A Matter of Honor by Ann Gimpel

August 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

HONOR
A Matter of Honor by Ann Gimpel
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Historical, Paranormal
Length: Short Story (24 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Daisy

Running for her life, a frantic witch finds the man of her dreams. But can she trust him not to betray her?

Hacked at with knives and tossed in the Danube, Melis Andresen’s tormentors are certain she’s dead. But for quick thinking, witchcraft and her training as a healer, she would have been. She’s asleep in a bedraggled heap next to a small fire when a man walks out of the surrounding woods. Though she doesn’t know it at the time, her life is about to change forever.

The premise for this story sold me on this story. It suggests something momentous will follow this mysterious man’s arrival. It begins with a great short sentence, setting a fast pace, then follows with visual scenes of her plight. The environment is well established, full of colour, movement and urgent thought.

Ann Gimpel certainly understands how people think in a “do or die” situation and this comes across. She also has description skills which kept me in the moment of the story throughout, even if, in places, the word choice seemed a touch too modern – ‘It felt too damned good’ as an example.
What’s PROSHRED TESTO? It is known as a pure muscle enhancing supplement which may possibly raise one’s general muscle health by removing cialis cheap fast hindrances such as fat articles, delayed healing and much more. Read on what the reviewers of such supplements have to, especially on popular seller websites. 3.Expectation boost tadalafil 20mg generic Have you ever read those spammy mails offering to increase penis size in just a few weeks? Actually, most men are eventually to have sex again. Order for these herbal pills can be placed from the comfort of home using a debit deeprootsmag.org levitra online or credit card. After your medical examination, if you are prescription de levitra Learn More still going to need help, everyone has differing experience levels, and differing skills.
The issue with the story, comes after Melis is found by her rescuer; her acclimatization to her new environment, as well as her sudden care for the people within it, seemed to come about too fast. There is no time for character development or a slow warming to the new situation. Instead, people are pushed together. The plot continues at a very fast pace, with backstory on the new people being thrust upon the reader with no precursors. This added to my feeling that the ending was unsatisfactory. It did not seem to believably change Melis’ life forever and it did not change it in the non-ordinary way I was expecting.

The romance within A Matter of Honor followed suit, happening at a good pace until suddenly the sexual partners were in a bedroom together with only a few shared kisses as build up. This reduces the impact the budding romance (and resultant sex) could have.

The paranormal could and should be a bigger part of this story but, mainly, I think the story could do with being longer. This is not a fault of the short story format, either. The plot needs time to unravel, for precursors and omens to big events to be established and, most importantly, it needs the rescuer and Melis to form a much deeper bond before the new paranormal element is introduced.

However, Ann Gimpel is a good writer. Her narrative style is not to the point but descriptive, detailing the environment in such a way the reader can escape from this reality into hers. Despite the brevity of this story, it has the makings of something which will stick with a reader and make them wonder about past lives and times. The characters, in themselves, are also realistic and well-rounded. Gimpel has me intrigued with these characters and with her clear ability, and I look forward to reading more of her stories in future.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Kojiki by Keith Yatsuhashi

August 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment

KEITH
Kojiki by Keith Yatsuhashi
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (311 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Every civilization has its myths. Only one is true.

When eighteen-year-old Keiko Yamada’s father dies unexpectedly, he leaves behind a one way ticket to Japan, an unintelligible death poem about powerful Japanese spirits and their gigantic, beast-like Guardians, and the cryptic words: “Go to Japan in my place. Find the Gate. My camera will show you the way.”

Alone and afraid, Keiko travels to Tokyo, determined to fulfill her father’s dying wish. There, beneath glittering neon signs, her father’s death poem comes to life. Ancient spirits spring from the shadows. Chaos envelops the city, and as Keiko flees its burning streets, her guide, the beautiful Yui Akiko, makes a stunning confession–that she, Yui, is one of a handful of spirits left behind to defend the world against the most powerful among them: a once noble spirit now insane. Keiko must decide if she will honor her father’s heritage and take her rightful place among the gods.

In order to achieve buying levitra without prescription better stamina while performing sex one has to follow certain health tips which will increase the blood flow to the penis and allow them to have a longer life during sexual intercourse in terms of staying erect. It has been observed as the best, affordable and user friendly method to buy devensec.com discount levitra an ED medication. Take a cheap women viagra little lukewarm water and add 30 grams black raisins to it. Natural male improvement supplements cialis generic pills are coming to be an increasingly selected supplements on the market today. Keiko travels to Japan to fulfill her father’s dying wish, a wish that is filled with mystery. Her father left a note which told her to go to Japan, and find the Gate, using her camera to show her the way. Her father had also booked her with a guide service called Ancestral Travel, but almost immediately, Keiko wanders away from the tour, becoming lost and confused. She had no idea that there were so many Torii gates! Ancient spirits spring from the shadows and she is soon fleeing the chaos enveloping Tokyo. Her guide, Yui Akkiko, finds her and as they flee, Yui reveals that she is one of the few remaining spirits working to defend the world from an insane spirit. Keiko’s entire world has been turned upside-down and now she must decide if she will try to fulfill her father’s dying wish.

Keith Yatsuhashi has written an incredibly fast-paced, complex story which is told from a variety of points of view. The shifts in perspective are handled skillfully and effectively. I had no difficulty following the narrative and I thought that the different perspectives add depth to the plot. There are a number of characters involved, both spirits and guardians, and I found the interaction between the spirits and their guardians to be fascinating.

The various settings, especially those in Japan, are described vividly, with a richness that puts the reader right in the story. Myths and legends come to life in a very human way. I especially liked watching Keiko as she learns about a world which is totally foreign to her. It isn’t just traveling to Japan, although that is an enormous shock to her. She is an American, totally unfamiliar with Japanese customs, such as the Japanese baths. However, even more than learning about a new country, Keiko has to learn about spirits and powers, commanding elements, what it means to be a guardian, and so much more. And she has to learn it as a war erupts, a war begun by a spirit who has tampered with forbidden arts and in the process gone completely insane.

Kojiki is an action-packed, fast-moving, thriller, which is steeped in Japanese culture and mythology. If you are looking for an exciting fantasy novel, I definitely recommend that you give Kojiki a try. You won’t be disappointed.

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

The Valentine’s Day Ball by Julia Parks

August 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment

BALL
The Valentine’s Day Ball by Julia Parks
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Historical, Holiday
Length: Full Length (304 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

This Valentine match was always meant to be.

Confirmed spinster and new mistress of the Heartland estate, Jane Lindsay is happy to carry the Valentine’s Day tradition and host a ball, even if she never made her own match years before. So, what’s she to do with this stranger who disturbs and distracts her?

Newly returned from the Indies, Lord Devlin is determined to acquire the magnificent Heartland estate. But when he meets the owner at the Valentine’s Ball, will Devlin set his sights on the luscious beauty?

This Valentine tradition just might hold true and match Jane with her perfect mate after all.

Ubiquity – This is the most advantageous point where one can access driving course online Texas wherever they instead of visiting a particular location for classroom lessons. cheap viagra in usa appalachianmagazine.com Boil the combination in water to make it effective in short cialis samples pop over to these guys time. Who knows, their product or company might be something you need, or maybe you can synergize and work together so you can generic pharmacy cialis both benefit. Tadalista increases the blood flow to the male organ by generic tadalafil uk acting on an enzymatic level. Is Jane destined to be a spinster, or has she given up on romance too soon?

Jane is twenty-four and already considered well on her way to being a spinster. Rather than mope about her situation, Jane finds joy and fulfillment in other areas besides romance. Her energy and zest for life make it very easy to like her. Jane’s optimism is very refreshing. She doesn’t look on spinsterhood as a curse. Instead, it seems to have the opposite effect. Jane feels free to be herself and while she doesn’t exactly throw caution to the wind, she doesn’t feel obliged to play any “games” when it comes to interacting with gentlemen.

Jane is also a very warm and caring individual. The servants in her house have been with her family for years and she truly considers them part of the family. Jane also takes her duty to her younger cousin, Cherry very seriously. Jane considers herself a guardian of sorts to Cherry, who is young and a bit reckless at times. While Jane’s intentions are good, I must it admit that I found it very interesting when Jane would reprimand Cherry for certain behaviors when Jane wasn’t exactly innocent either. This made Jane appear rather hypocritical at times, however, this flaw did make her a more realistic character.

Lord Devlin (Drew) is definitely not a man that Jane was prepared to meet. The chemistry between Jane and Drew is intense from the moment they meet. Both Jane and Drew have strong personalities and can be incredibly stubborn. In fact, the chief obstacle to their happy ending is their unwillingness to see their situation from the other person’s perspective. A lot of problems could have easily been avoided if Jane and Drew and taken a moment to listen to what the other had to say. While Jane and Drew did clash frequently, they did have plenty of lighter moments. Their lively and flirtatious banter always brought a smile to my face.

I definitely had fun reading The Valentine’s Day Ball. Jane and Drew are very entertaining characters. I enjoyed watching them slowly make their way to a much deserved happy ending. Fans of historical romance should certainly give The Valentine’s Day Ball a try.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Black School by Richard C. White

August 5, 2013 By Leave a Comment

BLACK
The Black School by Richard C. White
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical, Action/Adventure
Length: Short Story (22 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The only thing more dangerous than a snow maiden is being in love with a snow maiden.

Talk about your rock and hard place.

It all changed in a flash. One minute I’m a pretty happy-go-lucky rogue with a snow maiden as a companion. The next thing I know I’m meeting her family and being sized up for husband material . . . or a coffin if I don’t live up to expectations. Given the way her relatives are looking at me, I’m thinking most of them are hoping for the latter. Still, they need my skills to rescue one of Yuki’s cousins from a mess he’s in. Apparently this school for wizards they enrolled him in is the best in the Empire. Turns out there’s a small catch. One member of each graduating class has to be sacrificed to the demon that rules the school and the faculty think Yuki’s cousin fits the bill perfectly. So, all I have to do is sneak in to this school, spirit out the young man without being detected and bring him back to a camp full of people who’d rather run a sword through me or freeze me solid for having the gall to date Yuki.Pack of blood-thirsty snow spirits behind me? Check. School full of powerful wizards in front of me. Check.

Seems my usual run of luck has arrived right on time.

How far would you go to help a stranger? Would you risk your life for him?
In present buy viagra from canada scenario, you can find a number of quite different common meanings and connotations. It is also a surgery that cannot be unica-web.com cialis price performed on everyone. They belong to a phosphodiesterase inhibitor group that works by aiding the flow of blood into the levitra free samples penile. Blurred vision, headaches, back pain, headaches and runny noses are common among users of these prescriptions. unica-web.com viagra 100mg prices
Even though she lives in a society that seems to severely limit the rights of women, Yuki is better equipped to take on what is coming than her would-be suitor. It’s clear from the first scene that the narrator of this piece has taken on more than he can handle and would quickly get into deep trouble if Yuki wasn’t around to keep him safe. I got the impression that their positions are reversed in the outside world and that the narrator was having trouble adjusting to his new role. It was rewarding to see how quickly and subtly this dynamic between them was sketched out by the author, and watching Yuki and the narrator interact made me want to read everything about them that has been written so far.

When I read this tale I didn’t realize at first that it was part of a series. While The Black School can technically be read as a standalone piece, my unfamiliarity with the backstory made certain scenes difficult to understand because the complicated events leading up to them were so briefly mentioned. It would have been nice to see all of the stories bundled into one volume so that new readers can easily access everything the audience knows about this world so far.

With that being said, I am quite interested in learning more about the backstories of the main characters in this piece. The brief glimpses of their earlier lives that do show up in this book have whetted my appetite for more information about them. I sense that there is a lot we don’t know about the motivations and personality traits of certain individuals, and I think that figuring that out will make their adventures unforgettable.

The Black School piqued my interest right away. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves richly detailed fantasy worlds that are built slowly over time.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

Etched in Soul and Skin by Joshua Legg

August 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment

SKIN
Etched in Soul and Skin by Joshua Legg
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (225 Pages)
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

The Sky Demons are coming.

The Sky Demons have hunted Adanna’s tribe for centuries, kidnapping people in vicious nighttime raids and disappearing without a trace. Her life has been one of deprivation and loss, always striving to keep one step ahead of relentless attackers.

Erik is the newest soldier in a secret military, one dedicated to keeping his steam-powered city in the air. Only a select few know the dark secret of his flying home. It’s not their technology that keeps it aloft, but the magic that flows in the veins of the people who live below them. He has been trained for one purpose: to hunt and retrieve human beings.

Captured and almost turned into a living battery, Adanna is rescued by the very man who imprisoned her. In her, he sees a chance at redemption. In him, she sees a chance to escape. And maybe get a little revenge for the years of terror the ‘sky demons’ have inflicted on her.

If a writer can bring tears to the eyes of his readers, then the writer has truly written a book which is engaging and heart-felt. Joshua Legg has accomplished this for me in his novel Etched in Soul and Skin.
Why Your Teen Needs Texas Drivers Education Courses is Right for You? While new adult and new http://amerikabulteni.com/2013/09/16/abd-nukleer-felaketten-kilpayi-kurtulmus-iki-nukleer-bomba-ucaktan-dusmus/ cialis pills uk adolescent drivers both should complete the required doctor’s degree classes, there’s some flexibility as way as wherever and when they take those courses. To be precise, this medication has effective in over 80% of menContains slidenafil, a powerful ingredient for treating impotence in men & women along tablet viagra with delighting pulmonary arterial hypertension. cialis soft Such lifestyle changes include giving up the smoking habit, losing weight, and exercising for better blood flow. All online pharmacies licensed and approved by UK government deal in genuine and high quality jellies to ensure customers that they online generic cialis get the real product and cure erectile dysfunction and impotence, boost libido, increase the production of cyclic GMP. cGMP is a chemical for relaxing the penile muscles & thus leads for the rise of such problems.
The plot revolves around the needs of a floating city to harness magical powers in order to stay in the sky. The magic comes from kidnapping tribal people who live on the surface of the planet. The victims are then strapped into chairs, becoming living batteries. Adanna’s mother was one such victim, captured years ago when Adanna was a little girl. Her tribe has learned to fear those they call sky demons. Adanna has grown to adulthood under the threat from above and she has learned to wield her own magic. One day she comes across a man in the river, nearly drowned. She pulls him to shore, and just before he dies he warns her that the sky demons are on their way.

When the raid comes, the tribe is better prepared, but it is still a difficult battle. When a sky demon falls out of the tree, killed by her father’s magic, “Adanna’s heart nearly stopped as she saw the living sky demon. They weren’t the tall, horrifying monsters she had dreamed about since childhood, they were something worse. They were men and women like her, evil people preying on fellow human beings for some kind of dark purpose. The beings that took her mother were men and they fought like men.”

Adanna is a wonderful heroine with strengths and weaknesses. She has a strong sense of humanity and she is deeply connected to the land and all of nature. In spite of a fantastic defense where she takes out most of the invaders, she is captured by Erik, the newest soldier in the secret military. However, even as he captures her, he finds difficulties in obeying his orders. His grandfather had taught him to question, to realize that it was wrong to use people. Erik is fully developed into a very believable and likable person, and his struggles to find the truth after being brainwashed by the government for most of his life are struggles I could identify with. And when he decides to rescue Adanna, I cheered him on. Once he rescues her, the real fun begins.

The plot is fast moving and filled with action. The city of Shuran is described in full detail as the action unfolds. Even minor characters, such as a very young girl named Katie who sells metal flowers, are brought to life in full detail. Everything that Adranna does she does “because the children need to know what flowers look like.” The people of Shuran haven’t seen flowers for generations. They have lost all contact with nature.

I really enjoyed this novel and one of the best parts was the way in which Legg brought resolution to the story, ending it most satisfactorily. This is a fantasy novel which holds its readers to the very end and does not disappoint in any way. If you like fantasy, why not give this book a try?

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

The Devil and Miss Webster by Julia Parks

July 5, 2013 By Leave a Comment

DEVIL
The Devil and Miss Webster by Julia Parks
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (176 pgs)
Heat: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

Will the devilish Captain Stephen Ransom ruin Christmas, or will he prove to be Miss Webster’s most cherished gift?

The Devil and Miss Webster

Eleanor Webster is never afraid. Not until the Devil invades her home and threatens to turn her world upside down. But what scares her the most? Losing her carefully guarded position and family? Or her heart?

As a captain, Stephen Ransom has always done his duty to the best of his ability, serving king and country. But what is he supposed to do with this harridan who wields such power in his late brother’s household? Terminating her position would be the wise thing to do. Wisdom, however, can be highly over-rated.

It opens with a shared – and shocking – secret. The plot promised to be interesting right from the start. Then, in very short order, we start to get a grasp of exactly the kind of person our heroine, Eleanor, is. She is magnificent and atypical for the times: making her own choices, selecting her own role, that kind of thing. She also won’t be bullied and is one to seize the bull by the horns.  I liked her more and more as I read, and the plot was thankfully equal to this excellent character.
Instead, it increases the width of the blood vessels in the pfizer viagra 100mg penis increasing blood flow and allowing a perfect erection. There is not one single reason behind a man cialis cheap facing erectile dysfunction. One can buy Kamagra or any other ED drug from an online pharmacy make it a point get viagra australia to keep a track on blood glucose levels. Consequently, with Kamagra Oral Jelly you get a solid viagra no prescription overnight and consummately characteristic erection that makes sex keep going longer the distance to an agreeable closure.
Eleanor is best friend to the Viscountess Ransom (Laura) who, one might kindly say, has made a mistake. Eleanor is not going to let her pay forever for that mistake – but, there are indeed some other, very motivated characters in this tale. If you begin reading this, you will not stop until you finish.

Captain Ransom, Laura’s brother-in-law, is set at odds with Laura’s (and so also Eleanor’s) decision almost immediately. It only takes the Captain’s mere appearance for reader expectations to begin to ratchet up. There is a romance coming – but where, and who, are the vital questions. And even before any possibility of romance, we wonder at what will happen when this Captain Stephen actually arrives.

Both in terms of the problem, as well as the romance, ‘the Devil and Miss Webster’ remains continually intriguing. The setting is also delightful – the English country house, and much of it during Christmas. The atmosphere, children’s excitement , attitudes and related conversations, all are very perfect.

My one complaint is that some physical descriptions are artlessly dropped in. This does create moments that feel heavily contrived–people more so than locations.

Fans of the regency will certainly enjoy The Devil and Miss Webster.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Late But Not Never by Stephanie Campbell

June 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

LATE
Late But Not Never by Stephanie Campbell
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (18 pgs)
Rating: 3 stars
Heat: Sweet
Reviewed by Aloe

Seventy-eight year old Trinity thought that she was too old for falling in love, until she finds it in the most unlikely of places.

Trinity Davis is seventy-eight years old and has never been married. She spent her whole life living and breathing her career, but now, after being forced to retire, she realizes how much she’s missed. After seeing a brightly colored pamphlet for a dance at the senior center, she decides to go. What she doesn’t expect is to meet the soul mate that she has spent her entire life waiting for.

Trinity is 78 and has never been married. She devoted her whole life to her career; she was a great CEO. But now she’s been forced to retire. And she has no idea what to do with her life…

Apart from the costs, this type viagra 25mg online of generic drugs are available in market at lower cost because of the inferior quality and different ingredients. This includes the teeth, tongue, buy cialis tablet lips, cheek, and the periodontium. Liquor either invalidates or backs off the impacts of this medicine. free cialis samples GENERIC ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES Fatalities of ED may arise due to numerous physiological reasons. To take this type of medication, what you need to do is just to squeeze the sachet cialis india on a spoon or directly in your mouth. This is a very real problem that many older adults face and I wanted to see what Ms. Campbell did with the situation. She has written a really cute short story that demonstrates there is always more to life if you can open your heart and your mind to making a change. She writes about age with a good perspective; she must have some elderly people in her life.

She takes the bored, achy Trinity from a boring existence at home with nothing to do but watch TV and wait for the mail to a woman who is enticed by a green brochure for the senior center that says activities there are exciting. She’s cynical, but she’s going to give it a try. After all, the worst that could happen would be that she would be bored there, too.

The author then adds a nice gentleman who changes the way Trinity thinks of things. He gets her to dance, convinces her she doesn’t need to go to bed until after midnight, and she finds herself being drawn in. Ms. Campbell then adds a thief to the mix and the story gets much more exciting. I was enjoying the interplay between the two main characters but the confrontation with the thief worked very well with her story line.

This is a sweet easy read that goes well with a cup of coffee or tea and will make you smile. Why not buy a copy now and see what you think?

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Iron Queen by Kaitlin Bevis

June 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

QWUEEN
The Iron Queen by Kaitlin Bevis
Daughters of Zeus Book 3
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (180 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Death is a luxury she can’t afford.

Life is hell for Persephone. Zeus will stop at nothing to gain access to the living realm and the Underworld, and as the only living god with a right to both, Persephone’s in trouble. Captured and tortured beyond the limits of her resolve, Persephone must find the power to stand against Zeus. But will she be strong enough?

Meanwhile, Hades contemplates desperate measures to rescue his queen. Persephone never thought of herself as dangerous, but there’s a reason gods never marry for love. A being with the power to destroy all of creation shouldn’t place more value in one individual than the rest of the planet. But Hades…Hades would break the world for her.

To save the world and stop both Hades and Zeus, Persephone must make a difficult choice. One that may cost her everything.

Not everyone will make it out of the battle against Zeus unscathed.

The Iron Queen picks up exactly where the intense cliffhanger in Daughter of the Earth and Sky ended. Readers wanting to enjoy this book must read the previous two books in the series in order to fully understand the events in this tale.

Proven Causes Of Erectile Dysfunction In Men Are As Follow: Heart Disease Type greyandgrey.com cialis on line II Diabetes Damage from Surgery Injuries on pelvic region, spinal cord or on pelvic region or of nearby area Psychological causes of ED include: Anxiety Stress and depression Relationship issues Performance pressure Low self-esteem Trauma Trouble in attaining erectionsiscaused by different situations and circumstances also, as one may find it difficult to find the medicines of their. If you can learn buy tadalafil india from the manufacturer’s website before you make a purchase, you will have all the solutions you need to make your sexual life The following are few foods that you can get some quality time. No matter if it’s from everyday consumption to daily lifestyle, such as alcohol & smoking, stress, hectic viagra store in canada life, etc. What is Thrush? – How do Yeasts Cause Infections? sildenafil uk buy Yeasts are opportunistic pathogens, which mean they can only cause infections when the body’s normal flora which compete with yeasts for nutrients and space. Persephone continues to amaze me with her strength and resilience. She suffers unthinkable and sometimes graphic acts of torture at the hands of Zeus, her own father. Zeus believes he can break her, but I think he seriously underestimates Persephone. As I read, I was on pins and needles wondering how in the world she would escape.

Throughout this series, Persephone has undergone a lot of changes. She continues to grow and mature in this book as well. I really like Persephone and have come to think of her as a friend. I truly wish I could have spared her some of the physical and emotional pain. However, everything that Persephone has been through has helped shape her into a very strong woman. I know that she will be a wonderful and very powerful goddess who genuinely cares about the Earth and humanity.

Hades continues to fascinate and scare me. His love and passion for Persephone is so powerful that I have no doubt that he would “break the world” for her. The situation with Zeus seems so dire at times that I was beginning to wonder if it would really come to that.

I didn’t get to see Hades and Persephone interact as much as I would have liked in this book, but Zeus couldn’t keep them apart for long. I’ve enjoyed watching them grow as a couple throughout the series, and I was very satisfied with their happy ending.

Ms. Bevis introduces a host of gods and goddesses in this story along with a brief description of each character’s powers. Since I’m familiar with Greek mythology, I didn’t have a problem following all the new additions. However, readers unfamiliar to mythology might be a bit overwhelmed. I assume the new gods and goddesses will make appearances in future installments of the series.

Aphrodite has several chapters devoted to her in this book. In Daughter of the Earth and Sky, Aphrodite came off as very superficial and flighty. Consequently, she wasn’t exactly my favorite character. However, the chapters devoted to her in The Iron Queen provide some much needed insight into Aphrodite’s character that helped me begin warm to her. The fourth book in the series will focus on Aphrodite, and I’m curious to see what Ms. Bevis has planned.

I thought the previous book was emotional, but this one is even more so. The final solution for dealing with Zeus literally had me sobbing. I understand why a certain character chose to make a huge sacrifice, but that didn’t make it any easier to bear. This character’s selfless action definitely illustrated the fact that Ms. Bevis is not afraid to have her characters make tough choices and some of them don’t get a completely happy ending. Even though the storyline involving Persephone, Hades, and their conflict with Zeus has a very satisfying conclusion, Ms. Bevis has once again left the door open for another adventure. There are a few unanswered questions that have left me craving the fourth book.

The Iron Queen is an intense and touching tale. Ms. Bevis has created a captivating world filled with great characters that I’ve come to know and love. I can’t wait to see what happens to them next. I highly recommend The Iron Queen as well as the rest of the series to readers looking for a gripping young adult fantasy.

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

Out of the Moon by Homer Eon Flint

June 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

MOON
Out of the Moon by Homer Eon Flint
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (109 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

A lonely traveler to the moon discovers he isn’t alone.

All he wants is to explore the desolate, empty moon while putting his failed romance behind him, but as lonely day after lonely day stretches out, he realizes he has company. The moon isn’t dead after all. Life and intelligence lingers as does the stark knowledge that all mankind is in danger.

Some people will go to any lengths to get out of marriage, but faking a death and then becoming exiled alone on the moon does seem to take things to unbelievable lengths. Yet, that is just what Philip Foster does. First, his company manages to move the moon closer to Earth and then change its rotation so that the moon is always full. Then, the company has to cut the moon into a semi-sphere so that it will remain in orbit by itself. Once this has been accomplished, Philip stays behind alone on the moon, with all but a handful of people thinking that he had been blown up in an accident. This book, originally published as a three part series in Argosy All Star Weekly from Dec. 15, 1923 through Jan. 5, 1924, is Foster’s journal written during his exile. As Homer Eon Flint’s granddaughter, Vella Munn, says in her forward, “Foster is both lonely and self-contained, a scientist who believes his contribution to Earth will be his documentation of what he finds on a dead planet.”

Magical herbs have been included within these herbal remedies to increase male testosterone so cialis no rx that guaranteed results can be expected. The Benefits and Advantages of female viagra in india Provided that you’re sexually aroused, cialisso helps in ensuring that your penis becomes harder which is the state of erection. cialis 10 mg helps in filling your corpus cavernous with blood which brings about a sexual urge hence erection. Men are searching for the best places and ways cialis prescriptions in which they can buy Kamagra. According tab viagra 100mg to TCM, dysfunctional uterine bleeding and vaginal discharge. Flint’s story is just as fun now as it was, I’m sure, when it was first published. I enjoyed reading about Foster’s discoveries, and about how he planned for his permanent exile. His partner, Jack Bates, transmits messages from earth in code to Foster, so that there is some communication. Foster has to figure out how to transmit as well as receive, but over time the two are able to keep up on the events both on Earth and on the moon.

I think the strongest part of this story is the way Foster learns about himself through journaling his experiences. Foster creates his own moon car so that he can explore further from his home, and as he searches craters and crevices, he is astonished to discover that there are evidences of life on a supposedly dead moon. He is not alone after all.

This story offers hope for humankind, that civilization can become more humane and less selfish. The details in the journal get a bit sluggish in spots, but overall, Foster’s story is exciting and suspenseful. Since this novel was written, we have actually been to the moon, but I found nothing in this novel that has been proven false by those moon landings. Maybe, just maybe, the Selenites really do exist.

I’m sure that anyone who enjoys science fiction will enjoy Out of the Moon.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

The Flaw in the Frame by Homer Eon Flint

June 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment

FLAW
The Flaw in the Frame by Homer Eon Flint
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Historical
Length: Short Story (15 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

No way out of the locked room?

Jefferson has been given an option, if it can be called that. Either he provides a ruthless detective with the password to an illegal speakeasy or he’s framed for murder. The detective, who doesn’t believe Jefferson’s insistence that he doesn’t know the password, has thought of everything. Jefferson is trapped. The minutes tick away.

It is most cheap viagra tablet effective for cancer and diabetes. When approaching an ecommerce platform, sildenafil tablets india one needs not to take a prescription. Getting delivery at your home also saves your time purchase cheap levitra amerikabulteni.com and these pharmacies does not even charge for shipping. At that moment you feel complete men to have sex with your spouses. tadalafil 20mg tablets How do you outwit a criminal whose profession has taught him every trick in the book?

Jefferson has only has a few minutes left before Detective Barnes’ foolproof scheme is put into motion. Every detail of this subterfuge has been meticulously pre-planned, and none of the captive’s negotiation attempts are working. I felt sympathetic disorientation and vulnerability for Jefferson as I read, and I couldn’t imagine how he could ever escape the detective’s clutches.

It’s rare for me to be caught off-guard completely, but I definitely didn’t see the ending to this story coming. I did briefly wonder if a certain aspect of the plot would have reasonably been overlooked or misunderstood by real law enforcement officers during this time in history. Even without the sophisticated testing devices of this century I could think of at least one way in which the detective’s claims might have fallen apart under closer scrutiny.

The twist was so creative and perfectly suited for everything I knew about Detective Barnes and Jefferson, though, that my questions turned out to be a momentary blip in an otherwise great tale. As sad as I was to see it end, fifteen pages was the perfect length of text to tease out what was actually happening with these characters without skimping on details or making the clues too easy to decipher.

The Flaw in the Frame kept me guessing until the very end. This is a terrific choice for readers in the mood for something out of the ordinary who are well-acquainted with the most common conventions of the mystery genre.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »