Allegiant by Veronica Roth ★★★★½

Reviewed by Katelyn (aged 13) Meet Katelyn.

    Ever since Tris found out that there is something outside the fence, and the only world she has ever known, she has been confused and worried.  

    With the world she knows in chaos and her brother sentenced to death under the new leadership regime, Tris meets the Allegiant, a group of people resistant to the new ways in which the city is heading and she is offered a chance to explore outside the fence. Tris accepts the offer as it is a new beginning, a way to get away from all the bad memories and make new ones. But when she and her companions find themselves outside they are amazed and shocked by what they find. Everything they have taken as truth is actually a lie. 

    Tobias has a lot of power now that his mother is now running the city and he is not adverse to using his newly found power to get his mother to agree to what he wants. He too, jumps at the offer from the Allegiant and joins Tris in her escape to outside, not only to be with Tris but also to escape from his abusive father and the mother that left him. Like Tris, he to finds that all he knew was a lie and not everyone can be trusted.

    Allegiant is an amazing book. At the start it can seem a bit slow and boring and doesn’t really make sense, however once you get used to the changes in the story telling perspective, you are in awe and will find yourself bawling your eyes out. There are major plot twists in this book which have you wondering what is going to happen next and leave you wanting more. This is a must read book!

    Thank you to the kind people at Harper Collins Australia for our review copy.

RELEASE Date:         Available now

MORE information:     CLICK HERE  

AUTHOR’s Website:   http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com.au/

THE AUTHOR

    Veronica Roth is only 24, so her bio will be short. She’s from a Chicago suburb. She studied creative writing at Northwestern University, and wrote DIVERGENT, her YA dystopian thriller while she was supposed to be doing homework. This was a decidedly good choice that will unfortunately make it difficult for her to someday lecture her future children on how important it is to get your homework done.

Vacation Hiro By Meg Welch Dendler ★★★★

Reviewed by Rhiannan (Aged 11)  Meet Rhiannan

Imagine you’re a cat, roaming around free. You live a careless life with a loving family, until, all of a sudden, they are gone. You don’t know where or how or why, but they’re gone.

That’s what happens to Kimba and Hiro. Mama and Daddy have left them. All alone, except for Miss Fatty Cat and Slinkey. But Hiro is upset because she won’t get her special Daddy time and only Daddy knows how to take care of her.

Kimba and Hiro also think that they have gotten rid of the strange Cats in the Mirror who want to take them back to their alien cat spaceship, but they are wrong. Hiro and Kimba are amazed to discover that their real mother is the cat who is the Head Commander of the alien ships. Now Kimba and Hiro are faced with another choice, to stay and wait for their missing family on Earth or go to the spaceship

Vacation Hiro is another great book to add to the series. If you love cats and wonder why cats act a little strange sometimes, you will love this book. I now wonder if my cat is visiting an alien spaceship when he disappears sometimes! I hope that the next book, Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge, will be just as good (or even better!) than Vacation Hiro!

USEFUL INFORMATION

Release Dates:                           Available now

Purchase details ebook:             Click here

Purchase details Amazon:          Click here

Author’s Website:                       http://megdendler.com/

Facebook Author Page:                 https://www.facebook.com/MegDendlerAuthor

Facebook Book Page:                    https://www.facebook.com/VacationHiro

THE AUTHOR

Meg Welch Dendler is a former pre-k, elementary, and middle school teacher. For over 10 years, Meg worked as a freelance writer and has written her first book, “Why Kimba saved the world”. Meg has had over 100 articles published in newspapers, magazines and online.

Why Kimba saved the world By Meg Dendler ★★★★

Reviewed by Rhiannon Aged 12.

Some cats have always known who they are, some have no clue.

Some grow up with their mother, some hand raised.

Some have freedom to roam outside, while others stay inside.

But when you have to pick between freedom or your family, can one small cat change
the world?

Kimba and Hiro were brought to a strange house just days after they were born. They had a bath tub nursery and a loving family. Kimba wants to look at the rest of the house but mama won’t let her. Soon Kimba is let into the rest of the house and discovers that she and Hiro are not the only cats in the house.

One day Kimba is in the bathroom and she sees a cat behind the mirror. Kimba soon discovers that it is Regulas and he wants her to help him take over the planet. Kimba has to complete lots of tasks to please Regulas. She has to go outdoors, rub fur on her family, before she has one final task to help take over the world.

Kimba has to learn her mama’s Facebook account, give it to Regulas and take over the world. But Kimba learns that mama’s Facebook account is Kimbababy. Will this be enough to make Kimba save the world?

Why Kimba saved the world is an amazing story about a cat who must choose between her family or her freedom. This is one of my favourite books and anyone who likes cats will think that this one is a winner! My rating of the book is four out of five stars.

Our review copy of “Why Kimba Saved the World” was supplied by the author in exchange for a fair review.  She mailed a copy of her book all rhe way from the U.S.A., which was pretty nice of her.  Thanks Meg.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Release Dates:                              Available now

Purchase details ebook:             Click here

Purchase details Amazon:          Click here

The ebook of "Kimba" is only .99 on kindle through the end of the 2013 because the sequel is coming out shortly.

Author’s Website:                              Meg Endler

Facebook Author Page:                 https://www.facebook.com/MegDendlerAuthor

Facebook Book Page:                    https://www.facebook.com/WhyKimbaSavedTheWorld

Goodreads:                                   Meg Dendler

THE AUTHOR

Meg Welch Dendler is a former pre-k, elementary, and middle school teacher. For over 10 years, Meg worked as a freelance writer and has written her first book, “Why Kimba saved the world”. Meg has had over 100 articles published in newspapers, magazines and online. 

Nell’s Festival of Crisp Winter Glories by Glenda Millard ★★★½

Reviewed by Sophia (aged 11) Meet Sophia.

          One night a boy called Perry thinks of an idea to bring his two favourite people together, Henry Jenkins and Nell Silk. Perry decides that he will put on a dance, a proper one with a band and everything. Perry gets a lot of helpers and in the end it turns out to be a festival: The Festival of Crisp Winter Glories. But when something bad happens to Nell will she be able to dance with the one she loves and will Henry be able to dance with one he loves?

        I thought this was a very interesting book. It had a bit of romance (yuck) and a bit of mystery in it too.

Book Description

         Two of Perry Angel′s favourite people are Grandma Nell and his good friend Jenkins.

One night, while listening to Nell play the beautiful Tennessee Waltz, Perry thinks of the perfect way to bring his two favourite people together: he wants to put on a dance - a proper one with petticoats and posies and a real band.

        Perry shares his idea with his sisters, and before long the dance turns into a wonderful winter festival. But when something happens to Nell, will Perry′s wish come true?

Our review copy of Nell's Festival of Crisp winter Glories thanks to the lovely people at HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHERS Australia

USEFUL INFORMATION

Release Dates:

Australia & New Zealand:   April 2013

Purchase details ebook:       Click here

Purchase details:                 Click here

Author’s Website:                Glenda Millard

Sample Read:                      Click here

THE AUTHOR

            Glenda Millard has won many prestigious awards for her Kingdom of Silk series, including CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers for Perry Angel′s Suitcase, and the Queensland Premier′s Children′s Book Award for Layla, Queen of Hearts. Now this stunning series about the very ′uncommon′ Silk family has its glorious finale in Nell′s Festival of Crisp Winter Glories.

The Heiresses by Alison Rushby ★★★

Trust no one - especially your relatives

Reviewed by Katelyn (aged 13) Meet Katelyn.

In 1926 Thalia, Erato and Clio are summoned to London by Hestia, a long lost Aunt that none of the girls knew they had. When they arrive from their individual homes, the girls discover that they are triplets who were separated at birth. Hestia also informs them that they are heiresses to their mother's fortune which is currently under the control of their greedy half-brother, Charles. The sisters move into their Aunt Hestia's London house and begin their new lives together, while plotting to get their inheritance from the loathsome Charles.

While the girls are in London they realize something. Each of them is there for a reason:

Thalia is there to get away from her dark past.

Erato is there to achieve her dream.

Clio is there to help save the only mother she has ever known.

The girls realize that they must trust no-one; let alone each other.

The plot for this book is very good and witty. I would recommend this for thirteen year old to fifteen year old girls. 

Thank you to the kind people at Pan Macmillan for our review copy.

RELEASE Date:       May 2013

MORE information:     CLICK HERE  

READ an extract:        CLICK HERE   

AUTHOR’s Website:   http://allisonrushby.com/

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Having failed at becoming a ballerina with pierced ears (her childhood dream), Allison Rushby instead began a writing career as a journalism student at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Within a few months she slunk sideways into studying Russian, began writing her first novel and, most importantly, joined the Chocolate Appreciation Society. Over the past ten years, she has published five books for young adult readers and five for adult readers in the women's fiction genre. She is originally from Brisbane, Australia, but spent 2011 and most of 2012 living in Cambridge, UK, where she mainly spent her days whingeing constantly about the weather.

 

Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike ★★★★

NOT JUST THE GOOD DIE YOUNG

Reviewed by Katelyn (aged 13) Meet Katelyn.

          Jeff doesn't get a very good first impression of his new posh school. This impression goes from bad to worse when the drop-dead gorgeous Kimberlee Shaffer, who literally dropped dead last year  in the hallway of a Santa Monica High School, starts to pay him attention. After all, as he is the only person who can see her, he's the perfect person to help her out, willingly or not.

    Unfortunately for Jeff, Kimberlee has some unfinished business. A lot of unfinished business. When Kimberlee was alive she was a kleptomaniac and she stole everything she could. Since she’s still on Earth she thinks by returning the things she stole she will be able to move on to wherever she is to go. So with Jeff helping her it should be easy.
       Rather than be stuck with Kimberlee until he graduates, Jeff reluctantly agrees to help her. Until he discovers it’s easier to steal something than to bring it back.

       This is a great book. I thought it was interesting and a bit weird, but in a good way. If it was me, I would have just dumped all the stuff at once and got the whole thing over and done with instead of returning the items one by one.     
         However, the story is about atonement and moving on with your life, or death, as Kimberlee finds out. The way Jeff and Kimberlee interact is fun, making this a great book for 12-16 year olds.

Thank you to the kind people at Harper Collins for our review copy.
RELEASE DATE: May 2013
For purchasing information on this book: CLICK HERE           

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Critically acclaimed, #1 New York Times best-selling author Aprilynne Pike has been spinning tales since she was a child with a hyper-active imagination. At the age of twenty she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found out running; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula (labour coach). Aprilynne lives in Arizona with her husband and four kids; she is enjoying the sunshine.

Visit Aprilynne's website here.

Epic (3D) ★★★½

Reviewed by Alex (Aged 12)  Meet Alex

Opens in Australia: July 4, 2013  USA:  24^th May, 2013  UK: 22^nd May 2013

Other Countries: Release Information

Epic begins with the character of Bomba, a determined professor, who studies a civilization of tiny people who he has never seen. Mary Katherine (MK) is his 17 year old daughter who one day is magically transported to this microscopic world where there is a battle going on between leaf men (good) and Boggans (evil).  

Queen Tara passes on an important mission to MK which involves bringing the “chosen pod” to Nim Galuu, a wise caterpillar who can read ancient scrolls that hold the key to MK’s quest.  

MK is joined by Nod, a rebellious teen, Ronin, a courageous and selfless leader of the leafmen warriors, and Mug and Grub, a slug and snail, who are guardians of the pods. Pods are important as they are needed to keep the forest alive.

Trouble comes when Mandrake, a fierce and mean leader of the Boggans, believes the forest belongs to the darkness. He has the power to destroy anything he touches. Only the power of the “chosen pod” can stop him which is why MK and her heroic team need to protect the pod.

The quality of the animation was impressive, especially in 3D, as it made it feel like you were in their world. The battle scenes are entertaining and action packed but some parts of the film were too slow. Bomba was my least favourite character as he annoyingly slowed the pace down with his absent mindedness.  

“Ugly says what?” “what?” “nothing...(Mug and Grub arguing). ” Mug and Grub were my favourite characters as they brought laughter to the movie. I also liked the character of Queen Tara as she had awesome powers which allowed her to control nature.

Epic holds within it a couple of messages – be respectful of the environment, and never stop believing in something just because you can’t see it.

The story-line was like the usual good versus evil scenario and I found it easy to follow. Epic has action, adventure, comedy, villains and heroes. Something for everyone.