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Rebel Fire by Ann Sei Lin

Rebel Fire

Ann Sei Lin

Walker Books, July 2023

Paperback, £7.99

ISBN 9781406399608

We are immediately plunged into the entrancing world of protagonist Kurara and her shipmates. Rebel Fire is the perfect novel for fans of Japanese mythology, filled with rich, vivid imagery and engaging descriptions. This adventurous thriller is set in a dystopian world of incredible flying cities and enthralling battles.

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Review: Mina and the Slayers by Amy McCaw

Mina and the Slayers
Amy McCaw
UCLan, September 2022
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN 9781912979912

We dive into the horror-stricken life of Mina, a not-quite-normal teenager trying to settle into her new life in New Orleans, three months after a tragic death at Fang Fest. Mina is now surrounded by friends and family, and has a part-time job she loves at the local police station. However, when there is a dubious rise in the number of animal attacks and murders being investigated by the police, Mina is filled with a passion to bring justice to these eerie killings. During her investigations, she finds a group of slayers trying to subdue the unruly vampires responsible for the attacks. How will Mina handle this discovery and balancing her relationship with recently turned vampire Jared? Will she overcome these dangers and threats?

I loved the quick pacing with enthralling plot twists just as the novel began to slow down, allowing for a constantly suspenseful, but enjoyable read. I found the plot quite engaging and perfectly balanced, with a good amount of complexity.

The only slight issue I found was the excessive amount of characters that were hard to keep track of, as I felt this took away from the development of other major characters, such as Detective Cafferty and Jared. However, this issue was easily overcome by brilliant character development of the main character Mina, adding quite a thrill to the novel, as I felt a sense of connection and relatability to her.

Personally, I would recommend this coming-of-age novel to teenagers as it discusses some difficult topics such as violence and changing relationships, but I also loved how McCaw incorporated many meaningful themes such as family and love into this truly riveting novel. McCaw expertly blends horror, 90s pop culture and a normal teenager’s life to form a spectacular tale of action, especially for fans of 80s or 90s murder mysteries and YA books. A novel well worth a read!

Maheen Cheema, 14

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Review: Banshee Rising by Riley Cain

Banshee Rising
Riley Cain
Currach Books, October 2021
Paperback, £10.99
ISBN 978178218914
5

We are met with Irish teen protagonist, Caitlyn McCabe, who has the unique ability to see ghosts and spirits in her everyday life. Caitlyn, a not-so ordinary girl from Dublin, doesn’t know much about why or how she has this peculiar ability, but after a school trip to Newgrange, she meets Professor Sackimum Brody. The Professor is the only one who can help Caitlyn navigate her powers, tell her more about her dead parents, and guide her to defeating an evil only Caitlyn can defeat, rising from the third immortal realm of forgotten spirits.

A story with the twistiest plot twists and a plot with the perfect amount of complexity, I found this novel perfectly balanced, with plentiful, well-developed characters. The novel is set in modern day Dublin, but as Caitlyn switches between the three realms: mortal, immortal and forgotten, we get a mix of contemporary and Ancient Irish characters and concepts, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The only major issue I found was excessive characters, which were sometimes hard to keep track of, but that issue was quickly overruled by excellent character development, especially in the main characters, Caitlyn McCabe and Professor Brody.

This novel is written from a third person point of view, but this doesn’t at all limit the reader’s connection with and understanding of the characters. Cain blends paranormality with an Irish teenager’s life to create an enjoyable novel, especially for those who enjoy folklore, mythology and Ancient Irish history. A story well worth a read!

Maheen Cheema, 13