The Hot Zone (Rainshadow Book 3) by Jayne Castle

The Hot Zone (Rainshadow Book 3) 
by Jayne Castle


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Hot Zone is technically book 4 in the Rainshadow Series, in you include the Prequel, Canyons of Night in the book count.

Sedona Snow is a high talent gatekeeper that has been kidnapped, and unfortunately no one notices that she is missing, not her family or even her husband. After escaping with the help of a dust bunny she named Lyle, Sedona finds herself on Rainshadow, the Island were misfits e Ungo to find a home.

Cryus Jones is another in a long line of Jones, founders of the Arcane Society back on earth, high level talents that keep to themselves for the most part, but he has been sent here as the new Guild Boss for the underground on Rainshadow - and to find Sedona.

Jayne Castle takes readers back to the world of Harmony, the island of Rainshadow for this book - again rare, high level talents, people most of the population are scared of find themselves drawn to each other. Only another extremely high level talent could understand or handle another high level talent it seems.

All of this series has its points that draw you in as a reader, the intelligence of the characters, the fact that they don't fit in elsewhere, that tey compliment each other and that they take care of their own. It is another in a long line of books by the author that makes you feel good, while at the same time taking you to another time and place.

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Whisper Through Time: 1.1 (Soulkeepers Chronicles ) by Dallas Anderson

Whisper Through Time: 1.1 (Soulkeepers Chronicles ) 
by Dallas Anderson


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 


On what has been believed to be a long ago abandoned plant called Shokrahn, two tales of life entwine into an amazing story that will keep you guessing and wanting more. That is the premise of Whisper Through Time: 1.1 (Soulkeeper Chronicles) by author Dallas Anderson. Before each chapter begins, you have a journal entry. The journal entry is from one time period, which happens to be the past of the planet Shokrahn. Each chapter is about the events going on at the present time with an archaeological crew that includes Dr Elizia Bantor and the military Colonel Dallen Israe assigned to protect this expedition. Slowly you come to realize that what plagued the planet in the journal entries is now beginning to plague the expedition.

Whisper Through Time is a very short story, the start of something absolutely amazing! It took me a couple of transitions to realize that the journal entries were the past of the planet. At the same time, both storylines over lap starting now, and I can only image that as the story progresses and more is discovered they will become even more intertwined. Author Dallas Anderson has taken a unique approach to telling the back history of the planet, without actually live people that lived it included in the present day story. The present day story is a mission of discovery that turns into a fight to survive. To be honest, I was disappointed when I finished this book because I wanted more, so much more of the story! You will be intrigued and drawn into the story completely.

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The Books of Azric: The Beginning by B M Griffin

The Books of Azric: The Beginning 
by B M Griffin


My rating: 4.2 of 5 stars


Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 



Forget everything you learned in school about the world and the planets. Image a world, or a series of worlds, we'll call them realms for this story, each is different, has a completely different landscape, ecosystem, native peoples, and technology; yet they are all connected through a series of central portals. One portal going to and from each realm. Interested? This is where The Books of Azric begin. Helping us get a little history into the whys and hows of this world is Zane, a young elf boy that bounty hunter Colt has taken under his wing, so to speak. Since Zane has had no school Colt tells him what he knows, a little at a time. But this isn't just a story of a bounty hunter teaching his apprentice, no they are being hunted by a villain, at the same time they are hunting the villain, all of which has been set up by a slightly dishonest nobleman and a mysterious man talking about the true lineage of the king. Author +B. M. Griffin gives the reader so much to digest that at times you are not sure who is really the good guy and who is the bad guy.

While The Books of Azric is set as the first in a series, it definitely sets up the world and gives you some knowledge on the worlds and just enough to keep you sorta knowing what is going on, but not enough so that you just have to keep reading to figure it all out. The cast of characters that author+B. M. Griffin creates in this book are amazing too, because you don't just have your main characters a some bit pieces, you have three to four full storylines going at any one time with a full cast of characters, now sometimes those characters overlap with each other and other times, things are going on in one realm at the same time in another realm. The author engages all your senses in trying to keep everything straight and at times you think you know what is going on, only to find what you thought was wrong, they fooled you as well as the people in the story. This is a great story, definitely lost of violence, its bounty hunting and crimes and sheriffs, it just is, not too graphic, but its there. Young adult and up would be a good audience.

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Chains of the Sciell (The Merging World Series) Book Two by Auden Johnson BOOK REVIEW

Chains of the Sciell (The Merging World Series) Book Two
by Auden Johnson


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 

In the world of Jael, darkness has power. Some people can use the darkness and others can not. There are good people, hollow people, and then there is a couple, the Prysn's that want to know everything and to be able to be better than every one else. Growing up Royal has always seen the boy in her mind, white hair and red eyes. Divine has always heard the female voice in his head. When suddenly, a group of adults find themselves dropped into a black stone mansion that provides for their needs, they seem to already know each other, but they have never met before, or have they. Royal, Divine, Blae, and Aliceanna must unlock the lost memories to find out who they really are before time runs out. Chains of the Sciell is the second book in The Merging World Series by author +Auden Johnson .

The Merging World Series, Chains of the Sciell is the second book in this new series by author +Auden Johnson . It is said to take place about fifty years after the first book. I have not read the first book, so I jumped into this blind, and it is a complex story, but at the same time I was able to follow the story up until the end. The concept of the Darkness and pulling power from the darkness is interesting and I wish it had been developed a little more, but overall I really liked the book and I think young adults and adults alike will enjoy this book. Especially if you like repressed memory, paranormal powers and kidnapping.

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The Lost Remnant (Pieces of Eden) Book 1 by J.N. Race BOOK REVIEW

The Lost Remnant (Pieces of Eden) Book 1 
by J.N. Race


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 

The Lost Remnant (Pieces of Eden Book 1) is an epic fantasy paranormal magic novel centered around the life of a young girl named Azsha. She is beautiful beyond compare, dances in her families gypsy wagon, and has a long flowing locks of lavender hair. All her life her mother has never let her out of the wagon, so one night Azsha makes a run for it, and ends up in a village. The first friend she makes is Kalo, who in turn introduces her to Ayalana. J. N. Race weaves an epic story that almost seems to be two separate stories in one. There is a first mystery that must be solved when Etticacia is kidnapped instead of Azsha and then a second quest when fighting Tempest. All woven together into a coming of age story in a world unlike anything we know now.

J. N. Race takes bits of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, magic, demons, old world, parallel worlds or dimensions, family drama, and coming of age all woven together to create this epic tale that spans more than just one battle or quest. The Lost Remnant is so well written that it draws you in, you see yourself in this world, you feel yourself walking the streets of the village, the halls of the castle, and smelling the fires the burning. You are drawn into the story and you want to see where it goes, you want to root for certain characters, and against others. This book is labeled as young adult, and I agree there. I feel it would be a great book for teens, young adult, or even adults. No sexual scenes at all, and mild monster violence.

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Circumstellar by J.W. Lolite BOOK REVIEW

Circumstellar
by J.W. Lolite

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .

Ingrid has always been a bit different, her eyes are purple, and there aren't that many of those around and then of course there is the fact that they have a sort of glow to them, but her Aunt Kaline won't say anything about it, won't talk about her parents to her or about much of anything else for that matter. So Ingrid counts on her best friends Lesia and Ty for what she needs in life. They have been best friends since the time Ingrid moved to Dust Veil and they have always been there for her. As things begin to get strange, and she uncovers information about her parents they are still there for her and it turns out there are reasons the three of them were drawn to each other in the first place. J. W. Lolite brings the story of a child of mixed parentage, who has some secrets but the abilities to help, but doesn't know it yet in Circumstellar. It is more a story of the loyalty of friendship and family than the other worldliness of the parentage.

Circumstellar is a great story for teens and young adults. Although it is in this popular ideal of a child who has special abilities but was raised as a human child and only finds out in their teens, it is not about those abilities as much as it is about the loyalty of the friendships, the family and the connections to people. The abilities are second and don't play much of a role in the story, in fact they are hardly developed and are not in play in what Ingrid needs to do, it is friendship and loyalty that is what decides what happens. J.W. Lolite gives the reader a story that will attract the young reader because of the genre, but attract the parents because of the message and delight both with the story.

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Primary Fault (The Schattenreich, #1) by: Sharon Kae Reamer BOOK REVIEW

Primary Fault
The Schattenreich, Book One
by Sharon Kae Reamer

My rating: 3.2 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .

Primary Fault is the first book in a series called The Schattenreich, which is a realm or another place in the book. The story is set in Germany, where Augustus and his father have always lived. Now that his father has passed away, and his mother also, Caitlin, who lived in American with her mother, has returned to Germany to be with her brother. Augustus is an earthquake researcher, and where they are is along a primary fault line, so there are earthquakes in that area. Augustus is kidnapped and a doppelganger is going around committing crimes that Augustus is being blamed for, Caitlin alone is determined to find the truth. Sharon Reamer brings together other realms, people from those other realms interfering with life here and earthquakes to form a unique story.

As Primary Fault is set to be the first book in the series, it does not really explain the whole Schattenreich idea to you. It is mentioned, and you sort of figure out that it is another realm, and this one family is in charge of guarding the gateway, but that someone has broken through which caused the kidnapping of Augustus. What you never figure out is what is actually is, why they protect the gateway, and who this family is. Maybe that is to come in the later books. Sharon Reamer does a good job in writing a story that you want to read to figure out what is going on, but at the same time you are a bit disappointed in the end that you haven't figured it out. Which is good for a series, but not so good for readers.

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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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A Broken Forever (Neveah Trilogy, #1) by Angie Merriam BOOK REVIEW

A Broken Forever
The Neveah Trilogy, Book One
by Angie Merriam

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 

Lilly and Shep had grown up together, neighbors and friends and as they grew the bond grew until the age of eighteen they knew they were soulmates. What they didn't know was that they were refugee's from another world and they would be called back to rescue their mothers. A Broken Forever is the duel story of two life long playmates raised together, one set bonded and married, the other set promised to each other but not bonded, torn apart by love. One mans obsession with a woman he can not have leads a whole country into turmoil. Angie Merriam does a wonderful job of weaving the world of Earth and Neveah together and making them seem somewhat alike. There are similarities in the stories of the two different generations, yet neither generation has learned not to sacrifice themselves to save a loved one.

A Broken Forver is scheduled to be the first in a series of books set in the world of Neveah by author Angie Merriam. While this does end on a bit of cliffhanging kind of note, it does seem to be a pretty natural stopping point in the story. The characters of Lilly and Shep are so naive and innocent, it is refreshing. In fact most of the people in Neveah are naive and innocent, more so than the regular world of today, and so it makes it a comforting book to relax into and read. There is one pretty detailed assault scene that might be a little graphic for younger readers, but for the most part it is pretty well written for young adults and adults.

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The Neveah Trilogy
Book One -  Broken Forever
Book Two -  Standing Broken
Book Three - Unbroken Hope  (coming Winter 2014)


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Kwennsefulass by Kris Godwin BOOK REVIEW

Kwennsefulass
by Kris Godwin


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 


Imagine waking up and not knowing who you were, not know where you were, not knowing when you where and not knowing what you were. Kwennsefulass is that kind of story. A young man takes the name Kwenn, short for Kwennsefulass which is written on a necklace he wears, but he knows nothing else. He can't even tell you the world he is on or anything about it. As tragedy strikes the town he first stumbles into, and some consider it an omen and his fault. He feels a drive to find the reason for the tragedy and to answer for it, even if it had nothing to do with him. +Kris Godwin gives him a strong moral character even if he knows nothing else about himself. The story follows as he sets out with a few villages to find out what has happened, maybe regain his memory and to save the world.

As +Kris Godwin weaves this tale of fiction and fantasy and legend together, I am reminded of the stories of the Greek and Roman gods and the ways that they played with the fates of mortals. Kwennsefulass gives you a sense of that, yet it is something altogether different at the same time. From the moment Kwenn wakes, I felt for him, I could feel his loneliness and fear and I wanted him to find his memory and to find the answers, yet around each twist in the book I was glad that it hadn't come back yet. That meant there was still more book. Even days after finishing the book, I still find myself thinking about the story and Kwenn and what the author was wanting to say. This is a great story for all, and for some it will stay with you and become a friend.


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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

Entwined Courage by Tracy Lane BOOK REVIEW

Entwined Courage
by Tracy Lane


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite 

For centuries two worlds have existed in peace and harmony, the world of magic, a crystal city that floats high above the planet. Down below, on the planet, the common folk, who have no idea that the crystal city really exists believing it to be a myth. In the crystal city there are two forms of magic, the light and the dark, and they have stuck an easy balance and rule together for the good of both worlds. +Tracy Lane brings us into this world and introduces us to a young squire who is duty-bound to obey his master no matter what he asks of him. The problem is that his master is a greedy power hungry dark mage who wants all the power for himself and cares for no one else. He orders his squire, Kayne to steal a powerful artifact which he must do, but he cannot fully comply with his master and breaks his duty by hiding the artifact instead of giving it to the master. Entwined Courage is the ensuing story of Kayne's struggle to right the wrong he did by obeying his master and protect a young girl, Aurora who he involved in this plot without thinking.

+Tracy Lane does a wonderful job of describing the characters so vividly that you can imagine the evil in the eyes of Kronos and the compassion in the eyes of Iragos, As Entwined Courage continues the friendship between Kayne and Aurora grows, and much to Aurora's dismay she finds that she has magic in her. When she and Kayne work together to get away from Kronos, even with Aurora never having any training, they can do some amazing magic. Along with the story of righting his masters wrong, there is another story. This one is the one that involves Aurora's misguided belief in what the mages really do. She is sure they only protect the resources of the planet. She never thinks to consider that the common folk are the biggest resource they protect. As they work to right the wrong, Aurora must also grow up and figure out what she really believes about the mages and where her place in the two worlds really is.

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The Sundered by Ruthanne Reid BOOK REVIEW

The Sundered
by Ruthanne Reid

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers Favorite

Water is no longer blue, it's black and it's dangerous. Not only is it dangerous, but it covers most of the world. The world is inhabited by the humans and those they can The Sundered. The Sundered come from the water, but can be controlled by the human mind. It can be difficult, but they have to be harnessed for humanity to live in this world. Ruthanne Reid weaves a story of co-dependency and mutual distrust. The humans need the sundered to grow food and survive on the world. The sundered don't need the humans, but they are less powerful and submit to the control, for the most part. The story follows one young man, and his group as they search the world over for the Hope. The Hope of Humanity is rumored to be what will fix the world back to what it used to be. Other's want to destroy the Hope to in turn destroy the sundered and take the planet for themselves. The truth, is somewhere altogether different.

Ruthann Reid creates a world that feels like Earth, only many years advanced when water covers most of the planet and land is rare. The humans can't touch the water, it will drag them in and kill them. They have to have the sundered to get the water to live. The Sundered is well written and has you really thinking. There are the two factions, one that says the Hope will fix the world, the other that says the Hope must be destroyed. As the story progresses and you learn more, things are uncovered that make you question each faction. Can two cultures survive on the world together, or does it have to be just one or the other? Which culture is really the one that invaded the other and forced themselves on the planet? Great read for adults and teens alike.

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The Art of Forgetting (Book One: Rider) by: Joanne Hall BOOK REVIEW

The Art of Forgetting - Rider
by Joanne Hall

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed by Michelle Randall for Reader's Favorite.

Take the stories of knights on horseback, armies defending the Queen, and those crusader type stories from the 11th and 13th centuries, now place them in another world and you have The Art of Forgetting. Rhodri is a young boy, found in the woods, who no one quite knows what to think of. He has a perfect memory, but the people are scared of him, so life in his village is rough. Enter the Kings Third army troop and Rhodri's life is about to change forever. You follow him as he joins the army, trains and becomes a good solider. Watch as he makes new friends, grows and creates a relationship with someone much older than himself. Joanne Hall does a wonderful job of writing so that you forget this takes place on another world for the most part, it could be the story of anyone of the 11th to 13th centuries.

Joann Hall is a wonderful writer and has done a beautiful job in crafting a fantasy story that almost feels like a historical novel. The Art of Forgetting is set on another world, with two moons; yet for most of the book you almost forget that focusing solely on the army life of this young boy and his friends. If you like the adventures of the crusaders, the bravery of the knights and romance of the early centuries, then you will enjoy this novel. It brings all those elements together, places them on another world and adds some modern romantic situations to make for a compelling new novel.

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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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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3) by J.K.Rowling BOOK REVIEW

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Prisoner of Azkaban is the third book in the Harry Potter series, which follows Harry through his third year of school.

As with the other books in the series, we watch Harry through a year of school. He, Ron and Herimone continue to grow their relationships and find the friendship that they each need so much and find their places in life.

In this story Harry is faced with an escaped prisoner on the lose And many stories of the man, but which is true, is he out to get Harry or is something else going on, how will he find the truth, and will he find it before its too late.

As with the whole series, the book is well written and engages you and pulls you into the story and you want more and want to read more.

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AUTHOR: Cassandra Clare

Author:  Cassandra Clare
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The Mortal Instruments
1.  City of Bones
Author Site Link                   Amazon Link                 My Review Link
Another Blogger's Review
2.  City of Ashes
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Fay Bay's Blog Review          Another Blogger's Review
3.  City of Glass
Author Site Link                   Amazon Link                 My Review Link
Another Blogger's Review
4.  City of Fallen Angels
Author Site Link                   Amazon Link                 Mystery Sequel's Blog Review
5.  City of Lost Souls
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6.  City of Heavenly Fire   (scheduled publication May 27, 2014)
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The Infernal Devices
1.  Clockwork Angel
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Another Blogger Review
2.  Clockwork Prince
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Another Blogger Review
3.  Clockwork Princess
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The Dark Artifacts
Author Site Link
1.  Lady Midnight                                              My Review Link
2.  Lord of Shadows                                          My Review Link
3.  The Queen of Air and Darkness

The Bane Chronicles
Author Site Link
1.  What Really Happened in Peru     4/2013
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2.  The Runaway Queen                   5/2013
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3.  Vampires, Scones and Emund Herondale    6/2013
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4.  The Midnight Heir                       7/2013
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5.  The Rise of Hotel Dumort            8/2013
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6.  Saving Raphael Santiago              9/2013
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7.  The Fall of Hotel Dumort            10/2013
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8.  The Last Stand of the New York Institute   11/2013
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9.  What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who has Everything    12/2013
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10. The Course of True Love              1/2014
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