Max and the Isle of Sanctus (Secrets of the Twilight Djinn, #2) by John Peragine – Review

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4 stars, Adventure, Book Review, childrens books, djinn, dragon, fantasy, John Peragine, kraken, magic, middle grade, pirates, sailing ships, series, witches

About Max and the Isle of Sanctus by John Peragine

In the second book of Secrets of the Twilight Djinn, Max Daybreaker embarks on all new adventures. Max must battle a Kraken, ride a fire-breathing dragon, and defeat the evil djinn whose powers are growing every day. The stakes are high for Max as he tries to protect his friends from angry sea gods and a vengeful sultan while also saving his mom from a terrible curse! Max must reach the Isle of Sanctus using his unpredictable magic power and foes on all sides before time runs out.

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Review of Max and the Isle of Sanctus

Max and the Isle of Sanctus is filled with pages of non-stop adventure for Max and his friends.  While Max continues to try to reunite with his family, he and the pirates get into more trouble.  Everywhere Max goes, there is someone or something trying to stop him.  Dark and dangerous, the journey is full of daring kids, swashbuckling pirates and loads of magical creatures. 

Max’s gut thinks it knows who is good and who is evil, but he is a kid with little experience to train a gut.  Which leads to never really knowing who is an enemy and who is a friend.  So, constant danger?  Yes.  Scary education for Max?  Also yes.

Captain Cinn is hilarious and is all about the next meal!  Not because he likes to eat but because he loves to cook good food for his friends.  Cinn is my favorite character and I hope he continues to feature in the series. 

I think Max still has plenty of exploits ahead of him.  This is a fun series for the middle graders who want to escape to the adventures of the high seas. 

Thanks to the author who provided a copy of his book in exchange for my honest review.

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The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley – Review

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5 stars, Adventure, alternative history, Book Review, historical, Natasha Pulley, sailing ships, time travel

About The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley

For fans of The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and David Mitchell, a genre bending, time twisting alternative history that asks whether it’s worth changing the past to save the future, even if it costs you everyone you’ve ever loved.

Joe Tournier has a bad case of amnesia. His first memory is of stepping off a train in the nineteenth-century French colony of England. The only clue Joe has about his identity is a century-old postcard of a Scottish lighthouse that arrives in London the same month he does. Written in illegal English—instead of French—the postcard is signed only with the letter “M,” but Joe is certain whoever wrote it knows him far better than he currently knows himself, and he’s determined to find the writer. The search for M, though, will drive Joe from French-ruled London to rebel-owned Scotland and finally onto the battle ships of a lost empire’s Royal Navy. In the process, Joe will remake history, and himself.

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Review of The Kingdoms

The Kingdoms is one of the most original time travel books that I have read.  The story is intricate, utterly fascinating and impossible to put down.

A combination of intentional and unintentional time travel moves the plot back and forth in time.  Chapter headings help the reader keep track of when.  The story begins in an England that lost at the Battle at Trafalgar where the French occupy the land.

The main character, Joe, is out of place and time no matter what timeline he is in. From the time he steps off a train with no memories of who he is, Joe constantly searches for his identity.  The search takes him back and forth in time, and through England and Scotland.  While Joe is not the only time traveller, he does seem to be the lynch pin to the story.  His actions influence those around him which, in turn, influence events that may or may not change the future.

In his search, Joe receives a postcard mailed 93 years ago, sign by ‘M’.  Searching for ‘M’, leads Joe to the past where he is held captive in order to provide the English navy with technology from the future to help them defeat the French.  Since Joe has a daughter in the future, he is keen to return and does not want to cooperate.  However, interacting with the soldiers, Joe begins to develop relationships with his captors.  The constant desire to go home conflicts with his empathy with the English cause.

There is a subtle, slow-burn romance underlying the mixed up time line plot.  The relationship, that may seem to be just an aside, will be critical to the story.

The Kingdoms is rich in historical detail, actual and altered, including an occupied England and a wartime Scotland.  Warfare on the sea adds to the vibrant atmosphere.  Sharp characters with complex relationships breath life into this amazing tale.

Thanks to the publisher who provided a copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Max and the Spice Thieves (Secrets of the Twilight Djinn, #1) by Max Peragine – Review

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5 stars, Adventure, Book Review, childrens books, djinn, fantasy, John Peragine, magic, middle grade, sailing ships, series, witches

About Max and the Spice Thieves by John Peragine

When his mother goes missing, Max Daybreaker’s world is turned upside down. Luckily, a crew of Spice Pirates, led by the mysterious Captain Cinn, help Max on his dangerous mission across the three seas. Along the way, an unlikely alliance aids in his search—a teenage warrior queen, a three-eyed seer, and an assassin spy. Their journey takes them through treacherous lands while facing shapeshifting bears, an ancient witch, harpies, and the nightmarish Djinn, who will stop at nothing to enslave the world. With every new challenge, Max unlocks the secrets of his unsettling past. Powers awaken within, forcing him to question everything he knows. Is Max who he thinks he is? Only time and destiny will tell…

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Review of Max and the Spice Thieves

I saw this book and I knew I had to try it, even though I don’t often read middle grade books.  Max and the Spice Thieves is a remarkable adventure for readers of any age.  Non-stop action, all sorts of heroes, villains, magic and a family’s peril kept me engrossed from start to finish.

Max is an engaging young boy, whose mission to save his mother becomes so much more. Keeping company with a pirate, Max meets a variety of characters, including a young queen, a witch and some talking polar bears.  I loved the mix of characters, the unending search for mom, and the constant peril. 

Max and the Spice Thieves is a true page-turner.  Be prepared to read late into the night.  The ending was perfect, especially since I was hoping for more adventures for Max and his friends.  Did I say I don’t read middle grade books?  Well, maybe one or two…

Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book so that I could bring you this review.

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