bibliophile – Page 9 – Sincerely Karen Jo

Starstruck

(Starstruck #1)

S.E. Anderson

4.75 ★ – Quirky, Outrageous and Fun

Published by Bolide Publishing Limited May 4, 2017

Genre(s): Science Fiction, Adventure, Young Adult,

Pages: Paperback 386

Buy: Barnes and Noble, Amazon

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, Bolide Publishing, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After an incident with a hot-air balloon causes college-dropout Sally Webber to lose her job, she sets off to find direction in her life. Crashing into a teleporting alien, however, is not on her to-do list.

Now she’s on the run from TV-drama-loving aliens, and things are just getting started. Zander won’t stop reeling her into life-or-death situations to save her planet, as he waits for his laser-wielding sister to search the universe for him. Though Sally isn’t quite sure if he wants to save Earth from annihilation, or just quell his curiosity of all things human.

On top of this, she’s got to find lost alien emissaries, as well as a job, and stop the planet from getting incinerated in the process. But with Zander as her roommate, what could possibly go wrong?

Starstruck by S.E. Anderson is unique, entertaining, and so much fun. I have always been fascinated by the idea that aliens exist, so I was beyond excited when this gem arrived in the mail. I couldn’t wait to read it and when I finally did, I was smiling and laughing within the first few pages.

The characters are fantastic, hilarious, quirky and so darn lovable. They’re all pretty awesome really… but I definitely have a soft spot for Sally, Zander and Blayde. They’re so funny and their camaraderie is so endearing. Sally and Zander — totally LOVE them! They’re great as they are, but CRAZY ADORABLE together! I wholeheartedly 110% ship them. And then there’s Blayde…if there’s one character that steals the show, that would soooo be her! Blayde is confident, beautiful, intense, sassy, a great sister to Zander and oozing with so much badassery. If I didn’t know any better, I think I may have developed a serious girl crush on her.

The plot is fast-paced, well written, and easy to read. There’s plenty of action, suspense, fun twists, and unexpected surprises that make the story exciting and addictive. While the romance is quite subtle, there are a few moments here and there that made me swoon. And that ending… totally crazy! I don’t want to give too much away, but let me just say that Anderson, without a doubt, knows what she’s doing. She lures you in with an intriguing premise, sends you on a fabulous out of this world adventure, messes with your mind just a little (okay…. maybe a lot), and then zoom… she leaves you with so many unanswered questions you’ll be ridiculously anxious for the next installment.

With incredible writing, amusing characters, and a fascinating storyline, Starstruck is definitely one of my favorite reads this summer. I had such a blast going on this laugh out loud adventure I can’t wait to see how Anderson continues this amazing series. If you’re looking for a delightful, quirky, and thrilling sci-fi adventure, then definitely add Starstruck to your TBR list/pile. You won’t want to miss all the fun now would you?

Sincerely Karen Jo

P.S. It took me almost a month to finish Starstruck only because I was really busy with work, adulting and life. I’ve actually been playing catch up with my TBR for months and it’s killing me. I miss being able to shut out the real world, relax, and just read for hours. I definitely could have finished this in one day because Starstruck is just that awesome!!!

The Red Sun

The Legends of Orkney #1

by Alane Adams

4.25 ★ – Fun, Exciting, and Magical Adventure

Published by Sparkpress August 4th 2015

Genre(s) Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mythology

Pages: Paperback 346

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After meeting a strange dwarf in his garage and finding out his substitute English teacher is a witch, twelve-year-old Sam Baron travels through a stonefire to the magical realm of Orkney where he finally learns the truth about his past: his mother is a witch and his father is a descendant of the Norse god, Odin.

“The Red Sun” is the first book in The Legends of Orkney, the spellbinding series of adventure fantasy novels by Alane Adams. It follows Sam to the realm of Orkney where witches, wraiths, and other menacing creatures cause serious peril to the unsuspecting Sam. Now, it’s up to him to save his friends and all of Orkney from a cursed red sun. Can a young witch girl named Mavery help him?

My cousin, Mellanie, who is an avid reader, booknerd and book revier, recommended this series to me. I don’t read Middle Grade books that often so I tend to be pickier when it comes to that genre, but Mellanie raved so much about The Red Sun I knew I had to read it. While it took me longer than I thought to finish reading, I thoroughly enjoyed The Red Sun.

Alane Adams is such a sweetheart and a great writer. I love that she wrote The Red Sun for her son and you can tell that she put her heart into the story. She lures you in with an intriguing premise and throws you in an exciting, enthralling, and fun-filled journey to a magical place. The world building is fantastic and imaginative filled with beautiful scenery and unique creatures that will have thinking about Harry Potter or LOTR. The story has plenty of action, suspense, and humorous dialogue that will keep you on the edge and entertained. Though a great book for children, I think The Red Sun is an amazing story for all ages who loves fantasy and adventure.

I though the characters are all pretty great and relatable. Sam is a wonderful young hero and I felt for him. The constant struggle to choose between saving a kingdom you’ve never known or saving your friends is quite difficult for anyone let alone a 12 year old boy. Sam is given this big responsibility and he’s not even sure he wants it, but he’s still doing the best he can. I rooted for him throughout the story and wanted him to succeed. I loved that he showed vulnerabilities and flaws and eventually learned to become the hero he’s meant to be. Sam’s group of friends are just awesome and I loved them all. Howie made me laugh with his silliness but I loved that he’s actually really smart, very resourceful and brave. And Mavery… well that little mischief definitely stole my heart and my favorite out of all the characters. She’s so feisty and such a firecracker. She’s full of surprises and while she acts tough, deep down she’s a real softy with a big heart. She’s fiercely loyal to Sam and is willing to do anything to save Orkney.

Overall, The Red Sun is a great Middle Grade fantasy book. Adams does a nice job weaving Norse Mythology in this fun adventurous tale of good vs. evil. I can’t wait to travel back into this magical world in Kalifus Rising and continue Sam’s journey.

Sincerely Karen Jo