A young boy and his journey through life.
The fourth book I will be reviewing in 'The Ten P.M. question' by, Kiwi, Kate De Goldi.
Synopsis:
This story follows a tween, Frankie, and his life and struggles through family life and growing up.
He can't stop worrying about everything. The rash on his chest, the spider in the corner of his room and most of all, his mum. His routine in life is simple. Get to school, return, homework, dinner, cake and when the clock strickes Ten he is in his mum's room asking her the questions that have bugged him all day.
Reveiw:
I was incredibly bored throughout this book. It was simply a slice of life in Frankie's world and although quirky and funny it failed to captivate me and most likely the targeted audience. Nothing exciting occured and I found myself having learnt nothing at the end. There were vague snippets of potential and the book had so much to offer but sadly failed. The characters were very creative. Frankie made me laugh a lot and I'm glad he was the main character in the story as he was very different and imaginitve. He definitly made the story work for me!
1.9
Kate De Goldi
Kate De Goldi has written a variety of books and I suggest you take a squiz at her picture books such as 'Uncle Jack' and 'The Lolly Leopold stories' as they were particularly entertaining!
Find out more about her on her information page http://www.longacre.co.nz/authors/Degoldi.html
Thanks book addicts (and of course Kate De Goldi!!) and here's to your secret obsession,
Read like a writer, write like a reader...
Zara King
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Crossing by Mandy Hager
Ideas of religion with a twist.... Would you bite the hand that feeds you?
The third book I will be reviewing in 'The Crossing' by Mandy Hager.
Synopsis:
Mariam, a naive teenager, has been told that she is the chosen one and a blessed sister, protected from the tribulation that destroyed the rest of the globe, along with other girls that had been collected from their home-land. When she partakes in the sacred ritual of Crossing, she is lead to a boat where she would live with the other apostles and sisters who had already Crossed. As her life on board progresses she learns some very dark secrets. She soon discovers being a blessed sister isn't what she thought at all. She now must choose wether to believe what she had been told all her life and ignore all of the strange happenings, or defy authority and save the people she loves from a terrible fate.
Reveiw:
The story is very confusing and as the plot unfolds before your eyes you soon find your jaw dropping in surprise with Mandy's boldness. The story is amazing and very creative... A strange idea but very engrossing. The Crossing is part of a triliogy- the blood of the lamb. This book had me from the start and I read it very quickly as I loved it so much.
6.7
Mandy Hager
This author has written numerous novels for young teens and was born in NZ.
She is married and with kids and sounds as if her life is going pretty well!
Find out more about her on her blog http://www.mandyhager.com/mandy.html
Thanks book addicts (and of course Mandy Hager!!) and here's to your secret obsession,
Read like a writer, write like a reader...
Zara King
The third book I will be reviewing in 'The Crossing' by Mandy Hager.
Synopsis:
Mariam, a naive teenager, has been told that she is the chosen one and a blessed sister, protected from the tribulation that destroyed the rest of the globe, along with other girls that had been collected from their home-land. When she partakes in the sacred ritual of Crossing, she is lead to a boat where she would live with the other apostles and sisters who had already Crossed. As her life on board progresses she learns some very dark secrets. She soon discovers being a blessed sister isn't what she thought at all. She now must choose wether to believe what she had been told all her life and ignore all of the strange happenings, or defy authority and save the people she loves from a terrible fate.
Reveiw:
The story is very confusing and as the plot unfolds before your eyes you soon find your jaw dropping in surprise with Mandy's boldness. The story is amazing and very creative... A strange idea but very engrossing. The Crossing is part of a triliogy- the blood of the lamb. This book had me from the start and I read it very quickly as I loved it so much.
6.7
Mandy Hager
This author has written numerous novels for young teens and was born in NZ.
She is married and with kids and sounds as if her life is going pretty well!
Find out more about her on her blog http://www.mandyhager.com/mandy.html
Thanks book addicts (and of course Mandy Hager!!) and here's to your secret obsession,
Read like a writer, write like a reader...
Zara King
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Guardian of the dead by Karen Healey
A disturbingly wonderful book of a teenager who gets mixed up in myths and legends... Or are they?
The second book that I will be reviewing is Guardian of the dead by,Kiwi/ Australian author, Karen Healey.
Synopsis:
Teenager Ellie is 'trying' to live it up at her boarding school, whilst her parents travel around the world after her mother's cancer scare. Nothing really matters to this bold and delinquent teen. Until she meets and quickly falls in love with Mark Haddon, the mysterious boy who turns her life upside down. His life soon becomes her night-mare and his secrets slowly take over her life...
Review:
Karen has definitely worked her magic with Maori history and heritage. After reading the book, I have developed an interest in Maori culture and their beliefs. She intrigued me with the ideas but I often got lost in the twists and turns of the plot-line and found it confusing at some points which can be difficult for inexperienced readers but I hope that you can persist with the jumpy pace as you will enjoy the outcome and be both shocked and suprised throughout the entire book. The ending, however, was very dissapointing for me. I wanted there to be so much more and the ending had so much potential to be better but I was let down. The book wasn't too long but I would have liked it to have been shorter as some parts seemed pointless to me. Her ideas were amazing and I am still puzzled on how she came up with such a great story line!
2.3
Karen Healey:
Karen was born and grew up in Wangarai. She moved around New Zealand for most of her life and attended University in Canterbury. After-wards she travelled to Japan to teach English for two years. Around this time she wrote Guardian of the dead and has written two other books. She says she plans to return to New Zealand at some point but right now is happy where she is.
Find out more about her on her blog (http://www.karenhealey.com/)
Thanks book addicts (and of course Karen Healey!!) and here's to your secret obsession,
Read like a writer, write like a reader...
Zara King
The second book that I will be reviewing is Guardian of the dead by,Kiwi/ Australian author, Karen Healey.
Synopsis:
Teenager Ellie is 'trying' to live it up at her boarding school, whilst her parents travel around the world after her mother's cancer scare. Nothing really matters to this bold and delinquent teen. Until she meets and quickly falls in love with Mark Haddon, the mysterious boy who turns her life upside down. His life soon becomes her night-mare and his secrets slowly take over her life...
Review:
Karen has definitely worked her magic with Maori history and heritage. After reading the book, I have developed an interest in Maori culture and their beliefs. She intrigued me with the ideas but I often got lost in the twists and turns of the plot-line and found it confusing at some points which can be difficult for inexperienced readers but I hope that you can persist with the jumpy pace as you will enjoy the outcome and be both shocked and suprised throughout the entire book. The ending, however, was very dissapointing for me. I wanted there to be so much more and the ending had so much potential to be better but I was let down. The book wasn't too long but I would have liked it to have been shorter as some parts seemed pointless to me. Her ideas were amazing and I am still puzzled on how she came up with such a great story line!
2.3
Karen Healey:
Karen was born and grew up in Wangarai. She moved around New Zealand for most of her life and attended University in Canterbury. After-wards she travelled to Japan to teach English for two years. Around this time she wrote Guardian of the dead and has written two other books. She says she plans to return to New Zealand at some point but right now is happy where she is.
Find out more about her on her blog (http://www.karenhealey.com/)
Thanks book addicts (and of course Karen Healey!!) and here's to your secret obsession,
Read like a writer, write like a reader...
Zara King
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Ruined by Paula Morris
A stunning ghost story complete with romantic sparks and a truly spooky curse to tie it all together...
The first book that I will be reveiwing is Ruined by, NZ/ English author, Paula Morris.
Synopsis:
Young teen Rebecca Brown lives in an ordinary flat with her father in New York. Suddenly she finds herself in New Orleans staying with her aunt and younger cousin while her dad works in China for a month or two. Lonely and bored she finds herself exploring and breaking rules that shouldn't have been broken... Rebecca meets a ghost, discovers a 150 year old curse and finds out secrets about her own past, present and future.
New Orleans doesn't end up to be so boring after all....
Reveiw:
The plot was excellent. Twists and turns keep your eyes glued to the page. The discriptive language was particularly interesting however her rich vocabulary sometimes slowed the pace of the story which is difficult for some readers to cope with but for an avid book-reader such as myself it was a great story to add to my over-flowing book case! The pace does quicken in the second half and ties up nicely at the end... Perhaps too nicely! Readers always want a happy little ending to finish off with and if they are anything like me... Get frustrated when it leaves you hanging... However when you DO get a happy ending it's almost more frustrating as it ends too quickly and you want more of the plot to unfold and more secrets to spill out and hopefull drag a sequel out of Paula. Overall it was terrific read!
3.5
Paula Morris:
The Author obviously felt deeply for New Orleans as she described it so well. Once I had completed some research I discovered she had lived there for six years and on her blog (http://www.trendybutcasual.typepad.com/) there are pictures and her opinions on Hurricane Katrina which hit New Orleans. Ruined was her first Young Adult book and she hasn't written any more since. The book is relativly new as the first Scholastic paper-back printing was in August of this year. She has written a collection of Short stories and 3-4 adult novels.
Thanks book addicts (and of course Paula Morris!!) and here's to your secret obsession,
Read like a writer, write like a reader...
Zara King
The first book that I will be reveiwing is Ruined by, NZ/ English author, Paula Morris.
Synopsis:
Young teen Rebecca Brown lives in an ordinary flat with her father in New York. Suddenly she finds herself in New Orleans staying with her aunt and younger cousin while her dad works in China for a month or two. Lonely and bored she finds herself exploring and breaking rules that shouldn't have been broken... Rebecca meets a ghost, discovers a 150 year old curse and finds out secrets about her own past, present and future.
New Orleans doesn't end up to be so boring after all....
Reveiw:
The plot was excellent. Twists and turns keep your eyes glued to the page. The discriptive language was particularly interesting however her rich vocabulary sometimes slowed the pace of the story which is difficult for some readers to cope with but for an avid book-reader such as myself it was a great story to add to my over-flowing book case! The pace does quicken in the second half and ties up nicely at the end... Perhaps too nicely! Readers always want a happy little ending to finish off with and if they are anything like me... Get frustrated when it leaves you hanging... However when you DO get a happy ending it's almost more frustrating as it ends too quickly and you want more of the plot to unfold and more secrets to spill out and hopefull drag a sequel out of Paula. Overall it was terrific read!
3.5
Paula Morris:
The Author obviously felt deeply for New Orleans as she described it so well. Once I had completed some research I discovered she had lived there for six years and on her blog (http://www.trendybutcasual.typepad.com/) there are pictures and her opinions on Hurricane Katrina which hit New Orleans. Ruined was her first Young Adult book and she hasn't written any more since. The book is relativly new as the first Scholastic paper-back printing was in August of this year. She has written a collection of Short stories and 3-4 adult novels.
Thanks book addicts (and of course Paula Morris!!) and here's to your secret obsession,
Read like a writer, write like a reader...
Zara King
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