Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Review: The Cracks in the Kingdom by Jaclyn Morarity

Time slides around the world so strangely ...

It's not easy being Princess Ko.

Her family is missing, taken to the World through cracks in the Kingdom, which were then sealed tightly behind them.

Now Princess Ko is running the Kingdom, and war is looming.

To help her find her family, she gathers a special group of teens, including Elliot Baranski of the Farms. He's been writing secret letters to a Girl-in-the World named Madeleine Tully - and now the Kingdom needs her help.

Madeleine and Elliot must locate the missing royals, convince them of their true identities, and figure out how to unlock the dangerous cracks between the Kingdom and the World.

All before their enemies can stop them

Have you ever imagined if there could be another world parallel to own? Whether there could be just a crack in the distance that would split each of the worlds. This is the case for Madeline and Elliot, who live in different worlds; but yet only a crack away from touching.

The way Jaclyn has created this story is just so unlike anything I've ever heard it. It brings something new and special to the table.  A world so enticing, and adventurous that all you want to do is know more about it.
This is the second book to this thrilling saga and Jaclyn does not pull any punches in terms of surprises and unexpected twists.  Elliot and Madeline find themselves teaming up to stretch their little crack a bit further in an attempt to basically break it open.  Elliot has been given the task in helping to find the missing royal family, who is in the normal world but yet have no idea who they are and whether they are from someplace else.

That's not the only thing Elliot has on his hands, because on top of finding the Royal Family, he is also working on finding his father, who has also disappeared. The two mysteries become even more interesting as the story unfolds. He is a young boy with so much to deal with... is there a point where it could all become too much?  It certainly would be understandable if he decides he can't do both things without unravelling himself.

Madeline's life hasn't become any easier either. Between her friends, who discover the secret she and Elliot share, to her relationship with her mother, whom has basically come back from the brink of death.  The letters she and Elliot continue to pass between one another seems to be the only thing keeping them together.  Although, even that simple thing gets a bit too much for them both when the situation with the Royal Family arises to be a bit too much to handle... can their friendship survive, or were they always meant to part ways when they no longer needed one another?

This was a thrilling installment, which might be even better than the first. It brings in friendship, secrets, drama, action and heartbreak.
The friendship between our two characters seem to be changing every time, and it's a matter of how much they are willing to go on until everything is changed to the point of no return.

I absolutely love this story and cannot wait until the third, next year!  Oh why do we have to wait so long? I don't do well with waiting.

A BIG thank you to Pan Macmillian Australia for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.  I must apologise for the delay... it seems I had to take a break in regards to blogging for a while.. but hopefully I am back now.




Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Jen's review of "A Corner of White" by Jaclyn Moriarty

A Corner of White (The Colours of Madeleine #1) by Jaclyn Moriarty
Publication date: September 18th, 2012
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Number of pages: 400
Format: Paperback
Description: Madeleine Tully lives in Cambridge, England, the World – a city of spires, Isaac Newton and Auntie’s Tea Shop.

Elliot Baranski lives in Bonfire, the Farms, the Kingdom of Cello – where seasons roam, the Butterfly Child sleeps in a glass jar, and bells warn of attacks from dangerous Colours.

They are worlds apart – until a crack opens up between them; a corner of white – the slim seam of a letter.

A mesmerising story of two worlds; the cracks between them, the science that binds them and the colours that infuse them.
I would like to thank Pan Macmillan for giving me this chance to review this book. I admit, I never had heard of this author before, so I was going into this book blindsided and didn't know what to expect. 
I was interested and intrigued by the plot that I was willing to give this a shot.
I was not disappointed, that is for sure.

The world that Jaclyn brings you into is breathtaking. Think about two sides of a world. One where you live in reality. Another... where there is a magical land full of possibilities.... something that sounds like from a book, or a movie. Nothing you ever thought or even dreamed would be real.
But guess what? It is.
In this book, we witness the impossible. Two people from different worlds find a way to connect and communicate to one another.

Madeline and Elliot are young teenagers who discover one another by accident. There is a corner in which there is a tear between both worlds. Not enough to walk through, but only enough to be able to send letters to one another. A form of communication that is prominent throughout the entire book, and my favourite part of the novel.
I love the way, even though they go on with their lives,  they still have one another and their interesting friendship.

I found Jaclyn's writing interesting, yet compelling. I haven't read anything like this book in quite a while. Its very unique. The story-telling was amazing, with real characters with heartbreaking choices and decisions ahead of them.
While this is the first book in a series, I could see this being a stand alone as well, but I was glad to see there is more coming, because I can't wait to see what else is in store for Madeline and Elliot. 
I have many hopes for these two and their unique friendship.

We follow their lives, as they battle different family things and friendships. Hardships and heartbreaks. But what keeps them in check in the connection they have with one another.
This is the story of Madeline and Elliot... and the crack in between their worlds.

Oh, and yes... different colours...that aren't what we might think they are.

Rating: 4 out of 5