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Book Review: Al-Kabar: a novel of Ilauris by Lee French

September 17, 2015 by rachelauthorbarnard in Book Review and tagged A Novel of Ilauris, Al-Kabar, fantasy

Al-Kabar: a novel of Ilauris by Lee French

A Fantasy Novel published by Myrddin Publishing (9/18/15)

Summary:

Fakhira’s home and almost all the people she knew were slaughtered in the middle of a war for power between two power-hungry men. Fakhira is devastated, but when she is chosen as the Champion of the Waters, she will rise to the challenge and the call to help those who can’t help themselves. What begins as hope for revenge will only end when Fakhira learns who she is and how she can lead a people to peace.

Keywords:

Fantasy, Arabia, 900’s, Female Main Character, Powerful Female, Gender Identity, Mysticism, Myth, Power, Leader, War, Fighting, Protection, Love, Weakness, Revenge, Rape, Help

My Review:

This story sucked me in from the very first page. There was such great detail and the tone and environment of a culturally inspired Arabia in the 900’s was eloquently developed from the very beginning. The first page and then first chapter and then rest of the book were so very excellent. The time period and culture and writing style reminded me of the Women of Genesis series by Orson Scott Card. French did an amazing job of putting me exactly where her setting was and making me feel like I was there in the middle of the action.

The story was more about Fakhira then about the time or the place. Fakhira is one of the role models for females. She is able to take things as they come. She is a strong character even in situations where she cannot do anything but control her impulses and not let herself get caught. I love how clever, thoughtful, and logical she is. Ultimately Fakhira was strong, yet still human.

French featured the most interesting and twisted love triangle I’ve ever encountered in a book. French plays with gender fluidity and sexual preferences. Though, due to the time and place of the book, a woman would most likely never be a leader, French also shows us Jannat, a strong woman warrior. French shows us the possibilities in a society where there are few chances and few possibilities for females to be their true selves if that true self is a leader or fighter with Al-Kabbar, Fakhira and Jannat.

This novel was published by Myrddin Publishing on September 18th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.00

Links for more information:

Book Review: Burn (Salem’s Revenge) (Volume 3) by David Estes

September 15, 2015 by rachelauthorbarnard in Book Review and tagged Burn, David Estes, fantasy, paranormal, Salem's Revenge, YA

Brew (Salem’s Revenge) (Volume 1) by David Estes

A YA Fantasy/Paranormal Novel published by Amazon Digital Services (01/26/2015)

Summary:

Now knowing the secret of Martin Carter, Laney decides to try to see if she can do something about his curse because she loves Rhett Carter. She and Bil Nez are captured though and it will take all of their combined efforts to find a way out of their predicament. On the other side is Rhett, who is desperately trying to keep the peace between the magic born and humans before the all-out battle he knows will happen in three days’ time.

Keywords:

Witches, Warlocks, Wizards, Paranormal, World Domination, Power Struggle, End of Humanity, Death, Violence, Evil, Hero, Challengers, Revenge, Hunting, Killing, Grudges

My Review:

I didn’t think the chapters from the POV of Hex or Grogg were necessary. Grogg reminded me of Lord of the Rings’ Gollum in many ways. Grogg also reminded me of Perry in the Dweller Saga, whose function in the story I also did not get.

This third and final book in the trilogy was super exciting and full of action in the all-out final battle while still leaving the story open as a world to play in for further books.

What I loved the most about David Estes’ writing is the characters. He sums them up and their relationships with each other himself in this book, “Laney Harris, the Master of Witty Comebacks and Love of my Life, Tillman Huckle, the Surprisingly Brave Gamer and Weapons Seller, Hex, the Wonderdog (and so much more!), Grogg, the Master-less Mud Troll, Floss, the Pierced Non-Witch-Hunter, Trish, The Breaker of Curses and Bringer of Hope, Rain Carter, The Prodigal Daughter, Martin Carter, My Dad, and yes, even Bil-freaking-Nez, who hasn’t had a blackout in months, and the Reaper, who’s not such a bad guy after all.”
Estes is able to build an entire world and an entire cast of characters without losing any understanding of who is who and what is what. He layered the story and the characters perfectly throughout the books so that I knew each and every one.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services 01/26/2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 4.50

Links for more information:

David Estes’s Website

Book Review: Brew (Salem’s Revenge) (Volume 1) by David Estes

September 15, 2015 by rachelauthorbarnard in Book Review and tagged Brew, David Estes, fantasy, paranormal, Salem's Revenge, YA

Brew (Salem’s Revenge) (Volume 1) by David Estes

A YA Fantasy/Paranormal Novel published by Amazon Digital Services (10/01/2014)

Summary:

“Let me teach you how to fight witches,” (Kindle Location 655).
What if the Salem Witch Trials actually did capture and kill witches? What if, many many years later more witches were discovered and hunted and killed? What if the witches banded together to wipe out all of humanity? Cue Salem’s Revenge and David Estes’ series about witches. Brew begins with Rhett Carter, your slightly off average black football playing book lover with a soft spot for others and a penchant to avoid violence. Add in his best friend who’s gay, Xavier and Beth the girl Rhett loves. When their world falls apart at the beginning of the Revenge, Rhett will do anything to find his two best friends, even learn to hunt and kill witches from his neighbor.

Keywords:

Witches, Warlocks, Wizards, Paranormal, World Domination, Power Struggle, End of Humanity, Death, Violence, Evil, Hero, Challengers, Revenge, Hunting, Killing, Grudges

My Review:

I don’t read books about witches. I stopped reading books about wizards when I was in high school but I had confidence in David Estes that he could write a book that I would love. I was right. Estes has a knack for building a story that anyone would love, even if the parts aren’t normally what you want to read. Witches. Sure. Wizards. Certainly. The main part of the story is the main character’s journey, how Rhett Carter exists and survives in this world of chaos and paranormal. His story is written well and his relationships with his friends, so briefly shown in the beginning, and the developing relationships between Rhett and Laney and Rhett and his new dog Hex are what brings the reader into the story and makes the story alive.

The first book in the Salem’s Revenge series sets up the main characters and the goal: to save themselves and humanity in the fight between witch gangs to end humans. Brew, the first in the series has an awesome end of the book battle that answers and raises questions to be answered with the continuation and conclusion of the series.

This book is told from Rhett’s point of view, but the reader gets a real good feel for Laney and many of the other characters. I loved all of the characters and felt that their strengths and their weakness brought them to life.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services 10/01/2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 5.00

Links for more information:

David Estes’s Website

Stephanie Erickson’s Website

Book Review: Undivided (The Unseen Trilogy Book 3) by Stephanie Erickson

September 8, 2015 by rachelauthorbarnard in Book Review and tagged fantasy, Stephanie Erickson, The Unseen Trilogy, Undivided, YA

Undivided (The Unseen Trilogy Book 3) by Stephanie Erickson

A Young Adult Fantasy Novel published by Pickles Press (09/03/15)

Summary:

“I wouldn’t bury myself in that haze of depression ever again. I would take control of this situation, affect a change, and be Unseen.” (Kindle Locations 210-211).

In this exciting third book and conclusion to the Unseen Trilogy Mac is back, but so are the Potestas and their quest for power. Mac is developing new ways to use her abilities, but will she be ready in time before the Potestas make their big move with Zero, the chemical agent that kills without a care? Then a new player drops in on the action, claiming to save the world from Zero, but he may not be everything he claims to be.

Keywords:

Mind Readers, Secret Organization, Friends, Terrorists, Leadership, Taking Responsibility, Helplessness,, Sadness, Anger, Undercover, Save the World, Chemical Warfare

My Review:

This is the book where Mackenzie really embraces the Unseen and what it means to be Unseen. I liked this third and final book much better than book two because Undivided had a tone that was easier to embrace. Whereas book two was kind of depressing and had a negative mood, book three was where Mac came into her own and had the fighting spirit, giving this third book more hope and optimism than the other two books.

I liked Mac a lot more in book three than in books one and two. I like how she’s innovative and constantly challenging everything to find solutions to future problems. She puts herself out there and is willing to work hard and out of her comfort zone to save people’s lives.

Mac’s thought process for working through how things work related to mind reading and defenses is super fascinating. Like sci-fi of the mind. Whew, Erickson writes some fascinating mind reading/mind defending stuff.

I thought that those in power talked too simplistically and that there being an open job position right under the big boss seemed highly convenient.

I absolutely love the recurring theme of Gaspard de la Nuit.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This novel was published by Pickles Press September 8th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.25

Links for more information:

Book Review: Damsel In Distress by Lee French

September 1, 2015 by rachelauthorbarnard in Book Review and tagged Damsel in Distress, fantasy, Lee French

Damsel In Distress by Lee French

A Fantasy Novel published by Tangled Sky Press (3/1/14)

Summary:

“There was a way out of this, she just had to find it and take it and not wait like a mewling kitten for someone to come along and pick her up. Keric couldn’t save her, Darius couldn’t save her, Connor, Rae, and Evi couldn’t save her, no Disciple could save her. This was her problem, and she was going to fix it. All she needed was a plan.” (Kindle Locations 3481-3483).

Sabetia was trained to be a damsel in distress from the very beginning. Her mother taught her the obedience that would become her downfall in the silence of her suffering at the hands of a new husband. Abuse is tricky when it is wrapped up in caring and love, but in the end it is never love if it comes with hurt, domination, and pain.

Keywords:

Damsel, Distress, Abuse, Violence, Magic, Mage, Elf, Myth, Old Legend, Female Main Character, Strength, Finding Inner Power, Struggle, Domestic Violence, Wife Beating, Gossip, Friendship, Loyalty, Protection, Healing, Forgiveness, Saving Yourself

My Review:

The message was told in an agonizing story. You have worth. You have value. You are not just a toy or a passing obsession. You matter. You can take control. You have power even in weakness. Damsel in Distress passes through each of these messages in the story of abuse and power Jason has over Sabetia. She is the product of her upbringing, taught to acquiesce, do what she’s told, and take what any man gives her. When Jason gives her pain and torture mixed with a sliver of what she thinks is love and caring, she bears it. She thinks her value is in bearing the pain and doing what Jason tells her.

I agonized with Sabetia. I yearned for her freedom and safety with her. She was a compelling character. Her story was the story, wrapped up in a larger story that was also her story. She was the center of everything and was a strong enough character with a strong enough story to carry the book. In other words, I enjoyed every word of it.

Parts of the plot seemed a bit hurried, but most of these parts occurred at crucial moments where there was a lot going on, so they might have seemed faster than they really were.

This was a powerful novel that told of a girl becoming a woman who must learn to value herself and her talents above all the lies her abuser has told her every time he hurt her.

This novel was published by Tangled Sky Press on March 1st, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.00

Links for more information:

Book Review: The Weight of a Wing (The Stolen Wings Book 1) by Ioana Visan

August 27, 2015 by rachelauthorbarnard in Book Review and tagged fantasy, Ioana Visan, The Weight of a Wing

The Weight of a Wing (The Stolen Wings Book 1) by Ioana Visan

A YA Fantasy Novel published through Amazon Digital Services (04/13/15)

Summary:

“One day, a pair of wings will change the world,” (Kindle Locations 3093-3094).

After suffering her wings being chopped off by the evil Gorem, Alise flees to the human realm. Gorem, however, is not done with her and hunts her down. Alise is not alone, though, she has the sympathies of the human Cassie and the suprising help of two Guardians: Rafe and Vale. The Guardians’ goal is different from Alise’s but ultimately, they need her alive to get what they want. The four of them are now hunting down Gorem, but a lot of fantastical elements will get in their way.

Keywords:

Fairy, wings, Guardians, magic, wizard, mermaid, witch, prophesy, humans, caught in the middle, fighting, strength, healing, complications, battle, kidnapped, protecting the innocent

My Review:

I don’t usually go for the fantasy novels full of witches and wizards and fairies, but I liked the concepts presented in the book summary. Alise is in trouble and she has to get herself out of it. The book is a lot less pro-Alise and a lot more political trouble that is above her, but involves her.

Alise is in dire straits for the majority of the book, even before the book begins, but there is not much about her that endears her situation to the reader. Visan has not made me care about Alise. Visan has not made me sympathize with the character and her many near death experiences. Her near-misses with death aren’t agonizing and the tension in the scenes is just not felt. Alise isn’t even very worried about her own future or her mortality, so why should I be?

Cassie’s attitude is unrealistic. As a reader you must suspend disbelief that a human would get caught up in otherworldly affairs without a second thought or disbelief. Her attitude never struck me as real and I couldn’t think of her as a real person.

The book starts off after what I would consider a very important plot point has taken place, as if this is book two and not book one. The initial incident with Gorem and how he cut off her wings and how she pleaded with the Counsel to allow her to come to the human side of the world was all part of the backstory and not part of the main action. I would have wanted to read about this and it would have probably gotten me more attached to Alise and her struggles.

If fantasy with lots of varied magical creatures is your thing and you like a story where one single purpose is continuously thwarted until the end and the main purpose of the trilogy is alluded to in the end, then perhaps Weight of a Wing might be for you.

This novel was published through Amazon Digital Services April 13th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 3.25

Links for more information:

Iona Visan’s Website

Book Review: The Reluctant Sacrifice by Kerr-Ann Dempster

August 25, 2015 by rachelauthorbarnard in Book Review and tagged fantasy, Kerr-Ann Dempster, paranormal, The Reluctant Sacrifice

The Reluctant Sacrifice by Kerr-Ann Dempster

A Fantasy/Paranormal Novel published by Kerr-Ann Dempster (08/07/2014)

Summary:

“Just because something doesn’t last forever doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.” (Kindle Locations 2038-2039).

Aubrey Shaw will fulfill the prophecy. She will be sacrificed on the 12th day of the 12th month and all the Aramithian souls will be forgiven. There is just one problem. Aubrey doesn’t want to die. They thought she would be an easy target as a Dud with no special skills, but as it turns out she’s been gifted as a Jumper and by switching bodies she’s managed to evade capture for a while. However, her predictability is guessed by her previous crush and best friend Joshua, who is now tasked with finding and turning her in to her heartless sister Morgan and the other hunters.

Keywords:

Paranormal, Myth, Sacrifice, Souls, Switching Bodies, Living, Friendship, Trust, Loyalty, Love, Lust, Scars, Revenge, Death, Violence, Murder, Fire, Invisibility, Fog Manipulation

My Review:

This book was fast paced with quite a bit of action. It will keep you engaged and interested and hold your attention throughout.

Let’s talk paranormal. I am not one to seek out a book marketed as “paranormal” as I’m tired of the paranormal tropes and I prefer more realistic fiction. The Reluctant Sacrifice, though paranormal, was not a run of the mill story. It was a paranormal world full of different abilities, not your usual vampires or werewolves or witches. Dempster gives us something not completely unusual, but not wholly stereotypical of the genre. She gives us enough uniqueness to keep the reader guessing and enough commonality to give the reader something to relate to. Aubrey is an almost normal girl in an almost normal world.

My favorite part about Dempster’s writing is her dialogue and the witty banter she writes, as well as the relationships between the main characters. The back and forth dialogue between Tessa and Aubrey was so much fun to read.

This novel was published by Kerr-Ann Dempster 08/07/2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 4.25

Links for more information:

Kerr-Ann Dempster’s Website

Book Review: Dragons in Flight (Maze Beset) (Volume 3) by Lee French

August 13, 2015 by rachelauthorbarnard in Book Review and tagged Dragons in Flight, fantasy, Lee French, Maze Beset

Dragons in Flight (Maze Beset) (Volume 3) by Lee French

A Fantasy Novel published by Emily French (2/14/14)

Summary:

Everything is chaos, but Bobby has one dragon free. The safe haven was not so safe and was infiltrated and all the people with peculiar eyes and peculiar talents were kidnapped again. This time, it won’t be a picnic to escape or free them either. This time, there is a new weapon. This time, Bobby won’t be able to go it alone.

Keywords:

Dragons, Superheroes, Fighting, Powerful, Government, Experiment, Testing, Survival, Friendship, Vampire, Helping Others, Conflicted, Disaster, Ulterior Motives, Mind Control, Leadership

My Review:

This final book in the Maze Beset Trilogy is super exciting. French tones down the philosophical musings of Bobby and focusses on the immediate danger for the group. Bobby once again must free them all, but this time it’s different. This time they are up against something completely different, yet working for the same people. This time, Bobby will truly learn what Maze Beset means and where they all came from, who gave them their unusual eyes. Everyone has their theories, but Bobby will finally learn the truth.

This book was a whirlwind of commotion and action. Bobby is his usual charming self, which apparently makes him very dangerous to his enemies. Someone who only heralds the truth and will always jump in to save those in need is truly the most dangerous individual indeed, especially against an organization that is rife with lies and manipulations.

I thought the ending did well tying up the loose ends and fully revealing the big picture. However, there could be more. A world open to children and young adults with powers such as bursting into a swarm of dragons has so much more potential. Perhaps Lee French will write a second trilogy to chronicle Bobby and his friend’s journeys as they integrate into society or segregate themselves apart. Who knows? A world like Maze Beset has never been seen and can only be imagined.

This novel was published by Emily French on February 14th, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.75

Links for more information:

Book Review: Dragons in Chains (Maze Beset) (Volume 2) by Lee French

August 13, 2015 by rachelauthorbarnard in Book Review and tagged Dragons in Chains, fantasy, Lee French, Maze Beset | 1 Comment

Dragons in Chains (Maze Beset) (Volume 2) by Lee French

A Fantasy Novel published by Emily French (10/04/13)

Summary:

“Purpose rushed through his veins, a more potent drug than anything he’d ever tasted before.” (Page. 154).

Bobby has pulled together most of the 35 people with super abilities, but the missing 11 (the 11 that were kidnapped by the government and might now be experimented on while Bobby and the others settle into their base of operations) are continually on his mind. He can’t forget about them. They are his half siblings after all. Bobby and Stephen decide to go on a mission of their own, not even informing the others of what they’re doing, in an effort to find out where the missing 11 are and how to free them. Bobby and Stephen end up in Afghanistan, working for the very people who are most likely holding the missing 11 hostage somewhere. Will Bobby be able to deal with real war and death?

Keywords:

Dragons, Superheroes, Fighting, Powerful, Government, Experiment, Testing, Survival, Friendship, Vampire, Helping Others, Slaughter, Conflicted, Afghanistan, War, Mission, Torture

My Review:

This second book is just as exciting as the first book, but it gets a bit heavy in the conflicted thoughts of Bobby because of the killing he’s done. Lee French puts Bobby through a whirlwind of chaos and has him asking if he is a monster. Bobby doesn’t know if he has control over himself. Is he a hive mind? Are his dragons in control or is he? What does that mean when they/he kill someone? These are all interesting questions, but the book takes too long pondering these questions and focusses too much on Stephen the Vampire and Bobby the Dragons and almost leaves behind the rest of the characters for another story.

Finally Bobby and Stephen return to their home base and Bobby questions even more what he is doing and how it makes him feel. The first book was about the group and the premise and the setup, but the second book is more on Bobby and his feelings and emotions and how he’s handling being who he is and doing what he does.

The book ends on a high tension note with a great cliffhanger to propel readers into the third and final book of the Maze Beset Series (or maybe there will be more books…)

This novel was published by Emily French on October 4th, 2013 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.25

Links for more information: