Wednesday 13 April 2016

BOOK REVIEW: SIXTY-SEVEN SALAMANDERS BY JEFF JOSEPH

Sixty-Seven Salamanders
Sixty-Seven Salamanders
Author: Jeff Joseph
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Pages: 299
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

Synopsis:
Adin Anderson lives in a small town where the stagnant flow of time is considered peace and quiet, but that isn't good enough for him. He may not be a big believer in fate, but something bigger has to be out there for him. And the day he receives a random letter from an unlikely source may be it.

Review:
Jeff Joseph's novel concentrates on Adin, a boy who wants to live an anything but normal life anywhere but in the small town he has grown bored of. He desires adventure and change, and, unlike other young men in his position in real life, he gets a chance to prove how passionate about change he really is when he is accepted to a school for exceptional students, and having to come to terms with the fact he isn't a normal kid.

The academy he is asked to join is more of a fighting school full of brave men and women who make up the ranks of the best of the best and being a part of their team means more to them than their previous life. As far as I can gather, the women are quite ferocious and strong and the whole book has a sense of sexuality about it from both sides, which I liked a lot. The fighting itself contains a great deal of sexuality and feeling, as does the sense of winning to fight another day.

Just as in any fighting game, Adin goes through a series of fights until he becomes a skilled fighter who can then go on to fight the best they have to offer. Sixty-Seven Salamanders leaves the reader wondering whether it has all been worth it for Adin, but to be honest, I could say yes to that as if he had stayed where he was, he would never have been given the opportunity.

While many would go with a complex approach to writing a YA book, Jeff keeps it simple and makes his novel accessible to his audience. The story is filled with action and adventure, just as he promised Adin, with some excellent character building with the main characters and some interesting situations they are put into.

Sixty-Seven Salamanders is a fun and adventure-packed novel which is perfect for young adults to enjoy as it's full of action, strong dialogue and has no boring moments that will slow the pace down, and disinterest young readers.