The possibility dogs by Susannah Charleson

The path a life takes can sometimes be surprising, and sometimes the journey is the most surprising of all.  This is a memoir with a difference, blending together a life of working with a search and rescue trained golden retriever and providing refuge for rescue dogs - and a life of discovery in the often misunderstood world of psychiatric service dogs.  In a carefully balanced dance of chapters we experience the life Susannah lives with Puzzle, her swarm of Pomeranians, and a puppy that fell into her lap called Jake Piper, but we also learn about the lives who have been touched by working psychiatric service dogs.

I have a strong personal interest in psychiatric service dogs and assistance dogs in general because I have seen them working and done the research - psychiatric service dogs are thought of as a crutch, a gimmick, a chance for someone to take their pet with them to make them feel better, but there is so much more to these dogs than that (and sure some people would abuse the law but you get that everywhere).  What easily could have become a preachy book, talking at the reader about these dogs, instead it is a touching and at times emotional journey through one woman's work to train a rescued puppy to become a working assistance dog, but it is also a collection of short biographies of working partnerships that can (and did) bring you to tears.

In recent years books about working dogs have become very popular, thanks in no small part to the release of a book called a Friend like Henry by Nuala Gardner - a very personal story about a family with a child with autism spectrum disorder and the Golden retriever that reached him when nothing else would.  These stories have traditionally been about assistance dogs for the physically disabled, or in the case of Until Tuesday where the handler has both physical and psychiatric conditions, but Charleson focuses less on the physical and more on the pure psychiatric.  Her story also shows the level of training that is required for assistance dogs, Jake Piper is put through his paces (and then some), he is not given an easy pass just because he may end up as a guide dog for the mind - Charleson expects him to have the same high standards as any other assistance dog.

I come from a country where the law clearly defines a disability assist dog, and where dogs can only work in public spaces if they are certified by organisations listed in the legislation that allows working dogs - and I can see the benefits of this over the system in the United States where anyone can train a dog and call it an assistance dog.  One of the reasons I find our system better is that it holds a high standard for training and certification, allows for better public education, and ensures the person working with the dog has a genuine disability - three things missing from the situation in the United States.  Charleson's book provides a glimpse into the training of psychiatric service dogs and provides a glowing example of how it should be done, how people training their own dogs can strive for and reach high standards.  The possibility dogs is an education wrapped up in an engaging and absorbing story.

If you are interested in learning more about psychiatric service dogs then this is a fantastic book to read - if you are interested in reading about amazing relationships based on the human-animal bond then this is a fantastic book to read - if you are interested in reading a book about rescue dogs that will bring tears to your eyes then this is a fantastic book to read - if you are looking for a good book to read then this is a fantastic book to read.

If you like this book then try:

• Homer's odyssey a fearless feline tale or how I learned about love and life with a blind wonder cat by Gwen Cooper
• Finding Harmony by Sally Hyder
• A street cat named Bob by James Bowen
• Cowboy & Wills by Monica Holloway
• Until Tuesday: A wounded warrior and the dog who saved him by Luis Carlos Montalvan
• A friend like Henry by Nuala Gardner
• Thunder dog: The true story of a blind man, his guide dog, and the triumph of trust at ground zero by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory

Reviewed by Brilla

Frost burned by Patricia Briggs

Frost burned is the seventh book in the Mercy Thompson series so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** of what happens in the previous books.  If you like to read series in order then don't read anymore of this review until you have read the other books in this series - a series that really benefits from being read in the right order.

Mercy has settled in well to her role as Adam's wife and the role of being the mate of the Alpha werewolf - even though there are some members of the pack who are not particularly happy with some of the changes she has made, never mind the fact that she is a skin walking coyote rather than a werewolf.  A somewhat easier role to settle into has been the role of Jesse's stepmother, but even that has it's challenges on a busy night when everyone and their dog (or coyote in this case) is out searching for bargains leading up to Christmas.  The worst thing Mercy should have to worry about is looking for a decent parking space, but instead she finds herself bumped and bruised after a car accident - and shaken and lost when she realises the pack has been drugged and taken by force by a mysterious group of people who claimed to be federal agents.

It is a stressful time for Mercy, not only is she nursing some physical injuries, but she is also nursing a few spiritual and emotional ones as well.  She is never afraid to face danger head on, but when there are vulnerable civilians in the way things become much more complicated - especially when the bad guys prove that they are not above playing dirty to get what they want.  It is times like these when Mercy realises just how much she misses because she is coyote rather than a werewolf like everyone else, the subtle little things that everyone else does rather than having to think about it.  Feeling the loss of Adam, and sickened through their pack bond, Mercy has to figure out what is happening and fast - otherwise she could loose more than just her Mate and her Pack.

The Mercy Thompson books and the Alpha and Omega series are both guilty pleasures for me - not because they are fantasy novels, but because I usually slink away to hide in the house somewhere so I can try and read them in one sitting.  Frost burned is no exception to this rule, although I did have a little trouble settling into the story for the first chapter or two because I had to remember what had happened in the last book (through the veil of all the books I have read in between) - this is a professional hazard of reading as many books as I do in a year.  This is not a reflection on Frost burned, which started with a bang (okay that might have just been the car wreck) and built the mystery and tension until the villain was ultimately revealed, along with a little more information about the law of vampires and werewolves in Brigg's addictive and well imagined world. 

I am a shameless addict and Frost burned was definitely a good fix while I wait for the next Alpha and Omega and Mercy Thompson books to be written.  There are several series out there that have a similar vibe, but they have quickly become too tangled in their mythology, loosing some of the charm of the series and become too complicated to follow across time - that is not the case of Brigg's world.  A very satisfying read.

If you like this book then try:

• Moon called by Patricia Briggs
• Tinker by Wen Spencer
• Night shifted by Cassie Alexander
• Cry wolf by Patricia Briggs
• Kitty and the midnight hour by Carrie Vaughn
• Dark descendant by Jenna Black
• Burning water by Mercedes Lackey
• Kitty goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn
• Blood price by Tanya Huff
• Urban shaman by C.E. Murphy
• Spiders bite by Jennifer Estep
• Dead witch walking by Kim Harrison
• Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway

Reviewed by Brilla

The Elite by Kiera Cass

The Elite is the sequel to the Selection so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** if you have not read the Selection.  If you like to read series in order then don't read any more of this review until you have read the Selection.

 

The Selection has seen the arrival of 35 girls to compete to become the princess of Ilea and the wife of the future king.  Over time the original 35 has been whittled down to just 6, and axon has been spending time getting to know the girls who remain, although America is sure that she holds a special place in his heart.  Everything seems to be going okay with the Selection, but with every passing day America finds her confusing growing as she tried to decide who really holds her heart - Maxon or Aspen.  Just when America thinks she has finally made her choice, she finds herself torn once more between the safe and comfortable love from Aspen, and the apparently more passionate and intoxicating romantic gestures from Maxon.

 

In the background the rebels are working to overthrow the kingdom, threatening the royal family and everyone living in the palace as they fight to make changes to the country of Ilea.  America knows that her country isn't perfect, and she struggles with the knowledge that she has moved up in the caste system while others have been punished and sent down the tiers of the caste system.  It is a difficult time, especially when all the other Elite girls seem to have knowledge, skills, or graces that let them excel at their lessons and during their public appearances.  When they unthinkable happens and America publicly goes against the royal family in a very public way, she risks losing Maxon for good - has she taken too long to make up her mind, will she lose her true love before she even realises who it is?

 

The Elite is the sequel to the Selection and picks up where the first book left off, dragging you deeper into the love triangle of America, Aspen, and Prince Maxon.  This is an interesting series because it has romance at the heart of the story, yet the story fits neatly into the genre of adventure and mystery as well.  The future world where the Elite is set is the remains of America, a dystopian world where the only way to save society was to create a caste system where everyone knows their place from birth, it is a simple society that everyone understands - yet there are people who fight against it.  Dystopian novels are popular at the moment, but the Selection and the Elite stand out from the crowd a little because they are not a simple and straight forward story, there is a lot of background information that you only really learn about in the Elite, information that helps you to better understand America and her world.

 

This is not high brow literature, it is a story that is meant to be read and enjoyed - and I did both.  Cass has created a realistic world and populated it with realistic people, America is not perfect and neither are the people around her.  At times I wanted to shake her and tell her to grow up, to grow a backbone, to think of other people, to see the possibilities - and while she does develop over the novel I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her a few times.  The Elite is darker than the Selection and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book in the series as America discovers some home truths about herself, but she also discovers more about the people around her that is both shocking and begging for more detail.  This series is very readable, and was difficult to put down once I picked it up.

 

If you like this book then try:

• The Selection by Kiera Cass
• Matched by Ally Condie
• Wither by Lauren Destefano
• Crown duel by Sherwood Smith
• The hunger games by Suzanne Collins
• The pledge by Kimberly Derting
• Eve by Anna Carey
• Winter of fire by Sherryl Jordan
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer

 

Reviewed by Brilla

Reboot by Amy Tintera

Five years ago Wren died - and woke up 178 minutes later as a Reboot.  As a Reboot Wren has only one choice, to work for the Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation (HARC) - and she is now Wren 178, the most feared Reboot of them all.  Wren is the "oldest" Reboot ever known, she was dead for so long that most people treat her as an inhuman monster, incapable of feeling emotions - in short she is the perfect tool for the HARC as they hunt down undeclared Reboots, the sick, and the rebels who threaten to undermine the HARC.  She is everything the HARC could want in a soldier, and she is content with her life and her place in the world, but the arrival of a new batch of Reboots rocks her world to the core.

As the highest ranked Reboot Wren has her pick of the new recruits, and she has always picked the highest number, the Reboot most likely to succeed in the training.  She excels at training Reboots, her trainees seem to live longer than other trainees, and they are model soldiers.  When Callum arrives it seems as though he will never make it as a Reboot, at 22 he is just too human, too close to the people they are supposed to help control and contain.  When Wren takes him on as her trainee (against her better judgment) it seems as though everything is stacked against them, and when Wren is told to bring Callum in line or terminate him, she begins to realise that all the things she has always believed about Reboots may not be true at all.

Reboot is set in the remains of the state of Texas, a series of settlements that have been ravaged by the KDH virus and the Reboot wars.  Wren is the epitome of a Reboot soldier working for the HARC, she is obedient, strong, and have no pesky emotions to get in the way of enjoying her work.  For the past five years she has trained, hunted, and retrieved her state sanctioned prey, all at the beck and call of the humans that hold her and the other Reboots with contempt, disdain, and fear.  It is a scary thought that our future could hold not only a virus that creates a creature that looks human (with a few subtle differences) but is no longer the person they used to be. 

It is difficult to pinpoint which mythology the Reboots fall under, they almost seem like zombies because of the whole walking dead and no emotions thing, but they are also quite like the vampire mythology because of the need for red meat and because when they go off the rails they crave blood and red meat.  It is safe to say that there is a new kind of mythology here, and in some ways the future world in Reboot reminded me very strongly of the future world we saw in the movie I am legend staring Will Smith.  It is not surprising in the least to know that there is already a movie in the pipeline for Reboot as it reads very much like a movie script - a little too much so for my taste, it always feels a little bit like the author is cheating their readers when something is so blatantly written for the screen.

I did enjoy Reboot, although I did find it a little predictable and there were moments when things seemed a little too easy, but it was a good bit of escapism and that was what I was looking for at the time.  Tintera has great promise for future writing as this was a strongly written debut novel that showed real attention to the little details.  There is just a smidge of romance here, and that may make it a little more appealing to teenage boys - the action is the centre of the story and what keeps the pace moving to the end.  I am not sure if there will be a sequel, it felt like a complete and contained story, but there was also an element of this possibly being the first book in a series - we will all have to wait and see.

If you like this book then try:

• Enclave by Ann Aguire
• The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan
• Altered by Jennifer Rush
• The hunt by Andrew Fukuda
• Thyla by Kate Gordon
• Crave by Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz
• Legend by Marie Lu
• XVI by Julia Karr

Reviewed by Brilla

T-Rex trying by Hugh Murphy

The longer title of this book is T-Rex trying: The unfortunate trials of the tyrant lizard king and it was laugh out loud funny from the moment I opened the first page.  What started as a simple cartoon drawing for his wife, has turned into a hilarious Tumblr blog and now a book!  My co-workers and I have an in joke thanks to a dinosaur cartoon where a bunch of dinosaurs are singing "if you're happy and you know it", and the T-Rex in the front accuses them of being, well not very nice - T-Rex kind of reminds me of that in joke. 

 

There are so many visual jokes in this book that make you want to roll around on the floor laughing that it is difficult to choose a favourite - particularly because everyone had their own favourite.  There are jokes for all occasions from team building (a T-Rex trust fall or wheelbarrow race anyone) through to a T-Rex trying to hitchhike or ride a horse.  It takes a certain person to create a simple visual gag that people can instantly relate to, a twisted mind, a genius mind, or something trapped between the two (you choose but you may be revealing more about yourself than you intended!).

 

I loved this book and it reminds me a lot of Simon's cat and Texts from dog in the fact that they were all famous online before they made their way to the pages of a book, but also because there is something simple and charming about line drawings (and the humour that is about the content rather than all the bells and whistles).  This was a fun and amusing book, and may just make its way to my bookshelf at home too.

 

If you like this book then try:

• Simon's cat by Simon Tofield
• All my friends are dead by Avery Monsen and Jory John
• Texts from dog by October Jones
• Vader's little princess by Jeffrey Brown
• Darth Vader and son by Jefrey Brown
• How to tell if your cat is trying to kill you by The Oatmeal and Matthew Inman

 

Reviewed by Brilla

10,000 dresses by Marcus Ewert; illustrated by Rex Ray

Bailey dreams about dresses every night - all kinds of beautiful dresses that are unique and just begging to be worn.  When Bailey tries on the first dress the crystals clink against each other like little bells and rainbows jump out when the sunlight hits the crystals just right.  With all her heart Bailey wants the dress, but the next morning when she tries to tell her mother about the dress her mother tells Bailey that she is a boy and boys don't wear dresses! 

The next night Bailey dreams of a dress made of lilies and roses, with honeysuckles and blossoms that tasted like honey.  When Bailey tried to tell her father about the beautiful dress he tells her that she is a boy and boys don't wear dresses!  Bailey feels like a girl, even though she looks like a boy, and all she wants is to have one of the beautiful dresses she sees in her dreams.  It seems like an impossible dream because even her family is not listening, they keep telling her she is a boy and boys don't wear dresses!  Then Bailey meets a girl called Laurel and things make a change for the better.

I am not usually a fan of books with messages - especially picture books - but 10,000 dresses is a simple and sweet book that can be enjoyed as a story in its own right.  Too often our books for children are full of stereotypes of how people should look or sound, and to have such an open and honest story about a girl who just happens to look like a boy to everyone else has immense charm for me.  There are other books out there that encourage acceptance of diversity and provide support for children who are experiencing tough or confusing times, but most of them can not be enjoyed as a simple story - and 10,000 dresses can.

I loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who knows a transgendered child who needs a bit of a boost, to anyone who has a child who is friends with a transgendered child, and anyone who would like to read a sweet and touching story about a child who is happy in their own skin who happens to find a happy ending.

If you like this book then try:

• My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis; illustrated by Suzanne DeSimone
• Chamelia by Ethan Long
• And Tango makes three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
• Be who you are by Jennifer Carr; pictures by Ben Rumback
• It's okay to be different by Todd Parr
• You're different and that's super by Carson Kressley; illustrated by Jared Lee

Reviewed by Brilla

The rules by Stacey Kade

For ten years Ariane has followed The Rules - never trust anyone, remember they are always searching, don't get involved, keep your head down, don't fall in love - five simple rules to keep her secret and keep her safe.  She has always followed The Rules, even though it can be a struggle just to remember to seem like everyone else, completely human - because Ariane is not, completely human that is. 

Ariane is designated GTX-F-107, a human alien hybrid who lived like a lab rat until her "father" rescued her one night after the lab was bombed.  For the past ten years she has tried to blend in, hiding the physical difference with coloured contacts and hair dye, and she almost passes for human - almost but not quite.  Her one friend is Jenna, and together they are riding through the social hell known as high school, staying under the radar and mostly unnoticed - until Jenna finds herself in the cross hairs of queen bee and school bully Rachel Jacobs. 

Suddenly things are not quiet and simple, and once Ariane breaks one of the rules - the others quickly tumble too.  Things go from complicated to completely messed up when Zane Bradshaw steps outside of the rules as well, going against the will of the mighty Rachel Jacobs.  With Rachel pushing all her buttons, and Ariane struggling to control the abilities she has kept clamped down for so long, the battle lines are drawn for an epic battle that may mean life or death - for Ariane, and the people she cares about.

The Rules is the first book in the Project Paper Doll series and it is an explosive beginning to the series - complete with a conspiracy of secrets, a heroine who is more fragile than she seems and not what she appears to be, a tortured soul looking to fit in and be accepted, and a spoiled prima donna who wants what she wants and doesn't care who gets hurt in the process.  Some (minor) cliches not withstanding, The Rules is an absorbing read with a carefully thought out back story that is both convincing and a little too close to some of the conspiracy theories out there (how many of the stories about secret government facilities are there anyway?). 

Ariane rings true with her teenage voice and concerns, but she also has a true voice as someone who is trying to keep the ultimate secret - she is not wholly human and some of the things she could do as a child were both awe inspiring and scary.  Trying to navigate high school is tricky enough for a normal teenager, never mind being a teenager who lives by a series of rules that are designed to keep her hidden and safe.  The characters built around Ariane are realistic and have their charms and flaws - something you pick up more readily because the chapters alternate between Ariane's voice and Zane's.

This is a very promising start to a new series, and while it is not a short read (410 pages) once I was absorbed in the story the chapters flew by until I reached the stunning conclusion.  This is one of the better books I have read this year, and I hope that Kade doesn't keep us waiting too long for the next book in the series.

If you like this book then try:

• The originals by Cat Patrick
• Origin by Jessica Khoury
• Altered by Jennifer Rush
• Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza
• Sister assassin by Kiersten White
• Variant by Robison Wells
• Adaptation by Melinda Lo

Reviewed by Brilla

Parallel by Lauren Miller

For Abby Barnes it was just a normal day on the movie set with a little partying in the evening to celebrate her (almost) 18th birthday.  She never expected or wanted to become an actress, but through a twist of fate her dreams of college turned into a reality of acting in a movie with one of Hollywood's biggest leading men.  When she wakes up from a night spent dreaming about earthquakes she discovers that she is no longer on the way to fame and fortune in Hollywood - instead she is a student at Yale, a school she never planned to go to.

Confused and more than a little disorientated by the difference in her life as opposed to the real life she remembers, Abby reaches out to her bestfriend Caitlin to try and make sense of what is happening.  The explanation is both freakishly simple and freakishly scary - there has been a collision between parallel worlds and the events in the other world have become their new reality, and only Abby seems to remember that there ever was another reality.  As her parallel makes decisions Abby discovers that things can change over night, and only she can remember a difference.  Uncertain about what will happen next, Abby clings to what she remembers and grows increasingly resentful towards the "other" Abby, the one she sees as ruining her life.  But are things as simple as Abby believes, or is there more to her story than meets the eye.

Parallel is both incredibly slick and clever, but also intriguing and addictive.  At first it took a few chapters to really sink into the story and what was happening, but once I did I didn't want to put the story down because I wanted to know what the "other" Abby was going to do and how it would change the situation for "real" Abby.  The subtle changes in the alternate reality made some quite huge changes for Abby, and at other times things hardly rippled at all.

This is one of those books where explaining too much about the story has the potential to ruin the plot for people - so I won't say anymore about the plot.  At times the story did feel a little "clunky" but for a debut novel there is an amazing amount of polish and I look forward to seeing if Miller continues as an author and what she is capable of as this is a very promising start for an author who doesn't cheat her audience by taking sort cuts and using cheap clichés to keep her story moving.

If you like this book then try:

• Revived by Cat Patrick
• Invisibility by Andrea Cremer
• Altered by Jennifer Rush
• Pivot point by Kasie West
• Unremembered by Jessica Brody
• The Ward by Jordana Frankel
• What's left of me by Kat Zhang
• Dualed by Elsie Chapman
• Slated by Teri Terry

Reviewed by Brilla

Rump: The true story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

His whole life Rump has been picked on because of his unusual name and because he doesn't know what his full name in - his mother died before she could speak his full name.  It is a sad tale, but that is only the start, for Rump's young life is full of challenges and trials on a daily basis.  Rump lives with his grandmother on The Mountain, digging and searching for the gold that his King holds so dear.  Everyone on the mountain tries to find enough gold to get their fair share of the provisions that the Miller distributes on behalf of the King.  It is not an easy life, he has to search for gold and avoid the gold obsessed pixies that hover anytime gold is near.

When Rump finds his mothers spinning wheel he has no idea that he is about to embark on a mind boggling adventure that will be told for generations to come - although not in quite the way he experiences it.  When Rump tries to use the spinning wheel he discovers that he has the ability to spin common straw into strands of magical gold, a discovery that soon turns into a nightmare when the greedy Miller finds out his secret.  When the gold loving King discovers that someone in his village can spin gold, Rump's life and the life of everyone in the village will never be the same again.

Rump is a wonderful retelling of the legend of Rumpelstiltskin, not only because Shurtliff has covered a part of the story that has not been covered before, but also because of the warmth and humour the story portrays.  Rump is something of a victim of fate, but the people around him help him to discover who he really is and what his destiny will be.  The characters range from villains to friends, through to family and idiotic kings.  The elements of the traditional telling of Rumpelstiltskin are all there, but not quite as you expect.

This is a fun little story, and Shurtliff has a firm future in writing books for children if she can keep up the world creating and myth busting that she has created here.  Often books like this are too clever for their own good, trying to be something they are not, but I didn't feel that about Rump at all - it is a book that is true to itself, but also manages to be true to the legend as well.  It was a pleasure to read for the fun of it, to discover a world that is just a little different to what you thought it was going to be - a truly fractured fairytale.

If you like this book then try:

• Ella enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
• A true princess by Dianne Zahler
• Curse of the Thirteenth fey: The true story of Sleeping Beauty by Jane Yolen
• Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
• The fairytale detectives by Michael Buckley
• Snow in Summer: Fairest of them all by Jane Yolen

Reviewed by Brilla

Lost worlds by Andrew Lane

After losing the use of his legs and both his parents in a car accident several years ago, Calum Challenger has become focused on one thing - cryptozoology.  Through his Lost Worlds website Calum tracks down and records information about creatures of legend and creatures that everyone believes no longer exist.  It is a strange hobby for a teenage boy, but then not every teenage boy has the financial resources Calum does - as long as he doesn't want to buy a Ferrari then he pretty much has his aunt (and guardians) support.  When Calum finds a picture online that appears to be an Almast he is excited beyond belief, this may be the first chance to really prove that these creatures exist - and it might be his first chance to source some of their DNA, DNA that may help[ cure him one day.

What Calum can't prepare himself for is the arrival of new allies in his life - and new enemies.  Gecko is a free runner who calls the roof tops home, a free open space where he can challenge himself mentally and physically.  He is smart, driven, and has no small skill when it comes to knowing what he is capable of.  Unfortunately there are people who are all too aware of what he is capable of and they have plans for his unique skill set, plans that don't sit well with Gecko.  At the same time Tara is happy to try and crack websites and open up information about corporations that don't seem on the up and up, but that has brought her to the attention of a company that is as interested in her as she is in them - and they don't play fair.  In the USA Rhino is the subject of some unwanted attention and only some quick thinking can get him out of the jam he is in. 

All three of them - Gecko, Tara, and Rhino - have the need to be elsewhere for awhile, and Calum has the need for someone to be in the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia.  An expedition seems like the answer, but things don't run smoothly, especially with the Nemor Corporation working in the background to make sure Calum and his team don't succeed.

Lost worlds was fast paced, multi-faceted, and addictive.  Lane has a knack for writing tension and action without all the flowery details and descriptions that can make some series seem to be drowning under the weight of their own words - what you get here is a tightly written novel that keeps the tension and pace up through the whole story, providing you with enough detail to picture the story in your own mind.  The cast of characters is varied and interesting, each of them has their own demons to deal with and bring a unique skill set to the team - there are moments of clichés but not enough to turn me off the story.  While there are some impressive "toys" in the story, they are not outside the realm of possibility and you end up with a believable action adventure for teens of all ages.  This promises to be the first book in the series, and if the series keeps to this same high standard then it will be an exciting and addictive series to read.

If you like this book then try:

• Death Cloud: Young Sherlock Holmes by Andrew Lane
• The limit by Kristen Landon
• Game runner by B.R. Collins
• The recruit by Robert Muchamore
• Agent 21 by Chris Ryan
• Altered by Jennifer Rush
• Boy soldier by Andy McNab
• Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza
• Origin by Jessica Khoury
• Survival by Chris Ryan
• The Industry by Rose Foster
• The hunt by Andrew Fukuda

Reviewed by Brilla

Steadfast by Mercedes Lackey

Katie Langford has performed with the circus since she was a child - first with her parents, and then after their tragic death, with her husband Dick.  It is not an easy life, she works hard to maintain her flexibility and keep her performances to a high standard, but that is more and more difficult as she watches her abusive husband drink and whore their money away.  It is a life with no breaks, no chances - only the same routine over and over again as the circus travels from village to village performing for whatever money they can.  Certain that things are not right, Katie looks for help among the women of the circus but they offer nothing - Katie belongs to her husband just as she used to belong to her father, and in the eyes of the law Dick can do what he wants with her and face no consequences.

Driven to breaking point, Katie takes her share of their earnings and runs away from the circus, seeking a chance at a new life away from her abusive husband and the only life she has ever known.  She has no real plan, all she wants to do is escape and it seems as though fortune is smiling on her because through a small series of chance events she finds herself employed as a magicians assistant in the popular seaside town of Brighton.  It is a completely different way of life, she has a place to call home, and a permanent job with a wage in an act that stays in one place - the Palace Music Hall in Brighton.  The only real dark mark is the knowledge that Dick can turn up one day and take her away to the circus, and there is nothing she can do to stop him.

Surrounded by people who care about her Katie starts to relax and enjoy herself a little, even though the work is physically demanding she has a safe place to sleep, she is making friends, and she has a chance at a future away from Dick.  The people who care about her know that she is hiding something, but they don't press her until they discover something about Katie that even she never knew - Katie has the power of Fire.  Her employer Lionel Hawkins is an Air Magician and one of the theatre workers Jack Prescott shares the ability of Fire, and between them they must teach Katie to control her ability before it leaps out of control and destroys her life.

Steadfast is the latest book in the Elemental Masters series from Mercedes Lackey.  The last two books in the series were not as much to my taste as the earlier books in the series, but Steadfast has seen a return to more of the storytelling that I like - although I have enjoyed all the books in the series to varying degrees.  The cast of this novel is smaller than some of the others, and reminds me very much of Reserved for the cat as some of the characters from the wider story arc of the series are not featured prominently - this really is a story about Katie and the people around her rather than just another book in the series.  Another addictive read and (slightly) guilty pleasure.

If you like this book then try:

• The Fire rose by Mercedes Lackey
• The serpent's shadow by Mercedes Lackey
• Reserved for the cat by Mercedes Lackey
• Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey
• Firebird by Mercedes Lackey
• Deerskin by Robin McKinley
• Beauty by Robin McKinley
• Rose daughter by Robin McKinley
• Spindle's end by Robin McKinley
• Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Reviewed by Brilla

Nine days by Fred Hiatt

Ethan Wynkoop and his friend Ti-Anna Chen have an unusual friendship - mostly because her family would have trouble accepting that she has an American friend who also happens to be a boy.  Their secret friendship is really put to the test when Ti-Anna confides that her father has gone to Hong Kong and has gone missing - and she and her mother both fear that his status as an activist against Communist China has gotten him into trouble.

Thinking a little outside the box, Ethan comes up with a cunning plan - he and Ti-Anna can sneak off to Hong Kong and find her father - paid for by his "borrowed" credit card from his somewhat distracted and oblivious parents.  It seemed like a good idea, something that would be relatively simple to pull off, but right from the start there are forces at work that seem determined to keep Ti-Anna and Ethan from finding out the truth about what happened to her father.

Nine days is a relatively quick read, with the action happening in quick fire succession over the course of just over a week - the prose is well written without any waffly extra bits, which keeps the story moving forward (I think you will have no trouble picking up that the author is a newspaper journalist from his writing style).  The story itself is a little incredulous, that two teenagers could get so far in a country foreign to both of them, but it is not completely implausible.

The relationship between Ti-Anna and Ethan is very sweet, and you can see the depth of their friendship and the way it develops over the course of the novel.  This is an interesting political read too, not only because of the subject matter of the book, but also because of the note from the real Ti-Anna at the end of the book.  Communist China is a massive state, and it has been criticised over the years by many individuals who are considered very brave to speak out against the state, and I have heard stories of people being watched and "controlled" in the media - there is definitely a political lean to this novel, but it is not distasteful or too "in your face".

This book can be enjoyed as an adventure story, as an example of what two teenagers can do if they set their mind to something - but it can also be read as a true life read, and example of what happens when someone agitates against the State, and what can happen to young girls in foreign countries.  It is a social commentary, but it is also a great read.  This book will not be to everyone's taste because of the political overtones, but it was a good read.

If you like this book then try:

• The recruit by Robert Muchamore
• Sold by Patricia McCormick
• Never fall down by Patricia McCormick
• Trafficked by Kim Purcell
• After by Francine Prose
• The always war by Margaret Peterson Haddix
• The walls have eyes by Clare B. Dunkle
• Legend by Marie Lu

Reviewed by Brilla

Game by Barry Lyga

Game is the sequel to I hunt killers so there are ***SPOILERS*** in this review.  If you like reading series in order then read I hunt killers before you read any more of this review.

The Impressionist has been caught and Jazz should be feeling pretty proud of himself - and he probably would if he didn't know that his dad is out of prison.  Being the son of the famous Billy Dent is bad enough, but living with the knowledge that moving the bird bath sent some kind of signal to help Billy escape is a heavy weight for Jazz to bear.  He is relatively content to settle down back into his life of school, looking after his senile grandmother, and avoiding sex with his girlfriend - but fate has other ideas.

When an NYPD detective comes knocking looking for Jazz's help with the Hat-Dog Killer it seems like the chance to get back in the game, a chance to live up to the message Jazz has tattooed on his chest - but things are not what they seem.  When he arrives in New York Jazz finds Connie has ignored his warning to stay away and has come to New York too, a city Jazz hates immediately because the little voice of Billy Dent that has always lived in the back of his head cranks up the volume and croons about all the prospecting Jazz could do in such a large city - so many people, a few could go missing easy.  It is a challenging game this time, and this time there are more players - and more bodies.

Sometimes a sequel tries too hard to live up to the original and fails miserably - Game is not one of those sequels, it is a force of nature sequel that sucks you in from the beginning and keeps up the tension to the mind blowing conclusion (damn cliffhangers).  I loved I hunt killers, it was an indepth read for teens that you don't often see, a story that wasn't dumbed down or softened for the teen audience, Lyga treated his audience with respect.  Game continues in that same vein, creating a story that is both chilling because of the backgrounds of the characters, but also addictive because of the way the story drives forward as you try and figure out who the bad guy is and what is really going on.

Both I hunt killers and Game are books for older teens, merely because of the subject matter, however I was thoroughly engrossed as an adult and if younger teens have someone to talk to about the subject matter if they have questions they should also enjoy the books as well.  From the ending it is clear there is at least one more book to come in the series - hopefully we don't have a long wait as I really want to see what happens next for Jazz and Connie.  This is a series that seems like it would translate well to a tv series or movie franchise, but unlike other series it doesn't feel like the author is a frustrated screen writer who wrote a novel hoping it will be "picked up".  Jazz and his world are incredible, and the creepy voice of Billy hovering in the background is just - well - creepy.

If you like this book then try:

• I hunt killers by Barry Lyga
• The book of blood and shadow by Robin Wasserman
• Acceleration by Graham McNamee
• Death cloud by Andrew Lane
• Crime seen by Jenny Pausacker
• The Christopher killer by Alane Ferguson
• Guy Langman, crime scene procrastinator by Josh Berk
• Dead to you by Lisa McMann

Reviewed by Brilla

Goose by Laura Wall

Sophie likes to do lots of different things- but it's no fun when she does them by herself.  At the park she wants to do things, but there is no one to play with so she ends up doing them by herself.  Then one day she goes to the park and finds a rather unusual friend to play with - a goose!  Sophie and Goose have lots of fun together, but then one day Goose's friends fly over head and it is time for Goose to fly away.  Sophie is lonely when her new friend leaves, but it may not be forever.

There are some very simple books out there that are purely and simply charming and Goose is one of them.  Sophie could be any little girl in any city in the world (as long as they have geese and playgrounds) and her story will ring true for lots of different children - but Goose isn't an imaginary friend, Goose is a friend that brings some brightness into Sophie's life.  I loved this book and it's simply message and illustration style.  One for sharing for sure, and one that should read well as an out loud book.

If you like this book then try:

• Goose goes to the zoo by Laura Wall
• Goose on the farm by Laura Wall
• Ben & duck by Sara Acton
• Duckat by Gaelyn Gordon; illustrated by Chris Gaskin
• Giggle, giggle, quack by Doreen Cronin; illustrated by Betsy Lewin
• Wanted: the perfect pet by Fiona Robertson

Reviewed by Brilla

The bunker diary by Kevin Brooks

Linus was only trying to help the blind man out, but by the time he figured out something was wrong it was too late.  When he woke up in the bunker he thought it was a bad dream, but it quickly turned into a nightmare.  In the bunker there are six little rooms, six plates, six cups and Linus has a bad feeling about that, a bad feeling that is confirmed when the first of the other five "guests" arrive in the bunker.  Over time the bunker slowly fills up, and over time Linus fills the pages of his diary with the day-to-day life of the bunker and the people trapped inside.

I knew when I picked this book up that it would not be an easy read, not when the name of the book and the first few pages confirmed that it is a very personal story about a teenage boy trapped in a bunker by a person who has complete control of his life - and the life of the other people in the bunker.  This is an intense and emotional read, and is definitely best left to mature teens who have the ability to process what is happening as well as understand what they are reading - the content could take a lot of explaining to younger teens and may bring up more questions that could be difficult to answer.

Without spoiling the story, and without giving too much away, this is an intense read right from the start, and with the little incidents that happen it quickly becomes both absorbing and disturbing.  Linus is remarkably mature and astute, but the fact he has been living on the streets leading up the abduction may have something to do with that.  The rest of the characters are well constructed and add to the drama and tension, especially the mysterious Him that has them all contained in the bunker.  This is a story that will stay with me for some time and has the potential to be The Lord of the flies for this generation, an example of human nature under pressure.

This is not a pleasant read, however it is absorbing and keeps you connected to Linus throughout the story, and because of that the events in the bunker are made that much more real because you experience them as he does.

If you read this book and would like to read similar books then try:

• I hunt killers by Barry Lyga
• Living dead girl by Elizabeth Scott
• Trafficked by Kim Purcell
• Counting backwards by Laura Lascarso
• Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Reviewed by Brilla

Rise by Anna Carey

Rise is the final book in the Eve trilogy and follows on from Eve and Once - and as such this review contains ***SPOILERS***.  If you like to read series in order then read Eve and Once before reading anymore of this review.

Time has passed for Eve since Caleb died, but his death has left a heavy weight in her heart - a weight made heavier by the mask she must wear in public.  At times the mask can slip, but only when she is around her husband and around the rebel leader known as Moss.  It is a difficult time, a time of balancng in two worlds and making decisions that will have consequences for Eve, for her family, and for the country her father has rebuilt with an iron hand over the past few decades.

Life in the Palace is pleasant enough, but the presence of the Lieutenant makes it a dangerous place to be, and each time Eve catches him in conversation with her father she feels more than a little uneasy.  Her sense of unease grows when Moss gives her the means to kill her father, a death that is necessary for the regime to fall and a new America to grow, but it is also a very personal choice that will leave the blood of her father on her hands.  When she is forced to flee the city, she finds herself supporting a group of sometimes unwilling escapees who are a burden on her already stretched resources, and a stress she doesn't need at a time when she is already feeling vulnerable and desperate.

Rise is the final book in the Eve trilogy and provides a satisfying and logical end to the series, an ending that is somewhat predictable - but also not quite what you might be expecting.  Dystopian novels are a huge genre right now, and some of them take a very dark turn looking at the worst of human nature, this trilogy doesn't take that path and instead blends together action, drama, and a little bit of romance in a dysfunctional and tightly controlled world.  This is more one for the girls than the guys as the strong female voice of Eve is what drives the story forward and there is not enough action and intrigue to fully appeal to the male audience - however there will be exceptions to the rule and it is a well written novel so that will make a difference for some of the boys out there.

Carey has a good writing voice and has the ability to keep the story moving at a good pace, and hopefully she will write more books in the future as she is an emerging talent that is able to balance the personal voices and stories of her characters with the need to create a world that challenges them to face their inner (and outer) demons.

If you like this book then try:

• The hunger games by Suzanne Collings
• Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
• The always war by Margaret Paterson Haddix
• Among the hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
• Inside out by Maria V. Snyder
• Virals by Kathy Reichs
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• The selection by Kiera Cass
• Slated by Teri Terry
• The silver crown by Robert C. O'Brien
• Rot and ruin by Jonathan Maberry
• The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan

Reviewed by Brilla

The originals by Cat Patrick

Lizzie, Ella and Betsey Best are a modern marvel, a genuine set of human clones grown from the DNA of their "Original" at the request of the Originals parents.  It is a secret they have kept for years after growing up believing that they were identical triplets, their mother never told them the truth to keep them safe, but now they know the truth they must also live with the consequences of their mothers secret - the consequence being that they are three teenage girls sharing one life.

Elizabeth Best is a little aloof, but she is also involved in cheer leading and dance, and attends college classes in the evening to get a head start on college when she graduates.  It is a carefully balanced dance, with each of the girls taking a third of the day - one does school in the morning while the other two are home schooled in the same subjects, another takes the afternoon classes while the other two are home schooled in the same subjects, and the third takes their part time job and college classes.  It is a balance that can easily be thrown out of kilter, which is exactly what happens when Lizzie bombs during a math quiz and Ella takes her place in the morning schedule and Lizzie moves into her slot in the afternoon.

It is a stressful time for them all - but then Lizzie meets Sean and things begin to spiral out of control.  "Elizabeth" has never been allowed to date, but their mother may finally be relaxing that rule - but how do you decide who gets to date when Ella and Lizzie like very different boys.  The time is approaching for Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey to decide is one shared life is enough for all of them.

I have to confess that I have fallen very much into an addiction when it comes to books by Cat Patrick - the concepts and ideas behind the books are intriguing and fresh, she has a deft touch with her writing that keeps the tension and the pace moving through the entire book, and she comes up with little twists and turns that keep you guessing how the story would end.  The originals was not quite up to her usual standard (I guessed the ending pretty early on) but the story was absorbing enough that the ending was a satisfying end rather than a too easily guessed cliche. 

It can't be easy coming up with these storylines and ideas, but Patrick has a knack for teasing out the parts of her characters that make them truly human - including all their flaws.  Lizzie is the strongest voice in this novel, but her "sisters", mother, and boyfriend hold their own.  A gripping read that was impossible to put down.

If you like this book then try:

• Forgotten by Cat Patrick
• Revived by Cat Patrick
• Altered by Jennifer Rush
• Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza
• Reboot by Amy Tintera
• The different girl by Gordon Dahlquist
• Adaptation by Melinda Lo
• What's left of me by Kat Zhang
• Parallel by Lauren Miller
• The interrogation of Ashala Wolf by Ambelin Kwaymullina
• The future of us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
• Numbers by Rachel Ward

Reviewed by Brilla

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

When her mother was murdered, Lila was taken away from the only home she has ever known and was forced to leave behind her brother Jack and her brothers bestfriend Alex.  Years later she runs away from her dreary home in London after she uses her secret ability to stop a mugging near her home, and she runs to her older brother Jack who stayed in America to finish college.  It seems like a breath of fresh air to be back in the US, although it is surprisingly hard to breath whenever she is around Alex, but that may have more to do with the crush she has had on him forever more than anything else.

Lila was hoping to be able to stay with Jack and Alex, but they are being awfully secretive about what they do, and her father is adament that she will return home to her life in London.  When Lila stumbles across someone who seems to know a lot about Jack, it doesn't seem that big a deal - until she discovers even more about the secret work that Jack, Alex, and the rest of the Unit do.  Suddenly the mugging is a distant memory, because there are other things to worry about now - and Lila has to run, and keep running if she wants to stay ahead of the people after her.

Hunting Lila was an interesting read for me, one of those books where I loved the idea and the world building, but the writing style of the author bugged me.  Let me just say that I got it really quickly that Alex was Lila's dream guy, that she was really in love with him and that he had the perfect body - I really didn't need all the reminders, you don't have to hit your audience over the head Alderson to get your message across.  There were also moments where I got completely jarred out of the story for the simple reason that throughout the book the mother is referred to as "mum" but this is a teenager who grew up in the States and so did her brother and his best friend - they would have been using "mom" instead - it may seem like a little niggle but it didn't ring true for the characters (although it would have if the book was set in the UK).

This is the first book in the series, and I hope that the sequel keeps up the pace and the mystery - especially with some of the plot twists towards the end of the book.  It is too late to plead for more accurate language, but hopefully there are more "mom" language usage, and less "mum" language usage.  Alderson shows great promise for a new voice in the action/thriller genre for teens, and Hunting Lila sits nicely with the emerging trend of writing books combining elements of the supernatural with military conspiracies.

If you like this book then try:

Losing Lila by Sarah Alderson

Altered by Jennifer Rush

Fated by Sarah Alderson

When we wake by Karen Healey

Adaptation by Melinda Lo

Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Eve by Anna Carey

Slated by Teri Terry

Sister assassin (Mind games) by Kiersten White

Reviewed by Brilla

The last elephant by Justin D'Ath

Twelve years from now the world will be a very different place - thanks to a deadly virus carried by rats which has simply become known as rat flu.  Rat flu decimated the animal population, only a few lucky farm animals survived thanks to a vaccination programme, but they are not the only animals.  The Lost World Circus is home to rare and exotic animals that survived the outbreak of the deadly rat flu and have since become a travelling attraction - and the biggest attraction by far is Lucy, the last elephant on Earth.  When Lucy catches the dreaded rat flu it looks as though it is the end for her, especially when the Rat Cops arrive and threaten to end the menace of the rat flu by ending Lucy!

Lucy's only hope is Colt, who was at the circus the night Lucy caught the flu, and was there when his mother was called to see Lucy because the circus vet is too scared.  Colt is determined to save Lucy, and with the help of one of the human stars of the circus he may just be able to pull off the impossible - especially when he discovers that he can do things that he really shouldn't be able to, things that are almost superhuman.

The last elephant is the first book in a new series from Australian author Justin D'Ath - and it is a very promising start to a series that blends together action, adventure, mystery, danger, and kids pulling out all the stops to do what they believe in (and even succeeding).  Justin has a deft hand with his writing, and although his writing style is to use little words and use them well, he has a knack for keeping the action moving and the characters growing, without throwing lots of big words and complicated plot twists at you - it is a pure story, one that is easy to get absorbed in right from the start.

While the story does seem to be pitched at the 8 - 12 year old 'tween market, I thoroughly enjoyed it and there are going to be older readers who also enjoy the action and drama - if you know a teen who is struggling with reading and wanting something to enjoy that is not babyish then suggest they give this book a try, or one of the other series that D'Ath has written in recent years.  A quick read with substance.

If you like this book then try:

• Crocodile attack by Justin D'Ath
• Bush rescue by Justin D'Ath
• Northwood by Brian Falkner
• The forests of silence by Emily Rodda
• The tunnels of Ferdinand by James Moloney
• The real thing by Brian Falkner
• Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda
• January by Gabrielle Lord
• Animal lab by Malcolm Rose
• The halfmen of O by Maurice Gee
• Four degrees more by Malcolm Rose

Reviewed by Brilla

Death cloud by Andrew Lane

Sherlock Holmes is waiting to go home for the school break, but instead he is sent to live with relatives he has never met because his father has been sent to India to serve his country.  It is an uncertain time, and Sherlock quickly discovers that he is not a welcome guest is his aunt and uncles home, but it is not them who make him feel truly unwelcome - it is the housekeeper.  It looks as though it may be a dull summer with little to do except feel like an intruder, but then he meets Matty a local boy, and he meets his new tutor Amyus Crowe.  He also stumbles across a mystery in desperate need of solving.

It began with the mysterious death of one man, a death that Matty almost witnessed, but he definitely witnessed the dark cloud that moved away from the place where the man died - a dark cloud that Sherlock also witnesses when he finds a dead body on his aunt and uncles property.  With the discovery of the two bodies the people in the town are starting to panic, packing up their belongings and moving away from the plague that they fear is about to spread like wildfire, but something is tickling in the back of Sherlock's brain, a tickle that gets stronger when Crowe encourages him to develop his reasoning skills.  What is the connection between the plague and the mysterious warehouse that Sherlock found in town, and what is the connection to the boxes in the warehouse?

Death cloud is the first book in a series that follows the development of a teenage Sherlock Holmes, laying the foundations for the man that will one day become the worlds most famous detectives.  Welcome to a world where the young Sherlock Holmes is an extraordinary teenage boy, one who is coming to terms with a situation that would frustrate most teenagers - a change of plans and expectations that leads to some extraordinary encounters.  Here are the first glimmers of an ability to connect the dots, an ability to see beneath the surface and understand what others can not - a skill that is enhanced and nurtured by the appearance of his tutor Amyus Crowe.

I have not read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, a fact that may have made this more enjoyable for me, but I have read stories based around him including books about the Baker Street Irregulars which mention Holmes in passing.  I find this time period particularly engaging and interesting, and Lane has done an amazing job of working historical facts and accuracy into his rendition of Holmes.  At times he was a little heavy handed with some of the descriptions, but I was thoroughly tangled in the story from the start.

The authors afterword provides quite a bit of information about Lane's motivation for writing the series, and provides an idea of where his character comes from - the stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle with a healthy dose of other sources.  It is a challenge to take someone else's character and write a convincing and engaging story - but Lane has managed to define a teenage Sherlock Holmes that shows the promise of the adult Holmes that has come to be well known through novels, movies, and tv series.  This is one for anyone who likes a good mystery built around strong characters in a world that is both realistic and relateable - I look forward to reading more books in the series to see if Lane is able to keep building on the strong foundations of Death cloud. 

If you like this book then try:

• The case of the Ranjipur ruby by Anthony Read
• The case of the Limehouse laundry by Anthony Read
• The ruby in the smoke by Philip Pullman
• The shadow in the North by Philip Pullman
• Silverfin: Young James Bond by Charles Higson
• The case of the missing Marquess: an Enola Holmes mystery by Nancy Springer
• The case of the left-handed lady: an Enola Holmes mystery by Nancy Springer
• The paranormal puppet show by Justin Richards
• Shadow beast by Justin Richards

Reviewed by Brilla