YOUNG ADULT REVIEWS: Charters, Sisters and Lost Worlds

BOOK BLURB: Midnight Charter

In the city of Agora, anything can be bought and sold. Even children are possessions until their twelfth birthday. Mark has been sold by his father, and Lily, an orphan from birth, has bartered for her life. Thrown together by chance, in the ancient tower of Count Stelli, they face an existence of poverty and servitude, unless they can find a way to break free. But, unbeknown to Mark and Lily, they are being watched by the ruler of the city. Can they survive the traps and treachery that await them and discover the dark secret that binds them together? Their lives depend on this question: what is the Midnight Charter?


REVIEW:

Whilst released as a YA novel this tale really will appeal to all fans of fantasy. The plotline is gripping and makes this offering pretty hard to put down and then when you add to the mix characters that grow, some carefully sculpted twists along with some sneaky manipulation of the emotional aspects, then you know that this is a must own novel. With scope for successive novels this is going to be one to make a note of now so you can say that you’ve already got it when the popularity (and it will come) hits the reading domains in general.



BOOK BLURB: Prophecy of Sisters

'Without the Keys, something terrible will happen. Something that cannot be undone. And with them, I might bring an end to the riddle of the Prophecy and my strange part in it. If Alice and I are on conflicting sides of the Prophecy, the Keys would be dangerous in her hands. Which means I have to find them. And I have to do it before my sister.' This is the story of sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe's quest to discover her role and her twin sister's in a powerful prophecy that has affected twin sisters for generations. But nothing can prepare her for what she discovers - about herself, about her family, and about the danger that goes from haunting her dreams to becoming her reality.


REVIEW:

A novel setting for a modern reader as a curse comes to twin sisters who will battle to gain the upper-hand against each other as they each ensure their own individual survival. What makes this first instalment of the trilogy so gripping is that its unpredictable, what you’d normally come to expect really does throw the curve ball as you’re never sure which way its going to go until the final page. With both characters growing with each passing page, I hope that they’ll continue to emotionally in future novels. Add to the blend a completely different writing style to the norm, the dark gothic nature of Shelley finished with a hint of historical fiction and a dash of the Supernatural.



BOOK BLURB: Lost Worlds

John Howe's debut as author and illustrator for children an amazing publishing first. Lost Worlds draws together John Howe's incredible artwork with a wealth of historical facts and mythological texts to create a visually stunning, classic title. This unique children's book is a first for John Howe. It is a project which fascinates him entirely, so much so that this is the first subject he has committed himself to write about.


REVIEW:

I’ve been a fan of John’s art for years now and as such he always manages to bring something new to whatever it is that’s being created. Time can be easily whiled away whilst you explore his pieces so its with a wonderful touch that he’s been unleashed on bringing the lost cities of the world to the fore to the next generation. The subject is fascinating, the wording simplistic to allow young readers to grasp the tale for each different section but binding it together is that wonderful artwork that really is a joy to behold. If you want something different for the younger reader interested in not only history but perhaps the chance to explore then this is definitely going to be a sure fire hit.