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Blurb: Review by Dale: Format: eBook Available from Smashwords Link to Download: Here Price: $0.00c (at time of review) Wordcount: ,000 (appx) Author: Author's Blog: Here

Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer

Blurb: Artemis Fowl receives an urgent e-mail from Russia. In it is a plea from a man who has been kidnapped by the Russian Mafiya: his father. As Artemis rushes to his rescue, he is stopped by a familiar nemesis, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. Now, instead of battling the fairies, Artemis must join forces with them if he wants to save one of the few people in the world he loves.


Review by Dale: St Patricks Day is a fitting day to publish a review of an Irish Author and the second book in the Artemis Fowl series is a cracking good choice. This book picks up not long after the events of the first book. The same old friends are back, that outrageous dwarf with the impressive bowl motions is again gracing the pages. He is a personal favorite character of mine.
All the goodies are back only this time some goodies are badies and some badies are goodies and some badies become goodies and some goodies seem bad but are really good or bad maybe? Confused yet? It will all make sense when you start reading. If you, like me, loved the first book then you wont be wanting in book two. I dont want to give away the plot but let's just say it thickens..

Best for ages 10+




Format: eBook Arc
Available from Book Depository
Link: Book Depository
page count: 227 (appx)
Author: Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Blurb: Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories—they're dangerous! Full of unexpected twists and turns, Artemis Fowl is a riveting, magical adventure.

Review by Dale: 
So you have read the Harry potter series, then you read the hunger games series. You may have even read the twilight books. But now you are wondering what am I going to read now? Have you read the Artemis Fowl series? This long running series is about to come to an end, after seven books the eighth and final book is coming this year. Lets have a look at this great series one book at a time.

Book 1 Artemis Fowl

Artemis is a young twelve year old genius with a penchant for thievery. In an effort to rob back his families fortunes he hatches an audacious sceme to steal gold from leprechauns. When I was a kid I heard the legends and studied the lore as all kids do. We all new about the gold at the end of the rainbow and that if you captured a leprechaun then you might get your hands on that pot of gold. Artemis has heard the legends as well and sets in motion a cunning plan to get that gold.

This book is told from a perspective thats not that common (and usually confined to caper plots) , in that the hero of the story is an anti hero, the bad guy. Imagine watching Star Wars where your rooting for Darth Vader instead of Luke Skywalker. It's certainly fun hoping the bad guy will get away with the treasure, cheat those cute little faires out of their hard earned gold and win the day.

This book is extremely well written, the story flows from the page and is a delight to read. Yet its not just the story itself thats immensely entertaining but also the way its written, the narrative prose in ever sentence transforms even the most mundane of character actions into a passage of beauty. It's little wonder when you consider that some of the greatest writers who have ever lived have come from Ireland and Eoin Colfer is from Wexford, not far from Dublin, home of the literary master James Joyce.

So if like Trolls, Goblins and Faery Folk, if you like polished poetic narration, and imaginative story, then you will love Artemis Fowl.

Ages: 10+ (mild action related violence)
Format: eBook
Available from Disney-Hyperion
Price: eArc (at time of review)
Wordcount: 280,000 (appx)
Author:Eoin Colfer
Link: Official Site

Troll Hunters Skyfall by Michael Dahl

Blurb: Part of the Troll Hunters series. Evil and danger rumbles under the earth. Follow the adventures of a group of contemporary teenagers who discover that their town, and ultimately the entire world, is under attack by fierce creatures from deep beneath the earth. These creatures were known to the earliest humans as trolls or goblins, but they are much more dangerous than their fairy-tale versions. The teens make unlikely allies along the way, including a half-man, half-troll, as well as some legendary constellations that quite literally come to life. The young heroes will also discover their own untapped celestial abilities in an epic battle between good versus evil spanning four intense books. (Jacket Copy: Capstone. Image: Goodreads)

Review by Dale:

This is a short novella written in a very easy style that hits its mark with younger readers. I finished this in about forty five minutes, and found I had chewed my nails to the quick in the process. The story is about a group of young kids who stay up to watch a meteor shower and get attacked by Trolls. Then discover that is just the beginning of a troll invasion!

Is it just me or are trolls scary? I mean really scary, they want to eat you, they live in the woods, underground and did I mention they want to eat you? This well written story by Dahl is very spooky, and dark and very readable for younger readers. It appears to be the first in a series because there are so many questions left in your mind after reading this. What about the centaur or Doctor Hoo and what's with the glowing eyes? Yes so many unanswered questions I can't wait for book two!

This book is illustrated too and the pictures are fantastic, just enough detail to capture the action but not overly done to spoil your own imaginings of the scene. 

So if you want something to read this saturday afternoon, something easy, spooky, and exciting, pick a good spot and read Skyfall by Michael Dahl. Ages 10 and up

Format: eBook ARC
Available from Capstone
Price: $0.00c (at time of review)
Page count: 114pp (appx)
Author: Michael Dahl
Available February 2012

Starters by Lissa Price

Blurb:
Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

Review by Dale

The world that Lissa Price has created in Starters is vivid and alive; it's packed with imaginative detail in every scene. From the food, the cars, the holo televisions to the radical new society itself. Price has gone all out to construct a setting rich and dangerous for her characters to survive. The most startling thing about this book, however, is the grand premise itself. That all the adults under sixty have died and only the children and senior citizens remain. Not the caring old nana that always has a candy tucked away in a pocket for you though; these 'Enders' are nothing but contemptuous of the displaced youth.

Young Callie Woodland lives in this dystopian disaster; and by living I mean only managing to stay alive. In an act of utter desperation in order to feed herself and buy medicine for her only other family member, her younger brother, she visits the body bank. That’s a place where mouldy, old, crusty Enders go to rent out hot young bodies for a bit of fun and excitement. There are rules of course, but what if one of those renters had a secret agenda that went beyond night clubbing and snowboarding? What if they wanted to assassinate someone?

This is such a spooky concept, I really felt for the young heroine as she struggled to stay alive and prevent her own downfall. I think that this story is best suited for younger teens. The descriptions and narration is aimed at a younger tween reader rather than the late teen reader. The romance is there between Callie and Blake but only a light taste. The fantastic details complementing the storyline also resonate with a younger mind more than a mature teen reader. I'm sure younger minds will delight in the Cinderella Easter egg tucked away in one scene. I'd see this book being a hit with the 12Yrs and up group.

Available March 13

Format eBook ARC at time of review

PageCount 335 Pages 

Author Lissa Price

Publisher Random House Children's Books

An Interview with Indie Legend Laura Eno

Today we are very lucky to be able to bring you an in-depth interview with the stellar writer Laura Eno. Laura is the author of the amazing Realms of the Red Rabbit and several other books for young adults.


The first big questions burning a hole in my mind are:
Where did you get the idea for the Red Rabbit story? Was Dante an influence?


Although there are a few Alice in Wonderland references, Dante was my main influence for the story. Not many people caught that, though. His version of Hell fascinates me. I like the darkening shades of gray—the punishment fitting the crime, so to speak.
As for the idea behind Red Rabbit… I can only say I grew up an avid reader of science fiction/fantasy and it punched holes in my brain. Now stories leak out of it.


Do you have a classical education? What is your background that you use to draw upon in your writing?


In college, I took every English literature and composition course I could find, reading everything from ancient Greek stories to Shakespeare, as well as mythology.
In regards to Dante, I had a stern, librarian-type professor who asked for a synopsis of the book. I presented mine in the form of an epic poem. She was not amused. I still have it, though!


Yes I think that is what impressed me the most, your very powerful and original imagination. Even though the story concept is familiar the elements of the story are so fantastically unique. Which brings me to my next question. Regarding your writing process, are you a meticulous planner? Do you create moral needs and revelations, identifying and separating needs with desires and weaving it all together under a design principle? Or Do you just let the creative juices flow and the story and characters develop themselves as the plot unfolds? I.e. a planner or a seat of pantser?

Other than knowing how I want the story to end, I'm pretty much a pantser. My imagination runs in an unbridled fashion as I write. I will jot down notes of future scenes as they come to me but I don't outline, except for a few bullet points. I've tried planning before but it kills the story. I used to design jewelry the same way—strictly free-flow, without a pattern.


So we know your background in literature, and some of the influence that sprung from that have been examined in two of your great stories we have reviewed previously. But what about modern influences? Who do read and aspire to emulate? Who are your writing role models? Are there any Indie Authors in the list?

Actually, I try very hard not to have role models per se, as I'm afraid of losing my own voice by emulating anyone. Some of my current favorite authors include L. K. Rigel, Lauren Oliver, and Maggie Stiefvater.
I would say that 80% of all books I read these days are Indie Authors, so I'm definitely influenced by the Indie trend. The wide variety of imagination and genre blending by Indies step outside of the rigid protocol of legacy publishing and that's a refreshing thing to me. Indies charge less for their books as well, making it affordable to feed my passion for reading.


In terms of your own writing Laura, do you think it's important that your stories have a message for your readers? In the realm of the red rabbit there is a clear tone about the consequences or amoral behavior, the moral code isn't as clear in tempest child, however. In other words do you like to write fun and exciting stories with a definite message?

I do like messages, but I've changed it some. Whereas in Realms of the Red Rabbit it was about amoral behavior, in Tempest Child the message is about believing in yourself and making the hard choices. YA is a hard market to compete in with the current popularity of vampires and werewolves, neither of which I write, so I've chosen to take my message in a more positive direction—softer, if you will.

It's also been amazing to see the polarizing effect Red Rabbit has had on reviewers. They either love it or hate it, with poison arrows slung at my "repetitive plot device." I suppose those people don't like Dante either.


Being an indie often means going it alone, being cut off from the powerful marketing machine of big publishing house like penguin and random house. It is especially difficult for those of us who write for younger children. Whilst older teens have twitter and Facebook and even credit cards, most Tweens don't, and many aren't aloud on the Internet at all. How do you reach out to your audience and engage with them? How do you get your message out there and get heard against the white noise of today's Internet?

Word-of-mouth is still the biggest marketing tool out there, even for the big publishing houses. Unlike twenty years ago, if you're a mid-list author with a big house today, you only get one chance to prove yourself and your book before they dump you. An author has to be proactive in social media, no matter how they're published.

Getting reviews and interviews on blogs geared toward the appropriate age group is vital, which means a lot of research and contacting on the author's part. There are also happy surprises, like when you picked up my book! I've found that the lasting friendships made over the internet are special to me—not only as an author, but in a personal sense as well.

As far as tweens go, this last Christmas saw a huge jump in ereader sales, many of them now in the hands of tweens and even younger children. It's a trend that will continue and make it easier to connect with that age group…or at least with their parents.


What are you working on now? Can you tell us about it? Why will we want rush out to buy it as soon as it hits the eShelves?

I just published a YA fantasy called My Enchanted Life last month! Its 'theme', if you will, is acceptance—of others, of oneself, of looking beyond the surface, of making the most of your destiny within the confines that you're given and accepting the things you cannot change. It's also fun!

Here is the blurb:

An American teen finds herself thrust into a world she never knew existed in England's magical community of Wode Gate. While dealing with gnomes, a cranky dragon, murder and mayhem, Emma tries to cope with her unwanted duties as Sentinel and fights to get back home again.
She finds that things aren't always what they seem, people aren't who they pretend to be, and someone wants her dead. The king of the underworld wants her too, but he may be the least of her problems as Emma struggles to control her powers—while losing her heart to a demon.


I love high fantasy! Dragons and Gnomes, sounds exciting I cant wait to have a look. 


Since the world of publishing has been opened up to virtually anyone with an idea and a computer, there are now many more aspiring young authors. What advice do you have for the next generation of young people out there?

Some people will tell you to write what you know, which I think is ridiculous. I would change that to write what you love. It's the author's passion that will come through the story. Having said that, it's imperative that a writer learn the craft. Get your story edited as well. Nothing kills an indie's chance for success like a poorly edited story!

Keep writing, no matter what. It's your tenacity that will cause you to succeed. Don't treat writing as just a hobby.


That's some great advice for all our aspiring young and talented writers out there! Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

I'd like to thank you, Dale, for taking the time to interview me and featuring it on your blog. The same goes for the book reviews you've done. A lot of time and effort goes into those and I appreciate it.

I am humbled and honored each time a reader chooses one of my books out of the millions available. My hope is to continue to entertain people with my words for many years to come. In this age of ereaders, the possibilities are endless! Thank you all for sharing a few moments of your time with me.

Thank you Laura for taking valuable time out of your writing to connect with your devoted readers! I'll be checking in from time to time to check out your newer creations as time goes by, I'm sure we will see Laura's fantastic book on here again soon.

Shadow Rising by Jamie Sedgwick

Jamie has shared the cover art from his upcoming new book Shadow Rising. The sequel to the Shadow Born that we reviewed here previously. 


I love the bold orange colour of the sun, in contrast to the menacing blackness of the castle and surroundings. The small airship in the background looks cool too. Hinting at a lot of movement in the story again I guess. Jamie is such a talented story teller I can't wait to see this book launched. Wont be long now. 

Shadow Born by Jamie Sedgwick

Blurb: When Gabriel appears on a dark and stormy night, he seems just like any other twelve year-old... except for the scars that cover his back and the fact that he has no memory of his past. The wealthy couple who rescue Gabriel promise to help him find his parents, but their mysterious behavior soon leads him to wonder if they really are who they appear to be.

Review by Dale:

I love adventure stories, I remember the excitement I felt when I first saw the Indiana Jones stories back when I was a kid. It was a thrill a second as the story smashed one high-action scene into the next. It's all terrific and thrilling stuff.

It's always difficult, I think to maintain that kind of momentum in a story. It can also leave you feeling drained as you saunter out of the movie theatre at the end of the show, having emphatically experienced all the action as you ducked and weaved in your seat right along side Indie.

So it is with Gabriel, as he lurches from crisis to crisis. You barely have the time to digest the development of the story before it carries you off to another part of the world to once again fight evil in a hopelessly outnumbered capacity. Unreliable weapons, double agents and an almost unbeatable enemy. What more could a young boy want in an action story? No kissing, not even a forlorn look between characters. So if you are well tired of romance or just want an old fashioned thrill a minute ride, then I suggest you try this, the first book in the Shadow Born Trilogy.


Format: eBook
Available from Amazon
Link to Download: Here
Price: $0.99c (at time of review)
Word count: Unknown
Author: Jamie Sedgwick

An Interview with Indie Superstar Jamie Sedgwick

Accomplished Indie Writer Jamie Sedgwick has graciously given some of his time away from writing to answer a few questions for us. This is the result of an email interview that took place over December.

Jamie’s books have been featured here on Chilli Tween Reads before look for links at the bottom of the interview.

Your stories are quite unique, you seem to be able too mix differentstory elements together with great success (like high fantasy andsteam punk).  Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?

I’ve been trying to think of a way to answer this question without getting too convoluted, but I don’t think I can. The simple and direct answer is that the books I’ve read and the genres I’ve enjoyed in the past have influenced me. Of course, nothing is ever that simple.

Part of my writing style stems from my slightly ADD personality, which I’ve discussed in my blog. My approach to writing is to do everything in my power to keep the story interesting to me, and hope that my effort pays off for readers as well. A number of reviewers have mentioned that I pack a lot of story into a book -a lot more than most authors do- and hopefully, that makes the stories pack a punch, so to speak. So far, it seems to work.

Before I start writing though, I usually start with the character. When I began writing “The Tinkerer’s Daughter” I had no idea where the story was going to go. I just knew that I had to tell the story of this poor orphaned girl who didn’t have a chance at life. The entire world was against her, but she was pure and dedicated, and a little naive, and because of that she overcame everything the world could throw it her. I knew that the time and setting would be the verge of an industrial revolution, but the political revolution that came with it was completely organic. To be honest, I was probably influenced by Japanese anime more than high fantasy or steampunk, but I followed Breeze and that was where her story took me.

In my newest novel, “Hank Mossberg, Private Ogre,” I thought about the character for several years before I finally wrote the book. I just had this character stuck in my head. He was a big, green hulking figure in a trench coat and fedora, like Mike Hammer or Dick Tracy meets The Incredible Hulk. The character was there, but I didn’t quite know what to do with him for a long time. Eventually that evolved into something simple and unique: A fairy tale murder mystery.

Most of my books are like that, to some extent. They draw on things familiar, but become something new and different in the process.

Your stories do have a universal appeal to them across age groups and sexes but is there a particular reader that you are aiming for when you write?  I know I often misjudge how seemingly more grown up the younger generation are today. They are not the same readers we were when we were young. Enid Blyton's Famous Five is a stark contrast to the Twilight books they read today, how do you stay connected with today's readers?

It’s certainly a different world than it was when I was growing up. I must admit that I have a little extra insight into the young adult mind because I have children, and lots of nieces and nephews. I do pay attention to the books they read, the movies they watch, and the way they interact with each other. And yes, I do keep them in mind when I’m writing some of my novels. Having said that, I’d also have to say that the way we define literature has changed just as much.

When I was kid, there were three sections in the library: Children (Dr.Seuss, etc.), YA (Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew, Where the Red Fern Grows, the Hobbit, etc.) and Adult. At first, I presumed the Adult section of the library was full of terrible and inappropriate things and I avoided it for fear of the consequences. Eventually, when I had exhausted everything in the YA section and I knew Middle Earth and Pern like the back of my hand, I courageously ventured into the Adult section. I half-expected alarm bells to go off and some terrifying library policeman to arrest me. Instead, I just found a bunch more books. I found James Michener, James Clavell, Zane Gray, and Stephen King, along with the rest. And some of them were the same names I’d seen in the YA section!

There was a middle ground there somewhere; a magical place occupied by science fiction and fantasy writers like Tolkien and H.G. Wells and Robert E. Howard, and that was where I always felt the most comfortable. In those days, genre fiction wasn’t for adults, yet it often contained subject matter that was quite mature. I didn’t mind. I’d found my place.

Today, we have a lot more to choose from: Children, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Tween, Teen, and so on. I can’t even remember them all and I couldn’t begin to tell you where one ends and the next begins. I think it started as a marketing tactic, but ultimately it just became a caricature. Today we have women in their twenties and thirties reading so-called YA fiction so voraciously that publishers can’t keep up with demand. And many of the teens I know roll their eyes when the subject comes up. I’ve never met a young adult male who has the slightest interest in sparkly vampires, and yet I’ve worked in office buildings full of women who have families, full-time jobs, and run business who can’t get enough of the subject. So, why is the YA section full of sparkly vampires? Why not the Adult section? Are we pretending, or somehow being politically correct by telling teens they should only be interested in one thing? Or is it just another marketing strategy? Either way, it’s shrewd business.

But regardless of how the market has changed, I think we all still really just want the same thing. We want a pleasant fiction, an exciting story, a temporary escape to a world more interesting than our own. I try to keep that in mind regardless of what age group or genre I’m writing.

Publishing has changed a lot in the last ten years. Where some fantastic writers were overlooked because their content wasn't current, today anyone can publish anything. How do manage as an indie writer in today's market?

In some ways, this new digital marketplace is fantastic, but in others it's extremely challenging. Like many Indie authors, I turned to self-publishing because the industry wasn't interested in my product. When I made that decision, I took on a lot more than just writing. I became a publisher. I formed a small business. I've had to keep track of profits and expenses, purchase and create art for covers, and seek editorial assistance. It's a lot to juggle, but I think the rewards are there for those who tough it out.

Competition has always been stiff. The number of titles at places like Amazon.com has grown exponentially, but so has the market. Thanks to the low cost and instant gratification that comes with e-books, more people are reading now than ever. That translates to a huge opportunity for those of us who never had a chance in the collapsing legacy system.

I see you mention some of the great old masters in writing as influences, greats like H.G Wells, and Julies Verne, whose writing was so far ahead of its time in imaginative content.... What do you think they would be writing about if they were alive today?

I've been thinking about this question for a week and I'm still not sure. It would have been easy if you'd said Tolkien, because that man was so in love with his world that he never wanted to leave it. If J.R.R. Tolkien was still alive, I have no doubt that we'd still be learning about Middle Earth. But H.G. Wells and Jules Verne... that's tough.

In a way, these two authors were really products of their time. They witnessed the industrialization of the world and it sparked their imaginations. That's not to say that their writing was less than brilliant; I consider them both literary geniuses, but in those early days of the genre, science fiction was as much fantasy as science. Some of the things they imagined we still haven't achieved.

I'd have to guess that they would still be pushing the limits. In our modern world, I can imagine Wells and Verne conducting massive amounts of research and then pushing the boundaries of what we understand, much in the way that Michael Crichton did. Having done a little research, I suspect they might have used their persuasive talents in fields outside literature as well, such as politics, though I wouldn't dare speculate about what they might think of our current political landscape.

I too struggled with the H.G.Wells question and finally decided that they would probably writing the exact same stories because as you say, most of it is still sci fi. Aliens haven't invaded, and people don’t run around at 20,000 leagues, and we don’t have time machines.  So final question for you Jamie. What are you currently workign on and when can your fans read it!"

I'm finishing a new novel in the "Hank Mossberg, Private Ogre," series, but I won't be publishing it for a few months. My next release will be "Shadow Born II: Shadow Rising." It's the continuing story of my young adult assassin Gabriel Frost. It's a very exciting sequel that reveals the truth about Gabriel's past and the origin of his special abilities. His friend Jodi develops some unusual powers of her own, and I think the story goes in some very unexpected directions. I wrote it last summer, but I try to keep several months between my first draft and publication. It's too easy to overlook amateurish mistakes on a new work. I find that allowing a few months between the first and final draft lets me see the story differently. I've forgotten many of the details, so when I come back and re-read, it's not so familiar. That's when the mistakes really start to appear and I can see where changes in pacing and plot structure might help the story.

Do you have anything you would like to add in summary? Or say to our readers?

A: I'd like to wrap it up by thanking you first of all, for your patience and generosity in putting all of this together. I'd also like to thank the readers who've taken time out of their lives and money out of their pockets to give my books a chance. When I hear from someone who's loved my stories and passed them onto friends, that's huge. It validates everything that I've been working so hard for. It's tough to be a writer. You spend thousands of hours creating stories that people might never read. You don't know if anyone will like them or if you'll ever make a penny. But you keep writing out of love for the craft and the dream that you just can't let go. Right now, I'm virtually unknown in the publishing world, but when people leave positive feedback, send emails, and comment on my blog, I know that I've succeeded. Regardless of how small my audience, my stories have connected with people and that means a lot.

-Jamie

Thank you Jamie for your thoughtful and candid answers.  I’m sure I speak for all our readers when I say we can’t wait to read Shadow Born II: Shadow Rising. I’m sure we can beg an ARC out of Jamie to give readers a preview before it goes live (wink, wink) or maybe even a giveaway!

Now go and read the reviews of The Tinkerer's Daughter and The Darkling Wind if you haven’t already. Then stop by Jamie's blog to check out his other books. 

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Blurb: Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12.



Review by Dale:

Finished the last book in the trilogy and its an impressive finish to an amazing series. I really admire the skills that Collins has displayed in putting this together. It's engaging, its educating its immensely entertaining and its almost one of those books that really makes you think differently about life. In fact for Young Adults it probably is. The first book I ever read like that was John Wyndham's the Chrysalids and there are parallels here with the Hunger Games. I might reread it and post a review so you can all compare.

But back to Mockingjay, and its easy to to point out that Collins manages to maintain her amazing style of keeping every scene buzzing, and forcing you to turn the page to see how things will turn out for Katniss. She has a great talent for building up a scenario and then doing the complete opposite of what you would expect. It almost become a little game of mine as I read. As Katniss would pursue some element of the story I'd try and guess how Collins would twist my expectations around.

And what of the characters themselves? Katniss Everdeen, is she someone you can relate to? I must point out that she looked much younger in the trailers for the Hunger Game's Movie than I had imagined in my head. Same was true for Peeta's character. I think it's great how both those characters developed over the series. And again in ways i didn't expect. Sorry to disappoint you mills and boons die hards, it's not a hands held gazing into your lovers eyes till time turns you into dust kind of book.

I would suggest you read it before Hollywood destroys it.


Highly recommended, 5 stars. Suitable for Ages 14+ (violence)


Format: Hardback
Available from Amazon Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, Book 3)

Link to Download: Here
Price: $9.50c (at time of review)
Pagecount: 390 pp (appx)
Author: Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Blurb: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Review by Dale: ***Contains Mild Spoilers***

Fortunately I purchased the Hunger Games as  a box set and didn't have to wait for the sequel to arrive to read it. After allowing a mere 8 hours (to sleep) I plunged into book two. I had to finish it before I came home from holiday so my mum could read it too.


This book picks up just a few weeks after the first book, The Hunger Games (which I reviewed  Here) and again it immediately draws you in to the creepy world of Katniss and Peeta. 


Before starting this book I set about wondering what the author had in store for us. I imagined this book would be about the victory tour and maybe a mentoring of another unlucky candidate. Then in closing, probably a lead into revolution. I wondered how exciting that could be. But the minute Collins mentioned the Quater Quell, I knew we were in for another blood thirsty treat.


The writing is again instantly engaging, the story suitable complex and yet has an easy flow to it. My mum made the same comment that it was very easy to read and yet a throughly complex and compelling story. 


Often it is the case that you can guess where a story is going a few chapters in, and yes it was kind of obvious with the Quater Quell that Katniss would be heading back to the arena. But by the same token it makes you read all the more faster to find out how on earth she gets back out again. And it really comes down to the wire on this one (wink). Carefully twisting and turning the plot and dialoge until bam! 


Now with a cliff hanger the size of Niagara falls I'm rushing back to my favorite reading chair to start the final book, Mockingjay. Look for a review soon.


And again I wasn't disappointed, all the elements were there. The precise ability of Collins to keep every scene an exciting one. No padding, no boring bits. I think there is a lot to learn for other young adult writers like myself here. I guess i'm saying that Suzanne Collins makes me want to be a better writer.




Age 14+
Format: Hardback
Available from: Amazon Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)

 
Link to Download: Here
Price: $9.50c (at time of review)
Pagecount: 391 pp (appx)
Author: Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Blurb: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival


Review by Dale:

A Happy New Year to all my followers and with a new year brings some new books. I have chosen The Hunger Games as the first book to read in 2012. I saw a trailer for the movie and was intrigued as to how the 'running man' theme for a young adult story might play out.

First impression, this book is amazing. The author, Suzanne Collins has a brilliant technique in her writing that makes even the most mundane of plot essentials riveting. She maintains the excitement of the story from page to page so that you can't help but read the entire story in one or two sittings. Obviously a lot of thought has gone into the construction of this meticulously crafted story. I really marvelled out how she has constructed her scenes

The story premise itself is also very powerful. The background of a dystopian future full of government control and censorship. The severe oppression of the subjugated peoples of the 12 districts, the 'reaping' of children; some as young as 12 years old. It is a disturbing theme that you know can't have a happy ending. The whole book has that edgy feel that George Orwell's 1984 or Animal Farm had. The scary faceless government watching and listening to everything the workers say and do. People forced to put on a brave face and hide or bury deep down inside themselves their true feelings.

When we are introduced to the other characters; the naive Peeta, the courageous Rue and the horrible Career fighters, we know by the nature of a death-match there is going to be tragic outcomes for these characters.

Since the writing is close first person how do the other characters fair in gaining our empathy and love? Again Collins does a superb job at this even when the character is present for only a small number of scenes. Rue who is barely in the book is mourned profoundly when she passes. How does Collins achieve this empathic connection with the reader in so few pages? Well you will have to read it to find out.

I consider this an awesome book for young readers. While the sentence structures and writing is easy for younger readers to follow the context and themes in the book might be more suitable for readers 14 years and up?

Highly recommended, 5 stars.


Format: Hardback
Available from Amazon The Hunger Games
Link to Download: Here
Price: $9.50c (at time of review)
Pagecount: 374 pp (appx)
Author: Suzanne Collins

The New Girl Who Found A Dead Body by Milda Harris

Blurb: Chloe is excited about spending her senior year of high school in California with her friend Jake's family. Even the usual dread of being the new girl can't bring her down. That is, until she stumbles across the dead body of the most popular girl in school, Lora Kelly. Now she's receiving threatening notes...will she be next? Suddenly, Chloe's dream life, has turned into a nightmare! 

Welcome to the next installment in my roundup of the best writers of the year revisited. Last week we looked at Jamie Sedgwick's fantasy masterpiece The Tinkerers Daughter a magical fantasy story. This week something completely different. We revisit Milda Harris a talented mystery writer.

Review by Dale:

Harris seems to be onto a winning formulae in the murder mystery genre. Delivering another chilling mystery for us to devour in one frantic session. I'd certainly hate to be one of Harris's imaginary characters, as they seem to have a habit of dying in gruesome ways.

Here is an odd fact for you, this is the third story I have reviewed where the main guys name is Jake....

The last book I reviewed by Harris (Adventures in Funeral Crashing) had an outcome that you might have guessed. But this time around you are weaving and bobbing all over the place.

I think one of the best parts of Harris's writing are the characters. So realistic that you easily relate to them and their lives as she lays it out on the page for us.

It is difficult to review a mystery story without dropping spoilers and I don't want to ruin anyones enjoyment of this story.

It's packed with those, "no don't go in there!" moments from good horror movies. A roller coaster ride of white knuckle tension! A great trick for this type of story is putting the hero, or heroine as Chloe is, in mortal peril. In an impossible situation, one with absolutely no hope of getting out of. Then stewing the reader whilst the murderer(s) recounts their horrific details.  So how on earth does Chloe survive? Well I could tell you, but then I'd have to murder you too.


Age 14+
Format: eBook
Available from Smashwords, Amazon etc
Link to Download: Here
Price: $0.99c (at time of review)
Wordcount: 58,000 (appx)
Goodreads

The Tinkerer's Daughter by Jamie Sedgwick

So it's December already and it's nearly a year that Chilli Tween Reads has been reviewing great books for teens and tweens from indie writers. Doesn't time fly when your a reading fun stuff. I can't believe its well over twenty books and authors.

Welcome to the second installment of the year end review of some the best of the best writers I've had on my blog. Todays book is by Young Adult author Jamie Sedgwick. I first reviewed one of Sedgwick's books way back in February. I was instantly impressed by his fantastic and dark story about the darklings. You can revisit the review here or read on for a review of The Tinkerer's Daughter.

Blurb: Breeze is an outcast, a half-breed orphan in a world devastated by 1,000 years of war. She never knew her elven mother. Her father leaves her in the care of a reclusive Tinker, with her true identity safely hidden. Then the war comes and Breeze is exposed. If she has the courage, Breeze has a chance to change the world. If she fails, she'll be hunted to her death as a traitor. 

 Review by Dale:

I cracked this open on my kindle reader this morning and found myself unable to put it down. The story unfolds beautifully with just enough action and drama to quickly draw you into Breeze's world.

A half cast between two race's Breeze lives in an earth like reality. The story is well set in a pre-industrial revolution time period. A time that conjures up the amazing worlds of Jules Verne or H. G. Wells. To spice things up and add a new twist to the nascent steampunk world he adds a touch of elfish type high fantasy.

I think this writers greatest asset is his imagination. Like Lauro Eno from last weeks review the superlative, lavish and full worlds these writers conjure up for us is breathtaking.

Sedgwick has a narrative style that is reminiscent of the old masters like Edgar Rice Burroughs, (he wrote Tarzan). His narration powers ahead like a locomotive on full steam. Smashing through chapter after chapter of suspense and excitement. Covering what would take some writers a trilogy to actualize in about three hundred words.

Sedgwick's knack of ending chapters with suspense compels the reader to swipe the next page. Unable to put this down it can be read in a matter of hours. Yet you easily put the book down feeling replete.

The last story of Sedgwick's I reviewed was so fundamentally different to the story here, the only commonality is the excellent writing. It wont matter if you are a fourteen year old boy or a forty one year old boy (or girl) you will love this! I hope the author is busy writing something new for us to enjoy next year.


Age 10+
Format: eBook
Available from Amazon or Smaswords etc

Link to Download:Smashwords or Amazon
Price: $0.99c (at time of review)
Wordcount: 70,000 (appx)
Author: Jamie Sedgwick

Tempest Child by Laura Eno

Welcome to the first review in my end of year look-back. Over the coming weeks I will be choosing books from some of the best writers I've reviewed over the year. I've got some great books stacked up from some awesome indie authors like Spencer Baum, Jamie Sedgwick and Milda Harris. If you have any favorites you'd like me to review leave a comment and I'll see what I can do!

First up is Tempest Child by Laura Eno. I first reviewed Eno back in July with her charming story the Realms of the Red Rabbit. A very unique story with classical elements, and a five star effort. 


Blurb: As future Queen and Guardian of the Elements, Princess Skylather'cha'eab thought her worst nightmare was the impending find-a-husband party until events take an ominous turn. Now she must put her life at risk to save her Kingdom. Skyla's world is turned upside-down when she enters the Crossroads. Does she have the courage to sort truth from lie, or will she die not knowing who betrayed her?

Review by Dale:

I was very impressed with the first story I read from this writer so I jumped at the chance to read this new story. I had great expectations for another awesome read.

Tempest Child is classic fantasy. It's set in a world apart from our world in a magic realm where the heroine of our story rules over the elements, or she would if she was Queen and had finished her training. The problem is trouble can't wait and the young princess finds herself pushed into the crossroads far too soon.

It took me a long time to finish this book. I just couldn't get into it, too easily distracted as the characters seem to amble about without much purpose for the first eighty pages.

The writing is good, the same tight and elegant prose that had me rapt with Realms of the Red Rabbit. It's just the story seemed a bit verbose. It wasn't until Sky was transported into the crossroads with her quirky companion that things started to gather pace.

Eno does have a great imagination and the richness of the worlds she creates certainly create magnificient environments for her stories but again this book has just a few too many parallels with the Realms of the Red Rabbit story. The constant changing of the realms, the often unseen malevolence in the realms trying to kill Sky and companions. If you haven't read Realms of the Red Rabbit then it would be moot, but for me Tempest Child can't compete with the richness and often creepy atmosphere created in that great story.

It is very difficult to avoid comparing the two, where Realms was a story with a purpose, (the realization and rehabilitation of the bad ways of the protagonist) I don't see such a boldly detailed premise here. Girl faces environmental challenges, meets hunky guy, falls in love, comes back home kicks butt and lives happily ever after? I wanted more depth.

But what if you are fourteen and reading Eno for the first time? Then if you can hang in there for the beginning the journey is still well worth the fare. Eno's writing is still full of charm and an almost scary imagination that still keeps you guessing page after page. 4 out of 5 stars for me.



Age 12+
Format: eBook
Available from Smashwords
Link to Download: Here
Price: $0.00c (at time of review)
Wordcount: 60,000 (appx)
Author: Laura Eno
Author's Blog: Here

I'll be Home for Peacemas by Shannon O'Neil

Blurb: Bailey Hamilton isn't exactly a recluse, but when it comes to Christmas, she prefers a pair of sweats and quiet time with the television - anything to stay away from her hometown, where things are anything but quiet and painful memories lurk. But after an incident with a homeless man dubs her the "Santa Slugger," Bailey finds herself in the last place she expected - home. 

 Review by Dale:

This is perhaps my second foray into chic-lit comedy? And it's probably targeted more at the adult or advanced YA reader rather than the Tween.

This is also another genre that that I don't claim to be any kind of expert in. I've seen the Bridget Jones movie and something with Sandra Bullock in it so I'm not completely nieve....

What is immediately obvious a few pages into this novel is that author Shannon O'Neil has quite a way with words. "My grandfather would sooner have seen his youngest son in full drag carrying a Jimmy Carter campaign sign than..." The whole story is punctuated with snappy little punchlines that make you laugh out loud and cause those sitting around you to eye you with suspicion and move away. Definitely better to read this when you are alone or out of earshot.

Comedy is tricky and weaving comedy into a serious story that has a great message is not a challenge for the feint hearted writer. So I think O'Neil has done exceptionally well in maintaining the comedic flow of the book whilst delivering a credible and compelling piece of dysfunctional domestic drama for us to enjoy.

I think O'Neils greatest strength maybe lies in her character development. Some of the amazing nut cases she has conjured up are absolute gems. A personal favorite being the massive lumberjack simpleton Maylene. O'Neil has given only a tiny amount of detail in describing her and yet this character has fully metastasized in my mind. The other thoroughly enjoyable character is Olivia, whose complete insanity would give Batman's arch nemesis the Joker a run for his money. I dont want to spoil the fun for any potential readers out there by giving away too many of the jokes and shenanigans contained within though.

I'll be Home for Peacemas is easy to read and moves along briskly. There are a lot of characters in this book and honestly I did get them confused at times, probably because I didn't get a chance to read this in just one or two sittings but kept coming back to it. The story itself is told as a recollection of past events and jumps randomly around the last few Christmases in the life of Bailey Hamilton. You know something big has happened, but you dont know what triggered it off and that suspense keeps you turning in the pages.

So if you are looking for something to take away for a long weekend of reading in the sun and you like that  'Meet the parents' kind of mad humour, then this is the book to pack.


 Format: eBook
Available from Smashwords 
Link to Download: Here
Price: $2.99c (at time of review)
Wordcount: 80,000 (appx)
Author: Shannon O'Neil

80AD - The Jewel of Asgard by Aiki Flinthart

Blurb: What happens when you take a pair of ordinary, miserable 14 year olds out of their ordinary, miserable lives and throw them into another world and another time? Chaos, fear, magic and excitement - that's what. When Phoenix and Jade somehow end up in the bodies of their own warrior Avatars in the online fantasy game, 80AD, they have to play the game through to get home. Do they have what it takes? 

 Review by Dale:

Forgive my tardy return to reviewing, I have been unwell with a lingering flu for several weeks now. So without further delay I present the latest Chilli Tween Review for your enjoyment.

This story is very unique, and I think that Flinthart has a recipe here that should be easily reproduced as a series. I notice she has banged out one every two months. I'm not sure if thats how fast she writes or if she had written them previously and that was the time taken to get them through Smashwords' meat grinder?

The premise is immensely entertaining, the two main heroes get sucked into a computer game reality and discover that they have to play out the games premise in order to save themselves and their own world. So far so good.

The setting of the game is also brilliant. Roman occupied Britannia. Every little boy loves the Romans, and spicing them up with giant Ogres and Elves just makes the scene every more exciting. I can imagine nail biting ten year olds ripping through this one nice and quickly.

The story works well, has a good structure and one scene links very well into the next with a well tempo'd style. The meticulous attention to historical details is great to see. A history lesson without beating anyone over the head about it. Readers are learning because its important to the story, not just a nice snap in. The writing is well targeted at the 8 - 12 year reader, it is easy to follow, with no overly convoluted narratives. It has a great flow that will keep young readers interested. There are still a lot of editing errors in this book though, basic typos and grammar or layout errors. It is a little distracting.

The characters are well handled. That is the two main protagonists, Phoenix and Jade. The other two companions don't get a lot of screen time to reveal themselves too fully. I thought the young thief, Brynn was a great sidekick. And the idea of Marcus the young Roman had great potential but he never really got a chance to come out. Maybe he shines more in book two? I would have loved to have seen how his first century attitudes contrasted and conflicted with the pair from the twenty first century.

Another small bug bear was at the end. Flinthart had done a great job bring all the protagonists and antagonists together in a spectacular last stand. There at the nail biting conclusion, Phoenix, a hairs breadth from razor sharp roman steel has a crisis of conscience. So instead of maintaining the great momentum she had established, the whole story collapsed into a mental conversation about the ethics of retreat. I think that could have been written a bit differently that allowed the characters to have their reflection on the implications of their actions but maybe after we were allowed the action scene to maintain its momentum.

It will be interesting to see how Flinthart's writing matures over the series as well. I know my writing changed the more i wrote and I know I'm learning a lot by reading and reviewing other writers too.

All said and done its a great story! One I'm sure the target readers will love and I'm definitely keen to read the other books in the series and review them here. I give it 4 stars. It's FREE too so why wait, scull down and click on the download link now!

The cover art is great too. Im glad that the author has taken the time to get some professional art rather than the stock clipart you see too much of in indie publishing.

Format: eBook
Available from Smashwords
Link to Download: Here
Price: $0.00c (at time of review)
Wordcount: 60,000 (appx)
Author: Aiki Flinthart
Author's Blog: Here

Evanescent by Kristen Portillo

Blurb: Brinn Kiernan is an immortal living in a human body. The problem? She doesn't know it. She must find a cure to the symptoms that plague her before they end her life. Meanwhile she must also dodge attacks on her life by her estranged and immortal, identical twin sister. Will her human body give out on her before she finds the cure or will her sister get to her first? 



Review by Dale:


I seem to be on a roll of recent, fossicking out new and exciting nuggets in the indie world. But this time I've managed to smash all previous conceptions as to just how good indie writers are. 


Kristen Porttillo is a serious threat to the dominance in popularity of the mainstream supernatural romance writers. If I was Stephanie Meyer I'd be afraid, very afraid.

This story is epic, at eight hundred and ten pages on my iPad it is not a quick read. Thats because Portillo has taken her time to create a rich and lucid stage for her characters to play their parts. Each character, unique and careful scripted into the story. There is no wasted dialogue, no random prose or imagery. Every noun, every verb every tantalizing adjective is leading the reader to a fantastic climax. And not just the love, but the adventure thats in store for Brinn as well.

This is a story about love yes, but also about supernatural creatures, Vampires, Miphares, Werewolves and other mysterious and imaginative folk Portillo has created. But above all else it's the writing itself that is so fantastic. The symphony of colorful and thoughtful imagery, the infinite attention to the smallest details. Portillo writes you into Brinn's world. You are an active bystander, experiencing the smells, the cacophonous beating of enamored hearts and heaving of unrequited love right along side her.

A classic triangle of love. Jack the dashing and insanely handsome classmate who pursues Brinn inspite of her disdain for him. Intoxicated by his good looks but uncertain of his intentions Brinn finds herself falling for Jack. But the more time she spends in his company the more she realizes it's a means to seeing more of Seth.

Brinn is affected by the audacious good looks of Seth but his aloofness and apparent dislike for her causes her great angst.  This love triangle twists and turns for most of the first part of the book. Then the heart pounding chapter thirteen marks a turning point in the story and heralds the point that makes it impossible to put this book down.

So who does Brinn finally end up with? The rascallious and cheeky Jack, whose sweet kisses cause hot flushes to rise from Brinn's core? Or Seth, from whom a mere glance is enough to send Brinn into a lustful stupor? Well you will just have to read it to find out.

This book is so exceptionally entertaining, so well written, I have to give it 6 stars! 

So to all you Supernatural lovers, you Twilight junkies, you Vampire Academy attendees, go buy a big bag of candles, some coconut oil and cinnamon (trust me) Download this book and experience it for yourself.

Format: eBook
Available from Smashwords
Link to Download: Here
Price: $0.99c (at time of review by voucher  JB88X code)
Wordcount: 175,000 (appx)
Author:Kristen Portillo
Author's Blog: Here

Adventures In Funeral Crashing by Milda Harris

Blurb: Sixteen year old Kait Lenox has a reputation as the weird girl in her high school and maybe it has a little to do with the fact that Kait has a hobby crashing funerals. At one of these, Kait is outted by the most popular guy in school, Ethan Ripley. Yet, instead of humiliating her, Ethan asks for her help, and Kait finds herself in full on crush, as well as entangled in a murder mystery. 


Reviewed by Dale


I seem to be on a run of chic lit at present. This little gem I picked up yesterday. Its one of those frustrating books that you should never take to bed with you. For two good reasons. One being that Harris has a habit of leaving chapters as cliff hangers, forcing you to stay up till way past the candles best hours. And two, even though you begrudgingly put the ebook reader down and turn out the light your brain still can't resist thinking about 'who dunnit'.


I had my suspicions early on and I was kind of right, but none the less the plot does a great job of rolling you around from suspect to suspect. I think this is a difficult genre to write in and its very evident that Harris has planned this story out well. It has a crisp, fresh momentum that reads well and entertains easily. 


One of my favorite parts of well written stories are what I call the eddies. If a story is a large river, with the main plot the major flow, then its the tiny eddies and back flows that fascinate and add so much depth to a great story. The drama between Kait and Ariel, not overly relevant to the main plot but such a treat to read. I found myself greatly enjoying the asides as the flowed through the book. Kyle and Suzie another great little sub story that has me thinking about my own school days. Sigh.


The characters were full bodied, aged well and believable. There were even a few 'ah ha' moments for me that might have made my school dating shambles a bit more tenable had i only known. (Or read this!)  


It is funny that the last two books I've read have both had men that go beyond perfect as the leading men in the stories. This one has silky hair, the last story had chocolate hair. I guess I'll never be a chic lit writer, I never think of hair. 


So conclusions, this is an easy one. Its good, in fact its very good. Its easy to read, hard to put down and has very likable characters. The story is compelling and although nothing new, it has so much happening around it you certainly won't get bored!. 5 stars, click on the link below and go get it!






Format: eBook
Available from Smashwords
Link to Download: Here
Price: $0.99c (at time of review)
Wordcount: 67,000 (appx)
Author:Milda Harris