Hope City: The Alaskan Adventures of Percy Hope by Neil Perry Gordon

Hello my fellow bookworms!

I finally bring to you today a book review on the book Hope City: The Alaskan Adventures of Percy Hope (Book One) by Neil Perry Gordon.

The beginning of Hope City begins with a quote from Jack London's Credo, a great introduction to the story. As I really enjoy this quote, I will share it with you:

"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather choose that my spark burn out in a  brilliant blaze than be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent plant. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time."

- Jack London's Credo

Our story begins with Liam and Sam, two friends who live and work in San Francisco, California in 1898. Both seventeen years old and just graduating out of high school, the two have an inspiring graduation speech from none other than the Jack London (yes, the same one whose quote I just posted). With the last words of his speech, "Wake up before it's too late and live a life worthy to be remembered," Liam is inspired to take a steamship up to Alaska to prospect for gold, to live a life of adventure and do more than just live a boring life. He ropes in Sam, who is hesitant, since his father owns a general store and Sam helps in the day-to-day functions. Thankfully, Sam's parents give permission to take the summer off for adventure, with the exception of changing his name to something not Jewish, in order to avoid bigotry and possible harm. With the optimistic name of "Percy Hope," and with the words of Jack London to inspire him, Sam Percy sets off towards the wilderness of Alaska with Liam, in hopes of finding gold, exploring, and having a great story to tell about his life.

 

I enjoyed reading Hope City: The Alaskan Adventure of Percy Hope. Due to some of the mature language, certain references in the book, and the graphic detail of a couple of the twists in the book, I recommend this story for young adults (older teens) and up.

 

Hope City is a quick paced historical fiction adventure story that flips between the book's namesake, Percy Hope and Magnus Vega, the obvious antagonist of the novel. Magnus is introduced quite early on in the story as someone to avoid, but he always seems to pop up and make himself known. Magnus is the one who begins Percy's summer adventures, who after landing in Alaska all bright-eyed and bushy tailed, finds that the unnamed city he is in is to be named after him! Hope City is where quite a bit of the novel takes place, while the other portion is set in the sister city, Sunrise, the "bad twin" to Hope (i.e. gambling, drinking, etc. is done in Sunrise, while going to church and being an upstanding citizen is the way of life in Hope). There are other areas that both Percy and Liam visit, as they end up on a crazy ride of adventures throughout the novel, but the two realize as much as they enjoyed (and did not enjoy) everything they experienced, they miss the normalcy of home. Given that this is only book one, I imagine that we will be hearing about more adventures to come!

There are a few reoccurring story lines in the novel, two of which I would like to highlight. The first of which is that Percy (Sam) had to deal with an internal war with his fake name and his religious beliefs. He feels nervous that so much attention is focused on his "name," and that he has to attend a Catholic church, which he feels goes against his Jewish faith. While Hope City provides quite a bit of historical context, I would have loved to see a bit more expansion on this topic, as it is a frightening to hide your faith to stay safe, but still want to be true to it. 

 

The second story line that I enjoyed and would not mind to hear more of is our protagonists (and antagonists) meeting natives who lived in the areas surrounding the miners. I appreciate how Mr. Gordon emphasized that these communities of people were not heathens or ignorant, but wise and how they appreciate nature and work with it, not against it as the miners had. 

In all, there was one twist I did not quite care for, but either way, Hope City is filled with adventure, friendship, twists and turns, some romance, and history. I appreciate that the story highlighted that you must face the consequences of your actions, and that sometimes the line between a hero and a villain can be blurred - nothing is black and white. This is a story you can binge read and you will not realize where the time went!

You can now purchase Hope City on Amazon, where it is available via eBook, paperback, and Audible.

About the Author: Neil Gordon Perry

 

Beginning with his debut novel in 2018—A Cobbler’s Tale, followed by Moon Flower, The Righteous One, The Bomb Squad and Hope City, Neil Perry Gordon has established himself as a well-respected and prolific historical fiction novelist. His story telling ability has earned him high editorial praise from the likes of Kirkus, Midwest Book Review and others, including hundreds of four and five star reader reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Neil attributes his love of the writing process from his formative education at the Green Meadow Waldorf School, where he learned that subjects such as music, dance and theater, writing, literature, legends and myths, were not simply things to be read about and tested, but lessons to be experienced.

His creative writing methods and inspiration have been described as organic; meaning that he begins his work with a general storyline for his characters, rather than working with a formal, detailed outline. This encourages his writing to offer surprising twists and unexpected outcomes, which readers have celebrated. His novels have the attributes of being driven by an equal balance between character development and face-paced action, which moves his stories along at a swift page-turning pace.

Melody Finch by Ian Boyd and Gary Luck (On Sale This Friday, October 9, 2020!)

(c) 2020 Spirit of the Earth Books, Ian Boyd, Gary Luck

 

 

"Adventure begins with a need for change." This quote is found on the book's website, Spirit of the Earth Books, promoting a new middle school aged book, Melody Finch, by authors Ian Boyd and Gary Luck. What a great quote to start off an adventure story! You can view the book trailer here.

 

With all the climate change we have faced in the recent years, there comes a need to explain such occurrences to younger audiences, who may not understand what is happening or why it is happening. This can be tough to explain, as we are figuring out these things in detail as adults ourselves. Mr. Boyd and Mr. Luck make this easier to explain, specifically what is happening in Australia and how the wildlife are affected. Here in the United States, we have heard about the devastating wildfires this year alone that have scorched the land due to persistent heat and drought. Melody Finch discusses the hardship of drought in a way that younger audiences can understand and enjoy an adventure in the process.

"The hardest part of growing up is to keep believing in things that you know are very important, even when nobody else does." - Melody Finch

We begin our story with Melody Klomp, a twelve-year old girl whose family drives down from their home in Charleville, Queensland (Australia), to visit her grandmother, Nanna Bell, in Goolwa, South Australia. Nanna Bell owns a riverboat called The Isabella, on which she takes tourists up and down the Coorong. The Coorong is a wetland that is home to much wildlife, migratory birds, and a large coastal range. As the authors mention, the name itself comes from the Ngarrindjeri, the local indigenous people, meaning "narrow neck." But, with the recent drought conditions, tourists are becoming sparse. During Melody's visit, Nanna Bell mentions to Melody about the magic of changing from a human to an animal, and never knowing when it is going to happen. Melody replies back that she no longer believes in little kids' stories anymore.

Little does she know, soon after her return home, Melody finds herself in the body of her favorite bird, the diamond firetail finch! Not knowing how to turn back into a human, she realizes that the only way to try and turn back is to go talk to her grandmother. But, birds can't make a call on the phone. Melody must travel the long distance herself, and in the process, finds that the drought has had numerous disastrous effects on the animals and wildlife around her. She meets many new friends, including a rainbow bee-eater, silver gulls, Australian pelicans, a white goshawk, and quite a few different frogs and toads!

Melody's journey is one where she learns about life on the river and how the lack of water during a drought can hurt the plants and animals, and in turn, hurt us humans. While reading Melody Finch, I learned quite a bit about Australia and some of the wildlife in Melody's area, including some Australian slang terms I was unfamiliar with (being in the United States). Besides the lovely message and thrilling tale, another great part of the book is the map at the front and the drawings of the animals mentioned in the story at the back. These two pieces of information were very helpful to someone like me, as I was unfamiliar with many of the animals and places mentioned. Even so, I was very caught up in the story and did not realize how much I was learning in the process. Curiosity sparked, I even went as far as to conduct online searches and read more about the animals mentioned. Melody Finch is geared towards middle school aged children, but if someone younger who can read at that stage wants to read it (or anyone older for that matter), the story is a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed readying Melody Finch and highly recommend reading it for yourself!

Additionally, if you are interested in covering Melody Finch in a classroom setting, Mr. Boyd and Mr. Luck have complied a list for teachers to reference in their lesson plans. The list covers the various themes in the novel, including: drought and water management, animal movements, managing human-wildlife conflicts, invasive animals, and climate change. You can buy a copy of Melody Finch for yourself directly on their website, Spirit of the Earth Books, or a multiple pack for a classroom!

About the Authors

Ian Boyd's previous career as a gardener and landscape designer instilled in him a passion for everything outside beneath the sun. His strange obsession for seeing life through an animal's eyes began with a copy of Watership Down which sat on his bedside table through much of his youth. 

 

 

 

Gary Luck is a wildlife ecologist with nearly 30 years experience studying Australian native animals. He and his partner, Gayle, now own a farm in Tasmania which combines forest conversation with sustainable food production of homemade breads, jams and fruit pastes.

The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night

Hello Fellow Bookworms,

Today I have a fantasy novel review for you! When I received the book in the mail, I was very excited! The author, D.E. Night, has a beautiful website to showcase her book, The Crowns of Croswald, with an equally intriguing story blurb. The book reminded me very much of Harry Potter, with some elements of Alice in Wonderland and Cinderella thrown in. If you are a fan of any of these stories, The Crowns of Croswald is definitely for you! Take a look at the book trailer here.

(c) Stories Untold Press, D.E. Night

We begin with a character named Derwin Edgar Night (Get it? D.E. Night?), who is a scrivenist - a type of person who has magic and writes down every discovery he or she discovers. This could be something new, history in the making, sketching, etc. A scrivenist is paired with a person of royal status, as the two are the only types of humans to hold magic, whether it be internally (scrivenists) or via crown stones (royals) - sorry for you muggles out there! Derwin is about to go meet his royal counterpart, when chaos unfolds and the readers are then thrown to the beginning of the main plot and character, of Ivy Lovely. Ivy Lovely works as a scaldrony maid, a type of maid who works with scaldrons, or dragons who bake food/desserts in their mouths for humans to then eat. We learn that Ivy has only one friend, a dwarf  named Rimbrick, and loves to daydream, sketch, and read. She longs to leave her life of being a maid and go with her friend Rimbrick back to his homeland that is filled with magic. Little does she know, her wish comes true when she is fired from her position, finds out that she herself has magic within her, and her friend Rimbrick is nowhere to be found! He provides her with instructions and money to start a journey out of her old life and into her new, and it is then that she is visited by a cab that brings her to a school where she can learn her full potential - a school for scrivenists! Here, she begins to become more of herself, growing, learning, and figuring out what lies ahead for herself. While she has a knack for trouble, she is even better at making good friends and finding new discoveries and adventures.

The book is recommended for ages 8 - 12, though I would go older than that and say it is more of a young adult book. The world building took a bit of time to become accustomed to, as I quite felt like Alice in a world I knew nothing about (similar to Ivy!). The language is a bit difficult for younger readers, as there were a few words even I had to look up as they are not common language. Even so, Ms. Night has a way with words that wraps you up into a new world of fantasy adventure that captures you! I really enjoyed the story and honestly did not put the book down until I was finished! There's magic, mystery, (a little) love, friendship, dragons, libraries, and a good ending to make way for part two. 

The Crowns of Croswald is a whimsical fantasy that will be sure to sweep you off your feet. I am going to go on a bookstore search this weekend and pick up myself a copy of the sequel, The Girl with the Whispering Shadow!

Until next time!

(c) D.E. Night

About the author, D.E. Night (visit her website here and her blog here)

D.E.  Night is compelled to write and discover the world of Croswald, much like any scrivenist! The magic of imagination propels her to sit down at her desk and write everyday. She loves dreaming up whimsical creatures and steampunk machines, but hates outlines. Currently at work on the third book in the Crowns of Croswald Series, Night recharges by taking trips to Disney World, taking long baths, and spending time with her family and friends. Fans can connect with D.E. Night on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.

Storm Raven by K Hansen

Yo-ho-ho, how is it already the end of July? I love summer, but it calls for some exciting reads. I have been in a pirate mood lately (anyone for sailing?), so please read on for my latest book review.

Storm Raven by K. Hansen is a thrilling, action-packed pirate adventure! A mix of Pirates of the Caribbean, Les Miserables, and a bit of one of my favorite pirates series growing up, Bloody Jack! Storm Raven holds its own and will become a series to watch progress.

Neredya is most at home on a ship at sea. A young captain of the ship the Storm Raven, she her days stealing from the rich, only fighting if necessary. Unfortunately, Neredya bites off more than she can chew with one heist and ends up captured by the government, torn away from her crew, to navigate to the Shattered Sea. Her crew, on the other hand, gets sent to the mines, where they will toil away for the rest of their days. Here, the story splits between Neredya and her first mate Brynja, who seems a little more than bitter at not having the title "Captain." Neredya promises to save her crew, no matter what, and undergoes unexpected changes in doing so. Without spoiling the book, we are left at the end of a beginning of a war in which Neredya and her crew want to not be a part of, but in order to save the innocent people of their land and to escape Commander Erhan's constant following and promises to defeat them (Javert complex, anyone?), they may just have to battle it out in the upcoming sequel! 

Storm Raven was not what I expected. Once started, it grips you until the very end. The characters focus on two strong women, who can hold their own, no matter the circumstance. I was curious if there was going to be any romance, but there was none in this book. Only adventure, piracy, and a bit of the supernatural, which makes Storm Raven a really fun read. The level of detail and descriptions really add to the scenes. Add a bit of the Pirates of the Caribbean score and the beach, and you will feel right at home. I highly recommend reading this first book in the series--I know I cannot wait to read what happens next. I guess it is a pirate's life for me!

Photo: Emily Conroy At Love & Cupcakes LLC

About the Author (from his website):
K Hanson is the author of The Azrael Initiative, a thriller, and Storm Raven, a fantasy novel. He’s currently working on the second books for both series.

K lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he works as a software developer. In his spare time, when he isn’t writing, he enjoys reading, working out, playing video games, and spending time with his wonderful fiancee, Bobbi.

Some of his favorite authors are Tom Clancy, George R. R. Martin, and Sarah Maas.