Scookie Reviews

INSANITY by Cameron Jace 4 stars Verdict : Perfect if you're craving something a bit wacky. After accidentally killing everyone in her class, Alice Wonder is now a patient in the Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum. No one doubts her insanity. Only a hookah-smoking professor believes otherwise; that he can prove her sanity by decoding Lewis Carroll's paintings, photographs, and find Wonderland's real whereabouts. Professor Caterpillar persuades the asylum that Alice can save lives and catch the wonderland monsters now reincarnated in modern day criminals. In order to do so, Alice leads a double life: an Oxford university student by day, a mad girl in an asylum by night. The line between sanity and insanity thins when she meets Jack Diamond, an arrogant college student who believes that nonsense is an actual science. ~*~ Throw your cats out the window, everyone, Insanity is here! Warning : Most of this book is nonsensical. If you find a lack of logic frustrating...

The Clearing  is a 65,000 word dystopian horror centred around the question 'Why do the Sentenced run into the forest full of the Soulless?' And it's finally complete! I'm currently looking for a few more beta-readers. If you’d like to test it out, part 1 is on Figment and Wattpad . The response so far has been exceptional - I couldn't be happier.  Drop me a message at in the comments or fill out the contact form. I crave your most honest opinions but don't worry - I don’t bite. I'm looking to make changes. The manuscript has already passed through several individuals with different strengths and should feel fairly edited. However, if you spot a mistake, highlight it/comment/let me know whichever way you like. Thank you so much to those who have already helped so far. I will remember all of you! Similar books: The Forest Of Hands And Teeth, Wither, Hunger Games – I’m not claiming to be on par, just a similar vibe. The Clearing S...

A Grimm Legacy by Janna Jennings Verdict : 2 stars Verdict : Middle grade, imaginative, but I’d recommend other novels. Enchanted castles and charming princes thought to exist only in stories come to life in this classically twisted fairy tale that combines the timeless quality of folktales with the challenges of the modern world.  The woods of Elorium appear ordinary to Andi… until the birds start to talk and elves answer doors. Whisked out of her world along with three strangers, Andi finds herself the reluctant guest of Mr. Jackson, a perplexing millionaire who claims to be able to help them get home. The secrets he harbors, however, make it difficult to know just who to trust. When the group of teenagers discover that in this new world, fiction is anything but, and that they all have unexpected family ties to this fairy tale land, they must learn to rely on each other. The only way to survive evil fairies and giants intent on keeping them in Elorium is to rely on each ...

I've read a few really entertaining opening chapters on writing sites lately. They've hooked me in with a thrilling chance, a daring theft, or an exciting fight scene. The only problem is I know I could connect with the characters and felt a little underwhelmed compared to what I could have felt. They've all missed out on the crucial element of context. A few tweaks, and these could be strong opening scenes. I call it superficial action. We know there’s excitement and adrenaline, but we don’t know much else. Although it can be a way to hook in readers and never let them go, don’t forget that chapter 1 should do more than just thrill. It needs to introduce the novel. Surroundings . It’s all good having an action scene, but I want to understand why and where it’s happening too. Often you can hint to both just setting the scene. Is the fight in an arena? Or in the school canteen? Those are two entirely different stories. Stakes . If I know why you’re running and why yo...

CAPTIVE by A.J. Grainger Verdict: 3 Stars Recommend : Well, it's an alright YA read. Robyn's dad is the British prime minister, and someone wants him dead. Now Robyn is being held captive - but who is really at fault? The short pitch is the most accurate. I’ve read longer pitches which say things like ‘A list celebrity’ and ‘global corruption’... I know a blurb is meant to sell a book, but it’s always funny when you read the pitch  after the novel and find that things just don’t match up. I would have enjoyed this novel a little more if I had just read that little short snippet. Either way, this is still an okay young adult thriller. Robyn is a strong character. She may get held captive but she fights... in real life, that’s a risky game to play, but a character with a bit of umph is far more interesting than one who sits back and waits for the rescue. My general view of it is that it felt fresh and gritty at times, cliché and fluffy at other. When that’s all bala...

Happy new year, writers and readers alike! To start off 2015, it's time to announce the winners of R.A. Black's horror novel,  Apple . I placed all entries into a randomiser, and here are the two individuals selected to receive a paperback copy: Nicole Mac Arthur Luke Hulse Congratulations! Expect an email from me very soon. I hope you enjoy Apple as much as I did, and don't forget to write a review. For all of you who didn't manage to win one this time, you can of course purchase a copy through  Amazon   You can also check out R.A. Black on  Figment  and  Facebook  or read her author interview . The details in her novel are particularly vivid. You can read her article,  How to Leave you Readers Cold, Hungry, and Afraid,  for tips on how to immerse readers into your world. Lastly, if you have no idea what Apple is and perhaps thought I was giving away iphones or something, maybe check out my review here . Enter a gothi...