. But their delicate balance comes crashing down with the arrival of new dropships from space.

These new arrivals are the lucky ones - back on the Colony, the oxygen is almost gone - but after making it safely to Earth, GLASS's luck seems to be running out. CLARKE leads a rescue party to the crash site, ready to treat the wounded, but she can't stop thinking about her parents who may still be alive. Meanwhile, WELLS struggles to maintain his authority despite the presence of the Vice Chancellor and his armed guards, and BELLAMY must decide whether to face or flee the crimes he thought he'd left behind.

It's time for the Hundred to come together and fight for the freedom they've found on Earth, or risk losing everything - and everyone - they love."

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST TWO BOOKS IN THIS SERIES. Click the links to find my reviews of 'The 100' and 'Day 21'.


5*****

Hello Elementareaders!

‘Homecoming’ by Kass Morgan is the third book in ‘The 100’ series. This is a dystopian series set a few hundred years in the future after a nuclear war has made planet Earth uninhabitable. The last remaining humans were living on a space station called the Colony. In book one the colonists sent 100 juvenile prisoners down to the planet to see if it was habitable again. They survived, the toxic air long gone, but discovered that they were not alone. In book two the hundred meet the Earthborns. Humans who never left the ground, surviving in a bunker in Mount Weather. But not all of them are friendly. A faction of Earthborns have split from the main group and are determined to get rid of the colonists, who they think will cause trouble.

Book three, ‘Homecoming’, sees the rest of the Colony (at least, the ones who make it to the limited spaces on the dropships) re-joining the hundred on the ground. The book opens with Glass sitting in the dropship in shock, having just seen her mother shot by a desperate colonist wanting her seat. She is reunited with boyfriend Luke, and the dropships are about to make the journey down to the ground. But they don’t have a smooth landing. The ships crash-land, scattered around a lake. Many lay wounded or dead, and in the landing Glass has been separated from Luke. Whilst she is frantically looking for him, the original hundred have seen the ships landing and have sent out a party, led by Wells, to help the wounded and bring the survivors back to their camp.

‘Homecoming’ sees the hundred dealing with having the adults taking over their camp, with the nasty and ruthless Vice Chancellor Rhodes in charge. Before long, the camp is overrun by guards and is no longer a fun, free place to live. Rhodes wants Bellamy executed for his part in the accidental shooting of Chancellor Jaha, so Clarke, Wells and Sasha have to get him out and to the safely of the Earthborns village outside Mount Weather. But Rhodes isn't the only threat. The dangerous Earthborn faction has seen the new dropships arrive and are planning to attack…

If you've been reading my reviews for the first two of these books then you’ll know that I absolutely LOVE this series! The storyline, the character, the writing style are just all so great, and I loved that some new adult character were introduced (or at least had their parts fleshed out more) in this book. Rhodes is such a nasty piece of work and I has a good time picturing him being impaled on an Earthborn spear whenever he did something horrible.

I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series, if there is going to be another? ‘Homecoming’ left me with so many more questions, namely what has happened to Clarke’s parents and how will Wells cope after his heartbreak, and I'm really looking forward to reading more about these amazing characters in this epic dystopian world.


I would give this book 5 stars :)


Let me know in the comments what you thought of the third instalment of this fantastic series!


Places to buy:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
The Book Depository
Audible.com

Follow Kass Morgan on:
Twitter
Goodreads

REVIEW 'Sherlock Holmes and the Vampires of London' by Sylvain Cordurie

'Sherlock Holmes and the Vampires of London' by Sylvain Cordurie

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Sherlock Holmes died fighting Professor Moriarty in the Reichenbach Falls. At least, that's what the press claims. However, Holmes is alive and well and taking advantage of his presumed death to travel the globe. Unfortunately, Holmes's plans are thwarted when a plague of vampirism haunts Britain. 

This book collects Sherlock Holmes and the Vampires of London Volumes 1 and 2, originally created by French publisher Soleil."








2**

Hi Elementareaders!

‘Sherlock Holmes and the Vampires of London’ is a graphic novel by Sylvain Cordurie with illustrations by Laci, and published by Dark Horse Comics. It is set shortly after Sherlock Holmes supposedly fell to his death fighting Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls.

The story opens with a vampire attack in London's East End in June 1891. A few weeks later Sherlock comes back to London and starts to investigate the attacks. One vampire, Selymes, blackmails Sherlock into helping him track down and kill another vampire, Owen Chanes, by threatening the lives of John and Mary Watson (who don't know that Sherlock is still alive).

I can't really write too much about the storyline as, in all honesty, I didn't really get it. The above paragraph is basically what I understood, but I found this book so difficult to follow. The story was pretty complex and I didn't really feel the artwork did it justice. Half the time I was trying to figure out which character was speaking when as a lot of the characters looked quite similar. I also found the text and the style of writing quite difficult to follow.

It was such a shame as I was really looking forward to reading this one. This book combines three things that I absolutely love reading; Sherlock Holmes, Vampires and Graphic Novels. I think that with a different style of artwork and a slightly less complex storyline this could have been a good read, but as it was I didn't enjoy it very much.


I would give this book 2 stars :)


Let me know in the comments if you've read this book, and what you thought of it!


Places to buy:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
The Book Depository

Follow Sylvain Cordurie on:
Goodreads

REVIEW 'After Mind' by Spencer Wolf

'After Mind' by Spencer Wolf

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Cessini Madden lives with an extremely rare medical condition… then his physical life ends before he reaches age thirteen.

After an Artificial Intelligence breakthrough, Cessini is reborn as a young AI child named Packet. Scared and living alone in a technology center, Packet recognizes nothing from his past, save for one thing: he is deathly allergic to water.

When a mysterious doctor gives him a chance to recover his memories, Packet must face the tormented boy he once was. He must be the courageous lost son his family remembers and loves. But now as his world collapses around him, one thing remains … even a child’s best memories are made to be changed.

Robot or AI, no one can ever be the same human twice.

From the near-future suburbs to the lush Australian forests, from the depths of the oceans to the promise of space, Packet’s urgent struggle for existence grabs hold in everyday victories and extraordinary dreams. After Mind tells a story about the underlying nature of humanity, the impact of undying devotion, and the incredible next generation of us."

4****

Hello Elementareaders!

I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads Giveaway programme in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not really sure how to describe ‘After Mind’ by Spencer Wolf. It has so many different themes and would fit into a number of genres (sci-fi, dystopian, coming of age, etc…) and strongly focusses of technology and artificial intelligence. Essentially, it is a science fiction novel about an AI who is trying to figure out his identity.

A boy wakes up in a hospital room unsure of who – or what – he is. But he knows a few things. The doctor, Daniel, is his father. And he’s afraid of water. He believes his name is Packet.

Packet is actually an artificial intelligence with the memories of Cessini, a boy who died in his early teens. Packet has dreams about Cessini's life, his father, his stepmom, his stepsister, but he can’t seem to connect the dots that he IS Cessini. Cessini was reactive to water. Even a small drop would burn his skin, so naturally he feared it. As a result of this he was a very withdrawn boy with no friends, but he did have a very intelligent mind and was building and creating complicated things at a very young age.

Packet sees these snippets of Cessini’s life through his dreams. Throughout the book his dreams become more vivid and abnormal. He sees himself on a ship that is dying, and figures out a terrible secret about the spray children are given to stop them getting sick.

Although this book is very futuristic science-fiction, it's really the story of a young boy trying to figure out his identity. Packet has to try and realise that Cessini isn't just a boy in his dreams, but is actually himself.

I loved the idea of this story and that we saw Cessini's life through Packet’s dreams. I did find the plot a little difficult to follow though as it tended to jump around a lot. Also, the reader is plunged into the deep end of this world, and has to figure out what a lot of the technologies are without a description. But this was a great read and a really different take on the science-fiction genre, as it was more about the journey of this boy than the futuristic technology.

Definitely not an easy read, but a great one all the same! I think this would appeal to both science-fiction lovers and those who love coming of age stories.


I would give this book 4 stars :)


Places to buy:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
The Book Depository

Follow Spencer Wolf on:
spencerwolf.com
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

REVIEW 'Stardust' by Neil Gaiman

'Stardust' by Neil Gaiman

Goodreads Synopsis:

"In the sleepy English countryside at the dawn of the Victorian era, life moves at a leisurely pace in the tiny town of Wall. Young Tristan Thorn has lost his heart to the beautiful Victoria Forester, but Victoria is cold and distant as the star she and Tristan see fall from the sky one evening. For the prize of Victoria's hand, Tristan vows to retrieve the star for his beloved. It is an oath that sends the lovelorn swain over the town's ancient wall and into a world that is dangerous and strange beyond imagining..."










4****

Hello Elementareaders!

‘Stardust’ by Neil Gaiman is a fairy-tale for adults set both in the magical realm of Faerie and the English village of Wall. I saw the film of this a few years ago and thought it was such an enchanting tale. Luckily I found a copy of the book in a used book store and I'm so glad I read it! As with all adaptations the book has so much more content than the film.

Dunstan Thorn is an eighteen year old boy living in the village of Wall. Wall got its name from the long wall that runs alongside it. Beyond the wall is the realm of Faerie. There is only one gap in the wall, through which you can see the meadow beyond, but the gap is guarded night and day and no-one from Wall is allowed to cross. With the exception of once every nine years when a fair is held in the meadow and anyone from England can cross and mix with the beings from Faerie.

The market is to be held again during Dunstan’s eighteenth year and he is excited to go. He wishes to buy a gift for the girl he likes and decides on a glass snowdrop from a flower stall, however the flower isn't all he comes away with. The beautiful girl selling the flowers is the slave of the witch who owns the stall and is forced to serve her until “the day the moon loses her daughter, if that occurs in a week when two Mondays come together.” Dunstan buys the snowflake for the price of a kiss and he promises to go back and see her that evening. Months later, when Dunstan has married his girl Daisy Hempstock, a small wicker basket is pushed through the gap in the wall with a note saying ‘Tristan Thorn’.

Skip forward seventeen years and Tristan Thorn is now a young adult with a love interest of his own. Tristan will do anything to win the heart of Victoria Forrester, including crossing the wall to bring her back a fallen Star. Tristan crosses the forbidden wall and sets out to find the star, enlisting the help of a little hairy man who once stayed in Dunstan’s barn. But Tristan isn't the only one out to get the Star (who isn't a lump of rock as he believes, but a beautiful woman) and Tristan must protect her and outwit the others who wish to claim her.

I thought this was a really wonderful tale of magic and adventure. I saw the film of this first and loved it, but (as always) the book was so much better! There was just so much more content in the book, and Tristan's journey felt more real.

Tristan is such a loveable hero. And I adored his relationship with the Star. I enjoyed seeing how their relationship grew from their first meeting where she absolutely hates him, to friendship and finally love. There were lots of other great quirky characters too! I particularly liked the little hairy man, Captain Alberic and Septimus. The witches were also really great villains, and I loved the idea of the heart of a Star giving them youth, which is then taken away again when they use magic.

This was a really enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who loves magic and adventure!


I would give this book 4 stars :)



Let me know in the comments if you've read Stardust (or seen the film) and what you thought of it!


Places to buy:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
The Book Depository
Audible.com

Follow Neil Gaiman on:
neilgaiman.com
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads