C. F. Fruzzetti and M. I. Pearshall - The Light Bringer's Way

The Light Bringer's Way
(The Light Bringer's Series)


By C. F. Fruzzetti and M. I. Pearshall


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

In book two of the The Light Bringer series, THE LIGHT BRINGER’S WAY, Whitney and Reid arrive home after their first mission and Whitney is left wondering if and when her eyesight will return. More of Reid’s secrets are revealed and Whitney discovers together they can accomplish more than she ever imagined. THE LIGHT BRINGER’S WAY deftly weaves a physical journey of adventure through Africa rife with dangerous obstacles to obtain an ancient spear of pure energy with an emotional journey of love, trust and belief. The dark and deadly path she must travel down calls on Whitney to use her strengths to survive but will she once again be able to turn adversity into advantage? Each second counts in this young adult adventure as more truth comes to light and Whitney finally discovers Karen’s hold on Reid...or does she?

About the Author (from Amazon)

Best friends since childhood, Carolyn Fruzzetti and Meghan Pearsall always knew that they would work together on a creative endeavor. In 2011, they formed Pure Energy Books and released SUNDIAL, the first novel in a young adult series.
Originally from Alexandria, VA, Carolyn currently resides in Arlington, VA with her husband and two daughters. Carolyn has a B.S. in Public Administration from James Madison University and is a professional culinary graduate of L'Academie de Cuisine.

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Rachel

Overall, I enjoyed book 2 of this series almost as much as the first one. The romance department rivets up a notch or so, and so does the action and adventure. The story picks up almost immediately at the closure of book one, so there is no interruption of the story line. In fact, the entire book takes place in very few weeks times and culminates on Halloween where the book ends with a bombshell of a discovery. The foreshadowing of this discovery is throughout both books, but believe me, you will probably miss it just like I did! Of course, the authors already have their third installment available, so no waiting to see how this will move the story along.

The story has the same setting, with another overseas adventure, this time stylized after Indiana Jones. There is even a mine train ride! The plot was excellent, speed without being too rushed, details without drowning in them, info dumps were kept to short clips in a fashion that made them seem natural. There were tons of new information that will thrill and amaze and keep you riveted at the edge of your seat for most of the story.


Basic Plot


The story opens with hours of the last books ending. The mission has been completed, but Whitney is now blind. Of course, she doesn't let that stop her. She may be blind, but she still has her intuition and she is perfectly healthy otherwise. She finds herself in a fight with Reid and manages to best him, proving to herself and others that she will manage life being blind if she needs to.

The group returns home and life resumes right where it picked up. Everyone in the high school believes Whitney was absent due to an allergic reaction to nuts, if only they knew the truth. But things don't really go back to normal, events have been set in motion, and nobody is safe, especially not the ever independent Whitney. Reid certainly has his hands full trying to keep her safe. Whitney isn't very sure she can trust Reid yet either, just what kind of hold does Karen have on him, rumors have it that she is his girlfriend and she wants him back.

But life is not going to drift back to "normal", by Chapter 3 there is a family emergency that has Reid whisking Whitney as well as her best friend Blair and Patrick off to the yacht. There they meet Reid's aunt, and she has a job for the 4 teens. The plane leaves in two weeks. She also drops some history and background into Whitney's lap and is shocked that she had no idea any of this was happening. Imagine discovering that most of what you thought was true about your life and the world around you was just a cover up for a whole sub world of people with special talents like Whitney and Reid.

The four teens arrive at their destination, where the adults will keep an eye on them as best they can, and begin to work their way toward the retrieval of a special artifact. Of course, the plans go awry almost as soon as they get settled. Que the Indiana Jones music, because shortly after they leave the plane in Chapter 8, the action will involve deep caves, molten rivers, poison darts, melting floors, mine trains, secret riddles and much more. Time is ticking. Nothing is as it seems. And everyone must face fears and learn to work together. The only other option is failure and death deep inside of the mountain puzzle.


As a whole, I enjoyed the "old world" explanations of history and how whole races of secret people with amazing talents have been manipulating legends and history from the earliest days of history. Peoples who hear more than others, see more than others, can predict time, and many more. Whitney was in for more than a few shocks and surprises.

The genre stayed true to the first book. A lot more kissing, but about the same as far as action, no gore - although their were bones. Language was mostly clean. Self Control was still a big theme, and so was learning to trust others and the importance of good communication. Whitney had a lot to learn about keeping secrets, and when it was important to share feelings rather than keeping them secret.

Genre/Theme:  Paranormal, CIA, Adventure, High School, 1980s, Sci-Fi

Reading Level:  TEEN - middle school and up
Profanity: Usually None .... but occasionally leans toward
 MODERATE - mild words & a few stronger expletives  (the text is really quite clean)
Sexuality:  MILD - descriptions of affection/desire   (lots of kissing)  some skimpy clothing and some wet clothing
OBVIOUS - there is a shower seen that is "interesting", it's an outdoor shower, so Whitney is fully dressed.  Quite a bit of snuggling and touching.  Also one accidental nude scene at the beginning - no descriptions - but to explain would be a plot spoiler, it involves a shared shower and accidentally walking in on the other person.
Other: The last several chapters are very intense – Indiana Jones adventure style, ESP and other skills

Nancy Sprowell Geise - The Eighth Sea

The Eighth Sea



By Nancy Sprowell Geise


Kindle Edition Available



Product Description (from Amazon) 


Publication Date: January 1, 2012
Have You Found Your Eighth Sea? In the cold, black hold of a sailing ship, a young woman lies dying, tormented that her death will mean nothing. No one will know. No one will care. Only the will to find a purpose for her life keeps breath in her exhausted body. Far away, a soft Carolina breeze touches a mother’s face as she peers into the night sky, agonizing over the loss of her infant daughter nineteen years before. A haunting vision that will not leave her—it whispers of a living tie, still unbroken, to that baby long ago. Worlds apart and unaware of one another, the mother and daughter fight their lonely battles for survival. Between them—a man rising to greatness with the new America will bring them together. The themes of this story are deep and universal: a long journey; separation and return; uncertainty; searching and finding; the search for understanding God’s will amidst tragedy; and finally, the realization that people can be bound together forever. The Eighth Sea is a passionate love story involving two unforgettable characters—Brenna and Nathan. Their story is our story—finding our place in the world, the meaning of our lives, our way home. Brenna's solution is to set sail beyond the only world she has ever known and into her eighth sea. The story is inspirational, and its romance is deep and enduring. Struggling to triumph are three major characters: Brenna—determined to find her place in the world yet haunted by the shadows of abandonment and self-doubt; Emily—plagued with grief over the loss of her only child an unable to shake a disturbing sense that something is unresolved; and Nathan—strong and charismatic, discovering that in his search for Brenna, he has found himself. Their story is a tribute to the human experiences of good overcoming evil, the power of persistence, seeking God, and finally, of love enduring against all odds. The Eighth Sea—finding the meaning of our lives, our way home.


About the Author (from Amazon)

Biography
Nancy was raised in Ames, Iowa and is a graduate of Iowa State University. She and her husband Doran have lived in Austin, Texas; Fort Collins, Colorado; and Topeka, Kansas.

In 1979, when Nancy was a senior in high school, her English teacher Grace Bauske (Ames High School, Ames, Iowa), made an off-handed remark to Nancy that she "should be writing." That comment stayed with Nancy for many years until she finally decided to make it happen. Nancy thought about all the things she loved in stories--seeking and finding; romance; perseverance against all odds; the idea that people can be bound together forever; and finally, the universal struggle for all of us, finding our place in the world, our way home. As soon as Nancy made the decision to begin writing, the story came to her...in total.

The actual writing of The Eighth Sea evolved over several years and included extensive research of life aboard a 1700 sailing vessel and the areas of St. Christopher, West Indies (now called St. Kitts); Bath and Bristol, England; and Charleston, South Carolina.

Many unexpected events unfolded for Nancy in the process of writing the novel. One was the creation of a theme song. When Nancy worked on the book, she found find herself humming a little melody. She decided to see if she could play it on the piano. (Nancy barely plays the piano, so this was a task!) When her husband heard the song, he commented, "That sounds like your novel. You should put words to it." A light bulb went off...Nancy got a poem she had written for her character Emily. Nancy had never been able to find a place for the poem in the book. The poem basically dropped into the music. Nancy then gathered a group of musicians and they recorded the song.

The novel is, in part, about a family journeying by ship from England to America in 1769. There is a ship wreck and they think they've lost Brenna, their infant daughter, at sea (when in fact, she was rescued and raised on the island of St. Christopher). The book skips 19 years later to Brenna's life. The song is written from Emily's perspective (Brenna's mother). Emily is never able to come to terms with the loss of her daughter, always sensing that something was not right. The song is Emily willing her thoughts, through the wind and over the sea, to her lost daughter. The painting on the novel cover is of Brenna, standing on a faraway shore, listening.

To hear the song and watch the novel cover being created on canvass by artist Susan Jenkins, please visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6T1SIhdWgk

For more information about The Eighth Sea: www.theeighthsea.com

Nancy is available for presentations and book clubs. She is humbled and moved by the stories she is hearing of the ways The Eighth Sea is touching its readers. She asks that you keep sharing them with her: 8thseaauthor@gmail.com

Nancy is currently working on her second novel.

The Eighth Sea Theme Song:
Words and music by Nancy Geise; Vocals-Gyll Perkins; Piano and Score Translation-Matt Baretich; Cello-Heidi Nagel; Tin Whistle-Pamela Robinson; Orchestral Enrichment-Jerry Palmer; Technical Engineering-Russ Hopkins; Recorded and Produced-KIVA Recording Studio/Russ Hopkins Productions, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Author's photo by photographer Crystal Geise
www.crystalgeise.com

For more art by Susan Jenkins: www.susanjenkinsart.weebly.com



O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Rachel


This book holds a lot of promise, and some genuinely “good spots” that are frequent enough to keep the reader turning pages.   Unfortunately, as a whole, I did not find the story overly enjoyable ... it was good, just not all that great.

The basic plot is a common formula.  A girl in hard circumstances runs away from them, in the process putting herself into far worse of a situation that what she was running from.  A dashing young man comes to her rescue, but because she doesn’t trust anyone, and he isn’t much for communication, things get worse and worse.  Finally, the young man rescues the girl and the rough spots are all worked out and they find themselves madly in love and get married.

“The Eighth Sea” is a Christian Historical Romance.  Yet it pulls up short on all three accounts.  There is a single Bible verse that is on her bracelet that is quoted often, plus referrals to God are frequent, but not so much a part of the story that all Christian influence could easily be removed and the story wouldn’t miss it much.  It is set in the early American days, pre-revolution I think.  Plus a good deal of time is spent on the ship, and in England.  However, it is merely set in those time periods, and doesn’t have very much to do with the story as a whole.   It probably did best in the Romance department, although there wasn’t much steam in the story, but it tried its best to be a tear jerker and with a mystery/adventure twist.   There is plenty of romance, but the characters seemed a bit shallow to me, especially our young hero, who nearly ruined his chances by “teasing” his way through the relationship.

But the worst used literary device was the flashback.  I quickly became confused whenever it was implemented, due to the fact that they were embedded.  So you have a flashback to the shipwreck where Brenna was lost, while they are on the ship, there is a flashback to them packing, which leads to another flashback of an earlier time in their marriage ... and so on, then the flashbacks end and suddenly you are ... when?   It was often difficult to keep all the timelines straight.  Fortunately, the story usually ran along without the flashbacks.

I was somewhat shocked though, when upon reaching the end of the book, to find a substantial amount of “Discussion Questions” for the story.  For those who wish to read the book in a group, I suppose this would lend itself well to the emotional side of the story.

One of the best used literary devices was the near miss.  These were skillfully used to keep the reader turning pages and well involved in the book.  Just as you think things are going to work themsevles out, the plot would take an almost sickening turn as you felt your stomach drop in dismay, as they came so close to working things out, but not yet.  One of the best scenes using this, involved a bath house, Brenna was sneaking around town at night, removing the flyers that Nathan had placed all over the English countryside.  Suddenly, she hears voices and she hides inside, moments later, Nathan and a beautiful young woman arrive.  The young woman sees Brenna, realizes who she is, and deftly avoids saying anything and keeping Nathan occupied.  Brenna is thankful that the woman didn’t give her away, meanwhile, the woman is horrified that Nathan is so close to finding Brenna, because she wants Nathan to marry her.

There are many interesting characters along the way.  Some you will adore, and others quite the opposite.  None are so well developed to make them very memorable, although I found myself liking the first mate quite a lot.

Most young romantic teens will enjoy the story.  It has plenty of good, and interesting twists in the simple plot line.




Note:  The story involves some intense themes.  The reading level is low enough that most 9 year olds could read this book, but material may not be suitable for younger readers.   Descriptions are vague enough though, that the average 12 year old could handle the book.

Each chapter ends with “thought questions” to lend itself to a group study.

Genre/Theme:  Early American History, Romance, England and Ship Life, Mild Christianity


Reading Level:  TEEN - upper elementary to middle school  -  there are a few spots that may be a problem for some younger readers.  Ages 11 and up should enjoy it.
Profanity:  LOW - few mildly offensive words
Sexuality:  MILD - descriptions of affection/desire  -- descriptions of desire from the captain, several compromising situations, attempted rape,  a wedding night, and a woman scantily clad who is trying to seduce a character.
Other: Brenna nearly starves to death, her step father is very abusive, once in England, she runs away and the man who employs her nearly rapes her and frames her for murder.

Kay Brookes - Through the Eyes of a Geek

Through the Eyes of a Geek



By Kat Brookes


Kindle Edition Available



Product Description (from Amazon) 


Publication Date: August 15, 2011
Sixteen-year-old Ryan Matthews had always been the ‘cool’ kid in school, but being ‘cool’ doesn’t get him a free pass into Heaven. Marty, Heaven’s gatekeeper, refuses to let him in until Ryan returns to Earth to make a difference in someone’s life. Sounds easy enough. That is, until he learns that ‘someone’ is Zachary Adams, his old classmate and the world’s biggest geek. Convincing Zachary that he’s his angel isn’t an easy task. Especially since Ryan hadn’t exactly been nice to him in school. But Ryan is determined to see this assignment through, especially when he begins to see life through the eyes of a geek. To make up for the way he’d treated Zachary, Ryan is not only going to teach him how to fit in. He’s going to help him win the heart of Kristen Williams, a girl Ryan used to be close friends with, the same girl Zachary has a thing for. Will Ryan finally get those white wings he’s been working toward? Or will he end up on the wrong side of those Pearly Gates a hopelessly fallen angel?


About the Author (from Amazon)


Kat Brookes has penned numerous award winning adult and young adult fiction stories. Some of her contest successes include winning Harlequin’s Great American Romance Novel Contest and finaling in the American Title III competition put on by Dorchester Books and Romantic Times. She is also a 4 time finalist in RWA’s prestigious Golden Heart contest and has finaled in/and or won more than 75 RWA chapter writing contests with more than a dozen manuscripts.


O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Rachel

“Through the Eyes of a Geek” teaches a moral lesson for the middle and high school grades.  Other than the frequent language outbursts, which would be considered mild by most people, I actually quite enjoyed the book.

As the book begins, Ryan finds himself at the gates of heaven, having just died.  But to get to the “babes” in heaven, he must first help someone on earth.   The someone is the school’s “biggest Geek”, Zachary.  Ryan is sure he’s going to fail.  But Ryan isn’t really a quitter, so he lands “plop” in the front seat of Zach’s car and Zach promptly runs off of the road.

The two main characters of this book are Zach and Ryan.   These two characters are fairly well developed, but the rest remain on the flat side.  Ryan is the super cool guy in school, not quite a bully, but he has handed out quite a bit of teasing to those who were not cool and runs around with the bully crowd.  But his cool attitude hides dark secrets of his home life, and the reason he keeps his friends at a distance.  Meanwhile, Zach is the biggest geek in the school, dealing with his own home heartaches.  Each begins to see the world through the others eyes and a deeper understanding grows between them as they begin to work together.  For the first time, they each can say that they have a real friend.

The plot was very predictable.  It used the formula ... bad but cool boy/girl must help good but geeky outcast to reach a personal goal.  Along the way, the two become friends.  Cool kid helps the geeky kid come out of their shell and achieve a secret wish of their own (usually a date with the girl/boy that they secretly like).  Geeky kid turns out to be pretty cool.  Both learn from the experience, and it changes who they are.

For the most part, the book was entertaining and fun, although I was dismayed at the huge amount of money it took for Zach to become a cool kid.  Money he did happen to have, but a path that might be well out of reach for geeky kids looking for inspiration to become less of a target at school.  Also, Zach knows ta-kwan-do, and is able to defend himself and Kristen against the biggest school bully.  Still, it did offer some good ideas, and encouragement to look beyond a person’s appearance and get to know them anyway.

It turns out that Zach’s father was a minor league baseball player, so baseball works into the story often.  Shopping eats up a good portion of the book as well.  And there is the dog, which is a big part of the solution in the story as well.

Overall, this was a good book.  You really got to know and even mostly like the two boys.  I found myself cheering for them on many occasions, and the book doesn’t slip in very many disappointing twists or turns.  It even has a fairly good amount of humor that had me chuckling as I pictured Zach chatting with Ryan and others not able to see him.

On the other hand, the plot was so predictable, that it was almost dull.  I’m sure the teens and preteens will mostly enjoy the book and its message.   Unfortunately, I was also put off by the language which slipped in far too often for my taste.   Sex was definitely an undercurrent topic, never quite out in the open, usually only as a discussion “would love to make out with that girl” or “never wanted to push our friendship by making out” and the bully she went out with once having “octopus arms”.

Note:   Most middle school kids should enjoy this book, but the situations it covers may not be suitable for elementary children.   Easy and fast read with a moral lesson.

Genre/Theme:   Angels, Fantasy, Afterlife, Teen/ High School life, baseball, Bullies and Cool Kids


Reading Level: TEEN - upper elementary to middle school, easy reading, teen situations in high school
Profanity: LOW - few mildly offensive words  -  most of the book
MODERATE - mild words & a few stronger expletives  --  before Marty tells Ryan that he can’t swear as an angel, and occasionally elsewhere
Sexuality: SUBTLE - hinted, but not explicit  --  Ryan helps Zach get the girl he wants, teen romance with innuendo from some of the characters
Other: Ryan is killed in a car accident, Zach beats up the bully

Jacob Gowans - Psion Beta

Psion Beta 
Psion Series


By Jacob Gowans 


Kindle Edition Available




Product Description (from Amazon) 


Sammy, a 14-year-old fugitive, accidentally discovers he has the powers of a Psion.

Plucked off the streets, he is thrust into the rigorously-disciplined environment of Psion Beta headquarters. As a new Beta, Sammy must hone his newfound abilities using holographic fighting simulations, stealth training missions, and complex war games. His fellow trainees are other kids competing to prove their worth so they can graduate and contribute to the war effort.

But the stifling competition at headquarters isolates Sammy from his peers. Learning to use his incredible powers is difficult enough, but when things go horribly wrong on a routine training mission, he must rely on the other Betas to stay alive.

The Silent War is at a tipping point; even one boy can be the difference.

But to do so, he must survive.


About the Author (from Amazon)



About the Author
http://www.psionbeta.com/about-the-author.html
Biography
Jacob Gowans is a resident of Arizona, working as a dentist for the Indian Health Services. He is husband to a beautiful wife, Kat, and father to three children. When not working or writing, he enjoys watching sports, reading YA novels or the works of Stephen King, running, and chasing his kids around the house.

Psion Beta and Gamma are his first novels, and he is currently working on three projects: Psion Delta (Psion Series #3), Flight from Blithmore (The Storyteller's Tale Volume One), and an untitled story about clones. His favorite band is Angels and Airwaves. His favorite book is Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo, and thinks the greatest film ever made is Dead Poets Society.

He was raised in Papillion, Nebraska, served a two-year mission in Baltimore, graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts in theater studies, and moved to Cleveland shortly thereafter for dental school at Case Western Reserve University.

He roots for BYU football and basketball, the New York Yankees,and Jimmer.



O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Rachel


Psion Beta has a solid and compelling beginning.  Futuristic Sci-Fi is among my top 10 favorite genre’s, and right out of the shoot, you are sucked into the story.  After a while, the bickering and language started to get to me, but then there was a major turn in the story and the “plot thickened”.   You get to know the boy as “Brains” from the start.  Sammy is 14, and has been living in an abandoned grocery store with a small band of other boys for several months.  To wile away the time, they play war games – setting up teams and trying to take each other out.  Sammy is a bit of a show off, and fiercely independent.  It was his ingenuity that allowed him and his friends to escape the home for boys  where they lived, or more realistically, were held as a sort of prison for children who were troublemakers or unwanted, called “The Grinder”.

As the story progresses, you learn that Sammy wasn’t always a fugitive street brat.  Until quite recently, he had lived as an only child of two loving parents in a nice home.  Sammy’s story is a sub plot that slowly unfolds through the book, and helps make sense of Sammy’s attitude.

On this day, Sammy was winning the game, until one of his buddies caught him off guard and Sammy fell from the ceiling.  But as he fell, something strange happened, but no one seemed to believe him.  The event is lost with the arrival of pizza ... stolen pizza.  The boys were hungry, and the unguarded boxes had proved too much of a temptation ... of course this quickly leads to the police, or Shocks, finding their hide out.

Sammy is the main character, and he is one you just want to shake some sense into ... quite often.   He has a knack for getting onto the bad side of most people, but once he has decided to call you a friend, he is also deeply loyal.  He doesn’t trust easily, and he is super smart.  While trying to escape the Shocks, Sammy does something that is unexpected, and earns him the notice of a special group of people – the elite.

In the second chapter, Feet and Sammy hide out in a church, helped by an old man named Amos.  While they are sleeping, they are discovered, and in spite of Sammy’s best efforts, they are captured.  But Sammy is not returned to the Grinder as expected – instead he arrives at a special school for a handful of teens that have a genetic anomaly that give them “super powers”.  Sammy is given a chance to go back to school, it turns out to be somewhat of a military school.

Queue the gorgeous girl, unlikely side kick room mate, the father figure general in charge who has something to hide, and several hot heads of competition who hate being beat by a young upstart who doesn’t know how to be a team player ... and you pretty much have the bulk of the second part of the story.

There are many parts of this book that I really enjoyed, especially watching Sammy “grow up” and learn to love and trust again.  There are several characters that are reasonably well developed for being an action adventure book.  While the plot is the driving force, with enough surprises to keep the pages turning by themselves, especially in the beginning and ending thirds of the book.   This part of the book is slightly less about plot, and more about setting the stage and developing a working relationship between some of the characters.

On the other hand, there are many secrets revealed in this section.  Sammy’s background, and how he went from loving protected son to a wanted fugitive in a year.  Who are these special force group and what do they do?  The government is nothing like Sammy had been taught existed, and there are those who poses another genetic anomaly that turns them into something of a super zombie like fighter, they feel little to no pain, have nearly limitless reserves of power and strength, heightened senses, and incredibly fast reflexes.  They also hunt in a pack.   Everything that they are doing in the school and their war and fighting exercises, is to prepare them to fight these people.

Sammy excels, and during the third part of the book, he is invited on a special mission that is suppose to be in and out fast without even a tiny bit of danger ... and then things go very wrong, and instead, the kids are fighting for their lives.

While this is not my style of book, too much fighting and bloodshed and body parts, I found it very difficult to put down most of the time.  It isn’t a short book, at nearly 400 pages, but I found myself drawn in and loosing an hour or two without noticing on many occasions, and then I finished the book in a “stay up all night” stint after the 3rd day.   If not for the violence, I would have really enjoyed it.  I especially liked the way Sammy grew up during the story.

The end leaves the story dangling, so I did pull up the second book, Psion Gamma, to read the previews and reviews and was somewhat disappointed in the direction it seemed to take there.  A third book, Psion Delta, is currently being written.

There are some formatting issues for the Kindle, as well as a few odd sounding turn of words and editing issues.  For those who edit books while they read, this may be quite distracting.   Many of the reviews commented that it was a similar story to “Ender Games”, which I have not read.


Note:   Some parts of this are quite violent, lots of killing and exploding body parts, the language was rougher, more crass, and more suggestive than I liked, but the reading level is low enough that a 10 year old should be able to read it easily.  Even though there is a romance, there is a strict hands off policy that is enforced.  While I wouldn’t give this to my Jr. High child due to the crass language and gory violence, several of the reviewers commented that their elementary child enjoyed the book.

Genre/Theme:   Post Apocolyptic (2080’s), Sci-fi, Advanced Humans, Martial Arts/War Games, Genetic Alterations, Coming of Age

Reading Level:  Teen/ Mature TEEN – jr. high school to college
Profanity: MODERATE - mild words & a few stronger expletives   (Lots of milder words) to
HIGH - many instances of strong language   (Not as much stronger language, but lots of suggestive language and gestures as well)
Sexuality: MILD - descriptions of affection/desire   (Romance  between 2 characters at the school – hands off)
Other: This is a very war like setting, one type of human has a gene that makes them manic compulsive to enjoy killing, but also oblivious to pain.   The main character is not a real team player, and has a “chip on his shoulder”.  He has suffered much in his short 14 year life.    Somebody commits suicide.

Suzanne Tyrpak - Vestal Virgins

Vestal Virgins
Suspense in Ancient Rome


By Suzanne Tyrpak


Kindle Edition Available 




Product Description (from Amazon) 


Publication Date: December 11, 2010

Vestal Virgin--suspense in ancient Rome
Elissa Rubria Honoria is a Vestal Virgin--priestess of the sacred flame, a visionary, and one of the most powerful women in Rome. Vestals are sacrosanct, sworn to chastity on penalty of death, but the emperor, Nero, holds himself above the law. He pursues Elissa, engaging her in a deadly game of wits and sexuality. Or is Elissa really the pursuer? She stumbles on dark secrets. No longer trusting Roman gods, she follows a new god, Jesus of Nazareth, jeopardizing her life and the future of The Roman Empire. (From the "Tales from the Adytum" collection.) 336 pages.
   

Please note: Due to the setting and the times, the book includes several scenes involving deviant sex--suggestive rather than graphic--and not more than a few paragraphs.



About the Author (from Amazon)



About seven years ago (before my divorce, when I had some expendable income) I traveled to Rome with a group of writers. I fell in love with Italy, Rome in particular. A travel book I read contained a short blurb about vestal virgins; it mentioned they were sworn to thirty years of chastity and, if that vow were broken, they would be entombed alive. That got me going! Plus, on a tour of the Coliseum, a guide pointed out the seats designated to the vestal virgins--the six priestess of Vesta were educated, and therefore powerful, at a time when most women weren't even taught to read.

I traveled to Rome twice, and on my second trip I hired a scholar who specialized in the year I'm writing about, A.D. 63-64, to give me a tour of the Forum. One of the most useful books I found was History of the Vestal Virgins of Rome, published in 1934 by T. Cato Worsfold. I also wrote to Colleen McCullough, and she was kind enough to write back. She gave me the name of an out-of-print book that I've used a lot, Festivals and Ceremonies of the Roman Republic, by H.H. Scullard. I have shelves of books about Roman history and Paul of Tarsus. Very little has been written about vestal virgins--but that gave me quite a bit of leeway. After all, I'm writing fiction!


O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Rachel

When I came across this book on the free lists, I hesitated to pick it up.  I knew Nero would be pretty bad, even if the author was able to gloss over how evil he really was.  But then I saw in the description that the vestal virgin converted to the religion of Paul of Tarsus, so I read a few reviews.  Seeing the annoyance that this was a “religious book”, I decided to take a chance.

While the story line itself was compelling, the characters were mostly believable, and historical accuracy was maintained, still, I did not like this book overall.  The details given to Nero were far more explicit than really was necessary, and the Paul of this story was not the Paul that I read about in my Bible.  If you believe that there is good in all of us and we all have god in us and just need to find our god goodness inside of us and each other, and if you believe that communion means eating real blood, then perhaps you will agree with this portion of the book.  Still, it was the weakest part of the storyline, and for me, even more distasteful than the parts about Nero.

The plot was really simple, although the execution of the plot was more involved.  The plot goes like this.... Girl loves a man she cannot have due to her “great position”.  In this case, it is Elissa and she has pledged 30 years of her life to being a vestal virgin, she loves a family friend and writes many letters to him.  A member of the girl’s family is betrayed by a family friend.  Nero accuses her brother of treason, and has him killed in the gladiator arena.  Girl is pursued by the family friend, in an attempt to take what is not his.  Nero wants her, and will stop at nothing, not even her vows of virginity, to have her.   Because the “family friend” does not get what he wants, he destroys something or someone close to the girl to punish her.  In this case, Nero has the younger sister rewarded to become a vestal virgin, and then takes her innocence by appealing to her pride.

As the plot thickens, Elissa tries to protect herself and her sister from Nero’s extreme madness and preoccupation with sex, violence, and his own self proclaimed godhood.  Meanwhile, the man she secretly loves has met a man named Paul and introduces her to “The Way”.

As she struggles to understand the cryptic comments that Paul makes, while avoiding Nero’s advances and threats, she finds herself in ever increasing danger.  The threats spread to those around her, and she chooses to sacrifice herself to protect those she loves, and Nero eventually has her buried alive.  She realizes too late that no one is safe from Nero’s madness, and decides to rely on the goodness of god that lives within her for her future – however short it may prove to be.

The book does finally come to a close, but for me, the ending was somehow disappointing and left far too many dangling ends in the plot, although all very minor ones.  Yet, even with the dangling plots, there is not enough magic at the end to feed a desire for a sequel.

The characters do not have enough depth for you to care much about them.  Only Elissa has any real character development, and perhaps Nero.  There is no doubt in my mind that the book is fairly accurate, and even falls short of the reality of Nero’s madness and preoccupation with evil.  The plot is engaging enough to make it interesting, but not “edge of your seat” interesting.  I had no problem putting this book down, and several times considered dropping it for good.  I kept reading mostly to find out how Paul would fit into the plot.  He is introduced late in the book, and is a very minor character, at least from my viewpoint, his character is a minor one, and quite weakly developed.  I am quite sure that others will think Paul too much a part of the plot and overbearing.

In all, I was very disappointed with the book, and will not be keeping it around for my daughters to accidentally trip over.







Note:  Not for young or immature readers.  Extreme adult themes throughout.

Genre/Theme:  Historical Fiction, Nero, Roman, Church History

Reading Level:  ADULT - self-explanatory
Profanity: HIGH - many instances of strong language to
EXTREME - strong language common throughout text  - while most of the book and the characters are within a  less extreme vocabulary, Nero occasionally crosses the line into extreme, and is usually at least in the High category.
Sexuality: OBVIOUS - blatant sexuality in text, but not explicit  - Very little of the book is actually sexuality, but nearly every occurrence of Nero involves both sex and violence and his perverse and deviant enjoyment of it.  While most of these encounters are merely obvious ... a few crossed into the explicit
EXPLICIT -  -  these are scenes involving Nero, and are mostly sickening.  They are short, and merely border on the explicit.  They are few, and never last more than a few paragraphs or a page or two.  Such is the nature of Nero.
Other: There are many scenes of violence, and while the greater part is ok reading, there are parts that I am sure came somewhat close to what the horror of Nero actually was.  Nero wallowed and gloried in the perverse sins and the suffering of others.  Somehow, as bad as this book shows him to be, I don’t think it came close to the whole truth.

Ernie Lindsey - The Two Crosses

The Two Crosses



By Ernie Lindsey


Kindle Edition Available



Product Description (from Amazon) 

Publication Date: March 26, 2012
When Jay Cross heals a paralyzed man just by shaking his hand, and is able to do it again and again, his quiet, cozy little world is on the verge of shattering.  The one thing that would make it all worth it, the one thing that would make him embrace his abilities, won't work, no matter how hard he tries.

At the same time, only a few miles away, David Kreutzer wipes his hand across his wife's forehead and cures her failing eyesight.  He, too, is able to repeat these healing miracles, and in doing so, he sees the bright glow of dollar signs.  Millions of them.

Where did this ability come from?  Why were they chosen?

And who is the mysterious stranger lurking in the shadows, waiting for his chance to destroy them both?


From the Author
The 'last chapter' Epilogue that reviewers refer to below is no longer present in the current version.

The Two Crosses, as a contemporary fiction novel, could fall into a number of categories.  Readers say it's a blend of literary fiction and others say it's Christian suspense, so there's a little bit in there for a variety of tastes.  You be the judge, have fun with it, and happy reading.  You may want to buckle up, because it is not your mama's Christian Fiction and it does have some rough-around-the-edges language.  The characters question their faith in where a supernatural ability like this could come from, but as a whole, the novel is not overwrought or preachy, as one reviewer kindly states below.  If you have questions or comments feel free to get in touch with me over at ErnieLindsey.com.



About the Author (from Amazon)



Biography
Ernie Lindsey grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of southwest Virginia, herding cattle and chopping firewood, and has spent his life telling stories to anyone that will listen, whether its sitting around a campfire or hunched over a keyboard. He currently works as a freelance writer, and is the author of two novels and numerous short stories. Ernie and his wife Sarah live in Bend, OR.



O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Rachel

Sometimes you wonder “what was I thinking?” when you pick up a book and begin to read it.  Then when you finish you are still wondering “why?”   Such was this book.  There were only two or so characters in the book that I actually felt any degree of “like”.  One was a preacher, and the other was an older man that ran a mechanic shop.  Jay Cross and his girlfriend were alright, but still rather shallow.

The story did have its moments, and there are parts that I really enjoyed, but mostly, it was a book that I was glad to see the end of, and it left a sour feeling.  Maybe some will enjoy it, but it just wasn’t for me.

Some labeled this a Christian novel, and since it deals with faith healing, and God, and there is a preacher that quotes scripture, I suppose it is.  But I was never sure if there was a positive message or not, I was left with a feeling that God was a mystery man, you do your best, and hope He lets you into heaven.

Jay shakes hands with an injured and paralyzed football player one day, and the man begins walking.  He hasn’t walked in three decades, and suddenly he is walking around a grocery store.  Of course news like that gets in the paper.

Somewhere else in America, David’s son wants his parents to see the words on the tree outside.  David touches the words, is jolted, and when he reaches over to touch his wife, suddenly her failing eyesight is restored.

Jay tries to hide his healing powers.  David wants to make money from his.  Jay wants to help others, especially his deaf girlfriend.  David is willing to loose his wife and son in order to gain fame and fortune.  Throughout the book, the two are contrasted.  Neither are particularly faithful Christians, if they can be called Christian at all.

A man hears of a healer, he decides to investigate.  He is something of a mental case, and is sure God wants him to kill the False Preacher Fake Healer.  He bides his time, he is confused by the two names, but there couldn’t possibly be TWO?  Could there?

What did I like?  I enjoyed the constant comparing, contrasting of the two men and their reactions to this seeming random gift of healing.  One timid and wanting to help everyone that he could, but secretly.  And the other loud and pushy and pulling in crowds.

I also liked Ace, Patty, and the country preacher.  The country preacher came the closest to Christian character of anyone else in the book.  I loved the way they helped and advised the young couple looking for answers and help for their ailing car.   I also liked David’s wife and son, as they refused to be a part of the exploitation of “the healing touch”.

What I didn’t care for?  The language, it used God’s name far too often.  I didn’t like the “christen maniac” man, Conner, for me, he pretty much ruined the story.  David was a jerk, as was the man who was helping him.  I can’t think of a single part of the book that Conner was that I liked at all.  The beginning  ... what gives with the butterflies?  Nor did I care for the ending.  Jay seemed to compromise himself.  And I’m not a fan of sensational or vague abrupt endings.

Not everyone will love every book, I know that.  There are many out there who will get a thrill from the faith healers and not be thrown off by the language.  But this was not a book for me.  Parts of it were good enough to pull me along to the end, mostly because I wanted to see how Jay resolved his dilemma, for I didn’t care much for any of the other main characters, and skimmed over many sections trying to avoid the language.



Note:   This topic would be confusing and dull to most youngsters, and would probably not appeal to anyone under 13.  Some parts of the book are quite crass and violent.

Genre/Theme: Suspense / Adventure, Current Time, Healing Preachers

Reading Level: Mature TEEN - high school to college
Profanity: MODERATE/HIGH – lots of mild words & quite a few stronger expletives  --  some characters have very clean language, and others have very bad language.
Sexuality: MILD - descriptions of affection/desire  -  One preacher is married, and his wife leaves him.  The other healer is touring the countryside with his girlfriend, and it is obvious that they are sleeping together.
Other: One person shot and killed, one man is determined to kill the false preacher.

Nancy Kelly - In His Good Opinion

In His Good Opinion
Brides of Pemberley


By Nancy Kelly


Kindle Edition Available




Product Description

Mr. Darcy Speaks from the Heart:
Pride and Prejudice from his Point of View

Though tired of Society's manipulations, Darcy never thought to be enchanted by a country maiden. Yet on a visit to rural Hertfordshire, Elizabeth Bennet captivates him. Lovely and vivacious, she is everything he is not, and everything he longs to have.

Unfortunately, her connections put her decidedly beneath him, and the improprieties he observes in her family do not win his favor. Putting her firmly out of his mind, Darcy returns to London, but Elizabeth is not so easily forgotten.

When chance throws them together, Darcy can no longer deny his love, but Elizabeth, put off by his manners, refuses him. To change her mind, he must set aside his proud ways and learn how to please a woman worthy of being pleased. It takes a serious incident for his true character to shine, and for Elizabeth to learn just how valuable is…

His Good Opinion


Includes an excerpt of Caroline Bingley by Jennifer Becton


About the Author

Nancy Kelley is a Janeite, an Austenesque author, and a blogger. During the writing of His Good Opinion, a version of Mr. Darcy took up residence in her brain; she fondly refers to him as the Darcy in My Head, or DIMH. If Nancy could possess any fictional device, it would be a Time-Turner. Then perhaps she could juggle a full-time library job, writing, and blogging; and still find time for sleep and a life. Until then, she lives on high doses of tea, of which DIMH approves. You can find Nancy on Twitter @Nancy_Kelley, on her blog, and on Indiejane.org.



O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Rachel


This is a rewrite of Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice, written from Mr. Darcy’s point of view.  I had thought I had read Pride and Prejudice, but after reading this book, I realized that I had never finished the book, although I had watched a movie.  Even so, I have read several other Jane Austin books, and this book seems to have the language down rather well.

After reading several reviews by devoted Austin fans, it appears as if the lengthy sections of conversations that have such a wonderful Austin feel to them, are in fact, Austin’s exact or nearly exact words.  I cannot vouch one way or the other.

Overall, I was not overly impressed with the book.  Some parts felt too much as if it was merely borrowing wholesale from the original book, and other parts felt forced and shallow.  Some may argue that Mr. Darcy was in fact, a rich and very shallow man to begin with, and that may well be true.   One thing the book did well, was show how Mr. Darcy came to face his faults and inconsistencies, and then went about to change how he thought about others and then rectified the mistakes he had made with others lives because of his pride and prejudice.

Nancy did an admirable job of rewriting the original book from a new point of view.  But in doing so, she doesn’t step out enough to get a good feel for her own writing ability.   Those who enjoy Jane Austin books, may very well enjoy this peek into Mr. Darcy’s thoughts and motives.    I never felt compelled to put the book away and move to another while reading it, on the other hand, I did not stay up until late into the night finishing the book either.   I think Jane Austin would have approved.


Note:  Jane Austin is sometimes difficult to follow, so this is not recommended for a younger reader.  It may be suitable as a read aloud for a parent to explain as it goes along.

Genre/Theme:   Romance, Classic Rewrite, Historical Fiction

Reading Level:  TEEN - upper elementary to middle school
Profanity:  LOW - few mildly offensive words – almost none
Sexuality: SUBTLE - hinted, but not explicit  -  marriages, arranged marriages, and the sister’s indiscretion running away with a soldier.
Other: No violence really, some may object to the roles of men and women as the book stayed true to this era

Mike Vasich - Loki

Loki



By Mike Vasich


Kindle Edition Available


Product Description (from Amazon)

God of Mischief. Father of Lies. Harbinger of Destruction. Exiled and tortured by the gods, Loki swears vengeance. He will summon the mighty Fenris Wolf and the legendary Midgard Serpent, and they will lead an army of giants and all the dead in Niflheim. Brimming with the power of the most destructive being in the Nine Worlds, he will not rest till Asgard is in ashes and all the gods are dead under his heel.

About the Author (from Amazon)

"Loki" is the first novel I have finished, and it was born from my love of Norse mythology and the teaching of it in my English class for the last ten years or so. Essentially, it's the story of the traditional villain of the myths--Loki, of course--except it's from his point of view. So instead of being merely a trickster who eventually turns completely evil, there are compelling reasons for his fall, reasons which explain why he takes the actions he does. 

Loki is a compelling character, and you will really feel for him as you read the novel. He's not squeaky clean--far from it!--but I think most readers will easily be able to empathize with him.

The book is loaded with action--I love a good fight scene!--but also has a lot of depth to it. I rewrote some of the traditional myths and interspersed them throughout the book, so that the effect is "myth" followed by "true story." And of course the myths are not always accurate to what "really" happened. There are also plenty of twists, and I think readers will be surprised at many turns even if they are familiar with the myths. I hope you enjoy the story!

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Rachel

Loki is primarily a retelling of the Norse myths, but not just a telling it in a more understandable way.  Instead the story is retold in an entirely new fashion that gives a glimpse into the creation of myths, the taking of the true, chaining the truth into a poetical story or song, massaging the details to make them sound more interesting ... and then through the years it morphs and changes with the telling, until the truth is hard to see.

Yet this remains a work of fiction.  In each section of the story, a myth or legend of the Norse gods and especially Loki and Odin and Thor is given in a close to original form.  As a teen, I read an extensive amount of mythology, fairy tales, and legends, and tales of Loki and Thor were among them, but my teen years are a long time in the past, so my memory of them is a bit fuzzy.  All I can say for sure is that the mythology stories told in the book, seemed to jive with the memory I have of those stories.

After each myth is told, a masterful retelling of the story begins.  The retelling is somehow more believable, tying meat and brains and muscle to the bare bones of the myths.  Details are toned down, so that the telling seems to be more believable, as if it perhaps happened in just that way.  In the midst of the character development, you catch glimpses of motives and how misunderstandings arose and were flamed.  Evil characters seem more justified, and the good ones have ulterior motives.

Basic Plot

The story opens shortly after one of the many battles between the giants and the gods.  The gods need a wall to be rebuilt, and a man arrives with his horse to offer to rebuild the wall.  The task is so large that the gods are confident that he will never finish in time, but agree to his demands with the knowledge that at least part of the wall will have been built.

The story jumps from one perspective and tale to another, each story giving the reader a piece of the greater puzzle and told in such a way as to explain the reasons behind the myths.  It is as if the story was taking place on a giant rotating stage, with the available point of view changing so that the one watching catches a new detail that was previously unknown and unseen.  The author uses this tactic with skill, and it lends itself well to the apparent unraveling of the myth, and the understanding the reader has of the main characters.  As the story unfolds, you get glimpses of the Allfather’s knowledge of all time and all events in the past, present, and future, all of which must somehow come to pass.  Even with all of his knowledge, he chooses to let the events unfold as he sees them happening.  With each new piece of the story, you soon begin to wonder who is truly the trickster, and who is being tricked.

Loki sees that the gods have been tricked, and the man must be more than he appears, for the wall is being completed with great skill and speed.  He will have no problem finishing his task on time, and gaining his coveted prize.  Loki devises a slight trick, with mere days to go for the task to be completed, a trick that slows the progress just enough to cause the man to fail.   The man is angry, and as he allows his secret power to be seen, he unleashes a great deal of harm and destruction on the gods.  It is by the barest of margins that he is overpowered.  The level of detail of the battles always come just a tad shy of outright gory – but there are enough details to turn the average stomach.  If bloody and sexually charged adventures are not to your liking, then these stories will probably not appeal to you.

When Loki returns with a gift for Odin, he is met with disgust and disdain.  Others do not trust him.  Loki has already begun to question Odin’s motives.  This merely added fuel to his questioning spirit.  Odin summons Loki, and then sends him on a mission to the giant’s home that had sent the mason to rebuild the wall.  Loki and Odin both know that Loki secretly has Chaos inside of him, and that by sending Loki on this mission, the fate of the gods will be sealed, and yet he sends him to be corrupted into their enemy anyway.

As the stories unfold, Loki learns to use his Chaos.  He steals the secret source of their youth.  And he father’s 3 hideous monsters for children with a giantess as their mother.  The other gods take Loki’s children, and Loki is bound and tortured for eternity, but when his werewolf son aids his escape, and his dead daughter that rules the underworlds lends him troupes to aide the battles, and he brings a secret weapon to destroy the gods, will any survive the trickery and the deceit?

I was very impressed with the way the story twisted and turned, giving tiny bits of information out and then turning them over to reveal a very different picture.  The story will give the reader pause, pondering the deeper message behind the myths.  Some may be able to gloss over the book and enjoy it as just a work of fiction.  But as someone who has studied mythology as it ties in to history and religion, I found this point of view to be fascinating and somewhat disturbing.   It is a book that can cause you to question your beliefs and may shake your understanding of “the way things are”, so this will not be a book that I will give to my children. 

Although it has been a few months since I read the book, the story has stayed with me, and occasionally I find myself pondering parts of the book and the way things were worded, and perhaps the bigger picture that the author was painting.  

Yet, there were areas of the book that were rough and difficult to understand.  The wording could have been improved in many locations.  Overall, I felt the book was well written and the story well told.   I think it would be fascinating to see how this author might handle some of the other ancient mythologies and legends of other  countries.

Note:   This book is long, and a rather rambling story, yet some as young as 5^th grade may be able to handle it as an adventure style novel, although with the violence and sexual themes, I would recommend readers be in high school at least, and very good readers who can handle the vocabulary level.   This is not a clean or sweet story, it is blood, sweat, tears, horror, and so much more.  

Genre/Theme:   Mythology,  Norse Myths,  Adventure/Biography style, Fiction

  

Reading Level: Mature TEEN - high school to college 
Profanity: MODERATE - mild words & a few stronger expletives  to
HIGH - many instances of strong language    (There are many instances of “strong language”, but they are not heavily used by every character, nor in every situation.  Many long passages are quite tame.  Other parts are quite crass.)
Sexuality:  OBVIOUS - blatant sexuality in text, but not explicit   (One character/goddess in particular is frequently referred to in a sexual way, and many of the “exploits” of the gods are referred to, but nothing quite reaches the explicit  level.  Many descriptions of lust and bodily beauty of both males and females.  Perverse acts are implied, even if left unsaid.)
Other: One god turns himself into a mare to tempt a stallion, and gives birth to a many legged colt.  A giantess gives birth to 3 monsters.  These monsters are killed or abused as the story progresses – while they are only a few days old.  Many acts of extreme violence during the frequent battles and wars.     There were many places that really turned my stomach in the graphic details.  The gods all age and the aging is graphically detailed.  Tons of trickery and lies, and some is worded to cause you to question all religion.

SM Reine - 19 Dragons

The 19 Dragons

By SM Reine 


Kindle Edition Currently Unavailable





Product Description (from Amazon) 


Publication Date: July 7, 2011
DEAD GODS. WAR. AND THE END OF THE WORLD.

There are nineteen provinces in the Land held aloft by nineteen pillars. Above the earth there is sky, and nobody knows what goes below except the Nineteen Dragons.

That is all you need to know, but that is not all there is to be known.

The Device has been stolen and the godlike Dragons have been rendered mortal. Someone is murdering them one by one, and each death brings the world closer to its end. Unless the the Device is somehow restored to its deceased owner, the Dragons are doomed to destruction-- and the human world will go with them.

THE 19 DRAGONS is a steampunk novella of approximately 80 pages. PLEASE NOTE: There are blank pages and unusual formatting as a method of storytelling. This is intentional.



About the Author (from Amazon)


SM Reine is an author of dark fantasy for teen and adult audiences. Her most widely known work is "Six Moon Summer," which has been hailed as "fresh and fast-paced" and "captivating." She lives in Nevada with her husband, the Helpful Baby, and too many black animals to count.

Hi everyone! My name is Sara, and I write urban fantasy and paranormal novels as SM Reine. I collect swords, cat hair, and typewriters (which I do use for writing!). It's a good day when those three things have nothing to do with each other. If you would like to know the instant my next book is available, you should enlist in my Army of Evil! I send out free books a couple times a year and we have a WICKED cool secret handshake, but you'll have to sign up to learn it. ;) Check it out -- http://eepurl.com/eWERY
.
A few fun facts about me:
- The #1 song on the day I was born was "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley, which means my life is a Rickroll.
- I have three black cats and one black dog, but it's not an obsession, I swear.
- I am a full time writer these days, which means I will never wear a pair of heels to the office again. Viva la sweatpants!



O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Rachel


With the thousands of books that I have read in my lifetime, rarely does a book surprise me.  This is my first steampunk novel, and if more are as entertaining as this one, I think I’ve found a new genre to enjoy.  I’ve never read a book written in quite this style before, and as the storyline is highly plot dependent, it would not be fair to do a detailed plot for a review.  The plot development is part of the magic of the story – and that is what I found surprising.

I’ve always enjoyed dragon stories – although, I’m not a fan of turning the dragon into a human.  But with this book, it works.  Each of the dragons is tied to a providence.  Each chapter tells only the story of one dragon – although if a dragon has already been introduced, and crosses into the story, it is obvious.  If a dragon has not yet been introduced, then you will have no clue that the character that you are reading about is a dragon, and not all of the dragons are aware that they are indeed dragons either.  Sound complicated?  It is, and delightfully so!

This is definitely a story that is best read in a book with real paper and pages.  Because I kept finding myself flipping back and forth to cross check old details with new points of view.  At 80 pages, it took me far longer to read than I expected, simply because “flipping back” on a Kindle is rather difficult.

The book opens with the first dragon – an ancient fellow reading his newspaper and sharing pictures of his new great grandchild with anyone who will listen.  Suddenly a man in rags steals his cane – a cane that is of far more value than the worth of the jewels encrusted into it.  The man selling newspapers gives chase, and nearly catches the man, and fails.  With the death of the first dragon, one of the providences disappears from existence.   You will see this part of the story several more times as the dragons interact within the following chapters.  What is the purpose and the value of that cane?  Why is it so important?  What is happening to the providences?

The next dragon is introduced, and now you hear her background, and the story changes to her point of view.  The third chapter is from the 3rd dragon’s point of view, and so on.  Suddenly, dragons are being hunted and killed .. but by whom?  Who knows of the power of the cane other than the dragons?  As the mystery unfolds, it will keep you partly guessing, and anticipating what will happen next.

Each dragon is unique and has a different story to tell, from clock works, to youngsters playing in the mud, to grizzled card sharks to salty captains, and sweet loveable characters to evil deranged ones.   It takes several chapters before they start to twist together, but I found the effect to be magically amazing.

Some of the stories are slow and seem awkward.  Some are short, but not quite sweet.  Some seem very long and ramble along.  But by the end of the story, each unimportant detail has taken a new meaning in the grand scheme of things.


Note:   Easily enjoyable by most children who love thrilling “super hero” style books and movies.  Children 8 and up should enjoy the book – although there are some adult elements that parents may want to look at if they have a more sensitive child, or dislike strong language.  Some of the dragons use quite strong language.   I probably would not give this to any of my children until Jr. High.


Genre/Theme:   Steampunk, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Teen, Dragons, Future/Alternate world
Reading Level:  TEEN - upper elementary to middle school 
Profanity: MODERATE - mild words & a few stronger expletives  -  some of the dragons and characters are ruffian types, and their language is quite rough.  
Sexuality: SUBTLE - hinted, but not explicit – at least one of the dragons is dressed as a “madam”, she loves to gamble and drink.
Other: There is a lot of violence, and many violent deaths.  As each dragon dies – a whole section of the world dies with it. 

C. M. Lance - Wizard Dawning

Wizard Dawning
Battle Wizards Saga



By C. M. Lance


Kindle Edition Available



Product Description (from Amazon)


Publication Date: December 9, 2011 | Series: Battle Wizard Saga

Ten years ago the world was shaken with the discovery that White and Black magic existed. Despite the headlines, like most people, nothing magical has happened in Sig’s life.


As he prepares to leave for college, mysterious Great-Grampa Thor shows up with injuries sustained in a battle with a Dark Wizard. He bestows upon Sig, his only male heir, a magical family heirloom.


He’s to lead in the fight against Dark Magic. Unfortunately, Sig can only access a small portion of the talisman’s power. His only magic is the ability to change into a 9 foot tall, 700 pound warrior. It’s small benefit in the age of machinery, rockets, and computers.


The Dark Wizard comes after Sig. He escapes, but Great-Grampa falls victim to a demon induced coma before he can teach Sig what he needs to know.


Sig joins with a group of fellow supernaturals. His new friends help him fight off more attacks while he searches desperately for his greater magic. If he can’t stand on his own against a Dark Wizard, how can he take his place at the front of the world’s fight against black magic?



About the Author (from Amazon)


An Aerospace Engineer, Accountant, Product Manager, Operations Director, Sales Executive, and Writer in that approximate chronological order.

He's always enjoyed writing, even though early writings were mostly Product Specifications, Sales Proposals, and Departmental Budgets. Most readers assumed those were fictional.

Is currently traveling the USA with his Interior Designer wife in an RV.

Three grown children span the United States from New York to Austin, TX to San Diego.

To find out about other book projects and more about the Battle Wizard visit:
http://cm-lance.com


O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Rachel

I think I picked up this book on one of those “too much to do, and more asleep than awake” type days – because it is so totally outside of the genre of book that I normally read.   As I stumbled across the zombies, I nearly set the book aside for good, but the storyline was good enough that I wanted to see how Thor (of Norse Mythology) fit into the picture.  Ok, I was hooked on the main storyline.

The story is futuristic – but not extreme future – maybe 20 years – and perhaps an alternate earth.  Magic has been intensified by a climate and gravitational change, and those who had magic found themselves stronger, wild magic was manifesting, and many were beginning to show magic.

Sid was a not so average kid, living out on a farm, with his mom.  His dad and grandfather were both dead – but his great Grandfather was still alive and just as chipper as an average 50-year-old man.  Grandpa Thor paid for Sid to have a horse (Bjorn was 6 feet at the withers) and a variety of gymnastics, martial arts, and riding lessons.  Grandpa had magic ... unlike his son, or his grand daughter.  Sid wasn’t showing any signs of magic either, although he was quite enthralled with it.

But things didn’t seem right anymore – something was watching him ... but he could never quite get his eye on who it was, the figure or figures would just melt away whenever he looked at them.

Grandpa arrived, but instead of the young and active appearance that he normally had, Grandpa was old ... his age seemed to finally be catching up to him.  Suddenly, zombies attack ... and the three of them manage to defend themselves and drive off or destroy them all.  Then Grandpa lets Sid in on his HUGE SECRET.  Grandpa is dying, and Sid has to take over his duties – and maybe there is more to magic than the aptitude tests can detect.  Grandpa is a Battle Wizard, and with the help of his magic token, Sid discovers that he can also do magic.  Powerful magic – except it doesn’t work much, and not at all what he needs to be a proper battle wizard.

Usually, a battle wizard will take years to train his replacement, but Grandpa doesn’t have years.  He might not even have months.  Training must start immediately ... and everything goes well, until one day they are attacked again, and Grandpa ends up in a coma, the house across the street is become even more mysterious and dangerous.

A friend of Grandpa’s arrived soon after, he was to take over Grandpa’s medical needs, and Sid’s training.  At the school, Sid meets Ogre’s, Amazon Women, Werewolves, and many other mythical beings, yet to most people, they appear quite human.

Sid and his new friends are in a race for time, first they must find out who is killing Grandpa, release the power the demon has over him, and the Dark Wizard’s power.  Will Sid be up to the task?

This is a fairly long book, but the rapid fire action will keep most readers well enthralled.  There is enough foreshadowing that you will not be completely surprised when the ending comes, but yet, there are also enough twists and turns to keep most young teens quite happy.

While boys will probably enjoy this more than girls, I found the action and plot engaging enough to read through to the end just to find out whether or not Grandpa lives, and whether Sid learns to use his magic.  It is a clever mix of old mythology with the modern world, sometimes scary, and sometimes funny.  Actually, there were many funny parts mixed in with the serious and often grim or gross stuff.

I doubt I would ever read more of this series, now that I know that it is mostly zombies and martial arts.  Still, the story was fairly well written, a few minor areas that were confusing or awkward, but for the most part – it made for an entertaining story.

This book wasn’t my cup of tea, but I have to give it credit for being an entertaining storyline, interesting characters, and a fun twist of mythology and magic in our modern world.



Note:  Fairly violent – but not overly descriptive.  I skimmed huge chunks of the descriptions of martial arts, fights, and zombie destructiveness – so it may be more violent or sexually suggestive than I think it was.

Genre/Theme:  Zombies, Future, Mythology, Martial Arts, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Demons, Magic

Reading Level: TEEN -  middle school and up  (12 +)
Profanity: MODERATE - mild words & a few stronger expletives
Sexuality: MILD - descriptions of affection/desire , much of the sexuality is vague ... however, it is frequent and if you understand the innuendo – it’s more than mild, but not quite obvious.
Other: Lots of fighting and destruction – martial arts and zombies.  All kinds of mythical type persona are in this book.  There are also demons and other creatures.