Soo….this is a review of a self-published book, which my loyal readers will know I don’t typically do. My reasons for not reviewing self-published books are mainly bound up in the fact that I used to work in the publishing industry, but every once in a while I come across a fabulous self-published book that I really enjoy so I bend my own rules so I can spread the good word. Another reason I accepted this book for review was because a publicist reached out to me who had clearly read and familiarized herself with my blog, so the pitch made sense. It’s frightening how little this happens. Anyway, enough ranting about that.
Daisy in Exile by J.T. Allen is a YA novel about a precocious 12-year-old named Daisy who is sent to live with her aunt in Paris after she gets in trouble at school. Her mother is also having a baby back home and she needs the break, so off goes Daisy. While there, she discovers her aunt is trying to crack a centuries old code to discover where some long-lost diamonds from the monarchy were hidden, and Daisy gets caught up in the mystery, finding herself running from Russian gangsters while trying to learn a new language in the process.
Daisy herself is the best part of this book. This is actually the second in a series, the first one (which I haven’t read) is about Daisy getting trapped on an island with pirates, which is referred to every once in a while in this book, but not having read it did not affect my enjoyment of Daisy in Exile at all. The best and most obvious comparison to Daisy is Flavia de Luce from Alan Bradley’s books, so if you like those, you’ll like J.T. Allen’s books.
J.T. Allen
Daisy’s inner monologues are hilarious, her commentary is spot-on for a kid that age (I can only assume!) and the plot development was quick and easy to follow. Of course you need to suspend your disbelief for some parts (Russian gangsters bumbling after a preteen?) but that comes part in parcel with reading YA. The descriptions of setting and character are authentic, and there’s just enough going to to keep you ticking along at a nice pace without feeling overwhelmed.
The social media channels for Daisy are numerous, and it’s obvious the author and his team realize that she is the main draw. You can follow her on twitter, look at her youtube videos, and read sample chapters of this book on her website. J.T. Allen the author is secondary to Daisy, the way it should be, especially in YA land.
I have no sense of how much traction this book is getting, but I do hope Allen is finding success with this series; it is well deserved, and he’s got all the right pieces in place for a long bright future with Daisy at his side.
There are a lot of great books that start off being self-published at first. Kudos to J.T. Allen for doing this (And for having the courage for exploring inner voices of a teen in a YA novel.)
Agreed!!!
I’m so glad your gamble paid off! This does sound good. I enjoy those Flavia De Luce books.
Who doesn’t? They’re amazing!
Sounds like loads of fun! Almost makes me wish I was a teenager again – but then I remember the hormones and pimples…
I hope the cats have given you their frank opinion of being shoved out of their rightful place in the limelight AGAIN!!!
I know! we don’t take them travelling to the in-laws with us, which they show their distaste for by peeing on the floor ughhh
I wondered if I was the only one to break my own rules, so glad to see i’m not! and appreciate that you’ll read and review YA. this sounds like a really cute book. thanks for the review!
Sorry I’m so late getting to this review. I’ve only recently heard of this Flavia character, and I feel like I missed something in my youth (or is Flavia new?). I started out taking self-published books but have since stopped unless I already know the author and she wants to skip traditional publishing for a specific reason (and not that the book has been rejected everywhere else). Also, a self-published writer I reviewed TWO YEARS AGO still won’t leave me alone because she’s mad about my review of her book. She just contacted me again a couple of weeks ago. I occasionally would find a self-published gem, but it’s not worth it. Plus, I’ve found the author will frequently pull their book from Amazon and revise it and want me to re-review it, etc. because they didn’t lie my review. Just totally unreliable. The biggest thing I’ve learned is when I say “small press books,” I mean Coffee House Press, FC2, Shade Mountain Press, Black Lawrence Press, etc. I don’t mean vanity presses (ones authors create to publish their own work).
Oh man that is crazy about that woman contacting you from two years ago, like what is wrong with people?
Flavia is fairly new, the first book was published around 8 years ago and a new one has come out every year since.
Vanity presses are sort of the worst lol
J. T. Allen here. I just happened across this review again after many months and had not seen the comments before and just wanted to thank Anne and all those who commented. I’m so thankful you took a chance at reading and reviewing an indie book. Being compared to Alan Bradley is of course ear-to-ear smile amazing. I was struck by Grab the Lapels’s comment about being harassed by a writer and that just seems crazy. So sorry to hear that.
I had hoped the third Daisy book would be ready by now but it has taken longer than expected (I do other writing, TV and film) but with luck I’ll have something by the end of the year. Meantime, thank you for giving Daisy a chance. I recently gave a copy of the book to a friend who was taking a trip to Paris so she could read it on the flight over, and when she got back she said someone had stopped her in Charles de Gaulle airport and said, “is that the Daisy Tannenbaum book? So I guess the book finds its way with the help of friends. All best. J. T.
You are most welcome J.T.! Good luck with the third book.