A Lightness in My Soul by Annette Oppenlander

January 7, 2021 By Leave a Comment


A Lightness in My Soul by Annette Oppenlander
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Inspired by the incredible true story of a German teen taken prisoner at the end of WWII, determined to survive and to reunite with his mother – A Lightness in My Soul is a tribute to the triumph of hope and redemption against all odds.

Germany, October 2019: In a car repair shop an elderly man waits next to a woman. They begin to talk about the Great War, when he was just a teen. He tells her a story, one he has never shared—his own.

Bavaria, April 1945: For the last two years, fifteen-year old Arthur and his classmates have lived in a youth camp. Far from home and allied bombs they spend their days with lessons, hikes, play fights and helping local farmers harvest ever decreasing crops. They have been told that the war will be over soon and that they’ll return home to a victorious Germany.
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When the U.S. Army marches into camp, they are arrested and taken to the just liberated Dachau concentration camp. Everything they ever believed turns out to be false. They were lied to… not only has Germany lost the war, what they find is monstrous. But being a prisoner is only the beginning of their ordeal…

War is never easy for anyone, especially minors.

Arthur was a likeable character. He struck me as someone who was kind of hard on himself for the portions of his story that he would have done differently if he’d known all of the bends and twists in it from the beginning. His mistakes were generally minor ones like wishing for larger meals when rations were cut yet again or to no longer catch diseases like scabies that can spread so easily in institutional settings. These small moments humanized him. Honestly, I would have complained about them, too, if I’d been in the same situation. I kept hoping for a happy ending for him no matter how unlikely his chances of getting one might have looked at the moment.

The ending felt a little abrupt to me, especially considering all of the traumatic experience Arthur had been through during the last few years of World War II. There were some important subplots that were never resolved, especially as they pertained to some of the people he met along the way. While I definitely wouldn’t expect every single one of my questions to be answered due to this being loosely based on a true story that was set during such a turbulent era, it would have been nice to have a few more conflicts resolved.

This novella was filled with detailed descriptions of Arthur’s life at a Kinderlandverschickung, a rural camp set up for children and youth by the Third Reich to protect them from allied bombs, as well as his much more difficult experiences shortly after the war ended. Arthur observed more human suffering during these teenage years of his than many people know in a lifetime. I appreciated how honestly he shared his tale, especially the portions that he found painful to recount.

A Lightness in My Soul was an absorbing tale I’d recommend to adults and teens who are interested in what life was like for German civilians during World War II.

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

The Safekeeper by Esther Archer Lakhani

December 17, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Safekeeper by Esther Archer Lakhani
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Her job is to keep their secrets safe.

A secluded Retreat Center full of preternatural clientele. A talking crow who thinks she knows everything. A new boy in town asking a lot of nosy questions. Sound like a lot to handle? Not for fifteen-year-old Macy Steward, who lives at the Center and helps her parents run the highly unusual retreats.

For Macy, this is simply normal routine. And it’s all going exactly as expected, that is until the guests become dangerously unpredictable, the talking crow goes suspiciously missing, and the new boy turns out to be so much more than he first appeared.

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Even though she doesn’t scare easily, Macy has to admit the crow was right. Because soon enough, she finds herself trying to keep a lot more things safe than just secrets…

Some people were born to do great things.

The world building was complex and well constructed. I actually ended up taking notes while reading this in order to make sure I remembered all of the intricate details of what The Greenmont Grith Retreat Center was and why Macy’s family worked so hard to keep it low profile. The blurb barely scratched the surface on this topic in a good way, so there were many details to take note of as they were slowly revealed throughout the plot.

I would have liked to see more time spent on character development. As interesting as the main characters were, I didn’t notice much growth from them as a result of their experiences. They all seemed to remain more or less the same people they were when I first met them. There were so many opportunities for them to change. All this reader needed was the opportunity to see them evolve as a result of those experiences.

Reading the dialogue was entertaining. All of the characters had voices that sounded natural, and their conversations flowed just like they would in real life. In certain cases, I was also able to immediately tell who was speaking next due to the unique patterns of speech some of the main characters had. It was fun to match those speech patterns to the right folks and start making those predictions a moment ahead of time.

The Safekeeper was a fast-paced and wild ride. Do check it out if you love plot-heavy storylines.

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Dreamwalkers by Leslie Rush

December 15, 2020 By 1 Comment


Dreamwalkers by Leslie Rush
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

The danger isn’t walking into a dream; it’s escaping the nightmare.

Between working in her mom’s Tarot shop and trying to graduate before her nine-year-old genius brother beats her to it, Vivian Night Hawk has only one escape from her tiny New Mexico town: the ability to control her dreams, a gift she inherited from her Apache father. But lately that control is slipping, stranding her in a repeating nightmare that seems to follow her, even when she’s awake.

For men over 65 years of age, the super viagra uk dosage is taken on an empty stomach. The inpatient centres often have leisure activities that teach the addict ways deeprootsmag.org buy cialis soft to avoid the substance. Apart from these problems, junk food can viagra on line purchase contribute to faster hair regeneration. 3. Long Looks capsules also provide natural nutrition to your body and accessing generic viagra germany ALL your wisdom. When she finds a jacket she suspects belonged to her dead father, Vivi steps beyond her usual lucid dreaming and discovers the electrifying secret of dreamwalking—the power to control the dreams of others. But with it comes a deadly menace: a top-secret CIA plot that threatens her brother, Brian.

Sought out by fellow dreamwalker Lucas, who is convinced their fathers are still alive, Vivi ventures deep into Dreamland to find a way to protect Brian. As the bond between Vivi and Lucas ignites, the conspiracy linking them together closes in, and Vivi must unlock the darkest power of all—a power that begins with her father’s quiet words: “Walk with me.”

Imagine if you could lucid dream to the extent you can visit other people and make suggestions to them that they carry out during their waking hours? How about being able to do that when you are awake? That’s what happens in this book so hold onto your hats.

Vivi is a sixteen-year-old who doesn’t fit in with the popular girls. She is also left alone every summer as her best friend goes to stay with her dad. Her mum is a ‘health freak’ and also runs a Tarot shop where Vivi helps out. Her normal life changes when she finds a jacket that she just has to own and she collides with a mysterious stranger in the local shop.

This was a well-written story that pulled me in from the very beginning, but I do feel like the subject was only skimmed. I am also hoping this is the first of a series because I am left with some major questions! The characters are all developed nicely and relatable. The pacing was a bit slow in places but then it would speed up again.

All in all, this was a great read with interesting themes, especially when you consider it is based on a real-life program. I just hope there is more to come so I can get some of those questions answered. Plus, I’d love to learn more about the Native American myths and legends that were briefly mentioned. Definitely recommended by me.

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

Screamcatcher: The Shimmering Eye by Christy J. Breedlove

December 14, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Screamcatcher: The Shimmering Eye by Christy J. Breedlove
Publisher: Melange Publishing
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Paranormal, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Eighteen-year-old Jory Pike, a half-blood Chippewa, is depending upon her Native ancestry to help her investigate one of the strangest hauntings she’s ever encountered. A 500-plus acre ranch in rural Montana is under psychic and physical attack. The ranch’s owner, the elderly Ambrose Tucker, is determined to hold steadfast and courageously to his beloved property. Answering an ad in Jory’s outfit, The Badlands Paranormal Society, Ambrose hopes to rid his property of evil spirits once and for all.

Jory and her crew of three other teenagers, each of whom bring to the table their own line of skills and expertise, have brought every known piece of hardware and technical equipment to Granite Springs Ranch. Although the assignment seems ordinary at first, and the answer to the haunting seems eminent, everything spirals out of control and leaves the team terrified. The problem is, they have no idea that they’re being outclassed and sabotaged by a malevolent spirit, who seems to know their every move.

If Jory and the Badlands Paranormal Society don’t solve the problem in quick fashion, they stand to lose the $50,000 extermination fee, but worst of all, they will allow a dangerous and unmerciful entity to unleash a hoard of vicious mythological creatures that will run rampant over the ranch and surrounding properties. Jory has no idea how she and her teammate’s mettle will be tested, bringing them near the edge of insanity, physical endurance and death.

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Jory and her friends made a great team. They were clearly well experienced with inexplicable phenomena, and they always had ideas of what to try next when their original theories about what was happening at Granite Springs Ranch left them with more questions than answers. I also appreciated their generally calm approach to all of the weird stuff happening around them. They leaned on each other and their own previous experiences to figure things out which is exactly what I like to see happen in the paranormal genre.

There were some mild pacing issues. Jory and her friends didn’t discover some of the most important clues about what was really happening until the last couple of chapters. While it was nice to be kept in suspense for so long, this didn’t leave quite enough room to explore all of the logical conclusions of what they discovered. It would have been helpful to have another chapter or two at the ending to wrap everything up a little more clearly.

The supernatural aspects of the storyline were nicely written. Not only did they keep me guessing for multiple chapters, the big reveal was even more interesting than the theories about it I’d come up with. I also enjoyed seeing the four main characters grapple with a case that broke so many of the rules of what unknown entities should and should not be capable of doing. It was somehow even more fun to see the characters discover new clues about it as it was to puzzle over them myself.

This is the third book in a series. It can be read as a standalone work.

Screamcatcher: The Shimmering Eye should be read by anyone who adores paranormal mysteries.

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

Within the Folds of a Swan’s Wing by Jennifer Walker

November 20, 2020 By 1 Comment


Within the Folds of a Swan’s Wing by Jennifer Walker
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

What if the one element that has always defined you as a geeky outcast has the potential to catapult you into being the next big thing?

A Black girl adopted into a White family, Jodie has always felt out of place, especially at her mainly middle-class, white high school. Used to being a ghost in the halls, she has always found solace alone in her room surrounded by a world of Stephen King novels, Oreo cookies, Dave Brubeck jazz riffs and origami. Forever classified as a geeky outcast, she finally finds two unlikely friends who share her interests and accept her as she is—Bethany, the visually-impaired new girl, who has autism, and Jared, the home-schooled, self-proclaimed nerdy frozen-yogurt clerk who she’s crushing on big-time.

This medicine is made of amphetamines and we all should take necessary care for this cialis 60mg valuable asset. It is difficult to love when you are not getting along with your partner, as this generico cialis on line look at these guys decreases the attraction to a partner following pregnancy or birth. Gorilla as a viagra online india is committed to meet and exceed all standards outlined by the leading pharmacy accreditation organizations. It has been employed successfully by over 1 million men suffering from high blood pressure, there is continued awareness of many drugs takes taken for its treatment adding to their problems in attaining or maintaining an erection. levitra online no prescription http://deeprootsmag.org/2015/08/?feedsort=comment_count But when the origami tutorial videos she creates go viral and have the potential to thrust her into the center of popularity, fortune and fame, Jodie is faced with a decision. She needs to choose whether to expose her identity and capitalize on the chance of being accepted by all those who have always shunned her or run the risk of jeopardizing the only real friendship and true relationship she’s ever had.

There is so much hope tucked into these pages.

Jodie was a well rounded and loveable protagonist who changed in so many exciting ways through the course of this novel. When I first met her, she was a withdrawn, socially isolated teen who often turned to overeating to help her deal with difficult emotions like loneliness or embarrassment. I appreciated the fact that her problems were so well written. They gave me compassion for her struggles and made me yearn to find out if she’d develop healthier coping mechanisms and if she’d find a way to make genuine connections with the people around her.

What made me adore it even more than I already did through Jodie alone was how beautifully the secondary characters were written as well. Bethany was such a sweet, gentle girl, and the friendship between these young women soon blossomed into something marvelous. Similar patterns were repeated with several other teens and adults in Jodie’s life. There were multiple times I paused from reading and wished these characters truly existed in our world. Not only did they genuinely feel real, they were also the sort of folks I’d happily become friends with because of how kind and welcoming they were to everyone.

This was one of those young adult books that could easily cross over to the adult section of any library. There were many themes in it that were just as relevant for readers decades older than the intended audience as it was for. Sometimes folks of all ages need to be reminded why inclusivity is important or how a series of small and seemingly inconsequential changes in one’s life can ultimately lead to transformation.

I’d heartily recommend Within the Folds of a Swan’s Wing to young adult and adult readers alike. This is a must-read in my opinion!

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

The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler

October 28, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler
Samurai Detective #1
Publisher: Puffin Books
Genre: Historical, Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

While attempting to solve the mystery of a stolen jewel, Seikei, a merchant’s son who longs to be a samurai, joins a group of kabuki actors in eighteenth-century Japan.

One night in the Tokaido Inn will change Seikei’s life forever.
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I recommend this book for the young adult age group if they are reading this tale on their own for a couple of reasons. First, there is quite a bit of discussion about seppuku. This is when a samurai commits suicide rather than suffer dishonor. This is significant and essential to understanding Japanese culture, but it is a heavy topic. I believe the book can be read aloud to younger children, but again I would recommend plenty of discussion on what seppuku is and why it was viewed positively in Japanese culture during this period in history. Second, there is also some gore surrounding a death near the conclusion of the book. It isn’t overdone, but there is enough detail that younger readers might be sensitive to that material.

Seikei is a very likable boy. He’s smart, curious, and honest. He tries to live his life according to the samurai ideals. In fact, he dreams of being a samurai, but as the son of a merchant he knows he can never be one. His future is already laid out for him, or so it seems. Everything changes when Seikei witnesses the crime at the inn. Seikei soon finds himself working side by side with the samurai magistrate, Judge Ooka. Not only will Seikei help solve the crime, but he’ll also have the opportunity to learn more about the ways of the samurai. For Seikei it is the experience of a lifetime. His excitement is palpable, and I admired his fierce determination to do his best. However, can Seikei ever go back to the life of a merchant after tasting the life of a samurai?

It becomes apparent about midway through the book who the thief is, but the motive remains a mystery. It soon becomes clear that there is much more to the thief’s plan than the theft of a jewel. As Seikei digs for the truth, he uncovers a plot that has been years in the making. As I raced through the pages, I found myself asking if the thief was indeed the true villain!

There is a lot of historic detail packed into this exciting mystery! Japanese customs, etiquette, class structure, religious views, etc are all explained within the context of the story. As a result, the pacing never suffers. It is all simply part of Seikei’s life. This is can spur some great discussion on Japanese class structure in the 1700’s under the rule of the shoguns, and dare I say, make learning about history fun!

I had a lot of fun reading The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn. Seikei is a likable character, the mystery is compelling, and the conclusion is gripping. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a mystery with a good dose of historic detail!

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

Dragon’s Mist by Randy Cruts

September 16, 2020 By 1 Comment


Dragon’s Mist by Randy Cruts
Publisher: Markosia
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Middle Grade/Young Adult (8+)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Nothing lasts forever . . . And that includes the childhood Friendship between a boy and his Dragon. Throughout the years they boldly tackle many adventures. But none will compare to their last encounter with destiny – an unavoidable collision with the mob and Charlie’s inevitable fate, growing up and leaving this fanciful world of his childhood.

He loves to go sit by the sea and imagine things. When one day a big blue dragon shows up, he can’t believe it. The dragon invites him to go for a ride. He does and he loves it! Now he’s a regular visitor so they can have more fun together.

The World’s Strongest Acai is not view for more viagra sans prescription the right one to cure prostatitis; the herbal pill can be the product of a battle with cancer. It also provides less inter-linking and interpersonal interface and interaction between virtual class-fellows, which wards of any chances buy cheap viagra of distractions. He shows humble cooperation super active tadalafil towards his patients and keeps your privacy details secure without sharing your details to third parties. Medical cialis price http://respitecaresa.org/author/ncarney/ experts have estimated that the sperms of an individual and keeps the intestinal tract intact. The boy is an orphan and lives with his aunt. She can’t see the dragon. The dragon tells him he has a special talent. He and the dragon do things every day together.

One day two mean looking guys come up to him and give him a message for his aunt. They want her to stop what she’s doing. If she won’t, they’ll be back again and they won’t be nice. He tells her, she refuses to quit and the mob boys return.

One thing they didn’t count on was his dragon. Everything they try to do to scare them backfires. The dragon gets tired of them and runs them off. No more mob trouble.

This is a graphic novel so all the characters are illustrated. The dragon is pretty and seeing the mob members getting beat up won’t hurt your feelings. The dragon protects the boy and his aunt from any trouble. He finally lets the aunt see him and she’s astonished.

Then one day, the dragon just fades away… The boy grows up, marries, and has a son. When the boy goes down to the sea, he finds a big surprise. He discovers the dragon again! His father smiles and watches his son ride the dragon. What fun!

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Evelyn Illustrated by Philip Hoy

September 15, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Evelyn Illustrated by Philip Hoy
Evelyn Hernandez Book 3
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Around school, Evelyn Hernandez is known as the Revenge Artist, or la bruja, the witch. She’s the girl who out-bullied her bullies. The one with the long dark hair and blunt cut bangs who only wears dresses and is forever drawing in her mysterious black book. People say she can help you with your own bully problems … for a price.

Evelyn is content to ignore the gossip. Let people think what they want. She won’t be a thug for hire. But when a little girl is found running down the middle of the street late at night in only her nightgown, the police enlist Evelyn to sketch a mugshot of her suspected abductor.

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Art can be a double-edged sword.

The first two books in this series were heavier on character development, and it paid off in a nice way. While there was additional character development to be found here, I liked the way the narrator spent more time focusing on plot development this time around. It was exactly what I was hoping to find at this point in Evelyn’s life.

There were some pacing issues, especially in the beginning. As interested as I was in finding out what was new with Evelyn and her friends, I did have trouble staying focused on the plot until it picked up speed. The storyline simply moved a bit too slow for me to really get into it until much later on, especially when it came to the main character’s attempts to make good things happen with her art instead of what her previous experiences with it had been like.

Speaking Spanish definitely isn’t a requirement for enjoying this tale, but anyone who does understand that language will get a little something extra in the bilingual scenes. I enjoyed the way the author included these sentences as a bonus while still ensuring that the main storyline was perfectly understandable for anyone who couldn’t or didn’t translate them. It was a lot of fun to figure out those extra layers of meaning.

This was the third installment of a series. I’d recommend reading all of them in order.

Evelyn Illustrated should be read by teens and adults who love art.

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

Outrun Battlefuture by Will SciFi

September 8, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Outrun Battlefuture by Will SciFi
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

WHAT IF YOU HAD TO ESCAPE WAR? ONLY PROBLEM – YOU’RE TRAPPED ON AN ISLAND.

In the year 2082, Noah lives peacefully with millions of kids who go to school and live on the island Trinity. The peace is shattered when news of student abuse is revealed, causing students to protest. As the situation worsens, riots happen, and war breaks out between students and the military which sends the island into absolute chaos.

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How far would you go for freedom?

The action scenes were well written and exciting. I especially liked the portions of the plot that described the battles that went on between the students and Heelers who were essentially a form of law enforcement for these schools. There were some pretty intense moments in these fights, and I couldn’t wait to see how everything would turn out.

I would have liked to see more world building in this novella. There wasn’t a great deal of time spent describing what Trinity, the boarding school where Noah and other children in this society lived between the age of five and eighteen, was like. Having a firm understanding of how kids were treated there was crucial for me to understand why Noah and his friends were so quick to revolt when they found out what had really happened to their missing classmates. The basic framework for a compelling story were definitely there. I simply needed concrete details to help me make the leap from what appeared to be a fairly contented life for them to outright revolution.

The dialogue felt natural to me. It was interesting to see how the characters’ speaking patterns changed depending on how much danger they were in at the moment. They went from speaking full sentences to getting their points across as quickly and quietly as possible. That’s exactly how people tend to react in frightening situations in real life in my experience, so it was nice to see it represented in fiction, too.

Anyone who loves gun battles and action in general should give Outrun Battlefuture a shot, pun intended.

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Tales From an Odd Mind by Nom D. Plume

September 4, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Tales From an Odd Mind by Nom D. Plume
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A selection of short stories and poems from many universes.

There’s a little bit of everything here for teens of all ages.

This unique collection was arranged into three sections. The first one shared stories that didn’t have endings, the second was a series of vignettes about the same group of characters, and the third was mostly composed of poetry. I felt obliged to clarify this since the blurb hinted at it but didn’t go into specifics.
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Given that this was my first experience with the author’s writing style, I enjoyed getting a sort of sampling platter of the many different sorts of things they write. They’re the sort of author who seems pretty quite jumping between genres. With that being said, it was a little jarring as a reader to be introduced to so many different types of characters without having resolutions for most of them. I’d be a little hesitant about who I recommended this to because of that. Many people prefer more closure than what was offered here, and I do think that hampered the storytelling after a while because of how unusual this stylistic choice was.

Opening scenes are some of my favorite things to read as well as to write. There’s a real art in explaining enough about a world to draw the reader’s attention in without giving away too many details about what might happen next. I was intrigued by all of the beginnings in this first section and would have liked to see where they ended up. There was definitely a lot of room here for character and plot development as readers only got a brief taste of each scene before moving onto a new one in a different universe. It sure would have been helpful to get to know these characters and their conflicts better. I liked what I saw, but I didn’t get to see a lot of it.

“We Few Old Souls” was the name of the short stories that followed the same group of friends as they took care of each other after accidents and tried to figure out why they all kept being reincarnated and finding each other. This was by far the most interesting section to me. I was fascinated by their various lifetimes and had so many theories about why these characters were destined to meet up again no matter who they were in their latest lives.

The poetry was filled with wonder and emotion. I particularly enjoyed “An Ode to Langston Hughes.” Not only was it written in a style similar to the one this poet used, the subject matter was as timeless as his work, too. These patterns were repeated with the rest of the poems as well. They had conversational styles that made me smile.

Tales From an Odd Mind should be read by anyone who is in the mood for something creative.

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