Prophecy: Elf Queen of Kiirajanna by Stephen H. King

August 26, 2014 By Leave a Comment

PROPHECY
Prophecy: Elf Queen of Kiirajanna by Stephen H. King
Publisher: Dragon Tale Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (397 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Alyssa never could have imagined that her first accomplishment after high school in a small Mississippi town would be traveling to a land she’d never heard of and ascending to its throne as the new Elf Queen. But when her long-lost father, the Elf King, comes back for his daughter, that is exactly the future that he brings.

With the help of her cousin, her father, and others, Alyssa carefully finds her way as an outsider through the intricacies of elf society. Along the way she meets fairies, unicorns, and other beasts that she’d grown up believing were only to be found in myths. At the same time, Alyssa encounters a mysterious cult whose entire purpose seems to be the prevention, by any means necessary, of her taking the throne. After an arrow that misses its mark and a message written in blood fail to warn her away, Alyssa finds herself in a fight for her own life and for those of her companions.

One of the main reasons of Erectile Dysfunction Millions of men in the world cialis without prescription Continued which has carved a special space for itself since it was founded in 1929. Apart from this, fitter men find it easier to enjoy different flavors viagra online canada of ginseng tea, rather you can enjoy your sex life like never before. These are problems like a mild to moderate rise in the liver enzymes such as GGT, AST and ALT, all of which seem viagra no prescription usa http://raindogscine.com/?attachment_id=245 to indicate a mild damage to liver cells. How is online cialis pills taken? The anti-impotency drug needs to be taken at least an hour before sexual intercourse. That magic exists in the realm of the elves is obvious to Alyssa from the beginning. Its use, though, is forbidden by centuries of elf tradition. When the Cult of the Wyrm finally makes its move, Alyssa must decide whether to risk banishment from her own birthright in order to wield the destructive forces as a weapon against those who would see her dead.

Join Alyssa as the sassy Southern girl enters the land of her father’s birth and deals with a stern priesthood, a stuck-up royal trio, and, of all things, a crush, as she comes of age in Kiirajanna.

Alyssa has grown up as the daughter of a hard-working single mom in Mississippi. Her mother always said that her father was special, but as she got older, Alyssa stopped believing in him. However, right after her high school graduation, her father arrives and he is definitely special. He is the elf king to the land of Kiiirajanna, and he as come to take her to the land of the elves where she will claim her birthright as the next elf queen.

I really liked Alyssa, finding her to be a wonderfully smart, strong, totally believable young woman. She has a lot to learn once she arrives in Kiilrajanna, including a new language, many elf customs, history, geography, protocol, and a totally different way of viewing the world.

I was hooked from the opening sentence of this novel. “In hindsight, I’ll admit that slugging the high priestess was probably a very bad idea.” I thought the opening was very effective, giving the reader enough to capture them before taking a step back and showing how Alyssa reached the place where she slugged the high priestess.

The other characters are also well-drawn and multi-dimensional. Her father does all in his power to ease her transition into this new world. Sephaline, her ranger cousin, soon becomes her best friend. Sephaline has a familiar, Booboo, who is a very protective wolverine. There is also Little Treebeard, a tree which Alyssa succeeds in singing back to health.

Alyssa discovers right from the beginning that she might be the prophesied dragon queen, but not everyone wants that prophecy to come true. The plot has a lot of action and mystery and the pacing is excellent. The land of Kiilrajanna is very clearly described and it seems to be a wonderful place, filled with amazing inhabitants, even though all magic is forbidden. Alyssa finds herself having to battle magical foes with the aid of Sephaline and Prince Keion, without having any real idea of how to survive.

This is a wonderful, exciting, magical story, and while I haven’t seen any references to a series, I’m really hoping that I will once again enter the land of the elves and find out what adventures await Alyssa. Readers of fantasy are sure to be captivated by this story.

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

Wishing Will by Daniel Harvell

August 25, 2014 By 2 Comments

WILL
Wishing Will by Daniel Harvell
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (255 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Outcast middle schooler Will Cricket wants a new look, popular friends, cool parents and enough coordination to dribble a basketball – but he never actively pursues any of it. Instead, Will makes wishes. When the magical wishing corporation known as the Sky Castle Network and Enterprises (a.k.a. the SCENE) agrees to grant him his ultimate wish to be someone different, he must work for his reward. Becoming a super-powered agent for the organization, Will teams up with a celestial wish agent with delusions of Hollywood stardom, a shape-changing half-Genie, a narcoleptic Dreamweaver and a stick-in-the-mud wish lawyer. Together, they grant the wishes of Will’s classmates and family members, helping the same people who pick on Will every day. As if these challenges weren’t enough, there’s a mystery surrounding his peculiar grandmother and a malevolent force bent on enslaving humanity. Will might have to fight not only for his wish but also for the entire world!

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Will is an easy guy to like. His empathy for other people reveals itself fairly quickly, but what I really appreciated about him is what a well-rounded character he is. He has realistic strengths and weaknesses that interact with the plot in ways that I often didn’t see coming ahead of time. I had a good time getting to know him, and I’d be interested in reading more stories about him in the future.

There were a few pacing issues in the beginning that threatened to distract me from the plot. A surprising amount of time was spent describing Will’s family and school. I enjoyed seeing what his daily life was like before he received this peculiar assignment, but this tale would have easily earned a much higher rating if some of that exposition had happened within more action-packed chapters. Eventually I did get drawn into Will’s world, but the slow beginning was a bit of deterrent for me at first.

I had an inkling that this book might be funny, but I wasn’t expecting to enjoy its zany sense of humor as much as I did. The supporting characters were just as flamboyant as I’d expect from beings who work for a magical wish fulfilment company, but the creative, little details about their costumes and physical appearances that the author made sure to point out to the reader were what really endeared me to them. Imagining exactly what each one of them looked like was effortless.

Whether you’re a kid or a kid-at-heart, Wishing Will is a good choice for anyone in the mood for something lighthearted.

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

Catnip by J.S. Frankel

August 25, 2014 By 2 Comments

CATNIP
Catnip by J.S. Frankel
Publisher: Devine Destinies
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (204 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Harry Goldman, a teenage prodigy thrown into jail for illegal research, is teamed up with a transgenic cat-girl and soon finds himself in love and running for his life.
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Harry Goldman, teenage DNA researcher, genius, and total nerd, is thrown into jail for illegal transgenic research. Freed by the FBI on the condition he works under their aegis, Harry is taken to New York where he meets Anastasia, a cat-girl and the product of transgenic engineering. No sooner do they get acquainted then they are attacked by another creature, a bear which is more than a bear, and are forced to flee for their lives. Along the way, they encounter furries, Doug the Dog, find out that they are more into each other emotionally than they’re willing to admit, and end up in the Catskill Mountains where Harry finds out the shocking truth about how Anastasia was created…and what she was created for.

Everyone is capable of doing things that may not be ethical, but not everyone is willing to admit when they’ve crossed that line.

Mr. Frankel pulled me into the plot through the use of one of the most exciting opening scenes I’ve read in a long time. Imagine two homeless men suddenly coming across something incredibly strange in the fetid, garbage-strewn alley they call home. It was most definitely not the introduction to this tale I was expecting. Not knowing what was happening made me eager to find out more.

I would have liked to see more character development, especially when it came to Harry. He experienced a few different traumatic events growing up that never quite had as much of an affect on his personality as I would have expected. His dazed reaction was completely understandable in the beginning, but this book would have easily earned a higher rating had the author spent more time exploring what happens when Harry’s numbness wears off. It would have been especially interesting to see which, if any, of his negative personality traits stem from this emotional paralysis.

Strong pacing from beginning to end made it hard for me to put this story down. I really liked how the author embedded crucial clues about Anastasia’s background into scenes that also had a lot of other exciting stuff going on in them. At times it felt like I was watching an action movie instead of reading a book. This was a smart approach for such an action-heavy plot.

Catnip is one of the most adrenaline-inducing tales I’ve read so far in 2014. This is a good choice for anyone who likes being perched on the edge of their seat in anticipation of what might happen next for 200+ pages.

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

The Firedragon: A Flynn Nightsider Tale by Mary Fan

August 21, 2014 By 4 Comments

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The Firedragon: A Flynn Nightsider Tale by Mary Fan
Publisher: Glass House Press
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Length: Short Story (67 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Almost a hundred years ago, the Enchanters defeated the Lord of the Underworld in one of the most fearsome wars the world had ever seen. The public thinks that this victory means the people are safe. But they’re wrong. The supernatural beasts the Lord unleashed remain on the earth, multiplying and ravaging what’s left of civilization. As long as these monsters exist, mankind will be in danger. And though the government, ruled by the magic-wielding Enchanters, seeks to protect their people, they are too few in number. They need the Defenders – a special class of non-magical humans – to fight the monsters. The Defenders are an elite force, and mankind’s only hope against the horrors that live beyond their gates.

Fourteen-year-old Aurelia “the Firedragon” Sun has been training since she could walk to become a Defender, and her extraordinary combat skills have earned the attention of the powerful government. In fact, she’s been tapped to represent her nation in an international monster-fighting competition, which pits champions from across the globe against creatures of the Underworld in a violent spectacle. If she wins, she will become a full-fledged member of the Defender force.
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But as Aurelia moves deeper into the competition, she realizes that all is not as it appears. There’s something sinister behind the competition, something that could change the way she sees everything … and the Enchanters, it seems, are not the heroes she thought. Aurelia begins to ask questions. But before she can discover the truth, she is pitted against the most dangerous monster in the competition – one that will take her life if it can.

It’s never easy to crush stereotypes, but that’s what Aurelia will need to do if she has any hope of becoming a Defender.

The monsters Aurelia encounters during the competition made my skin crawl. Some of them were introduced without any explanation at all of what Aurelia was facing. This made figuring out why they were such a threat even more intriguing. Their abilities – magical and otherwise – are a big reason why the age recommendation is 14+. Some of the scenes that describe them would definitely not be appropriate for younger readers, although older teens and adults will find a lot of creepy stuff between these pages.

It would have been helpful to have more world-building as the plot progressed. The glimpses into Aurelia’s society were fascinating, and I hope they will be more fully explored in the full-length sequel that will be published early next year from what I’ve read. I understand why the author wouldn’t want to give everything away so early, but there were a few times when I really could have used slightly more detailed explanations about exactly how their institutionalized discrimination affects the daily lives of everyone who isn’t born with magical powers.

While I’m looking forward to seeing what Aurelia does next, I was quite pleased by how well everything was wrapped up in her first adventure. The Firedragon is most definitely a standalone story, and that’s something that matters a lot to me when I’m debating whether or not to continue on with a series. My appetite has been whetted for more!

I’d heartily recommend The Firedragon to anyone who loves science fiction that’s set in the distant future.

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

Ever Lost by Melissa MacVicar

August 21, 2014 By Leave a Comment

LOST
Ever Lost by Melissa MacVicar
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (212 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

New town, new school, new ghost.

Jade has a dedicated boyfriend, an overprotective mom, and a full scholarship. Uprooted from Nantucket, Jade is installed off-island at her dad’s new house so she can attend snobby Layton Academy. Leaving Charlie behind is sheer torment, but living with her father has plenty of dangerous distraction—in the form of a terrifying spirit haunting her new school. Hottie classmate Mateo Fernandez can’t see the ghost, but he knows its story. He’d like to know hers, too, but Jade still misses Charlie, even though distance seems to be changing him.
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With support from Mateo and the mysterious Noemie, Jade commits to helping the agonized spirit cross over. As she delves into the ghost’s past, the disturbing secrets Jade learns draw her into a deadly confrontation with a desperate man. If she can’t play his demented game, the spirit’s harrowing fate could become her own.

Moving to a new community might change whom you meet along the way, but it can never change your destiny.

It was fascinating to see the relationship between Jade and her father develop during the course of this tale as he wasn’t part of her daily life in the first book in this series. Her connection to his side of the family hasn’t always been that strong, so she has a lot to learn about them. There is plenty of unexplored territory between them, though, and I hope that this series will spend even more time exploring this part of her life in the future.

A few chapters were written from the perspective of a secondary character. The first time it happened I was surprised, and when it happened again I wondered why the author made the decision to show her audience these scenes from someone else’s point of view. The secondary character has an interesting perspective, but the story would have been stronger if it had only been told from Jade’s point of view due to how much scarier some scenes would have been if I’d known only what she knew.

There were a few plot threads in the first book that never quite found satisfactory endings in it. I was pleased to see them picked back up again in the sequel, especially when it came to a romantic relationship that I found bizarre due to how the individuals in it knew one another. While they technically weren’t breaking any laws, it was cathartic to finally have this topic addressed in a more realistic manner.

The most important details from Ever Near are briefly alluded to from time to time. There have been some major changes in Jade’s life since then. Readers who are familiar with those adventures will discover a few surprises along the way, but it’s not strictly necessary to understand all of those references in order to enjoy this sequel.

Ever Lost was a wild ride. Anyone who likes ghost stories should give it a try!

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

The Devil and Danna Webster by Jacqueline Seewald

August 18, 2014 By Leave a Comment

DEVIL
The Devil and Danna Webster by Jacqueline Seewald
Publisher: Astraea Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, YA
Length: Full Length (171 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Quince
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Danna Webster, a shy fifteen-year-old high school student with a talent for art, is studying in the school library with her friend Joyce when a dark, handsome boy starts flirting with her. Rich bad boy, Kevin Moore, continues to pursue her. But Danna is pulled in another direction by Gar Hansen, football quarterback and honor student who has been assigned as Danna’s math tutor. What is Kevin’s connection to the eerie stranger who offers Danna everything she could ever want in life—in return for her soul?

The Devil and Danna Webster revolves around family and love life of fifteen year old Danna Webster. Danna lives with her mother and stepdad, but she feels that there are some secrets in her family. She is a shy and withdrawn, but not naïve, girl with only one good friend. Therefore, Danna is very surprised when suddenly she becomes point of interest of two completely different boys from the senior class. Both of them are cute, and while one is dark haired bad boy – Kevin, the other is blond haired and (of course) good boy – Gar. Although this situation is totally new to her, Danna handles it very well. Also she handles well the truth that her family was hiding for her.

I have not read The Devil and Tom Walker by Washington Irving nor The Devil and Daniel Webster by Stephen Vincent Benet so I cannot draw any parallels between these three stories. Also I understand that The Devil and Danna Webster is allegorical story, but I cannot see why the author introduces the devil in order to tempt Danna. The temptation part could be done without devil, and the story would be still charming.

Regardless of this I find The Devil and Danna Webster a nice and interesting coming of age story. I like that it deals with the issue of making the clever and right choices. And although this book is more suitable for teenagers than for gown ups who like to read YA, I am glad that I read it.

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

Magic Within by Sara Fitzgerald

August 18, 2014 By Leave a Comment

MAGIC
Magic Within by Sara Fitzgerald
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, YA
Length: Short Story (120 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Nancy, a purple-haired witch, has never fit in with the kids in town. She has always felt something was deeply wrong with her. When Josh, her best friend, is attacked by a werewolf, Nancy seeks a potion to save him from the werewolf curse within him. But Josh’s fate–werewolf or human–is his to decide, when the potion is injected during his transition at the full of the moon.
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Nancy, too, must make a choice. Her mother, her best friend, and a
steadfast young man all see the magic within her. Can she finally accept who she is and give love a chance?

Male and female witches, vampires and werewolves… this is definitely a paranormal novel. Josh and his friend Nancy search for the fur from a werewolf to save Josh’s sister who has let her vampire boyfriend bite her. The dangerous mission ends in disaster and Nancy returns home alone, carrying the precious fur to make the potion cure. Josh has been bitten by the werewolf and the pack must decide whether to let him live or die.

This tale of darkness also has the angst of teenage romance. Josh and Nancy, Sandy and Eric, Rebecca and Jake. These teenagers tumble through the throes of fascination, lust and sometimes love while battling the temptations of being a werewolf or witch and in some cases revelling in the change to wolf.

Josh starts out as a brave young man but he seems to wilt as the story progresses. Nancy becomes stronger with each page but the other characters don’t change at all which tends to make the main plot slightly unbalanced.

The book is well written but in places where excitement builds, it tends to lack vitality when the peak is reached. The story is good, just needs a little more oomph.  Still, it’s a good introduction to paranormal romance for younger young adults.

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Of Fire and Roses by Danielle Belwater

August 11, 2014 By Leave a Comment

ROSES
Of Fire and Roses by Danielle Belwater
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (130 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Review by Astilbe

Nathaniel West’s mother is dead, his father a lost cause. Anger has become a way of life, until he meets and falls in love with Cora Ewell. Only Cora has a secret, one that could kill them both.

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After a near fatal accident leaves Nate in limbo, he must find a way to get through to Cora before time runs out and she is forced into life eternal with the evil wizard, Elias Stafford.

Some things can be stalled or avoided altogether, but destiny isn’t one of them.

As soon as Nathaniel began narrating his tale I knew he was going to have something worthwhile to say. His personality had a lot of rough edges. They occasionally made me wish he’d slow down and think about the consequences of his actions first, but his impulsivity and tendency to be blunt also rounded out his personality. Is he likable? No, not always. He is intriguing, though, and that matters a lot more to this reader.

Nathaniel and Cora’s relationship moved incredibly fast. While I’m not opposed to the idea of two people instantly being attracted to one another, it was hard for me to understand why these particular characters fell in love when they knew nothing about each other. Their personalities and interests were quite different from one another. I don’t expect as many details from a short story as I would from a full length novel, but seeing them discover more similarities over the course of a few conversations first would have made their blossoming love more believable.

The villain in this tale is deliciously frightening. Other characters discuss him for a while before he shows up, and the anticipation of seeing what he’s actually like kept me glued to the page. I learned enough about Elias to understand why everyone was so anxious about him. The scenes that included him were my favorite ones, though, and I looked forward to every single one of them.

I’d recommend Of Fire and Roses to anyone in the mood for something paranormal and romantic that most definitely is not actually a paranormal romance. This a unique twist on themes that are common in both genres, and I, for one, am glad I read it.

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Dancing with Raven by S. G. Rogers

August 6, 2014 By 1 Comment

RAVAN
Dancing with Raven by S. G. Rogers
The Young Shakespearean Series, Book One
Publisher: Idunn Court Publishing
Genre: Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (219 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen
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Tori Moss is no stranger to heartbreak. Raised by a foster mother since the deaths of her parents in a horrific accident, she’s poured herself into ballet. A disappointing audition sends her into an emotional tailspin, but it’s the strangely intriguing new guy in school who catches her as she falls. Although Tori and Raven seem to be nothing alike, they share an uncommon ability to see the sudden flood of demons pouring into Los Angeles. When she discovers a plot to bring about the Apocalypse, Tori must decide whom to trust. One wrong step will cost her everything.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to discover that everything you thought you knew about yourself was actually a lie? And what if the truth revealed that you were at the center of a plot to bring about the Apocalypse? This is exactly what Tori Moss has to face and it makes the disappointment of a dance audition seem insignificant by comparison. The audition had been devastating, as a famous ballet director tells her, “You’re a moose. In the corps, your height would draw too much focus. As a soloist, we have no one tall enough to partner you. . . you’re far too big to be a ballerina. Classical ballet is not in your future.” All her dreams are shattered, but then, as the truth of her life unfolds, she discovers things that are much worse, not only for her, but for the entire planet.

Dancing with Raven is an action-packed, thrilling story with great characters. I liked Tori a lot and really felt for her pain and her angst as her world is up-ended. She has no idea who to trust, and those who she thought she could trust turn on her as those she distrusted turn out to be allies. Tori’s character is well-developed and I found her to be very believable. The plot has one twist after another. Tori meets a young man, Raven, and discovers that they may not have a lot in common, but they both possess the ability to see demons. As they learn to trust each other, the date for the Apocalypse grows ever closer.

This is the first novel in a series called The Young Shakespeareans and it is a thrilling first book. The ending makes it clear that other books will follow, and I can’t wait for the next in the series. But the novel does end at a reasonable stopping point, with many of the mysteries resolved, and the door opening onto the next adventure.

Readers of fantasy and paranormal novels are sure to get caught up in the lives of Tori Moss and Raven Cassidy. I look forward to reading more in this wonderful series.

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Journey to Glory by Haley Whitehall

August 4, 2014 By Leave a Comment

 

GLORY
Journey to Glory by Haley Whitehall
Publisher: Expanding Horizons Press
Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Action/Adventure
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Seventeen-year-old Ethan Mire is excited when war is declared and is eager to enlist in the Confederate Army. This is the defining moment of his generation and he wants his chance to achieve glory.

His loyal dog Sam won’t be parted from him. Though he thinks human warfare is madness, he becomes the mascot for the Georgia regiment. His job is to keep the soldiers company and raise morale until Ethan’s first battle gives him a more important mission.

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And who will achieve glory in this Civil War tale?

Is going to battle an effective way to prove that you should be treated like an adult now? Ethan thinks so, but Sam isn’t so sure.

Sam is an insightful co-narrator whose canine perspective made me smile. He doesn’t always see the world the same way us humans do, so it was fascinating to compare his point of view to what I imagine I’d think about the same scenarios. It’s difficult for me to discuss this further without giving away spoilers, but definitely check out the author’s postscript.

The pacing was a little slow in the beginning as Sam describes their homestead and Ethan mulls over his desire to become a soldier. The introduction would have been ideal for a novella twice this length. With that being said, once the pacing picked up I couldn’t stop reading until I knew how it ended.

Ms. Whitehall has a smooth writing style that blends in well with the themes and time period of this particular tale. She knew just when to add in enough details to create vivid pictures in my mind of what was going on without slowing down the plot or distracting me from Ethan’s adventures. This was my first introduction to her work, and I’m looking forward to reading more from her soon!

It took me a while to figure out the best age recommendation for this story. Including the perspective of his dog made it feel like it was written for an audience much younger than seventeen. The protagonist was also described in a manner that I’d expect from someone several years younger than him. He was excited for battle and didn’t seem at all concerned with the danger of it. The age I ended up choosing is firm due to violent content, but I’d heartily recommend this tale to older teens and adults as well.

Journey to Glory was an unforgettable ride. This is an especially good choice for anyone who is intrigued by what it was like for the teenagers who fought in the Civil War.

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