Book Review: The Great Migration by Steve Ramirez

The Great Migration

by Steve Ramirez
My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

Demons. Monsters. The s'orne are known by these names. Spreading a fever that drives humans insane, they have never been defeated in battle. Now, after a century of peace, the s'orne have returned to wreak havoc upon the cities of humanity. Bellona has spent the last eight months in the wilderness following the Great Migration. When she returns to civilization to enjoy a festival with her friends, rumors of s'orne attacks across the country begin spreading throughout the crowds. As the festival swells in blind celebration, an unlikely twist of fate reveals the true purpose of the s'orne to Bellona, challenging everything she has been taught about them. While she struggles to accept the unknowable secrets she has learned, the city's bell towers begin tolling the alarm for lockdown, signaling that a s'orne attack has already started. As the local defenses mobilize to fight the s'orne invasion, Bellona scrambles to save her loved ones from the impending onslaught. Pushed to the limits of their strength and endurance, they know they must escape the city before a contagion of insanity erupts.

Review:

I received this book from the author via OnlineBookClub.org in exchange for an honest review.
Despite its slow build, I liked this book and recommend it to young adult adventure/science fiction fans. I immediately selected this book due to the cover. The beautiful scenery surrounded by warm colors reminded me of a hot savannah adventure; quiet feminine strength radiated through the mysteriously cloaked figure and the small girl facing a herd of large animals. Not sure what to expect, I dove in and expected to be instantly transported. Sadly, this was where I ran into my first block.

I did not warm up to the storytelling style; it needed to be more cohesive and varied. The first few chapters were packed with the promised adventure. And although there were almost too many personalities to track, I started to warm up to the narrative. All at once, the tale I thought I was investing in was ripped away, and I was presented with facts that made me question everything.

Book Review: Followers by Megan Angelo

Followers

by Megan Angelo
My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

An electrifying story of two ambitious friends, the dark choices they make and the profound moment that changes the meaning of privacy forever…

Followers traces the paths of 3 women as they wind through time toward each other, and toward a cataclysmic event that sends America into lasting upheaval. At turns wry and tender, bleak and hopeful, this darkly funny story reminds us that even if we obsess over famous people we’ll never meet, what we really crave is genuine human connection. 

Review:

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not sure where to start with this one. I liked this book very much although it did throw some hurdles my way. I initially passed this book over twice when requesting titles from NetGalley. The cover art didn't entice me; after just one glance, I had already decided that the book was women's literature -- not my favorite. The cover's saving grace, and what drew me in, was the Austin Powers - fembot flair I felt pulsing from it. Once I waded through the pink and purple and read the description, I knew that I had to read this book. Much to my surprise, it was an okay balance of women's literature meets science fiction (light).

There were moments where I felt I had to "chew" through certain passages. Some sections were very verbose, consistent with classic chick-lit. As I became rooted in the story, it was very easy to get over the random bits of wordiness. The details served to build a rich environment and didn't slow down the storyline. The book hosts a group of well-developed characters that you love and love to hate - not mutually exclusive. We encounter three very different women (Orla, Floss, and Marlow) who struggle very publicly with some intensely intimate issues during a technological catastrophe/breakdown/takeover. Orla and Marlow act as narrators for the story, each retelling their experiences set in drastically different times. Incidentally, Ms. Angelo does a great job at separating and defining each timeline; happily, there were no continuity mishaps.

Book Review: Soul of Power (Jaben's Rift - Book 3)

Soul of Power

by G. David Walker
My rating: 5 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

The Altered have withdrawn. With Nyala’s and Nivek’s support, Jason and the Circle appear to have the upper hand, at least for the moment. They know, however, that this is just the calm before the final storm... 

In spite of the Circle and their Altered allies, the future of Teleria still lies squarely upon Jason Bennett’s shoulders. It’s time for Taleth’s prophecy to be fulfilled, once and for all. Dark clouds are gathering, and the final confrontation looms on the horizon. The end game is about to begin, with the world of Teleria as the ultimate prize. 

Only one thing is certain: Teleria will never be the same again.

Review:

I received a copy of this book as a gift from the author. Upon seeing the note from Mr. Walker, I could hardly contain myself. I'd been waiting for what felt like decades for the final book in this trilogy to drop.

All I can say is that it was worth the wait. As in the previous installations, this book spoke true to the mage in my heart. I held on to my copy for a week while I wrestled with the decision on whether or not it would be necessary to re-read the first two books. Then last week I jumped in and just started reading. I was immediately drawn in by the cover art. Until very recently, I didn't realize that there was even a difference in cover art on the edition. My version came with a great Manarach depiction on the cover, and I'm very happy that it did.

Book Review: The Mirror

The Mirror

by Marlys Millhiser
My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

In this twisting time-travel thriller, a woman faints on the eve of her wedding and awakens at the turn of the century in her grandmother’s body…

Review:

Hi all, Thanks for visiting. I've finally finished re-reading and writing this review. Once again, I apologize for any confusion caused by my earlier version of this review.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I recommend this book to anyone who is “into” the paranormal/time travel genre. Sadly, the internet goblins ate my first review of this work. I decided that a second read was warranted to be sure that the nuances of the story were fresh in my mind. That being said, I couldn’t put the book down, even on the second read. I was, once again, completely immersed in the story as it unfolded. Due to my love of all stories paranormal, I was immediately drawn by the book’s cover, and in fact, it was a major factor in my deciding to read it. So simple, yet so effective. The spooky image of a girl trapped in an ornate mirror. It’s safe to say that even before I read the synopsis, I knew that we would soon meet up over a steaming cup of coffee.

The characters, settings, and plot were excellently developed through a wide use of exceptional descriptors and “old time” language. I felt like I knew each character intimately and lived through their experiences as they did. Even the ancillary characters were memorable, from the stern Cornish mother-in-law all the way to the kooky antique’s dealer. Marlys artfully brings each character to life, as we read; we see the personal growth experienced in each. In addition to the awesomely quirky and loveable characters; the time-period references and descriptors were so vivid that I could almost see the scenes developing before my eyes. I loved traveling back to rural times; remembering that although so many hardships existed in the past, their way of living was so much more relaxed…. I suppose when it's man versus world many things are insignificant. Watching the town grow to present day technology was a treat as well. Marlys also transitions from past-time to present-time skillfully.

The heart of the story though is the development of the dual main characters. As I became more immersed in the story; I couldn’t help but worry about what the other character was experiencing at the time.

Book Review: Pines

Pines

by Blake Crouch
My rating: 5 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

Secret service agent Ethan Burke arrives in Wayward Pines, Idaho, with a clear mission: locate and recover two federal agents who went missing in the bucolic town one month earlier. But within minutes of his arrival, Ethan is involved in a violent accident. He comes to in a hospital, with no ID, no cell phone, and no briefcase. The medical staff seems friendly enough, but something feels…off.

Review:

I received this book through the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This fell into the category of books I couldn’t put down. I gobbled it up in one day; and it was worth every minute. I never stopped to think how eerie it would be to exist in a Norman Rockwell painting. In the opening chapter of the book we meet our main character as he struggles to make sense of the seemly idyllic town, Wayward Pines, which he has been thrust into. As an added twist, he also seems to be suffering from a serious bout of amnesia. Through various interactions with the citizens, he realizes that something strange is going on. From that point on, the entire ride is surreal

Book Review: Vector

Vector

by Vaun Murphrey
My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

Homecomings usually involve burgers, fries and apple pies; but that's not on the menu for Cassandra and Silver. They're launched into assassination attempts, bar brawls, and relationship drama just in the first 24 hours. Can they protect everyone they love from all comers before it explodes in their face? Find out in VECTOR, Book Three of the Weaver Series

Review:

In short, I loved this book. Not being familiar with this series, I was lost in the first half of this book. However, the author does bridge enough of the gaps to answer the most important questions my mind created. This created a sort of truce between me and the characters’ history. Once I felt like I was caught up on the back story, I thoroughly enjoyed this installation.

Book Review: 2020 Season 1 The Thrilling Post-Apocalyptic Series

2020 Season 1 (Episodes 1-6)

by Paul Moxham
My rating: 3 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

Who thought that January 1, 2020 would be the start of the end?

Not Logan Pollock. He only had one thought on his mind on that fateful morning, and that involved his bride to be, but in one instant, in one second, all that changed as he, along with everyone else, witnessed something so horrific and terrifying that life would never be the same ever again.....

Review:

I originally gave this book a 4 heart rating. However, I had a horrible time writing a review for it. I've finally figured out why. I don’t think I liked the story as much as I thought I did. Yeah, I know that sounds weird, but there’s no other way to say it. I found that I was unable to really get “into” the story until about 50% of the way through. Once I did get into it, I was absolutely hooked. I couldn't put down the book.

Episode 1 starts off with a bang (literally) and the action doesn’t stop from there. The plot had some predictable moments but was, for the most part, engaging. My biggest issue is that the likelihood of any of the presented situations actually occurring was zero; the outcomes were even less credible. The book is separated into 2 arcs which follow the paths of brothers, Logan and Kenneth, 3 weeks after an alien invasion. One is a love/rescue story and the other a Nike/race to the bittersweet victory story. Both arcs were full of gaps that never get filled. I feel like there is a great story at the core of this book that’s begging to be told; I don’t think that the desire was truly fulfilled in this work. Aside from my various plot issues, the writing style wasn’t bad. There were quite a few grammatical errors, but not enough to detract from the core story… well, once I got into it.

I saw many reviews where character development in this book was deemed shallow. I disagree with that. I thought the characters were well developed, they were just shallow (and some, not likable) people. It sort of mirrors life, not everyone is a complex human being. I did, however, find fault with the development of the aliens. There’s a huge (picture Grand Canyon) plot twist around the aliens that’s thrown at us and never fully explained. Once that was uncovered, I felt that the aliens were just way too weak. The chase scenes and gun fights between the aliens and the humans felt like comic relief as in Mars Attacks. Even their weakness (considering the planet they decided to attack) was comical.

I think I’ve settled into a 3 heart rating for this book. I will definitely have to be picky when recommending this book. If you’re new to this genre, then this may be the book for you. For hard-core fans of post-apocalyptic/dystopian fiction, this is not the book for you.

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Book Review: Freedom, Spiced and Drunk

Freedom, Spiced and Drunk

by M.C.A. Hogarth
My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

Synopsis

Kediil wants only to remain neuter and learn the secrets of herbs from its beloved Mardin... but at its second puberty, it turns female, and is forced to decide between accepting its new roles among the family... or something unspeakable.

Review

Set on an alien world, this poignant coming of age tale doesn’t fail to impress. We follow Kediil, a Jokka, as it has to endure puberty not once but twice. While this story is very short and reads more like epic poetry; the two main characters and their dilemmas are thoroughly developed. There are no moments of wasted words or scenes. You can feel the anguish born of Kediil's impending decision from the start of the story straight to its bittersweet ending. There were moments when I was cheering for Kediil and others when I felt that it should be chastised for its selfishness.