Book Blurb
Hearing voices when no one is talking to you is a bad sign right?
When twelve year old Tyler follows the calls of his name into the burnt out house on the roundabout, and finds a golden lizard called Midas, his luck appears to have changed for the better.
Right?
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'Midas' by Alan Meredith.
Read and reviewed for ZooLoos Book Tours and Alan Meredith.
Publication date 26th March 2022.
This is the second book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'Shimmer' which I also enjoyed and would recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. I have also read 'Shimmer' by Alan which I enjoyed and am hoping this is just as good.
This novel consists of 19 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to short in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is written in first person perspective and the main protagonist is Tyler. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them.
This book is very well written and takes you into the mind of a 12 year old boy who got what he wished for. The vivid descriptions left you hearing the laughter and feeling the thrill of the chase.
This is the second book I have read by Alan. The first was 'Shimmer' which I enjoyed but would also be suitable for younger children. I was expecting this book to be similar but was quite surprised to find it wasn't. This book was quite fast paced from beginning to end and I read it in a couple of hours between getting on with the housework. It tells the tale of a 12 year old boy who lives with his mum and are struggling for money. Tyler is a sweet boy who always wanted a pet and saves up the very small amount her gets from doing odd jobs for elderly neighbours. He has a beautiful relationship with his mum and they both work together to get through their many struggles. Alan paints a picture of an authentic mum and son relationship where either will give their all for the other. Tyler wishes for a pet and that they didn't have to struggle so much. However, as we are warned as children you should be careful what you wish for. I won't say too much as not to spoil it for future readers but this tale does go to the darker side at approximately 50%. I started off thinking my 9 year old son would enjoy this book and even at the first disturbing scene I still thought it would be OK but it took a darker turn very quickly and would only recommend it for 10 years plus. Although this book has a lot of fantasy aspects I found that there was realism at play in the fact that actions do have consequences. I absolutely loved the newspaper articles and found 2 in particular to be hilarious making me laugh out loud so they were definitely a great addition to lighten the mood. I also enjoyed the mythological play on Midas and what I know of the Midas from Greek mythology. The ending left me with goosebumps as it could mean several things. I like that Alan leaves the reader make their own mind up. A great mix of horror, mythology and fun! I'm looking forward to seeing what Alan is planning next.
Congratulations Alan on one of the creepiest fantasy horror yet comedy I have ever read!!! A complete mash up of genres that had me laughing one minute and goosebumps on my arms the next!!
Overall a unique read filled with comedy, horror, mythology and so much more!!
Genres covered in this book include Children & Young Adults, Fantasy, Middle Grade and Urban Fantasy amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of books with unexpected twists and turns!
101 pages.
This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle or free on kindle unlimited (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) from myself on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
@AlanMeredith @ZooLoosBT @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
Author Bio
Alan Meredith lives in sleepy West Sussex with his wife and two children. He relocated there after suffering a psychosis back in 2000. Writing stories was a childhood love that he lost as he mistakenly believed that imagination had no place in the grown up world.
He likes taking reality and weaving fantastical elements into it. Alan's writing reflects his belief that life is a journey of highs and lows and the idea that 'life should be fair' is an unrealistic expectation to give anyone, especially kids. If you are looking for the sugar coated ‘Happy Ever After’ you have come to the wrong place.
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