Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code by Carrie Weston || KappaCino Book Club

Young Adult fiction is a hard nut to crack these days. Are you really surprised when my generation had the Point Horror and Point Romance series to sink our teeth into? Now that the Point fiction series are no more, we need something to fill the void that they left behind. Carrie Weston has taken a crack at it with her debut novel, Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code.

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The Story

Lilly Honey Star is a 15-year-old like no other; she is the sole survivor of a mass murder and is suspected of being the half-mad murderess. Detective Stacy has her doubts about Lilly’s guilt, and when a stranger starts asking bizarre questions, she-along with Lilly-is pulled into the core of the case, which is bigger and more dangerous than they could have ever imagined. Xander Chase, the angel of death and judiciary of spirits, is on the case. Desperate to make his father, Death himself, proud, Xander must unravel the perilous lies and deceit that’s spread through the realms of sinister creatures, before the murderer’s eye turns on him.

Thoughts on the story

It’s been a while since I’ve read any YA fiction so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The story reminds me of early Terry Pratchett books like Reaper Man and Mort, two big favorites of mine. And, like Terry Pratchett, there is a weaving of a world that is almost familiar to us.  The story also reminded me of the old Point Horror books of the 90’s (that’s why I mentioned them at the beginning). This book would be great for young teenage readers of around 12-15 years old who are looking to explore slightly more grownup themes without diving too deep with the adult themes.

Thoughts on the Author

Carrie is a divorcee in her early 30s with a young son and a crazy dog. She has completed an Open Study College, fiction writing level 3 course. Since she was a little girl, she dreamt of becoming a fully-fledged authoress. Carrie loves to write fantasy fiction for young adults and hopes that the wings of her dreams will take flight with her debut novel, Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code.

Overall

For your young reader that is looking for a new book, Xander Chase could be their new favourite read. It has an interesting story that young adults will enjoy. The story moves at a good pace which young ones will enjoy so they won’t get bored by the story slowing down. This could be a great gift for the little bookworm in your life.