REVIEW: "I Hate Chicago" by Nick Vandermolen

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

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

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

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

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!

 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!

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

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

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

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!