Review: Touchpaper, by David Dodds

Blurb 

‘A bloodcap, an angelus and a Jack Russell terrier. They’re all I had by me to face mortal combat with the Queen of the Ælves.
I’d be dead in minutes…’

The historic streets of Edinburgh hide a parallel realm of shadowy killers, vicious ælves and deranged shades. All that stands between them and the unsuspecting populace are a daemon called Archer and the group of angelii he’s feuding with.

Drew Macleod is caught in the middle. Someone, somewhere is hunting him. But why? Delving deeper into this parallel realm, Drew finds allies in a feisty herbalist, an ancient creature in disguise and an old clock-maker – but are any of them really who they seem to be?

Touchpaper takes us on an exciting journey in the footsteps of Neverwhere and Rivers of London. This original and imaginative story lets a quirky cast of  characters lead us into a hidden and dangerous world. The contemporary setting and the richness of the characters holds our attention in a fast-paced and at times humorous read, full of plot twists and quirky details.


Buy Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Touchpaper-Parallel-Realm-Book-ebook/dp/B0DR67GBRV/ref=sr_1_1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D97469FW

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222859499-touchpaper

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Review: The Hytharo Redux by Jonathan Weiss @jonathanw_author @lovebookstours

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Blurb 

Lost among the dune-swept ruins of ancient glass towers, 14-year-old Spiric hunts for his stolen memories. Guided by the exiled scholar that found him, he embarks on a perilous journey across the Droughtlands to uncover his origins.

He’s told his red eyes mark him as a Hytharo, one of the long-extinct storm callers that sealed all water into the air itself before they were erased from history. In the thousand years since, thirst has been quenched simply by breathing, but that hasn’t stopped the surviving runic peoples from wanting water any less.

For without it, there’s no ink, no runes, no magic, and in the vast desert wastes of the Droughtlands, magic means power.

To Spiric, the mantra is eerily familiar.

Word of his presence ripples across the Droughtlands and pressure mounts on him to reverse the Hytharo’s final, sacrificial act. It’s only as his memories begin to return that he realises the true reason his people were wiped out.

With the fragments of Spiric’s memories growing bloodier and more desperate, he must determine whether carrying out his supposed fate will cause history to repeat, or if he can forge a new destiny, both for himself and the Droughtlands.

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Extract Post: Through Blood and Dragons by R.M. Schultz @rmschultzauthor @KellyALacey @lovebookstours Ad #LBTCrew #BookTwitter 

Book Blurb:

Steeped in blood. Ruled by those with dragons.

Cimeren is a world divided by a mysterious forest and the vast Lake on Fire. Suspicion brews on both sides, and the south has fallen into chaos as battles and quarrels rage between kingdoms.

In the border outpost of Nevergrace, Cyran Orendain is dealing with the loss of his brother and his lord as he strives to face the mounting challenges of a squire of the dragonguard.

But when Cyran’s guard-master is called to face the most powerful of the southern kings and bear witness to a secret stolen from the north, Cyran is dragged into a war that has been bubbling under the surface for centuries.

Dragons are not only weapons—they are engines of war. And even though Cyran is not trained in the ways of the dragonguard, he must adapt and learn to become one of them or his homeland and all of Cimeren will be destroyed.

But he was not born a champion.

He may break, and he will bleed.

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Children’s Picture Book Review: Bessie Bibbs’ Ginormous Fibs, by Chris Jones

Blurb 

Bessie Bibbs’ just can’t help but tell fibs. And whilst her intentions are good, they keep getting her into trouble … with very messy consequences! 

Author Website:

yearntolearn.co.uk


My Review

Thanks to Chris and Claire for my copy of this book and to the Love Books team for organising this blog tour.

What did I like?

The story is simple but effective. The rhyme works well and it is funny. The monsters are really quite cute and they have individual characteristics that make them stand out. While the authors state at the beginning that the book is for reading to children, I think it’s just right for beginner readers needing something to practice with.

What didn’t I like?

Nothing. I enjoyed it all.

What do I think of the illustrations?

I really liked the illustrations, they’re fun and the muted colour palette is perfect. The colour pop of the ice cream at the end is perfect.

Would I read other books by the author?

Yes, and then send them on to my cousin for his children who are at about the right age to enjoy them, 3 – 5 years old.

Children’s Book Review: Blanka, by D.M.Mullen

Blurb 

BLANKA VON FROCK When you want more but you have all you need, it’s Blanka von Frock, whose tale you should read. She bullies her sisters in their frozen windmill, and her greedy demands give the village a chill: “I want what I want and I want it today, so listen up sisters and do as I say” D.M. Mullan’s Curious Tales D.M. Mullan’s Curious Tales is a series of peculiar modern fables from author D.M. Mullan and illustrator Kirsteen Harris-Jones. With a classic rhyming style and wonderfully quirky illustrations, each book centres around a unique little individual and tells their story all whilst being part of a wider, interconnected, world.

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