Earth 5 by Hustin Lindenhall

09 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Young Adult Tags: , , ,

Published: 31st March 2015Goodreads badge
Publisher: Florendia
Pages: 242
Format: Ebook
Genre: Young Adult
★   ★   ★  – 3 Stars

What would you do if you were sixteen and you came across someone in the woods that changed your perspective of life completely? Someone that made you realize what you thought was real wasn’t actually reality. What I did was write about it, and it’s all here in this book.

I put all the original sketches in here too – over seventy illustrations by me, Tonya and Astol.

Earth 5 is awesome. I hope you like it too.

– Hustin

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the author for review.

This was an unusual story, I wasn’t sure what to expect from it so I came out of it not knowing whether I was disappointed at not having gotten it. I liked the approach Lindenhall has taken, using his own name as the character and making it read like his own personal account. It reads like a teenager who has written down the adventures of his friends, as it is supposed to be, and this is reflected in language, narration, and helps excuse some of the oddities.

The chapters are little snippets of stories and titbits rather than a flowing narrative but it all centres around the trio and their adventures during the holidays and their time with the alien Astol. Even understanding this, the narration is a bit irksome at times, the tone is odd and a lot of the time doesn’t sit right when you read it, but the story being told is likeable.

There are illustrations throughout which Lindenhall blends into the story nicely. Having the tone set as Hustin recapping his experiences with Astol means they can be slotted in suitably, and they are used constructively in the storytelling rather than just being added decoration to enhance description.

Hustin isn’t a bad narrator, he and Tonya help Astol with understanding how Earth works, both scientifically and socially, and together with the mini stories Astol gets exposed to various parts of our world. Having Hustin and Tonya describe the daily life and the social construct of Earth does make you realise how strange and peculiar the planet is, and it is a shallow reflection on what humanity has become and how we choose to spend our time. The story of Earth 5 and our place in the universe was quite interesting, and it adds a nice science fiction element to the story instead of just a simple deconstruction of Earth life being told to an alien by two teenagers.

The story ends with a “to be continued” which is intriguing in a way because it hints at future adventures, but it is trumped by feeling unsatisfied because it doesn’t feel like a conclusion. Hustin has a deep reflection on everything Astol told him and what he has experienced which starts as a nice resolution, but it’s only fleeting as he moves onto other things and it feels a tad unsatisfying; it feels like the story has been left hanging. While it is setting up for the next adventure, the first story seems unresolved and whether that means a better expression of Hustin’s reflection and discoveries with Astol is needed, or just a better sense of a conclusion I’m not sure. Either way, it is an interesting concept with a few creative science fiction elements that bumped it up to a three star story. Lindehall has been creative with his development of Astol’s universe and I think that is part of what makes this story work, in the comparison of his world with ours, making it much more than just a breakdown of Earth and all its peculiarities.

You can purchase Earth 5 via the following

Amazon | Amazon Aust

Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble

Smashwords | Florendia

 

Witchlight by J. S. Watts

03 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Fantasy Tags: , , , ,

Published:3rd March 2015Goodreads badge
Publisher: Vagabondage Press
Pages: 200
Format: Ebook
Genre: Women’s Fiction/Fantasy
★   ★   ★  – 3 Stars

Holly has been mortal all her life. Now at thirty-eight, her fairy godfather arrives to tell her she’s a witch, and suddenly she’s having to come to terms with the uncertainties of an alarmingly magic-fuelled world. Magic is not like it is in the books and films, and Holly starts to doubt whether her fairy godfather, Partridge Mayflower, is the fey, avuncular charmer he appears. 

When appearances are magically deceptive, Holly cannot afford to trust those closest to her, including herself. Accidents start to happen, people die, Old Magic is on the hunt, but in the age-old game of cat and mouse, just who is the feline and who is the rodent?

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the publisher for review.

I quite liked this story, it was different yet familiar, and had characters who were quirky and likeable, as well as a story that was filled with magic and a touch of danger, suspense, and mystery.

Holly is a good main character, she is likeable and tells her story well, and Watts makes her stand out without having her take over the story. Holly is strong minded and determined, and though she accepts her new life, she is still learning, and seeing her gradual improvements and various lessons and tests is a nice introduction to the magical world for the reader as well.

Having an older protagonist allows a different set of events to occur and Watts does well not to make it a key factor or a hindrance. She isn’t so much a Chosen One, as much as a breed of a special few which was a clever decision. Being different, even in the magical world, also makes Holly stand out, but this helps boost the story and makes the progression smoother and faster, allowing a greater focus on the story itself.

Watts balances Holly’s introduction to the magical world creatively and believably and snippets of information and character development helps aid this revelation and makes the narrative maintain its flow. The narrative isn’t too detailed, but it is deep enough to be complex and interesting, as well as provide all the necessary information. Watts provides us with enough information to understand the story without offering extensive and additional detail on characters or details about the magical world. This can mean a few characters are a tad flat, but enough can be picked up on their personality with brief appearances and their interaction with Holly. The magical element itself is explained clearly and woven into the story nicely, making it seem natural, but again there could have been room for a deeper explanation.

Even with brief detail, Watts has great descriptions that make scenes vivid and come to life. With only a few words the action on the page is easily visualised and it is easy to immerse yourself in the world that has been created. I think this world could be expanded into something bigger, deeper, and more explained, but the level in which Watts has explained is satisfactory and brings the focus to Holly’s narrative rather than the entire magical world.

The narrative maintains a solid pace from start to finish, with the ending wrapped up aptly, nothing rushed and with suspense, magical fanfare, and contentment. There are secrets to uncover and puzzle pieces to put together and Watts mixes these together wonderfully with a great narrative, intriguing concept, and a touch of magic. Clue and hints and placed without being obvious and as it all comes together in an enchanting conclusion it is clear just how clever Watts has been, not just in idea but in execution.

You can purchase Witchlight via the following

Vagabondage Press
Amazon UK

Amazon

Amazon Aust

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

Timothy Other: The Boy Who Climbed Marzipan Mountain by L. Sydney Abel

18 May 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Junior Fiction, Young Adult Tags: , , , ,

Published: 2nd October 2014Goodreads badge
Publisher: Solstice Publishing
Pages: 354
Format: Ebook
Genre: Junior Fiction/Young Adult
★   ★   ★  – 3 Stars

12 year-old adventurer, the intriguingly named Timothy Other, escapes the Dreams and Hopes Orphanage and travels to the bizarre world of Marzipan Mountain, where he befriends some amazing creatures.

With the help of his friends, Timothy seeks to discover his true origins and returns to the Orphanage. He becomes embroiled in a matter of life and death and faces the evil forces that crave the secret of ‘Golden Life’.

He becomes embroiled in a matter of life and death and faces the evil forces that crave the secret of ‘Golden Life’.

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the author for review.

From a captivating and really sweet beginning this story turns into one that is filled with adventure, puzzles and mysteries, and a lot of other elements that are a combination of magical, bizarre, and delightful.

The narrative is interesting, it is cryptic and elusive, with tiny tit bits dropped throughout that pique your interest. The tone is light and casual, conversational almost like that of a storyteller, but it soon settles into an almost regular narrative style while still maintaining its deliberate style. There are also multiple points of view which allow an understanding of all angles and character intentions, both good and bad, and Abel makes use of these nicely to propel the story along.

There is just enough character depth and explanations to make the situations believable and the events make sense. Timothy goes off on a spontaneous adventure and is quite accepting of the strange and bizarre things that follow, but there are brief explanations that justify what happens which doesn’t make it too farfetched, and the mindset and justifications of a twelve-year-old can account for a lot of things.

Timothy is a decent main character, he is a bit snappish and he likes to tease and bicker seemingly out of the blue, plus he is slightly intolerable, all of which was a little strange but if you remind yourself he is only twelve then it does help explain his behaviour.

Other characters are interesting, unique in their own way, and a mix of quirky, eccentric, and strange with a few stereotypical figures like jolly cooks and maternal housekeepers, but Abel has them in a place that suits them, and makes it a nice environment. There are some darker characters who are not just mean but a tad threatening, but there is restraint in their behaviour and while the actions can be quite dark, Abel doesn’t make it too disturbing.

Plot wise there were a few odd things that were explained strangely or just accepted, even with a magical reasoning. Though this does add to the quirky and mysterious nature of the story, and while it feels like a few things haven’t been answered as much as you’d like, it doesn’t affect the story too much. Where the story shines is towards the end when after all the dropped hints and secrets and puzzles Abel does a great job of bring the story to a close, solving many of the riddles and offering wonderful surprises while still hinting at further adventures.

I wouldn’t call this a Young Adult book; it is more down the Junior Fiction 10-13 year old bracket, though admittedly not unenjoyable for older readers. There is adventure and mystery, with fantasy mixed in but there is also a sweet story as well. There is a slight paranormal element but it is pleasant rather than scary, and coupled with the magical and fantasy components it works really well.

Overall it is nice, complex and delightfully cryptic with secrets to reveal and a fun bunch of characters in a detailed but not over the top adventure story.

 You can purchase Timothy Other via the following

Amazon

Amazon Aust

Amazon UK

The Conviction: Enacting Vigilante Justice by John Mathews

05 May 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Mystery, Short Stories, Thriller Tags: , , , , ,

Published: 25th January 2015Goodreads badge
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 72
Format: Ebook
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
★   ★   ★  – 3 Stars

Two criminals are responsible for an innocent man getting sentenced to life for murder. An inept defense attorney and a crooked prosecutor are the other players in this case of egregious American corruption.

The four of them have been lured into a trap in an abandoned warehouse. Someone wants vengeance. This is a story of vigilante justice for the wrongfully convicted. Marked doors lead to four locked rooms, one where each of them will have to pay a price for what they have done. What will they be required to do in order to survive?

This riveting crime thriller puts the American justice system in public view and will keep you guessing until the very last scene. A dark masked figure watches…waits…and wants revenge.

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the author for review.

This short story is an interesting take on the idea of vigilante justice with entrapment, mind games, and threats all playing a part. There is drama and suspense and a multitude of questions about who is behind the elaborate set up. There is mystery and unanswered questions that are hidden from the reader as well as the characters, but small clues and snippets of information make an already mysterious situation complex and even more curious.

Narrative wise the story flowed quite well and Matthews tells the story with care, keeping it interesting and engaging, while also holding back when needed. The dialogue didn’t have much life, and the conversation between character seemed stiff, not really connecting with one another, and yet at times Matthews captures the panic and desperation they feel quite well as their situation looks dire and the begin to turn on one another.

The characters themselves are terrible people in all honesty, but that is why they have found themselves in their current predicament. I didn’t really engage with who they were aside from casting casual judgements on them based on what they did, but not caring about them didn’t really bother me as I was more focused on the developing mystery and game play element than realising how one dimensional they were.

Away from the characters, and to Matthews’ credit, the story itself was clever and it never goes where you expect. From early on it intrigued me and this was maintained as the story progressed with a lot packed into such a short story. There are surprises and revelations that change what you though would happen and what you thought had happened.

I liked the idea of the vigilante justice and the mystery figure orchestrating the entire thing was great and led to all manner of creative theories on who he possibly was. When the man behind the curtain is finally revealed it was certainly unexpected and I can imagine it would split readers to either liking it or disliking it. Personally I wasn’t a fan of how Matthews chose to end it, one because I thought it was going in a totally different direction, and two it immediately seemed unbelievable which flattened the anticipation that had been building from the start. Having said that it was different, and creative in its own way, and it was completely unexpected.

You can purchase The Conviction via the following

Amazon | Amazon Aust

Land of the Giants (#2) by D. M. Almond

01 May 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Chronicles of Acadia, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy Tags: , , , , , , ,

Today I am pleased to participate in the blog tour for David Matthew Almond’s new novel Land of the Giants, the second book in the Chronicles of Acadia series, thanks to Sage’s Blog Tours! You can read my review of the first book, Secret of the Elders, here.

Published: 25th March 2015Goodreads badge
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pages: 555
Format: Ebook
Genre: Epic Fantasy
★   ★   ★  – 3 Stars

Ages long past, forced to abandon the surface, mankind descended into the core of Acadia, fleeing impending xenocide at the hands of the cruel invading ice giants, the Jotnar. There, under the light of the Crystal god, Baetylus, they settled a new homeland among the deep forests and wide caverns of Vanidriell.

~Enter the Fourth Age of Acadia.~

The highly anticipated second chapter in the Chronicles of Acadia is here. Follow the Walker brothers and their stalwart gnome companion Bipp as they journey to the surface of Acadia in search of the mysterious Isaac, the one person who may hold the key to overthrowing the dark sentient Crystal. Along the way they will forge alliances with brave new allies and cross paths with some of the deadliest forces they have ever faced in the Land of the Giants.

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book for review.

The second book in the Chronicles of Arcadia series follows on with the Walker brothers’ journey to save their city but it brings in new characters, a new aspect of the world, and new elements to the story that add mysteries, dangers, and assistance in their quest. What starts off as one quest to save their city soon turns into many as the brothers team up with others along the way to help each other out and fight for a common cause.

The story continues on from the one set up from the first book, and though there is information provided about what has happened beforehand, it is fairly limited and scattered, but not too hard to understand if you haven’t read the first book.

A lot of the narrative is drawn out with the focus on what happens on the way rather than reaching their destination. Although seemingly pointless at times there is a reason and it isn’t until the last part of the book do you realise the things that have been put in place and what has been cleverly set up.

That is not to say that these moments during the journey are not interesting at the time. The numerous discoveries and interruptions on the way are interesting in their own way and Almond is skilled at making sure that while there are constantly new discoveries or distractions the story remains on track and does not detour too far. This means that the main story is kept on track but it is not straightforward, simple, or dull.

While many characters from the previous novel make an appearance there are a lot more introduced. With new species and races being introduced Almond is imaginative with each society in terms of their laws and practices and beliefs. The characters are quirky, cheeky, and often unusual but they each add something to the story and surprisingly all play a part in the overall scheme of things.

With multiple points of view as well as numerous quests and storylines to follow there is a lot to take in, but Almond balances it well, introducing new perspectives only when needed and alternating between them at the right times, keeping the story fluid and not too jumpy. Keeping track of new characters and what is happening with each storyline can be hard at times but it was good because it provides you with insights into what is happening to others, as well as a greater understanding of Acadia as a whole, showing many sides of the same world.

There is slight humour in the narrative, not predominantly and mainly through character dialogue, but enough to make it light while remaining suspenseful and adventurous. The character banter is also natural and it helps portray the varying levels of friendship between each person whether it is old friend, sibling, new friend, or enemy.

Almond is creative in his construction and development of surface Acadia with numerous intricate details giving it form and a solid narrative to explore the new locations and elements naturally. Descriptions are vivid and Almond uses words and dialogue to illuminate the world and various landscapes quite well. The use of comparisons not only helps to describe a scene or location but Almond cleverly uses them to also demonstrate cultural differences between characters.

The story ends with clear intentions of a third book with cliff-hangers that draw you in and tempts you to continue with the next stage of the journey, but Almond also concludes many of the problems and events raised in this novel rather nicely. Being an epic fantasy means a lot of patience is required whilst reading to allow things to develop and be put in place narrative wise, but as with the previous book the payoff is at the end when it all comes together with excitement and action, and all the pieces fall into place to make a intriguing conclusion. The next instalment of the Chronicles of Acadia is set to be an interesting read and no doubt fraught with danger as the brothers continue their quest, putting their new skills and determination to the test.

You can purchase Land of the Giants via the following

Amazon

Amazon Aust

CreateSpace

All Your Bits and Pieces Needs

Facebook

Twitter

Website

Goodreads

Tour Schedule

Author Bio:

D.M. Almond has been working in the restaurant and IT industry for the last 19 years. Over the last two, he has made time to focus on his true passion, writing stories. D.M. grew up in the small Upstate NY city, Utica (home to such rare delicacies as Tomato Pie, Utica Greens, Pusties, and Chicken Riggies) and attended “Buff State” in the amazing city Buffalo NY, where he would eventually return to run his bakery café, meet some of the best people in the world, and fall in love with his wife Julie. D.M. currently lives in beautiful Monkton, Vermont and would love to hear from you…

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