Book Review: Justice Calling: Annie Bellet

Author: Annie Bellet 

No of Pages: 150

Publication House: CreateSpace/ Doomed Muse Press

Date of Publication: 23rd July, 2014

Series: The Twenty Sided Sorceress
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Buy: Yes
Borrow: Definitely

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Gamer. Nerd. Sorceress. 

Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho. After twenty-five years fleeing from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers, quiet suits her just fine. Surrounded by friends who are even less human than she is, Jade figures she's finally safe. 

As long as she doesn't use her magic. 

When dark powers threaten her friends' lives, a sexy shape-shifter enforcer shows up. He's the shifter world's judge, jury, and executioner rolled into one, and he thinks Jade is to blame. To clear her name, save her friends, and stop the villain, she'll have to use her wits... and her sorceress powers. Except Jade knows that as soon as she does, a far deadlier nemesis awaits. 

STAR RATING: 4/5 

DESCRIPTION IN ONE LINE: Life, safety and friends....so hard to choose one.

Title: The title is attractive  as the story takes it's course after the Justice comes calling for Jade. What follows is a breath holding tale.

Title Rating: 4/5

Cover: The cover is intriguing and gives a face to our protagonist on whom the entire story spins around. The colour scheme and the sparkles add to the mysterious and thrilling aura around the story.

Cover Rating: 4/5

Characters: JADE: She always thought survival was the only way left till her someone makes her realise that survival and life are poles apart. She's a strong women who has a horrendous past and prefers to entirely forget about the powers she has been born with. Hiding her identity she's a game and comics store owner living as quietly as she can, hoping to be undetectable. She's compassionate and highly concerned about her friends' safety.
ALEK: The guy who talks hard has a soft side he doesn't like to show. He's the Justice from the shape shifters  land and has a mission in Jade Crow. He's agile, hot and indeed caring.
FRIENDS: They are unaware about Jade's true identity and think her a witch instead. They are all rolled into one adventure where so much is discovered and would need gallons of faith to win from.

Characters Rating: 4/5

Review: The city is full of nonhumans i.e. witches, shape shifters and what not. Then Jade who's been happily living her life for now is accused by the Shifter's Justice and she needs to prove herself innocent. She lies about her identity in order to escape the past that has been haunting her from 25 years. Before she gets any chance to explain a friend's mother gets spell bound by some power hungry idiot. All her secrets are revealed and to protect her friends she has to choose between fleeing or helping out. The decision is really hard and the only way to figure out her life.  Along with all the action and misery, she begins to feel the attraction towards the justice. What happens next can be found out by reading this enthralling tale full of fear, magic, risk, love, friendship and self discovery.

Review Rating: 4/5

Appreciation: The story is written with a liquid flow and its easy to read length, is a bliss in these busy times.

Let Downs: A little more description on the villain would have helped more. 

Final Verdict: The fantasy world that transported me along with it. I was reading the book as quick as I could to know the entire story and definitely thirsty for more. An above average read which completes the story with all the correct elements.

Would I be reading more from Annie: I'd be a fool not to. Fantasy gives you break from the usually stressful life and Annie's got potential. I'm waiting for the next.

The book is available here:

amazon.com

To get your book reviewed you may contact me on:

Email: inextrica.sukriti@gmail.com

Facebook: Sukriti Goyal

Goodreads: Sukriti

Library Thing: My page

Book Blogs: My page

Book Review: Dax Dugan and the Graveyard Gang: T.J. Braswell

Author: T.J. Braswell

No of Pages: 72

Publication House: Polliwog Press

Date of Publication: 23rd June, 2014

Genre: Middle Grade Children's Fiction

Summary: (from goodreads.com)
Leaving the only home you've ever known and moving to a new town would be a little unnerving for any kid. Imagine moving to a new town and finding out that your closest neighbours are no longer among the living. That's what happens to 12-year-old Dax Dugan and his 9-year-old sister, Callie, when their mom's new job forces the whole family to leave the bustling city of Chicago and move to a quiet, rural town in Southern Illinois. Dax and Callie's parents tell them quite a bit about their new home before they ever leave Chicago. Unfortunately, the fact that there is a cemetery in their backyard is one piece of information they neglect to share. With the discoveries that follow, Dax and Callie quickly learn that life in the country is more than just cows and cornfields.

** The book had been sent by the author/publisher for an honest review and by no means the review is biased/influenced**

STAR RATING: 4.75/5 (This book is certainly more than 4.5 and below 5 so a 4.75)

DESCRIPTION IN ONE LINE: I was back to being 10-11.

Title: It informs the readers that Dax Dugan is certainly the main protagonist of the story and the sub title gives the hint that there's a gang of kids as well. The word graveyard hints to the location of the adventure. So the title gives the entire general idea of the book and its backdrop.

Title Rating: 5/5

Cover: Middle grade kids do love a lot of colour and attraction. The cover attracted my 12 year old sister as well and she's been after my kindle to get hold of it to read this one. The cover has been designed in  sync to the book.

Cover Rating: 4.5/5

Characters: DAX: This young guy was certainly not looking up to the country life and is the kind of child who loves a standard routine. He was scared when he should have been and has all the characteristics of any boy his age. He still has been very brave at instances and grown up to look at his new surrounding with a fresh perspective and adventure. Having dead neighbours is a freaky thought to me, even at the age of 21 so I really can't blame him.
CALLIE: She's certainly the brownie in the story with a lively character and the daring ways. At the age of 9 a graveyard did scare her initially but she doesn't let herself get jaded by the fact and has stolen the limelight in the story from Dax at many places.
GANG: Jamal, Marie and Wiley made a good team and never let the others fail. They were the part of the team as much as Dax and Callie. Being the secondary characters more character development was not possible and not required as well.
GHOST: Oops.....shhh the spirit was a good one but restless to attain peace from roaming around at nights and loved Dax's dog as his own.

Characters Rating: 5/5

Review: It is a fresh book for the children to enjoy a ghost story without getting scared too much. There's thrill, suspense and a good end to make the kids smile. The countryside backdrop is really simple and doesn't meddle with the theme of the story keeping it a clear and easy read. Dax and the gang are trying to help out Sam the ghost to finally rest in his grave and give the kids an adventure for some fun in the quiet of the place. The kids help out the ghost is a mystery that the reader can solve by reading the book and doesn't have to wait for a sequel. Kids who love Hardy Boys, Famous Five etc. can surely give a go at this one.

Review Rating: 4.5/5

Appreciation: When I started reading the book I thought it's a kids book what am I doing with it. As I went ahead I was lost in the story as the entire story line, specially the climax, is well written. 

Let Downs: There aren't any let downs but I'm a bit surprised that the parental influence was literally missing after the first half and they suspected nothing peculiar.

Final Verdict: Highly recommended for children aged between 9-13 and I guess I'll be lending my kindle to my sister today. Not a very long read so the kids can probably finish this book over a weekend.

Would I be reading more from T.J. Braswell: Although I'm beyond the age to read her books but it won't hurt me occasionally to have a nice book to read for an hour or two. I shall be recommending and surely GIFTING her books to all the kids I know and I really hope she writes a lot.

The book is available here:

amazon.com

To get your book reviewed you may contact me on:

Email: inextrica.sukriti@gmail.com

Facebook: Sukriti Goyal

Goodreads: Sukriti

Library Thing: My page

Book Blogs: My page