Latest books read
I've been on a mini-YA binge the last few weeks:
Polly and the Pirates, Volume 2: Mystery of the Dragonfish by Ted Naifeh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Another fun adventure for Miss Polly Pringle and her alter-ego Captain Peg, Pirate Queen.
Polly has to get the old crew together to rescue the Emperor of the Americas, stop a dastardly plot and come up with a really good excuse why she keeps going missing from her boarding school.
Doghead by Jill Marshall
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Jack thinks his life is hard enough when he's trying to fit in at the local comprehensive (when his parents want him to go to Eton) and his Great Granny Dazzle (who was also his best friends) dies. Things get a lot worse when he starts to get rather hairier than he should be and two strange children Ozzy'n'Ice, Ice'n'Ozzy turn up on his doorstep.
Jack's story interweaves with the strange events surrounding his Great Granddad's death in Egypt in the 1920's.
This is an enjoyable enough read, with some wonderfully surreal moments thanks to the appearance of several Egyptian Gods, but the initial posh kid versus local kids theme seemed a little tired.
Small Minded Giants by Oisin McGann
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The world has entered an ice age like never before, very little remains of the human race and those still alive live in domed cities. Teenage boxer Soloman Wheat knows something is wrong when his father disappears, leaving him a gun and a note to trust no-one. Meanwhile his friend Cleo is more bothered about where her next hit of stem is coming from and getting her band the end of year gig at school, than the mysterious accidents happening to the machine that sustains them all.
Both are plunged into the underworld of their restrictive environment, and have to face the dangerous Clockworkers to survive.
This is a fairly fast paced thriller with some pretty violent scenes, but enough characterisation to make you root for the unlikely teenage heroes.
I have a soft spot for post-apocalyptic domed cities and the setting of this one adds to the grim, gritty and tense atmosphere of the novel.
No Such Thing As Dragons by Philip Reeve
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The title and cover image give you a good clue as to what this book will be about, but that doesn't matter as it's all about the journey. Literally as it's a fairy tale quest book aimed at a younger audience.
Well written, with engaging characters, lots of action and a good sense of place.
View all my reviews
Polly and the Pirates, Volume 2: Mystery of the Dragonfish by Ted Naifeh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Another fun adventure for Miss Polly Pringle and her alter-ego Captain Peg, Pirate Queen.
Polly has to get the old crew together to rescue the Emperor of the Americas, stop a dastardly plot and come up with a really good excuse why she keeps going missing from her boarding school.
Doghead by Jill Marshall
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Jack thinks his life is hard enough when he's trying to fit in at the local comprehensive (when his parents want him to go to Eton) and his Great Granny Dazzle (who was also his best friends) dies. Things get a lot worse when he starts to get rather hairier than he should be and two strange children Ozzy'n'Ice, Ice'n'Ozzy turn up on his doorstep.
Jack's story interweaves with the strange events surrounding his Great Granddad's death in Egypt in the 1920's.
This is an enjoyable enough read, with some wonderfully surreal moments thanks to the appearance of several Egyptian Gods, but the initial posh kid versus local kids theme seemed a little tired.
Small Minded Giants by Oisin McGann
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The world has entered an ice age like never before, very little remains of the human race and those still alive live in domed cities. Teenage boxer Soloman Wheat knows something is wrong when his father disappears, leaving him a gun and a note to trust no-one. Meanwhile his friend Cleo is more bothered about where her next hit of stem is coming from and getting her band the end of year gig at school, than the mysterious accidents happening to the machine that sustains them all.
Both are plunged into the underworld of their restrictive environment, and have to face the dangerous Clockworkers to survive.
This is a fairly fast paced thriller with some pretty violent scenes, but enough characterisation to make you root for the unlikely teenage heroes.
I have a soft spot for post-apocalyptic domed cities and the setting of this one adds to the grim, gritty and tense atmosphere of the novel.
No Such Thing As Dragons by Philip Reeve
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The title and cover image give you a good clue as to what this book will be about, but that doesn't matter as it's all about the journey. Literally as it's a fairy tale quest book aimed at a younger audience.
Well written, with engaging characters, lots of action and a good sense of place.
View all my reviews