Category: Blog

John Bandicut and his crew believe they have stopped an AI from destroying the universe. Little did they realize that a new threat from them would come from the past to haunt their future.

This is the start of the Out of Time story, and you really need to read this one before the other (see my review of the second part here). I read them out of order, and though I enjoyed the second half, having the first half gives a lot more insight into the story.

Jeffrey A Carver is a very descriptive author. He sets up not only one world but a whole universe throughout time. Bringing the future and the past together is not an easy endeavour for an author, but Jeffrey does it well. Finding people who should be dead, based on timelines, is a shocker, and the character reactions are spot on.

The characters are so different, yet they form a strong bond with each other to the point where they are willing to put their lives on the line.

If you enjoy sci-fi, this will be a great read.

Get your copy here (affiliate link – thanks for your support).

A plane disappears with a boy and his mother onboard, and 20 years later, a large, fully grown man appears back in Philly. The man struggles to remember who he was, return to Helsinki and reunite with his mother. During his journey, an evil creature tries to break boundaries and use a cult to stir up chaos that will allow her to cross over.

This is the fourth book by Alex Grass that I have had the pleasure of reading, and it is my favourite. The story is so bizarre and captivating that it was hard to put the book down.

I found the main character lovable and the villains extremely dislikable (in the best way). Alex Grass brings a cult aspect in such a creepy way, using them as pawns for the bigger picture.

Having Finnish mythology intertwined through the story culminating at the end was fascinating. It was a roller coaster getting to know the various characters, but they were all brought together at the end.

This may not be for you if you are sensitive to disturbing language and vulgarity. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would expect nothing less from an Alex Grass book.

Get your copy here (affiliate link – thanks for the support).

Every town has a magician to entice and protect. However, in this town, the magician isn’t all he seems, and only one boy can see the truth. When a dark magician challenges him to a duel, will the truth come out? Or will another rise and help?

This book is excellent for the younger group who are just starting to enjoy chapter books. The storyline is fun and fast-paced to keep kids entertained.

The first two chapters get off to a rocky start with spelling mistakes and what feels like the author isn’t giving the reader credit for understanding and double explaining.

However, the book takes off as we meet the main characters and understand their backstories a little more. The friendship that develops between the two main characters is sweet and carries a wonderful lesson – things aren’t always what they seem, and you never know what a person is going through.

The Grand Wizard and Cat are my favourite characters. They are fun and mysterious. I hope to see more of them in future books.

SA Schneider provides more than just a book. At the end he delves into Town Magacians, gives definitions of larger words and writing prompts to continue the story. This creates an excellent learning tool.

Overall, this was a fun story and brings a literary impact into children’s lives.

Get your copy here (affiliate link – thanks for your support).

The Catalyst is the final book (book three) in The Black Table series and finishes Gus and John’s story. Unity’s crew is still stuck in the past, unsure how to get home when they realize Swarm and the Breathers are everywhere. Meeting new friends, they learn about a mysterious weapon that may be the key to their problems. The only problem is they need to get it and figure out how to use it before the solar system is wiped out.

I have never been able to wrap my mind around time travel, and there is a lot of it in this series, but I still loved these books. The author takes time to explain the ‘sciency stuff’ in plain, short language.

At one point in the book (don’t worry, no spoilers), I was left gasping at what the author did! I couldn’t believe it would come down to that, but I was happy with how it worked out. The way everything was interconnected brought the books full circle.

This final installment is the perfect ending for all the characters we have come to know. The characters were given the ending they deserved, whether they were the bad guys or the good guys. The entire trilogy has been a fun read, and as a reader, I was delighted with how the author wrapped it all together.

If you like sci-fi, I highly suggest reading this series (in order).

Get your copy here (affiliate link – thank you for your support).

The Wise One is a fantasy book whose main character, Mckenna, learns who she is and that Irish mythology isn’t such a myth. This is book 1 of The Scottish Scrolls.

The book starts fast, grabbing our attention and introducing the plot early in a neat way. Right from the first page, I was hooked! It is a captivating story intertwining Irish mythology within the book. As the story unfolds, we learn more about Mckenna’s past and how that will affect her future.

The characters are interesting, and each one is unique. The two central teenage girls realistically become fast friends, and their chemistry throughout the book is precisely how adolescent girls would be. Mckenna’s dads have arguments like a married couple with a rebellious teenager would, and their dialogue is spot on. The other characters stand on their merit, and learning more about them in the second book will be intriguing.

This book has so much magic, but the real magic is how captivating this story is.

I want to know what happens next.

Get your copy here (affiliate link – thank you for your support).