A Review for Strike: The Returning Sunrise (The STRIKE Trilogy #3) by Charlie Wood

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: December 10th, 2013
Finished Date: January 14th, 2014

Publishers: Self Published
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Source: For Review

Format: Kindle
Pages: 465

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

Tobin Lloyd has discovered the identity of the Daybreaker.
And it has shaken him to his very core.

Everything that Tobin knew has been destroyed. Boston, Massachusetts is under the control of super-villains. The world thinks he is a monster. And he can no longer even trust himself.

Now, Tobin and his friends--Orion, Keplar, and Scatterbolt--have only one chance at stopping Rigel and the Daybreaker: they must infiltrate the Daybreaker's skyscraper and uncover the next two phases of Rigel's plan for the invasion of Earth. If they don't, the entire universe is doomed.

No more questions. No more secrets. No holds barred.

It has all led to this.

STRIKE: THE RETURNING SUNRISE is the epic conclusion to the STRIKE Trilogy.

The Review: Strike: The Returning Sunrise is the action packed finale to the Strike Trilogy and it was a blast!
We join Strike/Tobin and the gang as they come to terms with the events of book two and the startling discovery of who the Daybreaker actually is. They may have taken some knocks but they are determined that good will triumph over evil once & for all. Tobin has an internal battle on his hands aswell as the one he is about to face as he questions just what is he really capable of? With Boston being hidden by a mysterious dome and under control of Rigel, Nova, the Daybreaker & the super villains, Tobin has got his work cut out for him because now he will have the tables turned on him as they all are viewed as the villains…. Time to put things right and change peoples misconceptions before the real bad guys put their 3 step plan into action and enslave humanity. Will they do it? Can they break through the web of lies & misdirection to show the people who the good guys really are?
So this is the end…I have to say that I have greatly enjoyed this series, it has been fun reading about Tobin/Strike and how he went from a cowardly boy who would love nothing more than to run away from his responsibilities into a young man with so much determination & an unwillingness to be defeated. Even though he has always been a character you could get behind, he definitely came into his own in this and has so many good traits that would set a good example to the reader. I have liked all of the characters throughout too, even the bad guys but particularly Strike’s team mates – Orion, Keplar & Scatterbolt – you couldn’t find a more diverse bunch but they fit so well together and became a family of sorts. I liked that it was now the turn for the rest of the characters to prove themselves, not just Tobin and I thought it was great that they all stepped up to the plate for him, very heart-warming and so nice to see that happen.
The storyline was again super fun, these books are jam packed with that and humour that definitely has me smiling most of the time. I thought the world building throughout the series has been very imaginative & original and tbh limitless because each book brought us something new whether it be creatures or places and they were all so different so the author has a lot of space to make new stories in Capricious. As throughout the series, this book has some epic battles which are fab to read I liked how the threat was enhanced again in this final book, how this was done, the circumstances around it & the fight that ensued because of it…. You always think you have things worked out but then something massive happens to throw the reader which really keeps you interested and I’ve said it for all of these books but will say it again, these battles, the world & creatures would look great visually and as a graphic novel. I think teen boys would absolutely love this series, it’s exciting, funny, action packed, filled with battles, super heroes, villains, fantastical worlds filled with creatures & creations, science, computers and even a Stephen King style dome – everything a good super hero story should have and one that has been so enjoyable for me. 

A Review for The Journals of Kara and Jason by Charlie Wood

Posted by Guest Reviewer Melanie
Release Date: May 9th, 2013
Finished Date: March 4th, 2013

Publishers: Bloomsbury
Source: For Review 

Format: Kindle
Pages: 139

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

A different kind of paranormal romance.

Eighth grade is not going well for fourteen-year-old Kara Bridges. Her best friend Stace has suddenly stopped talking to her, and she is having a hard time adjusting to life without her only real friend.

Luckily for Kara, she soon meets Jason, a foreign exchange student from Europe. And though Jason is more than a little awkward, he and Kara quickly form a friendship, bonding over what it's like to feel like an outsider who doesn't belong.

However, when Jason suddenly returns four years later when Kara is a senior in high school, she realizes not everything was what it seemed. Kara's world—and the way she looks at the world—is about to change forever.

THE JOURNALS OF KARA AND JASON is a 40,000-word novel about being young, falling in love, and all the terrible, wonderful feelings that come along with it.

The Review: I just want to start off by saying this book was beautiful. It is indeed ‘A different kind of paranormal romance’ as we follow a pair of 14yr olds as they discover the value of an unconditional friendship at a time in their lives when everything is wrapped up in hormones. When we first meet Kara, she has lost her best friend and is struggling to come to terms with the why of it all. I’m sure we have all been there when we were 14 and you seem to drift away from friends towards others, as you meet new people and try to fit into what you need to be. Kara is the one left behind, she’s slightly bitter& alone until she meets Jason, a foreign exchange student being bullied by some ‘Jocks’ and steps in, creating a tentative connection between the pair. Jason is slightly odd, a bit weird, not really fitting in anywhere but with the help of Kara, he blossoms. They share a lovely friendship, building into more intense feelings that they both don’t realise are there, they’re both confused about what they feel and deal with it in typical fashion. But it’s not only about that, what they give each other is unconditional and as Jason becomes comfortable in himself and his surroundings, he also helps Kara get over the feeling she had of being friendless. They have fun, they talk, they laugh, they share something that builds into a sweet and innocent first love which is a joy to read, until Jason suddenly leaves, leaving Kara heartbroken and back to the self -doubter she was at the beginning of the book.
After a break in both journals, Kara returns 4 years later, along with Jason and we get the truth-because someone was most definitely keeping secrets. People always say ‘you never forget your first love’ and nothing could be more true for Kara & Jason but at what cost?

I don’t really read books about younger teens, I don’t think anyone would willingly revisit their early teens but honestly, I thought this book was great, it was a joy to read and I’m glad I took the chance. The relationship between our two main characters was lovely – their outlook on life, the way they grabbed it, the enthusiasm they shared, the acceptance of each other for who they are, the fun they had, the laughter and ultimately their love – was beautiful. You could feel everything they were going through, how intense those emotions are at 14, how you’re on the fence of self discovery& first love, seen through innocent eyes and a naivety that was so sweet and likable – I just loved it, if only we all still saw things from that perspective. The latter part of the book is the paranormal part, just a smidgen but just enough and we get to see how much this connection between them has changed things. It was nice twist because I was starting to wonder where that element was, I would have liked more but it fit perfectly and I wasn’t disappointed. This was a really good read that is so easy to get lost in, I know I read it in one sitting and most of it was done with a smile on my face and a good feeling in my heart…. I hope you all give this feel good book a go too. 

A Review for Strike: The Hero from the Sky by Charlie Wood

Posted by Guest Reviewer Melanie

Published Date: January 19th, 2012

Finished Date: March 8th, 2012

Source: For Review

Format: Kindle

Pages: 218

The Blurb from Goodreads: Tobin Lloyd's life is perfect: he's a senior at Bridgton High, he's one of the funniest kids in school, and his only worry is whether or not his latest prank is going to result in yet another detention.

But when he wakes up in the world of Capricious, a place where superheroes are real and attacks by super-villains are just another hassle of living in the city, all of that changes. Suddenly, Tobin's last year of high school is not going as he expected.

Far from home and pretty sure he's gone insane, Tobin must join a strange group of companions (including a beer-drinking dog and a genius, three-foot-tall robot) as he desperately tries to find a way back to Earth. However, that may be even harder than Tobin knows: a mysterious super-villain named Vincent Harris has big plans for the planet Earth...and Tobin is the only person standing in his way. A carefree, C-student class clown is the world's last hope? Yikes.

The Review: Well, what a fun read that was! At first I didn’t think this book was for me but I’m glad I took a chance on it because it was really good. As you may guess from the title, this book is a superhero adventure. . . . We start the book with a glimpse into Tobin’s past as a 3 yr old. His Father sets out in the middle of a storm on a matter of urgency, promising explanations when he returned . . . . Only he never did. Fast forward a few years and Tobin is 17 and loving life. What he doesn’t know is that there are forces of evil at work, targeting him and he has no clue until he is attacked by some weird creature and passes out. When he comes to, he finds himself in a strange world known as Capricious. He thinks he’s losing it when an old man explains to him that superheroes are real and that Tobin’s father was in fact a superhero and from Capricious himself and that means as his son, Tobin is also a superhero! It all seems too much and Tobin can’t take it all in especially when he meets a walking, talking husky-man who happens to be their pilot. Things just go from bad to worse when they inform him of the super-villain Vincent Harris and his plan to take over earth and it seems like Tobin is their only hope. . . . . .that is if he can master his powers that he only just found out he has!

I really enjoyed this fun, fresh book as I mentioned I don’t usually read books like this so it surprised me in a good way. Tobin’s character was funny, quite the joker and I enjoyed seeing the world drop from under his feet as he learns about his true heritage. I can honestly say I would probably felt exactly the same when he thinks he has gone insane and has a hard time believing what is going on. I like how he wasn’t all brave and that he doubted himself and his ability to shoulder the burden placed upon him but stepped up to the plate for the greater good, that’s the stuff of a true hero. The other characters were great, I really liked Keplar and Scatterbolt and the banter between them all made the reading light and funny. I look forward to more from these in future books.

I would love to see/read this as a graphic novel because the descriptions of Capricious, the creatures, creations, environment, people etc. all of it would look great visually. It always amazes me when authors create these fantasy worlds and put it into words, how they bring it altogether and help the reader visualise the scene. An imagination like this is indeed a talent. The storyline was good, a lot to get into a 200 page book but I find that with shorter books there is no ‘filler’ and this was all packed with story – not all from Tobin’s pov either, I like to get an insight into other characters and appreciated it in this because we even get the villains’ pov too.  I also liked that even though we are dealing with two worlds that it wasn’t overly complicated where we would require a degree in quantum physics to understand it. It was simple and to the point, all the world building was – easy to read and understand so all of your focus is on the story, and what a story it was.  As yet I don’t know if there will be a sequel but if there is I will be looking out for it. 

So, if you love your superheroes or even just a good fantasy adventure, then this is definitely for you!