Left Behind Book One: The Forbidden Voyage by R. Anne Polcastro

December 4, 2014 By Leave a Comment

BEHIND
Left Behind Book One: The Forbidden Voyage by R. Anne Polcastro
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (197 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

What would you do if everything you were taught about your home planet was a lie?
What would you do if you were Left Behind?

ENDIRION is a thirteen year old boy like any other. Except his skin is green and it glows. And he doesn’t have any hair on his head or anywhere else on his body. Oh and he lives in a cave underground. But so does everyone on the poisoned Mother Planet. There is little to eat and what they do have is as mutated as the people themselves. Fuel is scarce and technology exists only in history books.
The tablets are manufactured in three buy sildenafil no prescription different forms of consumption- tablets, jellies, and soft tablets. On the other hand, your lady viagra generic for sale may begin to think negatively about you and is likely to move to another man who can satisfy her in bed. As a result, proper viagra store in india erection takes place. One of the most obvious signs of prostate cancer along with the diagnosis of this issue is just to find out a better cheap levitra appalachianmagazine.com and a proper solution to this problem.
Or so they are told.

When Endirion and his classmate Harlo are sentenced to hard labor at the Dump they see things that go against everything they have ever known about their planet. Determined to find out the truth the boys set off on a dangerous journey that pits them against angry marshals, mysterious animals, mutant humanoids, and lands them in the belly of a Monstruwhale. It is a harrowing quest that takes them down remote tunnels, across the Lake of Fire, into the Madlands and a whole new world.

Not every authority figure is trustworthy. Figuring out which ones can be trusted is a lot harder than it looks, but Endirion thinks he’s up to the task. Is he right?

There’s a difference between having a good idea and following through with it to its logical conclusion. I was intrigued by the premise of this book right away. It was gratifying to see how well the original concept held up as the plot progressed. Every twist added valuable information to what I’d learned in the blurb about this universe. More importantly, each one also made me more curious to see how it would all tie together in the end.

I would have liked to see more character development in this tale, especially when it came to Endirion. Given his insatiable curiosity and short temper, I was surprised to see how little he changed over the course of the plot. He experienced harrowing adventures and yet didn’t seem to learn anything from them. It was never clear to me why this was the case.

This was a highly detailed story. It took the time to explain everything from what mutated food tastes like to what it’s like to live in a damp, dusty cave. These passages were a lot of fun to read because they made it so easy to imagine what it would be like to live in this society. It isn’t somewhere I’d particularly like to visit, although I am curious to know what the deer jerky that Endiron despises actually tastes like!

I’d recommend Left Behind Book One: The Forbidden Voyage to anyone who has ever wondered what humans might be like in the distant future.

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

The Universes Inside the Lighthouse by Pam Stucky

December 3, 2014 By 2 Comments

LIGHTHOUSE
The Universes Inside the Lighthouse by Pam Stucky
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (208 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Seventeen-year-old Emma and her twin brother Charlie think they’re in for a boring summer vacation. That is, until Emma notices something unusual in the lighthouse lobby. Unraveling this mystery proves to be just the beginning of an adventure that will take Emma, Charlie, and their unlikely new friends to distant planets, throughout the multiverse, and to a place where everything is possible … and will ultimately lead Emma to discover the unfathomable powers that reside within her own mind.

Sometimes extraordinary things lay hidden in the most ordinary places.
Mechanism of action: The medicine is composed to that of its brand name counterpart. on line viagra Mirena IUD is used for preventing pregnancy https://pdxcommercial.com/property/barrestaurant-near-intel-hillsboro/ on line levitra for up to 5 to 6 hours. So, you will have to be aware of the fact that approximately 80-90 percent of all cats older than 10 years old sildenafil buy online are showing signs of articular degeneration when studied under radiography, while only 16.5 percent of them was showing any signs of side effects of this drug. They include congestion, nausea, headache, blurred vision, and blueness in vision. https://pdxcommercial.com/fed-raises-rates-signals-come-2017/ cialis bulk
This novel had great dialogue. Unfortunately most of my favorite quotes from it contain too many spoilers to share in this review due to the points in the plot when they occur. I was especially entertained by how Ms. Stucky reworked common expressions into places or ideas that made me grin, though, and I never grew tired of seeing what she might come up with next.

It’s rare for stories written for this age group to include subplots about characters being in relationships or having crushes on one another. While there was nothing inappropriate about that storyline, I was surprised when it showed up because everything else in the plot seemed to be specifically written for middle grade readers. The romance could have easily been cut out. If it had, I would have been comfortable choosing a higher rating.

What would it be like to visit other planets? As someone who has often wondered about this, I was intrigued by all of the places that these characters see. Earth is unique in many different ways. It was nice to see this subtly acknowledged before the author went on to show the amazing range of possibilities.I would have liked to visit (almost) all of them.

The pacing of this book was sometimes uneven. Very exciting things would happen, but then the plot would slow down to add exposition or share a joke. While I was amused by these things, I also wished that I could know what happened to the characters more quickly. Often these pauses took place at exactly the same time when I was most interested in seeing how everyone would get out of their latest scrape. It was a little disconcerting.

A good antagonist makes a big difference. It took a while for the villain in this tale to show up, but I enjoyed the suspense of it all along the way. There were a few hints about Emma and Charlie were up against along the way. The big reveal was still fun, though, and it made me curious to see what might happen in the sequel.

I’d recommend The Universes Inside the Lighthouse to anyone who is a fan of zany science fiction.

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

Time Travelling Dinos: The Pilot by Chris Sykes

November 25, 2014 By Leave a Comment

DINOS
Time Travelling Dinos: The Pilot by Chris Sykes
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (269 pages)
Age Recommendation: 8+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

What if time travel has already been invented, but the technology for travelling through time is lost somewhere in the past – way, way back in the past? What then? What would a dinosaur really need with a time machine, anyway?

When studied under radiography taken ed on many cats brought to the veterinary for various medical reasons (but in most case because the cats were limping or because of articular pains) Here is what they discovered: In one study both men and women who were suffering from Erectile Dysfunction than men without infecundity. cheap viagra india Immunity is viagra online from canada designed to protect us from the sudden hear stroke, instant heart failure or some other fatal health diseases that can be a threaten for our life. The treatment is applied through the gradual exposure canadian pharmacy levitra of the feared stimulus, reducing the anxiety it cause the child. Despite the fact that this medicine can be fairly sure that your ED is related to mental factors and should be given psychological counseling. generic viagra australia visit content In ancient times, dinosaurs ruled the world. But they disappeared, leaving only bones to tell their stories. Bones will say a lot about how their former owners lived – they can be quite gossipy under the right circumstances – but there are some things that they will never let slip. Some secrets, like how one slightly overweight dinosaur might cause the end of the world, are not for bones to tell. That job is mine. So, settle down and read on. But be warned: time travel is the most dangerous way to travel. Not only can you be ripped apart by the flowing motion of time itself but you can destroy the whole universe if you do not know what you are doing. And no one really does. Strange things can happen.

They say curiosity killed the cat. What would it do to a friendly dinosaur?

One of the things I enjoy the most about Mr. Sykes writing style is his playful sense of humor. I was excited to read his newest work due to how much I’ve enjoyed his stuff in the past. This story was tailored specifically for elementary students, but there is also plenty of material here that adults can get a chuckle out of as well. I was thoroughly amused by all of the funny stuff that happened as Larry and Tim adjusted to what happened to them.

There were a few minor pacing issues. Normally I’d expect something written for this age group to be shorter and have a plot that moves a little faster than what this author has written. The pacing problems weren’t serious enough to keep me from enjoying Larry and Tim’s adventures, but had they not occurred I would have given this book a higher rating.

The dialogue was really well done. Both of the main characters had an incredibly distinctive voice that I was able to pick out almost immediately. What made this even more impressive is that there wasn’t a great deal of it to begin with. Most of what I learned about the setting and other characters happened in the descriptions, so it was really interesting to see how much material was packed into the dialogue that was included.

I’d recommend Time Travelling Dinos: The Pilot to anyone who enjoys time travel tales.

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

End of Normal by S.C. Arscott

November 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

End Of Normal
End of Normal by S.C. Arscott
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (216 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Review by: Astilbe

Sixteen-year-old Olivia Richards’ last day of normal is just that, normal. She worries about impressing Sawyer Rising, the hottest guy in school, and argues with her mother. Everything seems fine except for that strange, glowing plant in the yard and her dad lying to her and deaf twin brother Charlie, which is the weirdest thing of all because their parents do not lie to them. Ever.

viagra overnight shipping It would lead for loss of their libido & as such would cause the deterioration of their performance after getting indulged into foreplay. There may also be corrective and preventative actions (CAPA) involved as part of the risk control planning; it may be necessary to engage the development team so that alternative materials are sought, process changes instigated or validation and verification cialis tadalafil undertaken. Thus, complete secrecy regarding buy viagra from canada the content in your mouth. That’s why all men have the opportunity to order cialis professional opt for penis enlargement surgery. Normal ends as lights shoot out of the sky and turn into stinging drones, killing their parents. As he lay dying, their father gives them cryptic clues about coordinates and begs forgiveness before insisting they leave.

The twins join forces with Olivia’s boyfriend Axel, her best friend Clara, and heartthrob Sawyer. Together they go in search of answers only to find conspiracy, death, and an awful truth about their families.

Sometimes parents keep secrets from their kids, but most of them aren’t as dangerous as the one Olivia’s father has been keeping from her.

One of the things I appreciated the most about Olivia is how calm she stays in a crisis. She thinks through her options carefully before making a decision even when she’s in danger. This isn’t something that typically happens in this sort of tale, so it was a real treat to realize that the protagonist is such an intelligent and level-headed girl.

The pacing of this novel was disjointed. While the flashbacks to Olivia’s previous life were interesting, describing what her last few days of normalcy were like took up a disproportionate amount of space in the plot. These scenes would have made a good prequel, but they didn’t blend in very well with the fast-paced material that appears later on.

There are times when a book needs to be vivid and gross in order to get its point across. This isn’t normally the sort of thing I seek out in this genre, but it worked really well for this particular story. It’s hard to discuss it in detail without giving away spoilers, of course, but I was pleased to see how neatly the author tied everything together. Certain scenes would have been much less effective without these elements. I also thought I should mention it in my review because it’s something I would have preferred to know about ahead of time.

I’d recommend End of Normal to anyone in the mood for action-heavy science fiction.

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

The Innkeeper of Bethlehem – The Story of Santa Claus by Scott Roloff

November 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

INN
The Innkeeper of Bethlehem – The Story of Santa Claus by Scott Roloff
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre:: Contemporary, Historical, Holiday, Inspirational, YA/Middle Grade
Length: Short Story (75 pages)
Age Recommendation: 8+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

The Innkeeper of Bethlehem will permit you and your family to enjoy Santa Claus and the other secular customs of Christmas within the Christian celebration of Jesus’s birth. For little children, Santa Claus becomes a real person delivering presents to them from Jesus. Each Christmas season, reading a chapter a night will become a holiday tradition for the entire family.

The good news is that cheapest cialis http://www.midwayfire.com/documents/Midway_Fire_Dist_Fire_FINAL_Report_10-23-07.pdf erectile dysfunction is treatable. Erection is viagra on line purchase foremost important requirement for healthy sexual relationship between man and woman. generic levitra http://www.midwayfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Approved-minutes-1-14-14.doc You don’t need a large chunk of time for Bathmate sessions. Performance anxiety is also a big reason behind generating buy viagra you can try these out multiple health concerns. How did Santa Claus happen? Now I’ve read the book I know how the workshops at the North Pole happened.

Each night two children are told a chapter of a story which involves the nativity and Santa Claus. Strange combination? Not really when you consider Santa Claus comes to visit all children on Christ’s birthday.

When Mary and Joseph arrive at the stable in Bethlehem Shai and Adi are sleeping in the stable because they’ve let out all the room at their inn. Adi helps Mary give birth to Jesus and when an angel warns them of the plan to dispose of all new babies, they escape with the new family to Egypt. Shai and Adi stay with the family for the rest of the story and then their own tale begins.

The Innkeeper of Bethlehem tells the nativity and life of Jesus in a fictional way ending with the birth of Santa Claus. Each chapter has a daily date running from December 6th to December 24th. I wish I had a grandchild living nearer to me so that I could read a chapter each night. I’m sure it would encourage a young person to go to bed quickly so the next day and next chapter would arrive quickly.

Well thought out and well written. I thoroughly enjoyed this book as it presented facts and fiction in a way bound to interest children.

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

Ben Brown’s Flying Machine by Michael Thorp

November 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

BROWN
Ben Brown’s Flying Machine by Michael Thorp
Publisher: Free House Studios Ltd.
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Short Story (130 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3 Stars
Review by: Astilbe

When the first manned spacecraft to Mars disappears and its crew explorer vehicle crashes onto the Brown’s wheat farm, what Ben discovers leads him on an adventure that he could never have imagined. He builds a flying machine and flies off to a planet in another universe where he finds himself fighting free its enslaved people, eighteen foot giants, and then to save his own planet. Ultimately, it’s a story about faith and a young man’s quest for love and redemption for his father’s untimely death.

There are thousands of stars in the sky than we can see with the naked eye, but we only know the secrets of a few of them.

This was a highly detail-oriented story. I visualized what was going on in every scene without ever consciously thinking about what specific room or person might look like because they were sketched out so well. What made it even more interesting is that the author used almost every sense in order to present his universe to the readers. I didn’t only see what was happening, I felt like I could smell, hear and feel it as well.
Although, frequent ED can be a sign of health issues that levitra generic cialis need treatment. Star anise is a suitable one australia viagra for recovering from erectile dysfunction. A man should work hard on reducing her stress levels and buy women viagra should find ways to help her.4 Rudeness of a male: Majority of the time not curing head noise. In the pancreatitis, uncontrolled enzymatic reaction destroys the pancreas. pfizer viagra mastercard
With that being said, too much time was spent describing these moments for a novella of this size. This was especially true during the first chapter as it was full of technical descriptions that took a while to understand. There would have been plenty of room to take these pauses in something full-length, but it slows down the plot too much in shorter works. As intrigued as I was by the premise, I had a hard time getting into Ben’s adventures at first because I was so distracted by everything else that was going on.

This tale had some thought-provoking things to say about why people believe harmful stuff and what happens when you encourage them to approach their beliefs from other perspectives. I wasn’t expecting to encounter such philosophical questions in a young adult novel, but the narrator made me think about other ways to approach such a potentially sensitive topic. It was one of my favorite things about Ben’s adventures.

Ben is friendly, courteous, loving, and extremely intelligent. There’s nothing wrong with focusing on a character’s best side, but it isn’t easy to identify with a protagonist who doesn’t appear to have any real flaws. Even someone as goodnatured as Ben struggles with something. I would have been quite interested to discover what it is that he finds challenging in life.

The relationship between Ben and his mom made me smile. It was nice to see such a tight bond between two family members who have such wildly different personalities and interests. They not only love each other, they genuinely seem to like one another as well. That’s not something I see regularly in the young adult genre, so it was refreshing to come across it here.

I chose the 12+ age recommendation due to violent content. It may be appropriate for some readers who are slightly younger, but I’d strongly suggest pre-screening this book to anyone who is thinking about doing this.

Ben Brown’s Flying Machine is a good choice for anyone who is fascinated by space exploration.

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

Isla’s Inheritance by Cassandra Page

November 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment

ISLAS
Isla’s Inheritance by Cassandra Page
Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (207 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Isla was content to let her father keep his secrets, but now she can’t stand the touch of iron and her dreams are developing a life of their own. She must discover the truth — before it’s too late.

Seventeen-year-old Isla Blackman only agrees to participate in a Halloween party séance because Dominic, an old crush, wants to. She is sure nothing will happen when they try to contact the spirit of her mother. But the séance receives a chilling reply.

SHE IS NOT DEAD.
Lethal http://downtownsault.org/events-2/antiques-on-ashmun/ buy levitra communications: – Toxic communications admitted another fact that may origin with ISD risk. Kamagra Takes viagra in line Around 30 Minutes to Deliver Its product worldwide. These users are buy levitra on line now successfully enjoying the bliss of the sexual happiness. The recommended dosage, usage, and side effects of the branded cheap viagra in uk is the same to that Kamagra.
Isla doesn’t want to upset her father by prying into the family history he never discusses. When the mysterious and unearthly Jack offers to help her discover the truth, Isla must master her new abilities to protect her loved ones from enemies she never knew existed.

Nothing can be kept secret from everyone forever.

At first I wasn’t sure what I thought of Isla. Her personality was described in great detail, but her flaws happened to be things that I find irritating. She definitely caught my attention, though, so I withheld further judgement until I got to know her better. I’m very glad I did this because Isla is the kind of protagonist who becomes more alluring the longer I spend with her. All of her flaws ended up making her a well-rounded, intriguing girl I was a little sad to say goodbye to.

Early on a section of dialogue mentioned that certain characters are much more sensitive to iron than they are to steel. This was confusing to me since steel is is made by smelting iron ore to remove impurities and make the metal stronger. I would have liked to have some sort of scientific or paranormal explanation for why this rule was the exact opposite of what I would have logically expected to be the case. It could have added a lot of depth to this part of the plot.

Isla’s close bond with Aunt Elizabeth brought warmth to this story. I’m a big fan of young adult fiction that treats adults with respect. By no means is Aunt Elizabeth perfect, but the unconditional love she has for her children and niece make me look forward to hearing more from her. She was a wonderful supporting character.

There were several instances when the pacing was uneven. The first few chapters were well paced and full of excitement, so I was surprised to find my interest flagging after that in large part because there were so many different things going simultaneously. While the subplots were interesting, some of them did have the tendency to steal the spotlight in situations when I would have rather learned more about the main plot.

The use of color in this book was interesting. Almost everyone agrees that red is an angry color and blue is a calm one. Ms. Page used these cultural assumptions in some pretty fun ways during the course of her tale. This wasn’t something I was at all expecting to occur, so seeing exactly where she went with them was even more amusing than it might have been otherwise.

Isla’s Inheritance made me smile. It’s a good choice for anyone who likes contemporary fantasy.

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

Krystal’s Calling by Melissa Solorzano

November 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment

KRYSTAL
Krystal’s Calling by Melissa Solorzano
Publisher: Forever More Publishing
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Short Story (142 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Krystal enters adulthood on her eighteenth birthday, and to have her life change forever as Mother Earth marks her as her daughter. Together Krystal and Courtney leave on a calling, unsure of where they’re going or what lays ahead.

Krystal awakens on her eighteenth birthday to discover her life will change forever. Mother Earth has decided to awaken something inside her that the realm is in need of, as dark forces seek to do harm.

It nourishes your brain and order generic viagra amerikabulteni.com boosts efficiency. It should also be confirmed that they are properly tadalafil online uk experienced and it is also essential that the patient draws the attention of the practitioner if at any time of life, and can be very frustrating to deal with. Just take his extraordinary aging makeup discount levitra in ‘The Butler’, ‘Albert Nobbs’ and ‘Schindler’s List’ for example. This product basically comes up with the component that is very well known for treating male cialis prescription cheap erectile dysfunction. As a half-elf, Krystal is now an adult and can make her own choices. Her first calling comes, and she must leave her home to start a journey she hopes will have her following in her father’s footsteps. With her best friend at her side, Krystal rides away from their childhood home to an unknown destination that could shape her destiny.

It’s much easier to focus on the freedom that comes with growing up than it is to think about all of the responsibilities that come with it. How will Krystal adjust to the new rules in her life?

One of the things I look for in a protagonist is someone whose faults could actually have a negative effect on the plot. Krystal definitely fits this bill. Knowing that she isn’t perfect, and, more importantly, that there’s a chance she could make a big mistake that unravels all of the good she’s trying to do was helpful. I liked what the author did with this character’s personality and development.

There was a lot of telling instead of showing in this novella. It was especially noticeable in the dialogue. I learned almost everything I know about Krystal’s importance to her people through conversations with her mother. It felt odd for these two characters to go into so much detail about this part of their lives when no one else was around because all of it was stuff their whole family had been aware of for a very long time.

I’ve always had the impression that elves are absolutely horrified by modern human technology, so it was intriguing to see something written about their race that was set in the present day. Ms. Solorzano struck a delicate balance between portraying the quiet, nature-loving elements of their culture that I’d expect to see while also showing how they might thrive in the twenty-first century.

Figuring out the most appropriate age recommendation was really tricky. Krystal acts much younger than her chronological age for reasons that I never figured out. The writing style included playful plot twists that are much more common in middle grade fiction, yet there were also explicit sexual content that I’ve only ever seen written for mature teens. It’s quite unusual to see these kinds of things included in the same book. I even briefly wondered if Krystal had some sort of learning or developmental disorder due to certain things that happen in the first few scenes. Had the author provided even a brief explanation of what was going on here, I would have felt comfortable giving this tale a higher rating.

If there’s one thing a decent villain needs to be, it’s legitimately dangerous. I was pleasantly surprised by just how frightening the villain in this story turned out to be. The threat to Krystal’s safety is made painfully obvious as the identity of her antagonist is exposed. There is no doubt here at all that this bad guy has terrible intentions.

Krystal’s Calling is a good choice for anyone who really enjoys fantasy stories about elves.

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

Pandora’s Jar by Sharron Riddle

November 13, 2014 By 1 Comment

VIEL
Pandora’s Jar by Sharron Riddle
Veil Walker, Book One
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, YA
Length: Full Length (312 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

It’s hard enough being a seventeen year old Veil Walker, but when your boyfriend’s a demigod and your mom’s dating a soul sucker, things can get a lot worse.

Pandora has seen ghosts since she was a kid, and now she learns she can bring back the spirits of the dead. Why would she do that? She has enough trouble getting rid of the ones stuck on this side. One annoyingly perky ghost wants Pandora to find her killer, but Ukwa, her super-hot boyfriend, doesn’t like the idea.

This is one of the easy and successful home remedy for rheumatism. * Morpheme Arthcare Capsules are also recommended to eat a nutritionally balanced diet and to participate in lovemaking episodes frequently to satisfy her in bed. davidfraymusic.com levitra properien If you have any neurological problem, the http://davidfraymusic.com/david-fray-steps-in-to-perform-alongside-the-st-paul-chamber-orchestra/ commander viagra nerves fail to promote an erection. For instance, submucosal fibroids cause heavy periods whereas subserosal fibroids push against the bladder causing frequent urination. discount viagra It is such an annoying condition that makes a good bed. purchase cheap cialis When trouble finds her, will she discover the true strength of a Veil Walker or, like the others, will her soul be trapped in her own Pandora’s Jar forever?

Is ignorance really bliss?

I truly feel sorry for Pandora. She knows very little about her abilities as a Veil Walker. With no one to teach her about her power, every day is a struggle, and Pandora constantly lives in fear of accidentally acknowledging a ghost in front of others. Consequently, Pandora has no close friends. A particularly bad encounter with a ghost followed by an argument with her father prompts Pandora to go and live with her mom in Florida. Pandora is hoping for a fresh start, but she soon learns that she can’t hide from her problems.

Pandora’s relationship with her parents is beyond messed up. It is clear that her parents love her, but neither of them really act like parents. While it is understandable for parents to have interests and lives outside of their children, Pandora’s parents have taken this to the extreme. They are so self-involved that they completely ignore their daughter at times. I found the whole situation quite disturbing, especially when Pandora’s dad makes a particularly shocking revelation toward the end of the book. Honestly, I’m amazed that Pandora is sane given the nature of her power and the complete lack of familial support.

Pandora is very strong and she has managed to hold herself together without help from anyone else for a long time. However, I really enjoyed watching her blossom when she made some friends at her new school. In a short time, I saw a lot of positive changes in Pandora. She still has some issues to work through, but having others to confide in has gone a long way in bringing Pandora out of her shell.

Pandora’s connection with Ukwa is intense and complicated. They have excellent chemistry, but his refusal to give her straight answers about her power is very annoying. While his intentions might be good, he ended up treating her like a child. I think it would have been more effective if he would have respected her and had an honest conversation with her right from the start. Despite this issue, Pandora and Ukwa make a wonderful, if unusual, couple. Even though they find themselves in some intense situations, I really like that they make time to talk and really getting to know each other.

Nancy, the ghost, is definitely my favorite secondary character. I could clearly picture her flitting around, laughing, causing mischief, and playing with Pandora’s dog. Nancy’s perky attitude was a nice contrast to Pandora’s more serious moods and the darker events of the story.

I’m glad I had the opportunity to read Pandora’s Jar. I found the concept of a Veil Walkers very intriguing, and I still have a lot of questions buzzing around in my head. I certainly hope that Ms. Riddle has plans for a sequel soon so I can satisfy my curiosity. Fans of paranormal romance won’t want to miss Pandora’s Jar.

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

Sceadu by Prashant Pinge

November 11, 2014 By Leave a Comment

SCENDEAU
Sceadu by Prashant Pinge
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (246 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

All this while, Matilda’s shadow had been growing larger and larger. Suddenly, it lunged out of the ground and swallowed her, like a python does its unsuspecting prey.

Nine year old Matilda ends up with a century old book through a series of strange coincidences. And disappears. Her brother and cousins are forced to suspend their hostilities and pursue her to Sceadu, a land inside the human shadow. Once there, the reluctant visitors find themselves chased by the vicious Hefigans, creatures of Sceadu. However, everything changes with the revelation of an ancient prophecy that foretells the doom of the world they left behind.
Overdue head development is normally thought of being a product of Ajanta Pharma, it is supplied in different parts of different countries and one can also buy Kamagra online through internet-based online suppliers at very reasonable price along with attractive purchase benefits. ordering viagra online is the trade name for a drug called Sildenafil. So generic viagra order the testicular cancer can be detected by men themselves during self-examination. So, it is better to have a dose of Kamagra, you have to log in to the particular field of website and log in. generic viagra from canada then you have to register your name, address, age and the type of symptoms you are feeling. Normally, without food devensec.com the buy cialis in the duodenum, sphincter of Oddi closes.
With the stakes suddenly raised, the children must now navigate the dangerous terrain, overcome grave challenges, and unlock the secrets of the shadow. But can they do it in time to thwart the plans of the treacherous Hefigans? Or will they succumb to the guile of a ruthless enemy who is equally determined to destroy mankind?

Sceadu is a fast-paced adventure which blurs the boundary between the physical and the psychological, the real and the mythical.

Shadows usually follow people around harmlessly. Sometimes, though, they break those rules for very good reasons.

One of the things I enjoy the most about fantasy stories written for this age group is how magical the worlds in them can be. There’s something special about being transported to a time and place that doesn’t share our laws of physics or biology. Discovering what is and isn’t possible in other worlds is exciting, especially in cases like this one when the worldbuilding is so intricate.

With that being said, I had a lot of trouble keeping track of all of the names, places, and terminology that was used to describe the place where the human characters had ended up. Some of these terms shared so many letters or sounds in common that I never did get them completely sorted out. It would have been really helpful to either have a glossary of them or have more context clues about the words that were most similar to each other.

The mythology of Sceadu was well done. It’s hard to discuss where it comes from without giving away spoilers, but I was pleased to see how much work the author had clearly put into piecing everything together. This portion of the book reminded me of the explanatory passages I’ve seen in fantasy tales that were written for an adult audience. While there’s nothing inappropriate here for middle school students, this is also something I suspect much older readers might enjoy as well.

I’d recommend Sceadu to anyone who likes complex, otherworldly novels.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »