by Akina Hansen | Sep 2, 2022 | Good Reading for Young Adults, Young Adults, Younger Readers |
Fi is a bookish treasure hunter who loves solving riddles and has a knack for finding the treasure. However, within the hunter’s ring, rumours have gone around. Rumours about Fi, about her ex-partner … and about what went down between them. Shane is a tough as nails girl from the north with a gleaming axe, an attitude issue and an unknown past. She likes doing things her way and no other way. If a problem can’t be solved with her axe, or there is no treasure involved, then don’t go to her. Briar Rose is a prince, who has light magic, under a dreadful sleep curse. For 100 years he has been waiting for a true love’s kiss to wake him and his kingdom. To save his kingdom. When Shane and Fi team up for a single treasure heist, things don’t go as planned for either of them. Fi now has to save Briar Rose’s kingdom by giving him a ‘true love’s kiss’ for fate and magic has left them intertwined, and Shane gets stuck helping Fi.
But there are two problems. No one knows how to reach The Kingdom of Andar. And Fi doesn’t believe in true love.
The Bone Spindle is an interesting read. Leslie Vedder has expertly taken the fairytale, ‘Sleeping Beauty’, and gender-flipped it, adding a hint of Indiana Jones in there too. While many people in the reading community have loved this book, I didn’t feel quite the same. I found the book a little slow paced in parts, and I even put it down for a few weeks. But, then I thought that with the climactic scene at the end that too much happened in too short a time.
Despite this, I found that the book had strong characters and most of its themes were conveyed really well. I especially liked the concept of Briar Rose’s light magic, with his ghost visiting Fi and the two of them actually building a relationship, not just ‘love at first sight’. This created more realistic characters, strengthened by the interchanging points of view that were exciting and well written, allowing me to dive deeper into the characters feelings and history.
Reviewed by Lillian, Year 11, Cerdon College
Merrylands NSW
Age Guide 14+
by Akina Hansen | Sep 2, 2022 | Good Reading for Young Adults, Young Adults, Younger Readers |
Joan Chang-Hunt has always been told she is a monster, but not in the dangerous, antagonistic way monsters are depicted in fairy tales. Her mother’s side of the family, the Hunts, can make objects appear and disappear at will and Joan believes this to be the extent of her power. That is, until she bumps into a man on the street and finds herself 12 hours ahead in the future.
Joan is then thrust into a world she had no idea existed and finds herself in the middle of a battle to erase all monsters from existence. With the help of Aaron Oliver, a monster from the rival Oliver family, Joan must find a way to save all monster-kind from being slaughtered by the Hero, a figure from monster legend whose sole purpose is to rid the world of monsters forever.
As someone who has difficulty reading stories with terribly complicated plots, this book was incredibly engaging. Whenever new information is presented about the world, we are always allowed time for it to sink in and be explained and are never thrown into the deep end. As Joan discovers this new world, so do we.
What I most loved about this book was how incredibly entertaining it was. I found myself writing down my favourite quotes from every page because every character had such a great sense of humour or was so incredibly raw that I needed to immortalise their words. And the plot! Don’t get me started on how much I loved the storyline. The pacing was perfect and the predicaments the protagonists were placed in were particularly poignant. I cannot wait to discover what is in store for Joan Chang-Hunt in book two.
Vanessa Len is a Melbourne-based author and Only a Monster is her first book of what I hope to be many. With a rich and entertaining story complete with enough twists and turns to make any reader gasp out loud, I have no doubt that readers everywhere will release a collective squeal of excitement when the sequel is announced.
Reviewed by Maddy, Year 12, Santa Maria College
Northcote VIC
Age Guide 13+
by Akina Hansen | Sep 2, 2022 | Books By Age, Good Reading for Kids, Primary Kids, Younger Readers |
When Dee and Holt meet randomly on the planet of Mars, can they survive all the hidden dangers as they make their way home?
This book is amazing. Like, over the moon amazing. Mars Awakens is beautifully written by H M Waugh, with thrilling plot twists and parts that made me shiver in my skin. Whether it’s from Chia 2, Dee’s secret garden, or Holt’s fear of the others, every single moment is described perfectly, painting a clear picture in your mind. I especially love Chayse, Holt’s wild and unpredictable best friend from the Newton colony.
Reviewed by Henry, Year 7, Central Coast Grammar School
Erina Heights NSW
Age Guide 10+
by Akina Hansen | Sep 2, 2022 | Books By Age, Good Reading for Kids, Primary Kids, Younger Readers |
Did you know there’s a type of fungus that glows in the dark? Or that a jumping spider can leap up to 40 times its own body length? In Return to FACTopia! I found 400 mind-boggling facts just like these. Kate Hale used to work as an editor for National Geographic Kids and has put all her passion for animals and science into this book which is devoted to all things facts.
Andy Smith has illustrated the book with wacky doodles and bright drawings. His illustrations are very crazily colourful and kept me entertained while flipping through Hale’s trail of facts.
If you are someone or know a person that is interested in animals, nature, food, anatomy or simply a random fun fact, then you should have this book on your shelf!
I am also now going to read the first book in the series which is called FACTopia.
Reviewed by Kayla, Year 10
Age Guide 8+
by Akina Hansen | Sep 2, 2022 | Books By Age, Good Reading for Kids, Primary Kids, Younger Readers |
As a hopeful boy made a wish for vibrant shades to come back to reality, Hope was born. Unlike all the other ordinary children, she was the only child born in colour. The cruel emperor and his evil Necromancer auntie had stolen all the beautiful colour from the world but people were given a miracle.
Everything Hope touched turned to colour. Hope’s parents sadly passed away but she was found by a powerful mage and now it is up to Hope, her adopted father and her friend Oliver (that is a talking dog!) to give people hope and bring colour back to the world.
This amazing book is full of hidden secrets, sudden adventures and heart-warming moments. This is a must read for all fantasy lovers.
Reviewed by Anjali, Year 5, Central Coast Grammar School
Erina Heights NSW
Age Guide 9+
