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…
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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.
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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.
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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: , , , , , , , , ,

Witch Way by M. A. Marino

June 30, 2014 By Leave a Comment

WitchWay

Witch Way by M. A. Marino
Publisher: Lycaon Press
Genre: Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (193 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

“Evil isn’t something you are, it’s something you become.”

Are you cialis discount india a man who is suffering from erectile dysfunction. This particular sexual disorder faced by people who have crossed their forty but this is not true online prescription viagra without in all cases. Delivery can take up to 7 working days in the UK, and 10-14 days if you stay within the EU broadly. ordine cialis on line Many online pharmacies offer cialis sales canada to help a man combat his sexual problems. Jessica O’Rourke is learning the dangers that young witches face when dabbling in not-so-good magic for personal gain. All of the women in Jessie’s family are witches. Not the kind of witches that fly on brooms or cast spells with pointed sticks. They’re the kind of witches that Jessie’s mother called practical witches—that is, until she got killed. The worst part about her mother’s death is that her father was the one who did it and now Jessie has to live in a house full of witchy aunts who remind her way too much of how sad she is inside. Jessie’s father has gone missing but she knows he’ll back to take down the rest of her family.

After an encounter with a group of girls, who Jessie’s Aunt Abby describes as “bad news,” Jessie finds herself in a heated battle with the warlocks that threaten to destroy her entire bloodline. In time, she unveils an unimaginable secret about herself that will surely alter her future. Jessie has to decide which way she will turn and how she will use her new powers to stop her father from hurting anyone else. Can she stop herself from becoming evil in the process?

Jessie lands in an orphanage, and at fifteen, she is one of the oldest. She arrived two weeks earlier after her father murdered her mother. She had walked in on him and now she has to put up with the annoying Annie who tries to help every time Jessie has a nightmare, which is every night. She’s tried running away, but she always gets caught. Miss Mason, the coordinator of the group home, keeps trying to get her to talk, but Jessie refuses. She is mired in grief and anger and she tries to block it all out. But Miss Mason does support her when her aunt arrives and wants to be Jessie’s guardian. The state social worker thinks that Rhiannon is too young, at twenty-eight, to care for a troubled teen, especially since Rhiannon has two younger sisters, aged twenty-three and eighteen. With Miss Mason siding with Jessie, Rhiannon is allowed to assume guardianship, and thus begins a new life for Jessie, as she moves from California to New York, into the home of her three aunts and one small cousin, all of whom are witches, just as she is.

This is a very compelling novel with fantastic, well-developed characters. Jessie is obviously very troubled and it doesn’t help that she is empathic and hence can feel all the sadness of those around her. But she is smart and she responds to her Aunt Rhiannon’s kindness and gentleness. As the story surrounding Jessie comes out, there are more mysteries to solve and Jessie is afraid that she is actually evil, because of her paternal heritage. She has very tough choices to make and while most of us will never know what it is like to be a witch, all of us can identify with Jessie’s battle. Her aunt Abby tells her that “evil is a choice.” The novel portrays Jessie’s search for truth, for her very identity, for the strength not to choose evil.

The story is filled with action and the pacing is excellent. The portrayal of high school life rings true. The small community where Jessie now lives with her aunts is realistic and I really felt as if I were in the heart of the action. The author has enriched the story with many details, making it fully developed and very believable.

Readers of fantasy and paranormal stories are sure to find this to be both exciting and thought-provoking. I hope to read more from this author.

 

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

Horse of Wind and Shadows by L.B. Shire

April 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

HORSE
Horse of Wind and Shadows by L.B. Shire
Publisher: Lycaon Press
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Horror, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (154 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Review by: Astilbe

Evil lurks in the waters off the Oregon coast. A lone girl, a magnificent horse, zombies… Can hope prevail with each hoof beat in the sand?

All Taryn wanted was to have a horse again.

When she spotted the black steed running through the ocean waves, she knew there must be a way to capture the feral horse. Her best friend, Flyn, said it wasn’t possible. Not one to turn away from a challenge, will she risk friendships and love to make her dream come true?
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Flyn has been Taryn’s self-proclaimed protector since they were kids. Thrust into a world of unpredictability, he tries his best to keep the strong-willed girl out of trouble. Taryn stumbles upon a horse and decides she wants to make it her own against his growing concerns. Will he be able to keep Taryn safe, or will she be lost to him forever?

Is there any point in wishing for impractical things when there’s no guarantee you’ll live to see tomorrow? Of course Taryn knows how dangerous it is to grow up in a world full of zombies, but she can’t help but to dream of what it would feel like to ride a horse again.

Taryn is one of the most interesting protagonists I’ve met so far this year. Her strengths and flaws reveal themselves early on in her adventures, and she definitely possesses quite a few of each. Sometimes her unrelenting stubbornness made me wish I could climb into the scene and persuade her to listen to other points of view, but her empathy and curiosity kept me rooting for her until the conclusion.

I did notice some grammatical errors in the text as I was reading. There were also a few instances in which the characters’ syntax was unusual. It was never quite clear to me if the author was writing a new type of dialect that was created by the large number of orphans in the plot whose education has been sparse to non-existent or if these oddly written sentences would have disappeared with another round of editing.

Strong, even pacing drew me back into the story. There is little room for sentimentality or nostalgia in this world because the characters are forced to spend so much of their time gathering supplies and outrunning the dead. This realistic look at what it would take to keep a small community functioning under such dangerous conditions when a large percentage of their members are young children and teenagers piqued my interest almost as much as the dilemmas Taryn and her makeshift family face.

The paranormal elements of this tale captured my attention immediately. It’s fairly rare for a zombie novel to include the types of phenomenon that the author inserts into the text, so I was curious to see how everything would tie together. I would have liked to see more time spent developing this subplot. It’s a unique twist, yet the amount of space it was given wasn’t quite enough to explain all of the questions I had in the beginning.

It took me a while to determine the most appropriate age recommendation. Taryn is a few months shy of 16 when the story begins, but her emotional response to her circumstances and her obsession with the horse make her come across as someone who is a few years younger than her chronological age. There is a genuinely innocent and naive side to this character that is often at odds with her surroundings, and it is because of these traits that this story is suitable for high school students of any age.

I’d recommend Horse of Wind and Shadows to anyone who would like to shift effortlessly between genres. This novel is equal parts young adult and science fiction with just enough horror thrown in to remind the reader that there are always zombies lurking beyond the perimeter.

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

The Last Day King by Liz Newman

October 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment

KING
The Last Day King by Liz Newman
Publisher: Lycaon Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (203 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

The most magical figure of royal folklore and legendary British king travels to the future to reunite with the girl he fell in love with.

The Legend Lives On.
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In modern day San Francisco, a young girl rescues a boy king from the treacherous waters. The beloved king of lore longs to reunite with his futuristic fascination. After his trusted wizard proposes a mission to save mankind only days before his prophesied death, the king travels with his mystic companions to our time in hopes of embracing his lady love once again, and to save a world which his rule helped create.

Liz Newman has written a story based on the life of King Arthur, one in which Merlin plans to return to present day San Francisco to leave the Seed of Consciousness so that the world Arthur helped create would not be destroyed. The story shifts from the present to the past and back again as the reader is moved between the world of Camelot with all of its inhabitants and modern day San Francisco.

Lilith heads out to her high school prom with her date who looks dashing but quickly reveals himself to be a total jerk. Lilith makes him stop the limousine and let her out. He’d already told her he had a back-up date if she wouldn’t agree to be totally his. The limo pulls away and Lilith finds a picnic bench to sit on as she ponders her next move. Suddenly, she sees a boy drowning in the sea, caught in the riptides. She tears off her long taffeta skirt and swims out to save him. She has to leave him on the beach to get help, but when she and a neighbor lady return, he is gone. “In the distance, the red, orange, yellow, and blue arches of a rainbow stood starkly against the evening sky. The rainbow slowly faded with the last light of the setting sun.” Lilith has met King Arthur on the first of his two time travel trips.

Newman has brought the characters of Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Merlin to life with details which were not familiar to me, but which definitely work. I really enjoyed the parts of the story taking place in San Francisco and I think that Lilith’s character is very well developed. I also like her father, Vernon, who has been expecting Arthur’s arrival and even has the sword Excalibur.

Readers of fantasy, especially those who wonder how King Arthur would manage in the modern world, are sure to enjoy this wonderful tale of chivalry and honor. The promise that King Arthur would return has been fulfilled.

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

Mark of the Dragon by Astrid Novak

September 23, 2013 By Leave a Comment

DRAGON
Mark of the Dragon by Astrid Novak
Dragon Born Book 1
Publisher: Lycaon Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Young Adult
Length: Short Story (131 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

A war is coming and shifter Eden is locked in the middle between her brother Max, and lone shifter, Kellen. Is blood thicker than love?

Eden never fit into the shape shifting community. An outcast among the Snow Leopard Leap her father rules, she dreads her first shift. On her eighteenth birthday, her transformation goes horribly wrong and secrets are unveiled. Forced to accept who she is in order to fight for her beliefs, Eden’s losing the battle to do what’s right when she meets Kellen.

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Eden and her twin live in the shape shifters community on Earth. Max is happy to fall in with their father’s plans to make the first change at the age of eighteen. Eden feels something is not quite right and is reluctant to change. Is it because she will then be expected to mate? She is also curious to know why her mother left them when they were young.

With the help or her best friend Renee and the dangerous but charismatic Kellen Murphy, Eden sets out to resolve her doubts and unravel the mysteries.

The plots and twists in this book made it a very enjoyable read and kept me entertained until the last page. I could see the sparks flying between the characters Eden and Kellen, both anger and attraction. When the two were together the tension revved up to high power, but when distance separated them Eden became a shadow of the woman Kellen knew.

Could Eden’s twin betray her and take a stand with their father? Eden has always been able to count on Max but when they reach their eighteenth birthday, her brother appears to be working to a different agenda.

One thing that confused me was the difference between the Snow Panther Leap and the Norms. At first I thought the Norms were ordinary humans but as the story progressed it appears they are also shape shifters but I couldn’t clarify the difference between the Norms and the Snow Panther Leap. I wonder if this was intentional, but if so it softened the impact of the story by not defining how the difference affected both sides.

As the series progresses I believe it will get stronger and stronger. On the whole this is a good paranormal book and I will be looking out for the second in the series.

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Resolved by J. Lilley

April 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

RESOLVED
Resolved: Shalean Moon Book 6 by J. Lilley
Publisher: Lycaon Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (95 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

When Shaleans fight Shaleans nothing is simple. With the help of true friends can good overcome evil?

To save Shalea, so much depends on so few people, that nothing is certain. It’s not even clear just which side some of them support, and the Sept is getting weaker.

Brios and his friends must save their world, but time is running out. To make things worse, the identities of some people might just result in no resolution at all.
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Can everything become clear and good triumph over evil before the next Shalean Moon, or is Shalea as they know it over?

Rach is worried about her friends who have been missing for ten days. She is still discovering her own powers as a shape-shifter and she needs the help and support of her friends, but where are they? This is the sixth novel in the Shalean Moon series and it is filled with suspense as the history of several characters is revealed.

I enjoyed this book and I found it easier to get into it because I had read the fifth in the series, Threatened. J. Lilley writes compelling, fast moving novels which are fun to read. Her characters are very believable, and I especially enjoyed the dynamics between Rach and her father and their relationships, in turn, with Rach’s friends. Lilley handles the entire adolescent maturing process realistically. We see Brios, a teenage boy, needing the comfort of his father’s arms. We see Rach worrying about how her father will react to various revelations. There are other examples of how these families handle their difficulties in ways that show clearly the strengths that are found in ties of both family and friends.

I do wish that I had more background and more details about the nature of the Sept and shape-shifting in general. I do not know if this was covered in earlier novels in the series, but if so, then summaries at the start of new novels in the series would be helpful. I have really enjoyed the two Shalean Moon books that I have read, but they do not stand alone. The epilogue of book 5, for instance, was expanded to become the prologue of book 6. Writing a series can be a great deal more complex than writing an individual novel. On the plus side, the author already has their characters and setting in place. But on the minus side, readers don’t always read the novels in order from the beginning. Some authors solve this by having each story in the series complete and able to be read without any knowledge of the earlier books. That is not the case here. These novels seem to be so closely related as to make a single larger novel, a novel that I for one would happily read. For this reason, I would really prefer that each book gave a brief synopsis of what has gone before. I was able to sort out most of the details, but a synopsis would have made for a richer, more informed read.

Lilley has once again crafted an excellent fast-paced story with dynamic characters set in a small village in Scotland. I am eager to learn more about this world of Shalea and all the people within it. I have been drawn into this world and I was pleased to discover that I really do care what happens to it.

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Threatened by J. Lilley

April 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

THREATENED
Threatened by J. Lilley
Shalean Moon Book 5
Publisher: Lycaon Press
Genre: Contemporary Paranormal, YA
Length: Short Story (84 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3.0 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

As friends unite and enemies surge, can Shalea be saved?

Shalea is in danger. The friends need to unite to face the unknown forces threatening to destroy them all. As old secrets are unveiled, and new alliances formed, will it be enough to save their Sept. Or is all going to be lost under the Shalean Moon?

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This is the fifth in J. Lilly’s Shalean Moon series, and it was a bit difficult to get into because I had not read the first four books. It took awhile to find out that the Shalean were magical shape shifters and that there were Rogues who were trying to steal Rach, a half-blooded Shalean. That being said, Lilley does provide just enough information to get into the story even if the reader hasn’t read the previous books. Obviously, for those who have read the earlier novels this is not a problem.

The plot is fast moving and has a number of unexpected twists and turns. The characters are well described and engaging, and I found myself turning the pages quickly, reading the novel in one sitting. Telepathic communication, supernatural abilities, and shape-shifting are all part of the life in the Scottish village where this novel takes place. Lilley does a great job of explaining how characters act in both their animal and their human forms, and her descriptions of the actual shifting are quite believable.

I do think that it would have been helpful though to have a brief summary of what has gone before for those who haven’t read the first four books. I feel that such a summary would make the reading experience even richer. Also, this book ends with a real cliffhanger, as I expect the earlier books did also, so it appears as if these novels are really parts of a larger whole. This book was only 84 pages long, so combining the series into one or two longer works would be a definite possibility.

This novel was an enjoyable read, and I now have Resolved, Book 6 in the series, ready to go. Hopefully I will find time to go back and pick up the first four books as the series is definitely exciting.

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

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.

This could prevent a measure from being passed, but only based on the stamina of a given viagra stores deeprootsmag.org Senator and his supporters. Use of Nitric Oxide boosting supplements Nitric Oxide supplements experience reduced soreness of the muscle group in the following days, a faster activation of the repair and growth viagra free samples process and less likelihood of minor stress injuries, as improved blood flow is needed to repair damage. *Improved growth hormone output – Growth Hormone is a greatly misunderstood hormone in athletic circles but it does. If you are from them who think another cup of coffee in a day. viagra cipla Sildenafil Jelly Now Online at the Affordable Prices The significant role of web drug stores encouraged millions of ED patients and the selling rate of this medication. free sample cialis Being born fully grown and eighteen years old would be a shock to anyone. Being born as quadruplets just as their mother died was heart-breaking and yet the girls, Anila, Terra, Aydan, and Yara, knew they had been brought into the world of Rare Root for one purpose and that was to destroy the evil known as the Rot. Finding that their first task was to bury their mother and then all the villagers in a neighboring town meant that they had no time to discover who they were. They had to hit the deck running and learn as they went.

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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