“Treasure Darkly” presents a great genre combo
Posted: May 20, 2016 Filed under: Book Review, Steampunk, Writing, Young Adult | Tags: Book Review, Books, Fiction, Jordan Elizabeth, Review, Steampunk, Treasure Darkly, Writing, Young Adult 3 Comments
Clark Treasure carries within himself a dark treasure, which gives him control over life and death, and allows him to communicate with spirits. The army wants his secret and drives him into a life as a fugitive, in this haunted YA steampunk romance with a western flair, Treasure Darkly, by Jordan Elizabeth. Clark seeks refuge with the man he believes to be his father, a rich man with a lot of pull in Hedlund, the Big Valley of steampunk, hoping to ride on the Treasure name for protection. His true father comes to him as a spirit after the ruse has already been set in motion and sends Clark on a mission to take care of his unfinished business. Amethyst Treasure, the feisty, spoiled sister who’s not, becomes an object of affection when they both learn there’s no blood between them, and by the end of the book they’ve fallen in love, of course.
Elizabeth sets this first book up well to carry the rest of her Treasure Chronicles series, wrapping up the romance, while leaving the main story open ended to carry on another day, or another book or two. My only criticisms lie in the fact that at times, it didn’t feel like the characters actions and reactions were genuine and that Elizabeth detours from the main storyline from about Chapter 33, after Amethyst’s male friend from the city, Joshua, shows up at the ranch unexpectedly. The family choses this exact time to all go on a family outing, making it feel as if we’ve taken an abrupt jog into a subplot involving Amethyst’s brother, Jeremiah, and a brief romance. While this was a neat little tale driven by the urge to reveal character, I had to pause and ask myself why Elizabeth chose to stray so far from the main story with this section that doesn’t seem to move the story forward.
The place in which Elizabeth choses to end this tale feels unfinished, leaving many unanswered questions, but perhaps this was purposefully crafted to carry us into the next book in the series. For me, however, it felt like an abrupt drop off, leaving many loose ends dangling. It felt like there should have been more, maybe just one more chapter to tie everything neatly together before sending readers off to ponder the story in their own minds, which they will, because Treasure Darkly is a story that inspires deeper thought processes. It has an interesting and well thought out premise, that leaves many possibilities open to discovery. I look forward to seeing what future tales will be inspired for this series.
Overall, this is a very entertaining read. I’m a sucker for westerns, even in a steampunk world. Throwing in aspects from the spirit world, Elizabeth certainly added an interesting twist, if at times too convenient, but none-the-less enjoyable. I look forward to reading its sequel and hope to have the opportunity to review it, as well.
Jordan Elizabeth is a steampunk princess well on her way to living out her fairytale dream of being a successful YA author in New York. Her other works include Escape from Witchwood Hollow, Cogling, and Book Two of the Treasure Chronicle series, Born of Treasure. I give Treasure Darkly three quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read, and she never charges for them. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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The Poetry of Jessy Randall Shows Us How to Laugh at Life
Posted: May 13, 2016 Filed under: Book Review, Poetry | Tags: Book Review, Jessy Randall, Poetry, Suicide Hotline Hold Music 1 Comment
Suicide Hotline Hold Music, by Colorado Springs poet, Jessy Randall, is a quirky collection of poetry and poetry comics which present a comic outlook on some life’s realities that makes the reader want to slap her forehead and exclaim, “Why didn’t I see that?!” Randall’s poems take on thier own unique individual forms, which utilize rhythm and emphasis to the fullest, giving her works a conversational tone, like an old friend pointing out oddities. In “A Different Kind of Stupid”, which was first published in Asimov’s, Randall gives us a fresh analysis of a well-known fairytale.
A Different Kind of Stupid
Rapunzel never compared the weight
of the witch and the prince. How dumb,
if she did. No, she was pregnant,
that’s how the witch found out.
So, a different kind of stupid, up there
in her tower. You could argue
she loved him, and sure, she may have,
but he was the only man she’d ever met.
What kind of love is that?
The stupidest thing of all is how the prince
left her up there, day after day. Some might say
he knew what he was doing, never bringing a rope.
This collection of poetry makes complicated issues seem simple and manageable. The poems allow us to laugh at ourselves and at life, reminding us of times forgotten and left behind. Their innocent nature reminds us of the people we once were.
I give Suicide Hotline Hold Music 3 Quills. 
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read and she never charges for them. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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“The Road Has Eyes” takes readers on a unique and entertaining journey
Posted: May 6, 2016 Filed under: Book Review, Nonfiction | Tags: Art Rosch, Book Review, Books, Nonfiction, The Road Has Eyes 4 Comments
The Road Has Eyes – A Relationship, An RV and A Wild Ride Through Indian Country by Art Rosch is much more than a travel journal. It’s a memoir of a journey, both physical and spiritual, across country and into a new and different way of life. It begins in a relic RV that got them where they were headed, amidst mega doses of anxiety, then moves into a more modern RV that brings them back across the country to settle in to a new, downsized way of life. Along the way, readers get to know the author and his quirky companion, who traces her Native American heritage and links psychically with feral cats and other animals.
The tale is obviously told from an honest and heartfelt perspective, with a relaxed tone that’s easy to read. Rosch’s down to earth sensibilities and ability to see the humor in things, including himself, make this commentary on humanity a fun and amusing read. I found this book to be very entertaining, evoking more than a few chuckles as the pages turned. I can’t wait to start reading another of Rosch’s books, Confessions of an Honest Man. Check back here for my review on that one. I give The Road Has Eyes – A Relationship, An RV and A Wild Ride Through Indian Country four quills.
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“Cogling”: A Delightful Steampunk Journey
Posted: April 17, 2016 Filed under: Book Review, Speculative Fiction, Steampunk, Young Adult 3 Comments
As my introduction to the steampunk genre and I must say I found Cogling, by Jordan Elizabeth a pleasing surprise. The story telling is strong, descriptions vivid, and characters who are realistic and likeable. Elizabeth has created a magical fantasy world in which readers are drawn in and easily immersed.
When Edna’s younger brother Harrison is stolen by hags and replaced with an enchanted mechanical replica, or cogling, Edna will stop at nothing to get him back. She enlists the help of a pickpocket street boy, Ike, who has knowledge of the hags and a few secrets, to aide her in her quest. Ike’s not the only one with secrets, for Edna harbors a secret of her own, one she’s afraid to admit, even to herself.
In their efforts to free Edna’s brother, they uncover a plot to annihilate the humans and the race is on to expose the hags’ evil plot to the king. When they arrive at the castle, they learn that Mother Sambucus and the other hags have infiltrated the entire Royal Court with their wretched coglings. Edna, Ike and their friends are captured once more, with no recourse except escape, in order to bring down the hags and save the kingdom.
Jordan Elizabeth is a talented New York author, whose other works include Escape from Witchwood Hallow, Treasure Darkly, Born of Treasure, several short story anthologies, and her newest novel, Goat Children.
I give Coglings Four Quills. 
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“Whispering Death” is an Action Packed Thriller of fair quality
Posted: April 1, 2016 Filed under: Book Review, Fiction | Tags: Action/Adventure, Book Review, Chris Tucker, Creative Fiction, Fiction, Whispering Death Leave a comment
If you took the wild ride of Lost Voyage and loved it, then you’ll be happy to join in on the antics of NESA operatives, Sean Mercer and Pat Vigil, as they uncover a plot and race to stop an egotistical madman, who happens to be the kingpin of a huge pharmaceutical company, from unleashing a new drug resistant strain of TB on the world, for his own materialistic profit in Whispering Death, by California author, Chris Tucker.
While their boyish antics are entertaining, Sean Mercer and Pat Vigil are characters we’d like to know more about. For instance, how can they always be joking, even in the face of death? And how can they be so confident that they will always come out unscathed? It almost seems as if they are secret super heroes, carrying out almost super-human feats, and we just haven’t been let in on the secret.
This story has a good plot line, but execution of the story is lacking. It should be an action-packed thriller, which keeps readers on the edges of their seats and anxious to turn pages, but without continuous POV, we don’t stay with any one character long enough to feel the tension that we know should be there.
I give Whispering Death 2 Quills: 
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Full Circle Comes Half-Way
Posted: March 19, 2016 Filed under: Book Review, Fiction | Tags: Action, Book, Book Review, Fiction, Flagler Beach, Full Circle, Tim Baker 2 Comments
Tim Baker’s latest novel, Full Circle, is a story about how our choices affect others, sometimes others we don’t even know, in unexpected ways. What does one do when your boss thinks you owe him a favor and asks you to commit murder? Mark Sullivan is faced with the choice and what he does sets in motion surprising events, while his boss, Joe Moretti’s choices set other events in motion, involving other people, and all these paths cross in some very entertaining ways.
As in all of Baker’s books several seemingly unrelated characters weave their way through the intricate details of plot with delightfully entertaining antics. A recovering alcoholic, a single mother trying to make ends meet, a self-centered contractor, an over-protective father, and a homeless woman, who seem to have little in common, find their karmic paths crossing in unexpected ways, but it all comes together when they come Full Circle.
In Living the Dream, a plumber’s apprentice with a moral code ends up crossing paths with a crooked contractor who’s unfaithful to his wife, and the endearing residents of Flagler Beach. In No Good Deed, a homeless guy and a gangster’s girlfriend cross paths with the plumber’s apprentice, who has straightened out his life and is now a groundskeeper trying to live the straight and narrow, some big time mobsters and a two-bit con-man, along with our old friends from Flagler Beach and surrounding areas. It’s one of the things I admire about Baker’s works.
I think the difference with Full Circle may be that the karmic element is the theme of the story, and it feels like the characters are forced to fit the mold on this one. I must admit, I was a little disappointed by it. Tim Baker is a talented author, with the ability to bust out this kind of story with skill and finesse, but it feels off in this book. It’s nothing I can put my finger on, but it didn’t grab my attention from the starting line, like Baker’s other books have. As a result, I found it harder to invest myself in the story and care about the characters.
Don’t get me wrong. Full Circle is a good story, a delightful tale, actually. It will make you smile, and make you sit on the edge of your seat at times. It will draw chuckles in all the right places. Although the execution is a little off, it’s not enough to make me put the book down. I still wanted to keep reading to see what happens next. I give Full Circle three quills.
You can find Full Circle and other books by Tim Baker on his website, Blindogg Books.
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“Wild West Ghosts” may turn readers into believers
Posted: February 13, 2016 Filed under: Book Review, Opinion, Western | Tags: Book Review, Books 2 Comments
Wild West Ghosts, by Mark Todd and Kym O’Connell Todd may turn some readers into believers. The cover describes the book as “an amateur ghost hunting guide for HAUNTED HOTELS in southwest Colorado”, but it is so much more. Wild West Ghosts might be more accurately described as a travel guide for ghost hunters, outdoors enthusiasts, tourists and history buffs alike.
In addition to the detailed instructions provided for amateur ghost hunters, which lay out the methodology and equipment which the Todds used to achieve their results, and accounts of the local ghost lore of each area, they’ve included vivid site descriptions and colorful area histories which add an old west flavor. In addition, an outline of contemporary area attractions for each site is provided for visitors looking for more than ghosts on their vacation, including highlights of the area, Annual Festivals and events, and cultural and recreational opportunities.
By design, the locations chosen are a bit off the beaten path. The southwestern Colorado locations visited include Creede, Crested Butte, Cripple Creek, Del Norte, Delta, Fairplay, Gunnison, Norwood, Ouray, Paonia, South Fork, and Twin Lakes. For each location is provided with an account of the Todds visit, including details of any strange or ghostly phenomena they encountered either on their spirit box or EMF meter. Many accounts include ethereal conversations they were unaware of at the sites, which were discovered only after they were able to play back audio-only recordings. Their experiences are related in conversational tone, with professional manner and a dash of humor.
For those on a spirit quest, ghost hunting instructions are given in simple, easy to understand terms, ideal for first time ghost hunters. The authors thoughtfully included an account of their test run, made to familiarize themselves with the equipment, along with the lessons that they learned, so those thinking of trying their hand at the ghost hunting thing need not make the same mistakes. Related photos and maps locating each site have also been included to enhance both reading and ghost hunting experiences.
Mark Todd and Kym O’Connell Todd are partners in life, as well as in writing. They reside in the Gunnison area, where Mark teaches creative writing at Western State Colorado University. Their previous works as a team include the humorous, quirky Silverville Saga: Little Greed Men, All Plucked Up and the Majick Outhouse, which all revolve around a fictional Colorado mountain town and keeps readers chuckling to the last pages. To learn more about the Todds and their writing, visit their website, Write in the Thick of Things.
I give Wild West Ghosts five quills. 
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Past and Present come together to tell the story of “Escape from Witchwood Hollow”
Posted: February 5, 2016 Filed under: Book Review, Fiction, Uncategorized, Young Adult | Tags: Book Review, Books, Young Adult 3 Comments
I can’t be sure of the accuracy of some of the historical details and there were a number of typos which were slightly distracting from the story. Other than that, I found Escape from Witchwood Hollow, by Jordan Elizabeth, to be a carefully crafted tale, which braids together multiple time periods with skill and talent. Escape from Witchwood Hollow is a highly entertaining YA novel, that will charm and captivate readers, both young and old.
The legend of Witchwood Hollow begins in the 1600’s, when an English noblewoman is run out of town, accused of being a witch, and she hides in the surrounding woods. To avoid detection, she places a spell on the hollow where she chooses to make her home. Those who enter the hollow, never return and the legend grows.
Jordan Elizabeth inter-weaves the story of the noblewoman with the stories of two other young women, Abertine from the 1800’s and Honoria, a young woman of modern times, into an intricate pattern that fits into the bigger legend in a way that makes her tale easy to follow and fascinating to unfold. Each young woman is connected with the legend, each in her own way, but it seems that Honoria holds the key. But, Honoria has her own ghosts to deal with, when she is left an orphan following the attacks on the World Trade Centers.
I give Escape from Witchwood Hollow four quills.
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Author Tim Baker entertains readers with “Eyewitness Blues”
Posted: August 8, 2014 Filed under: Book Review, Fiction, Writing | Tags: Action, Creative Fiction, Eyewitness Blues, Thriller, Tim Baker 2 Comments
What happens when an ordinary guy gets caught up in the extraordinary circumstances of a Rhode Island crime syndicate? When an opportunity that seems too good to be true falls into his lap, Martin discovers that it really is. Not being killed by a Rhode Island crime boss seems like a stroke of good fortune, until he realizes he’s being sucked into the illegal activities of his apparent savior. Martin thinks he’s found a way out, only to discover that he’s buried himself deeper and ticked off the big guy to boot.
Running from a Rhode Island crime boss beats being hung by your ankles from an eight-story balcony, but not by much. Martin is an ordinary guy who is down on his luck. Martin thinks he’s found a way out, only to discover that he’s buried himself deeper and ticked off the big guy to boot. On the run, he ends up in Flagler Beach, where Ike and the other unique residents of Flagler take matters into their own hands.
Martin just wants to get by and earn a living, but he falls in with the wrong guys and finds himself unwittingly embedded into the Rhode Island crime syndicate and the only obvious way out is a body bag. He believes he’s found another way out when he discovers evidence of a murder involving his boss. Martin thinks the witness protection program can save him, until he learns that the cops are in his boss’ pocket, requiring him to make a quick exit and landing him in Flagler Beach under the protection of Ike, a loveable ex-SEAL, whose heart is always in the right place. In Eyewitness Blues, that involves setting up the bad guys and blowing things up, two of Ike’s favorite pastimes.
The works of Florida author and talented story-teller, Tim Baker, is guaranteed to entertain, and Eyewitness Blues is no exception. This skilfully threaded plot keeps the action rolling with uniquely crafted characters that will keep the pages turning. This and other works by Tim Baker may be purchased at www.blindoggbooks.com.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Classic Meets Monsters
Posted: February 26, 2016 | Author: Author the World | Filed under: Book Review, Commentary, Opinion, Uncategorized | Tags: Books, Movie Review, Writing | 1 CommentPride and Prejudice and Zombies (PPZ) takes a classic piece of literature and gives it a modern horror twist by adding zombies to the story. While the 2016 movie is based on the 2009 book written by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, the result is an entirely different thing.
The book plot is essentially the same as the original Pride and Prejudice. The Bennett sisters are single women in want of husbands, and their mother is determined to find them each one. When the eldest sister, Jane, meets the well-to-do Mr. Bingley, she’s immediately smitten and so is he. The sparks between Jane’s sister, Elizabeth, and Bingley’s friend, Mr. Darcy, however, are not of the same sort. Elizabeth and Darcy go through a series of verbal sparring matches, letting their pride and prejudice get in the way of their chance at love.
Seth Grahame-Smith’s book edition adds zombies in the mix, and turns the Bennett sisters into skilled fighters. There are other minor changes, like at one point a verbal sparring match between Darcy and Elizabeth is turned into a physical fighting match, but overall the story of the PPZ book is much the same as the original novel there are just zombies in the world.
The PPZ movie, however, did what I wish the book had. The zombies become a crucial part of the story rather than just a world detail and minor complication. The premise for the PPZ movie is that zombies have taken over much of England except for a barricaded safe zone. Darcy is a Colonel in the war against the zombies, and a skilled fighter. The Bennett sisters have all been trained in Chinese martial arts and sword fighting, and are skilled fighters themselves. The fight against the zombies, and their growing numbers, is much more central to the plot of the movie and I think it works better than the zombie element in the book. The romantic plot of the movie follows much the same plot as the original book, with the exception of Wickham and Lydia.
I think the book PPZ is enjoyable because it’s essentially Pride and Prejudice just with the added elements of zombies. That being said, I found it annoying that the zombie element was not integrated into the plot more and that it seemed frivolous. I dislike things that aren’t essential to the story being thrown in. The PPZ movie, however, fixed that for me and did it in a way I enjoyed. The zombies aren’t just your typical walking dead, they’re an actively malevolent threat that leaves potential for a sequel. However, the movie did have issues of its own. If you can make it past the first thirty minutes (more details of issues below the spoiler tag), things do settle out and end up in a fun story, but there are some things to overlook to get there.
Overall, it’s worth the watch if you enjoy both zombie movies and Pride and Prejudice. Just be prepared for a mix of genres, and don’t hang your expectations too strongly on this being your typical Pride and Prejudice remake. By the end, I was ready to watch the second one (if it ever gets made), even though the beginning falters.
**** MOVIE SPOILERS BELOW ****
The biggest issue in the movie is the first thirty minutes. It’s clear the writers struggled with how to start this version of the story because it’s kind of all over the place tonally.
Tonally, there are some awkward moments that just don’t quite sit right. For example, early on there is a strange sexualized moment with Darcy and a doctor who is checking him over. Which I understand is supposed to foreshadow the doctor is not good at his job and has let an infected person into the house, but it isn’t blended well into the story. Plus, later on there are several moments where the Bennett sisters are getting ready for the party at Mr. Bingley’s when they are arming themselves that are also sexualized in the same odd way. While I didn’t mind that it was equal opportunity sexualization, it created a strange pause in the story and just didn’t blend smoothly. Then the sexual element would disappear and it’d feel like the storytelling shifted.
The tone problem continued early on when it came to humor as well. There were some great humorous moments – Matt Smith as Mr. Collins was wonderful – but they also weren’t blended in with the story well. They stuck out here and there like they were saying “this is supposed to be funny.” And while a lot of the moments were funny, they were also awkward at times and interrupted the story flow.
One moment specifically where I think it was meant to be humor but it just struck out for me, was when Darcy sees Elizabeth and the Bennett sisters fight the zombies at Mr. Bingley’s party. It goes from this big fight sequence to focusing on Darcy, and everything stops while he spouts this speech about Elizabeth and how he sees her differently now. Then it goes back to the action. I interpreted it as intending to be funny, but it felt instead like they paused the action movie to have an “Austen moment” and then hit play again. Which, could have been funny, but it almost didn’t feel deliberate which turned it into an awkward moment.
Once the story got going, however, things definitely balanced out and I felt like I could orient myself better in the story. The first thirty minutes just had me confused as I tried to figure out what type of story I was watching. That being said, I feel safe in saying that this is not an easy to classify movie. It’s not quite horror, not quite romance, not quite comedy… It definitely has some fun action moments, but it also doesn’t follow the typical action lines. It’s truly a crossover movie, and once you accept that while watching it becomes easier to stay with it. You just have to make it through the beginning and let yourself accept it as something new.
Honestly, I think this is the sort of movie that would really benefit from a dual viewing. The first to get oriented in the method of storytelling and cross-genre elements, and the second so you can just sit back an enjoy.
If the beginning was fixed, this would easily be a 4-4.5 Star movie for me, but as it stands, I can only give it:
3.5 Stars
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