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Crystal Shadows, Gripping New Blood
Sarah Field lives alone with her dad, a teacher at her school. The two of them share a close bond and, unusually, both have the same birthday, which they also share with Sarah's grandfather, who died when Sarah was small. Sarah knows very little about her grandfather, and her dad insists on keeping it that way.
However, one night, Sarah finds her dad acting in a mysterious way and also hears strange noises after her dad has gone out. Sarah's friends come to the rescue to help her investigate, and they make a shocking discovery. Someone is living in the attic! And that someone is none other than Sarah's grandfather! But, this is no ordinary grandfather...
With the discovery of her grandfather comes the question as to whether Sarah has the power to give life to the amulet - the Telum Deos - that will help to fight the forces of darkness.
However, one night, Sarah finds her dad acting in a mysterious way and also hears strange noises after her dad has gone out. Sarah's friends come to the rescue to help her investigate, and they make a shocking discovery. Someone is living in the attic! And that someone is none other than Sarah's grandfather! But, this is no ordinary grandfather...
With the discovery of her grandfather comes the question as to whether Sarah has the power to give life to the amulet - the Telum Deos - that will help to fight the forces of darkness.
155 pages, Paperback
Published May 28, 2020
6 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Parker
3 books8 followersRJ Parker was born in Bountiful, Utah. As his father was safety manager he had to move around until his senior year of high school when he came to Cache Valley, Utah to stay. He married the most wonderful woman in the world, and they are the parents of four fantastic kids, with one crazy dog.
Russell played all kinds of sports and was an outdoorsman until an accident brought him to writing. A writer since high school, encouragement brought his stories to life.
Russell played all kinds of sports and was an outdoorsman until an accident brought him to writing. A writer since high school, encouragement brought his stories to life.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 8, 2020
Check out the review on my blog:https://sophsbookworld.wordpress.com/...
Rating: 2.75 / 5
When the author contacted me about reviewing this book I was quite excited. I don’t know why but the concept of this reminded me a bit of the Goonies. This is a middle grade fantasy/adventure and although it was pretty interesting, unfortunately I did have some problems with it. Sarah is a young girl who lives with her father and when she has to do a project for school about her family roots, she realizes she doesn’t know anything about her grandfather. And her dad doesn’t help at all because he doesn’t want to tell her a thing about him.
But when her dad starts acting weird and mysterious she finds out about a peculiar and quite dark family secret – her grandpa is actually living in the attic! And oh, her grandpa hunted vampires (and their lord Dracula), and now the dark forces are after them.
Sarah has a large group of friends and all of them are willing to help her save the world.
The thing I liked about this is family relationships. I loved Sarah’s grandpa and I though he was very funny and quirky. Also, I approve of Sarah’s father keeping the family secret from his daughter because (like most parents), all he wants to do is protect his child.
The friend group is… interesting to say the least. It’s very chaotic and there are many characters which swirl up together and I couldn’t really separate one from another. They are like most teens only that these ones fight evil. What I didn’t like was that the conversations were all over the place and there were more of ones that I din’t care about (about trivial stuff and weird unfunny jokes) than the ones that have to deal with the plot.
Towards the end many things happened but I couldn’t really keep track of everything. I had to re-read the last few chapters because I was very confused.
The thing is, I wish this book was a bit more adventure and a bit less fantasy. And, if there were a bit less characters introduced, I would’ve had an easier time following the plot. Also, the humor should’ve been less cringy (maybe with a bit less awkward teenage jokes). Maybe I didn’t find it that well made because it is intended for teens and children and maybe they would enjoy it a bit more. I might just be too old for this.
Rating: 2.75 / 5
When the author contacted me about reviewing this book I was quite excited. I don’t know why but the concept of this reminded me a bit of the Goonies. This is a middle grade fantasy/adventure and although it was pretty interesting, unfortunately I did have some problems with it. Sarah is a young girl who lives with her father and when she has to do a project for school about her family roots, she realizes she doesn’t know anything about her grandfather. And her dad doesn’t help at all because he doesn’t want to tell her a thing about him.
But when her dad starts acting weird and mysterious she finds out about a peculiar and quite dark family secret – her grandpa is actually living in the attic! And oh, her grandpa hunted vampires (and their lord Dracula), and now the dark forces are after them.
Sarah has a large group of friends and all of them are willing to help her save the world.
The thing I liked about this is family relationships. I loved Sarah’s grandpa and I though he was very funny and quirky. Also, I approve of Sarah’s father keeping the family secret from his daughter because (like most parents), all he wants to do is protect his child.
The friend group is… interesting to say the least. It’s very chaotic and there are many characters which swirl up together and I couldn’t really separate one from another. They are like most teens only that these ones fight evil. What I didn’t like was that the conversations were all over the place and there were more of ones that I din’t care about (about trivial stuff and weird unfunny jokes) than the ones that have to deal with the plot.
Towards the end many things happened but I couldn’t really keep track of everything. I had to re-read the last few chapters because I was very confused.
The thing is, I wish this book was a bit more adventure and a bit less fantasy. And, if there were a bit less characters introduced, I would’ve had an easier time following the plot. Also, the humor should’ve been less cringy (maybe with a bit less awkward teenage jokes). Maybe I didn’t find it that well made because it is intended for teens and children and maybe they would enjoy it a bit more. I might just be too old for this.
November 22, 2020
Blog Review
I recieved a review copy with the sweetest note from the author for an honest review. Crystal shadow, gripping new blood is a fun and chaotic read. Sarah Fields and her father are quite the pair, the story starts of with them getting ready for school. I liked the relationship between them at the start but it soon felt a bit abusive towards the end. The charecters were quite interesting to explore. Sarah's friends, Shaw, Racheal and Jack was your typical teen group. Their support and care for each other was really endearing. Shaw was the nerd of the group who often rambles about almost everything and bit dramatic as well as annoying😂.
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I recieved a review copy with the sweetest note from the author for an honest review. Crystal shadow, gripping new blood is a fun and chaotic read. Sarah Fields and her father are quite the pair, the story starts of with them getting ready for school. I liked the relationship between them at the start but it soon felt a bit abusive towards the end. The charecters were quite interesting to explore. Sarah's friends, Shaw, Racheal and Jack was your typical teen group. Their support and care for each other was really endearing. Shaw was the nerd of the group who often rambles about almost everything and bit dramatic as well as annoying😂.
"Meet me at Sarah's in twenty, I will call you and walk you through the escape plan. Then I have to breathe in some of my Sulfur Hexafluoride to make my voice deeper before I call your mom."I found the book chaotic from the very start which may be suitable for young readers. Their sense of humor and dialogues needs much improvement as some were really unnecessary. Out of all the charecter, I loved Sarah's grandfather. He was the star of the show. This novel seemed like a prequel novella to the actual series to me. There was not much action but it was a fun read with a promising plot. The pace was good with an awesome storyline but I was not a fan of the way it was written. It was also hard for me to take anything serious or relate to the charecters in question during certain chapters. Maybe I've outgrown this, but I could tell that this would an apt read for teenagers.
"And if there is a sudden drop in the air pressure due to screams of the children the monsters eat, a club will dispense from the ceiling. Please take it with both hands and defend yourself from the thing with eight eyes."[Shaw is at it again😂] With that said, the uniqueness of the amulet "Telum Deos" was engrossing. I would rate this a 2 star for the plot and the intruiging ending. I might continue with this series nonetheless as it was entertaining.
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November 15, 2020
Thank you to the author for providing an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Sarah Field lives with her dad, who is a History teacher at her school. They share a close bond with each other as well as sharing a birthday. Sarah's grandfather, who was believed to have died when Sarah was a child, also has the same birthday. Sarah's grandfather is a mystery to her as her father refuses to talk about him.
One night, Sarah see's her father acting strangely. After he leaves the house, Sarah hears unusual noises coming from the attic. When Sarah's friends come to help her, they make a shocking discovery. Sarah's grandfather is living in the attic! But, he is unlike any other grandfather...
As she uncovers her family secrets Sarah must find out whether or not she has the power to give life to the Telum Deos - an amulet that was created to fight the forces of darkness.
What I liked about this book
The relationship between Sarah and her dad was nice - even when they are arguing you can still tell that they are close.
I liked the use of flashbacks to Sarah's grandfather's past as a way to show Sarah the truth. This added an extra layer to the story.
I enjoyed the concept of the story.
Some of the scenes were quite funny and entertaining.
What I didn't like about this book
There isn't a lot of action happening until really late on in the story. I feel that due to the length of the book a faster pace would be better.
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and can't wait to see what comes next. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes vampire books.
3.5 stars
✮✮✮✫
Find this review and others on my blog
Sarah Field lives with her dad, who is a History teacher at her school. They share a close bond with each other as well as sharing a birthday. Sarah's grandfather, who was believed to have died when Sarah was a child, also has the same birthday. Sarah's grandfather is a mystery to her as her father refuses to talk about him.
One night, Sarah see's her father acting strangely. After he leaves the house, Sarah hears unusual noises coming from the attic. When Sarah's friends come to help her, they make a shocking discovery. Sarah's grandfather is living in the attic! But, he is unlike any other grandfather...
As she uncovers her family secrets Sarah must find out whether or not she has the power to give life to the Telum Deos - an amulet that was created to fight the forces of darkness.
What I liked about this book
The relationship between Sarah and her dad was nice - even when they are arguing you can still tell that they are close.
I liked the use of flashbacks to Sarah's grandfather's past as a way to show Sarah the truth. This added an extra layer to the story.
I enjoyed the concept of the story.
Some of the scenes were quite funny and entertaining.
What I didn't like about this book
There isn't a lot of action happening until really late on in the story. I feel that due to the length of the book a faster pace would be better.
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and can't wait to see what comes next. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes vampire books.
3.5 stars
✮✮✮✫
Find this review and others on my blog
December 31, 2020
A cute plot and this book reminded me of the Netflix series, Stranger Things for some reason. The book Gripping New Blood is the first of the Crystal Shadows series so you must expect the unexpected ending. The storyline is simple. Four friends are each entrusted with a part of a magical crystal, the Telum Deos. Together, they are supposed to defend and save the world from Dracula and his minions.
While it is an entertaining book, I found it to be choppy at times. It didn’t quite flow as I would want, but for a middle grade book, this would probably be acceptable. The characters, Sarah, Racheal, Shaw, and Jack are entertaining. I’m sure those middle grade readers will connect with their vernacular.
Overall, the book is well executed for it’s intended audience. I have rated it three stars. I liked it.
I received a digital copy of the book from the author, R. J. Parker. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
While it is an entertaining book, I found it to be choppy at times. It didn’t quite flow as I would want, but for a middle grade book, this would probably be acceptable. The characters, Sarah, Racheal, Shaw, and Jack are entertaining. I’m sure those middle grade readers will connect with their vernacular.
Overall, the book is well executed for it’s intended audience. I have rated it three stars. I liked it.
I received a digital copy of the book from the author, R. J. Parker. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
January 10, 2021
Originally published on nightingfae's blog
2.5 stars
Welcome to a world where Dracula is real, all the magical and terrifying creatures one can imagine are under his mental control, and four fifteen-year-old students have to save the world from all the creatures of the night with a broken magic amulet. The question is, will they make it? Spoiler: we don't know.
I'm not sure about it, but I hope this book is the beginning of a series, since if it's a standalone it misses at least half the book. Even so, the story has a lot of potential and the writing style is simple as well as descriptive, and altogether captivating, perfect for children.
One of the things I liked about this book is that it's full of geek references, from The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (Twilight #3.5) itself to Star Wars and Marvel. So from all these references I can guess that Russell Parker is a bit of a geek, which is great for a geek like me, I had so much fun finding these hidden gems in the book.
I have to say that I personally wouldn't be interested in a sequel of this book in particular, because it's a middle grade and I'm not a huge fan of these kind of books, but I surely will read another book I have by R J Parker that's not addressed to middle graders and I'll let you know what I think about it. But of course you should pick Crystal Shadows up if you enjoy reading stories for children or are looking for a quite spooky story to give to your children, that at the same time will introduce them to the world of vampires and Dracula.
Thanks to R J Parker for sending me an ARC of his book in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 stars
"You will never know what you have till it is taken away."
Welcome to a world where Dracula is real, all the magical and terrifying creatures one can imagine are under his mental control, and four fifteen-year-old students have to save the world from all the creatures of the night with a broken magic amulet. The question is, will they make it? Spoiler: we don't know.
I'm not sure about it, but I hope this book is the beginning of a series, since if it's a standalone it misses at least half the book. Even so, the story has a lot of potential and the writing style is simple as well as descriptive, and altogether captivating, perfect for children.
One of the things I liked about this book is that it's full of geek references, from The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (Twilight #3.5) itself to Star Wars and Marvel. So from all these references I can guess that Russell Parker is a bit of a geek, which is great for a geek like me, I had so much fun finding these hidden gems in the book.
I have to say that I personally wouldn't be interested in a sequel of this book in particular, because it's a middle grade and I'm not a huge fan of these kind of books, but I surely will read another book I have by R J Parker that's not addressed to middle graders and I'll let you know what I think about it. But of course you should pick Crystal Shadows up if you enjoy reading stories for children or are looking for a quite spooky story to give to your children, that at the same time will introduce them to the world of vampires and Dracula.
Thanks to R J Parker for sending me an ARC of his book in exchange for an honest review.
September 24, 2020
When I picked up this book, I was a little dubious. The length of the book confused me, making me think that this would be left with two options: a book that had too little detail, or a book that left with weird cliffhangers in place. I was wrong. The length of this was perfect, as it’s short and punchy style let me get lost in the story of Sarah and Jack and Shaw and the rest of the crew scouring the attic and finding the amulet. Everything that came after also kept me hooked, and when I finished I was not surprised to find that I had consumed the book in only a couple of hours.
I would say that this is a perfect book for a middle grade reader to try to get them hooked on the world of YA – it’s simple narration, while it could’ve been a little fleshed out, was good as it didn’t take away from the plot or characters of the book. The adventure was hooking and I didn’t want to put it down, so I didn’t.
I also loved how the plot progressed, and the way the dark threat of the amulet wasn’t pursued in a way that it let down the rest of the book, or completely changed the genre or age target was definitely a skill to be praised – it’s something I have seen far too many times.
I would say that this is a perfect book for a middle grade reader to try to get them hooked on the world of YA – it’s simple narration, while it could’ve been a little fleshed out, was good as it didn’t take away from the plot or characters of the book. The adventure was hooking and I didn’t want to put it down, so I didn’t.
I also loved how the plot progressed, and the way the dark threat of the amulet wasn’t pursued in a way that it let down the rest of the book, or completely changed the genre or age target was definitely a skill to be praised – it’s something I have seen far too many times.
November 16, 2020
I received a free ARC copy of this book for a free unbiased review.
Weird book. Not like Mystery of Five Finger Island weird, more like Skeleton Creek vibes. I felt like I had read bit and pieces of the book before, but it felt original. I think, it is just a very confusing book. I would love to thank R.J. Parker found sending me this book.
3.3/ five stars
Character Development: 3 stars
Story Line: 3.5 Stars.
Readability: 5 stars.
Writing style: 2 stars.
My enjoyment: 3 stars.
Average Star Score: 3.3 stars.
Things I Liked
-VAMPIRES
-The family relationship is just wholesome.
- Did I mention vampires
- The promise of adventure
Things I Did Not Like
-The writing felt more like a child/ teens writing.
- The story line was sorta confusing.
- A bit short
- Nothing really happened. Like it took until the last 8 pages to have anything happen.
I really hope there is a sequel and I hope even more that I will be asked to review the rest of the series if there is one. I did like it and just wish there was a bit more.
Weird book. Not like Mystery of Five Finger Island weird, more like Skeleton Creek vibes. I felt like I had read bit and pieces of the book before, but it felt original. I think, it is just a very confusing book. I would love to thank R.J. Parker found sending me this book.
3.3/ five stars
Character Development: 3 stars
Story Line: 3.5 Stars.
Readability: 5 stars.
Writing style: 2 stars.
My enjoyment: 3 stars.
Average Star Score: 3.3 stars.
Things I Liked
-VAMPIRES
-The family relationship is just wholesome.
- Did I mention vampires
- The promise of adventure
Things I Did Not Like
-The writing felt more like a child/ teens writing.
- The story line was sorta confusing.
- A bit short
- Nothing really happened. Like it took until the last 8 pages to have anything happen.
I really hope there is a sequel and I hope even more that I will be asked to review the rest of the series if there is one. I did like it and just wish there was a bit more.
November 25, 2020
I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Oh boy...
This book seemed so promising and failed to deliver. This is a middle-grade fantasy/adventure book. I have to admit I was excited about the premise when I read it, but I was shocked at the number of pages the book actually had when I got it. I began to feel concerned about world-building, character development, you know the normal things. I'm not going to lie and say there weren't good ideas in this, or that the outline was bad because that is untrue. But I feel this needed more work in order to be a great book.
I was not a big fan of the daughter-father relationship, which is sad because I value good relationships in books, especially with parents. Although I sometimes liked our main character I didn't get enough of her to make a full opinion on her or any other character.
I'm unsure if there will be a sequel to this book, but if there is I'm hardly thinking of picking it up, as this one was truly disappointing.
Oh boy...
This book seemed so promising and failed to deliver. This is a middle-grade fantasy/adventure book. I have to admit I was excited about the premise when I read it, but I was shocked at the number of pages the book actually had when I got it. I began to feel concerned about world-building, character development, you know the normal things. I'm not going to lie and say there weren't good ideas in this, or that the outline was bad because that is untrue. But I feel this needed more work in order to be a great book.
I was not a big fan of the daughter-father relationship, which is sad because I value good relationships in books, especially with parents. Although I sometimes liked our main character I didn't get enough of her to make a full opinion on her or any other character.
I'm unsure if there will be a sequel to this book, but if there is I'm hardly thinking of picking it up, as this one was truly disappointing.
November 23, 2020
Thank you to The Author For gifting me with a free copy of this book.
When I was younger I was a big fan of The Goonies, and this book has that vibe. A group of Quirky friends Off to save The world... However, It lacked some action, there's not much of It until The end. The plot was nicely set up, and I Love The family dynamic between Sarah, her father and grandfather... You can Feel How much they care For each other.
This book is a very good start For a series, I'm curious to see what happens next and I throughly recommend it For younger readers.. It a fun ride For those Who enjoy fantasy and vampires.
When I was younger I was a big fan of The Goonies, and this book has that vibe. A group of Quirky friends Off to save The world... However, It lacked some action, there's not much of It until The end. The plot was nicely set up, and I Love The family dynamic between Sarah, her father and grandfather... You can Feel How much they care For each other.
This book is a very good start For a series, I'm curious to see what happens next and I throughly recommend it For younger readers.. It a fun ride For those Who enjoy fantasy and vampires.
January 14, 2021
This was a nice, entertaining read about a world where Dracula exists and evil is always there to be fought against. The plot is uncomplicated, making it a good novel for middle grade young readers.
Thank you to the author for requesting my honest review.
Full review on my blog here:
http://bookshelfadventures.home.blog/...
Thank you to the author for requesting my honest review.
Full review on my blog here:
http://bookshelfadventures.home.blog/...
July 3, 2020
About the Book:
Crystal Shadows: Gripping New Blood by R. J. Parker is a middle grade fantasy story. Sarah Field lives alone with her father, until she and her friends make a shocking discovery in Sarah's attic -- her grandfather, whom she thought was dead! He reveals an amulet -- the Tellum Deos. He wants to know if Sarah can give it life so that they can use it to fight the powers of darkness.
My Review:
R. J. Parker did an excellent job creating interesting middle grade characters. Sarah and her friends are fun to read about, even though sometimes the things they say are quite random and don't seem to fit what is going on in the story. Their curiosity helps them to discover Sarah's grandfather, but also gets them into some interesting predicaments. The four friends have a close relationship.
Sarah also has a close relationship with her father, until she and her friends discover her grandfather. This causes her father to come a bit unhinged and creates stress, tension, and conflict between Sarah and her father.
The characters and the story line kept me turning pages. I kept waiting to see what the powers of darkness were going to unleash and what Sarah and her friends might have to fight against.
There were some disappointing things in the book: first, R. J. Parker used a lot of pronouns, especially when characters spoke, and sometimes the pronouns were mixed up or it was confusing as to which character the pronoun was being used for; second, the powers of darkness only unleashed one problem near the end of the book, but Sarah and her friends never used the Tellum Deos against it and the ending didn't feel complete and didn't offer a resolution to any part of the story. Therefore, it seems like this may be the first book of a series, though that isn't mentioned anywhere; and finally, there are one or two characters introduced as "Sarah's friends" at the end of the book that were never part of the story up until that point.
Despite these disappointments, I must say that I enjoyed the story and it kept me turning pages. I finished this book in just four days. The characters are definitely what kept me turning pages, even though the story line was also intriguing. I don't think most adults would enjoy this story, but I would highly recommend it for middle grade children and even some YA. I hope that R. J. Parker does write, at least, a sequel to this book. I would like to read more about Sarah and her friends and actually see them use the Tellum Deos against the powers of darkness.
It was a difficult decision for me to come to a star rating for this book. But, based on how well it kept my attention, how quickly I read through it, and how much I liked the characters, I have decided to give it four stars.
I received a free e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Crystal Shadows: Gripping New Blood by R. J. Parker is a middle grade fantasy story. Sarah Field lives alone with her father, until she and her friends make a shocking discovery in Sarah's attic -- her grandfather, whom she thought was dead! He reveals an amulet -- the Tellum Deos. He wants to know if Sarah can give it life so that they can use it to fight the powers of darkness.
My Review:
R. J. Parker did an excellent job creating interesting middle grade characters. Sarah and her friends are fun to read about, even though sometimes the things they say are quite random and don't seem to fit what is going on in the story. Their curiosity helps them to discover Sarah's grandfather, but also gets them into some interesting predicaments. The four friends have a close relationship.
Sarah also has a close relationship with her father, until she and her friends discover her grandfather. This causes her father to come a bit unhinged and creates stress, tension, and conflict between Sarah and her father.
The characters and the story line kept me turning pages. I kept waiting to see what the powers of darkness were going to unleash and what Sarah and her friends might have to fight against.
There were some disappointing things in the book: first, R. J. Parker used a lot of pronouns, especially when characters spoke, and sometimes the pronouns were mixed up or it was confusing as to which character the pronoun was being used for; second, the powers of darkness only unleashed one problem near the end of the book, but Sarah and her friends never used the Tellum Deos against it and the ending didn't feel complete and didn't offer a resolution to any part of the story. Therefore, it seems like this may be the first book of a series, though that isn't mentioned anywhere; and finally, there are one or two characters introduced as "Sarah's friends" at the end of the book that were never part of the story up until that point.
Despite these disappointments, I must say that I enjoyed the story and it kept me turning pages. I finished this book in just four days. The characters are definitely what kept me turning pages, even though the story line was also intriguing. I don't think most adults would enjoy this story, but I would highly recommend it for middle grade children and even some YA. I hope that R. J. Parker does write, at least, a sequel to this book. I would like to read more about Sarah and her friends and actually see them use the Tellum Deos against the powers of darkness.
It was a difficult decision for me to come to a star rating for this book. But, based on how well it kept my attention, how quickly I read through it, and how much I liked the characters, I have decided to give it four stars.
I received a free e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 22, 2020
**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
I really wanted to like this book, and I guess there were parts that I did like, so I will start there. The book started out really strong, and I think the outline of the book was great. I think there were good ideas. However, I also feel like there needed to be a major amount of editing done to turn this into a great book.
Sarah is our main character, and I really liked her. Until, she has to carry a conversation with the "cute" boy in her school. As soon as she has to talk she turns into a bumbling idiot. If we are going to have a heroine that is strong enough to defeat darkness and slay vampires, she can carry a simple conversation, form a coherent thought, and she can be confident. It is unacceptable to be portraying young girls in this light while also trying to profit off of a strong female lead.
The relationship between Sarah and her dad started out great, which I always love to see. Unfortunately, their relationship had a lot of toxic qualities to it as the book went on. I think the dad was not mature enough to handle a relationship with a teenage daughter, and we saw him lose his temper multiple times even when Sarah wasn't necessarily the reason he was upset. The dad is a teacher at Sarah's school, and should be way more versed in handling a relationship with a teenager than what we saw. The relationships between Sarah, Racheal, Shaw and Jack were sweet. They seemed like really supportive and caring friends. I would have liked to see more of them, as their involvement in the book seemed choppy and rushed. There were other side characters that seemed to have no purpose.
There were two specific sections of dialogue that made no sense and felt really choppy. I also think at times the author tried too hard to be funny, when this isn't exactly a comedy. However, there were a lot of pop culture references that I really liked!
The final thing that was upsetting when reading this book is that there was a rather fatphobic view towards Eric. Constantly instead of using his name, they referred to him by description of his weight. When writing for a target audience that is at a really impressionable age, having a fatphobic tone to a book can be detrimental.
The little twist at the end was a nice surprise, as nothing else really happened throughout the book. However, it did leave us with a cliffhanger for a hopefully more action packed sequel.
I really wanted to like this book, and I guess there were parts that I did like, so I will start there. The book started out really strong, and I think the outline of the book was great. I think there were good ideas. However, I also feel like there needed to be a major amount of editing done to turn this into a great book.
Sarah is our main character, and I really liked her. Until, she has to carry a conversation with the "cute" boy in her school. As soon as she has to talk she turns into a bumbling idiot. If we are going to have a heroine that is strong enough to defeat darkness and slay vampires, she can carry a simple conversation, form a coherent thought, and she can be confident. It is unacceptable to be portraying young girls in this light while also trying to profit off of a strong female lead.
The relationship between Sarah and her dad started out great, which I always love to see. Unfortunately, their relationship had a lot of toxic qualities to it as the book went on. I think the dad was not mature enough to handle a relationship with a teenage daughter, and we saw him lose his temper multiple times even when Sarah wasn't necessarily the reason he was upset. The dad is a teacher at Sarah's school, and should be way more versed in handling a relationship with a teenager than what we saw. The relationships between Sarah, Racheal, Shaw and Jack were sweet. They seemed like really supportive and caring friends. I would have liked to see more of them, as their involvement in the book seemed choppy and rushed. There were other side characters that seemed to have no purpose.
There were two specific sections of dialogue that made no sense and felt really choppy. I also think at times the author tried too hard to be funny, when this isn't exactly a comedy. However, there were a lot of pop culture references that I really liked!
The final thing that was upsetting when reading this book is that there was a rather fatphobic view towards Eric. Constantly instead of using his name, they referred to him by description of his weight. When writing for a target audience that is at a really impressionable age, having a fatphobic tone to a book can be detrimental.
The little twist at the end was a nice surprise, as nothing else really happened throughout the book. However, it did leave us with a cliffhanger for a hopefully more action packed sequel.
June 28, 2020
My Rating : 3🌟
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Kindle/ Review Copy/ June2020
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Thank you so much to the author R.J.Parker for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in anyway.
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This book follows our main character Sarah and her family while they try to navigate a long held secret and how it comes back to affect Sarah's life.
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First, I've never read a book with a teen, her dad and her granddad trying to navigate life with dad jokes and it was pretty funny to read about!! I love that the dad has no idea what she wants or what he wants half the time and I was cracking up with the grandfather's dialogues. The way Sarah finds out about her granddad was dramatic, but then hw made the story livelier and I ended up liking his character.
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Second, the friendship group this book has is chaotic, stange, energetic and totally weird in a very good way! Especially when they all have group chats, it is chaotic there. I don't even want to start with the strange conversations they have or the way they react to bad situations. It shouldn't have made me laugh when characters made stupid mistakes, but I did anyways. I lived this weird bunch of friends and I can't wait for more.
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Now coming to the storyline, the plot had so much potential and it starts very mysterious and gets you hooked. But when the actual scenes started to happen, it became quite choppy and fast paces in not a stable way. Sometimes the dialogues delivered were witty but it lacked background and some conviction, or maybe it felt flippant? When a reveal happened, it lacked the residual emotions it needed to punch us readers in the guts. But other than that, this story and the characters have so much potential to get really better!
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Overall, it had really good plot and story progression, wonderfully weird friendship group, bad dad jokes by granddads, witty yet eye roll worthy dialogues and a really good potential for the next book! I'm looking forward to reading what happens next!
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Kindle/ Review Copy/ June2020
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Thank you so much to the author R.J.Parker for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in anyway.
.
This book follows our main character Sarah and her family while they try to navigate a long held secret and how it comes back to affect Sarah's life.
.
First, I've never read a book with a teen, her dad and her granddad trying to navigate life with dad jokes and it was pretty funny to read about!! I love that the dad has no idea what she wants or what he wants half the time and I was cracking up with the grandfather's dialogues. The way Sarah finds out about her granddad was dramatic, but then hw made the story livelier and I ended up liking his character.
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Second, the friendship group this book has is chaotic, stange, energetic and totally weird in a very good way! Especially when they all have group chats, it is chaotic there. I don't even want to start with the strange conversations they have or the way they react to bad situations. It shouldn't have made me laugh when characters made stupid mistakes, but I did anyways. I lived this weird bunch of friends and I can't wait for more.
.
Now coming to the storyline, the plot had so much potential and it starts very mysterious and gets you hooked. But when the actual scenes started to happen, it became quite choppy and fast paces in not a stable way. Sometimes the dialogues delivered were witty but it lacked background and some conviction, or maybe it felt flippant? When a reveal happened, it lacked the residual emotions it needed to punch us readers in the guts. But other than that, this story and the characters have so much potential to get really better!
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Overall, it had really good plot and story progression, wonderfully weird friendship group, bad dad jokes by granddads, witty yet eye roll worthy dialogues and a really good potential for the next book! I'm looking forward to reading what happens next!
August 19, 2020
Sarah has only known life with her father, who is a teacher at her school. She has bonded with a group of three other students who become her best friends, yet all of them fall into that misfit type of category. Life is normal if not a little boring when everything is turned upside down on Sarah, not only is the grandfather she thought was dead in fact alive, he's living in her own attic and he has a story and history to rival that of any of her favorite movies. The story centers around Sarah, but her three best friends are brought in and look like they are going to be just as important and Sarah and her family line. There is history in the story, but also new beginnings and new ways of dealing with an old darkness. Even more the darkness may be closer than anyone thinks.
Crystal Shadows, Gripping New Blood by author RJ Parker is a young adult, teen novel, which is definitely the audience this book is best read by. It blends family secrets, saving the world and finding your own place into a bright new story. Although I loved this story and I think it is a great start to a series, there were a few things that threw me off, but then that might be because I am not a teen and I could be a little out of touch with teens. There are just some times when Sarah is confused or mad at her father that when she talks to him it makes no sense to me what-so-ever, although it doesn't really effect the story, it makes me wonder if I might not be too old to be reading young adult novels. Then again, as the storyline continues on it might begin to make more sense, but in this book it just caught me a little off guard. Otherwise, this is one book that I think would be great for the middle school age set.
Crystal Shadows, Gripping New Blood by author RJ Parker is a young adult, teen novel, which is definitely the audience this book is best read by. It blends family secrets, saving the world and finding your own place into a bright new story. Although I loved this story and I think it is a great start to a series, there were a few things that threw me off, but then that might be because I am not a teen and I could be a little out of touch with teens. There are just some times when Sarah is confused or mad at her father that when she talks to him it makes no sense to me what-so-ever, although it doesn't really effect the story, it makes me wonder if I might not be too old to be reading young adult novels. Then again, as the storyline continues on it might begin to make more sense, but in this book it just caught me a little off guard. Otherwise, this is one book that I think would be great for the middle school age set.
December 2, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Crystal Shadows, Gripping New Blood
Author: R.J. Parker
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: mg readers, fantasy lovers
Publication Date: May 28, 2020
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Olympia Publisher
Pages: 155
Synopsis: Sarah Field lives alone with her dad, a teacher at her school. The two of them share a close bond and, unusually, both have the same birthday, which they also share with Sarah's grandfather, who died when Sarah was small. Sarah knows very little about her grandfather, and her dad insists on keeping it that way.
However, one night, Sarah finds her dad acting in a mysterious way and also hears strange noises after her dad has gone out. Sarah's friends come to the rescue to help her investigate, and they make a shocking discovery. Someone is living in the attic! And that someone is none other than Sarah's grandfather! But, this is no ordinary grandfather...
With the discovery of her grandfather comes the question as to whether Sarah has the power to give life to the amulet - the Telum Deos - that will help to fight the forces of darkness.
Review: I had to DNF this read. The book was written a bit weird and I had to re-read several passages to understand what was going on. The book has promise and looks like it would be fun for middle grade readers, but it needs some more revision.
Verdict: It’s good, just needs work.
Book: Crystal Shadows, Gripping New Blood
Author: R.J. Parker
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: mg readers, fantasy lovers
Publication Date: May 28, 2020
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Olympia Publisher
Pages: 155
Synopsis: Sarah Field lives alone with her dad, a teacher at her school. The two of them share a close bond and, unusually, both have the same birthday, which they also share with Sarah's grandfather, who died when Sarah was small. Sarah knows very little about her grandfather, and her dad insists on keeping it that way.
However, one night, Sarah finds her dad acting in a mysterious way and also hears strange noises after her dad has gone out. Sarah's friends come to the rescue to help her investigate, and they make a shocking discovery. Someone is living in the attic! And that someone is none other than Sarah's grandfather! But, this is no ordinary grandfather...
With the discovery of her grandfather comes the question as to whether Sarah has the power to give life to the amulet - the Telum Deos - that will help to fight the forces of darkness.
Review: I had to DNF this read. The book was written a bit weird and I had to re-read several passages to understand what was going on. The book has promise and looks like it would be fun for middle grade readers, but it needs some more revision.
Verdict: It’s good, just needs work.
October 19, 2020
I received a copy of Crystal Shadows in exchange for an honest review. This didn't affect my review.
Sarah's father has always been secretive about her dead grandfather, even though Sarah and her father share a close bond. However, her fathers behavior hasn't stopped Sarah from asking questions. And when Sarah and her friends start investigating the strange noises from the attic, they come to the shocking discovery that Sarah's 'grandfather' had actually been living in the attic! And they also discover that her grandfather needs them to save the world...
I wanted to like it, I really did. I don't often read middle grade books, but the premise was incredibly interesting so I took a chance. Unfortunately, as soon as I started reading it, I was lost. The dialogue between the characters wasn't logical and incredibly hard to follow. I also couldn't imagine the characters at all because the ways all the characters talked and acted weren't realistic. First there was a huge revelation, and suddenly Carly Rae Jepsen (I truly don't know if I spelled her name correctly) was doing a performance during a basketball game? Why is there a performance in the last few pages of the book when there's so much that still has to be solved?
Furthermore, I missed a lot of world building. Descriptions of the house, of Sarah's friends, her father, anything that would make it easier to imagine the story. Instead, too many words were used for (I'm so sorry) useless dialogue. It had a negative influence on the flow of the story.
And lastly, the plot. I'm actually not sure if there's going to be a sequel or not. If there is, this book was building up to it, and in that case this book and the sequel should have been one book. If not, I'm afraid the only real plot that the book thoroughly executed was Sarah finding her grandfather in the attic, which was already spoiled in the blurb of the book. Nothing happened with the amulet that was supposed to help Sarah fight the darkness and there's too much that still needs to be solved.
The story has real promise, it really does. The book just needs lots of editing. Make the dialogue more realistic and create a better flow in the book. That will give Crystal Shadows a better chance to go to its full potential.
Sarah's father has always been secretive about her dead grandfather, even though Sarah and her father share a close bond. However, her fathers behavior hasn't stopped Sarah from asking questions. And when Sarah and her friends start investigating the strange noises from the attic, they come to the shocking discovery that Sarah's 'grandfather' had actually been living in the attic! And they also discover that her grandfather needs them to save the world...
I wanted to like it, I really did. I don't often read middle grade books, but the premise was incredibly interesting so I took a chance. Unfortunately, as soon as I started reading it, I was lost. The dialogue between the characters wasn't logical and incredibly hard to follow. I also couldn't imagine the characters at all because the ways all the characters talked and acted weren't realistic. First there was a huge revelation, and suddenly Carly Rae Jepsen (I truly don't know if I spelled her name correctly) was doing a performance during a basketball game? Why is there a performance in the last few pages of the book when there's so much that still has to be solved?
Furthermore, I missed a lot of world building. Descriptions of the house, of Sarah's friends, her father, anything that would make it easier to imagine the story. Instead, too many words were used for (I'm so sorry) useless dialogue. It had a negative influence on the flow of the story.
And lastly, the plot. I'm actually not sure if there's going to be a sequel or not. If there is, this book was building up to it, and in that case this book and the sequel should have been one book. If not, I'm afraid the only real plot that the book thoroughly executed was Sarah finding her grandfather in the attic, which was already spoiled in the blurb of the book. Nothing happened with the amulet that was supposed to help Sarah fight the darkness and there's too much that still needs to be solved.
The story has real promise, it really does. The book just needs lots of editing. Make the dialogue more realistic and create a better flow in the book. That will give Crystal Shadows a better chance to go to its full potential.
November 27, 2020
Crystal shadows is a story filled with fun, surprise, thrill which will keep the readers interested throughout the story make them wanting for more.
The story is about Sarah Fields who lives with her father and shares a very friendly relation with him. They share the same birthday along her grandfather who's existence is mere suspense in the story.
The characters of Sarah's friends Jack, Shaw and Rachel are very interesting to read and feels like a typical teenage gang of friends you would have in college. I liked the character of Shaw very much. His character was the most funny and they all love each other so much so that they can go to any extent for one another.
During one of their endeavours in Sarah's house, they find someone living in her attic. Although they get scared at first, later decides to find out about the suspense and what they find shocks them to the core. And to top it all they find out that they are been chosen to power up the Telum Deos which helps to eradicate all the darkness of the world.
The story is very enthralling and the author's amazing talent of storytelling is worth applauding. The mention of Dracula and the mystery of Sarah's grandfather and the fun-filled adventures of the friends, Shaw's drama and humour is just what the readers need in every book. I totally loved this book.
I received a free copy from the author for an honest review.
The story is about Sarah Fields who lives with her father and shares a very friendly relation with him. They share the same birthday along her grandfather who's existence is mere suspense in the story.
The characters of Sarah's friends Jack, Shaw and Rachel are very interesting to read and feels like a typical teenage gang of friends you would have in college. I liked the character of Shaw very much. His character was the most funny and they all love each other so much so that they can go to any extent for one another.
During one of their endeavours in Sarah's house, they find someone living in her attic. Although they get scared at first, later decides to find out about the suspense and what they find shocks them to the core. And to top it all they find out that they are been chosen to power up the Telum Deos which helps to eradicate all the darkness of the world.
The story is very enthralling and the author's amazing talent of storytelling is worth applauding. The mention of Dracula and the mystery of Sarah's grandfather and the fun-filled adventures of the friends, Shaw's drama and humour is just what the readers need in every book. I totally loved this book.
I received a free copy from the author for an honest review.
June 25, 2020
Okay so...
I received a free copy of this for an honest review so here it is.
This book is promising. I liked Sarah most of the time. Did not like the relationship between her and her father. Felt toxic and unhealthy in my personal opinion. Which is sad because the relationship started out super sweet.
The friend group, I don't know how I feel about them. Okay, Shaw was annoying but I'm pretty sure he was supposed to be so I guess I can't be mad about that. Also, the dialogue between the kids was super weird and felt not realistic so if there is a sequel that it is something I would work on. But I do like how supportive they are of each other.
I do like the lore though I wish it was explored more and I loved that I kind of got Goosebumps vibes off of it and that always make me happy and the cliffhanger at the end was a nice surprise.
I think though much more editing is needed. Especially if there is going to be a sequel. But overall I think it's a decent book to introduce kids to certain creatures of the night and other fun spooks and I am interested in a potential sequel.
2.5 stars
I received a free copy of this for an honest review so here it is.
This book is promising. I liked Sarah most of the time. Did not like the relationship between her and her father. Felt toxic and unhealthy in my personal opinion. Which is sad because the relationship started out super sweet.
The friend group, I don't know how I feel about them. Okay, Shaw was annoying but I'm pretty sure he was supposed to be so I guess I can't be mad about that. Also, the dialogue between the kids was super weird and felt not realistic so if there is a sequel that it is something I would work on. But I do like how supportive they are of each other.
I do like the lore though I wish it was explored more and I loved that I kind of got Goosebumps vibes off of it and that always make me happy and the cliffhanger at the end was a nice surprise.
I think though much more editing is needed. Especially if there is going to be a sequel. But overall I think it's a decent book to introduce kids to certain creatures of the night and other fun spooks and I am interested in a potential sequel.
2.5 stars
July 16, 2020
I was lucky enough for RJ to reach out to me to read this book for an honest review. But all thoughts are my own.
I wanted to like this book, I did. I thought the concept was great. It would’ve been an interesting read if it had been executed well. The fact that we’re supposed to believe the main character Sarah was bad enough to fight and slay vampires but she has trouble talking to boys? It just doesn’t seem plausible. The relationships throughout this book were also a little all over the place. I didn’t like that she had such a toxic relationship with her dad but it was portrayed differently in the beginning. Plus, some of the jokes didn’t land well. I’d be hard pressed to believe the kids in high school today know who the village people are when they can’t even name songs from the early 2000s. Great concept, it was just a bit all over the place for me, sadly.
I wanted to like this book, I did. I thought the concept was great. It would’ve been an interesting read if it had been executed well. The fact that we’re supposed to believe the main character Sarah was bad enough to fight and slay vampires but she has trouble talking to boys? It just doesn’t seem plausible. The relationships throughout this book were also a little all over the place. I didn’t like that she had such a toxic relationship with her dad but it was portrayed differently in the beginning. Plus, some of the jokes didn’t land well. I’d be hard pressed to believe the kids in high school today know who the village people are when they can’t even name songs from the early 2000s. Great concept, it was just a bit all over the place for me, sadly.
July 3, 2020
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
I really wanted to like this book. The premise was interesting. Not to mention this is my first review request. But it failed to deliver.
So the reason why I didn't like this was because it felt like a TV pilot. We finally get to the main plot and that's it. It felt like this book's sole purpose was to introduce readers to its sequels. Sorry R.J. Parker, if you're reading this.
I really wanted to like this book. The premise was interesting. Not to mention this is my first review request. But it failed to deliver.
So the reason why I didn't like this was because it felt like a TV pilot. We finally get to the main plot and that's it. It felt like this book's sole purpose was to introduce readers to its sequels. Sorry R.J. Parker, if you're reading this.
July 24, 2021
This was a cute read. A little mystery, a little magic. I loved Sarah, how close she is to her friends, and her love for her family. My biggest issue with the book is a lot of the dialogue is stilted, and doesn't feel natural. Otherwise, it moves along at a good pace and the plot is definitely interesting. It's a fun read, definitely geared towards younger readers just getting into chapter books. Perfect for making their imaginations soar.
December 28, 2020
It's a very interesting book. This is a middle grade fantasy/adventure. The author showed well the common scenario of children growing up and not always getting perfectly along with their parents. They are discovering their own independence.
January 8, 2021
The length of the book confused me in the beginning. Was this a novella or did I get only a part of the book due to some glitch?
But no. The book is quite short and is perfect for middle-graders - just enough to hold their interest before they go off to do whatever middle-graders do nowadays.
Anyway, the book is about Sarah Fields, her father, and a family secret Sarah is not aware of. One day, by chance, she stumbles upon the secret. Her grandfather is a vampire!!
What follows is a flashback that includes Dracula and his minions. Sarah is the next Chosen One to overcome the dark forces. But can she do it alone?
I loved Sarah's group of friends - Racheal, the clever one, Jack the caring one, and Shaw, the funny one. They are always supportive and very brave. Sarah's father is a delight. But the star of the show is the grandfather. He even turns up as Tom Hanks to Sarah's game!
The book would be better with some editing and some good dialogues.
Thanks to the author, R.J. Parker for reaching out to me for reviewing the book.
P.S. I liked the Christopher Lee reference!
But no. The book is quite short and is perfect for middle-graders - just enough to hold their interest before they go off to do whatever middle-graders do nowadays.
Anyway, the book is about Sarah Fields, her father, and a family secret Sarah is not aware of. One day, by chance, she stumbles upon the secret. Her grandfather is a vampire!!
What follows is a flashback that includes Dracula and his minions. Sarah is the next Chosen One to overcome the dark forces. But can she do it alone?
I loved Sarah's group of friends - Racheal, the clever one, Jack the caring one, and Shaw, the funny one. They are always supportive and very brave. Sarah's father is a delight. But the star of the show is the grandfather. He even turns up as Tom Hanks to Sarah's game!
The book would be better with some editing and some good dialogues.
Thanks to the author, R.J. Parker for reaching out to me for reviewing the book.
P.S. I liked the Christopher Lee reference!
November 15, 2021
This story had a cute Goonies feel. This was a good story and introduction to a series. I am looking forward to reading the rest. With this story being short, the pacing was right on, not too fast and not too slow. There were some choppiness in some transitions, but for myself, it did not bring me out of the story completely.
The main character Sarah was well written, but I would have liked her to be rounded a little more, but given that this was a short fiction, I felt it was is fine. Sarah is a teenager at Lon Chaney Jr. High. She has a close relationship with her dad and share the same birthday with him and her grandfather (I can relate. I share my birthday with my great grandfather). She gets an assignment about her genealogy, but with that assignment, she ended up opening a big can of worms. I liked the character of Sarah. She seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, even with what she finds out about her grandfather. I can see where the author was heading with her. I was glad to see her as a strong character for her age and not whiney like I have read and seen in the past.
Like Sarah, I enjoyed the other characters in this story. Her friends felt real and the friendship chemistry felt strong. They were strong secondary characters and I can not wait to read more about them in the next books. They each have their own personalities and you can tell them apart. Sarah’s father I liked as well. I wished there was a little more built with him, but again with this being a short fiction, the author wrote him well. You can tell the closeness Sarah and her father had throughout this story. I hope the author continues this in the series. The grandfather I fell in love with. I had the actor Terence Stamp pictured in my head for this character. I do not know why lol. He felt the most well-rounded character in this story. The way the author showed his background story was a neat idea. I loved the fact that even though it was a flashback; it did not pull you out of the story.
The amulet - the Telum Deos is an interesting idea. I enjoyed how, as a reader, we discovered the origin and why it is important in the story. Because of this amulet, we, the readers, are introduced to Dracula. The setting in this story is your regular neighborhood vibe. It was not elaborate, but as a reader, you knew enough to help the story move forward.
I enjoyed this story. Introductions to a series are always the set-ups. I recommend it to those who want a Goonies vibe book, fun read, and loveable characters. I loved the corny comic vibes, even though they kind of feel like they came from left field. It helped break up the seriousness of the story. I look forward to the others in this series.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
You can find this review on my website:
https://www.charliadamswriter.com
The main character Sarah was well written, but I would have liked her to be rounded a little more, but given that this was a short fiction, I felt it was is fine. Sarah is a teenager at Lon Chaney Jr. High. She has a close relationship with her dad and share the same birthday with him and her grandfather (I can relate. I share my birthday with my great grandfather). She gets an assignment about her genealogy, but with that assignment, she ended up opening a big can of worms. I liked the character of Sarah. She seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, even with what she finds out about her grandfather. I can see where the author was heading with her. I was glad to see her as a strong character for her age and not whiney like I have read and seen in the past.
Like Sarah, I enjoyed the other characters in this story. Her friends felt real and the friendship chemistry felt strong. They were strong secondary characters and I can not wait to read more about them in the next books. They each have their own personalities and you can tell them apart. Sarah’s father I liked as well. I wished there was a little more built with him, but again with this being a short fiction, the author wrote him well. You can tell the closeness Sarah and her father had throughout this story. I hope the author continues this in the series. The grandfather I fell in love with. I had the actor Terence Stamp pictured in my head for this character. I do not know why lol. He felt the most well-rounded character in this story. The way the author showed his background story was a neat idea. I loved the fact that even though it was a flashback; it did not pull you out of the story.
The amulet - the Telum Deos is an interesting idea. I enjoyed how, as a reader, we discovered the origin and why it is important in the story. Because of this amulet, we, the readers, are introduced to Dracula. The setting in this story is your regular neighborhood vibe. It was not elaborate, but as a reader, you knew enough to help the story move forward.
I enjoyed this story. Introductions to a series are always the set-ups. I recommend it to those who want a Goonies vibe book, fun read, and loveable characters. I loved the corny comic vibes, even though they kind of feel like they came from left field. It helped break up the seriousness of the story. I look forward to the others in this series.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
You can find this review on my website:
https://www.charliadamswriter.com
June 4, 2020
Having already read Requiem Changing times by R. J Parker, I was really excited to read Crystal Shadows Gripping New Blood. The author has a way of merging realistic worlds with fantasy in a way that the collaboration feels interesting.
The book is short and fast-paced so the pages just flew by as I finished it in one sitting . The plot, the premise and the characters all gel together quite well but the book had its highs and lows. I just found the writing very simple, there was no charm in the narration which was a bummer but apart from that the book I liked the protagonist Sarah as well as her adventures. The mysterious attic was the most interesting part of the story but what came after was chapters full of action-packed adventures.
The book is short and fast-paced so the pages just flew by as I finished it in one sitting . The plot, the premise and the characters all gel together quite well but the book had its highs and lows. I just found the writing very simple, there was no charm in the narration which was a bummer but apart from that the book I liked the protagonist Sarah as well as her adventures. The mysterious attic was the most interesting part of the story but what came after was chapters full of action-packed adventures.
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