When I created my site I never planned to review books. There are plenty of amazing people around who have greater reviewing talent than me. But, as time passed I found that I wanted to share my thoughts and hopefully gain some followers who would be interested in what I had to say. Now, with another year having flown by I thought it may be a good time to reflect on my 2014 reviews.
JANUARY
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (HP3)
by J.K. Rowling
Azkaban is one of my favorite HP books. It was so good to get back to Hogwarts, catch up with everyone and learn more (again) about that fateful day in Harry’s life when he first encountered Voldemort.
The full review is here.
JANITORS (JANITORS #1)
by Tyler Whitesides
I enjoyed the originality of the story. Never before have I read about (or even contemplated) janitors having such amazing powers. I’ll never look at a janitor in the same way, I’ll always be wondering which side they’re on.
The full review is here.
THE MAZE RUNNER (BOOK #1)
by James Dashner
This book has great mystery, action, and likable characters. I can honestly say that this is a series that I’m keen to keep reading. I’m looking forward to getting into the next book …. and the movie too. FYI – I’d put this book and movie in the YA category rather than MG.
The full review is here.
FEBRUARY
ZOE & ZAK AND THE GHOST LEOPARD (ZOE & ZAK ADVENTURES #1) by Lars Guignard
Lars Guignard has done a great job in blending Indian legend and tradition into a modern adventure that kids will love.
There’s plenty to entertain in this one.
The full review is here.
MARCH
THE RED PYRAMID (KANE CHRONICLES #1)
by Rick Riordan
I liked that it kept me engaged. Overall I liked the book and will read the others in the series.
This book has way more mythology bound into the plot than my books.
The full review is here.
TUTANKHAMEN SPEAKS
by Cheryl Carpinello
I really enjoyed this one and I look forward to the full Tut book in the future.
The full review is here.
APRIL
GREGOR THE OVERLANDER (Underland Chronicles 1)
by Suzanne Collins
Gregor the Overlander was an entertaining read, which has hooked me for the rest of the series.
It’s a great debut novel from an author who has gone on to become hugely successful.
The full review is here.
MAY
TROLL MOUNTAIN (Episodes I, II, III)
by Matthew Reilly
As a loyal and long term Matthew Reilly fan, I was bound to like these books. Although they were quite different to MR’s other books the story kept me enthralled and glued to them until finished. They may not be for everybody, but then again, no books are. Great job MR. The full reviews are here.
BULLY FOR THEM (Outstanding Australians on Hard Lessons Learned at School) by Fiona Scott-Norman
This started out as a simple book review, but I think it uncovered how much this book impacted me. I’m so glad to have seen it mentioned on The Project (an Aussie TV show), at which time I immediately went online and bought it. I think this is a wonderful book.
The full review is here.
NOAH ZARC: MAMMOTH TROUBLE (Book #1)
By D. Robert Pease
This book was choc-full of action. I really enjoyed the story and it kept my interest from the first page.
Great climax too.
The full review is here.
JUNE
DOUBLE VISION (Double Vision 1)
By F.T. Bradley
The plot is great. It has a nice mix of action, adventure and a likeable cast. Twists, turns and the suspicion of double agents had me changing my mind along the way as the mystery unfolded. Highly recommended.
The full review is here.
FIZZ AND PEPPERS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD
By M.G. King
Fizz and Peppers is a great read that as I mentioned before, was a pleasant and action filled surprise. There’s plenty of adventure to keep young readers entertained.
A recommended read.
The full review is here.
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE (HP4)
by J.K. Rowling
Each time I re-read these books I love them more. The Goblet of Fire is an action packed story that’s full of great moments. The various paths and plots within the story converge into a wonderful and exciting climax.
The full review is here.
THE SCORCH TRIALS (Maze Runner 2)
by James Dashner
This book is a full-on action packed thrill ride from cover to cover. It’s got new friends, old friends, new foes, old foes, betrayal, doubt, pain, hope, hopelessness. I could go on, but I think you get the message … it’s got heaps crammed into it. Highly recommended.
The full review is here.
AUGUST
THE SON OF NEPTUNE (HEROES OF OLYMPUS #2)
by Rick Riordan
It’s another cool PJ tale, which was hard for me to initially get into, but once I did, I enjoyed the read.
It’s a no brainer that it will appeal to fans of Percy Jackson.
The full review is here.
SEPTEMBER
THE SILKWORM (Cormoran Strike #2)
by Robert Galbraith
I really enjoyed this new Cormoran Strike case. The plot had me guessing along the way and changing my mind a heap of times. At first I thought it was (.) then (.) but when I found out it was (.) … I was surprised. Recommended for fans of crime solving, JK and RG.
The full review is here.
MYSTERY OF THE EGYPTIAN SCROLL (Zet Mystery Case #1)
by Scott Peters
This was an exciting adventure that will appeal to kids who are fans of mystery, adventure and ancient Egypt.
Recommended for ages 9+
The full review is here.
FRANKIE DUPONT AND THE MYSTERY OF ENDERBY MANOR
by Julie Anne Grasso
Frankie is the new sleuth on the block who I’m sure will win fans amongst younger readers. He’s accompanied by a cast of quirky characters who add some fun to the mystery.
Recommended for young readers keen to get the inside scoop on how to solve a mystery.
The full review is here.
OCTOBER
THE CAMELOT KIDS (PART 1)
by Ben Zackheim
This is an original spin on and age-old legend, which has me hooked. I will continue to read this series of four (I think) parts. Great job. Recommended for kids (and adults) who are fans of King Arthur and Camelot with a twist.
The full review is here.
NOVEMBER
CONTEST
by Matthew Reilly
Another great white-knuckle-action-packed-adventure from MR. Let’s hope that he releases some more action novels in the future. I seem to have exhausted his supply of action books now. Maybe a re-read of some of them is in order 🙂
The full review is here.
THE CAMELOT KIDS (PART 2)
by Ben Zackheim
This is another great instalment in the series. Part 2 is an entertaining read, which has left me eagerly awaiting Part 3.
Be warned, there is an unexpected twist at the end of this one.
The full review is here.
SONS OF THE SPHINX
by Cheryl Carpinello
This was an entertaining time-travel adventure with a twist. It succeeds with a nice blend of fact and fiction. Recommended for fans of ancient Egypt who like a little magic mixed in. A good story for teens and adults who are young at heart.
The full review is here.
DECEMBER
DAISY COOPER AND THE SISTERS OF THE BLACK NIGHT (DAISY COOPER 1) by Robert Dee
This was a real surprise package for me, given that I grabbed a copy based on the cool cover. Recommended for readers who love female heroes and action rolled into the one story.
The full review is here.
S.W. Lothian - Author 
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