11-20-2017
The Rising Tide - 5 Star Reviews!
READERS' FAVORITE REVIEWS:
5 STAR REVIEW #1:
Flurry the teddy bear cub had already been through so much, so he couldn't understand why his mom had been so angry when she found him watching a pirate movie. The adventure was PG13, but tame compared to what he had already experienced in the flesh. The fact that he did something called 'pirating' sounded cool, but his mom had explained why it wasn't. But he still didn't get it. He had developed a taste, an addiction, to adventure and even as he settled down to sleep his mind raced with thoughts of adventure, and how he wished he could experience the thrill again. It's well known you should be careful what you wish for, because when he awoke he was still within the comfort of his own bed, but his bedroom was lost - instead he and his plush bear brothers found themselves adrift in the ocean. An ancient evil is rising, led by the nefarious Black Bear'd, the pirate, and it falls to Flurry and his crew to save the day.
Having read The Land of the Sourpie, which is book 2 in the Flurry the Bear series, I was quite eager to see what misadventures our little teddy bear cub encountered this time. I have to say this series just keeps getting better. As much as I enjoyed the second book, book five, The Rising Tide, is my favourite to date. There's action, adventure, pirates, sorcerers, manipulation, epic sea battles, and dark forces all brought together in a rich and vibrant child friendly world - what is there not to like? J.S. Skye writes in a stylistic manner well-tuned to his target audience, whilst ensuring that any adult would also be drawn into the adventure. I honestly can't wait until my son is a little older because these are, without a doubt, going on his reading list. This is a world of imagination, adventure, and hidden lessons, and any parent should be proud to add this book to their child's library. I found the text size, chapter length, and line spacing ideal for younger readers.
5 STAR REVIEW #2:
The Rising Tide: Flurry the Bear, Book 5 is an action and adventure fantasy novel for children and preteens written by J.S. Skye. Flurry loved to watch pirate movies; he could smell the sea air and feel the deck moving under his feet even as he sat in mommy and daddy’s living room. He was watching a particularly intense duel between two pirate captains when suddenly the television clicked off. Flurry’s protest was silenced when he saw mommy’s irritated face. She had gotten the Fuzzies a movie suitable for children, but Flurry had already seen so much and lived through so much that he was beyond kids' movies. When mommy found out that he had downloaded it off the internet, she was disappointed that Flurry would think of stealing. Flurry was bored with being home, and missed the excitement of his adventures. When he went to bed that night, he wished for something really exciting to happen. He was shocked to discover the next morning that his bed was floating in the middle of an ocean.
J.S. Skye’s action and adventure fantasy novel for children and preteens, The Rising Tide: Flurry the Bear, Book 5, finds Flurry and the other Fuzzies drifting in their beds in the middle of the ocean, and things only get more exciting as the story unfolds. This story is a bit different than the others in that Flurry does not take center stage and must defer to others who are better equipped to deal with the problems that arise. That's especially hard for him when Drizzle, the class geek, turns out to be a gifted strategist. Flurry's biggest challenges are more internal -- learning to curb his impulsive nature and cooperating with others. Pirates are more fun in pretend scenarios than real life as he soon discovers. Flurry's convinced Jack Frost is behind the pirates’ plans, but he’s dead...or is he? Skye’s action scenes are thrilling and action-packed, and this story works quite well on a number of levels. The Rising Tide: Flurry the Bear, Book 5 is most highly recommended.
5 STAR REVIEW #3:
The Rising Tide by J.S. Skye is the fifth book in the Flurry the Bear series, a fantastic blend of fantasy, sci-fi, and adventure that will captivate the minds of young readers—and yours too if you love adventure and the prospect of danger. Flurry and his brothers have just woken up on the high tide, but before the cubs can figure out what is happening, they are already embroiled in a deadly mission. Reunited with the Protector, Chingu, they set out to locate Captain White Cloud and ultimately face the dreaded grizzly bear pirate, aka Black Bear’d. But things get far worse than they could have ever imagined because of an ancient evil that is growing in power, one that is rumored to have its own army now. There is only one way for Flurry and his friends to defeat the evil: they must work as a team, but how can this happen with all their differences?
This is a wonderful story, beautifully written in a language that will enchant any young reader. I enjoyed the POV and the voice that reflects the innocence of a young narrator. The pacing is definite and fast, the plot filled with twists that hit readers like strong waves they didn’t see coming. I enjoyed the intensity of action, the awesome combination of humor and suspense, elements that arrest the reader’s attention and keep them reading until the very last page. J.S. Skye is a brilliant writer and I loved the way he integrates the different elements into the story, making it balanced and deft, weaving strong themes like teamwork and adventure into the gripping plot. The Rising Tide is a delightful read indeed.
5 STAR REVIEW #4:
The Rising Tide is book 5 in the Flurry the Bear series by J.S. Skye, a fantastic adventure in the genre of children's fantasy and science fiction, a story that will also grab the attention of more mature readers. I must say that it delivers a lot of fun for fans of this genre. Meet Flurry and his brothers, cubs who suddenly find themselves awake on the roaring seas without knowing exactly how they got there. But they have no time to figure this out as they are thrust into the adventure of a lifetime, filled with unimaginable dangers. This time, they are reunited with the Protector Chingu. Can they find Captain White Cloud in time to launch a powerful assault on the dreaded grizzly bear, Pirate Black Bear’d? But there is much to overcome, including an ancient evil with its army.
In this beautiful, fast-paced, and gripping narrative, readers are transported to a great and exciting setting where they become witnesses to an action-filled, intensely emotional adventure involving bear cubs and other creatures. J.S. Skye’s writing style is unique and the narrative voice is strong and irresistible. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of plot, setting and characters. Readers quickly learn to care about the characters, even if they aren’t human, and readers will appreciate the lessons in team work and the fact that the differences the characters share can actually be a strong component of their strength. The Rising Tide is an enjoyable read, a story that will keep readers turning pages until the last one. Couldn’t put it down!
5 STAR REVIEW #5:
The Rising Tide: Flurry the Bear, Book 5 by J.S. Skye is the perfect novel for kids who love to read adventure and fantasy novels. Fast paced, entertaining and simply pleasurable, this novel follows the story of a teddy bear named Flurry who lives his adventures quite charmingly. The story begins when our hero, Flurry, is caught stealing a pirate movie and is scolded by his human mother. Sad and angry, he goes to sleep, only to wake up and find his bedroom gone. He is now on the ocean with his friends - Honja, Boaz, Noah and Caboose - on a floating bed, trying to get to shore.
Come ashore to an island where they encounter tigers that can talk, their old enemy, Drizzle, and an old friend, Chingu. Chingu is here to look for his brother who has been snatched by pirates led by Black Bear’d, the most feared grizzly bear. The rescue search leads them to being abducted and later looking for Captain White Cloud. There is a lot going on, too many forces against them, and while they are doing their best, they need to make sure that they stop Black Bear’d from building an army. Can Flurry and his friends stop the devastation from happening?
Interesting and entertaining, I loved reading this novel. I actually devoured it! Flurry is awesome and so are his friends. The story was well-developed, the characters were well-rounded and the plot was superb. I thoroughly enjoyed Flurry and his adventure, how he fought against evil and how he and his friends stuck together. This is one of the best children’s novels I have read this year and I cannot wait to read more from J.S. Skye.
