The Orphan of Torundi Book Review

The Orphan of Torundi 

J.L McCreedy

Rating (out of 5): 5
Genre: Young Adult Romance/Adventure
Release Date: November 28, 2014
Series:n/a
Series Number:n/a
Profanity: mild
Violence: mild
Sexual Content: none
Age Recommendation: 14+
Author Website: www.TongaTime.com





Summary:

To find the truth, she must first uncover the lie ….

Orphaned as an infant, Sam is raised by a pharmaceutical research mission in the rain forests of Torundi. She wields a mean machete, makes soap from candlenuts and is a fairly astute amateur entomologist. You know, the normal stuff. But a month before her seventeenth birthday, she is exiled to an American boarding school in Malaysia.

Armed with little more than her unusual upbringing and church-lady clothes, Sam must contend with her new existence as the world's most socially unprepared high school senior. Well that’s just fine. Because she is determined to solve the mystery behind her banishment and return home tout de suite.

But when she discovers the unthinkable – that her banishment is tied to an enigmatic corporation with illicit designs on Torundi – she realizes the real mystery she must uncover is ... why? Soon, Sam is caught in a whirlwind of intrigue, danger and greed. As she chases this thread of truth to its end, she unravels a plot that threatens her beloved Torundi, her trust in the boy she has grown to love and her own existence.

Blending espionage elements akin to The Bourne Identity with those high-school-awkward-moments (hey, it could happen), THE ORPHAN OF TORUNDI is a quirky, cross-cultural tale of adventure, suspense and romance.

Review:

The Orphan of Torundi is the second book I've read by J.L. McCreedy and I loved it just as much as I loved her first book, Liberty Frey and the Witches of Hessen. As with Liberty I wasn't sure how to feel about this book when I first started reading it. I shouldn't have worried because it turned out to be so much more than I expected. It is not only an adventure but it's also a journey into growing up and learning just what it takes to find one's place in the world.

Samuel (Sam) Clemens thought she had it all,  orphaned and raised on the island of Torundi and had spent most of her life helping at the Mission where she was raised. She is shocked when suddenly she is sent away from the island to a boarding school. Angry, hurt, and confused Sam struggles to make sense of everything. Her search for the truth leads her into more than she ever imagined including: exotic locales, espionage, romance, and adventure all combining to make this story unforgettable.

There is so much I want to say about this book. I loved the characters, especially Sam with her quirky humor and tenacity to find out the truth. I loved the locations and the beautiful imagery that pulled me into them creating a wonderful cross cultural experience. I loved the adventure and the mystery. The story was one that kept me turning the pages weather Sam was running down a clue or paddling downriver with her classmates.

J.L. McCreedy did a great job balancing espionage and everyday life. It's not something that I'd normally look for in a book and I'm excited to have found it here. I also enjoyed reading Sam's reflections on how life can just move on around you. Her comments on how jarring it is to be thrust from one place to another really hit home and I found myself nodding in agreement with much that she said.

I had no problem getting into this book and once I started I had a hard time putting it down. Anyone who enjoys mystery, romance, espionage, cross cultural experiences, and adventure would love this book. The Orphan of Torundi will make you laugh and cry and leave you breathless at the end wishing for more.

Note: I received an electronic copy of this book from the author in exchange for my fair and honest review which I have stated above.

~Dawn

You can find my review for J.L. McCreedy's other book Liberty Frey and the Witches of Hessen here.

The False Prince Book Review

The False Prince

Jennifer A. Nielsen

Rating (out of 5): 5

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Release Date: Apr 1, 2012

Series: The Ascendance Trilogy

Series Volume: 1

Profanity: None

Violence: Mild

Age Recommendation: 12 and up

Author Website: http://www.jennielsen.com/

Summary (found on Amazon):

In this first book in a remarkable trilogy, an orphan is forced into a twisted game with deadly stakes.

Choose to lie...or choose to die.

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.

As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.

An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.

Review:

The first thing to catch my attention about this book was the cover and title, both sparked my interest and imagination. I am happy to say that Jennifer A. Nielsen did not disappoint my expectations. This book has the feel of a well written fantasy novel without the magic and sorcery involved.

The protagonist Sage is a witty sharp tongued orphan who seems too smart for his own good, and I mean that in a positive way. His quick wit and sharp mind get him out of trouble almost as often as they get him into it. Along with three other orphans Sage is dragged into a scheme concocted by one of the kingdom’s noblemen, Conner. This scheme involves a competition between the boys to see which of them has what it takes to become the kingdom’s lost prince.

Secret agenda’s and trickery are the heartbeat of the competition starting with Sage himself. Just when you think you’ve figured out what’s going on the story throws in twists that keep you on the edge of your seat.

The layers-upon-layers in this book created a momentum that never let up. Every detail, no matter how small, felt like it was leading to something. Sage himself always seemed to be hiding something from everyone, including me as a reader. Oftentimes I knew he was hiding something more than he was revealing and it would drag me breathless through more pages as I searched for the reveal that was inevitable, crying out in excitement when I got it right and berating myself when I got it wrong.

I enjoyed seeing the story told from Sage’s point of view. Not only because he acted as an unreliable narrator (something I love) but because it’s not often I get to read a book written from the perspective of a male character and I enjoy the difference when it happens.

Each of the books characters are interesting with each one having their own agendas and backgrounds. Not one felt like a cookie cutter creation with each one being well rounded. And while you may not find yourself loving every character, you will find a grudging respect for some, and more than one will surprise you by the end of the story.

One of the best parts of this book is that it leaves you feeling satisfied with it’s ending. Yes you desperately want more, but that’s because you’ve fallen in love with the characters and the world, not because you’ve been left with a cliffhanger.

I would (and am) recommending this book to anyone and everyone that I can, both old and young. It’s a great read from start to finish, a true gem to discover. I only recommend waiting to start it until you have time to read it from cover to cover.

~Dawn