Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The Wedding Dress by Ellie Keaton Review


The Wedding Dress
The Survivors Club Book One
By Ellie Keaton

Meg had the perfect life she was on her way to fulfilling her dream of being the Investment Director at Solomon Bank by the time she was thirty, she also had the most wonderful fiancé, until one fatal day when her entire life changed.
September 11th, 2001
 The Wedding Dress  (The Survivors Club Book One)
Ellie Keaton has just made my “Evil Evil Authors” list. Despite going into the novel with my “tough face” on and determined to read this short story without crying, I did not succeed. I made it through most of it till I hit the end and she did me in. This was a beautiful story of the love and loss that surrounds 9/11. Ellie Keaton managed to create a stunning story in a few short pages that will surely move you, if not you may want to visit a doctor. In the end this is one of those stories that are worth the short yet entertaining read. Not only is the story amazing but the author also donates 15% of the proceeds from this short story to Tuesdayschildren.org which helps children who were affected by 9/11. 

For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Empyreal Fate by Rachel Hunter Review


Empyreal Fate
A Llathalan Annal
By Rachel Hunter

Llathala is a land full of mythical beings we know only in tales, separated by woods lives the elves and the humans who are on the verge of war. One day Darrion, the son of a poor laborer is foraging in the woods for food when he stumbles upon Amarya, one of the elven royals, forever changing his life. In the midst of the turmoil will Darrion and Amarya find a way to be together or will they be ripped apart because of where they come from?

First off I have to discuss the obvious, the writing style is not typical it has a more old-English feel to it as you go, at first it seemed a bit pretentious to me but I kept on and as I did I came to realize that if the author had written this story any other way it would not have done as well as it did in the style she uses. Now that being said this is an interesting story all on its own, with hints of Romeo and Juliet as the star crossed lovers want desperately to be together but they know they cannot, but to pull this off the author had to write a convincing romance where you feel for each faction as well as the lovers and I am happy to say that Rachel Hunter did a wonderful job. I look forward to seeing what the author does with the rest of Llathalan I can see a lot of potential writing material in the future, this is definitely worth the read.  

For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:

Friday, July 6, 2012

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb By Melanie Benjamin Review


The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb
By Melanie Benjamin

At two foot eight inches Mercy Lavinia Bump is the perfect miniature woman. She started out as a school teacher then when she was seventeen she was approached to travel on a boat as a performer, with this first taste of fame she would continue on to become an icon during a time of great unrest. This is a fictional autobiography of the woman who became Mrs. Tom Thumb half of the perfect miniature couple.

I almost didn’t make it through this book; the author takes an interesting story and turns it into something dull and annoying. I say annoying due to the fact that Melanie Benjamin turned Lavinia Bump into an egotistical arrogant woman who thought every other little person, including her husband and sister, to be less intelligent than she was. Then there is the main dilemma of the novel which, with a quite glance at wikipedia you will find out what it is, turns out to be absolutely ludicrous. To add to these issues is the fact that Lavinia never loved Tom Thumb but actually P.T. Barnum and never even consummated her wedding, I find this entirely too hard to believe. Melanie Benjamin may be a good writer but this story turned out to be rubbish, and what was with the rant about the polygamist Mormons? Skip it and try google.

For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:



Thursday, July 5, 2012

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich Review


Wicked Appetite
Lizzy and Diesel Book One
By Janet Evanovich

Lizzie Tucker gave up her fast paced career in New York and moved into her aunt’s old house in Marblehead and soon started working in a small local bakery life was quiet and fit her just fine. One day a handsome stranger brands her with his mark and disappears shortly after this unusual encounter another gorgeous man comes looking for her and tells her the other man is his evil cousin who is after a relic that represents gluttony, if his cousin manages to collect all of the relics that represent the deadly sins he can open the gates to hell on earth.


Not only is this a wonderful thriller it is also hilarious with outlandish characters such as the monkey who continually flips people the bird to the would-be witch whose spells continually go awry. Janet Evanovich does a wonderful job in blending multiple genres into one brilliant and cohesive novel. With fantasy, mystery, romance, and comedy this book has a little bit of everything for everyone. It is a light hearted and fun read, so if you are looking for something thought provoking you may want to go elsewhere.

For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore Review


Sacre Bleu: A Comedy d’Art
By Christopher Moore

Vincent van Gogh has been murdered; Lucien Lessard is a painter/baker/rat catcher once he learns of van Gogh’s demise he immediately heads to the Moulin Rouge in search of his closest friend Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. The two of them spend a great deal of time together until Lucien’s ex-lover whom broke his heart returns and Lucien finds himself lost to Juliette  and he even begins to loose large chunks of time not knowing where or what he was doing. Lucien’s family Toulouse Lautrec’s help in rescuing Lucien from the woman, once Henri tries to intervene he begins to uncover a shocking truth that not only effects Lucien but all painters.

I have always been a fan of impressionism so I had worried that Christopher Moore may not be able to capture some of the paintings that I love, but he not only managed to make each artist outrageously funny and interesting but he brought to life some of the world’s most precious pieces of art. I have read a few of Christopher Moore’s novels before and I always end up laughing, if you have a crude sense of humor and can’t help but giggle at idiotic things then this will surely keep you enthralled if not then you may want to move on quickly. My favorite scene was Lucien as a boy in a graveyard trying to catch snails, when he spots one he says “Ah Ha” and in turn the snail says “Ah Ha” to which the young Lucien starts to run away screaming, that isn’t the entire scene of course you will have to actually read the book to find out more but it is a glimpse into the absurdity and childish humor I so love from Christopher Moore.

For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Simmer by Kaitlyn Davis Review


Simmer
Book Two of the Midnight Fire Series
By Kaitlyn Davis

Kira was born with a special ability she is able to harness the power of the sun and use it to defeat vampires. Kira travels with her guardian and best friend, Luke, to Sonneyville home of a large group of protector conduits to hopefully learn how to control at least half of her powers since she is the only person alive who was born to a protector and punisher the two factions within the conduit community. Once Sonnyville is attacked by vampires who are after her she decides it is time to put an end to it and goes after Diana the one who has initiated the hunt for Kira, if she is able to capture Kira and drink her blood she will be immune to both factions powers.

Kaitlyn Davis writes some of the best action scenes I have come across in a young adult book; they are fast paced and so well delivered making this more than just a silly romance. With this book we get to see more into Kira’s character and her family life in general we also get an introduction to her mother’s family which doesn’t turn out so wonderful to begin with. The overall book is fantastic like I said great action but also the romance is intense but when Kaitlyn Davis throws a monkey wrench into Kira’s relationship with Tristan you can’t help but wonder if she should really be with someone else. Even if you are not a fan of vampire romances I would give this one a try it is not your average series.

For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:

Saturday, May 26, 2012

When, At Last, He Found Me by Adrianna Stepiano Review


When, At Last, He Found Me
Memoir of a Mermaid Book One
By Adrianna Stepiano

All Seraphin wants to do is make it through graduation and get the keys to her family home, after the death of her father Seraphin has been troubled by visions and randomly blacks which has led her to become an outcast. But after graduation she realizes that the black outs are only the tip of the ice berg where her life is concerned and when a mysterious man comes into her life she realizes she has been lied to her entire life. As she is tossed into an unexpected world she must come to terms with who she really is and find out who she can and cannot trust.

Adrianna Stepiano did a wonderful job in bringing to life the mythical world of mermaids, she managed to take a classic tale and bring it into a whole new dimension. Seraphin is a strong willed character unlike a lot of the young adult female characters who are coming to terms with themselves and growing up within the pages of a book and her love interest is arrogant and stubborn but when you combine the two they blend perfectly. In this story Seraphin turns out to be a guardian amongst mermaids and if this is not enough of a plot for you the author throws in one of the best fight scenes imaginable, as I read this book I kept thinking there is no way the author will be able to top this novel until she drops a bomb at the end that is sure to bring you back for more. This was definitely a great book and I look forward to reading more of the series.

For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James Review


Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades Trilogy Book One
By E.L. James

Anastasia has never found a man who has interested her enough to even go on a date with until she meets highly successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey, and immediately she is lost in his dark eyes. But Christian has a dark secret, domination. As Ana soon discovers there is more to this man than just his vast fortune she finds herself falling in love with him but can Ana come to terms with his eccentric desires?

I was a little weary to read this book I had some vague idea it would just be dominatrix sex and though interesting I love there to be a good story line. I was surprised to realize this was actually a fun book full of witty commentary from Ana’s Subconscious and Inner Goddess I found myself giggling. Though I must say there were a couple of scenes I could have lived without, but E.L. James did a wonderful job writing this novel the romance was strong and the obstacle they must face is believable and intriguing. This book reads like a young adult novel though it is certainly not for the faint of heart. I kept thinking to myself “It’s an erotic, modern day, more realistic version of Beauty and the Beast.” I am certainly curious enough to see what happens next.





Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Matched by Ally Condie Review


Matched
By Ally Condie

Cassia lives in a world where the Society decides everything even who she can marry and have children with for optimum results. In a world where you are told what you can and cannot eat, where you cannot even run in public Cassia is content but when it comes time to her own match an error occurs she not only sees the face of her childhood best friend but also a boy who is a pariah in the Society, Ky, and should never have been entered into the match. When her grandfather slips her a forbidden poem from his deathbed and she starts to have feelings for Ky, it accumulates and she begins to have strange rebellious feelings towards the Society she has always entrusted.

The perfect Society where you have no choices whatsoever what would it be like to have your entire life broken down into statistics and from those statistics you become completely predictable? What would it be like for someone to be able to find that perfect someone for you and you never have to wonder about whom you will marry you would never even have to worry about divorce because they would be absolutely perfect for you. Allie Condie answers these questions and then brings it to life, yes if you knew nothing else it would seem perfect but when you get a taste of your own freedom what would happen. This was a great book it was well written and believable, you can see yourself in this world and how seemingly perfect it would be. The romance was beautiful and as Cassia deals with her own conflicted feelings the author manages to clearly express them so as we feel them too. I can’t wait until I can read Crossed book two of the Matched series and we can go on adventure with Cassia that I truly hope will not disappoint.
 
As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:
Be sure to visit my blogs at:
You can even follow me on Twitter
                                               @BookWormRflect


Tuesday, May 8, 2012

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown Review


The Weird Sisters
By Eleanor Brown
Three estranged sisters return home when their mother announces she has cancer, though each one also has an alternative reason for returning home. The sisters are completely different from one another and over the course of this book they realize what they have in common is love, through love and overcoming their own demons we watch the sisters find their true places in the world.
Eleanor Brown did a wonderful job of drawing us into the world of the weird sisters and their dynamic family life with glimpses of the past and the struggles of the present. Each character was well written and thought out especially considering how completely different they are.  This is one of those “feel good” books that make you want to call up your own siblings and give them a hug. Moral of the story; life may not always turn out as we expected but in the end we can always find happiness.

As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:
Be sure to visit my blogs at:
You can even follow me on Twitter
                                               @BookWormRflect


Monday, May 7, 2012

Quest One: The Golden Scarab by S.W. Lothian Review


Quest One:
The Golden Scarab
By S.W. Lothian

Twelve year old JJ Sterling has been enlisted by Horus to retrieve the Golden Scarab for him so he may be able to defeat his evil brother Seth. Thrust back in time to Ancient Egypt JJ must travel through a dangerous tomb and dodge Seth’s minions at every turn. Will JJ be able to complete his mission and return back to modern day London in one piece?

This was a great “Early Young Adult” novel. The author did a wonderful job in brining Egyptian mythology to life and weaving it into a story that is fascinating and full of action and adventure. Even if you don’t know much about the Egyptian Gods S.W. Lothian does a fantastic job in explaining them without losing the readers interest. As soon as JJ and his best friend travel back to Ancient Egypt this book turns into nonstop action keeping you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. The book is only about two hundred pages long, which is perfect for young readers or those who are just beginning.

As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:
Be sure to visit my blogs at:
You can even follow me on Twitter
                                               @BookWormRflect


Sunday, May 6, 2012

Legends Lost Amborese by Janet McNulty Review


Legends Lost
Amborese
By Janet McNulty

An evil wizard has plunged the land of Tesnayr into darkness, three hundred years later Amborese finds a necklace that signifies she will be the one who will be able to reunite the five lands and put a stop to Clymorus. Amborese must travel to the land of the elves to find the other half of her pendant and combine them to make the Gantylla Shealayr and save her people. Along the way she meets several beings who soon become her allies in the fight for freedom.

Janet McNulty managed to incorporate many classical fantasy characters including a gryphon, unicorns and even orcs, making this a great read just to see what she will bring to life next. This book has so many sub story lines you know precisely what each character is going through and each one plays a role in the epic battle, though this can be a daunting task for some authors Janet McNulty did a wonderful job keeping you informed and never loosing you in the process. I did enjoy this book but it wasn’t as original as I had hoped we have seen a lot of the characters in the past and the story line is a bit clichĂ©d; chosen one must stop the big battle and gains several allies along the way. If you are a hard core fan of the genre I am sure you will love this book.

As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:
Be sure to visit my blogs at:
You can even follow me on Twitter
                                               @BookWormRflect


Saturday, May 5, 2012

The Moon and The Tide by Derrolyn Anderson Review


The Moon and the Tide
Marina’s Tales Book Two
By Derrolyn Anderson


The mermaids are scared someone is hunting them and one of their sisters has gone missing. Meanwhile on land Marina is coming to learn more and more of the people she is surrounded by and secrets that have been kept from her, her entire life come to light. Soon though a terrible accident causes her own secret to be revealed and she is caught in a dangerous world that will take every ounce of her strength to survive.

If it is possible this book was better than the first, we learn more about Aunt Evie and it isn’t quite what you would expect. Also Marina soon finds out love is a lot harder than it seems in fairytales and we go through a growth process as she and Ethan learn to cope with the progression of their relationship and Marina uncovers more of her own past. This is a great young adult book and Derrolyn Anderson has once again done a remarkable job intertwining several stories into one beautiful and thrilling novel. This book is a brilliant blend of suspense, romance, and fantasy. As this story progresses the more it draws you in leaving you eager to find out what happens next.

As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:
Be sure to visit my blogs at:
You can even follow me on Twitter
                                               @BookWormRflect


Friday, May 4, 2012

Alison Wonderland by Helen Smith Review


Alison Wonderland
By Helen Smith

Alison Templar hires a detective agency to find out if her husband is cheating on her, unfortunately he is so she leaves him in a blaze of glory and decides to work for the all-female P.I. firm that she had hired. Taron, Alison’s crazy best friend, hires Alison to help her find an abandoned baby for her mother to apprentice in magic. All the while there are people who are after Alison because she may know too much.

This book is not for everyone but if you are a fan of the Christopher Moore style of writing then you will love this book. It’s crude and funny and with a touch of magic the author manages to bring to life a novel that is so ridiculous it’s hilarious. Taron is my favorite character with her outlandish ways and her farfetched stories that hold just a hint of truth behind them. It was definitely an interesting read! Though like I said not everyone will like this novel it has sex and drugs, even a few other things not for the faint of heart.

As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:
Be sure to visit my blogs at:
You can even follow me on Twitter
                                               @BookWormRflect


Thursday, May 3, 2012

Exiled by J.R. Wagner Advanced Review


Exiled
By J.R. Wagner

James has been falsely accused of a murder he did not commit and exiled to The Never. Though James is the Anointed One, a powerful sorcerer who will bring about the end of the Epoch Terminus a war between the Faithful, those who believe in magic, and the Unfaithful, those who do not, in The Never James does not have any powers in this strange land where even the plants are dangerous. Along the way he meets a woman who shows him how to find water that makes him feel stronger and introduces him to her village where they have been awaiting him to save them all.

The main story line of this book is very interesting but it’s the secondary story line that became quite irritating. The Secondary story line is a mass of events that took place after James was discovered to be the Anointed One and mainly involves James’ mother the irritating part is that they have no flow to them for instance in one chapter his mother is visiting the seer and roughly a hundred pages later it is his mother and father on their way to the seer.  This notwithstanding it could definitely use a bit more editing there are several places where the he is confused with she and vice versa, this would not be so bad but when there are both male and female in the scene it makes it confusing. I would like to see what happens next, this book just ended abruptly I think to get the reader to check out the next book, all in all it’s not a terrible book the main story line is actually quite enthralling just be sure to pay attention to the dates on the secondary one!

As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:
Be sure to visit my blogs at:
You can even follow me on Twitter
                                               @BookWormRflect


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Wrong Stuff by M T McGuire Review


The Wrong Stuff
K’Barthan Trilogy Book Two
By M T McGuire

The Pan of Hamgee is back and as cowardly as ever but this time we travel from K’Barth to modern day London as The Pan is trying to rescue Ruth from the Grongles. We also follow along with the continuing story of trying to find the true Architrave as Deirdre sets herself up for the Resistance to try to deceive the populace that she comes from humble beginnings by working in the castle’s laundry, As Lord Vernon searches for The Chosen One to become his bride so he too can pretend to be the rightful Architrave, all the while the true chosen one has yet to realize who he actually is. As Ruth and The Pan become close and begin to fall in love the story becomes interwoven and immensely beautiful.

M T McGuire once again brings to life a fun a hilarious novel. This novel picks up right where the first book left off and I laughed so hard since The Pan was only able to say “I’m a little teapot” to Ruth when he first meets her! I have no idea how M T McGuire comes up with these things but combining his wickedly funny imagination and a fantastic writing style the book comes to life. Not only is this book funny it also has a lot of action and adventure and even romance I am sure this book will please anyone who wants to read it. So far this series has definitely been highly entertaining I can’t wait for the third book to come out.

As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:
Be sure to visit my blogs at:
You can even follow me on Twitter
                                               @BookWormRflect


Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Neophyte by Emmalee Aple Review


Neophyte
By Emmalee Aple

Addisyn White died two years ago, but three days after her death she was reborn as an angel. Not a full-fledged angel it will take her five years to become one, she is still mostly human and must still go through training with her Link five other angels who will protect her and teach her. There is Hunter her companion in this new life that can read her thoughts and will always share a special connection with and then there is Greysan, handsome and kind and the love of her life. When Addisyn is sleeping on the porch and her Link has left to run an errand a fallen angel stumbles upon her leading to Addisyn being in the greatest danger of her life, and this is just the beginning.

This is an interesting book full of romance and intrigue, the author has taken a new look at angels and most of them are just like all of us. Emmalee Aple creates an intricate and unique world where angels are born or created when a person dies protecting someone else, with elders and companions it is certainly an interesting perspective and then the author brings a beautiful romance to all of this that makes the book worth the read. Though I still have one major question why is Addisyn so important? I am hoping this will be answered in the next book. The only problem I found with this book is that it needs to be edited as it is right now it is riddled with grammatical mistakes but even though this is an issue, Emmalee Aple’s writing is actually quite remarkable.

As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:
Be sure to visit my blogs at:
You can even follow me on Twitter
                                               @BookWormRflect


Monday, April 30, 2012

Splitting Adam by John R. Ford Review


Splitting Adam
By John R. Ford

Adam Tyler is restless he was called to be a pastor but for some reason he never feels fulfilled on his thirtieth birthday he is visited by an angel sent from his mother. When the angel asks him what he wants Adam pulls an “It’s a Wonderful Life” moment and wishes he had never been born but what he doesn’t realize is that even if he had never been born his mother and father would have still procreated only with other people causing there to be two half selves of Adam. This not just Adam’s story but theirs as well and the only way Adam can get home is to change his own perspective of his life.

This was an interesting novel of the power of faith and realizing you are just a drop in a pond but the ripples your life creates are what truly matter. John R. Ford did a wonderful job bringing Adam and his two half selves to life, each one unique and no quite as distant as they may seem at first to each other. Though Victor is a businessman and Chase is a con-artist they all share something at the core of their being that is irreplaceable, goodness and kindness. It’s a heartwarming story that I recommend for anyone to read full of love and cherishing what you have, which is a good lesson for anyone.

As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:
Be sure to visit my blogs at:
You can even follow me on Twitter
                                               @BookWormRflect


Saturday, April 28, 2012

The Talisman of EL by Alecia Stone Review


Talisman of El
By Alecia Stone

Charlie has had a rough life his mother died when he was born and when he was ten years old a tornado claimed the life of his father. Now four years later he has been placed with a thief and murderer. Even though things may seem at their worst it is only the beginning of a set of events that will make all the hardships worth it. Charlie meets a set of people who will accompany him on a journey that will lead him to the center of the earth where he will find a magical world full of angels, demons, phoenixes, werewolves and even a ride on a Pegasus. Along the way his friends become his family and he learns the true meaning of destiny.

This was an absolutely riveting novel not only was it full of action and adventure but it was a heartwarming story of self-discovery and sometimes how we get to choose our families. Alecia Stone did an amazing job setting the scene and drawing us into the story, the world she created was thoroughly planned and executed so vividly you will have no problems imagining the perils her characters face. This is a one of a kind novel blending religion with mythology and introducing an idea that is surely original “The Garden of Eden is at the center of the Earth.” I can’t wait until we can follow Charlie on another adventure as he searches for the missing pieces of the Talisman of EL, and we can see what other powers it harnesses.

Be sure to stop by http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/ april 29th for a guest post from Alecia Stone!

As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:
Be sure to visit my blogs at:
You can even follow me on Twitter
                                               @BookWormRflect


Permanence by Tom Underhill Review


Permanence
By Tom Underhill

A small group of people are stranded on a deserted island with plenty of available resources leaving too much free time on their hands. As their captain seems to go crazy the crew begins to find conflicts amongst their selves.

Another short story masterfully brought to life by Tom Underhill. Instead of this one having a supernatural or sinister angle it is simply the human mind and what we are capable of which is sometimes more intriguing. I wish the author would take this story and expound on it into a full novel I would love to be able to have more details for this one.

As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:
Be sure to visit my blogs at:
You can even follow me on Twitter
                                               @BookWormRflect