Faces of Betrayal: Symphonies of Sun & Moon Saga Book 1 by Daniele Cella

Faces of Betrayal: Symphonies of Sun & Moon Saga Book 1
by Daniele Cella


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Reviewed for Readers Favorite


In another world, in another place, in another time warriors and clans rule the world. Marriage is a contract to bond clans and ensure peace, but sometimes betrayal taints the contract. In Faces of Betrayal by authors Daniele Cella and Alessio Manneschi, we follow a number of different players in a complex tale of war, peace, marriage and betrayal, power and greed. There are a number of characters and each has a chapter(s) to tell what it going on from their view. Through all these different views we learn of greed, the want for power, and detailed plans to wrench power from those who have it instead of taking it through peaceful means. There are also some complete innocents in this story that are swept up in the aftermath of the betrayal, and even though they don't know the full extent of the betrayal, they have to forge a way in this new world on their own, without knowing who they can actually trust.

Authors Daniele Cella and Alessio Manneschi have created a unique world with its own history of war and peace that is slowly unraveled as you travel through the Faces of Betrayal. Each person that we meet in the story has a different view, a different knowledge of what is happening and a different connect to each of the other people. Everyone is intertwined together, yet it is not until the end of the book that you finally realize how they are intertwined together and what their roles were in the fate of the other people. This is a well written story that keeps you reading because you feel the need to fully understand what is going on, and you only get glimpses of the big picture until the very end, even then you are left reaching for the second book to figure out more. There is some sex and lots of violence as there is a war taking place, but it is all well written and definitely fit in the story. Given all that, I would recommend this to adult readers.

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Haven Lost (The Dragon's Brood Cycle, Book 1) by Josh de Lioncourt REVIEW

Haven Lost 
The Dragon's Brood Cycle, Book One
by Josh de Lioncourt

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 

Emily is a high school hockey star in Minneapolis, with an extremely dysfunctional family life. For the most she is a typical teenager, except for her strange ability to know when and where another player on the ice is going to move. One day it all changes when she starts seeing the reflection of a boy in mirrors and windows, and when she gets home finds her mother dead of a drug overdose. She runs away and when she awakes she is in another land, another time, another world? Haven Lost is the tale of Emily's discover of what is important to her and her life in this strange place. She makes friends, decides without any prior knowledge of people who is good and who is evil and sets out on a quest she doesn't understand. Along the way she picks up a best friend in Celine, a ward in Michael and someone who just might become more than a friend in the future, Corbbmacc. Together they travel the land, looking for the answers that they need to understand what is going on. Josh de Lioncourt has done a wonderful job of mixing history, fantasy, and magic together into a tale that is compelling and exciting.

Haven Lost is set to be the first book in a series titled The Dragon's Brood Cycle. This first book sets the story up very well, you have a grand adventure, and it is not a short adventure either. It takes time to tell, yet the story never seems to get bogged down or drag, it is always moving along and begging you to turn the next page and keep going. The answers always seem to be on the next page. Josh de Lioncourt is a wonderful storyteller in that he is able to keep your attention and have you guessing the entire book. I never saw the reveal from the last three pages coming until I got to them, and that is not usually the case with mos books. This book and series has the potential to sky-rocket into the forefront of youth and teen reading, becoming the next Harry Potter series.

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An Almost Perfect World (Leagend of East Series, #1) by Carrie-Ann Barnes BOOK REVIEW

An Almost Perfect World
Legend of East Series, Book One
by Carrie-Ann Barnes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 

Miranda loves acting, and has always been great at memorizing her lines, but she is taller than most of the boys in school, so life has been a little rough. Finally in this play her co-star is her same height. Miranda has always known she was adopted, but what happens in the next few days rocks her world like no other. Two strange boys appear in the neighborhood, Alex and Griffin and attempt to get to know Miranda. Although attracted to Alex she tries to avoid them to the point that they are forced to kidnap her. Turns out that Griffin is her brother and Alex his best friend, and they live on another world. They have to take her home for their mother's funeral. Once there she meets her father and twin brother Evan, she gets a job as an actress and learns more about herself. She also finds some secrets. An Almost Perfect World is the story of Miranda's life as she is reintroduced to life on Utopia. Carrie-Ann Barnes tells an inventive story of a promised child, hidden away and brought back to save the world.

An Almost Perfect World, is a cute title given that the world we are taken to is called Utopia. Everything is not perfect on Utopia, and Miranda learns from Jackson that she might be the one that is suppose to save the world. Although at the end of the book, leading into a second we get a hint that someone higher in the family thinks Jackson has it wrong. I found the novel to be interesting and truthful, I mean how would you feel if you were suddenly dropped onto another plant at age 18 and had to figure out everything all over again. It rang true, and felt like something that could really be happening. I enjoyed the characters, something in each of them spoke to me. This is set up to be part of a series, you can tell by the abrupt ending of this book, which is not one of my favorite things, and you can tell that certain characters are keeping secrets. Although billed as a young adult book, this is a great read for young adults, teens and adults as well.

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Born in Silence (The League, #6) by Sherrilyn Kenyon BOOK REVIEW

Born of Silence
The League, Book 6
by Sherrilyn Kenyon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The future worlds under the protection of the League are once again the setting for this, the fifth book in the series. Sherrilyn Kenyon takes us back to a cruel and tough existance of this future, yet one where poeople who truly find love, love more deeply than anyone else.

This story will follow the Sentella agent Kere, the governor to be Darling Cruel and the leader of the resistance forces, Zayra. Zayra and Kere, meet on missions and fall in love, and although he has managed to keep his indenty hidden form her, to protect Sentella and the organization, he is ready to reveal all to her, but he needs four days he tells her to protect his family. Of course, we all know what happens to the best laid plans of mice and men.

Darling Cruel may be his name, but he is anything but cruel, although that is not what the world thinks of him, and he just lets them think what they want. The abuse and torture that Darling endures throughout his life at the hands of his Uncle, schoolmates, doctors, guards, and captors is beyond belief. It is more than anyone one person should ever have to go through, in fact it is probably more than ten people should have to go through. Does it explain who he is? Sorta, but more it makes the love he feels for those friends that he holds dear that much more remarkable. He is willing to die for certain friends that have proved their loyalty to him. There is enough detail in the accounts that you understand what is going on and what happened to him, but not so much that you are sick to your stomach.

Now, I have read a few reviews that said they HATED this book because they felt like the author jumped ship with Darling. I am not sure what they are talking about. They felt that the author "turned a gay character straight" and I think that is silly. In the entire series I have never though Darling was gay. Yes he hung out with Maris, who is clearly gay, but I got the feeling more that Darling didn't want anyone to know anything about his love life, it was a closely guarded secret, not that he was gay. So this book did not seem a departure from the past storylines for me, in fact I felt it fit in perfectly.

I have loved this series, and excited to say that it looks like there are at least three more books scheduled to be released in the series, or at least the author have given out titles for three more. I also happen to love the setting, the future and this harsh and unforgiving world, where people love better. Sometimes I wish I could actually go there!


The League
Book 1:  Born of Night
Book 2:  Born of Fire
Book 3:  Fire & Ice
Book 4:  Born of Ice
Book 5:  Born of Shadows            Link to My Review
Book 6:  Born of Silence
Book 7:  Cloak & Silence             Link to My Review
Book 8:  Born of Fury
Book 9:  Born of Betrayal
Book 10: Born of Defiance
Book 11: Born of Vengeance

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Born of Shadows (The League, #5) by Sherrilyn Kenyon BOOK REVIEW

Born of Shadows
The League, Book Five
by Sherrilyn Kenyon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Caillen Dagan has spent his life taking care of his sisters and getting them out of one scrape or mess or another, so when his sister needs helps he thinks nothing of coming to her aid. It never occurs to him that he might end up with a death sentence on his head. A last second stay of execution turns his world upside down, when he finds out he is not who he always thought he was, and now must adjust to a new life and a new role. Good thing he has friends in high places to help him through it.

Desideria is a bodyguard for the Queen, her mother, but she has much to prove, since her father was not of their planet, she is looked at as less of a warrior. When she overhears a plot to kill her and her mother, no one believes her, until she is attacked and Caillen comes to her rescue, only problem, she jumps to help him in the fight and they end up in an escape pod, only to be later labeled as the murder's of their parents.

Now they must work together, with a few good friends of Caillen's to uncover the plot, and figure out who is out to frame them both and how it all is connected. Especially since they had never meet before that day. At the same time, Caillen and Desideria find themselves falling for each other.

Travel back to the future world of Sherrilyn Kenyon and The League, and those ever rogue good guys, the Sentella. I have to say that this is probably one of my all time favorite series, at this point I am even thinking about going back and rereading the beginning books. It is just that I love the world that the author developed the idea of this League and this band of rogues that need to police it and take care of things no one else can.

You will again see favorite characters from the first two book, since this book goes back to the first generation again.


The League
Book One:  Born of Night                 My Review Link
Book Two:  Born of Fire                   My Review Link
Book Three:  Fire and Ice
Book Four:Born of Ice                    My Review Link
Book Five:  Born of Shadows
Book Six:  Born of Silence               My Review Link
Book Seven:   Cloak and Silence      My Review Link
Book Eight: Born of Fury



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The Thirteenth Tower by Sara C. Snider BOOK REVIEW

The Thirteenth Tower
by Sara C. Snider

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 

In a medieval time period of manor houses and servants, of travel by walking and visiting troops of entertainers that created a festival in town, we are introduced to Emelyn. Emelyn has the unique history in town has the baby that was left on the doorstep of the manor house and they allowed the housekeeper to raise the baby and she became a servant girl. Everywhere she goes she see's pity in the eyes of some, promise in the eyes of a few but no real hope for her in the town of Fallow. Just outside of town is a large tower, this is the home of the Magistrates, of Magi what they really do is unknown to most and Emelyn knows even less about them, but as she is on an errand the morning of the village festival she sees two of them walking past the manor house. The evening of the festival becomes strange and unsettling, a young man Corran befriends Emelyn and rescues her from a dance which everyone seems entranced in but her. The Magi come and offer her escape, and she and Corran follow. The Thirteenth Tower follows Emelyn and Corran on this journey, which will become on of self-discovery for Emelyn. Sara C. Snider does a wonderful job of wrapping a message into a neat package of a story.

The Thirteenth Tower is about the Magi towers, but it is also about discovery. Emelyn will discover who she really is on this journey, what she is capable of where she wants to go with her life. She will face fears and challenges that she never expected and find truths that she never imagined. This is not only about Emelyn, but we learn about the Magi, about two in particular Percival and Aldren, two completely different men. One willing to go to any lengths necessary to gain knowledge no matter the cost, the other determined not to repeat his own mistakes. Sara C. Snider not only gives us a story on the growth and development of a little girl, but on the corruption that power and absolute knowledge can also bring. Humanity is the balance and it must always be weighed when counting the costs of gaining knowledge. This is a great book for young adults and older readers as well. It has a theme and story that should entertain and well as educate readers.

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Neria (The Future Demon Huntress, #1) by A.S. Johnson BOOK REVIEW

Neria
The Future Demon Huntress, Book One
by A.S. Johnson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .

Neria thinks she is just a normal high school student, except that she has weird dreams. Her mom thinks they should talk to the priest at school. Neria The Future Demon Huntress reveals that what she really is, much to her disbelief is a demon hunter. This takes some getting used to and she has to deal with the fact that her life is being planned out for her, without her consent. Kellar is an older boy at school that she has a crush on, but what she doesn't know to begin with is that he knows she is a demon hunter and it is his job to protect her. She will deal with a budding relationship with Kellar, then the fact that he knew more about her than she did and can she still trust him. A.S. Johnson writes a paranormal novel of the life of a demon hunter, but it is also steeped in the Catholic faith and exorcisms. It is definitely not your typical paranormal novel.

The ability of A.S. Johnson to take a paranormal concept of a demon hunter and place her into the middle of the Catholic church, surrounded by high level church people is a new and different concept in paranormal novels. The main characters are high school students, so it is a great young adult book, but that being said even as an adult I found it worth the time to read. Neria The Future Demon Huntress has romance between Neria and Kellar, training through the church, and the future of the world in the paranormal hunter concept. It touches on so many planes that the novel is extremely realistic.

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The Future Demon Huntress
Book One - Neria

The Vampire Empress Chronicles
Book One - Caroline's Path
Book Two - Charlotte's Journey

Other Books - Not in a series
Orion
Native Nights: Roxanna

Microchip: The Agenda Is Now by Chey Barnes BOOK REVIEW

Microchip: The Agenda Is Now
by Chey Barnes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reveiwed for +Readers' Favorite .

This generation's version of George Orwell's "1984".  

The world is changing, and ever so quickly. It used to be that everyone used paper money, and you got paid with a paper paycheck. Now it is credit and debit cards and your payroll is direct deposited. What is next? Microchip envisions a future that could easily be only years down the road in where now, everything is done with a mircochip in the hand. For the most part, the world goes along with the idea and complies without really thinking, but this story follows a few different types of people who question this process for different reasons. As each of these people search for a way to escape the law of mircochipping, they find themselves in the same place in Utah. Chey Barnes takes each person and their reasons, explaining them and giving them a place, and then you see what happens when they are all together. This is a science fiction story that hits just a little close to home.

Microchip might be science fiction today, but there are real life facts and information included in the book, and indexed in the back, that will leave you thinking hard about what you read. It's not a warning book, but a story of how different people are dealing with the law and what happens to them, there is a real human element in there. It is also very thought provoking and would be an excellent book for a book club or discussion group. Chey Barnes takes the information and technology of today and advances it only by a few years to give us this story. Although there is family and a little romance in the story, there is more a cautionary spirit that we need to be more careful and thoughtful, not just accepting everything that is handed to us. I think this should be a required reading just as George Orwell's 1984 used to be when I was in high school, this is a newer version of big brother.

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Rise of the Dunamy by James R. Landrum BOOK REVIEW

Rise of the Dunamy 
by James R. Landrum

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .


Move over Lestat and Edward, there is a whole new breed in town!

Sofia came from Columbia with her parents and has always wanted to make a difference. She saw the corruption where she came from and wanted to be there for the people, so she became a cop, and she is a really good cop, but she is rigid in her definition of right and wrong. Now she is working what seems to be an unsolvable set of case, all linked by vigilante justice. All the victim were well known criminals that had gotten off, escaped charges or beat the system somehow. Bishop, her much older partner isn't sure they need to work too hard to solve this case, he's doing their job for them. This really ticks Sofia off. At the same time as she is messed up in this case, Sofia starts up a whirlwind relationship with the medical examiner, Lucian. Rise of the Dunamy introduces us to a new hero, not your typical strong man, or vampire or werewolf but something a little different and maybe just a little more sexy in a genuis kind of way. James R. Landrum puts together a story with multiple layers so perfectly that you are left wanting more.

Rise of the Dunamy brings a new hero, a breed called the Dunamy, and you are just going to have to read the book to find out about them, but they are genius sexy. So you take this new breed of hero, and toss him with a super straight-laced cop and what do you get? Well to begin with you get a super quick and exciting romance, then you get the ethical questions. There are a couple of layers of ethical questions that goes back and forth, and there is really sound backing for each point. James R. Landrum is a master at taking the conversations of the characters and developing them to much deeper levels, to really get the characters talking about ethics and right vs. wrong. This is an amazingly well written book that I just could not put down, and when I finished I wanted more! All readers will enjoy this book from young adult to mature adult.

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The Way by Mary E. Twomey BOOK REVIEW

The Way
by Mary E. Twomey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .

The Fountain of Youth has been discovered, but it only works on people with B type blood. The only problem, it makes you anemic when you bath in it, so you must consume O type blood. If you have the bad fortune of being born with A type blood, well you are second class, the slave labor class. The Way separates people into classes by blood type. Baird, Blue and Griffin are born into this world and raised in what could be called an orphanage. They have a secret, Blue is more than she seems, she is the Light. A prophecy of old told of how the Light would come into the world and heal the world. Baird takes is as his role to train Blue to be the master assassin that she will need to be to complete the prophecy. While Baird is trying to hide Blue, she unknowingly reveals herself to Prince Liam and his entourage. This may be a good thing as she is whisked away by them to hopefully fulfill her mission. Mary Twomey creates a world of classes in which the second class with bring forth the hero to save the upper class.

The Way is a wonderful story of coming of age in a fantasy world where people are valued only for their blood type. As long as you have the right type, you are ruling class, but if you have the wrong type you are either the slave class or food. Enter Blue, who at nineteen is extremely naive and has a prophecy weighing her down. She is said to be the Light which will save the world. Mary Twomey layers so many elements in this story. There is the arbitrary assignment of value based solely on blood type, then you have the whole prophecy of being "the one" on a young girls heads. Add to that a forbidden romance or attraction between people of two different classes, and you have a wonderful story. Perfect for young adults, but even adults will find meaning and enjoyment in this story.

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Sadie's War : A Supernatural Uprising Novel by Jayelle Cochran BOOK REVIEW

Sadie's War : A Supernatural Uprising Novel
by Jayelle Cochran


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It is a MUST read!!

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
I received an Advanced Copy of the book to review. The book is scheduled to be released towards the end of February 2014.
**Sadie's War was officially released February 23rd. You can now find it on Amazon.** 

Young Sadie is blind and alone, left to live on the streets in an area called the Gutter. She is poorly equipped for life on the streets and doesn't understand the most basic of ideas of the world. Fester literally runs into Sadie one day, and he is captivated by her beautiful blue eyes. He makes it his mission to keep an eye on her, and when he finds her almost frozen on the street, he takes her to his home. Once there, her lack of understanding of the world becomes even more clear, and Fester feels the need to protect her, as well as his friend Michael and his sister Chloe, who all live together. What follows is Jayelle Cochran's amazingly beautiful and poignant story of love and family, abuse and neglect, fear and trust. Wrapped into a supernatural war between regular humans and those with special power's, that Sadie mistakenly believe's is all her fault. Sadie's War is a journey of learning and adventure.

Sadie's War, as she thinks it is all her fault, is driven by one action. The fierce need to protect her from harm that both Michael and Fester feel. Sadie has no ability to trust, but slowly learns that all the lessons in her life where wrong, and that she can trust people. Although the two main characters, Sadie and Fester have suffered terrible physical and mental abuse at the hands of their parent's, the abuse is not detailed and only alluded to. Jayelle Cochran does a wonderful job of telling this remarkable story without terrorizing the reader. The fear and love that the characters feel come through in the book so vividly it had me crying and laughing all throughout the book. Even given the topics, this would still be a good book for young adults, with some parental guidance for any questions they might have. I found it to be a story of hope and love, of life after tragedy and what family can provide if you allow it. Amazingly poignant.

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Divergent by Veronica Roth BOOK REVIEW

Divergent 
by Veronica Roth


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was walking through the store looking for a book to read while I was waiting on my daughters to get out of theater practice, and I had a book in mind, but of course they didn't have it, when I spotted this book. It sounded interesting, so I picked it up, and I am ever so glad I did.

In Divergent, the world is basically the city of Chicago with a huge fence around it. Everyone, for the most part except the farmer, or the faction called Amity, live inside the fence. Society is broken into factions, and based on how you perceive and process information you are placed in one of the factions to live. The placement happens at age sixteen, and this is where the book begins, as Beatrice Prior is about to go through the testing to determine what faction she is best suited to live in.

The book follows her journey as she changes factions, from the faction of her birth to the faction she feels is most like her. As she undergoes the initiation process and learns startling information. There is unease among the factions, or at least among two of the five factions, and it seems to be building, but why and what does it have to do with her and her life and future.

Beatrice makes friends and enemies in her new faction, starts a life and then has to deal with the changing world they live in. It is part coming of age novel, part alternative society novel, and altogether exciting and enjoyable to read. It was well written and I could hardly put the book down until I finished it.

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Indu Reddy Review


***Original posted on my previous blog, Ramblings of a Mother's Mind that I have discontinued and am moving all book reviews only to this blog******

The Heir to the Amulet by: S.P. Meijer BOOK REVIEW

The Heir to the Amulet 
by S.P. Meijer


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 

The Heir to the Amulet mixes the ideas of Knights and old world, medieval places and areas or countries with futuristic, high-tech places and areas or countries and blends them into a story of mystery and intrigue, kidnapping and sabotage. Raith was success in her attempt to take over the country of Cymnosa, but the Queen and her children managed to escape. Years later, Queen Sarah has vanished in a plan crash, and the heir, Lora is living under a false identity in another country, while Richie is under the control of an evil Uncle. When Raith makes a bid to get the remaining two nations fighting, Lora undertakes the adventure of a lifetime to save her brother, her best friend and new friend, along with the rest of the world, in +S. P. Meijer's fantasy epic adventure.

Lost heir's are a dime a dozen, but Lora is different, she is 16 but packs a powerfulful determination into that body to right the wrongs of the world. You like her from the beginning. Her best friend Stephen is the son of the King of Magoria, although the King doesn't quite like her.+S.P. Meijer focuses on the kids, they are the heros of the book, they are the ones who get out there and make things happen. It's not the King or The Queen or any adult, although at times they help a bit, but it is mainly a group of 16 to 10 year old kids. That is what makes The Heir to The Amulet so good for kids to read. It gives them a sense of empowerment and encouragement, that they aren't too small and their voice matters.


BookGoodies


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The Crystal Key by T. L. Howard BOOK REVIEW

The Crystal Key
by T. L. Howard


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 

Do we believe in tolerance or is it one way or no way? In The Crystal Key we travel to a fantasy world created by brother and sister God's, but at the moment one rules and the other is completely left out. The time for the choosing, which one will rule has come and only those high in the temple even know it is real, not just a myth. This follows Rasmusen as he tries to become the Chosen for the brother God and the path his journey takes him on to the Choosing. We also follow Mirah, a young girl as she makes her journey to the Choosing learning and coming to terms with being the Chosen. All through these two tales of travel T. L. Howard weaves a story of true faith and what happens when we let power and greed get in the way of faith.

Of course neither Chosen one could journey on their own, so you have to meet a whole cast of characters for each set of travels. T. L. Howard writes it in such a way that it almost looks, in my mind, to be a medieval knights and castles kind of place. You easily come to know who to route for and who is a traitor. It's so easy to come to like the people, wishing they were real. The Crystal Key is a long book, about on par with a Harry Potter book, but it really didn't take that long to read, it kept me going to the end. Teens and adults alike will enjoy this story and it's strictly g-rated too! Even a better plus for the book.



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Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow BOOK REVIEW

Sorrow's Knot
by Erin Bow


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 

On the world were Sorrow's Knot take's place, the tribe of Free Women, think they live on the edge of the earth, Nothing goes beyond the forest. It is their job to protect the tribe, or at least the binder's job. The story tells us of three you kids who are trying to find their places in the tribe, but they aren't going to stick to the old rules. Otter feels that she is going to be a binder, her mother is a binder, but little does she know her mother has other plans for her, she refuses to let her learn to be a binder. The shock and sadness causes her to move into an old hut that was abandon, followed son after by her two best friends, Cricket and Krestel. They each use the magic they have to find their way, to understand the old stories and to unravel the mysteries that are their world. Erin Bow wraps the unknown of a foreign world with the familiar and weaves a story that will keep you glued till the very end.

Sorrow's Knot is a fantasy book because it takes place on another world, but you will forget that as you read the book. As you start reading it feels more like an old Indian Folk Legend from long, long ago that wraps around you as you read. There are mysteries in the old stories, and Cricket finds them first, and I think I enjoyed that because he was the least valued in their tribe, it only made sense that Erin Bow would bring him to the top. The characters are teenagers, which is what puts it in that coming-of-age story group, but it so much more. Teens and adults alike will love this book, and enjoy the world that has been created.



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Reviewed by Amitha Knight
Reviewed by BookHounds
Reviewed by Tasha Saecker

James Clyde and the Diamonds of Orchestra by: Colin McElwain BookReview

James Clyde and the Diamonds of Orchestra 
by Colm McElwain


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

James Clyde and the Diamonds of Orchestra is a pleasing, fictional mix of Narnia, Harry Potter, and the classic, Knights of the Round Table. With these favorite elements comes a fresh new tale from a debut author sure to capture the middle-grade reader’s attention.

James considers himself an average orphan, if there ever was one, with an old grandfather he looks forward to seeing each Christmas. His two best friends, Ben and Mary, also orphans, and James are a family (kind-of); and they look out for each other. When the psychic (who James believes might actually be psychotic) foretells that he and his family “are in terrible danger. I sense there is a man trying to find you. He’s trying to hurt you!”

When James, Ben, and Mary visit James’ grandfather, Wilmore, for Christmas—they learn that the psychic Belinda was extremely correct in her prediction. They are led on a chase to Orchestra, which he knew he recognizes from a painting and the stories his grandfather entertained him with each Christmas. When they finally find, what can only be described as a “secret portal to another world,” James learns of his destiny and will do anything to protect his birthplace.

As a young adult book, with the main characters in their pre-teens, I feel that kids would really relate to the story. The chapter where James, Ben, and Mary explore Orchestra is strikingly vivid and fun. It has plenty of adventure and action, including bloody battles that may be too intense for the elementary-aged reader but perfect for the middle-grades.

Even as an adult reader, I was entertained by the story and compelled to keep reading, not wanting to put the story down until finished. With the book ending on quite a cliffhanger, I do hope that there is another book in the works.

*This review was done for the author. In no way, shape or form did that influence my review.*

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Exiles of Gaia by: H. R. Olsen BOOK REVIEW

Exiles of Gaia 
by H. R. Olsen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Exiles of Gaia is aptly titled. As humans in this future world we are exiled from Earth. We did not take care of the planet and it could no longer support life. Everyone now lives in space stations or colonies on the moon. Only one mission to Earth has taken place in the time they have lived in space. That mission ended badly, now another is in the works. H.R. Olsen does a wonderful job of weaving together the flight crew, the movements, political intrigue and murder to create a captivating story. As there are grass root movements today, there are groups that want to return to Earth, some that want to stay in space, and still others that love the Earth but don't want to return to it. As each of these groups plot against each other and political rivals face off over the planned Earth trip we follow the story, twisting and turning until the end.

H.R. Olsen is a wonderful writer, in that I started reading this book, and just couldn't put it down. I wanted to keep reading to find out who and where. As you turned each page in Exiles of Gaia and got further into the story, what once seemed like random characters are starting to come together. They are crossing paths and being connected to each other, making for unplanned twists in the storyline. It is a great science fiction book, even for young adults and teens, as well as the older crowd. Everyone would get enjoyment out of this book.

Reviewed by Michelle Randall for +Reader's Favorite

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Searching for Utopia by Holly Jayne BOOK REVIEW

Searching for Utopia 
by Holly Jayne


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Does Utopia really exist out there or is it something that we make ourselves?

Spend a few hours with Leila, the main character. Learn of her story, her past and her future through her letters to her missing lover, Dorian. Dream with her of a perfect life where all people are equal, does it exist? Can we get there or is it out of reach?

This is a well-written and thought provoking short story written by Holly Jayne. She takes us to a fantasy world were discrimination is even more random than in our own world, and leads us on a journey with the main character in a search for Utopia, or that perfect place were all people are equal. The question is does that place exist out there somewhere, or is it a place that we need to make a reality.

The course of the story is only a few hours in the day of the life of Leila, but yet you find yourself understanding her whole life. The trials, the heartache and the sorrows. It gives you pause and reason to think on what she is dreaming of and working towards.

This story will entertain you, and challenge you at the same time.

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The Conquered Shore (Lodestone, #5) by Mark Whiteway BOOK REVIEW

The Conquered Shore 
by Mark Whiteway


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book may be the fifth book in the series, but it is the first one that I have read. Normally, I hate to do that. I have this thing about reading books in order. It just happened that I got this book without knowing about the others until it was too late, so I went ahead and jumped in. Let me say this about that, you can do that. This book can easily stand on it’s own very well. I don’t think I missed anything by not reading the others first, although now I want to read them.

Science Fiction has always been a favorite genre of mine. It allows you to think of worlds so far away and so different. That is one of the things I loved the most about this book, the world that it created. This is the story of how the people that live on the planet now actually came to live on the planet and how the planet came to look the way it looks now. It hasn’t always been like this.

You meet Keris and McCann and they are searching for a stolen memory ball, or orb. You will really only see these characters and the now timeline, briefly in the beginning of the book to set up the story, a couple of times in the story and at the end of the story. The rest of the book is what they see in the memory ball of when the people first landed on the planet and what happened to make it what it is now.

I found myself understanding certain characters more than others. Being able to relate to them and wanting them to win out over others. It’s not a typical good vs evil, it is more can two cultures co-exist together on the same planet? I knew pretty quickly where I landed and it was easier to see the reasoning that one side put forth. The beauty of it is that you can take some of the bits of the final ten chapters and apply them to current life. Use them as teaching moments with your teens. I am always looking for books that I can do that with, and I will be able to do that with this one.

It is well-written. The dialogue and descriptions are not too wordy, but give you enough to allow you to picture it in your mind. I would recommend it to adults and teens alike. In fact I have already passed my copy on to my teenage son. This is a great book. If you like science fiction, or even if you think you might like reading about another planet, this is one you should go for.

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Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by: Andrea Cremer BOOK REVIEW

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer
My Author Post
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bloodrose is the third and final book in the Nightshade Trilogy by Andrea Cremer. She has ended every book on a cliff, and finally some closure. Calla, Ren and Shay, the love triangle will finally be decided right?

This book was awesome! Everything that they went thru to get what they needed, the way they worked together. I loved it and it was so exciting. Ok, so Ren and Shay are still at each other throats, literally in this book, but what can you expect, they love the same girl and they are wolves. I still find Ren to be the one I relate to and like better. I am not that hooked on Shay, he's just a little too full of himself for me.

The final battle, is huge, and everyone plays a part, and they all have to do something they didn'[t want to do or didn't know they could do. It was great. I loved the meeting of Shay and Calla's father, he wasn't too sure what to make of the kid. Even more, I loved the way Ren and Calla's father fought together.

Yes I cried, alot at the end of the book. Can I just say I am mad. Yes I wanted Emile Bane to die, but not they way he did, I wanted it to be someone else, or something less, I wanted him crushed to made to know he wasn't all he thought he was. And I cried along with with pack at Ren. I had to, he was my favorite.

I will have to say that although I was not excepting that ending, it was good. I am not sure what I was expecting, and when she starting leading into it, I still was not seeing were she was going, so I was caught by surprise at the end. That is really nice, to have an author catch you that off guard that far into a book.

Excellent author, excellent series. There is a prequel series out now that tells how Nightshade came to be, so I have that in my to read pile.

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