Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Champion’s Quest: The Die of Destiny
Author: Frank L. Cole
Book Series: Standalone for now
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For…: middle grade readers, fantasy
Genre: MG Fantasy
Publication Date: August 3, 2021
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 10+ (scary moments, slight violence)
Explanation of CWs: Some moments might be a bit scary for some readers.
Synopsis: Lucas Silver’s life is about to change. He thinks it’s because he’s made plans to escape from his foster home and make his way to New York, but then he and some unlikely friends find Hob and Bogie’s Curiosity Shoppe and agree to play a game of Champion’s Quest.
When the four kids walk out the front door of the Curiosity Shoppe, they immediately discover they’re no longer in West Virginia, but transported into the game and a wild fantasy world of dangerous goblins, brutish ogres, and a powerful witch.
They must work together as a team, overcome their real-world weaknesses, and believe in themselves and each other if they are to outwit, outplay, and survive their foes in this ultimate quest to defeat a treacherous monster.
Review: For the most part this was a fun read! The book did well with the world building and the story. The book would be a fun read for younger kids and kids who want to get into fantasy.
However, I did think that the characters weren’t developed that well and that the pacing was a bit slow for me.
Verdict: It’s good! Definitely recommend for younger kids.
Grenade Bouquets by Lee Matthew Goldberg
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Grenade Bouquets
Author: Lee Matthew Goldberg
Book Series: Runaway Train Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For…: young adult readers, contemporary
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: August 5, 2021
Publisher: Wise Wolf Books
Pages: 286
Recommended Age: 16+ (slight sexual content, slight language, drugs/drug usage mentioned, alcohol/alcohol usage/underage alcohol usage mentioned, grief)
Explanation of CWs: Grief is a big part of the novel, as is the progression of the character from childhood to adulthood. There is some cursing, some sexual content, and then drugs and alcohol are mentioned.
Synopsis: I had stars in my eyes and I couldn’t see around them…
The year is 1995 and my parents have finally allowed me to take the summer to tour in a VW van across the country with my boyfriend Evan and our band. Yes, my dream to be a singer became reality. Even with Clarissa, Evan’s jealous ex-girlfriend, as the lead singer, it’s my presence on stage that led us to a major record deal. There are moments you’ll always remember in life, but I can’t imagine anything more cool than hearing your song on the radio for the first time.
But being a Rockstar isn’t as easy as it sounds. Using alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms, nothing but tension surrounded me, hurting my still blossoming relationship, and continued grieving over my sister’s death.
A love letter to the nineties and a journey of a girl becoming a woman, Grenade Bouquets charts the rollercoaster ride of a band primed to explode on the scene, as long as they keep from actually exploding.
Review: Overall, this was a pretty good book. The character development was amazingly well done as was the world building. The story was well plotted and the writing was good. I also loved all of the 90s references.
However, I did think the book was too fast in pacing and I just didn’t really connect with this book.
Verdict: It’s good, just wasn’t for me.
Those Left Behind Release Day Tour
Change isn’t always for the best. Just ask the Stewards.
- The Steward family is eagerly preparing for the event that will forever bind them to the Bartlettes: the wedding of Hettie and Geoffrey. Little do the families know that the winds of war brewing in Europe soon will rip them apart.
Hettie and her brother, Freddie, join the Canadian Army Medical Corps. This decision is met with resistance and disapproval, causing a rift in the siblings’ relationship with their parents.
Meanwhile, a decades-long friendship is tested, two other daughters’ marriages are in tatters, and the scourge of influenza sweeps through the civilian population.
Will the Stewards bend under pressure or become stronger and more resilient?
Those Left Behind is the second in a trilogy following Hettie and her family as they navigate the challenges and heartbreak World War 1 brings. Each novel is a standalone story. Those Left Behind is the home front story. It is a collection of slice-of-life pieces that collectively tell the story of what happened in Canada while the events in Angel of Mercy were occurring. They are based on Hettie’s letters.
Author instagram: @melinadruga
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