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Review: Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

By Jan

on November 16, 2018

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Author: Jessica Townsend;
Genre: YA Fantasy;
Format: Audiobook;
Narrator: Gemma Whelan;
Publisher: Hachette Audio;
Rating: (4 / 5).

This is a delightful fantasy of a misfit 11-year-old in an alternate England who has to prove herself.

Morrigan grows up being told she is unlucky and cursed, and believes it. Then a mysterious stranger saves her from a preordained death and takes her to Nevermoor, a fantastic place where she lives in an exotic hotel, populated by creatures like dwarf vampires, ghosts, and a giant, talking cat with an attitude (like any cat).

She loves it, but the catch is that she must compete to become a member of the Wundrous Society, the top-notch benevolent organization in Nevermoor. These “trials” are nerve-racking because she feels unprepared and untalented, but she makes a friend who helps. The message is to just be yourself and be good to others and you will succeed in life.

The writing was wonderful, with great characters, good descriptions, and very good pacing. But the audiobook version was absolutely fabulous; I highly recommend listening to this one if you are able. Narrator Gemma Whelan was outstanding; there are tons of accents, not all human, and she nailed them.

Fun for all ages, tween and over, but marketed to middle grades.

In categories Audiobooks, Book Review, Fantasy Tagged with middle grade, YA

Review: Touched By Fire

By Jan

on November 16, 2013

Touched By Fire by Irene N. Watts

Historical fiction
Published September, 2013 by Tundra Books
Hardcover, 206 pages

This is the story of a young woman named Miriam Markovitz, whose family lived in Russia in the early part of the last century. Wanting to escape the horrible conditions under which they lived and the persecutions of the Jews, they moved to Germany and then to America.

I enjoyed the story and especially the fact that it told the tale of so many immigrants. It didn’t go into any details of the pogroms or anti-Semitism in Europe, but there are plenty of other places to find that. What it did tell was about the waiting, working, and separation of families for years in order to live a better life elsewhere. That is the basis of so many of our lives now, and a large part of the history of our country.

The book is written for young people and the writing is simple and clear. I would have liked a little more depth from Miriam’s character, but otherwise the book includes interesting and authentic people.

Although the cover and the back blurb make it seem as if the story is based on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, that is only a single incident in this story and occurs at the end. The real story is the emigration of Miriam and her family, and specifically her adjustment to her new places and friends.

Recommended for fans of historical fiction, especial YA.

The publisher sent a free copy of this book for a fair review. I will now be passing it on to other readers through my book club.

In categories Book Review, Historical Novel Tagged with anti-Semitism, Goodreads, historical fiction, LibraryThing, Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, YA

Review: The Opal Deception

By Jan

on May 30, 2012

The Opal Deception (Artemis Fowl #4) by Eoin Colfer;

My rating: 3 of 5 stars;

Pixie Opal Koboi is a nasty bad guy in this fourth volume on the Artemis Fowl series. She’s out for revenge and will stop at nothing to get it. Everyone seems destined for trouble, as Holly Short (Fairy cop) is about to lose her career, Artemis has no memory of The People, and one of the main characters is not going to make it through this book alive.

Although this book also included action and surprises (some good, some bad), I thought it went way overboard with some aspects of the story. By the end, I had had enough of the chase scenes (not wanting to give away anything). I felt that Opal’s potential was wasted, too.

I love the humor in these books, which almost always comes from the interaction among the characters. These are really quirky individuals with specific traits and dispositions to go along with their…well, species.

I do wonder about the moral message of the books, and who the target audience is. There is a lot of murder, large-scale crime, and magic that supposedly can raise the dead. Although the stories imply that Artemis isn’t *all* bad, is this the example parents want for their middle-grade readers?

This ebook was provided free of charge for review by NetGalley

In categories Book Review, Fantasy Tagged with Goodreads, NetGalley, YA

Review: The Eternity Code

By Jan

on May 30, 2012

The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer;

My rating: 4 of 5 stars;

The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl #3)

Artemis Fowl is an Irish fourteen-year-old who also happens to be a genius and a criminal mastermind. When he was twelve years old, he discovered The People — the world of fairies, pixies, dwarves, and other magical creatures who live underground. He’s used that knowledge to help achieve his own objectives ever since. At the beginning of this book, Artemis is plotting one last, big job using fairy technology before attempting to go straight. Needless to say, things do go as planned.

The story, like the previous two books, is fast-paced and exciting, with lots of action, fighting and suspense. Butler, Artemis’s bodyguard, plays a large role in this story, and his younger sister Juliet, too. An exciting rescue operation in a super-secure building leads to a clever ending.

Continued in “The Opal Deception” (Artemis Fowl #4)

This ebook was provided free of charge for review by NetGalley

View all my reviews

In categories Book Review, Fantasy Tagged with Goodreads, NetGalley, YA