REVIEW: "The Gods of Dream" by Daniel Arenson

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)

Teaser Tuesdays!

 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

REVIEW: "Qi" by Elizabeth A. Svigar

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: "The Salbine Sisters" by Sarah Ettritch

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: "Servant of the Lich" by Chris Wilmsmeyer

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: "The Goblin Brothers Adventures" by Lindsay Buroker

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

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

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

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: "The Discovery of Socket Greeny" by Tony Bertauski

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

REVIEW: "The Quest for Nobility" by Debra L. Martin and David W. Small

Darius and Dyla Telkur are royal twins from the duchy of Telkur. They are imbued with psychic gifts (as all royals are) and live a charmed life... until tragedy strikes. When their parents, the Duke and Duchess of Telkur, are implicated in a dastardly smuggling ring and presumed dead, the twins' uncle, Avikar, takes over the royal duties until the twins are of age. What the twins don't know is that Avikar has his sights set on the Dukedom, and will stop at nothing to get it. A mistimed attempt on the twins' lives results in yet another tragedy, and the blame falls to the twins. Their attempts to win back their duchy and clear their family's name takes them on an exciting adventure to places they never imagined. Time is running short; will they be able to prove their innocence and that of their parents in time to regain control of the royal title and their duchy?

Written by the collaborative team of  Debra L. Martin and David W. Small, this fantasy tale is highly imaginative and quite engaging. The authors transitioned to new settings and events by beginning each chapter with a "quote" from the "Chronicles of Otharia." It is in this way the readers are introduced to the rules and customs of the Otharian people. Each quote is paired well with a chapter that demonstrates the quoted information.  I found this to be a really effective way to prepare us for what was to happen in the chapter, and supply us with information without having to spell it out in the narrative. It helped tie together a story that was somewhat lacking a smooth flow in events and storyline. The writing, overall, seemed somewhat inconsistent to me, almost as if different parts were written by different authors.

Of the three main characters, Darius, Dyla and Eclair, I felt Eclair was actually the most developed and the most interesting. I got a better sense of his motivations, as well as his strengths and his flaws, than I did of any other character. All of the characters in the story proved interesting, but they were not all developed as well as I would have liked. The dialogue between characters proved a bit flat and stilted in many places, which made it some of the reading occasionally awkward.

The storyline itself is actually quite interesting. I especially liked the way Earth was tied into the Otharian adventure, and I was really interested in how those two planets were related in the past and, perhaps, would be again in the future. I was really able to get into the adventure, although I did wonder to myself several times where the adventure was actually going. It was engaging and moved along at a nice pace, but it almost seemed like several parts of the story were written separately and then stuck together. In addition, there were a few timeline jumps that caught me by surprise- sometimes the storyline picked up where it left off in a previous chapter, and sometimes it jumped time. It felt inconsistent. Although there was a common thread- the battle for the royal throne- sometimes I lost track of where we were headed and why. The ending does a good job in setting up a sequel, and it is a sequel I'm interested in reading.

With regards to the mechanics, I felt the book could use one more editing pass. There were several typos (e.g., you for your, certainty for certainly) and I felt it was lacking commas in some key places. There were several times I had to reread a sentence to understand the meaning because of the lack of commas. At one point, for example, I was confused as to why a woman waitress was checking herself out, until I added a comma in my head and realized a patron was actually doing the ogling.

With a half star boost for the sheer creativity and cleverness in tying Earth together with Otharia (which I thought was the most interesting concept introduced in this story), and the fact that it was engaging and fun to read,  I give this:

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Currently FREE on Smashwords- for a limited time, perhaps!

Teaser Tuesday!

I saw this on The Crazy Bookworm and thought I'd give it a go this week! 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!

So here's the teaser from the book I'm currently reading:




"Eclair looked at Dyla and shook his head; 
he didn't have anything else in his bag of
 tricks to cover this situation. There was no 
way he could hold the invisibility circle for 
that long or open a portal without alerting 
the sentries." 


page 75, "The Quest for Nobility" by Debra L. Martin

REVIEW: "Few are Chosen" by MT McGuire

On K'Barth, the Nimmists are long gone- or long in hiding- and the Chosen One has yet to be found...or so it's thought. Lord Vernon is making plans to take charge of this world, and he will use any tools at his disposal to make sure his plan goes off without a hitch. The Pan is a blacklisted criminal who has managed to stay alive in spite of his lack of courage, or maybe because of it. He lives by his wits, and has survived far longer than expected, against all odds. When he gets trapped into using his skills for a mastermind criminal, his life takes some unexpected turns. He soon becomes a creature of intense interest from all sides of this movement, and he reluctantly becomes part of some of the most daring and adventuresome events of his age.

This is the kind of book I really shouldn't have liked- it's filled with odd new beings and some new terminology with magic thrown in; just the kind of fantasy that I normally pass by. I like the magical and otherworldly aspects, I just don't usually like various types of creatures together (even that bar scene in Star Wars bugged me as a kid). It just isn't my "thing." Well, perhaps I'm wrong, and this is my "thing," because I found I was turning pages as fast as I could. There were some lulls here and there, but for the most part, the plot moves along nicely, even though you're not sure exactly where it's headed.

The Pan is engaging and likable, surprisingly so. He's sympathetic and plucky all at once. Big Merv undergoes a nice transition in character, and his changes are realistic and fit well with the plot. The characterization in this book is, overall, nicely done and there wasn't a single character that didn't engage me in some way. The plot was intriguing; although a bit slow at times, it really picked up at the end. In fact, I was totally immersed in the action towards the end and was quite surprised to see the story suddenly end. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, as it made me want to read the next book. If this weren't meant to be a trilogy, I'd feel left cold by the ending. This story did exactly what a first book in a series should do- answered some questions, and left others unanswered (hopefully to be major plot points of the next book).

MT McGuire has a very quirky writing style, and uses some interesting phrasing in this book. This style would have been frustrating in a different type of book. Rather than detract from this book, however, it seemed to fit this strange new world with its strange occupants. There were some typos, most notably with punctuation marks, but not so many as to totally distract from the engaging storyline. I wish I could have seen a bit more into the other world briefly introduced, and its connection to this world, but I suspect we'll learn much more in the next installment.

Overall, a surprisingly good read, and a fun escape!

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "Lovers and Beloveds" by MeiLin Miranda

Temmin has grown up sheltered from the world, living a blissful life in the idyllic countryside at Whithorse Estates with his mother and his faithful servant. But all good things must come to an end; Tremmin is heir to the Tremontine throne, and must move to the Keep to learn his father's ways and prepare himself for his inevitable future. It is at the Keep where Temmin begins to question who he is and who he will become. Is he a ruthless ruler, like his father, who will stop at nothing to get what -and who- he wants? Or is he a caring man who will make thoughtful choices and begin to harness some of the long-forgotten magic of the kingdom? Helping him on his journey of self- discovery is Teacher, a mentor to the royal family who has hundreds of years of experience under his belt, and has long since given up on any heir displaying magical ability. Slowly, Temmin finds himself pulled in two directions. He must decide whether to follow his father's footsteps and become the man his father expects, or if he should let himself be drawn into the seductive ways of the temple of enlightenment. He's discovering that his future truly isn't preordained, and that he alone is responsible for his choices. 

Beautifully written and edited, MeiLin Miranda has created a rich fantasy world where magic still exists for the rare few, and sex is a cherished and godly endeavor. Although I do enjoy many types of fantasy, I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of fantasy with heavy erotic content, as a rule. That being said, the details and the flow of this story were superb. With fluid writing and nicely-developed characters, the story shines through. Sex becomes an integral part of the conflict of the story; the struggle of power- longing and restraint, duty and desire.  

The author cleverly uses a legend from the Tremont family history to mirror Temmin's own sexual awakening. Teacher uses this story in pieces as part of the teaching process, and the author uses this story to mirror Tremmin's own emotions, and help move his journey along. Vividly drawn details show this fantasy world to be a land on the verge of exciting, and unalterable, change. The relationships between the characters are complex and intricately woven, and they pull you right along with Temmin.

If you are a fan of well-written fantasy stories with a strong sexual element, then this book comes strongly recommended. Some may find the erotic details a little too much, but the fluid and intriguing story makes it worth the read.

4.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords and Amazon!

REVIEW: "Hemlock and the Wizard Tower" by B. Throwsnaill

Within the Prologue of this story, you are immediately drawn into a magical world where practitioners can heal or harm with the use of magic. But the magic is fading in the Warrens, and Hemlock is impelled to find out why. With a bravery known only to a few, she sets out on an epic adventure to infiltrate the Wizard Tower in the City. There, she plans to destroy the machine she believes is sucking all the magic out of the Warrens. This adventure takes on unexpected turns, as Hemlock finds herself joining forces with a series of magical beings, in a variety of unexpected places.

This book is truly an epic, following Hemlock through many adventures to accomplish her main goal. It is set up to be a serial, and there is plenty of room for the adventure to continue. Hemlock's story is not over yet. While reading, I was reminded of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, although I must admit I haven't read them for many, many years. The worlds created in this book are rich with detail, and this initial story could easily be divided into two stories. After such detailed adventure throughout the story, the ending seemed quite rushed to me. It felt like the pivotal scene with Falignus would actually be better served in a second story. There are seven Wands, perhaps seven stories would be realistic?  

As I began reading this book, I immediately noticed that the writing, though fluid and obviously well thought out, was quite dense with description. In trying to decide if I liked the extremely detailed and descriptive writing, I soon realized that it left nothing to the imagination. I think one of the wonderful things about reading is the ability to let the reader infer some of the storyline. When the reader is inferring, the reader is engaged in the story, and it becomes that much more enjoyable. We all want to lose ourselves in great books, this is why we read. In this story, there was nothing to infer, as it was all spelled out quite clearly. Although I think the writing was well-constructed, I really wanted a bit less, so I could engage more. I wasn't able to truly immerse myself in the story; I felt as if I were reading a clinical reporting on an historic adventure. This detached feeling I got from reading was disappointing, as the storyline was ultimately one in which I could have truly engaged. The rich details were engaging, the extensive explanation so there was nothing to infer was not.

In addition to the very detailed writing, there were a few inconsistencies that were confusing. The author used flashbacks to give us much of the backstory, which I think is a helpful writing technique. The flashbacks were used inconsistently, however. In the beginning, there were many flashbacks in a short amount of time, and then none for quite a while. I think spacing the flashbacks out more evenly would be a more effective way to use them. Allowing us to become part of the Hemlock's journey on the way to the Wizard Tower would eliminate the need for some of those initial flashbacks, and engage the reader. Flashbacks were written in italics, which was helpful for distinguishing what was happening now versus what had already happened, but at one point in the story, we are given a "side flash" to see what Falignus was up to. Because the side flash was also written into italics, it was difficult at first to see that this was happening in present times rather than in the past. Other "side flashes" were written without italics, so I wasn't sure why this one was in italics.

Another technique that really threw me off was the use of quote marks to mark what characters were thinking. It was very distracting, as quotes to me say that someone is speaking, and it wasn't immediately clear the the character was only thinking inside her (or his) head.  In one part of the story, it is clear that the writing is referring to Hemlock's thoughts, and then suddenly one of her thoughts is in quotes. I wondered why use quotes at all if her thoughts could have continued to be given without them.

There were several small typos throughout the story (e.g., Coty for City, "it's" instead of "its," a missing letter here or there); enough that I noticed, but not enough to really detract from the story. The use of commas, or lack of commas, in places was distracting, however. There were many commas missing in direct addresses, such as "It is fine Hemlock, we can wait for a time" he replied (p. 357).  Are we speaking here of "fine Hemlock," or telling Hemlock it is fine? Also in that example, there is no comma at the end of his quote (inside the quote marks). It's always been my understanding that punctuation is necessary at the end of quotes, and it comes within the quotation marks. In this case, a comma would be appropriate after the word "time."

I really think that revising would take this really interesting storyline to the next step and become the epic adventure the author intended. If you like detailed epic fantasy, this book is right up your alley. Either way, I do think this is a story with great potential, and I was glad to be on Hemlock's adventure.

3 /5 stars

Edited on 9/29/10 to add the following:


This review has been on my mind lately. I know that I wrote the review shortly after finishing the story, while it was fresh in my mind. I edited the review several times before hitting the "publish post" button. I really thought about what I wanted to say and how I wanted to rate the book. It's one of my most detailed reviews. Yet, for some reason, I am still pondering what I've written.


There is such substance to this story, such rich detail, such an intricate, well-thought out storyline. There are symbolic parallels that can be drawn to modern-day issues (e.g., energy crisis/magic crisis, for one). There are characters that are interesting and deep, sometimes leaving you guessing what "side" they are really on. The writing in this story is fluid and descriptive. And yet I felt (and still feel) that the finished product, for me, falls within that 3 star range.


Is it that there was so much in there that it was hard for me to focus on the main idea? Is it that the excessive explaining prevented me from really fully engaging, as I indicated in my original review? Is it that the inconsistencies and/or typos I noted were enough to deter me from fully enjoying the book?


I'm honestly not sure. I think, to me, it feels like a work with so much potential that somehow didn't hit the mark I was expecting. I was drawn in from the beginning, and I loved the path I saw the book initially taking, but somewhere along the way I became a bit lost in the details. I really think my main issue was with the excessive explanations, and the fact that it made me feel more like I was reading an accounting of an adventure, and not totally invited to share in the adventure. I suspect some people really enjoy that type of detailed writing, and, to be honest, I did enjoy the book (a 3 star rating for me is a book I'd recommend to others). I really wanted to see how it ended, I really was interested in the characters and the plot. I just think perhaps, in the end, I didn't feel a part of the story. Am I the only one who feels that's an essential part of reading? To lose oneself in the story? I'd love to hear your comments!

REVIEW: "The Kinshield Legacy" by K.C. May

If this book were a movie, my husband would be all over it! In fact, I can picture it as a series he would follow as eagerly as he follows "Legends of the Seeker,"  and for much the same reasons. This genre isn't typically my preferred type of reading material, but the description was intriguing so I wanted to give it a go.

Wow. I was hooked in the first chapter and had trouble putting the book down to sleep last night. Each of the first few chapters introduces new people, people whose lives and stories become inextricably tied together as the story continues. One of the things that sometimes turns me off about the fantasy genre is the whole new language one must learn to understand what is going on. There are new names for objects, actions, types of people... it's like taking a confusing crash course in a foreign language. That's a lot of work when all I want to do is enjoy. Although K.C. May introduces new creatures and unfamiliar items with unusual names, the book is very readable, and there was no confusion. I didn't have to work to enjoy; this fantastical world is seamlessly woven into terms to which we can all relate.

The writing style is such that it was very easy to become engaged in the story. When I read some stories, I find myself constantly thinking of how I would have written certain lines or paragraphs differently. That tells me that the writing is not to my standards, and it distracts me from the story the author is trying to tell. When reading this story, however, I found myself enthralled and fully immersed in the adventure. The pacing of the chapters and introduction of new characters was ideal for maintaining interest and moving the story along without drawing anything out unnecessarily. Sometimes bad things happen to great characters, and I mourned the unavoidable losses along the way, even as I celebrated the small victories. I cringed, I delighted, I was completely and utterly engaged. 

The ending is very satisfying in and of itself, but it does open the door for a sequel. I, for one, am eager to read more from this talented author.

5/ 5 stars