Review: The Beast of Upton Puddle by Simon West-Bulford

Title: The Beast of Upton Puddle
Author: Simon West-Bulford
Genre: Middle Grade- Fantasy
Series: N/A 

Paperback, 496 pages

Publication: September 1s, 2013 by Medallion Press 

Source: I received a review copy from the publicist in exchange for a honest review.

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Bringing the mythological world into a modern setting and introducing young adult readers to a variety of strange monsters, this fantasy novel follows 12-year-old Joe Copper on his quest to save humankind. When Joe is hired by the eccentric Mrs. Merrynether as an errand boy at her remarkable veterinary practice—a hidden refuge for a menagerie of creatures that should only exist in dreams and legend—he soon learns that she has a startling plan for his future: he is destined to command an army of beasts to protect humanity from the Conclave—a brutal council of dragons hiding on a distant island.

But Joe is plunged into his new role prematurely when the callous tycoon Argoyle Redwar, who has a secret menagerie of his own, tricks Mrs. Merrynether into revealing the location of the island. Overcoming his fears, the school bully, and an escaped creature on the loose in his own village, Joe races to the island to stop Redwar from provoking the dragons to war. He takes the most bizarre team imaginable: Lilly, the surly alcoholic cluricaun; Danariel, the seraph who lives in a lightbulb; Flarp, the giant flying eyeball who can’t control his excitement; Kiyoshi, the narcoleptic kappa with an extraordinary vocabulary; Snappel, the fiery wyvern plagued by hiccups; and Cornelius, the poisoned manticore. Together with newfound allies on the island, the champions are forced into an epic battle against fantastic odds, facing not only the Conclave but Redwar as he seeks total control.

The Beast of Upton Puddle was an enjoyable surprise; full of humor, action, adventure and fantastical creatures. 

Joe Copper is what you’d call a somewhat lonely and peculiar kid. But his life gets turns upside down when he meets the local vet, Mrs. Merrynether. It turns out Mrs. Merrynether isn’t a normal veterinarian at all but one that specializes in exotic animals; mythological creatures that people only fantasizes or read about in books.  A magical world and destiny is thrust upon Joe as he becomes Merrynether’s apprentice. 

I really liked Joe.  He isn’t your typical hero but he definitely grows into his character as the story goes on. Joe handled the whole mythological creatures and his destiny way better than I expected. He was of course shocked to learn that he is the key in defeating Redwar Industries/stopping war with the Dragons but fully embraced his fate/duty without questions. But the real stars of the book are Merrynether’s eccentric patients. While some creatures are more familiar than others such as; dragon, seraph, leprechaun and manticore…there are other creatures that I’ve never heard of before such as an kappa that has a face of an ape and a body of a turtle and a floating energetic eyeball. Each of these mythological creatures had unique personality that made them standout and at time outshine our protagonist Joe. 

The book started a tad slow; introducing Joe to wondrous band of misfit beasties took approx. half of the book but other than that it was a fun and engaging read. The Beast of Upton Puddle is a highly creative and well-written middle grade novel that will appeal to kids and tweens alike. 

Blog Tour: Gilded Hearts (Spotlight & Giveaway)

Samuel Hawkins, Sergeant in the King's Sentry, has been called in to investigate a murder case. As he awaits the Archivists to arrive—the team who will use a special device to extract the memories of the dead man to help find clues to his murder—he never expects to come face to face with the woman he'd left behind when he'd fled the Archives five years earlier.

Piper Smith has grown from the girl Samuel remembered into a strong woman and full-fledged archivist. Shadowed by her mentor, Master Ryerson, Piper will be performing her first extraction. When she sees Samuel, she must push aside her childhood crush, else risk her standing within the Guild.

As the two begin working together to find the killer, Samuel and Piper explore their intense attraction to each other. But "Jack the Ripper" proves to be harder to catch than the two originally thought. What's worse, they discover he may very well work for the Archives. Now, Samuel and Piper must battle internal and external threats as they try to foil a plot against the Crown and stop Jack the Ripper from taking his next victim.

 Published on January 7, 2014 by Forever Yours

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Knowing there was no chance of escaping her fate, Piper stood and followed Jones out the door like the dutiful apprentice she had been until so recently.

            Piper let her mind wander to Samuel. After some time to get used to the idea of seeing him again, she wasn’t surprised he’d been assigned to investigate the murder. He’d flown through the ranks from Bow Street runner to constable to sergeant in a matter of a few years. Samuel, with his brilliant mind and easy manner, his ability to know what a person was feeling. It had been like a gift, a sign, to see him at that moment. Without question she knew he would help her.

            Samuel and his duty. Samuel, who’d already been at the Archives for years when she had arrived. Who’d been there since his infancy. The same Samuel who’d wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side that first night when she’d cried for her mother. She was stronger now, and yet knowing he would come to help buoyed her resolve.

            They could do this. They would discover who the killer was and—

            Staggering, she caught herself against the wall as a wave of pain and lust slammed into her. Laughter echoed through her head as her body responded, nipples hardening and desire flaring through her core.

            “Piper?” Jones was by her side. He put his hand out, offering support, but didn’t touch.

            “Effects from the extraction. I’ll be fine.” Please, let her be fine. Taking Jones by the arm, she took a deep breath. “Let’s get this over with.” They crossed the threshold to the infirmary.

photo via Author's website

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christine d’Abo is hooked on romance. As a novelist and short story writer with over thirty publications, including the immensely popular Long Shots series, the imagination is always flowing. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs. Look for the first book in her exciting new steampunk romance series, coming soon from Forever Yours.

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Review: A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey

Title: A Breath of Frost
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Genre: Young Adult, paranormal
Series: The Lovegrove Legacy #1 

Hardcover, 496 pages

Publication: January 7, 2014 by Walker Childrens 

Source: I received a review copy from the publicist in exchange for a honest review.

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IIn 1814, three cousins-Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope-discover their unknown family lineage of witchcraft. Beyond the familiar manicured gardens and ballrooms of Regency London, a dangerous, alluring new underworld visible only to those with power is now open to the cousins.

But unbeknownst to them, by claiming their power, the three cousins have inadvertently opened the gates to the Underworld. 

Now the dead, ghouls, hellhounds-and the most terrifying of all: the spirits of dark witches known as the Greymalkin Sisters-are hunting and killing young debutante witches for their powers.

And, somehow, Emma is connected to the murders...because she keeps finding the bodies.

Can the cousins unravel the clues and mystery behind their heritage and power before their gifts are stripped away ...or even worse, another witch is killed?

A Breath of Frost is an enchanting start to a brand new series taking place during the 1800s Regency London full of magic, witches, warlocks and everything in between.

Three cousins Emma, Gretchen and Penelope discovered the truth about their family history and their hidden powers on the night of their debutante ball when Emma accidentally broke her mother’s perfume bottle; undoing the spell that had bind their powers since they were children. The cousins are descended from the Lovegrove line, a very old and powerful witch family. To make matters worse when Emma unlocked their powers, she indirectly opened the gate to the underworld unleashing the dark spirits of the Greymalkin sisters (warlocks). It is up to Emma and her cousins to master their new powers, close the gate to the underworld and figure out who is going around murdering debutantes.

Within the first couple of pages, I knew I was going to love this book. I mean, just in the prologue we have a young witch breaking into a dead witch’s home with her cat familiar(the form/representation of one's magic! Talk about a great hook! A Breath of Frost centers on the three Lovegrove cousins, but this first book focuses mostly on Emma Day; her family’s history (specifically how her mother went mad), and as she navigates the world as a witch and debutante. I adore Emma and her cousins! What I love most about the girls is they’re all head-strong and independent and are hilarious and quirky. Although they’re blood related, they’re also the best of friends. While everyone loves a good strong friendship/family story, the romance between Emma and her crush Lord Blackburn was also a nice touch. It counter-balanced the murder mystery aspect well. We meet Gretchen and Penelope (? don't remember) possible love interests during the course of the book as well but it is barely just scratching the surface. I'm sure it will be further explored later on in the series as each cousin/or character get their own book.

This is my first book by Harvey and it definitely will not be my last. I really enjoyed her writing style and the world she built. The pacing of the book and the length of each chapter was just right as it held my attention all the way through. I kept telling myself just one more chapter, one more chapter…and the next thing I knew I was flying through the book; reading half the book in a mere couple of hours. The characters are so well-written and realistic that you forget you’re reading about fictional characters. A Breath of Frost wrapped up  nicely and answered all the questions that arise at the beginning (the killer...a BIG SURPRISE, I never suspected ---!) and at the same time set the stage for the next books in the series.

A Breath of Frost is a wonderful addition to the Young-Adult genre that has everything one can hope for in a story; magic, adventure, mystery, sweet romance, and kick-butt heroines. I can’t wait to read the next book! I highly recommend this to fans of PR and YA; this is a book you need to read ASAP! I think I just found a new favorite series…A Breath of Frost is unquestionably a shelf-keeper!

*Fans of Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle series might also want to check this series out.

Early Review: Unhinged by A.G. Howard

Title: Unhinged 
Author: A.G. Howard
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Series: Splintered #2 

Hardcover, 400 pages

Expected publication: January 7, 2014 by Amulet Books

Source: I received a review copy (arc) from the publicist in exchange for a honest review. 

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Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

Unhinged is the sequel to last year’s phenomenal debut Splintered by A.G Howard. I fell in love with Splintered; captivated by Howard’s dark re-imaged telling of Alice in Wonderland. I couldn’t wait to dive back into Alyssa’s world when Unhinged arrived in the mail, expecting to be swept off my feet once more with a terrific story.  Sadly, Unhinged didn’t live up to my expectations and had me wondering what happened to all the loveable characters?

In Splintered we traveled alongside Alyssa to Wonderland but this time Wonderland came to Alyssa in the human world. While I would have like to see more of Wonderland, I didn’t mind the change of scenery so much. Alyssa is about to graduate high school and prom is just around the corner. I actually liked seeing Alyssa’s normal life because we didn't get to see it much before. But things start to change when Alyssa has visions of Wonderland (it’s been a year since she traveled down the rabbit hole) and suddenly Morpheus shows up disguised as an exchange student at her school…asking for her help because Red is back and has her sight on destroying Wonderland.  

Howard’s vivid details of Wonderland are just as beautiful and sinister as I remembered; which is probably my favorite aspect of the novel. Now, the not so lovely part…the characters. I remembered how much I loved the characters in book 1…but it seems like everyone did a complete 180 especially Alyssa.  My annoyance with Alyssa almost made me want to stop reading, but I’m not one to quit so easily. 

So, Alyssa has a bunch of vision of wonderland, the bugs and plant warns her of something coming and Wonderland’s possible destruction then she start seeing Red in her artwork…she automatically jumps  to the conclusion that Morpheus is behind it. For a good 2/3 of the book, anything bad that happened she would ASSUME Morpheus did it, not trusting anything he says…because, well, he’s Morpheus…he only does things that is beneficial for him. Alyssa would assume and yell how she doesn’t trust him, apologizes/guilt ridden, assumes again and says she can’t trust him, apologizes/guilt ridden…repeat-repeat. Bipolar much? It was ridiculous how one second she’s scolding herself for her actions and cruelty and the next second she’s lashing out again.  Let me tell you now that Morpheus isn’t blameless, but the point is that she doesn’t wait to even give him a chance to prove his innocence or say anything to defend himself. Also Alyssa did a lot of really immature things.  For example, she drove wreck less in a residential area to scare Morpheus and almost hit a child! Not cool. Alyssa didn’t understand the gravity of the situation that was occurring around her…although she see Wonderland seeping into the human world and hears the ominous warnings from Morpheus, the bugs, and the plants she refused to acknowledge it because she wants to have a normal life. 

Then there’s Jeb her boyfriend. Jeb wasn’t in the picture much because he was so busy with his art career. Every time Alyssa tried to get in contact with Jeb, he’d blow her off because of something art related. I didn’t like his excuse saying he needed to attend the business meetings because he’s doing it for THEIR future when it’s really for him. As for Morpheus, he is his typical self, so secretive/scheming…it’s no wonder that Alyssa had a hard time trusting him (but I think she still would have acted the same way regardless knowing the truth).  

The only part I truly enjoyed was the last few chapters because Alyssa wasn’t acting like an immature brat (much) and it totally made up for the rest of the book. It is where the action is and where the truth about Alyssa’s mom comes to light. I also liked the twist with Alyssa’s parent (even if it was a little predictable). The last two chapters was the biggest surprise, and has me eager to find out what happens next.  The first 2/3 of the book is more like 2 1/2 stars in my opinion but because of the ending I’m rounding it up to 3 stars. 

Review: The Shattered Dark by Sandy Williams

Title: The Shattered Dark
Author: Sandy Williams
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series:  Shadow Reader/McKenzie Lewis #2

Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages

Publication: October 30th 2012 by Ace 

Source: Purchased myself. 

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McKenzie Lewis has a gift. It allows her access to a world few have seen, and even fewer can comprehend. It’s her secret. And it exists in the shadows…

McKenzie was a normal college student, save for one little twist: she’s a shadow reader, someone who can both see the fae and track their movements between our world and the Realm. It’s a gift for which she has been called insane, one for which she has risked family and friends—and one that has now plunged her into a brutal civil war between the fae.

With the reign of the king and his vicious general at an end, McKenzie hoped to live a more normal life while exploring her new relationship with Aren, the rebel fae who has captured her heart. But when her best friend, Paige, disappears McKenzie knows her wish is, for now, just a dream. McKenzie is the only one who can rescue her friend, but if she’s not careful, her decisions could cost the lives of everyone she’s tried so hard to save.

I went into The Shattered Dark with some trepidation because I read various reviews that all mentioned the same thing…their dislike of the ending/cliffhanger. 

The beginning started a bit slow. The story takes places two weeks after the events of the previous book; the rebels had successfully over thrown the previous fae King Atroth and secured the thrown for Lena. However, that doesn’t mean they have won. The rebels has to constantly keep watch for remnants attack on the Silver Palace and the high nobles still has to vote/agree on whether to make Lena the Queen. 

Williams blew me away with her debut The Shadow Reader in 2011, and it was among my favorite books the year it came out. While I enjoyed The Shattered Dark, it was missing some of the sparks and excitement that I found in the first book.  It pains me to say that The Shattered Dark suffered from second book syndrome; the story/plot didn’t really go anywhere and there was no characters development.  I love McKenzie, and while she’s only human she does whatever it takes to survive.  There were times when she step up in the story, and didn’t let sword wielding remnants or even the police deter her from escaping or inflicting serious bodily damage to the other person…but most of the time she was a damsel in distress that needed a lot of rescuing. She’s been with the rebels for awhile now; I’m a surprised no one thought to teach her some self-defense or to use a sword. I really wanted her to use a sword (like the one she keeps holding on the book covers). Well, she did use it but not correctly and Aren did give her a dagger but I don’t remember her using it. Another thing that bothered me was her repetitive internal thoughts. She kept thinking the same thing over and over the entire book; like her feelings for Aren and Kyol, wanting a normal life/job, and the guilt of leaving Paige behind at Bedfont house (mental asylum) in the past…basically she had a lot of regrets. 

The story eventually picked up at end with more action but one that I have to admit was out of the blue. The majority of the book  there wasn’t a lot happening and then in the last few chapters remnants invades the Silver palace through a Sidhe Tol, but readers aren’t given any answers as to why or who (I doubt it is Caelar idea)? Then there’s that cliffhanger ending everyone was talking about. My initial reaction was ‘that sucks’; I wasn’t shocked at all. I love Aren and for the ending to happen as it did really stinks for him; as for Kyol not so much love there anymore…not because of what he did at the end but because he was passive in his affection for Mckenzie (or lack of; also I don’t even know if it is appropriate to say this is a love triangle) at the end of book one and this entire book; for him to say he loves McKenzie and did what he did was crap. If you love someone; you don’t ignore them or give them the cold shoulder. Ever.

To be clear; I didn’t hate The Shattered Dark but I didn’t love it either. I guess I had really high expectations for this book because I love the first one sooo much. I just pray that the next book is better and that Williams find a solution to the dilemma at the end of The Shattered Dark.