Samantha Cook's Blog, page 4
October 17, 2019
Book Review: Children of Blood and Bone
CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi
5 Stars
Verdict: So good it hurts.
The night magic died, Zélie watched her mother's murder as the Maji were slaughtered. Now Zélie has a chance to bring back magic. With the help of her brother and a rogue princess, she must outrun the crown prince and battle her self-doubts to restore magic to the world.
This West-African inspired fantasy is
5 Stars
Verdict: So good it hurts.
The night magic died, Zélie watched her mother's murder as the Maji were slaughtered. Now Zélie has a chance to bring back magic. With the help of her brother and a rogue princess, she must outrun the crown prince and battle her self-doubts to restore magic to the world.
This West-African inspired fantasy is
October 8, 2019
Book Review: The Darkest Minds
THE DARKEST MINDS by Alexandra Bracken
4 Stars
Verdict: A sluggish start but a spectacular ending.
We've heard it all before. Kids start developing powers at puberty and the government has locked them all up in 'rehabilitation' centres. Ruby, terrified of her powers, is just trying to survive when the resistance takes too much of an interest in how she could help them fight the government.
4 Stars
Verdict: A sluggish start but a spectacular ending.
We've heard it all before. Kids start developing powers at puberty and the government has locked them all up in 'rehabilitation' centres. Ruby, terrified of her powers, is just trying to survive when the resistance takes too much of an interest in how she could help them fight the government.
October 1, 2019
Book Review: Everything Everything
EVERYTHING EVERYTHING by Nicola Yoon
3 Stars
Verdict: Cute romance and creative storytelling.
Madeline has a rare immune system disease called SCID that basically means she's allergic to the world. She stays at home, inside, every single day. She’s home-schooled by her mother and doesn't know anyone her age, until Olly moves in across the road and sees her through her window.
This book
3 Stars
Verdict: Cute romance and creative storytelling.
Madeline has a rare immune system disease called SCID that basically means she's allergic to the world. She stays at home, inside, every single day. She’s home-schooled by her mother and doesn't know anyone her age, until Olly moves in across the road and sees her through her window.
This book
September 24, 2019
Book Review: Cinder
CINDER by Marissa Meyer
4 Stars
Verdict: A quick and quirky retelling.
Ever thought to yourself, what if Cinderella was a cyborg in futuristic Beijing at the brink of war against the moon? Probably not, and no one else has either because this book is an undeniably original retelling with lots of quirks. While it might not explore its concepts in much depth, it’s a lighthearted read with a
4 Stars
Verdict: A quick and quirky retelling.
Ever thought to yourself, what if Cinderella was a cyborg in futuristic Beijing at the brink of war against the moon? Probably not, and no one else has either because this book is an undeniably original retelling with lots of quirks. While it might not explore its concepts in much depth, it’s a lighthearted read with a
September 17, 2019
Book Review: Outrun The Moon
OUTRUN THE MOON by Stacy Lee
3 Stars
Verdict: Historically rich, plot thin.
Mercy is a fifteen-year-old girl with 'bossy cheeks' and a nose for business, and it’s her smarts and strong will that help her set up a meeting to possibly join St Clare’s School for Girls. Growing up in San Francisco Chinatown, 1906, there’s not many opportunities for a girl of her race, but Mercy hopes to wrangle a
3 Stars
Verdict: Historically rich, plot thin.
Mercy is a fifteen-year-old girl with 'bossy cheeks' and a nose for business, and it’s her smarts and strong will that help her set up a meeting to possibly join St Clare’s School for Girls. Growing up in San Francisco Chinatown, 1906, there’s not many opportunities for a girl of her race, but Mercy hopes to wrangle a
September 10, 2019
Book Review: The Girl with Ghost Eyes
THE GIRL WITH GHOST EYES by M.H. Boroson
3 Stars
Verdict: Asian folklore, fierce battles, but something missing...
Li-lin is a widow and the daughter of a renowned Daoshi exorcist in San Francisco, Chinatown, 1898. Her gift of seeing the spirits bring shame to her father, and dooms her to a short, pained life. When her father is injured by a sorcerer, Lin-lin must stop an ancient evil from
3 Stars
Verdict: Asian folklore, fierce battles, but something missing...
Li-lin is a widow and the daughter of a renowned Daoshi exorcist in San Francisco, Chinatown, 1898. Her gift of seeing the spirits bring shame to her father, and dooms her to a short, pained life. When her father is injured by a sorcerer, Lin-lin must stop an ancient evil from
September 3, 2019
Book Review: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns
FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS by Julie Dao
5 Stars
Verdict: Rich, gradual, and gory.
Xiefeng is destined to be Empress of Feng Lu, but only if she lets the darkness guide her...
I’ll admit, I can only read one high fantasy story a year and it has to really stand out. In this case, the East-Asia mythology aspect of this one drew me in within an instant. The darkness of the story, the
5 Stars
Verdict: Rich, gradual, and gory.
Xiefeng is destined to be Empress of Feng Lu, but only if she lets the darkness guide her...
I’ll admit, I can only read one high fantasy story a year and it has to really stand out. In this case, the East-Asia mythology aspect of this one drew me in within an instant. The darkness of the story, the
February 12, 2019
Book Review: 5 Feet Apart
FIVE FEET APART by Rachael Lippincott et al.
2 Stars
Verdict: Too predictable.
Stella and Will have CF. They should always stay at least six feet apart. (Light spoiler which is given away in the title too: they don't.)
That's pretty much the entire book. The voices are strong and the references are modern which helps it feel slightly 'fresher' than those who have trod around the sick kids
2 Stars
Verdict: Too predictable.
Stella and Will have CF. They should always stay at least six feet apart. (Light spoiler which is given away in the title too: they don't.)
That's pretty much the entire book. The voices are strong and the references are modern which helps it feel slightly 'fresher' than those who have trod around the sick kids
February 5, 2019
Book Review: Girls of Paper and Fire
GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE #1 by Natasha Ngan
4 Stars
Verdict: A beautiful and difficult tale.
With a book like this, I think it’s important to point out that it’s not for everyone. It explores the theme of sexual abuse in a way that’s unavoidable, unskippable. The scenes aren’t graphic, but the emotion is, or at least it felt like that to me. Please bare that in mind before reading.
Lei is
4 Stars
Verdict: A beautiful and difficult tale.
With a book like this, I think it’s important to point out that it’s not for everyone. It explores the theme of sexual abuse in a way that’s unavoidable, unskippable. The scenes aren’t graphic, but the emotion is, or at least it felt like that to me. Please bare that in mind before reading.
Lei is
June 28, 2018
Book Review: One of us is Lying
ONE OF US IS LYING by Karen M. McManus
5 Stars
Verdict: Addictive.
Five students go into detention, and only four come out alive. The police and media are circling in on the four remaining students from that fateful detention, all of them liars in one form or another. But who is the killer?
I read this book like I eat chocolate - page after page consumed without ever wanting to stop. It's
5 Stars
Verdict: Addictive.
Five students go into detention, and only four come out alive. The police and media are circling in on the four remaining students from that fateful detention, all of them liars in one form or another. But who is the killer?
I read this book like I eat chocolate - page after page consumed without ever wanting to stop. It's
