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kim_brockway_gatehouse's review against another edition
5.0
I don’t usually choose to read books or stories that are suitable for under 18s. However, being on a judging panel means reading genres outside of your usual choices.
I was given the opportunity to read Calico Thunder Rides Again as part of a blog tour. I like fantasy stories, the front cover is fun, the story’s description piqued my interest and of course, I love finding new-to-me authors. Therefore, I started reading this one with an open mind.
T. A. Hernandez is a new-to-me author.
Hernandez’s writing style instantly impressed me. The descriptive prose she used throughout and how she set up the scenes was intelligently done. The fact that she showed us rather than telling us her characters’ personality traits confirmed her skill. I was also pleased with how realistic her characters felt – even the fantastical animals had personalities!
T. A. Hernandez grabbed my attention from the very first chapter.
The plot had a definite “race-against-time” feel, with many frustrated growls interwoven throughout. I felt for Jake Strickland and journeyed with him on his frantic struggle to protect those under his care. However, there’s so much more to this tale than that. It gave me all the aspects that I look for in an engaging story. There was a gripping adventure, humour, danger, a sprinkling of romance, character growth and a world I wanted to explore.
Calico Thunder Rides Again gave me ALL the feels. I laughed, cried and shook my fists in frustration at the injustice. My heart warmed at the sense of love and loyalty. The world and characters that Hernandez created were brought to life in my imagination: I hope we get the chance to visit again.
I was given the opportunity to read Calico Thunder Rides Again as part of a blog tour. I like fantasy stories, the front cover is fun, the story’s description piqued my interest and of course, I love finding new-to-me authors. Therefore, I started reading this one with an open mind.
T. A. Hernandez is a new-to-me author.
Hernandez’s writing style instantly impressed me. The descriptive prose she used throughout and how she set up the scenes was intelligently done. The fact that she showed us rather than telling us her characters’ personality traits confirmed her skill. I was also pleased with how realistic her characters felt – even the fantastical animals had personalities!
T. A. Hernandez grabbed my attention from the very first chapter.
The plot had a definite “race-against-time” feel, with many frustrated growls interwoven throughout. I felt for Jake Strickland and journeyed with him on his frantic struggle to protect those under his care. However, there’s so much more to this tale than that. It gave me all the aspects that I look for in an engaging story. There was a gripping adventure, humour, danger, a sprinkling of romance, character growth and a world I wanted to explore.
Calico Thunder Rides Again gave me ALL the feels. I laughed, cried and shook my fists in frustration at the injustice. My heart warmed at the sense of love and loyalty. The world and characters that Hernandez created were brought to life in my imagination: I hope we get the chance to visit again.
bethtabler's review against another edition
4.0
Calico Thunder Rides Again by T.A. Hernandez is an adventure book that I did not know I needed. It has Dragons, circuses, and gangsters. While I don't often read books suitable for the under 18 audience, Calico Thunder Rides Again is well written enough to excite and entice readers of all ages. As a participant in the BBYNA tour, I was given an opportunity to check out this story; it appeals to all the things I like. So, I dived in, and I was so glad I did.
As I mentioned, Calico Thunder is a book that is written for a younger audience. But while the writing style has more youthful themes to it, I come from an intense love of grimdark; it still was descriptive and engaging. The description of the circus with its kaleidoscope of colors and cacophony of sounds seemed fantastic. I could practically smell the popcorn.
I was engaged with the characters right from the get-go. It has frenetic pacing at times, which added to the situation that Jake found himself in. I routed for Jake as an underdog the whole time. Even well-timed bits of laughter and jokes helped lighten the mood just enough so that you don't take it all too seriously.
Calico Thunder Rides Again is a fun story, and it is rather obvious why it was a final in the competition. I am glad that I had a chance to read something out of my standard repertoire, and the story did well for me.
shelvesofstarlight's review against another edition
5.0
Calico Thunder Rides Again is a book full of magic, wonder and some shady mob dealings all set around a circus. I mean what sounds better than that?
I loved learning all about the characters and delving into the life at the circus while we saw Jake struggling to deal with what his father had left him to deal with. It really helped you to understand what was at stake throughout the book and allowed you to understand the dilemma of the book more throughly.
As a character, I thought Jake was wonderful. His relationship with Grace and the other circus employees was really deep as you could feel that through their interactions in the book. The other characters, even the magical creatures in the circus, all had such distinct perosnalitites and that was something that just made the story feel so alive.
The plot was well written and well paced, I could feel the threat looming over the circus for the whole book and once which made the whole reading experience even more enjoyable. Plus, it had a great ending that was sweet and has the potential for another book to come should the author wish to continue the series.
The writing was thoroughly enjoyable and kept me engaged for the whole book. It was just so wonderful to become fully engorssed in the world of a magic circus full of illusions and mythical creatures such as dragons and griffins, in a setting that felt like it could just exist in our world if it wasn't for the magic.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour.
I loved learning all about the characters and delving into the life at the circus while we saw Jake struggling to deal with what his father had left him to deal with. It really helped you to understand what was at stake throughout the book and allowed you to understand the dilemma of the book more throughly.
As a character, I thought Jake was wonderful. His relationship with Grace and the other circus employees was really deep as you could feel that through their interactions in the book. The other characters, even the magical creatures in the circus, all had such distinct perosnalitites and that was something that just made the story feel so alive.
The plot was well written and well paced, I could feel the threat looming over the circus for the whole book and once which made the whole reading experience even more enjoyable. Plus, it had a great ending that was sweet and has the potential for another book to come should the author wish to continue the series.
The writing was thoroughly enjoyable and kept me engaged for the whole book. It was just so wonderful to become fully engorssed in the world of a magic circus full of illusions and mythical creatures such as dragons and griffins, in a setting that felt like it could just exist in our world if it wasn't for the magic.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour.
lines__lines's review against another edition
3.0
https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/14kdbgz/new_voices_book_club_calico_thunder_rides_again/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
This was a quick, easy read for me. I liked it fine, but I probably wouldn't have picked it if not for book club. I think with the setting, I expected more.... drama? I guess. A plot summary reads pretty dramatically, but reading the book itself felt more like "small business owner tries hard to keep business afloat" for much of it, which is remarkably less dramatic! It's not that dramatic moments were entirely absent, but the overall sense of tension was a bit lower than anticipated. Still - a fun setting and some cool characters, and a satisfying ending (when we finally got there). Go in with more "slice-of-life" leaning "cozy fantasy" expectations for better enjoyment, even though it does have some high stakes, life-or-death moments. The romantic relationship in here is also a great example of an established, mostly healthy, relationship.
This was a quick, easy read for me. I liked it fine, but I probably wouldn't have picked it if not for book club. I think with the setting, I expected more.... drama? I guess. A plot summary reads pretty dramatically, but reading the book itself felt more like "small business owner tries hard to keep business afloat" for much of it, which is remarkably less dramatic! It's not that dramatic moments were entirely absent, but the overall sense of tension was a bit lower than anticipated. Still - a fun setting and some cool characters, and a satisfying ending (when we finally got there). Go in with more "slice-of-life" leaning "cozy fantasy" expectations for better enjoyment, even though it does have some high stakes, life-or-death moments. The romantic relationship in here is also a great example of an established, mostly healthy, relationship.
keandrews95's review
5.0
A fantastical ride
A circus. Griffins. Magic. And a dragon. What more could a story need? This was a very entertaining tale and captured the vibes of a Western fantasy perfectly. I enjoyed the different layers of magic and mythical creatures woven into this tale. I really felt for the characters and kept waiting for the vindication that they finally got in the end. The only thing I wanted a bit more of was the backstory of Grace and Jake's relationship. This makes me want to read more of Hernandez's works. 4.5 out of 5
A circus. Griffins. Magic. And a dragon. What more could a story need? This was a very entertaining tale and captured the vibes of a Western fantasy perfectly. I enjoyed the different layers of magic and mythical creatures woven into this tale. I really felt for the characters and kept waiting for the vindication that they finally got in the end. The only thing I wanted a bit more of was the backstory of Grace and Jake's relationship. This makes me want to read more of Hernandez's works. 4.5 out of 5
booksare42's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book to read and review as part of the BBNYA 2020 tours organised by the @The_WriteReads tours team in exchange for an honest review. If you want some more information about BBNYA, keep reading because I have some information about how you can be part of the 2021 BBNYA competition after my review!
Calico Thunder Rides Again is a fairly dark story full of magical creatures, organized crime, and circus life. Jake Strickland thought he had dealt with all of the financial problems that his father had left him when he inherited the circus. Unfortunately, one day a group of very dangerous mobsters show up, demanding a quick payment of an impossibly large debt that Jake’s father left unpaid. What follows is a whirlwind of events while Jake desperately tries to scrape the money together to keep himself, his friends, and his circus alive.
My favourite thing about this book was the look into circus life. Even though the circus was the backdrop for a darker, I loved all of the glimpses into circus life. The performances sounded magical, and I loved that Jake was still enthralled with the show after all of the years and struggles he went through. I also liked reading about the routine of the circus while it was on the road and the camaraderie among the performers. I also want to mention that I loved the glossary of circus terms at the beginning of the book, and I wish more books would feature glossaries at the beginning.
I also liked the characters in this book. Jake Strickland seemed like a great person, who genuinely cared about the circus and the performers, even though he had plenty of reasons to dislike the circus. I felt bad for Jake when he realized just how big of a mess his father had left him to clean up, and I was rooting for him the entire time to find a solution to his problem. I loved Grace and her performance with the magical creatures. She seemed like a badass, and I have a lot of admiration for anyone who can tame a dragon and a pair of griffins. I also liked Bruno, and I wish we could have learned a bit more about him.
My biggest complaint about the book is that it felt like something was missing. At 200 pages, Calico Thunder Rides Again is fairly short, and I wish it would have been a bit longer because there were so many things I wanted to know more about. For example, this book takes place in a world where there is a ban on a lot of magical things, and I would love to know more about why the ban is in place. I also want to know more about the circus, the performers, the different creatures, and about Calico Thunder herself.
Another thing that I want to mention is that this book is fairly dark. If you were to judge this book by its cover, you’d think it was a magical story with a dragon and the circus, but there is a lot more to the story than that. This book offers a lot of glimpses into the circus, but the main storyline is Jake trying to take care of the massive debt while dangerous people are after him. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I think it’s worth mentioning, so no one is surprised when they pick up this book.
Finally, I want to talk about Calico Thunder. Calico Thunder is a dragon who has been with the circus for a long time. I thought Calico Thunder was a majestic creature, and I loved all of the moments that featured her. I thought that the author did a great job writing about her and the magical creatures in general, and I liked none of them were over the top. Calico Thunder’s mannerisms reminded me of a cat, and I love any cat-like creature.
Overall, Calico Thunder Rides Again was an enjoyable read. It took me a while to get into, but it was difficult to put down once I got into it. I liked the magic, the characters, and I enjoyed reading about circus life.
Trigger/Content Warnings: Death of a parent (mentioned), animal mistreatment, & violence (including gun violence).
Calico Thunder Rides Again is a fairly dark story full of magical creatures, organized crime, and circus life. Jake Strickland thought he had dealt with all of the financial problems that his father had left him when he inherited the circus. Unfortunately, one day a group of very dangerous mobsters show up, demanding a quick payment of an impossibly large debt that Jake’s father left unpaid. What follows is a whirlwind of events while Jake desperately tries to scrape the money together to keep himself, his friends, and his circus alive.
My favourite thing about this book was the look into circus life. Even though the circus was the backdrop for a darker, I loved all of the glimpses into circus life. The performances sounded magical, and I loved that Jake was still enthralled with the show after all of the years and struggles he went through. I also liked reading about the routine of the circus while it was on the road and the camaraderie among the performers. I also want to mention that I loved the glossary of circus terms at the beginning of the book, and I wish more books would feature glossaries at the beginning.
I also liked the characters in this book. Jake Strickland seemed like a great person, who genuinely cared about the circus and the performers, even though he had plenty of reasons to dislike the circus. I felt bad for Jake when he realized just how big of a mess his father had left him to clean up, and I was rooting for him the entire time to find a solution to his problem. I loved Grace and her performance with the magical creatures. She seemed like a badass, and I have a lot of admiration for anyone who can tame a dragon and a pair of griffins. I also liked Bruno, and I wish we could have learned a bit more about him.
My biggest complaint about the book is that it felt like something was missing. At 200 pages, Calico Thunder Rides Again is fairly short, and I wish it would have been a bit longer because there were so many things I wanted to know more about. For example, this book takes place in a world where there is a ban on a lot of magical things, and I would love to know more about why the ban is in place. I also want to know more about the circus, the performers, the different creatures, and about Calico Thunder herself.
Another thing that I want to mention is that this book is fairly dark. If you were to judge this book by its cover, you’d think it was a magical story with a dragon and the circus, but there is a lot more to the story than that. This book offers a lot of glimpses into the circus, but the main storyline is Jake trying to take care of the massive debt while dangerous people are after him. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I think it’s worth mentioning, so no one is surprised when they pick up this book.
Finally, I want to talk about Calico Thunder. Calico Thunder is a dragon who has been with the circus for a long time. I thought Calico Thunder was a majestic creature, and I loved all of the moments that featured her. I thought that the author did a great job writing about her and the magical creatures in general, and I liked none of them were over the top. Calico Thunder’s mannerisms reminded me of a cat, and I love any cat-like creature.
Overall, Calico Thunder Rides Again was an enjoyable read. It took me a while to get into, but it was difficult to put down once I got into it. I liked the magic, the characters, and I enjoyed reading about circus life.
Trigger/Content Warnings: Death of a parent (mentioned), animal mistreatment, & violence (including gun violence).
readtoramble's review
3.0
3.5 STARS
I read this book for a blog tour and the BBNYA 2020 panel, so thank you to the team at BBNYA and the blog tour organiser for letting me read this book and take part in this blog tour. All opinions are my own.
This is a circus with a bit of a difference to the ones we know and have been to as children because it has unicorns, wyverns, griffins and even a dragon! But more importantly, maybe, the crew that works at the circus seem to really care for their animals and want the best for them.
I felt like the writing style and the pace were strong and they helped move the story along. The author has a knack with words, and I did really like reading about the bits that were really focused on the circus shows and the crew members because it was interesting to see. This was a book with a unique plot, and I’ve not read anything like this before.
Overall, this was a really interesting, unique and nicely paced book that took the theme of the circus and turned it on its head. I know it sounds like I didn’t enjoy this book, I did enjoy it, but not as much as I was expecting and I feel like it was just lacking on certain points to make me enjoy it even more.
I gave this book 3.5 stars. I did enjoy this book, I just wish it had given me more of what I was expecting, but that’s just me being picky. If you like books with magic, a unique circus setting, interesting animals and characters, then this is the book for you!
You can find my full review on my blog here: https://readtoramble.com/book-review-and-blogtour-calico-thunder-rides-again-by-t-a-hernandez-3-5-stars/
I read this book for a blog tour and the BBNYA 2020 panel, so thank you to the team at BBNYA and the blog tour organiser for letting me read this book and take part in this blog tour. All opinions are my own.
This is a circus with a bit of a difference to the ones we know and have been to as children because it has unicorns, wyverns, griffins and even a dragon! But more importantly, maybe, the crew that works at the circus seem to really care for their animals and want the best for them.
I felt like the writing style and the pace were strong and they helped move the story along. The author has a knack with words, and I did really like reading about the bits that were really focused on the circus shows and the crew members because it was interesting to see. This was a book with a unique plot, and I’ve not read anything like this before.
Overall, this was a really interesting, unique and nicely paced book that took the theme of the circus and turned it on its head. I know it sounds like I didn’t enjoy this book, I did enjoy it, but not as much as I was expecting and I feel like it was just lacking on certain points to make me enjoy it even more.
I gave this book 3.5 stars. I did enjoy this book, I just wish it had given me more of what I was expecting, but that’s just me being picky. If you like books with magic, a unique circus setting, interesting animals and characters, then this is the book for you!
You can find my full review on my blog here: https://readtoramble.com/book-review-and-blogtour-calico-thunder-rides-again-by-t-a-hernandez-3-5-stars/
amelianicholebooks's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVED this novel. Gangsters and a magical circus with griffins and dragons? I didn't know I needed this in my life, but I did. I love the characters and the ending was fantastic.
ania_star's review against another edition
4.0
A story, unlike anything I've read before.
The circus was Jake's father's whole life and while he loved it very much, he wasn't the best on the business side. When he dies his son took over. It took a lot of work to get Circus out of debt, and after years the finally made a little profit. It started to look better for them all. Until powerful mobster confronted Jake and demanded that the debt be repaid by the end of the month. It's a large sum, that Jake can't even imagine collecting.
There is such a magic to the story, the performances, the magical creatures & the world the story was set in. The circus itself it's like a small world on its own, with interesting characters, creatures & dynamics between them. There is magic to the story, the animals, the performances, circus life.
I enjoyed reading it very, very much. :)
received from Author
The circus was Jake's father's whole life and while he loved it very much, he wasn't the best on the business side. When he dies his son took over. It took a lot of work to get Circus out of debt, and after years the finally made a little profit. It started to look better for them all. Until powerful mobster confronted Jake and demanded that the debt be repaid by the end of the month. It's a large sum, that Jake can't even imagine collecting.
There is such a magic to the story, the performances, the magical creatures & the world the story was set in. The circus itself it's like a small world on its own, with interesting characters, creatures & dynamics between them. There is magic to the story, the animals, the performances, circus life.
I enjoyed reading it very, very much. :)
received from Author