Review by B Creech -- Island Games by Caleb J. Boyer

Brenda Creech · Post by **Brenda Creech** » 12 May 2019, 04:59

[Following is a volunteer review of "Island Games" by Caleb J. Boyer.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Island Games: Mystery of the Four Quadrants by Caleb J. Boyer is an action-packed adventure story of best friends Matthew and Ryan, two teenage boys who suddenly find themselves deserted on a mysterious island. Where were they? How did they get there? Had they been kidnapped? More importantly, how do they get off of the island and get home? So many unanswered questions.

As the boys realize they are alone, except for each other, they know it will be up to them to find their own way off of the island. They also know they need to find food and water if they have any hope of surviving. Despite their fears, they set out to search the island for nourishment, as well as a way to leave. As they explore the island, they find themselves faced with new challenges each day which calls for ingenuity, courage, and teamwork to survive. For each challenge they survive they are mysteriously rewarded with food, water, and other essential supplies they will need for sustenance to continue their search for the way home. Was this supposed to be a game? Who had brought them here? Were they expected to learn something from this? Would they ever find a way off of this island? The questions multiplied in their minds as they fought to survive in this mysterious and dangerous place.

The author, Caleb J. Boyer was 12 years old when he wrote Island Games. To possess the talent to write a novel at the age of 12, and become a best-selling author, is an accomplishment far beyond the author's years! His impressive writing skill, not to mention his creativity, is astounding! As Caleb tells the story of Matthew and Ryan and the challenges they face on the island, the reader will find himself immersed in the plot from beginning to end. The portrayal of the friendship between Matthew and Ryan is very well written. Like typical teenage boys, they have their moments of frustration toward each other; but, they always have each other's back when danger rears its head, and they work as a team to survive the challenges they face. The reader can almost sense how the boys are maturing, and how their friendship is growing, with each new challenge they face.

What I liked most about Island Games was the author's imagination in creating the daily challenges the boys faced; and how the story flows from page to page and chapter to chapter. As an added bonus the author leaves a profound message for the reader at the end of the book! You will have to read the book to find out what the message is, but I assure you it is definitely profound - especially coming from the heart of a 12-year-old boy.

There wasn't anything I did not like about this book. I found it exciting, interesting and heartwarming from beginning to end. It appeared to be professionally edited in spite of a few misused words such as they being used where it should have been the, and listen instead of listened. These could have easily been typographical errors instead of misuse of words. However, this did not interfere with my enjoyment in reading the book. Therefore, it is with pleasure I rate Island Games: Mystery of the Four Quadrants by Caleb J. Boyer 4 out of 4 stars.

The genre of Island Games is YA, and I would definitely recommend it for young adults, teenagers, and pre-teens! However, I would also recommend it for anyone who loves action and intrigue, regardless of age. As an older adult, I enjoyed reading it and can't wait to recommend it to my teenage grandchildren! I will definitely be checking out other books by this author.

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Island Games
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Kelyn · Post by **Kelyn** » 03 Jun 2019, 20:47

I read this for review as well. (As yet unpublished for some reason.

) For his age, the author has done an outstanding job. His writing skill has some ways to go before I would find it up to par with adult writers, but that is to be expected. Great review!

maggi3 · Post by **maggi3** » 04 Jun 2019, 03:56

I’ve read conflicting reviews on this book. Either way, there’s no doubt that a 12 year old managing to have a published book is impressive, especially with the relatively good editing. I don’t think this one is for me, but thanks for the review!

Post by **Kaylee Elmer** » 04 Jun 2019, 09:14

I also read this book, and enjoyed it, but I couldn't give it a 4 because I found it very repetitive. The challenges seemed too similar to me. I enjoyed reading your review! It's nice to see different opinions on books I've read too.

Post by **Diana Lowery** » 05 Jun 2019, 12:46

I agree that this was an outstanding effort from a 12 year old. It will be interesting to watch his work mature. The voice was that of a young boy which might explain the repetitive challenges. I hope your grandchildren enjoy it as much as you did.

Brenda Creech · Post by **Brenda Creech** » 06 Jun 2019, 14:32

Thank you everyone for stopping by and for the kind comments! I appreciate the different opinions and feedback.

Brenda Creech · Post by **Brenda Creech** » 14 Jun 2019, 18:58

maggi3 wrote: ↑04 Jun 2019, 03:56 I’ve read conflicting reviews on this book. Either way, there’s no doubt that a 12 year old managing to have a published book is impressive, especially with the relatively good editing. I don’t think this one is for me, but thanks for the review!

Thanks for stopping by!

Brenda Creech · Post by **Brenda Creech** » 14 Jun 2019, 19:00

Kelyn wrote: ↑03 Jun 2019, 20:47 I read this for review as well. (As yet unpublished for some reason. ) For his age, the author has done an outstanding job. His writing skill has some ways to go before I would find it up to par with adult writers, but that is to be expected. Great review!

Thank you! Thanks for stopping by.

Brenda Creech · Post by **Brenda Creech** » 14 Jun 2019, 19:01

diana lowery wrote: ↑05 Jun 2019, 12:46 I agree that this was an outstanding effort from a 12 year old. It will be interesting to watch his work mature. The voice was that of a young boy which might explain the repetitive challenges. I hope your grandchildren enjoy it as much as you did.

I was very impressed with his talent at such a young age. Thanks for stopping by.

Brenda Creech · Post by **Brenda Creech** » 14 Jun 2019, 19:09

Kaylee123 wrote: ↑04 Jun 2019, 09:14 I also read this book, and enjoyed it, but I couldn't give it a 4 because I found it very repetitive. The challenges seemed too similar to me. I enjoyed reading your review! It's nice to see different opinions on books I've read too.

Thank you and thanks for stopping by. I enjoy reading other reviews on the same books I've read also. Sometimes it makes me re-evaluate my thoughts on some aspect of a book.

Ekta Swarnkar · Post by **Ekta Swarnkar** » 14 Jun 2019, 20:53

I'm excited for the message given by the writer, and I'm going to read the book. Great job with the review mam!

Brenda Creech · Post by **Brenda Creech** » 24 Jun 2019, 04:04

Kelyn wrote: ↑03 Jun 2019, 20:47 I read this for review as well. (As yet unpublished for some reason. ) For his age, the author has done an outstanding job. His writing skill has some ways to go before I would find it up to par with adult writers, but that is to be expected. Great review!

Thank you and thanks for stopping by!

Brenda Creech · Post by **Brenda Creech** » 24 Jun 2019, 04:05

Ekta Swarnkar wrote: ↑14 Jun 2019, 20:53 I'm excited for the message given by the writer, and I'm going to read the book. Great job with the review mam!

Thank you and thanks for stopping by!

Brenda Creech · Post by **Brenda Creech** » 24 Jun 2019, 04:06

diana lowery wrote: ↑05 Jun 2019, 12:46 I agree that this was an outstanding effort from a 12 year old. It will be interesting to watch his work mature. The voice was that of a young boy which might explain the repetitive challenges. I hope your grandchildren enjoy it as much as you did.

Thank you and thanks for stopping by!