Lyche by E.A. Rappaport

Lyche

Author:  E.A. Rappaport
Publisher:  Owl King Publishing
Pages: 312

Release Date: February 13th, 2014

Source: Received from author in exchange for an honest review

An evil spirit, trapped within a volcano for ages, escapes its fiery prison with a vow to destroy all life. Only a young Arboreal wizard and his companions dare to oppose the powerful creature. After a massive earthquake shakes the land, Jarlen, an inexperienced Arboreal wizard, and Tyraz, a Ferfolk warrior, travel from a cursed island in the north to the barren wastelands of the west, tracking an ancient spirit that is capable of combining living creatures with the dead. With little help from their respective communities, the two must discover the lyche's foul plans before there is nothing left to save.

Lyche is in the middle of a unique series, a set of 3 trilogies that interlock, while still leaving the story solid enough to standalone. While I always hesitate to pick up a book without reading previous novels, I did find the story line easy enough to settle into. The characters are fairly likable, and the species in the story have their own original feel to them. I felt like this series had a lot of potential, especially for readers that like fantasy.

That being said, I'm not sure it was personally my cup of tea. While E.A. Rappaport does have some solid writing ability, I found a lot of the scenes jump forward far too quickly for me to ever fully engage with the story. I didn't feel like events transitioned well from one place to another, so it made it difficult to ever read more than one chapter at a time. But that is more of a stylistic preference I think than a full mark against the author's work. 

I did like the species the story had. The tree like Arboreals were a nice change in a genre dominated by the typical dwarves and elves. Jarlen and Tyraz were likeable enough, and I felt other characters felt dynamic. I just wish it had been a bit easier for me to really immerse myself in the author's world. It really felt like it could have been an enjoyable book in the right hands. Bummed it wasn't the book for me though. 

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Cress

Author:  Marissa Meyer
Publisher:  Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 550

Release Date: February 4th, 2014

Source: Audio book from Audible, Purchased

In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. 

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

While I've really enjoyed the other two books in this series so far, Cress was the first ofThe Lunar Chronicles I picked up as an audio book. There may be a few points my opinions about it were a little influenced by the voices in the audio track, so that's just a little side disclaimer to anyone reading this. Like the rest of the series, Cress brings another familiar fairy tale to life, this time focusing on Cress, or the story of Rapunzel. Girl with long hair trapped in a tower (or I guess in this case, a satellite) by an evil woman.

Overall, I've enjoyed where the story has gone. I especially liked the lead in at the end towards the last book in this series, and the addition of the Snow White character. There were a few points in this book, however, where I had that unfortunate "heard it before" sensation I sometimes get with twisted fairy tales. Which was really a bummer, because Marissa Meyer is usually really good at avoiding that. Something about Cress herself just went a bit too mainstream (and by mainstream, I'm eluding to a certain Tangled version of this character...). Like I noted before, this could have just been the audio book interpreting it that way, but Cress was just the wide eyed, naive, sort of ditsy damsel in distress I've seen in other renditions. I guess it makes sense, you know, girl locked in a tower, no social interaction, big imagination. I guess I just wanted a little more from her as a person. The sort of super smart nerd element really felt like it had a lot more potential that wasn't really embraced. That's just me though.

I did like that the Rapunzel parts actually took a lot of elements from the original story. And the relationship between her and Thorne was actually pretty fun. I like that Thorne doesn't entirely play into the roll of being a hero or being a prince charming, and he can be sort of a jerk a lot of the time. I don't know, he just feels realistic to me. The audio was pretty well done in the audio book I listened to too. Made my long road trip go by super quick having such a fun book to listen to. Overall, good book, with plenty to lead into the next edition. Is it out yet? Waiting sucks... 

E-Reader Reviews: Digital Adventures

Once upon a time, I snubbed my nose at the concept of e-books. When we took class votes on our favorite format to read in, I embraced the concept of "print, forever!" But then college started eating at my wallet, and a few dollars saved on a text book made a big difference. After buying a few text books, I picked up a few other e-books and...well, it went from there. I still buy print editions of my favorite novels, and I've yet to find the appeal of getting an electronic signature from an author, but when you're on the move and travel a lot, picking up a tablet with 100 books to keep by your side is a nicer thought than that stack of 10 print books. While I may never really LOVE an ebook with the same adoration I can hold a print book too, they definitely have a place in my life now. It brings up a new debate though...

....what to read them on.

The Faithful Computer

A large chunk of my e-books have been read from my computer in the past. I have both Nook and Kindle for PC, and I really love being able to type notes at a keyboard when I'm reading something heavier. My computer is still a go-to for books that need a little work, or books that require a little work from me. The size of the screen makes it easy to see pictures and diagrams, so it is really a good study tool. As I drift away from those bulky technical books though, my computer e-readers are less used. Try cuddling with a computer. It just doesn't work the same.

Nook 1st Generation

My first e-reader was a 1st generation Nook. While my entire family flaunted their Kindles, I loved that little device. Easy to read, touch screen at the bottom: it did what it was designed to do. I could read...and read...and read, without ever recharging. I think I lost the charging cable for like a month and managed to keep the life up until I found it. This was a great reader to have around and toss in a purse or backpack. While it lacked bells and whistles, it was a reliable machine. 

The Cell Phone

My cell phone often replaces an e-reader when it comes to my e-books. I always have them loaded, and if I'm standing in line somewhere, stuck in traffic, I can whip it out and read a little so I feel productive. The screen is small, but the convenience is great. One of my favorite reading apps, Oyster, was also heavily used by my phone, and the appearance was really great. The hard thing about using a cell phone to read is the phone needs to be used for a lot of other things. Yay reading, but bye bye battery life. Sad face. 

Nook Tablet

My second e-reader purchase was the Nook Tablet. Again, an older model, but you could read, you could watch Netflix, what more could you ask for? While I still keep this one around to read all my B&N books, the limited Nook marketplace left a bit to be desired for me. I guess that's the problem with upgrading from "e-reader" to "tablet" models. You still read books, but then you get distracted by all the other "toys" you want to have on it as well. The battery life on this was pretty surprising for everything I used it for though. If I tried leaving my computer off the charger it wouldn't last a day, but the tablet goes for weeks without needing a juice up. This has become a great bathtub tablet. It was cheap enough I don't feel scared treating it like a paperback, and I don't feel like I need white gloves to hold it in case I break something. You can just read, and enjoy. 

Kindle Fire HD 6" Tablet: The New Kid

And that brings us to my newest e-reader: The Kindle Fire HD 6". Which is probably my new best friend. Okay, I do need to confess I don't use it so much for reading as I do for...everything else. The app store is a little limited like the Nook Tablet, but there are workarounds and most things are in the Amazon store I wanted anyway. I use this for my budgetting, I use it to watch movies, and I just downloaded some audible books for my next road trip so I can keep tackling my reading list even when I can't sit and read. Yay! The size is super convenient for me because I can pretty much carry it anywhere. Super small, hangs out in my purse and saves my cell phones battery. While it doesn't have the lasting charge you get with your basic readers, this is sort of a middle ground between cell-phone/computer and e-reader. You read, you use apps. It works. 

Conclusions? 

I don't think I could ever vote on THE BEST e-reader, because different books need different environments to be read in. Would you want your textbook printed trade paperback sized? Probably not. Would it be silly to have that same paperback in a textbook form? Yeah, I think so. Having options on how to read, and where to read, is just part of the adventure. In the end, I think the goal is still the same: to pick up a good book. 

What about you. How do you read? 

Havoc by Steven F. Freeman

Havoc

Author:  Steven F. Freeman
Publisher:  Createspace
Pages: 370

Release Date: July 24th, 2014

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

When Cryptologist Alton Blackwell takes his girlfriend, FBI Agent Mallory Wilson, on a surprise trip to Italy, the couple expects the vacation of a lifetime, but their pleasure is short-lived. Intent on selling Vidulum Inc.’s proprietary technology to the highest bidder, a rogue employee of the high-tech company arranges a clandestine meeting at one of Rome’s most famous tourist attractions. Rather than collecting a huge payday, however, the company turncoat encounters a lethal surprise. When Alton and Mallory rush to assist the dying scientist, they find themselves pulled into the subsequent murder investigation.

Foreign and domestic agents, corporate spies, intellectual-property thieves, and shadowy underworld figures race to acquire the technical files stored on the dead employee’s missing cellphone and reap the billions of dollars and technological superiority now at stake. 

Despite their efforts to leave the tragedy behind and continue their vacation, Alton and Mallory soon learn their own lives are in danger. They are left with no choice but to join forces with the Roman police in an effort to crack the case. While diving into the investigation, the discovery of another man in Mallory’s past disrupts Alton’s plan to move his relationship with her to a new level. 

As they encounter unexpected twists at a breakneck pace, Alton and Mallory must summon all their intellectual powers to reveal the truth behind the Vidulum employee’s death and track down the missing technological plans before a life-threatening end game can be set in motion. 

Havoc is yet another book by author Steven F. Freeman; I reviewed the first book in The Blackwell Files, Nefarious, last year, and got the chance to pick up one of the next installments. One thing I should just note up front, though, is this is book 4 in the series. One thing that was nice was it was extremely easy to pick up without reading 2 and 3, and feeling like I was missing something. Same characters, but certainly a new story. 

We have some of the same writing techniques used in this work as with the previous novel I reviewed (multiple POVs of characters, adventure, a slowly unraveling plot), but one thing that was missing was the military elements. We went from a war story, into a more adventure/who-done-it mystery.  I actually really enjoyed the transition. The adventure gives a nice plot/pacing to keep up with, and at this point in the story Malory and Alton's relationship feels much more developed. Because there are so many view points happening at once, it does take a little time to get into, but from there, it's a fun and easy read. It would be a good novel to pop some popcorn and plot down with to read through. 

While there isn't a lot plot wise that makes this book unique to me (I've unfortunately seen too many sequels that use 'put them in a foreign country!' as the leading story hook), I think the way Freeman handles the different P.O.V. adds to Havoc. Because we see things from the bad guys view as well as the good guys, it helps add the sense of suspense. You're watching the gunfight from both sides, which is always a favorite approach for me. The plot itself felt really well thought out, even if the chase through Italy thing felt overdone. The stolen files had a good background, and the technology felt advanced, yet believable. So good marks there. 

All in all, I'd consider this a good read. Freeman is a good writer who sets a nice pace through the story, and it's easy to miss bedtime once you get into the story. 

Hagridden by Samuel Snoek-Brown

Hagridden

Author:  Samuel Snoek-Brown
Publisher:  Columbus Press
Pages: 252
Release Date: August 19th, 2014

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

As the Civil War winds violently down, fears of the South's uncertain future fuse with its unraveling traditions. Against the backdrop of this post-apocalyptic landscape, so littered with corpses and mythology and desperation, two women, stranded and alone in the Louisiana bayou, fight to survive.

To be honest with you, I had a lot of trouble getting through this book. While the writer does have some talent and there is some good writing in the bones of this novel, there were just some stylistic things that bugged me at a point it made it difficult to even read. Between the confusing opening, to the odd writing style, I admit, I just couldn't get over some of my first impressions. 

The one thing that I severely disliked was the lack of quotation marks in Hagridden. Dialog was just throw in here and there and there was nothing to separate it from the rest of the text. I know, Samuel Snoek-Brown isn't the first author to use this technique, but it personally just distracting for me and interrupts the flow of a book. The speech itself did give a nice impression of the area and the people in the story, but I felt like I was often backtracking when I hit conversation to read it as intended. 

The other thing that gets annoying is the two women in this story never get names. Everyone around them is given an identity, but the main characters remain faceless. Again, this is a stylistic thing, but it made it hard for me to relate to them. When you start the story with so much distance, it makes it hard to immerse yourself.

The story itself was interesting. The pacing to start was awkward (I don't even know how to explain it, but it was just difficult to read. The perspectives felt off, and it sort of had that 'shaky camera angle' type feel to it), but after the first chapter it was easier to read. The story had a strong sense of place, and you could feel like you were in the correct point in history, which is always a plus with historical novels. Characters felt dynamic, and there was a good mix of events happening (romance, drama, suspense). It's a bit hard for me to talk about the story since the main characters don't have names, but the relationship dynamics were unique to see. I liked the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship because it's a bit unusual. I also liked seeing their struggles with the husband of the girl out of the picture. 

Overall, the bones were really nice. Just some overlying problems that really kept me from getting into things. Other readers may really like this, but it wasn't the book for me in the end. 

Taken With a Grain of Salt by Aaron Galvin

Taken With a Grain of Salt

Author:  Aaron Galvin
Publisher:  Self-Published
Pages: 294
Release Date: November 24, 2014

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

Anyone can be taken - a simple truth for Salt folk, a stark reality for innocent teens Garrett Weaver and Kellen Winstel. Kidnapped by Selkie slave catchers and dragged into the realm beneath the waves, both teens must adapt to their new surroundings if they hope to see the shore again. Yet even if they escape their captors, both will need to embrace their fears. For darker things than Selkies lurk in the Salted depths and not all of them have pure intentions for the innocent ones brought down into their watery world.

To read my review of the first book in this series, Salted, click here.

Taken With a Grain of Salt is the sequel to the novel Salted, a book I reviewed back in March. Featuring the same great cast of characters, this novel further explores the world of the selkies, Salt Children, and their ocean bound world. While Salted started with a story line that largely centered in our world, this sequel explores the larger reaches of the salt, and the creatures that live there. 

What I like most about these novels is the characters continue to grow and develop as time wears on. While we follow multiple story lines, no character feels neglected and still feels important to the central story. I liked seeing the slow progression of Kellen and Garrett's relationship with the people around them, and I also enjoyed learning more of the lore that created the selkies and the system surrounding them. I will admit, it's hard to speak too much about any one element without throwing out spoilers, but I will say this book was great to fill in information that maybe wasn't in the first novel. 

I liked that this book brushed a little more against some of the mermaid elements, while still keeping it's own twists. The concept of selkies and the transformations involved is really cool, but it's also nice to see maybe some elements of what are more typical ocean tails. (tales, tails, yeah, really couldn't avoid that little moment there). I also enjoyed seeing that even those that were the authorities in the Salted world have larger forces they have to be on guard for. Always a bigger fish in the ocean right? Or something like that. 

Overall, I love the Salt series because it maintains an element of freshness. The elements the author uses just have a new feeling to them, and the characters are diverse, dynamic and really well rounded. As they adapt to new situations, powers, and relationships, each character in this story is truly tested by the ocean, fighting for survival in both an internal and external way. I enjoyed this book even more than the first one, so hopefully the rest of the series will continue to live up to my now high expectations for this author. No pressure right? 

Blog Update!

Hi guys!

In case you haven't noticed, there has been a sort of reading list train-wreck that occurred this month. My daytime job sort of took over my life for a few weeks, and I'm trying my best to catch up, so I appreciate your patience with me. My reading list calendar is going to require some reshuffling, so I apologize for any confusion that may cause.

If you were NaNoWriMoing, I bet you were pretty busy too! I have enjoyed meeting new authors this month, and have been excited to see new writers embracing the November chaos. I've also had a handful of new beta reading projects come through, so it's been great to see some works-in-progress on their way towards publication.

While I have one new review about to be release, here's a little teaser present for the holidays in honor of that review. Aaron Galvin has recently released one of my favorite books from this year, Salted, as a free ebook. So get out there and grab that freebee! http://www.amazon.com/Salted-Aaron-Galvin-ebook/dp/B00JSKYEB4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417460352&sr=8-2&keywords=salted

Meanwhile, stay tuned for my upcoming review of the sequel: With a Grain of Salt.

Happy Holidays and let's get December off to a good start!