Fatal Abduction (IFICS #3) by Julia Crane

03 Nov 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, IFICS, Science Fiction, Young Adult Tags: , , , ,

Published: 3rd November 2014
Goodreads badgePublisher: Valknut Press
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

There’s a serial killer at large. His victims just happen to resemble Kaitlyn—dark haired, pale skin and athletic build. Kaitlyn goes undercover, attending a prestigious high school to try to lure the killer into a trap and save the lives of other potential victims. Will she be able to catch the killer before his body count rises? Or will she become the next victim?

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

I love this series. I think Crane has taken a brilliant idea and made it into a clever and engaging story that is fun while being technical and enthralling. Following Kaitlyn adjust in the real world is always a joy as Crane highlights many difficulties and complexities human nature has that we never consciously realise.

The story Crane has written is one that adds a great reality into Kaitlyn’s life and it shows that sometimes not everyone can be saved and things can take time to heal. The aftermath of the previous book flows over into this one as two storylines flow side by side. There is a traitor in the team that almost jeopardised the previous mission and while there is a pressing need to find out who is leaking sensitive information to the other side, Kaitlyn is eager to stop the serial killer that has been abducting and killing young girls in the area. I liked the duel line as it demonstrates that things aren’t always tied up neatly at the end of a book. The aftermath and consequences remain and these can lead to additional problems as Crane demonstrates.

Being the third book in the series the focus solely on Kaitlyn and her abilities is lessening. It is still there, but after a strong introduction in previous books the movement is on how her abilities are being used and what missions she is undertaking. There is also a greater focus on the team environment. Kaitlyn works with Lucas and others in tracking down the killer and it is great to see the diverse relationships Kaitlyn has with various members of her team. Her confusion over certain feelings and actions remain which bring humour and fun into the story, and it is great to see how she interprets and interacts with people, her passion and loyalty bringing out the best in her and others.

Being part machine Crane doesn’t neglect the fact that no matter how hard Kaitlyn tries to fit in there are still issues and concerns, and Crane manages to display Kaitlyn’s attempts and misunderstandings brilliantly as you see how her mind works and how she is trying to process the information she is given and social behaviours she must follow, things people never normally have to think about are suddenly broken down into conscious decisions.

Just like the previous book, Crane shows us the perspective of others, not just Kaitlyn, meaning there is a wonderful contrast between the narrative voices as we enter the mind of the serial killer Kaitlyn is trying to stop as well as Kaitlyn herself. I really liked this duel approach because Crane doesn’t try and influence the reader by intentionally making the killer appear obviously crazy, instead we see his thought processes and actions, we follow his line of thinking and make our own minds up without Crane swaying us one way or another. Of course with Kaitlyn’s point of view there is her judgement on the situation, but by getting into the mind of the killer brings an added fascination to the story, one where there is an understandable, yet mad, logic to his actions.

The narrative is filled with suspense and Crane builds up the tension and intrigue well. With both sides being depicted there is a definite feeling of the two coming to a head and you watch as there are near misses and close calls on both sides that only make it more exciting and make you wonder how and if the man dubbed the Dollhouse Killer will be caught.

Once again Crane has created a story that is fascinating to read that is a wonderful example of the imagination. Crane writes with an intensity that gets you hooked and keeps you reading meaning not every scene needs to be filled with action, drama, or suspense and yet Crane manages to keep you interested and involved, unable to remove yourself from the gripping and wonderful story she has created.

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The Donor (Part Three) by Nikki Rae

29 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, The Donor, Young Adult Tags: , , , , , ,

Published: 30th September 2014
Goodreads badgePublisher: Self published
Format: ebook
Genre:  Young Adult/New Adult
★   ★   ★   ★  ★  – 5 Stars

[Disclaimer: This is a serial novella that will be told in parts about the length of a short story (20-30 pages)]

Casey may have not known what was in store for her when she met Jonah Black on MyTrueMatch.com, but now that she’s with him, life has become even more unexpected. She’s discovered someone else in the picture and now she cannot figure out how she fits into the puzzle.

Convinced that he doesn’t need her, Casey is torn between giving up and doing whatever it takes to help her family. But Jonah, it turns out, needs her more than she knows.

Time is something neither of them have.
Can they hold each other together as the clock runs out?

Note: I was given a copy of this book to review

This is the final instalment in Nikki Rae’s The Donor novella and it is an excellent conclusion to a great story. The characters really drive this novella and we see them shine once more with Casey’s relationship with Jonah as well as with her family. Even through three short instalments a clear understanding of who these characters are is established. Rae uses her words well and with care and everything has a purpose.

The story follows on from the surprise in part two and it takes the relationship between Casey and Jonah somewhere new and unexpected. There are many surprising revelations but Rae maintains the calm and emotional connection between her characters and uses this to bring more sensitivity and sentiment into the story rather than over the top hype.

When we are first introduced to Casey we are unsure of what her intentions with Jonah are, and with each part we have seen their connection grow, as well as understand more of what their relationship involves. With the conclusion of this novella it is clear there is so much more to learn and it seems Casey is not the only one hiding secrets. Rae manages to change what you thought you knew about Jonah and Casey and transforms this little story into something even better than it was before.

Rae gets you so involved with Jonah and Casey that when the ending comes you are not expecting it. It isn’t that there is anything grand or outrageous in terms of action, but how Rae portrays these characters, each with their own vulnerabilities and insecurities, is great to read. Each part of this story has been a slow emergence of their thoughts and feelings, a gradual intimacy that doesn’t need over the top excitement or extravagances. The two of them together, still so unsure of one another, but still with a strong connection, brings out the best in The Donor and you realise just who these characters are and what they mean to one another and the purpose they bring to each other’s lives.

The ending is ideal. I found a “Wait, what?” escape from my mouth when I realised it didn’t keep going and stops where it does but after I recovered I realised it was the best ending to have, satisfactory but without having to play out everything in detail. Rae’s stories seem to do that, you get so invested into her stories that when the ending comes it is hard to believe they’re over. But they are given the best kind of endings for the story and Rae gives you the pleasure of furthering the story in your mind while not leaving you unhappy or without a solution or answers. Once again The Donor follows suit as Rae manages to conclude this novella with style and in a way that gives you answers but also doesn’t need to wrap everything up perfectly. A great conclusion to a wonderful novella.

 

 

 

 

 

Fractured Innocence (IFICS #2) by Julia Crane

24 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, General, IFICS, Science Fiction, Young Adult Tags: , , , ,

Published: 6th February 2014
Goodreads badgePublisher: Valknut Press
Pages: 194
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction
★   ★   ★   ★  ★  – 5 Stars

*Warning 17+ due to sexual gritty topic and language. 

Kaitlyn and Erik are sent on a mission to track down Vance Dasvoik, a ruthless monster. His latest thrill—abducting and selling young women.

Vance’s current victim: Aaliyah, a seventeen-year-old who never imagined walking her brother home from school one evening would change her life forever.

The mission quickly turns personal for Kaitlyn when she finds Aaliyah beaten, her mind and soul fractured from abuse of the worst kind. Kaitlyn knows firsthand what it’s like to be haunted by the past and resolves to bring justice to the elusive Dasvoik.

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

In the previous book we were introduced to Kaitlyn and her abilities as well as her life at the compound. With this second book, the story takes a different direction as we see Kaitlyn in action, doing exactly what she has been designed to do and using her super soldier abilities to hunt down human trafficker Vance Dasvoik.

The story takes place mainly off the compound which was great because it allowed you to see how other people see Kaitlyn, not just those who know what she is. This also demonstrated how far Kaitlyn has come in trying to integrate with society and how she copes in the real world.

Like before we get multiple points of view from Kaitlyn and Lucus, but there is also the perspective of Aaliyah, a young girl who has been kidnapped by Davoik. Aaliyah’s perspective balances out the others nicely and it shows readers the other side: what is happening to the victims, and who and why Dasvoik is the target of the operation.

There is some recapping but it very minimal and Crane does well to keep it natural and within the story. It is also spread throughout so it does not impact on the flow by getting it over in one go, nor does it leave you confused about what has happened beforehand by ignoring it completely. By having a space between the last book and this one Crane manages to blend the recap in with the explanation about what has happened in that time as well as the developments and improvements Kaitlyn has made.

Kaitlyn is different, she no longer has to hide her true self and she is more open about what confuses her and what she is capable of. She still has a lot to learn and because of the logical part of her she does not always know why she needs to learn certain things, but she complies any way, eager to fit in.

As for Aaliyah, Crane is tactful but honest and description with her ordeal and situation. There are strong sexual and violent moments but Crane handles it well, bringing us into Aaliyah’s experience and her mind. The story captures the trauma and terrifying events, bringing out the emotional response not just the descriptive. As terrible as it is, Crane does a brilliant job in the gradual and realistic progression of Aaliyah and what she goes through, we see her struggle, cope, and reason with what she goes through. It makes for great reading, if at times a bit hard to read. You feel so sorry for her, but admire her strength and you hope that she is strong enough to recover.

The Aaliyah storyline and perspective is shocking, but it brings reality and conflict into the story, bringing it into the real world and away from the science experiment feel from the first book. This is a great sequel because you see Kaitlyn in action doing what she has been designed to do and the mission is it makes an already great story a gripping and intense one.

 

Purchase Fatal Abduction via the following

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Twisted Reflections (#2) by Shay West

16 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Adventures of Alexis Davenport, Science Fiction, Young Adult Tags: , , , , ,

Published: 24th July 2014
Goodreads badgePublisher: Booktrope Editions
Pages: 190
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Historical/Science Fiction
★   ★   ★  – 3 Stars

Alexis Davenport is learning to come to grips with her ability to travel through time, but she still hasn’t been able to stop the evil Drifter and his Master from trying to alter the past.

When she travels back to ancient Egypt, Alex gets a most unexpected surprise; she meets someone who can help her figure out how to use her powers, another Traveler like herself.

But can Alex learn how to control her gift before Drifter finds a way to stop her from meddling in his Master’s plans?

 

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

Twisted Reflections is the second book in the Adventures of Alexis Davenport series and one that offers up a bit more information in the mystery that is Alexis Davenport and why she may have been chosen to stop someone messing with history. Alexis meets another traveller like herself during one of her trips who tries to help guide her on what her role may be. Their chance meeting gives Alexis an opportunity to gain more insight into her gift and realise just how important her mission is.

The novel covers a longer amount of time, but does jump forward most of it, skipping a lot of the school year. There is less importance placed on the Catelyn/Beau drama of the first book, and while there seemed to be a tense build up to the new school year West chooses to skip most of it instead, choosing to focus more on the summer holidays and Alexis’ relationship with her mother and friends.

Once again I felt that the time travelling aspect was a better read than the other parts in terms of story, style, and character, and though while some of the parts that faulted last time are improved, other issues develop and some are just redirected. Alexis again comes across as petulant and whiny, and she is certainly petty and jealous, but I’m starting to see that’s just who she is. But considering how much better she is when she is travelling it’s hard to see her as the same personality, though admittedly sometimes it slips through.

The writing and narrative is not perfect but the story is interesting and keeps you reading. The characters have out of the blue emotional outbursts and occasionally seem unreasonable and peculiar with no real explanation or warning but this does not really take away from enjoying the other parts of the story. The real intrigue comes from the time travelling parts where West writes curious and fascinating versions of historical moments and points in time. You forget any issue you had with the other parts and become involved with the period of time and the story it involves. The concept West has created is engaging and intriguing, with enough mystery and variability to keep you guessing and eager to find out, but not slow enough that it becomes predictable.

The ending is also once again very well done. It manages to bring the story to a new level and natural progression that adds a twist and a surprise to the reader while also offering more information and making you eager for the next book.

 

Purchase Twsited Reflections via the following

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Dangerous Reflections (#1) by Shay West

25 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Adventures of Alexis Davenport, Science Fiction, Young Adult Tags: , , , , , ,

Published: 17th June 2014
Goodreads badgePublisher: Booktrope Editions
Pages: 214
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Historical/Science Fiction
★   ★   ★  – 3 Stars

Alexis Davenport wants to go home. She hates her new school, her mother for moving her away from her friends, and her father for walking out.

To make matters worse, Alex is haunted by images of strange girls reflected in her mirror. It’s bad enough juggling homework, a relentless bully, boys, and a deadbeat dad; now, she must save the world from an evil presence hell-bent on changing the past – and our futures. Who knew her A+ in history was going to be this important?

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

I like the concept that West has created, it is clever, interesting, and has room to grow and develop.  Trying to find out why someone is trying to alter history and change key moments in time is fascinating in itself, but added with the fact Alex is the one to stop them, a girl unaware of her abilities and thrown into this situation makes it an intriguing read. I enjoyed the gradual progression into discovering Alex’s abilities. Starting slow allows a believable development in the emergence of her gift and it also makes it a good introduction for the reader. Once Alex understands more so does the reader, and allows the narrative to move on and increases the enjoyment of the story that one step further. This progression ends when Alex is physically drawn in through the mirror and finds herself out of her own time and out of her own body. Alex is pulled against her will into history, not knowing where she will end up or why.

There is no real introduction into Alex’s abilities, we are confused just like she is, but she handles it surprisingly well. Whether her love of history trumps the fear of what has occurred, or even an ingrained sense of her abilities I don’t know. I think also that when you are living something, regardless of when or where, you get caught up in the situation, something which is evident in the events of not just Alex’s first journey but the others as well. It isn’t until she returns and has time to process that she can reflect on what has happened.

Alex’s ability to travel into the past is not the sole focus of the story. The novel starts with Alex and her mother moving to live with her aunt after her father leaves. This gives us an introduction into Alex and the anger she feels towards her mother and the inconvenience she believes it has added to her life. These feelings balance out somewhat, rearing their head on occasion, but it isn’t long before Alex settles in with new friends and learns to like her new town.

The two sides of the story are not connected by anything other than Alex at this point. Alex is still a regular girl trying to get through high school, survive bullies, and get the attention of the boy she likes. There is a message about self confidence and being yourself, as well as the troubles of being a teenager, especially a fifteen year old girl, trying to fit in. It is sad in the beginning watching Alex try to be a different person, trying to be the person she thought she should be but it’s nice watching this attitude change as the book goes on. Alex experiences new things through her time in the past and gains confidence in herself to be who she is and not worry about what others think.

Having said that she is still prone to the temper tantrums and hissy fits she has in the beginning. I understood Alex’s sullen and angry nature at the beginning when we are told about her dad and the move, but she falls into the whiny teenager very quickly when things don’t go her way. I understand there are factors such as bullying that lead to a few of these, but they seem so extreme and a little childish, not like a teenage outburst at all. I felt that when she got upset about something she almost changed personalities. She doesn’t seem selfish or childish until things don’t go her way and when this happens it doesn’t seem to fit.

I can’t put my finger on it but the writing style didn’t always sit right either. I liked the story when Alex is in the past, the writing feels natural and runs smoothly, but when it came to her everyday life something seemed off, maybe a little bit stilted, it wasn’t enough that it threw you off the story but I did notice a difference. I don’t think that was intentional, certainly the story itself was interesting though you could almost claim the story rushed in places, but perhaps it is because we stay more within Alex’s thoughts rather than alternating to others like her mother and her friends’ thoughts at times.

As I say, when she is in the past or discussing her journeys it is very engaging. The more often Alex goes on these journeys the better she gets at coping and you are able to see that she is learning. She gains more memories of the person she inhabits, hones in on her skills and adapts more easily. In West’s writing you are also able to see the smooth blending of Alex’s mind and the other person’s. She alternates effortlessly between her memories and those of the host, and she inhabits the body well, allowing you to accept for a moment she is actually the other person, not just Alex’s spirit inside another person.

West also gives us a small insight into the other side of the story, the perspective of the man trying to change history. Nothing is given away, but through hints and clues, and combined with what Alex learns the puzzle can be pieced together, but is still nowhere near complete. I like that this is added in the first book, it is a tease of what is happening and gives us a mystery to hang on to besides total uncertainty or having to wait for further books to know more.

What I liked with West’s writing was the way we often understand things after the fact. Through Alex’s journeys and the numerous perspectives, you are able to gain a small understanding about what is happening. Seeing the “villain’s” point on view offers some information, but Alex also helps us understand as she tries to make sense of it to herself. We also learn a little about Alex’s gift through others, but we aren’t told, West lets us piece it together, and even then there are a lot of unanswered questions.

There is a lot more I could say about this book, there is a lot going on from both sides of Alex’s life that are worth mentioning but I would end up with an essay. I enjoyed both sides of Alex’s life and see a great start to a series forming, certainly one that captures the modern and historical. I have no doubt we will learn a lot more about Alex and the mysterious man in the next book and it is evident West has created a premise that is intriguing enough to make you want to keep reading. With a cliff hanger of sorts West leaves enough open ends to tempt you but also enough answers to satisfy you with a creative concept that not only mystifies, but requires a solution and an explanation not just for the characters, but for the readers as well.

 

Purchase Dangerous Reflections via the following

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