Book Review - The Girl Who Lost a Leopard by Nizrana Farook

 

The Girl Who Lost a Leopard by Nizrana Farook is about a young girl, Selvi, who likes being outdoors and exploring the beautiful area behind her home. She likes spending her time climbing the mountains. There she comes across a leopard. Since Selvi doesn’t have any human friends, she befriends the leopard.

Selvi names him Lokka. Unlike other leopards in the area, Lokka has a beautiful shimmering coat with huge golden eyes. Together the duo roam and explore the wilderness. Because Lokka has a rare and beautiful coat, he becomes prey to hunters who want his fur. Selvi wants to protect Lokka and ensure he is not caught, but circumstances lead to Lokka’s capture. She feels powerless against the hunters and she isn’t sure who she can turn to for help. Will Selvi be able to help rescue her friend before he is sold to traders?

The book is a quick and fun read. The novel has short chapters for young readers. I liked that the book contained lush descriptions of the wilderness and the characters were well fleshed out. I liked the cute illustrations. While the book was based on a fictional Sri Lanka, I would have loved to learn more about the actual culture and people.

I thought the book was a heartwarming read about a young girl who befriends a wild animal because she was struggling to fit in. I liked that she mentions that she can’t control Lokka, i.e. that she will always remain on guard because Lokka is a wild animal and she needs to be careful of this creature. As the book progressed, I liked seeing the different characters finding their voices and standing up for their beliefs. It was nice seeing Selvi and the other characters grow while finding a supportive community. 

Book Review - Hide and Go Beak by Nancy Krulik

 

Chirpy is a young chicken stuck in coop all day. She isn't like other chickens who are content with pecking around the coop. She wants to experience the world especially, when the children mention a special place called school. The children seem excited to go there.

Chirpy decides to flee the coop and sneak onto the bus one morning. She hides in the classroom and there she discovers her true love for math. She decides she can't wait to go home and share what she learned with the other chickens. The other chickens do not share Chirpy's love for math but, when a hungry Fox is on the loose, will Chirpy be able to help?

The book was filled with cute illustrations and fun jokes. It had a very simple story for young readers to read and follow along. I liked that Chirpy was able to learn something and then put it into practice. At the end of the book, they also have an activity for readers to do with their parents. A cute read for any budding scientist or mathematician.

Book Review - The Magnolia Duchess by Beth White

Photo Credit - Amazon

Fiona Lanier and her shipbuilding family are building American ships for the War of 1812. She is the only woman in the tiny settlement of Navy Cove. While training her horses one day, Fiona comes across a body on the beach. She discovers its a family friend but, who is also on the other side of the war.

Lieutenant Charlie Kincaid has been undercover gathering information on a planned British attack on New Orleans. A summer storm wrecks his boat and causes Charlie overboard. He wakes up with a head injury and unable to remember. As Charlie starts to regain his memory, he discovers that he has conflicting political loyalties with the woman he loves.

I was expecting a lot more from this novel. I felt like the storyline of Fiona rescuing her brother would play a more prominent role. The developments on the fate of her brother were just mentioned in passing. I also found it hard to believe that Charlie strongly believed his duty in England and then changed his mind and was able to petition his interest to change sides. I found the descriptions of the war to be long and tedious. It felt like I was reading a history lesson. It was unnecessary because it didn't add much to the already-very-slow-moving storyline.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Tribal Affairs by Matt Dallmann

Photo Source - Amazon

Dahlia is a centuries-old powerful genie, who is helplessly trapped in a damaged golden locket. The locket is a family heirloom that was passed on to Liana by her beloved dead mother. She wears the locket during her father, Jamison's opening night performance. The locket causes a chain of unfortunate events which leads to a showdown between Liana and  Dahlia's nemesis, Stefan. Will Liana be able to defeat Stefan? Will Dahlia be able to escape her prison?

 I found the novel to be an interesting read. It was quite enjoyable to learn about different versions of genies. I found the dynamic between Taffi and Liana was fun to read. I enjoyed that when Taffi was in peril all he could think about was Liana's purple bedroom instead of his pending doom. The novel was narrated by Dahlia and I felt like it took away from the story. Dahlia seemed very involved in the beginning and was curious about Taffi but eventually disappeared after a few chapters. We only got to hear about her history through Liana's dreams. I would have enjoyed the book better if the book was narrated by Liana instead.  Overall, I found it to be an interesting book to read especially if you are interested in reading novels about genies.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Tribal Affairs

By Matt Dallmann

Genre: YA Fantasy

Brief Description

Dahlia, a centuries old genie, lies hopelessly trapped in a damaged golden locket charm attached to an ankle bracelet. Its owner, sixteen-year-old Liana, wears it for the first time during her father Jamison’s opening night illusion spectacular. Not only does its presence cause Jamison to folly his performance, but it also starts a chain of bizarre events that lead to a showdown with Dahlia’s mortal enemy, Stefan, and an unsuspecting romance between Liana and his son.

About the Author

Matt Dallmann has a background in acting and holds a BFA from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. His films and screenplays have been featured at film festivals across the United States including Cinequest, Big Apple Film Festival, Seattle’s True Independent Film Festival, DragonCon and Zero Independent Film Festival. His piano compositions have been published for commercial use and he is a member of ASCAP. Matt is also the Co-Founder and Vice President of the boutique medical billing firm VGA Billing Services, Inc. in New York City. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and two daughters.

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