Yves Robichaud's Blog
June 11, 2025
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January 17, 2021
My Review of the Search for Synergy
The Search for SynergyBook Review
The Search for Synergy
By Brett Salter
Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars
The Search for Synergy is the first book in author Brett Salter’s The Talisman Series.
Rome and Julian are nothing alike. Rome is a typical middle-schooler always in trouble… like accidently putting things on fire! Julian, while having a rebellious attitude, comes from a wealthy stuck up family filled with history and heritage. The boys both go to the same school but aren’t friends until Julian introduces Rome to a wise mage who recruits him for training. Rome is hesitant at first, but then discovers he has powers. Amazing powers. He can transform into a dragon! The mage tutors both boys to work as a team. Both have morphing powers, Julian into a knight and Rome into a dragon. They must work together to defeat the vile creatures appearing from the void and threatening their world.
This book was a quick read and wildly entertaining. The series has tremendous potential with one of the main characters being able to transform into a dragon. How cool is that! The book is perfect for middle school readers, but as an adult, it left me wanting more (which is probably a good thing!). Hopefully, my many questions that were left unanswered will be addressed later in the series.
This book’s target audience is middle grade students. I would highly recommend it for avid readers ten years and up, though it might be lacking substance for adults.
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Yves Robichaud
Author of Kaylen’s Rising (Tomes of Taria, Book 1)
December 13, 2020
Kaylen’s Rising Review by Brett Salter
Final Review: 4.5 summoned skeletons out of 5 (4.5/5)
Kaylen’s Rising is book one of author Yves Robichaud’s Tomes of Taria series which follows the main protagonist and main perspective of Kaylen, a cave elf living in the underground metropolis of Caverna.
14-year old Kaylen Amdir has been secluded at home by his pacifist parents all his life and knows nothing of the outside, wondrous world of Taria. Even in his hometown, he is ostracized and bullied by his townsfolk and his peers alike because of his family’s secrets and his abysmal knowledge of magic. You see, in Caverna, most cave elves enter into one of the apprenticeships needed to protect their kingdom from the constant threat from the humans of the kingdom of Voland. On this point, young Kaylen yearns to learn the ways of the magicians, and through a series of prophetic events, he discovers that he DOES in fact have powers of a rare and extraordinary kind. Along his journey to fulfill his own destiny, Kaylen meets some fascinating characters with some interesting quirks and powers. And it is a combination of ALL these allies that is needed to stay the looming war between the kingdoms. Will Kaylen and his friends see their quests to the end? Or will they become just another fairy-tale legend lost to the Tomes of Taria?
I just want to start out by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It easily has all the elements one would come to expect from a book that fits right in with the likes of Harry Potter; a relatable hero-in-training with a somewhat tragic backstory and an eclectic group of comrades to help him through both his internal struggles and the struggles of the world around him. The journey starts from Kaylen’s humble beginnings, takes you through several trials designed to test our diverse party of personalities, and finally concludes with an epic battle on a Tolkien-esque scale. As I read the book, I really felt as if I was witnessing a favorite Role-Playing Game converted from the console to the written page as I witnessed this motely group of elves, dwarves, and humans “level up” and fearlessly fight their way through challenge after compounding challenge. If you have an interest in charismatic characters, well-written dialogue, and action packed adventures in a fantastical land, then Kaylen’s Rising should immediately be placed in your Amazon cart.
For more information on Kaylen’s Rising, check out the main page.
November 30, 2020
Keep the Blue Jays Core Intact!
There has been a lot of speculation this offseason that the Toronto Blue Jays management have the go ahead to spend money to improve the team. The team has a good young core and maybe one of two or three players could make them a serious contender. There have been a lot of rumors that the Jays are interested in a variety of free agents and maybe even some potential trades. Some of these trades would bring over stars or ever super stars, but would cost the team some of its core players.
In my opinion, the team should not be messing around with the core players. Not only are they young and talented, they have an undeniable chemistry. That’s something that can’t be bought. Some of their players: Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Lourdes Gourriel Jr., Cavan Biggio, Teoscar Hernandez, Randal Grichuk and even Rowdy Tellez have all shown signs of brilliance in the last few years. Sure, they don’t play the best defense, but they still have room to grow. I also wish that they would pick a position (hopefully 2B) for Cavan Biggio and leave him there. It’s easier to improve when you play the same position every day.
My point is this, if they are going to invest in free agents or make trades, please leave the core intact. Sure you may improve the defense or offense by doing so, but you risk to lose some of the intangibles that make a good team great. If they are going to make changes, there are plenty of areas to improve such as 3B and starting pitching. Signing Hyun Jin Ryu was a good start and Nate Pearson has potential, but the starting pitching is pitiful.
I firmly believe that if the team leaves the core group of players intact, they will continue to improve and be a very good team for years to come.
My Thoughts on Impending UFAs Danault and Tatar
It’s no big surprise that the Montreal Canadiens and Marc Bergevin have been very busy this off-season. Their surprising playoff push motivated the team to make some improvements now. There is no doubt that the trades/signings of the following players have made them a better team: defenseman Joel Edmundson, goaltender Jake Allen, forwards Josh Anderson and Tyler Toffoli. Bring in prospect Alexander Romanov in the mix and the emergence of Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi and there are reasons to be optimistic. The team also locked up Brendan Gallagher to a long-term deal, showing their loyalty to him. But what about Tomas Tatar and Phillip Danault? Both are impending UFAs on a team that is and will be having salary cap issues.
I won’t go into advanced analytics, I’ll keep things simple. No offence to Gallagher, but I feel that both Tatar and Danault were the teams most reliable and consistent forwards last year. On a team that had a -9 goal differential, Tatar was +5 while leading the team in scoring and Danault was a whopping +18. Both were #1 and #2 in team scoring while playing against the other teams top lines. Danault finished with 47 points despite seeing very little power play time (don’t ask me why).
It’s true that both Suzuki and Kotkaniemi stepped up their game in the playoffs, but it’s also important to make it to the playoffs in the first place. Both youngsters have talent and room to grow, but Danault in my opinion is still the best center on the team. Heck, he’s one of the best two-way centers in the league. With all the off-season moves, I find it a bit insulting that these two players haven’t been signed yet. They need to be signed. I understand that making cap room for them with complex, but when there’s a will, there’s a way.
If the Canadiens think that Suzuki is a better center than Danault, they are sorely mistaken, so sign Tatar and Danault already!
Kaylen’s Rising Review by Alex Norton
Review : 4 stars Fun adventure for kids/boys age 10-12
Kaylen is a Fourteen-year-old Cave Elf who lives an extremely sheltered life, sequestered at home in his underground town. His parents have never allowed him to go further than the front yard, where he works in the family gardens and occasionally gets taunted by other kids passing by for reasons he does not understand and his parents will not explain to him (something kids can definitely relate to).
After he finally convinces his parents to let him leave the house and send him to school, he arrives there to be told that his kind are at war with the above-ground humans and that school is essentially for training young people for combat via magic and weaponry. While questing around trying to figure out what he’s good at, Kaylen discovers he possesses the rare talent of animating and controlling skeletons, which I have to admit is a pretty fun magical power.
Pros: Kaylen’s Rising is a solid adventure with a pretty typical coming-of-age theme set in a world that, about halfway through, I realized reminded me of a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. As a tabletop RPG veteran, this is probably why I enjoyed it as much as I did. If I had to compare it to something, it would be the Dragonlance novels I read when I was a kid. From vampires to giant scorpions, all sorts of wandering monsters make an appearance in Kaylen’s journey, yet it does not feel cluttered. There’s some court intrigue and mysteries to solve, enough to keep you guessing but not too much for younger readers to keep track of.
Cons: Kaylen is fourteen, but the book is written for younger readers/pre-teens. Preteens usually enjoy an older protagonist so that isn’t really an issue for that age group, but I wouldn’t generally recommend it for readers older than 14.
I’m a reader who enjoys the ‘show don’t tell’ method of storytelling most, and this book has a lot of tell. That didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the story, it’s just not my preference. It certainly didn’t stop me from getting sucked into it and reading to the end. I’ll be looking for the next one.
For more information on Kaylen’s Rising, check out the main page.
Review from Alex Norton
Review : 4 stars Fun adventure for kids/boys age 10-12
Kaylen is a Fourteen-year-old Cave Elf who lives an extremely sheltered life, sequestered at home in his underground town. His parents have never allowed him to go further than the front yard, where he works in the family gardens and occasionally gets taunted by other kids passing by for reasons he does not understand and his parents will not explain to him (something kids can definitely relate to).
After he finally convinces his parents to let him leave the house and send him to school, he arrives there to be told that his kind are at war with the above-ground humans and that school is essentially for training young people for combat via magic and weaponry. While questing around trying to figure out what he’s good at, Kaylen discovers he possesses the rare talent of animating and controlling skeletons, which I have to admit is a pretty fun magical power.
Pros: Kaylen’s Rising is a solid adventure with a pretty typical coming-of-age theme set in a world that, about halfway through, I realized reminded me of a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. As a tabletop RPG veteran, this is probably why I enjoyed it as much as I did. If I had to compare it to something, it would be the Dragonlance novels I read when I was a kid. From vampires to giant scorpions, all sorts of wandering monsters make an appearance in Kaylen’s journey, yet it does not feel cluttered. There’s some court intrigue and mysteries to solve, enough to keep you guessing but not too much for younger readers to keep track of.
Cons: Kaylen is fourteen, but the book is written for younger readers/pre-teens. Preteens usually enjoy an older protagonist so that isn’t really an issue for that age group, but I wouldn’t generally recommend it for readers older than 14.
I’m a reader who enjoys the ‘show don’t tell’ method of storytelling most, and this book has a lot of tell. That didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the story, it’s just not my preference. It certainly didn’t stop me from getting sucked into it and reading to the end. I’ll be looking for the next one.
For more information on Kaylen’s Rising, check out the main page.
November 16, 2020
My Review of The Goblin’s Winter
Book Review
The Goblin’s Winter
By Alex Norton
Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The Goblin’s Winter is book one of author Alex Norton’s trilogy Witchbone, with book two entitled The Ghost of Annie Gray and book three entitled The Body Stealers.
Danny Hallow does not lead a typical life. The eleven-year old’s father died when he was young and his mother left not long after, leaving him in the care of three unique guardians. When his uncle dies and Danny inherits an eerie mansion, he and his guardians move to the town of Eddystone where his somewhat dormant powers start manifesting themselves. His estate shelters many secrets. His family had concealed many secrets. Oh… so many secrets! In this small town, wild animals, pets and even humans start getting attacked and killed by vicious goblins. Will Danny’s ever-growing abilities and his new friends be enough to stop the assaults and solve the mystery of their origin?
First off, let me say that I completely enjoyed this book and struggled to put it down for reading breaks. The characters in the story came to life, the plot was very intriguing, full of twists and turns, and overall, the story was well-written and simply terrific. I highly recommend it. It reminds me of Spiderwick Chronicles. There are a lot of neat references to pop culture too such as The Hobbit, LOTR, Yoda and D&D. Having said that, I was slightly annoyed at the interior formatting of the book, especially the lack of page numbering.
This book’s target audience is middle grade even if it has a 120,000+ word count. I would recommend it for avid readers ten years and up.
Website: https://townofeddystone.home.blog/
Yves Robichaud
Author of Kaylen’s Rising (Tomes of Taria, Book 1)
www.facebook.com/KaylensRising
www.twitter.com/@yvesr72
www.yvesrobichaud.com/kaylens-rising/
May 27, 2020
My Review of Oakwood Island – The Awakening
Book Review
Oakwood Island: The Awakening (Book 2)
By Angella Cormier & Pierre Arseneault
Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Oakwood Island: The Awakening is a work of collaboration between New Brunswick authors Angella Cormier and Pierre Arsenault. It is the second book in the Oakwood Island series.
In this sequel to Oakwood Island, two tales of terror intertwine to put the small community of Oakwood Island in the spotlight once more. The origin of a curse that has long plagued the island is brought to light, yet the curse itself is still alive and thriving. The inexplicable, destructive fungus that has devasted the residents and fauna is blooming and ravaging the land. Will someone solve these mysteries and put an end to the gory madness?
Having read the first book in the series, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and finished it in one day. It is as gory and horrific as the original, but the characters were masterfully brought to life and the plots, while still being highly entertaining, were effortless to follow. This is a horror/thriller that I would gladly recommend.
This book contains graphic, disturbing scenes and is not for young children or anyone who does not enjoy being terrified.
Website: http://mysteriousink.ca/
Buy from Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.com/Oakwood-Island-Awakening-Pierre-Arseneault-ebook/dp/B082C5MZJW/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=oakwood+island+cormier&qid=1590458488&sr=8-2
Yves Robichaud
Author of Kaylen’s Rising (Tomes of Taria, Book 1)
www.facebook.com/KaylensRising
May 22, 2020
My Review of Oakwood Island
Book Review
Oakwood Island (Book 1)
By Angella Cormier & Pierre Arseneault
Review: 4 out of 5 stars
Oakwood Island is a work of collaboration between New Brunswick authors Angella Cormier and Pierre Arsenault. It is the first book in the Oakwood Island series.
At first glance, Oakwood Island seems to be a small, peaceful, tightly knit community. It would appear to be the perfect place to raise a family with close, friendly neighbors in a calm and quiet atmosphere. However, on this small island exists the mysterious, the strange, the supernatural and the downright evil. Curses, mass murders and an eerie presence plague Oakwood island. Can someone put an end to the unexplainable events in time to save what is left of the community?
I will freely admit that this story is not my typical choice of reading material. This dark thriller/horror is well written and keeps you on edge, but at the same time it is violent, gory and did put some disturbing thoughts in my head. If you don’t enjoy scary stories, this book is not for you.
Having said that, I did find the book to be quite enjoyable and had a hard time putting it down. There is a lot of suspense and I like how the authors were skillfully able to connect several sub-plots. I highly recommend this novel if you enjoy a good scare and aren’t disturbed by graphic scenes.
Website: http://mysteriousink.ca/
Buy from Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.ca/Oakwood-Island-Angella-Cormier-ebook/dp/B07DHRPDT6/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Oakwood+island&qid=1590022621&sr=8-1
Yves Robichaud
Author of Kaylen’s Rising (Tomes of Taria, Book 1)
www.facebook.com/KaylensRising
