Time Travel Review: The Book of Revelations by Shanna Lauffey (Episode 10 of The Chronicles of the Harekaiian)

The Book of Revelations

by Shanna Lauffey

Description:

Delve into the exciting conclusion of The Chronicles of the Harekaiian!

Tormented by ghosts from the past, Kallie struggles to find a way to make herself useful to the world and especially to the displaced half breeds engendered by her people.

The specters of both friend and foe return when a new nemesis arises in the most unlikely of places where Kallie thought she could be safe at last. In her attempts to bring the few people close to her together, everything she's built begins to fall apart, but the fate of a young, displaced Time Shifter relies on Kallie's ability to see past the pitfalls placed before her.

Can she bring herself to dedicate her life to helping others? Will Marcus play a part in her future?

My Review:

The Book of Revelations ties things up, though it still feels like there could be more.  

Mason, Connor, and Brand seem to play center stage in this one, as Kallie picks out the final threads of their convoluted timelines. I found some of the revelations surprising, but nothing was really shocking.  I enjoyed the Mason and Brand parts the best.

While I also quite enjoyed the scenes with the young person Kallie is mentoring, I'm not sure I completely bought into the remainder of the school-related side stories. I think there was potential in them, but the drive to actually complete the overall story didn't allow enough time to thoroughly explore them in this episode, especially not at the exploratory and thoughtful pace I enjoyed in the others.

Overall, I enjoyed the tying up of the loose ends, but I feel some of the newer arcs were too rushed.  I'd recommend this final episode to folks who enjoyed the others and to anyone who might have been waiting for all of them to be available. 

People who enjoy the complexities of time travel and discovery would probably like this series. As always, there's an air of nostalgia in the places and times Kallie visits, but in this one, most of the stops were before my time. 

I received the review copy of this book from the author.

About the Author:

Shauna Lauffey is a native Californian currently living in Europe. She spends her time between homes in Sweden, France and the UK. She writes Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.

Check out Shanna's page at https://shannalauffey.weebly.com/.

Follow Shanna on Twitter, Amazon and Goodreads.

Review: Only Tim Sent Flowers by George Kaplan

Only Tim Sent Flowers
by George Kaplan


Description:
Mary Louise, a bookish, redheaded, freckle-faced, eighteen-year-old virgin, who is unaware she has Asperger’s Syndrome, dispenses with Tim, her loving but far too serious and conventional high school boyfriend, then thrusts herself, groin first, into the 1960s sexual revolution, pioneering concepts such as friends with benefits and serial monogamy, while earning two college degrees in statistics. Nicknamed Tookie by her doting father, she engages in often humorous escapades with innumerable unsuitable lovers, whom she seduces with her oral virtuosity. But through it all, the one thing she really wants escapes her—a man who will truly love her, despite her faults, and give her a daughter.


My Review:
Only Tim Sent Flowers reads like a memoir. The main character, Mary Louise, or Tookie, becomes obsessed with experiencing and learning everything about sex.

I actually thought her relationship with her first boyfriend, Tim, was kind of sad. He’s very sweet and respectful, and he loves her, but it isn’t enough for Mary Louise. She loses interest in him when her attempts to get him to be her first fail. I kind of wanted her to get back with him, but the story is true to both her own and Tim’s personalities. He needs more and she wants less, or perhaps just different. It’s just too bad.

Anyway, that set aside, a good chunk of the book is Tookie cycling her way through as many fellows as humanly possible, studying and applying what she learns exuberantly. Some of her actual relationships are pretty interesting side stories, but again, I found them sad. Her sense of accomplishment and self-worth come at a cost I don’t think she realizes. She wants love, but only knows one variable in the formula.

I thought the fact that she has undiagnosed Asperger’s Syndrome added an interesting dynamic. Her behavior and preferences seem over the top until you take that into account. This characteristic is only overtly mentioned in the book’s description and the author’s note at the end, but it defines her.
As for the sexual encounters, well, nothing is left to the imagination. It’s very straightforward and detailed. One is left without a doubt about every one of Tookie’s likes and dislikes, and why. Some of the Asperger’s characteristics seemed to come out in these as well, which I thought showed some pretty good attention to detail. It is definitely meant for adult readers as there is a nearly constant stream of sex and sexual pursuit.

As for the storytelling, it comes across as rather factual and direct, a style typical of memoirs. This book should not be mistaken for a romance.

Overall, I thought this was a really good book, though it can be sad at times. I think the book might appeal to adults who enjoy fictional memoirs.

I received an ARC of this book from the author.


About the Author:
After a career of chasing, and being chased by, spies and assorted thugs across national monuments while being mistaken for Cary Grant, George Kaplan hung up his shoulder holster and used the money to buy a computer to serve as his word processor. Although well versed in writing after-action summaries, Kaplan had no experience with writing fiction, other than his expense reports. Government repercussions about modeling characters after his cohorts and enemies would have been far too risky, so he fabricated a heroine who has qualities he'd seen a few of on each of a number of women he'd rubbed shoulders (and sometimes more) with, during his long career undercover. Kaplan's first novel, Only Tim Sent Flowers, launches his Tookie series about an undiagnosed Aspie girl who perseveres through numerous unexpected adventures.
Author's website https://blackopalbooks.com/george-kaplan/

Other links:
Book Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAHvbJ7MEac
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Only-Tim-Sent-Flowers-Revised/dp/1626947295/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36176303-only-tim-sent-flowers

Childrens Book Review: Millie Hardiman and the Red Parrot Fever by Eddie Owens

Millie Hardiman and the Red Parrot Fever
by Eddie Owens

Released: July 24, 2016
Description:
Millie Hardiman is a thirteen-year-old from Bognor Regis, with a wild imagination, who dreams of becoming a writer.

When Millie’s scriptwriter Dad, Barry, has writer’s block, Millie becomes his muse for the daytime television soap, Double Top.

After her success on Double Top, Millie creates a Sci-Fi, teen drama, The Adventures of Martian Girl.

Millie falls in love for the first time with Wolf Van Der Beek, an arrogant, South African child actor.

This is a story about friendship, first love and growing up.


My Review:
Millie Hardiman and the Red Parrot Fever almost sounds like a mystery novel, based on the title, but it’s more of a humorous coming of age story. Millie’s a kid with an over-the-top imagination and a knack for convincing unwary adults her stories are true. It drives her parents crazy, but when her dad hits a mega writing block at the worst possible time, they make a deal with her that opens the floodgates.

First off, I don’t think the description does this justice. It’s quite a fun read, but it’s more about Millie’s crazy stories both bringing her opportunities and getting her into trouble than about her love story and her budding writing career.

Besides the stuff Millie comes up with, I really enjoyed her growth as she pushes the boundaries and begins to recognize that even a fictional tale can have real consequences. The love story was more of a first crush tale, which I found plausible for kids that age. There are lessons to be learned, but overall, the stories and hijinks make it a quick and entertaining read.

The only thing I didn’t particularly care for was some clunky punctuation in the beginning, mostly odd pauses in the flow of the words that led to a lot of having to reread things. I didn’t notice very much of this near the end of the story, though.

Overall, I really liked this story and would recommend it to middle-schoolers and up who like humor and lots of shenanigans.

I received the review copy of this book from the author.


Book Links:
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Goodreads


About the Author:

Well, I didn't find much about the author other than a picture and that he was born in Glasgow. Oh, and this quote of his on his Goodreads profile:

“"I didn't read "The Hunger Games" for ages. I thought it was some poxy book about a TV reality cooking show."

Fat Jimmy

From "Fat Jimmy and the Blind Ballerina" due out Jan 2017 (hopefully)”

Author Links:
Goodreads
Amazon.com

Interview: Geanna Culbertson, Author of The Crisanta Knight Series

Today I am excited to share with you my interview with Geanna Culbertson, author of Crisanta Knight: Protagonist Bound and The Crisanta Knight Series. If you are looking for a new spin on fairy tales and folklore, all delivered in a fun and thrilling package, these books deliver.


Anyhow, on to the interview!

I see from your profile that you practice and occasionally teach karate. What are your favorite aspects of this martial art? Does what you have learned from practicing karate show up in your writing, and how?

What I love most about karate is simply the action-packed, empowering nature of the activity. When I was little I had the aspiration of being like the superheroes I so admired in film and television. I wanted to be just like them. Alas, “superhero” is not exactly a career one can pursue as a grown-up. Add to that, when I was younger I was small, round, and confined to a corrective back brace that limited my physical activity. However, as I grew I decided that I would not let that stop me from being the girl I wanted to be. And I realized if I wanted to be my own version of “super” it would be up to me alone to work hard and achieve that. So that’s what I did. Through training, over the years I have worked hard to make myself stronger, faster, and someone I can be proud of. Karate encompasses those feelings. Every time I learn a new maneuver, or spar, or train my students I feel the kind of elation that comes with pursuing something you love, and knowing that every day you are trying to be a better version of yourself.

My karate teachings do show up in my writing. As a general rule, I wanted every action sequence in my series and every fight my characters get into to be physically possible and make sense. So while I can’t run drills with Pegasi or dragons as I write, I do run through the physical dynamics and physics of my fight scenes to the best of my ability. I’ve tested knife maneuvers on my karate teacher, I run through the battle choreography of my characters in my garage with various types of workout equipment, I’ve even had mock sword fights with friends in conference rooms during breaks from work. My knowledge of different weapons definitely helps with this. It is way easier to write action for swords, knives, shields, etc. If you understand the way they move and how your body reacts to them.

I'm from California as well. What do you most love about living there?

The food. Hands down. I’m a lover of good food, and my favorite pastime is going on eating adventures with my mom (a.k.a. my partner in crime). And the great thing about California is the diversity of food you can experience. If you want ramen, head to Little Tokyo. Fancy a delicious sushi dinner? Happy hour at Blue C Sushi at Fashion Island is the best. The world’s greatest chips and salsa? La Sirena Grill in El Segundo. The world’s greatest guacamole? Rosa Mexicano at LA LIVE downtown is to die for. Need I go on?

When I lived in California, I used to love going to Knott's Berry Farm. Do you like going to theme parks? If so, what do you like about them?

You know, in all honesty I’m not really a theme park person. Though I did just go to the Harry Potter World that opened at Universal Studios Hollywood and I had a great time! My friend and I got chosen by our wands (Holly Wood with a Dragon Heartstring Core, thank you very much), drank delicious pumpkin juice, and went on the rides so many times we got dizzy. It was awesome!

I found your Crisanta Knight character to be complex but lighthearted and fun, as well. How much of her personality reflects your own? Who else provides inspiration for the characters in your story? Have any of them recognized themselves in the pages?

I would definitely say that Crisanta’s personality is a reflection of my own. She is not an exact copy. The analogy I like to use is that she is to me what Iron Man is to Tony Stark—we share the same core and heart, but are different personas. My friends do tell me that when they read the books they hear my voice shining through, though. I think that’s because a lot of the big personality traits are the same, particularly her sass and sense of humor, but also (as you noted) the balance between complex/serious and lightheartedly fun. I also gave her a lot of my random quirks and characteristics, like my love of boots!

In terms of other characters, the rest of the main protagonists (Blue, Jason, SJ, and Daniel) weren’t inspired by anyone in particular. But there are some side characters throughout the series that pull inspiration from people I’ve known in life, both good and bad. I also like to give little shout outs to people or places who mattered in my life through names of characters and settings in the series. The kingdom of Harzana, for example, was in honor of my good friend and sorority big sister Alexa Harzan.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your writing?

I think readers will be surprised by a lot of what’s coming. Like Crisanta Knight herself, this series doesn’t play by the rules. We’re going to explore a lot of characters, settings, and themes. Given that CHANGE is one of the main thematic elements of the series, I intend to keep it fresh at every turn.

Your new book comes out soon. What would you like to share about that?

I am so excited about Book Two coming out! The Crisanta Knight Series is comprised of eight books. Having finished writing Book Five recently, I feel like the storyline with Book Two was one of the hardest to write so far because I put Crisanta through the wringer so much. I intend for her to grow into someone incredible, but that means she has to go through a lot of internal challenges and growth first. With the story being told in such an in-depth first person narrative, as an author I really get into the struggling mindset of my characters and that is an intensive endeavor.

That being said, Book Two (like all books in this series) is full of the same humor and heart as Book One, which makes the story fun to read. That element of FUN is very important to me. As the series develops, the plots and twists and challenges will get more intense, but I never want the story to lose that spark of magic and humor and fun. That was my favorite element of The Harry Potter Series. Even as the characters became older and the world grew darker, you still smiled during the stories and had a good time reading them. And that’s what I want for my readers—at the end of the day, I want them to have a good time reading this series.

Author Links:
Crisanta Knight Website
Goodreads
Twitter @gculbert14


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You can pick up the first two books of the Crisanta Knight Series on Amazon.  Book Two comes out December 6, 2016, but it's available on pre-order now. I've read both and loved them!

Read it Again! Cinnamon Twigs by Darren Freebury-Jones

Cinnamon Twigs
by Darren Freebury-Jones

Read again in July 2016:
Gosh, I think I love this even more! I had to up my star rating. Anyway, bought my copy for this go around since I don't hang on to the read for review copies. Highly recommended for folks who love memoirs (this one's fictional, but feels real) and stories that really suck you in.

Original Review from June 2013:
Intelligent, poignant, believable...

These are the three words I'd use to describe Cinnamon Twigs. This fictional memoir follows the rise and fall of Daniel Mace from childhood, through college, love, loss, fame, and finally redemption. Daniel falls in love with drama as a child, and this early love molds his life and guides him towards greatness as an adult. His memories of youth include best friends Lisa and Elliot, making home movies, and playing small parts in school productions. Not all is perfect even then. His friend Lisa's father is abusive and violent, his mother is bipolar, his own father abandoned him and his mother.

From there, the story progresses into his teen and college years. Daniel meets best friend, Michael, and their adventures play out in the youthful illusion of invincibility. His love of theater matures at this stage of life, and romantic love also blooms. However, as in real life, the path to true and lasting love isn't an easy or direct route.

Even after he hits it big, success isn't all he'd expected it to be. The people are fickle and easily swayed by the tabloids and press. This works in his favor when these institutions paint him in bright rosy colors, but when they turn to darker shades for the sake of a better story, his life takes a turn for the worse. A disintegrating marriage, self-destructive social life, and growing addiction lead him to a drastic solution.

Having recently read a few non-fiction memoirs, I must say the author has pulled off the format and feel in Cinnamon Twigs. While reading, I kept having to remind myself "this isn't real." So much insight, feeling and personality filter through from the narrator, that it's easy to forget. Though most of the story is told in linear fashion, an occasional detour into the past or a glimmer into a future yet unknown to the younger Daniel give the feeling that a real person is behind the words, that these things truly happened.

This leads to one of the things I most enjoyed about the story: guessing just how much of it comes from the author's personal experience and how much comes from his imagination. One of my guesses is that he is exploring an alternate branch that his own life may have taken had he decided to follow his dreams rather than finish his PhD or had he made other, equally life-altering decisions. The author's take on the power of the press to guide and control public thought and opinions, the futile quest for immortality through pursuit of fame, and the intertwining natures of love and loss flow naturally from Daniel's experiences, the people he meets, and the path his life takes. The line between fiction and non-fiction is delightfully blurred.

Another thing that I found both challenging and enjoyable was the quality of the writing. This story is written at a reading level much higher than I'm used to and I found myself whipping out the virtual dictionary and Google Translate with some frequency. I'm pleased to say most of my contextual guesses for both the unfamiliar English vocabulary and the multi-linguistic phrases were at least somewhat correct, but I'm glad I decided to check behind them. I took notes for quicker reading next time.

All in all, I enjoyed this book. Cinnamon Twigs forced me to think, broadened my perspective, and entertained me. And, though challenged by the sophisticated language and writing style, I was not overwhelmed by it.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy literary fiction, contemporary fiction, social commentary shrouded in fiction, and fictional memoirs. Besides that, I recommend having your dictionary and a translation application of choice handy.


I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest, non-reciprocal review.


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ARC Review: The Quest for Truth (Paranoia) by Jonathan-David Jackson

The Quest for Truth 
by Jonathan-David Jackson

Description:
Oscar's orderly paranoid world has been turned upside down by the Red Fist Army and he now lives in exile. With the help of Penelope, Jim, and Mr. Hodge the hedgehog, he must free their hostage town, take on the Red Fist, and discover the truth about Dr. Boggs.

However, when things go wrong and Oscar loses his closest friends, he has to rely on an unlikely group of refugees with surprising mental abilities. As he continues on his journey to freeing the town and himself, he finds out more of his own truths than he ever imagined, and absolutely nobody shoots lasers out of their eyes.


My Review:
Gives a totally new meaning to the term egging...

The Quest for Truth is book two in the Paranoia trilogy by Jonathan-David Jackson. Oscar Well, having narrowly survived the hostile Red Fist takeover of his town and state through shear luck and paranoid overreaction, is hiding out with his new best friend, Hodge, and his new girlfriend, Penelope. But they cannot hide forever. Red Fist is searching for them. In fact, they could be watching right now.

When I read the first in this series, I wasn't sure which direction a sequel might take. The Quest for Juice went from the ramblings of a paranoid man trying to track down the mysterious man named Ron, who stole his favorite orange juice off the shelves, to a surreal conspiracy proving to Oscar that his paranoia may not be all that far off. Now that I've read number two, I'm happy to report that it did in fact take a direction, and that direction was just as twisty, unpredictable, and absurd (in a good way) as the first.

Before getting into my favorite characters or my opinions about the plot, I'd like to mention the footnotes, which I realize I left out of my review of the first book. These spice an already humorous book with off-hand comments and asides that make these stories hazardous to read in public (if you value your reputation as a sane person). I found myself giggling uncontrollably before getting more than a few pages in, and I even had my son read those initial pages so he'd know his mother wasn't, in fact, losing her mind. My advice is to follow those links as soon as you come to them in the story, don't even finish the paragraph, just follow.

As for characters, I must say I'm pleased that Mr. Hodge plays such a big role in this story. Mr. Hodge is a hedgehog (the cover promises more hedgehog, and it delivers). He's also Oscar's conscience. I'm not certain if this was intended, but it's definitely how it plays out. I love how Mr. Hodge enforces his advice, though I'm pretty sure Oscar doesn't. It's also fantastic that there's another charismatic critter in this one. I'll leave it at that, so as not to spoil the surprise.

I think another cool thing about this book is that it pits people that are different, in particular the mentally ill, against superior forces that want nothing less than their complete and ultimate destruction. In the story, some of these disorders take on superhuman proportions (my favorite is the one that makes enemies feel minty fresh), though others are more mundane disorders like cleptomania and many are downright silly.

But, the underlying plot is that these people are being targeted by Red Fist specifically because they are different. They are being captured, experimented upon, and killed, all with the goal of ultimately purifying the human race of the genes that caused their conditions. There are some parallels that can be drawn to certain real-life events, making this story chilling in places. Sure, the humorous approach makes this an entertaining read, but the underlying plot is sinister and all the more scary because it could and has happened before (if not targeting this particular element of humanity).

So, overall, The Quest for Truth is a hilarious yet frightening book. Adult humor, gore, and mental instability color everything in this story. So, in short, this is not a book for kids. However, adults who enjoy books that embrace the absurd, who like hedgehogs, and who like a good bit of action will likely enjoy this story and its predecessor, The Quest for Juice. I eagerly await book three, The Quest for Nothing in Particular.

I received a copy of this book as an ARC from the author.


About the Author:

Jonathan-David Jackson was born in Gastonia, North Carolina, at 3 in the morning on May 14, 1987. At first, he could not walk, talk, or indeed use the toilet. After a year of intensive training in NC, he moved his family to Kingsport, Tennessee, where he finally overcame those early disabilities. Soon, he was walking and talking as good as anyone, and perhaps better. Walking and talking wasn't good enough, though, so he also learned to write.

He wrote and wrote, and with gentle encouragement from his wife, he finally wrote a book. Then he wrote this biography. Then he wrote other books. Perhaps he'll do more things; that would certainly be exciting.

Amazon  |  Goodreads  |  Website

Review: Sergeant Obvious by Donald Meisenheimer

Sergeant Obvious by Donald Meisenheimer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Absurd, crazy and vivid. A rollercoaster ride.

I found this book for free on Smashwords and bought it for no other reason than the quirky title. Great story.

The story is told from the perspective of a young man who is trying to find his missing uncle. Although the main character is a teen, this book seems like it targets adult readers.

The story features stopped time, ninja girl scouts, clones, aliens, and overly friendly enemies. Everything is connected with everything else, and nothing happens without a reason, no matter how absurd. Although some (or perhaps all) of the scenarios are outrageous, they are all described in a way that I could picture them clearly in my mind.

Overall, I really liked this story for its vivid storytelling and meticulously interconnected absurdity. People who like over the top stories featuring humor, mysterious happenings, and quirky, yet well-developed characters may like this story.

It's number two in a series. I didn't realize that until nearly through. I imagine that some of the things that confused me would have made more sense if I had started with the first one. Still, in my opinion, the book's good enough to stand alone. Now I have to go pick up number one.





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Fantasy Review: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fantastic book.

The Golden Compass presents a world where humans are accompanied by an external manifestation of their souls. They call them daemons, which might bring to mind something sinister, but in this case they are not. They take on the form of animals, linked to the nature of their human companions, shifting between forms with the speed of thought until their humans reach puberty.

The world itself is similar to ours. Basically, it's portrayed as an alternate universe or alternate reality that could exist even now alongside our own. But in this reality we have the daemon companions, flying witches who live hundreds of years, and speaking bears who are fierce and proud. Yet even these fantastic things are presented in a way that they are believable within the world they inhabit.

Fiction Review: Valmont Sharp: Monster Hunter by David Raymond II

Valmont Sharp: Monster Hunter by David Raymond II
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great story, but needs some polishing.

Valmont Sharp: Monster Hunter is an easy read with plenty of excitement, danger, and adventure. I like the idea of the fake, real monster show, hiding true monster hunting behind special effects and showmanship. The young Chris Sharp, Valmont Sharp's son, is the main character, a bit of a surprise since the cover and title seemed to imply that Valmont would be the focus. The other characters are well fleshed out and interesting, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. I thought Chris's friends were cool and enjoyed their chatroom conversations. Valmont's inner circle is equally intriguing, especially the 30-year old suffering from a curse that ages him. And the enemies, ruthless and flawed. I won't go into any details there due to spoilers.

Those who are greatly annoyed by errors in a book might want to wait until most of the errors are addressed in a future edition. There are times the book reads like a Mad Libs game with random words in place of the ones the author most likely intended to use. Also, double words and repeated phrases pepper the work. Still, if your human autocorrect is strong and you don't mind putting it to work, I would definitely recommend this story.

I really liked this story, though it needs some serious editing and proofreading. I recommend this to folks who love a bit of adventure, battles against mystical forces, and a unique plot, particularly those who don't mind a bit of rough or missing editing.


View all my reviews

Science Fiction Review: The Zondon by Robby Charters

The Zondon by Robby Charters
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A good, well-researched sci fi.

The story opens with Ernie, an undermotivated guy whose twin outshines him. Growing up, Ernie experienced vivid dreams of space, a tomb in Egypt, and a multi-faceted glowing crystal. Now, when he and his brother get the opportunity to resume the exploration of a tomb their parents were forced to abandon before they were born, they jump on it, but Ernie begins to suspect he's been there before.

I found this to be an interesting book, with a good mix of real and fictional science, just enough to be plausible if not probable. As for the story, it's well-fleshed out and planned, and I didn't notice any plot holes. The origins of the aliens, both good and bad, and the tie in with the creation story,the dinosaurs, and the current events in the story are interesting and entertaining. The characters are from extremely different backgrounds, but their personalities, mannerisms and belief systems ring true, probably due to the author's research. This and the travel in the book makes this story appealing from a contemporary standpoint.

Fiction Review: Finnegan's Quest by Gloria Piper

I was lucky to score a review opportunity for another of Gloria Piper's books on Goodreads at the end of November just as I was wrapping up my NaNoWriMo 2013 novel.

Occasionally, I'll volunteer as a back up reviewer for review rounds rather than participate in them directly, because it gives me some leeway to select books I am more likely to enjoy and helps someone out when their original reviewer can not complete their review. (For more about review groups, take a look at my Read for Reviews: Pros, Cons and Ettiquette post)

When I saw Gloria's post asking for help, I jumped right on it. I loved her Train to Nowhere, so I already knew I liked her writing style, but I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this story. Train to Nowhere is a sci fi, dystopian; Finnegan's Quest is an allegorical coming of age story. But I must say, I wasn't disappointed. Read on for my review.

YA Book Review: Uniquely Unwelcome by Brandy Nacole

This year I'm playing along with an A-Z Book Title challenge on Goodreads.  Today's review is for my U book, Uniquely Unwelcome. Unlike many of the books I review, I actually bought this one.  I've been following the author, Brandy Nacole, on Facebook for some time, and finally picked up a copy of one of her books.

As for the A-Z challenge, I'm getting close.  I plan to post my final A-Z reading list with links to my reviews when I finish the challenge.

Uniquely Unwelcome by Brandy Nacole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Uniquely Unwelcome takes the werewolf, vampire, shifter, witch thing to a new level. The story opens with Racquel returning to her hometown, and dreading it. From her earliest memories, she has faced ridicule and fear, a side effect of her mixed heritage. Mixing of the shadow world races is discouraged, and in some cases dangerous or impossible, but her family found a way. With years of trauma to deal with, the last thing she wants is to be noticed when she arrives in town, but she is.

This is ya at its finest. The various shadow world races are interesting and well-defined, especially with how they shouldn't be able to be mixed. Besides the four main races, there is also mention of leprechauns and fairies, and we actually get to meet the fairy queen.

It's fantastic seeing how the four main races mingle in Racquel's veins. As part vampire, she occasionally needs blood, especially after an injury or strenuous fight. As part shifter, she can turn into an eagle. As part werewolf, she's stronger than she should be and heals quickly. As part witch, she can use magic. But, and here is where it's interesting, she has had almost no guidance on how to deal with any of this. Instead of accepting her, each of these races has not only snubbed her, but also in some cases attacked, humiliated or harrassed her. She's one against them all, which makes it awkward when people from the different races start going missing and they need to call on her to help track them down. She agrees to help, but only because her sister, Addie, is one of those missing. She and a growing team of young people recruited from the various races take up a world tour to visit the main colonies of each race.

Also, as is common in ya, there is a bit of romance, but it is affected by racial stigmas and incompatibilities. We see the love blooming, but we know that the couple(s) will be shunned and any children of theirs would face the same kind of painful existance as Racquel. Makes it hard to know whether to hope they make it or to hope they don't. Of course, I'm always voting for love. I enjoy the way the romance is developed in this story.

Another thing I liked was that Racquel begins to gain acceptance and learn more about herself. This personal growth makes her relatable and gives hope for her future. She's a strong person, too. I love reading about strong female characters, so this was a plus for me.

The only thing I thought was a bit off was how easily and how quickly Racquel was convinced to help the four races. Sure, her sister was taken, but that was really the only explanation. It takes a single conversation to convince her to drop everything and instantly pack her bags to go face the main camps for each of the races who despise her. I don't know if I'd be so easily convinced, especially if I had no previous positive reinforcement and little confidence in my own self-worth, as Racquel seems to have. But, after that odd start, the story picks up and everthing flows well.

Overall, I really liked this story. It's a bit of a ya cliche at times with all the various magical races, but the way they are used and presented in the story is believable and interesting. The romanctic themes are well developed and seem doomed to failure, but I felt a connection and hoped along with them that things would turn out alright.

I would highly recommend this story to fans of YA literature, especially those who like the werewolf, vampire, shifter, or witch type stories; you get all four in Uniquely Unwelcome. I look forward to the next story in the series.


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Short Story Review: Stray (Feast, Stray, Love #2)

The author enjoyed my first review so he asked me to review #2 and #3 as well!  I always love hearing that my reviews are well received  and getting follow up review requests.  Plus, I like "collecting" an entire series in my reviews.  If you scroll back far enough in my blog (especially on Goodreads, which is where I started off), you'll find a few of my collections.  Some of them are still in progress.

Feast, Stray, Love by Kevin Anthony
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Funny follow up to Feast (Feast, Stray, Love #1).

Stray takes up a bit after the final showdown in Feast. The story is short, funny, and doesn't lose track of the original storyline. I thought it did for a while, but the threads were being laid to tie everything together. Damien has left Mayson for Port Rising, a cozy seaside town. Living and working at Dirty Betty's, a gay bar, and moonlighting at the local Church for Pastor Abram in gratitude for help when he first came to town, Damien finds himself living a double life.

My favorite character in this one is Sparkles, the owner of the gay bar. I can totally picture him in his evening gowns, or in his teddy bear pajamas. Although he seems silly at times, he as a person comes across as realistic. He's afraid for his bar and his staff, and acts desperately to save them. I also love that Ava pops up again. She is the jack of all trades from Feast, who pops up everywhere performing her latest "part-time." It's funny, but also intriguing. Why is she everywhere Damien goes?

Besides the characters, there is an underlying theme of being true to yourself, even when the mainstream thought is against you. Caleb, the pastor's son, is the primary vehicle of this message. Damien, who sees the good side of the pastor, is surprised to learn that his son was written off when he came out, but doesn't truly believe the pastor is all that bad, just a strict follower of his beliefs. Then he begins to learn more.

Another theme is one of moving on after loss. Damien is coming to terms with the loss of his boyfriend and is avoiding any romantic entanglements, a difficult proposition when the handsome Detective Jaxom rolls into town on a basketball trip. Sparkles says go for it, but Damien feels it would be a betrayal to Ben.

I noticed much less cursing than in Feast, which I felt was good. The sexual situations are relatively tame, but they do focus on m-m relationships. Personally, I don't mind that, but it's worth note. If the reader is uncomfortable with such things, this is not the book for them. I also noticed an improvement in the execution of the dialog, making it seem more natural and easier to picture what's happening while the characters are talking.

As for things I didn't like, I found a couple of places where I felt like something changed in the matrix (pardon the pun). The people would be talking, then something would be said that I thought had already been said. I'd flip back and it wouldn't be exact, but it would be close enough to throw me off. It wasn't too bad, but it was confusing when it happened. I also noticed a few minor errors in grammar such as using a singular verb for a plural noun.

Overall, I really liked this one. It's primarily funny, with underlying themes of social acceptance, dealing with loss, and learning to be oneself. Plus, the creepy Factory is still in play, though not quite as much as in the first, so it has the horror component going for it. I'd recommend this to people who enjoy humorous and scary stories and who either prefer or don't mind the portrayal of m-m romantic relationships.

I picked up a free copy of Stray during a promotion on Smashwords after completing an author-requested review for Feast. When the author requested a review for Stray, I had already added it to my TBR list.

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Short Story Review: Feast (Feast, Stray, Love #1) by Kevin Anthony

I picked up this book during a free promo day on Amazon after the author requested a review for it.  As horror and m-m fiction, it's not in a genre I typically read, but sometimes a story will surprise me. As far as the theme goes, this one comes just in time for Halloween, but this story is meant for a mature audience.

Feast by Kevin Anthony
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A dish of humor served with a side of gore. Short, creepy, creative...

Feast is the first in the Feast, Stray, Love short story trilogy. The story begins with Damien being rescued by his teacher after passing out and causing a massive fire at the local college. Upon waking in the hospital, he learns he has a brain tumor, and his doctor performs the surgery to remove it. Unfortunately for Damien, his doctor is a bit of a quack and scrambles a few things up while working on him. Luckily, Damien's mother and boyfriend are there to support him through his recovery, but the extra job his boyfriend picks up to help cover expenses soon leads to unexpected complications in their relationship, and his doctor's shoddy operating techniques lead to complications of their own.

First off, I must say I don't frequently read stories specifically focused on men in romantic relationships with each other. That being said, I found the relationship believable and, for the most part, tastefully done. There are some sexual situations, but none are too explicit and the focus seems to be more on the emotional relationship, which is an approach I tend to like in a story. However, I would classify this book as horror, rather than romance.

The true focus of the plot is the doctor's mess of a job on Damien's brain and the creepy factory outside of town that subverts his boyfriend and later threatens his mom. People enter the factory, never to return. Those who land jobs there either disappear or leave their families to stay at the factory, and strange shipments arrive frequently. Besides that, the question is, what exactly does the factory do? The dodgy answers Damien gets from his boyfriend and later from a detective leave much to be discovered in later books in the series. Adding to the horror aspect of the story are the relationships. The author builds a highly admirable and likeable boyfriend, who the main character loves deeply, and then puts him in harm's way. He does the same with Damien's mother, building her up into someone the reader likes, and then showing her becoming a bit too enamored of an ironically named self-help book, "Feast, Stray, Love."

As for the vastly unqualified doctor in the story, I'm not certain the details or credentials surrounding him or his work on Damien are exactly believable, but his bedside manner is humorously atrocious, and his less than stellar operating skills are responsible for Damien's subtle transformation throughout the book. Again, is it believable? Not really, but it is entertaining. A good bit of the humor in the book stems from this crazy, irreverent doctor and the reactions of those around him.

Besides the romantic angle, the plot, and the crazy doctor, which I enjoyed and led me to like the story overall, there are a few things that kept me from loving it: one, grammatical issues, primarily the punctuation of the dialog; two, the frequent use of the F-word, not a surprise since it's also used in the book description; and three, various plot points for which I had to hit my "I believe" button. The dialog and other minor grammatical issues might detract from the story for those who find that sort of thing annoying, but could be fixed in a future edition. The F-word usage bugs me, but I think it fits into the story and the style of the writing, totally a personal preference type thing. The things that were vague could be due to the constraints of writing a short story, namely details are often cut to keep the story short. However, some of the details and situations presented are hard to imagine in a real setting, but are portrayed as being normal or realistic, which made some of the fictional aspects of the story less believable.

Overall, I liked Feast. It's a good, short book with a bit of humor and romance and a whole lot of mystery and creepiness factor, good for a horror story. The romantic relationship between Damien and his boyfriend isn't too explicit, focusing more on their relationship, but I would caution that it is aimed at mature readers. I'd recommend this story to those who like the horror genre, want a quick read, and either prefer or aren't bothered by books that feature a male-male romance.

I picked up a copy of this book from Amazon during a free promo day after the author requested a review.

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Short Story Review: The Story of Hennelie Hamster RUNNING WILD at Christmas Time on a Farm in Zimbabwe by Nikki Ziehl

And now for a little bit of inspiration.  Today's feature is a short story featuring the brave Hennelie Hamster.

For a short story, this one has quite a long title, but it lets you know what you're in for.  It tells you who the main character is, what she's doing, when she's doing it and where she is when she's doing it.  Plus, it fits together nicely on the cover, which makes me smile every time I see it.

I came across the link and intro to this story on the CreateSpace message boards near the end of last year before I really got into writing reviews.  In fact, when I looked at the review I had for this one, I decided it was way too skimpy: just two sentences and a corny thank you to the author.  So, here is my revamped review for The Story of Hennelie Hamster Running Wild at Christmas Time on a Farm in Zimbabwe.

Forgotten Valor (Shadows of Valor #2) Cover Reveal and Release Date

Woot, woot! 

My third book, Forgotten Valor (Shadows of Valor #2), is set up for pre-order on Smashwords and is scheduled to be released on November 20.  This is something new on Smashwords, which I think is fantastic. 

Forgotten Valor by Patricia Hamill


Check out my sample here at Smashwords and then keep an eye out on Kobo, Apple or B&N if you'd like to pre-order.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/364579

So excited! I'll keep you all posted.
:-D

I will coordinate the print and kindle release on Amazon so they will also go live on November 20, but the book will only be available for preorders at Kobo, Apple and B&N.

Novella Review: Santa Claus vs the Aliens by James Cardona

Today's feature short or shortish book is Santa Claus vs the Aliens.  This one was good timing because the author sent me a review request for two of his books just before I decided on my theme for October.  I picked this one because it looked funny (I like funny) and because it was a novella and fit into my plans.

As a bonus, this story is free today on Amazon (last day), so if you like what you see here, pick up a copy!

santa claus vs the aliens by James Cardona
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love it. The right mix of humor, danger and whimsy...

Santa Claus vs. the Aliens follows young Edwin Cardona on an unexpected adventure in New York City. Edwin, the son of Puerto Rican emigrants, lives in a children's home where his father left him temporarily while he got on his feet. In a moment of frustration, Edwin throws away his father's most cherished possession, a gaudy ring with a face that looks like Santa. The story begins with Edwin setting out from the children's home on a quest to retrieve the lost ring and ramps up from there into a surprisingly riveting urban adventure featuring aliens, Santa and personal growth.

Set in the Great Depression era, the historical details in this story are both fascinating and accurately portrayed. I didn't get all of the song references, favorites of the time, but the rest is interesting. That young Edwin lives in a children's home and prefers it to his father's family is an interesting setup, made all the more so because Edwin, his father and the family are all real people, relatives of the author. In fact, I've confirmed it with the author; everything besides the obviously fictional parts (aliens, Santa, etc.) actually happened as told in the story.

Short Story Review: Hexes and Tooth Decay by Nancy Fulda

As part of my month long theme of short and shortish stories, I figured I'd start with one of the shortest ones I've read in recent memory, Hexes and Tooth Decay: A Short Story.  I came across this one for free on Amazon one day and it sat on my to be read shelf for several months before I finally said, "Hey, what's this!" 

I opened it up during a commercial break (because, of course, that's when I do my best reading), and by the time the break was over, I was done with it.  But, I must say, even though it has to have been the shortest ebook I've ever seen, I was not disappointed.  I was, however, concerned that my review would be longer than the story...


Hexes and Tooth Decay: A Short Story by Nancy Fulda

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Funny and worth a read.

This one literally took me about two minutes to read, but it had me laughing and smiling. It's a clever take on the origins of a certain mystical being much loved by elementary school children.

I can say that it is rare for me to rate a short story with five stars, but this one deserves it. The plot is well developed, the characters (three of them, it is a short after all) vivid and strange, and the parting shot at the end is fantastic.

A winner for adults and kids (I'd say middle-schoolers), though adults should read it first before passing it along.

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Review: The Quest for Juice by Jonathan-David Jackson

The Quest for Juice 
by Jonathan-David Jackson

Description:
Oscar has always lived a life of quiet paranoia, but now everything is changing. Suddenly, the bus is frequently late, his housekeys won't fit in the lock, and someone has taken his juice, which was the one thing holding his life together. He strikes back against the people behind it all, but when he strikes too hard an innocent man ends up dead, and Oscar ends up in jail, diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and facing life in a mental institution. On his journey to mental health and the truth, he has to make hard decisions about medication, trusting his own mind, dating a nurse, and whether that hedgehog can actually talk.


My Review:
Quirky, dark and funny.

Oscar Wells suspects 'they' are up to no good in his town. All of his extensive research, documented meticulously on a wall in his house, points towards a dark conspiracy. First, it's little things, like his key not quite fitting and having to jiggle it to open his door. But when his favorite Sunshine Juice is replaced by Sunlight OJ, "now with 50% more real orange pulp," they've gone too far. From there Oscar spirals into a paranoid breakdown that lands him first in jail and later in a mental ward, and then it gets really interesting.

Oscar is a mess. The book is told from his perspective and he freely walks you through every connection, suspicion and thought that lead him to his often tenuous conclusions and decidedly odd outlook on life. I found myself laughing aloud many a time.

On the other hand, the unlikely outcome requires quite a leap of faith, even through the eyes of the delusional main character. Entertaining, yes; believable, no. I'm not certain I would read the next one in the series when it comes out, because I'm not sure what's left to tell based on where the story left off.

Overall, The Quest for Juice is an enjoyable read with a ton of humorous, though at times dark, insanity sprinkled in. I highly recommend it to people who like stories where reality and perception clash in interesting ways. This story kept me guessing and second guessing, and I loved that about it.


About the Author:

Jonathan-David Jackson was born in Gastonia, North Carolina, at 3 in the morning on May 14, 1987. At first, he could not walk, talk, or indeed use the toilet. After a year of intensive training in NC, he moved his family to Kingsport, Tennessee, where he finally overcame those early disabilities. Soon, he was walking and talking as good as anyone, and perhaps better. Walking and talking wasn't good enough, though, so he also learned to write.

He wrote and wrote, and with gentle encouragement from his wife, he finally wrote a book. Then he wrote this biography. Then he wrote other books. Perhaps he'll do more things; that would certainly be exciting.

Amazon  |  Goodreads  |  Website

The Color of Thunder by J.C. Wing
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Beautiful and satisfying, though sometimes bogged down in the details.

The Color of Thunder follows young Faith Linsey as she grows up in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1940s, '50s, and '60s. As the daughter of a prominent and respected pastor, her role in the family and the community is one of service. To her father, she is an extra female useful for helping her mother with the household and for keeping her unruly sister, Hope, out of trouble.

Faith embraces her responsibilities and accepts the world at face value until one fateful night when she witnesses her father sneaking out into the night to send a fiery message to a family who committed the unspeakable crime of showing kindness and giving a ride to their young black housekeeper. Rocked by the revelation that her father isn't the righteous man she'd always believed him to be, Faith begins to take note of the things happening in her family, her town and the world.