Tales From the Outer Lands by Shira Glassman

July 13, 2015 By Leave a Comment

OUTER
Tales From the Outer Lands by Shira Glassman
Publisher: Prizm Books/Torquere Press
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (54 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Rivka in Port Saltspray: Trapped in a seedy port town because an innkeeper is holding her shapeshifting dragon-horse hostage until she can pay all the charges he invented, nomadic warrior Rivka finally has a chance at some decent money when a wealthy but weak man hires her to rescue his fiancée. But she has to think on her feet when she learns there may be more at stake.

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How about a couple of tales from out of this world? The first is about a woman warrior with a dragon; the second is about a very good cook that gets herself and her whole kitchen transported to a space ship. Neither story is boring!

Short stories are fun to read because the author has to get his/her storyline across with a minimal number of words and also needs to make them interesting enough to garner your attention. Ms. Glassman does a very good job with that. She also has a good imagination and can make your eyes stick to the pages as you read. Her sense of humor is also apparent.

The first story is my favorite, partly because the woman is a warrior trained by a wizard and partly because she has a pet dragon that turns into a horse when it’s tired. (Sounds handy, doesn’t it?) She’s trying to make some money and enters a contest to earn the prize: a woman. The man who contracted with her says she’s his bride to be. It’s untrue…

The second story is the one that made me chuckle. If you aren’t Jewish or don’t have Jewish friends, the humor might escape you. The cook is getting ready for Passover when she’s transported onto a space ship. The aliens look strange but what they want is her cooking. They ask her to make a meal. She does; they love it. Now they are going to keep her. So she cooks again and gives them matzo to eat. The results could be expected…

Here you have two great stories that are fun to read and don’t take too long. You could even fit them in during coffee breaks if you read fast. Why not go back to work with a smile on your face?

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

The Dybbuk’s Mirror by Alisse Lee Goldenberg

November 6, 2014 By Leave a Comment

MIRROR
The Dybbuk’s Mirror by Alisse Lee Goldenberg
Publisher: Prizm Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (227 Pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

It has been nearly two years since the events in The Strings of the Violin, and Carrie has adjusted to life as a university student far from her friends. However, when the path to Hadariah is sealed, she starts to fear malevolent forces may be behind the other strange occurrences around her. After trying to contact Lindsay and Rebecca to get help in unraveling the mystery, Carrie discovers that her friends are in fact missing. With no way of knowing who to trust, Carrie must find a way back to the land she once saved to rescue her friends from the dybbuks’ clutches. Reuniting with the dybbuk princess Emilia, and finding a new friend in the mysterious farmer Mikhail, Carrie must once again do battle with Asmodeus’s forces, and help stop the chaos that threatens to overtake the land while striving to save both Lindsay and Rebecca. For the first time, Carrie is working without the two friends who have helped her through every major decision in her life. Carrie must learn to rely on herself, and find her own strengths to save those she holds dear.

Carrie can’t understand why no one seems to remember her best friends, Lindsay and Rebecca. Her parents try to convince her that those names belong to the imaginary friends she had when she was little. Her college friends have no memory of Carrie’s ever talking about them or their visits to her at college. Has the whole world gone mad? Is Carrie all alone now? Why can’t she find a portal through to the land of Hadariah, a land she and her friends saved two years ago. And now, to add to her growing anxiety, she is being stalked.
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Carrie’s character is well developed and her worries are certainly understandable and very real. When her supposed stalker turns out to be Mikhail, a guard sent by the dybbuk princess, Emilia, to protect Carrie after Rebecca and Lindsay have been kidnapped, Carrie demands information and soon, she is back in the land of Hadariah trying to rescue her friends.

The action is fast-paced and very exciting. Carrie, Emilia, and Mikhail run into one adventure after another and the rescuing of her friends soon looks like an impossible task. The three of them work well together, each bringing a particular skill or perspective.

My only complaint is that I found the dialogue to be rather unnatural and wooden at times. I found myself saying more than once that a person would never have said something. The dialogue just doesn’t always ring true, and it doesn’t help to build the tension and excitement.

This is the second novel, following The Strings of the Violin, and I certainly hope that a third novel will be forthcoming very soon as I want to know what happens next. This novel ends at a reasonable stopping point, but certainly the story is far from over.

Fantasy lovers will find a lot to enjoy in this novel as Carrie has to stand on her own and lead the rescue mission. She holds her friends’ lives in her hands. Will she succeed in saving them?

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

Northern Lights by Sharon McGregor

August 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment

LIGHTS
Northern Lights by Sharon McGregor
Publisher: Prism Books
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Short Story (64 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Maddie Smart is at a crossroads. Her job and her relationship have both suddenly ended. On the advice of a friend she flies to a northern fishing lodge to recoup and plan her next move. Here she meets fishermen who don’t fish, a policeman who does, a man who says he’s seen Sasquatch and a lodge owner who sets her pulses racing.

She finds herself running headlong into danger with no idea of who she can trust. Her feelings for Lodge owner Rupert are clouded by his hot and cold moods, and her growing suspicions of his right hand man’s involvement in a bear part harvesting ring. Maddie must face her deepest fear before she can find answers. She also must learn to trust again before she can find her own happy ending.

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This author writes an interesting tale of a city girl in the country. She’s afraid of bears and sasquatches, she doesn’t trust fisherman who don’t fish and why is the RMCP undercover?

She finds her new boss attractive, but he’s hot and cold. One minute he’s kissing her, the next he’s mad at her because she’s been wandering around alone outside. He claims he’s worried about bears, but she thinks there is more to it than that.

When someone pushes her off the edge of the watchtower, she knows it for sure. Rupe didn’t like her looking info up on the computer about the lodge and the environment, but he’s there to save her from a fall. He still doesn’t want to tell her anything. She’s upset because she saw his right hand man meeting in an old cabin with one of the non-fishing fishermen, and she thinks he’s up to something. Rupe says no. But what else would he say if he’s involved in it?

This is a busy story with both good and bad characters. Ms. McGregor uses bear poaching and organ harvesting as the crime, and this is a real problem. If you’re not familiar with it, just do an internet search. That’s how Maddie became aware of it. The romance is a bit rushed: at first they don’t trust each other, and then they have wedding plans. However, I believe in love at first sight, so I can accept that.

Why don’t you take a walk in the woods with Maddie? Just don’t notice the Sasquatch. That will help chill the rumors.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Destined for Deception by Sandra Tilley and Suzanne Purvis

August 4, 2014 By Leave a Comment

DESTINED
Destined for Deception by Sandra Tilley and Suzanne Purvis
Publisher: Prism Books
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (63 pgs)
Heat: Sweet
Rated 4 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

Beneath the emerald waves, churn deception, corruption, and murder…

Forensic accountant Drew Arnoud could be on vacation. Instead, he’s investigating misappropriation of BP’s oil spill settlement funds in the beachside town of Destin, Florida. Having his kayak tipped by head hunting specialist Bree Finley could be a coincidence, or could she be involved? Either way he’s keeping her close, maybe too close. In his search to reveal the truth, he finds his life and his heart in jeopardy.
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Bree Finley has been betrayed before by her ex-husband, but is it possible he’s involved her and their company in criminal activities and fraud? Who can she trust? She must decide, but the wrong decision may prove deadly.

In all, this is a look at the darker side of paradise; crowds, cruise boats full of drunks, and clueless objectionable local law enforcement. There’s also the open waters of the gulf; light and beauty and sailboats and yet, still that dark side, giving it all a rather ‘real’ quality.

The setting cleverly parallels the story – with the harsh reality of having to solve a crime (Suicide? Murder? Theft?) smacking headlong against the two people meeting, and realizing, possibly…the possibilities.

Our heroine in Destined for Deception, Bree Finley, has a boring day job, and yearns for the chance to speed across waves, and enjoy the beauty of the naturall world. Forensic Accountant Drew isn’t there for the paradise part at all, but to research a potential crime and is only frustrated by the sheriff, and a complex array of evidence.

The mystery is both interesting and a bit complex, as Drew tries to figure out who is involved, either in murder or the misappropriation of funds – if it is several people or one, and if…somehow…even distantly…Bree’s company might be involved. The romance part is much more promising, right from the start.

Destined for Deception has it all – sharks and sunshine, hope and fun, obvious chemistry! Will make a great beach-read!

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

The Co-Walkers Awakening by Hermine G Steinberg

April 17, 2014 By Leave a Comment

AWAKENING
The Co-Walkers Awakening by Hermine G Steinberg
Publisher: Prizm Books
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (233 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Could life get any worse for Ashley, Brian, and Matthew? Their father abandoned them, they’ve been shipped off to live with a total stranger, and now they’ve discovered that everything they’ve ever learned about the world is a lie! But to find the truth, they will have to battle evil faeries, risk their lives to claim magical talismans, and earn the respect of Elves who have vowed to kill them. Will they be able to prove that they are the legendary Co-Walkers who are able to travel between the Earthly and Faery Realms? Or are they merely pawns caught in the midst of a dangerous conspiracy that could lead to the destruction of both their worlds? It’s up to Ashley, Brian, and Matthew to discover their unique abilities and restore what magick alone cannot repair.

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Aunt Elvira is not sure how much of the past she should tell them, but eventually they discover their father is one of the Fey of the Otherworlds and Elvira introduces them to their heritage. They are the result of human and fey and as the Children of the Prophecy they must take the great Journey of Achtain to Tara on the eve of Samhain.

This is a pleasant story if a little confusing at times. There are so many characters, both good and bad, I found it difficult to keep track. Ashley is portrayed as level headed, but she does some silly things, whereas Matthew is a dreamer, but also a very intelligent boy. The warmth of Elvira and her home comes through beautifully and gives the story a lovely cosy feeling.

The idea of the book is excellent, three human half breeds who need to make a special journey to save their world and the Fey worlds. On the whole very good, but a few less characters would have made it less confusing. Their discovery of what happened to their father was great, but could have been developed a little more.

I believe this is the first of a series, as their destiny had not been fulfilled by the end of the book. Would be a good series to follow.

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

Eagle Peak by Elizabeth Fontaine

March 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

EAGLE
Eagle Peak by Elizabeth Fontaine
Publisher: Prizm Books
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (191 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Eagle Peak, population 596, has two bars, five churches, and a vibe (or lack thereof) that couldn’t be more different than Sean’s native Minneapolis. Moving to rural small town Minnesota, Sean must leave his life of acting classes, going to all-ages shows, and hanging out with friends, to enter into a world of pep rallies, pick-up trucks and country pop.
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Sean’s inclination for heavy eyeliner, black attire, and surly attitude make him an easy target of suspicion, intrigue, and prejudice in the small town of Eagle Peak. But despite Sean’s growing sense of dread and depression, small town Minnesota also offers a lot of firsts: he becomes the love interest of three classmates of which one is a closeted gay boy afraid of his own sexuality, he is surprised to discover and chant with a Buddhist family in town, and he gets in the middle of an abusive father and his town jock son. Sean’s old life of theater, live music, and diverse friends collides with his new life in Eagle Peak, and Sean is left confused about what he thought he knew about small towns, the world he left behind, and himself.

Sean has a definite opinion about what he thinks it will be like to live in the middle of nowhere, but only time will tell if his first impressions of his new home are correct.

Excellent character development made it impossible for me to stop reading. Sean is a well-developed protagonist whose personal strengths and weaknesses reveal themselves almost immediately. What makes Eagle Peak such a great tale, though, is how this development spreads to the secondary characters as well. The author acknowledges certain stereotypes only to turn them upside down just when this reader thought she had everything figured out.

All of the subplots are handled with sensitivity and humor. Ms. Fontaine tackles a lot of tough subjects during the course of Sean’s adjustment to Eagle Peak, but she weaves everything together so deftly that all of the points of conflict feel like natural extensions of the main storyline. My sole criticism of this story involves the way one of the subplots is resolved. Certain parts of it felt a little rushed due to the nature of the problem and how much it affected the character who was figuring it out earlier on in the narrative. This is a minor criticism of an otherwise well put-together plot, though.

It’s difficult to explain what it feels like to live in a small town if you stand out from the crowd in some way, but Ms. Fontaine accurately captures the positives and negatives of belonging to a minority group while living in a rural setting. This is the kind of book I’d heartily recommend to anyone who is curious about this topic.

Eagle Peak is a must-read for anyone who has ever felt out of place. It captures the maelstrom of emotions that accompanies this experience well and is something I will be rereading again soon.

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

The Second Mango by Shira Glassman

December 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment

MANGO
The Second Mango by Shira Glassman
Publisher: Prizm Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (165 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Queen Shulamit never expected to inherit the throne of the tropical land of Perach so young. At twenty, grief-stricken and fatherless, she’s also coping with being the only lesbian she knows after her sweetheart ran off for an unknown reason. Not to mention, she’s the victim of severe digestive problems that everybody think she’s faking. When she meets Rivka, an athletic and assertive warrior from the north who wears a mask and pretends to be a man, she finds the source of strength she needs so desperately.

However, until the challenge was completed, the history of ballooning know many firsts, including the first misfortunes, the first human cheap viagra click to read more flights, first flights to North America and over the English Channel, and, of course, the first major aircraft disasters. Precautionary measures : This medicine has to be taken only by men and children and women are asked to stay away from the drug. cialis de prescription has Sildenafil citrate inside it which has made it possible to access the best ED medications, such as Sildenafil tablets, at low prices. Younger members of British society need to tab viagra be given legitimate therapeutic consideration in due time simply like general wellbeing issues. Don t be afraid to order generic viagra sound fun and witty all the time. Unfortunately for her, Rivka is straight, but that’s okay — Shulamit needs a surrogate big sister just as much as she needs a girlfriend. Especially if the warrior’s willing to take her around the kingdom on the back of her dragon in search of other women who might be open to same-sex romance. The real world outside the palace is full of adventure, however, and the search for a royal girlfriend quickly turns into a rescue mission when they discover a temple full of women turned to stone by an evil sorcerer.

Queen Shulamit has a lot to deal with, everything from thinking she is the only lesbian in her country to becoming queen at the age of twenty, following the unexpected death of her father. She also has severe digestive problems which make it hard to find meals that she can actually eat without getting sick. Her lonely plight is further compounded by the fact that no one believes she gets sick when she eats and no one understands her love for women. Rivka enters her life just when she needs a friend. Rivka is a warrior who also happens to be a woman, although she usually disguises that fact.

I liked Rivka a lot. She is a very believable character with a lot of depth to her personality. I felt very sorry for Queen Shulamit, and I know she has led a very sheltered life, but still she seems terribly immature to me. She is twenty and she has just become queen of her land, but all she can think about is finding a girl friend. She hires Rivka to help in this search, but soon the two woman find themselves trying to defeat a sorcerer and save a woman’s religious house where nearly all the woman have been turned to stone.

Queen Shulamit does seem to mature a bit over the course of the novel as she tries to figure out ways to defeat the sorcerer, but again, it was Rivka who held my attention. The dialogue feels contrived in places and Queen Shulamit’s obsession with women is definitely more adolescent than adult. But there were some wonderful moments and I really liked the dragon who could turn into a horse and then back to a dragon.

This is a very gentle lesbian love story and it needs to be commended for that alone. It is also a fun fantasy adventure, and readers of fantasy will certainly enjoy it.

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

A Deal with the Enemy by Jessica Ennis

November 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

ENEMY
A Deal with the Enemy by Jessica Ennis
Publisher: Prizm Books
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (17 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

All-American Brenden has a crush on the weird boy at school. Brenden’s best friend Alex is also gay, so that’s not the problem. The problem is that Alex hates Brenden’s crush with a fiery passion. Can he prove to Brenden that he’s a good enough friend to support Brenden no matter what? The price may be more than he or Brenden are willing to pay, though, when Brenden’s crush stumbles upon their deadly secret and nearly dies in the process.

Best friends don’t always agree on everything. Sometimes being a good friend means figuring how to respond to choices you may not necessarily agree with.
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What initially piqued my interest about the personalities of Brenden, Alex, and Alan in particular is how each one of them responds to changes in their environments. No one is ever too old to be curious about his or her environment, but how each reacts to new experiences says a lot about the kind of person they are as individuals.

This story includes a fairly large cast of characters for something this length. I had trouble remembering who was who as I read, especially since some individuals are interchangeably referred to by their first and last names. Once or twice I mixed up the backgrounds of key characters which made things even more confusing. I ended up making a list of characters and reading through the story more than once. Both of these tactics helped me figure out what was really going on, but it would have been a more enjoyable read had the author focused on a smaller group of students.

There were some pacing issues at the beginning that were almost entirely caused by the inclusion of more characters than could easily be accommodated by a tale of this size. More time than usual was spent introducing everyone, and while I would have preferred the discovery to happen sooner once the plot does reach that point it is well worth the extra wait.

It’s difficult to discuss the second half of the plot without inadvertently giving away spoilers, but sufficed to say what happens to Brenden and his friends quickly reinvigorated my interest in their fates after a slow beginning. If I could rate this section on its own it would earn a much higher rating than the one given to the entire book. The pacing picks up nicely and much of the time spent on explaining the relationships among and between certain characters earlier on makes much more sense.

A Deal with the Enemy is a good choice for anyone who likes to see how classic sci-fi/fantasy and romance tropes are expressed when the two genres are mixed together.

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

Refrigeration Blues by Richard Natale

October 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

PINCH
Refrigeration Blues by Richard Natale
Publisher: Prizm Books
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (19 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When you have the perfect lover and he’s suddenly taken from you, what’s the point of going on? I mean, really. Might as well go out in a blaze of glory, or in this case, a chill of glory. Of course, something could go wrong, and in Matthew Robins’ case, it almost always does.

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Mr. Natale captures the numbness and fog of grief quite well in Refrigeration Blues. Matthew’s reaction to the sudden death of his life partner is heartbreakingly realistic. The first few pages in particular painted such a vivid picture of Matthew’s state of mind that I felt as if I were walking alongside him as he struggles to figure out what to do next. Due to numerous references to suicide and sex, the age recommendation for this piece is a firm 16+ and should be taken seriously.

Uneven pacing, flashbacks that took up a large percentage of the ninteen pages of this story, and an abrupt ending made it difficult for me to understand the author’s intentions at times. Had this been the first chapter of a novella or full length novel it would have made more sense to include some of the anecdotes that explain how Matthew and Nathaniel met and they type of life they built together. Adding these things into such a short piece distracted me from the main plot, though, and made it difficult to remember where the original narrative had previously ended. While I understand there is at least one sequel in the works I would have also preferred to see the conflicts in this installment wrapped up more sufficiently.

Matthew’s wry sense of humor was what kept me so interested in the conclusion of this tale. I never expected to laugh while reading such serious material, but Matthew is able to find the humor in even his darkest experiences as a brand new widower. He’s an extremely intelligent and witty character who Mr. Natale has clearly spent a great deal of time developing. The end of this story promises that it will be continued, and I am looking forward to finding out what Matthew does next.

Refrigeration Blues is a good choice for mature teens. I’d especially recommend it to anyone who has ever lost someone they really loved.

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

I Know What Gay Is by Foxglove Lee

September 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

LOVE
I Know What Gay Is by Foxglove Lee
Publisher: Prizm Books
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (15 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When the couple next door asks Jay to babysit, he can’t help wondering… why him? Did they hire Jay as some kind of queer role model because they suspect little Sarah is gay?

At the park, when Sarah and Jay run across the guy he’s been pseudo-stalking, Sarah insists she’s a boy. Darien’s sheer sexiness makes Jay pretty brain-dead, and he can’t think what to talk about except how Sarah wants everyone to call her Frank. The funny kid reminds Darien of his transgender cousin. Could Sarah be trans, too? Should Jay talk to her parents? What if they say it’s none of his business? What if they fire him?

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Babysitters are supposed to play games with and cook healthy lunch for their charges. Jay never expected his summer job would include more serious responsibilities.

Despite Jay’s reluctance to temporarily stand in for his neighbour’s nanny he clearly has a way with kids. His willingness to listen to Sarah’s unusual requests and their warm relationship made me like him instantly. The crush Jay develops on Darien adds depth to the plot, and I cheered for what I hoped would happen between them as they slowly get to know one another better.

One of the issues that is heavily discussed earlier in the plot is never resolved. I hoped to see a final scene in which the characters at least begin to figure out how and when they will address it. Had the author included such a conversation this would have easily earned a much higher rating.

The pacing and character development in this piece were excellent, so it was a little difficult for me to figure out why such an obvious question was left unanswered in an otherwise compelling story. While I have no idea if the author plans to write one or more sequels to this book, it makes me wonder if this is why I Know What Gay Is was written the way it was. Will we hear more from Jay and his determined little neighbor in the future? I certainly hope so!

I smiled my way through I Know What Gay Is. It’s a gentle, funny tale that was as appealing to this adult reader as I suspect it will be for its intended audience.

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