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

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

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

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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 Girl Who Ran With Horses" by David Michael

Stevie has just spent the school year in Tulsa with her aunt and uncle, and she's now headed home to Antler for what she's sure will be the best summer of her life. She's made plans to compete in every barrel race she can manage, and she's eager to see her older brother and her horses again. She's ready to put a recent tragedy behind her and focus on the fun and adventure that will comprise her summer. Unfortunately, things don't always work out as we plann. From arriving home a few days late (because her dad can't be bothered to come and get her), to a surprising new friendship and an unexpected injury, Stevie is quickly finding out that this summer isn't all that she expected. Maybe, just maybe, it's more. Along the way, she finds out some surprising things about her family, her horses and, most importantly, about herself.

In my review of another of author David Michael's books, "The Summoning Fire," (read that review here) I commented that I was sure I'd enjoy his work in other genres as well. Luckily, I was right. I delighted in this journey of a girl coming to terms with uncertainty and loss by ignoring all that makes her uncomfortable, and focusing on her dreams for the future. Along the way, she discovers that she must face her past before she can look forward to her future. She can't fully be herself without acknowledging that she is who she is because of where she's been. With her horses to help her cope in unexpected ways, Stevie matures into a young woman who is more whole, and no longer just a sum of her parts.

The writing is engaging, as is the storyline. The prose is very readable and perfectly combines maturity and young adult appeal to make it a good read for all ages. I must admit that I've never been the type of girl who dreamed of a horse of her own. In fact, I am not really a horse fan in general. I've ridden a horse exactly twice, and I distinctly remember a few tears (or maybe more than a few) of fear each time. Even with my clear lack of interest in anything equine, something in this story still reached out to me. I think we can all relate to the difficulties involved in change, loss, and in just plain growing up. I was thoroughly engaged in the story- enough that I even cried a few tears of my own along the way. Life doesn't always work out the way we plan, and this story included just the right amount of emotional conflict and growth to keep me entertained and engaged the whole way through.

The characters rang true and were well-defined, for the most part. Stevie's character is quite complex and the author does a nice job mimicking teenage angst. However, some of Stevie's actions and words seemed to repeat in ways that smacked of redundancy. For example, there was a scene with Travis that I read and immediately thought "didn't I just read this scene?" because of a very similar scene happening shortly before. Mechanically, there are a handful of errors in the book, including a few places where an entire word appears to be missing. Not a big detraction, but noticeable, nonetheless.

Altogether, a great example of a touching and entertaining young adult novel that brings the reader through a gamut of emotions to an ending the satisfies.

4.5 /5 stars

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REVIEW: "Koenig's World" by Luke King

On yet another scientific adventure with his father, Jacob finds himself stranded on another planet. His father was so sure there was something amazing to be discovered on Koenig's World, but Jacob is now to discover it alone. A tragic crash and Jacob is left to his own devices on this unfamiliar, colorless world with only Marron, his synthetic man, to keep him company. Unidentified screaming from the forest every night and a distinct lack of palatable food wears on Jacob day by day as he struggles just to survive. It isn't long, however, before Jacob begins to notice some amazing things about this planet; unexpected things that Jacob is unable to explain away. It isn't until he takes matters into his own hands that everything starts to make a little more sense. He may understand this world a little better, but can he survive it?

Engaging from the start, I really enjoyed this book. I devoured it in short order, with each new discovery a tantalizing clue as to what this world was all about. The writing style was entertaining and the plot events rolled out at a nice pace. The story didn't seem to drag at all, with each page just as engaging as the one before it. Jacob is likable, but I found Marron even more fascinating and I rooted for his continued development. The introduction of a new character near the ending led to an interesting twist that added a element of complexity to the overall plot. I felt one of the biggest strengths of this story was the originality of the concept, including the turn of events the led to the final ending.

Although I really enjoyed the story, there were a few things that were a little disappointing. Some of the elements were somewhat predictable, with me guessing long before Jacob figured it out. I found many of the chapters too abrupt with an overabundance of cliffhangers. The way the chapters ended really broke up the flow of the story when it was really more of a continuation. The ending of the story was also quite abrupt, leaving the reader to imagine what might have happened next. I'm not sure that abruptness bothered me, per se, but I think a touch more information would have still left the cliffhanger as intended, but given me a little more satisfaction. I noticed just a handful of errors, with only one of them really bothersome to me (it's instead of its).

Altogether a really fun story and a good read!

4 /5 stars

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REVIEW: "The Tempest" by Holly Hook

Janelle, a normal teenager who has just made a move from Michigan to Florida with her dad, realizes something's not quite right the day her dad wants to stay in the path of the hurricane to watch its power instead of flee to safety. With the help of a police escort and a mandatory evacuation, they make it to safety just in time ... just in time, that is, to see a boy come out of the eye of the hurricane. Janelle's initial shock and confusion turn to anger and fear as she realizes there is more, much more, that she hasn't been told about her life. Now Janelle must come to terms with who- and what- she is, and figure out how to fulfill her destiny on her own terms.

Engaging throughout and geared towards a young adult readership, this book is the first in the Destroyer series by Holly Hook (be sure to check out her blog spotlighting other ebook bargains). The storyline and pacing of the book are reminiscent of Rick Riordan's Olympians series with Percy Jackson, but with a unique concept that is ultimately satisfying in much the same way. From the initial scene with the hurricane bearing down on Janelle and her dad, this story pulls you right along through to the surprising conclusion. Creative and entertaining, this book is good fun from start to finish.

The writing style is simplistic, using language and phrasing that will appeal to younger audiences. If this were a book targeting adults, my rating would reflect this simplistic writing style. Instead, I chose to rate this with regards to the intended audience. The lack of sophistication expected for an adult tale is completely appropriate in this story meant for younger audiences, and the book will likely appeal to a much wider audience. I hope the next book in the series will develop the characters a bit more to add a little more depth and authenticity to their personalities and relationships.

Overall, a fun and engaging read with an original storyline.


4 /5 stars

Available on Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.