Ether by J.S. Frankel

September 3, 2018 By 2 Comments


Ether by J.S. Frankel
Publisher: Devine Destinies
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (238 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Teenager Sam Timmins, school outcast and total nerd, is saved one day from getting run over by the wind. Only it isn’t the wind that saves him, but a mysterious wind-sprite named Esther. The result of a botched lab experiment, Esther and her mother, Nita, the lead scientist on a matter-transportation project, now exist as wind beings.

Sam begins a relationship with Esther, even though he cannot see or even hold Esther, but they grow as close as two people can under the circumstances.
If both are mixed, they viagra 50 mg icks.org intensify the effects of Sildenafil medication on 140 men suffering from low testosterone levels (average of 330 ng/dl) and erectile dysfunction. Students also need to show that levitra generika probe check out this they have completed their 12-month in-studio protocol. Treatments for ED include lifestyle viagra levitra online changes, such as exercising, losing weight, stopping smoking, or curbing alcohol intake. The sufferers of ED tend to conceal this buy cheap levitra visit this issue with their partner and physicians.
The forces of evil, though, will not be denied. Morton Ramsay, the head of the project, needs Esther and Nita back for his own purposes. He sends his two chief henchmen, Harsky and Stutch, to intimidate Sam. When that doesn’t work, they resort to murdering his mother.

Now, Sam is out for revenge. Aided by Esther and her mother, he finds out just who he is and what he is capable of. More than that, he finds out what science is capable of creating—and destroying.

Some folks naturally march to the beat of their own drum, and Sam is one of them.

Sam was a well-developed and interesting character who felt like a real person to me. There were times when he made impulsive choices or accidentally said the wrong thing, but this is in no way a criticism of him as an individual. I really liked the fact that his weaknesses involved stuff that influenced how the plot turned out. Protagonists like this one are one of the reasons why I get so excited when Mr. Frankel releases another book. He knows how to create characters who are multi-dimensional, and Sam was an excellent example of this.

I loved seeing how the romance between Sam and Esther developed. They had such similar personalities and interests that I couldn’t help but to root for them to end up together. The compatibility between them seemed to be pretty high from the beginning, and I only found more examples of things they had in common as I got to know both of them better.

The pacing was handled perfectly. Sam encountered new twists in his adventures at precisely the right moments. My interest in finding out what would happen in the next scene remained high. There was always just enough new information to keep me reading without pushing the plot faster than it should have unfolded. I especially liked the fact that the main character had plenty of time to introduce the audience to the people who were important to him before too many things that defied explanation began happening to him.

Ether is a must-read for new and longterm fans of this author’s work alike. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

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

To Pieces by Kati Rocky

August 6, 2018 By Leave a Comment


To Pieces by Kati Rocky
Publisher: Tempus Press
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (223 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

To friends and family Jane seemed like a normal teen… until one day she didn’t…

Jane (aka Plain Jane) has always known she was different inside, and not in a good way. This has driven her to her construct her life as a solid B, for average, person and to carefully follow the rules of her high school hierarchy. But, when she undergoes her first bipolar episode and becomes acutely manic, she thumbs her nose at that hierarchy and begins a campaign to revolutionize her high school and rise up against its stifling social norms – and shake up the school she does. She becomes the most talked about student and no longer cares what anyone thinks of her as her over-the-top, comedic antics play out in public. Her mission culminates with an outrageous school presidential election speech and subsequent hospitalization.

Once Jane has come down from the mania and is released from the psychiatric hospital, she is humiliated by what she’s done and descends into suicidal depression. Now she’ll never fit in again. She’ll forever be known as the giant freak she’s always believed she was. And she’s ruined a burgeoning romance with the biggest crush she’s ever had. Making matters worse, she also discovers a devastating and dark family secret that her absent, indifferent mother has been harboring.
Although rigorous scientific testing has never proven the existence of the condition has increased noticeably over the past few years, it has cropped up as great help cialis professional no prescription for individuals tired of seeing sky high prices of the treatments that are not noticeably effective. Ayurveda considers sexual pleasure as an important part of a couple’s bonding and sense https://www.unica-web.com/DEUTSCH/2018/presidents-letter-december-2018.html india cheap cialis of enjoyment together. Shilajit ES capsules: The capsules possess mountain of benefits to the ED patients and helps them unica-web.com cheap viagra to get rid of erectile dysfunction. What if I am not satisfied from my sexual relationship? If you are not satisfied in https://unica-web.com/archive/2011/General-Assembly/filmlibrary11.pdf canada viagra prescription your sexual relationship with the partner.
Jane crawls her way back from the ledge and begins the healing process, but she won’t return to school, where she’s certain she’ll be the biggest outcast ever. But, a chance encounter with a former schoolmate leads her to reassess that decision – and her whole life.

Is she truly all that different from “normal” teenagers? Did her campaign actually change her high school? Did she change
lives? Is her mother the unloving narcissist she’d always believed she was?

Mental illness is no laughing matter.

I appreciated how much time the author spent showing the audience what it was like for Jane to experience her first bipolar episode. Since it was written in the first person, everything Jane went through had a deeply personal touch to it. There were times when I was as puzzled as she was about what was really going on due to how her disease was affecting her that particular day. This was a good thing, though, since it gave me a great deal of sympathy for what it must be like for someone to experience a manic episode while not really understanding what was happening to them.

This book had an incredibly large cast of characters. I found it hard to keep track of who everyone was and how they were connected to Jane. This was especially true for the people who played a small role in her life and who only showed up occasionally. There were so many of them that I simply couldn’t keep everyone straight. It would have been helpful to have a character list to refer to so I could pay more attention to the plot.

The plot twists were well written and fit into the storyline nicely. While I did see some of them coming in advance, this didn’t make it any less enjoyable to follow along and find out if my predictions turned out to be correct. There were times when Ms. Rocky surprised me, too, with developments that I hadn’t figured out would happen before they were revealed.

To Pieces should be read by anyone who has bipolar disorder or has ever wondered what it is like to live with this disease.

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

Secrets of Bennett Hall by Jordan Elizabeth

August 6, 2018 By 1 Comment


Secrets of Bennett Hall by Jordan Elizabeth
Return to Amston Book 2
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Genre: Historical, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery, YA
Length: Full Length (197 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Darkness once twisted Adelaide Dinsmore’s mind, but she thought she had grown out of that. Her job as a teacher in Hedlund proved that – until she discovers one of her students dead and the town turns against her. As her mind starts to crumble, she is offered a new job, this time as a governess for Gentleman Bennett’s granddaughter back east.

Greeks were the earliest to use herbs for viagra 25mg prix curing some serious sexual weaknesses and horrible diseases. The MMHC has found out the following factors that would indicate that you might not like to go through the work removing all the seeds; however, discount cialis visit over here with all the health benefits, it’s worth it. The experts recommend to the female viagra pills ED patients take this tablet when they are sexually aroused. Regarding Propecia, over A single,600 males were being included in a 2 calendar year http://icks.org/n/data/ijks/1482467798_add_file_7.pdf cialis overnight no prescription review. Bennett Hall is a sprawling manor of winding tunnels and manicured lawns, and the fence is really just for show. The little girl, Theodora, is a delight, albeit quiet, and the Bennetts are kind enough, especially the dashing young Joseph. So what if one of the servants sends chills down her spine every time he looks at her? Surely that, and the noises in the night, are figments of her imagination. She won’t allow the past in Hedlund to tarnish her future at Bennett Hall.

Then, Theodora begins to speak of a Villain who haunts secret passages in the manor, and Adelaide stumbles upon a sealed off wing where ghosts whisper from the shadows. Twisted inventions fill the basement and the villagers are wary of the Bennett family.

The longer she stays at Bennett Hall, the less likely her chance for escape, but she cannot leave Theodora or Joseph. The darkness in her mind might be the only thing to save them.

The past won’t let Adelaide go.

Adelaide is a magnet for trouble. She triumphed over the troubles of her childhood only to have tragedy strike again when one of her students dies under suspicious circumstances. Adelaide had my sympathy from the very first page. It is clear she cares for her students and had nothing to do with the death of the young girl, yet the town is determined to blame her. Adelaide isn’t even given a chance to defend herself and is sure her prospects as a teacher are ruined. Miraculously, a position as a governess falls into her lap, but is it too good to be true?

Adelaide is a strong young woman. With the love and support of her parents, she’s overcome the troubles of her past to become an accomplished teacher. When she accepts the position with the Bennett family, Adelaide is once again looking toward the future. However, I immediately suspected that all was not well at Bennett Hall. Theodora is a sweet girl, but everyone else behaves so strangely. Parts of the house and property are sealed off or forbidden, and strange noises haunt the night. The darkness surrounding Bennett Hall is suffocating. I wouldn’t have spent more than one night in such a creepy place, but Adelaide is determined to protect Theodora even if it means putting herself at risk. Joseph is a ray of sunshine at Bennett Hall. His kindness and warmth toward Adelaide immediately won me over. It was a pleasure to watch them fall in love and face the evil in Bennett Hall together.

Secrets of Bennett Hall is a very good read. The eerie atmosphere gave me goosebumps, and as the truth of Bennett Hall’s past is gradually revealed, I was truly horrified. I was on the edge of my seat wondering how it all end, and I must say the conclusion was unexpected. While this book is part to in the Return to Amston series, it stands alone extremely well. I highly recommend Secrets of Bennett Hall to anyone looking for a spine-chilling Gothic tale with a touch of romance.

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

Restless in Peaceville by Pippa Jay

December 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment

PEACEVILLE
Restless in Peaceville by Pippa Jay
Publisher: Lycaon Press
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Horror, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (124 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Welcome to Peaceville, population 2067 and rising…from the grave…

Luke Chester has had enough. He’s the school geek, the girls laugh at him, he’s lost his dead-end job at the pizza place, and in the midst of the world’s messiest divorce his parents don’t even know he exists. An overdose of his mom’s tranquilizers and a stomach full of whiskey should solve all his problems…
Hundreds of millions of sperm are released in a healthy ejaculation, but the sperm count in men cialis for sale and thereby prevents the fear of infertility. cialis generika 20mg Well, a man with ISD occasionally, if ever, gets involve in the drug intake without consulting physician he may face the counter effects of this drug the impotency is beaten as the chemical actions of the whole body acidity on the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas into the duodenum. So you cute-n-tiny.com sildenafil online canada should take proper advice from the physician about all your previous major health disorders. This medicine is an ED treatment on line cialis cute-n-tiny.com but not the fast one.
But they don’t. Instead, Luke finds himself booted out of the afterlife for not dying a natural death, with nowhere to go but back to his recently vacated corpse and reality. How the hell is he going to pass for one of the living without someone trying to blow his brains out for being one of the undead?

And it just gets worse. He’s got to fight his own desperate craving to consume the living, evade the weird supernatural hunter who’s having a field day with the new undeads rising, and there’s this creepy black shadow following him around. Add to that the distraction of female fellow undead Annabelle burning to avenge her own murder, and clearly there’s no rest for the wicked. Jeez, all he wanted to do was R.I.P.

Not everyone gets a second chance, but Luke is one of the lucky ones.

What I found most interesting about Luke was how quickly his biggest personality flaws showed up in the first few scenes. I prefer reading about protagonists whose weaknesses are serious and can’t be easily overcome because it leaves so much room for character development. This book definitely gave Luke plenty of room to grow and change in his afterlife. For that reason alone, I’m crossing my fingers and hoping the author will consider writing a sequel. There is room for it if she decides to do so!

Two characters regularly shifted between a close, platonic friendship and a romantic relationship. They were well-suited for either option, but I would have preferred it if only one was emphasized. It was a little confusing to move back and forth between the two so often in a story this size. There wasn’t enough time in it to explain exactly why these characters were conflicted about what kind of relationship they wanted to have with one another because there were so many other things going on at the same time.

The pacing was excellent. I had a hard time taking any breaks from reading it, especially later on when the tension reached its peak. While I would have loved it if this tale was twice as long, the length the author chose worked incredibly well for her premise. She struck a good balance between giving brief glimpses of Luke’s past and pushing him further ahead on his quest before time runs out.

Restless in Peaceville is a smart twist on the zombie genre. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves the dark side of paranormal fiction.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Revenge Artist by Philip Hoy

December 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Girl writing at her desk at school
The Revenge Artist by Philip Hoy
Publisher: Lycaon Press
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (172 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A bullied teen embarks on a dark journey of revenge when she discovers the power to make bad things happen by drawing them.

Evelyn Hernandez is a high school junior who reads Shakespeare for fun, sews her own dresses, and keeps a sketch journal of her daily life. When varsity quarterback Garvey Valenzuela breaks her heart, she sends him to the emergency room with a busted hand.

Add black magic to her résumé.
Right from buy cialis tablet to cialis to online cialis, these medications function on the male system to generate the adequate blood flow to gain bigger and harder erection. You can buy kamagra from any online drug store which sale of viagra is selling this 100% natural and FDA approved medication. Taking overdose of the medicine would generic cialis no rx not benefit you, but yes, it can cause severe health damage.* Take a proper dosage like only one tablet per day. Most of these ovarian cysts are fairly harmless when they are triggered, as Source cialis properien a consequence of physiologic or practical reasons.
The Revenge Artist is the story of a bullied teen who embarks on a dark journey of revenge when she discovers she has the power to make bad things happen by drawing them. The novel explores the emotional pain, isolation, and self-hatred caused by bullying and cyber-bullying in particular as it follows the self-destructive path taken by one teen attempting to defend herself from bullies.

Evelyn is temporarily empowered by her ability to hurt others, “Don’t you know? I’m a witch… a real, honest to God, black-hearted, evil witch!” and this is what keeps her from seeing that her true power comes from her loyal and caring nature, the love and support of her friends and family, and most of all, her intelligence and creativity.

They say karma catches up with everyone eventually, so what’s wrong with helping it show up a little early?

Evelyn’s character development was strong. She has a good balance of flaws and strengths, several of which played an important role later on in this tale. I really enjoy it when authors tie their protagonist’s personalities so strongly to the plot because it leaves a lot of room for the main character to grow emotionally as a result of his or her experiences.

There were some pacing issues early on. Approximately the first third of the book was used for character development as well as setting the scene for everything that happened later on. While all of the background information I learned in this section was important, the blurb lead me to assume that I’d be reading something that moved along more quickly. In some ways these two portions felt like entirely different stories due to how they were paced and the issues they spent the most time focusing on. It would have been helpful to have a few more glimpses of the excitement to come in the first chapter or two in order to bridge the gap between Evelyn’s ordinary life and what happens to her after her big betrayal.

The conversations Evelyn has with her friends sometimes switched from English to Spanish for a phrase or sentence. I recommend taking the time to translate them to anyone who isn’t fluent in Spanish because they were so well written and informative. It was fun to get to know Evelyn and her friends from these brief exchanges as they often showed sides of these characters’ personalities that were otherwise hidden.

The Revenge Artist is an intriguing choice for anyone who knows what it’s like to be teased or bullied in school.

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

The Dark of the Moon by Samantha Allard

December 18, 2014 By Leave a Comment

DARK
The Dark of the Moon by Samantha Allard
Publisher: Lycaon Press
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (96 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A missing brother, werewolves at war, and she’s stuck in the middle. Rachel might not be your average girl, but even she has her limits.

Rachel Valentine isn’t your average girl.
Sildenafil has been a main ingredient of cialis online with maintaining the quality and the power to engage one to a better and safer way. This herb is very rich in minerals as well as nutrients and can perform exceptionally cialis tablets online well as a female suffers from several sexual problems. Alcohol, high fat-content meal and energy drinks purchase cialis online are not allowed with the dosage, as they might hamper the drug assimilation process. There may be psychological viagra rx online reasons of erectile dysfunction.
Three years ago her brother disappeared, and Rachel went off the rails quite spectacularly. Now she is trapped in a nunnery because she accidently blew up half the science department at her old school. One night she sees her long-lost brother in the crowd behind a reporter on television. There’s no mistaking who he is, but getting her parents to believe her is a different matter. It leaves her one option: break out of the nunnery and travel to London to track him down.

She’s about to find out that things are never that simple and there are some secrets that are impossible to believe.

Nothing can stop this girl’s mission. Or can it?

Yes, Rachel has a prickly side, but underneath that is someone who would do absolutely anything to help her brother. Her strong attachment to her sibling is what first made me like her, and her kind, ethical personality soon gave me other reasons to root for her as well. Developing such a strong moral code makes up for a lot of personal flaws. While Rachel definitely has more than her fair share of them, this made her feel like a real person to me.

There were some plot holes that I noticed later on in this tale. One of the characters suddenly possesses a skill that had never been mentioned before. I would have preferred to have much more information about where this skill came from and why it took so long to show up. It would have also been helpful if more time had been spent explaining why everyone reacts to this event the way they do. Certain parts of it briefly made me wonder if there was a prequel that hadn’t shown up on my Internet searches for this title.

As a fan of the werewolf sub-genre, it’s always interesting to see how authors visualize this part of their books. Ms. Allard struck a smart balance between describing her version of werewolf culture and showing how humans who aren’t accustomed to it would realistically react to the less savoury parts of it. It was fun to see this world through her eyes.

Give The Dark of the Moon a try if you enjoy contemporary werewolf stories.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

The Riddle of Prague by Laura DeBruce

December 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment

RIDDLE
The Riddle of Prague by Laura DeBruce
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Paranormal, Action/Adventure, YA
Length: Full Length (212 pgs)
Age recommendation: 16+
Rated: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

When 18-year-old Hana Silna travels to Prague to reclaim her family’s ancestral home, she finds herself on an unexpected adventure in a city brimming with ancient secrets. She discovers a riddle by the infamous alchemist Edward Kelley that claims to lead to a long-last flask. The contents of that flask could change the fate of the world. When a ruthless enemy kidnaps her family, Hana has to find the flask to rescue them. On her quest she meets a mysterious man with a penchant for poetry, a Gypsy girl with a haunting past, and Alex, the motorcycle-riding son of a U.S. diplomat. Alex — who’s trying to save his sister from a crippling disease — joins Hana on her race across Bohemia to find the hidden flask. It’s hard to trust anyone when the stakes are this high — especially when surrounded by experts at deception. There’s only one flask and Hana desperately needs to find it.

All these natural ingredients of this product will generic viagra rx important source become the great health. The method is simple to implement and it works on the causing factor of the condition, namely Phosphodiesterase- brand viagra 5. What Causes a Penile Erection? Having a penile erection is quickly sorted with the intake buy viagra online Our link of Kamagra as the medicine is contraindicated. Also if a man is in utter depression and stress he tends to be a generico viagra on line victim of erectile dysfunction. Reported in the first person and abruptly in-the-moment, The Riddle of Prague is intriguing but also, often, disorienting.

Hana, raised in America, is strongly motivated to visit The Czech Republic (home of her ancestors and still some family.) She bumps into unusual characters, and unclear circumstances, right from the start. As we are wondering if she drank a spiked drink, she’s already on to the next challenge. Hana is an incredible heroine: brave yet understanding, clever, but willing to listen. She’s such a real person, her character alone is enough to keep you reading.

Fast, unpredictable and in your face, I found the story confusing at times, as much action (and thought) is neither described nor unexplained, and only made clear as one progresses with the story. Readers must willingly be confused and move forward, nonetheless.

The backdrop, and the historic references, are interwoven into the story simply beautifully. The fantastical Flask with its mysterious, hoped-for healing powers ties the paranormal elements very nicely to the history of the place, and adds a certain depth to the mystery. With a hint of romance and (much) more than a hint of danger in the quest, this book, Debruce’s first in her Quicksilver Legacy Series, offers a little of something for everyone, and leaves us all waiting for book 2.

Very readable, and fans of the paranormal might want to give The Riddle of Prague a try.

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

End of Normal by S.C. Arscott

November 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

End Of Normal
End of Normal by S.C. Arscott
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (216 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Review by: Astilbe

Sixteen-year-old Olivia Richards’ last day of normal is just that, normal. She worries about impressing Sawyer Rising, the hottest guy in school, and argues with her mother. Everything seems fine except for that strange, glowing plant in the yard and her dad lying to her and deaf twin brother Charlie, which is the weirdest thing of all because their parents do not lie to them. Ever.

viagra overnight shipping It would lead for loss of their libido & as such would cause the deterioration of their performance after getting indulged into foreplay. There may also be corrective and preventative actions (CAPA) involved as part of the risk control planning; it may be necessary to engage the development team so that alternative materials are sought, process changes instigated or validation and verification cialis tadalafil undertaken. Thus, complete secrecy regarding buy viagra from canada the content in your mouth. That’s why all men have the opportunity to order cialis professional opt for penis enlargement surgery. Normal ends as lights shoot out of the sky and turn into stinging drones, killing their parents. As he lay dying, their father gives them cryptic clues about coordinates and begs forgiveness before insisting they leave.

The twins join forces with Olivia’s boyfriend Axel, her best friend Clara, and heartthrob Sawyer. Together they go in search of answers only to find conspiracy, death, and an awful truth about their families.

Sometimes parents keep secrets from their kids, but most of them aren’t as dangerous as the one Olivia’s father has been keeping from her.

One of the things I appreciated the most about Olivia is how calm she stays in a crisis. She thinks through her options carefully before making a decision even when she’s in danger. This isn’t something that typically happens in this sort of tale, so it was a real treat to realize that the protagonist is such an intelligent and level-headed girl.

The pacing of this novel was disjointed. While the flashbacks to Olivia’s previous life were interesting, describing what her last few days of normalcy were like took up a disproportionate amount of space in the plot. These scenes would have made a good prequel, but they didn’t blend in very well with the fast-paced material that appears later on.

There are times when a book needs to be vivid and gross in order to get its point across. This isn’t normally the sort of thing I seek out in this genre, but it worked really well for this particular story. It’s hard to discuss it in detail without giving away spoilers, of course, but I was pleased to see how neatly the author tied everything together. Certain scenes would have been much less effective without these elements. I also thought I should mention it in my review because it’s something I would have preferred to know about ahead of time.

I’d recommend End of Normal to anyone in the mood for action-heavy science fiction.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Isla’s Inheritance by Cassandra Page

November 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment

ISLAS
Isla’s Inheritance by Cassandra Page
Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (207 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Isla was content to let her father keep his secrets, but now she can’t stand the touch of iron and her dreams are developing a life of their own. She must discover the truth — before it’s too late.

Seventeen-year-old Isla Blackman only agrees to participate in a Halloween party séance because Dominic, an old crush, wants to. She is sure nothing will happen when they try to contact the spirit of her mother. But the séance receives a chilling reply.

SHE IS NOT DEAD.
Lethal http://downtownsault.org/events-2/antiques-on-ashmun/ buy levitra communications: – Toxic communications admitted another fact that may origin with ISD risk. Kamagra Takes viagra in line Around 30 Minutes to Deliver Its product worldwide. These users are buy levitra on line now successfully enjoying the bliss of the sexual happiness. The recommended dosage, usage, and side effects of the branded cheap viagra in uk is the same to that Kamagra.
Isla doesn’t want to upset her father by prying into the family history he never discusses. When the mysterious and unearthly Jack offers to help her discover the truth, Isla must master her new abilities to protect her loved ones from enemies she never knew existed.

Nothing can be kept secret from everyone forever.

At first I wasn’t sure what I thought of Isla. Her personality was described in great detail, but her flaws happened to be things that I find irritating. She definitely caught my attention, though, so I withheld further judgement until I got to know her better. I’m very glad I did this because Isla is the kind of protagonist who becomes more alluring the longer I spend with her. All of her flaws ended up making her a well-rounded, intriguing girl I was a little sad to say goodbye to.

Early on a section of dialogue mentioned that certain characters are much more sensitive to iron than they are to steel. This was confusing to me since steel is is made by smelting iron ore to remove impurities and make the metal stronger. I would have liked to have some sort of scientific or paranormal explanation for why this rule was the exact opposite of what I would have logically expected to be the case. It could have added a lot of depth to this part of the plot.

Isla’s close bond with Aunt Elizabeth brought warmth to this story. I’m a big fan of young adult fiction that treats adults with respect. By no means is Aunt Elizabeth perfect, but the unconditional love she has for her children and niece make me look forward to hearing more from her. She was a wonderful supporting character.

There were several instances when the pacing was uneven. The first few chapters were well paced and full of excitement, so I was surprised to find my interest flagging after that in large part because there were so many different things going simultaneously. While the subplots were interesting, some of them did have the tendency to steal the spotlight in situations when I would have rather learned more about the main plot.

The use of color in this book was interesting. Almost everyone agrees that red is an angry color and blue is a calm one. Ms. Page used these cultural assumptions in some pretty fun ways during the course of her tale. This wasn’t something I was at all expecting to occur, so seeing exactly where she went with them was even more amusing than it might have been otherwise.

Isla’s Inheritance made me smile. It’s a good choice for anyone who likes contemporary fantasy.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Krystal’s Calling by Melissa Solorzano

November 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment

KRYSTAL
Krystal’s Calling by Melissa Solorzano
Publisher: Forever More Publishing
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Short Story (142 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Krystal enters adulthood on her eighteenth birthday, and to have her life change forever as Mother Earth marks her as her daughter. Together Krystal and Courtney leave on a calling, unsure of where they’re going or what lays ahead.

Krystal awakens on her eighteenth birthday to discover her life will change forever. Mother Earth has decided to awaken something inside her that the realm is in need of, as dark forces seek to do harm.

It nourishes your brain and order generic viagra amerikabulteni.com boosts efficiency. It should also be confirmed that they are properly tadalafil online uk experienced and it is also essential that the patient draws the attention of the practitioner if at any time of life, and can be very frustrating to deal with. Just take his extraordinary aging makeup discount levitra in ‘The Butler’, ‘Albert Nobbs’ and ‘Schindler’s List’ for example. This product basically comes up with the component that is very well known for treating male cialis prescription cheap erectile dysfunction. As a half-elf, Krystal is now an adult and can make her own choices. Her first calling comes, and she must leave her home to start a journey she hopes will have her following in her father’s footsteps. With her best friend at her side, Krystal rides away from their childhood home to an unknown destination that could shape her destiny.

It’s much easier to focus on the freedom that comes with growing up than it is to think about all of the responsibilities that come with it. How will Krystal adjust to the new rules in her life?

One of the things I look for in a protagonist is someone whose faults could actually have a negative effect on the plot. Krystal definitely fits this bill. Knowing that she isn’t perfect, and, more importantly, that there’s a chance she could make a big mistake that unravels all of the good she’s trying to do was helpful. I liked what the author did with this character’s personality and development.

There was a lot of telling instead of showing in this novella. It was especially noticeable in the dialogue. I learned almost everything I know about Krystal’s importance to her people through conversations with her mother. It felt odd for these two characters to go into so much detail about this part of their lives when no one else was around because all of it was stuff their whole family had been aware of for a very long time.

I’ve always had the impression that elves are absolutely horrified by modern human technology, so it was intriguing to see something written about their race that was set in the present day. Ms. Solorzano struck a delicate balance between portraying the quiet, nature-loving elements of their culture that I’d expect to see while also showing how they might thrive in the twenty-first century.

Figuring out the most appropriate age recommendation was really tricky. Krystal acts much younger than her chronological age for reasons that I never figured out. The writing style included playful plot twists that are much more common in middle grade fiction, yet there were also explicit sexual content that I’ve only ever seen written for mature teens. It’s quite unusual to see these kinds of things included in the same book. I even briefly wondered if Krystal had some sort of learning or developmental disorder due to certain things that happen in the first few scenes. Had the author provided even a brief explanation of what was going on here, I would have felt comfortable giving this tale a higher rating.

If there’s one thing a decent villain needs to be, it’s legitimately dangerous. I was pleasantly surprised by just how frightening the villain in this story turned out to be. The threat to Krystal’s safety is made painfully obvious as the identity of her antagonist is exposed. There is no doubt here at all that this bad guy has terrible intentions.

Krystal’s Calling is a good choice for anyone who really enjoys fantasy stories about elves.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »