Becky's Book Reviews

Today I’d like to welcome South African author, Nerine Dorman to my blog. Nerine’s no stranger here as the last time she guest posted on my blog, she wrote a feature on 10 Indie/small press titles that she thinks are definitely worth reading. This time around, the focus is on her and her latest book The Guardian’s Wyrd, a young adult fantasy novel set in the magical world of Sunthyst. Now I don’t know about you, but when it comes to fantasy novels and fictional worlds created from scratch, I’m always interested to find out what the world is like, which is why Nerine has kindly agreed to write a post on what we can expect in her book. Before we get on to the post though, here’s some information about the book to give you an idea of what it’s all about. About The Guardian’s Wyrd Sometimes having a fairytale prince as a best friend can be a real pain. Jay didn't realise that sticking up for Rowan, the gangly new kid at school, would plunge him into the dangers and politics of the mag...

Welcome to another mini book reviews edition of my blog. For this section of my blog, I usually feature reviews of books that don’t really require them – books bought, books I’ve borrowed from friends and books I’ve taken out at the library. Because they’re not must-review books, my format of these mini reviews differ in that I don’t work the summary into my review in my own words; instead, I feature the Goodreads summary, followed by a few thoughts on my reading experience. In today’s mini reviews feature, I share my thoughts on The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater . About The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic UK) Every year, the Scorpio Races are run on the beaches of Skarmouth. Every year, the sea washes blood from the sand. To race the savage water horses can mean death, but the danger is irresistible. When Puck enters the races to save her family, she is drawn to the mysterious Sean, the only person on the island capable of taming the beasts. Even if they stay toget...

An earth invader becomes the enemy of her own people when she impulsively decides to save the life of a human boy. Conquest by John Connolly & Jennifer Ridyard (Headline) When I first received a copy of John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard’s Conquest, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Books about aliens and alien invasions are certainly no stranger to the science fiction genre, and it certainly seems to be a concept that sells over and over again.  Of course, many will argue that the idea has reached its saturation point, but I think given the right treatment, any book that employs a commonplace fictional model could be as entertaining to read as the novel that’s being lauded for its distinctiveness. Connolly and Ridyard are certainly prime examples of that; and while I certainly had my fair share of issues with the book (which is the first in a trilogy, if I’m not mistaken), I have to admit that I was generally very impressed with what the co-authors have offered up. Beyond th...

Today I’d like to welcome author Chantal Gadoury to my blog. I’m particularly excited about this post because Chantal, who’s the author of Seven Seeds of Summer, a YA retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth is going to be chatting about a subject that I absolutely adore – Greek mythology. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a fan of mythological retellings, and Hades and Persephone in particular, happens to be one of my all-time favourites. It’s also one of the few myths that has a relatively open-ended ending; most mythical stories in Greek lore often ending in tragedy. I could certainly write an entire dissertation on why Greek mythology appeals to me, but I think Chantal covers the topic quite nicely, which is why I’m handing over to her. You can scroll to the bottom for more information about Chantal and Seven Seeds of Summer. Chantal, thanks so much for joining me on my blog today!   Why Greek Mythology? Hello wonderful readers, bloggers and writers! Tammy invi...

Not too long ago, I read one of the most marvellous historical YA fiction novels ever. The book, which is called Revolution , and is about, ahem , a revolution (in this case the French one), features two heroines from two different eras who are connected to each other in ways that overlap in the most unexpected ways. Now, if you've read Sepulchre or Labyrinth by Kate Mosse (another author whose work I adore), you'll know that she's fond of employing a dual-narrative structure, alternating between the past and present; telling the stories through the eyes of two different women. Revolution is a novel that employs a similar tactic; one that I'm becoming increasingly fond of. The juxtaposition between cities and landscapes of today, against the backdrop of a yesteryear-come-to-life is something that makes me want to relive that in all of its contemporary and historical glory. Revolution took me to a world both brutal and beautiful. It's a world where the settings of th...

When you think of fairy tales, the first thing that often comes to mind is a story that features a hero or heroine (one who is either brave from the start or starts out as being a hapless soul only to overcome a huge hurdle in life), a hopeless situation, a villain and a happily-ever-after. While there are certainly bad things that happen in these tales of yonder, the ones we’re often subjected to are the toned-down, Disneyfied versions that have somehow become the face of these stories. And with good reason because in actuality, the uncensored versions (while still mostly retaining their pleasant endings), are far darker than the saccharinely sweet narratives that are more commonplace today. In fact, given that themes such as incest, graphic descriptions of violence and sexual undertones have appeared in more than a few of the original versions of the story, parents around the world are probably better off knowing that these tamer versions are at the forefront of children’s literature...