Showing posts with label bones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bones. Show all posts

Friday, November 4, 2022

Book Review - Dragon Mountain by Katie Tsang

 

Billy Chan doesn't know what to expect from his culture summer camp that his parents are sending him to. The camp is in the middle-of-nowhere China and Billy doesn't know anyone there. When he arrives, he meets his fellow campers and is assigned to a group to work together during the summer. Dylan, Charlotte, Billy, and Ling-Fei, come across a mountain that has four powerful warrior dragons hidden behind the camp. The dragons need the help of the children to help defeat the Dragon of Death before it can unleash evil on the earth. The campers will need to travel to the Dragon Realm to help save the dragons. Can the team work together to help the dragons?

At first I thought the book was going great but, then it went downhill. The writing felt clinical and boring. It felt like the author was in a rush to get the book done and the writing became very straightforward. There was almost no time spent on building the friendships between the characters. They went from strangers to best friends who are willing to die for each other. There was almost no humor and somehow, every single time someone knew exactly what was needed at the right moment.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Book Review - Charlie Hernandez and the Castle of Bones by Ryan Calejo + Giveaway + Spotlight

Photo Credit - Amazon

Charlie Hernandez likes to believe that he just an average run of the mill kid. Never mind that he slays demons and has an encyclopedia-like knowledge base of Hispanic and Latino mythology in his mind. And he is a Morphling, which allows him to manifest into any animal trait found in nature. 

While Charlie is getting used to his new "normal" life, he has to constantly watch out for the La Mano Peluda.  However, when Witch Queen Jo is suddenly kidnapped, Charlie is certain the La Mano Peluda is at it again. Charlie is determined to rescue the queen and keep their alliances intact. Together with his best friend, Violet Rey, they embark on a dangerous magical journey to track down the masterminds behind Queen Jo's capture. As each clue leads the pair into more danger, they are left with more questions than answers.

I started reading this book first as I didn't realize it was the second book in the series. However, while the novel could be read as a standalone, I think it would be better to read the books in order. I thought the novel was an interesting read and fun. I like how the author weaved mythology seamlessly into the story. Personally, I am not well versed in Latin mythology so, some parts of the novel were confusing. However, it was an enjoyable read and I can't read more of his books.

  **Disclosure - I received an unedited 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.**


About the Book:
Title: CHARLIE HERNANDEZ AND THE LEAGUE OF SHADOWS (Charlie Hernández #1)
Author: Ryan Calejo
Pub. Date: October 23, 2018
Publisher: Aladdin
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, audiobook
Pages: 330
Find it: GoodreadsAmazonKindleAudibleB&NiBooksKoboTBD

“This is a perfect pick for kids who love Rick Riordan’s many series, particularly for those eager for mythologies beyond Greek and Roman stories.” —Booklist (starred review)

“A winner for all kids, but it will be especially beloved by Latinx and Hispanic families.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) 

The Lightning Thief meets the Story Thieves series in this middle grade fantasy inspired by Hispanic folklore, legends, and myths from the Iberian Peninsula and Central and South America.

Charlie Hernández has always been proud of his Latin American heritage. He loves the culture, the art, and especially the myths. Thanks to his abuela’s stories, Charlie possesses an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the monsters and ghouls who have spent the last five hundred years haunting the imaginations of children all across the Iberian Peninsula, as well as Central and South America. And even though his grandmother sometimes hinted that the tales might be more than mere myth, Charlie’s always been a pragmatist. Even barely out of diapers, he knew the stories were just make-believe—nothing more than intricately woven fables meant to keep little kids from misbehaving.

But when Charlie begins to experience freaky bodily manifestations—ones all too similar to those described by his grandma in his favorite legend—he is suddenly swept up in a world where the mythical beings he’s spent his entire life hearing about seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Hispanic folklore and into his life. And even stranger, they seem to know more about him than he knows about himself.

Soon, Charlie finds himself in the middle of an ancient battle between La Liga, a secret society of legendary mythological beings sworn to protect the Land of the Living, and La Mano Negra (a.k.a. the Black Hand), a cabal of evil spirits determined to rule mankind. With only the help of his lifelong crush, Violet Rey, and his grandmother’s stories to guide him, Charlie must navigate a world where monsters and brujas rule and things he couldn’t possibly imagine go bump in the night. That is, if he has any hope of discovering what’s happening to him and saving his missing parents (oh, and maybe even the world).

No pressure, muchacho.



About Ryan: 


Ryan Calejo was born and raised in south Florida. He graduated from the University of Miami with a BA. He’s been invited to join both the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Golden Key International Honour Society. He teaches swimming to elementary school students, chess to middle school students, and writing to high school students. Having been born into a family of immigrants and growing up in the so-called “Capital of Latin America,” Ryan knows the importance of diversity in our communities and is passionate about writing books that children of all ethnicities can relate to. His first novel was Charlie Hernández & the League of Shadows.



Giveaway Details:

1 winner will win a signed hardcover of CHARLIE HERNANDEZ AND THE LEAGUE OF SHADOWS, US ONLY

Rafflecopter link:



Tour Schedule:
Week One:
8/19/2019- BookHounds YA- Interview
8/20/2019- Savings in Seconds- Excerpt
8/21/2019- Twirling Book Princess- Excerpt
8/22/2019- Country Road Reviews- Review
8/23/2019- Lifestyle Of Me- Review

Week Two:
8/26/2019- Rhythmicbooktrovert- Review
8/27/2019- Wonder Struck- Review
8/28/2019- Two Chicks on Books- Interview
8/29/2019- Aunt Addie's Bookshelf- Review
8/30/2019- The Desert Bibliophile- Review

Week Three:
9/2/2019- The Layaway Dragon- Review
9/3/2019- Random Bookish Banter- Review
9/4/2019- Eli to the nth- Review
9/5/2019- Novel Novice- Guest Post
9/6/2019- Fyrekatz Blog- Review

Week Four:
9/9/2019- Nicole's Novel Reads- Review
9/10/2019- Marshmallow Pudding- Review
9/11/2019- Nerdophiles- Review
9/12/2019- PopTheButterfly Reads- Review
9/13/2019- two points of interest- Review