Category Archives: Book Review

Book Review: High Born by Natalia Leigh

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High Born by Natalia Leigh

A Fantasy Novel published through CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 22, 2014)

Summary:

Blaer is the servant who wants the prince, but when her dreams of marrying for love are dashed, she runs away. She only means to go to the next town, but is chased into the forest. After being rescued, captured, imprisoned, slapped, threatened, and kept under close watch, Blaer must find out who she truly is and what she is really capable of to save those she loves.

 

Keywords:

 Forbidden romance, Princes and Princesses, Lycanthropy, Heroine, Series

 

My Review:

Blaer is a character that blossoms in High Born. She starts out as that whiny pathetic female character archetype who can hardly think on her own, let alone help herself out in times of trouble. She was on her way to being a static character and I was puzzled that she was chosen as the main character, that she was somehow “special.” It is her very uniqueness that pulls her out of her character rut and into a more dynamic and take-control person. Slowly, so slowly, she changes. That is, in fact, more realistic. If in real life people don’t change suddenly from weaklings needing to be rescued into heroes and heroines, neither should characters in books. Leigh gives us a complete character, one with misgivings and timidity, one who learns to accept who she is and what she must do, and becomes our perfect plucky heroine.

I was surprised at the oxymoron presented in this novel, that it was said Dominic was a stickler for traditions, but his actions did not support this statement. If Dominic were such a stickler with tradition, why would he deign to talk to the servant Blair? What is tradition in this world? I was left wanting for more description of time and place. The specific settings were very much developed, but the overall context of the world that they lived in was left unnaturally blank. How am I to know what “traditional” truly is if I cannot peg the time period? The dialogue does not suggest medieval or renaissance, although the use of kings, queens and servants, does. In my mind I rectified this because I thought of this novel as taking place in an alternate reality similar to our own. And that is what I love about Young Adult as a genre. It is approachable and understandable for such a wide audience. The dialogue is similar to our own. The characters and their problems are similar to us and our own. When Leigh adds the fantasy element, voile, a book is born.

I didn’t care for a lot of Blaer’s personality before she blossomed. She was kind of dense and pathetic as a person. If I can guess the caveats in the book when it is written in first person, she should too, or at least make guesses hereslf, but they go over her head entirely until a big reveal. She should have been able to guess or even know who Rowan’s father was, who the wolves at the bottom of the trees were. If “The makings of a great leader were in my blood.” (Location 4043), she should have been able to make these simple deductions.

I was worried when Leigh introduced her main fantastical element, because of its previous cliched use in literature. I didn’t have to worry. Other than the too serious label for the magical element: lycanthrope, I was not disappointed in the author’s use of the concept of animal transformation/werewolves.

I rather enjoyed the author’s subtle, perhaps even unintentional, minor character role reversal. It was a play on the traditional and the cliché. The mother held the role of the father and gave away her daughter’s hand for the good of the girl. This tradition is usually reserved for the girl’s father, going against her wishes and desires to give her a better life. The relationship between Blaer and Dominic was also akin to role reversal. Dominic had the very small role usually reserved for the wench the main character (a la a man) falls in love with and who has no personality.

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a story with a female main character or a fantasy story with animal transformations.

This novel was published through CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform August 14, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.

 

TLDR Star Rating: 3.75

 

Links for more information:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22969892-high-born

Blog: http://natalialeighbooks.blogspot.com/

Book Review: Empress Chronicles by Suzy Vitello

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The Empress Chronicles by Suzy Vitello

A Fantasy Novel published by Diversion Books (09/01/2014)

Summary:

Two young women are separated by time. They are both at the height of their adolescence, growing and learning. What is expected of each is different because they are separated by 150 years, but both women want what they can’t have.

Liz wants to be normal, but is surrounded by an unstable environment and troubled with an obsessive-compulsive disorder with secondary anorexic symptoms. Elisabeth of Bavaria (Sisi) wants a man who is not in her future and will go to great lengths to try to change this destiny.

The two realities collide through a common diary, and a story of two ladies trying to control their own worlds is born.

 

Keywords:

Teens, Drama, Finding Yourself, Disorders, OCD, Family, Fitting In, Love

 

My Review:

The Empress Chronicles by Suzy Vitello was so raw and convincing that my real life was influenced by the abundance of sensory detail in the book. I had a chiropractor’s appointment and I was so enveloped in Liz’s character’s aversion to germs and dirt that I myself was so grossed out by the minuscule hand print left on the lie-down table that I had to have the entire surface wiped down for me. Vitello uses the senses unlike any other author in her novel The Empress Chronicles. She made me revolt against a normal amount of dirt, not to the point of obsessive-compulsiveness, but  I emulated Liz’s symptoms. .

Vitello not only put me through the discomfort of Liz’s disorder, but also through the awkwardness of a teen coming of age, of the confusion that comes with divorce, and all the unpleasant thoughts and things that happen to teenagers. At times the language was hard and vulgar and into the nitty gritty of the unpleasant realities of a teen girl’s life.

It was as if the book was written about someone the author knew intimately, knew all about. Vitello describes classical music, horses and the intricacies of a teenager with the eye of someone who knows, who has seen this person. All that sensory information from someone living in a world of a disorder was detailed and knowledgeable.

I recently read a coming of age novel of a boy trying to grow into a man and I was very happy to read this book, a coming of age novel for a girl trying to become a woman. Not only that, I got two very different, yet very similar examples: Elisabeth Wittelsback and Liz.

I commiserated with both young ladies. Liz had a tendency to add drama to things when there wasn’t a reason, her imagination and reality wiggling together at times. For Sisi, “The world of pranks and misbehavior was past. Soon, I would be slathering on the beauty potions, quenching my hair in oils, and saving my smiles for what the governess called ‘appropriate occasions for mirth’ – a funny part in an opera. The antics of a young child.” (Location 1030).

Liz and Sisi were part of that limbo stage of beyond puberty, before adulthood that Sis describes as, “Not a child. Not a lady.” (Location 1201). I was very impressed with Vitello for giving her two teenagers life and vitality. Vitello didn’t settle for the easy angsty teen character who commits herself entirely to one bad decision. Teenagers (and adults for that matter) are not just one bad decision, they are many poor choices. Sometimes one of those bad decisions turns into a big mistake with big consequences. Authors tend to turn to the worst case scenario to build up the character of a mixed-up teen, but Vitello stuck with the everyday and the normal in real life. Liz makes a stupid error, brought out in part through her disorder, and part through her poor decision and lack of knowledge (all part of young adult life) and the results are grave, the consequences severe, resulting in a catapulting in her life that begins the story. Vitello used a real teen’s thought process resulting in bad consequences. A logical event with a grave conclusion. Teens are not always at their worst, just make some bad decisions at times. But it only takes one bad decision to have the worst case results.

“The real tragedy to one’s soul is regret.” (Location 2309).

 

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a coming of age novel starring a female (two females actually), two tales interwoven into one story, or a story featuring young teen-girl drama

This novel was published by Diversion Books 09/01/2014 and is available on Amazon here.

 

TLDR Star Rating: 4.25

 

Links for more information:

On the web: http://www.suzyvitello.com/books/the-empress-chronicles/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22748429-the-empress-chronicles

Blog: http://www.suzyvitello.com/suzys-blog/

Book Review: Stars in the Texas Sky by Stephen Matlock

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Stars in the Texas Sky by Stephen Matlock

A Fiction Novel published on amazon.com (07/01/2012)

Summary:

Windmill is a tranquil orderly town in the middle of Texas where change is slow in coming in the year 1952. Tabitha tells the mayor about Windmill on page 34, “It’s small-minded. Nothing Ever happens here. It’s just a wide spot with two roads running into each other. No one comes here – they all come from  here.”

Benjamin Clark has been on the short end of the stick his whole life, ever since he understood that his skin color made him different to others’ eyes. Henry Valentine  is the Junior Safety Patrol Officer who is growing up on the right side of town. Both boys are passionate about baseball, have a growing interest in girls, and question the system of race.

 

Keywords:

 Texas in the 1950’s, racial tension, coming-of-age, boys becoming men, hard life lessons, inequality, corruption, stuck in ways, friendship

 

My Review:

Stephen Matlock has confronted a sticky issue in this book. He confronts the topic through the eyes and eventual friendship of two boys born so different because of skin-color and so similar because of their love and passion for baseball and doing what is right. Matlock confronts this issue in the light of growing up and becoming a man. It is a coming of age novel. The boys are just around 13 years old and the reader gets to feel their confusion and frustration in the backwards-thinking town that they currently live in. Matlock masterfully tells a coming-of-age story relevant for any reader, for he tells the story of understanding, honesty, thinking for yourself, standing up for what is right and what you believe in, and more. The story goes deeper than just a boy and an unlikely friend and deeper even than racial tension in a small Texas town. There is fighting, murder, revenge – all the makings of an intriguing read.

Matlock has many life lessons packed into this book. There are so many coming of age themes that I thought the one about the boys’ confusion about girls and their growing feelings towards girls was unnecessary for the story.

Matlock also had a tendency to repeat his life lessons. I love the quotable bits but it does get a little hit-you-on-the head until you get it as you read along. Throughout the novel Matlock writes some profound tidbits, like “Dreams lead to sorrow same as night leads to day.” (Page 5). Matlock certainly has a way with his words and his dialogue is ten out of ten.

It’s only natural that a book’s language should match the time period and setting. Stephen J. Matlock does just that – naturally weaving in descriptions that match the time and the place – which is difficult to do unless you are a master of your craft. The only part that caught me by surprise was the climax in the middle of the book, setting me adrift in a sea of unexpected plot turns, but Matlock firmly led me ashore when the subplot he had been building broke through the surface, tying all the elements together in the end. Still, if only he didn’t end the main story (in my mind) half way through the book I would have been way more satisfied.

What is growing up?

“‘Son, you gotta learn how it is in this town and this country. You keep your head down, don’t look a white man in the eyes, don’t be looking at a white woman, and just never ever think of touching a white woman less’n ou want to lose an arm. Never.'” (page 32).

“Growing up means you learn to accept things the way they are.” (Page 61).

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a historical fiction book set in America (the South) or a coming-of-age novel.

This novel was published through Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 07/01/2012 and is available on Amazon here.

 

TLDR Star Rating: 4.00

 

Links for more information:

Stephen Matlock’s Website

Goodreads Profile

FreeValley Publishing’s Stephen Matlock

Book Review: Mind Space Volume 1: Conspiracy / Book 2: Restoration by David S. Moore

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Mind Space Volume 1: Conspiracy / Book 2: Restoration by David S. Moore

A Science Fiction Novel published on amazon.com (01/10/2014)

Summary:

 Book one of the Mind Space Series ended with the Alliance broken apart and the giant corporation Jaimeson-Cale taking a hit from a terrorist attack that cut off their ability to use the mind control aspect of the Mind Shield while still being able to monitor for certain health conditions. Version 3 of the Mind Shield is introduced in this novel Restoration as the ability of the Mind Shield to eliminate drug addiction. Sounds great, right? Not if you are forced to get a Mind Shield. This second book in Moore’s series introduces the more nefarious sales tactics of Jaimeson-Cale. They will do anything to get the sale, but not just to build their bottom line or please their investors. Moore gives us more background into the ultimate purpose of the Mind Shield in this second book: Mind Space. Mind Space will be version 7, the final version, of the Mind Shield that will create a sense of community bond in order to bring about spiritual purity. The catch is that Mind Space cannot exist unless 73% of the population of the world have Mind Shields. On top of that number, Jaimeson-Cale already promised Mind Shield users that version 7 and Mind  Space will be available in 2084. The projection of sales doesn’t even come close after the attack of ’55, but they have strategies to build up their user base and with the release of each version hope to convert new followers to their cause. The only problem is the introduction of competition in the market in the form of the Limbic Freedom. Limbic Freedom’s endgoal is simple: to combat the Mind Shield and keep Mind Space from happening

“The Mind Shield was a nemesis. The best tool that they had to defend against it was Limbic Freedom — of that she was certain. It had a mass appeal, it was simple to use, and most importantly it was based on freedom of choice. Let the user decide what to do. The Mind Shield was designed to mold the user to its purposes — or rather, those of its masters. Mind Space is the promised future for those who enjoy the privileges of Mind Shield.” (Page 217).

Keywords:

Science Fiction, Mind Control, America 2050’s, Technology, Resistance Movement, Rival Product, Monopoly, Free Market, Restoration

My Review:

This series speaks to me in so many ways. It deals with business, marketing, medical devices, manipulating the public into buying a product, regulatory concerns, bureaucracy, underdogs, good versus evil, gray areas, consumer psychology, etc. I get angry when Jaimeson-Cale uses underhanded (and at times) illegal business practices to make a sale of the Mind Shield. I root for the Limbic Freedom and the Alliance to shut down sales of the Mind Shield. I get nervous when Jaimeson-Cale has the upper hand. Moore is so adept at pulling me emotionally into the book on so many levels and yet, he doesn’t answer all my questions. How much does the Mind Shield or the Limbic Freedom cost? How is there no health concern with the transmittal of information from the nanites in the brain to the monitoring database at jaimeson-Cale? Are there no side effects at all from either device?

Moore answered some of the questions in this second book that I had brought from reading the first book. He delves into the past of Jaimeson-Cale and how they developed the nanite technology and how they created their model of different versions unveiled every six years and ultimate plan of development. Moore introduces us to Adam True, an ingenious scientist with so much potential, he just had to develop a stunted philosophy (or is it?) about community and freedom. True’s philosophy and his mindset on  humanity and community are similar to the concept in the series Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. If you haven’t converted, you get left behind. The difference between Left Behind and Adam True’s vision of Mind Space is that no one will be left behind because anyone who has not chosen to get a Mind Shield would invariably be forced to have one or be killed.

Mind Space might seem like utopia, but anyone who is not currently hosting a Mind Shield would think differently. I envision Mind Space as a great connection between all Mind Shields, except that individuality is censored and the collective consciousness is just the nice version of that collective conscious in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick. Mind Space is like teeth in a comb, all the same parts of a whole instead of like pine cones on a tree, mostly similar but uniquely different. That sounds perfectly wretched to me, to be forced to think the same as everyone else. To Mind Shield hosts and Adam True followers, Mind Space is like Ragnarok, with a cult following ready for a specific day’s event in the ever-nearing future.

Moore begins gearing up his characters for war. There has already been the terrorist attack at the end of book one and the underhanded sales techniques in book two. “Eventually the polite  competition of products in the marketplace would be transformed into an all out war for the minds of the masses.” (Page 392).

Hopefully Limbic Freedom can combat the Mind Shield, it monitors the same health conditions that versions 1 and 2 of the Mind Shield monitors and allows the user complete freedom of choice and control of thought. There is a key difference between the two devices, more than just the lack of mind control capabilities in the Limbic Freedom. Moore most likely has faith in humanity and I do not. Limbic Freedom requires configuration, learning, and training and Mind Shield does not. I’m assured that most people would rather the convenience of control than the inconvenience associated with the freedom of choice and thought. If it takes time to make the Limbic Freedom device capable of the same things as the Mind Shield, it won’t appeal to a large portion of society. Isn’t that why the Limbic Freedom was such a hit in the first place, because it treated obesity/overweightness by buffering the user from their own lack of willpower?

Moore throws short detailed scenes throughout the book, where the reader is presented a first-hand account of a character’s experience with the Limbic Freedom or the Mind Shield. This was very Stephen Kingesque of him and I rather enjoyed the brief evidence each scene brought to my side of the fence, where both the Mind Shield and Jaimeson-Cale are evil.

A new depth is introduced in book two regarding the type of Mind Shields produced. There are levels of Mind Shields with levels of controls built in, as if they are directives for robots. Moore also connects the Mind Shield and its directives specifically to the Way of Truth, gearing up for the big finish in his next novel of the series, Mind Space.

Is it truly bad to be a sheep in society if there were no addictions, anxiety, depression, hate, envy, etc? Mahatma Ghandi said, “Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.”

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a well written novel and easy-to-read science fiction novel. This book reminds me of Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke  in it’s sweeping narration through long periods of time with a focus on a single aspect of society.

This novel was published through Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 01/10/2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 4.75

Links for more information:

David S. Moore’s Website

FreeValley Publishing’s David S. Moore

Book Review: Reflections on Water: A Collection of Poems and Favorite Verses by T. Tommia Wright

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Reflections on Water: A Collection of Poems and Favorite Verses by T. Tommia Wright

A Collection of Poems published through CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform  (08/01/2013)

Summary:

Reflections on Water by T. Tommia Wright is made up of three parts: photographs, poems, and Bible verses. In all but the author photo, water is prominent in the pictures, hence the title. The poems and Bible verses work off the theme of water, incorporating elements of the sea, rain, rivers, streams, waterfalls, lakes or morning dew.

Keywords:

 Poetry, Bible verses, photographs, nature, water-themed

My Review:

 One of T. Tommia Wright’s strongpoints is something many readers might take for granted… Wright has the inexplicable ability to craft a crossover work with such skill and beauty that it looks professionally crafted. Her book is short, granted, but she has blended the use of photography and poetry skillfully. The color blend on the cover is artful and eye–catching, the way the blue of the photo merges with the slow fade of blue on the cover and the font type works with the shapes in theh photo is well-done. Her cover works well on any coffee-table.

Wright also is able to stick to her theme loyally. She tells us that it will be a “Reflection on water” and she gives us just what she promises. Every page is true to the theme, her only deviations being the author photo in the back, though she is still surrounded by the natural element.

I’m not religious by any means and I find that most of my encounters with Biblical verses are in the context of religion or persuasion, so to be provided a few verses from the Bible from Wright is refreshing because she gives me seemingly random short verses. They are not random, though, they stick to her theme. She chose verses that do not even remind me of the Bible, but of some calming piece of text that references nature in all its forms which is exactly what Wright does in her poetry and photographs.

I only wish that the  inside pictures were glossy  like the cover, but then the book would have been like a large collection of postcards, awkward and stiff and I rather do enjoy the feel of a floppy paperback.

My favorite poem is the last four lines of Thin Veil on page 23

“In the Valley of the Shadow of the Moon,

The roaring waters echoing boom

Long flowing before the changes round

Making its way to Sound.”

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys poetry or nature-themed photography .

This Collection of poems was published through CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform  (08/01/2013) and is available on Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 3.50

Links for more information:

on the web: http://freevalleypublishing.com/featured-authors/t-tommia-wright/

blog: Tommiastablet.wordpress.com

Book Review: Roots Entwine by Victoria Bastedo

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Roots Entwine by Victoria Bastedo

A YA Fantasy novel published by Fire and Ice Young Adult Books (08/21/2014)

Summary:

Joaquin was born unique, a blonde-haired blue-eyed boy with a powerful ability that some call a gift and others a curse. It is known as Phoshat. Kallum, on a king’s mission to find someone with Joaquin’s talents, describes the gift: “He’s capable of heightening his senses, to an amazing degree at times, whenever he chooses, and then calming his senses back into place until they are barely more perceptive than yours or mine.” (Location 2733).

This gift serves Joaquin during the mission by making him an asset in minute detection, but a liability in that the curse, if over-used, makes him ill and in extreme cases could cause death.

Joaquin learns to subdue his gift during the journey he makes with Kallum and their two companions Milte and Pearce, but will it be enough to triumph over the evil that has settled in Shenandya forest?

Keywords:

Fantasy, Action and Adventure, Coming of Age, Magical Abilities, Good Triumphing Over Evil, Nature

My Review:

This novel, like many great young adult novels, teaches the reader a lesson that Bastedo puts so eloquently in her book description, “A tree standing alone shades no one, but entwining his life with his team moves Joaquin towards the inevitable choice he must make for them. It’s up to him to decide what the sum of his life will be, and if his inborn ability will be a curse to him or the gift that saves his friends.”

This novel reminds me of one of Victoria Bastedo’s other novels, Sunrise Meets the Star, in that both contain a journey with a fantastic conclusion, having to overcome some essential characteristic to triumph, learning the power of friendship and loyalty, and being confident in one’s own abilities. Bastedo’s lessons are beautifully interwoven amidst the exciting plot and the quippy dialogue that make the novel flow from beginning to end. She has mastered the art of plot zigs, adding a depth to the tension that is the best combination of intrigue and of giving the characters room to make mistakes and grow.

One of my favorite things about the author is her character design. I fall for her main character every time. Bastedo gives me enough direct description and supporting action for me to know and understand the characters and follows through with just the right amount of perfection for me to be loyal to the character’s sympathies. Joaquin acknowledges his own choice in being a good or evil person with the opportunity Phoshat presents… “For no matter what, Phoshat is a part of me. It’s up to me to decide what the talent will become, a danger or a tool for good!” (Location 2958).

True to Fantasy as a genre, Bastedo gives me lovely character names that are fantastical, but no more difficult to pronounce than yours or mine so I’m able to read the story aloud in my head without the difficulty sometimes shoved upon the reader in fantasy novels. This is the beauty of a young adult novel and of a skilled author. Some of my favorite names were Malaya, Scarvus, Gridiron, and Shenandya. I was slightly hesitant whether Phoshat was the right word for Joaquin’s ability when I first picked up the novel, but I soon fell in love with that label as well.

Not once does Joaquin lament his birthright of Phoshat. I love a character that embraces who they are and with that embrace learns to control themselves and be confident in who they are and what they can accomplish. Joaquin only laments the fact that others can only see him for what the destruction and invasion of privacy the curse can cause. For most of those that are mistrustful of a Phoshat, Joaquin’s humility and politeness win them over. Don’t all parents wish their children as mindful of themselves as Joaquin!

Joaquin is not always on top of everything, because “…knwoing what was coming wouldn’t help him be ready to meet it.” (Location 776). He is, after all, still only a 15-year-old boy. He is not always the strongest. He is not always the most clever. He is just like any of us and that is why readers will love him.

As much as I loved the world Bastedo created, where she gives the reader a wide swath of land with many villages and not just one remote society, I thought she went a little over the top with the whole blonde-haired blue-eyed versus dark hair comparison. “But the worst combination of all was to be blond, blue-eyed, and the second son. Such was Joaquin’s fate.” (Location 104). The implications with blonde hair and blue eyes will never disappear and to invoke that in the opposite sense in a novel will always bring extra attention to the deliberateness of this choice. Being of dark hair myself, I did not dislike being a part of the in-group and when Joaquin proved that he would not live up to the rumors and legends of his own hair and eye color, I was also relieved.

I was let down by the lack of female characters. I know that not all books will be equal in every aspect of gender, race, etc but the females that did appear in this novel had very small parts and were almost completely unnecessary. I wanted to like Malaya, she has such a gorgeous name, but she kept acting small and childish and stubborn and rude. She was almost the exact opposite of Joaquin and I just kept getting annoyed whenever she showed up as the stereotypical girl. Perhaps she will grow out of her flat personality and into a warrior like a Shenandyan and Joaquin himself. I look forward to more by Victoria Bastedo.

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reality grounded fantasy, Sunrise Meets the Star, or easy reading fantasy novels.

This novel was published by Fire and Ice Young Adult Books 08/21/2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 4.50

Links for more information:

on the web: http://freevalleypublishing.com/featured-authors/victoria-bastedo/

blog:http://snovalleyhobbit.wordpress.com/

blog: https://victoriabastedo.wordpress.com/

Book Review: Wonderkid: A Novel by Wesley Stace

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Wonderkid: A Novel by Wesley Stace

A Novel about the music industry published by Overlook Hardcover (02/27/2014)

Summary:

Jack and Blake are brothers and the first part of the story begins with them in England, describing how they got into music and their aspirations as a rock and roll band. They find themselves thrust into “Your child’s first rock band.” (Page 88), making Everyone Music that is marketed to entertain kids and adults alike. It is described as “Punk for kids. Punk fur kids whose parents like punk. Music for kids with cool parents. Top of the pops for tots.” Page 69). The band is made complete with the twins on rhythm section and Greg, but the twins quit before the band makes a run on America and Greg quits as eloquently as possible just as soon as they get to America. These deserters are replaced with Becca Fonseca, nicknamed mum, on bass and Curtis, the non-controversial dreads and diversity drummer. The band is truly now for Everyone but they’d all gone a bit American and the shenanigans truly begin. After controversy Becca is replaced with Camille as the new bass player, “‘Black, very beautiful, quite serious, slightly eccentric, possibly gay, definitely vegetarian, and Christian.'” (Page 197). Camille and Curtis make up the responsible part of the band, and that says something of the other half. Blake has adopted Sweet, our narrator, during the England to America journey, and fame hits the band hard, the charts are risen through, and toes step out of line. They are a kids band after all. It all falls to pieces multiple times, but the band pulls through until the big bust and the big breakup. Mitchell the manager quits and Andy the Damager, their rep from the record company, is none too pleased with the whole affair. Blake goes to jail, goes solo, goes sane and insane. Then the big finale…

Keywords:

Rock and Roll, Fame, Wonderkid, Fake Band, Kindie, Musicians, Band Tour, Everyone Music, Rock for Kids, Glory Days

 

My Review:

“‘I want to be a musician when I grow up, Mum.’ ‘Well, son, you can’t do both.'” (Page 160).

Wonderkids could be the novelized version of This Is Spinal Tap. It all happened. It never happened. The truth is spit out all over the pages and Wesley Stace continuously impresses with stories that are too detailed not to have happened, but too entertaining to be true. In the beginning, as a rookie rock and roll fan, amateur musician, and reader, I was suckered into believing Wonderkids was a biography. Blowing through the final pages and looking up some of the facts to corroborate some of the more unbelievable details, I lean toward the other side: this is fiction. This is fiction so well documented that it has to have some truth.

The author, Wesley Stace, is himself a musician and I would like to imagine that some of the capers in the story and the personalities in the characters are built from his own personal memory bank and imagination.

Wonderkids was such a winding story, with so many characters and moments that I had to take some notes to help me organize my own thoughts and get a feel for the timeline of the band. The reader gets a good chunk into the book before the narrator is revealed in his own right as Ed Sweet. Before this sweet introduction, the reader is given first-hand details on two of the main characters. Did I mention that there are quite a few main characters? Characters with full personalities and whims that are such an entertainment for the reader.

I was fascinated by Blake as a person (one of the main characters). He was given many simple descriptions, yet remained a complex character given to his own moodiness. He was, in essence, a real person with real faults and character flaws. He had his good days and bad days, good decisions and bad decisions. Blake grew from rock aspirations to nonsensical story teller/songwriter to moody musician. His character was dynamic and molded by his experiences and decisions during his time as a Wonderkidder. He adopted Sweet, who was 10 years his junior. He loved to hang out with the kids of his audience after his shows. Blake is like the pied piper, children flock on and around him and are entranced. He entertains them and invites them to him. He says, “My patience for other peoples kids is infinite.” (Page 114). He is patient with the kids, but also extremely loyal to his own ‘family.’ He takes the fall for his adopted son and brother without resentment or bitterness. Blake is very much the parent, albeit at times misguided, whilst still lacking discipline for Sweet and himself. Blake puts himself under fire for Sweet without a second thought, as parents do for their children.

Our lovely narrator Sweet is the undirected teen who can’t help but get into trouble. Sweet’s Hamartia, if his fault could even be called that, is more than just sugary treats. He is misguided because of his role models’ poor examples in life and lack of parental discipline (also known as consequences), therefore his actions loom larger and larger until real life consequences kick in that affect the entire ‘family’ – the whole band. Sweet, however, is blessed with the motivation and maturity unbeknownst to most teenagers, and is “more than happy to be a handy marketing opportunity [selling the band’s merchandise].” (Page 107). He later becomes what he has studied in these younger years of his: a band manager.

I never much contemplated kids rock or kindie (indie music for kids). Is this a real genre of music? What is rock for kids like? Is it those Kidz Bop songs where kids sing rock songs in horrific A Capella versions? Is it a karaoke-esque version of something great, dumbed down for lesser ears? Censored lyrics? According to Wonderkid, none of these is true.  Rock for kids is simply rock… for kids. The venues might be different and the audience might include children, but it is true rock. According to the great Wikipedia, kindie rock ” is a style of children’s music that “melds the sensibility of the singer-songwriter with themes aimed at kids under 10.” Children’s music veterans, Greg & Steve and Bobby Susser introduced various forms of kindie rock to the school supply industry in the mid 70s, and continue to do so, within their repertoire.” So it does exist… I felt, as I was reading this novel, that I was reading the history of kindie, that Wonderkids was the pioneer of rock for kids, rock for Everyone aka Everyone Music.

This novel is somewhat exclusive in its content and writing style, it is written for an audience that enjoys the haze of being on the border of something great or for someone who was there and knows and can point and laugh with the characters saying, “I know them!” or “I know that song, that reference.”  But I don’t know them and I was not always sure what Wesley Stace was referring to in his reference-studded novel. Just like Ready, Player, One I still very much enjoyed the book and how well it was put together even if I didn’t get all or even most of the references. I understand the whole, but couldn’t get some of the pieces. For example, “He didn’t like the aggression in the air, the kids who’d stolen his baton, their scruffy seven-inch singles,  their Xeroxed fanzines, their lapels full of safety pins and badges for bands whose art direction never deviated from the ransom note font.” (Pages 10-11). It takes a moment to sink in and the whole book is full of these moments, these heavy-weighted sentences and thoughts that it would take a course of study to get through the 300+ page book with serious clarity. Perhaps Stace’s audience is more intelligent or more up on the times than I am and perhaps you will be too, but I could still enjoy the fast-paced rhythm of his writing style and the fascinating story he was weaving throughout.

This novel makes me wonder if the life of a musician rising to fame and falling into nonexistence again is just like Stace describes. Movies might exaggerate, but do books? Is life this glamorous? According to Blake touring is… “Sometimes it’s a bit like getting married every day, eating the finest foods, drinking bubbly, being showered with gifts; eventually, you just want a day off.” (Page 278).

 

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys movies like Almost Famous and This is Spinal Tap or pop-reference studded books (with specific theme of kid rock or the music industry).

This novel was published by Overlook Hardcover 02/27/2014 and is available on Amazon here.

 

TLDR Star Rating: 4.00

 

Links for more information:

Wesley Stace’s Website

Book Review: Mind Space Vol. 1: Conspiracy Book 1: The Martyrs by David S. Moore

by in Author Tuesdays, Book Review, Local Authors and tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Mind Space Vol. 1: Conspiracy Book 1: The Martyrs by David S. Moore

A Science Fiction Novel published on amazon.com (01/10/2014)

Summary:

The Mind Shield is a medical miracle and for two years after FDA clearance, it is sold and subsidized to the public with specific focused targeting on those in office and those in the military, as well as those over the age of 50, a population susceptible to what the Mind Shield 1 monitors for: Hypertension and stroke. At the turn of the third year, the secret and real intentions of the Mind Shield are turned on and suddenly all those millions with the Mind Shield are not just being monitored by the device. Marianna sums up the struggle of those opposed to the Mind Shield on page 330, “The Mind Shield is a device that takes away our most sacred right — the freedom to think whatever we choose, without external influence! It is time we put a stop to this dangerous product. It it time we told the FDA to remove this psychological weapon from the market.”

Keywords:

Science Fiction, Mind Control, America 2050’s, Technology, Resistance Movement, Sabotage, the Martyrs

My Review:

In a world where healthcare is being reformed and new advanced medical devices are being developed all the time, David S. Moore’s novel hits hard. The essential essence of his book is wholly entrancing. The questions he brings up are deviously difficult to answer. After finishing his book, I am still wondering whether the Mind Shield is good or bad. Is our own society moving towards a product that could be taken advantage of and used for nefarious purposes just like the Mind Shield – a Trojan horse? The Mind Shield  is the greatest medical marvel of the 2050’s and newer versions get better and better,saving more and more lives, but at what cost? The technology is easily used to not only monitor but control and therein lies the paradox.

“There are some people who really need a Mind Shield,” Traci said. “They need the monitoring that the Mind Shield offers. People with high risk of stroke. People who have cancer.” (page 258).

The organization opposed to the Mind Shield cannot simply shut down and destroy the entire Jaimeson-Cale operations, because the Mind Shield undoubtably saves lives. But to many characters in the novel (those not currently under the influence of the mind controlling aspect of the Mind Shield) it is not worth the personality change and control just to have the comfort of the monitoring abilities of the device. It is not worth it to give up individuality for comfort and peace of mind. This essential question is answered by David S. Moore in his novel, just like it is answered in dictatorship-held nations or bland fictional Utopian societies. Moore brings up the question in regards to a life-saving and life-changing miracle. The Mind Shield can save your life, but what life will you have under its influence? Such an essential thought-provoking concept makes for such a beguiling read. As this is a series, Moore has given me ample reason to read on.

Not only has Moore intrigued me with the essential idea of his novel, but also with the way he tells the story. I love a good apocalypse novel, yet most of them focus on the aftermath and the destruction that society must live beyond. Moore gives us a taste for the actual apocalypse and the slow devolution of humanity through this singular device that is heralded both as a great medical miracle and as an evil instrument of mind control.

He tells the story with care and focus, specializing on the effects of the Mind Shield device and those leaders involved in its inception, production, and (hopefully) ultimate demise. As a reader, I am rooting for the triumph of humanity. I hold my breath for the second and third books in the series to find out if humanity will win in the end or realize their great mistakes in approving the Mind Shield and allowing it to pervade into society and then control its citizens.

At times, due to the way Moore focuses on the Mind Shield across time, I lose details into how the world is changing or what the world is like other than the few details and complete focus on the Mind Shield. In the 2050’s is the Mind Shield the only modern marvel? Moore does mention other everyday technological devices, hinting into the environment of the world and the advancement of the society. He gives just enough detail to quench my thirst while still leaving me wanting more. He reiterates the Mind Shield sales pitch and how the device works on a technical level to the point where a layman can almost completely understand its inner-workings, which, as a layman, I very much appreciate.

I was a bit disturbed that the “good” guys (those opposed to the Mind Shield) used kidnapping as a means to accomplish their ends, to deprogram those who had been under the influence of the device. As Dr. Orville declares to Lucia, “ We’re in the business of freeing minds, not enslaving them.” (page 88-89). Yet, he condones kidnapping, which one could argue takes away as much of a person’s basic human rights as mind control. Moore amends this by later saying that there was a case of a doctor being prosecuted for kidnapping and sent to prison for 30 years (page. 209), thereby re-establishing a world of justice and balance in his novel and in my mind as a reader.

The format of the novel was fairly standard and easy to read. I got a bit bogged down in the lengthy title and amount of exclamation points, but on the whole I thoroughly enjoyed David S. Moore’s first book in his Mind Space series and look forward to reading the next novel, Restoration.

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a well written novel and easy-to-read science fiction novel. This book reminds me of Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke  in it’s sweeping narration through long periods of time with a focus on a single aspect of society.

This novel was published through Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 01/10/2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 4.75

Links for more information:

David S. Moore’s Website

FreeValley Publishing’s David S. Moore

David S. Moore’s novels will be available for purchase at the local North Bend Days Event, so make sure to look for his books there where you might be able to get a personally signed copy by the author himself and ask him what he really thinks about the Mind Shield.

Book Review: Rosehead by Ksenia Anske

by in Author Tuesdays, Book Review, Local Authors and tagged , , | 3 Comments

Rosehead by Ksenia Anske

A Young Adult Fantasy Novel published on amazon.com (3/31/2014)

Summary:

Lilith, along with her mother and father, arrive in Germany for the funeral of Lilith’s grandmother. During her stay, Lilith discovers some very peculiar happenings at the Bloom & Co mansion, where Roses of immaculate red color and scent are grown. She investigates the peculiarities with her trusty Whippet, Panther, and all trails lead to the roses. How do they maintain their color and beauty longer than any of their counterparts? Lilith is determined to find out.

Keywords:

Roses, Germany, twelve-year old, peculiarity, investigation, magical roses, tradition

My Review:

There is almost always something I find fault with as a reader nowadays, but reading Rosehead by Ksenia Anske broke all of my expectations. I could not put the book down and though there are close to 400 pages, I devoured the novel in one day. The only comment I would give is to the format of the book, the font is too large for my liking, which is entirely my own personal preference. There were also a larger-than-average number of minor spelling and grammar issues, but I read over them, noted, and kept going because the style of writing was so easy to follow and read through, even with the errors.

The author’s writing style was quite sophisticated. She crafted her sentences with care and her dialogue with entertaining closeness to reality. The dog’s voice is adorable and true to form of both dog and sidekick, “Pink is my favorite color. Besides, it’s more blush. Very delicate. Matches my tongue.” (Page 47). The Whippet is described as a, “…talking cat in a dog’s body with an unrivaled passion for steak, rosy jackets, and squirrels.” (Page 366).

Lilith is also a very well-drawn character. Immediately Anske lets us know that she is no ordinary twelve-year old girl because she, “… only felt sill when she was moving and [she] could smell things other people couldn’t.” (Page 366).

Lilith has her faults and eccentricities, such as her unique vocabulary and the way she is always trying to utilize as many sophisticated words as possible in her speech and the author will even italicize them to give them more emphasis. Lilith also, instead of getting emotional and angry at any bad thing done to her, finitely controls her language to be poisonously polite.

Lilith is such a loveable character because of her stubborn single mindedness. She gets fixated to a fault and she sometimes cannot seem to control her outbursts of accusations. It may be maddening for her to momentary lose control like this, but for the reader it adds tension and excitement. Panther, her Whippet companion puts it well, “I simply love your attention to detail and your inability to hear what others are saying once you set your mind to something.” (Page 186).

 

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the hijinks and imagination of Calvin and Hobbes, the sidekick element of Pantalaimon in Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials series, or the whimsical darkness of Pan’s Labyrinth.

This novel was published through Lulu.com 8/19/11 and is available on her website here and Amazon here.

 

TLDR Star Rating: 5.0

 

Links for more information:

Ksenia Anske’s Website

Goodreads Profile

Book Review: The Kansas Connection by Kathleen Gabriel

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The Kansas Connection by Kathleen Gabriel

A Romance Novel published on lulu.com (August 19, 2011); formerly published by Aardvaark Creative Publishing in UK

Summary:

 Traveling through Kansas, Cori is pulled over by a cop. Instead of a warning or a ticket, he treats her to dinner and a friendship between like-minded people who live in different states begins. She is a vulnerable sweet lady who lives in Oregon as a substitute teacher. He is the steadfast cop and uncle to his sister’s kids. As they get to know each other, they begin to fall for each other more and more.

Keywords:

Romance, Kansas, Oregon, Travel, History Teacher, Cop, Love, middle-aged characters

My Review:

The author handled intimacy like a professional in her book “The Kansas Connection,” showing the passion and emotion of the characters without throwing any grody unnecessary details in my face.

The book felt real, the characters felt real, the situations felt real. I almost forgot I was reading a book, I felt like I was really viewing the world Gabriel had created and the situations her characters were part of. I was pleased that the book’s main character was not some yuppie young’un with no sense of romance or responsibility. Both the male and female main characters had worth and wisdom and grew and developed as the book progressed. The interactions between Cori and Ken was very realistic as well, the author even adds that human touch of uncertainty and assumption. For example, when Cori and Ken are exchanging emails, Cori assumes that this is a friendly gesture, but that they would probably never get around to talking again. You can guess what happens next…

As Cori and Ken get to know each other, so does the reader get to know these characters. They aren’t instantly perfect examples of the human race. The character flaws gave the main characters’ struggles more meaning and the book more depth.They are real and alive in their faults, which lets the reader know this won’t just be another silly romance but a real story. Cori even tells Ken, “You’re more than the sum of your little quirks.” (page 124).

I especially enjoyed the snappy banter, though I would have liked some indication every now and then to show who was speaking. The humor present in the dialogue would make for a wonderful audio book. I wish I could hear Ken recite the Miranda Rights fast in Spanish, much to the chagrin of the Spanish-speaking kids in one of Cori’s substitute classes.

My favorite quote from the author was one of Cori’s thoughts, spoken to one of her classes. “Your heritage is only the beginning of who you are. You make up the rest, you write a part of your life every day.” (page 110). She is such a wise character, who every reader falls for as much as Ken does.

The only parts that made me squirm in my chair were the author’s thinly veiled thoughts on love and sex. Her two main characters want to wait until they are really together before they make love, which is adorable until the author repeats and repeats this concept until I am as annoyed with the author for bringing it up so often as I am with the characters for being so stubborn about waiting.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a soft romance.

This novel was published through Lulu.com 8/19/11 and is available on Lulu here and Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 4.50

Links for more information:

 Kathleen Gabriel’s website

Kathleen Gabriel’s Facebook Page