Good reading for early teens

 

A Taste of Gold 
by Deryn Pittar

    It is good to read a story located in places you know so you can see them in your mind as you read. The action in this book takes place in the western Bay of Plenty and Coromandel areas and if you know places like Waihi, Katikati, Paeroa and Tairua and the roads between them it is even more enjoyable.

    Jason and Levi are 18-year old twins visiting from Australia and come from a family with genetically altered talents though there is no explanation of how this came about. One of the boys can feel and hear the presence of precious stones and the other can taste precious metals in his mouth. This leads them to experience an adventure as they expose a gang of jewellery thieves.
    There is even more fantasy when the twins encounter two taniwha who are also brothers and like Jason and Levi are also fond of gold and diamonds. With cops, robbers and a girl reporter added to the taniwha and the singing gems and gold, A Taste of Gold makes good reading for people in their early teens.
   While I was reading I found several spelling and other mistakes but the story appealed to my imagination. Young New Zealanders, especially those who know the area, should also be interested in reading A Taste of Gold.

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Review by Emily R

A Taste of Gold
By Deryn Pittar
Publisher: Evernight Teens     ISBN 978-1-77130-667-6
Available in ebook or print from Evernight Teens bit.ly/19ncFza
Amazon (ebook) http://amzn.to/IQeT3k
To schools and libraries via Wheelers