Crystal Crichlow - Book Explosions Reviews

Review: The Adventure of Thomas the Turtle by Stuart Samuel

7/6/2017

Title: The Adventure of Thomas the Turtle
Author: Stuart Samuel
Release Date: July 18th, 2017 by www.jupiterscientific.org
Rating: 5 Stars

Review

There are 3 things a child can take away from reading The Adventures of Thomas the Turtle, though I'm sure there are more depending on your perspective.

1. Listen to your parents - Thomas is warned not to go to a specific area in their pond, but he is overcome with curiosity and forced into an adventure that separates him from his family.

2. Wild animals belong in their natural habitat. Leave them alone. Thomas meets a couple of kids whose first instinct is to take him home with them as a pet, which would separate Thomas from his family forever.

3. Pray. To teach a child to pray in times of trouble is to teach them that there is hope and to never give up. Believing in a higher power sometimes is all it takes for some people to get through life and to not give up even when things are at their worst. We should teach our kids that while thy're still young and before it's too late.

This is a beautifully illustrated book that teaches children a very valuable and practical lesson about nature, animals and listening to their parents.

Crystal's Top 5 Self-Published Books

7/2/2017

Let's be real for a moment, the book world does not look at self-published books the same way they do books that are traditionally published. Most of them are overlooked and sometimes poor editing mistakes can be a turn off, but there are some and by some I mean a lot, that are worthy of praise and attention that they'll never receive because of that self-publishing stigma. Here are a few of my faves!

5. The Dragonfly Door by Margaret Millmore

This books isn't YA but there's something about time-travelling stories that I can't say no to.

"Most people would envy Frank Mann for living off a trust fund in beautiful San Francisco. But Frank was directionless and spiraling downward – lonely, drinking heavily, getting into brawls. He was sitting at a bar when above the gleaming bottles he first glimpsed the thing that would change his life forever.

“It was the largest dragonfly I’d ever seen. Its wings were silver and its body a luminescent blue-green, almost metallic. I swear it was looking right at me.”

But it wasn’t looking at him. It was looking for him. Because it wasn’t a dragonfly at all, it was a door into the future. And it was sent to find Frank Mann for one specific reason: because only he could save mankind from extinction.

A century from now, the world seems cleansed of pollution, relieved of conflict, liberated from want. Earth appears lush and beautiful, a renewed Eden. But there’s trouble in paradise— a deadly virus that is destroying all of earth’s agriculture. Unleashed in our time, its catastrophic power only emerges a century from now. And to create an antidote, the scientists of tomorrow must obtain a sample of the virus from today. That’s where Frank Mann comes in.

However, success will not be as easy as stepping through the dragonfly door. An evil future sect will try to thwart him. The time travel device itself could fail and strand him, and unnerving encounters with his own future wife and their great-great-grandchildren might skew history altogether. Frank just wanted something to live for – something a little more modest than saving humanity. But that’s what the future asked of him and now it’s time to answer the call."

4. Gateway: Pioche by Jeff Dawson

This book is also not YA, but like I said before about time travel books...Anyways, this book is surprisingly detailed, intriguing and gave me goosebumps for a very long time.

"June 2016—Stanford, Ca. GRADUATION for Muki, Abdul, Larry and Judith. Six years of cramming for finals and pursuing double master’s degrees has finally paid off. It's time for them to enjoy the fruits of their labor. A trip to Las Vegas and the blackjack tables before entering the word of commerce and research.

Their good fortune at the tables doesn't go unnoticed by the local mob boss, Nathan Francisco, who decides, "What money comes to Vegas, stays in Vegas." Instead of enjoying their winnings, the graduates become engaged in a hair-raising, life-threatening pursuit through the sleepy town of Pioche, Nevada. Eluding their pursuers, they wind up northeast of town at an abandoned military complex. Not wanting to tempt fate, they decide to stay put for a day and explore the complex.

What and who they find could unravel the truths surrounding the most debated conspiracies of the past—who shot John Fitzgerald Kennedy, what happened to Judas Iscariot after betraying Jesus, did America really land on the moon in 1969. And finally, will Judith Anderson be able to purge her family’s ties to the Third Reich when she comes face-to-face with her great-grand father Martin Bormann?

Prepare for the most riveting tale of time travel!

Note: This book contains strong language. Not recommended for children under 13. "

3. The Game by Shane Scollins

Probably one of the most underrated books out there. Seriously, if you haven't read this book yet what are you waiting for?

No matter where you are, they’ll find you, and put you in “The GAME”.

Candice Laguna’s life is being systematically dismantled, by an unknown force, for a reason she can’t imagine. But she is about to become the unwilling star of a reality game competition the likes of which has never been broadcast to the world.

Just when things get darkest, a mysterious man snatches her from the grips of doom. He is a man who is not what he seems, and not who he says. He has no name and his motivation to help Candice is not what it seems to be.

But his selfishness has good intentions, he just wants to know who he is and where he came from. And getting to the man orchestrating this reality game is the only way to find the truth.

THE GAME is a mystery/thriller with an unpredictable paranormal twist. It has action and adventure and plays up the everyday exploitation of reality television obsession gone wrong.

2. Ghost Hand (The PSS Chronicles Book 1) by Ripley Patton

Is this book a movie yet? It should be!

Olivia Black has a rare birth defect known as Psyche Sans Soma, or PSS. Instead of a right hand made of flesh and blood, she was born with a hand made of ethereal energy.

How does Olivia handle being the girl with the ghost hand? Well, she's a little bit morbid and a whole lot snarky.

Her mother thinks her obsession with death, black clothing, and the local cemetery is a bid for attention. But when Marcus, the new guy in Olivia's calculus class, stares at her like she's a freak, Olivia doesn't like it. And when her hand goes rogue, doing things she never imagined possible, Olivia finds herself running for her life with Marcus from a group of men bent on taking the power of her hand for their own nefarious purposes.

1. What We Left Behind (Zombie Nightmares Book 1) by Peter Cawdron

Nothing gets me more excited than a great zombie book. I never say no to reviewing a zombie book even if it's not YA. What We Left Behind was absolutely delicious and I ate (see what I did there) it all up in one sitting.

"Everyone has a different term for zombies. I call them Zee because that's the term my mother used before she turned, speaking about the whole horde as though it was just one individual. Grammar has no place in the zombie apocalypse…

Hazel is a regular teenager growing up in an irregular world overrun with zombies. She likes music, perfume, freshly baked muffins, and playing her Xbox—everything that no longer exists in the apocalypse. Raised in the safety of a commune, Hazel rarely sees Zee anymore, except on those occasions when the soldiers demonstrate the importance of a headshot to the kids. To her horror, circumstances beyond her control lead her outside the barbed wire fence and into a zombie-infested town. “Five, Four, Three, Two—count your shots, Haze,” she says to herself, firing at the oncoming zombie horde. “Don't forget to reload.”

Crystal's Weekly Book Spotlight

6/30/2017

Click through the slideshow below to see my top 5 book spotlight for the week! Discover new gems or re-read old ones. Know a book that should be in the Spotlight? Send an email to bookexplosion @ live . com (no spaces)

REVIEW: Jilly's Terrible Temper Tantrum

6/27/2017

Title: Jilly's Terrible Temper Tantrum
Author: Martha Heineman Pieper, Ph.D.
Reviewer: Crystal
Rating: 5 Stars

This is a great book that teaches both parents and children how to handle tantrums. We've either experienced or witnessed a child going off on one of their tantrums, sometimes in public or at home and it can be both frustrating for the parent and the child. Sometimes the parents don't know how to respond, or most of them lash out with a temper of their own, but Jilly's Terrible Temper Tantrum shows them a more positive method for dealing with these situations, which will in the end teach your child how to handle their temper. This book is strikingly illustrated and very funny as well.

Surviving The Evacuation London, Book One: London Review

6/17/2017

Book: Surviving The Evacuation, Book One: London
Author: Frank Tayell
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Zombie
Book Rating: 5 Stars
Cover Rating: 5 Stars

If you're a zombie enthusiast and you binge on all things zombie related, I'm sure you've imaged what you would do if the zombie apocalypse were to suddenly strike humanity. People like us dream about it, talk about it non-stop and some of us even prepare for that dreaded day. If you're like me, you may even have started your zombie survival kit. But what if it were to descend on us at a time when we least expected it and all the preparation we did was for nothing? What if you were stuck in a small apartment building alone...and your leg was broken? How would you defend yourself? Find food and water? Run if you needed to? Maybe this is something new we zombie enthusiasts need to think about and to plan for, or maybe you should just read this book.

In "Surviving the Evacuation, Book 1: London" Bill finds himself under these dreaded conditions. His leg is broken and we find him waiting patiently to be rescued, writing in his journal and watching the tragedy unfold outside his window. It soon becomes clear to him that the help he was promised was not going to come and broken leg or not he was the only person who was going to save him.

The book is told through a series of journal entries which usually isn't my thing because I love reading dialogue, but I found it very refreshing and could not put it down. I cannot say anymore without giving away spoilers but what I can say is that something that is probably the most cliche' thing to say but I'm going to say it anyways, "if you love zombies you'll love this book." I could feel the isolation, Bill's struggles, loneliness and pain. The only thing that really bugged me was how easy it was for him to kill a zombie... like it was natural, like it was a normal everyday occurrence. His first kill should have been hard and then gradually get easier but it just seemed too easy for him in the very beginning.

I highly recommend this book!

Available on Amazon!

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NEW Review feature - VLOGS

6/7/2017

I will be launching a new review feature late summer or early fall where I will be posting book reviews in video format to my youtube channel. This feature will only be available for authors/publishers who submit physical paperback/hardcover copies of their books. Every book submitted will be given consideration but not all will be featured so be sure to read my GUIDELINES carefully before mailing out any books for review. Books sent will NOT be returned regardless of my decision and you will be notified via email once I receive your book and whether or not it will be reviewed. Still want to submit your book? Here's how!

First you will need to request a video book review via email at bookexplosion @ live . com. Be sure to include in your query the title of the book you're submitting, a blurb and all links where your book is available for purchase. If I am interested I will let you know right away and you can use the address below for mailing.

Mail to:
Crystal's Book Explosion
PO Box 53026 Erin Mills
Mississauga ON
L5M 5H7

Once you have mailed out your book please send another email directly to bookexplosion @ live . com and subscribe to my youtube channel and facebook page (links below).

Book Explosions is recruiting reviewers

3/24/2017

If you LOVE reading books and you are interested in writing reviews for Book Explosions please contact us at book explosion @ live . com (no spaces).

We are currently making a list of books waiting to be reviewed which will be mailed out to reviewers once a week. You can choose any book and as many as you like to read and you will have two weeks to submit the review. The review will be posted on this website, Amazon and Goodreads.

Contact us now to start reading today!

Open for Reviews

2/20/2017

Happy New Year!

Yes, I know it's February but I haven't been accepting reviews since October 2016. I am once again open for reviews, but will be very selective because of the amount of submissions I receive a day. I don't want to be overwhelmed like last year.

To make it easier, here is what I am interested in reading:

Young Adult

Zombies
Time-Travel
Period Pieces (ie. 18th century etc...)
Superheroes/Superpowers
Some supernatural

This should make the submission process easier. My books are also available for reviews. You are welcome to browse my site and send me a request for any of my books listed.

Happy reading!

Review Updates!!!

10/13/2016

Hi readers,

I am currently overloaded at the moment when it comes to review submissions. To limit the amount of requests I am receiving, I will only be accepting paperback/hardcover copies of books until further notice. To submit paperback copies of books, please email bookexplosion @ live . com (no spaces) or use the contact form in the CONTACT section of the website. Include a summary of the book and book cover if possible (or amazon page) and I will get back to you with a shipping address if I am interested.

My review policy is the same for paperbacks, so be sure to visit my page before submitting.

Please note that reviews are still not guaranteed with a paperback. I will write an HONEST review of your book whether I enjoyed it or not. The only way I will not write a review is if half way through the book I realize that it's not for me, or violates my guidelines in some way. I will not rip the author a new one, I simply won't read it or review it.

Thanks :-)
Crystal

Blest by Blaise Lucey

7/19/2016

Title: Blest
Author: Blaise Lucey
Reviewer: Crystal
Rating: 4 Stars

Review
I fell in love with this story from the first page.

I loved Jim as a main character, but was not too thrilled with his love interest, Claire. On his sixteenth birthday, Jim learns the truth about his family in a harsh and painful way. He discovers that he is an Angel and Claire, a demon.

I loved the author voice but did not love the relationship between Jim and Claire. I found it unoriginal and a little cliché. Also, books that navigate between different POV’s is a little annoying. That being said this book was still an awesome read. There are twists and turns around every corner, action for those who love action and love for those who love romance. This first novel by Blaise is clearly not the end of the series as there is a nice setup for a second book.