Book Reviews by Essie

Return to Normalcy...And a Few Changes

2012-01-04T20:58:00.000-08:00

So, it has been too long since my last post. As I sit here and write this, I'm thinking to myself, "Wow, I see this a lot with bloggers, and they never really come back to their blogging. And if they do, they don't last long." I had no intention of giving up on blogging or book reviewing when my unplanned hiatus started. Life just took control and didn't let go until yesterday. (And I've still only got a small portion of the control.) With Thanksgiving on its way and being hosted at my house by me for the first time, I was preoccupied, to say the least.

After Thanksgiving came Christmas. How do we even prepare for that? So I was like a crazy person for two months. So now I know what you are thinking, what better way to relax at the end of the night than reading? Well, in all of this, migraines kept me from any kind of pleasure. Apparently between pollen counts and stress, my head decided to explode rather than cooperate. It wasn't a good few months.

And then New Year's Eve hit. Ahh, bonfire, drinking, and fireworks. Wait, I only enjoy one (or two) of those things. It was also a stressful night.

Don't get me wrong, there were good times to be had during the last few months, like children's beautiful faces on Christmas morning. And the new furniture we bought. After much searching, I finally found the perfect china cabinet. A 1950s Drexel New Travis Court china cabinet. Beautiful. And a new bedroom set. Not an antique, but beautiful nonetheless. It will soon be covered in tiny fingerprints since I opted for the shiny, lacquered finish.

So, all that being said, life is returning to normal. Next week my older daughter returns to school and I can truly get back to work. Just having the kids go to bed at a decent time will be a blessing.

So, I never planned to stop reviewing books, and I'm not, but I'm going to have to review less than before. eFiction is starting some new projects, including book editing and publishing and I will be part of the editing team, and anywhere else I can fit in and help. We are also still putting together the monthly magazine, which of course, is our bread and butter.

I have a long to be read list, and I'm going to try my best to get to all of them and post them here and submit them to the eFiction Magazine for publication, but I'm not going to be accepting any new requests. When my list shrinks, I'll open it back up.

Catharsis by Indie Author Jonathan Face

2011-11-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

Indie Author Jonathan Face delivers a suspenseful, mysteriously, unfolding tale of a condemned town. As the story slowly progresses, the reader is left with a feeling of dread, a feeling that something bad is going to happen in Spring City. The inhabitants of this small town seem like good enough people, but they all have secrets. Unfortunately, you can't hide your secrets from unknown forces hell bent on bringing justice upon town's occupants.

Throughout the story, you learn a little bit about each character until you have a picture in your head that leaves you knowing that this isn't a good person, despite the warm and fuzzy facade. Jonathan Face does a good job building the characters into real people, giving away only a little about their pasts.

As a snow storm moves through the town, the inhabitants bear down for a bad storm. Slowly, things draw the residents out (or for some, into their homes) to their deaths. The innocent are pulled away to be saved.

Jonathan Face's writing style is enjoyable to read, and the book was pretty well edited and proofed. The only annoyance that I found was the use of the word 'presently'. Of course, this is only my opinion, if you say that someone did something, I assume that, in the story, they are doing it then. I don't need to know that 'Presently, he walked down the street' or whatever action was taken. In this instance, the story was in the past tense, so no one actually did anything presently. There, my rant is done.

There were a few, I won't call them plot holes, but a few places where I wanted to know more information about the characters. For instance, we get to know the town librarian Kathy. She has a tainted past and moves to Spring City to hide and probably escape consequences. I have no idea what she did, but I want to know. At one point in the story, near the end, she is almost forced to tell her story to another deranged citizen, but their chat is interrupted and Kathy's story is never told. I'm still left wondering what she did.

Overall, an excellent, suspenseful, compelling story. I'll be on the lookout for more novels by Jonathan Face.

Right now, Catharsis is free for Nook and Kindle.

Indie Author Joe Crubaugh - Terminal Departure: A Cleo Matts Novel

2011-10-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

I love when authors write series books. Especially anything Jason Bourne-esque, or I suppose you could say hard-boiled. I love it until I realize that, to-date, there is only one novel or that I've come to the end of the written, published novels. I freely admit it: I get stuck on good series, read until there is no more to read, and then pine for a new installment, another fix.

Cleo Matts did this to me.

Cleo is a secret agent who opposes the clandestine operations of the US government. The book begins on a plane where Cleo is on a mission to keep a man alive. A man that the US government wants dead. When things begin to go wrong, Cleo finds himself saved by the watchers and his mission completely changed.

The watchers are alien life forces who abduct humans, but the humans have no recollection of the encounter when all is said and done. Cleo only knows that they have been abducted because he is familiar with the signs and symptoms. After the abduction and plane crash, Cleo teams up with movie star and scorned woman Julia McMichaels. From there, they are on a mission to save themselves and the world.

The plot sounds a little silly after getting to the alien encounter part, but it works, I promise. I had forgotten that aliens were involved when I sat down to read Terminal Departure, and I was a little leery when I came to the abduction scene.

The story has a few plot holes, one of which seemed like it was going to be a big deal, but then didn't materialize into anything later in the story. After the abduction and tragedy that the characters survived, Cleo and Julia were both seemingly invisible to other people for a short time. It wasn't enough time to help them escape, but enough to cause some confusion. I'm not sure what the author was going for, but it could have turned into something neat.

I am always a fan of action, deceit, and conspiracy, and Cleo didn't disappoint. He was mostly emotionally detached, but able to feel emotions if he let his shield down. He realized this about himself and used it to his advantage. Sometimes these types of characters end up being complete sociopaths. Sometimes this works, but more often than not, it leaves the reader wanting more; we want a human, emotional connection.

It has been about ten days since I finished Terminal Departure, so all of the details aren't as fresh in my mind as they could be, but I think it is safe to say that there weren't any glaring grammatical errors that made the book unreadable. This I would surely have taken notice of.

Sometimes when you read a novel, chapter endings are cliff hangers, and other times they seem to end a portion of the story. Terminal Departure seemed to do neither. While I was involved in the story, the chapter endings did nothing to pique my interest in reading the rest of the story. Luckily, I quickly became vested in the outcomes of the characters. Portions of the story didn't end with the chapters, but there were no real cliff hangers. This was good for my sleeping habit since I could put the book down, go to sleep, and continue reading the next day.

The story ended with, not a cliff hanger, but an opening for another Cleo Matts novel, and I'll be honest, I've already looked into it, and there aren't anymore...yet. According to Joe Crubaugh's Amazon page, he is working on the second novel as we speak.

Indie Author Claude Nougat - Forget the Past (Trilogy Book 1)

2011-10-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

In Forget the Past, a young, child genius turns seventeen and suffers burnout from the world that he knows. The once video game programmer leaves his home in search of his roots in Italy.

While meandering through the streets of an Italian city where his ancestors originated, Tony comes across a Circolo di Conversazione. Tony isn't quite sure what he is expecting, but what he encounters changes his world, forever.

Inside of the Circolo di Conversazione, he meets an odd group of people, thousands of people, milling about talking loudly. These people all claim to be members of the Bellomo family. Tony's ancestors. The family origin goes back 900 years. The leader of the family, Don Ugone, commands Tony to stay, allow them to use his "life energy", and watch the plays that the family members put on.

These plays are not merely the family members acting out their stories; they somehow relive their experiences for the entire Circolo di Conversazione to see. All of the members then gather in another room and discus the choices of the family member. The point of the Circolo, it seems, is talking about and understanding the turning points of each other's lives.

Tony meets many people from his family, but of course, he doesn't believe that they really are who they claim to be. He spends almost the entire book assuming that they are actors in an elaborate play.

Tony meets many family members while he is in the Circolo, and I'm not sure what purpose many of them serve. He simply watches play after play and is introduced to many different family members whose lives span hundreds of years.

I'm sure Tony was supposed to learn something about himself while in the Circolo, but I wasn't very clear on what it was that he learned. There were a few 'ah ha' moments where you could see the light bulb go off in Tony's mind, but most of the story was getting to know bits and pieces his family's history.

The dialogue of the story was a bit overdone. Characters talked and then continued to explain what they meant. Authors need to learn to give their readers credit and allow them to come to their own conclusions, especially when the point is crystal clear. Another point on the dialogue: characters conversations didn't seem to fit with the situation. In one instance, a character is sitting on a fishing boat when her lover enters the scene. He approaches her, and she doesn't want anyone to know of their relationship. Instead of a short, terse conversation with the man, she engages him in a conversation about how they know the same people and where they are from. If I were in that situation, my mind wouldn't be on similar acquaintances but on getting him to leave me alone.

The story lines of the different characters were often twisted and in-depth, and I was often left wondering about certain characters' stories. I don't feel like I learned anything about the main character, but many bits and pieces of the family history. This makes me wonder what the second and third books in the trilogy are going to bring. Will what he learned about his family somehow help him in his struggle to find happiness and peace? Will this new found knowledge prevent him from moving on? Will new demons find him after uncovering so many old, hidden family secrets?

The book was well written, and the premise was intriguing. I do wish the story line had moved on a little faster, but we will have to wait and see what book two brings.

And The Winner Is...

2011-09-23T04:54:00.000-07:00

Wow, I was so overwhelmed with responses that I don't even know where to start! Okay that is a bit false. I suppose I will have to learn how to run a giveaway and actually have people participate in it. I thought this would be fairly easy, just pick a number and guess. Hmm...

Well, at any rate, eFiction will also be giving away a copy of Jane Was Here. Look for details in the October issue. You can check it out on Amazon for Kindle or at the eFiction Website. While you are there, sign up to be a member. You can get to know other writers, others who read eFiction every month, and stay up to date on all of the ongoings at the magazine.

Oh, yeah, the winner. I suppose that was the point of the post! And the winner is...elizabethreinhardt.

Book Giveaway!!!

2011-09-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

So, here it is. The first Books Reviews by Essie giveaway. I have a signed copy of Jane Was Here. If you haven't read the review, head on over and check it out. A very worthwhile book. :)

Since today is my birthday, and I feel that I am mourning the loss of my youth, I figured I should do something to cheer me up a bit. What better way than to giveaway a good book to one of my readers?

So here is the game. Guess my age. Simple. You can post it here in the comments. Of the people that guess correctly, I'll randomly choose a winner. If you know me,and you know my age, don't give it away, just post your answer. If no one guesses correctly, I'll pick the most flattering age. So choose wisely. No, just kidding. If no one guesses correctly, I'll randomly choose one person from all people who participated.

The game will run for 5 days. So I will choose a winner on September 22nd. Have fun!

Indie Author Candy Ann Little - The Unwilling Bride - A Romance Novel

2011-09-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

Historial fiction...my first thought--ugh. I hate to say that historical fiction isn't my thing, because I've learned a lot about myself and my reading preferences in the recent past (if you remember I claimed that fantasy wasn't my thing, but I've found that it can be). That being said, historical fiction generally isn't my thing.

Getting into this book took quite some time and work. The main character drove me crazy with her over use of the words 'tis, 'twas, 'twill, 'twould, and the like. I realize that our language has changed over time, but it seemed a bit much when I was reading. The characters also didn't always use the Old English words. Sometimes, they 'forgot' and simply said 'it is'.

Caitlin is a young woman of marrying age. She hasn't yet found a suitor, but quickly finds herself being forced into an arranged marriage with her enemy, an Englishman. Because of Caitlin's Irish heritage and birth, and her brother's death at the hands of the English, Caitlin finds the idea of marrying Dillon Cade most distasteful.

Caitlin's parents remain adamant, and the wedding goes on as planned. Caitlin and Dillon agree to an 'in name only' marriage. The agreement occurs only after a botched escape out of a bedroom window and weeks of pleading with her parents and Mr. Cade.

After the wedding, Caitlin is horrible to Dillon, even after she learns the reason for the rushed, forced marriage. Caitlin's family is being forced back to Ireland, where they are considered traitors. Going back to Ireland isn't safe for anyone in the family, but Caitlin is the only child her parents can keep safe. Her brother Brogan must go with his parents. Caitlin insists that she would be better off in Ireland with her family, but it is clear from her worry that she knows better than to think that she would be safe had she gone with them.

Caitlin changes drastically throughout the book, and it is a welcome transformation. She begins as a snotty, bratty, rich kid who never does anything that she is supposed to. She isn't a 'proper' lady and is always picking fights with Dillon. The changes that are seen in Caitlin happen slowly and sometimes she even shows regression when she is under a great deal of stress, as we all would regress at times.

Dillon Cade is a perfect gentleman and seems to be the perfect man, but he has his faults as well. He is just better at keeping these things hidden, something Caitlin learns from.

There are a lot of characters introduced throughout this book, but keeping track of who was who and who did what wasn't too difficult. Aside from the romance (or non-romance as some may see it) the story has political overtones from the days of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. I also thought this would throw me off from enjoying the story line, but honestly, the story was enhanced by seemingly real history (I didn't look up all of the facts, and I'm no history buff) and the real-life, historical characters.

My biggest complaint about this book was (aside from the constant use of 'tis, 'twould, 'twas, and 'twill) was the mistakes I found littered throughout the book. Not just commas (which drive me crazy) but misspelled words, typos, and missing letters. Commas were, of course, the biggest offender, but missing periods were also on my list. This isn't atypical for some indie novels (and I've seen my share of mistakes in traditionally pubbed books, too) but if you want to sell, sell a lot, and reach a LOT of readers, having your novel professionally proofed is a must.

Every time Caitlin hurt Dillon, mouthed off to him, or called him a name, I hurt inside. Dillon married Caitlin to protect her, and he genuinely fell in love with her despite her bad attitude and poor manners. He loved her unconditionally and she threw it back in his face constantly. My heart broke for Dillon, and later for Caitlin.

I do love a good romance. I'll admit it. The Unwilling Bride didn't seem like it was going to deliver, but it did. I felt the jolts of fear, loss, and struggle through my body while reading; I felt the paralyzing hopelessness when things didn't work out; I felt the joy for the characters' happiness--no matter how temporary--and pain of their suffering. Another admission, I cried at the end. Not for Caitlin and Dillon, but for two minor characters, two very minor characters.

Not a bad pick for you romance fans out there. This is a moving story.

Paranormal Month at eFiction Magazine

2011-09-09T05:22:00.000-07:00

Authors, have you submitted to eFiction yet? Well, even if you have, you can still submit another story for our October issue. The theme is Paranormal/Horror. We aren't too picky about what goes on in your story, just as long as it is scary, creepy, and blood chilling.

So what are you waiting for? The process is simple:

Go to Submit a Story on our main website.
Click on "Submit" under the short story heading.
Upload your file (doc, docx, txt, or rtf).
Enter the title of your story.
Write a cover letter (one or two sentences about yourself, and a short (200 word) bio on yourself.
Click the button that says "Submit to eFiction Magazine.

That is it. Nothing to it. The process is painless, I promise. Even if your story isn't picked for the issue, you have the opportunity to get amazing feedback and even workshop your piece if you join our online authors community (which is awesome).

So go, pick a story, and submit. I'll be waiting to read them!

Indie Author Sarah Kernochan - Jane Was Here

2011-09-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

It seems that every time I read a new book I'm saying, "Wow, this was the best book that I've read in a LONG time." Jane Was Here was no different. I read it just after finishing up with Night Machines by Kia Heavey, and I was a little apprehensive because I didn't think I'd be able to get into a new book and new characters after getting to know Heavey's characters so well. (I generally have that problem after reading a really good, well written book.) Jane Was Here did not give me this problem.

When I began reading, I didn't understand the shape the story was taking, and I got a little annoyed. But I soon came to know the characters, even if I felt that, at first, they were thrown at me in quick succession. I had to keep flipping back to remember who some of the characters were.

After figuring out which characters were important, I was able to start truly enjoying this book. This book is so well worked together that I can't say too much about it without giving away some serious plot points.

A young woman shows up in a small town with no real memory of it, but she knows that she once lived there. She walks down the street and to a house. Knocking on the door, she tells the man Brett renting the house that she lives there. Brett is perplexed, but allows the woman in. Immediately, he is drawn to her, wants to comfort her, wants to protect her. His feelings for this woman are stronger than his feelings for his own son Collin who is with him for the summer.

Brett and his son are spending the summer in this small town on a whim. Brett doesn't know why he picked this town, but he cannot bring himself to leave. Over the course of the summer, he allows his son to spend all of his free time with a girl he met at the motel in town. His intentions were to use the summer to forge a relationship with Collin but falters at every attempt. Jane soon takes over his whole existence.

As Jane works to recover her memory, her recent past begins to catch up with her. Her family sends out a private detective to look for her. As she tries to dodge the PI, Jane is forced to tell Brett about her past.

***This next paragraph will be a bit spoiler-ish*** Jane finally confides in Brett that her family had her institutionalized for autism when she was a young child. She claims that she was born knowing that she wasn't in the right life and that these were not her parents; so, she did everything in her power to get them to not love her or bond with her. Eventually, she was placed in an institution. As a parent of a child with autism, I was a bit un-pleased with this explanation. Perhaps I'm over reacting, but it seems that autism is a trigger word and blanket explanation and excuse. Everyone uses it for everything. Brett's son, Collin, is also a bit of an odd ball, and I was drawn to thinking that he was meant to also be autistic. I find that autism is over used in all forms of media, and it perpetuates a stereotype that I wish would die.

This book was incredibly well written and edited. The one thing that I found that got under my skin, perhaps a bit too much, was a misquoted song. An excerpt from Smashing Pumpkins, "Bullet with Butterfly Wings", was misquoted. We all know that the song goes, "Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage". This bothered me so much because I was able to type "despite" into a Google search bar and the rest was auto-completed for me. Easy to check, bothersome to miss.

I had a hard time really liking or connecting with the characters in the book because their faults were so prominent. I didn't dislike them, I cared where the story went, but there wasn't any one character that I said, "Oh, I want her to be okay" or "I want everything to work out for him". The characters were what they were and they all deserved whatever it was that was coming to them. Somehow, you knew while you were reading, there was no stopping where this story was going, no matter what choices the characters made.

I feel that I'm not doing the characters or story justice because I don't want to give anything away. Reading the book was like making a mosaic. Each piece was important and without the proper placement, the story just wouldn't have come out right. The reader is left to discover each piece when the time is right.

Sarah Kernochan writes a well woven tale of a woman who cannot explain her past and how her past is shaping the future of a small town.

Authors - Submit a Story and appear in eFiction Magazine!

2011-08-24T06:05:00.000-07:00

Hey Authors! As most of you know I've been working over at eFiction Magazine for a while now, and things there are absolutely booming! Of course, we are always looking for new authors to submit stories for upcoming issues of the magazine.

Now that eFiction Magazine is being sold for the Kindle, we are reaching more readers than ever. Hopefully soon more issues will also be available on Smashwords and other online retailers so that those of you with other ereaders (like myself) can enjoy the mag each month. Of course, you can always visit the site on your browser to see what's new.

As new, upcoming indie authors, getting your name out there only helps you. I'll be honest, it can also help us. Submit a short story that you've written to the mag. If your story appears in the magazine your bio will also appear, so write a good one and be sure to include your previously published works, and perhaps a link to your page.

Sounds easy, right? It is. I did it, in fact I still do each month with all of the wonderful, expertly (ha) written book reviews that you guys see here.

October is paranormal month, November is un-themed, and December is a focus on family. So get your stories ready and start submitting. I look forward to reading them.

Indie Author Kia Heavey - Night Machines

2011-08-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

Night Machines is another great indie novel. I received this book in the mail, and it came with a few other goodies which I got fairly excited about. First thing I noticed was an Anadreme pill bottle with little blue pills in it. Of course, they were blue sugar candies, but I will admit, I was caught off guard. There was also a CD and a Night Machines bookmark. Excellent attention grabber. The best way to grab my attention, however, is to write a good book that is well edited and proofed. Kia Heavey managed to get my attention on all fronts. I will admit, having the paper back in hand brought the book to the top of my to be read list, but if the story hadn’t been compelling and well written it would have been pushed back down to the bottom.

Night Machines tells a story about Maggie, a wife and mother of two small children. Her husband Rowan is a police detective who works long hours and, in the beginning of the book, becomes emotionally distant with the onset of a new, horrific case that he is working. His emotional distance increases until he is rarely home, and when he is home, he is also physically distant from his family.

Maggie begins a new job at the start of the book. When she goes to interview at a large pharmaceutical company, she feels completely out of place. Upon meeting founder and president, she is surprised to learn that she has a connection with him that she barely remembers.

As time goes on, Maggie’s relationship with her husband continues to deteriorate. While sleeping and dreaming vividly, Maggie conjures up a romantic scene with a man from the office. Upon awakening, Maggie decides that a little fantasy romance can’t hurt anyone or anything. Especially since no one needs to know the details of Maggie’s dreams…or do they?

As her fantasy world grows larger, Maggie’s life begins to spin completely out of control and she doesn’t see a way to stop it.

Night Machines had me hooked. I didn’t want to stop reading at night, and on more than one occasion I stayed up much too late reading only to pick it up again in the morning. When I came to the last 40 pages, I locked myself in my bedroom leaving my husband and children to fend for themselves for a while so I could read the conclusion.

The characters were all likeable and real. I was hard-pressed to dislike even the distant husband because the author showed inside his head, the reasons he was distant, and his true feelings toward his family. Maggie was the most likeable character in the book. She always wanted to do what was best for her family, especially her children. She took her wedding vows very seriously; she just needed a little romantic outlet, and she chose to do so completely in her head. The man whom Maggie becomes secretly involved with is also likeable, and, despite my better judgment, I found myself cheering him on throughout most of the book. Of course, the author doesn’t always show his true colors.

The plot was well laid out and detailed. There were parts that I thought had been left to chance, such as some of the husband’s police work, but in the end, the author was able to logically and thoroughly explain how each piece of the puzzle fit into her story. The only hazy point in the plot that I can come up with was how Maggie’s future, secret-romantic interest was able to know that she was going to apply to work for the pharmaceutical company. Unless he put his plan into action after seeing that she had applied. If so, that was some amazing planning and follow-through in a short amount of time.

Without giving away the ending, I wished that it had happened a bit more dramatic. The selflessness that was seen was very uncharacteristic. It did provide the story with a neat, clean, completely final ending, but neat and clean isn’t always the best way to end a story. The finality of the ending could have been achieved a number of ways that aligned better with the character’s nature—selfish and crazy.

Kia Heavey didn’t disappoint. Excellent story, well written, and more than decently proofread. She will certainly be on my list of authors to look for in the future.

Coming Soon!!!

2011-08-18T21:12:00.000-07:00

So, I know I said I was going to start Author Interviews...and I plan to, truly I do, but life ended up getting in the way. Summer vacation, an unexpected (but appreciated) move, and more excellent submissions over at eFiction have slowed my blog progress, but enriched my life. Well, the move is over and things are settled, and summer vacation officially ends Monday when my daughter heads back to school. So, I'll have more time to read and write...theoretically...hopefully.

So, coming soon we will have that promised Author Interview. I have a few authors who have agreed to allow me to practice on them. Authors I trust, so I won't look too silly.

Also upcoming I'll be hosting my first giveaway. I have a signed copy of Jane Was Here. I'm still undecided on how to conduct the giveaway, and I really don't want to go the route of gaining more entries by following me on twitter (although I'd appreciate a twitter follow @EssieHolton), facebook, and commenting on the blog (but I love comments, too). So if anyone has an idea for a giveaway contest, leave a comment or send me an email.

Look for my next review in a few days. I've recently finished Night Machines by Kia Heavey. I'm working on the review now, and I'm trying to do it without giving away too much about the book. I can't wait to pass this one along.

Indie Author Jack Blaine - Helper12

2011-08-11T18:51:00.000-07:00

When an author asks me to review his or her book, generally I get a description of the story. By the time I sit down to read the book, I usually have no idea what the premise is, unless the title gives it away. Sometimes this adds a little more excitement to my story reading and sometimes this confuses me. In the case of Helper12, I was confused. I thought I was fairly certain what this book was about, and in part, I was, but there was a bigger picture that changed the genre of the book in my eyes.

Helper12 is set in a world where only the rich have control of their own lives. All others are tracked as infants into the jobs that they will do for the rest of their lives. The Helpers, as they are called, have no names, only numbers. They have no families, only the Breeder who gives birth to them, the Baby Helpers who care for them, and the Trainers who teach them. Helpers aren’t allowed to ever start families of their own and aren’t allowed to live outside of the complexes where their every move is digitally monitored.

In the beginning of the book, a baby helper, Helper12, is introduced. She cares for the babies from the time they are born until they are tracked at 6 months old. It is a sad description of how babies are cared for. No one loves them except for the baby helpers, and after they leave for tracking, the baby helpers never see them again. There are some babies who don’t make it that far. Some are deemed as unuseful to society and are euthanized.

Helper12 is getting ready for the end of her shift at the hospital when the director comes into the ward with a woman and her son. Helper12 is amazed and horrified all at once. She has never seen a family unit before. The woman hasn’t been sanitized and wants to hold a baby. One baby in particular, baby Jobee, as Helper12 calls him. The director allows this, and Helper12 is left helpless.

Through their conversation, Helper12 discovers that this woman’s intention is to buy the baby boy whom she is holding. To her horror, Helper12 finds herself being sold to this woman and her husband as a nanny. She has no choice but to go.

Helper12 is distraught and doesn’t trust Mr. and Mrs. Sloan or their older son Thomas. She sees no way out. After arriving, she tries to get to know the other Helper in the house but is met with distrust and aggression at every turn.

Finally, the Sloans go away on a three week anniversary vacation, and Helper12 feels like she can breathe. Complications arise when Thomas returns home and demands that she and the baby spend time with him so that he can get to know his little brother.

Helper12 doesn’t know what to do about this situation, and when she leaves the house with Thomas the first time, she is certain that he is going to sell her and the baby. Thomas, on the other hand, simply wants to spend time with her and the baby and soon finds himself on the edge of a forbidden love.

I was not expecting romance when I sat down with Helper12. Although surprised, I was not disappointed. I rather enjoy a good romance story and enjoyed the novel more than some that I’ve recently read.

I felt like I got to know the characters in the short time that I was “with” them. I found myself cheering for them and their love even when I wasn’t sitting down reading the book. Long after the story concluded, I thought about the characters and what they would be doing after the story’s end.

The book’s ending was somewhat unexpected. I could see where it was going, but as it got there, I was surprised by a few of the details. I love being surprised by endings. There is nothing worse than an overly predictable ending to a story.

Sometimes, endings are rushed, thrown together to close a story, and incomplete in their urgency. Helper12 was none of these things. It was a continuation of the story that led to an ending that concluded the story. It wasn’t a separate piece the author attached because it was time to end the story. A good ending is seemly hard to come by. Jack Blaine worked hard to give us that ending.

There are few discrepancies in the novel that were a minor irritation during reading, but if you could get past them, then the book worked well enough. In one instance, Baby Helpers are said to care for babies until they are tracked at six months old. Later in the story, Helper12 explains that she is only trained to take care of an infant to age 4 months. I didn’t get the feeling that she was being deceptive to simply get out of the house to gather more information, and the author didn’t suggest as much. It appears to simply be an oversight by the author.

The author also left a minor plotline completely open and feeling a little empty. Helper12 broke the rules. She loved to draw. She would save paper from dressing gowns at work and bring them home to draw on. She even had to go through illegal channels to obtain pencils to draw with. When Helper12 goes to live with the Sloans, she brings her last 3 drawings with her. Thomas later discovers her passion and Helper12 is terrified that he will turn her in. I wanted to see some real danger come from this plot line, but it didn’t develop into anything sinister. Of course, I didn’t want Thomas to betray Helper12, but the author went to great lengths to describe the severity of continuing with this activity, yet, the reader never got to feel the terror that Helper12 felt.

Overall, a good read, especially for those of you who like romance novels with a twist. This one won’t disappoint.

Indie Author M.T. O'Neil - Break Room Anthology: Mystery and Horror Stories

2011-07-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

I've discovered a sure-fire way to get a book bumped to the top of my to-be-read list. Send me a hard copy of the book. Oh, and it helps if it is written well, otherwise, I may put it down and forget about it for a while. At any rate, I love getting books in the mail, so much cooler than getting a file emailed to me. When I open the packages, my two year old likes to look at them, flip through the pages, and then "keep them safe" for me.

I got Break Room Anthology: Mystery and Horror Stories Break Room Anthology: Mystery and Horror Stories (link to paperback on amazon) in the mail a few days ago and sat down to begin reading it yesterday. I finished up with the final story today. I'm not sure that I would classify these stories as horror, but my definition of horror may be too narrow. They are more like stories with horrible endings. I don't mean that the author did a bad job with the ending, in fact, I love the way the endings were never over explained. They didn't seem to be under explained either, which in my opinion, is a difficult task. The actions of the characters, or the circumstances of the endings, were just crazy. I was actually horrified at what some of these characters did and got away with. Stories with a twist ending.

My biggest complaint with the book was the author's use of commas. Commas aren't needed before every use of a conjunction. Overused commas, fortunately, don't typically kill a book for me. (Underused commas, however, can kill a book, IMO.)

The first story in the book is written from the point of view of a child. Probably an elementary school aged child. Poor, too. The author does an excellent job capturing the voice of an underprivileged child in about second or third grade. Having worked with kids in this age group, and socioeconomic status, it was frightening. I could picture some of my former students concocting a plan similar to this child's, even if they would never follow through with it.

The author does a good job throughout the twenty five stories with the characters' voices. I never went from one story to another confused; it was so clear that someone else was doing the telling. Each character had his or her own personality, his or her own voice. (Another author who did this well was Monique Mensah in Who is He to You.)

My personal favorite story was about a grieving husband who is a suspect in his wife's death. It is clear to the police that she had been poisoned with cyanide, but no one seems to know where it came from. By the end of the story, the husband is cleared, the death ruled an accident, but the reader is fully aware of who the killer is. I can generally guess where an author is going with their mystery ending before the grande finale, but this one got me. I had no idea, and that pleased me.

I'm looking forward to more of M.T. O'Neil's short stories. Hopefully, we will see some in the coming issues of eFiction Magazine.

Indie Author Marie Simas - Douchebag Roulette

2011-07-20T21:08:00.000-07:00

A book of essays. This is not generally my 'thing', but I'm starting to find that what I thought of as my 'thing' isn't quite accurate. More specifically, it isn't broad enough. I've agreed to read some novels that I thought I would have to suffer through only to find that I absolutely loved the entire story. (For example, In the House of Five Dragons.) Other times, I'm dead on. This was one of those times: dead on. I should have listened to my gut. Fortunately, the book wasn't very long.

The blurb about this essay collection, Douchebag Roulette, said that it was funny. I believe I even read the word hilarious. I found it to be crude. There was potential for funny, but crude won out in the end. I realize that some people like crude and that in itself makes it funny to some, but the stories built up and built up and then just ended.

Most of the stories went something like this. There was this girl/guy once. She/he did these awful/gross/selfish things. Narrator gives examples. Tension builds. Ugh, what a jerk. The end.

As the reader, I felt let down by the endings of the various stories. The climax was mostly there, but the story just fizzled after that. I realize that writing a good ending can be difficult, but the readers need something so they don't feel cheated out of closure and satisfaction. I was often left wondering, "What the hell?" This is not that good kind of wondering that you sometimes do after a book or story. You know, when you mull over what happened, how the characters felt, and how everything fell into place. This was just "Really, that's it?"

I really wanted to like this collection. I tried to. I love short stories. Especially since being at eFiction Magazine, short stories have a special place in my heart. But I just couldn't get into them. Short, flat, crude.

I suppose if crude is your form of funny, this may be a selection worth reading.

Indie Author LA Jones - Tales of Aradia

2011-07-12T20:24:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of Twilight, you will either love Tales of Aradia The Last Witch or hate it. If you have strong negative feelings regarding Twilight, steer clear of this one. While the plot line does not follow Twilight, there are some glaring similarities.

An abandoned child is found in a cave by a loving married couple who is unable to have children of their own. They have no explanation for the crazy powers this little child has, but they know that they must protect her and raise her as their own.

Flash forward about 12 years.

Aradia is a powerful witch who is sent through time to avoid detection of a group of vampires who want her dead. Blissfully unaware of the dangerous life she is narrowly avoiding, Aradia and her parents move from Arizona to Salem so Aradia can have a fresh start after her powers and awkwardness have made her a social outcast.

Surprisingly, Aradia finds that she fits in quite well in her new school except for with a group of people who she calls the "too perfectly freaky" people. This group of people seem to hang out only with one another and stare at her as she walks through the halls on her first day of school.

Having no idea why "the too perfectly freaky people" stare at her, Aradia decides to simply ignore them. These 'perfectly freaky" people are a threat, something that Aradia never considered. The master vampire had been waiting centuries to find the last witch, the child who escaped him 300 years before, and exterminate her. Aradia was rumored to be the most powerful witch ever in existence, and she didn't even know it.

If some of the descriptions and scenarios you come across while reading don't remind you of Twilight, its only because you've never read it. The similarities were so frequent and obvious that, when telling my mother about this book, I actually face-palmed myself. Now, I'm going to make an admission here that I will never admit to again. I read Twilight. I enjoyed it. That being said, I don't want to read it again.

The basic plot of the story was good. The book could have been excellent, but the author couldn't separate her style from other, overly popular styles of writing. The author tries to sound 'older' or from another time when narrating the story and when the characters, especially the vampires, are speaking. In the end, she sounds like she is trying too hard. In just a few pages, I noticed the phrase "in such a way that" at least twice. She could have, and should have, simply said "so that" or something similar.

Another problem that I found with this book is over explanation. Lots of it. The author dedicated an entire ebook page to describing Aradia's ability to control the elements. First of all, the elements described are: earth, wind, fire, air, light, dark, metal, and wood. I think there is some overlap there. The author starts by saying that she can control and create the elements, bend them to her will. She then goes on to give examples of the depth of the powers. She then described how Aradia could find her way home in her current predicament, finally saying: "This explained Aradia's assurance of her being in the woods at night and feeling completely safe." As the reader, I had already long since figured that out.

My last complaint (that I will write about) is the use of parentheses in dialogue. I had no idea that a person could talk like this. It seemed silly. A comma would have been the proper way to separate out this text.

I will say this, I was compelled to read the story. I wanted to know what happened. It is a YA book, and if asked by a teenager (who loved the Twilight Saga) I would recommend this book. It wasn't too bad, just not written to my liking and normal standard of reading.

Indie Author Robert Clear - The Cambridge List

2011-06-27T19:54:00.000-07:00

James is living a miserable existence. He has a crap job teaching English to mature students rather than the nice, cushy job that should have been his with a degree from Cambridge. He never got this job because he was cheated out of his degree so the college could push through another student, a special student. James’s brilliant paper on Greek gods mysteriously lost pages in a file transfer, and due to this, he was failed.

James went on his way and began to merely exist in a dense fog of depression. When offered experimental antidepressants, he agrees with the assurance of the researcher, and friend, that they will be great. Soon after he begins these unapproved and untested pills, he starts to hear voices and singing in his head. Finding this pleasant, he keeps taking the pills and never tells his prescriber.

But who do these voices belong to? The Greek Gods, of course. They take up occupancy in James’s brain after he begins the antidepressants. Throughout the book, the gods lead him to exterminate everyone on the Cambridge List, everyone who had a hand in destroying the brilliant paper James had written. The gods do not do this for James, he is merely a vessel to carry out their revenge; they only want justice for themselves. With the creation of the Cambridge List and the demise of all on it, they feel vindicated.

The fighting that goes on between the Gods, specifically Hera and Aphrodite, causes James much discomfort and stress, and sometimes pain. He never knows what to expect and has almost no one on his side. Muse is the only god who seems to care what happens to him, but she must be careful to avoid detection of Hera and her wrath.

When I first began reading The Cambridge List, I was a bit disappointed. I felt that the plot was flat and too straightforward. WRONG! As the story grows, there is much more going on than originally expected. A war among gods, fraud, murder; The Cambridge list truly delivered.

My typical complaint about a lot of self-published books applies to The Cambridge List. It needs to be proofed, badly. Commas seemed to be the author’s biggest weak point, but there were other minor formatting problems. The story was compelling enough that it didn’t stop me from reading it, as this problem has in the past.

I found myself cheering for James despite his serial killer status. Even though others lost their lives in horrific ways, it was somehow still humorous, even if not laugh-out-loud funny. None of the plans that James concocts happen as expected; his plans tend to unravel rather than unfold. James was a bad guy that didn’t seem so bad, and his victims were far from good guys. It was a case of who was worse. Obviously the killer, right? I’m not so sure.

Even in the end, you just couldn’t hate James. You couldn’t even dislike him; you wanted to like him. Sometimes there are those bad guys that you want to hate but can’t. James just wasn’t that guy. You will find yourself cheering him on until the last sentence.

The ending, while complete, left itself open to a possible second book. A book of revenge. I felt the ending lacked nothing and was very pleased with how the author ended James’s madness. I may have picked a different drug, but that is inconsequential; the ending was good.

Be on the lookout for my first author interview with Robert Clear, author of The Cambridge List and check him out on twitter @SleevesRolledUp.

Hey Authors, Interested in an Interview?

2011-06-20T04:57:00.000-07:00

I'm considering adding Author Interviews to my review site. I'm not sure if it will stick, but if you are interested in talking about your writing and your book, let me know. I would really love to interview some of the amazing authors whose books I've already reviewed. Of course, I'm open to all indie authors who have published a book. Leave a comment or email me if you're interested.

Indie Author Eva Pohler - The Mystery Box

2011-06-15T05:51:00.000-07:00

Yvette has her entire life in order. She has a husband, three kids, a dog, and a good relationship with her parents. Her biggest gripe is a mean neighbor full of complaints about Yvette’s barking dog. Cruella de Vil, as she is called, soon becomes a mystery to Yvette after a box is accidently delivered to Yvette’s house. After some time, and UPS repeatedly failing to pick it up, Yvette opens the box to see if the contents can be useful. This is when she learns that the box was meant to be delivered to Cruella. In going to Cruella’s house, Yvette is sucked into a horrifying tale that led her neighbor to become the reclusive, crazy woman that she is now.

While staying behind from Spring Break vacation, Yvette learns not only her neighbor’s story but secrets about her own life. Nothing is as it seems in her life, and she soon becomes reunited with family that she never knew she had.

Yvette learns that Cruella, also known as Mona, is in hiding from a once college professor turned lover, and eventually, captor. Mona made the first move to ruin her life when she left her long time fiancée in college to pursue her philosophy teacher, Ahmed. Ahmed turned out to be a crazy man working part time for the Taliban. He also claimed to be a scientist and focused his research on reasons people commit suicide. He captured people, typically women, to perform his experiments on.

Over just a few days, Yvette learns more about her family, where she came from, and the twin she never knew she had. She also learns about a large inheritance from a family member which raises more questions. It also leads her to wonder if she is being taken advantage of and manipulated as Mona once was; if her tale is true.

The Mystery Box was a real thriller, with a bulk of the action happening through the story Mona tells Yvette each afternoon. This didn’t detract from the flow of the story, only added a layer of mystery. Having the narration switch from Yvette thinking and talking to listening through Mona kept me on my toes and paying attention to what was going on more than I would have if there had been one narrator. It also allowed the reader to see where the character ended up without knowing their story until it slowly unfolded before their eyes.

In the beginning, the puzzle was simple; there was a box and Mona’s story. It seemed fairly straightforward. Slowly more pieces were added and it seemed as though these pieces couldn’t possibly be part of the same puzzle, just the stories of two people who happened to meet. Slowly, the reader was able to see the connections forming, no matter how unbelievable and unlikely.

I began to think about how I would feel if my entire world was tipped upside down the way Yvette’s was. Would I allow myself to possibly be conned simply because I wanted to believe, wanted something to be true? Could I turn my back on the possibility that I was being taken advantage of just to make myself happy? Would I ever truly be happy with this scenario? Truth be told, I probably would—allow it, not be happy. I would probably give a person the benefit of the doubt, simply because I could never scam someone else. I know it happens, but after getting to know someone, after trusting them, I just don’t see how they could follow through with such an awful plan.

I also found it odd that Yvette stays home from a family vacation to learn more about Mona. My first thought was, doesn’t her husband mind? Wouldn’t he be a little suspicious? I know I would be. I then saw the connection, whether the author intended it or not. Mona stayed behind from a Spring Break vacation with her fiancée. This is when her life took a turn in the wrong direction. Then, Yvette stays behind from a Spring Break vacation, and although her life didn’t turn in such a direction, it did turn.

Yvette seems to take everything that she learns about her family in perfect stride. I’m not sure that I would be so cool-headed if my life, and all of the beliefs about my family, were turned completely around. Even when Yvette learns a new fact, only to later learn that it isn’t completely true, she doesn’t lose her composure, she simply accepts it and moves on. She says that she is upset, but her actions are rarely frantic or irrational the way mine would be if I were truly upset and freaking out.

The ending to the story didn’t tie up all of the questions that I had about the plot. It also didn’t leave them untouched upon. The author simply left the reader to make their own determination about what happened. The fact is, the main character isn’t quite sure about motives by the end, so neither is the reader. This was a source of frustration for me. After investing time into a story, I like to know the outcome, not guess upon it for days to come. I’d like to believe that authors use this as a way to make a sequel. Unfortunately, this story doesn’t seem to leave room for much of a follow-up.

Eva Pohler appears to be an excellent story teller, and Magpies in Winter has been bumped up on my TBR list.

Indie Author MCM - Fission Chips

2011-06-10T04:47:00.000-07:00

When I read the blurb for Fission Chips from 1889 Labs I expected a serious PI story with a lot of tension. (I don't know what I was thinking!) What I ended up with was hilarity and ridiculous pseudo-tension. These were not bad things, but they were not on my list of expectations.

Gare Marx is having one hell of a first day. He and his partner are trying to open their own PI firm, but nothing seems to be going right, and they haven’t even opened for the day, yet. Marx is battling with a worker who is putting his and his partner’s names on the outside of the office. When Marx loses this first battle, he runs downstairs to try and yell at the man on his way out of the building. He never gets his chance, but he does manage to run into (yes, literally) a woman with three large, hot coffees. Guess who she is, yep, his new secretary.

Things go downhill for Marx from here. His partner, the only person in this operation with detective experience, Matt Richardson, is no where to be found, and Marx’s day just keeps getting weirder and weirder. He encounters mob bosses, police who want to arrest him for murder, a tiny Asian woman who kicks his ass repeatedly, an ewok, and a mischievous dog, among other crazy things. He also gets beaten up periodically throughout the day.

This book didn’t get the reader thinking any deep, profound thoughts, but it was good for a laugh.

The only drawback that I found to the entire book, and this is purely personal, is the heavy use of comments regarding all things ‘retarded’ and even one regarding a ‘severely autistic person’. I do realize that the main character is meant to be a class one jackass, so I understand the use of these terms, but that doesn’t mean I like, or approve, of it. Unfortunately, by making these jokes, it only perpetuates the stereotype and makes it harder for those individuals with disabilities. Now, I will get off of my soapbox.

I’m going to end this review with my favorite line in the entire book: “It’s like a fucking Hallmark moment. From the Fight Club aisle. I’m all teary, honest.”

Indie Author MCM - The Virus Coder's Girl

2011-06-07T05:27:00.000-07:00

I received The Virus Coder's Girl from 1889 Labs for review. I was initially drawn to this book simply by the title and, yes, the cover art. Being married to a computer programmer, I’m always intrigued to read about programming, hacking, virus creation, and the like.

This is a story about Greg, an IT guy who is targeted by his boss to become a hacker and virus creator. Just before being offered this amazing promotion, which Greg is under qualified and under educated for, he had fallen for a woman named Ilana at a company party. Upon receiving news of this undeserved opportunity, Greg is told to stay away from Ilana at all costs because she is one of her boss’s favorite girls. Greg assumes that he knows what this means and decides that staying away from Ilana is in his best interest.

As time goes on, Greg becomes good at his job, but it is not what it seems. He becomes overworked during the months following his promotion, and appears to also become paranoid. However, knowing the reach of his boss, his paranoia may be justified.

I really enjoyed the premise of this story, but unfortunately, I cannot say too much about it without giving away the ending. I can however, recommend it to readers, even if you aren’t into the hacker/techie scene. You don’t need an in depth knowledge of computers to understand, follow along, and enjoy this book.

The idea that Greg thought that he was programming one thing, and in reality he was programming something altogether different made no sense to me, until I had it explained. He was using prewritten code, or tools, and putting these blocks of code together like a puzzle for a desire effect. The effect that he was striving to create actually did something similar but in a different medium. This is a very simplified explanation of the way Greg built his viruses.

The author’s use of pop culture buzzwords makes the story seem more dated than it should after only a couple years. A reference to the once overly popular Digg website made me, as a Redditor, cringe. I quickly checked the publication date to find that yes, Digg was the ‘top dog’ when the story was written. Also, in the beginning scene, Greg is wearing a t-shirt with the word ‘pwned’ written across the chest. While this colloquialism is still relevant, it will eventually fade and be replaced with something equally confusing for outsiders.

The story itself is intriguing and well written, and if I’d had the uninterrupted time to read the story from start to finish in one sitting, I certainly would have. I did manage to sneak read throughout the day and finish the story before bedtime. For now, I’m looking forward to my next MCM read, “Fission Chips” which I am starting tomorrow.

Indie Book Authors E.D. Linquist and Aron Christensen - In the House of Five Dragons

2011-06-03T13:59:00.000-07:00

Fantasy novels aren’t generally my ‘thing’, but when given the choice between fantasy and sci-fi, I decided that fantasy was the way to go. I think I chose well, although I’m going to have to read more by Lindquist and Christensen just to be certain.

The only way I can describe this novel is to call it epic. I haven’t read anything this gripping, and time consuming, in months. Unfortunately, I got busy and finishing this book took longer than I care to admit. The first three-quarters of the book took me days, however, that last twenty-five percent flew by in one night, keeping me up until 3:30 am. (I was not pleased when my alarm went off a few, short hours later.)

Honestly, I had a hard time getting into the book, but I believe that this was because of the genre of the book, not the book itself. As I said earlier, fantasy novels aren’t always my ‘thing’. However, after finishing it, I was ready to go back to the beginning and read through it again (something I’ll do later) and see what I missed the first time around.

The book opens with a man stumbling through the wilderness trying to find his way home. The first problem that he faces is he can’t remember where home is or the right words to describe it. The story then goes to two people, but not people, two beings, talking about this man and wondering if he will make it in time, if he will remember. Already, I was confused. I don’t like to be confused, so frustration quickly followed.

On a basic level, the book has two worlds, Terra and Alterra. Terra being the human world, and Alterra being a world formed of thoughts, emotions, and curiosities. I found the Alterran world harder to wrap my head around in the beginning of the book, but I think I wasn’t supposed to understand until the main character, Rikard, also began to remember.

Terra was changed thirty years ago at the battle of Njorn Pass, when Captain Rikard Mazrem, a VEIL knight, made a blood pact with the Alterrans to save his men in a battle they were sure to lose. Rikard disappeared from the field and was believed dead for thirty years. After the battle, life began to change, and a huge empire was built. Flash forward thirty years to Rikard’s return; nothing is as it seems, and nothing is as he remembers.

With an unusual, but eventually helpful, talent, Rikard is soon able to begin changing life within the empire, restoring honor and helping the masses.

Where is The House of Five Dragons? It is an underground criminal organization has spent years infiltrating the honorable ranks of VEIL knights and other positions within the empire. Their goal was to control the heir to the throne, Rikard’s son, so they can one day control the entire empire. When Rikard returns, The House decides to switch their focus and try to control him with the help of a caretaker, Thainna, since he is now likely to be the next emperor in place of his son.

There are others who are not pleased with these developments and form plans of their own to keep Rikard from getting the throne. These characters must, however, be very careful not to draw suspicion upon themselves because of the new ability that Rikard has gained after spending so much time in the Alterran world.

Once the stage was set for the story, there was never a dull moment. I found myself disappointed when the story shifted from one character focus or plot line to another, only to be sucked in to what was going on with those particular characters and then mildly disappointed again when the focus shifted once more. This continued on and on throughout the story. Needless to say, I was never truly disappointed, especially not when secrets were finally revealed.

The authors so clearly developed the Terra world and characters that after a few chapters I felt like I was walking through the town with them. Thainna, the main character, is a complex, good-natured girl who had to make the best of the life that she was born into and even managed to remain good as a lowly thief in a large criminal organization. Her love of her brother and bettering her community drove everything that she did, even when it was a detriment to herself.

As a mother, and sister, Thainna was not a hard person to understand. She simply loved her brother so much that no matter what the price, she would pay it to make sure that he was taken care of. She believed so fully in him, that everything she had was put into buying him the throne of The House of Five Dragons. Growing up, I certainly would have done anything in my power to protect my brothers and sister, even lying, cheating, and stealing. Now, as a parent, I would go farther than one could ever imagine to protect my children. I know where Thainna is coming from; if put in her place, I would have made her decisions, no question about it.

Rikard Mazrem, the other main character, is a simple, honorable family man who was put into a situation where he had to make a decision or perish. When he made his decision, he became a hero. Rikard never wanted to be a hero, and never considered himself one. He simply wanted to return home to his family and continue his life. When he realized that life was not how he left it (after all, thirty years had passed) he decided that honor needed to be restored to the VEIL Knights. Rikard was a hero, and in his return, proved once again what a hero is.

Many of the ebooks that I read and review have numerous grammatical and punctuation mistakes. Comma placement and periods are a serious source of frustration for me as a reader. Noticing these mistakes detracts from my reading experience tremendously. I find it hard to enjoy a book that the author hasn’t taken time to completely proofread and learn the proper use of the punctuation they are relying upon. That being said, In the House of Five Dragons had the least mistakes of any book that I’ve read and reviewed, along with Hungry for You by A.M. Harte. Until the last few chapters, I can’t recall finding any mistakes in the book. I didn’t keep track, but I would be surprised if there were more than three or four issues in the entire book.

This is a book that I highly recommend, and I already have a copy of my next read by E.D. Lindquist and Aron Christensen.

Indie Fiction Kids - Rob the Robot Arr Marks the Spot

2011-05-31T17:52:00.000-07:00

I love free books. I recently won a copy of Rob the Robot Arr Marks the Spot during 1889 Labs #1889party. After thumbing through the book, I wasn't sure that it was my kind of story, so I decided that my husband would be in charge of reading this one to our daughter.

This plan blew up in my face rather quickly. A few nights after getting the book, my husband went out with some friends, and Ava wanted to read the robot book. No biggie, Rob the Robot was the bedtime story.

There were a few reasons I figured that this book would bore me, here is a quick list: robots, space travel, pirates, skulls and crossbones, and treasure maps. I sat down with Ava and allowed myself an internal sigh, I would rather have read Fancy Nancy or Little Critter, but I would endure a hunt for treasure because she liked the book.

Boy, was I wrong about this book. It was excellent. I already knew that the pictures were incredible from my cursory glance, and after reading it a I noticed more positive qualities. As far as illustrations go, this book can brag bright colors, attention to details, and my favorite, informative illustrations adding details to the story like all good illustrations should.

As far as the actual story went, I was also pleasantly surprised. The basic story line is of four robot friends traveling through outer space when they find a bottle floating along the way. In the bottle, of course, is a treasure map with a big X. Obviously, X marks the spot of the treasure.

The story, while intense at times and bordering on scary (for a two-year-old), never actually scared my daughter, which as a parent, made me happy. While on their adventure, the robots hear sounds coming from a cave that they believe are a monster. The monster soon turns out to be a giant robot pirate. Yes, a friendly, giant robot pirate. The robots, including the pirate, continue to work together to find the X that marks the spot.

Rob the Robot has another bragging right: educational content. The parent and educator inside of me squeals with delight every time I read this book because of the learning potential. Maps, compasses, counting backward, vocabulary with quick, relevant explanation, and my favorite, the use of the word jig, which led my husband to show our daughter what 'dancing a jig' meant.

Rob the Robot is colorful, fun, has some learning focuses, and is well written with no glaring grammatical errors or typos. My only irritation with the book was the number of sentences that ended with exclamation points. I felt that the over use detracted from those lines that were really meant to be read with emphasis. That being said, I look forward to reading this with my children for a long time, I just wish there were more Rob the Robot titles to keep us busy.

Indie Author Monique Mensah - Who Is He To You?

2011-05-23T04:51:00.000-07:00

An abusive father. A boyfriend with split personalities. An unloving husband. A man who had a horrible upbringing. A father who loved his daughter in all the wrong ways. A man who ruins the lives of all the women he touches.

Simone is a young teenage girl who appears to have the perfect life. Her parents love and adore her, she has enough money to go to the best school, is undeniably beautiful, and has brains. She also has a father who is unable to stop himself from hurting her. Though he claims to love his little girl, he sneaks into her bedroom night after night and rapes her.

Ryan is a strong, independent woman able to take care of herself. When she meets a man and he begins flaking after a few months of dating, she begins to lose it. After he starts missing dates, forgetting to call, and eventually begins to verbally and emotionally tear her down, Ryan becomes as addicted to her little yellow pill as she is to him. He continually strings her on with empty promises of marriage, and she continues to follow.

Jessica is a woman who never dares to stand up to her husband. She tries desperately to please him with all that she has, but it never seems to be enough. Her husband doesn't respect her and has told her that when he is ready, he will leave her and will take everything they have. Jessica puts up with him because he “rescued” her from a terrible life of poverty and “built” her into the refined woman that she is now. She feels that she is nothing without her bastard husband.

What happens when the lives of these three women collide? Murder.

Each chapter of this book was told through the medium of the different characters. The story starts with an introduction to Simone, moving then to Ryan, and finally, Jessica.

The hardest part of this book to read was Simone talking about her father and how she loved him despite the abuse. She believed that he was a good man and truly loved her. She told herself that he simply could not help himself. The hardest after Simone was reading through the eyes of her father and seeing how he felt about his daughter and his troubled past.

Jessica and Ryan were equally frustrating to read because they had a choice. Neither of these woman had to stay. They didn't have to face the abuse of the man they were with. They simply felt compelled, for different reasons, to stay while they were continually cut down and mistreated. Woman go through this each day, and the men in their lives get away with it because they have systematically beaten their wives and girlfriends down until they believe that they don't deserve better. The author managed to show exactly how each woman had forged a connection with the man in her life and how she didn't think she is strong enough to break free of him.

The author does a good job at keeping the connection between the women hidden until she is ready for the reader to understand where the plot is headed. I never, at any point, felt that I didn't have enough information, I simply felt that I didn't have all of the facts yet, and that in time the plot would unfold. I spent time throughout the book guessing at the connection, but was surprised in the end.

The author's writing style was well crafted, giving each character their own voice. Even without chapter headers, I could quickly have known which character's life was being described simply by the author's voice.

A problem I found was some dialogue was difficult to understand, especially when teenagers or children were speaking. I felt the author overused urban vernacular and small sections of dialogue were nearly impossible for me to understand.

This story stuck with me long after I was done reading the book. I found myself wondering about the plot, not that it didn't make sense, just pondering the situations and events that led to the conclusion. How would I have handled a husband like Jessica's or a boyfriend like Ryan's. Most troubling of all was, what would I do if my daughter was in Simone's position. I came to no hard conclusions, but I am pretty certain that I wouldn't follow the same paths that these characters took. I feel that I would make mistakes along the way, but they wouldn't be the same mistakes that these women made.

Monique Mensah is definitely on my list of authors to read again.

Indie Author A.M. Harte - Hungry for You

2011-05-21T06:27:00.000-07:00

Zombies. Brain eating Zombies. Well, not all of these zombies are brain eaters. Some are down-right thoughtful and compassionate. Sound strange? Well, it is. Strange in a good way.

A.M. Harte does an excellent job bringing the zombie world to life, that is if zombies can be considered alive. She gives the reader just enough details to want more and force them into reading another tale before bed. There are stories of zombies that feed from human meat, sex, and even some who feed off of animal products so they don't have to kill humans.

This is a collection of short stories is filled with horrifying tales and love stories, sometimes mixed into one truly disturbing tale. One of which is that of a man who doesn't want his wife to know that she is quickly dying and becoming a zombie, but also doesn't want the zombie horde to kill her before her transformation is complete.

The story that inspired the title of the book, “Hungry for You”, was my personal favorite. In this alternate reality, zombies are 'legalized' and some people allow zombies to feed off of them through sex. Without feeding, of course, a zombie will begin to decay more rapidly and die. To protect the zombie population, laws have been put into place simply because 'zoobs' lack any brain function to defend themselves, or even open doors so they are able to find food.

Police officer Retta is a zombie sympathizer who is guilt ridden after her sister and boyfriend became zombies and eventually meet their final death. While on patrol with her unsympathetic partner, Officer Retta sees some suspicious signs and enters a building to find a zombie who has been assaulted and tied to a bed. Retta decides to bring the zombie into the station and try to question him about what happened inside that old building. Eventually, Retta decides that the zombie needs to feed before they can continue their questioning. The problem arises when he refuses to feed off of any of the willing donors, something that has never been observed before. It turns out that this zoob has eyes for only one person, and is willing to die for, or because, of her.

How far would you go to save someone? What would your guilt drive you to do if it meant saving one life? Would you even consider zombies alive? These are the questions I found myself asking as I thought, she needs to save him, and, how romantic, he loves her. Then I got to the thought of, eww, he's a zombie, he isn't even alive. I quickly reminded myself that zombies are, as of right now, only fiction, and I wouldn't be faced with any of these hard decisions any time soon.

This is a great book of zombie tales to read in short bursts, or all at once if zombies are your thing. I have to admit, I'm looking forward to my next A.M. Harte read.