Archer Keaton is a dreamtreader.
He protects the dream world and the waking world from merging together. He keeps the things you dream from coming true and wreaking havoc. He mends tears in the dream fabric--tears Lucid Walkers keep making by breaking in to the dream--from becoming rifts that would take out the entire world. And he's only fourteen years old. I was surprised by how drawn in I was to this story. I am not a huge fantasy reader, and I expected to make it a couple chapters in and lose interest. Dreamtreaders is an incredible allegory of spiritual warfare--with so many wacky and shocking twists along the way. It brings the reality of the importance of our choices to life in a fantastical way. Archer and his friends aren't perfect. They're human (most of them). And the characters do experience real consequences for their choices--when they make a bad choice, they don't get off scot-free. They face up to what they've done and make it right--which is rare in young adult fiction. *Light spoilers ahead* I have mixed feelings about the ending. On one hand, it's a dramatic conclusion that didn't disappoint. But on the other hand . . . WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE OTHER CHARACTERS? It's an imperfect ending (again, due to choices the characters made). But maybe that was the best ending for it.
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I have been so very VERY excited for this release! (It may possibly be my most anticipated release of 2020!) Kara is one of my instructors on the Young Writer's Workshop, so I got to see some of the behind-the-scenes work (without spoilers, of course). So I eagerly counted down the days until Dust found its way to my mailbox.
I. Was. Not. Disappointed. But first, what's this Dust deal about? Claire Kenton hasn't given up on her brother. Not through anything--and she's been through a lot. Abandoned as a child, tossed in and out of foster homes, tested due to the strange dust that seeps from her skin at the oddest of times. Even losing her twin brother, Connor. Claire Kenton also hates Peter Pan. Because it was him--or his story, rather--that convinced her brother to step on a plane with a stranger to London. Which is why Claire is headed for London herself. She's about to find out that Peter Pan is no fairy tale. In fact, he's stuck in London, with a dozen things he can't remember, and all too many memories he wishes he could forget. He's hunted by his own Lost Boys, he can't fly, and worst of all, he's aging. His only hope to get back and save his island? A girl named Claire Kenton. A girl who hates him. So much was packed into this modern-day Peter Pan retelling. Almost any issue a teenager faces was addressed through this sparkling allegory, even heavier topics such as depression and suicide. The themes of self-image and facing your past flew side-by-side and never faltered. The imagery in this book is absolutely gorgeous. There were scenes that literally took my breath away. I saw it all and felt like I was there. And the character voices were largely to blame for that. Both were so unique. I was especially interested in Peter's--how Kara conveyed both this new mature side of him that he's not quite sure how to deal with, and then sometimes even in the next second, his fun-loving childish side would jump out into the light. The retelling was very interesting--hints of the original story seeped into the plot and characters, while at the same time created something entirely new. Dust has quickly become one of my most recommended books and one of my very favorite. Now I'm looking forward to Shadow's release next year! Birdie has lived her entire life as a slave. Ky has too, in his own way, as a street thief. In fact, all of Leira is enslaved. Enslaved by a cruel king who is bleeding the life from his people to lengthen his own, and killing any and all who call themselves Songkeepers, guardians of the Song that runs through all of Leira itself.
All except one--Birdie, who doesn't even know she's a Songkeeper. The transformations of the vibrant characters is incredible. The conflict was so written that I didn't even know who to trust. (It's very important to pay attention.) The author drew examples and allegory from a lot of different places in the Bible and it was interesting to see where it would weave in next. You can tell the author was immersed in her imaginary culture--which actually posed a bit of the problem. Characters would make expressions like "they scurried off like a petra"--but we don't actually figure out what a petra is until book three. Songkeeper Chronicles are written in a storyteller form--meaning it's not non-stop action. It's just a long, rolling story of the characters' quest. For me, it felt a bit slow in some points. The protagonists seem a bit young and naive for a young adult series. A lot of the scenes are repetitive--the same type of things happen over and over again. For certain parts, that meant the characters just kept failing over and over and over again. The writing style is very lengthy and prose-y, which made it a little hard for me to keep a train of thought going and follow action scenes. There's lots of fighting. LOTS of fighting. And a lot of death. Honestly, it got a little tiring in the first two books. The deaths felt a bit glossed over and casual. The young protagonists would brutally kill someone in battle and not feel anything. The third book really made the series. The first two books were alright, but in the third, the characters were much deeper. They had to feel and act for themselves. The conflict between Ky and Slack was so realistically done, I felt sorry for Ky. The conclusion was excellent and made the whole series, slow parts and all, worth it. *climbs out of giant open treasure chest in the corner of the room and peers around* Are they gone? The pirates, I mean? Good! Alrighty, then! *brushes hands off* Who's up for a treasure hunt? What's this all about, you ask? Have you ever heard the story of Peter Pan? *pulls another treasure chest off the top shelf* I'll bet you've never heard it quite like this before! The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale. Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real--since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire's desperate search points to London . . . and a boy who shouldn't exist. Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins. The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan--and herself. I am so excited for this release, have my copy pre-ordered and everything! *searches treasure chests for pre-order confirmation and comes up empty* Oh, well. I was not one of the advanced readers, so following along and reading the interviews and reviews from my fellow treasure protectors has been just as much fun (or more) for me as it is for you! I'm excited about some of the themes that I've been told are woven into it. I'm excited about the plot and the characters (especially Peter, I hear he's a pretty vibrant character). I can't wait to see what twists Kara has spun on this tale! Here's another little secret . . . Kara is actually one of my instructors on the Young Writer's Workshop. I've been able to kind of peek over her shoulder as she's worked through the publishing process. And now Dust is finally here! But back to the treasure hunt. Word around Neverland has it that there's a treasure waiting at the end of our journey. Who wouldn't want to hunt that? (And I hear that the first Lost Boy or Girl who makes it to the end gets an advanced reader copy of the book! With an autograph! It's exclusive . . . and stuff.) Unfortunately, you (Lost Boys and Girls, did you say it was?) aren't the only ones after it. Hence the treasure chest in the corner that's the perfect size for hiding from pirates. Then again, hiding in a treasure chest to escape pirates might not be my best idea yet. To beat the pirates and have a look at that treasure, you're going to want to stop in at *rustles through even more treasure chests*: https://paperstrider.com tomorrow! If you've gotten a bit turned around (it's hard to get the hang of this flying thing at first), here's where the whole hunt began: https://gracebought.wordpress.com/2020/05/31/dust-blog-tour-kickoff/ One more thing before you go. *lifts floorboard and reaches for very sparkly treasure chest* You're going to want this keyword. Remember, collect all 36 to decode a quote from the book! Have. A good word, have.
You'd best fly faster, though, because I think I hear pirates in the distance. Happy hunting! *hops back in treasure chest* Piper really does have it rough.
Her dad's been missing for years. Her mom died in a car accident. Now she and her younger brother Phoenix have been sent to live with Aunt Beryl, whom they barely know, except for this: She hates libraries. Hates them with a passion, even though she has the most beautiful one of all. They remind her too much of some great sadness in her past. Her first thing to do when the children arrive? A long list of rules of where they may and may not go. If it weren't for Aunt Beryl's butler and cook, there might not be any hope at all. Oh, and that mysterious book in the library that keeps calling their names. No, literally. Calling their names. I read this book to screen it for my younger siblings, and truthfully, we need more adult and young adult books like this. It's a different look at fantasy in the piles of fantasy novels that come out every year. It's a creative look at God that brings it down to a child's wonder and imagination. Each chapter begins with the best little bookish quote--not to mention the references to favorite books scattered throughout. What could be better than a book that introduces kids to literature? Not to mention this book has a most interesting narrator--a book! Talk about creative! (I mean, really, have you ever read a book narrated by a book? That's what I thought.) But not everything is fun and games. This book doesn't think kids are too young to deal with some tough topics. The book deals with grief and it deals with it in a very real sense--I actually felt sad after reading it. But it doesn't just describe it, it offers hope. It also deals with topics like autism and dyslexia. My family has first-hand experience with both and the way this book handled it was refreshing, truthful, and practical. The book has been kid-tested, too. My younger sister read it and I have not seen her that involved in a book in a long time. Honestly, my only complaint about this book is that it doesn't look like it will be a series. Buy a copy for a middle-grader in your life. Buy a copy for yourself. Find a tree to climb up in and read. And get closer to the God Who is everywhere, everywhen. Even royal blood can't stop bullets.
Sorry, it was just such a great line I had to steal it. Anastasia Romanov has been exiled with her entire family. But that's not even it. She's been exiled to a house with only a couple rooms reserved for them. She's been exiled away from any help or rescue. She's been exiled away from the guards she's befriended and into the hands of a bloodthirsty commander. Did I mention the spell she's smuggling with her? Romanov is the beautiful, tragic story of a family trying to stay together. It's the story of the daughter left behind and the soldier who tried to kill her. It a story of forgiveness for everyone . . . even the darkest, blackest villain. The characters explode from the pages. Anastasia is a brilliant protagonist that draws us into her struggles and makes us smile with her pranks. Zash draws us in in his own way, too as he tries to escape his tortured past and the mistakes he's made. And Alexei--enough said. Best brother I've read in a book. Despite the fact that he is the weakest, that he hurts the most due to a genetic condition, he gives strength to Anastasia and Zash both. Allow me a brief moment to compare Romanov to Fawkes, if you don't mind. That's the only thing I can come up with that is even remotely a complaint. In Fawkes (Nadine's other historical fantasy), the magic and the history blend together seamlessly, brilliantly. In Romanov, the magic and the history feel like two pieces to the a puzzle--forming the same picture, clicking together, but not blending together. As I have mentioned before, one of the things I love about Nadine Brandes' writing is her view on mercy. The protagonists even hand second chances to the villain who killed Anastasia's family. As to how that goes . . . well, I won't ruin it for you. Romanov is a book with many layers, not unlike Anastasia's spell doll. I, for one, will be re-reading it over and over to get to all those amazing layers. Thomas Fawkes isn't ready to turn to stone.
Don't look at me. It's his own words. The Stone Plague has infected his eye and it's slowly working its way out. Not to worry. He has only to pass his Color Test this evening--with the help of the mask his father promised to make him, just as every father in England does for his son. Once it's discovered he can command Grey (and please, please, please let it be Grey), he'll just command that plague to leave, and all will be right again. Maybe then his father will care about him. Except Father--Guy Fawkes himself--doesn't show up. Not a problem. Thomas will just track him down himself, get his mask, and get back on track. And maybe he'll set a few other things straight, too--like why his father hasn't even given him a letter all these years. But when Thomas arrives in London, he finds he's a piece in something far bigger than he could have imagined--a plot to end the war between the Igniters and the Keepers. A plot to land a Keeper back on the throne where they belong. But they wouldn't want to just do it in some easy way--a sniper from a distance, maybe poison, no. They're going to blow up Parliament. At last, at last! The day has arrived that I tell you about one of my new favorite books, Fawkes by Nadine Brandes! First off. Thomas. A young man who just wants his father's approval, who so desperately wants to pass his Color Test and heal his eye, now trying to find confidence on his own on the London streets. Even in the worst of situations, his inner spunk never misses a beat. Easily the best character arc I've read this year. I liked him right away. Next off, Thomas and Guy. The conflict was raw. I felt what Thomas felt. I understood Thomas' reasoning (whether or not I agreed with it). He's willing to do anything to get his father to look his way . . . even help plan the assassination of the king of England. But as Thomas finds his way around London, he finds his way around what he's always believed and the views that clash with his. Not all the Igniters were good. Not all the Keepers were bad. Thomas had to dig to the roots of what he'd always been told . . . and readers will, too. In a world where young adults are pressured to take whatever the culture hands them, this book arrived just in time. The allegory is powerful. God is not put in a box. However, in a most curious manner, God and Christianity are never mentioned in this book . . . but they are. God is referred to as the White Light--who helps save those who cannot save themselves, gives them power they cannot use or sustain on their own, and who guides them through the world they live in. Igniters believe they can have a relationship with White Light and He can help them navigate the other colors. Keepers believe White Light is only for the elite few, better left alone or in a box. And then there's a few who believe they don't need White Light at all--they can harness all the color powers themselves. It's a little mind-boggling, but creative--a fresh spin on it that I wouldn't have considered before. Fawkes is not a book to rush head-long into. It's an explosive adventure that somehow still makes you stop and think--a rarity in young adult books. It has quickly made its way up my list of favorites, and is one of the first I will recommend to anyone. Beep.
I'm sorry. The number you have reached is not avail-- Sorry. That's the sound it makes when my mind has been blown. And that's exactly what this series Dreamhouse Kings by Robert Liparulo did to me. Before you start thinking Ken and Barbie, don't. Don't even go there. Because this Dreamhouse has doors to other periods in history all along its third floor. And the (mostly) unsuspecting King family has just moved in. One night, something comes out of one of the portals and steals Mom. That leaves it up to Dad, Xander, David, and Toria to navigate the portals and bring her home. And maybe to do something more than that--maybe, just maybe, to save the whole world. No, literally. Save the whole world. Of course, there is the matter of that freaky Assyrian guy hanging around town who enjoys killing and would very much like the Kings' house. Dreamhouse . . . or nightmare? My daddy was the one who stumbled across Dreamhouse Kings, mistakenly filed in the adult section of our church library--more specifically, book three. He recommended it to me. I ignored the skull and crossbones on the first page warning me to read books one and two first--after all, the library only had book three!--and blazed ahead anyway. The result? Confusion. Eventually, we begged our church librarian into purchasing the first two (thanks, church librarian!). My sister then amassed the entire series on her own. She graciously allowed me to borrow them. It may or may not have been because I annoyed her to death. Family. At its core, Dreamhouse Kings is about family. In chapter one, we're introduced to a preoccupied dad, a moody teenager, a little brother who desperately wants his big brother back, the cute little sister that no one can resist, and the mom trying to hold them all together. When Mom is kidnapped, the Kings have to work together to bring her back. Specifically Xander and David. The brothers' relationship is one of the most real things in this book. They tackle, argue, hug, cry, laugh, and punch. As an older sibling, that was grabbed me the most. They clash. Xander wants to take action, and David just wants everyone to be happy. But as the series goes on, they change from two boys with the same last name to two brothers who would take anything for the other. Even re-work time. This book is fast-paced. I could not put them down. Literally. I was so immersed, when I set the book down, my heart was pounding and I had to take a few deep breaths--before I scrambled through the house for the next book. This book yanks you into a portal alongside the characters. Do make sure you read all the books in order, though. This series is chock-full of great Christian and family themes, but they don't come out right away. At first, the themes may seem like a weak crossover. The family recites a Bible verse, and Mom insists they find a church after the move. But it goes deeper as the series races on, as a character suggests God put the Kings in this house at this time for a reason. Not only are the Kings awakening to family, they're awakening to God and His purpose for them. Consider yourself warned, though: there's a creep factor to this series. Rarely does a portal come that doesn't want to kill the Kings. The house seems haunted at first. That Assyrian guy doesn't mind talking about killing people . . . in creative ways, shall we say. There's one or two gross moments, usually involving dead bodies. But rarely does anything go beyond a shiver down your spine. These books are often mistaken for Christian horror books. They're not. A creep factor? Yep. Some death, destruction, and mayhem? Yep. But horror? Nope. These books aren't designed to create fear. They're designed to suck you through a portal of your own into the epic of a family trying to overcome fear (as well as assassins, time travel, and leftover spaghetti, for starters). It's a fast-paced thriller. And every thriller comes with some creeps. Would I hand this to any random twelve-year-old? No. I know some kids who would fearfully check every door in their house should they be allowed to read it. But it shouldn't be anything that will keep teens and adults up at night--unless they're trying to finish the book, that is. There's a few other bumps in the portal, too. Xander's nods to horror movies can get a little old. While meant to paint vivid and sometimes humorous word pictures, they fall rather flat coming from a fifteen-year-old. Especially when the reader hasn't watched said horror movies--and doesn't plan to, I might add. A few time-travel descriptions left my head spinning. Not everything the Kings do is exactly, um, shall we say, legal or recommended to try at home. Xander also throws out a word or two from time to time, that, while not curse words by any stretch, aren't words you'll want a kid (or anyone else for that matter) repeating. But those bumps are few and far-between and do little to slow down this brilliant story about a family trying to save their mom, each other, and the world. Well, it all started when Rafe was minding his own business. Just doing his storyacting thing at his half-brother's house like it was any other day. But then there was this old lady, and then there was this little girl, and then there were tunnels, and flame-spinning powers, and people who'd kill him to get those powers--
So he's had a bit of a rough day. Rafe would be reason enough to love Dust to Flame. His outer snark disguises an inner hurt that could move him to look beyond himself. Rafe's questions and feelings made me as the reader stop and think, too. As he goes from the dust of the streets to the flame of his new powers, we watch the possibility of the same transformation happening on the inside. But will it? As usual from Hope Ann, this book is deep. First off, the plot is just a brilliant concept. The plot has many more layers than you see at first glance, as many as the tunnels and alleys of Marsadon. Sometimes the plot moves you along at a dizzying pace faster than those spinning flames. By the climax, I had to sit back and try to sort out just who was evil and who was good--a conflict that gives her characters and plot a real quality, because life isn't always in tidy "you're good, you're evil" boxes. That's all part of the epic landscape of Dust to Flame--a landscape I couldn't tear myself from. Some elements may seem dusty at first, a hazy mystery that draws you in. But in the end, it couldn't burn any brighter or any clearer. HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
HOPE ANN HAS A NEW BOOK! *composes herself* Happy Thanksgiving, by the way. And in keeping with the season, I have a little gift for you. The cover reveal to Hope Ann’s (aka one of my best friends) new book! Are you ready for this? Alright. Here it comes! When you defeat everything life hurls at you, it’s a perfectly legitimate move to rub your conquest in the faces of those who sneered at your suffering. Rafe, a former street-lad who clawed his way to the glittering life of a story-actor, has been waiting. But from the moment he sprung from his carriage into the gritty dust of Cainth, life has not gone Rafe’s way. Unexpectedly dragged into a web of greed, treachery, and stolen rift powers, Rafe intends to do what he has always done. Survive. At least that was the plan before he accidentally protected a child. Before he accidentally gained the powers of an immortal. And before he caught himself accidentally slipping toward the deadliest mistake possible. The mistake of letting one’s self care for another. Welcome to the world of… DUST TO FLAME Hope Ann entertains a mob of younger siblings, manages shifts at Culver’s, and writes a wide range of fantasy. Fueled by passion, relationships, and constant learning, she works to provide an escape from the grind of normal life through fiction and the sarcastic, no-nonsense inspirational posts on her blog. The self-published author of the Legends of Light series, a personal writing coach, and the Story Embers newsletter manager, she has more information on her website: authorhopeann.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or Twitter. |
Rachel's Reads
Hi there! Rachel again. Check out this section for book reviews and cover reveals of some of my favorites! Archives
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