Review: The Crowns of Croswald by DE Night

My review copy of Crowns of Croswald came from the publicist with all these amazing extras. Hands down one of the coolest packages I've ever received! I'm obsessed with the Glanagerie bottle, and after reading the book and finding out their purpose, I love it even more! Thank you JKS Communications!

The Crowns of Croswald by DE Night
Series: Croswald #1
Published: July 21st, 2017
Publisher: Stories Untold Press
310 pages (ARC)
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Acquired this book: From the publicist in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
Rating: 4 stars
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In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret…

For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic––and her life––is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.

 

The Crowns of Croswald is a fun, fresh fantasy from debut author DE Night. Despite some similarities to Harry Potter, Night has managed to take the familiar ‘orphaned child sent to magical boarding school, destined for greatness’ premise and create a different, compelling world.

Sixteen-year-old Ivy has lived her entire life shut away as a servant for a royal family, with only a pack of scaldrons (dragons, whose job it is to cook food in their mouths) and a dwarf who turns up occasionally as companions. When she turns sixteen, an accident in the kitchen gets her thrown out of the castle, but she soon finds herself on her way to Croswald and the Halls of Ivy, where she’s set to learn to be a scrivenist, a magical record keeper. I loved the world of Croswald and the Halls of Ivy, the concept of magic and the roles of magical people, the magical creatures, and of course Ivy herself. She's strong, smart, brave, impetuous, and curious, and it was so much fun following along on her adventures.  

With lots of action and magical antics, plenty of mystery to keep you guessing, and a great cast of characters, The Crowns of Croswald is sure to be a hit with fans of fantasy. If you’re a teacher/parent/guardian who’s looking for something new and fun for your tween or teen, make sure to pick up The Crowns of Croswald. Ivy is sixteen, which automatically made my mind go ‘this is YA’ but it reads like a Middle Grade book, so I think it’ll have wide appeal, regardless of the readers’ age. I can’t wait to continue on with this series and see what’s next for Ivy and her friends.

 

 

Have you read The Crowns of Croswald? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Do you like fantasy?

 

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Review: Star-Crossed by Barbara Dee

Star-Crossed by Barbara Dee

Series: Standalone
Published: March 14th, 2017
Publisher: Aladdin
256 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary Middle Grade/Retelling/LGBTQ
Acquired this book: Via Edelweiss in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
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Mattie, a star student and passionate reader, is delighted when her English teacher announces the eighth grade will be staging Romeo and Juliet. And she is even more excited when, after a series of events, she finds herself playing Romeo, opposite Gemma Braithwaite’s Juliet. Gemma, the new girl at school, is brilliant, pretty, outgoing—and, if all that wasn’t enough: British.

As the cast prepares for opening night, Mattie finds herself growing increasingly attracted to Gemma and confused, since, just days before, she had found herself crushing on a boy named Elijah. Is it possible to have a crush on both boys AND girls? If that wasn’t enough to deal with, things backstage at the production are starting to rival any Shakespearean drama! In this sweet and funny look at the complicated nature of middle school romance, Mattie learns how to be the lead player in her own life.

 

I’d just like to start out by saying I am so glad this book exists. When I first heard about Star-Crossed and discovered it was LGBTQ+ Middle Grade, I was over the moon. I tried to keep my expectations in check, but I was excited, and luckily this book exceeded my expectations.

When I was twelve I was obsessed with Romeo and Juliet. The Leo DiCaprio/Claire Danes movie version had just come out and I bought myself a copy of the play to read. While I see the story’s faults as an adult, I loved it back then, so I know I would have loved this book and its many creative parallels to Shakespeare’s story. I loved the way the author took a well-known story and made it something new and fresh not only with its middle school setting, but also by having the role of Romeo be a young girl, Mattie, who was questioning her budding feelings for Juliet, or in this case, Gemma. For so many reasons, I wish I’d had this book as a tween or young teen. It would have been nice to see a character like myself, uncertain and questioning.

It’s so important to have books like this in schools and libraries, where kids can seek them out and find characters like themselves - or like their friends or family - in the pages. I appreciated how it was completely age-appropriate and dealt with other real-life issues as well as Mattie’s growth, plus - my favourite part - the realization that it’s okay to like whoever you want, whether that’s boys or girls or both. I’ve read so few books with positive bisexual rep, and the fact a Middle Grade book not only did it, but did it so well makes me incredibly happy.

Star-Crossed is a sweet, funny, touching story with a relatable and memorable main character as well as a wonderful cast of side characters. It took me back to my own middle school days of obsessive, confusing, angsty, all-consuming crushes and navigating school and friends and family life. I loved that Mattie’s bisexuality wasn’t something for her to ‘overcome’ or this big, shameful thing - it was just another part of her, albeit a confusing part as she figured things out. I’d love to see books like this as required reading for tweens and young teens, whether they’re gay, straight, or anywhere in between, and I also think it’d be a great book for teachers and parents to read. I’ve been recommending Star-Crossed a lot since I read it and I’ll continue to do so!

Have you read Star-Crossed? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you read any other Middle Grade books with LGBTQ+ characters?

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Review: A Little Taste of Poison by RJ Anderson

A Little Taste of Poison by RJ Anderson 
Series: Uncommon Magic #2
Published: September 27th, 2016
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Canada
368 pages (ARC)
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy/Mystery
Acquired this book: From the publisher in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
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Twelve-year-old Isaveth tries to take down the man who framed her father for murder in this lively follow-up to A Pocket Full of Murder, which Kirkus Reviews called “thoroughly entertaining.”

The city of Tarreton is powered by magic, from simple tablets that light lamps to advanced Sagery that can murder a man from afar. Isaveth has a talent for spell-making, but as a girl from a poor neighborhood she never dreamed she could study at the most exclusive magical school in the city. So when she’s offered a chance to attend, she eagerly accepts.

The school is wonderful, but old and new enemies confront Isaveth at every turn, and she begins to suspect her scholarship might be more a trap than a gift. Even her secret meetings with Esmond, her best friend and partner in crime-solving, prove risky—especially once he hatches a plan to sneak her into the biggest society event of the season. It’s their last chance to catch the corrupt politician who once framed her father for murder. How can Isaveth refuse?

A Little Taste of Poison is a fantastic follow-up to A Pocket Full of Murder. I was amazed by the creativity and world-building in the first book and those elements carried into this book as well.

Even though the book picks up shortly after where the first book left off, a lot has changed for Isaveth and her family. With the money she made from her invention, her family has a slightly better quality of life, and on top of that, Isaveth has been offered a scholarship at a school where she’ll be able to learn a higher level of magic - one it’s clear she’d have an aptitude for. I loved Isaveth as much in this book as the first. She’s smart, resourceful, determined, but she’s also realistically flawed. She’s someone I’d love to have as a friend - someone you know you could count on and who would do anything for you. Isaveth wasn’t the only stand-out character; I still thoroughly enjoyed Esmond and I liked getting to see a completely different side of him. I though the addition of his POV was an interesting choice and it worked well. I loved the theme of strong women in this book, from Isaveth to her sisters to a teacher and a new friend at school to Esmond’s sister. Some of these girls were underestimated for various reasons but came out showing how resilient and resourceful they were.

There are so many true-to-life themes in this book, especially considering it’s fantasy. There are the continued themes of poverty, religion, and bullying, which are relevant in a timeless way and teach so many valuable lessons. I have to give Anderson major credit for working in such complex elements and doing it in a way that felt natural.

Full of action, intrigue, magic, and a hint of romance, A Little Taste of Poison is entertaining, exciting, and memorable. I know Isavath and Quiz will stick with me for a long time.

 

{Read my review of A Pocket Full of Murder}

{Read my review of Ultraviolet || Quicksilver}

Have you read A Pocket Full of Murder or A Little Taste of Poison? What did you think? If you haven't read them, do you plan to?

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Review: A Pocket Full of Murder by RJ Anderson

A Pocket Full of Murder by RJ Anderson
Series: Uncommon Magic #1
Published: September 8th, 2015
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Canada
252 pages (ARC)
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy/Mystery
Acquired this book: Via Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

In the spell-powered city of Tarreton, the wealthy have all the magic they desire while the working class can barely afford a simple spell to heat their homes. Twelve-year-old Isaveth is poor, but she’s also brave, loyal, and zealous in the pursuit of justice—which is lucky, because her father has just been wrongfully arrested for murder.

Isaveth is determined to prove her innocence. Quiz, the eccentric eyepatch-wearing street boy who befriends her, swears he can’t resist a good mystery. Together they set out to solve the magical murder of one of Tarreton’s most influential citizens and save Isaveth’s beloved Papa from execution.

But each clue is more perplexing than the next. Was the victim truly killed by Common Magic—the kind of crude, cheap spell that only an unschooled magician would use—or was his death merely arranged to appear that way? And is Quiz truly helping her out of friendship, or does he have hidden motives of his own? Isaveth must figure out who she can trust if she’s to have any hope of proving her Papa’s innocence in time. . .

I haven’t read much Middle Grade, but since I’ve been trying to branch out in the last couple years, I’ve picked up a few and have really enjoyed them. I was intrigued by the concept (and the cover) of A Pocket Full of Murder, plus I enjoyed Anderson’s science fiction YA duology, Ultraviolet and Quicksilver, so jumped at the chance to receive an ARC from Simon & Schuster Canada.

A Pocket Full of Murder is a creative, clever, and fun read. The setting made me feel like I was reading a story set in Victoria era England with magic and other fantastical elements. Think Charles Dickens but with magic and murder. There were so many elements of the book that made it unique - the names, some of the language, the religion, and the magic. The world building itself reminded me of Harry Potter in a way - wonderfully unique and exciting, something you’ve never seen before. A world that’s completely fantastical and yet believable, something you can picture yourself in and immerse yourself in.

Isaveth, our independent and plucky heroine, was a great main character. She was smart, resourceful, and wise beyond her years. She’d been forced to grow up quickly because of her family’s circumstances, and she amazed me with her strength and resilience. I loved Quiz. He was an interesting mixture of mystery and humour and tough street kid.

There were so many great elements that set this book apart. Don’t get me wrong - just because I’ve mentioned Dickens and Harry Potter doesn’t mean I’m comparing the actual story to either. A Pocket Full of Murder had so many things that set it apart. The magical elements were really cool. I liked the concept that there were different kinds of magic for the different classes. There was spell baking, which is what Isaveth did, but then rich people could buy mass-produced magic and the sages could create their own magic. It was fascinating. I also liked the religious element. It was ever-present without being in your face. It added to the story, especially when it came to Isaveth’s family’s misfortunes - they were discriminated against not just because they were poor, but also because they were a different religion, one that was seen as troublemakers and the cause of a lot of problems. It was something real, relatable, and timeless in an otherwise fantasy world.

While there were so many things I loved about A Pocket Full of Murder, I did have a few minor complaints. I think the book would have worked better as a young adult novel than middle grade. I kept forgetting Isaveth was only twelve because she seemed much older. The ‘romance’ between her and Quiz also felt kind of weird since she was so young. At times when Quiz made me giggle and start to swoon, I’d be jarred from the story with a thought like, “GAH, but he’s only thirteen!” I have a nephew that age and the last thing I want to think about is him involved in a romantic relationship. My mind and heart warred over rooting for any sort of romance between Isaveth and Quiz because of their ages. Personally I think the story would have worked better if Isaveth and Quiz had been sixteen or seventeen. Besides that, I found the ending abrupt. There was all this build up and then suddenly it was over and there was an epilogue that wrapped things up but not in a very satisfying way. The overall outcome was satisfying, but the execution was lacking and felt hurried. I’m curious to see what happens in the sequel, A Little Taste of Poison.

A Pocket Full of Murder is full of great characters, magic, and a mystery that will keep you guessing with its twists and turns. I highly recommend this one!

{Read my review of Ultraviolet || Quicksilver}

Have you read A Pocket Full of Murder? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Do you read middle grade? If you haven't, would you be willing to give it a try if you found something that appealed to you?

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Review: Hook’s Revenge by Heidi Schulz

Hook’s Revenge by Heidi Schulz
Series: Hook’s Revenge #1
Published: September 16th, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
300 pages (hardcover)
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Acquired this book: From the library
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

Twelve-year-old Jocelyn dreams of becoming every bit as daring as her infamous father, Captain James Hook. Her grandfather, on the other hand, intends to see her starched and pressed into a fine society lady. When she's sent to Miss Eliza Crumb-Biddlecomb's Finishing School for Young Ladies, Jocelyn's hopes of following in her father's fearsome footsteps are lost in a heap of dance lessons, white gloves, and way too much pink.

So when Jocelyn receives a letter from her father challenging her to avenge his untimely demise at the jaws of the Neverland crocodile, she doesn't hesitate-here at last is the adventure she has been waiting for. But Jocelyn finds that being a pirate is a bit more difficult than she'd bargained for. As if attempting to defeat the Neverland's most fearsome beast isn't enough to deal with, she's tasked with captaining a crew of woefully untrained pirates, outwitting cannibals wild for English cuisine, and rescuing her best friend from a certain pack of lost children, not to mention that pesky Peter Pan who keeps barging in uninvited.

The crocodile's clock is always ticking in Heidi Schulz's debut novel, a story told by an irascible narrator who is both dazzlingly witty and sharp as a sword. Will Jocelyn find the courage to beat the incessant monster before time runs out?

I haven’t read many Middle Grade books, but since I love anything related to Peter Pan and Captain Hook, I was curious about Hook’s Revenge (plus, the amazing cover definitely grabbed my attention). I’m so glad I picked this one up. This unique story about the only child of Captain James Hook was fun, original, hilarious, and full of adventure.

Jocelyn was a fantastic character. She was clever and witty, and her smart mouth and antics kept me amused throughout the book. Being the daughter of a well-known and much-feared pirate, she had a lot to live up to. Having never met Captain Hook, Jocelyn only knew what she’d heard and been told, but she was eager for a life like he had, full of adventure, danger, and excitement. Her misadventures were a lot of fun to read about, and I appreciated how she learned some tough lessons along the way. I wasn’t expecting her to be so complex, so I was pleasantly surprised by her depth and her growth, and how she was relatable and easy to connect with.

Hook’s Revenge is full of vivid, memorable characters, from Jocelyn herself to the sassy narrator to Jocelyn's new-found friend Roger to her misfit band of pirates. It’s a great example of a story where the heroine doesn’t need saving because she’s more than capable of saving herself. Hook’s Revenge is highly entertaining, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, light read that will make you laugh out loud while rooting for the characters. I’m eager to read more about Jocelyn’s adventures in the next book, The Pirate Code.

Have you read Hook's Revenge? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Do you have a favourite Peter Pan inspired story? Do you read Middle Grade? Let's talk here or on Twitter!

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