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.

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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: , , , , , , , , , ,

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.
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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: , , , , , , , , , ,

Tales from the Rainbow Bridge by A. Abbie Aardmore

November 10, 2014 By 2 Comments

BRIDGE
Tales from the Rainbow Bridge by A. Abbie Aardmore
Publisher: R.M. Meluch
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (142 pages)
Age Recommendation: 8+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Tales from the Rainbow Bridge is a story of heartbreaking loss and joyous reunions as told by Zack, a dog, the greeter at the Rainbow Bridge, as he waits for his own beloved companion to take him the rest of the way home. The endings are all happily ever after, but you must cry to get there.

There aren’t many things in this world that are eternal, but love is one of them.
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Zach’s backstory was achingly beautiful. He was the perfect narrator for this tale. I could feel his love for his human as well as his grief at being separated from her for so long. The bond between person and their dog can be an incredible thing to see. What made it even more interesting in this case is that everything the reader learns about their life together is shared through the mindset of a dog who doesn’t always understand human culture.

Ms. Aardmore clearly has a wonderful sense of humor. From what dogs really think of the word “no” to what happens when the atmosphere in the Rainbow Bridge rains shoes, there was a lot of funny stuff tucked between her heartwarming passages. It definitely wasn’t something I was expecting to find, but giggling through my tears made me love the whole thing even more.

I’m not embarrassed to admit that I started crying within a few pages. The stories in this book were incredibly touching, especially the ones featuring dogs whose earthly lives included any kind of mistreatment. There’s a soft spot in my heart for rescued animals, although of course I rooted for all of the dogs as they waited for their humans.

Figuring out the most appropriate age recommendation was tricky. There are some incredibly sad scenes in this tale, but the writing style in those sections seems like it was created with young elementary students in mind. Even incredibly difficult topics are approached in ways that I wouldn’t necessarily expect to find for an audience that was quite a bit older or younger than that. There’s a nice balance between telling the truth and avoiding too many details. This is something I would have loved when I was eight.

Tales from the Rainbow Bridge is a must-read for adults and kids alike.

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

Gideon Lee by Lisa Orchard

November 10, 2014 By Leave a Comment

LEE
Gideon Lee by Lisa Orchard
Publisher: EsKape Press
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (131 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

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Dreams can provide an endless source of hope if you think they might actually come true. If only Lark knew whether or not to trust hers.

Lark was so self-absorbed that at first I didn’t like her at all. It was hard to understand why someone who seemed to have so much going for her would behave so selfishly at times. Whether we’re kind or snobby, there are reasons why all of us act the way we do. Once I figured out what Lark’s reasons were, I saw her behavior in a brand new light. It made her character development even more special than it would have been otherwise.

There was a lot of material in this tale that was barely addressed. Some of it seemed to be written for mature teens, while other sections seemed more appropriate for readers in late middle school or early high school. To me it felt like the author was attempting to reach both audiences even though the subject matter is much darker than what I’ve typically seen being written for preteens.This book would have easily earned a much higher rating from me had it been expanded into a full-length novel, explored its dark subject matter more seriously, and been clearly meant for older teens. The premise itself was really strong, this just isn’t the sort of thing that should be marketed to such a wide age range.

Not everyone who has a child is actually emotionally ready for that kind of responsibility. Some of the most interesting scenes in this novella explore the relationship between Lark and her mother. Lark’s mother didn’t strike me as a particularly mature adult. In a lot ways they actually behave a lot more like siblings than mother and daughter for reasons that I’ll leave up to future readers to discover for themselves. The realistic consequences of their dysfunctional living situation weren’t pretty, but they were well written.

I’d recommend Gideon Lee to anyone who has ever dreamed of becoming a rock star.

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

The Underground Labyrinth by Louella Dizon San Juan

November 3, 2014 By Leave a Comment

UNDERGROUND
The Underground Labyrinth by Louella Dizon San Juan
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Short Story (142 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The summer is off to a terrible start for Jinny, with bad weather and a cancelled birthday party. It hardly seems a year ago that she had gone on an adventure with her sister Jada, the rebel fairy Minacrist, and the magical people they met within the secret fairy kingdom of New York City. But when a mysterious river man appears with a special key, Jinny, Jada, and their neighbor, Sam, are pulled into a race against time. A sickness has struck the kingdom, turning good fairies into evil, and the children must join forces with Minacrist and their elfin friends to find the source of the Black Power…before the Black Power destroys them.

You never really know when another adventure might coming knocking at your door.
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Every time I take the subway I wonder what it would be like to explore the parts of it that aren’t open to the public. There’s something magical about those long, dark tunnels whose secrets are only uncovered by a lucky few. What surprised me was how the feeling one gets when staring into those tunnels was connected to what happens in this story. It’s hard to discuss this in any more detail without giving away spoilers, but I was pleased by how this sort of completely ordinary experience could be given such an unexpected twist.

The cast of characters was a little too big for a novella of this size. At times I had trouble remembering who was who, especially when it came to all of the new elves and other magical creatures that were introduced here for the first time. It would have been helpful to either have a glossary describing who everyone was or for the text itself to give periodic reminders about basic information like this.

With that being said, I enjoyed how creative the author was when naming and describing all of her characters. This entire series has impressed me so far. Elves have names that genuinely sound Elvish, unpronounceable syllables and all. That’s the sort of small detail that actually makes a big difference for me when I’m deciding what to read next due to how much fun it is to become so immersed in that universe. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Dizon San Juan comes up with next.

This is the sequel to The Crowded Kingdom. It can be read as a standalone novel, but I highly recommend checking out the first book to anyone who is even slightly intrigued by the brief recap of what happens in it in the first chapter of this one.

I’d recommend The Underground Labyrinth to fans of the science fiction and young adult genres alike.

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

What’s It to You? by Judy Irwin

March 14, 2014 By 6 Comments

3_7 Cover_Whats It To You
What’s It To You? by Judy Irwin
Genre: Middle Grade
Length: Full length (104 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Rose

What if nothing was the worst thing you could do?

For 13-year old Tim Stockdale, it’s all about keeping his head down and fitting in with the friends he’s managed to make at his new school. His older brother, Eli, is the opposite. He’s trying to set up a Gay-Straight Alliance at his high school, where he’s a junior. Even though the school board is against it, Eli’s not afraid of what the fallout might be.

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Ms. Irwin has brought us a story about a young teen trying to find his way in a new school–walking that fine line between being part of the crowd or standing up for what he knows is right.

Tim’s family has moved to another part of town–putting Tim in a different school. His older brother, Eli, is able to remain at the high school, where he is trying to set up a Gay-Straight Alliance.

The kids at the new school aren’t very friendly and Tim finds himself reaching out to the only people who are nice to him–a self-professed “anger guy” and his buddies. Unfortunately, they not only have anger issues, they are bullies. While Tim doesn’t join in the bullying; he just stands there and does nothing. He feels badly about it, but doesn’t want to be alone.

And therein lies the essence of what this book is about … for kids, when does doing nothing become just as bad as the bullying itself? Tim has some tough choices to make and Judy Irwin captures those choices and this age group very well. I could identify with Tim being in a new place and trying to fit in. Especially as a kid, this is so hard.

It was quick, easy read– I read it in one night–and it was interesting to see not only the relationships with the kids at the middle school, but also the interactions between Eli and Tim as well as between the boys and their parents. Ms. Irwin has a good handle on this age group and it certainly makes her books more real and readable.

There are more books in this series–I’m looking forward to reading the others.

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Insects in the Infield by Nancy Oswald

January 14, 2014 By 1 Comment

INFIELD
Insects in the Infield by Nancy Oswald
 Publisher: Burro Books
Genre: Historical, Middle Grade
Length: Full Length (182 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 9+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Ants, bees, dragonflies, limping millipedes… Buster would rather ignore his brainy sister Maggie’s insect zoo, but he needs her help with the carnival fundraiser for his baseball team, the Cougars. Unfortunately, Buster needs more than fundraising help from his sister. His failing math grade is at a full count—one more strike and he won’t be able to play in the game against the three Pirate bullies: Chewy, Ace, and Rip. The town of Ashville may never be the same after these rival teams clash. Bugs and baseball don’t mix.

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As an adult reader, Insects in the Infield is an inspiring read for younger readers. It’s a story that children can relate to being if they are failing in a school subject, dealing with a smart younger sibling, balancing sports and school learning and also handling bullies. Its an interesting story line with lovable characters and full of humor. Insects in the Infield is Animal Planet mets ESPN; the author gives educational scientific names for the insects and also she does a good job on the baseball game play descriptions. It is also a simple, laid back novel when children didn’t have much technology and they looked forward to outside play.

I enjoyed the relationship between Buster and his younger sister Maggie. My favorite character Maggie is very smart and isn’t ashamed of it. Maggie has book smarts and is happy to help her brother with his math and it is so cute how she is so organized with teaching and is so happy to teach. She also makes the lessons interesting for Buster by showing him the relation between math and baseball. Also, I enjoyed how Buster’s friends also chipped in to help Buster pull his math grade up. This really is important and showed true friendship.

It seems it took the parents quite awhile before they realized how badly Buster was doing in math, but when the teacher brought it to their attention the parents put rules into play. As with life there are bullies, and the author didn’t shy away from building tough bullies in this novel, but the fingerprints in blood on the notes were a bit much for me.

Insects in the Infield is a book where insects have talent, and the neighborhood baseball team rivalry is a big community event. Pick up a copy of Insects in the Infield to find out if Buster is able to pull up his failing math grade and find out if the Cougar’s be able to win a victory against the Pirates.

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Angel Heart by Cornelia Funke, Narrated by Jeremy Irons

January 9, 2014 By Leave a Comment

HEART
Angel Heart by Cornelia Funke
a music storybook
narrated by Jeremy Irons
music by Luna Pearl Woolf
Publisher: Mirada Studios
Genre: Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: n/a – audio
Age recommendation: Any
Rated: 5 stars
Reviewed by Rose

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The story: A girl whose heart has broken into a thousand pieces meets an angel. During their travels in the night, the angel enlists the help of spirits of the East, North, West, and South on his quest to mend her heart.

In addition to Angel Heart, (story by Cornelia Funke, music by Luna Pearl Woolf, narrated by Jeremy Irons); the work combines well known songs from The Beatles, classical music and folk music. The visual storytelling design is by Mirada, a multi-platform company that was founded by Mathew Cullen and Pan s Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro.

This is a charming audio book suitable for all ages… but it’s even more. In alternating tracks, Jeremy Irons shares the story of an angel and a girl whose heart is broken into thousand pieces. Between each segment of the story is a track of beautiful music to go along with the storyline.

I love the way each track is clearly defined as it allows this gem to be played in multiple ways. You can just hear the story, just the music, or you can listen to the entire piece. I admit, the first time I listened to it, I skipped the musical interludes because I wanted to know what happened in the storyline. With subsequent listenings, however, I’ve let the CD play on through and have thoroughly enjoyed the blending of the two art forms.

The story is beautifully told (and equally beautifully read by the talented Jeremy Irons—he can read the telephone book to me any time!!). Ms. Funke’s other works are a lot of fun to read–this one is hauntingly evocative of tenderness and pain-healed. It’s a story I have listened to more than once (and as I’m not normally a re-reader, that’s saying something).

Kudos to everyone involved. 5 stars.  Thanks to the producers for trying something new!

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