The CopyCat Murders - William Meikle

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.

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.

 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.

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 never 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.

Ghost Hand by Ripley Patton

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.

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.

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.

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 here.

Fabled Kingdom - A Comics-Prose Fairytale Adventure

Fabled Kingdom

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.

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.

As a pleasant surprise, I just discovered that the second book - part 2 - is also now available now on Smashwords. The link is here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/511699

Underdead with a Vengeance - Review

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Get the ebook on Smashwords: Underdead with a Vengeance

New Year, New Stuff

With 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.

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.

For the Underdead with a Vengeance synopsis, check it out here: Underdead With A Vengeance

                       
                                Underdead With A Vengeance

24 Hour Comics Day

No book review this week!

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.

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.

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:

Don't worry. We're back to posting book reviews next time.

Into the Wasteland - Lisa Shea

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.

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.

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.

It's available here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/476217

The Thousand Dollar Tan Line

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.

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.

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.
On Amazon

The Purgatorium by Eva Pohler

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

Another by Yukito Ayatsuji, Horror, Mystery, YA

Volumes 1 and 2


Another by Yukito Ayatsuji 

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!

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. 

The story follows 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 every 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.

The ebook can be hard to find, so here are some links that might be helpful if you're interested:

Another, vol 1, 2
Another Vol 1 on Amazon
Another Vol 2 Kobo

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 Chapters. 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?

Priceless by Crystin Morgan

 From Smashwords:

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.

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.

Get it here:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/383467

The Path of Pins by Hannah Kollef

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.

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.

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.

I do recommend this one as a continuation of the Paths series and look forward

Exciting Experimental Book Review Format!

Okay, so here it is....

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!).

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!




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz1dtbTiP6c

Buy it on Amazon (paperback or Kindle)

February Reads - last minute

Trying something new again...

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.

The first I hope to tackle is:

The Path of Pins by Hannah Kolleff
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.

Malakhim Volume 1: Here After by Aleph
Horror. No clue as to what I should expect.

Priceless by Crystin Morgan
Mystery, Short story, freebie

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!

Two Indie Books for Younger Readers

Spear Bearer

 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.

Here's the synopsis from Smashwords:

 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.

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.

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.

Smashwords Link

Imperfect 

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.

From Smashwords:

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.

Smashwords Link

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.



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.

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.

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.

The first half to two thirds of Hostile Witness builds upon the main characters, their back stories and the oh so slow unfolding of the case against sixteen year old Hannah. 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. 

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. 

To be fair, Hostile Witness is a solidly turned out, professional product - but I guess I was hoping for something unique.
On Amazon

The League of Super Heroes, Rise of the Super Villain by Celeste Ayers

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.

 

The story:

 

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.

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.

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. Great cover though. 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.

The synopsis from Smashwords:

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.

League of Super Heroes: Rise of the Villain is a story based on the hit party game by Celeste Ayers. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/338461

The Bone Cell - Richard Futch

The real synopsis (from Smashwords):

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…

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 knot, 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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/392657

Hallowed by Monica Leonelle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Here's an excerpt taken from the synopsis on Goodreads:  

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...
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...
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+).

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.

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.

View all my reviews

Dead Again by George Magnum

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
that next rotten gem, but sadly, it's just not meant to be... yet.

I'm not going to trash the book - surely it will appeal to many. And by that, I'm really thinking men. 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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

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….