Hey everyone!
Today is my stop on the blog tour for Clash of the Totems and the Catastrophe of Callistus by Yonnie Garber, and I am excited to be sharing my review with you all.
A massive thank you to @Lovebookstours for allowing me to be a part of the tour.
Title: Clash of the Totems and the Catastrophe of Callistus
Author: Yonnie Garber
Genre: Supernatural coming-of-age (with hints of environmentalism, global warming and climate change)
Age Group: Upper MG/YA
Page Count: 186
Buy It Here (affiliate links): Amazon UK
Book Blurb:
Join Ellery in her second year at the Quinton Earth Science School as one by one, another friend goes missing — lost without a trace. But Ellery is also on the verge of losing herself. Unable to cope with being the chosen one to bring back balance to Mother Earth, she’s hell-bent on scorning those that love her most.
Conflicted about her feelings, and considering the prospect of siding with the most nefarious person on the planet, she blatantly disobeys her teachers, leading her closest classmates into jeopardy. Now she must battle with nature’s most powerful totem and risk losing everything to save her friends – but will she ultimately give away humanity’s last chance to remain on the planet in the process?
One last nail-biting adventure in the ultimate totem battle in this concluding story of Clash of the Totems, where the Earth’s fate hinges once more with this reckless, but extraordinarily brave teenager.
My Review:
Having previously read Clash of the Totems and the Lost Magaecians (REVIEW HERE) and really enjoying it, I couldn’t wait to see how this story continued, and having now finished it I can say that it didn’t let me down.
The story picks up right where it left off in regards to excitement, with Ellery experiencing a horrifying reoccurring nightmare, in which she faces a fearsome dragon, but could this actually be a message? a warning? An implication of things to come? And when Ellery returns to school, things seem to go from bad to worse.
Once again, there is a whole array of interesting characters, and I was glad to be back with this friendship group. I loved watching Ellery’s relationships develop with this book. I particularly liked her relationship with Myerscough, and seeing how they navigated their way through their new father-daughter situation. It wasn’t always an easy journey, but they adapted, and grew together, and it was really great to see.
This book (and duology as a whole) has such an interesting approach towards the subject of climate change, and saving our planet, and I feel that it talks about it in a way that isn’t too pressuring but makes it clear just how important it is for us to make chances or at least be conscious of the way we are effecting our planet. I also feel that it approaches the subject in a way that will keep younger readers interested in the story while still taking in important information.
On more than one occasion, the topic of protesting is touched on, and one particular quote has stuck with me, which is “but we still need to show an element of empathy to those in the meat trade. How will they live without selling meat? They’d need an alternative occupation. This doesn’t happen overnight. This is why activists in this type of scenario so often fail. You can’t just expect a butcher to pack up shop when there are bills to pay – not without a backup plan and immediate money-earning opportunities.“. I think it is hugely important for people to understand this, it’s not an immediate fix, it’s a process. Personally, I feel that a lot of recent protests haven’t been carried out in the most effective way. Of course, action creates change, but quite a few things that have happened recently have had more of a negative effect than positive (the Van Gogh Sunflowers/tomato soup fiasco for example). People are not listening to this behaviour, and these actions are actually taking away from the message rather than helping.
Aside from the topic of the environment, this book is an absolute thrill ride. It never seems to let up! Ellery and her friends find themselves in worse situations and much more danger than they ever have before, but as always they are ready to fight, and will stand strong by each other’s side no matter the cost.
This book has everything, from creepy abandoned prison cells, to dragons, to beautiful lifelong friendships. Once again, culminating in an explosive showdown that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and an ending that wraps the whole duology up perfectly. I would highly recommend this to anyone and everyone.
I give Clash of the Totems and the Catastrophe of Callistus a 4 star rating!
*Thank you to Love Books Tours and Yonnie Garber for my copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review*
About The Author:
Yonnie Garber is a foot doctor (podiatrist) turned word charmer (author). After spending many years looking after feet, her attention has inevitably progressed to where those feet tread.
An ardent member of the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) she is passionate about increasing awareness of the impact humans are having on our environment.
As a mother of five and a grandmother of two, storytelling has become second nature, so Yonnie has combined both her passions to mix moral environmental principles with epic tales of adventure. She believes that a change is growing in people’s minds and hearts, spreading rapidly towards a greater respect for our planet, so that we may all create an optimistic future.
YOU CAN FIND YONNIE HERE:
Website, Twitter, Facebook, GoodReads
FOLLOW THE TOUR:
Disclaimer: My posts often include affiliate links, which means that I receive a small commission for any purchase made through my links, but with no extra charge to you. Thank you for supporting me and my blog.
Twitter – Facebook – Instagram – GoodReads – TikTok – Mastodon – Etsy Store – Wish List
_ForBooksSake 
Based on the cover, I thought this was an adult book! I feel like I’m getting worse at determining age categories haha
LikeLiked by 1 person