Book review | Hand Of Chaos

Title: Hand of Chaos

Author: J. Hamlet

Genre: Fantasy/ action/ thriller

Pages: 311

Series: Stand alone

Publisher: Createspace

Rating: 4 stars


Exhausted, cynical, and confused, Anna is always there to report for duty. She's part of a clandestine government team that defends the nation against supernatural terrorism-which, in all honesty, is enough to drive anyone to drink. Toss in a fear of intimacy with a desire to have friends and lovers like a normal person and, well, Anna is a walking, talking contradiction, albeit one wrapped in a special agent with arcane, magical powers of her own. And at five-thirty in the morning with a zombie-infested apartment building in the heart of Washington, DC, you've got the makings of the worst morning...

I have to say that I don't think I have ever come across a book quite like this one. Not only was the plot and mixture of genres new and exciting, but the characters were very different to ones I have encountered before. This was really refreshing and made me enjoy the book very much indeed.

One of the things I loved about the book was how action-packed it was. The synopsis and front cover themselves promise excitement, action and fantasy. I have to say, the content delivered. Something was always happening, so there was no chance of getting bored and as the reader, I was constantly on edge, awaiting the next thing to happen.

The characters were great. I have never encountered a main character quite like Anna but I really enjoyed how independent and...well... badass she was! For so many female heroins, a man is essential in their day-to-day life and successes. This was certainly no the case here and I loved it! I also loved how some of the characters, although older, were equally as cool and inspiring as Anna was and I felt that each of them had a lesson we could all learn from.

The plot in the book was great, although I felt it could have been slightly more gripping. It all slid into place really nicely and I liked how some chapters jumped between characters. There also was a bit of romance which I found a slight yet pleasant interlude between the action and gore.

The aspects of fantasy in the book were obviously extremely well researched as there were fantastical beasts and objects which I had never stumbled across before, and exciting experience for an avid reader of fantasy! The information and knowledge given was astounding.

If I had to criticise the book I ave to say that I did struggle a bit when huge long words were used. I would often look the words up and because they were names of things dwelling in the realm of fantasy, they would have an unclear definition. Because of these daunting long words, I sometimes found my concentration ebbing and I think this is why I struggled to get entirely gripped. This may, however, just be because as a teenager, my vocabulary is more limited.

Overall, the book was a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and taking part in the book tour. I really loved the new ideas I found in this book and the unique concepts of new elements, divine beings and ultra - badass characters!

Happy reading!

Hebe x

Book Review | Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Title: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Author: Ransom Riggs

Genre: Supernatural Fantasy

Pages: 352 (hardback)

Series: I think the series of 2 is aiming to become a trilogy

Publisher: Quirk

Rating: 4.5 stars

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

I have always been told to never judge a book by this cover, but in this case...how can you not? Both the spine, front cover and synopsis give off an eerie and creepily intriguing vibe that I found very hard to ignore. A great front cover is always a bonus for me, when it comes to books and here I certainly wasn't disappointed!

The first thing I loved about the book itself had to be its uniqueness. Never before have I come across a book quite like this one. The concept of 'monsters' and 'magic' combined with the ideas of Time and Family really gave the book a new edge. It was refreshing to find something so different yet so hooking.

This leads me on to the next thing that I really liked: I was completely and utterly gripped. Not once did I want to put this book down and when I'd finished I craved more. I think that for me, this always shows the signs for a truly good book. Ransom Riggs did a spectacular job of keeping the book fast-paced and action packed, yet didn't speed it along so quickly that it was hard to follow!

The characters in the book were really something. They all had certain qualities about them, which one can relate to or look up to. I found I grew to love each one of them all for their different reasons. (Especially the main character Jacob, who is extremely likeable.)

Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children also wasn't predictable! This is a factor I would hope contributes to all good books, yet I have often found that I'm screaming at the characters (Sometimes not just in my head) what is obviously going to happen...then a few chapters late...HALLELUJAH, they Finally figured it out! Here that certainly wasn't the case, which was somewhat refreshing.

The writing style was pretty beautiful if I'm honest. Again, I felt it was rather unique, with plenty of description, yet enough to leave some party time for your imagination. Ransom Riggs somehow managed to bring me close to tears, reduce my nails to stumps and have my heart pounding in a few pages. This is something that many authors fail to do, but was achieved in this book.

I've heard of people having mixed emotions about the mix of photography and writing in this book, for me I loved it. It again made the book unique and I felt that the photographs really linked in well with the story and made the peculiar bits even more peculiar, which is hard to do...(things get very peculiar!)

The reason why I gave the book 4.5 stars was because I really liked it, however, it didn't get a full blown 5 star rating because for me, it wasn't OMG THAT WAS THE MOST AMAZING THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME!!!! (if you know what I'm saying). I also thought that We could have got to know a few of the characters a little more before the end of the book. I thought most of the characters were talked about in great depth, yet I feel that the book could have drawn a heck of a lot more emotion out of me if I had been given a little more of some characters that I could attach myself to.
The word that sums this book up is definitely unique. But I think one could probably settle for Peculiar or eerie. I highly recommend this book to YA readers and any fantasy lovers of any age...it was magnificent

Happy reading
Hebe x

Book Review | The Toothless Tooth fairy

Title: The Toothless Tooth fairy

Author: Shanelle Hicks

Genre: Children's 

Pages: 28

Series: stand alone

Publisher: Mirror Publishing

Rating: 3 stars


Bella had it all. The hair, the dress, and the smile. One day, her most important asset was missing...her tooth! Will Bella find the perfect tooth in time for the contest? Will Zelda, the meanest of the fairies, destroy Bella's chances of winning the crown? Take a journey onto Cloud Nine as Bella searches for a new tooth only to discover the tooth...I mean truth...behind her true beauty.

Writing this review is going to be a challenge for me because I think it is hard for a teenager to judge a book meant for younger children. However, i shall give it my best shot!

If I picture a younger of myself reading the book I can tell you that I (and pretty much any other girl below age 7 who loves fairies and girlyness) would really enjoy this book. 

I think what readers would like would be the cute illustrations and the characters themselves. You have your classic 'goodie' and 'baddy' (what more does a girl need!) The plot was pretty good, although I feel it could have had a bit more depth (but maybe that's just me being a teenager!) 

The moral of the story was good and I really liked how it taught you that it's not all about looks and being perfect but about how you treat other people and that kindness is often more treasured than beauty. 

I gave this book a 3 star rating because I liked it, yet I think there are quite a few books of similar story line and morals out there. 

I would definitely recommend this book to any girly girl under the age of 7. And I think it would especially benefit a child who is learning to read as it has nice illustrations to go with a small amount of text on each page so that the reader is not intimidated.

Happy reading

Hebe x

Book Review | Six Strings

Title: Six Strings 

Author: Jen Sanya Williamson

Genre: YA (aspects of fantasy)

Pages: 216

Series: Stand alone (as far as I can tell)

Publisher: Booktrope

Ratings: 4.5 stars


Riley Witt is running out of time.

Battling Alzheimer’s disease, Riley’s grandmother Mary suffers from memory loss, mood swings, and a tendency to wander off.

As senior year approaches, Riley has to face the reality that the one person she depends on most is slowly fading. Making matters worse, when Mary does remember the past, she tells tales of time travel and visions. As Mary’s version of the past gets more confused, Riley knows they are running out of time together.

But when Riley discovers a guitar belonging to a famous rock star at Mary’s house, the truth behind the crazy tales finally comes out.

SIX STRINGS tells the story of Riley’s journey back to 1973 where she enters a world of music, long-lost family, and first love. Her adventure is all about discovering her past, understanding her present, and figuring out how to step into her future.

I must say, when I was first offered to review this book I leapt at the opportunity. I had never heard of it, yet I was intrigued by the synopsis. I haven't really read a book quite like this one and I have to say it was not what I expected.

When I started the book I have to admit that I was in the midst of (as many avid readers will understand) a reading slump, so it took me longer than usual to get into the book, but I have to say, it certainly proved me wrong.

The first thing I truly loved about this book was the characters. I know I say this so often, but everybody loves a hero/heroin they can look up to and relate to. I am a strong believer that people decide their favourite characters based on people who simply remind them of themselves. As for the protagonist in Six Strings? Riley was so relatable in the way that she hated missing school, was the typical 'good girl' and constantly had to remind herself to 'be brave'. I loved her spirit and her viewpoint of the world. I not only love Riley but I adored all of the characters in their own ways. 

Jen Sanya Williamson deserved massive praise on her perfect balance when describing characters. We were given great factors of the characters but not lengthy detail so that our imaginations were left with no work.

Another thing I loved about the book was the fantasy aspect. The ideas, although breached before were different and unique, giving the book a refreshing and fun story to read. I loved the fast-pace of the book, giving you no time to get bored. 

The next thing I want to mention is the romance. I am a sucker for books with romance in and I find that the books I most enjoy have at least a small aspect of romance in this. Jen Sanya Williamson made a 'simple' romance into something quite beautiful and although it was a powerful thing, it didn't totally dominate the story and the fantasy and other threads to the story were not overpowered. 

The relationships between all of the characters were so accurate and amazingly portrayed. The hints of romantic chemistry, the hostility and unconditional love were measured out almost perfectly and I thought that the characters never overreacted or under reacted  which sometimes happens in a book where there are so many different relationships and such life-altering things threatening to jeopardise them.

The plot of the book got better and better and I really enjoyed how the story played out. my one criticism would be that at the beginning, I wasn't as hooked as I would have liked to have been. However, I finished the book hungry for more.

I have to say, I didn't realise how much I was enjoying the book until I realised I had been reading it for 2 hours straight and as I looked down and realised I had devoured 88% of the book I was utterly annoyed and frustrated as I simply didn't want my reading experience to draw to a close so soon. 

I'm not sure whether Six strings is going to have a sequel but I sincerely hope it does. I am intrigued and excited by Riley. Mary and their adventures. This book deserves hype and I would certainly recommend it to anyone.

Happy reading,
Hebe x