“The Axe and the Throne” is a gritty thrill ride across a realm that puts the “Epic” in “Epic Fantasy.” Its characters are complex and compelling and the world building is thorough (even if it’s not the most original), but the way the story is told makes it hard to get invested in either of those elements. Tallos travels north… Read more »
With its captivating setting, riveting plot, and heart-pounding action, “Moonchild” is a much needed breath of fresh air in the world of YA fantasy. I’d say the same in the context of New Adult fantasy as well since the novel teeters between the two, which works to its benefit. Whichever age bracket you want to put it is, mature YA… Read more »
Kristy Cooper gives us, what many in our current societal situation might call, a controversial look at Christianity in her YA fiction book, The Departed – which is the first installment in The Departed Series. In our society’s present political state where concerns of religious rights, gun rights, and the lot are being contested in the upcoming election arena of… Read more »
OMG! Doing this review required a lot of thought as to how I would rate this book. I’ll explain in a minute. Santa’s Little Helper is a horror/occult novel that will have the hair on the back of your neck and arms standing straight up from front cover to back cover. It is by far the creepiest book I… Read more »
The Butterfly Garden is a thriller/suspense mystery that will grab you from the first page and have you page turning well into the night. Embedded within the main story line are a raft of sub-stories. That makes this review difficult to do without giving anything away. So, my description of the story will be briefer than normal and repeat… Read more »
With a bounty on her head and her pursuers closing in, Cyriana has little choice but to take a job stealing from Starwatch, a prestigious institute of learning, to get out of Dodge. With a carefully chosen team of liars, cheats, and thieves at her side, Cyriana throws herself into the most dangerous caper of her life in the hope… Read more »
The People’s War is a historical fiction novel based on the events in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Jing is an inventory accountant at a local factory in China. He lives a few blocks away from the factory, on the outskirts of Tiananmen Square. He walks through the square on his way to work each morning and again on his way… Read more »
An Emerging Threat falls under the sword and sorcery, fantasy genre. There are also mentions of steampunk. I need to start by admitting that I am not a fan of fantasy. Why, because they all read the same and, An Emerging Threat did not disappoint me. There was absolutely nothing original about it. The two main characters, Oliver and… Read more »
Mobster’s Girl is said to be an Italian Mafia Romance story. I would also classify it as a Coming of Age Romance story. In either case, it is a very well written story that will capture your attention and hold it until the end. The two main characters are Antonio and Megan. One Italian (Antonio) and one Irish (Megan,… Read more »
Pencheval is a Silver Lion – the best of the best warrior and fighter. He has earned a reputation for hunting down bandits. However, he is now seeking a simpler life of solitude and peace. This takes him to the Emerald Refuge, famed for its serenity throughout the entire kingdom. However, his peace doesn’t last long as soon the… Read more »
This review is very difficult. If I were reading this book on my own, I likely would not have finished it. However, because I was asked to review it, I hung in there. In the end, I found it interesting but more as a textbook on forensic science, than a mystery. Fire Sign is a short novella, listed under women’s… Read more »
Seventeen-year-old Emma and her twin brother Charlie are expecting another boring summer vacation when the family travels to Balky Point. As much as they like the locals, it is a quiet, unassuming town where there’s not much going on. Charlie and Emma go exploring and the adventure all begins inside the lighthouse. They notice pictures there decades apart that… Read more »
I’m always pleased to give a good review: Especially when it comes on the heels of two, not so good, reviews. In this case, my review rating is not good; it’s absolutely outstanding. If I could, I’d give Everything We Keep a 7 out of 5 rating. 5 for being very good, 6 for outstanding writing and, 7 because… Read more »
Since “Summer of my Fourteenth Year” was clearly Jim Meaders’ first novel, I tried to cut it some slack. Despite its flaws, it had some clever ideas, funny scenarios and was overall a creative story. All of that seems to have been thrown away in the next installment of James’ whacky adventures, “Hitchhikers in Each Other’s Mind,” resulting in a… Read more »
There’s no doubt that I am a lover of dystopian fiction as I read as much of it as I can grab up. And as is common in most genres, you come across some really great pieces and some really horrible pieces. But with Anomalies by Sadie Turner and Collette Freedman, I think I found the beginning of something… Read more »