Review: Secret Magic (Evie Everyday Witch #1), by Elena Paige

Title: Secret Magic (Evie Everyday Witch #1)
Author: Elena Paige
Format: ebook
Source: BookSirens

From Goodreads: "Funny magical adventure series perfect for kids ages 7 and up

My name is Evie Everyday and I’m a witch. But all I’ve ever wanted is to be a Lamron. That’s the word normal spelled backward. Anyways, now I have the chance to go to a regular school and be a regular girl I’ll do whatever it takes to fit in.

Fitting in is easy. All I have to do is:

Keep my magic a secret Swap my favorite colorful clothes for boring black ones Suck up to scary Mrs. Rogers, the school principal Keep my pet cat, bat and corncob from causing any trouble And stay away from Izzy. She’s all colorful and funny and awesome…. and not helpful for fitting in.

But when everything starts to go wrong, there’s only one way to save my new school… use magic. And only one person who can help me… Izzy!

Evie Everyday Witch is a series of chapter books that kids and parents will love. Ideal for reluctant readers. Evie's quirky, funny personality will sweep kids off their feet, and get them reading again!"

My Opinion:  Evie is a witch who wants more than anything to be normal, which to her means dressing normal, having normal friends, and by all means, acting normal. She really, really wants to go to a normal school instead of the school for witches that she attends, and against all odds, she gets her parents to agree to this!! She shows up her first day dressed in her most colorful outfit, but she quickly realizes that the other kids are all dressed in black, with one exception, a girl by the name of Izzy. While Evie secretly admires the way Izzy acts and dresses, she decides that to be "normal" she can't hang out with or  be friends with Izzy. As Evie does her best to fit in, she realizes that it's not as easy as she thought it would be to change everything that makes her, her.

I thought this was a very cute book with a great message. The pacing was quick and the book was very easy to read, and Evie really great into herself over the course of the story.

I think this is a great MG book, full of magic, which would appeal to younger readers that like fantasy, or to introduce them to this genre. 

I'm giving this book 5/5 stars.

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: The Magicians Convention, by Elena Paige

Title: The Magicians Convention
Author:  Elena Paige
Format: ebook
Source: BookSirens

From Goodreads: In a world of mages and illusionists, one orphan must find the magic within himself to save the ones he loves . . .

Twelve-year-old Toby would give anything to see his parents one last time. But since they died tragically ten years ago, he knows it’s an impossible wish. Raised by his grandfather, who’s a little too protective, Toby yearns for adventure. So when he wakes up one morning and realizes his grandfather is missing, he follows the clues that will lead to his rescue. Toby is soon engulfed in a secret world of magic and illusion.

In this unfamiliar world, Toby is joined by two new friends: Wesa, a runaway mage, and Thatch, a security boy who’d give anything to practice magic. The three friends are instructed to find a magical hat before an evil magician gets his hands on it first.

Failing will mean the deaths of those they love and create a dangerous divide in the world of magic.

The Magicians Convention is the spellbinding first book in a trilogy of middle-grade fantasy novels.

My Opinion: Toby, a 12 year old boy who is being raised by his over-protective grandpa, wishes for excitement, for an adventure, and whether good or bad, he gets his wish. One otherwise ordinary day, he is looking out his window when he sees a long line of people, dressed very strangely, queued up outside a neighbor's door, waiting to enter. He calls his grandpa up to witness this strange occurrence, but his grandpa thinks he's making it up because he, himself, sees nothing. And thus begins the very adventure he was wishing for.

This is the first book in a new series, but there is a prequel that I recommend you read before starting this one. You could definitely read The Magician's Convention without reading the prequel, and would understand it completely, but the prequel sets the tone and gives a bit of background that makes it easier to understand just what is happening and who some of the characters are.

As for the characters, they are written very, very well, in my opinion. The back story of each of them is written seamlessly into the story line, and they are able to grow and learn as the story progresses. The plot is easily followed but not predictable, and the pacing of the story is just right.

I like to review MG books because I have a seventh grader who doesn't mind my picking his brain to get an idea of what works in a story and what doesn't, and I can report that he gave this book 2 thumbs up and said that he really enjoyed reading it and is looking forward to reading the next book in the series, which was my opinion, as well.

In summary, I am giving this book 5/5 stars, and can enthusiastically recommend it for fans of all ages who could use a little bit of magic in their lives.

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: The Day I Died (Apocalypse Cycle), by Aya Knight

Title: The Day I Died (Apocalypse Cycle)
Author: Aya Knight
Format: ebook
Source: BookSirens

From Goodreads: "Oshin Fletcher lives by three rules: obey authority, don’t draw unnecessary attention to yourself, and above all else, never leave the city walls.

Some say that rules are meant to be broken. For Oshin, her world shattered on the day she was betrayed. A secret meeting leads her beyond the safety of her city. Lured by the ignorance that comes with being lonely and hopeful, Oshin was about to discover just how severe consequences could be. Lost and alone, she waited; no one came. But they did. The infected, the decaying, the undead.

Oshin wakes to find herself in an abandoned house, deep within the forest. Her body was changing, her desire to feed, uncontrollable. She was a marionette—her hunger, the puppeteer. She pivots on a line between life and death. They say the undead are mindless, but Oshin was very much aware. She sets out in an unknown world where the worst evils aren’t the undead, but humanity itself. With only days before the effects of the disease take hold and decay sets in, Oshin must race to find a way back home for a cure. She soon discovers that home is not everything she thought it to be. Dark secrets have been in play since the moment she was born.
An emotionally intense zombie survival story."

My Opinion:  I was really excited to read this book - a book told from a thinking zombie's view? I was all over it! I like reading books that turn preconceived notions about a subject on their head, and this book certainly did this. 

The story begins with a girl named Oshin who has always followed the rules, but she is getting a bit bored with this. Enter Codah, a very cute boy who Oshin has had a crush on for quite some time. When he finally notices her and asks her to meet him outside the walls of their compound, she can't go fast enough. The problem here is that the world outside the walls is crawling with the undead, which is why the biggest rule for the compound is Do Not Go Outside the Walls!! But teenage girls aren't known for using common sense when it comes to teenage boys, so Oshin talks herself into believing that nothing bad will happen if she just goes out for a short while. As expected, she was wrong. She does get to meet another boy, Bastion, along with sister, Lace. They are already "undead," but like Oshin, they are still able to think for themselves (although the underlying hunger is always there, and the stiffness of the body setting in already lets them know that they are only days away from turning full on undead).

I think the basis of this story can be summed up with this one sentence from the book's synopsis: "They say the undead are mindless, but Oshin was very much aware." What a novel approach! I think the bones of this story are very good, but there were a few things that kept me from giving this book 5 stars. 

First, Oshin goes beyond the walls of their compound because a boy who has never looked at her twice told her he wanted her to! I know teenage girls aren't always the smartest when it comes to boys, but this didn't make much sense because all her life it was pounded into her head that you don't go beyond the walls! I was also confused by the term "undead". Oshin kept referring to herself, Bastion and Lace as "undead" but then she would talk about holding her breath or her heart beating. Just a bit confusing. 

There were also some pacing problems and other inconsistencies, but the twists and turns in the story kept me reading, and overall this was a very compelling look at what goes on in the minds of aware zombies.

In summary, I love this take on the zombie genre, and all of the twists and turns the plot takes along the way. That's why I am giving it an enthusiastic 4/5 stars.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: Hoods: The Beginning (Hoods #1), by David Niall Wilson

Title: Hoods: The Beginning (Hoods #1)
Author: David Niall Wilson
Format: ebook
Source: BookSirens

From Goodreads:  San Valencez is a city with many levels. Near the barrio, on the south side of town, gangs rule the streets, and those that don’t find a way out tend to be sucked into the shadows and consumed. Not far away, near the border between the bad side of town and civilization, there are those standing up to the shadows. They aren’t superheroes, exactly, but they aren’t regular kids either. They have abilities, intelligence, strength, skill—and a desire to see their city become a better place.

Four teenagers, Weaver, Cami, Shooter and Combo, come together with a mutual desire to make things better, to help those who need it and punish those who deserve it. When Shooter’s old friend Mikey approaches them, concerned over his brother Dale’s connections with a gang called Los Escorpiones, they organize and become something stronger than their separate parts. The city is in danger from a threat it doesn’t even know exists. All that stands in the way of disaster is a group of “Hoods.”

My Opinion: San Valencez is a tough place to live, so having friends, your own squad, is highly recommended, especially if you have to go out at night. Our four young heroes-to-be are pretty much loners, until a chance encounter in a dark alley brings two of them together. Bobby and Eddie both have enhanced abilities, and, unknown to them, they are caught on video by a classmate of theirs by the name of Luisa, code name Weaver. Weaver and Cami (another classmate named Lisa) have already been working together to help clean up their city, but they are not getting as far as they would like, so when Weaver sees what Bobby and Eddie can do, she knows instinctively that she needs to recruit them to join her cause. The boys agree that someone has to take on the gangs and other bad elements in their neighborhood, so they join forces with Weaver and Cami, and get their own code names, Shooter and Combo. They have to keep their identities secret because it would be very dangerous if anyone found out who they were.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The setting was described in such detail that I could feel the gritty darkness of it slipping into my mind as I read. The four kids who headline this book were well fleshed out and easy to like. You get to know them through their back stories and family history, which was written into the story very naturally.

I thought the plot flowed along at a good pace, which made the book very easy to read. It was a quick read because of this.

In summary, I enjoyed this book very much and enthusiastically recommend it to lovers of MG/YA fantasy stories. I give it 5/5 stars.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: Paradise Girl: A gripping psychological drama, by Phill Featherstone

Title: Paradise Girl: A gripping psychological drama
Author: Phill Featherstone
Format: ebook
Source: BookSirens

From Goodreads: "A fatal virus ravages Kerryl's community, wiping out her friends and family.

Left on her own, it isn't long before she starts to lose her grip on reality. She's convinced that she, too, will soon fall prey to the infection, and decides to record in a diary what she thinks will be her last days.

She imagines a reader, and calls him Adam. As the empty days pass, Adam becomes increasingly real to her until his presence dominates her life and she becomes emotionally obsessed by him. She is elated when she receives what she thinks is an invitation from him to a date at a local beauty spot, and sets out across the moor to meet Adam, and her fate.

'The truth is blurred in this captivating psychological thriller, which saves its final surprise until a twist at the very end.'

Paradise Girl has received 'Chill With a Book' Readers' and Book of the Month Awards, an Indie BRAG Medallion, and is a finalist in the Wishing Shelf 2018 Awards."

My Opinion: I will admit to feeling a bit of trepidation when I read the synopsis of this book because I wasn't sure if a book told in diary form, from the viewpoint of a completely isolated teenage girl (who may or may not be the only survivor from her neck of the woods (Yorkshire, England) following the outbreak of a devastating and deadly virus), would be able to hold my interest, but boy was I wrong to worry!! I enjoyed the story so much it took me by surprise.  "A gripping psychological drama" is the perfect description of this book. The writing was amazing, the world building enticing enough to make me want to jump on a plane immediately and visit the moors of Yorkshire, and the pacing perfect. Not to be sexist, but I was very, very surprised that an adult man could get into the mind of a teenage girl with such accuracy, but he certainly nailed it.

This story grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go until the very last page, and actually stayed with me long after that. The word that comes to mind when I think about it now is "haunting."

In summary, I highly recommend this book to YA fans of dystopian fiction and truly gripping psychological drama. I'm giving it a very enthusiastic 5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge from BookSirens in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Greatest Magician, by Elena Paige (Prequel to The Magicians series)

Review: The Greatest Magician (Prequel to The Magicians' series)
Author: Elena Paige
Format: ebook
Source: Book Sirens

From Goodreads: "A convention for magicians! Mages and illusionists casting spells and performing spectacular tricks! The perfect annual event for every magical family!

Except for someone like Jack Roberts.

His mother is The Great Linda, a woman who can’t die. His dad has the power to heal. His sister can bend people to her will. But Jack has no such magic up his sleeve. He’s about as ordinary as can be. In fact, the annual Magicians’ Convention is the very last place on Earth he wants to hang out.

Then Jack discovers there might be a way for him to gain magic after all.

How far will Jack go in his desperate quest for magic? And who can he trust?

See where it all began in The Greatest Magician, a prequel following the adventures of young Jack and his family years before the events of The Magicians’ Convention."

My Opinion: Per the author: "This book is The Prequel to The Magicians' series. It can be read as a stand alone book, but is awesome when read after book 1: The Magicians' Convention."

I didn't read this prequel before reading The Magicians' Convention, but Ms. Paige is correct - it can be read as a stand alone. In fact, it was a very good introduction to what I think is going to be an excellent series. You don't have to rely just on MY opinion - I had my 13 year old son read it along with me and he loved it! Rave reviews were given all around.

Jake is the only member of a magical family without magic. He tries and tries, and acts like it doesn't bother him, but when the occasion presents itself to obtain a magic coin that could just possibly give him magical abilities, he jumps at the chance! Unfortunately, it turns out that this will not be an easy feat. He meets some kids at the Magicians' Convention who have the same idea, and they team up to get the coins.

The characters were fleshed out nicely. You really get a feel for where they are each coming from, which is remarkable given the fact that this is not a full length novel (as it is a prequel) and there is lots and lots of action. The world building very well done - it is now my life's ambition to find and attend The Magicians' Convention, even if I have to sneak in!

The writing did something most books cannot do, and that is keep the attention of my ADHD 13 year old son! Trust me, that is no easy task. Being a middle grade book, I like to get his opinion when possible to make sure my review is accurate, and we both loved this one. The pace was well done and easily kept our interest, and for this reason, it was a quick read. We are looking forward to reading book 1 of this trilogy. 

In summary, I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it to lovers of MG fantasy books with an emphasis on magic, which is a favorite of mine. I give it an enthusiastic 5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge from BookSirens in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: Sisters of Summer's End (Summer Resort #2), by Lori Foster

Title: Sisters of Summer's End (Summer Resort #2)
Author: Lori Foster
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "As the summer ends, friendship begins...When single mom Joy Lee abandoned her old life to take a job at a lakeside resort, she found something that her family's wealth and influence could never buy: peace of mind. Not easy to come by for the once-burned divorce who keeps everyone at a distance. But when her new friend, Maris, dares her to take a chance with the drive-in's charismatic new owner, everything changes for Joy and her young son. A difficult childhood has left Maris Kennedy with definite priorities. Her job running Summer's End, the camp store and cafe, comes first. Always. Nothing could ever make her risk that hard-won security--especially not her free-spirited colleague. But the more she encourages Joy to open herself up to new experiences, the more Maris begins to wonder what she, too, might be missing. Learning how to trust will bring Joy and Maris together. 
And soon they form a friendship that leaves them as close as sisters--and open to love where they least expect it...in Summer's End."

My Opinion: Confession #1: I love Lori Foster and will happily read anything she has written!! Confession #2: That being said, I haven't read the first book in the Summer Resort series - Cooper's Charm - yet, but I will be rectifying that oversight very quickly because I absolutely loved this book!! Luckily, even though this is the second book in the series, it was able to be read as a standalone story. 

The most important thing I noted as I was reading this story is that, while it has a couple of very hot romances in it, the relationship that is mostly explored is the friendship between Maris and Joy, and I absolutely loved that! Their friendship grows and blossoms even as they get to know each other, but they have each closed themselves off to any type of relationship because they are putting all of their time and energy into the priorities in their lives: Maris with her camp store and cafe, and Joy with her son. So the question is, can they change that and open themselves up to new experiences and new people? Watching their journey was both captivating and heartening, and I loved it.

The characters were all very likable (or hard to like as the case may be) and they were all fleshed out beautifully. Their back stories were woven in so you know exactly where they are coming from and why they have made the decisions that have brought them to this place and time.

The setting was very well written, so much so that I want to go stay at this lakeside resort myself! The descriptions of the fall and winter seasons were so real that they cooled me off in the midst of this hot summer! And the plot line unraveled at just the right pace, which is hard to achieve, but is done so beautifully here.

In summary, this book was a fascinating read, a different kind of love story, and it captivated me right from the start. 

I give this book 5/5 stars, and can enthusiastically recommend it to anyone looking for a light, but very fulfilling, book to read.  

I received a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.