Review of The Midnight Unicorn by Alice Hemming

The Midnight Unicorn by Alice Hemming
Format:  Paperback
Publisher:  Kane Miller Publishing
Number of pages:  384
Published:  September 5th, 2019
Source: Publisher

Opening Line:  "The city of Essendor stood on a hill, a stone castle at its summit."  

The Midnight Unicorn has the feel of reading a glorious fairytale, maybe Sleeping Beauty?  It begins like most fairytales in a faraway kingdom, a new queen has been crowned and the women of the village are chatting while their children are playing nearby.  One young boy breaks away from the others, climbs a tree and falls into a fast-moving river.  Remarkably he shows up on shore, unharmed, professing to having been saved from drowning by a unicorn.  From that day forward he was known as the Boy River.

The story then skips ahead five years to Queen Bia having given birth to twin girls.  Concerned that her brother, Zelos might have plans to take the throne and harm the princesses, the Queen separates the two girls, sending one to grow up in the west as Alette, the daughter of a sorcerer, and the other to the east, Audrey to grow up as the daughter of a baker.   Each daughter is given half of an identical pendant that will become one when they can be reunited.  

So, the two girls grow up not knowing about each other.  Their circumstances couldn't be any different.  One long and strong, given the name meaning Truth, while the other smaller but given the name meaning Strength.  All the while, both girls feeling as if a part of themselves is missing.  The story then jumps ahead thirteen years, alternating between Alette and Audrey, each beginning to sense that the something missing from their lives is a person.  Someone who resembles them, which leads Alette to question her father, Maneo, the sorcerer and eventually leads them on a journey to find Audrey.  From there the two sisters learn the whole story of why they were separated at birth and the dangers that lie within the city of Essendor.  As I said before, this has a very magical fairytale like feel to it.  The unicorns were also a nice touch and I appreciated that this could be read as a standalone, but why would you want to?  Come on, it's unicorns and a quest to reclaim a kingdom from their tyrannical uncle.  Plus, there's River, the boy who sleeps under the stars, and can speak to animals.  Such a sweet, free-spirited boy.  Overall, this was a very satisfying story, it ticked off all the things I enjoy in a good fairytale, the two sisters reuniting and learning about each other was super fun and I liked how the story resolved.

**A huge thank you to Kane Miller Publishing for the paperback review copy**      

Review of The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
Format:  Paperback-ARC
Publisher:  Candlewick Press
Number of pages:  368
Publishing: April 12th, 2022
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Opening Line:  "I must have looked like all the other assistants standing in line for breakfast that morning at the Three Onion Cafe."

Sai lives in Fens with her father, Mud and his friend Catfish where she is forced to assist them in their schemes to earn money.  Sai dreams of the day that she can leave Fens and has secretly been hiding a portion of the wages she earns at her job.  Mud thinks she works at the fishing dock and is none the wiser.  To acquire her position, Sai needed to lie about her age and where she lives, so the esteemed mapmaker, Master Paiyoon would hire her as his assistant.   However, her ruse might be coming to an end as when she turns thirteen, she should receive her lineal, a bracelet with links ticking off each generation in her family and there is no way that Mud could afford to buy her one.  Plus, Master Paiyoon has been asked to join an expedition for the Queen of Mangkon to explore the outer regions for lands to expand her empire.  When Sai is offered an opportunity to help Master Paiyoon on the ship, she jumps at the chance.  Given his new onset of tremors, and her ability to mimic his skills, he agrees that she would be an invaluable asset to him on the voyage by drawing the map of their route.  The expedition initially goes well, but then Sai discovers a stowaway onboard, Bo.  She also recognizes one of the sailors, Grebe as the boy she ran into in Fens, and risks being outed by him because he is aware of the secrets she's been hiding from Master Paiyoon.  When the Captain suddenly falls ill, the voyage takes a dramatic turn when the captain's friend, Rian takes command of the ship and convinces the crew to chart a course for the fabled Sunderlands, a place thought to be beseeched by dragons.

I quite enjoy Soontornvat's Thai-inspired stories, A Wish in the Dark was a lovely twist on Les Misérables and her latest book, The Last Mapmaker is an exciting historical fantasy adventure.  Both stories explore a caste system, and The Last Mapmaker also delves into colonialism.  Sai is such a wonderful character, I instantly felt myself rooting for her.  She is determined, kind, and resourceful.  I love how she was driven to improve her living situation and get out from under her father's control, not wanting to lie or cheat for him anymore.  The lineal system or links on a bracelet representing generations was interesting and I especially enjoyed life on the ship with its daily chores and exciting moments when they encountered weather hazards.  My favorite parts were the mentions of the old drawings on silk or fisherman's maps and Sai's relationship with Bo.  Bo's colorful language was hilarious.   Master Paiyoon struck me as a grumpy, set in his ways grandpa to Sai, it was nice that he recognized her mapmaking abilities and supported her even when they had a difference in opinion about heading to the Sunderlands.  Overall, this was a very exciting seafaring adventure. 

*Thank you to Candlewick Press for the Paperback ARC in exchange for an honest review**   

SHINJI TAKAHASHI AND THE MARK OF THE COATL by Julie Kagawa Blog Tour + Review and Giveaway

Today I'm thrilled to be hosting a spot on the SHINJI TAKAHASHI AND THE MARK OF THE COATL by Julie Kagawa Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. I hope you'll check out my review and of course enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: SHINJI TAKAHASHI AND THE MARK OF THE COATL (Society of Explorers and Adventurers #1)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Pub. Date: April 5, 2022
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 320

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl is the first book in a globe-trotting adventure that combines high-tech wizardry, old-world legends and a little bit of magic.

Shinji Takahashi is just an ordinary kid. An ordinary homeschooled smart-alecky orphan kid being raised by his aunt Yui. But when a magical guardian decides to use him as a conduit to awaken its power, Shinji’s life takes a turn for the extraordinary. Captured by the menacing Hightower Corporation, which is bent on using the guardian’s magic for its own nefarious purposes, Shinji must team up with a brilliant young tech whiz named Lucy and her robot mouse, Tinker, to escape the Corporation’s evil clutches.

Together Shinji and Lucy turn to the venerable Society of Explorers and Adventurers and its ragtag cast of spelunkers, hackers, mapmakers, pilots, and mythology experts (among other things) to return the guardian to its rightful home and release Shinji from its magic—which seems to be draining his life force. Time is ticking, the Hightower Corporation is hot on their tail, and success or failure might depend on one small thing—Shinji finally coming around to the belief that he is anything but ordinary.

Based on the Society of Explorers and Adventurers lore that exist across the Walt Disney Parks, Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl is the first book in an all-new action-adventure series that brings S.E.A. into the twenty-first century through a blend of science and magic, and a focus on two young characters on an epic journey through time and place.

 

My Review:

I love the way that Disney is expanding its lore to include books featuring one of their many rides or park attractions.  Which reminds me, I still need to read Tales from the Haunted Mansion.   I'm also a huge fan of the Rick Riordan Presents imprint and the way that it has published books written by own voices authors, introducing various cultures, their traditions and mythology.  So, I was pretty excited to hear Julie Kagawa was writing a book about the Society of Explorers and Adventurers (S.E.A).  I had the pleasure once of visiting one of the offshoots of the S.E.A. or The Adventures Club when in was housed in the former Pleasure Island (now referred to as Downtown Disney).  It lasted from 1989-2005 and was a pretty cool place, part library/museum filled with books, artifacts and animatronics.   Each room had a different theme and the cast put on a show each night, it was certainly entertaining.  Reading this book really reminded me about my visit there, and also made me wonder how many people know about the Society of Explorers and Adventurers?  There's so much that can be explored in a book about an organization that encompasses so many attractions across so many different park locations.  It's like searching for Hidden Mickey's in Disney World and just as exciting when you find a reference to something that you've visited in one of the parks or watched in a movie. 

Shinji is kind of bored hanging out with his aunt, so she sends him off to the market to get himself a present or at least to find something that speaks to him.  He ends up finding a small Coatl statue that attaches itself to him in the form of a tattoo on his arm.  At the same time a group of men show up demanding that he give them the statue and after a struggle, he wakes up at the Hightower Corporation.  Shinji learns that he has been cursed by the statue and that the only way to remove the curse is to return the Coatl to the place it was stolen from.  The story explores the S.E.A and how the organization has changed their bylaws, focusing on exploring the wonders or relics of the world, and to preserve and protect the artifacts.  This is a huge breaking away from past explorers or colonialists who only took things for themselves.  Overall, this is a very fast-moving story that takes the reader from the Zambezi River to California and then to Mexico.  It's filled with snakes, fire traps, a lake with a scary monster and a hidden pyramid in the jungle.  I'd recommend this to a reader whose enjoyed the Rick Riordan presents imprint and someone who's looking for a little adventure, along the lines of an Indiana Jones movie, very exciting.        

About Julie Kagawa:

Julie Kagawa is the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey, Blood of Eden, Talon, and Shadow of the Fox series. She was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel. She worked as a professional dog trainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold, and she stopped training to write full time. Julie now lives in North Carolina with her husband, two obnoxious cats, and a pair of Australian Shepherds that have more Instagram followers than she does. You can follow her on Instagram or Twitter @JKagawa or check out her website at juliekagawa.com.

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of SHINJI TAKAHASHI AND THE MARK OF THE COATL, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week Two:

4/3/2022	Excuse Me, I’m Reading	Review
4/4/2022	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt/IG Post
4/5/2022	wiltedpages	Review/IG Post
4/6/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
4/7/2022	Log Cabin Library	Review
4/8/2022	Feed Your Fiction Addiction	Review/IG Post
4/9/2022	fictionologyst	Review/IG Post

YA Review of Herrick's End (The Neath #1) by T.M. Blanchet

Herricks End by T.M. Blanchet
Format: Print ARC
Publisher:  Tiny Fox Press LLC
Number of pages:  312
Publishing:  May 10th, 2022
Source: Author via giveaway at YA Books Central

The very first thing that grabbed at me about this book was the cover (which Damonza designed).  Instantly I'm thinking of King Ludwig II from Bavaria and how he built a castle with an underground stalactite cave and lake as a secret hideaway so he could be rowed around on his golden swan boat and listen to Wagner.  The other thing that intrigued me about the cover was the silhouette of the city at the bottom.  

 Opening Lines:  "The horses kicked up clouds of dust as they traveled the narrow dirt road, dragging the cart behind them."

Herricks End begins with a prologue set in May of 1692 and then quickly jumps ahead to present day Boston where we're introduced to 19-year-old Ollie Delgato.  Ollie has been on his own since his mom died and while he's been trying to recover from losing her, he's been attending a weekly Lighter Tomorrow support group to help with weight loss and his loneliness.  The group is where he met his one and only friend, Nell.  Well at least he thinks they're friends, but lately Nell has been missing from the meetings and he's worried something may have happened to her.  Then Ollie receives a cryptic message asking if he's "still looking for his friend?" and that they know where she is.  Hoping for answers, Ollie goes to the park as instructed and meets Laszlo, an acrobat.  Laszlo says that he will help Ollie and gives him a series of confusing steps to follow involving finding a lock or key, a door, the docks and a driver, but most importantly to follow the Freedom Trial.  Eventually, Ollie unravels the clues and finds himself deep within a tunnel leading down to Neath, hopeful to find his friend Ollie ventures on, but what he finds is more dangerous than he ever could've imagined.

I love how the author describes this book as a "wacky, witchy, revenge-soaked fantasy story set in an underground world below the streets of Boston."   I'd add that it's dark and certainly dangerous.   I really loved the early descriptions of the North End of Boston.  The lush descriptions of city life, the Anise cookies, Pizzaria's and feel of little Italy.  You really get a sense of what life for Ollie is like, making it easy to connect with his struggles over his mom's death, feelings of inferiority, his self-image and weight insecurity issues.  It's hard not to emphasize with his internal self-deprecating talk and I found myself hoping things would look up for him.   We learn about his early upbringing and how he met Nell.  Ollie seems like a good kid, aware of some of the changes that were occurring before Nell disappeared, like her personality, clothing and the mysterious new guy in her life.  While they didn't have the kind of relationship where she confided in him about the guys she was dating, he was aware enough to know that something might be wrong.  While he suspected that she might be in an abusive relationship, he still felt guilty for never having acted on his suspicions.  Ollie's actions during the story are guided by his feelings for Nell and for not having stood up or helped her before.

Unfortunately for Ollie, there's a few things about Neath that Laszlo neglected to tell him.  For one, Neath houses a huge prison where the prisoners experience suffering equal to their past crimes, they're sentenced with "only what they owe."  When Ollie is mistaken as an abuser and thrown into the prison, he's no longer the hero that he wanted to be, instead he's the one that needs saving.  The prison in Neath is a pretty dark place and is meant as a revenge toward abusers.  The rest of Neath is a sanctuary for those who chose to leave their former abusers and stay in Neath rather than seek revenge.  The story does not directly detail violence toward women, but it's pretty clear that the prison was designed to house these violent abusers and there are violent fights setup by the warden depicted.  It's also a difficult story because of the topic matter, and there's even a few prisoners who are unjustly jailed, and in Ollie's case he's jailed for being a bystander.  While the world of Neath is dark, compared to the earlier parts of Boston, there's still a sense of friendship with everyone that Ollie connects with.  Ollie draws people to him and is very protective of the people he meets.  And despite his initial need for rescue, he does go on to be a hero himself.  Overall, I quite enjoyed reading Herrick's End, it's a dark fantasy with an equally dark underworld, but I found myself engaged and vested in finding out whether Ollie would escape the prison.   

Favorite quote:  "In a world full of dandelions Ollie Delgato, you're a sunflower.  Big, and bright and always looking for light."

The Button Box by Bridget Hodder and Fawzia Gilani-Williams, illustrations by Harshad Marathe

The Button Box by Bridget Hodder and Fawzia Gilani-Williams, illustrations by Harshad Marathe
Format:  E-ARC
Publisher:  Kar Ben Publishing
Number of pages:  152
Published:  April 1st, 2022
Source: Netgalley and Publisher via Books Forward

From Goodreads:    If a magical button and a mysterious cat could transport you to the past...would you save the future?

Opening Line: "Don't tell Granny Buena, okay?"

After being bullied, called an awful name, and losing a button off her shirt at school, Ava implores her cousin Nadeem not to tell their Granny Buena.  But Nadeem knows Granny will find out anyways because he can't keep a secret like that from his mom, who will ultimately tell Granny, so he tells Ava that she'll just end up having to confess everything to their Granny anyway.  Granny Buena calmly listens to Ava's story and upon seeing her missing button, pulls out her button box, filled with generations of buttons from their Sephardic ancestors and begins to tell them the story of Prince Abdur Rahman.  Following the story, Granny steals away to her room for a nap and the two cousins begin to explore the crystal button box further.   Then the moment comes that oh so reminded me of the Magic Tree House series, which my kiddo and I loved reading together, and Ava and Nadeem are whisked away on a time traveling adventure to ancient Morocco where they come face to face with Nadeem's ancestor, Prince Rahman.  The cousins are launched on an adventure into the past to help the prince escape to Spain.  

In this post from Smack Dab in the Middle, Hodder explains how The Button Box became a collaboration between the two authors and explains what it's like co-authoring a book.  It's really worth a read.  The Button Box was a pretty quick read and a lovely own voices story.  I enjoyed learning about Sephardic Jews and how much their culture is intertwined with Muslim culture.  Not only does the story highlight the cross cultural, interfaith friendship between Ava and Nadeem, it equally represented both cultures, focusing on the commonalities they shared.  There were references to daily life, preparing of food and customs for both.    I also really love a story where I feel like I'm learning something new and especially one that incorporates another language, in this case the various Islamic phrases.  There's even a nice glossary at the end of the book, as well as an author's note explaining Muslim faith, Judaism and specifically where Sephardic Jews descended from.  The historical significance of Prince Abdur Rahman's reign is also explained.  Overall, this was a wonderful story with positive messaging, and interesting characters.  Granny Buena sounds wonderful, and I enjoyed her sayings and expressions, my favorite was that "everything in life needs an anchor."  I hope to see more stories featuring Ava and Nadeem in the future. 

About the authors: Like Ava in "The Button Box," Bridget Hodder is Sephardic. She is also the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors. Her first middle grade book, “The Rat Prince,” was published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, and was an ILA -CBC Children's Choice List starred selection. And, like Nadeem in “The Button Box,” Fawzia Gilani-Williams is Muslim. She currently works in the UAE as a cluster librarian. Her first book, “Yaffa and Fatima: Shalom, Salaam,” was awarded a silver medal by the Sydney Taylor Book Award. 

**A huge thank you to Books Forward, and the publisher for my E-ARC**  

A DARKENING OF DRAGONS by S.A. Patrick Blog Tour + Review and Giveaway

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the A DARKENING OF DRAGONS by S.A. Patrick Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

                                                About The Book:

Title: A DARKENING OF DRAGONS (Songs of Magic #1)
Author: S.A. Patrick
Pub. Date: April 1, 2022
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 400

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, B&N, iBooks Audiobook, Kobo Audiobook, TBD, Bookshop.org

Three accidental heroes encounter one legendary villain in an epic dragon-filled adventure just right for young fans of Terry Pratchett, J.R.R. Tolkien, and How to Train Your Dragon!

13-year-old piper Patch Brightwater is a boy in disgrace. Thrown in jail for playing a forbidden spell, he is no one's idea of a hero. But then he discovers a deadly truth – the evil Piper of Hamelyn is on the loose.

With the help of Wren, a girl cursed to live as a rat, and Barver, a fire-breathing dracogriff, Patch must stop the Piper from sparking the biggest battle of them all.

S.A. Patrick’s debut children’s novel is a vivid retelling of one of the darkest legends of all time – the Piper of Hamelyn. Combining fairy tale lore with the very best of modern storytelling and empowerment, A Darkening of Dragons takes fantasy fans on a journey filled with adventure, magic, and the delight of finding friends in unexpected places. Perfect for fans of The Hobbit, Terry Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching books, and How to Train Your Dragon.

A Carnegie Medal nominee. 

 

My Review: 

Opening lines:  " The screams of the children brought the villagers running." 

 

A Darkening of Dragons is a fantastic retelling of the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, I think most people are familiar with the tale of the pied piper who tried to save a village from a rat infestation and upon being tricked out of what he was owed, returned and stole the villager's children.  The legend never really explained what happened to the children after that but was most likely a cautionary tale.  It's a legend that I haven't had an opportunity to read any books about before, and I've certainly not read one involving a condemned criminal, a cursed rat and a dracogriff, but my what a fantastic story this was.

Patch Brightwater is an interesting main character, his heart is genuinely in the right place, and I quite enjoyed his eagerness to use his pipe skills to help rather than in battle as the piper's council had wanted him to.  He's also motivated by a strong survival skill, wanting to escape the disgrace that the notorious Piper of Hamelyn caused when he carried the children and a hundred young dragons away with his songs, refusing to tell anyone why or what he did with them.   Patch is so easy to adore, especially when he gets all protective of Wren, our cursed rat, and how he would even sacrifice himself in order to save her.  Wren was also a delight, despite facing a lifetime as a rat, she had a bright outlook, was super smart and had a wit to boot.  I loved how the author included a form of nonverbal sign language of hand signs, or Merisax as a way for them to communicate with one another, and the game of Fox and Owls was interesting, I just wish the rules for the game would have been explained more.  

Lastly there's Barver, the dracogrif, who rounds out the trio of outcasts pretty well.  He's also pretty protective of Wren and she has a huge soft spot for him as well.  They make for a lovely team and I'd certainly like to see where their adventures take them next.  Overall, I quite enjoyed A Darkening of Dragons, there was plenty of twists and turns, lots of adventuring, danger, an especially nasty villain, themes that incorporated music and seeing someone else's perspective, not letting fear lead to hate.  How it's important to be able to sympathize with others.  

  

About S.A. Patrick:

S. A. Patrick was born in Belfast. When he was a child, he wanted to write video games, become an author, and have magical powers. The first two came true. If he ever does get magical powers, he hopes people like dragons and griffins because there’ll suddenly be a lot of them around. He lives in England.

 

Twitter | Goodreads

 

                                                    Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of A DARKENING OF DRAGONS, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

3/28/2022	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt/IG Post
3/28/2022	@enjoyingbooksagain	Excerpt
3/29/2022	Books a Plenty Book Reviews	Review
3/29/2022	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post
3/30/2022	The Bookwyrm's Den	Review
3/30/2022	Log Cabin Library	Review
3/31/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
3/31/2022	Onemused	IG Spotlight
4/1/2022	Nonbinary Knight Reads	Review/IG Post
4/1/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review

Unicorn Island: Secret Beneath the Sand by Donna Galanti, illustrations by Bethany Stancliffe

Unicorn Island:  Secret Beneath the Sand by Donna Galanti, illustrations by Bethany Stancliffe 
Format:  E-ARC
Publisher:  Andrews McMeel Publishing
Number of pages:  224 
Publishing:  March 8th, 2022
Source: Edelweiss+

Opening Line:  "Sun filtered through the fog, touching the meadow with its soft, golden glow as Sam ran across the flowing grass with the unicorns." 

In the first book in the Unicorn Island series, Sam moved in with her Uncle Mitch in Foggy Harbor, South Carolina.  While living with him, she discovered his secret, that he is the fog keeper, or the caretaker for the unicorns that are housed on an island that is shrouded behind a mist of fog.  When one of the newborns falls ill, Sam and her new friend, Tuck race to provide a cure that will save the young unicorn. 

In the second book in the Unicorn Island series, Sam and Tuck are now apprentice unicorn protectors, assisting in the care and protection of the herd.  When the young unicorn they saved in the previous book, Barloc becomes sickly, Sam begins to question whether the herd is being infected by a new disease.  Something is certainly spreading through the rest of the unicorns, causing their magic to be drained and the whole herd is at risk for losing their horns.  Can Tuck, Sam and Uncle Mitch find out what is stressing the herd and deal with the threat before the herd becomes mortal?

One of the first things that I enjoy about each of these stories are the full color illustrations by Bethany Stancliffe, the bright colors of the sun, grass, flowers and of course the beautiful unicorns.  The illustrations really add to the story and have huge kid appeal.  I also really enjoyed the inclusion of Grendell, the sand creature and especially the resolution of the story.  Sam finally received some answers she'd been waiting for, and the story left an opening for her to connect with her mother, which I am especially hopeful for.  At the end of the book, Galanti includes questions for the reader, things like what are horns made of?  What is an invasive species?  Each seeming to tie back to the story and highlighting various scientific facts.  Give this to a kid who enjoyed Adam Gidwitz's The Unicorn Rescue Society or the Unicorn Academy Series by Julie Sykes.