tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62037172503402264792024-03-04T20:22:56.025-08:00ThrillReads and ReviewsWhere it's always dark and stormy. And probably night.
Only INDIE and SMALL PRESS book reviews found here. Four and five star reads. Thrillers. Mystery. Horror. YA.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-33552496756882552462015-05-31T16:25:00.000-07:002015-05-31T16:25:47.750-07:00The CopyCat Murders - William Meikle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_xznoxQ8vgalTKXWxcKP1p4obi2NEJxjTZD9mlgtVMfLtQprHKWUKHjNAi7T_qq9Rr6NB5Rj9v6ZRrh-LHXhiNXh45if9sryhiKKlCMPg3h_Ryv_LjONoHYICIPiOF0q0OnnIfWbj1pK/s1600/copycat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_xznoxQ8vgalTKXWxcKP1p4obi2NEJxjTZD9mlgtVMfLtQprHKWUKHjNAi7T_qq9Rr6NB5Rj9v6ZRrh-LHXhiNXh45if9sryhiKKlCMPg3h_Ryv_LjONoHYICIPiOF0q0OnnIfWbj1pK/s320/copycat.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Well now. This must be the book equivalent of a bag of chips. A snack read. Not something you nibble at but something you demolish in one sitting. And just like a bag of chips, you pick it up without thinking. It's an impulse, just something you feel you need at the moment.<br />
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The CopyCat Murders is just like that. It's a novella, a total of sixty some pages, and it gives you a quick little story to fill the gap when you're on a commute or just have some down time. From learning about the book to downloading it to reading it... maybe an hour or an hour and a half at most? I saw the tweet for this freebie on my Twitter feed - it had a nice big image and was labelled as a mystery with a little occult thrown in. So I clicked the link to Amazon and added it to my cloud. I think that was the first time I found a book that I read completely while being on Twitter. <br />
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The story starts out as a locked room mystery - always a fun read - but the mystery part is solved fairly quickly and it becomes more of a catch-the-bad-guy scenario. There's action, murder and even a splash of romance. So overall it was okay. Not great, not terrible, but okay. Like a bag of chips. The title was a little bit more of a mystery to me. Yes there was a series of murders, but I wouldn't say they were copycat. They may have shared the same modus operandi but they were definitely original to the one killer. So, would I recommend the book? Sure. It's free. It's fast. It's okay.<br />
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I think the real review here isn't the book though. It's something else. In the years I've been on Twitter finding authors, tweeting and reading tweets, following and getting followed back, I've mostly ignored the many, many book tweets that flow in a never ending stream. Sure I'll click on some links to read book reviews sometimes, maybe even sample a book at the book store, but I've <i>never</i> clicked on a book link directly from Twitter. Why would I? There's just not enough information. It's social media. Why would I buy a book based on on 120 characters of synopsis? I'll read a few book reviews, maybe visit the odd book blog and check out the book stores where I buy books. But I've never even thought of picking up a book while I'm on Twitter or Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Tumblr or any other place I'm connecting with people. To me, the social sites just peak your interest. There's still all that research you have to do as to whether or not you actually want to pick up, buy and read that book. So this was an eye opener for me. Apparently it is possible to click on a book link from Twitter IF the book has a picture. IF the book is free. IF the book is short. And IF it's a genre I like. Of course that's a lot of ifs. No wonder I've never found a book on Twitter. But I guess... maybe... it is possible. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-60454372851098065942015-04-12T21:36:00.000-07:002015-04-12T21:36:13.995-07:00Ghost Hand by Ripley Patton<span id="freeTextreview1253365218" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiBbNpsQoMDYuC9q3HO7fc0_QpOW2WUqJmfshFyFgyR5XlgptWpAxyC2aIXlw8aZzBI0QFqW7pnrCulmrnjxZUBK50Khv1_XE2R_lDRi9HgNEu6GOGoxVVcNgs8xWPHgBZ2gdCUKWcJVssVMfbdxo6PbWZdRkPoeZ1tg1TtI65RsYJBAE_CkIHK0ydaWdJTqw-uOl5_x-5AFN1vp2bi7RB_zyqwz1C-gAlFdWDiZ-zTNOGatlgkC84f0dLu8XPXQAourA-JAeYBrBCEhYsnmkFLD_AmjXmV1zA7UWFJBYANoXUS=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41QKFni3-UL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" height="200" id="main-image" rel="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/817uWbVGCXL._SL1500_.jpg" style="display: inline;" width="200" /></a>Ghost Hand was a very entertaining YA book with a great idea.
Imagine being born and growing up with a physical part of your body
missing - but not entirely. It is replaced by a ghostly representation
of that part, and although it can function like the missing part, it can
also have unusual qualities. The author did a wonderful job of creating
a world where this condition exists - and gave the condition a name: Psyche Sans Soma or PSS. It makes
for a very unique tale.<br /><br />There is quite a bit of action
throughout the story and the book is fast paced. There isn't too much description - which can be good or bad depending on what the reader is looking for in a story. I find that it happens more often that way in first person perspective (which this book has). The main
character, Olivia, has PSS and as a result tends to be a little
irreverent and headstrong. She has a strained relationship with her
mother - a mother who has difficulty accepting Olivia's ghost hand to
the point of being repelled by it. In fact, Olivia has a difficult
relationship with people in general because having PSS isn't well
accepted. Luckily, Olivia has a best friend who does accept her
completely and when the new kid Marcus shows up, he too is drawn to
Olivia (something Olivia immediately misinterprets). These relationships
all become important once the plot starts moving - and the plot starts
moving quickly. The fun begins when Olivia's ghost hand gets a mind of
its own, deforms and goes into a classmate to extract something from
her. It's a little strange but a great way to get the story going. In no
time at all Olivia is in danger. She gets followed by a stranger, is
hunted by a fringe group and betrayed by an important member of the
community Olivia had known for years. Her weird hand isn't just
ethereal energy with a nifty glow in the dark feature. It has weird
powers - or you could say it causes Olivia to have weird powers.<br /><br />Overall,
the book was fun and the writing good. There was humour and one
wonderfully creepy/tense scene involving hanging razor blades in a
hidden basement dungeon accessed through a freezer (you'll just have to
read the book to make sense of this sentence). I did flounder a bit with
the book in the second half - I thought Olivia became wishy-washy in
her decisions and a little annoying. And the real reason behind the
CAMfers chasing the kids was a bit of a stretch for me, although there
may be more to it in the next book. I did like the new characters in
Marcus' group though (even the hot head Jason). As for the relationship
with Marcus - I don't know that I really bought it. It's probably
something the second or third book in the series will work out but it
was a bit too quick to develop I thought. Also, I was hoping for more on
the whole PSS thing. It was such a unique part of the book I had hoped
the author would give the reader more details. <br /><br />I do recommend
the book to YA readers - it's kind of urban paranormal, action and
romance. I loved the whole PSS idea and hope the author will expand on
it in books two and three. All of the books can be found on Amazon and other online retailers. A link to Ghost Hand on Amazon is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_10?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=ghost+hand&sprefix=ghost+hand%2Cnull%2C165" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><span class="readable reviewText"></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="cover-medium" itemprop="image" src="http://cache.smashwire.com/bookCovers/7b7eefe043174b898d8e06d561f5338653ee5047-thumb" style="margin: 1em auto;" title="" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/488483" target="_blank">Fabled Kingdom</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Comics-Prose. Somewhere between a graphic novel and a well illustrated
novel, the Comics-Prose genre is a perfect choice if you're looking for
something a little different. If you're an avid reader who also enjoys
Manga, Anime, Cartoons and Comics (or any of those), this could be an
opportunity to satisfy a couple of those hobbies at once. Fabled Kingdom
is an adventure filled with fairytale characters and settings. Of
course it's not Red Riding Hood - or even a re-worked re-telling - even
if it does share many similarities (like grandmothers, a huge wolf,
huntsmen and a girl in a red cloak). It's an original adventure that
takes place in more than one fairytale setting. The characters are
engaging and the artwork is great. I found the comic style to be very
appealing and a wonderful compliment to the story telling. I can see it
being popular with teenagers, particularly those who take in a fair
amount of YA and love an adventure that pulls up all sorts of things
from fairy lore.<br />
<br />
Fabled Kingdom (Part 1) was a very polished product - professional from start to finish. So I have to admit, I was very surprised to find it on Smashwords as a freebie. The only drawback I encountered was that I couldn't get the epub to work properly. The pages never fully loaded (to the bottom - the ends were always cut off) so I ended up reading the book online. In a way it reminded me of reading some of my favorite sort-of-web-comics (the ones that are a mix of prose, great artwork and comics) - but it was easier to read with the online reader than it is reading post after post on the web. If you download the book, the story looks like it's only six or so pages long - but keep in mind those are very long pages. I do recommend giving it a try, and if you have better success with a downloaded copy I would love it if you'd let me know in the comments.<br />
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As a pleasant surprise, I just discovered that the second book - part 2 - is also now available now on Smashwords. The link is here: <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/511699">http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/511699</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-43336171052239687082015-01-12T09:43:00.000-08:002015-01-12T10:27:01.455-08:00Underdead with a Vengeance - Review<br />
<a href="https://dwtr67e3ikfml.cloudfront.net/bookCovers/60465dacc1733e1c97437edff40a1c6d0736ff43-thumb" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="cover-medium" itemprop="image" src="https://dwtr67e3ikfml.cloudfront.net/bookCovers/60465dacc1733e1c97437edff40a1c6d0736ff43-thumb" style="margin-top: 1em;" /></a> Biting into that third book in a series means you have expectations. And sometimes those expectations can be pretty big. Did the author sustain a quality product? Is the story good or did they drop the ball and just stretch it out? Is the writing consistent? The characters? The humour? If you're investing your time and dollars in a series, in my opinion, it better be entertaining.<br />
<br />
Well, thrill of thrills, Underdead with a Vengeance met all my expectations. Jo, the middle school science teacher, meat eater and cookie baker extraordinaire, is every bit the witty heroine she was in the first two books. Even one of her friends and her love interest #1(Gavin) shine a little more as Jo creeps a little closer to her undeadness. Yes, Jo does experience a few more... talents in this book.<br />
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Not too long and not too short - it's the perfect distraction. It's easy reading for escapists, but the best part is that this story actually includes stuff happening. It's not just a continuation of the same old thing with fun characters and good dialogue. The story advances. Of course it doesn't advance far enough to actually end the story - which is great. There's a cliffhanger of sorts at the end. So now it's just a matter of time to wait for book 4.<br />
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The only real problem that I have with the book is that my daughter is such a huge fan of the series that she's undoubtably going to steal my tablet. On the bright side, she'll probably devour it in one sitting.<br />
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I recommend the series. It's kind of a paranormal/cozy mystery mix. There is a little romance, but not enough to ruin the tone or story. Highly enjoyable and at only $2.99 per book it's well worth it. It's every bit as good as many of the super hyped books I've read from traditional publishers - without the atrocious price tag. <br />
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Get the ebook on Smashwords: <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/391319?ref=EBard" target="_blank">Underdead with a Vengeance</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-15281254694545598022015-01-06T09:25:00.001-08:002015-01-06T10:03:52.854-08:00New Year, New StuffWith the onset of yet another deep freeze, the new year promises an opportunity for new book reviews. Finally. After an almost painful 2014 where so many of the books I read failed to inspire any kind of review, I have nothing but hope for 2015.<br />
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I just picked up a copy of Liz Jasper's Underdead with a Vengeance, the third in the Underdead series featuring science teacher Jo Gartner - a not completely undead almost vampire who gets caught up in dangerous and mysterious situations with a side of romantic entanglement. It's a fun series and I look forward to starting the year on a fresh page. Because yes - I really did just download it from Smashwords, it may take me a week or so for the review to get out. Plus I'm currently finishing up Red Rising (Pierce Brown) - also good but I'm not finished so we'll just have to see - so a week is the fastest turn around at the moment. I'm hoping to follow these books up with selection of graphic novel epubs I also downloaded. Unfortunately, this was where I got hung up last year. It can be soooo hard to find a good indie graphic novel in epub format. Then narrow it down to a mystery or thriller... and well... ? But I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Fingers crossed.<br />
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For the Underdead with a Vengeance synopsis, check it out here: <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/391319" target="_blank">Underdead With A Vengeance</a><br />
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<img alt="https://dwtr67e3ikfml.cloudfront.net/bookCovers/60465dacc1733e1c97437edff40a1c6d0736ff43" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="618" src="https://dwtr67e3ikfml.cloudfront.net/bookCovers/60465dacc1733e1c97437edff40a1c6d0736ff43" width="411" /> <br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/391319" target="_blank"> Underdead With A Vengeance</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-79630622281552737712014-10-06T17:19:00.001-07:002014-10-06T17:19:22.869-07:0024 Hour Comics DayNo book review this week! <br />
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We're a little sad about that, but on the bright side... we attempted the 24 Hour Comics Day after our previous failure at it in 2011. This year, it fell on Saturday, October 4. Naturally I went to my job, shopped, built a model giant Candy Land game for the kids at the library, cooked, got the wood stove up and running, and drove one of my kids to and from town that day. Consequently, I didn't get very much drawing in. But it never hurts to try. At least that's what I tell myself. We don't always attempt the mad race to complete a twenty four page comic book/graphic novel in twenty four hours, but we're always hopeful that some of our indie author friends do make the effort. So if you did take the challenge, we'd love to hear from you! Go ahead and post your comment - add a link to any comic pages you did and we'll be sure to check them out.<br />
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I'm posting a few of the pages we did manage to scratch up - but be forewarned - they're pretty terrible. If you have any appreciation for art, any at all, look away while you still can. My daughter wrote a short story and thought we should work together adapting it into a mini graphic. Given that I rarely manage to turn out images with more detail than stick figures, I did have to invest some of my time Googling 'how to draw'. That in itself should give you some hints about what to expect.<br />
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So please, if you even doodled enough to pass as a friendly nod to 24 Hour Comics Day, then by all means, please share! (Yes, share the pain). Here are some of the fruits of our efforts:<br />
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Don't worry. We're back to posting book reviews next time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-21194479453935931672014-09-29T17:39:00.000-07:002014-09-29T17:39:28.642-07:00Into the Wasteland - Lisa Shea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUq46vnznZm2Tkx2msWSkX1K2OwjXBofrAKKb0R_nN38I_Q2hpzNShJv5gDAzvVU_j7ZgWFQgqOzKw4vQrxgHYUrllsdpU_synG6oUnuVieceZQdpU8FJwyk7dTcn1JjNPXHphmAAwvXjl/s1600/intowasteland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUq46vnznZm2Tkx2msWSkX1K2OwjXBofrAKKb0R_nN38I_Q2hpzNShJv5gDAzvVU_j7ZgWFQgqOzKw4vQrxgHYUrllsdpU_synG6oUnuVieceZQdpU8FJwyk7dTcn1JjNPXHphmAAwvXjl/s1600/intowasteland.jpg" /></a></div>
This snappy little novella came as a complete surprise. For one thing, it really is quite good. And for another, it is not at all what I thought it would be. Although the story is exactly as the title claims - a dystopian journey - my first impression is that the story is really more of a western. Yes, a western. From the grubby clothed, gun toting heroine right down to her companionship with a horse named Blaze, the story is a straight shooter. The writing is very clean. There are no superfluous words, added subplots, annoying characters or meandering thought processes. There isn't even a romance. It's a journey survival story and the author sticks to it.<br />
<br />
Yes, the reader is thrown into the story without any clues about the world it takes place in, or who the main character is (other than a young woman with solid instincts who adopts the name Hawk). There are gunfights (well, shootings), dangerous characters, and a lot of survival moments like searching for food and shelter. There is also the hint of a mystery man. The reader has no idea whether this mystery man is real or imaginary or what his role in the main character's journey is. It's a guessing game. But sometimes more questions than answers can be a good thing. It keeps the reader reading.<br />
<br />
At only 110 pages, it's a very quick read. And as a bonus, it's free (at least for now). One of the things I liked most about the story was that even though it's book 1 in a saga, it could just as easily be a stand alone novella. But because, when I reached the end of the novella, I learned that the proceeds from the sale of this author's books would benefit a battered women's shelter - I decided to buy the next one.<br />
<br />
It's available here: <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/476217">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/476217</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-83464968263214759632014-08-20T12:19:00.000-07:002014-08-20T12:19:05.097-07:00The Thousand Dollar Tan Line<script src="https://www.goodreads.com/book/avg_rating_widget/18209454" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
Curiosity won me over. When I watched the series and the movie with my daughters I was intrigued by news that there would be a book series to follow. I could hardly wait to see how the noir version of Nancy Drew would translate into a grown up paperback detective girl. And I was pleasantly surprised. It was a completely different experience from watching the show. The book was not the sharp wit narrative I thought it might be - instead, it was a very readable mystery with familiar characters and a twist at the end plot.<br />
<br />
Time-wise, the story takes place soon after the movie. Veronica has taken over Mars Investigations with Mac as her assistant/ tech expert while Kieth recuperates from serious injuries.The business is struggling along on small cases of spousal cheating until Veronica is hired by the local hotel magnate to investigate the disappearance of a girl during spring break. It's twisty and turny with a plot that could fit in a couple of TV episodes. The book treats us to some of the old familiar characters and a little of the Veronica perspective we saw in the show and movie - but it all comes across quite differently in third person descriptive print.<br />
<br />
Still, it is quite readable as a mystery whether it's read by a fan of the show or not. However, I do think it will appeal far more to already existing fans. You can pick it up at all the usual places, but if you're a total diehard fan of the TV series and not so much of the movie; or if you're unfamiliar with the whole fandom thing, you might want to pick this first issue up from a library to take it for a spin before committing.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0804170703/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0804170703&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">On Amazon</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-44769299423764071342014-07-11T18:42:00.000-07:002014-07-11T18:58:05.496-07:00The Purgatorium by Eva Pohler<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17403167-the-purgatorium?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Purgatorium (The Purgatorium Series #1)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361332523m/17403167.jpg" /></a><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview983957105">I loved the idea behind The
Purgatorium. It is a fast paced YA novel that mixes adventure, horror and romance. It involves kids sent to a resort like island that is part nature reserve and part historical ruin, and something else entirely. One of the characters (the main) is a very troubled girl. All of these points hint at a really great read. So when I received the novel in exchange for a review, I was eager
to get started with it. <br /><br />In the story, the main character Daphne
Janus and her best friend Cam travel to an island resort that is clearly not
what it appears to be. Strange things happen almost from the moment
Daphne arrives on the island. First Daphne witnesses a possible crime
and then is terrorized by people dressed as ghosts. Many unusual and
even dangerous events follow. Daphne begins to wonder about what is
really going on at the island and makes arrangements to leave, but her
attempts to leave are foiled. Worse, she begins to wonder if she can
truly trust her best friend. As the reader moves through the story, it
is revealed that Daphne has experienced a family tragedy. She blames
herself for the tragedy and has not been able to cope for some time. The
real reason Daphne is on the island is not for a resort holiday but for
extreme therapy (experimental therapy). But is the extreme therapy going to be effective or is
it dangerous enough to get her or others killed?<br /><br />The best parts
of the novel, I thought, were the descriptive paragraphs that gave the
reader an excellent view of the island. Also, the plot kept moving and
the main character was busy enough to not dwell too much on a few
emotions that could slow the story down. Although the character does
return again and again to her guilt and the reason she is on the island.
I would have preferred that the author give the Daphne character more
details from her life, and more detailed interactions with the other
characters to build character depth, rather than just the replay of
guilt. <br /><br />Although I really liked the idea behind the story, there
were a few things that completely held me up at places. A strong feeling
that the story was a kind of... what would happen if the Hotel
California was made into a YA novel - was one of those things. I can't
help it. It just really made me think of that old song even though the
island was more of a treatment centre than an asylum. (The story just had that *patient is trapped and surrounded by dangerous possibly crazy people feel*). That feel also kind of spread out into the plot. The plot jumped around quite a bit and took the reader in a few very different and unexpected directions. It's almost impossible to explain without giving away too much of the story.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview983957105">The other hold back point was the love
interest angle. It was problematic for me. It's a YA novel with romance, so
it's not unusual for the main character to have at least three guys
interested in her. However, two of those guys (one being her ex
boyfriend) seemed to be too old for her (yuck) - although I admit that I
was a little confused about what her age was supposed to be (17) and
exactly how long after the family tragedy this therapy was taking place
(2 years) when I was reading the story. It made me think of those
reverse harem animes that don't make sense (and have those too old guys
interested in too young girls). I know that some high school girls date college
age guys, but given the main character's circumstance, it just felt
creepy. Other readers might not see it that way.<br /><br />Overall though, I
really did like the idea behind the novel and I think that the story
moves quickly enough that the series has potential. Oh, and the title is awesome.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-66649800082695806252014-05-26T14:19:00.000-07:002014-05-26T14:19:27.477-07:00Another by Yukito Ayatsuji, Horror, Mystery, YA<span style="font-size: small;">Volumes 1 and 2</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16160838-another-volume-1?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book"><img alt="Another, Volume 1" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361993461s/16160838.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15919296-another?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book"><img alt="Another 下" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358328582s/15919296.jpg" /></a></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Another by Yukito Ayatsuji </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Although not exactly small press, it is fairly difficult to find these Japanese novels in a translated form over here (by here I mean North America). Another is one of those rare finds, currently only available in English in the form of an ebook (split into two separate volumes). It's a horror story and mystery with a distinctly Japanese feel. And while it's true that some of the story and writing do get a little lost in translation, for a unique horror mystery, I can't recommend this enough. I first discovered it as an anime series with subtitles, but by the completion of the series I was all over the internet looking for an English translation in book form. What a waiting game that turned out to be!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">It's now available, sort of, on many ebook seller sites. Amazon might have Vol. 1 , but then you might have to search around for Vol. 2 on B&N or Kobo, or one of the multitude of other ebook sellers. It's much easier to find in its other incarnations: an anime series (both subbed and dubbed), a live action movie and an epic Manga book. But being a sucker for a good novel, it was the novel I had to track down. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The story follows <span id="freeText6492917038130734144">Kouichi Sakakibara, a third year student who transfers to Yomiyama North Middle School after the term has begun. He immediately becomes aware of a strangeness that surrounds his class, third year Class 3. More than just the 'seven mysteries' - urban legends that are associated with an individual school - Koichi's class seems to be genuinely cursed. Class 3, it seems, has become closer to death. Almost every year, although not <i>every</i> year, people associated with Class 3 are haunted by death. During a curse year or 'on' year, people die. They could be students, students' family members or anyone closely associated with Class 3. And they often die horribly. Whenever there is an extra student in the class, someone that was not previously accounted for at the start of the term, the class has to scramble to make arrangements and it becomes an 'on' year. When Koichi joins the class he decides to get to the bottom of the curse, but can he help prevent the coming horror or will he make it worse? Another struck me as a unique horror and mystery story, not a typical ghost haunting or gory slasher tale. The suspense works well and the reader is often left with a very creepy feeling. For the overall idea and story execution I give it five stars. Given that it's in ebook format, it is probably a good idea that it's split into two volumes of roughly 300 pages or so. The first volume is much better than the second. The writing - or translation - does fall apart a little in the second volume and there are places where the story moves a little too slowly. But I still recommend it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText6492917038130734144"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText6492917038130734144">The ebook can be hard to find, so here are some links that might be helpful if you're interested:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText6492917038130734144"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText6492917038130734144"><a href="http://www.ebooks.com/searchapp/searchresults.net?term=another+yukito+ayatsuji" target="_blank">Another, vol 1, 2</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText6492917038130734144"><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Another-Vol-novel-ebook/dp/B00AFZ5O5Q" target="_blank">Another Vol 1 on Amazon</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText6492917038130734144"><a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/another-vol-2-novel/9780316252768-item.html" target="_blank">Another Vol 2 Kobo</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText6492917038130734144"><br /></span></span>
<span id="freeText6492917038130734144"><span style="font-size: small;">If you don't want to struggle with the challenge of finding the novel versions of the story, you can pick up the Manga (a whopping 700+ pages) on Amazon or at <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/another/9780316245913-item.html" target="_blank">Chapters</a>. The Anime is more readily available, but get the subbed version. Trust me, the voices really don't work as well in English. And I would probably skip the live action movie altogether. Not that it's bad or anything, just, you know, the usual. Books and movies made from books. How many of those movies do you actually really like?</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-88136044704335074712014-03-24T10:48:00.000-07:002014-03-24T10:48:09.294-07:00Priceless by Crystin Morgan<br />
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<img class="cover-thumbnail" src="https://dwtr67e3ikfml.cloudfront.net/bookCovers/f928429c4ac3c76d765ddd84a6701bbfbe159dbc-thumb" style="margin: 2em;" /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
From Smashwords:<br />
<br />
A gang of art thieves is running rampage around the world, stealing
contemporary paintings from galleries, museums and private collections.
International police forces are baffled. To make matters worse the
criminals are developing a taste for murder.
As events unfold through the pages of the British national press, the
outcome is more bizarre than anyone could have imagined.<br />
<br />
It is certainly an interesting novella, although in all honesty it might be too short to review. The format is definitely novel: a short story/mystery created entirely through news articles. Just like novels that are composed of letters or journal entries, Priceless offers the reader a refreshing change. Although, creating a piece like this is unique, it does kind of sacrifice flow. So it really depends on the reader whether or not they will like this one. The writing is good and the mystery okay. (Yes, the mystery is only okay. I think it's just too difficult to build suspense or use all those other nifty devices with this kind of writing.) If you're looking for something very quick and different, I'd say go ahead and give it a try. It was free on Smashwords when I picked it up.<br />
<br />
Get it here:<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/383467">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/383467</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-23627295230678256562014-03-12T13:28:00.001-07:002014-03-12T13:28:13.230-07:00The Path of Pins by Hannah Kollef<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20695541-path-of-pins?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Path of Pins (Paths, #2)" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1394617863m/20695541.jpg" /></a><br />
With the second installment of the Paths series, Path of Pins, the world remains on the brink of destruction. The Rose Queen has been destroyed but a powerful undead villain is released and he won't stop until until everything is consumed by darkness and the balance between life and death is lost. Kat and Jim try to stop this from happening while Kat continues to search for her father. Roger has been separated from his sister and Jim, and he must find his own way back to them along the path of pins.<br />
<br />
For a second book in a series, it was good. The story moves along at a steady pace, although it's a much darker story than in the first book. More characters are killed off and new fairytale and mythology elements are introduced. The characters' individual powers (Kat's, Jim's and Roger's) develop as they encounter increasingly dangerous situations. The descriptive content is particularly well done.<br />
<br />
As with the first book, the bulk of the story is carried by Kat. However, in Path of Pins, Roger has a larger part as sections of the tale follow his journey as well. For me, the story didn't flow as well as it did in the first book because of this breaking up of plot lines. Also, by relating some of the folk tale content through Kat's visions or when some of the characters injected it through their own personal histories, the story didn't feel as seamless as it did in the first book. Overall it was a good story, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I did the first book.<br />
<br />
I do recommend this one as a continuation of the Paths series and look forward Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-12893980287330278962014-02-18T07:26:00.001-08:002014-02-18T10:12:48.580-08:00Exciting Experimental Book Review Format!Okay, so here it is....<br />
<br />
For all the YA readers out there, I'm trying a new book review format. At first I tried out some animation software, but it was incompatible with my old Vista operating system. So I tried POWTOON instead. It's actually presentation software I found on the web, and wow, does it work. I can't sing enough praises about it. I hope you'll check out the link below. It's an experimental book review for Hannah Kollef's Path of Needles. That's the first book in a series, and since I'm reviewing the second book in a week or two, I thought it would be a good choice. (It may help the author as well - depending on the feedback I guess!).<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I'm also checking out other formats and tinkering around with different software. So if you're an avid YA reader who follows reviews, please check out this link to YouTube and let me know what you think. Comments here or on YouTube are welcome. I hope you enjoy it!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Zz1dtbTiP6c" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_129060278"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz1dtbTiP6c">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz1dtbTiP6c</a>
<br />
<br />
Buy it on Amazon (paperback or Kindle)<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=thrireadandre-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1479389706" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=thrireadandre-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B009P2KGBM" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-38692422394534549302014-02-16T13:52:00.000-08:002014-02-16T13:52:13.173-08:00February Reads - last minuteTrying something new again...<br />
<br />
Learning new software can be a bit like walking uphill in a blizzard. On an icy road. Without a hat. So rather than step outside and walk uphill through that raging blizzard (yes there really is one right outside my door today), I've opted for the learning curve. So please be patient with me as February is going to be a slow month. There are only 3 books selected for review on my agenda and I hardly know what to expect.<br />
<br />
The first I hope to tackle is:<br />
<br />
The Path of Pins by Hannah Kolleff <br />
I have great hopes for this one as the first book in the series was captivating. It's YA urban fantasy that feeds on the orignal, terrifying versions of fairy tales.<br />
<br />
Malakhim Volume 1: Here After by Aleph<br />
Horror. No clue as to what I should expect.<br />
<br />
Priceless by Crystin Morgan<br />
Mystery, Short story, freebie<br />
<br />
In the meantime I'll be figuring out a new program that may (or may not) help me create new and exciting book reviews. Here's to winter!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-62781299193831138862014-02-03T15:14:00.000-08:002014-02-03T15:14:39.370-08:00Two Indie Books for Younger Readers<span id="goog_378033795"></span><span id="goog_378033796"></span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2zGXSiaTtIvx2zhhepyxivL0yc5h0q3W9l433SR9TI1wQC6AJueSzJg_-W56HLpKCaJiqr1HnmfLlHQC-gvIS3sWzbysr5QJ78dOHGp6mLzUvzQpONFeW05IZYG2B8Mgc9v7YvFa2czq/s1600/spearbearerpic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2zGXSiaTtIvx2zhhepyxivL0yc5h0q3W9l433SR9TI1wQC6AJueSzJg_-W56HLpKCaJiqr1HnmfLlHQC-gvIS3sWzbysr5QJ78dOHGp6mLzUvzQpONFeW05IZYG2B8Mgc9v7YvFa2czq/s1600/spearbearerpic1.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>Spear Bearer</b><br />
<br />
A very pleasant surprise! This story is a quick read with likeable
characters and an interesting plot. It's a middle grade fantasy, has a
steady pace and will easily appeal to a reading audience taken with
books like the Spiderwick Chronicles or the Narnia series. Very few
mistakes for an ebook. Recommended.<br />
<br />
Here's the synopsis from Smashwords:<br />
<br />
Manuel is a soccer phenom on the field and off the field a magician’s
apprentice—an apprentice to a real magician, not a
pull-the-rabbit-out-of-the-hat kind. This magician can knock things off
the table from across the room using his mind. You see, the magician
isn’t an ordinary human, and neither is Manuel.<br /><br />Lizzie has long
since figured out where the presents under the Christmas tree come from,
and she knows that tiny, winged ladies with wands don't really pay cash
for baby teeth. Only little kids believe in fairies and elves. But
Lizzie's world is about to be turned upside down. She is about to learn
that the legends of old are not all make-believe. She is about to
discover the ancient and powerful artifact that is her family legacy.
And she is about to join the family business--a never-ending mission to
remove from Earth all fugitive spirits.<br /><br />Manuel and Lizzie
live worlds apart, but a sorcerer with plans to rule the world needs
something they each have, and he is hellbent upon getting what he wants.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/392434" target="_blank">Smashwords Link </a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDpDJTcmPWKf36DYKf1hHBMA6C7JDpsKD9-dxDw-Yh2kL-1A9gqZybA45deyhsjffkVF_3jixmomF7ccnjSCgHmbkB40yb4zzZbsfATgCH6JLlrUvbnETIddjtImXG9asPPxl70QmCKSS/s1600/imperfectpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDpDJTcmPWKf36DYKf1hHBMA6C7JDpsKD9-dxDw-Yh2kL-1A9gqZybA45deyhsjffkVF_3jixmomF7ccnjSCgHmbkB40yb4zzZbsfATgCH6JLlrUvbnETIddjtImXG9asPPxl70QmCKSS/s1600/imperfectpic.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>Imperfect </b><br />
<br />
Not quite finished. Although I liked this one, I think it could benefit by a little heavy handed editing. There were quite a few mistakes that should have been caught and at a certain point it became distracting. The story has potential and the characters were appealing. Well paced, and I can't really complain about a free book.<br />
<br />
From Smashwords:<br />
<br />
In a world where all citizens are Perfects--people with genetically
perfect DNA, Kristi can't help but feel like a sore thumb. She's an
Accident--a child never meant to be born and therefore is not a Perfect.
Just when she thinks her life couldn't get worse, it does, starting
with the arrest of her adoptive parents. Now Kristi is entangled in a
web of secrets she has to unravel.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/338637" target="_blank">Smashwords Link </a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-75322060007406842732014-02-03T14:48:00.000-08:002014-02-03T14:48:48.295-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq24ugELzGA4Ohib6gYzhzG4dWfkjj_YiOitBOhzuiRyz83IR9rlfvNXI-UpG1tpJbv3znM4rgmPAb_iNRvmZ0owq-C80PnNfJyxi9Pt5eORzAJdV11q9gAwmdEuhk7Kqou8JyDqAzWKQM/s1600/hostilewitness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq24ugELzGA4Ohib6gYzhzG4dWfkjj_YiOitBOhzuiRyz83IR9rlfvNXI-UpG1tpJbv3znM4rgmPAb_iNRvmZ0owq-C80PnNfJyxi9Pt5eORzAJdV11q9gAwmdEuhk7Kqou8JyDqAzWKQM/s1600/hostilewitness.jpg" /></a></div>
When sixteen-year-old Hannah Sheraton is arrested for the murder of her
stepgrandfather, the chief justice of the California Supreme court, her
distraught mother turns to her old college roommate, Josie Baylor-Bates,
for help. Josie, once a hot-shot criminal defense attorney, left the
fast track behind for a small practice in Hermosa Beach, California. But
Hannah Sheraton intrigues her and, when the girl is charged as an
adult, Josie cannot turn her back. But the deeper she digs the more
Josie realizes that politics, the law and family relationships create a
combustible and dangerous situation. When the horrible truth is
uncovered it can save Hannah Sheraton or destroy them both.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This was a tough one to review. There were so many expectations. The reviews sounded so promising, I was really looking forward to sinking my teeth into a good thriller.<br />
<br />
Although Hostile Witness is a legal thriller, calling it a legal drama might be a tad more accurate. Unlike many of the thrillers I've read, the suspense, twist and smattering of danger all make their appearances at the end of the story. So it would be difficult for me to put a thriller label on this anywhere but at the end. In fact, I was getting close to the end before I was interested in the story at all.<br />
<br />
This all seems very negative for a book with so many good reviews. And it's not that the book is bad. It's really not. It just wasn't what I expected, so I was disappointed. The blame lies with me.<br />
<br />
The first half to two thirds of Hostile Witness builds upon the main characters, their back stories and the <i>oh so slow</i> unfolding of the case against sixteen year old Hannah. <span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextContainerreview843599269">Unfortunately, I
disliked this first half immensely and nearly abandoned it. Halfway is my usual jumping ship point if I haven't been hooked, but for some reason, this time I persevered. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextContainerreview843599269">Overall, the writing was clean, but I found the characters were stereotypical and not at all likeable. I found it very difficult to care what was happening in the story. Personal taste? Maybe. Luckily, the
last third of the story picked up considerably with its courtroom drama
and that tiny bit of danger thrown in. I believe that last third of the book fits the legal drama
(thriller?) genre well. Perhaps too well. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextContainerreview843599269">To be fair, Hostile Witness is a solidly turned out,
professional product - but I guess I was hoping for something unique. </span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/HOSTILE-WITNESS-legal-thriller-Witness-ebook/dp/B002Z7G0QO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391464581&sr=8-1&keywords=hostile+witness" target="_blank">On Amazon</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-48839520024700376762014-01-23T16:43:00.000-08:002014-01-27T10:59:48.094-08:00The League of Super Heroes, Rise of the Super Villain by Celeste Ayers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPK-JECB431XYmpuQjUQ5HJnXXG6jzSo-vFtZmgIfTLEA2WrFOd1MoE2W0Ga40XBls5vihZ08bt1d0ZmTzJLlCwJ43UFHmMIw1q7KAnqoNvoxqNYYrlWav55v_Nx94S92CawoKsnGNZwPE/s1600/league.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPK-JECB431XYmpuQjUQ5HJnXXG6jzSo-vFtZmgIfTLEA2WrFOd1MoE2W0Ga40XBls5vihZ08bt1d0ZmTzJLlCwJ43UFHmMIw1q7KAnqoNvoxqNYYrlWav55v_Nx94S92CawoKsnGNZwPE/s1600/league.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Very
short, lightning fast read. Pretty sure this is either fan fic or
something similar. A party game book? Based on a game? It's a first for me - how ever it may be classified. This is the first of several short novellas.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The story:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Reminiscent
of the nineteen fifties comic books, this story has the feel and
style of an earlier world. It's the culture of super heroes and dime
store novels. The real super heroes and villains are men, the women
are decor. And before anyone jumps up to point out that Ghost Girl is
a super hero - well, sure she is. But she is also a looker and (not
surprisingly) has to get rescued. In spite of her cool and highly
useful super power. When I read it, I was reminded of watching early
1970s cartoons and that live action Batman show with Adam West when I
was a kid. It's that kind of culture that comes through - minus of
course the sound effects like 'biff' and 'kerpow' when the action
happens.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I'm
really not criticizing. This is a super hero/ super villain face off
with characters named Justice, Freeze, Ghost Girl, Explosion Man,
Muscle Man.. You get the picture.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So
how should I rate it? Maybe with a big fist and an exploding guy.
It's hard to say. The writing was okay, the story okay... for a very
comic booky tale without the graphics (at least my epub version
didn't have any). I have to admit I was expecting graphics as the
book was found in the fiction sub genre - comics and graphic novels.
It was also listed under party games and role playing. Needless to
say, I was disappointed. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Great cover though. </span></span>The book is based on or written for
a role playing game of which I am unaware. I
recommend it to those with a personal preference for that sort of thing.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
synopsis from Smashwords:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A
super hero died last night, it looks like someone is out for blood.
The super heroes thought they were safe. They thought wrong. Darkness
lurks in the shadows, a darkness the heroes could never see coming.
Is there a new threat on the horizon or has one of their own stepped
over to a darker path? Super hero and super villain are about to
collide in an all out war that will see friends parted and new
alliances made.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">League
of Super Heroes: Rise of the Villain is a story based on the hit
party game by Celeste Ayers.
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/338461">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/338461</a></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-71502330048364766592014-01-15T08:05:00.000-08:002014-01-19T14:14:39.909-08:00The Bone Cell - Richard Futch<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIclQOSk6zEPQmtSgxsLo45piU64qHlpuXkb11mdgeCfo4ZJeMSdHrI4qWK90bwv-o62NwcM6R49__AOaiGNwRFnFT2yWwNpN7PAUHnSRAfWD_7DQjm8tqz5nKSA_prh-EreTNKlj7GnRJ/s1600/bonecellpic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIclQOSk6zEPQmtSgxsLo45piU64qHlpuXkb11mdgeCfo4ZJeMSdHrI4qWK90bwv-o62NwcM6R49__AOaiGNwRFnFT2yWwNpN7PAUHnSRAfWD_7DQjm8tqz5nKSA_prh-EreTNKlj7GnRJ/s1600/bonecellpic1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The real synopsis (from
Smashwords):</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A
spooky dream of a gigantic crow and an old, crumbling church in the
lost reaches of a forest. A hint of mystery, murder and mayhem in
dark underground passages. A poor magician and his little girl,
surrounded and harassed by a group of mad trappers…</span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>
</i></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">These
are the visions that bring Ian and Connor to the site of their
abandoned tree house where, unsurprisingly, the crow awaits. As they
sit in the embrace of the crow’s eerie time k</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">not,
the strange bird tells them a nearly two-hundred-year-old story of
how a town and great church came to be and of the misery that befell
it. Of how the church became home to many animals and birds, and of
the massive oak that had since grown up through the floor and slowly
engulfed the church’s remains. But now the tree has begun to wither
and an avalanche of death will soon follow. The two boys are the
crow’s only remaining hope because of an innate talent they have
been diligently hiding. They will be required to walk into the teeth
of an old crime that has gone years unpaid, and of course the crow
cannot promise that they will not be swept up in the flood of danger
and madness that is fast approaching. Because something has changed
in The Bone Cell and Connor and Ian are the only ones who can do
anything about it. </span></span></i></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It
really has a great cover. Coupled with the short synopsis (I really
should have read the whole thing) and the fact that it was free, I
picked this one up quickly. It's for a very young teen or middle
grade audience. It's also very short and can be read quickly. It
promises action and the writing is very simple. I think that sums up
the positive things I can say. I wish I could be nicer in this review,
but in all honesty I genuinely hope this version of the book gets
edited and revised. It has potential.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If you decide to read this version of the book, don't
stop at the short synopsis for the book. Read the whole thing. The one I pasted up there from Smashwords. The
story is - and I kid you not - more than two thirds the crow's
narration of a long ago trouble that befell him and others. It's a
story about the crow, a mouse, a Fat Man, a Church, a tree, a
Magician and his daughter, a cat, a spider, bad people...
Unfortunately, it's filled with unnecessary details and sidelines
that make it confusing. It really is two thirds of the way through
the story before the reader even finds out what the crow wants from
the boys (Ian and Connor).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
last quarter of the story - the part described by the short synopsis
- is better. The boys finally get their dangerous adventure -
although they admit that after all that story telling, it's a bit of
a let down.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I
really hate being negative on indie reviews - I know it's not easy to
go out there and publish your work. However, I do think the story has
potential. It just needs to be reworked and edited properly.
Particularly while reading the crow's story, the entire first two thirds of
this short novel, there's a good chance that the reader will give up. If the author just
revamped the story, maybe by deleting a substantial amount of the first part or if it gets broken it up with
present day action (not just the characters interrupting the crow during the story
telling) - it would make a much more appealing fantasy.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/392657"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/392657</span></span></a></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-72872523268031131432014-01-12T12:07:00.000-08:002014-01-12T12:07:54.039-08:00<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18212937-hallowed" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Hallowed (Waters Dark and Deep #1)" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1375151404m/18212937.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18212937-hallowed">Hallowed</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4398121.Monica_Leonelle">Monica Leonelle</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/820631334">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
<br />
Here's an excerpt taken from the synopsis on Goodreads: <span id="freeText761691518042321168"> </span><br />
<span id="freeText761691518042321168"><br />Brie
van Rossum has always been the baby of the family, until she discovers
that she is a Hallow, a descendant of humans and archangels. Oh, and
that everything her mother has ever told her is a lie...<br />Pilot
van Rossum feels like his life is spinning out of control. His mother
has passed away recently, his family is constantly hounded by the media,
and he can’t figure out how to control his younger sister...</span><br />
<span id="freeText761691518042321168">A broken family, a deadly
secret, an impossible romance… Hallowed is the first book in Waters Dark
and Deep, a sexy new young adult urban fantasy series by Monica
Leonelle (recommended for mature teens 14+).</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText761691518042321168"></span>For a novella that I just happened to find by accident, I was impressed. The story is well developed and offers a different view of the angel/demon/human eternal war and relationship type of story that is quite popular in YA fiction. The introduction to the characters and setting - particularly in the first chapter with Thessa and the underground city created for and by Hallows was very well done and pulls the reader in. It's short but not too short - great for a quick e-read. Once the story gets going, the reader gets introduced to Brie and Pilot, siblings who move to Hawaii to live with their estranged rock star father after their mother is killed. The bulk of the story then follows Brie and Pilot and their struggle with their new situation, complicated by Brie's discovery that she has Hallow powers. The teens are gradually pulled into a world influenced by Hallows, the children of angels and humans, and the Nephilim, the children of demons and humans. The story is just beginning in this book, but it has promise.<br />
<br />
When I picked it up it was free - so I really have no complaints at all.Yes there were things missed during editing but it's hardly worth mentioning anymore. I haven't had a single ebook without errors so far. It's available at all the usual ebook outlets - Amazon, B&N, etc. but I picked my copy up at Smashwords. Worth checking out.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6548405-e-bard">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-16688514980569117712014-01-07T12:15:00.001-08:002014-01-07T12:29:58.324-08:00Dead Again by George Magnum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8_l3sNcDhfPy45cWExc-gpHg2qho3n8LOA4sMas1siRKerNkVugk_eom-XnyjaHThJw9urdBLveIp5H17atWKFx1qu4x6pi0M88uSKQ8GiCbPJGxOKpFldOReQMrthUxFy8N6I-i2Cv1/s1600/hand+a+ok1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8_l3sNcDhfPy45cWExc-gpHg2qho3n8LOA4sMas1siRKerNkVugk_eom-XnyjaHThJw9urdBLveIp5H17atWKFx1qu4x6pi0M88uSKQ8GiCbPJGxOKpFldOReQMrthUxFy8N6I-i2Cv1/s1600/hand+a+ok1.png" /></a>In the abscence of stars,
this is my overall rating. It's not bad, I'll admit, but it's also
not going on to a favorites shelf. Not to say anything against a good
zombie tromp... I love a good zombie horror story. Unfortunately it's
getting harder to find a good, original zombie broohaha. I'm always
wishing I'll find<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12669945-dead-again?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Dead Again" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1316465990m/12669945.jpg" /></a>that next rotten gem, but sadly, it's just not
meant to be... yet.
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I'm not going to trash the
book - surely it will appeal to many. And by that, I'm really
thinking <span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>men</i></span></span>.
Or young males. Maybe I should qualify that a little further. Young
males who really can't get enough zombie horror and play endless
zombie brawling campaigns on an Xbox. Or PS3. PS4. Maybe Steam. In
fact, my overall feeling was that the story could have been something
that mutated out of excessive game playing. And as much as I really
wanted to like this, it just kind of stuck in my 'meh' zone.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">None of this is to say
it's bad. The writing was okay. There was a heap of action. There
were Zombies. Military stuff. Betrayal. Characters (yes - the called
back into action type to form an elite team). And a really nice
cover. Okay, so it was the cover that grabbed me. And then there's
that cliff hanger ending. It's meant to make you buy the next
installment. Again - it's not a bad thing if you really liked the
book. And even if I try, I really can't be too hard on a free book.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">For those of you who
really love zombies, platform or computer gaming and stories that
really feel generated from a young male point of view, here's the
synopsis from Goodreads:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The Black Hawk chopper
banked a hard turn, rotors thumping, providing a bird’s eye view of
the burning landscape. Commander Peterson couldn’t help wondering
what people around the world thought of this apocalypse. Maybe they
accepted it as a biological infection. Maybe some believed a curse
had descended upon the world, that this was the end of days. Maybe
some already realized the inevitable, horrible truth: only the
strongest would survive.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Within forty eight hours,
it had become a global pandemic. There was no explanation. The dead
were rising, returning to life, and devouring the living. Commander
Peterson, leader of the most elite fighting unit in the U.S. armed
forces, was assigned one, last final mission.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">In his worst nightmares he
never could have imagined this unholy war, or that he and his team
were to become the one last hope that still remained….</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-38722003243944714642014-01-07T12:06:00.000-08:002014-01-07T12:06:25.780-08:00Unleashed by Tempest C. Avery. A YA paranormal romance, book 2<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18131044-unleashed?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Unleashed (Underworld, #2)" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1372209933m/18131044.jpg" /></a><br />
Spencer Perry has everything she asked for - her soul mate boyfriend returned to the living. All it took was a trip to the Underworld and a dubitable deal with a god. Now Spencer must pay her debt to that god by spending time with him in the Underworld, or Hades, the namesake she'd learned in school. It's a situation that complicates her relationship with her boyfriend Micah and fosters new feelings for the god Hadrian. It also places her in a situation akin to that of a Greek myth - Spencer's own story seems a little like that of the myth of Orpheus, a little bit the myth of Persephone. But as Spencer has discovered, myths can be distorted. The self proclaimed Queen of the Underworld wasn't some innocent maiden stolen away and forced to remain in the land of the dead for part of a year. Persephone was a monster. And she's a monster determined to destroy Spencer. <br />
<br />
It took me far too long to get to this one. I originally intended to do this months ago because I enjoyed the first in the series, Unhinged. But in reality, when I picked this one up... months ago (and I actually paid for it), I was really buying it for my daughter. She was the one who just had to find out what was going to happen next.<br />
<br />
Although I really enjoyed the first book, I have to be honest in that I wasn't as thrilled with this one. It is a continuation from where Unhinged left off - Spencer is still clearly in danger and the once perfect relationship she had with Micah might not be so perfect now that he's resurrected and among the living. For me though, it wasn't quite enough. Sure, some of the hanging threads at the end of Unhinged were tied up in Unleashed, and of course some new ones were created so we can look forward to book three. The story did continue, but I have to admit I was expecting more actual story in this one than I found. Don't get me wrong - it was okay and it does get moving in the second half- but there was far too much storytelling time spent on emotional recapping and one character admiring another but thinking it was wrong. It started to feel repetitive. There weren't really any new emotions or relationship dilemmas with the Spencer/Micah/Hadrian situation - until almost the end. On the positive side though, there was a little more going on with the minor characters. <br />
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Overall, I liked the story but the four star rating is more my daughter's. I did buy the ebook and at $2.99 I'm not complaining. It was worth it. Sure there were a few editorial things overlooked, but considering I have shelled out a whole lot more for traditionally published books (as ebooks) and found a similar amount of mistakes, it's nothing. When I pay more than $10 for an ebook that has errors (and so far I haven't read an ebook without some kind of error or errors), I totally feel ripped off. Particularly if I think the story is only okay. So for a $2.99 book with a few mistakes and a story I still enjoyed - Unleashed gets my recommendation.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-22437209585360950712014-01-01T12:37:00.001-08:002014-01-01T12:37:48.520-08:00What's up for January 2014<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-knpJFscuEgcIjZiQicHIMWyEOsZN1jig7ECVMwrEYcBeJR_WCONbVi6MctrpaB4TAm5QpQ48MbVxl2tTcSlxOvYQpU_Rqr_m6KMElD3bWGIyHsc7AxuMFllSspiGeYUr7fbqQOJOFdy/s1600/unleashedpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNfPiSpE5SbIavHA_yeTB0gbp-NjXdseSMO5oRVU3h_KQCTmpOYCN9SBpoPzBRy-tAzWtyKpCcb9vSViqM-9zFXEFsAlfXfVcmsSjAnf7V3viwJmX5l3G5PDxVvFe0YqiuImQkouWsF8A/s1600/deadagainpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNfPiSpE5SbIavHA_yeTB0gbp-NjXdseSMO5oRVU3h_KQCTmpOYCN9SBpoPzBRy-tAzWtyKpCcb9vSViqM-9zFXEFsAlfXfVcmsSjAnf7V3viwJmX5l3G5PDxVvFe0YqiuImQkouWsF8A/s200/deadagainpic.jpg" title="" width="150" /></a><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-knpJFscuEgcIjZiQicHIMWyEOsZN1jig7ECVMwrEYcBeJR_WCONbVi6MctrpaB4TAm5QpQ48MbVxl2tTcSlxOvYQpU_Rqr_m6KMElD3bWGIyHsc7AxuMFllSspiGeYUr7fbqQOJOFdy/s200/unleashedpic.jpg" width="144" /></div>
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Got my list, and checking it twice, I'll read these books whether naughty or nice. Seriously though, Christmas is long over, it's 2014 and time to prioritize. So this is a list of indie reads I'm planning to read and review in the upcoming weeks. Stars or no stars.<br />
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It's been a long time now since I've picked up a truly good indie. It could be that I'm just looking in all the wrong places, or maybe my luck just fizzled in 2013. I've picked up free books and paid for others. I've read most, but some were remarkably unbearable and had to be abandoned. Regardless, it's time to get back to reviewing - but this time - good or bad the book will get some kind of review. I apologize in advance for not sticking to the 4 or 5 star reads format. But as you know, sometimes we get into reading slumps - that stack of books we've read but we don't have the heart to review because no matter how deep we dig, there's nothing positive review-wise in those pages.<br />
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So here's the book order for the next little while:<br />
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Unleashed by Tempest C. Avery, 2013 YA (the sequel to Unhinged) - currently reading<br />
Dead Again by George Magnum (book 1, short), zombie horror<br />
The Bone Cell by Richard Futch, December 2013 (short), MG/young YA, mystery/fantasy<br />
Hallowed (Waters Dark and Deep 1), 2013 by Monica Leonelle<br />
Spear Bearer by Stephen Clary, 2010 YA - (book 1)<br />
Imperfect by Tina Chan, 2013<br />
League of Superheroes, Rise of the Villain Book 1 by Celeste Ayers, 2013 (book 1, a short novella)<br />
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I will stick to the YA, thriller and horror genres as much as possible - but action adventure will undoubtedly sneak it's way in. In the meantime, I'll also be distracting myself with best sellers - sometimes I just can't help it. Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson is beckoning me at the moment. And so far, it's a page flipping tale of revenge with plenty of super villain action. I'm reluctant to put it down. It's a highly enjoyable YA.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJAem8O-V-QggXkBDIitiiqmeRXUtm9FpuzRmOs02llYE26q2sHrDDJMj2C3Vd5G5B_LJT4nA7LA5BNZqzZ0XPFBSCug3cKVmbgVjoBuNnohTroFxFbL5MAJcbQaxRJeXy1Z4F9dDHUB4/s1600/spearbearerpic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJAem8O-V-QggXkBDIitiiqmeRXUtm9FpuzRmOs02llYE26q2sHrDDJMj2C3Vd5G5B_LJT4nA7LA5BNZqzZ0XPFBSCug3cKVmbgVjoBuNnohTroFxFbL5MAJcbQaxRJeXy1Z4F9dDHUB4/s1600/spearbearerpic2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPTaWDpu6GJ-wwmXsyO80Rjxnrmdm-YK9LhAqmlP8p1SPvBcYNQCdaUJGJeukTAKYuzSFuIOqJCCD2mC2yBtIUIDNUzvyong5DESeIv-zQ72CaL2m0rDadKHgJa1cDagJEPGJAugZum469/s1600/hallowedpic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPTaWDpu6GJ-wwmXsyO80Rjxnrmdm-YK9LhAqmlP8p1SPvBcYNQCdaUJGJeukTAKYuzSFuIOqJCCD2mC2yBtIUIDNUzvyong5DESeIv-zQ72CaL2m0rDadKHgJa1cDagJEPGJAugZum469/s1600/hallowedpic1.jpg" />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qeTSSTnSlMEQEe-xLYkDUCnUyH9tW2bjTXTDT_ygkOKQMVhi2VmTTiY3KswixSP1BFwMTUXeMYpjLwOhO4r0Fs4xTRbKggoH_GvpPLaR9Cv72v-6O8gSCgTZFJXoyT71kquEOpivF7Hp/s1600/superheroespic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qeTSSTnSlMEQEe-xLYkDUCnUyH9tW2bjTXTDT_ygkOKQMVhi2VmTTiY3KswixSP1BFwMTUXeMYpjLwOhO4r0Fs4xTRbKggoH_GvpPLaR9Cv72v-6O8gSCgTZFJXoyT71kquEOpivF7Hp/s1600/superheroespic2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58mPIxPtUcpQ3Bmia6IyrsXjcaXdDcaket41zwC3hcgTtZ98aF3fSQJlrakkeibEcB3hJoBq6P2O69u_NV1_IU_ccbS6eRMXlVxcr84QEtj3HBl45-6ABb0Y5PaN7kuQneKJejlAW5vhu/s1600/hallowedpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2l1kthxhGFR74p8dMZpbtm7ypYiB2IW65Hs2koVMaSTCt9VC-nCnsvXht6EgHLrogrZuJtc16BwXCdiX1GUIQg7WnAu_aHe8RwLsKyk4jemRTf2bdAl4LBM0oV117rupHR_mUU9blpgKd/s1600/imperfectpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2l1kthxhGFR74p8dMZpbtm7ypYiB2IW65Hs2koVMaSTCt9VC-nCnsvXht6EgHLrogrZuJtc16BwXCdiX1GUIQg7WnAu_aHe8RwLsKyk4jemRTf2bdAl4LBM0oV117rupHR_mUU9blpgKd/s1600/imperfectpic.jpg" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIclQOSk6zEPQmtSgxsLo45piU64qHlpuXkb11mdgeCfo4ZJeMSdHrI4qWK90bwv-o62NwcM6R49__AOaiGNwRFnFT2yWwNpN7PAUHnSRAfWD_7DQjm8tqz5nKSA_prh-EreTNKlj7GnRJ/s1600/bonecellpic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIclQOSk6zEPQmtSgxsLo45piU64qHlpuXkb11mdgeCfo4ZJeMSdHrI4qWK90bwv-o62NwcM6R49__AOaiGNwRFnFT2yWwNpN7PAUHnSRAfWD_7DQjm8tqz5nKSA_prh-EreTNKlj7GnRJ/s1600/bonecellpic1.jpg" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-25374795414654343032013-12-11T10:51:00.000-08:002013-12-11T10:51:34.393-08:00Still Looking...Still looking...
It's been very quiet here on the blog for the last several months. You might have noticed or it might have just been a welcome respite from the relentless onslaught of blog updates crowding your inbox. In either case, I apologize. It's not that I haven't been reading self published novels - I have read a few in the past few months. Unfortunately... Well, it's just one of those things I guess. Sometimes you don't enjoy all the books you're reading (or really any of them). And that minimal enjoyment you might feel is nowhere near enough to pop out an inspiring review. That's been what it's like here. Maybe I'm becoming a little too critical, or I'm in some kind of funk where all of the indie books I read are getting a bit too familiar, a little too error-full, or just plain... no. If I have to be honest, the last time I enjoyed a self published indie book was last summer. And for the whole summer, I think I enjoyed maybe two books. Both were by the same author, H.P. Mallory. So if you're looking for an enjoyable indie book in the paranormal romance genre - not exactly the usual fare for this blog but I'm stretching it - then I can recommend these:
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTODHx5VPx9ZLDqV270MZJKh1LfqWDfp8ezAVRC0SgFZ5BrwdQbut0d0n-uRA6HFCyaGD09PeBh_ks8-7yVt1L5GMZKRMCwTd7dYTnqC2awDlvpNoavkO1aODfmGM8Roe3nq6HCt_UGc7/s200/tokillawarlock1.jpg" title="" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjklzGQAk2e-pL7s1kE_G68m4svsM4UhZvI4m501DEW2iYRbCXl1jYJhaKqIpjm25KDeMsct3yUBRmnnqP-pAuujTMbJeE1sT2JD_k1NFn_6qBIGiYYGIGyxpiBPL467oEP6oZDHJaSunT/s1600/fireburncauldronbubble1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjklzGQAk2e-pL7s1kE_G68m4svsM4UhZvI4m501DEW2iYRbCXl1jYJhaKqIpjm25KDeMsct3yUBRmnnqP-pAuujTMbJeE1sT2JD_k1NFn_6qBIGiYYGIGyxpiBPL467oEP6oZDHJaSunT/s200/fireburncauldronbubble1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span id="goog_1683554617"></span><span id="goog_1683554618"></span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UNLIOQ/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title" target="_blank">To Kill a Warlock</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UNL8OG/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title" target="_blank">Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble</a><br />
Both of these have a fun story, are very quick reads, have engaging characters and -for those of you who are secretly romance readers- smutty, racy bits that are fun and even embarrassing. They're also both free and the first book in a series.<br />
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If you're looking for a childrens' book - I did find a cute one. It's short (100 pages) and it stars a mouse. What else can I say? It was very alright. <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nostradormouse-chris-tinniswood/1100072022" target="_blank">Nostradormouse by Chris Tinniswood.</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMc6cVl2TlH7Hg_D0Ht4XgSnwn6PaKkSudcJGJTU_QDIxpaCoAXPdi4LOot2gjq_VsM74RzYbXRyluawjry8UweqoRQcGjr5jyZ-uwym-osk-AwOj4_6ef_b2JmeHjXalqXsKq34zal_A/s1600/nostradormouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMc6cVl2TlH7Hg_D0Ht4XgSnwn6PaKkSudcJGJTU_QDIxpaCoAXPdi4LOot2gjq_VsM74RzYbXRyluawjry8UweqoRQcGjr5jyZ-uwym-osk-AwOj4_6ef_b2JmeHjXalqXsKq34zal_A/s1600/nostradormouse.JPG" /></a></div>
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Sadly, some of the better books I have been reading are not self published. They're big six or smaller publisher (but not all that small). The most notable of these I finished two weeks ago. It was an extraordinarily weird horror book. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17343401-engines-of-the-broken-world" target="_blank">Engines of the Broken World by Jason Vanhee</a> is an apocalyptic - not post apocalyptic - story told in first person by a twelve year old girl (in places I would almost call it first person hillbilly narration). Never the less, this was one of the creepiest end of days stories I have read. While the characters could be frustrating, I have to give it to the author. He has completely mastered the disturbing. If you are looking for something strange, completely unique with a weirdly biblical end of the world... then I would recommend this one. You might have to buy it though. I haven't seen it in any of the library systems around here yet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyjbtyI6woD2bADZF8e4K8Hu1jAz2Dq8tpnkvL4VjuXnV4vRFgUBfc5ardRZU0rhRlrM4m7Y-GenIbPxK9DzPkStfVpNEvPVqkVIFRNSlrGDIyAtSNF0dw-01_hHi334rVJ_fXZkn3IfA/s1600/enginesofthebrokenworld.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyjbtyI6woD2bADZF8e4K8Hu1jAz2Dq8tpnkvL4VjuXnV4vRFgUBfc5ardRZU0rhRlrM4m7Y-GenIbPxK9DzPkStfVpNEvPVqkVIFRNSlrGDIyAtSNF0dw-01_hHi334rVJ_fXZkn3IfA/s1600/enginesofthebrokenworld.jpg" /></a></div>
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That's all for now. *Sad face* I will keep keep looking and hopefully come up with some indie books that are 4 or 5 star review worthy. Until then... happy holidays everyone.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-82812792182264226232013-09-02T18:24:00.003-07:002013-09-04T18:32:09.651-07:00Wanted (Flick Carter #1) by Tim Arnot<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18275106-wanted" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Wanted (Flick Carter #1)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1375376821m/18275106.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18275106-wanted">Wanted</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6559028.Tim_Arnot">Tim Arnot</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/702224650">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Action, straight out of the gate, makes for a nearly perfect beginning to a YA adventure. So it's always a thrill to pick up a story with plenty of action right from page one. And it just gets better from there when the action continues. All the way to the end. So for me, the action was what really made this book a good read.<br /><br />Wanted is the first book in a series that takes place in a not too distant future (23rd century) where technology and society as we know it have collapsed. People are living simply, in a village like atmosphere where scavenging for relics like radios and other pieces of scientific equipment is outlawed. Trading a few long lost trinkets is fine, but keeping anything potentially useful... not so fine. Fear and oppression (as required by most YA post apocalyptic settings) is provided by the head village thug, known as the Mayor, and his band of minion thugs (I think they're pretty much just known as minion thugs). There is however, a nicely added second layer of oppression provided by the well organized and darkly clad group of thugs known as the Kingsmen. The Kingsmen are the ones responsible for enforcing the simplistic lifestyle, 'disappearing' the subversive folks and accumulating the technologically useful items for themselves. Somewhere in between these evil oppressive forces, the down trodden villagers and our resourceful protagonist Flick, a tense and action filled adventure is spawned.<br /><br />For a first-in-the-series YA adventure, I thought Wanted was pretty good. And if I could just rate it on the action, I would give it five stars. In fact, for most of the book, I would give it five stars. There were however a few things that held me back from completely enjoying the story. Weird, I know. Usually really good action sequences can make me forget all those things that bug me in a story. But not this time. There were these few plot bits that just didn't work for me. They either didn't seem to have much of a point (and interrupted the flow), or they didn't really go anywhere and just kind of hung around unresolved. For some reason they bugged me - a lot - enough that I couldn't really forget them, or sweep them under the review.<br /><br />The first weird plot thing was this Joe-snake dream. For me anyway, it just popped up all of a sudden, out of nowhere, didn't really have that much relevance and interrupted the flow. It really bugged me - not because of what it was but because of how it was placed in the story. It was like it was going to be something important, but then it wasn't. Maybe it's just me, but I don't really think so. There were a few other moments like that one, where the writing just kind of threw something at me that felt jarring but then was left kind of unresolved. The REALLY big one that got to me though was a sudden termination of one of the characters. I'm trying to avoid spoilers here, so I'll eschew the details, but this was a big one for me. It was just so sudden - and yes, jarring. And yes that can work sometimes... but in this case, I was just left feeling kind of ripped off. The character's exit was just something that happened. And then it was over. And not really written much about after. I felt like the author really should have made this character's exit bigger. I felt like - as a reader - I should have been either lost in a sea of confusion and mystery surrounding the exit, or reduced to a blubbering pool or tears. It just seemed like there was about a chapter worth of writing missing. I know it was close to the end and all, but still.<br /><br />I realize there is going to be a second book in the series; a book in which these issues I have may all be resolved and I'll just look like a giant schmuck for pointing out these things in the first place. I'm not trying to be overly critical - it's still a four star read. And as for action and a story that keeps moving - this is a good one. It's worth the read and the cover price. (I also hope that my pointing out the death of an un-named character, somewhere near the end, doesn't really qualify as a spoiler. After all, just think about how many books you could pick up and say, "Hey. Somebody dies in this. Near the end." I mean, there are loads of books like that, right?)
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6548405-e-bard">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6203717250340226479.post-61108086756523591302013-06-08T17:22:00.003-07:002013-06-08T17:22:36.780-07:00Unhinged by Tempest C. Avery<br />
<script src="http://www.goodreads.com/book/avg_rating_widget/17735501" type="text/javascript"></script> <br />
It all depends on what you're looking for in a YA - if it's romance with a hefty wrench thrown in and then topped up with a little mythology, this could be it. Of course when the story begins there's the obvious problem - Spencer Perry's soul mate boyfriend is dead. And after all, what could be a bigger wrench than hiding and hanging out with your ghost boyfriend in your room because you are the only one who can see him? For months? While everyone else seems to be healing and getting on with their lives? Sure it's a wrench. But then, how about tricking a grim reaper into ferrying you to the underworld to make a deal with the god of the dead and ending up endangering not just yourself and your boyfriend but everyone you care about? And maybe just about everyone else as well? And then of course there's that complication with the god of the dead being quite hot... That's the kind of wrench in the romance that protagonist Spencer Perry is facing. It's also the kind of wrench that makes it a pretty good story. The mythology is just the icing on the story, but I will say that the author twists up the mythology enough to make it a little more unique. <br />
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I would definitely put Unhinged with the books I consider to be girl reads, because I really think that's the audience here. And I don't consider that a bad thing, but it might be a mood thing. If you're looking for a romance with appealing characters (yes they're all quite appealing and thankfully the Spencer character isn't a weak dimwit although she does have her moments) - then I recommend it. It's a smooth easy read and I look forward to the next one in the series.<br />
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<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/303574?ref=EBard" target="_blank">Unhinged</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0