“Something Borrowed, Something Blue” Will Chill Your Bones Through and Through
Posted: July 14, 2017 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fiction, Horror | Tags: Book Review, DeAnna Knippling, horror, Something Borrowed Something Blue Leave a comment
As rare as it is these days to find a truly well written horror story which draws the reader in and gets a grip, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, by DeAnna Knippling was a pleasant surprise. This novelette gives off a feeling that something ugly lies just below the surface, something that we can’t quite see, but the feeling says that the situation will not end well, and in that we are not disappointed. In the fashion of classic horror, this story makes readers want to say, “No! Stop!” even when it’s clear that events have already been set in motion and there is no turning back.
Sometimes being prepared isn’t the best policy, especially when you’re faced with something no one could be prepared for; something unimaginable that makes the skin crawl, yet demands action. Something Borrowed, Something Blue makes a connection with readers because it’s a situation they can place themselves in, if only in the dark recesses of their minds. Sometimes, that’s where the monster’s dwell which we fear the most. The story’s resolution may leave readers with more questions than answers. This is the kind of story that makes you think, maybe for a long time, after you read it.
Something Borrowed, Something Blue is a well-crafted tale that honors great story telling tradition by capturing readers and not letting them go until long after they’re finished with the story. I give it five quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs at no charge. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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“Unpredictable Webs” Keeps Readers Guessing
Posted: July 7, 2017 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fiction, Thriller | Tags: Book Review, Books, Darlene Quinn, Fiction, Thriller, Unprdictable Webs Leave a comment
Unpredictable Webs by international award winning author, Darlene Quinn, is an intricately plotted and tightly woven story of mystery and intrigue. A vivid cast of characters, who all think they know what’s best keep the pages turning. Although the book is a single piece in a much larger tapestry, it easily works as a stand alone for those who have not read other books in Quinn’s Web series.
As moguls of a major department store chain, Conrad and Ashleigh Taylor are open targets for attacks from all directions. Whether from protesters, who don’t want the iconic name of John Stewart’s to be swallowed whole by their Jordan’s conglomerate, or predators who see only dollar signs when they consider the wealthy couple, the threats are always near. When one predator goes after one of their twin teenage girls in a kidnapping gone awry, there is no telling what will happen next, and the Taylors will stop at nothing to get their daughter back.
Unpredictable Webs is a complex tale of suspense, which keeps readers on their toes with skilled crafting and well developed plot. I give it four quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs at no charge. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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“A Slapshot Prequel Box Set”: Good Stories, Bad Editing
Posted: June 30, 2017 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fiction, romance, Stories | Tags: A Slapshot Prequel, Book Review, Books, Heather C. Myers, Hockey, marketing, romance Leave a comment
A Slapshot Prequel Box Set (Slapshot Prequel Trilogy Book 4), by Heather C. Myers is a perfectly good story line, offering the POV of three characters, in three alternate stories, running parallel to one another. Nicely done. If you’re into hockey, A Slapshot Prequel Box Set (A Slapshot Prequel Trilogy Book 4), by Heather C. Myers may be just what you are looking for. The set contains three separate stories, which unfold simultaneously, the first a murder mystery with a romance element, the second and third romances.
In Blood on the Rocks, Serephina must learn to manage the hockey team she just inherited, and figure out who killed her grandfather at the same time. The problem is, she doesn’t know who to trust, and she finds herself strangely attracted to the prime suspect in her grandfather’s murder. In Grace on the Rocks, a romantic relationship is the last thing Emma is looking for. That is, until Kyle Underwood, the handsome young hockey player, skates right into her life. In Charm on the Rocks, Madison is a college student who goes for brainy guys, not athletic ones, until she meets Alec but she can’t let her dad know she’s a Gulls’ Girl, scraping ice for the Newport Beach Seagulls hockey team, or she may lose his love as well as her tuition, and Alec Schumacher provides a means for her to gain her independence, making her finally admit that she is interested in him.
I was glad this set is labeled prequel, because the overall story, doesn’t feel complete. In fact, I can’t be sure what the main story that ties these three together is. So it was good to think there’s more to come. But then, it is also labeled Book 4, so I’m not so sure about the continuation. I hope there is more to come, because the most serious conflict in any of them is the revelation of Serephina’s grandfather’s killer.
The biggest criticism I have of A Slapshot Prequel Boxset was the editing, or lack thereof, distracts and pulls the reader out of the story repeatedly, to the point of annoyance. There are so many spelling errors, typos, and repetitive wording that it pulls the reader out of the story repeatedly. The stories were interesting enough to keep me reading, but the errors were bothersome and annoying at times.
The three stories in A Slapshot Prequel Boxset are nicely overlapped, but definitely feel like only three parts of a whole. Although the story lines are good, they are lacking true conflict and, combined with the poor editing, I give it three quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs at no charge. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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Ice on Fire: A Story Worth Reading
Posted: June 23, 2017 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fiction, romance | Tags: Amy Cecil, Book Review, Fiction, Ice on Fire, Knights of Silence, Motorcycle Clubs, romance 1 Comment
Ice on Fire, by Amy Cecil is the second book in her contemporary romance Knights of Silence MC series. An intricately woven story line, which ties characters to one another and to the other books in the series, takes readers on a journey into the violent, volatile world of motorcycle club mayhem, where broken souls heal and form family.
Book 2 of this series, Ice on Fire, follows the growth and development as three separate romances blossom, as Ice (or Caden), the president of the Knights of Silence, let’s the world believe he’s dead in an effort to protect those he loves from the retaliation of the Satans, after brutally killing one of their members, while he puts a plan into action to bring about a peace between the two rival clubs.
Although this story has the romance elements and some pretty steamy bedroom scenes, the main story line, mentioned above overrides all three budding romances, causing me to question if it can really be classified as the romance genre. For me, it was more a story of loyalty, with a theme of family sticking together, showing a different, softer side to the motorcycle club culture. With three budding romances in progress, the Knights of Silence certainly prove that they can be gentle and romantic.
It’s a good story line, and I will certainly read book 1, Ice, and maybe future books in the series, as well. My one criticism is that there were times when exposition pulled me out of the story, making me feel like a distant observer rather than a participant. I give Ice on Fire four quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs at no charge. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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“The Day My Fart Followed Santa Up The Chimney”: A Unique Children’s Christmas Story
Posted: June 16, 2017 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Children's Books, Fiction | Tags: Ben Jackson & Sam Lawrence, Book Review, Books, Children's Books, Christmas, Picture Books, Reviews, The Day My Fart Followed Santa Up The Chimney Leave a comment(No Cover Photo Available)
Most kids dream of hitching a ride in Santa’s sleigh at one time or another. In The Day My Fart Followed Santa Up The Chimney by Ben Jackson and Sam Lawrence, Timmy doesn’t get a ride, but his little fart does. Timmy’s Fart is a cute little green guy, kind of a cross between a Smurf and a chubby baby dragon.
The Day My Fart Followed Santa Up The Chimney is a delightful children’s picture book, which explores the magic of Christmas and takes Little Fart on a great adventure. It wasn’t what I expected, (I expected a lot of fart humor from the title), but I was pleasantly surprised. I give it four quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs at no charge. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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“Wicked Treasure” is a Wicked Story
Posted: May 26, 2017 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Steampunk, Young Adult | Tags: Book Review, Jordan Elizabeth, Steampunk, Treasure Chronicles, Wicked Treasure, Young Adult Leave a comment
Wicked Treasure, by Jordan Elizabeth is a read you won’t want to put down. Elizabeth captures the reader’s attention from the first page. It’s a truly enjoyable read. Wicked Treasure is the third novel in her Treasure Chronicle series. Preceding it are Treasure Darkly and Born of Treasure. As with all of Elizabeth’s YA steampunk romance novels, (including Runners and Riders, from her Return to Amston series). Wicked Treasure is an enticing adventure that leaves you wanting more.
Garth and Amethyst are thrown into sleuthing out a new mystery, when the kidnapping of their daughter throws them onto the trail of a diabolical conspiracy of government cover up that threatens to rock the entire country. Exposing the cover up threatens to rock the very structure of the government, making all Treasures and Grishams dispensable liabilities and they find themselves in a race to save their own lives. Full of twists, turns and outright surprises, Wicked Treasure keeps readers guessing and pages turning.
Wicked Treasure is a well crafted YA steampunk novel, filled with suspense and intrigue, that holds readers’ interest from the very first page. I give it five quills.
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“The Lying Planet”: Only The Truth Will Set Them Free
Posted: May 12, 2017 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult | Tags: Book Review, Carol Riggs, Science Fiction, The Lying Planet, Young Adult Fiction Leave a comment
The Lying Planet, by Carol Riggs is a grabbing YA science fiction novel. Riggs puts a new twist on the story where all is not as it appears. On the planet Liberty, the future seems bright, but when the truth is finally unveiled, it may be very dark indeed.
On the planet Liberty, kids look forward to turning eighteen and venturing out of the colony they grew up in, away from their families, to live lives of their own. Jay can’t wait to gain his freedom. But what’s a kid to do when he discovers that everything he was ever lead to believe is a lie, the very fabric that he’s built his life on is false? Jay uncovers a secret that will change life on Liberty forever, and once he knows the truth, there’s no turning back.
Riggs brings us action and suspense in a well crafted YA science fiction novel which is filled with surprises. Just when you think you have it all figured out, another twist is added. I give The Lying Planet five quills.
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“The Path to Old Talbot”: A YA Novel That Deals With Tough Real Life Issues With Sensitivity
Posted: May 5, 2017 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fiction, Young Adult | Tags: Book Review, Jordan Elizabeth, Novel, Reviews, The Path to Old Talbot, Young Adult Leave a comment
The Path to Old Talbot, by Jordan Elizabeth appears on the surface to be a novel about a doorway leading to another time, and it is that. But it is also a story about how a young girl and her mother cope with her father’s mental illness. It’s a tough issue. What does a teen do when their parent has mental problems. It may be something that isn’t talked about, so the child or young adult must deal with it internally, not expressing their feelings outwardly. Our heroine, Charity, expresses her inner thoughts and feelings to the reader, even when they are thoughts and feelings she can’t express to friends or family, giving readers a unique insider’s view of a tough love scenario. It is a difficult issue and I give Jordan Elizabeth kudos for tackling it in a realistic, but sensitive manner.
When Charity and her mother discover a door to the past in their new home, they can hardly believe it, but they quickly take advantage of to make brief escapes from their own reality. But with each visit, it gets harder for Charity to leave her new found friends from the past to their fates, as she digs up the past in the present. But can the past really be changed or is it preordained?
The Path to Old Talbot is a well written and engaging story, perfect for today’s YA readers, who may be dealing with similar issues in their own lives, (mental illness, not time travel). I give it four quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs at no charge. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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“Perils for Portents”: A Steampunkish Novel with a Heroine to be Admired
Posted: April 28, 2017 Filed under: Action/Adventure, Book Review, Books, Fiction, Steampunk, Young Adult | Tags: Action, Book Review, Books, Diana Benedict, Historical Fiction, Novel, Perils for Portents, Reviews, Young Adult Leave a comment
Perils for Portents, by Diana Benedict is a well crafted story and a truly enjoyable read. Taking place in an era when women had to struggle to be taken seriously, young Francie Wolcott proves a heroine who young women today can look up to in a story of mystery and adventure.
When their parents die, Francie and her brother, Rooney, are left to make their own way in the world. Francie uses her resources, combined with Rooney’s ingenuity to travel across the country by unconventional means, to their uncle and grandmother in San Francisco. On the journey, the automaton Rooney designed is possessed by a ghost, whose fortunes are right on the mark. When she reveals a murder the circus owner was involved with, it puts Francie on his radar as a liability. Once they’ve reached their family, Rooney settles in well, while Francie entertains plans to travel the world with the fortune telling automaton. But her grandmother has other plans for her, as she puts Francie on display for all eligible suitors, regardless of how repulsive Francie finds them. Besides thwarting her grandmother, Francie must also evade the circus owner, who is set on her demise, and she proves herself up to the task.
Perils for Portents is a delightful historic YA novel, with elements of adventure and romance. It is well written and entertaining. I give it four quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs at no charge. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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“Weeping Willows”: A Ghostly Tale
Posted: April 21, 2017 Filed under: Book Review, Fiction, Paranormal, Speculative Fiction, Stories | Tags: B.J. Robinson, Book Review, Ghosts, Paranormal, Short Fiction, Short Story, Weeping Willows Leave a comment
Weeping Willows by B.J. Robinson has the potential to be a good ghostly tale. Unfortunately, Robinson didn’t take it quite far enough. All the elements are there, but they just don’t come together very well.
The story fails to set a tone scary enough to cause any real anticipation. The House of Usher, it is not. The one spirit that actually shows herself, isn’t very threatening, is actually rather helpful, providing all the needed information about the house’s history, so the story may proceed, thus removing any sense of mystery the story might have been carrying.
The plot is classic haunted house to the point of almost being cliché. Two couples enter into a contest where the couple who lasts the longest in the old house, which threatens to crumble and fall into the sea, wins a honeymoon in Hawaii, but of course, the house is haunted and the spirits don’t seem happy about its latest guests.
The circumstances often seem a little too convenient, as if the events occur at the convenience of the author, to get the story out. It feels like the characters do what is necessary for the story to unfold, but perhaps not what would be natural for their personalities, but that could be because the characters lack depth. Character development is always a challenge when writing short fiction due to the short amount of page space, but without it, it’s difficult to care about the characters.
Weeping Willows is a ghost story of fair quality. I give it three quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs at no charge. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
