Fangsiving by Ethan Long

November 18, 2019 By 1 Comment


Fangsiving by Ethan Long
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Holiday, Horror, Paranormal
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

It’s the fourth Thursday of November, and the members of Fright Club are cooking up something spooky . . . a Thanksgiving feast!

But when Vlad’s family arrives unexpectedly, they put their own spin on each of the dishes. Now, the rolls are as hard as headstones and the turkey has been cooked to death. Vlad loves his family, but they’ve made a mess of their meal!

Can this monster-filled family come together to save their feast and celebrate what the holiday is truly about?

There’s always room for one more at this spooky dinner table.

A monster’s idea of how to make great mashed potatoes or pie obviously might not be exactly the same as how a person would make it. Some of the best scenes in this tale were the ones that showed how mummies, vampires, and other creatures of the night whip up a traditional – or not so traditional, as the case may be – Thanksgiving dinner. They were every bit as unusual and sometimes icky as I’d hoped they would be.

One of the things I didn’t like about this book was the message it sent about how people should react when their boundaries are disrespected. Vlad’s family purposefully messed up his recipes for various dishes for this feast. He had every reason to be angry with them for that. I wish the plot had made this clear and acknowledged the fact that he was not at all to blame for the conflict and hurt feelings there.

With that being said, I do see the value of encouraging young readers to do their best to fix things that go wrong. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. While I wish this had been explored in greater detail as mentioned earlier, there is something to be said for forgiving people and trying to resolve conflicts no matter who is responsible for them. This is a good lesson for this age group, especially if the original problem is discussed with the audience afterwards and kids are made aware of the importance of being respectful guests in general.

Anyone who loves horror and homemade turkey dinners may want to give Fangsiving a try.

Filed Under: Horror, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety by Krysten Lindsay Hager

November 15, 2019 By 2 Comments


In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety by Krysten Lindsay Hager
Publisher: Clean Reads
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Full
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rated: 3.5 stars
Review by Poppy

Cecily feels like she has it all: great best friends, the beginnings of a career as a model/actress, and she’s dating her favorite singer, Andrew Holiday. Then Cecily’s best friend Lila begins to ditch her every time Lila’s boyfriend calls. Cecily feels lost, but she and Andrew begin connecting more and she’s never been in a relationship where she felt so understood. Andrew even begins to confide in her about his anxiety. Soon Cecily experiences her own anxiety on a magazine photo shoot, but she manages to impress the magazine staff. Just when it seems like all her dreams are coming true, everything comes crashing down when a photo of Andrew with another girl appears online. He swears nothing happened, but Cecily is crushed. She feels like she’s lost two of the people closest to her.

Was her perfect relationship real or was she in over her head?

Ahhh… all the angst of the teen years.

I am the mother of teen daughter. I’ve seen how it doesn’t take much to create problems, or to cause the tears to flow, so it shouldn’t have surprised me that our heroine is in tears in the first few pages of this book. As an adult, I honestly rolled my eyes a bit at what seemed to be an overreaction to the situation, but…I do remember being a teen. I wouldn’t go back to those days on a bet!

Cecily is a sweetheart. I really liked her. And I liked Andrew. I didn’t read the book prior to this one, so I didn’t get to see their relationship develop, but for a star, Andrew seems incredibly honest and down-to-earth. I really felt as if Cecily couldn’t have done better in the romance department.

It doesn’t take long, though for the troubles to begin, largely how I’m sure it does IRL. She said this, they saw that, did you see this video, OMG social media said, plus add in cliques and mean girls … and bit by bit it tears down Cecily’s entire support system, from Andrew to her best friend, Lila.

I appreciated the author keeping things clean on the page. My own kid is frequently a little shocked at what she reads in her YA books. Look, we all know kids are having sex, but it’s not necessarily something that needs to be described on the page. This author has my admiration for keeping it real, but clean.

She’s talented in her character creation, too. The book was populated with a cast of well-rounded, unique individuals and I never confused one with the other. The writing itself was also strong and well done. I have no complaints about her skill.

I have to say, I honestly don’t miss the drama of those difficult teen years which made this book a little hard for me to read, but I’m not the target audience, (and honestly, I think being a teen is far more difficult now than when I was a teen) and I feel as if Andrew was a little too good to be true (though I’m betting this book has caused more than one teenaged girl to swoon and dream of having their own Andrew). Otherwise, a solid entry into the contemporary YA field. If this is a genre you love, I’d certainly suggest this book, though maybe start with book one. While I didn’t feel I was missing any information, and I had no trouble following the plot, I’m sure my experience with these characters would have been richer with that background.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

The Royal Pup Pack: Party at the Palace by David Seow

November 7, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Royal Pup Pack: Party at the Palace by David Seow
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Childrens, Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (41 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

There’s a joint party at the palace for Prince Louis’ first birthday and to welcome Baby Sussex into the fold. And the Royal Pup Pack: Lupo, Guy, Oz and Jack are in a regal tizzy. What do they get for the tots? Bones? Flea collars? Fur brushes? A chance encounter with a stray dog spurs the pups into inviting a host of hungry, homeless hounds to the celebrations. Will that be the perfect present or the recipe for a royal pawtastrophe?

Every dog has its day, including the royal ones!

All of the members of the Royal Pup Pack were full of mischief. My favorite scenes were the ones that showed all of the naughty things these dogs got up to when their humans weren’t paying attention. There were some pretty funny and realistic takes on how many dogs behave when they have a few friends to play with and something unusual or interesting to explore as a group.

It would have been helpful to have a stronger plot for these characters to work with. They managed to get into plenty of trouble along the way, but the narrator didn’t do as thorough of a job of describing why these things happened or what the characters might have learned from those experiences as I had hoped to read. There were times when this almost seemed more like a string of anecdotes than something that was supposed to be read in a specific order. While I do enjoy freeform stuff like this on occasion, I thought this tale would have benefitted from a more structured writing style in general so that it could get its point across clearly.

This was the first fictional story I’ve ever read about the younger members of the British royal family. It gave the plot a creative twist. I liked the way the author imagined how this family to respond to having boisterous pets who don’t always follow the rules. He clearly put a lot of thought into this part of the storyline, and all of his hard work made for an interesting and unique experience for this reader.

The Royal Pup Pack: Party at the Palace should be read by anyone who loves dogs, the British royal family, or both of these topics.

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Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares for Winter by Eugenie Doyle

November 5, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares for Winter by Eugenie Doyle
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Genre: Childrens, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (36 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A captivating exploration of how a family gets a farm ready for the snow of winter, Sleep Tight Farm lyrically connects each growing season to the preparations at the very end of the farm year. This beautiful and informative book paints a fascinating picture of what winter means to the farm year and to the family that shares its seasons, from spring’s new growth, summer’s heat, and fall’s bounty to winter’s well-earned rest. All year long the farm has worked to shelter us, feed us, keep us warm, and now it’s time to sleep.

Every living thing needs a rest sometimes.

I’d never thought about some of the preparations that a farm must go through after the growing season ends. For example, I had no idea that raspberry bushes need to be cut back at the end of autumn to protect these plants from winter storms and ice. It was interesting to read about all of the work that goes into keeping livestock and crops safe between now and the beginning of spring.

None of the human characters in this tale were named, but I still got to know them well by seeing how carefully they took care of all of the living things that relied on them. The family who lived on and managed this farm clearly loved their work. They did everything they could to keep their animals happy and their fields well maintained. I couldn’t have imagined better people for this job. They only made the already-wholesome plot even better.

One of the things I enjoyed the most about this picture book was how it bid good night to so many different parts of a working farm. From the fields to the cord wood that will keep the farmhouse warm and cozy for the next several months, everything on this property was acknowledged for its contributions and gently nudged into resting happily until spring. There was something so sweet and gracious about that repetition.

Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares for Winter was a calm, cheerful look at everything farmers have to do to prepare for winter. I’d highly recommend it to any kid or curious adult who enjoys learning about where their food comes from.

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Randor’s Moon by J.S. Frankel

November 4, 2019 By 1 Comment


Randor’s Moon by J.S. Frankel
Publisher: Devine Destinies
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (239 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Randor Delphin, shy teen prodigy, bio-scientist, and total nerd, lives a lonely, orphaned life on the planet of Malloran, a colony of the now-dead Earth. Malloran has been at war with the neighboring world of Falanar, a warrior planet, but their differences will be set aside if aid is given, as a plague of unknown origin has broken out, and only the scientists of Malloran can help.

Accompanying Randor is Minnara, the daughter of the rulers of that world. As total opposites in character, they don’t get along at all, and to make matters worse, their ship veers off course and crash lands on a distant moon.

Once there, they learn that they need each other in order to survive against the predators of that world, those that are animal, and those more than animal.

Not every hero is brash and bold.

The action-packed opening scene drew me into the plot immediately. Randor was unlucky enough to live in a time and place where war had reached his town. With that being said, he was also lucky enough to be part of a community that banded together in tough times and did everything they could to protect each other. I enjoyed reading about how they responded to the bombing, and I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next. This was a fantastic introduction to this tale.

There were a few plot twists that I found hard to believe. For example, I struggled to imagine how an eighteen-year-old who had virtually no experience flying a spaceship was given one when his culture was so short on supplies due to the war. Surely they could have spared someone to fly him to his destination since there was a ceasefire happening when he left? There was also a twist related to the plague and Randor’s search for a cure for it. As smart and educated as he was, I had trouble believing that one person could do all of the work on this problem that he did. I’m mentioning these criticisms as someone who loved the premise of this book and really wanted to give it a higher rating. If the sheer desperation of his elders had been explained in a way that made a better case for why they took these risks, I would have happily knocked my rating up by at least another star.

I couldn’t have asked for a more interesting main character than Randor. His shy personality and struggles with making small talk endeared me to him immediately. It’s not every day I read a science fiction novel about quiet, gentle protagonists who act like this, so it’s refreshing when it does happen. Any personality type can be heroic. Seeing what that looks like for those of us who aren’t the life of the party makes me hope that other authors will step outside of the mold and imagine even more ways of being a hero.

Randor’s Moon should be read by anyone who has ever dreamed what life on other planets might be like.

Filed Under: Horror, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Willoughby’s World of Wonder by Stephen Barnwell

November 1, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Willoughby’s World of Wonder by Stephen Barnwell
Publisher: Bayne & McKay
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full length (182 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 5 stars
Review by Honeysuckle

This is the International Edition of Willoughby’s World of Wonder, a fictional reproduction of the famous 1882 Field Guide to Strange Beasts & Curious Creatures. Willoughby’s, as it was popularly known, was created by noted cryptozoologist and naturalist, Angus Willoughby. For half a century, this unique reference guide was used as a textbook in many universities around the globe, and was considered a primary reference of many cryptozoological societies and organizations. Years of painstaking research and expert restoration have yielded the amazing rebirth of this treasured book, which is as important today as it was when it was originally published.

Ever wonder where the inspiration for some of the fantastical creatures in Percy Jackson, Clash of the Titans, The Hobbit, Harry Potter and many other fantasy series could have come from? Quite possibly, the authors were inspired by the writings of one Mr. Angus Willoughby circa 1882. This updated and illustrated reprint of the book is filled with details of well known folk such the Fey, Faerie, Brownies, Kraken, and Cyclops, as well as creatures that inhabit the night such as Pookas, Bogeyman, and Banshee’s. But there’s so much more. What is a chickfish and a Leocornus and a Mock Lobster?? Readers will see their size, habitat and other intricate details.

This book will appeal to a wide audience. I spied all three of my children, all teenagers, thumbing through this book at various times but it was my husband who really got a kick out of it. Also listed as a Field Guide To Strange Beasts and Curious Creatures, it isn’t hard to see how the clever creatures created by Mr. Willoughby found their way into thousands of fantasy and urban fantasy literature and still inspire authors today as well as their big screen counterparts.

Readers who have creative artists and budding writers in their house would do well to obtain a copy of this book. It’s both entertaining and educational.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

November Book of the Month Poll ~ Siren’s Call: Cursed Seas by Amy McKinley

October 31, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Siren’s Call: Cursed Seas by Amy McKinley
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Action/Adventure, Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult
Length: Full length (223 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Chamomile

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Fate will not be denied.

Nerissa thinks she’s safe from the gods and elders that rule her village. She’s wrong. It’s only a matter of time before she is chosen to pay the ultimate price—her life.

For decades, the gods have protected the small seaside village where she lives. That’s about to end. Fishermen return with empty nets, trees cease to bear fruit, and the winds whisper of an ancient curse. There’s still hope that the offering of an unmarried woman will return the god’s favor.

As the maiden sacrifice nears Nerissa takes matters into her hands. All she needs is a husband to escape the terms of the offering. When she meets Zeer, a visiting fisherman, he sweeps her off her feet.

Are her prayers truly answered?

Everyone around her is keeping secrets, and there is no one left to rely on but herself. As the night ushers in a violent storm that echoes the god’s anger, she realizes the worst is yet to come. When the first rays of dawn arrive, a knock sounds at her door and she knows her entire world is about to turn upside down.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Horror, Mainstream Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: ,

Moonwalk: The Story of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing by David Jenkins

October 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Moonwalk: The Story of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing by David Jenkins
Publisher: Circa Press
Genre: Non-Fiction, Middle Grade
Length: Short Story (48 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 8+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Written for children, but with parents very much in mind, this book tells the Apollo 11 story through the medium of artist Adrian Buckley’s atmospheric imagery. From President Kennedy’s call to put a man on the moon to the celebratory ticker tape parade in Manhattan, this is a story of three extraordinary men and their incredible achievement: Mission Commander Neil Armstrong, Lunar Module Pilot Edwin Buzz Aldrin and Command Module Pilot Michael Collins. On 21 July 1969, when Neil Armstrong opened the hatch in the Lunar Module and descended the ladder to set foot on the surface of the Moon, he became in an instant the greatest traveler in human history. Full of period detail and fascinating insights, this is a book to be explored and enjoyed.

The moonwalk aimed for children and explained in such a way anyone can understand. It works!

I’m not usually one for reading books for children, but that didn’t stop me from picking up this picture book. There are tidbits on each page that flow well and nicely explain the images. I learned more than a few things while reading this book. It’s explained and put in language a kid can understand, but doesn’t talk down to the younger reader.

One thing that is a tiny bit distracting–it was to me, but might not be for other readers–is the photos. Some are more like drawings and others actual photos. I didn’t mind the hybrid, but the thing that was odd was how the photos were edited, like editing Neil Armstrong out of the reflection on Buzz Aldrin’s helmet. Or the hyper realism on the Saturn V rocket, but the surrounding area is drawn. It’s a quibble that bothered me, but might be perfectly fine for other readers and isn’t something that should make you pass this book by.

I really enjoyed the snippets on the last couple of pages. The author included interesting facts about the mission, about the astronauts and NASA. The little tidbits are great points for discussion, even with smaller children.

If you’re looking for a book to introduce your younger reader to the space mission, Apollo 11, then this might be the book you’re looking for. Give it a try.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Dreamer by Il Sung Na

October 24, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Dreamer by Il Sung Na
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (52 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Even pigs can learn to fly: Once, there was a pig who admired birds. But he could never join them. Or could he? Thus begins the journey of a pig with big dreams, and the perseverance to make them come true. He develops flight plans, builds experimental contraptions, and has far-flung adventures, but at the end of the day, his favorite thing to do is sit and watch for those he loves best: birds. Il Sung Na creates a world at once whimsical and aspirational, where anything is possible and, yes, even pigs can learn to fly.

No dream is too big or too fanciful to try to achieve.

There was so much room for letting the reader’s imagination run wild in this tale. While the narrator supplied the basic details of why the pig wanted to fly and what steps he took to make that dream a reality, the audience was also given plenty of leeway to figure out how every decision he made was linked to the ones before and after it. I appreciated that.

The ending didn’t make a great deal of sense to me. In one scene, the plot was chugging along nicely. In the next, it abruptly stopped. That was a disappointing page to turn to after having such a nice buildup of expectation and emotion earlier on in the plot. As much as I enjoyed the freedom this story gave it’s audience to fill in all of the little details ourselves, the final scene really need need a more thorough explanation.

Failure is a normal part of trying to solve just about any sort of problem. The fact that so many of pig’s designs didn’t work was refreshing, and the only thing better than that was seeing how he reacted every time he had to go back to the drawing board and try something new. His perseverance was something to be admired. He never gave up trying no matter what happened to him or how many of his ideas turned out not to work that well after all.

The Dreamer should be read by and to people who have vivid imaginations.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

When Dad Showed Me the Universe by Ulf Stark

October 23, 2019 By Leave a Comment


When Dad Showed Me the Universe by Ulf Stark
Publisher: Gecko Press
Genre: Childrens, Historical
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Tonight Dad wants to show Ulf something very special: the universe. Of course, they can’t possibly embark on such a daring adventure unprepared, so they wrap up warm, gather provisions, and then off they go. It’s a long walk, but eventually they get there. Along the way, they learn that sometimes the journey is more important than the destination, and sometimes the biggest lessons happen when you least expect them.

Explaining the universe to a small and easily distracted child certainly isn’t easy.

I loved the fact that this was written so unmistakably in young Ulf’s perspective. A six-year-old’s understanding of the world can be a unique one. Ulf was old enough to comprehend some of the things his father was saying about the universe but still young enough to come up with his own whimsical interpretations of other moments. The combination of what he understood and what he didn’t made me smile. This genuinely felt like it was told by a young, impressionable child, and that was exactly what the plot needed.

The humor in this tale was handled beautifully. This wasn’t something I was expecting to find at all, so stumbling across it only made the storyline sweeter. Sometimes funny moments sneak up on a person when they least expect it. It was a great deal of fun to see that happen in a picture book that was otherwise about pretty serious topics.

Speaking of more serious subject matter, I was also impressed with how the father handled his son’s questions about what they were going out to see on their evening walk. He covered several complicated topics so smoothly that they seemed much easier to explain than they would be in real life. His excitement about astronomy and science in general was contagious. I’d sure like to read more stories about the places he took Ulf if the author ever decides to write about that.

I’d heartily recommend When Dad Showed Me the Universe to anyone who loves science or the way kids think.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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