The Genius Dilemma by Dustin Grinnell

The Genius Dilemma

Author:  Dustin Grinnell
Publisher:  Self-Published
Pages: 325

Release Date: December 20th, 2013

Source: Received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

A team of scientists has invented a new smart drug named Trillium. A revolutionary medical breakthrough, Trillium enhances cognitive abilities, creating geniuses. But the researchers are horrified to discover that… 

GENIUS COMES AT A COST. 

Leviathan, the CIA’s assassination team, has been tasked with eliminating global threats using any means necessary. When their superior General Beranger learns about Trillium, he believes he’s uncovered a distinct advantage in the fight against terrorism. After convincing the scientists to share the drug with his team, Beranger learns there’s just one problem—the side effects are disturbing. 

Trillium creates cold-blooded psychopaths. 

The first casualty is CIA operative David Landry who snaps hours after taking the drug. When he goes rogue, it’s up to Special Forces, along with renowned neuroscientist Alan Pierce and psychiatrist Michelle Emmett, to stop them. 

Armed with a hastily concocted antidote, the team hunts Landry. 

His destination? Africa. Nasir Lwazi, the Kenyan president, has recently been murdered. Believing Lwazi’s son Thomas is a threat to national security, Landry is on a ruthless mission to destroy him and he doesn’t plan to let anyone get in his way. 

Alan and the Special Forces team are determined to reach Kenya and stop Landry before he harms Thomas or any other innocent civilians. But can they get there in time? Will the antidote work? Or will Landry suffer the same fate as their other targets? 

In the unforgettable climax, an epic battle for power ensues as the Special Forces team attempts to thwart Landry’s homicidal tendencies. 

Written in a style reminiscent of Michael Crichton, The Genius Dilemma is a science fiction thriller, action-packed with adventure, seeded with corruption, and stunning with its abuses of power. Expect the gripping conclusion to keep you compulsively turning pages way past your bedtime.

Psychology and the human mind fascinate me, so I was pretty excited to read The Genius Dilemma. Part thriller, part sci-fi, and action packed, this story was a page turner that I was engaged in all the way through. While the plot did feel a little predictable at points, I liked the overlying questions the story tried to pose. The link between intelligence and insanity is something interesting to muse over, and Dustin Grinnell clearly has a grasp on the scientific elements here.

There were a few flaws with this book, but those may be personal things. The biggest being that Michelle just felt like a pair of legs thrown into this story, rather than a strong female character. It's a little hard for me to engage in a story when I feel like the love interest is a piece of meat plopped into a story for the other characters enjoyment. She just was a bit stereotypical, and that distanced me as a reader. 

Because I received an ARC, I can't comment heavily on any in-text mistakes since they may be remedied, but the overall flow worked pretty well. I liked the split narration style, but some reader can find that jarring, and as mentioned by other reviewers, it did feel a little tedious getting such detailed histories with the introduction of every character. While it needed a little polishing (and who knows, those changes may happen before the final edition comes out!), the general premise was good, and I enjoyed the chance to read this book.

Throwaway Girl by Kristine Scarrow

Throwaway Girl

Author:  Kristine Scarrow
Publisher:  Dundurn Group
Pages: 264

Release Date: October 18th, 2014

Source: Received free from Netgalley

Andy Burton knows a thing or two about survival. Since she was removed from her mother's home and placed in foster care when she was nine, she's had to deal with abuse, hunger, and homelessness. But now that she's eighteen, she's about to leave Haywood House, the group home for girls where she's lived for the past four years, and the closest thing to a real home she's ever known. Will Andy be able to carve out a better life for herself and find the happiness she is searching for?

I'm just going to come out and say it: I didn't feel emotionally connected to this book. In the end, it just felt really flat, and Andy just didn't feel real to me. Maybe it was the pace of the story, or maybe it was how the narration was done. Either way, I found it hard to commiserate with her, and that made me feel really heartless, which is terrible since I'm an emotional reader.

I think the problem was events just got brushed past too quickly. When tragedy struck, we were just suddenly moving on and it never emotionally registered. I never really saw Andy struggling with the overwhelming weight of grief, or really go through the stages of loss. Where was the anger, where was the denial? When you read a book you can feel when the author understands how painful these experiences were, but there were just too many instances in this book where I didn't get that impression.

It's tough, writing a book with so many bad things happening in it. You want to make it so the reader is rooting for the character, excited for good things to come around. But Andy never really drew me in and made me love her. Yeah, it sucked, but it was sort of coming across like a sob story. I mean, when I read books like Oliver Twist and Black Beauty, I was sobbing because I felt so bad for them. It was almost surreal reading this and not being able to feel something for this poor character. She just felt disconnected from everything. It was like that awkward feeling you get if someone just suddenly says "mom abused me and never loved me" in the middle of a cheery conversation. Suddenly everything is just, awkward, and you don't have the foundation to really feel their pain yet. 

I don't know, I wish there had been more to this. More emotion, more connection, and more life. Her life sucked, yes, but I want to know: what else?

Tidying the To-Read List

Hi everyone! Just a short note , if you're currently waiting for a review for me I apologize for the wait. It's been a bit chaotic transitioning to a new schedule now that college is over, and I'm doing my best to get to everyone within a timely manner. If you've been watching my review schedule you've probably seen the tiny train-wreck that took place. I've cleaned it up a bit, and there should hopefully be a more realistic outline for reviews now scheduled out. Some days I may get to more than one book, but I'm also doing some beta reading which eats up part of that wiggle room. I appreciate everyone's patience.

For the readers out there, thanks for your patience as well! I hope to have more reviews for you in the upcoming weeks, as well as some of the more fun blog posts like Stacking the Shelves or Top-Ten Tuesdays. Thanks for following my blog and I look forward to the upcoming month of reading!

Salem's Vengeance by Aaron Galvin

Salem's Vengeance

Author:  Aaron Galvin
Publisher:  Self-Published
Pages: 264

Release Date: June 30th, 2014

Source: Received from the author in exchange for
an honest review

Sixteen-year-old Sarah Kelly never expected to meet the Devil’s daughter. She only sought innocent dancing in the moonlight, not a coven entranced by their dark priestess. When her friends partake of a powder meant to conjure spirits - and the results go horribly awry - Sarah is forced to make a choice. To keep their secret risks her own damnation, but to condemn them may invoke the accusing remnants of Salem to rise again.

Sometimes facts are spookier than fiction, and the Salem Witch Trials were certainly one of those cases. 

Aaron Galvin has managed to breathe new life into this time era, and <i>Salem's Vengeance</i> is a dark but eye opening look into a frightful time in history. What started as nothing more than childish impulses grows into a terrifying bloodbath, where fear becomes the true enemy of those involved. This book brings facts to the witch hunts, and the greedy men who helped create them, showing a well researched and engaging novel that is entertaining and enlightening.

To be honest, I can be a pansy when it comes to gore and violence, and there were quite a few moments in this book that involved it. Yet I still found the writing tasteful, and not overdone. The journal entries Sarah would read about the Salem Witch Trials felt a bit long at some points, but they were spaced out enough I didn't feel too dragged down by the passages. I liked the authenticity the story has, with family relationships, Sarah's friends, and even the little touches or romance. While I'm not a huge history buff, what I've learned about the Trials did match up with the writing in this book.

There are some intense scenes (this does deal with the Witch Trials, after all), but I feel most readers would be able to handle it. It has sort of those spooky movie shivers; if you're squeamish, just build your pillow fort before you start. 

Overall, another great novel by Aaron Galvin.

Finnian's Fiddle by Chandler Groover

Finnian's Fiddle

Author:  Chandler Groover
Publisher:  Self-Published
Pages: 414

Release Date: May 2nd, 2014

Source: Received from the author in exchange for
an honest review

Dragons can often be obstinate, and when one dragon arrives at a rural seaport demanding to hear a child prodigy perform the violin, the townspeople must strategize. They send a boy named Finnian to the city to learn how to play. 

Unfortunately for Finnian, the task isn’t so simple. Everyone from bandits to scheming aristocrats seem to stand in his way, and before his quest has ended, he will have to contend with a devious plot stretching into the fairy realm itself. 

FINNIAN'S FIDDLE is a fantasy story for all ages—a folktale with mythic proportions.

Finnian's Fiddle is a story with undeniable charm; it's clever story line coupled with witty narration makes this tale reminiscent of stories like Stardust and The Princess Bride. As you drift from one encounter to another, the imagination and whimsy soon carry you away. Even at some of the more outlandish segments, I couldn't help smiling and turning another page, just to see what happened next.

There is a childlike whimsy to this book that will captivate many readers in the manner Alice in Wonderland did. While it starts in a simple manner, with a dragon and a quest for music, it soon grows and evolves with bandits, rivalries, fairies and quests that get more impossible with the passing moment. Poor Finnian keeps pushing forward, trying his best to learn music before his village is devoured. But talent isn't just something you can find in a year, despite his intense pursuit for it. 

I like that this story was new, but it had some elements that felt familiar to older storybook tales. It seemed like a story you could read over several nights yet still enjoy each mini adventure. There were a few points where this story was a bit intense, however, such as the feast with the Fairy Queen and the party on the mountain. I'm a squeamish reader, so those were the only areas that were a bit difficult for me to get through. Yet I felt they added to the story, and helped with this coming of age sort of adventure. Some of the more serious moments made this more than just a story about a boy and his fiddle, but a quest to find music by loosing himself.

If you are looking for a book that is imaginative, creative, and a little quirky, this may be the read for you. Especially if you like some light word humor, and prods at the fourth wall along the way.

Books for Review

Hi everyone! Hope you're having a great week. I just wanted to let you know I have a few affiliate authors of mine that are offering some free e-books in exchange for reviews this week. If you're interested in any of these titles, feel free to send me a note and I'll send a review edition your way!

Hell's Reaping

Author:  James Bishop
Publisher:  Fantastic Journeys Publishing
Pages: 258

Release Date: September 2012

On the brink of annihilation, the last survivors of humanity do the unthinkable. 

Five of the greatest Templar in history are sent from their Holy Sanctuaries to battle the Demonic Legion and destroy it from within. These five damned souls are changed against their will into that which they hate the most, demonic warriors themselves with only one goal... to destroy the Devil himself.

Jacob Merethius, Han Fe-tze, Piotyr Lamja, Joshua Danner, and Kasim al-Saif are the greatest weapons the remnants of humanity have on the eve of their destruction. The Patriarch of the Holy Temple sends these men against their will into the bowels of Hell to wage righteous war against the endless hordes of the House of Lucifer. Once powerful Templar, the profane ritual done at their expense changes them and gives them dark and incredible power.

Thine Enemy's Eyes

Author:  Tonya Adolfson
Publisher:  Fantastic Journeys Publishing
Pages: 394

Release Date: November 8th, 2011

A king, a lady and a secret… and the world suspended between them. The man before her had never seen her face before, had never had her gaze touch his. He’d never felt the burn of her integrity or the weight of his own sins ripped from his secret heart. He’d only heard of her. Rumor spoke of heathen magic and pirate training. Insinuation. Lies told in the backstreets to make another feel more important. His request was not simple in execution, simply in phrasing. Kill the Mervolingian king. Kill the leader of the largest country in the Saintlands, put in place by the Augustinian Pope. Still, Myrgen the Grey really should have been better informed before asking her such a thing. Then again, how could he possibly know the thing her own heart denied?

Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams by Rachel Bernard

Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams

Author:  Rachel Bernard
Publisher:  Self-Published
Pages: 280

Release Date: March 25th, 2014

Source: Received from the author in exchange for
an honest review

As the U.S. government prepares to take over the world, MC infiltrates one of their elite academies that trains future leaders. MC must rise to the top in the Cube training grounds in order to be placed high up within the government so she can stop them in their takeover. It is not until her fourth and final year at the academy that her top-student status is threatened by the sudden arrival of Li, the new transfer student. MC is completely focused on her self-created mission until she gets sidetracked by Li, who might be bad news in more ways than which she bargained.

Ataxia is a book set in a dystopian future, at a school complete with it's own style of high-tech dodge-ball, as well as the usual school drama and romance. While stories like this usually appeal to me, sadly, this book didn't win me over. The writing style just wasn't my cup of tea, and at the end, I still wasn't entirely sure who was on whose side. Overall, it felt rushed, and made me wish I was beta reading instead of actually reviewing it. 

One of the biggest problems was the confusing story line. We really don't get an introduction into this world, and I honestly don't know who MC is or why I should care about her. We start out with her maintaining distance from other students, then time jumps forward and they're suddenly friends. While some of this gets explained a bit, I don't feel it was really addressed in a way that felt clear to the reader. 

The overall plot was just really rocky, especially with the government and Ataxia stuff. I felt like a bit more time could be spent actually shaping the world beyond the school. Yeah, there was some government overthrow and mention of dark ages, but it didn't feel fleshed out to me. As it was, lots of things felt like they even contradicted. It felt like the author was trying to plant an "aha!" moment, but it never really got that punch for me. I'm still not sure who is on the same side. For awhile it almost seemed like there were three of them, then there were two, and then I was just confused. 

Then there are the minor plot lines: MC wants to be the top of her class, and has to study for the fate of the world (or something dramatic like that). There are tons of scenes fighting in the Cube, their school arena area, and she is trying and failing not to fall in love with Li, the mysterious new student. I get that it's YA and it's may appeal more to a younger age range, but good YA to me still has heart. I couldn't feel anything for these characters, because I knew nothing about them. Where did they come from, how did they get there, why does being there mattered, what made them be friends. One of the main group, Arrow, is described the whole book as looking clueless and being a lovesick puppy. That just feels like a cop out to me, personally. The vibe I got from this book is MC thinks she's surrounded by idiots. Oh, they're the best of the best intellectually, but they're idiots as far as other things go. I wanted to like them, but MC's attitude sort of got in the way.

From the beginning, the writing style also felt really disjointed. Within the first few pages, it was difficult for me to read stylistically, with the rough transitions and the repetition of words. For example, within the same paragraph: "I ended up in the basement, a tacky dark-lit jumble of furniture [...] I did not know a basement that could have it's own basement. [...] The basement was a place I had not been before [...] Since I had not been to this basement." Context editing here would have really helped especially in areas like that. Other elements of the story just dragged after awhile. Personally, I didn't need to know what they were eating at every meal, and what color every outfit was in the cube, especially when I'm not sure I ever learned what some of the characters looked like. What are their hair colors? I honestly don't think I could tell you. 

There were some elements here that seemed promising. The cube itself was fun, and the fireball things were different; the future seemed different than ones I've heard of in other books, but a lot of it felt a little hand waved. Maybe a younger reader would enjoy this because they aren't going to question the plot as much. For me, it just fell short, and needs some refining to add up to the other books I've read in this genre.