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Book review: Ben the Dragonborn by Dianne Astle  

1/29/2017

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Looky, looky, I found a fun dragon booky.
​If you're nuts about dragons like I am, then you'll want to get your talons into this fantasy novel:  'Ben the Dragonborn: a Six Worlds story' by Dianne Astle.
​I was a little hesitant at first when our protagonist, Ben appear to be just a normal kid who couldn't swim and was laughed at by his peers (I was thinking Diary of a Wimpy Kid here), but it soon turns out that this is like a Harry Potter school and they don't let you in on the secret until you develop magical / paranormal powers. (I hope that doesn't count as a spoiler, sorry).
​I don't want to give things away, but I think that being called a 'Six Worlds
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Story' it is pretty safe to say that this novel will take you to far off places you have never been.

Book blurb: Few people on earth know the location of a mysterious school where heroes of the past train those who belong to the future. Ben Taylor only learns of the school’s true purpose when he is called into the Principal’s office. Miss Templeton gives him a simple test to see if he is a Chosen of the Guardian. That very day Ben is sent through a portal to a watery world of mermaids and monsters. “Has a mistake been made?” This is the question on everyone’s mind, including Ben’s. Ben’s only chance of success depends on discovering the secret of his own true self in a terrifying world where nightmares come to life.

Kasper's review:
​I really enjoyed Ben the Dragonborn and would recommend it for readers age around 10 to adult. The reading level is simple and there is action aplenty to engage the reader. I like that although the concepts were original, there is a traditional quest with a small group of heroes who don't always agree and each have talents essential for the quest to succeed. Ben has a mysterious back story which is unveiled piece by piece and brings depth and warmth to the story. I also appreciated the banter between Ben and Charla ( a well-written character). I was not a fan of the large creeping crawlies, but I will leave you to squirm as you read that part, eek!
​Note: I did spot a few minor editing errors in the paperback, which may have already been corrected in the Kindle version.
​I received the paperback as a prize in an online competition. Since I enjoyed the book so much, I have bought Ben the Dragonborn and it's sequel, Ben and the Watcher of Zargon ebooks. I can't wait to read book 2.
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Book review: Sir Princess Petra's Mission by Diane Robinson @DianeMaeRobinso #fantasy #FSFNet #amreading

1/20/2016

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What do you get when you combine an award winning author and an exciting adventure?  An awesome tale of humour, heroism and fun, that's what.  All rolled up with great illustrations in this enchanting children's novel.
Sir Princess Petra's Mission is book 3 in the series about a princess who would rather mess about with dragons than do embroidery (I'm with her on that score!).
For those of you new to the Pen Pieyu Adventures here is the blurb:
Sir Princess Petra has already attained her knighthood in the Kingdom of Pen Pieyu and her non-princess-like talent certificate from Talent School, neither of which pleases her father and mother, the king and queen.
The king writes up more silly rules in the royal rule book to deter Sir Princess Petra (PP) from her knightly ways and useless talent, and turn her into a real princess once and for all. Will the king finally succeed with this newly written, ridiculous mission for Petra?

My review:

This was the first book in the series I have read and while it is easy to read as a stand alone, I would recommend reading the series as well.  So my first impressions were: I love the illustrations and the cool page borders; the hand drawn map was simplistic, but it looks like something the princess would have drawn, so that suits the story.  The large print and short chapters were great for engaging young readers.  My main issue was having to wade through to page 28 to get to the story.  Maybe some of those endorsements could be moved to the back.
I enjoyed the names such as 'Boogey Gobees' and 'Prince Norton Nastybum' and my favourite saying is 'Thanks the crab gods!'  'I am glorious with hobnobbyish delight' is  phrase I will endeavour to utilise more often myself in every day conversation.  ;-)  I love the way Snarls is sarcastic and funny and he gives PP a reality check after her below-par singing.
I do wonder the cause of the national obsession with onions.  Ewww!  Breath mints must be in constant use there.  I was rather more amused by the food fight, for that is a much more worthy tradition in my humble opinion.
So, I would recommend you suck on an onion (actually that bit is optional), but definitely go out and grab a copy of Sir Princess Petra's Mission and help solve the mystery of the 'car-panthers.'
Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of this entertaining book to review.
About the author:

Diane Mae Robinson is a multi-award winning author for her series, The Pen Pieyu Adventures.

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Sir Princess Petra - The Pen Pieyu Adventures book awards: 2012 Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artists Award (literary arts); 2012 Purple Dragonfly Book Award; 2013 Sharp Writ Book Award; 2013 Readers' Favorite International Book Award.
Sir Princess Petra's Talent - The Pen Pieyu Adventures book awards: 2014 Reader's Favorite International Award; 2015 Purple Dragonfly Book Award; 2015 Children's Literary Classics "Seal of Approval"; 2015 Children's Literary Classics Book Award.

Sir Princess Petra's Mission - The Pen Pieyu Adventures (book 3), released in January, 2016.

Grammar for Kids and Dragons, an easy-to-understand grammar book for middle-grade children (dragons and adults too), will have all of the Pen Pieyu characters explaining the grammar lessons making this an easy and fun read, forthcoming 2016.

Sir Princess Petra's Mission on Amazon
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September 04th, 2014

9/4/2014

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Code Breaker is another exciting suspense mystery for young readers in the successful Taya Bayliss series.  I was introduced to this series several months ago and am really enjoying the stories.
I would say that the author has written for a slightly older audience this time.  My 10 year old didn't engage with it, but my 13 year old thinks it's a great read and recommends it as a great adventure.
It does start off on a serious note and I wasn't quite sure what the hook was, but it soon settled into a riveting mystery adventure by the end of the first short chapter.  The themes are darker than in the Taya Bayliss Dog Sitter book I had read previously, with murders and ruthless criminals the order of the day.

Taya is witness to mysterious events in the bird sanctuary of Narralong and her detective skills are put to the test with a obscure code to crack.  Her father is keeping secrets and it is up to the youngster to figure out the truth of the bird thieves before more lives could be lost.

The tension builds nicely in the grand tradition of Enid Blyton's Famous Five.  The only thing missing I felt was the camaraderie between characters with Taya's friend, Chris, out of action in hospital for much of the story.  I do feel that these two have a good rapport and hope Chris returns in future novels. 

All in all, a fun read.  Well edited and nicely constructed.  4 stars.

I purchased a paperback copy of the book and reviewed it for Writers' Web

Available on Amazon.com
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Book review: Zarkora: book one - the Fyrelit Tragedy by N & A Lochel #childrens #fantasy @NicholasLochel

8/14/2014

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I love a good epic fantasy adventure and this is a fun one for young readers.  
I found the book covers enticing when I met Nicholas and Alison Lochel at a convention, and I was impressed by the work ethic and dedication of these two friendly and hard-working authors. The striking artwork is by illustrator, Minna Sundberg. 
The story is a traditional fantasy tale, with two young boys embarking on a quest to 
rescue their kidnapped sister from a sinister hooded stranger.
Along the way, there are encounters with many fearsome beasts and the brothers are joined by other fighters.  They travel to many places, including an elven forest, inside a volcano mountain and through icy mountains.
Some of the situations were familiar fantasy scenarios and there were some original moments as well.  The best part for me was the race on motorised surfboards through artificially-made waves.  There are also elements of Steampunk, (spoiler alert) with a machine that sounded very much like a car, but is powered by dragon saliva.  Some really cool ideas there and I'd love to see pictures of them.  I did enjoy the dragons and couldn't wait for them to take flight.  Best line in the book was 'Stud muffin' LMAO!
I feel the book could do with structural tweeking and more character development, but overall I really enjoyed it and will look out for another book signing to get the next book in the series.  Book 2 is also out now and book 3 due next year.

Well done N & A Lochel.


Available on Amazon: 
http://amzn.to/1uVFGOq
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Comic book review: 'Chronicles of a Necromancer' by Jose Arana and Glenn Jones @TheJoseArana #fantasy

6/8/2014

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Goody, goody, a fantasy comic.  Great artwork and an interesting plot.
I feel I have to mention that this is the first fantasy comic I have read apart from Marvel or DC comics, I seriously don't know how I have missed out on all the fun this long.
Chronicles of a Necromancer sets the scene with the Necromancer working magic on a voodoo doll.  Is this the Goddess Athena?  We don't know for sure.  The action quickly moves to present day Moorhill Hill where two teenage girls are studying.  In an action-packed sequence, Beth pushes Nadine and a mystical scroll is uncovered.  What will happen next.
Due to the nature of comics, only a short story can be told, but rest assured, this is enough to reel you in and leave you wanting more with this cliff-hanger ending.
Jose has a great writing style, which I really enjoyed and it is wonderfully complemented by the artistic talents of Glenn.  They make a great collaborative pair.  
I received a free copy of this comic in exchange for an honest review and would rate the 4.5 stars.
Now, please excuse me while I rush out and grab the next installment ...

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... I'm back already.  What a great read.  If only they could write them faster - I'd love to read the next one too.
OK, so issue 2 is just as good as the first one.  Like a true champion, Jose screams plot twist just when I thought I knew what would happen next.  Let's just say, these girls are not all they appear.
Sorry I wasn't able to get the correct picture for issue 2, but it is a fantastic cover and you can see it on the Chronicles of a Necromancer website.  This is another picture from the first issue.
The pictures again were well done and the story flowed well.  I would recommend these books for fantasy readers of all ages and especially the young adults.
One critique would be that there is no catch-up page, so definitely read the first book before the second.
Here's the link to Jose's works: https://m.facebook.com/Chronicles-of-a-Necromancer-1100318526769745/
4.5 stars from Kasper.  Looking forward to the next issue.

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Book review:  Bloodline by Katie Thornton-K 'Wonderful storytelling with surprising twists and action aplenty' #FSFNAuthor

5/28/2014

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Bloodline is Katie Thornton-K's debut novel and follows the story of a young girl named Braelyn who is kidnapped and sold into slavery.  Determined to earn her freedom, the girl spends many years learning to be a Gladiator.  Now a young woman, Braelyn is taken to a tournament where the price of failure is death.
Just when I thought I knew where the storyline was going, there was a huge plot twist and I was thrown into a world looking to regain its magic, with all the wonderful fantastical elements I love.  Braelyn discovers that she alone can restore magic to their dying lands and embarks on a new quest with her loyal friends.
I found the storyline really engaging and it grew more exciting as it went along.  The first half was entertaining and I enjoyed the descriptions of the gladiator fights, the second half I found much more exciting, though I won't give away any spoilers.  Braelyn reminds me of a younger version of Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones.  She is a great fighter, although I would have liked a little more depth and exploration of her feminine side.  I'll hope for a love interest later in the series.
The cover and maps were very well done.  Unfortunately my little black and white Kindle didn't do the maps justice and the font was too small to read.  In that instance, I would recommend reading a paperback version, because I love to flip back to the maps to see where we are.
The formatting was well done and the editing was alright, although there were a couple of little issues.
This novel can be read as a stand-alone, although I'm sure that you will agree that you can't wait to hear more from this talented new author.
Well done to Katie Thornton-K on her debut novel.  I look forward to reading the second installment.
I was provided a free copy to read, but this has not influenced my opinions or review.  I rate this book 4 and a half stars.

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Book review of The Valkyr by David Cox for Writers' Web

4/27/2014

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I really enjoyed this short story by David Cox and am hoping he will continue with it.  It's a great beginning for a novel, with darkness and intrigue setting the scene for an epic fantasy adventure.

The story begins with a wonderful descriptive paragraph of a lightning storm, which is the perfect setting for a clandestine meeting of lords searching for a dark magic secret.  The characters are well-written and have great potential for development over a longer tale.  There is a mention of a great battle between good and bad wizards which would make for a great story too.

The story ends just as the twist is revealed and I so want to continue reading it.  Well done to the author.  Great cover and great writing.  I look forward to the next installment.   I would recommend publishing it on Amazon.com.

I'm not sure that the title of The Valkyr was appropriate, for the there is no mention of Odin's female hand-maidens delivering the dead souls to Valhalla in this piece.  Perhaps there is another meaning for the title.

I recommend this story to fantasy fans from young adult to adult.



Review copy supplied by Writers' Web and did not influence my honest review.
Story on sale at writersweb.com.au


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Review of the 'Titanian Chronicles' fantasy novel by Leisl Kaberry

4/27/2014

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In her debut novel, fantasy writer Leisl Kaberry has delivered a grand tale of adventure and intrigue, with a promise of more excitement to come.  Her adventure begins in the elven kingdom, where two friends (one an elf - Wolflang, and one a human adopted by elves - Afeclin) decide to abandon their comfortable lives and go in search of the human's mysterious origins.  He was found as a baby, the sole survivor in a destroyed village.
Their depature is complicated by Wolflang's elf fiancee - Lenna following them in jilted pursuit.  She is also loved by Afeclin and seems in a hurry to marry the reluctant Wolflang, which makes for an interesting love triangle. 
The human, Afelclin, is found to have magical powers and wishes to find a wizard to study under.  He searches for the most powerful wizard in the land and leaves his friends to pursue his own quest.  Wolflang wants to join the Scorpius Legion, and poor Lenna meets with trouble.  I thought it a bit unfortunate that the three main characters separate and each has their own completely different storyline.  I suspect that their stories will intertwine over the series, but for this novel, they are not related.
Kaberry writes with a very descriptive style and I found myself immersed in her wonderful fantasy world of Titania.  I love her descriptions of the scenery, although sometimes it did slow the pace of the novel.
There are some wonderful ideas introduced in the book including the lawfabex, habatchiees, shemalks, Afeclin's gem, and a pretty darn cool ship.  Leisl's Twitter hashtag is Lawfabex and I suspect this is her favourite creature.  It has the front half of a bear and back half of a wolf, with a horn on its forehead.  I thought these fierce creatures a great original concept and hope they will feature in future episodes.
The story started a little slowly, but turns into an exciting adventure, where you never know what will happen next.  The ending leaves you wanting more, so hopefully the next installment will be out sometime soon.  I recommend this book for fantasy readers of all ages and especially folks who enjoy the Hunters of Reloria series.


Available on Amazon.com
I purchased an ebook for this review.


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Book review:  Perilous Journey by Antoinette Conolly

4/12/2014

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Perilous Journey is a fantasy adventure for a middle years target audience of 10-12 year olds.  Unfortunately my 10 and 12 year olds had a look at the cover, read a couple of pages, flicked through the chapters and said they were done.  I believe my 10 and 12 year old would have loved being hooked on the first page. Instead, when they read about Zachary being 'tired, bored and hungry', they both seemed to be 'tired, bored and hungry'! They also are usually more responsive to books with a larger font and maps or pictures by way of additional information. The ten year old struggled with the language.

I wanted to give a more in-depth review, so here is an adult opinion for you.

The story continues some time after Zachary's Odyssey, when young Zachary has forgotten of his exciting adventures in the magical world of Cauchemar and believes they were only a dream.  Seeing the ginger cat, Mactavish, brings the memories flooding back and after finding a magical stone in his pocket, they are transported there once more.  In this book they have a quest to rescue Randy the bear from the robots in Metallicka Land and also rescue a human girl named Marilla from Dragonshire.
The lands are interesting and well described.  My favourite land this time was Aquatica under the sea, where they used magic to breathe.   I enjoyed the variety of mythical and magical creatures, such as the gryphons, dragons and basilisk.  Blaze the dragon is still my favourite and I'd love for him to have a bigger part in future stories.  Also Esmerelda and Murgatroyd sound interesting, but are only briefly mentioned.  I enjoyed the rhyming spells and Mother Meg the Woolly Mammoth too.
I would suggest a bit of refinement in the next edition to engage the younger readers.  Some of the words and language used are difficult for this age group, such as: 'reverie' 'supercilious' 'lammergeiers' and 'zaubernimbus.'  Even I have a little difficulty pronouncing the last one :-)

Thank-you for the book and we will donate it to the local library, so others can be introduced to the series.



Reviewed for Writersweb.com.au


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Book reviews: 3 Franklin Bean stories by Emmy Swain *  *  *  *  *

2/28/2014

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Book 1: Meet Franklin Bean
I really enjoyed reading this story to my 6 year old. 
A boy named John moves to a new town and has a little difficulty fitting in and making friends. He is befriended by a dog who has super powers of which John is unaware. I really like how the 10 year old offered to get a job to help his mum out.
It's a really cool little story, great for middle grade students to read and for reading to younger children. 
This was the 3rd book I read and it's great that each one stands alone. We really liked the pictures by Levi Whitworth, but unfortunately they are in black and white on the Kindle, so the paperback would be better for us

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Book 2: Franklin Bean - Secrets of the Bay.
This second book in the Franklin Bean series is a whole lotta fun.  
John and Franklin Bean return for more great adventures along with the mysterious superhero Pancho Frijoles. I enjoyed the themes of making new friends and standing up to bullying.  My six year old enjoyed the cute drawings and dog themes.  Well done to Emmy and the new illustrator, Julia Gabrielov. 
Children of all ages will enjoy the delightful story and illustrations.

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Book 3: Franklin Bean and Bubbie's Bullies.  Emmy Swain continues her excellent series and adds some new characters and situations in this third book.  
10 year old John and his friend Addie help Bubbie try to find homes for abandoned bulldogs.
Little Miss 6 and I enjoyed the story with its gentle themes of helping others and teamwork and of course its undercover super hero, Pancho Frijoles.  
This was the first story I read in the series and I can't wait to read some more.  If fact, we have the second one ready to read... yippee!


Reviews posted online at:  www.goodreads.com/book/show/11382888-meet-franklin-bean.  I received ebooks to review and all opinions are my own. 

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<<Previous

    Applying for book reviews:
    I don't do many reviews, but will do the odd one from time to time.  Usually it'll be something that piques my curiosity.   I like to do reviews for Writers' Web and support emerging writers.
    I am not interested in trading reviews, but if we are both interested in each other's work, that is OK.
    I will give an honest opinion and if I think the work is not ready, I will let you know.  I am happy to post the reviews online.
    Please contact me at kasperjbeaumont @outlook.com if you're interested.

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