BOOK REVIEW: The Shapeshifter-Dowsing The Dead(Ali Sparkes)

Book: Dowsing The Dead

Author: Ali Sparkes

Rating: 6.5/10

I was recently looking through my book reviews and realised I'd reviewed the 1st three of this series but no more.

So here it is, The Shapeshifter book 4 - Dowsing the Dead.

This book follows on from the third with the COLA's in a new safe place, but following Gideons Sister's plan in the second book which almost eliminated them there are only 10 left. The rest had their power stolen by Catherine and only just escaped with their lives,If not their power,
Then when Gideons brother Luke sacrificed himself to save them he and Catherine were both lost to the waves and storm that claimed the COLAs home. Then in the third book they are being hunted by Catherine's spirit which tries to kill them.

And that basically brings you to this book.


In their new safe place the COLA's are no longer able to use their power outside for safety reasons.
This is no problem for most of them, except Dax, who as a shapeshifter is used to spending his time as a fox or falcon. being confined is slowly killing him. He has a stroke, and no one can work out what's wrong with their only shapeshifter, not even the healers can cure him. he is drifting in and out of consciousness and the situation is grim.

Meanwhile Lisa has her own problems. She is a physic and a medium and is trawling the land of the dead in vain trying to find the spirits of Catherine and Luke and therefore put everyone's mind at ease.


But they are not to be found there, for they are alive, although Luke is practically dead, see Catherine needs Luke's power to keep her own and keeps draining him to the point of death,

The only good news at this point is they find out how to possibly cure Dax,

To help Lisa dowse Gideon,Dax and their friend Mia a healer all join in.

And they make contact with Luke,

He is in a windmill in a French speaking country almost dead.


But when Lisa sends the government and Gideon to the wrong place it's down to Dax to fly to Luke's aid.

But he must watch his back of he'll be up and over, as he flies to the land of the pompoms according to the cryptic puzzles of a wolf spirit who occasionally appears to offer advice,

But will Dax succeed in his mission, and what will happen when the wolfs meaning comes to him to little to late?

It's no longer just Luke in danger now Dax is fighting for his life to!!!



This book is good,don't get me wrong with only giving it 6.5 . But considering how adventure-filled and gripping the first 3 were I suppose I had very high expectations for this one.  It's a good book just not as good as  the first 3 by comparison. I'm still going to read the 5th one and I hope you guys will definitely give the series a try.
Don't forget to find my reviews for the first books on here as well.
And to order them via my website if possible .
Hope you found this review helpful,
The Devonian Book Reviewer

UK:

USA:

Germany:

Message from Devonian Book Reviewer: Almost 1000 in a month

With about 5-6 hours to go this blog has had almost 1000 view in one month. we're on about 950.
can we make it 1000 in time???? get reading, tell everyone you know to start reading,hahaha, if we don't make it this month try next month, and remember to tell your friends about a place where such great book reviews are found :)
and that you can always order books through amazon straight from the post.


Whether we make it or not this month has been the highest ever so far
 so thank you for reading everyone. and I hope you continue to do so.

Thanks again,
The Devonian Book Reviewer


remember you can follow this blog if you have a google account or subscribe via email by using the subscribe box on the right of the homepage.

BOOK REVIEW: The Enemy(Charlie Higson)

Book: The Enemy

Author: Charlie Higson

Rating: 8.5/10

This is the first book in a series Higson has written and he's made a good start


"They thought they would always protect you, You were wrong"


The Illness, The Disaster, whatever you want to call it struck, without warning.Everyone over the age of 14 got ill.

The luckier ones died... those that didn't are people no longer... They are the enemy. They are mindless creatures, with no resemblance to the humans they once were.


We join the Waitrose crew,  one of many groups of kids who have survived in a London populated by mindless Grown-ups who want to eat them.

They are fairly organised and they can fight. They can scavenge food out of the neighbourhood, But that's not enough anymore . Scavenging is becoming dangerous, grown ups are getting more daring and hungry each day.

Contending for food with grown-ups, dogs and the Morrisons crew(another group of kids) is becoming harder.
Then in one trip things change for the worse,   One of their number die, and their leader Arran is bitten.And at Waitrose itself Small Sam, a little kid, is taken.  Meanwhile at Waitrose large numbers of the mutated adults are appearing.The situation is bleak and when a random kid appear from no where offering safety it seems to good to be true.


Now they must embark on a perilous journey through London with the Morrisons crew, all on the advice of a kid in a patchwork cloak. Grown ups are everywhere,  but the promise of a safe sanctuary is worth the risk.


But not all will survive the skirmishes that errupt on their journey to Buckingham Palace and those who do may not like what they find.


Buckingham is to good to be true, few grown ups.The kids their are  organised, defended,  lead by a posh boy called David. Food is in it's multitudes.

But when asked to attack other groups of kids things start fraying, bitterness and feuds errupt and violence seems to be the predominant diplomatic tool. Can the leaders of Waitorse and Morrisons  convince the kids to do what's right not what's safe? and will  the warriors and little kids agree?  David want to rule the world, do they want to follow him?

Meanwhile Small Sam is on his own journey, having escaped his captors and avoided being eaten he will be exposed to the horror of human nature as he falls prey to non infected adults who have resorted to cannabalism  to survive. Him and a wierd kid known only as The Kid   must escape and find thier own sanctuary. In a city where even large groups struggle to survive what chance do little kids have, read to find out.




I really like this book, it doesn't use complex language so suitable for all reading abilities(although prehaps not all ages). The detail in places  is light but still grabs you.
Lots of films,books and tv shows have been made around the subjects of adults disapering, mutating ect ect. But Charlie Higson has done a masterful job that makes you want to read cover to cover non-stop. I can't wait for the rest of the series and hope they live up to the high standard set by this book.

If your a fan of adventure,mystery, with little snippets of gore and horror this book is definetly for you. and even if those aren't your areas ofinterest the way it's written and the struggle to survive in a world with no adults should make you interest.

I recommend going and buying this book if your looking for the traits listed above or just for a completely different experience.

This series shows promise and the next one is already on it's way to me. Give it a go.

(Those in the UK,USA and Germany remember you can buy this book by clicking the links provided below.)

Hope you found this reivew helpful,

The Devonian Book Reviewer

UK:

USA:


Germany