So Shall I Reap (The Unseen Series, Book 1)
by Kathy-Lynn Cross
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Balance is what the world is based on. In So Shall I Reap, we are introduced to the world of the Unseen, those on both sides as they work to keep the balance. Those on one side, the House of Dark, usually called grim reapers, take the souls as someone dies and return part of it to the River Styx to keep in flowing, the other part they give to the bridge crossers, part of the House of Light to be recopied again at a later time. It's all a cycle that bears no emotion, and happens time and time again each day. Until the day that a reaper named Tevin is sent to collect the soul of a six year old girl, Alexcia. The problem is that Alexcia is able to see him, this has never happened to him before, and after a fierce fight with Razor, the bridge crosser, Rae-Lynn, Alexcia's mother explains to Tevin that Alexcia is the Child of Balance and makes him promise to keep her safe. Author Kathy-Lynn Cross gives an amazingly complex story of a family, trying to protect their daughter, getting some things right and some things wrong. A grim reaper protecting the life of a child, which is against everything he is about, and the House of Light doing everything in its power to claim her.
Author Kathy-Lynn Cross has labeled So Shall I Reap as the first book in a series, which is good because this book ends on a huge cliff-hanger of an ending. You really only get to originally meet the characters when Alecxia was six and then we spend a couple weeks with them the month before her sixteenth birthday. As a reader, you get Alexcia's view of what is going on, and then you get Tevin's, and neither have all the answers. It seems that Rae-Lynn and Max have kept a number of secrets from them both, from Alexcia in efforts to protect her, and from Tevin, to allow him to discover it on his own and not to influence fate. There is no sex or real violence, but there is teenage drinking. It is a great read for all ages. Enjoy.
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Dusgadh Essence of Life Book One: The Awakening
by Margaret A. Daly
My rating: 4.3 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Dusgadh, such an odd word to title a story, but then when you subtitle it Essence of Life, maybe it makes more sense. Ember has never felt like she fit in. She loved her family, but they were taken from her in middle school and she was left with only her older sister. She has trouble making friends, and even worse, she sees ghosts. She is just fumbling along in life until one night, a party and a seance in the park brings up something more than Ember or anyone else was expecting. Author +Margaret A. Daly sets this fantasy, supernatural, paranormal story around a group of late teenagers. Throwing in past-lives and reincarnation along with some evil magic, power hungry kings and rebel forces bent on resistance. How it all comes together is the beginning of a series, and this story is the start, the Awakening, or the memories of the past returning to Ember, allowing her to continue on her mission.
Dùsgadh: Essence of Life, The Awakening is a wonderful first book in a series, in fact I really thought it was a complete book until the very end when I realized there was more to be told still. By using the concept of awakening, Ember recovers her memories of the past and her past lives in this book, and so her sister is there to explain things to her as well as her two guardians. Although author +Margaret A. Daly uses this book to set the background and introduce you to characters and the whole concept of the story, it still has plenty of action, adventure and death to keep you on the edge of your seat as you are reading. There are even some people that are barely mentioned in this book, that I have a sneaking feeling are going to show up in later books, only because I just can't see the author making the deal out of them in this book without them showing up again somewhere. This is a great read, and I am willing to say middle schoolers, teens, young adults and up would enjoy this story!
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Life Bank
by Magus Tor
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
**Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an HONEST review**
What if you were given a bank book, told your life was worth a little over $7 million dollars, and yet you didn't have to work for that money? Would you take it? What would it really cost you?
Daniel is a bit down on his luck after yet another bad job interview when he is approached by a man who offers him a bank book. It's his Life Bank. If he signs in blood, he can withdrawal money against the value of his life and when the balance hits zero he dies. Sounds interesting. Problem is, Daniel doesn't ask any questions, but then again if you are greedy enough to think about using a Life Book how much are you really going to question it.
What follows it the story of Daniel's life. The twists and turns, from what he thinks it could be, to what it really turns out to be. He calculates how long he thinks he will live on that $7 million, and yet doesn't take into consideration lifestyle, smoking, drinking, sex, etc when figuring his lifespan. So many other things come into play, life is not a simple math calculation, and yet he wants to live from a Life Book.
The story is well written, and as a reader you find yourself understanding the decisions that Daniel makes, agreeing with them at times, arguing with them at times, shaking your head at him at other times still. Everyone will be able to relate to different parts of Daniel and to relate to different parts of this book. It gives you pause to think, and reasses some of the things you hold in top spots in your life.
It is a quick read, but I recommend it for all readers. Thought provoking and discussion worthy!
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