Gathering Speed by Tess Grant

May 29, 2013 By 3 Comments

SPEED
Gathering Speed by Tess Grant
The Kitty Irish Trilogy, Book Two
Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, YA
Length: Full Length (171 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

All Kitty Irish wants to do is complete the task given to her by Daniel Phinney—free their small town from the werewolves that plague it. But every move she makes sets off an unforeseen reaction. She burns Phinney’s cabin to the ground to lay her mentor to rest. Instead the hot ashes raise up a detective bent on connecting the dots between Kitty and his cold case list. The truth she tells to free a friend brings her an unexpected ally in the fight. And the letter she opens shows her a window into a past she never knew she had. Kitty’s mission is gathering speed.

Kitty thought her war with the werewolves was winding down. She’d never been more wrong.

I was very excited to have the opportunity to read Gathering Speed, the second installment in the Kitty Irish Trilogy. Trajectories, the first book, had such an open ended conclusion that I jumped at the chance to learn more about Kitty and her mission. Gathering Speed picks up exactly where Trajectories ended. Anyone wanting to enjoy this thrilling tale must read Trajectories first.

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Kitty is a very strong heroine and is no stranger to responsibility. With her father still in Iraq and her mother continuing to work long hours, Kitty is still in charge of managing the house and her younger brother. Her ability to hold herself together while her world is falling apart at the seams is amazing. Hunting werewolves is understandably time consuming and her friendships were already beginning to suffer in Trajectories. Now that she is beginning her senior year of high school, Kitty finds herself under unbearable pressure. Kitty has some very tough choices to make. Does she let her friends in on her secret, or continue to shoulder the responsibility alone? Will her friends even believe her if she tells them the truth?

In the first book, Kitty and Joe took a few tentative steps on the path to romance. When I started reading Gathering Speed, I hoped that I’d be able to watch their romance continue to grow. I was definitely rewarded. Kitty and Joe’s relationship is paced perfectly, evolves naturally. However, Kitty does tend to be a bit of a control freak, and I wonder if she will be able to treat Joe as an equal partner.

As in the first book, I do wish that Jenna’s character had been more rounded. She and Kitty are supposed to have been good friends, but again, I must note that I saw very little evidence of that. Kitty and Jenna don’t even seem to move in the same social circle. I will say that Kitty’s concern for Jenna’s well being is genuine, and by the time I finished reading this tale, I was beginning to see the possibility of a full reconciliation between them.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Gathering Speed. I’d become emotionally attached to Kitty in the first book and I absolutely loved spending more time with her in this book. Ms. Grant has completely captured my interest with a saga that is both spine tingling and heartwarming. I highly recommend this latest offering by Ms. Grant and look forward to reading the conclusion of the Kitty Irish Trilogy in the near future.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

King of the Lake by Jennifer Anderson

May 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment

LAKE
King of the Lake by Jennifer Anderson
Honey Creek Books
Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press
Genre: Contemporary, YA
Length: Short Story (123 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Jasmine

Living in a small town, everybody knows your business. Unfortunately for Allison Carver, some people can’t forget.

When a lapse in good judgment lands her in the public eye, her parents force her to seek guidance from the local minister. After several months, she begins to forgive herself while her parents seem to keep her mistakes front and center.

Allison escapes to Honey Creek Lake where she gets a waitressing job at Honey Creek Lodge’s restaurant. Lack of identity among the summer tourists offers relief, allowing her to feel normal. Taking the order of a summer guest launches her into a dilemma. Does she follow her heart and allow her feelings to mature for a guy she just met? Or risk the wrath of her father while he sits on his throne overlooking the lake.

Some of the ingredients in Viapro are ashwagandha, Shilajit, saffron, safed muesli extract, catauba extract, smilax extract. levitra 60 mg http://deeprootsmag.org/2015/01/26/skip-james-made-manifest/ There are various reasons to seek for the therapy, which you are going to find buy cialis soft in this article. Here, the article contains some viagra sale without prescription important information for this condition, causes and its prevention. A tension ring is then slipped from the tube to the penis in order to hold the blood in the muscles of penis increasing and that is the reason; purchase generic viagra has gone so much market in the drugs of ED. This book marks the end of one of my favorite series in this genre. The fictional town of Honey Creek is a typical, small, mid-western town that is placed not far from where I live. It reminds me so much of a town that I used to live in that I could easily picture everything – it was almost like I was still living there. I’ve become very attached to Honey Creek and its residents. Unfortunately, all small towns come with their own pros and cons. Everybody knowing everybody else can sometimes fall on both sides of that list and when you make a mistake, it can be hard to redeem yourself.

Allison Carver finds herself in just that situation. We met Allison at the end of Prince Charming, the second book in the series, at the precise moment that she was making that mistake. And the consequences of that mistake turn out to be more far reaching than she ever expected. Even though it happens a couple of hours away, the entire town finds out about it, as do her parents. After a few months of bullying and ridicule at school, Allison isolates herself from everyone, including her best friend. Trying to win back the trust of her parents, she starts counseling with their church Reverend. Through these sessions, we see a lot of personal growth from Allison. She is emerging from the scandal a little bit stronger than she was before.

Allison also gets a summer job waitressing at a lodge at the lake where everybody spends their summer. There she meets Evan, who is vacationing with his parents. There is an undeniable connection between the two of them, but getting to know Evan better, and spending time with him, goes against every rule her parents are trying to enforce these days. Evan has been dealing with his own issues too, and they understand each other in a way that nobody else does. The problem with small towns is that sneaking around, trying to do things without your parents finding out, can be nearly impossible.

Even though Allison has been a model teenager, and even though Evan seems to be a great kid, she has to convince her parents that they didn’t raise a delinquent and that they can trust her to make good decisions. As many people, both kids and adults, eventually learn (usually the hard way), once that trust is lost, it’s hard to get back. At the core, though, one lesson is the lesson that all parents need to learn to let kids make their own mistakes so they can learn from them….and that can be the hardest lesson of all sometimes.

I will miss visiting Honey Creek, with its small town people and small town ways – even the festivals that so many small towns are known for. It has been so nice to read a series so reminiscent of books that I read as a teenager, where sometimes the worst thing a teenager had to worry about was her reputation. It’s also nice to come across a series that focuses on small town worries versus savvy teenagers from the city. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Anderson gives us next.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Proxy by Alex London

May 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment

PROXY
Proxy by Alex London
Publisher: Philomel Books
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (380 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Knox was born into one of the City’s wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want—the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death.

Syd is a Proxy. His life is not his own.

Then again, neither is Knox’s. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox’s father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys’ resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.

What caught my eye about this book in the beginning was the title: Proxy. Since I worked in municipal government in the past, I knew that meant you were using someone as a stand-in for you. I was really hooked when I found out that being proxy in this story means you receive all the punishment that your patron deserves. What kind of a world was this?
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Mr. London writes a very intense story that grabs your attention right at the beginning. The world he creates is definitely a world of haves and have nots. The have nots have nothing, the patrons have everything. And even the very rich wish to be richer. No two worlds could be more different and these “worlds” are part of the same one. The author makes all his characters strong. They are driven by different motivations, but no one is weak.

The two main characters are Knox, the spoiled patron, and Syd, his proxy. Syd has been beaten, tortured, and made to work in grueling jobs just to pay for Knox’s transgressions. They never see each other, although Knox has seen him punished before on video. Knox just can’t seem to care much about it. So his father decides it’s time for him to learn a lesson. He lets him steal a car and then waits for him to injure himself. When Knox next awakens, he’s in the hospital and has killed the girl he had with him. Syd has to give half his blood to Knox to keep Knox alive and now he’ll be punished for the girl’s death.

By pure chance, the two boys connect and begin running from Knox’s father. While this sounds far-fetched, the author does a very good job of making it seem feasible and normal for this world. The world outside the compound is nothing like they thought, friends are not what they seemed, the dead girl is alive, and the two boys don’t hate each other.

Mr. London does an excellent job of creating a dystopian world full of sinister plots, dangers around every corner, and lots of tensions between the three characters who are on the run. What really shocked me was his ending. It’s one of the most ironic endings I’ve read in a long time. The whole story impressed me so much, I’m keeping my ARC of this book for my personal library. I can read this one again and see more in the story. I was reading so fast this time, I might have missed some. The best news: There will be more in this series.

If you have any interest in dystopian fantasy or future worlds or just plain good science fiction, you’ll want to read Proxy. It’s written for young adults, but it’s a keeper for me and I’m an older adult. Give it chance or you won’t know what you’re missing.

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Daughter of the Earth and Sky by Kaitlin Bevis

April 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

SKY
Daughter of the Earth and Sky by Kaitlin Bevis
Daughters of Zeus Book 2
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (267 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Some vows can never be broken.

Persephone thought she could go back to her normal life after returning from the Underworld. She was wrong.

The goddess Aphrodite is born among the waves with more charm than she can control. Zeus is stalking Persephone and her loved ones, and Thanatos is no longer content with Persephone’s silence.

He wants her soul.

Persephone can’t tell anyone about Thanatos’ betrayal, and it drives a wedge between her and Hades. Her mother is still keeping secrets, and Melissa’s jealousy of Aphrodite threatens to tear their friendship apart.

Alone, Persephone turns to a human boy for comfort. But will their relationship put him in danger?

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But will either life be worth choosing once Zeus is through with her?

Daughter of the Earth and Sky is absolutely captivating!

I jumped at the chance to read Daughter of the Earth and Sky, the second book in Ms. Bevis’ Daughters of Zeus series. I loved the first book, Persephone, and I couldn’t wait to read more about Persephone and her adventures. Ms. Bevis completely blew me away with this latest offering. This book picks up not long after the events in the first book ended, so anyone wanting to enjoy this story should read Persephone first in order have a complete understanding of Persephone’s situation.

When Persephone found out that she was a goddess, her world was turned upside down. Now that the initial shock has worn off, Persephone is discovering that her status as a goddess changes every facet of her life, particularly her relationships. Persephone’s journey is very touching and I felt every growing pain she endured as I read. My heart ached as she and her best friend Melissa fought. I wiped away tears and she struggled to trust her mother, and I felt Persephone’s frustration as she tried to make Hades see a secret she was unfortunately bound to keep. The emotional rollercoaster was exhausting at times, but I’m so glad I was able to take that journey with Persephone. She is certainly a stronger young woman at the end of this book, and even though the dynamics of her relationships have changed, the bonds between Persephone and her friends and family are stronger than ever.

Persephone suffers a great deal physically and emotionally in this book, and yet she remains one of the toughest young adult heroines I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Even though Persephone hasn’t grown into her full powers, she is never content to sit on the sidelines. She does everything she can to fight against Thanatos and Zeus. Even though Persephone is a goddess, she is far from perfect. She makes good and bad choices, especially where Aphrodite and the human boy, Joel are concerned. Her mistakes serve to make her an even more relatable and well rounded character.

I must say that Hades makes an interesting hero. In other paranormal or fantasy books, I’ve run across heroes that are supposed to be “dark,” but more often than not these heroes are not very scary. However, Hades really does have a dark side that is truly frightening. When I stop and think about some of the things he’s done to punish people who have hurt Persephone, I am chilled to the core. As dark as Hades seems, he is not a bad person and he loves Persephone very much. I really enjoy watching them grow as a couple.

I thought I had things figured out as I approached the end of Daughter of the Earth and Sky. However, Ms. Bevis threw in a twist that completely floored me. I knew something wasn’t quite right concerning a certain character, but I was definitely not prepared for the way the story ended. The conclusion of Daughter of the Earth and Sky is a cliff hanger. As soon as I finished reading, I literally jumped up and ran to my computer so I could find out when the next book will be out. I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

Daughter of the Earth and Sky is one of the best books I’ve read. Long after I finished reading, I continued to think about Persephone and wonder what sorts of challenges she will face in the future. I highly recommend Daughter of the Earth and Sky to anyone looking for a young adult tale of love and friendship.

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Elemental by Alyce Lewis

April 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

ELEMENTAL
Elemental by Alyce Lewis
 (The Rare Sisterhood Series, Book 1)
Publisher: Lycaon Press
Genre: Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full length (235 pages )
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

The world of Rare Root is about to be forever plunged into darkness, overtaken by a shadowy force, and the last hope for peace comes in the form of eighteen-year-old quadruplets Anila, Terra, Aydan, and Yara. Born of magic and created as a weapon, the Sprites must use their elemental powers to hunt down and vanquish the evil. When the sisters realize their powers are not yet strong enough, they seek out allies. Aided by an Elf prince and a Fairy queen, they face perilous obstacles, traitorous enemies, and prepare for the most epic battle of their lives.

But there’s no training manual for love, and when Anila starts to fall for the prince, it forces a rift between the sisters. In order to destroy the threat and restore Rare Root, the four Sprites will need to rally together as one.

Because in a world of darkness, unity is elemental.

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Alyce Lewis has crafted an excellent story filled with diverse and well-defined characters. The plot moves along swiftly as the girls discover their elemental powers and grow into their fullness as Sprites. It is captivating to see them mature as they train. While they were born with fully functional young adult bodies, their emotional age seemed far younger at the beginning. Lewis does an excellent job of showing how each of the four Sprites masters her own element, fire, air, water, or earth, and learns to wield appropriate weapons in the fight against the Rot, while at the same time, maturing into a fully functional adult. The quadruplets are definitely individuals and their different voices and personalities are clearly shown and developed.

The Sprites are also forced to learn about the nature of love and friendship. They make mistakes, and they have to learn to see themselves as individuals, but ultimately they mature into a strong team with the ability to work together. They discover that while each of them is powerful in her own right, together they make a team which has a power beyond the linking of their individual gifts.

The book was most enjoyable even though the plot was a bit predictable. While there were no major surprises, Lewis keeps her readers engaged. I did feel that the love scenes between King Luster and Lady Harte were more sensual than sweet. For this reason, I rated the book for 14+ even though most of the book would be fine for younger readers. I also felt that this added sensuality felt jarring and out-of-place, given the tone of the rest of the novel.

The interactions between different species was handled with great sensitivity and clarity. It was easy to see the scenes between sirens and fairies, for instance, and the descriptions of the world of Rare Root were vivid and colorful. Rare Root is a consistent,well-crafted. believable world.

This is the first in a series and I am looking forward to reading the next in the series about the adventures in Rare Root and the battle between Light and Dark.

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Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey

April 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

ASHES
Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey
Publisher: Philomel Books (Penguin)
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, YA
Length: Full Length (387 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

Liam MacGregor is cursed. Haunted by the wails of fantastical Bean Sidhes and labeled a demon by the villagers of Dòchas, Liam has accepted that things will never get better for him—until a wealthy heiress named Annabel Leighton arrives on the island and Liam’s fate is changed forever.

With Anna, Liam finally finds the happiness he has always been denied; but, the violent, mythical Otherworlders, who inhabit the island and the sea around it, have other plans. They make awager on the couple’s love, testing its strength through a series of cruel obstacles. But the tragedies draw Liam and Anna even closer. Frustrated, the creatures put the couple through one last trial—and this time it’s not only their love that’s in danger of being destroyed.

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Liam is cursed by the past while Anna is privileged and free. When the two come together again on the timeless island of Dòchas, it seems as if they’d never been apart. With a love as strong as theirs, it’s no wonder the Otherworlders not only sit up and take notice, but decide to place a wager on the strength of their love.

Liam McGregor is quite the fascinating character. Convinced from birth that he’s harboring a demon within him, he strives to keep his head above water and simply survive. However, despite the hatred and bigotry from the community surrounding him, he immerses himself in the beauty of the written word and the world of art. What I found most impressive was that, even though Liam only had the use of one arm, he still managed to paint, draw, and hold down a job. Even when everyone around him swears he’s evil incarnate, he doesn’t let it get him down. He just accepts it – for better or for worse – and continues to do what he needs to survive.

Anna Leighton, on the other hand, starts out as just another spoiled rich girl slumming it at her parent’s ancestral home on the island. However, her character probably has the most growth over the course of the novel. She evolves from a rather self-centered and self-absorbed teen and becomes a selfless, loving woman. There were moments where I didn’t like Anna very much, but she always managed to redeem herself later.

Ashes on the Waves is a beautiful and haunting retelling of one of my favorite Poe poems, “Annabel Lee”. The author did an amazing job translating the darkness and strength of the narrator’s love for Annabel Lee into a gripping novel. Although the ending left me feeling a bit cheated, every page leading up to that point was pure enjoyment. A very enjoyable, if heartbreaking novel, Ashes on the Waves was nothing like I’d expected, but everything I had hoped it could be.

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Five From the Faerie by James Hartley

April 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

FIVE
Five From the Faerie by James Hartley
Publisher: Whispers Publishing
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Short Story (80 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Fantasy encompasses a number of interesting ideas which are, somehow, not quite real. Here are five stories that deal with topics like witches, fairies, a trip to Oz, or a deal with the Devil. Not real, perhaps, but definitely interesting …

This is a short story collection that has been dusted by magic. Each story has a magic theme of one sort or another. I thought it sounded like fun and it was.

The author has put together an interesting mix of stories that will make a young one’s imagination spark. I’d use this author’s work to help inspire your young one to write. The stories are simple and short but they leave a mark on you. I won’t forget these little treasures quickly. Anyone who enjoys fantasy tales and magic that sometimes backfires will have fun with this group of stories.

The first story in the book has some sexuality in it. It’s very brief and essential to the story line, but that’s why I suggest the reader should be at least 14. The story’s title is “The Fairy Tale” and the message I left with was: Don’t fall asleep in the woods…”
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This story is my favorite: “Which witch?” Mr. Hartley’s humor shows here. A young witch practicing early gets in trouble.

“Speedy” is also a fun tale. The author gives his character a conundrum to solve. How will he do it?

“Names” is a silly little story with a demon it. It has an interesting ending, too.

The last story is “Dorothy’s Daydreams of Oz”. The author changes the ending of Oz and it’s much more fun than the movie.

What I would really like to do is have a cup of coffee with this author. His mind is fertile with ideas, his stories have quirks, and he can do a whole story in a few pages. I bet he’d be a very interesting conversationalist. Why don’t you read these tales and see what you think? You might want to join us for coffee…

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Queen Mean by Jennifer Anderson

April 23, 2013 By Leave a Comment

MEAN
Queen Mean by Jennifer Anderson
Honey Creek Royalty Series, Book 3
Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press
Genre: Contemporary, YA
Length: Short Story (76 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Beckie Clark knew winning state in cheerleading was a big deal to her and the other squad members. Little did she know the small town of Honey Creek, Ohio felt the same way. The sudden royal treatment catches her off guard, leaving her to wonder what has gotten into everyone.

Then Grandma throws Beckie a curve by hiring the new guy, Andrew Macom, to help around the house. Guilt stricken, Beckie makes an effort to be home more, giving her a chance to develop feelings for Andrew. Feelings she’ll never own because of a lack of judgment during a summer party.

Swearing off guys hasn’t been easy—between Andrew and Kurt Sanders, the one guy all her friends want her to be with. When she finally allows herself to go on a date, the worst happens. Her grandmother falls, landing in the hospital in a coma.

The town’s special treatment pulls into full force, conflicting Beckie. She doesn’t want the attention, and guilt weighs on her again.

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Fame in a small town can be stifling.

Ms. Anderson has once again expertly captured small town life within the pages of this installment of the Honey Creek Royalty series. I could practically smell the vinyl seats of the school bus as Beckie rode home from the cheerleading competition. Memories of my own bumpy bus rides in high school brought a smile to my face as I read.

I liked Beckie immediately. When the town goes crazy after she and her fellow cheerleaders win state, Beckie doesn’t let her new found fame go to her head. In fact, aside from accepting an invite to a good party, Beckie decides to ignore the attention as much as possible. Beckie is a very responsible young girl. She found herself in a scary situation with an older guy the previous summer that could have ended very badly. Fortunately, Beckie is smart and learned from her mistake. I have no doubt that she’ll never go down that path again. However, Beckie’s lapse in judgment has led her to swear guys off indefinitely. Will the guilt of her past cause her to miss out on a chance for a meaningful relationship?

Even though Beckie strikes me as a very mature young woman, she’s also a very realistic character. When all the attention from her victory at state becomes too much, she doesn’t always handle it gracefully. Beckie’s frustration with the superficial behavior of the people in Honey Creek comes to a head after her Grandma ends up in the hospital. The emotions become too much for her to handle and she ends up snapping at people who genuinely care for her. I found Beckie’s reaction to the unwanted attention to be completely believable.

Beckie’s dilemma concerning Kurt and Andrew is also very well written. I could clearly picture Beckie trying to figure out her feelings for an old friend versus the new boy who quickly found his way into her heart. Beckie makes a few missteps while sorting out her feelings, but this only serves to make her a more endearing character in my mind.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Queen Mean. It is a heartwarming tale of romance, friendship, and the meaning of family. Fans of young adult romance would do well to give Queen Mean a try.

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The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe

April 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

DARK
The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe
Publisher: Bantam Books
Genre: Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery, Historical, YA
Length: Full Length (334 pgs)
Age Recommendation 14+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Stephanotis

“With every fiber of my being, I yearned to be normal. To glide through my days at Iverson without incident. But I’d have to face the fact that my life was about to unfold in a very, very different way than I’d ever envisioned. Normal would become forever out of reach.”

Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems.

England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny.
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Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves.

Filled with lush atmosphere, thrilling romance, and ancient magic, The Sweetest Dark brilliantly captures a rich historical era while unfolding an enchanting love story that defies time.

The Sweetest Dark had a little bit of everything, romance, a gothic setting, a mystery, a lot of paranormal elements. I enjoyed Ms. Abe’s writing style which is rich and layered. The main character, Lora was interesting and I found myself reading on to learn more about her. Some of the chapters in between the main ones threw me off a little at first but then as I read on they became clearer to the overall plot.

The book does have some historical inaccuracies about what happened during first half of World War 1 when the book is set, for example nightly bombing, children being evacuated, and the mention of Land Girls but if you can overlook these it’s a fun read with an almost creepy setting. And true to the gothic sub-genre, characters who you’re not quite sure if they can be trusted or not.

I really enjoyed seeing Lora and Jesse’s relationship unfold and I found myself wanting these two to be together. I think girls will probably enjoy this book more than boys and, while it’s a long read, the pacing is such that even younger girls shouldn’t have a problem. If you enjoy a slice of romance, mystery, especially gothics, with lots of supernatural elements, this would be a good pick.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Twisted Roots: A Light into the Darkness by Shelly Goodman Wright

April 9, 2013 By Leave a Comment

ROOTS
Twisted Roots: A Light into the Darkness by Shelly Goodman Wright

Publisher: Tate Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational, Paranormal, Suspense, YA
Length: Full Length (328 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Jessica’s sole priority for the past thirteen years has been to keep her father alive in the hope he will wake up from his coma and save her. Threatening to cut off his lifeline at any sign of independence, her mother has controlled her life, even to the point of an arranged engagement to Seth, whom Jessica fears even more than her mother. When Jessica accepts this most outrageous demand yet she then discovers her father has “passed away” anyway, she knows she has to escape.

She runs until she is lost and bewildered in a Georgia swamp, where she discovers the existence of the wonderful place her father hinted at to her when she was only a child. In this magical, unreal world, just as she begins to discover the truth about her twisted family roots, three young men set their eyes on Jessica.

One will win her heart, one will try to steal it, and one will try to kill her.

Now that Jessica finally has the power to determine her own path, will she make the right choice?

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Jessica is a very strong heroine. Despite her rather twisted and sheltered upbringing, Jessica has grown into a fine young woman. I admire her bravery and the strength it took for her to go into the world alone with absolutely no one she could trust. Once Jessica finds her way into the swamp, she comes across a group of people who show her the true meaning of trust and unconditional love. It was a pleasure to watch Jessica gradually let down her guard and open herself up to others.

I also enjoyed watching Jessica come to know Christ through reading the Bible and the gentle guidance of Hunter and Ms. Mabel. As Jessica steps on the path to Christianity, Hunter and Ms. Mable encourage her to ask as many questions as she wants. I liked that they never forced her into anything. When Jessica comes to a pivotal moment in her faith, Hunter and Ms. Mabel are there to support her, but Jessica remains in control of her life. I have no doubt that Jessica will grow into a very courageous woman.

Hunter is exactly the kind of man that Jessica needs. He lends her strength and support when she needs it, but also gives her the tools to stand on her own. Their romance is very touching and moves at just the right pace. I look forward to watching their love continue to bloom in the next book.

I must admit I had a hard time understanding the motives of Evelyn, Jessica’s mother. She doesn’t appear to have any redeeming characteristics. Consequently, she didn’t strike me as a very realistic character. Evelyn’s past is murky, and I’d definitely like to know a bit more about what would drive a woman to treat her only child the way she treats Jessica. Perhaps I will learn more about her in future installments of the series?

Seth is an interesting villain. While Seth is definitely evil, I do believe he has something that resembles feelings for Jessica, no matter how misguided or warped they are. He seems to have been shaped into the evil man that he’s become through some poor choices on his part as well as through the influence of Jessica’s mother. I can’t help but wonder if Seth’s life would have been different if Evelyn hadn’t gotten her claws into him.

Ms. Wright has crafted a wonderful story of love and faith in Twisted Roots. I enjoyed every minute spent reading it and am definitely looking forward to learning more about Jessica in the next book. I recommend Twisted Roots to anyone looking for a different kind of paranormal tale.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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