Kindle Book Review - Within the Crystal Mountain by J. L. Putney

One day Dimplin is hoeing vegetables in the fields when he sees a strange phenomenon. A glass-like dome has covered the village of Arinton, and no one can get out, and Dimplin cannot get in. At his wit's end, he decides to head off and find help. Dimplin walks for two weeks before coming across a stream by the village of Wiston. Here he finds Elisse, an Agan, one of the tall people. Elisse takes Dimplin back to her cottage to rest and have some food. When Elisse's twin sister Lenore returns from the market, Dimplin tells her about his people, the Genish (who never grow over four feet tall) and what has befallen them. 

The girls wish their soldier friend Drance were not away fighting in the war between the Agan and the Forsene people. Surely he would know what to do. Who forces Dimplin's nine-year-old son Tupin to squeeze into the Crystal Mountain to get the magic crystals? Moreover, what are their plans to wreak havoc with these gems? What words of wisdom does the old soothsayer Grendfar pass onto the Genish people from their God Evershone? Furthermore, what is the significance of the number 1665? Read the enchanting book Within the Crystal Mountain by J. L. Putney to discover the answers to these questions and more.

I admire how J. L. Putney has written a complicated storyline with many off-shoot stories, which Putney gradually gathers together for the finale. There are many interesting characters in this story. We have little people who are always happy and positive and believe that their God Evershone will always look after them if they are kind and caring. The soldiers Drance and Trestun are on opposing sides but have to work together for the good of the Genish people. There is the corrupt wizard Sagins, and then there are the beautiful twin sisters Lenore and Elisse. With a large cast of supporting characters, this book continually entertains and excites the reader while taking them on journeys filled with magic and mystery.

I appreciated the map at the front of the book, which makes it much easier to visualize where all the different communities live and where they are in relationship to the Crystal Mountain. Although it was difficult to keep going back to the map when reading the Kindle version of this book, I printed it out to have beside me as I read Within the Crystal Mountain. I loved the intriguing illustrations at the beginning of each chapter, which hint at what is to come. I enjoyed how the different groups of people united to fight evil. This book gives truth to the saying, 'Strangers are just good friends that you haven't met yet.'

The only thing I disliked about Within the Crystal Mountain was the number of grammatical errors. The book had not been adequately proofread or edited, and although the mistakes did not spoil the story, they detracted from it in places.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an entertaining book that is absorbing from start to finish. In particular, anyone who loves fantasy, magic, mystery, myths, and legends. Within the Crystal Mountain by J. L. Putney would be particularly enjoyed by readers who love The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien. Adults and confident readers from twelve would find this book exciting. There are no swearing or sexual scenes, so younger children would also enjoy having it read to them.

I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. I am disappointed not to be able to provide the top rating as I thoroughly enjoyed this fantastic fantasy tale, but there are too many errors not to remove a star. Once these are corrected, I will happily give the full rating. I would love to read more books by J. L. Putney!

I want to thank J. L. Putney for a Kindle copy of Within the Crystal Mountain in exchange for my honest and impartial review. You can see more of my reviews here http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tara-d-morgan.html

book review of The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci by Belle Ami

The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci by Belle Ami starts briefly in nineteen forty-four when the world is at war, and the Germans are bombing Florence, Italy. Sophia Caro is scared. Scared of the bombs and scared because her lover Gerhard Jaeger is a German officer!   It then moves forward to the present day and introduces us to Angela Renatus, an intern at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Angela is plagued by headaches caused by lack of sleep. She has strange, vivid, and repetitive dreams about fifteenth-century Italy, which unsettle her. Dr. Alberto Scordato is the director of the museum and Angela's boss. He has a penchant for young women, and Angela is scared of him. Scordato has noticed that Angela has been acting strangely and asks security for a copy of the video surveillance of the red gallery where a Botticelli is hanging. He cannot believe what he sees. Every day for weeks, Angela has been walking in a trance to the gallery. She sits in front of the Botticelli and has a one-sided conversation with the painting in Italian! 

Alex Cain, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, has been commissioned to find out whether a da Vinci painting of a wedding exists. He is also investigating Scordato, as there have been discrepancies in the accounts. Alex sees Angela in one of her trances and falls in love with her. He also realizes she may be a link to finding the missing painting, which, being by da Vinci, is worth a fortune. Are Angela's dreams part of the puzzle? Does Alex find the Da Vinci painting? What is Scordato hiding? Moreover, how are Sophia and Gerhard involved? Read The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci by Belle Ami to discover the answers to these and other questions.

The story moves backward and forwards in time. It covers the present day with Angela and Alex, the nineteen forties with Sophia and Gerhard, and fourteen seventy-five with Leonardo da Vinci. I liked how Belle Ami moved effortlessly between the different eras and gave a feel for the times with great descriptions of the people, places, and changes in how people spoke.

Angela Renatus and Alex Cain are the main characters, but we are told very little about their back stories, so they are relatively flat. When Alex sees Angela to her apartment after having a meal together, they find it has been broken into. Angela is obviously a competent and intelligent young woman. She is an intern at the Getty Museum and rents an expensive apartment. However, she does not quibble when Alex insists on staying the night to protect her and, the next day, proceeds to organize her day's plans. I found it unbelievable that Angela would do as Alex says despite the fact she felt comfortable with him! If you are a reader of erotica, you will enjoy the second half of the book, in which Alex and Angela's sex life dominates! I found the intimate details of their sex life unnecessary and did not enjoy this part of the book.

I recommend The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci by Belle Ami to adults who enjoy thrillers, romance, and historical fiction. Please note that there is nothing factual in this book and the reference to Da Vinci in the title only refers to a fictional painting. There are swearing and sexual scenes in the book, which make it inappropriate for a younger audience.

I want to give The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci 3 out of 5 stars. I found the conversational passages far too long-winded, which tended to make the book boring. I would have liked there to have been more depth to what could have been an exciting story. 

Book Review - Island Games: Mystery of the Four Quadrants by Caleb J. Boyer

Island Games is the debut novel from 12-year-old Caleb J. Boyer. The story introduces the reader to Matthew and Ryan, best friends, who wake up to find themselves washed up onto the shore of an island with a massive volcano. Neither of the boys can remember how they got there. The last thing the boys remember is playing video games. They wonder whether they have been kidnapped or maybe are in a TV reality show. They are also distraught that their families will look for them and not know where to look. Realizing that they are entirely alone, they set about looking after themselves. Ahead of them, they fight for survival, overcoming the many twists and turns the island has to offer. Ryan and Matthew must be clever and resilient and work together to overcome the many challenges. This fantasy adventure will test their friendship and show them the important things in life.

Island Games by Caleb J. Boyer is a quick and easy read but has repetitive language in places and could do with more description and some more work on the dialogue as this is the weakest part of the book. In my opinion, this would make the story even more interesting to read. I was not too fond of the ending, which would have been perfect if there was a sequel, but as it is, this book's ending is unsatisfying and leaves the reader with too many questions unanswered. Some more resolution about why the boys were on the island would have given more substance to the story.

Although I am not the target audience, I appreciated the theme of this book which focuses on friendship and staying positive. I enjoyed getting the boy's two different points of view throughout, which added depth and insight to this book, and I got to know both characters and their different feelings well. I loved reading the story through their innocent eyes as they question their lives and choices. I also liked the idea of the boys solving puzzles to get resources and the lessons learned about the importance of teamwork.

I recommend Island Games to children between 10 and 13 who enjoy fun and entertaining books about challenges, mysteries, and fantasy adventure.

I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars. The editing was excellent, and the score is due to the naivety of the writing, the work needed on the dialogue, and the unsatisfactory ending.

Thank you to Caleb J. Boyer for a free copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.