Category Archives: Book Review

Book Review: The Tchaikovsky by E G Sergoyan

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The Tchaikovsky by E G Sergoyan

A Mystery/Thriller Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (11/16/16)

Summary:

Diane is not thrilled to be representing Dr. Moon in court again, but at least the case is interesting. Dr. Moon is accused of kidnapping a young girl. The case should be cut and dried, but according to Dr. Moon, he had to take the girl to an audition across state lines so that she could play The Tchaikovsky violin Concerto in D major in order to release her late music teacher from possession of her body. And Dr. Moon is a psychic.

Keywords:

Violin, Possession, Erhu, Tradition, Tchaikovsky, Obsession, Perfection, Music, Lawyers, Accusations, Psychic, Accusations, Frustration, Ghost, Spirit, Con Artist, Trial

My Review:

What a story! It didn’t take long to suck me into this story. The buildup and pacing was phenomenal and the characters were so interesting and compelling. The magical realism/unearthly/ghostly part of the story wasn’t overwhelming or unusual in its treatment.

I loved the back and forth opinions on Dr. Moon. Is he a con artist or is he the real deal? Do people believe in spirits, ghosts, and possession? What is really wrong with Jane? Though I didn’t wish for Jane to be plagued by anything, I was amused that the drugs prescribed by a ‘real’ doctor weren’t working for her and made everything worse.

Diane and Dr. Moon’s relationship was interesting and I loved their first encounter on the street. Both characters, and all the other characters in fact felt full, real and well-developed.

The ending was amazing and I loved how the author handled the subplots of the story. Everything came together so remarkably!

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC 11/16/2016 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.00

Links for more information:

E.G. Sergoyan’s Website

Book Review: Unchosen by Jeffrey Cook and Katherine Perkins

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Unchosen by Jeffrey Cook and Katherine Perkins

A Dark Fantasy Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (10/10/17)

Summary:

“There’s no more ifs. There’s no more maybes.” (Page 104).

Everything went wrong when the chosen one died. Had they horribly misinterpreted the prophecy? Their world will now be under Xaramor’s rule for thousands of years, but there may still be hope for the chosen one’s four companions to still save the world.

Keywords:

Powerful Females, Diversity, Epic Fantasy, Fight, Prophecy, Tragedy, Death, Baba Yaga, Doom, Hope, Travel, Tower, Magic, Healing, Battle

My Review:

I noticed. The chosen one may have been your typical young male, but those left behind were the most diverse cast of characters. I appreciated so much this fact that two of the main four characters were powerful females with their own distinct personalities and abilities (Celeste and Noriko). The other two main characters were also diverse in their own ways as well (Nils and Hobie).

I liked how the chapters had their own POV and we got to see the unfolding of the world from different voices and get a little more inside the main characters’ heads.

I enjoyed the breadth of the world that the main characters traveled to accomplish their missions – the book had a definite Lord of the Rings vibe – even if for most of the action they didn’t really have one distinct mission. How to stop Xaramor? You can’t just stop him!

This book turned “the chosen one” trope upside down and showed how sometimes prophecies can be misinterpreted. Finally, a realistic plotline! They didn’t always get it right on the first guess – which is where mayhem and battles ensued. Although there’s lots of death and violence, this book isn’t bloody and gory.

I’ve never read such a good and well written middle – but I did sorely miss the traditional beginning, middle and end of a “chosen” one fantasy. This book was a deviation from the norm. It was fun and different. I loved the Baba Yaga scenes.

The book featured a truly epic final battle – worthy of the slow, slow buildup from the beginning of the end in the beginning to the end of the end at the end.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC 10/10/2017 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 3.50

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Jeffrey Cook on FreeValley Publishing

Jeffrey Cook’s Facebook

Book Review: Dragons of Frost and Fire by Susan Brown

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Dragons of Frost and Fire by Susan Brown

A Fantasy Novel published by Susan Brown (05/23/15)

Summary:

Kit is relentless in her search to find her mother. She KNOWS that her mother is still alive. She will do anything – brave the cold death-dealing wilderness of Alaska by herself – to find her mother. It’s been a year since her mother disappeared, but Kit won’t give up. The magical knife tells her that she still has time to save her mother, she just has to figure out what the small town of Silver Claw is hiding and how the secret of the town is related to her mother’s disappearance.

Keywords:

Magic, Sorcery, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Family, Small Town, Secrets, Dragons, Genetic Mutation, Alaska, Wilderness, Survival, Blizzard, Storm, Magical Object, Friendship

My Review:

Kit is a larger-than-life character. Her need to find her mother is so all consuming in her mind. She believes with all her being that her mother, even after a year lost in the Alaskan wilderness, is still alive. That amount of conviction blows my mind. Her passion and devotion to her search is very endearing. She cares so much about her family and her mother. I wanted her to succeed!

The mystery of Silver Claw kept drawing me in. As much as Kit, and I as the reader, wanted to like some of the townsfolk, the suspicion was ever present on the surface. What did the town do to Kit’s mother? What were they hiding about her disappearance? Why did her lab notes disappear? What did she find out? The mystery is well paced in this story and the clues were gradually revealed and well placed.

The fantasy elements didn’t play a major part in the plot of the story. A magical knife did help Kit and was evidence to the fact that her mother was still alive. The ending did contain quite the fantasy reveal. This book appealed to me quite a bit because it focused on the characters and the secret that Silver Claw kept hidden within its residents. This is a fantasy book for non-fantasy readers as well as fantasy readers.

This novel was published by Susan Brown on 05/23/2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.75

Links for more information:

Susan Brown’s Website

Goodreads

Book Review: Falling Into Flight by Linda Jordan

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Falling Into Flight by Linda Jordan

A Science Fantasy Novel published through Metamorphosis Press (3/27/15)

Summary:

Caer was the first person born into the post-apocalyptic Seattle with wings. In a world where buildings are grown and ballets are performed in the air, Caer fits right in with her dance company. She only wants to dance, but fate has other plans.

Keywords:

Wings, Evolution, Arts, Dancing, Air Dancing, Flying Ballet, Creativity, Building, Architecture, Family, Future, Apocalyptic, Romance, Soul Mate, Dreaming, Corporate, Corruption

My Review:

A new take on post-apocalyptic fiction! I absolutely love the crossover that happens when science fiction meets fantasy and this book was a wonderful example. Buildings can magically grow and people can be born with wings in this society. These two aspects are uniquely distinct for this world, but they both grew out of the post-apocalyptic history of the world.

I love books set in Seattle and it was interesting to see which parts were ‘underwater’ and which parts were ‘new.’ In this world, there are still high-rises (because buildings grow). I would have liked to see more detail (science) into how they grew buildings, how they killed buildings, and everything in between for this new technology.

The details of the air ballet were incredible and I felt like I was right there in that building watching that performance. I wish air ballet existed today.

The storytelling was smooth and the world building was unique. I wouldn’t mind reading more fantasy by Linda Jordan.

This novel was published through Metamorphosis Press on 3/27/2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.50

Links for more information:

Linda Jordan’s Website

Goodreads

Book Review: Sammy and the Devil Dog by Susan Brown

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Sammy and the Devil Dog by Susan Brown

A Middle Grade Novel published through Yellow Farmhouse Publications (9/21/17)

Summary:

Sammy can’t seem to get to school on time or stay away from trouble. She can’t let bullies go unanswered. When she finds an abused dog, without hesitation, she decides to save him. The dog is still a puppy, but has a lot to learn to be a nice and good dog. Sammy will go to great lengths to save him.

Keywords:

Dog, Puppy, Dog Training, Aggressive Dog, Animal Abuse, Bullying, Standing Up, Speaking Out, Family, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Friends, Friendship, School

My Review:

Sammy’s faults are her strengths. She doesn’t always fit into society the way she’s supposed to. She would rather save a helpless animal than be on time to school. She is misunderstood by those around her and yet she still sticks up for what she believes in. She is a person and a character that everyone will root for. Her moral code is so strong that she doesn’t think twice about helping someone else, but sometimes those actions can be quite selfish. She can’t help everyone and sometimes in the process of helping one person or animal, she is hurting someone else.

This book showed so many realistic characters and situations. I was right there with Sammy as she found Jack. I was still right there with her when she thought about her mother and what she wasn’t getting from her mother. I felt like I understood Sammy’s perspective so completely, and yet she is still a child with a lot of learning to do. As an adult reading this story I can also understood the mother’s point of view and sympathize with both mother and daughter.

This is a great read for kids and adults, especially if they’re reading it together. The characters showed a lot of growth.

This novel was published through Yellow Farmhouse Publications on 9/21/2017 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.75

Links for more information:

Susan Brown’s Website 

Book Review: House Divided by Jami Deise

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House Divided by Jami Deise

A Contemporary Humorous Fiction Novel published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. (11/08/17)

Summary:

“…because like every other working mom in America, the logistics of day-to-day suburban life with school-age kids fell squarely on my shoulders.” (Kindle Locations 393-394).

Erin and Jack are married with two kids. They both have careers. They have opposite political views. They can leave all the politics at work. That is, until Erin loses her job and Jack gets an amazing job offer – as the star of a very politically-centered show. The new money means Erin can be a stay-at-home mom, like Jack’s always wanted her to be. Erin never wanted to be a trophy wife, but jobs are slim for democrats. Home life is just as busy as work life, but without a career, Erin doesn’t really know who she is anymore.

Keywords:

Humor, Politics, Republicans, Democrats, Organizations, Working Mothers, Stay at Home Mothers, Family, Husband and Wife, Kids Activities, Soccer, Work/Life Balance, Politically Correct, Career, TV, Republican TV

My Review:

So many times during my read of this novel, I grew frustrated with Jack because Erin did all the work in the house! Gah! If Erin wants to have a career, she should be able to have a career! This book made me frustrated! Frustrated for Erin and her situation, how people treated her and thought about her, and how Jack disregarded her wants and dreams.

My life is so different from Erin’s life. I learned so much about the chaos of working motherhood, stay-at-home parenting, living above your means, trying to keep up with the upper class, and so much more! This book had so many world building details and insights into the lives of these unique characters. I felt like I learned so much!

This book was so entertaining! The dialogue was spot on. The writing style was immersive, eloquent, and smooth. The storyline made sense . The characters were detailed and interesting – flawed and everything.

I loved this story and the writing style and can’t wait to read the next book from Deise.

I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest opinion.

This novel was published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. on 11/08/2017 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.0

Links for more information:

Jami Deise’s Website

Facebook

Book Review: Shy Ways by Susan Griner

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Shy Ways by Susan Griner

A Middle Grade Novel published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. (08/28/17)

Summary:

“I wanted a day off from being part Japanese, part anything.” (Page 145).

Sarah doesn’t like her new home or her new school. The other kids call her mean names because she’s half-Japanese. She wishes she would stand up for herself and speak up, but every time she doesn’t say a word and sometimes cries instead. When the plant where her father and most of the town works has an accident with a chemical leak, it will affect Sarah’s entire family and the whole town. Sarah will forget all about the mean, ignorant comments at school when her mother falls into a deep depression. Taking charge, Sarah will have to find her voice and help her mother.

Keywords:

Sisters, School, Mean Comments, Bullying, Japanese-American, Bi-Racial, New School, New Town, Small Town, PTSD, Racism, Chemical Pollution, Depression, Mothers, Family, Growing Up

My Review:

The story really picks up after the incident at the plant, but we see such a change in Sarah’s home life from before the accident to after. Sarah herself goes through quite a transformation from the beginning of the book to the end. She grows up a lot for a young girl and learns quite a few lessons – like standing up and saying something when someone says something ignorant and mean. She also learns to embrace her mother and her ethnicity, even though it isn’t a part of her life at all except for her heritage.

Both Sarah and her sister were so true to their ages that I could picture them clearly as the kids they were. The young one blurts out whatever’s on her mind and the older one tries to do what she thinks she’s supposed to or follow social norms.

This is a great example of a book of diversity – drawing on issues that kids face when they grow up as second generation Americans.

This novel was published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. on 08/28/2017 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.50

Links for more information:

Susan Griner’s Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Book Review: Dissident (Forbidden Things Book 1) by Nikki McCormack

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Dissident (Forbidden Things Book 1) by Nikki McCormack

A Fantasy Novel published by Amazon Digital Services, Inc. (9/02/14)

Summary:

Indigo has always suppressed her Ascard power because society does not allow the use of powerful Ascard. She can use a limited amount as a healer but has worked all her life to hold in her inner aspect and connection to Ascard. Her power does not go completely unnoticed, as an exotic stranger contacts her through Ascard, seeking her help. Intrigued by him and ruffled by her rocky relationship with her fiancé, she follows the stranger into his prison. After she helps him escape, she thinks she will never see him again. Fate brings them together again, but he still needs her help.

Keywords:

Power, Control, Magic, Inner Strength, Inner Aspect, Travel, War, Fighting, Struggle, Talent, Healing, Abuse, Sex, Love, Creation, Lies, Slaves

My Review:

This novel had a great balance  between romance, fantasy and plot. I was pulled in by Indigo’s struggles to live up to others’ expectations in her restrictive society and her struggles with her fiancé. The intrigue and quick attraction between Indigo and Yiloch pulled me into the romantic aspect of the book and the plot kept the entire novel together as action wove through until the end.

Indigo is a role model for female characters. She’s strong, not in relation to man, but in relation to her enemies and her friends. She doesn’t have to stay in her relationship. She has control over her fiancé in a way he can’t even fathom. She isn’t smug about her skills and she doesn’t look down on others, even though she is stronger than everyone around her, even her teacher.

I enjoyed the writing style of this fantasy novel, just as much as the clean writing of McCormack’s steampunk series – Clockwork Enterprises.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services, Inc. on 06/09/2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.50

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Twitter

Nikki McCormack’s Website

Book Review: First Daughter (The Royals of Dharia, Book Three) by Susan Kaye Quinn

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First Daughter (The Royals of Dharia, Book Three) by Susan Kaye Quinn

A Fantasy Novel published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. (09/29/14)

Summary:

Aniri is ready to do anything to save her home kingdom and her future kingdom, but first daughter Nahali will be the new leader of Dharia soon and they don’t always agree. Nahali thinks war is the answer while Aniri still hopes that war can be evaded by stopping the second son of Samir and his deadly skyship from within.

Keywords:

Fantasy, Airship, Mountains, Barbarians, War, Threats, Royalty, Duty, Romance, Duels, Intrigue, Secrets, Love, Alternate Reality, East Indian, Arranged Marriage

My Review:

Twists and turns and adventure cover the pages of this last novel. Of the three Royals of Dharia books in this trilogy, First Daughter is the most exciting and filled with the most action! The book was very fast paced.

Aniri grew and changed so much in the course of these three books, coming into her own as a soon-to-be queen of her own kingdom. Each of the sisters of Dharia; Seledri, Nahali, and Aniri grew into their own by the end of this trilogy. I loved how their bond of sisterhood was the strongest in the end and seeing their love for each other as they fought for each other and their kingdoms was wonderful to behold. I loved how different each of the sisters were in their personalities, their actions and their political predicaments.

A great ending to a fantastic, steampunkian and historically-angled trilogy!

This novel was published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. on 09/29/2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.25

Links for more information:

Susan Kaye Quinn’s Website

Goodreads

Book Review: Second Daughter (The Royals of Dharia, Book Two) by Susan Kaye Quinn

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Second Daughter (The Royals of Dharia, Book Two) by Susan Kaye Quinn

A Fantasy Novel published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. (06/30/14)

Summary:

Does Samir have its own skyship? Aniri fears the worst but she has more pressing issues at the moment: her impending marriage. She questions her love for him. Was it only built on the adrenaline of adventure? She won’t have time to think about it because her sister, future Queen of Samir, is rumored to have been poisoned and Aniri is quick to rush to Seledri’s aid.

Keywords:

Fantasy, Airship, Mountains, Barbarians, War, Threats, Royalty, Duty, Romance, Duels, Intrigue, Secrets, Love, Alternate Reality, East Indian, Arranged Marriage

My Review:

The action in this book is tempered by the back and forth thoughts and feelings Aniri has for her marriage. If you have ever felt the butterflies and reservations of an engagement, you are sure to sympathize with Aniri. Or is she just being childish? It’s interesting to watch her try to push her personal troubles aside to help her sister, when those troubles follow her around everywhere she goes. She cannot escape her own fate, her own feelings, or the feelings of her soon-to-be-husband.

I really liked how the plot unfolded in Samir with Seledri’s husband, Aniri’s father, and the ever intrusive ex-courtesan. His re-introduction into this story made me roll my eyes, but he added so much more tension than Aniri could ever create just by herself.

This novel was published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. on June 30th, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.25

Links for more information:

Susan Kaye Quinn’s Website

Goodreads