MotherLode

I'VE MOVED! Change your bookmarks to http://gracekrispy.com

2011-05-01T22:08:00.001-10:00

I'm not the most tech-savvy person out there, and I've put off moving to my own domain name because it meant some new technology to master. Don't get me wrong, I do so love to learn new things. But when it comes to technology, I know what I need to know, and that's what I know. I'm not stupid by any stretch of the imagination, but technology is sort of a necessary (evil) hoop through which I jump in order to do the things I want to do. I save my real brain power for important things like my job and, well, reading!

But, with some encouragement (and tech support) from my husband, I did make the move, so please change your bookmarks! If I'm on your blogroll, please be sure you have my current web address (and accept my heartfelt "thanks;" I'm honored to be on your list). The difference between the addresses is slight- just remove the word "blogspot" and the accompanying period and you're good to go.

See you at the "new and improved" (ok, pretty much the same, I even designed it similarly because I like my "look") MotherLode blog- http://gracekrispy.com

REVIEW: "The Milieu Principle" by Malcolm Franks

2011-04-30T16:41:00.000-10:00

Mike Daniels is not the most social man in the business world. He has a good heart, but it's deeply hidden under his rough exterior. He's a man of numbers, and has no time for social niceties. Business is business. When Mike receives a memory stick in the mail, he thinks nothing of it... until he takes a look at what it contains. Now his life is in turmoil as he changes his identity and goes on the run to protect this secret. His race against time takes him around the world and puts him up against highly trained opponents who want nothing more than to see him dead. Can he stay alive long enough to save the world?

In this thriller by Malcom Franks, an ingenious plot has been hatched that will address overpopulation. Ingenious, and insidious. The masters behind the curtain get to control who is worthy of life and who is superfluous. I thought this concept was really intriguing, the stuff of blockbuster thrillers. It's the type of storyline that really pulls you in and has the potential to take you on a breathless ride. As Mike/Matt plows his way towards answers, he encounters so many twists and turns that he doesn't know what- or who- to trust.

Even with an exciting plot with such potential, the actual writing really varied for me. I started the first page thinking the writing was really nice- descriptive and varied in language and structure. However, as I read on, I felt like the writing was trying too hard. Some sentences felt as if the author worked really hard to craft each sentence as a work of art. The result didn't have the effortless feel that my favorite books have had. Additionally, there was inconsistent comma use, occasional tense changes in a single sentence, missing punctuation, a confusing use of "Matt" instead of "Mike" early on (apparently a foretelling of a new identity down the road). Some sentences were somewhat confusing as written. For example, I took these sentences from two consecutive pages (and there were others I could have chosen): "Neither it is not safe for you to go outside." "Their attentions were appeared fixed more upon examining the human presence in the other streets, leading away from where they were standing." and "Though not in the EU he had much influence with people here and I was rescued from the situation." A more effective use of punctuation would have really helped clarify those sentences. Additionally, there is a lot of smirking from the bad guys in the beginning of the story, and I had no idea someone could actually "smirk harder." A really thorough editing would elevate this story quite a bit.

There are many characters in this story, some only slightly developed, making it difficult to keep track of everyone along the way. Mike goes through a major metamorphosis in this book- interesting and necessary, but the actual changes were sometimes unrealistic and obvious. This story is really driven by plot rather than characters, and the result is an uneven development of the characters, with some a little more interesting than others. Even though it's the plot events that drive the story, some events in the story seemed to have been done for the sake of convenience just to get to the next event, and the overall effect lacks some fluidity and realism. Some events didn't seem as logical as I would have expected, and I couldn't always follow the "why" of the choices made. At times, the plot dragged enough to make me forget where we were going and why. The overall effect felt somewhat disjointed to me.

An intriguing concept with tons of potential, but would really benefit from some editing of the writing and tightening of the plot events. I'm giving it a slight boost in star rating soley based on the fact that I loved the underlying concept.

3 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

PHOTOS: Tree Whisperer

2011-04-24T21:10:00.001-10:00

I've taken a bit of a mental break these past several days, enjoying the Easter holiday with the family. I'm bummed that my Sony 505 is starting to get a little funky- I'm missing a chunk in the corner of the screen, and it seems to be spreading. Time to buy a new ereader... I'd love a 650, and I see they're in stock again, but not sure I can justify the price tag :( I need someone to bequeath me one in a will or something :D

Anyway, I love trees, and find them quite intriguing. Here are some random tree pictures!

REVIEW: "Unsavory Delicacies" by Russell Brooks

2011-04-21T21:57:00.001-10:00

This little collection of short stories by Russell Brooks makes for a satisfying and quick read. Nicely written and engaging throughout, these stories bundle intrigue and entertainment with interesting characters and fast-paced plots. The writing style is such that it's easy to lose yourself in the action.

Crème brûlée- Arms dealer Monique Beauvais gets the surprise of a lifetime when the tables are turned after a specially planned luncheon. Although told in third person, we are privy to Monique's thoughts. That gives us a nice perspective on the events and makes the ending all that much more satisfying. Offering a nice twist and just enough context to get you into the story, this is a tasty treat.

To the Last Bite- A restaurant critic experiences the meal of his dreams... or is it? The restaurant business may not be all that he thought it was. Slightly predictable, but still well-crafted with a few surprises to spare, this is a fun story. I particularly like the details that helped us to understand the critic and his motivations. I loved this title the best, and this story was also my favorite of the bunch.

Shashlyk and Morozhenoe- CIA operatives find a little more than they bargained for when they arrange a sting. I had to read this ending a few times to really understand what happened. This story left me a little cold. It wasn't nearly as engaging as the previous two stories, and I never really had that "oh wow" moment that I got with the others. Although the first two stories are set up perfectly as short stories, this third one felt more like an introductory teaser chapter in a novel or novella. It wasn't as satisfying as an ending, but would be intriguing as an introduction.

Altogether a nicely written and entertaining collection!

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
(Also available at Amazon UK and XinXii)

REVIEW: "Paper Woman" by Suzanne Adair

2011-04-20T19:12:00.002-10:00

Love, Sex and Death! Paper Woman has it ALL!

GET READY TO RUMBLE! It's the Blog Tour de Force battle to the death, and you're invited! Read my review of Suzanne Adair's "Paper Woman" below, then follow the directions below the review to be eligible to win prizes and your own copy of "Paper Woman!"

Sophie lives her life for the family printing business, intelligent conversations with her good friend Edward, and time spent with her family. But trouble is brewing in Alton this June of 1780 as the events in the Revolutionary War continue to grow in intensity. On a night that begins with a friendly party, three men will end up dead-- one of them Sophie's father. In an effort to find her father's killer and avenge his death, Sophie is drawn into an adventure that becomes so much more than she dreamed. She'll be up against dangers she could not even fathom, and it will take every bit of her inner strength and cunning to get her through. What will become of the Paper Woman?

A first novel by Suzanne Adair, this book won the Patrick D. Smith Literature Award. Fluid and descriptive, with writing that seamlessly weaves plot and historical context, it was a well-deserved win. The writing carries you along in such a way that you can't help but become engrossed in the time and the context of the story. The gritty realities of life in this time are made clear, as are the challenges women faced. This is no romanticized vision of the past, this is truth down to the grueling detail. The story was immediately engaging as we follow Sophie at a party, fending off unwanted advances and trying to keep track of her willful and outspoken father. Taking the reader across Florida and then across the ocean, this is a thrilling ride, full of adventure, duplicity and intrigue. With just enough twists in the story to maintain interest, it's easy to imagine yourself there, amidst the grime and fear, struggling to stay a step ahead of the game.

There are plenty of characters to keep track of, and the development of these characters is top-notch. Although it's sometimes tricky to remember a name here and there (and, for some reason, it threw me off that Sophie's father is referred to as "Will" in the story rather than "her father" or some such moniker to denote his relationship to Sophie), there is enough context given for each character that they really distinguish themselves along the way. Sophie is a kick-ass character. She is a woman in a man's world, but manages to hold her own against many powerful and determined men. She's strong, yet vulnerable; especially with regards to her love life. "Uncle" Jacques is colorful and engaging, and it's easy to imagine him as the fun guy at the party. Edward appears a simple character, but turns out to be more complex than we may have imagined, while Fairfax is so ruthless and clever it's easy to despise him. David is perhaps the least developed character, and it would have been nice to get a little more personality from him, but, really, "least developed" in this crew is still more developed than many stories I've read. He may just seem the least developed to me because the others are so tangible in my mind. Of all the characters, Mathias is my favorite. There's something about his own past and his conflicted feelings about love and happiness that pulls me right in. I rooted for him, but I wanted to smack sense into him at the same time.

Although a very well-written and engaging story, I did find myself lost a time or two along the way. There was so much going on, sometimes I had to backtrack to see what I'd missed on my first read. Some of the plot events almost seemed too much. I think I craved a touch more simplicity in the plot, since the characterization and setting were so rich and complex. Overall, however, a fantastic story that allowed me to fully immerse and enjoy!

4.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

I've written my review, now it's YOUR turn: This book is in competition to win in the Blog Tour de Force. Be sure to stop by the author's blog today for your chance to leave a comment and enter to win some amazing prizes! Seriously- GO NOW! Then come back here and comment on MY blog (because you loved my review so much and it's part of the instructions and I'm a little nervous now that I feel like I'm in competition, too...) with the special key words to be eligible for prizes!

GIVEAWAY!

2011-04-19T21:37:00.001-10:00

Official Blurb:

Follow the editor and his client into the infinite ring of Ouroboros, the self-devouring, in this episodic novella by Arthur Graham. A story told through concentric circles of narrative, each adding a layer of truth while further smothering all notions of certainty, Editorial will leave readers wondering just how many times the same tale can be swallowed...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
This novella by Arthur Graham is available FREE from Smashwords until May 31st. Just click on this link to go to the Smashwords page, enter the promotional code: LC43P, and complete the "purchase" to download a copy in the format of your choice!

When you've read the book, be sure to leave a review to let the author -and your fellow readers- know what you thought. Enjoy!

Teaser Tuesday!

2011-04-18T20:27:00.002-10:00

This is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules-- Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Their voices dwindled, and the sputter of a torch swallowed the rest of their conversation. She chanced a look at them, but they'd already passed from silhouettes into secrecy." (p. 12)

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~SNIP~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"She whipped out the pistol, cocked it fully, and leveled the barrel at his nose, hoping he couldn't see her heart pounding in her throat. Both Spaniard's eyes bulged in shock." (p.28)

Just for the record, this is the first week I've "cheated" on the Teaser Tuesday by posting two snippets from the same book. I just randomly flicked to both pages and couldn't decide which one to include!

"Paper Woman" by Suzanne Adair

Don't forget to stop by my blog this THURSDAY, April 21st to read my review of "Paper Woman" and then stop by the author's blog for your chance to win prizes and get your own copy of "Paper Woman"- all part of Blog Tour de Force! (Check out this post for some information about the contributors to the Historic Haversock you could win from the author's blog!)

REVIEW: "Yaakov the Pirate Hunter" by Nathaniel Wyckoff

2011-04-17T22:35:00.000-10:00

It's 2025, and the Peretz family has a variety of robots to do their bidding. When Yaakov and Yosef are playing Frisbee one day, Yaakov throws it much too high and it lands on the roof. Yaakov uses the climb-bot to get the Frisbee, but an impatient Yosef throws a baseball that knocks the climb-bot right off the roof. Because of that throw, the boys discover a treasure map hidden inside the robot. Following the map sets a series of events into motion that takes the Peretz family halfway around the world to follow some pirates and attempt to thwart their evil plan to steal a sacred scroll.

Written by Nathaniel Wyckoff, this middle-grade novel follows Yaakov and his family as they chase down the pirates who stole some precious belongings. Originally created by the author to satisfy his own children's hunger for stories about robots, there is a sweetness to this story that is very similar to the Boxcar Children series. Somewhat far-fetched with amazing coincidences and adults who readily share their secrets, the storyline is rather simple and will appeal to a younger audience. Yaakov is a precocious 11-year-old who calls the shots and manages to put the pieces of the puzzle together. His character was interesting and young boys will likely relate well to his sense of adventure. On the other hand, I never really got a feel for Yosef and I'm left with this image of a sullen boy with no real personality. Rachel, the sister, was more interesting, allowing me to form a picture of what she may be like. Set in 2025, robots play a prominent theme, but everything else seems amazingly similar to today. It would have been fun to see a few more innovations that would allow the younger reader to imagine the world 14 years in the future as different and exciting.

One thing I really loved about this book was the seamless weaving of the Jewish culture into the storyline. As a child, I learned an awful lot about other cultures and peoples from the books I read. This book is poised to introduce a child to vocabulary and cultural practices of Judaism, while offering a fun and exciting story. At the same time, this provides a familiar context for Jewish children. Children enjoy reading about familiar things, and I haven't seen a plethora of middle-grade adventures starring children from the Jewish culture. On a down note, I felt the series of events in the story almost made it feel a bit disjointed. The events did flow into one another, but it felt like two major sections to a book rather than a smooth ride to the climax. Additionally, the ending really threw me for a loop. It was so abrupt and unexpected in ending where it did, I had to look back again to be sure I didn't miss anything. The last few pages of the story seemed to be gearing us up for another part to the adventure, but the story ends instead. I think perhaps it would have been better to leave that ending part about the sig-bot out entirely, or else follow through with Yaakov's idea.

Pleasant and entertaining, this book will appeal to a younger audience.

3 /5 stars

Available at Amazon

PHOTOS: Pictures From a Seattle Ferry

2011-04-14T21:26:00.001-10:00

I haven't posted any pictures in a while, and I've been saving this post. I took these pictures a summer ago, and every picture here was taken from the ferry. How I miss living in Seattle! Seattle is one of my very favorite places in the U.S.

I need way more time to take some new pictures.... I've just been so busy lately!

REVIEW: "The Gods of Dream" by Daniel Arenson

2011-04-13T23:42:00.003-10:00

Cade and Tasha have endured tragedy and loss. Their daily lives are dismal, without an end in sight. But at night the siblings can meet in Dream. It's not only a state of mind, it's a magical, enchanting, physical place. There, they can forget their wretched pasts and bleak futures and focus on the peace and rapture to be found in Dream. This joy is short-lived, however, as the creatures of Nightmare start to invade Dream and threaten not only Dream, but Earth itself. Cade is chosen to save Dream, but can he do it?

Written by Daniel Arenson, "The Gods of Dream" is an epic fantasy with an exquisite and surreal feel. The author has a talent for description, and it's easy to picture the worlds of Dream and Nightmare. They're everything you thought they may be, and maybe even more. The storyline has a bit of a Biblical feel, a feeling which is heightened as the two sides draw closer to the battle that will determine the future of both realms, as well as the future of all humans. Each realm has a variety of different regions, and those in Nightmare almost felt like Dante's circles of hell. Each of the areas in Nightmare presents a different type of horror to be experienced, just as each area in Dream provides a special type of pleasure. The author has crafted his characters nicely, and the gods of each realm are distinct and fascinating. The hierarchy of the gods in Dream mirrors those found in Nightmare. The relationship between the various gods is somewhat reminiscent of the relationship between the Devil and his minions, and God and his angels. While I loved those two worlds and the characterization of each world, I wanted to understand a bit more the relationship between these realms and Earth.

The story started out somewhat slow for me. It took me some time to really get a feel for what was going on and where we were going. As I read on, my interest grew and I became much more entranced by, and committed to, the story. Taking such ethereal creations as dreams and nightmares and transforming them into actual physical places to be experienced and explored puts a new and exciting spin on something we only experience while we sleep. Although the story did drag for me at times, as we battled with all the lesser gods of Nightmare and walked for days and weeks and months, it was worth the read. The story itself didn't totally "wow" me, but the creativity of concepts and the beautifully flowing writing left me thinking about the ideas long after I'd finished reading. I wasn't completely captivated by the plot, but I was entranced by the worlds the author created. The gorgeous cover of the book really captures the feel of the story. I suspect I'll be thinking about the imagery and concepts woven into this story long after I've forgotten about Cade and Tasha and the details of their quest.

4.5 /5 stars (I originally was thinking 4 stars, but I bumped it up a bit just for the incredible worlds of Dream and Nightmare)

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

(Read my review of the "Flaming Dove" by Daniel Arenson here)

GIVEAWAY! Win one of two ebooks offered by Jennifer Hampton!

2011-04-12T06:48:00.000-10:00

Enter to WIN one of the following ebooks in the Beautiful Sins series by Jennifer Hampton

Beautiful Sins: Leigha Lowery

Official Blurb:
Enter the world of Leigha Lowery as she travels to the Dark Coast, where Vampire, Werewolves, Witches, and other creatures of the night that have decided to make the Dark Coast their home. The Dark Coast is made up of the states surrounding the Pacific Coastline infected by a military experiment gone Awry. The states are ruled by constant cloud cover. Welcome to the Dark Coast.

Beautiful Sins: Olivia Lowery

Official Blurb:

My name is Olivia Lowery. I’m a wealthy socialite residing outside of the Dark Coast, on the Upper East Side no less. I’m beautiful, I’m privileged and I can have just about any guy that I want. That is… until the morning of my sixteenth birthday. That’s when I discovered something different about myself.

To enter, just leave a comment on this post with your email! Two winners will be chosen (using random selection), one for each book. I will mail the winner the code to get the book free of cost from Smashwords.com!

(If you would ONLY like to be considered for one specific book, please include the title in your comment).

(giveaway ends April 21, 2011, so enter today!)

Teaser Tuesdays!

2011-04-11T20:16:00.000-10:00

This is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules-- Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my truly random teaser (e.g., I opened to the page I happened to be reading and picked the only paragraph on the page that was exactly two sentences long):

"The Incubus turned his great scaly head toward her, but said nothing. His drool hit the floor and hissed, raising steam."

page 60, "The Gods of Dream" by Daniel Arenson

I'm sponsoring "Paper Woman" for Blog Tour de Force!

2011-04-11T19:47:00.001-10:00

I'm sponsoring Suzanne Adair's book, "The Paper Woman," during the week-long Blog Tour de Force. This is going to be loads of fun, with lots of prizes for YOU, dear reader, to win! This book's feature day is Thursday, April 21. On that day, I'll be posting my review of her book, "Paper Woman" (available on Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble), and you'll have the chance to win BIG!

What could you win, you ask? Well, first of all, if you visit the author's website on April 21st, you'll get to download a FREE copy of "Paper Woman." It's your chance to get the book that won the Patrick D. Smith Literature Award, in addition to collecting quite a number of 5-star reviews! If the free book wasn't enough, you'll also be eligible to win other prizes, such as the author's "Historic Haversack" full of gifts .... and even a Kindle! All you need to do is visit the author's website on Thursday, April 21st, and follow a few instructions. Check out this post for more details!

REVIEW: "Take the Monkeys and Run" by Karen Cantwell

2011-04-10T13:38:00.000-10:00

Barbara Marr is just your average suburban mom who thinks of life in terms of movies. She's just going through the daily grind that includes raising her three daughters and wondering why her husband just left her. Wildlife is common in the aptly-named neighborhood of Rustic Woods, but screeching monkeys in the trees? Not so typical. So when loud noises in the middle of the night seem to be coming from the vacant house Barb calls the "House of Many Bones," Barb gets out of bed to investigate. She hears howls and screams, and finds her trees overrun with monkeys. Eager to have something to get her mind off her own misery, she begins an investigation. She pulls in her best friend, Roz, and an ex-boyfriend, Colt, pulls himself in. That's about the time that things get just a little out of hand. Barb finds herself thrown into a thrilling cinematic adventure of her own, complete with the Mafia, guns, stake-outs, and dead body parts, and she belatedly realizes there's no director around to yell "cut!"

The first in the Barbara Marr Murder Mystery series, this book by Karen Cantwell is a hoot. Barb is zany, outlandish, and doesn't always make the best choices, so she's a lot of fun to follow. She says and does things we all think about sometimes. She's a typical mom with three girls and a bit -ok, more than a bit- of a movie fetish. Barb sees things in terms of how characters in a movie would react, which adds some nice color commentary. I found this tact to be a clever way to tie the storyline in with Barb's character, and it really helps you get a more developed picture of what Barb is like. It also leaves a lot of potential for future storylines. The wacky premise and kooky cast of characters is reminiscent of those found in books written by Jennifer Crusie and Jane Heller. If you prefer realistic mysteries, then this may not be your best choice. This book is pure fun and silliness, and what I consider to be complete "brain candy." I know, for me, indulging in brain candy is a really relaxing and entertaining way to spend some free time.

Along the line of these types of stories, the writing style is a bit quirky, with some interesting grammar constructs. In a story of this genre, this informal and offbeat writing doesn't seem out of place. The storyline gets a little more outlandish on each new page turned. The sometimes eccentric secondary characters add color to the story, and the descriptions of each character allow you to really picture them. There is some predictability to the plot, and some of the male characters, in particular, seem cliche, but it's all in line with the genre of the story. The ending is satisfying in the way that is typical of this type of book, and it prepares you to read the next story in the series.

Overall, a zany and fun adventure in which to immerse yourself!

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

ALSO:

A collection of shorts, "The Chronicles of Marr-nia" showcases Barbara Marr in some family adventures. Zany and fun, this is a good companion to "Take the Monkeys and Run." I could especially relate to the motherhood aspect of the stories, and I will fully admit that I've been known to "Hulk-out," too. This collection may be a good bet if you'd like to get to know Barb before deciding if her murder mystery series is right for you. It's a great introduction to the characters and the type of writing you'll see in the full-length novel. There are also a few bonus stories at the end that follow a completely different type of writing style, and it gives the reader a sense of the author's other capabilities as a writer.

Available at Amazon

REVIEW: "Qi" by Elizabeth A. Svigar

2011-04-09T19:29:00.001-10:00

Sam is the best archer in all of Salem. With her latest win, she and her sister, Abby, herself a gifted fencer, have the chance to train for the Olympics at magical Xenith. Prestigious and affluent, this training camp in Fletching provides an opportunity of a lifetime. As an added bonus, Sam and her sister will get to spend a lot more time with their mother, who lives in the area, and Eli, an old friend with whom Sam is excited to rekindle a friendship. It's a dream come true. But dreams don't always turn out the way we expect. Sometimes our dreams turn into nightmares. How will this one end?

Written for a young adult audience, "Qi" is fanciful and engaging. I found Sam's character to be realistic, with real flaws and strengths, and I liked her. The rest of the characters were a little less developed, and not quite as engaging. The adults, in particular, were less complex and compelling than the children in the story. The adults are, in fact, secondary characters, which really serves to highlight the strength of the younger characters in the story. Nicely written, in fluid prose for this age level, this novel is quite appropriate for the middle grade or younger young adult set. The author sets the scenes with descriptive language that allows the reader to picture the events and characters.

The storyline is immediately engaging, and I was eager to find out more about Fletching and the Liffey family. A mysterious stranger is introduced right in the first few pages, and this infuses a nugget of expectation, which pulled me in further. Although the book is titled "Qi," I felt like not quite enough was done with this concept, and I would have loved for it to have come up a bit more than it did. When the magic doll, Will, was presented in the story, it became more clear what type of a fantasy story this was. Although this doll played a major role, I feel like I didn't really get a good sense of him. He seemed to be such an integral part of what goes on in Fletching, but, in his introduction, we find that he's been locked up for years. I wondered if he was the only creation of his sort, and how he might have come to be.

I found the ending of the book to be a little less engaging than the first half of the book had been. The ending seemed a little less relatable and almost like a different type of story than I had been expecting. It's hard to define exactly what I felt, but I found myself thinking "what??" on several occasions during the climatic scenes of the book. I like the way the ending wasn't completely tied into a neat package with a pretty little bow, but I was confused by just how much was left open to the imagination. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the book is titled "Book One of the Baba Yaga," so it seems there is much more to come in later installments. I hope that's the case, because one of the things I wanted most probed was the triangle between Dr. Dante and Sam's parents. I also wanted more about Jonah and his experiences, and what was in store for both Abby and Sam. There is a lot left to discover, and I look forward to seeing where this story leads.

Engaging and fun, this was a really nice start to a series that has the potential to be an exciting fantasy adventure for younger readers.

3.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "Wrecker" by Dave Conifer

2011-04-07T21:51:00.001-10:00

Jane and Steve need some work done on their house. Conveniently, Steve hears about someone who can not only do the work, but will do it really inexpensively. Serendipity! Or is it? Rob is a little rough around the edges, and Jane isn't so sure about this situation. Struggling through a rough patch in her marriage, however, she soon warms up to Rob and they become friends, sort of. He's a tragic, mysterious figure, and Jane finds herself intrigued by his past. Before long, however, Jane starts to realize just who Rob is and what he's all about, and his secrets include something she could have never have imagined. If she's going to make it through this situation intact, her strength and determination will be called upon like never before. If Jane thinks her life is bad now, she'll be amazed at just how bad it can get.

This novel by Dave Conifer started off as a bit "Nicholas Spark-ish" but turned into a thriller as the writing process evolved (the author talks about that here). I enjoyed this book. There were some neat connections that tied the story together and made for an exciting plot. These connections result in a satisfying, if a little unrealistic, ending. The final twist is definitely unexpected, and I'm not sure how I felt about it. I found it interesting, and it just added that much more to the ending, but the way it was written made it seem a little outlandish. I think it would have gone over better had the reveal been a little more subtle.

I really liked the character of Jane. I found her believable and interesting, and the most developed character in the book. I found Steve a little more cliche. His reactions seemed more over-the-top than the story called for, and he was almost a caricature of a busy, disinterested husband. Rob's character had a lot of potential, but he confused me at times. I realize he may not have been "all there" mentally, but I never quite got the whole "I'm doing it for her" train of thought. It seemed such a big part of his motivation, but I felt that particular thread didn't have a lot of closure. From the emphasis on that, I thought it might have played a bigger role down the line. The relationship between Jane and Rob was fascinating, and it was fun to follow the path it took throughout the story.

The writing was stylistically very simple, which made for a fast read. The story was engaging and interesting, with several twists and turns along the way. I found sections of dialogue to be somewhat unrealistic and trite at times, however. Some of the information presented through dialogue may have been better shown through actions, or by taking a step inside the characters' heads. Although the plot itself has a lot of depth, I felt the writing lacked some of that depth. The story dragged here and there, but it never dragged to the point where I wanted to put the book down. I was definitely interested from beginning to end. Towards the ending, the shifts between scenes and characters were quicker, and that was in line with the upcoming climax.

All in all, an interesting and fun read!

3.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "The Ark of Adams" by Jack Kane

2011-04-04T21:33:00.000-10:00

Official Blurb: Dr. Timothy Adams' invention was supposed to save mankind. Arcadia was to be his crowning achievement. Through life extension technologies and Virtual Reality fueled immersion, a land of plenty has been born; a shelter from a dawning New Ice Age and refuge from collapsing global economic markets. But, the shadowy government agency that so generously funded his efforts has other plans.

Additional information: The Ark Of Adams is a story about noble intention gone awry. Consider one Dr. Timothy Adams. In a near distant future beset by the turmoil of global warming and economic failures, he creates an innovative virtual reality application which, when combined with extropian immersion technologies, yields a land of plenty. With the promise of a viable solution to the world’s problems at hand, his deal with a shadowy government agency appears of a reasonable means to an end.

Meet Senator Elaine Noel, Citizen 472. Assigned to the colony of Arcadia for data integrity strategies, her true identity since lost to system corruption; today, she serves as a lowly backup technician, known as Nikki Allen. But, today is not an ordinary day.

Today, she will be interrogated by intelligence agents, stripped of her system profile, and imprisoned. Today, she will become a fugitive and find herself drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse amidst the hacker underground.

Yet when tragedy strikes Limmerick; this imperfect world, facing its final moments, will look to her as their leader in a fight to be waged for the ultimate control of all that remains.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I started this book with very high hopes. An Earth on the brink of collapse, unable to sustain its population, a brilliant scientist who develops a solution using the tenets of virtual reality..., a very compelling premise. I think the concept is solid and has a lot of potential, but I was unable to get past the lack of punctuation (particularly a lack of commas), the typos (including its always being spelled its'), and what I consider to be awkward phrasing in order to finish the book. I started and stopped this book several times over the past few days, but was unable to get past the writing style. I'm sure there's a gem of a story in there, I just couldn't unlock it. I wanted to love it, but really couldn't read it. As such, I will decline to give this book a star rating.

I am including a few of the sentences I found in the first 70 pages. I include them because it's indicative of the writing within, and the writing may be perfectly in line with what some are looking for in a novel. Just because I found the writing to be an impediment doesn't mean all readers will find the same.

--"She climbed out of bed slowly, her waking coordination making her slippers slide onto her feet more difficultly than normal."

--"Upon reaching the next oasis, she repeated the process while taking the time to again dowse the top of her head with the water before filling the canteen that she carried."

--" 'You knew I was coming and were going to not let me in?' she inquired at his nerve."

--"She hung her head taking in his points. They were inciting but true and at that moment she knew that she really did need help and that she indeed did not have many options."

Neat concept with lots of potential, but the writing style got in my way. Your mileage may vary!

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY: FREE EBOOKS! 50 people will WIN!

2011-04-04T19:36:00.002-10:00

I recently reviewed "Sugar & Spice" by Saffina Desforges. The author has generously offered the first 50 responders a FREE copy of this book from Smashwords!!

No contest to win, just a FREE book to read! To get your copy of the book I called "riveting and thought-provoking," just leave a comment on this post with your email OR email me at gracekrispy AT yahoo dot com with your email address. You will receive a return email with a Smashwords coupon code for 100% off the book. The coupon can be used to download a FREE copy in the format of your choice.

(This offer is only good for the first 50 respondents, I will not keep any email addresses and you will NOT be contacted by me after receiving your coupon code. Believe me, I don't have that kind of time!)

REVIEW: "Hard Day's Knight" by John G. Hartness

2011-04-03T22:29:00.000-10:00

Jimmy Black is just your average guy. He wakes every evening, drinks a bag of blood for breakfast, and then heads to work with his partner, Greg. Oh, wait, that's not average? Oh, right- Jimmy Black is a private detective who just happens to be a vampire. Hired one night by a boy who complains of having been cursed by a classmate, Jimmy soon finds that there's a little more to the story than meets the eye. A little something-something evil, that is. In between being attacked by the Children of the Corn, visiting a fallen angel at his strip club, and engaging with a coven of witches, Jimmy still manages to hang out with his friends and fall in love. Now that takes talent.

This first novel in the "Black Knight" series by John Hartness, "Hard Day's Knight" is a humorous, tongue-in-cheek look at the underworld. Gorgeous vampires with perfect teeth and sparkly skin? Not in this book. Jimmy and Greg are dorky and, unfortunately, joining the undead didn't improve upon their looks at all. Never knew a vampire could be a little chunky? Well, now you do. Sometimes clever, sometimes just plain silly, this book never fails to entertain. Jimmy's got sarcasm oozing from his pores, and it makes for a fun ride along the way. I've read my share of vampire books. Prior to about a year ago, I think I could have counted how many of those books I'd read on one finger. Now... well, let's just say I haven't enough fingers to count them all. This book does what some of my favorite books in this genre have done- injects a good dose of comedy. A vampire who sparkles, broods, and lurks in dark alleys? Par for the course. A vampire who trips over his own feet and can't seem to get a date? Much more fun.

Although the characters were distinctive and interesting, the character development was a bit shallow. It may be perfect for entertaining the reader in this type of book, but I'd love to have found out a little more about Phil, Lilith and, especially, Mike. The storyline gives a bit of backstory and hints as to some shared past experiences, but I wanted something more. Additionally, this book could use just one more editing pass to catch a few more errors. There weren't enough to detract, but enough to notice.

A fun and entertaining read, this book has something to offer those who enjoy vampires done in a comical way.

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "Sugar & Spice" by Saffina Desforges

2011-04-02T19:07:00.003-10:00

It's every parent's worst nightmare. A missing child, with no leads. A child's body found in the water. A community turned upside down in fear for their young. Claire, mother of a murdered girl, is determined to find answers. Why are some men sexually attracted to young girls? Does sexual attract equal the propensity to kill? As Claire struggles to find closure by investigating these questions, she finds herself further drawn into an insidious underworld. Will she ever find the answer she's most desperate to find-- who killed her daughter?

This novel by Saffina Desforges is immediately gripping. The topic is a terrifying train wreck; I was appalled, yet unable to look away. The author does a fantastic job presenting this controversial topic in a way that forces the reader to confront her own feelings and understanding of what is appropriate when it comes to sexual urges. The general feel is almost sympathetic towards pedophiles at times, but not necessarily sympathetic towards those who act on those urges, and that's an important distinction. Getting into the mind of several different pedophiles is not comfortable or easy, but the author smoothly compels the reader to take another perspective, if only for a moment, and confront what is appalling. Initially a bit slow for me, the story really picked up, and the 546 pages (on my sony) went by quickly. I was unable and unwilling to put the book down in the last several hundred pages. The characterization is beautifully done, and even the most loathsome characters manage to be somewhat sympathetic, if only as you pity them. There are some compelling ideas presented, soundly intertwined with the storyline. There are several storylines presented throughout the story, coming together at various points in the book. In retrospect, it seemed a bit disjointed, but felt fitting while engaged in the book.

With such a fluid writing style and compelling plot, I wanted to be drawn in through to the end. The frequent chapter breaks were too distracting to allow that. I wondered at one point if the chapter breaks were put in at regular intervals to ensure the chapters were the same length. Many of the chapters almost seemed placed to purposefully break the flow, which was confusing and disconcerting. A conversation would end abruptly because of a chapter break, but then continue in the next chapter as if nothing had happened. It gave me a "wait, did anyone else see that break?" type of feeling. I'd rather have seen the chapter breaks when the setting or characters changed, or when a major plot event was revealed. Additionally, there were some typos in the form of missing punctuation and incorrect word substitutions (e.g., you for your). For the number of pages, the typos were not overly excessive, but they were noticeable and sometimes required a second read of a sentence or phrase. Finally, I'm still not sure what I think of the ending. I had made a guess halfway through the book that turned out to have some merit, but the actual conclusion was unexpected. I loved that I didn't figure it all out, but the ending almost seemed a bit of a mockery of the rest of the story. It didn't help that a character at the end shared an historical perspective of pedophilia that was eerily reminiscent to that shared by an earlier character. It seemed less a thought-provoking perspective and more like propaganda at that point.

Still, all in all, this was a riveting and thought-provoking book that made it difficult to turn away until the last page was turned.

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

**The author has indicated that the typos I noted should be fixed in the final copy.

REVIEW: "Speed Dating With the Dead" by Scott Nicholson

2011-04-01T22:38:00.000-10:00

The White Horse Inn. Located in the remote Appalachian Mountains, it's a perfectly spooky setting for a paranormal conference. With a haunted history and an utterly dreary atmosphere, the ghost hunters are in their element. Using their high-tech equipment, they are eager to capture the entities' visages and communications, even willingly offering up their own energy. Wayne "Digger" Wilson is the leader of this group, having dragged his unwilling teenage daughter along on the trip. He's got this whole ghost hunting schtick down pat; he knows exactly how to plan the hunting expeditions to keep his clients entertained. But Digger has an ulterior motive that no one- least of all his daughter- suspects. Digger's true purpose may actually be the catalyst to open up the door for something much scarier than a few lost ghosts....

Scott Nicholson has a gift for creating an action-packed storyline that begs to be read. I found myself enthralled, unwilling to stop turning page after page, late into the night. His writing style is wonderfully engaging, and his characters are brought to life on the page. Kendra is a typical teenager, with her secret thoughts and her outward disdain. Digger is the preoccupied father with bigger things on his mind, and he often forgets what's most important. His motley ghost hunting crew contains several intriguing characters, each with his own distinct personality. But the true stars of this story are the conference attendees. From the self-proclaimed skeptic who is just along to debunk the findings to the medium who channels demons, each character comes to colorful life under the author's pen. For fans of shows like "Ghost Hunters" and "A Haunting," the characters and tricks and tools of the trade in this book will be recognizable. I think the fluid writing and the clever characterization makes this an author to watch.

Starting out fairly tame, yet interesting, this story quickly and unexpectedly evolved into something sinister and dark, and I found myself a little lost at times. Throw Beth into the mix, and I never quite understood the whole angel/demon connection as well as I felt I should. I loved the character of "The Roach," but the way his motives were written were sometimes perplexing. I wasn't always sure upon which side he stood, which isn't necessarily a negative in and of itself, however, I felt like it was meant to be clear. I was eager to find out what would happen in the end, but some elements of this story left me a little muddled along the way. This was very reminiscent of some of Stephen King's better work in that it's spooky and can be gross, and it's not afraid to do the unexpected (yet somehow slightly predictable in that regard). Those can be very good things in a horror story, and it definitely kept my interest the entire way through.

Overall, I'm very impressed with the writing style and the characterization, and I look forward to sampling more of this author's work.

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

(I recently reviewed -and enjoyed- one of this author's children's stories)

REVIEW: "The Bloated Goat" by Manley Peterson

2011-03-30T20:11:00.000-10:00

Oh, no! Bloated Goat has little black Xs where his eyes should be! Now it's up to his best friend, Cocky Doodle, and Cocky's grandma, Granny Hammy, to take Bloated Goat home to be buried. Along the way, Bloated Goat becomes the desired target of a cast of zany characters, including a lovesick skunk, a family of rats, and wild and crazy mushrooms. Will Cocky ever get his friend to the right place, or will Bloated Goat permanently end up on someone else's dance card?

"Bloated Goat" is, at times, witty and clever, but some adults may find its wackiness to be over the top. The narrator sometimes talks to the readers, and refers to upcoming chapters. The obvious is often stated by the various characters, in a very amusing way. The short length of the story is perfectly fitting to this particular genre; any longer and the silliness would likely become annoying.

The characters are fun in their absurdity. A wolf, married to a vegetarian, can't help but gnaw on his delicious mother-in-law. A skunk, crazy for love, is looking for the perfect husband- the smellier the better. Fun characters and zany conversation when you least expect it adds to the cleverness of the story. A few pictures along the way would really add a lot to the story, but there is something to be said for imagining the happenings on your own. Overall, this is would be a good bet for the middle-grade age, where the sillier the conversation and the nastier the smelly imagery, the better the fun to be had in a book!

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Teaser Tuesdays!

2011-03-28T21:11:00.000-10:00

This is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules-- Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser:

"It hung just beneath the surface, suspended amid the sundry flotsam and jetsam that characterises an urban canal in old age. Oil slick rainbows on the water's dark surface iridescent in the August sun, added to the spectrum of colours the canal paraded, in the form of crisps packets and plastic shopping bags, drawn irresistibly to the water."

page 166, "Sugar & Spice" by Saffina Desforges

(To find out what was there in the water, you'd better read the book! Review coming soon.)

REVIEW: The "Jason Dark: Ghosthunter" series by Guido Henkel

2011-03-28T11:16:00.001-10:00

Jason Dark, Ghosthunter is fearless and resourceful. Together with Siu Lin, a petite martial arts expert whose parents were killed by demon, Dark works to find and destroy evil. Set in Victorian London, this series by Guido Henkel is written in "dime novel" style, heralding a return to a clever concept. At around 54 pages on my Sony reader, each installment can stand alone or be read as part of the whole series.

I love this retro concept. There's something to be said for sitting down to read 54 pages and knowing that you're getting an entire story in that time. You'll have the stage set, go on an adventure, and get some closure, all within those few pages. Each installment has Jason and Siu Lin battling a different form of evil, and I found I really enjoyed some more than others. For example, of the ones I read, I liked "Ghosts Templar" the best and "The Blood Witch" the least. Something about "Ghosts of Templar" resonated more with my own particular preferences. A tome that brings ghosts to life to avenge their persecutors is something I can get into more than a witch who needs a blood sacrifice every year to retain her youth and beauty. Someone else may have found "The Blood Witch" to be perfectly in line with her horror preferences. That is the beauty of this series- the ability to pick and choose the adventures which may appeal most, or read them all.

The writing style and setting evoke a retro feel as well. Sensational and over-the-top, as the dime novels were prone to be, you truly take an adventure with Dark and Siu Lin. The author sets the mood quite nicely. I can almost see the dark streets and foggy atmosphere, and imagine Jack the Ripper - or likely something even worse- waiting just around the corner. Jason and Siu Lin are perfectly complementary to one another, each with different skills that allow them to work in harmony. Sometimes I got to read a little more about what Jason was thinking than I would have liked- I would have preferred his actions and dialogue with Siu Lin to have taken care of those explanations in a way that folded seamlessly into the storyline. Stylistically, the phrasing and dialogue was fitting to the time period, but it also made it more difficult for me to really engage. The entire feel was almost "campy" to me, fairly predictable with serendipitous plot points, but I think that's part of what made it fun to read. I was never fully engrossed in the stories, but I did find them really interesting. The format and the storylines would make these books perfect for a weekly series on something like the Sci-Fi channel.

Overall, I give the series 3.5 /5 stars. I think those with a particular affinity for this type of gothic horror will love the experience.

Read it free or browse buy links here!
Volume 1-5 available on Smashwords, Set available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY! Win your own digital copy of "The Watcher" by John Brinling

2011-03-27T10:11:00.000-10:00

The horror was starting again...

Official Blurb:

Janet Stapleton – widowed, confined to a wheelchair, living in a remote Connecticut farmhouse - didn’t believe in out-of-body experiences until she had one and witnessed a brutal murder. The second and third ones were no less horrific. Her investigation into why she was chosen to see these murders soon has the demonic killer pursuing her.

John Brinling brings originality to fiction. His writing brings characters to life and he surprises you at every turn. If you'd like to check out some of his shorter work for free, or see what others books he has available, check out his Smashwords page! The author is generously giving away THREE copies of this book, so your odds of winning just tripled!

Entering is always easy- just comment on this post with your email address and your preferred format. If you are one of the lucky winners, you'll receive your ebook via email. Available in .mobi (Kindle), .epub (Sony/Nook) or .pdf (computer or other viewing).

I reviewed another of John Brinling's books, "Ghost of the Flea," this past November, and I'm really looking forward to reading "The Watcher!"If "Ghost of the Flea" is any predictor, I'm expecting clever and unique characters, an engaging storyline, exciting plot twists, and an unexpected ending.

If you simply must have this book NOW, contest be damned, it's available for a very reasonable price at Smashwords and Amazon.

(All winners chosen by random.org. Contest closes on April 15th.)

REVIEW: "The Salbine Sisters" by Sarah Ettritch

2011-03-26T11:08:00.000-10:00

When Maddy heard the call to become a Salbine Sister, she initially struggled with the difficult decision to join this powerful order of mages. While in training, she develops an intimate relationship with her instructor, the stringent and brusque Lillian, who happens to be the most powerful mage in the order. To Maddy's utter frustration and dismay, the gifts of Salbine- the power to draw upon the elements- seem to elude her. After nearly dying while trying to draw forth fire, Maddy desperate seeks answers to why Salbine has denied her. To that end, she sets out on a journey across the land, where a horrible set of events besets Maddy along the way. But the gods answer in different ways, and maybe the answers she seeks are not at all what (and where) she thought they would be.

A novel by Sarah Ettritch, "The Salbine Sisters" looks at a world where powerful women are revered for their magical ability to draw upon the four elements. What happens when one of the chosen turns out to not have the same abilities? Is there truly a place in the order for those who cannot perform as expected? Part sweet love story, part personal journey, this tale is masterfully woven together with fluid prose and a well-paced storyline. The author entwines key details of the world perfectly into the story, and I was never left confused or unsure about what was going on. Being able to draw my own conclusions from the dialogue and events really allowed me to become completely engaged. And this story was engaging from the very beginning; it never really seemed to lag and I was riveted throughout.

The ending offers the reader closure, tying up the threads nicely while still leaving room to think about the future. The story doesn't progress the way you might expect, which lends its own element of delight and satisfaction. The message I see in the story is applicable to all of us in that we may not always realize that the answers given us are not necessarily the answers we expect. Maddy and Lillian possess both strong and fragile characteristics, but their strengths and weaknesses compliment one other. I loved the interchanges between the two of them, and those scenes allowed us to learn a lot about their characters without ever being told explicitly by the author. Their relationship was sweet, but it was not without its own bumps in the road, and those bumps gave the chance for the characters to show growth. Each woman discovers what she needs to become whole, and for each of them, it's not what she had expected. The supporting characters were perfectly placed in a way that added much to the overall story.

A very enjoyable and heartwarming story that utterly engages from start to finish! Strongly recommended.

5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "Jimmy Stone's Ghost Town" by Scott Neumyer

2011-03-25T23:56:00.000-10:00

Jimmy Stone has had a hard life. It all really started when his mom came home from the hospital with a puppy instead of the new baby sister he was expecting, and it went downhill from there. Now, he's been relocated to "Boredsylvania" with his largely absent father. With no friends, he finds himself the number one target of the local bully gang. Luckily, he manages to make friends with David, who has successfully survived his year of being the gang's whipping boy, and David is willing to teach Jimmy some survival tips. A spontaneous walk with this new friend in the woods behind Jimmy's house leads to an exciting discovery, and an unexpected adventure. Now Jimmy has to solve a riddle that foretells the end of everything Jimmy holds dear. Can he save the seven realms in time?

I've mentioned before that I don't usually notice cover art, but I must say that I love the cover of this book. I think it's fitting to the story, and quite striking to boot. While I usually skip right by the cover, I find myself mesmerized by this one. That being said, on with the review! This middle grade novel by Scott Neumyer begins when Jimmy is in third grade and his family suffers one tragic loss after another. The story is told from Jimmy's point of view, and you can feel his frustration and lack of understanding in the events that took place. I found the writing in the beginning sections very fluid and engaging in telling the story from Jimmy's point of view. During the course of the book, however, the writing flips between present and past tense with no apparent reason (that I could see). Although I found the beginning of the story to flow well, I found it flowed less in the latter half of the story. The writing and dialogue seemed a bit more disjointed and immature later in the book. Additionally, although I found the overall writing style and storyline to be appropriate for the intended age group, there was enough extraneous swearing to definitely make me think twice before sharing this story with my own middle grade sons.

Jimmy's character was developed enough that I got a good feel for him, his life, and his feelings. I found him interesting and, swearing aside, age appropriate. I liked the relationship between Jimmy and his dog, Trex and I felt it added a nice texture to the story. The character of David, on the other hand, confused me. He seemed almost psychic in places, and I expected that to play into the story more. I expected him to have a mysterious connection to the ghost town in the title. Instead, he seemed just as surprised by the ghost town, and his actions and dialogue just plain confused me in places. I'm not sure if it was a lack of development or just inconsistencies, but I think a lot more could have been done with his character that would have added to the storyline.

The story itself was disjointed to me. It was almost like two halves of a story linked together by a walk in the woods. During the first half of the story, I found myself wondering when in the world we were getting to any ghost town. When it happened, I wondered why the extended back story on Jimmy's life. I kept waiting for them to tie together, but it never really happened. Things were hinted upon, but then the ending came somewhat abruptly and prematurely. I didn't see anywhere that officially listed this as the start to a series, but I can't imagine it's anything but. The ending really sets itself up for six more books- one for each of the mentioned realms. I think further books could really help solidify the connection between Jimmy's past and his future, as well as further develop David's character.

In spite of what I felt were shortcomings, I did enjoy the read. I think the author does possess some nice fiction writing skills that could really bloom with tightening of a storyline, and particular attention paid to consistency.

3 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "If I Were Your Monster" by Scott Nicholson (Illustrated by Lee Davis)

2011-03-24T20:30:00.000-10:00

If I were your monster, I'd slither at your feet,

I'd slobber, snort, and click my claws at people on the street

Written for children, Scott Nicholson's book has a lovely cadence that makes for a fun read aloud. Just to test it out, I read it aloud to my own three kids. They loved the story. I initially read this on my Sony, but the pictures weren't nearly as fun in black and white. We then read my copy on the computer so we could see the colors. One of my sons decided the pictures would give a little kid nightmares, the other thought they were a little "weird" and didn't look quite right. My daughter loved them. Not sure where I got such analytical sons.... but this does go to show that the pictures may not appeal to all kids. I found the colors and silly and detailed drawings fun.

This book is perfect as a read aloud, but some of the vocabulary is higher level. I love that in a read aloud where you'd likely be reading the story to the child. If the child is old enough, this is a great way to expand vocabulary through conversation. If the child is younger, they'll still get a lot from the catchy rhyme. I think this is also a great way to help dispel nighttime fears in younger children, and may even lead to spontaneous and creative production of additional rhymes. How about "If I were a zombie?" or "If I were a werewolf?" As a parent and educator myself, I love when books provide a jumping off point to expand knowledge and make connections. What better way to nurture a child than to read together? With a engaging book such as this, conversations and fun will surely follow!

5 /5 stars

Available on Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Blog Hop/Follow Friday!

2011-03-24T19:08:00.004-10:00

Hosted by Jennifer of Crazy for Books blog, the Book Blogger Hop asks:
"If you could physically put yourself into a book or series…which one would it be and why?"

Ooh, that is a *really* difficult thing for me to answer. I could really see myself in a lot of different books! Maybe I'll go back in time... I always kind of saw myself as "Turtle" from "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin. There are so many more I could pick, but I'll leave it at that...

Hosted by Parajunkee's View, the assignment is:

"GIVE US FIVE BOOK RELATED SILLY FACTS ABOUT YOU."

OK, hmm.

1) I am rarely without a book (my ereader, usually!)-- even if there's not chance I'll get to read it, it sits next to me at all times. I even read while brushing my teeth and putting in my contacts.... my mother used to get so exasperated with me "Grace! I have never met ANYONE in my life who read while (insert one: vacuuming, sweeping the floor, watching TV, using the computer, eating, etc)." Yes, I do read while making dinner and watching TV and just about everything you can imagine. If there's no book, I read the printed material on whatever's nearby.

2) I am not a "sharer" when it comes to books. I love to read them. I (now) love to review them. I hate to "discuss" them in the "can you recommend some books for someone who likes....." I'm just really bad at that! Books to me are really personal, and I have to reach out of my comfort zone to get into the "sharing" mode. I get the feeling that's weird.

3) I won many writing contests in my earlier days, and always imagined I'd be an author someday. With the exception of some professional articles, I haven't published anything, and don't really have the urge to do so right now. Writing was a huge outlet for me as a child, and it's not a priority for me now. I do quite a bit of writing for my job, however, then I write book reviews in my spare time, so I guess you could say I'm still writing...

4) There is truly no better smell than a book. Even the stinky moldy ones. And I say that even though I absolutely love my ereader!

5) I have never been a book collector. I'm a story collector. I used to spend hours and hours at the public library. I only stopped doing that recently, when I started using digital reading material. Now, I just spend an hour. :D

Well, I guess that was more like a thesis statement!

REVIEW: "Under Witch Moon" by Maria E. Schneider

2011-03-23T22:46:00.000-10:00

When a giggly, nervous woman comes to Adriel asking for protection from a werewolf, Adriel thinks nothing of it. After all, she makes her living selling spells to the public. Sewing silver protection into a blouse isn't such a difficult job. But Adriel realizes it may not be so simple after all when that woman ends up dead, ripped apart by the very werewolf now staring straight at Adriel. Even worse, it turns out this isn't the first woman to have played with a werewolf and lost. As she tries to uncover the secret of these deaths, Adriel quickly realizes she may be playing with much more powerful magic than she ever imagined. She may be good at spells, but is she good enough to stop an evil witch with an evil plan and friends in high places?

A first installment in the Moon Shadow series by Maria E. Schneider, this paranormal mystery is an engaging, quick read. Wonderfully lighthearted, but solid in its structure, this story contains an interesting cast of characters. Adriel herself is a fun character- she's got some good skills and ideas, but needs a little boost sometimes to make them work. That boost comes in the form of Lynx and White Feather. Lynx, a young shapeshifter, is Adriel's link to new customers, and to information that helps Adriel do her job. White Feather is a mysterious connection who uses Adriel for information, but he's got a few secrets of his own. The main characters in this story have some nice characterization, but in the length of the novel, it could have gone a few steps further to help flesh out some of these characters. White Feather, in particular, could have used some additional meat to his story. He seems to have such a fascinating history and some more secrets to share. I really wanted to get to know him a bit more. Lynx and Adriel have some nice development, but I hope to find out more about their backstories as well in the next installment.

One of the things I loved about this novel was the explanation of all things "witchy." This world of spells has clear rules and structure, and the author does a delightful job of weaving that information into the storyline. The story flows along pretty well, with very few bumps along the way. There were a few times I took a quick look back to confirm an action or a character, or reread a passage to be sure I could visualize what just happened, but that was the exception rather than the rule. For the most part, the story flows along smoothly. I only noticed a few typos (two come to mind immediately: the first being a word that didn't quite make sense--"train" when I thought maybe "gain" would be more fitting, and the second was an apostrophe on a plural).

Overall, a fun read and a great start to a new series!

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

(Check out my review of another book by this author, "Executive Lunch!")

GIVEAWAY! Enter to win your own digital copy of "Scent of Jade" by Dee DeTarsio!

2011-03-19T15:09:00.002-10:00

The Scent of Jade is creative and unique with surprising twists--in turn suspenseful and heartbreaking, combining humor and romance to reach the payoff ending. (Available at Amazon)

Official blurb:

“Romancing The Stone” meets “Survivor” in this delightfully quirky novel from television producer and writer, Dee DeTarsio!

Julie Fraser is the least adventurous person she knows…until she hops on a plane to surprise her husband who's on a business trip in Costa Rica. Reeling from the discovery that her husband isn’t who she thought he was, she embarks on an unexpected rainforest adventure that leaves her not knowing where to turn, literally, or whom to trust. She knew she should have stayed home! Will a monkey, a Latin hunk, and a mysterious ‘love potion’ help Julie on her mission to find and forgive her husband?

About the Author:

Dee DeTarsio is a television writer living in San Diego, California, with her husband, John, a Director of Photography. She is the indentured servant of their two children, Tyler and Gianna. She is writing a screenplay for The Scent of Jade, and is working on her next novel, Ros.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I honestly can't wait to read and review this book. Action and adventure, a woman on a journey in a foreign land, a Latin hunk, and a love potion thrown in? How could you resist? Luckily, you won't have to! Enter here to win one of TWO copies being given away by the author. The ebook will come in the form of a Kindle gift. Don't have a Kindle? No problem! Download a FREE Kindle app for your smartphone (I use one on my Droid X), your ipad/ipod touch, or even your computer.

Entering is super easy because, well, I like easy! Just leave a comment on this post with your email address (so we can email you your prize if you're one of the winners). That's it! You are more than welcome to say wonderful things about me or the author, follow this blog, tweet or otherwise share this giveaway with all your friends.... doing those things won't up your chances, but they'll make us all feel happier, and isn't that worth it?

(Giveaway ends April 7th)

REVIEW: "Servant of the Lich" by Chris Wilmsmeyer

2011-03-18T23:58:00.005-10:00

An unexpected (and undead) visitor one evening brings back the wizard Hannibal's worst memories, and all of his biggest fears. His past has finally caught up with him, and the lich demands his magical service once again. To deny the lich would be to destroy the love of Hannibal's life, and everything else for which he's worked so hard. He's going to have to gather every bit of his cunning and strength to maintain some piece of himself through this battle, and he can only hope to come out intact. In the meantime, an army of unlikely heroes band together to stop the terror that is being waged right in their city. They are motivated, but are they strong enough?

Reminiscent of "Lord of the Rings," this is the first installment in an epic series by Chris Wilmsmeyer. Filled with fantastical creatures such as orcs, elves, dwarves, and wizards, this story speaks to both evil and goodness, and the intermixing of the two. Hannibal is the most developed of all the characters, and his story is the thread that runs throughout. Complex and tragic, he's torn between what he must do and what his heart tells him to do, between who he truly is and who he has been. The lich and Arvol are also clearly defined, but it's hard to get a complete feel for some of the other characters in the book. The characters are many, and it's sometimes difficult to keep up with the various storylines as they are slowly and irrevocably pulled together to the inevitable conclusion. Several times, I found myself having to flip back to remember who a character was or what he had done before. This may not be an issue for hard-core fans of epic fantasy who may be accustomed to a large cast of characters, but I wanted fewer players and more development so I could truly get to know the most important characters. Similarly, some of the characters' storylines seemed less complete in that their relationships with the story in general weren't as tightly tied in. Hannibal's story was twisted with that of the lich, but I felt that the establishment of a relationship between Hannibal and the heroes early on would have strengthened the plot and given me a more complete feeling when it all came together at the end.

The first in a planned series, this book offers closure that ties in the ending events with what happened in the beginning, while still hinting at things to come in the next installment. I almost felt like there were a few endings to the story, which gave me the feeling I was done...more than once. I also felt the story dragged in a few places- those were the places where the events seemed more tangential and less integral to the main storyline- and I found myself putting the book down more than I would have liked before I was finished. But I always came back for more, because I simply had to know what was going to happen. The writing style was generally fluid and the events were well-written, and the frequent changes in setting towards the end really worked well with the quickening pace of the story.

Overall, this installment is sure to engage and excite fans of epic fantasy.

4 /5 stars

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "Bug Island" by R. G. Cordiner

2011-03-15T18:57:00.001-10:00

A mysterious island that shouldn't exist suddenly appears on radar, a cruise ship hits an underwater mine, a group of survivors struggle to remain alive on a deserted island.... SCRNCH... err, wait, what was that? As the survivors come face to face with bizarre bugs that can't possibly be as big as they appear, they'll need every bit of courage and wit to stay alive. What *is* this place, anyway? And is there any way off?

Authored by a teacher, R.G. Cordiner, this story is written in a simplistic style for a younger audience. In all honesty, I'm a little torn on how I feel about the writing. Billed on one site as horror for a "young adult/teen" audience, and on another site as "middle grade novel" the actual writing style seems geared for the younger audience, or teens with much lower reading levels. With very simplistic sentences, short paragraphs, and many "sound effects" built in, I am picturing the writing as a read-aloud for younger children. I feel the actual content of the writing, however, is geared for a slightly older age category. I was so undecided on this issue, I passed the book on to my 10yo son and then asked him some questions when he was done reading. He thought the writing was a little too simple for his grade level (5th), but he was definitely interested in the storyline. We also both enjoyed that there were facts about each bug listed at the end of the story. It's a great way to learn more about bugs!

The characterization is also simple, but with enough distinction to differentiate the characters. The character of Zosimo bothered me a bit, however. I felt his speech patterns were inconsistent in the story. At times, he spoke in very broken English, later speaking in fairly fluid sentences, only to speak another broken sentence later. I really liked Fiona's character, and I felt she was the most developed of all of the characters. The characterization was, overall, appropriate for the level of writing. I think older audiences may want more, but it should be enough to satisfy the younger readers.

The ending offered great closure while still giving the reader something to think about for the future of the island. Not everything is tied up in a neat little package throughout the story, which is nice because of the unpredictability. You just don't know who is going to survive, and that lends a nice feeling of adventure and discovery throughout. The events did seem a bit sterile to me, and that may reflect upon the simplistic writing style. Additionally, the transitions between events and settings are sometimes delineated with a break, and sometimes not. Using consistent breaks would help the reader understand that a switch in point of view and setting just happened. Overall, a satisfying story and enjoyable read!

In the end, I asked my son what he would rate this book, as he really is the target audience. He actually gave me the exact number of stars I had already decided upon. Looks like he may follow in my footsteps....

3.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY! Enter to win a copy of the novel "Tag" by Simon Royle!

2011-03-13T16:30:00.002-10:00

On 15 March 2110, 6.3 billion people will die at the hand of one man.

A man with a twisted vision, to make humans a better, more intelligent race.

Official Blurb:

In the wake of Arbitrator Jonah Oliver’s interrogation of Jibril Muraz, a prisoner of UNPOL, his secure life disintegrates into one of lies, corruption, conspiracy and murder due to what he learns.

Jonah is thrown into a race against the clock to stop a plot designed to eliminate two-thirds of the population. The odds are stacked against him. He soon finds his past is not what he thought it was, those closest to him cannot be trusted, and what he’s learned could get him, or worse, his loved ones, killed.

From a world where personal privacy has been forsaken comes a tale of conspiracy, love and murder – and the bond shared by brothers.

I am a huge fan of Simon Royle, for many reasons. For starters, there's his fantastic blog which is one-stop Indie Author shopping. You can find "IndieViews" with authors and reviewers (even mine), information on some fantastic Indie Books & Authors, and you can even find the Latest Indie Reviews from around the Internet.

Maintaining this huge wealth of information is a full-time job in and of itself, but Simon does more than that. He's a fantastic Indie author in his own right. Simon's first novel, "Tag," a compelling science fiction thriller, was one of my Top 4 Picks for 2010. (You can find my full review right here!)

Why am I telling you all this? Because now is your chance to WIN your very own digital copy of this fantastic book! As always, entering is easy- just leave a comment below with your email address, and you're in! The lucky winner will receive a Smashwords coupon to download a FREE digital version in the any format.

Uh, why are you still sitting there? Enter now! And if you're still sitting there with nothing else to do, share this giveaway with all your friends ;)

(Giveaway ends March 26th)

REVIEW: "Shades of Green" by Ian Woodhead

2011-03-13T15:35:00.000-10:00

Something strange is happening in the small town of Holburn, but most people aren't aware of the force that tunnels beneath the land. An episode of bullying decades ago unleashes a force that cannot be stopped; one that hungers for the living. Damien's brother, Alan, is intrinsically tied to all that is happening. Will Damien live long enough to find out what is going on?

In his first novel, Ian Woodhead has created a horrific landscape where plant life intermixes with human life to generate demon-like creatures driven by an unseen force. Immediately drawn in by the opening sequence, I was quickly thrown off-track and confused. The first section talks about a past event with two brothers, but in the next section, the brothers seem to have traded lives. I never quite understood whether it was an error in writing, or a plot device I didn't catch. When the story is read the whole way through, there are some great concepts that are very much in line with some of the best horror out there. Unfortunately, those great concepts are utterly obfuscated by the actual writing, which would greatly benefit from a full-scale editing/revision process. Missing punctuation, redundant words, and run-on sentences make some of the sections difficult to understand. There is plenty of action and gore to attract fans of this genre, but the jumps between times and scenes add quite a bit of confusion to the storyline. At one point, I just gave up trying to understand when and where things were taking place, and just read to find out what happened. I wasn't engaged (I couldn't even figure out where I was or what was going on at times), but I watched the story unfold, much as I would watch a B-rated horror flick. I was detached from the actual events, but I still wanted to know what was going to happen.

Although there is some closure to the story in the form of an explanation of the events that began the horror, I felt there were still too many threads left dangling. If they actually did tie in, the need for extensive editing and revision masked any connection for me. Additionally, I felt the character development wasn't complete. Some characters sort of blended together. Although I felt as though I had a decent grasp of Damien, I never did get a clear understanding of Alan, and I think there was a lot that could have been shown about this central character. Jennifer could have used some more depth, and I never quite "got" Tony. More clearly defining the scenes and the happenings in each scene may have helped bring out the personalities of the individual characters. At times, I thought the author was much more focused on the description of the horror than the development of the characters or the plot. I think that developing the characters with some additional scenes to set the stage would have strengthened the horror and suspense aspect of the book.

A compelling plot that suffers in its execution, this story will still have appeal for enthusiasts of the genre. I would like to check out some of the author's short stories to see if his intriguing concepts shine stronger in a short story format.

2 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes" by Larry Peterson

2011-03-12T19:05:00.001-10:00

Willie isn't like the other kids. He has slippery feet! Everywhere he goes, he slips and slides all over the place. Even when he wear shoes, he still slips and slides. So one day, he gets a pair of shoes that will keep him from slipping and sliding. But they're so ugly! How can he ever wear them to school? Everyone will laugh!

A first children's book by Larry Peterson, this story tackles the concept of accepting differences. The ending includes a list of ideas to open up discussion about this very topic. The images in the book are colorful and engaging. They do a great job evoking the feeling of the book, and they will delight younger readers as well as adults.

The storyline of the book seems to me to be best geared towards a 5-8 yo age group, but the ideas can extend well beyond that group. There were quite a few words on most of the pages, however, making it more likely to be a read-aloud for younger children. The discussion points included at the end offer a great starting point for groups of children to discuss how it feels to be different. The storyline itself is engaging and fun, and the silliness factor will really engage children. Many children know the feeling of being different and afraid to stand out, and the crazy extremes of this story will delight.

Overall, a fun story for children and adults alike and a recommended read!

4 /5 stars

Available at Tribute Books or find more buy links here

Find out more about the book here

Share your thoughts about accepting differences here

Watch the book trailer:

REVIEW: "No Rest For the Wicca" by Toni LoTempio

2011-03-11T22:29:00.000-10:00

Morgan Hawkes is a ghost whisperer. She uses her paranormal skills to help talk ghosts and daemons into moving to a different plane; sheʻs a true "ghostbuster." Nothingʻs run of the mill in this job, and sometimes she finds herself up against some formidable ghosts. Still, itʻs a cushier job than her old job in homicide....and not nearly as satisfying. Morgan longs for the excitement and adventure she found working homicide. When full-blooded witches start turning up dead in an apparent plot that combines voodoo and Wiccan magick to unleash terrifying forces, Morganʻs mixed Wiccan and voodoo heritage lands her a role in an undercover plot. Morgan is compelled to save her friends and relatives, and, in doing so, to banish the ghosts of her own past. Working with Cole St. John, a sexy, captivating Inheritor Vampire, Morgan has to keep her wits about her in order to play her role to perfection.

Toni LoTempio does a nice job introducing characters and giving background information pertinent to the main character without stopping the flow of the storyline. Morganʻs character has some depth and a back story that rounds out her character and makes her interesting. Cole, on the other hand, is much more two-dimensional, playing the role of stud and sex god to perfection, but not quite the well-rounded character I would have liked to see. We are given hints of his background, and that helps us to understand him a bit more, but it still felt lacking in characterization. Similarly, I would have liked more depth to Xiaʻs character as well. In spite of the wish for more character development, I did find the full range of characters in this story to be interesting and distinct, and they added interest to the overall story. The actual plot is readable, engaging, and quite entertaining. Although predictable, there are a few nice twists that added to the storyline and kept me reading.

The level of romance in the story was predictable and secondary to the storyline, but it seemed to take too much attention at one point, and that detracted from the storyline. I also have to admit to having trouble taking sex scenes seriously that use words like "staff" and "round globes" as euphemisms for body parts. While I did want Morgan and Cole to get together (and it was obvious from the get-go that it was going to happen), it almost felt like "too much" when it did happen. Although I could immerse myself in most of the story, there were a few moments when the characters did something that seemed out of character and didnʻt quite fit what I knew of them. For example, Dru suddenly deciding to share the book with Morgan seemed out-of-place. It was necessary to further the plot, but perhaps could have been written in a way that would have seemed more in line with the relationship between those two characters. This book could also use another thorough editing pass, catching those last few pesky errors.

Overall, a good bet for anyone who enjoys books in this genre. A fun and engaging read!

3.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "The Fear" by Julio Angel Ortiz

2011-03-06T23:33:00.001-10:00

Charlotte awakens in the middle of the night to strange noises and voices in her room. But it isn't really her room, and the two unknown men in the room seem strangely familiar to her, but they're just as confused as she is. As she searches her memory to try to make sense of her situation, Charlotte realizes she can't remember anything other than her name. She certainly can't remember why she's in a cabin in the middle of an eerily silent forest. Silent, that is, until a terrifying creature comes for a nighttime visit. Repeated attempts by the trio to find civilization are unsuccessful, as they continually find themselves back where they started. When will this terror end?

This short story by Julio Angel Ortiz is immediately engaging as we are drawn into Charlotte's fear and confusion at finding herself in a strange place that feels "wrong" with two men who somehow seem "right." I loved the concept behind this story- there is a psychological aspect that was full of potential and offered a lot to think about. The very last conversation between the main characters was really fitting to the story and provided nice closure on the major theme.

The length and format of this story give ample room for the storyline to be fleshed out more completely. I wanted more explanation of certain things; in particular "where" this place was, and more about the role of the Waroo. I think I was most confused by the part of the Waroo in the story. I got the impression that there was something mythological and spiritual about him, but it wasn't completely clear. The question that most haunted me- what and where exactly this place was- was never really answered satisfactorily, and that left me a little cold. I also wanted to know more about Roger and his motivations. I understand what he shared with us, but it wasn't quite enough to satisfy me. The final scenes felt somewhat rushed to me, as Noah made some jumps to a conclusion that I had a little trouble initially following.

I think the overall idea is solid and entertaining, as well as thought-provoking, but more meat to the story would really help bring the theme home more definitively. Adding more to the story would also allow for stronger character development. We are given glimpses of the character's personalities, especially through their actions and dreams, but I think allowing more suspense to build would allow us to get to know the characters better and ratchet up our anxiety, making the story even more effective.

Overall, an intriguing concept and a fun read--

3 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords

REVIEW: "The Goblin Brothers Adventures" by Lindsay Buroker

2011-03-05T10:57:00.001-10:00

Malagach and Gortok are brothers. Goblin brothers, that is. Smart and literate, they are quite unusual in their village, and often the target of Zakrog and his gang of bullies. Gortok is the inventor of the two, always coming up with amazing new tools to use. Malagach is a bit of an "idea boy," and he makes a great assistant for his younger brother. Together, they find themselves in some crazy dilemmas, and it takes every bit of knowledge and ingenuity they have to get themselves right back out!

Written as a middle-grade book, this collection of adventures by Lindsay Buroker is entertaining and fun for all ages. The writing style offers a good combination of easy-to-understand language along with higher level words that will challenge younger readers. It's the type of story that will entice reluctant readers to learn new vocabulary while providing an engaging story for more advanced younger readers. The mix of simple sentence structure with more complex structures is a great technique to appeal to many levels of reading. Some middle-grade books feel a bit mind-numbing to an adult, but that was not true in this case. I know my own kids would enjoy it as much as I did. The world that is presented to us is an adventure in itself. We are able to explore the relationships between goblins, humans, orcs, and other creatures, enticing our imaginations while providing entertainment.

The brothers themselves are utterly engaging and fun, with good characterization. The dialogue between them really helps establish each brother's personality. I really liked the fact that the brothers were always on the lookout for new books, and were interested in new math and science facts. Other characters are brought in as concerns the plot, and each personality presented is quite distinct and well-defined. Although all the stories are about the brothers, there isn't a lot in the way of continuity between stories. Each adventure stands alone nicely, which can be a draw for this age group. Some chapters provide a little more backstory into the brothers' lives and some are much more adventuresome than some others. Each story presents a challenge for the brothers to overcome. I found myself more engaged in some of the stories than in others, with one story in particular much less appealing to me than the rest.

Overall, a wonderful adventure with universal appeal!

4.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

You can read more about the Goblin Brothers and their Adventures on their website!

REVIEW: "Vestal Virgin" by Suzanne Tyrpak

2011-03-03T23:35:00.002-10:00

Taken from her home when still a child, Elissa is a revered Vestal Virgin. Somewhat sequestered from the rest of Roman society, educated and powerful in ways that are different from other women of the time, Elissa struggles between doing what is expected of her and dealing with her strong emotions of longing towards one man and hatred towards another. When her brother and sister become part of the drama that surrounds Elissa, she must fight with every bit of her being in order to survive the perilous future laid out before her.

With a fluid writing style, Suzanne Tyrpak has created a gripping tale that immerses you in another time and culture. From the very beginning, I was pulled into the storyline. The plot is well-paced, with excellent timing on the introduction of characters and situations. Initially, more time is spent getting to know the various characters, and the pace picks up in sync with the increasing tension. Throughout the story, we follow the characters as their lives become inextricably intertwined. Each character plays a very important part in the overall story, and they are very well-developed and interesting in their own right. Although the storyline focuses upon Elissa as she struggles to put her world right, the supporting characters are no minor parts. On the contrary, they are just as engaging and complex as Elissa herself.

The ending was artfully written, providing both closure and peace. My only real quibble is that I felt the story of Flavia was unfinished. As the story of Elissa was more complete and offered more closure, the ending for Flavia seemed incomplete by comparison and I felt as though there was a bothersome, dangling thread. Although not the main character, Flavia played such an important role that the incompleteness of her tale left me wanting more. Although they were several scenes involving "deviant sex," as the official blurb calls it, they were so skillfully integrated and told suggestively rather than with explicit detail, and they added to the overall story. This tale was truly about Elissa's journey to save herself and her family and to carve out a bit of happiness along the way, and everything in this story supported that theme.

Altogether, a beautifully written story from a very talented author!

4.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Update: The author has indicated that there is more to come with regards to Flavia's experience. That will be coming in the next installment! I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out...

PHOTOS: Around International Fountain, Seattle Center

2011-03-01T22:21:00.000-10:00

I was a little obsessed with trying to capture the Space Needle and the water coming from the fountain! I think I succeeded in capturing the idea that I was obsessed, if nothing else.

Teaser Tuesday!

2011-02-28T22:23:00.000-10:00

This is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules-- Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser:

“How do you think Marcus would

feel,” she said, “if he saw what you are doing? If he knew you

planned to bed the man who murdered him?"

page 166, "Vestal Virgins" by Suzanne Tyrpak

(Review coming soon!)

GIVEAWAY! Win a FREE copy of "Alison Wonderland" by Helen Smith

2011-02-27T11:43:00.001-10:00

My name's Alison Temple and I used to have this line when people asked me if I'm married. I'd say, 'I'm waiting for Mr Wonderland and when I find him I'll get married. Until then I'm staying single.' The kind of people who need to know whether or not you're married don't see the humor in a joke like that.

I was married once, for a while. I thought my husband was cheating on me. Sometimes he was late home and I'd stand at the bedroom window and watch the street. I'd lean against the window frame and press my forehead against the window in despair and I'd wonder, who do you love more than me? In darkness, in silence, I'd wait until I saw him turn the corner on his way home. Then I'd go and lie in bed - waxwork, expressionless features; heavy, bloodless limbs. It was like one of those hospital nightmares where you have enough anaesthetic to stop you moving or screaming, but not enough to stop you feeling pain. I would just lie there, closing my eyes to stop the giddy feeling that I supposed was anger but was really relief that he was home at all. I was never sure which of us I hated more. Nothing tied me to him - not money, children, or even much of a shared history. Just a sunny day and a white dress. I stayed because I didn't want to leave, but I hated him for not loving me more than anyone else. I stood at the window and I wondered, who do you love more than me? I never asked the question out loud.

Helen Smith has a unique and clever writing style that makes her characters jump from the pages right into your mind. I'm thrilled to be able to offer one lucky winner a digital copy of "Alison Wonderland." I recently reviewed this book, and it comes recommended by me- what more could you ask? (Read my review here.)

As always, no need to send money or homemade chocolate chip cookies (my favorite) or twitter about this (although I'd love it if you did!); I just don't have the patience to do the little +1 thing and double check that everyone's done as promised. Just leave a comment on this post with your email address and format preference (available as: kindle gift, epub, prc or lrf), and cross your fingers and toes that you are the lucky winner!

Good luck!

GIVEAWAY ENDS MARCH 17th, 2011!

REVIEW: "The Talisman of Elam" by Jim Mastro

2011-02-27T10:29:00.000-10:00

Jason Hunter’s got your typical problems. His parents relocated him to a new city, where he promptly made bad by coming to the aid of a geeky boy and getting himself on the jock “hit list.” Speaking of his parents, they’ve been acting a little, well, distant lately, and then there’s the question of the crazy new neighbors who seem to be spying on him. When he chooses to follow them one night, he makes a discovery that forevers changes what he thinks of himself, his friends, and his family.

A middle grade novel by Jim Mastro, this book has action and adventure that holds particular appeal for its intended age group. Jason is a believable 12-year-old boy who finds strengths he never knew he had as he pulls together with his friends to find his parents and, basically, save Earth. The adventure takes us into space to visit other planets with advanced civilizations, and introduces us to a federation we never knew existed. The three children in this book, Jason, Kevin and Amelia, are engaging and nicely developed. Each has a distinct personality, and each is valuable to the storyline in his or her own way. Jason may be the star of the story, but his two friends are equally important to the outcome. Shalan, one of the aliens who has a particular interest in protecting Jason, fades a little into the background, which may be fitting for a book geared towards pre-adolescents. The kids are really the stars, and the adults have their place, but are truly secondary.

Nicely paced, the storyline flows fluidly through several settings and builds up to its finale, which is really just the beginning of the planned trilogy. Although it's just the first installment, the book provides closure, while still setting the stage for the next adventure. One theme in this book relates to the power of children, and this theme is something I always enjoyed when I was in this age group. The idea that an unpopular pre-teen actually has the power to change the world, to do amazing things, and to be so important is an idea that empowers and excites those in this age group. It's the classic story of the underdog making good, in ways that may surprise any who didn't believe in him. This is the first novel for the author, who has been writing predominantly non-fiction for decades. It's a great first jump into a trilogy that is sure to find fans in all age groups. The writing is appropriate for the age level, overall. There were a few instances where the dialogue was a little awkward or unbelievable, but it seemed to ring true for the most part. Some of the adults are more two-dimensional and less believable, but that only puts the spotlight even more on the kids. The ending seemed slightly rushed and perhaps a tad confusing after all the build-up in the story, but it didn't detract from the overall experience.

Very kid-friendly, this book is sure to appeal- especially to those interested in science fiction and space travel.

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

You can also read chapters for FREE on the book's website!

REVIEW: "Isn't It Necromantic?" by C. I. Bond

2011-02-26T21:05:00.000-10:00

Cassie's a little different than your average chick. She's got all your typical problems (no boyfriend, no family, no real motivation in life), but she's got another problem that isn't the norm: Cassie has no soul. She does, however, have an additional skill that most people don't have, which makes her very valuable to those conspiring to create (or thwart) evil. Since Cassie's not even sure what she really is and who she'd fit in with, she tries to stay low and avoid detection. Unfortunately, that's hard to do- she seems to attract the very creatures she's trying to avoid. As she deals with various "others," ranging from witches and werewolves to vampires and demons (and even several in the "twice damned" category), her special skill becomes known and Cassie finds herself quite popular indeed. Not such a great thing, in this case. With a future that's shaky and a knack for finding trouble, will Cassie come out of this intact?

Written by C. I. Bond, this book reminded me of a Sookie Stackhouse book, but with a slightly darker edge (perhaps more like the TV series adaptation, True Blood). It was a quick and fun read, with plenty of adventure and humor, and introduction to several interesting characters. Cassie's character is zany and hapless in much the same way as Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum. Cassie goes from one crazy situation straight to the heart of another, often with amusing results. She's likable and is developed enough that you get a good feel for her quirks.

Although fairly engaging, the story itself doesn't have a lot of depth to it. The transitions from scene to scene are sometimes awkward, and most of the characters are only as developed as is necessary. The writing style is sometimes clumsy, but it is definitely in line with the quirky nature of the book. I know the author has been actively searching out typos and the like, as she wants to be sure she has an error-free book. I very strongly support that effort; all books should be well-edited, in my opinion, regardless of the type of publishing. That being said, there are still just over a handful of errors in the pages. Not enough to totally detract, but noticeable nonetheless.

Overall, this book achieves its aim; it's a fun, sometimes wacky, ride into a fascinating and crazy world.

3 /5 stars

Available at Amazon

REVIEW: "The Hawk and His Boy" by C. H. Bunn

2011-02-20T10:18:00.002-10:00

Hidden away in a tower, there is a wooden box, engraved with an ugly carving of a hawk. Sealed shut by magical forces, its owner has no idea what's inside, but is determined to open it. Equally determined to get his hands on this box, a mysterious stranger hires a group of thieves to steal the box. Jute is the right boy for the job, bypassing magical wards and making his way through the house to retrieve the box. But things don't go quite as planned when he unexpectedly opens the lid and touches the object inside. Now he's on the run and has to decide who he can trust...can he trust the voice he now hears in his head, or is that another trick?

The first book in the "Tormay Trilogy" by Christopher Bunn, this intriguing story is full of magical spells, wizards, and evil darkness. With a fluid, engaging writing style that matches the genre of book nicely, this story takes us on an adventure through this magical kingdom. The ending nicely sets up the second book in the trilogy, tying up only the most general of threads so we are compelled to look to the next book to find out more.

With a bevy of unique and interesting characters, you really become interested in the backstories of each character. You get the feeling they are all connected in some way, but very few of those connections are made clear in this installment. I would have liked a little more closure and a little more direction as to the connections between all these characters. At times, it seemed there were too many to keep up with, and without those connections it's sometimes hard to keep track of them. You just get into one character's story when you are introduced to another, and another, and another. Jute seems to be the main character, but I wanted more information on his connection to the hawk. I also wanted more backstory on Levoreth; much is hinted, and it's enough to make you really wonder who she is, exactly, and what she can do. Although I think the set up for the second book is good, I just wanted more satisfaction in this first book with regards to the information gained. It's definitely piqued my interest!

Overall, a really good first installment, one that prepares you for the second in the series from this talented author.

4 /5 stars

Available on Amazon

GIVEAWAY! Enter to win your very own digital copy of "Whom God Would Destroy" by Commander Pants

2011-02-17T20:33:00.000-10:00

WHEN GOD DECIDES TO MESS WITH HUMANITY AGAIN,

HE RUNS INTO A FEW KINKS HE DIDN'T FORESEE...

The Official Blurb:

It's 1987, and "God" has returned to Earth. Equipped with a new message and a bell that makes people happy, he opens up a new age store, ready to have a little fun. Luckily, things don't turn out quite like He'd planned.

Whom God Would Destroy is a thought provoking novel about God, insanity, Big Macs, space aliens and the search for the Ultimate Orgasm...But mostly it's about taking reality with a pillar of salt.

You can get your very own digital copy of Whom God Would Destroy by Commander Pants! It's FREE and easy-- no facebooking, twittering, dancing naked on a roof, or giving away your firstborn necessary*! Just leave a comment on this post with your email address and your preference of a Kindle version gifted or a PDF of your very own.

One lucky winner will be randomly chosen after the contest closes on March 5th. Will you be the lucky one who gets to find out all the secrets about God, insanity Big Macs, space aliens and the like? Only one way to find out... enter now!

*you're more than welcome to do any of those things, but please stay off my roof, and I already have a firstborn.

If you've just *got* to have this book TODAY and you can't wait to see if you've won, buy your very own copy at Amazon right now! If you're a little hesitant and you'd rather see what others have said about this book FIRST, read some reviews here! I'll be adding a review of my own as soon as I manage to carve the time to get through that wonderful list of books I have to read. But don't wait for me- get your own copy and write your own review!

REVIEW: "Exchange" by Dale R. Cozort

2011-02-16T23:13:00.001-10:00

Sharon Mack has volunteered to help with the latest "exchange" happening in her town of Rockport. She's heard stories of what this alternate dimension contains: deadly monkeys, huge bears, out-of-place kangaroos, and various other strange and deadly creatures. If she can survive the two weeks until this block of land is returned to its own dimension, then she'll be in good shape. Unfortunately, she hadn't counted on her violent exhusband kidnapping their special needs daughter, or her repeated encounters with the convicts who had managed to escape to this alternate world during an exchange two years ago. Add in the mysterious cult members and some marines, and Sharon has a lot more to contend with than she expected. What will happen when the dimensions exchange places again? In which dimension will Sharon stay?

Written by Dale R. Cozort, this novel contains a truly unique concept- that of periodic "exchanges" of land with an alternate dimension. With just a day or so of preparation time, these exchanges may be routine, but they are fraught with immense danger and interesting potential. I loved this concept! It's fascinating to think of the possibilities in alternate dimensions colliding on a periodic basis. The repercussions of huge tracts of land in different dimensions "exchanging" with one another are potentially devastating for both dimensions. This concept is truly the strongest point of this novel, and the underlying storyline does maintain interest level until the end. You won't know in which dimension Sharon remains until the last few pages, and you just may be surprised at what you find out.

Although I really enjoyed the overall idea behind the book, there were several things I didn't like about the story. The characters didn't feel well-rounded to me, and the dialogue didn't ring true. I felt that almost any piece of dialogue (with the exception of Bethany's short blurbs) could have be said by a number of other characters. I didn't get a good feel for characters by the things they said. So much of the novel consists of conversation back and forth, so it was difficult to immerse myself into this novel when the characters sounded so much like one another to me. I didn't get a lot of emotional depth from the characters, and that left the characters feeling one-dimensional and unrealistic. Additionally, the matter-of-fact dialogue tended to mask some of the quick changes in scene with various characters entering and exiting, and I found myself rereading passages in several places to get a grip on what had just happened.

The plot is full of twists and turns- so many that you just sort of give up on doing any guessing, and just read the words on the page. There is a twist at the end that is very unexpected and really thought-provoking, but I felt the details behind this twist were explained too many times by too many people. I think tightening up the conversations between characters, some of the twists, and making the ending more succinct would have made this book more powerful. Overall, I love the concept behind this story, and that made it worth the read to me.

3 /5 stars

Available at Amazon and Stairway Press

Check out the author's blog: http://dalecoz.livejournal.com/

REVIEW: "The Black God's War" by Moses Siregar III

2011-02-15T17:53:00.003-10:00

A day of wondrous glory, a day of devastating despair. A long-awaited, holy child is born and minutes later his mother dies. Lucia, his 10-year-old sister, is the only one who can see Lord Danato, the god who takes their mother's life. Nothing in Lucia's own life will never be the same again. Haunted by regular visitations from Lord Danato, and living in the shadow of her holy brother, Lucia must find her place in the world. 19 years later, Lucia's father, King Vieri is leading the Rezzia people in war against the Pawelon people. Caio and Lucia have very important roles to play in the future of the Rezzia people, and they wonder if the cause is worth the death toll that will certainly follow.

A novella by Moses Siregar III, the story opens with a scene that pulls you in at once. I was immediately sympathetic to Lucia and very curious about Lord Danato. We are given just enough context to pique our interest and help us understand the people of this time, but we are still left wanting more. This novella consists of 15 of the early chapters of a planned 85 chapter novel (to be released in May 2011), and it's an intriguing taste of what is to come. The characterization in this story is fitting to the length, but I was curious to know more about the main characters. Some characters we get to know a bit better while we are only given a taste of others. The full book promises a more in-depth exploration of some of the characters, particularly the Pawelon people (to whom we are only given a brief introduction). Gaining more perspective on where the Pawelons stand will really help to round out the story and draw us further in.

Well-paced and fluid, the writing style is engaging and descriptive. I really got a feel for the time period and the surroundings. There is more to the story than it seems; I noted religious undertones that brought to mind stories of a biblical nature. I hope the actual novel capitalizes on this as one of its themes without being preachy or blatant. I'm excited to know more about the journey of the Pawelons, as well as hopefully get more backstory on Lucia and what it was like for her and Caio to grow up a part of this legend.

I felt the ending wasn't really satisfying by itself; it left me feeling let down. As a stand-alone novel, I wanted more. As a "teaser" to a full-length novel, it works to prepare you for the rest of the story. Knowing that there will be a book that will take this same story and push it further, while giving me more backstory on the Pawelon people, I'm excited to read more!

4 /5 stars

FREE at Smashwords Also available at Amazon

update: I chose to put this review up at Cym Lowell's "Book Review Party!" Check it out :)

REVIEW: "I Hate Chicago" by Nick Vandermolen

2011-02-14T19:52:00.000-10:00

Nick moves from small-town Michigan to Chicago to be with friends and figure out the next step of his life. When he gets there, he realizes he's been disillusioned all along, and the "metropolis" is not all that it pretends to be. In a journey of self-reflection, Nick tries to come to terms with his choices and his fears.

Part memoir, part rant on the evils of metropolis, and part research trove of pop psychology, "I Hate Chicago" reads like a self-help therapy session for author Nick Vandermolen. With short blurbs chronicling his experiences in Chicago intermixed with more extensive sections detailing the fallacies of city life (backed by actual research), it's difficult to pigeonhole this book into a category. The writing is, at times, rambling straight from the brain (replete with run-on sentences and confusing trains of thought), and at other times, consists of more structured lists delineating and debunking the myths of city life.

Starting off very slow and somewhat directionless, the actual content of the story starts to make a little more sense about 1/3 the way through. Underneath it all, it's a journey of awakening and growth, but it's sometimes difficult to see through all the maundering to the meat beneath. Add to that the serious need for another editing pass (apostrophes where they don't belong and missing in many places they do belong, lots of homophone errors- it's/its, their/there, whose/who's, etc., comma neglect and other proofreading errors), and the ride is a sometimes convoluted path to the finale.

In spite of the shortcomings, there was still some grain that kept me reading to the end. Maybe it was the vulnerability of the main character or the hope that he would find his way through this evil metropolis, or maybe it was an interest in the facts that supported the assertions of a messed-up society... whatever it was, it kept me reading all 84 pages.

2 /5 stars

Available at Nanbunan Publishing and Amazon

REVIEW: "A New Birth of Freedom: The Visitor" by Robert G. Pielke

2011-02-13T00:01:00.000-10:00

Edwin Blair, a professor of history who specializes in the figures and events of the 1800s, has been taxed with journeying back in time from 2203 to 1863 to stop alien invaders (known as "Pests") from taking over the world. In order to do this, he has to carefully concoct a plan that is believable, alters history as little as possible, and still succeeds in stopping the monstrous, locus-like insects from decimating the world. To add to this difficulty, the country is in the middle of a civil war, and he needs the efforts of both factions to be successful. Armed only with his extensive knowledge of this era, a computer, and an alien device that can do more than he even suspects, Blair is on a journey of a lifetime. If he is unsuccessful, it may be his last journey, and he may never even exist to take it.

A clever mix of genres, this book by Robert G. Pielke combines historical fact with speculative fiction to create an alternate history. In the 2200s, an alien species has invaded the Earth and left nothing but destruction in its path. Even the advanced technology of the future is not enough to successfully battle these creatures. With some ingenuity and a touch of luck, the humans of the era have managed to send the aliens' ships back in time to the battle of Gettysburg, where it is hoped sheer manpower and less advanced technological weapons will be able to do what the future armies cannot- destroy these invaders. The characters in the story are nicely written. Pielke has taken many key historical figures and given them life so we can imagine them off the page. We are privy to many of Blair's private thoughts about his task and what he knows of these historical figures, which adds a nice touch in rounding out the characterization. Even the aliens gain some humanism along the way.

Rich with historical facts, including some little-known gems, this books offers an education along with real entertainment. I thought the intermixing of the two was masterful in concept, but occasionally tedious in practice. Because of the sheer amount of history included in the story, the story dragged at times. I found the storyline quite riveting and I was anxious to discover what would happen, but there seemed to be a little too much talking back and forth, with the same questions being asked time and again of Blair. At one point, I thought the entire story would perhaps take place inside one room, with the characters merely discussing back and forth, but was relieved when we had a scene change. The ending sets the perfect stage for the second installment in the series, and my interest in most certainly piqued.

4 /5 stars

Available at Amazon and Altered Dimensions Press

REVIEW: "The Only Thing I See" by Jessica Barksdale Inclan

2011-02-12T12:24:00.000-10:00

Annabelle is a wedding photographer. She has a talent for capturing other people's happiness, but has trouble recognizing her own. When she herself becomes engaged, she starts "seeing" the future happiness (or unhappiness) of the lovestruck couples she photographs. The only problem is, she can't seem to see the truth in the relationship right in front of her. With the unintentional nudges of her best friend and her quirky mom, Annabelle finds herself taking a philosophical journey she just wasn't quite ready to take. She can't see herself through her camera lens, but perhaps she can see finally herself through the reflection of the two people who mean the most to her.

I really had fun with this tale by Jessica Barksdale Inclan, devouring it in short order. The characters of Annabelle, her best friend (Khalie), and her mother (Ramona) are all well-developed and quite engaging. Easy to read and utterly charming, it's effortless to become absorbed in this tale of emotional growth overlaid in romantic tones. Although the ending is predictable, it's still satisfying as you wait for Annabelle to finally realize what you've known the whole time. It's a feel-good tale that will leave you with a happy sigh, content that things are right with the world.

There were a few more than a handful of typos in the story- not super distracting, but still noticeable. The storyline flows along fairly smoothly; there are a few bumps for Annabelle along the way, but not really that "gasp" moment present in some books of this genre. I may have preferred a bit more conflict along the way to make that neatly tied-up ending even sweeter. I sometimes prefer a bit of ambiguity in an ending, even for a storyline meant to leave you feeling happy and satisfied. Overall, a great read, one that fans of this genre will devour.

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

(If you enjoyed this book, be sure to check out another of this author's books, "Becca's Best." You can read the excerpt I posted this past December. You can also get to know the author a bit better in this YouTube video.)

SIDENOTE: I rarely (if ever) comment on cover art. Honestly, I rarely notice it at all for digital books. Unlike paper books, where cover (and spine) art is what initially draws me to an unknown book, I just don't pay much attention to a digital book's cover image. However, in this case, something about this cover just seems wrong to me. It's not a bad cover, I just feel it's a mismatch for the content of the book. I feel like this cover, coupled with the official blurb, gives the impression of something a little paranormal and slightly "dark" or mysterious, but the actual book is much more a chick lit-type romance, without the excessive silliness or "bubble gum" feeling some of those books have. To be clear, the cover art doesn't weigh in on my book review or rating in any fashion, but I felt compelled to comment on it, just the same.

REVIEW: "Leviathan" by Zachary Harper

2011-02-11T20:48:00.000-10:00

Hero lives a blessed life. He is married to the woman of his dreams, his strength is legendary, and he is revered the world round. When Death comes to kill his love, Beauty, and change his perfect world into one of pain and loss, Hero is set on vengeance. With some prompting from the Snake, Hero sets out to exact his revenge on God Himself.

An epic poem by Zachary Harper, in the style of "Beowulf," "Leviathan" is a "parable of modern man's response to the guilt and pain of death." During Hero's journey to avenge his loss, he affects change in a number of ways. His mind focused on his mission, he doesn't even notice whose lives are altered by his actions. When Hero eventually finds his way to Leviathan, the meeting doesn't go quite as planned, leaving the reader to think about what it all was for. It also offers the opportunity to think of how Hero's journey relates to your own life, as I found myself reflecting on my own journey.

Although I studied "Beowulf" back in high school, this is admittedly not my typical genre choice for reading material. That being said, it was a refreshing experience to engage in this poetic tale. I particularly liked the last chapter and thought it fitting closure to the adventure. For fans of this genre, or if you're ready to try out a new type of adventure, this is a good bet.

4 /5 stars

Available on Smashwords

REVIEW: "The Discovery of Socket Greeny" by Tony Bertauski

2011-02-10T20:58:00.000-10:00

Socket Greeny is just your typical teen. Sure, he's got his problems- his dad died years ago and his mom is largely absent from his life, flitting in and out as her work permits- but he has a few close friends that keep him going. He attends school, hangs out, and plugs in to the virtual world whenever possible. In short, just an average guy. Or so he thought. During one particularly exciting virtual adventure, something happens that changes Socket's life forever. Now he's forced to confront the fact that he's not your typical teen at all, and the key to saving the world from virtual evil may actually lie within Socket himself.

Written by Tony Bertauski for a young adult readership, "The Discovery of Socket Greeny" is an engaging foray into a world of technology and possibilities. There are quite a few fascinating concepts thrown into this story, with intriguing results. The setting is a world not unlike our current world, but with a higher level of technology, particularly in the area of virtual reality. What if people could duplicate themselves in the virtual world, and somehow then leave that world and take up residence amongst humans? What if the line between the virtual world and the real world wasn't as solid as we thought? What if there came a time when people couldn't even tell if you were virtual or real? What if you weren't even sure yourself?

Socket is your typical teenager in terms of behavior and motivations. He just wants to hang out with his girlfriend and his best friend, and he's full of the normal teenage attitude you'd expect from a sixteen-year-old. You get a good feel for the main characters in the story, and it's easy to imagine them. Some of the secondary characters are not quite as well developed, and the more mechanical characters can be a bit confusing. There are a lot of characters to follow in this story, and most are important to the storyline. It also takes a bit to get a good grip on the types of things possible in this world and the vocabulary that goes along with it.

Throughout the book, there are starts and stops in terms of Socket's progression through the discovery of his powers and the use of those powers. Sometimes, particularly during the climax of the book, those starts and stops seemed too much. Every time I felt as if the action was over for a bit and we were in a lull, it wasn't- we were still in the thick of things. For me it had the effect of breaking up the action and making that climax much less powerful. Additionally, it made for some confusion in the plot events. It felt like things were repeating themselves, and I got a little lost in the action.

Overall, this is sure to be an engaging tale for teenage readers, as well as science fiction/fantasy readers of all ages.

3.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Teaser Tuesday!

2011-02-07T21:26:00.001-10:00

This is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules-- Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser:

"Duplicating is illegal, in any form or fashion, read our virtualmode code laws: Any attempt to duplicate your identity, whether for business, recreation or just plain whatever, is not allowed under any circumstances. Period, the end."

page 16, "The Discovery of Socket Greeny" by Tony Bertauski

(Review coming soon!)

GIVEAWAY! Win a FREE Digital copy of "Dark Passages" by Sara Reinke!

2011-02-06T23:36:00.000-10:00

I am thrilled to be giving away one free digital copy of "Dark Passages" by Sara Reinke. This is a paranormal romance. I have recently enjoyed reviewing another of Sara Reinke's books, "Backwoods." (Read my review here!) I am looking forward to reviewing "Dark Passages," and you can get your very own copy! With a release date of February 14th, this is your chance to get the book hot off the digital presses! Easy to enter, details are at the end of this post!

(The following is from the author's promotional material)

In Dark Passages, Tristan Morin is a vampire on a mission: to not fall in love with Karen Pierce. To do so would prove that humans and Brethren were meant to be physically and emotionally bound to each other -- something he, as a full-blooded Brethren, refuses to believe. It would be so much easier if Karen wasn't beautiful. And if there wasn't something about her that draws him like a moth to a flame, damn near impossible to resist.

Karen has always felt an inexplicable attraction to Tristan. More than just the fact he's strikingly handsome, it's as if being with him is something natural, comfortable and right. But soon a brash choice on his part leaves her heartbroken and confused, and a sadistic new enemy will put their tentative love -- and their lives -- to the ultimate test.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Sharon Sala calls Dark Passages: Tristan & Karen "an amazing read! With a hero like this one, the bite -- and what comes with it -- is worth the blood."

Sara Reinke's paranormal romances, Dark Thirst and Dark Hunger (both published by Kensington/Zebra in 2007 and 2008, respectively), introduced readers to the dark world of the Brethren vampires. A third installment, Dark Passion, was released from Double Dragon Publishing in 2009.

To date, all three have sold nearly 40,000 copies combined and regularly attract new readers. Because of this steady reader interest, the author has decided to continue the series. Dark Passages: Tristan & Karen, a novella-length ebook installment, will relaunch The Brethren Series on February 14th, 2011 .

In August, 2011, the next installment, Dark Vengeance, will be released in ebook and trade paperback, reuniting readers with Brandon Noble and Angelina Jones, the protagonists from Dark Thirst. Both Dark Passages and Dark Vengeance will be published by Bloodhorse Press, LLC (www.bloodhorsepress.com), the new home for the Brethren Series.

Entering is easy!

Just leave a comment on this post with your email address.

The winner will be chosen by a random draw when the contest closes on February 21st, 12am Hawai'i time.

The winner will receive a Smashwords coupon and instructions on how to redeem it for a free digital copy that can be read on any ereading device (Sony, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, etc), or even right on your computer!

Enter now! :)

REVIEW: "Velvet Ball and the Broken Fairy" by Patricia Puddle

2011-02-06T23:03:00.001-10:00

Having recovered from a serious illness, Velvet now has alopecia, which means she has no hair on her body. New to her school, Velvet is the the butt of many jokes and a favorite target for the class bully. Running through Crabtree forest one day in an attempt to escape her tormentors, Velvet hears a voice in a tree. Looking up, she is surprised to see a small doll-like creature hanging upside down, stuck in a branch. After being promised a wish if she saves her, Velvet manages to free her from the tree. Velvet discovers the creature is Roseberry, the "fairy" of the forest. Rude and demanding, Roseberry isn't what Velvet imagines for a fairy, but they form an unconventional friendship that takes them incredible places. Along the way, both discover things about themselves that will forever change the way others view them, and even the way they view themselves.

Written for a young audience, Patricia Puddle's book tackles many issues with which younger readers may be familiar, most notably being different, being the target of teasing and bullying, and the strong desire to have a special secret. Velvet is a sweet character, and younger readers will delight in her personality. A loyal and trustworthy friend, she stands up to cruelty with honor. Roseberry is not your typical fairy, but her character changes and develops in a way that will engage readers. Youngsters will relate to the frustration both characters feel of not quite being "right" somehow, and they will be captivated by the changes the characters undergo. Although not deeply explored, the characters are pleasant and interesting.

I loved the overall storyline. The idea that even "fairies" may not have it perfect will resonate with readers. It is commendable how Velvet handles her adversaries and deals with her own differences. Clever storyline and interesting characters aside, I was a little torn with what to think of the actual writing style. The main character, Velvet, is nine years old, and the story struck me as being perfectly appropriate for the 8-12-year-old range (and older). However, even for that age level, I felt the overall writing style was a little awkward and the dialogue somewhat stiff. Although I loved the plot, I felt somehow disconnected from the overall story.

A good read for children of all ages!

3 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "Fruitbasket From Hell" by Jason Krumbine

2011-02-04T21:16:00.001-10:00

Alex Cheradon is a PI. He tries to stay off paranormal cases (vampires and the like), but they seem to find him anyway. His latest case offers him a new twist on Hell on Earth as he's hired to track down the whereabouts of Nevada Raines, daughter of the computer billionaire, Steven Raines. After a run-in with a bloodthirsty vampire, Alex is glad to have a case that put a million dollars immediately in his pocket and wasn't likely to involve the undead. Unfortunately, there's just the little matter of the Satanist cult, a vampire nest, and a little visitor named "Pookie" to contend with. If Alex can stay alive long enough, he just may save the world.

With a certain quirkiness reminiscent of Janet Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" series, Jason Krumbine has created a bizarre cast of characters: Alex, the Private Investigator who manages to stumble through cases by pure luck, Nicky, the metrosexual secretary who is more interested in clothing choices than cases, Christian, the not-quite-alive ex-partner who seems hell-bent on killing Alex (well, it's not Christian's idea, it's those pesky voices), Angie, the ex who gets hired to be Alex's bodyguard but just may want to kill him herself, and all the wacky clients who hire Alex under false pretenses. The plot is a frenzied and outlandish race as Alex tries to find Nevada in time to save the world from Pookie.

Written like a rambling from someone's brain (complete with frequent and extensive parenthetical comments), the writing style is quirky and somewhat fun at first, but begins to become somewhat grating towards the end. It's difficult to judge the writing style, as the run-on sentences, sentence fragments and oddly formatted sentence structures seem to be created by design, not accident. It's a quick, amusing read, but a bit like being in the brain of someone with an attention disorder. Slightly out of context, there are a few comments that come off as simply racist. I couldn't quite figure out if they were meant to be funny, but they just seemed out of place.

Just compelling enough to keep you reading, "Fruitbasket from Hell" a quick and goofy ride through someone's subconscious.

3 /5 stars

Available from Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

PHOTOS: Water, Revisited

2011-02-03T20:01:00.000-10:00

Currently moving house, and things are crazy and busy! I barely have time for anything this week. I'm almost done with my current read, so look for my next review soon! In the meantime, enjoy these!

REVIEW: "Backwoods" by Sara Reinke

2011-01-31T18:11:00.001-10:00

After a mysterious creature pops out from the trees, Andrew Braddock, a self-claimed "tree counter," crashes his jeep in the midst of the Appalachian mountains. The day started out with a routine research assignment, but is quickly turning bizarre as he fends for his life in a creek. He is quickly pulled to safety by an Army reservist who takes him to a top-secret research facility deep in the Appalachian mountains. As Andrew gets to know these new surroundings, he becomes acquainted with an entrancing nurse, an autistic child, an eccentric scientist, a forceful Major, and a collection of the enlisted, including his very own hero, the alluring Dani. Things are not quite as they seem, and soon Andrew finds himself putting together the pieces to form a truly horrific whole. Will he survive? Will anyone?

This contemporary horror novel by Sara Reinke pulls you in from the beginning and doesn't let you go until the very last page. Along the way, you're given hints as to the big secret at this "top-secret" facility, but the truth is so much worse than you can even imagine. What starts out as a bit of a mystery quickly reveals a truly horrific experiment gone out of control. With nicely developed characters, the story is an easy and colorful read. Andrew finds himself in a few romantic trysts in this story, but the star relationship is the intriguing connection between Alice (the autistic child) and Andrew. The ending offers a nice sense of closure while still leaving the reader guessing as to what may happen- the perfect mix for this type of horror novel. There is suspense and intrigue, with a good dose of gore thrown in for good measure.

I loved the idea behind this story. I can imagine such an event actually taking place in some remote location, as terrifying as it is. I was really drawn in by Andrew's character as we both tried to figure out what was going on. Although the major characters were, for the most part, well-developed, I felt Suzette's character didn't quite have the depth that the storyline required. She was somewhat of a major player, but I didn't quite understand her motivation and why she would take the job that she did, with the history that she had. She felt a little unrealistic compared to the other characters. I think the suspense was nicely done, but the gory "finale" lasted a few too many pages for my taste. Overall, a compelling tale!

4/5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "Black Shadows" by Simon Swift

2011-01-29T10:37:00.000-10:00

New Jersey- 1935. Errol Black finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and something serious is going down. A powerful gangster is killed and this prompts Errol to make a choice that forever changes his relationship with Dyke Spanner, former friend and partner. A decade later, Dyke is found dead, and Errol is on a mission to discover the truth underneath it all. Set within a backdrop of gangsters, violence, and beautiful, conniving women, with many twist and turns along the way, the story mirrors the time period.

A first novel by Simon Swift, "Black Shadows" has all the makings of a good gangster movie. The author does a very nice job of evoking this era, and I could definitely picture the action as it happened. It reminded me of the grainy black and white films with fast-talking detectives, cunning women, and the threat of violence at every turn. For some reason, however, I just could not get into this story. I read the first 100 or so pages (out of 248), and I decided to stop. So instead of my "standard" review, I'm going to comment on the things I noted in the first part of the book, and decline to leave a star rating.

I think the biggest strength of this book was in the imagery and the feel of the narration. The characters fit well into this era- the quintessential models of the period. In spite of the well-developed characterization, I found I really didn't like Errol's character much, and that may have been part of my difficulty in immersing in the story. I just couldn't seem to engage in what was going on. The fast-talking dialogue lacked in commas, which made it difficult for me to follow at times. Some of the missing commas actually changed the meaning and required a second read to be sure of the intention. There were a few typos, and a few punctuation switches (a question mark where a period should be, a period where a question mark should be)- in the first 100 pages, those typos numbered around 5- not excessive, but I can't speak as to the rest of the book.

Fans of the genre will likely enjoy the imagery and storyline of "Black Shadows."

Available at Smashwords

REVIEW: "Luminous and Ominous" by Noah K. Mullette-Gillman

2011-01-26T22:43:00.002-10:00

When Henry gets a disturbing video from a friend in the Peace Corps, he formulates a plan to save a dozen or so of his closest friends from an alien invasion. Gathering the friends turns out to be the first of his problems. After convincing them of the danger, he must plan for how to keep them alive and safe until this danger blows over. Something goes wrong in his plan, and he and two friends are left out in the world to fend against the alien plant life and find a way to escape the "Cornucopia Blue." Does Henry have what it takes to survive? Is it even worth the effort?

Written by Noah K. Mullette-Gillman, this story jumps between the story's present time (2014) and the beginning of the alien plant invasion (2012). I found this a really clever and effective way to tell this tale. The story starts out with Noah and his two surviving friends making their way through the altered landscape, and quickly switches to show the start of the invasion. With two such intriguing introductions to the two time periods, I was immediately engaged. Telling the two parts of the tale concurrently was a great technique to maintain attention, and, with clearly marked chapters and predicatable switches, it's easy to follow both story lines until they connect at the very end. Original and descriptive, it was an appealing tale. Where this story really shines is in the originality of the concept and the imagination involved in creating this alien life form. I could easily picture "Cornucopia Blue," as the plant invasion was christened, and I could almost feel the power of its allure.

Where this story really lacks is in the editing and the writing style. This story could definitely use another editing pass. There were enough errors to be annoying, with typos and some sentences that didn't make sense because of missing words. The writing style itself was very simple. It was written as though geared towards (or written by) a pretty young audience, with trite dialogue and a lack of true depth. I had to do a double check, thinking perhaps this was marketed for a youthful reader. It does make for a fast read, but I felt the writing style was much too simplistic and somewhat immature for a tale that had the potential to be truly intense and wonderful. There were also several points in the story where there was a sudden proliferation of exclamation points (in the narrative as well as the dialogue!), which increased the feel of a juvenile writing style.

The ending tied the two parts of the story together, yet left some ambiguity for the reader to decide what truly happened to Henry and his friends. All in all, not a bad ending. It answers the question of how they got from one half of the story to the other, and it leaves the reader to wonder "what happens next?" Although the ending was ok, I wish there had been a little more. There was a thread throughout the story that started with something Henry's stepdad had said to him: "Are you in a cave, or in the Universe?" Henry thinks of this question at several points throughout the story, but it's conspicuously missing at the end of the book. I think this could really have tied the story together in a way that added depth and left the reader with a greater sense of satisfaction, and made the ambiguous ending stronger.

Overall, a clever and unique tale that I felt was held back by the writing style. The originality and interest level of the storyline itself bumps it up for me to:

3 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Teaser Tuesday!

2011-01-25T20:02:00.001-10:00

This is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules-- Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser:

The hot water had brought the insects inside of her

to incubation. The sluggish bodies slithered over her wet chin and neck, shoulders and breasts.

page 38, "Luminous & Ominous" by Noah Mullete-Gillman

(Look for a review within the next few days!)

REVIEW: "Alison Wonderland" by Helen Smith

2011-01-24T21:21:00.000-10:00

"My name's Alison Temple and I used to have this line when people asked me if I'm married. I'd say, 'I'm waiting for Mr Wonderland and when I find him I'll get married. Until then I'm staying single.' The kind of people who need to know whether or not you're married don't see the humor in a joke like that."

And so begins the tale of Alison Wonderland, a straightforward, amateur detective of sorts who's just trying to find her truth in life. In the meantime, she meanders around, making the best choices she can, and doing what she thinks is right. Alison has a downstairs neighbor who shows his love with poetry- between coming up with the next great invention (my favorite is the clock that makes time go slower or faster, depending upon what you want at the time), a job following and photographing unfaithful men, a crazy and possibly unstable friend, and, oh yeah, there's a man out there dead-set on finding out exactly what Alison knows, which is nothing at all, really.

With witty, straightforward writing, and well-developed characters, Helen Smith has crafted an engaging tale that takes us into Alison's life and thoughts. A big part of the appeal of this book is the sheer enjoyment as we saunter along with Alison, who finds herself in the oddest of situations- on a hillside, watching a man in love with his shig, tracking down an "unfaithful" husband who is actually just trying to make ends meet, helping a friend escape from a club supposedly frequented by singing monks, finding a baby in a box at the edge of the sea... life is never boring in Wonderland.

Written in the present tense with UK spelling and phrasing- including single quote marks for dialogue- some readers may need a few chapters to adjust to the style. I quite enjoyed the style, and was quickly immersed in the story. The tale sort of ambles along, not really intent upon getting anywhere. At times, I found myself wondering if we were really even headed in the same direction as we started. It's really less of an progression towards an end of some sort, and more a study of the characters contained with the pages.There is some growth to be seen in some of the characters, and in Alison's character, in particular. Each bizarre turn spurs Alison on again and we discover more about who she is and what she is becoming through those turns of event. There are several different storylines going on in the story, and they don't all get tied up in neat little packages at the end, but, somehow, the ending is fitting and gives a sense of closure anyway.

Loosely connected, but utterly entertaining, this is a fun read all around.

4/5 stars

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

PHOTOS: Mr. Krispy goes to High Surf

2011-01-23T12:09:00.002-10:00

There's been a lot of high surf here lately, and my very own "Mr. Krispy" went to the ocean and snapped a few awesome shots! I wish I had been out there, but I've been battling a super nasty cold these past few days :( He did a fantastic job in my stead! (be sure to click on them to enlarge- check out the bee in the second-to-last picture! He said he was inspired by some of my shots.)

GIVEAWAY! Enter to win a FREE digital copy of "Terrorlord" by Guido Henkel

2011-01-22T00:47:00.004-10:00

Gothic horror has a new hero! Follow Jason Dark in his exploits as he faces the horrors, the demons, the vampires, the werecreatures, and every other diabolical monster imaginable on behalf of a more civilized world.

Guido Henkel is giving away *five* copies of "Terrorlord," which is Volume 9 of the Jason Dark series. To win this exciting installment, all you need to do is leave a comment below with your name and email address. The author himself will send you a personalized link allowing you to download the story in the format of your choice!

Volume 9: Terrorlord

Conjured from the bowels of the abyss by ancient magic, the Terrorlord has one desire — to open the Seven Gates of Hell and unleash the horrors of the undead upon mankind.
Reliving the nightmares of his youth where an encounter with the Terrorlord left him scarred for life, Jason Dark must once again confront the powerful gatekeeper from Hell before his reach and power spiral out of control. With the help of Siu Lin, the ghost hunter will have to put an end to the Terrorlord's dark reign before he can devour our world in his evil blackness.

Jason Dark Series

"Jason Dark: Ghost Hunter" is a supernatural mystery series that is being published in both print and eBook form by Thunder Peak Publishing, an imprint of media publisher G3 Studios. Though in the gothic horror segment of the market, these books are, in fact, occult detective mysteries targeted at mainstream readers and young adults who enjoy a fast, action-packed read. In his review, Fangoria editor Chris Alexander called the series "a briskly paced pulp fiction throwback full of gothic dread and shivery intrigue" and “a cult of sophisticated fiends who like their terror full of elegant dread and Victorian charm.” High praise indeed, coming from the leading horror magazine in America! What's more "Ghosts Templar," the third installment in the series just won the 2010 Occult Detective Award on occultdetective.com!

Just leave a comment with your email below for your chance to win a copy of this exciting installment!

REVIEW: "The Eye of the Idol" by Paul Dayton

2011-01-21T23:59:00.004-10:00

The Eye of the Idol. An incredible and mesmerizing artifact that has touched the lives of many. An artifact with a story and a history- cursed, perhaps, as those who touch it seem to suffer the consequences. North Korea on the warpath, a luxury ship sunk in the early 1900s, a thief forced to execute his own wife; all seemingly unrelated elements that are somehow connected in the most unusual ways.

Blending fact with fiction, Paul Dayton weaves a tale of intrigue that spans centuries. The author pulls seemingly unrelated pieces of history together in a fictional tale fueled by actual truths. I thought the concept was really interesting, and I was pulled in by the description. I was envisioning an exciting tale filled with historical facts and fascinating ties. I wanted to be drawn into the story, to escape into a fascinating tale of adventure. I really wanted to love this book.

While I was interested in the historical details included in the book, I just couldn't immerse myself in the story. I was confused by some of the exchanges and events in the story; perhaps because the characters all sounded the same to me. The conversations between characters didn't ring true, and I felt the characters were mostly one-dimensional. A lot of historical context gets explained by way of conversation between several RCMP officers, and, although the facts themselves were of interest, the conversation relaying those facts was dry. Adding to my confusion, there were several sentences with entire words missing, and the punctuation (including quotation marks) was incomplete in places-- this story would really benefit from additional editing. Some of the transitions to different time periods in history were clearly defined by chapters and headings, others were not defined at all, leaving me to wonder where in time I was. I felt the characters and the connections needed some more polish and substance. I think the potential is there for this story to be a riveting adventure, and the author has really done his research into these historical events, but the execution fell flat for me.

In the beginning of the story, there were numbers (but not hyperlinks) that I assumed corresponded to endnotes. Later in the text, there were hyperlinks that led to websites with more information. When I got to the endnotes after the epilogue, the notes had no numbers attached. It wasn't easy to see which note went with which item in the story. As I read most of this story on my Sony PRS-505, the endnotes and the hyperlinks were useless to me. I could click on the hyperlinks on my Droid X, and that was nice, but for ereaders with no touchscreen capability, it doesn't serve much purpose. I wish the author would have chosen either endnotes or hyperlinks: I vote hyperlinks, even though I couldn't access them on my 505, as they are less obtrusive. Endnotes make me feel I'm reading a history book, and this was meant to be a fictional tale with historical facts embedded. If I'm reading a novel, I don't want to be flipping back and forth (a frustrating task on an ereader, in particular). A hyperlink I can ignore or follow (if my device supports it).

In short, a great concept with real possibility, but it just didn't do it for me. Add in the need for further editing, and I gave this:

2.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Update: The author is working to hammer out the kinks I noted. I have a deep admiration for authors who take feedback seriously and take those thoughts into account. Some of the issues I noted with endnotes and such are to do with what's allowed by the publishing platform.