A Review – The Fourth Charm (Dramsmit Childrens Mysteries Book 2) by Robert Howell

This is another book that I very gratefully received from the author. I read quite a lot of young adult fiction, but I haven't read much children's fiction since I was that age. This book is targeted at 8-15 year olds, so it is a bit of a different one for me.

Let me introduce the book, and then we can get into my review!

It has been a few months since Sharron, Wally and Chip found their true home at Bellevue Manor, and their place in the witch community. They continue to learn their craft, and their powers grow. Yet their true destiny lies in their love of mystery solving. Using their unique abilities, they take on the challenge of solving supernatural mysteries. Their success in this though may become their undoing. For now, the Witch Council itself has come to them to help solve a mystery that is threatening the Witch community.

Some entity is stealing the familiars from witches, including the familiar of their good friend Ronnie. They put on their sleuthing caps, using all the research tools at their disposal, to find the answer.

Then comes the prophecy from Saleena. The only chance they can survive this, is if they use the Fourth Charm. But what is The Fourth Charm? Not a single book in the extensive Dramsmit library mentions anything about it. Nor do any of the witches they have spoken with, including Saleena. They race to find the answer to this question, yet mysterious and powerful forces oppose them every step of the way. Can they find the Fourth Charm, and the ability to use it, before all is lost?

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review!

Sharron, Wally, and Chip may still be fairly new to the magical world, but they have not been negatively impacted by their late start to their studies. They have a unique ability, the power of three, that allows them to join their magic together into a singular force, and they have a knack at coming up with new spells that help them along their adventures.

The three take up the role of detectives, combining their powers and problem solving abilities together, to solve the mysteries that the magical world throws at them. When a mystery arises that even the Witch's Council cannot solve, Sharron, Wally, and Chip find themselves facing possibly the most difficult mystery they’ve ever solved before. 

There is a lot of information in this book that you must understand for it to make sense, but once you have the general gist of the magical world this book contains, you are in for a wild ride! Having not read book 1, I do feel like I missed some important aspects of the story, but that is a problem that can easily be remedied. I would definitely recommend reading this series in order, as I’m sure it is easier to understand the magical world if you learn about it as the main characters do, rather than starting halfway through the story.

The magical world itself in this book is one I have not come across elsewhere. It is a very original world of potions, spells, and creatures that captures your attention. The language used, and the mystery itself in this book, is perfectly suited to the age group this book is targeted towards. If I had read this book at age 12, I know I would’ve loved it. Having said that, I actually read this book as an adult, and I still greatly enjoyed reading it! It is not over simplified for children, so while it is suitable for a younger audience to read, it is also perfect for those outside of the targeted age range. 

I loved the way Sharron, Wally, and Chip are portrayed. They are powerful, and incredibly smart, but they are still children. Chip, as the youngest, often comes out with new words that he has just learnt, and although they know what they are doing, they are often held back by their age. The adults around them take measures to ensure they are safe, but this often comes across as the grown ups trying to hold them back. This can be seen from both perspectives when reading, and I’m sure different aged readers would see things differently. While reading, as a ‘grown up’ myself, I saw three children trying to take on an adult’s role, but not having the necessary tools to actually move forwards themselves. It does portray an important message, that even though you might know how to do something, needing a little help is not something to be afraid of. 

The mystery in this book is one that definitely keeps you guessing as you read. With mythical creatures, and the infusion of myths and legends into the story, the twists and turns the story takes are plenty to keep your attention hooked. I read this book in one sitting, and I can see plenty of avid young readers absolutely adoring this series. This book really reminded me of The Roman Mysteries series by Caroline Lawrence, but with the added sparkle of a magical world and mythical creatures that the three must combat or befriend.

There are several mentions of the children having suffered violence in the past, as they went through different social systems after the deaths of their parents, and the children do face danger during the book, but the violence in the scenes is mild, and none of the children themselves are hurt at any point.

This is a wonderful book for children, or young teens, who enjoy mystery books, or have a love for magical stories. It also makes a great quick read for those adults who like to sit back with a simpler story. If magic and mysteries are your thing, this is the series for you!

And done!

I wasn't sure how I was going to get on with this book, due to the targeted age range, but I actually really enjoyed reading it. It was a lovely break from some of the heavier topics covered in the books I've been reading lately. I read the whole thing in one sitting!

Anyway, that's all for now...

Bye!

A Review – Do You Ship Us by Claire Rosalind

I saw a post on Twitter by this author that grabbed my interest and, fulfilling the entire point of social media, I then checked out her profile, and had a look at their book. I promptly decided it looked and sounded amazing, and I simply must read it.

So, check out the book, and then scroll to read my review!

Jasper Reid is everything his fans of The Obsolete want him to be. Whether it's for the dance-y pop songs he writes, his flirty and mischievous onstage persona, or the masterful way he plays along with the fans' ships, he's the perfect performer. On the verge of turning twenty-one, in what's expected to be the next boy band phenomenon, his life could not get any better.

Until he meets Ryan, an irresistibly attractive dancer, who is added out of the blue to their vocal band. Jasper is quick to call bullshit on the manager's reason for this addition, but even quicker to accidentally flirt with their new member.

This close to the band's success, Jasper's pissed to be the one vocally training this dancing liability. Between Jasper's outspoken nature and Ryan's anxiety, tensions rise. When a plan to improve Ryan's confidence backfires, putting the spotlight on something Jasper's been ignoring all his life, truths come to light.

Can Jasper let himself get swept up in his own real-life, convoluted, fanfic love story while protecting Ryan from the negatives of fame, uncovering the real reason their manager added him, and saving the band? Or will a photo scandal throw everything out in favor of some satisfyingly petty revenge?

CW: this book features an on page suicidal panic attack, discussions of previous suicide attempt, discussions of emotional manipulation, and instances of sexual coercion. 

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review!

Jasper is one of the main reasons The Obsolete has so many fans shipping the band members. He flirts just to rile up the fans, and they love him for it. But, when a new band member is dropped on them without any prior warning, Jasper is quick to question their manager’s true motives, especially since the new member, Ryan, is a dancer, not a singer.

Ryan doesn’t fit into the band immediately, especially since the rest of the band members have already formed friendships, and he finds it difficult to get any of them, in particular Jasper, to accept him as a member. But when Jasper is forced to help train him, and get his singing up to scratch, Jasper and Ryan find themselves spending more and more time around each other, and the fans are quick to come up with a new favourite ship – but what if, this time, it wasn’t fictional?

I absolutely loved both Jasper and Ryan, and following their growing relationship. In particular, I enjoyed following Jasper as he slowly came to the realisation of what exactly he felt. Jasper had been brought up in a very religious household, and pushed towards a relationship with a woman he feels absolutely nothing for. But when Ryan comes along, something changes, and he starts to wonder whether he might’ve been gay all along. Jasper really struggles coming to terms with his sexuality, mostly because he is scared that the other band members won’t accept him, and that he will lose his friends. Fear such as this is certainly saddening to read about, but Ryan is next to Jasper every step of the way, to support him, and to, slowly, fall in love with him.

There is plenty of depth to this story outside of just Jasper and Ryan’s relationship. The band find themselves facing legal issues with their contracts, as their manager scrounges every last penny he can out of the band without giving them any of it. This thread of the story was particularly interesting to follow, as the band become aware of just what their contracts contain, and try to work their way around some of the clauses that seem to simply box them in. I must say, I absolutely hated their manager, Chris. I don’t think I could’ve hated a character more. He is simply vile, using blackmail against the band members to get what he wants, and having absolutely no care about the actual members of the band. He causes so much emotional damage, simply for his own monetary gain. He is an absolutely vile man, and my hatred for him is a testament for how well his character was written. Like Jasper, I would absolutely love to punch him in the face!

I will admit, it did take me a while to properly get into this book. I spent the first few chapters slightly confused, as things jumped around a little and there wasn’t much explanation as to who the characters were. However, once I figured out who the characters were, things made infinitely more sense, and by the halfway point, I couldn’t put the book down. In fact, I fell asleep reading it, because I didn’t want to put it down to go to bed.

There are a lot of mental health matters covered in this book, and I do like that the trigger warnings are in the blurb, so you can be aware of what you will find within this book before you decide to read it. Ryan in particular suffers a lot in this book, and there are some scenes that are very difficult to read, so do be prepared going into this book that these scenes are very distressing. I truly felt for Ryan, he has already gone through so much before the events covered in this book, and he goes through plenty more during the book. He is a character I really wanted to give a big hug to.

Even though he isn’t particularly a ‘main’ character, I think Blake really stole the show in this book. He is incredibly humorous, as well as amazingly supportive of his friends. He and Jasper are great friends, and while Ryan may be someone that Jasper needs, Blake is also important to Jasper, but purely as friends, nothing more. He is always ready to drop things to be there for Jasper, and offers support and consolation when needed, as well as simply being around to crack some jokes and cheer everyone up. I think everyone needs a friend like Blake!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is the start of a very promising series, and I can’t wait to follow The Obsolete as their story continues throughout the series. If you are a fan of celebrity romances, drama, scandals, slow burn romance, and powerful friendships, this is absolutely the book for you!

And done!

I haven't posted properly in absolutely ages, but I do hope to change that! I have a list of books lines up that I want to get reviews for out before the New Year, so maybe with a clear list, and a goal in mind, I might be successful... who knows?!

Anyway, that's all for now...

Bye!